Reviews with content warning for Suicide attempt - First Down

My. Flipping. Heart. ❤️

Literally obsessed with this book, the writing, and the characters 🥹 I binge this book in one day. Personally, I think this was better than Icebreaker by Hannah Grace which is a college sports romance. First Down is a perfect mix of spice, drama, and fake dating romance!

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dkgreads's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

Cute, quick sports romance. Fairly low angst, moderate steam. Will definitely be reading the rest of the series!

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izziepng's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.0

WHERE. IS. THE. CHEMISTRY

did i just miss half the book or??? because even though this book lasted a ENTIRE FOOT BALL SEASON we saw maybe 8.214 days in total

it would be a higher review if the author had showed them falling in love

It’s only this high because i enjoyed reading it even if there is no proof the characters have spoken more the 12 times

this author should just stick to only smut books because that’s the only time you see the main characters interacting

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northernsweetie's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

4.25

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rickireadss's review against another edition

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3.5

i think this was just okay. i didn’t hate it but it’s not like a favorite of mine. i liked that it was sports romance (i eat these up!). i love the fake dating trope and this one didn’t miss. i do think the way it blurred into real dating without much talk about it was a little weird/unrealistic but ehh. overall it was just okay to me!

⚠️: sexual harassment, stalking, misogyny, mental illness, self harm, emotional abuse, suicide attempt, miscarriage, infidelity

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kendallk5'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? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! I loved the characters and their stories. And the extended epilogue: better than I could have hoped. So excited to read the rest of the Callahan’s stories.

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laurenvoice's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.75

First Down had so much potential but, in the end, it lacked something. There were quite a few inconsistencies within the storyline and with the characters; too many to ignore. However, James was too cute; he was such a cinnamon roll; he saved this book!

First Down was too fast-paced; there were too many time jumps within the story, and it missed any story building. The relationship progression between James and Bex happened too quickly; they barely "fake dated" and practically dived headfirst into a relationship that neither of them felt ready for; they should have set boundaries and slowed the fake dating storyline to build tension.

Also, there was no proper build-up with the Darryl storyline; the story seemed to have skipped all the times he harassed and stalked Bex on campus and at her place of work. And the Sara storyline felt too forced and didn't quite have the impact on the story that it should have done. It was a missed opportunity not to build up the tension with the Darryl storyline, as the showdown between James and Darryl would have felt more impactful and less childish.

After finishing, First Down, I felt unsatisfied, which is a shame as I enjoyed reading this book as a lighthearted read. However, the ending felt too cheesy the way it wrapped up. We never saw why Bex's mum ended up doing a big U-turn with her personality and life; her gift to Bex at the end felt too out of character. The ending felt unfinished. But maybe these will be tied up in future books; however, I doubt the unanswered questions will get the answers.

Nonetheless, First Down was a fun read and has set up the rest of the Beyond the Play series well. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

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