Love in the Red Zone

Connecticut Kings #1

by Love Belvin

Can you tell the difference between a distraction and a blessing? It should be simple, but sometimes what we think is a distraction can actually be a turning of the tide required to bring life full circle, to a place of blessing.

Meet Trent Bailey, who is fighting for the right to continue his stellar professional football career after enduring striking legal woes in the recent past. Trent cannot and will not blow his second chance for anyone; after all, this is the blessing he’s been praying for. After receiving confirmation that staying focused is all he needs, it’s what he aims to do. No distractions. That’s until he bumps into two unexpected overnight guests.

Jade Matthews is doing everything she can for herself and her young son, Kyree. After journeying through her own bumps in the road, she’s finally getting it together. She’s doing what she has to do to make sure her family of two stays afloat. Life’s setbacks won’t stop Jade from providing for her little one, even though she fumbles each pass thrown at her.

What starts out as a temporary favor turns into rapid passion. There’s one agenda here, but getting to the same meeting point has never been more difficult. Fighting their way through trust and self-esteem issues, the two must meet in the right zone; the red zone, where you may think you’re safe, but life has a way of intercepting blessings and…turning the tide.

Love Belvin and Christina C. Jones collaborate on a series of football romance, staring two football greats who so happen to be in for the biggest play of their for their hearts. Quarterback, Trent Bailey, and wide receiver, Jordan Johnson, give their all out on the green. But what happens when the two friends encounter true love?

Take on Connecticut Kings’ finest and journey through their discovery of developing themselves as men, and exploring love.

***Book one of the "Connecticut Kings" series***

Genres: Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, African American Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, African American

372 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 5, 2016

About the author

Love Belvin is a native of the Tri-State area and now lives in the Delaware Valley. She's an avid reader and enjoys dinner parties with her closest girlfriends. While she enjoys many things, nothing excites her more than curling up with a glass of wine and a good romance novel.

Love has been given the moniker "adult contemporary series queen." She is the author of the "Love's Improbable Possibility," "Wayward Love," and "Love Unaccounted" serials. Her two standalones, “Love's Inconvenient Truth” and "Low Love, Low Fidelity" are available. Love Belvin is also the co-author of the "Connecticut Kings" series. She's currently penning the journey of her latest captivating clients.

You can find Love on her website www.LoveBelvin.com

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Reviews

[Wobilba · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Even though I tried my best, I couldn't find myself loving this book. The story felt long, flat and repetitive, and lost my interest as it progressed. There were just too many insecurities on Jade's part, which made it hard for me to connect with her character. And then there were the many unresolved issues, especially regarding Trent and his mom, which left me unsatisfied and wanting more closure.
However, one aspect of the book that stood out to me was the spiritual and religious elements. I also appreciated how Trent maintained his focus throughout the story, which added depth to his character.

I enjoyed Winston James’ narration. However I did not like Elyce Anthony’s, especially her male voice, just too pitchy .

Overall, while there were some elements I enjoyed, the book fell short for me.

Thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC!

[Lindaisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.75

*deep sigh*

I don’t even know anymore. Its like...you pick up a book on a whim because not only is it romance with football in the backdrop and those stories are more times than not, great...but the author is Black and the characters in the book are Black as well which, helloooo, exactly the kind of story I’ve been looking for. Love in the Red Zone started off so promising and then just went completely left.

I can’t even pin down exactly one or two things that made this a miss for me. It was just a culmination of little and big things that came together to make this book a thorn in my side that I knew was there, knew I needed to get rid of but just wanted so badly for that thorn to smooth out and not be so damn irritating. 

The main characters in this book were Trent Bailey, a former franchise quarterback for the Connecticut Kings who lost his claim to fame and notoriety after a stupid call in his personal life led to him having to serve two years behind bars. Then there is Jade, a young single mother who was brought up with the proverbial silver spoon but allowed the allure of the forbidden and dangerous put her in a situation where she could barely get by in live. Of course circumstances bring these two together and the rest is history.

Only that history was the most long winded and at times obnoxiously dramatic history of all time. Love in the Red Zone is 404 pages. It could have honestly been a smooth 250 pages and called it a day. I feel like more time was spent on expressing how much Trent couldn’t get himself to trust Jade and Jade trying her very best to do whatever it took to get him to open up to her than Trent actually taking steps to trust her and Jade making progress with getting him to open up. I swear at one point while reading this book, I felt the same way I felt at the movie theater in hour three of Transformers: Age of Extinction. WHEN WILL IT END! 

