Look After You

by AJ Nicole

A soft, forbidden brother's best friend romance of first loves, stolen touches, and emotional maturity that will make you swoon with all your heart. CADENCE CASTLE:
Zachariah is like rough turf and worn-out leather, a bit rugged with a bad boy demeanor. He’s also slightly damaged, a reservation he likes to keep to himself. But I can see beneath the surface. I saw it in him the first day our eyes connected and ever since then, I knew my heart would always yearn to know his.
But I was afraid to get too close. I was scared of what he would think if he ever found out.
But I’ve never not wanted him. Even though I know I shouldn’t. Even though I know it might ruin everything that we know. But not having him just might break me and that’s a risk I can’t take.

ZACHARIAH
Cadence is a soft tangle of sunshine and constellations. She lights up every room she enters but she’s always just out of reach. I catch her glancing my direction sometimes, and she always pretends like she wasn’t. But I know that she sees me. I know because I see her, ever since the first day we met.
But now, with our senior year of high school to navigate and our futures looming in the distance, my plan to stay focused on my football career abruptly fumbles from view and the only person I want by my side is the one person I am not allowed to have.


*AUTHOR'S this story is aged appropriate for audiences of at least 17 years of age and older. There is a lightly detailed scene of intimacy that may be a little to graphically depicted for younger audiences. The main female character is 17 while the main male character is 19. Please adhere to this author's note and read accordingly.

Genres: Sports

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2026

About the author

AJ Nicole is a #1 Best Selling indie author who creates emotional, passionate, and tempting romance stories of many variations including sports romance, contemporary romance, dark romance, paranormal romance, and young adult romance.
She resides in Colorado with her family and writes best when the rest of the world is asleep.

For more, follow her on her socials: @booksbyajnicole
or visit her website:
www.booksbyajnicole.com

Reviews

[Kirstin Tegler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got hooked when the author promoted this with the tik tok text messages and I had to make sure I read it

This was fine.. but there were too many plot holes and typos for me.

The last chapter states it’s told in Zach’s POV and it’s actually in Cadie’s…

[Rita Grande · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cadence and Zachariah’s story feels like the kind of romance that quietly builds until it completely takes over your heart. From the start, there’s this soft, aching tension between them two people who have clearly seen each other for years but were too afraid to cross the line that could change everything.

Cadence comes across as gentle and hopeful, someone who loves deeply but carries the fear of ruining the fragile balance around her. Zachariah, on the other hand, has that rough around the edges, wounded energy that makes you want to peel back his layers and understand the pain he keeps hidden. Their connection feels inevitable the kind that’s been growing in stolen glances and unspoken feelings long before either of them dared to admit it.

The brother’s best friend trope always brings that delicious sense of forbidden longing, and this story leans into it beautifully. Every interaction feels charged with the risk of getting caught and the possibility of losing everything… but also the promise of something real and life changing.

It reads like a tender, emotional first-love story filled with yearning, vulnerability, and the kind of slow-burn chemistry that makes your heart race. If you love romances about hidden feelings, stolen moments, and two people finally choosing each other despite the odds, this story will absolutely make you swoon.

⭐ A soft, heartfelt romance about first love, longing, and the courage it takes to reach for the one person you were never supposed to want.

[Tammy Zadai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Yes I was one of the people catfished by AJ Nicole when she began the “texting my brother’s best friend” trend on TikTok. I was hooked from the very first text. So when she came out as an author that was doing it as a marketing plan for the upcoming book, I wasn’t mad, I was excited. I couldn’t wait to read the book. The book did not disappoint. While all of us followers got to see the texts between Cadie and Zach, we only got to see Cadie’s internal thoughts. The book gives us Zach’s POV and believe me he is the best guy. He is Cadie’s brother’s best friend but he’s always been her friend too. He is kind and sweet and protective, all the good things. I can’t wait to read Bray and Ryen’s book next, since I’ve already read their texts too! 🤭
Tropes:
🏈 brother’s best friend
🌻 friends to lovers
🏈 protective MMC
🌻loss of sibling
🏈 childhood trauma
🌻 high school YA
🏈 no spice but lots of heat and tension

[Morgan Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ this was super cute!! Highly anticipated read for me after the author’s genius marketing on tik tok. I really appreciated the depth to Cadence and Zach’s characters (specifically Zach). I loved Cadence and Ryen’s friendship. Honestly I giggled and kicked my feet the whole time. Very easy and adorable read. Where were all the Zach’s when I was high school?!

I’m very excited to continue the series with Brayden and Ryens book in October.

Note: I did have a slight delay with getting the right copy of the e-book with the last few chapters, thankfully it was an easy redownload fix!

[Katie Copenhaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the last few chapters do not show, delete and redownload and they’ll show up!

I was so looking forward to this after I found and went down the TikTok rabbit hole! I did really enjoy the story line, but I wish we got more of them together. I do feel like parts of it were rushed, and there were quite a few grammatical errors (I didn’t mark them as I didn’t want the book removed). I fell in love with Zach and Cadie and this was a cute little story! Excited to see more of them during Bray and Rys story!

[stephanie thayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

am I the only one confused as to wtf happened to the end of the book? it just stops at chapter 21...then flashes to ch 22, then ..... nothing. I was waiting on this forever. ever since the hype on tik tok....but its like this was rushed to publish and wasn't proofread. At All!!! so disappointed.

edit review: decided that I will give it tbe 5 stars based on what I did read. especially after seeing the authors tt video. I really did love this book.

[Sophie Ives · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice way of adopting a TikTok trend/popular video series! It was cute and romantic, and had me rooting for the characters all the way!

Still super impressed with the marketing tactic, what a way to get people invested in your book! It certainly hooked me.

Only three stars as I think I was maybe slightly out of the target audience age, and there were a few noticeable mistakes.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the wait!!

10/10 I have been in love with Zachariah and Cadence since the tictok texts! AJ Nicole didn't disappoint with the book! While it was unrealistic to put all the text messages into this book the most important ones made it into the finished book, (some of the other had a slight reference which was amazing!) I loved every piece of this book!

[Maria Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five 🌟
I absolutely loved the book AJ! You did such a wonderful job! I had already fell in love with the texting story you did on TT! So the wait for the book was worth it! Looking forward to book two in the series! The story and writing for Zach and Cadie was top tier!

[Camen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the book!

Omg fell in love with Cadie and Zach all over again. AJ your writing is always so great. I finished this in a few hours and for sure will read it again! Thank you for giving us an amazing story to read! ❤️

[Kayla Kenzig · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book stopped abruptly, no nice conclusion or anything. Really disappointed. Also many spelling errors that annoyed me since I spent money on the book and they couldn't even have an editor look it over?

[Vanessa Gaspar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited for this after seeing it all over TikTok, the promotion was done so well. But I ended up pretty disappointed. There were a lot of grammar mistakes and too many missing pieces, which made it hard to stay fully into the story.

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have an app called Listen AI and it a subscription to listen to books that people take picture of the pages and listen to the book. I loved the book it was so good. I will recommend it to many more people to read it.

[Erin Kusick · Rating 5 out of 5]

From TikTok to book pages… AJ Nicole you did amazing.
I am truly grateful I stumbled upon your page in September. Continue writing and being you! 💜

[Tayler Falk · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book

Lots of spelling and grammar errors though, made it hard to read. I did like the book though. Hopefully the next one can be a little more proof read

[Jasmine Ewing · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 - 3 🌟 The tik tok promotion and min story had me feeling more, good book just wasn't in love with it

[Ida Fahlstedt · Rating 2 out of 5]

First time I've ever wondered if the author used AI to write the book

[Lindsay Vaughan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many typos towards the end!

[Nat✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I followed the story since it started on TikTok. Which we could have more of their connection and intimate moments highlighted on the book more.