A bad boy soccer star, a kind-hearted artist, a game neither planned on playing… superstar, Ryker James.
Nursing an injury, Ryker plans to lie low at his parents’ house until he heals. He can’t wait to rejoin his club and make amends for the trouble he caused. When the younger sister of a former teammate asks him for a favor—to coach her nephew’s soccer team—he should decline. But boredom and attraction compel him to help Lucy.
Coaching forces them together, and sparks fly…on and off the field. But Lucy’s wary of romance, and Ryker can’t afford a distraction. Before the final whistle blows, will they take a shot at love or forfeit the match?
* This is a revised, expanded version of a book previously published as It Started With a Crush.
These men know what they want, and love isn’t on their list. But what happens when each meets a keeper?
A Keeper series:
Book 1: The Groom
Book 2: The Soccer Star
Book 3: The Boss
Book 4: The Husband
Book 5: The Date
Book 6: The Tycoon
Book 7: The Navy SEAL
more
A sweet heart warming romance. Lucy has gone through so much in her life and is now caring for nephew while his parents are deployed. Lucy is in need of help with coaching her nephew’s soccer team, when she finds out soccer star, Ryker is back home nursing an injury. Ryker is known as a player on and off the field , he is Lucy’s older brother’s friend and she use to have a secret crush on him growing up. Low and behold, Ryker agrees to help with the coaching but soon a friendship develops, plus more.
Lucy is such a caring and giving person. She really wants her HEA but has seen a enough hurt. Ryker’s life is all about soccer but soon finds out something is really missing in his life. Loved this story, a great romance with plenty of fun.
I loved every minute of this bad boy soccer star romance with characters I wanted to know more about and a beautifully written story that checked all the boxes for a perfect contemporary romance – it was fun, emotional and heartwarming. I loved Lucy Martin who returns to her hometown to care for her soccer-crazed nephew while his parents are deployed and enjoyed her undeniable chemistry on former crush and big brother’s friend, now current soccer superstar Ryker James who is recuperating from an injury at his parents’ home. Once again Ms. McClone has blown me away with “The Soccer Star”, book two in her must-read Keeper Series. Get comfortable and enjoy an afternoon of reading pleasure with this wonderful sports romance. I received an advance reader copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. I liked it so much I purchased a copy to read again.
I had a great time reading The Soccer Star! Melissa McClone has a writing style that I like and does a great job developing her characters and fleshing out the plot. The story was touching as it pertains to a young boy whose parents are both deployed and whose soccer team needs a coach. The road to romance for Ryker and Lucy isn’t without some bumps along the way, but there’s a great HEA. I would recommend this book to clean/wholesome romance readers and to sports romance readers. I’m not into sports, but still loved the book.
I got a complimentary copy through Booksprout. I chose to write a review and share my opinion of this beautifully written romance.
The Soccer Star is a wonderful example of why to never judge a book by it’s cover. McClone puts her best heart forward and reminds us all what empathy means. Ryker and Lucy don’t always make the greatest first impressions, yet something about them makes it hard to write them off completely. At the worst of times two strangers learn what it means to bring out the best in each other. It’s always a pleasure to get lost within a Melissa McClone book. With an open heart and a little understanding maybe love can change the world.
I am so glad I read this story! The sweet, romantic story was inspiring and filled me with hope. I liked how bad boy soccer star, Ryker got to return to his hometown and coach the soccer team, as well as, try to overcome his feelings for the town he had left behind a long time ago. It was hard to imagine how cruel some of the kids had been to him when he was growing up there and how soccer helped him to overcome that time in his life.
I also liked that Lucy was taking care of her nephew, Connor while his parents had both been deployed overseas. She had moved back home from Chicago without batting an eye. What a touching scene when Connor’s parents returned after being gone for a year and how hard that has to be on the family waiting at home for them to return.
My favorite part was watching Ryker change from the soccer player he was before he got hurt to the player he was after he met Lucy and started coaching Connor’s team. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
Loved this book!!!!!!! I knew I would going in to it!!! I haven’t come across a Melissa McClone book that I haven’t liked!!!!!
Lucy has returned to her hometown, though not of her own choice. she is back to take care of her nephew, Connor, during his parents year-long deployment. Of course Connor loves soccer, and of course her childhood crush and soccer star, Ryker James, is also back home; recovering from an injury. But Ryker is a player and Lucy has already been played by her cheating ex-husband so her involvement with Ryker is strictly business. Soccer business, for her nephew and his team who desperately need a coach who knows more than Lucy does. But things, as things can do, do not go completely as Lucy plans and the childhood crush becomes a grown up love, and where will that leave them?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I adored this book so very much! Lucy is a wonderful chat who has overcome so much in her life and now has taken on the challenge of caring for her nephew, Connor, while his parents are overseas in the military. She’ll do anything to try to put a smile on his face. Even if that involves asking for a favor from a sports superstar, who’s also a childhood friend of her brother.
Ryker is rehabbing from an Injury, one that could have been avoided had he not been showing off! He’s anxious to clean up his slightly tarnished image and heal enough to get back on the soccer field. That doesn’t include coaching a soccer team. But he can’t resist Lucy or Connor, so maybe helping can’t hurt.
Ryker isn’t as much of a bad boy as he’s portrayed, but even a hint of it is enough to make Lucy nervous after all she’s been through. Ryker likes and admires Lucy, so a but if flirting can’t be all bad, can it? I really loved their sweet relationship and admired both of them and their dedication to both Connor and his team. I thought their reconnection was believable and definitely threw off more than a few sparks.
This book was classic Melissa McClone! Strong female lead who’s seen some heartache and the man who helps her see herself in a new empowering way. While part of the Keeper Series, The Soccer Star is a stand-alone, sweet feel good story. I loved it!
