Published by Self-published Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports
Football hero Jax Monaghan hadn’t had it easy in life. Despite his thriving football career he always destroyed everything beautiful he’s ever had. That was until he met his wife, Alivia, who had taught him what love and family was all about. But when he watches his wife fall apart due to his decisions, he’s reminded just what he is capable of – and he makes what he thinks is the ultimate sacrifice. Walking away.
When Jax returns home in order to be closer to his children, he can’t help but want to be closer with Alivia again as well. But the brutal reality of his choices keep knocking him back to the starting line. As the past threatens them further apart, Jax and Alivia are forced to line up together and play for the same team. Had their entire marriage been a trick play? Or was it simply just a false start into their happily ever after?
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
**Carla’s Three Star Review
This is the first book in The Maverick Series, and it is the story of Jax and Alivia.
To the outside world, Jax and Alivia Monaghan have the perfect life. True love-check. Happy, healthy children-check. A fail proof marriage-well maybe not so much. When rumors begin to circulate and place a heavy strain on their marriage, Jax reacts how he always does-he walks away. Fast forward a year. Jax realizes what a horrible mistake he made, and he now wants his family back. Is he strong enough to overcome his life long insecurities, and even if he is, can Alivia find it in her heart to forgive him for the hurt and betrayal he has caused?
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. I can’t really pinpoint any one specific thing that I disliked about the book. I guess the best way to describe my feelings towards it would be indifferent. Who knows? Maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea, and other readers will love it.
Liv’s eyelashes fluttered open lightly, and she greeted him with a lazy smile, a smile that he was proud that he had put back onto her beautiful face again.
“Hey you.” She looked up at him, stretching before curling back into his side, her voice husky.
“Hey yourself,” he winked. Running his fingers through her hair, they laid in comfortable silence, and he wondered if she was replaying the last twenty-four hours inside her head just as he was.
“I guess we have to head back to reality, huh?” she whispered against his skin, goosebumps spreading across his body.
“Yeah,” he resigned, wondering exactly what that reality held for them now. “But we get to see the munchkins,” he added, smiling at the thought of the girls.
“I miss them so much.” She looked up at him and he hoped like hell that reality held with it the possibility of waking up every morning with her again, just like this.
After several close, but unsuccessful attempts at convincing Liv for another go around in the shower before they checked out, Jax refused to give her a towel when she stepped out of the shower until she promised to finish what they had started when they got home. She had been quiet while packing their bags, a reminder not to rush her. The sex had been hard and fast, but he needed to take things with her slow and easy. Still unable to shake the small pang of fear that last night had been an isolated breakthrough; that they had finally succumbed to the sexual tension that had been suffocating both of them, but that she had no intentions of letting him back into her life. That his words had finally resonated with her that he, in fact, had nearly destroyed her.
Pushing the unproductive thought aside, he carried their bags down to the lobby before grabbing them both a much needed coffee before reluctantly handing in their room keys to paradise. Pulling onto the freeway towards home, he instinctively reached for her hand, and this time she took it. Running his thumb over her knuckles, he couldn’t have imagined two days ago, when she couldn’t get far enough away from him inside the car, that now, heading home, to their home, he was holding her.
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