She can’t let him score…Call it superstition, but when a guy bats as hot as Brooks Elliott, you don’t mess with what’s working. And what’s working is him keeping his pants zipped and doing all of his scoring on the field.So when I hear he’s planning to ditch his V-card now that he’s been traded to baseball’s lovable losers—aka my home team and my reason for living every March through October—I … living every March through October—I do what any rational, dedicated, obsessed fan would do.
I make a plan to stop him.
But the thing about stopping him is that it requires spending time with him.
Lots. And lots. And lots of time.
And the more time I spend with him, the more I like him. Not as the guy who’s going to help save my favorite team and finally bring home a championship ring, but as the guy who’s helping me in my quest to bring back the team’s old mascot. Who also loves making pancake and bacon sandwiches. And who would do almost anything for his love of the game.
But after all this time of jock-blocking him…do I even have a chance?
And if I do, are we both destined to a life of celibacy in the name of winning?
Jock Blocked is a home run of a feel-good romantic comedy featuring the world’s most superstitious sports fan, baseball’s oldest virgin hero, a rogue meatball, an adorable puppy with a cussing problem, and the best lovable losers. It stands alone and comes with a happily ever after more satisfying than a game-winning grand slam.
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FUNNY AND FUN AND SEXY
Love the light and fun touch on this sexy story! Just the right thing for a summer read!
Title: Jock Blocked
Author: Pippa Grant
Format: Ebook
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Sports (baseball), virgin hero
Standalone: Yes
Part of a Series: Book 1 of the Copper Valley Fireballs
POV: Mackenzie and Brooks
Steam Level: Slow Burn to toasty
5/5
Pippa Grant does it again in Jock Blocked! Fans of Pippa Grant will love seeing more of her characters from earlier books. Jock Blocked is full of asthma-attack-inducing laughs, urges to google echidnas to see if they really have four-headed…, and what exactly did they do with that dil… And the text messages, phone hacks, life hacks, superstitions, and talking dog collar. I just can’t. It must be a hilariously frightening place to be in Pippa Grant’s head. I’m so glad I discovered her and she has become an author I auto buy.
Why is it, that every book of Pippa’s that I read, I snort laugh and say, “This is the best book ever. It’s going to be my favorite.”
Jock blocked, is about the worlds biggest Fireball’s baseball fan, who is on a mission to save Firey the dragon after an untimely illness, that has him removed as the Fireball’s mascot. Her “Firey forever “campaign, has a lot of backing and she will stop at nothing to saved him.
When the team acquires Brooks Elliott, he is supposed to be one of the best hitters in the league. He’s a thirty year old virgin, who has a superstition, if he even gets close to rounding second, will mess up his game.
When he is traded, to a team with the worst record in the league, he figures that it doesn’t matter anymore if he can hit the ball, so he might as well go for it.
The only problem with that is, MacKenzie Montana, knows his secret and will do anything to make sure that her team wins, including cock blocking him and helping him to see, that her team is worth fighting for.
She has so much hope, that it has turned into belief. It’s so strong, that it’s like breathing for her.
This is a hilarious story, that will have you snort laughing from beginning to the end. With a adopted dog named Cocoa Puff, who has a collar that swears every time he barks, until he gets one with positive affirmations.
I also, love how it ties all the old characters into the story.
If this is your first book by Pippa Grant, you won’t be disappointed.
If your a “Pippa Forever” fan, you will love adding this story to your collections.
If I could live in the Pippa-Verse, I’d have all the flaming meatballs I could pack on a dolphin cruise, eat popcorn one kernel at a time (or not, depending on the current baseball situation), and most importantly, I would always know I’ll get to my happily-ever-after, laughing all the way.
Jock Blocked starts with a meatball and ends with a bang. All the pages in between will make you laugh until you wish it would never, ever end.
There is so much goodness and awesomeness in this book, I am having a hard time encompassing all the love in one review.
“You’re Nutella-covered bacon in a baked chicken breast world.”
In true Pippa Grant fashion, Jock Blocked is an action packed rom-com with hilarious laugh out loud moments, plenty of swoon and steam, love, cuteness and crazy pants shenanigans.
The story evolves around the Copper Valley professional baseball team – The Fireballs – that, after disastrous couple of seasons, is under new management and trying gain momentum in the league.
