ARC Review: Quarterback Sneak by Kandi Steiner.

Synopsis: Quarterback Holden Moore can have any girl he wants.

Except me: the coach’s daughter.

With piercing green eyes, herculean biceps, and irresistible dimples, Holden is the number one target for every girl on campus. But according to his teammates, football is the only love of his life.

He’s their leader, their QB1 and team captain who is all business and no play.

But when I’m with him? Mr. Serious isn’t serious at all. He loves to push my buttons, to pin me with those sexy eyes of his and tease me until I bite back.

I remind him I’m off limits.
He can’t have me, and I don’t want him — or anyone else, for that matter.

I’m here for one reason: to show my father I’m more than his greatest disappointment.

But when an old injury flares up and I’m forced to work with Holden every day as his athletic trainer, his attempts to get under my skin start becoming harder to resist.

We can’t give in, no matter how much the air crackles between us when we’re close.

I’m the coach’s daughter, and if Holden Moore wants to go pro, he’s got to play by daddy’s rules.

Otherwise, he’ll be off the team.
And he’s not the only one with something to lose.

Publisher: Unknown

Publication Date: October 19, 2022

Genre: Romance, Adult

Source: ARC provided by Valentine PR

Review:

Quarterback Sneak is the latest installment in the author’s Red Zone Rivals series. All the books are new adult, football romances, set at a Boston university. As the title implies, this book is about Holden, the football team’s quarterback. Calm, cool, and collected, Holden usually keeps his focus on his team, and his hopes of leading them to the national championships so he can have that win under his belt before heading to the NFL. However, his focus shifts when he lays eyes on their new coach’s daughter, Julep, who is one of the training sports therapists for the team.

Holden Moore is QB1 and the leader of his team. He’s starting his final college season with a new coach- Coach Lee. Along with Coach Lee is his daughter, Julep. Julep is working with the team as she’s a sports medicine major and the coach is VERY adamant that no one dates his daughter, flirts with his daughter etc or there will be consequences.

“It was her eyes. Warm, endlessly deep brown, framed by thick lashes that swept across her cheeks with every blink. And haunted. Just like mine.”

Holden has a big problem though. He can’t keep his eyes off Julep. And then, she moves in across the street from him. Julep is closed off to most people. She has a messy past and she doesn’t like to talk about it. Holden has been through similar things but he doesn’t let it get him down the same way.

Both Holden and Julep are very flawed characters who carry their trauma and process their grief differently, but that allows them to connect with each other on a deeper level. they both know what it’s like to live with grief and their similar experiences are what allowed them to finally open up to one another.

“You can hold true to your threats. You can take everything else away from me. But you can’t take her.”

Theirs was both a love story and a growth story for me. They complete each other: Holden brings out the sun to Julep’s dark mood. Without even noticing it, they’re craving each other every day. Even the smallest touches, the ‘just being there’, or a text in the morning.
Her dad? Yeah, that’s not going to be easy. It all comes down to what matters most in life, and what you’re willing to risk losing for your happiness.

I’m always reading books about damaged heroes that need saving but in this case, it was the heroine that really needed the hero. I loved that. This one had some angsty moments, but the end left such a big smile on my face. The epilogue was everything and I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

“Every day. I’ll be right by your side reminding you that you matter, that you are needed, that there is a reason to have hope and a reason to live. I’ll be here reminding you that for me? You are that reason.”

Tropes: