Back in the Game

Champion Valley #2

by Erin Kern

WHEN YOU PLAY FOR LOVE, YOU PLAY FOR KEEPS
Stella Davenport wasn't made for small-town life. Sure, teaching ballet in Blanco Valley, Colorado, is great, but she longs for the chance to perform in a big city. Stella swore she'd never let anything get in the way of her dream--until sexy, broad-shouldered Brandon West walks back into her life. Stella is determined to resist him, even if arguing with Brandon is sexier than any foreplay.

For Brandon, it's always been just him and his son, Matt. Knowing that love only leads to heartbreak, he isn't looking to expand his family any time soon. Stella, with her long, gorgeous legs and infectious laugh, is a breath of fresh air he didn't even know he'd been missing. But when she's offered her dream job in Chicago, will he be willing to put his heart on the line?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Sports

318 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 31, 2017

About the author

I started writing back in 2004 and six years later self-published the third book I wrote. Two years after that I landed a contract with Grand Central Publishing.

Now I'm just chugging along, spitting out books faster than my kids can turn my living room into a disaster zone...

Actually, that's not entirely true. I only wish it were true.

But in all seriousness, I write sassy and sexy contemporary romances for Forever Romance. My Trouble series is available online and wherever paperbacks are sold.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one really surprised me! It wasn’t so much a sexy book as a true exploration of a relationship. I kind of liked that after a lot of racy romances recently. It was nice to focus on the relationship instead of the physical stuff. I really liked Stella and Brandon. They had great chemistry and the dialog between the two was fantastic! They both have baggage and history. Most of the book involves exploring that baggage and trying to move through it and into what they want for themselves. And it was refreshing, to be honest. I really enjoyed that Brandon was a single dad and his relationship with his son was really engaging. This one was more heartwarming than racy which was fine by me. I really enjoyed it! I haven’t read any of this author’s work until this one but I’ll definitely be seeking out more of her work!

NOTE: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Back in the Game Stars!

Back in the Game was the first book I've read by Erin Kern and I really enjoyed this book. The chemistry and banter between Stella and Brandon was amazing.

Stella is a former ballet dancer who had to give up dancing due to a knee injury. She now teaches ballet in Blanco Valley to younger dancer and help out the local football players with foot coordination.

Brandon is a local single father who had to give up his dreams of football and college to raise his son, Matt. After a night out with Stella Brandon finds that he can't keep his mine off of Stella even after the first date from hell.

Both Stella and Brandon have their hang up. Brandon has an issue with people he care about leaving and Stella has an issue with letting people getting close to her, both mentally and physically due her background as a child.

Can these two help each other over come the hang-ups from past experiences and find their HEA?

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a good contemporary romance and this one looked too adorable to pass up. I was so excited to read a single dad romance with a dance teacher in their small town.

Stella Davenport had grand dreams of being a professional ballerina in Chicago. She was living the dream, until an accident left her unable to dance professionally. Stella powered through, though, and dreamed of choreographing back in the big city instead. She let her chance go for a guy once and promised herself never to let a man stand between her and her dreams again. Living in her small town, though, she can't help the way she feels every time she runs into single dad Brandon West. Brandon knows heartbreak and he never wants to experience that again, but Stella brings a light into his life that he hadn't even known he was missing.

From the beginning, Stella and Brandon already had a past that we didn't get to see. They had gone on a date about a year ago and nothing became of it. I think this history left something missing for me because we didn't get that base of their relationship firsthand. I'm still not sure what kept them apart for a whole year and what made the difference now. Also, both Stella and Brandon entered the love territory REALLLLYYY quickly before they even really spent that much time together. I did not get that growth of feelings for each other whatsoever and felt that they progressed with each other way too quickly.

I did enjoy the small town feel of this romance and how everyone knew everyone's business. I especially loved the football games and the old women who liked to appreciate Brandon's physical assets. Other than that, though, I didn't find myself in love with this story. I wasn't in love with the romance and just felt meh about everything else. While this one had the potential of being a super cute, heart wrenching small town romance, this one missed the mark for me.

