In the Red Zone

Crista McHugh

Mar 2015 · The Kelly Brothers Book 6 · Crista McHugh

About this ebook

All-Star linebacker Frank Kelly is as well-known for his off-the-field hits as he is for his on-field ones. When a dance club brawl ends with him in handcuffs again, he’s rescued by a well-connected woman who can get the charges dropped in exchange for a small favor. If he’ll agree to play the part of a doting boyfriend for two months, she’ll keep him out of the slammer and help restore his reputation.

Kiana Dyer may be the daughter of a Hall of Fame football player, but the charity organization she took over when he died isn’t getting the media attention she’d hoped for. A staged romance with Frank Kelly is just the ticket she needs to get in the spotlight. As the lines between fake and real start to blur, she begins to wonder if bailing him out was the best call she’s ever made. Just when everything seems to be falling perfectly in place, scandal surrounds her charity, and she’s the one left scrambling to clear her name.

Recommended for those who like:
Sports Romance
Interracial or Multicultural Romance
BWWM
Southern Romance (Atlanta)
Bad Boy-Good Girl
Opposites Attract

Ratings and reviews

If ever there has been an author that has written a worthwhile read it is Crista McHugh. I received a copy of In the Red Zone(The Kelly Brothers-Book 6) for an honest review. I loved it so much that now I want to read the entire series in one fell swoop. This book is about so much more than two people falling in love. Kiana and Frank are both searching for their place in the world. Two underestimated people by themselves and their peers. These two lost souls manage to find a connection in each other. The growth each character shows throughout the story is evident in the steps they take to become better for themselves and each other. With The Kelly Brothers series, Ms. McHugh manages to create emotional reads that leave you craving more. I already own The Sweetest Seduction (The Kelly Brothers-Book 1). Can't wait to discover the rest of this series.

Sexy and charming, Frank will not let you put the book down once you start. Under the womanizing facade is a slightly insecure man with a heart of gold. He slowly gets past Kiana's walls and sweeps her of her feet. Kiana has been through some tough time and that has made her very cautious about who she lets into her personal circle. She didn't stand a chance against the Frank, or at least the real him. I enjoyed the progress of their relationship from business associates to lovers, and seeing both Kiana and Frank adapt to their new circumstances. I haven't read the previous books in the series, but I will have to carve out some time to start them from the beginning. ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

In the Red Zone, while not my favorite in the series, is a nice departure from your typical romance novel fare, and it's a solid read that's typical of the books in this series. There was some crazy drama that wasn't taken too far, and the interracial factor was a nice change from the usual. Frank, always ready with a cocky statement, kept things entertaining when the subject matter itself could have been a downer, and it was easy believe that he and Kiana, even though opposites in so many ways, were simply made for each other. ***FicCentral received this book from Tasty Book Tours for free in exchange for an honest review.

About the author

Crista McHugh is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING author of fantasy and romance with heroines who are smart, sexy, and anything but ordinary.

She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and two children, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends.