Book Review: Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy (Boys of Avix #1)
- jolaineabad
- Jan 12
- 5 min read
I never understood the whole forbidden-fruit concept until then, how not having something only made you want more.
Start Date: 01/04/2026 | End Date: 01/12/2026 |
Genres: New Adult // Romance, Sports (college football), Contemporary | Format: Paperback // Audiobook |
Pages: 522 pages | Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars) / Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️( 3 chili peppers) |
⚠️ Content Warnings ⚠️
Before diving into Say You Swear, I think it’s important to highlight a few themes that may be sensitive or triggering for some readers. While this book is a beautifully written slow-burn romance, it does explore heavier emotional topics alongside the love story.
This book includes:
Cheating / Infidelity — a major emotional trigger and central conflict in the story
Toxic relationship dynamics — including emotional manipulation and unhealthy attachment
Emotional distress & heavy angst — expect a lot of emotional highs and lows
Grief and loss — touches on emotional pain connected to loss
Explicit sexual content — open-door scenes and mature content
Strong language
While these themes are handled in a way that supports character growth and emotional depth, they may be difficult for some readers. Please take care of yourself and check in with your comfort levels before reading.
That said, if you enjoy emotional slow-burn romances with depth, growth, and realism, this book may still be worth the emotional ride.
🫂 Brother's Best Friend | ˚ˋঌ˖ Slow-Burn | 𐦂𖨆𖠋 Found Family | 🎓 College Romance | 🏈 Sports Romance | ⚔ Forbidden Feelings | ▲ Love Triangle |
ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Emotional• Addictive• Unforgettable
Arianna Johnson spends the summer at their beach house before she, her twin brother Mason, and their childhood best friends begin their college lives.
That summer makes Ari think that maybe—finally—it’s time to tell Chase how she feels. After all these years, she hopes he might finally admit what he feels too. For a moment, everything seems to be going well… until it doesn’t.
Heartbroken and doing her best to avoid Chase—which is nearly impossible since he’s her childhood friend and her twin brother’s best friend—Ari unexpectedly runs into Noah Riley again. After meeting him at the beach house the previous summer, she never thought she’d see him again. What starts as a reconnection slowly turns into a deep bond—something neither of them expected.
But just when things begin to feel right, an accident changes everything. Wanting to return home on her own without anyone’s help, Ari makes a choice that ends up breaking the heart of someone who was waiting for her to come back.
Did I enjoy the book? Yes / No / Unsure |
Would I read this again? Yes / No / Unsure |
Would I recommend this to a friend? Yes / No / Unsure |
What did I like the most? I never felt bored reading this book, even though it’s 522 pages long. I love, love the short chapters—they made me want to keep reading nonstop!! 📚✨ |
What I liked the least (and why)? The book itself is totally fine—perfect, even! I listened to it on audiobook because I genuinely enjoy that format and it helps me read faster (I like it that way, so please mind your own business, thank you 😌). That said… whoever voiced Noah in the audiobook just didn’t do it for me. There was no spark, and it didn’t match the version of Noah I had in my head while reading. |
Favorite Characters
Cameron
⤷ The kind of best friend everyone dreams of—truly a ride or die.
Brady ⤷ So protective but also hilarious. There’s never a dull moment when he’s around.
Mason
⤷Overprotective and sometimes annoying, but he loves his twin sister so deeply he’d do anything for her.
💗ྀིNoah💗ྀི
⤷THE MAN YOU ARE. I love this guy.
Ratings
Book Cover
★★★★
Writing Style
★★★★★
Story & Plot
★★★★★
Characters
★★★★★
Favorite Quotes
|
My Book Review ✎ᝰ.
I thought this was going to be a dramatic sob-fest—maybe someone dying from sickness or a tragic accident—because someone told me it would be sad. Nope. Totally didn’t see it being a love story… and honestly, I’m here for it.
This is my first book by Meagan Brandy, and wow… I’m officially hooked on slow-burn romances. The love triangle? Pure chaos, and I seriously wanted to jump into the book and smack someone over the head (looking at you, Chase 😤).
Even at almost 600 pages, I never got bored. The plot twists? Chef’s kiss. I already have predictions for book 2, and yes—I need it yesterday.
Chase, we hate you for many, many reasons… but okay, fine, I hope you find your soulmate. Still… I hate you. 😅💀
I can relate to the characters in this book on so many levels! Especially having a childhood friend you loved dearly—it hit me with all the nostalgia because most people have experienced that at some point.
The part where Ari talks about getting mixed signals from Chase, and he does nothing about it… then denies it in FRONT of her?! That was such a terrible move for me. And just when she finally moves on, he shows up and says it was a mistake? YOU ARE A COWARD. 😤
Despite all that, I’m still excited to read Chase’s book though… because let’s be real, I need to see the story from his perspective. LOL.
This book is full of friendship, starting from their parents down to them. Their parents even bought a beach house and gave it to the four of them just to make sure they stayed close—who wouldn’t want that, right? 🏖️💖 It really highlights strong family bonds and lifelong friendships.
College life can be tough, but this group makes it feel effortless—no matter what challenges come their way, their friendship carries them through.
Let’s talk about the spice—which honestly wasn’t that spicy, but I was very content with it. 🔥 The love scenes felt like love, not just sex (at least in my opinion), and I’m here for that. They were detailed, yes, but they weren’t just about the act—they were about the connection. If you know what I mean 😉
As for the pregnancy stuff—SPOILER ALERT—it was kind of expected since protection was never mentioned in the book. The timing confused me a little though; I didn’t understand why we had to go through the accident before we even discovered it.
Noah Riley?! THE MAN YOU ARE! 😍
A mama’s boy—but in the best way! This is a woman’s dream: a man who understands you, is obsessed with you, takes care of his mom, and would burn the world for you even if his own heart is breaking—just to make sure you’re safe and loved. Did I mention he cooks? HE COOKS!!! Major turn-on. Okay, Ms. Meagan Brandy… we need this in every book! Athletic, gentle, good in bed, AND a cook? I am here for it! 🔥
The vibes in this book are so natural and cozy, with the beachside setting and all the camping adventures throughout the story. It really makes you feel like you’re living it with them.
All that said, this book took me on a rollercoaster ride I never expected. The giggles, the annoyance, the love—it was all there. The writing is simple yet impactful, and Meagan Brandy is officially one of my favorite authors this year.
Highly recommend this for girlies like me who love slow-burn, college romance, a little love triangle, some drama, and a story that may be thick but is totally worth the read. 💖
Rating ☕︎
☕☕☕☕☕
Happy Reading!
#SayYouSwear #MeaganBrandy #SlowBurnRomance #CollegeRomance #LoveTriangle #NewAdultRomance #ContemporaryRomance #RomanceBooks #BookTok #Bookstagram #FMC #MMC #NoahRiley #Chase #FriendshipGoals #BeachVibes #SummerRomance #RomanceAddict #BookishLife #RomanceReader #BookReview #EmotionalReads #AngstyRomance #RomanceObsessed #CollegeLoveStory #RomanticDrama #FictionLovers #BookCommunity #ReadingAddict #BookRecommendation
Comments