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Boys of Fall #1
Under the Lights
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Kowalski Family novels, a sweet, sexy new series about taking hits, making second chances, and finding love…
They were the golden boys of fall: Stewart Mills High School’s legendary championship winning football team. Fourteen years later, they’re back to relive their glory, save the team—and find themselves again…
Chase Sanders’s life has taken a lot of crazy turns lately. But returning to his hometown to help his old coach keep his high school football team afloat might be the craziest thing to happen to him yet. That is, until he starts falling for the last person he should—Coach’s gorgeous daughter…
Kelly McDonnell learned the hard way that cocky, charming men are nothing but trouble, so she knows Chase is bad news. Still, she can’t resist his smile—or the rest of him. But when his loyalty to her father conflicts with their growing attraction, any hope for a relationship might be blocked before it can even begin…
They were the golden boys of fall: Stewart Mills High School’s legendary championship winning football team. Fourteen years later, they’re back to relive their glory, save the team—and find themselves again…
Chase Sanders’s life has taken a lot of crazy turns lately. But returning to his hometown to help his old coach keep his high school football team afloat might be the craziest thing to happen to him yet. That is, until he starts falling for the last person he should—Coach’s gorgeous daughter…
Kelly McDonnell learned the hard way that cocky, charming men are nothing but trouble, so she knows Chase is bad news. Still, she can’t resist his smile—or the rest of him. But when his loyalty to her father conflicts with their growing attraction, any hope for a relationship might be blocked before it can even begin…
278 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 21, 2015
79 people are currently reading
2350 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Stacey
145 books2,640 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her favorite activities are writing romance and really random tweets when she’s not riding her ATV. She loves mud, books, football & watching way too much TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
May 7, 2018
Quick summary
Chase Sanders life seems to be unraveling after his business partner and girlfriend take flight. When he gets a phone call from Kelly McDonnell to return to his hometown to help her father, his high school coach, raise money to save the football program, he had nothing to lose. Kelly had a high school crush on Chase, unrequited and unknown to him, so she has mixed feelings about his return. But, reuniting the old championship team for an exhibition game will help raise a lot of money.
What worked
Mixing small town dynamics with a sports theme provided lots of comic relief moments to balance the seriousness of the impact of the economic downturn on Stewarts Mill. Chase and his old teammates had great rapport and some of their antics were hilarious. I also appreciated that he's grappling with some realistic issues that many of us can certainly identify with and empathize.
The narrator, Carly Robins, was very good, though sometimes it was tough to distinguish between Chase and some of his buddies. Her pacing was excellent.
About the romance
Kelly and Chase had some steamy moments but I couldn't connect with their romance. I liked having both of their points of view and that was also part of the problem. Chase never seemed to be all that interested beyond a lustful perspective. It also didn't make sense that this woman had a serious crush on this guy for so long and when opportunity knocked, she shied away. I liked both of them but found them uninteresting as a couple.
The bottom line
While the romance didn't captivate me, the overall story and the town of Stewarts Mill and its residents did. The secondary characters are set up really well for their stories and I'm looking forward to what's next in the series. I'm also hoping we haven't seen the last of Chase and Kelly as he has some serious outstanding issues. This was a solid start for the Boys of Fall. 3.5 stars
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
Chase Sanders life seems to be unraveling after his business partner and girlfriend take flight. When he gets a phone call from Kelly McDonnell to return to his hometown to help her father, his high school coach, raise money to save the football program, he had nothing to lose. Kelly had a high school crush on Chase, unrequited and unknown to him, so she has mixed feelings about his return. But, reuniting the old championship team for an exhibition game will help raise a lot of money.
What worked
Mixing small town dynamics with a sports theme provided lots of comic relief moments to balance the seriousness of the impact of the economic downturn on Stewarts Mill. Chase and his old teammates had great rapport and some of their antics were hilarious. I also appreciated that he's grappling with some realistic issues that many of us can certainly identify with and empathize.
The narrator, Carly Robins, was very good, though sometimes it was tough to distinguish between Chase and some of his buddies. Her pacing was excellent.
About the romance
Kelly and Chase had some steamy moments but I couldn't connect with their romance. I liked having both of their points of view and that was also part of the problem. Chase never seemed to be all that interested beyond a lustful perspective. It also didn't make sense that this woman had a serious crush on this guy for so long and when opportunity knocked, she shied away. I liked both of them but found them uninteresting as a couple.
The bottom line
While the romance didn't captivate me, the overall story and the town of Stewarts Mill and its residents did. The secondary characters are set up really well for their stories and I'm looking forward to what's next in the series. I'm also hoping we haven't seen the last of Chase and Kelly as he has some serious outstanding issues. This was a solid start for the Boys of Fall. 3.5 stars
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
September 16, 2015
★★★½
Under the Lights is the first installment in Shannon Stacey's adult contemporary/sports romance series titled Boys of Fall. I LOVE Shannon Stacey! She is such a fun romance writer. I am most familiar with her Kowalski Family series which is on my favorites list. So obviously when I had the opportunity to begin her most recent series Boys of Fall, I jumped at it.
This first installment didn't blow me away like I'm used to. I should note that I'm not really into football; however, I have historically enjoyed sports-themed romances as the stories seemed to be heavy on the romance while the sports setting lingers in the background. Under the Lights didn't go football crazy, which I appreciated. It reminded me a lot of a grown up version of Cora Carmack's All Lined Up: a "forbidden" romance due to the heroine being the coach's daughter and the hero being loyal to his coach and team. That's not a bad thing - I think I gave Ms. Carmack's book 3 stars so this one was better in my opinion.
First, I liked that it was more adult versus new adult. (I really liked that!) I loved that it didn't go sports crazy - it was more focused on the romance and the relationship dynamics. I really liked the characters in this one, and their passion for mentoring local teens who are going through hard times. This element was a lovely addition. All in all, I liked Under the Lights and would recommend it. But if it doesn't quite do it for you, please don't give up on Shannon Stacey! She's so amazing!!!
My favorite quote:
"If you push people away when you're miserable, you're still going to be miserable but then you'll be alone too."
Under the Lights is the first installment in Shannon Stacey's adult contemporary/sports romance series titled Boys of Fall. I LOVE Shannon Stacey! She is such a fun romance writer. I am most familiar with her Kowalski Family series which is on my favorites list. So obviously when I had the opportunity to begin her most recent series Boys of Fall, I jumped at it.
This first installment didn't blow me away like I'm used to. I should note that I'm not really into football; however, I have historically enjoyed sports-themed romances as the stories seemed to be heavy on the romance while the sports setting lingers in the background. Under the Lights didn't go football crazy, which I appreciated. It reminded me a lot of a grown up version of Cora Carmack's All Lined Up: a "forbidden" romance due to the heroine being the coach's daughter and the hero being loyal to his coach and team. That's not a bad thing - I think I gave Ms. Carmack's book 3 stars so this one was better in my opinion.
First, I liked that it was more adult versus new adult. (I really liked that!) I loved that it didn't go sports crazy - it was more focused on the romance and the relationship dynamics. I really liked the characters in this one, and their passion for mentoring local teens who are going through hard times. This element was a lovely addition. All in all, I liked Under the Lights and would recommend it. But if it doesn't quite do it for you, please don't give up on Shannon Stacey! She's so amazing!!!
My favorite quote:
"If you push people away when you're miserable, you're still going to be miserable but then you'll be alone too."
May 21, 2015
Coffee dates with Under the Lights
First date: The tale begins as we watch thirty-something Chase Sander’s witness the last few pieces of the life he built crumble away. His life is in fact a mess. His girlfriend left and his business partner cleaned out their business account. When the call comes in from his home town asking for help, it is the memories of all the coach did for him that has him placing his life on hold and traveling home to help. I laughed when he returned to town and immediately had an encounter with local law enforcement, talk about down on your luck. A little banter, a bit of a surprise and I am already snuggling down further into my blanket and allowing the story to unfold.
Second date: Kelly McDonnell is the coach’s daughter and she is determined to save the football team. Not only for her father but also for the young men it so desperately helps. With the mill, closing the economy in Stewart Mills is crumbling. Stacey beautifully painted the town, and allowed us to see and feel the effects of a localized depression. She also showed us their spirit as townsfolk came together to run fundraisers from yard sales to baked goods. With the "Golden Boys of Fall" back in town, Kelly is surprised when her old crush stirs feelings. Chase is glad to see coach and the small town, but wow-wee did the coach’s daughter grow up to be mighty fine. It was fun seeing these two interact as Kelly swooned and Chase kept whispering the mantra, “Coach’s daughter. She is the coach’s daughter.” I do not recommend standing to close to these two as you may be electrocuted.
Third date: Grr, things are a little bumpy as Kelly and Chase must deal with baggage, find their own worth and take a leap of faith. I enjoyed all of the secondary characters, and we see hints of the next romance. I loved Coach and learning what he has accomplished for the young men in this rural town. Seeing Chase and the old team work with the young was heartwarming, and watching them, play football was hilarious. We do gets some bumps and Chase most definitely needed a good smack but I ended this date with a sigh.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
First date: The tale begins as we watch thirty-something Chase Sander’s witness the last few pieces of the life he built crumble away. His life is in fact a mess. His girlfriend left and his business partner cleaned out their business account. When the call comes in from his home town asking for help, it is the memories of all the coach did for him that has him placing his life on hold and traveling home to help. I laughed when he returned to town and immediately had an encounter with local law enforcement, talk about down on your luck. A little banter, a bit of a surprise and I am already snuggling down further into my blanket and allowing the story to unfold.
Second date: Kelly McDonnell is the coach’s daughter and she is determined to save the football team. Not only for her father but also for the young men it so desperately helps. With the mill, closing the economy in Stewart Mills is crumbling. Stacey beautifully painted the town, and allowed us to see and feel the effects of a localized depression. She also showed us their spirit as townsfolk came together to run fundraisers from yard sales to baked goods. With the "Golden Boys of Fall" back in town, Kelly is surprised when her old crush stirs feelings. Chase is glad to see coach and the small town, but wow-wee did the coach’s daughter grow up to be mighty fine. It was fun seeing these two interact as Kelly swooned and Chase kept whispering the mantra, “Coach’s daughter. She is the coach’s daughter.” I do not recommend standing to close to these two as you may be electrocuted.
Third date: Grr, things are a little bumpy as Kelly and Chase must deal with baggage, find their own worth and take a leap of faith. I enjoyed all of the secondary characters, and we see hints of the next romance. I loved Coach and learning what he has accomplished for the young men in this rural town. Seeing Chase and the old team work with the young was heartwarming, and watching them, play football was hilarious. We do gets some bumps and Chase most definitely needed a good smack but I ended this date with a sigh.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
December 27, 2015
3 stars so far...
I usually love Shannon Stacey books. I could always rely on her Kowalski series to provide a nice, easy, entertaining romance with a little bit of humour on the side.
And so after a bit of a reading funk I thought this was just the ticket.
But almost 25% in and the lack of chemistry and dialogue between the two main characters made this a bit of a slow-starter for me.
Parhaps it's the lead up to Christmas which has me easily distracted, but whenever I put a book down in favour of doing the laundry, it's a BAD sign.
Still, it's strange to give 3 stars to a DNF title. I know, I know. But I just couldn't justify a lower rating. The quality of the writing, and the introduction to the town of Stewart Mills, along with all the quirky locals deserves at least a 2-star. Also, how brilliant to finally come across a heroine who is a police officer... a woman who knows what she wants and has already won over the respect of a small town in peril. Not to mention a gorgeous football player hero who can't stop fantasizing about what said officer could do to him with her handcuffs. Stacey's talent for creating great and memorable characters earns at least another star. So, while I'll leave it be for now, I won't give up on this book entirely, because I think I might come back to it another time.
I usually love Shannon Stacey books. I could always rely on her Kowalski series to provide a nice, easy, entertaining romance with a little bit of humour on the side.
And so after a bit of a reading funk I thought this was just the ticket.
But almost 25% in and the lack of chemistry and dialogue between the two main characters made this a bit of a slow-starter for me.
Parhaps it's the lead up to Christmas which has me easily distracted, but whenever I put a book down in favour of doing the laundry, it's a BAD sign.
Still, it's strange to give 3 stars to a DNF title. I know, I know. But I just couldn't justify a lower rating. The quality of the writing, and the introduction to the town of Stewart Mills, along with all the quirky locals deserves at least a 2-star. Also, how brilliant to finally come across a heroine who is a police officer... a woman who knows what she wants and has already won over the respect of a small town in peril. Not to mention a gorgeous football player hero who can't stop fantasizing about what said officer could do to him with her handcuffs. Stacey's talent for creating great and memorable characters earns at least another star. So, while I'll leave it be for now, I won't give up on this book entirely, because I think I might come back to it another time.
May 7, 2018
2.5/5; 3 stars; C+
There was nothing wrong with the writing style or the narration of this book, but it was somewhere between 'OK' and 'Meh' for me. I think it comes down to the characters. There was potential there for substance in the the two main characters but they just kind of crumbled as the story progressed with immature or flaky behaviour. I could have found them more believable if they were teens but not people who had been out of school for 14 years. It failed for me as a romance but I did like the way the author built the town and its people. I'm a sucker for small town romance.
There was nothing wrong with the writing style or the narration of this book, but it was somewhere between 'OK' and 'Meh' for me. I think it comes down to the characters. There was potential there for substance in the the two main characters but they just kind of crumbled as the story progressed with immature or flaky behaviour. I could have found them more believable if they were teens but not people who had been out of school for 14 years. It failed for me as a romance but I did like the way the author built the town and its people. I'm a sucker for small town romance.
Want to read
February 20, 2015 ARC provided by publisher in exchange of honest review
~Review to Come
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~Review to Come
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May 26, 2015
Quickie Review--Oh I had a good time with this one. It's a very easy read with little drama but great characters. Not sure about this cover though. It kinda screams NA (which it's not seeing as they're in their 30s) and that it's a sports romance which is kind of iffy. But the read itself was great.
Full Review--
Oh I had a good time with Under the Lights. It was a very easy read with great characters who have known each other their whole lives, a little drama, spirit and charm as a town comes together to help save it's football team by hosting a 2 week town bash to raise funds with the help of former team members who come back to town to kick things off.
I loved watching this small run down town rally to save the football team that meant so much to them and kept their kids out of trouble during difficult economic times. Seeing how the former team members helped the young team guys by just being there, lending an ear and getting them to fight for their team and showing them someone cared what happened to them. The way everyone came together to do everything they could--yard sales, bake sales, a town fair, etc. It was just sweet to see and so heartwarming.
I really liked both Kelly and Chase. They have some history--he played football in high school, her dad was the coach and she kinda had a crush on him. That connection made it fun for me. And they were just good characters doing everything they could. She's all heart and soul pouring herself into helping organize the event to save her dad's team. He's a stand up man who has personal struggles with work and a cheating ex but will do everything he can to help the team and coach that changed his life so many years ago. I just liked them down to their toes.
I loved the spirit about this town. Everyone's struggled but there was still an underlying note of hope that spread through them all as they came together for the town events. It was really lovely to see happen.
I loved seeing the former footballers come together after so many years apart. These guys had meant the world to each other when they were teens but life spread them about the country and everyone lost touch. Seeing them connect was sweet and heartwarming and just fun to watch the teasing and camaraderie rekindle after so many years.
Like I mentioned, this was an easy read. There's no life or death moment. No huge drama between Kelly and Chase though there's a brief misunderstanding towards the end it's not the frustrating type. It was just easy and pleasant and kind of fun watching this town and team come together for a spell and watching Kelly and Chaseget to know each other over a couple weeks.
I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. Stacey has an easy way about her and makes falling into her books so delightfully fun and entertaining.
**One note about the cover. While nice...it's completely off. This really makes it look like a New Adult series with a footballer as the main character. And it's just not. The characters are in their 30s, she's a cop, he's a builder/business owner. The only football connection is the town doing the fundraiser for the high school and that he used to play football. So. Not a fan of the cover.
