Struggling pro football wide receiver Derek Ramsey was once Rachel McCormick’s best friend and lover, and now they’re forced together again. Gifted with an uncanny ability for evaluating football talent and a dogged determination to succeed in a man’s world, Rachel finally gets her chance in the pros as a staff member of the Seattle Steelheads. Her first assignment is to help Derek get his game … Derek get his game back. While working with him on the field, she succumbs to the chemistry between them and spends a forbidden night in his arms.
The next day Derek has the best performance of his not-so illustrious career. Soon Derek and Rachel are racking up nights in bed, and the team is racking up wins. They’re risking it all, but they can’t resist each other. Not only is Rachel his coach, but Derek knows the truth behind a secret that destroyed her father years before.
Rachel and Derek are torn between love and duty, and the clock is winding down.
It’s fourth and goal, one second left in the game. The next play Derek makes must be for Rachel’s heart.
Previously published as Fourth and Goal in 2011. This version has been extensively updated, re-titled, and edited.
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I love Jami Davenport’s hockey novels, and her football series is not disappointing at all! This book has a lot of on field and off field drama, just not too much. The story lines of the characters keep you reading until you get to the end. I did not want to put this one down for sure. There are even some really engaging secondary character stories that make you want to hurry up and get to the next book.
I absolutely loved this one. Not only was it about football which I love but it was about a woman trying to make a name for herself in the sport. Rachel is back in her hometown trying to make a name for herself in the Settle Steelheads football team. One problem her old flame and best friend Derek is a player on the team and needs her help. She agrees but it turns into something more than it should. But while trying to stay somewhat professional she is also trying to figure out why her father throw away his career in football and what Derek knows about it. Will it all come down around her? Will she end up losing everything including the man that she has fallen for? I absolutely loved this one. I loved Ryan’s storyline in this. I was in tears with his part in this one. Just so sad and heart breaking. Love Derek and Rachel together. These two have amazing chemistry. I will absolutely be reading more from this series. Highly recommend one clicking and enjoying a great book not only about football but life and love
I enjoyed reading this book! It was an easy read.
Derek and Rachel have a past that both see differently. Will they be able to put the past aside to be able to see that the spark hasn’t fizzled out over the years.
I enjoyed seeing the characters in the book and seeing how the interact. My heart broke for the players too.
Look forward to the next book!
Rachel and Derek have something to prove in their careers with the Steelheads. Both needing to earn their place within the organization. They’ve got a long history of friendship tarnished by an event in their past. They try to work through it and become friends again. Very hot and sexy, but also a great storyline for the characters.
Kickoff is a fantastic story! It has all the feels. It is a second chance romance full of emotions, passion, second chances and redemption. Both Derek and Rachel are getting their chance at the career they wanted. Although they have a past, will they be able to work it out and be together? This story will take you on a roller coaster ride through their relationship. Thank you Jami for giving us a fantastic book!
Kickoff was a truly amazing story but please be aware that you definitely NEED Kleenex on hand for this story! Jami wrote about a terrible situation but made it beautiful even though it will make you cry!
Possible SPOILERS
Derek wants to win the Superbowl more then anything but after returning from injury he still hasn’t regained his “mojo” on the field..something is still off he just doesn’t know how to fix it.
Rachael has finally made a huge move in the right direction for her career as the first woman coach in the NFL but it’s for the Steelheads…the very same team her Ex Derek plays for.
As Rachael helps Derek to find what he’s missing on the field they meet Ryan a teenager that used to play for Rachael’s brothers team but isn’t doing so well. Since Derek is Ryan’s favourite he makes time in his schedule just for him but is it enough??
Kickoff is a second chance story that has all the feels. All the characters are relatable . You get to see more than one side to them and find yourself rooting for them to find their happy. Derek and Rachael are former BFF’s who find their way back to one another. They try to help each other reach their final goal.
Enter Ryan and prepare to get emotional. Ryan is a former high school football player who has to sit out his senior year because of cancer. He catches the heart of Derek, Rachael and her brother Mitch who happens to be his football coach. Mitch takes him in when they find out his mother left him to pretty much die. Derek, Rachael and Mitch do everything in their power to make what time he has left the best it can be.
There are twist and turns that are unexpected and tissues are very much needed. I was not sure about this story in the beginning but began to fall in love with this story and all the characters in it. I received an ARC for my honest review and would highly recommend it. I can’t wait to read more of the Steelheads.
Kickoff was a perfect blend of characters,stories and emotions.
Jami Davenport has been able to masterfully handle the different levels of this story because to me it wasn’t only a sports romance or a second chance at love,there was so much more to this book that you have to discover.
Derek and Rachel were friends until they acted on their passion and ruined their relationship.Now they meet again and they are the Seattle Steelheads’ WR the first and the counsultant/ coach of the offense the latter.There is still a burning chemistry between them, will they give in to the temptation risking their jobs and careers?Or will they resist the urges of the flesh in order to fulfil their dreams?
I recommend this book because even the second characters have a lot to say and to add to the story.
I’m going keep this one short;
I loved how they wanted to stay away from one another but just couldn’t seem to do so. They share a conflicting past which was a big problem at the beginning before they realized that they love each other to much to stay away. There were a few eye-rolls here and there but overall this story was about how much one is willing to let go in order to find peace and happiness in life.
This was a quick, emotional and fun read. I’m looking forward to meeting more characters from the Seattle Steelheads series.
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
Derek Ramsey was about to walk away from his dream after being bounced around to several teams in the last four years, being traded to team after team kind of set a tone… your’re not good enough. But for some unknown reason the owner of the Steelheads has just given him a second chance, but it comes with the stipulation that he clean up his act or he’s gone.