Our protagonists, Brooks Elliot, a baseball pro traded to Fireballs by his New York team, and Mackenzie Montana, the biggest, most enthusiastic Fireballs fan, first meet when Mackenzie’s stealing a Meatball Mascot Costume and Brooks has just arrived to join his new team.
So, what’s with the Meatball mascot you ask? You see, the new team owners decided to retire Fiery the Dragon and as a marketing stint organize a public vote to choose a new mascot. The four contenders? Meaty the Meatball, Spike the Echidna, Glow the Firefly and Firequacker the Duck.
#Spike4Life here, by the way.
And then – there is Coco Puff
Brooks adopts this adorable ball of cuteness cavapoo after a publicity shoot with the local animal shelter; and the puppy just stole my heart! He has a misbehaving collar, that is preprogrammed with naughty phrases and every time he barks it gives us a hilariously inappropriate one liner.
Throughout the book we get to visit with our favorite Pippaverse characters and catch up on their magnificent lives, we meet the untraditional awesome parents who brought up Mackenzie to be the amazing human she is, and get introductions to the Fireballs players and their families.
Mackenzie is running a hugely successful campaign to bring Fiery the Dragon back, and as the team’s #1 fan attends all games and pre and post game events, where she starts exploring a relationship with Brooks. He is trying to come to grips with the fact his New York team traded him and his game is suffering due to number of perceived superstitions and his hurt over the trade. Is Mackenzie going to be able to help him regain his mojo? Will the Fireballs come back and rule the league once again? Will Mackenzie succeed in her campaign to bring Fiery back?
Pick up Jock Blocked today and find out! I couldn’t recommend it more!!!!
Oh my goodness. I just loved, loved, loved this book. Brooks and Mackenzie’s love story has all the feels. This book has the perfect blend of sweet tear up a little heart squeezing love, fan your face, clench your thighs a bit sexy and side splitting, pee a little bit in your pants funny. We have the geeky tongue tied sanitation engineer and the gorgeous sexy pro baseball player who definitely do not seem like they could be soulmates, at least on paper. Mackenzie has a lot on her plate – trying to keep Brooks from losing his virginity and thereby tanking the Fireballs shot at not being the worst baseball team in the country all the while trying to single handedly bring back the team’s old mascot. Brooks is busy trying to get his life back where it was before he was traded far away from his family and the team he thought he’d retire from all the while he’s trying to get laid for the first time. The intersection and cross purposes of their goals is just the start of the hilarity. Plus there is an adorable puppy. Sprinkled liberally throughout this beautifully paced story of Brooks and Mackenzie’s HEA, there are also a number of characters from the Pippa Universe in this book. It is okay if you have not yet read the love stories of these characters though. They are woven seamlessly into this story so rather than being overwhelming or detracting from the main love story, these characters are beautiful (hilarious) additions to the unfurling of Brooks and Mackenzie’s dance of love, passion and hilarity. With Jock Blocked Pippa Grant once again proves she’s the queen of rom-coms. Plus who would not want a bacon Nutella pancake sandwich.
A humorous, sweet, adorable and heartwarming story. Brooks and Mackenzie are absolutely meant to be together. Their cute banter, their chemistry and their friendship is simply perfection. I enjoyed everything about this story.
My first Pippa book and I’m never going back. I have never cackled so much during a story. This story is truly laugh out loud worthy. When I saw the synopsis of the story, I loved that main male character is a virgin. That is so hard (pardon the pun) to find. And Mackenzie is a hoot. As a huge sports fan, I 100% understand and support her superstitions. Brooks and Mackenzie are super sweet and hot together.
Gosh such a great book to start what ended up being an ever greater series The Copper Valley Fireballs, awesome characters and even more awesome fictional characters in the mascots that are up for “choosing’ when the Fireballs Mascot is “given time off”.
Brook Elliots, Copper Valley’s Baseball Virgin, who has set out that this season he is going to lose his V Card. Well that is until MacKenzie (we meet in previous Geekheart book ) decides it is her job to make sure that he doesn’t or he will end up messing with his season, and no one messes with Mackenzies Fireballs. this girl is beyond a Fanatical Fan. So she does what any self respecting Fireball fan does. She C#*kblocks him at every chance. there is something about Pippa and her fun and hilarious characters. I love how her series run into each other and we keep seeing all the past characters we have read and get little snippets of those still to come.
