I’m very grateful for the opportunity to review this book. The story started off really strong. I loved Olivia and absolutely hated Will, which I believe was the author’s intention. However, I feel like I’m not the ideal audience for this book, as the "dating my ex’s brother" trope isn’t really my favorite. That said, the writing was great, and I especially enjoyed the multiple points of view!

If you enjoyed Magnolia Parks then Astor Hill will definitely intrigue you. I enjoyed the book but I didn't necessarily enjoy Olivia (the fmc). She rubbed me wrong pretty quickly but I did warm up to her throughout the book, but I still don't understand why everyone was obsessed with her. I did enjoy reading Ben's chapters though and I enjoyed him as a character but his possessive side started to annoy me.

I wish there was more about Lily's and Olivia's relationship, I didn't feel that loss as much as I think I should have. I was more upset about Will and Ben's relationship with their family than Lily.

This book has toxic relationships and deals with loss. It is the ex-boyfriend's older brother trope. I don't necessarily enjoy when there is insta love between one of the characters so that took me a while to move past. I was relieved that Will and Olivia were able to move and I am interested in reading more about the side characters, I think the next book in the series was set up nicely.

Overall I did enjoy this book and I am giving it 3.5 stars. If I liked Olivia a bit more as a person than I would have rated it higher. Thank you Netgalley and PS Publishing for providing an ARC for an honest review.

This book was great! The romance was done perfectly and I really appreciated the depth this book had and the grief represented in this book!

4.25⭐️

Astor Hills is promoted for fans of Magnolia Parks and Gossip Girl! And even though I haven’t read Magnolia Parks (yet) it does truly give similar vibes as Gossip Girl, which I really enjoyed!!🩷🎀

✨ i had good time while reading this book
✨ it was really fast-paced
✨ i really liked Ben and how he treated Olivia

🍁 boyfriend’s brother
🍁 grief of a best friend
🍁 he falls first
🍁 secrets and lots of college drama
🍁 toxic relationship
🍁 sports romance

❄️Thank you NetGalley and PS Published for the advanced reader copy. This review is entirely my own opinion.❄️

I was really struggling about what to rate this book - I was going between 4🌟 and 5🌟 but eventually decided on 4🌟; I'll explain why I chose this.

I personally loved this plot, it was so incredibly well written and I had a great time reading it. My main issue was that it felt like it was dragging on at certain points, but then there were other times where it felt too fast.

I loved the main characters, especially our main girl Olivia. I loved how she developed throughout the story and realised she deserved so much better than her ex-boyfriend. I also enjoyed Ben's character, our male main character - he seemed really caring and I loved how he developed his hind with the other characters in this book.

This book speaks about grief and learning to overcome the loss of a best friend, I wish it went into more detail about what happened to the best friend but I did like learning about her.

I'm really excited to read more of the author's works in the future & I'm looking forward to the next book already!! Grant is one of my favourite characters and I want to learn more about the female main character that'll be in the next book (can't say considering it'll be a spoiler.)

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book - I will be reading this author's work in the future and I am so grateful I had to opportunity to read this as an ARC. Thank you again to the author and publisher, also Netgalley for providing it.

Such a cute read, but can be a headache. I’m not a big fan of second act break ups, let alone a third. I felt like this book was really trying to fit in a lot when it didn’t need to. I wished it stuck to one main trope instead of a bunch of tiny ones.

This was intriguing! I'll admit it took me a minute to get into it, but it was pretty good once I got into it! The chemistry between the characters was decent, even if it was a little insta-lovey. While I know the cheating trope can be iffy for a lot of people, I think it actually worked well here. I would say go into this looking for the general vibe and setting of Gossip Girl, but not expecting the same level of scandal and drama.

For some reason, this was a little confusing in the beginning, like you were just kind of expected to know things that hadn't been explained to you yet. It all was explained by the end, and if I were to re-read this, it would probably make a lot more sense, but there were more than a couple times that I was a bit confused.

I also felt like the character development was a bit lopsided. Olivia is a very complicated character, and that was executed fairly seamlessly, but Ben could've used a little more development. Until the last few chapters, I felt like I had a far better grasp on his brother and his parents as characters (which, to be fair, Olivia is dating the brother first, so maybe that was kind of the point). However, it's clear that Ben's mental health plays a huge part in his part of the story, yet it doesn't really get talked about extensively until the end. Going back to Olivia, I appreciated how her struggle with grief was depicted! I think grief can be a hard topic considering how different it is for everyone, but as a fellow emotion suppresser myself, I felt very seen by Olivia. There were many times I wanted to shake her and tell her to stop defending people that treated her horribly, but I realized my friends have had to do the same thing to me, so unfortunately I get her.

