Annie Crown

Night Shift

Makeda Stephenson

"We have to learn each other's language," Vincent blurts. I frown. "It's like you said about poetry," he presses on. “We have to learn to speak each other's language. Get to know each other, so we can pick up all the subtext and shit."

Stella 💫

thing is, I don’t read romance novels for the realism. I read them because they make me feel seen and heard as a woman. They let me explore my desires—both the ones I’m proud of and the ones I clear from my search history—and they’ve taught me who I am and what I want. I’m always going to be a reader. And I’m always going to be a romantic.

Vincent growls but supplies the next line: “Except for love’s sake only. Please don’t quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning right now. You know what that does to me.”

But he keeps his hands to himself. He’s a perfect gentleman. It makes me fucking feral.

Hands down one of the cringiest lines i have read 

Maybe he’s not quite tired of playing with my phenomenal tits;

But I don’t want to move slow—not when I’ve spent my whole life moving slow. I know everyone runs the marathon that is life at their own pace, and there’s nothing wrong with the fact that I’ve needed a longer warm-up than a lot of people my age . . . or that I’m about to take off sprinting when there are women a decade older than me who are still stretching. It’s not a race. It’s just a circular track we all get to share. I won’t regret listening to my gut and waiting to feel ready. I’m ready now.

could whip out the Shel Silverstein for you, if you’re still interested.” “Did you really memorize one of his poems?” “No.” “Oh.” “I memorized three.”

The worst thing about romance novels is that they always end.

I’m done being afraid of asking dumb questions or making a fool of myself. I refuse to let my fear of embarrassment cause me to miss out on something I really want to do, like getting white girl wasted with Nina and Harper, or writing my own romance novel, or giving the boy I’m completely obsessed with a blow job. This is me letting go of my nerves. This is me learning to put my pride aside, for both our sakes, and reminding myself that this is Vincent. He’s frustratingly good at calling me out on my shit and pressing my buttons, but he’s not going to purposefully make me feel ashamed for doing anything weird or wrong.

“You’re scary smart,” he says, “and you’re so fucking pretty it hurts to look at you sometimes. I’m just—I’m fucked. I want to text you every time I see something funny, and I want to get coffee with you between classes so we can complain to each other. And I want you to know all my friends, and I want to know yours, and I don’t know what I’m doing, and I feel like you want—like you deserve more than, I don’t know, getting coffee on campus and hanging out at house parties and driving around in my car. That’s so boring compared to the shit you read.”

The narrator’s lover brings her flowers, and she cherishes them—really, she does—but the gifts she prefers to give and receive are far less ephemeral.

Printed beneath this is a phone number. His phone number. My eyes trace over the note three more times before it hits me. Three lines. Five, seven, five syllables. He wrote me a haiku.

I’m begging. Feminism is dead. I killed her, and I don’t care.

“Then for the sake of being direct,” he says, “I can’t stop thinking about you, Kendall. And I’ve read every goddamned poem Elizabeth Barrett Browning ever wrote. In three weeks. For fun.”

Because that’s what nonfictional men do: disappoint you.

The girl who looks back at me in the mirror over the row of sinks is a stranger—eyes wide, lips pink and puffy. A strangled laugh bubbles up in my throat. I have to be dreaming. I did not just make out with Vincent Knight. In the library. During my shift. After some (apparently very erotic) live reading of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

I wish I felt more put-together, more prepared to be held and touched. But Vincent doesn’t seem to mind that I’m not perfect, and maybe that’s all that matters.

Just another cheesy American romance book that’s I was embarrassed to read in public, but finished it in two days 😆

Jazz j

i picked up this book knowing it was short, college romance and had smut but i thought it would be a cute, quick read, with some spicy scenes (which i’m not usually a huge fan of, but i was open-minded about it) however, i ended up super disappointed.

› the main couple: i actually liked the protagonists. they were likable enough, and their chemistry at the beginning was fine. it felt like it could develop into a sweet romance.

› the first half of the book: until around the 60% mark, it was okay. a simple, cute romance with a bit of back and forth, some miscommunication, but nothing too dramatic. it felt like a decent, lighthearted read.

› the rushed pacing: everything happens way too fast. by the second chapter, things escalate super quickly, which took away from the build-up i was hoping for.

› lack of plot and character development: beyond the romance, there’s no real story. we learn almost nothing about the protagonists’ backgrounds, their friends, or their personal growth. it’s all surface-level and feels very flat.

› too much explicit content: from around 60–70% of the book, it becomes just scene after scene of overly explicit smut. honestly, it dragged the story down for me. the last several chapters felt like they had no purpose beyond this, and it got boring fast.

› predictability and simplicity: the plot is almost non-existent, super linear, and lacks depth. i was expecting more progression, more tension, maybe even just more emotional development, but it didn’t deliver.

IN SUMMARY — i went into this book hoping for a short but sweet college romance with some spice on the side, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a very underwhelming read. the story felt rushed, the characters weren’t fleshed out, and the last part of the book was repetitive and boring. it didn’t live up to my expectations at all.

m. ☆

i picked up this book knowing it was short, college romance and had smut but i thought it would be a cute, quick read, with some spicy scenes (which i’m not usually a huge fan of, but i was open-minded about it) however, i ended up super disappointed.

─── what i liked

› the main couple: i actually liked the protagonists. they were likable enough, and their chemistry at the beginning was fine. it felt like it could develop into a sweet romance.

› the first half of the book: until around the 60% mark, it was okay. a simple, cute romance with a bit of back and forth, some miscommunication, but nothing too dramatic. it felt like a decent, lighthearted read.

─── what didn’t convince me

› the rushed pacing: everything happens way too fast. by the second chapter, things escalate super quickly, which took away from the build-up i was hoping for.

› lack of plot and character development: beyond the romance, there’s no real story. we learn almost nothing about the protagonists’ backgrounds, their friends, or their personal growth. it’s all surface-level and feels very flat.

› too much explicit content: from around 60–70% of the book, it becomes just scene after scene of overly explicit smut. honestly, it dragged the story down for me. the last several chapters felt like they had no purpose beyond this, and it got boring fast.

› predictability and simplicity: the plot is almost non-existent, super linear, and lacks depth. i was expecting more progression, more tension, maybe even just more emotional development, but it didn’t deliver.

IN SUMMARY — i went into this book hoping for a short but sweet college romance with some spice on the side, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a very underwhelming read. the story felt rushed, the characters weren’t fleshed out, and the last part of the book was repetitive and boring. it didn’t live up to my expectations at all.

a disappointing 2/5★

Absolutely love it! I read it on Wattpad and finally bought its paperback. Quirky first time aspects, realistic first time experiences, self awareness and self accountability. Overall a nice, touching, and quick read.

Easy lovable read. A feel good romance that you can’t put down 

Molly Davies

Easy lovable read. A feel good romance that you can’t put down 



I liked that he was into her from the beginning and that there was just a bit miscommunication 

Marie

I really enjoyed this up until 65% of the book? it was a sweet meet cute, felt reminiscent of college in a way, and I loved the giddy feelings it brought me but then the rest of the book was essentially focused on sex and there was just no plot left. we never really got to know the characters that well, there was lack of development overall, and I ended up skimming the entire ending of the book. I was not expecting this to disappoint me the way it did!

Tara Bounkeovisane

Joana Brito

Quick easy read, the miscommunication trope was strong in this one! 

Brittany Peterson

3.5 stars from me!! 

Quick easy read, the miscommunication trope was strong in this one! 

Bria

** spoiler alert **
           so much miscommunication between two characters we know nothing about! also saying tits in a sexual moment is so ugly to me

Greer Andersson

4⭐️
I am so excited to have read this as an actual published book!! I remember reading this when it was being released on wattpad and waiting desperately for the next chapter.

This was one of the first romance books I read that I absolutely just adored. It is so special to me for that reason.

That being said, upon reading this a probably 4th time, you kinda just realise that there isn’t actually much plot, and that’s completely ok if that’s what you want, but I just like a little more from my books.

Still a fantastic book and would definitely recommend!

sani

— 4.5★

I SQUEALED. this was the soft, cute, cheesy romcom that i desperately needed <3 

“i kissed you because i wanted to kiss you,” he says. “i memorized poems for you because i wanted to be able to talk to you about the shit you like.” he lowers his voice. “and i ate you out because it was my birthday, and all i wanted was to make you come. that was for me, kendall. all of that was for me. i didn’t do it just to be nice. i did it because i. like. you.”

kendall, as a character, was so so so so much relatable. to the point where it should be scary because i will never get a vincent in my life.

Cute cheesy predictable. Exactly what you expect when reading a wattpad book. Super cute i really enjoyed it, but i probably wouldnt read it again. Therefore low rating. 

the miscommunication trope fourth wall break was really somethin

Ralie Sutton

i would really like the opportunity to throw her in front of a train 

Keila Rico 

Shelby Caswell

Adorable, clever, spicy and hilarious, just a little
inexperienced. 

I thought this was such a fun quick read. I blew right through it finishing it in less than two days.

It was fast paced, the spice was incredible but the storyline being based on two college kids basically learning the ropes on relationships, communication and sex together was a little childish for me personally.

The book is in no way YA, the mature content is definitely there. Just in comparison to other college level books I have enjoyed, this felt “kiddish.” The characters themselves were extremely inexperienced and I easily picked up on their insecurities throughout the entire book. It was endearing to watch them learn and grow throughout the course of the story. 

I really enjoyed the friendships with their roommates and teammates. I appreciate racial representation and think it was written incredibly well into the minor characters in the story.

Blurb:
Kendall is a night shift worker at the campus library, with her nose always stuck in a romance novel and Vincent is the popular captain of the basketball team. They couldn’t be more different, Kendall chooses to work Friday nights to avoid campus parties, while Vincent is the life of the party with his teammates always seemingly nearby. Their paths cross when Vincent visits the library looking for poetry recommendations to help in a class he hates. 


⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

A very sweet - albeit predictable- love story. I loved this book; an easy, well-paced read and guaranteed happy ending. The ✨spice✨ was excellent, and bonus points for how realistic yet hot it was. 

Alyssa deRaad

kinda felt like instalove lite which isn’t really my vibe. i do like how it was kind of meta bc the main character is a romance reader and would comment on tropes, etc. that were playing out in her life. i did also read this in one sitting and finished at 1:30AM

kels

Cassidy

Alright, I’ll admit that Wattpad isn’t usually where I go for high literature; usually, I’m just looking for an easy read. This was true when I picked out Night Shift and was once again reminded of why I keep Wattpad around. What a wonderful story that delves into romance novel tropes with a wonderfully sweet relationship (and some classic miscommunication, to Vincent and Kendall’s chagrin). I LOVED how Annie Crown explores romance as a genre, acknowledging its many pitfalls and also what makes it so popular among so many of us as a genuine art form. This college romance was definitely imperfect, but it made me genuinely laugh at loud so many times and reminded me of the romance that can be found in reality, not just books. Also, while I often have a problem with how dirty talk is written in books (it feels cheap, as Kendall would say), Annie Crown manages it very skillfully and enjoyably. Anyone who can poke fun at erotic literature and then turn around and purposefully use some of the most cliched lines so successfully deserves some commendation. Would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a humorous, light read (for free!); Night Shift is a perfect novel to escape with.

Night Shift

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