• Home
  • Book Review
  • Contest
  • Blog Tour
  • Sneak Peek
  • About

Romantic Reads and Such

~ Book Blogger & Reviewer

Romantic Reads and Such

Tag Archives: He's a Keeper

Review – He’s a Keeper

26 Thursday May 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, He's a Keeper, San Francisco Strikers, Stacy Travis

He’s a Keeper

San Francisco Strikers series

by Stacy Travis

Blurb:

Drunk-texting a grumpy soccer star?

Best worst decision of my life.

Especially when the player is the sinfully handsome, foul-mouthed Holden Sandersโ€ฆ my new library assistant.

The benched bad boy needed an image makeover, I needed to save my job, and his star status was just what the library ordered to raise awareness for our fundraising campaign. The press canโ€™t get enough of Mr. Growly reading to kids.

It’s win-win and completely platonic.

Until I need a shoulder to cry on after drowning my heartbreak in too many margaritas. I only typed that invitation to his brawny biceps and perfect pectorals for funโ€“I never meant to hit send. Holden isnโ€™t the kind of guy to care about tears and feelings, least of all mine. Heโ€™s made it clear good girls arenโ€™t his type.

But he shows upโ€“with his strapping shoulder, a box of tissues and a supersized bag of Doritos.

Thatโ€™s when I realize thereโ€™s more to him than meets the eye.

One soulful, smoldering mistake of a kiss has me craving more, and the heat between us quickly builds to a blaze neither of us can control.

But Iโ€™m not the only one guarding secrets, and Holdenโ€™s might push us to the breaking point.

Even if Iโ€™m surrounded by books, I know better than to believe in storybook endings.

And yet, I want to believe… Because I know he’s a keeper.

Fall in love today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uLFmcv

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/hesakeeper

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3jLdoqY

Nook: https://bit.ly/3KOpjAm

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3vpIqdq

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3kDHsoU

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Oe3AnA

*****

Excerpt:

โ€œMare, I had no idea what I was in for when you stormed out of the library that day, looking to kill me for skirting my parental responsibilities.โ€

She squints, then her expression turns wry. โ€œIโ€™d never kill a person.โ€ She tilts her head from side to side, considering. โ€œWell, unless you burned a book.โ€ 

Nodding, I kiss her softly. โ€œI respect that. And I want you to know you can trust me. I know people have left you behind in your past, but I hope you believe me when I tell you Iโ€™m not going anywhere. Iโ€™m here for you.โ€ As I say the words, I believe theyโ€™re true. If I move to England, I hope she loves me enough to come with me. Even if she hasnโ€™t said the words.

I donโ€™t know what Iโ€™m expecting. Maybe relief or acknowledgment that sheโ€™s not going anywhere either. I want to believe she feels the same way.

I donโ€™t expect her forehead to crease and her eyes to glisten with tears, which swell until they can no longer be contained and roll down her cheeks before she buries her face in my shoulder. 

Turning us to the side, I wrap her in my arms, as the flow of tears turns to quiet sobs. I smooth her hair and give her the outlet she needs, even though I feel guilty for making her cry.

With a sniff, she leans her head away and meets my gaze. Her wet eyes glisten above pink cheeks. I wipe a remaining tear away with the pad of my thumb and rub her back gently. 

โ€œIโ€™m sorry. I didnโ€™t mean to make you cry.โ€

โ€œYou didnโ€™t,โ€ she whispers, wiping her eyes. A moment later she laughs at the lie. โ€œIt was stuck inside me. You just let it out.โ€ She exhales, tucking the emotions away. 

โ€œYou okay?โ€ I want to tread carefully until I know where she is in her head. 

Nodding, she reaches for my cheek and cups the side of my face. โ€œThank you for saying that. Iโ€™d never ask that of you, but thank you. I love you. So much.โ€

Iโ€™ve been waiting to hear those words. For a moment, Iโ€™m convinced that everything between us can stay this easy. Weโ€™re both cautious, but we can cross each new line together. It feels powerful to be able to do that with her.

โ€œI know youโ€™d never ask. Thatโ€™s why I said it. I wanted you to know.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not going anywhere either.โ€

Iโ€™m struck by a foreign but welcome feeling, a realization that I canโ€™t go backward now. I canโ€™t be okay without her in my world. I need to tell her about the Premier League, but it can wait another day. She likes to live in the present. 

She loves me. 

