If you’ve ever seen your teenage crush ten years later, and he turns out to be a complete jerk, then you know how Molly Ward feels. The last time she saw Noah Griffin was the regrettable day that she decided to climb into his bedroom window and turn her unrequited crush into something more. That day was bad enough, but things are about to get worse. Noah has become one of the best football … of the best football players in the country, and he’s just landed on Molly’s front step.
As a new addition to the Washington Wolves roster, Noah’s presence is the key to Molly’s promotion in the front office.
The problem is, Noah wants nothing to do with Molly, and his surly attitude is making her job very difficult.
But he’s got another thing coming if he thinks Molly will be intimidated by one grumpy football player, no matter how much he hates being around her.
Once these two go head to head, their mutual dislike explodes into undeniable chemistry. But with what they have at stake, they just might detonate everything else along with it.
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Whew! Karla did IT and so much more!
When I finished The Marriage Effect, I was completely devastated that I wouldn’t be getting more Washington Wolves content BUT Karla brought the whole crew back for what looks to be another awesome series! Now you don’t see a lot of interaction between the characters other than Logan and his crew, but this book and its series are based in the same amazing universe and it’s just as great!
Now to the book…YALL! I knew when we saw the small glimpse of Noah and Molly in The Marriage Effect that I wanted more! Noah’s life seemed so interesting at such a young age and poor Molly had my heart. And it was so much better to see Noah end up on the Washington Wolves with the grumpy and growly Logan as a coach! I knew there was bound to be some tension between the two and y’all Logan is still the overprotective hotty he was in The Marriage Effect, but this time Noah is older and just as growly!
And don’t get me started on Noah and Molly…or do! When they are thrown back together years later to work on a project, the spark comes right back! Well for Molly it does…Logan is still the driven football player with blinders on. His career is the most important thing to him, but when he is forced to spend most of his days with Molly old thoughts are destined to come back. And when I say that this was one hot pair, I’m not lying! And just like when they were younger, there are so many obstacles keeping them apart, but they are both two extremely stubborn characters when they want to be and are bound to eventually be together! Especially under the stars in South Dakota!
This book with have you laughing, loving, and completely losing yourself in it! You will fall in love with Noah and Molly and honestly Karla and her writing too! She’s such an amazing author and I can’t get enough of her characters! The Ward Sisters are also sure to steal your heart and I can’t wait to read each one of their stories! This is 100% a five star read for me!
Molly Ward hasn’t seen the boy who used to live next door since she got caught climbing through his bedroom window when she was a teenager trying to turn her crush into something more. Fast-forward ten years, and Noah Griffin is back in Molly’s world. As the newest edition to the Washington Wolves roster, Noah is the key to advancing Molly’s career.
Noah doesn’t want anything to do with Molly Ward. Sure, she’s beautiful, but after she climbed in his window when they were teenagers, he realized he needed to focus on the one thing he could control in his life, football. And for the last 10 years, he has succeeded. However, when he and Molly are forced to work in a closer capacity than he wanted, he realizes that the Molly is a force all her own, and hard to ignore. Both have something on the line, are they willing to risk it and give in to the undeniable chemistry they have?
Holy hotness. Noah Griffin is the epitome of control and nothing brought me more joy than Molly knocking down the walls he built around himself and helping him lose some of that control! This book was full of white-hot chemistry and the back and forth banter between Molly and Noah was amazing!! Their unconventional start made this book that much more enjoyable for me! Absolute perfection, I am so ready for book 2!
3.5 stars
A broody hero, a strong heroine, and some white hot chemistry. I appreciated the unique plot, and also enjoyed the supporting characters.
Focused by Karla Sorensen is a slow burn, contemporary, enemies to friends to lovers, sports romance told in first person, dual POV.
When Molly Ward’s new boss implies that the only reason she has her job is because her brother is a famous football legend, she’s determined to prove herself. So when Molly’s selected to oversee a special project, failure is not an option. Not even when it means working closely with Noah Griffin, her former crush, the older guy she tried to seduce when she was sixteen, the guy whose football career could have been ruined if they hadn’t been interrupted. They may have to work together, but does Noah have to be such a jerk? Molly didn’t ask for this assignment. Noah hasn’t seen Molly in years and doesn’t really want anything to do with her. He eats, lives, breathes football, and has no room for distractions. What will happen as Noah and Molly are forced to spend time together? Read the book to find out.
I loved Molly and Noah’s story. They were both well-developed, loveably flawed characters. They had a chemistry that sizzled beneath the surface. I enjoyed the way their relationship progressed and grew throughout the book. A sweet, sexy, highly recommended read.
4.5 Stars
I was super excited that Logan’s sisters from The Marriage Effect are getting stories. This is the first sister. Diving into this brought everything back that happened when Molly was a teen. I knew I was in for a great book and I wasn’t disappointed. I could hardly put this down. Noah and Molly’s past wasn’t a great one, but now years later fate has put these two back in each other’s orbit. It’s going to be awkward and uncomfortable, but neither planned on what was to come next. I love the Ward family and getting to dive back into their lives made my day. Seeing Logan and Paige in the HEA made my heart so happy. Seeing the girls grown and adults is a little mind blowing. Molly and Noah’s story is so good. It was everything I was looking forward to. Noah is called “The Machine” in the football world, but is he letting life pass him by? A new adventure with his new team is setting him on path he never thought was in his future. The moments between Molly and Noah are sweet and adorable. The set up for the next Ward sister has me eagerly awaiting it. I cant wait for more!!
New author to me, New series to love, First book of the decade. There was a bit of pressure on Focused being the first read for the year, it kicks starts the books I will read for the year and I must say that I was not disappointed. I loved Molly and Noah separately and together. Reading their story was a delight. Both haunted a bit from a mistake in their past they both have grown and moved on from it, however even so many years later they still have some intense chemistry.
From the first page I was sucked in and I couldn’t wait to read more and more. Putting Focused down was not really an option because I just had to get to the end. Love this story, the character and I can’t wait to read more by this author!
-Mackenzie
Such a fun, romantic read. I love everything Washington Wolves and Karla Sorensen.
Every time I think that Karla Sorensen has written my favorite book, she writes another that’s even better! Focused was absolutely hands down one of the best books I have read in a long time, it continues the story of the Washington Wolves with the next generation of players! You do not want to miss this one
Noah & Molly are amazing together!
This was a perfect way to start the New Year! This book has truly won my heart over.
When the past comes into your present, it can either be a second chance or lots of pain. Noah and Molly are truly a perfect combination and their story will keep you you engaged and wanting more!
I am so looking forward to more of this series!
A surprisingly heart-tugging story and romance that had me falling in love with football phenom Noah “The Machine” and the young girl-turned-woman that once crushed all over him.
Seeing their romance blossom was slow-burningly sweet and I enjoyed every bit of it.
I think this might have been my first Karla book, but it certainly won’t be my last!
Karla Sorensen never fails to capture my attention. After meeting Logan in The Marriage Effect, I couldn’t wait to continue the Ward family story! Molly and Noah bring all the feels. Loved peeling back Noah’s exterior layer by layer.
4.5 Brilliant Stars!
Focused by Karla Sorensen is more like a second chance/hate to love/sports romance that is going to have you smiling, and your heart melting.
Molly is impulsive, fun, and is good at her job.
Noah’s priority is nothing more than football, to the point that his dedication, and love to his career goes so far as to choose to become celibate for the past few years. However, deep inside he’s caring, sweet, and passionate when need it be.
Molly and Noah balanced each other, are fabulous together, and are swoon-worthy! The plot is interesting and the dialogue very entertaining with lots of fun witty banter.
I hate spoilers, so I won’t go into any details myself because you deserve being able to savor and enjoy great stories, and this one is it. This is a slow burn romance you will definitely enjoy!
3.5 stars
“That was always what Molly had been to me. A weapon of mass destruction, testing every limit I’d ever given myself.”
This was my first book by Karla Sorensen and it surely wasn’t my last. Even though I had some minor issues with it, this book was quite an entertaining and enchanting read.
The writing style captured my interest in this story right from the beginning, and once attached to the characters, I couldn’t put it down.
Loving these two characters came so easily and I was quite sad when the book ended. I could have read on and on for a few more hours.
“Falling in love with you is the greatest thing I’ve ever done, Molly Ward.”
However, I wished for a few more things to give this story a little more depth. I couldn’t quite catch why Noah became the way he did. Like what exactly did this first encounter 10 years ago and the uprooting with the move do to him, that he became so focused on football and nothing else around it? What influence has his father and their relationship? I loved the person Noah became around Molly, but who was he before that? I also wished for a little more resistance and a little more “bully” behavior (like pushing Molly more/harder away).
And there were some other smaller parts in their dynamic relationship I wished for a little more deep dive or for the characters to question things more.
“Because sometimes, the best things in life come straight from your blind side.”
Focused was a lovely romance with enticing characters that won my heart over with ease.
“Because sometimes, the best things in life come straight from your blind side.”
Focused is a contemporary, sports romance book from another new to me author. This is a standalone, written in dual POV, and that will feature each Ward sister, starting with Molly and the grumpy, stoic man she had a crush on, Noah.
The story started with Molly being given a challenge by her new boss, to prove her worth at the Washington Wolves, where consequently her famous brother works too. She was more than prepared to prove her mettle until a complication in the form of Noah, a transfer from other team, that she had to work with closely in this new marketing project. It would have been fine, if there wasn’t that embarrassing moment when she was sixteen and Noah were a college boy, to be caught nearly in compromising situation by Noah’s father. With the fear of losing his football scholarship due to what happened, Noah has changed. His focused went entirely to football. No distractions whatsoever, and that includes no women. That earned him the name “The Machine”, in and out of football scene. But now that they have to work together, will they put aside their past?
What I loved about this is the slow burn of romance between the main characters. There was no insta love, crazy chemistry, and all that jazz. I don’t mind all of those, but I love to spice up my reading and this book just about cleanse my palate from the usual growly, bully, alpha males. Noah is a steadfast character. I admire his laser focus and knows what he wants, when he wants. Molly is perfect for his character because she is not afraid of his personality and speaks the language of his heart too. I loved the family and friendship love that I’ve witnessed in this story and even the side characters. They also added a depth and fun factor to this book in their own way.
Loved it and couldn’t wait to read another Ward sister story!
I loved everything about this enchanting story. Noah and Molly are perfect together, it just takes Noah a while to get his priorities straight. This is a well a written story with characters that were easy to relate to and also has entertaining secondary characters. I enjoyed everything about this engaging sports romance and fell in love with Noah. He is a sexy football player so consumed with the game, he doesn’t realize there is more in life than football, until he meets Molly. I can’t wait to read stories about the Washington Wolves.
Molly and Noah had history. Their present threw them back together. I loved how Molly was willing to take a risk that could her future in a big way. She was trying to prove herself but felt that pull. Noah was so focused on his life that his priorities were a bit skewed. I enjoyed his revelation that there was more to life because of Molly. The acceptance and support from family members made this a good read. I look forward to the next story in this series.
I received a copy of this story through Enticing Journey Book Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
Molly is still attracted to Noah!
Molly Ward had a crush on the college football player next door but Molly hadn’t seen him since his father moved away after she had gotten in trouble (The Marriage Effect: Washington Wolves Book 3). Molly was working for the Wolves in the marketing department when she is tasked to be the contact for a new series covering a new player the team had signed. Only one problem, the new player is Noah Griffin, the football player she had a crush on and she signed a no fraternization policy for the new series. And Molly is still attracted to Noah but she doesn’t want to lose her job.
When I signed up for this book I was just excited that Karla was bringing out a new book. When I started it and realised who it was about I got even more excited! We met Noah and Molly in her brother Logan’s book The Marriage Effect and I fell in love with his sisters then. We got to see the start of Noah and Molly’s story!
Flash forward 10 years after their disasterious flirtation their paths are set to cross again and only time will tell if it will end in disaster or not.
Molly is not the rebellious sixteen year old any more, she’s matured and has a job she loves. She’s fought hard to get where she is within the Washington Wolves Football club. Now she has a new boss and is desperate to prove that she has the job on her own merits not because her brother is now the Coach.
Noah has always been football focused. His nickname is the Machine, he doesn’t let anything or anyone distract him from his football. He almost let his life get flipped upside down by the Vixen next-door Molly but since then he has been tunnel visioned. Now ten years on his is back in town and having to face daily the only girl that can shift his focus.
I simply adored watching the relationship and love blossom between Molly and Noah, it was so beautiful watching this stoic man come alive and actually let people in. All he needed was the right girl, someone with strength and compassion to draw him out of his self imposed box.
Well done Karla, you outdid yourself on this one and I can’t wait to see what you are going to do next with the terrible twins, im part scared and excited.
OMG This book is EVERYTHING and MORE!!! I loveeed it so so much!! the tension and chemistry between Noah and Molly was sooo amazing!! Once you start reading this book you can stop it!! I have been so excited for this series and after reading this one I’m more excited!!
Karla did an amazing job writing this story!! I’m so excited for the next one!!
Focused will leave you with all of the good feels! I love the quirky characters, even ones I want to punch in the junk. A heart-warming story about second chances and pursuing your dreams. Noah is my new favorite book boyfriend of 2020! I absolutely loved this story from start to finish and highly recommend it if you’re a sports romance fan.