Tag: Sports

Review: Filthy Forward (Kelsey Cheyenne)

Filthy Forward
Series: Cocky Hero Club
Author: Kelsey Cheyenne
Publication Date: July 19, 2020
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Cocky. Filthy. Player.

Tatum Trevino waltzed into my life like he owned it. The renowned soccer star showed up as my new coach and changed everything.

Until rumors started flying about the bad boy prodigy kicked off his team. I thought he was nothing but another cocky playboy, but there was another side to him under the facade.

Late training sessions, secret getaways, and a delicious sleeve of tattoos led to temptation. We kept our relationship private, but I wasn’t the only secret he was keeping.

And it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out.

Filthy Forward was not a book on my TBR. It wasn’t even on my radar until I saw Alecia‘s review for it. Her review was so positive and spiked my interest. Since it was on KU and sounded like something I was in the mood for, I gave it a try. It worked out well for me.

This is my first attempt at reading something by Kelsey Cheyenne. I loved the writing style. I was immediately pulled in and connected with the characters. I liked Bria and Tatum. Both got a POV, so it was cool to hear their thoughts about each other. They didn’t like each other at the beginning, so it was fun for them to get to know each other and develop a deep connection. Their fall into love felt natural.

Another thing I really loved was the soccer. Personally, I’m missing soccer in my life right now, so reading about it felt like watching it. I loved that practice, training, and games were involved. It was even cooler that it was Bria who was the main focus of it, even though Tatum was also a soccer star.

Normally, I’m not a fan of romances that have a student-teacher feel. This is one with a player-coach thing going on. I don’t think I would have liked it at all if 1) the player wasn’t an adult in college, 2) the coach was an assistant who wasn’t much older and had only just joined the team, and 3) there wasn’t anything illegal about their relationship. It did still make me cringe a bit at times, but probably because I will never b 100% okay with a relationship in this dynamic. Filthy Forward actually reminded me a bit of R.S. Grey’s Scoring Wilder. If you liked the tone of that book, you would probably like this one.

The only other thing that I have mixed feelings about was the conflict. It involved a lot of miscommunication. If miscommunication or lack of communication bugs you in a romance, this one probably won’t be for you. I could let it go because there were so many things that twisted and combined to caused the issue that I found entertaining.

Oh! And I shouldn’t forget — The “filthy” in the title didn’t exactly fit for me. Tatum actually seemed like a stand up person. I guess maybe it was just catchy or portrayed what his reputation might have been prior to this book. That word might stop some people from reading, so I thought I should mention it.

Overall, this was a great introduction to Kelsey Cheyenne’s writing for me. I would definitely read another book by this author. It was a fun sports romance.

Mini Reviews: The Girl in the Love Song & 40-Love

The Girl in the Love Song
Series: Lost Boys, #1
Author: Emma Scott
Publication Date: June 7, 2020
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ 

Synopsis:

At Santa Cruz Central High School, they called them the misfits, the outcasts, the weirdos. But most of us knew them as the Lost Boys…

Miller Stratton is a survivor. After a harrowing childhood of poverty, he will do anything it takes to find security for himself and his mom. He’s putting all his hopes and dreams in the fragile frame of his guitar and the beauty he creates with its strings and his soulful voice.

Until Violet.

No one expects to meet the love of their life at age thirteen. But the spunky rich girl steals Miller’s heart and refuses to give it back.

Violet McNamara’s life hasn’t been as simple as it looks. Her picture-perfect family is not so perfect after all. Her best friend Miller is her one constant and she is determined not to ruin their friendship with romantic complications.

But the heart wants what it wants. As Miller’s star begins to rise to stratospheric heights, what will it take for Violet to realize that she’s the girl in all of his love songs?

Lost Boys is a new series of interconnected, coming-of-age standalones from USA Today bestselling author Emma Scott, coming in 2020

My thoughts:

This book was VERY angst filled. More so than any other book I’ve read by this author. The level of angst was too much for me, honestly. Even though I loved the characters and the story, I had a hard time bringing myself to read it. After about 20% I ended up skimming through until Part 4 where I started reading again. I hate that I did that, but I didn’t want to not finish it. It really was a vbeautiful story with a fantastic ending.

