{"id":43270,"date":"2019-06-03T08:00:03","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T12:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=43270"},"modified":"2021-08-23T06:58:43","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T10:58:43","slug":"blog-tour-excerpt-arc-review-the-red-zone-by-amie-knight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=43270","title":{"rendered":"Blog Tour, Excerpt & ARC Review: The Red Zone (Summerville Sports Romance, #1) by Amie Knight"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Red Zone, an all-new sexy, second chance romance from Amie\u00a0Knight, is available now!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Amazon Worldwide<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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\r\n <\/div><\/div><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Blurb<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

They say the red zone is the hardest place to score.
\nBut for me, those last twenty yards were my sweet spot.
\nThey didn’t call me Lukas “Last Minute Lucy” Callihan for nothing.
\nI was at the top of my game…until life sacked me harder than any linebacker ever could.
\nLosing my mom was devastating and left me as the sole person responsible for my little sister.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking care of Ella and juggling my career was like playing the hardest game of my life.
\nMy only saving grace was Scarlett Knox, Ella’s sexy, red-headed, no-nonsense teacher.
\nShe loved Ella. She hated me.
\nShe thought I sucked at this parenting thing, and she wasn\u2019t wrong.
\nBut whenever she was around I got the same earth-shattering, heart-stopping feeling I did when I was only twenty yards from the goal line.
\nShe made me feel like I was back in the red zone, a place I\u2019d never fumbled.
\nUntil now.<\/p>\n

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Add to Goodreads<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Review<\/b><\/h4>\n

3.5 stars!<\/b><\/p>\n

This is a fun, sweet standalone sports romance with a touch of second-chance-romance and an alpha football hero who will absolutely steal your heart.<\/p>\n

Lukas was living the dream as an NFL player with a promising career ahead of him. But his world fell apart when his beloved mother died and he returned to his home town so that he could care for his special needs sister, Ella. He has so much love for his sister, but is struggling to adjust to playing for a local, not so successful team, and with the responsibilities of caring for a teenager while they\u2019re both still grieving their mother. And now he is being hounded by Ella\u2019s teacher who wants to meet with him, which is just what he doesn\u2019t need\u2026 until he learns that her teacher is his old high school crush.<\/p>\n

Luk and Scarlett met in high school when she tutored him in French. They developed a friendship and both had feelings for each other, but he was 17 and she was only 14, so the only thing that ever happened between them was a kiss right before he left for College. Scarlett\u2019s heart was broken when she had no further contact with Luk, and she\u2019s been holding a grudge ever since. So when the cocky football star shows up in her classroom, she has zero tolerance for his good looks and smooth flirtiness. But With nobody else in town to turn to, Luk begins to open up Scarlett, showing his vulnerability and proving that he is still the same person that she fell for all of those years ago, and their dynamic begins to shift.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s sad. Isn\u2019t it. That I\u2019m all she has left. Just me, fucking up everything.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

His baby sister had hit the jackpot with his one. Because as far as I could figure, there probably wasn\u2019t anything in the world better than being unconditionally loved by Lukas Callihan.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They become friends again, and Scarlett is there to help Luk through the difficulties of his situation. But Luk never forgot about Scarlett, and now that she\u2019s all grown up he wants her, and he holds nothing back in letting her know just how much.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m home now. And fate would have it that you\u2019re here, too. And I\u2019m done with this friend bullshit, Red. I\u2019m dong pretending I don\u2019t want you. I\u2019m done making excuses to see you. And I sure don\u2019t give a shit that you\u2019re Ella\u2019s teacher. I want you and I\u2019m done fucking around.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But Scarlett has had her heart broken by Luk once before, and she has no intention of opening herself up to that kind of pain again. Plus, her inexperience with all things relationships means she\u2019s terrified of Luk and all that he wants from her. He has a battle on his hands to win her over, and it\u2019s a fun and flirtatious ride as we watch him fight for the girl he wants.<\/p>\n

I was tearing down walls and feeling damn good about it. I had a feeling I was pretty close to getting a kiss, too. I\u2019d never been this excited for a simple kiss, but I guess that was what happened when the woman you were falling for all over again withheld something you really fucking wanted. And I wanted her kiss like I wanted my next breath. <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is a really cute set-up, and I really enjoyed the changing dynamic between Luk and Scarlett as they became a part of each other\u2019s lives again. We get to see glimpses of their past which were really sweet, and helps create the chemistry between them in the present. The sexual tension builds well, and I loved watching them fall for each other all over again.<\/p>\n

I could still feel it, though. That inevitable pull between Luk and me. It had always been there, the undercurrent of us being something more. And now was no exception. It was there whether I liked it or not. Just like always.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The relationship feels like a bit of a slow burn, and it takes a while for Scarlett to come around, but things move pretty quickly from there, and the love story is gorgeous.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m calling dibs, Scarlett.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is a great bunch of side characters who contribute to the story. Ella, of course, is a fantastic scene stealer, and Luk and Scarlett\u2019s friends are fantastically entertaining. I\u2019m wondering (hoping) that there will be a story for them moving forward.<\/p>\n

The story ends well with an epilogue that finishes everything off beautifully, and I loved seeing Luk and Scarlett get their HEA.<\/p>\n

