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The Nash Brothers #1
Dating the Defensive Back
A steamy Football, Brother’s Best Friend, Fake Dating romance.
The minute I hear my brother’s best friend was traded to my city’s pro football team, I know this is my shot. There’s no way I’m missing my chance to give my first crush my V-card.
When Grayson Nash walks in the bar, he has no idea I’m little Ava Maxwell, the one he promised to look after when he moved to Vegas.
After a sizzling, sheet-clutching first experience of my dreams, we exchange numbers and a plan to extend our undeniable connection into something more. I promise myself I’ll tell him the truth about who I am… eventually.
He finds out before I tell him, and he wants nothing to do with me. But when my ex won’t take the hint, Grayson swoops in pretending to be my new boyfriend.
Now I’m dating the defensive back—or faking it, anyway. It’s not fake for me, though, and lines blur with stolen glances and searing touches. But between the promise he made to my brother and the secrets stacking up, I have no idea how to turn my fake boyfriend into my real-life forever love.
The minute I hear my brother’s best friend was traded to my city’s pro football team, I know this is my shot. There’s no way I’m missing my chance to give my first crush my V-card.
When Grayson Nash walks in the bar, he has no idea I’m little Ava Maxwell, the one he promised to look after when he moved to Vegas.
After a sizzling, sheet-clutching first experience of my dreams, we exchange numbers and a plan to extend our undeniable connection into something more. I promise myself I’ll tell him the truth about who I am… eventually.
He finds out before I tell him, and he wants nothing to do with me. But when my ex won’t take the hint, Grayson swoops in pretending to be my new boyfriend.
Now I’m dating the defensive back—or faking it, anyway. It’s not fake for me, though, and lines blur with stolen glances and searing touches. But between the promise he made to my brother and the secrets stacking up, I have no idea how to turn my fake boyfriend into my real-life forever love.
413 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 13, 2024
4781 people are currently reading
12051 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Suzanne
111 books3,219 followersLisa Suzanne is an Amazon Top Ten Bestselling author of swoon-worthy superstar heroes, emotional roller coasters, and all the angst. She resides in Arizona with her husband and two kids. When she's not chasing her kids, she can be found working on her latest romance book or watching reruns of Friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 684 reviews
June 11, 2024
Dating the Defensive Back by Lisa Suzanne
4/5 stars
I just love the Nash family and all Lisa Suzanne's books about this wonderful series. In Dating the Defensive Back we follow the story of Grayson Nash. He just signed with the Vegas Aces and is looking forward to work and train with his brothers. His friend Becket asks him to look after his sister now that he is moving to Vegas. And he promises he will do so.
After he signs the contract he goes out with his new teammates and when a gorgeous woman walks into the bar he is instantly drawn to her.
That gorgeous woman is Ava Maxwell. She is Becket's little sister and instantly recognizes Grayson. Ever since she was a young teen she had a crush on Grayson. And she specifically comes to the bar to seduce him. She just broke up with her boyfriend Colin and is ready for a man who chooses her and takes care of her.
And needless to say, Grayson and Ava are pure fire together. She keeps it a secret who she is and he calls her Cookie. But the truth goes where it can only go and he finds out her secret. And he is so angry at her. But the lust that simmers between them after they had a taste of each other is undeniable, and that is what this book is about.
It's about two people who have been shaped by certains events in their life. And they try to overcome them. Together and separately.
It's truly a beautiful journey and a joy to read.
I love how future books get set up in this one. And I cannot wait to read more books in this series. I love that this book was a full length novel instead of several short ones.
And this didn't affect my rating in any way, but the chapters each had a title and those titles spoiled a lot of things in that certain chapter. And I really hated that. You kinda already knew what was gonna be said or which key factor would play out in that chapter. So I just would have preferred titles with numbers and without any titles. But maybe that is a personal preference. But I just don't want any spoilers while I am reading a book.
But all in all this was a fantastic book which I thoroughly enjoyed!
4 big stars from me for this beauty of a book!
4/5 stars
I just love the Nash family and all Lisa Suzanne's books about this wonderful series. In Dating the Defensive Back we follow the story of Grayson Nash. He just signed with the Vegas Aces and is looking forward to work and train with his brothers. His friend Becket asks him to look after his sister now that he is moving to Vegas. And he promises he will do so.
After he signs the contract he goes out with his new teammates and when a gorgeous woman walks into the bar he is instantly drawn to her.
That gorgeous woman is Ava Maxwell. She is Becket's little sister and instantly recognizes Grayson. Ever since she was a young teen she had a crush on Grayson. And she specifically comes to the bar to seduce him. She just broke up with her boyfriend Colin and is ready for a man who chooses her and takes care of her.
And needless to say, Grayson and Ava are pure fire together. She keeps it a secret who she is and he calls her Cookie. But the truth goes where it can only go and he finds out her secret. And he is so angry at her. But the lust that simmers between them after they had a taste of each other is undeniable, and that is what this book is about.
It's about two people who have been shaped by certains events in their life. And they try to overcome them. Together and separately.
It's truly a beautiful journey and a joy to read.
I love how future books get set up in this one. And I cannot wait to read more books in this series. I love that this book was a full length novel instead of several short ones.
And this didn't affect my rating in any way, but the chapters each had a title and those titles spoiled a lot of things in that certain chapter. And I really hated that. You kinda already knew what was gonna be said or which key factor would play out in that chapter. So I just would have preferred titles with numbers and without any titles. But maybe that is a personal preference. But I just don't want any spoilers while I am reading a book.
But all in all this was a fantastic book which I thoroughly enjoyed!
4 big stars from me for this beauty of a book!
June 18, 2024
Man brother's best friend gets me every time. There is something so hot about it. The sneaking around. The budding feelings that the MMC is usually fighting and then of course the moment when he decides he can't fight them anymore and things explode in the best way. I liked the setting and intro to the other characters. Me being the series addict that I am was instantly intrigued by the mention of other relationships and realizing they have their own books too! The chemistry between Ava and Grayson was great. I didn't like the deception on the front end by Ava but understood it. I also appreciated the deeper dive on both sides into grief and processing emotions around major life changes. It helped me understand Grayson's reaction that started the third act breakup.
Ava Maxwell has had a crush on her brother's BF since she was a teenager. She never acted on it because he is 7 years older and always looked at her like a little kid. But she isn't a little kid anymore. And now they are in the same city and her brother is across the country. She decides this is her moment. She is going to make her move and man does she. They have an instant connection that goes deep. They go on a dinner date and then have an unforgettable night together. She doesn't have any expectations about what is next but it is not him finding out who she is before she can tell him. It is not him showing up at her work while her ex is there trying to win her back. It is not him pretending to be her current boyfriend and kissing her. It is not moving in with each other to keep their "relationship" status in tact. It is not these FEELINGS she can't ignore. It is not this wanting more with him when he seems to be one step out the door at the sign of trouble. It is not saying I love you and then leaving because of a misunderstanding. But will she be able to forgive him when he comes back? Will she be able to trust that he really isn't going anywhere?
Grayson Nash is on his last leg maybe. He has been traded to Vegas to play on his brother's team. He is moving to a new city and has new responsibilities. So he doesn't have time for women let alone a relationship. But somehow he finds himself ensnared by one the first night he goes out with his team. They have an unbelievable connection and he can't stop thinking about her. Not while he is packing to move. Not when he is out with his old team. In fact he decides to ask her out on another date. But everything changes when he realizes that she is his best friend's little sister. Little Ava Maxwell. The women who rocked his world and her are one in the same. Now he doesn't know what to do. He has done the ultimate betrayal, but it doesn't count if he didn't know right? And even though he shouldn't he still wants to explore this thing between them. And now he finds himself with a publicist who is helping them navigate their fake relationship. He finds himself realizing what they have is anything but fake. He finds himself thinking about the future for the first time, but then he finds something out that truly terrifies him. He realizes he may not trust her like he thought. So he does what he always does...he runs. But he immediately realizes his mistake. And when he comes to apologize he realizes he is going to have to do a lot more. He is going to have to show her that he is here for forever, and that he isn't going anywhere.
The only thing I didn't really like about this story was the side plot with Austin Graham and Ava's roommate. I am not sure if that was done because they might have a book? But I felt like while it added to what started the third act breakup it seemed a little odd to me. However, I still enjoyed this one a lot and would recommend this if you are looking for a steamy, brother's BF romance with a dash of sports. Oh and I forgot the steam was HOT! I enjoyed watching Ava have her own sexual awakening with Grayson :)
Thank you to Valentine PR and Lisa for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Ava Maxwell has had a crush on her brother's BF since she was a teenager. She never acted on it because he is 7 years older and always looked at her like a little kid. But she isn't a little kid anymore. And now they are in the same city and her brother is across the country. She decides this is her moment. She is going to make her move and man does she. They have an instant connection that goes deep. They go on a dinner date and then have an unforgettable night together. She doesn't have any expectations about what is next but it is not him finding out who she is before she can tell him. It is not him showing up at her work while her ex is there trying to win her back. It is not him pretending to be her current boyfriend and kissing her. It is not moving in with each other to keep their "relationship" status in tact. It is not these FEELINGS she can't ignore. It is not this wanting more with him when he seems to be one step out the door at the sign of trouble. It is not saying I love you and then leaving because of a misunderstanding. But will she be able to forgive him when he comes back? Will she be able to trust that he really isn't going anywhere?
Grayson Nash is on his last leg maybe. He has been traded to Vegas to play on his brother's team. He is moving to a new city and has new responsibilities. So he doesn't have time for women let alone a relationship. But somehow he finds himself ensnared by one the first night he goes out with his team. They have an unbelievable connection and he can't stop thinking about her. Not while he is packing to move. Not when he is out with his old team. In fact he decides to ask her out on another date. But everything changes when he realizes that she is his best friend's little sister. Little Ava Maxwell. The women who rocked his world and her are one in the same. Now he doesn't know what to do. He has done the ultimate betrayal, but it doesn't count if he didn't know right? And even though he shouldn't he still wants to explore this thing between them. And now he finds himself with a publicist who is helping them navigate their fake relationship. He finds himself realizing what they have is anything but fake. He finds himself thinking about the future for the first time, but then he finds something out that truly terrifies him. He realizes he may not trust her like he thought. So he does what he always does...he runs. But he immediately realizes his mistake. And when he comes to apologize he realizes he is going to have to do a lot more. He is going to have to show her that he is here for forever, and that he isn't going anywhere.
The only thing I didn't really like about this story was the side plot with Austin Graham and Ava's roommate. I am not sure if that was done because they might have a book? But I felt like while it added to what started the third act breakup it seemed a little odd to me. However, I still enjoyed this one a lot and would recommend this if you are looking for a steamy, brother's BF romance with a dash of sports. Oh and I forgot the steam was HOT! I enjoyed watching Ava have her own sexual awakening with Grayson :)
Thank you to Valentine PR and Lisa for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Read
July 19, 2024Now available!
Grab your copy on Amazon: https://geni.us/LS-DTDB
Audible: https://geni.us/DTDBaudible
Narrated by: Kelsey Navarro Foster & Tor Thom
Add to your TBR: https://bit.ly/442R6aQ
Grab your copy on Amazon: https://geni.us/LS-DTDB
Audible: https://geni.us/DTDBaudible
Narrated by: Kelsey Navarro Foster & Tor Thom
Add to your TBR: https://bit.ly/442R6aQ
June 14, 2024
Dnf @ 40 %
I typically never Dnf an ARC but this one had me BORED like rolling my eyes bored.
The fmc and the mmc have an age gap of 7years. She’s had a crush on him since she was 11 and he was her elder brother’s best friend. That was okay, that was FINE. But what pissed me off was :
Apparently they meet again when he’s 31 in Las Vegas and he doesn’t recognise her so she takes full advantage of this situation and has a one night stand with him. Like he’s thinking she’s just some hot girl meanwhile she’s like “I finally have a chance!!!yippeeee”
The worst part you ask me??? SHE’S A VIRGIN WHEN THEY HAVE A ONE NIGHT STAND. Bruhhhhhh
She got out of a 5 year relationship just the night before and tells him in the cab on the way to the hotel “I’d dump my bf if I could have a chance with the great GRAYSON …” this is not the exact quote but yeah you get it.
I typically never Dnf an ARC but this one had me BORED like rolling my eyes bored.
The fmc and the mmc have an age gap of 7years. She’s had a crush on him since she was 11 and he was her elder brother’s best friend. That was okay, that was FINE. But what pissed me off was :
Apparently they meet again when he’s 31 in Las Vegas and he doesn’t recognise her so she takes full advantage of this situation and has a one night stand with him. Like he’s thinking she’s just some hot girl meanwhile she’s like “I finally have a chance!!!yippeeee”
The worst part you ask me??? SHE’S A VIRGIN WHEN THEY HAVE A ONE NIGHT STAND. Bruhhhhhh
She got out of a 5 year relationship just the night before and tells him in the cab on the way to the hotel “I’d dump my bf if I could have a chance with the great GRAYSON …” this is not the exact quote but yeah you get it.
July 10, 2024
DNF @38%…not a fan of FMC. What I think is supposed to come off as determined feels immature and icky.
June 30, 2024
ARC REVIEW
5/5⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️
YALL… GRAYSON NASH.
Enough said.
That man is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I ran to the store after reading this book because it had me craving tootsie rolls 😆
I knew right away I was going to fall in love with Grayson and Ava’s story. Lisa did such an amazing job with each of the characters personalities and the scene where they met in the bar had me swooning 😍 I didn’t know what to think of the nickname “cookie” but it grew on me the more I read and I absolutely devoured this book in one day.
I am a die hard fan of the brothers best friend trope and love even more when the MMC doesn’t recognize his best friends little sister 😆
The sexual tension and chemistry throughout the book had me blushing!!! The mouth on that man is 🥵I love a dirty talking MMC and top it off with him being so commanding and protective… just wow 🔥
If you love…
-Brothers Best Friend
-Age Gap
-Football Sports Romance
-Fake Dating
-Forced Proximity
-Possessive MMC
READ THIS BOOK!!!
Thank you Lisa for the ARC, I can’t wait to keep reading more in this series!
5/5⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️
YALL… GRAYSON NASH.
Enough said.
That man is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I ran to the store after reading this book because it had me craving tootsie rolls 😆
I knew right away I was going to fall in love with Grayson and Ava’s story. Lisa did such an amazing job with each of the characters personalities and the scene where they met in the bar had me swooning 😍 I didn’t know what to think of the nickname “cookie” but it grew on me the more I read and I absolutely devoured this book in one day.
I am a die hard fan of the brothers best friend trope and love even more when the MMC doesn’t recognize his best friends little sister 😆
The sexual tension and chemistry throughout the book had me blushing!!! The mouth on that man is 🥵I love a dirty talking MMC and top it off with him being so commanding and protective… just wow 🔥
If you love…
-Brothers Best Friend
-Age Gap
-Football Sports Romance
-Fake Dating
-Forced Proximity
-Possessive MMC
READ THIS BOOK!!!
