Love in the Red Zone by Love Belvin

Love in the Red Zone Reviews

• 
  Wobilba

  2.5 stars
  Even though I tried my best, I couldn't find myself loving this book. The story felt long, flat and repetitive, and lost my interest as it progressed. There were just too many insecurities on Jade's part, which made it hard for me to connect with her character. And then there were the many unresolved issues, especially regarding Trent and his mom, which left me unsatisfied and wanting more closure.
  However, one aspect of the book that stood out to me was the spiritual and religious elements. I also appreciated how Trent maintained his focus throughout the story, which added depth to his character.
  
  I enjoyed Winston James’ narration. However I did not like Elyce Anthony’s, especially her male voice, just too pitchy .
  
  Overall, while there were some elements I enjoyed, the book fell short for me.
  
  Thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC!
• 
  Lindaisa

  Rating: 2.75
  
  *deep sigh*

  I don’t even know anymore. Its like...you pick up a book on a whim because not only is it romance with football in the backdrop and those stories are more times than not, great...but the author is Black and the characters in the book are Black as well which, helloooo, exactly the kind of story I’ve been looking for. Love in the Red Zone started off so promising and then just went completely left.

  I can’t even pin down exactly one or two things that made this a miss for me. It was just a culmination of little and big things that came together to make this book a thorn in my side that I knew was there, knew I needed to get rid of but just wanted so badly for that thorn to smooth out and not be so damn irritating. 

  The main characters in this book were Trent Bailey, a former franchise quarterback for the Connecticut Kings who lost his claim to fame and notoriety after a stupid call in his personal life led to him having to serve two years behind bars. Then there is Jade, a young single mother who was brought up with the proverbial silver spoon but allowed the allure of the forbidden and dangerous put her in a situation where she could barely get by in live. Of course circumstances bring these two together and the rest is history.

  Only that history was the most long winded and at times obnoxiously dramatic history of all time. Love in the Red Zone is 404 pages. It could have honestly been a smooth 250 pages and called it a day. I feel like more time was spent on expressing how much Trent couldn’t get himself to trust Jade and Jade trying her very best to do whatever it took to get him to open up to her than Trent actually taking steps to trust her and Jade making progress with getting him to open up. I swear at one point while reading this book, I felt the same way I felt at the movie theater in hour three of Transformers: Age of Extinction. WHEN WILL IT END! 

  I’m disappointed, that’s all I have to say about this book really. There were some great aspects, don’t get me wrong. I loved how Trent had his head on straight. Even though he made some bad decisions, he still had his head on straight and wanted to lead a righteous path. Even though he made millions of dollars playing for the NFL, he wasn’t stupid with his money. He was a man of faith that prayed on a regular basis and attended church every Sunday. By no means was he a saint, but he tried his very best to mold himself in His image and while I’m not a religious person myself, I admire people who use faith for what it’s actually meant for. To better THEMSELVES which is what Trent strived for. Jade was a great mother. Even though she fell on hard times, her son was always a priority and she did whatever she needed to do to make sure he was safe, fed and protected. My issue was that things didn’t come together and mesh well and I need for all aspects of a story to come together.

  There is a sequel to this book and it’s actually written by another author so I may be giving it another try. But in the meantime...My search for a Black romance author who writes about black characters without making them drug dealers or king pins, continues.
• 
  Alexis *Reality Bites*

  ❤️Love In The Red Zone❤️
  Spoiler Free Review
  
  Love In The Red Zone is indeed a 5 STAR READ!
  
  
  >
  
  
  I know this review looks long but trust me I barely scratch the surface. I LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS BOOK! Believe me when I say that a 5 star book is dangerous, well at least for me they are. 5 star reads will have you emotionally spent, that's exactly what this book did to me. I don't give up that 5th star easily, however Love In The Red Zone straight up stole the 5 stars right out of my hand! These characters, their stories and their relationship totally got the best of me. And I... I NEED MORE JADE & TRENT!
  
  Trent Bailey was a superstar quarterback for the Connecticut Kings. A conviction takes that status away when he is sentenced and spends 18months in jail. Two years later and the only field time Trent gets is when assisting a friend that coaches a pee wee football team. It's while assisting the pee wee league Trent meets Jade Matthews...
  
  Jade is a young mom struggling to make ends meet. Pretty much struggling just to keep a roof over her and her son Kyree's head. Right when everything starts to close in around her she receives a helping hand from an unlikely source.
  
