Starred review from February 19, 2024
Adams (The Cheat Sheet) dazzles in her latest, a saucy second chance rom-com. Quirky Nora “Mac” Mackenzie struggles to make a name for herself as a sports agent. After working her way up through the male dominated corporate ladder, she finally has a chance to represent legendary NFL tight end Derek Pender. There’s just one problem: eight years ago, Nora walked away from Derek, her first love, without explanation. Never one to back down from a challenge, she’s determined to be the best agent ever to him. Meanwhile, Derek, at a crossroads following a career-threatening injury, is still heartbroken from Nora’s abandonment. The pair agree to a list of rules to help them keep things professional, a comically flawed endeavor that goes disastrously awry during a work trip to Vegas, where the pair get drunk, get married, and post the whole thing to Instagram. Derek proposes a radical damage control tactic: they stay married and convince both Nora’s bosses and the public that they are deeply in love. Adams injects the fun of fake dating with some serious emotion as the pair revisit their past and bond in the present, validating each other’s struggles and realizing they each love who the other has become. Determined Nora and swoony Derek prove a perfect match. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds Literary.
May 31, 2024
Sports agent Nora Mackenzie gets her big break when she lands NFL tight end Derek Pender as a client. There's just one problem: Derek was the college boyfriend Nora devastated when she dumped him without explanation nearly a decade ago. Together, they come up with a list of rules to keep the past out of their professional relationship. Unfortunately, those good intentions go out the window when they wake up after a night in Vegas to find that they've gotten married. Instead of facing the humiliation of their drunken debacle, they decide to lean in, salvage their reputations, and pretend to be a perfectly happy couple--but is it really an act? Adams (Practice Makes Perfect) presents a heartwarming, humorous contemporary romance with a delightful deluge of tropes. Though not slated as a series, this is a companion novel to Adams's The Cheat Sheet. Narrators Hathaway Lee and Will Damron give playful performances of this engaging enemies-to-lovers story. They expertly portray every emotion, from tender to torrid. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a steamy, sporty second-chance rom-com. Recommended for fans of Libby Hubscher, Chloe Liese, and Tessa Bailey.--Lauren Hackert
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