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Book Review: Chasing the Rush (Football and Feels #2) by Lauren Rowe

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 381 pages
Author: Lauren Rowe
Publisher: Kensington Books
Release Date: July 28th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Rudy  meets  Moneyball  in a sexy yet warm-hearted, second-chance football romance for fans of Sarah Adams, Tessa Bailey, Monica Murphy, Kristen Callihan, and Lucy Score, as the analytical, math-nerd, type-A daughter of a tough love coach is assigned to babysit the team’s adrenaline junkie pass rusher.

Chelsea Parker, 26, knows football, thanks to growing up with a football coach for a father and two linebackers for brothers. But Chelsea’s true passion has always been crunching numbers to predict statistical outcomes for everything from football to stocks to romance. Chelsea dreams of merging her two passions to become the first female head of analytics for an NFL team. But for now, she’s got to convince the powers-that-be at her father’s new team, the Mastodons, the worst in the NFL, to give her that entry-level position in the front office.

Luca Maguire, 26, a pass rusher and adrenaline junkie with a famous last name, knows this upcoming training camp with his new team, the Mastodons, will likely be his last, if he can’t get out of his own way long enough to make the cut. The dire nature of his circumstances is the only reason Luca didn’t quit on the spot when Coach Parker assigned his daughter, Chelsea, a statistics-loving, spreadsheet-making math nerd, as Luca’s “personal coach” for the duration of camp. More like his babysitter, if you ask Luca.

Well, okay, Luca didn’t quit for that reason and another the thing that happened seven years ago between Luca and Chelsea as strangers, when Luca’s college football team stayed at the same hotel as Chelsea’s mathletes squad. Luca would never admit this to Chelsea, especially not with her being Coach’s daughter and the newly assigned bane of his existence, but the truth is Luca hasn’t stopped thinking about that cute little mathlete who ditched his ass seven years ago, right before their clothes came off, ever since.

Thank you RB Media for the gifted audiobook.

YEAH, NO.

Unfortunately I think this was my first and last book form Lauren Rowe.

I struggled from the beginning. The awkward lust/innuendo + almost one night stand was not for me. But I felt obligated to keep going. And I will say it did get better. It did. I liked different bits and pieces yet nothing every came together well enough for me to give this more than two stars.

Chelsea came across as a nepotism hire. She genuinely didn’t have actual coaching experience yet was frustrated when nobody wanted to give her a chance. I understand that her big thing was stats + numbers, but Chelsea acted as if her word was law in regards to players getting better. I was turned off from this the entire book.

I skipped over the open door scenes, though based upon how cringy I found the innuendo, I think I would have not liked those whatsoever either.

DON’T EVEN get me started on the third act. “You have to set someone free to follow their dreams” NONSENSE. I’m so tired of that third act. COMMUNICATE PLEASE. Then there were odd time jumps before they finally got back together.

Well, the duet narration was great. No complaints about the audiobook production…just about everything else.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports romance
  • Language: high
  • Romance: 4+ open door; moderate-high innuendo
  • Violence: mild

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Book Review: Catching Feelings (Varsity #2) by Emily Charlotte

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 304 pages
Author: Emily Charlotte
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: September 1st, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The first rule for a drama-free senior year? Don’t fall for the mysterious new football transfer. A swoony young adult romance full of undeniable chemistry and school spirit perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Friday Night Lights, from the author of Heart Check.

When Sabrina and Tyler meet by accident outside (okay, inside) the football locker rooms, it’s not a big deal. After a rocky summer, Sabrina is focused on leading the Spirit Committee to its best year ever, while Tyler is eager to leave behind the mess from his old school with a second chance playing football as a transfer. Neither is looking for romance.

But as the team’s newest (and most eligible) varsity athlete, Tyler is suddenly the center of attention. And Sabrina is busy dodging Ryan, her longtime flirtationship who is determined to take her to the homecoming dance. Ryan is exactly the kind of chaos Sabrina doesn’t need, so she asks Tyler to go as friends instead. Eager to fend off other unwanted advances, Tyler is happy to accept.

Of course, this was before Sabrina realized Tyler is Ryan’s cousin. But as long as they’re just friends, everything should be fine. Tyler is less willing to ignore the connection he feels toward Sabrina, but he’s also desperate to keep his past buried. When the chemistry between them becomes impossible to deny, can their carefully laid plans survive the fallout, or will secrets and social pressure threaten everything they’ve built?

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

THIS WAS CUTE.

A quick little romance read I flew through the other day. I love reading sports books based on the season and football season is heeeere.

I loved the emphasis on acts of service. Tyler was so sweet in the way he tried to show Sabrina he cared. It was sincere and I adored it. They had a lot of good moments together. There was plenty of football content that capture the essence of those Friday night football games.

Both of these characters had some things to work through. It felt relatable to the age group and I liked how both learned that they needed to accept help and trust others with the truth. The nostalgic quality of high school and the insecurities that come along with it are absolutely relatable.

