Scan barcode
A review by bookswithdes
Spring Tide by Ki Stephens
3.75
⭐️⭐️⭐️. 75 stars. Luca and Harper are the EPITOME of grumpy x sunshine. Like seriously, I’ve never read such a more sunshine girl than Harper. Like if you thought Ava from Twisted Love was sunshine or Zahra from The Fine Print, they don’t hold a candle to Harper. Like she takes everything in stride especially when Luca has a bit of a standoffish attitude, it doesn’t knock her down one bit. Like Luca said this, “And Harper? The girl is . . . pure as gold. There’s not an arrogant bone in her body” and I, 100% agree. And y’all, this man is really private and kinda gets flustered easily and it’s so cute plus makes me happy when he smiles, blushes or finally laughs 🤭. Plus, this book is so relatable at least when it comes to the friendships Harper has. Like it’s not a tailored conversation of what an author thinks college girls have, but like an actual conversation in the best way possible. It makes you feel like you’re right there with them. Y’all, they kinda had an inside joke about seagulls, and you know this man barely warmed up to her to make jokes or show affection I guess, but at work he found a poker chip with a seagull on the back, gave it to her and said IT MADE ME THINK OF YOU!!!! Literally my heart burst from happiness 🤭🤭. And then right before they have spicy time, he puts her hand over his heart so she can feel how fast his heart is beating to reassure her that he’s nervous too *swoons*. And then after Luca had a long day, he went over to her place and she ran a bath for him so could relax 😩. And to make her feel better after a somewhat difficult dinner with her father, he takes her to go get her favorite ice cream even though he’s having money issues all because he wants her happy 😭. Damn it, that freaking break up scene made me cry 😐. Like he hurt me, but I’m so happy she didn’t go running back to him once he apologized even though he apologized later that day. Plus, not only did he apologize right away, he started working on himself both mentally and physically 😩. Then the epilogue was so cute even though I never truly like epilogues with pregnancy or kids, but it made me happy to see them happy. Plus, we got to see that Luca fixed his relationship with Elio 👏, and how Luca and Harper’s career played out 👏👏.
If you like fake dating, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, college romance, I highly recommend this book 🫶.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
“An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” (Harper)
“Okay, Gandhi.” (Luca 🤣)
“You have a little bit of an attitude, you know. Actually, you remind me of this cat I used to have growing up. His actual name was Finch, but I called him Mr. Tickles. He died when I was nine, though. Rest in peace, Mr. Tickles.”
“I remind you of your dead cat?”
“Mhm. He was always swatting at everyone.” 🤣🤣
“I can still turn around while you take off your pants.”
“No, it’s . . . we’re all good. This is a professional setting, as you say. Harper, can you not just stare directly into my eyes while I do this?” (literally made me burst out laughing 🤣)
“Sorry, I didn’t know where to look.”
“How about two truths and a lie?”
“You start.”
“Okay. I’m majoring in sports medicine. I’ve always loved the beach. And earlier, when I felt your lips press against my hair, I wish you would’ve just kissed me for real.”
“I want to be everything for her that she is for me—a best friend, a confidant, a source of motivation. The reason that I feel like smiling when I wake up in the morning now. For the first time in a long time, I have something to look forward to at Coastal other than football. It feels really fucking good.”
“Wow, this is great. I feel loads better now. So I remind you of your dead, grouchy cat, and Nate reminds you of a cute, innocent puppy?”
“RIP, Mr. Tickles.”
“You’re really good, you know?”
“What do you mean?” (Luca)
“You’re just so . . .”
“So?” (Luca)
She beams, her smile filled with unknown secrets.
“Yeah.”
“When I first wake up, I think about the sound of his voice. When I step out into the morning light, I think about his smile. And when I go to bed at night, I think about the way his body feels, arms wrapped around me tightly.”
“You know, I’ve always known what it was like to be needed by someone, from my parents to my siblings to my one hundred and eighteen fucking teammates. Being needed feels endless. Until I met you, I never knew what it was like to be the one in need. And I do need you, so fucking badly.”
“I could use a minute to decompress first, though. It’s been a hell of a day.”
“Okay, well, if you wanted to relax . . . I, um, I ran a bath for you.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah, I got the bath going right before you got here. I bought some bubbles and this, like, manly soap. And a candle—peach scented because I know you like that.” “Harper.”
“Luca. I’m forcing you to relax tonight whether you want to or not. It’s not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal. Baby, you are so fucking perfect that it makes my head spin.”
