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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This is the second book in the Red Card series. It is a complete stand alone. So if you haven’t read the first book, it’s okay. But just a warning, you will get sucked in and want to read it asap.
Trust me.
Rachel did an amazing job writing Parker’s story. What she was going through, and went through, is gut wrenching.
I cried for her, and with her.
She’s a survivor.
She’s a fighter, literally.
Matt is an amazing man, coach, agent, friend, and brother.
The writing and story telling is just as awesome as the characters are.
I’ve been in a reading funk for the last month. Nothing was completely capturing me, until this.
Loved it.
You can’t go wrong with a one-click of this story.
I was provided a copy via Netgalley
Kickin’ It by Rachel Van Dyken is the second book in her Red Card series and gives us Matt Kingston’s story, who we first met in Risky Play. Though this can be read as a standalone, Risky Play is so worth the read as well. This sports romance had a bit of a forbidden romance and was sweet and fun to read.
I loved Matt when we first met him, but here we really get to know him better. A successful sports agent who was sexy and charming. Parker Speedman just had quite the year. She was shaken but determined to move forward and Matt was just the man to help her. As his client, she should be off limits, but as they spend time together, there is just no denying what they feel! I loved their interactions and banter so much fun. Kickin’ It by Rachel Van Dyken was such a fun sports romance with great characters.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
RVD’s Kickin’It right in the net – score! What a wonderful, well-written sports romance. Not only is it a sports romance, it’s got the best friend’s older brother, forbidden agent-athlete romance theme.
I will admit, though, it took me a minute for my love of Matt to take hold. He was a bit brash in the beginning, but yes, I did fall for him, and HARD. I loved Parker’s sass and attitude. She didn’t take anything lying down and it was AWESOME! The banter with Matt and Parker and all of the secondary characters was freaking hilarious!!
Rachael Van Dyken did an outstanding job with Parker’s story and what she suffered, one that is unfortunately all too real. My heart broker for her, and everyone who has had this happen to them. I loved how Matt helped Parker find the strength to find her voice, to tell her story.
Wonderful job RVD!!
I absolutely loved Matt in Risky Play (book one of the Red Card series). His interactions with his “clients/friends” is always absolutely hilarious to read. Some of the best banter ever. Matt is everything a woman is looking for, smart, successful, fit and handsome as heck. He might have been a player at one time but doesn’t come across as one…at least not to me. Parker is an unforeseen consequence of Matt’s inability to say no to his sister as well as not actually listening to her, but he is stuck with her in his home for the foreseeable future. What he doesn’t count on is that something she seems to have that draws him in completely. But Parker has demons and Matt will have to dig deep in order to get to those and convince her that she is worthy of a future both with love and with her career. While the banter is not as entertaining as it is with his boys, it is still fun and witty and just…sigh…swoon-worthy.
Where do I start? This book was so good!! I couldn’t put it down. Parker and Matt are great together and of course I love having more Jagger and Slade. I finished this book while on a road trip from Fort Worth to Houston. Thank you Rachel for another amazing book.
I love Kickin’ It. The chemistry is sizzing between Parker and Matt. Matt is this amazing agent/ex soccer star. Parker is a soccer star on the rise looking for help to go pro. The dynamic between them is amazing. Matt doesn’t let Parker slack in training. You can feel the fight of attraction between them. Parker is amazing with everything she has gone through. You understand her hesitation to come forward about what happened to her. Can i say how much I love Matt’s sister Willow and his client Jagger in this. You’ll laugh, you’ll swoon and you maybe struck in the heart with this one. Kickin’ It is such a fantastic read that I couldn’t put down. For all you sport romance lovers out there pick this one up.
Kickin’ It is the second book in Rachel Van Dyken’s Red Card series and this sports romance is an excellent addition to a series I instantly fell for with book one. This book is a sexy, fun romance that tests the boundaries of temptation and love, it proves that love is worth fighting for.
