Intercepted

Marlee Harper is the long-time girlfriend of an NFL star until she gets proof that he has been cheating on her. She'd been overlooking things in her relationship with Chris for a long time. She doesn't mind having an excuse to avoid the NFL wives especially Courtney, the star quarterback's botoxed wife, who manages the meetings with swings of her glittered gavel. While she favors the good works that the team wives do, she doesn't like the catty gossip sessions at the weekly meetings. Her only friend is Naomi whose husband is another NFL star. The team has a new quarterback and it just so happens that Marlee had a one-night stand with him during one of the times she and Chris were taking a break in their relationship. Gavin has been her dream man when things were going wrong with Chris but she never actually wanted to meet him again. But Gavin is there to pick her up when the mean things Chris does get her down. It seems that he has not been able to get their one-night stand out of his mind. They quickly fall in love but the course of true love isn't running smoothly. Between jealous team wives, a jealous publicist who has a not-so-hidden crush on Gavin, and the people of Denver who are sure that Gavin's relationship with Marlee will make him less effective on the field, Marlee and Gavin have problems.The biggest problem that the two of them have is that Marlee has never really had to figure out who she was as a person. She went from her parents's home to being Chris's girlfriend to being Gavin's girlfriend. She's never had a chance to be just Marlee.This was a fun story to read. Marlee has a great way of looking at things which we can appreciate since this story is told by her in the first person. I like her relationship with her women friends. I also like her relationship with Gavin who is much different than Chris and also a really nice guy if, perhaps, a little too quick at trying to manage Marlee's life.

A delightful romp with a sassy-mouth heroine whose dramatic flair for asserting herself will provide the challenge for the hero with a protective streak a mile wide. This debut sizzles with style, verve and humor. I was spellbound from the first page to the last as this sports romance balanced the heartwarming with the spicy to tell an enchanting story.

Intercepted by Alexa Martin is a 2018 Berkley publication. Hilarious and super sexy!! Several years ago, Marlee had a one-night stand with a guy she thought was an investment banker, while on a break from her boyfriend. Now, not only is she back with her boyfriend, who happens to be a professional football player, they are engaged!! Life's good... Well, except when it comes to the catty football wives. Oh, and that one-night stand? He’s the new star quarterback for the team! For Marlee, her night with Gavin was unforgettable, scorched into her memory, but will he remember her after all this time? This book was absolutely hilarious. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun reading a romance novel. Alexa Martin writes what she knows, since she spent eight years as the wife of an NFL football player. (now retired). Her experience gives readers a little insider’s peak inside the cliques, competitions, rules, and politics of professional football. Of course, this also means getting a look at the underbelly, which is not all that glamorous and could be offensive, at times. Although, I must put my own dig in here, and say that in reality I'm sure it's a thousand times worse than anything portrayed in this book. For a debut novel, I thought this book was well constructed, and fleshed out nicely. The relationship drama might have dragged out a bit too long, however, that's better than feeling like the story was too rushed. The characterizations were very well done, from the good to the bad, and points in between. The dialogue is razor sharp and ladies, Gavin!! OMG!! This guy had me melting into a puddle, going all dreamy eyed, and walking around with a big goofy grin on my face. There’s some high drama, a little action, a little suspense, some steamy, sexy times, and a lovely diverse cast of characters. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, since I don’t read a lot of sports romance, especially if it is centered around football. While I don’t think this life sounds all that appealing, if sports heroes are your secret fantasy, you don’t want to miss this one.But, even if you aren’t a sports fan, you’ll still love the romance, friendships, and humor… and GAVIN!! Unless I am mistaken, this novel is also the first of a planned series. I obviously enjoyed this one enough to sign up for the next one. 4 stars

A quick fluffy romcom, that I couldn't put down. Will this win any awards? No. Was this fun? Hell yes. Marlee is one lucky girl; she's the girlfriend of an NFL star and she gets to live in a palace. The downside is she has to live in said palace (god it's ostentatious and ugly), put up with the wives of the other team players (only one girl in that group is actually worth knowing), and work around her boyfriend's dreams and plans. Plus when the hell is he going to propose already? They've been together since high school? Everything falls apart when she discovers that her boy has been cheating on her for months and who is there to catch her? The teams quarterback, the man she slept with 4 years ago. Even though she's still attracted to him and vividly remembers how good he was in bed; Marlee swears off athletes. She's had enough of them. But maybe she'll end up changing her mind. Cute, quirky, fun, and steamy. I definitely plan on reading the rest in this series!

