Reviewed by True

TITLE: Red Zone

SERIES: Big Bend Bears #1

AUTHOR: Nicole Dykes

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 221 pages

RELEASE DATE: August 29, 2024

BLURB:

Dallas Boone

Welcome to Big Bend—my nightmare and my home, all in one.
I don’t fit in here. I don’t fit in anywhere. I’ve made so many mistakes. Over and over.

Two of those mistakes haunt me. One being responsible for a friend losing his job and reputation in this town.
And two, well, that one is even worse.
I ruined so many lives with one stupid decision I barely even remember.
And now I’m going to pay for it.

Colt Howe

Kensley. A place I never wanted to be again.
But I had to come back home. My sister Chloe needs me, which is more important than escaping the town I grew up in.

I’m here for two reasons and two reasons only: my sister and my nephew.
I’ll make sure my nephew has a better life than I had. That his father is there for him, whether he wants to be or not.
That’s my promise.

I was so damn close to getting out of this town for good. Right in that red zone, I could see the goal, but then I got hit with a force I never saw coming.
And that changed everything.

REVIEW:

Dallas starts his senior year at Big Bend High School, his last year, almost everyone despises him.
He’s a disaster, did something stupid and now their popular coach is fired.

His upbringing slash home situation is complicated. He has strong religious parents who don’t allow the possibility of Dallas being gay. Apps on his phone are not done, it’s evil.
Dallas is completely indoctrinated by his parents. Their voices in his head are loud. It’s quite heartbreaking.

One day a big angry guy, Colt Howe, stands before him and accuses him of getting his sister pregnant and demands him to take a paternity test.

Colt will always take care of his sister Chloe and his nephew Christian. Finding the father of her child is one thing he’ll do.
Dallas isn’t who Colt thought he would be, he’s an eighteen-year-old high schooler, with low self-esteem, kind of sweet, and has serious panic attacks.

Dallas is afraid of his growing feelings for Colt if his parents knew they would send him to a camp and, and, and, ugh.

The story is mostly focused on Colt and Dallas, it feels fast-paced but the progress is slow.
Both guys were lovable, the big picture is nice, slightly developed, still enjoyable.
Dallas standing up for himself against his bullies was wonderful to witness.
Overall an enjoyable experience.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon