Kawehi's Book Blog.: Blog Tour Review & Giveaway!- The Baller by Vi Keeland

Meet Brody Easton in THE BALLER!

A standalone Contemporary Romance novel by

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Vi Keeland

NOW AVAILABLE

Title: The Baller

Author: Vi Keeland

Publication Date: January 18th 2016

Plot: From New York Times and USA Today Bestseller, Vi Keeland, comes a sexy new novel.

The first time I met Brody Easton was in the men’s locker room.

It was my first interview as a professional sportscaster.

The famed quarterback decided to bare all.

And by all, I don’t mean he told me any of his secrets.

No. The arrogant ass decided to drop his towel, just as I asked the first question. On camera.

The Super Bowl MVP quickly adopted a new hobby—screwing with me.

When I pushed back, he shifted from wanting to screw with me, to wanting to screw me.

But I don’t date players.

And it’s not because I’m one of the few women working in the world of professional football.

I’d date an athlete.

It’s the other kind of player I don’t date.

You know the type. Good looking, strong, cocky, always looking to get laid.

Brody Easton was the ultimate player.

Every woman wanted to be the one to change him.

But the truth was, all he needed was a girl worth changing for.

Turned out, I was that girl.

Simple right?

Let’s face it. It never is.

There’s a story between once upon a time and happily ever after…

And this one is ours.

☆✮ My Review ✮☆

☆ I received an ARC via TRSOR PR in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! ☆

"Brody Easton, the man who'd entered my life like a storm, had turned out to be my calm. How was that for irony?"

A sexy book, with a hot as sin football quarterback, a non-doormat female heroine, and an additional POV with a surprising twist-- The Baller is a standalone sports romance that I feel will tug at your heartstrings and leave you panting all the while!

What worked for me was simply the two main protagonists~ Brody and Delilah. They do not have an insta-love type of connection, although there was of course provocation (on Brody's part) and some amount of heavy lust. Brody and Delilah's relationship was simply established upon built up trust, from friends to lovers, and further develops over their love for sports and their past heartbreaks in love.

As Brody is an athlete and Delilah grew up with a father who was also an athlete, it was fun to see the both of them squabble on things such as players, statistics, and little things, while Brody, being Brody, still ever so interjecting his sex-referred dirty puns every second that he can to get under Delilah's panties! lol

I liked how both got and understood each other on another level the anguish, the helplessness, and the hardship to let go of their pasts while also protecting themselves from getting hurt again....

"I didn't see it...until I saw my own actions reflected back at me from Brody. We might have had different methods, but we were doing the same thing---protecting our hearts from loss."

... and confronting them to pave way towards their future.

"The irony hit me then. After all these years, I'd finally decided to try and put my past behind me. Right at the same time Brody's decided to come back into his life."

I was really sold on Delilah's loss, her grit and drive to prove herself a serious journalist and sportscaster, and Brody's unwavering loyalty and devotion towards his sport and the people that he loves. Both are so ambitious and talented, and over all, great people individually, and yet-- they are both searching for peace and salvation in their lives.

"I finally realized peace wasn't about avoiding things. It was about making the choice to live life with all its chaos around you, and in the midst of it all, having calm in your heart."

Delilah is seriously, one dedicated and ballsy woman and Brody is most certainly forever going to go on my book boyfriends top list. I just wish Brody didn't recount some of his past experiences (even though they ran on zip to very brief) in his head, but still. I get that we all have our pasts, but, I did not care to know about it. That's just me though. It could just be my bias. Hehe

I highly recommend this read for anyone debating on picking it up or reading it. For those pondering hovering your finger over that one-click button, it's 'decision-making time.' Quite similar to what Brody and Delilah have to make in this novel. Whether they choose to weather out the storm and make a go of things.. or to let their insecurities take their course and to call it quits.

Are you ready to meet, The Baller?

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥

☆✮ Excerpt ✮☆

A new song had just started, and I was enjoying his company when a voice behind me said, “Can I cut in?”

My head whipped around, even though I had no doubt whom the gravelly voice belonged to.

Michael was gracious. “I hate to share. But I suppose I have been hogging the most beautiful woman at the event.” He let go of my hand and stepped back with a gentlemanly nod. “Thank you for the dance, Delilah.”

Again Brody Easton had caught me off guard. Before I knew it, I was dancing with the arrogant jerk. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled my body tight against his. Way tighter than Michael had held me.

“Good to see you again, Lois Lane.”

The man had balls; I had to give him that. I looked him straight in the eyes. “Nice to see you with clothes on, Easton.”

“Do you prefer me without?”

“I prefer you on the other side of the room.”

He chuckled. It was a hearty laugh. “That’s what happens sometimes when you decide you want to hang out in the men’s locker room.”

I tried to pull back, but he tightened his grip and held me in place. I craned my neck. “Let go of me.”

“No.”

“No?”

“That’s right. No.”

“I can scream at the top of my lungs.”

“I’d like to hear you scream.” His tone made it clear he meant he wanted me underneath him while I was doing the screaming.

“You’re an asshole. You know that?”

“I do. You asked me that yesterday. For a reporter, you should really try changing up your questions more frequently.”

My eyes bulged.

Easton shifted his hand down to the small of my back before twirling us around the dance floor. Figures the prick can dance.

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“You can’t be serious?”

He ignored my comment. “Would you like to have dinner tonight?”

“We just ate.”

“Dessert at my place, then?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you hit your head at the game yesterday?”

“On a diet, huh?”

“Yeah. That’s it. I don’t want to go to your place for dessert because I’m on a diet.”

“Well, that’s just a shame.”

☆✮ About the Author ✮☆

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn't change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

Author's Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Additional Books by Vi Keeland

Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)

Beat

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1MWanfu

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1fczMX5

iBooks: http://apple.co/1DnI6f6

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1aqrmbS

B&N: http://bit.ly/1O1Ah0q

Throb

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1BgqIUD