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Trophy Boyfriends #4
Hard Luck
Listening time 7 hours 36 minutes
SOME GIRLS HAVE ALL THE LUCK
Unfortunately, I am not one of those girls. Not when I lost my apartment because my roommate let the lease lapse while I was traveling for work. Not when my brothers keep finding love and my mother keeps reminding me I’m still single. Not after a one-night stand during my older brother’s wedding has me waking up pregnant.
I have to keep it a secret—from him, and my family. I sure can’t tell my brother his teammate, Mateo Jose Espinoza, is the man I slept with. Confident, funny, Mateo…
A GUY CAN’T CATCH A BREAK
Just when I thought I’d found the girl of my dreams, she ghosts me. Worse? Her brother refuses to give me her number, and my calls to her office go straight to voicemail. I thought I was a catch; professional athlete, charming, raised with six sisters—I’m a guy who knows his way to a woman’s heart! What reason could she possibly have for avoiding me?
When I finally catch up to True Wallace, I’m going to get the answer.
HARD LUCK Releases in Spring, 2021
SOME GIRLS HAVE ALL THE LUCK
Unfortunately, I am not one of those girls. Not when I lost my apartment because my roommate let the lease lapse while I was traveling for work. Not when my brothers keep finding love and my mother keeps reminding me I’m still single. Not after a one-night stand during my older brother’s wedding has me waking up pregnant.
I have to keep it a secret—from him, and my family. I sure can’t tell my brother his teammate, Mateo Jose Espinoza, is the man I slept with. Confident, funny, Mateo…
A GUY CAN’T CATCH A BREAK
Just when I thought I’d found the girl of my dreams, she ghosts me. Worse? Her brother refuses to give me her number, and my calls to her office go straight to voicemail. I thought I was a catch; professional athlete, charming, raised with six sisters—I’m a guy who knows his way to a woman’s heart! What reason could she possibly have for avoiding me?
When I finally catch up to True Wallace, I’m going to get the answer.
HARD LUCK Releases in Spring, 2021
Audible Audio
First published March 22, 2021
738 people are currently reading
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About the author
Sara Ney
89 books6,629 followersSara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte's, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 443 reviews
April 19, 2023
1✨
Brief summary of the story.
Mateo and True meet at the wedding of Buzz (h's brother) they talk, connect and spend the night together, but the next day True sneaks out in the morning leaving Mateo confused and whitout knowing what happened cause he had felt a ✨connection✨ with her.
The story begins three months later with True discovering that she's pregnant-as consequence of that night she spend w Mateo- and him trying to talk to her.
True + Mateo+ Relationship
Mateo (H), was a good guy, like the simple guy with nothing special. I enjoy heroes pining for heroines, but honestly, I felt sorry for him, True didn't deserve him. ( even tho I didn't feel any connection with his character)
True (h), I liked her in the previous books but here? Here she was so damm annoying. The first 40% was about her decision whether or not to tell Mateo and her family about her pregnancy while he was trying to talk to her. What's the point of saying this is a surprise-secret-pregnancy trope if the heroine doesn't tell the H that she's pregnant for almost 60% of the story?
▪️ I didn't felt a real-deep connection between them, it was more insta-love-lust? I don't know, cause there's no building of their relationship neither. They just have a "date" almost in the middle and it's interrupted by Mateo's sisters.
▪️ Even the sex scenes were bad, no chemistry, nothing and was basically to "satisfy True's pregnancy hormones".
▪️ There were a few glimpses of their meeting at the wedding, but neither I felt any spark, motive, SOMETHING that told me why was Mateo so obsessed with her.
My big issue: their families
I love family moments, but Mateo's sisters were too annoying, meddling in the life of their 30 year old brother ?? I mean, I can relate, I have 4 brothers, we worry about each other but they don't come close to being so annoying and if one of them ruined my date they wouldn't be alive to tell about it tbh
▪️ Buzz (True's brother) was annoying too, you can be an overprotective brother but he was surprised of True having sex, DUDE, SHE IS 25 YEARS OLD.
▪️ Molly (Tripp's 15-year-old neighbor) I liked her, apparently she was the only smart here lmao though at one point her annoyed me
▪️ We have Mateo and True thinking about how to tell their families about the pregnancy and,
1) Telling True's family wasn't a big deal. Nothing happened.
2) WE never have the scene when they tell Mateo's family. This ANNOYED mE SO BAD because the author made it part of the plot so I was expecting that scene.
▪️ The story was flat, the ending was abrupt, didn't make sense. I thought there were more chapters but jump it directly to the epilogue so I didn't feel any kind of closure.
also Mateo came from a Latina family and this became an over-exaggeration of the stereotype cuz all the family drama ???
image:
I took some time to think about this review cause I really enjoyed the previous books in this series, I didn't think I was going to give this 1star. The story had potential, a lot of things could have been developed, but in conclusion this book was A n n o y i n g.
_______________________________
Brief summary of the story.
Mateo and True meet at the wedding of Buzz (h's brother) they talk, connect and spend the night together, but the next day True sneaks out in the morning leaving Mateo confused and whitout knowing what happened cause he had felt a ✨connection✨ with her.
The story begins three months later with True discovering that she's pregnant-as consequence of that night she spend w Mateo- and him trying to talk to her.
True + Mateo+ Relationship
Mateo (H), was a good guy, like the simple guy with nothing special. I enjoy heroes pining for heroines, but honestly, I felt sorry for him, True didn't deserve him. ( even tho I didn't feel any connection with his character)
True (h), I liked her in the previous books but here? Here she was so damm annoying. The first 40% was about her decision whether or not to tell Mateo and her family about her pregnancy while he was trying to talk to her. What's the point of saying this is a surprise-secret-pregnancy trope if the heroine doesn't tell the H that she's pregnant for almost 60% of the story?
