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Football and Feels #1
Chasing the Ring
When a wronged bride and an NFL quarterback find themselves sharing the same Hawaiian vacation, a no-strings, just-for-fun encounter quickly becomes unforgettable in this warm-hearted, extra spicy football romance for fans of Sarah Adams, Tessa Bailey, Monica Murphy, Kristen Callihan, and Lucy Score.
Iris Benedetto’s wedding day just went viral . . . for all the wrong reasons.
After a heated blowout with her lying, cheating fiancé at the altar, Iris storms off on a solo honeymoon—loudly announcing that she’s finally going to find out what good sex is all about. Rebranding from small-town preschool teacher to #Horny Runaway Bride was not the plan, but the insanely hot stranger who ends up double-booked in her bungalow on the island of Kauai is an opportunity even devastated Iris can’t ignore.
It’s not often NFL quarterback Roman Maguire meets someone who doesn’t recognize him. Even rarer to have that someone barge in while he’s taking a shower and quickly make him an irresistible offer. Roman is in Hawaii to secure the deal that could finally land him a Super Bowl ring—and closer proximity to his son. A sexy fling in paradise is a perfect way to spend a week with a surprise roommate . . .
Except . . . suddenly a week doesn’t seem nearly enough. And once the truth about Roman’s identity, Iris’s internet infamy, and all kinds of loyalty-testing secrets are revealed, will they both be willing to step into the real-life spotlight together?
Iris Benedetto’s wedding day just went viral . . . for all the wrong reasons.
After a heated blowout with her lying, cheating fiancé at the altar, Iris storms off on a solo honeymoon—loudly announcing that she’s finally going to find out what good sex is all about. Rebranding from small-town preschool teacher to #Horny Runaway Bride was not the plan, but the insanely hot stranger who ends up double-booked in her bungalow on the island of Kauai is an opportunity even devastated Iris can’t ignore.
It’s not often NFL quarterback Roman Maguire meets someone who doesn’t recognize him. Even rarer to have that someone barge in while he’s taking a shower and quickly make him an irresistible offer. Roman is in Hawaii to secure the deal that could finally land him a Super Bowl ring—and closer proximity to his son. A sexy fling in paradise is a perfect way to spend a week with a surprise roommate . . .
Except . . . suddenly a week doesn’t seem nearly enough. And once the truth about Roman’s identity, Iris’s internet infamy, and all kinds of loyalty-testing secrets are revealed, will they both be willing to step into the real-life spotlight together?
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2026
351 people are currently reading
20254 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Rowe
64 books6,101 followersUSA Today and internationally bestselling author Lauren Rowe lives in San Diego, California, where, in addition to writing books, she performs with her dance/party band at events all over Southern California, writes songs, walks her dogs, and spends time with her family and friends.
Much to Lauren’s thrill, her books have been translated all over the world in multiple languages and hit multiple domestic and international bestseller lists. To find out about Lauren’s upcoming releases and giveaways, and to check out loads of bonus material, sign up for Lauren’s emails at www.LaurenRoweBooks.com.
Lauren loves to hear from readers! Send Lauren an email from her website, say hi on Instagram @laurenrowebooks, and/or come by her Facebook page by searching Facebook for “Lauren Rowe Author.”
Much to Lauren’s thrill, her books have been translated all over the world in multiple languages and hit multiple domestic and international bestseller lists. To find out about Lauren’s upcoming releases and giveaways, and to check out loads of bonus material, sign up for Lauren’s emails at www.LaurenRoweBooks.com.
Lauren loves to hear from readers! Send Lauren an email from her website, say hi on Instagram @laurenrowebooks, and/or come by her Facebook page by searching Facebook for “Lauren Rowe Author.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 966 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 stars
Chasing the Ring was such a funny and heartwarming read. I love Lauren Rowe’s writing style and was so happy to read this one. It left me wanting books for so many of these other characters we met- Roman’s brothers- please!
Roman is an NFL quarterback, and Iris is a jilted bride. They meet on Iris’s honeymoon (where she goes alone), and Roman is on vacation. Iris has no clue who Roman is, and it’s refreshing to him. After going viral for her breakup at the church, Iris is having a hard time, and Roman is really there for her.
I loved the first week they were together. They got to know each other for who they are. I also loved that they went their separate ways for a while. I think they both desperately needed that.
Lauren Rowe always writes the best families and characters. Roman’s family was the best, as well as his son. Every time he was on page, I got a huge smile on my face. I love a book that can make me laugh out loud and swoon, and this was just that. Iris and Roman’s story is one sports romance you don’t want to miss out on!
Chasing the Ring was such a funny and heartwarming read. I love Lauren Rowe’s writing style and was so happy to read this one. It left me wanting books for so many of these other characters we met- Roman’s brothers- please!
Roman is an NFL quarterback, and Iris is a jilted bride. They meet on Iris’s honeymoon (where she goes alone), and Roman is on vacation. Iris has no clue who Roman is, and it’s refreshing to him. After going viral for her breakup at the church, Iris is having a hard time, and Roman is really there for her.
I loved the first week they were together. They got to know each other for who they are. I also loved that they went their separate ways for a while. I think they both desperately needed that.
Lauren Rowe always writes the best families and characters. Roman’s family was the best, as well as his son. Every time he was on page, I got a huge smile on my face. I love a book that can make me laugh out loud and swoon, and this was just that. Iris and Roman’s story is one sports romance you don’t want to miss out on!
January 15, 2026
✨ Rating: 4⭐️
🫧 Vibes: vacation fling that feels like more
🎶 Song: so high school - taylor swift
📖 Favourite Quote: "It wasn’t the place that was the paradise. It was being with you. wherever I am, as long as i’m with you, I’ll always be in paradise."
📚 Would I recommend? yes
💬 tldr thoughts: a fast-paced spicy sports romance!
In the package:
📦 strangers to lovers
📦 single dad
📦 forced proximity
📦 vacation fling
Plot: Iris decides to take her honeymoon trip after she discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her. After putting him on blast on their wedding day, she becomes viral on the internet because of her outburst. When she gets to Hawaii she finds out her ex had cancelled the booking and now she's stuck staying in a bungalow with an NFL quarterback, with whom she decides to have a fling with.
Thoughts: if you're looking for an unserious fun read, then this is exactly what this book offers. This book started off with a bang (literally) 💀 The sweet and tender moments between the characters were the best part. At times they acted a bit immature for their age but I get that the concept of this book is totally unrealistic so I'm excusing parts of it. My favourite parts were when Iris met Roman's son and his family, I love a good found family trope and all their scenes together were so sweet. I prefer books with a little more emotional depth to them rather than spice which is why this isn't necessarily a 5 star read for me.
Thank you Kensington Books, BTC Books and Lauren Rowe for this gifted physical ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: vacation fling that feels like more
🎶 Song: so high school - taylor swift
📖 Favourite Quote: "It wasn’t the place that was the paradise. It was being with you. wherever I am, as long as i’m with you, I’ll always be in paradise."
