The Playmaker by: Jordan Ford

The Playmaker (A Big Play Novel Book 1)

In this story, you have the football star Colt and the freaky little hipster Tori. They used to be best friends when they were younger, but after high school starts and the social standards are put into place, they drift apart.

With it being their senior year, Tori has come up with a plan to make Colt fall for her under the guise of liking one of his teammates. At first he turns her down, but after some consideration he agrees to help but only in secret. They start spending time in the meadow that they frequented when they were younger, leading to hanging out at his place and watching games.

After some hints about changing her wardrobe, the guys start to take notice of what she hides underneath her homemade tye-die flowy dresses she wears. Which in turns makes Colt realize that he has feelings and/or thoughts about her that he tries to ignore due to her being “weird”.

After Colt is injured in a game, Tori shows up at his house the next day to check on him. They start talking about a paper he has to write and it comes out that he has dyslexia and the letters get mixed up. Deciding to put Operation Fall for Tori on hold, she comes up with a solution to the problem. The next day, she goes back over to his house with research to show him that a lot of famous people have suffered from dyslexia and found ways to overcome it. So now instead of him teaching her, she teaches him.

Still struggling with his feelings for Tori, Colt tells her she is ready and she doesn’t need his help anymore. So she decides it’s time to “man up” and tell Colt that he is the one she likes so she dresses up to go to a party. Come to find out the whole football team skipped out on going due to a rival school attending. Things don’t turn out well for Tori and she is found in a bad position.

Oh, I so want to say more, but I think it’s time you went and picked up The Playmaker and read it for yourself.

Originally released March 2016-new look/new cover released September 2019
Pages: 328 Paperback Edition Teen YA Football, Family, School Drama Nelson High Raiders Book 1

Wipe Out by: Jordan Ford

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The Ryder Bay series continues in this story about Jace and Scarlett, aka Bass and Lettie. If you read the Boys of Summer Riptide novela you got a preview into this one.

When Jace makes one bad decision too many, he is shipped across the country to live with his mom’s cousin until he can learn to straighten up. At his new school, Jace finds some kids he fits with, until lunch, when he is busted for having a vape pen that’s not even his. Not wanting to become a nark on his first day, he takes the punishment and gets a day of dentition, along with the message to stay away from those kids and make new friends. When he gets out of detention, Marshall is there to pick him up and lecture him, telling him he needs to hang out with a different crowd such as Griffin’s girlfriend Savannah, along with her friend Harley and their crew. Not wanting to make friends but keep the calm he’s like whatever and goes to his room.

Lettie is having her own bad first day. Starting high school, she thought she would have at least one friend, come to find out that over the summer her friend decided she wanted nothing to do with her and made new friends, the popular kind, who go out of their way to make fun of Lettie for being a loner and bookworm.

Lettie and Bass have still been emailing back and forth with each other and growing closer until Lettie starts getting confused by having feelings for Jace and feeling like she is cheating on Bass.

Jace, not wanting to tell Snap Dragon about Lettie and his confusing feelings, starts slacking off on his emails to Snap. That all changes when he tells her if she misses her email buddy that she needs to write him and tell him that. So she does and ends up giving off enough clues that Bass figures out that Snap Dragon is Lettie, but he doesn’t know how to tell her he’s Bass without causing problems between them.

When she finally decides to tell Bass who she is, and he decides to come clean as well, when Reed comes in a screws it all up. But that’s all I am saying about that, you will have to read to find out for yourself what happens.

What another great read by Jordan. I loved the interactions with previous characters, but I think Harley and her stubborn streak just might be my favorite.

Publication Date: July 20, 2019 Pages: 398 Kindle Edition YA Summer, Friends, Family

Accidental Mistake by: R.S. Lively

When Quinn’s hot new neighbor moves in and purchases a glider for his backyard, he drags it through the yard. It happens to catch a hold of a rose bush branch that sticks out into his yard and Quinn goes running over to him yelling at him, stating that the rose bush is hers and he better watch out. Not knowing the history behind the village or the meaning of the roses, he is not aware of an agreement that states that the rose bush is in fact on her land and not his.

Liam discovers he likes getting Quinn all riled up so he tries to do it any chance he gets. They end up spending so much time together that people think they are a couple. They deny this, but when Quinn sees her ex, she lays a kiss on Liam in front of everyone, pretending they are a couple. They talk it out and make a plan to fake date until Conner and Gemma leave. What was supposed to be a few days turns out to be the whole summer.

Quinn and Liam continue to fake date until it turns real. Along their journey of “dating” they get closer, learning all about each other. It takes them a bit to realize it is real but when the end of summer comes along, he heads to California and she stays but it’s not a bad thing. You will just have to read it to find out what happens. Another great read by R.S. Lively.

I received this as an ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Publication Date: July 2, 2019 Pages: ?? Kindle Edition Adult 18+ Contemporary, Romance

Riptide by: Jordan Ford

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Boys of Summer

Jace, a.k.a. Bass, is a 16 year old boy who thinks no one will ever want him and that he is always being pushed away. His dad moved overseas when he was younger, leaving him with his mom. Now his mom is remarried and they are expecting a baby, making Bass feel like he lost his mom to Tony and their baby.

While at a party, after Bass thought it was a good idea to jump from a two story balcony into a pool, a girl he was dancing with gave him the email address to someone who could get him something to give him that rush feeling he is always seeking. After a night of hanging with his buddies and drinking, Bass decides to email SnapDragon and see what’s up.

The next morning, his computer dings to let him know he’s got a new email. Bass discovers that in his drunken state last night, he added numbers that did not belong in the email and sent it to someone else. What happened in his drunken haze ends up being a good thing as he makes an online email buddy. After a few emails back and forth they decide to keep things anonymous because they don’t want to mess up what they have with each other, which happens to be finding out that someone else out there knows what you are going through. They get to know each other, and as things turn bad for Bass and he gets grounded to his room, he turns to S and she helps him through things.

Bass is a typical teenage bad boy, hanging out with his buds, surfing, drinking on the beach, going to parties and a little law breaking good time, until one too many nights roof jumping end up being his downfall. You find out a little more in the end of the book but be warned you will be waiting on the edge of your seat until August 2, 2019 when Wipe Out comes out and you find out just who S is. This is going to be a long summer!

I received this as an ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Publication Date: June 18, 2019 Pages: ?? Kindle Edition YA Summer, Friends, Family

This Crazy Love by: J. H. Croix

This Crazy Love (Swoon Series Book 1)

Shay and Jackson are friends who shared a kiss years ago. They’ve put it behind them, or so they thought. Years later, a terrifying event leaves Shay with no place to stay. Her best friend informs her she will be staying on the farm with her brother, Jackson. Trying to fight his attraction to Shay, Jackson stays busy at the clinic, rescue center or any of the numerous places they have on the farm. Realizing he really needs help on the office side of the business, he talks it over with Dani, the resort’s chef and long time friend, and suggests they hire her and Dani agrees that it is a good idea because they could use the help. After all, it is the busy season and his sister’s not always there anymore to handle things.

Shay gets the office organized and running better, when Jackson up and goes on an overnight hike, causing her to call and reschedule all of his vet appointments. Since he was gone, she decides to totally redo the office. After being through what she had in her past, Shay worried that he would be upset. But when Jackson returned, he told her it was basically her office and he would stay out so that she could do whatever she wanted to.

After giving up their farm house to a group, who when left to his own devices Jackson seemed to overbook, causing that group to not have a spot to stay, the two have to live in a cabin together. Living under the same roof and sleeping in the same bed leaves no room for denying the attraction.

A great fast paced book. I picked it up and started reading it, the next thing I knew I was already finished. Some scenes seemed like they were kinda rushed and left out details but not enough where you couldn’t follow along.

I received this as an ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Publication Date: June 11, 2019 Pages: 234 Kindle Edition Adult 18+ Romance

Hidden Creek Secrets by: Jaxson Kidman

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Hidden Creek High Book 1

Get ready to get to know Weslee and Aira in this new four book series from Jaxson Kidman. I will start off by saying that, yes this one ends in a cliffhanger as I suspected , but rest assured you don’t have to wait a year before the next one comes out. Every two weeks through June, Jaxson will release the next book with the next one available to preorder!

As kids, you have neighbors and friends, Weslee and Aira, who are ripped apart when Aira and her family move out of Hidden. Fast forward a few years and Aira is moving back to Hidden and will live with Julia. No one knows the reason behind Aira moving back but her aunt and she plans on keeping it a secret because in a town like Hidden, secrets are best kept hidden.

