Fumbled

3.5 stars

Intercepted was one of my surprise favorites of last year, and the only reason it took me this long to read Fumbled is because I read some mixed reviews and I didn’t want to be disappointed by the author. I finally decided to pick it up and thanks to my much lowered expectations, it turned out to be an okay read. The author impressed me a lot in her debut because the characters were well fleshed out and the plot was both deep and entertaining. That same spark was missing a bit in this sophomore attempt. While I do like the second chance romance trope because it can make for some good angst, there wasn’t that much of it here. The issues never felt more than superficial, everything getting resolved a bit too quickly and not letting the emotions build up in me as a reader. The pacing of the story felt too rushed, so I wasn’t feeling convinced by anything that was happening. I guess I just wanted the characters to breathe and think a little before jumping headlong into every decision. There were also multiple subplots like the stalker and evil mother which added nothing to the story and weren’t resolved properly. The one good thing I liked which had some proper emphasis was about the consequences of playing a sport like football and how repeated head injuries can lead to long term brain related ailments like CTE, but I definitely would have enjoyed more if this aspect was a little more fleshed out. Poppy is a very fierce and sassy protagonist and I mostly liked her. She is a hard working single mom who is doing everything she can to give a good upbringing for her child and I admired her for it. She also never takes any bullshit and stands up for herself, which reminded me a bit of Marlee. But when it comes to TK, she became a totally different person. TK is a great guy and wants to be involved in his son’s life completely and I liked him a lot for it. But the author was not able to convince me why it was so easy for them to get together immediately despite a decade long separation. While I was totally rooting for the family to be together, I think the couple never took enough time to get to know each other better after all these years. Ace is an adorable little nine year old, appropriately mischievous for his age but also very well sorted and polite on other occasions. I loved his relationship with his mother and the easy way he bonded with his dad. But I definitely would have liked to see more of the three of them together. The girl gang in this book is amazing too with some new additions. Sadie and Vonnie are both dramatic af but they brought a lot of laughs to the proceedings and I liked that Poppy was able to find her own tribe whom she could rely on for support. And I’m very very excited that the next book is going to be about the amazing Brynn. While this book turn out to be as fun as it’s predecessor, it’s still an okay one time read. You can definitely give it a try if you like a second chance romance with a secret baby trope. I thought the book was kinda rushed but I didn’t get bored and I’m definitely looking forward to the final book of the trilogy.

Black girl magic in written form. Man I loved this! Lines like ‘I was living my best life before you were a twinkle in your parents eyes’ or ‘again for the people in the back-f**k you’.... spoke to me. Poppy was flawless. Young, single, black mother doing what she needed to do to raise her son with manners. Hearing her story, similar to so many other young teenage mothers trying to make ends meet, taking jobs they rather not do. Man I truly respected her. She was unapologetically her. I was so thankful Alexa did a great job of portraying her. She didn’t slut shame, was always cognizant of her actions, smart mouth but knew she couldn’t fight...never letting that stop her. She was a remarkable character. Tyler Kyle Moore... I’ve never been more jealous of a female character than you made me of poppy. Damn you are one of a kind. I picture you looking exactly like Brock O’Hurn. There is absolutely nothing I can or am willing to do about this. Ace, what a magnificent, pure hearted little boy full of wonder. Almost makes me want to have a little boy in 9 months. However this is a fictional story and I know better lol. Shoutout to a truly fantastic tribe. Sadie, Brynn, Charlie and let us never forget Vonnie! What a dope set of women. I need more of them!

I really liked this one! Looking forward to reading Intercepted!

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads. Alexa Martin's debut, Intercepted, was one of my top reads of 2018. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the follow up, Fumbled. I finally read it last week and it was everything I wanted and more. Y'all know how much I love sports romance, right? Particularly football romance? The Playbook series has quickly become one of my favorite series and Alexa one of my go-to authors. I'm an avid football fan. (I think y'all know that, too.) I especially appreciate football romance when it's obvious the author knows the sport. It adds another level to the story and it's one I appreciate. But, I love all (or at least most) things football. There's a big difference between just making the hero an athlete and making the sport part of the story. What Alexa did was definitely the latter. While the second chance "secret" baby romance between Poppy and TK was fire, one of my favorite parts of the story was the honest look given at the safety of the game. Particularly with regards to CTE. But, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself and I don't really want to spoil things for you. Just know you're going to get more than just romance with Fumbled. I mean, the romance is amazing, but there's so much more to this story. I loved Poppy and TK. They were both fantastic characters, even if I did spend some time side-eyeing TK for his reactions at times. Poppy was a bad ass, a fierce mom and a woman I'd love to call a friend. I was 100% Team Poppy. I loved her relationship with her and TK's son, Ace, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching TK get to know both of them. This whole book was addictive and I couldn't put it down once I started.  Fumbled was a fantastic follow up to Intercepted. It gave me the perfect combination of romance and reality, with plenty of swoons, laughs, sexy times and feels. I'm already anxiously awaiting the the third book, Blitzed. I can't wait for Maxwell and Brynn. I received a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Favorite Quotes: ”I’m not yours and you can't fix me." "Poppy, my eyes are up here." 
 "Yeah, but the rest of you is down here." "I want our lives to become so intertwined we can't figure out where one starts and the other ends.”

Book #2 in the Playbook series did not disappoint. We briefly met TK Moore in Intercepted and the brief moment made me want to know so much more about him. In Fumbled, we follow Poppy and TK Moore, who knew each other in high school. To me, this is a second chance romance that I absolutely loved. We get to explore their ups and downs of finding each other again and learning who each other are again. I honestly first thought this book was wrapping up about half way through it. However, the exploration of CTE was a nice touch. I've only read one other romance that included CTE (but it was what it's like when it's too late). Bringing CTE into the discussion and story was a fantastic move and I'm so happy with how this book ended. Do you need to read Intercepted first? Nope. Does it help and will it be spoilery to read Fumbled first? Yes. Absolutely cannot wait to read Blitzed! Trigger warnings: CTE; stalking (minimal)

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life I was a huge fan of Alexa Martin’s debut novel, Intercepted, so when I heard she’d be writing more stories for the Denver Mustangs football team, I was ecstatic. And even more so when I discovered Fumbled would be a second chance romance, which is my go-to romance trope. Alexa Martin did not disappoint with this second novel – I love the way she writes tough, independent heroines, and the heroes who will do anything for them! Poppy Patterson is a single mother whose life revolves around her beloved son. She’s worked hard to provide for them both, and she couldn’t be prouder of Ace. She’s built a good life for the two of them, but when her high school sweetheart, and the man who got her pregnant, shows back up in her life, all of the feelings she thought she’d moved on from come crashing back. She wants her son to have his father in his life, but will she be able to protect her heart from TK Moore this second time around? TK is living the football dream he’s always wanted for himself. There’s just one thing missing, and he realizes what it is when he discovers Poppy and Ace – his family. There are secrets that need to be aired out, but bottom line, TK wants to be a part of his family’s life. Where Poppy is rightfully wary and hesitant to restart their relationship, TK goes all in with helping and providing for his family. He’s determined to win Poppy’s heart, and being the big sweetheart that he is, Poppy has no chance of guarding her heart from him. While I liked TK, Poppy was what made the story for me in Fumbled. I admired the hell out of this woman, who created an amazing life for her and her child on her own. She’s smart, funny, head-strong, and an incredible mother. I was also impressed with the way the author chose to portray football, which is not always about money and glory. Poppy knows the dangers and risks that come with this professional sport and has important discussions with TK and Ace about it. Fumbled is another fantastic sports romance from a romance author who knows how to write, and write well. There’s a good setup within this book for the next couple in the Playbook series, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it! Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review. Amazon Ebook: https://amzn.to/2ITcmIj Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Uzz2iT Audible: https://amzn.to/2DuAzkR Liked this review? Subscribe to Booklovers For Life for more!

3.5 stars