Review: The Play (Elle Kennedy)

Posted on October 7, 2019 by anovelglimpse

The Play
Series: Briar U, #3
Author: Elle Kennedy
Publication Date: October 7, 2019
Publisher: Elle Kennedy, Inc.
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased review.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

A brand-new standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Briar U series!

What I learned after last year’s distractions cost my hockey team our entire season? No more screwing up. No more screwing, period. As the new team captain, I need a new philosophy: hockey and school now, women later. Which means that I, Hunter Davenport, am officially going celibate…no matter how hard that makes things.

But there’s nothing in the rulebook that says I can’t be friends with a woman. And I won’t lie—my new classmate Demi Davis is one cool chick. Her smart mouth is hot as hell, and so is the rest of her, but the fact that she’s got a boyfriend eliminates the temptation to touch her.

Except three months into our friendship, Demi is single and looking for a rebound.

And she’s making a play for me.

Avoiding her is impossible. We’re paired up on a yearlong school project, but I’m confident I can resist her. We’d never work, anyway. Our backgrounds are too different, our goals aren’t aligned, and her parents hate my guts.

Hooking up is a very bad idea. Now I just have to convince my body—and my heart.

I am happy to report to you that The Play, my most highly anticipated release for the fall of 2019, was as fantastic as I had hoped. It was everything I have come to expect from Elle Kennedy and the Briar U series. Hunter’s book was actually even better than I was expecting!

Hunter, Hunter, Hunter…The poor guy had some not so great moments in this series up until this book. Things didn’t go his way, and in order to turn things around he took a vow of self-imposed celibacy. Despite some of his past actions, he was a good guy. Hunter did his best to be a good leader and teammate. His friendship game was on point. I already loved his character, but I respected him more after reading this book. He grew so much.

Demi (like semi) was a great surprise. I immediately loved her character and all her spunk. She was a hot Latina who had everything going for her. Demi was smart, nice, and sassy. I loved her values and attitude. She wasn’t a tomboy, but she had a fun camaraderie with the guys. Plus, she had great taste in TV shows. Demi was the total package, really.

Based on the blurb, you can probably tell this isn’t exactly your typical love story. Demi has that boyfriend, Nico, when the book starts. She and Hunter aren’t immediately falling in love. You might be wondering if this was weird or uncomfortable considering we should want Demi and Hunter together, right? It wasn’t. Elle Kennedy did an amazing job writing this story in a way that doesn’t make you cringe because there is another man in Demi’s life to start with.

As for Demi and Hunter’s relationship, things unfolded as they might in real life. They started out as class partners and developed a cool platonic friendship. The banter between them was FABULOUS. Everything that happened in this story and between them built in a way that made Demi and Hunter’s eventual romantic relationship all the more special. I just really loved them together whether it was as friends or lovers.

I can’t leave the hockey team out of this review. If you’re a fan of this series or Off-Campus, you’re going to love seeing some of your favorite players. You’re also going to love some of the newer Briar hockey teammates. The dynamics between all the teammates were on point and hilarious. I now have a special place in my heart for Pablo.

You know how sometimes you want to start re-reading a book the second you finish it? Well, that’s how I felt about The Play. There’s just something about Elle Kennedy’s writing and this series that makes me not want to let go of it. It happened with the Off-Campus series and now it’s happened with its spin-off series Briar U. I cannot get enough of the Briar setting, the hockey players, the amazing women they fall for, and all of their stories. I know this is the end of Briar U for now, but I hope Elle Kennedy will continue the series or write another spin-off. I think Connor and Matt need stories. I’m also still wishing for a Hollis and Rupi book, too. I would even take a novella about them.

Review: Making a Play (Abbi Glines)

Posted on September 30, 2019 by anovelglimpse

Making a Play
Series: Field Party, #5
Author: Abbi Glines
Narrators: Ali Andre Ali, Caitlin Davies
Publication Date: August 20, 2019
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Ryker Lee is finally enjoying his senior year—he has great friends, hangs out with hot girls, and is on track to get a football scholarship that will set him up for college. Despite this, a small part of him wonders if there’s more to life than parties and meaningless hookups—and if football even means as much to him as it does to his fellow teammates. And when he meets the new girl at school, his world totally changes…

Aurora McClay is new to Lawton. She’s grateful that her twin brother, Hunter, is star of the football team and can help her adjust to her new school, but she’s not grateful at how overprotective he is over every person she meets. Just because she is deaf does not mean people have to treat her differently. When she meets Ryker Lee, the two of them spark an instant and intense chemistry, one that proves to be controversial not only because of Ryker’s reputation as a player, but also because of Aurora and Hunter’s father’s bigoted views about who Aurora can and can’t date.

