It feels like I haven’t read a sports romance in ages, so Red Card really caught my eye when I heard about it. I was so grateful to have an early copy! Today I want to tell you about this book and what I thought. Keep on reading to find out more.
A big thank you to Netgalley and Forever for providing me with an eARC to read and review. This doesn’t affect my opinion in any way.
She’s All That meets She’s the Man in this New Adult sports romance about a British bad boy rugby player who’s forced to start over in America and finds an unlikely ally in the coach’s daughter when she offers him a deal he can’t resist.
Leaving it all on the field is one thing. Giving his all to love? Terrifying.
British bad boy Cillian “Kill” Cairney is ruthless on the rugby pitch. After getting a permanent red card from his team in London, the only team that will have him is an Ivy League school in New Hampshire. But the guys hate him, his coach doesn’t trust him, and worst of all? His starting position is in the hands of his coach’s fiery, rugby-obsessed, very off-limits daughter. Not only does he have to earn his coach’s respect, but Kill has to earn Rory’s—and nothing has ever seemed more difficult. That is, until she approaches him with a proposition that could benefit them both . . .
Rory St. James has spent all her life immersed in rugby. Which is . . . part of the problem. She’s tired of being friend-zoned. She wants to get the guy, and to do that, she needs the frustratingly charming Cillian to teach her. But the more time they spend together, the more lines begin to blur. In a game where trust and loyalty are tested, who will be the winner? Or will love be the final red card?
Review
I’ve read a few books by Maren Moore and had a lot of fun, so I didn’t have to think twice about wanting to read Red Card. This book was such a fast and fun read. I read almost all of it in one sitting. Red Card is only the first book in the Prescott University series and that’s very promising for the rest of the series.
Rory was a character I couldn’t help but loving. She’s awkward, dedicated, and protective of the people she loves. Hanging out with her dad’s players meant she’s often seen as one of the guys and isn’t sure how to date. Her awkwardness had me laughing out loud and was so relatable in many ways.
Cillian is a new player with quite the reputation and is just trying to make this new start work for his sister. He’s flirty and fun but his walls were higher than anyone could climb over. Dealing with grief has him closing off to everyone and not thinking he’s worth anything. My heart broke for him and I loved seeing him slowly find a spot on his new team.
Rory and Cillian together was so much fun! Their banter and lessons had me laughing out loud and sparks were flying when they finally gave into their attraction. I knew his lessons and her helping him get along with the team wouldn’t be just that. I loved seeing these two fall for each other and be really supportive. My cheeks hurt at the end from smiling so much.
The side characters were fun and I loved the moments the team had time together. The Twister scene is one I’ll think of often. Also, Cillian’s sister really stole the show and I wouldn’t mind seeing her get her own story. My only criticism about this book is I felt that we stayed a bit on the surface emotional wise at times. Also, the twist at the end came a bit out of nowhere for me. All in all, Red Card was such an amazing book. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series.
Red Card was a great start to this new sports romance series. I can’t wait for the sequel. Have you read any amazing sports romances lately? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
