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Oleander Springs #4
The One-Night Scrimmage
What was supposed to be a simple proposition: One anonymous night of bliss has rivalries and passions colliding in this steamy, heartfelt story that blurs the lines between ambitions and desires by USA Today Bestselling Author Mariah Dietz.
I knew transferring to play soccer for my previous rivals would come with complications.
What I wasn't expecting was to have a one-night stand with a dark-haired stranger who would soon demand all my thoughts and nights.
He's more than just a stranger; he's Camden's star wide receiver, a man whose name is whispered with reverence and desire. As our paths cross in the light of day, the night's secrets loom between us, a silent promise of what could be.
But as the stakes rise, so do the risks, and I stand to lose more than just my heart.
**This is book four in the Oleander Springs Series but can be read and enjoyed as a standalone**
I knew transferring to play soccer for my previous rivals would come with complications.
What I wasn't expecting was to have a one-night stand with a dark-haired stranger who would soon demand all my thoughts and nights.
He's more than just a stranger; he's Camden's star wide receiver, a man whose name is whispered with reverence and desire. As our paths cross in the light of day, the night's secrets loom between us, a silent promise of what could be.
But as the stakes rise, so do the risks, and I stand to lose more than just my heart.
**This is book four in the Oleander Springs Series but can be read and enjoyed as a standalone**
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2024
212 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Mariah Dietz
33 books1,854 followersThe One-Night Scrimmage, A New Forbidden/Secret Sports Romance is Coming May 20th!
Mariah Dietz is a USA Today Bestselling Author and self-proclaimed nerd. She lives with her husband and sons in North Carolina.
Mariah grew up in a tiny town outside of Portland, Oregon where she spent most of her time immersed in the pages of books that she both read and created.
She has a love for all things that include her family, good coffee, books, traveling, and dark chocolate. She's also been known to laugh at her own jokes.
Learn More:
→ www.mariahdietz.com
→ Sign-Up to Receive my Newsletter
→ Join My Reader Group on FB
→ Follow me on FB
Mariah Dietz is a USA Today Bestselling Author and self-proclaimed nerd. She lives with her husband and sons in North Carolina.
Mariah grew up in a tiny town outside of Portland, Oregon where she spent most of her time immersed in the pages of books that she both read and created.
She has a love for all things that include her family, good coffee, books, traveling, and dark chocolate. She's also been known to laugh at her own jokes.
Learn More:
→ www.mariahdietz.com
→ Sign-Up to Receive my Newsletter
→ Join My Reader Group on FB
→ Follow me on FB
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
April 27, 2024
I was lucky enough to read this baby a little early and when I say it made my whole week, I am not kidding. I was super excited to get back to Oleander Springs.
We meet Fallon (love the name) who is a junior in college and is getting ready to embark on a new journey at Camdan, but first she has her cousins bachelorette party to get through. During a scavenger hunt, she runs into a dark handsome mystery stranger. After finding out her ex friend and ex boyfriend are now together, maybe one night with this stranger might just be what she needs.
Only her dark handsome stranger isn’t going to be a stranger for much longer, because as luck would have it, he is a football player for Camdan.
I really enjoyed this book, Fallon and her journey really touched me, I’ve known someone who has walked in Fallons shoes. But more than that, I enjoyed the journey that Fallon and Corey took to make it to the end.
I loved getting another glimpse of our previous couples, this group of friends is a true found family, I can’t wait for the next book.
We meet Fallon (love the name) who is a junior in college and is getting ready to embark on a new journey at Camdan, but first she has her cousins bachelorette party to get through. During a scavenger hunt, she runs into a dark handsome mystery stranger. After finding out her ex friend and ex boyfriend are now together, maybe one night with this stranger might just be what she needs.
Only her dark handsome stranger isn’t going to be a stranger for much longer, because as luck would have it, he is a football player for Camdan.
I really enjoyed this book, Fallon and her journey really touched me, I’ve known someone who has walked in Fallons shoes. But more than that, I enjoyed the journey that Fallon and Corey took to make it to the end.
I loved getting another glimpse of our previous couples, this group of friends is a true found family, I can’t wait for the next book.
June 1, 2024
This was such a phenomenal sports romance! I loved the main characters-their chemistry was amazing, but I also fell in love with all the side characters especially Corey’s friends! The tropes featured worked so well together; I absolutely flew through the book. This is actually the first book I’m reading from the series, but I cannot wait to go back and read the first three and I’m hoping we get Lexie’s story next! 4.5⭐️
August 10, 2024
.
Fallon transferred to Camden University for her senior year having been scouted by the soccer coach. The problem is, her old team treat her like a traitor, and her new team treat her like the enemy still. Poor girl can’t catch a break because bitches be schemin’.
Anywho, before summer classes started she had a glorious one night stand with a boy, who she then started a text exchange with. And who should she bump into at her new uni? You’ve got it! Anonymous one night standee, Corey.
I really enjoyed their modern pen pal situation and the either/or questions as they got to know each other. It was really cute. And in a way it expedited their timeline for falling for each other.
I loved how Fallon was so damned strong, and not just physically but emotionally and mentally - even if she didn’t feel that way herself. She had Type 1 Diabetes but soldiered her way through life, succeeding in all her dreams and goals and not allowing the disease to hold her back in any way. Learning a bit about the disease from Dietz’s own first-hand experience was eye-opening, and I have nothing but utter respect for her and those that live with the condition.
The entire female soccer team were fucking awful - except Kelly for the most part. But honestly I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with that whole scenario.
The sexual tension, the build up of their feelings, the fierce (true) friendships, and how unwaveringly wonderful Corey was, all made for an incredible read.
My favourite book of the series so far.
Fallon transferred to Camden University for her senior year having been scouted by the soccer coach. The problem is, her old team treat her like a traitor, and her new team treat her like the enemy still. Poor girl can’t catch a break because bitches be schemin’.
Anywho, before summer classes started she had a glorious one night stand with a boy, who she then started a text exchange with. And who should she bump into at her new uni? You’ve got it! Anonymous one night standee, Corey.
I really enjoyed their modern pen pal situation and the either/or questions as they got to know each other. It was really cute. And in a way it expedited their timeline for falling for each other.
I loved how Fallon was so damned strong, and not just physically but emotionally and mentally - even if she didn’t feel that way herself. She had Type 1 Diabetes but soldiered her way through life, succeeding in all her dreams and goals and not allowing the disease to hold her back in any way. Learning a bit about the disease from Dietz’s own first-hand experience was eye-opening, and I have nothing but utter respect for her and those that live with the condition.
The entire female soccer team were fucking awful - except Kelly for the most part. But honestly I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with that whole scenario.
The sexual tension, the build up of their feelings, the fierce (true) friendships, and how unwaveringly wonderful Corey was, all made for an incredible read.
My favourite book of the series so far.
May 13, 2024
It was just supposed to be one night, but both Corey and Fallon knew that one night just wasn’t going to be enough…
I don’t know if I have the words to describe how much I love this book. I have been waiting for Corey’s book for a while now and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!!! Corey is truly the ultimate book boyfriend!! The way he is always there for Fallon, NO MATTER WHAT, ahhhhhh, just makes you want to swoon. And while Fallon has every reason to want to take things slow or even friendzone Corey completely, the chemistry between these two is just TOO GOOD!!!
And while the spice in this book is just absolute perfection, I think my most favorite thing is the fact that Corey and his friends, really his found family if you will, accepted Fallon, no questions asked, took care of her and made her their own with only minimal hesitation, (IFKYK 😉), which is what Fallon needed the most. And if I’m being honest, that’s truly what I love most about these Oleander Springs books, the “found family” aspect, the love and support and acceptance of this amazing group of people and it truly takes a special person to be able to convey that feeling through words.
I could not put this book down, I was hooked from page one and I wish I could read it for the first time all over again! I received an Advance Reader Copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I don’t know if I have the words to describe how much I love this book. I have been waiting for Corey’s book for a while now and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!!! Corey is truly the ultimate book boyfriend!! The way he is always there for Fallon, NO MATTER WHAT, ahhhhhh, just makes you want to swoon. And while Fallon has every reason to want to take things slow or even friendzone Corey completely, the chemistry between these two is just TOO GOOD!!!
And while the spice in this book is just absolute perfection, I think my most favorite thing is the fact that Corey and his friends, really his found family if you will, accepted Fallon, no questions asked, took care of her and made her their own with only minimal hesitation, (IFKYK 😉), which is what Fallon needed the most. And if I’m being honest, that’s truly what I love most about these Oleander Springs books, the “found family” aspect, the love and support and acceptance of this amazing group of people and it truly takes a special person to be able to convey that feeling through words.
I could not put this book down, I was hooked from page one and I wish I could read it for the first time all over again! I received an Advance Reader Copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 19, 2024
Hold onto your cleats, this one's a scorcher!
One Night Scrimmage by Mariah Dietz is enemies-to-lovers gold. Fallon, a soccer player with type 1 diabetes, just transferred to a new school. Not exactly ideal, but hey, at least it wasn't supposed to involve a one-night stand with the hottest football player, Corey. Oops. Turns out, Corey has his own baggage to deal with too (think supportive big brother, sick sister situation). Add in a small-town rivalry between sports teams, and things get messy – in the best way possible.
This book promises steam (check!), a secret relationship (double check!), and enough drama to keep you guessing (major check!). It also hints at Fallon dealing with her diabetes, which is a cool element you don't see every day.
This is book 4 in the Oleander Springs Series, but it can be read as a standalone.
So the real question: Are you gonna to read it as a standalone or go back to the beginning and read it as a series?
Either way, if you're looking for a sports romance with a side of feels, One Night Scrimmage might be your next one-click. Just be prepared for some serious swooning!
One Night Scrimmage by Mariah Dietz is enemies-to-lovers gold. Fallon, a soccer player with type 1 diabetes, just transferred to a new school. Not exactly ideal, but hey, at least it wasn't supposed to involve a one-night stand with the hottest football player, Corey. Oops. Turns out, Corey has his own baggage to deal with too (think supportive big brother, sick sister situation). Add in a small-town rivalry between sports teams, and things get messy – in the best way possible.
This book promises steam (check!), a secret relationship (double check!), and enough drama to keep you guessing (major check!). It also hints at Fallon dealing with her diabetes, which is a cool element you don't see every day.
This is book 4 in the Oleander Springs Series, but it can be read as a standalone.
So the real question: Are you gonna to read it as a standalone or go back to the beginning and read it as a series?
Either way, if you're looking for a sports romance with a side of feels, One Night Scrimmage might be your next one-click. Just be prepared for some serious swooning!
May 10, 2024
“You’ve dug so deep under my skin…when you catch up and you’re ready I’m in. I’m all in.”
Corey and Fallon’s story is the testament to you can’t fight fate. Under the pressure of switching schools and teams, healing from an unfaithful ex only to have his new girlfriend thrown in your face has Fallon abandoning all her own rules to let go after meeting a dark haired stranger who she can’t take her eyes off of. One night, no names, no info, and move on? Except she breaks her own rule, giving her name and after he leaves her a clue with his number on it, curiosity gets the better of her and with a text a new set of rules is in play.
Ready to meet in person again until she shows up at a party in an attempt to fit in with her new team only to be met with the same eyes she can’t get out of her head…with only one problem, the only girl who accepts her on the team likes him and has made it known she wants to pursue it.
Fallon tries to fight it but when you fit you fit and when she finally gives into what her heart wants, the way they come together is like a puzzle piece finding its home.
This story is about overcoming obstacles…the ones placed by yourself, society, and things you can’t control. Life is one big challenge but going through each one with the person who is meant for you by your side makes every single step a little easier. Corey is the swooniest and the way he supports and loves Fallon is beautiful. This story grabbed me and kept me close all the way through.
Corey and Fallon’s story is the testament to you can’t fight fate. Under the pressure of switching schools and teams, healing from an unfaithful ex only to have his new girlfriend thrown in your face has Fallon abandoning all her own rules to let go after meeting a dark haired stranger who she can’t take her eyes off of. One night, no names, no info, and move on? Except she breaks her own rule, giving her name and after he leaves her a clue with his number on it, curiosity gets the better of her and with a text a new set of rules is in play.
Ready to meet in person again until she shows up at a party in an attempt to fit in with her new team only to be met with the same eyes she can’t get out of her head…with only one problem, the only girl who accepts her on the team likes him and has made it known she wants to pursue it.
Fallon tries to fight it but when you fit you fit and when she finally gives into what her heart wants, the way they come together is like a puzzle piece finding its home.
This story is about overcoming obstacles…the ones placed by yourself, society, and things you can’t control. Life is one big challenge but going through each one with the person who is meant for you by your side makes every single step a little easier. Corey is the swooniest and the way he supports and loves Fallon is beautiful. This story grabbed me and kept me close all the way through.
May 20, 2024
The One Night Scrimmage is book 4 in the Oleander Springs- a sports romance series.
We meet Fallon who is an all star soccer player transferring to her rival school to play with a pretty great coach under a scholarship.
She find out that her now ex friend and ex boyfriend are now together and when she participates in a bachelorette scavenger hunt and runs into an attractive “dark haired stranger”… perfect timing for a one time little “pick me up.”
Her little one time thing doesn’t stay one time for long when he also goes to the school she transferred to and is quite the star himself…
This book could have been 100ish pages shorter… I felt it was tough to stay connected during some of the slow burn and secrecy.
•secret relationship • one night stand •friends to lovers, forbidden • flirty texting • both athletes, • type 1 diabetes rep • secret billionaire
3.5 ⭐️
We meet Fallon who is an all star soccer player transferring to her rival school to play with a pretty great coach under a scholarship.
She find out that her now ex friend and ex boyfriend are now together and when she participates in a bachelorette scavenger hunt and runs into an attractive “dark haired stranger”… perfect timing for a one time little “pick me up.”
Her little one time thing doesn’t stay one time for long when he also goes to the school she transferred to and is quite the star himself…
This book could have been 100ish pages shorter… I felt it was tough to stay connected during some of the slow burn and secrecy.
•secret relationship • one night stand •friends to lovers, forbidden • flirty texting • both athletes, • type 1 diabetes rep • secret billionaire
3.5 ⭐️
May 20, 2024
The one night scrimmage (4⭐️) is book 4 in the Oleander series and although it doesn’t top the fake zone for me, it was still quite enjoyable.
I do have to say that it did take me a while to get into it and that I found it to be a bit long for a romance but that’s a me thing, I tend to prefer romances that are on the shorter side.
Now for @mariahdietz writing, as I said before, it’s really enjoyable and I love how she builds a friendship between the MCs before having them be in a relationship. Although Fallon and Corey started with a bang, they took their time to develop a friendship before becoming more (even though that’s probably because they were delusional about their feelings, well mostly Fallon, Corey knew what he wanted from the beginning).
I loved the type 1 diabetes representation, the form of communication between the MCs, the slow build towards their relationship (as if I hadn’t said that before), Corey’s personality 🥹, the previous couples cameos, the found family aspect 😩 it was a really good book!
Read if you like: Sport romance, slow burn, strangers to lovers, one night stand, found family
I do have to say that it did take me a while to get into it and that I found it to be a bit long for a romance but that’s a me thing, I tend to prefer romances that are on the shorter side.
Now for @mariahdietz writing, as I said before, it’s really enjoyable and I love how she builds a friendship between the MCs before having them be in a relationship. Although Fallon and Corey started with a bang, they took their time to develop a friendship before becoming more (even though that’s probably because they were delusional about their feelings, well mostly Fallon, Corey knew what he wanted from the beginning).
I loved the type 1 diabetes representation, the form of communication between the MCs, the slow build towards their relationship (as if I hadn’t said that before), Corey’s personality 🥹, the previous couples cameos, the found family aspect 😩 it was a really good book!
Read if you like: Sport romance, slow burn, strangers to lovers, one night stand, found family
May 10, 2024
If I could give this book a 6 out of 5 stars, I would! Corey and Fallon are absolutely amazing and the side characters even had me laughing and crying.
First, I LOVED that Fallon was a soccer player and an athlete on her own professional journey. She is an absolute badass and such a dynamic character.
Corey is a green flag. He is so patient with Fallon and is the best, most supportive person. He not only is a loving brother, but also an amazing friend and supportive teammate. And don’t even get me started on all of the small (and big) things he does to support Fallon!
Mariah Dietz wrote the best depiction of Type 1 Diabetes I’ve seen. As someone who has this disease, has received many of the questions and looks, and even has some of the same feelings with low or high blood sugars, I was so grateful for this story.
Thank you, Mariah Dietz, for this ARC!
First, I LOVED that Fallon was a soccer player and an athlete on her own professional journey. She is an absolute badass and such a dynamic character.
Corey is a green flag. He is so patient with Fallon and is the best, most supportive person. He not only is a loving brother, but also an amazing friend and supportive teammate. And don’t even get me started on all of the small (and big) things he does to support Fallon!
Mariah Dietz wrote the best depiction of Type 1 Diabetes I’ve seen. As someone who has this disease, has received many of the questions and looks, and even has some of the same feelings with low or high blood sugars, I was so grateful for this story.
Thank you, Mariah Dietz, for this ARC!
May 19, 2024
Corey is the stuff book boyfriend dreams are made of! I loved how steadfast of a partner he was to Fallon throughout. I don’t think I ever questioned how he felt about her or whether he was going to mess up with her. Fallon needed that support and I think he empowered her to be true to herself even with the challenges that came her way.
Texting relationships in books are my favorites so getting a dose of that was so fun. Plus I loved seeing glimpses of the other couples from this series.
I feel so privileged to get to read Mariah’s books!
Recommending this one if you enjoy
⚽️🏈 Sports Romance (both MCs are athletes)
❤️ Friend tribe that’s family
🫶🏻 Golden retriever MMC
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)
Texting relationships in books are my favorites so getting a dose of that was so fun. Plus I loved seeing glimpses of the other couples from this series.
I feel so privileged to get to read Mariah’s books!
Recommending this one if you enjoy
⚽️🏈 Sports Romance (both MCs are athletes)
❤️ Friend tribe that’s family
🫶🏻 Golden retriever MMC
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)
September 13, 2025
Sweet
A feel-good romance. I cried and laughed through it all. I really enjoy this author and will go back and read the books before this one.
A feel-good romance. I cried and laughed through it all. I really enjoy this author and will go back and read the books before this one.
October 21, 2024
4★
While this was my first glimpse into Oleander Springs, it definitely won’t be my last.
I loved the chemistry between Fallon and Corey straight off the bat — every girl deserves a Corey! The found family trope especially pulled my heartstrings, given the adversities Fallon undeservingly faced time and time again. I think a few more scenes on this could've helped me connect a bit better with the side characters — albeit, I still need to read the first three books. But most importantly, I loved the invisible illness representation. Kudos to the author for adding a touch of education on each page and showcasing the not-so-friendly assumptions people make in the name of ignorance; a true reflection that there’s still a lack of awareness and more often than not, an unwillingness to learn about invisible illness.
Overall, I think the speed at which I flew through this steamy slow burn speaks for itself.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
While this was my first glimpse into Oleander Springs, it definitely won’t be my last.
I loved the chemistry between Fallon and Corey straight off the bat — every girl deserves a Corey! The found family trope especially pulled my heartstrings, given the adversities Fallon undeservingly faced time and time again. I think a few more scenes on this could've helped me connect a bit better with the side characters — albeit, I still need to read the first three books. But most importantly, I loved the invisible illness representation. Kudos to the author for adding a touch of education on each page and showcasing the not-so-friendly assumptions people make in the name of ignorance; a true reflection that there’s still a lack of awareness and more often than not, an unwillingness to learn about invisible illness.
Overall, I think the speed at which I flew through this steamy slow burn speaks for itself.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
May 7, 2024
*Thank you to Mariah Dietz for providing me with an ARC of this book, I greatly appreciate it! All thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, please check Trigger Warning before reading.
4.25⭐️/ 3🌶️
I have quickly found myself obsessed and loving this interconnected series! Each book has made me fall in love with the characters, and keeps getting better! I thought the last book was great, but when I saw this book was going to be focused on COREY! OMG YEASSSSSS! I’m telling you, Mariah just knows how to leave you wanting more of this fictional guys!!! (Sigh) and the tropes in this book were fantastic! From billionaire hero (YEAH YOU READ THAT RIGHT!), to both leads being athletes, found family, one night stand, and more!
A one night stand between Fallon and Corey wasn’t enough for those two, there was still that lingering connection they couldn’t stop thinking about! You would think that with Corey and Fallon having a one night stand would be the end, but NOPE, that was just the beginning! I actually liked the way the one night stand trope played out not only with seeing Fallon just take the initiative, but how Corey and Fallon reconnected soon after. Corey and Fallon immediately had a connection that was undeniable, and it only grew stronger as they spent more time together since Fallon transferred over to Camden University. Plenty of forced proximity, being around one another provided plenty of opportunities for Corey and Fallon to spend time together which was entertaining and fun to see.
