Hello lovelies and Happy Friday! Today, I’ll be sharing my review for THE THIRD BEST THING by Maya Hughes from her Fulton U Sports Romance Series. I’m utterly in love with Jules and Berk and I can’t wait for you to read their story. So, get cozy and be prepared for some sweet, sexy, fun, and heartwarming romance.
Series: Fulton U #3
Published: January 30, 2020
Publisher: Some Kind of Wonderful Publishing LLC
Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance
Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs
Format: Paperback, 404 pages, Kindle Edition, 369 pages
Dear Letter Girl, I need to see you. When can we meet?
Her response never came. My secret pen pal with a dirty mind has ghosted me. I’ve roped Jules, my sweet as pie next door neighbor, to help me track her down.
There’s only one problem—I’m falling for her. The tortoise shell glasses, out of this world curves and delicious treats are making the search for The Letter Girl even harder.
My notes were supposed to be a one time thing. A little too much wine and naughty thoughts on a winter’s night. I never thought Berk would write back. I wanted to tell him it was me, but the fear of rejection kept my lips sealed.
Now he’s enlisted my help to track down The Letter Girl and our search has him hot on my, ahem, her trail.
She’s the girl next door.
He’s my secret pen pal.
Truth is on a collision course with their hearts and it’s only a matter of time before one of them gets wrecked…
An absolute fun, engrossing, and heartwarming romance story
There was a tightness in my chest. One that wasn’t from pain or hurt, but from how hard it was to contain all the feelings she brought out in me.
Oh my precious heart!!! Maya Hughes has done it again and I’m here just so overwhelmed with emotions and all the feels. I absolutely love Jules and Berk and they are just too adorable and perfect together. And this book… it’s so utterly amazing and addictive and simply one of the best!
I may not have read every single book Maya has written, but I’m wholeheartedly in love with the ones I did. The Third Best Thing is no exception and I savored everything about this deliciously sweet, charming and delightful novel. The writing is captivating and the characters are beautifully flawed, totally loveable, and just so real to me. I always find myself deeply engrossed with Maya’s romances and I don’t think that’s ever going to change. She’s just brilliant at creating stories that will keep you glued to the pages and surprise you in the best ways.
I have nothing but love and admiration for Berk. I liked him in the other books, but knowing what I know now definitely made me fall for him even more. Berk’s past is heartbreaking and I felt so much for him. But, seeing all his accomplishments, watching him overcome his struggles, and just knowing the kind of person he is despite what he’s been through left me in awe. He cares and loves with all his heart. He’s selfless and loyal. He’s sweet, funny, encouraging, and just an all-around great guy.
I adore Jules and related with her shy personality. I don’t think I can ever be as brave as Jules with her pole dancing and some others I don’t want to reveal. But, let me just say that Jules is fierce and so much stronger than she knows. She acknowledges her fears and insecurities and tries to overcome them. Jules is also hard-working, determined, kind, caring, and just a really lovely person to be around with. I don’t want to say too much about her mother and sister, Laura, but I sympathized with what she’s been through and just wanted to reach out and give her a hug cause I know exactly how she feels. To watch her slowly learn to love herself and finally shine the way she does made my heart so darn happy. And, even though Jules did that all by herself (cause of course she can), Berk was there cheering her on and supporting her and I loved him even more for that. He’s good for her and vice versa and they’re just so right for each other.
So, it goes without saying that I loved how everything about Jules and Berk’s relationship played out. Their chemistry is amazing and swoony and I enjoyed watching them grow closer together. They’re sweet, adorable, and very supportive of each other. They obviously go through a few setbacks and some drama which broke my heart, but in the end they both realize that their love’s real. Watching them find what they’re looking for in each other was so beautiful and heartwarming. I also really enjoyed their flirting and sexy moments. It’s steamy and swoony for sure, but I really loved that Berk and Jules are comfortable together, playfully tease each other, and have a few good laughs while experimenting. I don’t think I can ever look at a donut the same way again.
As always, I love catching up with the other characters. They’re always so fun, entertaining, and just makes me feel so happy seeing them all be there for each other. Jules, Avery, and Max are too cute and adorable together and it was so sweet to see their friendship grow. The bromance between my favorite boys totally gave me the swoons and I just love seeing them together. Seriously, how does Maya create amazingly genuine and loveable characters that they all feel so real? Their grief, their happiness, their struggles, their relationships, and everything else in between… they seem so real to me that I can’t help but feel connected to them in one way or another.
The Third Best Thing is an absolute fun and engrossing romance story filled with all the spine-tingling, heart-bursting, and breathtakingly wonderful feels I love. Maya Hughes is truly talented and an exceptional storyteller. I can never get enough of all the drama, the playful bantering, the bromance, the friendships, the characters, and the sweet tender moments in her books. She just knows how to make my heart ache in the best ways and the swoons are always so irresistibly good and yummy that I want more. And after that ending scene, let’s just say that Marissa and LJ’s story needs to happen ASAP!!!
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thought, opinions, and swoons are my own.
And you were never the third best thing in my life, Jules. Never. I’d never play a game again, if it meant I could be here with you.
#1 The Perfect First
The adorkable math genius virgin, Persephone (“Seph”), was extremely sheltered, socially awkward, and inexperienced in many things. But, don’t let that fool you. Seph was a force to be reckoned with and surprised me in so many ways. She’s fierce, brave, spunky, and adventurous. With her list of firsts, she was determined to experience and do everything. And that’s where Reece comes in – the brooding handsome football star player who loved the game with all his heart that he wouldn’t let anything or anyone get in his way to playing pro. He was kind of a jerk at first, but let’s be real here… we all know that there’s a genuinely sweet, gentle, and caring side to him. And boy did he… I fell just as hard for him as Seph did. They meet by accident, which I thought was super funny and so darn cute, and that’s how their deliciously quirky, adorable, and fun story begins.
#2 The Second We Met
Sincerely Karen Jo 