Love breaks the offside rule in New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken’s irresistibly sexy Red Card romance. Successful, high-profile sports agent Matt Kingston thinks he can handle anything. Then soccer player Parker Speedman shows up at his door. She is young and gorgeous, has natural talent, and is looking for a team. She’s also a hothead with a punchy past who floored her last … who floored her last coach on live TV. Despite his misgivings, Matt agrees to be both her agent and her coach. Professional common sense says she’s off-limits. But what can he say about the raw attraction between them?
Parker plays soccer with her heart and soul. But after the events of the last year, she’s shaken. She’s already seen what a powerful man can do to a female athlete’s career. And her beloved dream is in the hands of a sexy, gorgeous man with the uncanny ability to slip past her defenses…and into her heart.
Now Matt and Parker are about to learn that when it comes to love, the only way to win is by breaking every rule they know. And by playing nice. Real nice.
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Another amazing book by Rachel Van Dyken. This book gave me all the feels. After Risky Play, I couldn’t wait to read Matt’s story and oh boy was it worth the wait. I loved Matt and Parker’s story. I loved the banter and the humor between the two. It was great to see Mack, Slade and Jagger again as well. There were tough subjects covered in this book too but it was handled so beautifully. Also the bonus love story included in the book was awesome!! I cannot recommend this book enough!
I absolutely loved this book! Parker is such an inspiration and example of empowerment in today’s world for young women! But aside from that… this book was hawt! Matt and Parker are the absolute cutest couple! This book is a must read! It’s even better than Risky Play and that’s saying something because I loved Slade and Mack’s story!
This masterpiece of a story will have you laughing, crying, saying sarcastic things, believing that you can overcome anything life throws at you. A 10 star rating if possible.
Can I just say wow?!? The words this author writes never ceases to amaze me. Rachel Van Dyken is an artist with her words. The characters are these broken, hurting people who just need the right push to get everything they need. It is an emotional, heart wrenching book that makes you realize how talented Rachel Van Dyken is. She can create a world of different characters, situations, and problems like it is drinking coffee every morning. This book is no different. The humor, love, tragic events, and everything in between sucked me in and left me with a book hangover. Unbelievable book by this master author!!
“You are perfected chaos, crazy but in all the ways that make sense to me.”
These characters are what you could envision in a high-powered, sports world. Parker and Matt are these crazy people who in the beginning, are total buttholes to each other. By the end, the story definitely changes. They face so many rollercoaster and situations, but they overcome them and get everything they never knew they needed. I want to be friends with these people!!!
I HIGHLY recommend this book – to anyone – they likes to read, as well as laugh, cry and get emotional. It will pluck every string of your heart and play a beautiful love song by the end.
This book. Wow. I can’t explain how much this book meant to me.
I felt for Parker, I know how it feels when a mentor and someone you trust takes advantage of you and the shame and anger you feel after the fact. #metoo
Rachel did such a phenomenal job channeling those feelings into Parker’s character and Matt was the perfect match for her quick wit and sharp temper. Another 5 star read by Rachel Van Dyken
Reviewed by: Paige R.
I love a good RVD book and this was just wanted I wanted. A sports romance with some sexual tension and a whole lot of heat!
I loved Matt from the first Red Card series book and was so excited for him to get his own story! It was everything I hoped for and more in this sports romance!
Matt and Parker’s story was incredibly emotional and raw. The pull between these two on a professional and personal level was amazing! I loved their shared joy of the sport, their understanding and appreciation for the sacrifices and dedication it takes to make it on a professional level and the fact that relationships often take a back seat to the job. This made the bumps and stalls in the relationship so much more realistic.
The traumatic element of Parker’s story gripped my heart and drew me to her character. I cringed and teared up as she wandered through her emotions and faced her demons. I appreciated how the author gave closure to the character and her experience.
This book kept my attention, had me giggling and left me swooning. Such a great read with wonderful characters, even Jagger redeemed himself a bit!
