The story of Riley and Brady is a high school romance with an emphasis on family, forgiveness, and responsibility. Riley and her parents have recently returned to Lawton, Alabama, after being run out of town because she accused Rhett, the high school football star, of rape. They have returned to take care of Riley’s grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Riley has also brought a child that was a product of that rape. Rhett is away at college, living the dream as if nothing happened.
Riley is shunned, and sometimes worse, by pretty much everyone in the town. No one believed her about the rape, and no one knows about the baby. No one has been welcoming; in fact, her old friends have been much the opposite-- until Brady, a football star who was Rhett's best friend, picks her and the baby up during a rainstorm.
Riley’s parents are refreshingly present and supportive. The story follows the expected path, but there is some depth added with the Alzheimer’s angle and also Brady dealing with seeing his father having sex with a woman who is not Brady’s mother.
Brady is the best quarterback in the nation, and the team is on their way to a state championship. So developing a relationship with Riley and revealing his father’s transgressions are not something Brady needs to focus on with his scholarship on the line. But he cannot avoid either one of these issues.
Brady is a “too good to be true” guy and Riley is a bit perfect for a teen mom, but their relationship takes a natural, slow progression that is refreshing. For teens who enjoy a feel-good high school romance, this one will definitely satisfy.
Published by Simon Pulse, August 22, 2017
ARC obtained from Libraries Unlimited
352 pages
Rating: 4/5
This sounds like a good read after all my mystery-type books
ReplyDeleteI usually avoid books with any kind of sports theme, but this one sounds really good. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the heads-up!
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