So they have appointed someone to help him get back into shape and get his mind clear and back on the game… but things take an interesting turn when he meets his new coach!
Kickoff is a second chance romance story full of emotion, passion, healing and hope. From beginning to end these characters had me hanging on their every word, mesmerized by their every encounter, and touched by their tragic pasts… it was such a beautifully penned tale! These two knew they were playing a dangerous game, with both their careers on the line, they knew that rolling around between the sheets with each other could cause serious complications. But their mutual attraction for one another could not be denied, their feelings for each other were just too strong, it was a dependency that couldn’t be broken. I loved meeting these characters, their story was absorbing, the chemistry they shared was undeniable, and the risk they took was totally worth the reward. Another stellar tale from Ms. Davenport, her words were captivating and her characters stole my heart! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
This is a book that has so much going for it, it was easy to read with just the right mix of passion and angst and like all of this authors books you really feel part of the story, a second chance romance set in the world of the Seattle Steelheads football team and this is Derek Ramsey’s story.
Derek Ramsey is the wide receiver for the Steelheads but his game has fallen apart and he has lost his confidence so the team bring in Rachel McCormick to get him back on track what no one knows is Rachel was once the love of Derek’s life and also his best friend before he broke her heart …….
Will Rachel risk her heart again and what about the job she has worked so hard to get …….
This book had me laughing but it also had me crying, it was an emotional read centred around a team that to honest feel like family, it’s book one in the original series but it can certainly be read as a stand-alone. Looking forward to wher we go next with The Seattle Steelheads.
5 star Review Kickoff : The Originals (Seattle Steelheads #1) by Jami Davenport
Derek Ramsey is the wide receiver for the Seattle Steelheads but his game is off and his former best friend and lover Rachel McCormick is brought in to help Derek get his game back on track.
I love Jami Davenport’s style of writing; her books are always engaging and I was captivated by Kickoff from the first to the last chapter.
A second chance at love story that drew me in and kept me riveted throughout. Neither Derek or Rachel can resist the chemistry that is just as intense as it always was and both will risk everything to experience the passion again.
Will Rachel risk the chance of Derek breaking her heart again and losing the job she has worked so hard for? Can they both overcome their tumultuous past and focus on the job at hand, or is the past destined to destroy their present and possibly their future?
This was a roller coaster of a read that was emotional at times. There were times I laughed, times I cried but throughout it all there was a feeling of love and family.
Another great story from Jami Davenport which I recommend.
Wow! I think this is one of my favorite books by Jami Davenport! I love her writing style normally but I just feel like this one was just so special. Sexy, sweet, fun, passionate and emotional, this one ticks off a lot of boxes. This is a second chance love story between Derek and Rachel but it is truly so much more than that. This couple has undeniable chemistry that try as they might, they could not keep it at bay. My emotions are still all over the place after reading this. I really love football, so I love how much of that is actually included. I was definitely a true Steelheads fan throughout their season! I also love the whole Ryan side story, so emotional. Last but not least, I really love the dynamic between Rachel and Derek and their backstory. I was rooting for them the whole time too!!
Rachel and Derek are breaking all the rules. Exes with benefits proves to be a heartache in the making. A bad idea could lead to a winning hand, if these two players can keep their heads in the game and their hearts out of the equation. Kickoff refuses to compromise when it comes to heart. Davenport pushes boundaries, but never steps over the line. Kickoff proves that sassy can be a fabulous fit when it comes to sports romances.
Rachel McCormick had grown up in the perfect family with a dad who was a football coach and taught her everything possible about the sport. Not only did she know the game inside out and upside down, she had the ability to analyze people and plays and fix the issues they had. Her dream of doing that and maybe going into the NFL was crushed when a scandal rocked the college football world, taking her father with it. Now she has another chance but it also meant dealing with the man who broke her heart when she needed him the most.
Derek Ramsey knew he was lucky to still be playing in the NFL. He had messed up in his past badly and now was being given a second chance. He had to make it or he would most likely be cut from the Seattle Steelheads. When he was told he was going to have someone help him, he looked forward to it, he never dreamed it would be his former best friend Rachel. It wasn’t enough he had not supported her after the scandal with her father, he had also broken her heart. Walking away after she had given him everything.
Now can they both overcome the past to create an incredible unstoppable team by working together or will it haunt them forever and kill both careers?
This is one of the original stories of the Steelheads but redone in several ways. I loved it the first time and love it even more now with the updates. Jami has once again created the perfect book that will entrap you into her world. As an avid reader one other thing that I love about this is that you do not have to read any of the other series for it to make sense.
I love Jami’s books! This one is no different! Derek and Rachel’s story is sweet, inspirational and romantic. I did not expect to read such a heart-warming book! It is a great addition to the Seattle Steelheads series! You won’t be sorry that you took the time to read it and you won’t be able to put it down!
When you open this book you will never expect all the feels it has. Romance, angst, heartbreaking & heartwarming moments, but what you will have is a smile on your face when you see the words The End.
Derek & Rachel have a history. Some might say it was great others would say not but when they find themselves once again together either they can take the risk of opening up their hearts again or leaving well enough alone. You will love taking this journey with them through all their ups and downs but what you will see is that you will be there cheerleader through it all.
Kickoff by Jami Davenport is truly a love story that contains it all. It will take you on a real rollercoaster ride thru Derek and Rachel’s relationship. You will smile and Laugh out loud and you will cry during this heartwarming story. Derek and Rachel were true best friends growing up who lost their way as they got older. Meeting up again in a less than perfect situation when they are older allows them to reconnect and try to work thru the many obstacles they have to reach their HEA. Even if you have previously read this story in its first incarnation, give it another go. You won’t regret it. Thank you again Ms. Davenport!