What do you think?
Gridiron Legacy #1
The Trade
She vanished, but I’ve never stopped wanting her.
And now I’m back … for everything.
Two years ago, the woman I had a holiday fling with—and wanted to keep— disappeared from my life. There was no goodbye or explanation. Just gone.
So, I buried myself in football, training, and trophies. In anything that kept me from thinking about her. But it never worked.
It feels like kismet when I get traded to the New York Titans and the woman I’ve spent years looking for is none other than the owner’s daughter and one of my new bosses, Alie Grant. I should keep my distance. But every heated glance across the locker room hallway, every whispered conversation behind closed doors, and every time she looks at me like I’m hers … I lose control.
She tells me we shouldn’t do this.
I tell her I don’t care.
Because when she’s in my arms, nothing else exists.
What I don’t know is …
She’s been hiding more than her heart, and she’s been raising my daughter alone. Because the man she trusted most lied to her. He wanted her for himself.
When everything comes out, I’ll fight for the future that was stolen from us. For her and my daughter. A little girl with my eyes and smile.
Because this time … I’m not letting her walk away. This time, I’m keeping them both,
And now I’m back … for everything.
Two years ago, the woman I had a holiday fling with—and wanted to keep— disappeared from my life. There was no goodbye or explanation. Just gone.
So, I buried myself in football, training, and trophies. In anything that kept me from thinking about her. But it never worked.
It feels like kismet when I get traded to the New York Titans and the woman I’ve spent years looking for is none other than the owner’s daughter and one of my new bosses, Alie Grant. I should keep my distance. But every heated glance across the locker room hallway, every whispered conversation behind closed doors, and every time she looks at me like I’m hers … I lose control.
She tells me we shouldn’t do this.
I tell her I don’t care.
Because when she’s in my arms, nothing else exists.
What I don’t know is …
She’s been hiding more than her heart, and she’s been raising my daughter alone. Because the man she trusted most lied to her. He wanted her for himself.
When everything comes out, I’ll fight for the future that was stolen from us. For her and my daughter. A little girl with my eyes and smile.
Because this time … I’m not letting her walk away. This time, I’m keeping them both,
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2026
About the author
Ava Sutton
14 books185 followersAva Sutton is a sports enthusiast and author of spicy college and professional sports romance.
When she’s not writing, you can find her nose in a book, scrolling social media or planning dream vacations she someday hopes to take. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her two dogs.
Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
@avasuttonbooks
When she’s not writing, you can find her nose in a book, scrolling social media or planning dream vacations she someday hopes to take. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her two dogs.
Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
@avasuttonbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
June 29, 2026
⭐ DNF @ 35%
This motherfreaking book sent my blood pressure through the roof.
After enduring one mediocre book after another this year, this is the first one I simply could not force myself to finish. At 35%, I was done.
I genuinely don't understand how characters can be written to be this spectacularly stupid.
So let me get this straight.
The heroine gets pregnant after a one-night stand. Instead of acting like a grown adult and telling the father herself, she lets her so-called best friend do it. The friend lies, never passes the message along, and then tells her that Liam doesn't want the baby.
Fine.
Except then Liam reappears.
According to the heroine, this is a man who abandoned both her and his unborn child. A man who supposedly wanted nothing to do with becoming a father.
So naturally... she goes on dates with him.
She kisses him.
She considers starting a relationship with him.
I'm sorry... what?
What kind of person knowingly dates a man she believes willingly abandoned his own child?
And then, when Liam starts saying things that don't add up—claiming he tried to find her, that he asked her friend for her number, that he had no idea where she'd gone—does she do the one logical thing and simply ask him:
"Did you know I was pregnant?"
No.
Instead she decides she needs to spend more time getting to know him before telling him he has a daughter.
WHY?
If I genuinely believed someone had abandoned me and my child, the very first conversation we'd be having would be about exactly that. I'd want answers immediately, not another date.
And yes, it's painfully obvious that the friend lied and that Liam never knew about the pregnancy. I figured that out almost immediately.
But that doesn't make the heroine any less frustrating.
She has every opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding and instead repeatedly chooses not to have the one conversation that every rational adult would have within five minutes of seeing him again.
At that point, the conflict isn't organic anymore.
It's manufactured.
It's characters deliberately refusing to communicate because otherwise there wouldn't be a book.
Honestly, if I were Liam and I found out she'd known where I was all this time, kept my daughter from me, continued dating me without telling me I had a child, and still refused to have an honest conversation... I'd be calling a lawyer before I called a florist.
The entire plot hinges on people refusing to use basic common sense, and once I realized that, I simply couldn't continue.
And finally, can we talk about the ARC reviews?
I genuinely don't understand how books like this end up flooded with four- and five-star ratings. Readers rely on Goodreads reviews to decide whether a book is worth their time. When obvious flaws in plot, logic, and characterization are completely ignored, it becomes harder to trust those early ratings. Maybe these readers genuinely loved it—and if so, more power to them—but this one was absolutely not for me.
Life is too short to spend it reading characters who actively avoid the one conversation that would solve literally the entire plot.
UPDATE:
Damn my inability to leave things unfinished.
Despite DNFing this at 35%, my curiosity got the better of me. I went back, skimmed the rest, and... somehow it managed to get even worse.
The biggest problem remains the heroine.
She isn't just conflict-averse—she's completely spineless. She lets Aaron manipulate and gaslight her over and over again, constantly believing that he's the honest one despite Liam repeatedly proving through his actions that he's there for her.
And what frustrates me most is that I genuinely don't understand why.
She has loving parents. She has supportive siblings. The author never gives us a convincing reason for why she's incapable of trusting anyone or why she consistently chooses the worst possible option. Instead, she keeps pushing Liam away, breaking his heart over and over again while he patiently keeps coming back.
Ironically, the best part of the entire book was Liam's reaction when he finally found out she'd hidden his daughter from him. His anger was completely justified, and for once I thought, finally, here come some real consequences.
Except... no.
He forgives her within days.
Then, after she pushes him away again because Aaron gets into her head yet another time, he simply comes back.
At that point, I honestly wanted Liam to have some self-respect.
If I were in his shoes, I'd have focused on building a relationship with my daughter and cut my losses romantically. The heroine desperately needed therapy before she was ready to be anyone's partner. Frankly, she needed to work on herself before she could even be the parent her daughter deserved.
The entire plot relies on characters making irrational decisions simply to keep the conflict alive. None of it felt earned, believable, or emotionally satisfying. Every problem could have been solved by one honest conversation, yet the author keeps manufacturing drama by making her characters refuse to behave like rational adults.
So yes, my original DNF review stands.
If anything, finishing the book only confirmed that I should have trusted my instincts at 35%.
This motherfreaking book sent my blood pressure through the roof.
After enduring one mediocre book after another this year, this is the first one I simply could not force myself to finish. At 35%, I was done.
I genuinely don't understand how characters can be written to be this spectacularly stupid.
So let me get this straight.
The heroine gets pregnant after a one-night stand. Instead of acting like a grown adult and telling the father herself, she lets her so-called best friend do it. The friend lies, never passes the message along, and then tells her that Liam doesn't want the baby.
Fine.
Except then Liam reappears.
According to the heroine, this is a man who abandoned both her and his unborn child. A man who supposedly wanted nothing to do with becoming a father.
So naturally... she goes on dates with him.
She kisses him.
She considers starting a relationship with him.
I'm sorry... what?
What kind of person knowingly dates a man she believes willingly abandoned his own child?
And then, when Liam starts saying things that don't add up—claiming he tried to find her, that he asked her friend for her number, that he had no idea where she'd gone—does she do the one logical thing and simply ask him:
"Did you know I was pregnant?"
No.
Instead she decides she needs to spend more time getting to know him before telling him he has a daughter.
WHY?
If I genuinely believed someone had abandoned me and my child, the very first conversation we'd be having would be about exactly that. I'd want answers immediately, not another date.
And yes, it's painfully obvious that the friend lied and that Liam never knew about the pregnancy. I figured that out almost immediately.
But that doesn't make the heroine any less frustrating.
She has every opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding and instead repeatedly chooses not to have the one conversation that every rational adult would have within five minutes of seeing him again.
At that point, the conflict isn't organic anymore.
It's manufactured.
It's characters deliberately refusing to communicate because otherwise there wouldn't be a book.
Honestly, if I were Liam and I found out she'd known where I was all this time, kept my daughter from me, continued dating me without telling me I had a child, and still refused to have an honest conversation... I'd be calling a lawyer before I called a florist.