Matt is a former pro soccer player and now is a wildly successful sports agent. He is outgoing and very confident, and also a sucker for his little sister…She really got him into a situation with her latest stunt and the tempting Parker, tests every nerve he has. But he still wants her something fierce.
Parker is a super strong woman who has had the worst year possible. She is determined to get past all of the hurt and redeem her career. Matt is the one that can get her there but the feelings he evokes terrify her.
Every moment these two have is filled with all sorts of emotions, sometimes you can’t help but laugh at the antics and sometimes your heart will be pounding like crazy waiting to see what will happen next. But this is the reason that I keep coming back to this author, she always makes me fall in love with the characters and their story!
In quintessential Rachel Van Dyken form – she delivers another excellent book for us all to enjoy. It is emotionally charged with a tough subject matter but, still, laugh out loud funny. The interaction with the different characters will have you wiping tears from your eyes for various reasons.
The story of Matt Kingston a high octane Sports Agent and his sister’s friend and Soccor phenom Parker Speedman. At best they tolerate one another – when Matt signs her on as a client he is about to break one of his rules. Don’t get involved with the talent!
Parker needs Matt to represent her, especially after the year that she has had. She has to make sure he doesn’t dig so much into her past and when he finds out about it all bets are off!
Such an incredible read.
5+ Stars!
I am so glad I took a chance on this book! I have become a big fan of Rachel Van Dyken’s writing; however, I am not a fan of sports romances, so I nearly passed on reading Kickin’ It. I would have missed out on a strong, truly amazing heroine!
Parker is a talented athlete who plays soccer with her whole heart. Unfortunately, she has a reputation for being a hotheaded diva and her career is on the brink of ruin. Things are not always what they seem, though, and I knew within a few pages why Parker seemed so unapproachable and angry. She is, in fact, one of the bravest, toughest women I’ve read in a while.
Matt was a bit of a jerk at first in my opinion. Yes, Parker had a reputation, but she was also his sister’s best friend. Nevertheless, he did make up for it in the end, and he was definitely a great big brother, friend, and agent.
The plot was interesting and somewhat angsty. Had I known going in that the book had a trigger for me, I probably wouldn’t have read it. I loved the book despite the trigger and hope to see more of Willow and Jagger.
When your career goes up in smoke, there are many ways you can handle the situation. For Matt – the lack of abilities on the field did not dampen his desire to ‘make it big’. Instead of kicking a ball on the field, Matt found his calling representing other players as their agent. To say that the career choice was profitable would be an understatement. Matt has worked hard to earn the livelihood that now graces his doorstep.
Matt is about to have his life turned upside down when his sister Willow moves into his home. Willow wants to learn the ins and outs of the business from the one person she looks up to most in this world. Did I mention that Matt has a hard time telling Willow ‘no’? That lack of attention to the things Willow asks for is about to turn Matt’s world around. When Willow shows up, it’s with her friend Park in tow.
With soccer as her main focus, Parker found her career in a downward spiral. No one wanted to even entertain talking to her about a career move after the fiasco on the field. After meeting Matt, Parker is hopeful that he can revive her career in spite of the secrets that she is keeping. Does Matt possess the magic to rebound Parker’s career while helping her secure a deal that would be life changing?
Kickin’ It is the second installment in the Red Card series by Rachel Van Dyken. This installment centers around Matt and career as a sports agent. With Matt trying to revamp Parker’s career, anything can and WILL happen. The banter between these two characters had me laughing at times, while pulling me in when the secrets surrounding Parker’s career came to light. I loved the fact that this novel brought to light one of the challenges that many individuals face when dealing with their careers. Kickin’ It is definitely one for the negotiating table and the playing field!!
So we met Matt in the last book of this series. He’s a sports agent, fierce when needed and loyal to a fault. We meet Parker in this book, she is Matt’s sisters friend who comes with her to stay at Matt’s house for a while. While there we watch Matt be a total jerk to Parker then move to friend and then to more. I felt terrible for the characters and what they were going through at times and others I was laughing out loud at their shenanigans. This book had great character development, it was a joy to watch them change and grow. It was fun to watch Parker grow from a scared shell of a woman and become brave enough to fight for what she wanted and what was right. I enjoyed everything about this book.