40-Love
Series: There’s Something About Marysburg, #2
Author: Olivia Dade
Publication Date: May 16, 2020
Publisher: Hussies & Harpies Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Synopsis:

This match is no game.

When a rogue wave strips Tess Dunn of her bikini top, desperate, half-naked times call for desperate, please-cover-me-kids-are-coming-closer measures. Enter Lucas Karlsson, AKA that flirty Swede in the water nearby. When he prevents her bare buoys from being exposed to fellow vacationers, even an ocean can’t drown the sparks that fly.

Lucas, a former top-level tennis pro now giving lessons at the resort, fled there after the abrupt, painful end to his injury-plagued career. But he’s finally ready to move on with his life—and after a few late-night, hands-on sessions with Tess, he’s eager to prove he’s the ace she wants.

But this match comes with challenges: She’s forty, and at twenty-six, he’s barely old enough to rent a car. Worse, they only have two weeks together before Tess returns to her assistant-principal life in Virginia. During that brief time, they’ll have to play hard, take a few risks, and find out whether their chemistry is a one-shot wonder…or whether they’re meant to be doubles partners for life.

My thoughts:

I’m pretty new to Olivia Dade’s writing. This only my second book by her. I really like how she combines strong, relatable women with hot guys. It’s a nice change from perfect bodies all the time. I enjoyed this book a lot, but there were times where the MC’s hangups about her body and perceived self bugged me. I got over it, though, because I loved the guy who won her heart. It was a fun vacation read.

Review: Varsity Tiebreaker (Ginger Scott)

Varsity Tiebreaker
Series: Varsity, #2
Author: Ginger Scott
Publication Date: July 23, 2020
Publisher: Little Miss Write, LLC
Genre: Mature Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC provided by WordSmith Publicity and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Abby Cortez is a girl with goals, on the verge of turning eighteen and on the brink of stardom. Falling in love isn’t just something she doesn’t have time for, it’s something she doesn’t really believe in. Her rule? Date but never, ever fall.

Tory “Salvatore” D’Angelo loves falling in love…just not for real. The star basketball player at Allensville Public High gives his heart away one girl at a time then takes it back when he’s ready to move on. No serious feelings, no serious pain.

They’re both good plans until Abby’s jaded heart gets all tangled up with Tory’s hopeless one. A friendly rivalry grows into friendship, and long talks start to blur the lines.
Just one problem—Abby’s current boyfriend is Tory’s twin brother, Hayden.

Not going to lie… I was both excited and scared going into this one. I am not a fan of love triangles, and one involving twin brothers made me nervous. The only reasons I read it were I loved Tory in Varsity Heartbreaker and it was Ginger Scott’s book. Ginger Scott never does me wrong.

Varsity Tiebreaker was exactly what I needed it to be. Yes, there’s the whole Hayden – Abby – Tory thing, but it was done well. I never felt like I wasn’t sure who Abby was going to end up with. It was an emotional roller coaster for sure, but not in a bad way. It was a very good way.

I, of course, adored Tory. That kid was a good kid. He might have been a little bit of a player in the past, but he had good intentions and morals. Tory tried to do right by his brother, Abby, and his family. His character is one I would be okay with my daughter dating when she gets older, and that’s saying a lot because the kid isn’t allowed to date until she’s thirty. 😉

Abby was a little more surprise to me than Tory. I liked her as June’s sidekick, but I loved her even more on her own. Her struggles were all over the place, and it was fun to experience her working everything out in her head. I liked the choices she made. I also loved her relationship with her mom.

Abby and Tory worked well together, and I loved the connection they had. Even if it took them a while to get everything figured out. That time gave me just the right amount of angst for this mature YA romance.

As for Hayden… I feel like I got enough of his story here to not necessarily need a book dedicated book for him. That doesn’t mean I don’t want one! I would really love for him to get his own happy ending. He and Tory went through so much, that it would be nice to see how thing really worked out for him. So, maybe a book 4? Please?

