After tragedy strikes New Jersey University’s Sheridan Hall, freshman quarterback Ben Riley’s stable, normal life is turned upside down. Sidelined from playing the game he loves and on the verge of losing his scholarship, Ben wants nothing more than to escape the chaos of college and return home to rural Pennsylvania and his family. Yet, there’s something that keeps him from running. Or someone. … Or someone. A cute blonde he had a chance with but blew off for all the wrong reasons.
Megan Smith has secrets. Secrets that have burned her in the past. Secrets she’s unwilling to share with anyone at Sheridan Hall—especially Ben, her sexy, rough-around-the-edges floormate who broke her heart in a matter of days after moving into Sheridan. Meg decided early on that it’s easier to live life on her own than to share her secrets and let people in.
Meg runs, and Ben follows. But sooner or later, the clock on their chance at love will expire. With inner demons dragging them both down, they must find a way to stop running and trust one another or risk losing their perfectly matched love forever.
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I have just been devouring the Sheridan Hall books. I was so ready to read Ben’s story. I loved that he never gave up on Megan because I very much saw my younger self in her.
Calla’s writing draws you in and slams your heart while you beg your eyes and brain to read faster. LOVED!
She Runs Away is book 2 in the Sheridan Hall series. I did not read book one. Ms. Calla has written the books in a way that they work as standalones. That being said, it does have a whole cast of characters that were probably introduced in book 1 and then carried over to book 2 and sometimes it was a little hard for me to follow along because everyone was so interconnected.
I tend to shy away from YA and don’t read a ton of NA so this was somewhat new territory for me. We follow Ben and Megan as they both deal with the aftermath of a major event that took place in the first book.
Ben is a fixer, and you could feel his struggle to stay strong and be everyone’s rock while fighting his own needs. He was sweet, honest, and remained very upfront with Meg about what he wanted.
Meg… well I had a harder time with her. For the life of me I couldn’t understand her hang ups and trust issues. Yes, okay in the beginning there was an issue between her and Ben that carried over from the first book which I sorta understood, but even with some of her other excuses presented (family things), I still never quite got a grasp on her.
This is NA, these are college kids so I understand there will be emotional drama. I have a daughter who always seemed to be having some drama or another with her friends while she was in school which has carried over with her roommates. LOL so I get it, it happens so even though I was asking my device “what are you doing” out loud a few times, I had to remind myself the age of the characters. NA is about that transition from childhood into adulthood. College is that time of self-discovery and figuring out who you are. Mistakes are made, and you grow from them.
Ms. Calla did an excellent job showcasing this. Meg and Ben have their flaws (as does the cast of characters) but that’s what makes characters real. It’s what pulls you into the story. Life is full of hiccups, mistakes, road blocks all of which you find present in She Runs Away which makes it a very true to life story.
She Runs Away (Sheridan Hall #2) is absolutely stunning & enslaving. I love the cover and title which reflects the narrative perfectly. Soon as I finish reading book one I started book two of this highly addictive series as I could not get enough of the characters. With supporting character’s that crossover from Sheridan Hall #1 a highly gripping tale with secrets that are revealed in layers. Told in dual pov which accentuates the tone & depth of the narrative. I absolutely love this writing style that fits the NA Romance genre perfectly. The writing style has a way of bringing the character’s to life. Ben Riley & Megan Smith are a perfect match with their 95% compatibility on the ACME matchmaking test. Ben & Megan will take you on a journey of sensations. Sheridan Hall #1 had me fall in love with the entire basement floor of students living in Sheridan Hall. Sheridan Hall #2 just made me love them all even more. A refreshing & well crafted narrative in this NA romance series which characters intertwine and that feels more like a family than just a group of friends. One of the best new NA series & one of my favourites that will always hold a special place in my heart. A must read series that deserves more than five stars & further recognition. I’m currently reading Sheridan Hall #3 and highly recommend reading this novel & series as it’s riveting.