“I miss your eyes, your lips, your hair, your smile. The sound of your voice when you’re happy. The way you blush when I say something you weren’t expecting. The smell of your skin after a day at the beach . . . Touching you for touching’s sake. Kissing you just because I can.God, there’s no fucking question that I miss you, Harper.”
“But loving Harper, the girl bathed in sunlight, feels as natural and effortless as breathing in my sleep.”
“I hope you know much I love you.”
“You do?”
“God yes. I’m so in love with you. Honestly, I think I’ve been a little bit in love with you ever since that first day at your apartment. You know, when you asked me to take my pants off.”
“Sometimes, I still can’t rationalize the fact that this girl is actually mine. And that I’m hers, for-fucking-ever. I’ve spent a large part of my life believing that I’m not enough. For anyone or for anything. That all my hopes and dreams—supporting my family, playing professionally, finding real love and friendship—were far-fetched, relatively unachievable for a guy like me. It wasn’t until I met Harper that I started to believe differently.”
“Learning, loving, and then losing Harper has shown me exactly what I’ve been missing out on all this time. And there’s not a shot in hell that I’m gonna let myself lose her twice. It’s the two of us from now on. Together. Always.”
If you like fake dating, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, college romance, I highly recommend this book 🫶.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
“An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” (Harper)
“Okay, Gandhi.” (Luca 🤣)
“You have a little bit of an attitude, you know. Actually, you remind me of this cat I used to have growing up. His actual name was Finch, but I called him Mr. Tickles. He died when I was nine, though. Rest in peace, Mr. Tickles.”
“I remind you of your dead cat?”
“Mhm. He was always swatting at everyone.” 🤣🤣
“I can still turn around while you take off your pants.”
“No, it’s . . . we’re all good. This is a professional setting, as you say. Harper, can you not just stare directly into my eyes while I do this?” (literally made me burst out laughing 🤣)
“Sorry, I didn’t know where to look.”
“How about two truths and a lie?”
“You start.”
“Okay. I’m majoring in sports medicine. I’ve always loved the beach. And earlier, when I felt your lips press against my hair, I wish you would’ve just kissed me for real.”
“I want to be everything for her that she is for me—a best friend, a confidant, a source of motivation. The reason that I feel like smiling when I wake up in the morning now. For the first time in a long time, I have something to look forward to at Coastal other than football. It feels really fucking good.”
“Wow, this is great. I feel loads better now. So I remind you of your dead, grouchy cat, and Nate reminds you of a cute, innocent puppy?”
“RIP, Mr. Tickles.”
“You’re really good, you know?”
“What do you mean?” (Luca)
“You’re just so . . .”
“So?” (Luca)
She beams, her smile filled with unknown secrets.
“Yeah.”
“When I first wake up, I think about the sound of his voice. When I step out into the morning light, I think about his smile. And when I go to bed at night, I think about the way his body feels, arms wrapped around me tightly.”
“You know, I’ve always known what it was like to be needed by someone, from my parents to my siblings to my one hundred and eighteen fucking teammates. Being needed feels endless. Until I met you, I never knew what it was like to be the one in need. And I do need you, so fucking badly.”
“I could use a minute to decompress first, though. It’s been a hell of a day.”
“Okay, well, if you wanted to relax . . . I, um, I ran a bath for you.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah, I got the bath going right before you got here. I bought some bubbles and this, like, manly soap. And a candle—peach scented because I know you like that.” “Harper.”
“Luca. I’m forcing you to relax tonight whether you want to or not. It’s not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal. Baby, you are so fucking perfect that it makes my head spin.”
“I miss your eyes, your lips, your hair, your smile. The sound of your voice when you’re happy. The way you blush when I say something you weren’t expecting. The smell of your skin after a day at the beach . . . Touching you for touching’s sake. Kissing you just because I can.God, there’s no fucking question that I miss you, Harper.”
“But loving Harper, the girl bathed in sunlight, feels as natural and effortless as breathing in my sleep.”
“I hope you know much I love you.”
“You do?”
“God yes. I’m so in love with you. Honestly, I think I’ve been a little bit in love with you ever since that first day at your apartment. You know, when you asked me to take my pants off.”
“Sometimes, I still can’t rationalize the fact that this girl is actually mine. And that I’m hers, for-fucking-ever. I’ve spent a large part of my life believing that I’m not enough. For anyone or for anything. That all my hopes and dreams—supporting my family, playing professionally, finding real love and friendship—were far-fetched, relatively unachievable for a guy like me. It wasn’t until I met Harper that I started to believe differently.”
“Learning, loving, and then losing Harper has shown me exactly what I’ve been missing out on all this time. And there’s not a shot in hell that I’m gonna let myself lose her twice. It’s the two of us from now on. Together. Always.”