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Steel City Legacy #1
Perfectly Us
Since my wife died ten years ago my life has revolved around two things: football and my kids.
Then I met a girl in a bar and one single night changed everything. For six hours I wasn't the veteran Pittsburgh Renegades offensive linemen or single dad of two. I was just a man, and it felt like she was the one I had been
waiting for.
But when morning came I woke up to an empty bed, the girl of my literal dreams nowhere to be found.
Until I walk into work the next day and there she is.
Maddy Wright, Director of Sports Psychology for the Renegades and niece of the team's General Manager, is the last woman on earth I should want, but she's the one women I can't stay away from.
With my position on the team and her career on the line, a relationship is a terrible idea. But the draw to each other is too strong, the way she fits into my little family undeniable, our chemistry impossible to ignore.
We shouldn't need each other like this when being together could ruin everything we've both worked for. I shouldn't feel like I can't breathe without her when dating in secret is our only choice.
With our careers in the crosshairs, forever is the last word that should be on my mind. But with my heart utterly lost to Maddy, I'll stop at nothing to make sure that forever is exactly what we get. Together.
Then I met a girl in a bar and one single night changed everything. For six hours I wasn't the veteran Pittsburgh Renegades offensive linemen or single dad of two. I was just a man, and it felt like she was the one I had been
waiting for.
But when morning came I woke up to an empty bed, the girl of my literal dreams nowhere to be found.
Until I walk into work the next day and there she is.
Maddy Wright, Director of Sports Psychology for the Renegades and niece of the team's General Manager, is the last woman on earth I should want, but she's the one women I can't stay away from.
With my position on the team and her career on the line, a relationship is a terrible idea. But the draw to each other is too strong, the way she fits into my little family undeniable, our chemistry impossible to ignore.
We shouldn't need each other like this when being together could ruin everything we've both worked for. I shouldn't feel like I can't breathe without her when dating in secret is our only choice.
With our careers in the crosshairs, forever is the last word that should be on my mind. But with my heart utterly lost to Maddy, I'll stop at nothing to make sure that forever is exactly what we get. Together.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2026
About the author
Samantha Brinn
12 books237 followersSamantha Brinn (Sam to everyone who knows her) is an author of sweet, spicy, and swoony contemporary romance novels. A Pittsburgh girl currently living in the suburbs of NYC, Sam stole her first romance novel off of her mom’s bookshelf at age thirteen and has read pretty much nothing but romance ever since. Her Kindle is basically an extension of her hand at this point.
A lawyer by day and author by night, Sam can most often be found in bed with her laptop and writing desk late into the night, having the time of her life writing words and weaving stories and grinning at her characters’ hijinks.
Aside from being a reader and a writer, Sam is a lover of French fries, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and diet Pepsi, and much like her debut FMC, she rarely makes her coffee the same way twice. A mom of two, Sam cosplays as an organized human, but at her core, she’s mostly chaos and prefers it that way, and is loving every second of this wild indie author ride.
A lawyer by day and author by night, Sam can most often be found in bed with her laptop and writing desk late into the night, having the time of her life writing words and weaving stories and grinning at her characters’ hijinks.
Aside from being a reader and a writer, Sam is a lover of French fries, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and diet Pepsi, and much like her debut FMC, she rarely makes her coffee the same way twice. A mom of two, Sam cosplays as an organized human, but at her core, she’s mostly chaos and prefers it that way, and is loving every second of this wild indie author ride.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
March 10, 2026
4.5🌟, 3🌶️
Some books just feel comforting from the first chapter and this was definitely one of them.
Cameron Lowry is a widowed single dad and professional football player who has spent the last decade focused on raising his kids and moving through life after losing his wife. One unexpected night brings him together with Maddy Wright, and their connection is immediate. The next day she walks into his workplace as the team’s new Director of Sports Psychology, instantly turning their chemistry into something complicated.
What really made this story stand out was the heart behind it. Cam falls first and falls hard, while Maddy tries to stay cautious because she loves the career she has worked so hard for. Watching them slowly open up to each other and communicate honestly felt refreshing. Maddy’s bond with Cam’s kids was especially beautiful. She approached them with patience and care, never trying to replace anyone, and the way they naturally connected made those moments incredibly touching.
The found family element added so much warmth to the story and made the world feel alive. Seeing Cam welcomed into Maddy’s big, chaotic family while she found her place in his life felt genuine and heartfelt. Their relationship was tender, supportive, and full of quiet strength, making their second chance at love feel deeply earned.
If the rest of the series is anything like this one, I am going to be obsessed.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
Some books just feel comforting from the first chapter and this was definitely one of them.
Cameron Lowry is a widowed single dad and professional football player who has spent the last decade focused on raising his kids and moving through life after losing his wife. One unexpected night brings him together with Maddy Wright, and their connection is immediate. The next day she walks into his workplace as the team’s new Director of Sports Psychology, instantly turning their chemistry into something complicated.
What really made this story stand out was the heart behind it. Cam falls first and falls hard, while Maddy tries to stay cautious because she loves the career she has worked so hard for. Watching them slowly open up to each other and communicate honestly felt refreshing. Maddy’s bond with Cam’s kids was especially beautiful. She approached them with patience and care, never trying to replace anyone, and the way they naturally connected made those moments incredibly touching.
The found family element added so much warmth to the story and made the world feel alive. Seeing Cam welcomed into Maddy’s big, chaotic family while she found her place in his life felt genuine and heartfelt. Their relationship was tender, supportive, and full of quiet strength, making their second chance at love feel deeply earned.
If the rest of the series is anything like this one, I am going to be obsessed.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
Samantha can do no wrong in my eyes. This was perfection. This is a second generation book done so so right and I already know I'm going to be completely obsessed with every single book.
The found family, the girl gang, the forbidden aspect, the emotion, the spice... was EVERYTHING.
The connection that Maddy grew with Cams kids was so sweet. 🥹
Cameron is the greenest flag of all flags for men. Like are you joking?! He wanted Maddy from the second he laid eyes on her and never waived in that. He pursued her hard and made sure she knew she was wanted, even when he had a million other things going on. I love that Maddy also always showed him how much he meant to her right back.
Thank you Samantha for my ARC copy to review! ❤️
The found family, the girl gang, the forbidden aspect, the emotion, the spice... was EVERYTHING.
The connection that Maddy grew with Cams kids was so sweet. 🥹
Cameron is the greenest flag of all flags for men. Like are you joking?! He wanted Maddy from the second he laid eyes on her and never waived in that. He pursued her hard and made sure she knew she was wanted, even when he had a million other things going on. I love that Maddy also always showed him how much he meant to her right back.
Thank you Samantha for my ARC copy to review! ❤️
March 8, 2026
જ⁀➴ 3 stars
Thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Perfectly Us is out now!
🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭
This was such a cute, emotional sports romance! If you're an NFL fan who loves mental health rep in their books, this may be the book for you!
Maddy Wright is thirty, has her PhD in Psychology, and is the newest sports psychologist for the Pittsburgh Renegades. Never mind that the industry will probably think that she got the job because her close family friend is the GM for the football team- she's there to do her job and prove that she was worthy enough for the job, connections be damned. On a night out with her friends before her first day on the job, she decides to let loose and have a one-night stand with a stranger. Little did she know that her one-night stand was the Renegades' top offensive lineman, Cameron Lowry, single dad, NFL veteran, and one of the players on the team she's now working for. As they dance around their attraction to keep things away from the public eye, it becomes harder to hide it from the people around them...will they give in to what they want, or will it all end before it begins?
I absolutely LOVED Maddy and Cam. They're one of the most wholesome couples I've read about. It was like they could read each other's minds, and they knew exactly what the other person needed at the time. Maddy coming over during a storm to comfort Cam? Cam sending her breakfast to her office every morning so she doesn't go hungry and leaves little love notes on the cereal boxes? I also loved the mental health representation with Cam and his anxiety. I always love it when mental health is addressed in books, but I'm glad that authors are going out there now and addressing men's mental health now. Bonus points because Maddy has a PhD- we love an educated woman who stands on business.
As for Cam's kids, Riley and Ethan, they absolutely stole the show at times, and I LOVED that. Riley was the perfect representation of a teenage girl, and I loved how she was able to look up to Maddy and her friends for advice and see Maddy as a mother figure in her life. Ethan was so funny and watching him bond with Maddy's relatives was just so wholesome.
The one thing I couldn't get past was how LARGE Maddy's family and extended family are, which is the reason why this book lost 2 stars and will be the bulk of my review. I had ZERO idea that this was a second-generation series going into the book because I had never read Samantha Brinn's books before. This was definitely on me for not knowing that going into this story, but there were SO many people to keep track of that it was honestly overwhelming for me and made me feel disconnected from the story. I signed up for this under the impression that this was a new, totally different series of the author's, since this was the first book of a series. As soon as I opened up the eARC, one of the first things I saw was a GIANT family tree that took up an entire page of every single couple from the author's previous 8 books and 2 series, along with all of their kids (every couple had at least 2 children). The first chapter was just a giant info dump of Maddy's friends and how they all knew each other (AKA the giant family tree), and that's sort of when I knew this was going to be something I had a giant issue with going into the story.
