I was very fortunate enough to be sent an early copy of this book and ended up rating it 3.5 stars overall.

The authors writing style was easy to get into which I loved and the plot was enjoyable. There are a few aspects of this book that definitely were not for me personally however I can see that the author was trying to depict character growth and having an emotional attachment to someone that does not share the same sentiment as you.

I loved our MMC in this book and how the two main characters came to be an item! I also loved how our FMC was confident and carefree when she was with our MMC. Another aspect of this book that I loved were the friendships portrayed particularly with our MMCs twin sister. There was great banter and some funny moments throughout the story that did stand out to me and had me laughing.

The only thing I didn't particularly enjoy was how much our FMC pined over her best friend Will when he did not reciprocate the same feelings towards her. Will's character did annoy me a little and I was constantly frustrated over the fact that our FMC would drop everything to go to him. A lot of the time this would result in her sabotaging good moments for herself repeatedly thus leading to a third act breakup that could have been avoided.

Despite this, I did genuinely enjoy the rest of the story and would recommend this book!

Sadly it was DNF for me.

I hate to give bad reviews but I just couldn’t stand the aggressive reactions from the MMC and how the FMC didn’t care about it. I jumped ahead a few chapters to see how the story kept developing and the aggressiveness in the MMC apparently didn’t change so I have just to stop.

In general all the characters were kind of insufferable.

But maybe this is just me, I’m glad to see there’s readers who really like this book, I’m taking note that New Adult is not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and author for the ARC ✨

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was excited to read this one. It didn’t disappoint! I love the drama in this story. The gossip and the problems between lovers and friendships during college was all so good! Not to mention all the family drama.
Grant was such a great guy. I loved him and his sister Sloane in the first book. I’m so glad we found out more about their childhood and the trauma they faced. There were more layers to them than I initially thought in the first book and I loved peeling those layers back.
Gen was not likable in the beginning and I really didn’t like her in the first book. But her character development in this book is so good! There are more layers to her than I initially thought as well, and I’m glad we got to see her backstory in order to understand her character better. I ended up loving her in the end.
I also liked how the timeline for this story was intertwined with the first book. So the parts that we saw from Liv and Ben’s perspective in Astor Hill were now seen from Gen and Grant’s perspective. I love when series do this! It ties everything together! I’m hoping we get Sloane’s story next!!

The second book in the Estore Hill series completely shines.
Sydney Madison delivers a stunning, slow-burning romance in a world where ballet and elite basketball collide—where pressure is relentless, expectations are sky-high, and hearts are constantly tested.

Genevieve Dupont has always been the graceful, grounded ballet dancer—the girl who holds herself together while standing loyally beside her best friend, Will Chapman, Estore Hill’s golden basketball star. But as spring arrives and life shifts, Genevieve begins to feel like she’s losing herself. And in that unraveling, she realizes something important: loyalty should never cost you your own happiness.

Enter Grant Fielder—Will’s teammate, his rival, and the last person Genevieve expected to stir something inside her. With a complicated past and a reputation built on perfection and control, Grant's carefully guarded world begins to tremble the moment he collides with Genevieve’s. Their chemistry is undeniable, their connection slow, tender, and soul-deep. And I felt every moment of it.

I loved the vulnerability that both characters allowed themselves. Genevieve’s struggles—with identity, friendship, and self-worth—felt raw and incredibly relatable. And Grant… oh, his emotional walls wrecked me in the best way. Watching them lower their guards for each other was beautiful.

This romance is brimming with tension, yearning, and aching emotions. It’s the kind of love story that lingers. It’s not just about falling in love—it’s about choosing it in spite of everything that tries to stand in the way.

This book cements the Estore Hill series as a must-read for fans of emotional, character-driven romance. If you love a good slow burn, sports romance, or a story layered with romantic angst and inner conflict—this is the book for you.

Reading this book took me back to reading Elle Kennedy. While I try and read books with older characters I still enjoy a college romance every once in awhile. Gen bothered me at first, being head over heels for her best friend, which was as cliche as it can get. Sex bet? Also cliche. There were a lot of cliche's really, but the book was still executed wonderfully. The emotion that the guys had was a breathe of fresh air instead of an MMC who can't say how he feels. Yes there were still times that miscommunication happened, but it wasn't made the center of the plot. I loved Gen and Grant together and felt like they paired very well with each other. The side characters (specifically Jean and Sloane, and eventually Liv) were also fun to read. I was rooting hard for Ben and Liv even though they weren't the main story line. I definitely feel like I need to go and read the first one just because I liked the second one, but you don't need to read the first one in order to understand this book!

Overall, I was quite entertained with the drama and college toxicity this book gave off. It definitely gives gossip girl and one tree hill vibes. I really enjoyed reading the backstories of our FMC and MMC to give them more character development. I also really enjoyed reading about very likable characters, especially our MMC who is just a generally nice guy. However, my bone to pick is the emotional maturity (yes even for college aged people) and the miscommunication in this book. Also I really do not like reading about women losing their virginities in books it’s just so cringey, it ends up being quite weird instead of spicy. But I enjoyed the book for the main reason of being entertained and for the drama.

Thank you to Sydney Madison and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

I was glad to return to the messy world that is the Astor Hill series! I was excited to dive back into Grant and Sloane’s story. The characters were flawed, but very real and easy to love once you understand their stories. What I like about these books is the characters are complex with a lot going on and they’re just trying to figure things out in the best way they can. I enjoyed the development of the romance between Grant and Sloane, miscommunication aside, and liked them as characters and the fact that they aren’t perfect, but fit well together.

I thoroughly enjoyed the drama in this book. The chemistry between the main characters was great! I unfortunately I’m not that fond of Gen but I definitely loved Grant; he’s an amazing book boyfriend

I loved Gen and Grant’s relationship! This story is apart of the Astor Hill series and can already see that there will be another book based on another couple (maybe Sloane and Andy???) in the next! The authors did a great job building up the story and allowing us to see how Gen moved on from being in love with her best friend. I don’t know if I would really call this story a love triangle because it felt like Gen outgrew her deep feelings for Will long before Grant. She mostly seemed like she was there for Will out of obligation more than anything. But that’s just my take. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend!!!

second position. this title went way deeper than i thought it would and boy did this boy emotionally hit. was i too old for this type of novel. i mean it said for fans of one tree hill which was a show from my childhood! but i went in anyway and im so glad i did. because Sydney wrote this book so dam well that i dont care if it made me a young believer, too right, and it was a joy to be it again.
this book was just so good. it had me giggling and feeling tingly with all the cuteness of it. and at times a little romance reader bashful.
the other relationships and friendships are a major part of this book and its made so much better for it.
as you get to know our main characters the more you totally get them and understand them. you get to love them all the more for it.
the character development and growth was what shone out of this book and made it shine for me,
i know i care about a book when i feel angst over how it will all end up and if there will be the ending we all the need from it. so lets be very clear i very much cared about this book lol.
our two characters had so much going on and they weren't being treated right. i so wanted them to find that healing and themselves and new it could come from each other too.
loved this book so much.

✨I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review✨

I’m giving this book 2.5 ⭐️ and I’ll dive into the why in a few moments. I’d like to preface it by saying that this is my first book read by the duo Sydney Madison and I didn’t read the first book in the series so there could be a lot I’m missing but based on the plot for this first book, I won’t be reading it due personal reasons regarding the tropes.

I don’t have a lot of triggers when it comes to reading except cheating, but if you’ve ever been in a relationship in which your SO’s best friend seems like is always in the way because they have feelings for your SO, this might trigger you.

I don’t often come across books that I DNF, I prefer to push through so I can have a formed opinion on it before reviewing it so that is what I did here. I did not like it. Personally, I disliked a lot of the characters so I found it hard to find the motivation to continue. I don’t like Gen or Will, a lot of the friends seemed like huge enablers to a lot of ongoing issues and Grant is written like a good guy who is constantly taking other people’s issues and has a lot to heal from. I pretty much only like Grant.

Like I said, there is a lot of enabling and a lot of back and forth surrounding the main problem within the plot so I felt like that dragged on more much more than I would’ve liked. Other than that, it felt like the main couple had no chemistry, no real depth and more of a hurried selection as if Gen was playing duck duck goose when it came to selecting her romantic partner.

