Coach

Treasure State Wildcats #1

by Devney Perry

Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.

I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.

Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.

Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.

Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance, Sports, Second Chance, Friends To Lovers, Second Chance Romance, Contemporary Romance

366 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2023

About the author

Devney is a #1 Amazon, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons.”

Visit Devney's website to sign up for her newsletters and learn more about upcoming books.

www.devneyperry.com

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why I decided to torture myself this week

Ford (Hero)
Millie (heroine)
Sienna (his first choice, aka other woman)

She is second best, his consolation prize now that his life has fallen appart.

They met when she was a sophomore and he a junior, the same night they met at a party ahe developed a crush but one week later he was already dating her nemesis and ex roomate Sienna. They dated for two years and at the sime time Ford and Millie become best friend. Clearly the girl is stupid.
You have a crush on a guy, he is dating a girl you don't like why the fuck you decide is a good idea to becomd his friend? I hate heroines who has no sense of self preservation. For fucks sake, why would you torture yourself like that staying close to a guy you already have a crush on knowing he is committed to someone else.
Of couse she felt in love and barely dated during those two years even though every guy on the footbal team was into her (minus the hero was was fucking her nemesis). Of course she never noticed the attention she got from all the other hot players and only dated guys who were not on the team and things never got past the third date.
For fucks sake why heroines always have to be unaware about being wanted by other men? Make the woman owns her sexuality please. This "she is so hot but doesn't realize it" shit is awful.

Anyway, suddenly after two year in a serious relationship with Sienna, who hated Millie and never hidden ir so Ford knew her dislike toward his bestie, he suddenly out of nowhere looked at Millie one day and felt the desire to kiss her. Just like that, after knowing her for two years and being with another woman. So romantic right? He then decided to break up with his long term girlfriend.

He broke up and some time after that Millie kissed him, he did not want her to think she was a rebound so he would wait a little longer to hit on her. After she left pos kissing him, Sienna showed up telling him she was pregnant. He had so much consideration toward the heroine he simply cut her off completely. He didnt even bother telling her about the baby, he then married Sienna and they were together for about 8 years. He never asked about the heroine to their friend in common, he never looked her up. Because he was married and she was a temptation is his excuse, if this book is about him and heroine this fact that tried to portrait him as an honorable husband fall flat to me because given the factor this romance story js about him and Millie it only shows he was perfect fine for a decade not even knowing if she was alive.

He kept one photo of her hidden and somehow for her this makes everything okay. It showed her they were friend and a romantic relationship was not in the carda for them. All her resentment vanished. Unfortunately not longer after that she is thinking about how he is the only man she ever loved and she loved him this whole time.

If a woman still loves a man who dated another woman the whole time they have known each other. A man who she kissed once and hasnt seen for a decade after he got married because he impregnate another woman. She does not need him. She needs a reality check, a therapist and a daddy dom to whip her ass a few times and spoil her rotten because the girl is clearly a masochist with seriously attachment issues.

She never really moved on, she dated but was never in love and of fucking course her last boyfriend turned into an asshole. God forbidden an heroine actually meeting a decent man. Of course had been 13 months a single, independent and attractive woman has had sex.

He is separeted has been 18 months and a few years before that he stopped having sex with his wife who had an affair. He asked for a divorced after he hurted his knee and retired from being a footbal player.

He never, never searched the heroine. Even after his divorce, actually he only met her again now because of a coincidence. Fate me ass author.
He is going to work in Montana, where they both went to college and she works there too, something that she always said she wanted to do. So yeah, fate right?
Ohh and when he found out she worked there as well he was no really happy because he was searching for piece and she is a complication.
You know alpha man who does anything for their heroines? Ford is not one of them
You know a man who is at least in love with the heroine? Ford is not one of those either

Oh to top it off there is my favorite romantic declaration by Ford:
"In another life, I would have kissed her with every sunrise. Every sunset. She would have been the woman cheering me on at the Super Bowl. The woman I’d gone home to every night. But that future wasn’t the one we’d been dealt. And I couldn’t regret the past ten years. I’d never regret my daughter."
I love it so much when they fuck up but don't regret it because of their kid. Imagine if he had not dated her nemesis and chosen her first? The kid could have been hers.

Of course heroine likes his kid right way, they create a bond fast, the child look just like her mother. Adorable. I love it when heroines always instantly connect with the child the hero had with another woman because of course us woman are always maternal and love kids. Well, except when that woman is the other woman of course she is a bad mother.

She is also willing to quit her job because of him. She deserved a crown guys. The most pathetic heroine ever (not really, there are tons of worst ones but emotions are high right now).

She resented the fact he chosed Sienna over her but she never had the guts to ask him about it. I think she can't exacly ask this without saying loud and clear that she is his second option, the author knows that too. She knows it. I know it.