Aurora and Ryker know in their hearts that they are meant for each other. But can their relationship endure the turmoil of rumors and prejudice?

There’s something about the Field Party series that keeps bringing me back to it despite the fact that each book isn’t as good as the one before it. It’s the small town, Friday Night Lights vibe of it and wanting to know what happens to the characters I love from the previous books. Making a Play is my least favorite book in the series so far. I didn’t completely dislike it, but I had a few issues with it that kept it from being great.

Let’s talk about the things I loved first.

The narrators did a great job bringing this book to life. It was a quick listen and I was instantly pulled in.
Aurora was deaf and I enjoyed reading about how she lived her life to compensate for not being able to hear. I loved how her confidence grew in this book relating to that.
Aurora and Hunter had a great twin relationship. I loved the dynamics of it in their family.
I didn’t think I would like Ryker as much as I did. He has definitely grown up some. I loved how he treated Aurora and the things he did for her and their relationship.
Nash and Tallulah were adorable.
Aurora is white and Ryker is black. Aurora’s dad did not want his daughter dating a black boy. I was impressed that Abbi Glines tacked racism in this book.

All of that was great, but…

Most of the stuff happens within a matter of a couple of weeks. Weeks. It just wasn’t believable. I loved how Ryker fell for Aurora, but I wish it had been over months rather than weeks. It was insta-love and not the good kind.
Remember how I liked that racism was tackled? Well, it wasn’t done as well as it should have been. Aurora’s dad got over his prejudices a little too quickly in my opinion. Again, if this book had taken place over months rather than weeks maybe changes in his beliefs would have been believable. It just wasn’t.

Even though Making a Play wasn’t my favorite book in this series, I still enjoyed listening to it. It brought me back to a town and group of characters I love. Anyone who has read and loved the previous books in the Field Party series will want to read it. I’m curious whether there will be more books in this series because I would like to read a book about Hunter.

Review: Team Player 2: A Sports Anthology

Posted on September 23, 2019 by anovelglimpse

Team Player 2: A Sports Anthology
Authors: Charleigh Rose, Ella Fox, Emma Scott, Ilsa Madden-Mills, Kate Stewart, Mandi Beck, Kennedy Ryan, Meghan Quinn, Rochelle Paige, Sara Ney, Teagan Hunter
Publication Date: September 20, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: Each novella is rated below.

Synopsis:

Our love of hot jocks is never-ending.

Muscular football players. Passionate tennis pros. Sexy soccer stars. All sorts of alpha hotties, on the field and off.

Have no fear! The team is back again, and this time…it’s thicker. You’ll get your sports romance fix with brand-new stories from eleven bestselling authors.

Need one last summer fix? Dive into this anthology.

*This anthology contains original, never-before-seen stories from Ella Fox, Mandi Beck, Teagan Hunter, Ilsa Madden-Mills, Sara Ney, Rochelle Paige, Meghan Quinn, Charleigh Rose, Kennedy Ryan, Emma Scott, and Kate Stewart.
We still aren’t responsible for melted devices.

Since this is an anthology, I’m going to break my review down by each novella I read in it. Here we go!

Arena Lights by Mandi Beck – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I think this might be my first Mandi Beck book and I loved it! Maeve and Benny were so adorable! I am excited that there will be more to come with this couple, but that the novella also ended well enough to wrap up this short story. It didn’t leave me hanging like some other previews.

End Goal by Ella Fox – ★ ★ ★ ★

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of End Goal when I first started it. I wasn’t a big fan of what happened between Addison and Law in the beginning. I did really like when things moved to present day, though. It was a sweet love story. I like that it ended solidly, but also said there might be more to come.

A Slice of Love by Teagan Hunter – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Teagan Hunter hit it out of the park with this novella. It was so adorable. I loved how it felt like it was a complete story even though it was a novella. Frankie and Jonas had such a cool story.

Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Dear Ava reminded me of some of Madden-Mills’s older novels. I loved that! It was a little darker, edgier, and angsty. It was a great short read and I loved Ava and Knox. I would have been happy to read a full length novel about them!

The Teaching Hours by Sara Ney – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I never thought I would want a book about Rex, but The Coaching Hours redeemed him a bit in my eyes and I found myself excited about the prospect of him getting a book. This novella hit the spot. It was such a quick, fun story. Hannah and Rex were adorable together. I could have read a whole book about them!

Body Heat by Rochelle Paige – ★ ★ ★ ★

This is my first time reading anything by Rochelle Paige. Body Heat was a fun little novella. It was very insta-love, but that is to be expected with a novella. I liked the characters and how the suspense part of the story worked out.

The Strike Out by Meghan Quinn – ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Meghan Quinn is such a tease! This one-sided enemies to lovers story was just a preview of what’s to come in a future book. I thought it was cute and loved the story. Holt was a little much at times, but it was perfect for his wooing of Harmony. I liked being back in this baseball world so soon after The Dugout. I just wanted an ending!

Guys Like You by Charleigh Rose – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This novella reminded me that I really need to pick up a Charleigh Rose novel. I’ve only read a couple of her novellas, but I adore them. Guys Like You was hilariously sexy and I adored the characters. I would have loved for this to have been a full length novel.

Fast Break by Kennedy Ryan – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

If you have read the HOOPS series, you’re going to love this novella. It’s Banner’s best friend Quinn’s story. Quinn’s an amputee who has created a motivational business. Her love interest is August’s quiet NBA coach. It’s sweet, sexy, and heart-warming. Once again, Kennedy Ryan taught me some things I didn’t know. It ended sooner than I wanted it to, but it was an amazing novella.

Love Game by Emma Scott – ★ ★ ★ ★

I love Emma Scott’s writing and this book was a sweet romance. I also like that she took on tennis since there aren’t many sports romances that feature it. I just wasn’t as into it probably because of the tennis stuff. I am not a big fan of that sport.

Fair Catch by Kate Stewart – ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

I really, really wanted to give this novella 5 stars. I absolutely loved it. The characters were amazing, the story sucked me and had me wanting more… It’s that wanting more thing that has me giving this 4.5 stars. This wasn’t truly a novella. It was more like a preview to The Guy in the Middle. I didn’t realize that prior to reading it, so I felt a little let down when it just ended without an ending.

AVAILABLE NOW!! FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Amazon US: https://amzn.to/31SLheQ Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2AAtLjH Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2V8eT5u Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2mqKz8V

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2H6MNSp

About the Authors:

About Charleigh Rose: Charleigh Rose lives in Narnia with her husband and two young children. She’s hopelessly devoted to unconventional love and pizza. When she isn’t reading or mom-ing, she’s writing moody, broody, swoony romance.

Connect w/Charleigh: Facebook page: facebook.com/charleighroseprose Facebook group: Charleigh’s Angels: facebook.com/groups/1120926904664447 Instagram: instagram.com/charleighrose Newsletter Signup: http://eepurl.com/cVUcsH

About Ella Fox: USA Today Bestselling Author Ella Fox has learned a bunch of stuff along the way but the most important of all those things is that anything is possible when you try. In 2012 she took a big leap of faith and published her first book, Broken Hart. Since then she’s written fifteen more full-length books and several novellas– and every one is a reminder that you can live your dream as long as you work for it.

Ella’s favorite things are music, movies, traveling, The Foo Fighters and, of course, reading. This isn’t a surprise considering the fact that her mom is USA Today Bestselling Author Suzanne Halliday.

Connect w/ Ella Website: http://www.authorellafox.com/ Amazon: https://amzn.to/2oTMJvU BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-fox Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaFoxAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorellafox Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6456709.Ella_Fox Instagram: https://instagram.com/EllaFoxAuthor/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorEllaFox/ Book + Main Bites: https://bookandmainbites.com/ellafox Newsletter Signup: http://subscribe.authorellafox.com/

About Emma Scott: Emma Scott is a bestselling author of emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy her novels.

RECENT RELEASES A Five-Minute Life (standalone) Bring Down the Stars (Beautiful Hearts #1) Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts #2)

COMING SOON Someday, Someday (M/M standalone)

Connect w/Emma: Super-cute NON SPAMMY newsletter: http://bit.ly/2nTGLf6 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaScottwrites Reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/906742879369651 Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmmaS_writes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmascottwrites Amazon: https://amzn.to/31pkRBx

About Ilsa Madden-Mills: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her contemporary romances ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

Connect w/Ilsa: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nY2pxT Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilsamaddenmills/ Newsletter: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com/contact Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EESfM9 Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2GaR6cn Join her online bookclub on FB today! https://www.facebook.com/groups/ilsasunicorngirls/

About Kate Stewart: A Texas native, Kate Stewart lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. She pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it’s what she loves as a reader. Kate is a lover of all things ’80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.