The basis for the plot is good but I felt like a lot of it was focused on a relationship that is not between the MMC and MFC and when it did get to them, it was a hurried plot line.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book so early, I wish I had a better review but I’m keep it it honest.

Getting back to Astor Hills was so cozy and I was so excited to read Grant and Gen’s story 💜 even from the first book I knew I wanted more from Grant and I am so glad we got it!!

I will say I enjoyed this one much more than the first! There were some notable quotes in this that I loved. A lot of heart ache and unnecessary drama 🙄*Will*

HOWEVER of course that was part of the plot and made it a turning point for Gen. it was uncomfy to battle through some of Gen’s demons with her because they were soooooo relatable!! Have we all had some type of Will Chapman in our lives???

I am sensing a Sloane Andy book???

I loved this book! It was the first book I read by these authors and I didn't expect to like this much.

Even though i didn't read the first book, this one made a lot of sense. So, you can read as a standalone book and enjoy an amanzing story.
This is a cute romance that involves a lot of drama, gossip and intensive feelings. And I love it.
I really loved Grant, a sweet man who isn't afraid of love. Gen made me mad a few times but I forgave her at the end because, in her way, she loves Grant as much as he loves her.

Now, I want to read the first one (like a normal person would do). Ups. I believe that first one will give me much more context about this amanzing story.

Thank you to the authors for writing something so beautiful and to NetGalley for giving me the advanced copy.

The cover art is so good! If it's going to be a cartoon cover... then let it be in this style, please!

I liked the plot points and the characters being a sports athlete and a ballerina athlete. It can be really hard to do an accurate ballerina, I'll be honest. But, unfortunately, I did not really enjoy this book. I was immediately put off of the MMC with his intro chapter being so incredibly negative with zero positive vibes to provide a hook or endearment. Suddenly two chapters later he's positive and less off-putting but I would have expected a through-line of the attitude for consistency. I found the writing to be a bit juvenile and sometimes grammatically confusing. I think with some guidance, this writing duo can really make some improvements and definitely have a knock-out book in them!

This will be ideal for some readers but just wasn't for me. The toxicity was a bit much for my taste, Had a hard time rooting for the FMC.

I really enjoyed this book. At first, Gen was a bit annoying, but I started to like her more as the story went on. The Grant was cute, even if sometimes he acted a little silly. Their chemistry felt real and kept me interested from the start. The story had lots of emotions, some drama and misunderstandings, but also sweet moments. The friendships were nice to see and added a good vibe. It was a little predictable in parts, but still a great read overall. I liked how the book talked about serious things without being too heavy. I’m excited to read more from this series. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

This is the second instalment of the Astor Hill series. I really enjoyed this much more than the first book.

I loved being in Gen’s head, seeing everything from the first book in her point of view. She was one of my least favourite characters from the first book, but I love her now.

Grant, what a golden retriever. I love his protectiveness. I also enjoyed going into his past, it added so much depth to his character.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and will pick up Sloane’s once it’s out!

I enjoyed this story but I didn’t realize it was the 2nd in a series when I applied for it. I feel like I need to read the first one to see if any of that story was needed before reading this one. This book had the DRAMA but in a good way, parts of it were reminiscent of Gossip Girl. I feel like a few pieces of this were left unresolved, maybe those will be addressed in future books. Definitely some emotional topics in this one as well. Overall I liked it.

It was good, I enjoyed it for the most part. If you want to read a romance with about 2/5 on the spice chart, then this is for you. I will say this book held a lot of elements that felt thrown in. There was a gossip columnist who didn't really mean much until the end of the book, there was an unrequited love trope, the 'bet' trope, the 'protector' trope, even a 'let's make over the FMC trope'. A lot of tropes. If that's your thing, you'll like this, but please check the TW (if there are any). If it sounds like your cup of tea, give it a try!

This book was good. I liked it better than the first book. Definitely if you like drama then you will like this book. Sports romance he plays basketball and she is a ballerina. They have known each other for a few years and they come together in an interesting way.