Now some quotes with comments because they are ridiculous and I am on a roll

“See you around, Millie.” My Millie. Except she wasn’t mine anymore, was she? I’d lost her a long time ago when I’d walked away. When I’d made the wrong choice for myself. And the right one for my daughter."

"My Millie. Even when we’d just been friends, she’d always been mine. If she had actually wanted to date one of them, I probably would have lost my mind. Luckily, she’d never shown any interest. The only dates I remembered her going on had been with guys she’d met in class, not through athletics. No one had gotten past a third date, thank fuck."

- Where the fuck has she ever been his? When he was busy fucking for two years her nemesis and then impregnate her right before he finally broke up?
- Why the fuck this hypocrite is happy her love live was a shame when he was dating someone else? Why the fuck he think he has the right to lose his mind when he is already commited to someone else while she was totally available?
- Why he talks like he was not the one that for years chose someone else over her?

"But no matter how much she had gossiped about me, no matter how rudely she had behaved, I’d refused to give Ford up. And not once had I told him how awful she could be."
Give what up? God she has no pride why would you tortute yourself seeing them together when you like him, he may be his friend but it was with her he would go to bed to. It was her whom he impregnate. It was not like he was a prize honey.
She was hurt seeing them kissing and cuddling, she watched as their relationship started to crumble, he would spend less time with his girlfriend and more time with her and the guys (the girl likes crumbs) and she did not give him up, but guess what she got in reward to that? He gave her up, he married the other woman. Ohh and the little time he was spending with his girlfriend was sure very satisfying based on fhe fact they made a baby.

"Ford was more important than my career."
Her solid careed x Ford the man who didn't bother to see if she was alive in the last ten years.
Who is more reliable?? Tough choice

"Ford would choose me. I’d be his number one. I’d doubted that for ten years, but life had gifted us a second chance."
Poor girl desperate to be his first choice. You will never be it girl, please move on.

"I’d win Ford, no contest. I already had. I’d won him ten years ago."
Now she is delusional, poor thing. How the fuck she won 10 years ago? The man ghosted her, married Sienna and try to make it work, one of the things he did to help make his marriage work was totally removing her from his life and confessing Sienna about their kiss.

Now one thing I hate about second chance that has the hero having kids but the heroine not is the fact she will never ever be the first in his life. It will be his kid and he is right it should be the kid. However he will be the first in her life so she either should have had a kid too or she should be the mother to all his kids.

Now to make it even more romantic the real reason he was with Sienna


"How I’d ever ended up with Sienna over Millie was still a damn mystery. Maybe because Sienna had been so bold. So aggressive in her pursuit. She was beautiful. She’d been an athlete too, so we’d had that in common. And she’d fucked me the night we’d met. Chalk it up to a stupid guy too busy thinking with his dick."
So translating it: Sienna was hotter and more beautiful, she was bold while the heroine was shy, being real, it was not really a choice because Millie was not even a part of the equation, he hadn't notice her, even though it was obvious she had a crush on him at first sigh, he never even really noticed. He did not really choose Sienna over her, she was a friend to him just like the other guys, she was not even an woman he looked at with interest. Only after two years being her friend and fucking Sienna until he suddenly decided to break up because out of nowhere he looked ar Millie and wanted to kiss her she became someone he wanted to be with. Conveniently he desired when he was graduating college and going pro, after enjoying the last two years fucking the bold but shallow girl, because even though he broke while they were together up to the end the sex was happening, he even impregnated her. So now that he is going to NFL and needs to really focus he wants the shy girl who barely dates, loves sports and is reliable. It was like he needed something safe now and she was available.
At the same time he was happy her dating life was not agitated because she was his Millie and he wouldnt like to see her with any other player. All the while he dated a girl who never hidden the fact she hater her. Fucking hypocrite asshole.

How romantic is that it took two years for him to finally notice? Two years of being best friends with her while having a long term relationship with her nemesis. A little while before he broke up he impregnated the grilfriend. Ditched the heroine like a hot potato so he could be a daddy and a husband. Never ever looked up to see how she was. Hurted his knee and his career as a player ended then he decided to ask for a divorce because the marriage was not good, his wife wanted to continue to be married but he found out she was cheating. Then 18 months after his injury and separation (1 year since divorce) he is now a coach and by coincidence is working with her again. She is now his by default. Everything is not like he expect, he is a coach which is the second good thing if he cant be a player. He is with her which is also the second best thing. This is not romantic, this a man chosing the safe option. She coincidently lives in the same city he went to and also work at the same place, she likes his kid, she never really moved on, she likes sports and supports his new job, later she is willing to sacrifice his career for him, a middle class woman who worked hard her whole life willing to be jobless so the millionaire ex player who is now a coach and can easily coach somewhere else does not have his life disrupted.

