Beauty and the baller

In this un-put-downable romance, Madden-Mills (Not My Romeo) pairs to explosive effect a former pro baller who is gun-shy about relationships with a former beauty queen seeking to rebuild her life. Nova Morgan crashes an NFL party in hopes of capturing the attention of former quarterback Ronan Smith. Since his fiancée's death in the same car accident that ended his career, Ronan's had no interest in relationships, but when security attempts to throw Nova out, Ronan comes to her rescue, leading to a one-night stand that ends in disaster. Two years later, Nova returns to her hometown of Blue Belle, Tex., to raise her teenage sister after their mother's death--and Ronan, now a high school football coach, is her new neighbor. Nova and Ronan instantly clash--and emotions heighten when the only job Nova can find is as Ronan's PA. The job forces them closer, and, as Ronan is tired of being set up with the women in town and Nova fears run-ins with her ex, they decide to fake a relationship. The feelings that emerge rival the intensity of their lingering sexual chemistry, but they've both got baggage to work through before they can move forward. Madden-Mills skillfully balances the emotional with the physical to produce a love story that's equal parts scorching and sweet. (Mar.)

A woman falls in love with the man she had a one-night stand with two years earlier. Nova Morgan loves her life in New York, but after the death of her mother, she returns home to raise her 15-year-old sister, Sabine. Unfortunately, Nova's precarious financial state means she has to find a job fast, and there's a dearth of jobs in Blue Belle, Texas. To add insult to injury, Nova discovers that her new next-door neighbor is Ronan Smith, the NFL player she had a drunken one-night stand with in New York years ago. Ronan has worked hard to overcome his tragic past. He lost his fiancee and his career after a car accident, and the one-night stand with Nova happened in a haze of post-accident drinking and depression. Now the town's high school football coach, Ronan is hoping to parlay his team's success into bigger opportunities at the college level; however, the people of Blue Belle hope that if they tie him down in a happy relationship, he'll never want to leave. Ronan convinces Nova that fake dating is the answer to both their situations: He'll hire her as his personal assistant, which will solve her money problems, while her presence will forestall the aggressive matchmakers. The romance is charming and heartfelt. Ronan is afraid to love again after the heartbreaking losses of his past, while Nova believes that love makes all things possible. The lively cast of secondary characters faces problems that feel modern--why are high school teachers vaping in a closet to relieve stress? Why is social media from the rival team so infuriating?--which keeps the small-town setting interesting and fresh. A sexy, fun romance from an author who always delivers. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.