I have been a longtime fan of Rachel Van Dyken and could not jump on Kickin’ It fast enough. I absolutely love love loveeee soccer stories and am borderline obsessed with coach and player stories (thank you Kulti!) We saw Matt and his clients/friends from the first book in this (standalone) series, Risky Play, but I am officially obsessed with him after this book. Matt and Parker were so delicious and he was just so sweet. I think he made me swoon and melt more times than I could count!
I just loved this story! I loved how the author successfully balanced current sensitive issues prevalent today with an amazing love story filled with fiery sexual chemistry, friendship and protectiveness. Matt was just perfect. He was strong and assertive without being overbearing and everything Parker was used to from her former coach. I loved that Parker made him feel again and be excited not only for the sport but the idea of love and committment.
Likewise, Parker was so damn strong. She is one of my favorite RVD heroines to date. She had a hard exterior but an even softer and more vulnerable interior. She was betrayed and hurt by someone in power and it took an even stronger man and friend to instill that trust back in her. I loved everything about this story!! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Another amazing book by Rachel! I really loved Matt and Parker! I especially loved that when Parker met Matt she was scared and lashed out to perfect herself. But Matt made her see that she can he strong and brave and stand up for yourself and what’s right!
Matt’s sister needs a place to stay and convinces Matt to let her stay for a couple of months but Willow wants to bring her friend because she would be homeless. So Willow and Parker move in and immediately sparks fly. But Parker thinks that everyone is the same and won’t let anyone in!
Can Matt see past is grumpy old self to see that there’s a beautiful talented woman standing in front of him and can parker forget her past and focus what’s in front of her?
I hope this series continues with Jagger I’d love to see him get his happy ever after!
Love breaks the offside rule in New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken’s irresistibly sexy Red Card romance.
Successful, high-profile sports agent Matt Kingston thinks he can handle anything. Then soccer player Parker Speedman shows up at his door. She is young and gorgeous, has natural talent, and is looking for a team. She’s also a hothead with a punchy past who floored her last coach on live TV. Despite his misgivings, Matt agrees to be both her agent and her coach. Professional common sense says she’s off-limits. But what can he say about the raw attraction between them?
When it comes to love, the only way to win is by breaking every rule you know.
Kickin’ It by Rachel Van Dyken
I don’t know where to begin with my review of Kickin’ It!! I loved every word of this amazing, funny, serious and kick ass book!!
Rachel writes these wonderful stories that pull you in slowly and then refuses to let go!!! She creates these amazing, relatable and wonderful characters, that you will fall in love with!! Rachel touches on a lot of important issues in this story, that touched my heart in a profound way.
I absolutely loved Parker and her determination to succeed in a very male dominated world of soccer. She trains hard and keeps her secrets close but watching her share her secrets was beautiful!
This book was so much fun to read with familiar characters like Slade, Jagger and Matt and new to the party Willow, Parker and I can’t forget Jagger’s Russian grandmother!
Once again Rachel Van Dyken has poured her heart into this book and given us the perfect mix of love, hate, passion and friendship that never fails!! I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes a little humor, a touch of angst, a dash of passion and a whole lot of friendship & love!!
Boy oh boy, Parker and Matt! This book somehow managed to blend humour, a very serious storyline and a bit of suspense all in one! I absolutely could not put it down! The tension and chemistry was off the charts, and Matt, started off questionable but ended up being so sweet and protective and perfect! Loved everything about this book!
Matt and Parker push each other’s buttons. He can be such a douchebag with her but Parker lashes out at people. She has a reason for being the way she is. Matt pushes her because he knows aside from her attitude he knows what she’s capable and he knows how good she is.
Parker’s secret is painful and heartbreaking. But once she finds who to confide in her attitude starts to change. Matt’s sister is quite hilarious and so are Matt’s friends.
I highly recommend this book.
This was a really good read! The writing flowed well, and I loved Matt and Parker together. They had great chemistry, and I felt like they were good for each other. Parker was a lot stand offish in the beginning, but it wasn’t long before we find out why. Although that situation gets resolved in the end, I would have loved for Parker to stand up for herself before then. Matt was a great guy, and he was always looking out for Parker. There were funny moments, although not quite as many as the first book had. Slade and Jagger make appearances in this one as well. The ending was perfect for Matt and Parker, although I’m really hoping that situation with Jagger is explained in the next book!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
Rachel Van Dyken addresses some major issues facing our country today in Kickin’ It.
