This was a very quick read. I actually finished it in two days. Unfortunately, I did not like this at all. I haven't read romance in quite some time, but this one reminded me very strongly of the type that were released in the 90's and early 2000's. The women were overly catty and out to get the heroine. There was too much attempted rape with the hero always around to save her. Marlee could be a national statistic on her own. I did like her though. I thought she was well written, I understood her viewpoint. The same cannot be said for Gavin. He was such a cipher. The author did very little to flesh him out or make him an interesting character in his own right. I honestly don't know what she saw in him other than he wasn't her cheating ex.

The last sports related romance I read was by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. This was way back in the day. It's interesting that those fair much better than this one. Intercepted has way too many archaic romance tropes. The author should have made an effort to modernize her story. Of course, when she did, it failed badly. Those hastags were incredibly overused and annoying. People don't think that way or speak that way. Every time Marlee popped out another one I wanted to scream.

If I am going to jump back into the romance genre, I am pretty sure there are better books out there.

i read this book in one sitting - i really enjoyed it. i went into it no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. warning, a bit spoilery!

i agree with another reviewer that the summary gives away too much - i'm glad i read it when i requested the book and promptly forgot the details except for sports romance with a breakup and previous one night stand. because if i'd read the summary again right before i read the book, i would have been annoyed and bored, knowing what was coming. as it was, i was shocked when appropriate.

it was funny and sexy, though a little bit oddly paced. the Chris thing stretches out a bit longer than I'd like at the beginning, I really couldn't wrap my head around why Marlee was with him when he treated her so bad. Then that blows up and Gavin comes along. I expected more of a chase or the 'wait I'm not ready for a relationship', even though a bit of time passes it does seem a bit soon after getting out of a long term relationship. yes, i realise this is a problem later on and why she does what she does, i guess i thought it was odd that's all. Also, the end with chris was unnecessary and unrealistic.

Continuing on with the pacing thing, it didn't flow as well as I would have liked. weeks/months go by in a sentence and I'm like, wait, slow down. I think we missed some of the fun falling in love stuff, which sucked. There were a lot of conflicts, possibly too many. The mean girls got a bit old. I think Madison could have been enough, though the whole Courtney thing was funny at the beginning, but the sister too and the southern girl that is nice in the beginning... It was just a lot. I don't know.

I loved Brynn and Naomi of course. They were fantastic side characters. The hashtags got old super fast. I thought it was funny at first but then just became grating. Especially at really dramatic points - 'he made this huge decision without telling me' #personalfoul. like wtf? i tried to ignore them but they just stood out. They might have been less annoying if there weren't so many, or weren't used when they shouldn't have been.

Gavin was fantastic and amazing. The thing he does at the end seemed a little out of character if I'm being honest, not consistent with what we'd seen so far. That was a bit of a bummer. Other than that, I adored him.

Marlee was a fabulous character as well. They were both really realistic and well developed. Now all this complaining and it sounds like I hated it - not at all! I really debated on giving it 5 stars but the things I mentioned above are what knocked it to a 4 star for me. But it had a lot going for it. As I mentioned, I loved all the characters. The writing was overall very good. I laughed several times and it was adorable with the right dash of sexy. Like I said, I read it in one sitting and I rarely do that if I hate the book. the epilogue was gah, so adorable. LOVE. I definitely recommend this one and will 100% read more from this author.

While the hashtags throughout the book were cheesy the plot was not. A sports romance that can hang. There was drama, gossip, juicy scenes this book has something for everything. Where can I find a Gavin Pope?

I loved it,it was so good!It has drama,it was fun and the romance was cute!Such a nice surprise from a new author to me!I have to admit from the moment I read the synopsis I couldn't wait to read it!

Gavin is the perfect hero, protective,swoon worthy and sexy!Marlee is fantastic, I liked her, she is so funny!I could easily relate with her!I loved that she is so down to earth and not like the other girls!I love the relationship between Marlee and Gavin!The are sweet and cute, they make me smile most of the time.

"'You just complimented me while yelling at me. Now I don't know if we're still fighting or if I get to kiss you yet."

I love the writing it was refreshing and easy to read!I'm excited to read more books from Alexa Martin, I still can't believe it's her first book!

