My friends used to tell me ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.’ Clearly, they lied because a few months later, I found out my one-night stand was pregnant. I couldn’t handle a baby. I was Griffin Rockwell, the best wide receiver the league had ever seen. But what choice did I have? My baby girl was coming whether I was ready for her or not.Brooke turned out to be an amazing woman and mother. … woman and mother. For seven years, we were the MVP’s of co-parenting—and even better friends.
That all changed when tragedy struck our makeshift family and I was faced with the terrifying possibility of losing the one woman I was quickly realizing I couldn’t live without.
I was at the height of my career and on the path to becoming the greatest of all time.
But keeping my family together, with Brooke by my side, might prove to be the hardest route of all.
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This book is perfection! Griff and Brook are amazing. The Friends references are the best, my fav show! This book made me laugh, cry, and root for Griff and Brok the entire time. This book has all the feels and characters that touch your heart.
Vegas baby! What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas…most times.
Brooke let herself live for the first time in years. When she meets Griff she is in for the ride of a lifetime. Griff is out celebrating and is ready to cut loose.
Will these 2 be able to withstand what is to come? Will being friends be what gets them through? Will they take the easy way out?
This was a great story!!!! I enjoyed the time lapse and seeing things later on. Brooke and Griff were a great match. As much as they drove each other crazy, they were exactly what rhe other needed and didn’t know.
Look forward to more from this awesome author!!
Wow this one was very interesting from beginning to end. The middle of this book has me in tears. So emotional. So well written. Gripping storyline with great characters. I absolutely loved reading this storyline. Brooke and her best friend Melanie take an adventure to Las Vegas. Brooke meets Griff . I think we all know what happens next. Years later they are trying to work things out. But while trying to work things out Brooke has to face something no one should ever have to face. Will these two get through it together? Great chemistry great characters great storyline. Very well written.
The saying of what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas isn’t always the case. Brook’s bestie, Mel, dragged her to Vegas to get her to let her hair down a bit, to push Brook out of her comfort zone. When she spots a hottie and they lock eyes, Mel pushes her once again to let go and have fun. After a great night with Griffin, Brook slips away the next morning with no regrets. A few months later Brook finds out that she is pregnant, and after a bit of drama the two decide to co-parent. Fast forward a few years and the two have a beautiful daughter and the co-parent thing comes with some challenges but they are making it work. When Griffin starts to realize that Brook has become way more to him than just his baby momma, that she is in fact his partner and he decides that he wants to make it a reality how will Brook react? Can Griffin just change their roles and make up new rules? More important… does Brook even see Griffin in that light, or does she just view him as her baby daddy?
There is so much more going on in this story, but I didn’t want to spoil anything. This was a super sweet story, and went way deeper than a pro-football player and his baby momma. With loads of drama, some really nice naughty bits, and a few weepy moments, this was a very entertaining read. I give this 4 stars.
Loved it!!! What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas or does it??? Brooke and Griffin had a one-night stand which in turn made them parents. Once Griff learns he is going to be a father he’s all in. Together as friends they will raise the baby. These two had their challenges between living in different states, his NFL career but nothing came in the way of the child. Over the years their friendship grew and Griff starts to see Brooke differently. This story is full of romance, sweet times, fun times, emotional times and sexy times. I’m hoping this is the start for more books about their friends and teammates!!! This was my first time reading A.S. Teague and I’m so happy I found her.
I’ve been a massive fan of A.S. Teague ever since I read her debut book. Her characters and their stories captivate me and The Hardest Route did exactly that.
Brooke and Griffin meet one night in Vegas and Brooke has no intention of ever seeing him again…until she finds out she’s pregnant. Doing the right thing she gets in touch and so begins their friendship. Co parenting over the years means these to have formed a strong, respectful, platonic relationship. When Griff can’t be there for Brooke and their child, Brooke’s best friend Mel steps up. This woman! Every woman hopes to be the kind of friend Mel is. I have mad respect for Mel and I’m praying she gets her own books at some point. It isn’t until Brooke drops everything for Griff that he starts to see what his friends have been saying about him and Brooke for years. With his eyes opened we see a different, more determined Griff. But sometimes we don’t always get what we want without a fight and Brooke and Griff have a battle to win.
This book was exactly what I’ve come to expect from A.S. Teague work. Her stories are beautifully written, the emotions always hit me hard because she brings her characters to life and makes you love them and I’m not even ashamed to admit I welled up reading this book. As emotional it is there’s also plenty of humour and the friendships between the main and secondary characters will warm your heart and bring a smile to your face. Another amazing book from this author.
