The Avid Book Collector: Book Review ~ WINNER TAKES ALL (Champion Valley #1) by Erin Kern *Release Day Blitz*

Winner Takes All

(Champion Valley #1)

by Erin Kern

On Sale: August 30, 2016

Publisher: Forever

Formats: Mass Market & eBook
Price: $6.99 USD (MM) / $6.99 USD (eBook)

Money. Fame. Endorsements. Blake Carpenter had it all—before his professional football career spiraled out of control. Determined to rebuild his life, he takes on coaching the high school team in his Colorado hometown. Despite a few fumbles, Blake knows he can lead these boys to victory. As long as he can keep his eyes on the prize and off the team's distractingly gorgeous physical therapist.

Annabelle Turner knows all about the scandal that cost Blake his NFL career, and she'll be damned if she's going to let his mistakes hurt her team. What she doesn't count on is the intense attraction that turns every heated run-in they have into a wildly erotic competition. Point by point, play by play, kiss by kiss, they try to keep things professional for the good of the team. But when the score is this close—and the passion this fierce—it's anybody's game...

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Winner Takes All is the first book in the Champion Valley series, and if this installment is any indication of the awesomeness that awaits us, then I positively will be on pins and needles until Back in the Game releases.

Erin Kern has an amazing talent of bringing her characters to life with exceptional writing, excellent attention to detail, and outstanding character development. Even for this reader, who has a strong diversion to football, I found myself routing for the team and most of all for Blake and Annabelle to finally get over their control issues and just let love happen. I really loved that there was a slow building to the couple's relationship - no instalove - just good old fashioned romance, which is something I believe we need more of in the book world. I thought that this story was more realistic than other books that I have read lately and I could relate to it more in terms of 'real life'.

Winner Takes All was beautifully written and the story flowed perfectly. With no cliffhanger and a happily ever after, this book was a great start to a new series and one that I would highly recommend!

4 stars

“I don’t like people interfering with my work, Ms. Turner,” Coach Blake Carpenter told her.

Gee, really?

“And I don’t like people telling me what to do,” he added.

Again. Shock.

“You’re used to having your way, aren’t you?” he asked Annabelle with a tilt of his head.

Always. “Sometimes,” she lied.

“Well, so am I,” he stated.

“No kidding? I never would have guessed.”

This time he did smile. A slow curling of his lips that matched the curling of her toes in. “So who do you think will win, Ms. Turner?”

“You might if you ever stop calling me that.”

He grin grew. “Why would I want to do that?”

Because it turns me on. “Because it’s too formal. Just call me Annabelle.”

“That’s not why you don’t like it,” he countered in a low voice.

They stared at each other like two caged fighters waiting for the other to wave the white flag. Only Annabelle didn’t give up, and she wasn’t about to start now. If Blake Carpenter expected her to admit defeat, he’d better think again.

Erin was born in Houston, TX. but spent the majority of her life in the Bay Area. She married her high school sweetheart and began her writing career while being a stay-at-home mom to her daughter.

Her first book, Looking for Trouble, was on the Amazon top 100 for four months, and on the indiereads.com top ten for four weeks. The second book in the Trouble series, Here Comes Trouble, was also a top seller on Amazon. Erin currently lives in North Texas with her husband and two children.