Fair warning if you haven't already: Do NOT read the summary of this book, because it pretty much gives everything away. *sad face* I was disappointed by that, but otherwise I enjoyed this story immensely! Alexa Martin brought a fantastic sense of humor to this romance, and it made it extremely difficult to put down! I look forward to reading other works from this author (I see there's another one coming next year!) and seeing how her stories continue!

<b>3.75 - 4 Stars</b>

This is Alexa Martin's debut novel and what a debut it is.

I really enjoyed her writing style, her characters, and her sense of humor.

I'm not going to rehash the blurb or story line at length; however, the main character (Marlee) is a longtime NFL girlfriend in a sea of NFL wives and, because Martin herself is a former NFL wife (her husband is retired), I felt like we were getting a backstage pass to one of those players' wives TV shows - with none of the cameras, but ALL the drama.

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Part of me hopes that they aren't all really <i>this</i> heinous - and I'm sure some of the snark was dramatized for the story - but another part of me realizes some of the shit Marlee dealt with probably legit goes down.

I mean, we have all seen some of those wife interviews/comments in which they say, "Well, we WE got traded," or "when WE started with [insert team name], blah, blah, blah..."

I always think to myself, I don't see WE out there with the football, lady.

But alas, I'm letting my jealously show...if only we could ALL be wives who lunch.

Or whatever it is that rich, <s>surgically</s> genetically gifted trophy wives do with their free time.

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But I digress.

Back to the story.

Shit goes down, obviously, and Marlee is forced to...reassess her life circumstances a bit.

Insert romance.

I really liked the H here, although some of his actions in the end didn't feel like they jived with who he was up until that point.

Also, there was a LOT of fabricated OTT drama here, a little bit of funny hashtag insertion overkill as well..and let's just say the steamy times need some work; but all in all, this was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to more from Martin.

This as a debut novel bodes for a promising career.

Well well what a gem Intercepted turned out to be! Oh my goodness, I need a Marlee and Naomi in my life right this minute. Marlee was #Awesome. Speaking of I loved the use of hashtags in this book. First off I want to speak on Marlee. She was this down to earth woman who despite being a wag did not let that go to her head. She was pretentious and snooty. She was just there to support her man and enjoy the game. I loved her sass and in all she was just an awesome heroine. Now on the Gavin with his bad self. He was a dream, I mean he was humble in this cutthroat career. He didn't think he was better than anybody, he was sweeter than sugar, and the love he had for Marlee was so so beautiful. There is more that goes on with the other wags but I won't get into. It's best left to experience it for yourself. The words were poignant and I enjoyed the journey with Marlee and Gavin.
"It's just that with him, next to him everything shines brighter".
That right there folks was my favorite line in the whole book! You all have got to read this!!

Alexa did a phenomenal job on this debut and I can't wait to read what she has in store for us next.

Arc provided by Netgalley for an honest review

I'm just going to make this review short and sweet. Intercepted is the debut novel from author Alexa Martin and I gotta tell you, when I first heard about this book, I couldn't get over all the buzz over it. I knew I had to take a look at it. I had to read the synopsis. I had to get my hands on this book. And for me, this book was totally worth the wait. It is a great debut novel. The story was fun and engaging. I found it to be refreshing and loved this author's take on a sports romance. I loved that it wasn't your typical sports romance, but that it gave you a more behind the scenes look at things. 

Intercepted is a fast paced read with terrific flow. The characters hooked me right away and kept me on my toes. From laughs to drama to romance and great chemistry, this book had it all. Intercepted is a great read to spend the day getting lost in. It's fun. It's easy. And it will leave you with a smile on your face. For me, Intercepted was worth all the hype and has me really excited to see what fun stories this author has in store for us next.

Intercepted is the debut book by Alexa Martin... and boy does she deliver a great story. Marlee is developed really well and is a strong female lead that doesn't take anything from anyone. Not only is this a romance, it is also about a strong woman who has lost herself and is on a journey to reclaim her freedom and sense of self. I can't wait to read more of Martin's books.

This is a fun romance, featuring a diverse cast that is usually lacking in contemporary romances. It was a delight to read and I look forward to recommending the book to patrons at my library.

I really enjoyed this romance! Needs to be a movie, ASAP. Actually, every romance I've read from Berkley has been a true delight. I hope to read more from Alexa Martin!

