ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I know, I snuck this one on you guys. I needed a lighter romance!

Cordy isn't your average girl, as the third string kicker for the Billingsley Bobcats she's a mascot, desperate to hold onto her scholarship so she can teach and support her father. When an opportunity arrises to receive a full ride scholarship she'll do whatever it takes to become the first-string kicker, even take direction from the guy who broke her heart. Trusting him is too easy, but letting him in and trusting herself is even harder.
Trent Carrington is the quintessential handsome, rich quarterback. Everyone knows his name and has an idea of where he's going to go with his life, but no one knows his heart. For two years he's held onto the past, determined to find a way to follow his parent's wishes, but unable to let go of the girl he still loves. Maybe it's stalking, maybe it's an obsession, but he's going to show her the real him under the guise of teaching her proper kicking.

"Of course Trent left. That was his thing. Like a catch phrase or a signature style. If Trent Carrington had a calling card, it was that he always walked away first."

Told from dual POV's, Kicked is Celia Aaron's newest release about a female football player and the handsome quarterback she never got over. Filled with football facts, plays, and players, I wasn't sure this book was going to be my cup of tea, but I was so wrong. With college aged characters, Kicked fell into the New Adult category for me and I loved it all the more for it. It was reminiscent of my college days, relatable in several ways, and an all around cute second-chance story. I genuinely liked both characters, especially the country mouse, city mouse aspect of their relationship. Cordy is adorable, I loved her determination, her warring emotions, and the way she carried herself. Trent, on the other hand, is definitely all his description makes him out to be, and then some. He gets you with his football skill and looks, but wins you over once you get to know him. Reading from his POV was definitely the most rewarding part of Kicked, Celia Aaron did an incredible job of making him so much more than his outward appearances lead you to believe. He's still dreamy, but also supportive, loyal, smart, and vulnerable. Together they make a perfect team and I really enjoyed their slow burn from angst to over-the-top chemistry.

“I was going to get the chance I’d been dreaming about for two years. I had so much to tell her, so many things to explain.”

Kicked is not like Celia Aaron's other works, so don't go in expecting that. This one is sweet, it's got a bit of angst, and the pacing is slower, but worth the time to read. I think Kicked showcased Celia's writing ability, especially with the shift from her well-known smutty novels to this coming of age release. There is a lot of football to it though and I had to Google different things to understand. Celia Aaron provides a lot of detail and description, but since I know next to nothing about football I did have to do some extra research. I do not think it took away from the story for me, but is worth noting for other readers who may not be sports romance genre readers or sports fans in general. I would have liked a bit more at the end, I wanted to see more of the progression of the relationship leading up to the epilogue, but overall it's a great release.

“In his place, there was a man who kissed like the devil and made me stupid with just one look.”

Kicked is a football romance with a sweet, angst-y plot that will have you smiling often and enjoying the sweet, sexy second-chance love. This is one couple you will be rooting for, on and off the field. ( )

What could be more entertaining than an erotic romance tale interwoven within a football theme?

In Kicked, author Celia Aaron weaves a sweet + sassy erotic romance tale that interweaves the sport of college football with a second chance at love.

As a football fan (college and NFL), I love to read sports themed romances, so I knew that I had to read this smoking hot erotic sports romance tale, and boy I wasn't left disappointed!

Told in an alternating first person narrative, the reader is easily drawn into Billingsley University's third string kicker Cordelia "Cordy" Baxter and star quarterback Trent Carrington's story. This exciting erotic romance tale has everything that a reader could want: drama, angst, sassy banter, sizzling sex, richly descriptive college football scenes, and a second chance at love theme that will leave them wanting more!

The reader can't help but get caught up in Cordy and Trent's story, as Trent tries to win back the girl whose heart he foolishly broke two years ago. As their past history intertwines with the present, the reader will find themselves cheering for Cody and Trent as they overcome their painful past and passionately rediscover a true love both on and off the football field.

So, if you're in the mood for a delightful erotic sports romance tale with a football theme, than look no further, Kicked will provide you with a thoroughly entertaining good time!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Ardent Prose PR.

http://jerseygirlsizzlingbookreviews.blogspot.com/2016/08/kicked-by-celia-aaron-... ( )