I’m disappointed, that’s all I have to say about this book really. There were some great aspects, don’t get me wrong. I loved how Trent had his head on straight. Even though he made some bad decisions, he still had his head on straight and wanted to lead a righteous path. Even though he made millions of dollars playing for the NFL, he wasn’t stupid with his money. He was a man of faith that prayed on a regular basis and attended church every Sunday. By no means was he a saint, but he tried his very best to mold himself in His image and while I’m not a religious person myself, I admire people who use faith for what it’s actually meant for. To better THEMSELVES which is what Trent strived for. Jade was a great mother. Even though she fell on hard times, her son was always a priority and she did whatever she needed to do to make sure he was safe, fed and protected. My issue was that things didn’t come together and mesh well and I need for all aspects of a story to come together.

There is a sequel to this book and it’s actually written by another author so I may be giving it another try. But in the meantime...My search for a Black romance author who writes about black characters without making them drug dealers or king pins, continues.

[Kameel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Actually Read A Book

I Absolutely Love This Story….This Is An Amazing Story Of Love & Redemption….This couple’s relationship developed beautifully….Trent & Jade both help each other by exchanging wisdom, knowledge & ideas….I love the way Trent took care of Kyree & Jade…Jade was a bit of a cry baby…but, I don’t care, this story was great.

Newly Released Audiobook narrated by Winston James & Elyce Anthony

[Alexis *Reality Bites* · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️Love In The Red Zone❤️
Spoiler Free Review

Love In The Red Zone is indeed a 5 STAR READ!

>


I know this review looks long but trust me I barely scratch the surface. I LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS BOOK! Believe me when I say that a 5 star book is dangerous, well at least for me they are. 5 star reads will have you emotionally spent, that's exactly what this book did to me. I don't give up that 5th star easily, however Love In The Red Zone straight up stole the 5 stars right out of my hand! These characters, their stories and their relationship totally got the best of me. And I... I NEED MORE JADE & TRENT!

Trent Bailey was a superstar quarterback for the Connecticut Kings. A conviction takes that status away when he is sentenced and spends 18months in jail. Two years later and the only field time Trent gets is when assisting a friend that coaches a pee wee football team. It's while assisting the pee wee league Trent meets Jade Matthews...

Jade is a young mom struggling to make ends meet. Pretty much struggling just to keep a roof over her and her son Kyree's head. Right when everything starts to close in around her she receives a helping hand from an unlikely source.

This unlikely source aka Trent lives a VERY private life. He basically goes against all of that to help a young mom and her son. Both are uneasy and unsure about their arrangement. Regardless of their uneasiness they push forward and make it work.
Not much time passes when Jade starts to see Trent in a different light. She's attracted to him, decides that she wants him and goes above and beyond to win his affection towards her.

Meanwhile, things begin to fall in to place for Trent. His desire is to get back on the field and the path to do so is placed right before his feet. He has the discipline, the physique and the determination to do it. Almost simultaneously the new woman in his life positions herself as well. Only Trent is not exactly ready to fully accept her.

'Yeah, she was on hard times now, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t sniff out a baller for milking.' Trent's Inner monologue

Jade and Trent come together in a wild fiery raging passion. The problem is, while Jade puts herself out there with her heart on the line, Trent continues to hold back. His past has him in a place where he finds it hard to trust people. I should note here that he is upfront about his trust issues.

But Jade, homegirl is a fighter and she claws... I mean, she seriously fights for Trent, claiming her position at his side. His reaction to her tactics...LOL! And yes, this chick is tactical with it. His reactions make me smile and love him even more.

My Thoughts
Jade- I think readers will fall hard for this couple! I loved Jade she was smart, fierce and skillful at getting what she wanted. Which was Trent and you know what I can't blame her cause I'm digging him myself. She was jealous, possessive, protective and I loved every second! I wouldn't really consider her a manipulator because once it was made known to Trent that she wanted him she went on in such a manner with not just getting him but keeping him. More importantly she was real about it. And I think this made her twice as endearing to me.

Trent- I like that Trent was smart. He was not one who's quick to fall for the okey doke. He did however fall for Jade quicker than I thought but was a bit slower to reveal his heart to her. He had moments or confession moments I should say where he kept it real with her. But he was never one to put it all out there on the line. He held back some, not naturally though, it was more out of his inability to trust anyone. Because believe me Trent came through when necessary for Jade, no doubt.

The writing
I think Belvin did an excellent job with layering her characters. It's part of her style. Not only to layer them but to show their growth as well. It's truly a strength in her writing that honestly not many can pull off or balance very well. The story carried weight. The characters, even some secondary characters had meat to their bones as well as some skeletons in the closet. The sex scenes were pure F I R E.

Sidebar: If you're a true fan I'm sure you enjoyed the great appearances made by Love's leading characters from previous books.

To buy OR Not to buy? BUY! Go 1click!
Series: Yes, this is book 1 in The Connecticut Kings Series.
Story/plot line: Well written. Well defined story and characters. Pulls you in from the very beginning. And when it ends you still want more.
Recommendation: MUST READ!
Steam Factor: On a scale of 1-10 I say hands down 10 it was on point!

Now go forth and read, then come tell us what you thought about it! If only just a few words, reviews are important to authors.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t Make Me Love It

I wanted to give this book at least 3 stars but in my opinion it only deserves 2.5 and the system doesn’t allow you to give ½ a star. The storyline was all over the place and did not flow smoothly. There were moments as I was reading that I thought, “Wait, did I miss something? When did that happen?” but after going back to reread I realized I didn’t. Jade and Trent’s relationship progressed quickly at times without any real background as to how they got there. Ultimately I just don’t think that Jade and Trent had a strong enough storyline to make this book a favorite.

Keep it Coming… I Like It:
1. The book started off promising. The way Belvin introduces the reader to Trent and Jade is engaging and made me want to continue reading. I especially liked how she incorporated Kyree to bring the two together and expose what was going on in their lives. Kyree was probably my favorite character in the book. Ironically he was probably the most well-adjusted character despite everything going on around him.
2. The editing of this novel in comparison to previous books I’ve read by Love Belvin was the best to date. There weren’t nearly as many grammatical errors as I’ve seen in her other works. I also appreciated that the story was written in terms that were understandable and I didn’t have to go pull out my dictionary every 5 seconds to figure out what she was talking about as I have in some of her other books.
3. I thought the sermon excerpts from Ezra were profound and very fitting to the main character’s experiences. My favorite lines are, “There is only one Source that it is safe to lose yourself to. One Entity that never changes, remains consistent in His decrees and deliverance.”

Ummm…Not Crazy About It:
1. Based on Belvin’s pre-publication thoughts this story was not to end as a cliffhanger. This was true to a certain extent but so many storylines were left incomplete and so many characters were introduced that nothing was done with. The conflict with Trent and Trick wasn’t resolved after spending so much time discussing what precipitated it. There wasn’t even a scene in the book where the two characters even talked to each other, good or bad, after what happened to their uncle. What happened between Trent’s father and mother? Why didn’t Trent’s father have anything to do with him? What happened to Jade’s stepdad? Did he ever call her back? Why have a scene where George tells Jade she can ask for help if nothing becomes of it? Why does Trent come from a family of strippers instead of just having an uncle that is one. That extra tidbit didn’t seem realistic and because there was no other discussion about his other stripper family beyond his Uncle Shank it just seemed like overkill. Ultimately there were too many occasions where characters or storylines were introduced that did not add value or further perspective to the book.
2. In more than one of Love Belvin’s books she has written a character to speak in a way that doesn’t really fit with their characterization (For ex: Jade stating “Trent gaited out” or he was “caught up in a child’s dance exposing his insouciance”). Where I have no issue with the use of the words, they are not terms based on the way Jade and Trent are written that I can realistically believe either would use. Why not use terminology in the context appropriate for the character who is speaking? In contrast, although I do not like the use of the term “nigga” when Ryshon says, “Let that lil nigga be a—“ at least it was in the context of his characterization.
3. Why does it not occur to Jade and Trent to use protection until the end of the book? They have been having unprotected sex like rabbits since the start and all of a sudden it’s a concern toward the end of the book. This just didn’t seem realistic for a struggling single mother and a NFL football player. Even after the first time it happened there is no discussion on whether or not Jade is on any form of birth control. At some point a light goes off that makes you think about the possibility of pregnancy or STD’s and that light bulb should have turned on well before Jade raises the issue with Trent. The placement of Jade and Trent’s discussion on protection just didn’t make sense.

