ARC Review: Winning Play by Paige Ryan

My review: 4⭐

This is book 3 in the Perfect Catch series that revolves around the Gladiators football team and will be more enjoyable when read in order.

Book 1 review ~ False Start

Book 2 review ~ Hard Pass

This installment follows Stella, the head of personal training and nutrition and Taze, the new head coach.
I can totally tell that Paige did some research. The knowledge of football was shown and Stella was very well versed on keeping the athletes in shape and well nourished.

When these 2 meet for the first time it seems sparks will fly, but then a misunderstanding turns those sparks into icicles.

Stella earned her job title fair and square, but when Taze misinterprets nepotism going on he becomes difficult to work with. Luckily, Stella explains herself and they develop a great relationship on and, eventually, off the field.

Taze is a former quarterback that was the best of the best until an injury took him out of the game. He steps into his new role flawlessly and is well loved by the team. I am very glad he cut off his man bun too😂

This is a slow burn, heavy on the football, fast paced read that was cute and fun. There were some heavy topics that I felt were addressed well.
I wish there were a couple of chapters with Taze’s POV though.

I REALLY hope every character gets their own book. Maybe Paige is inconspicuously setting the scene for some because I can already picture a few of them that would be good together.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Book blurb: Release date ~ April 9, 2022

Ask any football fan and they’ll confirm that the start of a new season always gives rise to a contagious feeling of excited exuberance.

Not for me though. As the trainer for the Gladiators football team for the past few years, I’ve long since become desensitized to the feeling. Instead my focus remains firmly on my work, doing everything I can to make sure my team has a winning year.

I thought the new season would be no different—until I met Taze Porter, the new head coach and my new coworker-slash-unofficial boss.

His mere presence is enough to reignite the long forgotten sensation of heightened awareness, trepidation, and elation all rolled into one. Except this time those feelings have nothing to do with the prospect of making the playoffs.

When it became obvious that Taze felt the same way about me, I began to wonder how the two of us would manage to keep our professional relationship, well… professional.

And now we’re about to spend a full month at training camp together. Long hours, late nights, constant collaboration—I can’t help but think the situation is a recipe for disaster.

Thankfully, if there’s one area where the new head coach and I can fully agree, it’s that we both play to win…

Winning Play is a full length STANDALONE steamy slow burn sports themed romance.

*WARNING: Mature language and scenes, and the mention of abuse may be triggering to some.