Why does every college romance have to do with a rich spoiled dude, and a poor girl on scholarship; and she’s never going to be good enough for him and his family?

I’m obviously going to continue the series to see what happens, but I feel like that trope is so overdone.

This book is set in England, but I am using American terminology (in case I confuse anyone). Ruby Bell is finishing up her last year of high school. She goes to Maxton Hall, an excellent prep school where she is on a scholarship. She doesn’t socialize but concentrates on her studies. Her goal is to be accepted at Oxford, and she won’t allow anything to get in her way. She does have Lin, who is pretty much her only friend there. She can stay pretty much invisible, until she sees something she shouldn’t have. James Beaufort is the “king” of the school. He is the wealthiest student and does whatever he wants to do and gets away with it. Ruby is not a fan of his, particularly when he stages a prank at an event she and Lin oversee. He is very leery of her, because what she has seen involves his twin sister. When she resists his attempt to bribe her, he decides to keep his eye on her. This develops into an unwanted attraction for both. The characters are very well developed, and the story held my interest. Although this is a young adult story, the basic storyline could be applied to any age. I am anxious to read the next book in this series.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

***Check your TWs***

Tropes:
-UK prep school
-enemies to lovers
-rich boy x poor girl
-opposites attract
-forced proximity
-slow burn
-dual POV
-forbidden romance

I devoured this book. Was it a literary masterpiece? No. But was it addictive? YES. Ruby and James were fantastic. I hate the way this ended, though. I know I am in for some groveling in the next book, and I can’t wait. I finished this book and immediately watched the show, which I also devoured. I highly recommend checking this out if you enjoyed shows/books like Gossip Girl.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars)

Save Me had me intrigued from the start. The fast-paced tone kept me entertained, and the characters were interesting enough to keep me invested.

Some of the FMC’s feelings and insecurities felt a bit too YA for my taste, but I get that younger readers will really connect with them.

There’s plenty of messy prep-school drama here and while the writing didn’t blow me away, it definitely delivers if you’re looking for an easy, drama-filled escape.

✨ Tropes/Elements:
📚 High School Drama
📝 Poor Nerd x Rich Jock
🍎 Teacher x Student (side romance)
🏫 UK Prep School Setting
🔥 Enemies to Lovers

If you enjoy teen drama and classic forbidden romance vibes, Save Me is a fun pick to add to your list.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book had potential, but I never fully bought into the romance. Ruby was a solid lead smart, driven, easy to root for but James? He gave me emotional whiplash. One minute he’s tolerable, the next he’s acting like a walking red flag dipped in generational wealth.

The private school drama had its moments, but some parts genuinely gave me secondhand embarrassment. Like, I had to put the book down and stare at the wall for a second. I know teenagers are dramatic, but whew.

And then… that ending. ITS SICK AND EVIL. I closed the book and just sat there in disbelief, wondering what I did to deserve that emotional sucker punch. Not dramatic for effect I was genuinely offended.

I won’t be reading the next one. I refuse to let this series hurt me twice. Best of luck to everyone braver than me.

Thank you netgalley for the arc and the pain🙄

thank you to berkley for the arc!

the plot of SAVE ME can be summarized as: james does something to hurt ruby; ruby is heartbroken; james explains how he only acted that way because he's just such a sad, tortured rich boy; ruby forgives him - rinse and repeat about 5 times. nevertheless, i would be lying if i said that i didn't eat it up.

i picked this book up mostly because i've seen so much buzz online about the tv show maxton hall and was curious to read the actual source material. i watched only a few episodes of the show, and i'm not quite sure if i'm going to finish the show or this book series. i've enjoyed my time with both though!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and Mona Kasten for the copy of Save Me.

I didn’t know what to think going in to this one as I got an email saying I could read now. I didn’t read what it was about, just thought why not. I became so hooked and needed to find out what was going to happen. Ruby is amazing! I can’t wait to read the next book to continue following her journey!

Ruby wants nothing more than to get into Oxford for college, and the best way for her to do that is to succeed in her studies and keep her head down and out of trouble at Maxton Hall, the toney private school she has a scholarship too. But when she sees one of the upper elite students in a compromising position, she gets pulled into much more drama than she ever anticipated. And the student pulling her the hardest is James Beaufort, the ne'er-do-well heir to a fashion fortune.

I had never heard of the Maxton Hall books, but I figured they must have something to them if Amazon created a show. Ruby and James are very much opposites attract, but a magnet keeps pulling them together. There are some juicy side plots, and together it makes for a great drama soup.

These are romance but it looks like we don't get the happy ending until the third book. So don't be surprised by the cliffhanger at the end and just dive on in to the second book!

This book was a nice academia read. I saw part of the series, so I was interested to see where the inspiration came from and the drama was real! The angst and longing was there but other than that, I wasn’t crazy about the book. I do plan to read book two because I am curious to see where the series goes.

I went into this with high expectations after watching the show on prime video, and I will say it did not disappoint!! I was incredibly drawn in by the writing from the start to the end of the book, and I am already itching to start book 2. Reading about Ruby and James somehow was everything I needed and more, which I thought the show was, so that says a lot! Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read it, and I highly recommend everyone who comes upon this book to give it a chance as well, because you will not regret it!!

