Review: Skin in the Game by Jackie Barbosa

Skin in the Game
By: Jackie Barbosa
Publisher: Brazen
Release Date: May 27, 2013
Genre: Romance
Rating:

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Angela Peterson was always the quiet, shy kid growing up in Harper Falls, crushing on the high school quarterback and honing her football strategy skills. Now grown up and coaching the high school team, she’s shocked when that same sexy quarterback returns to Harper Falls asks her back to his hotel room. And then tries to steal her job.
Injured NFL quarterback Cade Reynolds is in Harper Falls to take over as interim head coach, and he never thought the tall, blond bombshell he propositioned would offer up any resistance. Not to a repeat of the amazingly wild night they shared and certainly not to his coaching position.

But the Harper Falls High Eagles are Angie’s team, and even the hometown hero won’t take that away from her, no matter how hot he is. As the two engage in a battle of wits and wills, this is one game neither is prepared to lose.

Many years ago a freshman laid into the high school’s star quarterback about poor plays that would ultimately cost them their championship if he didn’t change the way they were playing. Now, years later, that quarterback is none other than NFL quarterback, Cade Reynolds. He still remembers that freshman firecracker who lit a fire under his butt in high school. He has no idea however, that that girl is now the hot chick he’s ogling in the coffee shop or the woman who he will be working side by side with.

I will admit that I am not a fan of football. I don’t understand it first of all, and second, it bores me to tears. So I’m glad to say that there is little football time in this story, which may deter others, but for me, it was a good thing.

I found the characters to be likable. Even though Cade is an NFL player, he doesn’t really have the “I’m hot sh*t” attitude. He’s pretty down to earth and when his coach needs help with the high school football team while recovering from medical problems, Cade is right there to help out.

Angela was definitely an interesting character. She immediately recognizes Cade but when she realizes that her has no idea who she is, she isn’t forthcoming to clue him in. Instead she plays along with him as if they’ve never met before. I thought it was funny that she was very uncomfortable with calling her father to let her know that she was going to be spending the weekend with Cade and that he would have to fend for himself. Yeah, she’s in her late twenties but heck, even I’d be uncomfortable having that conversation with my father… and I’ve been married for 8 years. It’s just weird. HaHa

“‘Love you, too. Bye, Dad.’ Angie pressed the end button on her cell, completing the most uncomfortable conversation she’d ever had. It was silly, of course. She was twenty-nine, not eighteen. But still… there was something about telling her father she was spending the weekend with Cade Reynolds-and knowing her dad knew exactly what they were doing together-that made her want to crawl into a hole and die.”

This is the first book by Jackie that I’ve read but I hope that she turns this into a series. I think it would be interesting to follow Warren Harris who is one of Cade’s best friends, who’s also a NFL quarterback who’s recovering from an injury.

“None of that ‘Oh, I’m not hungry; I’ll just have a salad’ crap so many woman pulled, as if he’d think they were less attractive somehow if they ate like real human beings. Nothing could be further from the truth. After all, what was the point in taking a woman out for dinner if she didn’t like food?”