GETTING INSIDE by Serena Bell: Review

Getting Inside by Serena Bell
Series: Seattle Grizzlies #1
Published by Loveswept
Publication Date: January 3rd 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 198
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Buy Online: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ Kobo

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.

They’re big. They’re hot. And they play hard.

In the kickoff to Serena Bell’s sexy new football romance series, the heat between a female coach and a cocky linebacker turns the Seattle Grizzlies locker room upside down.

Iona: There’s nothing like the rush of going head-to-head with the boys. Football is my life, and I got my new job with the Seattle Grizzlies because I know how to play rough. But as a woman in a man’s game, I can’t afford any distractions—like panty-melting tabloid darling Ty Williams, my star linebacker. I’ve stared down plenty of good-looking players without losing my cool . . . and yet something about Ty’s intense gaze burns straight to my core.

Ty : Despite what they say in the press, I save my best moves for game day. The Grizzlies aren’t just my teammates, they’re my brothers—no way am I going to let some new coach shake up our defense. But Iona Thomas isn’t just some coach. It’s so tough to keep my head in the game when I’d rather be in bed with her. She may take charge at practice, but if I had her in my arms, I’d be choosing the plays. I just need to figure out what makes her tick—and what makes her want to break the rules.

 

Review

Serena Bell excels at writing slow burn romances with depth and a message for readers and GETTING INSIDE combines both of those things into a very thoughtful, interesting and lighthearted read. 

Football is Iona Thomas’s life and after dedicating herself to it as a player, she’s now stepping up to the big time with a new job as a coach for the Professional Football League (the PFL). As if being a coach was not enough pressure, Iona is the first female coach ever in the PFL as well as the first person of color to land such a position, which surely means that she will be watched very closely and more would be expected of her than her male colleagues. Talk about living in a fishbowl! Iona is determined to jump into her first task of turning around the losing streak the Seattle Grizzlies have been on and getting a case of major lust for her star linebacker is not the way to start out.

Ty Masters has been off his game since the death of his mentor and coach and his replacement was a hazard to team cohesion, especially damaging to the morale of the younger players. The news that a new coach has been hired is welcome, at least before Ty lays his eyes on her. Yes, her! He does not think having a female coach is a good idea, particularly because of his very strong reaction to her. But Iona is determined to improve his game no matter how potent the attraction between them or how strong his resistance.

I think Ms. Bell does a really great job with Iona and Ty, revealing what makes them tick, from Iona’s self-esteem issues and her strained relationship with her dad to Ty’s deep seated abandonment issues and how they affect his game; from the forbidden relationship between a coach and her player to the double standards that litter professional sports and the pressure on female professionals to outperform their male counterparts and live exemplary lives in every way. 

I enjoyed the push and pull between Iona and Ty, how invested Iona was Ty’s, and ultimately the team’s success and I was glad there was no hurry to make their relationship physical. Even for a novice in the game of football like me, the daily grind, the training and the action on the field were all attention-grabbing and made me invested in the success of the team.

GETTING INSIDE is a great start to this new series and I’m definitely looking forward to more from Ms. Bell.

 

 

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