▪️ I didn't felt a real-deep connection between them, it was more insta-love-lust? I don't know, cause there's no building of their relationship neither. They just have a "date" almost in the middle and it's interrupted by Mateo's sisters.
▪️ Even the sex scenes were bad, no chemistry, nothing and was basically to "satisfy True's pregnancy hormones".
“You have?”
“Oh yeah—it’s the baby hormones, but I find you so, so sexy.”
She’s definitely hopped up on pregnancy hormones; no way would she be saying this otherwise.
▪️ There were a few glimpses of their meeting at the wedding, but neither I felt any spark, motive, SOMETHING that told me why was Mateo so obsessed with her.
My big issue: their families
I love family moments, but Mateo's sisters were too annoying, meddling in the life of their 30 year old brother ?? I mean, I can relate, I have 4 brothers, we worry about each other but they don't come close to being so annoying and if one of them ruined my date they wouldn't be alive to tell about it tbh
▪️ Buzz (True's brother) was annoying too, you can be an overprotective brother but he was surprised of True having sex, DUDE, SHE IS 25 YEARS OLD.
▪️ Molly (Tripp's 15-year-old neighbor) I liked her, apparently she was the only smart here lmao though at one point her annoyed me
▪️ We have Mateo and True thinking about how to tell their families about the pregnancy and,
1) Telling True's family wasn't a big deal. Nothing happened.
2) WE never have the scene when they tell Mateo's family. This ANNOYED mE SO BAD because the author made it part of the plot so I was expecting that scene.
▪️ The story was flat, the ending was abrupt, didn't make sense. I thought there were more chapters but jump it directly to the epilogue so I didn't feel any kind of closure.
also Mateo came from a Latina family and this became an over-exaggeration of the stereotype cuz all the family drama ???
image:
I took some time to think about this review cause I really enjoyed the previous books in this series, I didn't think I was going to give this 1star. The story had potential, a lot of things could have been developed, but in conclusion this book was A n n o y i n g.
_______________________________
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2021
3 stars
Sara Ney always makes me laugh while reading her books. She is a go to author for me when I’m looking for a rom-com and I’ve enjoyed this sports romance series a lot. While this book had some funny parts and I liked a lot of it, I was also frustrated by my least favorite troupe being such a prominent part of the first half of the book. I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed. True and Mateo were great together but it could have been so much more satisfying with them having more time together and maybe a great epilogue. I did love seeing True’s brothers and meeting Mateo’s sisters. Also, Molly was a gem as always.
Sara Ney always makes me laugh while reading her books. She is a go to author for me when I’m looking for a rom-com and I’ve enjoyed this sports romance series a lot. While this book had some funny parts and I liked a lot of it, I was also frustrated by my least favorite troupe being such a prominent part of the first half of the book. I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed. True and Mateo were great together but it could have been so much more satisfying with them having more time together and maybe a great epilogue. I did love seeing True’s brothers and meeting Mateo’s sisters. Also, Molly was a gem as always.
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 3 stars
Narrators: Alexander Cendese & Elizabeth Hart
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Sports)
Length: 7h 36m
July 23, 2024
”Twenty-something, single, and preggo!”
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🙂🥰☺️😎
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: True Wallace - she works for a sports recruiter helping high school athletes to get seen by colleges and get scholarships. Her two brothers Tripp and Buzz are professional athletes. Tripp is a professional football player and Buzz is a professional baseball player. While attending Buzz’s wedding a few months ago, she got to know his teammate Mateo and ended up spending the night with him and ghosting him in the morning.
The Hero: Mateo José Espinoza - he plays second base for the Chicago Steam pro baseball team. He is one of the stars on the team and in his early days he was quite a playboy, but that lifestyle got old a while ago. Lately he has liked forming a connection with a person before sleeping with them and despite the fact that he slept with True on the same day he met her, he already felt a bond with her.
The Story: when True finds out she is pregnant, at the same time as she was evicted from her apartment because her roommate kept forgetting to pay the rent, she is at a loose end. She moves in with her brother Tripp, but is a bit too freaked out to contact Mateo. Before she knows it, she is more than 11 weeks pregnant and still hasn’t told anyone except Tripp and his 15-year-old neighbor, who helps him out by walking his dog Chewy among other things.
This book had a good story, though I tend to like linear storytelling, I wish it would have started out the night of the wedding reception and gone from there. Instead, it starts on the day True moved into her brother's place and as it went on there were frequent flashbacks to the night of the wedding and what went on between Mateo and True. I really dislike flashbacks, though I do see the fact that they can be a good plot device. I just didn’t see the need here.
I liked the characters and there were a ton of supporting characters. Trip and Buzz, and their significant others, were characters from previous books in this same series, so it was nice to see them again. Mateo has six sisters and I just loved them, they were all up in his business and quite hilarious about it. Though it was a bit hard to see Mateo as a big heartthrob type after seeing him as one of the younger siblings in a big boisterous family, and a bit of a mama’s boy to boot.
This book was a hard one, because the first half was pretty boring, but it did get better and better as it went along, especially as True finally tells Mateo and then they start to tell their families. The last hour had me laughing out loud. Tripp and Buzz were hilarious, especially Buzz who is way too involved in his sister’s life.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Alexander Cendese and Elizabeth Hart. I do really like Alexander Cendese, he has a great voice and puts a ton of emotion into his narration. Though, he does have a terrible female voice. So would really be better in duet narration. Elizabeth Hart is the opposite. Her male voice isn’t too bad, but her regular voice is so very annoying. I almost quit listening to this book because I had to turn the sound down each time she was narrating and turn it back up when Alexander was.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🙂🥰☺️😎
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: True Wallace - she works for a sports recruiter helping high school athletes to get seen by colleges and get scholarships. Her two brothers Tripp and Buzz are professional athletes. Tripp is a professional football player and Buzz is a professional baseball player. While attending Buzz’s wedding a few months ago, she got to know his teammate Mateo and ended up spending the night with him and ghosting him in the morning.
The Hero: Mateo José Espinoza - he plays second base for the Chicago Steam pro baseball team. He is one of the stars on the team and in his early days he was quite a playboy, but that lifestyle got old a while ago. Lately he has liked forming a connection with a person before sleeping with them and despite the fact that he slept with True on the same day he met her, he already felt a bond with her.
The Story: when True finds out she is pregnant, at the same time as she was evicted from her apartment because her roommate kept forgetting to pay the rent, she is at a loose end. She moves in with her brother Tripp, but is a bit too freaked out to contact Mateo. Before she knows it, she is more than 11 weeks pregnant and still hasn’t told anyone except Tripp and his 15-year-old neighbor, who helps him out by walking his dog Chewy among other things.
This book had a good story, though I tend to like linear storytelling, I wish it would have started out the night of the wedding reception and gone from there. Instead, it starts on the day True moved into her brother's place and as it went on there were frequent flashbacks to the night of the wedding and what went on between Mateo and True. I really dislike flashbacks, though I do see the fact that they can be a good plot device. I just didn’t see the need here.
I liked the characters and there were a ton of supporting characters. Trip and Buzz, and their significant others, were characters from previous books in this same series, so it was nice to see them again. Mateo has six sisters and I just loved them, they were all up in his business and quite hilarious about it. Though it was a bit hard to see Mateo as a big heartthrob type after seeing him as one of the younger siblings in a big boisterous family, and a bit of a mama’s boy to boot.
This book was a hard one, because the first half was pretty boring, but it did get better and better as it went along, especially as True finally tells Mateo and then they start to tell their families. The last hour had me laughing out loud. Tripp and Buzz were hilarious, especially Buzz who is way too involved in his sister’s life.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Alexander Cendese and Elizabeth Hart. I do really like Alexander Cendese, he has a great voice and puts a ton of emotion into his narration. Though, he does have a terrible female voice. So would really be better in duet narration. Elizabeth Hart is the opposite. Her male voice isn’t too bad, but her regular voice is so very annoying. I almost quit listening to this book because I had to turn the sound down each time she was narrating and turn it back up when Alexander was.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
March 26, 2021
4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by Wildfire Marketing Solutions)
True Wallace is the youngest of the Wallace siblings, and the sister of two overprotective brothers who are famous athletes. She works in the sports industry and lives in Chicago. She enjoys some harmless flirting and delicious fun at her brothers wedding with one of his gorgeous friends. Then her life slowly unravels when she loses her apartment and discovers she’s pregnant. Twenty five, single, and expecting, her life is suddenly thrown into chaos. She has a big secret she’s keeping while trying to figure out her next step.
Mateo Jose Espinosa is a professional baseball player for the Chicago Steam. He comes from a family of women and has six sisters. He has a job he loves, but his personal life is still lacking. Then he shares an unforgettable night with the girl of his dreams. The only problem is she’s his teammates sister. She should be off limits, but he felt a real connection, and can’t stop thinking about her. She’s avoiding him and refuses to acknowledge she felt something. When he finally tracks her down will he get all the answers he’s looking for?
-Mateo Espinoza is the most attractive man I have ever seen this close up- and I would know, because I've seen some pretty damn good-looking men in my life.
-We stare at one another. And if a man's eyes could burn the clothes off my body, they would be lying in a blazing pile on the ballroom floor.
Hard Luck (Trophy Boyfriends #4) by Sara Ney is a sexy standalone surprise pregnancy, sports romance full of humor and sizzling chemistry. It’s about family, friendship and a swoony baseball player with a big beautiful heart. I really enjoyed this story and loved getting more of the Wallace brothers hilarious banter. This book had me smiling and laughing throughout. It’s a fantastic romantic comedy with all the feels!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3fc7TRj
(ARC provided by Wildfire Marketing Solutions)
True Wallace is the youngest of the Wallace siblings, and the sister of two overprotective brothers who are famous athletes. She works in the sports industry and lives in Chicago. She enjoys some harmless flirting and delicious fun at her brothers wedding with one of his gorgeous friends. Then her life slowly unravels when she loses her apartment and discovers she’s pregnant. Twenty five, single, and expecting, her life is suddenly thrown into chaos. She has a big secret she’s keeping while trying to figure out her next step.
Mateo Jose Espinosa is a professional baseball player for the Chicago Steam. He comes from a family of women and has six sisters. He has a job he loves, but his personal life is still lacking. Then he shares an unforgettable night with the girl of his dreams. The only problem is she’s his teammates sister. She should be off limits, but he felt a real connection, and can’t stop thinking about her. She’s avoiding him and refuses to acknowledge she felt something. When he finally tracks her down will he get all the answers he’s looking for?
-Mateo Espinoza is the most attractive man I have ever seen this close up- and I would know, because I've seen some pretty damn good-looking men in my life.
-We stare at one another. And if a man's eyes could burn the clothes off my body, they would be lying in a blazing pile on the ballroom floor.
Hard Luck (Trophy Boyfriends #4) by Sara Ney is a sexy standalone surprise pregnancy, sports romance full of humor and sizzling chemistry. It’s about family, friendship and a swoony baseball player with a big beautiful heart. I really enjoyed this story and loved getting more of the Wallace brothers hilarious banter. This book had me smiling and laughing throughout. It’s a fantastic romantic comedy with all the feels!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3fc7TRj
April 5, 2021
I said I was going to keep reading Ney.
This book may have changed my mind. It had some funny zingers and a sensitive family guy and all that...but there were too many "Wait what?" moments for me to even begin.
But it got me bakc here, reviewing my shelves and thinking....wow. I should read this other book now! So, yay?
This book may have changed my mind. It had some funny zingers and a sensitive family guy and all that...but there were too many "Wait what?" moments for me to even begin.
