What do you think?
Rate this book
Atlanta Skyline #3
Saving Hearts
LOVE’S A CALCULATED RISK
Atlanta Skyline’s benched goalkeeper Brendan Young would have been happy to ride out the end of his contract after his gambling addiction was splashed all over the news media. Instead, his teammates’ injuries have unexpectedly put him back in the game. A new face in his weekly Gamblers Anonymous meeting provides another surprise spike—of pure attraction. Why is Erin Bailey, former world champion women’s soccer player, at this meeting? And why can’t he stop thinking about their red-hot one-night stand?
Six months ago, one reckless night in Vegas ended with Erin in Brendan’s bed. She’s sworn off dating athletes, especially those whose reputations could destroy her new career as the Championship Soccer League’s Director of Ethics and Advocacy. But the secret they share—and the crazy heat they generate—makes it impossible to keep her distance.
Both have choices to make about the future, but no matter how steeply the odds are stacked against them, walking away could be the riskiest move of all . . .
“This author weaves a charming tale encompassing two fantastic characters, well-written dialogue, and a fast-paced plot that includes quite a bit of sporting action.”
—harlequinjunkie.com, TOP PICK, on Crossing Hearts
“A well-crafted and very enjoyable sports romance that also delves into a timely subplot of the challenges faced by immigrants to America. . . . Crossing Hearts delivers an exciting and passionate read.”
—allaboutromance.com
“A new angle not seen in sports contemporary romances.”
—RT Book Reviews
Atlanta Skyline’s benched goalkeeper Brendan Young would have been happy to ride out the end of his contract after his gambling addiction was splashed all over the news media. Instead, his teammates’ injuries have unexpectedly put him back in the game. A new face in his weekly Gamblers Anonymous meeting provides another surprise spike—of pure attraction. Why is Erin Bailey, former world champion women’s soccer player, at this meeting? And why can’t he stop thinking about their red-hot one-night stand?
Six months ago, one reckless night in Vegas ended with Erin in Brendan’s bed. She’s sworn off dating athletes, especially those whose reputations could destroy her new career as the Championship Soccer League’s Director of Ethics and Advocacy. But the secret they share—and the crazy heat they generate—makes it impossible to keep her distance.
Both have choices to make about the future, but no matter how steeply the odds are stacked against them, walking away could be the riskiest move of all . . .
“This author weaves a charming tale encompassing two fantastic characters, well-written dialogue, and a fast-paced plot that includes quite a bit of sporting action.”
—harlequinjunkie.com, TOP PICK, on Crossing Hearts
“A well-crafted and very enjoyable sports romance that also delves into a timely subplot of the challenges faced by immigrants to America. . . . Crossing Hearts delivers an exciting and passionate read.”
—allaboutromance.com
“A new angle not seen in sports contemporary romances.”
—RT Book Reviews
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2018
4 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Crowley
30 books98 followersRebecca Crowley writes contemporary romance about good people doing their best, and never tires of the happily-ever-after. Having pulled up her Kansas roots to live in New York City, London and Johannesburg, Rebecca currently resides in Houston.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 26, 2018
I really liked this one. Lovely cinnamon hero battling anxiety and gambling addiction (He reads like a demisexual to me) and a feisty, sexually confident heroine. Lots of soccer action which I enjoyed reading. A plot twist towards the end which I didn't really like but it's a minor issue in a overall wonderful romance.
Full review also posted on Ellie Reads All the Books
This was such an interesting, engrossing story and I absolutely loved it.
It's the third in the series and my second by this author and I have come to love her complex characters and the unusual take on sports romance. In this case we have a goalkeeper at the end of his career, his reputation ruined by a gambling scandal. And the heroine is a former pro footballer player herself, trying to further her career in the Championship soccer League but also boost women's soccer as much as she can. The cicumstances put them in opposite ends, turning them into enemies but ones with burning memories of a hot one-night stand between them and a shared secret (they both love gambling).
Brendan was an amazing character and loved him so much. He is a bit of a loner, hiding so much from everyone - teammates and family, so lonely despite his success. I found the way he dealt with his anxiety and compulsive thoughts through focusing on sports statistics and placing bets on games really fascinating.
He was on his way out of the soccer world and and his focus was fully on the post-sports future, new life, different goals. All this made him reluctant to start anything with Erin despite the chemistry between them. I read him as on the ace spectrum, the one-night stand they had was an exception for him rather than the rule and he was really not comfortable with a friends-with-benefits arrangement. I felt he was not interested in sex unless there were some romantic feelings involved and they were they on his part from the start and he just wanted to avoid the hurt the inevitable break-up would cause him.
Erin, oh Erin was fabulous. She was the opposite of Brendan - outgoing, outspoken, more sexually adventurous than him, definitely the one doing the chase rather than being wooed. She came off as pushy at times which I didn't like very much but she did try to come up with a solution that would work for both of them and in the end she did in a way.
Like Brendan she is a gambler, though of a different kind. For him this was a way to deal with his anxiety and hyperactive mind, while for her it was a way to decompress and deal with stress. In different ways they both needed gambling to survive teh current turmoil in their lives, it was an escape which while financially profitable for him was otherwise disastrous for both of them.
Brendan's outlook on his gambling was something I have not read before. I felt he got better hold of his anxiety issues and found some calm after getting together with Erin. In my reading it was finding the partner he had been looking for and generally moving towards a situation that caused him less stress that helped Brendan cut down on his obsession with soccer statistics and betting. At the same time I have this tiny bit of worry that it might be interpreted as a love-cures-all solution and would have liked a stronger statement to the opposite in the text. On the other hand, Erin starts therapy for her gambling addiction which brings some balance to the story and treats addiction as a serious issue which requires professional help to deal with.
On the plus side I liked how Brandon and Erin made things work between them, neither giving up their dream but finding a compromise - more travel, some adjustments to his and her plans for the future in order to make room for their plans.
There was a plot twist towards the end which I found unnecessary and annoying. The journalist threatening them and the sudden change in the attitude of her boss and the way he came through as a saviour for them both in the end didn't sit well with me. I felt it took away the agency from Brendan and Erin to solve their issues/determine their future on their own.
Overall, I enjoyed this romance a lot. We get two complex characters working through their differences in order to be together, making compromises and finding common ground for their future which is one of my favourite things in romance.
Full review also posted on Ellie Reads All the Books
This was such an interesting, engrossing story and I absolutely loved it.
It's the third in the series and my second by this author and I have come to love her complex characters and the unusual take on sports romance. In this case we have a goalkeeper at the end of his career, his reputation ruined by a gambling scandal. And the heroine is a former pro footballer player herself, trying to further her career in the Championship soccer League but also boost women's soccer as much as she can. The cicumstances put them in opposite ends, turning them into enemies but ones with burning memories of a hot one-night stand between them and a shared secret (they both love gambling).
Brendan was an amazing character and loved him so much. He is a bit of a loner, hiding so much from everyone - teammates and family, so lonely despite his success. I found the way he dealt with his anxiety and compulsive thoughts through focusing on sports statistics and placing bets on games really fascinating.
He was on his way out of the soccer world and and his focus was fully on the post-sports future, new life, different goals. All this made him reluctant to start anything with Erin despite the chemistry between them. I read him as on the ace spectrum, the one-night stand they had was an exception for him rather than the rule and he was really not comfortable with a friends-with-benefits arrangement. I felt he was not interested in sex unless there were some romantic feelings involved and they were they on his part from the start and he just wanted to avoid the hurt the inevitable break-up would cause him.
Erin, oh Erin was fabulous. She was the opposite of Brendan - outgoing, outspoken, more sexually adventurous than him, definitely the one doing the chase rather than being wooed. She came off as pushy at times which I didn't like very much but she did try to come up with a solution that would work for both of them and in the end she did in a way.
