I’m a bit of a sucker for good young adult series, regardless of the genre. It’s one of those things I’m no longer shy about saying that out loud. I recently found myself with a room full of laundry that needed to be ironed and thought: “Well, you may as well get a book to listen to while you work yourself to death.” Enter Abbi Glines‘ Field Party series …
Did I mean to binge 7 audiobooks in one week? No. My chores had accumulated to about 2 audiobooks’ lengths, maybe 3. Did I find more work to do around the house because I didn’t want to stop listening? Oh, yes! Let’s just say my laundry is up to date, every closet and wardrobe’s been organized, and I started painting my kitchen. 😀
The Field Party Series
Until Friday Night
We start off the Field Party series with Maggie Carleton, whose life fell apart two years ago when her father murdered her mother. She hasn’t spoken a word since that night when she relayed the events to the police. Meanwhile, West Ashby is keeping a secret, too, but it’s eating him up on the inside. After a game, West decides to talk to the one girl he knows won’t say anything … Sharing his pain with Maggie, stirs something inside her, and she finally reveals her own heartbreak to him.
Until Friday Night is what got me into the rest of the series. Maggie is such a complex character and her story … Oof! I loved it. West’s growth really made for good listening. I can’t say much more without giving spoilers, so let’s just leave it at that. But I highly recommend trying this one if you’re looking for a quick read (or listen, in this case) to help you get out of a reading slump. 😉
Under the Lights
When Willa returns to Lawton, Alabama, she is not the same girl she used to be. She’s troubled, there’s a darkness inside of her that her childhood best friends, Gunner Lawton and Brady Higgins, won’t ever be able to understand. Gunner has his own pain to deal with, being the bastard son of the richest man in town …
Meanwhile, Brady has it all — the good grades, a football scholarship, a great family life, and even a wonderful girlfriend. He’s not happy, though. Will the three of them be able to heal or are they doomed to carry their burdens forever?
Unpopular opinion: Under the Lights was my favorite book of them all regardless of some of the flaws it has! I loved the soap opera-ish parts, and I’m a sucker for a good love triangle. Willa was also an intriguing character and I rooted for Gunner all the way.
After the Game
Brady Higgins is Lawton’s golden boy, while Riley Young is shunned for accusing Rhett Lawton (Gunner’s older half-brother) of raping her. When she returns to Lawton after two years, baby in tow, Brady suspects that maybe she wasn’t lying after all. Riley, however, is having a hard time letting go of her anger towards the people of Lawton. Regardless, she’s a great mom and she has plans to get her and Bryony out of there as soon as fate lets her.
This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I totally loved that After the Game focused on Riley and Brady, and their stories were rounded off well enough, but something was missing in this one and I don’t know what. Maybe the ending was just a little rushed? I can’t be certain … That being said, I still liked the book and wanted to hear more about what happened next to the kids in Lawton. 🙂
Losing the Field
Tallulah Liddell used to be the fat girl at school. It didn’t bother her until Nash Lee, the only person who was ever nice to her, laughed at her expense on the last day of school. From there, she decided to lose the weight during the summer and get her revenge. When school started, everyone noticed her … Everyone. Even Mr. Dace, the new English teacher and football coach, noticed her.
The summer, however, hadn’t been good to Nash, and his dreams were shattered on Memorial Day. As Tallulah and Nash deal with their own problems, the question is whether they will be able to navigate the lies, heartache, and pain well enough to finally find each other.
Losing the Field started so strong! Unfortunately, this one turned out to be one of my least favorite of the Field Party series for no other reason than the ending. I feel that maybe it didn’t need to have a happy ending and that Tallulah should have learned some self-respect after her ordeal. That’s just my opinion, though.
Making a Play
In Making a Play, the fifth book in the Field Party series, we follow the story of Ryker Lee — Nash Lee’s cousin — who’s a real player both on and off the field (if you get what I mean 😉 ), and Aurora McClay — Hunter McClay’s twin sister — who recently moved back to Lawton to live with her father and brother. The moment Ryker and Aurora’s eyes meet, it’s love at first sight, though. I mean, the sparks are palpable! However, there are some challenges for them to overcome before they can truly be together.
I’m not entirely sure if I should go into too much detail about their challenges, because it may contain some spoilers, so I’ll rather just say that Making a Play dealt with some difficult issues that is very relevant and will have readers on the edge of their seats. The book also ends more on an HFN note, but after reading the sixth book, I suspect it was actually HEA? I’m a bit unsure because this isn’t my usual genre and I don’t know romance rules quite as well as I should.
Game Changer
FINALLY! We came to one of my favorite side-characters’ stories! Asa Griffith may seem like this chill dude who doesn’t get fazed, but it’s all a mask. At home, things are pretty dire and it’s eating away at him. Ezmita Ramos has always lived in Lawton, but due to her being homeschooled, nobody really knew she existed. She’s always had the hots for Asa, though. Their paths cross on a fateful evening when both are struggling with their current situations, and from there it’s a rollercoaster ride that will have you wondering “will they or won’t they” until the last page.
A lot happens in Game Changer, which plays off predominantly during Covid, and some of those things feel like unnecessary filler. What truly made me frown, however, was the abrupt ending. I’ll be honest, it left me slightly unsatisfied. That being said, I didn’t hate the book, I was just … surprised. It had all the elements of a fabulous story, but I think I just expected more for Asa’s story. Does that make sense?
The Last Field Party
The final book in the Field Party series, The Last Field Party, plays off five years after the last one, and all of our favorite couples are on the chopping block. We finally get some closure on what happens between Asa and Ezmita (YAY!). We also learn more about why Tallulah and Nash aren’t together anymore, what Maggie and West are up to, and how Brady and Riley are handling being parents.
Most of the loose ends are tied up nicely. That being said, some of the character growth seemed to have stalled for some reason (I’m looking at you, Gunner and Nash).
I wished for more “soap opera” in this book than we got, but it fell slightly flat in that particular regard. That being said, it was still an excellent series to spend time listening to while I was busy with menial chores around the house. The narrators also did an excellent job throughout, so I definitely applaud all of them for bringing these stories to life.
Am I sad that it’s over? Strangely, yeah. I’m happy I took the time to get lost in Lawton, Alabama’s angst and drama for a little while. Will I be revisiting the Field Party series in the future? Well, stranger things have happened. 😉 All in all, if you love romance and you’re in need of something to keep you company while you’re catching up on laundry or working in the garden, I’ll definitely recommend you get your hands on these audiobooks!