  This unlikely source aka Trent lives a VERY private life. He basically goes against all of that to help a young mom and her son. Both are uneasy and unsure about their arrangement. Regardless of their uneasiness they push forward and make it work.
  Not much time passes when Jade starts to see Trent in a different light. She's attracted to him, decides that she wants him and goes above and beyond to win his affection towards her.
  
  Meanwhile, things begin to fall in to place for Trent. His desire is to get back on the field and the path to do so is placed right before his feet. He has the discipline, the physique and the determination to do it. Almost simultaneously the new woman in his life positions herself as well. Only Trent is not exactly ready to fully accept her.
  
  'Yeah, she was on hard times now, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t sniff out a baller for milking.' Trent's Inner monologue
  
  Jade and Trent come together in a wild fiery raging passion. The problem is, while Jade puts herself out there with her heart on the line, Trent continues to hold back. His past has him in a place where he finds it hard to trust people. I should note here that he is upfront about his trust issues.
  
  But Jade, homegirl is a fighter and she claws... I mean, she seriously fights for Trent, claiming her position at his side. His reaction to her tactics...LOL! And yes, this chick is tactical with it. His reactions make me smile and love him even more.
  
  My Thoughts
  Jade- I think readers will fall hard for this couple! I loved Jade she was smart, fierce and skillful at getting what she wanted. Which was Trent and you know what I can't blame her cause I'm digging him myself. She was jealous, possessive, protective and I loved every second! I wouldn't really consider her a manipulator because once it was made known to Trent that she wanted him she went on in such a manner with not just getting him but keeping him. More importantly she was real about it. And I think this made her twice as endearing to me.
  
  Trent- I like that Trent was smart. He was not one who's quick to fall for the okey doke. He did however fall for Jade quicker than I thought but was a bit slower to reveal his heart to her. He had moments or confession moments I should say where he kept it real with her. But he was never one to put it all out there on the line. He held back some, not naturally though, it was more out of his inability to trust anyone. Because believe me Trent came through when necessary for Jade, no doubt.
  
  The writing
  I think Belvin did an excellent job with layering her characters. It's part of her style. Not only to layer them but to show their growth as well. It's truly a strength in her writing that honestly not many can pull off or balance very well. The story carried weight. The characters, even some secondary characters had meat to their bones as well as some skeletons in the closet. The sex scenes were pure F I R E.
  
  Sidebar: If you're a true fan I'm sure you enjoyed the great appearances made by Love's leading characters from previous books.
  
  To buy OR Not to buy? BUY! Go 1click!
  Series: Yes, this is book 1 in The Connecticut Kings Series.
  Story/plot line: Well written. Well defined story and characters. Pulls you in from the very beginning. And when it ends you still want more.
  Recommendation: MUST READ!
  Steam Factor: On a scale of 1-10 I say hands down 10 it was on point!
  
  Now go forth and read, then come tell us what you thought about it! If only just a few words, reviews are important to authors.
• 
  Kameel

  I Actually Read A Book
  
  I Absolutely Love This Story….This Is An Amazing Story Of Love & Redemption….This couple’s relationship developed beautifully….Trent & Jade both help each other by exchanging wisdom, knowledge & ideas….I love the way Trent took care of Kyree & Jade…Jade was a bit of a cry baby…but, I don’t care, this story was great.
• 
  Jahda

  Second Read: It was nice to see Trent and Jade again. I'm perhaps more intrigued by their love story. I'll up this review's rating by one. 4⭐️
  
  
  3 ⭐️This had potential but fizzled out after a slow start. Love Belvin generally gives her characters depth, and through their flaws and choices, we can experience their development. The repetition and lack of connection became apparent to me as I read. Jade gave the impression that she was dependent on others. Don't get me wrong, she was an excellent mother, and her child came first in everything she did. However, she acted more like an adult with childish tendencies. She didn't have much ambition, which bothered me. Trent is another character who struggled to adjust to the new changes in his life. It was made clear throughout more than half of the book that Trent didn't trust Jade. I just kept wondering when would he trust her… I mean Jade and her son was living with him.
• 
  Rashawnda

  Love you’ve done it again!! This was a great start to the CK’s series and I cannot wait to dive into the next book!! Trenton and Jade gave me all the feels! 🥰🥰🥰
  
  Trenton’s first and only love has been football for as long as he could remember. It’s what he was born to do. Sadly his no snitching hood code caused him to take one for the team in a way that he never imagined and landed him in prison essentially ending his dreams of the NFL. Now fresh out he’s learned the hard way about who was in his corner and who left his side before those iron bars fully closed. He’s found contentment with solitude and living life alone. One of the few things that brings joy to his heart these days is training with the mighty mites peewee team. There he meets 6 year old Kyree and sees so much of himself in this little tyke. After noticing some behavioral issues that are so unlike Kyree he finds out the root cause and doesn’t think twice about coming to the aide of Kyree and his mother Jade. He had no idea that opening up his home would result in him opening up his heart and finding his forever peace and solace. Jade provided him with the protection and love that he was missing his entire life.
  
