A review by chai_and_books
Rival Hearts by Maggie Rawdon

fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would honestly. It had lots of drama and angst with the second chance, rival families thing.
I feel like their issues were wrapped up quite quickly though, Quentin just explained his situation and Madison was just ok with it. Him glossing over that fact that she had a boyfriend (even if it was fake) and actively pursuing her was icky though. The confrontation between Quentin's ex best friends and him could have been developed better- they were pretty chill with each other after 10 years of miscommunication and no contact. Good for them. I did like that Quentin waited for Madison- you don't see that in a lot of second chance stories.

I loved the bond between the three siblings, they were adorable together. I would recommend reading the prequel and Madison's brother's stories to get a little more context about the family and their dynamics because there wasn't a lot of groundwork laid in this book. But regardless, it was a fun read. 

  • sports romance
  • second chance
  • rival families
  • boy obsessed 
  • forced proximity 
  • dual pov