Sporting

Unleashed Romance #3

by Kylie Gilmore

A surprise road trip with her best friend’s brother!

Jenna
After accidentally dinging a brand-new car, I’m suddenly face-to-face with an angry alpha male. And the sparks are flying.

Wait. Eli Robinson?

How’s it possible the irritating younger brother of my best friend has morphed into this gorgeous swaggering man?

I can’t let myself be tempted. Eli is off-limits. My best friend, his sister who helped raise him, makes sure I know it.

Except the more I get to know him, the more difficult it is to stay away. This can only end badly. No relationship is worth losing my best friend.

And then he kidnaps me.

Eli
Once upon a time, Jenna Larsen was my teenaged dream girl, and I mean that in the dirtiest way possible. Now that we’re adults, I discovered she’s even better than I dreamed. We can’t keep our hands off each other. But I want more. So I took her on a surprise getaway to move things beyond the bedroom. An extended date of sorts. Fine. I kidnapped her. We needed to get away from judging eyes.

I only hope she stops being mad long enough to give us a chance.

This romantic comedy stands alone with a swoon-worthy happy-ever-after! No cliffhangers.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Collections, Contemporary Romance

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 6, 2021

About the author

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***THE SEXY PART is out now!***

Kylie Gilmore is the USA Today bestselling author of over fifty humorous contemporary romances. Her series include Happy Endings in Clover Park, Unleashed Romance, the Rourkes, the Happy Endings Book Club, Clover Park, and Clover Park Charmers. With more than three million downloads of her books, readers all over the world love escaping into her hilarious feel-good romances featuring strong bonds with family, friends, and community.

Kylie lives in New York with her family, a demanding cat, and a nutso dog. When she's not writing, reading hot romance, or dutifully taking notes at writing conferences, you can find her happily crafting what will surely be future family heirlooms.

Join the Gilmore Goddesses Readers Group to chat about Kylie's books in a non-spoilerly way. Also, man candy. Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Gilmo...

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KYLIE’S BOOKS

HAPPY ENDINGS IN CLOVER PARK
The Kissing Part (Book 1)
The Sexy Part (Book 2)

UNLEASHED ROMANCE
Fetching (Book 1)
Dashing (Book 2)
Sporting (Book 3)
Toying (Book 4)
Blazing (Book 5)
Chasing (Book 6)
Daring (Book 7)
Leading (Book 8)
Racing (Book 9)
Loving (Book 10)

THE ROURKES
Royal Catch (Book 1)
Royal Hottie (Book 2)
Royal Darling (Book 3)
Royal Charmer (Book 4)
Royal Player (Book 5)
Royal Shark (Book 6)
Rogue Prince (Book 7)
Rogue Gentleman (Book 8)
Rogue Rascal (Book 9)
Rogue Angel (Book 10)
Rogue Devil (Book 11)
Rogue Beast (Book 12)

HAPPY ENDINGS BOOK CLUB
Hidden Hollywood (Book 1)
Inviting Trouble (Book 2)
So Revealing (Book 3)
Formal Arrangement (Book 4)
Bad Boy Done Wrong (Book 5)
Mess With Me (Book 6)
Resisting Fate (Book 7)
Chance of Romance (Book 8)
Wicked Flirt (Book 9)
An Inconvenient Plan (Book 10) 
A Happy Endings Wedding (Book 11)

CLOVER PARK SERIES
The Opposite of Wild (Book 1)
Daisy Does It All (Book 2)
Bad Taste in Men (Book 3)
Kissing Santa (Book 4)
Restless Harmony (Book 5)
Not My Romeo (Book 6)
Rev Me Up (Book 7)
An Ambitious Engagement (Book 8)
Clutch Player (Book 9)
A Tempting Friendship (Book 10)
Clover Park Bride: Nico and Lily’s Wedding
A Valentine’s Day Gift (Book 11)
Maggie Meets Her Match (Book 12)

CLOVER PARK CHARMERS
Almost Over It (Book 1)
Almost Married (Book 2)
Almost Fate (Book 3)
Almost in Love (Book 4)
Almost Romance (Book 5)
Almost Hitched (Book 6)

Reviews

[Lisa Broadman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit in this series!! Omg this series is really fun and each story gets better and better! This one is my favorite so far. Eli and Jenna are so sweet together and even though they have their own issues to overcome it is fairly smooth between them.

Their history begins way back when they were kids because Jenna is Eli’s sister’s best friend since childhood. He noticed her and developed a massive crush on her when he was a kid but because he was younger than she was, he was never taken seriously as anything but the younger brother. As adults age doesn’t hold the same issue so Jenna notices him now and can’t believe what an amazing man he has grown into. They are both sweet characters and good people with good hearts. I love the women and their tight friendship and Eli’s tight relationship with his brothers. I am glad that I already knew that I liked Sydney because I kinda thought that she behaved like a bit of a shrew in this one and was glad to see her change her mind, though she shouldn’t have had the sway with either character that she held. I love the addition of the dogs in each story and love how they are an integral part of the stories.

I am SO looking forward to the next stories in the series and cannot wait for Audrey and Drew’s story down the line. Each story just seems to get sweeter and sweeter with lots of heat, laughs, family, friends and dogs. Plus, could this cover be any cuter!? That laugh seems to perfectly capture who Eli is for me! In a complicated world and life, I look forward to stories that are easy, sweet and make me feel good when I am done reading them. This series is excellent!

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved Eli

Jenna was a bit (lot) broken and I sometimes wanted to yell at Eli to run for the hills. In the end, she started getting her act together and I liked her a lot more.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.

[Coco.V]

🎁 Part of Unleashed Romance Boxed Set (Unleashed Romance, #1-3) which is FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (4/25/2023)! 🎁

[Jess Schagberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the best of the 3 I read from this little series

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stelline

Continuo la mia avventura nella piccola cittadina di Summerville con un altro fratello Robinson: Eli, il futuro capo della polizia. Quando era piccolo era un ragazzino terribile ma crescendo è diventato un uomo responsabile e un ottimo partito. Sua sorella Sydney vorrebbe piazzarlo con sua cognata ma il cuore di Eli è da sempre occupato da Jenna, la migliore amica di Syd.
Jenna è la pasticcera della città, da quando è tornata e ha coronato il suo sogno nel cassetto.
E' allergica alle relazioni serie dopo aver visto il matrimonio dei suoi genitori andare in frantumi e lasciare solo ceneri attorno. Ha scelto di divertirsi e di non legarsi a nessuno. Anche se Eli le ispira strani sentimenti.
Complice un weekend romantico e passionale, Eli convince Jenna a frequentarsi ma dovrà scontrarsi con due grandi ostacoli: il grande rifiuto per le relazioni serie e Sydney. La sorella ha intimato a Jenna di stare alla larga da Eli, di non farlo soffrire reputandola non all'altezza.

Eli dovrà sudare le famose sette camicie per superare tutte le barriere di Jenna ed essere finalmente felici insieme.
Altro libro della serie molto leggero e carino. Si legge davvero velocemente e mi ha lasciato con la voglia di proseguire con il prossimo fratello Robinson.
Ho apprezzato molto Eli: forte, determinato, leale e paziente. Certo, a volte anche lui arriva al limite, ma capisce che quello che ha con Jenna è troppo importante per lasciarselo scappare.
Jenna mi ha fatto un po' pena: capisco la sua paura dopo il dolore della separazione della sua famiglia, ma forse avrebbe dovuto farsi aiutare da uno psicologo. Anche le sue amiche avrebbero dovuto dirglielo.
Nel prossimo volume avremo il modello super figo e la piccola meccanica.
Ci saranno fuochi d'artificio? Sono molto curiosa di leggerlo.

[Tammy Moldovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Unleashed Romance series but it’s a standalone, so you do not have to read the other two to enjoy this one. This book has a little bit of everything - sweet moments, fan your face steamy, a bit of hilarity, cute pets, family drama, swoony moments, and heart squeezing love with just a tiny bit of angst. Eli is a cop in the small town of Summerdale. Jenna moved back to town the previous year to open the local bakery. Eli is the younger brother of Jenna’s best friend. So Eli and Jenna had a lot of interaction as kids. Jenna was Eli’s teenage fantasy girl but to her he was just the skinny annoying trouble making little brother. Eli has been avoiding Jenna since she moved back to town because he’s embarrassed about their last interaction 10 years ago which involved flowers and a love note. A fender bender forces them into interacting and turns on the attraction. On their way to their HEA, they each must deal with their own issues and past baggage in order to together build a strong, healthy and respectful relationship with each other. Jenna has to move past her parents devastating divorce and the resulting aversion to relationships and Eli has let go of dream Jenna in favor of the real life messy version. While I love reading romances for the escape from life and the guaranteed HEA, when real life issues are included in the story - like messy, painful divorces and the scars they leave - I love the books even more. These issues were included in an organic, beautiful way and made the story even more relatable. With Sporting, Kylie Gilmore again proves she a master of sweet, swoon worthy tales. I can’t wait to visit Summerdale again and read Caleb’s story.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series, but can be read as a standalone. The characters from other books are intertwined into these books, but they can be read independently. This is Eli and Jenna’s story.

