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Heart in the Game #1

The Wedding Deal

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Former quarterback Lance Quaid just inherited the most losing team in the NFL. He’s got only a few weeks until draft day to turn things around, and after firing more than half his staff, he can’t do it alone. Thankfully, his HR manager is more than capable, if only she’d stop focusing on “due diligence” and stop looking so sexy while she’s yelling at him.

Charlotte James has made a life out of following the rules. But nothing could have prepared her for Lance Quaid—he’s a human resources nightmare. The man is brash, has no filter, and, as her new boss, is constantly relying on her to cover his ass. Which is admittedly quite nice.

When Lance begs her to join him on a trip down the coast for his brother’s wedding so they can finalize details—on a strictly business basis—she agrees...after they fill out the necessary forms, of course. Away from the office, though, sparks start flying as the team starts coming together. But both of them know anything more than the weekend would be a colossally bad idea—after all, the extra paperwork would be a nightmare.

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 17, 2019

129 people are currently reading
568 people want to read

About the author

Cindi Madsen

66 books2,264 followers
Cindi Madsen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. She loves music and dancing and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She and her family also take their Marvel addiction very seriously, as their one-eyed cat, Agent Fury, and their kitty named Valkyrie can attest.

You can visit Cindi at: www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter to get all the up-to-date information on her books.

Follow her on Twitter @cindimadsen
Find her on FB: Cindi Madsen Books
See her inspiration pins on Pinterest.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,397 reviews495 followers
December 1, 2020
The Wedding Deal by Cindi Madsen
1st in the Heart in the Game series. Sports related (football) romantic comedy.

Former quarterback Lance Quaid has inherited a losing NFL team. With the help of a very knowledgeable HR Manager, Lance and Charlotte begin to rebuild the team while dancing around the attraction between them. Charlotte has a lot of rules and paperwork that must be completed as the head of Human Resources. Is it any wonder she makes up a contract so they can go on a date together?

Enjoyable. A smart woman who knows not only HR rules but can also crunch numbers and stats. Very impressive.
The overall tone was light hearted romance. I had already read and enjoyed book 2 of the series so decided to go back and catch up on this one. I liked book 2 a smidge more I think because the team is already set and it included this couple in a few of the scenes.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
Profile Image for Jacob Proffitt.
3,311 reviews2,153 followers
February 28, 2021
This was a great romance! I don't remember what prompted me to reserve it through Inter-Library Loan—I don't remember reserving it at all for that matter—so it turns out to be a marvelous surprise gift from past-me. Which is odd because I usually hate that guy.

Anyway, this one starts off with a great conflict between the two leads and, for a wonder, it was easy to see both points of view and sympathize with each. Lance has inherited an NFL team after years of decline and gets so frustrated with his front line staff (head coach etc.) that he fires them all after some colorful language. Charlotte is the head of HR and she has been fielding complaints about his language and manner and is now handed an HR nightmare of wrongful termination suits, contract disputes, and, oh yeah, they're going to have to ramp up for hiring a whole bunch of really high-level positions. So they start off frustrated with each other but they're kind of in a lot of hot water with lots of pressure and no time to let emotions keep them from working smoothly together.

And I loved seeing these two under pressure. I loved seeing them work out useful compromises. I loved seeing them gain respect for one another. And I really loved that both displayed a great deal of tolerance, looked past prejudice, and come to trust one another. And that's before the relationship really starts.

So that was a lot of win. And then the relationship starts and I liked that, too. I know, that shocked me. But you could already see them forming the bonds that would lead to more and they fought it reasonably long and with just the right amount of drama (because if things blow up, a whole lot more than hurt feelings are at stake). And they were just so cute when they fell in love that I adored them all the more.

And I'm even on board with the dark moment. Madsen gave it the right amount of weight and put it at the crux of their weak point(s) and we kind of needed to know how they'd handle that specific kind of stress to have confidence in the strength of their relationship. Plus, their coming together was a more-or-less perfect grand gesture.

So I'm giving this all the stars and now I'm going to go dig into Madsen's backlog and see if the next one matches the quality of enjoyment I had with this.

