Tag Archives: football

Takes Two To Tackle (Santa Fe Bobcats #3) by Jeanette Murray-a review

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TAKES TWO TO TACKLE (Santa Fe Bobcats #3) by Jeanette Murray-a review

Takes Two to Tackle

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 15, 2015

Sometimes faking it is your only option…

Football player Stephen Harrison has hit rock bottom—he’s fresh out of rehab, lost too much weight to be an effective offensive lineman, and has no support system in place. The Bobcats staff suggests he get a life coach to keep him sober and get him back into playing shape, but Stephen says his girlfriend will help. Too bad he doesn’t have one…

Luckily for Stephen, he does have a housekeeper. Margaret has always dreamed of starting her own elite cleaning service, and the money Stephen offers her to play the part of girlfriend is too good to pass up. But while Mags is helping Stephen bulk up and get ready for training camp, she can’t seem to block the feelings crashing into her heart. And one night of passion will pull both of their heads out of the game.

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REVIEW: TAKES TWO TO TACKLE is the third installment in Jeanette Murray’s contemporary, adult SANTA FE BOBCATS erotic romance series focusing on the men and women of the Santa Fe Bobcats professional football team. This is offensive lineman Stephen Harrison, and housekeeper Margaret Logan’s storyline. TAKES TWO TO TACKLE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous storylines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives TAKES TWO TO TACKLE focuses on Stephen Harrison’s physical and emotional recovery following a three month stint at rehab for alcohol abuse. Without any means of personal support at home, Stephen lies to the Santa Fe Bobcat staff saying his ‘girlfriend’ will aid in his at-home recovery. Enter Margaret Logan-Stephen’s part time housekeeper- and the woman who will steal his heart. Stephen offers Margaret a business arrangement whereby he will double her wages if she pretends to be his live-in girlfriend. There is an expiry date on their ‘faux’ relationship, and with it will come heartbreak and the loss of friendship and love.

TAKES TO TWO TACKLE looks at the long road to recovery as Stephen’s cravings increase with exposure to his ‘drug’ of choice. While the other players enjoy a beer or two with friends, Stephen craves what it is he cannot have.

The relationship between Stephen and Mags begins as employee/employer to friends to something more. Mags (as she likes to be called) is a part time housekeeper for a number of Stephen’s teammates, and in this many of the players and their wives have grown close to the woman that Stephen wants to call his own. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive.

Many of the previous storyline couples and characters play secondary and supporting roles. We are re-introduced to Cassie and Trey (One Night With a Quarterback #1), and Aileen and Killian (Loving Him Off The Field #2). There is some personal trouble brewing for the Santa Fe Bobcats head coach, and his two youngest daughters will begin to act out accordingly, looking for support from an outside source. Cassie’s friend Anya arrives in time to save Mags from a fashion disaster. Anya and Josiah’s story is next-ROMANCING THE RUNNING BACK.

TAKES TWO TO TACKLE continues to focus on the Santa Fe Bobcats professional football team: the players, the girlfriends and wives, the staff, the media and game day excitement. Jeanette Murray pulls the reader into the locker room, onto the field, and behind the scenes as the players navigate the world of professional sports. We are witness to Stephen’s struggles as he endeavors to regain some of the weight and muscle he has lost, as well as staying sober to maintain his position on the team and a positive direction in life.

Jeanette Murray writes a story about two people with issues of betrayal; personal insecurities; and professional demons. The premise is entertaining with some moments of fun and humor; the characters are likeable, colorful and realistic; the romance is slow to build with a happily ever after.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Skin in the Game (Play Action #1) by Jackie Barbosa-a review

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SKIN IN THE GAME (Play Action #1) by Jackie Barbosa-a review

Skin in the Game

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 27, 2013

Angela Peterson was always the quiet, shy kid growing up in Harper Falls, crushing on the high school quarterback and honing her football strategy skills. Now grown up and coaching the high school team, she’s shocked when that same sexy quarterback returns to Harper Falls asks her back to his hotel room. And then tries to steal her job.

Injured NFL quarterback Cade Reynolds is in Harper Falls to take over as interim head coach, and he never thought the tall, blond bombshell he propositioned would offer up any resistance. Not to a repeat of the amazingly wild night they shared and certainly not to his coaching position.

