The past tore them apart.After a terrible accident took everything from Callie Stewart, enrolling at Blairwood University is supposed to be a chance at a new beginning.Living his best life, Hayden Watson, star wide receiver for the Blairwood Ravens, is heading straight for the NFL draft and nothing is going to stand in his way.The present brings them together.Their paths were never supposed to … together.
Their paths were never supposed to cross, but when they do, all those old demons and feelings come rushing back. Hayden thinks he knows all about Callie’s life before Blairwood and he’s not ready to let go of the past, much less forgive her for what she has done three years ago.
One thing’s for sure… it’s going to take more than a kiss to conquer their broken past.
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5 ‘Blasts from the Past’ Stars
A Heart-aching Emotionally Intense Story With Suspense, Loss, Angst, Hurt, Forgiveness, Beautiful Friendships, Love & New Starts.
I LOVE Hayden & Callie, this story & It’s Characters!
#My 1st by Anna, So going for More.
Hayden; Protective, Smart, Intense; is Blairwood University’s football team’s Most Valuable Player, Starting 2nd year of college now.
Callie; Introvert, Sweet, Sassy; is Starting Blairwood University now. She was in an Accident 3 years ago, She lost her all & it Changed her irrevocably + Gave her Many Scars. Then She was Bitchy, Now knew the Significance of things She’d took for granted.
These two Knew eachother before the accident, went together in high School; They were young, Mistakes happened..
~The Book’s from Dual POV & we get Flashbacks along the main story to see what had happened..
Now, being In the same College, their paths cross again. His anger is obvious, Her guilt too. The Campus should be big enough for two to not Cross paths, right? WRONG. Their Random meets were so Fun!
Hay was an Asshole in the start, but can’t blame him. Cal took no shit from him, apart some which she kinda deserved .
~I loved their Friends! Cal’s Roomie Yasmin & Their Next-door Neighbor Chloe, They Push Cal’s limits & I really liked it as she was so closed off after what had happened. Hay’s Friends & Roomies are So Hilarious! I especially loved Nixon (Sweetheart!) Who befriends Callie, makes Hay Jealous *FUN!* & Zane- H’s childhood Friend
~Apart from Zane who already knows, Rest of their friends later found out what Happened b/w Hay+Cal.
FYI: Hayden, Nixon, Callie, Chloe have Spanish Class together!
Callie & Hayden’s Chemistry is Blazing from Start, Years b/w them hadn’t changed that. They try to resist now, but soon yield leading to the Kiss to Conquer! However letting go of past isn’t easy.. but Then The Truths of 3 years ago come out..
“It was easier to hate the person she once was, then try and forgive the one she’s become. Once upon a time I was in love with Callie Stewart, and she used it to her advantage until she didn’t need me anymore. And now… what now?”
~Need time, Avoiding, Talks, Date *Yay!!*, Sexy times!
Hence days pass in a Happy Blur with Love & Friends: Thanksgiving, Fam time, School & Betterment, Tournaments..
Then Another Blast from the past Comes..Will the whole Truth about the Accident break them apart?
~Truths, Sadness, Broke, Hurt, Apart..
At the Christmas Ball, he’s Determined to Win her back. And She? She Chooses to be happy, to let go of the pain *Yay!!*. Cue HEA!
These two deserve all the happiness. The epilogue & Bonus Epilogue were beautiful!
P.S. I’m so excited to Read Nix & Yasmin’s book!!
**eBook Copy Given for a Honest Review.**
Anna B. Doe pens a heartwarming story with A Kiss to Conquer. This is book 1 in her newest series, Blairwood University. This enemies to lovers romance between Hayden and Callie will have you feeling a plethora of emotions. It is raw and so beautifully written. I was enamored by the characters and their story. Five stars for this epic read.
• •
: Kiss To Conquer
: Blairwood University #1
: Anna B. Doe
: 4/5
I enjoyed this book a lot, one of the more spicy scene’s will probably live in my mind rent free forever lol. Be aware, that Hayden comes across as an a$sh0le in the beginning in my opinion, however, I do think it is necessary for the character development that he starts out that way. Make sure you are able to handle that and please give him a chance. At the end, I fell so hard for Hayden. You know you really enjoyed a book when these kind of scene’s will just stay in your head forever. The writing was good, the pace was good and the enemies to lovers part was soooo good as well. I enjoyed figuring out what happened all those years ago that both made them change so much. Here and there it was a bit predictable, but I didn’t mind that for this story. Overall, a very enjoyable NA, enemies to lovers, second chance romance.