Loved every part of this story! Down right hilarious, with definite steam, tension, with a dash of pranks and talking puppies. So much awesome in this story, it’s overflowing. Brooks was awesome and hilarious in his superstitions about being a frustrated 30 year old professional baseball playing virgin. Because when he scores he doesn’t score. Mackenzie was hilarious with her quirks and shenanigans that she employed to help the fireballs win. Loved watching their relationship go from antagonizing to steam and tension filled. Loved it! Thank god beck finally did it!! Yay for Sarah!! Can’t wait for more.
JOCK BLOCKED is a great story with charm and some really humorous parts. With all the quirky characters it was almost a competition for who was the oddest person.
I liked how the story unfolded and romance built between Mackenzie and Brooks. The subplot of the mascot was done well and was a good thread to hold the various parts of the story together.
I had trouble keeping all the secondary characters straight, though. The families and friends all had important roles as did members of the team. I’m not sure if it was the story or their names. I mixed up Tripp, Knox and Beck all the time, for example.
I chose the book anticipating a lighthearted rom-com with some steamy parts and that’s what we have here.
Audio Review
This book is so funny and sweet and a little over the top with the crazy but it is one of my favorite from this author. We have Brooks Elliott and he has been traded to the Copper Valley Fireballs and their biggest fan and most superstitious one at that, Mackenzie Montana, has decided in order for her team to win then Brooks has to remain a virgin. It is her life’s mission to see that that happens until she gets to know Brooks then all bets are off and it is game on.
This book has great characters that are new to us and old characters that we all love. The puppy, Cocoa Puff, is a hilarious bonus for this book. So funny. I loved how the author added some out of the norm family life for both characters because we all have a little crazy or different in our lives and it was great to see that. I loved Mackenzie’s dedication to a team she loves no matter if they win or loose. I loved how Brooks learned to love the game and his new team and to find his perfect match. Fantastic listen.
Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan are perfect for this book. I loved listening to both of them from beginning to end. They brought their A game and hit a home run, pun intended.
Loved it, recommend it, and will listen to it again.
I am so in love with this quirky, hilarious, heartfelt, and steamy romance! Mackenzie comes from an unconventional background and is a crazy supporter of her beloved home team. She will do anything to help them win. Brooks has been traded to the Copper Valley Fireballs and isn’t happy about it at first. He has always thought if he stayed a virgin he would be able to play good baseball. But now he is determined to break the rule. Mackenzie will do anything to help her team win, including stopping Brooks from losing his virginity. Brooks and Mackenzie did not start off liking each other at first. But what happens when their chemistry heats up and it’s her he wants? I loved these fun and crazy baseball fans, the quirky mascots, and the superstitious and sexy players who had me laughing out loud, swooning, and cheering for my favorite new team!
Andi Arndt, and Jacob Morgan did a great job narrating this delightful romcom and bringing it to life. They easily brought out all the different quirky personalities, nailing these characters, and making me feel all the fun, awkward, emotional, and steamy moments. I loved this feel-good romantic comedy and can’t wait for more from the Copper Valley Fireballs!
This was cute-ish. I loved reading something different – Brooks was a 30 year old virgin pro baseball player. (Very surprising and made me intrigued)
Mackenzie was a shy, eccentric, weird sort of girl who idolized baseball players that she couldn’t even speak to them without freaking out and hyperventilating.
Their story was cute, though I kind of got tired of the whole superstitious attitude over and over. Mackenzie was pretty over the top.
I laughed out loud at the dog Coco Puff and his silly collar.
I enjoyed the ending. I’d still rate this 4 stars only because it was different than all of the playboy manwhore men that are portrayed in so many romance books these days. For a guy to be a virgin for so long and be with only one girl forever, that’s pretty damn sweet.
Virgin hero? Hello, yes please! Then with a Pippa Grant spin on it means I’m in for a bunch of crazy shenanigans and I was here for it all!
I had my eye on Brooks for a while so I couldn’t wait to read his story. I’m happy to say I’m not a bit disappointed!
I liiiived for all the superstitions in the story!
I loved Mackenzie’s dedication and Brooks was adorably sexy. Together those two made for the perfect match. Along with the belly laughs, Grant brought plenty of steam that lit up my kindle pages! Also, two of my favorites; Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan freaking slayed as Mackenzie and Brooks.
