Review: You Owe Me by Kristy Marie (21 Rumors #2)

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

This is the moment of truth. The choice between the version of me that protects her from my world and the version that pulls her into it completely. She's seeing the calculating, ruthless strategist who builds empires on other people's fear. 

The question is whether she can love that version, too. 

You Owe Me is the book I didn't know I needed! Allow me to explain. My introduction to Kristy Marie's writing was back in May of 2020, by way of IOU, which would be the first book in her 21 Rumors series. I wondered where the heck this author had been all my life because her storytelling had me smitten. This is the same book that gave the world Ainsley James and Maverick Lexington, and they did, indeed, get their happily-ever-after via the epilogue. But being the evil genius that this author is, she's now giving readers the story of what happened between the ending and the epilogue of IOU! So, that's what I meant about this new addition to the 21 Rumors series--which is a direct sequel to the series starter--being something I didn't know I actually needed in my life until I had it sitting prettily in my very greedy hands.

Rumor has it that college senior Maverick Lexington is the most powerful man on campus; just ask his girlfriend, Ainsley James. What you shouldn't do, however, is try to use the woman Maverick loves as a pawn in a game in hopes of gaining control of the empire Maverick has created in the university. But maybe what Maverick doesn't know won't kill him, or so Ainsley hopes. His heart, however, is a whole 'nother thing altogether. The last thing Ainsley wants is to add on more stress to Maverick's constantly burden-laden shoulders. One thing that isn't a rumor, however, is the fact that Maverick doesn't lose, and it's going to take more than someone like Carter Mills to try and bring him, his empire, and his girl down.

First things first: You Owe Me is not meant to be read as a standalone. In order to fully understand and appreciate Ainsley and Maverick and just how much power the latter has, you MUST read IOU, which is the first book in the 21 Rumors series. Technically, this new novel is the fourth one to be released in the series, but because this is the sequel to IOU, these are the two books in the series that are fully interconnected. Having said all of that, consider You Owe Me a highly recommended read. Heck, let's just go with me recommending the entire series. Kristy Marie did not disappoint, giving readers an even more satisfying conclusion to Ainsley and Maverick's story. There was angst, wit, and more heart than I thought possible. I adored reading about these two, and giving You Owe Me five-plus stars is simply a no-brainer.

Release Date: 17 July 2025

Date Read: 14 July 2025

Learn more about Kristy Marie.

Pre-order You Owe Me on Amazon.