  I loved catching up with all of my Love boos! Azmir, Stenton, Zoey, Elle, Jackson, Ezra and Lex!! These characters have a forever home in my heart and I look forward to reading about them every time I dive into a new book by Love! I can’t wait to see what else is in store with this series!
• 
  Klyne McComas

  New ick unlocked:
  Goup
  Goo
  Gooed
  Gooey
  Slime
  Slimed
  
  Yeah the write for me was so weird. I gave a 3 star ⭐️ because I was being nice.
• 
  Elizabeth

  DNF at 23%.
  
  I can't do this anymore. The writing is engaging, but I cannot stand the way men are talking about their significant others. There is so much gross language about women that I refuse to keep reading.
  
  This is after a woman with a child (the heroine) is too proud to ask her wealthy family for help with keeping a roof over her son and her and when she gets thrown out of her housing moves in with a total stranger, a man.
  
  Reminds me of a summer intern whose housing had fallen through at my roommate's job. She needed a temporary place to stay so we allowed her to sleep on our couch while she was looking for a new place. After two weeks of her eating our food and never leaving the couch, I finally asked her what was up and she left in a huff cause "I didn't want to go to family but I guess I have to as my last resort". Uh... and you're willing to impose on a stranger but your pride won't let you ask family for help cause why?
  
  In this book, the heroine has a rich stepfather who loves her and offers her money... which she doesn't take. It just made me roll my eyes so hard. And her poor son has been afraid to go home because it's dark (the electricity was turned off). If she really cared about him, she would have allowed her family to help her.
  
  Add to that the absolutely foul way women are discussed in this book? Nope. I'm out.
• 
  Caitlin (The Love Librarian)

  I've been looking forward to starting the Connecticut Kings series! This football series is co-written by Love Belvin and Christina C. Jones. While I'm a forever fan of CCCJ, this was my first read by Love Belvin and I have mixed feelings about the writing.
  
  Love in the Red Zone follows Trent, former famous Connecticut Kings QB who was recently released from a short prison stint after a lapse in judgment that took his career away from him. Now he's out, and has been using his faith and time coaching youth football to grow as a man and make sure he doesn't go back to the person he used to be. He also has dreams of returning to professional football.
  
  Jade is a single mom who is coached by Trent. Due to Trent keeping a low profile after his release and going by his initials, Jade has no idea who Trent is or anything about his past. That doesn't stop Trent from stepping in to help Jade and her son when they fall on rough times, including taking them under his roof and helping her get back on her feet.
  
  The story had the makings to be great, but the execution fell flat. The book started off slow with a lot of info dumping and over explanation, and while the middle of the story picked up, it then flattened out again and left me disappointed. I'm going to continue with the series because I'm excited to read the books CCJ wrote, but I'll definitely go into Love Belvin's books with lowered expectations.
  
  TROPES: black romance, single mom, football player, forced proximity/roommates
• 
  Nay

  Jade wanted best for her son Kyree. Jade had too much pride asking for help & here comes Trent. Trent & Jade’s love developed so beautifully over the months. Ezra letting he know he’ll get everything he wants & deserves was ice too. This was a nice story to the beginning of a series.
• 
  LaShaun’s Literary Lounge

  I'm officially a CK groupie. Let me get my season tickets now! 😉
• 
  Lette Reads

  After my second time reading this book, I still love it. I love Trent and Jade’s story!! Jade’s a firecracker but she is serious about protecting those close to her. This entire series is so very good…. Of course Love and CCJ are two of my faves!!
• 
  Dulcie

  Contemporary Sports Romance : ⭐️⭐️.5
  
  There was just so much I couldn’t look past in the development (or lack of) in our heroine.
• 
  Stacie

  The Good: The bones of this story was so good. I was completely vested in both main characters fully becoming who they were meant to be individually and together as a couple. I love the spiritual aspects of the story, and I am always here for a kid with personality.
  