Such a cute read \u2013 3.5 stars.<\/p>\n

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.<\/i><\/p>\n

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Summerville Sports Romance<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

The Red Zone (#1)<\/strong> (Lukas & Scarlett)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

The First Score (#2)<\/strong> (Oliver & Hazel)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon <\/a><\/p>\n

The Final Play (#3) <\/strong>(Mason & Glory)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Excerpt<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to kiss you.\u201d<\/p>\n

My body locked tight. Oh, no, he couldn\u2019t do that. If he kissed me I\u2019d think about it at least the next ten years and that would be awful. I still obsessed over the day he\u2019d kissed me when he\u2019d told me goodbye. I couldn\u2019t let him do that to me again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a terrible idea,\u201d I whispered, his lips a breath from mine.<\/p>\n

Slowly his eyes opened and they were suddenly boring into mine. \u201cWhy, Scarlett?\u201d<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t tell him the truth. That his kiss had ruined my teenage heart. That I\u2019d never moved on. That no other kiss had ever compared. That I still thought about that kiss and what I had meant to him. I couldn\u2019t tell him any of that because it sounded pathetic and desperate even to my own ears.<\/p>\n

So I lied. I lied my face off. \u201cIt\u2019s just not appropriate. I\u2019m Ella\u2019s teacher and you\u2019re her guardian.\u201d<\/p>\n

His smile said it all, but it didn\u2019t have to because his mouth wasn\u2019t far behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s bullshit. None of that has anything to do with me putting my lips on yours.\u201d He studied my face like he did when we were in school together. Like he was trying to figure me out. I prayed he wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

And while his eyes pillaged my very soul, his knee slowly wedged itself between my thighs, causing my skirt to rise. I turned my head to the classroom door, terrified someone would walk through even though I knew it was after hours and we were alone.<\/p>\n

His hands left my jaw and traveled down my neck, past my shoulders and the outer swell of my breasts to settle on my hips where he squeezed. \u201cWhat are you so afraid of, baby?\u201d<\/p>\n

He called me baby and he was doing it again. That thing where he made me dizzy and stupid. He was making me forget why this was a bad idea. Why I shouldn\u2019t want this. Because he felt so, so good against me.<\/p>\n

His warm palms left my hips and slid down over my ass and to the bottom of my skirt where he clutched the hem in his fists, slowly sliding it up more.<\/p>\n

I should have said stop. Anything, but the farther he pushed up my skirt, the more his knee moved in and up until it sat right there against me. Right where I needed it.<\/p>\n

A small squeak escaped my lips and one corner of his mouth lifted in a slow smile. \u201cGod, you\u2019re gorgeous.\u201d His nose brushed the side of mine and the harsh stubble on his jaw scraped my skin exquisitely. His massive hands moved under my skirt and right to the globes of my bottom, squeezing, before one moved up and snapped the top of my panties. \u201cAnd you have a thong on. You\u2019re trying to kill me, Red.\u201d<\/p>\n

He lowered his head more, zeroed in on my lips, and even though I was a mess of hormones and turned on more than I\u2019d ever been in my life, I couldn\u2019t give it to him. I couldn\u2019t give him my kiss again.<\/p>\n

I turned my head in the nick of time and his mouth landed on my jaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not going to give me your mouth, huh?\u201d he mumbled against my cheek before pressing open mouth kisses down my face to my neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d I whispered into the quiet room, my voice breathy.<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm,\u201d he moaned right into the spot where my shoulder met my neck before giving me a bite there that simultaneously stung and lit my body on fire. \u201cThen I\u2019ll just have to take what you give me. Now won\u2019t I?\u201d he growled.<\/p>\n

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About Amie Knight<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"Amie Knight has been a reader for as long as she could remember and a romance lover since she could get her hands on her momma\u2019s books. A dedicated wife and mother with a love of music and makeup, she won\u2019t ever be seen leaving the house without her eyebrows and eyelashes done just right. When she isn\u2019t reading and writing, you can catch her jamming out in the car with her two kids to \u201990s R&B, country, and showtunes. Amie draws inspiration from her childhood in Columbia, South Carolina, and can\u2019t imagine living anywhere other than the South.<\/p>\n

Stay up to date with Amie Knight by signing up for her\u00a0MAILING LIST<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Facebook <\/a>|\u00a0\u00a0Twitter <\/a>|\u00a0\u00a0Instagram <\/a>|\u00a0\u00a0Website<\/a>\u00a0 | \u00a0Goodreads<\/a>\u00a0 | \u00a0Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Join Amie\u2019s reader group<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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  The Red Zone, an all-new sexy, second chance romance from Amie\u00a0Knight, is available now! Amazon\u00a0 |\u00a0 Amazon Worldwide   Blurb They say the red zone is the hardest place to score. But for me, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":42844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":3.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,9,24,58,29],"tags":[608,59,48,76],"class_list":["post-43270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-friends-to-lovers","category-romance","category-second-chance-romance","category-sports-star","category-steamy","tag-amie-knight","tag-arc","tag-review","tag-standalone"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/The-Red-Zone.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-bfU","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43270"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43270\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}