Since she is returning after years of being gone, she runs into a girl that she used to play with from before and they pick up almost were they left off. Everyone tells Aira that Wes is bad news and she needs to stay away from him, but she says she knows Wes and he’s not like that. She has nightmares and can’t sleep without first wearing herself out and taking long walks on the beach helps. One night she runs into Wes at the pier and he discovers one of her deep secrets. After confronting her, he makes her promise to quit.

Choosing to let what everyone said about Wes go in one ear and out the other, things start to happen to her. Old rivalries flare up due to some of those buried secrets and the fact Aira is hanging with Wes. When her dark secret, that Wes had discovered comes out she automatically accuses him of telling everyone, but after finding out the truth, she comes out fighting back, showing them she is not weak. Then just as everything starts to get better, a knock on the door and a phone call cause all kinds of crap to hit the fan. And then book one is over. Told you it was a cliffhanger but fear not book two is out already so you won’t have to wait for it.

Publication Date: May 14, 2019 Pages: 268 Kindle Edition High School, Drama, Romance Listed as YA but I say on the older side due to sexual scenes

Surprise Gift by: R. R. Banks

Surprise Gift by [Banks, R.R.]

As I said in my last book review of an R. R. Banks book, even though that book didn’t work for me, I would read more from Banks-and this one delivered.

I received this as an ARC and without seeing a blurb. So I had no idea of what I was getting myself into but I gotta say it took my breath away in the first chapter. Naomi is a current college student and is about to have her life changed forever in the time of a short conversation.

Fast forward 8 years and she is a struggling single mother/aunt waitress, barely making ends meet, with a car that breaks down way too many times. You also have a billionaire and partial owner of Clyburne Financial who is a take no shit, play no games, tell you like it is asshole who is now in need of yet another PA, Henry.

Edgar, Henry’s best friend and co-worker, decides that Henry needs to do his own interviewing for his new PA. After the fourth candidate, Henry is no closer to having a new PA. Edgar tells him there was still one more. Half way through the interview, Edgar receives a phone call and has to step out. They continue on with the interview until it changes from an interview to them chatting.

In time between her interview and her starting of her new job, Naomi is threatened and Henry is giving the third degree over his choice in new PA’s. When she starts her new job, she picks it up fast and even starts to take some of the stress off Henry’s shoulder as she finds new ways to declutter his schedule. As they get closer, both personal and business, things start to heat up-and not necessarily in a good way, with a stalker who has decided to stalk both Naomi and Henry.

Edgar has always had it out for Naomi. While Henry is on a business trip, he backs Naomi into a corner, resulting in him firing her for insurboration. After that he contacts Henry and puts words and negative thoughts about Naomi in his head. When Henry gets home from his business trip, he tells them that they better fix what is broken between them because he was not going to be forced to choose between them. He forces them to meet up before anyone else at the office to work out their difference, but they only manage to make things worse until he shows up and lays out the truth of the matter and why they to need get over it.

After things get fixed, everything starts to get better between everyone, but not without some bumps in the road. Another great read from Banks. Can’t wait for the next one.

Publication Date: May 20, 2019 Pages: Adult 18+ Billionaire Romance Kindle Edition

Stealing Home by: Becky Wallace

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ARC may contain spoilers

Ryan, the daughter of the Buckley Beavers divorced owners, has grown up with baseball in her life and has always dreamed of owning the team when she gets older. When Sawyer shows up, she feels like her plans have been thrown a curveball. She has always been good at “no the fraternizing” policy, but his cool swagger is throwing her off her game.

When Ryan learns that her mom is going to sell her half of the team due to both financial reasons and the fact the she doesn’t want to be stuck with them any longer, Ryan has an idea that might just help her save her beloved team. Sawyer, who has been injured and is sitting on the sidelines, offers to help her out. She is in need of sponsors that will help her remodel and upgrade the Buckley complex. Sawyer gives her the idea of using an events center to host summer camps and special days for handicap or underprivileged kids.

The doctors are wanting Sawyer to see a major league doctor, and since its Ryan’s duty to drive him where he needs to go, they take a three hour trip. While at Ranger Stadium, Ryan gets a look around with her tour guide, and she actually gets even more ideas of how to help save Buckley’s. After his visit with the doctor and her tour, they are about to head back home, but Sawyer ends up scoring tickets and they decide to stay and watch Ryan’s first major league game. While at the game, they get caught on the kiss cam. Because they’re fighting their attraction to one another, let’s face it that’s what two teenagers are gonna do, they try to stay away from each other after the kiss and hope no one sees the picture.