Contact Kate- Email-authorkatestewart@gmail.com

Connect w/Kate: Website: http://www.katestewartwrites.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatestewart Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/793483714004942/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklstewart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatestewart

About Kennedy Ryan: A RITA® Award Winner and Top 25 Amazon Bestseller, Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts.

She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Atlanta families living with Autism, she has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for families living with autism.

Connect w/Kennedy: FB: https://www.facebook.com/KennedyRyanAuthor/ Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NZKKUz IG: https://www.instagram.com/kennedyryan1/ BB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kennedy-ryan http://kennedyryanwrites.com Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/681604768593989/

About Mandi Beck: Mandi Beck has been an avid reader all of her life. A deep love for books always had her jotting down little stories on napkins, notebooks, and her hand. As an adult she was further submerged into the book world through book clubs and the epicness of social media. It was then that she graduated to writing her stories on her phone and then finally on a proper computer.

A wife, mother to two rambunctious and somewhat rotten boys, and stepmom to two great girls away at college, she shares her time with her husband in Chicago where she was born and raised. Mandi is a diehard hockey fan and blames the Blackhawks when her deadlines are not met even though her favorite hockey player calls her…mom.

Connect w/Mandi: Website: https://www.authormandibeck.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authormandibeck Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authormandibeck Instagram: http://instagram.com/authormandibeck Newsletter Signup: https://www.authormandibeck.com/newsletter

About Meghan Quinn: USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.

Connect w/Meghan: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormeghanquinn/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn Website: http://authormeghanquinn.com Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meghan-quinn Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LitE4x

About Rochelle Paige: I absolutely adore reading—always have and always will. When I was growing up, my friends used to tease me when I would trail after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. If I have downtime, odds are you will find me reading or writing.

I am the mother of two wonderful sons who have inspired me to chase my dream of being an author. I want them to learn from me that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

When I told my mom that my new year’s resolution was to self-publish a book in 2013, she pretty much told me, “About time!”

Connect w/ Rochelle: Website: http://www.rochellepaige.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rochellepaigeauthor/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RochellesRacyReaders Twitter: https://twitter.com/RochellePaige1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rochellepaigeauthor/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7328358.Rochelle_Paige Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XRRB8E Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rochelle-paige Newsletter Signup: http://eepurl.com/Ly1Tn

About Sara Ney: Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives in the Midwest, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

For a list of cities/venues Sara will be signing at, or to purchase signed books, please visit her website at www.authorsaraney.com

Connect w/Sara: Website: https://authorsaraney.com/ Newsletter Signup: subscribepage.com/saraney Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saraneyauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraneyauthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraNey Book+Main: bit.ly/BookBitesSaraNey Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/saraneyauthor/ Goodreads: bit.ly/SaraNeyGoodReads BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sara-ney

About Teagan Hunter: I’m a Missouri-raised gal, but currently live in North Carolina with my US Marine husband and 9-year-old dog. I spend my days begging him for a cat, and I survive off coffee, pizza, and sarcasm. When I’m not writing, you can find me binge-watching various TV shows, especially Supernatural and One Tree Hill. I like cold weather, buy more paperbacks than I’ll ever read, and I never say no to brownies.

Writing is my passion, and this is just the beginning of my journey.

Connect w/Teagan: Website: https://www.teaganhunterwrites.com/ Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/teagan-hunter Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeaganHunterReaderGroup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thunterwrites Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teaganhunterwrites/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13263928.Teagan_Hunter

Review: The Dugout (Meghan Quinn)

Posted on September 19, 2019 by anovelglimpse

The Dugout
Author: Meghan Quinn
Publication Date: September 19, 2019
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

Let me ask you a question:

If someone is vying for your spot on a team and just so happens to injure you during practice, would you believe it was on purpose?

Word around campus is . . . it was no accident.

That injury has cost me everything; my starting position, my junior year—and the draft. Now, I’m a senior fresh off recovery, struggling to find my groove, until the day I run into a nervous, fidgety, girl with freckles, in the dining hall.

They call Milly Potter The Baseball Whisperer, The Diamond Wizard, and The Epitome of All Knowledge. She believes in baseball. She breathes it. She’s the queen of an infamous dynasty, but no one actually knows who she really is, and she plans to keep it that way.

One mishap in the panini line, one miscommunication in the weight room, and many failed attempts at an apology equal up to one solid truth — Milly Potter never wants to speak to me again — no matter how good my forearms look.

Little do we both know, she’s about to become more than just my fairy ballmother.

If you’re looking for a new adult romance that’s low on agnst, step right up to The Dugout. The Dugout is a college baseball romance. Carson Stone is a second baseman who is trying to claw his way from injury to drafted in his senior year of college. Milly Potter is a baseball fan. She’s not a groupie, but a woman who knows everything there is to know about the sport. When Carson needs help with his swing, Milly steps in and the rest…Well, you just have to read it for yourself. It’s so stinking funny and cute.

My favorite thing about The Dugout was Milly. She was this adorable tomboy-ish young woman. Baseball was her thing and she didn’t let anyone’s opinions about that sway her. Milly worked hard towards her goals. She was also hilariously awkward. Certain people made her nervous and it was so funny to watch her struggle for composure. There was this time with a cookie that had me roaring with laughter. I simply adored Milly. She made the book.

Carson wasn’t all that bad either. I really liked how he saw beneath Milly’s awkwardness and layers of clothes. The way he pursued Milly was so sweet. I couldn’t do anything but like him after that.

Carson and Milly’s romance was smooth sailing for the most part. Actually, it wasn’t really smooth sailing for them — things were awkward (see Milly above) and unclear for them, but smooth reading for me. Their relationship was so much fun to read. Yes, there was some drama. This is a romance novel after all, but it was low on the angst. That made it feel light even when things were getting stressful.

The only thing I would have liked to see more of was the end of the story. Everything wrapped up so quickly. I wanted more time with Carson and Milly. Maybe that’s just selfish of me, but I loved them so much. I needed more of what their HEA looked like because I absolutely loved their road to love.

Bravo, Ms. Quinn. Bravo. I hope there is more to come in this baseball world. I would love a book about each Potter brother, please.

Review: Jock Road (Sara Ney)

Posted on September 5, 2019 by anovelglimpse

Jock Road
Series: Jock Hard, #3
Author: Sara Ney
Publication Date: September 5, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

EAT. SLEEP. FOOTBALL.

Those are Jackson Jennings, Jr’s three mantras . His entire life, he’s been a trained athlete with only one end-game: the Pro’s. No girls. No parties. No alcohol.

EAT. SLEEP. FOOTBALL.

Repeat.

Every Friday night, Triple J cruises the strip on campus, bored, lonely and conditioned not to party. But the night he meets Charlotte Edmonds on the side of the road, he wonders if his three mantras will ever be enough.

BIG. DUMB. JOCK.

Charlie has no time for Jackson’s antics. Not when he’s stealing her food or teases her to no end, making her tingle in all the right places. But if she’s ever going to have a boyfriend, she’d choose one who isn’t a Neanderthal. One with manners and actual time to spend with her. Not a hulking man-child who cruises the strip at night, in his Big. Dumb. Truck.

Cute. There isn’t a word to better describe Jock Road. It’s a cute college romance between a big, dumb jock and a girl who wants nothing to do with him. Or at least that’s how it starts out. Jackson (or Triple J as he’s sometimes called) isn’t all that dumb. He’s actually sweet and has Southern charm to boot. Charlotte (or Charlie as her friends call her) just thinks Jackson’s an oaf until she gets to know him. Jock Road is really all about Jackson and Charlotte getting to know each other, dealing with their preconceived notions and pasts, and falling in love.

I loved Charlotte and Jackson. They had some great almost enemy type banter going on at first. Then things started to get cute with some fun text messages. In the end, there was a very sweet and slightly deep love story. The progression of their relationship felt normal and not at all instant. I loved that about it.

I really love what Sara Ney has done with this Jock Hard series. Every book, including this one, is super cute and funny. There’s little drama and no angst. The entire series is pure fun. I loved this addition to the series.

Available HERE:Amazon

Free in KU

Meet the Author:

Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives in the Midwest, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

For a list of cities/venues Sara will be signing at, or to purchase signed books, please visit her website at www.authorsaraney.com

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Website

Hosted By:

Review: I Hate You (Ilsa Madden-Mills)

Posted on August 22, 2019 by anovelglimpse

I Hate You
Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Publication Date: August 20, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

There’s a fine line between I hate you and I want you.
Once you cross it, there’s no going back.

Blaze Townsend: I hate you.
Charisma Rossi: I hate you more.

She’s been expecting this ever since their latest showdown. She had good reason.

Hottest guy she’s ever seen.
Former fling.
Dumped her in front of all her friends.
At her own party.

So no, she’s not about to forgive and forget just because he sits next to her in class. He thinks all he has to do is turn on those baby blues, and she’ll melt right back into his arms. Please. She’d be crazy to let this cocky player affect her again. (Tell that to her body.)

Charisma Rossi.
Nerd girl with a dash of bad.
The one who got under his skin.
The one he cut loose.

Blaze knows she’s the riskiest prospect at Waylon University, but none of the interchangeable girls he hooks up with have ever made him feel the way she did. There’s absolutely no way he can have the girl and the game.

So why can’t he stop trying to win her back?

Can this wide receiver score the girl or will he make the biggest fumble of his life?

I Hate You wrapped two tropes into one. It was both an enemies to lovers and second chance romance. Charisma and Blaze had a thing for three weeks last semester. Charisma thought it might have turned into a relationship (despite her rules to prevent one) until Blaze publicly dumped her at her sorority’s party. Charisma was devastated and still hasn’t quite recovered from the humiliation when the new semester starts. She’s turned that embarrassment into hate. Blaze may have been the one to break up with Charisma (for his own “good” reasons), but seeing her again makes him question his decisions. He hates her for the way she makes him feel. Seeing each other again promises a big explosion between the two.

There were so many things I loved about this book. First, the writing. Ilsa Madden-Mills is gifted in mixing just the right amount of drama and angst into a college romance. In this book, she actually went lighter in that area. I appreciated that because it gave the story a more lighthearted feel than some of her others.

Another thing I loved was the characters. Charisma was this feisty young woman who had lost her confidence in the breakup. I loved seeing her fight to get it back. It was easy to relate to her feelings after being dumped and the way she compared herself to other girls. Blaze knew he was a big shot on campus due to his football player status, but he had insecurities as well. His broke my heart. At first, they both had valid reasons for not being in a relationship. I liked that they had a common issue with different reasoning. I liked how they had to work out their issues together. Plus, they had amazing chemistry.

It’s always fun to see characters from previous books in a series, and a bunch showed up in this one. I liked that I could remember them and catch up, but they didn’t take up a lot of time and you wouldn’t miss anything if you hadn’t read the first couple of books. My favorite returning character had to be Vampire Bill. (A parrot, not a real vampire.) He brought his touch of humor with him and made me laugh.

The English series used to be my favorite by Ilsa Madden-Mills, but I Hate You has now dethroned it. This book was new adult college romance magic. I loved everything about it.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KF0tWN
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/IHateYou

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ZhXn09

About Ilsa Madden-Mills

Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies. Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4. A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero. She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. . Ilsa head shot-2

Connect with Ilsa

Join her Unicorn Girls Group on FB, the best way to keep up: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ilsasunicorngirls/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nY2pxT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilsamaddenmills/
Stay up to day with Ilsa by joining her mailing list: http://www.ilsamaddenmills.com/contact
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2EESfM9
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2GaR6cn
Book+Main: https://bookandmainbites.com/ilsamaddenmills

Review: The Bromance Book Club (Lyssa Kay Adams)

Posted on July 22, 2019 by anovelglimpse

The Bromance Book Club
Author: Lyssa Kay Adams
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

The first rule of book club:
You don’t talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it’ll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

Okay, guys. Get ready for me to gush about The Bromance Book Club! There wasn’t a thing I didn’t love about it, so this one is going to be a fun review to write / read. I don’t even think I can fit in everything I loved about it without giving you a play by play, so I’m going to try to break it down a bit. Here we go!

The writing: I am not one for third person narration, but it worked for me in this book. The transitions between points of view were smooth and there was all the emotion I normally only get from first person.

The characters: I really loved Gavin’s character. He wasn’t perfect. He had some hard truths to face in this book, but I loved how he was willing to do anything and everything to save his relationship with Thea. Thea was a little harder to love only because I wanted her to give into Gavin so much earlier. The reasons she didn’t were important, though, and I liked how she also had some things to learn. The character development was great.

The story: I liked how real and raw the story felt. Gavin and Thea were married, had small children, and some of the possible issues that come with that. Gavin finding out that Thea had been faking it was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but there was so much more to what was going on in their marriage. They had bigger issues to deal with.

Both Gavin and Thea needed to not only work on their marriage, but themselves as well. Thea needed to take a deeper look at herself. I could relate to some of Thea’s thoughts and feelings. It’s very easy to “lose yourself” when devoting all your time and energy to your children. I can see how it would be even more overwhelming when your partner travels most of the time for work. Gavin needed to listen to Thea and think about why he reacted to things the way he did. It was all so true to what happens in many marriages. I loved that.

Their family: Thea and Gavin’s twin daughters were adorable! I love how they worked into what Gavin and Thea were going through. Thea’s sister, Liv, also played an important part of this story. Her character was spot on. She resembled the friend or sister everyone has one of when going through a breakup. I also really liked Gavin’s dad.

The Bromance Book Club: “But wait!” you say, “What about the book club?” The Bromance Book Club was such a clever thing to have in this story! I loved how Gavin was initiated and how these guys helped him out. It was funny and cool to read about these super successful men reading romance novels to understand their wives.

Overall: This book deserves all the hype it’s getting. The Bromance Book Club was a delight to read. I basically read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. It was both adorable and heartbreaking at the same time. I loved every moment I spent with it. I am really hoping this book is the start to a series because I would love to read more set in this world. I found a new book to add to my favorites of 2019.

Review: Heartache and Hope (Jay McLean)

Posted on June 28, 2019 by anovelglimpse

Heartache and Hope
Series: Heartache Duet, #1
Author: Jay McLean
Publication Date: June 28, 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

Ava Diaz needs saving.
She just doesn’t know it yet.
Just like she doesn’t know a thing about the boy she sits next to on the first day of senior year.
He thinks she’s a brat.
She thinks he’s entitled.
Maybe first impressions don’t always last…
Because Connor Ledger’s about to save her.
He just doesn’t know why.

From the blurb, it sounds like Heartache and Hope is an enemies to lovers (for a lack of better word for a YA book). The line “Maybe first impressions don’t always last…” is accurate and this story quickly shifted away from that trope. Heartache and Hope was really about two high school students who have heavy burdens to carry. Ava and Connor should both be avoiding distractions, but they can’t get past their attraction for each other. Their relationship can’t be what a normal high school relationship should be, so there’s some heartache and some hope.

Since this is a duet, I don’t want to say too much about the plot. What I will tell you is that Jay McLean is back in a big way. She’s given us an emotionally charged romance filled with angst. There are so many ups and downs my head was spinning. I have to admit the angst was hard for me at times — but that’s because of some stuff I have going on in the background, not the book.

Ava and Connor… Man, their lives were tough. They each had something big they were dealing with and I was actually pretty amazed at how they handled things. I don’t know that I always agreed with their decisions, but I understood them. They were a very sweet couple.

As for the rest of the gang, there were characters I loved and characters I loved to hate. Trevor, Rhys, and Corey were my faves. Peter needs to go. I don’t like him and his being involved in the story makes me nervous.

Heartache and Hope ends in a cliffhanger. It wasn’t one that completely shocked me, but it did make me wish I already had the second book to read. I’m very curious to find out where things are going to go for Ava and Connor. I’m not just talking their romance. I am curious how life is going to evolve for them separately as well.

Review: Superfan (Sarina Bowen)

Posted on June 25, 2019 by anovelglimpse

Superfan
Series: Brooklyn Brusiers, #6
Author: Sarina Bowen
Publication Date: June 25, 2019
Publisher: Tuxbury Publishing LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Sometimes lady luck shakes your hand, and sometimes she smacks your face. Sometimes she does both on the same day.

Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.

But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.

While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.

But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.

She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart.

Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.

Reading a Brooklyn Bruisers book by Sarina Bowen is like meeting up for a coffee date with an old friend. There’s this comfort to them both, but also excitement and fun. The setting and characters aren’t entirely new, but their story is. Reading Superfan made me so happy!

I loved Superfan from the very beginning. (If I’m being honest, I knew I was going to love it from all of the Silas and Delilah hints dropped in the previous books in the series.) I loved how it started with fame, television, hockey, and Twitter. It was just so much fun! I also enjoyed how it took me back to Silas and Delilah’s first meeting and the kiss that started it all. The set up for Silas and Delilah’s story was perfect.

Despite having the feeling I was going to love Superfan, I was a little nervous about Delilah’s rock star status. Rock star romances can be hit or miss. Superfan was definitely a hit. Being a rock star didn’t consume Delilah. Even though she was a hit singer, she was very down to Earth. What she did for a living didn’t have a too much of an impact on her personality when it came to her interactions with people. That made her character all that more likable. Delilah was super sweet. I loved her.

Silas was cute. His obsession with Delilah’s music is even more adorable now that I know all the reasons behind it. He was also a nice guy who truly cared about people’s well being. He showed that over and over again when it came to Delilah. I loved that he wasn’t a macho, cocky guy despite being a professional athlete. There really wasn’t anything not like about Silas.

In some ways, Silas and Delilah’s relationship felt like a slow burn romance because of the bits of the past included. In reality it was more of an instant love. They had this instant chemistry and connection. Some of their first interactions in the present almost seemed too fast and out of character for them. The more time I got to see them together, the more I understood that their feelings for each other may have been instant but they were lasting. Silas and Delilah truly did take time to get to know and trust each other, too. So, yeah. Their connection was instant, but their love was almost slow burn.

One of the pleasures of reading a series with this many books is the little snippets of old character friends one gets to see again. I adored getting to see Castro and Heidi again. Georgia and Leo, too. They all helped Silas in some fun ways. Oh! I can’t leave out Nate and Becca. Those two were made me smile so much!

There were also some new friends I found myself loving. First of all, Becky. Can Becky or Sarah get a book? Please, Sarina? I think your next Bruiser needs to fall for one of those girls. I also really liked Charla the manager. She was a force.

Superfan was just so much fun to read. I loved being back with this family of characters. Silas and Delilah added another couple to my favorites list with their story. It was just so dang sweet! I know there’s already several Brooklyn Bruisers books, but it’s a series I don’t think I will ever get tired of. I hope there are more books to come. Cough Bayer Cough

Review: Teardrop Shot (Tijan)

Posted on June 24, 2019 by anovelglimpse

Teardrop Shot
Author: Tijan
Publication Date: June 24, 2019
Publisher: Tijan
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

I asked for his criteria for bed buddies-that’s the PG version.

He swore at me and said he didn’t do groupies. And just like that, our friendship was off to a great start.

Reese Forster was the starting point guard for the Seattle Thunder.

Gorgeous. Cocky. Loved by the nation.

He’s also attending preseason basketball training camp where I used to work.

Correction: where I work again, because I was fired from my last job.

And dumped.

And I might have a tiny bit of baggage, but that’s normal. Right?

Reese and I shouldn’t have become friends. We shouldn’t have become roommates.

And we really shouldn’t have started sleeping together … (Except we did.)

I’m adorably psychotic. He’s in the NBA.
This is not a disaster waiting to happen, at all.

I feel like Tijan heard my prayers and answered with Teardrop Shot. I have been rereading and revisiting her published books over and over again this spring. I love the affect her writing has on my emotions, and I have been really into that lately. Teardrop Shot gave me a new book of Tijan’s to fall in love with.

What made me love Teardrop Shot? Pretty much everything about it. It had that Tijan infused emotion I was begging for. What impressed me was that the heavy emotions didn’t take over and make this book depressing. There was a lightness and fun to it despite what the characters were feeling. It was uplifting rather than depressing.

When I first met Charlie’s character I was a little worried I wasn’t going to like her. She was odd. Charlie grew on me quickly, though. She had this question thing going on that I adored. It kind of made the book. Her truths truly surprised me and shaped this story in an unexpected way that I loved. I have to admit I shed a few tears over what went down with Damien.

Reese… You’re going to love him. That’s probably all I need to say about him.

Another major player in Teardrop Shot were the settings. I loved the camp setting. It made for such a great introduction between Charlie and Reese. Plus, it enabled me to get to know both Charlie and Reese’s friends at the same time. Those friendships were so special and fun. The only bad thing about camp was Charlie’s boss. I hated that guy!

Teardrop Shot also took us to Seattle. Being from Western Washington, it was fun to see Seattle get a basketball team. We (the people of Seattle) are still not happy with the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma. Which leads to me to my biggest beef with this book — Tijan, how could you make the team name the Seattle Thunder?!?! That was just wrong! It’s either got to be the Sonics or a made up team.

I guess I can forgive that Seattle Thunder thing, though, because I loved every minute I spent with Teardrop Shot. It’s a must read if you like sports romance.

Info: http://www.tijansbooks.com/teardrop-shot.html

Buy Links: https://books2read.com/u/3RxgBp

Giveaways: