Of Boys and Men
Author: Renee Harless
Genre: Romance
Published: June 18th, 2020
Pages: 173
My Rating: ★★★

I had a past. It was dark. It was ugly. It was my dirty secret. No one knew the weight of the burdens that nearly consumed me. I lived with a singular focus—seeking revenge on my father. Then the new girl, Jolee Ward, moved into the apartment above me and shattered my carefully constructed world. We were like oil and water. . . until we weren’t. Then we detonated like gasoline and fire, but the inferno threatened to destroy us both. One night with her couldn’t erase years spent plotting. Wellington University wasn’t big enough for the both of us.
A girl falls in love for the first time when she goes to college.
Our main character Jolee goes off to college. She's moving into her new apartment and accidentally runs into a hottie who lives in her apartment. He brushes her off and acts like a complete jerk. At the start of class, the same boy enters her classroom and immediately claims that she is in "his seat." A new enemy to lovers romance ensues.

Ford continues to taunt Jolee all throughout the semester. Their banter quickly turns to a wild flirtation and then to love. I am a sucker for an enemy to lovers trope. It is probably one of my favorite tropes of all time. Both main characters need to realize that they deserve love.

Ford has a dark past and is adopted. I loved seeing the dynamic of an adoptive family. It made for a really interesting premise. Of Boys and Men had a great way of showing that blood does not make a family. All of Ford's brother's would do anything for each other. I loved Ford's family.

I wish the story was not as predictable as it was. I really did not care for the drama in the story. I wanted more steamy moments than we were given. Parts of the book were pretty whiny. Jolee dreams of opening her own animal rescue one day. Having animals in the book made me smile a lot during those parts. I am a huge dog and animal lover. 

The ending felt rushed to me. There could have been a twist at the end but it ended the way that you would expect it to. Of Boys and Men is a great book to read if you need a fast and easy read. The book is written in a dual perspective which kept me intrigued. I love hearing two sides to stories. I wish I could have seen more character growth between the two main characters. Both were a little overly dramatic. Overall, Of Boys and Men was an average read for me. 
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Renee Harless is a romance writer with an affinity for wine and a passion for telling a good story. Renee, her husband, and children live in Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She studied Communication, specifically Public Relations, at Radford University. Growing up, Renee always found a way to pursue her creativity. It began by watching endless runs of White Christmas- yes even in the summer – and learning every word and dance from the movie. She could still sing "Sister Sister" if requested. In high school, she joined the show choir and a community theatre group, The Troubadours. After marrying the man of her dreams and moving from her hometown she sought out a different artistic outlet – writing. To say that Renee is a romance addict would be an understatement. When she isn’t chasing her kids around the house, working her day job, or writing, she jumps head first into a romance novel.