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False Start

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Sporty in any way that won’t make him an academic, Cash ‘Milo’ Mancini is living the good life. He’s popular, well-liked, and when he isn’t failing mathematics, the star basketball player for the South Harmon Hawks.

Needing to either improve his grades or be benched for the season, Cash seeks assistance from a supposed shy, demure wallflower.

When McKayla Jones turns out nothing like he’s anticipating, Cash realizes he’ll need more than a cocky demeanor to convince her to tutor him.

He’s set for the game of his life, and for once, it won’t be played on the court.

False Start is a fake dating, friends to lovers sports romcom that will give you all the feels. It is not tied to any of my books so it can be read as a complete standalone.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2022

213 people are currently reading
1801 people want to read

About the author

Shandi Boyes

96 books2,200 followers
Shandi Boyes is a USA Today Bestselling Author who was an avid reader for many years before she discovered the love of writing in February 2016. Her first penned novel 'Perception of Life’ is a new adult rockstar romance that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat until the very last word.

In September 2016, her focus shifted to hot alpha men in steamy contemporary reads that sizzle off the pages. Shandi’s novel ‘Enigma of Life’ is an award-winning story on an FBI agent and the subject she was assigned to investigate. Her men are swoon-worthy, devoted, and alpha; and her heroines are strong-willed, determined, and loveable. You should start her stories first thing in the morning, or you may not sleep.

You will laugh and you will cry, but Shandi's characters will stay with you for a lifetime!

Join my newsletter: subscribepage.com/authorshandi

SERIES ORDER:
Perception of Life (Noah and Emily #1)
Reality of Life (conclusion of Noah's story #2)
Fight of Life (Jacob's story - standalone #3)
Player of Life (Nick & Jenny - standalone #4)
Beats of Life (Slater's story - standalone #5)

Enigma:

Enigma of Life (Isaac #1) - ** FREE **
Unraveling an Enigma (Isaac #2)
Enigma: The Mystery Unmasked (Isaac #3)
Enigma: The Final Chapter (conclusion of Isaac's story #4)
Beneath the Secrets (Hugo #1)
Beneath the Sheets (Hugo #2)
Spy Thy Neighbor (Hunter's Story)
The Opposite Effect
I Married a Mob Boss
Second Shot

Bound:

Chains
Links
Bound
Restrained

Russian Mob Chronicles:

Nikolai: A Mafia Prince Romance
Nikolai: Taking Back What's Mine
Nikolai: What's Left of Me

You will laugh and you will cry, but my characters will stay with you forever!

I love writing and reading. They are both my passion. My genre is generally set to new adult and contemporary, with a few twists thrown in.

Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Author-Shand...

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01D8C13WU

Enjoy reading!

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5 stars
148 (33%)
4 stars
135 (30%)
3 stars
97 (22%)
2 stars
38 (8%)
1 star
20 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Profile Image for Kassidy Gunn.
69 reviews3 followers
November 22, 2022
“I can live without my dick. I can’t live without you.”

Rating: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 2/5🌶

🎉 Happy Surprise Release Day!! 🎉

🥳 Congratulations to Shandi Boyes for her 60th book release!! Thank you, thank you so much for letting me be apart of this surprise release!

🥳 Not only is this is Shandi’s 60th book release, but this is the 50th book I’ve read this year, which completes my reading challenge for the year and I couldn’t have asked for a better book to fill that spot 🫶🏻🫶🏻

🏀 False Start is a fake dating, friends to lovers sports romcom and is a complete standalone.

🧠 MacKayla Jones is innocent, shy(ish), sassy, and has a whole lot of balls 🤭 (all puns intended). From being homeschooled on her family’s farm and now moving away to college, she is pretty sheltered and naive about certain things in life, mainly guys. But when she strikes a deal with a certain jock, a tutor for improved cred, things start to change. Also her verbal diarrhea is the funniest thing to me, she had me dying on more than one occasion.

🧠 Cash ‘Milo’ Mancini is the popular jock. But when he will be benched if he can’t bring his mathematics grade up, he is forced to seek assistance else where that involves a totally different game, off the court. Cash is protective and funny as hell but struggles to fight the demons of his (not so distant) past when him and MacKayla strike their first deal.

