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Prescott University #1
Red Card
In this heartfelt sports romance, a British bad boy rugby player finds an unlikely ally in the coach’s daughter.
British bad boy Cillian “Kill” Cairney is ruthless on the rugby pitch. After getting a permanent red card from his team in London, the only team that will have him is an Ivy League school in New Hampshire. But the guys hate him, his coach doesn’t trust him, and worst of all? His starting position is in the hands of his coach’s fiery, rugby-obsessed, very off-limits daughter, Rory. He'll have to earn the respect of both his coach and Rory—and nothing has ever seemed more difficult. That is, until she approaches him with a proposition that could benefit them both . . .
Rory St. James has spent all her life immersed in rugby. She’s tired of being friend-zoned. She wants to get the guy, and to do that, she needs the frustratingly charming Cillian to teach her. But the more time they spend together, the more lines begin to blur.
In a game where trust and loyalty are tested, who will be the winner? Or will love be the final red card?
British bad boy Cillian “Kill” Cairney is ruthless on the rugby pitch. After getting a permanent red card from his team in London, the only team that will have him is an Ivy League school in New Hampshire. But the guys hate him, his coach doesn’t trust him, and worst of all? His starting position is in the hands of his coach’s fiery, rugby-obsessed, very off-limits daughter, Rory. He'll have to earn the respect of both his coach and Rory—and nothing has ever seemed more difficult. That is, until she approaches him with a proposition that could benefit them both . . .
Rory St. James has spent all her life immersed in rugby. She’s tired of being friend-zoned. She wants to get the guy, and to do that, she needs the frustratingly charming Cillian to teach her. But the more time they spend together, the more lines begin to blur.
In a game where trust and loyalty are tested, who will be the winner? Or will love be the final red card?
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First published August 12, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,334 reviews
August 12, 2025
Red Card is one of those books that is easy to breeze through, does not demand much of you, and delivers the usual mix of romance, sports, and spice. While it did exactly what it set out to do, which was entertain me for a few hours, it also confirmed that I probably need to step away from contemporary romances for a while because too many of them are starting to feel the same in a way that is not comforting anymore but just repetitive.
The setup was pretty fun with strong She’s the Man and She’s All That vibes. Cillian, a British rugby player with a bad attitude, gets a second chance at a US college team, while Rory, the coach’s daughter who knows the sport inside and out but somehow always ends up in the friend zone, asks him to teach her how to get the guy she wants. Their banter worked, the tension was there, the dynamic felt promising, and for the first half I thought I would be in for a good slow-burn payoff.
But once they kissed, the pacing just fell apart. The relationship moved so quickly that the emotional development never caught up. The chemistry was strong but had no time to build into anything layered, and it felt like we skipped the part where they actually connected on a deeper level, going straight to the physical in a way that made the rest of the romance feel rushed and a bit hollow.
There were moments where the book seemed to gesture toward deeper themes like grief and losing a parent, but they stayed in the background instead of becoming a meaningful part of the characters’ journeys. This was frustrating because they had the potential to add weight and nuance but instead felt like background props. Rory’s “one of the guys” persona, which is central to the plot, often read like a newer version of the old “I’m not like other girls” trope, which I have never loved, and her character did not develop much beyond that tomboy framing which wore thin the longer I read.
My favourite part by far was the friendship between Rory and Cillian before they got together. It had charm, banter, and that will-they-won’t-they tension I love. But once the romance kicked in, the balance shifted so heavily toward spice that it lost the emotional pull that made the first half work for me. I like spice in romance but I need it to be built on something more substantial, and with Maren Moore’s books I have noticed she tends to favour spice over substance, which works for a lot of readers but just does not scratch the itch I have for emotional stakes and genuine character growth.
That said, there were still fun touches. The team dynamics, the side characters, and the easy lived-in world of the book all kept it from feeling flat. But overall Red Card was quick, light, and fine, the kind of read I might reach for when I want something low-stakes and undemanding but not one I will think about once I have put it down.
Thank you Hachette Audio for the ALC.
The setup was pretty fun with strong She’s the Man and She’s All That vibes. Cillian, a British rugby player with a bad attitude, gets a second chance at a US college team, while Rory, the coach’s daughter who knows the sport inside and out but somehow always ends up in the friend zone, asks him to teach her how to get the guy she wants. Their banter worked, the tension was there, the dynamic felt promising, and for the first half I thought I would be in for a good slow-burn payoff.
But once they kissed, the pacing just fell apart. The relationship moved so quickly that the emotional development never caught up. The chemistry was strong but had no time to build into anything layered, and it felt like we skipped the part where they actually connected on a deeper level, going straight to the physical in a way that made the rest of the romance feel rushed and a bit hollow.
There were moments where the book seemed to gesture toward deeper themes like grief and losing a parent, but they stayed in the background instead of becoming a meaningful part of the characters’ journeys. This was frustrating because they had the potential to add weight and nuance but instead felt like background props. Rory’s “one of the guys” persona, which is central to the plot, often read like a newer version of the old “I’m not like other girls” trope, which I have never loved, and her character did not develop much beyond that tomboy framing which wore thin the longer I read.
My favourite part by far was the friendship between Rory and Cillian before they got together. It had charm, banter, and that will-they-won’t-they tension I love. But once the romance kicked in, the balance shifted so heavily toward spice that it lost the emotional pull that made the first half work for me. I like spice in romance but I need it to be built on something more substantial, and with Maren Moore’s books I have noticed she tends to favour spice over substance, which works for a lot of readers but just does not scratch the itch I have for emotional stakes and genuine character growth.
That said, there were still fun touches. The team dynamics, the side characters, and the easy lived-in world of the book all kept it from feeling flat. But overall Red Card was quick, light, and fine, the kind of read I might reach for when I want something low-stakes and undemanding but not one I will think about once I have put it down.
Thank you Hachette Audio for the ALC.
August 9, 2025
જ⁀➴ 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4)
Thank you to NetGalley, Maren Moore, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Red Card will be officially published on August 12th, 2025!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆
I don't remember the last time I read and finished a book in one day. I also don't remember the last time I read a college sports romance, but Red Card was so refreshing to read, and I can't wait for everyone else to read this when it comes out! It was such a unique, fun take on a sport that doesn't have a lot of traction in the sports romance world compared to other sports like hockey, for example, and I'm glad it's getting its moment in the spotlight!
Rory St. James is the daughter of a rugby coach at her college, Prescott University. Growing up with her and her dad made her a sports nerd, leaving her with a lot of guy friends who see her as one of the boys and nothing else. Enter Cillian "Kill" Cairney, a rugby player who joins the rugby team. He's straight out of England with a dark past, leaving him closed off and quiet. When he catches Rory in an awkward flirting moment at a party, they strike a deal: he teaches her how to flirt and get guys, and she helps him get in the good graces of his new team members, who are less than enthusiastic about a new player joining in the middle of the season.
I've already said this, but I thought this was a fun take on a sport that isn't written about a lot! There's not a ton of rugby romances out there aside from the Boys of Tommen series, so I'm glad it's getting its moment in the spotlight. I know everyone loves their F1 and hockey romances right now, but I would love to see other sports get their moment in the spotlight, too.
Rory and Cillian? WHEW, I could feel the tension building up between them the entire story. I've read my fair share of rom-coms this year where I felt like there was no chemistry, no buildup, and no tension between the two MCs, so this was a breath of fresh air amongst all of the other books and ARCs I've read this year so far. Listen, Cillian might be a business major, but he might as well have minored in yearnalism (*bam dum tiss*) with the amount of pining he did in this story. The tension was done so well, and I thought that having both Rory and Cillian's POVs made it that much better. As for the spice, I wouldn't say it's the spiciest thing I've ever read, but I think the tension and the intimacy between the two that built up for so long throughout the story (yes, this is a slow burn!) made it that much better. I spent SO much of the book being like, "JUST KISS ALREADY DAMNIT!"
While we get a lot of great interactions between Rory and Cillian, I felt that each of them individually as characters needed some more work. Let's break this down:
°˖➴ Rory: I love how Cillian helped her get out of her shell and discover other parts of her personality and who she was underneath the hardened, tomboyish exterior she initially gives off. She discovered a lot of things about herself throughout the story: her style and fashion taste, her confidence, and her taste in men (aka British rugby guys with thick thighs and tattoo sleeves). Outside of that, I couldn't really tell you much else, aside from the fact she knows A LOT about rugby and other sports.
She has a REALLY close relationship with her dad that I still don't know how to feel about yet, even after reading and writing this review. It's sweet, but it's also borderline kind of...odd that she constantly thinks about him and worries about him 24/7. I understand why she felt that way throughout the story, considering her background story, but at the same time, I feel like she should know that he's perfectly capable of doing things on his own as a fully-grown adult.
There's a part in the story where she talks about how she feels like she needs to be there for him because who else is going to remind him to take his blood pressure medications? Who else is going to hang out with him? Who else is going to cook for him? (This is NOT a spoiler for anything, just a part of a monologue she has!)
Like, as a pharmacist, I get it, some people need some reminders here and there to take their meds, and whether they use an alarm every day, a pill box, someone reminding them, etc., as long as they're compliant, I'm a happy camper. But her dad is also like, fully capable of coaching an entire rugby team and handling things on his own as a fully grown adult. Like, how can he not know how to cook for himself? I'm also sure he has friends, right? The way Rory talked about him made it feel like he was incapable of doing anything without her, and I just feel like that's not 100% true.
°˖➴ Cillian: I wish we got to read more about his life back in England and his interactions with the team. I know he had a dark past in England, and it was constantly alluded to and eventually discussed throughout the story, but I wish we got to learn more about the good parts of his life there. The only things we know about his past are, in fact, all of the bad stuff about his life and what prompted the move to the US. I wish we got more background on him in general. What got him into rugby? Why does he love the sport? What made him decide to want to go pro after graduating? What made him the happiest when he lived there?
As for the team, it's painfully obvious that they did not get off on the right foot at first. With some help from Rory, he slowly becomes a part of them, and I loved all the wholesome interactions between all of the characters as Cillian adjusted to a new life and the new team. I wish we had more of those interactions on-page. There were a lot of times where I was reading and I was like, "Oh, okay, so they're all buddy-buddy now, I wonder when that happened off-page."
Overall, I loved this book and if you're looking for a sports romance that's somewhat off the beaten path of other sports, please pick this up! I'm honestly going to buy a physical copy for myself as a trophy on publishing day, and I can't wait to see what Maren Moore has in store next for the Prescott University series! I have a weird feeling we might be getting a book about Aisling, Cillian's super-genius younger sister! It felt like there was some major foreshadowing in Red Card and I'm curious to see if the next book will be about her! If it's not her, I hope it's Fitz or Wren.
(P.S. I will now be referring to caterpillars as "Satan's eyebrows" moving forward.🐛)
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆
Trigger/content warnings: sexual content, death of a family member, hospitalization, drugging, physical assault/fighting, alcohol consumption
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: FOMO's getting to me. I've heard so many good things about Red Card and Maren Moore's books in general, so when this was Read Now on NetGalley a few months ago, I couldn't resist! This is my first rugby sports romance and I'll admit that I know NOTHING about rugby aside from the fact that it's very similar to American football (which I'm a huge fan of, happy preseason day to all my fellow NFL fans!), so I hope I enjoy this!💜🩷🏉
This is ARC 2/20 for my ARC lineup for August 2025! (I'm so cooked, but I'll figure out how to finish all of these eventually!)
Thank you to NetGalley, Maren Moore, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Red Card will be officially published on August 12th, 2025!
"I've realized that houses with walls, roofs, and memories, they're not home. They're simply somewhere you live. Where you go to bed each night and wake up every morning.
But your real home? It's the beating, breathing heart of the person you love.
The one you'd do anything in the world for.
That's who she is for me. She nestled her way into my heart, into the seams of my soul, into my bones, my breath. Everything belongs to her."
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆
I don't remember the last time I read and finished a book in one day. I also don't remember the last time I read a college sports romance, but Red Card was so refreshing to read, and I can't wait for everyone else to read this when it comes out! It was such a unique, fun take on a sport that doesn't have a lot of traction in the sports romance world compared to other sports like hockey, for example, and I'm glad it's getting its moment in the spotlight!
Rory St. James is the daughter of a rugby coach at her college, Prescott University. Growing up with her and her dad made her a sports nerd, leaving her with a lot of guy friends who see her as one of the boys and nothing else. Enter Cillian "Kill" Cairney, a rugby player who joins the rugby team. He's straight out of England with a dark past, leaving him closed off and quiet. When he catches Rory in an awkward flirting moment at a party, they strike a deal: he teaches her how to flirt and get guys, and she helps him get in the good graces of his new team members, who are less than enthusiastic about a new player joining in the middle of the season.
I've already said this, but I thought this was a fun take on a sport that isn't written about a lot! There's not a ton of rugby romances out there aside from the Boys of Tommen series, so I'm glad it's getting its moment in the spotlight. I know everyone loves their F1 and hockey romances right now, but I would love to see other sports get their moment in the spotlight, too.
Rory and Cillian? WHEW, I could feel the tension building up between them the entire story. I've read my fair share of rom-coms this year where I felt like there was no chemistry, no buildup, and no tension between the two MCs, so this was a breath of fresh air amongst all of the other books and ARCs I've read this year so far. Listen, Cillian might be a business major, but he might as well have minored in yearnalism (*bam dum tiss*) with the amount of pining he did in this story. The tension was done so well, and I thought that having both Rory and Cillian's POVs made it that much better. As for the spice, I wouldn't say it's the spiciest thing I've ever read, but I think the tension and the intimacy between the two that built up for so long throughout the story (yes, this is a slow burn!) made it that much better. I spent SO much of the book being like, "JUST KISS ALREADY DAMNIT!"
While we get a lot of great interactions between Rory and Cillian, I felt that each of them individually as characters needed some more work. Let's break this down:
°˖➴ Rory: I love how Cillian helped her get out of her shell and discover other parts of her personality and who she was underneath the hardened, tomboyish exterior she initially gives off. She discovered a lot of things about herself throughout the story: her style and fashion taste, her confidence, and her taste in men (aka British rugby guys with thick thighs and tattoo sleeves). Outside of that, I couldn't really tell you much else, aside from the fact she knows A LOT about rugby and other sports.
She has a REALLY close relationship with her dad that I still don't know how to feel about yet, even after reading and writing this review. It's sweet, but it's also borderline kind of...odd that she constantly thinks about him and worries about him 24/7. I understand why she felt that way throughout the story, considering her background story, but at the same time, I feel like she should know that he's perfectly capable of doing things on his own as a fully-grown adult.
There's a part in the story where she talks about how she feels like she needs to be there for him because who else is going to remind him to take his blood pressure medications? Who else is going to hang out with him? Who else is going to cook for him? (This is NOT a spoiler for anything, just a part of a monologue she has!)
Like, as a pharmacist, I get it, some people need some reminders here and there to take their meds, and whether they use an alarm every day, a pill box, someone reminding them, etc., as long as they're compliant, I'm a happy camper. But her dad is also like, fully capable of coaching an entire rugby team and handling things on his own as a fully grown adult. Like, how can he not know how to cook for himself? I'm also sure he has friends, right? The way Rory talked about him made it feel like he was incapable of doing anything without her, and I just feel like that's not 100% true.
°˖➴ Cillian: I wish we got to read more about his life back in England and his interactions with the team. I know he had a dark past in England, and it was constantly alluded to and eventually discussed throughout the story, but I wish we got to learn more about the good parts of his life there. The only things we know about his past are, in fact, all of the bad stuff about his life and what prompted the move to the US. I wish we got more background on him in general. What got him into rugby? Why does he love the sport? What made him decide to want to go pro after graduating? What made him the happiest when he lived there?
As for the team, it's painfully obvious that they did not get off on the right foot at first. With some help from Rory, he slowly becomes a part of them, and I loved all the wholesome interactions between all of the characters as Cillian adjusted to a new life and the new team. I wish we had more of those interactions on-page. There were a lot of times where I was reading and I was like, "Oh, okay, so they're all buddy-buddy now, I wonder when that happened off-page."
Overall, I loved this book and if you're looking for a sports romance that's somewhat off the beaten path of other sports, please pick this up! I'm honestly going to buy a physical copy for myself as a trophy on publishing day, and I can't wait to see what Maren Moore has in store next for the Prescott University series! I have a weird feeling we might be getting a book about Aisling, Cillian's super-genius younger sister! It felt like there was some major foreshadowing in Red Card and I'm curious to see if the next book will be about her! If it's not her, I hope it's Fitz or Wren.
(P.S. I will now be referring to caterpillars as "Satan's eyebrows" moving forward.🐛)
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆ ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆
Trigger/content warnings: sexual content, death of a family member, hospitalization, drugging, physical assault/fighting, alcohol consumption
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: FOMO's getting to me. I've heard so many good things about Red Card and Maren Moore's books in general, so when this was Read Now on NetGalley a few months ago, I couldn't resist! This is my first rugby sports romance and I'll admit that I know NOTHING about rugby aside from the fact that it's very similar to American football (which I'm a huge fan of, happy preseason day to all my fellow NFL fans!), so I hope I enjoy this!💜🩷🏉
This is ARC 2/20 for my ARC lineup for August 2025! (I'm so cooked, but I'll figure out how to finish all of these eventually!)
May 22, 2025
♥ My Thoughts & Rating ♥
This was such a fun college sports romance novel! I really enjoyed the story, the banter and the main characters! It is a medium paced read that had me feeling emotional and lighthearted! This book also made me laugh a lot, which I wasn’t expecting. It has lovable characters, a clear thesis and was easy to read! It’s all about a forbidden romance between a coach and player, spice and everything nice! I could really feel the chemistry between the main characters in this story. This book comes with a British bad boy and a good girl trope! This rugby sports romance is definitely one that I will remember!
It follows the female main character named Rory and the male main character named Cillian. They get together and the spice just gets spicier! However, will this end as a happily ever after couple or will their forbidden romance come between them and the game? As the story unfolds, we get to see the characters change and grow and the chemistry these two truly have for one another! Overall, I rate this a 4 out of 5 stars!
♥ Content Warnings & what movie this reminds me of ♥
Content warnings include death, explicit sexual content and grief. This book reminded me of the movie “She’s All That”, but add some spice to it!
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, author Maren Moore and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Release Date ♥
This book is expected to be published on August 12, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
❤️ Sports RomCom
✔️ Emotional & Lighthearted
❤️ British Bad Boy & Good Girl
✔️ Forbidden Romance
❤️ Coach & Player Romance
✔️ Spicy 🌶️
❤️ College Rugby
✔️ The movie “She’s All That” Vibes
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
This was such a fun college sports romance novel! I really enjoyed the story, the banter and the main characters! It is a medium paced read that had me feeling emotional and lighthearted! This book also made me laugh a lot, which I wasn’t expecting. It has lovable characters, a clear thesis and was easy to read! It’s all about a forbidden romance between a coach and player, spice and everything nice! I could really feel the chemistry between the main characters in this story. This book comes with a British bad boy and a good girl trope! This rugby sports romance is definitely one that I will remember!
It follows the female main character named Rory and the male main character named Cillian. They get together and the spice just gets spicier! However, will this end as a happily ever after couple or will their forbidden romance come between them and the game? As the story unfolds, we get to see the characters change and grow and the chemistry these two truly have for one another! Overall, I rate this a 4 out of 5 stars!
♥ Content Warnings & what movie this reminds me of ♥
Content warnings include death, explicit sexual content and grief. This book reminded me of the movie “She’s All That”, but add some spice to it!
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, author Maren Moore and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Release Date ♥
This book is expected to be published on August 12, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
❤️ Sports RomCom
✔️ Emotional & Lighthearted
❤️ British Bad Boy & Good Girl
✔️ Forbidden Romance
❤️ Coach & Player Romance
✔️ Spicy 🌶️
❤️ College Rugby
✔️ The movie “She’s All That” Vibes
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
August 12, 2025
“𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏...” 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒔 𝒆𝒓𝒖𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒉. “𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒂 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏, 𝑹𝒐𝒓𝒚?”
She was spicy, fluffy, and everything nice 💖 in this coach’s daughter x bad boy story. I loved it so much!! And YES it’s RUGBY 🏉, aka thighs are represented and they are done very well (thank you, Maren 😏).
To summarize Cillian has just transferred to Prescott University mid-season to join the rugby team, and let’s just say… he’s not exactly winning “teammate of the year” with his bad boy reputation 🙃. Enter Rory, coach’s daughter, and the girl who’s basically everyone’s favorite on the team. When Rory asks Cillian for help with her flirting skills to get out of the "she's one of the guys" zone and he agrees, thus start the “lessons” which start out innocent until they aren’t 🔥
If you love the “teach me” trope, trust me when I say this book is for you 💫 The plot is straightforward, but the characters? AGH so cute! (and hot) I adored how Cillian was trying SO HARD not to give in to his attraction to Rory, while Rory was over here confused as to why Cillian might like her. Her mix of confusion and slow realization made this book even better.
Rory is an absolute spitfire who is also blunt, hilarious, and not afraid to stand up to the guys, but also becomes vulnerable when it came to why she needed the lessons 🥺 And Cillian… oh Cillian. Hard nut to crack on the outside, but once Rory breaks through those walls… total softie 🫠💗 YOUR HONOR, WE LOVE HIM!!!
Maren Moore always delivers easy, addictive reads that hook you instantly 📖✨ and this one was no different. She is the spice queen 🌶️ and I can't wait to see the rest of the series.
tropes
🏉 college sports
🏉 broken boy x good girl
🏉 teach me
🏉 coach's daughter
🏉 spicyyyy
Thank you Forever for my eARC and gifted copy!
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ oh well look at that another sports romance 😉 I love Maren Moore books!!! I hope this one is the same
She was spicy, fluffy, and everything nice 💖 in this coach’s daughter x bad boy story. I loved it so much!! And YES it’s RUGBY 🏉, aka thighs are represented and they are done very well (thank you, Maren 😏).
To summarize Cillian has just transferred to Prescott University mid-season to join the rugby team, and let’s just say… he’s not exactly winning “teammate of the year” with his bad boy reputation 🙃. Enter Rory, coach’s daughter, and the girl who’s basically everyone’s favorite on the team. When Rory asks Cillian for help with her flirting skills to get out of the "she's one of the guys" zone and he agrees, thus start the “lessons” which start out innocent until they aren’t 🔥
If you love the “teach me” trope, trust me when I say this book is for you 💫 The plot is straightforward, but the characters? AGH so cute! (and hot) I adored how Cillian was trying SO HARD not to give in to his attraction to Rory, while Rory was over here confused as to why Cillian might like her. Her mix of confusion and slow realization made this book even better.
Rory is an absolute spitfire who is also blunt, hilarious, and not afraid to stand up to the guys, but also becomes vulnerable when it came to why she needed the lessons 🥺 And Cillian… oh Cillian. Hard nut to crack on the outside, but once Rory breaks through those walls… total softie 🫠💗 YOUR HONOR, WE LOVE HIM!!!
Maren Moore always delivers easy, addictive reads that hook you instantly 📖✨ and this one was no different. She is the spice queen 🌶️ and I can't wait to see the rest of the series.
tropes
🏉 college sports
🏉 broken boy x good girl
🏉 teach me
🏉 coach's daughter
🏉 spicyyyy
Thank you Forever for my eARC and gifted copy!
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ oh well look at that another sports romance 😉 I love Maren Moore books!!! I hope this one is the same
October 6, 2025
“it’s the only thing i’ve never been a hundred percent honest about. the only thing i’m guilty of. that night in your bed, i told you that i was falling for you, but the truth is i’m already in love with you, rory st. james. so fucking in love with you that sometimes it feels like i can’t breathe.”
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚༉‧₊˚✧˚₊⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
༉‧₊˚❀ rating: 5/5 stars
༉‧₊˚❀ summary: kill cairney, a british rugby bad boy whose career ends in scandal, lands one final chance at redemption playing for an ivy league team in new hampshire. his only path forward involves earning the trust of rory st. james, the coach’s daughter, rugby obsessed and totally off-limits. they strike a deal to help each other but as their walls come down, feelings rise and rules start to break.
༉‧₊˚❀ spice rating: 4/5 — steamy, tension filled, satisfying
༉‧₊˚❀ thoughts:
i loved red card. it was such a fun, emotional read that surprised me in all the best ways. kill isn’t just a stereotypical broody bad boy, he has layers and a real redemption arc. rory is more than just the coach’s daughter, she’s smart, funny, and trying to find her own footing. their chemistry was off the charts but also heartfelt. the slow burn worked perfectly and when the payoff finally came, it felt earned.
what pushed this to five stars for me was the fact that there was no third act breakup. finally a romance that lets the couple be grown ups, communicate, and stay together instead of falling apart for fake drama. it made their relationship feel stronger and made the ending so much more satisfying.
i loved the mix of romance and rugby too. it gave the story texture without drowning out the emotional beats. i laughed, i swooned, and i felt for both of them as they tried to rewrite their own stories. i’ll definitely be picking up more maren moore books after this one.
༉‧₊˚❀ tropes:
ꕥ forbidden romance / coach’s daughter
ꕥ slow burn
ꕥ redemption arc
ꕥ opposites attract
ꕥ no third act breakup
༉‧₊˚❀ fave quotes:
✿ “it’s the only thing i’ve never been a hundred percent honest about. the only thing i’m guilty of. that night in your bed, i told you that i was falling for you, but the truth is i’m already in love with you, rory st. james. so fucking in love with you that sometimes it feels like i can’t breathe.”
✿ “i love you, rory. you breathed life into me again, and now i just… i can’t live without you.”
✿ “no, st. james. you’re wrong. i want you so fucking bad that i’m losing my bloody mind. you think i haven’t stopped thinking about kissing you?”
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚༉‧₊˚✧˚₊⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
༉‧₊˚❀ rating: 5/5 stars
༉‧₊˚❀ summary: kill cairney, a british rugby bad boy whose career ends in scandal, lands one final chance at redemption playing for an ivy league team in new hampshire. his only path forward involves earning the trust of rory st. james, the coach’s daughter, rugby obsessed and totally off-limits. they strike a deal to help each other but as their walls come down, feelings rise and rules start to break.
༉‧₊˚❀ spice rating: 4/5 — steamy, tension filled, satisfying
༉‧₊˚❀ thoughts:
i loved red card. it was such a fun, emotional read that surprised me in all the best ways. kill isn’t just a stereotypical broody bad boy, he has layers and a real redemption arc. rory is more than just the coach’s daughter, she’s smart, funny, and trying to find her own footing. their chemistry was off the charts but also heartfelt. the slow burn worked perfectly and when the payoff finally came, it felt earned.
what pushed this to five stars for me was the fact that there was no third act breakup. finally a romance that lets the couple be grown ups, communicate, and stay together instead of falling apart for fake drama. it made their relationship feel stronger and made the ending so much more satisfying.
i loved the mix of romance and rugby too. it gave the story texture without drowning out the emotional beats. i laughed, i swooned, and i felt for both of them as they tried to rewrite their own stories. i’ll definitely be picking up more maren moore books after this one.
༉‧₊˚❀ tropes:
ꕥ forbidden romance / coach’s daughter
ꕥ slow burn
ꕥ redemption arc
ꕥ opposites attract
ꕥ no third act breakup
༉‧₊˚❀ fave quotes:
✿ “it’s the only thing i’ve never been a hundred percent honest about. the only thing i’m guilty of. that night in your bed, i told you that i was falling for you, but the truth is i’m already in love with you, rory st. james. so fucking in love with you that sometimes it feels like i can’t breathe.”
✿ “i love you, rory. you breathed life into me again, and now i just… i can’t live without you.”
✿ “no, st. james. you’re wrong. i want you so fucking bad that i’m losing my bloody mind. you think i haven’t stopped thinking about kissing you?”
August 17, 2025
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Predictable fun
When British rugby player Cillian “Kill” Cairney gets a permanent red card in London, there’s only one team that’ll take him, an Ivy League school in New Hampshire, even if the players don’t want him around. But he needs this chance to work, to set things right, and take care of his younger sister. He has to earn the coach’s respect and impress Rory, the coach’s daughter, who lives and breathes rugby.
Rory grew up loving rugby. This made her an expert, and the team treats her like a bro. The problem is that every other guy also seems to think of her as a wing woman and a bro rather than someone they can date. After a flirting disaster, Rory comes up with an impulsively brilliant plan – Cillian will help her flirt, and she’ll help him bond with the teammates.
What could go wrong?
The story comes in Rory and Cillian’s first-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
In a way, this is pretty predictable, but that’s not a surprise since most books in the genre are! It has a few flaws, too. On the whole, it’s a fun read if you don’t nit-pick.
The dual POV is good as we get both their thoughts and see the story progress from their perspectives. Moreover, the voices are distinguishable, which makes it easier to read.
Though this is a sports romance, it is basically a romance. Sports is there, but only to the extent of a bit of team tussle, mention of practices, and a couple of moves. This could go either way. I don’t mind since rugby is not my game. But if you want to know something useful about the game, you won’t find it here.
This is a new adult romance, and surprise, surprise, one of those rare books that worked for me to an extent, probably coz it’s pretty lighthearted and the characters are mature enough for their ages. Sure, the FMC has strong pick-me-up vibes, but she doesn’t want to be that. Of course, there’s a backstory, so it doesn’t feel off.
The MMC is presented as a bad boy, but is someone dealing with loads of trauma, grief, and personal shit. He is a grump, but a good guy. I like that he can communicate and goes all in once he decides. Otherwise, which 6’4” guy would be sane enough to think a 5’2” girl has mile-long legs? Dude, our feet don’t even touch the floor if we sit in a bigger chair!
This is spicy with open-door scenes (4+). It does feel a bit (or lot) awkward if you remember their ages, so it's better to forget/ ignore that, lol.
You’ll likely need to suspend belief for some stuff. It goes with the territory, I guess. At least, the characters seem to be studying as well and are interested in getting a degree, so that’s something.
GR shows this is the first in the series. Makes sense. There are a couple of good guys on the team, and then there’s the MMC’s sister (she’s cute). Some of these characters will get their own books, I guess.
To summarize, Red Card is a lighthearted, steamy romance with some banter, funny scenes, and a bit of heavy themes. It’s low-stakes but maintains the entertainment levels pretty much throughout.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #RedCard
One Liner: Predictable fun
When British rugby player Cillian “Kill” Cairney gets a permanent red card in London, there’s only one team that’ll take him, an Ivy League school in New Hampshire, even if the players don’t want him around. But he needs this chance to work, to set things right, and take care of his younger sister. He has to earn the coach’s respect and impress Rory, the coach’s daughter, who lives and breathes rugby.
Rory grew up loving rugby. This made her an expert, and the team treats her like a bro. The problem is that every other guy also seems to think of her as a wing woman and a bro rather than someone they can date. After a flirting disaster, Rory comes up with an impulsively brilliant plan – Cillian will help her flirt, and she’ll help him bond with the teammates.
What could go wrong?
The story comes in Rory and Cillian’s first-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
In a way, this is pretty predictable, but that’s not a surprise since most books in the genre are! It has a few flaws, too. On the whole, it’s a fun read if you don’t nit-pick.
The dual POV is good as we get both their thoughts and see the story progress from their perspectives. Moreover, the voices are distinguishable, which makes it easier to read.
Though this is a sports romance, it is basically a romance. Sports is there, but only to the extent of a bit of team tussle, mention of practices, and a couple of moves. This could go either way. I don’t mind since rugby is not my game. But if you want to know something useful about the game, you won’t find it here.
This is a new adult romance, and surprise, surprise, one of those rare books that worked for me to an extent, probably coz it’s pretty lighthearted and the characters are mature enough for their ages. Sure, the FMC has strong pick-me-up vibes, but she doesn’t want to be that. Of course, there’s a backstory, so it doesn’t feel off.
The MMC is presented as a bad boy, but is someone dealing with loads of trauma, grief, and personal shit. He is a grump, but a good guy. I like that he can communicate and goes all in once he decides. Otherwise, which 6’4” guy would be sane enough to think a 5’2” girl has mile-long legs? Dude, our feet don’t even touch the floor if we sit in a bigger chair!
This is spicy with open-door scenes (4+). It does feel a bit (or lot) awkward if you remember their ages, so it's better to forget/ ignore that, lol.
You’ll likely need to suspend belief for some stuff. It goes with the territory, I guess. At least, the characters seem to be studying as well and are interested in getting a degree, so that’s something.
GR shows this is the first in the series. Makes sense. There are a couple of good guys on the team, and then there’s the MMC’s sister (she’s cute). Some of these characters will get their own books, I guess.
To summarize, Red Card is a lighthearted, steamy romance with some banter, funny scenes, and a bit of heavy themes. It’s low-stakes but maintains the entertainment levels pretty much throughout.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #RedCard
September 28, 2025
Red Card was one of those reads that flew by as I turned pages. It has an entertaining premise with a college sport (rugby) that is less represented than some of the others. The main characters had lovely chemistry that turned smoking once the steamy times kicked off. In other ways though, the author glossed over elements that could have created more depth and development. Some repetition in descriptions and telling but not showing in places also had me scratching my head. It was engaging, but just missed some opportunities to be great for me.
Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, some tiny om drama because the H is teaching the h and he does encourage her to flirt with other guys despite his own attraction. Both are experienced, though the h’s was limited and not good. Other girls are briefly shown on page being interested in the H, with nothing being returned and no real history on him other than being good with women and having partied at his prior college.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ College sports romance
☆ British MMC x American FMC
☆ He’s a bad boy with a rep and she’s a good girl “one of the guys”
☆ Coach’s daughter
☆ This is his last chance
☆ She wants him to teach her to flirt
☆ He needs the team to like him and she can help
☆ Charming side characters
☆ Positive parent rep
☆ Some practices/training mentioned but no on page games
☆ No third act breakup
☆ Loss of parent/grief recollected
☆ Mentions of past bad behavior/spiraling
☆ On page discussion/worry over a side character with diabetes
Rory (h) and Cillian (H) were separately great characters who came to life more fully with each other. Rory lives and breathes rugby but she wants more and struggles with being the most awkward of awkward around guys (it truly will give you terrible secondhand embarrassment). Cillian’s at this college as a last resort having been kicked out of his British college for bad behavior after losing his mom. His old coach called in a favor from Rory’s dad so Cillian is there but feels broody about it. The rugby team also feels big feelings and doesn’t want to accept their new player that’s been foisted on them. The set-up has kind of an angsty feel to it, yet the book reads very lightly overall, even in some tougher moments.
I loved that Rory was so open to giving Cillian a chance and encouraging the other guys to do so too. I also liked that to Cillian, Rory’s gorgeous and he’s wildly attracted to her from the start. He can’t understand why other guys aren’t crawling all over her, though he gets a better picture of things when he sees her try to flirt. She’s not like that with him though, their chemistry just goes down smooth. Their friendship and comfort with each other was wonderfully built, then as much as I enjoyed the steamy times, once they started hitting, I did feel like the relationship development hit some snags and it became so physically-focused.
