What do you think?
Rate this book
Out of Bounds #2
Foolish Games
A Hail Mary play for the heart.
Bridal gown designer, Julianne Marchione knows better than to lose her head at a client’s wedding. But, much to her embarrassment, a mix of migraine medication and a smoking hot football player lead to a steamy one night stand resulting in a surprise pregnancy. Julianne has every intention of leaving her NFL hookup far in the past until her son, Owen, is born with a life-threatening blood disorder that requires a transfusion—and Julianne is not a match.
Will �William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up tough, shouldering the stigma of being a bastard child born on the wrong side of the tracks. He refuses to let any child face the same discrimination. When he finds out about Owen, he’s furious that Julianne kept his son a secret. But when he sees her again at the hospital, he realizes that his feelings for her go far beyond anger.
Will insists that Owen recuperate at his home in North Carolina, and he’s adamant that Julianne become his wife—even if it’s only a temporary marriage in name only. But will their simmering attraction ever lead to a real connection? Or are they just playing foolish games?
Bridal gown designer, Julianne Marchione knows better than to lose her head at a client’s wedding. But, much to her embarrassment, a mix of migraine medication and a smoking hot football player lead to a steamy one night stand resulting in a surprise pregnancy. Julianne has every intention of leaving her NFL hookup far in the past until her son, Owen, is born with a life-threatening blood disorder that requires a transfusion—and Julianne is not a match.
Will �William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up tough, shouldering the stigma of being a bastard child born on the wrong side of the tracks. He refuses to let any child face the same discrimination. When he finds out about Owen, he’s furious that Julianne kept his son a secret. But when he sees her again at the hospital, he realizes that his feelings for her go far beyond anger.
Will insists that Owen recuperate at his home in North Carolina, and he’s adamant that Julianne become his wife—even if it’s only a temporary marriage in name only. But will their simmering attraction ever lead to a real connection? Or are they just playing foolish games?
Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2013
388 people are currently reading
1725 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Solheim
21 books1,123 followersTracy Solheim writes books with shirtless men on the cover. Some of them are actually best-sellers. The books, not the men. When she's not writing, she's practicing her curling. . . bottles of wine, that is. She's been known to cook dinner but no more than two nights in a row. Most days, she'd rather be reading, which to her is just necessary research. She lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her husband and a neurotic Labrador retriever. Her two adult children visit but not often enough. (See the note above about cooking.) Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.tracysolheim.com/ to see what she’s up to. She'll send you a free cookbook from her Chances Inlet series as a thank you!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
October 21, 2024
Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim
Out of Bounds series #2. Contemporary sports (football) romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
After a mix of migraine medication, a violent thunderstorm, a smoking hot football player and a passionate one night stand, Julianne returns home intending to write it off as one of life’s adventures. Unfortunately the resulting pregnancy forces her to reach out to William Connelly for help. Baby Owen was born with a life-threatening blood disorder and needs a transfusion and she’s not a match. She doesn’t need his money. Just his blood.
Will is the child of a single mother and grew up with the scorn and discrimination of a small town. He won’t let a child of his suffer the same insults and demands that Owen recuperate in his North Carolina home and that he and Julianna wed. In name only, of course.
As baby Owen gets better and family gets involved, Will and Julianne grow closer.
Will did not intend a one night stand and is hurt when she disappears. Finding out he has a son has him in a spin.
Two people where more calm discussion would have gone further but romance angst is a troupe in itself. I did enjoy his mother and her storyline quite a bit. A nice bonus to the overall read.
Love conquers all.
Out of Bounds series #2. Contemporary sports (football) romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
After a mix of migraine medication, a violent thunderstorm, a smoking hot football player and a passionate one night stand, Julianne returns home intending to write it off as one of life’s adventures. Unfortunately the resulting pregnancy forces her to reach out to William Connelly for help. Baby Owen was born with a life-threatening blood disorder and needs a transfusion and she’s not a match. She doesn’t need his money. Just his blood.
Will is the child of a single mother and grew up with the scorn and discrimination of a small town. He won’t let a child of his suffer the same insults and demands that Owen recuperate in his North Carolina home and that he and Julianna wed. In name only, of course.
As baby Owen gets better and family gets involved, Will and Julianne grow closer.
Will did not intend a one night stand and is hurt when she disappears. Finding out he has a son has him in a spin.
Two people where more calm discussion would have gone further but romance angst is a troupe in itself. I did enjoy his mother and her storyline quite a bit. A nice bonus to the overall read.
Love conquers all.
January 11, 2014
Like the previous book (Game On) the football hero in this book (Will Connelly) was a little bit too much of an ass with a huge chip on his shoulder and huge trust issues for me to fall in love with him. Not until late in the book did he wise up so that was just a little too-little-too-late for me. Otherwise, a pretty good story with some hot moments, and a secondary romance between the hero's still young (mid forties) mother and almost upstaged the main story. I will stick with this series though because I am definitely interested in Will's sexy teammate (Brody Janik), who seems like a decent guy with no chip-on-his-shoulder in sight. I think his book (Risky Game) is up next. 3 1/2 stars
December 9, 2023
3 stars
I read this a while ago and I remember bits and pieces of certain thoughts I had. I didn’t like the heroines reasoning for her decisions. I didn’t like how the hero was so stuck on certain societal expectations, so much so that I felt he was very much chained to these ideas and sometimes said/thought/acted like a jerk because of it. Like the way he sometimes thought about his mom.
I read this a while ago and I remember bits and pieces of certain thoughts I had. I didn’t like the heroines reasoning for her decisions. I didn’t like how the hero was so stuck on certain societal expectations, so much so that I felt he was very much chained to these ideas and sometimes said/thought/acted like a jerk because of it. Like the way he sometimes thought about his mom.
Want to read
June 8, 2013*SQQQQQUUEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL* Its the awesome JED HILL on the cover.... *LICK LICK LICK* ;)
December 1, 2013
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/11/29/...
I have a love of all things sports romance. Add in a secret baby and I’m a puddle. When I first read Solheim’s debut novel I was so excited about the opportunity to get pulled into another football family.
Julianne never expected to get knocked up from her one night stand with Will, and when she did, she had zero desire to tell the father. Right up until the only thing that could save her son’s life would be his father’s blood. Seeing Will again is almost more than Julianne can handle, and in order to let father and son bond, Julienne agrees to go with Will to his hometown, then agrees to be his wife – in name only. But the more they get to know each other, and become parents to Owen, Julianne realizes that she actually loves her husband more than she ever thought possible.
Will had a rough upbringing. Finding out he had a son that he knew nothing about was enough to send him into a fit. Spending time with Julianne and his son brings out all his protective instincts, especially where Julianne is concerned, and Will begins falling for her – even more than he already had. But a controversy in the football community might be enough to break not only Will, but also his fragile relationship.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book, and some I didn’t. Some of the secondary characters annoyed me, and I could have done without their interference in the romance. Namely, Julianne’s brother. It seemed as if he never really cared for her as a person, and instead cared more about how her decisions affected his political career. Then his betrayal that caused some huge tension between Julianne and Will was frustrating to read, and I felt just added another layer to the relationship drama that wasn’t necessarily needed. I was annoyed with him and the numerous problems his actions caused, especially since Julianne and Will’s relationship was difficult enough as it was.
I really liked both Will and Julianne, however I felt as if Julianne was a bit of a doormat at times. I get that her guilt about keeping baby Owen a secret caused her to give into Will’s demands, but there were so many times she let herself be steamrolled. I wanted her to stick up for herself a little more, and a little quicker than she actually did. I felt like she never really revealed her true self to Will until the very end, and that was a bit disappointing.
Will had moments when he came across as a total Alphahole. He was nicknamed the Ice-Man for being so cold at times, and his behavior sometimes came across as rude and abrasive instead of just cold. But the moments he had bonding with baby Owen were enough to melt me into a puddle of goo. I adored his devotion to his son, his dedication to providing a life for Owen that he never had as a child. It was sweet and endearing.
All in all I enjoyed the second book in the Out of Bounds series. I thought that the romance between Will and Julianne was wonderful. The sexual tension was off the charts, and the way they rebuilt their trust and friendship was so fun to read. Despite a few annoyances, I adored this secret baby book.
I give Foolish Games a B.
I have a love of all things sports romance. Add in a secret baby and I’m a puddle. When I first read Solheim’s debut novel I was so excited about the opportunity to get pulled into another football family.
Julianne never expected to get knocked up from her one night stand with Will, and when she did, she had zero desire to tell the father. Right up until the only thing that could save her son’s life would be his father’s blood. Seeing Will again is almost more than Julianne can handle, and in order to let father and son bond, Julienne agrees to go with Will to his hometown, then agrees to be his wife – in name only. But the more they get to know each other, and become parents to Owen, Julianne realizes that she actually loves her husband more than she ever thought possible.
Will had a rough upbringing. Finding out he had a son that he knew nothing about was enough to send him into a fit. Spending time with Julianne and his son brings out all his protective instincts, especially where Julianne is concerned, and Will begins falling for her – even more than he already had. But a controversy in the football community might be enough to break not only Will, but also his fragile relationship.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book, and some I didn’t. Some of the secondary characters annoyed me, and I could have done without their interference in the romance. Namely, Julianne’s brother. It seemed as if he never really cared for her as a person, and instead cared more about how her decisions affected his political career. Then his betrayal that caused some huge tension between Julianne and Will was frustrating to read, and I felt just added another layer to the relationship drama that wasn’t necessarily needed. I was annoyed with him and the numerous problems his actions caused, especially since Julianne and Will’s relationship was difficult enough as it was.
I really liked both Will and Julianne, however I felt as if Julianne was a bit of a doormat at times. I get that her guilt about keeping baby Owen a secret caused her to give into Will’s demands, but there were so many times she let herself be steamrolled. I wanted her to stick up for herself a little more, and a little quicker than she actually did. I felt like she never really revealed her true self to Will until the very end, and that was a bit disappointing.
Will had moments when he came across as a total Alphahole. He was nicknamed the Ice-Man for being so cold at times, and his behavior sometimes came across as rude and abrasive instead of just cold. But the moments he had bonding with baby Owen were enough to melt me into a puddle of goo. I adored his devotion to his son, his dedication to providing a life for Owen that he never had as a child. It was sweet and endearing.
All in all I enjoyed the second book in the Out of Bounds series. I thought that the romance between Will and Julianne was wonderful. The sexual tension was off the charts, and the way they rebuilt their trust and friendship was so fun to read. Despite a few annoyances, I adored this secret baby book.
I give Foolish Games a B.
December 19, 2013
A satisfying contemporary romance read. Gotta wonder though about the author's grasp of English and indeed that of every beta reader, editor and proofreader. These were not typos. The phrase "She brooked no argument," was used incorrectly TWICE.
What she meant to say was Worse her friend hadn't offered any argument. Two entirely different things. Brooked is a synonym for tolerated. So if her friend hadn't tolerated any argument then Carly wouldn't have been relieved that the heroine, Julianne, was staying somewhere else. The other occurrence was misused in the same way to indicate that the person had not argued rather than that they had not allowed any argument to sway them.
Another weird misuse of English is when Will thinks that Julianne's brother is saying that Will was not good enough for Julianne. But in fact that is not what this sentence actually says.
What this sentence actually says is that she is not good enough for him. All through this book we've been told about the chip on Will's shoulder about his background and how he thinks everyone looks down on him. So I know that's what the author meant, but that's not what she said.
I don't mind the occasional typo but actual misuse of English does not get a pass from me.
So leaving aside these irritating issues, how was the book? Pretty decent and readable. Some good images of the hero's relationship with the baby. He was very young but wasn't just one of those plot device babies that sleep all the time so the hero and heroine can get it on. Some of the stuff on the football crime was interesting and well thought out. There was quite a bit of lack of communication that seemed a bit ridiculous. And did anyone else find the whole she called out another man's name during sex kind of OTT? I would have understood if she and Nicky had been lovers but as it was it seemed just something to keep them apart. The end had a bit of a deus ex machina feel to it. But all in all I enjoyed it and might try others in the series.
When she'd told Carly that she and Owen were staying there, the relief in her friend's voice had been palpable. Worse, her friend hadn't brooked any argument.
What she meant to say was Worse her friend hadn't offered any argument. Two entirely different things. Brooked is a synonym for tolerated. So if her friend hadn't tolerated any argument then Carly wouldn't have been relieved that the heroine, Julianne, was staying somewhere else. The other occurrence was misused in the same way to indicate that the person had not argued rather than that they had not allowed any argument to sway them.
Another weird misuse of English is when Will thinks that Julianne's brother is saying that Will was not good enough for Julianne. But in fact that is not what this sentence actually says.
Will tried not to cringe. Apparently, even the duplicitous sister of a con-man senator wasn't good enough for a boy from the Seaside Vista Trailer Park.
What this sentence actually says is that she is not good enough for him. All through this book we've been told about the chip on Will's shoulder about his background and how he thinks everyone looks down on him. So I know that's what the author meant, but that's not what she said.
I don't mind the occasional typo but actual misuse of English does not get a pass from me.
So leaving aside these irritating issues, how was the book? Pretty decent and readable. Some good images of the hero's relationship with the baby. He was very young but wasn't just one of those plot device babies that sleep all the time so the hero and heroine can get it on. Some of the stuff on the football crime was interesting and well thought out. There was quite a bit of lack of communication that seemed a bit ridiculous. And did anyone else find the whole she called out another man's name during sex kind of OTT? I would have understood if she and Nicky had been lovers but as it was it seemed just something to keep them apart. The end had a bit of a deus ex machina feel to it. But all in all I enjoyed it and might try others in the series.
October 25, 2013
FOOLISH GAMES is a fast paced, engaging story about a hot, football player and a successful wedding dress designer. Will and Julianne have a chance meeting and it changes their lives forever.
Will Connelly is known as William the Conqueror in the NFL, he is a linebacker for the Baltimore Blaze football team. Will is a domineering, opinionated alpha male, but has always felt insecure about his upbringing. Julianne Marchione, is a wedding dress designer to the stars, she is a strong, independent woman. Julianne had a lonely childhood and today she is closer to her friends than she is to her family.
Will Connelly is blindsided when he learns he has a child. One year ago, he met a beautiful stranger on a stormy night. They spent a passionate night together, in the morning she was gone and they never saw each other again. Julianne, the mother of his baby, has kept her pregnancy and the birth a secret until now. Will doesn’t understand why Julianne never told him he was a father and is suspicious of her motives when she finally decides to share the information with him. This is a wonderful story about two successful people who have scars from their past.
Tracy Solheim, is a talented writer and her story immediately draws you in. Her characters are believable and Will and Julianne have some steamy scenes together. FOOLISH GAMES is the second book in the Out of Bounds series, but each book is a stand-alone. Can Will and Julianne learn to trust each other?
Reviewed by Karen for Cocktails and Books
Will Connelly is known as William the Conqueror in the NFL, he is a linebacker for the Baltimore Blaze football team. Will is a domineering, opinionated alpha male, but has always felt insecure about his upbringing. Julianne Marchione, is a wedding dress designer to the stars, she is a strong, independent woman. Julianne had a lonely childhood and today she is closer to her friends than she is to her family.
Will Connelly is blindsided when he learns he has a child. One year ago, he met a beautiful stranger on a stormy night. They spent a passionate night together, in the morning she was gone and they never saw each other again. Julianne, the mother of his baby, has kept her pregnancy and the birth a secret until now. Will doesn’t understand why Julianne never told him he was a father and is suspicious of her motives when she finally decides to share the information with him. This is a wonderful story about two successful people who have scars from their past.
Tracy Solheim, is a talented writer and her story immediately draws you in. Her characters are believable and Will and Julianne have some steamy scenes together. FOOLISH GAMES is the second book in the Out of Bounds series, but each book is a stand-alone. Can Will and Julianne learn to trust each other?
Reviewed by Karen for Cocktails and Books
December 3, 2013
I thought this was a great contemporary romance. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but I liked this one even better. Julianne and Will both quickly captured my heart, and I loved seeing the relationship between them develop. I thought they were both wonderful characters. There were also some very good and engaging secondary characters. I enjoyed the setting, and was kept engrossed in the storyline of these two getting to know one another and forging a bond together as they care for their son.. I found some of the scenes warm and tender, and others heartbreaking. Tracy Solheim has just become a must read author for me, and I am eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.
August 4, 2014
I have been into sports based romance lately. so when I saw this at my local library, I gave it a try. And that is all it was. I tried to read this book Jan 28 but put it down several times. I don't like stupid women heroines. Half of the things Julianne did in this book was enough to make me slap her. I knew my interest would fall when I read Will's proposal and her response. I like some reality in my books, make it seem as if it could happen. It make me invest myself, I normally want to know how it works for the characters. Honestly this book failed me in too many ways. The fact that I barely got to page 250, in a 320 page book, and I still refused to finish it, is telling.
December 3, 2013
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: C-
After a one night stand leads to a pregnancy, the mom-to-be Julianne feels isn’t necessary to tell the father, Will. The baby is born but now needs a blood transfusion and his only hope is Will since Julianne isn’t a match. Will is told about his son and is rightfully furious since he vowed to never father a bastard child and goes storming to the hospital for answers. After Will’s blood is used to save his and Julianne’s son, Will has his own ideas about how the rest of his pre-season is going to go before he reports back for the new football season: Julianne and Owen are coming to live with him, he and Julianne are going to be married and he’s going to use the time to bond with his son. Amazingly, Julianne not only goes along with all this, she sells her incredibly successful designing company to pay for Owen’s medical bills and leaves herself temporarily unemployed and living with Will, a man who she claims she really doesn’t remember all that much from their one night stand. I was pretty much stuck on the fact that she doesn’t bother to tell Will about his son, but doesn’t put up much if any fight about going to live with him. O-kay…
They move to a small town in North Carolina where Will’s mom still lives and Julianne finds herself fitting right into small town living. She and Will get closer and start to feel more for each other than just anger and pain that was present early on and that eventually turns into love. Unfortunately too many lies and misconceptions drive a wedge between them due to an ongoing investigation into a bounty scandal in the NFL that directly impacts Will and one of his old coaches, a man who was a mentor to him. Will refuses to talk at all about the allegations and a senate committee gets involved to get answers, one of the committee members is Julianne’s half-brother who will use any piece of information he can get to find out the truth, even if it means using Julianne to get to Will. This storyline felt ripped from the headlines taking bits and pieces of two very well known scandals that happened recently in both college football and the NFL and I couldn’t stop referencing those stories when reading this storyline in Foolish Games and it was a bit distracting.
Oh, where to start. First off, I overall liked the story. I’m a sucker for sports themed romances, so that is probably swaying my opinion slightly. That said, early on I didn’t like the heroine at all. A huge pet peeve of mine is when the heroine has a baby but wants to keep the baby for herself and doesn’t tell the father. NO! How am I supposed to like a heroine who does this? I didn’t buy into her reasoning even though she knew and admits that she was wrong, I just couldn’t get past that. The entire story was filled with lies, misconceptions and assumptions that were frustrating. And this happened from many characters, not just Will and Julianne. Whether it was Will refusing to tell the truth about his past, Julianne keeping her future endeavor secret as a surprise that was only misinterpreted by Will later on, or other characters jumping to their own conclusions and putting thoughts into Will and Julianne’s heads, it was hard to get past all that.
I did like seeing Julianne and Will get closer and especially seeing Will help Julianne through a few of her fears that revolve around the night her mom was killed. I also liked the love/hate relationship between Will and his teammate Brody – I want more Brody now! (he has the next book, whew.) There is also a supporting romance between a man working in the front office of Will’s football team, Hank and Will’s mother Annabeth. I kind of wish their story would have been a little longer to give them a bit more page time. Much of their romance happens off page, but I enjoyed what was shown between them.
While I did finish the book liking Will and Julianne together, I had a really hard time getting to that point mainly because of Julianne keeping Owen from Will and her reasoning being very weak. There were also too many lies that were distracting. I am however looking forward to Brody’s story; he intrigued me with his presence in Foolish Games and I want to get to know this man better.
Blog rating: C-
After a one night stand leads to a pregnancy, the mom-to-be Julianne feels isn’t necessary to tell the father, Will. The baby is born but now needs a blood transfusion and his only hope is Will since Julianne isn’t a match. Will is told about his son and is rightfully furious since he vowed to never father a bastard child and goes storming to the hospital for answers. After Will’s blood is used to save his and Julianne’s son, Will has his own ideas about how the rest of his pre-season is going to go before he reports back for the new football season: Julianne and Owen are coming to live with him, he and Julianne are going to be married and he’s going to use the time to bond with his son. Amazingly, Julianne not only goes along with all this, she sells her incredibly successful designing company to pay for Owen’s medical bills and leaves herself temporarily unemployed and living with Will, a man who she claims she really doesn’t remember all that much from their one night stand. I was pretty much stuck on the fact that she doesn’t bother to tell Will about his son, but doesn’t put up much if any fight about going to live with him. O-kay…
They move to a small town in North Carolina where Will’s mom still lives and Julianne finds herself fitting right into small town living. She and Will get closer and start to feel more for each other than just anger and pain that was present early on and that eventually turns into love. Unfortunately too many lies and misconceptions drive a wedge between them due to an ongoing investigation into a bounty scandal in the NFL that directly impacts Will and one of his old coaches, a man who was a mentor to him. Will refuses to talk at all about the allegations and a senate committee gets involved to get answers, one of the committee members is Julianne’s half-brother who will use any piece of information he can get to find out the truth, even if it means using Julianne to get to Will. This storyline felt ripped from the headlines taking bits and pieces of two very well known scandals that happened recently in both college football and the NFL and I couldn’t stop referencing those stories when reading this storyline in Foolish Games and it was a bit distracting.
Oh, where to start. First off, I overall liked the story. I’m a sucker for sports themed romances, so that is probably swaying my opinion slightly. That said, early on I didn’t like the heroine at all. A huge pet peeve of mine is when the heroine has a baby but wants to keep the baby for herself and doesn’t tell the father. NO! How am I supposed to like a heroine who does this? I didn’t buy into her reasoning even though she knew and admits that she was wrong, I just couldn’t get past that. The entire story was filled with lies, misconceptions and assumptions that were frustrating. And this happened from many characters, not just Will and Julianne. Whether it was Will refusing to tell the truth about his past, Julianne keeping her future endeavor secret as a surprise that was only misinterpreted by Will later on, or other characters jumping to their own conclusions and putting thoughts into Will and Julianne’s heads, it was hard to get past all that.
I did like seeing Julianne and Will get closer and especially seeing Will help Julianne through a few of her fears that revolve around the night her mom was killed. I also liked the love/hate relationship between Will and his teammate Brody – I want more Brody now! (he has the next book, whew.) There is also a supporting romance between a man working in the front office of Will’s football team, Hank and Will’s mother Annabeth. I kind of wish their story would have been a little longer to give them a bit more page time. Much of their romance happens off page, but I enjoyed what was shown between them.
While I did finish the book liking Will and Julianne together, I had a really hard time getting to that point mainly because of Julianne keeping Owen from Will and her reasoning being very weak. There were also too many lies that were distracting. I am however looking forward to Brody’s story; he intrigued me with his presence in Foolish Games and I want to get to know this man better.
July 31, 2014
Es oficial, soy una masoquista.
1. El protagonista es un maldito imbécil. Me salté varias páginas (puede que demasiadas) y justo siempre llegaba a una donde él la estaba estrujando. Sí, seguro, jamás la golpeó, pero siempre gritó y la agarró con fuerza, so... No, lo siento, no es la clase de protagonista que me gusta.
2. La protagonista es una estúpida que al parecer es la culpabledel calentamiento global y la extinción de los dinosaurios y en general todo lo malo del mundo de todo lo malo en la relación. Sí, le ocultó el embarazo y nacimiento al macho alfa dominante protagonista, pero... No lo haría cualquiera si se queda embarazada de un completo desconocido al que no le sabe ni el nombre? Eh, yo creo que cualquiera lo haría... Ella no lo conocía, cómo iba a saber que este tipo tenía daddy issues y que era un maldito jugador famoso y un tanto controlador?? En fin, que desde el principio ella parece la única que carga con la culpa de todo lo malo en la relación, hasta el final, cuando es él el que comete el error pero es ella la que tiene que luchar por la relación. En serio fue muy molesto.
3. Carly. No me gustó en el primer libro y en este la odié... Vaya amiga la que se ganó Jualinne.
4. El cliché de "estás embarazada/tuviste un hijo y ahora te tienes que casar conmigo porque no quiero un hijo bastardo"... De vdd? En pleno siglo XXI y en un país tan desarrollado como US? Tan conservadores son los gringos? Tan zafados? Al menos aquí, en mi país tercermundista ya superamos esa clase de cosas (lo dice alguien que jamás ha recibido un mal comentario porque sus padres no se han casado... Básicamente, soy una bastarda :O), así que ya no le veo razón a este argumento, y menos cuando los protagonistas son tan jodidamente detestables y la autora no se esmera mucho en crear una buena historia.
No lo mando al fondo de mi lista porque, nuevamente, me salté demasiadas páginas, así que no quise ser tan completamente mala.
¿Seguiré la serie? Eh, sí, porque soy una masoquista que ama los libros sobre deportistas (es tu culpa, Susan Elizabeth Phillips).
1. El protagonista es un maldito imbécil. Me salté varias páginas (puede que demasiadas) y justo siempre llegaba a una donde él la estaba estrujando. Sí, seguro, jamás la golpeó, pero siempre gritó y la agarró con fuerza, so... No, lo siento, no es la clase de protagonista que me gusta.
2. La protagonista es una estúpida que al parecer es la culpable
3. Carly. No me gustó en el primer libro y en este la odié... Vaya amiga la que se ganó Jualinne.
4. El cliché de "estás embarazada/tuviste un hijo y ahora te tienes que casar conmigo porque no quiero un hijo bastardo"... De vdd? En pleno siglo XXI y en un país tan desarrollado como US? Tan conservadores son los gringos? Tan zafados? Al menos aquí, en mi país tercermundista ya superamos esa clase de cosas (lo dice alguien que jamás ha recibido un mal comentario porque sus padres no se han casado... Básicamente, soy una bastarda :O), así que ya no le veo razón a este argumento, y menos cuando los protagonistas son tan jodidamente detestables y la autora no se esmera mucho en crear una buena historia.
No lo mando al fondo de mi lista porque, nuevamente, me salté demasiadas páginas, así que no quise ser tan completamente mala.
¿Seguiré la serie? Eh, sí, porque soy una masoquista que ama los libros sobre deportistas (es tu culpa, Susan Elizabeth Phillips).
January 7, 2016
I was SO glad I didn't have to read the first book of the 'Out of Bounds' Series to enjoy this book... also glad about that cause I want to read the third book ASAP so the first one wont be read anytime soon. *giggles*
as for this book, at first I wasn't liking Julianne's because I thought she was kicking her self in the ass TOO much about what she tried to do to Will without reminding herself she WAS doing what she thought was best... I was like GET OVER IT already. Will on the other hand I loved from the beginning mainly cause he had reasons to not trust Julianne but I am glad they were able to get over their issues soon enough for me to actually enjoy watching their love for each other blossom... well until Will became an annoying 'GUY' by letting his trust issues hurt their relationship at the end... though the ending and how they got back together again was nice.
What I loved the most and the main reason I gave this book 5 stars was the surprise love interest between Will's Mom Annabeth and his boss Hank... the romance between those two was too cute, even with their short break up... I loved how beautiful he made her feel, I just wish we got to read what they did in the hotel with the amazing shower head.
Bordy one of Will's team mates and best friend was a joy to read about which is why I SO can't wait for book 3.
On a side note... I SO beyond SO HOPE that Gavin, Will's other friend gets his own story, even if he's not a football player... He sounds like he needs one and NOT with the slut who left him.. but someone who deserves his love.
Over all I enjoyed the characters in this story, and I do want to read Carly's story with her guy... ala book one, just not that much in a rush to do it. *giggles*
as for this book, at first I wasn't liking Julianne's because I thought she was kicking her self in the ass TOO much about what she tried to do to Will without reminding herself she WAS doing what she thought was best... I was like GET OVER IT already. Will on the other hand I loved from the beginning mainly cause he had reasons to not trust Julianne but I am glad they were able to get over their issues soon enough for me to actually enjoy watching their love for each other blossom... well until Will became an annoying 'GUY' by letting his trust issues hurt their relationship at the end... though the ending and how they got back together again was nice.
What I loved the most and the main reason I gave this book 5 stars was the surprise love interest between Will's Mom Annabeth and his boss Hank... the romance between those two was too cute, even with their short break up... I loved how beautiful he made her feel, I just wish we got to read what they did in the hotel with the amazing shower head.
Bordy one of Will's team mates and best friend was a joy to read about which is why I SO can't wait for book 3.
On a side note... I SO beyond SO HOPE that Gavin, Will's other friend gets his own story, even if he's not a football player... He sounds like he needs one and NOT with the slut who left him.. but someone who deserves his love.
Over all I enjoyed the characters in this story, and I do want to read Carly's story with her guy... ala book one, just not that much in a rush to do it. *giggles*
October 31, 2013
I have to admit I am a Tracy Solheim fan. I really enjoyed the first book in her Out of Bounds series: "Game On" and I loved this one even more! Like her first book, this story focuses on a Baltimore Blaze football player - in this book it's Will Connelly aka "William the Conqueror" who is baffled when a meeting with a US Senator that he thought was a fishing expedition for information about an alleged bounty payments for hits scheme leads to the revelation that he had fathered a son with an intriguing woman he met at another player's wedding the year before. I don't want to spoil any more of the story for readers, but let me say that I truly did not want to put this books down and then when I was finished it and enjoying the glow of the clever happy ending I was a bit sad that I will have to wait a few months for Tracy's next book "Risky Game"!
Foolish Games is charming and a fun read. Romantic, sweet and oh so sexy! Characters are interesting and truly likeable so that you want to root for them to be happy! Realistic plots and believable resolutions. Perfect read about football and romance this time of year especially!
Foolish Games is charming and a fun read. Romantic, sweet and oh so sexy! Characters are interesting and truly likeable so that you want to root for them to be happy! Realistic plots and believable resolutions. Perfect read about football and romance this time of year especially!
November 2, 2023
Loved it! This story has myriad twists and turns!
Juliette ends up pregnant after a one night stand with a stranger. He turns out to be Will Connelly, a Baltimore Blaze linebacker. He has no clue he has a son. Juliette never told him. She planned to move to Italy and raise Owen by herself. Then she has to reveal Will's paternity because the baby needs a life saving blood transfusion.
So much anger, confusion and mistrust between two people. Great story!
Re-read 11/11/2021-11/12/2021 Still just as awesome as the first time!
Juliette ends up pregnant after a one night stand with a stranger. He turns out to be Will Connelly, a Baltimore Blaze linebacker. He has no clue he has a son. Juliette never told him. She planned to move to Italy and raise Owen by herself. Then she has to reveal Will's paternity because the baby needs a life saving blood transfusion.
So much anger, confusion and mistrust between two people. Great story!
Re-read 11/11/2021-11/12/2021 Still just as awesome as the first time!
June 26, 2014
Second installment in Tracy Solheim's "Out of Bounds Series' was sassy, sexy and fun-to-read. I neither loved or hated it -- but just relaxed and enjoyed having a sports-themed (football) contemporary romance book to read. Wasn't taken by either leads in this one. Both were a bit extreme for my taste. And, secret babies aren't one of my favorite tropes either.
I will, however, be continuing on with the series. Brody Janik has my interest piqued.
I will, however, be continuing on with the series. Brody Janik has my interest piqued.
January 12, 2014
It was a nice book!!!
April 18, 2020
I loved this book. The sports background only added to the characters who loved and fought passionately. Well worth a read.
December 9, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Football player plus wedding designer equals a one night stand resulting in a child that needs Dad’s help to get better.
Opening Sentence: Paternity.
The Review:
There are a couple of things that have followed me around the world and back again. One of them is reading, which is how I ended up writing this review, and the other is my love for football. One of the things my Dad and I would do after Sunday lunch had been cleaned up was to sit and watch the National Football League. Those times still reside in my memory and continue to this day even when my father and I are half a world away, but the love for football remains strong. This book reminds me of those good feelings and joyful Sunday afternoons as we shouted at the referee for bad calls. I wondered what happened to the men once the game was over and the television crews went home. What sort of lives did my football heroes deal with on a day to day basis. This story is a fictionalized version of what some of them may experience and it lived up to my every expectation.
Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly is blindsided with the discovery that he may have fathered a child with a woman, Julianne Marchione, when he met her at a friend’s wedding. If that shock wasn’t big enough then the only reason he is being contacted now is because his “son” has a life-threatening blood disorder that requires that Will provide a blood transfusion because Julianne isn’t a match.
Meanwhile, Julianne has been struggling with an unexpected pregnancy then a very sick child, and her creative muse has disappeared and taken all her ability to create one of a kind bridal gowns with it. Not to mention she just wants to take her son and raise him by herself and not bother Will, but has no choice but to contact him and pray that he will help their son.
This story had me from the beginning. Initially, I thought I may get this book started today and then take a break and finish it tomorrow, but there was no way that Will and Julianne were letting me go until their story had a happily-ever-after. When a story has the ability to grasp a reader’s time, energy and good intention, then the author has written a stellar work. This book had all that and so much more. In fact, there was a minor emergency at my home, but I didn’t even know it had happened until the last word was read and I returned to the real world. (In case you are wondering, no one was harmed — just a small little incident.)
The woman characters in this novel were awesome and strong. There is always a need for woman who aren’t afraid to take charge when necessary and then be able to be approachable and sexy. Meanwhile, the only man that irritated me was Julianne’s brother, Stephen, but he may even have redeeming qualities in the end.
Foolish Games is a book that could easily have been a stand alone, but I’m thrilled that it isn’t. Don’t be afraid to dive into this book because it is just yummy, but be aware you might look up and your smoke alarm is going off. You have been duly warned.
So this is definitely a book that you need to pick up if you love a wonderful romance or love those guys in their football gear or better yet with the football gear on the floor. I believe you will truly enjoy this book and Ms. Solheim has obtained another fan. I wait for anticipation for Brody Janik’s story to be released in May.
Notable Scene:
He wasn’t sure who kissed who first, but when their lips met, something ignited within them both. She tasted of coffee and smelled of tropical flowers and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. Their clothes melted away, giving Will’s hands and lips access to warm, soft skin. When he entered her that first time, she welcomed him, wrapping her legs around his hips and bringing him to near-perfect ecstasy.
The thunder and lightning were winding down the second time they made love, her fingers and mouth torturing his body before he found his release. The third time he took her, the storm had dissipated outside but continued to rage on between them as the electricity he’d felt in the hallway reached a fevered pitch. Will had never felt such an intense connection with any other woman.
Until she called out another man’s name while climaxing. And then the condom broke.
FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Foolish Games. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Football player plus wedding designer equals a one night stand resulting in a child that needs Dad’s help to get better.
Opening Sentence: Paternity.
The Review:
There are a couple of things that have followed me around the world and back again. One of them is reading, which is how I ended up writing this review, and the other is my love for football. One of the things my Dad and I would do after Sunday lunch had been cleaned up was to sit and watch the National Football League. Those times still reside in my memory and continue to this day even when my father and I are half a world away, but the love for football remains strong. This book reminds me of those good feelings and joyful Sunday afternoons as we shouted at the referee for bad calls. I wondered what happened to the men once the game was over and the television crews went home. What sort of lives did my football heroes deal with on a day to day basis. This story is a fictionalized version of what some of them may experience and it lived up to my every expectation.
Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly is blindsided with the discovery that he may have fathered a child with a woman, Julianne Marchione, when he met her at a friend’s wedding. If that shock wasn’t big enough then the only reason he is being contacted now is because his “son” has a life-threatening blood disorder that requires that Will provide a blood transfusion because Julianne isn’t a match.
Meanwhile, Julianne has been struggling with an unexpected pregnancy then a very sick child, and her creative muse has disappeared and taken all her ability to create one of a kind bridal gowns with it. Not to mention she just wants to take her son and raise him by herself and not bother Will, but has no choice but to contact him and pray that he will help their son.
This story had me from the beginning. Initially, I thought I may get this book started today and then take a break and finish it tomorrow, but there was no way that Will and Julianne were letting me go until their story had a happily-ever-after. When a story has the ability to grasp a reader’s time, energy and good intention, then the author has written a stellar work. This book had all that and so much more. In fact, there was a minor emergency at my home, but I didn’t even know it had happened until the last word was read and I returned to the real world. (In case you are wondering, no one was harmed — just a small little incident.)
The woman characters in this novel were awesome and strong. There is always a need for woman who aren’t afraid to take charge when necessary and then be able to be approachable and sexy. Meanwhile, the only man that irritated me was Julianne’s brother, Stephen, but he may even have redeeming qualities in the end.
Foolish Games is a book that could easily have been a stand alone, but I’m thrilled that it isn’t. Don’t be afraid to dive into this book because it is just yummy, but be aware you might look up and your smoke alarm is going off. You have been duly warned.
So this is definitely a book that you need to pick up if you love a wonderful romance or love those guys in their football gear or better yet with the football gear on the floor. I believe you will truly enjoy this book and Ms. Solheim has obtained another fan. I wait for anticipation for Brody Janik’s story to be released in May.
Notable Scene:
He wasn’t sure who kissed who first, but when their lips met, something ignited within them both. She tasted of coffee and smelled of tropical flowers and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. Their clothes melted away, giving Will’s hands and lips access to warm, soft skin. When he entered her that first time, she welcomed him, wrapping her legs around his hips and bringing him to near-perfect ecstasy.
The thunder and lightning were winding down the second time they made love, her fingers and mouth torturing his body before he found his release. The third time he took her, the storm had dissipated outside but continued to rage on between them as the electricity he’d felt in the hallway reached a fevered pitch. Will had never felt such an intense connection with any other woman.
Until she called out another man’s name while climaxing. And then the condom broke.
FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Foolish Games. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
November 15, 2024
"Foolish Games" is book two of the "Out of Bounds" series by Tracy Solheim. Will and Julianne had a one night stand, and Julianne ended up getting pregnant and having Owen. Julianne didn't tell Will about having a baby until Owen needed his dad after a health incident. Will is a football player and wants to do things right so he has Julianne marry him and move in with him during his off-season. This was a great addition to this series, and I enjoyed reading this book. Tracy does a great job with sports related books. My favorite part is when Will's mom is explaining why her and Will are so close in age to these two teenagers. I will definitely be continuing this series to see whose story is next.
January 1, 2014
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Will insists that Owen recuperate at his home in North Carolina, and he’s adamant that Julianne become his wife—even if it’s only a temporary marriage in name only. But will their simmering attraction ever lead to a real connection? Or are they just playing foolish games?
Julianne and Will had a one-night fling. Nine months later, unbeknownst to Will, Julianne gives birth to little baby Owen. Julianne had planned never to tell Will, but Owen is sick and needs Will's blood for his medical treatment. Will is angry that Julianne did not tell him that he was a father. Julianne agrees to marry Will and live with him, so Owen gets a chance to know his father. Julianne and Will struggle to find common ground, while Julianne's brother investigates Will and Will's former football coach for intentionally harming opposing football players on the field.
This is another contemporary romance that is perfect for fans of the alpha male protagonist. At one point, Will thinks to himself that he wants to hit Julianne but he knows that he can't do that, so he is going to kiss her instead. A few times, Will does put his hands on Julianne. During one of these moments, Will's mother sees him do this and kicks him out of the house. I know this is the MO for alpha males, but this just sends up red flags for me. Fortunately for me (maybe not for the alpha male fans), most of the fighting ends about halfway through the book as Julianne and Will begin to trust each other.
I must admit that I liked the secondary characters more than Julianne and Will. In fact, I felt that the secondary characters like Will's teammates and Will's mother were written more consistently and were more believable. Will's teammates and mom were like a breath of fresh air, because they seemed more realistic about Julianne and Will's situation (they didn't think jumping into a marriage was the best idea) and more grounded (they didn't think yelling at Julianne first and asking questions later was a good plan). Unlike these secondary characters who sent the same message time and time again, Will and Julianne seemed to change their minds on a regular basis. The change in their opinions and attitudes seemed to come from the need to keep the anger or love making going. For example, a few times, Will starts psychoanalyzing Julianne in an effort to just be cruel. This behavior didn't feel right for who Will was as a character, but it helped keep the fighting (and crying) going.
This book has a secondary romance that I thought was quite sweet. Will's mom and his team manager end up falling in love. In "real life," I don't see this type of relationship working. I think it would be a bit awkward for everyone; however, in these type of serial romances, everyone falls in love, so I am okay with it. This romance has a tiny bit of fighting, but these two characters are able to share their feelings and talk openly. It was sweet, and I wish I got to see more of their romance.
Overall, this book is better suited for romance readers who like alpha male heroes. Will's behavior worried me, and I wouldn't want a friend of mine dating him. Of course, this is a romance novel, and with the love of a good woman, Will won't be cruel to her ever again. I really liked several of the secondary characters, and I need to see if Brody Janik (one of Will's teammates) has his own book in this series. He seemed a bit more thoughtful than Will.
For me, this book was just okay, so it receives a 2 out of 5. If you have different feelings on alpha males, you might like this book better than me.
Will insists that Owen recuperate at his home in North Carolina, and he’s adamant that Julianne become his wife—even if it’s only a temporary marriage in name only. But will their simmering attraction ever lead to a real connection? Or are they just playing foolish games?
Julianne and Will had a one-night fling. Nine months later, unbeknownst to Will, Julianne gives birth to little baby Owen. Julianne had planned never to tell Will, but Owen is sick and needs Will's blood for his medical treatment. Will is angry that Julianne did not tell him that he was a father. Julianne agrees to marry Will and live with him, so Owen gets a chance to know his father. Julianne and Will struggle to find common ground, while Julianne's brother investigates Will and Will's former football coach for intentionally harming opposing football players on the field.
This is another contemporary romance that is perfect for fans of the alpha male protagonist. At one point, Will thinks to himself that he wants to hit Julianne but he knows that he can't do that, so he is going to kiss her instead. A few times, Will does put his hands on Julianne. During one of these moments, Will's mother sees him do this and kicks him out of the house. I know this is the MO for alpha males, but this just sends up red flags for me. Fortunately for me (maybe not for the alpha male fans), most of the fighting ends about halfway through the book as Julianne and Will begin to trust each other.
I must admit that I liked the secondary characters more than Julianne and Will. In fact, I felt that the secondary characters like Will's teammates and Will's mother were written more consistently and were more believable. Will's teammates and mom were like a breath of fresh air, because they seemed more realistic about Julianne and Will's situation (they didn't think jumping into a marriage was the best idea) and more grounded (they didn't think yelling at Julianne first and asking questions later was a good plan). Unlike these secondary characters who sent the same message time and time again, Will and Julianne seemed to change their minds on a regular basis. The change in their opinions and attitudes seemed to come from the need to keep the anger or love making going. For example, a few times, Will starts psychoanalyzing Julianne in an effort to just be cruel. This behavior didn't feel right for who Will was as a character, but it helped keep the fighting (and crying) going.
This book has a secondary romance that I thought was quite sweet. Will's mom and his team manager end up falling in love. In "real life," I don't see this type of relationship working. I think it would be a bit awkward for everyone; however, in these type of serial romances, everyone falls in love, so I am okay with it. This romance has a tiny bit of fighting, but these two characters are able to share their feelings and talk openly. It was sweet, and I wish I got to see more of their romance.
Overall, this book is better suited for romance readers who like alpha male heroes. Will's behavior worried me, and I wouldn't want a friend of mine dating him. Of course, this is a romance novel, and with the love of a good woman, Will won't be cruel to her ever again. I really liked several of the secondary characters, and I need to see if Brody Janik (one of Will's teammates) has his own book in this series. He seemed a bit more thoughtful than Will.
For me, this book was just okay, so it receives a 2 out of 5. If you have different feelings on alpha males, you might like this book better than me.
November 25, 2013
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/11...
Bridal gown designer Julianne Marchione is the consummate professional. But combine migraine medication with a terrifying storm and even a pro like Julianne can lose her cool at a client’s wedding…particularly when a hot football player is involved. Although Julianne wants to put her foolish one night stand behind her, she finds she can’t for long. Nearly a year later, Julianne’s infant son needs a blood transfusion, and she isn’t a match.
Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up with the stigma of being an illegitimate child and he’d never wish that on anyone. Which is why he’s thrown for a loop when he finds out he has a child. Will’s furious with Julianne, but he’s not about to let anything happen to their son, Owen. Determined to do the right thing, he talks Julianne into a temporary marriage. It’s supposed to be a marriage in name only, but much to his surprise Will finds himself bonding with his unexpected wife. Will their newfound passion lead to a real marriage? Or will the ghosts of Will’s past keep him from trusting Julianne?
Betrayal, babies, and blazing hot passion - Foolish Games has it all! Tracy Solheim has delivered an engaging sports romance with her second Out of Bounds novel.
I adored Julianne from the start. She’s a wonderfully human character, meaning she’s flawed and definitely makes mistakes, but she does her best to make things right. On the flipside is Will, a hero I admit I had a hard time connecting with. For me, Will tended to be more caveman than alpha man and that just isn’t my personal cup of tea. He’s also a bit too hostile and quick to judge Julianne. I understood this in the beginning of the book, but I was disappointed that the dreamy hero of the middle of the book reverted back to his initial behavior at the end. That being said, the scenes with Will and his son endeared him to me and I liked the steam factor when he and Julianne worked past their issues and hit the sheets.
A charming secondary romance between Annabeth, Will’s mom, and Hank, the general manager of the Baltimore Blaze (Will’s team), brought a smile to my face more often than not. Annabeth and Hank’s love story was quieter, but ultimately the more powerful of the two for me. The obstacles their relationship faced felt organic to the story, whereas the misunderstandings and blowups in Will and Julianne’s marriage came across as more manufactured.
Foolish Games is the second Out of Bounds novel, but it can be read as a standalone. The hero and heroine of the first book, Game On, do appear, which should delight fans of that story. Personally, I thought the highlight of Foolish Games was Will’s teammate Brody. The sexy tight end stole every scene he was in and I cannot wait to read his book. Thankfully, Ms. Solheim isn’t making readers wait long, for Brody’s the hero of the next Out of Bounds book, Risky Game. Though Foolish Games was hit and miss for me, I’ll definitely be buying Risky Game!
Bridal gown designer Julianne Marchione is the consummate professional. But combine migraine medication with a terrifying storm and even a pro like Julianne can lose her cool at a client’s wedding…particularly when a hot football player is involved. Although Julianne wants to put her foolish one night stand behind her, she finds she can’t for long. Nearly a year later, Julianne’s infant son needs a blood transfusion, and she isn’t a match.
Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up with the stigma of being an illegitimate child and he’d never wish that on anyone. Which is why he’s thrown for a loop when he finds out he has a child. Will’s furious with Julianne, but he’s not about to let anything happen to their son, Owen. Determined to do the right thing, he talks Julianne into a temporary marriage. It’s supposed to be a marriage in name only, but much to his surprise Will finds himself bonding with his unexpected wife. Will their newfound passion lead to a real marriage? Or will the ghosts of Will’s past keep him from trusting Julianne?
Betrayal, babies, and blazing hot passion - Foolish Games has it all! Tracy Solheim has delivered an engaging sports romance with her second Out of Bounds novel.
I adored Julianne from the start. She’s a wonderfully human character, meaning she’s flawed and definitely makes mistakes, but she does her best to make things right. On the flipside is Will, a hero I admit I had a hard time connecting with. For me, Will tended to be more caveman than alpha man and that just isn’t my personal cup of tea. He’s also a bit too hostile and quick to judge Julianne. I understood this in the beginning of the book, but I was disappointed that the dreamy hero of the middle of the book reverted back to his initial behavior at the end. That being said, the scenes with Will and his son endeared him to me and I liked the steam factor when he and Julianne worked past their issues and hit the sheets.
A charming secondary romance between Annabeth, Will’s mom, and Hank, the general manager of the Baltimore Blaze (Will’s team), brought a smile to my face more often than not. Annabeth and Hank’s love story was quieter, but ultimately the more powerful of the two for me. The obstacles their relationship faced felt organic to the story, whereas the misunderstandings and blowups in Will and Julianne’s marriage came across as more manufactured.
Foolish Games is the second Out of Bounds novel, but it can be read as a standalone. The hero and heroine of the first book, Game On, do appear, which should delight fans of that story. Personally, I thought the highlight of Foolish Games was Will’s teammate Brody. The sexy tight end stole every scene he was in and I cannot wait to read his book. Thankfully, Ms. Solheim isn’t making readers wait long, for Brody’s the hero of the next Out of Bounds book, Risky Game. Though Foolish Games was hit and miss for me, I’ll definitely be buying Risky Game!
December 3, 2013
Posted on What I'm Reading
Rating 4 1/2 Stars
I have been meaning to get Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim read before release day. However, it didn't happen, but I was able to finish today. So, let's get started.
When I started reading this book I wasn't expecting to be an emotionally draining story. I was thinking a football hero this should be good. Granted Foolish Games was a great read, but really draining. Here's why:
We have a one nightstand that creates a baby. Now Julianne Marchione was never going to tell the father, Will Connelly, but circumstances forces her hand to contact him. Now Will is furious when he finds out he has a child and wasn't ever going to know him. Basically he dons his "William the Conqueror" attitude and basically forces Julianne to marry him. This way he's part of his son's life and he can keep an eye on Julianne, because he doesn't truly trust her.
There is the story in the simplest form. However, it's a bit more complex than that, because the secondary characters play a huge roll in the story. We have our hero, Will, who basically uses his childhood as shield to keep people from getting close to him and those who are close to him actually force themselves on him. For example, his friend Brody Janik; he really does force himself into Will's life and kind of puts things in perspective at times. He actually becomes an ally to Julianne when everyone seem to believe she was some kind of manipulative conniving woman. Actually Julianne is the furthest thing from that person, but her decisions kind of paint her to be vindictive. When she's around Will she kind dons the "Ice Princess" attitude, because she has guard herself. As she was growing up she never felt love after her mother died, so she looks to Owen (the baby) as someone to love her. Then you have Will's mom and his GM in the story. With these other characters adds the complexity of the story.
