First published 2008
Brady Bledsoe stands on the verge of everything he has worked for. The handsome college senior leads the Heisman Trophy race and NFL scouts circle like hawks. His mother Carmyn, who built a chain of Atlanta beauty salons from nothing, has shaped every step of his journey. She brought him to church, enrolled him in the Celibacy Circle, and devoted her life to his football dreams. Now Barrett, a stunning cheerleader, targets the celibate star player. She wants a share of his coming millions, but her motives run deeper than money. Sports agents swarm the campus while Carmyn fights to shield her son from Barrett's advances. But Carmyn carries her own burden. She has hidden the truth about Brady's past since his birth. As Barrett's seduction intensifies and the NFL draft approaches, the perfect bond between mother and son begins to fracture. Brady starts questioning the woman who raised him. Carmyn realizes her secret may destroy the relationship she has protected above all else.
Genres: romance, african-american, contemporary, sports, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, family-drama
Setting: Atlanta
Period: Present Day
319 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday