Review: ‘Sticks and Stones’ by S. Massery and S.J. Sylvis
Sticks and Stones
by S. Massery, S.J. SylvisSeries: Shadow Valley U #1
Published by Self-Published on December 7, 2023
SubGenres: New Adult and College Romance
Format: AudioBook, eBook
Pages: 301
Narrator: Alex Kydd, Kiera Stevens
Length: 7 Hours And 59 Minutes
Source: Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
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Sticks and stones may break our bones…
Hockey is my life.
After Wren Davis puts my dreams of the NHL in jeopardy, I vow to make her life hell if she ever comes near me again.
But she’s my best friend’s foster sister, and even though they don’t live together anymore, their bond is still tight, which makes avoiding each other extra difficult.
Especially when I show up at Shadow Valley University and learn my new room comes with an unwelcome addition: Wren Davis.
As much as I try to make her life hell, she gives it right back, until she’s not just under my skin but constantly on my mind.
But some things can’t be forgiven, and fraternizing with the enemy is the last thing either of us want.
Sticks and Stones is the first book in the Shadow Valley U series by S. Massery and S.J. Sylvis. While this isn’t my first book by S. Massery, it is the first book I’ve read from S.J. Sylvis. From the moment I started reading Sticks and Stones, it was clear to me that this would be a tamer dark romance than what I typically expect from S. Massery. If you want dark hockey romance, I recommend her Hockey God series. Since I haven’t read any other books by S.J. Sylvis, I can’t compare this one to her other books, but after reading this one, I definitely plan to explore more of her writing soon.
I’m going to admit right away that this book frustrated me, but I still enjoyed it—just not as much as I thought I would. My main issue was with the female main character, Wren, and her decision not to tell anyone about being threatened by her father. She kept this to herself, even from her foster brother, Evan, and the other hockey players living in the hockey house with her.
Another problem I had with Wren was her treatment of Stone. Even though he wouldn’t have faced the same consequences she did, she should have considered the impact of her actions. As a result, Stone makes her life difficult for much of the book in response to what she did. I could understand his frustration and the challenges he faced, but he took it too far at times, even prompting the other hockey players, including Evan, Wren’s foster brother, to give him a hard time about it.
However, Stone undergoes a complete change once he learns the truth about Wren and the difficult upbringing she endured in a broken family involved with drugs. He’s determined to protect her for the rest of the book and also make her his.
This is supposed to be an Enemies to Lovers storyline, but I think it’s more of a Hate to Love situation. Stone doesn’t like her due to what she did, but he ends up caring for her halfway through the story. He’s not a good guy in the beginning, so readers may not like him, but like I stated before, he does a 360. He becomes very possessive and protective of Wren, especially when he finds out the truth about her childhood.
I loved how the other hockey players played a role in the book and became a big family for Wren. Once they found out the truth about what was happening, no one was going to mess with her. This truly represented the found family trope, and I’m glad Wren discovered her true family through it. I also appreciated how Evan and his parents were always there for her. However, I wish she had trusted someone and shared the truth about her situation.
The ending did feel rushed a bit, especially when it came to the danger Wren was in with her father, but it was a satisfying conclusion, and the bad guy(s) got what they deserved. If anyone deserved an HEA, it was Wren, and I’m glad she found it with Stone.
Overall, it was a good book, although there were a few aspects that frustrated me. Nevertheless, I would give it 3.5 stars. I’m excited to read more in this series by S. Massery and S.J. Sylvis, and I’m looking forward to reading more books by S.J. Sylvis after reading this one.
Single/Dual POV: Dual POV.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s an interconnected standalone in the Shadow Valley U series.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you enjoy hockey romance with a hate-to-love storyline and found family themes, then check out Sticks and Stone. If you looking for something darker, then check out S. Massery’s Hockey Gods series.
What to Expect:
🏒New Adult/College Romance
🏒Sports/Hockey Romance
🏒Enemies to Lovers/Hate to Love
🏒Bully Romance
🏒Brother’s Best Friend
🏒Forced Proximity
🏒One Bed
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About S. Massery
S. Massery is a dark romance author who loves injecting a good dose of suspense into her stories. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her dog, Alice.
Before adventuring into the world of writing, she went to college in Boston and held a wide variety of jobs--including working on a dude ranch in Wyoming (a personal highlight). She has a love affair with coffee and chocolate. When S. Massery isn't writing, she can be found devouring books, playing outside with her dog, or trying to make people smile.
About S.J. Sylvis
S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two small kiddos, and dog. She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book.
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