Fallon was new to Camden University and having to start off fresh wasn’t easy. Between juggling her feelings for Corey, and trying to find her place on the soccer team, that was only the tip of the iceberg of what Fallon dealt with. I liked Fallon right away, I thought she was nice, kind, at times able to times sassy when necessary, but also a bit of a people pleaser. Fallon was by no means perfect, and seeing her deal with a variety of things made her relatable. Obviously I couldn’t relate to every single aspect of Fallon’s life such as, her chronic illness, but I did feel empathetic towards her. I also liked seeing the chronic illness representation because, one it’s always important to see a different range of characters, and two, I got to see exactly the challenges Fallon dealt with when it came to her illness as well as learning more about it. Fallon was a tough girl who deal with a lot, and I admired her for it.
Corey, my beautiful, handsome, dark haired stranger, (sigh) he was so dreamy. Just like the previous male characters within this series, I didn’t know much about Corey, but through each book, I got to see bits of him that left wanting to read his book a.s.a.p.! Corey was an amazing friend, hard worker, and an overall great guy who everyone loved. I initially expected Corey’s story to be straightforward, but with the added background of his family and namely his sister, Anna, there was a bit of an emotional arch in his story that made me equal parts sad and sympathetic towards him. As much as Corey put everything into football, when it came to Anna, if it ever came down to it, he was willing to give it all up for her. While there was some angst to Corey’s part of the story, I did enjoy seeing him brighten up whenever he talked or spent time with Fallon. Corey was so head over heels for Fallon that it showed in how he paid attention to the smallest details about her.
Family doesn’t just mean the people you share blood with, but also the people that have your back, and welcome you with open arms. If I’ve said it once, twice, and multiple times, I’ll say it again, THE FOUND FAMILY IN THIS SERIES IS AMAZING! Fallon dealt with a lot especially when it came to her new teammates being horrible towards her, ugh IT MADE ME FURIOUS! Needless to say, the team camaraderie wasn’t good, and Fallon suffered the brunt of her team treating her disrespectfully. Luckily, with Corey and his group of friends, they quickly found themselves protective over Fallon too, and WERE SO FLIPPING NICE TO HER! It was heartwarming to see Fallon join the friend group and see her enjoying herself as opposed to feeling uncomfortable around her team. Over the course of this series, the friend group has grown and welcomed new people, and it just keeps getting better. With Fallon, not only did she gain a supportive and attentive guy like Corey, but also a new group of friends who quickly became her family too.
Awww Corey and Fallon were great together. This series has quickly captured my attention with the deep connection of family within the friend group, and how each set of couples has made me adore them even more. Corey like the other guys in his respective friend group left me wanting to know more him, and it was great to see. Fallon was a new character in the series, but I quickly liked her, and her tenacity when it came to soccer and anything she put her mind to. The one night stand quickly became more with the way Corey and Fallon couldn’t stop thinking about each other! SOOOOO GOOD! The found family was once again a thing I obsessed over! Get you some friends that will have your back like the ones in this series!!! This story was also eye opening in seeing the misunderstandings and judgement that Fallon faced when it came to her type one diabetes. I don’t know much about diabetes, but the way Mariah wrote it showed how knowledgeable she was about the topic. Fallon and Corey were both great characters and I once again found myself enjoying the story. If you’re looking for a sports romance series with unique plot lines, close friend groups, romance, spice, and lovable characters then definitely check out this book as well as the others in this interconnected series!!!
4.25⭐️/ 3🌶️
I have quickly found myself obsessed and loving this interconnected series! Each book has made me fall in love with the characters, and keeps getting better! I thought the last book was great, but when I saw this book was going to be focused on COREY! OMG YEASSSSSS! I’m telling you, Mariah just knows how to leave you wanting more of this fictional guys!!! (Sigh) and the tropes in this book were fantastic! From billionaire hero (YEAH YOU READ THAT RIGHT!), to both leads being athletes, found family, one night stand, and more!
A one night stand between Fallon and Corey wasn’t enough for those two, there was still that lingering connection they couldn’t stop thinking about! You would think that with Corey and Fallon having a one night stand would be the end, but NOPE, that was just the beginning! I actually liked the way the one night stand trope played out not only with seeing Fallon just take the initiative, but how Corey and Fallon reconnected soon after. Corey and Fallon immediately had a connection that was undeniable, and it only grew stronger as they spent more time together since Fallon transferred over to Camden University. Plenty of forced proximity, being around one another provided plenty of opportunities for Corey and Fallon to spend time together which was entertaining and fun to see.
Fallon was new to Camden University and having to start off fresh wasn’t easy. Between juggling her feelings for Corey, and trying to find her place on the soccer team, that was only the tip of the iceberg of what Fallon dealt with. I liked Fallon right away, I thought she was nice, kind, at times able to times sassy when necessary, but also a bit of a people pleaser. Fallon was by no means perfect, and seeing her deal with a variety of things made her relatable. Obviously I couldn’t relate to every single aspect of Fallon’s life such as, her chronic illness, but I did feel empathetic towards her. I also liked seeing the chronic illness representation because, one it’s always important to see a different range of characters, and two, I got to see exactly the challenges Fallon dealt with when it came to her illness as well as learning more about it. Fallon was a tough girl who deal with a lot, and I admired her for it.
Corey, my beautiful, handsome, dark haired stranger, (sigh) he was so dreamy. Just like the previous male characters within this series, I didn’t know much about Corey, but through each book, I got to see bits of him that left wanting to read his book a.s.a.p.! Corey was an amazing friend, hard worker, and an overall great guy who everyone loved. I initially expected Corey’s story to be straightforward, but with the added background of his family and namely his sister, Anna, there was a bit of an emotional arch in his story that made me equal parts sad and sympathetic towards him. As much as Corey put everything into football, when it came to Anna, if it ever came down to it, he was willing to give it all up for her. While there was some angst to Corey’s part of the story, I did enjoy seeing him brighten up whenever he talked or spent time with Fallon. Corey was so head over heels for Fallon that it showed in how he paid attention to the smallest details about her.
Family doesn’t just mean the people you share blood with, but also the people that have your back, and welcome you with open arms. If I’ve said it once, twice, and multiple times, I’ll say it again, THE FOUND FAMILY IN THIS SERIES IS AMAZING! Fallon dealt with a lot especially when it came to her new teammates being horrible towards her, ugh IT MADE ME FURIOUS! Needless to say, the team camaraderie wasn’t good, and Fallon suffered the brunt of her team treating her disrespectfully. Luckily, with Corey and his group of friends, they quickly found themselves protective over Fallon too, and WERE SO FLIPPING NICE TO HER! It was heartwarming to see Fallon join the friend group and see her enjoying herself as opposed to feeling uncomfortable around her team. Over the course of this series, the friend group has grown and welcomed new people, and it just keeps getting better. With Fallon, not only did she gain a supportive and attentive guy like Corey, but also a new group of friends who quickly became her family too.
Awww Corey and Fallon were great together. This series has quickly captured my attention with the deep connection of family within the friend group, and how each set of couples has made me adore them even more. Corey like the other guys in his respective friend group left me wanting to know more him, and it was great to see. Fallon was a new character in the series, but I quickly liked her, and her tenacity when it came to soccer and anything she put her mind to. The one night stand quickly became more with the way Corey and Fallon couldn’t stop thinking about each other! SOOOOO GOOD! The found family was once again a thing I obsessed over! Get you some friends that will have your back like the ones in this series!!! This story was also eye opening in seeing the misunderstandings and judgement that Fallon faced when it came to her type one diabetes. I don’t know much about diabetes, but the way Mariah wrote it showed how knowledgeable she was about the topic. Fallon and Corey were both great characters and I once again found myself enjoying the story. If you’re looking for a sports romance series with unique plot lines, close friend groups, romance, spice, and lovable characters then definitely check out this book as well as the others in this interconnected series!!!
June 11, 2024
I loved this forbidden college sports romance.
Scrimmage / ˈskrɪmɪdʒ : (In American football) a period of play that begins with the ball being placed on the ground. (Depending on the sport) a friendly, a warm-up match, a pre-season game.
THE ONE NIGHT SCRIMMAGE is my first read from Author Mariah Dietz and I picked it up because I enjoy sports romance and the blurb appealed to me. I loved it. It such was an easy read with relatively low drama and low angst that it was a pleasure to spend time with the characters of Corey, Fallon and their friends. Even being fourth in a series, it stood perfectly as a stand-a-lone because Ms Dietz introduced the previous characters with no fuss or confusion. Even better, they were top-quality people meaning I’m extremely tempted to read their stories as well.
Fallon was written as such a strong character and I admired that she successfully negotiated life as an elite athlete having diabetes. For me an important distinction was made that could apply to any medical condition across all walks of life,
“You’re diabetic?” ... We aren’t diabetic but have diabetes. It’s a conversation we had multiple times at diabetes camp. Personally, it rarely bothers me. Diabetes is so deeply entwined with every aspect of my life that it feels like it’s a part of me. Yet, there are times when someone can’t see past my chronic condition when I, too, hate this arrangement of words.”
Just so. Ms Dietz skilfully wove this as a part of Fallon’s character without it defining her. She was a daughter, a sister, a best friend and a lover. She was strong and hardworking, driven, tenacious, loyal, and had diabetes. I reckoned she was awesome.
The expectations on her were high and no quarter was given. Her new team were ‘mean girls’, completely awful, except for Kelly and I kinda liked her even though she seemed to struggle with her genuine like for Fallon, yet not trying to make life too difficult for herself with her teammates who really put the hates on the new girl. Kelly was the only one to befriend her and show her the ropes, and Fallon truthfully liked her, meaning it was also a complication in her burgeoning relationship with Corey.
Add in the extreme rivalry between Corey’s chosen sport and team and you have a forbidden relationship that threatens to turn those involved in such into a social pariah!
Corey was such an amazing young man. OMG, I absolutely adored him and would pretty much say he fell first. The only game he played was football and most certainly didn’t make a game of life or relationships. He invested time into his family and Fallon with the same single-mindedness as his dedication to pursuing his future football goals, and provided that same respect in Fallon’s pursuance of her own. He was totally in her corner, and I loved that his friends extended their strong brand of loyalty to her also.
