“How long do you last in bed?” Those were her first words to me, swiftly followed up with, “And how big would you say you are?”Cue the record scratching, what?! Persephone Alexander. Math genius. Lover of blazers. The only girl I know who can make Heidi braids look sexy as hell. And she’s on a mission. Lose her virginity by the end of the semester. I walked in on her interview session for …
I walked in on her interview session for potential candidates (who even does that?) and saw straight through her brave front. She’s got a list of Firsts to accomplish like she’s only got months to live. I’ve decided to be her guide for all her firsts except one. Someone’s got to keep her out of trouble. I have one rule, no sex. We even shook on it.
I’ll help her find the right guy for the job. Someone like her doesn’t need someone like me and my massive…baggage for her first time.
Drinking at a bar. Check.
Partying all night. Double check.
Skinny dipping. Triple check.
She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met. The walls I’d put up around my heart are slowly crumbling with each touch that sets fire to my soul.
I’m the first to bend the rules. One electrifying kiss changes everything and suddenly I don’t want to be her first, I want to be her only. But her plan was written before I came onto the scene and now I’m determined to get her to re-write her future with me.
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I was hooked from the beginning. Two opposites find happiness through Seph’s list and Reece’s making them happen. Two people who seemed to have different goals from their time at the university could find happiness together was an amazing adventure. Trying to figure out life is hard enough without the obstacles they both found before them. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Oh my gosh, *SWOON*, if I can describe this book in just one word, it would definitely be that one! I have been a huge fan of Maya Hughes since her Kings of Rittenhouse series came out and when I saw the blurb for this book, I might have freaked out because it sounded amazing. Well let me tell y’all something, this blurb sounds super good, but the actually book is freaking EVERYTHING!
Reece is a senior college football player that is getting ready to have everything he ever dreamed about- being drafted after college. That is his dream and he is really freaking good and he definitely makes it known on the field!
Seph (short for Persephone, which is an absolutely gorgeous name) is a genius. She might dispute you if you try to say it, but she definitely is. She has been extremely sheltered growing up and only being able to concentrate on activities that will further her future, ie the girl did not get a childhood at all. She is ready to take life into her hands and first thing- loose her virginity.
Due to some craziness Reece finds out Seph’s plans and then the story begins! I have to say that the character development was superb and you can see how love can really make you your best self. <3
Now for the chemistry and steam- guys this is a slow burn in which you can almost feel the chemistry between these two characters and it is so freaking good!
As you can tell, I absolutely loved this book and would not change a thing--- 5 outta 5 for sure!
PS: I received a free copy of this book but I am voluntarily reviewing it!
I’ve read so many of your books that I know how you think,or so I thought until I read this one. It totally blew me away with how so many people in today’s world try and deal with life and the struggles. This ine had it all and so much more. Always keeping us guessing. Seph and Reece are the perfect way to tell us that lofe can and will go on. This ine is worth the read, trust me. I give it 5 stars. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book as an Advanced Reader’s Copy.
Reese is the star football player and Seph is the smart girl who wants to break free. Steph is expected to do great things and her father tries to control her. Reese and her meet when she puts an ad in school newspaper. He mistakenly thinks she’s the person he’s supposed to meet. Seph has a list of things to do but how much will she get marked off? Will Reese be a part of it?
A sweet heartfelt read that leaves you believing in true love. Seph and Reece are beautifully written and amazingly hot together. I love the other characters and can’t wait to read their stories.
Maya Hughes everyone. Writing another hit sports romance series. The Kings were amazing but so are the Wolfs. Man oh man, I am going to enjoy this series so much.
Persephone is such a particular character. Math nerd, very sheltered, unexperienced and lonely. She’s an angel with clipped wings at her father’s hands. It was so sad to read about her wanting things for herself and being forced to do what her father wanted for her. But Seph wants to make the most of her last months at Fulton U and so she takes the plunge and makes an ad to find someone for her to lose her virginity with. Let me tell you guys, this girl might have been sheltered but she has balls of steel. I loved that about her. She was a fierce woman breaking her shell.
In comes Reese, they meet by chance and their first encounter is hilarious and a sure meet cute in my book. This chance encounter ends up changing their whole lives. Reese never forgets the girl he met at the café nor what she told him and so he goes on to help her experience the world. The only rule he has is that he’s not popping her cherry. They are to be friends only. Except the idea has been there since the beginning and with the chemistry these two have, it’s almost impossilble to resist each other but Derek is good at resisting. At least for a while.
