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Rejected by the Alpha Quarterback: A Forbidden Secret Baby Second Chance Alpha Sports Romance
I’m just a human sports reporter.
He’s a billionaire NFL quarterback… and a werewolf Alpha.
The problem? He’s my father’s best friend I slept with… and my secret baby daddy.
RILEY
Zander Cross—
The kind of star who commands the field and steals hearts.
Five years ago, I was a nobody intern with a stupid crush.
One reckless night, he touched me like a promise.
And the next morning?
He iced me out like I was nothing.
Now I’m back in his stadium—mic in hand, walls up.
Network Sports Today wants a post-championship interview.
I came for answers, not love.
But when the cameras cut, his wolfish gaze pins me, breath hot on my skin.
I don’t flinch anymore.
Because this time… I didn’t come back alone.
And he’s about to find out.
ZANDER
I’ve been hit by 300-pound linebackers.
I’ve bled for my pack.
Nothing has ever wrecked me like Riley Matthews.
Her father died because of my world.
I swore Riley would never be next.
Now she’s back. I answer like a pro, but my wolf tracks every breath she takes.
Until I catch a scent I shouldn’t recognize.
A little boy is hiding behind the curtain.
He smells… familiar.
Like mine.
He’s a billionaire NFL quarterback… and a werewolf Alpha.
The problem? He’s my father’s best friend I slept with… and my secret baby daddy.
RILEY
Zander Cross—
The kind of star who commands the field and steals hearts.
Five years ago, I was a nobody intern with a stupid crush.
One reckless night, he touched me like a promise.
And the next morning?
He iced me out like I was nothing.
Now I’m back in his stadium—mic in hand, walls up.
Network Sports Today wants a post-championship interview.
I came for answers, not love.
But when the cameras cut, his wolfish gaze pins me, breath hot on my skin.
I don’t flinch anymore.
Because this time… I didn’t come back alone.
And he’s about to find out.
ZANDER
I’ve been hit by 300-pound linebackers.
I’ve bled for my pack.
Nothing has ever wrecked me like Riley Matthews.
Her father died because of my world.
I swore Riley would never be next.
Now she’s back. I answer like a pro, but my wolf tracks every breath she takes.
Until I catch a scent I shouldn’t recognize.
A little boy is hiding behind the curtain.
He smells… familiar.
Like mine.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 30, 2026
149 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 20, 2026
2.5 The title and the book cover = pure comedy 😜
This book has a lot of tropes. Football, dad’s BFF, age gap, rejected mates, wolf shifters, OW drama, secret kid, etc….
(Possible spoilers ahead with recaps)
h is a sports reporter and the book opens where she is sent on assignment to interview a football team. h is a human and knows nothing of the wolf world. h has a 4-year old son. I think h is 26.
H is the quarterback of the football team and he’s also an Alpha Wolf. He’s 39.
We know H and h had a weekend together 5 years previously. We know they are fated mates. H spent the weekend with her, then he got scared and GHOSTED her. 🥴 He blocked her on everything. h found out she was pregnant and she went to the stadium to tell H- but security called her a stalker and made her leave (under H’s orders) Then papers were filed from lawyers telling h to stay away. h got the hint
From H’s POV- we know that H was friends with h’s dad. The pack was attacked one night, and h’s dad was killed. The dad made H promise to take care of h as he was dying. H felt his Alpha position put h in danger, so he Ghosted h. 🤷♀️🤷♀️ (so goofy)
h is not happy to reunite with H. (I’m not sure why. She knew he was a part of that team. She knew she would see him)
H immediately acts like a caveman and doesn’t seem to understand why h is so mad at him. lol
h’s BBS starts right away, but she fights it.
Naturally, we are introduced to OW, Victoria. OW is the “proper” wife and Luna that H’s pack wants him to marry. OW is cray cray. H has no interest in her. She doesn’t care. She’s a total cartoon villain and WE THE READERS know there is going to be no whodunnit in this book.
H does mentioned that he’s been celibate since he met h.
