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Love in the Arena #2
Out of Play
Emmeline doesn’t date soccer players.
This rookie’s determined to change her mind.
There’s no other way Emmeline would rather spend her Saturday nights than watching the Storm play. But being a fan is where her love stops. To her, professional athletes are just a bunch of self-absorbed meatheads who don’t know a thing about the real world. She wouldn’t date one for a million bucks.
Between a professional soccer career and a part-time job, Grant is feeling the hustle of being a rookie. Nothing can stop him from reaching his dreams—except an unfortunate injury that puts him on the bench for weeks. It’s not all bad though. There’s a cute girl on the sidelines to keep him company. An amazing, uninterested, off-limits girl that he can’t stop thinking about.
Can Grant convince Emmeline to give him a chance?
Or will he stay out of play and miss his shot?
173 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 13, 2020
I'll take a soccer player...
I'm loving all the sports romances that are out right now. I've read football, baseball, hockey, but not soccer...until this series. And I love it so much!
Emmeline has sworn off athletes, but can't keep her eyes off rookie, Grant. Em's older brother, Finn, is ultra protective, but I love their relationship and the way he watches out for his younger sister. She's a teacher and capable of standing on her own two feet, but I love that family dynamic.
Kayla Tirrell writes this story as a romantic sports comedy, which makes it sweet, heartwarming, funny, and oh so romantic. As this couple connects, first through the eyes and then through social media, the reader is swept away and given a front row seat to this soccer romance, which managed to have a few surprises. I loved, loved, loved these characters, the flirting, and watching true love unfold. I'll definitely be back for more love in the arena!
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
I'm loving all the sports romances that are out right now. I've read football, baseball, hockey, but not soccer...until this series. And I love it so much!
Emmeline has sworn off athletes, but can't keep her eyes off rookie, Grant. Em's older brother, Finn, is ultra protective, but I love their relationship and the way he watches out for his younger sister. She's a teacher and capable of standing on her own two feet, but I love that family dynamic.
Kayla Tirrell writes this story as a romantic sports comedy, which makes it sweet, heartwarming, funny, and oh so romantic. As this couple connects, first through the eyes and then through social media, the reader is swept away and given a front row seat to this soccer romance, which managed to have a few surprises. I loved, loved, loved these characters, the flirting, and watching true love unfold. I'll definitely be back for more love in the arena!
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
June 12, 2020
Heart-warming, G-rated, New Adult, soccer romance
Emmeline (Em) O’Brien is a 23-year-old Florida native and a dedicated third-grade teacher. Her older brother, Finn, is her only family. They are extremely close, and Finn is very protective of her. For the past three years he has been the goalie of a fictional, professional soccer team, the Storm, in a fictional town in Florida, and he is currently its captain. Em lives and works in the same town as her brother and frequently comes to his home games.
At one such Storm game, Em notices a handsome team member she has never seen before, and he clearly has noticed her as well. She is certainly very visible, sitting right next to the field in the VIP section. Her friend Miriam, who is the team’s community outreach coordinator (and heroine of Penalty Box, Book 1 of this series), informs Em that the dynamic young athlete who has caught her eye is Grant Vaughn. He is 22 years old, just graduated from university, hales from Kansas City, and is in his rookie year as a midfielder with the Storm.
Grant is intensely interested in finding out who the beautiful redhead in the VIP seating during the game might be. So it is a wonderful surprise when he spots her at the team get-together at a local bar right after the game. Unfortunately, in spite of her clearly returning his interest, she bluntly informs him that she doesn’t date athletes. Shortly after that disappointing news, one of his team members warns him away from her as well. He tells Grant that she is Em O’Brien, their captain’s little sister, and that Finn has strictly forbidden any member of the team to have anything to do with Em—a rule he enforces with his fists.
But fate, in the form of matchmaking Miriam, offers Grant an unexpected opportunity to have a second chance with Em. As one of his PR responsibilities for the team, Miriam assigns him a public outreach project of reading stories to elementary children. Em and Grant are both taken completely by surprise when it turns out that the classroom Miriam has selected for this project is Em’s third-grade.
I was about 25% into this New Adult (NA) romance when it suddenly occurred to me that, unlike ever other NA romance I had previously encountered, this one has no foul language, no heavy drinking, and no sex! And this pattern continues all the way to the end, with no more than a few kisses in the HEA. In short, it is a G-rated romance. What a lovely change in the midst of an almost universally crude, drunken, sexually graphic subgenre of romance!
Em and Grant are both likeable, sympathetic protagonists. Em is a sweet, young woman who has been badly hurt in the past by heartbreak and betrayal in a teenage romance. In addition, a college romance that lasted two years also ended in her getting dumped, and a final attempt at romance some months ago was a date from hell with a narcissistic soccer player from her brother’s team. As a result, she has painfully concluded that the only man in the world she can trust is her beloved brother.
