From Campus Simp to Hidden Heiress

starring: HALEY EVANS & RYLEY SCHROEDER

Leah is a final-year student working three jobs. She's spent three years chasing Jeffrey, the popular guy on campus, but he's always treated her like a joke. After her 999th attempt to confess ends in public embarrassment, she finally snaps- slaps him, and walks away. For the first time, Jeffrey starts chasing her, not knowing she's hiding a life-changing secret.

REVIEW

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ok I’m possibly being a little generous here with my rating, but we are so close to this being a great friends to lovers vert. And it is fresh.

You start wondering why on earth Leah is chasing after Jeffrey who is clearly a douchebag, but the reason is brilliant and soon revealed.

And then we do have an utterly adorable friends to lovers story playing out against some typical vertical nonsense of slaps and mistaken identity.

The reason I am being generous and making this 5 stars are the 2 leads who are superb.

@haleyy.evans has always been one of the best at screwball comedy and quick repartee, see her verticals with Noah Fearnley, and it is super seeing her with some good material to get stuck into again. Just makes me smile. You relax when you have a pro like this leading

And then she has the perfect foil in @ryley_schroeder A star is born. Got the onscreen presence and ability to do cool boy edge, cheek and charm of actors like Andrew Walker (Hallmark stalwart), Wilson Bethel (Hart of Dixie) and dare I say it the great Michael Biehn (Aliens & Terminator)

We've been missing something like this in verticals, and if people have sense please write a lot more roles for him right now.

This superb duo make their material sing and I could watch so much more of this duo bickering and sparking off each other

@iamfulop takes one for the team as lunk Jeffrey, wish the role had been written to allow him to do more comedy

That's my fave bit for @oliviarrosewilliams - when she gets to add a comedy edge to some of Bianca's early threats. Did seem to be channelling Mandy Moore in the Princess Diaries in this one, which is an awesome thing. Big fan of Mandy Moore here

And awesome to see @therobyncantrell , she is so iconic in Falling For A Superstar, and nearly steals the show here sneaking around taking all her videos.

But this is the Haley - Ryley show, watch it for them.

And thank you to the writers for taking us a bit closer to a great friends to lovers story.

I know we will get there, someone will have the confidence to drop the slaps and identity tropes and then we will be in Jen heaven.

💖 Top swoonworthy moment:

Finally a great friends/enemies to lovers story that is really well done, the confessions are perfect, the flashbacks adorable, and you will get the warm and fuzzies and all the good feelings.

🦹🏼‍♂️ Top villain award:

Jeffrey is a tool. No other word for it. Bianca though should never be let near hair tongs Mainly I wish that the villains had been allowed to lean in in not comedy a little more, one of the best bits is when Bianca is pretending to be hurt to get Miles' attention. Instead we have a bit too much of what I am now calling the Goodshort slap, which is big and stylised.

😂 Comedy gold:

Mainly provided by Bianca and her minions, Robyn Cantrell is always brilliant. Wish they had been allowed to do more. And did enjoy the scene established Bianca is evil with her coffee orders from hell.

🎺 Unsung hero:

Our leads who are both super, and Jeffrey's ex girlfriends for calling him out as well.

✍🏼 DETAILS

2026

Available on Goodshort