But it got me bakc here, reviewing my shelves and thinking....wow. I should read this other book now! So, yay?
March 21, 2021
The only thing this light and funny rom com is missing is the... well, the romance, unfortunately. I've been loving this series and this accidental pregnancy story has a very similar vibe, but the pacing did it no favors. Our couple isn't even in the same room together for... let's say "awhile," and once they finally are, things didn't feel particularly romantic. It was ALL about the baby, and I lost my respect for the heroine along the way. It's still got plenty of humor and an adorable hero, but this was a LOT more com than rom. If that's not a problem for you, then I see no reason why you won't enjoy this low angst story, but the romance was almost nonexistent.
The story follows True and Mateo, two people who met at a wedding and shared one night together. When True snuck out in the morning, Mateo wasn't expecting it. He thought they had a connection and was hoping for more, but True let insecurities get the best of her and she ran. That makes things even more awkward once True discovers that she's pregnant, the father is the guy she ran from, and he's connected to her brother in a big way. Mateo doesn't know any of that - he just knows that he wants more of what he shared with True, and he's determined to reconnect.
This series has been great so far, and this is really just my least favorite. It wasn't bad, but I definitely wouldn't revisit it in the future. Mateo is the best part; I loved his determination, and it was so refreshing to read about a guy - a professional athlete no less - who loves his family and would love a relationship. He's not a hoe, he's not commitment-phobic, and he doesn't scare easily, which was awesome to read. True, though... I didn't like her. She threatened to turn this accidental pregnancy romance into a secret baby romance, despite the fact that Mateo is such a good guy and she knew how to get in touch with him. I struggled with how long it took to get them together, and then it just didn't feel romantic after that. I did appreciate the flashbacks to their original meeting, though I think this would've been much, MUCH stronger if the book simply opened with the wedding scenes. Without them, this couple lacks any kind of chemistry whatsoever. That does nothing to change my love of the author's writing style, but this one wasn't a win for me. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this funny, low angst story.
The story follows True and Mateo, two people who met at a wedding and shared one night together. When True snuck out in the morning, Mateo wasn't expecting it. He thought they had a connection and was hoping for more, but True let insecurities get the best of her and she ran. That makes things even more awkward once True discovers that she's pregnant, the father is the guy she ran from, and he's connected to her brother in a big way. Mateo doesn't know any of that - he just knows that he wants more of what he shared with True, and he's determined to reconnect.
This series has been great so far, and this is really just my least favorite. It wasn't bad, but I definitely wouldn't revisit it in the future. Mateo is the best part; I loved his determination, and it was so refreshing to read about a guy - a professional athlete no less - who loves his family and would love a relationship. He's not a hoe, he's not commitment-phobic, and he doesn't scare easily, which was awesome to read. True, though... I didn't like her. She threatened to turn this accidental pregnancy romance into a secret baby romance, despite the fact that Mateo is such a good guy and she knew how to get in touch with him. I struggled with how long it took to get them together, and then it just didn't feel romantic after that. I did appreciate the flashbacks to their original meeting, though I think this would've been much, MUCH stronger if the book simply opened with the wedding scenes. Without them, this couple lacks any kind of chemistry whatsoever. That does nothing to change my love of the author's writing style, but this one wasn't a win for me. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this funny, low angst story.
August 20, 2021
The only bad thing was that the story ended!!!
OMG! I can't even with this book! It is just too entertaining!!! I laughed out loud so many times. True's inner monologue. Mateo's inner monologue. The Wallace brothers, Tripp and Buzz. The part before the ultrasound appointment. The ultrasound appointment. It was all sooooo funny!!! I never wanted this book to end. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
OMG! I can't even with this book! It is just too entertaining!!! I laughed out loud so many times. True's inner monologue. Mateo's inner monologue. The Wallace brothers, Tripp and Buzz. The part before the ultrasound appointment. The ultrasound appointment. It was all sooooo funny!!! I never wanted this book to end. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
March 26, 2021
I was literally so bored that stop reading so many times, hard pass literally.
March 24, 2021
3 stars
I love this series, and was so excited to be back with the Wallace clan – this time with Buzz and Tripp’s younger sister, True. It’s a surprise pregnancy romance, though not the story I was expecting, and while it’s a fun read it felt like half a book to me, lacking romance and all of the things that I really wanted to see.
The story begins with True coming to terms with the fact that she’s pregnant. She hooked up with one of Buzz’s teammates at his wedding, and though she shared an immediate connection with Mateo, she snuck out during the night and has been ignoring him ever since. And now she’s got a baby on the way.
Mateo fell hard and fast during his night with True. He wanted more, but she took off on him, and despite his efforts to get in touch with her, she has continued to ghost him (even blocking him on social media). He’s disappointed, but determined to get his chance with the girl he can’t forget about, and I completely fell for him before we even get a chance to see him with True.
Which leads me to my first problem with this book - it takes SUCH a long time for these two to get on the same page together. We get to see True dealing with her secret and deliberating when and how (and even whether!) to tell Mateo, while he’s desperately looking for a way to get in touch with her. Honestly, she ticked me off. Her behaviour was not ok, and I was really disappointed in how she handled the situation. When they do meet up, it seems awkward and uneasy, and then they’re dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. Mateo is sensational, all in from the very beginning, but the romance and the chemistry just isn’t there. They talk of course, and there is some fun text banter and some steamy time, but the emotion was lacking. Mateo would have been a wonderful romantic hero, and though we get glimpses of his potential, he never gets the chance to shine.
We get to see their original meeting in flashbacks throughout the book, and that’s where we get to see the chemistry. I would have loved to have started their story with their meeting rather than getting it piecemeal throughout the story, because it’s pretty much the only romance that happens and would have set the stage nicely for the story to come, but instead it comes in bits, which breaks up the flow of both their night together, and their reconnection, and I never really got a sense of how good they could be together.
