Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Fair Catch

Although Fair Catch wasn't really on my radar before I picked it up randomly, I have seen other books from The Red Zone Rivals series floating around. Especially Blind Side because it came out when I started reading KU very heavily. I just never got around to picking it before. The biggest push for me to pick up Fair Catch was the fact that I'm trying to read at least one book from every author going to Sweetgrass next year and buying the books I really want to get signed before I go so that I'm not spending all of that money at one time. Anyways Fair Catch was a super fun football book. I loved seeing these two come together. I loved the backstory, and it was just a chaotic fun time. I really loved the fact that Riley is also a football player. It was the first time I'd read a book where both main characters were playing for the same team. I also loved how much angst was between these two. Avery had a lot of reasons to be mad at the world, and unfortunately, she blamed Zeke for it. I hate that he just took it instead of telling her what really happened that night, but at the same time, I get why he wanted to protect her. It just makes everything she does to Zeke so much worse because he never deserved it. There is a third act break up in this one, and honestly, it's not bad. I'm just burnt out on the third-act breakup. Just like I was burnt out on college romances, there will always be some books that take those things and do them so well that it doesn't matter. I wish we got to spend a little bit more time with Gavin, Riley's brother, since he is so important to Zeke and Riley, and he even goes to the same college as they do!

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moonlitreading_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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readers_sea's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Zeke & Riley were everything!!

The tension from the beginning had me screaming! This book really benefitted from dual pov because getting to see how Zeke really felt about Riley, while she was so focused on hating him was so well done. The overall banter between the characters had me cracking up! Not only between the main two but also with the side characters like Riley's brother Gavin and the rest of the football team.

The overall connection between Zeke and Riley was so raw and real! They both had dealt with a lot in their pasts, and are still learning to overcome them, but Riley specifically really needed to relearn how to trust people, especially Zeke. After her brother, Gavin's, accident Riley closed herself off a lot. I loved seeing how she truly felt comfortable with Zeke and had that connection despite how much she wanted to deny it. Zeke really had me swooning throughout the book, but overall their relationship brought out all the feelings!

I loved that this book included the invisible disability of dyslexia and how much the character struggled with that in silence. I also loved the inclusion of a female (Riley) being in a predominately male sport of football! She needed to deal a lot with side comments and overall how people viewed her on the team, but she was very strong-willed and never cared about what others were saying because she knew why she was there and she had a passion for the sport just as much as the guys did.

In my opinion, the characters read & act a lot older than they are (18). While reading the book I forgot about their ages until it was brought up, so I do wish they were just originally written as an older age but it didn't bother me much.

LOVEDDD this book and definitely want to continue with the series and follow the other football players! Is there a book out there for Gavin?! I sure hope so, or at least in the works!

Content Warnings

baileyt2424's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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rickireadss's review against another edition

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3.5

i had a good time reading this, and honestly kinda liked the couple. but the whole on-going conflict of why she hated him just rubbed me so wrong. and the more i think about it, i just can’t get over it. i like seeing riley and zeke in later books but couldn’t really connect or fall in love with them in their own book sadly.

⚠️: car accident, injury/injury detail, ableism, sexism, emotional abuse

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lindslikesbooks's review against another edition

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inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I've heard great things about the Redzone Rivals series so I was excited to read this one.

This is a college-age football romance. The twist is that SHE is on the team as well. YES - you read that right. That was a little surprising as someone who watches college football but I see what the author was trying to do. It was a bit inspiring to read about the commitment and dedication this fictional female athlete had to playing a men's sport. The characters were a bit juvenile and somewhat annoying to me. I suppose that would be what I would expect from college-age romance but I didn't love them for it. But the ending fell a bit flat to me. I did enjoy it and it was entertaining. I have heard the second book in the series is the best, so I will stick with it.

Plot:
Riley is a female kicker on a D1 football team in Boston. She works her butt off and has defied the odds to get there. The only catch, her roommate is her brother's best friend who also happens to be someone she hates. Zeke, is a Punt Returner on the football team and wishes Riley and he could be friends again. He tries everything he can to get back on her good side.

3.5 ⭐️ | 3 🌶

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milymily22's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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