Book Review: The Friend Zone by Sariah Wilson

The Friend Zone (End of the Line Book 1)

“The Friend Zone” is about second chances, but not in a romantic way. It’s about disgraced but talented football players who were kicked out of their Division 1 schools and stripped of their sports scholarships.

College quarterback Logan Hunt was one of them. A huge mistake cost him everything and that was the reason why he found himself in Seattle’s little known EOL college under the mentorship of Coach Stan Oakley who was willing to give him and bunch of other misfits like him a second chance for football greatness.

But, there is a cost… or to be exact, a long list of rules – no drinking, no drugs, no swearing, maintain your GPA and many more. And the hardest of all, no dating!

That was okay for Logan. He was serious about getting his degree and playing football, i.e., until he met Jess Oakley, math whiz and his math tutor. Notice the last name? Yes, Jess is Coach Oakley’s daughter. Ah, what a conundrum.

Though classified as a romance, “The Friend Zone” is actually a coming of age story. Both Logan Hunt and Jess Oakley have to make peace with the pasts so that they can face their future. To use an old saying, “one step back, two steps forward,” because that was the only way they can reach true adulthood.

The topic is actually very serious, but it does not mean that “The Friend Zone” did not have those laugh out loud funny moments. Author Sariah Wilson has a wicked sense of humor and great in one liner puns. My favorite, when Logan and Jess saw a middle age couple kissing, Logan said, “Talk about Fifty Shades of Gray” an obvious pun to the infamous book wherein the last word is spelled “Grey.”

Puns aside, there are a lot of clever lines in the book. If Sariah Wilson tires of being a novelist, she can write jokes for one of the late night talk shows.

“The Friend Zone” is a leisurely read that will tug at your heartstrings. All the characters, from the lead to the supporting ones are three-dimensional complete with back stories. This book should on your To Be Read list.

“The Friend Zone” is Rated T for Teens. There are no sex scenes. Parental guidance is strongly advised due to some adult situations.

About the Book

Title: The Friend Zone (End of the Line Book 1)

Author: Sariah Wilson
Release Date: June 11, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Summary

Disgraced college quarterback Logan Hunt was on his way to NFL stardom when he messed up big-time. Now the Texas star player with a bad temper has a new option: Seattle’s EOL College—as in End of the Line, to his fellow misfit recruits. It’s Logan’s last chance. If he can follow the rules. No parties, no fighting, no swearing, and oh, no dating the coach’s daughter, Jess. Simple. Yeah, right. For Logan, there has never been a rule he’s more tempted to break.

The deal is “just friends.” The pretty, confident, and fiercely smart math whiz is fine with pizza, tutoring, and keeping Logan in line. But the closer Jess gets, the more receptive she is to his warm heart and spirit—not to mention his irresistible off-field passes. With defenses down, they’re both heading into the danger zone.

It’s more than thrilling. It’s love. It’s also a game changer that could sideline Logan’s NFL goals—and more important, a future with Jess. But dreams are worth fighting for, right?

Images credits: Photo of Batman costume by Serge Kutuzov on Unsplash; Photo of Catwoman costume by Enrique Lopez Garre on Pixabay.