When it comes to transitioning from college to pro football there's lots of intense pressure, but when it comes to love and the issues of addiction in this romance, all the highs and lows will keep you on edge praying for HEA. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of the bwwm romance Draft Day by Toya King, along with my impressions of it, then add it to your bookshelf! In honor of this interracial New Adult romance make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $10 Amazon GC too!
Tyler.
I’m riding high. A successful college football career means I’m about to sign with the NFL -- and I have all the women I want.
When Deja shows up at my football practice, I’m shocked at the changes in her. When we were in foster care as kids, I always protected her, and she needs me more than ever.
I’m determined to take care of her -- but will I be forced to choose between her and my career?
Deja
Tyler was the only real bright spot in my life growing up. Maybe I don’t deserve to be in his life anymore, but turning to him when I hit rock bottom is the only choice that makes sense.
I can’t help wanting more from him than friendship. He has the brightest future imaginable, and if I’m not careful, I could drag him down with me.
He’s like a beacon lighting my way to a better path… if I can find the strength to follow it. But will he be waiting for me when I get there?
BUY AT AMAZON here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Fans of sports-themed romances will find themselves quickly consumed by the complex connection between two kids who grew up in the foster care system. The years they've been apart have taken them in dramatically different directions but fate has brought them back together at a time that will define them both. With one on the cusp of fame and the other almost at rock bottom theirs is a connection that's intense and full of highs and lows that will keep readers on edge rooting for them to find HEA.
When Tyler's parents died in his early teens he found himself lost and alone in the world of foster care. It was a time that left him with nothing but that which he worked long and hard to get. He knew what it was like to have nothing and swore his life would be different one day, but amidst all his unhappiness and desperation there was one bright spot...his foster sister Deja. Her toughness and sweetness drew him to her and had him protecting her from the danger their foster father presented until the day he aged out of the system. He's tried to forget those tough times, moved on in a focused attempt to make it in the NFL, until the day Deja shows up again in need of saving. His focus soon starts slipping as he gets caught up in her self-destructive nature, his need to be the one person to support her, and his realization that he loves her. With him hanging on to his future by his fingertips, hard decisions will have to be made if both of them hope to succeed. The decisions made, and the journey they're on, is a gut wrenching one full of heartbreak and frustration but through it all Tyler remained the quintessential hero. Even as a teen he understood the danger to Deja and put his life on the line to keep her safe every night. He's a hard worker with strong personal ethics that drive him to protect the weak. He values what he owns and isn't near as arrogant as his teammates. He's the kind of young man others look up to and women want as he treats them with kindness. He's been holding back though when it comes to relationships, keeping everything casual as he focuses on his future in the NFL. There's an even bigger reason he's held back though and it has to do with his unforgettable connection to Deja. She knows him like no other, the REAL him he's kept hidden all these years and it makes for a combustible relationship that quickly consumes him. From the highs of their burgeoning relationship to the lows of her alcoholism he soon finds himself at a crossroads that had me aching for his future right alongside him as he desperately tried to be the man Deja needed.
Deja never knew love as a child as her mother walked away when she was practically a baby and her father died committing a robbery. From that moment she discovered that love was fleeting and not something to count on. The only person to prove her wrong was Tyler who took the time to get to know her, to talk to her every night, and make her feel cared for. With fears over her foster father he came to her rescue like a white knight that stirred feelings in her that never went away...even after he did. Leaving foster care set her on a path of abuse from numerous men and an addiction to alcohol. She's on a self-destructive path, with stereotypical thoughts and deeds, which she brings to Tyler's doorstep just when he needs to be at his best. She brings chaos and anger, but also love and support to him, in a relationship that quickly and erotically evolves from friends to lovers. With her addiction raging out of control, and with hard truths being heard, she can no longer ignore her past and its affects on her in an ending that brought a tear to my eye. Deja had my emotions all over the place as I applauded her "telling it like it is" nature while feeling frustrated over her poor decision making. Many of her failures when it came to work and boyfriends were of her own making, a self-fulfilling prophecy to fail. Her love for Tyler was true, forged in her youth, but culminating as an adult which made me even angrier when she used that love to get him to help her over and over. I know that her actions were typical for abused women, and my personal familial connection to her issues probably had me judging her a bit more harshly, but it still left me frustrated as she was given so many chances to succeed and threw it all away. During her time with Tyler there were many instances that had me hating her but her sweetness, love for him, and desire to be the kind of woman he could be proud of had me rooting for her and their HEA. Ultimately she's a complex character desperate to be loved and valued who invites readers along on her very rocky journey that starts near the bottom to arrive at an ending that will leave readers satisfied.
This was an emotionally intense read that realistically depicted the fallout from years of domestic abuse on the psyche and it was very hard to read at times. Deja's alcoholism was also dealt with in vivid detail as it showed its affect on her in trying to function in the world as well as how it hurt the one closest to her as Tyler was dragged down into the gutter with her. These events had me judging Deja in a harsh light that marred my overall enjoyment of the story just a bit as I became physically exhausted trying to keep up with her (which is a credit to Ms. King's ability to show cold hard truths). Tyler's the perfect hero and the highlight of this story for me as he would've walked through fire for Deja. He's sweet, sexy, and his journey to the NFL had me on the edge of my seat and leading the cheer for his HEA. The world of college football was also well-depicted with all its inherent stress and competitiveness, but its inclusion shouldn't deter those who don't like sports-themed romances as the personal aspects of the story outweigh the action on the field. The friends to lovers theme is on prominent display in a relationship that starts off teeming with sexual tension and soon becomes erotically-charged. Along with two strong leads comes a small cast of secondary characters that also left me conflicted as one friend's jealous act put Tyler's future in jeopardy while his high school coach became the father he never had in actions that were heartwarming. Overall this was an unforgettable story dealing with difficult issues that pulled me in from the first page to the last!
