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The Field Party #3
After the Game
The third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Field Party series—a southern soap opera with football, cute boys, and pick-up trucks—from USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines.
Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.
Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.
When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.
But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?
Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.
Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.
When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.
But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 22, 2017
659 people are currently reading
16146 people want to read
About the author
Abbi Glines
118 books86.4k followersAbbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Smoke, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but she now lives in New England and that's as close as it is going to get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, watching Netflix and all the introverted stuff.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,369 reviews
February 23, 2018
WTF kind of name is Bryony?!? That is all.
Update: I liked it a lot. Still hate the name.
Update: I liked it a lot. Still hate the name.
August 14, 2018
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
3.5 Stars
After the Game is one of those books for me that I liked but had some issues with that kept me from loving it. I liked that Brady was able to admit when he was wrong and didn't let the town's opinion stop him from seeing Riley. I thought both of these characters were portrayed as mature with a really great balance of young naivete.
Their story kept me interested and left me with a happy feeling when they finally for their HEA so it made the overall experience a good one. But my issues were ones that made me rant about this book all night long to anyone that would listen. I got really upset at how blase Brady and most of the secondary characters were about Riley's rape. To me it felt like there wasn't enough attention drawn to that issue, which I know won't be the case for everyone but for me I get very particular when it comes to this topic.
I just didn't like how it was brought up multiple times but never really discussed. I didn't think it was going to be the main conversation of the book, but I did think it needed to be openly talked about more than it was. I wanted to see some healing from Riley or an attempt to heal since it kind of waffled back and forth from her character being portrayed as not fully okay after such a traumatic event, to her being fine with everything and ready to move on.
Overall, even with the issues I had with this book i did enjoy getting to read it and I'm going to miss these characters. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more from these boys!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
3.5 Stars
After the Game is one of those books for me that I liked but had some issues with that kept me from loving it. I liked that Brady was able to admit when he was wrong and didn't let the town's opinion stop him from seeing Riley. I thought both of these characters were portrayed as mature with a really great balance of young naivete.
Their story kept me interested and left me with a happy feeling when they finally for their HEA so it made the overall experience a good one. But my issues were ones that made me rant about this book all night long to anyone that would listen. I got really upset at how blase Brady and most of the secondary characters were about Riley's rape. To me it felt like there wasn't enough attention drawn to that issue, which I know won't be the case for everyone but for me I get very particular when it comes to this topic.
I just didn't like how it was brought up multiple times but never really discussed. I didn't think it was going to be the main conversation of the book, but I did think it needed to be openly talked about more than it was. I wanted to see some healing from Riley or an attempt to heal since it kind of waffled back and forth from her character being portrayed as not fully okay after such a traumatic event, to her being fine with everything and ready to move on.
Overall, even with the issues I had with this book i did enjoy getting to read it and I'm going to miss these characters. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more from these boys!
February 25, 2023
“I’ve found that the things that rattle us the most are the ones worth making sacrifices for.”
"This was where I wanted to be. Nowhere else had ever felt this right. No one else would make me feel like Riley Young did."
“One day I’ll ask you to marry me,” I told her.
“And one day I’ll say yes”
September 23, 2017
I'm sort of crossing my fingers that somehow this series will improve and After the Game did. Thank goodness and I'm sure I'll be continuing the series.
Riley Young returns in the small town of Lawton with her parents and daughter, Bryony, so they can take care her grandmother with Alzheimer's disease. Two years, people shamed and threw hurtful words her way when Rhett Lawton raped her. It saddens me these people did not protect nor defend Riley. She's a victim here and these people choose to take Rhett's side. She ends up lonely from having no friends. Her family's support gave her strength to overcome the lowest point of her life. Then one night, Brady Higgens saw her and her daughter soaked in the rain and offers to take them home. She knows he's a good guy but he didn't trust him. Will she change her mind by his efforts and change of heart?
I like Brady. He's sincere, thoughtful and humble. Though he was wrong about Riley in the past, he apologized and tries making up for his mistakes by being her friend. His assurance made her feel at ease and she's thankful for it. Their story was a happy ending and less dramatic than the previous two books.
The only thing I didn't like: The rape issue wasn't fully addressed. Riley may have forgiven Rhett and I like she does not hold grudges. It's good she's optimistic but it's unacceptable for me Rhett wasn't punished for his crime. He raped her and got away with it? Where's the justice in that? It's horrible and bullshit. I'll take away one star for that.
Riley Young returns in the small town of Lawton with her parents and daughter, Bryony, so they can take care her grandmother with Alzheimer's disease. Two years, people shamed and threw hurtful words her way when Rhett Lawton raped her. It saddens me these people did not protect nor defend Riley. She's a victim here and these people choose to take Rhett's side. She ends up lonely from having no friends. Her family's support gave her strength to overcome the lowest point of her life. Then one night, Brady Higgens saw her and her daughter soaked in the rain and offers to take them home. She knows he's a good guy but he didn't trust him. Will she change her mind by his efforts and change of heart?
I like Brady. He's sincere, thoughtful and humble. Though he was wrong about Riley in the past, he apologized and tries making up for his mistakes by being her friend. His assurance made her feel at ease and she's thankful for it. Their story was a happy ending and less dramatic than the previous two books.
The only thing I didn't like: The rape issue wasn't fully addressed. Riley may have forgiven Rhett and I like she does not hold grudges. It's good she's optimistic but it's unacceptable for me Rhett wasn't punished for his crime. He raped her and got away with it? Where's the justice in that? It's horrible and bullshit. I'll take away one star for that.
July 22, 2022
3.5 stars
I don’t know why it took me so long to get back into this series, but I’m glad I continued on. It took me a minute to remember who these characters were but this story packed a lot of punch. Both of the characters were going through something hard and I loved that they leaned on each other through their struggles. I wish we would have had more closure and more of a HEA and not a HFN. Overall, a good addition to ‘The Field Party’ series.
I don’t know why it took me so long to get back into this series, but I’m glad I continued on. It took me a minute to remember who these characters were but this story packed a lot of punch. Both of the characters were going through something hard and I loved that they leaned on each other through their struggles. I wish we would have had more closure and more of a HEA and not a HFN. Overall, a good addition to ‘The Field Party’ series.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Jason Carpenter & Charlotte Penfield
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary YA
Length: 6h 56m
December 18, 2023
First read: October 18th 2017
Re-read: July 27th 2021, 18th December 2023
Actual Rating: 3.5
Abbie glines returns to lawton and we see the same bunch of characters return in the field party YA novel series. I know this series is more directed at females however Abbi has included some series topics that have kept me interesting in reading this series.
Plot: This third book in the series picks up immediately after the second book, we have Brady as one of the main character point of views and Riley being the second main character point of view in this story. We also see other characters in this series return such as Maggie, West, Gunner and Willa so it was nice to see all the characters return that i have come to known over these three books. But this book mainly focuses on Brady and Riley two characters who've appeared in the series before and now we get to read about there stories and struggles throughout the book. Brady has grown over the three books and you can see it and for me out of all the male characters he has stayed the most genuine one out of them all. We see Riley return back after leaving lawton some years back however she has returned with her daughter after some serious events took place before the main stories began.
Some major *TRIGGER WARNINGS IN THIS REVIEW* such as Rape, Suicide, Cancer, etc. A lot of these topics have been all throughout the series and they have been done satisfactory enough for me not to hate on how they were written. One thing that still annoys me in this entire series is how quick all these characters have begun relationships with each other there has been no time for character development and it feels really rushed and that's one thing i didn't like. The whole rape storyline with Riley was done very well and i was shocked that a whole town called her a liar and drove her out of town all because of the star athlete and trying to cover his mistake made me sick.
Ok the Alzheimer's which is such a very terrible disease and for myself it really struck me because i know how it feels to watch your loved ones go through it and slowly deteriorate before your eyes so i exactly know how Riley and her family were feeling because it honestly sucks and you wish you could do more to help the person. It's truly heartbreaking.
