? SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY (WAGS #3) by Naima Simone-a review ?

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 9, 2018

After a divorce from her cheating football player ex, PR whiz Kim Matlock would rather drive a pine tree through her walled-off heart than work at the Seattle Wedding Expo. And the last thing she expects is to be grabbed and kissed breathless by a hot giant of a man looking to fend off a stalker. She doesn’t want emotional entanglements, but she can’t say no to one scorching night with the sexy stranger.

To her shock, she finds out afterward that a) he’s a pro football player, aka her kryptonite, and b) she’s pregnant.

But nothing could have prepared her for his response

••••••••

REVIEW: SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY is the third instalment in Naima Simone’s contemporary, adult WAGS (Wives and Girlfriends) football, romance series focusing on the men and women of the profession football league’s the Washington Warriors. This is PR specialist, thirty-year old Kim Matlock, and wide receiver for the Washington Warriors, twenty-eight year old Ronin Palamo’s story line. SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s Bachelor Auction series where we were first introduced to our heroine Kim Matlock, her half-brother Alexander, and father Malcolm Bishop.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Ronin and Kim) SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY follows the building but struggling relationship between PR specialist Kim Matlock, and wide receiver for the Washington Warriors Ronin Palamo. Kim Matlock is a well-educated, accomplished and intelligent PR specialist; a woman who doesn’t do relationships, and refuses to date anything resembling a professional football player-been there, done that and has the divorce papers to prove it. A one-night stand with a mysterious but sexy as sin stranger results in an unplanned pregnancy that forces Kim back into the stranger’s radar, three months later. Unable to forget about her ex-husband’s betrayal, Kim struggles with building a relationship with the father of her child. Enter Ronin Palamo, who also struggles with relationship issues from the past, but a man who is willing to take responsibility for his unborn child, offering Kim a chance at family and a happily ever after. What ensues is the building romance and love between Kim and Ronin, and the potential fall-out as our couple continue to battle memories and ghost from the past.

Kim Matlock knows rejection first hand including her ex-husband’s infidelity, and the ongoing rejection from the father she never knew. Fifteen years earlier, her then sixteen year old half-brother Alex, heir apparent to Bishop Enterprises, went in search of the sister he would grow to love, forcing Kim’s father, billionaire Malcolm Bishop to reluctantly acknowledge his bast*rd child. Guarded and cautious Kim continues to mistrust Ronin’s intentions for a life-long commitment. Ronin Palamo’s father abandoned the family for his love of the bottle, ensuring a life-long rejection by the children he fathered but Ronin would suffer an even greater loss when his best friend and the love of his life succumbed to a life-threatening disease. A man-wh*re by reputation, Ronin buried his grief in one-night stands but something about Kim drew Ronin like a moth to a flame.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters include Kim’s unwelcoming father Malcolm Bishop, her brother Alexander, and her ex-husband, defensive back Matt Cooper. We catch up with Ronin’s teammates and friend, and their partners -Zeph Black and Sophia Cruz; Tennyson Clark and Dominic Anderson, as well as Sophia’s twin sister Giovanna Cruz- the camaraderie and support is endearing and fun.

SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY is a spirited and character driven story line. The premise is realistic and enjoyable; the romance is passionate and energetic; the characters are sexy and edgy.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Scoring With The Wrong Twin
Scoring Off the Field
Scoring the Player’s Baby

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy