First Down
James Callahan is a star quarterback at McKee University with one problem: he’s failing his writing class and needs a passing grade to keep his NFL dreams alive. He strikes a deal with Bex, a fellow student who agrees to tutor him in exchange for a fake relationship to ward off her cheating ex. As they navigate their arrangement, the lines between their pretend romance and real feelings begin to blur.
This book can be read entirely as a standalone. While it introduces the Callahan family and serves as the first entry in the Beyond the Play series, each subsequent book focuses on a different sibling and features a self-contained romance with a complete resolution.
The narrative alternates between the dual points of view of James and Bex. This structure allows you to experience both characters' internal struggles, their individual motivations for the fake-dating arrangement, and their developing feelings firsthand.