I started reading this one on a Sunday morning as I was waiting for my beloved Packers to start playing. The author is a Wisconsin girl (me too!) and she does Milwaukee proud with all the reference to local places. This is the second book in the series about the Milwaukee Dragons professional football team.

Marcus is an injured player and decides to use his time recovering to try and finish up his degree. Bree is an avid Dragon's fan and the Phd candidate teaching his class. the tension between these two is off the charts from the start.

So all the good things: student/teacher taboo--although, really? , slow burn with friendship first, positive character with a disability, pro women's rights, just the right amount of football to keep things interesting, great humor, awesome geeks.

My only thing that just hit me wrong was the need to identify the players by the color of their skin. It went no where in the story line. If it would have become an issue of Bree being white and Marcus being black and their family/friends/community being upset by that then maybe there was a need to mention it. It's helpful as a reader to have the main characters described so I get a picture in my head of what they might look like. I just wasn't sure what the author's intent was in identifying everyone by race.

Really enjoyed the bulk of the story. LOVED the setting in my back yard practically. Looking forward to reading more about this team.

We are instantly introduced to the heroine, Bree, as her computer eats all her research. Late for class, she grabs her stuff and runs right into the guy she masturbates to in her fantasies. Not only does she run into him, she knocks them both down on their asses. See Marcus has suffered a season ending injury and is on crutches. With lots of downtime, Marcus has decided to go back to college to finish off the last two classes he needs to get his degree. Funny thing....Bree is finishing off her doctorate in physics and one of the classes Marcus needs is .... you guessed it physics.

The instant attraction has to be put on hold as you can't have the professor teaching the guy she is dating. So for 38% of the book you are slow building this romance. I mean very slow. At 30% I was ready to put the book down and write it off. At 38% we get the first kiss and I am ready to move this relationship on....and it slows down. 

Bree and Marcus both deal with families that don't approve of their career choices. This has evoked Bree to suffer anxiety attacks. Throw in she has a boss who is sexist and she is borderline anxiety attacks through the entire story. 

Marcus has enjoyed a lot of women over his time as a football player, but it didn't come across that way. It's never wrong to be polite and sweet, but at times I wanted him to do something alpha with Bree. For her part Bree is supposed to be nerdy, which she is, but she also not very interesting. 

The sex when it does happen felt awkward to me. Lots of talking and "fucking sexy" comments. It felt like a polite exchange of bodily fluids with a condom of course. She admits she loves having a man go down on her in her mind, but it didn't come across as sexy. At one point she even says he would be sexy even if he was plunging the toilet...she thinks this in her mind during sex, so yeah, I was so not into this.

Oh and I didn't get any football time. Boo!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I realized it was the second in a series but you didn’t have to read the first to truly enjoy Swagger.
The characters were interesting and found them to be a perfect fit for the other.
It did get repetitive at times and I would have loved another chapter or two but overall I would recommend this cute sports romance.

I received a copy for a honest review.

This is a fun and refreshing look at people and judging a book by its cover. Watching Bree and Marcus fall in love was a rollercoaster ride. A lot of twist and turns keep me going till the end I read it in one sitting.

This was an enjoyable read with just enough going on to keep it interesting. Marcus James is a tightend for the Milwaukee Dragons but he was unfortunate to be injured in one of the preseason games and required surgery on his knee and so is out for the season while on rehab. He decides this is a good time to complete the last two classes he needs to get his degree since he left college to join the NFL. While getting coffee before his first class he is taken by surprise and knocked to the ground by a spitfire with blue in her hair and mumbling to herself. Bree Novak is a graduate student who is working on her dissertation and will be defending her Ph.D. but before that her new advisor has her teaching one of his classes. Guess who is in her class? Yes, Marcus. The chemistry between these two is palpable and though they try to keep it hands off until they could no longer deny each other. Marcus has a calming effect on Bree and her anxiety but she has the same effect on Marcus. This is a well written book and it was also fun to get to know so many of the players and their significant others. This can be read as a standalone.

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

This was a first time read by this author and I found it rather enjoyable. It was low on the angst and drama, which I definitely appreciated since I'm a bit of a mood reader. I loved how this was a lighthearted and sweet read!

I'll be honest and say that I haven't read many books where the heroine is a physicist. I enjoyed the insight of the life of a physicist especially a female one. The lack of support from her parents, advisor and sometimes colleague had me infuriated. And there's no doubt being a woman in this field, the unfair treatment probably happens more often than we think. I admired Bree so much for what she endured and her tenacity to keep moving forward to her goals. I will say that she overreacted a bit when it came to certain things that Marcus did even when he had the best intentions at heart. There wasn't any ill manner behind it at all and I think she was a bit too quick to react.

Marcus! A nerd slash handsome football player, I love that mix! I loved that it was a bit of a slow burn between them because he was a student of Bree's, sort of. They tried to keep it professional but eventually couldn't fight their feelings any longer. He was so sweet and kind to Bree and they're so well matched. I definitely connected way more with Marcus than I did with Bree. Marcus was an all-around solid dude and it was nearly impossible not to love him.

One thing that irked at me a bit was when race/ethnicity was specifically mentioned of the characters that are brought up in this book. I found it a bit weird and unnecessary to have. So it kind of threw me off while I was reading Swagger.

All in all, definitely an enjoyable first read from this author!

The sports romance storyline drew me in; but if that is not your thing, no worries because there is not much sports talk. I have not read this author before, but the athlete-nerd combo is a winner for me to get interested in a book. So the elements were there and I tried to get in to the relationship of this unlikely pair, but it just didn't work for me. I'm not sure if it was not getting connected to the characters, or not buying in to their story arc. I just didn't feel the investment I needed to follow along with them.

Let’s start this review by looking at the cover. Mmmmhmmm. That is a fine specimen of a man right there. Definitely caught my eye on NetGalley when I was browsing Loveswept’s page. My only issue with covers like this, they overshadow the book and they tweak my mental issue of the main male character. And I have the same issues when it is the female main character on the cover. But, the cover did not overshadow the book. Nope. My mental image of Marcus was as good as the cover.

I was thrilled with how the author wrote Bree’s character. To have her teaching physics classes while working on her dissertation was empowering. But, the author didn’t make it easy for Bree. She showed exactly how hard it is for a woman to break into male-dominated careers. The attitude that her advisor and father had is unfortunately commonplace everywhere. I admired Bree for the perseverance in going after her dream and achieving it. I also could relate to her.

Marcus, oh Marcus. Is it possible that he can be brought to life from the book? Because I need someone like him in my life, pronto. I loved him. I liked his restraint with Bree. Even though he was attracted to her, he was willing to be her friend. He let her call the shots in the bedroom. He realized that he loved Bree before she did, which is amazing for a romance novel. Usually, the woman has the revelation first. When he screwed up (which I didn’t think was that bad), he gave Bree space. He understood that she was under a lot of stress.

I loved the secondary characters in this book. Bree’s friends were awesome. I wish I had a friend like Reina. I loved her spunk and love of life. I was a little peeved with Bree’s male friends. They saw how she was being treated by her advisor and didn’t do anything. Well, Kevin did something and Bree reamed him a new one. I have always said that secondary were the lifeblood of the book. And these were. They added more depth and humor to the storyline.

The chemistry and sexual tension that Marcus and Bree had were insane. You could cut it with a knife. I normally don’t do cheerleader chants in my head but I did with this one. I kept chanting “Do it, do it, do it“. I wanted them to have sex so that sexual tension and chemistry could be spent. But, once they did, it surged back up. The author did a fantastic job of keeping it up and going.

The sex scenes were beyond hot. That first sex scene was insane. Marcus had Bree screaming in pleasure. I had to put my Kindle down a few times and fan myself, the sex scenes were that good.

I do want to add that I loved that CTE was discussed in this book. CTE is something serious that athletes should worry about. I loved that Matt and Cassie had a foundation set up to do research on it.

The end of the book was great. The author did a great job at ending all the secondary storylines except for the one that involved Bree and her family. I got no sense of closure. I also wish that there was an epilogue. While Marcus and Bree made up, I wanted to see if they had their HEA.

What I liked about Swagger:

A) The cover

B) Bree’s career

C) Marcus

What I disliked about Swagger:

A) Bree’s freak out

B) Bree’s advisor

C) Bree’s family

I gave Swagger a 4-star rating. This is a sexy, fun read with relatable characters. Be ready for some steamy sex scenes!!

I would give Swagger an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Swagger. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Loveswept, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Swagger.

All opinions stated in this review of Swagger are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Physics and football combine!

Physicist Bree Novak was leaving the coffee shop when she trips over a gorgeous guy on crutches that. The guy turns out to be tight end Marcus James who needs directions for the science building so Bree decides to show him the way since that’s where her office is located. There is only one slight problem, Marcus is adding an intro to physics class and Bree is the one teaching it.

