AverieCan you hear it? The pounding of his heart. The deafening roar of the crowd. Football games have been a thing of the past, ever since the love of my life died playing it. One year later and still devastated, my mom decides to help me to leave it all behind. So here I am. New school. New outlook. A new me, still trying to stop the grieving, and still trying to avoid anything to do with a … avoid anything to do with a game I’ve come to hate.
In some cruel twist of fate, I meet Ashton.
I’m instantly drawn to him with no idea who he is until it all begins to make sense. His height, his physique, his long, powerful arm hurling a football. Ashton Haigen is Alpen Springs High top-notch quarterback.
Suddenly, I’m back in the game I swore I would never be in again, only this time, I have a choice. But how does one choose their own heart, over the one that beats for them? How can I put my past behind me and learn to love again?
A captivating, new series about love, loss, and forever with talented boys too cute for their own good.
Can You Hear It is a dual POV, stand-alone sports romance that takes place in senior year high school. Due to explicit content, this book is suitable for 17+
more
This book was amazing. It had me emotional from the beginning., poor Averie endures heartbreak early and has to move to a new school thinking a fresh start will help her because she is spiraling out of control even though she knows better. At her new school she is the topic of conversation and even picked on and Ashton tries to stay away from her but he’s been attracted to her for a long time and isn’t able to resist her for long. Ashton helps Averie through her funk and to realize she needs to live and quit drowning her sorrows in bad ways. They become close and their chemistry is off the charts but he has a secret that could end things before they can really get started. It had me emotional at one point I wanted to cry, then another minute I was laughing at Ashton’s brother Ryker, then the next I was swooning hard over Ashton. This was a great novel and I really can’t wait for more about the other characters.
Wow. I have always loved Casey Diam, but this book just made her so much more for me. I loved how she has created real life problems. It’s not just a romance – it’s a story of letting people help you and overcome fears. She has a masterpiece that will extract every emotion you have. This author deserves more than 5 stars for this book.
She brings you a YA based novel, but gives them much more. They are such amazing, strong people. Their emotion and feelings – along with their chemistry leaps off the pages at you by the descriptions of Casey Diam. This is a rollercoaster you will want to hold on tight. It’s worth the twists and turns once you get to the end.
Averie and Ash – this one couple you will love. Averie has endured a lot in her short life. She’s become stronger because of it, but it has been quite the rollercoaster. Ash has a secret that he keeps and eventually tells her, but acts without thinking. Together, they are beautiful and strong. Their story will stay with you for a long then after the last page.
Averie is the new girl at school, but she is not new to Ashton, he noticed this strikingly beautiful girl a long time ago. She captured his attention during a football game with his rival team, and from that point on she has constantly found a way to slip into his thoughts. But it is evident that his beautiful little distraction is slipping of out of control, she’s just on the edge of completely losing herself. He knows her painful past, that she has faced an unimaginable loss in the last year, and he knows exactly what it feels like to lose… cause he has been where she is at. As much as he knows she is a complication he doesn’t need in his carefully planned world, he also knows that she needs a friend, one that can get her back on track… and he wants to be that friend. But is that all he wants?
From the very first page of Can You Hear It I was pulled into these characters lives, easily finding a home with them, and quickly resonating with them. These two carried a lot of pain with them, at times almost more than one could bare. But as soon as they met you could see that pain begin to ease, a connection being formed, and healing begin to start. They brought out the best in one another, their friendship linking them in a way no one else understood. This slow burning romance was a beautiful thing to watch unfold, Ashton luring Averie out of her dim world, giving her a safe place to fall and heal, and being the special someone worthy of opening her heart to. I loved everything about this first time read, the story line had an innocence and tenderness to it that tugged on my heartstrings, the words were absorbing and deeply moving, and the characters were easy to love and connect to. I highly recommend you get your hands on this captivating tale, it’s perfectly penned words will hold you hostage from beginning to end!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
I had no expectations going into this story and ended up obsessed! Averie had it all in her relationship with James, but when tragedy strikes, her whole world is turned upside down. Relocating to another town with her mother, Averie is coping with loss the only way she thinks helps; drinking and smoking, although she eventually realizes that it’s not a healthy way to cope. Recognizing Ashton but not realizing who he is, there is instant attraction on her end, while Ashton has had feelings for her from afar for years. Initially trying to stay away from each other, the pull and chemistry between the two get to be too strong, and in turn they develop a friendship that quickly turns into a relationship. With Ashton keeping a big secret that has similarities to James and it comes out, we wonder if the growth Averie has experienced will be enough to keep them together. This was my first read by Casey and I was honestly blown away by the storyline and the character growth within both Averie and Ashton. I was so happy with the ending and the storyline itself kept me engaged so much I couldn’t even put the book down!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
When I started reading this book, I never knew how much I would love a character as much as I love Ashton Haigen. He is the definite hero in this story. He sees Averie slowly self destructing after the loss of her boyfriend James and wants to protect her from herself. Averie’s pain, though, is difficult to read but felt so real that it made me hurt for her. No one sees her pain, not her mom who lives with her or her dad who lives thousands of miles away from her. No one except a guy that reminds her of her past, the same one that may help her when no one else will. I really loved Ashton’s close relationship with his friend Ryker and his dad. I hope this will become a series because I would love to read Ryker’s story next.