Thank you Lisa for the ARC, I can’t wait to keep reading more in this series!
June 16, 2024
please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abandonment, anxiety, death of a parent (recounted), depression, divorce, mentions of miscarriage
standalone: interconnected standalones
final thoughts: I love Lisa Suzanne’s pacing and writing style and I love that this is a standalone so there’s no cliffhanger 🙌🏻
This was such a cute story full of pining, hidden secrets, stolen moments, spicy scenes, and banter. We get to see Lincoln and the rest of the Nash brothers and are introduced to some new characters that make this a fast and interesting read. I loved the female friendships, the found family vibes, and (most importantly) a man who grovels 👏🏻
I can’t wait for the rest of this series!!
read this book if you love
🤰 accidental pregnancy (not MCs)
🔢 age gap (25/32)
😬 angst
🫡 big MMC
👦 brother’s best friend
💞 childhood crush
💏 fake dating
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
🤫 hidden secrets
🧠 “it’s always been you”
😜 jealous, possessive MMC
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
💤 nightmare comfort
🛏️ one bed
🛏️ one night stand
🔀 opposites attract
😂 romcom
🛌 roommates
🤐 secret relationship
👦 she falls first, he falls hard
🏈 sports romance (football)
💔 third act breakup
💳 virgin
🌍 world building
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abandonment, anxiety, death of a parent (recounted), depression, divorce, mentions of miscarriage
standalone: interconnected standalones
final thoughts: I love Lisa Suzanne’s pacing and writing style and I love that this is a standalone so there’s no cliffhanger 🙌🏻
This was such a cute story full of pining, hidden secrets, stolen moments, spicy scenes, and banter. We get to see Lincoln and the rest of the Nash brothers and are introduced to some new characters that make this a fast and interesting read. I loved the female friendships, the found family vibes, and (most importantly) a man who grovels 👏🏻
I can’t wait for the rest of this series!!
read this book if you love
🤰 accidental pregnancy (not MCs)
🔢 age gap (25/32)
😬 angst
🫡 big MMC
👦 brother’s best friend
💞 childhood crush
💏 fake dating
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
🤫 hidden secrets
🧠 “it’s always been you”
😜 jealous, possessive MMC
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
💤 nightmare comfort
🛏️ one bed
🛏️ one night stand
🔀 opposites attract
😂 romcom
🛌 roommates
🤐 secret relationship
👦 she falls first, he falls hard
🏈 sports romance (football)
💔 third act breakup
💳 virgin
🌍 world building
Read
December 12, 2024DNF’ing this bad boy.
He is a manwhore while the h just broke up with her bf of 5 years. She’s ready to sleep with the H the next night…
I love me a sibling’s best friend trope but the H doesn’t even know who she is lol for all he knew and said, this is a one night stand.
He is a manwhore while the h just broke up with her bf of 5 years. She’s ready to sleep with the H the next night…
I love me a sibling’s best friend trope but the H doesn’t even know who she is lol for all he knew and said, this is a one night stand.
June 16, 2024
"𝗠𝘆 ���𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄, 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘀𝗼��𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼."
4/5 ⭐
add to your tbr if you love:
🏈 best friend's sister
🏈 fake dating
🏈 found family
🏈 spice!
ava maxwell is grayson nash's younger little sister. he had never thought about looking at her twice. obviously we have silly little crushes when we are younger but nothing that time doesn't fix right?
fast forward a few years, nash has become a football player, and a good one at that too. what are the odds of him bumping into ava maxwell and finding her the most breathtaking woman at a bar, clearly those chances were absolutely 100% going to take place.
after spending a night together, grayson is clearly attracted to a girl that didn't even tell him her full name. but that changes everything when he realizes he has just spent the night with his best friend's sister. in order to make it right by his best friend, after some unfortunate pictures of the two kissing were shared and blasted on the media, they are now looking into a fake arrangement. he benefits by telling people he is taken, and not facing the fury of his best friend; and she gets to get her ex to back off.
this story is both about love, but self-improvement as well. grayson had always believed that he would ruin everything good that came into his life; including ava.
ava on the other hand, believed that everyone would leave her; as her past trauma had infused in her brain that she was not worthy of anyone staying.
these characters are able to show not only to themselves, but to each other, that partnership and work are always something that will leave room to grow. they grew together, found peace and reassurance in each other and found ways to be better to the people around them.
miscommunication was a strong one in this book, and as i always mention, i am not the biggest fan but I AM THE BIGGEST FAN of a happily ever after, and that is definitely what these two beans deserved!
PS: THE SPICE WAS SPICING!
4/5 ⭐
add to your tbr if you love:
🏈 best friend's sister
🏈 fake dating
🏈 found family
🏈 spice!
ava maxwell is grayson nash's younger little sister. he had never thought about looking at her twice. obviously we have silly little crushes when we are younger but nothing that time doesn't fix right?
fast forward a few years, nash has become a football player, and a good one at that too. what are the odds of him bumping into ava maxwell and finding her the most breathtaking woman at a bar, clearly those chances were absolutely 100% going to take place.
after spending a night together, grayson is clearly attracted to a girl that didn't even tell him her full name. but that changes everything when he realizes he has just spent the night with his best friend's sister. in order to make it right by his best friend, after some unfortunate pictures of the two kissing were shared and blasted on the media, they are now looking into a fake arrangement. he benefits by telling people he is taken, and not facing the fury of his best friend; and she gets to get her ex to back off.
this story is both about love, but self-improvement as well. grayson had always believed that he would ruin everything good that came into his life; including ava.
ava on the other hand, believed that everyone would leave her; as her past trauma had infused in her brain that she was not worthy of anyone staying.
these characters are able to show not only to themselves, but to each other, that partnership and work are always something that will leave room to grow. they grew together, found peace and reassurance in each other and found ways to be better to the people around them.
miscommunication was a strong one in this book, and as i always mention, i am not the biggest fan but I AM THE BIGGEST FAN of a happily ever after, and that is definitely what these two beans deserved!
PS: THE SPICE WAS SPICING!
October 8, 2024
oh my god ew. like actually… this is not only the most millennial book i’ve ever read, but probably the cringiest AND IVE BEEN ON WATTPAD SINCE I WAS A TWEEN! like what do you mean “lube for the win”🤢 or “that monster you pushed in”🤮 LIKE WHY ARE YOU POINTING TO YOUR VAG SAYING “this kitty needs a rest” like chill virgin bitch.
June 13, 2024
Dating the Defensive Back- Lisa Suzanne
Narrated by Tor Thom and Kelsey Navarro Foster
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧
Lisa did it again with another spectacular drama filled spicy football romance! I’m so used to reading her stories over the span of five books, that I forgot how it was to read one of her books in a one shot like this one. 😂😂 This was also not the first story of hers where I wanted to shake the characters a little bit and tell them to stop being so stubborn, but they always seem to come around in the end. I love the journey we go on with Grayson and Ava as they come together in the right place, at the right time…or is it?
I loved how Tor and Kelsey brought Grayson and Ava to life! This was such a great performance and they both did an amazing job!
Narrated by Tor Thom and Kelsey Navarro Foster
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧
Lisa did it again with another spectacular drama filled spicy football romance! I’m so used to reading her stories over the span of five books, that I forgot how it was to read one of her books in a one shot like this one. 😂😂 This was also not the first story of hers where I wanted to shake the characters a little bit and tell them to stop being so stubborn, but they always seem to come around in the end. I love the journey we go on with Grayson and Ava as they come together in the right place, at the right time…or is it?
I loved how Tor and Kelsey brought Grayson and Ava to life! This was such a great performance and they both did an amazing job!
