Catching Our Moment

by Laralyn Doran

She walked away once—this time, he’s playing for keeps.
Some moments never fade. Some hearts never forget.
Her husband ran off with the PTA President—and her dignity. Now Kelcie Byron’s back in her hometown with a football-obsessed kid, a physical therapy license, and unresolved feelings for the man she never stopped loving.
After a Bluetooth disaster broadcasts her imploding marriage to the entire school drop-off line, Kelcie moves home to regroup—only to end up next door to Dawson Shawfield, her former best friend turned injured NFL star… and the man she ghosted a decade ago.
Their deal is she’ll rehab his shoulder and he’ll help her son navigate life without a reliable male role model. But between private sessions, podcast cameos, and late-night sparks, things get complicated—fast.
Love isn’t all Friday night lights and fairy tale endings. With her ex rewriting the playbook and Shaw’s career on the line, it’ll take a team effort to catch their moment, for good.
Catching Our Moment is a small-town, slow-burn romance full of second chances, forever friendships, and one precocious tween with no verbal filter and zero chill.

Genres: Second Chance, Friends To Lovers, Sports

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

A multi-award winning contemporary romance author who appreciates slow-burn, snarky stories.

Her trilogy, Driven Women, is about three women navigating non-traditional careers and finding romance with men brave enough to chase them.

Ms. Doran lives in Maryland with her family and three dogs. She also devotes her time to advocating for autism and dyslexia awareness and education.

Reviews

[Amber Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood friends to lovers
Single mom
Autistic son
Second chances
Sports romance but with depth and ❤️
Found family
Small town romance
Protective hero

MMC Dawson Shawfield
FMC Kelcie Byron

This was a great read full of heart and depth. The characters were all lovable, except of course the Ex and his new girl.. eck.
Dodged a bullet there.
Kelsey is a single mom of an autistic boy Erin, trying to navigate raising someone with those needs without the help and support from Aaron‘s father. Dawson brings a positive influence to both Aaron and Kelsey, even though they made a deal where she rehabs his shoulder for him to have a male and positive role model male figure in her son‘s life, I really admire Dawson for not running away and showing patients and understanding when interacting with Aaron and Kelsey’s so called “baggage” the story was so sweet and had spicy moments, loved how it felt realistic.
I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to the next one & More from this Author!

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and sexy

I’ve read all of Laralyn’s work and this one is her best yet! Set in the same world as her Driven Women series, Catching Our Moment captures the insanity that divorce, single parenthood and dating can bring to a woman’s life. It is a sweet and funny romance, with just enough steam.

[SkyLynn Vernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kindly sent an arc version of this book to review before publication.
I loved this book and I thought it was a very solid read. The characters were fun to read and engage with and Aaron stole the show every time he was on page.

[Dianna F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by Laralyn Doran and I absolutely loved it! It had a few of my fav tropes: second chance, single mom, sports, and friends to lovers.

The book starts out with Kelce, her son and husband all looking happy, the husband then finds greener pastures and becomes a sneaky but controlling freak who thinks he knows best. I absolutely loved how after he moved out Kelce put in an alarm system and the cops were called when he attempted to enter without permission. There was an amazing female cop who said a few small things that blew me away and I loved every second of that.

Kelce finally got to be close to her friends like the old days and when Shaw (her old bff) was injured she stepped up to help take care of him. Shaw was so good to Kelce and Aaron!! He treated Aaron like a normal person even though most don’t. Aaron has amazing hearing and there was one scene when he was talking to Shaw that had me laughing with tears so hard, oh man it was that absolute funniest but innocent conversation.

I really, really loved this book and will be looking forward to reading more of their books.

[Defying Tradition Allisia Wysong · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! Yes I said it, if I could give more stars I would. I love Kelcie and Shaw, they are the ones you smack your head and go “really!” at. This book was very well written and I can’t wait for more. The friend group that stood by them through thick and thin(I need more of them, need to read how their stories turn out!). I loved how Aaron was portrayed, I have two teenagers myself that are on the spectrum (different ends) and I could definitely relate to the situations in the book. All in all this book had a great flow, connection to the characters and left you cracking up laughing! So, grab your copy now and find that reading spot, you won’t want to leave until the book is over!

[Britney Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet book. If you love a second chance romances with a slowish burn and an amazingly smart and no filter 12 year old son, then if have found the right book!

Shaw and Kelcie have been best friends since he moved into town freshman year of high school. She was the football coaches daughter so that made her untouchable. Which made her friendship with Shaw that much more special. Their bond was different from their other friends.
So when Kelcie finds herself in a situation at 21, Shaw was the one that stepped up and made a plan to help her. But that plan all goes south.

12 years later and Kelcie, her son Aaron are back in her hometown. Their lives got turned upside down and going back home to reset is the best place. Little did she know that she would have to deal with helping Shaw get back on the football field.

These two were perfect for each other always but just never took the chance to open up about their true feelings. But to see how Shaw was with Aaron and how he cared for him like he was his own son, I mean the father Aaron had was just horrible! Never disliked two characters so much in a book lol don’t worry it isn’t the main characters obviously.
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4️⃣.7️⃣5️⃣⭐️
🌶️🌶️
🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
9/10 recommendation

[mycosybookcorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! A reconnection of old friends turned romance. Football star and physiotherapist what a great pairing, especially when he gets injured.

I loved the ASD representation with Kelsie’s (FMC) son.

It’s such a cute sports romance, a football one - American football.

I definitely recommend giving it a read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Courtney (Bookish Blonde Barista) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catching Our Moment by Laralyn Doran is a heartfelt, emotional romance that swept me up from the very beginning. The story has a warmth and sincerity that makes it easy to connect with, and the characters feel wonderfully real. I appreciated that both leads had depth — they weren’t perfect, and their struggles and insecurities added to the authenticity of their journey. Watching them grow, confront their pasts, and learn to trust not only each other but also themselves was one of the highlights of the book.

The romantic tension is paced beautifully. There’s just enough push and pull to keep you turning pages, and when those vulnerable, tender moments finally come together, they feel truly earned. Doran has a knack for weaving in emotional depth while still keeping the story engaging and hopeful, which made the romance feel more powerful.

The writing itself is smooth and easy to sink into, with dialogue that captures both heartache and lightness. That said, there were a few sections in the middle where the pacing slowed down, and I felt like certain scenes repeated themes we’d already explored. Additionally, a few subplots and side characters seemed promising but didn’t always get the attention I was hoping for, leaving me wanting a little more closure. Some dialogue also leaned on familiar romance tropes — which can be comforting for genre fans but predictable for others.

Even with these minor drawbacks, the overall story is moving, engaging, and memorable. Doran delivers a romance filled with vulnerability, second chances, and the courage to take risks when love is on the line. It may not break new ground in the genre, but it absolutely delivers a heartfelt, satisfying read that romance fans will enjoy.

If you’re looking for a love story with genuine emotion, relatable characters, and plenty of heart, Catching Our Moment is worth picking up. It’s the kind of book that leaves you with a smile and a reminder of why we fall in love with romance stories in the first place.

[Liz M · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unfortunate Bluetooth moment in the school drop off turns into a total life change for Kelcie and her son. That her husband was leaving her for the PTA president only added to the gossip that ensued. So she decided to move back to her hometown to regroup. Her friends helped her out, but a complication came in the form of her friend Shaw, a famous football player, who gets injured and needs to heal up. Being that Kelcie is a physical therapist, she's able to lend her expertise, and Shaw bonds with her son, who has never really had a positive male role model. Also, Shaw happens to be the guy who wanted to step in for Kelcie when she found out she was pregnant and the father, now her ex husband, bailed. It's a lot for her to wrap her head around, but Shaw succeeds in being everything her ex never wanted to be. It scares her a little how right it feels. But Shaw is famous, and usually dates models. Which she definitely is not. He could never be happy with her. Could he?
This was a good story, with a newly single mom trying to do right by her son, and just putting one foot in front of the other every day. There's a LOT of ex drama and resentment, as he tries to walk all over Kelcie and blame her for everything that he did. There are also fun and supportive friends, and even support that comes from an unexpected place.
A bright spot is Kelcie's son, Aaron, who is an amazing kid. He's super smart, has crazy sensitive hearing, and no filter, all of which sometimes makes for awkward and/or hilarious moments. Yes, he's on the spectrum. But that's just part of what makes him awesome.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book on many levels. The top reason being that it is not like your normal sports romance books. It has heart and much depth to the story. It has real life situations that were relatable to me as a reader. The characters felt real to me and that was remarkable.

