Alexandra Warren

This book is actually a reread for me. I picked it up when it was released; I obviously was side-tracked before posting a review. I chose to revisit it this week when the author, Alexandra Warren, announced it would be leaving the Kindle Unlimited library.

In His Corner features Bella Stevenson, a staff writer for the online magazine Fullest Disclosure. Her attempts to write her way up the ranks land her at the latest boxing match of Princeton “The Prince” Lattimore, an undefeated boxer whose flirtatious innuendo gets under her skin. Lucky for her, his interest in her opens the door for an exclusive that she can’t turn down.

Bella and Prince’s relationship isn’t quite a fairy tale. While their attraction is hot and they’re almost effortlessly compatible, they have to fight for their relationship on several fronts. Prince owes his career — for better or worse — to his father, formidable boxing legend Sir Kingfield “The King” Lattimore. The two have a complicated relationship due to The King’s high expectations that Prince follows in his footsteps and tough love approach. The effects of this strained relationship cause continued issues when King turns that tough love is on Bella and questions her motives with Prince. Bella, on the other hand, is struggling to find her footing once she’s unceremoniously fired from her job, likely a result of an ill-advised fling with a coworker. On top of that, Prince generally has a way of throwing caution to the wind with Bella, where her tentative ways are often at odds with his plans for their future.

As always, a supporting cast makes this read enjoyable and the plot come together. Bella’s friend Gina is something of a devil on her shoulder, always encouraging her to lean into recklessness a little bit. Prince’s play cousins Brandin and Little Tony are nearly the same, perhaps almost to a problematic level. Nonetheless, they all balance their fun with wisdom that helps keep Bella and Prince on track. It wouldn’t be right not to have a villain, and in this case, there are at least three; some are redeemable, a few are clearly not worth the effort.

I appreciated this book more the second time around. While I read it almost three years ago, I found myself still resonating with the points I highlighted during my first read, and found a few more to add. Bella and Prince’s relationship, while atypical given his celebrity status, highlights typical issues that most couples face — family trauma, insecurity, career choices, and the like. In His Corner held up over time, and for that I recommend it.… (mere)

Alexandra Warren is back with a great (and anticipated) return to the Tennessee Trojans’ saga. Instead of centering two players, On the Rebound features Trojans’ Kage Steele and Bleu Taylor, a sports reporter with a budding show of her own. Kage is entering his second season and has the pressure of proving he’s still worth the trouble he caused the previous season. Bleu has a key rule for herself – don’t date active athletes. So while her current bae is a former baller turned sports commentator, that was only possible once he retired. When things go left in her relationship, Kage turns the dial up on his pursuit, hoping to be a redeemable exception to Bleu’s rule.

To be fair, Kage isn’t a complete sleaze. He’s actually a pretty decent friend to Bleu as she navigates some of the complications dropped into her lap by other people’s recklessness. But the fact that the two aren’t as unacquainted as Bleu would like to think means that they have an obvious chemistry to dance around. The drama factor in the book is more than evident. Between Bleu’s relationship troubles and Kage’s abundance of willing attention from other women, there’s plenty of tension to get in the way of the two exploring anything.

In keeping with the times, On the Rebound takes place right as the COVID pandemic hits the U.S. Bleu and Kage aren’t immune to the restrictions, so it was quite entertaining to see them adjust to the new considerations for their health and safety.

Bleu is a character who deserved the shine, not just for who she is, but what she faces in her career. As a woman sports journalist, she’s constantly challenged and trolled for who she is, what she does in her personal life, and what people perceive about her. She’s attractive, so people only tune in for her good looks rather than her substantive interviews and commentary. She’s dating a former athlete, so anything that looks friendly during an interview must be an indication that she’s sleeping with another. Her need to maintain a reputation that other people find palatable is an ever-present consideration, and the double-standard she faces that men in her field don’t is something that’s not addressed frequently enough. I appreciated that Warren made the effort to explore the hypocrisy in this story without trivializing it.

On the Rebound was a funny and light read for me, which was more than welcome. Bleu and Kage have a flirty and playful rapport with each other, even outside of (and perhaps in spite of) their attraction. Additionally, the peripheral characters, some of whom are recurring in this series, offer the same levity. This played well with the more heavy aspects of the story. It easily gets my recommendation.… (mere)