BOOKWORM REVIEW: Beauty and the Cornerback by Ava Woods
I am all about that "he falls first and she wants nothing to do with him." Sure, it is a red flag for real life, but it sure is fun when you are reading it in a romance novel.
Cole has crushed on Kristen for as long as he can remember. Sure, she tries to shoo him away every time he gets close, but he is an acquired taste (or so he thinks). When their best friends get engaged, he looks at it as an opportunity to get close to his crush. Well, his plan becomes expedited when they woke up after partying hard in Vegas one night, and they realize that they are married.
Now Cole is faced with a dilemma: does he honor her wish to annul the marriage, or will he use this chance to woo Kristen and make her see that he is her HEA?
My favorite part of this read is the journey our main characters undergo to address their baggage, trust issues, and trauma together. The transition from introducing this read as an enemies-to-lovers romcom with a healthy dose of accidental Vegas wedding into getting us invested in an emotionally deep connection between our MCs was so well-paced and organically done.
It took a hot minute for me to find Kristen relatable. I can understand when a character keeps someone they can potentially fall in love with at bay, but she was incredibly self-sabotaging and I did not know how that was going to get resolved. But resolved it was; Ava Woods did a great job of turning Kristen's characterization around naturally.
Until that point, Cole carried the chemistry between the two, and he did it so well. I kept reading because he was so charming and tried so hard to win Kristen over. This is my third Ava Woods book, and she excels in bringing out the vulnerability in someone you least expect. A reformed playboy who wears his heart on his sleeve? Yes, please.
This is the third (and a half) book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. We do get cameos from characters from previous reads, but we get enough context to understand who they are. This series is fire, so if you feel like binging some football romance, Baltimore Royals is a great literary destination.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Ava Woods and The Author Agency for providing an ARC. **
ABOUT THE BOOK
Is an all-out blitz on her heart enough to score big?Cole Jackson is the perfect reminder of why I’ve sworn-off relationships.
I don’t have time for games, or the empty promises of a good time from the manwhore of the Baltimore Royals. Not with a growing stack of bills to pay and a maid-of-honor gig to perform as flawlessly as possible.
But what if this time, I’m wrong? What if the no players rule that has kept me safe, is the very thing that will break my heart?
***
Current Status: Football stud turned … husband?
Kristen Keller has turned me down more times than I can count. But I’ve got an in now, especially playing best man to her maid of honor for my sister’s wedding. She’s stuck with me for the next few months and this marriage is my chance to show her that I’m not what she thinks.
I can easily prove we’re right for each other. As long as chasing her doesn’t ruin my game, my family, and most importantly, a chance to avoid ending this accidental marriage.
Beauty & the Cornerback is a Forced Proximity, Accidental Vegas Wedding, Sports Romance that’s the perfect mix of sexy and swoon. It is a novel inside the Baltimore Royals Football Series, though each book can be read as a standalone. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a happily ever after for all.
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MEET AVA WOODS
Ava Woods is a pen name for USA Today Bestselling Author Anna Applegate. Ava writes sexy contemporary romance novels while living tucked away in rural Maryland with her beautiful daughters, building a mini-Disney Princess army in their own little happily ever after.Ava loves to escape into her fictional world - whether through her unchecked book addiction, or by creating swoon-worthy romances that will sweep any reader off their feet.