When Sinners Play

An Enemies to Lovers College Bully Romance (Sinners of Hawthorne University, Book 1)

By: Eva Ashwood

Narrated by: Amber Lee Connors

Length: 7 hrs

Publisher's Summary

Sin isn’t supposed to feel this good.

I never wanted to come here.

The scholarship to Hawthorne University is my ticket to a better life, but I don’t fit in with these rich, privileged students.

I’m the daughter of a drug addict. A girl with a half-remembered past. A foster kid who’s seen too much of the wrong side of humanity. My tattoos are my battle scars, and my heart beats for no one.

Until I meet them.

Gray, Declan, and Elias.

The Sinners.

They run this school, and one day, they’ll run this whole city. They snap their fingers, and the world falls at their feet. They breathe a word, and that word becomes law.

I’ve been numb my whole life, but when they touch me, sparks dance across my skin. For the first time in years, I feel.

I feel so much.

Confusion. Desire. Anger. Need.

Too bad there’s only one thing the Sinners feel for me.

Hate.

Note: This is the first book in the Sinners of Hawthorne University series, a new adult reverse-harem bully romance. It contains violence, dark subject matter, and steamy sex.

©2020 Eva Ashwood (P)2020 Eva Ashwood

Entertaining With All the Feels BUT NOT RH

A reverse harem equals a group of males (3 or more) that all want a female. In return, the female wants all of them for different reasons and needs them all equally. She cannot choose between them because of her desire for ALL OF THEM.

The story thus far does not contain the correct RH ingredients She’s clearly fixated on Grey and uses the other guys to get Grey’s attention. Declan and Elias are her friends with kissing benefits.

Okay, now that I have addressed the elephant in the room, I have to say Eva Ashwood knows how to write. I’m glad I took a chance on this one. I was drawn into Sophie’s world right away. There are a few horrible acts of bullying that are simply overlooked when they should’ve been addressed with answers of who did them. With how strong she is, I was surprised that she didn’t retaliate more. But so far, I’m really enjoying the series.

Btw I hate cliffhangers, so I’m happy the second book is available on audible. Hope the third book is in the works. I did notice that all of them are available on Kindle Unlimited... so there’s that.

So many feelings...

4 Stars

Overall Rating ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Humor ★★★
Characters & Character Development ★★★★
Narration ★★★★★

Story: Sophie, Grey, Declan, Elias ... Max

First I gotta say, I'm not huge on bully romance. But I was hooked from the beginning on this series. I love Sophie's perseverance. I love that she doesn't back down. I had all sorts of feelings by the end and I had to go on to read the next book even though I listened to this one.

Narration: Amber Lee Connors... Loved the narration. Can't wait to hear some more from this narrator.

Good Story

This book started slow, and I nearly put it down, but something told me to keep reading. I told myself I'd give it a few more chapters. The story finally starts to draw my interest and then I was hooked. Once the bs slowed down and you got more into the characters I found myself drawn to Gray. Not so much the other two, you could almost do away with them and make this a regular one on one love interest and be just as good. He overpowers the other two with his presence.

WOW

OMG, I LOVED this book. I don't normally listen to cliffhangers before all of the books are available because waiting for what happens next drives me CRAZY but I was looking for something new to listen to. It was TOTALLY worth the credit and I can't wait for the next book to be available.

Hot!

A great narration of an angst-filled and mildly dark romance involving a strong heroine brought up through a life of hard knocks, only to become the recipient of a scholarship to a prestigious university. There, she stumbles upon Gray, the guy with whom she had a previous cathartic encounter. He along with this friends, Declan and Elias seem to hate Sophie and want to make her life difficult. However, Sophie is strong, and the guys can’t deny their interest in her. What unfolds is a steamy story of chemistry, tension, and mystery.

The voice actor’s narration is crisp and clear. She has a beautifully breathy voice that matches well to the the heroine in the tale. Sultry and realistically jaded as well as strong at the appropriate times. She recites the story authentically and with great range. Though I prefer dual narration, the female voice actor is able to do a great job of rendering the male voice. She also is adept and changing tone, intonation with characters as well as dialogue vs. prose. I enjoyed this story, and the narration was an added bonus.

Excellent story and narration.

Couldn’t stop listening

This was really good, and I’m happy the second is out at least. Only thing I wish is that we got Greys perspective

Intense and surprisingly complex!

There are many "enemies to lovers" and "harem" audiobooks out there. Most disappoint with fumbling attempts at building characters and forced interactions/attractions, yet thankfully Eva weaves a wonderful and immersive story. Amber's narration brings additional life to the story with her wonderful and flexible narration. I'm usually a fan of male narrators expressing the male perspective/voice but I did not miss that at all in this audiobook. Bravo Eva and Amber! I am looking forward to Book 2!

Loved it!

I love this book and this series! The characters are amazing and the storyline is fantastic. The Narrator does an awesome job. I can’t wait for more!

Snooze

This book was all over the place. Not a good story and kind of boring. Still trying to find the reverse harem thing. I hope book 2 is better and that book 3 makes it to Audible.

Steamy

I love it when you start a book and don’t have to wait long for the steam. The story is solid. The only thing that is a little confusing is why the hostility. I’m sure we will find out more

Enjoyed it.

I really liked the storyline but was not keen on the monotone way the story was told. I do not believe this was totally the narrators (who I like on the whole) but maybe the way that the book is written, mainly from the mind of Sophie. I would like less husk and more normal speaking. Otherwise, I look forward to starting the next in this series.

I’m on a book high!!

Jesus what a book, from the very first chapter I was totally hooked and it just got better. That cliffhanger was👌👌👌and I can’t bloody wait for book 2 now

When Sinners Play

Wow this book is HOT! Sophie has been dealt a shit hand at life! Just when she might get a chance at a new life, things still end up trashed. Is she ever going to catch a break? This book ends on one hell of a cliffhanger! I need book 2 like yesterday!