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The Striker's Chance
Landing the PR contract for North Carolina's new soccer team could take Holly Taylor's career to the next level. Her task? Make Kepler "Killer" de Klerk, an athlete with a party-hard reputation, a star. But revamping the sexy footballer's image while battling her unwanted attraction to him is easier said than done.
The car accident that derailed Kepler's European career also gave him some much-needed perspective. He's ready to give up on fame and focus on the game he loves. The last thing he needs is a headstrong brunette pushing him back into the spotlight, even if butting heads with her is the most fun he's had in ages.
The more time Holly spends with Kepler, the more she sees how different he is from his tabloid persona. But when she's offered her dream job for a price, she finds herself torn between the career she's spent years building and the man she doesn't want to give up.
The car accident that derailed Kepler's European career also gave him some much-needed perspective. He's ready to give up on fame and focus on the game he loves. The last thing he needs is a headstrong brunette pushing him back into the spotlight, even if butting heads with her is the most fun he's had in ages.
The more time Holly spends with Kepler, the more she sees how different he is from his tabloid persona. But when she's offered her dream job for a price, she finds herself torn between the career she's spent years building and the man she doesn't want to give up.
149 pages, ebook
First published September 2, 2013
About the author
Rebecca Crowley
28 books93 followersRebecca Crowley writes contemporary romance about good people doing their best, and never tires of the happily-ever-after. Having pulled up her Kansas roots to live in New York City, London and Johannesburg, Rebecca currently resides in Houston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 18, 2013
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
3.5 GOOAALLL Stars!
Kepler "Killer" de Klerk is a South African soccer player who is sold to the Charlotte Discovery in North Carolina. Holly has been hired to be his PR manager to boost his reputation after he and a teammate were in a bad car accident in London. The tabloids pretty much destroyed his career after this happened.
Even though they got off to a rough start, they can't fight the strong attraction they feel for each other. Holly has aspirations to work for a bigger PR company in New York and has an opportunity while working for Kepler. Kepler knows he is coming to the end of his career and wants to put down roots somewhere and wants to do it with Holly. But, Holly is keeping a secret that could very easily destroy what they have started building together.
What I liked: This was a sweet, lovable story. The characters were good and IMO connected well with each other.
What I didn't like: Hot, cold, hot, cold. They couldn't make up their damn minds! It was so frustrating and it happened through 70% of the book.
3.5 GOOAALLL Stars!
Kepler "Killer" de Klerk is a South African soccer player who is sold to the Charlotte Discovery in North Carolina. Holly has been hired to be his PR manager to boost his reputation after he and a teammate were in a bad car accident in London. The tabloids pretty much destroyed his career after this happened.
Even though they got off to a rough start, they can't fight the strong attraction they feel for each other. Holly has aspirations to work for a bigger PR company in New York and has an opportunity while working for Kepler. Kepler knows he is coming to the end of his career and wants to put down roots somewhere and wants to do it with Holly. But, Holly is keeping a secret that could very easily destroy what they have started building together.
What I liked: This was a sweet, lovable story. The characters were good and IMO connected well with each other.
What I didn't like: Hot, cold, hot, cold. They couldn't make up their damn minds! It was so frustrating and it happened through 70% of the book.
November 8, 2013
3 I-LIKED-THIS-SOCCER-BOOK-EVEN-THOUGH-I-SUCK-AT-SPORTS STARS
I love sports books! Why?? I don’t know. I’m not good at sports. I hate to even run. Ugh.
Kepler is a soccer player from South Africa who, after a few issues with his public image, has been sent to play soccer in the states, and Holly is his new PR manager. I really enjoyed their meet-cute at the beginning!!!
I enjoyed the writing. There could have been MORE FEELS or MORE SEX (LOL!), but overall, the writing style flowed nicely.
The sexual chemistry was good, but not off-the-charts.
Overall, I would read this author again, but I’m hoping for more from her…to push the limits.
I also wished there was an epilogue. The ending was rather abrupt.
My Kepler:
I am who I am because of who we all are.
I liked Kepler. He is supposed to have an accent, but it wasn’t written into any of the dialogue. I also thought that sometimes he came across as a bad boy, but then he could be really sweet.
My Holly:
She smiled, and in that instant she was exactly what he needed: beautiful, soothing, solid.
ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley for an honest review
I love sports books! Why?? I don’t know. I’m not good at sports. I hate to even run. Ugh.
Kepler is a soccer player from South Africa who, after a few issues with his public image, has been sent to play soccer in the states, and Holly is his new PR manager. I really enjoyed their meet-cute at the beginning!!!
I enjoyed the writing. There could have been MORE FEELS or MORE SEX (LOL!), but overall, the writing style flowed nicely.
The sexual chemistry was good, but not off-the-charts.
Overall, I would read this author again, but I’m hoping for more from her…to push the limits.
I also wished there was an epilogue. The ending was rather abrupt.
My Kepler:
I am who I am because of who we all are.
I liked Kepler. He is supposed to have an accent, but it wasn’t written into any of the dialogue. I also thought that sometimes he came across as a bad boy, but then he could be really sweet.
My Holly:
She smiled, and in that instant she was exactly what he needed: beautiful, soothing, solid.
ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley for an honest review
August 15, 2013
Many people out there have the sometimes thrilling and exciting job of changing people for the better, and when I say this I want you to think psychologist, specialist, hairstylists the list goes on and on.
But what if your job is to change a celebrity to take them to a level of stardom that will strike every possible stardom crazed fan out there out of the arena and the player right into the hands of the great teams of history?
If it is what you trained for than it is easy right, and falling in love with the star along the way to perfect stardom image is no problem, should not effect your opinion at all right?
In this read from author Rebecca Crowley she not only showed that it is never easy to change another person, but it is also never as easy as you think to not let your feelings get in the way.
The read is about Holly, she has the chance to make it big time, all she has to do is make Kepler "Killer" De Klerk the star he use to be before a accident left him in the game but not all in the game. But what she finds is that Mr-for-you-I-will-bare-my soul is not the "killer" nor is he anything he is pretending to be. There is much more to this man than meets the public eye. She is left with having to chose between kicking the ball into the media's court and landing herself her a dream job or going for the man she has fallen for.
Both main characters of Holly and Kepler were brilliantly written by the author. I loved that Holly is focused and pushy in getting what she wants, and of course I simply adored that Kepler let's her get so derailed from the tracks and twists her into the kind of knots no woman wants to be in! I simply loved that the author let's Holly go on a journey of self discovery through the eyes of Kepler, magical touch Rebecca!
The character of Kepler was to die for hero material, strong, hot, passionate about the game but also a tortured hero! I simply could not get enough of how the author keeps letting these little bits and pieces from his life pop up in the read showing me and also Holly that there is so more to this man. It not only kept my attention but also let fall in love with the real him more and more with each bit revealed.
The backdrop settings were very well incorporated into the read, it felt as if I was on the field living the game. The dialogue was laced with emotion and passion, sexy and also at times funny. I loved the conflict between Holly and Kepler it had me laughing and rooting for them, and made for brilliant entertainment!
I am taking away a message of when having to chose between the love of your job or the love of your life, the decision will always be hard but there is always another challenge, another client, but you might never find the forever kind love again.
I highly recommend this read for all fans of sports related romance reads. It had drama, emotion, passion and sweet sensual understanding of the most beautiful kind. I look forward to reading many more reads from this author. Bring it on Rebecca, let the games begin!
5/5 star review
"It's all about the image until it gets stripped down to love"
September 7, 2013
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/09/04/...
Holly loves her job as a PR rep, and when she lands the contract to work with a big-time European soccer star, she has to help him to rebrand his image. Kepler is known in the tabloids as being a partier, a ladies man, and a killer on the field. But a car accident ended his European career and lands him in a struggling US team. Holly knows she can help Kepler, but was shocked at the sexual tension between them.
Kepler is looking for a home. A place to settle down, have some kids, and live out the rest of his soccer career for a team that can get behind him. North Carolina isn’t what he is used to, but he is enjoying it nonetheless. And Holly is definitely not what he expected. The chemistry between them is off the charts, but Holly is keeping her distance, and Kepler can’t do anything about it. Until Holly changes the rules of the game. Then, Kepler is ready to play the game of his life.
