What do you think?
Rate this book
Franklin U #6
Learning Curve
Cobey Green
There I was, moving into the dorms at Franklin U, and not into the shared party house I’d lived in my freshman year. Last year had been all about football and parties, not schoolwork. Which was why my grades tanked, and why I was one failed class away from being kicked off the team.
Why I needed to live on campus, and find myself a tutor.
Funny that my new roommate just happened to be a tutor. Funny that he was oblivious to how hot he is. For a smart guy, he was pretty clueless. Maybe I could tutor him in how to be more outgoing in exchange for help with calculus? I could teach him how to talk to people, how to make new friends. Hell, maybe I could even help him punch his V card.
Actually, now that I thought about it... that was a really good idea.
Vincent Brandt
And there I was, happy to be back at college, happy to be where I was most comfortable. Happy to be starting another school year, happy to start tutoring again so I could earn some money.
And yes, there I was, equal parts excited and dreading to see who my new roommate would be... Until Cobey Green’s smiling face appeared at the door. A huge football player, loved by everyone, gorgeous, rich, and out of the closet.
Everything I was not.
It didn’t help that he was genuinely a really nice guy. It didn’t help that I could make him laugh, and we could talk so easily, and it certainly didn’t help that we started having private tutorials which ended up way more private than I’d ever dared imagine.
I’d ranked top of my class in every subject since the first grade yet there I was falling stupidly in love with him.
This was going to be a hell of a year. And one very steep learning curve for both of us.
There I was, moving into the dorms at Franklin U, and not into the shared party house I’d lived in my freshman year. Last year had been all about football and parties, not schoolwork. Which was why my grades tanked, and why I was one failed class away from being kicked off the team.
Why I needed to live on campus, and find myself a tutor.
Funny that my new roommate just happened to be a tutor. Funny that he was oblivious to how hot he is. For a smart guy, he was pretty clueless. Maybe I could tutor him in how to be more outgoing in exchange for help with calculus? I could teach him how to talk to people, how to make new friends. Hell, maybe I could even help him punch his V card.
Actually, now that I thought about it... that was a really good idea.
Vincent Brandt
And there I was, happy to be back at college, happy to be where I was most comfortable. Happy to be starting another school year, happy to start tutoring again so I could earn some money.
And yes, there I was, equal parts excited and dreading to see who my new roommate would be... Until Cobey Green’s smiling face appeared at the door. A huge football player, loved by everyone, gorgeous, rich, and out of the closet.
Everything I was not.
It didn’t help that he was genuinely a really nice guy. It didn’t help that I could make him laugh, and we could talk so easily, and it certainly didn’t help that we started having private tutorials which ended up way more private than I’d ever dared imagine.
I’d ranked top of my class in every subject since the first grade yet there I was falling stupidly in love with him.
This was going to be a hell of a year. And one very steep learning curve for both of us.
228 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2022
395 people are currently reading
2618 people want to read
About the author
N.R. Walker
139 books5,188 followersAuthor also writes as A. Voyeur
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since...
https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAu...
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since...
https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAu...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 794 reviews
August 20, 2023
Sadly, this one didn't work for me.
I struggled a bit with the first half of the story, because I'm not a fan of the tutoring trope in a romance. I hoped it would get better later on, but there wasn't much of a storyline here. There were also too many s*x scenes for my liking, and I found most of them cringey.
Cobey's character felt too perfect to be realistic, and I feel we got to know him only on surface level. He is great at sports, sociable and nice to everyone. Throughout the whole book he is well-loved by everyone, so the fact that some people call him stupid behind his back, which we find out towards the end, came a bit out of nowhere.
Vincent's character didn't really click with me. I felt sorry for him when I found out about his family, but that's it. He is too damsel-y for me, he blushes a lot and I found him contradictory at times.
Their romance didn't work for me. They meet, find each other attractive, start avoiding each other and then suddenly agree on this tutoring thing. There were some things they did or said that didn't make sense. No idea why they fell in love so quickly.
Some things annoyed me. Like Vincent and Cobey needing their friends to help them realize how they feel about each other. Or everyone cheering whenever they hug or kiss in public. Or their photos appearing on social media, like Cobey is some kind of celebrity.
And Gavin. No idea what his purpose in this story was, except to cause some unnecessary "drama" towards the end. Also Jayda. I guess she was here to tell us it's ok to be yourself and not what other people expect you to be, and so Vincent could make friends with her. 🤷♀️
I struggled a bit with the first half of the story, because I'm not a fan of the tutoring trope in a romance. I hoped it would get better later on, but there wasn't much of a storyline here. There were also too many s*x scenes for my liking, and I found most of them cringey.
Cobey's character felt too perfect to be realistic, and I feel we got to know him only on surface level. He is great at sports, sociable and nice to everyone. Throughout the whole book he is well-loved by everyone, so the fact that some people call him stupid behind his back, which we find out towards the end, came a bit out of nowhere.
Vincent's character didn't really click with me. I felt sorry for him when I found out about his family, but that's it. He is too damsel-y for me, he blushes a lot and I found him contradictory at times.
Their romance didn't work for me. They meet, find each other attractive, start avoiding each other and then suddenly agree on this tutoring thing. There were some things they did or said that didn't make sense. No idea why they fell in love so quickly.
Some things annoyed me. Like Vincent and Cobey needing their friends to help them realize how they feel about each other. Or everyone cheering whenever they hug or kiss in public. Or their photos appearing on social media, like Cobey is some kind of celebrity.
And Gavin. No idea what his purpose in this story was, except to cause some unnecessary "drama" towards the end. Also Jayda. I guess she was here to tell us it's ok to be yourself and not what other people expect you to be, and so Vincent could make friends with her. 🤷♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2024
|| 3.0 stars ||
This book was sweet yet cheesy. Everything between the two main characters went easily and smoothly, and their entire dynamic was light and simple. There was absolutely no angst or drama, which unfortunately meant it was all quite uneventful.
I have to say that this whole thing could sometimes be a little too sugary for me, especially the constant checking in about consent and stuff. It felt slightly unnatural, but I suppose the idea behind it was nice at least.
Corey and Vincent were likable characters but I can’t say I truly felt a connection to them.
Corey was honestly kind of bland and did not have much of a distinct personality; he even came across as a bit unrealistic to me personally, but I can also see why some people would swoon over his incredibly kind and patient disposition.
Vincent, on the other hand, did have more depth to him, especially when it came to his insecurities and childhood, but I can also see why some people might like him a little less due to him being socially inept.
The relationship itself was cute, but wasn’t developed enough for me to really love it. Nonetheless, I genuinely liked how both of them would build each other up with a constant string of support and kindness. It was a very healthy and loving relationship, but I just wish there had been a little more development between them.
All in all, I thought this was a pleasant read with a fluffy relationship and sweet characters; it wasn’t anything mind-blowing, but it was nice.
'Franklin U' series:
1. Playing Games - 4.0 stars
2. The Dating Disaster - 3.5 stars
3. Mr. Romance - 3.0 stars
4. Bet You - 2.0 stars
6. Learning Curve - 3.0 stars
This book was sweet yet cheesy. Everything between the two main characters went easily and smoothly, and their entire dynamic was light and simple. There was absolutely no angst or drama, which unfortunately meant it was all quite uneventful.
I have to say that this whole thing could sometimes be a little too sugary for me, especially the constant checking in about consent and stuff. It felt slightly unnatural, but I suppose the idea behind it was nice at least.
Corey and Vincent were likable characters but I can’t say I truly felt a connection to them.
Corey was honestly kind of bland and did not have much of a distinct personality; he even came across as a bit unrealistic to me personally, but I can also see why some people would swoon over his incredibly kind and patient disposition.
Vincent, on the other hand, did have more depth to him, especially when it came to his insecurities and childhood, but I can also see why some people might like him a little less due to him being socially inept.
The relationship itself was cute, but wasn’t developed enough for me to really love it. Nonetheless, I genuinely liked how both of them would build each other up with a constant string of support and kindness. It was a very healthy and loving relationship, but I just wish there had been a little more development between them.
All in all, I thought this was a pleasant read with a fluffy relationship and sweet characters; it wasn’t anything mind-blowing, but it was nice.
'Franklin U' series:
1. Playing Games - 4.0 stars
2. The Dating Disaster - 3.5 stars
3. Mr. Romance - 3.0 stars
4. Bet You - 2.0 stars
6. Learning Curve - 3.0 stars
October 9, 2022
5 Stars
I had the goofiest smile on my face for pretty much the entirety of this reading experience. In that way, N.R. Walker makes it so damn easy to dish out the best ratings for her always fantastic stories and book couples.
I love a college setting. I love an opposites-attract paring. I love a virgin MC. And, most of all, I love an experienced, proudly bi jock who adores his nerd with heart-eyes and a tenderness that makes a reader swoon while already comfortably seated.
Vincent and Cobey were totes adorbs. I can’t even get into it—honestly, I’m way too invested and feeling way too gushy over these two and the pure, passionate and so damn lovely way their relationship unfolded.