Bree and Marcus both have to deal with families that don’t approve of their careers with Bree’s wanting her to teach science and get married and have kids and Marcus’ disliking football even though he out earned them many times over.

I loved Swagger because it’s rare to see a heroine that is into to the STEM fields without being a medical doctor. Plus both Marcus and Bree are serious geeks and I totally enjoyed the joking around. Swagger is the second book in the Milwaukee Dragons series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

As much as I’m loving this series, I’m really not a fan of the covers. The bodies of the men used are amazing, but the poses just seem awkward and unnatural. So as with On the Line, the first book in the Milwaukee Dragons series, don’t judge a book by its cover.

Liz Lincoln really has her meet cute moments down. The clumsy embarrassment and instant attraction. I love it! I really cannot wait to read more by this author.

Bree is such a relatable character. I’m sure most of us haven’t gotten our PhD in physics, but her emotions and anxieties and self-doubts…all those things make her so down to earth. On the other hand, Marcus is a high paid, highly recognized, professional athlete. Yet the author made him very relatable, too. He has the same doubts as us “normal folks” and the same issues with his parents as a lot of people have. Marcus is really quite down to earth. Although Bree could see that pretty quickly, she still had a hard time thinking she was anything special to Marcus. How could she be when he could have anyone he wanted and she’s a mess? But Marcus NEVER did anything to make her feel that way, Bree did that all on her own.

The issues Bree has to deal with at the university with her adviser are all issues that are so in the spotlight these days. The author handled them really well without turning the story into a lecture. She had her characters explain to the guys in their lives why their “trying to help” wasn’t always the best thing and that, in itself, is sexist. It was great to see the give and take Bree had with her friends and their willingness to be open to what their women friends had to say.

I’m excited to see who will get the next story in this series. As I said before, I’m loving this author and this series. The connections her characters have (both romantic and friends) are amazing. The emotions I experience when both Bree and Marcus speak to their parents is a testament to the author’s skill. I was so invested in those relationships and conversations.

This was an enjoyable read. It has nice writing, a good flow and well developed interesting characters. Everything you look for in a good book. Nothing wow about the story but it is a nice romance. I enjoyed the maturity of the characters. No back and forth about their feelings, they handled situations the way would expect adults to handle them, and they actually talked about any issues that came up. Just a note while this is a "sports romance" there isn't much in the way of sports in this book. Overall I really liked this one and I think you will too. I recommend it.

Where to start with the love for this book?
Smart, empowered female lead - check
Swoony, smart, sweet male lead - check
Diverse cast (on multiple levels) - check
Entertaining secondary cast - check
This is the second book in Ms Lincoln's Dragon series and my second read by her. I enjoyed the first book, but think this one might have been even better. Bree, the female lead for this story, is a physics grad student on the cusp of getting her PhD. I loved the premise of how she connected with Marcus (who just happens to be her favorite player on the Dragons). From their meet cute, to the interactions that lead to friendship to more, this was a couple that I enjoyed spending time with.
One of my favorite things about this book is that Ms Lincoln avoided the stereotypes for both athletes and physicist, maybe not completely, but for the most part. We saw Marcus striving to complete his degree and Bree having a social life and enjoying other pursuits besides just school. We also got to see that for both characters there are challenges that maybe wouldn't be expected.
What helped seal this has a 4 star read for me was the fact that Ms Lincoln also avoided what could have been considered an obvious conflict (or two) and instead focused on making sure that her lead characters could see just how much they valued each other as people/friends/lovers.
I was encouraged after reading the first Dragon's book, but after reading this book, this is a series I am very excited to see move forward.

This one simply didn’t keep my interest, and I’m bummed because there are a LOT of great elements to this story. If you’re looking for nerdy football players and a woman in physics, anxiety and disabilty rep, definitely give this one a try.

I picked up this book mainly because of the cover, something that I rarely do, but in this case, wowza, I could not resist. I also love football and I'm all about football romances that are realistic about the racial makeup of an actual football team. As such, I couldn't resist Swagger. Plus, as an added bonus, the heroine, Bree, is a STEM grad student completing her PhD in Physics, and she's a total nerd who loves her field and is looking forward to starting her career. She's also a total football fangirl, so when she (literally) runs into Marcus on campus, she immediately recognizes him although she tries hard to play it cool. She's very attracted to him, but then is dismayed to discover that he's a student in the Intro to Physics class that she is teaching since that means she needs to maintain a distance from him. She is will be defending her thesis at the end of the semester and is dealing with a nasty, sexist advisor who would like nothing better than to see her fail so she can't afford any appearance of impropriety.