A lot of my reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld
Great story! So many emotions.
I was hooked up from the first to the last page.
Can’t wait to read the next book in this series
I keep repeating this and would repeat it every single time; Anna B Doe writes the best sports romance of all times. Her words just flow making a reader want to know more about what happens. I kid you not when I say that once you start reading, you will never want to stop!!!! This was so perfect and I wanted more. They are so vulnerable yet so strong they are just freaking perfect.
You would probably read it in one sitting Cuz that’s how interesting and attracting the book and writing style is. I can not stress more on Anna’s writing style. It’s one of the best ones.
Callie and Hayden knew each other in High school and drifted apart for a certain reason which made Hayden hate her. She never thought she would meet him again and when she did they both could not stay away from eachother though they tried their best to.
Callie was a broken girl and so was Hayden and the way they overcame their past and forgave each other ripped my heart out. It was such a heartwarming and a heart wrenching story.
They had so many things coming in-between to ruin their relationship. But one was stronger than the other. They learnt to forgive each other and move on. I love them so much.
Trope: Enemies to lovers, Sports Romance, Friends before but drifted apart.
First off I need to start by saying what a truly amazing Anna B. Doe is , she is the queen when it comes to writing angsty yet emotional romances . She is also one of my very favorite authors. kiss To Conquer is a perfect example of that .No words can express how much I truly adored this book. The entire ( Blairwood University Series is phenomenal and should not be missed . This is the story of Hayden and Callie !! They have history between them .Callie was the popular girl And Hayden not so much . Through the book they developed a friendship until Callie did something absolutely unforgivable. Many years later , a horrific even happens in Callies life , that changes everything for her . Once again Callie and Hayden come face to face In college . This is where their story ( or should o say second chance comes into play )you absolutely Have to read this Book / whole series . It is one of those series that grabs onto your emotions and does not let go .Before you even know what’s happening, you are completely invested , and have given your heart to the wonderful characters .The angst , the Drama , the Heartbreak . It’s everything that a romance should be . A Kiss To Conqueror Is A Masterpiece
College and sports romance are two of my faves. So I just needed to read this story. The cover is amazing
Hayden and Callie knew eachother in High School, but things quickly turned sour. Three years later Callie turns up at the same college where Hayden is a star footballplayer. After what happened in High School he hates Callie and Callie hates him, but the attraction is still there.
Callie had a picture perfect life up until a tragic accident changed her life. Nonetheless she is a strong character and I love her and Hayden together.
The story is pretty emotional. Both characters where delt a heavy hand in the past. Both of them struggle with what happened and how it changed them.
I really enjoyed this story and honestly I couldn‘t predicted any of the things that happened in this book.
Another great story from Anna.
4
ARC kindly provided by the author for an honest review.
Omg I loved this book!!! It was such an amazingly wonderful edge of your search read for me. Anna does a wonderful job of hooking her nails into you with her books. Callie and Hayden give her other couples a run for their money with this book!!!
My first Anna B Doe read and I’m fully invested in a series once again. I went into this book blind without looking at other reviews and it didn’t disappoint. Kiss to Conquer is a enemies to lovers, slight second chance, college sports romance between Callie and Hayden.
Callie was the star ‘it’ girl in high school while Hayden was the quirky football nerd. An incident didn’t end well for the both of them and cross paths at the same University. Hayden is now the star wide receiver, I can’t write much without spoiling anything but Anna B Doe writing style was what I loved the most, it hooked me and made me stay with her character and story development.
•College Sports Romance
•Enemies to Lovers
Overall rating and spice level
4.5/5
1.5/5
This is an enemies to lovers story done to perfection! The animosity between Callie and Hayden was intense and to be honest most of the time I wasn’t even sure who’s side I was supposed to be on. They both had so much in their past that they were trying to overcome and their personal history made everything that much more complicated. But let me tell you, every time they had an encounter it had me flying through the pages as the sparks ignited! I loved the twists and turns throughout the book. Just when I thought they were in the clear another shoe would drop along with my jaw. I loved how unpredictable things were, definitely kept me on my toes until the very end. I can’t wait to continue the BU series because Callie and Hayden have some awesome friends and I can’t wait to read their stories.
