Thank you wattpad and Nicole Alfrine for giving me a chance to read your book in realty for my honest review. I got about 10% of the way in and I was a bit confused. The timing was a little jumpy and at times I was confused on whose pov I was. I forget that it was Bronx the entire time. So it made it kind of hard for me to immerse myself into the world and enjoy it. I loved the idea of things but in my opinion the execution wasn't there.

Scars of Anatomy by Nicole Alfrine is the kind of book that gets under your skin in the best way possible. From the very first page, I was completely drawn into its raw emotion, deeply complex characters, and beautifully woven storytelling. This isn’t just a romance—it’s an experience, one that tugs at your heartstrings and refuses to let go.

The chemistry between the characters was intense, and their journey—both individually and together—was filled with vulnerability, healing, and some truly unforgettable moments. Alfrine’s writing is hauntingly beautiful, making every emotion feel so real. If you love stories that cut deep, make you feel everything, and leave you thinking long after the final page, Scars of Anatomy is a must-read. I’m officially hooked on Nicole Alfrine’s storytelling and can’t wait to read more!

👩🏻‍🏫💡 I received this book to read as an Advanced Reader/Review Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.

3 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let’s just say the last 10%, epilogue, bonus chapters, and after-epilogue were the best parts. I HATE how the ending was rushed though!

I had issues with the overall pacing and initial plot. I wanted to DNF because the MMC just acted like an angry man-slut, but I gave the story a chance. However, the overall romance also fell flat for me. There needs to be more *chemistry* between the two MCs and then they can talk about anatomy. (See what I did there? lol)

Writing: 2/5
Pace: 2/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Ending: 5/5
Enjoyability: 3/5

(More in-depth analysis below)


💕Would you recommend this book?
Overall I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it. 90% of the book, I didn’t feel giddy with their romance or felt anything for these two.

🪶Favorite Quote:
“ ‘I didn’t become a prisoner to my past…. An unfortunate past isn’t a life sentence. “


🌶️ Spice Level: 🔥
Yes, there’s spice. But I hated how most of the spice was the MMC just messing around with other girls. 😔 Couldn’t we get more spicy scenes with the MCs?!

——


📝Writing Style: 2/ 5
I really loved how the story is told in the MMC POV. It’s a refreshing take, but I also think that’s where the chemistry lacked. Reading the bonus chapters of the FMC POV brought it all together.

As far as the author’s writing, it fell flat. I could tell this was definitely WattPad-coded. I didn’t like the abrupt transitions between scenes or time. & Some sentences were too lengthy & some too choppy. The same adjectives were used too often— like how many times do we have to be reminded that Olivia’s hair is “caramel-colored”? 🙄

Many lines are just “he did this. she felt that.” I get it’s a guy’s POV, but guys also get butterflies or sweaty hands when nervous… those type of things! I wanted more descriptive words so we can *feel* like we’re in the scenes with the two MCs.
With a little more editing, I think it can steer away from being just a WattPad story!

🏃🏻‍♀️Pace: 2/5
This is too slow for me. I get it’s a slow-burn romance, but there was too much “fluff” and not enough moments & cute banter between the MCs. The best moments were literally at the end of the book.


🗺️Plot: 3/5

Plot Themes/Tropes-
* Opposites Attract
* Athlete x Nerd (Football x PreMed)
* ⚠️Trigger Warnings/Other topics: Mentions of drug addiction, mention of domestic abuse, child abuse, alcohol & drug use

Summary: Bronx, the quarterback of the college football team, is a stereotypical jock who parties, sleeps around, and doesn’t do well in classes. One day in his Anatomy lab, he meets Olivia, a soft-spoken pre-med student. He eventually asks her to tutor her when he fails his first anatomy test and begins to fall for her as they spend more time together.

In my opinion, the slow-burn romance was dragging on too long. If it’s going to be slow-burn, at least fill us up with more cute banter, tension, & yearning. The “anatomy kisses”were the best part about the tutoring, lol!


👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Characters: 3/ 5

Male Main Characters (MMC):
Bronx- I hate to say it, but Bronx is another MMC with a troubled past that influences a lot of his “messy” behavior. We are introduced to him in the story as a jock who literally sleeps around with so many females on campus, and he even owns up to it. He was really difficult to like at first. Honestly, him *falling* for Olivia and respecting their relationship was his saving grace.

Female Main Character (FMC):
Olivia - A quiet, soft-spoken genius who wants to become a cardiac surgeon one day. She is beauty & brains, and Bronx normally doesn’t go for her type. She is introverted and timid, and exactly what Bronx may need in his chaotic life.
My only complaint with her is that we don’t get to know more about her until the very end— she has so much more depth to her that I wish were prevalent in the story. Maybe that’s the downside of not knowing the FMC POV.

Supporting Characters: Delilah is such a true best friend to Olivia, and I love how she’s supportive through and through. She’s the best supporting character, for sure! Olivia definitely has a strong support system, and I think Bronx is lucky to be welcomed so easily into that.

🎬Ending: 5/ 5
The last 10% of the book was the best part about the book, which saddens me because it’s easy to want to DNF early into the story! The ending was satisfying realizing all the invisible strings. Bronx has great character growth, and we finally hear Olivia say more than two sentences lmao.

🙂Enjoyability: 3/ 5
I wasn’t bored out of my mind because it’s interesting reading a MMC POV. However, I wish the pace was written a bit faster, and I wish there were more cute banter! I stayed because I wanted to see Bronx’s character arc, and Olivia is just lovely.


📈Final Rating Averaged: 3 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

——

Rating Rubric:
1/5: 🌟 Horrible - “Why did I even waste my time?”
2/5: 🌟🌟 Unimpressed - It could have been better.
3/5: 🌟🌟🌟 Good/Average- I would recommend this, but nothing was too out of the ordinary; it’s what’s expected.
4/5: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Great! - There were some good surprises, but not enough to blow my mind.
5/5: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Outstanding - Above & Beyond, It left me wanting more and thinking more about it.

I would have loved this as a dual POV and I also need Bronx to be a little less annoying in the beginning

This book didn't work for me. Everything about this book made for a simple and right up my alley sports romance. I was excited by male POV, but the writing felt immature, and I couldn't get past it. I ended up DNFing.

Scars of Anatomy has a cute premise—two college seniors meet in anatomy lab and form a romance while dealing with past trauma and a toxic ex. The book includes a unique twist at the end, and I appreciated that it was written from a male POV, which is rare in romance. The concept itself was cute, and there were moments of emotional depth.

However, the execution fell short for me. The characters often felt like they were in high school rather than college, and the male main character’s inner voice came across as immature—especially at the beginning, where I really disliked his behavior. While the book includes a sports element (football), it wasn’t emphasized enough to truly feel like a sports romance. Additionally, conflicts that arose were resolved way too quickly, making some of the drama feel underdeveloped and lacking real stakes.

Overall, Scars of Anatomy had potential with its unique setup and emotional themes, but the character development and pacing didn’t quite work for me. If you enjoy college romances with some drama and a touch of suspense, it might still be worth a read, but it wasn’t my favorite.

I was so excited about this book. The description is everything I typically love and I was so excited knowing it was from the main male characters point of view. While it was an overall cute read, it really felt like a tell instead of show. Each chapter had a repetitive feel to it. Perhaps it was too slow of a burn for me. I did think the ending was well done.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC 💖

4 stars for sure!!!

LISTEN GIVE ME ALL THE PREMED FMC IN THE WORLD AND ILL GET TO A TEE! I love connecting to Oliva in that way, since hello, girly pops in stem.

Also, it was a refreshing take on having the whole book in the POV of Bronx, I think it was a fresh take and I generally liked it.

Now listen,,, did I read a majority of this book in one night, yes. Did I question my likeness towards this book, yes, since I am not a huge fan of the "instant love" trope and I felt like this was very instant love. But moving past that, I do believe that the characters do have elements and depth that I was craving to learn more about,,, and then we got it and my face dropped.

The plot twists were refreshing and I love me a silly little romance book!

I definitely believe that this is a book that is worth reading if you're in the mood for something quick and fresh to read (HEAVY IF YOU'RE INTO READING FROM BRONX POV)

Thank you so much to Netgalley and W by Wattpad Books for the Arc <3333

I enjoyed the fact that Scars of Anatomy is told entirely from the male POV. It’s rare to get a romance solely from the hero’s perspective, and I thought Bronx was engaging. Watching him evolve from the stereotypical playboy quarterback to someone completely obsessed by Olivia was nice. His slow realization that he wanted more than just a fling felt natural, and I liked how his character arc played out.