Jenna moved back to town a year ago after leaving her IT job and now owns the town bakery. She is best friends with Sydney, from book one, who is Eli’s sister. It is well known to her friends that she doesn’t do committed relationships because of her past. Her parents ruined any idea of marriage and commitment and she won’t let herself ever try…

Eli is a cop and next in line for Chief of Police. He is all grown up now and a pillar of the community. He also plays guitar at the family pub once a week. He has avoided one thing in his town for the last year…Jenna. He is two years younger than her, but that didn’t stop him from loving her growing up. He made a gallant gesture the day she left for college and since that day he never was able to give in to love.

These two are thrust together again by a fender bender and the story takes off from there. Jenna finally notices him since he is all grown up and extremely handsome and he never stopped noticing her, just avoided her. Family interference, family drama and personal issues make this story both interesting and frustrating. I did not connect with these two characters as much as I did with the characters in the other books. They are very up and down and back and forth with their feelings and wants. Ultimately they get their HEA, but it was a little painful getting there.⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another thing…Audrey and Drew’s story is book 10. Fair warning because you get invested in them in every single book so far, but apparently we have to wait until the end of the series got their story.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna and Eli’s love story in Sporting: A Surprise Road Trip Romantic Comedy by Kylie Gilmore, book three in her Unleashed Romance series, is a steamy, romantic comedy, is a story of dating your best friend’s younger brother who has had a crush on her, forever. After accidently dinging a brand new car, Jenna Larsen finds herself facing an angry alpha male, Eli Robinson, and wow are the sparks flying. When did the irritating younger brother of my best friend, Sydney become this gorgeous, overconfident man? Jenna knows that Eli is off limits; Sydney, who helped raise him, made sure to let her know. Eli has different ideas. Jenna was his teenaged dream girl and now that they are adults he was not going to pass up a chance to spend time with her. As these two start getting to know each other, one thing is evident, there is a strong, magnetic attraction as well as off the charts chemistry. Since Jenna does not want Sydney to know what’s going on, she avoids being seen in public with Eli. Eli decides enough is enough and kidnaps Jenna, for an extended date away from prying eyes. Now for Eli to convince Jenna to take a chance on him, on them, on love being stronger than his sister’s anger. These two are amazing together!!

Ms. Gilmore wrote a wonderful and moving story that is definitely not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, amusing banter, and endearing secondary characters giving Eli and Jenna chance at love, happiness and the possibility of a forever together. I highly recommend Sporting to other readers and look forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Kylie Gilmore]

I can't wait to share Jenna and Eli's story with you! Get ready for a surprise road trip with her best friend’s brother!
Jenna
After accidentally dinging a brand-new car, I’m suddenly face-to-face with an angry alpha male. And the sparks are flying.

Wait. Eli Robinson?

How’s it possible the irritating younger brother of my best friend has morphed into this gorgeous swaggering man?

I can’t let myself be tempted. Eli is off-limits. My best friend, his sister who helped raise him, makes sure I know it.

Except the more I get to know him, the more difficult it is to stay away. This can only end badly. No relationship is worth losing my best friend.

And then he kidnaps me.

Eli
Once upon a time, Jenna Larsen was my teenaged dream girl, and I mean that in the dirtiest way possible. Now that we’re adults, I discovered she’s even better than I dreamed. We can’t keep our hands off each other. But I want more. So I took her on a surprise getaway to move things beyond the bedroom. An extended date of sorts. Fine. I kidnapped her. We needed to get away from judging eyes.

I only hope she stops being mad long enough to give us a chance.

This romantic comedy stands alone with a swoonworthy happy-ever-after! No cliffhangers.

Unleashed Romance Series
Fetching (Book 1)
Dashing (Book 2)
Sporting (Book 3)
Toying (Book 4)
Blazing (Book 5)

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredibly sweet and heartwrenching masterpiece by Kylie Gilmore!

After everything Jenna Larsen witnessed with her parents nasty divorce she has kept herself aloof from romantic entanglements. So when a fender bender has her coming face to face with her best friend's younger brother Eli she quickly finds herself baffled and confused by the emotions he stirs in her. Plus, Sydney has made it clear that Jenna is too damaged by her past and will only hurt her little brother. 

Eli has had a crush on Jenna since he was a young teenager yet his big effort the day she left for college was all but ignored. Convinced they might finally have a chance, Eli kidnaps Jenna for a surprise getaway. Now, if they can just avoid his interfering sister who thinks she knows what's best for him.

But all may be lost for good when Jenna's ugly past shows up to remind her what her future holds.

I  received an ARC and voluntarily offer this review.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I'm so loving this new series by Kylie! This one gets 5 stars, if you haven't started the series yet, what are you waiting for! Perfect time to catch up!

Jenna accidentally backs into a car, little does she know till she gets out of her car that it's her best friends little brother Eli, and wow he's not so little anymore! She can't believe how hot he is now! Jenna's got baggage, she watched her parents fight it out in a horrible divorce, where she lost her sister who chose to go with her dad. She hasn't had a relationship because she doesn't want that to ever happen to her, but when she meets Eli, and he's persistent, can she actually allow herself to be loved? All while not losing her best friend who has warned her not to be with Eli.

This story had me hooked right from the beginning, I enjoyed it so much and cheered on Jenna! Grab this one asap!

[Dawn Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sporting was a delightful read, it has family drama, friendships, and some love and definitely some heart. This is book 3 in the Unleashed series and I found it to be well written with some really amazing characters in this story I found myself at times with tears in my eyes and other time giggling out loud. Kylie Gilmore has done another great job bring her characters to life. This is Jenna and Eli's story, Eli has know Jenna for almost his whole life and probably has had a crush this whole time but Jenna has only seen him has her best friends little brother. Jenna knows she should keep her distance from Eli but boy has he grown up into one major hottie. This is just the start to a fun and heartwarming story. I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it.

[Quinn Fforde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly why I read Kylie Gilmore. She has a way of taking a simple story and elevating it to an amazing level. I love the friendships between the ladies in this series, I love how adorable the men are, and I love the way the dogs reflect the developing love stories. Eli and Jenna are my favorite couple so far. They had way more to work out than I expected, but I enjoyed the developments. I was completely caught up in their story and ended up finishing it in a day. I laughed quite a lot, I gaped in surprise, and I teared up in a few places. This is a fun comedy with lots of romance and sweet moments. I loved it, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[JLS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eli has been infatuated with Jenna for most of his life. Jenna thinks of Eli as her best friend's little brother who used to terrorize them. When she accidentally backs into his brand new Mustang, she is forced to admit that Eli is all grown up and smoking hot. However her parents disastrous marriage left her scarred and against marriage. Not to mention her best friend warns her away from Eli. But Eli is determined. When he kidnaps her and takes her away this a couple of days, she has to admit that maybe she has to think things. Kylie Gilmore has written another winner with Sporting. Follow Eli and Jenna on a journey of friendship, growth and realization. This is a fun and entertaining read with humor, twists and of course, dogs!
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[SusanL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenna is Eli’s older sister’s friend since childhood. Eli’s been in love with Jenna just as long.
Eli knows he needs to take it slow because Jenna’s parents’ divorce had a huge negative impact of her and her relationships. Not to mention Sydney, his sister, point blank tells Jenna to stay away from her baby brother.
What’s a guy to do? Kidnap Jenna for a two-day getaway where they can get to know each other without the town interfering.
Best idea ever! Of course coming home brings back all of Jenna’s fears and she shuts Eli down.
This is an up and down roller coaster ride of emotions. A good read, but not the best in the series.

[Nikki Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always easily get lost in a Kylie Gilmore book. She infuses laughter, emotions, and both sweet and sexy times. By the end, I'm smiling and also sad that it's over, and then I have to wait impatiently for the next one.

I love a good best friend's brother story, and also, how the two go way back and that there were feelings on one side waaaaaay back when. Jenna has her flaws and her good points, and the mix allows for great conflict as love hits her unexpectedly. Eli...I just love him. Love him! He knows what he wants and he does everything he can to get it. I hurt for him when he felt like things weren't going to go his way. I also felt for Jenna, too. We all have deep rooted hurts from our past that make opening our hearts again difficult.

All in all, another fantastic book in this new series! Please keep 'em coming!

[Mayas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you have to find your own way when it comes to healing and accepting. I felt that was what Jenna had to do. No matter the chase and understanding from Eli, she had that devil working hard on her self-esteem and worth. The way she measured relationships and love was just as unhealthy and toxic as her experience.

The baby steps is what helped and the free therapy session. The loss and gain. The time apart and listening to what your heart and mind said.

This was a pretty good book and I knew Jenna story was a lot deeper and Sydney almost made my bad list.