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so after reading Champion Valley book # 1 and book # 3, I really wanted to finish the series with this one but honestly, what? This book was so similar to book # 1, it left a huge bad after taste in my mouth that made me DNF this before 30% mark. I'm disappointed because I thought Brandon would be an easy one and actually just go for the girl (Stella) and no drama. Just sweet and fluffy times but nope. Brandon and Stella apparently went on a date in book # 1 but ended up hating each other's guts or at least, Brandon hates Stella by book # 2 (this book) by page 1. WHAT? WHY? I WAS FULLY EXPECTING A FLUFFY ROMANCE WHYYYYYYY ERIN WHY

Anyways, i'm tired of male characters being an asshole and not admitting their true feelings to the girl just because of "circumstances" in their life. Stop being a dick because you're a coward.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brandon is always finding ways and excuses to argue with Stella, "his pupils filled his coffee-colored eyes. “Didn’t say I had a problem with it. But you slap a pair of spandex on legs like that, and men will take notice.” Brandon is always willing to give his girl some new experiences, “now that we’ve got that straight.” He started walking with her hanging on to him. “Let’s go find a tree I can back you up against.” I really enjoyed this book, I loved the relationship Brandon and his son had.

[Jenny Prose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for:

Back In The Game

By Erin Kern

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Friends tormented by their pasts learning to find their way to each other and realizing that they loved each other from the start.

Review by Jen M.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great page-turning contemporary romance. The main characters pull you in immediately, and you feel like you really know them. I really enjoyed this.

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella Davenport has dreamt of returning to her life as a ballerina performing in a big city, but with her injury, it's not likely she'll ever get the chance. However, when an opportunity arises and she's offered her dream job, Stella decides that nothing and no-one is going to stop her from accepting it. Yet, the more time she spends with Brendon West, the more Stella finds it hard to stay away. But with both their pasts leaving it hard for them to put their full trust in someone of the opposite sex, will Stella and Brendon walk away from their chance of forever after, or will they fight for their love?

What an absolutely enthralling and riveting read Ms. Kern had penned in this story, which introduced me to this author's fabulous writing style, and has me looking forward to more of this series in the future due to the secondary characters. However, it was the way this story started that had me totally charmed by this story, as Matt (Brandon's son) needs the heroine's help. Will she be able to help him? Will she be able to convince Brendon that his son needs her help? Yet, it was from the moment the hero and heroine came face-to-face for the first time in this story that brought a smile to my face and made this story a total page turner, as this couple have exciting chemistry that I could not get enough of.

As for the dialogue, it was well-written, captivating and I loved the playful banter between Stella and Brandon. They can both be sarcastic at times and both have reasons for not wanting to get involved with the other, as Brandon was hurt by his ex-wife's abandonment and Stella suffered at the hands of someone that didn't know how to keep their hands to themselves, but their chemistry is definitely undeniable. Moreover, the heroine has been through a lot and I felt sorry for her when it came to her love-hate relationship with her mom; her moments of panic and whether she'd be able to overcome them. However, in saying that, she's resilient, courageous and I liked how she challenged the hero with her opinion, especially when it comes to his son. Will Brandon listen to her advice?

While Brandon, he was such a wonderful hero and has so much to deal with throughout this book including his son and the uncomfortable birds and the bees talk as well as his ex-wife coming back into his life. Will he give in to what his ex-wife is asking of him? I also liked how confident the hero was when it came to winning the heroine over, especially since she needed to finally get what's been keeping her from giving any man a chance off her chest and who better to open up to than Brandon. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was how good of a dad he was and that he would do anything to protect his son from being hurt.

Overall, Ms. Kern has penned a must read in this story where the secondary characters entertained me just as much as the main ones; the chemistry between this couple was intense; the romance on the sweet side as they both do everything they can to prove they can trust each other; and the ending left me completely satisfied with the heroine's determination to prove to Brandon that she's all in when it comes to their relationship and their future. I would recommend Back in the Game by Erin Kern, if you enjoy second chance romances or books by authors Sara Hegger, Katie Lane, Samantha Chase and Jennifer Dawson.

