A Wild Card Kiss (Happy Endings 1) by Lauren Blakely-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 25, 2022

A sexy standalone romance between a single dad athlete and the woman who got away!

Things that suck on my wedding day — walking in on my groom kissing another woman twenty minutes before the ceremony.

Things that suck worse? The woman he’s kissing is my mom.

I head straight for the bowling alley bar down the street and ask for a double. And in walks a deliciously charming local football hero — Harlan Taylor.

Yes, I’ll take another drink in the form of a one-night stand with this hunk of a man. In the morning, he asks if I want to get together again. More rebound nookie? Yes please!

But then I learn his football team just hired my yoga studio to teach downward facing dog to their star player, making my O-delivering hottie officially off limits.

Trouble is, the more time I spend working with the sexy single dad who dotes on his daughter, the more I’m feeling all the things far too soon.

There’s no way this can end well, but tell that to my runaway heart…

•••••••

REVIEW:A WILD CARD KISS is the first instalment in Lauren Blakely’s contemporary, adult HAPPY ENDINGS erotic romance series. This is thirty-six year old professional football player for the San Francisco Renegades Harlan Taylor, and thirty-five year old, yoga instructor/studio brand owner Katie Madigan’s story line.

NOTE: There is a prequel novella-WILD CARD NIGHT -that takes place approximately seven years earlier but the prequel is also a part of the current release so there should be no confusion.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Harlan and Katie) following two timelines, A WILD CARD KISS focuses on the building romance and relationship between thirty-six year old professional football player, running back turned receiver, Harlan Taylor, and yoga instructor/studio brand owner Katie Madigan. Approximately seven years earlier, Katie Madigan and Harlan Taylor met through mutual friends at a stranger’s wedding, and agreed to meet up again days later but Katie finds herself on the move with her burgeoning career, and loses all contact with our story line hero. Fast forward to present day wherein Harlan, now a single father, finds a familiar face in a jilted bride, a bride who, just hours before, discovered her groom in a compromising position with someone she knew. Still dressed in her gown, Katie and Harlan spend a night on the town, promising to meet up again when Katie has had time to figure out her next move. Another four months will pass before Katie is ready to move forward but like all the times before something or someone keeps putting the brakes on for our story line couple. Working as the yoga instructor for the San Francisco Renegades means Harlan Taylor is probably off limits but our couple find it increasingly difficult to fight their attraction, until an agreed upon deadline, at the end of the season. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Harlan and Katie, and the potential fall-out if their behind the scenes affair threatens Katie’s contract with San Francisco Renegades.

Katie Madigan watched from the sidelines as her parent’s marriage imploded, and with the demise of her relationship feared heading in the same direction but a deep betrayal meant Katie had to start anew, and starting over with the man who continues to star in her fantasies and dreams. Harlan Taylor never forgot about the ‘one’ who got away but Harlan is now a single father whose football career has placed him at the top of the world. Reuniting with Katie Madigan gives Harlan hope for a second chance but fate keeps interfering with our couple’s future.

The relationship between Katie and Harlan begins as a one-night stand seven years earlier but a promise for more is quickly dashed when Katie has an opportunity to kick-start her future. Finding Harlan again, at one of the lowest points in her life, gave Katie hopes for her own happily ever after but timing is everything, and the stars were, once again, never properly aligned. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.

We are introduced to Katie’s business partner and sister Olive, and their VP of business development Zachary; her friends Skyler, Emerson and Jillian; Harlan’s daughter Abby and her mother Danielle, and his teammates Cooper, Jason,and Shane. Emerson’s story line is next.

A WILD CARD KISS is a story of family and betrayal, heart break and pain, second chances and love, moving forward and renewal. The premise is captivating and romantic; the romance is seductive and intense; the characters are dynamic, energetic, and determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In October she’ll release HARD WOOD, a sexy, standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

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