July 7, 2024
Yeah… nope. The FMC is obnoxious and manipulative. And the MMC is obviously an idiot… lmfao
Also, it was soooo cringey how she called herself cookie and he went with it and never asked her name. I get it if he thought she was a stripper, but he clearly thought she was sweet and innocent. Then the whole “she’s not like other girls” and it’s love at first sight for him now that she’s not 15, and she’s been in love at first sight with him since he was 22 and she was 15. She purposely hides her identity from him. How’d she think this would turn out? She KNOWS he’s best friends with her brother and there’s a good chance he will see a photo of her at some point. Idk how he hasn’t seen one of her in the last 7 years. You’d think he would have social media or share pictures with his best friend at some point.
The writing was ehhhh? Kinda juvenile and silly. And of course the MMC has a “monster cock” and her “kitty” is sore. Ick.
Oh let’s not forget that this trope has happened before with the authors book “Home Game”. I KNEW it sounded super similar and I KNEW the writing seemed familiar! This is the same dang TEAM! And they end up doing the same thing! Ugh. Brothers best friend, fake relationship, sex and then finding out the best friend is the brother to the girl, close proximity… need I say more? Why have all these same tropes mixed in for another person on the exact same football team? I can’t remember all the details from Home Game, but I’m sure he had a “monster” cock and her “kitty” was probably sore as well.
Also, it was soooo cringey how she called herself cookie and he went with it and never asked her name. I get it if he thought she was a stripper, but he clearly thought she was sweet and innocent. Then the whole “she’s not like other girls” and it’s love at first sight for him now that she’s not 15, and she’s been in love at first sight with him since he was 22 and she was 15. She purposely hides her identity from him. How’d she think this would turn out? She KNOWS he’s best friends with her brother and there’s a good chance he will see a photo of her at some point. Idk how he hasn’t seen one of her in the last 7 years. You’d think he would have social media or share pictures with his best friend at some point.
The writing was ehhhh? Kinda juvenile and silly. And of course the MMC has a “monster cock” and her “kitty” is sore. Ick.
Oh let’s not forget that this trope has happened before with the authors book “Home Game”. I KNEW it sounded super similar and I KNEW the writing seemed familiar! This is the same dang TEAM! And they end up doing the same thing! Ugh. Brothers best friend, fake relationship, sex and then finding out the best friend is the brother to the girl, close proximity… need I say more? Why have all these same tropes mixed in for another person on the exact same football team? I can’t remember all the details from Home Game, but I’m sure he had a “monster” cock and her “kitty” was probably sore as well.
July 1, 2024
I've been in such a sports romance mood and brother's best friend is one of my fav tropes so I was SO excited to receive a physical copy of this book in the mail.
I LOVE when the fmc had a cute crush on the mc when she was younger and always had heart eyes for him. I really wanted to love this book, but it just was not for me.
I did not like Ava as a character. I feel like she was intended to be a sweet/cutesy character, but from the beginning, her knowing who Grayson was and not coming clean to him before they had sex was NOT OKAY. Completely understood Grayson's anger and distrust!! If this was the other way around? It was giving Daphne and the duke, iykyk.
Also, the whole scene in the parking lot with Ava and Grayson and her ex felt so out of place. Grayson was so mad and all of a sudden they're fake dating? A lot of the plot just didn't feel smooth and felt more like trying to add all the possible tropes. I thought by the end of the book both characters would mature a bit more, but it did not happen. They honestly both needed to work on themselves more a bit.
Although I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to, other people may enjoy it so deff still give it a read. Thank you to Valentine PR for a physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I LOVE when the fmc had a cute crush on the mc when she was younger and always had heart eyes for him. I really wanted to love this book, but it just was not for me.
I did not like Ava as a character. I feel like she was intended to be a sweet/cutesy character, but from the beginning, her knowing who Grayson was and not coming clean to him before they had sex was NOT OKAY. Completely understood Grayson's anger and distrust!! If this was the other way around? It was giving Daphne and the duke, iykyk.
Also, the whole scene in the parking lot with Ava and Grayson and her ex felt so out of place. Grayson was so mad and all of a sudden they're fake dating? A lot of the plot just didn't feel smooth and felt more like trying to add all the possible tropes. I thought by the end of the book both characters would mature a bit more, but it did not happen. They honestly both needed to work on themselves more a bit.
Although I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to, other people may enjoy it so deff still give it a read. Thank you to Valentine PR for a physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2024
Not a fan of the FMC
I was super excited to read this book because I love a brother’s best friend trope! Unfortunately, I DNF the story 30% in because I could not stand the main female character. I kept trying to push myself to read it thinking it would get better, but Ava keeps getting worse and seems to lack morals. I did not like how manipulative she was and don’t think that it is not a good trait to have in relationships and in life in general. In an effort to finish the book, I tried to view her manipulative behaviors as “determination,” but I could not make it work. She broke his trust from the jump for her own selfish agenda and I cannot fathom how that could turn into a successful relationship without that foundation.
Upon reading another review, I decided to not finish the book because it seems like her character does not improve. She seems immature and continues to be manipulative in ways that are huge red flags.
I was super excited to read this book because I love a brother’s best friend trope! Unfortunately, I DNF the story 30% in because I could not stand the main female character. I kept trying to push myself to read it thinking it would get better, but Ava keeps getting worse and seems to lack morals. I did not like how manipulative she was and don’t think that it is not a good trait to have in relationships and in life in general. In an effort to finish the book, I tried to view her manipulative behaviors as “determination,” but I could not make it work. She broke his trust from the jump for her own selfish agenda and I cannot fathom how that could turn into a successful relationship without that foundation.
Upon reading another review, I decided to not finish the book because it seems like her character does not improve. She seems immature and continues to be manipulative in ways that are huge red flags.
June 29, 2024
Oh my goodness, such a fun hot Read /Listen !
I absolutely love this story of unrequited feelings A steamy Football, Brother’s Best Friend, Fake Dating romance!
An absolute must Read/Listen.
Ok let’s get into it !
Grayson Nash, the brother of Vegas Aces head coach Lincoln Nash, and Best friend with Beckett Maxwell has a sexy meet-cute with Ava Maxwell, Beckett little sister who he doesn't recognized. Of course it's been ten years since he last saw her.
But despite the initial one night hookup he felt an odd connection and attraction to this girl who he just met. And having these feelings was so unlike him.
Ava Maxwell the FMC in this story definitely knew and remembered her childhood crush to this day ..so what did this girl do?
Well full steam ahead she went ! Operation getting Greyson Nash to fall in love with her STAT !
So while she had plans to hookup with him and see if she could live out her childhood fantasy, she really didn’t plan on keeping Grey in the dark about her identity for long; But yeah she lied, no matter how it’s done, lie by omission is still a lie girl !
Grayson Nash A Lie of Omission is Still a Lie
Ava Maxwell It’s Not Lying, It’s Bending the Truth
So when he went to check on his best friend little sister it all went downhill from there for her.
Poor Grey was disappointed to say the least, but still he was drawn to her that after saving her from her ex they ended up fake dating which by the way was her idea. Again .
Grayson Nash Fake It Til You Make It
“A fake relationship,” she says, and her tone is a little proud, a little confident, and a little nervous all at the same time. “A fake what now?” I ask.
But listen, when I tell you that there’s nothing Ava aka cookie wouldn’t do to get closer to Grey, I meant exactly that !
Anything to get close to Grey this girl was willing to do.
Until he felt that she couldn’t be trusted. And to be fair, he wasn’t completely unjustified.