Like Brendan she is a gambler, though of a different kind. For him this was a way to deal with his anxiety and hyperactive mind, while for her it was a way to decompress and deal with stress. In different ways they both needed gambling to survive teh current turmoil in their lives, it was an escape which while financially profitable for him was otherwise disastrous for both of them.
Brendan's outlook on his gambling was something I have not read before. I felt he got better hold of his anxiety issues and found some calm after getting together with Erin. In my reading it was finding the partner he had been looking for and generally moving towards a situation that caused him less stress that helped Brendan cut down on his obsession with soccer statistics and betting. At the same time I have this tiny bit of worry that it might be interpreted as a love-cures-all solution and would have liked a stronger statement to the opposite in the text. On the other hand, Erin starts therapy for her gambling addiction which brings some balance to the story and treats addiction as a serious issue which requires professional help to deal with.
On the plus side I liked how Brandon and Erin made things work between them, neither giving up their dream but finding a compromise - more travel, some adjustments to his and her plans for the future in order to make room for their plans.
There was a plot twist towards the end which I found unnecessary and annoying. The journalist threatening them and the sudden change in the attitude of her boss and the way he came through as a saviour for them both in the end didn't sit well with me. I felt it took away the agency from Brendan and Erin to solve their issues/determine their future on their own.
Overall, I enjoyed this romance a lot. We get two complex characters working through their differences in order to be together, making compromises and finding common ground for their future which is one of my favourite things in romance.
did-not-finish
January 24, 2021I made it about a quarter of the way in and decided I didn't want to read something that alternately had addicts enabling and blackmailing each other.
March 24, 2018
Six months ago Brendan Young and Erin Bailey spent an incredible night together. However, now with Brendan in trouble over gambling on games and Erin in her new career as he Championship Soccer League Director of Ethics and Advocacy, she knows she should keep her distance from Brendan, if she doesn't want to lose everything she's worked so hard for. Yet, staying away from Brendan isn't easy, and the closer they get, the more she finds herself wanting the one thing she's never wanted -- a relationship. Will she and Brendan get their happy ever after, or will everything she's worked so hard for cause the pair to walk away from the other before they crash and burn?
The first two books of this series are absolutely brilliant and had me looking forward to reading more about the men of the Atlanta Skyline Soccer team and I've got to say that Brendan and Erin's story was an absolute delight, as both are struggling with addiction that could get them into trouble. Will someone discover what's going on between them that goes beyond the pair being a couple? However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine came face-to-face for the first time that had me smiling, as Brendan can't believe his eyes as to why the heroine would be at the same place he is.
As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories and the obstacles these two face on their journey to happy ever after including who will get the upper hand in their attempts to blackmail each other. Will it be Erin or Brendan? Moreover, the heroine is resilient, courageous and I liked how determined she was in her game with Brendan. I also liked how hard-working she is, which is proven by all she's trying to do for women in soccer. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine was the decisions she makes to be able to finally get herself in control when it came to her needing to turn up at the same meeting that Brendan did in the moment when they first came face-to-face. While the hero, he's done well in his career as a soccer player and I couldn't help but sympathize with all that he's going through after being caught for gambling. Will he finish his career on a high? I also liked how confident and smart the hero was and that he would do anything to protect the heroine, especially when she might lose the one thing that's very important to her. Will the hero be able to protect her?
Overall, Ms. Crowley has delivered another captivating read for this series where the chemistry between Erin and Brendan was heady and convincing; the romance was delightful and had me liking these two together; and the ending had me loving the heroine's determination to win back the hero after things go awry between them. Luckily, she's just as determined to protect Brendan as he is to protect her. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely, as Brendan and Erin are so happy together and the hero makes everything more incredible with the surprises he has in store for Erin. I would recommend Saving Hearts by Rebecca Crowley, if you enjoy the enemy to lovers trope or books by authors Jen McLaughlin, Cindi Madsen, Amy Daws and Jennifer Ryder.
March 19, 2018
Trigger warnings:
This is the third book in the Atlanta Skyline series, but the first I’m reading. While there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the book, it unfortunately hit one of my knee-jerk hard no’s. Also, I’m not a particularly big soccer fan, nor have I read the earlier books in the series, so I’m going to lay part of the blame for my middling rating on that.
Both main characters are either at the end of their soccer careers or have retired – Brendan, at 33, is in his last year as a keeper, and Erin has already moved on to a job with the Championship Soccer League. Prior to the beginning of the book, Brendan has been busted for gambling on the European soccer league, and the CSL passed down a harsh punishment, with the end result being that he’s looking at ending his last year of professional soccer as the third backup. Erin is the new head of a position that seems to encompass both ethics and outreach. Erin’s not so much interested in the ethics piece – she has her own gambling issues with slot machine phone apps – but more in furthering the image of women’s soccer.
It’s kind of an “ends-justify-the-means” thing going on, with a unrepentant gambler accepting the ethics position and investigating other players for gambling violations, just in the pursuit of getting more funding for women’s soccer. And, as someone who played women’s sports, I get it. There’s very few professional women’s sports that actually have any kind of public awareness, and it’s a bit of a chicken and the egg situation – without the ticket sales or sponsorships to fund better equipment, stadiums, etc it’s hard to draw in more butts in stadium seats or lucrative deals. Erin has things to prove, and rather than rooting her on I just found her kind of … annoying. She’s confident – at her job and in bed – but it’s mostly a carefully curated show. Her single-minded pursuit of her job was, at times, seriously unethical. Her boss has tied funding for her women’s soccer promotions to writing a big expose focused on ethics violations in the CSL, and wants it to focus on Brendan. Though she feels icky about the whole thing, rather than acting like an adult and trying to work things out with Brendan, she basically threatens to blackmail him unless he cooperates with her investigation. And while she admits to herself that she’d never actually end his career over what she thinks is entirely overblown nonsense, she’s perfectly content leading him to believe that she would. I had a hard time liking her after that particular action.
Brendan is given a deep backstory, full of working hard to get a full scholarship to play college soccer, his family status as the forgotten middle child, and an almost crippling anxiety disorder. His ability to analyze data and predict players’ actions may be helpful on the field, but it can also be overwhelming. He discovered, through a statistics class, that running numbers for gambling bets is the perfect self-medication for his brain that won’t shut off. Erin, on the other hand, isn’t really given that sort of explanation. She’s the pampered princess of a well-off family, whose parents fought to find a boys’ travel league for her to play on as a kid. Her main motivation seems to be that she’s a former women’s soccer player trying to gain recognition for her sport. I never really got a feeling for what started the whole slot machine gambling, other than that it provided a hit of adrenaline that being on the field used to or a time waster. With Brendan being such an incredibly sympathetic character, it put Erin’s faults more in the spotlight for me.
And of course, it’s love that heals all – they’re both so busy obsessing over the other person that their gambling addiction starts to take a back seat. While I’m a humongous fan of this trope, I prefer that love is the catalyst that makes the person themselves reevaluate their problems and take steps to fix them, with the support of the other partner. In this case, it’s more like Brendan and Erin are so absorbed in thinking about each other that they just don’t have time to think about gambling, and they don’t consciously realize it’s happening. I just didn’t find it very realistic, and I was worried that once they were out of the first-blush love they’d both fall back into the same old patterns.
Overall, my reservations about Erin led to me not enjoying the book as much as I’d’ve wished. I would think a reader who doesn’t have such a knee-jerk reaction to blackmail or who loves soccer would enjoy the book much more. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work well for me.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This is the third book in the Atlanta Skyline series, but the first I’m reading. While there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the book, it unfortunately hit one of my knee-jerk hard no’s. Also, I’m not a particularly big soccer fan, nor have I read the earlier books in the series, so I’m going to lay part of the blame for my middling rating on that.
“Do these meetings help?”
“If I needed help, maybe, but I don’t. I only turn up because it was one of my manager’s conditions for staying on the team.”
“But don’t you think that—” She stopped herself, rephrased. “You had a lot of activity on that betting website. Huge sums of money in and out. All on soccer games.”