  The Not As Good: I feel like there was a problem with the execution of writing the story. There were so many superlatives and adjectives. I felt like there were times when the writing was too flowery and also times when the dialect was common. These were mostly conversations but having the different styles made the story feel disjointed to me. Also, the BC conversation came super late in the story, like 90%. I felt like it was just thrown in for effect because it was way too late for that...
  
  Overall: This was a good story with characters that I loved and rooted for. I wish I had enjoyed the execution more. I will be continuing the series. The next book is written by CCJ. I have to give it a try.
  
  Happy reading!
• 
  Kim

  Just wow!!! Start this one when you have plenty of time because you will not want to put it down.
• 
  Tamara

  Woo-sah! This book was like emo overload in the best way possible. I know I need to add a full review, but before I do so, I'd just like to say that my ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE line of the entire book, came from no other than that jerk in the body of a short man....
  
  "That's right! Magic Mike her lil' ass, TB!" - Alton Alston
  
  
  
  So, on to the story! The first thing that comes to mind when I think about Trent and Jade is that we actually got the chance as a reader to get to know them separately before they even met and embarked on a relationship with each other. There were so many layers to each of the characters, that when they made a move or decision, you as the reader understood WHY they did what they did, even if you didn't agree with them.
  
  My other love in this book is the many accurate references of Camden, NJ! The city was a character in its own right. The good, bad and the ugly. With Trent being a product of such a place and to have made it out all without all the necessary tools that an adult should have before braving this world, shows that he had so much growing to do. Sadly, his is a common situation of a "town that time forgot" as it is commonly called.
  
  Jade and Trent's story is everything you hope for when looking for a great book. Happiness, chemistry, and a little bit of drama sprinkled throughout. They both rode for each other in ways that the other wasn't used to. Without giving too much away, I can't even say as a reader that I'd consider this a 'happily ever after'... honestly, it felt more like, 'life happening in the midst of happy moments!' And that's quite OK with me!
  
  I really liked these two and more importantly, it was nice to have cameos by so many other of the LB characters! Teamwork makes the dream work. They really all stick together.
  
  I'm ready for JJ and Cole's story next.
• 
  Bunny Robinsonfuller

  It is no surprise that I am giving this book 5 stars... why would I not. These are the things I look for in a Romance book. Character development, chemistry, plausibility or the likelihood that this can happen, can the author draw emotion out of me (tear, a OMG moment a love hate relationship for a character) and is it a story that I want to read over and over again. Every book that Love Belvin has every written has given me all these things and more and this story is no different. Beside all those qualities that I look for Ms. Belvin does not disappoint in "bringing me to church". Trent has been giving a second chance to resume a career he once thought was lost. His faith in God and the belief that God will deliver is what he eats and breathes. Jade is a single mother who has made some mistakes in life but wears that "S" on her chest everyday to provide for her son and survive. Life those her a heavy blow and God's grace and mercy is there to catch her. Trent enters her life and while he is helping her she is saving him. I feel this story is far from finish and please believe that is not a bad thing because I know that Love Belvin can give you more if she wanted to. I appreciate and applaud her writing ability and I love that she makes me want to read and enjoy books from her and authors like her who gives a reader everything they have. This book is part of a series, in collaboration with Christina Jones and I can't wait to read her story (Love on the Highlight Reel) because I am SURE she is going to bring it. Bravo Love Belvin bravo. Thanks for blessing us again.
• 
  Ebony

  This book spoke to me
  
  The way the word of God was presented and expressed in real life terms spoke to me. This book was not just your usual love/sex story and I am grateful for everything I learned. It is not often that a book of fiction helps me work on my relationship with God while revealing ways to improve my marriage. I smiked , laughed, and cried reading this book. The way the author humanizes us, black people, and shows our complexity was...everything. Do yourself a favor and read this book. I'm an avid reader of several genres and this book I loved!
• 
  Michelle [Helen Geek]

  07/25/2016 -- 3 Stars
  
  This one was a conundrum for me. I enjoyed it, then I didn't and then I did again. The second book actually has another author. I liked it better than this first one.
  
  Happy Reading!
  
