The New York Times bestselling author of Big Girl Panties is back with a funny, sweet, and sizzling novel about love, redemption, and second chances.
Heartthrob star quarterback Tyson Palmer has it all: a million-dollar arm, a winning season and the promise of a Superbowl ring. But more importantly, football’s biggest star is the ultimate comeback kid. After an addiction to painkillers nearly … addiction to painkillers nearly derailed his career, Tyson got sober and went from zero to hero in the eyes of the public.
But one person remains unconvinced: Dani Carr, a sports commentator with high ratings and following of her own.
Dani can’t forgive Tyson’s transgressions or forget a single passionate night with him back in college. To make things worse, Tyson doesn’t realize that the bombshell with huge ratings is the cute co-ed whose heart he once broke.
But can a sports journalist trying to claw her way to the top and a quarterback who knows all about rock bottom make it to the Super Bowl without destroying each other? And what will happen when Tyson—riding high now that he’s revived his career—realizes he needs to make an even more important comeback with Dani? Can he use his million-dollar moves to get past her defenses—or will she sideline him for good?
Stephanie Evanovich is a full-fledged Jersey girl from Asbury Park and the New York Times bestselling author of Big Girl Panties and The Sweet Spot.
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A nice, easy, and uplifting read.
This was a fun way to pass a day at the beach. There’s nothing to heavy or too unpredictable, but the characters are interesting and the story moves right along. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Enjoyed this book…
When you are young, it is all about being popular and being popular makes you full of yourself—most of the time. For Tyson, it was his circle down the rabbit hole into drugs and addiction and the total lack of respect for himself and women. Evanovich really captures the dredges with this story, allowing readers to feel emotionally attached to the characters, enough to want to see them through their trials. It isn’t easy and it isn’t pretty, but there can be a savoir if one can admit that they need to be saved.
Tyson Palmer is a football player, one who has been through the ringer and can’t remember half of his young adult life due to his addiction with drugs and alcohol. Meeting beautiful blondes and sleeping with them—that was on the regular. When the owner of a national football team comes to barter with his future, Tyson doesn’t know if he’s legit. Tyson will get an all-expenses-paid road to recovery and all he has to do—is win a Superbowl. That should be a piece of cake right? Flanked by two fairly large goons decked out in black, what other option does he have other than to agree that would be possible, even if he was sober?
Dani Carr is the one blonde that finds her way back into Tyson’s life. How did that happen when she had the whole world to travel with her dreams of broadcasting? Was it fate or just a cruel joke that she was picked to cover that team? Seeing a sober Tyson after four years—and after keeping some pretty big secrets—guilt nags at Dani. Could Tyson really have turned his life around from the person he used to be? The one who used her for sex and left her alone in a motel room like trash? Feeling that it would be hopeless to even get to know this new Tyson, she tries to keep her distance, but then surprises her by calling her an old nickname. The only thought that crosses her mind when the realization hits is—can she run fast enough away from him before getting hurt for the second time?
Evanovich has a fantastic romantic comedy, filled with creativity, light humor and credibility. The characters are believable, filled with emotional turmoil and interesting to read about. Everyone has their own demons to deal with and get over—and that is exactly what Evanovich relays in this story. Even though tough times arise, the ability to get back up once rock bottom has been reached is strength. If you have the strength to do that, you can achieve the unattainable—and in this book—the unattainable is true forgiveness. If you are a reader of romantic comedies with light sports talk, you may be interested in picking this book up.
This book was purchased by Turning Another Page in a local bookstore and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating to The Total Package by Stephanie Evanovich.
Dani Carr has had a thing for star quarterback Tyson Palmer since she first laid eyes on him, but those feelings were never really returned, instead all she got was the opportunity to tutor him and a permanent spot in the friend zone. Spending everyday with him and knowing he didn’t feel the same way was excruciating on her heart, but she never let it show, and just tried to do all she could to help him keep his grades up. After he begins a downward spiral with the help of drugs, Dani thinks she maybe the one person able to save him, but that idea is short lived after he sends her away with a broken heart. After college she made her move to the big leagues, and made a name for herself by calling the games from the sidelines as a reporter, full well knowing that at some point she may run into the quarterback that broke her heart all those years ago. She has long since tried to bury her feelings for him and put on a brave face, but the minute she sets foot on the Mavericks field and his eyes land on her everything she once felt for him all comes rushing back…
Tyson Palmer has always been the center of attention, in college being the star quarterback came with it’s privileges, including plenty of booze and willing women. After indulging a little too much Tyson finds himself spiraling out of control and losing his starting spot on the team. People soon cast him aside and his dreams of playing in the NFL are slowly starting to slip away, no team wants a has been with a drug and alcohol problem. That is until the Austin Mavericks owner decides to step in and offer Tyson the chance of a lifetime, he offers Tyson the help he needs to get clean, and then offers him a job. Tyson doesn’t have anything else to lose so he accepts the offer, and soon finds himself once again front and center in the spotlight, and playing the game he loves. With everything in his life moving in the right direction, he begins to look forward to his future, and the idea of eventually finding himself a wife, and having a family of his own. Which starts to bring back memories of beautiful girl he met in college whose always had a special place in his heart, he’d give anything to see her smiling face again…
This is beautifully written story captured my attention almost immediately and had me flying right through the pages in search of what I hoped to be a well deserved happily ever after for two well crafted characters who captured my heart right from the start. Ms. Evanovich has totally won me over with this story and found herself a well earned spot on my favorite authors list. This story had all the makings of a perfect romance story, it was packed with heart, emotion, and lots of toe curling romance… and a handsome football star that is sure to score a special place in your heart!!
Highly recommend you give this one a try, it is sure to warm your heart, and satisfy all of your reading cravings…and then some!!