Fair Catch

Portland Pioneers #2

by Heidi McLaughlin

From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin delivers a contemporary football romance that will leave you ready to hike the ball.

Kelsey Sloane’s love of books leads to her dream job as an acquisitions editor for an up and coming publisher. What their company needs to really make a name for themselves is a hit release, and Kelsey thinks she may have found it. That is, if the football aspects of the sports-themed love story make sense. Completely clueless on the subject, she calls the local NFL team—the Portland Pioneers—to teach her the basics.

Portland Pioneers center, Alex Moore, gets the short end of the stick when he’s tasked with teaching new to town, Kelsey Sloane, all about football. Fresh off a break-up with his long-term girlfriend, the offensive lines blur for Alex when he finds himself attracted to Kelsey.

Oblivious to who Alex is, Kelsey isn’t enamored by his fame or begging for tickets on the fifty-yard line. Her only interest is learning about the sport he loves.

Her impromptu internship over, it’s time for Kelsey to return to wading through stacks of manuscripts. But Alex isn’t ready to say goodbye. Can he find a way to keep the football novice in his life? Or will their differing careers be the flag on the play that keeps them apart?

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Football, Audiobook, Contemporary, Sports

Unknown Binding

First published March 28, 2023

About the author

Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.

In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.

Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018.

To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com

Reviews

[Jennifer Leigh (jenjenbookfan) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair Catch is Book 2 in the Portland Pioneers Series by Heidi McLaughlin, featuring an opposites attract sports romance with Alex and Kelsey. Kelsey is an acquisitions editor who is new to Portland and is interested in a football romance manuscript, but she knows absolutely nothing about sports. A coworker connects her to someone in the Pioneers front office who offers to have a player show her the ins and outs of the game. Alex may have picked the short straw, but will meeting Kelsey help him win in the game of life? He’s fresh off of a break-up, but the world tilted off its axis when he met Kelsey. Will their different lives prevent them from finding happiness with each other?

The world building with this book and series is top notch. The characters draw you in immediately, especially if you’re a fan of the Beaumont Series! It’s the perfect blend of old friends and new ones with witty banter, laughter, authentic emotions and reactions, and that familial camaraderie that some authors can pull off in ensemble casts like this. You can see that bond in within the football team already, and it’s going to keep the series interesting as it progresses. I absolutely loved Alex and Kelsey together!! Their chemistry and passion was explosive, and he is the perfect mix of sweet, spicy, and strong. It was going so well for them, I knew the shoe was going to drop!! There were a couple twists to fan the drama. I did get a bit frustrated with how Kelsey reacted to the big twist. I understand it, but seriously, pull your big girl pants on, and support your man. There’s so much I could say, but I avoid spoilers.😂 Anyway, I couldn’t put the book down, and I can’t wait to see whose story is next!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an advanced review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

#HeidiMcLaughlin #portlandpioneersseries #thebeaumontseries #footballromance #sportsromance #NewRelease #bookstagram #kindleunlimited #kindleunlimitedromance #buoniamicipress #bookrecs #ARCreview #bookreview

[book_nerd13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes:
Sports romance
Strangers to Lovers
Jock vs Nerd

I’m obsessed with Kelsey and Alex, as I knew I would be! Their chemistry is immediate and off the charts hot! This is the perfect addition to the Portland Pioneer Series.

Kelsey works as an editor, and she’s presented a sports romance book to edit. She decides she wants to know all she can about the sport. Kelsey’s character is relatable, especially being a book nerd myself.

Alex, center for the Portland pioneers quite literally drew the short end of the stick, and is in charge of teaching Kelsey all he can about the sport he loves. What he didn’t expect was to draw to her. He’s not ready for another relationship, but the heart wants what it wants.

There’s a twist that had my jaw on the floor, needless to say I devoted this book. In addition to the love story for Alex and Kelsey, there’s many characters from other beloved stories by Heidi. There are of course fellow players, and my favorite couple Noah and Peyton.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this was a cute one. I liked how Kelsey was oblivious to Alex and his lifestyle, she was more interested in him as a person. Of course this brought some issues later, but they were understandable and they were able to work through things. It wasn't until Maggie showed back up that things went to hell fast! It really sucked how manipulative she was and how it made some many problems for Alex and Kelsey. I get why Alex tried to play nice with Maggie, but it still annoyed me. I was glad when he started to play hardball and give her the attention she deserved.

I liked the moves that Alex made at the end to win over Kelsey, both in San Diego and at Christmas time. The ending was great! Loved seeing the book come out and how many kids were excited.

[Katie Wastlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review .This is book 2 in a series but can be a standalone .This is a sports romance and strangers to lovers .Kesey is an editor at a publishing company and needs a best seller .Kelsey comes across a manuscript about football.Well Kelsey does not know anything about football .She contacts an NFL team in Portland to get some general information about football for this book.Alex draws the short end of straw and is paired up to Kelsey.Alex is just coming off a long term relationship and is not sure he should try this thing with Kelsey .Tune in to see what happens with Kelsey and Alex.I will definitely read more by this author .

[Lynn M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair Catch is Book #2 in the Portland Pioneer Series and with the Super Bowl (and a certain Football Center that is all over the news) fresh in my mind it was perfect timing. I could not put this book down and finished it in less than a day and loved every minute of it. We have met Alex Moore in previous books and the glimpse of him we have gotten did not prepare me to love his character (but he definitely changed my mind). The female character, Kelsey Sloane is a book editor who comes to the team to learn more about football for a book she wants to edit. Alex is the “winner” who gets the assignment to show Kelsey around. We have seen Alex with a bit of swagger in previous books so it cracked me up that he was willing to throw himself into a new situation with Kelsey’s work just to get her attention. Alex and Kelsey quickly become an item and we watch as they learn to navigate two different worlds. Poor Kelsey was not prepared to be exposed to both the mean girl friends of Alex’s ex as well as the media. Thankfully we always have a great group of supporting cast in Heidi’s books to help her navigate things. (I love how Noah and Peyton are always a big part of these books). All seems to be moving smoothly until Alex’s ex-girlfriend re-enters the picture in a big way. While I didn’t love the way that Kelsey handled the situation it felt relatable. I was more frustrated that Alex didn’t speak his mind more and quickly turned his back on the man he had become. Thankfully they both realized that together was where they wanted to be.

I have loved this series from the first book and love that Heidi always brings back the previous characters so that we can get a glimpse into their world. Watching Kelsey fangirl over Liam and Harrison was perfect.

I received a free Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a review of this book.

[Kaetrin]

Just not for me. DNF.

Narrated by Stephanie Rose & Nelson Hobbs

Fair Catch was my first book by Heidi McLaughlin and I fear it is very likely to be my last. I did not enjoy it. There are plenty of people who disagree with me: the book has a 4.37 rating on Goodreads. It was just not for me. Maybe I’m too old. Maybe I just like football too much.

Kelsey Sloane is a book editor in Portland. She receives a submission for a contemporary sports romance set in the world of NFL. Not knowing anything about football herself, she wants to make sure the author has her world building correct. So, she asks an assistant at the publisher to connect her with the city’s NFL team, the Portland Pioneers, so she can verify the sports stuff in the submission for herself. That was in the blurb. I really should have known better. Still, I have gone with stranger set-ups in the past and “romance reasons” covers a lot of ground.

(Aside: if Kelsey receives a submission featuring a surgeon does she have to observe a surgery to make sure the author knows what’s she’s talking about? Kelsey – Google/YouTube/Wikipedia is your friend.)

Anyway, because (and this, I could – mostly -believe) the assistant’s roommate works with the team, Kelsey is invited to a practice where, rather improbably, the coach assigns the centre, Alex Moore, to teach Kelsey all about football, instead of, you know, the assistant’s roommate who works with the team).

