“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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If you have not read a Maya Hughes book yet, this would make the “Perfect First”. A romantic, slow burn that grabs you right from the start. Seph is the epitome of the perfect nerd math genius. Reece is the all around man on campus -good looking, football hero headed for the pros. Seph has led a sheltered life under the watchful eye of her controlling father. Now that she is working for her PHd at the age of 20, she is away from home and ready to live her life and fulfill her wish list. She decides to hold interviews to find the one who is going to help her lose her virginity. Reece unknowingly walks into this and feels a draw to Seph. The romance that follows is so beautiful it just draws you in. I can hardly wait for more from this group of friends and from the romantic mind of Maya Hughes.
If you have not read a Maya Hughes book yet, this would make the “Perfect First”. A romantic, slow burn that grabs you right from the start. Seph is the epitome of the perfect nerd math genius. Reece is the all around man on campus -good looking, football hero headed for the pros. Seph has led a sheltered life under the watchful eye of her controlling father. Now that she is working for her PHd at the age of 20, she is away from home and ready to live her life and fulfill her wish list. She decides to hold interviews to find the one who is going to help her lose her virginity. Reece unknowingly walks into this and feels a draw to Seph. The romance that follows is so beautiful it just draws you in. I can hardly wait for more from this group of friends and from the romantic mind of Maya Hughes.
When I saw this book I thought it sounded like a book that I would enjoy and I am happy to say that it completely met my expectations. Cute, sweet, funny, heartwarming and totally swoon worthy, Reece and Persephone (Seph) totally stole my heart. I thought the plot idea was adorable and the unfolding story line made it into something extra special. A great read about embracing life and finding love when you are not looking. I can’t wait to read book two! This is my frank, freely posted review.
Deliciously hot, wickedly fun and adorably sweet are apt descriptors for this wonderful story of self-actualization. I loved Reece and Seph separately, but put them together and they are simply perfect. This was just a great story with such an original premise. I Loved It!
I volunteered to review an arc of this book, and as with all of Maya’s books, I had to purchase it. I would highly recommend it for all readers of romance. It definitely should not be missed.
This was a great friend to lovers love story that was so well done! The story of Reese Michaels and Persephone (Seph) Alexander is as they say—opposites attract. Reese is the handsome and sexy college football player whose goal was to play pro ball, and he did not do relationships. Seph is a math genius, played the violin, graduating from college at nineteen, and about to pursue her PhD. Seph was shy, a virgin and always the perfect daughter that did everything her father wanted, but very sheltered. Because Seph was a prodigy child, she never had the chance to be a normal kid and she was a very loveable person. She had no friends, no social finesse. In order to jump-start her life and do something out of character, Seph came up with a plan to lose her virginity by the end of the semester by holding interviews with the candidates. Seph had a list of ‘first’ that she wanted to accomplish. After meeting Reese at the interview, he agreed to help Seph with her lists—they became very good friends. Will Reese be able to finish the list? Will Seph and Reese consort to a no strings attached agreement, since neither one wanted a relationship? As it unfolds, you will try to piece things together, and the anticipation is engrossing as you contemplate fate, chance, and the interwoven lives of everyone involved. The storyline is fluid, and it will pique your interest. Highly recommend this book.
The perfect first is an amazing romantic story about two college students who were the exact opposites. We have Reece who is a famous football star and not such a good student and Seph who is a genius but a loner. I loved how approachable the characters appeared and how normal their love story was. The plot is great and it’s evolving at a steady pace. It begins by presenting the characters current issues and slowly unfolds their past and what made them who they are. To me the emotional scenes towards the end took the story to another level. My favorite scenes were Seph’s no
filter conversations, they were hilarious. I loved every minute of this book and i will rate it with 5 stars.
https://nanasbookreviews.blogspot.com/2019/04/review-perfect-first-fulton-u-1-by-maya.html
This is probably one of my most favorite genres / tropes. I adore a well-written college sports romance, especially when one of the elements is a nerd + jock friends to lovers situation.
Seph. OH SEPH. How I adore thee. You are the sweetest, most incredible girl at FU. Your relationship with your dad is just the worst and your young life has been sheltered, and rough and your talents are innumerable. Reece. OH REECE. You are the swooniest, most down to earth and lovable guy at FU. Living in your father’s shadow has been difficult but you’ve proven yourself a talent and intelligent. I love you both, and especially together!
If you like your romance like I do, you need to read this one. Maya Hughes does this genre SO WELL and I anxiously await every single one of her releases!
Gaaah! This was the perfect first read in a new series. I ABSOLUTELY ADORED IT!!!
“He was nothing like the guys from the math department…none of them made my stomach ricochet around inside me like it was trying to win a gold medal at the Olympics.”
Persephone AKA Seph Alexander is a genius, en route to finishing her degree early, and heading for a PhD. She’s also finally breathing properly for the first time in all her eighteen years but she’s woefully inexperienced at…life. She might be able to solve maths problems as easily as reciting the alphabet, but something like making friends feels almost impossible. Determined to enjoy her freedom to the max, she makes a list of firsts to accomplish, including losing her virginity.
