Quarterback Keeper: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was a fan of Isla Vaughn when I discovered her Hidden Valley Elite series and was looking forward to this new series. As always, this book exceeded all my expectations.

Quarterback Keeper is the first book in the Fall Lake Ballers series, and this is Kylian and Gia’s story to share. Kylian seems to have all the good things life can offer, such as wealth and success on the football field, with dreams of making it to the NFL. Appearances can be deceiving. He is struggling with his mother’s illness and how he is going to continue paying for her treatments. In addition, his devious father, with political aspirations, is willing to do anything to get Kylian to give in to his demands.

Gia is on the run, fleeing her dangerous past, and has finally found a safe place to stay, an uninhabited boat. That safety is threatened when a stranger appears onboard one night. The stranger turns out to be the owner, none other than college football star Kylian Wilder. As the two spar through the night, Kylian comes up with an agreement that could help them both get what they want. For him, that is freedom from his demanding father; for her, it’s freedom and safety from her past. All she has to do is be his pretend girlfriend and then his fiancee. It shouldn’t be too hard, right?

As the two spend more time together, the sparks that flew that first night become hard to ignore. They move from constantly arguing to a friendship and then more. The secrets they are keeping threaten to ruin what could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Vaughn did a fantastic job of creating two complex characters. Kylian is such a caring man. He is definitely a heartthrob, but as the story continues, it’s his heart that shines. His devotion to his mother melted my heart. I loved the relationship he shared with his mother. I also loved the relationship Gia develops with his mother. The moments the two women shared were some of my favorite scenes.

I started this book, and I only stopped to do the necessary things like eat! It kept my attention that much. It was the perfect balance of romance, emotion, and suspense. If you like those things in addition to strong men and women, give this series a try. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

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