[Misty (Reds Romance Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Single dad Brandon West likes the simple and peaceful life he has created for him and his son, but when beautiful ballerina Stella Davenport breezes into their quiet world, everything starts to take on a lively approach. She is energetic, full of big dreams, sassy, and she pushed his buttons every chance she gets, and as much as he hates to admit it, he thoroughly enjoys every minute of it. And just when things start to go well between them, and head into heated and oh so sexy territory, she announces that she has just been offered a job miles away in Chicago. As much as Brandon wants to support her and her following her dream, he can't help but feel like he is being left all over again... and it hurts like hell, he should have known better than to fall for another woman!

Everything in Stella Davenport's life revolves around dancing... that is until brooding, and ridiculously sexy Brandon West walks back into her world. Ever since she was child she has had dreams of dancing in the big city, under the bright lights, but so far her dream hasn't came close to becoming a reality. Which is why she is still stuck in Blanco Valley teaching ballet in a little studio, and helping foster many of girls dreams of becoming a professional dancers, and helping athletes refine their footwork. When Brandon's son wanders into her shop and asks her to teach him, she can't help but want to do all she can to help him, but there is one thing standing in their way... his father. She knows convincing him to sign on the dotted line is going to be hard, good thing she has plenty of tricks up her sleeve...

Back In The Game is a heartwarming story of second chances with loads of wit and red-hot feisty banter mixed in here and there... it was such an enjoyable read!! Having been my second visit to the series, I couldn't wait to revisit and meet more of Ms. Kern's endearing characters and let them take me on a little literary adventure, and I have to say it was quite a memorable one! The story line pulled me in, had me completely absorbed in a matter of minutes and that was all she wrote... I devoured this one in one sitting...and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! If you like small town romance stories, loaded with humor, heart, and emotion, then I highly suggest you check this one out, you will not be disappointed with what you find!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin Kern followed up the first book in the Champion Valley series with a bang.

Brandon is the sexiest guy and that beard yummy. He is also a awesome dad. You see that he loves his son and will sacrifice anything for him but is afraid of his son making the same mistakes he did at his age. Sometimes his fear makes him overprotective but it is understandable. His ex really left him with some trust issues and with the help of his friends and Stella.

Stella is sweet and feisty. She, like Brandon, have been burned in the past and not just by exes. She is one that doesn’t trust easily and has a goal. Her goal keeps her from really trusting her heart because she is singularly focused on it to prove something to herself.

These two have crazy chemistry. It explodes off the page and sizzles everytime they are in the same room. But neither really acts on it. they flirt and give us some steamy sensual moments but nothing further. Both are fearing commitment. Brandon wants on but fears Stella leaving and not coming back but also because she is so closed up and unwilling to talk. It holds him back even though he is interested.

Over time we see them not able to fight the attraction and they begin to confide in each other. Her about her past and him about his ex wife. An ex wife who is back trying to get to see her son. It is Stella who helps him through this and gets him to start to give his son some freedom and also gets him to trust in his parenting skills and realize his son is smart. It is Stella who gets Brandon to see that Brandon does have goals and wants more. We see a very close relationship between son and father one that warms the heart.

As these two entertain the stands at football games, they also entertain our hearts as they explore their feelings and learn about one another. We see Brandon make a tough decision but use the adage when you love someone set them free...and it is so heartbreaking and heartwarming. We see Stella realize that Brandon did what was needed for her and also that he loves her and wants her happy. this goes a long way in her letting down all her walls and moving on from the past. So does releasing all her anger and pain. Brandon taught her this. These two give us a steamy, fun and sensual novel about love, trust and family. About forgiveness and friends.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by JoAnne
Book provided by Netgalley
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

Kern is a new to me author and I don’t know how I’ve missed reading any of her books before now. Back in the Game is the second book in the Champion Valley series and I need to read Winner Takes All the first book and book 3, Changing the Rules when it’s released next March.

High School football is a major part of the story along with ballet and lost and second chances. Stella and Brandon have chemistry that they choose not to act on due to their pasts and their current circumstances of either one not looking for a relationship. But will that be enough to block their feelings? They seem to get each other like no one else does and help to alleviate the other’s concerns and fears but both are still running scared or are they? Watching Stella open up to Brandon since he always seems to be there when she needs him most is heartwarming especially given her panic attacks that are coming fast and furiously. Brandon has a teenage football playing son, Matt, whom he’s raised as a single parent since he was three when his mom walked out on them. Matt seems pretty level headed but also portrayed realistically as a typical teen. Stella’s relationship or lack thereof with her mom is a direct contract on Brandon and Matt’s.

There are family and friends, football, heart to heart talks, sadness, fear, panic attacks, anger, happiness, laughter, lots of kisses and some heated moments along with love. The Beehive Mafia were scary and are reminiscent to me of Eddie and Gladys from Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold series and Lucille from Jill Shalvis’, Lucky Harbor series. Older woman that seem to take perverse pleasure in looking at young er men and more! There are many story lines going on throughout and they are woven seamlessly together. The characters didn’t have the depth to them that I was hoping form. There is some closure and a happily-ever-after in the offing but an epilogue would have been the icing on the cake. I hope the next book in the series picks up where Back to the Game leaves off since I for one can’t wait to see what the characters are up to next.

Favorite Quote: “I’m not trying to hide from you,” she hedged.

His soft chuckle brushed across her heated skin. “Sweetheart, we’re playing the most erotic game of hide-and-seek I’ve ever seen.”

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Back in the Game by Erin Kern is a somewhat angsty romance between two protagonists who are both carrying A LOT of baggage. This second installment in the Champion Valley series can be read as a standalone but the failed date between the couple in this outing occurred in the first book in the series.

Respective events from both Stella Davenport and Brandon West's pasts continue to affect them well into adulthood. Stella's childhood with her flighty and inattentive mother and a traumatic event that occurred when she was a teenager have left her with claustrophobia and anxiety. Following a career ending injury and a shocking break up, she moved to Colorado where she  has built a thriving business as a ballet instructor. Although it has been a year since Stella's disastrous date with Brandon, her attraction to him burns hotter than ever.

Single dad Brandon is struggling with his son Matt's plans to leave Colorado after graduation to attend college and play football in Texas. He is desperately hoping Matt avoids some of the missteps he made at the same age so Brandon is a little overprotective of his son.  With little time, energy or desire to date since his long ago divorce, he finds it impossible to stay away from Stella but will his unresolved issues from his relationship with his ex-wife prevent him from giving a relationship with Stella chance?

Stella and Brandon are interesting characters but readers will have to suspend disbelief to enjoy their romance. They have not spent much time in each other's company yet, with just one glance, Brandon seems to magically "know" about Stella's struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. While their banter is initially amusing, it becomes extremely frustrating since they both use humor and sarcasm to avoid discussing their respective issues which gives their scenes together a superficial feel. Their inner monologues also lack much depth since they mainly focus on their sizzling hot desire for each other.  They do not date in the traditional sense because their interactions mainly consist of accidental meetings around town. Overall, Stella and Brandon's romance feels superficial and somewhat rushed due to the reliance on contrived encounters instead of actually dating. It also does not help that the novel takes place over a rather short amount of time.

Although the romance element in Back in the Game is underwhelming, both Stella and Brandon undergo tremendous character growth. Brandon's son Matt is brilliantly developed and he manages to steal every scene he appears in.  Erin Kern brings the novel to a heartwarming conclusion that will satisfy old and new fans of the Champion Valley series.

[Romantic Reads and Such · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brandon and Stella are so absolutely adorable together. They have the steam and the sass and all the feels that you could want!