Alex is immediately deeply smitten (understatement) and wants to pursue a relationship. Kelsey is extremely naïve and my impression was that she didn’t really understand the level of Alex’s interest in her, nor his celebrity. She was very diligent and apparently skilled at her job but she seemed otherwise fairly clueless. (Perhaps that impression would have changed had I listened to more of the book.) For example: she asks Alex how to watch football (on her TV) as she doesn’t know how. Which… really? (Yes, I know some games are on cable but still.)

Alex invites her to a game. He messages her that he’s left a ticket for her. She doesn’t go because she thinks the game is next weekend instead of the weekend he tells her he’s left a ticket for her because that makes sense.

When she doesn’t show at the game, Alex’s teammates suggest he has to go bigger to really get her to understand how much he’s into her. They say he should get her sideline passes. SIDELINE PASSES.

I’m an Australian. Yes, I support the 49ers (go Niners!) and watch NFL so I know something about American football but even so it does not take much research (oh the irony) to know that sideline passes to games are not given out willy nilly. The NFL closely controls who is allowed on the sidelines. A book editor and would-be girlfriend of the team’s center is not ever going to be given a sideline pass. I seriously doubt it’s even possible for a center to obtain a sideline pass to an NFL game. There’s a reason Taylor Swift is in a box at the Chiefs games (except if they win the AFC Championship; then she’s on the field with Travis’s family on the field to watch the trophy presentation and to celebrate).

Then, at about chapter 6 or so, it is casually thrown into the story that the Portland Pioneers won the Super Bowl the year before. And I just couldn’t. Can you imagine the Chiefs allowing some random book editor onto their practice field and Andy Reid assigning an actual player to teach said editor about football? It’s beyond belief. My eyes were sore from the all the rolling.

World building means something to me and I could not believe the world this book was set in. It seemed to me like everything was just a flimsy excuse for two people to get together and have what I’m sure would be a lot of hot sex. And yes, to one degree, that’s what happens in romance – if you squint.

I love romance and I love a good hot sex scene. I even love a guy who is gone over his lady. But I do need a story around it that makes sense to me and Fair Catch did not. At least not up until that point and after then I was out.

Both Stephanie Rose and Nelson Hobbs are skilled and talented narrators. I’ve listened to both before. However, they were not enough to save the book for me. I didn’t listen to enough of the book to make much more comment on the narration other than that it was good in terms of character differentiation, pacing and tone, as I’d expect from this pair.

Probably if someone doesn’t know anything about NFL and/or doesn’t care, then Fair Catch would work better for them than it did for me. For me however: DNF.

[Alex Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Fair Catch. If Heidi writes it, I am going to read it. This book is football romance book. It was so interesting to see Kelsey’s job as a romance book editor. When she gets a football romance to edit, she gets help from Alex, a pro football player, to describe the game. Kelsey was so relatable between how she dealt with the paparazzi, and also her love of books… Because Same Girl… but Kelsey and Alex had a great love story with some twists, but their love for each other overcame the difficulties. Plus seeing other beloved characters from Heidi’s books is always a plus.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for a sports romance, especially football! This is the second book in the Portland Pioneers Series, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone book. The story is centered around Kelsey who is an acquisitions editor and Alex who is a center on the Portland Pioneers football team. They first meet when Kelsey interviews Alex about football, to help her understand the game for a book she’s editing. Like most couples they have their up’s and downs, but ultimately end in a happily ever after.
I’ve read multiple of Heidi McLaughlins series. This one is just as good as the rest I’ve read. I’m very honored to have received this book as an ARC

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the second half of this book, the first half unfortunately was a little meh for me. I really liked Kelsey, I thought she was a great character, very likeable and I was interested in her story. I grew to like Alex, he is a little full-on in the first half of the book which for me personally was a bit of a red flag but he makes up for it later in the book. They were great as a couple and I really did enjoy their story.