Characters:
Riley Young: One of the main characters of this story and i really enjoyed this character and i know we get a little bit of her in the second book and i was hoping we would get more of her and i'm glad Abbi decided to write her in this book. Riley goes through a lot during the book from coming back to a town that hates her and think she's a liar, to over coming it and finally being able to show and be her true self. I would like to see more of this character in future books possibly because i feel like her story isn't over just yet.
Brady Higgens: The other main character and point of view for this book and a character we have seen in the first two books finally gets his story. Brady goes through a lot of change throughout the book and it all begins when he sees Riley and her daughter in a storm and offers her a ride home which she accepts from him. Brady also finds out that his father has been cheating on his mother when he walks in on them in an act that angers him, this kind of makes the character grow and become a better person while also trying to deal with the fact his family is broken and will never be the same again and he takes this in his stride and becomes a better stronger person for it.
Now that i have finished this book and i feel like that Brady, West, Gunner, Maggie, Willa and Riley's stories are over for now and we will move on to a whole new set of characters if we get a fourth book in this series and i will defiantly continue because i always have to finish a series i can't leave it here.
This book is a quick read, its a contemporary novel with the romance, fluffly moments, laughs but also has those serious moments that make it a good story, so if you need to get out of a reading slump or just love contemporary novels then pick this series up. However i do recommend starting with Until Friday Night the first book in the series.
Re-read: July 27th 2021, 18th December 2023
Actual Rating: 3.5
Abbie glines returns to lawton and we see the same bunch of characters return in the field party YA novel series. I know this series is more directed at females however Abbi has included some series topics that have kept me interesting in reading this series.
Plot: This third book in the series picks up immediately after the second book, we have Brady as one of the main character point of views and Riley being the second main character point of view in this story. We also see other characters in this series return such as Maggie, West, Gunner and Willa so it was nice to see all the characters return that i have come to known over these three books. But this book mainly focuses on Brady and Riley two characters who've appeared in the series before and now we get to read about there stories and struggles throughout the book. Brady has grown over the three books and you can see it and for me out of all the male characters he has stayed the most genuine one out of them all. We see Riley return back after leaving lawton some years back however she has returned with her daughter after some serious events took place before the main stories began.
Some major *TRIGGER WARNINGS IN THIS REVIEW* such as Rape, Suicide, Cancer, etc. A lot of these topics have been all throughout the series and they have been done satisfactory enough for me not to hate on how they were written. One thing that still annoys me in this entire series is how quick all these characters have begun relationships with each other there has been no time for character development and it feels really rushed and that's one thing i didn't like. The whole rape storyline with Riley was done very well and i was shocked that a whole town called her a liar and drove her out of town all because of the star athlete and trying to cover his mistake made me sick.
Ok the Alzheimer's which is such a very terrible disease and for myself it really struck me because i know how it feels to watch your loved ones go through it and slowly deteriorate before your eyes so i exactly know how Riley and her family were feeling because it honestly sucks and you wish you could do more to help the person. It's truly heartbreaking.
Characters:
Riley Young: One of the main characters of this story and i really enjoyed this character and i know we get a little bit of her in the second book and i was hoping we would get more of her and i'm glad Abbi decided to write her in this book. Riley goes through a lot during the book from coming back to a town that hates her and think she's a liar, to over coming it and finally being able to show and be her true self. I would like to see more of this character in future books possibly because i feel like her story isn't over just yet.
Brady Higgens: The other main character and point of view for this book and a character we have seen in the first two books finally gets his story. Brady goes through a lot of change throughout the book and it all begins when he sees Riley and her daughter in a storm and offers her a ride home which she accepts from him. Brady also finds out that his father has been cheating on his mother when he walks in on them in an act that angers him, this kind of makes the character grow and become a better person while also trying to deal with the fact his family is broken and will never be the same again and he takes this in his stride and becomes a better stronger person for it.
Now that i have finished this book and i feel like that Brady, West, Gunner, Maggie, Willa and Riley's stories are over for now and we will move on to a whole new set of characters if we get a fourth book in this series and i will defiantly continue because i always have to finish a series i can't leave it here.
This book is a quick read, its a contemporary novel with the romance, fluffly moments, laughs but also has those serious moments that make it a good story, so if you need to get out of a reading slump or just love contemporary novels then pick this series up. However i do recommend starting with Until Friday Night the first book in the series.
August 22, 2017
I m a little bit broken after this.
I knew this book was going to be heart breaking. But omg I think I had a lump in my throat throughout this book. I was dying to know more about Riley after hearing what happened to her and why she had to leave Lawton. I knew I was goin to love her from the start this girls was so young and she has been through hell and back. But everyday she held her head up high and would get stronger. Riley had the love of her parents that made things easier for her. They were a really loving family and they helped people each other when things were hard. Goin back to Lawton was never meant to be easy she lost everything when she left.
Brady is just a great guy. I 've liked him throughout this series. Everyone thought he had it easy he had a great family, he had a great fortune ahead of him, girls would throw themselves so over him. But he had done something wrong and that was not help Riley when she needed someone. They also turned against her and now he had to deal with the guilt of it. Only now he was goin to try and make things right she needed a friend and he was goin to be that friend even if it turned everyone against him.
This story was just brilliant. Like it said it was heart breaking these to characters had to go through so much. One minute I thought everything was goin to be great then bam it so got blown up. This is why I do love this author she may not out these big twists and turns in every book but when she does there huge.
I would highly recommend this series and book. I always know I m going to enjoy this author book she never let's me down and this book didn't either. I m hoping this isn't the end of this series it so good. But this book will be my favourite even though it has me a mess.
I knew this book was going to be heart breaking. But omg I think I had a lump in my throat throughout this book. I was dying to know more about Riley after hearing what happened to her and why she had to leave Lawton. I knew I was goin to love her from the start this girls was so young and she has been through hell and back. But everyday she held her head up high and would get stronger. Riley had the love of her parents that made things easier for her. They were a really loving family and they helped people each other when things were hard. Goin back to Lawton was never meant to be easy she lost everything when she left.
Brady is just a great guy. I 've liked him throughout this series. Everyone thought he had it easy he had a great family, he had a great fortune ahead of him, girls would throw themselves so over him. But he had done something wrong and that was not help Riley when she needed someone. They also turned against her and now he had to deal with the guilt of it. Only now he was goin to try and make things right she needed a friend and he was goin to be that friend even if it turned everyone against him.
This story was just brilliant. Like it said it was heart breaking these to characters had to go through so much. One minute I thought everything was goin to be great then bam it so got blown up. This is why I do love this author she may not out these big twists and turns in every book but when she does there huge.
I would highly recommend this series and book. I always know I m going to enjoy this author book she never let's me down and this book didn't either. I m hoping this isn't the end of this series it so good. But this book will be my favourite even though it has me a mess.
March 23, 2022
OK so I definitely liked the story more so than the others, but this story also made me dislike Brady who I’ve liked throughout the entire series so far. This book is OK and I think that’s enough for now 😭
May 20, 2021
YA and high school stories are not my thing and weren’t for me when I was in high school so I am not sure how I ended up with this one. I was amazed at how accurately Glines nailed the two separate sad stories. I didn’t really enjoy it, but I couldn’t put it down.
One plot line is the town scorning Riley since she accused one of the star football players of rape. He’s gone, but she’s back with the baby conceived from the rape and no one likes her. Given the bullying and harrassment of the real life Steubenville rape case a few years ago, this rings true. The only problem I had is we don’t see any of the hassling other than a few snotty mean girls. In reality, this kind of bullying can hit on a multi-level scale from targeted social media to out and out physical harassment to death threats for daring to damage the sanctity of the high school sports reputation or its players. Not that I wanted to see that, but if you’re going to address the issue then tackle it head on.
Riley is a cooler customer than I could be in the circumstances, and dismisses the town and their gullibility in believing a boy because it’s more convenient.
Enter Brady, the current star of the football team. Initially his biggest problem was figuring out if being friends with Riley was worth the trouble of upsetting his team and their chances of winning the season. He solves it by hiding his developing relationship with her. Yep, not a great hero at this point.
The other plot line drops and Brady catches his father having sex with a woman at his office and his life is thrown into chaos. Suddenly the life learning curve that Riley has endured hits him in the face, and all bets are off. Rage and disappointment free him from caring about something as small as other people’s opinion. He contemplates ruining his own football chances to spite his father but realizes it will only hurt himself and his team. She's been through hell and is there to offer support.
