When Lila Avers accepts a medical internship through Astor University in California for the fall semester of her senior year, she doesn’t expect much. In fact, she’d rather work on her tan and meet a surfer instead of logging long hours at the hospital and studying. But before she even boards her flight to LA, she meets Astor University wide receiver, Cade Wilkins. A football player. When Cade … turns out to be so much more than just muscle, Lila is smitten. Maybe a semester away from her friends won’t be so bad after all.
Cade Wilkins is beyond ready for his last season at Astor. Already being scouted and projected as a NFL draft pick, he’s riding a natural high and all set to breeze through his senior year. To sweeten the start of the fall semester, he meets his dream girl at the airport on his way back to LA. Lila Avers, a blond, blue-eyed angel. Could life get any better?
When Cade is sidelined by an unexpected injury, he’s devastated to learn of more serious health concerns. As his world implodes, Lila holds him together. But is she strong enough to see him through his recovery?
As their own insecurities and doubts emerge, their new, fragile relationship is tested. Can Cade and Lila handle the ugly truths of falling in love when tensions flare, boundaries are violated, and uncertainty looms over the future of their relationship?
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A sweet, emotional story. Lila makes a pact with her friends before they all go their separate ways to live their senior year to the fullest date hot guys and go to wild parties. On her way to California where she is studying for a semester she runs into Cade star football player, attraction is instant. A beautiful story of college life, friends, football and trying to figure out what you want to do in life. It also deals with two emotional issues cancer and sexual assault. This was the first book I have read from this author and I can’t wait to read more from this series and her other books.
Cade and Lila are in their last semester of college. She’s traveling to LA for an internship and just her luck – Cade happens to be on her flight. This duo is so well matched. They are that case of ‘not looking for love but it found me anyway’. There’s some BIG issues in play here, some real heaviness well balanced by the sparkle of their mutual affections. It’s well done to be certain, and a great love story!
Recommend this series and can’t wait for the next one!
I wish I had the guts to pull off Lila’s pact: to have all the fun, kiss all the boys and to enjoy the last year or school. I don’t and I’m not in my 20’s anymore, but I was along for the ride. I find it amusing that neither Lila nor Cade wanted a serious relationship, but things are never easy, are they? They were living the life, college, football, friends, and parties. Then life got messy as far the pact was involved. It sure took me on a wild ride. It was crazy, but beautiful.
Lila and Cade meet at the airport after a delay, they both learn their going to the same place. Both deal with serious issues and how they get thru them. Friends come together in their time of need and they get the happily ever after they deserve. I received an ARC of this and volunteered to review it.
The Last First Game: A College Romance (The College Pact Series Book 1) – Gina Azzi
Reading a college romance was a bit different, since I’m old enough to have gone to College probably 6 or 7 times over. That being said the further into this book I got the more I enjoyed it.
Gina Azzi obviously connects to her story and as a reader if you turn off your age-o-meter you also find that you can connect and enjoy the story.
Cade and Lila become fast friends when they meet at the boarding gate to fly out west to California. Cade is a football player and it is assumed his is going to go far. Lila is doing a semester at another school to take a prep course for writing her MCAT’s to go pre-med. Having said that Lila isn’t sure that is what she really does want to do.
Lila is also going through a young adults reaction to her parents divorcing. That is not the easiest thing to deal with and maybe that is why I was able to feel for the anxiety and family pressure she felt she was under. I could relate. When Cade was injured and a life threatening medical issue discovered, not only did Cade had to deal with it, so did Lila. This is a lot of emotional stress on two young people. As the story continues we are able to not just watch Cade and Lila cope, grow and make new plans for themselves. It gives a reader a bit of an opening to see that it isn’t just grownups that face these issues that young adults do as well and with support and help they are able to become the adults we see by the end of the story.
I’m going to read the second book in this series because now I’m intrigued and want to see what comes next!
I was given this book to read by a 3rd party and this review is my opinion alone.
When Lila makes a pact with her friends to live their best life in their Senior Semester, Little did she know that her YOLO approach to entering this Semester would be a life changer.
Cade is the Football God of his school and doesn’t take anything as serious as he takes his football career.
Meeting Lila at the airport changes both Cade & Lila’s path for the future and a emotional story that will keep you invested and wanting more!
Gina Azzi does it again! Well done!
This is such a sweet love story that just swept me away. It does deal with some heavy issues that could be potential Triggers.
This is a college sports romance. Lila is headed to California for a semester in her senior year. She has made a pact with her three best friends to live their best lives during this last year. In the airport to head to California she meets Cade, with the storm cloud eyes & ripped body. Cade also in his senior year was headed back to school to finish his senior year, as a star football player and perspective NFL draft pick. They have instant chemistry and a relationship quickly develops. Unfortunately tragedy strikes that stresses and test their relationship. Can they handle these life changing events and get to the happily ever after they so deserve?
Whoa….this book is so full of feels! I enjoyed seeing Cade & Lila meet each other and just give in to their attraction. I laughed when they both were so sure that nothing serious could happen. And I sobbed for both of them when life got real and insanely tough.
I loved this book. Although I will say that I read reviews with spoilers, and I’m glad I did. Personally knowing what to expect helped, but I think either way it would be enjoyable!