The Nerd Jock Conundrum (The College Boys of New Haven series 1)

I've been meaning to start Hayden Hall's The College Boys of New Haven series for a while now. I finally did, with the first official book being "The Nerd Jock Conundrum."

["A chemistry nerd should know opposites always attract.

Troy
Of course I fell for a football jock. How could I not? But Jackson and I are polar opposites. He’s popular, confident, and as hot as hell in a tight T-shirt. Me? I’m just a scrawny, awkward nerd.

Another point of difference: he’s straight.

And as I trip, stumble, and stammer my way through all our conversations, my desire is growing at an alarming rate. I keep wondering what he looks like when he’s on his knees.

As if my crush on him isn’t bad enough, Jackson is assigned to be my partner on a year-long project, and I have no choice but to spend time with the hottest guy on campus. Bummer.

But the attraction is intensifying. We’re on a collision course. I shouldn’t be leaning in…

I think I’m going to kiss him.

Jackson
Sweet. I got partnered up with the biggest nerd on campus. If I play my cards well, a passing grade is guaranteed.

Troy’s all shy and awkward; a classic nerd. But there’s more to him than he’s showing. And it’s making me curious.

I want to see him come out of his shell. I know he would be better off if he let his guard down. I want to be his friend, but he thinks I’m just another dumb jock. Except, I see him looking at me the way I could never look at him.

Am I sending the wrong message? Is he falling for me?

He’s leaning in fast… He’s about to kiss me.

And I’m not even ducking."]

I don't think this blurb did the book justice. The blurb takes place about...30%, if that. And there's soooo much more than just the blurb. 

Like the fresh twist on the nerd-jock trope. Which, I mean, also needed work--it just felt not fully fleshed out yet. Like it was awesome, and I love breaking stereotypes, and the reason why the breaking-of-stereotypes was cute and worked and all of it just worked for the two of them, it wasn't...complete for me. But I loved, loved, loooooved the attempt.

And while we're on negatives: the writing seemed a little juvenile to me. Some of it was a little too on-the-nose and a little too much Telling instead of Showing, but giving that this is one of Hayden's first official novels, I'll let it slide ;) I'll give his other books and more of this series another chance. 

I loved that they two just kinda felt Something from the beginning, not necessarily love or lust or anything, but something. I love when they finally let go of their initial anxieties, the romance and the steam (some of the fluff was already there) just kind of happened naturally for them. Like I said above, I love the flip of the nerd-jock romance trope. And I loved how they got each other (Troy knew that Jackson wanted to feel liked and wanted, and Jackson new Troy wanted to feel safe and in control of his life).

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