Brandon found himself a single dad at way too young and while he is a fabulous dad his past has left him with some trust issues when it comes to women. He can’t handle being left again and with Stella’s plans to go to Chicago that’s exactly what will happen if he lets himself get involved. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the two can’t fight their attraction and he starts to fall, regardless of how hard he fights it.

Stella has her own trust issues thanks to her nomadic upbringing and the revolving door of men in her mother’s life (especially one in particular). She’s trying just as hard as Brandon is to resist the pull between them but the man is just about perfect. How can you turn away from someone with that much patience, that much understanding, and that much sexiness?!?

Kern does a wonderful job of addressing both Brandon and Stella’s issues with the consideration that they deserve. She never glosses over their feelings and reactions, giving readers great back and forth between the two without getting overly dramatic.

She so great at drawing you in with the heartwarming emotions, entertaining you with the perfect amount of humor, and keeping you turning pages with characters that you can’t help but love. I am SO looking forward to what she has lined up next!

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

[Melody May (What I'm Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Posted on What I'm Reading

When I started Back In The Game I wasn't sure what to expect. From the blurb it sounded super cute and the cover was cute too, so I figure I would take a shot at reading this story. The story was an all right read. Stella and Brandon have an interesting relationship. Brandon doesn't want to get close to Stella, because he's fearful that she would break his heart. Stella has some personal issues. She would fall into a category a fictional character who would benefit from going to a counselor. Her personal issues cause issues with a possible budding relationship. So, Stella puts up a front of sass. Which is totally fine in most cases, but I didn't feel that it worked well for her. Anyway, I liked Brandon. He's a pretty cool dad, and he truly loves his son. He's always put his son first.

Like I said Back In The Game was an okay read. The pacing of the story was a little slow. I didn't feel a connection between Brandon and Stella. However, there were a few glimpses of a future for them. However, Stella and Brandon's personal issues kind of put up road blocks to the budding relationship. Like I said I really like Brandon, because he was a good guy and he help Stella get a little better. I still think that she would benefit from counseling. What helped this story, was towards the end Brandon sent Stella a letter. Overall, a so-so story, that had it's sweet moments.

Copy provided by Forever via NetGalley

[etoile1996 · Rating 4 out of 5]

the champion valley series continues with back in the game, and has single dad brandon figuring out his slow burn romance with ballet dancer stella. after their disastrous first date where stella ended up throwing up all over brandon's shoes, they'd spent most of their time avoiding each other.

but when brandon's son matt learns that taking some ballet lessons might help him with his footwork on the football field, stella finds that she can't help herself from running interference. i'm still kind of confused as to who had to convince who and who was willing to do what, but the point is that brandon and stella have to spend time together, and neither of them is all that upset about it.

because even though stella has these big plans to leave town for an opportunity with her old dance company, she find herself more and more tangled up with brandon. and she's happy to be tangled up with him. he's the first guy in a long time who respects her hang-ups and is interested in helping her through them.

not that brandon is perfect in the relationship department. his wife walked out on him and left him with an infant to care for, and that abandonment cut at him deeply. brandon worries that he'll never be enough for stella, not when she had big dreams. so he doesn't ask her to stay because he's not willing to put his whole heart on the line.

both stella and brandon need to take risks and let go of some control if only to see where things go. there is so much potential between them. even when they are constantly bickering they are super entertaining and clearly meant for each other. i think of this series as a sports romance, but brandon and stella actually have very little to do with football. the high school football season still plays out against the backdrop here, but sport is not at the front and center of this story. and that's fine. it makes sense for these characters.

**back in the game will publish on october 31, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/grand central publishing in exchange for my honest review.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella Davenport gave up her dream job as a dance instructor once before , but she’s determined to never make that mistake again. Brandon West knows better than to expect a woman like Stella to stick around a small town when she has dreams to chase and big cities to live in. Neither Brandon nor Stella are ready for the attraction that flairs between them and yet, it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

Back in the Game is a wonderful second chance romance story with two strong, compelling characters who share some great chemistry and a boatload of mistrust and past hurts. Brandon and Stella have realistic fears that continually conflict with their growing attraction and desire to get to know one another. It is this conflict between their fears and their desire for one another that made Back in the Game a mesmerizing novel to read.

