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Summersweet Island #4
First and Tension
It all started with a dare.Emily Flanagan has been living her dreams the last four years as a professional cheerleader for the Los Angeles Vipers, thousands of miles away from her tiny hometown of Summersweet Island, Virginia. She’s got the world at the tips of her pom-poms... until she tells her boss to shove those pom-poms where the sun doesn’t shine.After spending her last night in California with her biggest crush, Emily flies back home to Summersweet, resigned to her boring fate of running her parents’ business, never to be heard from again. Besides, there’s no use crying over a man who lives on the other side of the country, who she’ll never see again.“Secret love affair for the new quarterback of the Virginia Beach Sharks, or a shocking tale of infidelity, leading all the way back to a birthday party Quinn Bagley threw at his previous home in Calabasas five months ago? New photos of the mystery redhead from the party surface, leaving fans to speculate all over social media, “Who is this woman who convinced Quinn Bagley to quit the Vipers and go to one of the worst teams in the league?”Quinn Bagley is finally playing for a team that feels like a family, after years of playing with nothing but egos. Following an announcement that shocked the world—one he’d been wrestling with for months, if not years—it felt good to have that weight lifted off his shoulders. What he’s not happy about is that the woman who rocked his world the night she literally fell into his life turned out to be like every other crazy redhead he’s ever encountered, spreading lies all over social media and wanting to use him for something. He just wants to look her in the eyes and hear her admit it was all a game.Except Emily Flanagan isn’t the hotheaded, rude woman he thought she was, out to screw him over. She’s sweet, sexy, and fun. Even if she does try to banish him from her island. She makes him feel normal, she makes him laugh, and she makes him want more.He’s going to win her heart, even if he has to do it in overtime.Let the real games begin, Miss Flanagan. I dare you.
440 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2021
167 people are currently reading
1054 people want to read
About the author
Tara Sivec
71 books10.3k followersTara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when all three of them become adults and move out.
After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. She writes in a wide range of genres including Romantic Comedy, Romantic Comedy/Mystery, Romantic Suspense, New Adult Drama, Contemporary Romance and Psychological Thriller. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted Best Indie Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2014.
In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she'll do and naps she'll take when she ever gets spare time.
After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. She writes in a wide range of genres including Romantic Comedy, Romantic Comedy/Mystery, Romantic Suspense, New Adult Drama, Contemporary Romance and Psychological Thriller. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted Best Indie Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards 2014.
In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she'll do and naps she'll take when she ever gets spare time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
June 11, 2021
Emily + Quinn.
Emily left Summersweet Island four years ago to fulfill her dream of becoming a Los Angeles Vipers Cheerleader. And now, when she's almost promoted to the team's boss - she gets herself fired.
That means back home to Virginia to run her parents' rental cabin business. Yawn.
And then, on her last night in California, she goes and spends a drunken night with her crush of many years: QB Quinn! ... thinking she will never see him again.
Yup. No. He's changing coasts too.
LOL!
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ADORABLE!
I loved this!
Emily is so sad to be back home again doing that boring job. She loves her island and her friends, but she wasn't made to rent out cabins!
And then Quinn comes back into the picture. Poor guy thought Emily sold all his secrets to the press. Which she didn't of course!
And Quinn. He's so sweet and funny and he tries so hard to make Emily fall for him. Just too cute.
Then we have our three ridiculous and adorable heroes from the last three books. LOL! They're so hilarious. I just adored them.
This is a really great group of island friends!
I really loved reading this!
And this wasn't the last we've heard of them - there'll be a book #5 😱
FIRST AND TENSION was such an adorable + hilarious football-cheerleader-island-rom-com . I loved it! Hurry to your nearest amazon for your own Quinn ... this one is MINE!
💜
💜
August 10, 2021
I might say this in every review I’ve ever written for a Tara Sivec book – but ohmygosh you guys, how is she so dang funny?! Like, for real – I often struggle with romcoms because the humor is not to my taste and it detracts from the romance for me. But somehow Tara Sivec is the exception – every time. It’s like she has dialed right into my sense of humor, and the smart, sarcastic nature of her comedy somehow only enhances the romance for me. And so I keep coming back, and I keep loving each new book – just as much as the last.
This series, in particular, has been such a blast to read. I adore sports romance, and football is my favorite sport (both as a category of sports romance, and in general). And while the story is not really that heavy on the football, it was enough to light up my little heart eyeballs even going into it. I appreciated getting to know Quinn and the sporty banter sprinkled throughout. I loved that Emily was a cheerleader and that, in fact, it was cheerleading that appeared to the more prominent shining star of the story. But most of all – I just loved Quinn and Emily’s fun, sparky, playful chemistry. I loved their meet-cute (which had me laughing and swooning in equal measure) and I loved their whole vibe. For me, there is nothing more addictive than a big time hotshot who meets his match in the woman who isn’t afraid to take him down a peg or two. But Emily was never mean-spirited about it. They were always so heartfelt, so sweet, and so endearingly playful with each other. It was just so much fun to read!
But then, that’s what I’ve come to expect from books by this author. I always have a good time when I pick one up. I always fall into the story effortlessly, smiling and swooning and heart full of happy. First and Tension was no exception. This series has been the gift that keeps on giving and I honestly can’t wait for more! ~ Shelly, 4.5 Stars
This series, in particular, has been such a blast to read. I adore sports romance, and football is my favorite sport (both as a category of sports romance, and in general). And while the story is not really that heavy on the football, it was enough to light up my little heart eyeballs even going into it. I appreciated getting to know Quinn and the sporty banter sprinkled throughout. I loved that Emily was a cheerleader and that, in fact, it was cheerleading that appeared to the more prominent shining star of the story. But most of all – I just loved Quinn and Emily’s fun, sparky, playful chemistry. I loved their meet-cute (which had me laughing and swooning in equal measure) and I loved their whole vibe. For me, there is nothing more addictive than a big time hotshot who meets his match in the woman who isn’t afraid to take him down a peg or two. But Emily was never mean-spirited about it. They were always so heartfelt, so sweet, and so endearingly playful with each other. It was just so much fun to read!
But then, that’s what I’ve come to expect from books by this author. I always have a good time when I pick one up. I always fall into the story effortlessly, smiling and swooning and heart full of happy. First and Tension was no exception. This series has been the gift that keeps on giving and I honestly can’t wait for more! ~ Shelly, 4.5 Stars
June 6, 2021
Not my favorite in the series, but I liked it. I've been LOVING the Summersweet series and this is probably my least favorite so far, but that still makes it a very solid rom com. This group of friends stole my heart in the first book, and I look forward to every visit back to Summersweet. They're all sexy, lighthearted, (mostly) standalone reads that combine humor and heart, with characters who are so easy to like. Where this one falters for me is the beginning, because it doesn't deliver on the promised tension. It felt like a LOT of time was spent rehashing this couple's initial meeting... without a lot of time spent on the ACTUAL meeting. That sort of threw off the dynamic for me, so it took longer than usual to get hooked on this fake relationship romance. But once Quinn and Emily actually started spending time together, this got my attention.