Even now, I couldn't even tell you who Maddy was blood-related to and who she was just "related" to because of her parents' close relationships with their friends, because you're talking about 8 couples' worth of cameos, references, and callbacks that you have no idea even existed going into the story. You know how you have really close family friends, and you just call them "Aunt X and Uncle Y" and all of their kids aren't really your blood-related cousins, they're just your friends, but you're so close with them that they might as well be your siblings or cousins? That's basically Maddy and all her friends, and she interchangeably uses "sisters" and "cousins" with them in her POV/monologues, which threw me off at times, even though I knew she had one brother, Oliver, and another sister, Gracie.
I get that with the second-generation series that it focuses on the children of the main couples from the first-generation. Just look at the Monsters Within series by Sav M. Miller as an example. While that series was advertised as a standalone series that you could read without reading the Monsters and Muses series, I felt like you actually needed to read that entire series first to fully understand everything that was going on and the significance behind things in the plot. Perfectly Us felt the same way. The two first-generation series before the Steel City Legacy series should DEFINITELY be required reading before reading this. I honestly felt like I walked into the middle of a family function that I had no business being at the entire time reading. While I did love how close the family dynamics are, I felt like I would've appreciated it way more had I known there were 8 books' worth of stories about Maddy's parents and their friends before this one that I knew I could've read.
Overall, if you're a long-time Samantha Brinn reader or fan, you'll absolutely love this book about her previous couples' kids all grown up. If you're a first-time reader like me...well, I'd tell you to hunker down and read the previous 8 books she put out before reading this series if you don't want to be lost and confused the entire time.
🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭
Trigger/content warnings (just be warned that some of this may be spoilers for the plot or character background):
sexual content (2.75-3/5 on the spice scale, but that's my personal rating), on-page panic attacks, recounted death of a spouse, recounted memories of a difficult childbirth/pregnancy
Thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Perfectly Us is out now!
"I love you so much. I have for a long time. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would get luck enough to have a second chance at a love like this, and now that I've found you, I am never, ever letting go."
🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭
This was such a cute, emotional sports romance! If you're an NFL fan who loves mental health rep in their books, this may be the book for you!
Maddy Wright is thirty, has her PhD in Psychology, and is the newest sports psychologist for the Pittsburgh Renegades. Never mind that the industry will probably think that she got the job because her close family friend is the GM for the football team- she's there to do her job and prove that she was worthy enough for the job, connections be damned. On a night out with her friends before her first day on the job, she decides to let loose and have a one-night stand with a stranger. Little did she know that her one-night stand was the Renegades' top offensive lineman, Cameron Lowry, single dad, NFL veteran, and one of the players on the team she's now working for. As they dance around their attraction to keep things away from the public eye, it becomes harder to hide it from the people around them...will they give in to what they want, or will it all end before it begins?
I absolutely LOVED Maddy and Cam. They're one of the most wholesome couples I've read about. It was like they could read each other's minds, and they knew exactly what the other person needed at the time. Maddy coming over during a storm to comfort Cam? Cam sending her breakfast to her office every morning so she doesn't go hungry and leaves little love notes on the cereal boxes? I also loved the mental health representation with Cam and his anxiety. I always love it when mental health is addressed in books, but I'm glad that authors are going out there now and addressing men's mental health now. Bonus points because Maddy has a PhD- we love an educated woman who stands on business.
As for Cam's kids, Riley and Ethan, they absolutely stole the show at times, and I LOVED that. Riley was the perfect representation of a teenage girl, and I loved how she was able to look up to Maddy and her friends for advice and see Maddy as a mother figure in her life. Ethan was so funny and watching him bond with Maddy's relatives was just so wholesome.
The one thing I couldn't get past was how LARGE Maddy's family and extended family are, which is the reason why this book lost 2 stars and will be the bulk of my review. I had ZERO idea that this was a second-generation series going into the book because I had never read Samantha Brinn's books before. This was definitely on me for not knowing that going into this story, but there were SO many people to keep track of that it was honestly overwhelming for me and made me feel disconnected from the story. I signed up for this under the impression that this was a new, totally different series of the author's, since this was the first book of a series. As soon as I opened up the eARC, one of the first things I saw was a GIANT family tree that took up an entire page of every single couple from the author's previous 8 books and 2 series, along with all of their kids (every couple had at least 2 children). The first chapter was just a giant info dump of Maddy's friends and how they all knew each other (AKA the giant family tree), and that's sort of when I knew this was going to be something I had a giant issue with going into the story.
Even now, I couldn't even tell you who Maddy was blood-related to and who she was just "related" to because of her parents' close relationships with their friends, because you're talking about 8 couples' worth of cameos, references, and callbacks that you have no idea even existed going into the story. You know how you have really close family friends, and you just call them "Aunt X and Uncle Y" and all of their kids aren't really your blood-related cousins, they're just your friends, but you're so close with them that they might as well be your siblings or cousins? That's basically Maddy and all her friends, and she interchangeably uses "sisters" and "cousins" with them in her POV/monologues, which threw me off at times, even though I knew she had one brother, Oliver, and another sister, Gracie.
I get that with the second-generation series that it focuses on the children of the main couples from the first-generation. Just look at the Monsters Within series by Sav M. Miller as an example. While that series was advertised as a standalone series that you could read without reading the Monsters and Muses series, I felt like you actually needed to read that entire series first to fully understand everything that was going on and the significance behind things in the plot. Perfectly Us felt the same way. The two first-generation series before the Steel City Legacy series should DEFINITELY be required reading before reading this. I honestly felt like I walked into the middle of a family function that I had no business being at the entire time reading. While I did love how close the family dynamics are, I felt like I would've appreciated it way more had I known there were 8 books' worth of stories about Maddy's parents and their friends before this one that I knew I could've read.
Overall, if you're a long-time Samantha Brinn reader or fan, you'll absolutely love this book about her previous couples' kids all grown up. If you're a first-time reader like me...well, I'd tell you to hunker down and read the previous 8 books she put out before reading this series if you don't want to be lost and confused the entire time.
🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭.𖥔 ݁ ˖.°.🩷 🍭
Trigger/content warnings (just be warned that some of this may be spoilers for the plot or character background):
sexual content (2.75-3/5 on the spice scale, but that's my personal rating), on-page panic attacks, recounted death of a spouse, recounted memories of a difficult childbirth/pregnancy
March 3, 2026
In true Samantha Brinn fashion, Maddy & Cam are pure perfection! 🩵
I think that when I get into a Sam book, I always find comfort in her characters. This one was no different. Maddy and Cam's story was so special! Especially because when we meet Maddy in Anything For You as just a child, you think wow.. what will life look like for her with parents like Jeremy and Emma. And this second gen, STOLE MY HEART. This book was every bit sweet and swoon, battling mental health struggles, and holy heavens the spice. Cam and Maddy building a life with Cam's kiddos, was so sweet to experience! I absolutely LOVED this book, more than any second gen I have read. Sam blew this one out of the water! It was phenomenal, everything I could have dreamed of.
I think that when I get into a Sam book, I always find comfort in her characters. This one was no different. Maddy and Cam's story was so special! Especially because when we meet Maddy in Anything For You as just a child, you think wow.. what will life look like for her with parents like Jeremy and Emma. And this second gen, STOLE MY HEART. This book was every bit sweet and swoon, battling mental health struggles, and holy heavens the spice. Cam and Maddy building a life with Cam's kiddos, was so sweet to experience! I absolutely LOVED this book, more than any second gen I have read. Sam blew this one out of the water! It was phenomenal, everything I could have dreamed of.
February 21, 2026
Perfectly Us by Samantha Brinn eARC Review 🏈🩵
This book is second generation perfection. I loved very second of seeing all these characters again and I’m pretty sure I had a permanent smile on my face the entire time I was reading.
I am truly obsessed with everything about Cam and Maddy. Their story is the sweetest. The forbidden aspect is delicious. The found family in this book is incredible, in true Sam fashion. The comfort that the two of them give each other and the way they understand one another. It truly is as if Maddy is the missing piece in Cam and his kids life.
After losing his wife several years ago, Cam didn’t think a second chance at love was possible but then he spots a red head in a bar and their story is sweet, spicy, forbidden and beautiful. Maddy is starting her career in professional sports and knows that dating a player isn’t a good look, but she has a really hard time resisting Cam Lowry and his incredible children, Riley and Ethan.
This book is exactly the reason that Sam is an auto buy, auto read author for me. This entire world she has created is my favorite and I don’t see that ever changing.
What to expect:
🏈 Football Romance
🩵 Single Dad
🏈 One Night Stand
🩵 Workplace Romance
🏈 Forbidden Relationship
🩵 He Falls First
🏈 Found Family
Thank you so much Sam for the arc!
This book is second generation perfection. I loved very second of seeing all these characters again and I’m pretty sure I had a permanent smile on my face the entire time I was reading.
I am truly obsessed with everything about Cam and Maddy. Their story is the sweetest. The forbidden aspect is delicious. The found family in this book is incredible, in true Sam fashion. The comfort that the two of them give each other and the way they understand one another. It truly is as if Maddy is the missing piece in Cam and his kids life.
After losing his wife several years ago, Cam didn’t think a second chance at love was possible but then he spots a red head in a bar and their story is sweet, spicy, forbidden and beautiful. Maddy is starting her career in professional sports and knows that dating a player isn’t a good look, but she has a really hard time resisting Cam Lowry and his incredible children, Riley and Ethan.
This book is exactly the reason that Sam is an auto buy, auto read author for me. This entire world she has created is my favorite and I don’t see that ever changing.
What to expect:
🏈 Football Romance
🩵 Single Dad
🏈 One Night Stand
🩵 Workplace Romance
🏈 Forbidden Relationship
🩵 He Falls First
🏈 Found Family
Thank you so much Sam for the arc!
Review of advance copy
Perfectly Us eARC Review 🩵
-Second Gen
-Single Dad/Widower
-He Falls First
-One Night Stand
-Found Family
-Mental Health Rep
-Forbidden Romance
Perfectly Us follows the second gen story of Maddy & Cam. Maddy is the daughter of Jeremy & Emma from Anything for you in The Laws of You series.
Maddy becomes the Director of Sports Psychology for the Pittsburgh Renegades NFL team and meets Cam. Turns out he’s the nameless guy that she shared a hotel room with the night before. 🤭 Cam is down bad for her from the get-go! Maddy quickly meets and fits right in with Cam’s kids. The way Maddy made Cam feel comfortable talking about his late wife made my heart happy. I love a women-in-sports story! The grand gesture scene was so freaking cute. 🥰 This book was ‘perfectly’ written and am looking forward to Tyler & Sophie’s story next!
Thank you Smuthood PR and Sam for the opportunity to read early!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️
-Second Gen
-Single Dad/Widower
-He Falls First
-One Night Stand
-Found Family
-Mental Health Rep
-Forbidden Romance
Perfectly Us follows the second gen story of Maddy & Cam. Maddy is the daughter of Jeremy & Emma from Anything for you in The Laws of You series.
Maddy becomes the Director of Sports Psychology for the Pittsburgh Renegades NFL team and meets Cam. Turns out he’s the nameless guy that she shared a hotel room with the night before. 🤭 Cam is down bad for her from the get-go! Maddy quickly meets and fits right in with Cam’s kids. The way Maddy made Cam feel comfortable talking about his late wife made my heart happy. I love a women-in-sports story! The grand gesture scene was so freaking cute. 🥰 This book was ‘perfectly’ written and am looking forward to Tyler & Sophie’s story next!
Thank you Smuthood PR and Sam for the opportunity to read early!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️
February 6, 2026
I love me a second gen series, and Sam kicks this off perfectly with Maddy’s story. The little girl we met in the Laws of You series is all grown up and a kick ass sports psychologist (which makes total sense if you read her parents’ story. If you didn’t, nbd, go back and read it after this). But then ooops! She accidentally has the best sex of her life with the widowed star of the football team she just signed on to work with.
This is everything you’ve come to expect from Sam if you’ve been reading her for a while—amazing found family, the elevation of strong women, a story with real heart and emotional pull, banter and fun, and delicious spice. And if this will be your first Samantha Brinn book, those are all the reasons you need to pick this one up!
This is everything you’ve come to expect from Sam if you’ve been reading her for a while—amazing found family, the elevation of strong women, a story with real heart and emotional pull, banter and fun, and delicious spice. And if this will be your first Samantha Brinn book, those are all the reasons you need to pick this one up!
March 6, 2026
Picking up a book by Sam feels like coming home. It's filled with characters you love and relate to and just adore to pieces. This second generation story felt just like that. It was filled with so many past faves and introduced us to some soon to be faves too.
Cam and Maddy were absolute perfection. Their connection was undeniable, and the single dad didn't stand a chance against the hot one night stand who fit so well in his world with his children. It was like they were two pieces to a puzzle that can finally be complete now that they found one another.
I loved every single thing about their story. I laughed, I cried I was so damn giddy, and the little bit of drama they had felt very realistic and true to the life of a professional football player. And the parallels between some things in this and Maddy's parents' story was just so special (hence the tears).
This was the perfect start to Sam's brand new series and I cannot wait for what's to come!
What to expect:
🏈Football Romance
🩵Player/Team Psychologist
🏈Single Dad
🩵One Night Stand
🏈Forbidden Relationship
🩵He Falls First
🏈Found Family
Cam and Maddy were absolute perfection. Their connection was undeniable, and the single dad didn't stand a chance against the hot one night stand who fit so well in his world with his children. It was like they were two pieces to a puzzle that can finally be complete now that they found one another.
I loved every single thing about their story. I laughed, I cried I was so damn giddy, and the little bit of drama they had felt very realistic and true to the life of a professional football player. And the parallels between some things in this and Maddy's parents' story was just so special (hence the tears).
This was the perfect start to Sam's brand new series and I cannot wait for what's to come!
What to expect:
🏈Football Romance
🩵Player/Team Psychologist
🏈Single Dad
🩵One Night Stand
🏈Forbidden Relationship
🩵He Falls First
🏈Found Family
March 4, 2026
Do you ever read a book and JUST KNOW that the characters would be end game in real life? That is Cam and Maddy. The chemistry between these two is absolutely electric!
🏈Football romance
🏈Player x team therapist
🏈Single dad
🏈Forbidden romance
🏈He falls first
After one night together that ends with no numbers exchanged, they never expect to see one another again. Until Maddy is starting her dream job and bumps right into Cam, one of the star players. These two really try and stay away from each other, but their attraction ends up winning out!
I truly loved Cam and Maddy’s characters. It was so refreshing to see a widowed single dad who is able to talk to his partner about his late wife and her genuinely be his rock.
I loved the relationship that both Cam and Maddy had with the kids. They were each something different to them, but at the same time they were their person and that was so beautiful.
Overall, this was a really great read!
🏈Football romance
🏈Player x team therapist
🏈Single dad
🏈Forbidden romance
🏈He falls first
After one night together that ends with no numbers exchanged, they never expect to see one another again. Until Maddy is starting her dream job and bumps right into Cam, one of the star players. These two really try and stay away from each other, but their attraction ends up winning out!
I truly loved Cam and Maddy’s characters. It was so refreshing to see a widowed single dad who is able to talk to his partner about his late wife and her genuinely be his rock.
I loved the relationship that both Cam and Maddy had with the kids. They were each something different to them, but at the same time they were their person and that was so beautiful.
Overall, this was a really great read!
March 12, 2026
All the fucking stars. co
Sam has done it again. Any surprises about that? None
I absolutely adored Cam & Maddy's story. Cam was so gone for Maddy from the first night & it was so fun watching this second gen family. I absolutely adore this world Sam has created So excited for what else is to come!
Sam has done it again. Any surprises about that? None
I absolutely adored Cam & Maddy's story. Cam was so gone for Maddy from the first night & it was so fun watching this second gen family. I absolutely adore this world Sam has created So excited for what else is to come!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5⭐️ | 3.25🌶
I have yet to read Sam Brinn book I'm not obsessed with and this one was no exception! Like, I have no words for how utterly obsessed I am with this world and these characters. Can they not be fictional please? Thank you. Thank you to Sam and Team for the arc.
I have yet to read Sam Brinn book I'm not obsessed with and this one was no exception! Like, I have no words for how utterly obsessed I am with this world and these characters. Can they not be fictional please? Thank you. Thank you to Sam and Team for the arc.
March 5, 2026
I finished Perfectly Us by Samantha Brinn and I am in actual AWE of how much l adored Cam & Maddy's story. Samantha has a true gift of creating found family dynamics that will just leave you grinning the whole time you read her books! And the spicy, ohmylanta, DIVINE!
“Watch it, Wildcat,” he says in a low, raspy voice that has a shiver running down my spine. “Bratty girls get punished.”
“Can’t wait,”
It was so unbelievably special to get Maddy’s love story after seeing her as a child in Anything for You, (her adoptive parent’s story). This book isn’t just a love story, it’s also a full circle moment where Maddy is finally able to heal the wounds from her childhood, prior to meeting Emma & Jeremy.
While this story is a standalone, I truly had the most magical reading experience having read the first generation series! (The Laws of You & Boston Hearts series.)
“But what I learned then and have learned over and over again a million times since, is that hearts make space, Maddy. Family makes space.”
Maddy was such a strong woman. She had to be a strong child and she used that mentality to reach for her dream of helping players like her dad with their mental health. Her struggles as a women in a male dominated sport and were so relatable. Her entire friend group was seriously friendship goals. They are the type of people you want on your side when you are having a bad day or even a great day. They celebrated her wins and were there for her at her lowest points. I am so ECSTATIC to get their stories one day!
“I was waiting for you, Maddy. You make me feel things I didn’t know I could feel again. You make me want things. You make me want everything, but only if I get to have everything with you.”
Cam Lowry was a man head of skates in love with Maddy, nearly from their first encounter. She made him FEEL for the first time since being widowed a decade prior. I ADORED this man! His bond with his kids was so sweet and the way he took care of Maddy and sent her care packages melted my heart.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those athletes who goes feral over a girl wearing his jersey.”