Avery was a normal high school student until one day everything changed. Now she’s at a new school and a hot football player named Ashton. She swore off athletes but can she resist him? Ashton noticed Avery at football games for her old school and now she was at his school. He’d always had a secret crush but his focus is football. Will that change now? Ashton has a medical condition but loves football, will he keep playing or take safe route?
And… this new-to-me author has found a new fan! This story was full of teenage angst, drama, youthful optimism, and feels. Are you ready to fall in love with Averie and Ashton?
Averie was a heartbroken 18 year old girl trying to survive her last year in high school. After tragedy struck, her mother moved them to a new house, with a new man, a new school, and maybe some new hope? Using ‘crutches’ just to make it through the day, Averie finds a new circle of friends who help her heal and move on. Who knew the star quarterback, #2 in the country, would be the guy to pick up her pieces and handle her heart so carefully?
Ashton was an idealistic 18 year old boy, star quarterback, popular, super freaking sweet, and a secret keeper. Most of what he did was pretty typical, but this boys heart… I really need you to discover the details for yourself. Just know that with a friend like him, compassionate and understanding, supportive and caring, Averie’s tendency to spiral didn’t stand a chance.
Casey Diam took a story about two on-the-brink adults and gave it depth, development and devilry. With a bevy of side characters I couldn’t stop myself from being invested in, this series starter has most assuredly sealed my interest. Her writing, the way she manipulates her characters, the way she manipulated me, all make me want more of her words. Looking for a sweet, steamy, small town sports romance with a lot of heart? Look no further!
Can you FEEL IT! 4.5 Stars
Engaging with a heartfelt emotional rollercoaster ride. An amazing realistic storyline that had me wanting more as it took me through a whirlwind of emotions from heartache to bits of fun with enjoyable dialogue that at times I kept finding myself holding my breath jumping to conclusions always on edge throughout the cruel suspense. A great ending making all the stress and grief worth every word. I enjoyed this read and gladly recommend it.
Wow. Wow. Wow. This book had all the feels, and still leaves me speechless. When Averie’s world is turned upside down, she turns to drugs and alcohol to ease her pain. Nothing makes sense anymore. Why bother living if the love of your life has left you in the most horrific way?
Enter Ashton, who is bound to prove to Averie that her life is worth something. Ashton has always wanted Averie, and now he has to show her that she is the one for him, and that he will help her heal all her pain and show her a beautiful love to last her a lifetime.
This was my first read by this author, but certainly won’t be my last!
Oh my, this book really tugged at my heart-strings! I love the main characters which are Ashton and Averie, and also their family too! It was a real page turner for me! Seriously, Ashton is not like the jock you’d normally read.
All I can say is, just read this one! I don’t want to spoil it, but you won’t regret reading this because it’s just amazing! This comes with a high recommendation from me!
I usually steer clear of high school/collage aged romances because I often feel the characters are too emotionally inexperienced to be having the feelings that I love to read about, and although in the beginning the boys talking about sleeping around, the constant partying, the bullying teenage girls, I didn’t think I would enjoy Can You Hear It, boy was I wrong!