May 30, 2015
Chase Sanders was a high school football star who went on to leave his hometown of Stewart Mills, move to New Jersey and start a life working in construction and having a serious girlfriend. But then things go south. His business partner drained most of his money out of their business. His girlfriend fell in love with someone else. So when he gets a phone call from Kelly McDonnell asking for help, Chase doesn’t have an excuse to say no. In high school, his football coach (Kelly’s dad) was the one man who kept him on track. Coach was and still is his mentor and his idol and Chase would do anything to lend a hand. Kelly informs Chase that their town is not doing well financially. People are out of jobs and spirits are low. Funding to the school has been cut, which means no more money to have a football team. Knowing the positive impact football had on his life, Chase drops his messed up life in New Jersey and heads back to his hometown to help with fundraising efforts, including an alumni football game against the current players.
Kelly is the daughter of Coach, and a police officer in Stewart Mills. She had a big crush on Chase in high school and when she pulls him over for blowing through a stop sign on his way back into town, she realizes the years have been good to him. Chase is staying at her parents house, so she will have lots of time to see him and fall in love with him.
I really enjoyed the town of Stewart Mills and the football aspect of the book. Being a huge fan of the television series, Friday Night Lights, I realized as I was reading thing that there are not enough books that center around high school football. The town of Stewart Mills is struggling, and I think the author does a nice job portraying this. The parents out of work struggling to keep their kids off the streets. The impact schools and after school programs have on youth. The nosy neighbors and the community spirit rallying around a football program to save it. All done very well.
I also enjoyed the old championship football team getting back together after years of adult life. The moaning and groaning of thinking of playing football against strong teenagers now that they are all older made me smile a lot as the older guys had to toughen up and play one more game for coach.
Finally, the romance. I really liked both Chase and Kelly and definitely felt their attraction to each other, but the romance needed to be kicked-up a notch. I needed more courtship during the book. There were the requisite 2-3 sex scenes but I needed more …togetherness … between them. They were on the road to love and HEA, but there wasn’t enough in the story to end their love story where it leaves off.
But this is a cute, feel-good read. I’ll try the next and hope for a little more romance.
Rating: B-
Kelly is the daughter of Coach, and a police officer in Stewart Mills. She had a big crush on Chase in high school and when she pulls him over for blowing through a stop sign on his way back into town, she realizes the years have been good to him. Chase is staying at her parents house, so she will have lots of time to see him and fall in love with him.
I really enjoyed the town of Stewart Mills and the football aspect of the book. Being a huge fan of the television series, Friday Night Lights, I realized as I was reading thing that there are not enough books that center around high school football. The town of Stewart Mills is struggling, and I think the author does a nice job portraying this. The parents out of work struggling to keep their kids off the streets. The impact schools and after school programs have on youth. The nosy neighbors and the community spirit rallying around a football program to save it. All done very well.
I also enjoyed the old championship football team getting back together after years of adult life. The moaning and groaning of thinking of playing football against strong teenagers now that they are all older made me smile a lot as the older guys had to toughen up and play one more game for coach.
Finally, the romance. I really liked both Chase and Kelly and definitely felt their attraction to each other, but the romance needed to be kicked-up a notch. I needed more courtship during the book. There were the requisite 2-3 sex scenes but I needed more …togetherness … between them. They were on the road to love and HEA, but there wasn’t enough in the story to end their love story where it leaves off.
But this is a cute, feel-good read. I’ll try the next and hope for a little more romance.
Rating: B-
May 31, 2015
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Under the Lights is the first book in the contemporary romance series, called the boys of Fall series. I originally thought this was going to be a new adult series, but it is an adult contemporary romance series. The cover was a bit misleading for me, so I wanted to be sure to point that out. I really liked this as a small town sweet romance, but the book didn't blow my socks off. I liked Chase and I really liked Kelly. And I loved what they were doing for their towns football team. The love that everyone has for coach is so evident throughout Under The Lights.
The town is going through some hard times, and their high school's football team is being cut within the next school year if the town can't raise the funds to keep the program running. And for Kelly's dad, coach- football is basically his life. He loves coaching and all of his boys. I thought it was so heartwarming how the whole town, and even the old glory days high school dream team of the past, came together to try and save money with the festival and old v. new football game. Kelly is the town cop, and she was my favorite character of the story. I loved how take charge she was, in almost all aspects. And above all, I love how determined she is to save the team for her dad. I also really liked the whole secret crush aspect that she had going on with Chase.
And Chase was great too, but I don't know- the romance aspect of the book felt a little boring to me. That might be the wrong word because I did enjoy Under the Lights and I might continue on in the series, but their romance didn't captivate and excite me the way that I was hoping. It was sweet and slow and made me smile. I get why they didn't rush into anything. They were both coming off of bad relationships, and they were each dealing with their own demons, but together I just expected more fireworks, and it took a longg time to get there.
People that enjoy small town romances will really like Under the Lights. The football played a smaller role than I was expecting in the story as well, but I think that worked out in the end. The true beauty of Under the Lights for me was watching the town come together. This one was a good read, but a bit slower in the romance area than I was expecting.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Under the Lights is the first book in the contemporary romance series, called the boys of Fall series. I originally thought this was going to be a new adult series, but it is an adult contemporary romance series. The cover was a bit misleading for me, so I wanted to be sure to point that out. I really liked this as a small town sweet romance, but the book didn't blow my socks off. I liked Chase and I really liked Kelly. And I loved what they were doing for their towns football team. The love that everyone has for coach is so evident throughout Under The Lights.
The town is going through some hard times, and their high school's football team is being cut within the next school year if the town can't raise the funds to keep the program running. And for Kelly's dad, coach- football is basically his life. He loves coaching and all of his boys. I thought it was so heartwarming how the whole town, and even the old glory days high school dream team of the past, came together to try and save money with the festival and old v. new football game. Kelly is the town cop, and she was my favorite character of the story. I loved how take charge she was, in almost all aspects. And above all, I love how determined she is to save the team for her dad. I also really liked the whole secret crush aspect that she had going on with Chase.
And Chase was great too, but I don't know- the romance aspect of the book felt a little boring to me. That might be the wrong word because I did enjoy Under the Lights and I might continue on in the series, but their romance didn't captivate and excite me the way that I was hoping. It was sweet and slow and made me smile. I get why they didn't rush into anything. They were both coming off of bad relationships, and they were each dealing with their own demons, but together I just expected more fireworks, and it took a longg time to get there.
People that enjoy small town romances will really like Under the Lights. The football played a smaller role than I was expecting in the story as well, but I think that worked out in the end. The true beauty of Under the Lights for me was watching the town come together. This one was a good read, but a bit slower in the romance area than I was expecting.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
September 11, 2015
To say that Under the Lights sucked me in from the beginning would be a huge understatement. I mean, a bunch of former high school football players that haven't touched a football in years coming back home to help the coach and the rest of the town earn money to keep the football team afloat? What's not to love about that?! Throw in a little bit of forbidden romance and I was hooked.
Chase had been having a particularly bad day when he received a phone call from Kelly, his high school football coach's daughter, asking him to come home to help save the football team. Since his girlfriend just left him for another man and his business partner just took off with all of the cash, he didn't exactly have a reason to say no... So after being away for fourteen years, Chase heads back to Stewart Mills to help out.
Kelly had a huge crush on Chase when she was in high school but Chase barely knew she existed as anything other than coach's daughter. Of course she thought she was well over that crush until Chase shows back up in town and she realizes he's just as sexy as ever. After having been burned by her ex husband though, Kelly knows it would be wise to steer clear of Chase and all of his sexiness.
Watching the small town come together the way they did really made this book for me because quite honestly I found the romance lacking. Sure, you could feel the connection between Chase and Kelly, and the sexy times were pretty hot, but they spent so much time busy with the festivities that there wasn't a lot of couple time. I had hoped that we at least got a nice epilogue to see how they were working everything out but since that didn't happen I was left a little disappointed.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy Under the Lights, because I really did. The side characters were great, the boys' antics when they got together after being apart for so long were definitely entertaining, and overall, I was left feeling happy when all was said and done. I guess in the end I was just hoping for a little bit more.
