Terri Dickey
Audio Review I really enjoyed this book for so many reasons. This is a really slow burn that takes years for our couple to find each other. Harlan is an adorably sweet man with all the hot male muscles and football hero deliciousness. Beyond his charm and hotness though is a man any woman would love to have. He is a terrific dad, he can bake pies, he has the patience of a saint and he can carry a woman fireman style upstairs. Now for Katie, our cute yoga princess that just can't seem to get it right in the love department, my heart broke for her. Katie just couldn't seem to catch a break with cupid and Harlan. They just kept having near romances, so close yet so far away encounters. When fate threw them back together I was so happy for her. Katie deserved a happily ever after especially with a mother like she has. I loved that she moved past her previous hurts and came out the other side stronger and more determined to take what she wants. There are great supporting characters and it is a great story. I loved it. This book shows us not only to never give up on love but also that we need to separate ourselves from toxic people in our lives, even if they are family. Zachary Webber and Erin Mallon are fantastic narrating this book. I enjoyed listening to both of them from start to finish.
Jackie Wright
Lauren Blakely is a go too author for me and the reason for that is I know every book of hers I pick up I’m going to be entertained and I’m going to find characters I won’t forget in a hurry. A Wild Card Kiss is a very special read that captivated me from the first page and stayed with me long after the final words had been read. Katie and Harlan’s story is heartwarming and entertaining and I recommend it to every romance lover. Katie was due to be walking down the aisle not walking in on her mother cheating with the man she was due to marry in a hour so she does what any bride would do she runs. What follows is Katie running into Harlan she knows from a brief fling, it was their time then so has fate given them a second chance and will single dad Harlan take a chance on love when up until now his adorable daughter Abby has been the only female in his life. This couple have really stolen my heart, I fell hard and fast for Harlan and Katie but I have to say the adorable Abby at times stole the show with her classic one liners only a child can deliver. This beautifully, heartfelt romance is a very special read, with wonderful character and plenty of love and witty banter. A Wild Card Kiss will appeal to a wide range of audiences and I urge you all to one click this gem of a read.
Sandy S.
A WILD CARD KISS is the first instalment in Lauren Blakely’s contemporary, adult HAPPY ENDINGS erotic romance series. This is thirty-six year old professional football player for the San Francisco Renegades Harlan Taylor, and thirty-five year old, yoga instructor/studio brand owner Katie Madigan’s story line. NOTE: There is a prequel novella-WILD CARD NIGHT -that takes place approximately seven years earlier but the prequel is also a part of the current release so there should be no confusion. Told from dual first person perspectives (Harlan and Katie) following two timelines, A WILD CARD KISS focuses on the building romance and relationship between thirty-six year old professional football player, running back turned receiver, Harlan Taylor, and yoga instructor/studio brand owner Katie Madigan. Approximately seven years earlier, Katie Madigan and Harlan Taylor met through mutual friends at a stranger’s wedding, and agreed to meet up again days later but Katie finds herself on the move with her burgeoning career, and loses all contact with our story line hero. Fast forward to present day wherein Harlan, now a single father, finds a familiar face in a jilted bride, a bride who, just hours before, discovered her groom in a compromising position with someone she knew. Still dressed in her gown, Katie and Harlan spend a night on the town, promising to meet up again when Katie has had time to figure out her next move. Another four months will pass before Katie is ready to move forward but like all the times before something or someone keeps putting the brakes on for our story line couple. Working as the yoga instructor for the San Francisco Renegades means Harlan Taylor is probably off limits but our couple find it increasingly difficult to fight their attraction, until an agreed upon deadline, at the end of the season. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Harlan and Katie, and the potential fall-out if their behind the scenes affair threatens Katie’s contract with San Francisco Renegades. Katie Madigan watched from the sidelines as her parent’s marriage imploded, and with the demise of her relationship feared heading in the same direction but a deep betrayal meant Katie had to start anew, and starting over with the man who continues to star in her fantasies and dreams. Harlan Taylor never forgot about the ‘one’ who got away but Harlan is now a single father whose football career has placed him at the top of the world. Reuniting with Katie Madigan gives Harlan hope for a second chance but fate keeps interfering with our couple’s future. The relationship between Katie and Harlan begins as a one-night stand seven years earlier but a promise for more is quickly dashed when Katie has an opportunity to kick-start her future. Finding Harlan again, at one of the lowest points in her life, gave Katie hopes for her own happily ever after but timing is everything, and the stars were, once again, never properly aligned. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense. We are introduced to Katie’s business partner and sister Olive, and their VP of business development Zachary; her friends Skyler, Emerson and Jillian; Harlan’s daughter Abby and her mother Danielle, and his teammates Cooper, Jason,and Shane. Emerson’s story line is next. A WILD CARD KISS is a story of family and betrayal, heart break and pain, second chances and love, moving forward and renewal. The premise is captivating and romantic; the romance is seductive and intense; the characters are dynamic, energetic, and determined.
