Fair Catch

The Portland Pioneers, Book 2

By: Heidi McLaughlin

Narrated by: Stephanie Rose, Nelson Hobbs

Kelsey Sloane's love of books leads to her dream job as an acquisitions editor for an up and coming publisher. What their company needs to really make a name for themselves is a hit release, and Kelsey thinks she may have found it. That is, if the football aspects of the sports-themed love story make sense. Completely clueless on the subject, she calls the local NFL team—the Portland Pioneers—to teach her the basics.

Portland Pioneers center, Alex Moore, gets the short end of the stick when he's tasked with teaching new to town, Kelsey Sloane, all about football. Fresh off a break-up with his long-term girlfriend, the offensive lines blur for Alex when he finds himself attracted to Kelsey.

Oblivious to who Alex is, Kelsey isn't enamored by his fame or begging for tickets on the fifty-yard line. Her only interest is learning about the sport he loves.

Her impromptu internship over, it's time for Kelsey to return to wading through stacks of manuscripts. But Alex isn't ready to say goodbye. Can he find a way to keep the football novice in his life? Or will their differing careers be the flag on the play that keeps them apart?

©2023 Heidi McLaughlin (P)2023 Tantor

Dramatic, enjoyable football romance. Great Listen

Wowzers!! I freaking loved this book. Fair Catch blew me away. Fair Catch had me experiencing all the emotions. The author knows how to grab the reader's attention and hold on to it until the very end. The characters have become family to me and I wouldn’t want it any other way. My greatest wish is that Heidi McLaughlin never ever stops writing stories in the Beaumont series and its spin-offs.

Fair Catch maybe Alex's story, but it is so much more. Alex is roped into helping Kelsie, an acquisitions editor, who is clueless about football. He isn’t happy with helping until he sees her. While Kelsey learned about football; I learned about the challenges that authors have to deal with on a daily basis.

Kelsey is a breath of fresh air after Maggie. She brings out the best in Alex, a relaxed Alex, the kickback Alex. He still has a lot to learn about women but he’s trying. I couldn’t wait to read what he would do next to woo Kelsey or better yet, what not to do.

Then the rug is pulled out from under them. The shock is explosive. The drama is thick. Emotions run high. All hope seems lost. I wanted to read faster to see what happened. I wanted to read slowly to bask in the emotions. And now I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

11/03/23 I listened to the audio on my way home. I thought I had planned it well but when I neared my home I realized I still had 20 minutes. I drove around until the audiobook ended. What a great way to make a boring drive AMAZING!!! Being able to listen all the way through without interruption was even better.

Love this series more please

Love that it’s a crossover with the Beaumont Series. I want more of all these characters!

DNF at Chapter 14

Kelsey was very bitchy or *sassy* as he calls her. In all of her POV she is this girl in love but in literally all of his POV she is someone who is insecure and unsure about their relationship.

I didn’t like her character and it’s interesting because she always did something that annoyed me. And it was always over something stupid.

Then with the drama in the story, the author seemingly wants the reader to be okay with the women catching fits over everything but the men keeping their cool no matter what. Even the side character relationships seemingly aren’t very give and take. 3/5