Design 4.9 / 5

There’s such a crispness to the design of this new series, and since this book is a prequel and just an all-out tease, so is this cover. Who are we kidding? It’s perfect. It’s a college-based romance book and so the font choice for “False” is exactly that; a college-based font. Mix that in with the cursive-y font, the colors, and then the imagery of the football field and helmet… this is a great design. Furthermore, I love the interior page treatment. Of course the body text is pretty standard, but each chapter start treatment, I really love the fantastic font choice and treatment. This book (and I’m sure the books in this series) was designed by a real professional who is super talented. I’ve got major designer envy!

Review 4.9 / 5

Oh what a flipping tease this book is!!! (Keep reading, because that statement is a compliment). It’s a tease mainly for the sole reason that I still have WEEKS left to wait before “You Had Your Chance, Lee Burrows” comes out. Yes, I know, I know – this is juuuuust a prequel, but daaang what a good one it is! I don’t want more, I NEED more and I need it Right. Now.

I’m a big Piper Rayne (PR) fan, and this is the second (or is it third?) time that we “meet” Lee Burrows. We met him in the final book of the Hockey Hotties series, which is seriously one of my favorite series ever. And he was also mentioned in Xander’s book in the Greene family series – also one of my all-time-favorite series! So there’s a lot to live up to, and here Piper Rayne plops this little prequel down in our laps. This little tease… it’s so damn good that it’s annoying that it’s only a teaser. Yes, I’m frustrated because I seriously need the next book and I need it right now.

This prequel gives us our first real glimpse and insight into Lee Burrows when he’s still in college, and his unexpected love interest, Shayna. Lee’s the superstar college quarterback – with all that that entails. But how Piper Rayne set the story and narrative up, he’s not an annoying douche. That’s always a plus. You can be cocky without being a douche, right? Thank you for making Lee the perfect combo, Piper and Rayne! Listen, Lee knows he’s good, he knows he’s going places, and he knows that he’s good looking and talented. Nothing wrong with that. But PR humanizes him, and shows us that he’s got a conscience and a kind heart, and that he’s been through things that make him complex. Then they bring Shayna into the mix. Oh, how I love this girl! I’m not sure what it is about her precisely, but her smarts are obviously something that I love, but I’m so intrigued by her. She’s shy, smart, but her self-preservation is intact, and that’s why she puts up a protective wall between her and Lee when she’s asked to tutor him. Her insecurity plays part in that, but you, as the reader, understand it all and connect with it.

For me, the story didn’t have to unfold too much before I was totally captivated and I ended up speed-reading because I couldn’t get enough of these two. I so loved the setup, the story, the characters and the entire setting that PR has created for this new series. And did I mention that I love-love-love the various series’ crossovers? I just love when that happens! Here we’ve got a new series starting but it has crossovers between two of my favorite series. Oh hum, the sweet sweet stories that I love so much – and here will be a new favorite series – I can just feel it in my bones! I can feel it because this prequel is FANTASTIC!!! Please, please PR make December 27 come sooner than later – why can’t you just play Santy-Claus and drop “You Had Your Chance, Lee Burrows” into my stalking on Christmas? Pretty please!!

Excerpt

The start of Lee Burrows and I was a college girl’s biggest fantasy.

Campus’ most popular guy, the starting quarterback, the same guy I’ve crushed on forever, notices me—the quiet introvert.

Although, he never would’ve noticed me if he didn’t need my help passing our biology class. I didn’t think I had a chance with him until he started flirting with me and asking me questions like, “Who was the guy you were talking to?” and “Do you have a boyfriend?”

It took a few tutoring sessions before we ditched the library to “study” at Lee’s apartment.

It was a fantasy come true until I found out the truth and vowed that Lee Burrows would never get another chance with me again.

NOTE: This the prequel to the Kingsmen Football Starts series. You do not have to read it to enjoy, You Had Your Chance, Lee Burrows.