When Tyler's parents died in his early teens he found himself lost and alone in the world of foster care. It was a time that left him with nothing but that which he worked long and hard to get. He knew what it was like to have nothing and swore his life would be different one day, but amidst all his unhappiness and desperation there was one bright spot...his foster sister Deja. Her toughness and sweetness drew him to her and had him protecting her from the danger their foster father presented until the day he aged out of the system. He's tried to forget those tough times, moved on in a focused attempt to make it in the NFL, until the day Deja shows up again in need of saving. His focus soon starts slipping as he gets caught up in her self-destructive nature, his need to be the one person to support her, and his realization that he loves her. With him hanging on to his future by his fingertips, hard decisions will have to be made if both of them hope to succeed. The decisions made, and the journey they're on, is a gut wrenching one full of heartbreak and frustration but through it all Tyler remained the quintessential hero. Even as a teen he understood the danger to Deja and put his life on the line to keep her safe every night. He's a hard worker with strong personal ethics that drive him to protect the weak. He values what he owns and isn't near as arrogant as his teammates. He's the kind of young man others look up to and women want as he treats them with kindness. He's been holding back though when it comes to relationships, keeping everything casual as he focuses on his future in the NFL. There's an even bigger reason he's held back though and it has to do with his unforgettable connection to Deja. She knows him like no other, the REAL him he's kept hidden all these years and it makes for a combustible relationship that quickly consumes him. From the highs of their burgeoning relationship to the lows of her alcoholism he soon finds himself at a crossroads that had me aching for his future right alongside him as he desperately tried to be the man Deja needed.
Deja never knew love as a child as her mother walked away when she was practically a baby and her father died committing a robbery. From that moment she discovered that love was fleeting and not something to count on. The only person to prove her wrong was Tyler who took the time to get to know her, to talk to her every night, and make her feel cared for. With fears over her foster father he came to her rescue like a white knight that stirred feelings in her that never went away...even after he did. Leaving foster care set her on a path of abuse from numerous men and an addiction to alcohol. She's on a self-destructive path, with stereotypical thoughts and deeds, which she brings to Tyler's doorstep just when he needs to be at his best. She brings chaos and anger, but also love and support to him, in a relationship that quickly and erotically evolves from friends to lovers. With her addiction raging out of control, and with hard truths being heard, she can no longer ignore her past and its affects on her in an ending that brought a tear to my eye. Deja had my emotions all over the place as I applauded her "telling it like it is" nature while feeling frustrated over her poor decision making. Many of her failures when it came to work and boyfriends were of her own making, a self-fulfilling prophecy to fail. Her love for Tyler was true, forged in her youth, but culminating as an adult which made me even angrier when she used that love to get him to help her over and over. I know that her actions were typical for abused women, and my personal familial connection to her issues probably had me judging her a bit more harshly, but it still left me frustrated as she was given so many chances to succeed and threw it all away. During her time with Tyler there were many instances that had me hating her but her sweetness, love for him, and desire to be the kind of woman he could be proud of had me rooting for her and their HEA. Ultimately she's a complex character desperate to be loved and valued who invites readers along on her very rocky journey that starts near the bottom to arrive at an ending that will leave readers satisfied.
This was an emotionally intense read that realistically depicted the fallout from years of domestic abuse on the psyche and it was very hard to read at times. Deja's alcoholism was also dealt with in vivid detail as it showed its affect on her in trying to function in the world as well as how it hurt the one closest to her as Tyler was dragged down into the gutter with her. These events had me judging Deja in a harsh light that marred my overall enjoyment of the story just a bit as I became physically exhausted trying to keep up with her (which is a credit to Ms. King's ability to show cold hard truths). Tyler's the perfect hero and the highlight of this story for me as he would've walked through fire for Deja. He's sweet, sexy, and his journey to the NFL had me on the edge of my seat and leading the cheer for his HEA. The world of college football was also well-depicted with all its inherent stress and competitiveness, but its inclusion shouldn't deter those who don't like sports-themed romances as the personal aspects of the story outweigh the action on the field. The friends to lovers theme is on prominent display in a relationship that starts off teeming with sexual tension and soon becomes erotically-charged. Along with two strong leads comes a small cast of secondary characters that also left me conflicted as one friend's jealous act put Tyler's future in jeopardy while his high school coach became the father he never had in actions that were heartwarming. Overall this was an unforgettable story dealing with difficult issues that pulled me in from the first page to the last!
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Toya King is a romance author from the Midwest who writes about smart, sexy, sassy women and hot, possessive alpha males. Her favorite bad boys to write about include sports players, mafia, bikers, billionaires, and the bad-ass next door. You can find her cooking, reading, or traveling when she’s not busy working on her next release.
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