📚 Would I recommend? yes
💬 tldr thoughts: a fast-paced spicy sports romance!
In the package:
📦 strangers to lovers
📦 single dad
📦 forced proximity
📦 vacation fling
Plot: Iris decides to take her honeymoon trip after she discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her. After putting him on blast on their wedding day, she becomes viral on the internet because of her outburst. When she gets to Hawaii she finds out her ex had cancelled the booking and now she's stuck staying in a bungalow with an NFL quarterback, with whom she decides to have a fling with.
Thoughts: if you're looking for an unserious fun read, then this is exactly what this book offers. This book started off with a bang (literally) 💀 The sweet and tender moments between the characters were the best part. At times they acted a bit immature for their age but I get that the concept of this book is totally unrealistic so I'm excusing parts of it. My favourite parts were when Iris met Roman's son and his family, I love a good found family trope and all their scenes together were so sweet. I prefer books with a little more emotional depth to them rather than spice which is why this isn't necessarily a 5 star read for me.
Thank you Kensington Books, BTC Books and Lauren Rowe for this gifted physical ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
November 3, 2025
alright i’ve had enough. i thought this concept was super super fun! single hot dad and jolted bride preschool teacher! what more could you want????
going into this set the scene very well. iris finds that her fiancé has been cheating on her and TAKING THE CHEATING PHONE TO THEIR WEDDING. that’s horrible. she keeps the honeymoon to herself though and it’s there that she runs into roman, our hunky mmc. their first meeting however…. happens when she runs into their double booked bungalow bathroom and goes to relieve herself. now… there was a bit too much detail THERE for me to enjoy but then!! he sees her with her ‘thighs wide and head thrown back’ and knows he has to have her…. when she’s mid-pee. MID-PEE!!!!!! that icks me out so bad i can’t keep reading.
the writing itself feels unpolished. dialogue is a bit stilted between characters. still super grateful to edelweiss and the publishers for provided me with an advanced copy!
going into this set the scene very well. iris finds that her fiancé has been cheating on her and TAKING THE CHEATING PHONE TO THEIR WEDDING. that’s horrible. she keeps the honeymoon to herself though and it’s there that she runs into roman, our hunky mmc. their first meeting however…. happens when she runs into their double booked bungalow bathroom and goes to relieve herself. now… there was a bit too much detail THERE for me to enjoy but then!! he sees her with her ‘thighs wide and head thrown back’ and knows he has to have her…. when she’s mid-pee. MID-PEE!!!!!! that icks me out so bad i can’t keep reading.
the writing itself feels unpolished. dialogue is a bit stilted between characters. still super grateful to edelweiss and the publishers for provided me with an advanced copy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2026
I absolutely loved this audiobook! It was such a feel-good listen and totally lived up to what I was expecting. I really appreciated how the relationship developed nothing felt rushed or glossed over. The FMC was strong-willed and confident, which I loved. Yes, it’s spicy, but the spice actually made sense and didn’t feel thrown in just for shock value. It fit perfectly with the emotional connection and made the story even better. The narrators were amazing too, I could honestly listen to them all day without getting tired of their voices. Huge thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this ALC!
January 28, 2026
2 stars is harsh but also it could have been 1 😬
Trying to be objective, at least to some extent, I probably should settle on 3, but by the end of the read (or listen as I got approved for the ALC) I had notes for too many things and struggled to keep going.
The audio performance is great, solid 4⭐️ for the production and narration (narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow).
Audio duration: 10h
Listening speed: 1.75-2x, up to 2.5x at the last 3-4h
Look, I can see this book being 4 or even 5 stars for some readers. It started pretty great for me too, for the most part I was debating between “barely 4” and “super positive 3”, but then the issues I had with this story kept piling and I was too easily dissociating and couldn’t care less for the characters in the last 40%.
The writing is not bad. The sentences and the whole scenes are well constructed, but the construction of the whole story is not it. Some scenes were there mainly for the sake of being and at the end not being really relevant. Also, it was the rare case of spice giving me the ick. It either wasn’t reconciling with the characters or spicy scene was there just for the sake of spice, felt like marking off the tick box that there are X scenes like that rather than fitting the story.
It was supposed to be a short review but oh well, I cannot stop once I start going.
Let’s see what I have in my notes:
-3 or whatever chapters it took to cover her backstory of almost marrrying her boyfriend/fiancée of 7 years who on the day before the wedding turned out to be a cheater and narcissist and was bad in bed? Girl, why were you about to marry him? 😬😬 If it’s shitty ex fiancée backstory then it could have been one paragraph, not 3 chapters. The initial MMC’s chapters were very similar - overall way too many words to cover things that did not matter for the plot much, could have been just handled differently.
-He’s obsessed but in a creepy way 😬 they had a vacation fling going ffs but he sends a bodyguard after her? Like truly, they spend couple days not even falling for each other (I didn’t feel tension or love or anything like that between MCs) and there was no reason to fear the ex, but yet he sends a bodyguard after her?! This part gave me a huge ick. I love a good stalker romance but here it was the ick giving and red flag stalkers vibes.
-The meeting of ex somewhere at 70% was way too dramatic. Ok, yes, he cheated on her and all but Iris and Maverick acted like meeting the ex was super dangerous or sth, srsly 🙄
The last 40 were a downhill road…
-last 4h of the audiobook made me question of 2 stars would be more appropriate rating (which I did settle on xd)
-Her insecurity and the insistence on why he didn’t even try with Vanessa (mother of his kid) to the extent of almost making it an issue. Girl, just stop making issues where there aren’t!!!
-in the first chapter by Roman he kinda decides “I want that too” when seeing his friends marry each other and basically this is what gave me the ick later. It didn’t feel like he fell in love with Iris, it felt more like prior to meeting her he “decided” he wants to marry a girl and the first one he found he proposed to. Not right away but still the proposal felt out of the blue for me. (Also, all the stalkery vibes he gave)
This review is too long and nobody will read it so I’m trying to get to the end.
Bottom line is: I was questioning execution and existence of some (most?) of the scenes pretty much for the whole listening time. I didn’t feel the love or even infatuation between the main characters AT ALL. The proposal made zero sense. While still I can see it being a fit for some readers, I guess I just need more writing and structure-vise cause this felt way too more like a fanfic written each week or sth and not like a book that should be edited as a whole.
The only good thing about this book was the audio performance.
Trying to be objective, at least to some extent, I probably should settle on 3, but by the end of the read (or listen as I got approved for the ALC) I had notes for too many things and struggled to keep going.
The audio performance is great, solid 4⭐️ for the production and narration (narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow).
Audio duration: 10h
Listening speed: 1.75-2x, up to 2.5x at the last 3-4h
Look, I can see this book being 4 or even 5 stars for some readers. It started pretty great for me too, for the most part I was debating between “barely 4” and “super positive 3”, but then the issues I had with this story kept piling and I was too easily dissociating and couldn’t care less for the characters in the last 40%.
The writing is not bad. The sentences and the whole scenes are well constructed, but the construction of the whole story is not it. Some scenes were there mainly for the sake of being and at the end not being really relevant. Also, it was the rare case of spice giving me the ick. It either wasn’t reconciling with the characters or spicy scene was there just for the sake of spice, felt like marking off the tick box that there are X scenes like that rather than fitting the story.
It was supposed to be a short review but oh well, I cannot stop once I start going.
Let’s see what I have in my notes:
-3 or whatever chapters it took to cover her backstory of almost marrrying her boyfriend/fiancée of 7 years who on the day before the wedding turned out to be a cheater and narcissist and was bad in bed? Girl, why were you about to marry him? 😬😬 If it’s shitty ex fiancée backstory then it could have been one paragraph, not 3 chapters. The initial MMC’s chapters were very similar - overall way too many words to cover things that did not matter for the plot much, could have been just handled differently.
-He’s obsessed but in a creepy way 😬 they had a vacation fling going ffs but he sends a bodyguard after her? Like truly, they spend couple days not even falling for each other (I didn’t feel tension or love or anything like that between MCs) and there was no reason to fear the ex, but yet he sends a bodyguard after her?! This part gave me a huge ick. I love a good stalker romance but here it was the ick giving and red flag stalkers vibes.
-The meeting of ex somewhere at 70% was way too dramatic. Ok, yes, he cheated on her and all but Iris and Maverick acted like meeting the ex was super dangerous or sth, srsly 🙄
The last 40 were a downhill road…
-last 4h of the audiobook made me question of 2 stars would be more appropriate rating (which I did settle on xd)
-Her insecurity and the insistence on why he didn’t even try with Vanessa (mother of his kid) to the extent of almost making it an issue. Girl, just stop making issues where there aren’t!!!
-in the first chapter by Roman he kinda decides “I want that too” when seeing his friends marry each other and basically this is what gave me the ick later. It didn’t feel like he fell in love with Iris, it felt more like prior to meeting her he “decided” he wants to marry a girl and the first one he found he proposed to. Not right away but still the proposal felt out of the blue for me. (Also, all the stalkery vibes he gave)
This review is too long and nobody will read it so I’m trying to get to the end.
Bottom line is: I was questioning execution and existence of some (most?) of the scenes pretty much for the whole listening time. I didn’t feel the love or even infatuation between the main characters AT ALL. The proposal made zero sense. While still I can see it being a fit for some readers, I guess I just need more writing and structure-vise cause this felt way too more like a fanfic written each week or sth and not like a book that should be edited as a whole.
The only good thing about this book was the audio performance.
February 7, 2026
okay ooey gooey cozy sports romance.
iris finds out her fiance has been cheating on her and leaves him in a public way at the alter. she goes on her honeymoon and runs into pro football player roman and they decide to spend the week together.
im always pleasantly surprised when the mmc inwardly doubts his ability to commit but then shows up for the fmc instead of pushing her away. roman thinks about iris’s comfort and happiness over his own. i loved roman’s family and their immediate acceptance of iris.
the narrators were great, i will always choose to listen to the audiobook if i see either of them are narrating!
thank you netgalley for the arc
iris finds out her fiance has been cheating on her and leaves him in a public way at the alter. she goes on her honeymoon and runs into pro football player roman and they decide to spend the week together.
im always pleasantly surprised when the mmc inwardly doubts his ability to commit but then shows up for the fmc instead of pushing her away. roman thinks about iris’s comfort and happiness over his own. i loved roman’s family and their immediate acceptance of iris.
the narrators were great, i will always choose to listen to the audiobook if i see either of them are narrating!
thank you netgalley for the arc
January 23, 2026
Narration by Samantha Brentmoor & Aiden Snow. These two were perfect for the added humor & emotions in this book! I loved them together!!
Rating: 4⭐️
What to expect:
Sports romance
Strangers to lovers
Single dad
Forced Proximity
Vacation vibes
I absolutely love Lauren Rowe’s writing & this was no different! This was just a fun ride. The audio made it even better!
A jilted runaway bride who is on a solo honeymoon, but her room is already booked by an NFL player on his own vacation.
This book was a steamy, hilarious, and feel good one! I loved these characters & the found family they ended up creating. The tender family moments that were thrown in had my heart.
Sports romance is always gonna be a yes for me & this was a perfect read for something light, fun, and easy to get into!
Thank you Kensington Between the Chapters, NetGalley, RBMedia, and Lauren Rowe for this gifted early copy!
Rating: 4⭐️
What to expect:
Sports romance
Strangers to lovers
Single dad
Forced Proximity
Vacation vibes
I absolutely love Lauren Rowe’s writing & this was no different! This was just a fun ride. The audio made it even better!
A jilted runaway bride who is on a solo honeymoon, but her room is already booked by an NFL player on his own vacation.
This book was a steamy, hilarious, and feel good one! I loved these characters & the found family they ended up creating. The tender family moments that were thrown in had my heart.
Sports romance is always gonna be a yes for me & this was a perfect read for something light, fun, and easy to get into!
Thank you Kensington Between the Chapters, NetGalley, RBMedia, and Lauren Rowe for this gifted early copy!
February 23, 2026
If you’re in the mood for a fluffy, fast-paced read with a little spice and a touch of football, definitely pick this one up!
The story kicks off at full speed and immediately pulled me in. I was hooked from the very start. The tropical vibes added such a fun, escapist element, and I loved the overall light, swoony energy.
One thing I especially appreciated was how the conflict was handled. While there were moments of miscommunication and a few misleading situations, the characters actually talked things through like adults (we love to see it!). It made the romance feel more grounded and satisfying.
Overall, this was a fun, breezy read with great pacing and just the right amount of heat. Perfect for when you want something quick, cute, and entertaining.
The story kicks off at full speed and immediately pulled me in. I was hooked from the very start. The tropical vibes added such a fun, escapist element, and I loved the overall light, swoony energy.
One thing I especially appreciated was how the conflict was handled. While there were moments of miscommunication and a few misleading situations, the characters actually talked things through like adults (we love to see it!). It made the romance feel more grounded and satisfying.
Overall, this was a fun, breezy read with great pacing and just the right amount of heat. Perfect for when you want something quick, cute, and entertaining.
February 4, 2026
What to expect
🏈NFL QB x Pre-K Teacher
🏈Vacation Fling (Hawaii)
🏈Runaway Bride + Reformed Playboy
🏈Tropical to Smalltown Setting
🏈Single Dad
🏈One Bed
🏈Forced Proximity
🏈Duet Narration
Playful, fun and sweet, and Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow are fantastic in the duet narration.