The main characters were amazing. Aaron is an autistic child that does and experiences things in the book that are things that I dealt with as a mother of an autistic child. Sensitivity to crowds and social awkwardness and many other things. Kelcie is an amazing mother and I could understand the weight on her shoulders as she navigates life with Aaron without the proper support of his father. I admired Shaw for many reasons. But the main one is the patience in which he uses when dealing with all Kelcie's drama and when interacting with Aaron. I believe that Shaw's influence on Aaron really helped him to be more confident in himself and had a positive impact on him.

This book was an amazing childhood lovers romance with second chances. It was sweet, endearing, upsetting, and hot n spicy. It has all the key elements for a great romance with a more in depth reality. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would love to read more by this author. I loved her writing and story telling skills.

[DreadQueen CinnamonRoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second chance romance stories are my favorite, especially when they go small town nostalgic. It's the recipe for an unstoppable love story that's been brewing for decades.

From the first chapter, I was unable to stop reading. The characters were relatable and charming (well... the MCs were. The ex has the intended effect of collective BABE YOU DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER THAN HIM). And Aaron. Probably my favorite character of the whole book. That kid is amazing, and the epilogue was absolute perfection. Friends to lovers, this book is filled with ups, downs, and emotions all around that will make you laugh, cry, and root for these 2 best friends reconnecting (FINALLY!).

I wish we'd gotten to see more of Shaw and Kelse as a couple before the end of the book, I could have easily read another 100 pages of them just doing cute couple stuff (and stuff with Aaron!!! Dad-Shaw is a whole vibe and I LOVE IT).

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

start off with Kelcie, just being a mess.
And the first chapter though I do love how fast Her Friend shaw Reached out . It's an easy read.Chapter five ending is just pure gold. The characters are well lovedWell accept the ex and it's new girl girl but that just makes sense. Shawn is just Heart eyes.There is multiple one-liners throughout this book. But one of the best is, "but this felt like a slap upside the head in a grip on my c***." I want no need to read more from loralyn Doran because of This book. You have to read this book if only for the hilarious epilogue.I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marni Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Chances, Friends to lovers, found family , single parent , small town , childhood friends to lovers and Romantic Comedy!! Catching Our Moment really was the perfect blend of so many of my go to tropes , ’ And oh how I absolutely adored it from start to finish . Dawson and Kelsie . No oh how I fell completely in love with them . Both so likable and relatable, both facing challenges in their lives . But what I loved most was the way they stepped up for one another , the support they gave to each other , and seeing them slowly fall in love . I honestly could not stop smiling, laughing, crying and cheering so freaking hard the whole way through. This story will definitely pull on all your heartstrings.

[Country · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a really great read and for anyone that wants a second chance romance. I absolutely loved the dynamic between the main characters and how they made their way back to each other. This is a different sports romance book as it also shows that no matter how long or big a distance friendship and love will always find a way. The book shows how the main character Kelcie makes her way back to her one true love all while doing what's best for her son! This a really great read and makes you fall in love with the characters and just enjoy the whole dynamic between all the characters in the book.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite read of the year so far. Absolutely loved the characters and the drama through out. Great story line!! My only wish was that James would have gotten a worse consequence of his man-boy ways.
Will look for this author in the future!!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharie Settlemyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with these characters and their story from the very beginning. The dialogue was real, and the characters were believable. I loved the way she brought in an autistic child so expertly without it being the whole story, she showed how families live and navigate every day. I feel like these are characters. I could just hang out with.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

No estoy segura de que, si Riley no hubiera dejado a Shaw, él realmente hubiera ido por Kelsie.