As the season heats up so does their relationship and their struggle to navigate through his fame, her infamy, and the expectations of the season. When an agent comes after Tank, everything is on the line: his relationship with Amber, his shot at the Heisman and the career of Franco. Figuring it all out may be his greatest audible yet.
MY REVIEW:
Anthony “Tank” Howard had been working
toward this day since what felt like forever.
But today would be his day to declare what college program he was going
to sign with. Of which there had been no
question for a long time. Everyone had
known since he was fifteen that he wanted to sign with Georgia State to be
coached with Whitey and Franco. He never
wanted it to be this way with all this fanfare.
His mother Chantel Jones who had never really had a good word to say
about her sperm donor, his father, had taken his unsolicited advice on this and
had him visit all his options and then have this day too.
You see Tank always knew state was it for
him. The sperm donor who had messed it
up had messed up his own chances by gambling it away got say in how he did
thing, really? So when it was Tanks big
day he could grab the limelight by coming in late for the proceedings all
dressed in Georgia State garb the limelight meant for his son was now on
him. He was still Tank’s thunder by
giving his choice away. Making it
perfectly clear to Tank he from day one had never wanted to claim Tank he was
always and still was all about himself.
He had talked his mother into the hoopla of a day with all the bells and
whistles for himself.
At that moment Tank felt an anger he had
never felt before ever. Quickly going
over his options because he knew this was playing out on national television. Once it was clear in his head he decided that
he was doing the right thing. He decided
to turn this signing day on its ear. He
reached down and picked up a hat and announced, “I am going to Kensington
State. I am going to be a Bear.”
Three years in, if you asked him, he would
never really admit it but his father’s showboating had everything to do with
his decision to go to Kensington. The
rest had to do with the friendship and honesty he received from his coach well
back then recruiter, Mike Franco. Even
though Mike would not be at state after all he would be going to Kensington, he
advised Tank in his best interest it would be for him to go the state where
they had more to offer. That meant
something to him. The other thing was
when he went on the tour freshman Tilly Lace says don’t believe half the things
they promise you while the woo you.
Truth that’s what he really remembered when faced with a liar and a
snake known as his father.
Three years in and Tank was really and
truly getting noticed already. He needed
his posse when he went anywhere to block his fans. Nobody dared messed with his 300-pound team member’s
that is for sure. Because although he
loved all the fame and hoopla he somethings would get surrounded and who knew
what could happen. So it was the
beginning of the new season and tradition had it that the team as a whole was
to go out and party. They were known in the
past to get out of hand. With the new
age of multimedia that is not something their team or Tank himself could
afford. There was already talk of the
Heisman in Tank’s future. So coach
called him in as team captain and the most to lose. That he needed to keep his team members in
check. He said he had it handled. They were going to The Bear’s Den dedicated
to the team’s theme and school colors and mascot. Fans from all over liked to come on this
night to mingle with the team.
On this night a local hometown girl, Amber
Johnson, was back working at the den.
She was like one of the family as far as the owners were concerned. Especially, to her best friend and sister of
the heart Keira. At the den she dressed
and left to all her dances and proms.
You see Amber’s parents were very young when they had her both 16. But from day the day of her birth her mom
didn’t want her so she gave her to her dad and his parents. Her dad still went to school but every free
moment he spent with her. So while her
dad was away for work Keira’s family stepped in for this kind of stuff. His dad’s big family did all the rest. But the den was also where she stole her
first drink in the back by the pool tables.
So lots of memories.
Being that he was a single father at 16 it
only made sense. But until he was picked
up as a pro football player she was around him as much as possible. Her grandparents made sure of that. She was at his college stadium almost every
day to watch his practices and games.
Amber knows stats as well as any guy if not better than most. In fact, when her and her father would talk
is was about the breakdown of what happened on the field during the game
sometimes she would catch things he or his staff would miss.