Grant is a terrific, honorable hero. It was an additional delightful difference in this NA novel to encounter an elite-athlete hero who is the opposite of the typical promiscuous, Alpha, “Bad Boy” hero. Grant is, in fact, a Beta male who obviously has admirable potential as a future family-man. He is very close to his parents and older sister, frequently babysits for his two, preschool-age nieces, who both adore him, and is a huge hit with the kids in Em’s class. Grant is also absolutely not a womanizer. In fact, he almost never dates or wants to, due to focusing on his career and completing his college degree—up until the day he encounters Em.
Overall, this is a fun, low-angst romance with enjoyable soccer scenes that give fascinating, authentic glimpses into Grant’s career as a professional athlete, and offers equally intriguing scenes of Em’s career as a teacher.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
Emmeline (Em) O’Brien is a 23-year-old Florida native and a dedicated third-grade teacher. Her older brother, Finn, is her only family. They are extremely close, and Finn is very protective of her. For the past three years he has been the goalie of a fictional, professional soccer team, the Storm, in a fictional town in Florida, and he is currently its captain. Em lives and works in the same town as her brother and frequently comes to his home games.
At one such Storm game, Em notices a handsome team member she has never seen before, and he clearly has noticed her as well. She is certainly very visible, sitting right next to the field in the VIP section. Her friend Miriam, who is the team’s community outreach coordinator (and heroine of Penalty Box, Book 1 of this series), informs Em that the dynamic young athlete who has caught her eye is Grant Vaughn. He is 22 years old, just graduated from university, hales from Kansas City, and is in his rookie year as a midfielder with the Storm.
Grant is intensely interested in finding out who the beautiful redhead in the VIP seating during the game might be. So it is a wonderful surprise when he spots her at the team get-together at a local bar right after the game. Unfortunately, in spite of her clearly returning his interest, she bluntly informs him that she doesn’t date athletes. Shortly after that disappointing news, one of his team members warns him away from her as well. He tells Grant that she is Em O’Brien, their captain’s little sister, and that Finn has strictly forbidden any member of the team to have anything to do with Em—a rule he enforces with his fists.
But fate, in the form of matchmaking Miriam, offers Grant an unexpected opportunity to have a second chance with Em. As one of his PR responsibilities for the team, Miriam assigns him a public outreach project of reading stories to elementary children. Em and Grant are both taken completely by surprise when it turns out that the classroom Miriam has selected for this project is Em’s third-grade.
I was about 25% into this New Adult (NA) romance when it suddenly occurred to me that, unlike ever other NA romance I had previously encountered, this one has no foul language, no heavy drinking, and no sex! And this pattern continues all the way to the end, with no more than a few kisses in the HEA. In short, it is a G-rated romance. What a lovely change in the midst of an almost universally crude, drunken, sexually graphic subgenre of romance!
Em and Grant are both likeable, sympathetic protagonists. Em is a sweet, young woman who has been badly hurt in the past by heartbreak and betrayal in a teenage romance. In addition, a college romance that lasted two years also ended in her getting dumped, and a final attempt at romance some months ago was a date from hell with a narcissistic soccer player from her brother’s team. As a result, she has painfully concluded that the only man in the world she can trust is her beloved brother.
Grant is a terrific, honorable hero. It was an additional delightful difference in this NA novel to encounter an elite-athlete hero who is the opposite of the typical promiscuous, Alpha, “Bad Boy” hero. Grant is, in fact, a Beta male who obviously has admirable potential as a future family-man. He is very close to his parents and older sister, frequently babysits for his two, preschool-age nieces, who both adore him, and is a huge hit with the kids in Em’s class. Grant is also absolutely not a womanizer. In fact, he almost never dates or wants to, due to focusing on his career and completing his college degree—up until the day he encounters Em.
Overall, this is a fun, low-angst romance with enjoyable soccer scenes that give fascinating, authentic glimpses into Grant’s career as a professional athlete, and offers equally intriguing scenes of Em’s career as a teacher.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
July 6, 2020
My full review can be found here: bit.ly/2Zy2gTO
“𝘏𝘪, 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵.”
𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘹𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴. 𝘏𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳.
So, if you read my review for Penalty Box (the first book of Kayla's "Love in the Arena" series) you KNOW how much I loved that book. How I fell in love with the main characters. How I fangirled about Silas...a LOT.
Example: "𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴!!! 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘤...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘴...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘜𝘎𝘌 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘺'𝘢𝘭𝘭; 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺𝘺𝘺𝘺𝘺𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦!"
Wow, I mean, how could ANYTHING top that?! Well, Kayla wrote Out of Play.
Grant was just: AMAZING. He was the perfect combination of sweet, cocky, anddddd he had a great sense of humor. They both did! I loved seeing Grant and Emmeline flirt with each other, their teasing was just so natural and ADORABLE.
Like I mentioned in my review of Penalty Box, it was just SO FUN to get lost in this fictional soccer arena world because it felt REAL. Kayla did such a great job of making sure that allll the details were there. 👏👏
And the FEELS. Oh my gosh, the feels were definitely there as well. The fact that both Grant and Emmeline liked each other, but felt like they couldn't be together created so much angst...I could hardly stand it!
