Review and Giveaway - Unexpected Rush by Jaci Burton

Title: Unexpected Rush 

Series: Play by Play #11

Author: Jaci Burton

Release Date: February 16, 2016

In the new Play-By-Play novel by the New York Times bestselling author of All Wound Up, a football hot shot and his best friend’s sister are breaking all the rules.

All the Right Moves

For Barrett Cassidy, playing defense for the Tampa Hawks is a dream come true. And now he may have discovered his dream woman. Harmony Evans, once the sweet, gawky teenage sister of his best friend and teammate has grown into a smart, gorgeous woman with moves he finds hard to resist. But he knows he can’t get involved with his best friend’s sister—it’s guy code.

Harmony has always gone after what she wants with single-minded determination, from her independence to her education to her career in social work. She never expected her youthful crush on Barrett to develop into something deeper. And she’s not about to let some ridiculous man rules or her brother stand in her way.

When the chemistry is this combustible, lines tend to get crossed. And when Barrett and Harmony’s secret gets out, it just might be game over...

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Football players have balls…

And, of course, they are smart and articulate as well. Handsome, talented, well, you get the picture. It’s not all about the physical though there is a whole lot of that as well! This is a good description of the players on the Tampa Hawks football team, and never more appropriate than for Barrett Cassidy. Barrett is on defense when he is on the field and he has to use every one of those finely-honed skills off the field when Harmony Evans starts looking his way. 

Harmony is the little sister of his best friend. He loves Drake like a brother and the Evans family have made him part of their family. Barrett can’t break the bro code by looking at Harmony in any way other than brotherly but it’s going to take everything he has.

Bro code, schmo code. Harmony doesn’t understand why two consenting adults can’t explore a relationship they are both interested in. And she doesn’t let that stand in her way when she decides it’s time to go after what she wants. The heat between her and Barrett is obvious and keeping things quiet doesn’t mean that it doesn’t get loud on occasion. 

This was a quiet romance in some ways as the conflict was a psychological one and acted as the elephant in the room in every scene that played out. I liked the characters even if I wanted to shake them here and there. They are obviously successful in their chosen professions and can hold their own within their big, boisterous families, but they seem to be stymied on how to handle their own situation. So much drama when I couldn’t help but feel a heart-to-heart conversation could have resolved it all.

Hunky football players and sexy scenes that this author knows how to spin so well means another solid, if rather unassuming, addition to a series I can’t help coming back to… 

~ Review by Diane

Jaci Burton is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author who lives in Oklahoma with her husband and dogs. She has three grown children, who are all scattered around the country having lives of their own. A lover of sports, Jaci can often tell what season it is by what sport is being played. She watches entirely too much television, including an unhealthy amount of reality TV. When she isn't on deadline, Jaci can be found at her local casino, trying to become a millionaire (so far, no luck). She's a total romantic and loves a story with a happily ever after, which you'll find in all her books.

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Review - Hot Holiday Nights by Jaci Burton

Title: Hot Holiday Nights

Series: Play-by-Play #10.5

Author: Jaci Burton

Release Date: October 20, 2015

The new Play-by-Play romance from the New York Times bestselling author of All Wound Up.

Tori Baldwin is a successful sports agent who enjoys her work, her clients, and, on the occasional free night, an uncomplicated love life.

While unwinding over Christmas in Hawaii, she chances upon a surfing competition, and all the lean hard men that come with it—especially Alex McConnell, a young surfer at the top of his game, and his sexy business manager, Ben Reynolds. The attraction Tori feels for both men is off the charts and fueling the hottest passion she’s ever felt.

Soon, Alex and Ben will move on to the next big wave and Tori will head home. But as each night passes, Alex and Ben’s feelings for Tori swell. And for the first time ever, Tori’s thinking twice about the men she’ll leave behind—and a kind of love that could change all their lives forever.

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Hot Holiday Nights was a quick, steamy read. It was packed full of hot scenes and an interesting relationship. Jaci Burton knows how to write sports hotties well. 

When Victoria travels to Hawaii for a Christmas vacation, she can't help but catch the eye of Alex, a professional surfer, and Ben, his manager. 

Over the vacation things heat up fast and soon feelings are involved. Will this just be a hot fling, or can it turn into something more?

I enjoyed this book. It was a really good addition to the Play-by-Play series. I'm looking forward to read more books in this series in the future! 

~ Review by Leah

Jaci Burton is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author who lives in Oklahoma with her husband and dogs. She has three grown children, who are all scattered around the country having lives of their own. A lover of sports, Jaci can often tell what season it is by what sport is being played. She watches entirely too much television, including an unhealthy amount of reality TV. When she isn't on deadline, Jaci can be found at her local casino, trying to become a millionaire (so far, no luck). She's a total romantic and loves a story with a happily ever after, which you'll find in all her books.

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Review - All Wound Up by Jaci Burton

Title: All Wound Up

Series: Play by Play #10

Author: Jaci Burton

Release Date: August 4, 2015

In the tenth sexy novel in the Play-By-Play series from New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton, a sexy baseball player is done striking out... Perfect for fans of Lori Foster, Maya Banks and Jill Shalvis.

This player is done striking out... Baseball player Tucker Cassidy is experiencing a slump in his professional - and personal - game. After a painful altercation involving his ex-girlfriend's knee, he's convinced things couldn't get worse...until a gorgeous doctor comes to the rescue at his most embarrassing moment.

Dr Aubry Ross's father owns a baseball team and she's been around players all her life. She's not about to fall for Tucker, however funny and sexy he may be. She's pleasantly surprised, though, to find he respects her job and, when he keeps appearing at her hospital, Aubry starts to think he's getting injured just to see her. But with her father disapproving of their relationship, will they realise this game-changing love is worth the fight?

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This is my first Play by Play novel, but despite being number ten in this long-standing series, I wasn't about to turn away from a sexy baseball star. For starters, baseball = arm porn (in my mind, anyways). But I'd heard such good things about this series of inter-connected standalones, I knew I wanted a taste. And what a taste it was!!

Tucker Cassidy is having a bad night when he meets Dr. Aubry Ross for the first time. After taking a hard shot to the balls, Aubry's on hand to make sure the damage is minimal. And now, he wants to see more of her.

Aubry is far from in the market for a relationship. With work keeping her busy, and her experience growing up around the players in her father's baseball team, the last thing she needs is a man like Tucker.

When repeated run-ins bring them face-to-face, Aubry finds that saying no to the funny, sexy and kind pitcher is harder than she thought. Except when her father -- Tucker's boss -- makes his disapproval known, they have to make a decision about their future. Will Tucker choose the game or is he too wound up in Aubry to let her go?

Well, I entered this series with a bang. A hot, sexy bang, at that. I really enjoyed All Wound Up, for the sweet, flirty and dirty relationship between Aubry and Tucker, and for the genuinely fun interactions between Tucker and his brothers and teammates.

There was a lot to like about this book. The story was simple enough, and perhaps a touch predictable, but it was, nonetheless, well-written and absorbing. I raced through this book, loving each page as Aubry and Tucker hit their stride.

It was never too overwhelming for someone unfamiliar with the previous characters and their stories, but had just enough to peak my interest about the early installments in the series even further. I'm 100% on board with starting back at book one now!

Tucker was one sexy man, too. I found a picture not long before I started this book and damn, if it didn't fit this pitcher to a T. Glasses, lean, built body. Yum! I had all kinds of delicious visuals to go with his dirty words and kind, supportive nature.

I may know next to nothing about baseball and this series but I know I truly enjoyed this story. With just this quick and easy taste, it's definitely whet my appetite for more! 

~ Review by Beth

Sports, love, lust and laughter…

Tucker Cassidy is from a football family that reads like an NFL who’s who, so he still gets teased for being the baseball player in the family. That doesn’t stop him from pursuing the sport that he loves though and his star is rising with his team, the Rivers. He’s working on fame and fortune but he’s already winning the ladies. 

When Aubry Ross finds Tucker after being dumped by his latest flame, his embarrassment is only rivalled by his attraction for her. Yes, their schedules are crazy and family pressure is nothing to sneeze at, but if they both are happy with their relationship, that’s all that matters. Isn’t it?

I really enjoyed this latest story in the Play by Play series. Tucker is sexy and irresistible as Aubry tries, unsuccessfully, not to succumb to his rugged charms. They both have reasons to keep each other at arm’s length but the physical attraction is hard to ignore while they both start actually liking each other as well. Agreeing to casual only, when they meet up it’s rarely mundane, whether it’s a very different first date or an impromptu encounter during working hours. And it’s also hard to hide…

“What I mean is there are red marks on your neck, and you’re wearing a post-sex glow on your face, not an I-had-an-awesome-chicken-sandwich glow.”

With humor galore and sexiness to spare, there are lots of good things to like about this story though the story lacked a bit of the sparkle that others in the series seemed to have. Still one of my favorite sports series, and I hope there is more to come. 

~ Review by Diane

Jaci Burton is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author who lives in Oklahoma with her husband and dogs. She has three grown children, who are all scattered around the country having lives of their own. A lover of sports, Jaci can often tell what season it is by what sport is being played. She watches entirely too much television, including an unhealthy amount of reality TV. When she isn't on deadline, Jaci can be found at her local casino, trying to become a millionaire (so far, no luck). She's a total romantic and loves a story with a happily ever after, which you'll find in all her books.

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE

GOODREADS