I don’t recall ever reading a soccer book, and although I know next to nothing about the game, I was intrigued anyway. While I liked the soccer aspects and Kepler, I had a hard time connecting with Holly, and thus believing in their romance.
I thought Kepler was a really well thought out and executed character. He came from a hard life, and made something of himself from nothing. The dedication and hard work that he put into his career was awesome, despite the fact that the press painted him as nothing more than a playboy. The fallout of losing his career was devastating, and I could feel his pain. I thought Crowley did an incredible job portraying him as a wonderful and tortured and fantastic hero.
For me, I really struggled with Holly. I could understand her desire to keep her work and her pull to Kepler separate. However, I just didn’t really get why she waffled so much with it. She would flirt and kiss and even lead Kepler on, and then pull back and claim they couldn’t move forward because of work. I got where she was coming from, but I really struggled with an emotional connection to her character because of the way she kept taking one step forward and two steps back.
Because of my disconnect with Holly’s character, I had a hard time connecting with the romance as well. Again, it seemed as if their relationship would move forward – flirting, kissing, and more. Then Holly’s brain would interfere and their relationship would slip back into a negative place. I struggled with why Kepler kept letting Holly come back and lead him around, and was glad that he was the one to finally put a stop to it. I just wish that Holly would have been forced to make some kind of grand gesture (like we always expect our heroes to do) when she was trying to win him back.
All in all I thought this was a decent debut from Crowley. I loved Kepler’s character, and thought she did a fabulous job creating a hero I could love and support. For me, Holly and their romance fell short though, and made the story a little difficult for me to really sink my teeth into.
I give The Striker’s Chance a C+
Holly loves her job as a PR rep, and when she lands the contract to work with a big-time European soccer star, she has to help him to rebrand his image. Kepler is known in the tabloids as being a partier, a ladies man, and a killer on the field. But a car accident ended his European career and lands him in a struggling US team. Holly knows she can help Kepler, but was shocked at the sexual tension between them.
Kepler is looking for a home. A place to settle down, have some kids, and live out the rest of his soccer career for a team that can get behind him. North Carolina isn’t what he is used to, but he is enjoying it nonetheless. And Holly is definitely not what he expected. The chemistry between them is off the charts, but Holly is keeping her distance, and Kepler can’t do anything about it. Until Holly changes the rules of the game. Then, Kepler is ready to play the game of his life.
I don’t recall ever reading a soccer book, and although I know next to nothing about the game, I was intrigued anyway. While I liked the soccer aspects and Kepler, I had a hard time connecting with Holly, and thus believing in their romance.
I thought Kepler was a really well thought out and executed character. He came from a hard life, and made something of himself from nothing. The dedication and hard work that he put into his career was awesome, despite the fact that the press painted him as nothing more than a playboy. The fallout of losing his career was devastating, and I could feel his pain. I thought Crowley did an incredible job portraying him as a wonderful and tortured and fantastic hero.
For me, I really struggled with Holly. I could understand her desire to keep her work and her pull to Kepler separate. However, I just didn’t really get why she waffled so much with it. She would flirt and kiss and even lead Kepler on, and then pull back and claim they couldn’t move forward because of work. I got where she was coming from, but I really struggled with an emotional connection to her character because of the way she kept taking one step forward and two steps back.
Because of my disconnect with Holly’s character, I had a hard time connecting with the romance as well. Again, it seemed as if their relationship would move forward – flirting, kissing, and more. Then Holly’s brain would interfere and their relationship would slip back into a negative place. I struggled with why Kepler kept letting Holly come back and lead him around, and was glad that he was the one to finally put a stop to it. I just wish that Holly would have been forced to make some kind of grand gesture (like we always expect our heroes to do) when she was trying to win him back.
All in all I thought this was a decent debut from Crowley. I loved Kepler’s character, and thought she did a fabulous job creating a hero I could love and support. For me, Holly and their romance fell short though, and made the story a little difficult for me to really sink my teeth into.
I give The Striker’s Chance a C+
September 11, 2013
I like sports romances and this is the first I have read of a soccer hero. Once I realized the hero could be David Beckham in my fantasy world, I was sold *wink*
Kepler de Klerk is from South Africa and became famous in England with his amazing soccer skills. He was not only labeled an elite athlete, but also a playboy. One night while driving on icy roads, he crashes his car, seriously injuring himself and a teammate. The press immediately label him the bad guy, and he gets run out of the country. He goes home to South America to heal his leg and lick his wounds. When he gets an offer to go to the states to play for a soccer team in Charlotte, North Carolina he is happy to have another chance at the sport he loves. He still harbors anger towards how he was perceived in England which makes him a broody hero. I do love a broody hero.
Holly Taylor just landed a big PR gig for this new North Carolina soccer team. Her first assignment is to transition Kepler onto the team. This team needs to fill seats, and Holly has a plan in place to make him the darling of the soccer team. Except when she meets him she realizes it’s going to be a tough job. Kepler isn’t thrilled with being managed and trying to keep him out of the tabloids and on time for certain functions is an exhausting task. There is also that pesky problem of a deep chemistry developing between them.
This is a fun story. I’m not super familiar with soccer, but I liked the soccer atmosphere we get in this book. It’s not too much where it overpowers the romance, but Kepler really comes across as a professional athlete. At the same time though, it is stressed that he isn’t that well known in North Carolina, something that would be realistic in the soccer world in my opinion. Besides Beckham, I honestly couldn’t name another famous soccer player.
Kepler doesn’t necessarily like the spotlight. He wants to be more normal, he is tired of overdone women throwing themselves at him. All he wants to do is to play the sport he loves and go home to a cozy house. When that doesn’t happen, he lashes out and Holly is there to take the brunt of it. But Kepler is really a good guy deep down, and that comes across well.
Holly feels conflicted as she wants to be professional, yet she also wants to do dirty things to Kepler. I like how it all plays out. When they do finally make it to the bedroom it made sense and didn’t feel rushed. They have good chemistry together as Holly really gets to know the real Kepler.
I like this author’s voice. Looking forward to more.
Rating: B
Kepler de Klerk is from South Africa and became famous in England with his amazing soccer skills. He was not only labeled an elite athlete, but also a playboy. One night while driving on icy roads, he crashes his car, seriously injuring himself and a teammate. The press immediately label him the bad guy, and he gets run out of the country. He goes home to South America to heal his leg and lick his wounds. When he gets an offer to go to the states to play for a soccer team in Charlotte, North Carolina he is happy to have another chance at the sport he loves. He still harbors anger towards how he was perceived in England which makes him a broody hero. I do love a broody hero.
Holly Taylor just landed a big PR gig for this new North Carolina soccer team. Her first assignment is to transition Kepler onto the team. This team needs to fill seats, and Holly has a plan in place to make him the darling of the soccer team. Except when she meets him she realizes it’s going to be a tough job. Kepler isn’t thrilled with being managed and trying to keep him out of the tabloids and on time for certain functions is an exhausting task. There is also that pesky problem of a deep chemistry developing between them.
This is a fun story. I’m not super familiar with soccer, but I liked the soccer atmosphere we get in this book. It’s not too much where it overpowers the romance, but Kepler really comes across as a professional athlete. At the same time though, it is stressed that he isn’t that well known in North Carolina, something that would be realistic in the soccer world in my opinion. Besides Beckham, I honestly couldn’t name another famous soccer player.
Kepler doesn’t necessarily like the spotlight. He wants to be more normal, he is tired of overdone women throwing themselves at him. All he wants to do is to play the sport he loves and go home to a cozy house. When that doesn’t happen, he lashes out and Holly is there to take the brunt of it. But Kepler is really a good guy deep down, and that comes across well.
Holly feels conflicted as she wants to be professional, yet she also wants to do dirty things to Kepler. I like how it all plays out. When they do finally make it to the bedroom it made sense and didn’t feel rushed. They have good chemistry together as Holly really gets to know the real Kepler.
I like this author’s voice. Looking forward to more.
Rating: B
September 23, 2013
3.5 stars
I think I love sports centered contemporary romances more and more, and when they involve a sport I know about, all the better. Now, I'm not a huge fan, but I do like my soccer. I know its rules and I love to watch a competitive game, so this book, with its on field pages, was enjoyable for me.
Holly Taylor is the PR manager for a small town soccer team, and her new assignment is the thirty year-old South African striker Kepler de Klerk. With the previous sports contemporary I've read and loved, The Winning Season, I truly believe that a PR manager and a sports player make a good, balanced couple. On the one hand you have the manager trying to salvage a reputation gone bad, and on the other, you have the player who's really a good guy acting the part of the bad boy. It makes the story fun, this kind of relationship, and it makes way for possible sub plots.
In addition to the general plot, I also liked the characters, although in Holly's case, the love wasn't exactly at first sight. Don't get me wrong, I liked her, but for the first one third of the story I found her a tiny bit hard to relate to. I couldn't understand her character fully and that worried me for a while, but thankfully with more page time, I was able to overcome this problem.
Now, Kepler was another story. I took a liking to him instantly. He was a man who knew what hardship was, and he was very open about what he wanted or what he thought. With the exception of the car accident in his past that rattled his psyche, he was an open book. He was honest with his feelings towards Holly, and I found him sweet both as a man and as a partner.
The general plot was good, there were a few flashback scenes that confused me but for a second because they weren’t clearly marked, but since this was an advance copy, this might not even be an issue for the published version.
A fun book with likable characters that mingles sports with romance that I'm sure would be enjoyed by all who love this genre.
I think I love sports centered contemporary romances more and more, and when they involve a sport I know about, all the better. Now, I'm not a huge fan, but I do like my soccer. I know its rules and I love to watch a competitive game, so this book, with its on field pages, was enjoyable for me.
Holly Taylor is the PR manager for a small town soccer team, and her new assignment is the thirty year-old South African striker Kepler de Klerk. With the previous sports contemporary I've read and loved, The Winning Season, I truly believe that a PR manager and a sports player make a good, balanced couple. On the one hand you have the manager trying to salvage a reputation gone bad, and on the other, you have the player who's really a good guy acting the part of the bad boy. It makes the story fun, this kind of relationship, and it makes way for possible sub plots.
In addition to the general plot, I also liked the characters, although in Holly's case, the love wasn't exactly at first sight. Don't get me wrong, I liked her, but for the first one third of the story I found her a tiny bit hard to relate to. I couldn't understand her character fully and that worried me for a while, but thankfully with more page time, I was able to overcome this problem.
Now, Kepler was another story. I took a liking to him instantly. He was a man who knew what hardship was, and he was very open about what he wanted or what he thought. With the exception of the car accident in his past that rattled his psyche, he was an open book. He was honest with his feelings towards Holly, and I found him sweet both as a man and as a partner.
The general plot was good, there were a few flashback scenes that confused me but for a second because they weren’t clearly marked, but since this was an advance copy, this might not even be an issue for the published version.
A fun book with likable characters that mingles sports with romance that I'm sure would be enjoyed by all who love this genre.
February 6, 2016
Ok so I technically didn't read this book, but I did listen to the Audible version of it, and for some unknown reason it had me tearing up with my favorite ice cream.
Jessica Almacy did a phenomenal job as narrator and her voice wasn't too whiny. It was nice I have a hard time finding female narrators with beautiful voices. The only complaint I had was Holly's voice. Almost like Ms Almacy was trying too hard and the accent came across as fake. now Kepler's voice was hands down the hottest voice from a woman I have heard in a long time.
With all that being said I can't wait to read more from Rebecca Crowley and I believe I might even start looking for some more soccer books.
Jessica Almacy did a phenomenal job as narrator and her voice wasn't too whiny. It was nice I have a hard time finding female narrators with beautiful voices. The only complaint I had was Holly's voice. Almost like Ms Almacy was trying too hard and the accent came across as fake. now Kepler's voice was hands down the hottest voice from a woman I have heard in a long time.
With all that being said I can't wait to read more from Rebecca Crowley and I believe I might even start looking for some more soccer books.
July 25, 2018
Holly is a self-employed PR professional. Kepler de Klerk is the person she is tasked with improving the image of. Kepler was the driver in an auto-accident that severely injured him and a teammate. He's been out of action for more than a year. Because he was the driver, he was blamed and harshly criticized for the accident and his former team released him to Charlotte Discovery.
I thought this was sweet. Kepler is not quite the person the tabloids made him out to be. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked that the romance (and later the sex) was a slower build.
For Ripped Bodice Bingo: Soccer square!
I thought this was sweet. Kepler is not quite the person the tabloids made him out to be. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked that the romance (and later the sex) was a slower build.
For Ripped Bodice Bingo: Soccer square!
August 16, 2015
Reading this book was like watching a cheesy movie, lets just say i rolled my eyes more often than not. Honestly, the writing was just bad. I'm not trying to be mean but it was a waste of time. Maybe it got better as it went on but from what I read, would not recommend.
November 15, 2015
3 stelline e mezzo per questo romance sportivo!
Avrei preferito un epilogo più sviluppato però!
Avrei preferito un epilogo più sviluppato però!
March 31, 2023
honestly holly was kinda annoying ngl, did everything at her own advantage only till the end. not every player is washed at 30 man
March 3, 2024
2.5
In the first few chapters, I was really invested. I love soccer and wish more sports stories involved the sport of futbol. I loved the story mostly when on the pitch and I liked the H. His character was well thought out, hard working, driven, smart and a good guy. Very down to earth considering what he went through. As for Holly...I tried. I even got past the first lie and how she played him in their first meeting. She checked on him after a slight injury, took him house hunting to make him feel more comfortable and settled in NC. I felt that made her more relatable and less selfish about only wanting to further her career but...she accepts a dirty deal to fast-track her career that started her on the path of only "helping" the H to further her career while she played hot and cold with him. I lost the little bit of respect I had for her at that point and DNF. Other than her, I liked the soccer plot, the H and a few side characters. Pretty good writing with some clever quips.
In the first few chapters, I was really invested. I love soccer and wish more sports stories involved the sport of futbol. I loved the story mostly when on the pitch and I liked the H. His character was well thought out, hard working, driven, smart and a good guy. Very down to earth considering what he went through. As for Holly...I tried. I even got past the first lie and how she played him in their first meeting. She checked on him after a slight injury, took him house hunting to make him feel more comfortable and settled in NC. I felt that made her more relatable and less selfish about only wanting to further her career but...she accepts a dirty deal to fast-track her career that started her on the path of only "helping" the H to further her career while she played hot and cold with him. I lost the little bit of respect I had for her at that point and DNF. Other than her, I liked the soccer plot, the H and a few side characters. Pretty good writing with some clever quips.
September 29, 2013
Originally published at Book Lovers Inc.
A sports romance set in North Carolina about soccer instead of NASCAR. What a surprise!
Hey, a sports romance set in the U.S. about soccer instead of football. An even bigger surprise!
On the other hand, because the book is about soccer instead of football, or any other sport that USians are familiar with, the title kind of lays an egg. On the other hand, the cover, while featuring yet another infamous headless torso, represents an event that takes place in the story. (Also looks yummy.)
About the story…
This is a contemporary romance about a female sports PR specialist who has to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Not exactly, but close enough. It’s not that “Killer” de Klerk isn’t pretty enough (back to that cover picture again) but his off the field reputation is “party all the time” and the “Killer” nickname sums up his on the field rep.
His off the field antics ended in an automobile accident that nearly ended his career and got him kicked off his old team and out of Europe. The new team in North Carolina is his last chance to play the game he loves before either time or the accumulation of injuries bring his career to a close.
Holly Taylor’s brilliant idea is to turn Killer back into Kepler de Klerk. To make him a bit more family friendly, but mostly to showcase him as a leader and integrate him into the team and the community.
Kepler finds himself making a home in Charlotte, and a place for himself with his new team. He’s the star, but it’s his experience that proves a genuine treasure, as he teaches the young team not just how to play, but also how to win.
And while he makes himself at home in Charlotte, he gets to spend more time with Holly, who proves to be the most compelling reason to love his new team. While Kepler starts to feel like he might have finally found a place where he belongs, the team’s owners have other plans--plans that Holly can’t share with him.
No matter what she feels about those plans. No matter what she might feel for him.
