Protect Home by Indy Valentine is live!
A frenemies-to-lovers, surprise baby sports romance with an irresistibly swoony hero, this is a fun, sexy read
Amazon
Blurb
Tenley
He’s baseball’s untouchable golden boy—fast hands, filthy mouth, and a smile that ruins panties on sight.
And I can’t stand him.
August Graves is everything I’ve sworn off: arrogant, too charming for his own good, and fully committed to nothing but his stats and sex appeal.
As the social media coordinator for the Atlanta Strikers, I’ve spent the last three years managing his madness and ignoring the way my body reacts whenever he’s near.
But one vulnerable night and a blind decision later… I’m staring down two pink lines and the brutal truth: I’m pregnant. With his baby.
Talk about a plot twist.
August
Tenley Abrams is the only woman who makes me work for it.
She’s sharp, stubborn, and beyond radiant. One night with her wrecked me in ways I didn’t see coming.
Now she’s pregnant. And whether she likes it or not, I’m here to stay.
So I move in.
Her rules? I behave, let her manage my social media, and keep it strictly business.
My rules? I work in overtime to make sure she knows exactly what she’s been missing. Over and over again.
Because this thing between us? It was never just one night. And now that she’s mine—really mine—I’m not letting her go without a fight.
Review
3 stars
A frenemies-to-lovers, surprise baby sports romance with an irresistibly swoony hero, this is a fun, sexy read.
This is the third book in The Atlanta Boys series. I’m a bit of an OCD reader and usually never pick up a book mid-series, but I loved the sound of this story and jumped at the opportunity to read it. There is some character crossover, but you can easily read this one as a standalone.
Tenley is the social media co-ordinator for the Atlanta Strikers baseball team. She has a love/hate relationship with star ball player, August. Of course he’s gorgeous, but he’s a charming, cocky playboy, and everything she’s trying to avoid. He’s totally aware of this and teases her at every opportunity, which creates a fun dynamic full of snark and bickering, and simmering sexual tension. When they finally crack and act on their wild attraction, they vow to forget about their steamy encounter after it’s done, but when Tenley learns that she’s pregnant, August sees this as his chance with the woman he’s always wanted. He declares himself all in, moving in to her home and throwing himself into the role of baby daddy-to-be. All the while hoping to win Tenley’s heart.
“She’s the only woman to ever turn me down, and yet she’s still the only one I see.”
It’s a fun set up, and the story is kept light and entertaining because of August and antics. He flirts and teases, and he loves Tenley’s snark, pushing her buttons at every opportunity.
“Fall in love with me yet?”
Tenley is a hard woman to crack. She’s terrified of being hurt and has huge walls around her, keeping August at a distance and refusing to admit what she’s feeling and what is building between them. God, she’s frustrating. There’s such a great connection between these two, you can feel it, and she just refuses to acknowledge or open herself up to it. I was mad and rolled my eyes a lot at her willful obliviousness. Because of her, the romance is a slow burn, but as frustrating as it is, it allows August the opportunity to shine.
I can no longer focus on my own heart’s protection when the woman beside me needs it more than mine ever could.
We all love a hero who is whole-heartedly in love with his girl, and August is just gorgeous. He is what I enjoyed the most about this book – his huge heart, great sense of humour, his patience and care with Tenley, balanced with his determination to break through her walls, and of course his swoony declarations and dedication to her and their baby.
“There’s no other option but to love you, Tenley. You’re my home.” I cast my eyes to her stomach … “I’ll love you both until there’s nothing left of me. I promise you that.”
There’s a bit of baseball action which, as an Australian, didn’t mean much to me, but I enjoyed the team camaraderie and the involvement of the couples from earlier books, and the story ends with a sweet and satisfying happy ending.
3 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.
The Atlanta Boys
Endgame (#1) (Callaway & Dakota)
Buy: Amazon
Drop Three (#2) (Bodhi & Navy)
Buy: Amazon
Protect Home (#3) (August & Tenley)
Buy: Amazon
Meet Indy Valentine
Indy Valentine is a contemporary romance author who resides off the East Coast of Florida. Indy thrives on writing off-the-charts banter and spice; You can expect some lethal slow burn to exist between her pages.
When she’s not writing, Indy can be found at the beach, spending time with her husband and three sons, working out, reading Mafia romance, and visiting breweries for fun.
Connect with Indy Valentine: https://www.instagram.com/indyvalentineauthor/