“Soccer games in Europe,” he corrected. “I never bet on my own league. Gambling never interfered with my career or my personal life, and I won far more than I lost. Everyone at these meetings talks about hitting their rock bottom and realizing things had to change, but that didn’t happen to me. I had a hobby—a hobby that certain people decided was in violation of some dubious moral code.”
Both main characters are either at the end of their soccer careers or have retired – Brendan, at 33, is in his last year as a keeper, and Erin has already moved on to a job with the Championship Soccer League. Prior to the beginning of the book, Brendan has been busted for gambling on the European soccer league, and the CSL passed down a harsh punishment, with the end result being that he’s looking at ending his last year of professional soccer as the third backup. Erin is the new head of a position that seems to encompass both ethics and outreach. Erin’s not so much interested in the ethics piece – she has her own gambling issues with slot machine phone apps – but more in furthering the image of women’s soccer.
It’s kind of an “ends-justify-the-means” thing going on, with a unrepentant gambler accepting the ethics position and investigating other players for gambling violations, just in the pursuit of getting more funding for women’s soccer. And, as someone who played women’s sports, I get it. There’s very few professional women’s sports that actually have any kind of public awareness, and it’s a bit of a chicken and the egg situation – without the ticket sales or sponsorships to fund better equipment, stadiums, etc it’s hard to draw in more butts in stadium seats or lucrative deals. Erin has things to prove, and rather than rooting her on I just found her kind of … annoying. She’s confident – at her job and in bed – but it’s mostly a carefully curated show. Her single-minded pursuit of her job was, at times, seriously unethical. Her boss has tied funding for her women’s soccer promotions to writing a big expose focused on ethics violations in the CSL, and wants it to focus on Brendan. Though she feels icky about the whole thing, rather than acting like an adult and trying to work things out with Brendan, she basically threatens to blackmail him unless he cooperates with her investigation. And while she admits to herself that she’d never actually end his career over what she thinks is entirely overblown nonsense, she’s perfectly content leading him to believe that she would. I had a hard time liking her after that particular action.
Brendan is given a deep backstory, full of working hard to get a full scholarship to play college soccer, his family status as the forgotten middle child, and an almost crippling anxiety disorder. His ability to analyze data and predict players’ actions may be helpful on the field, but it can also be overwhelming. He discovered, through a statistics class, that running numbers for gambling bets is the perfect self-medication for his brain that won’t shut off. Erin, on the other hand, isn’t really given that sort of explanation. She’s the pampered princess of a well-off family, whose parents fought to find a boys’ travel league for her to play on as a kid. Her main motivation seems to be that she’s a former women’s soccer player trying to gain recognition for her sport. I never really got a feeling for what started the whole slot machine gambling, other than that it provided a hit of adrenaline that being on the field used to or a time waster. With Brendan being such an incredibly sympathetic character, it put Erin’s faults more in the spotlight for me.
And of course, it’s love that heals all – they’re both so busy obsessing over the other person that their gambling addiction starts to take a back seat. While I’m a humongous fan of this trope, I prefer that love is the catalyst that makes the person themselves reevaluate their problems and take steps to fix them, with the support of the other partner. In this case, it’s more like Brendan and Erin are so absorbed in thinking about each other that they just don’t have time to think about gambling, and they don’t consciously realize it’s happening. I just didn’t find it very realistic, and I was worried that once they were out of the first-blush love they’d both fall back into the same old patterns.
Overall, my reservations about Erin led to me not enjoying the book as much as I’d’ve wished. I would think a reader who doesn’t have such a knee-jerk reaction to blackmail or who loves soccer would enjoy the book much more. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work well for me.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
February 28, 2018
A 33 year old man who acts like a 12-year old and a woman in a Director position who uses blackmail and intimidation do not make for a good romance. I didn’t like either one of these characters. There was a lot of potential here. A woman who is a director in a mostly male dominated field. Trying to promote advocacy-all good things. Too bad they were Norman crappy characters. I’m sorry, this was a miss for me and I would not recommend this.
July 28, 2018
I enjoyed the first couple of books (Crossing Hearts and Defending Hearts). This one was a disappointment. Brendan and Erin had a one night stand several months ago. They cross paths again, at a Gamblers Anonymous meeting. Both are gamblers.
I enjoy flawed characters, if they are likable and if what they do is redeemable. I didn't like Erin's actions. I felt what she did made her untrustworthy and very unforgivable. She was in a position of power and abused that power. The end goal didn't justify what she did.
Brendan was likable and I could sympathize with him. His motivations were understandable.
eARC courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books (Lyrical Shine).
Publishes on March 20th
I enjoy flawed characters, if they are likable and if what they do is redeemable. I didn't like Erin's actions. I felt what she did made her untrustworthy and very unforgivable. She was in a position of power and abused that power. The end goal didn't justify what she did.
Brendan was likable and I could sympathize with him. His motivations were understandable.
eARC courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books (Lyrical Shine).
Publishes on March 20th
October 26, 2018
Un dernier tome que j ai vraiment adoré avec de nouvelles thématiques très intéressantes . La saga Secrets de Vestiaires est une très belle surprise que j ai adoré découvrir
Chronique complète https://thelovelyteacheraddictions.bl...
Chronique complète https://thelovelyteacheraddictions.bl...
June 4, 2018
Very interesting spin on the usual hot sports player falls for member of team management trope that so many people are writing right now, what with the gambling spin. Well-written and so fun to read. I really enjoyed this one.
October 27, 2018
Going into this book about a fictitious professional soccer team I thought I would be in for a most enjoyable read as the first two books made for fun reads.
The Atlanta Skyline, as with many a soccer teams are made up of multi nation players. But in this book Brendan Young, the Skyline’s goal keeper, is an American born player. He’s played in Europe most of his career but wants to finish up back in his home country. But things haven’t gone as planned. Instead of winding up with a bang, he’s been busted gambling on soccer, though not on his league at all. As punishment he’s been benched. Then when the ban is up, the current coach has brought in a new goal keeper and Brendan continues being benched. In fact he’s not even dressing for games as he’s been relegated way down the list. So now he’s just finishing up his illustrious career and will still be remembered for the great player he was.
But things are about to get worse for Brendan in the form of Erin Bailey, the new ethics director. The two of them know each other as they attended the same college and shared a night of passion a few months before the book opens. Erin’s real purpose is to highlight and encourage women’s soccer as she was a soccer star herself. But her boss wants to make an example of the sins of gambling using Brendan as an example. As Brendan doesn’t feel he has an issue, it’s more of a relaxation mechanism for his over active brain. The money’s not really important though is a bit of a bonus and he uses most of it for his charity work with special kids.
Needless to say he’s furious that they will be using him in their campaign and ensuring he will be remembered as the player who gambles. Thus begins a battle of the sexes.
Everything sounds interesting doesn’t it? Well I didn’t find this book even close to the caliber of the first two for a number of reason.
Erin is a Very Nasty character. She is a HUGE hypocrite who has next to no qualms about ruining Brendan’s legacy to get what she wants. What I found especially heinous is she had a crush on him while they were in college, in fact he even helped her. But did that matter to her? Nope. She treated him like the proverbial shit after their night together. Brendan wanted to see her again with the hope of a relationship but she wiped her hands of him, said that was it. She wasn’t the ‘relationship’ kind of person and it was only about the sex. Nasty. As the story moves on, she decides she still finds him very sexy and wants to have a ‘friends with benefits’ arrangement. But again, Brendan is reluctant. He wants more than that. I loathed this woman so, so much. There are other reasons but I don’t want to say too much except that she also strongly encourages Brendan to keep up his betting, though he’s stopped betting while still just playing the odds. What a truly nasty person she is to want him to keep doing the thing that’s almost destroyed him. In return, she will try and change her bosses focus on Brendan if he gives up other player who have gambled.