I really wish that there had been on-page games or more time on page of the guys and Cillian bonding. There’s a mention of a guys’ night happening and then we don’t see it. The rest of the team slowly gets won over but with no deep conversations occurring and minimal work put in though the results start showing up. There’s also some friction with a couple specific teammates at the start, where one of them didn’t make sense why it was so antagonistic. The third act conflict and the reasoning came out of left field as well.
Cillian’s sister, Rory’s father, and a couple of the rugby guys were wonderful though. I’m guessing the sister is going to end up with one of the guys, not that there’s any hint of that, but I was eyeing the two guys that get the most page time as side characters wondering if one of them would be it for her. Rory’s relationship with those two main other players was hilarious and adorable, very sibling-esque, and I think her talking to one of them in particular about her feelings about Cillian would have been a nice touch.
The third act was shaky for me but resolved so fast. I love when the coach doesn’t get all out of sorts and angry over his daughter dating a team member so for those that need that reassurance, he takes the eventual reveal very well. The ending had more telling vs. showing, like them winning a championship when we never see it. The characters are left in a HFN, very in love and openly together but just a couple months down the road. It’s a sweet moment to end on with them with a couple of the other guys and having fun.
As much as I saw possibilities for additional development and diving deeper in places, this was a good sports romance that hit a lot of positives. I do think many readers will enjoy it.
Written in first person, dual POV. No ow drama, some tiny om drama because the H is teaching the h and he does encourage her to flirt with other guys despite his own attraction. Both are experienced, though the h’s was limited and not good. Other girls are briefly shown on page being interested in the H, with nothing being returned and no real history on him other than being good with women and having partied at his prior college.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ College sports romance
☆ British MMC x American FMC
☆ He’s a bad boy with a rep and she’s a good girl “one of the guys”
☆ Coach’s daughter
☆ This is his last chance
☆ She wants him to teach her to flirt
☆ He needs the team to like him and she can help
☆ Charming side characters
☆ Positive parent rep
☆ Some practices/training mentioned but no on page games
☆ No third act breakup
☆ Loss of parent/grief recollected
☆ Mentions of past bad behavior/spiraling
☆ On page discussion/worry over a side character with diabetes
Rory (h) and Cillian (H) were separately great characters who came to life more fully with each other. Rory lives and breathes rugby but she wants more and struggles with being the most awkward of awkward around guys (it truly will give you terrible secondhand embarrassment). Cillian’s at this college as a last resort having been kicked out of his British college for bad behavior after losing his mom. His old coach called in a favor from Rory’s dad so Cillian is there but feels broody about it. The rugby team also feels big feelings and doesn’t want to accept their new player that’s been foisted on them. The set-up has kind of an angsty feel to it, yet the book reads very lightly overall, even in some tougher moments.
I loved that Rory was so open to giving Cillian a chance and encouraging the other guys to do so too. I also liked that to Cillian, Rory’s gorgeous and he’s wildly attracted to her from the start. He can’t understand why other guys aren’t crawling all over her, though he gets a better picture of things when he sees her try to flirt. She’s not like that with him though, their chemistry just goes down smooth. Their friendship and comfort with each other was wonderfully built, then as much as I enjoyed the steamy times, once they started hitting, I did feel like the relationship development hit some snags and it became so physically-focused.
I really wish that there had been on-page games or more time on page of the guys and Cillian bonding. There’s a mention of a guys’ night happening and then we don’t see it. The rest of the team slowly gets won over but with no deep conversations occurring and minimal work put in though the results start showing up. There’s also some friction with a couple specific teammates at the start, where one of them didn’t make sense why it was so antagonistic. The third act conflict and the reasoning came out of left field as well.
Cillian’s sister, Rory’s father, and a couple of the rugby guys were wonderful though. I’m guessing the sister is going to end up with one of the guys, not that there’s any hint of that, but I was eyeing the two guys that get the most page time as side characters wondering if one of them would be it for her. Rory’s relationship with those two main other players was hilarious and adorable, very sibling-esque, and I think her talking to one of them in particular about her feelings about Cillian would have been a nice touch.
The third act was shaky for me but resolved so fast. I love when the coach doesn’t get all out of sorts and angry over his daughter dating a team member so for those that need that reassurance, he takes the eventual reveal very well. The ending had more telling vs. showing, like them winning a championship when we never see it. The characters are left in a HFN, very in love and openly together but just a couple months down the road. It’s a sweet moment to end on with them with a couple of the other guys and having fun.
As much as I saw possibilities for additional development and diving deeper in places, this was a good sports romance that hit a lot of positives. I do think many readers will enjoy it.
June 17, 2025
3.5 ⭐
I have to confess...... I thought I would love this book more than I did! I mean, yeah, I did like -somehow- the relationship between Rory & Cillian, but not really that much; the thing I love most is the relationship between Cillian and his teammates, even though it's a lot fewer scenes than I would love it to be. Yeah, there are some really good quotes in the book I will not be sharing them tho 🫣 it's up to you if you want to find them out ☺️
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 21, 23, 24, 25, 27
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I got this ARC from Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and I'm so thankful since I loved Maren Moore's books before 🔥
Find my review on Instagram
I have to confess...... I thought I would love this book more than I did! I mean, yeah, I did like -somehow- the relationship between Rory & Cillian, but not really that much; the thing I love most is the relationship between Cillian and his teammates, even though it's a lot fewer scenes than I would love it to be. Yeah, there are some really good quotes in the book I will not be sharing them tho 🫣 it's up to you if you want to find them out ☺️
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER: 21, 23, 24, 25, 27
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I got this ARC from Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and I'm so thankful since I loved Maren Moore's books before 🔥
Find my review on Instagram
August 1, 2025
✨ Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
🫧 Vibes: she's the man but with rugby
🎶 Song: teach me how to love - shawn mendes
📖 Favourite Quote: "Loving you is effortless, Rory. I have no doubt that I was made solely to love you."
📚 Would I recommend? HELL YEAH.
💬 Final thoughts: I ate this up in less than 24 hours.
In the package:
📦 friends to lovers
📦 lessons 😏
📦 found family
Plot: Cillian, a rugby star, moves to the US after a scandal and strikes a deal with the rugby-obsessed coach’s daughter, Rory. He's going to help her escape the friend zone with guys and she will help him get the team to like him. Lines start to blur and you know how it goes 😏
I read this one so fast. Rory was just AMAZING. Literal baddie with the rugby team on a leash—and Cillian? Yeah, he didn’t stand a chance. 🤭 Loved their chemistry together and deep down Cillian was such a softie 😭 oh and he has tattoos and drives a motorcycle!! I'm easy to please when it comes to sports romance novels, as long as there's an actual plot and character development, you've got me hooked!
📚Read if you enjoyed: Offside by Avery Keelan, The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the arc!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: she's the man but with rugby
🎶 Song: teach me how to love - shawn mendes
📖 Favourite Quote: "Loving you is effortless, Rory. I have no doubt that I was made solely to love you."
📚 Would I recommend? HELL YEAH.
💬 Final thoughts: I ate this up in less than 24 hours.
In the package:
📦 friends to lovers
📦 lessons 😏
📦 found family
Plot: Cillian, a rugby star, moves to the US after a scandal and strikes a deal with the rugby-obsessed coach’s daughter, Rory. He's going to help her escape the friend zone with guys and she will help him get the team to like him. Lines start to blur and you know how it goes 😏
I read this one so fast. Rory was just AMAZING. Literal baddie with the rugby team on a leash—and Cillian? Yeah, he didn’t stand a chance. 🤭 Loved their chemistry together and deep down Cillian was such a softie 😭 oh and he has tattoos and drives a motorcycle!! I'm easy to please when it comes to sports romance novels, as long as there's an actual plot and character development, you've got me hooked!
📚Read if you enjoyed: Offside by Avery Keelan, The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the arc!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
August 12, 2025
✨♾️📖 𝙍𝙚𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙈𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙚
“𝘖𝘩, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘺𝘦𝘵, 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.” 🤭
I finished Red Card & I am UNWELL in the best way imaginable! I can’t even tell you how many books I’ve read by Maren, but I was beyond excited to dive into her FIRST TRAD RELEASE. I can’t think of a more deserving author than her. She’s such a sweet human and her stories always make me feel a full gambit of emotions.
The audiobook knocked me out. The narration was absolutely amazing. This was my second time reading Red Card and the audiobook truly had me enamored. Cillian’s narration preformed by Matt Sykes brought me to my knees and Stella Hunter is a powerhouse! If you are an audiobook lover, I highly recommend downloading Red Card ASAP!
In this new rugby romance we get pulled right into the story by meeting Cillian Cairney. The broken boy trope was so well done. Cillian comes off as this sexy British baddie, and he definitely is just that, but under the surface he’s so much more. This poor boy has been put through an emotional wringer but he’s determined to walk the line and keep a promise he made to his sister.
The last thing he should be thinking about is the coach’s powerhouse of a daughter, but she’s his only way to be accepted by his new team.
I can say with full certainty, Rory St. James is an ICON. My girl crush was so strong seeing how she’s built a bond with the entire rugby team. The twister scene is going to live rent free in my brain for forever! 🤣☠️
She’s always been “one of the guys” which has made dating nearly impossible. With a little help from a surly rugby boy, she’s hoping to finally start dating!
Seeing Cillian try to give Rory dating advice while also being jealous of every man she talks to, was a freaking TREAT.
I loved the friendship they built. I didn’t know this was going to be a friend’s to lovers story, but it’s so sweet! Even though Kill has a rough exterior, the way he talked to Rory gave me heart palpitations.
“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘙𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
Maren has always been the queen of spice and she absolutely upheld that tradition! This slow burn had me freaking MELTING.
“𝘙𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳.”
Book besties, trust me you are going to want to pencil this book into your TBR for August. Cillian Cairney is WAITING to show you how much it pays off to be a good, ‘patient’ girl. 🤭
𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🏉 𝘙𝘶𝘨𝘣𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
❤️🩹 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘺 𝘹 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭
🇬🇧 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘉𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦
✨ 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘝𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
🫶🏼 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺
🤭 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
💋 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴
❤️🔥 “𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.”
“𝘖𝘩, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘺𝘦𝘵, 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.” 🤭
I finished Red Card & I am UNWELL in the best way imaginable! I can’t even tell you how many books I’ve read by Maren, but I was beyond excited to dive into her FIRST TRAD RELEASE. I can’t think of a more deserving author than her. She’s such a sweet human and her stories always make me feel a full gambit of emotions.
The audiobook knocked me out. The narration was absolutely amazing. This was my second time reading Red Card and the audiobook truly had me enamored. Cillian’s narration preformed by Matt Sykes brought me to my knees and Stella Hunter is a powerhouse! If you are an audiobook lover, I highly recommend downloading Red Card ASAP!
In this new rugby romance we get pulled right into the story by meeting Cillian Cairney. The broken boy trope was so well done. Cillian comes off as this sexy British baddie, and he definitely is just that, but under the surface he’s so much more. This poor boy has been put through an emotional wringer but he’s determined to walk the line and keep a promise he made to his sister.
The last thing he should be thinking about is the coach’s powerhouse of a daughter, but she’s his only way to be accepted by his new team.
I can say with full certainty, Rory St. James is an ICON. My girl crush was so strong seeing how she’s built a bond with the entire rugby team. The twister scene is going to live rent free in my brain for forever! 🤣☠️
She’s always been “one of the guys” which has made dating nearly impossible. With a little help from a surly rugby boy, she’s hoping to finally start dating!
Seeing Cillian try to give Rory dating advice while also being jealous of every man she talks to, was a freaking TREAT.
I loved the friendship they built. I didn’t know this was going to be a friend’s to lovers story, but it’s so sweet! Even though Kill has a rough exterior, the way he talked to Rory gave me heart palpitations.