The entire plot hinges on people refusing to use basic common sense, and once I realized that, I simply couldn't continue.
And finally, can we talk about the ARC reviews?
I genuinely don't understand how books like this end up flooded with four- and five-star ratings. Readers rely on Goodreads reviews to decide whether a book is worth their time. When obvious flaws in plot, logic, and characterization are completely ignored, it becomes harder to trust those early ratings. Maybe these readers genuinely loved it—and if so, more power to them—but this one was absolutely not for me.
Life is too short to spend it reading characters who actively avoid the one conversation that would solve literally the entire plot.
UPDATE:
Damn my inability to leave things unfinished.
Despite DNFing this at 35%, my curiosity got the better of me. I went back, skimmed the rest, and... somehow it managed to get even worse.
The biggest problem remains the heroine.
She isn't just conflict-averse—she's completely spineless. She lets Aaron manipulate and gaslight her over and over again, constantly believing that he's the honest one despite Liam repeatedly proving through his actions that he's there for her.
And what frustrates me most is that I genuinely don't understand why.
She has loving parents. She has supportive siblings. The author never gives us a convincing reason for why she's incapable of trusting anyone or why she consistently chooses the worst possible option. Instead, she keeps pushing Liam away, breaking his heart over and over again while he patiently keeps coming back.
Ironically, the best part of the entire book was Liam's reaction when he finally found out she'd hidden his daughter from him. His anger was completely justified, and for once I thought, finally, here come some real consequences.
Except... no.
He forgives her within days.
Then, after she pushes him away again because Aaron gets into her head yet another time, he simply comes back.
At that point, I honestly wanted Liam to have some self-respect.
If I were in his shoes, I'd have focused on building a relationship with my daughter and cut my losses romantically. The heroine desperately needed therapy before she was ready to be anyone's partner. Frankly, she needed to work on herself before she could even be the parent her daughter deserved.
The entire plot relies on characters making irrational decisions simply to keep the conflict alive. None of it felt earned, believable, or emotionally satisfying. Every problem could have been solved by one honest conversation, yet the author keeps manufacturing drama by making her characters refuse to behave like rational adults.
So yes, my original DNF review stands.
If anything, finishing the book only confirmed that I should have trusted my instincts at 35%.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Quick Summary: A "heat, surrender, addiction" sports romance
My Review: The Trade by Ava Sutton is book #1 in the Gridiron Legacy series. It is scheduled for release on 9/22/26.
About the Book: "Two years ago, the woman I had a holiday fling with—and wanted to keep—disappeared from my life. There was no goodbye or explanation. Just gone.
She vanished, but I've never stopped wanting her.
It feels like kismet when I get traded to the New York Titans and the woman I've spent years looking for is none other than the owner's daughter and one of my new bosses...
I'm hers . . .
I'm not letting her walk away. "
In My Own Words: A down-set-hike connection between Vixen (Alie) and Blitzen (Liam) leads to an insta-spark, a surprise pregnancy, and a second chance at love.
About the Characters: The featured couple in book #1 is Liam and Alie.
🏈 - Liam -> QB for Titans, golden retriever energy, falls hard and fast, girl-dad, family oriented, doesn't give up easily, fights for keeps
👔 - Alie -> Business manager for Titans, mother with a secret love child, handles her business, easily swayed when it comes to matters of the heart, mom-boss
About the Couple Chemistry: It was INSANE! The chemistry started off very sweet and quickly went to spicy pepper sauce. (Think HOT ONES level intensity.) 🥵
About the Other Characters: The supporting cast was so interesting. They were laid out well in the story and made me want to know them more. (Next up...Saint and Presley, please. Let's go! 🙌)
About the Conflict: Conflict points in this book include: secrets and lies, emotional manipulation and gaslighting, hit it-and-get it relationship, secret love child
About the Audiobook: The Trade was narrated by TJ Clark and Holly Chandler. I loved how they portrayed the characters. The expressed style they used was entertaining, witty, and charming enough to make me want more.
My Final Say: This novel came across like a 3-in-1 romance. In part 1, it introduced a daughter from a football dynasty to a footballer who experiences a love at first sight. In part 2, a devastating betrayal happens and a breakup of hearts occurs, leaving two people who were on the cusp of forever changed. In part 3, an inevitable reunion takes place and necessary truths are revealed. It was highly entertaining.
Extra Special Notes:
❤️ - The clincher in the story, for me, was the emotional aspect related to Liam and his daughter. The reveal, the lost time, the instant bonding, the reclaimed moments, the unconditional acceptance...all the things - it melted my heart.
🖤 - The most frustrating aspect in the story related to Alie's flip flopping. It was utterly annoying watching this successful businesswoman, this strong mother, this person who was competent and capable when it came to her professional and personal responsibilities only to lose her ever-loving mind so easily to old boy. (That was a coded message, so as to avoid spoilers.) Needless to say, she made me hopping mad with her ridiculousness. I mean, once something hits you in the face, use your smarts, woman!
🍭 - The nice and loving aspect of the story related to her family's total support and acceptance of the pregnancy and of the darling baby girl. They didn't have to know all the details, they simply loved and surrounded Alie and Sera.
Other: Readers who enjoy realistic fiction, secret identities, kismet connections, sports romances, second chance scenarios, and surprise pregnancies will like this novel.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Level: 🌶️❤️🔥🌶️
Format: 🎧
Narration: +
Series: Yes
Cover: + (Image available via NetGalley)
Title: +
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Tantor Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you so much for providing access to an ALC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was a pleasure to review this work of fiction. I very much look forward to continuing with this series.
My Review: The Trade by Ava Sutton is book #1 in the Gridiron Legacy series. It is scheduled for release on 9/22/26.
About the Book: "Two years ago, the woman I had a holiday fling with—and wanted to keep—disappeared from my life. There was no goodbye or explanation. Just gone.
She vanished, but I've never stopped wanting her.
It feels like kismet when I get traded to the New York Titans and the woman I've spent years looking for is none other than the owner's daughter and one of my new bosses...
I'm hers . . .
I'm not letting her walk away. "
In My Own Words: A down-set-hike connection between Vixen (Alie) and Blitzen (Liam) leads to an insta-spark, a surprise pregnancy, and a second chance at love.
About the Characters: The featured couple in book #1 is Liam and Alie.
🏈 - Liam -> QB for Titans, golden retriever energy, falls hard and fast, girl-dad, family oriented, doesn't give up easily, fights for keeps
👔 - Alie -> Business manager for Titans, mother with a secret love child, handles her business, easily swayed when it comes to matters of the heart, mom-boss
About the Couple Chemistry: It was INSANE! The chemistry started off very sweet and quickly went to spicy pepper sauce. (Think HOT ONES level intensity.) 🥵
About the Other Characters: The supporting cast was so interesting. They were laid out well in the story and made me want to know them more. (Next up...Saint and Presley, please. Let's go! 🙌)
About the Conflict: Conflict points in this book include: secrets and lies, emotional manipulation and gaslighting, hit it-and-get it relationship, secret love child
About the Audiobook: The Trade was narrated by TJ Clark and Holly Chandler. I loved how they portrayed the characters. The expressed style they used was entertaining, witty, and charming enough to make me want more.
My Final Say: This novel came across like a 3-in-1 romance. In part 1, it introduced a daughter from a football dynasty to a footballer who experiences a love at first sight. In part 2, a devastating betrayal happens and a breakup of hearts occurs, leaving two people who were on the cusp of forever changed. In part 3, an inevitable reunion takes place and necessary truths are revealed. It was highly entertaining.
Extra Special Notes:
❤️ - The clincher in the story, for me, was the emotional aspect related to Liam and his daughter. The reveal, the lost time, the instant bonding, the reclaimed moments, the unconditional acceptance...all the things - it melted my heart.
🖤 - The most frustrating aspect in the story related to Alie's flip flopping. It was utterly annoying watching this successful businesswoman, this strong mother, this person who was competent and capable when it came to her professional and personal responsibilities only to lose her ever-loving mind so easily to old boy. (That was a coded message, so as to avoid spoilers.) Needless to say, she made me hopping mad with her ridiculousness. I mean, once something hits you in the face, use your smarts, woman!
🍭 - The nice and loving aspect of the story related to her family's total support and acceptance of the pregnancy and of the darling baby girl. They didn't have to know all the details, they simply loved and surrounded Alie and Sera.