Anna B. Doe has blown me away with this! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first heard about it. I was excited because I am a fan of Anna’s book, but after reading this book, my heart is fully sticking with this book. It was emotionally beautiful. Her writing is just something of a masters.
The plot is based on an enemies to lovers, second chance genre, where the main characters knew each other from before while they had a falling out from the past. To now, they are attending the same university and fate just keeps bringing them together, even when they don’t want to. This plot can rip your heart out while trying to put it back together. It gives you the knowledge of learning that to fully heal what was broken from before, you have to hurt a bit more.
There wasn’t a character in this book that I didn’t like. The characters were enjoyable and the banter from all was comical, witty, hopefully, yet could be sad also. Callie and Hayden were so perfectly imperfect! They showed how much they had to conquer just to be happy. I love the big, broody man who wasn’t all that bad. It is so hard not to fall for him, that if you say you didn’t, you’re lying. Callie really touched my heart also with her personality. She had to overcome so much from her past and all the struggles she had to deal with in the present. Callie shows she is strong when she needs to be, but also can show that its okay to heal your wounds and struggle. The supporting characters added charm to the book. They fit the name of supporting characters by being just that, supporting. With these types of characters, they are definitely the type I wish I went to both high school and college with.
I couldn’t have asked for a better story for this book. The growth is what truly showed how amazing this book was. So many emotions will come with this book. To say I laughed, cried, smiled, hoped a small amount is an understatement. Your emotions are big with this book, get ready and binge eat ice cream with a box of tissues, if need be. You won’t regret feeling all of the emotions that come along.
I was lucky to receive an ARC copy of this book. I just want to say I need book 2 like yesterday! I am so excited for more of this series!!
This was my first read from this author and I was completely hooked from beginning to end. This one was full of emotion and angst and steam.
Callie and Hayden have been through so much after a devastating accident left them being enemies. As you get to know both of them when you look back at their pasts. Each look back really brings these both more into your heart. Honestly I just wanted to hug Callie and protect her.
Anna has brought a beautiful tale of loss, forgiveness, redemption, love and healing. With such emotion in the words this is one captivating page turner.
This is the first book I read by this author. I was completely hooked by the second page!! This book had everything I love about romance books!! There is amazing chemistry, enemies to lovers, heartbreak, and an emotional roller coaster well worth the ride!!
Callie wants to just get through the next four years. Since the tragedy three years ago Callies life has been turned upside down. She is trying to take it day by day.
Hayden end goal is to make it to the NFL. For the past three years he has put all of his efforts to make it and nothing will stand in his way. That is until his nightmare from high school shows up.
They both never expected to see one another again. What will happen when the past is revealed and there is more at stake then they ever thought possible.
What a great start to a new series! Sometimes what happens in high school doesn’t stay in high school, and people we never expect to see again cross our paths. Although Hayden is a little abrasive when we’re introduced to him, with his past with Callie, it’s kind of understandable how he treats her. Callie herself is far from perfect, but their flaws just make them feel more real. A wonderful read for sports romance lovers and those who enjoy college romances.
Hayden and Callie’s journey is filled with tragedy, sorrow, guilt and redemption. This is an angsty enemies to lovers book that will grab your emotions. Callie betrayed Hayden when they were in high school. When she suddenly appears at his university he is not happy. They need each other to heal. Where things turned into a better opportunity for Hayden, tragedy turned Callie’s world upside down. They needed to confront the past to have a future. This story was well written with great character growth. Hayden was not likable in the beginning but he came into his own. The first date gave me all the feels. The full cast of characters are interesting and help to keep the story from becoming too dark. I can’t wait for their stories. There will be more laughter, tears and frustration.
”The scars you can see aren’t even the ugliest part of me.”
Kiss to Conquer is the first book in Anna B. Doe’s Blairwood University Series and what a way to start a series. This was such a different type of NA/Sports Romance. It was filled with emotional drama and angst. It was clear from the very beginning that the main characters, Hayden “Hades” Watson and Callie Stewart, had a complex past history. Their story is mostly told from a present point of view, but as the story unveils we are brought back to the past when they both in high school.
As the star wide receiver for the Blairwood University Ravens and potential number one NFL draft prospect, Hayden has a promising future and football career. His sole focus has to be training, but when past (Callie) comes crashing back into his life old wounds resurface and everything he has worked for is suddenly threatened. I wont say too much about the plot because there is a lot of history between the main characters. Just when we begin to discovery what happened between them in the past, we are hit with a plot twist I did not see coming AT ALL!. I literally gasp when I reached that point in the book.