Congratulations to Sydney Madison on their debut novel, I can't wait to see where this book goes when it's released and where the Astor Hill series takes us next! (this is me begging for Grant's book...... please I am obsessed with him!!!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Sydney Madison for this ARC!! (Review will be posted on Instagram closer to the release date!)

A novel that promises much but delivers only partially. Olivia and Ben's story moves through an interesting terrain between collegiate drama and psychological exploration, without fully reaching its potential.
The strengths lie in the representation of trauma and complex relational dynamics. Ben, in particular, emerges as a multifaceted character, with a mental health representation that feels authentic and touching. His personal story provides some of the book's most profound moments.
Unfortunately, Olivia feels less convincing. Her growth path appears fragmented, and some of her choices seem more driven by plot necessity than true personal evolution. The dynamics with Will and then with Ben suffer from a certain superficiality that weakens the emotional impact.
The writing has interesting sparks, with some lines that truly touch the depths, but it suffers from irregularity. The narrative rhythm oscillates between moments of intense participation and flatter ones, making the reading occasionally discontinuous.
The settings and "university elite" dynamics recall Gossip Girl, but with a more serious attention to emotional themes. An experiment that only partially succeeds.

Thank you NetGalley and PS Published for giving me this arc to review.

A brand new rich kid series to rival Magnolia Parks!

Olivia is starting freshman year with her best friend Lily, ready to take Astor Hill in her stride and get everything she wants. But when one night of tragedy strikes, the trajectory of Olivia's college experience changes forever. Two years later, Olivia is queen bee at Astor Hill and is in a long term relationship with Will Chapman, the captain of the basketball team. Yet sparks fly when mysterious Ben Cabot returns after a two year hiatus, and Olivia can't help but be affected by his presence. The only problem being... Ben is Will's brother.

Right from the start I was hooked with Astor Hill, and if I weren't so busy I'd have finished it in one sitting. I really connected to Olivia and Ben's story, as well as other characters such as Grant. The plot was entertaining and gripping, and dealt with grief exceptionally well in my opinion. I also tabbed many quotes as the writing was often filled with wisdom. I cannot wait to continue the series.

I’ve given this 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5, because I could barely put it down after I picked it up! It is a college romance sort of along the vibe of gossip girl, with the lives of some of the ultra wealthy. There is a lovely triangle with two brothers, a trope which I hadn’t read much of previously but found to be brilliant!

The book was a quick, easy read although it did cover some complex themes such as elements of domestic abuse (verbal), control, anxiety and grief. Considering how heavy some of these topics are I think the authors did a really good job of covering these.

There were some spelling mistakes and grammar points along the way throughout the book which probably need to be picked up, but overall the writing style was good.

It was told from two characters interchanging perspectives, which is a favourite of mine as I love that you get to see into more than one characters mind. I think it makes you form a stronger bond with both of them.


The start of the book is all I would say was a little slow/confusing. I found it took me a while to get into the book and pick up on who all the characters were. Once I had, probably about 15% of the way into the book, I loved it but getting to that point did just take a minute.

Overall, a really good read I would recommend! Thank you for the opportunity!

4.3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I adored this book! It was a little slow for me to get into, I’d say the first 1/4 of the book. But once it picked up it was so good! The mystery of Lily and what happened Olivia’s freshman year was the background of the plot but came into the light in an interesting way. I had an idea of what the mystery was but I still found myself itching to read it. Olivia is a captivating and complex character, I want more of her in Ben in the future!

Astor Hill by Sydney Madison is a poignant exploration of grief, trauma, and self-discovery set against the backdrop of a freshman college experience. Olivia, the main character, grapples with the devastating loss of a close friend while navigating the challenges of young adulthood. The weight of her grief is compounded when she enters a toxic relationship with Will, a troubled character she meets on the very night of her friend's death.

The story dives into Olivia's emotional journey, highlighting the complexities of coping with loss while being entangled in an unhealthy relationship. Will’s mistreatment of Olivia is heartbreaking and frustrating, evoking sympathy for her as she struggles to find her footing. However, hope enters the narrative through Ben, Will's brother and the charismatic basketball captain. Ben and Olivia share an undeniable connection, and their budding relationship becomes a beacon of light in Olivia's tumultuous life.

