Jockblocked (Gridiron #2)

She’s always played it safe…

College junior Lucy Washington abides by one rule—avoid risk at all costs. She’s cautious in every aspect of her life, from her health, to her mock trial team, to the boring guys she dates. When a brash, gorgeous jock walks into the campus coffeeshop and turns his flirt on, Lucy is stunned by the force of attraction. For the first time ever, she’s willing to step out of her comfort zone, but can she really trust the guy who’s determined to sweep her off her feet?

He’s always played around…

Entering his last year of college eligibility, linebacker Matthew "Matty" Iverson has the team captaincy in his sights. And it’s his for the taking, if he can convince his quarterback Ace Anderson to give up the starting position. Luckily, Matty already has an edge—the hottie he’s lusting over just happens to be Ace’s childhood best friend. Getting Lucy on his side and in his bed? Hell yeah. Matty is more than confident he can have both, but when he falls hard for Lucy, it’s time for a new game plan: convince the woman of his dreams that she’s not sleeping with the enemy.

Matty Iverson is not used to rejection. He is a popular defensive linebacker and has no problem getting the attention of women. But when he meets Lucy Washington in a coffee shop that is all he seems to get. She is all about risk assessment and safe choices. And Matty does not seem like a good risk. Her rejection only spurs him on and increases his interest. But she has also sworn to her best friend JR "Ace" Anderson, the team's quarterback, that she would not date his team mates so that just reinforces her need to reject him more. 

Matty has his work cut out for him trying to win the girl and prove he is worth a chance. But she tends to be cautious, over analyzes, and is afraid to step out of her comfort zone. He is bold and decisive, and she's insecure and fearful. But she is also sassy, smart, witty, and can dish it right back to Matty. She would have to trust him and take a leap of faith. He would have to change his wild ways and prove that he could be a one-woman man. It comes down to if they think the risk is worth the reward?

They both have some issues to work through regarding relationships and related to their lives in school and future plans. There is drama, miscommunication, misunderstandings, fears, insecurities, and outside influences that intermittently get in the way. 

Lucy's room mates Chasity and and Sutton and her mock trial friend Randall were her big cheerleaders. Heather was a good foil for her.

This was fun, flirty, sexy, and sweet. It was about weighing risks, taking chances, trust, and love whether it be friendly or romantic. I adored Matty. He was a big teddy bear. He could be tender, protective, and caring, but he was also charismatic, intelligent, funny, and had a dirty mouth. Lucy was more serious and this was also a growth experience for her to learn to get out of her comfort zone both in relationships and in her life goals. And Matty also had personal growth that needed to happen on and off the field. I really liked Matty and Lucy together and was totally rooting for them to navigate the challenges they faced. This was told in dual points of view and was an easy flowing read with witty banter, some angst, drama, and plenty of sweet and sexy times. 

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review. 

Matthew Iverson goes by many names: Matthew, Ives, & Matty. But he has not been boyfriend material since his first year of college when his football schedule interfered with the time he had to spend with his girlfriend. Since then, he has played the field, in an effort to keep emotional attachments from getting in the way of his training and future football plans. Coach has given him the Captain title, *if* he can convince the quarterback to give up his starting position, so it’s a good thing he’s already got an in with the QB’s best friend.

Lucy Washington constantly manages risks, playing it safe whenever she can. Avoiding risk means never having her heart broken, never sticking her neck out, never facing failure. When Matty Iverson starts flirting with her, she must decide if the risk is worth the benefits of his attention, but can she really trust his motives?

I liked both main characters a lot. Matt was charismatic and confident without being overly cocky. Even when he was out of his comfort zone in pursuing Lucy, he was willing to put in the effort to catch her and keep her, with a little help from his friends when needed. Lucy’s insecurities were a product of her past, and though readers knew early on much of where he fears came from, Matt was in the blind. Watching him try to encourage her while also working his own angles was a fun exercise in communication and clarity.

From the moment Ace became a big part of the plot between Matt and Lucy, I had a love hate relationship with the side character. I could see his motives from a mile away, and every time he stepped in the way or refused to listen to Matt, I wanted to shake him out of his blindness. Ultimately he worked his way back into being a neutral character, if not someone I completely liked, but he did make shaky amends in ways that worked for all involved.

There was one major plot point that held me back from rating this higher, but I can’t share too much without giving away that major point. I finished the book with a bit of confusion about what may be a detail, but for the major role it plays in the team cohesion and the future prospects of the Western Warriors, I felt like that detail should have been made clearer. 

Overall, this was a fun, easy read. There was more than just Lucy and Matt, with a lot of conflict going on in the locker room and off the field between the team as they tried to settle in for what should have been a celebratory off-season. In fact, the challenges these two faced in their relationship in some ways were the easiest parts of the plot to resolve. The football team and the mock trial team had far more intricate problems to deal with than the main couple, causing this to be just as much a book about teamwork than it was about the romance. 

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

What he wants he gets...

Knox Masters is a quarterback's worst nightmare. Warrior. Champion. And...virgin. Knox knows what he wants--and he gets it. All American Football player? Check. NFL pros scouting him? Check. Now, he's set his sight on two things. The national title. And Ellie Campbell. Sure, she's the sister of his fellow teammate, but that's not going to stop him. Especially not when he’s convinced Ellie is the one.

...but he's never met her before.

But Ellie isn't as sure. She's trying to start a new life and she's not interested in a relationship...with anyone. Beside it's not just her cardinal rule of never dating her brother's teammates that keeps her away, but Ellie has a dark secret that would jeopardize everything Knox is pursuing.

Knox has no intention of losing. Ellie has no intention of giving in.