ARC Review: ‘The End Zone’ by Bianca Borell
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The End Zone
by Bianca BorellSeries: Playing for Keeps #2
Published by Self-Published on October 23, 2025
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance
Format: eArc
Pages: 373
Source: Foreword PR & Marketing
Audience: 18+/Adult
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He’s the man she can’t forget.She’s the woman he can’t have.Being just friends should be safe… but every encounter says otherwise.
Ian
Nothing is more tempting than the forbidden.I pride myself on my control.I am the best quarterback in the league with an iron will and unshakable discipline.Nothing can change that. Or so I thought.Then Lilly crashes back into my life.She’s all I think of.Staying away is impossible.Being just friends is agonizing.A relationship with her is forbidden. Something I’m reminded of every time I go to practice and see my head coach.But damn if she doesn’t make me want to risk it all to have her.
Lilly
Coming face-to-face with the only man I had a one-night stand with was not in my plan. I never inquired as to who’d be my neighbor when I moved into my new apartment.But I should have. Especially after all I have done to avoid Ian.But avoiding him now seems impossible. He’s everywhere, tempting me to the point of exhaustion.I won’t give in. Not only because I refuse to date a player, but my father is his head coach.So instead, we’ll be friends. Which might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever agreed to.Because being just friends with the man I can’t stop thinking about has trouble written all over it.
Perfect for fans of sports romance, friends-to-lovers tension, forbidden love, and the one that got away. End Zone is a slow-burn, spicy standalone in Bianca Borell’s Playing for Keeps series.
The End Zone is the second novel in Bianca Borell’s Playing for Keeps series. I’ve been waiting for this book since finishing The End Game. I wanted to find out if Amelie’s brother, Ian, would find his own HEA. He does, but not without obstacles. The woman he can’t forget after their ONS becomes off-limits once he learns who she is. Still, Ian is determined to have her in his life.
I was immediately drawn into the story when I started reading, especially by Ian’s determination to be more than friends with Lilly. Ian is a famous football player, and if there’s one thing Lilly refuses to do, it’s date a football player, particularly when her father is a football coach, and after what happened to her own parents when they were together. Ian, unfazed, persistently shows Lilly he doesn’t care about the consequences. Each time I read his POV, he does everything possible to show Lilly he wants her, even agreeing to keep their relationship secret. Still, Lilly resists, unwilling to risk her relationship with her father or jeopardize Ian’s career.
The back and forth between Ian and Lilly drove me crazy at times, especially with Lilly, but I understood her hesitation. She cared for Ian and didn’t want him to sacrifice everything that he had accomplished for her, plus she made that promise to herself about dating football players. Ian’s frustration was also clear; he’s been thinking about Lilly since their one-night stand. Both characters definitely need to work through some things, but don’t worry, they eventually do, it just takes some time, which is why The End Zone is a very spicy, slow-burning romance. That’s due to Ian and Lilly fighting their forbidden attraction for one another. However, they do give in to those desires at times, especially when Ian takes Lilly on vacation with him, and that is when their chemistry becomes undeniable, and they cannot keep staying away from one another. Forget the consequences!
Even though the back and forth drove me crazy with these two characters, I still couldn’t stop reading because I knew eventually Ian and Lilly would have their HEA. It just takes a bit, so be prepared.
I was also happy to have some more time with Levi and Amelie in this book since they play a role in Ian and Lilly’s story. Levi and Ian are best friends, and Amelie is Ian’s sister, so they definitely played a role.
Overall, another great sports romance from Bianca Borell. I give it four stars. I really hope Bianca decides to write Roman’s book in the new future, but in the meantime I’m going to catch up on other books she’s written, plus keep an eye out for future books she’s writes.
POV: First Person (Dual POV)
Standalone or Part of Series: Interconnected Standalone in the Playing for Keeps series, so it could be read as a standalone.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you enjoy reading Spicy, Slow Burn Football Romance stories, check out The End Zone. If you haven’t read The End Game yet, you should add it to your list too!
What to Expect:
🏈Sports Romance – Football
🏈One Night Stand
🏈Friends to Lovers
🏈Forbidden Love – Coach’s Daughter
🏈Secret Romance
🏈Second Chance
🏈Slow Burn
🏈Golden Retriever Hero
About Bianca Borell
Bianca Borell is a contemporary romance author, voracious reader, nature lover, and unapologetic daydreamer. She spends her nights deciding between getting up to write or trying to silence the voices of her characters. The battle is never-ending.
She has a weakness for tormented characters, second chances, and happy endings.
She currently lives in Germany with her amazing husband and indulges in way too many pastries than she should.
For updates, news, and releases, be sure to visit Bianca’s official website at www.biancaborell.com
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