Their hea: she is basically his daughter mommy now, her own mother is absent and the heroine only has sons with him (two boys) and she would do anything for the 3 kids.

[Matilda · Rating 2 out of 5]

either second chance romance isn’t my thing

or

it’s not my thing when the hero dates the heroine’s enemy then finally breaks up with her because he realizes his feelings for the heroine, but after they have their first kiss, his ex tells him she’s pregnant, so he ghosts the heroine for a decade



i’m tired y’all, very tired

[Warda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had all the right tropes but the execution didn’t work for me at all.

It’s a single dad, former best-friends-to-lovers, second chance, sports romance.

This should’ve worked.

But it didn’t and I’m blaming the writing. It was… mediocre.

I enjoyed seeing our hero as a dad, I liked that the heroine was passionate about her job but I did not understand why they liked each other. I could not tell you after 300+ pages.
Their history as best friends added nothing to the overall chemistry. It should’ve been palpable but they were so bland together.

I didn’t get a good sense of their personality either which added to the blandness.

I wish we had some flashback scenes to get a better sense of their friendship, to understand why Millie was so reluctant to rekindle their relationship. She clearly felt betrayed and had some abandonment issues. Her father passed away and her relationship with the rest of her family wasn’t great either, but they were barely mentioned.

Another element that bugged me were the exes. I already hate it when there’s drama with an ex, so not only was there one, but we got two of them in this book. And I can’t begin to explain to you how stupid they were.

Devney Perry also does this thing where she tells you and not shows you certain recent past events that are being narrated, that have happened in real-time. And that hasn’t bothered me all too much before but this time, it frustrated me. The character arcs were already lacking and then this is what’s thrown in, which felt like the story was being glanced over.

I’ve enjoyed Devney Perry in the past. There’s something about her books that feel cosy and warm but this was anything but that.

[Brady Lockerby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really love Devney Perry’s writing style when it comes to spicy romances because it’s NOT cringey!! Love a sports romance too

[glavreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

updating because release day is HERE BESTIESSSS. coach is one of devney's best and for sure, one of her spiciest. ford and millie were everything i hoped for and more.

ford and millie were best friends in college and millie had just worked up the courage to confess her crush when both of their lives completely changed. ten years later, he's back in her life when he takes a coaching job in her department at their alma mater and when he realizes millie is back in his life, he's not letting her go.

i LOVED this so much. literally read it in 4 hours because it was just so good. it's definitely one of her angstier books, as are a lot of second chance romances, so if you are into low/no angst, this might not be up your alley but i loved it. their love story is not the smoothest or the prettiest but when ford sees millie again, he does everything he can to keep her in his life this second time around and make up for the tough decisions he made in their past.

i loved millie. she is all of us who have ever had our trust broken and are terrified of making ourselves vulnerable. i loved how all of the guys in the athletics department loved her and her relationship with ford's daughter was so cute.

FORD. my god, this man. he was everything i needed him to be. a single dad, hot as heck, a dirty talker, a little possessive and jealous, and totally obsessed with millie. i already can't wait to reread this one.

[monica ✨ romantasyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something so comforting about Devney’s books. Every time I pick one up I feel transported to a small town in Montana. When I heard she was writing a sports romance, but make it the COACH I knew I had to read it.

Ford and Millie shared a kiss ten years ago, and were secretly pining for each other. But Ford’s ex got in the way and she landed him with a daughter. 10 years later, he’s back in Montana coaching their alma mater’s football team. And Millie is an assistant AD. Not only do they have unresolved feelings, but they can’t be together because of a non-fraternization policy.

I loved this book so much. I wanted them to be together from page one. Ford is one of the best single dads I’ve read, and I loved Millie’s initial reluctance and growth. The two of them were meant to be and you can’t change my mind.

I’m so excited this is going to be a series! I’ll be sitting here daydreaming about Blitz until it comes out.

Read if you like
✨ college sports romance, but make it the coach
✨ second chance
✨ single dad
✨ forced proximity
✨ workplace
✨ a touch of forbidden

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Single dad, second chance, sports romance and written by Devney Perry? I picked this one up asap and I’m so glad I did. I enjoyed it so much!

Ford Ellis is back at his alma mater but this time instead of playing football, he’ll be coaching it. He’s also bringing his daughter along. The last thing he expects is to see Millie, one of his college best friends, also working for the university. Millie and Ford were almost a thing in college, but Ford’s ex turning up pregnant sort of ruined it.

Millie and Ford both still like each other a lot, but there are some complications with that. Specifically the fact that they work together. This was a sweet and easy to read romance that had a great flow to it. I feel like it wrapped up a little too quickly, but aside from that it was great!

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Teddy Hamilton & Ava Erickson
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Sports Romance
Length: 7h 57m

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Similar to Garnet Flats this book is a failed second chance romance, however, not quite as bad as the aforementioned GF. Second chance is a trope that very few master and DP is clearly not one of those authors. At least in this one the MMC wasn't a total AH but still he just waltzes back into the FMC life and she welcomes him with open arms and capitulates like a doormat. This is so frustrating as it's clear that the woman doesn't need to have any personality or characteristics beyond worshipping the guy and willing to have his babies (a DP special). I do like DP's writing style and generally her books are easy listening but I will not pick up another 2nd chance romance from her as she clearly can't pull those off.

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fun & quick read!!

i will say the couple gets together way too fast for my liking and i did lose interest as soon as they did. but i love devney perry’s writing and the cozy small town feels!! i didn’t feel any connection towards millie and ford tho which is why i didn’t obsess over this.

overall it was cute tho!

[Callie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Am I unforgiving or are characters too forgiving? 🤔

Can I have one second chance story where the man doesn’t waltz back in after a billion years and decide him and the FMC are back on and that’s that??

Ford didn’t impress me much. He was pushy one minute and then avoiding her when he shouldn’t be the next.

Ok so from Millie’s POV: She meets Ford in college. She likes him, but he starts dating her roommate that used to be her friend but now hates her. Millie becomes best friends with Ford for years, watching him date this girl. He finally breaks up with said girl. Him and Millie have feelings for each other. They kiss….He then ghosts her, completely, and she finds out the ex is pregnant, and he marries that ex. (For some reason, I thought that he had a gf before meeting her. The fact that it was the same time as they met made it much worse to me.)

After *one* talk about him explaining his reasoning, Millie forgives him instantly and says there’s no more pain. After him ghosting her for 10 YEARS!

I get that Ford was young and scared of losing access to his child, but he could’ve had the decency to talk to Millie at least *once* before cutting her out. She didn’t do anything wrong. Instead he marries the ex and has a bad relationship for years… which maybe he should’ve realized sooner that they didn’t need to be married to have a good life for his daughter??

But anyway. I was ecstatic Millie did date in the time apart, but of course, no one measured up. Still, I did love Ford being jealous, serves him right.

So Millie has a good career and doesn’t want to risk it by dating Ford. She seemingly won’t date him, but every time he comes within 2 feet of her, she loses all her resolve. And when he is assertive that they’re not just friends she finally tells him she’s scared he’ll hurt her - he storms away angrily and doesn’t talk to her for days. Instead of hearing her justified worries, and reassuring her like he should be after a decade?? And then SHE apologizes to him. Ok. Later on, her ex kisses her against her will? Once again, she’s apologizing. When they take a “pause” because she needs time before she thinks she’ll lose her job? She goes back to him, again.

The rest of the plot just didn’t interest me. Ford, in my opinion, did nothing to deserve her except reappear in her life (by accident, by the way- he never sought her out). I didn’t have a good sense of Millie’s character except liking sports and turning to mush when Ford’s around. They skipped a month of their secret dating so I didn’t feel that invested in it when they took a “pause.” Because it’s secret I didn’t even feel satisfied - she basically just goes over his house at night and they’re in love again?

Maybe it’s just my mood. The writing wasn’t bad, and I did read to the end! But I didn’t feel like these two had much chemistry and Millie was too doormat-ish for my taste.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

You have to stop kissing me.”
I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “No.”

I just love Devney Perry's heroes and I knew I would love Ford from the very first chapter. Interestingly enough, I'm not a huge fan of single dad romances. But if Devney writes it, I read it. A rule is a rule, what can I say. And I'm so glad I did, because Ford and his adorable little girl absolutely stole my heart.

Ford is not your typical retired NFL hotshot. He's down to earth and knows exactly what he wants. Ford and Millie were best friends once upon a time, until life pulled them apart. Now Ford is back to his hometown to coach the college team but the last thing he expects is the girl he never forgot about still being there. Millie was once in love with Ford, but it just wasn't meant to be. He was with someone else, and then their one chance was ripped away. SHe's moved on, or so she thought, until she sees the man she never got over again at the same college she works at.

Ford isn't about to let a second chance at his dream girl slip through his fingers. God but I loved his sweet yet singleminded pursuit of Millie. Even the university's no fraternization rule can keep him away.

I don't tend to love single dad romances for the crazy exes, and Ford's ex is definitely not a prize. But I loved the way that he doesn't allow her to have any power over him. This is a man that fights for his daughter and for the woman he wants. He won't let anyone stand in his way, not even Millie's refusal to initially give him the time of day.

This was such a sweet romance, which again, isn't my usual cuppa. But this was just one of those right moments, right books sort of things, because I adored it. I loved Ford's no games approach. I loved his wearing his heart on his sleeve. I just loved him.

I really hope this will be a series because there's a certain college football player I'm dying to read more about. But if you're looking for a sweet and steamy single dad romance with a hot retired NFL player, look no further.


ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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[logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coach was SUCH a fun read for me! single dad & second chance will always be my favorite tropes, and it’s even better when they’re combined. Ford & Millie never had the timing right all those years ago, best friends to almost lovers, then strangers kept apart when life got in the way. When Ford gets a job as the new head football coach at his alma mater, the last person he expected to see working in the same department is Millie.

Ford is the best dad, and I love how quickly Joey and Millie bond, it’s the sweetest thing. Ford is determined to win Millie over and not let this second chance pass them by. I absolutely loved the college football setting of this book with Ford being the head coach and Millie working as an athletic director! I love a college sports setting in books, but sometimes I feel too old reading them since those years are behind me lol. So it was SO fun to still be in that setting but with older characters, i don’t think i’ve read anything like that before.

this was an easy 5⭐️ for me! highly recommend 🤩 plus the audiobook is fantastic, narrated by two of my favs, Ava Erickson and Teddy Hamilton!

[NMmomof4]

DNF @ 21%

I was bored, didn't feel any type of tension, and didn't really like either character so far. They felt too bland and I wasn't nearly interested enough to continue on. It very well could be a me thing! I just know that this author has been hit or miss for me, so this might just be one of those misses...

[moniqueॱ◌̥*⃝̣ ⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5★

𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐚. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞! 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 <𝟑

I keep on falling more and more in love with the second chance trope and this book is no exception!! It was a true page turner, literally couldn’t stop myself from reading this book because of how good and well written it was!

This was my first ever Devney Perry book and will most definitely not be my last! I absolutely loved her writing style!! It so easy to understand and get through and I loved the pacing of the book as well. It wasn’t too slow nor too fast and it was just easy to follow along with the plot which I liked.

The romance in this book was also so so amazing!! What I love about second chance is that they already have so much chemistry from the get go because of their past and history. It just makes it so much more satisfying to read about their relationship for me personally! Second chance is definitely moving its way up on my favourite tropes list ngl…

But second chance isn’t the only trope obviously! There was also single dad, workplace, forbidden love and best friends to strangers to lovers. That combo was freaking IMMACULATE!!!

Millie and Ford had me on my freaking knees!! Like.. the way Ford was literally so obsessed with her?? He kept calling her “my Millie” in his head and was literally like a freaking puppy!! Like I want a man who’s so down bad for like Ford was with Millie!!

Also his father-daughter relationship with Joey was so freaking cuteeeee!! He loved and cared about her so so much it warmed my heart. It was truly so endearing!
And Millie’s relationship with Joey was also so adorable!! I just loved how she was so glad that Joey was Ford’s first priority instead of being jealous of that fact. It showed maturity and support on her behalf which I adored so much!!

The only thing that bothered me a bit about Millie was that she had a really hard time when it came to communicating her thoughts and feelings with Ford. It was a bit frustrating at times that she would often run away from her problems instead of talking about it… but honestly, that’s something we have in common lol.

And I gotta say that she didn’t really have that much character depth to her besides that her father died… she kinda was a bit boring at times tbh..
But other than that I absolutely loved Millie. She’s literally such a sweetheart. She was always so supportive and understanding when it came to Ford and Joey.

And don’t get me started on Ford. Besides being freaking dedicated on getting Millie back, he was also so freaking charming and hot it’s not even funny anymore!! ON TOP OF THAT HE’S ALSO GOOD AT COMMUNICATING!!! Ugh… what a dream man fr… I’m literally on my hands and knees for this man. The fact that I’ll most likely will never find a man like him irl makes me so fucking sad lmao.

I also loved (and hated) the side characters! Autumn is such a queen for sure!! Her attitude and personality were everything and I hope that she’ll be getting her own book too! Sienna, Adrian and Kurt annoyed the shit out of me but hey what is a good romance book without some useless characters?

It was also nice that there wasn’t really a third act conflict! That was refreshing and nicely done.

Overall, this book in general was VERY nicely done and I can’t wait for the next book in this series! I bet it’ll be just as, if not even more amazing than this one!

[Em (semi-hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

One thing about Devney Perry, is she she knows how to serve a good bland and boring story

[♡Gabi♡ [life & work is chaotic hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

Ford & Millie were so freaking cute!!💌
He’s the head football coach at Treasure State University and she’s the assistant athletic director and they are reunited as coworkers with the past hanging over their heads.. one where they were the best of friends and secretly in love with each other. I was happy that they got their HEA after 10 years apart due to life circumstances separating them. Will always be a sucker for second chance romances.💞

Ford loved Millie more than anything (aside from his daughter Joey🥹) and seeing him win her friendship, heart, and trust over after all they went through was everything.

The relationship did develop rather quickly imo and I would have liked to see them continue to build a more deeper connection and spent more time in their HEA once they overcame the little obstacles + drama thrown their way, but felt it was rushed towards the end and just overall, made the depth of their relationship feel lacking for that reason. Still, an enjoyable read!☺️

The spice was spicyyyy too so we love that!😏

🏈🏃🏻‍♀️🩷🫶🏼🤭

[alana ☁️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

super quick and fun read. the plot wasn't anything special but that doesn't mean i didn't enjoy this book. Ford and Millie were very cute together. i really like that Ford was a total SIMP for Millie and never backed down from the moment he laid eyes on Millie again. he knew she was what he wanted and went for it. Millie was so sweet and caring but also fierce in her own way. i loved her easy relationship with Joey and the way she was able to slide right into their family with no drama made my heart happy.

i would have loved a bit more spice and angst, but overall it was a very pleasurable read. i'm excited to see where this series goes next and i’m hoping book two is Autumn and the rival coach???🫢

read if you like;
single dad
second chance romance
sports romance (football coach x assistant AD)
forbidden workplace romance
small town vibes

[laly · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF life is too short to keep reading books you do not enjoy🫡🫡🫡🫡

[Natalie Randall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Preface* I still recommend this book! I still respect and understand every 5 star review! Ford just wasn’t for me but hopefully he is for you!!!

3.5⭐️ am I really giving a Devney Perry book (my favourite author) less than 4 stars??? Unfortunately, yes. That’s the longest it’s ever taken me to finish one of her books. I hit pause at 75% and just really didn’t feel like it anymore.

I really didn’t like the MMC Ford. Every other aspect of the story was great, but it’s hard to appreciate that when you don’t like the main character.

I feels wrong to write a negative review because my Goodreads is practically a homage to Devney Perry and she’s poured so much love and work into this, but doing so has helped me process my emotions 😂. I’ve read the majority of her books and LOVED 33/35 of them. BUT if I’m objectively sharing my opinion, Ford Ellis has some real red flags and is a… disappointing.. book boyfriend (as are Jess Cleary and Nick Slater, for pretty much the same reasons so this is clearly just a character type for DP). Here is what I think, spoilers ahead ➡️➡️➡️

🤔 He’s treated Millie terribly in the past and was so pushy about inserting himself into her life. He could see she was distressed every time he approached her but just kept pushing (but they are very happy together in the end, so does this rough start really matter??? I’m undecided).

🤔 He kind of used his daughter to guilt Millie into spending time with him.

🤔 He seemingly had little regard for Millie’s career and the risks to her professionally (but only until the last 25%)

🤔 He was a jerk and so pissed off after Adrienne kissed Millie, he didn’t seem to care at all how she was feeling or if she was okay after her ex-boyfriend forcibly kissed her. This is so minor but gave me the ick. I can image how upset I’d be if this happened to me and I looked up to see the guy I liked that pissed AT ME.

🤔 He loves his daughter and she is clearly his number 1 priority, but he can see how much she is struggling, how upset and angry she is all the time. What is he actually doing to help her? She’s dealing with a lot for a nine year old and it seemed like he was just waiting for Joey to get over it all - her mother leaving and constantly disappointing her, a huge move away for her home and the only life she’s known. Again, this is so minor and nit-picky, but once I noticed it angered me, especially after so many reviews calling him the “best father”.

I am glad I finished this because the last 25% gave me a few more reasons to root for Ford - he is finally making it clear to Millie she’s his first choice, he is showing that her career is important to him, he is tolerating Sienna because it is what makes Joey happy, he handles Millie quitting without telling him with more calm and kindness than I was expecting.

[sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

At this point I'll read anything Denver Perry puts out.

this was such an adorable second chance romance 🥹

[Millie Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I don’t normally tolerate a bossy man, but Ford can boss me around ANY day of the week.

"My bed, Mills. You're in my bed from here on out. If we need to sneak around for a while, fine. We'll get through this season. But I'm not doing this apart anymore. We're together. Clear?"

Yes Coach ;))

[shreya ʚ☆ɞ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been bamboozled by bookstagram and booktok once again🤡🤡🤡


Last 2 books by devney perry didn’t really work out for me and this was the last and final strike.
When I'd heard that this had-
Workplace romance
Forced proximity
Single dad
Second chance romance
I was so excited to read it. But I was really disappointed by this one. Second chance romances are always better when they have past and present chapters. But this one had literally one flashback THE PROLOGUE WHERE THEY KISS and the entire book nilch nada.


Within the 10 chapters of the book the plot goes from 0 to 180 real fast.Joey -the daughter had literally no personality and now that I think about it Ford and Millie had nothing going on for themselves either.
Devney said personality who 😭


It wouldn’t have mattered if Joey was in the story or not because her presence literally felt non existant. Halfway through the book and there were literally maybe 3 -4 interactions between Ford and her and you call this single parent romance.ABSOLUTELY NOT. KIDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PROPS IN THE STORY


Ford and Millie
They were best friends in college and then Ford left her because his ex gf had gotten pregnant. He didn’t even fucking tell her JUST GHOSTED HER AND HE WAS HER BESTFRIEND🤯


Millie was literally ready to quit her job just so they could be together and literally in the next chapter Ford thinks how he can't quit his job because the team needs him. Sir what are you Beckham stfu
Also when he sees Millie after so many years he doesn't even grovel NOT ONCE NOTHING. They just start making out like teenagers and have no regard for the consequences if they are caught.

The ending felt so rushed.They had not even been(stable)dating for 6 months and were talking kids wtf😶🙄
Not a single scene stood out to me between Joey and Millie.

The kids who played trees at my annual school function had more presence than Joey

I feel like devney pumping out 5-6 books in an year is really affecting the quality of her books.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ford Ellis is the single dad blue print! I love pet names or nicknames in romance books so much…they’re my weakness. the way Ford calls her 💗 my millie💗made me swoon!!! This book made me swoon, kick my feet, giggle…GOD I JUST LOVED THEM

the goods:
single dad
small town
forced proximity
workplace romance
spicy times in the office
friends to lovers
second chance
SPORTS

5/5 ⭐️
3/5🌶️

[Imane · Rating 1 out of 5]

After being confessed to by his bestie/crush Millie, Ford leaves her without so much as a glance or a shadow of an explanation because he knocked up his ex before they had broken up and now he's like "well shit I gotta marry her and ghost my best friend slash the woman of my life I guess". Ford and evil pregnant girlfriend get married, he doesn't reach out to his bestie Millie for 10 years, he gets a divorced from evil wife, and then Millie and Ford meet up again when he's hired as the coach of the university team that she also works with as a staff member.

This book was lame as fuck. Combined together, Millie and Ford have the personality of a single wet sock in the first part of this book. This whole second-chance romance thing clearly didn't get the memo that to get to the second chance, you have to do a little more than waltz back into someone's life, grovel for a total of 2 seconds, and then profess your undying lust for the woman you turned your back on. Worse still, said woman is a complete doormat who's almost immediately like oooh what if this is the universe giving us a second chance? *heart eye emoji x 3000*. Girl, did it hurt? When your last remaining shred of dignity crumbled to dust? Because witnessing it sure made ME hurt. Like I'm not asking for a bitter Betty but the portrayal of her emotions was so underwhelming and disappointing.

That's actually not the worst part. Both characters are pathetic, fine, whatever. The book has this readable quality that made me want to not stop despite me not exactly having a good time, with the fact that there was neither chemistry nor a single brain cell to be found on these pages. However, the real clusterfuck started happening when this book turned from wet sock festival to ooga-booga me caveman you my woman as soon as this second-chance romance decided to forgo the ROMANCE part to go straight into "let's have sex on a desk RIGHT NOW". From this point onwards, nothing made sense or made me want to root for these characters from the sheer number of red flags that started raising one after the other.

First red flag: Millie is "one of the boys", her origin story is basically "my one best girl friend (aka the aforementioned evil ex-wife) and stole the-man-who's-not-my-man and ever since then I just stopped trying to befriend girls, and I'm such a bro that all my life revolves around knowing all the rules of football". Girlie of course has a single woman side-kick whose only role is to tell Millie to fuck the coach. Her personality revolves around sex and sex only. I'm trying to find a single moment where she wasn't talking about her or Millie's sex life and I cannot for the life of me remember any.

Second red flag: there isn't a single motherfucking man in this book who understands what respecing your romantic partner's wishes means. Millie's ex-boyfriend is lame as fuck and thinks he can just kiss her forehead because "he's so used to it" since they dated like a solid year ago. Ok cool whatever you're supposed to find him pitiful so I get it. But what of our main car brand named caveman slash "hero"? I understand that Millicent the Doormat is clueless and sort-of self-sabotaging, even though I think she was within her rights to question the Ford pick-up truck since he all but completely ghosted her after she kissed him and then came back like a wrecking ball demanding EVERYTHING from her. But every time she tried to get some space or time to think or put down some sort of boundary, he straight up told her time and time again "No". Bro that's not for you to decide! The way he talks about possessing her even though they didn't have a single conversation that could've hinted at them becoming friendly again was also so off-putting. The lack of chemistry or of a build-up that could make me believe in their feelings for one another made every scene where he was talking to himself about binding her to him so gross. He basically has three personality traits: being into football, being a dad, and being possessive and shit. Not exactly the dream man Millie pined over for seventy fucking years.