Overall, I adored Varsity Tiebreaker. It was a fun, slightly angsty YA sports romance that made me swoon. I enjoyed every minute of it. I also loved the preview for Varsity Rulebreaker. I am dying having to wait for October for that book!

 
Varsity Tiebreaker (The Varsity Series Book 2) by Ginger Scott
Cover Designer: Ginger Scott
 
PURCHASE HERE
Varsity Tiebreaker
Amazon US https://amzn.to/2zluA2u
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/30zRPQ9
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2WKCHyi
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2Bnapmc
 
Goodreads TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53602753-varsity-tiebreaker
 
 
 

PURCHASE Book One NOW
Varsity Heartbreaker
★☆★Read FREE w/Kindle Unlimited★☆★
 
PREORDER Book 3 NOW!
Varsity Rulebreaker – https://amzn.to/3bgh7pN
 

About the Author:

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, and A Boy Like You.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she’s not writing, the odds are high that she’s somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork ’em, Devils).

Social Media Links:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GingerScottAuthor
Twitter: @TheGingerScott
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/thegingerscott/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GingerScottAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GingerScottAuthor/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/GingerScott
Website: http://www.littlemisswrite.com

Review: Hard Pass (Sara Ney)

Hard Pass
Series: Trophy Boyfriends, #1
Author: Sara Ney
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports, New Adult

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

“Hard pass.”
That’s what the last girl I slept with said when she got her first sober glimpse of me. She laughed, walked out of my penthouse—and I never saw her again. It doesn’t matter that I’m a rich, professional athlete; what mattered was my face. Beauty might only be skin deep for some—but I know better.

“Pay up.”
That’s what the last girl I spoke to said over the phone when I made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. Desperate to sell a set of rare baseball cards, she’s clever and entertaining. I’m instantly smitten, but nowhere ready to reveal myself. Thank god she has no idea who I am—or what I look like.
I’m a professional athlete–how hard can playing the love game be?

I feel like my 3.5 star rating doesn’t accurately portray the happy feeling this book gave me. It had some of the same vibe as The Learning Hours (my favorite book by Ney) did in many ways and was all sorts of fun. I loved the way Noah and Miranda met, and the drama that unfolded because of Noah’s insecurities. They way the clicked and their instant attraction/chemistry was so cute. I even loved Noah’s self-appointed,annoying best friend, Buzz. Hard Pass was just one of those books that made me smile the entire time I was reading it.

Why only 3.5 stars then, you ask? Well, I needed more. It felt like one date and then BAM! Everything goes down and is wrapped up so quickly. I thought there could have been a little bit more of a story there. Or maybe I just wanted longer so that it wasn’t completely instant love between Noah and Miranda.

No matter what, it was still an adorable read. Almost had the feel of a mixture between the Douchebag series and the Jock Row series. I loved that. I hope the rest of the series is as cute!

Review: Hands Down (Mariana Zapata)

Hands Down
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publication Date: July 2, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

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.

Sigh. I am so happy Mariana Zapata wrote Hands Down. I didn’t know I needed a story about Zac (The Wall of Winnipeg and Me) or Bianca (The Best Thing), but I am so glad I got one. Hands Down was a happy place for me. It was a a slow burn romance that I wanted to keep burning. I loved the way it combined friendship and love. There was also a great family aspect. This was one of those books that had it all. pussy888official

Now, if you’re familiar with Zapata’s writing you will understand what I’m talking about next. There are times this book is a little too wordy. There are times the words and thoughts feels redundant. I knew this was the way that it was going to be, so it was easy to look past for the amazing characters and their story.I just went with the flow, got lost in the story, and forgot that things could be a little repetitive and predictable. I did that, and I fell in love with this book.