This is a forbidden, client-agent, little-sister’s-best-friend romance plus more. It also has a darker edge to the story due to her painful past and is a story or empowerment.
But it begins as more of a feisty, flirty rom com with a grumpy, stressed out agent, Max. His outgoing and impulsive sister, Willow, and her angry, best friend Parker are invading his home. Parker is a soccer player who has had a bad year and needs an agent to try to repair her reputation and score her a pro contract. And his sister is doing an internship with him to try to convince him to let her work for him as a sports agent.
There is antagonistic banter edged in flirting, an unexpected and forbidden attraction, and several reasons not to act on it. And no matter how they feel, a relationship would not be professional.
He is all about control. She is chaos. But together they are fire. Matt has a big heart and good sense of humor under that overwhelmed and gruff exterior. Parker has a fragile core, but puts on a strong front. She is trying to deal with her issues as best she can, but her past still affects her and it is hard to outrun. But Matt pushes her to be the best and eventually breaks down her walls and learns more about her issues.
What happens when following one dream could prevent her from realizing another?
Despite the somewhat heavier topics underlying this story, it was also funny, sweet, and sexy. It was not as angsty and the first book. There was some bigger drama towards the end and I thought it might have been a bit much, but it did not bother me too much. But the topic is current and and relevant.
This can be read as a total stand alone, but it does bring back Slade, Mackenzie, and Jagger from Risky Play as supporting characters. They along with Willow they are quite a wild and outspoken group. They add the comic relief and sometimes the drama, making Matt want to pull his hair out. But at the core of it are friendships and new relationships building that have enriched all of their lives despite the challenges. And it also has good messages of empowerment and the importance of good female role models.
I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Kickin’ It comes out swinging and scores big. Van Dyken puts her heart in this fight to the finish tale. Parker is a hotheaded athlete with talent to spare. Matt is an all or nothing agent, who finds himself in heart deep with his new client. Their alliance breaks all the rules and maybe a few hearts along the way. Parker is my favorite type of character. She’s not afraid to be herself, even at the worst of times. Her temper is epic, her smart mouth is legendary and her spirit is a force all it’s own. Matt is no match for this firecracker.
I am beginning to have a feeling that Rachel Van Dyken can never write a bad book. Like never. Because I just fall in love with her writing a bit more with each new story. Kickin’ It turned up the heat along with her brilliant witty banter. And I have another unforgettable story from her.
This story is a complete opposite of her last book Debase which was a dark mafia romance. And she steps into the realm of a sweet, sexy and funny contemporary sports romance like a queen. Matt and Parker literally knocked it out of the park. Matt is the best sports agent around but he has no personal life. No love, no commitment, nothing. Enter Parker. A talented soccer player who desperately needs his help to go pro. But ( and there will a lot of these buts) she is his sister’s best friend. She is also the woman Matt cannot stop thinking about. She also has the burden of her past filled with guilt, shame, insecurity and anxiety. They start on the wrong foot. Soon they start to have difficulty coping with the flood of emotions. Matt wants to protect her, cherish her and give her the world. Can they have it all?
I love Parker. The idea of making thr heroine a player with lots of rage and attitude was a refreshing and unique idea. This woman is the epitome of strength and survival. I respect her, adore her and find her absolutely inspiring. She is not perfect. But all her trauma and scars made her more beautiful. And then we have Matt. The male POV chapters were real gems. He can be arrogant, bitter and judgemental asshole but when he gives his love, he is all in. And I love this man with his faults and achievements. The chemistry is simply stunning. Sometimes I was chuckling, sometimes I laughed out loud, sometimes I swooned and sighed anf sometimes I was heartbroken over their mutual pain. The crazy attraction was burning the pages. I loved meeting some of my favourites from Risky Play.