I wasn’t a big fan of the multiple moments of underage drinking. It’s not in your face, but present enough that I wish it would have been more cut from the plot. Otherwise I do think this fits into the young adult category well. I’d lean towards the upper age pocket though.

Overall audience notes:

  • Upper YA Sports Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: heated make-outs
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: divorced parents (recounted, infidelity involved)

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Book Review: Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Historical Fantasy Mystery Romance
Length: 341 pages
Author: Ayana Gray
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: September 1st, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sparks fly in this Gilded Age novel of mystery, magic, and romance by the author of the New York Times–bestselling Beasts of Prey.

Nineteen-year-old Vesper Evans has always resented Basalton’s high society, and the sorcery that provides them with a luxurious life unimaginable to most. Orphaned as a child and rescued by the editor of TheBasalton Globe, Vesper is now an ambitious reporter determined to keep her newspaper afloat.

While covering a lavish society gala, Vesper happens upon a shocking the murdered body of an inventor whose new machine promised to bring the benefits of sorcery to everyone. Several of the powerful magical elite may want the man dead, but the prime suspect is wealthy industrialist Maximilian Kite.

Max soon makes Vesper a tempting Find the culprit and restore his reputation in exchange for a substantial fee. Despite her distaste for Max’s world, Vesper agrees—the money would save the Globe, and the story would be the scoop of a lifetime. There’s only one In order for her to infiltrate society, the two must pose as a courting couple.

Their investigation takes them from the highest echelons of privilege to the seediest backstreets of Basalton. As they unearth the city’s secrets and scandals, Vesper finds herself in grave danger—while falling for one of the most infuriating, arrogant, handsome men she has ever met.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

IT WAS FINE.

I feel super neutral about this book which is making this review hard to write. I did like the audiobook! The narrator was fantastic and if you want to try this, that format would be a great option.

This just wasn’t anything…new? or engaging? I wasn’t mad I was reading it but I also didn’t have a lot of feelings towards the book. There were a LOT of characters and I remember getting confused as to who was who, especially when the reveals started showing up.

I did like the romance. It’s sweet and a light subplot. The reluctant allies to lovers had charm. I especially appreciate that it was young adult appropriate. Kissing only without odd innuendo. There’s a low level on language too. And I like that at least I could recommend it to that age group. The FMC is great too. Strong willed and tenacious in pursuit of the truth.

This is a murder mystery set in an URBAN HISTORICAL (Gilded Age) setting. I made the mistake of assuming it was all fantasy (I don’t read summaries often) and that threw me off a bit. I was kind of hoping for a full fantasy setting so please know that going in. This was a standalone and does wrap up things well.

Overall audience notes:

  • Urban historical fantasy mystery + romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: murder, attempted murder

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2026

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Fall is in sight! We’re almost to the -ber months and it was a great month of reading. I love seeing the combination of all of these books. Check out my Instagram for reviews or they will be out on this platform in the future!

  • Out of Her League by Ava Rani
  • [Reread] A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3.5) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC] Rebel Season (Hockey Boys of Loft 3B #3) by Katie Bailey and Leah Brunner
  • The Assassin’s Way by J.M. Kearl
  • Abby Offsides by Anna McCallie
  • The Lion and the Deathless Dark (Crowns of Nyaxia #5) by Carissa Broadbent
  • [Non-Fiction] The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
  • In the Wake of the Wicked (The Siren Mage #2) by Kalie Cassidy
  • [ARC] Well Versed (Well Met #5) by Jen DeLuca
  • [Reread] House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC] The Bodyguard’s Fall (Falling for Autumn) by Cindy Steel
  • Adversary to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #4) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
  • [ARC] House of Curses (Royal Houses #3) by K.A. Linde
  • Tropesick by Lauren Okie
  • The Gilded Blade (The Grandest Game #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • [ARC] The Wretched Divine (The Wretched Divine #1) by Adalyn Grace
  • [ALC] Autumn on My Mind (Falling for Autumn) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy (Dearly Beloathed #2) by Brigitte Knightley
  • The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren
  • City of Lost Kings (Lost Kings Duet #1) by Kristen R. Moore
  • Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo
  • [ARC] This Change Everything by Danielle McKechnie
  • [ARC/ALC] Daughter of the Dark (Daughters of Auquis #1) by R.J. Valldeperas
  • Star-Crossed Summer by Devon Daniels
  • [ARC] Miss Beresford and the Beast (Daughters of Somerset #1) by Mimi Matthews
  • [ARC] Here We Go Again (Georgia Jaguars Hockey #2) by Jenny Proctor
  • The Butcher’s Masquerade (Dungeon Crawler Carl #5) by Matt Dinniman
  • [Reread] A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #5) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC] Harbinger by Geneva Lee
  • [ALC] Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia
  • To Drown a Witch by Lindsey Olsson
  • Ashwalker (The Emberfall Trilogy #1) by S.M. Gaither
  • Immortal Rose (Immortal Rose Duology #1) by Alexandra Bracken
  • [Novella] All the Time in the World by Cara Bastone

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