“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘙𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
Maren has always been the queen of spice and she absolutely upheld that tradition! This slow burn had me freaking MELTING.
“𝘙𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳.”
Book besties, trust me you are going to want to pencil this book into your TBR for August. Cillian Cairney is WAITING to show you how much it pays off to be a good, ‘patient’ girl. 🤭
𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🏉 𝘙𝘶𝘨𝘣𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
❤️🩹 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘺 𝘹 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭
🇬🇧 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘉𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦
✨ 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘝𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
🫶🏼 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺
🤭 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
💋 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴
❤️🔥 “𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.”
August 27, 2025
Cillian Cairney has just one more shot to pursue his dreams of playing rugby, after getting a red card from his team in London, but offered a chance to play for an Ivy League school in New Hampshire. Seen as the British bad boy, his teammates hate him, and the coach’s daughter, Rory St. James, is less than impressed with him. But when Rory offers a proposition that would benefit them both, he cannot help but go all in.
Depicted as “She’s All That meets She’s the Man”, this book definitely brings the 2000s romcom vibes into the era of the sports romance. Right off the bat, I was completely smitten with our hero, the bad boy with a literal heart of gold, still grieving the loss of his mother and helping to care for his younger sister who struggles with type 1 diabetes. He was gruff, yet gentle, especially when it came to his friendship with Rory. I definitely got “The Deal” vibes as Cillian tries to help Rory navigate flirting/dating. As it turns out, I kind of love the coach’s daughter trope, and found it to be well executed in this story. A very charming story all around.
🎧 The audiobook format was absolutely perfect for this story, especially given that our hero is British. Narrators Matt Skyes and Stella Hunter were pitch perfect in their performances and added exponentially to an already fun and engaging story.
Read if you like:
▪️rugby romance
▪️collegiate setting
▪️coach’s daughter
▪️love “tutor”
▪️opposites attract
▪️chronic illness rep
▪️Elle Kennedy
Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette Audio for the advanced copies.
Depicted as “She’s All That meets She’s the Man”, this book definitely brings the 2000s romcom vibes into the era of the sports romance. Right off the bat, I was completely smitten with our hero, the bad boy with a literal heart of gold, still grieving the loss of his mother and helping to care for his younger sister who struggles with type 1 diabetes. He was gruff, yet gentle, especially when it came to his friendship with Rory. I definitely got “The Deal” vibes as Cillian tries to help Rory navigate flirting/dating. As it turns out, I kind of love the coach’s daughter trope, and found it to be well executed in this story. A very charming story all around.
🎧 The audiobook format was absolutely perfect for this story, especially given that our hero is British. Narrators Matt Skyes and Stella Hunter were pitch perfect in their performances and added exponentially to an already fun and engaging story.
Read if you like:
▪️rugby romance
▪️collegiate setting
▪️coach’s daughter
▪️love “tutor”
▪️opposites attract
▪️chronic illness rep
▪️Elle Kennedy
Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette Audio for the advanced copies.
May 18, 2025
Red Card is an upcoming sports romance from Maren Moore! This was described as having She’s All That meets She’s the Man vibes. It’s college setting, British bad boy rugby player x the coach’s daughter, a bit of a friends to lovers vibe, where she asks him for “flirting lessons”!
I flew through this read! Such an easy one to drop into the story and get to know these characters. Cillian got kicked off a rugby team in London and is now playing for a college rugby team in New Hampshire. He meets Rory, the coach’s daughter and the equipment manager for the team. Rory lives and breathes sports, especially rugby and knows the ins-and-outs of the game better than most players. She’s super close with all the guys on the team and because she’s always jumping into sports-talk she’s always being seen as “just one of the guys”. Tired of being friend-zoned or becoming their wing woman, she asks Cillian for help with flirting.
The team bonding was fun, Cillian has some grief in his life he’s dealing with, Rory is determined to “win” at flirting, and it was cute seeing how easily he and Rory fall for one another. They really become a part of each other’s lives easily and it’s not really forbidden since they don’t really have to sneak around and her dad is totally fine with it later too. I wanted a bit more of actual sports time but otherwise this was a fun one and it’s out later this summer in August!
I received an ARC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.
I flew through this read! Such an easy one to drop into the story and get to know these characters. Cillian got kicked off a rugby team in London and is now playing for a college rugby team in New Hampshire. He meets Rory, the coach’s daughter and the equipment manager for the team. Rory lives and breathes sports, especially rugby and knows the ins-and-outs of the game better than most players. She’s super close with all the guys on the team and because she’s always jumping into sports-talk she’s always being seen as “just one of the guys”. Tired of being friend-zoned or becoming their wing woman, she asks Cillian for help with flirting.
The team bonding was fun, Cillian has some grief in his life he’s dealing with, Rory is determined to “win” at flirting, and it was cute seeing how easily he and Rory fall for one another. They really become a part of each other’s lives easily and it’s not really forbidden since they don’t really have to sneak around and her dad is totally fine with it later too. I wanted a bit more of actual sports time but otherwise this was a fun one and it’s out later this summer in August!
I received an ARC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.
June 7, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
i ate this book up like it was my last meal—completely devoured it in one sitting and then stared at the ceiling like... wow, okay. this book had me in a full emotional lockdown: giggling, squealing, kicking my feet, and occasionally wiping away a tear or two. it gave me everything i needed from a college sports romance with just the right amount of angst, heat, and heart.
cillian cairney owns my entire soul. he’s the definition of grumpy with a golden heart. tattooed, british, plays rugby, has a motorcycle—yes, it’s giving everything. but what really got me was the softness underneath it all. his grief, his guilt, his protectiveness—it added so much depth to his character. maren moore didn’t just give us a hot rugby player; she gave us a fully fleshed-out, emotionally complex man who made me swoon and ache at the same time. and the way he is with rory? like actually obsessed. the softness, the praise, the way he lets his guard down just for her? i was MELTING.
and then there’s rory st. james—coach’s daughter, team’s equipment manager, the classic “one of the guys” who’s just trying to figure herself out. i loved her so much. she’s a bit awkward with dating, hesitant to put herself out there, but she’s smart and strong and trying so hard to own her confidence. watching her grow into someone who isn’t afraid to take up space and ask for what she wants? literal perfection. her journey felt real and relatable in a way that made me want to cheer her on the whole time.
the whole setup of rory asking cillian for “flirting lessons” while helping him earn his place on the team was genius. it led to the perfect amount of tension, slow-burn banter, and just straight-up chemistry that had me glued to the page. the mutual pining?? absolutely feral. the sneaking around? the little stolen moments? THE PRAISE??? yeah, i was gone.
what really stood out though, beyond the flirty fun and steamy scenes, was the emotional weight woven into the story. cillian’s grief hit hard. the way it was handled—quiet, messy, human—was so thoughtful. his character arc had me tearing up more than once. and rory gave him a space to feel, to grieve, to let go of some of that pain. they didn’t just fall in love—they became a safe space for each other. and that, to me, is what made their romance so special.
the pacing was steady and engaging throughout, though i do think the ending could’ve used a little more time to breathe. it felt a bit fast considering how well-developed everything else was. that said, the resolution still landed emotionally, and it didn’t take away from how satisfying the rest of their journey was.
if you love a good grumpy/sunshine dynamic, coach’s daughter x player tension, british bad boys with soft centers, or early 2000s romcom energy (she’s all that and she’s the man vibes for sure), you need to read this. it’s the perfect mix of fun and feels—light enough to devour in a day, deep enough to leave an impression.
i’m begging the universe for a series because i need aisling and fitz’s story like yesterday. until then, i’ll just be here, rereading my favorite cillian + rory scenes and swooning all over again.
huge thanks to netgalley and forever publishing for the arc — all opinions are my own!
i ate this book up like it was my last meal—completely devoured it in one sitting and then stared at the ceiling like... wow, okay. this book had me in a full emotional lockdown: giggling, squealing, kicking my feet, and occasionally wiping away a tear or two. it gave me everything i needed from a college sports romance with just the right amount of angst, heat, and heart.
cillian cairney owns my entire soul. he’s the definition of grumpy with a golden heart. tattooed, british, plays rugby, has a motorcycle—yes, it’s giving everything. but what really got me was the softness underneath it all. his grief, his guilt, his protectiveness—it added so much depth to his character. maren moore didn’t just give us a hot rugby player; she gave us a fully fleshed-out, emotionally complex man who made me swoon and ache at the same time. and the way he is with rory? like actually obsessed. the softness, the praise, the way he lets his guard down just for her? i was MELTING.
and then there’s rory st. james—coach’s daughter, team’s equipment manager, the classic “one of the guys” who’s just trying to figure herself out. i loved her so much. she’s a bit awkward with dating, hesitant to put herself out there, but she’s smart and strong and trying so hard to own her confidence. watching her grow into someone who isn’t afraid to take up space and ask for what she wants? literal perfection. her journey felt real and relatable in a way that made me want to cheer her on the whole time.
the whole setup of rory asking cillian for “flirting lessons” while helping him earn his place on the team was genius. it led to the perfect amount of tension, slow-burn banter, and just straight-up chemistry that had me glued to the page. the mutual pining?? absolutely feral. the sneaking around? the little stolen moments? THE PRAISE??? yeah, i was gone.
what really stood out though, beyond the flirty fun and steamy scenes, was the emotional weight woven into the story. cillian’s grief hit hard. the way it was handled—quiet, messy, human—was so thoughtful. his character arc had me tearing up more than once. and rory gave him a space to feel, to grieve, to let go of some of that pain. they didn’t just fall in love—they became a safe space for each other. and that, to me, is what made their romance so special.
the pacing was steady and engaging throughout, though i do think the ending could’ve used a little more time to breathe. it felt a bit fast considering how well-developed everything else was. that said, the resolution still landed emotionally, and it didn’t take away from how satisfying the rest of their journey was.
if you love a good grumpy/sunshine dynamic, coach’s daughter x player tension, british bad boys with soft centers, or early 2000s romcom energy (she’s all that and she’s the man vibes for sure), you need to read this. it’s the perfect mix of fun and feels—light enough to devour in a day, deep enough to leave an impression.
i’m begging the universe for a series because i need aisling and fitz’s story like yesterday. until then, i’ll just be here, rereading my favorite cillian + rory scenes and swooning all over again.
huge thanks to netgalley and forever publishing for the arc — all opinions are my own!
July 6, 2025
1.5 Stars
If I didn’t have an ARC of this book, I probably would have DNF’d it. While I liked the premise (rugby player starting over in America after messing up in London only to fall for his coach’s daughter), I had difficulty with the writing and the characters. Between the abundance of elipses and italicized words and the only tonal difference between characters being curse words, I struggled to stay engaged in the story. I did like that Cillian seems to grow throughout the novel, but I wish we could have seen more development with Rory and more interaction with and personalities of the side characters. There’s also almost no rugby besides practice and even then there’s no detail of what goes on (so little that I wouldn’t consider this a sports romance, but rather a NA contemporary romance).
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
If I didn’t have an ARC of this book, I probably would have DNF’d it. While I liked the premise (rugby player starting over in America after messing up in London only to fall for his coach’s daughter), I had difficulty with the writing and the characters. Between the abundance of elipses and italicized words and the only tonal difference between characters being curse words, I struggled to stay engaged in the story. I did like that Cillian seems to grow throughout the novel, but I wish we could have seen more development with Rory and more interaction with and personalities of the side characters. There’s also almost no rugby besides practice and even then there’s no detail of what goes on (so little that I wouldn’t consider this a sports romance, but rather a NA contemporary romance).