Other: Readers who enjoy realistic fiction, secret identities, kismet connections, sports romances, second chance scenarios, and surprise pregnancies will like this novel.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Level: 🌶️❤️🔥🌶️
Format: 🎧
Narration: +
Series: Yes
Cover: + (Image available via NetGalley)
Title: +
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Tantor Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you so much for providing access to an ALC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was a pleasure to review this work of fiction. I very much look forward to continuing with this series.
March 13, 2026
Oh wow! I devoured this one. Liam and Alie’s story really hit all the feels. I seriously could not put this down. I wanted to know everything about these two and what would happen next. There were even parts that had me on the edge on my seat, I wanted them to have their HEA.
We met them both after a whirlwind and perfect night together in Snow Blitz-but the cliffhanger had me itching for more! I loved that the author included their meet-cute as part of this book!
My heart broke for Liam, but oh boy that man is so wonderful and so head over heels for Alie. When he signed with a new football team, the last thing he expected was to see Alie again, and find out he has a daughter. Liam was genuine and relatable-but wasn’t wasting any time with the chance life gave him. I loved that for him, Alie and Sera so much!
Alie had been through so much, and I completely understood her, even though I was wary going in an she owed Liam a huge explanation. She has so much love for her daughter and wanted to make sure she was protected. My heart melted with hers each time Liam was with their daughter.
I enjoyed every moment they spent together, their communication was great, even when and the love between them was evident. Liam and Alie had such strong chemistry and a deep connection that was alive and well the moment they reconnected.
They had a long road to work through that wasn’t all perfect and really fought to get their happy.
There was so much emotion with this one, a lot of layers and I truly loved this new world.
The side characters really added so much to their story, I am very excited for what the rest of the series will bring!
4.75⭐️
**Thank you to the author for the copy of this book. This review and its opinions are my own
We met them both after a whirlwind and perfect night together in Snow Blitz-but the cliffhanger had me itching for more! I loved that the author included their meet-cute as part of this book!
My heart broke for Liam, but oh boy that man is so wonderful and so head over heels for Alie. When he signed with a new football team, the last thing he expected was to see Alie again, and find out he has a daughter. Liam was genuine and relatable-but wasn’t wasting any time with the chance life gave him. I loved that for him, Alie and Sera so much!
Alie had been through so much, and I completely understood her, even though I was wary going in an she owed Liam a huge explanation. She has so much love for her daughter and wanted to make sure she was protected. My heart melted with hers each time Liam was with their daughter.
I enjoyed every moment they spent together, their communication was great, even when and the love between them was evident. Liam and Alie had such strong chemistry and a deep connection that was alive and well the moment they reconnected.
They had a long road to work through that wasn’t all perfect and really fought to get their happy.
There was so much emotion with this one, a lot of layers and I truly loved this new world.
The side characters really added so much to their story, I am very excited for what the rest of the series will bring!
4.75⭐️
**Thank you to the author for the copy of this book. This review and its opinions are my own
August 30, 2026
not sure how to feel about this one. It was good but also the definition of “if only they had just communicated it would’ve been fine”
March 21, 2026
“For the first time since all of this started, everything feels…steady. Messy. Loud. Complicated. Perfect. And I wouldn’t trade this life for anything.”
Ava left me wanting more at the end of Snow Blitz. Three months of teasing left me super pumped for The Trade. Especially that it ended with a one-night stand and a surprise pregnancy! This is my jam. No worries if you didn’t read Snow Blitz; Ava included it in.
Liam and Alie’s connection was strong even after years of being apart. Liam came in with his cinnamon roll energy and delivered tenfold for Alie and Sera as soon as he discovered he was a dad. Liam was traded to Alie’s family’s football team. While Liam is navigating his new role, he had many cheerleaders in his corner. One of them being Alie’s sister, Presley. I’m hoping she gets a book. I also love the Archie camo and that one of the Griffith bros is playing on the team.
Tropes: football, workplace romance, secret baby, second chance, ONS, accidental pregnancy.
Thank you so much, Ava, for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Ava left me wanting more at the end of Snow Blitz. Three months of teasing left me super pumped for The Trade. Especially that it ended with a one-night stand and a surprise pregnancy! This is my jam. No worries if you didn’t read Snow Blitz; Ava included it in.
Liam and Alie’s connection was strong even after years of being apart. Liam came in with his cinnamon roll energy and delivered tenfold for Alie and Sera as soon as he discovered he was a dad. Liam was traded to Alie’s family’s football team. While Liam is navigating his new role, he had many cheerleaders in his corner. One of them being Alie’s sister, Presley. I’m hoping she gets a book. I also love the Archie camo and that one of the Griffith bros is playing on the team.
Tropes: football, workplace romance, secret baby, second chance, ONS, accidental pregnancy.
Thank you so much, Ava, for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
September 19, 2026
I was going between 2 and 3 stars and unfortunately, I have to go with 2 stars. This book had so much potential, but there were just way too many things I didn't like versus what I did like.
For starters, there is no miscommunication in this book. It is purely an adult that didn't act like an adult and caused the father of her child to miss out on 2 years of her life. The FMC decides after she finds out she's pregnant to use her best friend who knows our MMC to tell him she's pregnant for her. The "best friend" then lies and tells her that he told the MMC and that he doesn't want anything to do with her or the baby. The FMC just blindly goes with this and never speaks with him directly. Ummmm, WHAT? You mean to tell me that you slept with this man and got pregnant and trusted another man to tell him and then believe what he tells you??? How about no. THEN when the MMC gets traded to the FMC's family team, they immediately reconnect and she doesn't immediately bring up the whole "why did you not want your child and why are you showing interest in me, especially if you did not want your child?" Instead, they start getting closer and he walks in her office and she finally tells him because he see's their child. From there he basically steps into the dad role like he has known her his whole life (as he should, but still weird that he didn't freak out more than he did, tbh). While he's stepping into this role, they start getting back into a romantic relationship and he's still in love with her and she's still in love with him. Mind you, they only met one time on the night of their one night stand and haven't seen each other in 2 years AND he didn't know about his child for those 2 years. WHAT??? I'm sorry, no. You mean to tell me than in those 2 years neither one of them moved on? Weird AF. I get still having that "what if" in your mind but not giving love a chance with someone else? Unbelievable and unrealistic.
I also forgot to mention that the best friend comes back into the picture after ignoring our FMC's attempts to speak to him about why he lied and then she immediately starts doubting our MMC's truth about not knowing about the child. What do you mean that you let this man into your life and are starting a relationship with him and then this so called best friend comes back out of the blue to tell you that the MMC is not a good guy (MMC is currently training away so of course he chose this time to come and see her) and she started doubting the MMC again!!!!! WTF...
I also very much thought that the child was like 5 years old based on how she spoke and acted.
As for the narration, the narrators themselves did a great job and it was very well spoken. I was just not a huge fan of their voices for this specific book. I just felt like they didn't match what I envisioned for the characters, but that may also just be that I didn't like the story so there was no hope all around.....
As you can see, I have a lot of feelings on this book and I clearly will not be moving forward with the series.
Thank you NetGalley, Ava Sutton and Tantor Media for the ALC.
For starters, there is no miscommunication in this book. It is purely an adult that didn't act like an adult and caused the father of her child to miss out on 2 years of her life. The FMC decides after she finds out she's pregnant to use her best friend who knows our MMC to tell him she's pregnant for her. The "best friend" then lies and tells her that he told the MMC and that he doesn't want anything to do with her or the baby. The FMC just blindly goes with this and never speaks with him directly. Ummmm, WHAT? You mean to tell me that you slept with this man and got pregnant and trusted another man to tell him and then believe what he tells you??? How about no. THEN when the MMC gets traded to the FMC's family team, they immediately reconnect and she doesn't immediately bring up the whole "why did you not want your child and why are you showing interest in me, especially if you did not want your child?" Instead, they start getting closer and he walks in her office and she finally tells him because he see's their child. From there he basically steps into the dad role like he has known her his whole life (as he should, but still weird that he didn't freak out more than he did, tbh). While he's stepping into this role, they start getting back into a romantic relationship and he's still in love with her and she's still in love with him. Mind you, they only met one time on the night of their one night stand and haven't seen each other in 2 years AND he didn't know about his child for those 2 years. WHAT??? I'm sorry, no. You mean to tell me than in those 2 years neither one of them moved on? Weird AF. I get still having that "what if" in your mind but not giving love a chance with someone else? Unbelievable and unrealistic.