A note about Football: I like football, but I'm not a huge fan and don't regularly watch games. But I have friends deeply involved, feel perfectly comfortable joining them during Super Bowl games, and know enough to talk intelligently about the action and to get caught up in it while watching. And I know enough about business and money stuff to have an active BS sense about that side, too. So it is with some interest that I say that this book seems to have gotten its details right. At least as far as I'm able to tell. This story relies on those details to give us a sense of the pressure the protagonists face. And more, it relies on those details to establish Lance's respect for Charlotte because a handful of plot points hinged on her input being valuable in a collaborative way. So they had to have subtle distinctions that had multiple paths and we see them navigate those decisions. This was incredibly well done and I really hope it's as accurate as I felt it to be while reading (not least because it is important to the story that they hold up).

A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes putting this on the low end of my steam tolerance. Very well-done, I think, and with just enough to show the intimacy and importance of those moments to them in their emotional convergence.
Profile Image for Kristy.
1,427 reviews181 followers
March 25, 2019
2.5 Stars

While I enjoyed the abundance of (accurate) sports talk in The Wedding Deal, I didn’t really care about the two main characters getting together. I wish they would have had more serious and heartfelt moments where I could really see them connect. However, I was overly excited about reading a sports romance where the author actually knew the sport she was writing about. Some may find it a little football heavy, but as the characters ran a pro football team, I felt it appropriate to so centered on it.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Simply Love Book Reviews.
7,046 reviews870 followers
March 25, 2019


For the life of me, I have no idea why I haven't read anything by Cindi Madsen before. My bad. And, after The Wedding Deal, I will not make that mistake again. I adored this story. I had so much fun reading this story. Lance and Charlotte sizzled from the minute she stormed into his office and read him the HR handbook.

Lance was an HR nightmare. Said what he meant when he wanted to say it and consequences be damned. He was going to do what needed to be done to get the Mustangs back into the game. Firing everyone seemed to be a good start. How he did it was another story. When Charlotte makes her entrance, he's not sure if he should scowl or smile. But, he did know that she was a force to be reckoned with, knew what she was talking about and was going to be one heck of an asset. That is, if he could keep his mind and eyes off her assets.

Charlotte knew who Lance Quaid was. She was grateful to his grandfather for giving her a chance and letting her prove her worth to the team. Stats … she was on it. HR … she was on it. Trusting people and their motives, well not so much. She's been burned one to many times by boyfriends and by her family. But, how can she not help rebuild the team that she has loved forever. It's Texas, you cannot NOT be a football fan and want a winning season. Too bad she can't totally keep her mind on business with Lance strutting around. She's determined to not let her mind and her libido go there but, it can't help to look.

When their time together turns into time with his family and seeing what a real family dynamic is all about, Charlotte can't help but wish she had some of this growing up. And, her time alone with Lance working on the team and just getting to know him has done something to her as well. As for Lance, he can't help but see the other side of his rule following HR manager and he's afraid that she''s breaking down the walls he so carefully built after his injury. But, can he trust her to be who he thinks she is, to not betray him? Time will tell.

I truly loved this story and how it was written. It was light and fun then serious. It was hot and steamy then just sexy. All the elements that make a really great read. Then, when you look beyond Lance and Charlotte and see the people they are surrounded by, you can't help but have a good time. What a fun family the Quaid's are! But, what I loved most was how the story told itself … how Lance and Charlotte started trusting again … what they both had to overcome to get to their HEA. Cindi Madsen gave me an ending that brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes. Like I said in the beginning, I will not make the mistake of not reading Cindi Madsen again. I loved her storytelling abilities, her character building and the way the story flowed. And, of course, football!
Profile Image for Yodamom.
2,208 reviews215 followers
March 19, 2019
A Funny, Sweet, and HOT romantic adventure
Sexy retired quarterback Lance has taken over his grandfather's team The Mustangs and all it's employees. He wants to make changes .Hi dream is to see this long time losing team become winners again. He's loud, jumps without looking and a bit of a playboy.. He starts by firing old boys club and doesn't follow the rules and uses non PC language when he does it. Charlotte is one of the long time employees and head of HR. She is a rule follower, paper pusher and dismayed by her new boss's lack of decorum and the possible legal outcome from his methods. While she maneuverers, all the right forms filled, and apologies sent, Lance works to rebuild a broken team., when he mentions a possible addition, and Charlotte lists his playing stats from memory, Lance can't believe his luck. Charlotte is a super fan with a knack for numbers, and an eye for hidden talent. Together this unlike duo will try to rebuild the worst team in the league and it's not going to be easy between these two opposites.
What a fun read ! It was hard to like both these characters in the beginning. They each were so stubborn, and wouldn't listen to each other. This was not an insta lust/love read, this relationship took time and it got dirty before things started changing. The characters were fantastic, each breaking the normal types found in so many books. Charlotte was a statistical genius, not a gold digging women, or even someone searching for Mr. Right, what an awesome female characters trait. Ms. Madsen is not afraid to break stereotypes. Lance while presented as a typical jock was anything but when his character was fully drawn out. This was a fun, sweet, dirty, lol, romance wrapped around a sports team family.
I received a copy of this book for an honest review
Profile Image for Anne.
658 reviews115 followers
July 24, 2021
This was a nicely balanced romance about co-workers in a football setting. The heroine (Charlotte) was a strong, intelligent, likeable character throughout the story. The hero (Lance) - who does not come across as a womanizer - had strong family ties, integrity, and struggled to fulfill his new business role. The couple dynamics, from the beginning to the end of the book, was enjoyable with the right amount of steam. With the angst being on the mild side, though not lacking, it was a romance read that left me happily satisfied.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,577 reviews119 followers
March 20, 2019
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley. It does not impact my review.

I’ve enjoyed several Cindi Madsen books and thought The Wedding Deal looked like the perfect book to feed my Contemporary craving. While I did like it, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

I felt the book was much longer than it needed to be. I thought there was too much repetition and the story dragged a little bit. There’s only so many times I need to hear how distracted a character is by their attractive co-worker’s [insert body part here]. I also really dislike long chapters and the majority of the chapters were much longer than I prefer.

That said, I did really enjoy the romance. I thought Lance and Charlotte complemented each other so well, professionally and personally. While there was a little too much of the whole “he/she is so attractive” rhetoric, there was also a lot of discussion about how smart, caring, funny, and hard-working each other were. They helped make each other better, too. I really appreciated that the romance was based on so much more than the physical and I definitely shipped them.

Overall, I enjoyed The Wedding Deal. While it was a little too long for my taste, I did really like the romance and the sweet relationship Charlotte and Lance developed. I also thought the story was set apart a little bit from the normal Sports Romance by focusing on the owner of a team instead of a player. I would recommend it to someone looking for a light romance and doesn’t mind long chapters.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3 Stars
Profile Image for Alina.
396 reviews73 followers
March 27, 2019
I really liked this book, the heroine is awesome and the hero was pretty good (he did do the cliche asshole thing of saying some mean shit because of his trust issues) but she stayed professional and didn't immediately forgive him she kind of made him work for it which I can respect!
Profile Image for Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans .
1,517 reviews435 followers
July 9, 2022

Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5 Stars)
Title: The Wedding Deal
Author(s): Cindi Madsen
Character(s):
Charlotte James: Brunette, Green Eyed
Lance Quaid: Black, Blue Eyed
Setting: North Carolina
Tag(s): Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Sports Romance
Content Rating: R
POV: Third Person
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s):
― “It’s like the dating Hunger Games, and the odds were not ever in my favor.”
― “Love doesn’t give a shit about the rules.”
― “I’m about to violate every section of the handbook.”
Overall Opinion:
Cindi Madsen “The Wedding Deal” was a lot better than I originally expected. The opposites attract approach to this sports romance was a favorite of mine and despite how different Charlotte and Lance were, they were able to fit like a puzzle piece and balance each other out. They were a mature couple filled with flaws whom were able to persevere and create a bonding connection. A heartwarming read filled with relatable characters and promising storyline.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Neal.
1,790 reviews146 followers
April 11, 2019
What guy, especially a former quarterback, wouldn't be thrilled to learn they'd inherited a football team? It's like a dream come true, right? Well, not if they happen to be the worst team in the NFL. With the draft in a few weeks, Lance's opportunity to turn it around is tight, and firing the majority of the staff doesn't help, but he knows it's what needed to be done. Thank goodness he still has Charlotte, his HR manager. Of course, she seems to like yelling at him, and for some reason he finds that unbelievably sexy.