I loved this couple, obviously, but I also loved all the secondary cast, which made the story feel fuller and more rounded. I mean, Cobey’s parents!? These two are parent goals, I tell you. And the scene where shy, anti-social Vincent makes his first real friend is Jayda!? I loved it so hard, I can't even!
So, yeah, BIG WIN for me. Will be putting this immediately on my favourites shelves and will likely be reading again soon for the awesome vibes!
I had the goofiest smile on my face for pretty much the entirety of this reading experience. In that way, N.R. Walker makes it so damn easy to dish out the best ratings for her always fantastic stories and book couples.
I love a college setting. I love an opposites-attract paring. I love a virgin MC. And, most of all, I love an experienced, proudly bi jock who adores his nerd with heart-eyes and a tenderness that makes a reader swoon while already comfortably seated.
Vincent and Cobey were totes adorbs. I can’t even get into it—honestly, I’m way too invested and feeling way too gushy over these two and the pure, passionate and so damn lovely way their relationship unfolded.
I loved this couple, obviously, but I also loved all the secondary cast, which made the story feel fuller and more rounded. I mean, Cobey’s parents!? These two are parent goals, I tell you. And the scene where shy, anti-social Vincent makes his first real friend is Jayda!? I loved it so hard, I can't even!
So, yeah, BIG WIN for me. Will be putting this immediately on my favourites shelves and will likely be reading again soon for the awesome vibes!
October 4, 2022
Learning Curve might be my favorite in the series thus far.
The opposites-attract theme is strong with this one:
Cobey is a star football player; Vincent is a math genius.
Cobey is from a well-off family with supportive parents; Vincent raised himself, spending his formative years cacooning in the library.
Cobey is outgoing and charming; Vincent is an introvert with massive social anxiety.
At the tender age of 19, Cobey has been with partners of all genders and is unabashedly queer, while Vincent is a closeted virgin.
After the awkward getting-to-know- yous, Cobey has a great idea: He'll help Vincent come out of his shell, make new friends, maybe even get his V card stamped. In turn, Vincent will help Cobey pass calculus.
Walker doesn't always deliver the heat, but she sure does in this story. Cobey helps Vincent explore all his sexy firsts.
The two epilogues, one in the format of a newspaper article, were deeply satisfying.
The opposites-attract theme is strong with this one:
Cobey is a star football player; Vincent is a math genius.
Cobey is from a well-off family with supportive parents; Vincent raised himself, spending his formative years cacooning in the library.
Cobey is outgoing and charming; Vincent is an introvert with massive social anxiety.
At the tender age of 19, Cobey has been with partners of all genders and is unabashedly queer, while Vincent is a closeted virgin.
After the awkward getting-to-know- yous, Cobey has a great idea: He'll help Vincent come out of his shell, make new friends, maybe even get his V card stamped. In turn, Vincent will help Cobey pass calculus.
Walker doesn't always deliver the heat, but she sure does in this story. Cobey helps Vincent explore all his sexy firsts.
The two epilogues, one in the format of a newspaper article, were deeply satisfying.
September 29, 2022
Absolutely loved this one! Definitely more mature again and it proves there's no need for unnecessary drama in a romance.
May 6, 2025
This was one of the best books with the nerd/jock trope I think I’ve ever read.
I’m having a bit of a generally meh time right now so I’ve been gravitating towards books that are pure vibes and feels and not much else. And that book is exactly that: no drama, no angst, just two lovely boys kissing and falling in love, the end. I love reading NRW for exactly that mood and she gave me everything I needed with this book.
This was college setting, opposites attract, mutual tutoring in very different fields, out and proud bi football star x unsocial science nerd who’s still a virgin and I gobbled it all up.
Cobey the jock was magic and a bit too perfect but honestly? I didn’t care, I just liked him so much and how obsessed he was with Vincent: he was all heart eyes all the time 😍
All their first times were just 🥰❤️🔥 and how they stood up for one another and believed in each other was so precious and tender and just so sweet.
That newspaper clipping at the end made me tear up a bit, ngl 🥹
This wasn’t anything too special, just a bit of light fun, so exactly right for me for right now.
I’m having a bit of a generally meh time right now so I’ve been gravitating towards books that are pure vibes and feels and not much else. And that book is exactly that: no drama, no angst, just two lovely boys kissing and falling in love, the end. I love reading NRW for exactly that mood and she gave me everything I needed with this book.
This was college setting, opposites attract, mutual tutoring in very different fields, out and proud bi football star x unsocial science nerd who’s still a virgin and I gobbled it all up.
Cobey the jock was magic and a bit too perfect but honestly? I didn’t care, I just liked him so much and how obsessed he was with Vincent: he was all heart eyes all the time 😍
All their first times were just 🥰❤️🔥 and how they stood up for one another and believed in each other was so precious and tender and just so sweet.
That newspaper clipping at the end made me tear up a bit, ngl 🥹
This wasn’t anything too special, just a bit of light fun, so exactly right for me for right now.
December 15, 2022
Cute! So freaking cute and wholesome. "Learning Curve", undoubtedly, is the best college romance I've read in a *very* long while. If I'm being honest, it's one of the only two college romances I've ever rated 5 stars. So, you can probably imagine how amazing it was. N.R. Walker is a genius. And she proves it once again.(not that I needed more proof but still....)
"Learning Curve" by N.R. Walker is the sixth standalone book in the "Franklin U" multi-author series. It's jockXnerd, roomates to friends to lovers romance with a great bi sexual rep, weightlifting metaphors and lots of first times. It wasn't as steamy as the previous books of the series. But NR Walker's books always tend to be more romantic than sexy. Of course you will receive no complaints from me. I love a healthy relationship; a sweet & fluffy romance. Told you I'm a hopeless romantic, remember? I love sappy.
I really liked the characters in this book. Cobey and Vincent were both very lovable. They were perfect for each other. I loved their chemistry, their cute banter and how they never denied their feelings. There wasn't any drama. I would've liked a little drama. But that's fine. Most of all, this book just made me so happy. The whole time I was reading this book, I had a huge smile plastered on my face....highly recommended
It was more like a 4 stars read. I am gonna smash the 5 stars button anyway. Just because I want to...
"Learning Curve" by N.R. Walker is the sixth standalone book in the "Franklin U" multi-author series. It's jockXnerd, roomates to friends to lovers romance with a great bi sexual rep, weightlifting metaphors and lots of first times. It wasn't as steamy as the previous books of the series. But NR Walker's books always tend to be more romantic than sexy. Of course you will receive no complaints from me. I love a healthy relationship; a sweet & fluffy romance. Told you I'm a hopeless romantic, remember? I love sappy.
I really liked the characters in this book. Cobey and Vincent were both very lovable. They were perfect for each other. I loved their chemistry, their cute banter and how they never denied their feelings. There wasn't any drama. I would've liked a little drama. But that's fine. Most of all, this book just made me so happy. The whole time I was reading this book, I had a huge smile plastered on my face....highly recommended
It was more like a 4 stars read. I am gonna smash the 5 stars button anyway. Just because I want to...
Read
September 30, 2022DNF - I don’t enjoy the “I’m a nerd so I get a pass for being a jerk to people and having petty thoughts about others” character.
October 17, 2022
Rooming wasn’t supposed to be this good.
Cobey Green is everything Vincent is not: popular, charming and out of the closet. Their worlds weren’t supposed to meet, but when fate places them in the same room, they’ll realize they aren't as incompatible as they thought…
Vincent doesn’t really like people. He can count his friends with one finger, and it’s a stretch. He’s not good at social interaction, crowds and loud music, and he’s too busy studying and tutoring to even try. He’s never kissed anyone, hell, not even held hands. Nobody knows he’s gay… until he blurts it out to his new roommate.
His very dreamy new roommate.
Holy shit, Vincent was so fucking adorable. And hot. How could someone be adorable and hot at the same time? Like that didn’t make sense.
After last year’s disaster, Cobey needs to focus on studying and get a tutor if he wants to keep playing football. He didn’t expect his roommate to be so cute, much less a genius used to teach less-brilliant students like him how numbers work. And he definitely didn’t expect being able to teach him something in exchange…
”Whatcha reading?”
() “Oh, this is partial differential equations,” he shrugged. “Thought I better check I was on the right track for one of my premed sessions.” ()
“You are reading that for fun?”
He almost smiled. “I’d rather do this than jogging for fun.”
N.R.Walker always manages to write round characters that feel like they could come out of the book and talk to you, and this time wasn’t different. I loved how Vincent and Cobey admired the other, oblivious to their own talents. Vincent can’t believe someone as nice as Cobey, someone everyone knows and loves, is interested in speaking with him. Cobey can’t understand why someone as bright as Vincent is giving him part of his precious time.
They started helping each other, Vincent teaching Cobey calculus and Cobey teaching him how to talk to people in order to help him get a boyfriend-although it didn’t go exactly as planned. Nerdy heroes are my Achilles heel and Vincent was completely adorable; the kind of character who stutters and blurts out the truth without meaning too, blushing as soon as he hears himself. Cobey loved him as much as I did and made him get out of their room to eat and have his daily dose of human interaction, showing Vincent he was worth getting to know.
“You are more excited about this than me.”
“Yes, because I get to be the tutor. I’ve never been the smart one before.”