Marlee, the female protagonist, is struggling to find herself as she recovers from dumping her hotshot NFL football wide receiver boyfriend-slash-high school sweetheart after finding incriminating evidence of his cheating ways. Enter Gavin: the popular, incredibly talented, and immensely good-looking new quarterback. Having shared a mind-blowing one-night stand four years ago that neither could forget or replicate with anyone else, Gavin seizes his opportunity at a second chance to not let Marlee get away again. While Marlee is embarrassed by lots of negative press, an ex-boyfriend who can only be described as a pompous (insert favorite swear word here), and people clamoring for Gavin's attention, he is determined to win her over to get their happily-ever-after. Gavin is the epitome of confidence: he knows who he is, what his place is in the world, and that Marlee is the only woman for him. It's up to Marlee to figure out herself and her life, and whether Gavin can be a part of it.

Intercepted by Alexa Martin was a fun read that I devoured in about a day. I loved all of the characters, even if they seemed a bit cliche at types, and how they all interacted with one another. Gavin is the quintessential knight-in-shining-armor, which is honestly what I prefer in romantic male leads. Seemingly, his only flaw (literally ONLY) is that he tends to step in and "fix" problems for Marlee instead of letting her fight her own battles, something he doesn't necessarily learn from as the novel progresses. Marlee, on the other hand, is the damsel in distress more times than I can count. However, she does stand up for herself in each and every situation, refusing to always let Gavin "save the day". She was already a strong person before having Gavin's support, and that doesn't change even when she turns to him for help. I really enjoyed their chemistry, Marlee's "tough chick" personality, and Gavin's chivalrous nature. Intercepted is definitely one of my favorite contemporary sport romance novels.

***ARC received for an honest review***

<b>"'You just complimented me while yelling at me. Now I don't know if we're still fighting or if I get to kiss you yet."</b>

I'm vacillating between a 4 and 5 star read. For now we're gonna leave it at 5. I'll adjust in the future if it's necessary.

I felt the writing style was different than anything I've read. Fun without being over the top. And the problems felt like real problems - a little zany but realistically handled. Marlee was such an admirable heroine, and Gavin was total heart-eyes.

Marlee, with her crap boyfriend, is surrounded by a crap group of football wives. And then her boyfriend is gone and Gavin is there. The timing is awful and Marlee tries to resist Gavin, but he is irresistible...until he isn't. Homeboy messes up, and messes up big. I loved their problems, and more than anything I loved how they handled them. And then there's the fact that Marlee just got out of a relationship - should she really be in another one?

I don't think I've ever wanted to be friends with a character as much as I want to be friends with Marlee. From her hashtags to her margaritas to her tellin the truth when it needed to be told. She was a cool chick with her head on straight in a world that wanted her to be a dick. Marlee's sass made the book, and Gavin's sexiness was the icing on the cake.

I look forward to more from Ms Martin with serious anticipation.

<b>"I try my hardest to wrangle my wild hair into a bun and when I look at the finished product I know what Churchill meant when he said, 'Sometimes your best isn't good enough.'"</b>

Fluttering somewhere between chick lit, women's fiction and sports romance, honesty takes this book outside the boundaries created by genres - making it one of my favorite reads so far this year.

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Intercepted is a sharp, hilarious look inside the Mean Girls-world of NFL wives and girlfriends. But it’s even more than that. It’s a romance. It’s a reminder that valuing yourself and owning your independence is more important than getting the guy. It’s a fast read that I tore through on a recent plane ride. I was cracking up the whole time, I’m sure the guy next to me wondered what I was reading.

I totally identified with Marlee and loved her friendship with her bestie Naomi. These two have each other’s backs in a scenario where it would be easier to just go along and get along with Queen Bee Courtney. Marlee does have this one quirk, punctuating her stories with hashtags. I thought it might get annoying, but most of them actually land, and lead to laugh-out-loud moments. #BetterCallBeckyWiththeRedHair

My one nit with the story is how the primary romance comes together. With Gavin Pope, Alexa Martin has created a hugely talented, hot, in-demand (and single!) QB1 who’s not a total egomaniac. He somehow remembers Marlee 4 years after a one night stand. Am I crazy or biased (or both) to find that scenario hard to believe? Still, the relationship gives Marlee a little pleasure (why shouldn’t she have that?) and it’s the impetus to learn something more about herself. All in all, Intercepted is a solid debut — fun, sexy and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Add it to your TBR.