And just when we start to get a glimpse of that, the story ends. The book finishes so abruptly, I wondered if it was part 1, because there’s so much we don’t see. And all the stuff we don’t see is all the stuff I wanted to see . I was disappointed. They had a great set-up, and I so wanted to see them come together and find their happy, but instead it’s only hinted at and we don’t get to see it.
The bright side of this book is True’s brothers. Tripp, and particularly Buzz, are freaking hilarious and absolutely ridiculous as they go into ultra-protective big brother mode. And when you add in Mateo’s six hilariously overbearing, oversharing and over-involved sisters get, there are so many funny moments.
This book is good and has some really bright moments, and it had so much potential to be a fantastic read, but the heroine ticked me off, the romance wasn’t there for me, and it ultimately felt unfinished. I’m keen to see if True and Mateo’s story will continue in the background as (if) this series continues.
3 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love this series, and was so excited to be back with the Wallace clan – this time with Buzz and Tripp’s younger sister, True. It’s a surprise pregnancy romance, though not the story I was expecting, and while it’s a fun read it felt like half a book to me, lacking romance and all of the things that I really wanted to see.
The story begins with True coming to terms with the fact that she’s pregnant. She hooked up with one of Buzz’s teammates at his wedding, and though she shared an immediate connection with Mateo, she snuck out during the night and has been ignoring him ever since. And now she’s got a baby on the way.
Mateo fell hard and fast during his night with True. He wanted more, but she took off on him, and despite his efforts to get in touch with her, she has continued to ghost him (even blocking him on social media). He’s disappointed, but determined to get his chance with the girl he can’t forget about, and I completely fell for him before we even get a chance to see him with True.
Which leads me to my first problem with this book - it takes SUCH a long time for these two to get on the same page together. We get to see True dealing with her secret and deliberating when and how (and even whether!) to tell Mateo, while he’s desperately looking for a way to get in touch with her. Honestly, she ticked me off. Her behaviour was not ok, and I was really disappointed in how she handled the situation. When they do meet up, it seems awkward and uneasy, and then they’re dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. Mateo is sensational, all in from the very beginning, but the romance and the chemistry just isn’t there. They talk of course, and there is some fun text banter and some steamy time, but the emotion was lacking. Mateo would have been a wonderful romantic hero, and though we get glimpses of his potential, he never gets the chance to shine.
“I will do right by you in all the ways that matter.
I promise, True Wallace, I will not let you down.”
We get to see their original meeting in flashbacks throughout the book, and that’s where we get to see the chemistry. I would have loved to have started their story with their meeting rather than getting it piecemeal throughout the story, because it’s pretty much the only romance that happens and would have set the stage nicely for the story to come, but instead it comes in bits, which breaks up the flow of both their night together, and their reconnection, and I never really got a sense of how good they could be together.
And just when we start to get a glimpse of that, the story ends. The book finishes so abruptly, I wondered if it was part 1, because there’s so much we don’t see. And all the stuff we don’t see is all the stuff I wanted to see . I was disappointed. They had a great set-up, and I so wanted to see them come together and find their happy, but instead it’s only hinted at and we don’t get to see it.
She’s glowing – or maybe it’s just the lighting. Either way, she’s beautiful and pregnant and mine.
Well. Not yet, but she will be.
The bright side of this book is True’s brothers. Tripp, and particularly Buzz, are freaking hilarious and absolutely ridiculous as they go into ultra-protective big brother mode. And when you add in Mateo’s six hilariously overbearing, oversharing and over-involved sisters get, there are so many funny moments.
This book is good and has some really bright moments, and it had so much potential to be a fantastic read, but the heroine ticked me off, the romance wasn’t there for me, and it ultimately felt unfinished. I’m keen to see if True and Mateo’s story will continue in the background as (if) this series continues.
3 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2021
Quick Review
Surprise pregnancy trope can work for me but the romance here was non existent other than some sex. There’s not even an ILU before it ends. I’m Latinx, and i can’t tell you how it irked me to read every. Single. Spanish. Word translated in the most literal way. It made the narrative grind to a halt. I’ve tried to like this series because I do enjoy the Wallace family but this was the weakest of an already weak series. Big olé no bueno. That means no good. 🙄
Surprise pregnancy trope can work for me but the romance here was non existent other than some sex. There’s not even an ILU before it ends. I’m Latinx, and i can’t tell you how it irked me to read every. Single. Spanish. Word translated in the most literal way. It made the narrative grind to a halt. I’ve tried to like this series because I do enjoy the Wallace family but this was the weakest of an already weak series. Big olé no bueno. That means no good. 🙄
March 25, 2021
This was a super quick read for me and I was looking forward to it as soon as I read the teaser in Hard Love. True has a one night stand at Buzz’s wedding with his teammate Mateo and ends up pregnant. Hilarity ensues. Well, it ensues between Buzz and Tripp more than anything because they are so overprotective. After True ghosts him after their night together, Mateo cant stop thinking about her and wondering where he went wrong. I would say he pines after her, that’s the best word to describe it, but True is too embarrassed to talk to him because she doesn’t do things like that usually. Mateo asks Buzz for her number but Buzz won’t give it to him.
The book goes back and forth between the night they met and now and how they felt an instant connection. Mateo was sweet. There really isn’t anything I love more than a stand up, good guy. Mateo is that guy. I feel like the love story the two of them could have shared was overshadowed by their families and the fact she didn’t tell him about the baby for such a long time. There were also parts that confused me as he pines for her for so long only to be nonchalant about being with her after he finds out she is pregnant. Don’t get me wrong, he’s very great about it and excited but it just felt off to me. This is more about relationships, and that’s ok, but I didn’t feel the butterflies and the love I usually feel with Sara’s books. It felt a little rushed even though quite a bit of time went by, but they didn’t really even start talking to each other (besides flashbacks) until half the book was over. If you’re looking for a cute, really light read with quirky characters, this is for you! I will continue to read Sara Ney and look forward to all her books. Thanks to Wildfire and Sara for an early copy.