“Not a girl. You. I’ll go feral over you wearing my jersey. My girl. My name. My jersey.”
Listen y’all, the spice between Cam & Maddy was next level. They had an undeniable chemistry that left them feral for each other.
“Let me hear you. Every sound, Wildcat.”
This book had it all! I cried, giggled, swooned and straight up CACKLED at the romcom-esque grand gestures at the end. If you love sports romances, PLEASE go read this book! You will not be disappointed!
Tropes:
🏉 Football Romance
❤️🩹 Widowed Dad
🏟️ NFL Player x Team Psychologist
🤭 He Falls First
👀 Secret Relationship
💞 Romcom Grand Gestures
🫶🏼 Found Family
🥵 Spiiiiiicy
“Watch it, Wildcat,” he says in a low, raspy voice that has a shiver running down my spine. “Bratty girls get punished.”
“Can’t wait,”
It was so unbelievably special to get Maddy’s love story after seeing her as a child in Anything for You, (her adoptive parent’s story). This book isn’t just a love story, it’s also a full circle moment where Maddy is finally able to heal the wounds from her childhood, prior to meeting Emma & Jeremy.
While this story is a standalone, I truly had the most magical reading experience having read the first generation series! (The Laws of You & Boston Hearts series.)
“But what I learned then and have learned over and over again a million times since, is that hearts make space, Maddy. Family makes space.”
Maddy was such a strong woman. She had to be a strong child and she used that mentality to reach for her dream of helping players like her dad with their mental health. Her struggles as a women in a male dominated sport and were so relatable. Her entire friend group was seriously friendship goals. They are the type of people you want on your side when you are having a bad day or even a great day. They celebrated her wins and were there for her at her lowest points. I am so ECSTATIC to get their stories one day!
“I was waiting for you, Maddy. You make me feel things I didn’t know I could feel again. You make me want things. You make me want everything, but only if I get to have everything with you.”
Cam Lowry was a man head of skates in love with Maddy, nearly from their first encounter. She made him FEEL for the first time since being widowed a decade prior. I ADORED this man! His bond with his kids was so sweet and the way he took care of Maddy and sent her care packages melted my heart.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those athletes who goes feral over a girl wearing his jersey.”
“Not a girl. You. I’ll go feral over you wearing my jersey. My girl. My name. My jersey.”
Listen y’all, the spice between Cam & Maddy was next level. They had an undeniable chemistry that left them feral for each other.
“Let me hear you. Every sound, Wildcat.”
This book had it all! I cried, giggled, swooned and straight up CACKLED at the romcom-esque grand gestures at the end. If you love sports romances, PLEASE go read this book! You will not be disappointed!
Tropes:
🏉 Football Romance
❤️🩹 Widowed Dad
🏟️ NFL Player x Team Psychologist
🤭 He Falls First
👀 Secret Relationship
💞 Romcom Grand Gestures
🫶🏼 Found Family
🥵 Spiiiiiicy
March 7, 2026
5⭐️
I randomly picked up the fourth book in Sam’s prior series and loved it, so when this new series dropped, I knew I had to get my hands on it immediately. And let me tell you… it did not disappoint.
Maddy and Cam’s story starts with a one-night stand—hot, impulsive, and the kind that makes you hope she doesn’t get caught sneaking out. Of course, the very next day she starts her new job as the team physiologist… and surprise, Cam is on the team. 🫣 Cue awkward glances, tension that makes your chest tighten, and all the “what now?” moments you live for.
Cam is a widower with two kids, Riley and Ethan, and his wife Lainey’s tragic death still weighs heavily on him. Watching Maddy gently encourage him to open up about Lainey—without ever making it weird—completely melted me. That scene hit me right in the heart. And Riley? She slowly starts leaning on Maddy as a friend and female safe space—the kind of support she desperately needed at her age. The first time Riley asked if she could text Maddy? I cried. Literally, cried.
Cam is such a dad and, honestly, swoony as hell. He’s patient, supportive, completely all-in from day one, and never plays games. The chemistry between him and Maddy is electric, but what really makes this book stick is its heart and soul. The spice is delicious, sure, but the emotional core is what will linger with you.
I also loved seeing Olivia again so soon after the prequel novella. Her little background nudges, rooting for Maddy and Cam, encouraging him to keep chasing her… I smiled every time. It’s these tiny connections to Brinn’s larger world that make this book feel cozy and layered.
Yes, the sheer number of side characters was a bit overwhelming at first, but the family tree at the start (and on Sam’s Instagram) is a lifesaver. And the ending—when Maddy’s dad, her parents, and friends show up for her at the ice rink—completely cracked me open. That moment had me in my feelings in the best possible way.
💫Thank you to Sam Brinn and The Smuthood for this ARC💫
I randomly picked up the fourth book in Sam’s prior series and loved it, so when this new series dropped, I knew I had to get my hands on it immediately. And let me tell you… it did not disappoint.
Maddy and Cam’s story starts with a one-night stand—hot, impulsive, and the kind that makes you hope she doesn’t get caught sneaking out. Of course, the very next day she starts her new job as the team physiologist… and surprise, Cam is on the team. 🫣 Cue awkward glances, tension that makes your chest tighten, and all the “what now?” moments you live for.
Cam is a widower with two kids, Riley and Ethan, and his wife Lainey’s tragic death still weighs heavily on him. Watching Maddy gently encourage him to open up about Lainey—without ever making it weird—completely melted me. That scene hit me right in the heart. And Riley? She slowly starts leaning on Maddy as a friend and female safe space—the kind of support she desperately needed at her age. The first time Riley asked if she could text Maddy? I cried. Literally, cried.
Cam is such a dad and, honestly, swoony as hell. He’s patient, supportive, completely all-in from day one, and never plays games. The chemistry between him and Maddy is electric, but what really makes this book stick is its heart and soul. The spice is delicious, sure, but the emotional core is what will linger with you.
I also loved seeing Olivia again so soon after the prequel novella. Her little background nudges, rooting for Maddy and Cam, encouraging him to keep chasing her… I smiled every time. It’s these tiny connections to Brinn’s larger world that make this book feel cozy and layered.
Yes, the sheer number of side characters was a bit overwhelming at first, but the family tree at the start (and on Sam’s Instagram) is a lifesaver. And the ending—when Maddy’s dad, her parents, and friends show up for her at the ice rink—completely cracked me open. That moment had me in my feelings in the best possible way.
💫Thank you to Sam Brinn and The Smuthood for this ARC💫
March 5, 2026
I absolutely devoured this one and it completely had my heart. 💫
This story follows a veteran pro-football player and single dad who has spent the last ten years focusing on football and raising his kids after losing his wife. One unexpected night with a woman he meets at a bar 🍸 gives him a glimpse of something he hasn’t felt in a long time… only for life to get a little complicated when their worlds collide again.
I’m always a sucker for a single dad romance because it melts my heart every single time 💙 and this one really delivered on the emotional side. The chemistry between these two was undeniable 🔥 and the forbidden aspect of their relationship created just enough tension to keep me completely hooked.
I also loved the he falls first energy because that will always have me swooning 😍 and the found family vibes throughout the story added so much warmth to everything.
I will say this is a second generation story, and while you can absolutely read it on its own, I do feel like I should have read the first generation books first. After finishing this though I will definitely be going back to read them because this world and these characters pulled me in so quickly 📖✨
If you love football romances, single dads, secret relationships, and found family, this is definitely one to add to your TBR 🏈📚💙
🏈 Tropes
• Second Generation
• Football Romance
• Single Dad 👨👧👦
• One Night Stand 🔥
• Pro-Football Player x Team Psychologist
• Forbidden Relationship 🚫💘
• He Falls First
• Found Family 💙
This story follows a veteran pro-football player and single dad who has spent the last ten years focusing on football and raising his kids after losing his wife. One unexpected night with a woman he meets at a bar 🍸 gives him a glimpse of something he hasn’t felt in a long time… only for life to get a little complicated when their worlds collide again.
I’m always a sucker for a single dad romance because it melts my heart every single time 💙 and this one really delivered on the emotional side. The chemistry between these two was undeniable 🔥 and the forbidden aspect of their relationship created just enough tension to keep me completely hooked.
I also loved the he falls first energy because that will always have me swooning 😍 and the found family vibes throughout the story added so much warmth to everything.
I will say this is a second generation story, and while you can absolutely read it on its own, I do feel like I should have read the first generation books first. After finishing this though I will definitely be going back to read them because this world and these characters pulled me in so quickly 📖✨
If you love football romances, single dads, secret relationships, and found family, this is definitely one to add to your TBR 🏈📚💙
🏈 Tropes
• Second Generation
• Football Romance
• Single Dad 👨👧👦
• One Night Stand 🔥
• Pro-Football Player x Team Psychologist
• Forbidden Relationship 🚫💘
• He Falls First
• Found Family 💙
March 17, 2026
Sam Brinn does it AGAIN, gifting us with more book boyfriend perfection 😍
Cameron Lowry has spent the last decade doing two things: showing up for his kids and learning how to live again after losing his wife. As a widowed single dad and professional football player, his world is carefully structured—until one unexpected night with Maddy Wright shifts everything. Their chemistry is instant, undeniable… and complicated the very next day when she walks into his workplace as the team’s new Director of Sports Psychology.
What truly sets this story apart is its heart. Cam falls first—and he falls hard—in a way that feels both tender and inevitable. Meanwhile, Maddy keeps her guard up, fiercely protective of the career she’s worked so hard to build. Watching them navigate that push and pull, choosing honesty and communication over drama, felt incredibly refreshing.
And then there are the kids. Maddy’s relationship with them is handled with so much care and intention. She never tries to step into a role that isn’t hers—instead, she meets them exactly where they are, earning their trust in the most genuine, heart-tugging way. Those moments? Easily some of the most emotional and beautiful in the entire book.
The found family element adds another layer of warmth that makes this story feel so alive. Cam finding his place within Maddy’s big, chaotic family, and Maddy quietly building a home within his—it all unfolds in a way that feels natural, soft, and deeply real.
This is a love story built on patience, respect, and quiet strength—and it makes their second chance at love feel completely earned.
If the rest of this series delivers even half of what this book did, I already know I’m going to be obsessed.
5 🌟 / 3 🌶
What to expect:
🏈 Football Romance
🩵 Single Dad
🏈 One Night Stand
🩵 Workplace Romance
🏈 Forbidden Relationship
🩵 He Falls First
🏈 Found Family
Thank you so much to Samantha and the The Smuthood for the advanced reader copy! All opinions are my own :)
Cameron Lowry has spent the last decade doing two things: showing up for his kids and learning how to live again after losing his wife. As a widowed single dad and professional football player, his world is carefully structured—until one unexpected night with Maddy Wright shifts everything. Their chemistry is instant, undeniable… and complicated the very next day when she walks into his workplace as the team’s new Director of Sports Psychology.
What truly sets this story apart is its heart. Cam falls first—and he falls hard—in a way that feels both tender and inevitable. Meanwhile, Maddy keeps her guard up, fiercely protective of the career she’s worked so hard to build. Watching them navigate that push and pull, choosing honesty and communication over drama, felt incredibly refreshing.
And then there are the kids. Maddy’s relationship with them is handled with so much care and intention. She never tries to step into a role that isn’t hers—instead, she meets them exactly where they are, earning their trust in the most genuine, heart-tugging way. Those moments? Easily some of the most emotional and beautiful in the entire book.
The found family element adds another layer of warmth that makes this story feel so alive. Cam finding his place within Maddy’s big, chaotic family, and Maddy quietly building a home within his—it all unfolds in a way that feels natural, soft, and deeply real.
This is a love story built on patience, respect, and quiet strength—and it makes their second chance at love feel completely earned.
If the rest of this series delivers even half of what this book did, I already know I’m going to be obsessed.
5 🌟 / 3 🌶
What to expect:
🏈 Football Romance
🩵 Single Dad
🏈 One Night Stand
🩵 Workplace Romance
🏈 Forbidden Relationship
🩵 He Falls First
🏈 Found Family
Thank you so much to Samantha and the The Smuthood for the advanced reader copy! All opinions are my own :)
February 26, 2026
Thank you to the author Samantha Brinn for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
Maddy is out celebrating her recent graduation and job with her large friend/family group when she meets a handsome stranger and spends the night with him. And as fate would have it, he happens to be a football player for the same team she just started working for!
This was my first book by the author and I really enjoyed the banter between all the characters as well as how introspective the two main characters were. Maddy being a psychologist was super helpful in navigating dating a widower as well as integrating yourself into an established family. I felt the parts where Cameron and his kids were able to freely discuss their wife and mom were done so well. I love mature and understanding characters!
The sheer amount of side characters were a bit overwhelming for me in the beginning. I have not read the previous books and while this is the first book in a new series, I feel like it would have been better to read the previous series beforehand.
Overall I have a great time with this book, it’s a great balance of spice but also genuine and interesting relationships.
Maddy is out celebrating her recent graduation and job with her large friend/family group when she meets a handsome stranger and spends the night with him. And as fate would have it, he happens to be a football player for the same team she just started working for!
This was my first book by the author and I really enjoyed the banter between all the characters as well as how introspective the two main characters were. Maddy being a psychologist was super helpful in navigating dating a widower as well as integrating yourself into an established family. I felt the parts where Cameron and his kids were able to freely discuss their wife and mom were done so well. I love mature and understanding characters!
The sheer amount of side characters were a bit overwhelming for me in the beginning. I have not read the previous books and while this is the first book in a new series, I feel like it would have been better to read the previous series beforehand.
Overall I have a great time with this book, it’s a great balance of spice but also genuine and interesting relationships.
March 5, 2026
Thanks to Samantha Brinn, and the Smuthood for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Cam and Maddy forever!!!🩵
This is a #1 in a new series, and if you’ve never read or heard of Samantha Brinn, well, you’re in for a real treat! Her books exist in the same universe and timeline. This is a legacy series so we see and hear about a lot of the past characters and it’s so fun to just see it evolve. If you’ve never read the previous series, you can still easily drop into this one as it’s an interconnected standalone with enough world building and family web dynamics spread through out.
One of my favorite parts of Sam’s books is that we get strong badass females and incredible found family storylines. I love that the girl groups are always there for each other and lift each other up, and that the men do the same.
As all Brinn books - the spice was spicing!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️
What you’ll find here:
Football players aiming to please, a widowed dad, a very wise preteen daughter and hockey loving son, a former hockey player now Sports Psychologist, found family, forbidden relationship, he falls first, and a whole lotta love.
TW (if you need):
Cam and Maddy forever!!!🩵
This is a #1 in a new series, and if you’ve never read or heard of Samantha Brinn, well, you’re in for a real treat! Her books exist in the same universe and timeline. This is a legacy series so we see and hear about a lot of the past characters and it’s so fun to just see it evolve. If you’ve never read the previous series, you can still easily drop into this one as it’s an interconnected standalone with enough world building and family web dynamics spread through out.
One of my favorite parts of Sam’s books is that we get strong badass females and incredible found family storylines. I love that the girl groups are always there for each other and lift each other up, and that the men do the same.
As all Brinn books - the spice was spicing!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️
What you’ll find here:
Football players aiming to please, a widowed dad, a very wise preteen daughter and hockey loving son, a former hockey player now Sports Psychologist, found family, forbidden relationship, he falls first, and a whole lotta love.
TW (if you need):
March 6, 2026
Perfectly Us by Samantha Brinn
Steel City Legacy book 1
What a sweet endearing book. I was hooked right away, and melted on the spot 🥰
Maddy the is a sport psychologist and just landed a job for an NFL team. People might think it’s nepotism but she’s worked her hard for this. Maddy is just perfection, sunshine personified. Having the night of her life with a handsome stranger after celebrating her new job only to get to work and realize he’s one of the players.
Cameron a widower with 2 teenaged kids and a life devoted to football all. He falls fast and hard. I’m completely in love with the way Maddy forms a relationship with Cameron’s kids before him. And the bantering between all of them is just so hilarious.
This book had the perfect amount of spice while also diving deep in the emotional part of their relationship! Such a great romantic read this was 🖤
Steel City Legacy book 1
What a sweet endearing book. I was hooked right away, and melted on the spot 🥰
Maddy the is a sport psychologist and just landed a job for an NFL team. People might think it’s nepotism but she’s worked her hard for this. Maddy is just perfection, sunshine personified. Having the night of her life with a handsome stranger after celebrating her new job only to get to work and realize he’s one of the players.
Cameron a widower with 2 teenaged kids and a life devoted to football all. He falls fast and hard. I’m completely in love with the way Maddy forms a relationship with Cameron’s kids before him. And the bantering between all of them is just so hilarious.
This book had the perfect amount of spice while also diving deep in the emotional part of their relationship! Such a great romantic read this was 🖤
March 6, 2026
4.5 stars!
Tropes-
Football romance
Single dad
Workplace romance
ONS
Forbidden
He Falls first
Love after loss
Found family
“I also think you need more time, and that’s okay. I can wait. I think I would wait for you forever.”
Thank you to Samantha and Smuthood PR for this ARC for my honest review! I have loved every single book Sam has written. I love that this is a second gen series. We get glimpses of the other characters from her prior series but I also feel like this could easily be read and enjoyed if you haven't read her other books. I loved Maddy and Cam's connection from the first chapter. I also loved that Maddy didn't try to take Cam's late wife's place and she still fit into their family so well. The found family is amazing. I wish I was in their friend group. I can't wait for the next book! I definitely recommend!
Tropes-
Football romance
Single dad
Workplace romance
ONS
Forbidden
He Falls first
Love after loss
Found family
“I also think you need more time, and that’s okay. I can wait. I think I would wait for you forever.”
Thank you to Samantha and Smuthood PR for this ARC for my honest review! I have loved every single book Sam has written. I love that this is a second gen series. We get glimpses of the other characters from her prior series but I also feel like this could easily be read and enjoyed if you haven't read her other books. I loved Maddy and Cam's connection from the first chapter. I also loved that Maddy didn't try to take Cam's late wife's place and she still fit into their family so well. The found family is amazing. I wish I was in their friend group. I can't wait for the next book! I definitely recommend!
March 9, 2026
Holy woman empowerment! This book was amazing! I love that it is heavy on women encouraging and supporting women! Fitting that I finished reading this on International Women's Day. Aside from that the love story between Cam and Maddy was absolutely beautiful! The way Samantha Brinn wrote about finding love after loss was absolute perfection! I also loved the connection between Maddy and Cam's kids as well. There was very little drama in this story and the tiny bit that is in the story was definitely necessary so everyone could heal properly. I definitely recommend this if you love slow burn, love after loss, she falls for his kids first, he falls first and hard, found family and amazingly supportive girlfriends, and women making their way in a male predominant job and rocking it!
Thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for this empowering and beautiful ARC! I can't wait to read the next one!
Thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for this empowering and beautiful ARC! I can't wait to read the next one!
March 8, 2026
Samantha Brinn proves me wrong with every book. She has definitely became one of my favorite authors.
Maddy and Cam were perfection. One night turned into more as time goes on. The undeniable connection between them.
Cam is the man. While respecting Maddy's wishes, he still did whatever he could to show her what they could be together. The everyday breakfast delivery with a note had me kicking my feet. He was respectful in her wishes, but still made sure she knew he wanted something real between them. Then his mouth in the bedroom... Yeah, I love it.
Maddy was also just ugh. First off, love the psychologist work.. but also the way she always naturally helped those around her and did not always fight about her growing attraction to Cam. And the way she was with his kids?? It was so awesome to see the way she grew up and see her fall in love.
Another great book by Samantha Brinn. Thank you so much The Smuthood and Samantha Brinn for the ARC opportunity!
Maddy and Cam were perfection. One night turned into more as time goes on. The undeniable connection between them.
Cam is the man. While respecting Maddy's wishes, he still did whatever he could to show her what they could be together. The everyday breakfast delivery with a note had me kicking my feet. He was respectful in her wishes, but still made sure she knew he wanted something real between them. Then his mouth in the bedroom... Yeah, I love it.
Maddy was also just ugh. First off, love the psychologist work.. but also the way she always naturally helped those around her and did not always fight about her growing attraction to Cam. And the way she was with his kids?? It was so awesome to see the way she grew up and see her fall in love.
Another great book by Samantha Brinn. Thank you so much The Smuthood and Samantha Brinn for the ARC opportunity!
March 13, 2026
I'm obsessed. I loved every minute of this reading, from start to end. Maddy and Cam were such a cute couple, and I really enjoyed meeting Ethan and Riley. Honestly, I loved the idea of a second-generation series. After reading about the love story of Maddy's parents (the first book I read by Samantha Brinn) in Anything for You and her adoption, getting to read about Maddy's own love story made my heart melt. Add to this the football romance, and I was swoony from the first sentence. It is an absolute must <3
Review of advance copy
This was possibly the CUTEST single dad romance I've ever read! It still brought the spice, but Cameron is completely the dream book boyfriend! The chemistry between the main couple was insane, and how she fit in with his kids was chef's kiss! 🤌💋 I will one million percent be going back and reading the other series' that came before this one! 100000% recommend!
March 4, 2026
Samantha Brinn does an incredible job of creating found family and showing that even though life is messy and complex there is joy to be found.
Cam and Maddy are everything together. Watching them open up to each other and be vulnerable about their pasts. Was so refreshing to see. Their ability to communicate as adults was *chefs kiss*.
Seeing how easily these two integrated into each other’s lives, despite everything was incredible.
Watching Maddy’s interactions with Cam’s kids was beautiful. How careful she was with them and how she never wanted to overstep, but also how much those kids loved her from the beginning.
Seeing Cam get accepted into Maddy’s crazy intricate family was wonderful. Getting to see him involved in a family dynamic he had dreamed about but thought he lost when his wife died brought me so much joy.
The gentleness they show each other. Their communication and the way they understand each other in a way that no one else does. The care they take with each other was beautiful to see especially when Cam knew that Maddy needed space. Or when Cam opened up to Maddy about his past and his wife.
Maddy handled Cam’s grief and his families grief with so much care. She allowed them to speak without feeling shame and I LOVED how she never made anything about her or feel like she was competing.
These two overcame so much to get to where they are and their story was the perfect example that love will always find away, even when we try to fight it. Their love was always meant to find away no matter what they had to overcome.
Cam and Maddy are everything together. Watching them open up to each other and be vulnerable about their pasts. Was so refreshing to see. Their ability to communicate as adults was *chefs kiss*.
Seeing how easily these two integrated into each other’s lives, despite everything was incredible.
Watching Maddy’s interactions with Cam’s kids was beautiful. How careful she was with them and how she never wanted to overstep, but also how much those kids loved her from the beginning.
Seeing Cam get accepted into Maddy’s crazy intricate family was wonderful. Getting to see him involved in a family dynamic he had dreamed about but thought he lost when his wife died brought me so much joy.
The gentleness they show each other. Their communication and the way they understand each other in a way that no one else does. The care they take with each other was beautiful to see especially when Cam knew that Maddy needed space. Or when Cam opened up to Maddy about his past and his wife.
Maddy handled Cam’s grief and his families grief with so much care. She allowed them to speak without feeling shame and I LOVED how she never made anything about her or feel like she was competing.
These two overcame so much to get to where they are and their story was the perfect example that love will always find away, even when we try to fight it. Their love was always meant to find away no matter what they had to overcome.
March 13, 2026
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨Football Romance
✨ Workplace Romance
✨ Widowed Single Dad
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ One Night Stand
✨ She works for the Team
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨Football Romance
✨ Workplace Romance
✨ Widowed Single Dad
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ One Night Stand
✨ She works for the Team
March 31, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
3 🌶️
🌟ARC Read🌟
Samantha Brinn is a new author to me. I have been meaning to read her previous books but just have not gotten around to it yet.
This is technically a second generation story but can definitely be read as a standalone. The family tree at the beginning of the book was extremely helpful because there are a lot of characters from the previous books. After reading this though, I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the series.
Maddy and Cam meet as complete strangers at a bar and end up having the best one night stand. Of course she sneaks out before he wakes up.
Well the next day she starts her new job as the team physiologist… and surprise, Cam is connected to the team.
Cam has two children, Riley and Ethan. His wife tragically passed away when Ethan was born. They were young and deeply in love, so that loss still weighs heavily on him. He raised his kids with the help of his mom and honestly they were such a great addition to the story. They are 10 and 13 during the timeline and I loved every scene with them.
Cam is such a dad and honestly so swoony. I was completely obsessed with him. He was all in from day one and never played games. He was supportive, patient, and just genuinely a good man.
And of course he was perfect in the bedroom too. I will never complain about a scene where the man💦 in his pants. 🥵
I understood why Maddy was hesitant about their relationship becoming public because of her career. But at times I felt like she overreacted a little once the news about them leaked. Cam handled everything with so much understanding and patience. Even with his fears from losing his wife, he never let that stop him from moving forward and loving again.
I am really excited to read about the rest of the kids in this big family. I am already invested in Tyler and Sophie. She very obviously likes him and he is completely oblivious. They are just best friends right now and I cannot wait to see their story unfold.
Spicy Chapters 🔥
16
21
22
23
29
30
36
Epilogue
3 🌶️
🌟ARC Read🌟
Samantha Brinn is a new author to me. I have been meaning to read her previous books but just have not gotten around to it yet.
This is technically a second generation story but can definitely be read as a standalone. The family tree at the beginning of the book was extremely helpful because there are a lot of characters from the previous books. After reading this though, I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the series.
Maddy and Cam meet as complete strangers at a bar and end up having the best one night stand. Of course she sneaks out before he wakes up.
Well the next day she starts her new job as the team physiologist… and surprise, Cam is connected to the team.
Cam has two children, Riley and Ethan. His wife tragically passed away when Ethan was born. They were young and deeply in love, so that loss still weighs heavily on him. He raised his kids with the help of his mom and honestly they were such a great addition to the story. They are 10 and 13 during the timeline and I loved every scene with them.
Cam is such a dad and honestly so swoony. I was completely obsessed with him. He was all in from day one and never played games. He was supportive, patient, and just genuinely a good man.
And of course he was perfect in the bedroom too. I will never complain about a scene where the man💦 in his pants. 🥵
I understood why Maddy was hesitant about their relationship becoming public because of her career. But at times I felt like she overreacted a little once the news about them leaked. Cam handled everything with so much understanding and patience. Even with his fears from losing his wife, he never let that stop him from moving forward and loving again.
I am really excited to read about the rest of the kids in this big family. I am already invested in Tyler and Sophie. She very obviously likes him and he is completely oblivious. They are just best friends right now and I cannot wait to see their story unfold.
Spicy Chapters 🔥
16
21
22
23
29
30
36
Epilogue
March 12, 2026
Sam somehow manages to outdo herself with every new release. Seriously, you guys, she absolutely killed it with Perfectly Us. I love that it also kicks off a brand new second generation series!
"𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮."
I’m obsessed with Maddy and Cam. Their chemistry was instant and undeniable, and the way they support each other made their connection feel so real. The forbidden aspect of their relationship also added a fun layer to the story, and like all of Sam’s books, the found family was absolutely amazing. The group chats was hilarious and I loved the sisterhood between Maddy and her friends and family!
"𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙩, 𝙄 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪.
The bond between Maddy and Cam’s kids was one of my favorite parts. It was all so natural and just felt meant to be! I really loved seeing everyone from previous books make appearances! It was fun to see where they were all at in their lives! I can’t wait for the reset of this series!
Highlights:
🏈 Football Romance
🩵 Single Dad
🏈 One Night Stand
🩵 Workplace Romance
🏈 Forbidden Relationship
🩵 He Falls First
🏈 Found Family
"𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮."
I’m obsessed with Maddy and Cam. Their chemistry was instant and undeniable, and the way they support each other made their connection feel so real. The forbidden aspect of their relationship also added a fun layer to the story, and like all of Sam’s books, the found family was absolutely amazing. The group chats was hilarious and I loved the sisterhood between Maddy and her friends and family!
"𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙘𝙖𝙩, 𝙄 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪.
The bond between Maddy and Cam’s kids was one of my favorite parts. It was all so natural and just felt meant to be! I really loved seeing everyone from previous books make appearances! It was fun to see where they were all at in their lives! I can’t wait for the reset of this series!
Highlights:
🏈 Football Romance
🩵 Single Dad
🏈 One Night Stand
🩵 Workplace Romance
🏈 Forbidden Relationship
🩵 He Falls First
🏈 Found Family
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review
Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice - 🌶🌶🌶
Trope - ons, single dad, team psychologist × pro football player, forbidden, forced proximity, workplace romance, he falls first, meddling, found family, grief, secret relationship, sports romance, strangers to lovers, HEA
Thank you, Samantha and team, for this opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Cam and Maddy's story was simply perfection. Maddy, the daughter of Jeremy Wright and Emma Langley, whom you might remember from Anything For You, is a captivating character that I can’t envision being any better suited as their daughter.
Cam, the embodiment of acts of service, is truly a dream come true. His love languages had me swooning with every interaction. This man is not only sincere and loving but also possesses an extraordinary understanding that is so rare.
The flirtation, teasing, and playful banter? It melted my heart into a glorious puddle. And the forbidden element? OMG, it was utterly delectable!
The found family was utterly wholesome.
Cam and Maddy brought back fond memories of many of Samantha's earlier couples, wrapping me in a nostalgic embrace and filling my heart with love all over again. They were an impeccable match, and their chemistry, understanding, and love created something truly beautiful.
Their journey was nothing short of brilliant. My heart was overflowing—these two were magnificent.
Samantha has, once again, woven magic with these characters, though I’m not surprised.
If Samantha writes it, I will read and devour it.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next couple in this enchanting series!
Highly recommended.
Overall 4.5/5
Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice - 🌶🌶🌶
Trope - ons, single dad, team psychologist × pro football player, forbidden, forced proximity, workplace romance, he falls first, meddling, found family, grief, secret relationship, sports romance, strangers to lovers, HEA
Thank you, Samantha and team, for this opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Cam and Maddy's story was simply perfection. Maddy, the daughter of Jeremy Wright and Emma Langley, whom you might remember from Anything For You, is a captivating character that I can’t envision being any better suited as their daughter.
Cam, the embodiment of acts of service, is truly a dream come true. His love languages had me swooning with every interaction. This man is not only sincere and loving but also possesses an extraordinary understanding that is so rare.
The flirtation, teasing, and playful banter? It melted my heart into a glorious puddle. And the forbidden element? OMG, it was utterly delectable!
The found family was utterly wholesome.
Cam and Maddy brought back fond memories of many of Samantha's earlier couples, wrapping me in a nostalgic embrace and filling my heart with love all over again. They were an impeccable match, and their chemistry, understanding, and love created something truly beautiful.
Their journey was nothing short of brilliant. My heart was overflowing—these two were magnificent.
Samantha has, once again, woven magic with these characters, though I’m not surprised.
If Samantha writes it, I will read and devour it.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next couple in this enchanting series!
Highly recommended.
Overall 4.5/5
March 22, 2026
4.5⭐️ 3🌶️ ARC REVIEW: 📖 PERFECTLY US 📖 by Samantha Brinn ✨ This is book 1 of the Steel City Legacy series. It’s second generation and there is some character overlap but all of her books can be read as standalones. Cam and Maddy are perfection. The tension, the chemistry, the emotional layers, and the way she loves his kids.👌🏻The level of swoon from this man. 🫠 He tells her he misses her, that he likes who she is. He leaves breakfast on her desk every day with handwritten notes like ‘I’m so glad I get to see your face every day’. Swoon city 🥰 Then there’s the hand necklaces, his dirty mouth (‘Bratty girls get punished.’), and
when she tells him to wreck her? He takes that very, very seriously. 💦🫡 I mean, he calls her a goddess, and proceeds to worship every inch of her. 🥵 Literally everything he says makes me melt. Gah! Not to mention the incredible found family that Sam creates. 🤌🏻
Dr. Maddy Wright, 30, is the new Director of Psychology for the Pittsburgh Renegades pro football 🏈 team. Her uncle is the general manager of the Renegades, and her dad is a former athlete, so she’s worried that the team won’t take her seriously. Cam (Cameron) Lowry, 34, is a widower and single dad to 10-yr old son Ethan and 13-yr old daughter Riley, and an offensive lineman for the Renegades. Cam immediately notices Maddy across the bar when Maddy is out celebrating her new job with her 5 girlfriends, and her best friend Maya tells her to go for it - have a ONS, so Maddy does. 🤫 He gives her a nickname - Wildcat - but they don’t exchange names or phone numbers, just one night at his hotel, so she assumes he’s from out of town and she won’t see him again. Oops. 🙊
He can’t stop thinking about her but he’s willing to accept whatever she gives him, even if that’s just friendship, for now. He wants to know everything about her. He tells her he can wait - be patient - that he’d wait forever. He knows she’s capable and can do things on her own, but he likes doing things for her. 🥹 She helps him through a panic attack, and she opens up to him about being sad and lonely as a foster kid until she was adopted. She didn’t know what a real family was until she was 7. 🥺 I love her inner monologue trying to talk herself out of giving in, falling for him, and just saying ‘F it’ and crossing the line. But I also want to hug her when she thinks she has to be perfect, and that if she’s ’too much’ that people won’t stay.
He’s been buried under the responsibility of raising two kids on his own, plus the life of a professional athlete, so he never thought he’d find another true love. He’s gone for Maddy—she’s his missing piece. This is his second chance, while honoring his first one. He’s worried he’s not enough (for his kids, for her) but he’s actually EVERYTHING. Sometimes home isn’t just a place - sometimes it’s a person. 🥹
❤️ I love Maya - she is hilarious, that ride-or-die bestie, always supportive, Maddy’s biggest cheerleader
❤️ She covers her nerves with quirky charm
❤️ His daughter Riley is awesome - a dramatic teenager but so funny
❤️ He brings her a Ziploc bag of all of her favorite M&M’s. 🫠🫠🫠
❤️ Backwards hat 🧢
❤️ He whimpers 🤭
❤️ ‘What my girl wants, my girl gets.’😮💨
❤️ He talks her through it. 😮💨
❤️ ‘Mine’ ❤️🔥
❤️ Eyes 👀 on me
❤️ Good girl 😮💨
❤️ 🐱👋
❤️ ‘My girl. My name. My jersey.’
Favorite quotes:
"First of all, you're not just anything. I think you might be everything."
“You gave me a f-cking hickey, Cameron, like we're in high school."
"So both of us are wearing the reminder of last night. I like the idea of you walking around with my mark on you. You know, I think maybe it's fate."
There has only been one woman in my entire thirty-four years who made me feel, and I married her. When she died, I thought that part of my life was over. But then I saw a redhead in a bar, and for the second time in my life, I was a goner.
“I think of you, even when I shouldn't. When I dream, it's you I see."
"God, Cameron. You can't say things like that."
"Why not?"
"Because it makes me want things I shouldn't."
Even if we can't be more than what we are, I'd rather have a fraction of her than have everything with anyone else.
She's so cute I just want to cuddle her up and also f-ck her into my mattress. It's a really, really appealing combination.
She understands me, and I had no idea how
badly I needed to be understood.
"We can keep whatever this is quiet for as long as you need. Whatever makes you comfortable. Just be here with me, Wildcat. Let's figure it all out together."
Read this if you like:
*Football romance
*NFL player x team psychologist
*Single dad
*ONS
*Forbidden/workplace
*He’s possessive
*Spicy texts
*Meddling family
*Found family
*Therapy rep
Content warning: death during childbirth, grief, foster care, adoption, anxiety, panic attacks
Thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for the gifted ARC!