What I loved most about this book is that I felt absolutely no frustration with the characters!! Best ever top quality characters with integrity, honesty and pretty great communication between each other. The feels between Corey and Fallon were totally ‘there’ and holy crap on a cracker, their first decent kiss was alllllll kinds of fire🔥🔥🔥!!! I love first kisses, and Ms Dietz abso-freaking-lutely nailed what turns out to be the start of their relationship. Intense and profound, that kiss spoke volumes about their attraction and admiration for each other. That kiss was the definition of what a romantic book is about.
Of course no book romance relationship is without dissention or squabbles, and here we cue the ‘mean girls’, the team who’d been rivals of her previous team and resented her place amongst them. All I’ll say is that Fallon was a star ✨️! And I’ll also add here that I loved her best friend / cousin Lexie. She was a hoot and championed Fallon throughout.
THE ONE NIGHT SCRIMMAGE is on the lighter fluffier side of my darker reading tastes, but I believe is balance is essential, and I was rapt to have had the opportunity to pick up this book from Author Mariah Dietz. I totally recommend it to those who love the sports, college and forbidden (relatively) tropes. I’m even going to add in the ‘he falls first’ trope because Corey was so delicious in his feelings for Fallon.
So, it’s 5-easy-read-romantic-delicious-Stars from me! ✨️🏈⚽️✰•
#fbombromancereviews #mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj
Scrimmage / ˈskrɪmɪdʒ : (In American football) a period of play that begins with the ball being placed on the ground. (Depending on the sport) a friendly, a warm-up match, a pre-season game.
THE ONE NIGHT SCRIMMAGE is my first read from Author Mariah Dietz and I picked it up because I enjoy sports romance and the blurb appealed to me. I loved it. It such was an easy read with relatively low drama and low angst that it was a pleasure to spend time with the characters of Corey, Fallon and their friends. Even being fourth in a series, it stood perfectly as a stand-a-lone because Ms Dietz introduced the previous characters with no fuss or confusion. Even better, they were top-quality people meaning I’m extremely tempted to read their stories as well.
Fallon was written as such a strong character and I admired that she successfully negotiated life as an elite athlete having diabetes. For me an important distinction was made that could apply to any medical condition across all walks of life,
“You’re diabetic?” ... We aren’t diabetic but have diabetes. It’s a conversation we had multiple times at diabetes camp. Personally, it rarely bothers me. Diabetes is so deeply entwined with every aspect of my life that it feels like it’s a part of me. Yet, there are times when someone can’t see past my chronic condition when I, too, hate this arrangement of words.”
Just so. Ms Dietz skilfully wove this as a part of Fallon’s character without it defining her. She was a daughter, a sister, a best friend and a lover. She was strong and hardworking, driven, tenacious, loyal, and had diabetes. I reckoned she was awesome.
The expectations on her were high and no quarter was given. Her new team were ‘mean girls’, completely awful, except for Kelly and I kinda liked her even though she seemed to struggle with her genuine like for Fallon, yet not trying to make life too difficult for herself with her teammates who really put the hates on the new girl. Kelly was the only one to befriend her and show her the ropes, and Fallon truthfully liked her, meaning it was also a complication in her burgeoning relationship with Corey.
Add in the extreme rivalry between Corey’s chosen sport and team and you have a forbidden relationship that threatens to turn those involved in such into a social pariah!
Corey was such an amazing young man. OMG, I absolutely adored him and would pretty much say he fell first. The only game he played was football and most certainly didn’t make a game of life or relationships. He invested time into his family and Fallon with the same single-mindedness as his dedication to pursuing his future football goals, and provided that same respect in Fallon’s pursuance of her own. He was totally in her corner, and I loved that his friends extended their strong brand of loyalty to her also.
What I loved most about this book is that I felt absolutely no frustration with the characters!! Best ever top quality characters with integrity, honesty and pretty great communication between each other. The feels between Corey and Fallon were totally ‘there’ and holy crap on a cracker, their first decent kiss was alllllll kinds of fire🔥🔥🔥!!! I love first kisses, and Ms Dietz abso-freaking-lutely nailed what turns out to be the start of their relationship. Intense and profound, that kiss spoke volumes about their attraction and admiration for each other. That kiss was the definition of what a romantic book is about.
Of course no book romance relationship is without dissention or squabbles, and here we cue the ‘mean girls’, the team who’d been rivals of her previous team and resented her place amongst them. All I’ll say is that Fallon was a star ✨️! And I’ll also add here that I loved her best friend / cousin Lexie. She was a hoot and championed Fallon throughout.
THE ONE NIGHT SCRIMMAGE is on the lighter fluffier side of my darker reading tastes, but I believe is balance is essential, and I was rapt to have had the opportunity to pick up this book from Author Mariah Dietz. I totally recommend it to those who love the sports, college and forbidden (relatively) tropes. I’m even going to add in the ‘he falls first’ trope because Corey was so delicious in his feelings for Fallon.
So, it’s 5-easy-read-romantic-delicious-Stars from me! ✨️🏈⚽️✰•
#fbombromancereviews #mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj
May 13, 2024
Confession: Mariah Dietz is who made me fall in love with sports romance and she did again! I don't know if I could fall in love with two characters more! Corey + Fallon 4ever!
Fallon is a college soccer star but also a people pleaser who finds her self in vacation with her ex boyfriend's new girlfriend who happens to also be her ex-teammate. So to help lift her spirits, she finds herself in a bar proposing a one-night strand with a dark-haired stranger. The only rule: no personal information was to be exchanged and it was meant to be one night only. But this dark-haired stranger is more than a stranger. He's Camden's star wide receiver at the college that you just transferred to. And you find out exactly who is one night at a party. But there are a lot of risks that come with learning each other's true identities and the question is, can they overcome the hurdles without broken hearts?
Book Tropes:
🏈 Football Player x Soccer Player
⚽️ One Night Stand
🏈 Friends to Lovers
⚽️ Secret/Forbidden Relationship
🏈 Chronic Health Rep
⚽️ Sunshine x Sunshine
🏈 GOLDEN RETRIEVER HERO
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!
Spice: 🌶🌶
💭 My Thoughts: I absolutely ADORED this book and I don't know if it is possible to love Corey and Fallon anymore than I already do! Let's first talk about Fallon. I loved how our FMC is a badass college soccer player who also happens to have type 1 diabetes. Seeing an FMC with a chronic disease being represented was so nice. And then to have it play into the plot was also so nice, and honestly with Corey being such a caretaker, it makes them so perfect each other but I digress. I also loved how you see such growth in Fallon throughout the book. Fallon is in the process of transferring colleges and in return joining a new soccer team, her RIVAL soccer team to be exact. So as you can imagine she is not welcomed with open arms. And the way that I wanted to throat punch a group of girls... like I don't know if I disliked characters more in my life. The things these girls did to my girl Fallon was not ok! Mean girls at their finest. But to see Fallon rise above her people pleasing ways and find her voice and a spot on her new soccer team was nice. Now let's discuss our boy Corey. This man is probably the sweetest man EVER! If you love a golden retriever/cinnamon roll MMC, Corey is the definition and you will fall head over heels in love with him! He wanted Fallon from the moment he laid eyes on her and there wasn't a moment where Corey made it known that he didn't want her. But let's put it this way, Fallon's past relationship history made her think he wasn't going to be around for the long run, but we love when we are proven wrong, don't we ladies?!?
A microtrope that I love? Text bubbles! And this book has lots of it! In fact, a good portion of the book is spent with them getting to know each other through text, which only strengthens their bond. And I loved every moment of it!
I don't want to give too much of the plot away because you need to read why their relationship needs to be kept under wraps and you need to read everything that these mean girls do to our girl Fallon. It plays a major role into the book. So with the being said, please do yourself a favor and add this one to your TBR! It's a fun and adorable college football romance. And I can't wait for you to fall in love with Corey and Fallon like I did!
* I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Mariah Dietz for allowing me to read The One-Night Scrimmage as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review! I am so beyond grateful and thankful! Also thank you to my bestie Sam for buddy reading this book with me! I loved being able to discuss how much we wanted to throat punch the mean girls lol
Fallon is a college soccer star but also a people pleaser who finds her self in vacation with her ex boyfriend's new girlfriend who happens to also be her ex-teammate. So to help lift her spirits, she finds herself in a bar proposing a one-night strand with a dark-haired stranger. The only rule: no personal information was to be exchanged and it was meant to be one night only. But this dark-haired stranger is more than a stranger. He's Camden's star wide receiver at the college that you just transferred to. And you find out exactly who is one night at a party. But there are a lot of risks that come with learning each other's true identities and the question is, can they overcome the hurdles without broken hearts?
Book Tropes:
🏈 Football Player x Soccer Player
⚽️ One Night Stand
🏈 Friends to Lovers
⚽️ Secret/Forbidden Relationship
🏈 Chronic Health Rep
⚽️ Sunshine x Sunshine
🏈 GOLDEN RETRIEVER HERO
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!
Spice: 🌶🌶
💭 My Thoughts: I absolutely ADORED this book and I don't know if it is possible to love Corey and Fallon anymore than I already do! Let's first talk about Fallon. I loved how our FMC is a badass college soccer player who also happens to have type 1 diabetes. Seeing an FMC with a chronic disease being represented was so nice. And then to have it play into the plot was also so nice, and honestly with Corey being such a caretaker, it makes them so perfect each other but I digress. I also loved how you see such growth in Fallon throughout the book. Fallon is in the process of transferring colleges and in return joining a new soccer team, her RIVAL soccer team to be exact. So as you can imagine she is not welcomed with open arms. And the way that I wanted to throat punch a group of girls... like I don't know if I disliked characters more in my life. The things these girls did to my girl Fallon was not ok! Mean girls at their finest. But to see Fallon rise above her people pleasing ways and find her voice and a spot on her new soccer team was nice. Now let's discuss our boy Corey. This man is probably the sweetest man EVER! If you love a golden retriever/cinnamon roll MMC, Corey is the definition and you will fall head over heels in love with him! He wanted Fallon from the moment he laid eyes on her and there wasn't a moment where Corey made it known that he didn't want her. But let's put it this way, Fallon's past relationship history made her think he wasn't going to be around for the long run, but we love when we are proven wrong, don't we ladies?!?
A microtrope that I love? Text bubbles! And this book has lots of it! In fact, a good portion of the book is spent with them getting to know each other through text, which only strengthens their bond. And I loved every moment of it!
I don't want to give too much of the plot away because you need to read why their relationship needs to be kept under wraps and you need to read everything that these mean girls do to our girl Fallon. It plays a major role into the book. So with the being said, please do yourself a favor and add this one to your TBR! It's a fun and adorable college football romance. And I can't wait for you to fall in love with Corey and Fallon like I did!
