★ A Top 30 Amazon Bestseller & RITA® Winner ★.A FORBIDDEN LOVE SET IN THE EXPLOSIVE WORLD OF THE NBA… .Think you know what it’s like being a baller’s girl? You don’t. My fairy tale is upside down. A happily never after. I kissed the prince and he turned into a fraud. I was a fool, and his love – fool’s gold. Now there’s a new player in the game, August West. One of the NBA’s brightest … the game, August West.
One of the NBA’s brightest stars.
Fine. Forbidden.
He wants me. I want him.
But my past, my fraudulent prince, just won’t let me go
*Contains domestic/sexual abuse not involving the hero. Read reviews for guidance.
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WOW – this book blew me away. It was both hard to read and hard to put down. I was in such a state of rapture, anxiety, and awe reading this book that I finished it in one sitting. In truth I was so emotionally thrown off my center that I desperately needed to get to the HEA which was completely worth it.
I had to take a few weeks to gather my thoughts and feelings about this book…..
NOT just a simple sports romance.
NOT a simple story in any sense of that word.
It’s a deep dive into a tragic and emotional journey of one woman and the man who simply will not give up on her, or them, or himself, for that matter.
All set against the high stakes backdrop of professional basketball.
This book may not be for everyone (there are many things that will trigger some readers) but I wanted to roll around in its amazing dialogue, realistic scene-setting, and fabulous character-building.
5++ stars for this read.
Moving story of Ivy and August. There are deep emotional issues which may trigger some but if not, I highly recommend.
So…I went into this not really knowing how INTENSE Kennedy Ryan is. I expected a normal romance heavy on the sports. And that cover.
What I found was…an intense exploration on domestic violence and the sheer inescapable statement: It isn’t something that happens to other women. It can happen to you.
This story is terrifying, heartbreaking, and overwhelmingly HARD to read in some places. Iris pulls through an impossible situation with the help of family and is able to rebuild her life. This is not your typical romance. It’s theme focused more than romance focused. But it is well worth reading.
Kennedy Ryan can WRITE. And she does so beautifully.
* I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review *
I started falling for him the day we met, and I haven’t stopped falling since.
Kennedy Ryan popped my audiobook cherry, and I must say this book ruined me. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started listening to this book. I was worried I would not be able to connect to characters as well as I do when I read and boy was I wrong. I went into this story without knowing what I was in for. Before reading this story beware that there are situations of domestic violence and rape. If that is not something that you can handle this book is not for you.
“If you were mine, Iris there would be no doubt what position you’d hold in my life. You’d be center. I’d play you at the five.”
Iris and August had this amazing connection from the first moment they met. I have read stories with angst but having to watch August sit back for years and watch Iris be in a relationship with his rival was hard to watch. What was worse was knowing what Iris was going through and August had no idea.
“But the girl I met in that bar didn’t want to be taken care of. I’d do everything in my power to help you follow your dreams so you could take care of yourself. And then we’d both know you were with me because you wanted to be, not because you had no other choice.”
Iris’s story was truly heartbreaking. To see the horror she went through first-hand was not something I was prepared for. Thankfully I have never been in that situation but the way Ms. Ryan connected the reader to her character, it felt like I was going through it with her. I could not imagine how hard it was for her to stay in that situation, and not tell anyone what was happening. Another example that a parent will do whatever it takes to protect her child.
“You’re right.” I loosen my fingers from hers so I can hold her face between both hands. “Going to Houston is my best shot at winning a ring.” “Then why would you—” “But staying here,” I cut in, caressing the fullness of her bottom lip with my thumb. “Staying is my best shot at winning you.”
It is impossible to not love August. He fell in love with Iris and he knew there was no way they could be together. Every time they saw each other you could feel their connection and I felt so bad for him. I was waiting for him to find out what was going on with Iris. If I could have changed anything, I would have let him find out sooner. I had to give him credit because he knew something went down in her relationship with Caleb, but he respected that she could not talk about.
Kennedy Ryan did an amazing job with this book. She drew me in from the moment it started, and I could not stop until it was done. I can always tell when a book is good when I can feel all the love and heartbreak right along with the characters.
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“Time with him resurrected my senses and summoned butterflies in my stomach I thought were long dead.”~Iris, Long shot.
This book is gut-wrenching, It’s a book to be remembered. What I really love about this book is the authentic depiction of toxic relationships. Long shot, this book is not only about two people who meet, fall in love, and get together to live happily ever after, no this book is tough. It’s also about resilience, how far a mother would go just to protect her kid.
How love is able to re piece every little shattered piece of you together eventually, that is when you meet the right person… Even when you’re scared that the same thing might reproduce but this love will make you feel what normal is, what love should be like. Even when this trauma might never go away. This book also emphasizes the need to speak about the injustice of abuse inflicted in relationships. Kennedy Ryan’s writing style is just incredible, it’s so vivid.
This made my favorite romance of all time. I will never ever forget that book.
I can say a lot of great things about this book, but the most important thing is that I loved it. After reading it, I am officially a Kennedy Ryan fan.
Loved this book. Kennedy did a great job showing the reality of why so many women stay with their abusers. It’s not by choice. The characters, the tension (both sexual and suspense), the story, and the writing, keeps you turning the pages.
• •
: Long Shot
: Kennedy Ryan
: 5/5
This book was one of the hardest books I’ve ever read. Not because of the writing style or grammar, but just because it deals with so much pain and grief. This book probably have made me feel every emotion that exists in this world, and not just in a moderate way. It had me bawling my eyes out and raging in anger. The characters have a lot of depth and I think that is also what made me feel these emotions so strongly. It is a carefully crafted masterpiece and nothing like I’ve read before. After reading this I had a massive book hangover. Definitely recommending this to everyone, however, the book deals with some heavy abuse, so reader discretion is advised.
My reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld
Great story the domestic violence part of the story was realistic because to often we wonder why would they stay this story gave one of the many that didn’t involve money
This story is beautiful and terrible and traumatic and empowering and Worth it!!! This one broke me a little bit, but I’m not sorry. Kennedy is a master wordsmith at shepherding the reader through the experiences in a way that is mind bending. Even if you never experienced trauma, you would go on this journey and learn from it.
This book is not just about the traumatic experiences, but they are a big part of it. Be prepared. No spoilers, but I love the empowerment. Finding love after trauma and after losing yourself can be very difficult. You have to heal and let go the trauma to let yourself experience love again, to trust again.
Performances by both narrators are top notch, but I feel like Jo Raylan bled those words and held my hand as I experienced them along with her. As always, beautiful narration adds layers to a story like this that – to me – is EVERYTHING!
Good read, sometimes it was too wordy with lots of edit errors. Tough subject but happy ending
This is an EPIC BOOK!!!
This book has touched me in a way no other book ever could!
When Author Kennedy Ryan interviewed me for this book, it was like I was back in my own personal Hell again. But,,,, through telling my story, and talking with Mrs. Ryan, it was like a therapy no one could’ve ever prepared me for!!
This story is a story that NEEDS to be told and NEEDS to be read!!! This is a LIFE CHANGING BOOK!!!!! The way Kennedy tells a story, the way she writes is like your right there in the story. You’re living it in real life.
Her story telling is awe- inspiring!!!
This book will gut you, rip your heart, and then it will put you back together stronger than ever!!!
“I will never be the same. Some things imprint us so deeply, we can never return to what we were before.”
“I’d Play You At The Five”
Thank you Kennedy Ryan for writing this book, thank you for healing me in a way no one else ever could!! I will be forever in debt to you!!
Well I stumbled into Long Shot without having read the blurb so it came as a surprise to me how dark it was. I am not typically a fan of dark romance and wouldn’t have picked this up had I checked it out first. Now that being said the author did an amazing job of showing us how strong Iris was. The book was very well written and it is obvious that a lot of time and research went into a difficult subject. The emotions were raw and real. August was absolutely swoon worthy in his love and dedication to Iris. Long shot contains triggers, sexual/physical/verbal abuse, so if that is an issue don’t pick this one up. If you are in need of a very real, emotional read this just might be what you need.
This story breaks your heart, tears it apart and lets it bleed to death. It is not for the faint and weak of heart. It is an outcry to the world, to finally open their eyes and see behind the façade of the poor and weak and helpless, to save them from their misery and the endless suffering they have to endure, and to protect them from the monsters of this world.
God knows this story is not an easy one, but it is excellently written, with a topic that is unfortunately all too often glossed over and swept under the carpet: Violence and abuse against women, in whatever form!
Rating 4.5/5
Oh boy… I waited and waited to read Kennedy Ryan. I’m glad that I popped my author cherry and jumped into Long Shot. From the get go, I knew once I started it would be hard to stop. The author knows how to draw the reader in. Each word has a specific purpose. Each word will make you laugh, cry, or leave a little speechless. There was no sugar coating what occurred within each and every page of Long Shot. I felt so much for Iris. She was put in a situation that it pretty common. It is sad how common. But then you had August… Damn… that man wasn’t afraid to work for what he wanted. He wanted Iris. Time wasn’t their friend, which made things even more tragic at times. Kennedy Ryan didn’t just give me a love story when I read through the pages of Long Shot. She gave me words of advice I took to heart. She gave me characters that had beautiful with their flaws and all. I can’t wait to dive into more stories by this author. No question.
Intense. Emotional. Heartbreaking. Raw. Beautiful. Compelling. Tender. Romantic. What else can be said about Long Shot that hasn’t already been said? Kennedy Ryan takes us on a journey. You feel torn apart and then put back together again. It’s an incredibly crafted story.
I’ve never read a sports romance before and wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it, but this book was excellent. Iris and August meet by chance in a bar one evening. Their chemistry is immediate but Iris is dating golden-boy Caleb, who happens to be August’s biggest basketball rival. Though Iris has some reservations about her future with Caleb, they’ve been together a while, and she fights her attraction to August. As the two keep crossing paths, their connection continues to grow, fueling Caleb’s jealousy. He becomes violent and abusive. If you have triggers, be forewarned-this book contains graphic violence with some tough scenes that had my anxiety creeping up at times. If you’ve ever wondered why an abused woman doesn’t just leave, this book shows you why she might stay with her abuser, even when she is in love with someone else. The story is well-researched, beautifully written, and will definitely keep you turning the page to see what happens next. I highly recommend it.
I LOVED this book! Kennedy Ryan handles one of the most difficult topics with perfection. While difficult, it’s an important topic. Beyond the portrayal of abuse, the characters were deep and relatable. Just outstanding writing!! All the stars and highly recommended!
This is a lengthy study of a woman who at a branch in the road picks an abuser over a wonderful man. It is not light and airy. It is graphic. The author has done excellent research. I’d suggest young women beginning to date seriously see how easy it is to be conned. And what it takes to recover.