Everything between us is still so fragile and new and good. I donโ€™t want anything to change us.

One more day wonโ€™t hurt.

*****

Review:

Either Molly works some magic on him or Holden isn’t as much of a grump as he pretends to be, because he’s pretty awesome, in a gruff and foul-mouthed kinda way. He wooed me just as much as he wooed her, every step of the way. And, though I’m surprised that Molly hadn’t found a way to address her problems up to this point, I’m happy that it brought these two together.

He’s a Keeper is definitely that – the characters are fun, their interactions are adorable (and hot), and it’s an easy read to a feel good ending. And while you can see the drama coming a mile away, I appreciate the way that Travis has them evaluate their feelings and come back together. It’s a satisfying HEA to a satisfying story and I’m definitely looking forward to what is coming up next with this series.

*****

Author Info:

Itโ€™s a rough world out there, and we all sometimes need a good, romantic beach read, even if we canโ€™t make it to the beach. Iโ€™ve spent many lazy days walking the streets of Paris and other gorgeous European cities, and if Iโ€™m doing it right, Iโ€™m bringing you a dash of romance and a vacay fantasy. 

I canโ€™t sit still, so when Iโ€™m not hiking, biking or running, Iโ€™m playing a very average game of tennis. Background music for writing undoubtedly features some U2, Lizzo, Billy Joel, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Led Zeppelin. Not necessarily in that order. And if I could only eat one food group, it would be cheese. Or wine. Or bread. Are those food groups? Whatever.

Connect with Stacy

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2UbPlWv

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2xdBd62

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Uw1bcD

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2QBKcEU

Stay up to date with Stacy by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2y6nYod

Website: https://stacytravis.com

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

FTC Disclaimer - see bottom of page for complete statement, but please be aware that in many cases I am provided a book to read. However my opinions are my own & no guarantee of positive review is given by any party.

Recent Posts

  • Review – Free Falling
  • Review – The Ultimate Goal
  • Spotlight – Kissing the Irish
  • Spotlight – Sterling Stone
  • Review – Sincerely, Mr. Braden
  • Spotlight – Falling for the Fake Lumberjack
  • Review – Just Don’t Call It Love
  • Review – Louis
  • Review – Protected from Villainy
  • Review – What It Takes
  • Review – Stealing His Thunder
  • Review – Rebound Control
  • Review – A Cowboy Holiday
  • Review – The Five Hole
  • Review – Colliding Hearts
  • Review – Cowboy Needed
  • Review – In a Heartbeat
  • Review – Worth the Fall
  • Review – Shattered
  • Review – Keeping Score
  • Review – Chasing Home
  • Review – Love It Or List It
  • Review – Boyfriend Without Benefits
  • Book Review – Persistent
  • Spotlight – Shattered
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Threads

Email me

romanticread@gmail.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Romantic Reads and Such on WordPress.com

Facebook

Facebook

Instagram

"Being a second chance romance, with a small town feel, thereโ€™s just so much to like with Free Falling." Full review at romanticread.com Worth the Wait by @kbromberg is now LIVE! ๐—ฆ๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜† ๐—ด๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—ต๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜† ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐—ฎ ๐—•๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ธ๐—น๐˜†๐—ป ๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜๐—ถ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฑ๐—ฒ! Letโ€™s celebrate the release of KISSING THE IRISH by @authorbrycequinn! Grab it in KU! Letโ€™s celebrate the release of STERLING STONE by @lbdunbarwrites! Grab it in KU! "What do you mean the MMC is a dirty talker in little nerdy glasses and quirky clothes, with a too big brain?" Full review at romanticread.com Letโ€™s celebrate the release of FALLING FOR THE FAKE LUMBERJACK by @saraneyauthor! Grab it in KU! ๐Ÿ”ฅEXCLUSIVE EARLY RELEASE ๐Ÿ”ฅ "From the the very first page, I was hooked. Goofiness mixed with heart is a hallmark of Nicholasโ€™s stories and she brings it in spades." Full review at romanticread.com