I did have one big beef with this book in the form of nicknames. How many nicknames for a character are too many? I have never thought about this before, but one. One nickname is more than enough. There were WAY TOO MANY nicknames in this book. For Zac: Big Texas and Snack Pack. Probably only needed one of those, but I guess both worked. It was Bianca’s nicknames that killed me: Bibi, Little Texas, Blanca (just a jerky boss, but added to the number), and kiddo. Yes, KIDDO. That one right there is what killed me. Zac called Bianca “kiddo”. Yes, it was leftover from childhood, but STILL. They hadn’t seen each other in 10! years! That one needed to go. At least before they began a relationship. ICK.

Anyways. After finishing Hands Down, all I could think was that I wanted another new book by Mariana Zapata like now. I enjoyed this one so much, and finishing left me feeling both happy and sad. I think I’m going to have to either re-read this one soon or another one of hers.

Series Review: Love (Jillian Dodd)

Vegas Love
Series: Love, #1
Author: Jillian Dodd
Publication Date: November 2, 2015
Publisher: Jillian Dodd, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

A sexy celebrity stand alone romance by USA Today bestselling author, Jillian Dodd.
Hollywood actress, Ashlyn Roberts, just had the worst week of her life. Her ex released a sex tape of them and just when she was convinced her current boyfriend was a keeper for standing by her side, he breaks up with her at a friend’s wedding. She’s planning to drown her sorrows in booze when she meets a sexy stranger as she’s leaving the wedding and they end up in Vegas, married.

Cash Crawford is offered a dream job working with his brother as a junior talent agent. He’ll put his shiny new law degree to good use and make a bunch of money in the process. His first task is simple: Keep Ashlyn Roberts out of trouble and don’t sleep with her.
Which might be kind of tough, since they definitely consummated their Vegas wedding.

Will this one night stand end in the quickie divorce they promised each other? Or will they realize they got lucky in love.

My thoughts:

Vegas Love is a book that sat on my Kindle for years after I downloaded for free. I’m not sure why I never picked it up, but when I started the New-to-Me Author Summer Bingo challenge it fit perfectly for one of my bingo squares. I’m glad it did because I enjoyed it so much!

What did I love about it? Ashlyn and Cash were hilarious together. Their whole night in Vegas had me cracking up. They were perfect for each other from the moment they met. I also loved how sweet Cash was and how he took care of Ashlyn so many times. Cash’s family was so much fun, too. They added to all the sweetness of the story.

What didn’t I love? At times, I had a hard time equating Ashlyn to who Cade said she was. Some of her habits didn’t line up with what I thought based on her mother’s problems, but I guess everyone deals with things differently.

Overall, this was an entertaining romance that had me swooning and hurrying to download the next book from Kindle Unlimited.

Broken Love
Series: Love, #2
Author: Jillian Dodd
Publication Date: June 21, 2016
Publisher: Jillian Dodd, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Can you get a second chance at first love?

After years of crushing and many failed seduction attempts, Palmer Montlake had finally scored the sexy Cade Crawford. Both a little drunk when they got back to her place, they were frantic with need, their desire intense. But as the night progressed, the hot-mess hookup morphed to sweet lovemaking. The kind neither had ever experienced.

But they were destined for heartbreak. She was his best friend’s little sister. He was her talent agent. And they were dating in secret. When they got into a wicked fight and broke up, all hell broke loose. The kind neither have recovered from.

Six years later, they still hate each other. But the universe seems to keep throwing them together. When they catch the bouquet and garter at a mutual friend’s wedding, sparks fly between them — their chemistry undeniable.

Will they get a second chance? Or will they be left with a broken love?

The Love Series is a series of standalone novels featuring a different sexy Crawford sibling. They can be read by themselves. However, if you do wish to read them all, they are best enjoyed in order.

My thoughts:

This second book was cute. I’m not normally one for flashbacks, but the ones in here helped give the story of the first time Palmer and Cade were together so I didn’t really mind them. It actually helped solidify their current relationship, which would have felt very insta-lovey without them. I loved both the characters and couldn’t wait from them to get everything worked out. Palmer and Cade’s second chance at romance was fun and sweet read.