That being said, the pacing of the book felt uneven. The first part had a strong setup, but it became repetitive. A lot of scenes took place in the classroom or study sessions, which made the middle drag. While I appreciated the academic setting, I wish there had been more variety in their interactions outside of school. The romance itself was sweet, but it leaned a little into insta-love since Bronx seemed hooked on Olivia almost immediately. A bit more tension before they started falling for each other would have made the slow burn even more satisfying.

I also wasn’t totally sold on the “big twist.” It felt more like a miscommunication than a true plot twist, and while it created conflict, it didn’t hit as hard as I expected. However, I did enjoy how Bronx bonded with Olivia’s family and how both characters pushed each other to grow.

Scars of Anatomy is a decent college romance with a refreshing perspective, but the pacing issues and lack of plot variety held it back for me. Still, if you enjoy sports romances with a sweet nerd/jock dynamic and a devoted MMC, it might be worth checking out!

this was a cute, quick read, but not life changing for me. i’m excited to see what the author gets up to next, though.

Scars of Anatomy was a refreshing take on the sports romance genre, and I really enjoyed experiencing the story from the male POV. Bronx’s perspective added a unique touch, and I liked seeing his growth throughout the book.

The romance is definitely a slow burn, which I usually love, and Bronx and Olivia had some really sweet moments together. Their dynamic was fun, and I appreciated the opposites-attract element. At times, I did wish for a little more depth in their development, but overall, their journey was enjoyable to follow.

This was a light and easy read with a fun college sports setting. If you’re looking for a cute romance with a unique perspective, this is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you netgallery and the author for the opportunity to read this!

A playboy college athlete with a rough childhood meets a straight-A, pre-med student with the picture perfect family and life. It's a pretty standard plot for a romance, but the writing has a lot to be desired. For one, there's a lot of repetition happening -- repeated phrases and quotes. Two, a lot of unnecessary filler scenes with excessive detail. There were many chapters where, by the end of it, I asked myself what the point of it was. There was no progression of the plot, character relationships, or character development. Three, Olivia would not stop giggling and it grated my nerves. She giggled at least twice a chapter, and with 40+ chapters, that's way too many. Find a synonym for the word "giggle," or better yet, make her stop giggling.

As someone who has experienced child abuse, I could really relate to Bronx's triggers, and I feel like the story could have explored how therapy plays a crucial role in healing. This could have added an important layer to the narrative. Olivia, while sweet and kind, felt a bit one-dimensional. I would have loved to see more depth to her character. That said, I still enjoyed the book, even though it did have its slower moments. The "opposites attract" trope, especially with him falling first, was a highlight for me. It added a lot of emotional tension and sweetness to the story, and I appreciate that aspect. Thank you NetGalley for the early ARC!

Nicole Alfrine’s Scars of Anatomy showcases a writing style that is both engaging and emotionally resonant. Her prose is smooth and accessible, striking a balance between sharp dialogue and introspective moments that add depth to her characters. The alternating perspectives between Bronx and Olivia allow readers to fully immerse themselves in their individual struggles and evolving relationship.

Alfrine’s strength lies in her ability to craft authentic chemistry between her leads, using witty banter and quiet, tension-filled moments to build their connection naturally. The pacing is well-handled, maintaining momentum without feeling rushed, though some sections lean heavily on internal monologue, which may slow the narrative for some readers.

Overall, Scars of Anatomy is a well-written contemporary romance that blends humor, emotion, and character-driven storytelling, making it an engaging read for fans of slow-burn, opposites-attract love stories.

First, I want to say thank you, NetGalley, for a chance at this Arc!

Idc what anyone has to say, I love this story enough for 5 stars!! I was a little apprehensive when I realized it was only from Bronx's POV, but i was proven wrong. This book was such a good slow burn that it had the MC yearning for the FMC (after he gave up the play boy phase), and he slowly became obsessed.

Bronx wasn't my favorite in the beginning. It was your average play boy sports player who screwed wayyy too much. However, I slowly fell harder for him once he started slowly changing himself at the FIRST LOOK at Olivia. I loved how he slowly gave up his play boy attitude and locked in on her, he brushed off all the other girls as best he could, and he became just the perfect amount of obsessed.