Charlotte has made it a rule to follow the rules, that's how closely she sticks to the book, but Lance is the outlier for any rule ever made. He's outspoken, has never heard of a filter, and believes in NOT following the rules. Oh yeah, and he's now her boss. What that means is she's quite busy covering his butt, albeit it's a sexy one, but it can be exhausting.

When Lance asks, in a purely professional manner, for her to join him for his brother's wedding, despite the fact they do talk business, she begins to see a different side of him, one that's just as appealing as the other. As things come together regarding the team, it's quite obvious they want to as well, but mixing business with pleasure hardly ever works out, right? Okay, what if the weekend is just a trial run, or a sample of what they could have to say they tried? Or...they discover they've found their soulmate and don't know what to do next.

One-click now and follow along as two people, seemingly complete opposites, realize that's part of the appeal.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**
Profile Image for Dísir.
1,735 reviews187 followers
February 25, 2019
Funny and light-hearted, ‘The Wedding Deal’ is an easy and entertaining read, even for those who don’t particularly follow sports or even like it. Who can, after all, resist a woman who gives as good as she gets when it comes to sports statistics?

Cindi Madsen’s witty portrayal of both Charlotte and Lance tickled my funny bone and I had more than a few snort-giggles at Charlotte’s by-the-book behaviour and Lance’s hilarious unfiltered thoughts and words from the start. What follows isn’t quite the fake date to a wedding but a work-related one (it’s written down in black and white, much to Lance’s exasperation and Charlotte’s buttoned-up insistence) though the path to happiness is rocky and filled with rule-book arguments about why boss and subordinate shouldn’t be together.

Part of the story’s sports-related and the other half is wedding-party-stuff related—neither of which I could fully get into when I got into the middle—but despite getting lost a little in the football details and the sudden influx of secondary characters, there’s enough cuteness, fluff and rom-com type vibes to pull the whole deal through especially for the chick-lit reader.

*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
Profile Image for Bette Hansen.
5,073 reviews40 followers
March 24, 2019
I do love a great Cindi Madsen book and this one definitely fits the bill. It has all the humor, banter, and sass I've come to expect from her as well as some amazing characters and a story that just made me smile.

Lance and Charlotte are a fun couple. He says and does whatever pops in his brain. She follows all the rules frequently making up new rules as she goes. When Lance convinces Charlotte to accompany him home for his brothers wedding she requires him to sign a wedding contract to be sure things stay strictly business. Will Lance make her end up wanting to break her own rules?

This is a fantastic read and I book I recommend to everyone.
Profile Image for Irene.
1,908 reviews129 followers
March 28, 2019
3.5 stars

The Wedding Deal by Cindi Madsen is a well written and entertaining read.

I enjoyed the storyline, it held my interest from start to end and I enjoyed watching Charlotte and Lance come together.

Overall, The Wedding Deal is a sweet, fun and entertaining read that I highly recommend.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XFMnsM
B&N: http://bit.ly/2HuiTJO
iBooks: https://apple.co/2FlPXRT
*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*
Profile Image for SnoopyDoo.
655 reviews339 followers
March 26, 2019

I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley and chose to leave a voluntary review. Thank you!*


 


I absolutely loved this book, and I don’t even like football. That being said, please give this book a try even if you normally not a sports fan.


I have been a Cindi Madsen fan for a while and she is one of my go to authors. I honestly think she can write a book about golf or the weather and it be super fun and cute to read.


