4.5 stars

While the ending of this book made me incredibly angry, I was invested enough to get there. (The author’s apology for the ending in her acknowledgements was not enough 😡😂.) I surprised myself with how quickly I ate this up. A bit toxic and definitely a teen drama, but there were moments of depth and character development I didn’t expect. Glad I have the next book on deck.

Notes: I have NOT watched the show Maxton Hall and went in completely blind.

Also, if anyone sees this and thinks it’s young adult, there is one explicit open door romance scene and I’d put this squarely in the New Adult category.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the free digital review copy.

Full review at: http://cassieetter.com/eclecticallybookish/reviews/save-me

My sweet German bestie, Nina, told me to watch Maxton Hall last year on Amazon, and ever since then I have been hooked on this story. She told me that once the English translation of the book hit the states, that I needed to get my hands on it ASAP and oh my gosh… I am so happy I was able to finally read this book! I am thoroughly obsessed and was fortunate to have requested the second book before hand. Definitely a top read for me this year and my top read last month!!!

In this story you follow a 17 year old named Ruby Bell, a Senior on Scholarship at the prestigious Maxton Hall, and James Beaufort, the certified rich bad boy with excess family baggage who is in her same year. Right out the gate in her senior year, Ruby sees something she isn’t supposed to and James tries his hardest to make sure that Ruby keeps her mouth shut. But what turns into him keeping an eye on her, turns into a whole lot of unspoken tension and an influx of secrets. The romance, the drama, the STORY! What can I say. It was epic and so very addicting.

Although set in High school, I would recommend this book to ages 18 and up. The drama was wild and so was the yearning. It made for a fantastic story and the ending set up well for a second story! Please do not start this series unless you have all three books lined up, you’ll thank me later. Xoxo 🤣
Overall, I’m in love with this book. 🎓💸🤫🇩🇪❤️🤯

👥First person Duet (foul language)
❌Enemies to Lovers
💸Rich People Mentality
🏠Forced Proximity
🧗Cliffhanger!
🤯Not-so-happy ending

Xoxo, Ellie Jean ✨
P.s. The show is just as good. Please watch and let’s discuss.

* I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and for a copy of “Save Me” 🩷

This was an easy, quick read, but it didn’t bring much originality to the table. The plot felt quite predictable and reminded me a lot of the After series in terms of drama, secrets, and the usual tension between characters. That said, if you’re a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, you’ll likely still enjoy the chemistry between the main characters. Not groundbreaking, but decent for a light romance read.

Are you a fan of Gossip Girl or enemies-to-lovers in a posh high school setting? Then you will love this -- note that you will need to read all three books lol. I haven't watched the show, but I will after I finish the books. This was full of messy drama; a quick read cause you can't put it down until you finish. The ending is ... have book two handy.

*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

4 ⭐️ I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS MY EMOTIONAL STATE. DAMN. i cannot believe i started this book five hours ago. good god.

as someone who has only seen tiny clips of the show, i went into this blind. in the best possible way, this felt like reading wattpad past my bedtime when i was in middle school. i was beyond invested — these characters are MESSY. SO MESSY. the absolute drama and absurdity was off the charts but i cannot emphasize enough how enthralled i was. even though part of me wants to tell ruby to leave these disastrous rich people to go to therapy, my heart breaks for lydia and james and i need them all to get a happy ending away from their families, my god.

i need the next book REAL BAD. and i cannot wait to see james grovel (and hopefully get a hug)

(thank you @ netgalley and berkley for this arc, i am sorry i am late with it but you better BELIEVE i am gnawing at the bars of my enclosure for the rest of this series)

I decided to binge this entire series before reviewing each book individually and I really can't tell yet if that was a bad idea or a good idea *womp womp*

Okay I loved this series. I'll start with this book. I thought this was a great start to the series. The character development in this book was so good and is so important for the series. I love Ruby's character and obviously...who wouldn't be attracted to James. The tension building between these 2 was great. I binged the series because I felt like I was hanging off the edge of a cliff at the end of book 1. I had to know more immediately.

When I watched the "Maxton Hall" series and saw that it was based on a book series, I couldn't contain my excitement! Then I realized the series wasn't available in English and my hopes were dashed. I was floored and overjoyed to see all three books translated into English and available on NetGalley! Of course, I had to immediately submit my request.

I thoroughly enjoyed Save Me. It felt as if I was watching the series once again, but this time getting a little more insight into some of the characters I had overlooked. Our library immediately order the book when it became available. I am sure our patrons will be as excited to dig in as I was.

This book takes you on the journey of Ruby and James. Ruby is a scholarship student at Maxton Hall. James is a BMOC at Maxton Hall. By accident, Ruby sees something she shouldn't have and several lives are changed in the process.

James' twin, Lydia makes James take care of business which in turn puts him in Ruby's path consistently. Ruby doesn't want this and neither does James but proximity takes over and its a enemies to lovers situation.... Until Daddy Beauford finds out. Things are fine but spiral wildly out of control when James and Lydia's mother passes away, now nothing will be the same.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, I read it after watching the tv series, I am going to rewatch now!