I didn’t expect anything less from NRW, but I LOVED them together. They were so charming and cute and sexy! Cobey was so beautiful, always making sure to do the right thing, getting nervous asking Vincent things he had never had problems asking before, freaking out if he thought Vincent might have misunderstood him…
“You’re one of the good ones, Cobey.”
“If I’m one of the good ones, then why do I feel like shit?”
“You feel like shit because you are one of the good ones.”
Although I would have been fine without Nate’s help and the public in some of their most important steps on their relationship, my only real problem was how Vincent's lack of self-esteem was addressed, more precisely, how it wasn’t. Since the beginning, Vincent doesn��t feel worthy of Cobey’s attention, there were several moments where he thinks Cobey’s ashamed of being friends with him, or that he’s ‘out of his league’ and he only pities him. Although Cobey, very angrily, tells him how wrong he is, you can’t really make someone who feels so unworthy of love change his mind just for hearing it from someone else. I’m a bit picky about this but for me, the character is the one who has to come out to terms with their own worth, and that’s a slow process that I didn’t see here.
I knew the reason he assumed I was embarrassed to be seen with him had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with how he was himself. Which was obviously with his eyes closer. Because he was a complete package.
I don’t know how NRW maintains the high quality of her books-I have yet to find a book by her I didn’t enjoy-, but Learning Curve is another win: likable characters, sweet dynamics and always-on-point pace. Truly recommend to anyone looking for a light college romance, with the perfect amount of smut, fun and deeper conversations to make the MC feel like real human beings.
PS: I loved the newspaper.
↬ Franklin U series:
1. Playing Games: 3.75 stars
2. The Dating Disaster: 3 stars
3. Mr. Romance: 2.5 stars
4. Bet You: 3.5 stars
5. The Glow Up: 3 stars
6. Learning Curve: 3.75 stars
7. Making Waves: maybe someday i'll close my eyes and give you a try
8. Football Royalty: dnf 89%
Cobey Green is everything Vincent is not: popular, charming and out of the closet. Their worlds weren’t supposed to meet, but when fate places them in the same room, they’ll realize they aren't as incompatible as they thought…
Vincent doesn’t really like people. He can count his friends with one finger, and it’s a stretch. He’s not good at social interaction, crowds and loud music, and he’s too busy studying and tutoring to even try. He’s never kissed anyone, hell, not even held hands. Nobody knows he’s gay… until he blurts it out to his new roommate.
His very dreamy new roommate.
Holy shit, Vincent was so fucking adorable. And hot. How could someone be adorable and hot at the same time? Like that didn’t make sense.
After last year’s disaster, Cobey needs to focus on studying and get a tutor if he wants to keep playing football. He didn’t expect his roommate to be so cute, much less a genius used to teach less-brilliant students like him how numbers work. And he definitely didn’t expect being able to teach him something in exchange…
”Whatcha reading?”
() “Oh, this is partial differential equations,” he shrugged. “Thought I better check I was on the right track for one of my premed sessions.” ()
“You are reading that for fun?”
He almost smiled. “I’d rather do this than jogging for fun.”
N.R.Walker always manages to write round characters that feel like they could come out of the book and talk to you, and this time wasn’t different. I loved how Vincent and Cobey admired the other, oblivious to their own talents. Vincent can’t believe someone as nice as Cobey, someone everyone knows and loves, is interested in speaking with him. Cobey can’t understand why someone as bright as Vincent is giving him part of his precious time.
They started helping each other, Vincent teaching Cobey calculus and Cobey teaching him how to talk to people in order to help him get a boyfriend-although it didn’t go exactly as planned. Nerdy heroes are my Achilles heel and Vincent was completely adorable; the kind of character who stutters and blurts out the truth without meaning too, blushing as soon as he hears himself. Cobey loved him as much as I did and made him get out of their room to eat and have his daily dose of human interaction, showing Vincent he was worth getting to know.
“You are more excited about this than me.”
“Yes, because I get to be the tutor. I’ve never been the smart one before.”
I didn’t expect anything less from NRW, but I LOVED them together. They were so charming and cute and sexy! Cobey was so beautiful, always making sure to do the right thing, getting nervous asking Vincent things he had never had problems asking before, freaking out if he thought Vincent might have misunderstood him…
“You’re one of the good ones, Cobey.”
“If I’m one of the good ones, then why do I feel like shit?”
“You feel like shit because you are one of the good ones.”
Although I would have been fine without Nate’s help and the public in some of their most important steps on their relationship, my only real problem was how Vincent's lack of self-esteem was addressed, more precisely, how it wasn’t. Since the beginning, Vincent doesn��t feel worthy of Cobey’s attention, there were several moments where he thinks Cobey’s ashamed of being friends with him, or that he’s ‘out of his league’ and he only pities him. Although Cobey, very angrily, tells him how wrong he is, you can’t really make someone who feels so unworthy of love change his mind just for hearing it from someone else. I’m a bit picky about this but for me, the character is the one who has to come out to terms with their own worth, and that’s a slow process that I didn’t see here.
I knew the reason he assumed I was embarrassed to be seen with him had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with how he was himself. Which was obviously with his eyes closer. Because he was a complete package.
I don’t know how NRW maintains the high quality of her books-I have yet to find a book by her I didn’t enjoy-, but Learning Curve is another win: likable characters, sweet dynamics and always-on-point pace. Truly recommend to anyone looking for a light college romance, with the perfect amount of smut, fun and deeper conversations to make the MC feel like real human beings.
PS: I loved the newspaper.
↬ Franklin U series:
1. Playing Games: 3.75 stars
2. The Dating Disaster: 3 stars
3. Mr. Romance: 2.5 stars
4. Bet You: 3.5 stars
5. The Glow Up: 3 stars
6. Learning Curve: 3.75 stars
7. Making Waves: maybe someday i'll close my eyes and give you a try
8. Football Royalty: dnf 89%
September 30, 2022
I loved this book! Loved both Cobey & Vincent. This book was sweet, light, & very low angst. It had a more mature vibe similar to The Glow Up. I know we all have days where all we want is a short, fluffy, sweet, low-angst, low-drama book and I would say this book is perfect for those days.
September 18, 2025
⭐️ 5/5 🌶 2/5 — Pure wholesome delight—adorable, heartfelt, and utterly impossible to put down! 💖✨️
This book has no business being so stinking cute! 🥹💕 GAH! It made me ridiculously happy from start to finish. 😍 I literally had to force myself to stop at 4 in the morning just to get a few hours of sleep. 😌 The romance itself is pure low-angst delight, but Vincent’s heartbreaking backstory adds just enough depth to make it hit even harder. 💔✨ Sweet, funny, and feel-good all the way through. 🥰 Not my first N.R. Walker, and definitely won’t be my last. 💖
🏈👓 The MCs 🏈👓
Cobey — The gorgeous football jock, Mr. Popular, the great-at-everything guy. Everyone likes him because he treats people with respect and genuine kindness. With doting, supportive (and wealthy) parents, he’s privileged but never entitled. Instead, he’s a ray of sunshine with that infectious smile. Green flag? No, he’s a whole damn forest. 🏈🌞🌳
Vincent — The genius but socially awkward tutor. Quiet, nerdy, and hot in his own understated way. He’s incredibly smart without ever being arrogant. His past is rough—an absent mom, a neglectful dad, growing up half-starved and unloved, finding shelter in public libraries. He never really knew affection or care. My poor baby deserves the world. 👓😭💔
💞🏈🍆The Chemistry: From Balls to Boners 💞🏈🍆
Quote #1 – The Ball Fumble (Not That Ball 😏)
Cobey: “I put weight lifting on the table without your consent because I thought maybe I’d get to kiss you, which I can see now was wrong, and I should have been upfront about my intentions but I wasn’t, and that put my balls in your court and now I’m a terrible person.”
Vincent: “…I’m sorry. You put your balls where?”
Cobey: “My balls . . . ? No, no, I’m sorry. God, this is embarrassing. I meant to say my ball was in your court. Is that how the saying goes?”
Vincent: “…So there was no plural?”
Cobey: “Nope. Only have a singular ball here. I mean, I have two. Definitely have two… oh my god, can we start this conversation over?”
💭 This right here? Their whole dynamic. Awkward, hilarious, and achingly sweet. 🤣💕 Vincent is baffled but intrigued, Cobey is smooth sunshine turned into a flustered mess the second feelings get real. Their banter is CLUMSY PERFECTION, and you feel the attraction spark even while you’re giggling. The mix of humor + sincerity makes every scene between them melt-your-heart good. 🥹😍❤️
Quote #2 – The First Hug (aka Boner Problems in Sweatpants 👀)
Cobey: “Hugs are good, right?”
Vincent: “Mm.” (allows himself to be hugged, then quickly runs away blushing)
Cobey: “What happened?” (notices Vincent got a boner) “Oh.”
Vincent: “You can stop smiling. It’s not funny.”
Cobey: “It kinda is. I’m flattered… Would you like another hug?”
Vincent: “No!”
Cobey: “It was worth a shot.”
