Hands Down by Mariana Zapata ~ Review

Source: KindleUnlimited.

Hands Down by Mariana Zapata

Before he was Big Texas, he was Zac the Snack Pack.

Bianca Brannen knows time—mostly—heals all wounds. Including those your once loved ones might have unintentionally given you. (Those just take longer.)

She thinks she’s ready when a call has her walking back into her old friend’s life. Or at least as prepared as possible to see the starting quarterback in the National Football Organization. Before the lights, the fans, and the millions, he’d been a skinny kid with a heart of gold.

Waltzing out of Zac Travis’s life should be easy. Just as easy as he walked out of hers.

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*Available through KindleUnlimited!*

Mariana Zapata is one of those authors that, when she releases a book, I drop everything else on my TBR and read it. She's one of those authors where, when she announces a book, I don't even need to read the synopsis to know I'm going to read it. She has such a solid track record with me that I trust her to write books that will make me happy. And here she is, yet again, delivering a book that made me deliriously happy with Hands Down.

While I've read The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and did, in fact, adore Zac, I was not one of the people who felt he needed a book. Sometimes there are characters that I like to just leave as friends to the main characters. In Zac's case, it was mostly because I knew his habits and wasn't sold on him being a romantic lead. 

Allow me to lol as I remember how wrong I was...

Because y'all. I'm glad we ended up getting a story for Zac. He was so kind in Winnipeg, but in Hands Down we get to really know him and he's not just kind--he's golden. And he's matured--which is what he REALLY needed for me to enjoy him as a hero. It was perfect how he did while still keeping his strong sense of humor.

Bianca was also from another MZ book, The Best Thing. I didn't remember much about her but I do remember thinking we'd probably get a book about her. I just had a feeling. And she's another one I'm glad we got a book for, because I loved Bianca. She's awesome and nice and clever and has a humor to match Zac's. And she's a great friend, even when she's not sure of how that friendship will work out. 

The romance was of course one of MZ's spectacular slow burns. Friends to lovers. With a little sprinkle of second chance vibes--though I don't consider this one second chance because Bianca and Zac were never a couple when they knew each other before, just friends. It's in this where Zac really shined. He was an amazing friend. Proved himself as a solid partner. And I smiled so much reading these two together. They mesh to well. They're funny and cute and I love them.

The supporting characters were also enjoyable. Boogie was cool, and I loved that Bianca had his support. Connie was funny. That said, CJ was totally my fav. Like I said before, I'm okay with some characters staying friends to the MCs, but I wouldn't say no to seeing more CJ in the future.

Overall, Hands Down is for sure going to be on my list of favorite books of 2020. Mariana Zapata has given us another delicious slow burn that made me so happy. Now just to re-read this one as many times as necessary until the next MZ release... 

5 stars - A new favorite that made me so happy!