Sydney Madison skillfully portrays the intense emotions of grief and the process of healing, particularly as experienced by young adults. Olivia’s transformation—from being trapped in a toxic relationship to discovering her worth and embracing love—resonates deeply. The contrast between Will and Ben underscores themes of self-respect, resilience, and the importance of healthy relationships.

The novel's navigation of grief stands out, offering a raw and authentic portrayal of a young woman finding her way after profound loss. The romance between Ben and Olivia is both heartwarming and redemptive, providing a satisfying arc to Olivia's story. Fans of emotionally driven narratives and character growth will find much to appreciate in Astor Hill.

If there is one thing that is going to suck me in its rich people problems.

The first half of this book I wasn’t too sure about. All of the characters (maybe except Grant) were so unlikeable. Olivia is made out to be a head strong character but she lets her boyfriend that she seemingly spends no time with walk all over her.

As the story progressed and you got more backstory on her toxic relationship with her best friend you can see why she deep down has some insecurity issues that might make her make bad relationship choices. While I wouldn’t say any of the characters became more likable you can see them trying.

The second half of the book was much more enjoyable for me. The story got kind of twisty and uncovers a lot of the mystery between how these characters are all connected. This part definitely gave me gossip girl vibes and had me in the edge of my seat a few parts.

I think if I liked the characters a little more I would have cared more about the romance and given this a higher rating. I was really here for the drama and twists.

💚 basketball player x journalist 💚
💚 (ex) boyfriend’s older brother 💚
💚 deals with grief 💚
💚 lots of drama 💚
💚 medium-paced 💚
💚 one tree hill vibes 💚
💚 college romance 💚

first of all, a big thank you to the authors and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book! I really did enjoy it. It had the drama of one tree hill for sure, and I am a one tree hill fan, but I will say, that this book was heavier than I thought it was going to be going in. It deals with grief a lot, and for obvious reasons, that’s a hard thing to tackle.
Ben is a great MMC and I adored him. I wouldn’t say he could do NO wrong, but he could definitely do very little. I thought he was a more lovable character than Olivia. Still liked her, but she just had these walls up for so long (for good reason but still) that it was hard to connect with her I feel like. And it just made me upset how long she stayed with Will.
I do recommend this book, especially if you like sports romances that go just a little deeper! I felt a lot while reading this book, that’s for sure 🏀💚

Thank you @sydneymadisonbooks for the ARC! This is my first ever ARC and I am so happy it was this book! Thank you for sending it to me!

Astor Hill is a prestigious liberal arts college that is home to elite east coast families. Olivia is a freshman at Astor Hill with her best friend Lily when tragedy strikes. What she thought would be a year of firsts turns into a year of grief.

Just two years later, Olivia not only finds herself dating Astor Hill’s “It boy,” Will Chapman, but she has secured the coveted position as editor for the school newspaper. She seemingly has it all - until Ben Cabot, former basketball player and brother of Will returns to campus after a mysterious absence.

Uncovering the reason behind Ben’s disappearance becomes Olivia’s new assignment at the newspaper, and challenges the foundation of her world. Ben’s reappearance unlocks memories of the past that Olivia would rather forget.

OH MY GOODNESS. I had SO much fun reading Astor Hill. This book is the perfect blend of Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill with a *dash* of Magnolia Parks thrown in.

I was rooting for Ben and Olivia - I only wish Olivia had broken up with Will sooner. His character arc grew through out the book. I was disappointed with the way he treated Olivia for most of the book and Gen for that matter, but by the end, I understood why he was the way he is. I thought Astor Hill did a great job of working through themes of grief and uncertainty, and how healing is never linear. Grief sneaks up on us when we least expect it. That honesty was refreshing.

I do wish we had seen more of Lily’s character. It doesn’t seem like her character was meant to be this overly sweet/kind person, but I did have a little bit of trouble connecting with her and Olivia’s grief over losing her. Yes, she was her childhood friend, but I didn’t find Lily to be particularly likable, both to Will and Olivia.

I absolutely loved Ben and Olivia’s relationship. The pining, the slow burn, the golden retriever that is Ben… *chef’s kiss.* I did struggle a little with the fact that he was Will’s brother - but I do think the authors did a good job of addressing the complexity their relationship had due to its proximity to Will.

Overall rating: 4/ 5 stars!