But the Harper Falls High Eagles are Angie’s team, and even the hometown hero won’t take that away from her, no matter how hot he is. As the two engage in a battle of wits and wills, this is one game neither is prepared to lose.

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REVIEW: SKIN IN THE GAME is the first storyline in Jackie Barbosa’s new Play Action contemporary romance series. This is Angela and Cade’s storyline. This is not necessarily a friends to lovers or even a second chance storyline-but a story about two people who met briefly in high school and their lives would be forever changed. Angela is the ‘muse’ to Cade’s football career and the woman who would tackle his heart.

The storyline focuses on Cade’s second chance for a career (after a possible career ending injury)-both on and off the field. Returning home to Harper Falls he is immediately attracted to Angela-the one time geeky girl who is now the beautiful assistant coach and math teacher at Harper Falls High.

The attraction between the couple is immediate-in fact their sexual relationship begins within a few hours of meeting-only Cade does not remember the beautiful Angela and it will take a few days before his memory of Angela resurfaces. The sexual heat is spicy and the HEA is predictable but it is the in between that pushes the storyline into another direction.

The storyline also focuses on sexual discrimination and harassment at the hands of a fellow teacher and coach. Many women suffer the same fate as our heroine-working in a world controlled by men and fearing retribution should their complaints be heard. At times, the situation and her reluctance to take legal action was disheartening but the circumstances and her reasoning are probably experienced by more women than not.

The mains characters are likeable and relatable and because of the football backdrop to the story, fans of the sport will recognize the lingo and maneuvers.

Skin in the Game is a fast paced, interesting storyline about two people searching for something more in their lives. If you are a fan of football, romance and a HEA, Skin in the Game is the perfect read.

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Game for Marriage by Karen Erickson-a review

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GAME FOR MARRIAGE (Game For It #1) by Karen Erickson-a review

Game for Marriage

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

GOODREADS –About The Book: Released January 11, 2013

He’s going in deep to make her his…

Struggling artist Sheridan Harper never imagined she’d spend a sizzling night with Jared Quinn, the smoking-hot star quarterback of her local professional football team, the San Jose Hawks. And she’s even more shocked when Jared’s publicist offers her a proposition: a fake marriage to keep Jared out of the gossip mags. Being that close to Jared would be too tempting, so to protect her heart, she insists on secretly including a clause forbidding sex between them.

Jared just wants to keep his starting QB job and keep it in San Jose. His reputation as a ladies’ man has landed him in the headlines one too many times, but there’s something about his kind, passionate new wife that tempts him beyond reason. Any sort of intimacy between them is completely forbidden, but as their bodies fall in deep, will their hearts follow suit?

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REVIEW: GAME FOR MARRIAGE is the first storyline in Karen Erickson’s new Game For it series focusing on a team of professional football players and their love lives or lack there of. This is Jared and Sheridan’s storyline

Jared has a reputation as a lady’s man but one that has been tainted by a scandal that has rocked his team as well as his personal and public life. Hoping to clear up any misconceptions, the team publicist/lawyer hopes to arrange a ‘marriage of convenience’ where both parties will benefit in the end: Jared’s reputation healed and the ‘bride’ will come away with money to spare. Following a one night stand with struggling artist Sheridan Harper, Jared and his legal team propose a marriage of convenience whereby after one year, both will go their separate ways.

As you can image, this is a contemporary romance storyline and our married couple will eventually fall in love. But there are many hazards and complications involved with a marriage in name only especially the clause of ‘no sexual contact’ added by Sheridan. Hoping to keep the arrangement professional, Sheridan didn’t realize that her growing attraction to her new husband included losing her heart to a man now suffering on the playing field as well as in his personal life.

The relationship between Jared and Sheridan is sexually charged as well as filled with tension and some heartbreaking moments especially when Jared discovers the who behind the ‘ no sex ‘ clause. When their secret marriage is discovered to be a ruse separation seems to be the only answer–Jared will continue to suffer on the playing field and it will the woman who has stolen his heart that must rescue the man with whom she has fallen in love.

GAME FOR MARRIAGE is a cute, charming romantic storyline about two people who belong together but because of a clause in the contract must suffer the rejection and heartbreak that only true love will know. When they finally acknowledge their love for one another, the journey will have been well worth the reward. 

Copy supplied by the author.

Review by Sandy

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