And the character of Brendan I found interesting, kind of repulsive and far from fully drawn. He seems to be a great guy in many ways and I was digging him. But then he’d do something I found disturbing as to giving up others to save himself, not very noble of him even though gambling is wrong. That’s not why he did it though. It was self-preservation only.
And his character was woefully underdeveloped. He has family issues but that’s never really explored as to the reason. He has a younger brother with special needs but that’s never explored except in passing. Why add it then? Why and what is the personality conflict between he and his coach. Brendan seems like a real good guy, yet his coach never really gives him a chance even though he was a star in Europe. And my biggest question is what the hell does he see in Erin?
I will confess at this point that I made it to 78% of the book hoping things would get better and I could start enjoying it the way I did the previous books but at that point I realized it was too late. I wasn’t going to overcome my loathing for Erin and too many unanswered things about Brendan. I did skip to the end so it was probably only 10% or so between 78 and 88 that I didn’t read. But it was more than enough to know I can’t recommend this one and that’s a real bummer.
The Atlanta Skyline, as with many a soccer teams are made up of multi nation players. But in this book Brendan Young, the Skyline’s goal keeper, is an American born player. He’s played in Europe most of his career but wants to finish up back in his home country. But things haven’t gone as planned. Instead of winding up with a bang, he’s been busted gambling on soccer, though not on his league at all. As punishment he’s been benched. Then when the ban is up, the current coach has brought in a new goal keeper and Brendan continues being benched. In fact he’s not even dressing for games as he’s been relegated way down the list. So now he’s just finishing up his illustrious career and will still be remembered for the great player he was.
But things are about to get worse for Brendan in the form of Erin Bailey, the new ethics director. The two of them know each other as they attended the same college and shared a night of passion a few months before the book opens. Erin’s real purpose is to highlight and encourage women’s soccer as she was a soccer star herself. But her boss wants to make an example of the sins of gambling using Brendan as an example. As Brendan doesn’t feel he has an issue, it’s more of a relaxation mechanism for his over active brain. The money’s not really important though is a bit of a bonus and he uses most of it for his charity work with special kids.
Needless to say he’s furious that they will be using him in their campaign and ensuring he will be remembered as the player who gambles. Thus begins a battle of the sexes.
Everything sounds interesting doesn’t it? Well I didn’t find this book even close to the caliber of the first two for a number of reason.
Erin is a Very Nasty character. She is a HUGE hypocrite who has next to no qualms about ruining Brendan’s legacy to get what she wants. What I found especially heinous is she had a crush on him while they were in college, in fact he even helped her. But did that matter to her? Nope. She treated him like the proverbial shit after their night together. Brendan wanted to see her again with the hope of a relationship but she wiped her hands of him, said that was it. She wasn’t the ‘relationship’ kind of person and it was only about the sex. Nasty. As the story moves on, she decides she still finds him very sexy and wants to have a ‘friends with benefits’ arrangement. But again, Brendan is reluctant. He wants more than that. I loathed this woman so, so much. There are other reasons but I don’t want to say too much except that she also strongly encourages Brendan to keep up his betting, though he’s stopped betting while still just playing the odds. What a truly nasty person she is to want him to keep doing the thing that’s almost destroyed him. In return, she will try and change her bosses focus on Brendan if he gives up other player who have gambled.
And the character of Brendan I found interesting, kind of repulsive and far from fully drawn. He seems to be a great guy in many ways and I was digging him. But then he’d do something I found disturbing as to giving up others to save himself, not very noble of him even though gambling is wrong. That’s not why he did it though. It was self-preservation only.
And his character was woefully underdeveloped. He has family issues but that’s never really explored as to the reason. He has a younger brother with special needs but that’s never explored except in passing. Why add it then? Why and what is the personality conflict between he and his coach. Brendan seems like a real good guy, yet his coach never really gives him a chance even though he was a star in Europe. And my biggest question is what the hell does he see in Erin?
I will confess at this point that I made it to 78% of the book hoping things would get better and I could start enjoying it the way I did the previous books but at that point I realized it was too late. I wasn’t going to overcome my loathing for Erin and too many unanswered things about Brendan. I did skip to the end so it was probably only 10% or so between 78 and 88 that I didn’t read. But it was more than enough to know I can’t recommend this one and that’s a real bummer.
September 12, 2018
http://www.my-bo0ks.com/2018/09/secre...
Après Sous contrat et Carton rouge, de la série Secrets de vestiaires, je me suis plongée dans Jeu de jambes. J'aime le fait de découvrir des personnages vraiment différents tout en restant dans l'univers du sport. Ainsi, on continue d'entendre parler des couples précédents sans pour autant les faire vivre un tome de plus dans lequel les choses seraient assez répétitives.
Ici, nous suivons Erin, ancienne sportive dont le but est de mettre en avant les équipes de foot féminines. Un projet aussi compliqué que peu médiatisé. Face à elle, c'est le gardien, Brendan Young. Un joueur célèbre pour son parcours mais aussi pour la douloureuse révélation concernant son addiction aux paris. Pour arriver à leur fin, ils vont devoir s'allier. Mais peut-on faire confiance à quelqu'un qui connait tout vos petits secrets ?
Pour une fois, on va commencer par parler des personnages avant l'histoire en elle-même. J'ai trouvé l'héroine vraiment intéressante au début. Son projet professionnel est tout à son honneur et m'a vraiment surprise et je dois dire que j'avais hâte de découvrir les choses. Erin est une héroïne taquine, qui sait ce qu'elle veut et surtout fine stratège. Cependant son côté "je ne cherche rien de sérieux, couchons ensemble" m'a paru assez exagéré. Finalement, elle en devenait assez agaçante et peu crédible. De son côté, Brendan, bien que célèbre s'est révélé bien moins flambeur qu'il n'y parait. Il se montre sérieux et attentif et bien loin de l'image du coureur que je me faisais de lui. Son addiction fait de lui un personnage bien plus mystérieux et ajoute un peu de suspense. J'ai apprécié découvrir ses tourments et sa fragilité.
Maintenant parlons de l'histoire. Habituellement, la série Secrets de vestiaires se tourne vers le sport, la compétition, les enjeux. Ici, dans Jeu de jambes, l'histoire est bien plus centrée sur les problèmes de jeux, l'addiction et tout ce qui s'en suit. J'ai trouvé que c'était d'ailleurs bien joué de la part de l'auteure de mettre en avant cette facette des joueurs qu'on oublie parfois.
L'auteure est visiblement parfaitement renseignée et sait de quoi elle parle. C'est un point positif puisqu'on a vraiment l'impression que les faits pourraient aisément se produire et ajoutent un côté réaliste à l'histoire. En revanche, je dois dire que si le début était prometteur et intéressant, j'ai trouvé que cela finissait par alourdir l'histoire en nous proposant des pages et des pages sur les statistiques...
Le couple Erin/Brendan passe pas mal de temps à se tourner autour sans vraiment faire des étincelles. Ils sont plus concentrés sur les paris que sur leur attirance mutuelle. J'avoue qu'ils ne m'ont pas faite rêver. Erin est bien trop "jeune femme libérée" et pas du tout en accord avec notre Brendan qui lui cherche à se poser pour finir sa carrière. C'est assez troublant car généralement j'ai plus de mal avec le personnage masculin qu'avec l'héroine. Mais là c'est tout l'inverse. C'est dommage car le couple aurait vraiment pu se démarquer et aux vues de l'évolution de leur histoire aurait pu m'émouvoir aux moments clés.
En conclusion, si j'ai plus apprécié que le précédent tome, je dois dire que je reste sur ma fin quant au couple que forme Erin et Brendan mais surtout j'ai trouvé dommage les quelques longueurs dues aux statistiques des paris qui prenaient finalement toute la place.
Après Sous contrat et Carton rouge, de la série Secrets de vestiaires, je me suis plongée dans Jeu de jambes. J'aime le fait de découvrir des personnages vraiment différents tout en restant dans l'univers du sport. Ainsi, on continue d'entendre parler des couples précédents sans pour autant les faire vivre un tome de plus dans lequel les choses seraient assez répétitives.
Ici, nous suivons Erin, ancienne sportive dont le but est de mettre en avant les équipes de foot féminines. Un projet aussi compliqué que peu médiatisé. Face à elle, c'est le gardien, Brendan Young. Un joueur célèbre pour son parcours mais aussi pour la douloureuse révélation concernant son addiction aux paris. Pour arriver à leur fin, ils vont devoir s'allier. Mais peut-on faire confiance à quelqu'un qui connait tout vos petits secrets ?
Pour une fois, on va commencer par parler des personnages avant l'histoire en elle-même. J'ai trouvé l'héroine vraiment intéressante au début. Son projet professionnel est tout à son honneur et m'a vraiment surprise et je dois dire que j'avais hâte de découvrir les choses. Erin est une héroïne taquine, qui sait ce qu'elle veut et surtout fine stratège. Cependant son côté "je ne cherche rien de sérieux, couchons ensemble" m'a paru assez exagéré. Finalement, elle en devenait assez agaçante et peu crédible. De son côté, Brendan, bien que célèbre s'est révélé bien moins flambeur qu'il n'y parait. Il se montre sérieux et attentif et bien loin de l'image du coureur que je me faisais de lui. Son addiction fait de lui un personnage bien plus mystérieux et ajoute un peu de suspense. J'ai apprécié découvrir ses tourments et sa fragilité.
Maintenant parlons de l'histoire. Habituellement, la série Secrets de vestiaires se tourne vers le sport, la compétition, les enjeux. Ici, dans Jeu de jambes, l'histoire est bien plus centrée sur les problèmes de jeux, l'addiction et tout ce qui s'en suit. J'ai trouvé que c'était d'ailleurs bien joué de la part de l'auteure de mettre en avant cette facette des joueurs qu'on oublie parfois.
L'auteure est visiblement parfaitement renseignée et sait de quoi elle parle. C'est un point positif puisqu'on a vraiment l'impression que les faits pourraient aisément se produire et ajoutent un côté réaliste à l'histoire. En revanche, je dois dire que si le début était prometteur et intéressant, j'ai trouvé que cela finissait par alourdir l'histoire en nous proposant des pages et des pages sur les statistiques...
Le couple Erin/Brendan passe pas mal de temps à se tourner autour sans vraiment faire des étincelles. Ils sont plus concentrés sur les paris que sur leur attirance mutuelle. J'avoue qu'ils ne m'ont pas faite rêver. Erin est bien trop "jeune femme libérée" et pas du tout en accord avec notre Brendan qui lui cherche à se poser pour finir sa carrière. C'est assez troublant car généralement j'ai plus de mal avec le personnage masculin qu'avec l'héroine. Mais là c'est tout l'inverse. C'est dommage car le couple aurait vraiment pu se démarquer et aux vues de l'évolution de leur histoire aurait pu m'émouvoir aux moments clés.
En conclusion, si j'ai plus apprécié que le précédent tome, je dois dire que je reste sur ma fin quant au couple que forme Erin et Brendan mais surtout j'ai trouvé dommage les quelques longueurs dues aux statistiques des paris qui prenaient finalement toute la place.
September 4, 2018
http://www.voluptueusementvotre.fr/20...
Entre le tome précédent et celui-ci, j’ai eu l’impression qu’on avait changé d’auteure tant je ne retrouve pas ce qui m’avait plus dans son écriture. C’est une grosse déception alors que j’en attendais beaucoup.
Le contexte, pour commencer, est partagé entre le foot toujours, bien sûr, mais aussi les paris sportifs. Et ces derniers sont développés en long en large et en travers que ce soit au niveau stratégie ou fonctionnement général. Ça prend tellement de place que même le foot passe au second plan et la romance se trouve renvoyée au fond de la classe près du radiateur. C’est franchement dommage, mais ces longs paragraphes traitant des paris sportifs m’ont larguée.
Quant à l’héroïne, je n’ai pas du tout adhéré à son personnage. Le trait de la femme libérée sexuellement qui ne cherche pas de relation stable, mais que des histoires sans lendemain, est poussé à l’extrême, presque jusqu’à la fin du roman. Ça donne lieu à des introspections répétitives qui lui font perdre toute crédibilité. Au lieu d’une héroïne forte, Erin tombe dans la caricature agaçante qui ne sait pas ce qu’elle veut et n’assume finalement pas de pouvoir tomber amoureuse.
Le héros, quant à lui, est très bien mené. Ça crée donc malheureusement un gros déséquilibre entre lui et l’héroïne. Brendan a un caractère fouillé, détaillé, cohérent et vraiment captivant. Sa façon de penser, ses angoisses, sa vie en général… tout a été calibré et offre une richesse à ce gardien de but près de la retraite. Retraite dans le sport, hein, il n’a que 33 ans, pas 63. 😉
Leur relation s’en trouve inégale et elle traîne en longueurs. Quand Erin veut se positionner en femme forte et indépendante, elle n’en est que ridicule et pénalise, justement, ce type de personnage. Elle lui court après durant tout le livre (voir la citation plus haut), comme une femme sexuellement en manque, et le schéma se répète tellement souvent qu’il en devient lassant. Ce qui relève un peu le niveau à son sujet est qu’elle se bat pour la reconnaissance du foot féminin et c’est intéressant d’en avoir un aperçu.
À plus de 70 %, il ne s’est toujours rien passé et c’est péniblement qu’on termine ce roman qui aurait pu être bien plus riche et captivant s’il avait été traité un peu différemment. Et même si le héros relève un peu le niveau, ça ne sauve pas l’ensemble. Car finalement, dans ce 3° tome, il ne se passe vraiment rien. Ou presque.
#F
Entre le tome précédent et celui-ci, j’ai eu l’impression qu’on avait changé d’auteure tant je ne retrouve pas ce qui m’avait plus dans son écriture. C’est une grosse déception alors que j’en attendais beaucoup.
Le contexte, pour commencer, est partagé entre le foot toujours, bien sûr, mais aussi les paris sportifs. Et ces derniers sont développés en long en large et en travers que ce soit au niveau stratégie ou fonctionnement général. Ça prend tellement de place que même le foot passe au second plan et la romance se trouve renvoyée au fond de la classe près du radiateur. C’est franchement dommage, mais ces longs paragraphes traitant des paris sportifs m’ont larguée.
Quant à l’héroïne, je n’ai pas du tout adhéré à son personnage. Le trait de la femme libérée sexuellement qui ne cherche pas de relation stable, mais que des histoires sans lendemain, est poussé à l’extrême, presque jusqu’à la fin du roman. Ça donne lieu à des introspections répétitives qui lui font perdre toute crédibilité. Au lieu d’une héroïne forte, Erin tombe dans la caricature agaçante qui ne sait pas ce qu’elle veut et n’assume finalement pas de pouvoir tomber amoureuse.
Le héros, quant à lui, est très bien mené. Ça crée donc malheureusement un gros déséquilibre entre lui et l’héroïne. Brendan a un caractère fouillé, détaillé, cohérent et vraiment captivant. Sa façon de penser, ses angoisses, sa vie en général… tout a été calibré et offre une richesse à ce gardien de but près de la retraite. Retraite dans le sport, hein, il n’a que 33 ans, pas 63. 😉
Leur relation s’en trouve inégale et elle traîne en longueurs. Quand Erin veut se positionner en femme forte et indépendante, elle n’en est que ridicule et pénalise, justement, ce type de personnage. Elle lui court après durant tout le livre (voir la citation plus haut), comme une femme sexuellement en manque, et le schéma se répète tellement souvent qu’il en devient lassant. Ce qui relève un peu le niveau à son sujet est qu’elle se bat pour la reconnaissance du foot féminin et c’est intéressant d’en avoir un aperçu.