💭 THIS scene?? Oh my god. The softest first hug in existence that turned into a full-on sweatpants situation. 💀 Poor Vincent was out here fighting for his DIGNITY while Cobey was just grinning like the cocky sunshine bastard he is. The mix of cute + horny + chaotic?? That's the exact recipe for perfect chemistry. 🤌🏻💞✨️
💔🥪📚 The Angst: Lonely Childhood, Hungry Nights, and Library Shelves 💔🥪📚
Vincent opened up about his childhood—being just four years old and left alone at night, living on nothing but peanut butter sandwiches because there was no food in the cupboards, finding safety only in school and the library. 📚🥪😭 Reading every book he could get his hands on became his escape, his survival. And damn, my heart cracked wide open for him. 💔🥹
But it wasn’t just about being poor. Vincent has never been hugged, never received a single birthday present in his entire nineteen years of life. 😭🎂💔 That kind of emptiness… it wasn’t just material, it was love he’d been denied. Protect Vincent at all costs! 😫
🌶🍦 The Spice: Vanilla Done Right 🌶🍦
Quote #1
Vincent: “I want you. I want you inside me.”
Cobey: “Are you sure?”
Vincent: “I’ve never been surer. About anything.”
Cobey: “Fuck. You probably have some vision of me being perfect at this and making this amazing for you. But Vincent, baby. I’m so turned on right now this is likely to be over pretty quick. Just so you know.”
Quote #2
Vincent: “It was my first time. I was expecting pain, to be honest.”
Cobey: “There should never be pain.”
Vincent: “There wasn’t. It didn’t hurt. Despite the size of your dick. You took very good care of me.”
Cobey: “I’m sorry. Are you sad? Or mad at me?”
Vincent: “What? Why would I be?”
Cobey: “I just wanted it to be . . . good. I dunno. Special.”
Vincent: “It was. It was more than just sex for me, Cobey. It was with you, for a start. But it was intimate and sweet, and it means a lot to me.”
💭 Okay listen… this spice ain’t about whips, chains, or flipping each other upside down 😏—it’s vanilla. BUT it’s the good kind. The kind that makes you clutch your chest because it’s soft, careful, and full of emotion. 🥹💕 Cobey was so worried about making it special, and Vincent? He just wanted it to be with him. Ugh, the sweetness of that. This wasn’t about kink or heat, it was about TRUST and INTIMACY—and it still managed to sizzle while melting your heart. 🍦🔥💞
🏁💍 The Ending: Their Forever Starts Here 🏁💍
Vincent and Cobey’s journey closes on the sweetest note—two boys who met in college now standing side by side in their future. Cobey makes it into the NFL, living out his dream as a pro football player, while Vincent builds a successful career in Silicon Valley with Apple. They live together, happy and secure in the love they’ve fought for and nurtured all these years. And then comes the proposal—Cobey asking Vincent to marry him, and Vincent saying yes without a second thought. From lonely beginnings to a shared forever, the ending gives us everything: stability, success, and a love that’s not just promised, but chosen. 💍🏈💻💖
📝 TLDR 📝
Give this one a go if you like:
✨️ Low angst, heartwarming, cute MM college romance 🫂
✨️ A nerdy, broken boy navigates through life alone 👓💔
✨️ A loyal, sunshiney jock with a golden heart 🌞🌳🏈
✨️ A solid HEA that will make your heart full ❤️
-
Quotes:
“For the love of god, can the universe rip open and swallow me whole. I’d even settle for a catastrophic cosmic event that ended all mankind on Earth right now just so I don’t have to live through one more second of this mortifying conversation.”
God, he cracked me up.
-
“It’s not my ability to hold a conversation. It’s meeting new people. It’s not really even being in a crowd; it’s being the center of attention. But mostly meeting new people. And the thought of having to make small talk makes me want to vomit.”
“Well then, I’ll tutor you in the art of meeting new people and not vomiting on them if there’s small talk.”
“Oh great.”
-
It was his first kiss. I wanted to make it special. I wanted it to be something he’d remember. That thrill, that buzz, the dizzying excitement. I also wanted it to be sweet and tender because . . . well, because Vincent deserved that.
Those were the things I wanted to give to him, but I wasn’t expecting to get them in return.
The thrill, the buzz, the lightheaded excitement.
And it was just a kiss.
No tongue, no wandering hands, no making out, no grinding. Just a kiss.
A kiss that felt like my first, not his.
-
I was also happy to not be thinking about Vincent. Not thinking about what he said about the library being the only safe place he had. Not thinking about him wearing my number. Not thinking about him getting a hard-on when we hugged. Not thinking about coming to watch me play today.
Yep.
Not thinking about Vincent at all.
-
“Are you sore?”
“Not really. Just . . . I can feel where you’ve been. I kinda like it.”
“Christ, Cobey. Nope, Mr. Sexy As Fuck, don’t look at me like that. I need a piss, food, shower, in that order, then maybe a pre-game orgasm. Then maybe some more food.”
“Charming.”
-
“Goddammit. Maybe I should have had breakfast on my own. Every time I look at you, I picture last night and how good it was, and I want to bend you over this table.”
-
“Yes, you should totally go. Spend some time with your friends. And if someone tries to hit on you, you look them right in the eye and say, ‘Sorry, I already have a boyfriend.’”
There was muffled cheering from Cobey’s end, and I could picture his entire team heckling him.
Boyfriend.
He said boyfriend.
I was grinning at the ceiling, at the ridiculous Mary-Jesus-Adam-Driver poster, trying to hold the side of my face so my enormous smile didn’t break my face.
“Okay,” I whispered with a laugh. “Boyfriend.”
-
To be absolutely head over heels for someone and have them feel the same way? To be appreciated and wanted? That shit felt good.
-
“Hey, uh, where are you?”
“I’m in your bed. I missed you, which is stupid, I know. But I figured you’d be with your friends for a while.”
“Jesus, Vee. You can’t be saying shit like that to me.”
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t apologize, and don’t get out of my bed. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
-
Vincent looked all warm and cozy, he said he missed me, and he was in my bed. There was no way I wasn’t going to him.
-
“Cobey, how can I meet your parents? My own father doesn’t even like me.”
Oh baby, no.
I pressed my forehead to his, feeling bad for dumping this surprise on him. “They are going to love you, because I do.”
-
“Can we talk about you wearing this hoodie to the bar tonight?”
“Was it wrong? I just . . . I remembered you saying it was what boyfriends or girlfriends did and so—”
“It was fucking hot. Seeing you in the bar wearing my name and my number like that. Hottest thing you coulda done. Quite the power play, Vee.”
“A power what?”
“A boss move. You wore that like you were telling everyone, ‘Yeah, he’s mine. Whatcha gonna do about it?’ and that’s hot as fuck.”
“Oh, I uh . . .”
“Hot as fuck.”
“I think we should go to our room.”
-
“What I’m trying to say is that I might not always get it right and I might not always say the right thing. I might not know how to react to some things. It’s just because it’s all so new to me. But Cobey, if you do love me—”
“I do.”
“Your love is a gift I will never take for granted. Ever. And the feelings I have for you, that you make me feel, mean a lot to me. To have that in my life. To experience that. It’s because of you.”
-
“No more of those unknown variables, right?”
“None. Not in calc, not with us. No unknown variables.”
“You’re such a nerd. And Vee?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t ever change.”
-
⚠️ Detailed spoiler below ⛔️
RC and MCs:
🏈👓 MM, strict top/bottom
🏈👓 Cobey Green 19yo and Vincent Brandt 19yo
🏈👓 Cobey: Football player, the middle linebacker for the Kings at Franklin University. He's on scholarship. Business major.
🏈👓 Vincent: Double major in Math and Tech science. He's also a tutor.