I loved that all her books have some kind of pop culture reference and are fun and funny. You always get laugh out loud moments, but also heartwarming and honest issues in one book. I also like that she has some  very relatable characters no matter what the book or theme.


This is no different in this case….


When we very first meet Lance, you get the idea that he is another typical asshole alpha male, but as soon we get his POV for the first time it is clear that that is not the thing, He is funny and loving, and above all a loyal family dude. Of course it doesn’t hurt that he is drool worthy. But of course he has his asshole moments too, so don’t worry . Overall I really, really liked Lance.


Charlotte, she seemed a bit stiff and all her rule following was a bit much …… at first. But then we get to see the real Charlotte and I loved her. We learn more about her and loved discovering along with Lance why she is the way she is.


Overall I really loved this book and didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to see who will be next and hopefully we will see more of Charlotte and Lance in future books, because they are beyond adorable.


If you are a fan of contemporary romance, this is a must read book. Also check out any of her other books and I promise you will fall in love with them.


I rate this book full 5 ★


Profile Image for Bookgyrl.
1,343 reviews23 followers
March 4, 2019
Charlotte and Lance meet when Lance takes over his late grandfather's NFL team, immediately firing most of the team to the dismay of Charlotte. She is HR and constantly reminds him when he breaks a rule from the HR handbook (got a tad tiring I must admit).

When Charlotte accompanies Lance to his brother's wedding as his fake date, sparks fly. The book is easy to read and kind of predictable but a very nice beach read!
You can never go wrong with a Cindi Madsen book.

I requested and received an ARC via Netgalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Profile Image for Johanna Montilla.
603 reviews4 followers
March 5, 2019
I haven't had really good luck with the last two books I requested.
I tried, I did. But this book didn't work for me. The POV doesn't help to tell the story. And the plot doesn't make much sense. Charlotte is an obnoxious character not likable at all, I mean an HR manager doesn't tell the boss what to do or what not to do. Honestly, she was kind of TSTL.
Also, the amount of time the words paperwork and form show up drove me crazy, At some point, I was just counting them.
The only good thing in this story was Lance. He was the one that helped me to finish the book.
I'm so disappointed. I'm not sure if I want to try with this genre again.
I received and ARC from Entangled Publishing, LLC. Through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. And I voluntarily read and reviewdan advance copy of this books. All thoughts an opinion are my own.
Profile Image for Candyce Kirk.
1,350 reviews52 followers
March 27, 2019
The Wedding Deal is such a fun book to read. To be honest, I haven't read a lot of football romances (I mostly read hockey ones), but this was a great one to start with!

Charlotte has been working for the Mustangs for seven years now and is good at what she does. When it comes to her work the rules and paperwork are very important. Even if that means she needs to put her new boss in his place.

Lance just took over his grandfather's football team after he passed away. When an injury cost him his own career, being able to do something this great so young wasn't something he ever expected. So much has to happen in the weeks before drafting, he doesn't have time for people not doing their jobs or falling in love. It seemed like a good idea to take Charlotte on a trip with him to his brother's wedding. So much had to be done, there was no time to waste.

Even though I knew how this story played out once Lance asked Charlotte to go on the trip with him, The Wedding Deal was so much fun to read. One thing I loved was that even though this is a romance, a lot was explained when it came to putting together a team and getting ready for a draft. I may not be the biggest sports fan, but I was actually really interested to read about this. The author balanced romance and sports really well! It was nice that the book wasn't only about the romance between the two main characters.

Charlotte is good at keeping track of statistics and having a father who is a football coach (even though that's complicated), she knows a lot about sports. Being a woman in this world isn't always easy. Not many men will listen to her opinion, so when Lance asks for it, she feels good about herself. It was nice to see the female lead be invested in the sports side of the story as well. Just because it's mostly a man's sport, doesn't mean that women don't know what they're talking about. In The Wedding Deal she really learns to let loose and not always let the rules lead the way.

Lance knows a lot is riding on this draft day. This team hasn't had many wins and he wants to change that! He's under a lot of pressure and doesn't see romance as an option. Like Charlotte, he notices an attraction, but knows he can't do anything about it. Lance needs to learn to control his temper at times, but he is a hard worker. He will work for his goals.

It was a lot of fun watching the attraction between Charlotte and Lance grow and play out. In many ways they both deserved a happily ever after. Both of them didn't have the best track record when it comes to dating, so there are a lot of obstacles to get over. While part of me things the drama near the end was a bit much, I loved the grand gesture at the end! I am a sucker for those, haha.

Besides the romance and sports, Lance's family is so much fun to read about. I loved that the author included different family and wedding events. I wouldn't mind taking a trip to the coast and stay at the beach they were at! Sounds like the perfect place to relax!

If you're looking for a book filled with amazing characters, humor, sports, romance and some steamy moments definitely pick up The Wedding Deal!
Profile Image for Lenore Kosinski.
2,389 reviews64 followers
March 26, 2019
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/03/...

I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

3.5 stars — This book gave me some mixed feelings…there was so much I loved about it and that made me giggle and swoon! But I also totally saw the misunderstanding conflict coming from a mile away, and was kinda bummed that it played out how I anticipated. BUT! Then the ending just pulled me back in!!

The star of this book for me was the banter between Lance and Charlotte. They had such amazing witty chemistry, and I loved the way they pushed at each other and didn’t back down…particularly Charlotte with Lance. She gave as good as she got, and I LOVED that about her. She could be really fierce and sassy, and I loved that most of the time she was very sure of her opinions and her smarts…she deserved to be, and it was nice to see that confidence there. I didn’t always connect with the whole rule thing she had going on…I mean, we get some explanation about how her past shaped her, but I think I needed more to really buy in on it for as much as it played into the plot.

Then we have Lance…he had my feelings all jumbled up as well!! I LOVED how easily he saw what an asset Charlotte was, and how he didn’t let any gender biases get in the way of appreciating her for what she was worth…it was really refreshing actually! In general he was a good guy…just one who had been hurt in the past and had trust issues. Just like with Charlotte, we’re told about his trust issues and what happened in the past, but I wish I’d understood that part of him better.

As I said above, their friendship/banter chemistry was ALL OF THE THINGS. I loved the way they worked together, listened to one another, just balanced one another. And the steamy chemistry was definitely there as well, though I always have a disconnect with how focused Ms. Madsen often makes her heroines on the physical characteristics that they are attracted to on the hero. Just a personal taste thing, I can only hear how amazing their butt is, or how awesome their muscles are and how they make Charlotte drool before I’m losing interest. I will always inevitably be more interested in the hero’s inner character.

I loved being introduced to Lance’s adorable family, and seeing the dynamics at work there, and how easily Charlotte fit in. I also appreciated the glimpses of the other major players for the Mustangs, whom I’m assuming will become heroes in future books in this series. The coach in particular has me intrigued.

So yeah. Ms. Madsen writes flirty banter like no other, and the climax during the draft saved this book and has me rounding up. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a Sam and Frodo reference. 😉
Profile Image for Sara Oxton.
3,791 reviews17 followers
March 7, 2019
The Wedding Deal by Cindi Madsen a five-star read that will make you want to settle. This is the first novel in the Heart in the Game series and my first read by this author and I can’t wait for more, Lance Quaid could be a rotten character born with a silver spoon and handed a football team, but he was so well written that you really felt for him. Charlotte James was another one, she could have been a rule following ball breaker, but she is great she has real depth to her. I for one can’t wait to hear more about these ball playing Mustangs. Pick this one up if you are in need of funny, sweet and hot drama.
Profile Image for Alison.
3,685 reviews145 followers
September 26, 2019
Charlotte James is the HR manager for the San Antonio Mustangs NFL team. Her job just got a whole lot harder when her old boss died and left the team to his grandson, former quarterback for the Tennessee Titans Lance Quaid, her peaceful existence was over. Lance can't believe how his grandfather allowed so many of his employees to slack at their jobs and he's not going to tolerate it on his watch, he starts by firing half the staff and using inflammatory language.