WTH…Deal breakers:
1. Generally I think Love Belvin writes characters that are pretty well developed even if I don’t really like their actions. However, I didn’t feel this way about Jade and Trent. To me, Jade and Trent lacked substance that her characters usually possess and appeared weak at times.
• Where it is always nice to have characters from previous books make a cameo so the reader can get an update on them, I felt the addition of the scenes with Azmir, Stenton, and Jackson overshadowed the main characters. The scene from Azmir’s party where the men discuss their insecurities and claims to their wives was borderline offensive but ultimately not really relevant to Jade and Trent’s story. It appeared Belvin didn’t exactly know what to do with the main characters so some scenes were added as filler.
• Trent’s character appeared weak in my opinion. He was never able to stand up for himself, not with his mother and not with Jade. It seemed he didn’t have much backbone. He couldn’t say no to Brielle to not go on stage or no to JJ to not go to the party. He didn’t even stand up for his morals to say no Jade we are not going to desecrate the Bishop’s office by having sex here.
• Jade’s character was uninteresting, needy and a walking contradiction. She was so desperate to try to get in Trent’s bed that it was sickening. She could stand up to Trent’s mother but let her own mother treat her poorly without ever addressing it. She didn’t want Trent to feel obligated to take care of her but yet she was okay with accepting money more than likely from illegal sources by way of her incarcerated child’s father. She allowed Trent to have sex with her to gloss over the real issue of him being on stage with Brielle instead of addressing it. Who moves in with a stranger and doesn’t even ask their last name? She doesn’t even google him first. Where sometimes when you’re younger you do stupid things some of this had nothing to do with the characters being young and everything to do with them not having likable qualities as protagonists.
2. The scene from Chapter 3 in "In Love with Ezra" repeated in this book.
• Let me first say the coffee shop scene with Ezra and Trent is well written. However, it is supposed to be from Trent’s perspective, but was virtually identical to the scene written from Ezra’s perspective in "In Love with Ezra". In my opinion, the scene didn’t add anything new to Ezra and Trent’s conversation. I think Belvin could’ve just mentioned the scene briefly instead of giving us the same old material. After hearing her pre-publication thoughts and Love Belvin stating she took out other scenes, this scene should’ve been cut as well simply because it was repetitive for those who follow her work.
3. The scene right before the wedding was unnecessary and a disservice to the book.
• Throughout the book prior to this scene, Love Belvin writes a great deal about spiritual enlightenment for both Jade and Trent. Specifically she addresses Trent’s progression with his walk in faith as he attempts to get his life back together post-incarceration (i.e. – consistent praying and fasting). With this one scene she was able to void Trent’s development because he was not able to apply what he believed to his real life. It’s hard to imagine that neither Jade nor Trent were able to refrain from consummating in the Bishop’s office. This scene to me weakened Trent’s character as he was written to be a man of faith but in this moment he wasn’t able to tell Jade no. It’s one thing not to know right from wrong but in the spiritual sense when you know better you do better. Both Jade and Trent knew having sex at the church was inappropriate and ultimately I would’ve liked Trent to have just said no we will wait until we get home. To me the scene was unnecessary and added as possibly a way to draw the reader into wanting a follow up book but it just felt distasteful.
• To add insult to injury, the fact that Belvin wrote Lex as encouraging Jade to proposition Trent for sex in the Bishop’s office is not only far-fetched but diminishes the strength of Lex’s character and leads me to believe that Belvin struggles to write about a totally self-assured independent woman. I say this because it appears the majority, if not all of her female lead characters are written in a way that they are either doing something deceitful, calculating or need a man’s acceptance to define who they are as a woman. For example: Rayna takes her ex’s drug money to help get away from her circumstances, Zoey lies to her cousin about being with Stenton and basically alters her entire life to be available to Stenton when he’s ready for her in part because he provided for her lifestyle, Elle used her looks and sex to manipulate and I’ve already mentioned how desperate Jade was for Trent’s acceptance. Lex may have been the only exception to this because she was independent before meeting Ezra and even after meeting him. She did not seek Ezra out for some underlying reason. By Belvin writing Lex into this scene telling Jade to go for it, it allows her to be a scapegoat and as responsible as Jade is for tempting Trent. It taints Lex’s character. I would really like to see Love Belvin write about at least one female lead character that isn’t doing something underhanded or needing approval from a male to define her.

This book while a good concept in theory just didn’t meet the mark. If I could give one word to describe it, it would be unbalanced. Maybe it was because Belvin was contemplating writing a follow up to the series but I personally think she would have enough material to write with all of the unresolved issues in the relationship with Trent and Jade alone. The other items I mentioned above should have been wrapped up in Book 1 or at least discussed in more detail.

In the words of India Arie, “Don’t be offended, this is all my opinion. Ain’t nothing that I’m saying law.” Love Belvin has the right to write what she wants. I paid for the right to read it and now I'm sharing my thoughts about it. I just hope with her next book she makes me love it.

[Rashawnda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love you’ve done it again!! This was a great start to the CK’s series and I cannot wait to dive into the next book!! Trenton and Jade gave me all the feels! 🥰🥰🥰

Trenton’s first and only love has been football for as long as he could remember. It’s what he was born to do. Sadly his no snitching hood code caused him to take one for the team in a way that he never imagined and landed him in prison essentially ending his dreams of the NFL. Now fresh out he’s learned the hard way about who was in his corner and who left his side before those iron bars fully closed. He’s found contentment with solitude and living life alone. One of the few things that brings joy to his heart these days is training with the mighty mites peewee team. There he meets 6 year old Kyree and sees so much of himself in this little tyke. After noticing some behavioral issues that are so unlike Kyree he finds out the root cause and doesn’t think twice about coming to the aide of Kyree and his mother Jade. He had no idea that opening up his home would result in him opening up his heart and finding his forever peace and solace. Jade provided him with the protection and love that he was missing his entire life.

I loved catching up with all of my Love boos! Azmir, Stenton, Zoey, Elle, Jackson, Ezra and Lex!! These characters have a forever home in my heart and I look forward to reading about them every time I dive into a new book by Love! I can’t wait to see what else is in store with this series!

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 23%.

I can't do this anymore. The writing is engaging, but I cannot stand the way men are talking about their significant others. There is so much gross language about women that I refuse to keep reading.

This is after a woman with a child (the heroine) is too proud to ask her wealthy family for help with keeping a roof over her son and her and when she gets thrown out of her housing moves in with a total stranger, a man.

Reminds me of a summer intern whose housing had fallen through at my roommate's job. She needed a temporary place to stay so we allowed her to sleep on our couch while she was looking for a new place. After two weeks of her eating our food and never leaving the couch, I finally asked her what was up and she left in a huff cause "I didn't want to go to family but I guess I have to as my last resort". Uh... and you're willing to impose on a stranger but your pride won't let you ask family for help cause why?

In this book, the heroine has a rich stepfather who loves her and offers her money... which she doesn't take. It just made me roll my eyes so hard. And her poor son has been afraid to go home because it's dark (the electricity was turned off). If she really cared about him, she would have allowed her family to help her.

Add to that the absolutely foul way women are discussed in this book? Nope. I'm out.

[Klyne McComas · Rating 3 out of 5]

New ick unlocked:
Goup
Goo
Gooed
Gooey
Slime
Slimed

Yeah the write for me was so weird. I gave a 3 star ⭐️ because I was being nice.

[Jahda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Read: It was nice to see Trent and Jade again. I'm perhaps more intrigued by their love story. I'll up this review's rating by one. 4⭐️


3 ⭐️This had potential but fizzled out after a slow start. Love Belvin generally gives her characters depth, and through their flaws and choices, we can experience their development. The repetition and lack of connection became apparent to me as I read. Jade gave the impression that she was dependent on others. Don't get me wrong, she was an excellent mother, and her child came first in everything she did. However, she acted more like an adult with childish tendencies. She didn't have much ambition, which bothered me. Trent is another character who struggled to adjust to the new changes in his life. It was made clear throughout more than half of the book that Trent didn't trust Jade. I just kept wondering when would he trust her… I mean Jade and her son was living with him.

[The Love Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to starting the Connecticut Kings series! This football series is co-written by Love Belvin and Christina C. Jones. While I'm a forever fan of CCCJ, this was my first read by Love Belvin and I have mixed feelings about the writing.

Love in the Red Zone follows Trent, former famous Connecticut Kings QB who was recently released from a short prison stint after a lapse in judgment that took his career away from him. Now he's out, and has been using his faith and time coaching youth football to grow as a man and make sure he doesn't go back to the person he used to be. He also has dreams of returning to professional football.

Jade is a single mom who is coached by Trent. Due to Trent keeping a low profile after his release and going by his initials, Jade has no idea who Trent is or anything about his past. That doesn't stop Trent from stepping in to help Jade and her son when they fall on rough times, including taking them under his roof and helping her get back on her feet.

The story had the makings to be great, but the execution fell flat. The book started off slow with a lot of info dumping and over explanation, and while the middle of the story picked up, it then flattened out again and left me disappointed. I'm going to continue with the series because I'm excited to read the books CCJ wrote, but I'll definitely go into Love Belvin's books with lowered expectations.

TROPES: black romance, single mom, football player, forced proximity/roommates

[Dulcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contemporary Sports Romance : ⭐️⭐️.5

There was just so much I couldn’t look past in the development (or lack of) in our heroine.

[LaShaun’s Literary Lounge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm officially a CK groupie. Let me get my season tickets now! 😉

[Nay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jade wanted best for her son Kyree. Jade had too much pride asking for help & here comes Trent. Trent & Jade’s love developed so beautifully over the months. Ezra letting he know he’ll get everything he wants & deserves was ice too. This was a nice story to the beginning of a series.

[Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unnecessarily Long and Drawn Out

I've contemplated for YEARS about reading this series, and for the same amount of time, I thought it was a solo project by CCJ. I figured I'd go ahead and finally get to it since I've read most of CCJ's work. Imagine my surprise when I learned it was a collaboration effort when I downloaded it last week.

I had been hearing about this author's work over the past year, but I never read any of her work, so I took a chance on Book One of this series. I was very nervous about reading this when I saw the number of pages for this book because a lot of times, with these newer authors, the books lack substance and be full of fluff about a bunch of nothing.

WELP! This was that kind of book!

It started off really well, THEN...it went downhill fast with no breaks.

The first problem is it's long AF for NO reason. The author threw everything PLUS her kitchen sink into this book and it wasn't necessary. Like, at ALL. She really could've knocked this story out in 175 pages, if not less.

I loved the direction the storyline was going maybe the first half of the book. What killed it is most of the book is repetitious. I literally read the same thing each chapter and after about the third time, I was ready to give up. Jade was nervous about possibly being homeless again, even though Trent never told her she and her son had to leave. Jade gets mad at Trent for one ridiculous reason or another, and it annoys him every time. The only way Trent can 'tame' her is to screw her senseless, then all is right in the world again.