Not a perfect book, but the emotional responses to some pretty serious family and social trauma rang pretty true which is rare when so many YA/Contemporary romances wallow in a sea of screaming angst. Both scenarios are pretty believable and well done. Again, my only issue is that the bullying and rape was handled a little too lightly.
On to some fluff now.
One plot line is the town scorning Riley since she accused one of the star football players of rape. He’s gone, but she’s back with the baby conceived from the rape and no one likes her. Given the bullying and harrassment of the real life Steubenville rape case a few years ago, this rings true. The only problem I had is we don’t see any of the hassling other than a few snotty mean girls. In reality, this kind of bullying can hit on a multi-level scale from targeted social media to out and out physical harassment to death threats for daring to damage the sanctity of the high school sports reputation or its players. Not that I wanted to see that, but if you’re going to address the issue then tackle it head on.
Riley is a cooler customer than I could be in the circumstances, and dismisses the town and their gullibility in believing a boy because it’s more convenient.
Enter Brady, the current star of the football team. Initially his biggest problem was figuring out if being friends with Riley was worth the trouble of upsetting his team and their chances of winning the season. He solves it by hiding his developing relationship with her. Yep, not a great hero at this point.
The other plot line drops and Brady catches his father having sex with a woman at his office and his life is thrown into chaos. Suddenly the life learning curve that Riley has endured hits him in the face, and all bets are off. Rage and disappointment free him from caring about something as small as other people’s opinion. He contemplates ruining his own football chances to spite his father but realizes it will only hurt himself and his team. She's been through hell and is there to offer support.
Not a perfect book, but the emotional responses to some pretty serious family and social trauma rang pretty true which is rare when so many YA/Contemporary romances wallow in a sea of screaming angst. Both scenarios are pretty believable and well done. Again, my only issue is that the bullying and rape was handled a little too lightly.
On to some fluff now.
August 22, 2017
After the Game is book #3 in the Young Adult contemporary The Field Party series.
The book takes place in Lawton, Alabama. The narrators are 17 year olds Riley and Brady. The story is told in first person POVs.
Each book has different narrators so normally these books could be read as standalones. However, to me After the Game should be read after the first two books. This book is more connected to the other books. Riley's story was introduced previously and Brady was even the narrator of the last book. So technically you could read this as a standalone. But IMO you would be missing a lot of information.
All of the main characters from the first books are back in this third book. Maggie and Willa (the main female leads in the other books) have decent sized roles, which made me very happy.
It had been a while since I read book two, so I was very happy that the author starts the book by reminding us about the first two books.
I really enjoyed this book. I was very excited to get Riley's story. I really liked her and loved her daughter Bryony. And I also really liked that the characters from the previous books played an important role in this book.
My only small complaint is that I wish this book had more plot twists that made me say "oh wow!". There were definitely a few interesting events that unfolded. However, I guessed most of them. Also, the book had no epilogue and did not go into the future at all. I really want to know what happens next. Hopefully we will find out in subsequent books.
Overall, this was a really good book three. If you liked the first two books in the series then you will love this one. This was an enjoyable YA contemporary romance.
Thanks to edelweiss and Simon Pulse for allowing me to read this book.
The book takes place in Lawton, Alabama. The narrators are 17 year olds Riley and Brady. The story is told in first person POVs.
Each book has different narrators so normally these books could be read as standalones. However, to me After the Game should be read after the first two books. This book is more connected to the other books. Riley's story was introduced previously and Brady was even the narrator of the last book. So technically you could read this as a standalone. But IMO you would be missing a lot of information.
All of the main characters from the first books are back in this third book. Maggie and Willa (the main female leads in the other books) have decent sized roles, which made me very happy.
It had been a while since I read book two, so I was very happy that the author starts the book by reminding us about the first two books.
I really enjoyed this book. I was very excited to get Riley's story. I really liked her and loved her daughter Bryony. And I also really liked that the characters from the previous books played an important role in this book.
My only small complaint is that I wish this book had more plot twists that made me say "oh wow!". There were definitely a few interesting events that unfolded. However, I guessed most of them. Also, the book had no epilogue and did not go into the future at all. I really want to know what happens next. Hopefully we will find out in subsequent books.
Overall, this was a really good book three. If you liked the first two books in the series then you will love this one. This was an enjoyable YA contemporary romance.
Thanks to edelweiss and Simon Pulse for allowing me to read this book.
February 5, 2023
01/10/2023: Reread. (Audiobook!)
02/15/2022: Reread on audio! Raising my rating from 4.5 to 5 stars. I just adore this book!
Original Review
4.5/5 Stars
Warning: This review contains SPOILERS.
This was very nearly a five-star read for me. Other than a few minor things, it was perfect! This book pulled at my heartstrings more than the previous two books ever did.
I love series that are built like this one. This book builds onto the first two books in the series. The characters from each book are incorporated into each book of the series, but each individual book concentrates on a specific couple and those characters' personal journeys. The couples from the first two books are in this book and it gives a good background for the world these characters are living in and it lays a great foundation. Out of all the books in the series so far, I like Brady and Riley's story the most by far.
The characters and their personal journeys really make this story stand out. I loved getting to know Brady better and getting to know Riley. I honestly didn't have such a great love for Brady when reading the first book of the series. He didn't really make an impression on me then, but he definitely did in this book. I adore Brady! He is total book boyfriend material. His entire personality is heart melting. He does the right thing even in the face of opposition from those that he cares about, he puts the feelings of others above his own, he is kind, and he follows his dreams with a fierce determination. I fell right in love with this amazing boy right alongside Riley. And Riley's character is just as impressive. I absolutely loved this brave girl. Her struggle was heartbreaking but the way that she handles it is inspiring. This girl has been raped and had to deal with the entire town turning on her, not believing her when she tells them that the town golden boy raped her, and being ostracized by the entire town. She and her family leave town and she has a beautiful baby. She comes back to town when her grandmother needs caring for because of Alzheimer's. She is caring for both her daughter and her grandmother all while homeschooling to get her high school degree. She has overcome so much and she decides that she won't let the opinions of the people in her hometown phase her. She has a daughter to care for and she won't let anyone get in the way of that. And then along comes Brady.
Brady sees all the things in Riley that I saw. Her strength, determination, love for her daughter, and her drive to make things better. After all hell broke loose in the Lawton household in the last book and Rhett's true nature was revealed, Brady starts to second guess everything that took place two years ago when Riley accused Rhett of rape and no one stood by her apart from her parents. Brady finds himself drawn to Riley and he believes her. He sees that she needs a friend and he wants to be one, but he also has his football dreams to consider. He doesn't want to come between his friends on the team and cause any damage that would jeopardize their big wins when they are so close to a championship in their senior year. But he still can't stay away from Riley and after spending time with her he realizes that what he feels may be more than friendship. Riley has been harboring the same feelings.
And then Brady's life starts to fall apart like it never has before. Something happens that crushes his soul and makes him question everything he thought that he knew. Riley is there to support him and in this, he understands that he loves Riley.
The romance in this book was more emotional than physical. I normally like a little more physical display of love in my books, but I found that I didn't mind not having as much in this one. Sure, there is some kissing but it isn't hot and heavy. It is sweet and heartfelt. It really works in this story though. Brady and Riley are precious together and I ship them all day long.
I won't give anything away, but I both liked and didn't like the ending. I enjoyed seeing Riley and her daughter spending time with Brady and his mother. It was darling. What Brady and Riley decided on, in the end, was kind of bittersweet. I only wish that we could have seen them further down the timeline to see how things turn out for them. All the books in this series seem to end too abruptly for me without any real conclusion, which I am not really a fan of. I would rather have a set-in-stone ending than have it trailed off and open to interpretation.
Overall, this book is an emotional ride that I enjoyed from start to finish. I can't recommend this book enough. This is by far the best book in this series so far. I don't know if Glines will be able to outdo herself with the next book, but I suppose we shall see.
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
02/15/2022: Reread on audio! Raising my rating from 4.5 to 5 stars. I just adore this book!
