Keri Cassidy’s best friend passed away leaving two teenagers motherless.  She stepped in and took in the children, adopting them and treating them as her own.  When the coach suspends her son, Bryan from the basketball team, she is furious and determined to make the coach see that Bryan is a good kid and deserves to play. 

Coach Grady Quinlan is a great basketball coach whose own sports career ended when he was injured.  He has come to coach a high school team at his cousins urging after being fired from a college coaching job who made accusations of bribery.  Grady knows he is innocent, and stands to make sure the team he coaches is honest and fair. 

Keri and Grady both want what is best for Bryan (and his sister) yet both feel strongly that they know the truth.  Keri does not want to admit maybe Bryan is getting special treatment as the star player, but as the season and school year progresses Grady’s accusations against Bryan become clearer and clearer. 

Darlene Gardner has created a novel filled with drama and love.  She takes a sticky subject and brings it to the table in a tale that shows just how many hurdles one person can overcome, and keep coming out stronger.  Her characters are well developed; they come across as people, not just words on a page.  This is an author to be watched and this reviewer will be seeking out her backlist.

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