H is not very smart. He sees the kid and immediately dismisses in his head that it’s his kid. 🤦♀️🤦♀️ And h has absolutely no intentions of ever telling him it’s his kid. Ugh
So…H and h slowly start to build something up again, and he finally shows her one night he’s a wolf. She accepts it, and they shag. It’s aMaZInG! He has to leave to take care of Alpha business. But really, H’s dad set something up where he meets up with OW instead. Their pictures are released to the press along with the rumors they are engaged. Also….since H hasn’t contacted h in two days, h thinks H has ghosted her again. When she sees the pictures of H with OW- 3rd act breakup. 😒
(Honestly, H made me irritated. At one event, he was letting OW wipe his sweat away. Then at this dinner, why didn’t he just leave when OW sat down? What a dumbarse)
The kid starts to experience his wolf, so h has to contact H. Surprise! That’s when he realizes he’s a daddy. He’s not even a little angry at h.
Scattered throughout this story is H also dealing with his dad. Dad starts out as garbage, but he gets better in the end.
The stuff with h’s dad- idk. It’s didn’t make much sense to me and it basically turned out to be nothing. h’s dad knew about wolves. He was there the night the pack was attacked and he help H’s pack. He was killed in the fight.
H takes h and the kid to his pack to “protect” them because somebody *cough OW* has been leaving nasty letters to h. The pack seems to like h until OW shows up, spilling her toxic words. Then…suddenly, the kid disappears. OH NO who kidnapped him? If you’re thinking OW, you’d be correct. 🤪🤪 The reason OW did all this? Because she just wanted H so so bad. She wanted to be Luna. (Let’s be for real. OW didn’t even really know H. She had only met him a couple of times. He showed zero interest in her. I could *maybe* understand her obsession if she had known him for a long time or something, but this was just goofy)
Anyway, H is wounded but he recovers. OW is ☠️.
A few months later, H and h wed. Then a while after that, h is pregnant with a girl and she’s at H’s championship football game. 😜
I think it was an okay enough read. I feel like some tropes were thrown in this plot that didn’t really need to be here. I would not read this again.
This book has a lot of tropes. Football, dad’s BFF, age gap, rejected mates, wolf shifters, OW drama, secret kid, etc….
(Possible spoilers ahead with recaps)
h is a sports reporter and the book opens where she is sent on assignment to interview a football team. h is a human and knows nothing of the wolf world. h has a 4-year old son. I think h is 26.
H is the quarterback of the football team and he’s also an Alpha Wolf. He’s 39.
We know H and h had a weekend together 5 years previously. We know they are fated mates. H spent the weekend with her, then he got scared and GHOSTED her. 🥴 He blocked her on everything. h found out she was pregnant and she went to the stadium to tell H- but security called her a stalker and made her leave (under H’s orders) Then papers were filed from lawyers telling h to stay away. h got the hint
From H’s POV- we know that H was friends with h’s dad. The pack was attacked one night, and h’s dad was killed. The dad made H promise to take care of h as he was dying. H felt his Alpha position put h in danger, so he Ghosted h. 🤷♀️🤷♀️ (so goofy)
h is not happy to reunite with H. (I’m not sure why. She knew he was a part of that team. She knew she would see him)
H immediately acts like a caveman and doesn’t seem to understand why h is so mad at him. lol
h’s BBS starts right away, but she fights it.
Naturally, we are introduced to OW, Victoria. OW is the “proper” wife and Luna that H’s pack wants him to marry. OW is cray cray. H has no interest in her. She doesn’t care. She’s a total cartoon villain and WE THE READERS know there is going to be no whodunnit in this book.
H does mentioned that he’s been celibate since he met h.
H is not very smart. He sees the kid and immediately dismisses in his head that it’s his kid. 🤦♀️🤦♀️ And h has absolutely no intentions of ever telling him it’s his kid. Ugh
So…H and h slowly start to build something up again, and he finally shows her one night he’s a wolf. She accepts it, and they shag. It’s aMaZInG! He has to leave to take care of Alpha business. But really, H’s dad set something up where he meets up with OW instead. Their pictures are released to the press along with the rumors they are engaged. Also….since H hasn’t contacted h in two days, h thinks H has ghosted her again. When she sees the pictures of H with OW- 3rd act breakup. 😒
(Honestly, H made me irritated. At one event, he was letting OW wipe his sweat away. Then at this dinner, why didn’t he just leave when OW sat down? What a dumbarse)
The kid starts to experience his wolf, so h has to contact H. Surprise! That’s when he realizes he’s a daddy. He’s not even a little angry at h.
Scattered throughout this story is H also dealing with his dad. Dad starts out as garbage, but he gets better in the end.
The stuff with h’s dad- idk. It’s didn’t make much sense to me and it basically turned out to be nothing. h’s dad knew about wolves. He was there the night the pack was attacked and he help H’s pack. He was killed in the fight.
