Book Smart Kate

Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟  Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

by Grace Reilly

This book has been on my TBR for a long time. I finally had the opportunity to read it, and I’m so glad I did. 

James is new at McKee University, transferring to be the starting QB for his senior year and joining his brothers, who play hockey and baseball for McKee. From the minute he lays eyes on Bex, he can’t get her out of his head, but since she is a teammate’s ex-girlfriend, she is off-limits. Things change when he needs tutoring help, and she needs her ex to understand that they are never, ever, ever getting back together. James agrees to pretend to date Bex if she helps him pass his English class. Things begin to change from fake to real very quickly as they learn more about each other.

First Down was an entertaining read, and I’m excited to jump into the next book in the series. Were there some liberties taken with how D1 sports and athletes work? Absolutely. But I didn’t care. She navigated third-act drama without a third-act breakup, created parent and sibling relationships that added depth and complexity, and just the right amount of witty banter. It was a great read, and Reilly stayed true to the characters she created.