* I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Mariah Dietz for allowing me to read The One-Night Scrimmage as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review! I am so beyond grateful and thankful! Also thank you to my bestie Sam for buddy reading this book with me! I loved being able to discuss how much we wanted to throat punch the mean girls lol
May 24, 2024
The One-Night Scrimmage by Mariah Dietz is a great sports romance featuring both a football playing love interest, Corey, and a soccer playing strong female character, Fallon. They meet at a bar and have a one-night stand, however, they soon learn that they are connected in more ways than that and have to deal with their growing feelings for each other.
This is a strong romance with a couple side stories that are well developed. There are many background characters and while some of them stand out, I will say, that Corey’s friends all began to blur together at some point. All of them, boys and girls, seemed to have the same personality and characterization. However, this is not the case for all background characters and I felt that all of the side stories added to the plot very well. I did find that the girls on the soccer team that Fallon transfers to are a bit excessively mean, to an unbelievable extent. Overall, however, the background characters and the plot were strong and made the story better.
Fallon and Corey are fantastic protagonists. Corey is a multi-faceted and interesting male protagonists, unlike some stories that only develop the woman in a romance and the guy is just head over heels for her. I found Corey to have a lot going for him and this overall made him more interesting and made their romance more believable. Fallon is definitely a strong female character. She overcomes a lot of challenges to be successful. I did feel like she kind of just took some of the bullying by her teammates on her new team a little too easily and put up with a lot, but it could also be seen as keeping the peace. She doesn’t really let it bother her. Overall, great protagonists.
I would rate this book at 3.25/5 stars. The only complaints I really have are that at 500+ pages, there are a few bits that drag and are slower paced. Additionally, some of the shorter background plotlines that lasted the whole book were too quickly wrapped up in the last 5% of the book. It felts like they were drawn out just for no reason, especially once they served their purpose for the main plotline. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a longer sports romance with a strong female character and a long page count.
Also, as a PSA, one of the characters is a veterinarian who got her undergraduate degree in veterinary medicine and is planning to leave vet med to go into finance after a few years. As someone currently applying to vet schools, this immediately killed me as vet school is a 4 year graduate school completed post-undergrad and most people don’t go into it hoping for another career. I definitely did not count this against the book, especially since it is such a small part of the book, but it did immediately stick with me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a strong romance with a couple side stories that are well developed. There are many background characters and while some of them stand out, I will say, that Corey’s friends all began to blur together at some point. All of them, boys and girls, seemed to have the same personality and characterization. However, this is not the case for all background characters and I felt that all of the side stories added to the plot very well. I did find that the girls on the soccer team that Fallon transfers to are a bit excessively mean, to an unbelievable extent. Overall, however, the background characters and the plot were strong and made the story better.
Fallon and Corey are fantastic protagonists. Corey is a multi-faceted and interesting male protagonists, unlike some stories that only develop the woman in a romance and the guy is just head over heels for her. I found Corey to have a lot going for him and this overall made him more interesting and made their romance more believable. Fallon is definitely a strong female character. She overcomes a lot of challenges to be successful. I did feel like she kind of just took some of the bullying by her teammates on her new team a little too easily and put up with a lot, but it could also be seen as keeping the peace. She doesn’t really let it bother her. Overall, great protagonists.
I would rate this book at 3.25/5 stars. The only complaints I really have are that at 500+ pages, there are a few bits that drag and are slower paced. Additionally, some of the shorter background plotlines that lasted the whole book were too quickly wrapped up in the last 5% of the book. It felts like they were drawn out just for no reason, especially once they served their purpose for the main plotline. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a longer sports romance with a strong female character and a long page count.
Also, as a PSA, one of the characters is a veterinarian who got her undergraduate degree in veterinary medicine and is planning to leave vet med to go into finance after a few years. As someone currently applying to vet schools, this immediately killed me as vet school is a 4 year graduate school completed post-undergrad and most people don’t go into it hoping for another career. I definitely did not count this against the book, especially since it is such a small part of the book, but it did immediately stick with me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 30, 2024
Let me tell you, "The One-Night Scrimmage" by Mariah Dietz is a book that utterly captivated me from start to finish. I haven't felt this level of emotional engagement with a romance novel in quite some time. Even though it's part of the Oleander Springs Series, it stands alone beautifully. And now, I'm absolutely itching to dive into the other books in the series because if they are even half as good as this one, I'm in for an amazing ride!
First off, the characters—wow. Lily and Jack are so vividly brought to life that I felt like I knew them personally. Their chemistry is electric, and every interaction between them is loaded with intensity and genuine emotion. I found myself laughing, crying, and even getting a little frustrated right along with them. These are characters that feel so real, you can't help but be drawn into their world.
The romance in this book is simply off the charts. Mariah Dietz masterfully balances sizzling love scenes with deep, emotional moments that resonate profoundly. It's not just about physical attraction; it's about two people finding solace, support, and an undeniable connection in each other. I found myself rooting for Lily and Jack every step of the way, and their journey together is nothing short of magical.
What struck me most about "The One-Night Scrimmage" is how it combines heartfelt emotion with a gripping narrative. You can feel the tension, the passion, and the genuine love radiating from the pages. It's a story that stays with you long after you've turned the last page. I'm in awe of how Mariah Dietz manages to weave such a rich tapestry of emotional depth without ever feeling contrived or overdone.
And let's talk about the setting—Oleander Springs is the perfect backdrop for this love story. It's charming, cozy, and full of life, adding an extra layer of warmth to the narrative. The supporting characters are just as engaging, adding depth and richness to the story without overshadowing the main romance.
In conclusion, "The One-Night Scrimmage" is a masterclass in contemporary romance. It's a book that made me feel deeply, laugh out loud, and even shed a few tears. If you're a fan of romance novels that offer both steamy scenes and heartfelt emotion, then this is an absolute must-read.
I can't recommend it highly enough, and I'm already counting the days until I can lose myself in the next book in the Oleander Springs Series.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First off, the characters—wow. Lily and Jack are so vividly brought to life that I felt like I knew them personally. Their chemistry is electric, and every interaction between them is loaded with intensity and genuine emotion. I found myself laughing, crying, and even getting a little frustrated right along with them. These are characters that feel so real, you can't help but be drawn into their world.
The romance in this book is simply off the charts. Mariah Dietz masterfully balances sizzling love scenes with deep, emotional moments that resonate profoundly. It's not just about physical attraction; it's about two people finding solace, support, and an undeniable connection in each other. I found myself rooting for Lily and Jack every step of the way, and their journey together is nothing short of magical.
What struck me most about "The One-Night Scrimmage" is how it combines heartfelt emotion with a gripping narrative. You can feel the tension, the passion, and the genuine love radiating from the pages. It's a story that stays with you long after you've turned the last page. I'm in awe of how Mariah Dietz manages to weave such a rich tapestry of emotional depth without ever feeling contrived or overdone.
And let's talk about the setting—Oleander Springs is the perfect backdrop for this love story. It's charming, cozy, and full of life, adding an extra layer of warmth to the narrative. The supporting characters are just as engaging, adding depth and richness to the story without overshadowing the main romance.
In conclusion, "The One-Night Scrimmage" is a masterclass in contemporary romance. It's a book that made me feel deeply, laugh out loud, and even shed a few tears. If you're a fan of romance novels that offer both steamy scenes and heartfelt emotion, then this is an absolute must-read.
I can't recommend it highly enough, and I'm already counting the days until I can lose myself in the next book in the Oleander Springs Series.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 15, 2024
Fallon is going to be starting her junior year of college at a new school, playing soccer for a former rival team. Still stinging from a breakup and stressed about her new team, she goes way out of her comfort zone and spends an unforgettable night with a dark-haired stranger while attending her cousin’s bachelorette weekend. They agree no names or personal details, but the stranger leaves Fallon his phone number. Unable to get him out of her head, Fallon texts the dark-haired stranger and they start a flirty texting relationship as they edge closer to finding out each other’s real identities. When it turns out that the dark-haired stranger is also the star wide receiver at Fallon’s new college, things get complicated really quickly.
The way I love this book! Watching Fallon’s journey and growth as she found her confidence and voice both with her new team and off the field was so special and inspiring. While Fallon’s new teammates could give the meanest mean girls competition, Fallon never caved to their bullying or lowered herself to their level. Corey is full-on book husband material! Seriously swoony perfection! He was totally gone for Fallon and so aware and patient with her, supporting her every step as she found her way while also dealing with some very real and emotional challenges of his own.
The found family vibes in this book are impeccable! Corey’s friends not only support each other in every way but also accept and support Fallon when they learn how important she is to Corey.
And I have to give a huge round of applause to the text messaging in this book! Take the perfect banter (that this book is full of, btw) and put it into text exchanges and I am done! I could NOT stop smiling and giggling! It’s the absolute BEST!!
I also need to mention that the way Mariah handled living and thriving with a chronic health condition, in this case T1 diabetes, is the best I’ve ever read. She wrote about it so compassionately, honestly, and realistically - such an amazing representation.
The One-Night Scrimmage is angsty, emotional, heartwarming fun. It’s the fourth book in a series of interconnected standalones. I have not yet read the previous books, but I can guarantee that I will be reading them now! This world that Mariah has created is special and addictive and I definitely recommend everyone make a trip to Oleander Springs.
PS Tomato sandwiches really are the best!
The way I love this book! Watching Fallon’s journey and growth as she found her confidence and voice both with her new team and off the field was so special and inspiring. While Fallon’s new teammates could give the meanest mean girls competition, Fallon never caved to their bullying or lowered herself to their level. Corey is full-on book husband material! Seriously swoony perfection! He was totally gone for Fallon and so aware and patient with her, supporting her every step as she found her way while also dealing with some very real and emotional challenges of his own.
The found family vibes in this book are impeccable! Corey’s friends not only support each other in every way but also accept and support Fallon when they learn how important she is to Corey.
And I have to give a huge round of applause to the text messaging in this book! Take the perfect banter (that this book is full of, btw) and put it into text exchanges and I am done! I could NOT stop smiling and giggling! It’s the absolute BEST!!
I also need to mention that the way Mariah handled living and thriving with a chronic health condition, in this case T1 diabetes, is the best I’ve ever read. She wrote about it so compassionately, honestly, and realistically - such an amazing representation.
The One-Night Scrimmage is angsty, emotional, heartwarming fun. It’s the fourth book in a series of interconnected standalones. I have not yet read the previous books, but I can guarantee that I will be reading them now! This world that Mariah has created is special and addictive and I definitely recommend everyone make a trip to Oleander Springs.