À plus de 70 %, il ne s’est toujours rien passé et c’est péniblement qu’on termine ce roman qui aurait pu être bien plus riche et captivant s’il avait été traité un peu différemment. Et même si le héros relève un peu le niveau, ça ne sauve pas l’ensemble. Car finalement, dans ce 3° tome, il ne se passe vraiment rien. Ou presque.
#F
November 27, 2025
Saving Hearts is a sports romance about Brendan Young, a benched Atlanta Skyline goalkeeper rebuilding his life after a very public gambling relapse, and Erin Bailey, a former world-class women’s soccer player whose unexpected reappearance and shared struggles with gambling forces both of them to confront addiction, shame, and what it takes to trust again. The novel opens with Brendan trying to stay clean while his team’s injuries pull him back into competition; Erin shows up in his Gamblers Anonymous circle and the sparks from a past one-night stand complicate an already fragile recovery. Brendan’s gambling addiction and bench status and Erin’s history in professional women’s soccer are described in publisher summaries and listings for the Atlanta Skyline series.
What I kept thinking as I read was how the book balances the heat of a sports romance with the cooler, harder work of healing. Crowley doesn’t sanitize addiction or hand out tidy answers. The pacing leans toward character scenes and honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations rather than constant on-field drama, which made Brendan’s cautious attempts at redemption feel earned and Erin’s choices feel human rather than plot devices. I was moved by the way companionship and accountability become the novel’s quiet salvations: the romance grows not because attraction drives everything but because two flawed people learn to hold one another responsible without losing compassion. The writing felt approachable and emotionally candid; dialogue carries the book and gives the players distinct voices. If you want a steamier sports romance you’ll enjoy the chemistry, and if you’re after emotional stakes you’ll appreciate the book’s treatment of recovery, though some readers may wish for even more exploration of the aftermath of public scandal and the logistics of rebuilding a career. Overall I came away hopeful for the characters’ futures and satisfied by a love story that accepts the mess.
Rating: 4/5 — I give it four stars because Crowley delivers authentic emotional work and honest stakes (addiction, reputation, second chances) paired with believable chemistry; I withheld a fifth star only because parts of the subplot felt lightly sketched and I wanted more time in the secondary world-building beyond the central relationship.
What I kept thinking as I read was how the book balances the heat of a sports romance with the cooler, harder work of healing. Crowley doesn’t sanitize addiction or hand out tidy answers. The pacing leans toward character scenes and honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations rather than constant on-field drama, which made Brendan’s cautious attempts at redemption feel earned and Erin’s choices feel human rather than plot devices. I was moved by the way companionship and accountability become the novel’s quiet salvations: the romance grows not because attraction drives everything but because two flawed people learn to hold one another responsible without losing compassion. The writing felt approachable and emotionally candid; dialogue carries the book and gives the players distinct voices. If you want a steamier sports romance you’ll enjoy the chemistry, and if you’re after emotional stakes you’ll appreciate the book’s treatment of recovery, though some readers may wish for even more exploration of the aftermath of public scandal and the logistics of rebuilding a career. Overall I came away hopeful for the characters’ futures and satisfied by a love story that accepts the mess.
Rating: 4/5 — I give it four stars because Crowley delivers authentic emotional work and honest stakes (addiction, reputation, second chances) paired with believable chemistry; I withheld a fifth star only because parts of the subplot felt lightly sketched and I wanted more time in the secondary world-building beyond the central relationship.
March 11, 2018
Review copy obtained via Netgalley.
Well written but ultimately felt like watching an unhealthy relationship unfold. The goalkeeper for the Atlanta Skyline, Brendan Young, is riding out his the end of his contract. The previous year he had been busted for gambling and penalized by his club. Brendan is an addict who uses gambling to maintain his ADD and other undiagnosed disorders. While at Gamblers Anonymous Brendan runs into Erin Bailey, a college friend who is now the head of the Ethics committee of his soccer club.
Erin is in hiding, she is an gambling addict who is deep in denial of her problems. As the head of the League's Ethics committee she is charged with rooting out corruption and gambling within the league. She takes the job with the hopes of parlaying the position into one that will allow her to perform outreach for the Women's League. Erin recognizes that she will have to make compromises in order to accomplish her goals and one of those compromises is to make Brendan the face of the new gambling and ethics program the Ethics committee wants to put on.
Brendan and Erin have a history together and after some cat and mouse antics, they agree to work through their gambling addictions together because after all, they are too smart to get caught.
Look, this is well written and engaging but I finished the book feeling like this was a relationship that had real unacknowledged issues. If the story had ended with them both walking hand in hand to therapy I would have been much happier. Instead they went off like love would fix all of their issues. Again, well written but I won't pick it up again.
Well written but ultimately felt like watching an unhealthy relationship unfold. The goalkeeper for the Atlanta Skyline, Brendan Young, is riding out his the end of his contract. The previous year he had been busted for gambling and penalized by his club. Brendan is an addict who uses gambling to maintain his ADD and other undiagnosed disorders. While at Gamblers Anonymous Brendan runs into Erin Bailey, a college friend who is now the head of the Ethics committee of his soccer club.
Erin is in hiding, she is an gambling addict who is deep in denial of her problems. As the head of the League's Ethics committee she is charged with rooting out corruption and gambling within the league. She takes the job with the hopes of parlaying the position into one that will allow her to perform outreach for the Women's League. Erin recognizes that she will have to make compromises in order to accomplish her goals and one of those compromises is to make Brendan the face of the new gambling and ethics program the Ethics committee wants to put on.
Brendan and Erin have a history together and after some cat and mouse antics, they agree to work through their gambling addictions together because after all, they are too smart to get caught.
Look, this is well written and engaging but I finished the book feeling like this was a relationship that had real unacknowledged issues. If the story had ended with them both walking hand in hand to therapy I would have been much happier. Instead they went off like love would fix all of their issues. Again, well written but I won't pick it up again.
January 24, 2018
"Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review"
Another amazing, gripping story set in the American soccer world. I love this series – Atlanta Skyline – by Rebecca Crowley, and each book brings to life interesting plots and round characters, full of inconsistencies and flaws.
Both Brendan and Erin make questionable choices and decisions, but I guess those morally dubious options and their collusion are what make them so human.
Brendan is a great character and I liked the background the author developed for his gambling addiction, I found it very convincing. His aloof, humble, quiet, almost shy, personality is endearing and provides a sharp contrast to the heroine’s.
The fall from grace atmosphere and the nostalgia surrounding Brendan’s career end is moving.
Erin is a strong heroine, a woman in a man’s world, who has to work twice as hard as her male peers.
Perhaps the characters’ issues were solved too easily but, all in all, I found this a realistic depiction of the soccer world and a very pleasurable reading.
I'm grateful to the publisher, Kensington Books/Lyrical Shine, and NetGalley for providing a free copy
Another amazing, gripping story set in the American soccer world. I love this series – Atlanta Skyline – by Rebecca Crowley, and each book brings to life interesting plots and round characters, full of inconsistencies and flaws.
Both Brendan and Erin make questionable choices and decisions, but I guess those morally dubious options and their collusion are what make them so human.
Brendan is a great character and I liked the background the author developed for his gambling addiction, I found it very convincing. His aloof, humble, quiet, almost shy, personality is endearing and provides a sharp contrast to the heroine’s.
The fall from grace atmosphere and the nostalgia surrounding Brendan’s career end is moving.
Erin is a strong heroine, a woman in a man’s world, who has to work twice as hard as her male peers.
Perhaps the characters’ issues were solved too easily but, all in all, I found this a realistic depiction of the soccer world and a very pleasurable reading.
I'm grateful to the publisher, Kensington Books/Lyrical Shine, and NetGalley for providing a free copy
February 20, 2018
Brendan was at the top of his game as the top goalkeeper for the Atlanta Skyline soccer team. He was ready to finish out his contract on a high note and retire to the quiet of his small Midwestern hometown. Then he gets busted for gambling. He pays his dues by sitting on the bench, and attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings as required by his disciplinary agreement.