Amazing incredible and so well written! I know some people thought it was poorly written and trashy as there was so much dialogue and the main protagonist spoke directly to you quite a lot however, for me the fact that it was written this way seemed more realistic, it was like Marlee was telling a story, it was as though Marlee was telling us about her life? In a way.

I liked it I really did. It had a more authentic feel than other romances that involve pro football. But here's the thing, the narrator was all wrong. I know the main character is supposed to be a bi-racial woman but the narrator sounded straight up white and some of the phrases she said just sounded wrong with her voice. And her male voices were iffy. I recommend the print version for sure!!!

This was fun, although the audiobook narrator makes Marlee pretty shrieky.

So. I think the writing was unpretentious, but at times lacked polish. I let that slide because it's overall this effervescent feel and it engaged me. I liked it. There were many things I liked about the heroine and the hero. And there were times even those things felt played out and tired.

And while this may be based on actual experience, I really don't want to read about the petty competitive WAGs. I really. Don't. Generally these interactions only served to demonstrate how tough and confident Marlee is, so we don't need them to be causing trouble the entire book.

I did smile through a lot of this book, partially because of the sweet dynamic between the wonderful hero and the heroine. He was great, despite his apparent overstepping. And I read it quickly and these days, that's saying something.

But the thing that annoys me to end all annoyances is when a character just keeps running into trouble. Between drama with the WAGs, everyone loving her except her no-good ex--who also causes trouble, meddling and longing sister's best friends, unsafe situations that are about to or become assault, being videotaped and lacking privacy--it all felt like it was raining down. Very few of these aspects were necessary or interesting, which is a real shame because the relationship underneath did great on its own without stirring shit up at the top. I usually call this trauma pile-on, but it was not really traumatic. It was mostly NA-or YA pile-on, and it really undermined the lovely couple.

Make no mistake, if you are a sports romance fan, you'll probably like this one too. So much was well done. But if the level of drama in 'typical' YA or NA has you running for the hills, then I think you'd probably do well to avoid it. I'll still read Alexa Martin again-I think other parts of her insight were incredibly valuable here--I just wish the book hadn't had the 'trouble' pile-on it did and it makes me long for what might have been in a stripped down, quieter book.

4.5 stars.
Intercepted by Alexa Martin is a debut romance that is sassy, hilarious and steamy. This first installment in the Playbook series is a highly entertaining and laugh out loud read that also includes serious undertones.

Marlee Harper's life has revolved around her football player boyfriend Chris Alexander since the two were teenagers. He calls the shots in their relationship and because she loves him, she puts up with his infidelities and their breakups. However, once she catches him cheating on her yet again, Marlee is finally finished with him. Unfortunately, her very hot, one time fling, newly signed quarterback Gavin Pope, witnesses her somewhat undignified exit. As Marlee settles into single life and  a rewarding career, she and Gavin embark on a sweet but oh so sexy relationship that quickly becomes more serious than she expects. Is there any chance Marlee's rebound romance with Gavin will last longer than the Mustangs' football season?

Marlee is an absolute breath of fresh air. Despite staying with Chris long past their relationship's expiration date, she is a strong, fiercely independent woman who is more than ready to come into her own. She is determined to stand on her own two feet, fight her own battles and make her own decisions. Once she leaves Chris, Marlee wastes no time establishing herself in a new apartment and career. But is Marlee emotionally prepared for Gavin to waltz in and sweep her off her feet and into a new relationship?

Gavin is not the typical arrogant, self-centered jock. He is well-grounded with a supportive and loving family. He has never quite forgotten Marlee and he wastes no time convincing her to go on a date with him.  Gavin is chivalrous and over protective which are wonderful qualities but he sometimes oversteps when he interferes in situations that Marlee would rather handle herself.  Despite his swoon-worthiness, Gavin makes a huge misstep that could cost him the woman he loves.

With a fantastic cast of characters, a sigh-worthy romance and plenty of humor, Intercepted is a captivating romance that is quite endearing. Marlee is sarcastic and snarky but she is also loyal, big-hearted and Oh. Em. Gee. She BEDAZZLES! Can't help but love a heroine who understands the importance of bling. Gavin is a charming and sexy hero who always has Marlee's back but he proves to be all too human when he makes a life-altering decision that threatens their future together. The resulting conflict proves to be the catalyst Marlee needs to put herself first and come to terms with the damage from her relationship with Chris. This well-written debt from Alexa Martin is a light, engaging read that fans of contemporary romances will enjoy. I LOVED this novel and  I cannot wait for the next book in the Playbook series.