I. Could. Not. Put. This. Down. I am a sucker for a good academy, enemies/bullies to more romance, and this one had me hooked from the getgo. After the first page it was "yea, this is gonna be good", and yep it was. Angst, sizzle, emotions, spice, and did I say angst? Ends on a painfull cliff that you see coming, but more to come ...

“Save Me” by Mona Kasten, the first book in the Maxton Hall trilogy, was a long overdue book for me to read. I saw the series and knew I had to read it. I devoured books one and two back-to-back. The ending in book one made me glad I could jump right into book two! Ruby is a relatable and sympathetic protagonist, my favorite character. James was special, but I disliked him initially. Looking forward to the third book.

Maxton Hall is a new world to me, and I went into this knowing nothing. I liked that reading experience as I was able to form my own world in my head. And I like even more that I can now go check out the series on Amazon with the book perspective in my mind. This definitely reads as the start of a series - not a good or bad, just a FYI - but does a really great job of setting the stage for the story of James and Ruby, and it definitely made me want to read more. I really liked how the story was told from two perspectives which really helped with the story and relationship building. It's one that gave me enough to want to read more! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this July 2025 release!

Honestly, when I heard about the books and the TV show, I was waiting for it to be better. It was entertaining enough, but it lacked something... It felt a bit childish at times, and maybe I’m older than it’s target audience. But I didn’t feel connected with the characters the littlest bit.
I didn’t watch the TV show yet, so maybe it’s one of those rare cases where the show is better than the original book.
Despite all of this, and because of this book’s ending, I’m still the tinyest bit curious for the next book in the series.

Review to come soon

A book that puts people working together will one knowing the secrets of the other. Can they succeed during their planning and having to work together. School can be hard, but dealing with added issues can be harder. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and leaving a review by my own accord.

After I received this book to review, I regretted it. I had trouble getting engaged in these characters and their issues.
I did not like the strong language and the open door.
The book is a favorite of many as I see on the reviews. But it is not for me.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book. The opinion is entirely my own.

"Save Me" is an entertaining, drama-packed start to the Maxton Hall series, but it ultimately wasn’t the kind of romance that wins me over.
Ruby and James have undeniable chemistry, and the private school setting offers plenty of secrets, tension, and that addictive enemies-to-lovers vibe. I can see why so many readers get hooked, the banter is fun, the stakes are high, and the world Mona Kasten creates is easy to fall into.
But for me, the story leaned a bit too heavily on familiar tropes without giving me enough surprises, and I never fully connected with the characters beyond the surface level. I read it mostly out of curiosity for the upcoming series, and while it was a quick, entertaining read, I’m not tempted to continue beyond the second book.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for the chance to read this book.

Thank you Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC of Save Me in exchange for an honest review.

Having already watched season one of Maxton Hall on Amazon Prime, I knew I was going to enjoy this book. What I wouldn’t anticipate was how much more I would love it than the TV series. The book allows you to personally get to know and relate to Ruby and James on a level that the show just couldn’t achieve. I enjoyed that it held so closely to the show, but also enjoyed the deviations, especially at the end. Through the show, Ruby and James’s relationship seemed almost too surface level and it was hard to connect to the passion there. But being that the book is written through both of their perspectives, that connection seems so much more authentic and far less of a reach. Season 2 is set to release soon, but I will certainly be diving into book 2 far before that hits the air. Thank you so much for releasing this series in English! I cannot wait for book 3 this November!

Ruby is a driven scholarship student at an elite private school in England. When she stumbles across a scandal waiting to happen, she is thrust into the attention of millionaire twins, James and Lydia. When James pulls a prank at a school party, he is forced to partner with Ruby to plan school events. As they grow closer, they realize that they have more in common than meets the eye. Can they overcome their differences and the judgements of others?

Ruby is an insanely likable teenage character, but the rest were rather insufferable. I also have no desire for them to get together because I don't think that many people meet their person in high school.

Some of the drama was a bit contrived, but it was an engaging read. The plot line is excellen,t and I would not have guessed that this was a translation.

Thank you to Net Galley and Berkely Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I recently read Save You by Mona Kasten and really enjoyed it! The characters pulled me in right from the start, and the mix of drama, romance, and emotion kept me hooked until the very last page.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This is hard to rate because it didn’t grab me as fast as I hoped it would. Was it messy and drama filled, yes. Am I still going to read the second book, also yes because who doesn’t love mess and drama?

AHHH, I LOVED this book. I heard about it through the show, which is a favorite, and was so thrilled to see the book is so similar yet even MORE. This is everything I love in YA.

Also would not recommend finishing unless you have Book 2 RIGHT next to you. Thankfully I did but if I had not, I would not have been okay lol.

A fantastic book, and a wonderfully accurate tv adaptation. Can't recommend either enough. SO grateful to Berkley and Netgalley for treating me with ARCs!