Overall, this was a fun and easy read and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
*Print copy kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Chase had been having a particularly bad day when he received a phone call from Kelly, his high school football coach's daughter, asking him to come home to help save the football team. Since his girlfriend just left him for another man and his business partner just took off with all of the cash, he didn't exactly have a reason to say no... So after being away for fourteen years, Chase heads back to Stewart Mills to help out.
Kelly had a huge crush on Chase when she was in high school but Chase barely knew she existed as anything other than coach's daughter. Of course she thought she was well over that crush until Chase shows back up in town and she realizes he's just as sexy as ever. After having been burned by her ex husband though, Kelly knows it would be wise to steer clear of Chase and all of his sexiness.
Watching the small town come together the way they did really made this book for me because quite honestly I found the romance lacking. Sure, you could feel the connection between Chase and Kelly, and the sexy times were pretty hot, but they spent so much time busy with the festivities that there wasn't a lot of couple time. I had hoped that we at least got a nice epilogue to see how they were working everything out but since that didn't happen I was left a little disappointed.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy Under the Lights, because I really did. The side characters were great, the boys' antics when they got together after being apart for so long were definitely entertaining, and overall, I was left feeling happy when all was said and done. I guess in the end I was just hoping for a little bit more.
Overall, this was a fun and easy read and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
*Print copy kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Read
June 9, 2015DNF @ 33%, so I won't be rating this one.
At a third of the way through the book, I don't feel like anything has happened. While I do like Chase, I don't find Kelly to be that likable. Their first kiss seemed to come out of nowhere with no chemistry preceding it. I just don't feel a connection to the characters or between them.
At a third of the way through the book, I don't feel like anything has happened. While I do like Chase, I don't find Kelly to be that likable. Their first kiss seemed to come out of nowhere with no chemistry preceding it. I just don't feel a connection to the characters or between them.
April 20, 2017
Do you like small town romances set in towns that feel like they actually could exist? If so, you should try reading Shannon Stacey if you haven’t discovered her already. For this month’s multiblog TBR Challenge, I decided to read her 2015 novel, Under the Lights, first in the
Boys of Fall
series.
When I talk about small towns that feel real, the setup of this book hints at it. Stewart Mills is not an idyllic little town with financially secure residents shopping in cute, trendy businesses who seemingly do not need to worry about money or deal with commuting to larger cities. In fact, we learn right away that this small New England town has fallen on hard times and may need to cut one of its social staples, the high school football team, if enough money cannot be raised.
Local police officer Kelly McDonnell, the coach’s daughter, has been tasked with convincing members of Stewart Mills’ old championship team to come home and play in an exhibition match against the current team. Organizers hope that proceeds will be enough to keep the team going for another year. Among the men Kelly calls is her unrequited high school crush, and yes, the sparks do start to fly as soon as he comes to town.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/april-tbr-...
When I talk about small towns that feel real, the setup of this book hints at it. Stewart Mills is not an idyllic little town with financially secure residents shopping in cute, trendy businesses who seemingly do not need to worry about money or deal with commuting to larger cities. In fact, we learn right away that this small New England town has fallen on hard times and may need to cut one of its social staples, the high school football team, if enough money cannot be raised.
Local police officer Kelly McDonnell, the coach’s daughter, has been tasked with convincing members of Stewart Mills’ old championship team to come home and play in an exhibition match against the current team. Organizers hope that proceeds will be enough to keep the team going for another year. Among the men Kelly calls is her unrequited high school crush, and yes, the sparks do start to fly as soon as he comes to town.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/april-tbr-...
November 8, 2017
Putting this aside at 50%. I think the plot has been done better and the story suffers from pacing issues. Carly Robins is just ok on the audio - so I'm not calling this a DNF but I won't be finishing it any time soon.
May 24, 2015
Under the Lights is a simple, feel good, small town romance. It follows Chase, who is on the brink of failure after his business partner bails with the money, and his girlfriend bails with another guy. He's feeling especially vulnerable when a blast from the past calls him up to come home and help the local high school raise funds for its football team.
Kelly is Coach's daughter, all grown up and trying to save the kids her dad has committed his life to helping. She guilts a group of high school alumni, from the championship-winning team, into coming home and helping raise funds for the currently broke football program.
It was touching to read about how Coach helped so many boys during their high school years, tutoring them so they could make the grades to stay on the team, encouraging them to go on to college and move past small town troubles. The small town interactions were especially sweet, the way the town comes together in so many ways to support the kids.
Then, of course, there's the romance. Chase, the golden boy, and Kelly, the Coach's daughter, are all grown up. There were sparks and attraction -- and the attraction was hot, there is no denying that. The drama of Chase not wanting to disrespect his mentor by having a fling with his daughter, and Kelly not wanting to start the town gossips in on her private flings, was very real and not overdone.
This was an all around a sweet, feelgood romance, the kind that I've come to expect from Shannon Stacey, and in no way did it disappoint. The secondary characters were great, and it was a solid start to what looks to be a fun new series. Can't wait to read the next one! ~ George, 4 stars
Kelly is Coach's daughter, all grown up and trying to save the kids her dad has committed his life to helping. She guilts a group of high school alumni, from the championship-winning team, into coming home and helping raise funds for the currently broke football program.
It was touching to read about how Coach helped so many boys during their high school years, tutoring them so they could make the grades to stay on the team, encouraging them to go on to college and move past small town troubles. The small town interactions were especially sweet, the way the town comes together in so many ways to support the kids.
Then, of course, there's the romance. Chase, the golden boy, and Kelly, the Coach's daughter, are all grown up. There were sparks and attraction -- and the attraction was hot, there is no denying that. The drama of Chase not wanting to disrespect his mentor by having a fling with his daughter, and Kelly not wanting to start the town gossips in on her private flings, was very real and not overdone.
This was an all around a sweet, feelgood romance, the kind that I've come to expect from Shannon Stacey, and in no way did it disappoint. The secondary characters were great, and it was a solid start to what looks to be a fun new series. Can't wait to read the next one! ~ George, 4 stars
February 9, 2015
I got an early peek at this one, and it's so good. A great start to a new series by Shannon. Solid characters who matter to each other and a wonderful romance. Y'all will want to grab this one as soon as it's available. :-)
November 29, 2015
3.5 stars
January 25, 2016
I feel like I enjoyed this less as the book went on? It just dragged & all the issues were so frustratingly standard (for romance novels, not in real life) that I was just like FIX THIS OH MY GOD.
August 28, 2016
Pretty easy read. Nothing ground breaking but it was a decent romance novel. Not a favorite but a fine read.
October 12, 2018
Shannon Stacey is single-handedly making my household tasks seem like much less of a chore! Just popping on one of her audiobooks makes me want to keep cleaning, or folding, or vacuuming...whatever I can find to be done around the house so I can keep listening to her stories.
The Boys of Fall series is about three early-30s year old men who go back to the small New Hampshire town where they grew up to help save the town's high school football team. With the town's budget shrinking, a vote was reluctantly taken that resulted in the loss of the football team.
Kelly McDonnell, one of the town's police officers and the daughter of the football coach, hatches a plan with her friend Jen, the high school counselor, to organize a series of fundraisers to save the football team. The culminating event is a charity football game where the current team challenges the state championship team from 14 years ago. When Chase Sanders gets the call from Kelly to come home and play in the game, he goes - knowing he owes a lot to Coach McDonnell, and how much football meant to him growing up.
The thing I love about Shannon Stacey's books is that she has so many other side characters that bring so much color to her stories. The kid who talked constantly, the kid who gets lost easily, and so many others made for a fun, entertaining story.
Which was especially important for this book, because I'm not a fan of the "relationship with a time limit" plot. As per usual, neither of the characters behaves like an adult and shares what they are actually feeling. But at least this time when the hero comes back to talk to the heroine, she lets him have it. I love seeing a man make his apologies, but also love seeing a woman who expresses her anger, disappointment, and hurt.