As far as content goes: Clean! There wasn't any "actual" language (everyone does have different preferences and viewpoints on what counts as profanity though.) Past (failed) relationships were discussed, and there was also some very mild innuendo/suggestive comments, but nothing too extreme. I personally had no problems with it. 🤷♀️
Also, Finn was VERY protective of his sister (just like Emmeline was with him), and even though he didn't always handle his feelings the best way, he did make things right. Which was good, because I lovedddd Finn and hated to see him in the "bad guy" role.
If you couldn't tell by everything I've said...I absolutely LOVED this book. It was cute, angsty, sweet, and had some definite sizzle to it. I'm not even a huge sports fan, but I know now that I would loveeeee to have a soccer player boyfriend like Grant. 🙌👀
For all of you who love a good slow burn romance, and/or one of those "off limits, friend's/teammate's sister" romances, this book needs to be on your TBR!!
~I received an e-copy of this story from the author, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.~
“𝘏𝘪, 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵.”
𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘻𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘹𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴. 𝘏𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘚𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳.
So, if you read my review for Penalty Box (the first book of Kayla's "Love in the Arena" series) you KNOW how much I loved that book. How I fell in love with the main characters. How I fangirled about Silas...a LOT.
Example: "𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴!!! 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘤...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘴...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥...𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘜𝘎𝘌 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘺'𝘢𝘭𝘭; 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺𝘺𝘺𝘺𝘺𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦!"
Wow, I mean, how could ANYTHING top that?! Well, Kayla wrote Out of Play.
Grant was just: AMAZING. He was the perfect combination of sweet, cocky, anddddd he had a great sense of humor. They both did! I loved seeing Grant and Emmeline flirt with each other, their teasing was just so natural and ADORABLE.
Like I mentioned in my review of Penalty Box, it was just SO FUN to get lost in this fictional soccer arena world because it felt REAL. Kayla did such a great job of making sure that allll the details were there. 👏👏
And the FEELS. Oh my gosh, the feels were definitely there as well. The fact that both Grant and Emmeline liked each other, but felt like they couldn't be together created so much angst...I could hardly stand it!
As far as content goes: Clean! There wasn't any "actual" language (everyone does have different preferences and viewpoints on what counts as profanity though.) Past (failed) relationships were discussed, and there was also some very mild innuendo/suggestive comments, but nothing too extreme. I personally had no problems with it. 🤷♀️
Also, Finn was VERY protective of his sister (just like Emmeline was with him), and even though he didn't always handle his feelings the best way, he did make things right. Which was good, because I lovedddd Finn and hated to see him in the "bad guy" role.
If you couldn't tell by everything I've said...I absolutely LOVED this book. It was cute, angsty, sweet, and had some definite sizzle to it. I'm not even a huge sports fan, but I know now that I would loveeeee to have a soccer player boyfriend like Grant. 🙌👀
For all of you who love a good slow burn romance, and/or one of those "off limits, friend's/teammate's sister" romances, this book needs to be on your TBR!!
~I received an e-copy of this story from the author, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.~
June 18, 2020
I read and liked a lot of things in the first book in this series, but I wasn't a huge fan of the couple. But Grant and Em are my people! I really liked Grant; he was thoughtful, funny, charming and so, so sweet. Em was real and honest and human, even if she took her no athletes rule a little too seriously. I liked that we saw her bring her work home and how it can affect real life teachers seeing their students go through tough times. I also appreciated how Grant wasn't assuming soccer would be his life and wanted to have a back up plan, something not everyone thinks about when pursuing their dreams.
There were times I wanted to shake the both of them, but that's normal. Their romance was a slow burn even if their attraction was almost instant, and I really enjoyed that. I also enjoyed learning how people can use social media in the flirting/dating stage. When I met my husband, this kind of thing wasn't around so I am kind of perplexed as to how people do it in a non aggressive/overly suggestive way. I also really appreciated how Grant was willing to call Finn on his crap and the rest of the team for falling in line with him. I didn't like how quickly Em got over the betrayals that happened, but maybe that's just a personal thing.
I will confess, this series has made me more curious about arena soccer, but since we are only beginning to come out of quarantine, I will have to make due with footage of older games. I can't wait for the finish to this trilogy!
There were times I wanted to shake the both of them, but that's normal. Their romance was a slow burn even if their attraction was almost instant, and I really enjoyed that. I also enjoyed learning how people can use social media in the flirting/dating stage. When I met my husband, this kind of thing wasn't around so I am kind of perplexed as to how people do it in a non aggressive/overly suggestive way. I also really appreciated how Grant was willing to call Finn on his crap and the rest of the team for falling in line with him. I didn't like how quickly Em got over the betrayals that happened, but maybe that's just a personal thing.
I will confess, this series has made me more curious about arena soccer, but since we are only beginning to come out of quarantine, I will have to make due with footage of older games. I can't wait for the finish to this trilogy!
June 12, 2020
“Ew. What is this? A cheesy rom-com?”