WOW. This book was beyond amazing! I was drawn in with the blurb, and the book didn’t disappoint. I loved watching Brooke & Griff learn to coparent together. And when they finally got together I was so excited. I was shocked when their relationship was tested, but I’m so glad that they got their HEA.
Review for Kris’s Dark Angels Book Blog
The Hardest Route was my first time reading this author and I will definitely be reading her books again in the future!
This Sports Romance has just the right amount of sports, romance and real life hardships to make you fall in love with their story. Their journey isn’t easy, taking the Hardest Route may be their only way to conintue.
When Brooke goes to Vegas with her best friend and decides to step outside of her comfort zone the last night there, she meets Griffin and they have a one night stand. Three months after returning home from Vegas some shocking news as a routine checkup appointment will change their lives forever. These two strangers with amazing chemistry are now going to be parents.
Brooke and Griffin’s story will make you laugh and sometimes even cry. Their journey isn’t always easy and fun. They face realistic hardships that hit really close to home with me and I believe that the author did a fantastic job with the characters, storyline and the details.
If you love characters with strong connections, realistic storylines and the beauty of true love. I highly recommend you grab your copy of The Hardest Route today!
What an intense book.
Brooke and Griffin meet in Vegas, where Brooke’s best friend Mel has dragged her to celebrate Mel’s 30th birthday. Trying to get Brooke to loosen up and have a good time, she literally pushes her into Griffin. They have a one-night stand, neither expecting to see each other again. Griffin is eight years younger and freshly drafted into the NFL. Brooke is shocked to find herself pregnant, but they eventually work something out, coparenting for several years.
This book didn’t follow the path I expected, and I’m always happy to be surprised like that. Instead of getting together because of the pregnancy and suddenly being in love and perfect, both Brooke and Griff realize they are in different places in their lives and would not work as a couple at that point. But they become close friends, parenting Allie together over the years. Eventually they start to realize the feelings they have for each other, but then they get devastating news.
What I loved: Allie Bean is the best. She is such a great kid! Mel is the best best friend ever – she is a true (platonic) life partner to Brooke. I also liked Brooke and Griff’s relationship. There will always be bumps in parenting, no matter what, but they have things mostly figured out. And when he decided to go for a real relationship with Brooke, he doesn’t hold back.
I really enjoyed this book. I also hope that Mel gets her own book, too. I feel like there is a story between her and Aiden that needs to be told.
Wow. The author really pulled no punches when it came to this book. She had me giggling, she had me angry and she had me in tears for Griff and Brooke. Their loved spanned years but in the end, though the fights, the anger, the disbelief and the fighting, they became such a sting couple that could withstand anything. This book was so much more then a surprise baby, sports romance. It was about friendship, love, working together and opening your eyes, and fighting for what’s important. I had to sit for a while and really digest what I read but I can say that this is one of the easiest 5 stars that I could give. I would love to see some of the secondary characters get books. They are all amazing and really helped the main characters from start to finish. 5 stars #2OCCJD
They Were The Best Team
4.5 Stars
Sometimes everything you need, everything you always dreamed of, is right in front of you. It’s all about timing and the journey that gets you there.
One night changed everything. He was just drafted to the NFL, about to start his professional football career. She was already established and doing well. They met at a casino in Vegas. Not everything that happens in Vegas stays there, since now they are expecting a baby!
For years they co-parented from a distance. They were each other’s best friend and sounding board. They had a good thing going. Why risk what they had with wanting more? In this case, the risk just may be worth the reward!
This story definitely touched my heart. Watching Griff and Brooke become parents, then best friends and ultimately each other’s everything was beautiful. Their slow fall was exactly as it should be. Their love and respect for one another were obvious. Their relationship may have been “just friends” for years, but it was also so much more. Griff had all the right words and could easily make you fall in love with him.
A great story about an unexpected beginning that led to the perfect ending! Some laughs, some tears and a whole lot of love. Life is all about the journey.
This book is just so much more than your typical romance. Brooke and Griffin are strangers who built a life, a united front that turned into one AMAZING friendship. A one night stand that took them on an incredible journey. Who would have thought getting pregnant by a stranger would lead you on the path you were destined to follow.
I absolutely LOVED Griffin and Brooke. The chemistry they shared, the banter, even the disagreements were off the charts AMAZING! This story will give you all the feels. When tragedy strikes this beautiful couple my heart just broke but it was the fight that had me hooked. I was so entranced in this story I couldn’t put it down. The secondary characters were just as amazing! I hope Aiden and Mel get their story and Quinn too, there is definitely a story there.
This was my first book by A.S. Teague but it won’t be my last.
This story was everything and more.
I fell in love with Griff from the beginning. How could you not!
Brooke was an amazing heroine.
Together they were magic! The chemistry was amazing. The story flowed well without a lull. I laughed, I cursed and I cried.
What Brooke went through hit home for me in so many ways. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time, praying it would go a certain way.
Most importantly, this story was about hope. To never give up and have hope no matter what route life takes you.
I am a sucker for a sports romance. It doesn’t matter if it is football, baseball, hockey, soccer, whatever. I love it. I especially enjoy sports romance when it is more about the people in the story than the sport. Finding that balance is key. While I love sports, I don’t necessarily want the details of the sport in my book. I want the “behind-the-scenes” relationships.
A. S. Teague does this well in The Hardest Route. The story follows Griff and Brooke. They meet in Las Vegas, spend an amazing night together, and go their separate ways: Brooke back to her job as an engineer and Griff to his burgeoning NFL career. However, their one-night stand produces a baby, and this book follows them through that journey.
What I find intriguing about Griff and Brooke’s story is that they didn’t have an insta-love story. In other words, Teague doesn’t rush them into couplehood. Instead, they become parents to their daughter, and friends, and I found this refreshing. Oftentimes, in this situation, you imagine the author creating a relationship between the two. But Teague doesn’t. She grounds this story, to a degree that you can in a romance, in reality. These two do not know each other. To put them immediately into a relationship would be unrealistic and foolish. Teague grows their friendship through parenthood first, and this sets this book apart from other one-night stand baby-daddy romances.
I also love that Brooke is older than Griff. She’s a career woman, intelligent, and grounded. He’s younger, starting a new life, and he shows his youth through his inability to compromise. This dynamic sets up the fireworks of their relationship. However, it also grows them into friends, which is probably the sweetest part of this book. Again, this dynamic makes this story different.
I think the biggest issue with this story is all of its moving parts. There is enough to unpack between Griff and Brooke that the final “surprise” of the book, quite frankly, seemed unnecessary. I don’t want to spoil it for the reader, but I think it seemed tertiary to Griff and Brooke’s relationship. While I know it was meant to grow their romance (and it inspired the title for the book), it felt ancillary to the story, an after-thought.
Also, there is humor in this book in the form of Griff and Brooke’s best friends. They add a level of hilarity that adds layers to the story. And this book can be sexy, but it is another ancillary part of this book. If you’re looking for heat, this isn’t your book. Instead, Teague focuses on developing the romance between Griff and Brooke in more meaningful ways, which can be refreshing in a genre that oftentimes overdoes the heat.
I would definitely recommend The Hardest Route. It teaches us that the person who is closest to us, who really knows us as a friend, is oftentimes the one we’re meant to love forever. It suggests the friendship before love creates a stronger foundation for an eventual HEA. The Hardest Route offers a beautiful showing of friendship, devotion, and love.
Overall:
The Hardest Route by A.S. Teague is one of the best books I have read this year.
If there is one thing you take away from this review, besides the fact that you NEED this book in your life, I hope it is that.
This book is amazing. And every other positive adjective under the sun. It is exceptionally written, so authentic and memorable, and completely consuming from start to finish. The Hardest Route is a book that tugged at my heart, broke it just a bit, while simultaneously putting all of the pieces of me back together again as its breathtakingly emotional story unfolded.
Between the pages of this book, I fell wholeheartedly and so deeply in love with Griff and Brooke, and I am certain a piece of me will always belong to those two.
I loved every single second and word and moment I got in this book with these characters. I started this book smiling to the point of my cheeks hurting, and I finished this book with tears in my eyes and a heart that was bursting with so much love for what I was reading. This book was just incredible. It was a book I felt every single word of. It was a book I experienced so truly and so honestly. This was a story that felt so real, and one that I felt so deeply a part of because of A.S. Teague’s magnificent writing.
I have been a fan of A.S. Teague since her debut novel released a few years ago, and with each and every one of her books I fall even more in love with her writing and storytelling ability. I have loved every single one of her books, but there is something truly special about The Hardest Route. This book was just more in a way. It was a story I felt so deeply connected to, and one that I never wanted to have end. Every time I opened this book to spend time within this world and with these characters, I got the biggest smile on my face and a true flutter in my heart. Even when what was happening was breaking my heart, along with these characters’ hearts, I loved it and felt it and just embraced it because I NEEDED this story.