I love that she gives a voice to what many girls and women face on a daily basis. While presenting strong female leads and enough laughter to have you holding your side.
4.5 Stars
OMG!!! This book in a word is… amazing!!!!
You will meet the characters in this story and feel as if they are your life long friends. And just as you fall deeply in love with them, the story behind one of our leading ladies starts to come out and the next thing you know, it’s midnight and you’ve finished every single word of the book!
I loved it!!!
Rachel Van Dyken continues to entertain me with Kickin’ It, the second stand-alone book in her Red Card series. I absolutely love how she draws me in, introduces me to a world I never want to leave and leaves me wanting more from these characters, only because I’m not ready to say goodbye.
Kickin’ It can be read as a stand-alonee. If you love soccer, amazing characters, combustible chemistry and great humor, this book is for you. Matt Kingston is on top of his world as an Agent. but when his sister not only comes to live with him, but brings an uninvited roommate, he just may have met his match. Throw it the fact that she’s hot as hell both on and off the field, and he’s heading straight for trouble. As he manages to keep his head in the game, his heart may be have an different story all together. Parker is much more than just a potential client. She’s a pain in his backside in all ways imaginable. But she’s also the most talented he’s seen in a long time.
I seriously hope there are more books in this incredible series. Rachel is so amazing at capturing your heart and never letting go. I felt each and every emotion as I read this book. I laughed out loud, wanted to scream, and wanted to throat punch some of the characters for their choices. I would love to see more of the players he represents in the future in their own books.
I loved these characters Parker and Matt. As always with Rachel Van Dyken books, one minute I’m laughing the next I’m crying. I love how much I feel when reading her books. This one had me hooked from start to finish.
I can’t say enough about this book. I like the 1st in the series… it was great to read the storyline and get to know new characters while also having RVD’s amazing writing…. BUT this story. Y’all, Rachel knows how to get you right where the feels are. She writes about things that are relevant this day and age and is not afraid to cross those lines while keeping true to herself and her writing style.
These characters were AMAZING! Yes, we met one of them in book one and fell for him, but the heroine, y’all she is just the best!
Way to go RVD! You kept my attention, you wrote an amazing story, had great characters and everything was just straight badass! I love your rom-coms just as much as your mafias.
This books has been sticking with me since I put it down earlier this afternoon. Even with such a tough and personal topic to me, I couldn’t put it down. I found joy, laughter, and love that over came the darkness and it is cause of that I find Parker is one of my favorite heroines of Rachel’s.
Having my own experiences with this type of pain, this read brought it all rushing back to the fore front of my mind, but as I went on this journey with Parker I was reminded how much MORE I was than these circumstances. It was just… amazing? Inspiring? Beautiful (All of these words work) to watch Matt bring out the woman within Parker. Add in Jagger and Willow, along with Slade and Mack, and they push her to be her best while providing her the family she needs. Proving family is more than blood.
Now Matt… while he sees himself as an assh*le, I see him as a true man and GOD I wish there were more men like him in the universe. Sure of himself, without an arrogant ego or feeling threatened, kindness without being a pushover, all alpha and devoted! Gimme gimme!
I hope you take this read touches your heart and expands your mind like it did mine. Let it educate you, let it grow you, let it remind you of your STRENGTH. Another amazing read from an amazing author, I hope there will be more from this series cause I can’t get enough.
This book has a very touching plot. The struggles that young athletes go through to move up in the ranks can be life changing and sometimes not in a good way. I loved how these characters connect and how their relationship bloomed in the perfect way. It felt pure and real. I adore Rachel’s writing style. She has this magic that grabs onto and has you finishing her books before anything else. It’s a pleasure to read her books and I can’t thank her enough for the escape she allows her readers from their everyday lives. This is a great summer read I would suggest you pickup a copy ASAP.