I also forgot to mention that the best friend comes back into the picture after ignoring our FMC's attempts to speak to him about why he lied and then she immediately starts doubting our MMC's truth about not knowing about the child. What do you mean that you let this man into your life and are starting a relationship with him and then this so called best friend comes back out of the blue to tell you that the MMC is not a good guy (MMC is currently training away so of course he chose this time to come and see her) and she started doubting the MMC again!!!!! WTF...
I also very much thought that the child was like 5 years old based on how she spoke and acted.
As for the narration, the narrators themselves did a great job and it was very well spoken. I was just not a huge fan of their voices for this specific book. I just felt like they didn't match what I envisioned for the characters, but that may also just be that I didn't like the story so there was no hope all around.....
As you can see, I have a lot of feelings on this book and I clearly will not be moving forward with the series.
Thank you NetGalley, Ava Sutton and Tantor Media for the ALC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2026
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
I read Snowblitz and assumed Liam and Alie were going to be cute and fluffy…girl, I was WRONG.
This book went “how about we add hurt feelings and pile on the drama” and I devoured it.
Hands down, The Trade was not only a second chance romance but layers upon layers of a second chance romance because it’s not JUST we have history, it’s we have history…and we made a child together that he didn’t even know about.
Throwing Liam into a brand new team thinking he was going to get a fresh start and having Alie Grant literally thrown into his face was perfection. The tension between them was INSTANT and it remained THICK and UNRESOLVED and I loved every second of it.
But this book takes it even further with Alie.
She was hurt too and had to pick up the pieces all on her own. To then continue to raise their daughter, feel that constant tug of the past and somehow maintain her composure when Liam slaps her in the face by stepping back into her life like years never happened…
And LIAM. Watching him understand what he was missing? How he changed?? Ohhhhh man. THAT killed me.
Alie and Liam had so much baggage. So much built up emotion between them. There was desire, there was angst, there was “we never had our goodbye but now we can’t avoid what happened.” And bonus forbidden tension with her being the owners daughter and him playing on his team? PILED ON.
I LOVED the pacing of this book. Letting you sit with ALL of it. The frustration wasn’t rushed and honestly neither was your heart string reminder of what happened softened by what was to come.
These two also still had that amazing chemistry. Even after years of what could have been and time wasted. The Trade wasn’t just a romance novel. It was second chances and stepping up to really BE there when it counts.
And….I will say I did NOT see Liam having me sobbing like a baby by the end. He almost completely knocked Archie off his place haha maybe I have a thing for daddies 😉🙈
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
I read Snowblitz and assumed Liam and Alie were going to be cute and fluffy…girl, I was WRONG.
This book went “how about we add hurt feelings and pile on the drama” and I devoured it.
Hands down, The Trade was not only a second chance romance but layers upon layers of a second chance romance because it’s not JUST we have history, it’s we have history…and we made a child together that he didn’t even know about.
Throwing Liam into a brand new team thinking he was going to get a fresh start and having Alie Grant literally thrown into his face was perfection. The tension between them was INSTANT and it remained THICK and UNRESOLVED and I loved every second of it.
But this book takes it even further with Alie.
She was hurt too and had to pick up the pieces all on her own. To then continue to raise their daughter, feel that constant tug of the past and somehow maintain her composure when Liam slaps her in the face by stepping back into her life like years never happened…
And LIAM. Watching him understand what he was missing? How he changed?? Ohhhhh man. THAT killed me.
Alie and Liam had so much baggage. So much built up emotion between them. There was desire, there was angst, there was “we never had our goodbye but now we can’t avoid what happened.” And bonus forbidden tension with her being the owners daughter and him playing on his team? PILED ON.
I LOVED the pacing of this book. Letting you sit with ALL of it. The frustration wasn’t rushed and honestly neither was your heart string reminder of what happened softened by what was to come.
These two also still had that amazing chemistry. Even after years of what could have been and time wasted. The Trade wasn’t just a romance novel. It was second chances and stepping up to really BE there when it counts.
And….I will say I did NOT see Liam having me sobbing like a baby by the end. He almost completely knocked Archie off his place haha maybe I have a thing for daddies 😉🙈
April 24, 2026
Bet You Can't Put This Book Down! The Trade is the first book in the brand new football series of Gridiron Legacy by Ava Sutton. Professional Football in New York, The Quarterback, The Owners Daughter, A Surprise Baby, Slight OW/OM Drama, A Found Family and a HEA with a bonus epilogue. Wrote well, great characters, well flowing plot with just the right amount of spice and who can pass up a Dad who falls in love with his baby girl?!
Liam Pritz and Aliette Grant meet at a December wedding which they ditch out of boredom and Ali plays tour guide for the top spots in NYC for his first time in the Big Apple.
The chemistry is combustible and for the first time in his life Liam wants more and wants to continue to see her but after a fantastic night and morning she skips out without an explanation after seeing a text from another woman.
Ali doesn't see him again until 2 years later when he is traded from New Orleans to the New York Titans. He is surprised to see her and learn she's the owners daughter. Liam searched high and low for her for months and has never forgotten his dream woman but her behavior is off.
Liam wants to know why she left without an explanation and wants a second chance to pursue their attraction. But what will he do when he comes face to face with a little girl who is his mirror image?
Liam Pritz and Aliette Grant meet at a December wedding which they ditch out of boredom and Ali plays tour guide for the top spots in NYC for his first time in the Big Apple.
The chemistry is combustible and for the first time in his life Liam wants more and wants to continue to see her but after a fantastic night and morning she skips out without an explanation after seeing a text from another woman.
Ali doesn't see him again until 2 years later when he is traded from New Orleans to the New York Titans. He is surprised to see her and learn she's the owners daughter. Liam searched high and low for her for months and has never forgotten his dream woman but her behavior is off.
Liam wants to know why she left without an explanation and wants a second chance to pursue their attraction. But what will he do when he comes face to face with a little girl who is his mirror image?
March 23, 2026
If you haven’t picked up Snow Blitz yet, you’re in for a treat at the start of this book! And if you have, then you already know exactly where we left off—just jump right into Chapter 11. (I am picking up at Chapter 11 in this review - but check out my Snow Blitz review for Chapters 1 - 10 and spoiler alert - I loved it!) Now we’re picking up from where Ali leaves Liam in the hotel after seeing a series of text message on his phone. Ali comes from football royalty, and Liam is a professional quarterback, newly traded from New Orleans to New York. When he walks into his new team’s facility, he’s stunned to find the woman he’s been searching for over the past two years standing right there—Ali Grant. For Liam, this is finally his chance to understand why she disappeared all those years ago. But from Ali’s perspective, she had her reasons. After discovering she was pregnant, she believed Liam didn’t want anything to do with the baby. However, as they begin interacting again—especially once Liam meets his daughter—everything starts to shift. Ali begins to question whether she was wrong not to reach out herself but allow others to do it for her, and whether her assumptions about what was happening in Liam’s life were misguided. Now they’re both left wondering: can they move past the last two years and build something new? Ali doesn’t want to waste any more time—for her daughter Sera’s sake or Liam’s—but the undeniable attraction between them hasn’t faded. And honestly, thank goodness for that no-fraternization clause in his contract…
September 19, 2026
Liam completely won me over in this one. The second he found out he had a daughter, he stepped up without hesitation, and I absolutely loved seeing him embrace being a dad. Now, Alie… girl. She tested my patience for a good chunk of this book. I found some of her choices pretty immature, and there were definitely moments where I wanted to shake some sense into her. BUT I will give her credit because you really start to see her grow and mature as the story goes on. I spent a lot of the book feeling like Liam deserved a little more, so watching these two work through everything and eventually find their way back to being a family was really sweet. Despite my frustrations with Alie, I was happy with where they ended up.
The audiobook was also really well done! I thought the narrators fit their characters perfectly. Ali's voice captured her character's personality really well, and Liam's emotional delivery when he first finds out about his daughter was especially good. You could actually feel the weight of that moment in his voice.
If you’re a fan of football romance + secret baby + second chance love, this one definitely has all of that. Just know going in that there is A LOT of miscommunication. 😂
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
The audiobook was also really well done! I thought the narrators fit their characters perfectly. Ali's voice captured her character's personality really well, and Liam's emotional delivery when he first finds out about his daughter was especially good. You could actually feel the weight of that moment in his voice.
If you’re a fan of football romance + secret baby + second chance love, this one definitely has all of that. Just know going in that there is A LOT of miscommunication. 😂
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
September 15, 2026
Thank you to Tantor Media and author Ava Sutton, for providing me with the ALC of “The Trade”.