The story follows Emily, a professional cheerleader whose career came to a disastrous end recently. On her final night in town, Emily runs into her longtime crush, Quinn, at a party, and things don't go quite as planned. Emily is drunk and a little crazy, which is not the kind of first impression she wanted to make on Quinn, but he loves her authenticity. The quarterback is immediately smitten with Emily, and disappointed that they didn't meet sooner. Five months later, and Quinn thinks that he's put that night behind him - until details of their night together come out online. Upset that Emily turned out to be like every other woman who has used him, Quinn comes to Summersweet to see her face-to-face. But once he's there, things get a little out of hand, and the two find themselves faking a relationship.
I really wish that this had started off differently, because I definitely wanted to know more about their night together, and a lot of the relationship relied on that connection without actually SHOWING much of it. There's also an on-again/off-again boyfriend in the picture, which was off-putting and unnecessary. Despite that, I liked Quinn a whole lot and I loved his vulnerability. Once Quinn realizes that he let a great girl get away, he doesn't let that happen again (even if he does it in a not-so-smart way, lol). That's when the tension starts developing, and things improved significantly in the back half. There are some smokin' moments and lots of chemistry, paired with an obvious connection. It's light and low angst, while still having plenty of push/pull tension. With a stronger start, I'm sure that I would've loved this. It was still a lot of fun revisiting Summersweet, and I can't wait to come back for more. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this fake relationship romance.
The story follows Emily, a professional cheerleader whose career came to a disastrous end recently. On her final night in town, Emily runs into her longtime crush, Quinn, at a party, and things don't go quite as planned. Emily is drunk and a little crazy, which is not the kind of first impression she wanted to make on Quinn, but he loves her authenticity. The quarterback is immediately smitten with Emily, and disappointed that they didn't meet sooner. Five months later, and Quinn thinks that he's put that night behind him - until details of their night together come out online. Upset that Emily turned out to be like every other woman who has used him, Quinn comes to Summersweet to see her face-to-face. But once he's there, things get a little out of hand, and the two find themselves faking a relationship.
I really wish that this had started off differently, because I definitely wanted to know more about their night together, and a lot of the relationship relied on that connection without actually SHOWING much of it. There's also an on-again/off-again boyfriend in the picture, which was off-putting and unnecessary. Despite that, I liked Quinn a whole lot and I loved his vulnerability. Once Quinn realizes that he let a great girl get away, he doesn't let that happen again (even if he does it in a not-so-smart way, lol). That's when the tension starts developing, and things improved significantly in the back half. There are some smokin' moments and lots of chemistry, paired with an obvious connection. It's light and low angst, while still having plenty of push/pull tension. With a stronger start, I'm sure that I would've loved this. It was still a lot of fun revisiting Summersweet, and I can't wait to come back for more. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this fake relationship romance.
June 15, 2021
I am thoroughly loving this series. Tara Sivec outdid herself with First and Tension. I laughed out loud so many times that my family thought I was losing it. Quinn and Emily were fun. Their story was adorable and they had their moments … but, it was the times that everyone was together that truly made this story hysterical.
Yea, Quinn started off as a privileged quarterback with an ego but soon turned around and became just one of the guys. He was determined to get Emily to see him as just a man. Not an ass. He also wants her to take back her eviction from the island. He’ll do whatever it takes including daring her.
Everyone knows Emily can’t say no to a dare. But, there’s a caveat to those dares and, of course, she let it slip to Quinn in one of his many annoying attempts of getting to know her and convince her that she can take a chance of him. And, damn, he keeps stealing her tots.
From the antics of Quinn to the Quemily shirt to the locker rooms to Sip and Bitch… I devoured this book. I have to say that I absolutely, positively love Bodhi. OMG, he’s hysterical. I love how Tara Sivic brings all her characters together in these stories and makes them just as outrageous and fun as they were in the previous stories. She builds her characters and then builds the story around them … she throws in a little drama and a whole lot of love. I can’t wait to see what she brings us next in the Summersweet series.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Yea, Quinn started off as a privileged quarterback with an ego but soon turned around and became just one of the guys. He was determined to get Emily to see him as just a man. Not an ass. He also wants her to take back her eviction from the island. He’ll do whatever it takes including daring her.
Everyone knows Emily can’t say no to a dare. But, there’s a caveat to those dares and, of course, she let it slip to Quinn in one of his many annoying attempts of getting to know her and convince her that she can take a chance of him. And, damn, he keeps stealing her tots.
From the antics of Quinn to the Quemily shirt to the locker rooms to Sip and Bitch… I devoured this book. I have to say that I absolutely, positively love Bodhi. OMG, he’s hysterical. I love how Tara Sivic brings all her characters together in these stories and makes them just as outrageous and fun as they were in the previous stories. She builds her characters and then builds the story around them … she throws in a little drama and a whole lot of love. I can’t wait to see what she brings us next in the Summersweet series.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
October 29, 2022
Truth or dare!
I love this football quarterback and cheerleader book. I love the four best friends in this series and all the guys they have fallen for. Quinn certainly fits in with Palmer, Shepherd, and Bodhi. I like Emily's character, especially her need to complete all the dares, but I was a little unsatisfied with her mother at the end.
I love this football quarterback and cheerleader book. I love the four best friends in this series and all the guys they have fallen for. Quinn certainly fits in with Palmer, Shepherd, and Bodhi. I like Emily's character, especially her need to complete all the dares, but I was a little unsatisfied with her mother at the end.
June 10, 2021
Emily Flanagan has had a crush on Vipers quarterback Quinn Bagley for as long as she can remember. The first time she meets him she has just been fired from her cheerleader position for the LA Vipers and is drowning her disappointment in lots of tequila.
“Where have you been all my life?”
“Right here, waiting for you to come find me, so I could bring you down a peg or two.”
First And Tension is a standalone in the Summersweet Island series, but Emily’s friends are all introduced in the other books and they are all a hoot and well worth the read. If you’ve read any of the previous books in this series you know to expect laugh out loud funny, full groan punny along with a sweet and touching story.
“He was showing me I could trust him with my heart, because he was trusting me with his, along with all his secrets, hopes, and dreams.”
I love this series. I have enjoyed all of my time on Summersweet Island and can’t wait to return!
-5 Stars-
“Where have you been all my life?”
“Right here, waiting for you to come find me, so I could bring you down a peg or two.”
First And Tension is a standalone in the Summersweet Island series, but Emily’s friends are all introduced in the other books and they are all a hoot and well worth the read. If you’ve read any of the previous books in this series you know to expect laugh out loud funny, full groan punny along with a sweet and touching story.
“He was showing me I could trust him with my heart, because he was trusting me with his, along with all his secrets, hopes, and dreams.”
I love this series. I have enjoyed all of my time on Summersweet Island and can’t wait to return!
-5 Stars-
June 12, 2021
Tara Sivec has a way with words with her witty humor she is the queen of rom-com. I loved everything about this book from the ridiculous humor to the combustible sexiness. Quinn and Emily had banter and intense chemistry. Their build up had all the sexual tension and longing to make their coming together explosive. They had the love of friends and a romance brewing. There was a little drama and a lot of sexiness.
I love the Summersweet series with the laughter and friendship and the happily ever afters. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with this ridiculous bunch. I look forward to more from Tara.
I love the Summersweet series with the laughter and friendship and the happily ever afters. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with this ridiculous bunch. I look forward to more from Tara.
June 11, 2021
In book four of this Rom Com series, we return to Summersweet Island for a round of fake dating and a woman who can't say no to a dare.
Emily Flanagan has returned to her hometown with her tail between her legs, having been fired as a cheerleader for the Vikings football team. But things become really interesting, when her crush and former quarterback of the Vikings, Quinn Bagley (yes, with his initials, he was destined to be a QB) moves to that part of the country to join the local team. And with him follows a social media storm that involves them both.
Despite some early drama and heartache as these two, who previously only shared one night of bonding (no sex), try to figure out if their previous connection was real, they concoct a plan to fake date to appease Quinn's new boss. And of course, fall in love in the process. Sometimes over-the-top silly, sometimes very dirty, the couple are obviously a good match. I liked how they supported one another and often sacrificed their own feelings at times to help the other.
Like the other books in this series, there is some stupid drama that nearly ruins everything, but thanks to the lovable cast of side characters from the previous books in this series, the drama doesn't extend to any unreasonable amount of time. And we get back to the sweet and sexy times.
Fans of this series will enjoy this latest installment. And if you haven't read this series before but are looking for a new Rom Com series, then jump right in.
*An ARC was received for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit
Emily Flanagan has returned to her hometown with her tail between her legs, having been fired as a cheerleader for the Vikings football team. But things become really interesting, when her crush and former quarterback of the Vikings, Quinn Bagley (yes, with his initials, he was destined to be a QB) moves to that part of the country to join the local team. And with him follows a social media storm that involves them both.
Despite some early drama and heartache as these two, who previously only shared one night of bonding (no sex), try to figure out if their previous connection was real, they concoct a plan to fake date to appease Quinn's new boss. And of course, fall in love in the process. Sometimes over-the-top silly, sometimes very dirty, the couple are obviously a good match. I liked how they supported one another and often sacrificed their own feelings at times to help the other.
Like the other books in this series, there is some stupid drama that nearly ruins everything, but thanks to the lovable cast of side characters from the previous books in this series, the drama doesn't extend to any unreasonable amount of time. And we get back to the sweet and sexy times.
Fans of this series will enjoy this latest installment. And if you haven't read this series before but are looking for a new Rom Com series, then jump right in.
*An ARC was received for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit
June 11, 2021
#Quemily
Emily is back home on the island (not by choice) and hijinx with her island family (and the best circle of friends a girl can ever have).
Quinn is here to rip her a new one about things he thinks she did, but then the connection they had before sparks back to life, and ignite (even without the help of Tess and her lighter).
You can't help but want them to get together. Heck, her friends have are already shipping them and Emily just needs to come to the party.
I love these people. They had me laughing, they had me rolling my eyes, had me wanting to be part of their group.
Will #Quemily get their HEA? Well, for that you will need to read for yourself.
I am also happy that there will be more of the Summerset Island crew coming in the future, woot!
a>
Emily is back home on the island (not by choice) and hijinx with her island family (and the best circle of friends a girl can ever have).
Quinn is here to rip her a new one about things he thinks she did, but then the connection they had before sparks back to life, and ignite (even without the help of Tess and her lighter).
You can't help but want them to get together. Heck, her friends have are already shipping them and Emily just needs to come to the party.
I love these people. They had me laughing, they had me rolling my eyes, had me wanting to be part of their group.
Will #Quemily get their HEA? Well, for that you will need to read for yourself.
I am also happy that there will be more of the Summerset Island crew coming in the future, woot!
a>
June 6, 2021
First and Tension is a slow burn with a lot of tension and when it finally catches fire it’s a five alarm.
What you need to know about “First and Tension”:
✔ Fake Relationship
✔ Dual Point of View
✔ Sports Romance
✔ Emily Flanagan, ex-professional cheerleader
✔ Quinn Bagley, professional quarterback
✔ Romantic Comedy
✔ Can be read as a Complete Standalone
✔ Summersweet Island #4
Emily Flanagan was fired from her professional cheerleading job and is returning to Summersweet Island where some complications await her.
Quinn Bagley quit his job on the LA Vipers so he could be a quarterback closer to his family in North Carolina for the Virginia Beach team but a rumour gets started that he quit and moved for Emily.
Quinn mistakenly thinks that Emily started the rumours and he sets out for the island to confront her with his jerk of an agent.
After a lot of craziness, Quinn and Emily end up having to fake a relationship to appease Quinn’s new scary boss.
But Quinn doesn’t want to fake anything and he just needs to figure out how to win Emily over.
First and Tension is filled with all of the great Summersweet Island characters you’ve already fallen in love with. Quinn and Emily are the champions of banter, teasing and laugh out loud situations. Their relationship also has the necessary emotional depth and a little angst.
First and Tension delivers on its promise of sexual tension, all the chemistry you could ask for and outrageous laughs. I highly recommend this romance.
WRITING STYLE: 5/5
PLOT: 5/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 5/5
PACING: 5/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5/5
ROMANCE: 5/5
HEAT: 5/5
What you need to know about “First and Tension”:
✔ Fake Relationship
✔ Dual Point of View
✔ Sports Romance
✔ Emily Flanagan, ex-professional cheerleader
✔ Quinn Bagley, professional quarterback
✔ Romantic Comedy
✔ Can be read as a Complete Standalone
✔ Summersweet Island #4
Emily Flanagan was fired from her professional cheerleading job and is returning to Summersweet Island where some complications await her.
Quinn Bagley quit his job on the LA Vipers so he could be a quarterback closer to his family in North Carolina for the Virginia Beach team but a rumour gets started that he quit and moved for Emily.
Quinn mistakenly thinks that Emily started the rumours and he sets out for the island to confront her with his jerk of an agent.
After a lot of craziness, Quinn and Emily end up having to fake a relationship to appease Quinn’s new scary boss.
But Quinn doesn’t want to fake anything and he just needs to figure out how to win Emily over.
First and Tension is filled with all of the great Summersweet Island characters you’ve already fallen in love with. Quinn and Emily are the champions of banter, teasing and laugh out loud situations. Their relationship also has the necessary emotional depth and a little angst.
First and Tension delivers on its promise of sexual tension, all the chemistry you could ask for and outrageous laughs. I highly recommend this romance.
WRITING STYLE: 5/5
PLOT: 5/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 5/5
PACING: 5/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5/5
ROMANCE: 5/5
HEAT: 5/5
August 11, 2022
Emily: Taylor Swift?
Quinn: I will throw hands if you come for my girl.
my third favorite swiftie book boy!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
you can't understand how much i enjoy this series!!! i love their friendships i can read about them ten more books 😭
i loved how the guys fangirled over quinn and how quinn wanted to be friends with them 😍
emily is an amazing heroine! i can't believe she's cheerleading at 34 🤸🏼♀️ i feel like dying after 1 hour of cardio and i'm only 22 🤠☠️
Quinn: I will throw hands if you come for my girl.
my third favorite swiftie book boy!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
you can't understand how much i enjoy this series!!! i love their friendships i can read about them ten more books 😭
i loved how the guys fangirled over quinn and how quinn wanted to be friends with them 😍
emily is an amazing heroine! i can't believe she's cheerleading at 34 🤸🏼♀️ i feel like dying after 1 hour of cardio and i'm only 22 🤠☠️
June 12, 2021
Lots of laughs, shenanigans and heat!!!
On her last night in California before returning home across the country with her tail between her legs, Emily Flanagan ends up at a party at the home of the man she has crushed on for years, quarterback Quinn Bagley. Too much alcohol and a few insults later leads to the some of best sobering up techniques Quinn has to offer.
5 months later, that party night turns into tabloid fodder and Quinn finally tracks down the woman he can’t forget. We get to reconnect with the crew from previous Summersweet Island novels while we follow the tumultuous trail Quinn and Emily create as they try to navigate their real/fake relationship, the tabloids, friends and family.
Tara Sivec treats readers again to another laugh out loud, outrageously fun story than can still bring bittersweet tears and tug at your heartstrings from one page to the next. First and Tension is the 4th novel in the Summersweet Island series but can be read as a standalone.
On her last night in California before returning home across the country with her tail between her legs, Emily Flanagan ends up at a party at the home of the man she has crushed on for years, quarterback Quinn Bagley. Too much alcohol and a few insults later leads to the some of best sobering up techniques Quinn has to offer.
5 months later, that party night turns into tabloid fodder and Quinn finally tracks down the woman he can’t forget. We get to reconnect with the crew from previous Summersweet Island novels while we follow the tumultuous trail Quinn and Emily create as they try to navigate their real/fake relationship, the tabloids, friends and family.
Tara Sivec treats readers again to another laugh out loud, outrageously fun story than can still bring bittersweet tears and tug at your heartstrings from one page to the next. First and Tension is the 4th novel in the Summersweet Island series but can be read as a standalone.
June 6, 2021
This is an honest review for and arc received.
“Physically impossible. How do I look?” “Hot as hell, of course, but also like you just drank half a bottle of tequila and you’re about to make several poor life choices that will require bail money and possibly an antibiotic.”
Emily Flanagan left Summersweet Island on a dare to become a professional cheerleader. Fast forward four years later, she just told off an icon and is now sulking because she’s getting ready to go back home. After hanging out one night with her football crush, Quinn Bagley, she will regret not kissing him.
“Well then, I’ll just throw you in the pool and short-circuit your battery.”
Quinn Bagley, hotshot football QB, is finally leaving California and joining a team that he’s always hoped for. After a social media fiasco, he’s determined to call out Emily. When the truth is revealed, he’s left groveling. Finally, after daring Emily to be his fake girlfriend, feelings begin to develop and then it’s a game of truth or dare with their hearts.
“I can’t believe you’ve already forgotten about Chocolate Torte Bagley. You are a horrible food baby mother.
5 touchdown Jesus stars! The queen of witty banter, and sarcastic one liners strikes again. This book will have you laughing the entire time you read it. Quinn is a lovable guy, and Emily is hilarious. Don’t worry, your favorite couples from the previous Summersweet books are in this one too and up to some crazy antics. I mean, I’d expect nothing less! Can’t wait for more from this crew!
“Seeing you wear my name on your back just does something to me.”
“Physically impossible. How do I look?” “Hot as hell, of course, but also like you just drank half a bottle of tequila and you’re about to make several poor life choices that will require bail money and possibly an antibiotic.”
Emily Flanagan left Summersweet Island on a dare to become a professional cheerleader. Fast forward four years later, she just told off an icon and is now sulking because she’s getting ready to go back home. After hanging out one night with her football crush, Quinn Bagley, she will regret not kissing him.
“Well then, I’ll just throw you in the pool and short-circuit your battery.”
Quinn Bagley, hotshot football QB, is finally leaving California and joining a team that he’s always hoped for. After a social media fiasco, he’s determined to call out Emily. When the truth is revealed, he’s left groveling. Finally, after daring Emily to be his fake girlfriend, feelings begin to develop and then it’s a game of truth or dare with their hearts.
“I can’t believe you’ve already forgotten about Chocolate Torte Bagley. You are a horrible food baby mother.
5 touchdown Jesus stars! The queen of witty banter, and sarcastic one liners strikes again. This book will have you laughing the entire time you read it. Quinn is a lovable guy, and Emily is hilarious. Don’t worry, your favorite couples from the previous Summersweet books are in this one too and up to some crazy antics. I mean, I’d expect nothing less! Can’t wait for more from this crew!
“Seeing you wear my name on your back just does something to me.”
September 8, 2021
First and Tension (Summersweet Island 4) by Tara Sivec
Romantic Comedy. Can stand alone, but I recommend reading the series in order.
I can’t believe I never reviewed one of my favorite books! I read it at the beginning of summer, but I still remember it clear as day. First & Tension by Tara Sivec is the 4th in the Summersweet Island Series, and I just love them all. Nobody can make me smile, swoon, tear up, and almost choke from laughter like Tara Sivec. She is hands-down my favorite romcom author, and First and Tension just helped solidify that.
“Truth or Dare”
Emily was a professional cheerleader in California until she told off her boss and got fired. With no job, her only choice is to go back home to Summersweet Island and help rent out her parent's cottages, a job she hates. Luckily her amazing group of friends are there to welcome her with open arms. (Seriously, Tara’s friend groups are EPIC.) The night before she left though, she had a one-night-stand with her long-time crush, the team quarterback, Quinn.
When Quinn moves out east to be closer to family, a rumor starts that he moved there for Emily, causing a media uproar, and he thinks she started it, so he goes to confront her.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“Just want to check and make sure I still have a penis. Maybe cry for a few minutes.”
In order to calm down the bad press as well as Quinn’s boss, Quinn and Emily embark on a fake relationship.
“Where have you been all my life?”
“Right here, waiting for you to come find me, so I could bring you down a peg or two.”
Once again, Tara wrote a great couple with a feisty heroine and a funny hero. I loved their banter so much, and all of their dysfunctional but awesome friends (the characters from the first three books) were so much fun to read about. I just love the sarcastic humor they all have.
There were so many relatable, normal-but-funny moments. Tara has a way of taking thoughts already in your head or experiences you’ve had and making them funny.
“Don’t say “panties” ever again. It’s skeevy.”
Though each book in the series can stand alone, I HIGHLY suggest reading them in order (see below) to get to know all of the side characters in the friend group, especially my favorite, Bodhi.
“Is everyone here on drugs?”
“I know I am!” Bodhi announces with a raise of his hand from the couch in the corner.
Likes:
•Filled with Tara’s signature snarky humor.
•It had me smiling the whole time.
•The friend group that just keeps growing. I love them all so much!
•Only Tara can make me literally laugh out loud every time.
•It was such a feel-good fun romance, and it was sexy as hell!
•Emily’s penchant for dares.
Dislikes:
•It started off a little slow.
The Down & Dirty:
Once again, Tara Sivec demonstrated why she is my favorite romcom author. I have such a blast reading her books, and I just want to hang out with her characters so much! Sports romance is not my favorite genre at all, as I’m not a sports lover, but that doesn’t matter in this series. Tara can take the most mundane trope and make it unique and fun. First and Tension was sweet, funny, sexy, romantic, exciting, and yes, even a little emotional. Don’t let a sport or trope you may not like put you off to reading this hysterical series in order.
Rating: 4.5 Stars, 4 Heat
Purchase First and Tension by Tara Sivec
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July 19, 2021
𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 𝗦𝗡𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗧: Tara Sivec always writes the best characters! I want to befriend them all and live on Summersweet Island with them!
Tara Sivec is one of my FAVORITE authors because she writes amazing characters with hearts full of gold. She also writes some of the most HILARIOUS romcoms that I’ve ever read! If you haven’t read her then you’re missing out! Anyway, this book is funny. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments and the budding relationship between Quinn and Emily was really fun to watch. However, this book was really slow for me. Normally I can read one of her books in one sitting but this one took me a few days to get through. Perhaps it’s because I simply wasn’t in the mood for it at the time and if that’s the case it’s a situation where “it’s not you it’s me”. But yea, it was extremely slow for the first 40%. I almost gave up… Thankfully I didn’t though because once I got through the first 40%, I breezed right through.
First and Tension is a cheerleader/football player romance. If you enjoy the sports genre then I think you’ll like this one! The focus is definitely more on Emily’s cheerleading but there are football references too. This book also has a fake relationship trope. Quinn and Emily decide that a little white lie to the big boss wouldn’t hurt and it didn’t. Until they fell in love…
If you’re a fan of the author, sports romances, romcoms, and books that will just make you feel good then I definitely recommend this one! I adore Tara’s book and look forward to reading the first two of the series (which I haven’t gotten to yet). I know I am going to LOVE those characters love stories!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Laugh out loud romantic comedies
• Sports romances and books with amazing secondary characters
• Authors like Meghan Quinn, Max Monroe, Lucy Score, and Pippa Grant.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 upgraded to 4)
Tara Sivec is one of my FAVORITE authors because she writes amazing characters with hearts full of gold. She also writes some of the most HILARIOUS romcoms that I’ve ever read! If you haven’t read her then you’re missing out! Anyway, this book is funny. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments and the budding relationship between Quinn and Emily was really fun to watch. However, this book was really slow for me. Normally I can read one of her books in one sitting but this one took me a few days to get through. Perhaps it’s because I simply wasn’t in the mood for it at the time and if that’s the case it’s a situation where “it’s not you it’s me”. But yea, it was extremely slow for the first 40%. I almost gave up… Thankfully I didn’t though because once I got through the first 40%, I breezed right through.
First and Tension is a cheerleader/football player romance. If you enjoy the sports genre then I think you’ll like this one! The focus is definitely more on Emily’s cheerleading but there are football references too. This book also has a fake relationship trope. Quinn and Emily decide that a little white lie to the big boss wouldn’t hurt and it didn’t. Until they fell in love…
If you’re a fan of the author, sports romances, romcoms, and books that will just make you feel good then I definitely recommend this one! I adore Tara’s book and look forward to reading the first two of the series (which I haven’t gotten to yet). I know I am going to LOVE those characters love stories!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Laugh out loud romantic comedies
• Sports romances and books with amazing secondary characters
• Authors like Meghan Quinn, Max Monroe, Lucy Score, and Pippa Grant.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 upgraded to 4)
June 8, 2021
Slow-burn - this writer is usually a favourite, unfortunately this one did not meet my expectations. An incredible group of secondary characters and friends.
Emily Flanagan has been living her dreams the last four years as a professional cheerleader for the Los Angeles Vipers, removed from her tiny hometown of Summersweet Island, Virginia. She left her job because of the unfair working conditions. Essentially, she got fired for asking for water. It was the last in a series of negative actions that made her job intolerable.
Over the last year she cheered for the Vipers and asked that they get paid for all the hours they worked, not merely the four hours they cheered on Sundays. On a typical work week, she would leave work from one of her two other jobs that she needed to have, in order to be able to afford living in California; rush to get to the studio by six, where they would practice until at least ten at night. That’s on a good night for everyone. Routinely, they didn’t exit before midnight.
Practicing at least five or six hours on Saturday, and a few hours before game time. They’re not compensated for any of their allotted time, not until the clock starts ticking on the scoreboard. The expectation was they should be appreciative of the opportunity they’d been given and keep their mouths shut. They were appreciative. Being on the team can open a lot of doors for a lot of women. But they promoted their bodies and their faces every single day to make money for that team, and Emily just wanted fair treatment.
She asked that they get parking spaces closer to the stadium on game days for safety reasons, as it’s usually after dark by the time they get changed and head out to their cars. That request was denied and ridiculed, she then asked if the team could provide security for the girls and escort them to their vehicles at the end of a game.
They were expected to park miles away with the rest of the fans and didn’t see an issue with a group of young women walking out to their cars after dark, in a parking lot filled with drunk fans from both teams, who may or may not be in a good mood, depending on the score. That was also denied, because they didn’t have the funds to provide extra security.
Asking for minimal considerations over the course of that year, none of which were unreasonable, or undeserving, the final rejection was when she asked that the team provide water for them at every home game, after one of her girls on the team passed out from dehydration. “I didn’t even ask for water at away games. If we forgot to bring our own water with us, we were told we needed to wait in line at one of the vendors and purchase a bottle of water along with every other fans.”
“It’s super fun when fans think they can take liberties with us, because we’re all dolled up in uniform, walking amongst everyone. I lost count how many times someone grabbed one of our a*ses or accidentally brushed their arms up against our chests without an apology.”
“So, yes, I told Ellen Westwood she could take my pom-poms and shove them up her fat, lazy a*s when she told me it wasn’t in the budget to provide one bottle of water to forty girls at ten home games. Like it was in my budget on the pathetic salary they paid us, on top of my waitressing and dog walking jobs. But I did it anyway, pulling change out of my couch cushions so my girls were taken care of every week. I am sorry I was so disrespectful to someone I looked up to and admired for so long. If I had to go back and do it again, I would be more careful with my words. I still would have told her to shove my pom-poms up her a*s, but I’d probably take out the fat and lazy part next time. She is a pretty hard worker, and she has a great a*s.”
After spending her last night in California with her biggest crush, Quinn, she returns back home to Summersweet, resigned to her boring fate of running her parents’ business. She left disillusioned despite loving her job.
“Secret love affair for the new quarterback of the Virginia Beach Sharks, or a shocking tale of infidelity, leading all the way back to a birthday party Quinn Bagley threw at his previous home in Calabasas five months ago? New photos of the mystery redhead from the party surface, leaving fans to speculate all over social media, “Who is this woman who convinced Quinn Bagley to quit the Vipers and go to one of the worst teams in the league?”
Quinn Bagley is finally playing for a team that feels like a family, after years of playing with nothing but egos. He has a tendency to jump to conclusions, this mis-communicating was irritating throughout the book.
Except his misconception proves unfounded. Emily isn’t the brash, hothead as she’s portrayed.
“Thank you for being honest with me. I’m sorry you had to deal with such a horrible situation for so long, I spoke to several of the cheerleaders, and they had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. They respect you, and they miss your leadership and your support very much.”
“I’m just sorry I couldn’t make things better for the girls before I left”.
An exclusive interview with Emily’s former boss, Ellen Westwood, the director for the Los Angeles Vipers Cheerleaders, after her recent firing from the organisation following a unanimous vote from the board, amid claims of the unfair treatment, overworking, and underpaying of the cheerleaders throughout her career results in a smear campaign of media frenzy, rumours and speculation.
Tyler out of pique from endorsement deals lost, booked products and companies Quinn was uninterested in…he was being greedy, thinking only about how much money Quinn could make him.
He was far too trusting of Tyler. Tyler’s family is friends with Ellen’s family, both belonging to the same country club. He assured Quinn he had an extensive conversation with Ellen over tennis, and Quinn blindly believed him, never questioning that it could be further from the truth.
From the onset Tyler got the details about Emily’s firing when the rumors began circulating; he resented and treated her with disdain and disrespect, speculating that when she didn’t get Ellen’s job, she found a way to get it for another team…alleging that her relationship with Quinn, was a sham.
Their claims were unfounded and unmerited.
Emily Flanagan has been living her dreams the last four years as a professional cheerleader for the Los Angeles Vipers, removed from her tiny hometown of Summersweet Island, Virginia. She left her job because of the unfair working conditions. Essentially, she got fired for asking for water. It was the last in a series of negative actions that made her job intolerable.
Over the last year she cheered for the Vipers and asked that they get paid for all the hours they worked, not merely the four hours they cheered on Sundays. On a typical work week, she would leave work from one of her two other jobs that she needed to have, in order to be able to afford living in California; rush to get to the studio by six, where they would practice until at least ten at night. That’s on a good night for everyone. Routinely, they didn’t exit before midnight.
Practicing at least five or six hours on Saturday, and a few hours before game time. They’re not compensated for any of their allotted time, not until the clock starts ticking on the scoreboard. The expectation was they should be appreciative of the opportunity they’d been given and keep their mouths shut. They were appreciative. Being on the team can open a lot of doors for a lot of women. But they promoted their bodies and their faces every single day to make money for that team, and Emily just wanted fair treatment.
She asked that they get parking spaces closer to the stadium on game days for safety reasons, as it’s usually after dark by the time they get changed and head out to their cars. That request was denied and ridiculed, she then asked if the team could provide security for the girls and escort them to their vehicles at the end of a game.
They were expected to park miles away with the rest of the fans and didn’t see an issue with a group of young women walking out to their cars after dark, in a parking lot filled with drunk fans from both teams, who may or may not be in a good mood, depending on the score. That was also denied, because they didn’t have the funds to provide extra security.
Asking for minimal considerations over the course of that year, none of which were unreasonable, or undeserving, the final rejection was when she asked that the team provide water for them at every home game, after one of her girls on the team passed out from dehydration. “I didn’t even ask for water at away games. If we forgot to bring our own water with us, we were told we needed to wait in line at one of the vendors and purchase a bottle of water along with every other fans.”
“It’s super fun when fans think they can take liberties with us, because we’re all dolled up in uniform, walking amongst everyone. I lost count how many times someone grabbed one of our a*ses or accidentally brushed their arms up against our chests without an apology.”
“So, yes, I told Ellen Westwood she could take my pom-poms and shove them up her fat, lazy a*s when she told me it wasn’t in the budget to provide one bottle of water to forty girls at ten home games. Like it was in my budget on the pathetic salary they paid us, on top of my waitressing and dog walking jobs. But I did it anyway, pulling change out of my couch cushions so my girls were taken care of every week. I am sorry I was so disrespectful to someone I looked up to and admired for so long. If I had to go back and do it again, I would be more careful with my words. I still would have told her to shove my pom-poms up her a*s, but I’d probably take out the fat and lazy part next time. She is a pretty hard worker, and she has a great a*s.”
After spending her last night in California with her biggest crush, Quinn, she returns back home to Summersweet, resigned to her boring fate of running her parents’ business. She left disillusioned despite loving her job.
“Secret love affair for the new quarterback of the Virginia Beach Sharks, or a shocking tale of infidelity, leading all the way back to a birthday party Quinn Bagley threw at his previous home in Calabasas five months ago? New photos of the mystery redhead from the party surface, leaving fans to speculate all over social media, “Who is this woman who convinced Quinn Bagley to quit the Vipers and go to one of the worst teams in the league?”
Quinn Bagley is finally playing for a team that feels like a family, after years of playing with nothing but egos. He has a tendency to jump to conclusions, this mis-communicating was irritating throughout the book.
Except his misconception proves unfounded. Emily isn’t the brash, hothead as she’s portrayed.
“Thank you for being honest with me. I’m sorry you had to deal with such a horrible situation for so long, I spoke to several of the cheerleaders, and they had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. They respect you, and they miss your leadership and your support very much.”
“I’m just sorry I couldn’t make things better for the girls before I left”.
An exclusive interview with Emily’s former boss, Ellen Westwood, the director for the Los Angeles Vipers Cheerleaders, after her recent firing from the organisation following a unanimous vote from the board, amid claims of the unfair treatment, overworking, and underpaying of the cheerleaders throughout her career results in a smear campaign of media frenzy, rumours and speculation.
Tyler out of pique from endorsement deals lost, booked products and companies Quinn was uninterested in…he was being greedy, thinking only about how much money Quinn could make him.
He was far too trusting of Tyler. Tyler’s family is friends with Ellen’s family, both belonging to the same country club. He assured Quinn he had an extensive conversation with Ellen over tennis, and Quinn blindly believed him, never questioning that it could be further from the truth.
From the onset Tyler got the details about Emily’s firing when the rumors began circulating; he resented and treated her with disdain and disrespect, speculating that when she didn’t get Ellen’s job, she found a way to get it for another team…alleging that her relationship with Quinn, was a sham.
Their claims were unfounded and unmerited.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2021
4.5 stars
Emily Flanagan is the friend that got away from Summersweet Island and was living her dream as a professional football cheerleader for the LA Vipers until she was forced to return home to her humdrum life. Her girlfriends are thrilled she is home, but she is not so happy.
Quinn Bagley was the quarterback of the LA Vipers. One meeting on the night before she moves made an impression. His life was also in flux and he moved to a new team in Virginia. He needs to focus, gel with this new team, and avoid bad press.
But months later they find themselves in a social media storm and will meet face to face again. Emily is distressed, mad, and tired of being shamed in the media. Quinn is angry, hurt, and cannot believe he was wrong about her and is shocked to find she is a psycho that would sell him out. But the spark is still there and the more she pushes him away, the more he realizes it is not true.
But then starts a series of events where they need each other to complete the ruse that they are happily dating and try to put out some of the fires that the crazy rumors caused. But the problem with faking it for others is that it is hard to tell what is fake and real and lines get blurred. Both have some trust issues. He is determined to make a sneak attack on her heart. But she is one stubborn and self-sacrificing woman who does not want to be a distraction.
This brings the fun and also the feels. I loved their snarky, sarcastic, flirty banter. His dares could be delightful, dirty, or dangerous. They are entertaining, sweet, hot, and just perfect together. They push each other and just spark. But they could use a bit of help on communication.
So it might be good that she has the nosiest and loudest friends ever with the quirky, crazy, Summersweet crew. These people make me laugh, especially the guys, Palmer, Bodhi, and Shepherd. But the girls, Birdie, Tess, and Wren are tough sisters too. They are just the most devoted, dysfunctional, and over-the-top group. I am looking forward to more and am excited about what is to come.
Follow Me: Blog: Reviews by Tammy & Kim (Rachel and Jay) | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Emily Flanagan is the friend that got away from Summersweet Island and was living her dream as a professional football cheerleader for the LA Vipers until she was forced to return home to her humdrum life. Her girlfriends are thrilled she is home, but she is not so happy.
Quinn Bagley was the quarterback of the LA Vipers. One meeting on the night before she moves made an impression. His life was also in flux and he moved to a new team in Virginia. He needs to focus, gel with this new team, and avoid bad press.
But months later they find themselves in a social media storm and will meet face to face again. Emily is distressed, mad, and tired of being shamed in the media. Quinn is angry, hurt, and cannot believe he was wrong about her and is shocked to find she is a psycho that would sell him out. But the spark is still there and the more she pushes him away, the more he realizes it is not true.
But then starts a series of events where they need each other to complete the ruse that they are happily dating and try to put out some of the fires that the crazy rumors caused. But the problem with faking it for others is that it is hard to tell what is fake and real and lines get blurred. Both have some trust issues. He is determined to make a sneak attack on her heart. But she is one stubborn and self-sacrificing woman who does not want to be a distraction.
This brings the fun and also the feels. I loved their snarky, sarcastic, flirty banter. His dares could be delightful, dirty, or dangerous. They are entertaining, sweet, hot, and just perfect together. They push each other and just spark. But they could use a bit of help on communication.
So it might be good that she has the nosiest and loudest friends ever with the quirky, crazy, Summersweet crew. These people make me laugh, especially the guys, Palmer, Bodhi, and Shepherd. But the girls, Birdie, Tess, and Wren are tough sisters too. They are just the most devoted, dysfunctional, and over-the-top group. I am looking forward to more and am excited about what is to come.
June 9, 2021
4.5 stars
Emily Flanagan is returning to Summersweet Island to a life that doesn’t measure up to the dreams she had for herself. Running her family’s cottages was not in her plans, rather she would have loved to continue her cheerleading dreams. One last night of fun in California before she returns to Summersweet and boredom has her spending the evening with
Quinn Bagley is moving to a new team, closer to home in the hopes of rekindling his love of the game with like minded teammates. But he hasn’t been able to get the woman who got away out of his mind, not that he knows how to find her, that is until her name pops up connected to his on social media and he thinks she is like every other woman he’s dated or tried to date before.
These two hit it off immediately. Emily didn’t let Quinn get away with anything, leading to quick banter and witty remarks through their whole first night. Emily’s tendency to take dares is what got her into that conversation to begin with, but she also knew she was leaving town and as good as it felt to spend time with Quinn, she would be just another woman in his life. By the time he was able to find out who she was, they had more than good memories to deal with - they had a social media firestorm.
This was completely entertaining and had me laughing out loud throughout. From the party meeting to their reunion on Summersweet and beyond, these two were a load of fun! They have plenty of miscommunication, and adding a fake relationship to the mix doesn’t help make their feelings any clearer to the other.
This entire group of friends are a hoot, especially the guys. Every time Emily warned Quinn away from hanging out with Shepherd, Parker, and Bodhi it made me wonder what they could have gotten up to if they were a four-some rather than a trio. I have enjoyed every moment of this series, and it feels like each new story makes me fall in love with this crew even further.
Follow Me: Blog: Reviews by Tammy & Kim (Rachel and Jay) | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Emily Flanagan is returning to Summersweet Island to a life that doesn’t measure up to the dreams she had for herself. Running her family’s cottages was not in her plans, rather she would have loved to continue her cheerleading dreams. One last night of fun in California before she returns to Summersweet and boredom has her spending the evening with
Quinn Bagley is moving to a new team, closer to home in the hopes of rekindling his love of the game with like minded teammates. But he hasn’t been able to get the woman who got away out of his mind, not that he knows how to find her, that is until her name pops up connected to his on social media and he thinks she is like every other woman he’s dated or tried to date before.
These two hit it off immediately. Emily didn’t let Quinn get away with anything, leading to quick banter and witty remarks through their whole first night. Emily’s tendency to take dares is what got her into that conversation to begin with, but she also knew she was leaving town and as good as it felt to spend time with Quinn, she would be just another woman in his life. By the time he was able to find out who she was, they had more than good memories to deal with - they had a social media firestorm.
This was completely entertaining and had me laughing out loud throughout. From the party meeting to their reunion on Summersweet and beyond, these two were a load of fun! They have plenty of miscommunication, and adding a fake relationship to the mix doesn’t help make their feelings any clearer to the other.
This entire group of friends are a hoot, especially the guys. Every time Emily warned Quinn away from hanging out with Shepherd, Parker, and Bodhi it made me wonder what they could have gotten up to if they were a four-some rather than a trio. I have enjoyed every moment of this series, and it feels like each new story makes me fall in love with this crew even further.
June 8, 2021
Published: June 2021
Tara Sivec
I received a copy of this book for free and leave my review voluntarily.
Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when all three of them become adults and move out.
“Truth or dare?”
Emily is a natural-born cheerleader, and she has worked her whole life to make her dreams of cheering professionally a reality. So when her dreams come crashing down- she doesn’t have much choice but to return home to Summersweet Island. But on her last night in California, at a party being thrown by a football player, Emily decides she has one last chance at doing something big. Quinn is a gifted athlete. He wanted to be a football player since he was a little boy, and he finally found a team that feels right. So as he is packing up his life to move across the country and start a new chapter in his life, the last thing he is expecting is a bombshell redhead to come crashing into the end zone.
Summersweet Island is a place of dreams. And I adore every single character. This installment was so charming. Emily is so fiery and intelligent, with sass and passion. Quinn is every bit the heartthrob we have come to expect of this series.
The best part of this book is that the gang was all here. We catch up with Birdie and Palmer, Wren and Shepard, Bodhi and Tess, as well as some of our favorite minor characters.
Life on the island can feel small. But at the end of the day, it’s home. And the heart and the support from every person who resides on the island are incredible.
This book was funny, in such a classic Tara Sivec way. Fantastic one-liners, insane steamy scenes, and moments that make you swoon. This is a sports ball-filled good time, from start to finish.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that our rom-com queen used me as a character in this book. I am beyond thrilled, honored, and stoked to be a part of the Summersweet Island forever.
This was a fantastic addition to the series, and I cannot wait for book five- Tara get busy!
Tara Sivec
I received a copy of this book for free and leave my review voluntarily.
Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when all three of them become adults and move out.
“Truth or dare?”
Emily is a natural-born cheerleader, and she has worked her whole life to make her dreams of cheering professionally a reality. So when her dreams come crashing down- she doesn’t have much choice but to return home to Summersweet Island. But on her last night in California, at a party being thrown by a football player, Emily decides she has one last chance at doing something big. Quinn is a gifted athlete. He wanted to be a football player since he was a little boy, and he finally found a team that feels right. So as he is packing up his life to move across the country and start a new chapter in his life, the last thing he is expecting is a bombshell redhead to come crashing into the end zone.
Summersweet Island is a place of dreams. And I adore every single character. This installment was so charming. Emily is so fiery and intelligent, with sass and passion. Quinn is every bit the heartthrob we have come to expect of this series.
The best part of this book is that the gang was all here. We catch up with Birdie and Palmer, Wren and Shepard, Bodhi and Tess, as well as some of our favorite minor characters.
Life on the island can feel small. But at the end of the day, it’s home. And the heart and the support from every person who resides on the island are incredible.
This book was funny, in such a classic Tara Sivec way. Fantastic one-liners, insane steamy scenes, and moments that make you swoon. This is a sports ball-filled good time, from start to finish.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that our rom-com queen used me as a character in this book. I am beyond thrilled, honored, and stoked to be a part of the Summersweet Island forever.
This was a fantastic addition to the series, and I cannot wait for book five- Tara get busy!
June 27, 2021
Great story! Fanny and sexy like all book in this series!
Despite the fact that cheerleader and football player sounds like biggest cliche ever, I wanted to read this book so much! Because Tara Sivec is a master of creating perfect hilarious stories from old good cliche situations.
And it was totally worth waiting! Watching how yet another one of professional athletes fall victim of Summersweet Island magic was awesome!
Also I enjoyed reading about women athletes and their side if the story though Emily’s eyes.
Quinn and Emily are perfect addition to the looney tune family of Summersweet friends! It was great to see every one of them again!
The only teeny-tiny thing that made me cursing reading the book - what the heck with cursive font? It’s like readers don’t know which part is important so we made one third of the book in cursive...
However, this book is a great addition to the great series!
Hope, Tara will go through with her promise of age appropriate love story for Laura, it definitely going to be lot of fun!
Despite the fact that cheerleader and football player sounds like biggest cliche ever, I wanted to read this book so much! Because Tara Sivec is a master of creating perfect hilarious stories from old good cliche situations.
And it was totally worth waiting! Watching how yet another one of professional athletes fall victim of Summersweet Island magic was awesome!
Also I enjoyed reading about women athletes and their side if the story though Emily’s eyes.
Quinn and Emily are perfect addition to the looney tune family of Summersweet friends! It was great to see every one of them again!
The only teeny-tiny thing that made me cursing reading the book - what the heck with cursive font? It’s like readers don’t know which part is important so we made one third of the book in cursive...
However, this book is a great addition to the great series!
Hope, Tara will go through with her promise of age appropriate love story for Laura, it definitely going to be lot of fun!
June 6, 2021
Island hilarity continues. It starts with Emily, a cheerleader for a professional football team that has just been fired. While attending a party with her friend/make-up artist before heading back home to the island, she accepts a dare and ends up spending the night with the quarterback who is hosting the party.
Once she returns home, she goes back to working at her parents cottage hotel and hates her life. While giving all the deets about her current situation to the girls at Sip and Bitch, the boys overhear and jump into action. What results is Quinn the QB and Emily are thrown into a scandal.
Quinn has been looking for Emily since their night together and decides that this scandal is the perfect opportunity to make her his.
Throw in Bodie giving up secrets, Emily unable to ignore a dare, and this is a perfect ending to the series... Although I don't think it's the end. There still could be a story about Wren and Birdie's mom.
Once she returns home, she goes back to working at her parents cottage hotel and hates her life. While giving all the deets about her current situation to the girls at Sip and Bitch, the boys overhear and jump into action. What results is Quinn the QB and Emily are thrown into a scandal.
Quinn has been looking for Emily since their night together and decides that this scandal is the perfect opportunity to make her his.
Throw in Bodie giving up secrets, Emily unable to ignore a dare, and this is a perfect ending to the series... Although I don't think it's the end. There still could be a story about Wren and Birdie's mom.
June 14, 2021
I liked how these two met and how they did nothing but play games and chat and how for each of them it was a great night. It's too bad that nothing happened for months afterwards. When Quinn showed back up I was leery, thought he might follow Tyler's advice a bit too much and turn out to be a douche.
I really liked how Quinn was charmed by the island and fell in good with the people, especially Emily's crew. I thought it funny how he liked the guys and wasn't weirded out by how odd the guys were. The back and forth between Quinn and Emily was cute, it gave them time to get to know each other and develop something more. I really liked that for Quinn it was real the whole time and loved it when Emily realized it.
The ending had me smiling. After taking down their biggest detractors both were living their dreams surrounded by people that loved them.
I really liked how Quinn was charmed by the island and fell in good with the people, especially Emily's crew. I thought it funny how he liked the guys and wasn't weirded out by how odd the guys were. The back and forth between Quinn and Emily was cute, it gave them time to get to know each other and develop something more. I really liked that for Quinn it was real the whole time and loved it when Emily realized it.
The ending had me smiling. After taking down their biggest detractors both were living their dreams surrounded by people that loved them.
May 23, 2022
Story of Emily and Quinn who we have never met before this book, although she is supposed to be friends with Wren and Birdie.
She's a former NFL cheerleader who was fired for fighting for more rights, higher pay for the cheerleaders. He's the quarterback who she is forbidden from pursing a relationship with... until she's fired. She meets him on her last night in CA before returning to VA and they spend non sexual time together which was interesting
But then there's a whole fake relationship thing that didn't make much sense except to give them opportunities to interact like a real couple would. And this got boring real quick.
This was more of the same with this series. She protests and he has to convince her that he's serious about her. We got a glimpse of her parents who aren't the best.
I kinda wish we got more about the cheerleader issues. I couldn't really root for them as a couple until we were at the end, and even then, I found them boring.
She's a former NFL cheerleader who was fired for fighting for more rights, higher pay for the cheerleaders. He's the quarterback who she is forbidden from pursing a relationship with... until she's fired. She meets him on her last night in CA before returning to VA and they spend non sexual time together which was interesting
But then there's a whole fake relationship thing that didn't make much sense except to give them opportunities to interact like a real couple would. And this got boring real quick.
This was more of the same with this series. She protests and he has to convince her that he's serious about her. We got a glimpse of her parents who aren't the best.
I kinda wish we got more about the cheerleader issues. I couldn't really root for them as a couple until we were at the end, and even then, I found them boring.
March 20, 2022
This was my favorite one of the series! Lots of laugh out loud moments (and less of the non-communication that made me a tad cranky in the first two books) and a fake dating story that didn’t have all the pining and “he/she will never feel the way about me that I feel about them” malarkey. Hooray!
I enjoyed the audiobook series and can’t wait for the next one!
I enjoyed the audiobook series and can’t wait for the next one!
September 27, 2025
This was fun, silly, heartfelt, and so joyful. Loved watching Quinn and Emily find their HEA, plus all the hilarious moments with previous couples. Highly recommend and definitely go for the audio. So good!
June 4, 2021
This series gets better and better. I love Quinn and Emily! They fit right into the best group of friends since Seduction and Snacks.
June 7, 2021
Another visit to Sumersweet, and all the crazy! This book did not disappoint. Tara Sivec has a gift of making loveable, hilarious characters that everyone wants to be friends with! I can't wait for the wedding and another visit to the island, and hopefully some more sip and ***ch!
June 7, 2021
Best couple in this series. Absolutely loved this laugh out loud couple. Their back and forth banter was so hilarious and their chemistry is off the charts. I couldn't put this book down.
June 7, 2021
Love this series.
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