Overall, this was a solid story and a great introduction into this series. I'm looking forward to listening to all of them!
I'd also like to mention that the narrator of this book did a fantastic job - her inflections and voices add so much to this story, and I enjoyed listening to her!
The Boys of Fall series is about three early-30s year old men who go back to the small New Hampshire town where they grew up to help save the town's high school football team. With the town's budget shrinking, a vote was reluctantly taken that resulted in the loss of the football team.
Kelly McDonnell, one of the town's police officers and the daughter of the football coach, hatches a plan with her friend Jen, the high school counselor, to organize a series of fundraisers to save the football team. The culminating event is a charity football game where the current team challenges the state championship team from 14 years ago. When Chase Sanders gets the call from Kelly to come home and play in the game, he goes - knowing he owes a lot to Coach McDonnell, and how much football meant to him growing up.
The thing I love about Shannon Stacey's books is that she has so many other side characters that bring so much color to her stories. The kid who talked constantly, the kid who gets lost easily, and so many others made for a fun, entertaining story.
Which was especially important for this book, because I'm not a fan of the "relationship with a time limit" plot. As per usual, neither of the characters behaves like an adult and shares what they are actually feeling. But at least this time when the hero comes back to talk to the heroine, she lets him have it. I love seeing a man make his apologies, but also love seeing a woman who expresses her anger, disappointment, and hurt.
Overall, this was a solid story and a great introduction into this series. I'm looking forward to listening to all of them!
I'd also like to mention that the narrator of this book did a fantastic job - her inflections and voices add so much to this story, and I enjoyed listening to her!
May 25, 2015
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
High school glory days, can anyone ever truly relive them? On one of the worst days in recent memory Chase Sanders gets a call from his high school coach's daughter asking him to return "home" to Stewart Mill, New Hampshire and help raise funds so that the town's high school will have a football team next year. With this life turned upside down due to a partner stealing company money and disappearing and his girlfriend dumping him for another guy Chase decides to take some time off to go back and help out the man who was more of a father to him than his own. He just doesn't expect to find himself fighting the attraction he feels for the coach's only daughter, Kelly McDonald. Under The Lights is a sweet small town romance that simmers for a good long while before the slow burn begins to burn brightly.
It had to be hard for Chase Sanders to return to his hometown when it life was pretty much in shambles. As a member of the first high school championship team, Chase and his teammates are pretty much legends in the town but all Chase is feeling like a failure with very little prospects for the future. It's easy to see he enjoys being back in town especially once his former teammates arrive from near and far to help raise the funds to save high school football. I love that while he never really noticed Kelly back in high school that the minute he meets her as an adult she is all he can think about. Kelly finds it hard to keep her distance given that she had a huge crush on him back in high school but she puts up a good front and out of respect for her father Chase does an admirable job staying clear at least for a short while. I enjoyed the slow build up to them getting physical and I admire Chase for admitting that while he really does want Kelly that he isn't staying around giving her an opportunity to say no to a fling. Their chemistry was apparent from the start and it only got stronger the more time they spent together especially when they were denying themselves the pleasure of each other's company.
I felt for the plight of this small town with the loss of jobs, the downturn in the economy and the affects it was having on all aspects of life but at times I felt that the town's two week fundraising event really overshadowed the growing relationship between Chase and Kelly. To be honest they spent very little actual time together which was somewhat of a disappointment because when they were together whether it was throwing barbs back and forth, exchanging sexy little talk or engaging in sexy times those times were magical there just weren't enough of them. I enjoyed seeing Chase reunite with his former teammates and enjoyed the way they slipped back into the comfortable friendship they once had as well as watching them engage with the current players offering advice and being mentors but again I would have loved more alone time with the hero and heroine.
The first book in a new series always seems to be the toughest because a lot of people are introduced, the stage is being set for not only the first book but subsequent books and let's face it the first book sets the tone of the whole series. I very much enjoyed Under The Lights; I loved the feeling of a community coming together for the greater good, that one amazing man had men willing to return to help him in his time of need, the sweetness of the romance, but most of all I loved two people figuring out that being together makes sense even if the timing isn't the best because all they really need is the love they share.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
High school glory days, can anyone ever truly relive them? On one of the worst days in recent memory Chase Sanders gets a call from his high school coach's daughter asking him to return "home" to Stewart Mill, New Hampshire and help raise funds so that the town's high school will have a football team next year. With this life turned upside down due to a partner stealing company money and disappearing and his girlfriend dumping him for another guy Chase decides to take some time off to go back and help out the man who was more of a father to him than his own. He just doesn't expect to find himself fighting the attraction he feels for the coach's only daughter, Kelly McDonald. Under The Lights is a sweet small town romance that simmers for a good long while before the slow burn begins to burn brightly.
It had to be hard for Chase Sanders to return to his hometown when it life was pretty much in shambles. As a member of the first high school championship team, Chase and his teammates are pretty much legends in the town but all Chase is feeling like a failure with very little prospects for the future. It's easy to see he enjoys being back in town especially once his former teammates arrive from near and far to help raise the funds to save high school football. I love that while he never really noticed Kelly back in high school that the minute he meets her as an adult she is all he can think about. Kelly finds it hard to keep her distance given that she had a huge crush on him back in high school but she puts up a good front and out of respect for her father Chase does an admirable job staying clear at least for a short while. I enjoyed the slow build up to them getting physical and I admire Chase for admitting that while he really does want Kelly that he isn't staying around giving her an opportunity to say no to a fling. Their chemistry was apparent from the start and it only got stronger the more time they spent together especially when they were denying themselves the pleasure of each other's company.
I felt for the plight of this small town with the loss of jobs, the downturn in the economy and the affects it was having on all aspects of life but at times I felt that the town's two week fundraising event really overshadowed the growing relationship between Chase and Kelly. To be honest they spent very little actual time together which was somewhat of a disappointment because when they were together whether it was throwing barbs back and forth, exchanging sexy little talk or engaging in sexy times those times were magical there just weren't enough of them. I enjoyed seeing Chase reunite with his former teammates and enjoyed the way they slipped back into the comfortable friendship they once had as well as watching them engage with the current players offering advice and being mentors but again I would have loved more alone time with the hero and heroine.
The first book in a new series always seems to be the toughest because a lot of people are introduced, the stage is being set for not only the first book but subsequent books and let's face it the first book sets the tone of the whole series. I very much enjoyed Under The Lights; I loved the feeling of a community coming together for the greater good, that one amazing man had men willing to return to help him in his time of need, the sweetness of the romance, but most of all I loved two people figuring out that being together makes sense even if the timing isn't the best because all they really need is the love they share.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
May 22, 2015
Chase Sanders has hit a bump in the road. His business partner drained the accounts, took the money, and ran, and his (now ex) girlfriend left him for another guy and is moving out. So when Kelly McDonnell called asking for his help to save her father’s job as coach of the Stewart Mills High School football team, Chase decided to take a couple weeks and heads to his home town.
As Coach’s only child, Kelly McDonell is determined to help her dad and the town she loves by saving the high school football program. She’s rounding up the players from the Eagle’s first state championship to come home and help with fundraising. Seeing Chase brings back old crushes and hurt feelings, as well as new adult temptations.
Under the Lights is the first in a new contemporary romance series from Shannon Stacey. I absolutely adore her Kowalski family series and was excited to read this new endeavor. While on the surface, the small-town New Hampshire setting is similar to that of the Kowalskis, Stewart Mills is nowhere as idyllic. The town and its citizens have fallen on some hard times, and this permeates through and shapes the characters and tone of the book. While the book is by no means a downer, it deals with real-life hard times and lacks the happy-go-lucky feel of the Kowalski series.
With that said, I enjoyed getting to know the residents of this small town. There are the eccentric and the down-to-earth, and all in between, who are looking to regain hope after the closure of the mills and furniture plant. Ms. Stacey pens more than poignant one scene depicting the disheartened conditions, one of which touched me so much that made tear up. Watching the town, and especially the high school kids, regain hope through the fundraising process is rewarding.