As the two of them work together to fill the vacancies with the right staff, and make sure they have legally terminated everyone that Lance sacked, Lance learns that Charlotte has a encyclopedic knowledge of NFL stats and Charlotte learns that her hot boss is also a secret geek. Then, when all the work isn't enough pressure, Lance's family are on his back about his brother's wedding and his plus one. Cunning idea ... why not get Charlotte to act as his fake date, they can work when not involved in wedding activities and he'll get some respite from the family pressure.

This was fun, lighthearted chick-lit romance. Well-written and easy to read, but nothing memorable.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.
Profile Image for Samantha (WLABB).
4,251 reviews277 followers
December 8, 2019
I am always up for a sports romance, and this one takes place on the management side of things. Lance and Charlotte had immediate heat, in that he was able to rile her up by not following procedures. This by the book girl wanted to wrangle the new owner, but instead, she fell for him. It was fun seeing these two trying to navigate this workplace relationship, while also dealing with their baggage. I absolutely loved being at the wedding with these two, because Lance's family was so wonderful. And, that ending made me want to cheer. Another fun one from Madsen.

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Profile Image for Mercè.
763 reviews111 followers
February 5, 2021
4.25/5
ESP/ENG:
ESP:
No sé si esto os sirva como referencia pero me disfruto igual a Cindi Madsen que a Jaci Burton. Las dos son romántica contemporanea (concretamente relacionado con deportes) tienen personajes muy completos, sin dramones de telenovela (gracias) y con sexo del bueno.
Estoy in love con Charlotte. Lo fanática que es de los formularios, del manual de empleados y de las normas. Creo que hacía tiempo que no me sentía tan identificada con un personaje. Y me ha parecido un personaje super coherente y consistente con su manera de ser y sus ideales a lo largo del libro. Lo que no impide que la mujer evolucione.
Creía que odiaría a Lance pero no. Pronto me di cuenta que era más de lo que parecía. Y aunque si que tiene ese punto de machito no es un onvre de las cavernas. Y quizás lo que menos me gustó fue la escena final.

Como pareja me gustaron mucho. Se reafirmaba la confianza que se tenían y como se respaldaban y se respetaban. Y jo, que bonito es el amor sin toxicidades :')

ENG:
This is my second Cindi Madsen book and I am not going to stop any time soon. Gave 5/5 stars to "The mistletoe trap" (actually it's the following book, but I got that one as an eARC).
I'm going to start with the strong points. First of all: Charlotte. I loved how she goes by the book, following the employee handbook and loves her forms and every norm. And she's a coherent and consistent character throughout the book.
And as a result of that, I loved their relationship dynamic. How they brought the best out of each other, how they respected and backed their backs constantly. Man, it was nice to see a non-toxic relationship :') (and oh my the tension and the sex scenes!!).
The thing I wasn't as fond of...was Lance. I mean, don't get me wrong. I did like him. Actually, I thought I was going to hate him and ended up liking him instead. But despite that, he's the reason I'm not giving this a 5/5.
Reason here:
But all in all, such a fantastic love story :3

Scribd narrator: Sofia Willingham. Freaking loved her! 10/10
Profile Image for A Klue.
1,500 reviews326 followers
March 25, 2019
You pretty much get exactly what this book’s synopsis spells out for you, my fellow romance book loving friends. At a very leisurely pace, this main couple single handedly attempted to end The Mustangs runaway losing streak by rebuilding it from the ground up. Having inherited this NFL team from his grandfather, Lance was looking for a way to get his mojo back after a career ending injury. What he wasn’t expecting was to find love in the form of his sassy HR manager, who is all about doing things by the book, the HR policy book, that is. Now that part tests his patience to no end, and I couldn’t really blame him there. What really tempts his mind, body, and soul is the fact she is a sexy, walking talking book of football facts/stats and seems to have a sixth sense about selecting the best players. I couldn’t help but find that aspect about her pretty dang cool.