[Anne Blyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eli and Jenna certainly have some obstacles to overcome as they finally realise their feelings for each other, though Eli has carried a torch for Jenna since childhood. Jenna's parents had a bitter divorce which destroyed her belief in marriage, plus Eli is her best friends little brother and she's been warned of him. Can Jenna overcome these fears and try for an actual relationship or is Eli's heart going to be broken as his sister predicted. Kylie Gilmore has not disappointed me yet with her sweet & spicy stories.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story. Eli has always loved Jenna, his sister's best friend, and foolishly tried telling her when she left for college all those years ago. Now that she's returned to their small town, he's been avoiding her, embarrassed for the note he'd left her. Little does he know, she never received it and hasn't got a clue about how he feels! Perfect for a fresh start then, and Eli plans to sweep Jenna off her feet.

I really connected with Jenna's inner conflict and thoroughly enjoyed this story. The pitbull Lucy was a sweetheart and the scene on the cover actually happens!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Jenna and Eli's story! Jenna is best friends with Eli's sister and they have known each other forever. When Jenna accidentally bumps into Eli's car and he is forced to deal with her. Eli left her a note years ago and never heard anything. Eli kidnaps Jenna to get to know her better and see if she says anything about the note. Jenna thinks she is bad at relationships because of her parents divorce years ago. Eli helps Jenna to believe in love and it is a bumpy road for these two.

[Lisa Benison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, Flirting, Angst, History...This Book has it All!

Another great read in the Unleashed series..you don't HAVE to read them all, or in order, but why wouldn't you want to? Jenna and Eli are wonderful together and he is just patient enough to help her get over her troubled past. There was drama, laughter, cuteness (dogs!), and some tears - I couldn't put it down. Of course we catch up with the characters from previous books and get hints into the future...Can't wait for the next one!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun story in this series. This time it is Eli and Jenna who find happiness together. We have met both these characters in previous books. Eli is Sydney's younger brother and he has had a crush on Jenna since he was a teen. Jenna is one of Sydney's best friends. There are lots of laughs and romance with just a little angst and of course there is a happy ending. I love the way Kylie Gilmore includes characters from her other series so you feel like you are catching up with old friends.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed reading Sporting! This is the third book in the series with wonderful characters that have great chemistry, sincere and loving? Jenna is best friends of Eli older sister and is totally off limits to date for Eli. Jenna doesn’t date and Eli want to date Jenna. Wonderful setup for a story about romance between a little brother and older sister’s best friend. I received this book as an arc for an honest review of it.

[Dianna F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!

Jenna's idea of love was shaped by her parents divorce when she was young and has never tested the waters with falling in love. Eli grew up around Jenna since she is BFFs with his older sister. Eli is a cop who's fun loving and willing to fight for what he wants.

These two have amazing chemistry, lots of fun times and stolen moments together.

I loved this book and hope you do to.

[Tina Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read.

I love Eli and Jenna's story. An adorable book with a lot of heart. This is a story about a boy who loves a girl but the girl doesn't know how to love a boy. So maybe the the boy can teach her? Eli is an amazingly sweet guy ( and hot too) who refuses to give up on what could be. Jenna is a bit damaged and is afraid to hope she can have her secret dreams. Oh! Did I mention there's dogs?

[Isha Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh your heart off with the incredibly funny, always captivating, Kylie Gilmore. Sporting is an endearing battle of sexes that will easily run away with a heart. Eli and Jenna are on the brink of something wonderful. Amidst their foolish pride and scene stealing friends (both human and animal) there is always something delightful to behold.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet, fun and delightful story. The more you read in this series the more you fall in love with the characters. I loved the connection, the banter and sizzling chemistry. I love the connection they have with their fur babies. It’s an entertaining story that will leave you feeling lighthearted and happy. It’s a must read!

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sporting, the third book in Kylie Gilmore's Unleashed Romance series, is a fun, steamy story that will give you all the feels. Eli, with his pitbull, Lucy, and Jenna, with her disbelief in relationships, have a very bumpy ride to their happily ever after, but love wins in the end. I read it in one sitting, I was unable to put it down. Five Golden Stars

[Sharon Olesen-Macleod · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story up to a point but found Jenna really annoying!! I get she was collateral damage in the fallout from her parents divorce but seriously??? There comes a point when you have to take control and ownership of your own destiny!!! She eventually warriored up and grabbed what she wanted!!

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna and Eli's story was wonderful! Best friend's brother story. Jenna's baggage from her parents' acrimonious divorce won't let her have a relationship with anyone, let alone someone her BFF doesn't want her with. Eli has always been hung up on Jenna and can't move on. Sweet story with the dogs and wonderful characters and secondary characters. Can't wait to see who's next!