Read Astor Hill if you like:
Magnolia Parks/ Gossip Girl/ One Tree Hill
- Slow Burn
- Mutual Pining
- Grief/Healing
- Golden Retriever MMC
- Wanting What He Can’t Have
- Sunday Kind of Love

Astor Hill by will be available in print AND on Kindle Unlimited February 7th, 2025!

2.5 ⭐️

A cute romance that also tackles serious themes such as grief, adultery, forgiveness, and anxiety.

This review is hard to write because the book felt very divided into 2 distinct parts. The first 150 pages were difficult to read because none of the characters were likable. I’m sure that was intentional for the authors so we can see such character growth in the second half of the book. But reading about emotionally abusive significant others, hateful friendenemies, and pompous rich kids didn’t pique my interest. Additionally, Ben’s super fixation on Olivia seemed unfounded and almost creepy instead of a pining, unrequited love story. I probably would have put the book down if I wasn’t an ARC reviewer. If you can make it past the first half of the book, the characters grow into very interesting people with compelling stories. The first half of the book was a 1.5 out of 5 ⭐️ for me but the latter half was 4 out of 5 ⭐️.

However, there are good bones in this story! I thoroughly enjoyed the second half of the book and would have loved for the first half to match the second. The second half dealt with heartbreak, love, grief, and forgiveness in a very genuine way. It was cathartic and endearing to read. Watching Olivia, Ben, and Will grow up significantly in the span of a few months was so enjoyable and made the first half worth reading. Olivia and Ben seemed destined for each other (which “part 1” implied but didn’t execute) and I was really cheering them on. Their love/obsession transitioned into something that felt very genuine, and I believe readers could learn a thing or two about love while watching Ben and Olivia navigate complex situations and feelings.

In addition to the romance, the characters experience very real feelings of grief. Olivia’s mother is a scent. Ben and Will’s father is emotionally abusive. The hole Lily’s death left never healed and was never evaluated. Olivia, Ben, and Will do some serious soul searching that made their characters come to life.

There is a sequel in the works to “Astor Hill” and I do plan on reading it in the hope that the writing style and character development from the second half of this book carries over to the sequel.

i received this ARC from netgalley, and i loved it!! this was sort of an elevated version of gossip girl, but if serena had died and blair became the main character. this book wasn't just a romance, but also a dive into female friendship, grief, and toxic relationships.

i really enjoyed the complexity of olivia and lily's relationship - the way they were so close even when it wasn't necessarily healthy, the way that they came to rely on each other, the way that lily made olivia feel small. their relationship was so full of love and toxicity. you could feel the way olivia loved lily, and the way she grieved her. i think the authors did a really beautiful job of writing about her grief - that those emotions were multifaceted, it was more than just missing her friend.

Thank you to Sydney Madison for approving me to read this through netgalley! I’m rating this 3.75 - 4.0 stars.

I enjoyed Olivia as a character, she was at first seemingly your typical popular girl with big aspirations and a handsome/popular boyfriend. However, she wasn’t bitchy or stuck up like the stereotypical popular characters tend to be. Olivia was actually all heart, loyal, charismatic and intelligent.

Let’s get into Will, that man was problematic. He kind of had me on edge at times because I feel like we’ve all dated a Will, the guy who isn’t necessarily a bad person.. he just isn’t right for you.

What I think anyone will enjoy about this book is the relatability you will find. Like when you end up holding onto someone who isnt mean’t for you, but you also may have met someone who came into your life at the wrong time but fits you so much better.

This story will take you on a ride. There is grief and a love triangle all unfolding in a college setting. You also get some great side characters that I’m wholeheartedly hoping the authors will follow the next book with as main characters.

Ohhhh boy! Where to start……

Astor hill is a beautiful story of a young women navigating life after loosing her childhood best friend. Their highs and lows of friendships, confusing love triangles, and toxic relationships. New found friendships in those unexpected. I loved the slow realization and internal thoughts of Olivia Beckett going through a toxic relationship with Will Chapman who she thought was the one for her. The banter and love that grows between Olivia and Ben Cabot was something else (Ben is my dream book boyfriend) This book will put you through the wringer with all the different feels you’ll be feeling from the witty banter to the tear jerker scenes. You’ll be sad when you get to the end because you just want to keep reading more but happy you decided to give this book a read.

Tropes that are in this book:
Boyfriends brother
Best friends boyfriend
Love triangle
I say forced proximity because they have classes together and end up having to be partners
Sports romance
Mental health rep

This book was so good! I loved the college aspect, the love triangle, but there was the “what is this secret that’s being hidden?”
Overall a great book and cannot wait for the second one to come out!