The story begins with a younger, bubblier, Averie experiencing a tragedy even grown adults wouldn’t deal with well, and it causes her to change. Not coping well with her new life, her new school, her change in surroundings, Averie turns to drink, drugs and bad decisions.
Ash is the polar opposite, a footballer with dreams of the NFL on his mind, he’s all about the clean living, even with all the unavoidable partying, Ash manages to stay clean.
When the pair first meet, the attraction is there immediately, in fact Ash noticed Averie years ago, but the person she is now he needs to stay away from for both of their sakes. Fate and Ash’s brother however, have other ideas and keep pushing the pair together until they can’t deny the attraction anymore. Unfortunately, Ash has been hiding a secret which could break Averie’s heart and make her walk away from him, so when something happens, he decides he had to walk away from her first. It isn’t long though before Ash realises Averie is his future and the pair reunite.
A sad, sweet love story, I thoroughly enjoyed. My only issue is something that happened with a teacher which I kept expecting to go somewhere, but it never did, so I kind of wish it hadn’t been included, it didn’t add anything to the storyline so almost seemed unnecessary being there. Still a wonderful, emotional story.
Really loved this story! Sexy and angsty. So good!
“Every cell in my body reacted to Ash all the time. He consumed every part of me, even when I wasn’t with him.”
When tragedy strikes Averie Mozey’s life, she ends up moving to a new school for her senior year. Her life has been secretly spiralling out of control until she meets Ashton Haigen – her reaction to him is like nothing she’s ever experienced before. Unbeknownst to her, Ashton has long held a torch for Averie but never thought he’d have a chance with her. Now that she’s at his school, he still believes that he doesn’t have a chance with her – although his heart is telling him the opposite.
“I’ve never felt anything like this…I want to stay inside you forever.”
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. My heart really went out to Averie as she faced her struggle of trying to get through each day using her personal crutches. I couldn’t believe how blind her mother was to her own daughter’s issues. I loved the impact that Ash had on her life and her behaviour, and that she wanted to be better for him. I was a big fan of Ash’s – I didn’t always agree with his decisions but I adored that he had Averie’s well-being and heart as his priorities. I loved that he wanted to help. The chemistry and draw between them was gorgeous and irresistible. I loved their connection and I loved that he’d wanted her from afar for so long.
I also really loved Ash’s relationship with his dad – it was really beautiful. His dad was pretty darn cool! I loved this author’s writing style and looking forward to reading more from her.
Can You Hear It is an emotional, small town, new adult sports romance. It’s full of angst, drama, heat, humor and heartache.
Averie is a complicated and complex heroine. She’s grieving and lost, after loosing the one person who gave her world warmth and meaning. She’s self-destructive in an attempt to numb her feelings.
Ashton is a dedication, driven and idealistic hero, and the last thing he needs in his life is someone who could derail all his plans. But he feels an instant connection with Averie, and can’t stay away. He’s popular, but also incredibly sweet, kind and compassionate.
The connection this pair shares is undeniable, and you’re sure to go through a gamut of emotions whilst reading their story, possibly even shedding a few tears.
I adored the side characters, and look forward to future additions to this series.
This was my first Casey Diam’s book, and definitely won’t be my last! This is the first book in the Alpen Springs Series, a senior year High School romance, and a sports romance. I like the title. This is a series of standalone stories, with intertwined characters, following one couple at a time. This is my favorite kind of Series! Wow! I loved it! Ashton and Averie are wonderful characters. This is a fantastic friends to lover romance. The storyline is emotional, filled with drama, and secrets. Brooke Daniels and Jacob Morgan did an outstanding job with the narration. I enjoyed it, and I HIGHLY recommend it. Looking forward to listen to the second book in the Series, Bad Choices and Heartaches, Ryker’s story. #AshandAverieTeam #WildfireMarketingSolutions
This is the 1st on a new series and my work what an emotional roller coaster journey this story take us on! Averie has tragically lost her boyfriends, and her grief and devastation is taking her on a journey of self-destruction. Now with a new year and new school she is starting over where nobody knows about her past. Ashton is the star quarterback and he can recognize that Averie is spiralling out of control and he want to help her, and they begin a beautiful friendship which grows from strength to strength. However, Ashton has a secret, and when is come to light will this be the end for them? This is a beautifully written story which is heartfelt and all-consuming, as well as having emotion, tragedy, secrets, angst, drama, and heartbreak which all lead to a humorous and steamy read. I cannot wait to read more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend for all.