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
August 20, 2025
I really loved Cillian and Rory. They had great chemistry and I loved their banter together. This was almost a five star for me, but I had to go with four stars instead because of how much I disliked the conflict in the end. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t say much more than that. Definitely still recommend though :)
Thank you to Maren Moore for the eARC
Thank you to Maren Moore for the eARC
July 13, 2025
3.5 Twister and Snickerdoodle Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Killian Kearney needs to not mess up the new chance he's been given. He's been allowed to transfer to an American school to finish his rugby career and play university-level rugby after making a bit of a mess in the UK. His previous coach owed someone a favour, so Killian was given this opportunity to prove himself. The only problem? His current team wants nothing to do with him. They don't think he's earned his place and make it incredibly difficult for him to integrate. Someone eventually tells him the way into the team's good graces is through Rory St. James, Coach St. James's daughter... who all the guys treat like a little sister. Rory has her own problem: she's one of the guys, so no one sees her as dating material, making it hard to find someone to have a proper relationship with. So she and Killian strike up a deal. He becomes her dating coach, and in return, she helps him get the team to warm up to him. It's a win-win for both of them. And as we know, dating coaches never fall for the people they help, right?
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Rory is sweet and adorable. She's authentic and knows what she wants, even if it means putting herself in uncomfortable positions to get it. She’s awkward and confident in the most interesting dichotomy mix. She’s confident in some areas of her life, but when it comes to dating, she has zero game. Watching her become more comfortable with Kill and seeing her confidence bloom was cute. Just being herself around him helped bring out her natural confidence.
Kill is flirty and very aware of his bad boy vibe. Tattooed, riding a motorcycle, grumpy, with a killer British accent... he bascially ticks all my happy place boxes. But underneath that, he’s a gooey cinnamon roll. He’s dealing with a lot of grief and guilt over his mom's death and the way it forced him to grow up fast. Now that he's the only one left to take care of his little sister, he’s trying to be better for both of them. He no longer lets his temper rule him. You can tell he’s just hurt and trying to hold it together. He struggles to open up because he feels like he has to stay strong. If he breaks, there's no one left to support his sister.
The tension and slow burn between them worked really well. I enjoyed the way their relationship developed, how they went from strangers to friends to something more. But there were a few things I wish had been done better.
First off, this book doesn't go very deep. It hints at grief and guilt, but it doesn’t fully explore them. Once they decide to be together, it becomes mostly just scenes of the two of them... together. The emotional depth takes a backseat, and the pacing feels off because the real climax of the story only happens around the 90% mark. Rory doesn’t even tell her dad until super late in the book, and that whole scene is told to us instead of shown. It was brushed over, especially odd considering how close she "supposedly" is with him.
Another thing that bugged me was how little Rory interacts with her friends. The whole beginning of the book paints her as "one of the guys", and how she is super close to them, but she barely spends time with them. I would’ve loved a scene with her opening up to one of them about her relationship or having to navigate the tension of hiding her relationship from them through a few more close calls of interaction. The book mentions that it would be bad for Killian’s standing on the team if the relationship got out, but the tension around that only comes up once. There was so much potential for awkward and funny moments dodging suspicions or questions, and we didn’t get any of it.
The spice also felt repetitive. Once they started sleeping together, the scenes followed a similar pattern every time, and I found myself wanting some variety.
Then there’s the rugby... or lack of it. I really wanted to see more of the sport. It does seem like Moore did a bit of research, but as someone who knows rugby well, because my dad was obsessed with it, I was disappointed. We never really see an actual game. We always arrive at the end of a practice, maybe hear that Killian scored a try, but I don’t even know what position he plays. Is he a hooker? A scrumhalf? A flanker? The details were missing. Honestly, you could swap rugby out with a ball sport like American football or soccer, and it would read exactly the same. It felt like Moore wasn’t fully comfortable writing the sport, and that made the "rugby romance" angle feel more like a tag than a real part of the story.
Also... side note, but Killian is described as having full sleeves of tattoos, and yet the cover model has none!!!! WHAT THE...
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Rugby Sports Romance
▶ Coach's Daughter
▶ College/University Romance
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Grumpy X Sunshine
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ Watches her Sleep - OK Edward
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
▷ Surnames for Nicknames
▷ Good Girl
▷ British MC
▷ Spicy Locker Room Time
▷ "Fuck It"
▷ Use Me
▷ Tattooed MC who drives a Motorcycle
All that said, it was light, fluffy, and honestly gave me a near-permanent smile while I read it. It didn’t take itself too seriously, and I appreciated that. Sometimes you just want a fun, easy read with a good slow burn and a little tension. This gave me that, even if I wanted a bit more substance beneath the surface.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Netgalley and Maren Moore for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
“I used to think that leaving London was leaving my life behind, but the truth is, it’s just beginning. Rugby may be my future, but Rory St. James is my end game.”𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Killian Kearney needs to not mess up the new chance he's been given. He's been allowed to transfer to an American school to finish his rugby career and play university-level rugby after making a bit of a mess in the UK. His previous coach owed someone a favour, so Killian was given this opportunity to prove himself. The only problem? His current team wants nothing to do with him. They don't think he's earned his place and make it incredibly difficult for him to integrate. Someone eventually tells him the way into the team's good graces is through Rory St. James, Coach St. James's daughter... who all the guys treat like a little sister. Rory has her own problem: she's one of the guys, so no one sees her as dating material, making it hard to find someone to have a proper relationship with. So she and Killian strike up a deal. He becomes her dating coach, and in return, she helps him get the team to warm up to him. It's a win-win for both of them. And as we know, dating coaches never fall for the people they help, right?
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Rory is sweet and adorable. She's authentic and knows what she wants, even if it means putting herself in uncomfortable positions to get it. She’s awkward and confident in the most interesting dichotomy mix. She’s confident in some areas of her life, but when it comes to dating, she has zero game. Watching her become more comfortable with Kill and seeing her confidence bloom was cute. Just being herself around him helped bring out her natural confidence.
Kill is flirty and very aware of his bad boy vibe. Tattooed, riding a motorcycle, grumpy, with a killer British accent... he bascially ticks all my happy place boxes. But underneath that, he’s a gooey cinnamon roll. He’s dealing with a lot of grief and guilt over his mom's death and the way it forced him to grow up fast. Now that he's the only one left to take care of his little sister, he’s trying to be better for both of them. He no longer lets his temper rule him. You can tell he’s just hurt and trying to hold it together. He struggles to open up because he feels like he has to stay strong. If he breaks, there's no one left to support his sister.
The tension and slow burn between them worked really well. I enjoyed the way their relationship developed, how they went from strangers to friends to something more. But there were a few things I wish had been done better.
First off, this book doesn't go very deep. It hints at grief and guilt, but it doesn’t fully explore them. Once they decide to be together, it becomes mostly just scenes of the two of them... together. The emotional depth takes a backseat, and the pacing feels off because the real climax of the story only happens around the 90% mark. Rory doesn’t even tell her dad until super late in the book, and that whole scene is told to us instead of shown. It was brushed over, especially odd considering how close she "supposedly" is with him.
Another thing that bugged me was how little Rory interacts with her friends. The whole beginning of the book paints her as "one of the guys", and how she is super close to them, but she barely spends time with them. I would’ve loved a scene with her opening up to one of them about her relationship or having to navigate the tension of hiding her relationship from them through a few more close calls of interaction. The book mentions that it would be bad for Killian’s standing on the team if the relationship got out, but the tension around that only comes up once. There was so much potential for awkward and funny moments dodging suspicions or questions, and we didn’t get any of it.
The spice also felt repetitive. Once they started sleeping together, the scenes followed a similar pattern every time, and I found myself wanting some variety.
Then there’s the rugby... or lack of it. I really wanted to see more of the sport. It does seem like Moore did a bit of research, but as someone who knows rugby well, because my dad was obsessed with it, I was disappointed. We never really see an actual game. We always arrive at the end of a practice, maybe hear that Killian scored a try, but I don’t even know what position he plays. Is he a hooker? A scrumhalf? A flanker? The details were missing. Honestly, you could swap rugby out with a ball sport like American football or soccer, and it would read exactly the same. It felt like Moore wasn’t fully comfortable writing the sport, and that made the "rugby romance" angle feel more like a tag than a real part of the story.
Also... side note, but Killian is described as having full sleeves of tattoos, and yet the cover model has none!!!! WHAT THE...
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Rugby Sports Romance
▶ Coach's Daughter
▶ College/University Romance
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Grumpy X Sunshine
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Grey Sweatpants
▷ Watches her Sleep - OK Edward
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
▷ Surnames for Nicknames
▷ Good Girl
▷ British MC
▷ Spicy Locker Room Time
▷ "Fuck It"
▷ Use Me
▷ Tattooed MC who drives a Motorcycle
All that said, it was light, fluffy, and honestly gave me a near-permanent smile while I read it. It didn’t take itself too seriously, and I appreciated that. Sometimes you just want a fun, easy read with a good slow burn and a little tension. This gave me that, even if I wanted a bit more substance beneath the surface.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Netgalley and Maren Moore for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
August 5, 2025
i love maren and everything she writes. i just know it’s gonna be so good every time. a british mmc with tattoos???? who drives a motorcycle???? sign me up. this was cute, it was funny, and it was spicy!!!! i love both of the main characters so much. cillian truly likes rory for who she is and doesn’t want her to change. she’s so quietly and fun and someone i’d want to be friends with. rory takes care and supports those she cares about including the team, her dad, and cillian. i loved this one so much, i read it in less than twenty four hours because i was obsessed.
british bad boy cillian is ruthless when it comes to rugby. after getting a permanent red card from his team in london, the only team that’ll take him is at an ivy league school in new england. the other players hate him, the coach does not trust him, and his starting position is in the hands of the coach’s rugby obsessed daughter, rory. rory has spent her whole life immersed in rugby but with that she isn’t “good” at dating and is always friend zoned as one of the boys. she needs cillians help to learn to flirt and date and he needs her help to get on good terms with the team. the two start getting close, will the lines of their deal begin to blur?
tropes: college sports romance, bad boy x good girl, she’s the coach’s daughter, she’s the man x he’s all that vibes, dual pov, tattoos!!!!!
🏉🇬🇧💋🍪🎬
british bad boy cillian is ruthless when it comes to rugby. after getting a permanent red card from his team in london, the only team that’ll take him is at an ivy league school in new england. the other players hate him, the coach does not trust him, and his starting position is in the hands of the coach’s rugby obsessed daughter, rory. rory has spent her whole life immersed in rugby but with that she isn’t “good” at dating and is always friend zoned as one of the boys. she needs cillians help to learn to flirt and date and he needs her help to get on good terms with the team. the two start getting close, will the lines of their deal begin to blur?
tropes: college sports romance, bad boy x good girl, she’s the coach’s daughter, she’s the man x he’s all that vibes, dual pov, tattoos!!!!!
🏉🇬🇧💋🍪🎬
August 13, 2025
4.5 🌟 this was so good!! the dress and equipment room scenes will forever be burned into my brain 🫦
June 4, 2025
3, I thought we all agreed pick-me-energy was old news, stars
I was going to write a longer *fancy* review, but all you need to know is she’s a “not like other girls” girl, and he’s a misunderstood~reformed bad boy. Oh, and this took me a week to finish. That’s pretty telling. Things pick up, but the first 20% was painful. So many unoriginal ideas are thrown the readers way, and I found it somewhat overwhelming. The romance genre is built on recycle, reuse, repeat- I get it. No really, I do. But damn, it was really tested here.
Things did get better. Overall this ended up being a cute college romance. The sex scenes were well written, and I can get down with a praise kink. I do think eating lo mein in bed is a criminal offense. Off to jail.
I also have another small complaint. Why could no one have a generic name? Like where are the Jacob’s or John’s? A Daniel? Josh? No, but there was every hipster name imaginable. I’m being dramatic, but not THAT much lol.
I was going to write a longer *fancy* review, but all you need to know is she’s a “not like other girls” girl, and he’s a misunderstood~reformed bad boy. Oh, and this took me a week to finish. That’s pretty telling. Things pick up, but the first 20% was painful. So many unoriginal ideas are thrown the readers way, and I found it somewhat overwhelming. The romance genre is built on recycle, reuse, repeat- I get it. No really, I do. But damn, it was really tested here.