  
• 
  BlackBookVibes

  This was a cute beginning to this series. The beginning pulls you right in. I was rooting for the couple to to work, but at times it was hard. Jade was so wishy washy, she became annoying. I loved that Trent constantly reassured her how he felt. At times the flow of the book became wordy and the plot plateaued. I listened to the book on Libby and the narrators were good! Head to the next book
• 
  Katie ratherbereadinggg

  DNF @ 10% I love CCJs books in this series and wanted to try this author, so I was excited to see this book on audio on Hoopla. I may come back to this one, but for now it feels like it’s really dragging (I’m only about 1.5 hours into the 14 hr audio) and, for me, there’s too much emphasis on religion.
• 
  Lady

  Unnecessarily Long and Drawn Out
  
  I've contemplated for YEARS about reading this series, and for the same amount of time, I thought it was a solo project by CCJ. I figured I'd go ahead and finally get to it since I've read most of CCJ's work. Imagine my surprise when I learned it was a collaboration effort when I downloaded it last week.
  
  I had been hearing about this author's work over the past year, but I never read any of her work, so I took a chance on Book One of this series. I was very nervous about reading this when I saw the number of pages for this book because a lot of times, with these newer authors, the books lack substance and be full of fluff about a bunch of nothing.
  
  WELP! This was that kind of book!
  
  It started off really well, THEN...it went downhill fast with no breaks.
  
  The first problem is it's long AF for NO reason. The author threw everything PLUS her kitchen sink into this book and it wasn't necessary. Like, at ALL. She really could've knocked this story out in 175 pages, if not less.
  
  I loved the direction the storyline was going maybe the first half of the book. What killed it is most of the book is repetitious. I literally read the same thing each chapter and after about the third time, I was ready to give up. Jade was nervous about possibly being homeless again, even though Trent never told her she and her son had to leave. Jade gets mad at Trent for one ridiculous reason or another, and it annoys him every time. The only way Trent can 'tame' her is to screw her senseless, then all is right in the world again.
  
  Wash. Dry. Repeat.
  
  Honestly, they had no business in a relationship. And if I'm being REAL honest, Trent SHOULD'VE leveled up. Jade was immature and insecure as hell, and Trent never trusted her. She had no ambition to do better. No goals in life or anything, and what's sad is that she was from a well-to-do family by marriage. She just didn't want to do anything because she was tired of people telling her what to do. Makes no sense when people are trying to steer you in the right direction, but whatever. The only thing she had going for herself was she was a great Mom. I can't take that away from her, but as someone who spent most of the book crying because she didn't trust Trent, you'd think she would have put a plan in motion to get herself together. But...nope.
  
  Trent wasn't a bad guy, but he had his shit with him too. Once he lowered his guard, if only a little bit for Jade, his fuckboy tendencies crept onto the scene. He did things that made NO sense, and honestly, he didn't even match the person the author had introduced the readers to when the story began. This is a guy who was trying to rebuild his life, strengthen his relationship with God, and return to the game he loved, but once he got his job back, that old lifestyle slowly crept in, even though it wasn't all the time. In fact, you only saw it when he was around friends that he really didn't want to be around (if we're being honest).
  
  It just wasn't good. It had SERIOUS potential, but it fell flat. The two stars are for the first half of the book only.
  
  The next story of this series is written by CCJ, whose writing I LOVE! Although the page length is maybe 35-40% less than this one, I don't think I'll be reading it. This one disappointed me too much to even care to know the Wide Receiver's story.
• 
  Jite

  2.5 Stars.
  
  I’m a huge fan of sports romance and this series was recommended to me by a friend on social media. What I will say is that it is incredibly compelling and dramatic. I wasn’t always on it when it came to the language and didn’t know all the colloquialisms and slang that was used but I did learn a lot about it by the time I was done with it.
  
  There were things I loved and didn’t like about this book. What I liked was the exploration of the real life and challenges of professional athletes and their families; I though the look at rebuilding a life after prison was nice and also functional and dysfunctional family dynamics. I also really enjoyed the way mental health and self reflection were dealt with in this book. Religion was also a major theme and faith as well, but it is not a religious book, and the amount of explicit scenes in it precludes it from being an out and out faith-based romance. What I will say is that the characters are portrayed as imperfect people even as they’re people of faith, which I think is relatable.
  
