Tag: sports romance

Book Review: The Right Move (Windy City #2) by Liz Tomforde

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 544 pages
Author: Liz Tomforde
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

RYAN

She’s a distraction, that’s what she is.

I’m the newest Captain of the Devils, Chicago’s NBA team, and the last thing I needed this year was for Indy Ivers, my sister’s best friend, to move into my apartment. She’s messy, emotional, and way too tempting.

But when the team’s General Manager vocalizes his blatant disapproval of my promotion to Captain, referring to me as an unapproachable lone wolf with no work-life balance, I can’t think of a better way to convince him otherwise than pretending to date my outgoing roommate.

The only problem? Faking it feels far too natural.

Having a fake girlfriend wasn’t supposed to be messy but having Indy under my roof and in my bed is complicated, especially when she wants all the romantic parts of life that I could never give her.

INDY

I never imagined I’d be living with my best friend’s brother, NBA superstar Ryan Shay. Even more unbelievable? He needs me to act as his loving girlfriend who’s suddenly changed him into a friendly and approachable guy.

Because, well…he’s not. He’s controlling of his space and untrusting of others.

Our arrangement isn’t one-sided, though. I’m in a wedding coming up, one where every one of my childhood friends, including my ex-boyfriend, will be in attendance, and there’s no better date than my ex’s celebrity hero.

Blurred lines make it almost impossible to separate real from fake. Falling for my roommate was never part of the deal, especially when Ryan is quick to remind me that he doesn’t believe in love.

I’m a romantic and can’t help fantasizing that he’ll change, but soon enough, I find myself questioning if sharing a roof with my best friend’s brother was the right move after all

STOP IT RIGHT NOW.

Y’all. I had zero plans to binge this book in basically a day and I COULD NOT STOP LISTENING. I absolutely get the hype around Ryan Shay now and he’s officially a new favorite.

I loved that the whole vibe of this book was quiet love is the loudest. Those kind of moments are my favorite when reading a romance book and Ryan and Indy both did so many things for each other that were quiet and without fanfare that showed just how much love was between them. I was SMITTEN. And could honestly sit here and list moment after moment that was beautifully tender and heartfelt and melted me into a puddle (but also the protective and jealous moments SENT ME). I have not recovered.

I loved seeing the characters from Mile High and I love the friendships and sibling relationships. They are strong and caring and only add to how much this book sings. It’s a new sports romance favorite of mine.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3-4+ open door; mild innuendo
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: cheating (recounted), infertility discussions

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Book Review: I Got You by Stacy Williams

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 474 pages
Author: Stacy Williams
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 16th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sacrifice…is there any too great? How far would you go to protect the innocent?

Maggie is living from one day to the next and making things up as she goes. Her life is four kids and a whole lot of chaos, but the best kind. Two years ago, she gave up her dreams, and after a devastating loss, she may have to give up one more. With four kids depending on her and not a chance she’ll let them down, she’s about to learn just exactly how far she’ll go to keep them safe.

Shane just lost the only thing he’s ever loved – the only thing he was good at – the only thing he’s ever wanted. After a career-ending injury upends his life, he’s forced into a coaching career he’s not even sure he wants. Just weeks into his new position, he finds himself tugged back to a time he’d prefer to never revisit. Now, Shane’s left with a decision that could change everything. It’s the one thing he told himself he would never do.

I Got You is a touching love story that reminds us that when everything else fades…love stays.

This is a closed-door contemporary romance that still offers plenty of spice.

AN INCREDIBLE DEBUT.

I am blown away by this book. I LOVED IT. I was absolutely SENT by this slow burn romance. Then tension between Maggie and Shane is next level and I love it all. And this really brought the steam without the spice and I will now be shouting to everyone to pick this book up ASAP.

I loved the journey Maggie and Shane went one, especially Shane. He is one I wanted to shake and hug all in the same breath. I loved the realistic nature of the romance and how he truly had to break down some walls and realize just how much love was around him. And I loved how Maggie was the embodiment of a sunshine character. Sunny and brave and doing everything she can to keep her siblings. And those siblings!! I loved them all. Realistic kids were her super sweet and I wanted the best for every one of these characters.

There were SO MANY good moments. This is a longer contemporary and you don’t even notice. The moments MATTER. The quiet, loud, angry and swoony filled. This does lean to the heavier side and will make you feel deep. The swoon and tenderness and all the dang things. I’m sitting her going over scene after scene in my mind because this is now living rent free.