Holly and TJ did an amazing job with the narration. I loved their tone, especially the pitch from happy to sad to mad.
⚠️ There are some spoilers below, read with caution. ⚠️
💭My Thoughts
Now do I love a pregnancy trope, no. Did I really enjoy this book 100%. I liked how our FMC didn't intentionally hide anything. Although she could have done a better job.. She is young and made choices that made sense in the moment. I will say her 'friend' is crap, he really did both Alie and Sarah a disservice.
Liam!!! He was just straight up obsessed with Alie and that shows when he finds out about Sarah. That hurt is a special kind of sad and it was so well done in the book. I liked how realistic it was, and with the added struggle of his career it kept me hooked.
Add this to your fall football TBR.
❣️Tropes❣️
Contemporary
Football Romance
Accidental Pregnancy
Second Chance
Team Owner's Daughter
🩵RATING🩵
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Length: 338 Pages
Publisher: Compass Press LLC
🎧Narration 9h 31m at 2x
🎙️Holly Chandler and TJ Clark
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Tantor Media
Holly and TJ did an amazing job with the narration. I loved their tone, especially the pitch from happy to sad to mad.
⚠️ There are some spoilers below, read with caution. ⚠️
💭My Thoughts
Now do I love a pregnancy trope, no. Did I really enjoy this book 100%. I liked how our FMC didn't intentionally hide anything. Although she could have done a better job.. She is young and made choices that made sense in the moment. I will say her 'friend' is crap, he really did both Alie and Sarah a disservice.
Liam!!! He was just straight up obsessed with Alie and that shows when he finds out about Sarah. That hurt is a special kind of sad and it was so well done in the book. I liked how realistic it was, and with the added struggle of his career it kept me hooked.
Add this to your fall football TBR.
❣️Tropes❣️
Contemporary
Football Romance
Accidental Pregnancy
Second Chance
Team Owner's Daughter
🩵RATING🩵
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Length: 338 Pages
Publisher: Compass Press LLC
🎧Narration 9h 31m at 2x
🎙️Holly Chandler and TJ Clark
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review of advance copy received from Author
5⭐️ 3🌶 5🎧
Reread by Audiobook and I loved it even more. They are my favorite couple from Ava's books.
Thus is dual narration by Holly Chandler and TJ Clark. What a great job they did. They let me fall in love all over while they brought this story to life. they both sounded exactly how I pictured. The heartbrake, passion, yearning, andlove all came through with their acting.
Yes, please and thank you.. This was everything I was hoping for and more. I knew after Snow Blitz (included in the start of this book) I was going to love this story. I was hoping for drama, heart, pain, passion, love and forgiveness and Ava delivered everything. This was definitely full of drama but a secret baby is a big deal. Unloved how this played out and I couldn't have loved this family of 3 more. It took alot of work and determination but they become a beautiful family. It was a roller-coaster of feelings going through their story but so worth it.
Liam and Alie have stunning chemistry but its put to the test alot in this book. I love their passion and they are super hot together. They are delicious and dirty in the best of ways...Liam that mouth..yummy.
Liam as a dad was spectacular and left me crying so many times. He fell into fatherhood seamlessly. Alie's side of watching Liam and Sera together almost destroy me because you get her guilt also.
I love the world Ava has started here. I cant wait for book 2 I'm absolutely excited to see what's happening with the breadcrumbs we got in this book.
I absolutely love they way Ava tells a story. It is very visual to me and I can feel every emotion she is trying to convey. She has become an auto buy author for me.
Reread by Audiobook and I loved it even more. They are my favorite couple from Ava's books.
Thus is dual narration by Holly Chandler and TJ Clark. What a great job they did. They let me fall in love all over while they brought this story to life. they both sounded exactly how I pictured. The heartbrake, passion, yearning, andlove all came through with their acting.
Yes, please and thank you.. This was everything I was hoping for and more. I knew after Snow Blitz (included in the start of this book) I was going to love this story. I was hoping for drama, heart, pain, passion, love and forgiveness and Ava delivered everything. This was definitely full of drama but a secret baby is a big deal. Unloved how this played out and I couldn't have loved this family of 3 more. It took alot of work and determination but they become a beautiful family. It was a roller-coaster of feelings going through their story but so worth it.
Liam and Alie have stunning chemistry but its put to the test alot in this book. I love their passion and they are super hot together. They are delicious and dirty in the best of ways...Liam that mouth..yummy.
Liam as a dad was spectacular and left me crying so many times. He fell into fatherhood seamlessly. Alie's side of watching Liam and Sera together almost destroy me because you get her guilt also.
I love the world Ava has started here. I cant wait for book 2 I'm absolutely excited to see what's happening with the breadcrumbs we got in this book.
I absolutely love they way Ava tells a story. It is very visual to me and I can feel every emotion she is trying to convey. She has become an auto buy author for me.
March 21, 2026
5⭐️ 3🌶
Yes, please and thank you.. This was everything I was hoping for and more. I knew after Snow Blitz (included in the start of this book) I was going to love this story. I was hoping for drama, heart, pain, passion, love and forgiveness and Ava delivered everything. This was definitely full of drama but a secret baby is a big deal. Unloved how this played out and I couldn't have loved this family of 3 more. It took alot of work and determination but they become a beautiful family. It was a roller-coaster of feelings going through their story but so worth it.
Liam and Alie have stunning chemistry but its put to the test alot in this book. I love their passion and they are super hot together. They are delicious and dirty in the best of ways...Liam that mouth..yummy.
Liam as a dad was spectacular and left me crying so many times. He fell into fatherhood seamlessly. Alie's side of watching Liam and Sera together almost destroy me because you get her guilt also.
I love the world Ava has started here. I cant wait for book 2 I'm absolutely excited to see what's happening with the breadcrumbs we got in this book.
I absolutely love they way Ava tells a story. It is very visual to me and I can feel every emotion she is trying to convey. She has become an auto buy author for me.
Thank you to Ava Sutton and Wordsmith Publicity for this ARC. These are my honest opinions and feelings.
Yes, please and thank you.. This was everything I was hoping for and more. I knew after Snow Blitz (included in the start of this book) I was going to love this story. I was hoping for drama, heart, pain, passion, love and forgiveness and Ava delivered everything. This was definitely full of drama but a secret baby is a big deal. Unloved how this played out and I couldn't have loved this family of 3 more. It took alot of work and determination but they become a beautiful family. It was a roller-coaster of feelings going through their story but so worth it.
Liam and Alie have stunning chemistry but its put to the test alot in this book. I love their passion and they are super hot together. They are delicious and dirty in the best of ways...Liam that mouth..yummy.
Liam as a dad was spectacular and left me crying so many times. He fell into fatherhood seamlessly. Alie's side of watching Liam and Sera together almost destroy me because you get her guilt also.
I love the world Ava has started here. I cant wait for book 2 I'm absolutely excited to see what's happening with the breadcrumbs we got in this book.
I absolutely love they way Ava tells a story. It is very visual to me and I can feel every emotion she is trying to convey. She has become an auto buy author for me.
Thank you to Ava Sutton and Wordsmith Publicity for this ARC. These are my honest opinions and feelings.
March 22, 2026
This picks up 2+ years after the end of Snow Blitz.
Liam has just been traded to the New York Titans and he discovers the woman he’s been looking for since she ran out of his hotel room is one of the daughter’s of the team owner and she’s now his boss.
Alie knew it was going to be messy when she traded for Liam, but he’s the QB the Titans need. On Liam’s first day with the team, it’s clear from his reaction he had know idea who she really was and that he still has deep feelings for her.
This storyline has layers that need to be peeled back and worked through. There are misunderstandings, false assumptions, and betrayals by outside parties that have keep Liam and Alie apart, and Liam from knowing about his daughter.
I enjoyed the emotional depth of this book and was captivated from the beginning. I’m eager for the next book because it’s evident something is going on between Saint and Presley!
Serafina was adorable and Liam’s reaction to finding out she is his daughter was relatable. He makes an effort to get to know his daughter and works to overcome the hurt and betrayal.
Snow Blitz and this book were the first books I’ve read by Ava and I’m definitely interested in reading more.
I received a free ARC from the author and Wordsmith Publicity; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
Liam has just been traded to the New York Titans and he discovers the woman he’s been looking for since she ran out of his hotel room is one of the daughter’s of the team owner and she’s now his boss.
Alie knew it was going to be messy when she traded for Liam, but he’s the QB the Titans need. On Liam’s first day with the team, it’s clear from his reaction he had know idea who she really was and that he still has deep feelings for her.
This storyline has layers that need to be peeled back and worked through. There are misunderstandings, false assumptions, and betrayals by outside parties that have keep Liam and Alie apart, and Liam from knowing about his daughter.
I enjoyed the emotional depth of this book and was captivated from the beginning. I’m eager for the next book because it’s evident something is going on between Saint and Presley!
Serafina was adorable and Liam’s reaction to finding out she is his daughter was relatable. He makes an effort to get to know his daughter and works to overcome the hurt and betrayal.
Snow Blitz and this book were the first books I’ve read by Ava and I’m definitely interested in reading more.
I received a free ARC from the author and Wordsmith Publicity; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
September 19, 2026
Tropes: 🏈 Sports Romance • 💕 Second Chance • 👶 Secret Baby • 🫶🏻 Single Mom • 🔥 Still Want Each Other • 💼 Owner’s Daughter × Football Player • 🏟️ Pro Football • 🤫 Secrets • 🖤 “I Never Stopped Wanting You” • Found Family/Team Dynamics • Dual POV
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars
The Trade by Ava Sutton
🎧 Narrators: TJ Clark & Holly Chandler
⏱️ Runtime: 9 hrs 31 mins x1.25 speed✔️
📚 Gridiron Legacy, Book 1
I wasn’t even remotely in the mood for a sports romance when I started this, and somehow Ava Sutton said too bad, you’re reading it anyway. 😂 Because once I started, they absolutely hooked me.
The story was great from start to finish. I loved the second-chance setup, the history between them, the secrets, and getting to watch everything unfold once they were forced back into each other’s lives. There was enough going on outside of just the romance to keep me invested, and the emotional side of the story worked really well for me.
The secret baby storyline could have easily driven me crazy, but I actually really enjoyed how it played out here. There was history and hurt behind everything, so it didn’t just feel like drama thrown in for the sake of creating conflict.
The narration was also great. TJ Clark and Holly Chandler brought so much personality to the characters and made it really easy to get pulled into the story.
And now I’m already nosy about everyone else. 😂 I need her sister’s POV, and I’m dying to see which of the teammates gets their own book next. This did exactly what I want the first book in a series to do: gave me a complete story while still making me invested enough in the side characters that I immediately want more.
Also, I could be wrong, but I think this one may have gotten a cover redesign at some point, and if so, I’m SO glad because I absolutely love this cover. 😍
Definitely a strong start to the series, especially considering I wasn’t even looking for a football romance when I hit play & I'm a total mood reader. Said mood was itching for dark romance mystery/thriller 🤷🏻♀️The spice was also spicing it up.🔥🔥🔥🖤
Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Sutton, and Tantor Media for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars
The Trade by Ava Sutton
🎧 Narrators: TJ Clark & Holly Chandler
⏱️ Runtime: 9 hrs 31 mins x1.25 speed✔️
📚 Gridiron Legacy, Book 1
I wasn’t even remotely in the mood for a sports romance when I started this, and somehow Ava Sutton said too bad, you’re reading it anyway. 😂 Because once I started, they absolutely hooked me.
The story was great from start to finish. I loved the second-chance setup, the history between them, the secrets, and getting to watch everything unfold once they were forced back into each other’s lives. There was enough going on outside of just the romance to keep me invested, and the emotional side of the story worked really well for me.
The secret baby storyline could have easily driven me crazy, but I actually really enjoyed how it played out here. There was history and hurt behind everything, so it didn’t just feel like drama thrown in for the sake of creating conflict.
The narration was also great. TJ Clark and Holly Chandler brought so much personality to the characters and made it really easy to get pulled into the story.
And now I’m already nosy about everyone else. 😂 I need her sister’s POV, and I’m dying to see which of the teammates gets their own book next. This did exactly what I want the first book in a series to do: gave me a complete story while still making me invested enough in the side characters that I immediately want more.
Also, I could be wrong, but I think this one may have gotten a cover redesign at some point, and if so, I’m SO glad because I absolutely love this cover. 😍
Definitely a strong start to the series, especially considering I wasn’t even looking for a football romance when I hit play & I'm a total mood reader. Said mood was itching for dark romance mystery/thriller 🤷🏻♀️The spice was also spicing it up.🔥🔥🔥🖤
Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Sutton, and Tantor Media for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
March 20, 2026
This is the first in a new series, and this is Allie and Liam’s story.
Allie and Liam had a holiday fling, and then she disappeared without a word, so he carried on concentrating on his football career. When Liam is traded to the New York Titans, he crosses paths with Allie, only to find out she is the owner’s daughter and one of his bosses.
This is a well written ready to read, emotional roller coaster, with family, friendships, tension, secrets, workplace romance, second chances, humour, witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and unpredictable, pro football romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Allie and Liam had a holiday fling, and then she disappeared without a word, so he carried on concentrating on his football career. When Liam is traded to the New York Titans, he crosses paths with Allie, only to find out she is the owner’s daughter and one of his bosses.
This is a well written ready to read, emotional roller coaster, with family, friendships, tension, secrets, workplace romance, second chances, humour, witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and unpredictable, pro football romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
March 31, 2026
I absolutely loved this book! This is my first book by Ava Sutton and definitely will not be my last. I devoured Liam and Alie’s story in 24 hours!
💙Secret baby
💙Spots romance
💙Team owner’s daughter
💙Second chance romance
💙He falls first
After an amazing night together, things go awry for Alie and Liam. One misunderstanding that turns into a betrayal from others pushes them apart for years.
Now they are back in each other’s orbit and Liam finds out that he has a daughter he never knew about.
There is so much push and pull between these characters and I really enjoyed that aspect. Liam is a top tier father and immediately steps up.
I loved Presley as a side character and can’t wait to read her book!
💙Secret baby
💙Spots romance
💙Team owner’s daughter
💙Second chance romance
💙He falls first
After an amazing night together, things go awry for Alie and Liam. One misunderstanding that turns into a betrayal from others pushes them apart for years.
Now they are back in each other’s orbit and Liam finds out that he has a daughter he never knew about.
There is so much push and pull between these characters and I really enjoyed that aspect. Liam is a top tier father and immediately steps up.
I loved Presley as a side character and can’t wait to read her book!
March 23, 2026
Two years ago Liam had the most unforgettable holiday fling that never left him. What he thought could be the start of something, vanished right along with his mystery girl in red when she disappeared on him the next morning. Today he is the newest trade to the New York Titans and lo and behold, his mystery girls family are his new team’s owners.
While dealing with the same feelings he never lost towards Alie, he learns she had his daughter and kept it from him all these years. Liam is all in though…with his team, with Alie and most of all his girl Sera. Him and Sera quickly form the sweetest bond and goodness do him Alie still have the hottest chemistry. After some bumps from outside noise trying to keep them apart, I loved that they found their way back together and they all got their happily ever after Liam and Allie so wanted with each other and their daughter.
I’m just so excited for this new series from Ava and from the lil nuggets she kept dropping our next one is gonna be so so good.
While dealing with the same feelings he never lost towards Alie, he learns she had his daughter and kept it from him all these years. Liam is all in though…with his team, with Alie and most of all his girl Sera. Him and Sera quickly form the sweetest bond and goodness do him Alie still have the hottest chemistry. After some bumps from outside noise trying to keep them apart, I loved that they found their way back together and they all got their happily ever after Liam and Allie so wanted with each other and their daughter.
I’m just so excited for this new series from Ava and from the lil nuggets she kept dropping our next one is gonna be so so good.
March 24, 2026
Review by: Jennifer
(4 Stars)
This was a cute second chance story, also a good start to the series. Liam and Alie meet and hit it off and end up having an amazing one night. The night ended when Alie sees something on Liam's phone and assumes the worst and ends up leaving. Liam leaves New York wondering what happened, why did Alie ghost him. Two years later Liam finds himself traded to New York, working with the team that Alie's family just so happens to run. The journey that Liam and Alie take at that point is a nice slow burn, both working through their past misconception, but what happens when Liam learns that he has a daughter he had no clue about? This was a really cute story. My only ... thing with this was it feels like the timeline is off and that Seraphina should be almost four instead of almost two. I'm looking forward to the next in this series and give this 4 stars.