I needed Griff and Brooke. I needed this world and what it brought to life. I needed the supporting characters that made this book even more incredible. I needed this addicting story. I needed it all.
I needed so much of this book, and that is just a part of what had me loving every single word of The Hardest Route.
If I were to make a list of all the things I absolutely loved about this book…that list would be endless. Like seriously. I could go on and on about what I loved about this book because there was so much amazingness within it. I won’t list everything because that would take all the words, but let me give you just a preview of what I could not get enough of in this book:
-All the feels. This book had every single feel that you could think of and every type of feel that you need. This story had feels upon feels, and I was here for it. This book made me laugh out loud, it made me cry, it struck my heart and took it capture, and it left me breathless at times. Literally. It also made me swoon and melt and just fall so hard for Brooke and Griff and everything that they were sharing. The emotional level that A.S. Teague brought to life in The Hardest Route was EXCEPTIONAL. This story threatened to shatter me at times, but it also practically consumed me with the love and friendship these characters had. Experiencing that, feeling that, and understanding the impact of all of those feels and what it all meant was spectacular.
-Sports romance. I love me a good sports romance, and this book just reminded me of that again and again. Griff is a professional football player and that added a whole new set of dynamics to what unfolded in this book. I loved getting to be there as these characters waded through those dynamics and as they tried to figure it all out. That coupled with the best group of guy friends (who all need their own story!), made for a sports romance that felt believable, that let me actually understand sports, and that swept me up into a world that I could not get enough of.
-Accidental pregnancy, with a dollop of friends to lovers romance. What starts as a one night stand soon becomes more than either Brooke or Griff were prepared for in this book, and I loved it. I LOVE me an accidental pregnancy book something fierce. I love getting to be there as characters try to figure out what in the world they’re going to do with an accidental pregnancy and getting to see how everything changes when their child comes into the world. The Hardest Route gives you all of that and more. It takes you through every step of Brooke and Griff’s journey to parenthood and what it all really means for them. You see the good, the bad, and the ugly…and everything else in between. Getting to see them as parents to their little girl was the absolute best, and I promise those two and their love for their daughter will absolutely melt your heart.
What also melted my heart in this book was the friends to lovers story it also gave me. Friends to lovers stories are my jam. There is just some so special about seeing a friendship turn into more. It’s like waiting for the biggest fireworks show of your life. You wait, you experience the buildup, you feel the literal magic in the air, and it all grows and grows and grows in anticipation….and then EVERYTHING explodes and it is magnificent and mesmerizing and beautiful. That was what this friends to lovers romance was with Brooke and Griff. It was full of build and glorious push and pull and a true friendship that will set your heart on fire. Getting to be with these two as they see what could be between them, as they fight for that more, and as they try was nothing short of everything.
-It’s all about the journey. It really is all about the journey, and there are so many journeys you get to experience in The Hardest Route. There is the journey of Brooke and Griff as they navigate parenthood and friendship and potential love. There is Griff’s journey with growing up, maturing, and figuring out what he really wanted. There is Brooke’s journey of trust and taking risks along the way. There are journeys of friendship, family, and love in this book. There are journeys that show these characters just how far they’ve come and how far they still have to go. There are journeys that test every will and ounce of fight that these characters have. There are so many intricate and beautifully crafted journeys in this book. Those journeys will own you, they will move you, and they will show you the true nature of these characters, all that they are, and all that they’re fight for, and you will love it.
You will love that and everything that this book has to offer so much.
The Hardest Route is a book that consumed me, owned me, wrecked me, and wowed me from start to finish. It is a book that took ahold of me with all that it had and that gave me everything I needed with its characters. This story is one that I know I will not soon forget, and it is one that I will treasure because that is how utterly incredible it was. The Hardest Route gave me one of the best reading experiences I have had in quite some time, and I will never forget what it was like to read this book. Even thinking back on it now as I write this review is bringing the biggest smile to my face and just making me want to go back to this book.
That is how outstanding this story is because days after finishing it, I still can’t stop thinking about it and what it gave me with its magnificent characters.
What A.S. Teague created and so thoughtfully brought to life in The Hardest Route is out of this world phenomenal. Her words gave me my new favorite story, and allowed me to fall head over heels in love with a football star, an older woman, a little girl who is sweet as can be, and the gaggle of friends that come with them. This book brought to life a story of beautiful, messy, glorious fight, a story of taking chances and risks, a story of what it truly means to give it your all for what you never even knew you needed, and a story of real, honest to goodness, friendship and love.