This book was so good. There was a ton of emotion and it just kept me wanting to drive the long way around everywhere I went because I didn’t want to get out of the car and have to stop listening.
At first I wasn’t enjoying the drugs and alcohol parts because it is high school students. But when you realize that it is part of the story and she will learn from it and be where she won’t need it anymore, it all worked okay for me.
There was a lot with both her family and also the people in the school, mean girls if you will, that made for a very well-developed story with lots of things going on. Not too much, it was really just perfect. The scenes were very steamy, probably a little older than I would give to high school students to read as a school librarian, which is why I call this New Adult in my genre chosen for this review. The name of the school was Alpen Springs, or at least the town name, and that at first bugged me because I kept thinking it should be Alpine without paying attention to the spelling in the title. But that’s my silliness. The setting of a Colorado town with lots of snow made me also wonder if the treacherous weather might be a factor in the story at some point, and so when it did kind of make an appearance, I was like, yeah, I knew it.
As I said, a great story, one I was very invested in and was listening to on the edge of my seat to see where it would all go. I’ll be looking forward to more books from this author in the future.
Ashton and Averie just pulls at your heart. She was going thru a painful loss and the only person that actually saw her actual pain was Ashton. What Averie didn’t know that Ashton had a crush on her for a while. I like how this was a slow burn and you get to see how things developed for them and the friendship they formed first. I love how Ashton gave her time to be ready and helped her come out of the dark. Averie had so much hurt but was such a beautiful person and just had a pull towards Ashton. I love Ashton friends and his dad accepted her immediately and drew her in. Averie cared so much for Ashton and when he did something towards the end she knew to let him go thru the motions. This was set in high school but at times they were so mature I kept forgetting they were only in high school. Loved it!!!
We meet Ashton, and Averie in this book. Averie has been through a lot over the last year that led to her transferring schools, and getting into the drug scene no matter which school she is at.
Ashton is a star athlete with a secret of his own that can disrupt his whole life if it gets out.
Together they are adorable, and absolutely what we all wished we had in High School. He sees her when everyone else just glances, and she sees him for who he is and not what he could do for her. Their chemistry is written beautifully. Diam does a wonderful job of not only describing what they are feeling for each other, but how they see the world around them. I will definitely be reading more of her work.
Averie is hurting after her boyfriend died while playing football. It sent her into a downward spiral of drinking and drugs. She’s starting the new school year at a different high school, but students there know her story and her self destructive behavior continues.
Ashton noticed Averie long before she came to his school. He was interested in her from the time he saw her with her boyfriend when their teams played against each other. Despite being attracted to each other he thinks it’s best they stay apart until he finally realizes be can’t stay away.
While I didn’t connect with either Ashton or Averie, I did empathize with the turmoil and hurt in their lives. This story touched on some pretty heavy topics, especially for two people so young to be dealing with. The story is told in dual POV, so you really get to know them both and to see their internal struggles as their relationship develops.
I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook so the story flew by. I really liked the narrators and thought they did a great job bringing the characters to life. Though a lot happens, the author kept the plot moving at a good pace. I am interested in seeing whose story is next.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
This book is incredible. The story is emotional and incredible in every way. My heart absolutely broke for Averie. As much as you want to shake the hell out of her and tell her to snap out of it. You really feel for her.
Ashton is probably one of my most favorite male characters I have ever read and I have read a lot. High school romances usually don’t really ever rank this high for me but occasionally there is one that is just so much more than a high school romance. As you read this book you forget that Ashton and Averie are teenagers.
As a mom of a teenager who plays sports I’ve been to the meetings every year for sudden cardiac arrest. It’s such a scary thing to think about but it is something that needs to be talked about.
This is a original, realistic, well written book with some incredible characters and I cannot wait to continue this series.
This was such a wonderful surprise as I have never read anything by this author before.
As a little extra tidbit get the audio book: narrated by Brooke Daniels and Jacob Morgan is incredible. The Dual POV, which can be a little confusing at times, was amazing and very well done an only enhanced the story that much more. I mean I love Jacob Morgan and I really never find fault with his performances, but truly this audio book is on another level. It is a must have companion to this book.