Rachel Van Dyken’s stories never have a single dull moment. She hooked me and lured me in from the first page. And I couldn’t let the story go even after finishing it. It was perfect balance of humour, angst and swoonworthy feelings. It was a story of true love and it’s true strength. An exceptionally well written, heart rending and awe inspiring love story!
Received ARC for Honest Review
Kickin’ It was a great read. I loved it alot! I loved Matt and Parker. I loved their chemistry, connection and banter. They were just perfect together! I also really loved Willow, Jagger and Slade! Definitely recommend this!
RVD writes characters that I totally fall in love with every single time and each time they became my new faves.
Parker wants to make it on a pro soccer team, but she’s become controversial and is known for her temper. We soon discover that her anger is her shield as she’s keeping secrets and hiding her low self esteem and anxiety due to a event that happened in her final year at college.
Matt is one of the biggest sports agents out there and is also Parker’s best friend’s older brother. Matt ends up agreeing to be not only her agent, but her coach, and that’s when we get to see the sparks fly…anger, frustration and attraction sparks. There’s just enough slow burn to make the inevitable fire that much hotter!
I cheered for Parker when she bravely faced her demons, found her inner strength and became an amazing inspiration. The banter and interactions between all the characters is wildly entertaining! This story is angsty, heartbreaking, funny, sweet, steamy…it had it all!
https://nanasbookreviews.blogspot.com/2019/06/review-kickin-it-red-card-2-by-rachel.html
4.5 Stars for Kickin’ It book 2 in the Red Card Series of stand-alone sports romances.
Matt Kingston successful, high profile sports agent who things he can handle anything well that was before Parker Speedman arrives on his doorstep carrying cookies……
Parker is friends with Matt’s sister Willow and she is in desperate need of a friend as well as a sports agent. She is young and talented so why are all the woman’s soccer teams having to bribed to consider letting her try out for them……..
Matt is convinced to take on Parker by his sister who also manages to convince him into letting her move in with them, that was the first mistake agreeing to let this gorgeous woman live under the same roof maybe training her daily will burn off all this sexual tension and that was the second mistake. Parker should be off limits she is my client and my little sisters best friend………….
The banter between all of the characters have me laughing out loud, the chemistry is sizzling, the hero is swoon worthy and the heroine is a sassy strong woman who is also vulnerable once you get to know her. Kickin’ It has the perfect mix of love, passion, humour and secrets and I’m sure it’s a book any romance lover will want to read.
Kickin’ It was emotional, highly entertaining, and overall a very enjoyable read. Matt and Parker are alike in a lot of ways which leads to hilarious bantering and arguing. They’re much more than that though. I love how sweet and caring Matt is with Parker and how he just wants her to succeed and be happy. They can be really adorable together. The storyline was often emotional, but it keeps you interested. I feel for Parker and what she’s been through, no one should have to go through that. She’s a strong girl and just needs to find a better outlet than anger, and that’s where Matt helps. Slade, Jagger, and Willow were hilarious throughout the book as well. I am a little sad that Jagger didn’t get his own book and we didn’t get more of that storyline from the book. I am happy that he’s happy though.
*5 Stars*
ARC kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have yet to read an RVD book that I didn’t like. I sped through this one so fast, and I loved every second of it. Parker and Matt are awesome main characters, and I really liked getting to know them.
Parker has been through some things in her past that no woman should have to experience, and once she finally lets it out, to Matt of all people, who she hates at the start, things start to progress and she starts making some headway.
Matt himself is a pretty serious character, but with Parker he shows all his different sides. He’s pretty damn sweet, and Parker is one lucky girl to have him. And I should say, Willow is too, to have him as her brother.
Willow is a pretty funny secondary character, and Jagger and Slade are back too which makes for some funny moments all around.
I loved how RVD wrote this, and how she dealt with everything that was happening and had happened in the past. She tackles the issues really well, and still manages to keep it as a fun and unputdownable romance. Can’t wait to see whats next.