🏈NFL QB x Pre-K Teacher
🏈Vacation Fling (Hawaii)
🏈Runaway Bride + Reformed Playboy
🏈Tropical to Smalltown Setting
🏈Single Dad
🏈One Bed
🏈Forced Proximity
🏈Duet Narration
Playful, fun and sweet, and Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow are fantastic in the duet narration.
March 6, 2026
📚🎧ALC & ARC REVIEW🎧📚
This story was not only an outstanding read back in August, but an even better listen just a few days ago! I don't get to say this very often, but if you get the chance to experience this via audio, DO IT! Samantha Brentmoor captured Iris's spirit so well that I found myself applauding (like for real clapping) after some of her scenes. It was a thing a beauty, and while Samantha has always been able to do this with her characters (in my experience), this was more. This was bigger. This was extraordinary.
Standby for a full review in a minute or two ...
update 03/06/2026: I obviously cannot tell time ... *hangs head*
This story was not only an outstanding read back in August, but an even better listen just a few days ago! I don't get to say this very often, but if you get the chance to experience this via audio, DO IT! Samantha Brentmoor captured Iris's spirit so well that I found myself applauding (like for real clapping) after some of her scenes. It was a thing a beauty, and while Samantha has always been able to do this with her characters (in my experience), this was more. This was bigger. This was extraordinary.
Standby for a full review in a minute or two ...
update 03/06/2026: I obviously cannot tell time ... *hangs head*
February 2, 2026
A runaway bride goes on her solo honeymoon only to discover that her would be in-laws cancelled her reservation and there is a hot man staying in her bungalow. The premise is good and the forced proximity fling that is the first 30% of the book was fun. I also really appreciated that when their time was cut short, Iris was the one who was firm on keeping the relationship within the “fling” parameters.
After they left Hawaii, the story went down hill for me. Roman unilaterally decides what Iris is feeling and shows up on her door step with his kid and parents without any notice. And then invites her to his house without any actual explanation/conversation about his expectations and then is surprised that she thought she was just there for a visit. He starts calling her his gf without talking to her about it first and makes major life decisions, re: buying property and an engagement ring without talking to Iris about what she’d like. From here on out Roman gave me the ick.
The writing felt patchy and under developed for the last third of the novel. So much so that I looked up the author to see if this was a debut novel, but alas, the author has been publishing for over ten years, so it wasn’t just rookie editing.
The story had potential, and there were some fun moments, but all in all, it was just okay.
After they left Hawaii, the story went down hill for me. Roman unilaterally decides what Iris is feeling and shows up on her door step with his kid and parents without any notice. And then invites her to his house without any actual explanation/conversation about his expectations and then is surprised that she thought she was just there for a visit. He starts calling her his gf without talking to her about it first and makes major life decisions, re: buying property and an engagement ring without talking to Iris about what she’d like. From here on out Roman gave me the ick.
The writing felt patchy and under developed for the last third of the novel. So much so that I looked up the author to see if this was a debut novel, but alas, the author has been publishing for over ten years, so it wasn’t just rookie editing.
The story had potential, and there were some fun moments, but all in all, it was just okay.
March 22, 2026
❂ “Is this what they call seeing God? Because I think I finally understand the expression.” ♡
One of the biggest surprises for me was just how much of the book focused on the vacation fling. It took up a solid portion of the story, close to half, and while those scenes were entertaining, I found myself wishing that balance had been shifted a bit. Because so much time was spent on the fling, there wasn’t nearly enough space dedicated to showing how the characters functioned apart from each other. We only got a brief glimpse of their lives without one another, and I think expanding on that would have added a lot more depth to their eventual reconnection.
♡ “One thing. I’m not frigid, you little bitch. Not with the right man. On the contrary, as it turns out, I’m a certified nymphomaniac with the right man—that man there—because he actually knows what he’s doing in bed, unlike you!” ❂
That imbalance also impacted the emotional payoff later on. The “make-up” and progression of their relationship felt somewhat rushed in comparison. I would have loved to see more of them reconnecting and getting to know each other outside of the physical side of things before deciding to take that next big step together in LA. As it stood, that transition felt a bit glossed over.
❂ “He’s an idiot. If you were mine, I’d f*ck you so often, I wouldn’t have time to even think about cheating on you.” ♡
That said, there were moments that really stood out in a positive way. The chapters where Roman was dealing with losing a game were some of my favorites. They added a layer of emotional realism that the story really benefited from, showing a relationship that wasn’t always perfect but still had the potential to grow stronger through communication and support. Those scenes felt grounded and meaningful in a way that elevated the overall story.
♡ “What do you want, Iris? Tell me clearly.” ❂
Maverick was another highlight for me; he completely stole every scene he was in. He was adorable, funny, and brought a lot of lightness to the story. I honestly wish we had gotten more of him, because his interactions, especially his first scene with Iris, were genuinely laugh-out-loud moments and captured that chaotic, hilarious honesty kids tend to have.
♡ “I didn’t know it then, but I’ve been waiting for you my whole life, Iris. Waiting to feel like I feel when I’m with you. Somehow, my heart has always known you were out there somewhere. I just needed to be patient and wait for you to show up.” ❂
In the end, while the story was sweet and had some strong emotional beats, I couldn’t shake the feeling that a different balance in pacing and focus would have made it even better.
Stars: 3.5/5
Spice: 2.5/5
Tropes:
❂ Vacation Hookup to Forever ♡
♡ Single Dad ❂
❂ Secret Identity ♡
♡ Bride Scorned ❂
One of the biggest surprises for me was just how much of the book focused on the vacation fling. It took up a solid portion of the story, close to half, and while those scenes were entertaining, I found myself wishing that balance had been shifted a bit. Because so much time was spent on the fling, there wasn’t nearly enough space dedicated to showing how the characters functioned apart from each other. We only got a brief glimpse of their lives without one another, and I think expanding on that would have added a lot more depth to their eventual reconnection.
♡ “One thing. I’m not frigid, you little bitch. Not with the right man. On the contrary, as it turns out, I’m a certified nymphomaniac with the right man—that man there—because he actually knows what he’s doing in bed, unlike you!” ❂
That imbalance also impacted the emotional payoff later on. The “make-up” and progression of their relationship felt somewhat rushed in comparison. I would have loved to see more of them reconnecting and getting to know each other outside of the physical side of things before deciding to take that next big step together in LA. As it stood, that transition felt a bit glossed over.
❂ “He’s an idiot. If you were mine, I’d f*ck you so often, I wouldn’t have time to even think about cheating on you.” ♡
That said, there were moments that really stood out in a positive way. The chapters where Roman was dealing with losing a game were some of my favorites. They added a layer of emotional realism that the story really benefited from, showing a relationship that wasn’t always perfect but still had the potential to grow stronger through communication and support. Those scenes felt grounded and meaningful in a way that elevated the overall story.
♡ “What do you want, Iris? Tell me clearly.” ❂
❂ “You.” ♡
Maverick was another highlight for me; he completely stole every scene he was in. He was adorable, funny, and brought a lot of lightness to the story. I honestly wish we had gotten more of him, because his interactions, especially his first scene with Iris, were genuinely laugh-out-loud moments and captured that chaotic, hilarious honesty kids tend to have.
♡ “I didn’t know it then, but I’ve been waiting for you my whole life, Iris. Waiting to feel like I feel when I’m with you. Somehow, my heart has always known you were out there somewhere. I just needed to be patient and wait for you to show up.” ❂
In the end, while the story was sweet and had some strong emotional beats, I couldn’t shake the feeling that a different balance in pacing and focus would have made it even better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stars: 3.5/5
Spice: 2.5/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tropes:
❂ Vacation Hookup to Forever ♡
♡ Single Dad ❂
❂ Secret Identity ♡
♡ Bride Scorned ❂
January 25, 2026
4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
Chasing the Ring is a fun, escapist sports romance that starts with absolute chaos—in the best way. Iris Benedetto’s wedding day goes viral after she calls out her cheating fiancé at the altar and promptly ditches him for a solo honeymoon in Kauai, loudly declaring she’s about to find out what good sex actually is. Iconic behavior, honestly.
What Iris doesn’t expect is to end up double-booked in her bungalow with Roman Maguire—an insanely hot NFL quarterback who just wants a quiet week in Hawaii while negotiating a career-defining deal that could finally land him a Super Bowl ring and bring him closer to his son. Their setup screams “vacation fling,” but of course, feelings don’t stick to the itinerary.
I really enjoyed this book, even though single-dad romance isn’t usually my go-to trope. A lot of the time, the kid feels like an afterthought—but that wasn’t the case here. Roman’s son actually plays a meaningful role in the story, and I loved that Roman has a healthy, respectful relationship with his son’s mother. That dynamic felt refreshing and mature, especially in a genre where co-parenting can sometimes be messy just for drama’s sake.
The sports romance angle was also a win. If you’re a football girlie, this one definitely delivers—Roman is peak book boyfriend quarterback energy without being over the top. And Iris’s journey from devastated, humiliated bride to confident woman reclaiming her life was genuinely satisfying.
On the audio side, this narration was excellent. Samantha Brentmoor—one of my all-time favorite narrators—was perfect as Iris, capturing both her vulnerability and her humor. Aiden Snow brought Roman to life with just the right mix of charm, confidence, and heart. Together, they really elevated the story and made it easy to sink into.
Overall, Chasing the Ring was a fun, sexy, heartfelt listen with great narration, strong character relationships, and just enough emotional depth to balance the escapism. Definitely worth a listen if you’re in the mood for a vacation romance with football flair.
Thanks to Lauren, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the ALC of this upcoming book.
2/5 🌶️
Chasing the Ring is a fun, escapist sports romance that starts with absolute chaos—in the best way. Iris Benedetto’s wedding day goes viral after she calls out her cheating fiancé at the altar and promptly ditches him for a solo honeymoon in Kauai, loudly declaring she’s about to find out what good sex actually is. Iconic behavior, honestly.
What Iris doesn’t expect is to end up double-booked in her bungalow with Roman Maguire—an insanely hot NFL quarterback who just wants a quiet week in Hawaii while negotiating a career-defining deal that could finally land him a Super Bowl ring and bring him closer to his son. Their setup screams “vacation fling,” but of course, feelings don’t stick to the itinerary.
I really enjoyed this book, even though single-dad romance isn’t usually my go-to trope. A lot of the time, the kid feels like an afterthought—but that wasn’t the case here. Roman’s son actually plays a meaningful role in the story, and I loved that Roman has a healthy, respectful relationship with his son’s mother. That dynamic felt refreshing and mature, especially in a genre where co-parenting can sometimes be messy just for drama’s sake.
The sports romance angle was also a win. If you’re a football girlie, this one definitely delivers—Roman is peak book boyfriend quarterback energy without being over the top. And Iris’s journey from devastated, humiliated bride to confident woman reclaiming her life was genuinely satisfying.
On the audio side, this narration was excellent. Samantha Brentmoor—one of my all-time favorite narrators—was perfect as Iris, capturing both her vulnerability and her humor. Aiden Snow brought Roman to life with just the right mix of charm, confidence, and heart. Together, they really elevated the story and made it easy to sink into.
Overall, Chasing the Ring was a fun, sexy, heartfelt listen with great narration, strong character relationships, and just enough emotional depth to balance the escapism. Definitely worth a listen if you’re in the mood for a vacation romance with football flair.
Thanks to Lauren, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the ALC of this upcoming book.
January 31, 2026
✨ALC provided be NetGalley for an honest review✨
Chasing the Ring is a jilted bride, single dad, one night stand, instant attraction, secret identity, football romance. On the night before she was supposed to be married, Iris found a hidden cell phone with proof that her fiancé had been cheating on her for years. So when she walked down the aisle for her wedding, she confronts her fiancé in front of everyone about his affairs and it turns into a viral video. Of course she calls off the wedding and she decides to go on her honeymoon alone. When she arrives in Hawaii and makes it to her bungalow, she discovers her booking has been cancelled when she hilariously discovers a huge hunk of a man showering in her room! Roman was in town for his cousin’s wedding and decided to make it an extended vacation so he could get some rest before the football season starts, and to try and talk his old coach into coming with him to a new team. He wants to move to LA to be closer to his son, so he’s really banking on getting signed to a new team. After discovering Iris and finding out her embarrassing viral video situation, he decides to let her stay with him and they have a fun no strings attached week in Hawaii full of sweet dates and spicy nights 👀 After finding out Roman is a football superstar, they end up officially parting ways so she doesn’t have herself thrust more in the spotlight.
The way Roman was so sympathetic and supportive towards Iris was perfect. He finally had a chance to spend time and connect with someone that didn’t know who he was, and was able to completely be himself. Even when Iris was adamant about them parting ways, he ends up not being able to stay away from her. They were both so sweet and supportive towards each other and Iris is the piece of the puzzle his family had been missing. Their love was so deep and special and Roman became a sweet little cinnamon roll for Iris. I loved it 😍
The audiobook is duet narrated by Aiden Snow and Samantha Brentmoor who absolutely nailed their characters! The HEA was so sweet that it gave me a toothache 😂 I totally recommend this if you want a sweet and spicy listen that leaves you smiling at the end 🖤
Chasing the Ring is a jilted bride, single dad, one night stand, instant attraction, secret identity, football romance. On the night before she was supposed to be married, Iris found a hidden cell phone with proof that her fiancé had been cheating on her for years. So when she walked down the aisle for her wedding, she confronts her fiancé in front of everyone about his affairs and it turns into a viral video. Of course she calls off the wedding and she decides to go on her honeymoon alone. When she arrives in Hawaii and makes it to her bungalow, she discovers her booking has been cancelled when she hilariously discovers a huge hunk of a man showering in her room! Roman was in town for his cousin’s wedding and decided to make it an extended vacation so he could get some rest before the football season starts, and to try and talk his old coach into coming with him to a new team. He wants to move to LA to be closer to his son, so he’s really banking on getting signed to a new team. After discovering Iris and finding out her embarrassing viral video situation, he decides to let her stay with him and they have a fun no strings attached week in Hawaii full of sweet dates and spicy nights 👀 After finding out Roman is a football superstar, they end up officially parting ways so she doesn’t have herself thrust more in the spotlight.
The way Roman was so sympathetic and supportive towards Iris was perfect. He finally had a chance to spend time and connect with someone that didn’t know who he was, and was able to completely be himself. Even when Iris was adamant about them parting ways, he ends up not being able to stay away from her. They were both so sweet and supportive towards each other and Iris is the piece of the puzzle his family had been missing. Their love was so deep and special and Roman became a sweet little cinnamon roll for Iris. I loved it 😍
The audiobook is duet narrated by Aiden Snow and Samantha Brentmoor who absolutely nailed their characters! The HEA was so sweet that it gave me a toothache 😂 I totally recommend this if you want a sweet and spicy listen that leaves you smiling at the end 🖤
February 3, 2026
Chasing the Ring by Lauren Rowe
Football and Feels series #1. Contemporary sports related romance.
After finding out her fiancé was cheating, Iris Benedetto cancels the wedding and goes on the honeymoon trip herself in search of fun and sun. Her confirmation gives her a room number but a handsome stranger is already inside. NFL Quarterback Roman Maguire is instantly enamored with the beautiful woman and offers to share the room. And bed.
Iris is all in. It’s Hawaii and her vacation and the perfect opportunity to add an adventure to her life.
🎧 I was able to alternate between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow in a Duet format. I love this format as it seems like the characters are actually in conversation with each other. The performance is entertaining and brings the passion and hope of love to a vivid imagery.
Passionately performed and an adventure to remember. A fantasy for sure, but a girl can dream.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and RB Media.
Football and Feels series #1. Contemporary sports related romance.
After finding out her fiancé was cheating, Iris Benedetto cancels the wedding and goes on the honeymoon trip herself in search of fun and sun. Her confirmation gives her a room number but a handsome stranger is already inside. NFL Quarterback Roman Maguire is instantly enamored with the beautiful woman and offers to share the room. And bed.
Iris is all in. It’s Hawaii and her vacation and the perfect opportunity to add an adventure to her life.
🎧 I was able to alternate between an ebook and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Samantha Brentmoor and Aiden Snow in a Duet format. I love this format as it seems like the characters are actually in conversation with each other. The performance is entertaining and brings the passion and hope of love to a vivid imagery.
Passionately performed and an adventure to remember. A fantasy for sure, but a girl can dream.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and RB Media.
February 25, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for the audio copy! Unfortunately this was a big ol DNF! The audio was great, in fact I love the narrators for this book. But I just couldn’t get on with the storyline it was unrealistic and cringe. Not a fan!
January 17, 2026
This was a cute and fun football sports romance!
We have Iris, who finds a mysterious phone on the eve of her wedding and finds out her fiancé has been cheating on her! For years! He’s on dating apps, he’s sexting, oh he’s doing it ALL. So her and her bridesmaids besties concoct a plan for her to walk down the aisle and let him have it after originally suspecting nothing.
And oh boy. Someone was recording it and she goes VIRAL! The Horny Runaway Bride! 🤣👰♀️
She decides she’s going to take her Hawaiian honeymoon because she deserves it damnit. She gets to her bungalow to find her entry code doesn’t work and once she proves it’s hers and gets in??? The fun begins. She meets Rowan. An NFL super star. But she didn’t know it. It’s instant attraction and instant sparks! Phew! Do sparks fly!
🫧Iris’s orgasm accompanied by a scream of ecstasy that’s so unhinged, it sounds like she’s birthing a demon 👹 Is this what they call seeing God? 🫧
🤣🤣🤣🤣
He likes that she doesn’t know who he is so they continue seeing each other. But soon reality comes creeping back and since Rowan wants to continue seeing Iris, some truths are going to have to come out.
Follow Iris and Rowan’s journey of making it work, falling in love and being just the perfect couple!
I loved the bonus epilogues too! Omg soooo cute and I recommend this book!
Thank you HambrightPR, NetGalley and above all, Lauren Rowe for the opportunity to read this book!
We have Iris, who finds a mysterious phone on the eve of her wedding and finds out her fiancé has been cheating on her! For years! He’s on dating apps, he’s sexting, oh he’s doing it ALL. So her and her bridesmaids besties concoct a plan for her to walk down the aisle and let him have it after originally suspecting nothing.
And oh boy. Someone was recording it and she goes VIRAL! The Horny Runaway Bride! 🤣👰♀️
She decides she’s going to take her Hawaiian honeymoon because she deserves it damnit. She gets to her bungalow to find her entry code doesn’t work and once she proves it’s hers and gets in??? The fun begins. She meets Rowan. An NFL super star. But she didn’t know it. It’s instant attraction and instant sparks! Phew! Do sparks fly!
🫧Iris’s orgasm accompanied by a scream of ecstasy that’s so unhinged, it sounds like she’s birthing a demon 👹 Is this what they call seeing God? 🫧
🤣🤣🤣🤣
He likes that she doesn’t know who he is so they continue seeing each other. But soon reality comes creeping back and since Rowan wants to continue seeing Iris, some truths are going to have to come out.
Follow Iris and Rowan’s journey of making it work, falling in love and being just the perfect couple!
I loved the bonus epilogues too! Omg soooo cute and I recommend this book!
Thank you HambrightPR, NetGalley and above all, Lauren Rowe for the opportunity to read this book!
February 20, 2026
Chasing the Ring was listened to via audiobook thanks to NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions. Narrators voices and inflection were easy to listen to.
I adored our FMC, Iris, and her spunky attitude. After leaving her cheating fiancé at the altar in a rather extraordinary fashion, Iris takes off to Hawaii to celebrate her Honeymoon solo. There she meets football QB, Roman, in all his natural glory, where they decide to help each other out in a mutually beneficial way. Very spicy these two couldn’t keep their hand off each other even for wanting to keep things on the down low. There’s no real OM/OW drama, but there are some lies of omission Roman is guilty of by trying to keep his football status secret. Was kind of annoying the lies of it all, but it lent to the angst keeping these two apart. I really enjoyed this hopefully series opener. If any real disappointment was not enough secondary character interaction for my tastes. These guys on the sports teams together, written with good chemistry can make for some funny dialog, and this missed out on that chance. But I definitely will follow authors work in series or standalone projects.