YES. IT. IS. 👏🏼
Out of Play is the second installment in the Love in the Arena series which follows the Storm, a Florida arena soccer team.
Em is the younger sister of Storm team captain, Finn. She has a strict no-athletes dating policy after some rough patches over the years. Little does she know, Finn also has a similar rule for the guys on the team, no dating his sister. That might be tough for Grant, the team rookie, who is infatuated with Em at first sight.
I loved the first book in this series, Penalty Box, so much. Turns out I love this one even more.
Grant is just so sweet and a little unsure of himself and it is adorable to watch him fall in love with Em the moment he sees her on the sidelines. Em is confident and strong-willed so it’s fun to see her falling for Grant.
I liked that Miriam and Silas are still present in this installment. It gives me hope for the third book to possibly be about Em’s bff Frida and her bother Finn 😉
YES. IT. IS. 👏🏼
Out of Play is the second installment in the Love in the Arena series which follows the Storm, a Florida arena soccer team.
Em is the younger sister of Storm team captain, Finn. She has a strict no-athletes dating policy after some rough patches over the years. Little does she know, Finn also has a similar rule for the guys on the team, no dating his sister. That might be tough for Grant, the team rookie, who is infatuated with Em at first sight.
I loved the first book in this series, Penalty Box, so much. Turns out I love this one even more.
Grant is just so sweet and a little unsure of himself and it is adorable to watch him fall in love with Em the moment he sees her on the sidelines. Em is confident and strong-willed so it’s fun to see her falling for Grant.
I liked that Miriam and Silas are still present in this installment. It gives me hope for the third book to possibly be about Em’s bff Frida and her bother Finn 😉
June 14, 2020
I absolutely adored Out of Play!
Emmaline (Em) is an elementary school teacher whose brother is the goalie and captain for the Florida Storm, a Major Arena Soccer League team. Grant is a rookie player on the Storm, living away from his parents, sister, and nieces. When Em and Grant meet, a flurry of situations happen that bring them closer together but also have them questioning it.
I loved this sweet romance. I loved how Kayla knows her stuff about arena soccer. I loved that she most absolutely used some real life experience for some of the storyline.
I certainly recommend reading Out of Play, but also recommended before reading it, to read the first in the series, Penalty Box. You don’t HAVE to, because Kayla gives enough background from it so those that don’t aren’t lost, but Penalty Box is a great read as well - so you might as well start there!
Emmaline (Em) is an elementary school teacher whose brother is the goalie and captain for the Florida Storm, a Major Arena Soccer League team. Grant is a rookie player on the Storm, living away from his parents, sister, and nieces. When Em and Grant meet, a flurry of situations happen that bring them closer together but also have them questioning it.
I loved this sweet romance. I loved how Kayla knows her stuff about arena soccer. I loved that she most absolutely used some real life experience for some of the storyline.
I certainly recommend reading Out of Play, but also recommended before reading it, to read the first in the series, Penalty Box. You don’t HAVE to, because Kayla gives enough background from it so those that don’t aren’t lost, but Penalty Box is a great read as well - so you might as well start there!
June 14, 2020
Second installment about the Storm football players, set in Florida. This time it focuses on Grant, a rookie from Kansas City. A beautiful girl catches his eye during the game and they meet at the after match party . Unfortunately the mystery girl shoots him down. She doesn't date athletes. On top of that, his fellow teammates are quick to warn him off. Who is this girl? None other than Emmeline, the captain's baby sister and it's strictly hands off. Not that,that's going to deter Grant though he may need some help from Em's friends.Will he be able to convince Em and above all,Finn he isn't a womaniser and is worth taking a chance on? Read and find out!!!
Sweet romantic comedy. for the romantic at heart. Looking forward to the next couple.
I received an ARC from the author.
Sweet romantic comedy. for the romantic at heart. Looking forward to the next couple.
I received an ARC from the author.
June 16, 2020
Out of Play is a sweet clean romance. I've said it before and I'll say it again soccer is the worst. (Sorry Kayla!)However, I still love this story! It's no easy feat to get me to love a story about soccer but some the writing and characters are so endearing you get pulled in from the first page. I really really loved Grant! He's the sweet charming guy you'd want to take home to mamma!
June 16, 2020
I loved this one! Grant is an adorable arena soccer player in his rookie season and Emmeline is the team captain's sister and therefore a huge fan who doesn't date athletes - I loved reading their relationship unfold! A fun, cute read!
June 29, 2020
Fun Sports Romance
This was a fun, quick read. Light, with a happy ending. Even though it's a sports romance, there isn't much in depth sport stuff but enough to know it's there. Characters from the previous book appear in this one too, although I think each book can stand on its own. You might be happier if you read them in order though.
Content: one or two instances of mild swearing, kissing.
This was a fun, quick read. Light, with a happy ending. Even though it's a sports romance, there isn't much in depth sport stuff but enough to know it's there. Characters from the previous book appear in this one too, although I think each book can stand on its own. You might be happier if you read them in order though.
