Book 815: Better Have Heart (Harrison Campus #2) – Andy Gallo and Anyta Sunday

After blazing through the first book in the Harrison Campus series, Better Be Sure, I knew I was going to read the four book series back-to-back to get a head for a longer galley.

Better Have Heart features Darren, the wealthy frat brother of Jack who grew a spine and went against the douche canoe (more on that later) who was antagonizing Jack, and Isaiah, a scholarship music student who’s decided to buck the system and ask why a prestigious scholarship is closed to his application this year (he’s also tangentially Jack’s yoga instructor, which was a weird intro).

This is a standard enemies-to-lovers story, with a bit of family and class/financial drama thrown in. Darren and Isaiah meet, eye each other up, and are immediately dicks to each other. Isaiah doesn’t understand all of the family pressure and drama of his coming out that Darren faces, and Darren just sees Isaiah as someone who wants a handout and has it out for all the wealthy boys on campus but misses that the administration is toying with him and bullying him to try and keep Darren’s father happy. They end up bonding over music, which is freakin’ adorable.

As they grow together we spend more time with Isaiah’s roommate, Nico, who gets his feature in the follow up to this, Better Be True. We also see the biggest trope of all MM romance novels: lack of communication. Neither wants to talk to the other about anything important because they’re 1) afraid of their standing in the competition; 2) don’t want to hurt/lose/bother the other; and 3) are just stupid men.

Isaiah shoved Nico off the bed playfully. ‘I’m freaked out that I like someone this much, and so young.’
Nico didn’t laugh. He looked directly at Isaiah. ‘Nonna and Nonno met when they were sixteen and seventeen. Sixty years later they still look at each other and swoon.’
‘Nico, this isn’t sixty years ago.’
‘No, but hearts haven’t changed. People have just stopped listening.’ Nico trailed off and slapped on a fake smile. ‘Follow yours or don’t, dear, but spare me—and yourself—the excuses for why it can’t work.’ (154)

The book really picks up toward the end and there are adorably romantic passages (like the one above) and we get to see Darren come into his own with his frat brothers. After being part of the bad guys in the first book, it takes time for the rest of the frat to warm up to him, but when they do they really do.

For the most part, the family drama is pretty minimal. It’s really stressful for Darren and we ultimately find out it’s not all in his head, which was a relief. The frank conversation between Darren and his father when Darren decides he’d rather transfer schools than see Isaiah lose the scholarship was well written and set up this hilarious scene later in the book:

His father cleared his throat. ‘I’m glad you’d want to see us. Me. But I know this doesn’t magically mend the bridges between us.’
‘It’s a start, Dad. I’m excited you’re coming.’
‘Good. We’d like to take you and Isaiah out to dinner on Saturday, too.’ Emotion made his Dad’s voice ragged. ‘We always go out after the game. I want to restart that tradition. Also, we want to talk to Isaiah about our expectations for dating our son.’
What the fuck? Darren nearly dropped the phone. ‘What?’
His father snickered, and Darren growled. That brought on a full belly laugh.  ‘Gotcha. We hope Isaiah can come.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘Yes, Darren, I’m sure.’
Darren started to choke up. ‘Thanks, Dad.’ (224)

Their making up and open acceptance of Darren and Isaiah’s relationship was a nice ribbon on the package of the story. And then when you add in all the things they do to make sure Isaiah’s family get to see him perform it’s just so adorably sweet.

The sex in the novel is honestly a bit of a throwaway. I’m a couple days out from reading it and barely remember it. That’s not a bad thing as Sunday is the queen of the slow burn romance so there were only 1-2 scenes, but I’m not sure it’s a good thing I barely remember either of them.

I’ve also found, what I’m assuming is Gallo’s giveaways. He uses the insult “douche canoe” in every one of the books of this series AND he has each of the couples make out with some hesitation but then total enthusiasm after one of them gives a blowjob. Maybe the first is just him trying to bring across a particular college slang (twat waffle was hilarious), but it’s a bit too specific. And the second, well not going to lie a couple of the sex scenes definitely seemed copy and pasted.

Recommendation: It’s worth a read, not the best, but far from the worst. Although I enjoyed this one, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Better Be Sure, the first in the Harrison Campus series. It’s hard to say what it was about it that didn’t quite work. I enjoyed the protagonists and the story it just fell a little flat. I really hope that’s not how the rest of the series goes!

Opening Line: “Isaiah Nettles’s fingers glided across the smooth keys, and his foot worked the pedal.”

Closing Line: “Darren moved in for a kiss, and Isaiah kissed him back. Fifty years weren’t going to be enough. ‘Let’s get the show started.'” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)

Additional Quotes from Better Have Heart
“Isaiah grew quiet. Darren dared a longer look at him, and it was to find the guy gently frowning. Maybe he wondered why Darren didn’t just write a check?
Well, he would.
But the event also raised awareness, which his mom said was the key for successful annual fundraisers. Key for making change.” (42)

“Isaiah’s mouth parted in shock. ‘Rose Tattoo?’ Now Darren was playing Drop Kick Murphys? ‘On a banjo?’
‘I know. It was made for a mandolin, but this comes close.’ Darren closed his eyes and started to sing.
God, Darren looked so at ease playing music. The stiff, formal persona melted, and he looked happier. Much happier.
Isaiah played a gentle beat to accompany, careful not to overpower.
The song ended, and Darren reopened his eyes. They sparkled, and his face glowed. ‘You made that up as we played, didn’t you?’
‘A bit. I’ve always wanted to play that song with someone, but none of my friends who are DKM fans can play mandolin—or banjo.’
‘None of my friends are DKM fans, period. They hear Celtic punk and think weird. They read about their social activism and are turned off.’
‘But not you.’ Not a question; he knew the answer.” (110)