Wash. Dry. Repeat.

Honestly, they had no business in a relationship. And if I'm being REAL honest, Trent SHOULD'VE leveled up. Jade was immature and insecure as hell, and Trent never trusted her. She had no ambition to do better. No goals in life or anything, and what's sad is that she was from a well-to-do family by marriage. She just didn't want to do anything because she was tired of people telling her what to do. Makes no sense when people are trying to steer you in the right direction, but whatever. The only thing she had going for herself was she was a great Mom. I can't take that away from her, but as someone who spent most of the book crying because she didn't trust Trent, you'd think she would have put a plan in motion to get herself together. But...nope.

Trent wasn't a bad guy, but he had his shit with him too. Once he lowered his guard, if only a little bit for Jade, his fuckboy tendencies crept onto the scene. He did things that made NO sense, and honestly, he didn't even match the person the author had introduced the readers to when the story began. This is a guy who was trying to rebuild his life, strengthen his relationship with God, and return to the game he loved, but once he got his job back, that old lifestyle slowly crept in, even though it wasn't all the time. In fact, you only saw it when he was around friends that he really didn't want to be around (if we're being honest).

It just wasn't good. It had SERIOUS potential, but it fell flat. The two stars are for the first half of the book only.

The next story of this series is written by CCJ, whose writing I LOVE! Although the page length is maybe 35-40% less than this one, I don't think I'll be reading it. This one disappointed me too much to even care to know the Wide Receiver's story.

[Lette Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

After my second time reading this book, I still love it. I love Trent and Jade’s story!! Jade’s a firecracker but she is serious about protecting those close to her. This entire series is so very good…. Of course Love and CCJ are two of my faves!!

[Camryn O'Conner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. I'm just going to go through my thoughts stream of consciousness style and maybe we'll get somewhere.

First, it was entirely too long for the amount of foolery packed between these pages. Let's start with the description of the love interest. They kept calling him "the giant" or "the ogre," so I kept wondering how big he actually was, but we never really get an answer.

So, TB has just gotten out of prison (for aiding and abetting, which he also claims isn’t even illegal... I don’t know), and while in prison, he found Jesus🚨. At this point, I thought maybe this was going to be a Christian/clean romance. I was very wrong. They had enough sex to populate a large suburban city (which real cuz christians have needs too, but this almost just felt so idk lusful for you to talk about you're praying every day and night), but let me not get ahead of myself.

TB meets with his counselor/pastor combo, who basically tells him, “You’re going to meet a woman holding a child with another older kid. That’s your wife.” What? Okay. TB is coaching peewee football and that’s when he meets Jade, the absolute bane of my existence (like i truly hate her).

He ends up moving her into his home, and that’s where it all falls apart. JADE IS A PREDATOR. Her language was incredibly manipulative. Even TB himself said things like, “The way she pushed her way into my family trying to talk to everybody... It was a little annoying and at the same time impressive.” She even purposely lost her Section 8 housing so she could stay at his place. Is that not insane. But Ezra, the church counselor, told him it was “a determined risk.” What does that even mean?

Even at 70% through the book, Jade is still saying things like, “I used sex with Trent to solidify my space in his world and to lower his guard to let me into his heart.” No. What do you mean by that, babes? I just didn’t like that this book used a religious figure to justify TB being manipulated into a relationship because of a dream. Free TB till its backwards.

Also, TB had money, and that could have made some of this more tolerable, but he was so frugal and never wanted to spend it, which just irritated me even more.

The smut was filthy though, so there’s that.

and yes i will be continuing the series because i love christina c jones!

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good: The bones of this story was so good. I was completely vested in both main characters fully becoming who they were meant to be individually and together as a couple. I love the spiritual aspects of the story, and I am always here for a kid with personality.

The Not As Good: I feel like there was a problem with the execution of writing the story. There were so many superlatives and adjectives. I felt like there were times when the writing was too flowery and also times when the dialect was common. These were mostly conversations but having the different styles made the story feel disjointed to me. Also, the BC conversation came super late in the story, like 90%. I felt like it was just thrown in for effect because it was way too late for that...

Overall: This was a good story with characters that I loved and rooted for. I wish I had enjoyed the execution more. I will be continuing the series. The next book is written by CCJ. I have to give it a try.

Happy reading!

[*Ebony I* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book spoke to me

The way the word of God was presented and expressed in real life terms spoke to me. This book was not just your usual love/sex story and I am grateful for everything I learned. It is not often that a book of fiction helps me work on my relationship with God while revealing ways to improve my marriage. I smiked , laughed, and cried reading this book. The way the author humanizes us, black people, and shows our complexity was...everything. Do yourself a favor and read this book. I'm an avid reader of several genres and this book I loved!

