Kickedby Celia Aaron
Published: July 28, 2016
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance, New Adult
Blurb:
Trent Carrington.
Trent Mr. Perfect-Has-Everyone-Fooled Carrington.
He’s the star quarterback, university scholar, and happens to be the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. He shines at any angle, and especially under the Saturday night stadium lights where I watch him from the sidelines. But I know the real him, the one who broke my heart and pretended I didn’t exist for the past two years.
I’m the third-string kicker, the only woman on the team and nothing better than a mascot. Until I’m not. Until I get my chance to earn a full scholarship and join the team as first-string. The only way I'll make the cut is to accept help from the one man I swore never to trust again. The problem is, with each stolen glance and lingering touch, I begin to realize that trusting Trent isn’t the problem. It’s that I can’t trust myself when I’m around him.
Review
4 Stars
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Trent Carrington is the quintessential handsome, rich quarterback. Everyone knows his name and has an idea of where he's going to go with his life, but no one knows his heart. For two years he's held onto the past, determined to find a way to follow his parent's wishes, but unable to let go of the girl he still loves. Maybe it's stalking, maybe it's an obsession, but he's going to show her the real him under the guise of teaching her proper kicking.
"Of course Trent left. That was his thing. Like a catch phrase or a signature style. If Trent Carrington had a calling card, it was that he always walked away first."
Told from dual POV's, Kicked is Celia Aaron's newest release about a female football player and the handsome quarterback she never got over. Filled with football facts, plays, and players, I wasn't sure this book was going to be my cup of tea, but I was so wrong. With college aged characters, Kicked fell into the New Adult category for me and I loved it all the more for it. It was reminiscent of my college days, relatable in several ways, and an all around cute second-chance story. I genuinely liked both characters, especially the country mouse, city mouse aspect of their relationship. Cordy is adorable, I loved her determination, her warring emotions, and the way she carried herself. Trent, on the other hand, is definitely all his description makes him out to be, and then some. He gets you with his football skill and looks, but wins you over once you get to know him. Reading from his POV was definitely the most rewarding part of Kicked, Celia Aaron did an incredible job of making him so much more than his outward appearances lead you to believe. He's still dreamy, but also supportive, loyal, smart, and vulnerable. Together they make a perfect team and I really enjoyed their slow burn from angst to over-the-top chemistry.
“I was going to get the chance I’d been dreaming about for two years. I had so much to tell her, so many things to explain.”
Kicked is not like Celia Aaron's other works, so don't go in expecting that. This one is sweet, it's got a bit of angst, and the pacing is slower, but worth the time to read. I think Kicked showcased Celia's writing ability, especially with the shift from her well-known smutty novels to this coming of age release. There is a lot of football to it though and I had to Google different things to understand. Celia Aaron provides a lot of detail and description, but since I know next to nothing about football I did have to do some extra research. I do not think it took away from the story for me, but is worth noting for other readers who may not be sports romance genre readers or sports fans in general. I would have liked a bit more at the end, I wanted to see more of the progression of the relationship leading up to the epilogue, but overall it's a great release.
“In his place, there was a man who kissed like the devil and made me stupid with just one look.”
Kicked is a football romance with a sweet, angst-y plot that will have you smiling often and enjoying the sweet, sexy second-chance love. This is one couple you will be rooting for, on and off the field.
About the Author
Celia Aaron is the self-publishing pseudonym of a published romance and erotica author. She loves to write stories with hot heroes and heroines that are twisty and often dark. Thanks for reading.
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