Original Review
4.5/5 Stars
Warning: This review contains SPOILERS.
This was very nearly a five-star read for me. Other than a few minor things, it was perfect! This book pulled at my heartstrings more than the previous two books ever did.
I love series that are built like this one. This book builds onto the first two books in the series. The characters from each book are incorporated into each book of the series, but each individual book concentrates on a specific couple and those characters' personal journeys. The couples from the first two books are in this book and it gives a good background for the world these characters are living in and it lays a great foundation. Out of all the books in the series so far, I like Brady and Riley's story the most by far.
The characters and their personal journeys really make this story stand out. I loved getting to know Brady better and getting to know Riley. I honestly didn't have such a great love for Brady when reading the first book of the series. He didn't really make an impression on me then, but he definitely did in this book. I adore Brady! He is total book boyfriend material. His entire personality is heart melting. He does the right thing even in the face of opposition from those that he cares about, he puts the feelings of others above his own, he is kind, and he follows his dreams with a fierce determination. I fell right in love with this amazing boy right alongside Riley. And Riley's character is just as impressive. I absolutely loved this brave girl. Her struggle was heartbreaking but the way that she handles it is inspiring. This girl has been raped and had to deal with the entire town turning on her, not believing her when she tells them that the town golden boy raped her, and being ostracized by the entire town. She and her family leave town and she has a beautiful baby. She comes back to town when her grandmother needs caring for because of Alzheimer's. She is caring for both her daughter and her grandmother all while homeschooling to get her high school degree. She has overcome so much and she decides that she won't let the opinions of the people in her hometown phase her. She has a daughter to care for and she won't let anyone get in the way of that. And then along comes Brady.
Brady sees all the things in Riley that I saw. Her strength, determination, love for her daughter, and her drive to make things better. After all hell broke loose in the Lawton household in the last book and Rhett's true nature was revealed, Brady starts to second guess everything that took place two years ago when Riley accused Rhett of rape and no one stood by her apart from her parents. Brady finds himself drawn to Riley and he believes her. He sees that she needs a friend and he wants to be one, but he also has his football dreams to consider. He doesn't want to come between his friends on the team and cause any damage that would jeopardize their big wins when they are so close to a championship in their senior year. But he still can't stay away from Riley and after spending time with her he realizes that what he feels may be more than friendship. Riley has been harboring the same feelings.
And then Brady's life starts to fall apart like it never has before. Something happens that crushes his soul and makes him question everything he thought that he knew. Riley is there to support him and in this, he understands that he loves Riley.
The romance in this book was more emotional than physical. I normally like a little more physical display of love in my books, but I found that I didn't mind not having as much in this one. Sure, there is some kissing but it isn't hot and heavy. It is sweet and heartfelt. It really works in this story though. Brady and Riley are precious together and I ship them all day long.
I won't give anything away, but I both liked and didn't like the ending. I enjoyed seeing Riley and her daughter spending time with Brady and his mother. It was darling. What Brady and Riley decided on, in the end, was kind of bittersweet. I only wish that we could have seen them further down the timeline to see how things turn out for them. All the books in this series seem to end too abruptly for me without any real conclusion, which I am not really a fan of. I would rather have a set-in-stone ending than have it trailed off and open to interpretation.
Overall, this book is an emotional ride that I enjoyed from start to finish. I can't recommend this book enough. This is by far the best book in this series so far. I don't know if Glines will be able to outdo herself with the next book, but I suppose we shall see.
More reviews on my blog: Novel Nerd Faction
October 8, 2017
1.5 BG FAT MEH STARS
Ya sé que cada vez que voy a leer a Abbi Glines no tengo que esperar nada, pero como que le tenía fé a esta serie sin embargo se convirtió en un BIG FAT MEEH !!
La verdad es que no estaba tan entusiasmada con este libro pero pensé que no iba a ser tan equis, es demasiado superficial para los temas que trata como por ejemplo la violación de la protagonista así de la nada porque tuvo a su hija ya lo superó, se curó y se convirtió en una gran mamá o sea I don´t think so, y más porque es una adolescente.
A demás también son egoístas bastante sólo les importa sus problemas ahí va otro ejemplo este chico de oro con un futuro prometedor con la vida y la familia perfecta pues se lo rompe porque se entera que su papá es un infiel y a él se la acaba el mundo y dice bueno a mi amigo West se le murió su papá de cáncer a mi otro amigo se enteró que su papá no es su papá y que nunca lo han querido y vive sólo pero mis problemas son más grande porque mi vida no es perfecta y odio a mi papá por quitarme eso.
Bueno una lectura muy mala que rompió mi racha de lecturas muy buenas
Pd. Por cierto no había tomado en cuenta el nombre de Brady y me puse a pensar ¿A quién se parece? Ring Ring Ring TOM BRADY adolescente jaja,
Ya sé que cada vez que voy a leer a Abbi Glines no tengo que esperar nada, pero como que le tenía fé a esta serie sin embargo se convirtió en un BIG FAT MEEH !!
La verdad es que no estaba tan entusiasmada con este libro pero pensé que no iba a ser tan equis, es demasiado superficial para los temas que trata como por ejemplo la violación de la protagonista así de la nada porque tuvo a su hija ya lo superó, se curó y se convirtió en una gran mamá o sea I don´t think so, y más porque es una adolescente.
A demás también son egoístas bastante sólo les importa sus problemas ahí va otro ejemplo este chico de oro con un futuro prometedor con la vida y la familia perfecta pues se lo rompe porque se entera que su papá es un infiel y a él se la acaba el mundo y dice bueno a mi amigo West se le murió su papá de cáncer a mi otro amigo se enteró que su papá no es su papá y que nunca lo han querido y vive sólo pero mis problemas son más grande porque mi vida no es perfecta y odio a mi papá por quitarme eso.
Bueno una lectura muy mala que rompió mi racha de lecturas muy buenas
Pd. Por cierto no había tomado en cuenta el nombre de Brady y me puse a pensar ¿A quién se parece? Ring Ring Ring TOM BRADY adolescente jaja,
July 2, 2018
1.5 STARS
Although I enjoyed reading AFTER THE GAME, I also felt frustrated with the toxic masculinity, romanticizing teen pregnancy by rape, making being a teen mom seem easy peasy.
Two years later, Riley seemed to have no after effects from the rape and not being believed because Bryony is so cute and lovable. Riley doesn’t experience any PTSD symptoms. Abbi Glines made teenage parenting seem like a cake walk, Bryony never whines or throws a tantrum or acts bratty. Sure, Riley needs to do homeschooling, but her parents are always eager to babysit. Lucky girl.
I wouldn’t recommend AFTER THE GAME because it’s not realistic.
Although I enjoyed reading AFTER THE GAME, I also felt frustrated with the toxic masculinity, romanticizing teen pregnancy by rape, making being a teen mom seem easy peasy.
Two years later, Riley seemed to have no after effects from the rape and not being believed because Bryony is so cute and lovable. Riley doesn’t experience any PTSD symptoms. Abbi Glines made teenage parenting seem like a cake walk, Bryony never whines or throws a tantrum or acts bratty. Sure, Riley needs to do homeschooling, but her parents are always eager to babysit. Lucky girl.
I wouldn’t recommend AFTER THE GAME because it’s not realistic.
October 19, 2017
Audiobook Review: 5+++ Stars
Brady and Riley’s love story was the less expected of the series.
Two years ago, Riley was Gunner’s girlfriend and Brady was in love with Willa. Now Willa and Gunner were together and Brady was ready for something different in his life. What were the odds of them switching couples? NONE!! And adding the fact that Riley had to leave town after accusing Gunner’s older brother of raping her and nobody believed in her, the chances were less than zero. But… things—and people—changed a lot in two years. Brady realized Riley isn’t the liar everybody claimed to be and Riley realized she could find a friend in Brady and maybe even more.
What did you like best about this story?
