Hot jocks. We love them all.Sexy baseball players. Intense footballers. Sweaty MMA fighters, and sizzling hockey hotties. Score!The good news? Eleven bestselling authors have gathered to give you a set of stories focused on the men we love most—sports heroes. We bet you’ll love this thick…book.The bad news? The men in these novellas don’t actually exist.*This anthology does not contain calories, … anthology does not contain calories, just eleven original, never-before-seen stories by the following authors: Adriana Locke, Mandi Beck, Charleigh Rose, Kennedy Ryan, LJ Shen, Meghan Quinn, Rochelle Paige, Ella Fox, Kate Stewart, Emma Scott, and Sara Ney. We aren’t responsible for melted devices.
Team Player:
Adriana Locke (Cross)
Charleigh Rose (Yard Sale)
Ella Fox (Out of Formation)
Emma Scott (One Good Man)
Kate Stewart (Sweeping the Series)
Kennedy Ryan (Full Court Press)
L.J. Shen (The End Zone)
Mandi Beck (Sin Bin)
Meghan Quinn (Back in the Game)
Rochelle Paige (Slapped Into Love)
Sara Ney (Switch Hitter)
more
This anthology was hands down one of the best that I have read. Every author are authors I follow because I love their writing styles. There were laughs. There were moments that my heart melted. There were hot and cocky men. This book kept me busy for almost a week straight worth of stories as I got lost over and over again in the characters. Many of the stories will continue on in a full book (YAY!) I will do a more detailed individual review after things mellow out from the holidays.
Back in the Game by Meghan Quinn had my heart. A hot single amazing dad and fantastic heroine, a little girl that I wanted to adopt, humor, and steamy good times. There is something about Meghan’s writing style that speaks to me. She could write a restaurant menu at a steakhouse and I swear I would by everything on it (which is impressive since I don’t eat red meat).
Fantastic job ladies. I am so honored to have been able to review this book before release (even though it took me WAY longer to read than normally. Silly holidays and health!) I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. You cannot go wrong with eleven novella’s from the best authors in the market.
The End Zone
On the eighth night, the girl gave the boy her heart.
He took it silently, never offering his back.’
Wow what a sweet, funny and super hot short this was. Loved Jojo, loved Sage, loved the story.
And those extra bits….your going to want those! You will 100% want those……
The End Zone by L.J Shen
Fantastic sexy friends to lovers story with just the right amount of twists and heat, but with ample slapstick humour
Jolie finds Sage Poirier , up in the tree, in the rain. She runs to him and holds his hand , never to let go of, for ever. She’s his best friend through thick and thin.Sage is a typical boy who is a great footballer and when he finally sees her, he falls for her
This is how great love stories start
I loved and devoured the short story.
4 Magical Eight stars
Yard Sale by Charleigh Rose
I really , really loved the writing, I swear.
Mollie Mabey meets Camden Hess ,a snowboarding king, in a bar and they just hit it off hot & Heavy real fast.
Things get seriously passionate and a gigantic, dripping hot, eight hour, sex marathon later , Hess wakes up to an empty bed.
What happens next,…..read the book
But I gotta say , story really hooked me .
4.5 Aspen stars
Sweeping The Series by Kate Stewart
Rem Makavoy. He’s a superstar on filed and a superdouche off it. When gloves come off, his hands are very busy, squeezing butts and giving orgasms to any woman crossing his path. He quickly is becoming the Bad Boy of Baseball and his team , his friends are worried.
“you are a world class dickhead and well on your way to becoming a cliché.”
For Damage Control , a new PR person is hired-Erica Wild. His ex, his heart, his life. They were deeply in love once, almost on the verge of marriage, when she left
“You want a reason for why I left you? Here’s a good one. This fucking sport. It destroys things; it destroys relationships and people.”
Now they’re back in a professional relationship, an edits a tightest everyday. Bitterness, cynicism, some tears, some sorrows, they all seep in and the story goes ftom good to spectacular.
Kate has written Ball Game Orphans story very astutely. The family suffers while the world applauds. Disappointments, missed occasion, dashed memories are all traded in lieu of series cups, championships and Halls Of Fame Awards.
Fantastic story, got a bit repetitive in the middle, but was hearttouching all the same
4 Tin Man stars
What a great set of novellas!! I love sports romances, and I’m excited to read them all.
FULL COURT PRESS- Kennedy Ryan
If you have never read a KR book, you are missing out. I want sure what to expect from this novella, because it’s unlike her normal characters, but this shirt was absolutely phenomenal. Blew me away, with tears and laughter. Avery and Deck were actually pretty great together. I loved their story!!
Deck had been through a bad relationship that ended, as did Avery, but in different ways. The past relationships made them both who they are today, good or bad. But the writing in this novella was so great, that you have no idea that you are almost done, and you feel like you have been reading for 5 minutes. I am not much for tears in books, but this one kept me going. I couldn’t put it down, and I’m sure you won’t either. It’s so worth the read.
CROSS- Adriana Locke
I cannot express the amount of wonder I found in this book. It’s awesome to be able to read a book and connect with past and future characters that you know, and be giddy with excitement. Makes me want to go to Lincoln, IL and find these wonderful characters.
Kallie and Cross are forever love characters that you can assimilate to any type of second chance love stories, but their love is different. The past became a reason for the future in Cross’ eyes. Everything he has done in the present is because of Kallie. I wouldn’t ever say changing for someone is ever a good thing, but in this case I would definitely think it was the best result. They truly loved one another, but it wasn’t the right time. Right?
I’m so happy I got to read about these two, and I’m looking forward to any future references in the coming books where they may be involved.
I voluntarily reviewed this book given to me by the author.
I plan to read all of them but so far I’ve read Cross by Adriana Locke. I love that she can take a side character and build a story that all of want more of. The only draw by it’s a novella. I hope Adriana gives these characters their whole story. This second chance with all the feels deserves it.
Loved it so much, I hunted down all the aurthors to read their other books. 🙂
Cross by Adriana locke was a quick, fun, and heartfelt read. Mrs. Locke has the ability to write authentic characters and storylines that pull at our emotions. The story was thoughtful, nostalgic, steamy, and relatable. The only issue I have is that I wanted more! More of this town and these characters I can’t wait to get more of these Gibson Boys.
**I own this anthology and plan to read all the novellas included.
Wonderful Anthology. Love every story in it. Couldn’t put it down
Anthology magic. This has some of the best sports romance writing you’ll see this side of the touch down line. Get in there and enjoy!
A great anthology of authors coming together with short stories that will leave you wanting more…
Sin Bin by Mandi Beck : I haven’t read her books before but after reading this novella, I’ll be definitely adding some on my TBR list (great discovery in this anthology). Wished this was longer though 🙂
Stella is a soft ball player and when she meets big hockey player Jason, their chemistry is off the charts and they have a secret couple of days together. But when Stella gets pregnant she wants to tell him but things get in the way and she’s left to be on her own. Now months later, they run into each other and the secret she kept from him comes out. Things have now changed and Jason will do whatever it takes to make things right…
Cross by Adriana Locke : I am loving all her books and this novella was just perfect. This one is a pre-sequel short story to her new Gibson series. Loved the story of Cross and Kallie.
Kallie is back in town after leaving not only her family but also Cross behind. She has her reasons for coming back but when she sees Cross again, feelings she thought were almost gone, come back in a heartbeat but she doesn’t want to get involved with him again. But Cross isn’t going to let her go that easily this time and will do whatever it takes to get her back! Will he succeed or will the past come in between them again?…
Yard Sale by Charleigh Rose : my first read from this author and I liked it a lot; will definitely check her out.
Hot snowboarder Camden meets Molly one night and after having a one night stand they don’t see each other again. But one little secret will come out after they meet again, Camden will do what it takes to make things right again. But will Molly let him back into her life?…
Out of Formation by Ella Fox : I’ve read books by this author before and really liked this short novella.
Elena has had a crush on Colin forever but he keeps her at bay and when he moves away for a few weeks, she is devastated. When Colin starts coaching at the same college Elena is cheerleading, Colin will stop at nothing to get her back.