Verdict: This is a solid contemporary sports romance. It doesn’t break any new ground, except maybe for the hero being a soccer player instead of something more usual for an American audience. Also, it’s interesting that Kepler is South African and not from one of the more typical European countries for a non-US background.
While the chemistry in this romance wasn’t off-the-charts, it was definitely there from the beginning, and in a very plausible way. I actually liked that things developed naturally and we didn’t get treated to unrealistic insta-anything.
The development of Kepler’s character, from someone who was used to getting things handed to him and didn’t want to be there, to someone who became a real leader and coach, was well done.
One of the things I liked about Holly was that she was unapologetically devoted to her career. She understood herself and that she put her career first. She’d sacrificed some relationships to that and it was something she understood about herself. Men do this all the time, in romance novels and in life, and it was great to see a woman do the same thing.
The one thing that detracted from the story was the big misunderstandammit. It made sense that Holly would hold off on a relationship with Kepler because getting involved with a client was definitely a conflict of interest. But the whole underhanded business with the team owners seemed very contrived as a way of creating tension.
I give The Striker's Chance by Rebecca Crowley 3 and ½ stars!
A sports romance set in North Carolina about soccer instead of NASCAR. What a surprise!
Hey, a sports romance set in the U.S. about soccer instead of football. An even bigger surprise!
On the other hand, because the book is about soccer instead of football, or any other sport that USians are familiar with, the title kind of lays an egg. On the other hand, the cover, while featuring yet another infamous headless torso, represents an event that takes place in the story. (Also looks yummy.)
About the story…
This is a contemporary romance about a female sports PR specialist who has to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Not exactly, but close enough. It’s not that “Killer” de Klerk isn’t pretty enough (back to that cover picture again) but his off the field reputation is “party all the time” and the “Killer” nickname sums up his on the field rep.
His off the field antics ended in an automobile accident that nearly ended his career and got him kicked off his old team and out of Europe. The new team in North Carolina is his last chance to play the game he loves before either time or the accumulation of injuries bring his career to a close.
Holly Taylor’s brilliant idea is to turn Killer back into Kepler de Klerk. To make him a bit more family friendly, but mostly to showcase him as a leader and integrate him into the team and the community.
Kepler finds himself making a home in Charlotte, and a place for himself with his new team. He’s the star, but it’s his experience that proves a genuine treasure, as he teaches the young team not just how to play, but also how to win.
And while he makes himself at home in Charlotte, he gets to spend more time with Holly, who proves to be the most compelling reason to love his new team. While Kepler starts to feel like he might have finally found a place where he belongs, the team’s owners have other plans--plans that Holly can’t share with him.
No matter what she feels about those plans. No matter what she might feel for him.
Verdict: This is a solid contemporary sports romance. It doesn’t break any new ground, except maybe for the hero being a soccer player instead of something more usual for an American audience. Also, it’s interesting that Kepler is South African and not from one of the more typical European countries for a non-US background.
While the chemistry in this romance wasn’t off-the-charts, it was definitely there from the beginning, and in a very plausible way. I actually liked that things developed naturally and we didn’t get treated to unrealistic insta-anything.
The development of Kepler’s character, from someone who was used to getting things handed to him and didn’t want to be there, to someone who became a real leader and coach, was well done.
One of the things I liked about Holly was that she was unapologetically devoted to her career. She understood herself and that she put her career first. She’d sacrificed some relationships to that and it was something she understood about herself. Men do this all the time, in romance novels and in life, and it was great to see a woman do the same thing.
The one thing that detracted from the story was the big misunderstandammit. It made sense that Holly would hold off on a relationship with Kepler because getting involved with a client was definitely a conflict of interest. But the whole underhanded business with the team owners seemed very contrived as a way of creating tension.
I give The Striker's Chance by Rebecca Crowley 3 and ½ stars!
October 2, 2013
Title: The Striker’s Chance
Series: N/A
Author: Rebecca Crowley
Genre: Contemporary
Landing the PR contract for North Carolina’s new soccer team could take Holly Taylor’s career to the next level. Her task? Make Kepler “Killer” de Klerk, an athlete with a party-hard reputation, a star. But revamping the sexy footballer’s image while battling her unwanted attraction to him is easier said than done.
The car accident that derailed Kepler’s European career also gave him some much-needed perspective. He’s ready to give up on fame and focus on the game he loves. The last thing he needs is a headstrong brunette pushing him back into the spotlight, even if butting heads with her is the most fun he’s had in ages.
The more time Holly spends with Kepler, the more she sees how different he is from his tabloid persona. But when she’s offered her dream job for a price, she finds herself torn between the career she’s spent years building and the man she doesn’t want to give up
Thoughts: When I saw this book posted to chose to review I really debated about reading it. First the cover didn’t really grab me, second the title of the book didn’t make me want to see what a striker was. That being said I decided to give it a try when I read the blurb. This is very much a case where the blurb really intrigued me.
I love sports heroes, and to read one where the hero didn’t play the normal sports of football, baseball or hockey and wasn’t a MMA fighter intrigued me. When I started reading it and discovered the hero was from South Africa I knew I had to finish this book.
In my house the Springboks are a huge deal. They are the South African National Rugby team. Because we follow South African Rugby I’m very familiar with the attitudes and feelings of their professional athletes, and Kepler fits the mold perfectly. When it’s revealed he won’t have a sponsor on his cleats, and instead has the South African flag I got it. When his tattoo was revealed I knew why. I loved how the author really brought the flavor of South Africa alive in Kepler in so much that he spoke Afrikaan’s.
I loved Kepler from page one, and the more we got to know him, the more I wanted him to get his HEA. His love of the sport comes through on every page, as well as his loathing of publicity. All he wants to do is play the sport. He’s grateful the team took a chance on him. But he wasn’t prepared for Holly. The more time he spends with her, the more he likes her and wants a relationship with her. But that is impossible.
Holly has landed her dream account. This is the account that will propel her business into the stratosphere. All she has to do is change the image of one soccer player. To bad he makes all her girly parts stand up and scream do me. This is something she doesn’t want. The more time she spends with him, the more she discovers he’s nothing like what the tabloids have claimed.
There was a couple of things that bothered me but not enough to have me stop reading.
I really enjoyed this story. The relationship between Kepler and Holly was believable and one that kept me reading long after I should have been asleep. If you like sports heroes, and want to read about a sexy South African Soccer player then you won’t want to miss this one.
I’m hoping we’ll get more books about the other players on Kepler’s team.
Grade: B
Review by: Heather
- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com
Series: N/A
Author: Rebecca Crowley
Genre: Contemporary
Landing the PR contract for North Carolina’s new soccer team could take Holly Taylor’s career to the next level. Her task? Make Kepler “Killer” de Klerk, an athlete with a party-hard reputation, a star. But revamping the sexy footballer’s image while battling her unwanted attraction to him is easier said than done.
The car accident that derailed Kepler’s European career also gave him some much-needed perspective. He’s ready to give up on fame and focus on the game he loves. The last thing he needs is a headstrong brunette pushing him back into the spotlight, even if butting heads with her is the most fun he’s had in ages.
The more time Holly spends with Kepler, the more she sees how different he is from his tabloid persona. But when she’s offered her dream job for a price, she finds herself torn between the career she’s spent years building and the man she doesn’t want to give up
Thoughts: When I saw this book posted to chose to review I really debated about reading it. First the cover didn’t really grab me, second the title of the book didn’t make me want to see what a striker was. That being said I decided to give it a try when I read the blurb. This is very much a case where the blurb really intrigued me.
I love sports heroes, and to read one where the hero didn’t play the normal sports of football, baseball or hockey and wasn’t a MMA fighter intrigued me. When I started reading it and discovered the hero was from South Africa I knew I had to finish this book.
In my house the Springboks are a huge deal. They are the South African National Rugby team. Because we follow South African Rugby I’m very familiar with the attitudes and feelings of their professional athletes, and Kepler fits the mold perfectly. When it’s revealed he won’t have a sponsor on his cleats, and instead has the South African flag I got it. When his tattoo was revealed I knew why. I loved how the author really brought the flavor of South Africa alive in Kepler in so much that he spoke Afrikaan’s.
I loved Kepler from page one, and the more we got to know him, the more I wanted him to get his HEA. His love of the sport comes through on every page, as well as his loathing of publicity. All he wants to do is play the sport. He’s grateful the team took a chance on him. But he wasn’t prepared for Holly. The more time he spends with her, the more he likes her and wants a relationship with her. But that is impossible.
Holly has landed her dream account. This is the account that will propel her business into the stratosphere. All she has to do is change the image of one soccer player. To bad he makes all her girly parts stand up and scream do me. This is something she doesn’t want. The more time she spends with him, the more she discovers he’s nothing like what the tabloids have claimed.
There was a couple of things that bothered me but not enough to have me stop reading.
I really enjoyed this story. The relationship between Kepler and Holly was believable and one that kept me reading long after I should have been asleep. If you like sports heroes, and want to read about a sexy South African Soccer player then you won’t want to miss this one.
I’m hoping we’ll get more books about the other players on Kepler’s team.
Grade: B
Review by: Heather
- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com
September 25, 2013
I'm not sure what it is lately, but I seem to be picking some pretty damn awesome books to request from NetGalley, especially since the books I've been having the best luck with are shorter than 200 pages and that typically doesn't fit well with me.
The Striker's Chance is author Rebecca Crowley's romantic debut and I have to say she made sure it was a fantastic one in my opinion. I haven't always had the best of luck with the sports romance sub-genre but this is the epitome of how they should be written in my opinion.
The book centers around South African born soccer player Kepler and his PR manager Holly. First off I liked both characters right off the bat. Usually I either really like the heroine or the hero from the get go so it's rare for me to like both main characters from the start, but Kepler and Holly were just so likable.
Kepler, is feeling out of place, old, useless and is trying to get back into shape and the swing of things when tiny Holly comes into his life and changes everything. They were one of those couples that just fit together so well I could envision them as a real couple, their chemistry was apparent right from the get go but it so wasn't a case of insta-love with these two. Their relationship was slow to build which I found surprising but the fact that the author was able to write a story spanning several weeks/months in such a short story was excellent and I wish I saw more authors take their time writing romances this way. Kepler was so sweet and a little brooding but it fit with him and his circumstances, he was smart too and he wasn't domineering and all alpha male which I loved seeing. Holly was funny, a little naïve, had some trust and control issues but those are some of the things I really liked about her because she was so normal.
I also really enjoyed the character's dialogue, both of them were funny and I loved how accurately the author was able to depict the awkwardness of certain situations that arose in the book, it seemed like a real love story that happened to two real people. Both had great personalities and I liked how they fit together as a whole. While the book was sweet at times when it counted things did get heated and I liked the way the author handled those situations.
Overall, I thought The Striker's Chance was funny, witty, realistic, charming and had a great pace and a really good storyline where soccer was actually a main element in the book and not something that is only mentioned once throughout. It had me smiling the whole time I read it and I'm really looking forward to reading more by Rebecca Crowley.
I would recommend this one to fans of contemporary romances with a sports theme and those who are looking for a shorter but well written story with two great characters with perfect chemistry.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.
The Striker's Chance is author Rebecca Crowley's romantic debut and I have to say she made sure it was a fantastic one in my opinion. I haven't always had the best of luck with the sports romance sub-genre but this is the epitome of how they should be written in my opinion.
The book centers around South African born soccer player Kepler and his PR manager Holly. First off I liked both characters right off the bat. Usually I either really like the heroine or the hero from the get go so it's rare for me to like both main characters from the start, but Kepler and Holly were just so likable.
Kepler, is feeling out of place, old, useless and is trying to get back into shape and the swing of things when tiny Holly comes into his life and changes everything. They were one of those couples that just fit together so well I could envision them as a real couple, their chemistry was apparent right from the get go but it so wasn't a case of insta-love with these two. Their relationship was slow to build which I found surprising but the fact that the author was able to write a story spanning several weeks/months in such a short story was excellent and I wish I saw more authors take their time writing romances this way. Kepler was so sweet and a little brooding but it fit with him and his circumstances, he was smart too and he wasn't domineering and all alpha male which I loved seeing. Holly was funny, a little naïve, had some trust and control issues but those are some of the things I really liked about her because she was so normal.
I also really enjoyed the character's dialogue, both of them were funny and I loved how accurately the author was able to depict the awkwardness of certain situations that arose in the book, it seemed like a real love story that happened to two real people. Both had great personalities and I liked how they fit together as a whole. While the book was sweet at times when it counted things did get heated and I liked the way the author handled those situations.
Overall, I thought The Striker's Chance was funny, witty, realistic, charming and had a great pace and a really good storyline where soccer was actually a main element in the book and not something that is only mentioned once throughout. It had me smiling the whole time I read it and I'm really looking forward to reading more by Rebecca Crowley.
I would recommend this one to fans of contemporary romances with a sports theme and those who are looking for a shorter but well written story with two great characters with perfect chemistry.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.
April 2, 2014
The author kindly sent me a copy of her book to consider for reviewing on my blog, ROMANCE NOVELS FOR FEMINISTS. I didn't think it quite suitable for the blog, but I'm happy to review it here.
Independent PR consultant Holly has just landed a big contract: to shape the PR for South African soccer star Kepler de Klerk, recently signed by the Charlotte (NC) Discovery. de Klerk's hard-partying reputation precedes him, as does the bad publicity around the car accident that left a teammate seriously injured and himself on the sidelines for more than a year. When the blond, sexy-accented guy attempts to flirt with her before their first meeting, not even knowing who she is, Holly knows she's got a difficult task ahead of her.
Kepler, though, turns out to be far less of a party animal, and far more of a sweet guy, than his reputation suggests. He and Holly experience romance novel instant-attraction, but Holly is convinced that it's a bad idea to do anything about it, not only because of Kepler's reputation, but also because a relationship might endanger her job. Kepler keeps (nicely) pushing, though, and Holly finally says "screw it, why not?" But when a smarmy reporter reveals their relationship is put on hold.
Holly talks about her lack of romance success in the past being due to her strong personality and her devotion to her job, which would have been a feminist issue if it were true. But she then goes on to self-analyze herself, telling Kepler that it was really her own fears that led her to push potential boyfriends away. Holly's insecurities about her looks also fall into the less-than-feminist category. And I didn't much care for the binary opposition the book sets up between Holly's career ambitions and the possibility of maintaining a romantic relationship ("You're more important to me than any job could ever be" [229]).
There's an interesting tension in the book, between romance's typical "be true to yourself" messages and Holly's job as a PR person. Is she smarmy because of what she does? Her true love declaration—"I can't believe I ever thought it was a good idea to try to make you into someone else, or that I could possibly improve on the original. You're perfect, Kepler, and I love you just the way you are"—seems to suggest that her work is inherently problematic.
I found Kepler an appealing hero, although his good guy-ness seemed rather overdone, especially given his past history. His only flaw was being a bit angry at times (which Holly conveniently explains as his reaction to having so many other people controlling him/making decisions on his behalf).
A sweet, if not quite feminist, read.
Independent PR consultant Holly has just landed a big contract: to shape the PR for South African soccer star Kepler de Klerk, recently signed by the Charlotte (NC) Discovery. de Klerk's hard-partying reputation precedes him, as does the bad publicity around the car accident that left a teammate seriously injured and himself on the sidelines for more than a year. When the blond, sexy-accented guy attempts to flirt with her before their first meeting, not even knowing who she is, Holly knows she's got a difficult task ahead of her.
Kepler, though, turns out to be far less of a party animal, and far more of a sweet guy, than his reputation suggests. He and Holly experience romance novel instant-attraction, but Holly is convinced that it's a bad idea to do anything about it, not only because of Kepler's reputation, but also because a relationship might endanger her job. Kepler keeps (nicely) pushing, though, and Holly finally says "screw it, why not?" But when a smarmy reporter reveals their relationship is put on hold.
Holly talks about her lack of romance success in the past being due to her strong personality and her devotion to her job, which would have been a feminist issue if it were true. But she then goes on to self-analyze herself, telling Kepler that it was really her own fears that led her to push potential boyfriends away. Holly's insecurities about her looks also fall into the less-than-feminist category. And I didn't much care for the binary opposition the book sets up between Holly's career ambitions and the possibility of maintaining a romantic relationship ("You're more important to me than any job could ever be" [229]).
There's an interesting tension in the book, between romance's typical "be true to yourself" messages and Holly's job as a PR person. Is she smarmy because of what she does? Her true love declaration—"I can't believe I ever thought it was a good idea to try to make you into someone else, or that I could possibly improve on the original. You're perfect, Kepler, and I love you just the way you are"—seems to suggest that her work is inherently problematic.
I found Kepler an appealing hero, although his good guy-ness seemed rather overdone, especially given his past history. His only flaw was being a bit angry at times (which Holly conveniently explains as his reaction to having so many other people controlling him/making decisions on his behalf).
A sweet, if not quite feminist, read.
December 18, 2013
Book Review- The Striker’s Chance by Rebecca Crowley
Kepler de Klerk was a famous soccer player from Europe. After a horrific car accident and rumors in the press, he was released by his British team. He finds himself in Charlotte, South Carolina and now playing for the struggling Charlotte Destiny.
Holly Taylor was hired to be his PR manager while he played for the team. This is her first big account since she went out on her own. She is determined to do a great job. She is going to try and make doubts about Kepler go away. Turning his image around is her ultimate goal.
Their first meeting is outside the hotel where Kepler has no idea who she is. He flirts with her and lies about who he is. She plays along for a bit until its time for the meeting. When he finds out who she is he is furious. He is tired of being surrounded by people trying to make money off of him. All he wants to do is play the game.
Holly is pushing hard to develop the right image for him and move herself up to the next level. As the season progresses she discovers the real Kepler. He isn’t what the rumors made him out to be and her feelings grow for him. However, she is his PR manager and she can’t have a relationship with him. It’s unethical and she will lose her job. Plus she wants the job in New York, doesn’t she? She is torn on which direction she should turn.
Kepler wants Holly in his life and his game is improving as their relationship develops. He is finally happy with the way things are going. He can see himself staying in Charlotte.
Holly’s drive is about to invite chaos. Her rival is gunning for her and will do anything to make her look bad, even tell Kepler about the plan for his career. Holly is left trying to decide what to do as everything comes crashing down around her.
This was a great romance. I really liked Kepler’s character. It was refreshing to see how he really felt about things and how he hated the image papers portrayed about him. He knew what he wanted. Holly, on the other hand, wasn’t the nicest person. I didn’t care for how she treated him. She was only looking out for herself really at first. Her selfishness was almost a turn off for me. It also took her way to long to figure out what she wanted. I would constantly shake my head at her stubbornness. It was a fun ride as the storyline developed. I would definitely recommend this book. I give it a 4 out of 5.
Kepler de Klerk was a famous soccer player from Europe. After a horrific car accident and rumors in the press, he was released by his British team. He finds himself in Charlotte, South Carolina and now playing for the struggling Charlotte Destiny.
Holly Taylor was hired to be his PR manager while he played for the team. This is her first big account since she went out on her own. She is determined to do a great job. She is going to try and make doubts about Kepler go away. Turning his image around is her ultimate goal.
Their first meeting is outside the hotel where Kepler has no idea who she is. He flirts with her and lies about who he is. She plays along for a bit until its time for the meeting. When he finds out who she is he is furious. He is tired of being surrounded by people trying to make money off of him. All he wants to do is play the game.
Holly is pushing hard to develop the right image for him and move herself up to the next level. As the season progresses she discovers the real Kepler. He isn’t what the rumors made him out to be and her feelings grow for him. However, she is his PR manager and she can’t have a relationship with him. It’s unethical and she will lose her job. Plus she wants the job in New York, doesn’t she? She is torn on which direction she should turn.
Kepler wants Holly in his life and his game is improving as their relationship develops. He is finally happy with the way things are going. He can see himself staying in Charlotte.
Holly’s drive is about to invite chaos. Her rival is gunning for her and will do anything to make her look bad, even tell Kepler about the plan for his career. Holly is left trying to decide what to do as everything comes crashing down around her.
This was a great romance. I really liked Kepler’s character. It was refreshing to see how he really felt about things and how he hated the image papers portrayed about him. He knew what he wanted. Holly, on the other hand, wasn’t the nicest person. I didn’t care for how she treated him. She was only looking out for herself really at first. Her selfishness was almost a turn off for me. It also took her way to long to figure out what she wanted. I would constantly shake my head at her stubbornness. It was a fun ride as the storyline developed. I would definitely recommend this book. I give it a 4 out of 5.
January 16, 2014
I reviewed this at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley.
Shel: The slow burn of angst..that's how I would describe this. Here are my common reactions:
OHHH he sounds hot.
FACEPALM
NOOO...just tell him.
Awww. He's so sweet. Why won't he let her know how sweet he is?
No. No. No. SMH NOOOOO. WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS? Sigh.
This is just wrong. SHE is just wrong. How COULD she?
That's painful.
OH YAY!!!!!
Finally...this book was fast.
Court: Seriously, Shel. This is hilarious. And seriously what we were doing. A lot of sounds that don't form words were coming out of my mouth in major frustration to the decisions Holly was making!
shel: So--in a nutshell--I really liked him; Kepler was way underestimated by Holly and many others. He's not some hotshot soccer god...he's just a guy who is ready for the next phase of his life. Holly is ambitious to a fault, sometimes, and this tends to cloud her judgement. All of the miscommunications and misunderstandings create an slew of problems but somehow these two are able to work around it.
court: I loved Kepler. He is played up to be this tabloid frequenting playboy, and he admits in some ways maybe he was that guy. But unless you ask him, you have no idea what he does behind closed doors. I liked that he was very upfront and basically dared everyone to do just that, and didn't hide behind anything. He does what he wants. He is passionate about soccer. And really wants to dislike Holly based on principal! But he can't.
shel: The angsty parts come early and often and the resolution is swift. If anything, that may be my problem...the ending snuck up on me and I was left with many questions.
court: I desperately need an epilogue. Desperately. It doesn't feel done. I really enjoyed the parts of the story we did get. But there are quite a few questions left unanswered that kept this from being 5 Stars amazing for me! Luckily the meat of the story holds it up pretty high, but I have to say that was a bit disappointing.
Shelley: 3 1/2 Stars Courtney: 3 1/2 Stars
Shel: The slow burn of angst..that's how I would describe this. Here are my common reactions:
OHHH he sounds hot.
FACEPALM
NOOO...just tell him.
Awww. He's so sweet. Why won't he let her know how sweet he is?
No. No. No. SMH NOOOOO. WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS? Sigh.
This is just wrong. SHE is just wrong. How COULD she?
That's painful.
OH YAY!!!!!
Finally...this book was fast.
Court: Seriously, Shel. This is hilarious. And seriously what we were doing. A lot of sounds that don't form words were coming out of my mouth in major frustration to the decisions Holly was making!
shel: So--in a nutshell--I really liked him; Kepler was way underestimated by Holly and many others. He's not some hotshot soccer god...he's just a guy who is ready for the next phase of his life. Holly is ambitious to a fault, sometimes, and this tends to cloud her judgement. All of the miscommunications and misunderstandings create an slew of problems but somehow these two are able to work around it.
court: I loved Kepler. He is played up to be this tabloid frequenting playboy, and he admits in some ways maybe he was that guy. But unless you ask him, you have no idea what he does behind closed doors. I liked that he was very upfront and basically dared everyone to do just that, and didn't hide behind anything. He does what he wants. He is passionate about soccer. And really wants to dislike Holly based on principal! But he can't.
shel: The angsty parts come early and often and the resolution is swift. If anything, that may be my problem...the ending snuck up on me and I was left with many questions.
court: I desperately need an epilogue. Desperately. It doesn't feel done. I really enjoyed the parts of the story we did get. But there are quite a few questions left unanswered that kept this from being 5 Stars amazing for me! Luckily the meat of the story holds it up pretty high, but I have to say that was a bit disappointing.
Shelley: 3 1/2 Stars Courtney: 3 1/2 Stars
September 29, 2013
Kepler is an international soccer star that has fallen on hard times. After a car accident lands him and a friend of his in the hospital, his career takes a nose dive and his finds himself kicked out of his soccer club and playing professional soccer in the states, rather than abroad.