Third red flag: how about y'all learn how to fucking talk, huh? Wild concept I know. But the whole "I love you so much I'll piss on my professional hopes and dreams and aspirations" was just too much to take seriously at that point. The whole non-fraternization clause is the only thing that kept me going because I wanted to know how the situation would blow up. But I could sense that 1. It'd be unsatisfying because it wouldn't bring forward the necessity to fucking talk to one another about life-altering decisions that implicate both your professional and personal lives and 2. The way it'd be resolved would be extra convenient. And call me a psychic because I fucking called it. Ridiculous.

I'm sure there are more red flags but I think I wasted enough time on this book. While it's not the worse book I've read, it sure is nothing I'd ever recommend to someone ever in my life. Like there's no redeeming quality. I think being "readable" is the bare minimum so I'm not going to dwell on that. But if you want anything of substance like exploring betrayal and how to become friends again, or how to give someone a second chance after they've burned you, or how to reconcile a reawakened old flame with your current goals in life, this book does none of that. Flat, pitiful, and tired.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received this ARC from Valentine PR***

I have read a lot by Devney Perry and this by-far is my favorite of hers. This second-chance, single dad sports romance had funny moments, hot tension, great spice, and all the romance I could've asked for. I didn't want this book to end and I actually wanted to restart it immediately.

As someone who loves sports and used to work in professional sports, this was so well done. And per usual, the romance and plot did not disappoint. Devney is one of my insta-buy authors and I am so thankful I received this ARC. 10 out of 5 stars and I mean that. I can't wait to see where else this series goes. Highly, highly recommend.

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 'My Millie' Stars!
ARC provided via Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review.


I almost 100% positive that when I grab a copy of Devney Perry’s work, it will hit all the right spots I enjoy in a good romance novel. When she announced she was releasing a new sports romance, I was ready to go. Even more when she said it would finally become a series instead of only a standalone. Of course, she did not disappoint with this one, since it has such a great list of troupes that I absolutely love.

So, Coach is Devney’s newest release, it's becoming a series called Treasure State Wildcats and it tells the story of Ford Ellis and Millicent Cunningham a.k.a Millie. This is a single-dad, sports romance with a second-chance feel to it. Ford and Millie were best friends in college, they both had feelings for each other but life and accidental pregnancies had other plans for them… Ten years later, Ford returns to Montana with his daughter and imagine the surprise when he realizes Millie also works in his department. Is this time their time or other obstacles will get in the way?

Did I leave her alone to move on?
No. Because when it came to Millicent Cunningham, I wasn’t willing to admit the game was over. Not yet.

Of course, when a novel mixes some of my all-time favorite troupes (second chances and single dads) I know I am likely in for a treat. Coach sure felt like one! The connection between Ford and Mills is so strong, even ten years later and they still have that unique spark. It also happens to be kind of a slow burn at times and I loved it. When they finally act on that connection, they are explosive and so freaking good together. I loved them as a couple, I loved their interactions with Ford’s daughter and the rest of characters and I am ecstatic they got they happy ending this time.

Ten years. Three words, ten years in the making. They were sweet. So fucking sweet.

Therefore, I am rating Coach with 4 STARS because I just loved these characters and how Devney started developing their stories. I am a sucker for a protective single-dad, a man who is decided to get his girl back and a couple who fights to stay together. I sure hope more books are coming about the rest of the crew because I would love to know more about them. Still, Ford and Millie were so amazing so make sure to grab a copy with this one releases!

[Elizabeth]

Another one where the h pines for years and years while the H gets to go live his life. He never would have gave her another thought if she wasnt placed right in front of him! And then all of a sudden he demands she be his. The same boring second chance romance that has been done a zillion times with an extra helping of doormat. 🙄

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love sports romances so so much. But add in tropes that I LOVE like:
-Single Dad
-Football
-Second Chance
-Forbidden romance
You have the recipe for a really good plot. I enjoy reading books from Devney Perry and this was no exception. Highly recommend you read this book or any book by the author.

[bookjunkiejane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why are authors so fond of writing doormat heroines?
That's strike one..
A bratty child, yeah i hate that.. it's torture to read that.. that's strike two..
A messy divorce and the ex wife causing problems even in the present.. strike three..
The single dad not being truthful to his daughter by telling her what actually happened... Hey mister, you can't protect them by hiding stuff.. Strike four..
Goodbye full-on drama book..

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Devney Perry experience, and I can say with a million percent certainty that it will not be my last.

I loved this book to the point of obsession! Ford & Millie forever. These characters felt so real to me and their love and admiration for each other was palpable on every page.

Can’t wait to see what comes next in this series!