Sporting Goods by Roxanne Tully captured my heart and made me sad that it’s a standalone and not a full series. It has all the great characteristics of a sports romance story (realistic scenes, team rivalries, the aches and pains that come along with being a professional athlete) as well as the trademarks of a fantastic single parent romance (ex who only wants to be a parent when it’s convenient, sweet kid who will absolutely melt your heart, and a parent who will do anything for their child).
Rayne is an amazing main character and I absolutely loved her drive and personality. The way that she puts her son first at all times (even if it might make her life more difficult) is so admirable and made me think of my own mom who raised me as a single parent. Logan is an absolute alpha hero, and I swooned after this particular line: “I want to be all the missing pieces to your puzzle, Rayne.” You’ll have to read the book if you want the full context for that quote, but you can thank me later for recommending it and convincing you to pick it up.
If you loved this book, you should check out Ms. Tully’s other sports romance book The Better Bully. The main characters are at a different stage in life (both are in college) and it has more of enemies to lovers/bully romance vibe. I know this is currently set as a standalone, but I’m putting it into the universe that I would love to see a story featuring Josh and Sam or Randy and Tisch (even if it is not a full book and more like a short story).
Thank you to the author and Midnight Readers Book Promotion for allowing me to read the book early. I voluntarily read and reviewed Sporting Goods; all opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