Overall, Love was a fun series. I will be reading more of Jillian Dodd’s books in the future. I do have one question, though. Does anyone know if Fake Love (Love, #3) will ever be released? I saw it on Goodreads, but couldn’t find any information about it. I would love to read it!

Mini Reviews: Loud Mouth & Jilted Jock

Today, I have reviews for two recently released sports romances for you.

Loud Mouth
Series: Ice Knights, #3
Author: Avery Flynn
Publication Date: June 22, 2020
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

I never meant to say a word, not one single word.

But I did.

And now, because of my blog, everyone knows that Ice Knights hockey star Ian Petrov’s best friend and fellow player is actually his half brother—hello, hockey Hall of Famer dad who couldn’t keep his jeans zipped.

That wouldn’t be such a big deal if Ian knew. He didn’t, and boy howdy is he pissed. And who is he most mad at? Oh sure, he’s upset with his dad and former best friend/brother from another mother, but most of his ire is with me. It’s definitely a case of hating the messenger.

And what could make it worse? How about the two of us being trapped together in a remote cabin after a massive blizzard. Neither of us can leave. Just us, the snow, his resentment, and OMG sexual tension so thick it would take a snowplow to break through it.

I’ve got to get out of here before I do something even dumber than I’ve already done and kiss the sexy, snarly grump with his misplaced anger and perfect pecs. That would be the worst, the absolute worst. That’s why I’m not going to do it. Nope. Really. So why can’t I stop imagining what it would be like?

My thoughts:

Want a break from all the stress of the world around you? Loud Mouth has you covered. This light, slightly steamy read was nothing but fun. If you have read the first two books, I would say it’s just as good as Parental Guidance, but not quite as good as AWK-WEIRD (That one is my shining star in this series.). I really enjoyed how easy Shelby and Ian’s book felt, despite some of the deeper issues it delved into. It’s one of those books that would be perfect for the beach or just chilling at home.

Jilted Jock
Series: A Cocky Hero Club Novel
Author: Rebecca Jenshak
Publication Date: June 28, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

He was someone who belonged on the cover of Sports Illustrated instead of in my small beach town.

A sexy, cocky Australian soccer star named Finn was the last person I expected to be living with for two weeks.

He showed up at my brother’s house on his wedding night, hot, drunk, and very much not married. Next thing I knew, we were roommates, spending nights watching TV and getting to know one another.

Those two weeks turned into more than either of us bargained for.

He was fresh off a broken heart and I had a boyfriend.

I wasn’t supposed to fall for the jilted jock, especially when I knew we’d be going our separate ways.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except he’s not letting me go without a fight.

My thoughts:

Rebecca Jenshak has become one of my new favorite authors this year. I love her sports romance novels, and was excited that this book was related to Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s Cocky Bastard.

Jilted Jock was a fun read. I fell in love with it from the very beginning. It was kind of a love triangle, but not really one. Normally, I would steer clear of it because of that, but it was pretty apparent the direction it was going from the beginning so no worries if that concerns you. Adele and Finn had an instant connection. I love how they became friends and then… Well, you have to read it find out what happens.

The only thing that didn’t 100% work for me in this book was that the first part of this book was in Adele’s POV of view. Then, it switches to Finn. I loved getting both of their perspectives, but I kind of missed Adele’s when I didn’t have it. I really wanted to know what was going on in her head, but I guess that was the surprise of it. I can’t really complain to much about it.

Mini Reviews: Faked, Taking His Shot, Trying to Score, & Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Happy Friday! Today, I have some short reviews to share with you for the books I have been reading the past couple of weeks.

Faked
Author: Karla Sorensen
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Publisher: Dutch Girl Publishing, LLC
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Every action has a consequence, and Claire Ward knows it. And yet, even knowing that her decision to swap places with her identical twin sister, Lia, for a night could be disastrous, she still does it.

Why?

Because it will give her an evening with the man she’s been crushing on for years, Lia’s best friend, Finn.

Miss Straight A Student has thought through all the angles, and knows the risk is worth it. And everything would have been fine, if Finn had been the one to show up at her door.

But it wasn’t.