H takes h and the kid to his pack to “protect” them because somebody *cough OW* has been leaving nasty letters to h. The pack seems to like h until OW shows up, spilling her toxic words. Then…suddenly, the kid disappears. OH NO who kidnapped him? If you’re thinking OW, you’d be correct. 🤪🤪 The reason OW did all this? Because she just wanted H so so bad. She wanted to be Luna. (Let’s be for real. OW didn’t even really know H. She had only met him a couple of times. He showed zero interest in her. I could *maybe* understand her obsession if she had known him for a long time or something, but this was just goofy)
Anyway, H is wounded but he recovers. OW is ☠️.
A few months later, H and h wed. Then a while after that, h is pregnant with a girl and she’s at H’s championship football game. 😜
I think it was an okay enough read. I feel like some tropes were thrown in this plot that didn’t really need to be here. I would not read this again.
February 3, 2026
I went into Rejected by the Alpha Quarterback by Jasmine Fox fully expecting it to be too much. Werewolf Alpha? NFL superstar? Secret baby? Second-chance romance? It felt like every trope in the book had been thrown onto the field at once—and I was ready to roll my eyes.
Instead… I was hooked.
This story works because the characters feel real beneath all the high-drama elements. Riley isn’t the naive intern she once was—she’s confident, guarded, and absolutely done letting Zander Cross define her worth. Watching her return to his world on her terms, with a secret that changes everything, gives the story its emotional backbone.
Zander is where things get messy—in both good and frustrating ways. He’s intense, protective, and clearly torn between duty, fear, and desire. I understood why he made the choices he did, even when I didn’t agree with them. Some moments involving unnecessary outside drama pulled me out of the story and made his redemption feel shakier than it needed to be. I won’t pretend he was fully forgiven in my heart.
That said, the overall balance is impressive. The paranormal elements, sports romance, and emotional fallout are woven together smoothly, and the pacing keeps things moving without feeling rushed. The chemistry is strong, the stakes are high, and the reveal hits exactly where it should.
This ended up being one of those books that surprises you—not because it avoids tropes, but because it handles them well. If you love flawed alphas, second chances that have to be earned, and a story that leans into drama without losing heart, this one is worth your time.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Instead… I was hooked.
This story works because the characters feel real beneath all the high-drama elements. Riley isn’t the naive intern she once was—she’s confident, guarded, and absolutely done letting Zander Cross define her worth. Watching her return to his world on her terms, with a secret that changes everything, gives the story its emotional backbone.
Zander is where things get messy—in both good and frustrating ways. He’s intense, protective, and clearly torn between duty, fear, and desire. I understood why he made the choices he did, even when I didn’t agree with them. Some moments involving unnecessary outside drama pulled me out of the story and made his redemption feel shakier than it needed to be. I won’t pretend he was fully forgiven in my heart.
That said, the overall balance is impressive. The paranormal elements, sports romance, and emotional fallout are woven together smoothly, and the pacing keeps things moving without feeling rushed. The chemistry is strong, the stakes are high, and the reveal hits exactly where it should.
This ended up being one of those books that surprises you—not because it avoids tropes, but because it handles them well. If you love flawed alphas, second chances that have to be earned, and a story that leans into drama without losing heart, this one is worth your time.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 20, 2026
really good!
The only thing I could even complain about with this book is that there’s no indication that the scene has changed. Typically there’s a break in between paragraphs to announce a new scene has started, but that didn’t happen in this book. It got rather confusing since it occurred in just about every chapter.
One of my biggest dislikes in books is when the mom hides the relationship between the father and child. The author does that in this book, but she does it in such a way that as a reader you can’t help but empathize with the MFC and her reasons for doing so. It isn’t her being selfish or trying to punish the MMC. I really like the MFC in this book. She goes through so much alone and comes out stronger. She isn’t a pushover and makes the MMC grovel.
There is a 5 year gap where the MFC and the MMC are not together. Neither character is with other people during that time. There is other woman drama, but there is no cheating (the MMC has no interest in the OW).
I liked the MMC, but for being an alpha he made a lot of idiotic decisions. Throughout the whole book he has one enemy that he’s focused on and blames for the murder of his best friend and the reason he had to cut off the MFC. Had he communicated with the alpha of that pack he could have prevented a lot of heart ache, but then I guess we wouldn’t have a book.
There is spice in this book. I would say 1/5 🌶️.