Marlee is the girlfriend of NFL wide receiver, Chris Alexander, and has been for years. They’ve been together since high school and have had a rocky road but they’re fine. That is until Marlee opens his computer (he took hers accidentally) to check her email and find emails to Chris from his girlfriend. The girlfriend that he’s been flying back and forth to see him from wherever. This was not the first time that Chris has cheated and Marlee’s finally done with the man. She packs her bags and leaves. Unfortunately as she’s trying to leave Chris comes home and of course tries to make things out like it’s all Marlee’s fault. WTF? Ass. He happens to be with Gavin Pope, the teams new quarterback, and the man she had a one-night stand with four years earlier when she and Chris were broken up.

Gavin slept with Marlee four years ago and never forgot her. He’s thrilled that she’s in Denver so he’s more than happy to take her away from the ass that is her now-ex-boyfriend. When Marlee gets her own place Gavin starts to come around and they start to get close. Marlee never forgot the night they spent together but she was upset with Gavin for lying to her. He had told her he was an investment banker. Had she known he played ball professionally she would have never gone home with him. Of course she would have missed out on the best night of her life.

Marlee starts to fall for Gavin quickly but there’s a lot of push back from a lot of people. She gets it from the Lady Mustangs – the wives of the team – and they constantly give her shit. Then there’s Gavin’s friend and PR person who spreads rumors and more. Marlee tries to keep her head and sense of humor about her but it’s damned hard when she starts getting shit from the fans as well. Can the love and relationship Marlee and Gavin have survive all the negativity and his football contract?

This book made me laugh. Seriously. I really liked the humor in this book as it was crazy and out of control. Marlee was her own woman and not afraid to speak her mind. She liked to rib people to get a rise out of them and she almost always managed to do it. She was pretty independent, however, and came down on Gavin a couple of times when he tried to take over. I get where she was coming from, and one time he did go too far, but I thought she could have toned it down a bit.

Gavin was awesome. He was kind, giving, loving, generous, loved his family. I mean, this guy could do no wrong…if you ignore when he lied to Marlee and then again when he omitted information. Despite that I really liked the guy and he was hot too, so there was that. Lol.

Overall the book was great. I enjoyed reading it – even when Marlee was hashtagging her own life which was weird, but funny. It looks like this might be Martin's first published novel. If this is how good they'll all be then I'll be a big fan.

Rating: 4 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
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This is a great debut novel from Alexa Martin with a smart, funny heroine. I enjoyed following Marlee's growth.

Wonderfully detailed look at life in the NFL. Particularly for the wives and girlfriends. Interesting and funny as well as scary. This book delivers a lot more than the standard romance and I really enjoyed it.

A typical contemporary romance. I was charmed by the heroine, and pleased to have a biracial lead, but wasn't thrilled with the irritating hashtags and foolish decisions early in the book.

Forever the girlfriend, never the wife, Marlee Harper finally dumps her NFL boyfriend of ten years after finding incontrovertible evidence of his cheating.

Determined to reclaim her identity and life and NEVER ever date a professional athlete again, Marlee packs her bags and runs smack into Gavin Pope, famous quarterback. And the man Marlee had an unforgettable one-night stand with during her last "break" with her boyfriend. Shit.

Gavin's had a torch for Marlee since that night but Marlee really wants to figure out who she is, minus the world of NFL wives and girlfriends, but Gavin is irresistable.

Against her better instincts, Marlee's back and better than ever, until an unexpected wrench means Marlee will again have to choose between herself and her love.

A lovely first novel from new author Alexa Martin. I immensely enjoyed Marlee, but found Gavin to be a bit one note. The book is entirely in Marlee's perspective which made Gavin even less interesting to me. I also didn't like the constant threat of bodily harm to Marlee from various other characters. While Marlee did have some good female friends, I was also disheartened by the portrayal of many of the others as stereotypes. The bitchy rich wife. The sneaky "friend that is a girl" who carries a torch for the hero and will do anything to have him. Slut shaming.

But, all in all an enjoyable read. Solid, and looking forward to watching this author mature.

A surprisingly delightful romantic comedy from a first-time author. Developed characters...check. Humor...check. Love...check. Great dialogue...check. Character you love, characters you love to hate...check, check!