One Good Man by Emma Scott : my first read from this author and it won’t be my last one 🙂
A story that is set in the ’70s. Janey is a student reporter and when she comes to close to putting herself in danger, her father sends her to France. There she meets Adrian who is a big football player but has secrets he keeps on the down low. When Janey needs to interview him for a paper, his secrets will come out and she’ll find a story that will change both of their lives forever…
Sweeping the Series by Kate Stewart : I have loved this author’s writing and I really enjoyed this novella by her. Loved Ren and Erika’s story! A second chance romance story of a baseball player and a PR assistant.
Erika left Ren a couple of years ago but he never knew why. When Ren has been creating a bad reputation for himself and the team, Erika is hired to keep him out of trouble but it’s not easy with the past they have. Slowly but surely Erika’s reasons why she left him, all keeps crumbling down. But Ren is stubborn and even though he still loves her, it’ll take time for them to be back where they were….
Full Court Press by Kennedy Ryan : another newbie author for me to read 🙂
Deck is heading to the big leagues when he and Avery meet. She’s a reporter that needs to cover his story but thing don’t go as planned and they part ways. Now, Deck is just out of his marriage and they meet again. Now to work together but Avery has been through a rough time and doesn’t want Deck to close to her but the attraction is something she can’t seem to fight and when Deck pursues her, maybe they’ll get the beginning they both finally want…
Switch Hitter by Sara Ney : I already discovered this author but I haven’t been able to read her books yet so this novella was my first one. I definitely can see why everyone is loving her books and I need to get to it now 🙂
Back in the Game by Meghan Quinn : My first read from this author and I love that it’s a single dad romance 🙂
Calder is taking his daughter out and when he meets Rachel, there’s something about her that instantly attracts him to her. They date and their relationship evolves but Calder keeps her at a distance ‘cuz he has never introduced anyone to his daughter and is afraid she’ll get to attached. But something is there that he can’t deny. Will he finally take a risk or will he lose the one he’s falling deeply for ? …
Slapped into Love by Rochelle Paige : another new discovered author for me!
Tamara and Ryan have had a one-night stand and Ryan has always regretted the way he left things. Now months later, Tamara comes back into his life to wip the hockey team into shape as she’s now a famous speed skater. Their chemistry is still off the charts and Ryan will do whatever it takes to win her back…
I absolutely loved this Anthology. Some novellas were sweet, some were emotional and all were HOT!!
Sweeping the Series
Cocky baseball star meets jaded fan. Explosive chemistry leads to love, leads to a broken heart. Will a second chance fix things or make them worse? There’s plenty of feelings in this one, along with serious heat, some LOL moments and awesome supporting characters. I am definitely going to check out the other Kate Stewart baseball books for more on those characters.
Full Court Press
This story packs an emotional punch. Avery and Deck share a moment when both their careers are starting. Fast forward a decade and their lives are very different. Tough topics are handled in this story but there’s also laughs, some crazy hot chemistry and a fantastic HEA.
Slapped Into Love
I love a hockey romance and this was a great one. Ryan the pro hockey player meets his match in Tamara the speed skater. Great chemistry, witty dialogue and supporting characters I want to know more about. Great read.
Out of Formation
Gotta love an older man, younger woman romance. Add in the fact that they grew up together & he’s now a coach at her college and you’ve got the recipe for a fantastic story. Colin and Leni are perfect together and it’s a really sweet read.
Yard Sale
I loved everything about this story. HAF Snowboarder anyone!! You get the heat you expect from a Charleigh Rose story, and you also get a great big dash of sweet. Add in some laughs, a dash of angst, a major plot twist before you get your HEA and you’ve got a fantastic story.
Sin Bin
Ooohhh I love a good hockey romance and this one was great. Stella and Jason have smoking hot chemistry from the moment they meet. Add in the kind of female character I love – plenty of sass and it was a fantastic read.
Back in the Game
I had forgotten how much I loved Meghan Quinn’s writing style. So many laughs. The SMS exchange between Calder and Rachel had me snort laughing. Fantastic chemistry, so much sweetness and a perfect HEA. I loved this story.
One Good Man
This one is very different to all the other stories in the Anthology. It’s an emotional read. A story set in the 1970s France and explored the sacrifices people are willing to make for those they love.
Switch Hitter
What do you do when you double book yourself on two dates? You make your twin pretend to be you. This one is a funny story of false identities, hot Latino baseball players and falling for the right guy.
The End Zone
I loved this story! Sage and Jolie were childhood best friends until they were more. Can they risk a decade of friendship to see what else they can be to each other? Seriously hot chemistry and awesome dialogue made this novella one of my favourites in the Anthology.
Cross
I love a good second chance romance and this one was great. Kallie and Cross were the perfect small town couple. Great read with a sweet HEA.
What an amazing line up of authors for this collection of Novellas!
Review of One Good Man – Emma Scott
As with all Emma’s writing there is a depth to the story that goes beyond the surface issues. This is not just a story about a playboy soccer star and a future journalist, its about perception, duty, family bonds. Set in the 70’s in France with its very own soundtrack, and references to the ongoing effects of the Vietnam war. Janey looks at the man beyond the football star, beyond the façade Aiden has created and finds the real story. I loved it, but I can always do with more when it comes to a novella and would love to see more of their story in the future. No spoilers but there are some side characters that I would love to hear more about.
I have dipped into a couple of the other novellas:
Kate Stewart’s Sweeping the Series where Erica & Ren have a second chance at romance – clashes and chemistry and a lovely romantic HEA.
Kennedy Ryan’s Courting the Press tells a story of long time lust, dealing with grief and guilt and holding back to protect yourself. I loved the ways things weren’t rushed and still reached a fantastic conclusion.
I cant wait to try the rest!
THE END ZONE BY LJ SHEN:
Sage needs no help boosting his ego, man does it all by himself, “First of all, it’s not going to be quick. I know what I’m doing in the sack. We’re talking a minimum of twenty-five minutes, lady, and I’m being humble here, because I might be a little on the excited side when I finally roll you between my sheets.” He cups his groin and winks…”
Sage is a territorial man, “Jolie is not dating anyone. Jolie stays with me.” I liked this novella Sage was a cocky one.
SLAPPED INTO LOVE BY ROCHELLE PAIGE:
Ryan is all about compromise, “I don’t mind at all,” I promised. “In fact, you look so darn sexy I think we need a rule that you walk around wearing my name on some part of your body every single day.” I really liked this story, I loved Ryan.
FULL COURT PRESS BY KENNDEY RYAN:
Deck is free flowing with hia compliments, “****, you give good head,” I mumble, barely able to form coherent words…” I liked this novella Deck was patient and a good listener.
OUT OF FORMTION BY ELLA FOX:
Colin can be a tad bit over dramatic, “…These past two months have been torture, baby . If you ever spend so much as two minutes avoiding me again, I’m going to lose my ****.” Colin was an alpha man and I loved it.
SWEEPING THE SERIES BY KATE STEWART:
Ren’s woman has his number, “…I’m betting there’s a deck of cards in the front pocket of your jeans. Oh, and I’m positive you still take off your shirt and sanitize the toilet seat before you take a ****!” Ren knows how to pay his woman the highest of compliments, “I haven’t come that fast since I discovered my first hard on.” I liked Ren he made things interestinf.
BACK IN THE GAME BY MEGHAN QUINN:
The first sentence that came out of Calder’s mouth made me fall in love with him, “showing off daddy’s jewels could get him in trouble. That’s called indecent exposure, sweetie.” The text messages Rachel and Calder exchange are completely their style, “babe, you can’t text me stuff like that when I’m in the locker room with a bunch of guys, they’ll think I have a b***r for other reasons.” I adored this story!
YARD SALE BY CHARLEIGH ROSE:
Cam is just so romantic, “I don’t know. I’ll come down on weekends and court your ***. Hard.” Cam was just so sweet I loved him.
SIN BIN BY MANDI BECK:
Jason is a man who likes to offer his girl his services, “you want to crash here? You can sleep with me in my big king size bed, I’ll even rub your… back” I finish with a waggle of my eyebrows.” I liked Jason the man knew when to step up to the plate.
ONE GOOD MAN BY EMMA SCOTT:
Adrian is just a little too cocky, “Adrian’s grin widened. “That remains to be seen. But you are flirting and you should smile when you flirt.” Adrian could be blunt, “I’m trying to say you’re hot,” I say.” I loved Adrian the man was sweet and took care of things.
