The Failing Hours begins with a college tutoring assignment neither participant wants. Wrestler Zeke Daniels treats people as obstacles and directs that contempt at Violet DeLuca; she dislikes and fears his manner, pushes back when he belittles her, and eventually refuses to absorb his behavior quietly. Their route toward intimacy therefore depends less on competitive banter than on whether his change feels substantial enough.
This researched editorial assessment recommends Sara Ney’s novel to readers who enjoy a deliberately abrasive hero, a resilient tutor and a campus redemption arc. The same material is its chief limitation. Several critics enjoy the gradual softening, but others find Zeke’s cruelty prolonged, his apology inadequate or the deeper material underdeveloped. It belongs in a college enemies-to-lovers guide as an asymmetric antagonism case, not as a romance between equal academic rivals.
A funny, emotionally legible college redemption romance whose payoff depends on how much sustained hostility you will tolerate from the hero before accepting his change.
Provisional Eikna score: 3.5/5. Four core dimensions cover 85% of the quality weight. Ending satisfaction and reread appeal remain unscored; heat is excluded. Researched editorial assessment; no firsthand reading claimed. Evidence confidence: moderate.
A numeric heat level has not been established. Read the review’s heat and content discussion for attributed descriptions before choosing. An unknown level is not a closed-door or no-spice promise.
The heat-level guide explains detail and frequency; the glossary entry for spice separates sexual content from quality.
Happily ever after (HEA). Reported by Audible US exact audiobook. Checked 2026-10-11. This describes the outcome, not its quality or the closure of every wider plot.
For the difference between romantic commitment and wider plot closure, compare HEA, HFN and cliffhangers.
Standalone or continuing-series status is not established in this summary. Read the existing format and series guidance for any available context; do not assume a missing series entry means the book stands alone.
The series-order guide explains what to check when a complete romance belongs to a connected world.
| Title | The Failing Hours |
|---|---|
| Author | Sara Ney |
| Inspected edition | English paperback · ISBN 9781386374404 |
| Publication scope | Paperback published 25 January 2017 · checked 11 October 2026 |
| ISBN-13 | 9781386374404 |
| Edition page count | 336 pages |
The author or publisher evidence identifies the work. Publication dates refer to the stated edition or release scope, not automatically the first appearance of the story. Unknown identifiers and formats are left open.
Sara Ney’s official description establishes Zeke as a college athlete who intentionally keeps people away and identifies Violet as the woman whose gentleness irritates and attracts him. The independent criticism fills in the campus mechanism: he is failing a class, she is assigned to tutor him, and their first meeting goes badly. A youth mentoring commitment later creates another point of contact.
This is not an adult reunion or a conflict inherited from former partners. The hostility occurs between the actual romantic leads while they are current college students. It is also uneven. Zeke supplies most of the aggression; Violet’s side is resistance, judgment and boundary-setting rather than a competing campaign against him.
Lacey at Booklovers For Life finds the redemption convincing because Violet sees more than Zeke’s surface without excusing his behavior. AmbsReads responds to the slower build, shared obligations and back-and-forth between the leads. Those accounts support a progression through repeated contact rather than an instant reversal.
The countercase is substantial. The Book Disciple remains deeply frustrated by Zeke’s demeaning treatment, while selected StoryGraph reviewer booklover_29 argues that he remains cruel too long and offers too little repair. The recommendation therefore turns on a reader’s redemption threshold, not merely an appetite for sharp dialogue.
Violet is consistently described as quiet but not passive. Lacey and Natalie the Biblioholic both emphasize that she calls Zeke out and refuses to become a doormat. Fairest of All Book Reviews likewise reads her compassion and firmness as the pressure that forces him to recognize another way of relating to people.
That structure can still feel unequal. AmbsReads notes how often Violet’s influence is responsible for Zeke’s opening up, and The Book Disciple questions why she should endure his treatment at all. Readers who need the hostile partner to perform more of the repair may find the character growth insufficient even when they recognize it.
AmbsReads finds the humor effective and the slow romantic build appealing, but also says Zeke’s abrasive persona is repeated for too long. After the Final Chapters similarly praises the natural comedy and unexpected depth. These reports support a readable comic surface with a redemption story underneath it.
Emotional response is less uniform. The Book Disciple reports reading through the night and being moved by Violet’s circumstances; Lacey describes a giddy romantic payoff. Selected StoryGraph criticism, however, reports weak connection, overly rapid treatment of some developments and insufficient depth around the mentoring relationship.
Independent reviewers report on-page sexual content. The Book Disciple displays its own three-flame measure and Natalie the Biblioholic uses a separate four-of-five heat label; neither scale can be converted into Eikna’s heat categories. Sexual content is therefore reported as present, while calibrated heat, frequency, timing and scene count remain unknown. Samantha at The Book Disciple. Natalie the Biblioholic.
The central relationship includes belittling, intimidation, public humiliation and prolonged verbal hostility from Zeke. AmbsReads reports ableist comments about Violet’s stutter from other characters and possibly an early cruel remark from Zeke, while also noting his swearing around children. Critics discuss parental absence, childhood loss and financial hardship. This is a partial evidence-based caution list, not confirmation that other sensitive material is absent; severity, exact frequency and a complete author warning inventory were not verified. AmbsReads. Samantha at The Book Disciple. Selected StoryGraph testimony.
Best for readers who want a wrestler/tutor pairing, grumpy-sunshine contrast, forced contact and visible character growth. Approach cautiously if demeaning behavior from a romantic lead, a heroine doing much of the emotional labor, or limited groveling makes redemption difficult to enjoy.
The inspected criticism agrees that Zeke is genuinely difficult and that Violet is much more than a passive foil; it disagrees on whether the redemption repays the cost. Lacey, Natalie and Fairest of All find his layers and her boundary-setting satisfying. AmbsReads enjoys the relationship but wants his abrasive phase shortened. The Book Disciple would rather see Violet paired with someone worthier, and booklover_29 finds the repair inadequate. These are selected firsthand responses, several from advance-copy blog-tour coverage, not a representative satisfaction survey.
Purchases through Amazon, Bookshop.org and Libro.fm links may earn us a commission. As an Amazon Associate, Eikna Romance earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Sara Ney identifies The Failing Hours as How to Date a Douchebag book two. Several critics report that its central relationship can be read as a standalone, while AmbsReads notes that characters from The Studying Hours appear prominently. The facts table uses the Draft2Digital English paperback ISBN 9781386374404, dated 25 January 2017. The author lists the work publication as 31 January 2017; these refer to edition and work dates rather than a silent conflict. Amazon and Bookshop directly confirm the exact paperback identity. Audible verifies the English audiobook, narrated by Muffy Newtown and Josh Goodman, as book two. No exact Libro.fm product was verified, so that action is held rather than described as unavailable. Current price, stock and subscription access remain changeable and are not treated as permanent facts.
The inspected Amazon product identity matches the stated title and edition. Confirm the selected format before buying; current price and stock are not established.
We may earn a commission from purchases through our links, at no extra cost to you. Check the verified Amazon edition.
The inspected Bookshop.org product is Paperback. Its title, author and ISBN 9781386374404 were checked; current price and stock are not established.
Disabled actions mean the exact destination has not been verified, not that a format is unavailable. Confirm the selected edition and format before purchasing.
Quality scale: 1 substantial weaknesses; 2 weaknesses outweigh strengths; 3 mixed; 4 strengths outweigh limitations; 5 exceptional sustained strengths. Half points are allowed. Weights: romance 30%, characters 20%, writing 20%, emotional impact 15%, ending satisfaction 10%, reread appeal 5%. A provisional overall score divides the supported weighted sum by its supported weight and rounds once to one decimal. Heat is descriptive and excluded. These scores express the evidence-based judgment explained in this review.
A gradual hostile-to-intimate progression with a meaningful redemption threshold.
Provisional dimension score: 3.5/5.
Violet’s backbone is well supported; Zeke’s growth remains the disputed center.
Provisional dimension score: 3.5/5.
Natural humor and clear contrast, with repetition and depth reservations.
Provisional dimension score: 3.5/5.
Strong investment for some readers, limited by discomfort with the hero for others.
Provisional dimension score: 3.5/5.
Sexual content is reported; Eikna’s calibrated level remains unknown.
Unscored; an HEA is reported, but satisfaction is sharply disputed.
Unscored; one strong reread intention is not enough for a durable judgment.
Yes. The tutoring, wrestling program and youth-mentoring obligation all operate during their current college lives; this is not an adult reunion.
It fits the broad trope through direct hostility between the romantic leads, but the antagonism is asymmetric. Zeke supplies most of the cruelty; Violet resists and sets boundaries rather than acting as an equal rival.
He is a college wrestler. This is not hockey, football or a rivalry between two athletes.
Independent reviewers report sexual content. A calibrated Eikna heat level, scene count and timing were not verified.
Critics report a complete central relationship, but earlier characters appear prominently. Starting with book one provides more context for Zeke’s prior behavior.
The four supported core judgments cover 85% of the quality weighting. Ending satisfaction and reread appeal remain unscored, and heat is descriptive rather than part of the quality score.
For another college hockey tutoring setup, but with a negotiated arrangement and less genuinely hostile treatment between the leads.
For current-college sports friction and a gradual shift in judgment, with hockey and a more balanced conflict.
For campus pressure and opposition between students, with a different academic and social source of tension.
The enemies-to-lovers guide includes this book among other choices. Compare those options if its premise appeals but a limitation gives you pause. The College enemies-to-lovers guide explains the surrounding reading route and what to check before choosing.
A funny, emotionally legible college redemption romance whose payoff depends on how much sustained hostility you will tolerate from the hero before accepting his change. Best for readers who want a wrestler/tutor pairing, grumpy-sunshine contrast, forced contact and visible character growth. Approach cautiously if demeaning behavior from a romantic lead, a heroine doing much of the emotional labor, or limited groveling makes redemption difficult to enjoy.
Libro.fm when this balance matches what you want to read.
Checked 2026-10-11. The How this assessment was researched preserves attributions and research limits. Unknown details do not establish absence. Purchasing links use our account.