Lucy survived liver disease and a transplant and her ex-husband cheating on her with a woman she thought was her best friend. Ryker survived growing up poor and being bullied constantly to become a world renown professional soccer star. He’s a player off the field and she’s been cheated on, so how could she survive the fake relationship to improve his bad boy image he proposes, but she thinks of her 9 year old nephew Connor and all the good Ryker can do assisting his soccer team. I didn’t know much about soccer before reading this book. I loved that Lucy was an artist and graphic designer and has a career that she could do anywhere so she was available to take care of her nephew while her brother and his wife were serving in the military. This was a clean romance with plenty of funny and romantic moments.
Lucy and Ryker’s love story in The Soccer Star is a fun, heartwarming, sweet romance by Melissa McClone, book two in her A Keeper series. Lucy Martin left her small town for the big city after her divorce; never planning on returning. She’s back to care for her soccer crazy nine-year old nephew while his parents are deployed. His soccer team has no coach with his dad deployed and Lucy willing to do anything to keep him happy and, she reached out to her former high school crush, soccer superstar Ryker James. Ryker couldn’t wait to leave the town as he was the poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks, bullied by others yet blessed with an incredible soccer talent. He was back, staying at his parents’ home to heal a foot injury he suffered by goofing around the field. In reflection he realized how many people he had let done and how his bad boy image was causing more harm than good. When Lucy, the younger sister of his best friend, asks him for a favor, he knows he should say “no” but Ryker remember all who helped him when he was younger; making it difficult to turn her down. Coaching together forces them to recognize the electrical sparks and chemistry between them, on and off the field. Ryker knows a keeper when he sees one, but is not sure this is the right time or place. He will need to pull out some big stops to prove to Lucy that she can trust him, and love him with all her heart; as he was in it to win her.
Ms. McClone wrote a wonderfully sweet and moving story that is not to be missed. This story contains fun dialogue, the magic of love, discovery of oneself, and charminging characters giving Lucy and Ryker a chance at love, happiness, and future I highly recommend The Soccer Star to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Lucy Martin had been through much in her young life but her divorce sent her fleeing her hometown. However, when her brother and sister-in-law are being deployed, she doesn’t hesitate to move back to take care of her nephew. As a graphic designer and artist she can work from anywhere, she just hopes she doesn’t run into her ex.
One of the things she has to do for her brother Aaron, is find a coach for Connor’s soccer team. Something he didn’t have the time to do. So far she’s come with nobody, they’re either already coaching or are too busy working to do it. She’s determined to do it herself if she can’t find anyone, but soccer is not something she knows a lot about.
When Connor comes home from school excited she isn’t quite expecting what he is about to reveal. Apparently, soccer star Ryker James is in town recovering from an injury. Lucy remembers Ryker from school, he was friends and teammates with Aaron and a frequent guest at their home. She’d had quite the crush on him back then too. Could she face him to ask?
Ryker has been told to lay low by his Agent, the cause of his injury has him in trouble with his team as does his playboy behavior. When Lucy shows up with cookies to ask a favor, not for herself but for her nephew, he declines but promises to find someone for her.
In the end he agrees to do it, but on the downlow as her assistant teaching her to coach as he helps with the boys.
Lucy and Ryker definitely have chemistry between them and Lucy finds herself setting some ground rules, including no kissing. This was a fine plan until his agent shows up as they were relaxing after dinner at his parents home. Even with Connor with them playing with the dog, Blake sees the attraction and assumes they are an item.
Unfortunately for Lucy and Ryker, the only way he can continue to coach is if they are a couple. He has to have a personal attachment to the team and that would be Lucy.
Plenty of romance with a time limit and Lucy tries hard not to fall in love with him. It seems to her Ryker has it easier when facing that limited time together.
I love the way this plays out, the unexpected events, and the growth of character that Ryker goes through is perfect.
I can’t wait to see what Melissa has in mind for the next book in this series.
Wonderful story of redemption and forgiveness with many heart tugging and heartwarming moments. When one (or two) family members sacrifice their time for service to our country, there are always heart pangs. Excellent portrayal of how these sacrifices affect the whole family. Very touching story.
Lucy is the caretaker of her nephew Connor for a year. He’s totally crazy about soccer and knows just the person who can help his team, Ryker James. Now she has to ask the guy she had a crush on to help her to coach the team. But how can they keep it casual because he needs to leave and she can’t have a broken heart again?
Entertaining clean story with a lot of feelings and kisses. Being honest with yourself and others is always the best.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Lucy is back in her hometown to be guardian to her nephew while his parents are deployed. She is trying to find someone to be the soccer coach for his team when her nephew gets the idea that they should ask Ryker. Ryker is a MLS player, an old friend of his dad’s and Lucy’s old crush. How perfect of a setup! The characters are a lot of fun. I like all of Melissa McClone’s books as the characters are relatable and the book is easy to read. It just moves quickly and I’m usually caught up immediately. I loved Lucy and Ryker together. The story was sweet and fun with a great HEA ending. I received an advance copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is such a good book!
I truly enjoyed reading it!
It’s a engaging & moving story.
Lucy, is taking care of her nephew,
while her brother & sister-in-law are deployed.
Soccer is everything to her nephew, Connor.
Unfortunately, his dad was the coach.
Ryker, is back home to recover from an injury.
He has a bad boy reputation, that might ruin his chances
of returning to his team. Soccer is Ryker’s whole world.
It’s what he lives for. That is, till Lucy walked into his life.
Everything you want in a true romance.
Ryker Lucy, steal your heart
from the very first pages to the last.
Must Read Story!!