🏈👓 Cobey: Top, bi, blue eyes, one dimple, muscular, 6ft3/191cm, bigger and taller than Vincent
🏈👓 Vincent: Bottom, gay, blue-gray eyes, floppy dark hair, pale complexion, glasses, pink lips, slim, twink
Genre and tropes:
🏈👓 MM contemporary romance
🏈👓 New adult
🏈👓 College romance
🏈👓 Jock/nerd
🏈👓 Popular football player (Cobey)
🏈👓 Introvert, shy tutor (Vincent)
🏈👓 Roommates
🏈👓 Opposites attract
🏈👓 Mutual tutoring (Vincent tutors Cobey in calculus, Cobey teaches Vincent social skills)
🏈👓 Coming out
🏈👓 Hurt/comfort
🏈👓 Found family
🏈👓 Virgin MC (Vincent)
🏈👓 First times everything (even holding hands and kissing)
🏈👓 Consent-focused
🏈👓 Self-esteem growth
🏈👓 Size difference
🏈👓 Pet names: Vee, baby, babe
Safety info:
🏈👓 Angst: Low
🏈👓 OPD: No
🏈👓 Cheating/sharing: No
🏈👓 Third act breakup: No
🏈👓 Ending: HFN
🏈👓 Epilogue: Yes
🏈👓 POV: Dual, 1st person
🏈👓 Series structure: Standalone (Franklin U series book #6, multi-author collaboration, set within the same universe)
Spice and kinks:
Handjob, blowjob, finger fucking, anal sex (with condom)
CW/TW:
Self-esteem issues (Vincent struggles with feelings of unworthiness), alcohol consumption, a situation where a drunk SC is approached by a creep but is helped by the MCs securing her safety, social anxiety, emotional vulnerability, parental neglect, financial difficulties
This book has no business being so stinking cute! 🥹💕 GAH! It made me ridiculously happy from start to finish. 😍 I literally had to force myself to stop at 4 in the morning just to get a few hours of sleep. 😌 The romance itself is pure low-angst delight, but Vincent’s heartbreaking backstory adds just enough depth to make it hit even harder. 💔✨ Sweet, funny, and feel-good all the way through. 🥰 Not my first N.R. Walker, and definitely won’t be my last. 💖
🏈👓 The MCs 🏈👓
Cobey — The gorgeous football jock, Mr. Popular, the great-at-everything guy. Everyone likes him because he treats people with respect and genuine kindness. With doting, supportive (and wealthy) parents, he’s privileged but never entitled. Instead, he’s a ray of sunshine with that infectious smile. Green flag? No, he’s a whole damn forest. 🏈🌞🌳
Vincent — The genius but socially awkward tutor. Quiet, nerdy, and hot in his own understated way. He’s incredibly smart without ever being arrogant. His past is rough—an absent mom, a neglectful dad, growing up half-starved and unloved, finding shelter in public libraries. He never really knew affection or care. My poor baby deserves the world. 👓😭💔
💞🏈🍆The Chemistry: From Balls to Boners 💞🏈🍆
Quote #1 – The Ball Fumble (Not That Ball 😏)
Cobey: “I put weight lifting on the table without your consent because I thought maybe I’d get to kiss you, which I can see now was wrong, and I should have been upfront about my intentions but I wasn’t, and that put my balls in your court and now I’m a terrible person.”
Vincent: “…I’m sorry. You put your balls where?”
Cobey: “My balls . . . ? No, no, I’m sorry. God, this is embarrassing. I meant to say my ball was in your court. Is that how the saying goes?”
Vincent: “…So there was no plural?”
Cobey: “Nope. Only have a singular ball here. I mean, I have two. Definitely have two… oh my god, can we start this conversation over?”
💭 This right here? Their whole dynamic. Awkward, hilarious, and achingly sweet. 🤣💕 Vincent is baffled but intrigued, Cobey is smooth sunshine turned into a flustered mess the second feelings get real. Their banter is CLUMSY PERFECTION, and you feel the attraction spark even while you’re giggling. The mix of humor + sincerity makes every scene between them melt-your-heart good. 🥹😍❤️
Quote #2 – The First Hug (aka Boner Problems in Sweatpants 👀)
Cobey: “Hugs are good, right?”
Vincent: “Mm.” (allows himself to be hugged, then quickly runs away blushing)
Cobey: “What happened?” (notices Vincent got a boner) “Oh.”
Vincent: “You can stop smiling. It’s not funny.”
Cobey: “It kinda is. I’m flattered… Would you like another hug?”
Vincent: “No!”
Cobey: “It was worth a shot.”
💭 THIS scene?? Oh my god. The softest first hug in existence that turned into a full-on sweatpants situation. 💀 Poor Vincent was out here fighting for his DIGNITY while Cobey was just grinning like the cocky sunshine bastard he is. The mix of cute + horny + chaotic?? That's the exact recipe for perfect chemistry. 🤌🏻💞✨️
💔🥪📚 The Angst: Lonely Childhood, Hungry Nights, and Library Shelves 💔🥪📚
Vincent opened up about his childhood—being just four years old and left alone at night, living on nothing but peanut butter sandwiches because there was no food in the cupboards, finding safety only in school and the library. 📚🥪😭 Reading every book he could get his hands on became his escape, his survival. And damn, my heart cracked wide open for him. 💔🥹
But it wasn’t just about being poor. Vincent has never been hugged, never received a single birthday present in his entire nineteen years of life. 😭🎂💔 That kind of emptiness… it wasn’t just material, it was love he’d been denied. Protect Vincent at all costs! 😫
🌶🍦 The Spice: Vanilla Done Right 🌶🍦
Quote #1
Vincent: “I want you. I want you inside me.”
Cobey: “Are you sure?”
Vincent: “I’ve never been surer. About anything.”
Cobey: “Fuck. You probably have some vision of me being perfect at this and making this amazing for you. But Vincent, baby. I’m so turned on right now this is likely to be over pretty quick. Just so you know.”
Quote #2
Vincent: “It was my first time. I was expecting pain, to be honest.”
Cobey: “There should never be pain.”
Vincent: “There wasn’t. It didn’t hurt. Despite the size of your dick. You took very good care of me.”
Cobey: “I’m sorry. Are you sad? Or mad at me?”
Vincent: “What? Why would I be?”
Cobey: “I just wanted it to be . . . good. I dunno. Special.”
Vincent: “It was. It was more than just sex for me, Cobey. It was with you, for a start. But it was intimate and sweet, and it means a lot to me.”
💭 Okay listen… this spice ain’t about whips, chains, or flipping each other upside down 😏—it’s vanilla. BUT it’s the good kind. The kind that makes you clutch your chest because it’s soft, careful, and full of emotion. 🥹💕 Cobey was so worried about making it special, and Vincent? He just wanted it to be with him. Ugh, the sweetness of that. This wasn’t about kink or heat, it was about TRUST and INTIMACY—and it still managed to sizzle while melting your heart. 🍦🔥💞
🏁💍 The Ending: Their Forever Starts Here 🏁💍
Vincent and Cobey’s journey closes on the sweetest note—two boys who met in college now standing side by side in their future. Cobey makes it into the NFL, living out his dream as a pro football player, while Vincent builds a successful career in Silicon Valley with Apple. They live together, happy and secure in the love they’ve fought for and nurtured all these years. And then comes the proposal—Cobey asking Vincent to marry him, and Vincent saying yes without a second thought. From lonely beginnings to a shared forever, the ending gives us everything: stability, success, and a love that’s not just promised, but chosen. 💍🏈💻💖
📝 TLDR 📝
Give this one a go if you like:
✨️ Low angst, heartwarming, cute MM college romance 🫂
✨️ A nerdy, broken boy navigates through life alone 👓💔
✨️ A loyal, sunshiney jock with a golden heart 🌞🌳🏈
✨️ A solid HEA that will make your heart full ❤️
-
Quotes:
“For the love of god, can the universe rip open and swallow me whole. I’d even settle for a catastrophic cosmic event that ended all mankind on Earth right now just so I don’t have to live through one more second of this mortifying conversation.”
God, he cracked me up.
-
“It’s not my ability to hold a conversation. It’s meeting new people. It’s not really even being in a crowd; it’s being the center of attention. But mostly meeting new people. And the thought of having to make small talk makes me want to vomit.”
“Well then, I’ll tutor you in the art of meeting new people and not vomiting on them if there’s small talk.”
“Oh great.”
-
It was his first kiss. I wanted to make it special. I wanted it to be something he’d remember. That thrill, that buzz, the dizzying excitement. I also wanted it to be sweet and tender because . . . well, because Vincent deserved that.
Those were the things I wanted to give to him, but I wasn’t expecting to get them in return.
The thrill, the buzz, the lightheaded excitement.
And it was just a kiss.
No tongue, no wandering hands, no making out, no grinding. Just a kiss.
A kiss that felt like my first, not his.
-
I was also happy to not be thinking about Vincent. Not thinking about what he said about the library being the only safe place he had. Not thinking about him wearing my number. Not thinking about him getting a hard-on when we hugged. Not thinking about coming to watch me play today.
Yep.
Not thinking about Vincent at all.
-
“Are you sore?”
“Not really. Just . . . I can feel where you’ve been. I kinda like it.”
“Christ, Cobey. Nope, Mr. Sexy As Fuck, don’t look at me like that. I need a piss, food, shower, in that order, then maybe a pre-game orgasm. Then maybe some more food.”
“Charming.”
-
“Goddammit. Maybe I should have had breakfast on my own. Every time I look at you, I picture last night and how good it was, and I want to bend you over this table.”
-
“Yes, you should totally go. Spend some time with your friends. And if someone tries to hit on you, you look them right in the eye and say, ‘Sorry, I already have a boyfriend.’”
There was muffled cheering from Cobey’s end, and I could picture his entire team heckling him.
Boyfriend.
He said boyfriend.
I was grinning at the ceiling, at the ridiculous Mary-Jesus-Adam-Driver poster, trying to hold the side of my face so my enormous smile didn’t break my face.
“Okay,” I whispered with a laugh. “Boyfriend.”
-
To be absolutely head over heels for someone and have them feel the same way? To be appreciated and wanted? That shit felt good.
-
“Hey, uh, where are you?”
“I’m in your bed. I missed you, which is stupid, I know. But I figured you’d be with your friends for a while.”
“Jesus, Vee. You can’t be saying shit like that to me.”
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t apologize, and don’t get out of my bed. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
-
Vincent looked all warm and cozy, he said he missed me, and he was in my bed. There was no way I wasn’t going to him.
-
“Cobey, how can I meet your parents? My own father doesn’t even like me.”
Oh baby, no.
