Make It Count: A Bowler University Novel

is everything a New Adult novel should be. Throw in a great plot, humor, clever unique voice, well developed characters, and a super hot nerd, and you've got a #MustReadBook.  I love the sexy male MC, Alec, who I guarantee will be trending as #NerdIsTheNewBlack... The female MC, Kat, is a beautiful young woman who has a learning disability that has gone undiagnosed until she is close to flunking out of college. For many personal reasons I really connected with Kat, and Megan's voice. I love everything about this book, and yes, the HEA. I know you will too. 

Great day read.

Alec does not want to find his best friend's girl attractive. Lately it has been so much more. Now, they share a secret. Will it help or hurt the already tense situation? Katia AKA Kat knows her time is almost up with her boyfriend. She only keeps men around to avoid getting lonely. Alec offers more, even dreams of a future. If she can be brave maybe the future is already here. Started off slow, but then got going so well I was not sure how to react. This story is what most would call a slow burn. I love the heat, heart, and humor. These characters are some I would love to see again. Loved how such a tense subject was handled. I cannot wait to read more in the Bowler University series!

Such a great story!

So I know I’ve used the word “adorable” to describe a lot of NA reads as of late (especially the Contemporary Romances), but, well…I’m going to do it again. Because MAKE IT COUNT by Megan Erickson is just that—super ridiculously adorable. And it was so very fun to read. Alec may actually be one of my favorite NA love interests ever—I mean, hot, nerdy beta male? SO much yes, please. What’s great about MAKE IT COUNT is not only is it a really fun, cute, light-hearted NA read, but Erickson also tackles a subject that really doesn’t get enough representation—learning disabilities. Not only that, but Erickson handles it really well—we see how a learning disability affects one of the characters (I won’t say who, but you can probably guess), as well as what stigmas are attached to it, which is something, I’ll admit, I hadn’t really thought much about before. Also! I haven’t seen a whole lot of third person in NA, but if you like third person I so very highly recommend you pick up some of Erickson’s books—she has such a great (and super-NA appropriate and fun) third person voice that’s just as entertaining and real as any NA first person voice I’ve read and enjoyed. My one peeve is I found Kat’s crippling lack of self-confidence a teensie bit annoying to read at times—however! That was a deliberate character development choice, and by no means ruined the reading for me in any way, and I would still (and do) recommend this one for anyone looking for a light, fun NA read, especially in third person. So if you like Contemporary Romance and you haven’t yet checked out MAKE IT COUNT, I recommend you do! And you may also want to check out MAKE IT RIGHT, which is now out, and I really need to get.

Like New Adult books I’ve enjoyed, Erickson’s Make it Count tells a story with a realistic college setting with realistic characters readers can relate to. There’s nothing too dramatic in this book, even though there are a range of emotions and some heated moments. Erickson’s writing is has a refreshing, lighthearted feel to it for most of the book. It made for an inviting read that kept me wanting to come back to the book more and more. As the story went along, and the characters developed along with the plot, it was hard to put down. I thought the author source of conflict (the main conflict and the minor ones) were great and I’m happy to read a fresh take on what can be a major source of conflict in a college age book. I really enjoyed the cast of characters, the main characters and the side characters who I feel we’ll see develop even more in the next Bowler University books. What Erickson did with Kat’s character really made the book work for me. She might be one of my favorite characters that I’ve read recently. I also liked Danica a lot and hope she gets a bigger role in the future. Soon up for me is Make it Right, and I have a feeling I’ll be coming back to Erickson’s books for a long time. Make it Count was definitely a great reading choice for me.

I started this story with a completely open mind and a blank slate. I had it on my TBR list, so I assumed that when I first read the synopsis I thought it would be something I’d like to read. I decided to just dive into it, without reading the synopsis again. The cover was super adorable and definitely had a chick lit feel to it. Sooooo after reading a few books that I didn’t really love, I was in the mood for something that was sure to be super fun and cute. And I’m happy to say Make it Count was exactly that! Kat Caruso had the looks so many other girls are jealous of. She was gorgeous. But what she struggled with was school. She had to try so much harder than everyone else, and always seemed to need the assistance of a tutor. Kat knew she wasn’t “stupid”, but sometimes she wondered why she had to struggle so much. She played it off, using her good looks to get her places in life, especially with the boys. But now that she was in college, it was getting harder to advance using only her looks. Her parents wanted her to leave college and come work for the family business, but Kat had bigger hopes for her life. Hopes that DID NOT involve her family’s business. His green iris studied her, making her feel naked. Not clothes naked but brain naked. Like he pried off the top of her head to look inside. She didn’t want anyone to peek inside the top of her head. Her brain was probably all weird colored and deformed. It looked better covered by her skull, scalp and in-need-of-a-dye-job hair. This story was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the secondary characters. Kat’s boyfriend, Max, is definitely a guy most people will hate. He was cute enough, but would make comments about Kat being “stupid” or “ditzy”. He would freak out if she made a mistake or was a little clumsy. He was a bit over-the-top with the way he treated Kat, yet for some reason she chose to stay with him. It did anger me a bit, but I could definitely relate to Kat staying in a bad relationship, probably not realizing it was really as bad as it was. Max’s best friend, Alec, was definitely a great character and one I instantly fell for. He was so cute… in the dorkiest way. He was caring and protective. He was strong and secure. He had such an amazing friendship with Max. I loved how they were childhood friends that had each others’ backs while growing up. It’s hard to find good friends like that in the world. View Spoiler » I really, really enjoyed this story. It was the perfect combination of real life drama and romantic fun. Make it Right is on my Kindle, and I am starting it immediately. Though I wasn’t a really big fan of Max’s in this story, I definitely have an open mind to getting to know him a little bit better in Make it Right.  :)

This book was recommended by a friend who knew I was on a contemporary read kick. I needed something to follow up a book hangover so I went ahead and loaded this one up. I'm glad I did. Blurb from Goodreads; Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend’s gorgeous best friend, Alec…who just so happens to be her brand new math tutor. Who knew nerd was so hot? Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends—both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It’s safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm’s reach. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close. Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She’s adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off limits. He’d never stab his best friend in the back… But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To make it count, Alec must learn messy human emotions can’t be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust Alec may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it. I love a good sexy geek and Erickson hit the nail on the head with Alec. Glasses: check. Nerdy tutor: check. Sexy body: check. What's not to like. He can tutor me any time! He's quirky and funny. He's sexy and warm. I wanted him all to my self. he doesn't want to enjoy spending time with his roommates girl, but he does. He also sees how his roommate treats her and he doesn't like it. He knows they are not meant for each other, but he doesn't want to get in the way. I love that he's torn between wanting to protect Kat and wanting to stay away. Then there's Kat. She's dating Alec's roommate, but the relationship doesn't seem to be going anywhere. And of course now that Alec is tutoring her, she's realizing there is more to him than what meets the eye. But Kat has other school issues, that Alex can't fix, and that she is unaware of. It makes her a bit moody and unpredictable. I did find her annoying at times. I can't put my finger on exactly why that was, but there was something about her that I just couldn't quite click with. I also enjoyed the side characters. And I ove that Megan will give us some of their stories in the future. Their story, though predictable, was totally enjoyable. I loved watching them get to know each other. I loved watching them fall for each other even though they thought it was wrong. But when love is there and right, it's impossible to stop it.  I think what I loved most about this story was that the characters were very relatable and had real situations that didn't seem far fetched and out there. I could see this story really happening. And I love how it's based on trust and letting yourself open to others who can help you in the long run. Fans of Cora Carmack will enjoy Megan's story and characters. I'm looking forward to the other books in this series!

I'm a huge fan of the New Adult genre and this book in particular called to me to read it.  And while I really wanted to read this one, I kept putting it off.  The other night, I just wanted to read something I wanted to read.  I had other books that needed to be read but I wasn't feeling it.  So I flipped through my eBooks just looking.  I read the blurb again for this and I opened it to just maybe read a couple of chapter before bed.  Yeah, at 4:44AM, I closed the app and finished.  There was no putting this one down.   Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I so loved that this book (and it looks like this series) deals with characters who have personal struggles.  Kat is suffering from a learning disability but she doesn't know.  I whimpered to think of her going through elementary, middle and high school just thinking she wasn't as good as everyone else.  She worked so much harder and didn't get near as far as those around her.  Getting by with her good looks yet always feeling like she was being judged, she was emotionally fragile.  But what wit, humor and imagination lay behind the image everyone else sees.  Alec sees her, though.     I love Alec.  He struggled through some personal tragedies growing up but he's got good grades and he's working to make the world a better place because of it.  As Kat's tutor, he's so patient with her.  He recognizes that she has a different learning style and he tries to adapt to that.  And he really doesn't like the way her boyfriend (his best friend) treats her.  But there's more.  He sees her for her.  They are able to share parts of themselves they hide from others when they are together.  I loved their relationship.   Those of you that worry about cheating books, don't worry.  The theme is there but before things happen between Kat and Alec, their status changes.   I loved that this love story had more to it than hot chemistry and a great relationship.  It's not enough that you care for the other person but you need to respect them too.  They need to feel that respect.     The perfect length, I was very satisfied with this read.  I'm definitely in for this series.  I really want to see what's up for Max next.   If you love the NA genre but hope for a little something more than the average NA book, then this one is a great choice. 

This was a great read! I couldn't put it down! The author had a fabulous handle on the plot line and development of her characters. None of them seemed out of place or insincere. Not a false note anywhere in this story. It is rare to have an author of YA fiction not pander to the 'plot line of the week' and to realize that there is still an audience for a thoughtful, well developed story with people that are real. With that said, I am truly looking forward to the second book of this series. I can't wait to see how this series progresses!

So, so happy this exists. For one thing, YAY MORE LIGHT CONTEMP NA. For another, a book about a girl with a learning disability? HI, YES, THAT IS GOOD. Also good? The characters, the sex, the writing...yeah, safe to say I enjoyed this one.

I just adore new adult books...especially when they're done right. Make It Count actually sort-of hit home for me in some instances and it made me connect to it that much more. I absolutely loved this book and it's adorable roller coaster ride of emotions. With Kat, I instantly liked her quirky confidence. Plus, it was nice to see a character actually struggle for once. In real life people have learning disabilities, and it's nice to see it recognized in such a way that keeps the reader entranced. With her relationships with Max and Alec...I related a lot. I kept saying "man, I know how that feels" and it made me connect with her so much. Definitely liked Kat as our main character. Then there's Alec Stone, and as Kat's brother would say, "solid name". The first detail we get about Alec is that he has pale green eyes...and I was instantly sold. On top of that, he's intelligent, runs, he wears glasses, he wants to be a lawyer for all the right reasons, and he's just one hell of a good guy. It's hard not to like Alec and his adorable smarts and protectiveness. Just adored him. Overall, this book was everything I love in a new adult contemporary. Sexy moments, heartbreak, awesome side stories, and a ride that makes you not want to put the book down. Make It Count is one you should definitely pick up!

I've been excited to read Make it Count since I first saw the cover and read the synopsis. It sounded witty and like it would be right up my alley. And guess what? It totally was.  I love a book with a smart boy, especially when they’re also funny and sexy. These things are not mutually exclusive! Thank you to Megan Erickson for wrapping all these characteristics into one magically delicious package named Alec. Seriously, Alec. This guy was adorable. He wasn't perfect – if he was, this book wouldn't be happening because he wouldn't be crushing on his best friend's girl – but he was so very close. Kat was a likable girl. She's the type of girl I'd be friends with in real life. She, too, had flaws and it took her some time to accept them, but with the help of Alec, she was able to really come into her own during this book. She was in a relationship with an obviously wrong guy – even if we didn't know just HOW wrong at first – and I was never on their side. Kat and Alec, however? Purely brilliant. They were opposites in a lot of ways, but they worked so well together. They had TONS of chemistry and it led to several hot moments – and more than a few swoons. The pacing of this book was fantastic. It grabbed me from the beginning and the plot flowed right up until I found myself at the last page. There were plenty of feels, but they were never too angsty or unbelievable. No tears for me in this book, but lots of goofy smiles as I read Kat and Alec's banter.  Megan Erickson brings a fresh voice to new adult with Make it Count. It was funny, sexy and sweet. She's definitely landed on my auto-buy author list and I can't wait to read Max's story in the second book in this series, Make it Right.  I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

New Adult is a genre that is reasonably new to the scene, and combines some coming-of-age elements with increased sexuality and hopefully more mature characters than in YA.  While I’ve never been a big fan of the majority of storylines in this genre, I’m finding some delicious reads to devour, and Make it Count is certainly one of those.  Erickson brings characters and situations that are entirely plausible and adds an emotional element that draws readers in to the world she has created.  Kat is delightfully refreshing with her interior voice being laden with confusion and self-doubt as she struggles to maintain appearances and grades.  When her new Statistics tutor turns out to be her jock boyfriend’s nerdy roommate, she is concerned that her secret struggle will become public.   Alec is the new tutor, and his best friend and roommate Max is Kat’s boyfriend.  Alec knows that the crush he has on Kat, and his curiosity about her odd study habits, the façade she uses around Max, and her reactions to HIM have him both guilty and confused.  His last and only relationship ended when his then girlfriend cheated on him, he’s still depressed and angry. Erickson takes the time to hint to readers about Kat’s learning issues long before anyone puts a name to it: and the determination and self-discoveries that Kat comes to as she struggles and finds ways to cope with her learning disability are testaments to her ability to withstand many difficulties. With a heart that is open and caring, she shares her empathy and sympathy without hesitation, it is only her innermost thoughts that she guards. These two have a ton of self-actualization to go through, and we are fortunate to find it in the capable plotting and descriptive writing: slowly but surely the truth of their meant-to-be connection is apparent to them, despite their quibbles.  Carrying a positive and heartfelt tone, even the moments of pain are well defined and easy to envision and feel.  Secondary characters are wonderfully integrated, from small snapshots to major players in major scenes, they all bring a sense of individuality and personality that plays well with or against our hero and heroine.  If you are wanting a story that has some depth, but never loses the fun and romantic elements that will keep you turning the pages, look no further.  I received an eArc copy of the title via Corvisiero Literary Agency for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility. 

Flirty, Fun, Mildly Angsty with a flawed but lovable heroine and a sexy nerdy hero! Something about this book reminds me of the best movie EVER, Pitch Perfect. Maybe it's the tagline "Welcome To Bowler University" I have seen floating around social media, getting the hype up about Make It Count but the further I read the more of a Pitch Perfect feel it had. Well, minus the singing. This book made me wish I had gone to a real college and made friendships and experienced growing up and discovering who I really am but then again I'm lazy as heck so... There were so many elements at play in this story that made it a unique experience for me. The opposites attract bit, the nerdy guy, the ditzy girl and not to mention the roommates best friend dilemma. Kat Caruso appears to be a mildly popular girl who's had her share of male attention and comes across as a little bit of a ditz but under that delicate layer there is something else lurking beneath the surface. Kat has a problem focusing which in turn prevents her from learning and understanding things the way everyone else does. She's in the big leagues now and the days of heavy flirting with a high school boy to do her work are over so she needs a tutor. Some female heroines are hard for me to connect with but Kat was determined, headstrong and endearing. All character traits I enjoy and tend to bond with. After blowing through several who can't put up with her inability to pay attention she has one more chance with one last tutor. This aspect of Kat's life really hit home for me because when I was in school I used to get in trouble for "Spacing Out". I didn't have the same issues Kat had but my mother always got pulled aside by my teachers about my attention span. Alec Stone is Kat's last hope to pass her statistic class but this hot nerd gives her more reason to day dream. Alec Stone doesn't sound like the name of a hot nerd with glasses and a Pompadour hair style. It sounds like a guy who wears leather and chains and smokes Camel cigarettes and rides a Harley. *shivers* Even though he doesn't smoke or ride a bad a** bike and actually drives a beat up junker, Alec Stone is still sexy as heeeellllll. Looks fade after a while but being smart never gets old and Alec is one smart dude. Strong silent types are my favorite book guys to read about because they have an intensity about them and when it finally gets out it's a beautiful thing to behold. Alec was the kind of guy you can't let get away because he's one of the good ones. After his high school girlfriend cheated on him he hasn't been in the market for anyone since and it would figure that he would start to fall for his best friends girl. Instead of blatantly making a move though Alec does the noble thing and stays away..... for a while anyway. I love getting into this kid's head because his back story was heartbreaking yet interesting. He lost his father at a young age and his mother raised him alone and the fact that he grew into such a great guy with a good head on his shoulders is a bit of a miracle. So Alec tutors Kat, and There is an attraction there but Kat is dating Max, Alec's best friend so there's no way they can start something. Being a reader who doesn't really like triangles or cheating situations there are some instances where two characters just click for me and I can't help but root for them to be together however they can be. Granted there wasn't any cheating or much of a triangle going on because Kat isn't really interested in Max. He's more of a filler so it was cool. She's always picked guys who wouldn't try to dig deeper into her personality for fear that her flaws would show. While being tutored by Alec he notices she shows signs of dyslexia and ADD and tries to get her some help but bless his heart it sort of blows up in his face and has the adverse effect with Kat. She's always felt stupid because of her learning issues and Alec's meddling doesn't really make her feel brilliant so I understood her pulling back because of that. Alec's willingness to prove to Kat she was smart and the patience it took to help her find new ways to understand what she was learning was just another reason for me to love this guy. With the help of his Lesbian sidekick Danica, Alec is able to pull a rabbit out of his ass and work to gain Kat's trust back after his botched attempt at helping her. Danica. The hot lesbian. The hot lesbian who wears wigs, crazy costumes and heavy makeup turned out to be one of my favorite characters. The super stylish character that reminds me of Effie Trinket in demeanor and apparel, She was snarky, sarcastic (which is probably the same thing, but, eat me Ok!) funny and sexy. I love when secondary characters grab my attention just as much as the MC's and make me love them too. I can tell there is way more to Danica's story and I can't wait to swim in her depths. (Ew. That sounded gross.) It struck me as funny that Danica gave Alec more manly advice than his actual male friends did. She's such a down to earth girl and seeing her and Kat become friends made me happy. Max was one of those characters I knew had something hidden that I could feel the entire time I was reading. His general nonchalance about Kat not being intimate with him made me question him and at first I had thought he was possibly more on the rainbow side of the spectrum but the moment he started pitching a fit about Kat and Alec spending time together, the light clicked on. I had him pegged long before the secret surrounding his behavior was revealed. Another character I enjoyed in what little capacity he was seen, is Cam Ruiz. The payer for the group Cam doesn't seem to have much going on below the surface of hot hookups and goodbyes. BUT! He too has more depth that I got a glimpse of in that, his main squeeze did him wrong but it was made worse by the fact that he was serving in the military when it happened. I love military hero's and I better get a book about this sexy Latino heartthrob!! He may be a man whore but I would NOT kick him out of bed if he brought me tacos. Make It Count is Erickson's debut into the book world and what a way to come out of the gate, guns blazing with ammo straps on her shoulders to blow your dang head off! A sexy group of college mini-adults growing and learning, falling in love, dealing with adult consequences and discovering the big world out there. When I reflect on how I felt while reading this book the one word that comes to mind is FUN. This was just a fun and sexy book that had me so deeply hooked into the story not to mention the writing was brilliantly in depth and made me feel like I became each character. The flow of the story was effortless that I haven't seen some established authors do so well. Make It Count is definitely a story I could read again and again...and... actually, want to right now just talking about it. I love that this book left me with a happy bubbly feeling that is still hanging on a week after reading it. If you are looking for a group of diverse characters with issues you can relate to and understand with mild drama that won't have you pulling your FREAKING hair out, then Make It Count won't disappoint you at all.

A fun, sweet, and utterly endearing read, Make it Count was a fantastic New Adult romance. I absolutely loved this entertaining book. It was light, romantic, and wonderful from start to finish. Loved it! Kat was a lovely heroine. I really liked her character development. She grew so much over the course of the book, learning more about herself and finding a way to fully accept it. She comes off as a cliche character, but quickly becomes much more. I really liked her. She was a wonderful character. Alec was also amazing. He was so sweet and a genuinely nice person at heart. He was loyal to the people he cared about and determined to win the woman he loved. He was just perfect and I totally adored him. The romance was both sweet and super steamy. Kat and Alec were perfect together. It was always clear that they truly cared for each other, despite any obstacles. And, the chemistry between them was sizzling from the moment they met. Damn, but they had some serious sparks. And, because they were all pent up, it was seriously HOT when they finally got together. I appreciated that the whole betrayal wasn't a melodramatic, overly-angsty plot device. It was important, but it wasn't the whole of the book, and that made the story much more enjoyable. I thought they romance was wonderful. The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were a few surprises along the way. The story was light and fun, but still with some serious moments that made it deeper, and I enjoyed every bit of it. And, the ending was so sweet. I loved this first book in the Bowler University series and I can't wait to read the next one! We'll be getting Max's story and it will be great seeing how he redeems himself. Make it Count was a wonderful New Adult romance. This book was fun, light, sweet, thoroughly entertaining, and I enjoyed every bit of it. Romance lovers, this is a book you'll definitely want to read. *I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review