[Erin Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally started the Connecticut Kings seriesssssss ☺️ I read the ebook & listened to the audio book via Libby at the same time.

🏈 Sports Romance
👩🏾 Single Mom

Trent Davis “Shoot Em Up” 🫠 & Jade Matthews

4.25⭐️ I can’t get past Trent & his stripper moves lmaooo I enjoyed this book though.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wow!!! Start this one when you have plenty of time because you will not want to put it down.

[Dee · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Took too long to start, all the church talk bored me and Jade is already annoying.

[Ivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

One is childish and manipulative and the other is childish and distrustful…and by the end NOTHING HAS CHANGED. I was so ready for this one to end. I read books 2 and 3 first (which were by another author), because of the reviews…and I’m glad I did. Otherwise, I would have never tried another book in this series. This one was exhaustingly long, and I LOVE long books…but this seemed drawn out in a way that made me wish I was reading ANYTHING else. Even after all of the words and pages, we never got to KNOW the characters. Their day to day lives were explained in painstaking detail, but their background stories were not handled with care.

Part of the way through the book, I started to ask myself why I was still here…why I was supposed to care about the characters or their lives in the grand scheme of the Connecticut Kings story. Trent is the QB and I liked him in general, but I wish he would have gotten a better book. This wasn’t it.

The two leads ARE NOT MEANT FOR EACH OTHER. It’s like the audience knows it, but they don’t. Their romance and subsequent relationship was childish in a way that made me wonder if I was reading about two teenagers. I never believed in their romance and secretly hoped this book would end with them realizing that they were horrible for each other. Also, there is so much emphasis placed on the therapy sessions with Trent’s pastor/therapist that it started to seem like THAT was what the book was about and not the couple itself. It started to become weird, because no forward momentum actually happens as a result of it.

As for how this one is written, I’ve read better. There are far too many repeated phrases…and too much detail in places that don’t matter, while seemingly key parts are quickly shooed away and not explained.

Trent and Jade have a second book in this series, and although it’s always been my wish that an author would write a second romance novel for a couple, I won’t read it. I just don’t think I can sit through this couple or this type of storytelling again. This one is a “do not read” in my opinion.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woo-sah! This book was like emo overload in the best way possible. I know I need to add a full review, but before I do so, I'd just like to say that my ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE line of the entire book, came from no other than that jerk in the body of a short man....

"That's right! Magic Mike her lil' ass, TB!" - Alton Alston



So, on to the story! The first thing that comes to mind when I think about Trent and Jade is that we actually got the chance as a reader to get to know them separately before they even met and embarked on a relationship with each other. There were so many layers to each of the characters, that when they made a move or decision, you as the reader understood WHY they did what they did, even if you didn't agree with them.

My other love in this book is the many accurate references of Camden, NJ! The city was a character in its own right. The good, bad and the ugly. With Trent being a product of such a place and to have made it out all without all the necessary tools that an adult should have before braving this world, shows that he had so much growing to do. Sadly, his is a common situation of a "town that time forgot" as it is commonly called.

Jade and Trent's story is everything you hope for when looking for a great book. Happiness, chemistry, and a little bit of drama sprinkled throughout. They both rode for each other in ways that the other wasn't used to. Without giving too much away, I can't even say as a reader that I'd consider this a 'happily ever after'... honestly, it felt more like, 'life happening in the midst of happy moments!' And that's quite OK with me!

I really liked these two and more importantly, it was nice to have cameos by so many other of the LB characters! Teamwork makes the dream work. They really all stick together.

I'm ready for JJ and Cole's story next.

[Bunny Robinsonfuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is no surprise that I am giving this book 5 stars... why would I not. These are the things I look for in a Romance book. Character development, chemistry, plausibility or the likelihood that this can happen, can the author draw emotion out of me (tear, a OMG moment a love hate relationship for a character) and is it a story that I want to read over and over again. Every book that Love Belvin has every written has given me all these things and more and this story is no different. Beside all those qualities that I look for Ms. Belvin does not disappoint in "bringing me to church". Trent has been giving a second chance to resume a career he once thought was lost. His faith in God and the belief that God will deliver is what he eats and breathes. Jade is a single mother who has made some mistakes in life but wears that "S" on her chest everyday to provide for her son and survive. Life those her a heavy blow and God's grace and mercy is there to catch her. Trent enters her life and while he is helping her she is saving him. I feel this story is far from finish and please believe that is not a bad thing because I know that Love Belvin can give you more if she wanted to. I appreciate and applaud her writing ability and I love that she makes me want to read and enjoy books from her and authors like her who gives a reader everything they have. This book is part of a series, in collaboration with Christina Jones and I can't wait to read her story (Love on the Highlight Reel) because I am SURE she is going to bring it. Bravo Love Belvin bravo. Thanks for blessing us again.

