Colt Avery is on fire. Dubbed one of the NFL's best kept secrets, he's in the spotlight for the first time in his career. Women want him, coaches are courting him, and his Kansas cornfield good looks are too good not to be shared. His face is everywhere; TV, magazines, billboards. The entire world is in love with him. Everyone wants a piece of him.
Everyone but Lilly Hendricks.
Lilly grew up in L.A. where pretty faces are a dime a dozen. She's seen first hand what happens when you get swept up in the whirlwind of fame and fortune; you get dropped on your ass, and there's no one there to help you up. She stays away from the flashbulbs, avoiding the limelight, perfectly content to be recognized for her cupcakes and her karaoke skills, nothing more.
But Colt isn't easy to say no to, especially when he refuses to go away no matter how many times Lilly tells him to. He's addicted to her baking. To her beauty. To her bark that's almost as sexy as her bite, and he's not going anywhere until she gives him a chance. No matter what it costs him.
Fame is a rush, but falling in love? That sh#t is sweet as sugar.
Sugar Rush is the second book in the Offensive Line series by Tracey Ward. While I enjoyed the first book in this series, I LOVED this one. This is a slow burn, fun, banter filled romance. That “when you know, you know” kind of romance. I loved the back and forth between these two, and I didn’t realize how much I needed a book with all the swoon.
Colton Avery is twenty three years old and is the running back for the Los Angeles Kodiaks. This has been his year. His team is strong and they all have dreams of the Super Bowl in their minds. Colt’s face has become well known everywhere. He’s especially known for his habit of loading up on Snickers bars and Skittles right before the game, giving himself a sugar rush that he claims gives him an edge!
Colt has never been in a serious relationship but when he attends a gender reveal party for one of his coaches, he sees her, the baker, and he can’t seem to deny the pull he feels towards her. They start right off with the banter. Women always throw themselves at him, but not this one. Just the opposite actually. And with every barb she throws, the more drawn to her he becomes.
Lilly Hendricks is twenty four years old and is half owner of the Mad Batter Bakery in Los Angeles. Baking for this gender reveal party is a huge deal for their little bakery. But, she has no interest in all of the famous faces attending. She’s seen what dating someone that is well known can do to a person and she’s not the least bit interested. That’s why she is annoyed at the football player that just won’t leave her alone. But, there is a part of her that is enjoying all the attention. And underneath all that confidence, she glimpses someone sweet and caring.
“He’s trouble from top to bottom, from sweet to sexy. I’ve lived my whole life in L.A. and if there’s one thing I’ve learned above all else, it’s that pretty faces like that will throw you off course like a compass gone wonky in a storm. And Colt Avery is the Bermuda Triangle.”
Colt is persistent, though, and he wears Lilly down. She just can’t seem to resist that sweet side of him. Little by little, their trust grows and little by little, he wins her over. Lilly’s life, though, is a bit more complicated than she lets on. And, her life revolves around her bakery, and her family. Can she accept the paparazzi that are a regular part of Colt’s life? The loss of privacy?
I loved these two together so much. Colt did everything right with Lilly. They took things slow, built the trust. They fell in love. I think I smiled all the way through this. They were just so adorable. Now I can’t wait to read book three, Wide Open, which will be Kurtis Matthews book. He’s such a mystery and I’m so excited to learn his story.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a slow burn love, full of sweetness despite being about an NFL football player. Colt was incredibly sweet to Lilly. It's not a steamy read, this was more about building a lasting relationship. I of course started with book 2, not realizing it but it's a standalone so nothing ruined. This is a pretty low angst book.
Sugar Rush was the kind of book I wish I could read again for the first time.
I had so much fun reading it. Not only because it's a football romance that doesn't skimp on the football, but also because it nailed my favorite part of any given romance: the banter. Seriously. The dialogue is arguably the most important part of a book for me, and Tracey Ward dialed into the perfect formula in this book. Colt and Lilly's playful, flirty, chemistry-laden banter hit every single one of my sweet spots and I was helplessly, hopelessly, happily hooked on this story.
As I mentioned, Ms. Ward doesn't shy away from the football. As a long time lover of the sport, I appreciate that she didn't shy away from the details (and actually, I might have learned a thing or two), but not at the expense of the emotion or romance. I somehow found myself falling in love all over again with the sport, even as Lilly and Colt snatched up pieces of my heart. They were just perfect - a lovely balance of light-hearted and deeply emotional. While I might have found Lilly's character arc frustrating, she was given these layers that tugged at my heart, made me hurt for her, and helped me understand why she wasn't falling at Colt's feet (the way I was, basically).
Colt was perfection. Also multi-layered he was the perfect kind of irreverent rascal that I find utterly irresistible. And getting to ride along as he was brought to his knees by his feelings for Lilly? Guh. My heart! So full!
I'm also loving the dynamic with all the secondary characters. I didn't get that as much from the first book in this series - so maybe it's that I'm getting to know the characters better, or that Ms. Ward was just getting warmed up before, but this bunch is an awful lot of fun to read about.
I had an absolute blast reading this book. I gobbled it up and as I neared the end, I regretted that I would never be able to read it again for the first time. It's witty, smart, and full of heart -- my exact favorite flavor of catnip and I loved every minute! This series is shaping up to be a new favorite! ~ Shelly, 5 Stars
Blurb: Colt Avery is on fire. Dubbed one of the NFL's best kept secrets, he's in the spotlight for the first time in his career. Women want him, coaches are courting him, and his Kansas cornfield good looks are too good not to be shared. His face is everywhere; TV, magazines, billboards. The entire world is in love with him. Everyone wants a piece of him.
Everyone but Lilly Hendricks.
Lilly grew up in L.A. where pretty faces are a dime a dozen. She's seen first hand what happens when you get swept up in the whirlwind of fame and fortune; you get dropped on your ass, and there's no one there to help you up. She stays away from the flashbulbs, avoiding the limelight, perfectly content to be recognized for her cupcakes and her karaoke skills, nothing more.
But Colt isn't easy to say no to, especially when he refuses to go away no matter how many times Lilly tells him to. He's addicted to her baking. To her beauty. To her bark that's almost as sexy as her bite, and he's not going anywhere until she gives him a chance. No matter what it costs him.
Fame is a rush, but falling in love? That sh#t is sweet as sugar.
NO- NO-NO to that cover! It definitely didn’t work. Colt Avery deserves so much better. At least lose the fake cheesy face and stick with the body only. I’m reading this one out of sequence – missed the first book, but I plan on going back and picking it up. Even so, I wasn’t lost and it works just fine as a standalone. I enjoyed Sugar Rush so much though, along with the characters that I definitely don’t want to miss the introductions of all the characters that will have their own stories told in this series.
Above all else, I loved the slow build in the relationship between Colt Avery, the team’s running back and Lilly Hendricks, a baker and co-owner of The Mad Batter Bakery. Both lead characters were very likable. There’s a sugar and spice affection shared between the two of them. Told in alternating points of view from both Colt and Lilly, readers discover so much more insight into their thoughts and feelings for one another and their reactions to the events happening between them and around them. Cole is looking for the real deal in a relationship. A bit cocky and over-confident, he also has a kind heart and is a country boy at heart. Lilly is a bit standoffish, sarcastic – yet sweet and sassy at the same time. They blend perfectly.
A cast of entertaining secondary characters leads to some sarcastic and off-the-chart humor in the dialogue. Among them is Lilly’s business partner, Rona, who is the best kind of best friend. She’s a hoot and always there to offer her opinion (whether appreciated or not) and lend a helping hand. The team players, of course, offer up their own variety of male escapades as well. Readers will find just enough angst obstructing the way for a smooth sail into a happily-ever-after. It gives this story some grit and depth, but nothing overly dramatized that keeps love from prevailing.
Let’s hear some cheers for the team as the game of football takes an active role, as well. There’s more than just a trip to the locker room or field or a seat in the stands. The players actually make some plays and the author does a good job announcing the game to make it feel real. After all, this is a sports-related romance!
Although I wish there had been an Epilogue with a peek into this couple’s future, this is a fun-filled sexy and touching romance with likable characters sure to steal your heart. It definitely puts a touchdown on the scoreboard.
Fun, addictive and sugary sweet! I love sports romances and Tracey did a great job with this one! I need to go back and read the first one in the series!
I've read multiple books by this author, starting with her "Writing on the Wall" books, which I liked very much. Sadly, none of her other books have worked well, if at all, for me.
The Gist
Pro footballer meets baker chick. He woos and chases because he has a sweet tooth and she's 'oh so sweet.' She half heartedly tries to evade him.... Until she half heartedly tries to date him. I got bored before I could find out if a wholehearted enters the picture.
Highlight Reel
They bake. He plays football. They have a few dates. They bake. He plays football. They discuss their dads. They bake. He plays football. They kiss. They bake. He plays football. They get chased by paparazzi. << That's 73% of the book.
• no ow/om drama. There is a mention of past on/off relationship with an OW, but it's not a big issue for the 73% I read.
• at, 73%, theres only been one dry hump scene and a couple kissing scenes.
• no thoughts or vocalizing 'I love' by 73%. Hell they're just now vocalizing a gf/bf status at this point.
• no fights, breakups, or long periods of radio silence between the MCs.
• a few one-off cutesy dialogue moments.
It's basically a plot of how a very tame romance slowly develops.
Characters
The MMC is a nice guy. He's patient. He's persistent. He knows what he wants (her) and goes after her with kid gloves. I have no complaints about his character profile.
That question fucks me up. It takes me by surprise and sends me into high gear where I want to pounce on her. Kiss her. Sex her. Marry her.
The FMC is sweet but mildly annoying. Her main problem is her repetitive, overly dramatized hangup over fame. It's not even her own history, but rather how her brother's famous GF dumping him, that has her bent about dating a celeb. It's a weak, lame plot device to slow the romance down to a crawl.
Why I Just Can't Take No Mo'
I'm bored as hell. Plain and simple - this is a snooze fest. It's one-dimensional - 'here's these two very different people; watch them date, do mundane shit, and fall in love.' Aweeee' it's sweet. But, ehhhh'heee is it boring.
There was a cameo of the couple from book one and name dropping of all the MMC's teammates, whom I'm assuming will get future books. There's a very small subplot about dementia.
Anyway...
I kept waiting for something to happen, anything ... ?!?! Nope, nothing. By 73%, I'm long past IDGAF and it's clear nothing of moment is going occur.
Bottom Line
This isn't a bad book. It isn't poorly written. It's just a book and writing which are dull as a plastic butter knife.
No clue if these two ever have sex, but a dry hump is as sexy as shit gets by my DNF @73%. Otherwise, if you're looking for stress-free reading with no angst, sweet characters, and minuscule substance past a slowly developing romance, then this will work well for you.
If you need more oomph to your plot, characters, sex, etc... You might want to keep moving along.
Great banter! Worthy of 5 stars for the humor however the actual story was a little on the boring side and a bit lacking in the heat department . I give the banter 5 stars and the story 3 so we end up with a final rating of 4 :).
You know when you were a kid and a new toy came out you begged, pleaded and could hardly wait to get your hand on it?! Tracey Ward's books are like that for me. Every time I hear she's writing a new story I am on the edge of my seat waiting for that option to '1-click'. It's my Christmas morning. When I finished Rookie Mistake I immediately wanted the next book in the series. It was that good. And I can safely say that Tracey Ward has done it again with Sugar Rush.
We meet our Hero and heroine and just from that first interaction you know it's going to be a fun ride.
"Your racks. They look delicious."
Lilly and Colt just click; their banter is hilarious, the attraction immediate and the sexual tension could be felt through each word. Every scene with them was not to sound cheesy but magic. Colt with his smirk and fantastic one-liners was the perfect balance to Lilly's sarcastic, guarded persona.
"I want tiramisu. Sweet and complicated. Caffeinated. Bad for you but so good it's worth it. Every last bite."
If you're worried about insta-love, don't be. Tracey is the master of the slow burn and makes our characters get to know one another first and that is one of my favorite things about her writing. This is a true love story and shows nothing but two big hearts falling in love. Anticipation is half the fun, don't you think?
Ms. Ward also brings back characters from the previous book and it was so fun to see them all. There are some great stories to be told with these guys and I am counting down the days until I can get my hands on them. But I need an honorable mention of Rona. She is Lilly's best friend and added so much hilarity to the story. I loved that girl. I'm hoping she'll be featured in later books *hint, hint Tracey*
You can't have a sports romance without some action scenes and Ms. Ward incorporates that into the story flawlessly and had me actually wanting to attend a game and if you knew me you'd know that's a big deal. I would gladly rock a Kodiak jersey (if they existed) and would cheer those boys on wholeheartedly.
If you're looking for a fun romance with a little angst, hilarious banter and lovable characters then Sugar Rush and the whole Offensive Line series is for you. I'm sad to say goodbye to Lilly and Colt but can't wait for the next one. 5 Stars!
"Everything about her is perfect, even her damage."
Sugar Rush is the second book in Tracey Ward's Offensive Line series. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline as well as the characters.
Colt Avery, the gorgeous rising Los Angeles NFL star whose known for his sugar intake, is happy all the time and is loved by everyone, except the defensive lines of competing teams. He's known everywhere and the paparazzi love to follow him. Lilly Hendricks, the beautiful baker who bakes all things sweet, yet has a humorous snarky side that is anything but sweet. Her life is private and she trusts no one that is famous and wants nothing to do with any of it. The bantering between the two is fun, humorous and captivating.