The book goes back and forth between the night they met and now and how they felt an instant connection. Mateo was sweet. There really isn’t anything I love more than a stand up, good guy. Mateo is that guy. I feel like the love story the two of them could have shared was overshadowed by their families and the fact she didn’t tell him about the baby for such a long time. There were also parts that confused me as he pines for her for so long only to be nonchalant about being with her after he finds out she is pregnant. Don’t get me wrong, he’s very great about it and excited but it just felt off to me. This is more about relationships, and that’s ok, but I didn’t feel the butterflies and the love I usually feel with Sara’s books. It felt a little rushed even though quite a bit of time went by, but they didn’t really even start talking to each other (besides flashbacks) until half the book was over. If you’re looking for a cute, really light read with quirky characters, this is for you! I will continue to read Sara Ney and look forward to all her books. Thanks to Wildfire and Sara for an early copy.
May 1, 2021
Ok I'm going to say it upfront the ending to this book sucks and there is no epilogue. WTF??!! It literally just ends without any closure whatsoever. You are left with assumptions that's it. The story was just really getting started. It's like the author ran out of steam and just typed, The End. I finished this book so unsatisfied. Given the end, this story was poorly paced and planned. Too much time was spent on unimportant details, like how her brothers respond or his sisters. It takes too long for them to get together. The only conflict is about her telling him the news. Ugh, so frustrating. I'm like legit mad I wasted time on this story. I'm only giving it 2 stars vs one because there was some good banter and funny situations.
March 30, 2021
I feel like I'm on a complete whoops baby binge at the minute and it's all just been a very happy coincidence. Because honestly, I just saw that Sara Ney had a new Trophy Boyfriend book to read and I was there for it. I didn't know it was Tripp and Buzz's little sister, which I probably should have, I just dove in.
And I couldn't come up for air until I got to the end. And the epilogue was so gooey sweet, I put the book down with a big grin on my face. Although to be honest I'm pretty sure I wore that for most of the time I was reading the book.
True was a pretty cool main character, which obviously she would have to be to put up with Buzz her whole life. And I loved how much of Tripp and Buzz we got all through the book, and Molly because I seriously love that girl. But Mateo made the whole story. He was fan yourself hot and sooo sweet and just mmmmm. And he had his own interfering, overbearing family issues with his 6 sisters.
I really loved it. There was so much fun, and family and it was so drama free I just got to kick back and smile and laugh and watch it all unfold. I can't wait to see what we are getting next.
And I couldn't come up for air until I got to the end. And the epilogue was so gooey sweet, I put the book down with a big grin on my face. Although to be honest I'm pretty sure I wore that for most of the time I was reading the book.
True was a pretty cool main character, which obviously she would have to be to put up with Buzz her whole life. And I loved how much of Tripp and Buzz we got all through the book, and Molly because I seriously love that girl. But Mateo made the whole story. He was fan yourself hot and sooo sweet and just mmmmm. And he had his own interfering, overbearing family issues with his 6 sisters.
I really loved it. There was so much fun, and family and it was so drama free I just got to kick back and smile and laugh and watch it all unfold. I can't wait to see what we are getting next.
March 25, 2021
Hard Luck is an accidental pregnancy romance, and the fourth book in the Trophy Boyfriends series by Sara Ney, and I think it’s my favourite yet. I am a sucker for this trope, and I thought Sara captured the shock and surprise of an unplanned pregnancy perfectly.
When Mateo and True have a one-night stand at True’s brother Buzz’s wedding, it ends in ways neither of them expect. As Mateo is Buzz’s teammate and close friend, True sneaks out early in the morning to avoid awkwardness, but Mateo makes it his mission to track her down. He felt a connection that night which he wants to pursue, but True is ghosting him, because she has a secret, in the form of baby bump. Unsure what to do, how her overprotective brothers or Mateo will react, she hides out in her brother Tripp’s house until she builds up the courage to come clean to her baby’s father, and the rest of her family. How will Mateo and everyone else react when the news comes out?
There were some aspects of this book I adored, especially the slow build of a relationship between Mateo and True, no insta-love here, because it felt more realistic. It took them some time to get together, but by the epilogue, it still wasn’t super clear what they were, which I got slightly frustrated at. I enjoyed their banter and how they got to know each other, but I just felt like I needed more from them as a couple! I loved True’s relationships with her brothers, they were overbearing and overprotective but their double act made up for the overdramatic tendencies and I could read about the Wallace siblings all day. I also really enjoyed her blossoming friendship with Molly, who was there for her when no one else was. Mateo and his sisters’ dynamics were just as good, the sibling relationships within this book were pure gold.
However, some scenes felt repetitive, especially at the start, and the ending felt rushed, and big events that had been talked about a lot, like how Mateo would tell his family about the pregnancy and how they would react weren’t even mentioned. So, while I adored every character in this book, it did feel like there were still too many loose ends when I turned the last page. I am hoping we will get to see more of this couple in later books, because to me it doesn’t feel like their story is finished.
*I received a copy of this book and voluntarily left a review.*
When Mateo and True have a one-night stand at True’s brother Buzz’s wedding, it ends in ways neither of them expect. As Mateo is Buzz’s teammate and close friend, True sneaks out early in the morning to avoid awkwardness, but Mateo makes it his mission to track her down. He felt a connection that night which he wants to pursue, but True is ghosting him, because she has a secret, in the form of baby bump. Unsure what to do, how her overprotective brothers or Mateo will react, she hides out in her brother Tripp’s house until she builds up the courage to come clean to her baby’s father, and the rest of her family. How will Mateo and everyone else react when the news comes out?
There were some aspects of this book I adored, especially the slow build of a relationship between Mateo and True, no insta-love here, because it felt more realistic. It took them some time to get together, but by the epilogue, it still wasn’t super clear what they were, which I got slightly frustrated at. I enjoyed their banter and how they got to know each other, but I just felt like I needed more from them as a couple! I loved True’s relationships with her brothers, they were overbearing and overprotective but their double act made up for the overdramatic tendencies and I could read about the Wallace siblings all day. I also really enjoyed her blossoming friendship with Molly, who was there for her when no one else was. Mateo and his sisters’ dynamics were just as good, the sibling relationships within this book were pure gold.
However, some scenes felt repetitive, especially at the start, and the ending felt rushed, and big events that had been talked about a lot, like how Mateo would tell his family about the pregnancy and how they would react weren’t even mentioned. So, while I adored every character in this book, it did feel like there were still too many loose ends when I turned the last page. I am hoping we will get to see more of this couple in later books, because to me it doesn’t feel like their story is finished.
*I received a copy of this book and voluntarily left a review.*
September 27, 2023
3/4 ⭐️
Solo in un libro possono essere tutti felici così e tranquilli riguardo a quanto accaduto “per caso” ma ok 😅 è una storia leggera che si legge con piacere per passare qualche ora.
Solo in un libro possono essere tutti felici così e tranquilli riguardo a quanto accaduto “per caso” ma ok 😅 è una storia leggera che si legge con piacere per passare qualche ora.
March 25, 2021
Secret baby romance…
I couldn’t wait to dive into True and Mateo’s story! The Wallace’s were back and True was going to have to figure things out with Mateo as they had a finite amount of time. Six months give or take…
Oh yes, this was drama central as a one night stand led to a secret baby, that meant hiding from the family (and herself) and oh, maybe the father as well. The story flashed from past to present and from various point of views, ensuring I knew what was going on and could enjoy the ride as everyone else had to figure it out…
This read had me laughing and shaking my head at everyone’s antics. Interfering brothers and a man who wouldn’t take no for an answer was entertainment plus… Not sure if there will be more but I can’t get enough of these loving and angsty characters!
March 26, 2021
We finally have True bringing us book 4 in the Trophy Boyfriends series with the handsome family oriented man Mateo.
Yes her brother is getting married can you believe it ? What is a little flirting between strangers even if he is your brothers teammate.
Mateo has been admiring the vision before him the entire evening but she is so off limits , you know the bro code and everything. When casual conversation turns to flirting and then a one night stand things are about to get complicated.
True is saving face and sneaking out the next morning but now she is also ghosting her wedding fling. It becomes a game of cat and mouse when Mateo tries to work his way back into her life but their may be a few surprises along the way. Let's just say that True's brothers and Mateo's sisters are making this a quite comical, interfering journey for these two and let us not forget the cute 15 year old dog sitter and her wealth of world knowledge and expert advise ...lol!!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Yes her brother is getting married can you believe it ? What is a little flirting between strangers even if he is your brothers teammate.
Mateo has been admiring the vision before him the entire evening but she is so off limits , you know the bro code and everything. When casual conversation turns to flirting and then a one night stand things are about to get complicated.
True is saving face and sneaking out the next morning but now she is also ghosting her wedding fling. It becomes a game of cat and mouse when Mateo tries to work his way back into her life but their may be a few surprises along the way. Let's just say that True's brothers and Mateo's sisters are making this a quite comical, interfering journey for these two and let us not forget the cute 15 year old dog sitter and her wealth of world knowledge and expert advise ...lol!!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
March 28, 2021
3.5⭐️
I was really looking forward to this one. But it just didn't do it for me. Half of the book was just True being selfish and not having the balls to talk to Mateo, that he's got a surprise waiting for him. Then when they finally talked, they mostly just talk about co-parenting. It feels like there was anything romantic between them. And even the ending was kind of rushed.
One good thing about this one was her brothers. Their banter was really funny and I enjoyed it so much.
I was really looking forward to this one. But it just didn't do it for me. Half of the book was just True being selfish and not having the balls to talk to Mateo, that he's got a surprise waiting for him. Then when they finally talked, they mostly just talk about co-parenting. It feels like there was anything romantic between them. And even the ending was kind of rushed.
One good thing about this one was her brothers. Their banter was really funny and I enjoyed it so much.
March 25, 2021
4 Stars!
Sara Ney is back with the next standalone in the Trophy Boyfriends series and what a journey this was. A one night stands turned accidental knock up and now... well... they sorta kinda have to make it work now.
Hard Luck gives us True and Mateo's story and while this might not be a top for me in this series, it was so awesome checking back in with the squad. And Mateo? Just wait until you meet that hunk! What a swoony, steamy hero he was. Completely made the story.
Sara never fails to disappointing delivering the goods and I adored this quick, easy, fun, laugh out loud, low angst romance.
I totally recommended this book.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
Sara Ney is back with the next standalone in the Trophy Boyfriends series and what a journey this was. A one night stands turned accidental knock up and now... well... they sorta kinda have to make it work now.
Hard Luck gives us True and Mateo's story and while this might not be a top for me in this series, it was so awesome checking back in with the squad. And Mateo? Just wait until you meet that hunk! What a swoony, steamy hero he was. Completely made the story.
Sara never fails to disappointing delivering the goods and I adored this quick, easy, fun, laugh out loud, low angst romance.
I totally recommended this book.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.
March 25, 2021
Hard Luck is the 4th book in the Trophy Husbands Series and can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.
Overall, I thought this book was an ok read. I was sucked into True’s story from the very first encounter. I thought her character was real and relatable. I loved her relationship with her brothers. Yes, they were super overprotective and a bit extra at times, but their hearts were truly in the right place. I absolutely adored Matteo. He too had a wonderful and entertaining meddling family. He was head over heels for True after just one night together. I enjoyed his persistence and how determined he was to get back in contact with True.
Together True and Matteo shared some really great moments and had excellent sexual chemistry. Do I think that they had the true makings of a lasting relationship? Maybe. While I loved True and Matteo, I didn’t necessarily love them together. I didn’t really get the feels from them. And that could just be me. I truly enjoyed True and Matteo, I just didn’t always believe them as a couple.
At the end of the day, I think this book is going to be one of those that works for some, and not so much for others. For me, I thought it was an ok read. There were a lot of elements that really worked for me and others that just fell flat. And while this book wasn’t a 100% hit for me, I’m still glad to have checked it out and given it a try.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an hoenst review*
Overall, I thought this book was an ok read. I was sucked into True’s story from the very first encounter. I thought her character was real and relatable. I loved her relationship with her brothers. Yes, they were super overprotective and a bit extra at times, but their hearts were truly in the right place. I absolutely adored Matteo. He too had a wonderful and entertaining meddling family. He was head over heels for True after just one night together. I enjoyed his persistence and how determined he was to get back in contact with True.
Together True and Matteo shared some really great moments and had excellent sexual chemistry. Do I think that they had the true makings of a lasting relationship? Maybe. While I loved True and Matteo, I didn’t necessarily love them together. I didn’t really get the feels from them. And that could just be me. I truly enjoyed True and Matteo, I just didn’t always believe them as a couple.
At the end of the day, I think this book is going to be one of those that works for some, and not so much for others. For me, I thought it was an ok read. There were a lot of elements that really worked for me and others that just fell flat. And while this book wasn’t a 100% hit for me, I’m still glad to have checked it out and given it a try.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an hoenst review*
March 29, 2021
I love Sara Ney because she never fails to make laugh but I wasn't really feeling this book.
It was still funny and I love the brotherly banter.
However, the first half of the book felt like it dragged a little.
And I was really bothered by all the random spanish words in the middle of a sentence in english. Don't get wrong though, spanish is my first language and I'm hispanic but it felt forced. Like, just because Mateo's family is hispanic he needs to throw random words in there? I don't know. It weirded me out a little.
Plus, I think I didn't actually get to read about the couple falling in love. It fell short in that sense, in my opinion.
Still, a fun and lighthearted story.
It was still funny and I love the brotherly banter.
However, the first half of the book felt like it dragged a little.
And I was really bothered by all the random spanish words in the middle of a sentence in english. Don't get wrong though, spanish is my first language and I'm hispanic but it felt forced. Like, just because Mateo's family is hispanic he needs to throw random words in there? I don't know. It weirded me out a little.
Plus, I think I didn't actually get to read about the couple falling in love. It fell short in that sense, in my opinion.
Still, a fun and lighthearted story.
July 1, 2021
THAT was the epilogue?! Feels like an unfinished book which is sad because I used to love Ney’s books
March 25, 2021
Well, that was freaking adorable. Mateo is definitely a book boyfriend and I love him so much. He is the definition of SWOON. His sisters are hilarious too! Obviously we know the Wallace family already, they are quite a trip, and I’m not referring just to the brother (pun intended). They’re all a little over-the-top and ridiculous in the best way. I think the family dynamics really play into True's actions in the beginning--which I wanted to shake her for. Luckily, as a story went on I just fell more in love with Mateo and his relentless pursuit of True. I really wanted them to get their happy ever after! Also, Molly is such a hilarious side character and has brought so much the last two stories of this series. Something that I enjoy about these books are all of the side characters and how much they add to each book. And as usual, Sara Ney has me laughing ridiculously hard over all the antics of these weirdo characters who I truly want to be friends with.
March 30, 2021
In Hard Luck, we get to go back to Trophy Boyfriends series for Mateo and True's story.
This one doesn't have quite as much sas as Sara usually packs into her books and is a slightly different style of unexpected pregnancy book. It was quite a slow burn and it did take quite a bit for the main characters to find each other. Which led to a delay in the romantic burn between the pair. Overall a solid read.
This one doesn't have quite as much sas as Sara usually packs into her books and is a slightly different style of unexpected pregnancy book. It was quite a slow burn and it did take quite a bit for the main characters to find each other. Which led to a delay in the romantic burn between the pair. Overall a solid read.
May 19, 2021
This would have been 3 stars but for the ending. It was not over and yet abruptly, there’s an epilogue! Now, looking back, I see that the conflict is in the beginning and then we read the chemistry between the characters. It was all just written backwards and incompletely.
As for the plot, aside from it not being completed, it’s a typical boy meets girl and gets her pregnant story... except the only conflict is that she ghosts him out of embarrassment and procrastination. I DO enjoy secret baby romances but this one lacked a lot. It’s too bad because I really liked Mateo.
As for the plot, aside from it not being completed, it’s a typical boy meets girl and gets her pregnant story... except the only conflict is that she ghosts him out of embarrassment and procrastination. I DO enjoy secret baby romances but this one lacked a lot. It’s too bad because I really liked Mateo.
March 25, 2021
Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
I have been there for Noah and Miranda in Sara Ney’s Hard Pass. I was there for Trace “Buzz” Wallace and Hollis in Hard Fall, and I was front and center for Tripp and Chandler in Hard Love. In a word, Ney’s Trophy Boyfriends series has been zany... with heroes who act out and heroines who keep them grounded. At the end of Hard Love,
I have been there for Noah and Miranda in Sara Ney’s Hard Pass. I was there for Trace “Buzz” Wallace and Hollis in Hard Fall, and I was front and center for Tripp and Chandler in Hard Love. In a word, Ney’s Trophy Boyfriends series has been zany... with heroes who act out and heroines who keep them grounded. At the end of Hard Love,
November 8, 2022
Really don’t know what I was thinking continuing this series after I 100% did not have a good time reading the last book. My only excuse was that I had already checked it out and it was short.
I have literally nothing to say about this. This should barely count as a book & almost nothing happens.
I have literally nothing to say about this. This should barely count as a book & almost nothing happens.
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