She came home early from college due to a
horrific accident that left her scared than more ways than one but she suffered
physical scars also. She was arranged
through strings to have PT with the therapist for the Kensington team. Which has been kicking her ass. This will be her second night back at The
Bear’s Den and she’s already tired. From
the accident she has a bad leg that is already lagging from PT also so she is
glad she only has to work behind the bar.
She has a mean looking scar on the right side of her face on her jawline mouth to neck with marbling. But
she keeps it hidden by braiding her hair to the right and putting a hat
on.
Now it was well past midnight and her leg
was really lagging and she was heading toward the kitchen to take a much needed
break. She had to dodge the team of
players and half the town to get there.
As she came upon one of the players from behind in order not to get
stepped on, to let him know she was there and to balance herself she put her
hand on the small of the back of a huge team player’s back. She stood up as far as she could and said, “Excuse
me,” to get by so she could go through.
Wrong move.
The woman on the other side of the player
is the jealous type. She must not have
heard what she said. All she saw was a platinum
blonde leaning into her man. Amber was
so tired she was slow to react. So when
the larger women in tights, wrenched Amber’s arm off the players back. The jerking motion was too much for Amber’s
leg. She went down hard even though she
tried to break her fall or at the least her balance. When she hit the floor full force knocking
her out.
Tank got up from his cover of his posse wall
from the overzealous crowd and went to the aid or the platinum blonde, when
Cynthia, Marsh’s girlfriend took her out.
She took no shit from anyone and wouldn’t take kindly to the spindly
given Stefani-look-alike touching her man.
He wondered if they wouldn’t get in trouble for the girl fight? Tank was hoping to thwart Cynthia when the
blonde went down-hard. Marsh was pissed
when he said to her, “What the fuck, Cyn?
Are you crazy?” Showing that he
had a pair for saying that though, at least the next couple of days for
sure. Tank looked at Tilly before dropping
to his knees and scooping up the sprite, Amber.
Tilly’s gold teeth, flashed as he caught
Tank’s expression. Tank lifted her and
they headed to the kitchen doors behind them.
They were worried Tank sent Tilly back to the bar for a first aid kit. As Tank was assessing her he saw her scar she
had hidden behind the braid. She was
small waisted, ample chest, and very long legs.
She had such a skinny frame. When
her head fell sideways he got a better look at the scar not and it was worst
that was little he saw by her mouth.
When flopped to the side he was confronted with her mean looking red scar. It must have happened when she fell and Tank
let out a curse. Tilly said a glass must
have shattered in the fall. That’s when
he noticed she was wearing a Bear’s Den shirt.
Tank told him he should get Mark because she must work there.
Even with the scar she was “HOT.” That was all Tank could think of. His gaze made its way back up to her
eyes. As he was doing so he was
wondering what color her eyes were. The
wonder was over. He made eye contact as
he got there with a pair of dark chocolate eyes. Smiling because he was so glad she woke up he
said, “Great you’re awake.”
She on the other hand not so friendly
says, “Did you get a good look perv?”
Tank couldn’t help it he nodded yes! With a huge smile. Not making any points.
Hostility.
“I’ll assume that’s from being knocked off your ass and hitting your
head. Do you feel okay?”
All Amber could think was “Seriously?” That she had the “luck of the damned.” Without being told and just by his light
green eyes she was staring at this was Tank Howard. Although she was grateful for his help she
was in the fight or flight mode at that moment.
With her past history she needed to get away from Tank Howard and
fast. The best way to do that
sarcasm.
Sit back and enjoy this intense engulfing
read. The characters are funny,
emotionally gripping even after the read is over, and the saga is one that has
a very surprising ending that in most stories would have made me mad this one
not at all. Yet, it left me hopeful that
maybe just maybe there may be hope for them in another book if this turns into
a series. I so want to do an interview
with the author for I have so many questions I hope to get answers to. Because this is the second day since I have
finished it and well I have to say it is sticking with me. I give this book 5++++ stars. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com
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