Content: one or two instances of mild swearing, kissing.
June 19, 2020
Kayla Tirrell did it again with her second book in the Love of the Arena series. I thought Silas was going to be hard to beat, but he can move on over for Grant! Out of Play was the perfect combination of romance, humor, sports and drama. I never as much about this sport as I did before starting this series.
Grant is the rookie of the Storm and he's making way to start his career. He seems like a hardworking and sweet guy, who has a backup plan for if it doesn't go the way he wants it to. I thought this was really responsible. Grant jokes around, but he's happy where he is.
Emmeline is a character I loved from the start. She's a teacher and loves her job with all of her heart. Sometimes she even gets a bit too involved, but she just wants her students to be happy! Growing up family wasn't always either, but her brother has always been there for her. Even after every heartbreak. After a few not so fun experiences, Emmeline decides athletes just aren't for her. But can she resist the rookie?
Dating the friend's/teammate's sister are always fun romances to read. It's supposed to be off limits, but isn't that all the fun? I loved that both of these characters noticed each other, but both weren't looking for a relationship. Something kept pulling them to each other and all the flirting was so much fun! Out of Play had me laughing out loud and really rooting for these two to be together. I think this book also shows us family means the best, even if they don't always show it in the right way. Her brother definitely learned his lesson.
On top of a sweet romance, I loved the cast of side character. Of course, we see Miriam and Silas. Also, Emmeline's best friend and the other athletes were so much fun. I need them to all get their own stories! All in all, this was such a fast and fun romance! A perfect summer read!
Grant is the rookie of the Storm and he's making way to start his career. He seems like a hardworking and sweet guy, who has a backup plan for if it doesn't go the way he wants it to. I thought this was really responsible. Grant jokes around, but he's happy where he is.
Emmeline is a character I loved from the start. She's a teacher and loves her job with all of her heart. Sometimes she even gets a bit too involved, but she just wants her students to be happy! Growing up family wasn't always either, but her brother has always been there for her. Even after every heartbreak. After a few not so fun experiences, Emmeline decides athletes just aren't for her. But can she resist the rookie?
Dating the friend's/teammate's sister are always fun romances to read. It's supposed to be off limits, but isn't that all the fun? I loved that both of these characters noticed each other, but both weren't looking for a relationship. Something kept pulling them to each other and all the flirting was so much fun! Out of Play had me laughing out loud and really rooting for these two to be together. I think this book also shows us family means the best, even if they don't always show it in the right way. Her brother definitely learned his lesson.
On top of a sweet romance, I loved the cast of side character. Of course, we see Miriam and Silas. Also, Emmeline's best friend and the other athletes were so much fun. I need them to all get their own stories! All in all, this was such a fast and fun romance! A perfect summer read!
July 26, 2020
This book checks so many of my favorite things!
Soccer? Check!
Teachers (and feisty art teacher best friends)? Check!
Open and honest communication? Check!
HEA? CHECK!
Emmeline is the sister of the team captain. Grant is the newbie with something to prove. When they lock eyes on one another at a home game, there are sparks the size of fireworks!
I love that Emmeline and Grant were able to get to know each other online as well as in person. And as someone who has played soccer their whole life but didn't know much about arena soccer before reading this book, I like that the author spoke about rules and differences in an organic way that didn't feel like an info dump.
Out of Play was a fun read, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book in the Love in the Arena series!
**I received an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**
Soccer? Check!
Teachers (and feisty art teacher best friends)? Check!
Open and honest communication? Check!
HEA? CHECK!
Emmeline is the sister of the team captain. Grant is the newbie with something to prove. When they lock eyes on one another at a home game, there are sparks the size of fireworks!
I love that Emmeline and Grant were able to get to know each other online as well as in person. And as someone who has played soccer their whole life but didn't know much about arena soccer before reading this book, I like that the author spoke about rules and differences in an organic way that didn't feel like an info dump.
Out of Play was a fun read, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book in the Love in the Arena series!
**I received an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**
June 20, 2020
This series just warms my heart. Tirrell is at it again AND I AM HERE FOR IT.
Grant, a rookie on an arena soccer team, sees a capivating woman at one of his games. He is infatuated with her until he finds out she is the younger sister of his team captain, Finn, and consequently totally off limits. But the more time he spends with Emmaline, the more interested he is. While she has sworn off athletes after multiple bad experiences, is it time to put herself back "in play"?
Grant, a rookie on an arena soccer team, sees a capivating woman at one of his games. He is infatuated with her until he finds out she is the younger sister of his team captain, Finn, and consequently totally off limits. But the more time he spends with Emmaline, the more interested he is. While she has sworn off athletes after multiple bad experiences, is it time to put herself back "in play"?
June 17, 2020
Another great sports romance by Kayla. It’s the second installment in the series but can be read as a stand alone. It’s a clean romance where it’s all PG but really sweet. My only complaint is that I feel it ended abruptly and would have liked to have an epilogue or something. This is a personal preference so take it as you will 😉. I’m hoping we’ll see more of Em and Grant in another book.
