Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Keeper

SERIES: Kensley Panthers (Book 1)

AUTHOR: Nicole Dykes

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 216 pages

RELEASE DATE: October 17, 2022

BLURB:

Kingston Wells

I like to party. To have a good time.
Life’s too short not to. I learned that when I lost my grandpa.
He told me to have fun while I can, and I intend to.
Although sometimes when you’re having a good time, you forget others may see you as irresponsible. And sometimes you screw up.
I’ve definitely screwed up a time or two.
But I’m still determined to have fun. And along the way, I’m hoping I’ll convince my best friend, Camden, to do the same.
He’s too serious. Too focused. Too busy taking care of everyone to just relax.
And that’s where I come in.

Camden Prescott

I may only be eighteen and a senior, but I have too much on my plate to be a kid.
Too many people depend on me, but I can handle it.
I have to handle it. My mom needs my help. My little sister needs me. And Kingston, my best friend in the world—yeah, he definitely needs me.
Because while he’s busy having fun, I’m busy cleaning up his messes along with everyone else’s.
It’s not all bad though. He’s there to make sure I occasionally have fun, and I’m there for him when he needs to take life seriously.
Because that’s what I am . . .
The Keeper.

REVIEW:

I am discovering that Nicole Dykes can write about just about anything and I will like it.

Camden Prescott is the quarterback of the Kensley High School football team. It’s his senior year and he only has to last a few more months until he will finally be free of his small home town. A straight A student, his goal is to get a full ride scholarship to a school far away. Far away from all the responsibilities that he has shoulder for his mom and little sister. School, football, working any job he can get to help out his single mom. Free from holding in his biggest secrets. Just a few more months. The only problem with this dream is leaving his best friend since he was little. Kingston Wells plays hard in life and on the football field. Kensley is his life and he loves living in his hometown and never wants to leave. And the best thing about it is he gets to hang out with his best friend Camden. Camden is the serious and responsible one. He’s the fun on just like his grandpa encouraged him to be. But this senior year is rushing by so fast and his girlfriend, head cheerleader Kennedy, seems to want to keep rushing the year faster. But Kingston is just tired of the pushing and fighting and wants it over with her.

Camden was a born caregiver and provider. I actually think he enabled his mom (who was just a HS teenager when she had him) and she became so co-dependent on him that she didn’t even realized deep down how she had basically robbed him of his youth to help pay for everything and raise his little sister Lucy. So Camden just buried his true self and repressed his love of his best friend.

Kingston was the fun guy. His smile alone was like sunshine. So everyone just took his persona and assumed that’s who he was. But Kingston cared about his best friend in the world and would do anything to make his buddy’s life a little easier. He deserved so much more that Kennedy. I don’t know if I would label him bisexual or gay-for-you. He loved Camden and it was as simple as that. And Camden only had or ever would love Kingston.

I’m not usually a young adult kind of reader. And these young men, at 18, were still in high school. But they seemed much older at times. I know for Camden’s case he literally had to be grown up every since Lucy came into the picture. I will warn you, there is a lot of alcohol consumption by all the kids at their non fires and I don’t think a lot of responsibility but at least Camden and Kingston had each other’s backs.

RATING:

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