Charlotte has not had a charmed life. She’s struggled to get where she is and isn’t about to let one man ruin everything. With a little guidance, she’s thinking he may actually hold the key to helping this struggling team finally win again. After a rocky start, these two perfect for each other, future lovebirds dance around one other until they stop fighting their attraction and open themselves up to being in a relationship. Quite a bit of time is spent on sneaking stolen glances when they think the other one is not noticing and inner monologues on how much they like what they see. Though the pace of the book is slow, the span of time this happens is relatively fast. Meaning, a lot of it occurs over one week’s time.

A knucklehead move rightfully has one of them declaring endgame and groveling ensues, which happens to be one of my favorite ways to wrap up a romantic read. Color me crazy, but though I found this storyline pretty predictable, I also found it sweet and entertaining, as well. The author added enough of a past personal backdrop to explain why one of them too easily jumped to a hurtful, wrong conclusion. Still didn’t make it right, but it lead to making up, folks.

Cindi Madsen continues to be an author on this avid romantic at heart’s radar. I tend to always fall especially hard for her back and forth bickering banter between the main couple as they fall for one another.

Title: The Wedding Deal, Series: Heart in the Game (Book 1), Author: Cindi Madsen, Pages: 400, stand-alone, office romance, NFL former player/team owner, team HR rep. Heroine, slow paced, relationship angst, knucklehead moment, has to grovel at the end, steamy scenes, no OW/OM drama, no love triangle, no cheating, big knucklehead moment.

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)



Profile Image for Sofia Lazaridou.
2,863 reviews136 followers
March 25, 2019
4.5 stars

The Wedding Deal is the first book in a brand new series called Heart in the Game by Cindi Madsen. The first book is focused on Lance, the team's new owner, and Charlotte the HR manager. Lance recently inherited the team from his grandpa and he is trying to find the right combination of people in order to create a winning team and bring it back to its former glory. That's why he fired so many people and is making Charlotte crazy.

I loved Charlotte's character. There was something about her insistence on having everything in paper that spoke to my inner micromanager. She was kinda anal about it, but I liked it. Lance is a good man despite him firing a lot of people. He knew when he made mistakes and he tried to fix them, which is a good quality for someone to have.

While I was reading the book, I was wishing that it will be a part of a series and I am very happy to see that the author plans to write more books. I want to see how the team will fair once the season begins and if they are going to win the superball. Some secondary characters spoke to me and I want to read their stories.

Overall, The wedding good was a good book and I enjoyed it a lot. The pace was good and there was chemistry between Lance and Charlotte. They were a nice couple and I look forward to seeing them in the upcoming books.
Profile Image for Thuy Taylor.
1,402 reviews19 followers
March 25, 2019
Lance is an ex football player who inherits his grandfather's team. The team is basically on a losing streak, and he is determined to fix it. I laughed sooo much at his firing the majority of the old team. He was relentless and so darn funny about it. Enter Charlotte, the rule follower, Human Resources, follow alllllll the rules type of girl. She basically has memorized the company handbook, and Lance just flies by the seat of his pants. Totally opposite of each other. She definitely doesn't date coworkers, nor bosses.

During all this mess, he is to attend his brother's wedding in a beach town, but the company needs him and to push his mother at bay for her matchmaking, he recruits Charlotte to come with him to get work accomplished and to be his date for his brother's wedding. Sparks fly and they really give into each other. They slowly develop feelings for each other, but trust is also an issue.

I liked this story, it was entertaining, steamy and quite funny. They had good chemistry, and it was great seeing these two grow in their role at work and personal life.
Profile Image for Heather andrews.
9,520 reviews162 followers
February 25, 2019
Lance really does enjoy teasing his girl, "she raised an eyebrow in warning. “What? You said compliments were okay. Remember how much you like my beard?” He reached up and ran his hand across it, a mischievous twist to his lips." Charlotte is just a tad bit clumsy, "Her cheeks flushed deeper as she shook her head. “it was embarrassing enough to fall asleep on you . Now I’m grabbing your crotch.” He doubted replying that he was okay with her grabbing his crotch would make her feel any better." Lance really doesn't like to share, “fine. If I leave your side, other guys will hit on you, and that’ll p*** me off and then I’ll get into a fight, which would be bad PR.” I liked this book, I fell in love with Lance.
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