I pressed my forehead to his, feeling bad for dumping this surprise on him. “They are going to love you, because I do.”
-
“Can we talk about you wearing this hoodie to the bar tonight?”
“Was it wrong? I just . . . I remembered you saying it was what boyfriends or girlfriends did and so—”
“It was fucking hot. Seeing you in the bar wearing my name and my number like that. Hottest thing you coulda done. Quite the power play, Vee.”
“A power what?”
“A boss move. You wore that like you were telling everyone, ‘Yeah, he’s mine. Whatcha gonna do about it?’ and that’s hot as fuck.”
“Oh, I uh . . .”
“Hot as fuck.”
“I think we should go to our room.”
-
“What I’m trying to say is that I might not always get it right and I might not always say the right thing. I might not know how to react to some things. It’s just because it’s all so new to me. But Cobey, if you do love me—”
“I do.”
“Your love is a gift I will never take for granted. Ever. And the feelings I have for you, that you make me feel, mean a lot to me. To have that in my life. To experience that. It’s because of you.”
-
“No more of those unknown variables, right?”
“None. Not in calc, not with us. No unknown variables.”
“You’re such a nerd. And Vee?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t ever change.”
-
⚠️ Detailed spoiler below ⛔️
RC and MCs:
🏈👓 MM, strict top/bottom
🏈👓 Cobey Green 19yo and Vincent Brandt 19yo
🏈👓 Cobey: Football player, the middle linebacker for the Kings at Franklin University. He's on scholarship. Business major.
🏈👓 Vincent: Double major in Math and Tech science. He's also a tutor.
🏈👓 Cobey: Top, bi, blue eyes, one dimple, muscular, 6ft3/191cm, bigger and taller than Vincent
🏈👓 Vincent: Bottom, gay, blue-gray eyes, floppy dark hair, pale complexion, glasses, pink lips, slim, twink
Genre and tropes:
🏈👓 MM contemporary romance
🏈👓 New adult
🏈👓 College romance
🏈👓 Jock/nerd
🏈👓 Popular football player (Cobey)
🏈👓 Introvert, shy tutor (Vincent)
🏈👓 Roommates
🏈👓 Opposites attract
🏈👓 Mutual tutoring (Vincent tutors Cobey in calculus, Cobey teaches Vincent social skills)
🏈👓 Coming out
🏈👓 Hurt/comfort
🏈👓 Found family
🏈👓 Virgin MC (Vincent)
🏈👓 First times everything (even holding hands and kissing)
🏈👓 Consent-focused
🏈👓 Self-esteem growth
🏈👓 Size difference
🏈👓 Pet names: Vee, baby, babe
Safety info:
🏈👓 Angst: Low
🏈👓 OPD: No
🏈👓 Cheating/sharing: No
🏈👓 Third act breakup: No
🏈👓 Ending: HFN
🏈👓 Epilogue: Yes
🏈👓 POV: Dual, 1st person
🏈👓 Series structure: Standalone (Franklin U series book #6, multi-author collaboration, set within the same universe)
Spice and kinks:
Handjob, blowjob, finger fucking, anal sex (with condom)
CW/TW:
Self-esteem issues (Vincent struggles with feelings of unworthiness), alcohol consumption, a situation where a drunk SC is approached by a creep but is helped by the MCs securing her safety, social anxiety, emotional vulnerability, parental neglect, financial difficulties
December 12, 2022
5 stars that surprise no one.
i’m a slut for virgin nerd/out jock and it was done wonderfully here. i have nothing to add because this is just my very biased opinion. if you want a neutral review you should really read someone else’s.
but if you love this trope like me, then go for it.
i’m a slut for virgin nerd/out jock and it was done wonderfully here. i have nothing to add because this is just my very biased opinion. if you want a neutral review you should really read someone else’s.
but if you love this trope like me, then go for it.
September 30, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Could this book be any cuter?!
Cobey has to move into the dorms his sophomore year because he needs to focus on his academics more if he wants to stay on the football team. His new roommate, Vincent just happens to be a genius who specializes in his problem areas.
Vincent is 100% socially awkward and turns out his new roommate has a face that makes you spill the T like nobody’s business.
They can be mutually beneficial, Vincent can tutor Cobey in calculus and Cobey can help him socially. But the best part is Cobey teaching him how to lose his pesky virginity.
The unrequited mutual attraction was freaking adorable and led to so many ‘teaching’ moments. The BJ tutorial was … well it was just hot.
These guys were awkward, hilarious, overly adorable and steamy af! I couldn’t get enough of them together.
There were some amazing side characters, especially Jayda and Cobey’s parents. God, I loved how supportive they were, down to his mom providing condoms and lube.
But poor Vincent, he had such a crap life. It broke my heart and Cobey put us both back together again with his loyalty and kindness. He’s seriously a golden retriever in human form.
Hated to see this end! I loved the little tidbits about their future and I just wanted more and more.
Could this book be any cuter?!
Cobey has to move into the dorms his sophomore year because he needs to focus on his academics more if he wants to stay on the football team. His new roommate, Vincent just happens to be a genius who specializes in his problem areas.
Vincent is 100% socially awkward and turns out his new roommate has a face that makes you spill the T like nobody’s business.
They can be mutually beneficial, Vincent can tutor Cobey in calculus and Cobey can help him socially. But the best part is Cobey teaching him how to lose his pesky virginity.
The unrequited mutual attraction was freaking adorable and led to so many ‘teaching’ moments. The BJ tutorial was … well it was just hot.
These guys were awkward, hilarious, overly adorable and steamy af! I couldn’t get enough of them together.
There were some amazing side characters, especially Jayda and Cobey’s parents. God, I loved how supportive they were, down to his mom providing condoms and lube.
But poor Vincent, he had such a crap life. It broke my heart and Cobey put us both back together again with his loyalty and kindness. He’s seriously a golden retriever in human form.
Hated to see this end! I loved the little tidbits about their future and I just wanted more and more.
October 31, 2022
My favourite one yet
I wasn't sure, given the very young ages of the pair here, that I'd enjoy this one as I usually find myself getting irritated by young adult romance.
Well, how wrong could I have been because this is my favourite one so far in this series and an absolutely joyous read.
Cobey and Vincent are beyond cute together they're supportive, act far more maturely than their ages would usually indicate, and have a relationship development based on the solid foundations of a mutual respect and trust.
This book is also super sexy and I loved how much care Cobey took of Vincent throughout his physical intimacy journey, their first kiss is beautifully expressed and as their feelings developed, so did Vincent's foray from virginity to experienced exploration.
There's a good bunch of secondary characters helping to flesh out the narrative but, for most of it, NR puts the focus purely on these two young men and they shine wonderfully in the glow.
There's also a fabulous Epilogue with a lovely little visual bonus that I won't spoil but which really was a great surprise and very well executed.
I'd actually love to read more of this pair as their lives go on because they definitely had a lifetime happiness vibe all over them!
I wasn't sure, given the very young ages of the pair here, that I'd enjoy this one as I usually find myself getting irritated by young adult romance.
Well, how wrong could I have been because this is my favourite one so far in this series and an absolutely joyous read.
Cobey and Vincent are beyond cute together they're supportive, act far more maturely than their ages would usually indicate, and have a relationship development based on the solid foundations of a mutual respect and trust.
This book is also super sexy and I loved how much care Cobey took of Vincent throughout his physical intimacy journey, their first kiss is beautifully expressed and as their feelings developed, so did Vincent's foray from virginity to experienced exploration.
There's a good bunch of secondary characters helping to flesh out the narrative but, for most of it, NR puts the focus purely on these two young men and they shine wonderfully in the glow.
There's also a fabulous Epilogue with a lovely little visual bonus that I won't spoil but which really was a great surprise and very well executed.
I'd actually love to read more of this pair as their lives go on because they definitely had a lifetime happiness vibe all over them!
October 20, 2023
A nerd/(sunshine) jock romance - sounds like a recipe for at least a 4 star rating, right?
Sadly, not quite. I’m all for a fluffy romance, and I don’t mind if it occasionally gets cheesy. But this was a bit much, even for my sparkly rainbow coloured standards.
Cobey, “the jock”, is absolutely perfect. He’s a great college football player, good looking, friendly, respectful, with a great family, he’s out and proud, and literally EVERYBODY loves him. The only kink in his shining armour: he’s not particularly good at calculus.
Vincent, “the nerd”, is a bit overwhelmed when Cobey becomes his roommate. He’s gay, not out, a virgin, socially awkward, a scholarship student who’s never really had a loving family. But of all people, he finds talking to (and spending time with) Cobey to be easy, and he opens up to him. He agrees to tutor him in calculus, while Cobey agrees to help him being more social.
The inevitable happens, and all it’s so… free of drama. There’s no homophobia, no jealous ex, no bullying, a lot of talk about consent and safe sex, and it wouldn’t have surprised me if butterflies would have danced around their heads and birds world have started singing when they were around, with little bunnies peeking out of blooming shrubs and every single cloud dissipating to make room for glorious sunshine.
If this book would be a dessert, it would be plain vanilla pudding. Everyone loves it, but it’s nothing you’d go crazy for, unless you’re in the mood for a quick, sweet fix.
It still was pleasant to listen to, because I feel like Nick J Russo added a little depth to the characters that I don’t think would have been there otherwise.
Still, not bad - 3 stars from me.
Sadly, not quite. I’m all for a fluffy romance, and I don’t mind if it occasionally gets cheesy. But this was a bit much, even for my sparkly rainbow coloured standards.
Cobey, “the jock”, is absolutely perfect. He’s a great college football player, good looking, friendly, respectful, with a great family, he’s out and proud, and literally EVERYBODY loves him. The only kink in his shining armour: he’s not particularly good at calculus.
Vincent, “the nerd”, is a bit overwhelmed when Cobey becomes his roommate. He’s gay, not out, a virgin, socially awkward, a scholarship student who’s never really had a loving family. But of all people, he finds talking to (and spending time with) Cobey to be easy, and he opens up to him. He agrees to tutor him in calculus, while Cobey agrees to help him being more social.
The inevitable happens, and all it’s so… free of drama. There’s no homophobia, no jealous ex, no bullying, a lot of talk about consent and safe sex, and it wouldn’t have surprised me if butterflies would have danced around their heads and birds world have started singing when they were around, with little bunnies peeking out of blooming shrubs and every single cloud dissipating to make room for glorious sunshine.
If this book would be a dessert, it would be plain vanilla pudding. Everyone loves it, but it’s nothing you’d go crazy for, unless you’re in the mood for a quick, sweet fix.
It still was pleasant to listen to, because I feel like Nick J Russo added a little depth to the characters that I don’t think would have been there otherwise.
Still, not bad - 3 stars from me.
December 15, 2022
Learning Curve was the last book available on Scribd so I had to skip books 4 and 5, but as Carly says I'm coming back for you, baby!
This by far my favourite (of the ones I've read). Cobey and Vincent are goals. No over done drama, just two guys who complement each other so well and are meant to be together.
This is the roommates to mutual tutors to lovers pipeline that I'm living for.
And to top it all off, this is narrated to perfection by Nick J. Russo.
This by far my favourite (of the ones I've read). Cobey and Vincent are goals. No over done drama, just two guys who complement each other so well and are meant to be together.
This is the roommates to mutual tutors to lovers pipeline that I'm living for.
And to top it all off, this is narrated to perfection by Nick J. Russo.
September 29, 2022
I really and actually could be persuaded to rate this 4 stars but my reasoning is questionably so pathetic, I'm LAUGHING at my self.
Corey was just such a GOOD FUCKIN GUY that I honestly just COULDN'T VIBE WITH THE BOOK.
lmaooo, send help cus I need it.
Like my favorite thing he said was "Open your mouth"
Sorry but ASSHOLES DO IT BETTER ✌️
Healthy romance is not for me so 🥲🤗🥲
But I fucking LOVED and me little heart melted at the newspaper clippings at the end. That was fucking perfection.
3.5 STARS ⭐✨✨✨✨✨
Corey was just such a GOOD FUCKIN GUY that I honestly just COULDN'T VIBE WITH THE BOOK.
lmaooo, send help cus I need it.
Like my favorite thing he said was "Open your mouth"
Sorry but ASSHOLES DO IT BETTER ✌️
Healthy romance is not for me so 🥲🤗🥲
But I fucking LOVED and me little heart melted at the newspaper clippings at the end. That was fucking perfection.
3.5 STARS ⭐✨✨✨✨✨
March 3, 2025
4.2 ⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5
Format: audiobook
Narration: 🎤🎤🎤🎤/5
I devoured this so quickly-Cobey and Vincent were just so cute together.
One of my favorite storylines for college romances is a tutoring plot, especially if it's paired with a jock/nerd trope. I don't know what it is about them, but they just do it for me every single time.
Cobey and Vincent are roommates. Cobey is a football player and Vincent is immediately wary of him based on past experiences. But from the very beginning, Cobey is friendly and sweet towards Vincent, and it doesn't take long for them to form a little friendship in which Cobey becomes a safe space for Vincent that he's never had before. He finds himself confiding in Cobey about things he's never told anyone else, like that he's gay, and that he's a virgin...
An adorable little deal is struck between them where Vincent teaches Cobey math and Cobey teaches Vincent how to lose his v-card, but it becomes clear right away that there's only one person he wants Vincent to lose it to, and that is himself.
Cute fluffy goodness. This is very low-angst and medium-heat. But poor Vincent broke my heart with his background story. Like he never received a birthday present before? Ruined. Me.
I think of all the FU books I've read so far, this is my favorite. I can't believe this is only my second N.R. Walker book. I need to read more ASAP.
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5
Format: audiobook
Narration: 🎤🎤🎤🎤/5
I devoured this so quickly-Cobey and Vincent were just so cute together.
One of my favorite storylines for college romances is a tutoring plot, especially if it's paired with a jock/nerd trope. I don't know what it is about them, but they just do it for me every single time.
Cobey and Vincent are roommates. Cobey is a football player and Vincent is immediately wary of him based on past experiences. But from the very beginning, Cobey is friendly and sweet towards Vincent, and it doesn't take long for them to form a little friendship in which Cobey becomes a safe space for Vincent that he's never had before. He finds himself confiding in Cobey about things he's never told anyone else, like that he's gay, and that he's a virgin...
An adorable little deal is struck between them where Vincent teaches Cobey math and Cobey teaches Vincent how to lose his v-card, but it becomes clear right away that there's only one person he wants Vincent to lose it to, and that is himself.
Cute fluffy goodness. This is very low-angst and medium-heat. But poor Vincent broke my heart with his background story. Like he never received a birthday present before? Ruined. Me.
I think of all the FU books I've read so far, this is my favorite. I can't believe this is only my second N.R. Walker book. I need to read more ASAP.
October 13, 2022
Cobey and Vincent are so fluffy & low angst i love them & will protect them.
NerdxJock trope doesn’t miss. This is basically heartstopper if u add smut. 🌶
NerdxJock trope doesn’t miss. This is basically heartstopper if u add smut. 🌶
December 16, 2023
This is my ultimate comfort read. I read it first in Dec 2022 and have read (listened to) it 5 times in total so far. Vincent had my whole heart, he is just pure goodness and deserved all the love. Cobey is the most gentle of giants with a huge heart, he was perfect to and for V ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Update Dec 2023, I first read this a year ago, it was one of the first MM books I read and it has such a special place in my ❤️. this is my 7th reread/listen in a year 🫣
Nick J. Russo is one of my fav narrators ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Update Dec 2023, I first read this a year ago, it was one of the first MM books I read and it has such a special place in my ❤️. this is my 7th reread/listen in a year 🫣
Nick J. Russo is one of my fav narrators ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 7, 2025
4.5 stars ...
It's NR Walker ...
'nuf said. 👍😁👍
It's NR Walker ...
'nuf said. 👍😁👍
June 8, 2024
I was surprised by how much I loved this one
September 30, 2022
[3.4~3.5 - should probably round down but i’ve also reached acceptance that my ratings for this series are out of whack soooo 😂] hmmm now this was an interesting one. not sure i enjoyed it as much as i’d hoped, partly because Vincent, while relatable in some respects (ex. the uncontrollable blushing, the “all studying, no real fun” college experience, etc.), had a woeful backstory that, to me, was delivered in a manner that failed to garner my sympathy organically. thus any time his insecurities would manifest in poor assumptions about everyone else around him, my brain wasn’t as open to see from his perspective.
however, there’s no denying that NR Walker reached astronomical heights on the fluff o’ meter with this story - and i mean cloying sugariness. as in “be sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist ahead of time or you will be left with nothing but a lifetime of regret” levels of sweetness while the baby gay learns the ropes of social interaction and physical encounters from one of the most popular faces on campus.
plus i’m a real sucker for impossibly kind and understanding pipe dreams like Cobey, which i know, how horribly yawnfest-worthy! but no matter, i’m still going to take a moment to pretend people like him exist in great abundance in our reality, because technology still hasn’t quite found a way to deliver the perfect made-to-order man to my doorstep within 24 hours 🤧
however, there’s no denying that NR Walker reached astronomical heights on the fluff o’ meter with this story - and i mean cloying sugariness. as in “be sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist ahead of time or you will be left with nothing but a lifetime of regret” levels of sweetness while the baby gay learns the ropes of social interaction and physical encounters from one of the most popular faces on campus.
plus i’m a real sucker for impossibly kind and understanding pipe dreams like Cobey, which i know, how horribly yawnfest-worthy! but no matter, i’m still going to take a moment to pretend people like him exist in great abundance in our reality, because technology still hasn’t quite found a way to deliver the perfect made-to-order man to my doorstep within 24 hours 🤧
October 15, 2022
5⭐️ Cutest jock/nerd romance ever. It was light-hearted, low-angst, syrupy sweet, and wholesome without being cheesy or over-the-top. Just a simple, charming comfort read. Loved it.
