Sidelined

Norwalk Breakers #1

by Sarah Everly

Cinnamon Roll Hero (sin-a-mon roll he-ro): ( n ) a hero who is too sweet for this world…but will fight to the death for the people they care about

Join twenty of your favorite romance authors on our journey to prove that cinnamon rolls can still be steaming hot! These sweet, sexy heroes (and heroines!) are here to save the day, whether it’s rescuing their partner from the ghosts of their past or just showing them that they deserve to be loved, cherished, respected…and, of course, pleasured. Noa Keawe was only supposed to be a vacation fling Fresh off a breakup, I took off to Barcelona to find myself…and ended up finding Noa. The hulking, tattooed man I met in a park turned out to be everything my ex wasn' sweet, considerate, kind. And despite the vacation ending much too soon, he found a way to see me again. I might have found the one. But then, my ex turned up… I can't have my heart broken again. When my NFL contract ended, I expected a new one, one that solidified me as a franchise player for the Norwalk Breakers. But when that new contract never materialized, my girlfriend walked. Hoping to occupy myself during the off-season, my teammates arrange a trip to Europe. A non-stop party to help me unwind. Except, partying has never been my scene. That's when I met Lena Rynel, a woman completely unconcerned with who I am and how much money I make. Mostly because I don't tell her. When we pick up back home, I have to tell her the truth. Or at least I should. Sidelined is a strangers-to-lovers football romance with a cinnamon roll player, a hidden identity, and a celebrity auction that threatens to unravel it all!

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Football, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Ebooks

284 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2023

Reviews

[CassDamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.
It wasn’t great, it wasn’t awful.
Perf opportunity to use the word “mid”

The story was basic, but a little off. I don’t know much about football. But I follow Allison kuch on tiktok and know her husband is often on the practice squad and that’s still a big deal and he still makes millions? But they played it off in this book like it was nothing at all.

The characters also had no chemistry. Just rebound vibes.

[April Alviar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book. The banter between characters is sweet.

[♡ jenn ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

my first ever football romance - loved it!

[kirbyc · Rating 2 out of 5]

readable but nothing groundbreaking here; it's like drinking a cup of very weak tea. good if if you need something mindless. the conflict in the middle felt cliche.

[Kaeli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what I expected from a free book

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing to write home about and I feel like I could’ve been more horny.

[Brooke Giguere · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love this author but I cannot get into the sports themed love stories. DNF for now

[Aisah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comfortable cute read

[Chronic Chihuahua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Must Be That Disposable Income

I do wonder about people that were raised with a disposable income and if the difference is, being dishonest about how stable your income is, the thing that lets you feel free and safe, is just a mild disagreement.

And people with that in their background, often feel attacked by the fact I wasn't sold on this dishonest man.

All men have emotions.

Not all men lie about their assets to pacify a target to get under her skin.

[Leah Cooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Noa. Perfect cinnamon roll hero. He was sweet and attentive, calmed Lena’s fears. Lena was very relatable for the most part. She stuck up for herself but had a damaged psyche from that jackass ex Jeremy. It shocked me how easily she could be swayed by him. I was all but screaming oh hell no girl at my kindle. I also thought she accepted Noa’s fib too easy. But she could have easily googled the team. What girl in this digital age doesn’t fully vet any new person? I call bs on this plot point.

I will say the typos were grating. I volunteer as tribute to read and mark up simple things before making things available to the public! The most annoying typo…under every chapter was the name of the narrator. 33 chapters we called them Noa and Lena. Many times the names were typed. Yet the epilogue said Cassandra? Really? You forgot your FMC’s name? I first thought it had skipped to the “in my next book” section. Come on…there are many readers out there that can assist with simple edits. Provide us with free books and you don’t even need to pay us. But for the love of God, “hire” us!

[Mayra · Rating 1 out of 5]

There was a distracting amount of typos.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cinnamon Roll Hero always immediately gets my heart and Noa Keawe ran off with it today! We’re nearing the end of summer, so it was nice to slip back into a football romance as pre-season games have started.

Call it fate, kismet, good timing — whatever you want, Noa and Lena meet and discover all the feels of a vacation fling. Both are still uneasy thanks to previous relationships. Noa isn’t the type of man looking for a woman he can simply parade in front of the press, nor is he wanting a one-time hook-up. Lena spent her previous relationship letting her ex guide her every move. She isn’t looking for an overbearing man who wants to control her again. Even with Noa’s 6′-5″, 300 lb. stature, Lena quickly realizes that he’s a man with heart.

But with all good vacation flings, they all must come to an end, and we have to see if our beloved characters can actually make a go of their connection in their real lives. Both Lena and Noa are carrying secrets that they feel could ultimately destroy the potential romance they have building between them. They keep waiting for the “right” time to open up to one another, but rather than dampening their time together, they stay quiet.

I absolutely loved how calm, patient, and sweet Noa is — especially when compared to Lena’s ex. Lena has a big heart and seeing her open up to who she truly is with Noa was a beautiful character arc for her.

I received a complimentary ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

[KimMacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say that I have never heard of a Cinnamon Roll Savior before I happened upon this book by one of my favorite romance authors. Now that I know this is a thing, I will be investigating this further! Sarah Everly has an amazing way of bringing the most genuine, likeable, and unexpected characters to life in her books. Her Franklin Notch series has my heart, but this book definitely has wormed its way in as well.

In this novel, we meet Noa, a professional football player, reeling from his recent breakup and stressing about his contract renewal. He and his fellow teammates hop on a plane to Barcelona for vacation, taking advantage of the off season. He meets Lena, who is also in a tailspin after her recent breakup. She has moved across the country, unemployed and wondering where she went so wrong in her life. They have fun enjoying the sights of Barcelona and enjoy each others company. Once the vacation is over, they reunite after finding out they both live in the same town. There are so many nice and tender moments between the two of them, but also a good amount of spice and drama to keep yourself engrossed in this book until the very end.

I couldn't put this book down once I started it and have to say that Noa is everything in this book! I hope there will be a sequel to this with one of the wonderful secondary characters we met. Thank you Sarah Everly for this heartwarming story!

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that once you start it you can't put it down. I'm not really a football fan but must admit I've read a couple now and can understand the draw. Noa is uncertain his contract will be renewed and fresh out of a relationship with Carla. Lena is new to Norwalk having left Idaho after a breakup with her controlling ex. Both catch each others eye on the plane to Barcelona but he's in first class and with his team mates. A few days later they bump into each other and hit it off straightaway. Unfortunately she's leaving a couple of days later and he's going on to a yacht with his mates. She goes home not expecting to see him again. But lies have be told and both a apprehensive of relationships. She isn't happy to give up her independence and he's scared she's just using him like his previous partners did for their own gains. Can these two actually mend each others insecurities. I loved the characters and the story's twists and turns building up to a brilliant end. I hope there's a book for Rob, Shayla and Cici. Rob appears a real grump just my kind of book. I recieved this as an ARC copy and this is my own personal and honest opinion and review of the book. I know you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the time of year that football is back (yeah I know it's only preseason but I'll take it) so I'm all about football at this point, and Sidelined has some football romance to make it better for me. Noa is our Cinnamon Roll hero with a heart of gold, but he has some baggage when it comes to relationships. Lena also has her own share of baggage so when these two come face to face in another country, they decide on the vacay fling with no future (little did they know). They're definitely perfect for each other, and luckily, fate is going to get involved but it's going to be a tad complicated. See, both of them have secrets that need to come out, but like a lot of humans, it's easy to put it off waiting on that all important right time so I was all kinds of anxious about that because you never know if it will make or break them. Sarah Everly is a new to me author, and I'm excited to read more of her work, plus, I'll keep Sidelined in my back pocket when the next off-season takes forever LOL! So yeah, I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND! 

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noa and Lena, both relatively fresh from broken (but toxic) relationships, saw each other on the plane to Spain. When they encountered each other again, they spent time together sightseeing (and more), building on their instant connection and attraction. Back home, in the same city, they reconnected and formed a real relationship. The major problem being that Noa, burned by fame-hungry females before, hadn’t told Lena that he was a professional football player. Things are further complicated by Lena’s ex-boyfriend’s reappearance. I enjoyed the story and watching the main characters navigate their growing love, and their mistakes and attempts to repair the damage. It was also interesting following Noa’s contract woes. This was a pretty quick and easy read. There were also a lot of interesting secondary characters that I would be interested to see in their own stories. This is an open door story with strong innuendo and frequent strong harsh language throughout.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noa needs a distraction from his recent heartbreak and worries over his contract renual.
Lena is fresh out of a breakup and needs to start a fresh and find herself.
A glance on the plane and a chance meeting, leads to them getting lost in each other.
What happens in Barcelona....doesn't stay in Barcelona. As they continue chatting and meeting up when they get home, it is clear their connection is getting stronger.
They both have a past, and just as things are going well, their respective past return.

I absolutely loved this story and it's ending. They are just so absolutely perfect for each other and I just loved how "normal" the relationship was from the beginning, despite his career. The other characters within the story where amazing and I look forward to reading some of their stories.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noa and Lena, the lead characters, meet in a foreign country, both taking time out after leaving a relationship. Whilst the attraction is intense and they enjoy the time spent together, they don’t swap numbers as neither is sure they’re not just rebounding. When they return home, even though they knew they lived in the same city, they’re surprised to run into each other. But they’re both keeping secrets - Noa that he’s a sports celebrity and Lena that her ex wants her back.

This story is dual POV, well written, and a contemporary poor communication romance. I enjoyed the character development of both lead characters, as well as the secondary characters supporting them both. I empathised with both their uncertainties and understood many of the choices they made.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Ariel Siswo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a quick read for me. It was my first football book but it barely had anything to do with football (good for me!). I enjoyed reading about Noa and Lena and their storylines. I found their relationship believable but it’s hard to imagine dating someone in this day and age and not looking up the person you’re interested in, especially if they are associated with the NFL. I did catch a couple typos and the most confusing/frustrated part was the epilogue— having the WRONG female character’s name on it! I thought it was a twist at the end but I believe it was a very obvious typo and I’m not sure how nobody caught that!! That took away from me because it was the very ending of the book. Otherwise I did enjoy it for what it was.

[Trina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story and it is a must read. It is a page turner and the suspense is a juicy and steamy. It was addicted and I was at the edge of my seat and I could not put it down. This was my first time read a book from this author Sarah Everly it was a fantastic and well written. I enjoyed reading it the words just jump out at me and it was mind blowing of action packed of drama. Lena and Noa chemistry and physical attraction was off the charts of of heartache with a lot of emotions feelings. Noa had to figure thinks out about his contract being renews again for the next season for footba via Bookfunnel and am voluntarily leaving a honest review. Trina Jones

[Nicole Marie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing with cinnamon roll men is they are just so easy to love. This one was no different! I loved the meet cute of these two and how they were able to connect again once home. I shad moments I was upset with both of them! But in the end I loved it all. I loved that you got both the connection they made on vacation and how things were back home. Loved Lena’s best friend as a side character and Noah’s phone calls with his mom. Those relationships and side characters were fantastic. Glad I had the opportunity to read this one.

[Ulli Zaiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena has just left her long-time boyfriend, moved to Norfolk and booked a week-long trip to Barcelona. On her journey, she meets Noa and there is instant attraction. But they both kept secrets from each other. Can this be more than a holiday fling?

I enjoyed reading this book very much. The characters are believable, the story is entertaining and the end was so sweet. I also liked the various side characters and hope that grumpy Rob will get his own HEA in a story soon.

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[KS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining read.

Noa and Lena meet while on vacation in Barcelona and instantly have a connection. But Noa holds a crucial piece of information back. They just happen to live in the same town, so they are bound to meet up again.

The miscommunications/lies by omission on both parts was not a fave part of this story, but their growing relationship outside of that was cute to witness and I would be interested in reading about other Breakers players in the future.

Entertaining football romance.

I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.

[Oriana Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful love story that captures your attention from the first page. Noa is a professional football player that is on vacation with his teammates. He had a bad breakup and his ex is a money grabbing social climber. He sees Lena on his flight to Spain, but they really officially meet a few days later. Lena just came out of a long time relationship that was quite toxic. Noa and Lena spent a week together in Spain and kind of fell for each other. But Noa hasn't really told Lena what he does for a living... Sweet, steamy, romantic , angsty and with a sweet HEA 😍😍😍

[Reagan Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

Noa, a professional football player, waiting out his renewal contract travels to Barcelona with his buddies for a vacation. Lena decided after a terrible breakup, she wanted to explore… in Barcelona. After traveling across the world, Noa and Lena met in Spain and toured the city together. Once the trip was over, they both returned home and reunited with one another.

This book was boring and I simply couldn’t get into it. I’m not sure why it was so boring to me, but it was. I didn’t even finish it. 1/5

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 and a half stars

I loved it until I found myself getting frustrated halfway thru. These two made things way more dramatic than they had to and I was ready to throw my kindle out the window.

But maybe except from 60-80% I loved this story. I loved how Noa wanted to settle down & wanted a family and didn't want someone who just was dollar signs with him. And I loved that he fell first. A little crazy that her rented a room right across the street from her once he learned where she was staying? Sure. But he had a great heart and the best intentions.

[Vianny ¦ mexbookgirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is a bit basic MMC hides he's a pro football player from FMC and swears he wants to be honest and tell her but as usual the right time never comes. A somewhat different take from other books is they met while being in Spain.

I honestly don't think they have chemistry, both started this adventure with clear trust issues as they recently broke up with their respective partners so that made all of this feel like a rebound relationship. The fact MFC forgave him so easily bothers me so so so much.

[Linda Kain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Noa and Lena meet on vacation and immediately hit it off. Lena finishes her vacation and heads home with regrets. Contact information has not been exchanged, but coincidentally, these two are from the same town. They both have insecurities and excess baggage with ex-lovers. Will these two meet up again and get over their insecurities? You will have to buy this book to find out what happens.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was adorable. I loved the main characters, especially Noa. He was incredibly sweet and kind. What you’d hope a celebrity or professional athlete would be. I was extremely glad that this book included the getting back together with the ex and lying about who you are tropes in a different way. Neither Lena or Noa really fell into the trap even if Noa was put off about Lena keeping the ring. It was refreshing that they were able to talk to each other and work it out.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The heat is on, but be careful because the heart may have met it's match. Sidelined puts emotion on full display. Lena and Noa bring heartache and drama to two hearts in transition. From instant attraction to unpredictable pasts and secret revelations, there's a lot bubbling under the surface of their romance. Everly pushes boundaries with the heart and the senses in the most tempting of ways.