Yes, I did really enjoy Foolish Games. I thought it was well written even with all the secondary characters and the secondary love story. However, Will is a jerk in the story (that's being nice). He's not very nice to Julianne at first. Once he gets to know Julianne, he starts to see the real person and actually likes her. Yet there are some road blocks that might stop the progress. Even though Will is a jerk, I still liked him and I really loved Julianne. I mean it takes a special gal to standup to "William the Conqueror." Overall, a great story with two people that use their past as shields and try to work things with a fake marriage. With those fake marriages can cause some emotional drainage. So, if you are looking for a pretty good read with hidden pregnancy, fake marriage and impending scandal, you might want to try Foolish Games.
Copy provided by Berkley via NetGalley
Rating 4 1/2 Stars
I have been meaning to get Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim read before release day. However, it didn't happen, but I was able to finish today. So, let's get started.
When I started reading this book I wasn't expecting to be an emotionally draining story. I was thinking a football hero this should be good. Granted Foolish Games was a great read, but really draining. Here's why:
We have a one nightstand that creates a baby. Now Julianne Marchione was never going to tell the father, Will Connelly, but circumstances forces her hand to contact him. Now Will is furious when he finds out he has a child and wasn't ever going to know him. Basically he dons his "William the Conqueror" attitude and basically forces Julianne to marry him. This way he's part of his son's life and he can keep an eye on Julianne, because he doesn't truly trust her.
There is the story in the simplest form. However, it's a bit more complex than that, because the secondary characters play a huge roll in the story. We have our hero, Will, who basically uses his childhood as shield to keep people from getting close to him and those who are close to him actually force themselves on him. For example, his friend Brody Janik; he really does force himself into Will's life and kind of puts things in perspective at times. He actually becomes an ally to Julianne when everyone seem to believe she was some kind of manipulative conniving woman. Actually Julianne is the furthest thing from that person, but her decisions kind of paint her to be vindictive. When she's around Will she kind dons the "Ice Princess" attitude, because she has guard herself. As she was growing up she never felt love after her mother died, so she looks to Owen (the baby) as someone to love her. Then you have Will's mom and his GM in the story. With these other characters adds the complexity of the story.
Yes, I did really enjoy Foolish Games. I thought it was well written even with all the secondary characters and the secondary love story. However, Will is a jerk in the story (that's being nice). He's not very nice to Julianne at first. Once he gets to know Julianne, he starts to see the real person and actually likes her. Yet there are some road blocks that might stop the progress. Even though Will is a jerk, I still liked him and I really loved Julianne. I mean it takes a special gal to standup to "William the Conqueror." Overall, a great story with two people that use their past as shields and try to work things with a fake marriage. With those fake marriages can cause some emotional drainage. So, if you are looking for a pretty good read with hidden pregnancy, fake marriage and impending scandal, you might want to try Foolish Games.
Copy provided by Berkley via NetGalley
June 21, 2014
My Review:
I'm not usually a big fan of hidden baby stories, but this one really worked for me and I think the reason it worked so much for me was Will's character. This is a guy who came from a small town where he was ostracized for not having a dad. As a result, bringing a bastard child into this world is about the worst thing that he could imagine so he's completely appalled when he finds out he has a one-month old baby in this world. His pain is palpable as is the crushing blow to his own self-worth. He thinks that Julianne didn't want him involved with the baby because she sees something wrong with him. But that couldn't be further from the truth.
On the other hand, I had a harder time with Julianne's character just because she's done such a horrible thing to Will by never telling him about this. That's a HUGE deception, but what made her redeemable in my eyes is that she realized just how bad of a thing she did and was constantly punishing herself just as much as Will was trying to punish her.
With this kind of drama at the beginning of their relationship, it is so hard for the two of them to develop a level of trust between them and that drives a huge wedge between them before they really develop anything. That's a hard thing to overcome.
There were lots of little things about this book that made it so good...
*Will's mom is awesome. I love that she's not the typical mom...she's young...in her 40's but has kept herself up although her history with relationships is abysmal. I loved how she bonded with Julianne and stood by her even in the face of Will's wrath.
*This small town...they love Will even though he doesn't see it. Their feelings for him are so apparent at the end and I loved that about the story.
*The artistic story with Julianne's fashion design and Sophie's jewelry designs provided great side-details and stories that I really enjoyed.
*Hank and Will's mom...LOVED that story...everything about it, I loved!
*Will's mom at the end...YES!
There's a whole side story with a controversial bounty scheme in the NFL where the players are paid to "take out" other players on the field. As a tackle, Will gets caught up in it. That whole story really worked for me. There were several twists to it that caught me by surprise.
Overall, this was a great installment to the series. I have just one teeny-tiny complaint...this author has a thing about her characters' parents. I don't think there's anyone in these books (and that includes minor neighbor characters...everyone) who doesn't have major mommy/daddy issues. Something along the way has happened to ALL these characters where one or both parents are absent...and it's usually a horrific/tragic/mentally scarring occurrence. It makes me sad for all these characters and worried for them when it comes to their children. Once their kids hit around age 8, they need to all hole up inside their homes for everyones safety. LOL
I'm not usually a big fan of hidden baby stories, but this one really worked for me and I think the reason it worked so much for me was Will's character. This is a guy who came from a small town where he was ostracized for not having a dad. As a result, bringing a bastard child into this world is about the worst thing that he could imagine so he's completely appalled when he finds out he has a one-month old baby in this world. His pain is palpable as is the crushing blow to his own self-worth. He thinks that Julianne didn't want him involved with the baby because she sees something wrong with him. But that couldn't be further from the truth.
On the other hand, I had a harder time with Julianne's character just because she's done such a horrible thing to Will by never telling him about this. That's a HUGE deception, but what made her redeemable in my eyes is that she realized just how bad of a thing she did and was constantly punishing herself just as much as Will was trying to punish her.
With this kind of drama at the beginning of their relationship, it is so hard for the two of them to develop a level of trust between them and that drives a huge wedge between them before they really develop anything. That's a hard thing to overcome.
There were lots of little things about this book that made it so good...
*Will's mom is awesome. I love that she's not the typical mom...she's young...in her 40's but has kept herself up although her history with relationships is abysmal. I loved how she bonded with Julianne and stood by her even in the face of Will's wrath.
*This small town...they love Will even though he doesn't see it. Their feelings for him are so apparent at the end and I loved that about the story.
*The artistic story with Julianne's fashion design and Sophie's jewelry designs provided great side-details and stories that I really enjoyed.
*Hank and Will's mom...LOVED that story...everything about it, I loved!
*Will's mom at the end...YES!
There's a whole side story with a controversial bounty scheme in the NFL where the players are paid to "take out" other players on the field. As a tackle, Will gets caught up in it. That whole story really worked for me. There were several twists to it that caught me by surprise.
Overall, this was a great installment to the series. I have just one teeny-tiny complaint...this author has a thing about her characters' parents. I don't think there's anyone in these books (and that includes minor neighbor characters...everyone) who doesn't have major mommy/daddy issues. Something along the way has happened to ALL these characters where one or both parents are absent...and it's usually a horrific/tragic/mentally scarring occurrence. It makes me sad for all these characters and worried for them when it comes to their children. Once their kids hit around age 8, they need to all hole up inside their homes for everyones safety. LOL
December 10, 2013
Title: Foolish Games
Series: Out of Bounds Book #2
Author: Tracy Solheim
Genre: Romance
Blurb: This Hail Mary play for the heart is the latest sports romance in the sizzling Out of Bounds series. Bridal gown designer Julianne Marchione knows better than to lose her head at a client’s wedding. But, much to her embarrassment, a mix of migraine medication and a smoking hot football player lead to a steamy one night stand resulting in a surprise pregnancy. Julianne has every intention of leaving her NFL hookup far in the past until her son, Owen, is born with a life-threatening blood disorder that requires a transfusion—and Julianne is not a match. Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up tough, shouldering the stigma of being a bastard child born on the wrong side of the tracks. He refuses to let any child face the same discrimination. When he finds out about Owen, he’s furious that Julianne kept his son a secret. But when he sees her again at the hospital, he realizes that his feelings for her go far beyond anger. Will insists that Owen recuperate at his home in North Carolina, and he’s adamant that Julianne become his wife—even if it’s only a temporary marriage in name only. But will their simmering attraction ever lead to a real connection? Or are they just playing foolish games?
Thoughts: This is one of those books that I just really had trouble connecting with the characters. Julianne was just a constant source of frustration for me...her whole "excuse" behind how they wound up together, her refusal to tell him about his child, and then acting as if he is the one inconveniencing her life....and all the while he is struggling to deal with the fact that he is a father to a son he doesn't even know about. And after her initial reactions in the beginning, his reactions certainly don't help matters any. They both just needed to stop, be honest with each other, and step up to plate and be the bigger person in this whole drama situation they had going on. The author is a really skilled writer and I probably would have liked it otherwise, but I just didn't care much for these particular characters. "Foolish Games" was a very apt title, but it was a bit of a tedious read for me. I would read another book by the author (I wouldn't judge her solely based on this book), but this one just didn't work for me. However, after writing this review I have checked around and it seems to be a hit with other readers.
Rate: C
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
Series: Out of Bounds Book #2
Author: Tracy Solheim
Genre: Romance
Blurb: This Hail Mary play for the heart is the latest sports romance in the sizzling Out of Bounds series. Bridal gown designer Julianne Marchione knows better than to lose her head at a client’s wedding. But, much to her embarrassment, a mix of migraine medication and a smoking hot football player lead to a steamy one night stand resulting in a surprise pregnancy. Julianne has every intention of leaving her NFL hookup far in the past until her son, Owen, is born with a life-threatening blood disorder that requires a transfusion—and Julianne is not a match. Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up tough, shouldering the stigma of being a bastard child born on the wrong side of the tracks. He refuses to let any child face the same discrimination. When he finds out about Owen, he’s furious that Julianne kept his son a secret. But when he sees her again at the hospital, he realizes that his feelings for her go far beyond anger. Will insists that Owen recuperate at his home in North Carolina, and he’s adamant that Julianne become his wife—even if it’s only a temporary marriage in name only. But will their simmering attraction ever lead to a real connection? Or are they just playing foolish games?