  My issue with this book was the main characters, Trent and Jade. I was baffled by their less than smart reasoning and decision making for two grown adults. I liked the author’s focus on writing imperfect characters but come on! For example, Jade would frequently make plans to leave but in the meantime, never really bothered to secure a bag that would enable her to leave if she needed to. Because Trent is the protagonist and we know he’s a good guy somewhat this is fine, but fictional Jade doesn’t know this and we see her put herself in the same exact situation of dependency that traps her in a volatile relationship. Moreso, even though she’s still very insecure in the relationship, she gets mad when those around her push her to try to secure her own money so that she can feel more secure. Another example is the unsafe sex practiced in this book which is a concern given their uncertainty about their sexual histories. And that’s fine but then at the end of the book they finally begin to discuss birth control and have the necessary conversation that should have been had a full year and 350 pages earlier and people are upset and in their feelings and I’m just confused. As for Trent, I didn’t really like the people he surrounded himself with (except Ezrah) or the unsavory situations he put himself in. I did not understand the point of the exotic dancing family history (he comes from a line of male strippers), I cringed each time he gave public exotic dancing performances in front of his friends.... I just didn’t get the point of it. It wasn’t hot to me and it was also a little weird.
  
  This is a deeply emotional and compelling read. There is A LOT of spice and I also think this is one where I think both Trent and Jade could have benefited from Ezrah’s counseling instead of covering up their issues with sex. I did not feel like their relationship was healthy and I just think that this couple is so volatile, it’s hard to be completely confident in their HEA when you can see all the pitalls.
• 
  Roslyn Jones

  Jade and Trent... two people "led by passion and not always good sense." This quote describes these two perfectly!!! Love Belvin has a gift that can't be explained or duplicated. She brings her "A" game to each story. Each of her characters are so flawed that you begin to question how she will lead them to redemption, enlightenment, peace, or whatever they need to experience to become whole. But while you're questioning, she deals with them effortlessly and she takes you on a journey that will have you examining yourself. Jade and Trent are no different. They are young. They are bruised. They are scared. But, they are willing. Another job well done, Love!
• 
  she_ill_22

  OMG the chemistry between Jade and Trenton is hot, sweaty, vulnerable, affirming, and real!! I related to every aspect of this story; I even stayed up all night trying to finish. I conked out at 94%. Love Belvin knows she can develop some characters and build a solid plot. My heart ached at times, then was filled with love. I always go through an emotional roller coaster while reading Love Belvin's works. The comic relief at the bowling alley had me laughing out loud! Love's humor is on point too. This is a must read that I highly recommend. Truly an example of contemporary Black women's fiction. BTW, thanks for giving us single mothers hope...
• 
  Gina

  TOUCHDOWN!!!
  
  Love Belvin knocked it out of the ballpark again with this one or better yet should I just say TOUCHDOWN!!
• 
  Malaika

  Love, love, love!
  
  I’ve read this book so many times, it isn’t funny. I love me some Trent and Jade. They have to be by far one of my favorite LB couples.
• 
  Lyasha Chante

  Book Review: Love in the RedZone by Love Belvin
  
  Diving into my first Love Belvin book was a treat, and “Love in the RedZone” didn’t disappoint. This book is the first in the Connecticut Kings series, which Belvin writes alongside Christina C. Jones, and it’s a perfect mix of two things I can’t resist: Black romance and sports romance.
  
  The story centers on Trent Bailey and Jade Matthews, who both have had their fair share of tough breaks. They meet unexpectedly through Pop Warner football, and sparks fly. Jade is the kind of lead you can’t help but root for—feisty, determined, and nurturing. She’s not afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. Trent, on the other hand, is a big guy with even bigger walls built around his heart, but Jade and her son start to break these down in the most heartwarming ways.
  
  What I loved about this book is how it weaves together a comeback story with a beautiful love tale. It’s not just about falling in love; it’s about second chances. Trent is fighting for another shot at football, and Jade is rediscovering herself. The forced proximity between them just adds to the tension and, ultimately, the sweetness of their connection.
  
  If you’re into romances that pack emotional depth with a side of sports, this book is definitely for you. It’s got all the right plays—emotion, recovery, and love—that make you cheer from the sidelines.
• 
  Hannah D Sharpe

  Love in the Red Zone was an in depth romance with two characters coming into the story with individual struggles and challenges, and needing to give into love to conquer them. This romance is a longer romance, but there’s so much detail that you won’t lose interest or wish it would speed up. The dynamics between the male MC and female MC are complex, sexy, and intriguing. This story has cute and funny moments to lighten up the true struggles in life and depths in this story.
  
  I listened to the audiobook which was read by two narrators who did a great job bringing the characters to life. I listened at 1.75x speed with 1.75-2.0 x speed being my normal audiobook speed.
  
  Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for this advanced audiobook copy.