Romancing the Kicker

Written by Catherine Lane

Narrated by Abby Craden

Parker Sherbourne has a talent for sports and seduction-and the body to prove it. When the High Rollers, the professional football team from Las Vegas, chase after her to be their point-after specialist, she jumps at the chance. Sure, the position is only a publicity stunt, but she has always been able to turn any situation to her advantage.

Carly Bartlett joins the Rollers as the newest athletic trainer and the only other female on the payroll. This dream job could bring the financial security her family desperately needs. The head trainer has only one warning: don't get involved with a player. Not a problem. She doesn't go for guys.

When Parker reaches out to Carly for treatment, sparks fly. Will Carly fall for Parker's charms and put her own desires ahead of her family's? Has Parker finally found the woman who'll make her slow down and stop playing the angles?

With the macho world of football against them, can they beat the odds in this lesbian sports romance?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Aug 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781705229323

Catherine Lane

Catherine Lane started to write fiction on a dare from her wife. She’s thrilled to be a published author and happily admits her wife was right. They live in Southern California with their son and a very mischievous rescue dog.Catherine spends most of her time teaching, mothering, or writing. But when she finds herself at loose ends, she enjoys experimenting with soup recipes in the kitchen, paddling her kayak on long stretches of flat water, and trying, unsuccessfully, to outwit her dog.

Reviews for Romancing the Kicker

[Rosemary J. Stanek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The novel itself rates a 3.5. Abby Craden’s narration brings it up to a 4.

[Mari Richtman · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It’s a really weird book.
I find it quite unusual someone having the opportunity to be famous in more than one sport in real life as it requires quite different abilities. I’m a sports person so that didn’t impress me at all.
Also quite weird how in the male world they want to introduce the female. Makes skeptical. But also held my interest.
In the end the romance between player and physio is what holds you until the end of the book.

[Keyeda Mcbride · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic read stayed up all night reading couldn't stop just wow

[Maria Colonia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4 stars. This was my first sports romance and I probably wouldn't have picked it if not for Abby Craden, but I'm very glad I did. I liked this.

The story comes with two fairly young MCs, but they couldn't be more different - apart from their shared love for football.

When Carly Bartlett starts on her first day at the NFL, the Vegas football team, as an athletic trainer, she is faced with sexism and racism. We learn that her family is poor, so Carly really needs her job. But she is also very good and loves what she does. When Parker Sherbourne joins the team as a kicker, she's the first female player. She comes from one of the wealthiest families in Vegas and is priviledged in so many ways, but as a woman in a men's world, she faces discrimination at work too. Carly and Parker instantly connect.

The story is not only a very sweet romance, but both MCs are good for each other and really grow as characters. Both have to learn that being vulnerable is not the same as being weak.

The secondary characters are well thought and overall great, such as Carly's half brother Teddy and her grandmother Minnie Lee.

I liked that the book deals with sexism and racism in sports as well as classicism, and in a really good way. Carly's family is really poor - they can't even before an internet connection that allows to play YouTube Videos. No white privilege either with Carly and her half brother Teddy being PoC, living with Minnie Lee who works very hard at a low wage. But it's not about pity, but about being strong and fighting for something better.

I also liked this was Set in Las Vegas and showed us the city from the two MCs different POV. I could relate because I've been to Vegas, so that was actually nice.

All in all, a really nice book with a sweet romance and some social criticism.