Thoughts: This is one of those books that I just really had trouble connecting with the characters. Julianne was just a constant source of frustration for me...her whole "excuse" behind how they wound up together, her refusal to tell him about his child, and then acting as if he is the one inconveniencing her life....and all the while he is struggling to deal with the fact that he is a father to a son he doesn't even know about. And after her initial reactions in the beginning, his reactions certainly don't help matters any. They both just needed to stop, be honest with each other, and step up to plate and be the bigger person in this whole drama situation they had going on. The author is a really skilled writer and I probably would have liked it otherwise, but I just didn't care much for these particular characters. "Foolish Games" was a very apt title, but it was a bit of a tedious read for me. I would read another book by the author (I wouldn't judge her solely based on this book), but this one just didn't work for me. However, after writing this review I have checked around and it seems to be a hit with other readers.
Rate: C
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
October 27, 2015
First Thoughts:
I wasn't too massive a fan of the first book in this series but because I like reading books with a secret pregnancy or love child in them, I was willing to give this book a shot. It was okay although I expected the kid's medical problem to be a larger thing than it was. It was only used as an introductory rather than a running plot.
What Is It About:
Julianne is a wedding dress designer that was invited to a client's wedding. During the reception, and with a combination of migraine pills, a storm and the ocean view, she ends up having sex and getting pregnant by another guest. Not that she tells him she got pregnant. This is guest is another American football player, Will.
Will ends up finding out about the pregnancy after the baby needs a blood transfusion from one of his parents and Julianne's blood fails. He refuses to leave his son without a father and ends up marrying Julianne and taking her back to his home town.
The rest of the plot involves an old American football scam, blossoming love between Julianne and Will as well Will's mother.
What I Liked and Disliked:
I think that with the scam part of the plot, I was pleasantly surprised. I've read a fair few American Football romances and that was an original plot. I enjoyed reading the family aspects of the book as well as Julianne and Will's relationship but the family bit was the sweetest part of it, I think. I didn't mind reading Will's Mum's story but it just seemed a bit rushed even though it could have been just as spread through the book as the main romance.
There wasn't anything particularly that I disliked, it was just a nice read that I didn't think I enjoyed enough to put it up. Although I am pretty sure that I liked this book more than the first book in the series because both plots were drama-filled but this seemed a bit less soap opera-like than the first book.
Final Thoughts:
For all I know, my opinion would be higher if I stopped comparing it to other books that I've read but that's my basis of scoring and I just think that because the first book was so similar to the first of the Chicago Stars series, it basically set this book up to fail in my opinion.
Would I recommend this? Not really but oh well. I'm being really harsh considering that I can't definitely name why I don't like it and there are plenty of good reviews of this book to base a different opinion on so go read them.
Will I carry on the series? Not at all.
I wasn't too massive a fan of the first book in this series but because I like reading books with a secret pregnancy or love child in them, I was willing to give this book a shot. It was okay although I expected the kid's medical problem to be a larger thing than it was. It was only used as an introductory rather than a running plot.
What Is It About:
Julianne is a wedding dress designer that was invited to a client's wedding. During the reception, and with a combination of migraine pills, a storm and the ocean view, she ends up having sex and getting pregnant by another guest. Not that she tells him she got pregnant. This is guest is another American football player, Will.
Will ends up finding out about the pregnancy after the baby needs a blood transfusion from one of his parents and Julianne's blood fails. He refuses to leave his son without a father and ends up marrying Julianne and taking her back to his home town.
The rest of the plot involves an old American football scam, blossoming love between Julianne and Will as well Will's mother.
What I Liked and Disliked:
I think that with the scam part of the plot, I was pleasantly surprised. I've read a fair few American Football romances and that was an original plot. I enjoyed reading the family aspects of the book as well as Julianne and Will's relationship but the family bit was the sweetest part of it, I think. I didn't mind reading Will's Mum's story but it just seemed a bit rushed even though it could have been just as spread through the book as the main romance.
There wasn't anything particularly that I disliked, it was just a nice read that I didn't think I enjoyed enough to put it up. Although I am pretty sure that I liked this book more than the first book in the series because both plots were drama-filled but this seemed a bit less soap opera-like than the first book.
Final Thoughts:
For all I know, my opinion would be higher if I stopped comparing it to other books that I've read but that's my basis of scoring and I just think that because the first book was so similar to the first of the Chicago Stars series, it basically set this book up to fail in my opinion.
Would I recommend this? Not really but oh well. I'm being really harsh considering that I can't definitely name why I don't like it and there are plenty of good reviews of this book to base a different opinion on so go read them.
Will I carry on the series? Not at all.
December 16, 2013
Will Connelly also known as "Will the Conqueror" is not having a good day. Being called into the Senator's office whose in charge of the committee looking into a bounty hunting NFL scandal, and finding out instead of being asked to testify you're involved in a paternity suit is surprising for a man who knows first hand how a bastard is treated and would never want his own child to experience that. Julianne Marchione thought she was doing the right thing by keeping Owen's existence from Will but when she needs him to save her baby's life all bets are off and Julianne is willing to do whatever Will wants to ensure Owen gets the treatments he needs.
First of all can I just say that I absolutely LOVE the cover of this book? I have been foolishly (pun intended) staring at this cover daily for over a month, well since it was first released. Now if only the cover model was blond like Will in the book it'd be perfect...but I'll get over it.
While I don't think Julianne did the right thing by hiding her pregnancy from Will I do think she was under the influence of a lot of hormones, her past, and the notion that Will was in a stable relationship and would not be as accepting of the pregnancy. It's not really as black and white as you'd think it should be. I loved seeing Will and Julianne try to balance the attraction they had for each other with the mistrust they had. A major portion of this book is about trust and it's message is shown not just through Will and Julianne but also Hank and Annabeth, the GM of the Blaze and Will's mom. I absolutely loved the secondary characters in this book. The different plot lines were both central and apart to the story. I don't know how Tracy Solheim did it. She managed to somehow simplify and and add depth to the story at the same time. I'm beyond eager to get Brody's book. Have any of you read that excerpt? Oh my goodness!
While I thought I had the book figured out for the most part, Tracy Solheim managed to surprise me more than once and I loved it. Foolish Games is a great second book. I didn't think I was going to be able to like Will and Julianne as much as I do Shane and Carly, but I do. Not to mention it was great to see them a little in Foolish Games. I'm also wondering if Grady will get a book of his own, even if he doesn't play football? I know I'd love to read one.
First of all can I just say that I absolutely LOVE the cover of this book? I have been foolishly (pun intended) staring at this cover daily for over a month, well since it was first released. Now if only the cover model was blond like Will in the book it'd be perfect...but I'll get over it.
While I don't think Julianne did the right thing by hiding her pregnancy from Will I do think she was under the influence of a lot of hormones, her past, and the notion that Will was in a stable relationship and would not be as accepting of the pregnancy. It's not really as black and white as you'd think it should be. I loved seeing Will and Julianne try to balance the attraction they had for each other with the mistrust they had. A major portion of this book is about trust and it's message is shown not just through Will and Julianne but also Hank and Annabeth, the GM of the Blaze and Will's mom. I absolutely loved the secondary characters in this book. The different plot lines were both central and apart to the story. I don't know how Tracy Solheim did it. She managed to somehow simplify and and add depth to the story at the same time. I'm beyond eager to get Brody's book. Have any of you read that excerpt? Oh my goodness!
While I thought I had the book figured out for the most part, Tracy Solheim managed to surprise me more than once and I loved it. Foolish Games is a great second book. I didn't think I was going to be able to like Will and Julianne as much as I do Shane and Carly, but I do. Not to mention it was great to see them a little in Foolish Games. I'm also wondering if Grady will get a book of his own, even if he doesn't play football? I know I'd love to read one.
June 8, 2014
http://www.newandusedbooks.com/index....
Foolish Games (An Out of Bounds Novel)
By Tracy Solheim
Berkley Sensation
December 2013
An Out of Bounds Novel ~ Number Two
Julianne Marchione, the sexy bridal gown designer readers met in Game On, had a turbulent one-night stand with a total stranger approximately nine-months ago. She had not planned on having to contact the man about his paternal situation, but she has no other choice since their baby son was born with medical problems, and needs a transfusion that only his father can give him. The lucky man is NFL’s Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly, a man who grew up with the stigma of being illegitimate in a small town, and is understandingly enraged to find out he has brought a son into the world that would not have had a father if Julianne had her way. After a paternity test Will refuses to give his blood to the baby unless Julianne marries him, if only for a short time but enough time to legitimize Owen. When Owen is discharged from the hospital, Owen and Julianne will live with Will in coastal North Carolina for the next three months before Will reports for spring training in Baltimore. Will’s mother, Annabeth, has an apartment near the house, so she will get to know her grandson and daughter-in-law.
Since Julianne and Will are total strangers, they have no direct lines of communication and it causes a lot of friction. Adding to the stress is the memory of the sizzling night they shared, and the attraction that is still there. Julianne has several serious phobias that Will knows nothing about and they include large bodies of water and severe storms. Will has some complications going on in his life also that his “bride” doesn’t recognize. He has been targeted by a Senate probe about “Bountygate”—bonuses paid to players for debilitating hits to other NFL players. Unfortunately, this probe is led by Julianne’s half-brother. Then, there is the fact that both protagonist are stubborn, hard-headed, and medal contenders in “jumping to conclusions”.
Tracy Solheim is a wonderful new kid on the block, and her sports’ series are interesting and sensual. Ms. Solheim’s characterization, dialogue and narrative in Foolish Games are excellent and are a great lead-in to her next Out of Bounds novel.
Betty Cox, ReaderToReader.com
Foolish Games (An Out of Bounds Novel)
By Tracy Solheim
Berkley Sensation
December 2013
An Out of Bounds Novel ~ Number Two
Julianne Marchione, the sexy bridal gown designer readers met in Game On, had a turbulent one-night stand with a total stranger approximately nine-months ago. She had not planned on having to contact the man about his paternal situation, but she has no other choice since their baby son was born with medical problems, and needs a transfusion that only his father can give him. The lucky man is NFL’s Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly, a man who grew up with the stigma of being illegitimate in a small town, and is understandingly enraged to find out he has brought a son into the world that would not have had a father if Julianne had her way. After a paternity test Will refuses to give his blood to the baby unless Julianne marries him, if only for a short time but enough time to legitimize Owen. When Owen is discharged from the hospital, Owen and Julianne will live with Will in coastal North Carolina for the next three months before Will reports for spring training in Baltimore. Will’s mother, Annabeth, has an apartment near the house, so she will get to know her grandson and daughter-in-law.
Since Julianne and Will are total strangers, they have no direct lines of communication and it causes a lot of friction. Adding to the stress is the memory of the sizzling night they shared, and the attraction that is still there. Julianne has several serious phobias that Will knows nothing about and they include large bodies of water and severe storms. Will has some complications going on in his life also that his “bride” doesn’t recognize. He has been targeted by a Senate probe about “Bountygate”—bonuses paid to players for debilitating hits to other NFL players. Unfortunately, this probe is led by Julianne’s half-brother. Then, there is the fact that both protagonist are stubborn, hard-headed, and medal contenders in “jumping to conclusions”.
Tracy Solheim is a wonderful new kid on the block, and her sports’ series are interesting and sensual. Ms. Solheim’s characterization, dialogue and narrative in Foolish Games are excellent and are a great lead-in to her next Out of Bounds novel.
Betty Cox, ReaderToReader.com
June 1, 2014
Foolish Games, Out of Bound #2, by Tracey Solheim
Grade: B+
“That’s right, Owen. Tell Mommy she can do it. Tell her we’ll protect her.”
Julianne Marchione has sold her business and has spent every last penny she has to get the medical help her new baby boy Owen needs. When the doctors tell her Owen needs a blood transfusion from his father, Juilanne suxks it up and reaches out to pro football player and her only one night stand Will Connelly. Will is shocked to learn he has a son and that he never knew Julianne was pregnant. Will saves Owen’s life but he refuses to let them out of his so easily.
Will Connelly has spent his life trying to convience the people of the small town he grew up in that he has made something out of himself and he is not the bastard trailer park kid anymore. Will is stunned when he learned he fathered son and he demands that he and Julianne get married and pretend to be a happy family. The more time Will spends with Julianne and Owen the more he wants this family to be real since he has fallen in love with them both.
I hated the first book in this series and was very hesitant to read Foolish Games but I’m a sucker for a romance with a baby. As I started reading I was hooked and I couldn’t put this book down until I finished every last page. Both Julianne and Will are broken but together they fit and understand the pain each of them hold on to. These two are made for each other and watching them overcome the lies, misunderstandings and painful pasts is very beautiful. I wasn’t a big fan of either of them at first but by the end they had won me over and showed how lovely they both are alone and together.
This story not only features Will and Julianne but also Will’s mother and his boss falling in love. This is a side story but it brings a lot to the book and is woven into Julianne and Will’s romance so perfectly that the book would be lost without it. Owen is the star of this book and he steals your heart from the moment we meet him and made this book so great to read. I felt that this book is a complete turnaround from the first and I am now so excited to read future books in this series.
Grade: B+
“That’s right, Owen. Tell Mommy she can do it. Tell her we’ll protect her.”
Julianne Marchione has sold her business and has spent every last penny she has to get the medical help her new baby boy Owen needs. When the doctors tell her Owen needs a blood transfusion from his father, Juilanne suxks it up and reaches out to pro football player and her only one night stand Will Connelly. Will is shocked to learn he has a son and that he never knew Julianne was pregnant. Will saves Owen’s life but he refuses to let them out of his so easily.
Will Connelly has spent his life trying to convience the people of the small town he grew up in that he has made something out of himself and he is not the bastard trailer park kid anymore. Will is stunned when he learned he fathered son and he demands that he and Julianne get married and pretend to be a happy family. The more time Will spends with Julianne and Owen the more he wants this family to be real since he has fallen in love with them both.
I hated the first book in this series and was very hesitant to read Foolish Games but I’m a sucker for a romance with a baby. As I started reading I was hooked and I couldn’t put this book down until I finished every last page. Both Julianne and Will are broken but together they fit and understand the pain each of them hold on to. These two are made for each other and watching them overcome the lies, misunderstandings and painful pasts is very beautiful. I wasn’t a big fan of either of them at first but by the end they had won me over and showed how lovely they both are alone and together.
This story not only features Will and Julianne but also Will’s mother and his boss falling in love. This is a side story but it brings a lot to the book and is woven into Julianne and Will’s romance so perfectly that the book would be lost without it. Owen is the star of this book and he steals your heart from the moment we meet him and made this book so great to read. I felt that this book is a complete turnaround from the first and I am now so excited to read future books in this series.
May 7, 2014
This could potentially be seen as a bit of an odd duck of a review. I’m giving it only two stars, but I suspect that a lot of you out there will probably like it a lot. Which probably has you asking why, if I think it's not bad and will even be popular, did I rate it two stars? There are two answers to that question.
First: This is a football book. I don’t particularly like football, so this isn't really my book from the get-go. (I know. It’s weird that a non-football fan would pick this football romance to read. What can I say? I’m trying to expand my horizons.) But what for me isn't much of a selling point (football), could be a huge attractor to a lot of readers. You get a behind-the-scenes look at a major football team, including a whiff of scandal involving players potentially being paid to injure other players. Like I said, though, I’m not a football fan, so I can’t really comment on how true this all reads. Although I’d guess from its nice, high GoodReads average that it at least passes basic muster.
Second: This book has a baby in it. I don’t have anything against babies or parenthood in general, but it’s not a thing that works for me in romance novels. I have friends with kids, and from everything I know from the outside looking in, as soon as the baby arrives the romance takes a vacation. Parenting is a whole lot of hard work with a whole lot of almost no reward for quite a long time. I find it hard to imagine romance blooming amid the poopy diapers and spit-up and the thousand-yard stare of no sleep. (Although even I can see that it would be hard not to love a guy who will get up at 2am to comfort a screaming baby and lets you sleep through it.) So if you’re better able than I am to put reality on the top shelf for a while and enjoy a tale of a new baby bringing people together with not a lot of stress, this won’t be a problem for you either.
Those are my two reasons why the book didn’t work for me, and also my two reasons that I suspect a ton of people will be rushing out to read it immediately. So what do you think? Am I right?
-Meagan
First: This is a football book. I don’t particularly like football, so this isn't really my book from the get-go. (I know. It’s weird that a non-football fan would pick this football romance to read. What can I say? I’m trying to expand my horizons.) But what for me isn't much of a selling point (football), could be a huge attractor to a lot of readers. You get a behind-the-scenes look at a major football team, including a whiff of scandal involving players potentially being paid to injure other players. Like I said, though, I’m not a football fan, so I can’t really comment on how true this all reads. Although I’d guess from its nice, high GoodReads average that it at least passes basic muster.
Second: This book has a baby in it. I don’t have anything against babies or parenthood in general, but it’s not a thing that works for me in romance novels. I have friends with kids, and from everything I know from the outside looking in, as soon as the baby arrives the romance takes a vacation. Parenting is a whole lot of hard work with a whole lot of almost no reward for quite a long time. I find it hard to imagine romance blooming amid the poopy diapers and spit-up and the thousand-yard stare of no sleep. (Although even I can see that it would be hard not to love a guy who will get up at 2am to comfort a screaming baby and lets you sleep through it.) So if you’re better able than I am to put reality on the top shelf for a while and enjoy a tale of a new baby bringing people together with not a lot of stress, this won’t be a problem for you either.
Those are my two reasons why the book didn’t work for me, and also my two reasons that I suspect a ton of people will be rushing out to read it immediately. So what do you think? Am I right?
-Meagan
January 6, 2014
Love a sports romance and have mixed feelings on this one. After I was done I decided I more or less liked it. Eye candy Jed Hill on the cover doesn’t hurt either. The meet between Will/H, the Baltimore Blaze football team’s linebacker, and Julianne/h, a wedding gown designer, is very lame. Julianne is a drama queen and the story is high drama. I’m talking eye rolling now and then. Ok, I like drama but at times this bordered on too much especially fragile Julianne who’s referred to as Scarlett O’Hara - she’s very “I’ll worry about that another day”. Most of the characters refer to her as flighty and Will refers to her as bat shit crazy a time or two. I just wanted to smack her. Too bad Will didn’t get a better choice of a heroine. Will’s incredibly stubborn with a big chip on his shoulder from growing up in a narrow minded small town as an illegitimate child, he’s got his own set of issues. These two do a lot of game playing with each other. The title is appropriate and it's very frustrating.
So…..wonder what I liked? There’s a decent side story on Will’s former coach paying players to hurt opponents during a game. Will’s got inside scoop he doesn’t want to share and he’s being pressured from all sides to tell what he knows. Liked side characters Annabeth, Will’s mom, she gets a love story, and Will’s hot teammate, the Blaze’s tight end, Brody Janik is a fun guy. I liked ALL the scenes Brody’s in. There’s a bit of angst near the end that was interesting too. Plus there’s a baby involved and I love a big hot guy that’s a great daddy. Looks like Brody, who all the women want, gets to be the Hero in the next bk Risky Game out next spring. Pretty sure I’ll check it out to see what Brody’s up to.
After all’s said and done, I’d give this one 3.5 stars.
So…..wonder what I liked? There’s a decent side story on Will’s former coach paying players to hurt opponents during a game. Will’s got inside scoop he doesn’t want to share and he’s being pressured from all sides to tell what he knows. Liked side characters Annabeth, Will’s mom, she gets a love story, and Will’s hot teammate, the Blaze’s tight end, Brody Janik is a fun guy. I liked ALL the scenes Brody’s in. There’s a bit of angst near the end that was interesting too. Plus there’s a baby involved and I love a big hot guy that’s a great daddy. Looks like Brody, who all the women want, gets to be the Hero in the next bk Risky Game out next spring. Pretty sure I’ll check it out to see what Brody’s up to.
After all’s said and done, I’d give this one 3.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews