Synopsis:
Second chances don’t usually come wrapped in shoulder pads on Valentine’s Day…
Ten months ago, All-American shortstop Briella Reddington fell hard for grumpy, battle-scarred quarterback Maddox “Mick” McBride.
And then he walked away—right when she was finally ready to let him in.
Now Ella’s done being vulnerable, done being blindsided, and definitely done with emotionally unavailable athletes. But losing a bet lands her at a Valentine’s charity flag-football event…face-to-face with the man who broke her heart.
Maddox never stopped wanting Ella—but teammates loyal to her golden-boy ex, a rival gunning for his spot, and a coach who made Ella the price of peace forced his hand. Choosing her once cost him everything. His season tanked, his starting job is on the line, and seeing Ella again is the one hit he isn’t prepared to take.
When a chaotic Valentine’s “cupid” pushes them together, sparks ignite, truths surface, and Maddox realizes he’s been fighting the wrong battles all year.
This time, he’s not walking away.
He’s fighting for the girl who was always worth the risk.
Review:
Football is not my strong suit, so I ended up skipping most of the detailed gameplay scenes. They didn’t add much to the story for me. Still, since this is a sports romance, I understand why they were included.
Ella and Maddox meet at a party and feel an immediate attraction. When her ex shows up, things quickly get messy. His reaction causes trouble for Maddox’s team, and when he’s told to focus on the game, he decides to step back from their budding relationship. Months later, when they cross paths again, they have to confront old hurt and the undeniable chemistry that’s still there.
The multiple timelines didn’t fully work for me. In such a short read, they took away from really getting to know the characters or understanding why their connection was supposedly so intense. It felt more physical than emotional.
Overall, it’s a quick and easy read—enjoyable enough as a palate cleanser, but not something I’ll be thinking about for long.
🌙 Recension: The Real Ones by J. Rose Black
📚 Genre: Sports Romance
📅 Release Date: February 12, 2026
📖 Publisher: Black Label Press
📱 Read as: Kindle
📗 available in various formats – included in Kindle Unlimited
💸 I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 144
⭐️ 3/5
Interested in more?
- Review: I Was Never Broken by Hazel Anthony
- Review: Posthumously Yours by Charles D. Braun
- Review: Don’t Answer the Phone by Miranda Rijks
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