Bauer Davis— Finn’s half brother and his exact opposite in just about every definable category is the one waiting for her instead. A professional snowboarder, Bauer is covered in ink, full of attitude, and has a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Olympus. The kind of bad boy that Claire has never been attracted to before.

Now the good girl is with the wrong brother for a night, and when the consequence is that they have to pretend to be together for an event, it’s nothing she could have predicted. But maybe, just maybe, what makes Bauer so bad, is exactly what Claire needs.

My thoughts:

Karla Sorensen is an author whose books I tried and fell in love with earlier this year. Faked was a little insta-lovey, but I could not have cared less about that because it was so freaking cute! I loved Claire and Bauer together. They seemed liked opposites, but got each other in the most sincere way. The way their families wove into the story was perfect. I had such a great time reading this book! It might just be my new favorite of Sorensen’s!

Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Series: The Brown Sisters, #1
Author: Talia Hibbert
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamorous family’s mansion. The next items?

• Enjoy a drunken night out.
• Ride a motorcycle.
• Go camping.
• Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex.
• Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.
• And… do something bad.

But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.

Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.

But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…

My thoughts:

I had a love-hate relationship with this book. I loved the banter between Chloe and Red. Their enemies to lovers thing was super cute. I loved how Chloe’s disability was written. What I had a harder time with was the pace of the story or how the story unfolded, I guess. I had to push myself to keep reading even when I liked the romance that was happening.

Taking His Shot
Series: Hot Jocks, #7
Author: Kendall Ryan
Publication Date: June 5, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

She says she doesn’t date players.

She swears up and down that she’ll never handle my stick.

We’ll see about that, sweetheart.

When I win the pleasure of Harper’s company at a charity auction, I get exactly one date—one shot to win over the gorgeous and feisty brunette.

Game on. I play hard, and I love a challenge.

But just when I think I’ve finally carved out my shot . . . a huge secret implodes around us, threatening everything we’ve built.

The bestselling Hot Jocks series is back with one last stand-alone novel. If you like sexy, confident men who know how to handle a stick (on and off the ice), and smart women who are strong enough to keep all those big egos in check, this series is perfect for you! Each book features a brand new couple to fall in love with.

My thoughts:

I had high expectations for this book because I have come to love Jordie’s character over the series. I wasn’t a huge fan of Harper. She was so closed off, and I knew from the moment the book started what was going to happen. I guess I wanted Jordie’s book to be a little more like Landon’s since they were the younger guys. This book was lacking something that one had. It was a quick, fun read still.

Trying to Score
Series: Hot Jocks, #3
Author: Kendall Ryan
Publication Date: November 12, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

Teddy King excels at many things. Playing hockey. Check. Scoring on and off the ice. Check. Being stupidly attractive … Double check.

I knew him way back when. Before he was the guy everyone wanted a piece of, he was just a rebellious college co-ed and one of my more energetic study partners.

But secrets have a way of getting out, and a steamy encounter from our college days (that we probably shouldn’t have filmed) is about to cause a major scandal. Unless we can work together to stop it.

Teddy’s no stranger to hard work … but the thing he wants most?

Is me.

Note: This high-heat standalone is chock-full of scorching banter and steamy good times. He’s a testosterone-dripping hockey player who wants a second chance. She’s a tough as nails attorney intent on making partner. Loads of hot banter. No cliffhanger. Enjoy!

Your favorite hot jocks are back with an all new stand-alone novel. If you like sexy, confident men who know how to handle a stick (on and off the ice), and smart women who are strong enough to keep all those big egos in check, this series of athlete romances is perfect for you!

My thoughts:

Obviously, I’m reading this series out of order depending on when my library holds come in. Not a big deal at all, but I was super excited for this one because of the hints about this couple in some of the upcoming books. I really loved Sara and Teddy’s romance. Their history made this book extra fun, and I adored how their friendship easily transitioned to more. This was one of the books that is on my list of favorites for this series.

Review: Want You to Want Me (Lorelei James)

Want You to Want Me
Series: Want Me, #2
Author: Lorelei James
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Publisher: Berkley Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

The new sexy contemporary romance in New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James’s Want You series, set in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Hockey player Gabriella “Gabi” Welk spent her life in pursuit of championships, but she has little to show for it besides dusty trophies and second-place medals. Now her career consists of several part-time jobs to make ends meet. When Gabi gets a chance at her dream job, she swallows her pride and asks her nemesis–smart, sexy and savvy Nolan Lund–for help.

Since being named future CEO of Lund Industries, Nolan has tried hard to overcome his reputation as a fun-loving playboy and ladies’ man. For the first time ever, he’s more focused on the company than his personal life. He spends his free time at the ice rink his brother owns, cheering on his niece at her hockey games…and watching Gabriella Welk, the superstar athlete and assistant coach who gets under his skin in a way he can’t ignore. He’s shocked when Gabi agrees to trade a favor for a favor.

They have little in common besides their mutual mistrust, but between family crises and sibling rivalries, Nolan and Gabi realize they want to be more than just friends–much more.

Want You to Want Me is a book I wanted to read simply because I have read the first book in this series and the entire related series. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the Lund family, and wanted to spend some more time with them.

This book was a great read. It was a slow burn in a lot of ways. The  romance built slowly. The characters spent a lot of time getting to know each other as their relationship developed. Nolan and Gabi were kind of an unlikely couple. He was into fashion and business, while she was into hockey and coaching. They didn’t have the best or even correct impression of who the other was at first, but they once they figured each other out, they were perfect together. It was a super sweet relationship that I loved.

The plot also built slowly throughout the book. There were a couple of tiny hints at what was to come, especially for Nolan. What was a little unsettling was how the major problem was kind of just dumped on me all at once. I had to think hard back to those tiny hints to put some of it together. I had a hard time coming to terms with the side characters acted. I liked how things played out for Nolan and Gabi, but the rest I’m still trying to wrap my head around. I’m not sure if I loved that or not.

There were a few other great things about this book that I want to spotlight. I loved that Gabi was the athlete in this book. She was a great female sports role model. I also liked the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters and events. Everything Nolan did to support the community was done with the best intentions. The other thing I liked was the way Nolan’s mom and brother interacted with both him and Gabi.

Overall, Want You to Want Me was a great contemporary sports romance. I enjoyed the low amount of drama and the sweetness of the romance.

Series Review: Game On (Kristen Callihan)

 I picked up The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan because I needed the first book in a series by an author I hadn’t read yet for the New to Me Author Summer Challenge. When I did that, I had no idea it would turn into a binge read. Thanks to the challenge, I have found a new sports romance author to love. Here are my mini reviews for each book in the series.


The Hook Up (Book 1) – ★ ★ ★ ★

I really enjoyed Drew and Anna’s story. He was a cocky football player looking for more. She was a girl who didn’t see herself as the bombshell she was and didn’t want a relationship. They had great chemistry. I do have to say that at times this book felt a little long, but the pay off was well worth it.

The Friend Zone (Book 2) – ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Wow. I’m impressed. This is one of my new favorite friends to lovers books. Between the texts and the chemistry, I was sold. I loved Ivy and Gray together. This will be my favorite book in the series, I just know it.

The Game Plan (Book 3) – ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Did I say The Friend Zone would be my favorite? Well, The Game Plan surpassed it.  I loved Dex and Fiona just as much as I loved Ivy and Gray. Dex and Fiona surpassed them based on their chemistry and emotional connection, though. That emotional connection was something else.

The Hot Shot (Book 4) – ★ ★ ★ ★

Don’t let the 4 stars fool you. I enjoyed this book almost as much as the last two. When it comes to rating it, I felt like I had to give it less because it was missing something the last two had. Not sure what it was because I loved Finn and Chess. The way they started out as friends was cute. Their relationship drama didn’t seem to be as big as the past three books, which I was thankful for, but it was there. It was a great addition to the series.

Conclusions?

I really hope we get more books in the Game On series and soon. I loved every minute I spent binging this football romance series. I see a ton of possibilities in this football world for future stories.