🧠 Cash and MacKayla are so freaking precious together!! Their banter is chef’s kiss and you could cut their sexual tension with a knife☺️ I love them together! They even have to cutest nicknames for each other 😍 He brings her out of her shelter and shows her new things and she teaches him not to be ashamed or scared of his mind💗 These two had me cackling so loud I was scared I was going to wake someone up🤣 I read 70% of the book in one sitting and if I wouldn’t have had to go to work the next morning I would have finished it in one night
Profile Image for julia.
28 reviews
April 3, 2024
I actually hated this book with everything I have. And I hate myself even more for being incapable of not finishing a book.

The characters were dry in my opinion. The plot was nowhere. The grammar was horrendous at some points of the book. I geniunely had to reread sentences to make sure I'm not crazy. The little 80% break up made no sense whatsoever. The random backstory that just came in at 90% of the book was crazy and definitely should've been mentioned more often.

I just think the book was all over the place. I really truly do love a good basic book where I know what's going to happen. This was a basic book. But I had absolutely no clue what was going on.

I was really intrigued at the start. I'd say first half of the book was really going to be a 3 star read but then it all went downhill.

THE 80% MARK OF THE BOOK. I was actually physically shaking from how infuriating the characters were. The blame just kept getting tossed at random people.

I think the only thing that could've saved this book from a 1 star rating is if all the characters died a brutal death right at the end. I'd save no character. Actually I'm lying. Save Kamil, he was alright. Get rid of everyone else.

If the authors aim was to make the reader feel rage then congratulations. I wanted to rip my hair out and slam my head into a wall.
Profile Image for Anne  Young-Cronister.
958 reviews
November 26, 2022
This was awesome. I loved McKayla’s sass, wit, smarts and the ability to dish out good ways to study. She takes people and can see through them to decide if they are worthy humans. Even with that gift she will still give them a chance. Cash is very complicated. He’s a bit lost in his head too much because of things that had happened in the past. I loved this story. Shandi Boyes knows how to draw in her readers and give them a story to touch your heart. I cried and laughed and cried happy tears. I was still smiling a half hour after I had finished this book.

I reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Profile Image for Elisabete.
149 reviews
July 3, 2024
I liked it, but to be honest it just dragged a bit... Still an enjoyable read, specially if you like farmer girls and basketball players.
Profile Image for Andie Lovess.
128 reviews2 followers
January 9, 2023
My first book by this author, I will try something else, but I'm not sure her writing style is for me...

"I can live without my dick. I cannot live without you."

Sum: Cash needs a passing grade to stay on the basketball team, which for him is more than a sport he can make bank doing, for him it's a way out of his misery and sad home life. Makayla is smart and a loner, but pining after a drama and ex-soap star. They manage to strike a deal, he makes her seem worthy of dating and teaches her a thing or two and she keeps him on the basketball team by tutoring him.

What I did like:Makayla was sassy and had a way with balls that always kept Cash on his toes. Cash felt a lot, for everyone important in his life, he was somewhat refreshing in that aspect.

What I did NOT like:Cash thought being smart would destroy your mind and didn't think to consider anything else in his life or others than could be contributing factors to the mind breaking. He was harsh on Makayla in a way I don't think he should have came back from....especially with telling the truth to the ex....fucked up my boy! Makayla also needed to be stronger in her resolves, not be stupid over the wrong boy, and learn to be more truthful with the right boy....I get you're a home schooled "hick", but you aren't stupid..... 🙄

Overall? 3.0 📗📗📗
Plot? 3.0 💭💭💭
Spice? 2.0 🌶🌶
Cheating? Sort of? But not really...
CharDev? 1.5 for 👩 and 1.0 for 🧑
HEA? Yes
Fave Char? Cash's best friend and roommate
Series? Yes, but Standalone friendly
Tropes? tutor, strangers to lovers, fake dating, sports
Triggers? None that I'm aware of
Profile Image for Edith.
38 reviews2 followers
November 23, 2022
False start is a page turning romcom at its finest. It has a bit of drama and enough chemistry to make it hard to put the book down. Cash and McKayla have such a great relationship and have built such a great foundation in their friendship that it makes you crave that kind of bond. It reminds you that you can be yourself, whether it’s smart, witty, or even sometimes annoying, however, when you’re with the right person, they only see the best in you: even when you don’t see the best in yourself. Cash and McKayla remind you that you should always help each other strive for greatness and with a great support system, nothing is impossible. Sometimes you might think that you’re out of someone’s league, but you have to be reminded not to judge a book by its cover because things aren’t always black and white. You can be surprised how relatable you are to someone once you look past your differences. This book discusses real life situations with attainable expectations. Once you begin reading it, it will be hard to put it down.
Profile Image for Rachel Barby.
52 reviews16 followers
November 22, 2022
*ARC REVIEW*

Cash needed a tutor, McKayla needed a way to get her crush to notice her. What happened next, neither of them could of predicted.

Shandi’s books tend to have me gripped from the beginning, and this one was no different.

This book has me laughing out loud so many times. The banter and back and forth between Cash and McKayla was brilliant to read. The budding friendship between these two made me feel giddy. Seeing them both lower their defences and open up to each other and watch them be there for each other was so wholesome to read and showed they were soulmates.

The chemistry built and built in a way that was perfect and it was so progressive it truly fit the characters. They pushed each other to be the people they were meant to be and it was amazing.

Very highly recommended this book!!
Profile Image for Jean Dewsbury.
870 reviews16 followers
November 23, 2022
A beautifully written storyline around two college students Cash "Milo" and McKaylah the sassy straight talking book smart, and the basketball jock. When their professor arranges McKaylah to tutor Cash so he doesn't loose his basketball scholarship.

A wonderful romantic sports comedy around the lives of two complex opposite characters. I enjoyed reading about how their introduction lead to a wonderful storyline about the humour and the dramas of college.
The characters were engaging, funny whilst still exploring and touching on many topics.
Highly recommended reading and I can't wait to read more about the other characters.
Profile Image for Maz.
1,677 reviews29 followers
November 24, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars

Best false start

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 21 November 2022

This is a college sports love story. I loved both the main Characters. They had great banter, chemistry and their characters were just lovable.
McKayla was a home schooled math genius and Cash was a jock and in no way wants to be the genius he secretly is.
If he doesn't pass his exams he will never play again as his scholarship depends on it.
This was a slow burn and angst was so high.
This book had so much to it. The drama and backstabbing. Also the humour and spice.
As always with Shandi's books, I had to read it in one sitting as I needed to know what happens next.
1,927 reviews
November 22, 2022
This is a book that will have you believing that there are good people, that not everything is doom and gloom. It is a delightful story about opposites who are brought together in unusual circumstances. It is funny and poignant, it is charming but doesn’t gloss over difficult subjects, it faces them head on but in a positive way. Cash and McKayla are an unlikely couple but they work so well together. It is an uplifting story even though there are some serious messages, it does not preach. It is a book you do not want to end I enjoyed every word.
125 reviews1 follower
November 23, 2022
This book fits in perfectly with the Ballsy Boys series and is on par with Just Playin’!
A playful romp full of humor and charm, this is an absolute slam-dunk!!
A light-hearted read with enough emotional heart-tugging, humor, and sexual tension to keep you interested and keep those pages turning.
Whether you grab it as a light summer read or you're tucked under a blanket in front of the fire, you will not be disappointed.
I absolutely recommend this, it's not too naughty but just spicy enough.
Another delightful read by this author!
30 reviews1 follower
November 23, 2022
Okay guys, I admit that I might be a little biased because I share the same name (and spelling, which is very rare) with the main character. When I seen her name as the chapter title, I immediately started fan-girling! Anyways, this is Shandi’s latest installment of the Ballsy Boys Series and it follows the same sporty rom com genre. Cash and McKayla are truly more than meets the eye and their banter is very entertaining and will keep the pages turning. This book is without a doubt a 10/10 as always and a must read!
Profile Image for Susana Soto.
220 reviews2 followers
November 28, 2022
Even though I don't often read sports romances, I really enjoyed this one since it was interesting to see how Cash (Milo) and McKayla interacted. To convince McKayla, Milo had to exert more effort. Milo and McKaylla spend a lot of time together as a result of the intense tutoring Milo receives from her. The story begins with that. I keep gushing about how much I love their story, but the way it ends has me even more enamored. It's so good that I simply can't put it down. What a fantastic book! Fantastic characters and an engaging storyline.
1,073 reviews8 followers
December 1, 2022
Wow

I was really surprised at this book. What started off as a premise that’s been done a bunch (though the jock/tutor trope IS one of my favorites) quickly turned into g much deeper. While there were aspects of the writing that felt a little confusing, the overall story was really good and touching. I really enjoyed the unexpected ups and downs and definitely recommend this book.
Profile Image for Ree White.
34 reviews
December 5, 2022
always a winner!

I’ve never stumbled across a book by Shandi that didn’t draw me in - she writes sweet and dirty with the same level of flair and everyone keeps me engaged from front to back cover.

This story is sweeter than a lot of her other books, though that doesn’t mean it lacks heat, witty dialogue or captivating relationships. I sniggered and lol’d through this one, McKayla’s sass is hilarious!!
Profile Image for Puna.
1,321 reviews15 followers
January 3, 2024
Easily google able mistakes bug the crud out of me. Makes me question what, if any research was done. AND if I can take what is written at face value or should I be googling. Sadly this book had a few of those moments.
The highest ever recorded IQ is in the high 220s so the comments about people with IQs of 300 & 400 irked me. Then there was the soundproof room that was only soundproof from the inside. So anyone outside could hear every word being said inside…
8 reviews
November 23, 2022
A cute joke/ nerd romance. Not too spicy but does have the romance flare you expect from Shandi. Cash is likable and has an unexpected twist that you don’t usually get from this type of romance which was fun to read. Overall I would recommend this to someone that likes a lighter romance, or a younger audience.
54 reviews
November 23, 2022
Oh Shandi it's been awhile!

It's been awhile since I've read a Shandi Boyles book and this one didn't disappoint. Loved Cash and McKayla. Totally recommend all Shandi's books as they really are great reads. My first was Saving Noah, let me tell you I got hooked on this author.
Profile Image for j..
132 reviews
November 25, 2022
Needed a decent read to get me out of my slump and I came across a tiktok for this book. I don’t really know what I was expecting but I fell in love with this authors writing style and I really enjoyed the characters! Cash and “Einstein” were perfect for each other. Will be reading more of this author :-)
10 reviews
December 2, 2022
Good easy read

Not as angsty or trauma led as some of Shandi's books. The Ballsy Boys series are a great rainy afternoon read with a blanket over your knees and a hot chocolate drink to hand. Yummy but not too challenging. For angsty spicier Shandi read her Perception series followed by Bound series the the Enigma series . Love all Shandi's books. Great Author.
Profile Image for Alicia Meyer.
1,475 reviews2 followers
May 23, 2023
Cute

I don’t read M/F books all that often anymore because the women are usually way way to dramatic and hideous examples of what women should be portrayed like. This book McKayla is awkward and quaint with the right amount of spunk. I would say I probably like this one the most out of all the the ones in the series.
Profile Image for Ana.
515 reviews6 followers
dnf
September 23, 2025
DNF @ 5%

WTF was that?? This book was filled with so much misogyny, slut shaming, stereotypical jock with no personality, "she not like other girls" and douche bag vibes, and I didn't even make it to chapter 3?? I genuinely have nothing nice to say, so I'm just going to not say anything at all.
Profile Image for C.L. Strickland.
Author 12 books83 followers
November 28, 2022
Cash...

I loved the banter and chemistry between Cash and McKayla. Not to mention the trust and friendship they build with each other as the story progresses. Another win from Shandi Boyes.
24 reviews
January 13, 2023
MILO & Einstein

This was a really good read. I enjoyed their banter and the the fact that the despite their differences on the surface they were entirely perfect for one another.
3 reviews
February 12, 2023
Great love story.

I enjoyed this book. It made me smile and wish I was right there on the basketball court while they were studying. The story moved quickly at just the right pace. It sure made me want to meet and know Cash.
1 review
October 2, 2023
Love everything by this Author!

I have read nearly every book by Shandi recently. I absolutely love everything she writes. Thank you, Shandi, for your good reads! I look forward to reading more, and I'll try to write a review more often to help you out ;).
4 reviews
April 2, 2024
Interesting storyline

I liked that the subject of the story was different. How it represented neurodiversty. The relationship between Cash and Kamil, how they understood one another. Mykla and Cash relationship showed how different can be good.
273 reviews
June 5, 2024
Great book! 5 stars all the way!

Ballsy Boys Series from Amanda Boyes were all great! Very imaginative character s and plot for each one and always super entertaining and hard to put down. Hats off ten times over!
Profile Image for Leyre Sesma.
205 reviews2 followers
June 7, 2024
Me ha parecido un romance tan bonito que me he pasado casi todo el libro sonriendo.

Además tiene su parte "profunda" que syuda a la trama. Eso sí me hubiese gustado saber un poco más de como mejoran la relación Cash y Trey, pero bueno.

En general, un buen libro.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
35 reviews
June 29, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
Honestly the book wasn’t bad but I just don’t think it was for me. The writing style and some of the plot points just didn’t sit right with me and the book never grabbed my attention in any meaningful way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews

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