I loved that by being Reese’s friend, Steph gained a whole group of friends, Reese’s team mates and best friends. And let me tell you these guys are so great and fun, they seriously rival the Kings with their awesomeness and trust me that’s saying something cuz I LOVE THE KINGS. I love how they took Steph in and all bonded with her from the get go. On a polar opposite, we have Steph’s roommate, more like enemy. That girl my goodness, I wanted to slap the bich so bad. She was such a mean girl and so darn rude and unconsiderate, I despised her. On the other hand, I did love how Reese defended Steph and wanted her to stand up for herself. Gah, just remembering how Reese was with her is giving me butterflies. These two, guys they are so darn cute. I adored them.
Maya introduced us to another world, one bound to be epic and so darn fun to spend a few hours in. I started this book on Sunday, four hours before GoT’s episode and only stopped reading because I wanted to watch the episode so bad. After it ended I picked up the book again and stayed awake until I finished it at 6 a.m. I can tell you with absolute certainty that this hadn’t happened since last summer. That’s how much I loved this story and just couldn’t nor wanted to put it down. It was so entartaing and sweet. So many swoon moments. Reese is so darn cute I swear, I love how he falls completely in love with Steph little by little with each adventure they go on. I love book with this kind of plot and this one just became one of my favs.
I cannot wait for more books in this series. I hope Reese’s closest friends all get their own book because I’ll be here for it and I’ll love it very much.
********* AUDIOBOOK REVIEW *********
This was seriously charming! I smiled happily and giggled a ton and even wiped several tears from my eyes!! Better than the 5 stars I gave!! Top-notch story and narration!
Well hello there you wonderful book you!! The Perfect First was just… well, perfect!! I really loved Seph. I think she’s a female character that talks to all of us. We’ve all been the shy girl, especially if you’re really into books, you’re probably a bit shy and introverted. This is Seph. Add that in to the fact that her dad is a notch above over-bearing… he’s suffocating and impossible. She’s socially awkward and has like zero firsts. She is ready to change all of that as she goes away for college. She’s foot-loose and fancy free!
Maya Hughes wrote a fun and charismatic story. Her writing, like always, is witty and fun. She pulls you in telling her story detailed and thorough. It’s a light and fun new adult book. The secondary characters are also pretty endearing and I can’t wait for more of these books to turn audio. These narrators completely KILLED this story (in a good way, in the BEST way). I couldn’t get enough of Emma Wilder and Jason Clarke. They had me captivated from the start and with every wall that crumbled and first that was checked off, I fell deeper.
This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased, honest opinion.
The Perfect First is book one in the Fulton U series. This book blew me away just like Maya’s other series, Kings of Rittenhouse. I’m falling more and more for this author’s writing with each book I pick up.
The Perfect First follows Persephone Alexander as she makes a list of firsts that she wants to complete while in college. Persephone aka Seph grew up with a very strict father who didn’t let her do much of anything besides studying. Seph decided to go to college away from her father to experience things on her own for once. I loved seeing her come out of her shell and become who she was always meant to be.
One of the firsts that Seph wanted to complete was losing her virginity. How does she go about this you may ask…..WELL, this girl decides to put out an online ad. This is where we meet our second main character, Reece Michaels. Reece is this all american guy. He’s a star football player and everyone wants a piece of him in some way or another. I loved how these two came from different worlds but meshed so well together. It was so sweet seeing him helping her complete items off her list.
Watching these two become friends and then seeing it blossom into something more was super cute to watch. I appreciated that they became friends first and didn’t rush head first into anything right away. Reece and Seph helped each other in things the other was lacking. Seph taught Reece to slow down and enjoy all these life events while he showed her how to take risks and not over analyze every single thing in life.
Overall, this was a super cute read. The romance was hot, the friendships were perfect, and the villains were awful. I cannot wait for book two to come around so I can jump back into this world.
Maya Hughes weaves her magic in the story of two troubled but talented college students, seemingly opposites, who in the end find that they perfect for one another. Persephone (Seph) Alexander is a mathematical genius on track to be the youngest Harvard PhD graduate, but her life is miserable. She has lived in a loveless home with a father who is inflexible in his control of every aspect of her life. She was homeschooled, had no friends, no chance to play outside and not a single birthday party. There was no time for “frivolous” things like playing the violin that she loved so much. No wonder she was thrilled to be in college and away from his tentacles. At that moment, she vows to have fun and fills a bucket list with “firsts” she wants to accomplish. Number 1 is “Lose my virginity” and she is sure that’s going to require some careful planning. She’s a planner, a reader, a researcher and this is her approach to everything she wants to fulfill. When she thinks her bucket list is just about full she places an ad for a man to help her lose her virginity so she heads to the campus coffee shop to begin interviews for candidates. Reece Michaels is the star wide receiver on the Fulton University Trojans football team that is so good they have the national championship in sight. The scouts are at each game, judging his talent and Reece is hoping to impress them enough to get drafted in the first round. He has an ache in his heart because his father has never been to one of his games and doesn’t care that he’s a football player. That doesn’t make sense to him because his father played in the NFL and should want the same thing for his son. Reece has developed a fairly poor attitude both on the field and off, taking passes away from open receivers and blowing off press conferences. Coach forces him to meet with a woman to learn how better to present himself in public. He goes to meet her at the campus coffee shop to go over some of her ideas and notices Seph sitting by herself with notecards and lists on her table. This must be the woman he is scheduled to meet. Steph looks up to see him and thinks he’s the first man to answer her ad. I haven’t laughed so hard at an interview in my life. Seph’s personal questions are hysterical and Reece’s reaction and responses are priceless. Once the mistake is discovered and Seph has had a chance to explain her motive for being there, it becomes apparent that Reece wants to not be her first, but help her to safely find a suitable first. They decide he is to be her life guru, guiding her through the list of her desired firsts with one condition from Reece. He told her no sex because he doesn’t do relationships, especially after the trauma he experienced last year. As they see more and more of each other, neither one can see a life without the other, but they have future plans that make them who they are. But plans aren’t always set in stone. This is a beautiful love story written around two intelligent, talented, humorous people whose lives entirely change because they’re such good friends first. It’s also the story of the love of family and how it shapes those that grow in that environment. Just wonderful!
Adorably Quirky, Addictive, Emotional, and Wildly Entertaining
The Perfect Firsts by Maya Hughes was such a sweet, beautifully touching and perfectly charming friends to lovers story. There were laughs, swoons, and even some tears. I devoured this book and loved every moment from the funny meet-cute to the adorably heartwarming ending that had me smiling like a dork.
I will absolutely read ANYTHING and EVERYTHING Maya writes. I don’t know how she does it, but she truly has a gift with making me fall helplessly in love with her stories and characters. I adored and really enjoyed reading the Kings of Rittenhouse books, but after reading this, I think the Fulton U just might be my favorite. But who knows… it wouldn’t be a surprise if Maya writes another amazing series and I really hope she never stops creating stories that gives me all the FEELS.
The friends to lovers trope will always be one of my favorites and I will never not love romance stories about the bad boy falling head over heels for the shy innocent girl. I just think these romances are ridiculously fun, exciting, cute, and wildly entertaining. This book was definitely all that and had me flipping through the pages.
The adorkable math genius virgin, Persephone (“Seph”), was extremely sheltered, socially awkward, and inexperienced in many things. But, don’t let that fool you. Seph was a force to be reckoned with and surprised me in so many ways. She was fierce, brave, spunky, and adventurous. With her list of firsts, she was determined to experience and do everything. And that’s were Reece comes in – the brooding handsome football star player who loved the game with all his heart that he wouldn’t let anything or anyone get in his way to playing pro. He was kind of a jerk at first, but let’s be real here… we all know that there’s a genuinely sweet, gentle, and caring side to him. And boy did he… I fell just as hard for him as Seph did. They meet by accident, which I thought was super funny and so darn cute, and that’s how their deliciously quirky, adorable, and fun story begins.
If it isn’t obvious yet, the romance was a total touchdown! I loved the chemistry between Reece and Seph. It was definitely slow burn at first, but it was so intoxicating and cute. I really liked how even though they both kept things platonic the intense attraction was always there – teasing them inch by inch until they both couldn’t resist anymore. The anticipation and sexual tension was so damn good. It was so swoony and steamy and I loved it. I also really loved how they inspired each other to be better. I loved how their friendship developed into something more. I loved how they both fell so hard for each other and realized that they were both more than enough. They were simply perfect for each other and I enjoyed every moment I spent with them.
I also really liked the supporting characters. I loved the team and thought they were so much fun. My favorite was Berk for sure, but Nix and LJ were adorable too. I’m not quite sure which group I love more between the them or the Kings cause the bond between the Kings was pretty amazing… but the FU boys were just so awesome, entertaining, and seriously such good guys. I thought it was super endearing how they didn’t judge Seph and accepted her into their group. I also loved Reece’s parents and thought they were so stinkin’ cute. I adored Seph’s aunt, Sophie, and thought she was badass.
There were so many moments in this book that absolutely melted my heart and also had me in tears… both sad and happy. That’s what I love most about this story and Maya’s other novels. With perfectly flawed and charming characters you’ll root for until the end, wonderful relationships that will warm your heart, irresistible swoons that will drive you crazy, and family issues that will break your heart, Maya’s stories are engaging, achingly beautiful, addictive, and wildly entertaining. I was drunk on love with this book and cannot get over just how cute and perfect this was. Reece and Melody’s story just had so much HEART and FEELS.
I’m so in love with EVERYTHING and cannot wait to read more from this new series. If you’re a fan of cute, fun, and adorable romances and have never read anything by Maya Hughes, then this book is just the perfect first read for you. It was funny, swoony, quirky, romantic, touching, and utterly delicious until the ending.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from author in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.