Things did get better. Overall this ended up being a cute college romance. The sex scenes were well written, and I can get down with a praise kink. I do think eating lo mein in bed is a criminal offense. Off to jail.
I also have another small complaint. Why could no one have a generic name? Like where are the Jacob’s or John’s? A Daniel? Josh? No, but there was every hipster name imaginable. I’m being dramatic, but not THAT much lol.
August 9, 2025
Red Card by Maren Moore
Prescott University series #1. Contemporary NA sports related romance. Alternating 1st person POV.
Cillian Cairney transfers from London to an Ivy League University in New Hampshire to play rugby. He knows he’s a good player and follows the coaches instructions. He also knows he’s not yet trusted by his teammates or the coach’s daughter who will determine the starting positions.
Rory St James helps her father manage the rugby team. She’s a friend or buddy to everyone on the team except the new transfer. Desperate to get out of the friend zone, she asks Cillian for dating advice to get past the friend stage.
🎧 I was able to alternate between an ebook and audiobook. The audiobook is dual performed by Matt Sykes and Stella Hunter making it easy to recognize the POV. Both did a fantastic performance. He has a slight British accent as a transfer from London which contrasted well with her U.S. voice. Together their personalities came through flawlessly in the audiobook enabling me to visualize the campus and people, and scenes.
I listened at 1.5 and slightly higher to be able to read along with the text.
She helps him know his teammates better while he teaches her to be a girlfriend, rather than buddy. And yes, it gets very steamy. Literally. She helps him learn to trust.
Sexy, low to medium angst, new kid on the block situation, fish out of water, friends to lovers troupes.
Inspiring, steamy, and involved.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.
Prescott University series #1. Contemporary NA sports related romance. Alternating 1st person POV.
Cillian Cairney transfers from London to an Ivy League University in New Hampshire to play rugby. He knows he’s a good player and follows the coaches instructions. He also knows he’s not yet trusted by his teammates or the coach’s daughter who will determine the starting positions.
Rory St James helps her father manage the rugby team. She’s a friend or buddy to everyone on the team except the new transfer. Desperate to get out of the friend zone, she asks Cillian for dating advice to get past the friend stage.
🎧 I was able to alternate between an ebook and audiobook. The audiobook is dual performed by Matt Sykes and Stella Hunter making it easy to recognize the POV. Both did a fantastic performance. He has a slight British accent as a transfer from London which contrasted well with her U.S. voice. Together their personalities came through flawlessly in the audiobook enabling me to visualize the campus and people, and scenes.
I listened at 1.5 and slightly higher to be able to read along with the text.
She helps him know his teammates better while he teaches her to be a girlfriend, rather than buddy. And yes, it gets very steamy. Literally. She helps him learn to trust.
Sexy, low to medium angst, new kid on the block situation, fish out of water, friends to lovers troupes.
Inspiring, steamy, and involved.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.
tried-it
November 6, 2025Audio Narration: 4/5 Solid performance. No issues with pausing, or inflection. Pacing: I do think it sounds a tad slowed down at 1x and the female and male narrators speed isn't quite the same, so I found myself having to adjust the player speed at each POV switch.
DNF @35%
I really wanted to love this but I fear I may just not be a sport romance girlie, I found myself really bored anytime the sport was brought up. Again, I don't think this is a book issue but rather a ME issue. I also didn't vibe well with the MMC. I get the tortured male love interest that this was going for but it really just read like a guy who can't form a single sentence without cursing (and i say this as a person that loves to fucking curse) - especially in the beginning of the book. I rolled my eyes a ton anytime we were in his POV.
In the end I'm DNFing. I don't think this is a bad book but definitely wasn't the right book for me.
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.
DNF @35%
I really wanted to love this but I fear I may just not be a sport romance girlie, I found myself really bored anytime the sport was brought up. Again, I don't think this is a book issue but rather a ME issue. I also didn't vibe well with the MMC. I get the tortured male love interest that this was going for but it really just read like a guy who can't form a single sentence without cursing (and i say this as a person that loves to fucking curse) - especially in the beginning of the book. I rolled my eyes a ton anytime we were in his POV.
In the end I'm DNFing. I don't think this is a bad book but definitely wasn't the right book for me.
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.
July 30, 2025
There’s nothing ill ldevour quicker than a Maren Moore bad boy, and this was exactly what I needed. A trad debut by this beloved author and it hit every expectation out of the park! Lovable and raw characters, check. A swoon worthy sports romance plot, check. Hilarious side characters, also check. And the magical Maren Moore spice sprinkled in to keep you completely hooked from beginning to end.
I love the dynamic between Rory and Cillian. A new to the team rugby star who has a lot to prove and the coach’s daughter who can help him get his in with the team but slowly the more time they spend around each other they open up in a way they haven’t been able to do. I love how Cillian has this outside bad boy persona but since a big heart buried underneath for those he loves. And how shy and awkward Rory can feel who is actually one of the strongest FMCs I’ve read.
This story is so so swoony, mixed with realistic problems making your heart yearn for these characters and completely fall in love with them long after the book is over.
I love the dynamic between Rory and Cillian. A new to the team rugby star who has a lot to prove and the coach’s daughter who can help him get his in with the team but slowly the more time they spend around each other they open up in a way they haven’t been able to do. I love how Cillian has this outside bad boy persona but since a big heart buried underneath for those he loves. And how shy and awkward Rory can feel who is actually one of the strongest FMCs I’ve read.
This story is so so swoony, mixed with realistic problems making your heart yearn for these characters and completely fall in love with them long after the book is over.
July 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.25 Stars
Red Card by Maren Moore just solidified once again that she’s a master at writing bad boys with depth. Cillian might have the reputation, but there’s so much more beneath that broody British surface.
Rory is a total badass. She grew up around rugby thanks to her dad being the college team’s head coach, and it shows. The guys on the team respected the hell out of her, and the way they looked out for her gave the book such a cozy, found-family vibe.
The chemistry between Rory and Cillian was instant and totally unexpected. They both had a lot going on, and while Rory’s struggles felt lighter compared to Cillian’s, she still showed up for him in the moments that mattered most.
And the lessons he gave her? Yeah… he definitely taught her some things. 🥵
Best part? No third-act breakup. Just steady, steamy growth between two characters who needed each other at the right time.
Maren Moore remains an auto-read for me, no question.
Red Card by Maren Moore just solidified once again that she’s a master at writing bad boys with depth. Cillian might have the reputation, but there’s so much more beneath that broody British surface.
Rory is a total badass. She grew up around rugby thanks to her dad being the college team’s head coach, and it shows. The guys on the team respected the hell out of her, and the way they looked out for her gave the book such a cozy, found-family vibe.
The chemistry between Rory and Cillian was instant and totally unexpected. They both had a lot going on, and while Rory’s struggles felt lighter compared to Cillian’s, she still showed up for him in the moments that mattered most.
And the lessons he gave her? Yeah… he definitely taught her some things. 🥵
Best part? No third-act breakup. Just steady, steamy growth between two characters who needed each other at the right time.
Maren Moore remains an auto-read for me, no question.
December 24, 2025
Red Card by Maren Moore is a steamy, heartfelt sports romance set in a college rugby world where second chances, slow‑burn tension, and forbidden attraction collide in the best possible way. The story centers on Cillian “Kill” Cairney, a British rugby player whose career derailed spectacularly after a red card in London leaves him with nothing but one last shot at playing the sport he loves on an Ivy League team in New Hampshire.
His new teammates are suspicious, his coach doesn’t trust him, and the one person who holds unexpected power over his future is Rory St. James, the coach’s fiery, rugby‑obsessed daughter, and someone no guy seems to take seriously outside the team. What begins as a pragmatic “teach me” deal (he’ll coach her on flirting, she’ll help him fit in) slowly evolves into real trust, sizzling chemistry, and a slow‑burn romance that surprises them both.
What made me smile most while reading Red Card was how richly layered the emotional landscape feels under the energetic banter and rugby lore: Cillian’s grief, ambition, and self‑doubt give real depth to the “bad boy trying to be better” trope, and Rory’s journey from being friend‑zoned and overlooked to confidently embracing her voice is both relatable and empowering. Their interactions, especially their teach‑and‑learn pact leading to honest, vulnerable moments morphed from friendly ribbing into something tender, spicy, and deeply affirming.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I’m giving Red Card four stars because it’s a fun, flirty, and emotionally resonant romance that delighted me with its grumpy/sunshine dynamic, found‑family vibes, and the way Cillian and Rory help each other grow both on and off the pitch.
It balances steamy moments, heartfelt growth, and the competitive thrill of rugby in a way that feels both uplifting and deeply satisfying, especially if you love sports romance with wit, warmth, and real emotional stakes.
His new teammates are suspicious, his coach doesn’t trust him, and the one person who holds unexpected power over his future is Rory St. James, the coach’s fiery, rugby‑obsessed daughter, and someone no guy seems to take seriously outside the team. What begins as a pragmatic “teach me” deal (he’ll coach her on flirting, she’ll help him fit in) slowly evolves into real trust, sizzling chemistry, and a slow‑burn romance that surprises them both.
What made me smile most while reading Red Card was how richly layered the emotional landscape feels under the energetic banter and rugby lore: Cillian’s grief, ambition, and self‑doubt give real depth to the “bad boy trying to be better” trope, and Rory’s journey from being friend‑zoned and overlooked to confidently embracing her voice is both relatable and empowering. Their interactions, especially their teach‑and‑learn pact leading to honest, vulnerable moments morphed from friendly ribbing into something tender, spicy, and deeply affirming.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I’m giving Red Card four stars because it’s a fun, flirty, and emotionally resonant romance that delighted me with its grumpy/sunshine dynamic, found‑family vibes, and the way Cillian and Rory help each other grow both on and off the pitch.
It balances steamy moments, heartfelt growth, and the competitive thrill of rugby in a way that feels both uplifting and deeply satisfying, especially if you love sports romance with wit, warmth, and real emotional stakes.
May 26, 2025
4.5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for the book in exchange for my honest review. I loved Cillian and Rory from the very beginning! Rory felt like she was stuck in the friend zone with everyone because she was always considered one of the guys until she made a deal with Cillian and everything changed! Rory became more confident in herself and we saw what’s underneath Cillian’s bad boy exterior. This was my first Rugby romance and I can say for sure it won’t be the last! Maren writes wonderful characters and puts her heart into their stories. The little surprise at the ending through me for a loop I wasn’t expecting and really put Rory and Cillian to the test! Did the bad boy change for good or was it all an act?
What to expect:
🏉 Coach’s daughter
❤️ British MMC
🏉 Great banter
❤️ Grumpy/ Sunshine
🏉 College romance
❤️ Strong sibling bond
Favorite Quote:
“There's nothing wrong with my old-lady hobbies. They're.relaxing. Calming. You should try it some time."
Thank you NetGalley for the book in exchange for my honest review. I loved Cillian and Rory from the very beginning! Rory felt like she was stuck in the friend zone with everyone because she was always considered one of the guys until she made a deal with Cillian and everything changed! Rory became more confident in herself and we saw what’s underneath Cillian’s bad boy exterior. This was my first Rugby romance and I can say for sure it won’t be the last! Maren writes wonderful characters and puts her heart into their stories. The little surprise at the ending through me for a loop I wasn’t expecting and really put Rory and Cillian to the test! Did the bad boy change for good or was it all an act?
What to expect:
🏉 Coach’s daughter
❤️ British MMC
🏉 Great banter
❤️ Grumpy/ Sunshine
🏉 College romance
❤️ Strong sibling bond
Favorite Quote:
“There's nothing wrong with my old-lady hobbies. They're.relaxing. Calming. You should try it some time."
May 19, 2025
I absolutely loved this book!! Maren Moore is quickly becoming one of my favorite sports romance authors. The chemistry and tension between Cillian and Rory was perfect. The banter was also so much fun and had me laughed throughout the book. Also never knew I could be into rugby players but here we are.
Rory is literally so relatable, I love her. She is absolutely hilarious, and I love that we were able to see her grow more confident in herself.
I Also really like how Rory grew more confident and made the first steps in making a friend that's a girl! it was really cute and I really need a book on Cillian's sister please.
Rory is literally so relatable, I love her. She is absolutely hilarious, and I love that we were able to see her grow more confident in herself.
I Also really like how Rory grew more confident and made the first steps in making a friend that's a girl! it was really cute and I really need a book on Cillian's sister please.
August 12, 2025
I’ve entered my rugby era, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it! 🏉
This book had all the classic Maren Moore elements I love seeing in her books — sweet, spicy, and fun! It comforts me to know I’ll always leave her books having had a good time 😌
I really loved Rory & Cillian’s dynamic! She was the sure-of-herself yet sometimes awkward coach’s daughter, and he was the rugby bad boy with a secretly soft heart for the people he loves. Their banter and connection was so fun, but they also had some heart-tugging vulnerable moments where they give each other a safe space to land 🥹 They were so easy to adore!
Rory & Cillian’s vibrant and steamy yet emotional story is something I think a lot of people will enjoy, whether it’s their first Maren Moore book or not! I just have to say that as someone who’s read & loved Maren’s books for a long time now, I’m so happy for her trad debut and can’t wait for more people to discover her 🫶🏼 And I’m so excited for more from this series!
Thank you so much to Maren Moore & her team, Forever Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book! 💜
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
classic maren moore — very cute & fun & spicy!! so happy for maren & her trad pub debut <3
This book had all the classic Maren Moore elements I love seeing in her books — sweet, spicy, and fun! It comforts me to know I’ll always leave her books having had a good time 😌
I really loved Rory & Cillian’s dynamic! She was the sure-of-herself yet sometimes awkward coach’s daughter, and he was the rugby bad boy with a secretly soft heart for the people he loves. Their banter and connection was so fun, but they also had some heart-tugging vulnerable moments where they give each other a safe space to land 🥹 They were so easy to adore!
Rory & Cillian’s vibrant and steamy yet emotional story is something I think a lot of people will enjoy, whether it’s their first Maren Moore book or not! I just have to say that as someone who’s read & loved Maren’s books for a long time now, I’m so happy for her trad debut and can’t wait for more people to discover her 🫶🏼 And I’m so excited for more from this series!
Thank you so much to Maren Moore & her team, Forever Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book! 💜
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classic maren moore — very cute & fun & spicy!! so happy for maren & her trad pub debut <3
August 11, 2025
4 stars
~
Red Card by Maren Moore is a rugby sports romance and the first installment in the Prescott University series. It is a new adult romance following British bad boy, Cillian Cairney, and his coach’s daughter, Rory St. James. After the incident that resulted in getting a red card from his team in London, Cillian moves to America for a fresh start and another chance at reaching his dreams. However, things on his new team are not great. With his teammates giving him the cold shoulder after his arrival, Cillian worries he might not succeed. So when Rory offers to help him with team bonding in exchange for lessons in flirting, he reluctantly accepts.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and entertaining, but touched on serious topics like grief and the death of a parent. I enjoyed learning about Cillian and Rory’s relationship and really liked their dynamic. At the beginning of the book, Cillian was on the grumpier side so seeing him unfold and trust Rory as the book progressed was a treat. Something I appreciated was the fact that there was no unnecessary third act break up. Instead, the characters communicated and worked through the problem that arose in the story, which was more realistic. One thing I was a bit on the fence about was that Rory was the typical “not like other girls” and the “I only have guy friends” character. However, as the story goes on it makes more sense as to why that is, but I would have liked to have seen her make girl friends.
As for the audiobook, both narrators did a wonderful job. Their voices fit the characters perfectly and had a range of tones and attitudes that made the audiobook experience more immersive. Additionally, the narrators’ voices matched the age ranges of the characters, which is not always the case for other audiobooks. I truly enjoyed this experience and can’t wait to listen to more of their work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook arc.
~
Red Card by Maren Moore is a rugby sports romance and the first installment in the Prescott University series. It is a new adult romance following British bad boy, Cillian Cairney, and his coach’s daughter, Rory St. James. After the incident that resulted in getting a red card from his team in London, Cillian moves to America for a fresh start and another chance at reaching his dreams. However, things on his new team are not great. With his teammates giving him the cold shoulder after his arrival, Cillian worries he might not succeed. So when Rory offers to help him with team bonding in exchange for lessons in flirting, he reluctantly accepts.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and entertaining, but touched on serious topics like grief and the death of a parent. I enjoyed learning about Cillian and Rory’s relationship and really liked their dynamic. At the beginning of the book, Cillian was on the grumpier side so seeing him unfold and trust Rory as the book progressed was a treat. Something I appreciated was the fact that there was no unnecessary third act break up. Instead, the characters communicated and worked through the problem that arose in the story, which was more realistic. One thing I was a bit on the fence about was that Rory was the typical “not like other girls” and the “I only have guy friends” character. However, as the story goes on it makes more sense as to why that is, but I would have liked to have seen her make girl friends.
As for the audiobook, both narrators did a wonderful job. Their voices fit the characters perfectly and had a range of tones and attitudes that made the audiobook experience more immersive. Additionally, the narrators’ voices matched the age ranges of the characters, which is not always the case for other audiobooks. I truly enjoyed this experience and can’t wait to listen to more of their work.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook arc.
August 2, 2025
CILLIAN my goodness what a grumpy softie 🥹
Thank you Forever & Hachette Audio for the ARC & ALC. All opinions are my own.
✦ tropes & stuff:
🏫 new adult/college
🏉 rugby - sports romance
🌦 grumpy sunshine
🖤 tattooed British (former) bad boy
🏟 coach’s daughter & equipment manager fmc (and TEAM SWEETHEART 🥰)
🤫 secret hookups & “teach me how to date”
🫶🏼 family + found family
❤️🩹 grief rep
🩺 type 1 diabetes rep (Cillian’s sister)
🚫 no 3rd act breakup
💕 dual 1st person pov
📝 mini blurb:
New to Prescott University & the team, British rugby player & bad boy Cillian is keeping his head down - show up, play, and don’t get into trouble.
Tired of being “one of the guys,” coach’s daughter Rory strikes a deal with Cillian - she’ll help him bond with the team, and he’ll teach her how to date & not end up in the friend zone.
•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•
🎧 audio+ebook | ⭐️: 5 | 🌶️: 3 |
I adored both Rory & Cillian, and this book - it was the perfect book at the perfect moment for me 🥰
Their relationship developed so naturally, from friendship to trust & vulnerability, and that’s one of my favorite things to read 🥹
also totally obsessed with a jealous man who “doesn’t want more” 🤭
I loved so many things about this, aside from the romance - how Rory was treated by the guys on the team & her dad (total respect), Cillian’s relationship with his sister, and the way certain things played out (no spoilers here).
🎧 audiobook thoughts:
LOVED both narrators, they were PERFECT for their characters! Stella Hunter as Rory was such a vibe, and Matt Sykes’ accent for Cillian was wonderful.
📖 Red Card by Maren Moore
📚 hopefully book 1 in a series?!
🏉: college sports romance
🎙 narrated by: Stella Hunter & Matt Sykes
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
Thank you Forever & Hachette Audio for the ARC & ALC. All opinions are my own.
✦ tropes & stuff:
🏫 new adult/college
🏉 rugby - sports romance
🌦 grumpy sunshine
🖤 tattooed British (former) bad boy
🏟 coach’s daughter & equipment manager fmc (and TEAM SWEETHEART 🥰)
🤫 secret hookups & “teach me how to date”
🫶🏼 family + found family
❤️🩹 grief rep
🩺 type 1 diabetes rep (Cillian’s sister)
🚫 no 3rd act breakup
💕 dual 1st person pov
📝 mini blurb:
New to Prescott University & the team, British rugby player & bad boy Cillian is keeping his head down - show up, play, and don’t get into trouble.
Tired of being “one of the guys,” coach’s daughter Rory strikes a deal with Cillian - she’ll help him bond with the team, and he’ll teach her how to date & not end up in the friend zone.
•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•
🎧 audio+ebook | ⭐️: 5 | 🌶️: 3 |
I adored both Rory & Cillian, and this book - it was the perfect book at the perfect moment for me 🥰
Their relationship developed so naturally, from friendship to trust & vulnerability, and that’s one of my favorite things to read 🥹
also totally obsessed with a jealous man who “doesn’t want more” 🤭
I loved so many things about this, aside from the romance - how Rory was treated by the guys on the team & her dad (total respect), Cillian’s relationship with his sister, and the way certain things played out (no spoilers here).
🎧 audiobook thoughts:
LOVED both narrators, they were PERFECT for their characters! Stella Hunter as Rory was such a vibe, and Matt Sykes’ accent for Cillian was wonderful.
📖 Red Card by Maren Moore
📚 hopefully book 1 in a series?!
🏉: college sports romance
🎙 narrated by: Stella Hunter & Matt Sykes
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
August 22, 2025
Red Card feels tailor-made for the girls that watch Ted Lasso just for Roy Kent. Grumpy, British rugby player meets coach’s daughter? Such a fun setup, and the play on this one was just as enjoyable—a hat trick of grump, swoon, and steam.
Some particular highlights for me: someway, somehow, fake dating always has me blushing. I loved She’s All That, and the vibes here were strong. Rory’s journey from one-of-the-guys to getting out there in dating was compelling and led to some fab moments of jealousy from Cillian, as he, naturally, quickly got too comfortable with their “practice” setup. I also enjoyed all the rugby teammates here, and Cillian’s sister was another standout.
🎧 On audio: Honestly, these narrators made this story for me. Matt Sykes in particular was perfection as Cillian—from the accent to the tone, pacing, and emotion. Stella Hunter also did a nice job for Rory, and particularly, at handling some of the bigger emotional moments in Cillian’s voice.
The transition from together to in love moved a bittt too quickly for me—which also meant some of the bigger declarations nearer the end gave me a bit of cringe instead of swoon. I’ll fully admit to being a loyal fan of the slow burn, though, so this may be less of an issue for others.
Overall—not ready to commit to being a sports romance girlie yet, but we’re getting closer, and I’d definitely read more Maren Moore!
Thank you to Forever for the eARC on NetGalley, and to Hachette Audio for the ALC on Libro!
3.5⭐️ rounded 🆙
Some particular highlights for me: someway, somehow, fake dating always has me blushing. I loved She’s All That, and the vibes here were strong. Rory’s journey from one-of-the-guys to getting out there in dating was compelling and led to some fab moments of jealousy from Cillian, as he, naturally, quickly got too comfortable with their “practice” setup. I also enjoyed all the rugby teammates here, and Cillian’s sister was another standout.
🎧 On audio: Honestly, these narrators made this story for me. Matt Sykes in particular was perfection as Cillian—from the accent to the tone, pacing, and emotion. Stella Hunter also did a nice job for Rory, and particularly, at handling some of the bigger emotional moments in Cillian’s voice.
The transition from together to in love moved a bittt too quickly for me—which also meant some of the bigger declarations nearer the end gave me a bit of cringe instead of swoon. I’ll fully admit to being a loyal fan of the slow burn, though, so this may be less of an issue for others.
Overall—not ready to commit to being a sports romance girlie yet, but we’re getting closer, and I’d definitely read more Maren Moore!
Thank you to Forever for the eARC on NetGalley, and to Hachette Audio for the ALC on Libro!
3.5⭐️ rounded 🆙
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