Since Marcus is a good guy, he doesn't want to cause problems for Bree, although he can't resist becoming friends with her. Consequently, their relationship progresses more slowly than is typical in romances, but I liked the slower pace and felt that there was a good connection between them. In the end, the conflict seemed a bit manufactured, as I felt Bree took offense to something Marcus did that was clearly just him trying to help her out professionally as any friend would, but that was a minor niggle. Overall, I felt their relationship was very positive as was the depiction of Bree's (and her friends') love of science.

This was a great read that I zipped right through I love Liz Lincoln and her work ring and this book did not disappoint

Bree can't date Marcus, the hot NFL tight end that is her favorite player since she's his instructor. While holding back on their strong attraction for each other, they become friends. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. While this book is still tied to football, it isn't a major part of the book. In this book, the emphasis is on their relationship and their struggles. Bree is a physics PHD candidate in her final semester struggling with her attraction to Marcus, finalizing her dissertation, a misogynistic advisor, and looking for a postdoc position. Marcus needs two science classes to complete his business degree. Since I am not a fan of steamy scenes, I was glad that they didn't appear until the second part of the book. I skimmed over them and enjoyed a well written story. What I enjoyed in both this book and 'On the Line' was the main characters. They are likable and I feel like I know them. I look forward to reading more by Liz Lincoln.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Sports romances are among my favorites. So, when I heard the second Dragons book was going to feature a STEM heroine, I was really excited.
Pro: Marcus had everything I look for in a hero. I especially loved it, when he would go through his memory index to try and figure out what he did wrong, and the way he attempted to curb his hero tendencies in order to respect Bree's desires to "save" herself. And bonus! He's a closest nerd, who engages Bree in quite the Star Wars - Star Trek debate.

• Pro: I liked the common ground that Lincoln laid down between Marcus and Bree. They were both rather successful, but not in the eyes of their families, which is really sad, but at least they had each other.

• Con: The ending was ok, but I would have liked a little more for these two. I really, really like Marcus, and he deserved more. The good news is, that this is a series, and we can always get some awesome life update on Marcus and Bree in a later book.

• Con: I was a little surprised that the couple from the first book were so far removed from this story. Usually there is more of a connection between the current and previous MCs. I think I let out an exhale, when we finally got a mention of them. I just expect more updating on past couples in companion books.

• Pro: The set up was great. Most of this sports romance took place off the field, because Marcus was recovering from an injury, but Marcus' "fragile" state worked well in the story, and made it more believable.

• Pro: Marcus and Bree were a fun coupling. The chemistry was great, and each brought out the best side of each other. I really enjoyed watching their romance blossom.

Overall: If you're in it for the romance, you will enjoy this one, because there is no doubt in my mind, Marcus will win your heart.

4 1/2 STARS!

✦ Black NFL player (tight end). Currently out for the season due to injury

✦ She's finishing her dissertation for a PhD in physics (STEM heroine) + excellent anxiety rep (so damn real, it me)

✦ While injured, he's back at university to finish up his bachelors; she was wrangled into teaching a class . . . yep, one of his.

✦ Slow burn but then it's SUPER hot.

✦ Cake + oral (trust me -- there is NO food near the genitals! But I can tell you this: goals)

✦ Loved that all the characters are described -- be it white or Black or Indian or Latinx, etc. White is not the assumed default in this world

✦ Loved these two -- as a couple and as characters

✦ My only issue, small at that, was I wanted a stronger ending for them (and no, I don't need a wedding or baby epilogue for a strong ending, but rather I wanted to see them actually together and working things out, in their lives and in their relationship, before they cuddle into the sunset and the book ends, you know?)

✦ Excited to read more from Lincoln in the future (luckily I have book 1 still on my Kindle)

This is not what I have come to expect from a sports romance. 

The male protagonist is surprisingly sweet, and whilst I don't have an issue with that, it didn't really fit the character I expected, given his role on the field and his interactions with his parents.  

Bree is a complete contradiction within her own body.  One one hand, she is strong willed and knows her own mind.  On the other, she has issues dealing with a mysoginistic dinosaur of a professor.

That said, this was a perfectly enjoyable, light read.  Ideal material for it you just want to while away some time in romance-land.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

I absolutely loved the first book in Liz Lincoln's Milwaukee Dragons series, and this was a lovely addition! Swagger is incredibly steamy, has a fun teacher/student vibe, and takes place in the best city ever! I can't get enough of these sexy athletes and the women who love them.