This is hands down one of the best books I have read this year and is my favorite of A.S. Teague’s books to date.
What can I say? I LOVED this book with everything that I have and I truly can’t recommend it enough. The Hardest Route provides one helluva reading experience that is full of glorious and dynamic feels, unforgettable characters, and a story that will own you with everything it has. I promise, if you take the chance and read this book you will not regret it. You will not regret it one little bit, and you will LOVE every single second you get with Griff and Brooke.
They’re kind of the actual best, and you’re going to fall hopelessly in love with them by the end of chapter 1.
Trust me. It’s inevitable. You will love them and their story with all that you have, and in the end you will be beyond glad you took the hardest route with them.
Five swoony stars! I truly loved everything about this book. I feel like the luckiest reader ever after finding another amazing new author! This is my first read of hers and I am hooked. From the moment I dove in – these fantastic characters, witty banter and beautiful writing consumed me.
There are plenty of one night stands turn oops surprise baby type of sports romances on the market. I can guarantee none of them have the depth, attention to detail and relatability of Grif & Brooke! These two as individuals are PHENOMENAL. Together as co-parents & friends they are MAGNIFICENT. When their journey really heats up and life’s challenges come their way in full force – that is when things get real. All the FEELS come into play. The relationship this little family shares is nothing short of beautiful. When they choose The Hardest Route in the face of one of the most devastating situations — BRILLIANT! Unfolds at the perfect pace and every aspect is EXCEPTIONALLY WRITTEN! I could gush all day long.
If you love a story that makes you feel, with characters you’d befriend – YOU NEED THIS BOOK!
Did I mention I love sports romance?! Well I do so this story had me intrigued from the beginning. Adding the surprise baby element sucked me in too. Having said that, it was MORE than I expected. Ugh this book captured me and didn’t let go. I was surprised at all the emotions it solicited. Can you say book hangover?
I am madly in love with Griff and Brooke. Their journey takes you on a wonderful feel good experience and intertwines some gut wrenching emotional elements. I am a wreck. (Resting my head in my hands and taking a deep breath trying to collect myself). How the title ties into this story is beautiful, insightful, and heartfelt. The metaphor used in paralleling the game of football with one’s journey in life was exceptional writing. Once again I tear up just thinking about it.
Of course adding little Allie Bean to the mix even had my past expiration date ovaries twinge a bit. This book also provides a full cast of characters with all of Griff’s athlete buddies and Brooke’s best friend. (Eek rubbing my hands together in anticipation) I am hoping we get their stories down the road in future reads (wink).
I can’t say enough about how awesome this story is. I am living in the sunset of its telling, trying to savor the experience. Definitely recommending this book to everyone. Happy reading!
Griffin Rockwell was on top of the world, he just came off a winning season with his college football team, just scored an NFL contract with the Bears, nothing could shake his good fortune. Well except maybe a phone call telling him that he was about to become a father to a child he created during a one night stand in Vegas.
The moment he learns that Brooke is expecting his child his world gets turned upside down, but instead of turning tail and running he decides he needs to handle it responsibly. So he shows up on her doorstep and they formulate a plan, one that creates a tight knit friendship, and solid united front for their child. But here lately just being friends with his baby mama doesn’t seem like enough, she’s always been there for him, and he is beginning to realize how important having her around is. And the mere thought of someone else ever coming between them and shaking that up isn’t something he wants to ever endure. He has to make her his permanently… question is will she feel the same way?
The Hardest Route was an emotional, heart-squeezing tale that brought smiles, swoons, and a few happy tears. I really enjoyed this one, it was a slow burn romance story, and refreshing take on the unplanned pregnancy trope. Griff and Brooke wandered onto the page and I was completely drawn to them and their unique story. On paper they seemed like an unlikely pairing, but as we know love knows no bounds, and it wanted these two together. I loved watching them find their way, their little journey was filled with lots of bumps, but love found a way to prevail, and leave my heart happy. If you are in the mood for a heartwarming love story, then I highly suggest you check this one out, it’s brimming with feels!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
Brooke and Griffin learn the hard way that what happens in Vegas does not necessarily stay there. Their story is an emotional roller coaster ride from beginning to end. This is a beautifully written story which is heartbreaking, humorous, and with friendship, hope and love. I was totally captivated throughout this addictive page turner, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author, whose work I highly recommend for all readers.
These two certainly lived up to the title of the book. It’s hard enough to make a relationship work but when you add a baby and long distance, it’s harder. Sometimes you just don’t see what’s in front of you and Brooke and Griff almost missed it. I’m glad they finally saw the light.