There are parts of this book where it suddenly jumps from one paragraph to the other and I feel like I’ve missed out on part of the story, but it has just randomly jumped a couple of days. It took me a little bit to get used to it.

I’m rating this book 3 stars, because I really did enjoy the book as a whole, there were just a couple of things for me which made it 3 stars. I would recommend this book to others who love sports romance, and small town - I’m certainly going to read the other books in this series.

thank you to Heidi and her team for the e-ARC to review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 in the Portland Pioneers series but is a complete standalone. I have not read the first in the series as of yet and was in no way lost. It was a cute read. Kelsey is a book editor and Alex is the center for the Pioneers, which I enjoyed because that's a player that is never a character in a book. I also loved that characters from other series were in this book/series. Tropes: nerd vs jock, sports romance, friends to lovers. ARC provided for review.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heidi McLaughlin’s books give me all the feels: the emotions of Insta love and crushes, the heart pumping anticipation of falling in love, the blood rushing of tasteful yet sexy love scenes. Loved the characters in this book. Loved how Heidi blended the book and sports world and adored my time with some Beaumont favorites.

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure why, because I love football romance, but this book wasn’t for me. I was so excited to read it, but the characters just fell flat. The story line also just felt jumpy at times. I didn’t feel a true love connection between the two characters, and we never really got to see them out doing things because as soon as we would, it would skip ahead to after. Also a little funny, that she was an editor for a sports book saying how she was tried of books not really brining up the sport at all, but this really felt like that for me.

[Jennifer Brewster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair Catch is book 2 in the Portland Pioneers series and it features Alex and Kelsey. Kelsey is an acquisitions editor and new to Portland. Alex is the starting center for the Pioneers. Kelsey is interested in a sports romance that involves football but has no clue about the sport. She gets put in touch with a rep from the Pioneers and that's where she meets Alex. To say they each had a moment when their eyes met across the field was an understatement, you could feel it between the two of them.

Heidi does such a great job at world building. Whether you are a Beaumont OG or new to this world, you feel like you've known them forever. She does a great job at melding the old characters and introducing the new ones seamlessly. I loved that Alex was so close with Noah and we got to see him and Peyton throughout the story.

My heart hurt for both Alex and Kelsey throughout the story, you knew the love was still there but they both had things to work through. Alex with his ex who shall not be named cause I LOATHE her!!!! Kelsey with learning to accept the fame that comes with dating Alex. I loved that even though Alex messed up he continued to show Kelsey that he was still there and wasn't giving up.

Fair Catch is just another reason why I love Heidi's books so much. She creates such a fantastic world you feel like you are one of the gang reading along and living it with them in real time. I was cheering for Alex and Kelsey to get past their issues and get back to loving on each other.

Heidi McLaughlin

[Sharon Moritz-rosenthal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced stpry and I enjoyed getting to know Kelsey and Alex. It was well written and had some cute and fun moments that made me chuckle.

Alex is single, just out of a long term relationship with a woman named Maggie who dumped him when she moved to England. He is a football player and he meets Kelsey when she wants to learn more about football because she is an editor and needs to decide if a manuscript has the correct terminology as it takes place in the football world.

Its lust at first sight with these two and they both fall hard for each other. Alex invites Kelsey into his world and introduces her to his friends as his girlfriend. But the world and some friends loved him with Maggie and it makes thing diffcult for them to be together.

It was not really a love triangle as Alex is all in with Kelsey. But Maggie haunts this story from the first time Alex meets Kelsey. He falls very hard and very fast and maybe it was too fast. When things get in the way of this couple, it becomes this big thing. Alex is a really awesome guy and from day one he sees how awesome Kelsey is. But the ex drama was not something I liked or expected in this story and I hated every second of it. It starts around 65% of the book and lasts way too long for my liking.