If you’re looking for a delightful and well-written contemporary romance novel, pick up a copy of Back in the Game by Erin Kern. It’s the second book in the author’s Champion Valley series and it’s a beautiful, captivating, fast-paced read. One I highly recommend checking out.

Overall thoughts: Entertaining, Witty, Heartwarming, and Emotionally Satisfying. I loved it!

*ARC provided by Publisher*

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chemistry abounds between two unlikely people! A sassy connection between a single dad and the local ballet teacher makes for a really fun read! They bounce witty comebacks off each other every chance they get, and when they finally decide to give in to the attraction they feel, sparks ignite! The characters are easy to like, and although the romance is slow to happen, it's a nice build up throughout. I enjoyed their story!

Stella Davenport never expected to find herself teaching ballet in a small town in Colorado at this point in her life. She craves the big city dancing lifestyle she used to have in Chicago and hopes her dream of being invited back to choreograph will one day come true. Living here with her Mom crowding her space is slowly driving her insane!

Brandon West feels like he's spent his entire life looking out for his son, and he's not about to start now just because he's soon heading off to college. His one chance on love came back to bite him good, so he isn't too up on trying that game again ... but he can't deny he's drawn to Stella in a way he hasn't felt in a long time ... maybe ever! Can two wounded hearts find a way to overcome their obstacles to be together?

[Jackie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin Kern is a new author to me but after reading Back in the Game I will be looking at her other books especially book 1 in the Champion Valley Series of which this story is book 2.
Second chance romance and single dads are everything I love in a book at the moment and this book did not disappoint.
Single dad Brandon West is happy with his life, he is not looking for a relationship, he likes the life he has built for him and his son Matt. Stella Davenport is happy teaching ballet in Blanco Valley but she longs for a chance to perform in Chicago. Both seem happy with their life until Matt walks into her studio and asks her to teach him to dance and that means getting his fathers permission and when they meet again they realise what is missing butwill they be prepared to take a chance on each other....
A beautifully written heartwarming story with a lot of wit and banter and I really enjoyed this read, the characters are strong and loveable, the story is believable, I read this book in one sitting and I will be looking for more from this author

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book a lot. I loved the vulnerability of Stella and Brandon.

Stella had gone on a date with Brandon once before... and it ended in disaster. Now she finds Brandon back in her life and she can't help but think WHAT IF? Brandon has always had a thing for Stella, who cares if their date didn't go perfectly, she still had that something that he was drawn to. The thing is, he knows she's not in their small little town to stay or is she?

The two fight against their attractions, knowing that there will be an end. But can Brandon convince her to stay and will she want to for him?

I loved the give and take between these two. They both had pasts that neither seemed to be able to shake. This was a first read for me from this author and I most definitely will be reading more in the future!

[A Book Lover's Emporium Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erin Kern did an amazing job writing this story; it is the first book I have read from her but I think I will be reading more.

Is it a good idea for a dance teacher to teach a football player ballet, when she's attracted to his Dad? Well that is what happened when Matt walked into Stella Davenport's studio.

I liked how Matt thought he could sign up for ballet lessons without his dad's permission. Brandon West didn't understand why his son needed them and I loved how Stella cornered Brandon to talk to him about it. They always had an attraction towards each other; they tried to stay away from each other till they couldn't any longer.

This is the second book in The Champion Valley Series and I look forward to reading more.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy through Goodreads
---
Stella and Brandon are so sweet together. I like how the author takes the time to really develop the two of them and their relationships, without rushing into anything. It demonstrates the growth that both of them went through before coming to the conclusion....that they are totally meant for each other and are perfect together.