Ward develops the characters and the storyline well. The connection is obvious and their building friendship is appealing. Ward dives deep into the mechanics of football; which is refreshing and insightful. She additionally portrays the difficulties of living under the scrutiny of the paparazzi in a realistic fashion. The most difficult issue she tackles was providing a glimpse into the world of alzheimer's disease. The collision of building friendships, professional athletes, a private life and human health provides a great basis for an entertaining and solid storyline.
True to form with the series so far, Ward includes a mixture of supporting cast members. There is enough fodder to last us awhile for this series. I can't wait to see where her next book takes us diving into the mystery of Kurtis Matthews.
This was a nice and easy read. This story was sweet and the MCs were likable. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book, due in part to the not so great cover. The guy looks sleazy, I'm sorry. This story, however, was not sleazy at all. Ok, maybe the H had some sleazy inner monologue in the beginning, but that's it. Overall, an enjoyable read that makes you smile and doesn't make you feel gross. Score!
What I liked: 1) The banter. That bit about Harrison Ford cracked me up. 2) The H really grew on me. I was expecting an overly sexualIzed jerk, and while his jokes leaned pretty heavily that way, he himself mellowed out a lot. He was a nice guy and willing to take things slow with be the h. He didn't pressure her. He was a gentleman. And he didn't automatically revert to his manwhore ways when things didn't go his way. 3) No ow-om drama. This is a story about two adults. It was quiet and not drama filled. 4) The writing is as engaging as always. 5) The alternating povs. 6) Not filled with tons of sex scenes. The few that there were weren't very graphic, but felt sweet and meaningful.
What I didn't like: 1) No epilogue. 2) Nothing terribly original in the plot.
It was nice read. I think everything went really fast, maybe too fast. However, if there weren't any dates I wouldn't have thought so. It is a sweet love. As for the football part of the book, it seems different from the ones I read previously (not a lot of games a week, not a need to sleep and rest, not a need of so many intensive trainings, not a need to be careful about food intake or alcohol...), different. It definitely makes me want to read the previous book and the next one.
A relatively fast read. Be aware that this book will make you want to eat the bakery nearby.
As I finished the "Rookie Mistakes", I jumped to the second book of the series, I also liked, mix people from different worlds I like the idea, but I got the impression that the author could have gotten much more out of the story. Not if that were developed in other books but I have the impression that much remained to tell.
The early mornings are very sweet but hard to believe in the sports world.
I recommend for readers who likes sports, romance and pastries
Colt & Lilly's story is fun, heartwarming, and has a splash of teary-eyed goodness! I loved the way they met, the way their relationship took off in a genuine way, and the way the issues they faced were portrayed. There wasn't any OM/OW drama, and for being such young characters, they handled things very maturely w/in the story. I highly enjoyed this!! We get to see inside some of the games, and some of the baking. *grin* Two thumbs up!! : )
Wow, I loved this book - so much better than I was expecting from the reviews I read. The meet-cute, a baker meeting an NFL player at a baby reveal because he wants to know what’s in the cake to win a bet, hooked me with their banter right from that point. Colt is hot and adorable in his vulnerability; Lilly is hesitant to go all in with him but without it being ridiculous like some stories are. I definitely want to read the other books of the series; I started here.
Sweet story of Mad Batter baker girl finding love with a hottie football player. Its all over in a flash, lest we all forget! This author is quickly becoming a fave!
I have to admit that I enjoyed this book much more than book 1 - for several reasons...the writing style has improved, the characters are more relatable and the author upped her game in regards to the plot. It was almost like she actually took the feedback from readers and used it when she wrote this one. Don't get me wrong, the first book was good, it just needed a little bit more...this one was fantastic! I am looking forward to book 3 in the series! A great read that will leave the reader satisfied and looking forward to the next one!
Sugar Rush, the second stand alone in the offensive line series, was even better than the first in my opinion. I loved Colt Avery’s character in the last one, and even more so in this book! I love his light-hearted, happy, sincere personality. And I absolutely love Lily and her story line. It’s very “good girl meets celebrity” with a great twist! I’m dying to find out about the others in the tight knit group of Kodiaks! This is a great series so far!
I’m enjoying this series of books even though I don’t generally like sport romances which tend to have younger leads. But this plays fairly maturely and I love the banter between them all.
I enjoyed this book. It was definitely more of a slow burn when compared to book 1 but I really liked the dynamic between the two leads. I thought that the story needed more heat. Dual POV.
I am in love with this book and this author. This is not a really steamy book, but I still loved it. My newest book boyfriend is Colt. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Loved the first book and immediately fell in love with this one. The way colt talked about food and described it! Amazing! Now I want to go grab a delicious cupcake!