adagetsliterary's review
4.0
Well, the pro-sport romance era continues. “Pick Six” was a steamy, angsty, super well-done football romance from Maggie Rawdon.
Alexander (aka Xander aka XXL) Xavier has a bad boy rep. Harper is a recently-divorced museum curator. Years ago, Xander and Harper developed a connection during a night together but didn’t pursue it because they wanted different things. Now, Harper’s marriage to Drew (by coincidence, Xander’s best friend and agent) is over and the she reconnects with Xander at an event one night. They find themselves in a predicament where they have to fake date to save both their reps.
This book was angsty and super steamy. Xander is a typical Maggie man - protective with a fabulously dirty mouth. Harper was also a great FMC - strong, self-determined, and didn’t take crap from people. Plus there was A+ communication in this! AND there’s more to come from the Seattle Phantom NFL team (book 2 is out in July)!
Alexander (aka Xander aka XXL) Xavier has a bad boy rep. Harper is a recently-divorced museum curator. Years ago, Xander and Harper developed a connection during a night together but didn’t pursue it because they wanted different things. Now, Harper’s marriage to Drew (by coincidence, Xander’s best friend and agent) is over and the she reconnects with Xander at an event one night. They find themselves in a predicament where they have to fake date to save both their reps.
This book was angsty and super steamy. Xander is a typical Maggie man - protective with a fabulously dirty mouth. Harper was also a great FMC - strong, self-determined, and didn’t take crap from people. Plus there was A+ communication in this! AND there’s more to come from the Seattle Phantom NFL team (book 2 is out in July)!
artbookshelf's review
5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one shocked me by how good it was! I loved the new take on second chance romance with a twist! And the spice? Whew
This one shocked me by how good it was! I loved the new take on second chance romance with a twist! And the spice? Whew
calleighstone's review
5.0
Alex and Harper are….i don’t have words. The character building and storyline of their love was just too much to handle honestly. I was wrecked after this book and had to go over to the other football series because my heart needed some time…read this book. I promise it will break and mend your heart in under 400 pages.
laurendagley's review against another edition
This wasn’t my favorite of Maggie Rawdon’s books - while I liked the premise & the characters just fine, the story didn’t flow for me. It felt like most of the chapters ended abruptly which made it awkward.
ashleytwolfe's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lpotthoff's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jsromancebookblog's review
5.0
Rawdon has quickly become one of my hands-down favorite sports romance writers and Pick Six is a prime example of why: it’s spicy but clever and will make you swoon. Alex and Harper’s story begins with her being newly divorced from his best friend and at a party surrounded by not only people from her world in art but his teammates, too. One of the players gets a bit too much, and there’s an incident that essentially forces Alex and Harper to pretend they’re actually together. However, their story really began years before Harper and her ex had even met (read the novella Defensive End for their meeting), and things were never really as platonic as they appeared on the outside. One thing leads to another, and things become more than what their original agreement was, but can these two move forward when the past haunts their future?
Gah! I adore Alex! He’s this tough football player but with untamed emotions, and the way he cares about Harper with such ferocity is seriously sweet. He’s pined for so long, and witnessing how it all transpires is just so good. And Harper is a doll. She’s cute and smart but sort of unwittingly naïve in some respects, and I totally needed her to find her true happiness. Add in their chemistry, and oh my my my…yes to these two. Just yes.
Plus, I love how this story develops. I enjoyed the novella and got a good look at the foundation for these two, but when this book picks up years later the transition feels just right and lends to the angst factor. I’m a huge fan of when love can’t be easy, and Alex and Harper’s romance is not at all a simple affair.
This is another fantastic football romance from Rawdon, and if you love sports romances like I do then you need this one in your life. This is the first book in the series, and I’m excited about where it’ll go from here.
Gah! I adore Alex! He’s this tough football player but with untamed emotions, and the way he cares about Harper with such ferocity is seriously sweet. He’s pined for so long, and witnessing how it all transpires is just so good. And Harper is a doll. She’s cute and smart but sort of unwittingly naïve in some respects, and I totally needed her to find her true happiness. Add in their chemistry, and oh my my my…yes to these two. Just yes.
Plus, I love how this story develops. I enjoyed the novella and got a good look at the foundation for these two, but when this book picks up years later the transition feels just right and lends to the angst factor. I’m a huge fan of when love can’t be easy, and Alex and Harper’s romance is not at all a simple affair.
This is another fantastic football romance from Rawdon, and if you love sports romances like I do then you need this one in your life. This is the first book in the series, and I’m excited about where it’ll go from here.
abicaro17's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Alex and Harper are so adorable! I love a book boyfriend who's obsessed with her! I'm glad this book didn't end in a miscommunication (that's where I thought we were headed) but i'm not sure I love the alternative either. I think a couple plot points didn't make sense (90% of the third act stuff, legacy politics?, the divorce timeline etc.) but overall it was cute enough I didn't really care.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Classism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, and Sexual harassment
mars_beautiful's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0