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

Loved Scarlett and Asher!

Over the last few years, I've seen Ana Huang's books pop up a lot on my social media feeds. I was interested in reading her novels, but never got to it until now. The Striker really appealed to me with its various and alluring tropes: sports (soccer/ballet), brother's teammate/rival, forbidden.

I grabbed the audiobook and wasn't disapointed in this story! The duet narration by Shane East and Stella Hunter was very well done, though I'll admit I had a little difficulty with the British accent at first. English being a second language for me, I have to be extra attentive to understand everything. Once I was acclimated with the narration, Asher and Scarlett's story hooked me.

This couple's chemistry was fantastic. I loved the banter between them. Scarlett didn't make it easy for Asher to win her over with his reputation, but ultimately that man was irresistible. Every single time he called her "darling", I melted! He was seriously obsessed with her and thoughtful. The forbidden aspect of their relationship was interesting too. I appreciated that they were multi-layered protagonists and the author delved into their past to show the hurdles they faced.

Scarlett's brother, Vincent, was a great supporting character. I really liked their relationship. He looked to be such a protective big brother. I enjoyed witnessing Asher's rivalry with him, but also when they started bonding together. Scarlett's girl friends were also interesting and entertaining.

The Striker was such a pleasant first read from Ana Huang and definitely not my last. I'm now more than excited about The Defender coming next in the Gods of the Game Series. It promises a fun time with the coach's daughter trope!!!

Beautiful Narration & funny side characters

Ana never misses when it comes to writing thoughtful men who take romantic gestures personally and seriously🥹— 𝘼𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝘼𝙉 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚! Not only did 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙, 𝙝𝙚 𝑨𝑳𝑺𝑶 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙪𝙥 𝙖 𝑷𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑻𝑬 𝑺𝑰𝑮𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝘼𝙑𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙏𝙀 𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑰𝑨𝑳 𝑬𝑫𝑰𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙃𝙀 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚!! That’s not even all, it’s just one of the many cute date ideas and gestures he came up with.

This was a really cute read! I loved everything, the character mentions from the twisted series, the spice—I think Ana has a thing for libraries and mirrors and I’m HERE FOR IT!👅🫦. The team group chat was too funny—it’s Noah always leaving for me and Vincent Dubious finding every reason to bicker with Asher like a married couple. And Adil?? He’s just the life of the party🤣. I’m so excited for Vincent, Adil, and Noah’s books✨❤️‍🔥.

A favorite

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

Anna Huang can do no wrong!

I have loved all of her books, but the build up in this one had me staying up all night! Asher is the perfect bad boy, and Scarlett has so much more to her character than I anticipated! I cannot wait to see what is next in this series!

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!

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

Ana Huang can do no wrong

As someone who isn’t a Futbol (Soccer) it definitely wasn’t the sport that drew me to this book. Anything Ana does though is always perfection and The Striker is no different. Loved Asher and Scarlett so much and his teammates were hilarious. The narrators were amazing and really brought this book to life. Highly recommend.

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!