Quarterback Draw (Play by Play, #9) by Jaci Burton
Romance Contemporary/Sports
E book, 336 Pages
Berkley
February 3, 2015

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “Any sparks? On your side, I mean. Grant would have to be dead not to be attracted to you. For goodness sakes, I’m attracted to you and I’m totally heterosexual.”

Grant Cassidy is the star quarterback for the St. Louis Traders. Sexy and single, His winning smile, hot body, and confident attitude on and off the field gets him all the girls and he’s not complaining. Not looking for love, a promotional gig with gorgeous supermodel Katrina Korsova knocks him on his butt. Suddenly he finds himself chasing the elusive model, just wanting to spend some time getting to know her.

Katrina Kosova may seem like a typical model-social butterfly, underneath her eye popping exterior lies a very determined independent woman who has spent the last ten years working hard and taking care of her younger siblings. She doesn’t have time for a social life, especially a man whose only responsibility seem to be getting to the field on time to play.

With their combustible chemistry sparking every time they are near each other, Grant slowly instigates himself into Katrina’s life, showing Katrina that it’s not irresponsible to take some time for herself. Katrina is scared that Grant will take over her life, leaving her with nothing when he leaves but Grant is determined to prove to her that he is serious about her, her siblings, and building a life with her forever.

As always, I first like to pay homage to the delicious cover model that graces this installment. Burton always has the best covers and this one, in my opinion, is one of her better ones. Holy mac & cheese…the hawtness factor is 10 plus. ZOMG

Now on to the review.

Quarterback Draw is adorable. Simply adorable. Very low key on the conflict scale, Burton builds a deliciously sexy, humorous, and soft romance that pits a fun loving family oriented man with a suspicious woman who was forced into adulthood far to early. Following the predictable plotline of this story, we already know what will happen; the appeal of the story is how Burton will get us there. Well written with strong character dynamics and a smooth flowing storyline, I enjoyed meeting the protagonists and their fun, outrageous family members.  Delightfully quirky and wonderfully flawed, all have a vein of realism running through them, reacting and engaging the same as we might.

Grant Cassidy is adorable. I know I’m saying this a lot in this review but he really is. Sweet, funny, handsome, intelligent, and just enough alpha to be interesting without being offensive. He seems to have found the perfect balance between work and play, allowing him to start a relationship with nothing prohibiting him from being 100% committed. Though he wasn’t looking for a relationship, he is open to forming one when he meets Katrina. Her beauty catches his interest but her personality and firm professional dedication to work and her family keeps it.

Damn. There was something about her eyes. He liked women just fine, and always had a good time with them. He had a few relationships that had lasted a while and had ended amicably. But not one woman had ever shocked him with the same spark he felt with Katrina.

Katrina Kosova hasn’t had it easy. Abandoned by her father and left alone with two siblings when her mother passed away, Katrina started modeling at seventeen in order to provide a stable home for her brother and sister. She hasn’t had time to really date or do the things most women her age are or have done. Beautiful, intelligent, and down to earth, she meshes well with the exuberant Grant. She tries to resist him but he bowls her over and soon she finds herself having a good time with him regardless of her hesitation.

“I had a nice time. Thanks”
“That was probably painful for you to say.”
[…]
“I never said I didn’t like you.”
“So you do like me.”
“I didn’t say that either.”

The romance starts slow, giving Grant and Katrina the time to get to know one another and see if something exists beyond their instant chemistry that zaps and zings between them. One aspect of Burton’s writing I always enjoy is her celebration of her couple’s sexuality. No fat or slut shaming in here. The “amorous congress” (I heard this expression last weekend and LOVE IT) is always consensual, mutually encouraged, and is never used to cure some past trauma.  The physical scenes seem to be edging back into the racy and erotic which I admit to missing in the last few books.

Grant is a perfect gentleman out of bed but likes to get a little dirty and domineering in bed. Katrina, the  lucky lucky woman, may not be as experienced but she is more than game to sample everything Grant can give her.

Oh that body. She felt every inch of it aligned with hers, and she wanted so much more.She dropped her bag and held onto his shirt, felt the mad wild beat of his heart against her hand as he pressed the kiss deeper, his tongue sliding against hers. She wanted to straddle him, to rock her center against his, to massage the thrumming ache he brought to life. That ache roared with demand and it wouldn’t be denied. She wanted to beg him to push open her door and get her naked, then lick her all over until she came a hundred times.

Whew! And that was just a kiss goodbye.

Dynamic secondary characters add humor and spice to the storyline, giving our lovers advice and a few nudges in the right direction. The Cassidys are very similar to the Rileys (the main family of the series) in that they are extremely sports and family oriented, however, the Cassidys don’t have the same dicey undertones. The Rileys had internal and external issues that needed airing out while the Cassidys seem more of a harmonious family unit. Grant’s brothers are hilarious and I love the texts they send him after a game. lol

Katrina’s brother and sister, Leo and Anya, are your average excitable teenagers who want the world for Katrina and strive to help Grant ease her out of her protective shell. Having raised them by  herself for all intents and purposes, Katrina is extremely protective of them and having them meet Grant scares her.

“Grant Cassidy is coming here tomorrow? Cool.”
“I can’t believe you did that. Now I will have to call and cancel.”
“Why? Is he a dick?”
“No, he’s not. And don’t say dick.”
So, if he’s not a dick…”
“Anya, come one.”
“Okay. So, if you don’t dislike him, then you like him.”
“I didn’t say that either.”
“He has your phone number. And he seemed like a pretty cool guy.”
“Based on what? A five minute phone conversation?”
“More like three minutes, actually. But, he’s taking us out tomorrow. And we’re going. You don’t want to be rude and call him back now and cancel. Then you’d be a dick.”
“Oh my God. I don’t know what to do with the two of you.”

There is much love in both families and Burton melds them together with nary a flaw or upset. As stated earlier, the story is fairly predictable, with a majority of the focus on the blossoming romance and Katrina’s abandonment and independence issues. Grant uses himself and his family to show her that she can have it all if she is willing to let go of her fears.

This series continues to entertain and I recommend it to everyone who wants an erotic romantic contemporary series with realistic characters, emotional romances, strong friendships, and interesting lives that will keep you waiting for each installment. Even though each book in the series can be read as a standalone; some characters and situations bleed over.

RATING: B

Prior Jaci Burton Reviews

Recent Reviews:
Under the Covers (Annie)
Stuck In Books
Open Book Society

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