[Katie ratherbereadinggg]

DNF @ 10% I love CCJs books in this series and wanted to try this author, so I was excited to see this book on audio on Hoopla. I may come back to this one, but for now it feels like it’s really dragging (I’m only about 1.5 hours into the 14 hr audio) and, for me, there’s too much emphasis on religion.

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 3 out of 5]

07/25/2016 -- 3 Stars

This one was a conundrum for me. I enjoyed it, then I didn't and then I did again. The second book actually has another author. I liked it better than this first one.

Happy Reading!

[BlackBookVibes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute beginning to this series. The beginning pulls you right in. I was rooting for the couple to to work, but at times it was hard. Jade was so wishy washy, she became annoying. I loved that Trent constantly reassured her how he felt. At times the flow of the book became wordy and the plot plateaued. I listened to the book on Libby and the narrators were good! Head to the next book

[BOOKLOVER_81 · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. This is the first time I read this author, and it was an interesting and unusual experience. The storytelling was good.

Jade starts off as super mom who refuses help.
I didn’t like how Jade was all about her son until she met Trent. Then she just became a horny teenager, and all her love, focus, and attention was solely on him and what he carried between his legs. She completely put being a mother as an afterthought. Other than that it’s a decent read.

Libby listen 🎶

[Jite · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars.

I’m a huge fan of sports romance and this series was recommended to me by a friend on social media. What I will say is that it is incredibly compelling and dramatic. I wasn’t always on it when it came to the language and didn’t know all the colloquialisms and slang that was used but I did learn a lot about it by the time I was done with it.

There were things I loved and didn’t like about this book. What I liked was the exploration of the real life and challenges of professional athletes and their families; I though the look at rebuilding a life after prison was nice and also functional and dysfunctional family dynamics. I also really enjoyed the way mental health and self reflection were dealt with in this book. Religion was also a major theme and faith as well, but it is not a religious book, and the amount of explicit scenes in it precludes it from being an out and out faith-based romance. What I will say is that the characters are portrayed as imperfect people even as they’re people of faith, which I think is relatable.

My issue with this book was the main characters, Trent and Jade. I was baffled by their less than smart reasoning and decision making for two grown adults. I liked the author’s focus on writing imperfect characters but come on! For example, Jade would frequently make plans to leave but in the meantime, never really bothered to secure a bag that would enable her to leave if she needed to. Because Trent is the protagonist and we know he’s a good guy somewhat this is fine, but fictional Jade doesn’t know this and we see her put herself in the same exact situation of dependency that traps her in a volatile relationship. Moreso, even though she’s still very insecure in the relationship, she gets mad when those around her push her to try to secure her own money so that she can feel more secure. Another example is the unsafe sex practiced in this book which is a concern given their uncertainty about their sexual histories. And that’s fine but then at the end of the book they finally begin to discuss birth control and have the necessary conversation that should have been had a full year and 350 pages earlier and people are upset and in their feelings and I’m just confused. As for Trent, I didn’t really like the people he surrounded himself with (except Ezrah) or the unsavory situations he put himself in. I did not understand the point of the exotic dancing family history (he comes from a line of male strippers), I cringed each time he gave public exotic dancing performances in front of his friends.... I just didn’t get the point of it. It wasn’t hot to me and it was also a little weird.

This is a deeply emotional and compelling read. There is A LOT of spice and I also think this is one where I think both Trent and Jade could have benefited from Ezrah’s counseling instead of covering up their issues with sex. I did not feel like their relationship was healthy and I just think that this couple is so volatile, it’s hard to be completely confident in their HEA when you can see all the pitalls.

[Lyasha Chante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Love in the RedZone by Love Belvin

Diving into my first Love Belvin book was a treat, and “Love in the RedZone” didn’t disappoint. This book is the first in the Connecticut Kings series, which Belvin writes alongside Christina C. Jones, and it’s a perfect mix of two things I can’t resist: Black romance and sports romance.

The story centers on Trent Bailey and Jade Matthews, who both have had their fair share of tough breaks. They meet unexpectedly through Pop Warner football, and sparks fly. Jade is the kind of lead you can’t help but root for—feisty, determined, and nurturing. She’s not afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. Trent, on the other hand, is a big guy with even bigger walls built around his heart, but Jade and her son start to break these down in the most heartwarming ways.

What I loved about this book is how it weaves together a comeback story with a beautiful love tale. It’s not just about falling in love; it’s about second chances. Trent is fighting for another shot at football, and Jade is rediscovering herself. The forced proximity between them just adds to the tension and, ultimately, the sweetness of their connection.

If you’re into romances that pack emotional depth with a side of sports, this book is definitely for you. It’s got all the right plays—emotion, recovery, and love—that make you cheer from the sidelines.