This is my first book by this author, and I really liked her writing style. It's not an instalove story like I imagined it would be. On the contrary, it develops slowly, and I found the main character, Ruby, to be a very focused, determined girl who knows what she wants in life. I can't wait to read the second part because that ending left me hanging and eager to find out what will happen to these characters.

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for providing an ecopy of the book, I’m freely given my honest opinion.

Great start to Maxton Hall series. You can feel the attraction between James and Ruby and all the complications it involves. The British prep school culture creates an interesting setting for this romance to bloom...I almost wish the setting was Oxford and R and J were a bit older, but I think this series will be more coming of age and maturing into adulthood (like One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek)....so onto book 2.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Berkley for the ARC.

This story is about Ruby Bell who attends an elite private school on scholarship. She’s very studious, goal oriented, and focused in getting into her dream school, Oxford University. James Beaufort is the typical rich, posh bad boy. Ruby witnesses something she shouldn’t have seen that could cause a scandal with the Beaufort’s reputation. James makes it his task to try to buy Ruby’s silence except she isn’t anything like he’s accustomed to. Ruby tries her best to get him to go back to how things were when they were unknown to each other. The problem is that James is intrigued by Ruby.

I enjoyed the show so I knew I wanted to read this. It didn’t disappoint! I liked how there are differences between the two to keep the audience engaged.

✔️Academic setting
✔️Strangers to lovers
✔️Forbidden romance
✔️Poor FMC, rich MMC
✔️Bad boy, good girl

first book in the Maxton Hall series and I am so excited to dive into the next book. I found this first instalment highly entertaining and the writing to be so easy and comfortable.

Fantastic and completely addicting. I listened to the new audiobook for this one and Will Watt narrates James and he's wonderful. The TV show adaptation is almost exactly from the book but the ending is even better in the show IMO. I have the ARCs of Books 2 & 3 so I'm going right in.

Save Me is a light and enjoyable read with a classic opposites-attract storyline. Ruby Bell is focused, ambitious, and determined to stay out of trouble at the elite Maxton Hall. James Beaufort, on the other hand, is rich, popular, and everything she wants to avoid. When their worlds collide due to a shared secret, their relationship slowly starts to shift. I liked the setting and the contrast between the characters' backgrounds. Ruby is easy to root for, and there are some genuinely sweet and emotional moments between her and James. However, I found parts of the story a bit predictable, and I was hoping for more depth or unexpected twists. It’s entertaining, but didn’t fully surprise or move me.
Still, if you’re looking for a fun romance with a touch of drama, high-society secrets, and slow-burn tension, Save Me is a nice pick to unwind with.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the chance to review this book in advance.

The first book in the international bestselling Maxton Hall series - in english for the first time.

Two kids.
A wealthy private school.
Two different worlds.
Forbidden love.
Rebellious characters.
Teenage angst.
Heartbreak.

Looking for a addictive read, grab this book then sit down to watch the first season with ALL its drama. Indulge in riches, lifestyles and scandalous kids.

Thank you for the free book Berkley Romance.

Save Me by Mona Kasten is a classic “rich boy meets scholarship girl” romance, and while it hits many of the familiar tropes, there’s something undeniably addictive about it. If you’re a fan of elite academy drama, brooding love interests, and secrets lurking just beneath the surface, you’ll likely be pulled in quickly.

The pacing is quick, and I flew through most of the book in a couple of sittings. Ruby is smart and driven, and I appreciated how she stood her ground in a world she clearly didn’t belong to. James, on the other hand, is your typical emotionally distant golden boy, and while his charm is there, some of his choices left me more frustrated than swoony.

What kept this from being a higher-rated read for me was the somewhat predictable plot and underdeveloped emotional depth in certain scenes. I wanted more build-up, more tension, and more complexity—especially in the romantic arc. That said, there’s definite potential here, and the setup for the rest of the series is strong.

Overall, Save Me is a fun, fast-paced read with a touch of drama and a hint of scandal. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s definitely enjoyable for fans of contemporary romance with a boarding school twist.

4.5 ⭐️

Ruby Bell is one of the scholarship students at Maxton Hall, where she is preparing for an acceptance to Oxford. James comes from wealth and prestige, and is the head of the school's social society. When Ruby accidentally catches James' sister, Lydia, in the middle of a scandalous act, James will stop at nothing to make sure Ruby keeps her mouth shut. As the two spend more time together, Ruby and James can't fight their feelings for each other.

So, I watched the TV show first. LOVED it. Read the book and also LOVED it. As far as comparing the two, the TV show was pretty spot on with the book. Also, during my rewatch, I forgot that there were only 6 episodes. This book was so easy to read and the writing isn't superb, but I was still hooked and wrapped up in the story once more. The way I am rooting for these two! The book (and TV show) do end on a cliffhanger, though the author did us dirty with the ending of the book. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait before starting the next book. Otherwise, I'd be like WHAT. IYKYK but there better be some GROVELING coming.

4.5 ⭐️ || 2.5 🌶️
OKAY this was so much better than I thought it would be?? It’s been a while since I’ve read YA, but I was HOOKED.

I honestly went in with zero expectations after being recommended this series by a friend who watched the show (and then read the book)—and this was an excellent choice. The slow burn and posh teenage drama was delightfully entertaining, as was Ruby and James’s chemistry. The yearningggggggg. The cliffhanger!

Thank you Net Galley and Berkley for the arc in exchange for an honest review! I’m immediately starting the second because that ending had me gasping.