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2026 Book 9 - A Wildcard Kiss by Lauren Blakely

It was good for a light sports-related romance. The beginning sex scene dialogue made me cringe, and it felt choppy with the multiple time jumps, but then I settled into the book. 

Katie and Harlan hook up at a wedding, but then Katie moves away to start her yoga empire. Seven years later she discovers her fiancé is hooking up with another woman right before their wedding. She ditches the loser and walks away from her wedding, and runs into Harlan at a bowling alley bar. They hook up again, and plan to go on a date, but then Katie gets a contract to teach yoga for Harlan’s NFL team. She can’t risk the contract by dating a player, so they resign themselves to being friends. The closer they get, the more they can’t deny their growing attraction. Harlan has to decide if he wants to retire or keep playing football, and Katie has to figure out how to not sabotage her yoga business for something that could lead to more heartbreak. Slightly light on plot, but an easy read. Harlan has a daughter by a one-night-stand, and his relationship with his ex and her wife seems idyllic. I didn’t love it, but I’d still read more from this author. 

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