This book was beautifully written. Anna B. Doe took me on an emotional rollercoaster. There were so many times I was mad at Hayden for how he treated Callie – especially because he knows the impact words could have on a person. however I give him credit because once he learned Callie’s truth he realized that she was filled with regret and pain. She was not the girl he knew three years ago.
Kiss to Conquer was a story about grief, regret and second chances. I am looking forward to reading Yasmin and Nixon’s story in Kiss to Forget.
Kiss to Conquer was my first read by Anna. It truly was an amazing story and I fell in love with Anna’s writing style. Its about Hayden and Callie. They have history. Callie was the queen bee while Hayden wasn’t Mr. Popular. They developed a friendship then Callie did something unforgettable. Years down the line tragedy strikes for Callie and she meets Hayden again in College. Thats were their story starts. This is a must read. You will love all the characters in this one. You will laugh and at times your heart will break for them. I cant wait for the next one in this series!!
I was kindly provided an ARC of this book via the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is a hate to love romance with a little bit of a twist. In this case, there is no misunderstanding or forbidden reason for the main characters to hate each other. Our female lead Callie, has actually given our male lead Hayden every reason to hate her. She did something to him in high school that any reasonable person would find hard to forgive. Hayden and Callie went to high school together, she was the popular cheerleader from a rich family. He was the poor, shy, scrawny boy on the football team that happened to be good at math. Callie was dating the quarterback and pretty had a wonderful life, but she wasn’t the best person. Hayden was a nice guy, had a huge crush on Callie, but didn’t have the best home life. I won’t spoil things, but several events take place that upset both of their lives completely.
Fast forward a few years and Hayden has found himself at Blairwood, he’s successful on the football field, no longer that scrawny, shy kid of old. He has a good supportive group of friends around him, but when Callie shows up their roles are reversed. Callie is basically a hermit only attending classes and hiding in her room or the campus coffee spot. She is physically and mentally scarred from events in her past, and it takes a good portion of the book to find out what actually happened to her and what happened between her and Hayden. Hayden spends roughly the first half of the book avoiding her or being harsh with her. He is angry that his best friend is friendly with her and wants everyone to stay away from her. Unfortunately their paths keep crossing and he is still attracted to her. When he finds out what happened to her and realizes that those events have changed her from the girl he knew in high school, he starts to let her in.
I enjoyed this, but I did feel like it was a bit too long and the pacing was off. The first half of the book felt like it dragged while the second half felt like everything was happening too fast. The author did a great job with getting the reader to feel the emotion of the situations. I went through several different emotional states throughout the book. I love it when an author can get me to feel what the characters are going through and I’m looking forward to more of that from Anna’s work. There are also some great side characters in this book and I’m hoping they will star in their own books in the series. Overall, if you like enemies to lovers, and second change romance this is a good one to check out.
Without great protagonists, it‘s quite hard to dive into a story fully. One thing I liked about this book was the characters. The author did a great job here. Callie and Hayden are definitely not perfect, and that’s what makes them sympathetic and human. They managed to grow, both individually and as a couple.
The reading experience was mostly enjoyable. And I only say that because there’s one thing that put me off. Hayden was this shy, sweet boy and became a cocky player, full of anger towards Callie. Without wanting to give too much away, I was missing something here.
I think fans of enemies to lovers romances will surely love this read, and I’m looking forward to the second book of the series.
(I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
This was my first book by Anna B. Doe and I’m so excited I found her! I really loved this book and to find out there’s a second book coming in this series has me very excited!
Callie and Hayden had so much history in this story! Poor Hayden was a love struck teenager and Callie was a popular cheerleader dating an asshole football player. Callie has been through so much! Agony, pain, guilt. She has not only the scars on the inside but the outside too. Hayden has also had his fair share of shitty in his life. Crappy parents and a girl who betrayed him but he wouldn’t be where he is if none of that happened to him. He’s in a great part of his life. When these two meet again in college nothing can prepare them for what’s around the corner!
This book was heartbreaking yet heart healing! It was written really well and I am so obsessed with the side characters! I’m really hoping there will be books about them too! I haven’t yet read anything about book two in this series but I’m really hoping it’s about Nix! That man is killing me! I’m so ready!