Olivia was such a sweetheart. I loved how she slowly fell for him too (idk if you can tell, but i absolutely love that this was a slow burn). She was so nice to everyone but also knew her worth. She knew his history and yet still slowly fell for him, too.

Now the antagonist of this story, Adrianna and Rat Boy (that's not his real name, but im following along with Bronx cause was a rat). They deserved what they got in the end, is all im going to say.

I highly recommend this book & have already texted two of my friends about it. I will be adding Nicole to my authors list to look out for new releases!

Somehow, I missed that this college romance was written from the guy's pov only!! That was definitely different and something I've never read before; I didn't hate or love it, just enjoyed reading in a way I hadn't before. It definitely made certain aspects more interesting, and I liked how it allowed for more time spent on the main male character's feelings as sometimes dual pov favors the fmc over the mmc. The mmc, Bronx, definitely going through a lot of emotions so focusing on his pov was beneficial to understanding his actions & feelings. I will say,

I am more of a dual pov fan so I do overall wish we would have had some fmc pov. Oliva, the fmc, was sweet and likable; I think she fit well with Bronx. I think I would have loved their dynamic more if we had more of them getting to know each other from the romantic side. The way they helped one another grow was good character development though and worked well for their ages.

For the overall story, you get a slow burn college romance that we are all pretty used to with this genre. I liked the found family aspect but wish we would have less classroom setting and more outside the schoolwork as it caused a good portion to be a little repetitive. Too much school detail either bores me or annoys me if things don't come off as accurate (both happened for me in this one). I would have preferred more social settings and more time with the side characters as I think they were underutilized.

I'd recommend this if you like slow burn, college romance and a little less focus on spice.

Scars of Anatomy was a cute novel following Bronx & Olivia during their senior year of college. The story is all from Bronx’s POV - poor dude was going through it half the time and it was sweet to understand his thought processes.

If you love slow-burn, modern romance, and found family tropes, this is the perfect book for you!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to ARC read!

I’m debating between a 3 and 3.5 star rating.

Overall, it was a cute college romance that I did enjoy. But I wished there were more scenes not inside a classroom or involving studying.

I was interested in this book as a Human Anatomy and Physiology major myself in college, and so many of the class scenes seemed unrealistic. It seemed like all they learned was basic bone names, which is not something you learn your senior year of college. And to also be studying a rat like the entire novel? It just didn’t seem well researched, especially for students in their final year of college.

Besides that, I did think Bronx and Olivia’s relationship was cute. It did remind me a bit of the movie A Walk to Remember, which I looove. It was nice seeing how much Bronx bonded with Olivia’s parents, and I wished we could’ve gotten more of their dynamic outside of studying or dealing with the two jealous side characters. They both pushed each other to try new things and grow, and that type of character development is *chefs kiss*

I wish there were better spice scenes because you just knowwwww Bronx is skilled in bed LOL. And again, more with the good side characters, like Delilah or JC or Brennen. I wanted less academic and more social because of how great the side characters and the world inside the book was. I was definitely invested in all the characters.

For a sports/nerdy romance it was nicely written.

This was a cute, slow burn romance told from the male's perspective which I hadn't seen before. I liked reading the story through his eyes. Plus there are a few chapters at the end from the female's perspective which I thought was a nice touch. Overall, the book lacked some depth in the characters but I enjoyed the premise (and the multiple revelations at the end).

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

guys, this is a romance from guy’s pov👀
never seen, heard or read anything in this format. it was so interesting and new in some ways, because omg??? however, i did not know that before starting the book. the first chapter was from the guy’s pov but the second chapter had a name “Olivia” so i kind of assumed it was her pov??? until i read the goodreads review where someone mentioned only his pov.

this was a cute romance with not so basic plot and interesting characters. i would not say it was very distinguished from other college romances.

from 30% to 70% book felt repetitive. they went to class, talked after the class, talked again in the class. sometimes new locations and characters would appear but nothing else. i genuinely think the book would be so much better with less pages! or maybe with more tension between main characters

the jealous couple of people were kind of adding to the plot but the whole fight was a miscommunication. i do understand olivia and i would probably react the same way but…i would not consider this as a plot twist. i really think less pages with this turning point would be so much better!

i don’t think they’ll end up together. they have different goals and for some reason i don’t see them together as adults. which is very believable for a collage couple

mark my words!!! in a couple of years this book will be turned into a movie!!! also recommend if you want a slow paced, college romance 🤍