“I wanted to taste those lips and even more of her. A hunger I’d never felt before pounded in my gut. I wanted to taste all of her.”
Reece Michaels is a star football player on campus, heading to the NFL and fame. Everyone wants a piece of him but he’s determined not to be derailed from his ambitions. When a misunderstanding has him crossing paths with Seph, he can’t get the pretty, quirky girl out of his head, and nor can he ignore his protective instincts. She’s unlike anyone he’s ever met before and, before he knows it, he’s helping her to tick off her list and questioning his future.
“She’d gotten so fully and completely under my skin, I didn’t know how I’d existed before I met her.”
I was totally hooked on this story. It had all my favourite ingredients: college, sports, gorgeous caring jock, quirky girl nerd, humour, and tonnes of chemistry.
Seph was candid, adorable, and just so full of wonder at all her new experiences. She had more strength than she realised and I loved that she was so modest about her abilities. She was a beautiful person. I really liked Reece. There was a touch of cockiness about him but he was really down to earth. I loved how drawn he was to Seph, and how his feelings for her changed and grew.
“I’ve been dreaming of you every night, and if I’m still dreaming, I don’t want to wake up. I need you.”
I just loved these two characters – on paper, they looked like they wouldn’t match at all but they were perfect together! They had a great connection, fantastic chemistry, and had such fun together. I also enjoyed meeting Reece’s friends. They had great banter and strong dynamics between them, and I’m so looking forward to their stories.
Low on angst, heavy on the feels and full of awkward firsts… Maya Hughes has delivered a solid new adult romance that had me grinning from ear to ear with every page read.
Persephone AKA “Seph”- the shy and nerdy virgin, meets college football star, Reece, when she holds an interview for potential candidates to lose her virginity to. When Reece sits down at her table thinking he’s meeting someone to help him with football press conferences, then Seph comes right out with it and asks him about his dick size… OMG I died in embarrassment for her, then I laughed and laughed because it was probably the most awkward moments I ever read.
Poor Reece felt so bad for Seph and doesn’t want any other douchebags coming along to take advantage of her that he agrees to help her check off a lot of “firsts” on her list… minus the sex. But the more time he spends with this quirky and awkward girl, the more he becomes addicted to her and unwilling to let any other guy give her any firsts but him.
The Perfect First is a sexy, sweet and swoony friends to lovers romance with lovable characters that’s guaranteed to melt your heart and give you a belly full of laughs. I definitely recommend this one when you’re in the mood for a book to put a heartwarming smile on your face.
“She’d gotten so fully and completely under my skin, I didn’t know how I’d existed before I met her.”
Oh, I adored my second read by Maya Hughes. The Perfect First is a beautiful story of an adorable girl which comes across nerdy and queer because of her sheltered and strict upbringing. And about the popular, conceited football player, who learn from each other what life really has to offer them.
“He was equal parts raw masculinity and caring that made me almost come out of my skin. My body was on fire for him and I wanted him to devour me.”
This story is full of funny situations and encounter, which made me smile and laugh a lot. The chemistry between Seph and Reece is palpable and gorgeous. They learn so much from each other and about friendship as they open their so very different worlds for each other. I love how attentive Reece is toward Seph, her list of firsts and how he takes her on thoughtful adventures every time they check of one of her list.
“”I’ve been dreaming of you every night, and if I’m still dreaming, I don’t want to wake up.”
The Perfect First is sugary sweet and full of adventures – the funny ones as well as the steamy ones. A great start to this new series! Can’t wait to read more!
I really enjoyed this book.
Couldn’t out it down.
I fell in love with these characters and can’t wait for the next book in this series.
A perfect first – the term sounds a bit oxymoronic because, usually, the first time doing anything garners results that are the absolute opposite of perfection, but the further into Persephone and Reece’s the story I delved, the easier it was for me to understand that the idea of being exemplary…of being flawless cannot be defined by only one set of characteristics or one person’s view point, which means that while there are quite a few bumps in the roads, including misunderstandings, harsh words, and careless actions, every single first that Seph experiences with Reece’s help, sets her free in ways she never thought possible.
Seph may be a genius and have more book smarts, at 19, than most people will have in their entire lives, but as far as experiencing life’s pleasures, both big and small, she’s like an innocent babe lost in the woods – naive and sheltered – and by no fault of her own, she doesn’t know how to act with her newfound freedom, even if she desperately wants to make these next 7 months count in more ways than just acquiring even more knowledge for future educational pursuits.
And while her initial attempt to check off a list of firsts is a bit misguided, perhaps even borderline reckless, a certain Fulton University football star steps in, protecting her from being taken advantage of and offering to help Seph in her quest to experience as many firsts as possible while she’s out from underneath her father’s control.
I absolutely love Seph’s desire to live life on her terms since acquiring a bit of freedom for the first time, and even though she’s socially awkward and a bit of a recluse, each new experience she has with Reece’s help allows her to grow and to transform in ways that she never would have if she didn’t take a chance and put herself out there.
Seph and Reece’s friendship evolves organically throughout the course of The Perfect First, and I loved witnessing them work through Seph’s list of firsts together, forming a bond that clearly indicates that their feelings are beyond plutonic, and while it was easy to see where things were headed due to Reece’s staunch view on distractions when it came to his team and to his future career, I appreciated how Maya Hughes crafted the scenes where Reece learned valuable insight about his father and his parents’ marriage and what that knowledge allowed Reece to figure out in order to set things right.
I’m quite intrigued by several of Reece’s teammates/friends, and I’m hoping that Hughes will give readers their stories as well, especially one that includes the coach’s daughter and her childhood best friend who just so happens to be one of Fulton University’s star football players.
4 Poison Apples
This was my first book by this author, and definitely not the last. She totally got me hooked from the first to the last page!
Persephone (Seph as her friends call her) is a math genius, socially awkward person. She didn’t interact much with people, as her father raised her with an iron fist, und dictated how she has to live her life.
Reece, football player, star of the school and the girls, kind of stumbled upon Seph by accident.
This is an absolutely great story. I loved the writing, the flow of words. The feelings in this book felt like my own. I laughed, I loved, I hurt with this book.
I can’t wait for the next books, as you can tell reading this one, there’s a lot more to come!
I recommend this book a LOT!!!!!
I kindly received an arc for an honest review!
RC provided by Maya Hughes
What a fun, yet sexy story. Seph and Reece were really great together. Persephone has lived a life of intellect priviledge, but restrained by her father’s rules, expectations and controlling behavior. Now she’s on her own temporarily and making sure she gets all of her firsts taken care of.
In walks Reece, the star football player and resident non-relationship expert, but now he wants to protect this little innocent. Funny and caring situations ensue as Reece helps Seph come out of her shell and experience life, while at the same time showing him a better side to his life. Things progress normally throughout this story while bring in the angst we love that builds us up to the finale. This was a great little story of perfect firsts and learning how to stand on your own.
I can’t wait to read more about Berk, Nix and LJ also. Please say there’s more stories to come!
This was just too much fun. Seph and Reece are so very different but they are also great together. I just wanted to help her out and he was such a guy. Fun, funny, great characters and a fast paced read, what more could you ask for? (I voluntarily reviewed an ARC).
I beyond loved this book. Self was so relatable and Reece was just straight up cocky and I loved it. Can’t wait to see if any of the other charger books too as there were some great supporting characters
I truly love this book. Seph and Reece are complete opposites but together they make sense.
I love Seph. She is the quirky quiet girl who has lived a sheltered regimented life. She is dying to live just a little. Reece is the football star who is corky and has a bit of an ego.
As these two come together and Reece gets to see things through Seph’s eyes, they begin to realize they may be more than either of them thought.
You’ll cheer for them and want to make sure they both deal with their pasts so they can move on with their future.
I love how this author writes sports stories.
Just an FYI – Philly football would be green and silver not green and gold.
I was given this book for an honest voluntary review
Ma. Hughes never disappoints and just keeps getting better and better! I love this book. The chemistry was off the charts and the story kept vividly interesting. Definitely worth the read and one I’ll read again.
Reece and Seph are total opposites. They are great friends who get along amazingly. That friendship develops into something more and they embark on a an amazing journey of love. Love the drama and LOL moments.
The Perfect First is the first book in the brand new ‘Fulton U’ series by Maya Hughes. Her newest young lovers are Persephone, or Seph as she prefers to be called, a girl genius who is almost ready to graduate college and hasn’t turned nineteen yet. Her whole life, her father has dictated hwat she would do and who with. She’s never had any fun, she’s never been away from home before, but now that she’s over eighteen, she’s taking charge of her life and her decisions… or trying to.
She’s also never been kissed or been to a party and most importantly to her, right now… never had sex.
She’s made a list, put up an ad, all she needs now is a willing taker.
When Reece stepped into his campus coffee shop, he wasn’t looking for a nerdy girl with a V-card to be checked. Seeing Seph, there he mistakenly takes her for someone else and sits at her table. But when he finds out what she’s trying to do? He’s stunned and yes, intrigued and more than a little tempted. Seph is sweet and sexy and doesn’t know the danger she’s putting herself in. Reece takes the plunge and decides to help her.
He’s a star footballer and has hopes to be drafted after graduation, he’s not looking for a relationship or to fall in love.
Funny how that’s what they say, but it always turns out differently. It was fun watching their romance. This was a slow burner, sweet and slightly hot. Reece was a lovely, kind guy. He hid his gentle side but Seph pulled it out of him while he allowed her to finally find her voice. Slow burner though it was, there was real chemistry between these two from the start. There was a little bit of angst, caused mainly by their families. I felt sorry for Seph as she was totally friendless, but thankfully Reece’s gang took her under their wings and made her feel welcome.
They were a great bunch of guys and a fabulous supporting cast. Can’t wait for their stories too.