Grayson may be experienced more than Ava in some ways but not when it comes to love, Grey hasn’t felt this way about anyone, so when he falls, he's terrified wondering if
there really could be a future when even his parents got divorced after 40 years, And could he trust Ava? Is this worth the risk?
SHE'S MY BEST FRIEND'S LITTLE SISTER…
AND I’M FALLING IN LOVE WITH HER…
For Ava, the fear of abandonment in her life is terrifying ever since her father, therefore for her it’s the fear of Greyson giving up that she sees as another person abandoning her. But Grey is running scared; she is feeling hurt and out of Patience and what happens next is anyone’s guess.
A really good read I tell you.. but Lisa Suzanne said steamy? Well then .. people Greyson Nash is hotter than the sun with BD energy! He was downright erotic and not to be left out so was Ms Cookie with her bad self !
And I love every minute of it !
You just gotta read or listen this book from cute-Meet to the hilarious headings of each chapter to all the steamy spicy in between scenes to the sweetest HEA ending.
Oh wait a minute almost forgot to mention that the Audiobook was also really good, the Narrators did a great job being Grey and Ava, as always they brought the story to life but I only wish it was Duet style but again Kelsey Navarro and Tor Thom did great !
🏈
Totally recommend !
If you want a fun hilariously spicy good read.
🍪
Here Why you should definitely read/Listen this book.
🏈Football Romance
🍪Best Friend Sister
🖤Brothers Best Friend
💙Age Gap
🏈Possessive MMC
🖤Groveling
🍪Fake Dating
💙Steamy/Spicy
💛Dual POV
🖤Funny Moments
🏈Family Banter
Might have missed a few but yeah go check out Dating the Defensive !
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
An ALC / ARC Review !
@georgious_eleanorpb 🦋
Link for Book below👇🏽
Dating the Defensive Back https://a.co/d/6niJla1
I absolutely love this story of unrequited feelings A steamy Football, Brother’s Best Friend, Fake Dating romance!
An absolute must Read/Listen.
Ok let’s get into it !
Grayson Nash, the brother of Vegas Aces head coach Lincoln Nash, and Best friend with Beckett Maxwell has a sexy meet-cute with Ava Maxwell, Beckett little sister who he doesn't recognized. Of course it's been ten years since he last saw her.
But despite the initial one night hookup he felt an odd connection and attraction to this girl who he just met. And having these feelings was so unlike him.
Ava Maxwell the FMC in this story definitely knew and remembered her childhood crush to this day ..so what did this girl do?
Well full steam ahead she went ! Operation getting Greyson Nash to fall in love with her STAT !
So while she had plans to hookup with him and see if she could live out her childhood fantasy, she really didn’t plan on keeping Grey in the dark about her identity for long; But yeah she lied, no matter how it’s done, lie by omission is still a lie girl !
Grayson Nash A Lie of Omission is Still a Lie
Ava Maxwell It’s Not Lying, It’s Bending the Truth
So when he went to check on his best friend little sister it all went downhill from there for her.
Poor Grey was disappointed to say the least, but still he was drawn to her that after saving her from her ex they ended up fake dating which by the way was her idea. Again .
Grayson Nash Fake It Til You Make It
“A fake relationship,” she says, and her tone is a little proud, a little confident, and a little nervous all at the same time. “A fake what now?” I ask.
But listen, when I tell you that there’s nothing Ava aka cookie wouldn’t do to get closer to Grey, I meant exactly that !
Anything to get close to Grey this girl was willing to do.
Until he felt that she couldn’t be trusted. And to be fair, he wasn’t completely unjustified.
Grayson may be experienced more than Ava in some ways but not when it comes to love, Grey hasn’t felt this way about anyone, so when he falls, he's terrified wondering if
there really could be a future when even his parents got divorced after 40 years, And could he trust Ava? Is this worth the risk?
SHE'S MY BEST FRIEND'S LITTLE SISTER…
AND I’M FALLING IN LOVE WITH HER…
For Ava, the fear of abandonment in her life is terrifying ever since her father, therefore for her it’s the fear of Greyson giving up that she sees as another person abandoning her. But Grey is running scared; she is feeling hurt and out of Patience and what happens next is anyone’s guess.
A really good read I tell you.. but Lisa Suzanne said steamy? Well then .. people Greyson Nash is hotter than the sun with BD energy! He was downright erotic and not to be left out so was Ms Cookie with her bad self !
And I love every minute of it !
You just gotta read or listen this book from cute-Meet to the hilarious headings of each chapter to all the steamy spicy in between scenes to the sweetest HEA ending.
Oh wait a minute almost forgot to mention that the Audiobook was also really good, the Narrators did a great job being Grey and Ava, as always they brought the story to life but I only wish it was Duet style but again Kelsey Navarro and Tor Thom did great !
🏈
Totally recommend !
If you want a fun hilariously spicy good read.
🍪
Here Why you should definitely read/Listen this book.
🏈Football Romance
🍪Best Friend Sister
🖤Brothers Best Friend
💙Age Gap
🏈Possessive MMC
🖤Groveling
🍪Fake Dating
💙Steamy/Spicy
💛Dual POV
🖤Funny Moments
🏈Family Banter
Might have missed a few but yeah go check out Dating the Defensive !
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
An ALC / ARC Review !
@georgious_eleanorpb 🦋
Link for Book below👇🏽
Dating the Defensive Back https://a.co/d/6niJla1
June 11, 2024
Thank you to Valentine PR for this ARC.
Grayson X Ava. She knows him. He doesn't recognize her. She keeps it from him. His best friend is her brother. They have one night of mind blowing passion. He finds out who she really is. Annnnd that leads us to an amazing sports romance.
Pastry chef Ava lives in Vegas and has for the past seven/eight years. Her dream is to open her on bakery on the strip. This character has such high expectations of herself, knows who she is, and will work towards getting everything she wants. She is stubborn and I just might love that about her.
Grayson is the newest defensive back traded to the Vegas Aces NFL team. It just so happens his brother is the coach and one of his younger brothers is on the team. Family reunion anyone?
Grayson is the typical athlete in every sense of the word. But is he? He spots Ava in a bar one night and just couldn't help himself. Will they or won't they? Grayson has some issues with relationships. However, it was refreshing to see this character not just as a pro athlete, but vulnerable and scared of what his future could look like beyond football.
This is the second installment of a series with characters from the previous book. I did not read the first book and therefore this could be read as a standalone. I am anticipating the next book and will be grabbing that to read. I have fell in love with many of these characters and could not put the book down.
Highly recommend yall!
Grayson X Ava. She knows him. He doesn't recognize her. She keeps it from him. His best friend is her brother. They have one night of mind blowing passion. He finds out who she really is. Annnnd that leads us to an amazing sports romance.
Pastry chef Ava lives in Vegas and has for the past seven/eight years. Her dream is to open her on bakery on the strip. This character has such high expectations of herself, knows who she is, and will work towards getting everything she wants. She is stubborn and I just might love that about her.
Grayson is the newest defensive back traded to the Vegas Aces NFL team. It just so happens his brother is the coach and one of his younger brothers is on the team. Family reunion anyone?
Grayson is the typical athlete in every sense of the word. But is he? He spots Ava in a bar one night and just couldn't help himself. Will they or won't they? Grayson has some issues with relationships. However, it was refreshing to see this character not just as a pro athlete, but vulnerable and scared of what his future could look like beyond football.
This is the second installment of a series with characters from the previous book. I did not read the first book and therefore this could be read as a standalone. I am anticipating the next book and will be grabbing that to read. I have fell in love with many of these characters and could not put the book down.
Highly recommend yall!
June 10, 2024
Hitting the Field Again
We are back with the Nash brothers who seem to be taking over the Las Vegas Aces and this time we have Grayson’s story. It’s one of those stories where a guy meets a girl in a bar, takes her back to the hotel, and the magic begins. Silly thing was that this “girl” was the little sister of his best friend who he hasn’t seen in years and with the age difference between them had no idea it was her.
Ava was finally getting her chance with her teenage crush after just breaking up with her long-distance, long-term boyfriend. She had her hopes and dreams but had always feared of people leaving her especially after her dad passed. Grayson never believed in happy endings because after 43 years of marriage his parents were getting a divorce. How would these two ever mesh? Oh, they meshed alright…against the hotel window, on the counter, etc.
What a great storyline with these two. I just couldn’t put this book down and was hoping that they would find their way to the HEA that they both deserved. That’s two Nash brothers down and and two to go!!
We are back with the Nash brothers who seem to be taking over the Las Vegas Aces and this time we have Grayson’s story. It’s one of those stories where a guy meets a girl in a bar, takes her back to the hotel, and the magic begins. Silly thing was that this “girl” was the little sister of his best friend who he hasn’t seen in years and with the age difference between them had no idea it was her.
Ava was finally getting her chance with her teenage crush after just breaking up with her long-distance, long-term boyfriend. She had her hopes and dreams but had always feared of people leaving her especially after her dad passed. Grayson never believed in happy endings because after 43 years of marriage his parents were getting a divorce. How would these two ever mesh? Oh, they meshed alright…against the hotel window, on the counter, etc.
What a great storyline with these two. I just couldn’t put this book down and was hoping that they would find their way to the HEA that they both deserved. That’s two Nash brothers down and and two to go!!
July 7, 2024
I'm honestly thinking about giving Dating The Defensive Back a 2.5-star rating instead of a full-on 3. I got the ick so much in this book, but the storyline itself was cute at times, so I'm torn.
I've read books with dubious consent, but this one, with a lie of omission, was creepy. The "but I'm so innocent and was worried" act about it was just...strange. Like, at least actually understand it was wrong, which never felt like it happened. That, and if a guy kept referring to his member as a monster and talked about how insanely large he is - even just to himself - is ick. All the red flags, and not in an enjoyable way. That said, if I ignore those things, some parts of it were really cute between them. I just have very mixed views on this entire book, but I'll give the author another read to see what her other works are like. I know this is the first book in the Nash Brother series, but I'm guessing the other series in the Ace's world covers other peripheral couples seen in this book? I am curious about some of those stories.
I've read books with dubious consent, but this one, with a lie of omission, was creepy. The "but I'm so innocent and was worried" act about it was just...strange. Like, at least actually understand it was wrong, which never felt like it happened. That, and if a guy kept referring to his member as a monster and talked about how insanely large he is - even just to himself - is ick. All the red flags, and not in an enjoyable way. That said, if I ignore those things, some parts of it were really cute between them. I just have very mixed views on this entire book, but I'll give the author another read to see what her other works are like. I know this is the first book in the Nash Brother series, but I'm guessing the other series in the Ace's world covers other peripheral couples seen in this book? I am curious about some of those stories.
June 11, 2024
This one took me a minute to get into but once I got going, I just kept tapping the side of my kindle to ya know, read well past my bedtime.
We've got Grayson Nash coming to play in Vegas with his brothers. From what I've gathered Lincoln has his own series with The Coach. I didn't really feel like I missed anything by not reading that story, but have marked it in my TBR journal to go back to at some point.
This started with a guy sees a girl across the room in a bar and shoots his shot. But then as the night progresses, he feels more and more like this isn't just a quick pick up, take the girl back to his room, and thanks her after a couple hours of fun. He cain't figure it out.
Ava, our FMC, on the other hand knows who Grayson is and seeing as she's had a crush on him since teenage years, she wasn't going to let the chance go.
After learning of the trade that lands Grayson in Vegas, Ava's older brother calls his oldest, best friend and asks him to watch over his little sis. Spending the night together wasn't what 'watch over' meant but Grayson didn't know.
Ava's ex is what eventually puts things in motion. Once pictures get out of Grayson and Ava, the plan to fake date is thrown out. Fake dating is Ava's way of getting Grayson to fall madly in love with her. All the while, Gray is endlessly trying to keep his distance and reminder that this is his best friend's little sister that he promised to look out for. But the groveling he did was redemption in itself.
There was a lot of trust issues going on in this book, that I feel like could have been easily resolved if the characters would have talked to each other. I also sometimes felt like they were younger than their actual ages because of the ways they acted. (why it got four stars from me)
I loved it all the same. I haven't done many football themed books, but I'm slowly compiling them. This is a good addition! I'm excited to see what happens next for these brothers.
Thank you to Lisa Suzanne for trusting me to read an early copy of this book for an honest review (AND FOR THE CHAPTER TITLES) Thank you to Valentine PR too.
We've got Grayson Nash coming to play in Vegas with his brothers. From what I've gathered Lincoln has his own series with The Coach. I didn't really feel like I missed anything by not reading that story, but have marked it in my TBR journal to go back to at some point.
This started with a guy sees a girl across the room in a bar and shoots his shot. But then as the night progresses, he feels more and more like this isn't just a quick pick up, take the girl back to his room, and thanks her after a couple hours of fun. He cain't figure it out.
Ava, our FMC, on the other hand knows who Grayson is and seeing as she's had a crush on him since teenage years, she wasn't going to let the chance go.
After learning of the trade that lands Grayson in Vegas, Ava's older brother calls his oldest, best friend and asks him to watch over his little sis. Spending the night together wasn't what 'watch over' meant but Grayson didn't know.
Ava's ex is what eventually puts things in motion. Once pictures get out of Grayson and Ava, the plan to fake date is thrown out. Fake dating is Ava's way of getting Grayson to fall madly in love with her. All the while, Gray is endlessly trying to keep his distance and reminder that this is his best friend's little sister that he promised to look out for. But the groveling he did was redemption in itself.
There was a lot of trust issues going on in this book, that I feel like could have been easily resolved if the characters would have talked to each other. I also sometimes felt like they were younger than their actual ages because of the ways they acted. (why it got four stars from me)
I loved it all the same. I haven't done many football themed books, but I'm slowly compiling them. This is a good addition! I'm excited to see what happens next for these brothers.
Thank you to Lisa Suzanne for trusting me to read an early copy of this book for an honest review (AND FOR THE CHAPTER TITLES) Thank you to Valentine PR too.
January 30, 2025
5 stars loved it
400 plus pages in one day. Brothers best friend gets me every time.
400 plus pages in one day. Brothers best friend gets me every time.
November 5, 2025
A spicy football romance with some fun banter and side characters. There were a few immature moments but it was a fun, quick read!
June 8, 2024
I liked the tropes in this book like fake dating, one bed and “fuck it”. And the slight plot was okay but I just really hated Ava, she was childish and kinda manipulative. She can’t read the room and didn’t respect some situations. And I didn’t like Grayson either, they both were hypocritical and weren’t right together. They had no real chemistry outside of the bedroom. I liked the side characters though. The first half the writing was good but the second half I found it quite cringe. I appreciate the arc copy but this book just wasn’t for me.
July 22, 2024
DNF at 65%
FMC is very manipulative, I love a brother’s best friend story. But this one wasn’t for me.
Grayson was ok, the whole age gap, didn’t know who she was in a club was a bit weird.
Unfortunately wouldn’t recommend and I don’t think I’ll be reading this author again 😔
FMC is very manipulative, I love a brother’s best friend story. But this one wasn’t for me.
Grayson was ok, the whole age gap, didn’t know who she was in a club was a bit weird.
Unfortunately wouldn’t recommend and I don’t think I’ll be reading this author again 😔
August 5, 2024
This book was so so bad. At one point she describes sex as skipping through a forest holding hands and all I could think of was Anchorman. At least it was a fast read?
June 15, 2024
This is my first book by this author and most definitely won’t be my last. I have seen her name everywhere and I constantly tell myself that I need to pick up one of her books and read it and I finally did and it was absolutely amazing!
You'll enjoy this book if you like these tropes…♡
✿ Football Romance
✿ Age Gap
✿ Angst Fest
✿ Big MMC
✿ Brother’s Best friend
✿ Childhood Crush
✿ Fake Dating
✿ Forbidden Romance
✿ Forced Proximity
✿ GreatSide Characters
✿ Hidden Secrets
✿ “It’s Always Been You”
✿ Jealous, Possessive MMC
✿ Mutual Pining
✿ Nicknames
✿ One Bed
✿ Opposite Attract
✿ Roommates
✿ She Falls First, He Falls Hard
✿ Sports Romance
✿ Third Act Break Up
✿ Virgin
✿ World Building
Grayson has just been traded to the Vegas Aces football team, which is the team his brother coaches. He meets a gorgeous woman on his first night out in the town and ends up having a one-night stand but since that night it seems as though he can’t get her out of his head. He knew there was something special about her and the night they spent together was different from other nights that he’s spent with other women. He is eager to see her again however, he’s going to get the shock of his life when he finds out who she really is!
Ava lives with her best friend, Kelly who she met in college. She’s lived in Vegas since she started college around 6 years ago. She also works for a bakery and loves to go out and party with her friends, like most young women in Vegas do. One night she is out drinking at a bar with friends when she bumps into her brother’s sexy AF best friend, Grayson. Truth be told, she’s always had a crush on him but the fact that they had a 7-year age gap, he never really took any notice of her when they were younger. He’s clueless about who she is, so instead of being honest and telling him she’s her best friend's brother, she gives him her nickname instead of her real name.
Grayson thinking he’s doing his best friend a favor, agrees to check up on his little sister. However, the moment he finds out that his best friend’s little sister is the girl he hooked up with he’s angry, hurt and confused. When photos surfaced of these two together, Ava convinces Grayson that they should fake a relationship to make things look better to her brother Ava has been having issues with her annoying ex so when he shows up to harass her one day, Grayson steps in and he says their together.
Even though Grayson fights the attraction he has for Ava. It’s obvious it’s there and the more he fights it, the more he’s drawn to her. The chemistry between the two is explosive but the moment things seem a little too rocky, Grayson does what he does best and runs. Will he open his eyes and see he’s meant to be with Ava? Are they able to fix it or is it too late? is Ava going to walk away?
This was fantastic! Such a good story. I was hooked from the start. The spice was delicious! The banter was top-tier. It’s so easy to fall in love with the story and each and every character in the story. I’m excited to read more of Lisa’s books and I look forward to falling in love with more of her characters!
5 STARS!
You'll enjoy this book if you like these tropes…♡
✿ Football Romance
✿ Age Gap
✿ Angst Fest
✿ Big MMC
✿ Brother’s Best friend
✿ Childhood Crush
✿ Fake Dating
✿ Forbidden Romance
✿ Forced Proximity
✿ GreatSide Characters
✿ Hidden Secrets
✿ “It’s Always Been You”
✿ Jealous, Possessive MMC
✿ Mutual Pining
✿ Nicknames
✿ One Bed
✿ Opposite Attract
✿ Roommates
✿ She Falls First, He Falls Hard
✿ Sports Romance
✿ Third Act Break Up
✿ Virgin
✿ World Building
Grayson has just been traded to the Vegas Aces football team, which is the team his brother coaches. He meets a gorgeous woman on his first night out in the town and ends up having a one-night stand but since that night it seems as though he can’t get her out of his head. He knew there was something special about her and the night they spent together was different from other nights that he’s spent with other women. He is eager to see her again however, he’s going to get the shock of his life when he finds out who she really is!
Ava lives with her best friend, Kelly who she met in college. She’s lived in Vegas since she started college around 6 years ago. She also works for a bakery and loves to go out and party with her friends, like most young women in Vegas do. One night she is out drinking at a bar with friends when she bumps into her brother’s sexy AF best friend, Grayson. Truth be told, she’s always had a crush on him but the fact that they had a 7-year age gap, he never really took any notice of her when they were younger. He’s clueless about who she is, so instead of being honest and telling him she’s her best friend's brother, she gives him her nickname instead of her real name.
Grayson thinking he’s doing his best friend a favor, agrees to check up on his little sister. However, the moment he finds out that his best friend’s little sister is the girl he hooked up with he’s angry, hurt and confused. When photos surfaced of these two together, Ava convinces Grayson that they should fake a relationship to make things look better to her brother Ava has been having issues with her annoying ex so when he shows up to harass her one day, Grayson steps in and he says their together.
Even though Grayson fights the attraction he has for Ava. It’s obvious it’s there and the more he fights it, the more he’s drawn to her. The chemistry between the two is explosive but the moment things seem a little too rocky, Grayson does what he does best and runs. Will he open his eyes and see he’s meant to be with Ava? Are they able to fix it or is it too late? is Ava going to walk away?
This was fantastic! Such a good story. I was hooked from the start. The spice was delicious! The banter was top-tier. It’s so easy to fall in love with the story and each and every character in the story. I’m excited to read more of Lisa’s books and I look forward to falling in love with more of her characters!
5 STARS!
June 13, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
ARC
Tropes:
Brother's Best Friend
Second Chance-ish
Football Player MMC
Pastry Chef FMC
It's always been him
Groveling
Fake Dating
This was a very sweet read, though it was frustrating at times. Both MCs were so mature, but very childish throughout the whole book. It was fun to see them mature in ways they themselves didn't expect. I also did like that this story was one book instead of several short ones.
Ava Maxwell has had a crush on Grayson Nash since she was 11. Trying to get this attention through lifting weights in their family gym. Now about a decade later, she is fed up with her boyfriend and is freshly single and Grayson is in town, it's her perfect opportunity to make her dreams coke true! Honestly Ava is the type of manipulative I aspire to be! She's a genius in her ways of keeping herself in Grayson's life and I was taking notes!
To be completely honest I went into this book with the thought that I wasn't going to like Grayson, due to how I saw him in The Coach series. To say the least Grayson surprised me. He was very different than the confident Grayson we saw in previous books. We got more insight on how his relationship with his father was almost as bad as his brother's. It was nice to see that even adults get effected by their parents getting divorced. Grayson was so scared that he'd hurt Ava & 40+ years it would all be for nothing. Thank God his mother talked some sense into him, but he was still an idiot. I loved that he groveled! And that last gesture! Chef's kiss!
I can't wait for Spencer's story! I don't know what happened to Poor Spencer, but he didn't deserve whatever happened to him!
Also I hope we get Austin's story! The foreshadowing of his book had me excited!
ARC
Tropes:
Brother's Best Friend
Second Chance-ish
Football Player MMC
Pastry Chef FMC
It's always been him
Groveling
Fake Dating
This was a very sweet read, though it was frustrating at times. Both MCs were so mature, but very childish throughout the whole book. It was fun to see them mature in ways they themselves didn't expect. I also did like that this story was one book instead of several short ones.
Ava Maxwell has had a crush on Grayson Nash since she was 11. Trying to get this attention through lifting weights in their family gym. Now about a decade later, she is fed up with her boyfriend and is freshly single and Grayson is in town, it's her perfect opportunity to make her dreams coke true! Honestly Ava is the type of manipulative I aspire to be! She's a genius in her ways of keeping herself in Grayson's life and I was taking notes!
To be completely honest I went into this book with the thought that I wasn't going to like Grayson, due to how I saw him in The Coach series. To say the least Grayson surprised me. He was very different than the confident Grayson we saw in previous books. We got more insight on how his relationship with his father was almost as bad as his brother's. It was nice to see that even adults get effected by their parents getting divorced. Grayson was so scared that he'd hurt Ava & 40+ years it would all be for nothing. Thank God his mother talked some sense into him, but he was still an idiot. I loved that he groveled! And that last gesture! Chef's kiss!
I can't wait for Spencer's story! I don't know what happened to Poor Spencer, but he didn't deserve whatever happened to him!
Also I hope we get Austin's story! The foreshadowing of his book had me excited!
June 16, 2024
After reading the first book in the series I was very intrigued but I didn't expect this. I didn't expect to like it so much.
.
Maybe it's because Ava is a strong character, despite her seven years difference with Grayson and feeling at a disadvantage in so many aspects, she goes for what she wants and says what she thinks, and if that's something that wins me over, it's the strong protagonists, I don't care If they want candy, free the entire world or a unicorn, give me a strong protagonist and I'm all in
.
Ava has been in Las Vegas since college and loves every bit of the city except football. But when her coworkers at the bakery invite her out to one of the most popular restaurants to cheer her up after the breakup with her boyfriend, she comes face to face with Grayson Nash.
.
The new defensive back for the Las Vegas Aces, the local football team, and best friend of his older brother. He looks much better than she remembered when he was just her teenage crush, but the incredible thing is that he doesn't remember her and gives her his best pick up lines.
.
At that moment Ava decides that just for one night she is going to do what she wants and pretends that she is just another woman at the bar. After all, it's just one night and maybe he won't see her again, but after a incredible night when her brother asks his best friend to keep an eye on her, her luck runs out
.
I loved the banter, the chemistry and the dialogues between the two of them. I really enjoyed reading it and with a little fake relationship, steamy scenes and the kind of angst that I like to read
.
.
.
.
Thanks to Valentine pr and Lisa Suzanne for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion
.
Maybe it's because Ava is a strong character, despite her seven years difference with Grayson and feeling at a disadvantage in so many aspects, she goes for what she wants and says what she thinks, and if that's something that wins me over, it's the strong protagonists, I don't care If they want candy, free the entire world or a unicorn, give me a strong protagonist and I'm all in
.
Ava has been in Las Vegas since college and loves every bit of the city except football. But when her coworkers at the bakery invite her out to one of the most popular restaurants to cheer her up after the breakup with her boyfriend, she comes face to face with Grayson Nash.
.
The new defensive back for the Las Vegas Aces, the local football team, and best friend of his older brother. He looks much better than she remembered when he was just her teenage crush, but the incredible thing is that he doesn't remember her and gives her his best pick up lines.
.
At that moment Ava decides that just for one night she is going to do what she wants and pretends that she is just another woman at the bar. After all, it's just one night and maybe he won't see her again, but after a incredible night when her brother asks his best friend to keep an eye on her, her luck runs out
.
I loved the banter, the chemistry and the dialogues between the two of them. I really enjoyed reading it and with a little fake relationship, steamy scenes and the kind of angst that I like to read
.
.
.
.
Thanks to Valentine pr and Lisa Suzanne for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion
June 19, 2024
Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 2.5/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)
What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 The beautiful cover—I wanted to fall in love with this story just so I could have this beauty on my shelf.
🤩 I loved the first quarter of this book—these two hotties have a great connection and are so good together. The plot is captivating and fun, going right into the storyline. All the feels.
🤩 The secret crush, pining, and identity. The hitting on and flirting. The one-night-stand.
🤩 Kelsey Navarro does a great job giving all the feels for Ava’s character. I especially love her performance on Ava’s drunk breakup call.
🤩 The end is quite cute and sweet.
What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I’m so sad. I want to love this one because it has my two favorite tropes—brother’s best friend and fake dating. But it felt so annoying and frustrating to me. I need to love my MCs, and Grayson just isn’t ready to be loved in this story. It has way too long of seriousness and secrets.
💫 Grayson Nash needs some serious therapy, way more than his mom’s little chat.
💫 The MCs seemed to lose their chemistry and connection.
💫 I almost DNFed but I had just purchased the audiobook after being late on the eARC.
💫 It’s so hard to rate the narration when the story is irritating me. Tor Thom seemed flat, just telling the story, but it could have been the writing or that I didn’t like Grayson as a character.
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 2.5/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)
What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 The beautiful cover—I wanted to fall in love with this story just so I could have this beauty on my shelf.
🤩 I loved the first quarter of this book—these two hotties have a great connection and are so good together. The plot is captivating and fun, going right into the storyline. All the feels.
🤩 The secret crush, pining, and identity. The hitting on and flirting. The one-night-stand.
🤩 Kelsey Navarro does a great job giving all the feels for Ava’s character. I especially love her performance on Ava’s drunk breakup call.
🤩 The end is quite cute and sweet.
What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I’m so sad. I want to love this one because it has my two favorite tropes—brother’s best friend and fake dating. But it felt so annoying and frustrating to me. I need to love my MCs, and Grayson just isn’t ready to be loved in this story. It has way too long of seriousness and secrets.
💫 Grayson Nash needs some serious therapy, way more than his mom’s little chat.
💫 The MCs seemed to lose their chemistry and connection.
💫 I almost DNFed but I had just purchased the audiobook after being late on the eARC.
💫 It’s so hard to rate the narration when the story is irritating me. Tor Thom seemed flat, just telling the story, but it could have been the writing or that I didn’t like Grayson as a character.
June 13, 2024
Have you ever read one of those books that actually makes you kick your feet and squeal? Well, even though I am a grown woman who should be well beyond that type of reaction, this book made me squeal and kick my feet.
This was a spicy, funny, heart pounding story with twists and turns throughout. There were parts of the book that I was saying out loud to MFC Ava, "Don't do it!" and parts that I just had to quit reading because I knew I wasn't going to like what was going to happen next. Of course, I only could take it about 30 seconds before I had to start reading again. This one was a page turner.
Ava is a young woman who is driven, sweet, a little naive and knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it . Grayson is a dirty talking alpha professional athlete who is loyal to a fault and has a heart of gold. He thinks he doesn’t want anything serious. He didn’t have a chance once Ava set her sights on him and she’d had her sights set on him since she was a teenager. She saw her shot and she took it. From their first meeting the pull between these two was undeniable and the chemistry between them was off the charts.
I laughed. I cringed. I swooned and I had to fan myself. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more by Lisa Suzanne!
This was a spicy, funny, heart pounding story with twists and turns throughout. There were parts of the book that I was saying out loud to MFC Ava, "Don't do it!" and parts that I just had to quit reading because I knew I wasn't going to like what was going to happen next. Of course, I only could take it about 30 seconds before I had to start reading again. This one was a page turner.
Ava is a young woman who is driven, sweet, a little naive and knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it . Grayson is a dirty talking alpha professional athlete who is loyal to a fault and has a heart of gold. He thinks he doesn’t want anything serious. He didn’t have a chance once Ava set her sights on him and she’d had her sights set on him since she was a teenager. She saw her shot and she took it. From their first meeting the pull between these two was undeniable and the chemistry between them was off the charts.
I laughed. I cringed. I swooned and I had to fan myself. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more by Lisa Suzanne!
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