Goodreads

Archives

  • February 2026 (2)
  • January 2026 (11)
  • December 2025 (14)
  • November 2025 (12)
  • October 2025 (6)
  • September 2025 (12)
  • August 2025 (15)
  • July 2025 (22)
  • June 2025 (18)
  • May 2025 (10)
  • April 2025 (20)
  • March 2025 (21)
  • February 2025 (13)
  • January 2025 (17)
  • December 2024 (12)
  • November 2024 (14)
  • October 2024 (11)
  • September 2024 (7)
  • August 2024 (11)
  • July 2024 (8)
  • June 2024 (13)
  • May 2024 (13)
  • April 2024 (9)
  • March 2024 (17)
  • February 2024 (9)
  • January 2024 (11)
  • December 2023 (10)
  • November 2023 (15)
  • October 2023 (14)
  • September 2023 (13)
  • August 2023 (15)
  • July 2023 (11)
  • June 2023 (14)
  • May 2023 (12)
  • April 2023 (19)
  • March 2023 (17)
  • February 2023 (4)
  • January 2023 (6)
  • December 2022 (7)
  • November 2022 (11)
  • October 2022 (8)
  • September 2022 (12)
  • August 2022 (14)
  • July 2022 (17)
  • June 2022 (11)
  • May 2022 (16)
  • April 2022 (15)
  • March 2022 (13)
  • February 2022 (7)
  • January 2022 (17)
  • December 2021 (21)
  • November 2021 (12)
  • October 2021 (20)
  • September 2021 (14)
  • August 2021 (10)
  • July 2021 (7)
  • June 2021 (14)
  • May 2021 (23)
  • April 2021 (19)
  • March 2021 (21)
  • February 2021 (11)
  • January 2021 (14)
  • December 2020 (13)
  • November 2020 (13)
  • October 2020 (13)
  • September 2020 (5)
  • August 2020 (10)
  • July 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (13)
  • May 2020 (11)
  • April 2020 (12)
  • March 2020 (14)
  • February 2020 (11)
  • January 2020 (10)
  • December 2019 (5)
  • November 2019 (10)
  • October 2019 (12)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (18)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (16)
  • March 2019 (20)
  • February 2019 (19)
  • January 2019 (14)
  • December 2018 (12)
  • November 2018 (18)
  • October 2018 (22)
  • September 2018 (20)
  • August 2018 (17)
  • July 2018 (15)
  • June 2018 (21)
  • May 2018 (16)
  • April 2018 (21)
  • March 2018 (20)
  • February 2018 (21)
  • January 2018 (22)
  • December 2017 (21)
  • November 2017 (19)
  • October 2017 (25)
  • September 2017 (22)
  • August 2017 (21)
  • July 2017 (21)
  • June 2017 (29)
  • May 2017 (29)
  • April 2017 (23)
  • March 2017 (25)
  • February 2017 (23)
  • January 2017 (22)
  • December 2016 (22)
  • November 2016 (27)
  • October 2016 (28)
  • September 2016 (20)
  • August 2016 (23)
  • July 2016 (21)
  • June 2016 (24)
  • May 2016 (26)
  • April 2016 (25)
  • March 2016 (24)
  • February 2016 (39)
  • January 2016 (24)
  • December 2015 (25)
  • November 2015 (27)
  • October 2015 (27)
  • September 2015 (27)
  • August 2015 (36)
  • July 2015 (31)
  • June 2015 (21)
  • May 2015 (24)
  • April 2015 (30)
  • March 2015 (30)
  • February 2015 (26)
  • January 2015 (22)
  • December 2014 (21)
  • November 2014 (32)
  • October 2014 (34)
  • September 2014 (28)
  • August 2014 (34)
  • July 2014 (45)
  • June 2014 (44)
  • May 2014 (44)
  • April 2014 (38)
  • March 2014 (42)
  • February 2014 (38)
  • January 2014 (36)
  • December 2013 (32)
  • November 2013 (35)
  • October 2013 (33)
  • September 2013 (24)
  • August 2013 (19)
  • July 2013 (20)
  • June 2013 (18)
  • May 2013 (19)
  • April 2013 (19)
  • March 2013 (22)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (17)
  • December 2012 (8)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (11)
  • August 2012 (13)
  • July 2012 (3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

FTC Disclaimer

I have received ARCs of books free from NetGalley (and many moons ago from BookTrib.com) to review but the majority of the stories are either bought by me or provided for free from the publisher, author, or PR company. The opinions I share are my own and in no way are influenced by an author or publisher. There is no promise of a positive review by any party and there is no additional compensation. Unless otherwise noted, I am not affiliated with any contest or other event mentioned on this blog and I do not receive a paid endorsement for any post.

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Join 604 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d