Fair Catch

I’ve been missing College Football so much, I finally dived into the world of Sports Romance and Kandi Steiner did not disappoint this football loving heart of mine. I mean the dedication started with, “𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙙𝙤… 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚’𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪”, I smiled, because I knew I was about to feel right at home with what I was reading.I cannot get over Riley’s character. As a female, I realize how much the world of sports is dominated by men. Yes there are women’s sports, but in reality they take a back burner to the world of men’s sports. Riley is the kicker on a men’s football team, which is hard enough, but she handled it with such grace and poise, while tuning out the outside chatter of the media gawking at her because she is a girl, or some of her teammates not really vibing with her because she is a girl, she still manages to handle herself like a true bad ass. I found myself becoming a Riley Novo fan and wondering where I could buy her jersey for my little girl to look up to.Now, Zeke, I didn’t vibe with him at first, but as time went on my heart grew to understand him. He is just a poor soul, who wants to be loved and forgiven for his past mistakes and once you really get to the surface of all that you just want to wrap him up in a big huge hug.“𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙚. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛*𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨.”Zeke and Riley have the most insane angsty chemistry, they really are unable to resist the feelings the two of them have for each other. The way Zeke is so jealous of anyone that comes in Riley’s bubble. To ultimately breaking down each other’s walls and trusting each other again. Dear heavens that DJ booth scene, holy crapola 🥵I won’t be able to stop thinking about this book for a long time. I can’t wait to finish the rest of the series. I loved the world of the North Boston University football team. Zeke and Riley will forever hold a spot in my heart.

I absolutely loved this book! Zeke and Riley's story is perfect :)

zeke collins is riley nova’s brother’s (gavin) best friend. one night changed gavin’s life forever, a tragic accident that riley blames zeke for, and she hates him for it.sorta slow burn but the spice is worth the wait—that scene in the club🤪🔥. riley is an absolute badass and we love her for it! i devoured this book in less than 24 hours, i could not put this addictive book down!i love the fire that comes with an enemies to lovers and this one was incredible!🫠 possessive zeke literally had me on the floor SWOONING my life away😮‍💨 the “it’s always been you” trope legit has me in a chokehold, i’m such a sucker for it😍 everything kandi writes is perfection and this book was no different!! very excited to read blind side ahhhh❣️the cover i’m obsessed, i’m such a sucker for a discreet over and i adore this one!tropes:• brother’s best friend• college sports romance• childhood friends to enemies to friends with benefits to lovers• forced proximity (roommates)• angsty slow burn (lots of tension)

“Because I am scarred by the fire you started in me. Because you have reduced me to ******* ashes.”The way Zeke Collins loves Riley Novo was just whoa… look at me! Look! You can’t really see it but trust me, goosebumps 🥹Now major confession. I know Riley was just 18 and that meant that many of her reactions were knee jerk reactions of a kid. But I’m not that proud to admit I’ve found myself in that same spot, making the same knee jerk reactions and being a total B sometimes. And not just at 18. I’m the worst honestly, but I try not to be. I also beat myself up every time I react too harshly, and I easily go full blown anxiety attack when I mess up.Probably why this book hit me so hard. Zeke’s words hit me so hard. Just like Riley, I tend to measure my self worth by the outcome of a situation. And when that outcome ends up being awful, I feel Iike I’m awful. Having Zeke tell her that self worth is not a reflection of how things go wrong but of the input, of the effort and heart one puts into things… whoa, that hit me. Hard. Thank you @kandisteiner for that 🖤 You might have just changed my life with one scene.One quick note to say football is my favorite sport so extra confetti points for this book. And a couple more for featuring a special teams as the main character 😎What’s inside:🖤sports romance 🏈🖤college romance🖤hate to love🖤brother’s best friend🖤close proximity🖤roommanceNA. 5 stars ⭐️

2.75⭐️So, to be completely honest I only read this book because I wanted to read Blindside. I’m really picky about reading books in order. I have to say i did not feel connected to these two. I felt like I was just reading about them and not fully immersed in the story. Especially once they started sleeping together, I was a bit bored.It was an ok story, I just wish there was more tension and angst. I was more curious about the side characters than the main, especially Clay and Holden.