Tag: spicy romance

Book Review: Mile High (Windy City #1) by Liz Tomforde

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 603 pages
Author: Liz Tomforde
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: June 7th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Zanders

Chicago hockey isn’t complete without me—everyone’s favorite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night.

What I don’t like is the new flight attendant on our team’s private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I’ll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she’ll be begging to quit her job.

But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can’t quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons or if it’s more than that.

Stevie

I’ve been a flight attendant for years. I thought I’d see it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again…no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.

Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it.

Everything but him.

TOOK ME BY SURPRISED.

Here I am, reading every sports romance I can get my hands on. I’ve been holding off on picking this one up because of the spice, BUT I will say, why spicy (and I did skip a lot), the plot did outweigh that for me. I really loved the core of this story and the character growth throughout.

I am obsessed when the guy falls first, and the guy falls HARD. Enter Zanders who absolutely could not leave Stevie alone. Love that for him. I loved his bad boy, but actually a sweetheart persona and I loved that Stevie would take no crap from him, but also worked through her personal body issues.

I didn’t love that this had a one night stand trope *shrugs*. That’s a me thing but I stand by it. I did love the mental health conversations, all of the shelter dog content and of course, the hockey games too. I loved the audio and look forward to book two!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 5+ open; high explicit
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: many conversations surrounding body image/weight issues, parental abandonment, mentions of anxiety/panic attacks, psychologically manipulative mother

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Book Review: Coach (Treasure State Wildcats #1) by Devney Perry

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 341 pages
Author: Devney Perry
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 6th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A single dad, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Devney Perry.

Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.

I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.

Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.

Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.

Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.

LOVED.

Took a swing at another Devney Perry book and this was a HIT. I was in a chokehold over Ford. I loooved how much he was IN. He wanted all of Millie and continually made a point of showing that in word and deed. We are here for a man like that. Swooned in a puddle 100x over.

I also really loved Millie. She finally got the chance to clear the air, reconnect and find her happily ever after. I absolutely loved that she was an assistant AD. Ford as a single Dad was immaculate. And the football content was everything you want in a sports romance.

The burn is pretty quick and I do wish there was a bit more something. Some more angsty buildup? I don’t know, there’s just this last little thing niggling me that was missing. The ending was too dang good though and I am can’t wait for book two.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 4+ open; high explicit
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce, cheating ex (who also is a neglectful parent)

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Book Review: Play Along (Windy City #4) by Liz Tomforde

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 385 pages
Author: Liz Tomforde
Publisher: Golden Boy Publishing
Release Date: July 11th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Kennedy

I’m the only woman on staff for the Windy City Warriors, and after years of putting up with a sexist lead doctor, I’m desperate to land my dream job with a new team next year. All I have to do is maintain my professional reputation for my final season in Chicago.

But a Las Vegas run-in with the team’s shortstop threatens it all, leaving me with a fuzzy memory and a ring on my left hand.

Now, not only am I legally bound to the most persistent man I’ve ever met, but thanks to Isaiah’s scheme to save my job, I have to pretend the whole thing was a planned elopement and not a drunken mistake.

Isaiah Rhodes is reckless, impulsive, and frustratingly charming. He’s also my brand-new husband.

They got the saying wrong. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas… sometimes it follows you right back home.

Isaiah

As the shortstop for Chicago’s professional baseball team, I’ve had my fair share of fun. But that all ended the day Kennedy Kay became a single woman.

I’ve crushed on the team’s athletic trainer for years. I’ve flirted to no avail, so imagine my surprise when I woke up in Sin City with a ring on my finger and my favorite redhead in my bed.

We agree to stay married for one baseball season, just long enough to keep her job safe, but in my mind, I’m using our time together to prove to her I’m husband material.

Kennedy might be reluctant to join in on our game, but it’s one I refuse to lose.

So come on, wife… play along.

KNEW IT.

I had a feeling from the get go this was going to be a winner for me. I LOVE books where the man is absolutely gone for her and Isaiah Rhodes DELIVERED. I have not recovered. I think The Right Move is still my top, top favorite, but this absolutely competes. I have been waiting for this story after the perfectly drawn out tension.

This marriage of convenience had me in a chokehold. I loved Kennedy!! She was fierce and capable and I just wanted her to feel the love that was surrounding her after being in a deficit for so long. The slow build for her and the character growth she showed was top tier. I loved her journey.

AND ISAIAH? Y’all can already tell I’m obsessed. I loved getting his POV and seeing the deeper workings of his thoughts and decision making processes. He’s a hopeless romantic with a huge heart who just wanted someone to want him. And that hits on a whole other level.

I loved the baseball content, the found family, the soft and sweet and the hard and fast. There’s not one moment I wasn’t glued to my kindle trying to read this.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: moderate-high
  • Romance: 4+ open door
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: loss of a mother recounted, anxiety attacks (brought on by thunderstorms), misogyny and sexism in the workplace

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Book Review: You First by Caitlin Moss

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 378 pages
Author: Caitlin Moss
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 30th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

He’s her brother’s best friend…
…she’s his biggest regret.

Genevieve Michaels didn’t realize how much emotional preparation she needed to do for her brother’s wedding. But when Leo Bishop walks into the bar five days before the big day, she’s reminded of exactly why she can’t stand her brother’s best friend…and exactly why she plans to steer clear of him all week.

But within minutes, Leo and Genevieve are back to their usual childish antics. They grew up together, and they have a lot in their love for basketball and her brother, along with their innate ability to pick a fight with each other. But not this week. This week Genevieve is determined to play nice and avoid him as much as possible.

When wedding chaos ensues, Leo and Genevieve are forced to work together to ensure the wedding goes off without a hitch. As they eliminate each disaster, they uncover all the reasons they can’t stand each other, and all the reasons they once thought it could be love.

I LIKED THIS ONE.

New to me author and I am happily hear to say I’d read another book by Caitlin Moss.

This was a really solid friends to lovers, brother’s best friend & second chance romance. The combination of tropes worked well for me and I could feel the tension from the get-go. I liked the chemistry between Leo and Genevieve a lot. The flashback chapters weren’t overwhelming and added the necessary back story to feel all the things throughout this book.

There were a few plot choices that just weren’t my favorite. And a forced sense of drama that I didn’t connect with. Otherwise though, LOVED all of the basketball content, the HORSE concept was cute and I like how that was woven throughout. I sincerely enjoyed this story and look forward to more.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: brief mention of miscarriage, loss of a mother (theme throughout), cheating (Gen’s ex)

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