The only thing I could even complain about with this book is that there’s no indication that the scene has changed. Typically there’s a break in between paragraphs to announce a new scene has started, but that didn’t happen in this book. It got rather confusing since it occurred in just about every chapter.
One of my biggest dislikes in books is when the mom hides the relationship between the father and child. The author does that in this book, but she does it in such a way that as a reader you can’t help but empathize with the MFC and her reasons for doing so. It isn’t her being selfish or trying to punish the MMC. I really like the MFC in this book. She goes through so much alone and comes out stronger. She isn’t a pushover and makes the MMC grovel.
There is a 5 year gap where the MFC and the MMC are not together. Neither character is with other people during that time. There is other woman drama, but there is no cheating (the MMC has no interest in the OW).
I liked the MMC, but for being an alpha he made a lot of idiotic decisions. Throughout the whole book he has one enemy that he’s focused on and blames for the murder of his best friend and the reason he had to cut off the MFC. Had he communicated with the alpha of that pack he could have prevented a lot of heart ache, but then I guess we wouldn’t have a book.
There is spice in this book. I would say 1/5 🌶️.
February 9, 2026
Get comfortable you won’t put it down until the last page has been turned, I started out reading the insert and kept going 😊. Riley was young when she met the Alpha quarterback, her father’s best friend, an intern with a crush he paid her a little attention one night, and that night changed her life forever in so many ways. Zander sexy as all get out quarterback willing to go the length for his pack, but he lost his best friend because of his world knows his daughter was his fated mate, it was his fault she left five years ago, and he hasn’t forgotten or forgiven himself. Fast forward, five years she isn’t the young naïve intern she is returning on her terms stronger, not yet ready to forgive, guarded with secrets of her own, but she was sent there for a story, and she intends to get that story for Network Sports Today. Zander is overprotective is the best way but duty, guilt clearly but the decisions he made hurt others and the dangers that surround him are now putting a target on her back especially now that he has learned that the little boy hiding behind the curtain belongs to her and him well that means his protection just went into overdrive but will he be able to protect her, will she learn the truth about why her father died, will he accept her boy, will he be honest with her, and can they find happiness with a little peace along the way?
February 24, 2026
Another book by Jasmine Fox that made me feel like I was watching a soap opera and there is a reason they have been on tv so long because they hook you with their ridiculous storylines and you can’t look away….you want to know more….you crave answers so you keep reading. Miscommunication is huge in this storyline for me and I feel like the MMC really needed to beg more for his redemption as the FMC really put up with some ridiculous stuff as well as being unnecessary. But this book had your sports, wolf shifters, secret pregnancy, other woman drama, age gap, time jump, surprise pregnancy, and second chance at love. There were twists and turns but also spice between the main characters Zander and Riley and you already knew that Victoria was going to be the bad guy/villain. Only disappointed that there weren’t more questions from Riley to Zander when the wolf shifter stuff comes into play because her son starts showing the wolf side. But Zander wasn’t dealing with a naïve intern anymore because during the 5 years apart, Riley really grew up and learned how to stand her ground. Enjoyed this one
February 2, 2026
Surprisingly good considering it was a melting pot of tropes
I was totally ready to not like this story. If there’s a trope out there or a genre, it seemed to just be a giant melting pot of them all. Wolf shifters check. Alpha personality check. Grovel and redemption check. Sports romance check. Other woman drama check. Hidden pregnancy check. And it just keeps going. However the author did a very good job balancing it all out. The plot was strong and the characters very well developed. I’m not sure I completely forgave the MMC. I understood his reasoning, but I didn’t agree, and there were little pieces that bugged me about his behavior. For instance, when Victoria was there with him, wiping the sweat off of him, there was no reason that scene existed. There’s no reason the dinner scene existed. If she sat down and he didn’t want to be there, he could’ve stood right up and walked away, so the argument for the pictures and everything else none of it made sense. So it did lose a star for that however otherwise the story was actually very well done and executed.
I was totally ready to not like this story. If there’s a trope out there or a genre, it seemed to just be a giant melting pot of them all. Wolf shifters check. Alpha personality check. Grovel and redemption check. Sports romance check. Other woman drama check. Hidden pregnancy check. And it just keeps going. However the author did a very good job balancing it all out. The plot was strong and the characters very well developed. I’m not sure I completely forgave the MMC. I understood his reasoning, but I didn’t agree, and there were little pieces that bugged me about his behavior. For instance, when Victoria was there with him, wiping the sweat off of him, there was no reason that scene existed. There’s no reason the dinner scene existed. If she sat down and he didn’t want to be there, he could’ve stood right up and walked away, so the argument for the pictures and everything else none of it made sense. So it did lose a star for that however otherwise the story was actually very well done and executed.
