Series: Prescott University #1
Author: Maren Moore
Published August 12th 2025 by Forever
Goodreads Synopsis
She’s All That meets She’s the Man in this New Adult sports romance about a British bad boy rugby player who’s forced to start over in America and finds an unlikely ally in the coach’s daughter when she offers him a deal he can’t resist.
Leaving it all on the field is one thing. Giving his all to love? Terrifying.
British bad boy Cillian “Kill” Cairney is ruthless on the rugby pitch. After getting a permanent red card from his team in London, the only team that will have him is an Ivy League school in New Hampshire. But the guys hate him, his coach doesn’t trust him, and worst of all? His starting position is in the hands of his coach’s fiery, rugby-obsessed, very off-limits daughter. Not only does he have to earn his coach’s respect, but Kill has to earn Rory’s—and nothing has ever seemed more difficult. That is, until she approaches him with a proposition that could benefit them both . . .
Rory St. James has spent all her life immersed in rugby. Which is . . . part of the problem. She’s tired of being friend-zoned. She wants to get the guy, and to do that, she needs the frustratingly charming Cillian to teach her. But the more time they spend together, the more lines begin to blur. In a game where trust and loyalty are tested, who will be the winner? Or will love be the final red card?
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
After taking his bad boy persona a little bit too far back in London, Cillian 'Kill' Cairney last hope is making it on the rugby team at Prescott University in New Hampshire. However, the rest of the team don't like the fact that he's just walked in and ruined their dynamic, and Cillian's only hope is Rory St James, the daughter of the head coach, and unofficial equipment manager. Rory has a solid friendship with the team, and they trust her and her decisions. So as the two get close, it's harder for them to stay just in the friend zone, without blurring any lines.
This was such a great sports romance! Cillian and Rory had the best chemistry - the scenes where Rory is 'practising' her flirting just showed how great they could be together. Because she had been around rugby her entire life, she's seen as one of the boys and has next to no experience with dating. When she crashes and burns flirting at a party that Cillian is at, she impulsively asks him for help, in return for her helping him connect with the rest of the team. I thought it would be cringy to see, but it was completely perfect for the pair. They started to become really close friends, which was a perfect basis for their relationship. The fact that both fell so hard for each other, and basically skipped the awkward stage in a relationship was so on brand for them. I will say I hated the conflict that appeared towards the end of the story, but the resolution was worth all the hurt and pain. A great start to a series I definitely will be continuing.
Dates Read:
August 18-20, 2025
Rating
4 Stars
