Defiant Little Love - Lake State University Series #9 - By Rachael Brownell (Max and Kora)

There really is a fine line between love and hate. Friends and enemies.

Max Palmer is an a-hole.
And I’m in love with him. I’m pretty sure I have been since the day we met.
I’ve tried to quit him. Multiple times. But he’s an addiction that refuses to be ignored. Which is why one minute we’re together, colliding with hurricane force, and the next we’re pushing each other away, pretending not to like each other. Fighting the feelings that are bubbling just beneath the surface.
For years we’ve been able to hide our secret love affair from everyone.
I’m tired of lying to myself about the way I feel.
Of hiding the truth from the people that matter most to me. Even if I know they won’t approve. Even if my confession may destroy friendships in the process.
I’m also pissed off because he started dating one of my sisters. The same night I was ready to confess my feelings for him.
If he was looking to get a rise out of me, it worked.
I’ve wasted years with him. Lying and pretending I was happily single, focused on school so no one would suspect otherwise.
And how does he repay me?
By shoving his new relationship in my face.
Well, screw him. I’m not wasting another minute of my time crying over a man who was never really mine to begin with.
If he wants to play games, it’s on.
Because I don’t plan to lose my heart to Max Palmer.

Rachael Brownell is an International Bestselling author of new adult romance.

She lives in Michigan with her husband, son, snuggly dog, and hateful cat. She moonlights a few days a week (her excuse to get out of the house and socialize) and writes almost full time. Her first book was published way back in 2013 and since she’s released more than 30 additional titles.

When she’s not writing her next novel, you can find her hanging out with her family, watching her son play baseball, or running on the treadmill at the gym (though she skips more days than she goes). She also enjoys golfing but is still learning, so if you see her on the course… stand back.

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I received a complimentary early release e-book prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is the final book in the series, and it can probably standalone, but it includes characters and events that happened in other books within the series. But we do go back from the beginning and the story also jumps into the past as things come up from the previous years as we get to see Max and Kora in the present as we get their full story.

Max and Kora fall in love right away and they date for years but secretly. Their story is extremely complicated, and the author did a great job with it as it answers a good majority of our questions from over the years. 

Why the secrecy I am not sure the author really explained that well for me. I realize that after all the years of lies telling the truth was this huge thing. But I am not sure why they could not be like normal college students and say I like him and want to date him from the beginning.

Part of the reson for secrecy was that Kendall is Kora's sister and she HATES Max. But she also is in love with one of Max's friends. So that was one reason that this secret grew. I got that too because Kendall is her twin, and I can understand how it would be hard to date a guy your twin hated and for years. 

Then there is Cleo who has a secret with Max that she refuses to share, and Max won't spill about their connection. Cleo is Kora's bestie and roomie. So, coming out with their secret is very tough. It's this big thing and as the years go by it grows and grows and grows. 

This was a fast read and I really enjoyed going back in the past and seeing what happened from different POV's and the why that happened. The author did an amazing job telling this story and I loved this book so much. Max is definitely a guy that made his life more complicated, and I loved getting his story from his POV.