February 2, 2026
3.75💫
Es sólido pero se vuelve tedioso por el ruego del protagonista. En un punto se vuelve en círculos y recientes la falta de confianza de la protagonista aunque al mismo tiempo del protagonista porque cuesta verlo como un alpha luego de que deje que todos dicten su destino menos él.
Siento también que tenia muchos problemas en su plato y que no supo manejarlos. Me abrumo.
Me hubiera gustado que mostrarán más bien la historia de como se conocen y todo el drama alrededor. Pero esa ya es cuestión personal porque no me encantan las 2das oportunidades.
Fuera de eso, es adictivo con personajes carismáticos y mucho potencial dentro del mundo que creo.
Lo volvería a leer pero definitivamente habrá partes que me salte para restarle drama.
Lo recomiendo.
Es sólido pero se vuelve tedioso por el ruego del protagonista. En un punto se vuelve en círculos y recientes la falta de confianza de la protagonista aunque al mismo tiempo del protagonista porque cuesta verlo como un alpha luego de que deje que todos dicten su destino menos él.
Siento también que tenia muchos problemas en su plato y que no supo manejarlos. Me abrumo.
Me hubiera gustado que mostrarán más bien la historia de como se conocen y todo el drama alrededor. Pero esa ya es cuestión personal porque no me encantan las 2das oportunidades.
Fuera de eso, es adictivo con personajes carismáticos y mucho potencial dentro del mundo que creo.
Lo volvería a leer pero definitivamente habrá partes que me salte para restarle drama.
Lo recomiendo.
February 20, 2026
Great sports themed shifter romance
An action packed shifter romance; full of drama, action, sports, father's best friend, overprotective alpha, second chances and love, with some great twists along the way.
Five years after Zander broke Riley's heart she's become a sports reporter and is due to do a report on the team he's the quarterback for. Being in the same place again brings back memories for them both. But she's not living alone anymore.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
An action packed shifter romance; full of drama, action, sports, father's best friend, overprotective alpha, second chances and love, with some great twists along the way.
Five years after Zander broke Riley's heart she's become a sports reporter and is due to do a report on the team he's the quarterback for. Being in the same place again brings back memories for them both. But she's not living alone anymore.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
February 13, 2026
Too Good!!!!!
I’m obsessed completely obsessed.
Zander and Riley’s story was another I couldn’t put down. It kept me glued from start to finish.
Their story was a roller coaster. Zander kept himself locked in football because he had not only lost his best friend but his mate as well. He thought keeping his distance was the best and only option to keep her safe, but destiny always finds a way.
Now he has to prove himself but not without constant danger for all of them.
I’m obsessed completely obsessed.
Zander and Riley’s story was another I couldn’t put down. It kept me glued from start to finish.
Their story was a roller coaster. Zander kept himself locked in football because he had not only lost his best friend but his mate as well. He thought keeping his distance was the best and only option to keep her safe, but destiny always finds a way.
Now he has to prove himself but not without constant danger for all of them.
February 8, 2026
5 years have passed since Zander gave Riley up and their last encounter. It's time to face the truth and maybe the future too. But enemies are circling and they are plentiful. They are coming after Zander and Riley. good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 13, 2026
i only picked up this because of the ridiculous title. and it was as okay as you'd expect from a title like this.
February 14, 2026
Maybe it's just me, but I thought with this being football-themed that there would be more written about actual football. That was one of my main reasons for picking it up because I love football and I love shifter romance books.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 18, 2026
I definitely enjoyed this read! it mixes a bunch of my favorite tropes so I couldn't go wrong. Sports? Check. Wolf Shifters? Check. Accidental/secret pregnancy? Check! Even with so many tropes, the plot remained pretty solid and wasn't all over the place. It kept me hooked and interested the entire time!
February 18, 2026
fighting fate
This was amazing! From what she thought of him rejecting her was actually really him trying to protect her. And when the truth comes out, it is everything and more on how he responds!
This was amazing! From what she thought of him rejecting her was actually really him trying to protect her. And when the truth comes out, it is everything and more on how he responds!
February 10, 2026
I thought this was the joining of my two favourite things sport and shifters but it quickly became just another pack based book was hoping for different.
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