SWITCH HITTER BY SARA NEY:
Dante has tact, so much tact, “I’m going to date the **** out of you.” Dante is no idiot when it comes to the signals his woman is sending him, “getting naked isn’t exactly what I had in mind, but I’d be an idiot to argue and mi madre no creo un tonto. My mother didn’t raise a fool.”
I have only read Cross by Adriana Locke so far. I will add to this review as I read other stories in this anthology.
Adriana Locke has always been an automatic one-click for me, so I was excited when I saw that she was a part of an anthology of sports romances. I was also excited because Adriana Locke’s story- Cross- has a connection to her Gibson Boys series. And I am so glad that I got to read this!
This is the story of Kallie and Cross. They grew up together and seemed to be the perfect couple. Everyone expected them to stay together, but unfortunately, small towns can create havoc when everyone in town knows your business. This causes Kallie to move away to the city. Years later, she returns, and while many things are still the same, some things have changed. The feelings that Kallie and Cross share are still there.
I love Adriana Locke’s writing style. She has a way of developing characters in such a manner that they are believable. She paces her stories well. And she leaves me feeling complete, while still wanting more. I can’t wait to get more of the Gibson Boys in future series!
Sin Bin by Mandi Beck 4 stars
Talk about a naughty time! What happens in the Sin Bin….yeah, you’ll see! It’s sweet, naughty and a perfect pick me up. On and off the ice it’s hot!
Yard Sale by Charleigh Rose 4 stars
Oh yes, indeed! A hot tattooed bad boy snowboarder…(licking my lips, pardon me) with a filthy mind and a sinful body who just happens to specialize in orgasms. Honey, if you aren’t reading it, you don’t know what you’re missing.
Sweeping the Series by Kate Stewart 5 stars
Heartache, hurt, and bitterness weighing you down! Well just pick up the Makavoy plan and be on your way to hot mess central! It’s not the best laid plan but it seems to work for Ren… except it really isn’t.
In true Kate Stewart fashion, Sweeping the Series wins the trophy. It’s funny, has ridiculous- I mean absolutely ridiculous lying awesome shenanigans, and even has the feels. Anger, disgust, love, hope….you will feel it all in this quick hit.
Watch it because bases are loaded and you won’t believe who comes off the bench…
Full Court Press by Kennedy Ryan 5 stars
Full Court Press is a second chance, one that might have been story. It has feels. It has lust. It has angst. It’s sexy, sweet, and all sorts of delicious naughty but I have to say I think the best part was the timeline. I liked that it wasn’t insta-love but insta-curious. There’s just something about the build up and angst. Kennedy Ryan nailed this 5 star, I mean, 3 point jump shot!
Slapped Into Love by Rochelle Paige 4 stars
Hockey hottie and the girl who ghosted him…Yeah checked egos aren’t happening. Or are they!?! Sexy and fun Slapped Into Love will keep you smiling.
Out of Formation by Ella Fox 4 stars
No conformity in this hot little number. Ella Fox has us panting for the new coach. Student teacher romance with a twist that isn’t offered in most. It’s sweet and all sorts of naughty.
Back In the Game by Meghan Quinn 5 stars
Perfection is Meghan Quinn’s single dad hockey player. If my drool leaks through this review, I apologize but hot damn. Single dad hockey player….did you read that!?!
Let’s try again!!! Hot, professional hockey playing single dad to a little girl…are you picking up what I’m putting down!?! Should I draw the lines…gorgeous, sweet, and loves kids!?! Sexy, brawny, and can tussle…in the sheets too..
I’m shaking my head at you if you haven’t caught on yet. It’s okay I will take deep breaths, shake out my arms, glare with my best evil eye, and show you the buy links. Do it!
Oh and that little hint about her next book and how it follows…epic tease.
One Good Man by Emma Scott 4 stars
I was pleasantly surprised by One Good Man. I have read and enjoyed Emma Scott before but I have a weird penchant for ignoring “recent historical” romances. So when I saw it took place in the 70s part of me cringed. No real explanation, just what happened. However, I loved One Good Man. Despite my weird aversion, I dove in. Doesn’t hurt that there’s a French hottie as the lead male…hello, Accent!
It’s definitely more serious in nature than some of the others in the anthology but no less fitting. It has its own brand of intensity and it’s well written. I may have even smirked. I totally did. Adrian will bring everyone to their knees. One cocky smirk at a time.
Switch Hitter by Sara Ney 5 stars
Switch Hitter is all kinds of mischief. It’s the perfect difficult situation. Forget older brother’s best friend taboo. Twin sisters boyfriend takes the cake. Especially when he’s a Latino hottie who would whisper naughty things…too bad he isn’t yours.
The End Zone by LJ Shen 5 stars
The End Zone is better than the friend zone. Jolie knows all about being stuck in the friend zone. Years of pining and lusting after her bestie have made her adept at navigating it. But now things seem to be changing…
This sweet little morsel is full of everything a full sized book has. I love when novella pack just as much punch as a full size novel.
reviewed for Naughty Book Blog and Sweet Spot Sisterhood
Back in the Game by Meghan Quinn is a Hockey Novella that is adjacent to the Dating by Numbers series in that it’s the first time we see Hayden, who is the best friend of the male protagonist, Calder. Calder is a swoon-worthy single dad of an adorable little girl who will do anything for his daughter yet is lonely and missing adult companionship.
Enter Rachel, who Calder bumps into while he’s dressed up like a fairy, a costume he wears frequently to make his little girl happy.
I loved the banter between Rachel and Calder as they get to know each other. As I mentioned earlier, this is a novella so it’s short and sweet with a HEA. Perfect for a pick me up when you don’t have time to commit to a longer book. It’s so enjoyable and you will finish it with a smile on your face.
I was generously provided with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Back in the Game by Meghan Quinn
Oh Calder!!!!! HOT Hockey player extraordinaire, HOT hockey player….oh wait I already said that…..okay…..HOT single dad, ummmm YES!!!!!
Through in an amazing woman, Rachel, and bantering galore and you have another 5 Star Read from Ms. Quinn!
Back in the Game is a novella; however, it doesn’t read like a novella would. Page 1 you immediately have a connection with Calder, he’s like-able and can I say HOT again?????
Ms. Quinn has uncanny ability to make all her characters feel “real” and you can be assured you are going to be giggling if not laughing out loud while reading…..just ask my husband .
OMG…this anthology is amazing. I love that its a few of my favorite authors as well as new to me authors. As I read this novel it amazed me how non of the stories were felt shortened and you felt like you had read a full novel.
I am leaving reviews and will add more as I finish the book.
The End Zone 5 stars
The End Zone was a fun friends to lovers sports romance. I enjoyed this short story as it included everything I loved in a book, main characters with intense chemistry, steamy scenes, a broody hero and a little drama to top it all off. This was a fun read.
Full Court Press 5 stars
OMG…there is a reason Kennedy Ryan is one of my favorite authors. The emotions that she put in her novels are intense and this story is no different. This was a novella yet it felt like so much more. Avery and Decker had a chemistry that could not be rivaled and I absolutely loved reading their story. The steamy scenes were hott, the emotions were heart-wrenching and the ending….I’ll let you see for your self. I loved this story.
Sin Bin by Mandi Beck
This story will catch you interest from the first chapter. It was fun and sexy and very steamy. I loved Stella and Jason together.
One Good Man
I loved this story. Set back in the 1970’s Janey and Adrian met and I loved watching them fall for each other. Additionally I loved the story behind the story as well as the HEA ending. This was an excellent novella.
So far I am loving everything about this anthology and i would highly recommend it.
Emma Scott’s One Good Man review:
Author Emma Scott’s books never cease to amaze me! The heart, the soul that she pours in each word…each page speaks so loudly to me as I devour her stories. She is so incredibly talented and always delivers a visceral reading experience.
SWEEPING THE SERIES BY KATE STEWART
Sweeping the Series made me laugh so loudly. Kate brought it home with this one. An absolutely fun read, with just the right amount of steam and drama. I definitely recommend it!
THE END ZONE BY LJ SHEN
I have never loved a Louisiana romance more than I did this one. Another great read. A lot of laughing happened, as well a some heartbreak and healing. I absolutely recommend it!
YARD SALE BY CHARLEIGH ROSE
A fantastic quick and dirty read! As my first read from this author I can officially say that I’m hooked on her writing and it won’t be my last. I absolutely enjoyed this fun read. Mollie and Cam’s relationship is absolutely worth it. The steam was out of this world. You need this book!!