PS Tomato sandwiches really are the best!
May 19, 2024
⭐️⭐️.5
I was thrilled when I got notified that I received an ARC to review this book as I really enjoyed the third book, The Fake Zone, and getting to know the many characters in Oleander Springs. But overall, I was underwhelmed with this book. It took me forever to get into this book and I struggled to even want to finish it. I had to take many breaks and then force myself to return to it.
I thought it was going to be an interesting story as both the main characters, Fallon and Corey, both play a sport one being football one being soccer, but the whole story revolves around camp and you don’t see one game between either of the teams until the epilogue. And when you did see a practice, it was pretty short and just the soccer team bullying Fallon the whole time. I think it frustrated me the most that she had so much strength and cockiness while playing the game and thinking she was the best soccer play outside the field while talking to friends but then couldn’t stand up to her bullies while practicing. I know she was new to the team and didn’t want to make waves, but I wanted her to stand up for herself, just once.
I also thought the relationship was too slow and I am a fan of slow burn. I felt no chemistry. They hook up in the first couple chapters and then they’re just texting for weeks before they meet up and then they won’t even say that they want to be in a relationship. Their friends knew before them. It could be due to their immaturity and age.
Also, maybe it’s because I only read the fake zone and not the other two previous books, but I kept getting confused with all the other sub characters I found it frustrating, but that’s probably my fault for not reading the first two books but I felt like when they went to the beach week there was just too many people.
The one thing I did enjoy was the representation of type one diabetes because I am a nurse so I thought it was very interesting to include a main character with it and it was very spot on. I enjoyed that aspect because not a lot of authors will write about a main character with an illness. Overall, it was an okay book, I thought the fake zone was better and I probably wouldn’t read this book again.
I was thrilled when I got notified that I received an ARC to review this book as I really enjoyed the third book, The Fake Zone, and getting to know the many characters in Oleander Springs. But overall, I was underwhelmed with this book. It took me forever to get into this book and I struggled to even want to finish it. I had to take many breaks and then force myself to return to it.
I thought it was going to be an interesting story as both the main characters, Fallon and Corey, both play a sport one being football one being soccer, but the whole story revolves around camp and you don’t see one game between either of the teams until the epilogue. And when you did see a practice, it was pretty short and just the soccer team bullying Fallon the whole time. I think it frustrated me the most that she had so much strength and cockiness while playing the game and thinking she was the best soccer play outside the field while talking to friends but then couldn’t stand up to her bullies while practicing. I know she was new to the team and didn’t want to make waves, but I wanted her to stand up for herself, just once.
I also thought the relationship was too slow and I am a fan of slow burn. I felt no chemistry. They hook up in the first couple chapters and then they’re just texting for weeks before they meet up and then they won’t even say that they want to be in a relationship. Their friends knew before them. It could be due to their immaturity and age.
Also, maybe it’s because I only read the fake zone and not the other two previous books, but I kept getting confused with all the other sub characters I found it frustrating, but that’s probably my fault for not reading the first two books but I felt like when they went to the beach week there was just too many people.
The one thing I did enjoy was the representation of type one diabetes because I am a nurse so I thought it was very interesting to include a main character with it and it was very spot on. I enjoyed that aspect because not a lot of authors will write about a main character with an illness. Overall, it was an okay book, I thought the fake zone was better and I probably wouldn’t read this book again.
May 8, 2024
“You make her shine just as bright as she makes you shine.”
The One-Night Scrimmage was a heartwarming, angsty, and emotional read that I absolutely loved. Corey and Fallon were such great, REAL characters that made me feel and I was completely captivated by their push and pull relationship. It was good to be back in Oleander Springs!!
“Fallon doesn’t just fit in with the group. It’s as though there was a place reserved just for her that she fills, almost as though this—her, us—was preordained.”
Fallon was such a sweetheart. Her struggle to fit in with her new team while also trying to achieve her own goals and live her own life was heartbreaking. I loved how supportive Corey and all of his friends were of her and how they immediately made her one of their own. I also loved how Fallon’s illness was portrayed.
“Loving someone doesn’t involve pinning them down, so they can’t ever change. Fallon was made to fly. I knew that from the first moment I met her.”
Corey was such a sweet, kind and gentle soul who will protect and take care of his own. His love for his sister and his friends was palpable and I loved how he was always there for anyone who needed him. His determination to be what Fallon needed was swoonworthy and I loved how they communicated with one another.
“Instead of worrying about what could go wrong, maybe you should consider how you could make each other shine because that’s what the person with utz does.”
Fallon and Corey have a slow-burn, sizzling chemistry, but they also develop a deep friendship full of love and understanding as well. Life kept throwing obstacles and roadblocks in their way, but they proved that they could overcome anything with strong communication and unconditional support and love. The character growth in this story was fantastic and I loved revisiting everyone in Oleander Springs. The One-Night Scrimmage was beautifully emotional and heartbreakingly good. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
The One-Night Scrimmage was a heartwarming, angsty, and emotional read that I absolutely loved. Corey and Fallon were such great, REAL characters that made me feel and I was completely captivated by their push and pull relationship. It was good to be back in Oleander Springs!!
“Fallon doesn’t just fit in with the group. It’s as though there was a place reserved just for her that she fills, almost as though this—her, us—was preordained.”
Fallon was such a sweetheart. Her struggle to fit in with her new team while also trying to achieve her own goals and live her own life was heartbreaking. I loved how supportive Corey and all of his friends were of her and how they immediately made her one of their own. I also loved how Fallon’s illness was portrayed.
“Loving someone doesn’t involve pinning them down, so they can’t ever change. Fallon was made to fly. I knew that from the first moment I met her.”
Corey was such a sweet, kind and gentle soul who will protect and take care of his own. His love for his sister and his friends was palpable and I loved how he was always there for anyone who needed him. His determination to be what Fallon needed was swoonworthy and I loved how they communicated with one another.
“Instead of worrying about what could go wrong, maybe you should consider how you could make each other shine because that’s what the person with utz does.”
Fallon and Corey have a slow-burn, sizzling chemistry, but they also develop a deep friendship full of love and understanding as well. Life kept throwing obstacles and roadblocks in their way, but they proved that they could overcome anything with strong communication and unconditional support and love. The character growth in this story was fantastic and I loved revisiting everyone in Oleander Springs. The One-Night Scrimmage was beautifully emotional and heartbreakingly good. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
May 11, 2024
Are you drawn to the allure of a slow-burn sports romance set in the charming college town of Oleander Springs, North Carolina? If so, delve into Mariah Dietz's Oleander Springs Series. Each book in this series offers a unique narrative, yet they can all be enjoyed as standalone stories.
Fallon Hale, a lifetime resident of Oleander Springs, started her college career playing soccer for Westfield University. However, she's been offered an extraordinary opportunity: a dual scholarship for academics and soccer at Camden University, where she would be with her cousin-best friend, Lexie. Fallon is the youngest sibling of three older brothers: Mason, Gunnar, and Charlie. Fallon started playing soccer as a child with her brothers and sisters. Fallon dated Tobias Davies, the starting defensive lineman for Westfield, for a year and a half until she found out that she wasn't the only person he was dating. Tobias' brother Asher is engaged to her cousin Adelaide, Lexie's older sister. Adelaide's bridal shower-bachelorette party is at the beach, and it includes a scavenger hunt where the women find and take pictures of items on their lists. Fallon and Lexie go to the local pub, where they can find most things on the list. The first item is a picture of a public men's room; as they prepare to knock on the door, it opens, and the man standing there is gorgeous.
Corey Bishop, 22, from Vail, Colorado, plays for Camden University as a wide receiver and hopes he gets drafted into the NFL. Corey has an older sister, Anna, who is 26 years old, a veterinarian, and is married to Victor, who is 30 years old and is a registered nurse. His parents, Conrad and Diana, are wealthy. Corey is very close to his teammates: Hudson McKinley, the team captain, who is dating Evelyn. Greyson Meyers, who's dating Mila Atwool. Nolan Payne, who's dating Hadley Foster, and Zack Palmer, Corey's best friend and teammate.
What began as a seemingly straightforward proposition unfolds into a deeply moving narrative that will leave an indelible mark on your heart!
Fallon Hale, a lifetime resident of Oleander Springs, started her college career playing soccer for Westfield University. However, she's been offered an extraordinary opportunity: a dual scholarship for academics and soccer at Camden University, where she would be with her cousin-best friend, Lexie. Fallon is the youngest sibling of three older brothers: Mason, Gunnar, and Charlie. Fallon started playing soccer as a child with her brothers and sisters. Fallon dated Tobias Davies, the starting defensive lineman for Westfield, for a year and a half until she found out that she wasn't the only person he was dating. Tobias' brother Asher is engaged to her cousin Adelaide, Lexie's older sister. Adelaide's bridal shower-bachelorette party is at the beach, and it includes a scavenger hunt where the women find and take pictures of items on their lists. Fallon and Lexie go to the local pub, where they can find most things on the list. The first item is a picture of a public men's room; as they prepare to knock on the door, it opens, and the man standing there is gorgeous.
Corey Bishop, 22, from Vail, Colorado, plays for Camden University as a wide receiver and hopes he gets drafted into the NFL. Corey has an older sister, Anna, who is 26 years old, a veterinarian, and is married to Victor, who is 30 years old and is a registered nurse. His parents, Conrad and Diana, are wealthy. Corey is very close to his teammates: Hudson McKinley, the team captain, who is dating Evelyn. Greyson Meyers, who's dating Mila Atwool. Nolan Payne, who's dating Hadley Foster, and Zack Palmer, Corey's best friend and teammate.
What began as a seemingly straightforward proposition unfolds into a deeply moving narrative that will leave an indelible mark on your heart!
May 18, 2024
Whenever you're ready for this next step, I'm in. I'm all in."
So exciting getting back to the Oleander Springs, they are a really likeable group.
This is book 4 in the series and follows Corey and newcomer Fallon.
Let me tell you your gonna love these two right along with the rest of them.
While Fallon is participating in a bachelorette party scavenger hunt, she meets a dark haired stranger who offers a little help. These two are instantly attracted to one another and end up having a one night stand or so they thought. Rule, no personal information given but Corey leaves his number.
After quite a bit of debating and not being able to get Corey out of her head, Fallon finally text him and the two start talking and learning a little about each other, little do they know their paths will soon cross often as Fallon is the newest soccer star for Camden where Corey attends and plays football.