5 Meatball Stars
This book was such a funny, crazy, exciting read that I couldn’t put it down. Jock Blocked is the first in the Copper Valley Fireballs Series by Pippa Grant.
Mackenzie is the Fireballs biggest fan and she will do anything for her team to start winning. She is a nut job through and through but one you can’t help but love and laugh along with.
I want a secret look-sharer. Is that too much to ask?
Brooks is the Fireballs chance to actually win a few games this series, well that is what Mackenzie is hoping for anyway. So to have this happen she has Jock Block him. But Brooks has lost his passion for the game and doesn’t know if this is for him anymore. Mackenzie as to help him see why he fell in love with the game in the first place.
Puppies – Check!
Drag Queens – Check!
And a boat load of family and friends getting in the way – Check!
I loved this book and laughed so much reading it!
This is the kiss I’ve waited for my entire life. The you get me kiss. The you are my everything kiss. The you’re my kind of crazy kiss.
Grant has a way with her writing to suck you in and get you so invested in every character from the main to the secondary and that is a skill! This is something that has me coming back for more every time she releases a new book. Her books let you escape the crazy world and just be for awhile and that is not something ever author can do. I highly recommend diving into her books if you haven’t already!
Jock Blocked is officially the first book in the Copper Valley Fireballs series, but is connection to Ms. Grant’s whole writing world. Mackenzie is the Fireballs biggest fan, one who follows every superstition that she can to help her team win. Once she finds out that Brooks is a virgin and how well he plays depends on that status, Mackenzie will do anything to block him. But what happens when friendship turns into so much more? Will Mackenzie deny them both what they crave so much and can Brooks convince her that she’s his new lucky charm?
Oh. My. Goodness! This might be my new favorite couple from Ms. Grant! I was giggling like crazy while reading this book, yet I could still feel my heartstrings being pulled in all the directions! I think my most favorite aspect about this book is that both characters were completely believable and relatable! Who doesn’t have some sort of superstition when it comes to hoping their home team will win?! I loved Mackenzie’s passion and energy and sunshine and just pure joy. I loved that she was fiercely protective of those in her circle, never felt worthy, yet never gave up, especially when it came to Fiery Forever! Brooks felt a little lost, wanting to be back at his hometown, and he couldn’t find the passion for baseball anymore. I loved that he slowly opened up to finding fun and passion and became less self-centered as the book progressed. I adored the two of them together! There was fun banter, lots of chemistry, some steamy scenes, but above all, I felt like you could just feel their friendship through the pages. I was completely hooked with this book from the very first chapter and I loved having the opportunity to read this book! It had all the feels! I adored this book! I’m going to cheer for Mackenzie and Brooks forever!
Audio review
This audio has been an absolute pleasure from start to finish! It is infused with warmth, wit and humour throughout and delivered to perfection by the combined, wonderful talents of Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan. If you ever need a boost, this is, without doubt, the audio to make you feel 100% better!
MacKenzie is the Fireballs #1 fan and when she finds out that the newest and last hope for her favorite team can’t lose his v-card or he will blow his game. This book had me giggling out loud. Great romance story and it definitely made me a fan of Pippa Grant. Recommend for a great romantic read.
A CRAZY ROMP THAT’S NOT FOR EVERYONE
My first Pippa Grant book was Real Fake Love (book 2 in this Copper Valley series). That book was incredible and sold me on Ms. Grant as a writer. I gave it a five star glowing review. Yeah, it was OTT but it was also heart rending and touching. Lucky for me that I read these books out of order because had I read Jock Blocked first I never would have gone on to read Real Fake Love.
Unfortunately Jock Blocked lacked the depth of Real Fake Love. It had a teeny tiny bit of a message way at the end (“See me and accept me for who I am”) but it was overshadowed by the non-stop silliness that wore me down. I tried to get past the plethora of characters and the frivolous run-on sentences and the hyperactive scenarios, but in the end it just got to be too much and by chapter 38 I was so over it.
For me, this one pushed the boundaries of fun entertainment and veered into slapstick ala The Three Stooges or The Marx Brothers. (I’m pretty sure I saw Harpo running around out there tooting his bulb horn during the pickup game.) But even though rom/com is my favorite genre, I don’t think I’m ready for this much rom/com. At least not two of these in a row. If I read any more books in this series I’ll have to space them out.
But I like to give credit where credit is due and Coco Puff’s collar has perfect comedic timing. 😀