New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg, is back with a heartfelt, standalone romance and a new hero to steal your heart . . . The contract with Major League Soccer was supposed to help repair my damaged reputation. Then I discovered that I’d made a deal with the devil: the player I’m supposed to recruit is none other than the bad boy, star Premier League footballer, Rush McKenzie. … boy, star Premier League footballer, Rush McKenzie.
British. Tattooed. Sexy. A man currently at the center of a huge scandal.
The goal? To convince him to stay in the States.
But what’s wrong with a little fun in the meantime? No strings. No sweet nothings. Just a way to pass the time while we’re both struggling to prove our true selves to the world.
If someone found out our relationship was anything more than professional, it would only serve to prove all our critics right.
***
I never should have agreed to take the fall.
But I did and I’m a man of my word.
Even if it means risking everything I’ve worked for.
The only bright side is Lennox Kincade.
Gorgeous. Defiant. Rumor-tainted. Totally off-limits.
Sharing a house with the gorgeous sports agent should have been a fun distraction from the turmoil. Someone to help pass the time while the tensions back home die down.
But what started as nothing, ends up as something I never saw coming.
Are you ready to fall for the Kincade sisters and then men who love them in K. Bromberg’s sexy, contemporary, sports romance series? These books can all be read as standalones, but you’ll enjoy reading them as a series!
Hard to Handle (Hunter & Dekker’s story – hockey romance)
Hard to Hold (Rush & Lennox’s story – soccer romance)
Hard to Score (Drew & Brexton’s story – football romance)
Hard to Lose (Gunner & Chase’s story – baseball romance)
Hard to Love (Finn & Stevie’s story)
more
My emotions are running high after reading Hard to Hold! K. Bromberg is at the top of her game with this book. Her words evoked so many feelings in me. Lennox and Rush’s story is so incredibly special. I fell hard for Rush. His past broke my heart and while I hate what he went through, I know that shaped him into the man he is now. Lennox is a girl who seems to have it all, the looks, the great family, the good job, but even having all that, she has kind of lost her way. The circumstances as to how their paths crossed wasn’t ideal, but it was meant to be. These two needed to meet, because I feel like it was their destiny to come into each others lives and help them settle the noise. Rush and Lennox have this special ingredient that made them magic! Their banter was hilarious and their chemistry was fire! I just love how easy everything was for these two. Not only that, I love how completely Lennox believed in Rush. And I also loved how completely Papa Kincaid and the Kincaid sisters believe in Lennox. I literally could feel the love pouring out of the pages of this book.
Hard to Hold is definitely 100% at the top of my favorite reads in 2020!
Awww mannn…
Make sure you go one click Hard to Hold by K. Bromberg on release day!!! Dang Rush and Lennox are now my fav couple!!! These 2 had the perfect push and pull that I crave now in my books!! Ohh such a hawt and sexy romance that I was about to have to use my fire extinguisher cuz some of these scenes were excruciatingly HOT!!! lol
So this is Lennox’s book. She is the next sister in this Play Hard series that Bromberg has written. Each book is a standalone but really, you have to read them all cuz they are sooo freaking good.
Of course I am such a sucker for sports themed books. I always love these bad boys that are so un-controllable until that special lady comes in the picture…and boom….she has them wrapped around their little finger!! Lol Of course there is lots of drama…that push and pull, that off the charts chase that Bromberg is soo amazzzzing at and of course the banter we all love before we get to that man being reeled in by this special lady!
5 “I really need more of Rush and Lennox Stars!!!”
Like you could write them forever K and I would keep reading every bit of their story!!! Just loved them!!
This is book #2 in the Play Hard series & follows Lennox Kincade (younger Kincade sister) but can also be read as a standalone. This is a sports romance focusing on soccer.
Lennox is known as the “beauty queen” sport agent who gets athletes to sign up under her by “putting out”. She is blonde, beautiful & along with that – Brings jealously from not just females but by the men in the sports industry. Lennox starts off the story feeling very lost & small. She feels like she doesn’t get the respect she deserves due to her looks & her past of “sleeping around”. She needs a break & decides to take a job in LA while staying with an old wealthy friend.
Upon arriving in LA to her friends house, she is greeted with a fully nude famous soccer player; Rush McKenzie, who has escaped Liverpool in England due to an awful media rumour being spread around that he has been sleeping with his captains wife. As soon as they meet, there is sexual chemistry & banter, and they find themselves being able to be quite open with each other & be themselves.
Rush & Lenn then realise they will be working quite closely together for the next 3 months, bringing them to get closer & finally give in to their lust. But what if lust brings out more in them then they thought? Especially as Rush is due to return to England within the 3 months meaning their “friends with benefits” term has an end date.
I really enjoyed the emotional relationship Rush & Lenn shared. Rush has a very emotional upbringing & past, and Lenn banged against that wall until she was let in. I love when I read a book & I can feel the characters emotions, & this happened in this book. I love this series & look forward in reading the newest book!
5/5 stars with 3/5 steam.
The second in K. Bromberg Play Hard series just gets hotter and hotter. We have Lennox next in the Kincaide family and boy this is one woman you don’t want to mess with right now. Being told that you not good at what you do and then saying you have no brains just looks is not something that comes easily for Lennox. I loved that even though her Dad is one tough PR owner and sisters are the same she is determined to pave her own way. Then we have Rush who unlike Lennox is trying to do right by all the wrongs that has happened recently. He is a great soccer player but also one with secrets and the public wants to know the truth. Lennox is exactly what he needs in his life and boy the chemistry between is nothing what they thought it will be like. It is so much more and sexy all the way. Cannot wait to see what happens with the next Kincaid sister.
“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”
OMG I LOVED THIS STORY !!!
Rush and Lennox are FIRE !
This is an amazing story between two characters who are perfect for eachother they have so much in common.Both have been misjudged by people and their character muddied by rumour.
Their chemistry and attraction is so strong from the moment they meet…and they find solace within eachother.
K Brombergs attention to detail,makes this story so believable its super sexy,emotional and totally magnificent.
Brilliant story.
Highly recommend it
5 football Stars.
A woman sports agent is talked into taking on a football player from England to persuade him to
stay and play soccer in the US after being accused of sleeping with his Liverpool teams captain’s
wife. Lennox a complex character shows the power of a determined woman in a man’s world. Here comes Rush Mackenzie the star of the Liverpool soccer team is basically hiding out in LA and trying to right his image. Together they overcome their pasts and the fears. Another winner from Ms. Bromberg.
“Hard to Hold” is the second book in the Play Hard series and is the story of Rush McKenzie and Lennox Kincade. Rush is a Major League Soccer player with a bad reputation, currently surrounded by a huge scandal. Lennox is a sports agent who agrees to take on the bad boy in hopes of recruiting him. Told in dual POV this book is loaded with passion, fun, family, steam, loss, love and selflessness. Who knew repaying an old debt could cause so many problems?
Sweet, emotional and oh-so-charming, Hard to Hold is a wonderful read.
This story is magical. It has all this beautiful elements that tie together to create a genuinely touching experience. With a beautiful balance between forging your own path and relaying on family to prop you up when you need a boost, self sacrifice and integrity, this romance will hit you in the FEELS.
5 stars and a sunset
Hard to Hold is another feather in the cap for K. Bromberg’s Play Hard series. I love strong women, and these stories about four sisters running their family’s sports management firm hit the spot.
Lennox is determined to succeed in a male-dominated industry, but things are made more difficult by her beauty pageant good looks and a nasty rumor that she sleeps with clients in order to sign them. When life gets overwhelming, Lennox’s wanderlust kicks in. This time she heads off to stay with a friend in California. Rush is a British star footballer who is trying to escape a scandal by running away to the same friend’s home in California. The rest, as they say, is history.
I absolutely loved Rush. He’s a genuinely nice, self-made man who comes from a dismal past. I respected his sense of honor and I admired Lennox’s integrity and her brains. There really isn’t any drama between the couple which is a nice change. There’s really good chemistry between them, even with the fade-to-black bedroom scenes.
We get to see more interactions between the sisters, which was something I sorely missed in the first book. I also really enjoyed the moments shared between Lennox and her dad. He knows her so well and loves her unconditionally. I wonder which sister will be next to find love.
Another wonderful contemporary romance from this talented author. I have yet to read a book of hers that hasn’t captured my imagination and kept me turning page after page. Hard to Hold is another great read. Rush and Lennox are a great couple, both devoted to their career, until circumstances and perhaps fate?, bring them together. What starts out as lust-at-first-sight quickly evolves to more, not that either of them would admit it. There’s more to these two than meets the eye. Rush is a British Soccer Superstar embroiled in a scandal. Lennox is an American ex-pageant girl turned Sports Agent with her own demons to slay. Their story is fresh, flirty, emotional, intense and brings with it all the great feels to make you smile, swoon and shed the occasional tear. A perfect read…grab it!
4.5 stars
K. Bromberg’s Hard to Hold is the second interconnected standalone in her Play Hard Series and just kind of really blew my mind in the best way possible. I’m not sure what I was expecting from this novel, but I got so much more that I bargained for.
