It is Friday night in Lawton, Alabama. You can almost smell the humid air, the cheap cologne, and the grass stains. If you spent any time in the mid-2010s scrolling through Young Adult book blogs, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The Under the Lights book wasn’t just another romance release; it was a cultural moment for a specific subset of readers who craved that gritty, messy, small-town football energy. Abbi Glines basically cornered the market on high-stakes teenage drama, and this second installment in the Field Party series remains a lightning rod for debate.
Honestly? It's a heavy read. We aren't talking about a lighthearted romp through the bleachers. Glines tackles some seriously dark territory here. Willa Ames, the protagonist, isn't your typical bubbly heroine. She’s carrying a weight that most people would crumble under, and that’s what makes the story stick. People still argue about the love triangle between Willa, Gunner, and Brady. It’s polarizing. Some hate it. Some live for it.
The Willa Ames Problem: Why This Character Matters
Willa is the heart of the Under the Lights book, but she’s also the source of most of the story's tension. She’s back in town after a stint in a juvenile detention center. Think about that for a second. In most YA novels, the "bad girl" is just someone who wears too much eyeliner or skips class. Willa actually did time. She’s guarded. She’s prickly. She’s deeply traumatized by a past that involves a mother who... well, let’s just say her home life was a nightmare.
Glines doesn't sugarcoat the poverty or the neglect. Lawton is a town where your reputation is decided before you even graduate middle school. Willa comes back to a community that has already written her off as "trash." Seeing her navigate that hostility while trying to figure out who she actually is—aside from her mistakes—is the strongest part of the narrative. It’s uncomfortable to read at times. It should be.
The boys, Gunner and Brady, represent two very different paths. Brady is the golden boy. He’s the one everyone expects to succeed. Gunner? He’s the one with the dark secrets and the family pedigree that feels more like a cage than a privilege. The dynamic between the three of them isn't just about who kisses whom. It’s about who sees Willa for who she actually is versus who they want her to be.
Football as a Religion in Lawton
You can't talk about the Under the Lights book without talking about the Field Party itself. It’s the central hub of social life in this fictional Alabama town. In the South, high school football isn't just a sport. It's the only thing that matters. Glines captures that claustrophobic pressure perfectly. If you aren't on the field or cheering from the sidelines, you're an outsider.
The "Field Party" series name comes from these massive, unmonitored gatherings in the woods where the social hierarchy is reinforced. It’s where the drinking happens, the fights break out, and the secrets get spilled. In this specific book, the field is a backdrop for Gunner’s internal collapse. Everyone sees him as the star quarterback, the legacy, the untouchable. But inside? He’s a wreck.
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There is a specific scene—I won't spoil the exact details if you're a first-time reader—involving a discovery Gunner makes about his family. It flips his entire world upside down. The way Glines writes his reaction is raw. It’s not polished. It’s messy and destructive. That’s the hallmark of this series: it takes these "perfect" archetypes and grinds them into the dirt.
The Love Triangle: Brady vs. Gunner
Let’s get into the weeds here. Love triangles are a staple of the genre, but this one feels different because of the history. Brady and Gunner are best friends. They are brothers in every sense but blood. Then Willa enters the frame.
- Brady Higgens: He’s the "safe" choice. He’s kind, he’s supportive, and he genuinely cares for Willa. He represents stability.
- Gunner Lawton: He’s the "broken" choice. He’s the one who shares Willa’s darkness. Their connection is forged in shared pain, which is a dangerous foundation for a relationship.
Most readers find themselves leaning toward Gunner, not because he’s the "better" guy, but because his chemistry with Willa feels more inevitable. They are two halves of a very damaged whole. However, the way it plays out often leaves fans frustrated. Glines doesn't give you the easy, clean resolution you might find in a Nicholas Sparks novel. It’s jagged.
Dealing with the Darker Themes
One thing that often gets overlooked in discussions about the Under the Lights book is the depiction of grief and abandonment. Willa’s journey is largely defined by the absence of a stable parental figure. She is a girl who had to raise herself, and that independence is both her greatest strength and her biggest barrier to intimacy.