The romance between Kelly and Chase is slow moving. Both individuals come from broken relationships where the significant other cheated on them. Neither is looking for anything long term, and both have mental roadblocks and reasons for not even hooking up. The reasons are valid, making both Kelly and Chase squirm with desire while mentally trying to remind him/herself of why they cannot have an affair. Luckily, they eventually cave into their lust, but even after that initial hookup, things move slowly. And while I enjoyed seeing their relationship build both sexually and otherwise, I was annoyed by the number of negative attitudes towards the pair as a couple. Misunderstands also caused problems, but Chase and Kelly find their way around the mess.
Overall, Under the Lights is an enjoyable story and sweet romance. While the general tone is a bit more serious than I’m used to from the author, it wasn’t overly sad nor dramatic. But the picture Ms. Stacey paints is one of rough times, which brings the mood down a notch. I liked Chase and Kelly together, but it was hard dealing with all of the negativity. Their journey to romance is realistic with a happy ending, enjoyable and nostalgic.
My Rating: B, Liked It
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher.
As Coach’s only child, Kelly McDonell is determined to help her dad and the town she loves by saving the high school football program. She’s rounding up the players from the Eagle’s first state championship to come home and help with fundraising. Seeing Chase brings back old crushes and hurt feelings, as well as new adult temptations.
Under the Lights is the first in a new contemporary romance series from Shannon Stacey. I absolutely adore her Kowalski family series and was excited to read this new endeavor. While on the surface, the small-town New Hampshire setting is similar to that of the Kowalskis, Stewart Mills is nowhere as idyllic. The town and its citizens have fallen on some hard times, and this permeates through and shapes the characters and tone of the book. While the book is by no means a downer, it deals with real-life hard times and lacks the happy-go-lucky feel of the Kowalski series.
With that said, I enjoyed getting to know the residents of this small town. There are the eccentric and the down-to-earth, and all in between, who are looking to regain hope after the closure of the mills and furniture plant. Ms. Stacey pens more than poignant one scene depicting the disheartened conditions, one of which touched me so much that made tear up. Watching the town, and especially the high school kids, regain hope through the fundraising process is rewarding.
The romance between Kelly and Chase is slow moving. Both individuals come from broken relationships where the significant other cheated on them. Neither is looking for anything long term, and both have mental roadblocks and reasons for not even hooking up. The reasons are valid, making both Kelly and Chase squirm with desire while mentally trying to remind him/herself of why they cannot have an affair. Luckily, they eventually cave into their lust, but even after that initial hookup, things move slowly. And while I enjoyed seeing their relationship build both sexually and otherwise, I was annoyed by the number of negative attitudes towards the pair as a couple. Misunderstands also caused problems, but Chase and Kelly find their way around the mess.
Overall, Under the Lights is an enjoyable story and sweet romance. While the general tone is a bit more serious than I’m used to from the author, it wasn’t overly sad nor dramatic. But the picture Ms. Stacey paints is one of rough times, which brings the mood down a notch. I liked Chase and Kelly together, but it was hard dealing with all of the negativity. Their journey to romance is realistic with a happy ending, enjoyable and nostalgic.
My Rating: B, Liked It
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher.
August 8, 2018
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Delight
Football! But don't get to excited because it is high school football with 30 something guys coming back to raise money for the team. Small town! Well, it was almost too small for my tastes. Why can't a woman have an affair and not be reported to the FBI for it? Slightly stuck up people that had me wanting to piss them off rather than make them happy.
A new series by Shannon Stacey and throw in some football? Well I had to try it out. Unfortunately, it didn't grab me as much as her other series has and I was left feeling like I missed something.
Having a really bad day, Chase Sanders doesn't need a blast from the past in the form of his former coach's daughter calling him up asking for help to save the local high school football program. Losing his construction company to his crooked partner, having a cheating girlfriend, what else could he do, but go back to his hometown to support the coach who was more a father to him than his own. Never mind he had a thing for the coach's daughter.
Kelly McDonnell will do anything to save the local football team from becoming history. So she starts a plan to make the money needed to support the team and that means bringing back the championship team members. Working in a small town, everyone knows you business, and her business is trying to do her job and stop thinking about the crush she had on Chase growing up.
So the flames start up again right away between these two, but Chase isn't about to "disgrace" the Coach's daughter. On the flip side Kelly is tired and in love with being the Coach's daughter. For a while she wants nothing to do with sleeping with anyone, because it is common knowledge to everyone. They are grown adults doing what grown adults who are attracted do when alone.
There wasn't anything overtly complicated about the story. Chase is down on his luck and lives in New Jersey, but he comes home to help and starts to fall for Kelly. Kelly has had one bad divorce under her belt and came home to be with her family. The two know this is temporary and try not to mess up what they both have going. It was a sweet book with a few sexy times, but I felt more blah at the end of it than excited. Over and over I kept thinking this was a fling and no way would they get a happy ending.
Simplistic and easy to read, it just didn't rev my engines or having me laughing like I usually do with Shannon Stacey books. I am hoping for more in the next book from the series.
May 29, 2015
Under the Lights, Boys of Fall #1, by Shannon Stacey
Grade: C
Stewart Mills has fallen on hard times and the last thing that was holding the town together is in jeopardy of going away forever. Kelly McDonnell has spent her life being the daughter of Coach, the town’s high school football team whose budget has just been cut and Kelly is determined to raise enough money to keep the program running. Kelly and her girlfriends have a great idea to have a week of fundraising capped off with a alumni-current players football game but she has to get past players to drop everything to come back to the small town they left behind.
Chase Sander’s life is falling apart but when he gets a phone call saying Coach and Stewart Mills needs his help he has no choice but to go and help out. What Chase didn’t expect was Coach’s daughter Kelly to have blossomed into a beautiful woman, a woman who he can’t stay away from and who seems to want nothing to do with him. The more time Kelly and Chase spend together the more their chemistry is apparent but being Coach’s daughter and the high school golden boy are hard molds to break and old feelings still linger threatening to ruin everything good that has happened.
I am a very big fan of Shannon Stacey’s books but I felt that Under the Lights was missing some of the magic that I have grown to love from her. The book starts off very slowly and it takes some time to build what is going on in Stewart Mills and all of the high school drama that happened to bring us to Kelly and Chase. I like the idea of the football coach’s daughter finding love with the boy who was too popular in high school to notice her but something just didn’t mesh with me and this story.
I liked Kelly and found her to be very fun and at the same time strong in her beliefs and what she wants out of life. Chase on the other hand drove me crazy. He was either being a jerk or moping about and it was really not fun to read about. I almost didn’t want these two to get together but luckily Chase gets it together towards the end of the book. I still felt that he wasn’t 100% into his relationship with Kelly at the end and I felt that there would still be more times that he would up and disappear when things got tough.
Although I didn’t love this book it was still cute and I think the series has a lot of potential. I am excited for the next book and will most definitely pick it up when it comes out because Shannon Stacey wrote it and she is an amazing author whose books I adore and can’t get enough of. Worth reading if you are a fan of Mrs. Stacey and I really expect the series to get better as it goes along.
Grade: C
Stewart Mills has fallen on hard times and the last thing that was holding the town together is in jeopardy of going away forever. Kelly McDonnell has spent her life being the daughter of Coach, the town’s high school football team whose budget has just been cut and Kelly is determined to raise enough money to keep the program running. Kelly and her girlfriends have a great idea to have a week of fundraising capped off with a alumni-current players football game but she has to get past players to drop everything to come back to the small town they left behind.
Chase Sander’s life is falling apart but when he gets a phone call saying Coach and Stewart Mills needs his help he has no choice but to go and help out. What Chase didn’t expect was Coach’s daughter Kelly to have blossomed into a beautiful woman, a woman who he can’t stay away from and who seems to want nothing to do with him. The more time Kelly and Chase spend together the more their chemistry is apparent but being Coach’s daughter and the high school golden boy are hard molds to break and old feelings still linger threatening to ruin everything good that has happened.
I am a very big fan of Shannon Stacey’s books but I felt that Under the Lights was missing some of the magic that I have grown to love from her. The book starts off very slowly and it takes some time to build what is going on in Stewart Mills and all of the high school drama that happened to bring us to Kelly and Chase. I like the idea of the football coach’s daughter finding love with the boy who was too popular in high school to notice her but something just didn’t mesh with me and this story.
I liked Kelly and found her to be very fun and at the same time strong in her beliefs and what she wants out of life. Chase on the other hand drove me crazy. He was either being a jerk or moping about and it was really not fun to read about. I almost didn’t want these two to get together but luckily Chase gets it together towards the end of the book. I still felt that he wasn’t 100% into his relationship with Kelly at the end and I felt that there would still be more times that he would up and disappear when things got tough.
Although I didn’t love this book it was still cute and I think the series has a lot of potential. I am excited for the next book and will most definitely pick it up when it comes out because Shannon Stacey wrote it and she is an amazing author whose books I adore and can’t get enough of. Worth reading if you are a fan of Mrs. Stacey and I really expect the series to get better as it goes along.
August 13, 2015
There were two main reasons why I picked up this book: Romance and Football. How could I resist a book that promised my two favorite elements of a book??
Chase Sander's life is nowhere close to where he wanted it to be, especially now that his business just went under. So when the chance to go home to help out his old football coach save the high school football team comes up, he finds himself going back home and running straight into the coach's daughter. Kelly McDonnell has always had a crush on Chase, but he never paid attention to her in high school. Now she's a police officer and taking the reigns on the project to save her dad's football team. She knows Chase is coming back home to help out, but the last thing she expects is for him to pay attention to the coach's daughter…
This book sounded SO CUTE, but as I was reading it, I just didn't get the story I was hoping for. First, there was barely any actual football playing. This one had more to do with the grown men coming back and being horrible at football, but doing their best to raise money to save the high school's team. So this wasn't exactly a "sports" romance, but more of just a small town romance. The story was cute enough, but I found myself wanting more from the characters. Of course, Chase doesn't want to date "the coach's daughter" even though he's not playing for her dad and hasn't in years. I don't know, I just wanted more passion and a more entertaining story than we got.
I liked Kelly's character and how she was doing everything she could to save her dad's team. The different events they had to raise money were fun and I enjoyed her friends, but there was still something that fell a bit flat for me. I couldn't really feel the heat between Kelly and Chase and I found myself more interested in the fundraising than in their relationship.
While I had high hopes for this romance, it wasn't my favorite from Shannon Stacey. I enjoyed her writing and the cute small town she created, but I wanted a better romance than what we got in this story. If you're looking for a sports romance, you won't find it in this one. If you want a cute, feel good story, you may want to give this one a try.
Chase Sander's life is nowhere close to where he wanted it to be, especially now that his business just went under. So when the chance to go home to help out his old football coach save the high school football team comes up, he finds himself going back home and running straight into the coach's daughter. Kelly McDonnell has always had a crush on Chase, but he never paid attention to her in high school. Now she's a police officer and taking the reigns on the project to save her dad's football team. She knows Chase is coming back home to help out, but the last thing she expects is for him to pay attention to the coach's daughter…
This book sounded SO CUTE, but as I was reading it, I just didn't get the story I was hoping for. First, there was barely any actual football playing. This one had more to do with the grown men coming back and being horrible at football, but doing their best to raise money to save the high school's team. So this wasn't exactly a "sports" romance, but more of just a small town romance. The story was cute enough, but I found myself wanting more from the characters. Of course, Chase doesn't want to date "the coach's daughter" even though he's not playing for her dad and hasn't in years. I don't know, I just wanted more passion and a more entertaining story than we got.
I liked Kelly's character and how she was doing everything she could to save her dad's team. The different events they had to raise money were fun and I enjoyed her friends, but there was still something that fell a bit flat for me. I couldn't really feel the heat between Kelly and Chase and I found myself more interested in the fundraising than in their relationship.
While I had high hopes for this romance, it wasn't my favorite from Shannon Stacey. I enjoyed her writing and the cute small town she created, but I wanted a better romance than what we got in this story. If you're looking for a sports romance, you won't find it in this one. If you want a cute, feel good story, you may want to give this one a try.
July 13, 2016
Well, this book was certainly the cutesy that I needed right now.
Chase Sanders is called back to his hometown to help save the football team that he was once part of. With his life currently in shambles, he drops it all to go back to Stewart Mills and to the coach who was more like a father than his own ever was. Having been part of the championship team, Chase and other teammates arrive for two weeks full of events and parades to hopefully raise enough money to fund the current football team.
Kelly McDonnell is the coach's daughter and one of the three women putting these festivities on. She will stop at nothing to make sure the teenagers in her town have something positive to look forward to. And just because she had a crush on Chase back in the day doesn't mean that would affect anything now, right?
Wrong.
Chase and Kelly have immediate chemistry from the moment he drives back into town, blowing through the stop sign and getting pulled over by Kelly herself. She's a cop now and fights daily to maintain the respect she has from the community. She doesn't need Chase messing that up. Not that Chase would even go near Kelly. She's the coach's daughter, and that means she's off limits. But try as they might, they keep finding their way back to each other.
What began as a teen crush evolves into a friendship with the hopes of more. Stacey really takes the time to build the friendship between the two so that when Kelly is worried about taking it further as to not hurt the friendship, you believe it.
The small town feel really helped set the scene of the book. Everyone knew everyone else and one persons business was everyone else's. The side characters added to the flow and made me want to know more about them as well. When this book showed up on my doorstep from the publisher, I was a little wary. But I am happy that I gave it a chance and am looking forward to seeing what else the patrons of Stewart Mills get up to in the next books.
I received a copy of the novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Chase Sanders is called back to his hometown to help save the football team that he was once part of. With his life currently in shambles, he drops it all to go back to Stewart Mills and to the coach who was more like a father than his own ever was. Having been part of the championship team, Chase and other teammates arrive for two weeks full of events and parades to hopefully raise enough money to fund the current football team.
Kelly McDonnell is the coach's daughter and one of the three women putting these festivities on. She will stop at nothing to make sure the teenagers in her town have something positive to look forward to. And just because she had a crush on Chase back in the day doesn't mean that would affect anything now, right?
Wrong.
Chase and Kelly have immediate chemistry from the moment he drives back into town, blowing through the stop sign and getting pulled over by Kelly herself. She's a cop now and fights daily to maintain the respect she has from the community. She doesn't need Chase messing that up. Not that Chase would even go near Kelly. She's the coach's daughter, and that means she's off limits. But try as they might, they keep finding their way back to each other.
What began as a teen crush evolves into a friendship with the hopes of more. Stacey really takes the time to build the friendship between the two so that when Kelly is worried about taking it further as to not hurt the friendship, you believe it.
The small town feel really helped set the scene of the book. Everyone knew everyone else and one persons business was everyone else's. The side characters added to the flow and made me want to know more about them as well. When this book showed up on my doorstep from the publisher, I was a little wary. But I am happy that I gave it a chance and am looking forward to seeing what else the patrons of Stewart Mills get up to in the next books.
I received a copy of the novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2015
Under the Lights was such a sweet read and just what I was in the mood for. This was a light, fun story with great characters and a great story to go with it.
Chase Sanders’s life is falling apart around him, his girlfriend left him for another guy, his business partner and a lot of money has gone missing, it’s all just falling apart. Until he receives a call from Kelly McDonnell, his high school football coach’s daughter. Kelly needs Chase to come back to their hometown to participate in a fundraiser to help save the high school football team. Coach was a big part of his life and a huge reason for any success in his life. He has nothing else going on and a helping of guilt from Kelly has Chase heading home.
Kelly, also known as Coach’s daughter, is now a police officer in their small town. She’s worked very hard to earn the respect of the community and been seen as someone other than just ‘Coach’s daughter.’ She and her friends have started Eagles Fest to save the high school football program; budgets cuts and the declining economy have hit their town hard and it’s not just about football but giving these kids hope.
What follows is a community coming together, a community coming together to support each other, football players reunited and a sweet and slow love story. I truly enjoyed following this story and not just for the romance budding between Chase and Kelly, but the whole story itself.
And Chase and Kelly, oh these two were just made for each other, but they are both just a little too stubborn to realize it at first. Kelly’s had a crush on Chase since high school but she has a reputation to protect while Chase is dealing with a breakup and trying to put his life back together. The flirting is fun and the sex is great but both believe it will be nothing more. See, stubborn.
I adored the whole cast of characters in this book, everyone! Shannon Stacey did a wonderful job of creating a little world I want to know more about. I had a hard time putting this one down and I definitely look forward to more of this series. I would definitely recommend this book when you are looking for fun characters with a great story and of course sexy Chase!
I was provided with an ARC to review for SMIBookClub.
Chase Sanders’s life is falling apart around him, his girlfriend left him for another guy, his business partner and a lot of money has gone missing, it’s all just falling apart. Until he receives a call from Kelly McDonnell, his high school football coach’s daughter. Kelly needs Chase to come back to their hometown to participate in a fundraiser to help save the high school football team. Coach was a big part of his life and a huge reason for any success in his life. He has nothing else going on and a helping of guilt from Kelly has Chase heading home.
Kelly, also known as Coach’s daughter, is now a police officer in their small town. She’s worked very hard to earn the respect of the community and been seen as someone other than just ‘Coach’s daughter.’ She and her friends have started Eagles Fest to save the high school football program; budgets cuts and the declining economy have hit their town hard and it’s not just about football but giving these kids hope.
What follows is a community coming together, a community coming together to support each other, football players reunited and a sweet and slow love story. I truly enjoyed following this story and not just for the romance budding between Chase and Kelly, but the whole story itself.
And Chase and Kelly, oh these two were just made for each other, but they are both just a little too stubborn to realize it at first. Kelly’s had a crush on Chase since high school but she has a reputation to protect while Chase is dealing with a breakup and trying to put his life back together. The flirting is fun and the sex is great but both believe it will be nothing more. See, stubborn.
I adored the whole cast of characters in this book, everyone! Shannon Stacey did a wonderful job of creating a little world I want to know more about. I had a hard time putting this one down and I definitely look forward to more of this series. I would definitely recommend this book when you are looking for fun characters with a great story and of course sexy Chase!
I was provided with an ARC to review for SMIBookClub.
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September 8, 2015Original Post: UNDER THE LIGHTS by Shannon Stacey: Audio Review
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
Audio files provided by Tantor Audio for review. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinion presented herein is my own except as noted.
If you like sweet and hot small town romance with really human, fallible characters then this might be a great new series to start reading.
Chase is an honorable guy who has a mucked up life at the moment. Everyone believes he mucked it up, but it really isn’t his fault. This idea of who is at fault for his situation is mentioned a lot in the book; not even Chase’s parents want to believe it is circumstance.
When he guiltily accepts Kelly’s invitation it gives him a chance to get away and re-evaluate. That he’ll be able to help someone who helped him is a benefit, and maybe he can get some wise advice too.
He hadn’t seen anyone from school since he left town and it’s been over a decade. I had a similar experience when I went back to a high school reunion. It was a much better experience than I thought it would be. Chase finds that too.
Kelly is a female officer on a small town police force. Having grown up with the people she pulls over, tickets and arrests it is doubly hard for her to be taken seriously. Can you imagine?
I like that the 50-60 year old characters are not portrayed as at death’s door, or as old biddies. We half-centarians are pretty spry this days.
At the same time, these guys have to face the fact that they are not as young as they used to be. You can visit home, but not as the person you were.
By playing a football game against the current High School team, Chase and his contemporaries have to face both who they were, and who they have become.
That the characters have issues with communication that cause relationship issues is not my favorite trope, but I can see why, in this situation, they might be a little close-mouthed about how they feel. This was a pleasant, if not earth-shattering, steamy romance with characters who respect each other in and out of bed. I enjoyed it.
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
Audio files provided by Tantor Audio for review. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinion presented herein is my own except as noted.
If you like sweet and hot small town romance with really human, fallible characters then this might be a great new series to start reading.
Chase is an honorable guy who has a mucked up life at the moment. Everyone believes he mucked it up, but it really isn’t his fault. This idea of who is at fault for his situation is mentioned a lot in the book; not even Chase’s parents want to believe it is circumstance.
When he guiltily accepts Kelly’s invitation it gives him a chance to get away and re-evaluate. That he’ll be able to help someone who helped him is a benefit, and maybe he can get some wise advice too.
He hadn’t seen anyone from school since he left town and it’s been over a decade. I had a similar experience when I went back to a high school reunion. It was a much better experience than I thought it would be. Chase finds that too.
Kelly is a female officer on a small town police force. Having grown up with the people she pulls over, tickets and arrests it is doubly hard for her to be taken seriously. Can you imagine?
I like that the 50-60 year old characters are not portrayed as at death’s door, or as old biddies. We half-centarians are pretty spry this days.
At the same time, these guys have to face the fact that they are not as young as they used to be. You can visit home, but not as the person you were.
By playing a football game against the current High School team, Chase and his contemporaries have to face both who they were, and who they have become.
That the characters have issues with communication that cause relationship issues is not my favorite trope, but I can see why, in this situation, they might be a little close-mouthed about how they feel. This was a pleasant, if not earth-shattering, steamy romance with characters who respect each other in and out of bed. I enjoyed it.
July 24, 2016
Chase Sanders & Kelly McDonnell
4 stars
Read May 2016
This was a really cute and easy reading story. I liked the characters and looking forward to going back to this town in the next books.
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They were the golden boys of fall: Stewart Mills High School’s legendary championship winning football team. Fourteen years later, they’re back to relive their glory, save the team—and find themselves again…
Chase Sanders’s life has taken a lot of crazy turns lately. But returning to his hometown to help his old coach keep his high school football team afloat might be the craziest thing to happen to him yet. That is, until he starts falling for the last person he should—Coach’s gorgeous daughter…
Kelly McDonnell learned the hard way that cocky, charming men are nothing but trouble, so she knows Chase is bad news. Still, she can’t resist his smile—or the rest of him. But when his loyalty to her father conflicts with their growing attraction, any hope for a relationship might be blocked before it can even begin…
4 stars
Read May 2016
This was a really cute and easy reading story. I liked the characters and looking forward to going back to this town in the next books.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They were the golden boys of fall: Stewart Mills High School’s legendary championship winning football team. Fourteen years later, they’re back to relive their glory, save the team—and find themselves again…
Chase Sanders’s life has taken a lot of crazy turns lately. But returning to his hometown to help his old coach keep his high school football team afloat might be the craziest thing to happen to him yet. That is, until he starts falling for the last person he should—Coach’s gorgeous daughter…
Kelly McDonnell learned the hard way that cocky, charming men are nothing but trouble, so she knows Chase is bad news. Still, she can’t resist his smile—or the rest of him. But when his loyalty to her father conflicts with their growing attraction, any hope for a relationship might be blocked before it can even begin…
August 17, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Looks like a great beginning to a small town romance series. In this one the town of Stewart Mills is rallying to save football for the local high school. Part of doing this involves bringing back some of the players from the state championship team. Right now Chase Sanders' life is in the dumper. But when he gets the call that his high school coach needs his help, he's immediately on his way! Coach's daughter Kelly McConnell can't believe that of all the players, Chase has to be the one staying with her parents. Her teenage crush that never gave her a second look. Well he's looking now, but what will she do with him now??
Excellent read, I definitely recommend this one.
Excellent read, I definitely recommend this one.
June 1, 2015
Fundraising…sucks the life out of most of the fun…but in this case, it got in the way of the smexing I wanted!
Ohhhh, Boys of Fall…I love football
Ohhhh, falling in love, especially with the one that you shouldn’t want, shouldn’t have, but can’t resist.
Talk and tease…I loved their chemistry.
Banter and bite…well, maybe just me, but the banter was like foreplay for these two!
All in! all to win!
Lust…longing and finding something real
Love! Best of all…happy ever after in love!
A FOOTBALL review of a fun first book in a new series that will be a great addition to your summer reading list! Enjoy!
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