I’m excited for book 2 - Irresistibly Us - Sophie & Tyler’s story!
when she tells him to wreck her? He takes that very, very seriously. 💦🫡 I mean, he calls her a goddess, and proceeds to worship every inch of her. 🥵 Literally everything he says makes me melt. Gah! Not to mention the incredible found family that Sam creates. 🤌🏻
Dr. Maddy Wright, 30, is the new Director of Psychology for the Pittsburgh Renegades pro football 🏈 team. Her uncle is the general manager of the Renegades, and her dad is a former athlete, so she’s worried that the team won’t take her seriously. Cam (Cameron) Lowry, 34, is a widower and single dad to 10-yr old son Ethan and 13-yr old daughter Riley, and an offensive lineman for the Renegades. Cam immediately notices Maddy across the bar when Maddy is out celebrating her new job with her 5 girlfriends, and her best friend Maya tells her to go for it - have a ONS, so Maddy does. 🤫 He gives her a nickname - Wildcat - but they don’t exchange names or phone numbers, just one night at his hotel, so she assumes he’s from out of town and she won’t see him again. Oops. 🙊
He can’t stop thinking about her but he’s willing to accept whatever she gives him, even if that’s just friendship, for now. He wants to know everything about her. He tells her he can wait - be patient - that he’d wait forever. He knows she’s capable and can do things on her own, but he likes doing things for her. 🥹 She helps him through a panic attack, and she opens up to him about being sad and lonely as a foster kid until she was adopted. She didn’t know what a real family was until she was 7. 🥺 I love her inner monologue trying to talk herself out of giving in, falling for him, and just saying ‘F it’ and crossing the line. But I also want to hug her when she thinks she has to be perfect, and that if she’s ’too much’ that people won’t stay.
He’s been buried under the responsibility of raising two kids on his own, plus the life of a professional athlete, so he never thought he’d find another true love. He’s gone for Maddy—she’s his missing piece. This is his second chance, while honoring his first one. He’s worried he’s not enough (for his kids, for her) but he’s actually EVERYTHING. Sometimes home isn’t just a place - sometimes it’s a person. 🥹
❤️ I love Maya - she is hilarious, that ride-or-die bestie, always supportive, Maddy’s biggest cheerleader
❤️ She covers her nerves with quirky charm
❤️ His daughter Riley is awesome - a dramatic teenager but so funny
❤️ He brings her a Ziploc bag of all of her favorite M&M’s. 🫠🫠🫠
❤️ Backwards hat 🧢
❤️ He whimpers 🤭
❤️ ‘What my girl wants, my girl gets.’😮💨
❤️ He talks her through it. 😮💨
❤️ ‘Mine’ ❤️🔥
❤️ Eyes 👀 on me
❤️ Good girl 😮💨
❤️ 🐱👋
❤️ ‘My girl. My name. My jersey.’
Favorite quotes:
"First of all, you're not just anything. I think you might be everything."
“You gave me a f-cking hickey, Cameron, like we're in high school."
"So both of us are wearing the reminder of last night. I like the idea of you walking around with my mark on you. You know, I think maybe it's fate."
There has only been one woman in my entire thirty-four years who made me feel, and I married her. When she died, I thought that part of my life was over. But then I saw a redhead in a bar, and for the second time in my life, I was a goner.
“I think of you, even when I shouldn't. When I dream, it's you I see."
"God, Cameron. You can't say things like that."
"Why not?"
"Because it makes me want things I shouldn't."
Even if we can't be more than what we are, I'd rather have a fraction of her than have everything with anyone else.
She's so cute I just want to cuddle her up and also f-ck her into my mattress. It's a really, really appealing combination.
She understands me, and I had no idea how
badly I needed to be understood.
"We can keep whatever this is quiet for as long as you need. Whatever makes you comfortable. Just be here with me, Wildcat. Let's figure it all out together."
Read this if you like:
*Football romance
*NFL player x team psychologist
*Single dad
*ONS
*Forbidden/workplace
*He’s possessive
*Spicy texts
*Meddling family
*Found family
*Therapy rep
Content warning: death during childbirth, grief, foster care, adoption, anxiety, panic attacks
Thank you to Samantha Brinn and The Smuthood for the gifted ARC!
I’m excited for book 2 - Irresistibly Us - Sophie & Tyler’s story!
Review of advance copy received from Author
“I’ve been walking around in the dark for years, and I didn’t realize it until you stepped into my life and brought the light with you.”
✔️football romance
✔️single dad
✔️one night stand
✔️workplace romance
✔️forbidden
✔️he falls first
✔️found family
✔️no 3rd act breakup
First things first, this book is excellent. It’s a must-read if you love golden retriever men who are emotionally stable and who are actually ready for a serious relationship and badass women who are intelligent, kind and the ultimate girl’s girl. This is the first book in a second generation series, but don’t worry if you haven’t read this author’s previous two series (you definitely should though because they are all excellent), there is a family tree at the beginning of the book and all of the family connections are explained throughout the story. This book is Maddy (FMC) and Cam’s (MMC) love story first and foremost, but several side characters (including Cam’s kids Riley and Ethan) and Maddy’s “cousins” are integral to the story and are seen on page quite a bit. The found family in this world has always been important, but this series kicks that up a notch for sure. I went from smiling, to laughing, to blushing, to sobbing so many times while reading this, and I loved every minute.
Maddy and Cam meet in a bar and have a life changing one night stand (that is not seen on page but is referred to multiple times). They think they’ll never see each other again, but when Maddy walks into her first day at work as the new team psychologist for the Renegades football team, she figures out that the man she just slept with is on the team that she is now working for. They try to stay away from each other, but the more time they spend around each other the more they realize it’s inevitable though there could potentially be catastrophic repercussions for her career if their not-so-secret relationship goes fully public. Cam is halfway in love from the first night, and I just love how he quietly pursues Maddy and shows up for her while being respectful of her boundaries.
Love after loss can be a difficult trope to get right, but this author just does it so well. There is no comparing the FMC to his deceased wife, there is no toxicity, and there is only love and respect for everyone. The FMC doesn’t feel jealous or threatened by the love that will always be in the MMC’s heart for his wife, and I love how emotionally well adjusted these characters are. In this case, there are kids involved (they are thirteen and ten) and they are encouraged by both their dad and Maddy to talk about their mom openly whenever they want to. The bond that Maddy forms with the kids is beautiful and perfectly theirs, and never tries to be a replacement for their mom. Though there is a little third act relationship blip, it isn’t a breakup *no spoilers here, but if you’ve read any of this author’s other books you know what I mean*. Overall, this is a must read and I know the rest of the series will also be so fun (while also being emotionally damaging in the best way).
*I am so grateful to be a member of Samantha Brinn’s ARC/Content team! Thank you so much to Sam and her team for the opportunity to ARC read this book! All opinions are my own*
✔️football romance
✔️single dad
✔️one night stand
✔️workplace romance
✔️forbidden
✔️he falls first
✔️found family
✔️no 3rd act breakup
First things first, this book is excellent. It’s a must-read if you love golden retriever men who are emotionally stable and who are actually ready for a serious relationship and badass women who are intelligent, kind and the ultimate girl’s girl. This is the first book in a second generation series, but don’t worry if you haven’t read this author’s previous two series (you definitely should though because they are all excellent), there is a family tree at the beginning of the book and all of the family connections are explained throughout the story. This book is Maddy (FMC) and Cam’s (MMC) love story first and foremost, but several side characters (including Cam’s kids Riley and Ethan) and Maddy’s “cousins” are integral to the story and are seen on page quite a bit. The found family in this world has always been important, but this series kicks that up a notch for sure. I went from smiling, to laughing, to blushing, to sobbing so many times while reading this, and I loved every minute.
Maddy and Cam meet in a bar and have a life changing one night stand (that is not seen on page but is referred to multiple times). They think they’ll never see each other again, but when Maddy walks into her first day at work as the new team psychologist for the Renegades football team, she figures out that the man she just slept with is on the team that she is now working for. They try to stay away from each other, but the more time they spend around each other the more they realize it’s inevitable though there could potentially be catastrophic repercussions for her career if their not-so-secret relationship goes fully public. Cam is halfway in love from the first night, and I just love how he quietly pursues Maddy and shows up for her while being respectful of her boundaries.
Love after loss can be a difficult trope to get right, but this author just does it so well. There is no comparing the FMC to his deceased wife, there is no toxicity, and there is only love and respect for everyone. The FMC doesn’t feel jealous or threatened by the love that will always be in the MMC’s heart for his wife, and I love how emotionally well adjusted these characters are. In this case, there are kids involved (they are thirteen and ten) and they are encouraged by both their dad and Maddy to talk about their mom openly whenever they want to. The bond that Maddy forms with the kids is beautiful and perfectly theirs, and never tries to be a replacement for their mom. Though there is a little third act relationship blip, it isn’t a breakup *no spoilers here, but if you’ve read any of this author’s other books you know what I mean*. Overall, this is a must read and I know the rest of the series will also be so fun (while also being emotionally damaging in the best way).
*I am so grateful to be a member of Samantha Brinn’s ARC/Content team! Thank you so much to Sam and her team for the opportunity to ARC read this book! All opinions are my own*
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