Thank you to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
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December 20, 2023⚽️ Out Of Play by Kayla Tirrell ⚽️
Memorable Moments/Ideas:
✨ Sibling Protection/Love?
⚽️ Teacher Representation
✨ Food Truck Tacos
⚽️ The Dating Game
✨ Instagram Likes
As the sequel to Penalty Box, we now follow the lives of Finn’s sister Emmeline and the newest rookie on the team, Grant. Em finally attends one of her brother’s games and despite how much she hates athletes (minus her brother) she develops a low key crush on Grant. Unlike the first book which focuses on second chances, this story focuses on second guessing the rule to “not date athletes” — especially soccer players.
I love that Emmeline is a teacher and we spend some more time in a school, but the twist being we see the teacher’s perspective. As an educator, it’s always nice to see stories that get the reality of teaching and can portray it with accuracy (and sometimes frustration…). The only gripe I have with Em is her ability to hold grudges against some, but not equally with all. Grant is a fabulous MMC and his character’s tenacity and withitness is reasonable and well portrayed. Will he be a professional sports person forever? No. Does he actively think of a productive back up? Absolutely. Level headed. Love it.
The tension and banter between Em and Grant is great. I love their flirting encounters and conversations. It’s subtle and cute and heartwarming overall. It’s a great feel good sports romance.
Spice: 🫑
Recommend: Yes.
Audience: Flirtatious banter lovers. Sports romancers. HEA lovers.
Memorable Moments/Ideas:
✨ Sibling Protection/Love?
⚽️ Teacher Representation
✨ Food Truck Tacos
⚽️ The Dating Game
✨ Instagram Likes
As the sequel to Penalty Box, we now follow the lives of Finn’s sister Emmeline and the newest rookie on the team, Grant. Em finally attends one of her brother’s games and despite how much she hates athletes (minus her brother) she develops a low key crush on Grant. Unlike the first book which focuses on second chances, this story focuses on second guessing the rule to “not date athletes” — especially soccer players.
I love that Emmeline is a teacher and we spend some more time in a school, but the twist being we see the teacher’s perspective. As an educator, it’s always nice to see stories that get the reality of teaching and can portray it with accuracy (and sometimes frustration…). The only gripe I have with Em is her ability to hold grudges against some, but not equally with all. Grant is a fabulous MMC and his character’s tenacity and withitness is reasonable and well portrayed. Will he be a professional sports person forever? No. Does he actively think of a productive back up? Absolutely. Level headed. Love it.
The tension and banter between Em and Grant is great. I love their flirting encounters and conversations. It’s subtle and cute and heartwarming overall. It’s a great feel good sports romance.
Spice: 🫑
Recommend: Yes.
Audience: Flirtatious banter lovers. Sports romancers. HEA lovers.
February 28, 2024
This was a fun short soccer romance. My heart just went out to Emmeline. She wears her heart on her sleeve but just keeps it all bottled inside. She’s been hurt too many times and has now given up on love, especially if he is an athlete. Then in walks Grant, who is very attractive, kind and … an athlete. There is no way she can give him a chance, right?
Grant takes one look at Em and he knows he’s in trouble. Especially when he find’s out she’s the captain’s sister and he has a strict, ‘no dating my sister’ rule. But when he finds himself on the sidelines next to her his will power starts to crumble immediately!
I really enjoyed Grant and Em’s connection. They both just want what is best for the other person. I liked that the story wasn’t so cut and dry. There were definitely some secrets I didn’t see coming out that added to the depth of the story and the characters.
Plot: 4 stars
Character Development: 3.5 stars
Romance: 3 stars
Writing Style: 4 stars
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Spoiler alerts: The romance was short and immediately went to ‘I love you’. It was so quick. I wish there were moments between the two. You can never go wrong with more romance right haha.
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Trigger warnings: absentee parents. Romance, just kissing/closed door.
Grant takes one look at Em and he knows he’s in trouble. Especially when he find’s out she’s the captain’s sister and he has a strict, ‘no dating my sister’ rule. But when he finds himself on the sidelines next to her his will power starts to crumble immediately!
I really enjoyed Grant and Em’s connection. They both just want what is best for the other person. I liked that the story wasn’t so cut and dry. There were definitely some secrets I didn’t see coming out that added to the depth of the story and the characters.
Plot: 4 stars
Character Development: 3.5 stars
Romance: 3 stars
Writing Style: 4 stars
.
.
.
.
Spoiler alerts: The romance was short and immediately went to ‘I love you’. It was so quick. I wish there were moments between the two. You can never go wrong with more romance right haha.
.
.
.
.
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Trigger warnings: absentee parents. Romance, just kissing/closed door.
July 21, 2020
Out of Play is the second book in a clean sports romance series. This series centers around soccer arena players and the women they fall in love with.
I easily read this book in one day and didn’t want to put it down. I did feel that this story was a little rushed but I’m not sure if it’s because I read it so fast or because things just seemed to happen quickly.
Emmeline is Finn’s little sister that you may have met in the first book. I don’t really remember Grant in the first book but you get to read about him now. I did wish to hear a little more about his family back in Kansas City.
I really liked the chemistry between Grant and Em and thought they were cute together. I wish Finn hadn’t been so overprotective of his sister but I was glad to see some character development between them at the end.
I thought Grant was a cool guy and that he was able to hold his own with the new team. I felt bad that he didn’t get to enjoy the beginning of the season like he thought but it could have been much worse.
I’m interested to see who the third book is about since this one had a little surprise towards the end.
I easily read this book in one day and didn’t want to put it down. I did feel that this story was a little rushed but I’m not sure if it’s because I read it so fast or because things just seemed to happen quickly.
Emmeline is Finn’s little sister that you may have met in the first book. I don’t really remember Grant in the first book but you get to read about him now. I did wish to hear a little more about his family back in Kansas City.
I really liked the chemistry between Grant and Em and thought they were cute together. I wish Finn hadn’t been so overprotective of his sister but I was glad to see some character development between them at the end.
I thought Grant was a cool guy and that he was able to hold his own with the new team. I felt bad that he didn’t get to enjoy the beginning of the season like he thought but it could have been much worse.
I’m interested to see who the third book is about since this one had a little surprise towards the end.
August 16, 2020
This is a good book about Em and Grant, finding each other when he is only in town during the season and she has a strict "no athletes" rule. I liked the characters of this book--Em was a teacher who really cared about her students, and Grant was just an all-around good guy.
This is the second book of the series, focusing on two different characters that were briefly introduced in the first book. What I like most about this series is we get to see a variety of athlete characters, which allows them to be realistic. Many times, authors write athletes very one-dimensional or stereotypical, but in this series the author writes about professional athletes with deeper motivations and back stories that make them who they are. That is very refreshing!
It is a sweet story, quick read, and if you like wholesome, interesting characters, you will enjoy this book--even if you don't like soccer. But if you also like soccer (or any sports for that matter) this book is a must read!
This is the second book of the series, focusing on two different characters that were briefly introduced in the first book. What I like most about this series is we get to see a variety of athlete characters, which allows them to be realistic. Many times, authors write athletes very one-dimensional or stereotypical, but in this series the author writes about professional athletes with deeper motivations and back stories that make them who they are. That is very refreshing!
It is a sweet story, quick read, and if you like wholesome, interesting characters, you will enjoy this book--even if you don't like soccer. But if you also like soccer (or any sports for that matter) this book is a must read!
April 24, 2022
Love and Soccer
This book is the second book in the Love in the Arena series, and it was just as entertaining as the first book in the series. The author is a new-to-me author, but she did a wonderful job in the writing of this book.
Grant is a rookie on the soccer team, and he meets Emmeline, while in the middle of a game. There is immediate attraction, even though, he doesn’t date fans, and Em has a no dating soccer players rule. They begin to flirt, and their attraction begins to get stronger.
An incident in the team locker room, results in Grant getting a black eye from Finn, Em’s brother.
Em’s teaching job gets her depressed, and she goes to Grant for comfort, but he breaks up with her because of all the complications.
Eventually Finn accepts that his sister, and Grant really have feelings for each other, and he helps Grant set up a real date with Em. They admit their true feelings to each other, an finally reach their HEA.
This book is the second book in the Love in the Arena series, and it was just as entertaining as the first book in the series. The author is a new-to-me author, but she did a wonderful job in the writing of this book.
Grant is a rookie on the soccer team, and he meets Emmeline, while in the middle of a game. There is immediate attraction, even though, he doesn’t date fans, and Em has a no dating soccer players rule. They begin to flirt, and their attraction begins to get stronger.
An incident in the team locker room, results in Grant getting a black eye from Finn, Em’s brother.
Em’s teaching job gets her depressed, and she goes to Grant for comfort, but he breaks up with her because of all the complications.
Eventually Finn accepts that his sister, and Grant really have feelings for each other, and he helps Grant set up a real date with Em. They admit their true feelings to each other, an finally reach their HEA.
July 17, 2020
Book: Out of Play by Kayla Tirrell ⠀
My Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥⠀
Genre: Second Chance Sports Romance⠀
Comment:An amazing piece of writing and an instant fav!⠀
My Review:
Like its predecessor, this book too absolutely stole my heart!!!
The book follows Emmeline, who has a STRICT no-dating-players
rule, and all's going well, till one day,Em meets Grant. Her heart's
in turmoil, and her rule slowly begins loosening its hold on Emmeline.
Are the two of them going to have a HEA or will it only result in
a string of broken hearts? Find out in Out of Play, the second book
in the Love in the Arena Series.
My Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥⠀
Genre: Second Chance Sports Romance⠀
Comment:An amazing piece of writing and an instant fav!⠀
My Review:
Like its predecessor, this book too absolutely stole my heart!!!
The book follows Emmeline, who has a STRICT no-dating-players
rule, and all's going well, till one day,Em meets Grant. Her heart's
in turmoil, and her rule slowly begins loosening its hold on Emmeline.
Are the two of them going to have a HEA or will it only result in
a string of broken hearts? Find out in Out of Play, the second book
in the Love in the Arena Series.
June 24, 2020
A good sports romance about Emmeline, sister of Finn captain of the Storm soccer team, who doesn't date athletes and Grant, the rookie on the Storm team. Their eyes catch each other during a game are in a trance. It may not be love at first sight, but something is going on. Grant is determined to meet this beautiful girl and then he finds out she's off-limits per Finn. Will they get together despite Emmeline's brother's wishes?
I really enjoyed this story; the chemistry is great between Em and Grant and the characters are well-developed. I highly recommend this book and the series.
I really enjoyed this story; the chemistry is great between Em and Grant and the characters are well-developed. I highly recommend this book and the series.
June 30, 2020
*All of my reviews are voluntarily written*
What can I say? This author's writing has always brought me joy and I love reading her stories so much! This one is no different.
Emmeline has decided she's not dating sports players, but finds herself attracted to the new rookie on the team her brother is on, the Storm. It takes a little help from Miriam, the head community outreach coordinator, to get things going.
This was a fun read, just like all her books are, and I can't wait to see what's coming next!
What can I say? This author's writing has always brought me joy and I love reading her stories so much! This one is no different.
Emmeline has decided she's not dating sports players, but finds herself attracted to the new rookie on the team her brother is on, the Storm. It takes a little help from Miriam, the head community outreach coordinator, to get things going.
This was a fun read, just like all her books are, and I can't wait to see what's coming next!
January 13, 2024
From the start there was instant attraction followed by stern warnings to not even look Em’s direction. So in theory they shouldn’t have even given romance a thought, but rules are made to be broken. Multiple rules from multiple angles made this a fun read. This second book in the series was great! Loved getting to know the characters more, seeing how they all interacted, watched out for each other, and grew along the way. There were a few fun surprises thrown in as well.
February 6, 2024
Loved this! Did I immediately start reading book two after I finished the first?! Yes. Yes I did. This is full of forbidden romance, teammates sister, and a nice helping of he falls first🫠 Grant & Em are adorable together! My only wish is that there were more books because I have loved the Storm and definitely need more player’s stories💚!
December 28, 2023
I read the first in the series already and loved it but this one I love more!!! The story line was sweet and I enjoyed every minute I read! Very clean and wholesome romance story and I can’t wait to read more from Kayla.
I received this book as an eARC for my honest review. Thank you.
I received this book as an eARC for my honest review. Thank you.
April 30, 2025
Cute soccer romance, like at first sight, he gets hurt trying to impress her, then saves her from a ball to the head. so cute Grant is everything. YA romance, Happy ending.
I would have loved to see more books in this series.
I would have loved to see more books in this series.
July 7, 2020
Review of Out of Play
This was a very good book and I will recommend her books to anyone who loves romance novels. She keeps you involved from page one until the end.
This was a very good book and I will recommend her books to anyone who loves romance novels. She keeps you involved from page one until the end.
January 16, 2024
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is book 2 in the Love in the Arena Series and can be read as a standalone. The book's blurb lets you know what to expect. Out of Play is told through Emmeline and Grant's pov is a sweet romance about two individuals unexpectedly falling in love.
After her past relationship, Emmeline isn't interested in dating athletes. When she meets Grant, she can't deny feeling a pull to him but she's determined to stick to her rule. Like her, Grant's focus is on having a good rookie season and he's not thinking about having a relationship. Yet, he's drawn to Emmeline and wants to get to know her. As they spend more time together, the each have to do decide if a relationship is something possible.
While there was instant attraction between them, their romance was a slow burn. Though neither was looking for a relationship, they didn't try hard to not spend time together. Emmeline had good reasons to protect her heart and I liked how Grant was simply himself. He won her over with his honesty and how careful he was with her feelings. The romance was a clean one consisting of descriptive, but not steamy, kissing and no cursing was used. I enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the team and reading about the sport. Overall, this was a great follow up to the first book and I would like to read more from this series.
After her past relationship, Emmeline isn't interested in dating athletes. When she meets Grant, she can't deny feeling a pull to him but she's determined to stick to her rule. Like her, Grant's focus is on having a good rookie season and he's not thinking about having a relationship. Yet, he's drawn to Emmeline and wants to get to know her. As they spend more time together, the each have to do decide if a relationship is something possible.
While there was instant attraction between them, their romance was a slow burn. Though neither was looking for a relationship, they didn't try hard to not spend time together. Emmeline had good reasons to protect her heart and I liked how Grant was simply himself. He won her over with his honesty and how careful he was with her feelings. The romance was a clean one consisting of descriptive, but not steamy, kissing and no cursing was used. I enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the team and reading about the sport. Overall, this was a great follow up to the first book and I would like to read more from this series.
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