Lennox Kincade is on a mission to prove that she’s more than just a pretty face at her family’s company. As a sports agent, she’s used to the whispers and the sexism, but that doesn’t make them any easier to deal with. So when she has the opportunity to take a temporary job apart from her family’s agency, she jumps at it. Footballer Rush McKenzie is on a mission too, to hide from the press. He’s taken the fall for something he didn’t do, and has run off to another country to escape the fallout. Their attraction is undeniable, but getting involved would be all sorts of complicated. And the last thing that either of them needs at the moment is complicated.
When reading the blurb for this book, I kind of expected your typical “bad boys meets good girl” sports story. This isn’t that by a long stretch. And I’m really happy about that, because what Bromberg gives us is something so much deeper than that, so much more interesting that that. Rush is such a wonderfully complicated hero, and Lennox his perfect foil. I’m still processing all of the complicated facets of this narrative, including bits that I did even remotely see coming. The plot constantly surprised me, and I give my kudos to Bromberg for taking a great idea and writing something extraordinary.
This book is a lot more angsty than I was expecting, but my goodness is there also steamy amazingness and surprising moments of wit and humor. Do yourselves all a favor and read the first book in the series and then this one. You won’t regret it.
One word comes to mind after reading K. Bromberg’s Hard To Hold, and that’s spectacular!! Loved the spunky and sassy attitude! It felt like I was internally cheering! I laughed, giggled, and rejoiced when all worked out! Heartwarming! A slow and steady burn! Sensual and understanding! Fantastic story!
The main characters of K. Bromberg’s “Hard to Hold,” Lennox and Rush, were both incredibly likeable and well-developed. They had a lot more in common than was immediately apparent, and it was easy for me to understand why they were drawn to each other. They were both stuck in highly complex situations that made pursuing a relationship a bad idea, but neither of them could resist the pull of the attraction between them or the feelings that crept up on them as they spent more time together. Unfortunately, Rush’s plans to return to England to get his football career back on track and Lennox’s need to return to her family’s sports management firm in New York meant that their time together had a built-in expiration date. Could they possibly make a relationship work over the long term?
Both Lennox and Rush had a lot of baggage to work through over the course of this story, and I really empathized with each of them. It was clear that they were both so much more than their reputations! I particularly adored Rush because he was secretly so sweet and compassionate. The way he interacted with his young fans, especially the boy whose single mother reminded him of his own mother, was heartwarming. Lennox was a good match for Rush because she saw the parts of himself he tried to keep hidden and helped him see that he was worth fighting for. In return, Rush grounded Lennox and helped calm some of the wanderlust she felt because she found a home in him.
Lennox’s father and sisters were excellent secondary characters in this story, and I am very much looking forward to the remaining books of the series, which will feature Lennox’s sisters Brexton and Chase. Lennox and Rush’s mutual friend Johnny was also an intriguing character, and I wouldn’t mind learning more about him in a future story.
Overall, I loved “Hard to Hold” and highly recommend it for all fans of emotional contemporary romance. I look forward to whatever K. Bromberg writes next!
*Review copy provided by the author via Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.
NO SPOILERS!
I absolutely loved Rush and Lennox’s story in Hard to Hold! It was a sexy, emotional, swoon-worthy, and entertaining standalone sports romance in the Play Hard series from K. Bromberg. I definitely can’t wait to read the rest of this series in the last two books to come!
The storyline was somewhat predictable but kept me entertained from start to finish. Sports romance is one of my favorite tropes, and I’ve really enjoyed learning more about the sports management aspect in this series so far.
The characters were phenomenal. I instantly fell head over heels in love with Rush and Lennox, and that love only grew as the story progressed. Rush had the biggest heart and was totally book boyfriend material. He completely won me over and had the perfect balance of cockiness and swoon. Lennox was a strong, independent yet vulnerable heroine with a heart of gold and an immense sense of loyalty. She also had a wonderful family that I can’t wait to get to know better in the books to come. Rush and Lennox had off the charts chemistry together, and I loved how their relationship progressed throughout. The ending was perfect and made me so happy.
Hard to Hold was a sexy, swoon-worthy, emotional, and entertaining standalone sports romance that you don’t want to miss! Rush and Lennox’s story is a MUST READ, and I can’t wait to continue the Play Hard series in Hard to Score and Hard to Lose next year!
K. Bromberg delivers all you want in a sports romance with a British bad boy soccer star and an ex-beauty queen in forced proximity. They’re running from scandal straight into happily ever after!
The contract with Major League Soccer was supposed to help repair my damaged reputation.