Once his injury heals and Sawyer is back to playing, he ends up in a rut. And when Ryan tries to talk with her mom about her plan to save Buckley’s, she finds out that it’s a done deal and her mom already sold the team. After a heated exchange, she leaves her mom at a food joint. Then things finally start to turn around.

It’s actually baseball season as I read this so the time frame fits perfect in real life. It brings back memories of me out on the field when I was younger. I’m not really a sports fan but if I had to choose a favorite sport it would be baseball. I like the reference to the BBQ place and the fact that it serves your meat on brown butcher paper. Not too long ago I ate at a BBQ place that served their meat that way- to say the least, it was a first. All in all, this was a fairly quick read for me.

Publication Date: July 9, 2019 Pages: 320 Hardback YA Baseball

The Touchdown by: K. M. Bishop

The Touchdown by [Bishop, K. M.]

What happens when you fall in love with your school’s enemy?

Ro, a cheerleader for the Perdure football team, and Bobby, a football player for the Indiana team, almost run into each other during the game. Bobby can’t take his mind off Ro durning the game, but before he can talk to her, she takes off. Bobby, along with a few of his teammates, decides to go to a local diner for pizza. They all get seated, and who other than Ro is sitting in a booth with a group of girls?. Bobby gets up and goes over to talk with her, and after some flirting, she gives him her phone number.

They start dating shortly thereafter and have some good times together-until their relationship gets out and Ro begins to get threats from teammates and football players When her brakes end up cut and she crashes into a tree, things start to take a toll on them. They decide to get away for the weekend to forget about what is going on and attend a costume party.

As time goes by, it’s Bobby’s turn to get attacked. The responsible party of not at all surprising, though it’s still infuriating. When they finally get justice they are able to move on to bigger and better things. This is a college age insta-love, but not a quick read. The banter between them will have you laughing and then looking around to see who caught you laughing.

Publication Date: May 6, 2019 Pages: 316 Kindle Edition Adult 18+ Sports College Romance

In Another Life by: C.C. Hunter

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What would you do if you walked into a store and saw someone who resembled a person who had been missing for 15 years?

The first thing Cash does after bumping into Chole is tell her “whatever you’re trying to pull, don’t do it.” Chloe has no clue what he is talking about; she’s just kinda stuck in life right now. Her parents are getting divorced and her dad is in the process of taking her back to her mother in Joyful, Texas. Her mom has just gotten the all clear from the doctor regarding her cancer and her dad has moved on to some hussie just a few years older than Chloe. Chloe’s mom has such a strong hatred for her dad that she lets it consume her to the point of depression.

When Chloe starts her new school in her senior year of high school she tells herself it won’t suck as bad as she thinks it’s going to. Having had made friends with her neighbor Lindsey, she takes her to school and is given the rundown of whos who and all that high school drama information that is needed to survive; including but not limited to, the name of her current crush, who ends up hitting on Chloe later that day.

When the school day is out, Chloe and Lindsey head out to her car only to stop when Jamie pulls up and offers Lindsey a ride home, which turns out to be a good thing when Chloe has a flat tire. She doesn’t notice Cash hanging around until he offers to help fix it. Her dad and her used to have races to see who could change a tire faster so she knows what she is doing and tells him no thanks. He keeps offering to help, even offering to give her a can of fix-a-flat that he has in his jeep. Chloe keeps refusing his help-until she can’t get the lug nut off. As they get to talking, she discovers he knows a lot about her for her being new to town and to the school. Then he confesses to stalking her on social media because he thought she was someone else who might have been kidnapped. Chloe tells him she was adopted and explains that her parents would never do something like that.

The more they get to talking, they decide to find out the truth on their own before they confront either one of her “moms.” Cash eventually reveals he is the son of a bad guy who had him doing illegal things since he was eight, and he had been in foster care for many years. As time goes by, the pair get closer to what happened regarding her adoption and possible kidnapping-revealing long buried secrets that could be deadly.

To me it was an insta-love story. I was on a non-stop reading binge for hours then kinda got stuck in the book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great read; but I got to the point where, in some books, I’m just ready for it to be over and end up skipping until the last chapter or two, but this time I put it down for a couple of days then picked it back up and was back into that non stop reading until I finished it.

Publication Date: March 26, 2019 Pages: 336 Hardback YA Contemporary, Adoption, Family