Critics of the book often point to the "insta-love" elements or the intense melodrama. Those are valid points. Glines writes in a very specific, heightened emotional register. Everything is the end of the world. Every look is soul-shattering. Every touch is electric. It’s "purple prose" at its peak, but for the target audience, that’s exactly the draw. It mirrors the actual experience of being seventeen, where emotions feel like they have a volume of 11.
It’s also important to acknowledge that this book deals with topics like statutory issues and toxic family dynamics. It’s not a "safe" read. It pushes boundaries, sometimes in ways that haven't aged perfectly, but it remains a fascinating time capsule of the 2016 YA landscape.
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Why Lawton, Alabama Feels So Real
Abbi Glines lives in the South. She knows these towns. She knows the way the humidity sticks to your skin and the way gossip travels faster than a text message. The setting of the Under the Lights book is as much a character as Willa or Gunner.
The contrast between the wealthy "Lawton" side of town and the "Ames" side of town is a constant tension. It’s a classic class struggle story wrapped in a romance. When Willa tries to cross those lines, the town pushes back. Hard. There is a sense of "knowing your place" that feels very authentic to rural communities where families have lived for generations.
Comparing Under the Lights to the Rest of the Series
If you’ve read Until Friday Night (the first book), you know it was centered on Maggie and West. That book felt a bit more like a traditional "healing through love" story. Under the Lights book feels grittier. It’s less about healing and more about surviving.
The transition from the first book to the second is a shift in tone. While the first one had its share of tragedy, the second one feels more cynical. It’s about the reality that some things can't be fixed by a championship win or a kiss in the rain. Some scars are permanent.
Later books in the series, like After the Game or Losing the Field, continue to explore these themes, but Willa and Gunner’s story remains a fan favorite because of its intensity. It’s the "rebel" book of the series.
What Most People Get Wrong About Abbi Glines
There is a common misconception that books like Under the Lights are "trashy" or "mindless." That’s a lazy take. While they are certainly high-drama, Glines is doing something specific: she’s validating the intense, often overwhelming emotions of young women.
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In a world that often tells teenage girls to "calm down" or that their problems don't matter, these books say: "Your feelings are huge, and that’s okay." The stakes in Lawton might seem small to an outsider—it’s just a football game, it’s just a party—but to the characters, it’s everything. That empathy for the teenage experience is why Glines has such a massive, loyal following.
Actionable Steps for Readers and Writers
If you are looking to dive into this world, or if you're a writer trying to capture this kind of "voice," there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, read the series in order. You can read the Under the Lights book as a standalone, but the emotional payoff is much higher if you understand the social hierarchy established in book one. The cameos from previous characters aren't just fan service; they build the world.
Second, pay attention to the pacing. Glines uses short, punchy chapters. This is a deliberate choice. It keeps the reader hooked and mimics the fast-paced, impulsive nature of the characters. If you're a writer, study how she ends chapters on "mini-cliffs" to keep the pages turning.
Third, don't be afraid of the "unlikable" protagonist. Willa Ames is not always likable. She’s stubborn, she makes bad choices, and she pushes people away. But she is consistent. The lesson here is that readers don't always need to like a character to be invested in them; they just need to understand their "why."
Finally, understand the "Southern Gothic" influence. While this is contemporary YA, it shares DNA with Southern Gothic literature—the focus on family secrets, the weight of the past, and the intense connection to the land.
The Under the Lights book isn't a masterpiece of literary fiction, and it doesn't try to be. It’s a raw, emotional, and sometimes frustrating look at what happens when the lights go down and the cheering stops. It’s about the messy reality of growing up in a place that wants to keep you small. Whether you love Gunner or think Willa deserved better, the story stays with you long after you close the cover.
To get the most out of your reading experience:
- Track the character growth: Compare Willa at the start of the book to her final scene. It’s a subtle shift, but it’s there.
- Look for the symbolism: The "lights" aren't just for the football field; they represent the scrutiny of the town.
- Join the community: Check out platforms like Goodreads or TikTok (BookTok) to see the ongoing debates about the ending. You'll find that people are still just as passionate about these characters today as they were years ago.