I CAN’T WAIT for the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of parents (recounted), child abuse (recounted), parental abandonment

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ARC Book Review: Absolutely Not in Love (Sweater Weather #7) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 276 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: October 12th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My requirements for a man are simple. Must love books. Must NOT love hockey.

Which is why I will never be interested in my neighbor, the aloof and mysterious Felix Jamison, no matter how many books I see him hauling into his apartment. Unless he loses his pro hockey skates, I’m out.

But then he shows up at my symphony concert. And I catch the sweet strains of Bach floating across the hall. Have I mentioned how incredible he looks in his game day suit?

Still, my history with hockey is complicated. My older brother played, and let’s just say he stole enough limelight to land a plane at midnight. I was forced to be a part of that world for so long, now that I have a choice, it’s the last thing I want.

But something tells me Felix is about to change my mind…

Absolutely Not in Love is a closed-door hockey romcom with forced proximity, a bookish hockey goalie, a classical musician, and all the swoony chemistry you want.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

LOVED SO MUCH.

I was smitten from start to finish with this book y’all. There were so many little things I could pick out that I just ADORED. From the bumbling flirting, to taking care of each other, and my absolute favorite: that it felt adult.

Adult in the sense that there were actual important conversations Felix and Gracie had together and when things got shaky, there wasn’t wild miscommunication either. I love heartfelt apologies, acknowledging feelings and truly trying to create a relationship and a life together.

I loved Felix and Gracie together and apart. Both showed some layers of character growth and depth. I thought the apartment situation was perfect. The kissing scenes had that great balance of steam without the spice and I LOVED getting to see more of the hockey team (and maybe a future book with a certain best friend???).

It’s a short read, fast paced and full of heart warming goodness. There’s plenty of hockey aspects to actually call it a sports romance and the grand gesture was exactly where it needed to be.

Another Jenny Proctor GEM.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: social anxiety, strained parent relationships

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Book Review: The Fake Out by Sharon M. Peterson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 386 pages
Author: Sharon M. Peterson
Publisher: Bookouture
Release Date: July 5th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I can’t lock up the library until the guy asleep at his desk leaves. Thank the universe for audiobooks because I could be here all night. But I see his mouth twitch at the exact moment a steamy kiss takes place. My face burns when I realize my headphones aren’t plugged in and my phone is at full volume.

It’s not every day you see a new face in my small hometown of Two Harts, let alone one belonging to an annoyingly handsome all-star NFL player. But for some reason Chris Sterns has decided that the library where I work is his go-to spot to hide from his mega-fans, and unfortunately, winding me up is his new favorite sport.

Being crowned “world’s sexiest man” has done little to curb his confident charm and when he somehow ropes me into his two-person book club, I can’t help warming to his endless positivity.

But when a photo of him stumbling out of a Las Vegas club with a woman in tow is leaked to the press, I can’t help but question whether his good boy persona is just an act.

And that’s far from the only answer I’m left searching for when Chris pops the question I’ve only ever heard in my favorite romance books. Did he really just ask me to marry him?

It’s not the proposal I was expecting, but with my mom’s medical bills piling up faster than I can pay them, and with the scandal threatening to ruin everything Chris has worked for; could an engagement be the perfect fake out for us both? Or is this a game we’ll both lose?

A totally uplifting and addictive friends-to-lovers romance full of laugh-out-loud moments. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sarah Adams and Olivia Dade.

SMITTEN.

Ahhhh I loved this book! The banter was absolutely immaculate and all of the corny pick-up lines at the beginning of the chapters made me laugh so much. This was light, filled with a lot of heart, and I could not get enough of CHRIS.

The fake engagement trope was great. I liked the fake aspects that had to be enacted and the forced proximity that brought these two together. You can tell that Chris is gone from the get-go and I love a man who knows what he wants.

I loved seeing Mae go from intensely stubborn to allowing Chris and her family to help her with the weight she was carrying. There were a lot of great, true arguments between the main couple that I appreciated and loved so dang much. Really getting to the heart of the matter and the why.

Great read. If you’re thinking it’s a sports romance, I wouldn’t call it that because there’s no games, practices or anything along those lines. Chris is a NFL player and that’s the sportiest thing. Which was not a deal breaker for me at all, just something I noticed!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very little, light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gaslighting incarcerated and parental abandonment (all from Mae’s father), a sister with a heart condition

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