(4 Stars)
This was a cute second chance story, also a good start to the series. Liam and Alie meet and hit it off and end up having an amazing one night. The night ended when Alie sees something on Liam's phone and assumes the worst and ends up leaving. Liam leaves New York wondering what happened, why did Alie ghost him. Two years later Liam finds himself traded to New York, working with the team that Alie's family just so happens to run. The journey that Liam and Alie take at that point is a nice slow burn, both working through their past misconception, but what happens when Liam learns that he has a daughter he had no clue about? This was a really cute story. My only ... thing with this was it feels like the timeline is off and that Seraphina should be almost four instead of almost two. I'm looking forward to the next in this series and give this 4 stars.
March 16, 2026
2 years ago at a wedding Liam met this woman who blew his mind. He was head over heels and for the first time in his life there was something that could matter more than football. So he was willing to see where it goes. But his mystery woman disappeared. Now he’s been traded to New York and one of the employees of his new team - and daughter of the owner - is none other than his mystery woman: Alie Grant. And Alie has kept a secret for two years. A little secret with eyes and hair like Liam’s. When Liam finds out he has a daughter he’s more determined than ever to keep Alie and his daughter in his life for good.
The Trade is book 1 of the The Gridiron Legacy series by Ava Sutton. It’s part of this interconnected series and can be read as a standalone.
If you love football romances with a secret baby, a lot of attraction, quite a bit of spice, two amazing main characters, the cutest little girl ever and a bit of suspense/drama then you’ll wanna grab The Trade. I loved the beginning of this book so much because there was this instant connection between Liam and Alie and I loved to tag along for their little adventure. My heart broke when Alie disappeared on Liam. But you don’t get to be sad for long because them meeting again? Absolutely amazing. The chemistry is even stronger and the suspense is high. I was so excited to see what will happen that I could not put this book down. It was such a fun and easy read with a lot of things happening but never too much. I’m so excited for the next book in this series. 😍
The Trade is book 1 of the The Gridiron Legacy series by Ava Sutton. It’s part of this interconnected series and can be read as a standalone.
If you love football romances with a secret baby, a lot of attraction, quite a bit of spice, two amazing main characters, the cutest little girl ever and a bit of suspense/drama then you’ll wanna grab The Trade. I loved the beginning of this book so much because there was this instant connection between Liam and Alie and I loved to tag along for their little adventure. My heart broke when Alie disappeared on Liam. But you don’t get to be sad for long because them meeting again? Absolutely amazing. The chemistry is even stronger and the suspense is high. I was so excited to see what will happen that I could not put this book down. It was such a fun and easy read with a lot of things happening but never too much. I’m so excited for the next book in this series. 😍
March 22, 2026
4.5 Stars
This is the conclusion to Liam and Allie's story. I read Snow Blitz which is were we are introduced to these characters, but that novella is the first part of this book as well. I love a good second chance romance. It's even more special for these two because their one night together left them with a little surprise. Sera is so freaking adorable. That little cutie steals the show when she is in any part of the book. Liam in dad mode so sweet. There is one character in this book that needs a swift visit from karma. What they did and still does is shameful! I know a few people like them with the manipulation for control. I hate it. This book has so many heart felt moments along with the more steamier ones. We get to see some of my favorites from the Walker University series who also happen to be friends with Liam. I was so happy to see them enjoying their HEAs, happy sighs all around. I'm already loving Liam and his teammates. A great kickoff for this new series. It has left me wanting more.
This is the conclusion to Liam and Allie's story. I read Snow Blitz which is were we are introduced to these characters, but that novella is the first part of this book as well. I love a good second chance romance. It's even more special for these two because their one night together left them with a little surprise. Sera is so freaking adorable. That little cutie steals the show when she is in any part of the book. Liam in dad mode so sweet. There is one character in this book that needs a swift visit from karma. What they did and still does is shameful! I know a few people like them with the manipulation for control. I hate it. This book has so many heart felt moments along with the more steamier ones. We get to see some of my favorites from the Walker University series who also happen to be friends with Liam. I was so happy to see them enjoying their HEAs, happy sighs all around. I'm already loving Liam and his teammates. A great kickoff for this new series. It has left me wanting more.
March 13, 2026
After the agonizing cliffhanger of Snow Blitz, I was desperate for resolution with Alie and Liam’s story. The Trade more than delivered a second chance romance that is equal parts gut-wrenching and utterly satisfying I was hoping for! Picking up two years after their life-changing one night stand, the story reignites when Liam is traded to the New York Titans, only to discover that the team owner’s daughter is the woman he never forgot—and the mother of the two-year-old daughter he never knew existed. The moment Liam sees little Sera was an absolute wrecking ball to my emotions! His transition from shock and betrayal to becoming a devoted, all-in dad had me in tears. While Alie’s journey is defined by the resilience of a mother who was manipulated into silence, watching her finally let her guard down as Liam fights for their family is the kind of emotional payoff that makes you want to cheer out loud.
The chemistry between these two hasn’t faded a bit. It is off the charts and carries a heavy, magnetic tension keeps you flipping the pages. Beyond the romance, the found family elements and the fierce support from characters like Alie's sister, Presley, add such a rich layer to this new gridiron world. I was on the edge of my seat as the web of lies and betrayal that kept them apart finally unraveled, paving the way for a beautifully earned HEA that feels both mature and deeply healing. If you love a hero who is obsessed with his daughter, a strong heroine protecting her peace, and a forced proximity setup that delivers all the spice and heart, you need to grab this book immediately!
And don't stress if you missed the prequel Snow Blitz. It's included at the beginning of this book. If you did read SB, skip ahead to chapter 11 to start The Trade!
The chemistry between these two hasn’t faded a bit. It is off the charts and carries a heavy, magnetic tension keeps you flipping the pages. Beyond the romance, the found family elements and the fierce support from characters like Alie's sister, Presley, add such a rich layer to this new gridiron world. I was on the edge of my seat as the web of lies and betrayal that kept them apart finally unraveled, paving the way for a beautifully earned HEA that feels both mature and deeply healing. If you love a hero who is obsessed with his daughter, a strong heroine protecting her peace, and a forced proximity setup that delivers all the spice and heart, you need to grab this book immediately!
And don't stress if you missed the prequel Snow Blitz. It's included at the beginning of this book. If you did read SB, skip ahead to chapter 11 to start The Trade!
March 24, 2026
How I wanted Liam’s book! I loved him so much at Walker University and was so sad when he left.
This was so perfect after the novella of their one night together in Snow Blitz.
Ava has a way of always making you fall for the MMC!
Liam and Alie have the perfect meet cute! So when she finds out she’s pregnant after their one night together… let’s just say this is where it gets tricky.
I loved this one so much! These two put me thru it! This is a must read if you love a football romance with a surprise pregnancy with a few twists along the way!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🥵🥵🥵
🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was so perfect after the novella of their one night together in Snow Blitz.
Ava has a way of always making you fall for the MMC!
Liam and Alie have the perfect meet cute! So when she finds out she’s pregnant after their one night together… let’s just say this is where it gets tricky.
I loved this one so much! These two put me thru it! This is a must read if you love a football romance with a surprise pregnancy with a few twists along the way!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🥵🥵🥵
🌶️🌶️🌶️
March 18, 2026
At the end of Snow Blitz, readers were left desperately needing more Alie and Liam because what do you mean the ONS led to a surprise pregnancy and then that was the end?! But Ava thankfully didn’t make us wait too long to finish their story, which is where The Trade picks up (and if you didn’t read the prequel, it’s actually included at the beginning of this one so you get to see these two meet and instantly form a connection).
Liam is just so good. Golden retriever energy, all in for Alie and his daughter, Seraphina, from the moment he learns he’s a dad. Also, I adored Alie’s parents and how they handled learning the latest acquisition to their team is actually their granddaughter’s father. A moment as well for Alie’s sister, Presley, who really wasn’t afraid to lay it down for Alie and call her out when she needed it (side note: cannot wait for Presley’s book next! That’s gonna be a fun one). Overall a fun start for this new series, and I’m excited to see what else Ava has in store as she moved from college to pro.
Liam is just so good. Golden retriever energy, all in for Alie and his daughter, Seraphina, from the moment he learns he’s a dad. Also, I adored Alie’s parents and how they handled learning the latest acquisition to their team is actually their granddaughter’s father. A moment as well for Alie’s sister, Presley, who really wasn’t afraid to lay it down for Alie and call her out when she needed it (side note: cannot wait for Presley’s book next! That’s gonna be a fun one). Overall a fun start for this new series, and I’m excited to see what else Ava has in store as she moved from college to pro.
March 25, 2026
Loved it
Alie had Liam’s a baby two years ago and she didn’t tell him. She listened to a friend who told her Liam didn’t want the baby or her. Now Liam has been traded to her family’s team and discovers her secret. He is devastated because he never stopped thinking of Alie. He still wants her and his daughter but they have issues to overcome.
Alie had Liam’s a baby two years ago and she didn’t tell him. She listened to a friend who told her Liam didn’t want the baby or her. Now Liam has been traded to her family’s team and discovers her secret. He is devastated because he never stopped thinking of Alie. He still wants her and his daughter but they have issues to overcome.
March 15, 2026
✨ARC Review✨
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
If you haven’t read Snow Blitz, go and read it! It is the novella before this. These two books do not disappoint! Both are short and quick reads, perfect for the weekend!
While I wish Alie handled some things differently, it worked out! My heart just broke for Liam so many times. Even after years apart, he still felt an instant connection with Alie.
When Liam saw his daughter, Sera, he knew instantly she was his. He didn’t hesitate to step up and take on that role. He accepted it with open arms and moved forward.
One thing that I absolutely loved about this book was how well they communicated. If a book has good communication, it will usually be a win for me!
If you want heart, drama, and the perfect second chance romance, this is it!
What to Expect:
✔ Secret baby
✔ Team owner’s daughter
✔ Pro Football MMC
✔ Workplace tension
✔ Best-friend betrayal
✔ Second chance romance
✔ “It was always you” energy
✔ “We shouldn’t… but we will” energy
✔ Lots of heat + all the feels
✔ Guaranteed HEA
Thank you so much Ava for a eARC of this book!! I loved it so much. I can’t wait for the next book. I hate my notes on who I think will be next!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
If you haven’t read Snow Blitz, go and read it! It is the novella before this. These two books do not disappoint! Both are short and quick reads, perfect for the weekend!
While I wish Alie handled some things differently, it worked out! My heart just broke for Liam so many times. Even after years apart, he still felt an instant connection with Alie.
When Liam saw his daughter, Sera, he knew instantly she was his. He didn’t hesitate to step up and take on that role. He accepted it with open arms and moved forward.
One thing that I absolutely loved about this book was how well they communicated. If a book has good communication, it will usually be a win for me!
If you want heart, drama, and the perfect second chance romance, this is it!
What to Expect:
✔ Secret baby
✔ Team owner’s daughter
✔ Pro Football MMC
✔ Workplace tension
✔ Best-friend betrayal
✔ Second chance romance
✔ “It was always you” energy
✔ “We shouldn’t… but we will” energy
✔ Lots of heat + all the feels
✔ Guaranteed HEA
Thank you so much Ava for a eARC of this book!! I loved it so much. I can’t wait for the next book. I hate my notes on who I think will be next!
March 20, 2026
Snow Blitz left me desperately needing the rest of Liam and Alie’s story. Ava gave us the answers I needed and so much more!!
Liam and Alie’s connection was so strong, even after years apart. I adored Liam so much and the way he continually showed up for Alie and Sera. His relationship with Sera was so freaking sweet. From the moment he found out about her he was all in and gave everything he had.
Alie struggles to come to terms with things that happened in the past. Leaving her unsure and torn between lies and truth. Liam was so incredibly patient as she navigated those feelings and provided strength and understanding.
This was such a great start to this series!! I’m so excited for the rest of the boys!
Liam and Alie’s connection was so strong, even after years apart. I adored Liam so much and the way he continually showed up for Alie and Sera. His relationship with Sera was so freaking sweet. From the moment he found out about her he was all in and gave everything he had.
Alie struggles to come to terms with things that happened in the past. Leaving her unsure and torn between lies and truth. Liam was so incredibly patient as she navigated those feelings and provided strength and understanding.
This was such a great start to this series!! I’m so excited for the rest of the boys!
March 20, 2026
My heart feels so full after reading this one. Ava Sutton brought the story and the characters full force!
The Trade is a second chance, secret baby, football romance that absolutely makes you swoon and plenty of feelings! I love this book! This book was real and has so much to it that you can’t help but feel what the characters feel. Ava Sutton has such great writing. The characters were so well written and the plot flowed wonderfully. I had this rated a 5 star read before I was done and I was only halfway through.
I’m definitely looking forward to more from Ava Sutton! I highly recommend this book for others to read!
The Trade is a second chance, secret baby, football romance that absolutely makes you swoon and plenty of feelings! I love this book! This book was real and has so much to it that you can’t help but feel what the characters feel. Ava Sutton has such great writing. The characters were so well written and the plot flowed wonderfully. I had this rated a 5 star read before I was done and I was only halfway through.
I’m definitely looking forward to more from Ava Sutton! I highly recommend this book for others to read!
March 20, 2026
The Trade has been one of my most anticipated reads for this year. Accidental pregnancy? SIGN ME UP!
I read the Prequel Novella “Snow Blitz” a few months ago. The intro to our Main characters, Alie and Liam. It left me hooked. It is now part 1 in The Trade.
The Trade did not disappoint. Our MMC is all in and came with the “it’s always been you” attitude. It has low angst, LOTS of heat! Liam, Liam, Liam 🥵🥵🥵. some miscommunication and misunderstandings happened at the end of Snow Blitz (part 1) that got us to the start of The Trade but trust me it all comes together beautifully.
I read the Prequel Novella “Snow Blitz” a few months ago. The intro to our Main characters, Alie and Liam. It left me hooked. It is now part 1 in The Trade.
The Trade did not disappoint. Our MMC is all in and came with the “it’s always been you” attitude. It has low angst, LOTS of heat! Liam, Liam, Liam 🥵🥵🥵. some miscommunication and misunderstandings happened at the end of Snow Blitz (part 1) that got us to the start of The Trade but trust me it all comes together beautifully.
March 12, 2026
HOLY…SMOKES…🤯 I don’t know what Ava put in this, but wow it was so addicting! Like, legit couldn’t put my kindle down, had to devour as quickly as I could, ADDICTING. The conclusion of Liam and Alie’s story was everything I was hoping for and more!
After having a ONS, Liam has spent the past two years trying to find and reconnect with Alie, with no luck. Only to come face to face with her, after being traded to the New York Titans, which Alie’s family owns. The chemistry between Liam and Alie is very much still burning, but secrets and betrayal might keep them from rekindling their romance.
Sweet, lovely Liam…oh, how I love him. His anger, pain, sadness, and forgiveness was written so beautifully and realistically. My heart just broke for him, but also put back together again at the end. He was just perfection. Like all the other Ava MMCs who have come before him, Liam was the perfect balance of swoon (hello, daddy Liam 🥹) and spice (making sure Aaron hears, iykyk 😉).
Alie definitely makes some mistakes and clearly trusted someone she never should have trusted, but she took responsibility and had true remorse for what happened with Liam. I was able to fully root for Liam and Alie as a couple because of the this.
The chemistry between Liam and Alie was SO good. What started in Snow Blitz, matured and became even stronger in The Trade.
This was an incredible start to the new Gridiron Legacy series and I’m already obsessed with Presley and Saint. 🤤
5 ⭐️
3 🌶️
What to expect:
Football Romance
Secret Baby
Second Chance
Best Friend Betrayal
It Was Always You
Team Owner’s Daughter
Workplace Tension
*Thank you to Ava Sutton for the opportunity to read an arc of this book.
After having a ONS, Liam has spent the past two years trying to find and reconnect with Alie, with no luck. Only to come face to face with her, after being traded to the New York Titans, which Alie’s family owns. The chemistry between Liam and Alie is very much still burning, but secrets and betrayal might keep them from rekindling their romance.
Sweet, lovely Liam…oh, how I love him. His anger, pain, sadness, and forgiveness was written so beautifully and realistically. My heart just broke for him, but also put back together again at the end. He was just perfection. Like all the other Ava MMCs who have come before him, Liam was the perfect balance of swoon (hello, daddy Liam 🥹) and spice (making sure Aaron hears, iykyk 😉).
Alie definitely makes some mistakes and clearly trusted someone she never should have trusted, but she took responsibility and had true remorse for what happened with Liam. I was able to fully root for Liam and Alie as a couple because of the this.
The chemistry between Liam and Alie was SO good. What started in Snow Blitz, matured and became even stronger in The Trade.
This was an incredible start to the new Gridiron Legacy series and I’m already obsessed with Presley and Saint. 🤤
5 ⭐️
3 🌶️
What to expect:
Football Romance
Secret Baby
Second Chance
Best Friend Betrayal
It Was Always You
Team Owner’s Daughter
Workplace Tension
*Thank you to Ava Sutton for the opportunity to read an arc of this book.
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