Holly is hired as Kepler's PR person and she's tasked with turning Kepler's image around. He's known for his party boy ways and she needs to turn him into a family man.
This book was cute and I liked it. I thought Kepler and Holly made an interesting couple, even when they got on my freaking nerves. I'm not a fan of secrets and when you feel guilty about something, that hardly ever means it's a good thing. Holly's secret from Kepler wasn't a good secret to keep so I completely understood Kepler's anger toward Holly. I knew exactly why he was mad and why he didn't want to have anything to do with him. I thought he gave in to Holly far sooner than I was ready for but the heart wants what the heart wants, even if the heart is a fictional one.
I really liked Kepler and the way that he was trying to turn his life around. He wanted something permanent and he wanted to build a future for himself. I enjoyed getting to know him and seeing him with those kids had my lady parts standing at attention. He was a great hero and I'm glad he was apart of this book.
Holly was a lot harder to like. The way that se let her job define her and the way that she let her job dictate her future, no matter who she hurt in the process was frustrating but in the end, I didn't hate her. I didn't quite forgive her as soon as Kepler did but I ended up not hating her. I did like that she was genuinely sorry for what she did and I had no doubts to her feelings for Kepler so I was glad that the book ended the way that it did.
My frat rations with this book were mostly with the secrets that Holly kept, even when she should have known better than to keep them but like I said, this book came around and ended the way that it was supposed to end so I can't be mad about that.
Holly is hired as Kepler's PR person and she's tasked with turning Kepler's image around. He's known for his party boy ways and she needs to turn him into a family man.
This book was cute and I liked it. I thought Kepler and Holly made an interesting couple, even when they got on my freaking nerves. I'm not a fan of secrets and when you feel guilty about something, that hardly ever means it's a good thing. Holly's secret from Kepler wasn't a good secret to keep so I completely understood Kepler's anger toward Holly. I knew exactly why he was mad and why he didn't want to have anything to do with him. I thought he gave in to Holly far sooner than I was ready for but the heart wants what the heart wants, even if the heart is a fictional one.
I really liked Kepler and the way that he was trying to turn his life around. He wanted something permanent and he wanted to build a future for himself. I enjoyed getting to know him and seeing him with those kids had my lady parts standing at attention. He was a great hero and I'm glad he was apart of this book.
Holly was a lot harder to like. The way that se let her job define her and the way that she let her job dictate her future, no matter who she hurt in the process was frustrating but in the end, I didn't hate her. I didn't quite forgive her as soon as Kepler did but I ended up not hating her. I did like that she was genuinely sorry for what she did and I had no doubts to her feelings for Kepler so I was glad that the book ended the way that it did.
My frat rations with this book were mostly with the secrets that Holly kept, even when she should have known better than to keep them but like I said, this book came around and ended the way that it was supposed to end so I can't be mad about that.
September 2, 2013
New author Rebecca Crowley starts off with a winner in this story of a soccer star and his PR manager. Kepler “Killer” de Klerk is a famous soccer player who go a bad reputation after an accident with a teammate that left them both injured. Unfortunately Kepler’s past reputation as a partier worked against him and he ended up playing for a low ranked American team in North Carolina.
The owners of the team have hired Holly Taylor to rehab Kepler’s reputation with the promise of a bigger job opportunity if she is successful. Unfortunately, her first meeting with him does nothing to revise her low opinion of Kepler and she treats him like a recalcitrant child.
Kepler is a good looking guy who has had some hard life lessons handed to him both physically and emotionally. He is attracted to Holly and she returns the feeling but won’t act on it. When she finally gives, the secrets she has about his future with the team make it hard for her to fully get involved in the relationship.
I love sports based romances and this is one of the first soccer ones I have read. The premise is fairly similar as in most of the books with an alpha male who may or may not be a basically nice guy. The great thing is when a reader finds an author who takes the premise and makes it her own and gives us a book we can really enjoy. I liked the insights into the game of soccer and a little hint of how the professional game machine works. Both characters are good people with a facet to their professional personality that isn’t so nice. The storyline does a great job of working through the bad stuff to get to a really nice and fairly spicy romance. After reading this book, I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Crowley.
The owners of the team have hired Holly Taylor to rehab Kepler’s reputation with the promise of a bigger job opportunity if she is successful. Unfortunately, her first meeting with him does nothing to revise her low opinion of Kepler and she treats him like a recalcitrant child.
Kepler is a good looking guy who has had some hard life lessons handed to him both physically and emotionally. He is attracted to Holly and she returns the feeling but won’t act on it. When she finally gives, the secrets she has about his future with the team make it hard for her to fully get involved in the relationship.
I love sports based romances and this is one of the first soccer ones I have read. The premise is fairly similar as in most of the books with an alpha male who may or may not be a basically nice guy. The great thing is when a reader finds an author who takes the premise and makes it her own and gives us a book we can really enjoy. I liked the insights into the game of soccer and a little hint of how the professional game machine works. Both characters are good people with a facet to their professional personality that isn’t so nice. The storyline does a great job of working through the bad stuff to get to a really nice and fairly spicy romance. After reading this book, I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Crowley.
September 5, 2013
This book was WAY better than what I was expecting. I blame the ridiculous cover for my lack of faith. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love drooling over ripped, shirtless guys as much the next person but I don't think this cover does the story any favors. The Striker's Chance (I'm also not in love with the title but I'm not the editor so whatever) was a solid contemporary romance. There was no damsel in distress or any bad boy who needed saving. While I feel too many romances rely on soap opera-esque drama to fuel the story and characters which are half realized and underdeveloped, The Striker's Chance (seriously give this a new title) for once gives you two fucking characters that you want to be friends with, you know, if they were real and everything. Add in a relationship that develops organically and you've got yourself a romance story that won't leave you rolling your eyes every other page. (I'm looking at you Love Unscripted.)
I'm not saying everything about this story was perfect but it's some damn good storytelling that's worth a shot despite the cheesy title and cover. Sorry, I just can't get over it.
I'm not saying everything about this story was perfect but it's some damn good storytelling that's worth a shot despite the cheesy title and cover. Sorry, I just can't get over it.
May 18, 2015
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
This was a pretty good sports romance. I love when the author throws in some actual on field action instead of just having the character be an athlete, but we never actually see them playing their sport. I really liked Holly and Kepler. Separately they were really interesting and together they were even better. And I liked that Kepler was from South Africa, that added a nice touch to the story. His background was really interesting and I wanted to know more about him.
I really liked that Holly underestimated Kepler. She expected him to be a certain way and he kept blowing those perceptions out of the water. Of course, she continued to let them cloud her judgment. And of course communication would have been the key, but neither spoke their mind like they should have until it was almost too late. I was wrapped up in this story and wish there was just a little bit more to give me a glimpse of the future, but overall it was an enjoyable book. I will definitely keep my eye out for more by Rebecca Crowley.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
This was a pretty good sports romance. I love when the author throws in some actual on field action instead of just having the character be an athlete, but we never actually see them playing their sport. I really liked Holly and Kepler. Separately they were really interesting and together they were even better. And I liked that Kepler was from South Africa, that added a nice touch to the story. His background was really interesting and I wanted to know more about him.
I really liked that Holly underestimated Kepler. She expected him to be a certain way and he kept blowing those perceptions out of the water. Of course, she continued to let them cloud her judgment. And of course communication would have been the key, but neither spoke their mind like they should have until it was almost too late. I was wrapped up in this story and wish there was just a little bit more to give me a glimpse of the future, but overall it was an enjoyable book. I will definitely keep my eye out for more by Rebecca Crowley.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
October 20, 2013
***Thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for providing me with a copy for review***
4 stars
Holly Taylor has a huge task in front of her--in order to bring her public relations business to the next level, she has to manage the image of Kepler "Killer" deClerk, a South African soccer player who was sent to Charlotte, NC after a scandal ousted him from the European game.
Kepler has come to the point in his life where hard partying and womanizing don't really appeal to him anymore--the car accident that killed one of his friends gave him some much needed perspective on life. what does appeal to him is Holly--can he manage to convince her that he's given up his former ways and can be committed?
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'm not usually a fan of novellas, but I felt that this book had enough plot and character development to keep me interested. I read the book over the course of an hour and a half--I couldn't put it down. I thought that Kepler was charming and sweet (when he wasn't on the defensive), and I really enjoyed seeing the romance unfold between the characters. If Rebecca Crowley decided to make this into a series, I would totally read them!
4 stars
Holly Taylor has a huge task in front of her--in order to bring her public relations business to the next level, she has to manage the image of Kepler "Killer" deClerk, a South African soccer player who was sent to Charlotte, NC after a scandal ousted him from the European game.
Kepler has come to the point in his life where hard partying and womanizing don't really appeal to him anymore--the car accident that killed one of his friends gave him some much needed perspective on life. what does appeal to him is Holly--can he manage to convince her that he's given up his former ways and can be committed?
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'm not usually a fan of novellas, but I felt that this book had enough plot and character development to keep me interested. I read the book over the course of an hour and a half--I couldn't put it down. I thought that Kepler was charming and sweet (when he wasn't on the defensive), and I really enjoyed seeing the romance unfold between the characters. If Rebecca Crowley decided to make this into a series, I would totally read them!
January 3, 2014
Having never read this author before, I went into this book with no expectations. I was intrigued by the idea of such a different hero. A man who's a blond-haired football/soccer player from South Africa.
As a sports fan, if not a soccer fan, I enjoyed the different plotline. Unfortunately, I wound up not liking the book as much as I'd hoped. I fault my own personal book snobbishness. The author wrote well and created characters that hit sparks off of each other. For me what I didn't like was the heroine, a PR person, essentially selling out the hero. Her aim was to pump him up enough so the American soccer team that took him would be able to sell him by the end of the season.
Naturally, as all romances do, everything works out in the end. I only wish there had been a little more. An epilogue or some inkling of how the hero and heroine were going to mesh their lives together. But again, this is my own personal opinion. I'm one of those die-hard romance readers that start to think of the characters as old friends. We want to see what happens to them in the future.
Overall, the book was enjoyable. I would certainly look at other books by the author.
As a sports fan, if not a soccer fan, I enjoyed the different plotline. Unfortunately, I wound up not liking the book as much as I'd hoped. I fault my own personal book snobbishness. The author wrote well and created characters that hit sparks off of each other. For me what I didn't like was the heroine, a PR person, essentially selling out the hero. Her aim was to pump him up enough so the American soccer team that took him would be able to sell him by the end of the season.
Naturally, as all romances do, everything works out in the end. I only wish there had been a little more. An epilogue or some inkling of how the hero and heroine were going to mesh their lives together. But again, this is my own personal opinion. I'm one of those die-hard romance readers that start to think of the characters as old friends. We want to see what happens to them in the future.
Overall, the book was enjoyable. I would certainly look at other books by the author.
Want to read
January 26, 2015Landing the PR contract for North Carolina's new soccer team could take Holly Taylor's career to the next level. Her task? Make Kepler "Killer" de Klerk, an athlete with a party-hard reputation, a star. But revamping the sexy footballer's image while battling her unwanted attraction to him is easier said than done.
The car accident that derailed Kepler's European career also gave him some much-needed perspective. He's ready to give up on fame and focus on the game he loves. The last thing he needs is a headstrong brunette pushing him back into the spotlight, even if butting heads with her is the most fun he's had in ages.
The more time Holly spends with Kepler, the more she sees how different he is from his tabloid persona. But when she's offered her dream job for a price, she finds herself torn between the career she's spent years building and the man she doesn't want to give up.
The car accident that derailed Kepler's European career also gave him some much-needed perspective. He's ready to give up on fame and focus on the game he loves. The last thing he needs is a headstrong brunette pushing him back into the spotlight, even if butting heads with her is the most fun he's had in ages.
The more time Holly spends with Kepler, the more she sees how different he is from his tabloid persona. But when she's offered her dream job for a price, she finds herself torn between the career she's spent years building and the man she doesn't want to give up.
February 8, 2015
DNF at 75%. I had several issues with this book - most of them stemming from being South African myself - but I have a thing for so-called "competence porn", and this heroine demonstrates the complete opposite of that. I could swallow her lying and insecurities and mood swings and all her other irritating traits if she was excellent at her job, but her lack of professionalism is both a huge part of her personality AND a driving force behind the romance. My opinion of her just got poorer and poorer as the book went on until I couldn’t take any more of it.
Oh, and what's with the career shaming? When are female authors going to get over this internalised misogynistic idea that the absence of a husband and a baby makes a woman incomplete no matter how consuming and fulfilling her career is.
Wow, 1st Carina Press book I’ve ever DNF’d, I think.
Oh, and what's with the career shaming? When are female authors going to get over this internalised misogynistic idea that the absence of a husband and a baby makes a woman incomplete no matter how consuming and fulfilling her career is.
Wow, 1st Carina Press book I’ve ever DNF’d, I think.
August 30, 2016
3.5 stars.
Listened to the audio version (so didn't read). I love Jessica Almasay as a narrator and in this book she did more with multiple voices and characters then normal.
I'm a huge soccer fan (and former player) so I was drawn to this storyline. Plus I am living in North Carolina.
I enjoyed the story enough, but it wasn't one that is overly memorable or had me so drawn in that I couldn't put it down.
I wasn't sure why the hero was so drawn to the heroine and I would have loved for them to have more interactions that really grew their relationship to understand why they were so in love so quickly. Just general banter and convo that wasn't specific to the plot, but showed the reader why they were so good together.
I did enjoy the book overall, but it wasn't anything that made it a "favorite."
Listened to the audio version (so didn't read). I love Jessica Almasay as a narrator and in this book she did more with multiple voices and characters then normal.
I'm a huge soccer fan (and former player) so I was drawn to this storyline. Plus I am living in North Carolina.
I enjoyed the story enough, but it wasn't one that is overly memorable or had me so drawn in that I couldn't put it down.
I wasn't sure why the hero was so drawn to the heroine and I would have loved for them to have more interactions that really grew their relationship to understand why they were so in love so quickly. Just general banter and convo that wasn't specific to the plot, but showed the reader why they were so good together.
I did enjoy the book overall, but it wasn't anything that made it a "favorite."
November 4, 2013
This was a wonderful change from the sad dystopian book I had just finished and it was just what I needed. I am a huge soccer fan so I was interested to see how that would tie into a romance novel. It was cute, nothing phenomenal but I did enjoy it. The story skipped quite a bit I though, every time I read the next paragraph it was "a few weeks" or "a few months" later which was sad to me. What I love about romance novels is watching the couple fall in love, the small moments- not just skipping through it all.
I was sad about how quickly it ended and there is something about an epilogue that calls to me. I read about the bad part of the relationship I want my happily ever after and I did not get that here.
I enjoyed the mix of sports with my romance but this was not the greatest.
I was sad about how quickly it ended and there is something about an epilogue that calls to me. I read about the bad part of the relationship I want my happily ever after and I did not get that here.
I enjoyed the mix of sports with my romance but this was not the greatest.
November 5, 2018
I really like sport romances! I haven’t read any of the author’s books before and this one was a nice introduction to her work!
Holly is a PR hired to launch soccer athlete Kepler de Klerk. He had an incident about a year ago that gave him bad publicity. Her goal now is to built interest in him as a player, so the past will be forgotten.
The attraction between them is palpable from the first time they meet. Kepler is smitten by her. While getting to know him better, she realizes that he’s not as a bad boy as everyone says. I was really sad with what happened. I seriously wanted for her to give him a chance. Kepler is sweet and attentive and truly likes her!
A really good first book from the author and one of my first ever audiobooks!!
Holly is a PR hired to launch soccer athlete Kepler de Klerk. He had an incident about a year ago that gave him bad publicity. Her goal now is to built interest in him as a player, so the past will be forgotten.
The attraction between them is palpable from the first time they meet. Kepler is smitten by her. While getting to know him better, she realizes that he’s not as a bad boy as everyone says. I was really sad with what happened. I seriously wanted for her to give him a chance. Kepler is sweet and attentive and truly likes her!
A really good first book from the author and one of my first ever audiobooks!!
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