Book Review of an Unexpected Pass
Thank you, Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and A Blossom for
the advanced copy of ‘Unexpected Pass.’ I am going to give my honest opinion
about the arc.
Representation: Black main characters, Black family, Black athletes
TW: Sex scenes, grief of a loved one, car accident, death of
a parent, violence
Phileigh finds herself in an interesting predicament. Reggie is
not giving her any attention. He seemed like a good person. He was an athlete
and brought her high-profile clientele to her barbershop. But now he is
ghosting her. She has no choice but to move on.
Now her mom also wants her to go on a blind date. Her
mom thinks Carson is a better catch than Reggie.
Now she is going on a date with Carson. She thinks he is
boring, but he is handsome. She is just using him as a distraction from her life.
He does not seem interested in her because of her lack of money and job.
Choice. His behavior makes her uncomfortable, and she decides to leave the
Superball after-party.
She decides to sit down on a stairway to get away from
Carson. A handsome stranger sits beside him. He mentions how he notices that
she is an introvert. He is also an introvert and asks for her name. He gives
him her name. She learns he was Kellon Barnes, the Seahawks quarterback.
When she gets back, he realizes that Carson left her. But Kellon
offers to give her a ride home. He promises her that he is safe and will take
her home.
My Thoughts
I love how he made her feel safe. He shares how he is an introvert, which is something they have in common. Because he is interested in her work. Kellon makes Phileigh feel seen, which she has not experienced with other men. He even asks about her clients. This causes her to talk about her private life.
His honesty, for instance, prompts her to discuss her
mother. This causes him to open up about his protective mom, who is also his
manager. Mrs. Barnes wants to protect him from anything and anyone who could
ruin his career. But she neglects his emotional needs, like cheering or
consoling him. Mrs. Barnes does not assist him in coping with his
loss.
His mom’s behavior is understandable; people could exploit
him given his status and wealth. But he is an adult, and she must trust that he
makes the right decision.
He likes Philly because she is caring and consoles him when
he is feeling down. She is present with him and lives in the moment. She
also helps him with his grief.
The author, A. Blossom, showed how people sometimes struggle
with grief. Sometimes people have survivor’s remorse. But I love how she
allowed the main character to express their grief and to seek support. I love
seeing people get help. It touched my heart, and I hope it motivates people to
seek therapy to deal with their grief. I was expecting that, but I enjoyed it.
The surprise was something I did not enjoy. I think the
author should have used a trigger warning about one scene. But there were happy
surprises that I enjoyed and that made me smile.
Conclusion
Readers who enjoy tender romance, drama, and recovery will love this book. All of those elements made this story captivating. I was happy to see Kellon and Phileigh have a healthy and beautiful relationship. A love that made them be themselves and become even better. I rate this book four stars since it has everything I look for in a romance novel.
The Book release date is October 7, 2025.
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Where to find the book: Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, your local library, or your bookstore.