Erin has had a crush on Brendan since college....and then there was that scorching one night fling in Las Vegas after reconnecting at a friend’s wedding. Erin can’t forget that night, but when she is told to target him for a gambling investigation, she doesn’t know how to handle it. The more she is around him, the more she remembers the boy she had a crush on...and sees the man he grew into.
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It is different from the other Skyline books, but still a good story. It definitely stands well on its own. You don’t need to read the other books in the series to understand it. Both of these characters have baggage, but they work together to get through their issues. I was asked by the author for an honest review.
Erin has had a crush on Brendan since college....and then there was that scorching one night fling in Las Vegas after reconnecting at a friend’s wedding. Erin can’t forget that night, but when she is told to target him for a gambling investigation, she doesn’t know how to handle it. The more she is around him, the more she remembers the boy she had a crush on...and sees the man he grew into.
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It is different from the other Skyline books, but still a good story. It definitely stands well on its own. You don’t need to read the other books in the series to understand it. Both of these characters have baggage, but they work together to get through their issues. I was asked by the author for an honest review.
February 5, 2019
The cover screams all sorts of dark delights and the blurb hints at a story with some depth. Alas, what's inside doesn't quite live up to expectations. Saving Hearts introduces an interesting combination that one doesn't come across too often, i.e., gambling addiction and office romance, but it only serves as a scrim for getting the characters together. Brendan and Erin previous acquaintance and current job positions make this a moot point. The choice to have Brendan be rather callous with the 12 steps (because of course, he doesn't have an addition he's justing going through the motions due to some messy PR) devalues the treatment process. Additionally using meetings as a sting to boost Erin's career does little to endear her to the reader. Apathy aside, if you came for the romance, that too is a disappointment. The chemistry between these two is tepid at best and entirely forgettable. Disappointing and somewhat insulting read.
January 29, 2018
I liked the chemistry between Erin and Brendan:
“Maybe. I don’t know.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Is it always this hard to say no to you?”
“Most people quit trying pretty early on.”
“I can see why.”
“Don’t feel bad. You may become the only man to see my boobs and subsequently turn me down.”
Sometimes it's just easier for Brendan to give in to his woman, “whatever you say,” he replied smoothly, then put his finger under her chin and brought their lips together." I liked this book, Erin was good for Brendan.
“Maybe. I don’t know.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Is it always this hard to say no to you?”
“Most people quit trying pretty early on.”
“I can see why.”
“Don’t feel bad. You may become the only man to see my boobs and subsequently turn me down.”
Sometimes it's just easier for Brendan to give in to his woman, “whatever you say,” he replied smoothly, then put his finger under her chin and brought their lips together." I liked this book, Erin was good for Brendan.
October 12, 2018
http://www.unbrindelecture.com/2018/1...
Il m'aura manqué un peu de profondeur dans tous les thèmes évoqués dans cette romance pour être vraiment touché par cette histoire. Erin et Brendan forme un duo torride mais leur personnalité et l'addiction au jeu qui n'est pas suffisamment traité m'a laissé de marbre. La magie n'a pas vraiment fonctionné cette fois. Dommage ! Cela reste une romance légère et sans prise de tête mais loin d'un éventuel coup de coeur .
Il m'aura manqué un peu de profondeur dans tous les thèmes évoqués dans cette romance pour être vraiment touché par cette histoire. Erin et Brendan forme un duo torride mais leur personnalité et l'addiction au jeu qui n'est pas suffisamment traité m'a laissé de marbre. La magie n'a pas vraiment fonctionné cette fois. Dommage ! Cela reste une romance légère et sans prise de tête mais loin d'un éventuel coup de coeur .
Read
July 1, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Anxiety
Gambling addiction
Anxiety
Gambling addiction
August 15, 2019
Ce troisième tome arrive après un presque coup de cœur pour le précédent. L’auteur avait réussi à me rendre dingue (dans le bon sens du terme) du héros, de l’histoire et du combat qu’elle menait dans ce second volet.
Dans ce dernier tome, on découvre un autre sujet, d’autres personnages et une nouvelle intrigue.
Erin et son projet professionnel que j’ai adoré, mais une héroïne assez agaçante et un peu cucul la praligne qui m’a vite tapé sur les nerfs. On était loin des deux précédentes héroïnes touchantes, émouvantes, combattives avec cette touche de pep’s qui m’ont fait les adorer.
Quant au héros, Brendan, ce joueur de football talentueux, intrépide et célèbre n’est pas ce qu’il y parait. Si j’ai été assez déçu de ce personnage aux premiers abords, mais très vite, j’ai été surprise par la problématique que l’auteur instaure. Franchement, j’ai adoré ce choix et j’ai finis par l’aimer. C’était un sujet qu’il fallait exploiter dans ce milieu. Merci de l’avoir fait !
En revanche, l’histoire d’amour ne m’a pas plu. Ce n’était pas crédible, c’était couru d’avance, aucun suspens et aucune surprise. Cette histoire de « rien de sérieux », on l’a déjà lu cent fois. J’ai eu beaucoup de mal à m’attacher à leur romance qui, à mes yeux, manquait d’éclats. Même les scènes hots m’ont laissé de marbre.
Côté intrigue, et voilà un autre point négatif : le milieu du foot n’est pas assez exploité. L’auteur a préféré dédier son dernier tome pour d’autres sujets et si j’ai apprécié ces choix, j’aurais aimé que le football soit plus présent.
En bref ? Une romance sympathique mais en dessous des deux premiers volets. L’univers du football est toujours attractif mais pas assez présent dans ce volet. Les sujets principaux étant ailleurs. Il manquait quelque chose pour rendre ma lecture passionnante comme pour le précédent volet. Dommage ! Néanmoins, j’espère bientôt découvrir d’autres romances sur le monde du foot, j’ai vraiment aimé baigner dans ce milieu.
Dans ce dernier tome, on découvre un autre sujet, d’autres personnages et une nouvelle intrigue.
Erin et son projet professionnel que j’ai adoré, mais une héroïne assez agaçante et un peu cucul la praligne qui m’a vite tapé sur les nerfs. On était loin des deux précédentes héroïnes touchantes, émouvantes, combattives avec cette touche de pep’s qui m’ont fait les adorer.
Quant au héros, Brendan, ce joueur de football talentueux, intrépide et célèbre n’est pas ce qu’il y parait. Si j’ai été assez déçu de ce personnage aux premiers abords, mais très vite, j’ai été surprise par la problématique que l’auteur instaure. Franchement, j’ai adoré ce choix et j’ai finis par l’aimer. C’était un sujet qu’il fallait exploiter dans ce milieu. Merci de l’avoir fait !
En revanche, l’histoire d’amour ne m’a pas plu. Ce n’était pas crédible, c’était couru d’avance, aucun suspens et aucune surprise. Cette histoire de « rien de sérieux », on l’a déjà lu cent fois. J’ai eu beaucoup de mal à m’attacher à leur romance qui, à mes yeux, manquait d’éclats. Même les scènes hots m’ont laissé de marbre.
Côté intrigue, et voilà un autre point négatif : le milieu du foot n’est pas assez exploité. L’auteur a préféré dédier son dernier tome pour d’autres sujets et si j’ai apprécié ces choix, j’aurais aimé que le football soit plus présent.
En bref ? Une romance sympathique mais en dessous des deux premiers volets. L’univers du football est toujours attractif mais pas assez présent dans ce volet. Les sujets principaux étant ailleurs. Il manquait quelque chose pour rendre ma lecture passionnante comme pour le précédent volet. Dommage ! Néanmoins, j’espère bientôt découvrir d’autres romances sur le monde du foot, j’ai vraiment aimé baigner dans ce milieu.
June 12, 2020
Ce dernier tome n’est pas mon préféré de la série, mais il conclut bien cette trilogie (même s’il reste une nouvelle à traduire). Il y a du bon et du moins bon dans Jeu de jambes, mais la romance m’a quand même convaincue.