Once the two do find out they go to the same school some obstacles are getting in the way of them being together, in the meantime these two build such a strong connection and friendship together. The chemistry is on point both sweet and spicy. I for one was dying to get to when they finally give in and start putting themselves first.
Fallon is a strong loveable girl, who is trying to fit in at a new place with a new team who were her rivals before, while also maintaining her health with type 1 diabetes. Mariah did a great job portraying her.
Corey is a marshmellow he's the kindest, patient, caring wholeheartedly sweetheart of a guy. I just loved him up!! Both had things they overcame in this story and you could see their growth.
I loved so much about this book especially the found family aspect. The whole friend group is so supportive and accepting of one another. Everyone could use friends/family like them! I enjoyed this journey so much. I can't wait for more to come, Mariah always delivers!
Thank you Mariah for this ARC and sharing your stories with us!
So exciting getting back to the Oleander Springs, they are a really likeable group.
This is book 4 in the series and follows Corey and newcomer Fallon.
Let me tell you your gonna love these two right along with the rest of them.
While Fallon is participating in a bachelorette party scavenger hunt, she meets a dark haired stranger who offers a little help. These two are instantly attracted to one another and end up having a one night stand or so they thought. Rule, no personal information given but Corey leaves his number.
After quite a bit of debating and not being able to get Corey out of her head, Fallon finally text him and the two start talking and learning a little about each other, little do they know their paths will soon cross often as Fallon is the newest soccer star for Camden where Corey attends and plays football.
Once the two do find out they go to the same school some obstacles are getting in the way of them being together, in the meantime these two build such a strong connection and friendship together. The chemistry is on point both sweet and spicy. I for one was dying to get to when they finally give in and start putting themselves first.
Fallon is a strong loveable girl, who is trying to fit in at a new place with a new team who were her rivals before, while also maintaining her health with type 1 diabetes. Mariah did a great job portraying her.
Corey is a marshmellow he's the kindest, patient, caring wholeheartedly sweetheart of a guy. I just loved him up!! Both had things they overcame in this story and you could see their growth.
I loved so much about this book especially the found family aspect. The whole friend group is so supportive and accepting of one another. Everyone could use friends/family like them! I enjoyed this journey so much. I can't wait for more to come, Mariah always delivers!
Thank you Mariah for this ARC and sharing your stories with us!
May 21, 2024
A special *•.¸♡ thank you ♡¸.•* to author @mariahdietz for #gifting me with the complete Oleander Springs series. I see how hard you work behind the scenes on your craft, and it shows!
One word review: Loved!
Review in emojis: 💔⚽️🏈💉🏫🥹🥵👩🏻❤️👨🏼
I was so excited to team up with this author and be part of her FB group!
I was able to get a first hand glimpse of the work the author does in preparation for publication day.
The One Night Scrimmage is the first book I’ve read from Mariah Dietz, but it surely will not be my last!
This title can be read standalone, but I think I personally would have preferred to have read the others first (to be familiar with the side characters).
I plan on reading the first 3 books, then re-reading this one (hopefully soon - as time permits).
Things I loved:
I really loved Fallon and Corey’s characters. They are Both relatable and likeable main characters.
Though they aren’t necessary for me to enjoy a book, characters like Corey increase my enjoyment of romance books. I think he may be my new book boyfriend haha!
Having a college setting (partly) was great and the story was too. I found myself smiling a lot while reading. I’d say the book was plot and character driven, and the tropes were well done. 👏
The Diabetes (type 1) rep - I am type 2 diabetic - so seeing this in a book for the first time was really nice. It was hard work last year for me to keep my numbers where they should be, so this was really appreciated.
The found family aspect, the events surrounding Fallon with her team are relatable and happen in real life. I adored how protective Corey and his friends were of her.
This book is a perfect balance of what I enjoy when reading romance books (existing storyline, character development, relatability in some way (bonus), spice, tropes done well, etc.).
I’d highly recommend this to anyone wanting a comfort read with swoon-worthy moments.
One word review: Loved!
Review in emojis: 💔⚽️🏈💉🏫🥹🥵👩🏻❤️👨🏼
I was so excited to team up with this author and be part of her FB group!
I was able to get a first hand glimpse of the work the author does in preparation for publication day.
The One Night Scrimmage is the first book I’ve read from Mariah Dietz, but it surely will not be my last!
This title can be read standalone, but I think I personally would have preferred to have read the others first (to be familiar with the side characters).
I plan on reading the first 3 books, then re-reading this one (hopefully soon - as time permits).
Things I loved:
I really loved Fallon and Corey’s characters. They are Both relatable and likeable main characters.
Though they aren’t necessary for me to enjoy a book, characters like Corey increase my enjoyment of romance books. I think he may be my new book boyfriend haha!
Having a college setting (partly) was great and the story was too. I found myself smiling a lot while reading. I’d say the book was plot and character driven, and the tropes were well done. 👏
The Diabetes (type 1) rep - I am type 2 diabetic - so seeing this in a book for the first time was really nice. It was hard work last year for me to keep my numbers where they should be, so this was really appreciated.
The found family aspect, the events surrounding Fallon with her team are relatable and happen in real life. I adored how protective Corey and his friends were of her.
This book is a perfect balance of what I enjoy when reading romance books (existing storyline, character development, relatability in some way (bonus), spice, tropes done well, etc.).
I’d highly recommend this to anyone wanting a comfort read with swoon-worthy moments.
May 2, 2024
“The One-Night Scrimmage“ is book 4 in the Oleander Springs series and I’m so happy we‘re back! It can be read as a stand-alone (but if you haven‘t already, check out the previous books as well, because they‘re awesome!).
The story is about Fallon, a soccer-playing girl who wants to please everyone and in doing so, she sometimes forgets herself. She breaks character when she has a one-night stand with a stranger. As fate would have it, they attend the same college since she transferred and they meet again! I was so excited for the moment they meet again, I kept on reading and reading til I made it to this scene! Awesome!🥰
I love how Mariah Dietz describes her characters. Fallon shows so many characteristics everybody can relate to, so it’s pretty easy to understand her and connect to her.
And Corey? Well, I don’t know how to start because he‘s pure goodness, really!🥰 *swoon* He’s so caring, appreciative, attentive, kind, loving… I could go on for hours! He‘s so happy to have Fallon around him, with him.. it’s so beautiful to see something like that. Don’t we all wish for someone like Corey in our lives?! Someone who cares, shows affection and stands by your side no matter what?! I sure do! He‘s one of my favorite Hs of all time (tbh, most of my favorite Hs are written by Mariah Dietz 😍).
What I also love about this story is the friendship between the characters of the previous books, Fallon and Corey and some others. It’s amazing how they support each other with everything. They accept Fallon into their circle and stand behind her, no matter what, even without really knowing her. They have a bond that‘s so strong, you just want to be a part of their group. Their friendship was a huge part in the previous books as well, but since the groups grows, I liked it even more in “The One-Night Scrimmage“. It’s beautiful and I really can’t wait for the next book- I might have an idea who could be next (no pressure, Mariah Dietz 😉).
I was lucky to read a really early version of this story and I’m soooooo happy I was allowed to. I was in a reading rut previous to this story and it was just what I needed. It’s a long story, but I liked it even more because you connected to the characters more und they really stuck with me. With many stories I read before “The One-Night Scrimmage“, that wasn’t the case and I hate it. It’s only a good story if it stays with you. 🫶🏻
I recommend this book to everyone!! Read it, buy it!! It’s SO worth it! 😍
The story is about Fallon, a soccer-playing girl who wants to please everyone and in doing so, she sometimes forgets herself. She breaks character when she has a one-night stand with a stranger. As fate would have it, they attend the same college since she transferred and they meet again! I was so excited for the moment they meet again, I kept on reading and reading til I made it to this scene! Awesome!🥰
I love how Mariah Dietz describes her characters. Fallon shows so many characteristics everybody can relate to, so it’s pretty easy to understand her and connect to her.
And Corey? Well, I don’t know how to start because he‘s pure goodness, really!🥰 *swoon* He’s so caring, appreciative, attentive, kind, loving… I could go on for hours! He‘s so happy to have Fallon around him, with him.. it’s so beautiful to see something like that. Don’t we all wish for someone like Corey in our lives?! Someone who cares, shows affection and stands by your side no matter what?! I sure do! He‘s one of my favorite Hs of all time (tbh, most of my favorite Hs are written by Mariah Dietz 😍).
What I also love about this story is the friendship between the characters of the previous books, Fallon and Corey and some others. It’s amazing how they support each other with everything. They accept Fallon into their circle and stand behind her, no matter what, even without really knowing her. They have a bond that‘s so strong, you just want to be a part of their group. Their friendship was a huge part in the previous books as well, but since the groups grows, I liked it even more in “The One-Night Scrimmage“. It’s beautiful and I really can’t wait for the next book- I might have an idea who could be next (no pressure, Mariah Dietz 😉).
I was lucky to read a really early version of this story and I’m soooooo happy I was allowed to. I was in a reading rut previous to this story and it was just what I needed. It’s a long story, but I liked it even more because you connected to the characters more und they really stuck with me. With many stories I read before “The One-Night Scrimmage“, that wasn’t the case and I hate it. It’s only a good story if it stays with you. 🫶🏻
I recommend this book to everyone!! Read it, buy it!! It’s SO worth it! 😍
May 20, 2024
5/5 stars
This is the 4th book in the series and it continues to get better. I have been waiting for Corey's book since the first in the series. He is such a great person and you just wanted to know more about him and see him fall in love.
We have Fallon who might be one of my favorite FMC. She was athletic and dominant on the soccer field who was a great friend who was loyal but she has the guardedness, realness and vulnerability that drew you in and felt real. She had been burned by friends and boyfriends but you did see her grow in herself and learn from the past. She also has Type 1 diabetes and while I have no personal experience with it I felt it was well done and depicted well from what I do know.
Corey is just such a great character who is loyal as well and you get the sense of this found family as well that he is there for and they are there for him. They accept him and in turn Fallon with no judgement and are supportive of her especially when they see how important Fallon is to him. He is such a cinnamon roll hero and I just loved how you saw a MMC support and be there without always taking charge and bulldozing his way into the FMC life.
I love to side characters that we have seen in other books and those who follow me know I love when an author keeps past characters involved and you get to learn more about them and what they are doing and see them in a new capacity.
I adored this book and these characters!
I was blessed enough to receive and ARC and have no issues telling you to read this book!
This is the 4th book in the series and it continues to get better. I have been waiting for Corey's book since the first in the series. He is such a great person and you just wanted to know more about him and see him fall in love.
We have Fallon who might be one of my favorite FMC. She was athletic and dominant on the soccer field who was a great friend who was loyal but she has the guardedness, realness and vulnerability that drew you in and felt real. She had been burned by friends and boyfriends but you did see her grow in herself and learn from the past. She also has Type 1 diabetes and while I have no personal experience with it I felt it was well done and depicted well from what I do know.
Corey is just such a great character who is loyal as well and you get the sense of this found family as well that he is there for and they are there for him. They accept him and in turn Fallon with no judgement and are supportive of her especially when they see how important Fallon is to him. He is such a cinnamon roll hero and I just loved how you saw a MMC support and be there without always taking charge and bulldozing his way into the FMC life.
I love to side characters that we have seen in other books and those who follow me know I love when an author keeps past characters involved and you get to learn more about them and what they are doing and see them in a new capacity.
I adored this book and these characters!
I was blessed enough to receive and ARC and have no issues telling you to read this book!
May 16, 2024
OMG..... If there is one thing I know Mariah knows how to write a leading man.
This is book 4 of the Oleander Springs Series. I loved the three other books and was so excited to see the gang.
Fallon is in a weird time of her life. She broke up with her boyfriend, changed University, and the soccer team. She's at a Bachelorette weekend and runs into a dark haired stranger and propositions a one night stand with no info on each other. That dark haired stranger is Corey, a college football player.
Fallon finds his number and decides to text him. They both start getting feelings for each other the more they talk. Then they find out the college she transferred to was his college. Only problem is the only girl nice to her on the team likes Corey and she doesn't want to ruin that relationship. The attraction is too strong between the two and they can't fight it anymore.
This book had so many great parts but the number 1 thing to discuss is the awareness brought to type 1 diabetes. I feel like this is a disease that people don't know enough about and the way it was written was hopefully eye opening to people.
Now on to the juicy part. Corey was just amazing. The things he said to Fallon and the fact he researched diabetes for her. Can you say swoon because that's exactly what I did.
This book had everything I wanted.
✔️ Spice
✔️ Drama
✔️ Sports Romance (both male and female)
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Golden Retriever Hero
This is book 4 of the Oleander Springs Series. I loved the three other books and was so excited to see the gang.
Fallon is in a weird time of her life. She broke up with her boyfriend, changed University, and the soccer team. She's at a Bachelorette weekend and runs into a dark haired stranger and propositions a one night stand with no info on each other. That dark haired stranger is Corey, a college football player.
Fallon finds his number and decides to text him. They both start getting feelings for each other the more they talk. Then they find out the college she transferred to was his college. Only problem is the only girl nice to her on the team likes Corey and she doesn't want to ruin that relationship. The attraction is too strong between the two and they can't fight it anymore.
This book had so many great parts but the number 1 thing to discuss is the awareness brought to type 1 diabetes. I feel like this is a disease that people don't know enough about and the way it was written was hopefully eye opening to people.
Now on to the juicy part. Corey was just amazing. The things he said to Fallon and the fact he researched diabetes for her. Can you say swoon because that's exactly what I did.
This book had everything I wanted.
✔️ Spice
✔️ Drama
✔️ Sports Romance (both male and female)
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Golden Retriever Hero
May 18, 2024
I was very excited to go back to Oleander Springs. I missed this group of friends! Fallon is a great addition. I think she really needed this group. Why? Because her self-worth drove me insane! She definitely is a people pleaser. However her people pleasing tendencies meant that she was willingly sacrificing her happiness and that irritated the daylights out of me! She almost gave up on Corey because of Kelly?! Even when Corey said he wasn't interested? And the way her new teammates treated her? Nope, I wouldn't have stood for that. She's a great soccer player but her backbone needed some work. Because of all of that it took me a bit to love her. She officially won me over when she stood her ground with Breanne. It took forever but that was what I needed from her.
Now Corey? I liked Corey. I felt for Corey. He was so humble and kind. He was patient and understanding. I loved him. However I think I loved his sister more.. lol. She was the push he constantly needed.
These two were great. I'm glad they finally got their HEA even if it seemed to take for..ev...er... (yes this book was a bit long). I loved seeing the past couples and how they easily welcomed Fallon into their "family". Fallon definitely needed to see that not all people were like her ex-boyfriend, ex-teammates, and current teammates. Now though? I really need a book about Palmer. I hope he gets a run for his ego!
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review*
Now Corey? I liked Corey. I felt for Corey. He was so humble and kind. He was patient and understanding. I loved him. However I think I loved his sister more.. lol. She was the push he constantly needed.
These two were great. I'm glad they finally got their HEA even if it seemed to take for..ev...er... (yes this book was a bit long). I loved seeing the past couples and how they easily welcomed Fallon into their "family". Fallon definitely needed to see that not all people were like her ex-boyfriend, ex-teammates, and current teammates. Now though? I really need a book about Palmer. I hope he gets a run for his ego!
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review*
May 28, 2024
This is book number 4 of the Oleander Springs Series and focuses on Corey and Fallon. While you don’t need to read the other books in the series to be able to read this one, I highly recommend it for a better understanding of all the characters within the story. Fallon is a new transfer student and soccer player at Camden University. She had been attending a rival school but when a hard to pass up opportunity to transfer to Camden University came up, she took it. Corey is a star wide receiver on the football team for Camden University. The two had met during her cousin's bachelorette party and spent a great night together. It was supposed to be one night but it turned into so much more. I absolutely loved everything about Corey and Fallon! I love how they built up their relationship and how organic it felt. I have said this about every single book Mariah has put out and I will say it again, the found family in this story is everything. She does such a great job at surrounding her characters with genuine, supportive, and loving friends that turn into family. This is such an important component of all of her stories and it is honestly SO refreshing to see every time. I love how this author is able to draw you into the story right out of the gate and keeps you captivated with her amazing storytelling. This was an excellent story and a fabulous addition to this series!
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 21, 2024
✨️eARC Review✨️
5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶
*The One-Night Scrimmage is book 4 in the Oleander Springs series, which is a series of interconnected stadalones*
While on a scavenger hunt for a bachelorette party, Fallon decides to propose a one night to a stranger at the bar to take her mind of her cheating ex and transferring to play soccer at her previous rival's college. The rules are one night and no information. After finding the stranger's # from the scavenger hunt, they begin talking without revealing names or locations until they run into each at the same college. Secrets and friendship turn to more, but is it worth the risks?
This was my first book by Mariah, and I loved it! I couldn't put it down, and while I wish I would've had time to read books 1-3 prior to this book, I was still able to follow Corey's friend group seamlessly. I really like that Fallon had Lexie to balance out each other's personalities and that Fallon and Corey had each other for the different obstacles they experienced. I love a found family trope, and while Fallon has amazing family, she doesn't really experience friends that are family until she meets Corey's friend group. Corey is all around a good guy, and I'm glad his sister, as well as Fallon, have him in their corner. I can't wait to go back and read the rest of Mariah's Oleander Springs series plus The Dating Playbook series!
Tropes:
✔️ Forbidden College Romance
✔️ Soccer Player FMC
✔️ Football Player MMC
✔️ Secret Relationship
✔️ Billionaire Hero
✔️ One Night Stand
✔️ Found Family
✔️ Golden Retriever Hero
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Chronic Health Rep
5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶
*The One-Night Scrimmage is book 4 in the Oleander Springs series, which is a series of interconnected stadalones*
While on a scavenger hunt for a bachelorette party, Fallon decides to propose a one night to a stranger at the bar to take her mind of her cheating ex and transferring to play soccer at her previous rival's college. The rules are one night and no information. After finding the stranger's # from the scavenger hunt, they begin talking without revealing names or locations until they run into each at the same college. Secrets and friendship turn to more, but is it worth the risks?
This was my first book by Mariah, and I loved it! I couldn't put it down, and while I wish I would've had time to read books 1-3 prior to this book, I was still able to follow Corey's friend group seamlessly. I really like that Fallon had Lexie to balance out each other's personalities and that Fallon and Corey had each other for the different obstacles they experienced. I love a found family trope, and while Fallon has amazing family, she doesn't really experience friends that are family until she meets Corey's friend group. Corey is all around a good guy, and I'm glad his sister, as well as Fallon, have him in their corner. I can't wait to go back and read the rest of Mariah's Oleander Springs series plus The Dating Playbook series!
Tropes:
✔️ Forbidden College Romance
✔️ Soccer Player FMC
✔️ Football Player MMC
✔️ Secret Relationship
✔️ Billionaire Hero
✔️ One Night Stand
✔️ Found Family
✔️ Golden Retriever Hero
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Chronic Health Rep
May 10, 2024
5 Stars for this emotional journey
"She’s my first thought in the morning and remains there long after I close my eyes." ... I love this line!
I loved Fallon and Corey! It broke my heart the way Fallon's new teammates treated her ... mean girls! And all Corey wanted to do was protect her ... who wouldn't love a hunk with a heart of gold? The chemistry between Fallon and Corey is off the charts. I love that the characters from previous (and hopefully future) books are in this book quite a bit and the banter between everyone is so realistic. One minute I would be laughing and the next I needed a tissue. The author didn't shy away from sensitive health topics like cancer and diabetes (which I learned a lot about). This is a wonderful addition to the series and I sure hope that Lexie, Palmer and Callum get their stories told. (hint hint)
Corey and Fallon are strangers who have a one-night stand. But they are shocked when they come face-to-face at Camden University ... hours away from where they met. Corey is a senior and a star on the football team. Fallon is a junior and has just transferred from Camden's rival university and is a star on the soccer field.
I received an early copy courtesy of the author.
"She’s my first thought in the morning and remains there long after I close my eyes." ... I love this line!
I loved Fallon and Corey! It broke my heart the way Fallon's new teammates treated her ... mean girls! And all Corey wanted to do was protect her ... who wouldn't love a hunk with a heart of gold? The chemistry between Fallon and Corey is off the charts. I love that the characters from previous (and hopefully future) books are in this book quite a bit and the banter between everyone is so realistic. One minute I would be laughing and the next I needed a tissue. The author didn't shy away from sensitive health topics like cancer and diabetes (which I learned a lot about). This is a wonderful addition to the series and I sure hope that Lexie, Palmer and Callum get their stories told. (hint hint)
Corey and Fallon are strangers who have a one-night stand. But they are shocked when they come face-to-face at Camden University ... hours away from where they met. Corey is a senior and a star on the football team. Fallon is a junior and has just transferred from Camden's rival university and is a star on the soccer field.
I received an early copy courtesy of the author.
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