Everything! The story, the characters, the twist of events, the ending. Everything was great in After The Game. Brady and Riley’s relationship was amazing. They were barely friends at first and slowly they started trusting each other and then fell in love and that was the most beautiful thing to read—and listen to. *heart eyes*. And of course, I always love kids in books and Bryony was certainly one of the best things in After The Game.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I loved Brady and Riley equally. Riley was very mature for her age—she had to grow up after what happened to her two years ago and of course, for her daughter—, and her love for her little girl and grandmother was so beautiful, but she was very guarded, she didn’t trust in anybody in town. Brady was strong and loyal, but he had to face a very hurtful truth about his family that broke his heart and made him re-evaluate everything in his life. They both, together, were great for each other. He was there for her when she thought she didn’t need anybody and he was for her for her needed her the most, especially to face his family’s reality. And the most beautiful thing is that they found love in the mess of their lives and it was everything.
What about Jason Carpenter & Charlotte Penfield’s performances did you like?
They were perfect. Jason Carpenter is one of my favorite narrators and I know I will always enjoy his performances. He always gets into character and gives everything into bringing the hero—and the secondary characters—to life. In this audio, he particularly did an amazing job portraying Brady, talking with a flawless accent and adding all his emotions, making Brady’s chapters very intense. Charlotte did an amazing job, too. I liked the softness of her voice and how she could portray a teenager but also make her sound very mature for her age. Her inflections were my favorite.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
In the game of love.
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Of course. This is the kind of young adult book with all the things that makes it amazing. It has the teenage drama, it has development in characters and plot and the love story is so beautiful.
100% Recommended.
September 16, 2017
I haven't reviewed any book this year, but I just couldn't don't talk about this one.
This book was a huge disappointment, I have read all other books of The Field Party series and I really liked them, but this one I have BIG issues with.
What upset me the most was how the issue of Rape was handled, it was not talked with the due care it needed. For god's sake, she was RAPED, DO NOT compare it with cheating. The attitude of every one in town to the subject was just terrible. Like Gunner was the one that did the big thing FORGIVING Riley? And she was super happy to accept his forgiveness like that? PEOPLE, She was raped by his brother, and he was her boyfriend, he shamed her, did not help her at all, and at the end Brady say's something like: "Gunner was not ready to admit he was wrong, but that was ok for now, because he accept her because of ME".
This is juts another exemple of a man's words is worth more than a woman's. Up until the point where Brady believed the rape, no one would believe Riley, even though she was an innocent girl. But the moment that a "good" guy believes her, now that's when her story starts making senses. What a joke.
It is really sad that this book kind of showed how things are most of time in real life, but I expected more from Abbi Glines, I expected her not to make Brady the center of everything. I'm really angry.
And to finish, the unforgivable from my point of view, was the final scene with Rhett, the author for me tried to justify his actions, and that's is just a BIG FAT NO. It felt like from the point of view of the book the rape was ok, not a big deal.
I'm temped to never read a book from Abbi Glines ever again.
This book was a huge disappointment, I have read all other books of The Field Party series and I really liked them, but this one I have BIG issues with.
What upset me the most was how the issue of Rape was handled, it was not talked with the due care it needed. For god's sake, she was RAPED, DO NOT compare it with cheating. The attitude of every one in town to the subject was just terrible. Like Gunner was the one that did the big thing FORGIVING Riley? And she was super happy to accept his forgiveness like that? PEOPLE, She was raped by his brother, and he was her boyfriend, he shamed her, did not help her at all, and at the end Brady say's something like: "Gunner was not ready to admit he was wrong, but that was ok for now, because he accept her because of ME".
This is juts another exemple of a man's words is worth more than a woman's. Up until the point where Brady believed the rape, no one would believe Riley, even though she was an innocent girl. But the moment that a "good" guy believes her, now that's when her story starts making senses. What a joke.
It is really sad that this book kind of showed how things are most of time in real life, but I expected more from Abbi Glines, I expected her not to make Brady the center of everything. I'm really angry.
And to finish, the unforgivable from my point of view, was the final scene with Rhett, the author for me tried to justify his actions, and that's is just a BIG FAT NO. It felt like from the point of view of the book the rape was ok, not a big deal.
I'm temped to never read a book from Abbi Glines ever again.
November 19, 2017
This isn't a bad book per se, but it's definitely not my favourite in the series. I feel that the author took a cop out in terms of plot and there are so many other directions that this could've taken. For instance, one of the main things about the book was completely ignored. Brushed under the rug. For a plot twist that I didn't find terribly effective.
I guess ultimately I'm disappointed. Riley and Brady could've been it but as of now, they're sitting as my least favourite. Which sucks majorly, because Brady has been a favourite of mine for the entire series. Let's hope that Nash's story picks up again when the time comes.
I guess ultimately I'm disappointed. Riley and Brady could've been it but as of now, they're sitting as my least favourite. Which sucks majorly, because Brady has been a favourite of mine for the entire series. Let's hope that Nash's story picks up again when the time comes.
October 26, 2017
This series is consistently good and doesn't disappoint. I really enjoyed this book. But I always enjoy Abbi's writing. :)
August 25, 2017
Brady
Robbie Amell
Riley
Zoey Deutch
Loved this book - favorite of the series HANDS DOWN!!!
Sad we have to wait another year for Nash but it'll be worth it!
Robbie Amell
Riley
Zoey Deutch
Loved this book - favorite of the series HANDS DOWN!!!
Sad we have to wait another year for Nash but it'll be worth it!
August 31, 2017
LOVED THIS best book so far in the series I love the plot the most importantly the characters are all amazing.
March 22, 2018
I appreciated that this story tackled some challenging issues ( Teenage pregnancy, rape, and infidelity) without the over the top drama that can occur at times in YA novels... The author allowed her characters to make honest, realistic choices with their obstacles that reflected their ages but also their developing maturity... a strong story with flawed but insightful characters adapting to the challenges of youth and the journey into adulthood... 4 Stars:)
September 1, 2017
I dont know why I even bothered.
This series just seems to go downhill.....
I didn't like most of this book because of its cliche-ness? But I hated how it felt unnatural, abrupt, and bleh. I mean, they had two years to think about Riley, we've seen her since the first book, and they change their minds just like that - all of a sudden they believe her because Rhett shows another side of himself or whatever it was he did. I dont know where people found the tear-jerking element of this book because, honestly, the emotions were just bland and shallow all throughout.
It feels like the author forced the plot to move itself along. There wasn't any natural turn of events (no matter how fictional a book is, there is still an underlying natural flow of writing and plot events in most books), and it felt like the author was forcing emotions so that she would have something to write about.
What I hate most about this book, and maybe its entire series, is............ do people really think like the characters?
It's so...unnatural.
"We hadn’t been back in Lawton, Alabama, long, but the time we had been back hadn’t been easy. Watching someone you love so much live lost in their own head was heartbreaking. Alzheimer’s was a terrible disease.”
“The whole experience with Riley and Bryony stayed with me the rest of the evening. I didn’t tell anyone I’d given her a ride simply because I didn’t want to explain myself.”
"I followed quickly behind her, hoping we found her grandmother and she was all right.”
I think the problem is... The author wrote the book in first person perspective. But I feel like she blurs the lines between first person perspective and third. There's too much detail from what is expected from first pov stories. Too much detail and unnatural use of diction.
And lastly, what I hated MOST about this whole plot sequence is the whole dad issue with Brady. Now THAT felt forced. In book one, we see the Uncle as a good guy, a great guy even and all of a sudden he's the most evil person in the world.
I get it, not all people are what they seem.
But there's just something about the characterization difference from the first and third book that it feels like the author was trying to complicate the story but couldn't find anything - so she picked a random character to run with it.
-sigh-
Maybe I should just stop reading YA books.
Whatever it is, I wish the author would find some natural-ness in her writing. Everything's so stiff, awkward, unnatural, forced and everything in between.
This series just seems to go downhill.....
I didn't like most of this book because of its cliche-ness? But I hated how it felt unnatural, abrupt, and bleh. I mean, they had two years to think about Riley, we've seen her since the first book, and they change their minds just like that - all of a sudden they believe her because Rhett shows another side of himself or whatever it was he did. I dont know where people found the tear-jerking element of this book because, honestly, the emotions were just bland and shallow all throughout.