I adored our FMC, Iris, and her spunky attitude. After leaving her cheating fiancé at the altar in a rather extraordinary fashion, Iris takes off to Hawaii to celebrate her Honeymoon solo. There she meets football QB, Roman, in all his natural glory, where they decide to help each other out in a mutually beneficial way. Very spicy these two couldn’t keep their hand off each other even for wanting to keep things on the down low. There’s no real OM/OW drama, but there are some lies of omission Roman is guilty of by trying to keep his football status secret. Was kind of annoying the lies of it all, but it lent to the angst keeping these two apart. I really enjoyed this hopefully series opener. If any real disappointment was not enough secondary character interaction for my tastes. These guys on the sports teams together, written with good chemistry can make for some funny dialog, and this missed out on that chance. But I definitely will follow authors work in series or standalone projects.
January 27, 2026
I finished this book in 3 days. It was so good. It’s funny because the Super Bowl is around the corner and this made me more excited for it.
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
January 28, 2026
Chasing the Ring will be your favorite romance book of the week, of the month, of the year!
I can’t begin to tell how much of Lauren Rowe’s writing makes me feel like I’m part of the story. From the moment Iris finds out that she was wronged. It was as if I were part of her friend group, telling her what she should be doing!
I loved Roman’s response to Iris’ viral video. And how supportive her amazing friend group is.
The spice in this story is fabulous. I’m an insta-lust/love type of reader, and this was my kind of story. The humour was also on point—I love the banter, and the moments that make me howl with laughter because no way did that happen.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Author Lauren Rowe for the gifted copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I can’t begin to tell how much of Lauren Rowe’s writing makes me feel like I’m part of the story. From the moment Iris finds out that she was wronged. It was as if I were part of her friend group, telling her what she should be doing!
I loved Roman’s response to Iris’ viral video. And how supportive her amazing friend group is.
The spice in this story is fabulous. I’m an insta-lust/love type of reader, and this was my kind of story. The humour was also on point—I love the banter, and the moments that make me howl with laughter because no way did that happen.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Author Lauren Rowe for the gifted copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 28, 2026
Fantastic read can’t wait for book 2 ♥️
February 12, 2026
Chasing the Ring is an absolutely adorable romance, following the love story between a runaway bride and a professional football player that started as a vacation hookup, but turned into more than either of them bargained for.
Iris and Roman’s relationship is one that I found myself easily lost in as it was quick to feel their chemistry and the way their conversations flowed with one another was so authentic. The story was fast paced with moments that were steamy and flirty, but also fun and genuine. There were many elements in the layers between their relationship that I couldn’t help but smile at (I’m looking at you, Maverick!).
Roman’s love for Iris was swoon-worthy, kick-your-feet adorable, and it was so easy to love Iris’ innocence and trepidation after facing a devastating broken heart. The way that these two come together is a true love story with a beautiful HEA that makes this a feel-good read. I blew the rough this audiobook, fully enveloped in their story and I’m only left wanting more!
The fact that this was a duet narration is already +10 points for me, but both of these narrators did an absolutely incredible job bringing the characters to life.
A huge thank you to Lauren Rowe, RB Media, and NetGalley for granting me access to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Iris and Roman’s relationship is one that I found myself easily lost in as it was quick to feel their chemistry and the way their conversations flowed with one another was so authentic. The story was fast paced with moments that were steamy and flirty, but also fun and genuine. There were many elements in the layers between their relationship that I couldn’t help but smile at (I’m looking at you, Maverick!).
Roman’s love for Iris was swoon-worthy, kick-your-feet adorable, and it was so easy to love Iris’ innocence and trepidation after facing a devastating broken heart. The way that these two come together is a true love story with a beautiful HEA that makes this a feel-good read. I blew the rough this audiobook, fully enveloped in their story and I’m only left wanting more!
The fact that this was a duet narration is already +10 points for me, but both of these narrators did an absolutely incredible job bringing the characters to life.
A huge thank you to Lauren Rowe, RB Media, and NetGalley for granting me access to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
January 30, 2026Soft DNF at 45%
I do want to return to this book, but the characters literally had no chemistry. They met, they smashed, and then boom they’re “in lust”. Also the descriptions were a little… too much for me. Sometimes I just don’t need to know exactly how you peed. Also the adjective “ripe” to describe a woman. Sorry. No thank you.
And the way the mmc just blew over her feelings towards her finding out who he is? Pissed. It was so against how he usually was. Idk just not feeling it. Maybe later!
Just because I got sent the book, does not mean I want to d!ck ride!!! I truly want to review as honestly as possible. Although it wasn’t for me, it definitely can be for others! Lots of spice. Immediate smashing. No hesitations.
Thank you so much to Kensington for sending me an ARC of this book.
I do want to return to this book, but the characters literally had no chemistry. They met, they smashed, and then boom they’re “in lust”. Also the descriptions were a little… too much for me. Sometimes I just don’t need to know exactly how you peed. Also the adjective “ripe” to describe a woman. Sorry. No thank you.
And the way the mmc just blew over her feelings towards her finding out who he is? Pissed. It was so against how he usually was. Idk just not feeling it. Maybe later!
Just because I got sent the book, does not mean I want to d!ck ride!!! I truly want to review as honestly as possible. Although it wasn’t for me, it definitely can be for others! Lots of spice. Immediate smashing. No hesitations.
Thank you so much to Kensington for sending me an ARC of this book.
January 19, 2026
Cringe cringe cringe. Honestly, DNF around 45%. The opening was okay, the writing was a little juvenile for my taste (even for a romance, I’ve realized that I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to this). But, the first red flag of the book that made me cringe was that she managed to accidentally have some let her into a cabin that she wasn’t staying in, didn’t notice that someone was already staying in it, and go to the bathroom (where someone is literally taking a shower). If you can suspend all belief that you wouldn’t notice someone already there, then the next part of the story wouldn’t bother you. I, however, do not need someone to describe peeing to me (in the weirdest and most abnormal way possible). That entire part of the story was beyond ridiculous and absurd. I had to put the book down and walk away at that point.
I did try to continue reading it, but it was too much second hand embarrassment. It was all so cringey and uncomfortable (why is she howling?) that I just couldn’t do anymore of it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
I did try to continue reading it, but it was too much second hand embarrassment. It was all so cringey and uncomfortable (why is she howling?) that I just couldn’t do anymore of it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
spoilers
This started off pretty good, the h learned her fiance is a cheating shithead and outs his publicly. Unfortunately that of course ends up on the media, she goes of on the honeymoon alone and meets a guy. He's a famous quarterback in the middle of trying to sign with another team to be closer to his son. They hit it off and spend the time together. She finds her unfortunate "fame" out but she doesn't know who he is and he goes to great lengths to keep that from happening. Eventually they go their separate ways only to reunite.
*******
This definitely did not need to be as long as it was, I was over it by the end of the vacation.
When they made up only for him to keep thinking about when to propose just kept dragging it out.