Then I discovered that I’d made a deal with the devil: the player I’m supposed to recruit is none other than the bad boy, star Premier League footballer, Rush McKenzie.
What can I say, another exceptional brilliant read, I absolutely loved this book, the story line was so addictive and engrossing, the characters were very lovable and their chemistry together was wonderful with some really hot (awful sex lol) I had this on audiobook and the narrators really brought this story alive.
Loved this sports romance from K. Bromberg!! Lennox and Rush were sultry. I love when the main characters don’t get on at first sight. It’s adds something to the story. This was exactly as that. Rush MacKenzie is every good girl’s bad boy dream. Sexy, British accent and a footballer. Lennox is a badass woman who is a sports agent.
I really loved this story – it was complex and refreshing.
‘I really like kissing this man.’ OMG this novel is hot!!!! The first novel of this series has nothing on this one. Fireworks are everywhere for Rush and Lennox.
Rush is in hiding from a massive scandal running ramped in the UK. He plays football ‘soccer’ and has been rumoured to be getting down and dirty with someone’s wife. He is very enticing. Wink wink!
Lennox just had to over hear some fellow agents spreading awesome gossip about her personal and professional life. So she does what any female does and flips the middle finger. She also takes an temporary assignment blind. Whoa.
Hello fireworks for this couple. Rush and Lennox have the same mild problem but enough freedom to have some short term fun.
I love how these two characters brought the chemistry while giving this reader all the feels! I’m excited to see how this author can top this one!
Hard to Hold blew me away. It was fabulous. A total standalone, but I am so glad I read the first in the series, Hard to Handle, as it introduced us to the four Kincade sisters (Chase, Dekker, Lennox, and Brexton) and their father who own and operate a successful sports management agency, KSM.
In book two, Lennox is our heroine and I couldn’t admire her more. She is smart and savvy, and is a total badass with class and sass. I love a woman who can put a man in his place without degrading herself, and this girl has it all. She’s confident and vulnerable at the same time, and just searching for what feels right to her professionally and personally. In need of a rest and to clear her head, she heads from NYC to LA to stay with her college friend, Johnny for a while and to explore a career opportunity.
Premier Footballer Rush McKenzie crosses the pond and is also in LA, laying low at Johnny’s house (yup same Johnny), after a scandal hits in his hometown of Liverpool, England. Sparks fly and the pages heat up when Lennox and Rush first meet, and I just love every single one of their interactions and getting to know their backstory which is told so beautifully. The author sure knows her sports and writes it so well you feel as if you are there. I loved these two working together to help bring awareness to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, and how close they grew working side by side and living in the same house with all of that tension! So many sexy times!!
Rush is such a stand-up guy with great character and there is not one little thing that I did not like about this man. His early years will tear at your heart, but they only made him stronger and more appreciative for all his blessings. He has such a giant heart, and I loved how he let down his guard and trusted Lennox which was not easy to do knowing she is a sports agent and could be recruiting him.
Lennox also had great character and could have used her beauty and charm to her advantage but did not. I so admire how she took the high road and didn’t compromise her morals and ethics and how she had to work through some difficult decisions and her peers’ judgements. I also really admired how she handled herself, how honest she was with her feelings, and how close she was to her sisters and her father. His words to her were so warm and endearing. She’s all grown up, but still his little girl and I love how he gave her wings to fly but was still protective. Hopefully dad will find love too in a future book! I’d date him for sure!
I loved getting the flashbacks into the past to help us better understand Rush and the family who took him in when he had nothing. His journey from a boy to a man and his relationship with his “brother” Rory, has such an impact on his life, and the author kept me thoroughly engaged and filled with emotion on every single page.
I loved, loved, loved the ending and how they both made sacrifices for the other’s happiness. I loved how fiercely Lennox defended Rush and how she believed in him from their very first meeting, and how open-minded and wise she was. Rush was a true romantic at heart, loving her with all his might and I smiled during the entire epilogue.
I am so looking forward to reading the next two books as her sisters find love, and just hope Finn, Rush’s sleazeball agent, gets what’s coming to him (I was hoping he was involved with the second scandal to hit poor Rush somehow and lost his license to be an agent and gets tossed in jail.) Every book needs a villain and in this series it’s self-serving Finn.
Rush and Lennox have the best story that was filled with all the build up and angst and feels. The amount of detail in this book was pure perfection which made me feel like I was right in the middle of the story living it with the characters. My heart truly broke for Rush’s upbringing and all he went through and where he felt his loyalties were. I could completely relate with Lennox and her wanderlust.
Magical read