Reviews

mostly read in one sitting, great start to the series that makes me excited to read the rest! the fmc was slightly frustrating, but not too much that it made me hate reading the book :)

As usual, Kandi Steiner writes a story that keeps you riveted with a very novel twist into a college football plot line. A girl joins a football team!

Riley’s twin brother was involved in an accident with his best friend Zeke. Gavin ended paralyzed from the waist down and couldn’t complete his dreams of college football, and what does he do? He asks his twin sister Riley to fulfill his dreams for him. Such is the love between them that Riley accepts and starts to do football while in high school and gets into North Boston U with a full ride.

Zeke is not a great scholar but he’s a gifted football player. He has no dreams of a college career, only to scrape by, and become an NFL player. He has no plan A, plan B or plan C. It’s football or nothing.

Zeke and Riley got into the same university and even more, they were roomed together in the sports dorms. Riley hates Zeke with a passion because she blames him for the accident and her twin’s paralysis. But as the days go by, as they share on the tensions and extreme demands of studies and football, they forge a truce…

I loved the story, found it different and innovative. For me, having a girl playing football in college is new and I didn’t know it could be done. Then I researched and found that it can and has been done! Granted, Riley is the kicker, so she won’t get entangled in those tackles and brutal play.

I found the story riveting but I also hated how horrible Riley was towards Zeke. Gavin was completely understanding and forgave Zeke, their friendship continued unaltered, her parents likewise, but she harbored a resentment that would come up at times and she would go for the jugular in her attacks. She was ferocious and with no mercy! She was so unjust!

Zeke was a gentleman, honorable, he was having a hard time forgiving himself, he was human and well intentioned, and he was a good son. In spite of making a mistake, I never felt he deserved all the scorn he got from Riley. So while I loved the book, I loved Zeke, I despised Riley at those moments when she insulted Zeke. And it broke my heart when he was so hurt and accepting of the insults she proffered. Made me so mad!

Gavin was a fantastic secondary character. Wise and positive, he adjusted to life in a wheelchair and still got into sports. He was happy, very different to Riley who is intense and crunchy. Their twin connection was sweet and I loved how Gavin rooted for his friend; he was so full of compassion, as much as Zeke was full of regrets. I loved that there were human mistakes, but there was also redemption and forgiveness. In Riley’s case, she needed to overcome her pride and stubbornness.

Lovely story about imperfect new adults and how they overcome their issues, don’t miss!