Le point positif ici, ce sont les héros (enfin en partie). Brendan Young est un personnage plutôt complexe et intéressant. Je l’ai souvent trouvé touchant et c’est vraiment lui l’atout majeur de cette histoire.
Brendan est une sorte de génie des chiffres qui calme son anxiété due à son hyperactivité cérébrale en faisant des paris sportifs. Sauf que ce hobby ne plaît pas aux dirigeants de la Ligue de Football qui ont décidé de le sanctionner. Après deux mois de suspension, Brendan espère que sa carrière va se terminer calmement. Mais l’un des directeurs veut un coup d’éclat pour se faire bien voir et demande la tête de Brendan à la nouvelle directrice de l’éthique morale, Erin Bailey. Brendan et elle se connaissent bien, ce qui serait un avantage pour sauver sa peau, si la jeune femme n’avait pas un projet qui lui tient à cœur et qu’elle était prête à défendre chèrement sa place pour pouvoir le réaliser.
J’ai eu un peu plus de mal avec Erin. Je n’ai pas vraiment réussi à m’attacher à elle, surtout à cause de son attitude. Je pense qu’elle manque un peu de profondeur, comme si le personnage n’avait pas été assez creusé. Quand on la compare à Brendan, c’est sûr qu’elle n’est pas à la hauteur. Mais au final la romance marche plutôt bien et on tourne les pages avec plaisir. Dans l’ensemble, Secrets de vestiaires a rempli son contrat en nous faisant passer un bon moment dans l’univers du foot masculin, avec des personnages globalement intéressants et des intrigues bien trouvées. Je serais ravie de lire un autre titre de l’auteure.
Le point positif ici, ce sont les héros (enfin en partie). Brendan Young est un personnage plutôt complexe et intéressant. Je l’ai souvent trouvé touchant et c’est vraiment lui l’atout majeur de cette histoire.
Brendan est une sorte de génie des chiffres qui calme son anxiété due à son hyperactivité cérébrale en faisant des paris sportifs. Sauf que ce hobby ne plaît pas aux dirigeants de la Ligue de Football qui ont décidé de le sanctionner. Après deux mois de suspension, Brendan espère que sa carrière va se terminer calmement. Mais l’un des directeurs veut un coup d’éclat pour se faire bien voir et demande la tête de Brendan à la nouvelle directrice de l’éthique morale, Erin Bailey. Brendan et elle se connaissent bien, ce qui serait un avantage pour sauver sa peau, si la jeune femme n’avait pas un projet qui lui tient à cœur et qu’elle était prête à défendre chèrement sa place pour pouvoir le réaliser.
J’ai eu un peu plus de mal avec Erin. Je n’ai pas vraiment réussi à m’attacher à elle, surtout à cause de son attitude. Je pense qu’elle manque un peu de profondeur, comme si le personnage n’avait pas été assez creusé. Quand on la compare à Brendan, c’est sûr qu’elle n’est pas à la hauteur. Mais au final la romance marche plutôt bien et on tourne les pages avec plaisir. Dans l’ensemble, Secrets de vestiaires a rempli son contrat en nous faisant passer un bon moment dans l’univers du foot masculin, avec des personnages globalement intéressants et des intrigues bien trouvées. Je serais ravie de lire un autre titre de l’auteure.
February 20, 2018
Review by Amber for Love Romance Books Blog
Brendan was at the top of his game as the top goalkeeper for the Atlanta Skyline soccer team. He was ready to finish out his contract on a high note and retire to the quiet of his small Midwestern hometown. Then he gets busted for gambling. He pays his dues by sitting on the bench, and attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings as required by his disciplinary agreement.
Erin has had a crush on Brendan since college....and then there was that scorching one night fling in Las Vegas after reconnecting at a friend’s wedding. Erin can’t forget that night, but when she is told to target him for a gambling investigation, she doesn’t know how to handle it. The more she is around him, the more she remembers the boy she had a crush on...and sees the man he grew into.
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It is different from the other Skyline books, but still a good story. It definitely stands well on its own. You don’t need to read the other books in the series to understand it. Both of these characters have baggage, but they work together to get through their issues. I was asked by the author for an honest review.
Brendan was at the top of his game as the top goalkeeper for the Atlanta Skyline soccer team. He was ready to finish out his contract on a high note and retire to the quiet of his small Midwestern hometown. Then he gets busted for gambling. He pays his dues by sitting on the bench, and attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings as required by his disciplinary agreement.
Erin has had a crush on Brendan since college....and then there was that scorching one night fling in Las Vegas after reconnecting at a friend’s wedding. Erin can’t forget that night, but when she is told to target him for a gambling investigation, she doesn’t know how to handle it. The more she is around him, the more she remembers the boy she had a crush on...and sees the man he grew into.
I would give this book 3.5 stars. It is different from the other Skyline books, but still a good story. It definitely stands well on its own. You don’t need to read the other books in the series to understand it. Both of these characters have baggage, but they work together to get through their issues. I was asked by the author for an honest review.
March 22, 2018
the latest atlanta skyline novel, saving hearts, focuses on goaltender brendan young, benched for being linked to a gambling website, as part of his rehabilitation he is forced to go to gambler's anonymous meetings. when he runs into erin bailey, the league's new director of ethics and advocacy, attending a meeting for a compulsive gambling problem things between them get heated.
erin and brendan have a history. from college there's always been an interest, an attraction, an awareness. then one night in vegas, things between them burn. and afterward, erin wants to pretend to forget it. erin doesn't believe in relationships. but brendan is looking to make a life with someone.
here's the thing, brendan does gamble, but he gambles because he's got a crazy memory and a brain that works too quickly. he's analytical and can easily calculate odds and probabilities. it's what makes him the brilliant player he is. and gambling is one way to quiet his overactive mind by giving it something specific to focus on. and i guess i'm one of those people who doesn't understand why gambling is viewed as such a vice. especially since brendan's particular brand of gambling is most akin to playing the stock market.
erin and brendan come up with a crazy plan that allows them to indulge in their gambling, while also following all league rules. the time they spend together changes the boundaries of their relationship. soon erin has to admit that even if they aren't having sex she and brendan have a relationship. so why not put sex back on the table. and then when everything is on the line, brendan steps up. and in order to make sure they can have it all, erin has some hard choices to make. and she finally does step up. the thing about these two is that brendan is very much the grown up in this relationship. erin is still figuring everything out, and if it weren't for the crazy chemistry that sparks between them, it's very easy to wonder why brendan tries at all.
**saving hearts will publish on march 20, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/kensington press (lyrical shine) in exchange for my honest review.
erin and brendan have a history. from college there's always been an interest, an attraction, an awareness. then one night in vegas, things between them burn. and afterward, erin wants to pretend to forget it. erin doesn't believe in relationships. but brendan is looking to make a life with someone.
here's the thing, brendan does gamble, but he gambles because he's got a crazy memory and a brain that works too quickly. he's analytical and can easily calculate odds and probabilities. it's what makes him the brilliant player he is. and gambling is one way to quiet his overactive mind by giving it something specific to focus on. and i guess i'm one of those people who doesn't understand why gambling is viewed as such a vice. especially since brendan's particular brand of gambling is most akin to playing the stock market.
erin and brendan come up with a crazy plan that allows them to indulge in their gambling, while also following all league rules. the time they spend together changes the boundaries of their relationship. soon erin has to admit that even if they aren't having sex she and brendan have a relationship. so why not put sex back on the table. and then when everything is on the line, brendan steps up. and in order to make sure they can have it all, erin has some hard choices to make. and she finally does step up. the thing about these two is that brendan is very much the grown up in this relationship. erin is still figuring everything out, and if it weren't for the crazy chemistry that sparks between them, it's very easy to wonder why brendan tries at all.
**saving hearts will publish on march 20, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/kensington press (lyrical shine) in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews