Game For Marriage is one of Karen Erickson’s best; it’s funny, emotional, sexy, and full of heart. It is a must read for anyone who loves a great romance! ~ Guilty Pleasures
Description:
He’s going in deep to make her his…
Struggling artist Sheridan Harper never imagined she’d spend a sizzling night with Jared Quinn, the smoking-hot star quarterback of her local professional football team, the San Jose Hawks. And she’s even more shocked when Jared’s publicist offers her a proposition: a fake marriage to keep Jared out of the gossip mags. Being that close to Jared would be too tempting, so to protect her heart, she insists on secretly including a clause forbidding sex between them.
Jared just wants to keep his starting QB job and keep it in San Jose. His reputation as a ladies’ man has landed him in the headlines one too many times, but there’s something about his kind, passionate new wife that tempts him beyond reason. Any sort of intimacy between them is completely forbidden, but as their bodies fall in deep, will their hearts follow suit?
Hot damn, Karen Erickson has done it again with her new story, Game For Marriage! She takes an often used plot and turned it into a sexy delightful story that will leave you breathless and cheering for more. To say I feel this way about a story that centers on a star quarterback of an NFL team is saying something because I’m not a huge football fan and I rarely read stories about football players. However, because I enjoy Karen’s work, I decided to give it a chance and I’m so glad I did. Not only that, I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series…so, yes after one book I am hooked on the Game For It series!
Sheridan Harper is an artist trying to hold on to her grandmother’s legacy. She’s talented, smart, and gives back to the community over and over. She’s also about to lose her studio and store if business doesn’t pick up. When San Jose Hawks quarterback, Jared Quinn, strikes up a conversation with her at an event she never imagines how much this encounter will change her life.
Jared Quinn has a reputation problem and the team’s new owner isn’t happy. He knows he needs to change his hound dog ways but when he spots the beautiful but quirky artist, he decides tomorrow will be soon enough to start. He’s shocked when he wakes up alone but then he remembers the plan to fix his reputation and he decides Sheridan is just right for the role.
So yes, Sheridan and Jared agree to enter into marriage to fix his reputation and to garner publicity for her struggling business. I really loved how they tried to keep to their contract, how each of them berated themselves for saying or doing things that ruined a moment, and how they began to learn so much about each other. What I loved most about this story is that it wasn’t an “internal” problem that tore them apart; jealousy, family, friends, or money. It was the media and their relentless pursuit to get a story. Was I disappointed in the way they both reacted? Absolutely. Did I want to knock both of them over the head? Without a doubt. They were both hurting so while the reaction wasn’t out of line and was very real; it drove me nuts. It was worth it though because the ending of this book is quite spectacular.
Now because I know most of you will want to know; yes there are sex scenes in this book. There are many and they are wonderfully written as Karen is a master at writing these types of scenes. Some are sexy as hell and some are blissfully romantic. What is so obvious is that despite both people trying not to engage their hearts, it happens and they find themselves very much in love. So much so that when they are apart they are both hurting and while they are both to proud to admit it, all they want is each other.
It would be awful of me if I didn’t mention Sheridan’s friend, Willow and Jared’s friend, Nick. They both provided much needed emotional support to their friends but there is obviously some history between them that Willow can’t get past and Nick is trying to change her mind. I’m so hoping we’ll see them soon, because for what little time they spent together the chemistry is there and their story is bound to be scorching!
I loved this story from beginning to end; I started it and could not put it down. I loved watching Sheridan blossom and grow more confident when she was with Jared. It was equally exciting to watch Jared realize that he no longer cared about all women, he wanted just one. The fact that they both learned so many little things about each other throughout their time together, things that most people would overlook made their relationship even stronger and more realistic. I’ve read just about everything that Karen Erickson has written and Game For Marriage is one of her best; it’s funny, emotional, sexy, and full of heart. It is a must read for anyone who loves a great romance!
great review! thanks so much. I like this author as well and look forward to reading it myself.
thanks for the review! This book sounds fantastic 🙂
I might have to start reading this author! Thanks Slick!
Love Karen’s books.
Ooo I didn’t realize this was a sports one. I’m doing a sports romance challenge this year so I’ll definitely have to pick it up now. I just read one with a footballer and a fake marriage and really enjoyed it.
Thanks for the heads up on this one!
Anna@herding cats & burning soup
Great review thanks Slick.
Thanks for stopping in ladies! I hope you’ll enjoy this one as much as I did!
Ooooh I love the sound of this-thanks Slick for the great review!