Then he acted like an ass with the big loss for no damn reason! I was so over him by then
Time of death 86% ✌🏽
No cheating
H had a co-parenting relationship with his son's mother. she's married to someone else
This started off pretty good, the h learned her fiance is a cheating shithead and outs his publicly. Unfortunately that of course ends up on the media, she goes of on the honeymoon alone and meets a guy. He's a famous quarterback in the middle of trying to sign with another team to be closer to his son. They hit it off and spend the time together. She finds her unfortunate "fame" out but she doesn't know who he is and he goes to great lengths to keep that from happening. Eventually they go their separate ways only to reunite.
*******
This definitely did not need to be as long as it was, I was over it by the end of the vacation.
When they made up only for him to keep thinking about when to propose just kept dragging it out.
Then he acted like an ass with the big loss for no damn reason! I was so over him by then
Time of death 86% ✌🏽
No cheating
H had a co-parenting relationship with his son's mother. she's married to someone else
March 15, 2026
3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the H's son, and the H's family.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of conflict and the h.
The Bad: The connection/storyline past the smutty scenes.
Overall: This was cute for what it was, but it definitely seems like I'm in the minority again because many of my GR friends loved this. I didn't love it. I need a little conflict to my books and this was what I would consider a fluffy romance with a good bit of steam. I'm glad that the steam was turned down a bit after their initial week because it was headed towards being just pure smut. But when the steam was being turned down, there were a lot of time jumps and it felt like not much was left to it other than mushy scenes. I loved the son and the H's family, but I was kind of bored with the h and wanted more personality. I'm giving this 3 "just okay" stars, but make sure you read other reviews because it could just be the funk I'm in....
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Iris and Roman's story. Iris leaves her fiancé at the alter with a confrontation for his cheating that goes viral and goes on her honeymoon alone. Roman is a star professional quarterback and trying to make some big changes so he can be on a team close to his 4 year old son. They happen to be (kind of) double booked in a bungalow that ends up in a ONS that extends to a week-long fling in Kauai. When their lives finally get revealed and their week is over, they both find after going their own ways that it wasn't just a fling. There are some secrets revealed, some big life changes, some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Iris and Roman's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of when you realize that they only spent a week together to start.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Roman. I liked him. I really liked how he was self-aware and how he was with his son.
h (heroine) rating: 2.5 stars. Iris. She was alright but I struggled with her. I think she could've been much better, tbh.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not by mcs
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with what I would call a HEA and a super cute epilogue.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the H's son, and the H's family.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of conflict and the h.
The Bad: The connection/storyline past the smutty scenes.
Overall: This was cute for what it was, but it definitely seems like I'm in the minority again because many of my GR friends loved this. I didn't love it. I need a little conflict to my books and this was what I would consider a fluffy romance with a good bit of steam. I'm glad that the steam was turned down a bit after their initial week because it was headed towards being just pure smut. But when the steam was being turned down, there were a lot of time jumps and it felt like not much was left to it other than mushy scenes. I loved the son and the H's family, but I was kind of bored with the h and wanted more personality. I'm giving this 3 "just okay" stars, but make sure you read other reviews because it could just be the funk I'm in....
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Iris and Roman's story. Iris leaves her fiancé at the alter with a confrontation for his cheating that goes viral and goes on her honeymoon alone. Roman is a star professional quarterback and trying to make some big changes so he can be on a team close to his 4 year old son. They happen to be (kind of) double booked in a bungalow that ends up in a ONS that extends to a week-long fling in Kauai. When their lives finally get revealed and their week is over, they both find after going their own ways that it wasn't just a fling. There are some secrets revealed, some big life changes, some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Iris and Roman's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of when you realize that they only spent a week together to start.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Roman. I liked him. I really liked how he was self-aware and how he was with his son.
h (heroine) rating: 2.5 stars. Iris. She was alright but I struggled with her. I think she could've been much better, tbh.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not by mcs
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with what I would call a HEA and a super cute epilogue.
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
February 10, 2026
This was such a fun football romance! I listened to this one on audio and I feel like it made the story so much more enjoyable!
We have Iris, our FMC, who finds out her fiancé has been cheating the night before their wedding. Even though she has called off the wedding, in a very interesting way, she decides that she is going to till go on the honeymoon. Rightfully so! She deserves it! She arrives in Hawaii to find that her bungalow is already occupied...
Roman, our MMC, is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and happens to be staying an extra week in Hawaii for after his family vacation to have a work-related meeting. He also happens to be the super-hot guy that is already occupying her bungalow.
The two of them are instantly connected and end up spending a pretty much perfect week together. Lots of spice, tons of chemistry, and some fun and sweet moments as well. Of course, that can't last forever, right?
While there were a couple of things that seemed to move super quickly, I really did enjoy the story and everything that happened. I also really enjoyed that there really wasn't a third act breakup. There was a little incident, but nothing crazy and it all ended perfectly!
The narrators, Samantha Brentmor and Aiden Snow, did a fantastic job. I always enjoy both of them and they really brought the characters and the story to life with this one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced listener copy of this one! Definitely recommend you check it out!
We have Iris, our FMC, who finds out her fiancé has been cheating the night before their wedding. Even though she has called off the wedding, in a very interesting way, she decides that she is going to till go on the honeymoon. Rightfully so! She deserves it! She arrives in Hawaii to find that her bungalow is already occupied...
Roman, our MMC, is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and happens to be staying an extra week in Hawaii for after his family vacation to have a work-related meeting. He also happens to be the super-hot guy that is already occupying her bungalow.
The two of them are instantly connected and end up spending a pretty much perfect week together. Lots of spice, tons of chemistry, and some fun and sweet moments as well. Of course, that can't last forever, right?
While there were a couple of things that seemed to move super quickly, I really did enjoy the story and everything that happened. I also really enjoyed that there really wasn't a third act breakup. There was a little incident, but nothing crazy and it all ended perfectly!
The narrators, Samantha Brentmor and Aiden Snow, did a fantastic job. I always enjoy both of them and they really brought the characters and the story to life with this one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced listener copy of this one! Definitely recommend you check it out!
January 31, 2026
Even with the mildly annoying insecurities at the end - the chemistry and romance between Iris and Roman was excellent. They had tangible chemistry from their meeting and really developed a relationship that grew with then.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
January 27, 2026
I’m a sucker for a sports romance and this did not disappoint. Loved the FMC the whole way through-and the MMC was so down bad for her despite his star status.
The perfect contemporary sports romance!
Tropes:
-single dad
-nfl quarterback
-he fights for her
-vacation roommates to lovers
-hidden identity
The perfect contemporary sports romance!
Tropes:
-single dad
-nfl quarterback
-he fights for her
-vacation roommates to lovers
-hidden identity
December 24, 2025
I received an advanced copy. Thanks GoodReads. However I DNF. I tried but just couldn’t keep reading. It’s not my genre & I couldn’t keep reading.
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