On the Rebound. Alexandra Warren. 2020. 225 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.]
Alexandra Warren is back with a great (and anticipated) return to the Tennessee Trojans’ saga. Instead of centering two players, On the Rebound features Trojans’ Kage Steele and Bleu Taylor, a sports reporter with a budding show of her own. Kage is entering his second season and has the pressure of proving he’s still worth the trouble he caused the previous season. Bleu has a key rule for herself – don’t date active athletes. So while her current bae is a former baller turned sports commentator, that was only possible once he retired. When things go left in her relationship, Kage turns the dial up on his pursuit, hoping to be a redeemable exception to Bleu’s rule.
To be fair, Kage isn’t a complete sleaze. He’s actually a pretty decent friend to Bleu as she navigates some of the complications dropped into her lap by other people’s recklessness. But the fact that the two aren’t as unacquainted as Bleu would like to think means that they have an obvious chemistry to dance around. The drama factor in the book is more than evident. Between Bleu’s relationship troubles and Kage’s abundance of willing attention from other women, there’s plenty of tension to get in the way of the two exploring anything.
In keeping with the times, On the Rebound takes place right as the COVID pandemic hits the U.S. Bleu and Kage aren’t immune to the restrictions, so it was quite entertaining to see them adjust to the new considerations for their health and safety.
Bleu is a character who deserved the shine, not just for who she is, but what she faces in her career. As a woman sports journalist, she’s constantly challenged and trolled for who she is, what she does in her personal life, and what people perceive about her. She’s attractive, so people only tune in for her good looks rather than her substantive interviews and commentary. She’s dating a former athlete, so anything that looks friendly during an interview must be an indication that she’s sleeping with another. Her need to maintain a reputation that other people find palatable is an ever-present consideration, and the double-standard she faces that men in her field don’t is something that’s not addressed frequently enough. I appreciated that Warren made the effort to explore the hypocrisy in this story without trivializing it.
On the Rebound was a funny and light read for me, which was more than welcome. Bleu and Kage have a flirty and playful rapport with each other, even outside of (and perhaps in spite of) their attraction. Additionally, the peripheral characters, some of whom are recurring in this series, offer the same levity. This played well with the more heavy aspects of the story. It easily gets my recommendation.
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