The Striker

De: Ana Huang

Narrado por: Shane East, Stella Hunter

She's the only woman he wants...and the only one he can't have.

Asher Donovan is a living legend—the darling of the Premier League, the (arguably) greatest footballer in the world.

But his reckless antics and recent team transfer have caused much controversy, and when his feud with his rival-turned-teammate costs them a championship, they’re forced to “bond” during off-season cross-training.

Surviving the summer shouldn’t be hard…until Asher meets their new trainer. She’s beautiful, talented, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t take his mind off her.

The only problem? She’s his rival’s sister—and completely off limits.

***

Scarlett DuBois is a former prima ballerina whose career was cut short by a tragic accident.

Now a teacher at a prestigious dance academy but still haunted by the ghosts of her past, the last thing she wants is to spend the summer cross-training Asher Donovan, of all people.

She swore she would never date a footballer, but when her brother leaves town for an emergency, she finds herself thrown into dangerously close proximity with the gorgeous, charming striker.

Training, she can deal with. But falling in love? That’s out of the question—especially when he’s the only person with the power to break her heart.

©2024 Ana Huang (P)2024 Ana Huang

THE SUSPENSE!!!

Sexy 💋💋💋💋💋
(accents made this book come to life! People say the FMC is not good but i personally think she did a good job. Performing english accents are hard! Plus Asher Donivans voice is mouth watering)
sexual tension🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
plot✅️✅️✅️✅️✅️

🖤🖤🖤

Asher decided to shake things up with a mid-season move to Blackcastle, igniting some serious tension with his rival and teammate, Vincent. Their coach had a brilliant plan for a summer of bonding: they either learn to play nice or face the music! And what’s the ultimate team-building exercise? Training at the Royal Ballet Academy, where guess what? Vincent’s sister, Scarlett, is the head honcho!

But wait! Asher meets a mysterious woman at a bar who dances around in his mind, only to discover she’s his new trainer. Plot twist!

Oh, and can I just say? The boys' group chat and their brand-new book club are an absolute riot! Plus, the nostalgic cameos sprinkled throughout the story? Chef's kiss!

And here’s my juicy little secret: the audiobook is a feast for your ears! Shane East and Stella Hunter are narrating wizards, turning every word into a delightful experience!

Secret Romance Goodness

The Striker by Ana Huang is one you don’t want to miss! If secret romance and intense chemistry are your vibe, get ready for an unforgettable read. The tension between the characters is electric, especially with the forbidden twist of dating your brother’s rival. Their dynamic kept me on edge from start to finish—this book is brimming with intrigue and slow-burn attraction that’s so addictive.

The audiobook narration elevates the story to a new level. Shane East’s accent and smooth delivery make every scene with the hero smolder, while Stella Hunter brings depth and raw emotion to the heroine. Together, their narration brings the story alive and makes this audiobook impossible to pause!

Digging Ana's Soccer Era

4 ⭐ 3 🌶️ 5 🎧

I'm digging Ana's soccer era. This brother's rival/enemy to lovers romance was so fun with just the perfect amount of spice. I loved Asher and Scarlet together and their forbidden relationship reminded me a lot of brother's best friend, but way more intense.

While this story was mostly about them falling for each other and then hiding it from Vincent, I thought the sub plots of her injury and mental trauma from her accident, alongside Asher's racing and family issues were really interesting.

The audio was amazing. My only downside to this book was how long it is, but when Shane East and Stella Hunter are reading it to me it flies by. They did incredible in this DUET narration. I absolutely adored their accents and the way they brought these characters to life.

I'm so excited for what's next in this Gods of the Game series. I'm personally rooting for Vincent in a coach's daughter situation, but tbh I'll be pleased with whatever Ana brings us.

Characters

I really enjoy how she weaves the characters from previous books into the new ones.

The Striker ~ Review

The Striker is the first book in the Gods of the Game series. This book is about Asher and Scarlett and is told from both of their points of view.

Asher is now on a new team, and one of his team mates and him do not get along well. They end up having to do a ballet class together with his teammates sister Scarlett.

However, something happens so Scarlett and Asher end up working together. The more time they are together the more feelings start to develop.

What happens when their training is up? What happens when her brother finds out about their relationship?

I enjoyed this book, and am excited to continue on in this series.

I liked the main characters

I enjoyed the story overall. The whole protective brother thing got a little annoying sometimes but within the character’s story it was conceivable that people were overprotective so I tried to push through it. Loved the narration.

A favorite

One of my favorite books by her definitely. Thank you so much Ana for all your hard work 💜

Asher + Scarlett

Asher Donovan is one of the world's best soccer stars. He also transferred to the team of his rival, and their performance that caused them to lose the championship match makes their coach send the two of them to a special training during the off season, with the sister of Asher’s rival, Scarlett, leading this training. Scarlett has always made it a point to not date soccer players. When her brother has to leave town for an emergency, she's left with only Asher, and realizes the power he holds over her heart.

Asher and Scarlett have amazing chemistry. Without giving anything away, I will admit I was devastated at one point in this book, but redemption is sweet. Also, I found Scarlett way too relatable even though we seem like complete opposites, so that's part of what made this book special to me. I loved the back and forth between Asher and Scarlett’s brother and how things turned out in the end. I also loved getting guest appearances from the Kings of Sin series characters! That series was my first exposure to Ana and I absolutely love them all. It was nice to see them again.

Shane East and Stella Hunter were both amazing! I was not expecting Stella to cover a British character for a whole book, and even forgot it was her at times and was shocked when I remembered. She was flawless. Also, weird, but no one does angry British characters better than Shane. Totally nailed it. This pair couldn't have done better.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You're a fan of ‘she’s the only woman he wants and only one he can't have’ books

The Asher Donovan

I was so excited for Asher’s story to come out. Ana did not disappoint. The book was exciting, sweet, dangerous, and so emotional. You get a taste of what a pro footballer goes through emotionally and mentally. I loved that we got to experience Scarlet’s struggles also as a ballerina. Their dynamic was so sweet and funny and i want to reread again!