November 14, 2022
4 Stars!! Lovable, low angsty sweet and a little cheesy romance.. ❤️ I still loved it though. 😍 Vincent and Cobey were great MCs.. I think a little more backstory on Vincent's side or at least some closure would have been great. With such a sad and lonely childhood, he seemed to have very few triggers. I would have liked for him to have at least some therapy once he started doing better. Cobey seemed too good to be true.. 😍 Just perfect in every way.., was it believable for him to fall for his nerdy, socially-inept roommate? No.. but it was sweet nevertheless... 💓
All in all it was a sweet romance with lots of steamy times between the two and HEA worth waiting for. Highly recommended!! 👍 👍
All in all it was a sweet romance with lots of steamy times between the two and HEA worth waiting for. Highly recommended!! 👍 👍
May 22, 2023
Cute, No Angst, Lots of Sexy Times!
This was a sweet college, opposites attract story. Nothing new here: a sweet jock and a socially anxious nerd.
I wish there had been more UST, since this relationship moved really fast for my tastes.
This is my first read in this series and who knows if I’ll sample any of the others.
Great audiobook performance.
Enjoy!
This was a sweet college, opposites attract story. Nothing new here: a sweet jock and a socially anxious nerd.
I wish there had been more UST, since this relationship moved really fast for my tastes.
This is my first read in this series and who knows if I’ll sample any of the others.
Great audiobook performance.
Enjoy!
August 31, 2025
Another win for N.R. Walker!
November 30, 2022
I don't know but it feels like nothing really happened in this book, like at all. Not what I expected from this author.
September 16, 2025
Cobey + Vincent. My boys. My heart. My everything. 💕
This is the story of Cobey, the golden-boy jock with a heart of pure sunshine, and Vincent, the awkward, brilliant nerd who’d never been even kissed or hugged . When Cobey gets stuck with Vincent as his new roommate, they strike a deal: Vincent will tutor Cobey in academics, and Cobey will tutor Vincent in the social/romantic department. What starts as tutoring quickly turns into something deeper—a journey of firsts for one, of falling in like (and love), and of discovering how perfectly they fit together. 💕
This book was just… so freaking sweet. From the very first “lesson,” where it was all soft—handholding, the shyest kiss that somehow hit harder than anything else—I was already gone. And then when things progressed 😏—make-out sessions, a handjob, a blowjob—the tenderness never left. Like, yes, it got hotter, but it was still sweet, because these two could never be anything but genuine with each other.
And Cobey? He was this golden, popular, adored-by-everyone athlete who somehow had zero clue how hot he was. He turned into this absolute softie for Vincent, and that’s what killed me 🥹. Meanwhile, Vincent—the socially awkward genius—was so confident with Cobey from the get-go. They just clicked, instantly, in that rare way where you’re like: oh, yeah, they make each other better.
📚 Cobey improved at school.
🫶 Vincent stepped into the world—made a friend, went to a party (!!).
And then came the drama—Cobey’s game night, Vincent’s party invite, and Cobey spiraling because what if Vincent wanted to hook up with someone else? The poor boy broke into hives over it 😂. His best friend had to drag him to the library like: bro, you’re in love, stop being an idiot. That confrontation scene?? GOLD. Because Vincent was like: how could you even think I’d want anyone but you? Ugh. My heart.
And then my sweet, awkward Vincent being completely fine with everything he did for Cobey, going to a stadium full of ppl to watch Cobey play , going to a bar full of ppl to watch Cobey’s game on Tv, because as long as it was for Cobey, he would do it all. He even almost punched someone for insulting Cobey. Protectiveness unlocked 🔥.
This wasn’t my usual feral, unhinged or Angst filled read (my go-to guilty pleasures), but honestly? I didn’t care. These two were so damn cute and soft and right for each other, I devoured every page. 🥰
🏈 Jock × Nerd (golden retriever sunshine + socially awkward genius)
🛏 Roommates-to-lovers (forced proximity at its cutest)
📚 Mutual Tutoring (academics vs. social/romantic lessons)
💕 First time (first handholding, first kiss, first everything for Vincent💖)
🫠 Soft romance (not feral, not unhinged—just gentle and sweet)
⏳ Time jump epilogue (six years later and still together!)
Seeing them six years later, Vincent thriving in Silicon Valley, Cobey going pro and raking in money, still living together, still partners—my heart was floating 💫.
But that last scene?? NO. CRUEL. AUTHOR. 😭 Vincent invited to an office party, Cobey going with him, Vincent being all awkward—and then it just ENDS. I wanted to go inside that party with them!! The biggest tease ever.
💌 Final Take:
Adorable, swoony, wholesome, soft—but still had the steam when it counted. These two are everything. 5/5 ⭐ and I wanted to live in their world longer.
This is the story of Cobey, the golden-boy jock with a heart of pure sunshine, and Vincent, the awkward, brilliant nerd who’d never been even kissed or hugged . When Cobey gets stuck with Vincent as his new roommate, they strike a deal: Vincent will tutor Cobey in academics, and Cobey will tutor Vincent in the social/romantic department. What starts as tutoring quickly turns into something deeper—a journey of firsts for one, of falling in like (and love), and of discovering how perfectly they fit together. 💕
This book was just… so freaking sweet. From the very first “lesson,” where it was all soft—handholding, the shyest kiss that somehow hit harder than anything else—I was already gone. And then when things progressed 😏—make-out sessions, a handjob, a blowjob—the tenderness never left. Like, yes, it got hotter, but it was still sweet, because these two could never be anything but genuine with each other.
And Cobey? He was this golden, popular, adored-by-everyone athlete who somehow had zero clue how hot he was. He turned into this absolute softie for Vincent, and that’s what killed me 🥹. Meanwhile, Vincent—the socially awkward genius—was so confident with Cobey from the get-go. They just clicked, instantly, in that rare way where you’re like: oh, yeah, they make each other better.
📚 Cobey improved at school.
🫶 Vincent stepped into the world—made a friend, went to a party (!!).
And then came the drama—Cobey’s game night, Vincent’s party invite, and Cobey spiraling because what if Vincent wanted to hook up with someone else? The poor boy broke into hives over it 😂. His best friend had to drag him to the library like: bro, you’re in love, stop being an idiot. That confrontation scene?? GOLD. Because Vincent was like: how could you even think I’d want anyone but you? Ugh. My heart.
And then my sweet, awkward Vincent being completely fine with everything he did for Cobey, going to a stadium full of ppl to watch Cobey play , going to a bar full of ppl to watch Cobey’s game on Tv, because as long as it was for Cobey, he would do it all. He even almost punched someone for insulting Cobey. Protectiveness unlocked 🔥.
This wasn’t my usual feral, unhinged or Angst filled read (my go-to guilty pleasures), but honestly? I didn’t care. These two were so damn cute and soft and right for each other, I devoured every page. 🥰
🏈 Jock × Nerd (golden retriever sunshine + socially awkward genius)
🛏 Roommates-to-lovers (forced proximity at its cutest)
📚 Mutual Tutoring (academics vs. social/romantic lessons)
💕 First time (first handholding, first kiss, first everything for Vincent💖)
🫠 Soft romance (not feral, not unhinged—just gentle and sweet)
⏳ Time jump epilogue (six years later and still together!)
Seeing them six years later, Vincent thriving in Silicon Valley, Cobey going pro and raking in money, still living together, still partners—my heart was floating 💫.
But that last scene?? NO. CRUEL. AUTHOR. 😭 Vincent invited to an office party, Cobey going with him, Vincent being all awkward—and then it just ENDS. I wanted to go inside that party with them!! The biggest tease ever.
💌 Final Take:
Adorable, swoony, wholesome, soft—but still had the steam when it counted. These two are everything. 5/5 ⭐ and I wanted to live in their world longer.
May 15, 2025
Vincent + Cobey 🖤
Nerd/Jock | Virgin MC | Roomates
Um excuse me. Yeah hi. Ms Walker, why was the first time Vincent ever got his ass played with in his entire virgin life, a fade to black scene?
His pants come off and then suddenly we're given the world's smallest cliff notes version of what happened instead of actually experiencing it on page. Rude.
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes and trigger warnings
Tropes:
Nerd and Jock
Popular football player
Introverted shy tutor
Roomates
College
First kiss
First hand holding
First everything
Wears his football hoodie, with his name and jersey number, in public while they were "just roomates"
Cobey helps Vincent discover his worth and build his self esteem
Consent kings
Low angst
Good banter
Strict roles
TWs:
Self esteem issues
Creep approached drunk woman at the bar with the intentions of taking advantage of her. But Cobey and Vincent got her home safely.
Nerd/Jock | Virgin MC | Roomates
Um excuse me. Yeah hi. Ms Walker, why was the first time Vincent ever got his ass played with in his entire virgin life, a fade to black scene?
His pants come off and then suddenly we're given the world's smallest cliff notes version of what happened instead of actually experiencing it on page. Rude.
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes and trigger warnings
Tropes:
Nerd and Jock
Popular football player
Introverted shy tutor
Roomates
College
First kiss
First hand holding
First everything
Wears his football hoodie, with his name and jersey number, in public while they were "just roomates"
Cobey helps Vincent discover his worth and build his self esteem
Consent kings
Low angst
Good banter
Strict roles
TWs:
Self esteem issues
Creep approached drunk woman at the bar with the intentions of taking advantage of her. But Cobey and Vincent got her home safely.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 794 reviews