Their chemistry is off the charts and both of them work through their baggages together without being pushed too much in the wrong direction. Although it took a while too long for them to finally end up together, I kept hoping they will get together sooner instead of all that flirting back and forth and back and forth.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was all about the romance and though it had its heated moments it was a pretty clean read. This book focused on getting Brandon who has some serious abandonment issues and Stella who has major trust issues plus some together. I really liked that we were more focused on these two working things through and dealing with their problems. The tension is off the charts and the sexual tension was through the roof. Brandon knows how to make things difficult for himself and Stella is just too afraid to try.

I enjoyed the writing and the story. The characters were fun and different. The emotions this book created was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better read to give me all the good feels I needed. I highly recommend it.

[Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing two people who have been hurt in the past and unable to let go and trust again could have fallen into a morose story. While both Matt and Stella do ruminate about their pasts, Kern blends happy times and gives them both a sense of humor as they battle their inner demons. She tells a really fun story.

[Catherine Wright (Cat's Guilty Pleasure) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this heartwarming and very well written book. It was complete with lots of banter between the two. The characters were just amazing and very lovable. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice, clean romance that is a comfortable evening's read. I'd read the first in this series and it was a pleasure seeing these same characters again. And, I anticipate, they'll all show up in the upcoming book too. The plot is fairly predictable but the dialogue and mood of the story makes it a worthwhile story.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[The Book Lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not impressed by this book at all..

[Noreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I read it in one day.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stella and Brandon had a great chemistry and watching them navigate an actual relationship, dealing with real life issues, was very refreshing. I enjoyed this one very much.

[wRb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the story, the funny dialogues and situations, the hilarious side characters. Love it!

[Victoria (Latte Nights Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

Back in the Game is the second book in the Champion Valley series, but can be read as a standalone. There are a few things brought up at the beginning that felt like they were part of the first book, but the characters talked about it enough to understand what happened.

This book follows Stella and Brandon, two individuals who care about each other, but try to stay away because they've been hurt in the past. Stella was a professional ballerina in Chicago, but an injury ended her career and she moved back home to take care of her grandmother, and ended up staying and opening her own dance studio. Even though she loves teaching ballet at her studio, her dream is to move back to Chicago and choreograph professionally.

Brandon has been hurt in the past, his high school girlfriend got pregnant so they married and had their son. A few years after their Matt was born, his wife left him and ran away to the circus. Ever since she left Brandon has been guarded with his heart, not wanting to be hurt like that again.

The book opens with Brandon's son Matt, a high school senior looking to play college football, approaching Stella for dance lessons to help with balance and flexibility. Stella has always been on Brandon's radar, since their disastrous first date (that took place in the first book), but now that his son is taking classes at her studio, is getting harder for him to stay away.

Both of the main characters are dealing with issues in their personal lives that affect them trying to get together. Stella has intimacy issues because of a previous boyfriend and an issue with her mother's ex boyfriend, and Brandon with his ex-wife leaving. He's also constantly worried about his son making the same choices he made, there's some disagreement there. The tension between the two characters and when they would eventually get together was the main plot of the novel.

My favorite part of the book is Brandon and Matt's relationship. Brandon cares so much about his son, and wants what was best for him. They had a very realistic relationship, you could tell how much they cared for each other, but there were definitely some issues they had, and didn't always agree on. Brandon wanted to protect Matt, instead of letting him go a little and letting him make his own mistakes.

There were a few instances of slut shaming that I really didn't like, and it's because Stella is jealous of a girl Brandon is talking to. I hate when girls hate other girls and call them names just because they are interested in the same guy. There were only a few instances here which didn't make me give up on the book, but it definitely affected how I felt about the rest of the book. I was worried more problematic stuff like this was going to come up.

This isn't technically a sports romance, but there are some sports aspects in the story. Brandon's son plays football, and there are many scenes set at his practices or games.

I enjoyed the book, but towards the middle and end I felt the it started dragging on, there wasn't much happening for multiple chapters. Overall I enjoy the authors writing, it's well written and fun. It was a quick read, and definitely something that I think would get me out of a reading slump. I think that readers of romance books will like this one.

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.