The story was awesome and I really didn't think it was needed. But what was nice about it was it showed how much Alex was into Kelsey and I liked that she makes him work for her heart after that.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is little that excites me more than being in a world this author creates. I absolutely loved Fair Catch.
Being an acquisitions editor, Kelsey is on the hunt for the next best selling read. I love that Heidi have so much insight into this, because it’s not something I know much, if anything, about. It made me appreciate what all goods into putting a book out in the world, and I loved Kelsey’s process of how she went about editing.
As the starting center for the Portland Pioneers, Alex is hardworking, yet leans on his team when he needs to. Having just separated from his girlfriend, Alex draws the short straw and is tasked with helping Kelsey to learn more about football for a novel she is editing.
Sparks flew from the first moment, and I loved the relationship these two built. As they got to know each other more, they stared falling harder. But they didn’t just jump into a relationship, and it wasn’t all about the spice. I loved the interactions between Kelsey and Alex, how Heidi continues to build on the Beaumont family, how close Alex was to his teammates and Kelsey to her friends, and I loved the build up of their hea.
If you’re looking for your next great read, definitely pick this one, as it’s definitely another touchdown from this author.

[Karrie Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I absolutely fall in love with each new storyline in these series. I love the interwoven characters that I fell in love with years ago, seeing them still around as I fall for new ones.

I love the synopsis of book editor falling for a professional athlete for a sport she knows nothing about. Kelsey is the quintessential girl next door. She loves her job and reading. She is new in town and lands a potential client that she decides to do a bit more research before offering up a contract. The problem is that she is clueless on football lingo. Enter Alex, starting Center for the Pioneers. He lands the short straw for teaching Kelsey about football.

Alex is the kind of character you fall in lust with. He is charming and a smooth talker. He also happens to be head over heels first. These two start a relationship with hearts on sleeves, and mine broke for them a few times. Both of them are cautious, and the easier things seem, the more drama behind the scenes.

I loved catching up with Peyton and Noah and 4225 West. I love seeing what everyone's futures look like, and I am excited to see where this series takes us next.

[Jeanne Jabour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heidi McLaughlin’s latest novel, Fair Catch, was another extremely hot, funny, poignant, and entertaining read about a member of the Portland Pioneers Professional Football team. I could not put this one down! I am in love with Alex Moore, the team’s center, and a huge, beefy, muscular machine that protects the QB on the field by stopping two 300-pound linebackers from getting near him, as soon as he passes him the ball. Capturing his heart is Kelsey Sloane, a diminutive book nerd who is all beauty and brains with no clue as to the power she holds over Alex. The plot is very well configured, with surprises and snafus I did not see coming, but which add challenging situations to what should have been a straight-forward mutual attraction between the two, but turned into anything but that! This book has it all, the emotions, chemistry that sizzles and burns every time they encounter one another or think about the other, and really, great drama from a few unexpected sources that keep the suspense running throughout. Get yourself to the store immediately to buy this deliciously hot and delightful tale!

[Robin Dowie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is UN-PUT-DOWN-ABLE!!!!
Kelsey is a book editor looking to research firsthand all she needs to know about football for an intriguing sports romance novel that's come across her desk when Alex, Center for the Portland Pioneers, involuntarily becomes her research! However, his attraction to her is instant and Alex is thanking his lucky stars for being stuck with this task!  While Kelsey is feeling like a double winner, getting the football facts she needs, delivered by an irristable football player. They fall hard and fast , even amongst some unwanted media drama thrown their way! They  seem to be on the perfect path to forever when BAM, a giant unexpected twist that could extinguish the spark between them as fast as it was lit!
This is a stand alone novel but fans of Heidi McLaughlin will be happy to know that there are many appearances from Noah and Peyton, as well as special appearances from the Rockstars you all know and love!
Highly recommend, I throughly enjoyed every page of this book!

[Suzi (Obsessive Reading Disorder) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of the series but could be read as a stand alone. However, fans of the author's Beaumont series will probably get the most satisfaction from the story. Lots of familiar faces round out the secondary characters.

Kelsey is a book nerd but takes her editor duties seriously. Before considering a book for publishing, she decides she needs to learn more about football. She gets a connection to the local NFL team in Portland and the rest, as they say, is history.

Alex gets the short straw to show the book editor around but he is not sorry about that. It takes some time and patience to get his heart and hers wrapped around the idea of being together. There is some ex drama but over all, a sweet romantic read.

As I said, lots of familiar Beaumont faces in this one. Loved how they support Alex and only want the best for him. I loved that Kelsey wanted to know him as a person--not a football player.

Great story!

* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Michele A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kelsey and Alex meet by chance when she is editing a book about football and asks for help. They send her to the Portland Pioneers football team and Alex is tasked with helping her. He is the center for the team and likes Kelsey right away. He had just broken up with his girlfriend, Maggie, who moved to London. The press seemed to know a lot about his past relationship and it makes Kelsey defensive. She gets pursued and false rumors and photographs are posted that claim that Alex is still with Maggie. Alex then gets surprised by Maggie and the whole thing turns into one big mess. I will say that Kelsey was not a very supportive girlfriend. She didn't handle any of the situations very well. For someone who was a romance book editor, she really was clueless how to handle real life issues. Alex did the best he could in impossible situations. He never let Kelsey wonder how he felt and didn't play games. I liked that about him. I did not really feel the same could be said about Kelsey. That took away from the book for me. I did like the ending for Alex though.

[Ash Juillet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Booksprout for a copy of this book.

I always love a good sports romance, so this was right up my alley. There were a lot of things I loved about this book: the football romance, the editor who knows nothing about American football, the tall/smol trope, the misunderstandings, the ex returning and causing unnecessary drama just for shits and giggles, the banter between the teammates, and the relationship that develops between Kelsey and Alex. But my favourite part was the one single mention of cricket. I'm a huge cricket fan and have never found a cricket-based romance book yet, so just a mention of my favourite sport had me squealing. I'm serious. I'm not a squealing, giggly sort of person, but that line about cricket had me reacting like that. Thank you for that (even if it was just one single line).

I'm surprised this book had closed-door romance though. I wasn't expecting that after all the other smutty scenes in this. Still, it was great and I loved it.

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A fun and fast paced romance, Kelsey and Alex’s story was the best way to spend a rainy weekend.

After reading the first book on this series I couldn’t wait to get book 2, I was not disappointed. These two were perfect for each other right from the start even though the were complete opposites. Alex and Kelsey’s story has all the the feelings we are used to from this author’s books, lot’s of funny times, some heat and heartbreak.

I loved catching up with past Beaumont character, Liam and Harrison are still breaking hearts. " ~Stephanie


Kelsey and Alex really shine through the pages. Happenstance brought them together, fate had them finding their soulmates instead. The Pioneers team is a big family collective and I enjoyed the support of one another. Finding love along the sidelines is challenging with the public but this story was a good example of how it is done. Kelsey's job is a dream for all us bookworms put here. Overall a fun, entertaining story.. ~Cindy

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair Catch
By Heidi McLaughlin
Main Characters: Alex and Kelsey
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
5 out of 5 stars
This is a contemporary romance which for me was very entertaining and romantic. This is also the 1st book I have read by this author. This happens to be book 2 in the Portland Pioneers series and as usual, I missed reading book 1. Kelsey is an acquisitions editor and was looking for a good manuscript hoping to promote a new author. She finds one about football and she knows zip about the game. Alex is a center on the team tasked with helping her. These are two totally different people. But what can I say, opposites attract. They did seem to have an instant attraction. As in any good love story, they did end up with issues and it would behoove you to read to find out the ending.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelsey may know a lot about editing but the same can’t be said for football so when the worlds cross, she needs to get some background to ensure she does the best job she can. A friend’s connection to the local football team just might solve the problem when it comes to the book but opens a new set of complications when it comes to Alex.

Alex is a professional football player who finds himself tasked with giving Kelsey the information she needs. After his last relationship the last thing he wanted was to spend time with Kelsey however his heart doesn’t agree but when the past resurfaces will it end in heartbreak or happy ever after?

Kelsey is unfamiliar both with football and the media attention it brings which only makes her more appealing to Alex. Despite how different they are they could not be more perfect for each other even if they do have a few rocky patches.

[Ash Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Heidi McLaughlin books. I would have read this book solely for the cameos of her previous characters. I was eagerly anticipating this one bc the first book in the Portland Pioneers series was amazing. If I’m honest I was a bit disappointed in these characters. They didn’t communicate well with each other. In their heads all these big emotions were going on but their actual interactions weren’t what I’ve come to love from this author. There were a couple places that felt rushed or like the characters interactions were left incomplete. I still liked the book it just isn’t one of my favorites. I find myself reaching for Heidi’s books for re-reads and an escape to one of my favorite book worlds but this one probably won’t be one I repeat.

[Nicki - The Overflowing Bookcase · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an acquisitions editor for an up and coming publisher, Kelsey must find the next great read. So when a manuscript surrounding football hits her inbox, she finds herself needing to learn more about the game. Alex, the Pioneer's center is tasked with the job of teaching Kelsey all about the game, but what he does not expect is that the spark he immediately feels is also felt by Kelsey. But can you find love when you have nothing in common? Or will this just be a hit and miss? I fell in love with Alex and Kelsey from their first interaction and Heidi McLaughlin gave them such an emotional story while at the same time filling it with adorable moments that made me laugh. An honest and true love story without all the hype. This is a must read.

[Melinda Swaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs a Heidi McLaughlin book in their library!!

I’m loving this spin off series. Heidi McLaughlin brings the best characters, banter, heart and just the right amount of drama and heat to her books. This one is no exception. Loved it from blurb to the last word. Everyone needs a Heidi McLaughlin book in their library. Especially this one. Her books are perfect to curl up with in your favourite chair. That’s what I do when she brings out a new book. Definitely don’t want to be disturb when reading this one. You won’t be able to put it down. Just wish I could give it more than the 5 stars ⭐️ that this book totally deserves. Grab straight away, so you can escape between the pages. Happy reading everyone

[Melissa Orton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a sweet sports romance this is the series for you. Heidi McLaughlin has long been a favorite author of mine and this next installment did not disappoint. This is the second book in this series following Alex and Kelsey. Thrown together, Alex is tasked with teaching Kelsey about football for a book she is editing. She has no clue that he’s the center for the local football team. Alex is coming off a bad breakup and not looking for a relationship but as he spends time with Kelsey his attraction for her grows. Both from different worlds trying to mesh those worlds proves complicated with a few twists thrown in. This is the perfect beach read and I got lost in the world and characters created by Heidi.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[KDRBCK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair Catch by H. McLaughlin is the second book in the Portland Pioneers Series. The PPSeries is a spin-off from the Beaumont Series Next Generation. Every book in this series can easily be read as a stand-alone. The precvious book is Fourth Down.
This is Alex and Kelsey's beautiful story. A slow burn, a deep read that touched me, gave me all the feels, had me in tears more than one time. It's one of these quiet reads that gets you when you least expect it.
A sweet slow burn with characters that are simply good people that get dealed a bad hand. And jup, there was insta-connection between the characters, the story and liloldme, the reader.
I recommend this wonderful book, 5 stars.

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the world that Heidi created and keeps building on it!! I absolutely love her stories and the characters she writes.

Alex and Kelsey are no different.... I adored them! Alex is the center for the Pioneers and Kelsey needs to learn about football for work..
These two couldn't be more different but they are perfect together.
I feel like this is an instant chemistry and have such an amazing story.

Alex has such a sweet heart that you just want more of him! He quickly became a character that I just adored.
Kelsey is very down to earth and I just loved her way of thinking...

This is another GREAT read by Heidi and I can't wait for more from her and this world she has created!