It feels like the author forced the plot to move itself along. There wasn't any natural turn of events (no matter how fictional a book is, there is still an underlying natural flow of writing and plot events in most books), and it felt like the author was forcing emotions so that she would have something to write about.
What I hate most about this book, and maybe its entire series, is............ do people really think like the characters?
It's so...unnatural.
"We hadn’t been back in Lawton, Alabama, long, but the time we had been back hadn’t been easy. Watching someone you love so much live lost in their own head was heartbreaking. Alzheimer’s was a terrible disease.”
“The whole experience with Riley and Bryony stayed with me the rest of the evening. I didn’t tell anyone I’d given her a ride simply because I didn’t want to explain myself.”
"I followed quickly behind her, hoping we found her grandmother and she was all right.”
I think the problem is... The author wrote the book in first person perspective. But I feel like she blurs the lines between first person perspective and third. There's too much detail from what is expected from first pov stories. Too much detail and unnatural use of diction.
And lastly, what I hated MOST about this whole plot sequence is the whole dad issue with Brady. Now THAT felt forced. In book one, we see the Uncle as a good guy, a great guy even and all of a sudden he's the most evil person in the world.
I get it, not all people are what they seem.
But there's just something about the characterization difference from the first and third book that it feels like the author was trying to complicate the story but couldn't find anything - so she picked a random character to run with it.
-sigh-
Maybe I should just stop reading YA books.
Whatever it is, I wish the author would find some natural-ness in her writing. Everything's so stiff, awkward, unnatural, forced and everything in between.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2016
I received this free eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
I was a bit leery going into this book of the series after finding out who the characters were. Mainly about Brady because I really didn't like him in the second novel. He was so naive and whinny and annoying. It was all about him and no one else's problems seemed to matter to him. And the way he used and strung Ivy around because it was convienant and he didn't want to hurt her feelings was a pile of crap and I just wanted to bash his head in.
Suffice to say, I really didn't like Brady after "Under the Lights".
But I did like Riley. When she picked up Willa and took her home with no questions, no pressure, no nothing except to make sure she got home safe, I admired her for that. She seemed like a no nonsense type of girl and I respect that a lot - especially for a teenage girl.
So I was absolutely excited to read it because of Riley, and I do have to say that the book was actually really decent by the time it finished. Riley was still a bad ass as she was for those brief pages, but now I know how much of an amazing mother she is to her sweet little girl Bryony. I admire Riley so much because what she went through was a nightmare come to life. But for her to not only live past that pain and torture and be able to look at her daughter with only love and not hatred for what she represented? That is the strongest person I know - fictional or otherwise.
And Brady actually redeemed himself a lot in this novel. He stepped up and realized a lot of his mistakes that he made when he made rash decisions about Riley. And he finally had a glitch in his perfect life to make him understand what his close friends had gone through in the past months. Not that I'm saying everyone needs to have a bad event happen, but Brady wasn't able to fully understand and help his friends because he had never experienced anything like what they were going through. Being able to go through a bad time and come out of it with optimism and still find the rainbow in the sky is something that everyone should go through - otherwise they take a lot of things for granted.
Bryony was the best part of this novel and I loved her so much. Grandmamma was, on the one hand, pretty hysterical with her funny statements, but it is so sad seeing a loved one with Alzheimer's and forgetting everything about their life.
Abbi Glines was able to talk about a lot of tough subjects in this novel with grace and complete understand of what each character would go through as if the event was really happening. Rape is a subject that I do not read about - ever - period. It's the one subject I don't touch on, but I thought I would give this novel a try. I'm so glad I did because Abbi was able to talk about it in a way that didn't make me fear going outside and living my life. She actually inspires people to keep living after a brutal event like that and how to go about doing it, just by writing a story where Riley kept going. In my book, that is the best writing someone could ever do.
I'm so glad that I received a copy of this and I will definitely be remembering it for years to come. Can't wait to see with other masterpiece she comes up with next!
I was a bit leery going into this book of the series after finding out who the characters were. Mainly about Brady because I really didn't like him in the second novel. He was so naive and whinny and annoying. It was all about him and no one else's problems seemed to matter to him. And the way he used and strung Ivy around because it was convienant and he didn't want to hurt her feelings was a pile of crap and I just wanted to bash his head in.
Suffice to say, I really didn't like Brady after "Under the Lights".
But I did like Riley. When she picked up Willa and took her home with no questions, no pressure, no nothing except to make sure she got home safe, I admired her for that. She seemed like a no nonsense type of girl and I respect that a lot - especially for a teenage girl.
So I was absolutely excited to read it because of Riley, and I do have to say that the book was actually really decent by the time it finished. Riley was still a bad ass as she was for those brief pages, but now I know how much of an amazing mother she is to her sweet little girl Bryony. I admire Riley so much because what she went through was a nightmare come to life. But for her to not only live past that pain and torture and be able to look at her daughter with only love and not hatred for what she represented? That is the strongest person I know - fictional or otherwise.
And Brady actually redeemed himself a lot in this novel. He stepped up and realized a lot of his mistakes that he made when he made rash decisions about Riley. And he finally had a glitch in his perfect life to make him understand what his close friends had gone through in the past months. Not that I'm saying everyone needs to have a bad event happen, but Brady wasn't able to fully understand and help his friends because he had never experienced anything like what they were going through. Being able to go through a bad time and come out of it with optimism and still find the rainbow in the sky is something that everyone should go through - otherwise they take a lot of things for granted.
Bryony was the best part of this novel and I loved her so much. Grandmamma was, on the one hand, pretty hysterical with her funny statements, but it is so sad seeing a loved one with Alzheimer's and forgetting everything about their life.
Abbi Glines was able to talk about a lot of tough subjects in this novel with grace and complete understand of what each character would go through as if the event was really happening. Rape is a subject that I do not read about - ever - period. It's the one subject I don't touch on, but I thought I would give this novel a try. I'm so glad I did because Abbi was able to talk about it in a way that didn't make me fear going outside and living my life. She actually inspires people to keep living after a brutal event like that and how to go about doing it, just by writing a story where Riley kept going. In my book, that is the best writing someone could ever do.
I'm so glad that I received a copy of this and I will definitely be remembering it for years to come. Can't wait to see with other masterpiece she comes up with next!
August 19, 2017
3.5 stars
Brady Higgens is the Lawton, Alabama golden boy and quarterback. He is usually seen as the good, dependable guy who is destined to go places. Although he has not really had good luck in the romance department with getting stuck with clingers or girls that choose the other guy, he is ready to find a real relationship like his friends West and Gunner have. But he is blindsided by the girl that unexpectedly returns to his life.
Riley Young was basically run out of town with her family two years ago when she claimed the oldest son of the most affluent family in town assaulted her and got her pregnant. All of her friends, including Brady turned on her as they believed she was lying. But there is no doubt now that she is back that she has a daughter the right age. And due to some recent happenings with the man in question, Brady is starting to look at the situation in a new light. And the good guy in him feels guilty for his part in treating her badly.
Riley is guarded, untrusting, isolated, and in self preservation mode. She tries to put on shields to protect herself from the rejection and contempt that she is sure she will have to face now that she has returned to take care of her grandmother. She is strong, a survivor, caring, and determined to be the best mother she can be. Her daughter , Bryony is just darling and made me smile every scene she was in.
Even though he knows his friends will not like it, Brady decides he is going to lead the way towards accepting her, becoming her friend, and help change the opinion of those that turned on her. Their tentative friendship continues to build and become more important than they expected. And Brady had no idea that he was going to need just as much support from her as he could give her. But their futures are ahead of them as the high school years are coming to an end and it looks like they may still be on two separate paths.
This is an enemies-to-friends-to-young love story about two people that never saw each other coming but soon developed a strong bond. It is about trust, change, growth, and acceptance. It shows the importance of finding your person that will be there through good and bad times and give you strength. And also about coming to terms with the past so that you can face your future.
All of the characters from the previous books are back and I enjoyed more with West and Maggie, Gunner and Willa, Asa, Nash, and Ryker. All of these characters have gone through so much and have relied on each other for support. There are still some eligible men in this town if she wants to continue this series. I think there could have been more brought up about consequences for her attack. Overall, this one was not as angsty as the first two books and the biggest drama did not even involve that situation. Since there was kind of an abrupt ending and no epilogue in this one, I hope she does return to Lawton.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Brady Higgens is the Lawton, Alabama golden boy and quarterback. He is usually seen as the good, dependable guy who is destined to go places. Although he has not really had good luck in the romance department with getting stuck with clingers or girls that choose the other guy, he is ready to find a real relationship like his friends West and Gunner have. But he is blindsided by the girl that unexpectedly returns to his life.
Riley Young was basically run out of town with her family two years ago when she claimed the oldest son of the most affluent family in town assaulted her and got her pregnant. All of her friends, including Brady turned on her as they believed she was lying. But there is no doubt now that she is back that she has a daughter the right age. And due to some recent happenings with the man in question, Brady is starting to look at the situation in a new light. And the good guy in him feels guilty for his part in treating her badly.
Riley is guarded, untrusting, isolated, and in self preservation mode. She tries to put on shields to protect herself from the rejection and contempt that she is sure she will have to face now that she has returned to take care of her grandmother. She is strong, a survivor, caring, and determined to be the best mother she can be. Her daughter , Bryony is just darling and made me smile every scene she was in.
Even though he knows his friends will not like it, Brady decides he is going to lead the way towards accepting her, becoming her friend, and help change the opinion of those that turned on her. Their tentative friendship continues to build and become more important than they expected. And Brady had no idea that he was going to need just as much support from her as he could give her. But their futures are ahead of them as the high school years are coming to an end and it looks like they may still be on two separate paths.
This is an enemies-to-friends-to-young love story about two people that never saw each other coming but soon developed a strong bond. It is about trust, change, growth, and acceptance. It shows the importance of finding your person that will be there through good and bad times and give you strength. And also about coming to terms with the past so that you can face your future.
All of the characters from the previous books are back and I enjoyed more with West and Maggie, Gunner and Willa, Asa, Nash, and Ryker. All of these characters have gone through so much and have relied on each other for support. There are still some eligible men in this town if she wants to continue this series. I think there could have been more brought up about consequences for her attack. Overall, this one was not as angsty as the first two books and the biggest drama did not even involve that situation. Since there was kind of an abrupt ending and no epilogue in this one, I hope she does return to Lawton.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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July 19, 2020
"“I’ve found that the things that rattle us the most are the ones worth making sacrifices for.”
📚 Series? Yes, third, but can be read as a standalone.
📚 Genre? YA Romance.
📚 POV? Dual.
📚 Cliffhanger? No.
⚠ Content Warnings: Rape. (major plot point but was not addressed as needed)
⚠ Book Tags : Small town. High school. Football. Single parent. Young parent.
⚠ This Book In Emojis: 👩👧🏈🏘👩🏼🤝👨🏽💏
I can't believe I'm still reading this series because of how 'meh' I felt by the first two reads. However, I am happy to report that FINALLY we got a good book here.
The book is about:
After The Game is the third installment of The Field Party series and it tells the story of Brady. He was part of the first books and I felt like the second one did him bad. I would really want him to have his HEA, and looks like this book will give us that.
Here comes Riley Young, a girl who was raped by the town's most powerful family's oldest son, Rhett Lawton. No one believed her so she went away. Now she's back, 2 years later, with a little girl, Bryony, in tow.
Brady and Riley met at a chance encounter, and though Brady was prejudiced of her, his golden boy heart still helped. This starts their story of really knowing each other and falling in love.
What drew me in:
To be honest, what attracted me to read this book is the need to see a happy ending for Brady. He's one of the characters I liked the most from the first book and I was rooting for him to have a love of his own.
Characters & connections:
Because of knowing Brady from the two earlier books, I am already connected and invested in the story. Riley, on the other hand, took my heart hostage because of how sweet and strong she is as a mom to Bryony, the cutie.
Everything I liked:
I loved the characters and the way this story was delivered. Their friendship and their serious conversations won my heart. I listened to it via audiobook and the narrators did an amazing job.
Overall thoughts:
This book was such a fun adventure that I almost rated it 5 stars. However, I would like to squeeze it in here that I hate how rape was handled in the story - and Riley deserved better.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 4/5 ☁
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November 20, 2017
Well, that was adorable.
A really sweet and moving young adult football romance.
I would've wanted an epilogue and a few sexy scenes, but it was totally ok the way it was.
Can't wait to see what Nash has to tell us next summer!
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July 9, 2018
Release Date: August 22, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Recommended Read
I really liked this one! I wasn't sure how I would feel about Riley because she was bad mouthed so bad in the first two books, but she was redeemed in this one. This goes to show you that everyone truly does have their own story and you should think about that before judging them. For those who are unfamiliar with the series (not a lot of people, I'm sure) each book can standalone as they feature different couples. The characters from previous books are interconnected and do play a role, but not in a big enough way that this one would confuse you. This book features Riley and Brady plus Riley's cutie little girl whose name I cannot pronounce (if anyone can pronounce it please leave me a comment... This aggravated me so much LOL).
Possible Spoilers Ahead if you don't know the Series
Riley is the character from previous books who was shunned from her town because she said a football player raped her. In the former books, Abbi Glines made her out to be quite the villainous liar when in actuality, she was not. Readers will hear slightly about the rape, but there aren't any details so younger teens can read it. Anyway, the rape caused Riley to become pregnant and she now has a little girl named Bryony. Thinking that her life was only going to be about her and her baby girl, Riley is surprised when an old friend comes back in her life and wants to make amends for the way he treated her two years ago. Surprise! He finally believes she was telling the truth. From here, a romance blossoms between the two. It's not a fast moving one, it's slow, heartwarming, and believable. Unfortunately, there is some drama that the two need to get though within the book, and it's certainly not easy, but how they overcome everything and find a way to be in love is breathtaking. Abbi did a wonderful job with their story and I couldn't be more happy for how it all turned out.
End Possible Spoilers
I think Abbi Glines writes fantastic young adult romances, and I know that as long as she keeps writing them that I will read it. I do hope though that future books won't have similar dramas like some of her previous books and series. I hate to read the same stuff over and over again.
Fans of young adult romances and those who love the authors books will certainly enjoy this one. I think adults and teens alike will fall in love with this story of the characters.
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Recommended Read
I really liked this one! I wasn't sure how I would feel about Riley because she was bad mouthed so bad in the first two books, but she was redeemed in this one. This goes to show you that everyone truly does have their own story and you should think about that before judging them. For those who are unfamiliar with the series (not a lot of people, I'm sure) each book can standalone as they feature different couples. The characters from previous books are interconnected and do play a role, but not in a big enough way that this one would confuse you. This book features Riley and Brady plus Riley's cutie little girl whose name I cannot pronounce (if anyone can pronounce it please leave me a comment... This aggravated me so much LOL).
Possible Spoilers Ahead if you don't know the Series
Riley is the character from previous books who was shunned from her town because she said a football player raped her. In the former books, Abbi Glines made her out to be quite the villainous liar when in actuality, she was not. Readers will hear slightly about the rape, but there aren't any details so younger teens can read it. Anyway, the rape caused Riley to become pregnant and she now has a little girl named Bryony. Thinking that her life was only going to be about her and her baby girl, Riley is surprised when an old friend comes back in her life and wants to make amends for the way he treated her two years ago. Surprise! He finally believes she was telling the truth. From here, a romance blossoms between the two. It's not a fast moving one, it's slow, heartwarming, and believable. Unfortunately, there is some drama that the two need to get though within the book, and it's certainly not easy, but how they overcome everything and find a way to be in love is breathtaking. Abbi did a wonderful job with their story and I couldn't be more happy for how it all turned out.
End Possible Spoilers
I think Abbi Glines writes fantastic young adult romances, and I know that as long as she keeps writing them that I will read it. I do hope though that future books won't have similar dramas like some of her previous books and series. I hate to read the same stuff over and over again.
Fans of young adult romances and those who love the authors books will certainly enjoy this one. I think adults and teens alike will fall in love with this story of the characters.
December 21, 2022
This is going to be a doozy so buckle up, bitches. If you read any of my reviews, please read this one especially.
Two years ago, and the ripe age of 15, Riley Young was r*ped by her then boyfriends (the mmc from the previous book) older brother. She ended up pregnant, and when people found out everyone basically shunned her and her parents and ran them out of town because no one believed the golden boy Rhett could do that. Two years later she is back because she is taking care of her sick grandmother and Rhett is at college now.
There were quite a few things wrong with this book. When Brady realizes she has a daughter by Rhett and FINALLY starts to believe this poor girl, he says something gross along the lines of "she could have given the baby up or gotten an abortion, but she didn't and that says a lot about her character"
EXCUSE ME? SO, ABORTING A BABY AFTER YOU WERE RAPED SAYS WHAT ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER THEN? I should have seen this coming from a book based in ALAMABA but come on, I didn't know we were just full-on shitting on women in this book.
Not to mention, Riley has almost zero signs of any PTSD, no mental behaviors, nothing that would say she was the survivor of such a horrible act other than her saying she was mad about it a few times. She even at one point says, "If I had the chance, I would go through it all over again if I knew I was going to have my daughter in the end" WHAT???? You can keep your baby conceived from r*pe and still not want to go through what it took to get her here. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I know what it is like to give birth to a baby that was the product of an assault, but come on, no way in hell.
Overall, the first book in this series did a good job of handling the fmc's trauma, and it seems like every book after that is getting worse and worse in terms of character development, plot development, the discussion around trauma and just all-around storyline.
Also, the book doesn't really end in a HEA or a cliffhanger. It just kind of ends with you not knowing where the characters stand in their relationship?
Two years ago, and the ripe age of 15, Riley Young was r*ped by her then boyfriends (the mmc from the previous book) older brother. She ended up pregnant, and when people found out everyone basically shunned her and her parents and ran them out of town because no one believed the golden boy Rhett could do that. Two years later she is back because she is taking care of her sick grandmother and Rhett is at college now.
There were quite a few things wrong with this book. When Brady realizes she has a daughter by Rhett and FINALLY starts to believe this poor girl, he says something gross along the lines of "she could have given the baby up or gotten an abortion, but she didn't and that says a lot about her character"
EXCUSE ME? SO, ABORTING A BABY AFTER YOU WERE RAPED SAYS WHAT ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER THEN? I should have seen this coming from a book based in ALAMABA but come on, I didn't know we were just full-on shitting on women in this book.
Not to mention, Riley has almost zero signs of any PTSD, no mental behaviors, nothing that would say she was the survivor of such a horrible act other than her saying she was mad about it a few times. She even at one point says, "If I had the chance, I would go through it all over again if I knew I was going to have my daughter in the end" WHAT???? You can keep your baby conceived from r*pe and still not want to go through what it took to get her here. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I know what it is like to give birth to a baby that was the product of an assault, but come on, no way in hell.
Overall, the first book in this series did a good job of handling the fmc's trauma, and it seems like every book after that is getting worse and worse in terms of character development, plot development, the discussion around trauma and just all-around storyline.
Also, the book doesn't really end in a HEA or a cliffhanger. It just kind of ends with you not knowing where the characters stand in their relationship?
March 12, 2023
Re Read: March 2023
I. Love. Riley. She was put in a horrible situation and became an amazing mother and then partner with Brady. I’m still not a fan of the curve ball in the last 3rd of the book. I’m actually a bigger fan of the heroines of this series than the heros. I can’t wait to finally get everyone’s finale in The Last Field Party because all I want at the end of these books is just to know what lies ahead for them.
Re Read: March 2022
I actually liked this one better the second time around. I wish there was just a tad more about Brady and Riley’s future, so hopefully we get that in Glines’ upcoming novel, The Last Field Party.
I actually enjoyed this one enough to up the star rating to a full 4 stars. I think when I initially read this, the twist just seems so out of no where, but this time, I didn’t mind it so much. It really worked well with how “things didn’t always seem true from the outside looking in” theme with the rest of the series.
Original Review: November 2017
3-3.5 stars
This seriously pains me to rate this book so low. I absolutely adore this series, and honestly I loved this book until about half way through when something came out that just didn't fit. I didn't agree with where Glines took Brady's story. I felt that there were more viable options that could've been utilized instead, but I guess that's why I'm the reader and not the author.
I still love how Glines is able to pack so much into these little novels though. You can easily read these in a single sitting, but you get a lot of emotion out of them, which is hard to pull off. I really enjoyed Brady and Riley's story, but their stories individual were just a little underwhelming for what I expected from this series.
I. Love. Riley. She was put in a horrible situation and became an amazing mother and then partner with Brady. I’m still not a fan of the curve ball in the last 3rd of the book. I’m actually a bigger fan of the heroines of this series than the heros. I can’t wait to finally get everyone’s finale in The Last Field Party because all I want at the end of these books is just to know what lies ahead for them.
Re Read: March 2022
I actually liked this one better the second time around. I wish there was just a tad more about Brady and Riley’s future, so hopefully we get that in Glines’ upcoming novel, The Last Field Party.
I actually enjoyed this one enough to up the star rating to a full 4 stars. I think when I initially read this, the twist just seems so out of no where, but this time, I didn’t mind it so much. It really worked well with how “things didn’t always seem true from the outside looking in” theme with the rest of the series.
Original Review: November 2017
3-3.5 stars
This seriously pains me to rate this book so low. I absolutely adore this series, and honestly I loved this book until about half way through when something came out that just didn't fit. I didn't agree with where Glines took Brady's story. I felt that there were more viable options that could've been utilized instead, but I guess that's why I'm the reader and not the author.
I still love how Glines is able to pack so much into these little novels though. You can easily read these in a single sitting, but you get a lot of emotion out of them, which is hard to pull off. I really enjoyed Brady and Riley's story, but their stories individual were just a little underwhelming for what I expected from this series.
August 27, 2017
Watching someone you love so much love lost in their own head was heartbreaking. Alzheimer's was a terrible disease.
Riley's grandmamma has Alzheimer's and throughout the book you can definitely tell. I had a family member with the same disease and let me tell you something, it's awful. So I can seriously relate to what Riley and her parents are feeling.
"Human nature isn't always pretty."
No, it's not.
In all three books we see different situations but they are all very real. Cancer, Murder, Suicide, Rape, Cheating. All of these things happen, sadly, everyday. I really like the fact that Abbi mentions what people are feeling during these hardships and how people cope.
There was a villain everyone was against. I was that person.
We hear stories of girls getting raped and then having everyone they know turn on them. Sadly, this does happen. During this book Riley has been shunned and abandoned by the people she thought she could count on the most. But she has become stronger and has been given a beautiful gift that had saved her.
"You can. You just have to find it deep inside. It's there. The strength. We all have it, but it lies dormant until we need it. Then we have to look for it and use it."
Preach, honey. 🙌🏼
"No one can take your dream, Brady. They can share it with you or want to be a part of it, but at the end of the day it's yours. You did it. You achieved it. It's yours No one else can lay claim to it."
5/5 stars 🌟
Riley's grandmamma has Alzheimer's and throughout the book you can definitely tell. I had a family member with the same disease and let me tell you something, it's awful. So I can seriously relate to what Riley and her parents are feeling.
"Human nature isn't always pretty."
No, it's not.
In all three books we see different situations but they are all very real. Cancer, Murder, Suicide, Rape, Cheating. All of these things happen, sadly, everyday. I really like the fact that Abbi mentions what people are feeling during these hardships and how people cope.
There was a villain everyone was against. I was that person.
We hear stories of girls getting raped and then having everyone they know turn on them. Sadly, this does happen. During this book Riley has been shunned and abandoned by the people she thought she could count on the most. But she has become stronger and has been given a beautiful gift that had saved her.
"You can. You just have to find it deep inside. It's there. The strength. We all have it, but it lies dormant until we need it. Then we have to look for it and use it."
Preach, honey. 🙌🏼
"No one can take your dream, Brady. They can share it with you or want to be a part of it, but at the end of the day it's yours. You did it. You achieved it. It's yours No one else can lay claim to it."
5/5 stars 🌟
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