I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Predictable

It wasn’t a bad story, there was just nothing different about it. No real mystery, no surprises - no nothing.

Boy and girl have a baby. Girl doesn’t tell boy. Boy goes on to have nfl career. Girl tells boy about baby. Girl and boy get back together.

That’s it.

** ARC received drom netgalley **

3.5 stars!

This was a decent romance. I liked Mark and Tessa- I loved Angus. This is a second chance romance with a pregnancy element, the pregnancy was really the element that didn’t hold water as much for me. The timeline was just a bit off.

As for chemistry, it was hot but it was definitely not an overly spicy novel.

It is also a short read which is sometimes okay. In this case I felt there needed to be a bit more to flesh out some challenges and their relationship.

One major thing that I didn’t like was the third person perspective. I don’t love romance being told from that perspective as it seems more like telling than showing so it doesn’t allow me to get as involved.

I appreciate the opportunity to have read an advanced copy of this and would look forward to the next in the series.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is definitely a novella for you if you're looking for a story that has a second chance as well as a sport romance combined. Unfortunately though there are some discussions that may not be for everyone such as absent parents, religious prejudice, and celebrity drama that seems to be glossed over or just added for dramatic effect. I think for me, I would have rather have had only two conflicts than just six. But overall, I enjoyed the story and appreciated it as a decent novella. Because of these points, I have to give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars

Such a good book. Mark and Tessa were high school sweethearts and she gave him up so he could follow his dreams even though she was pregnant with his baby. He ends up returning home to play for the Sharks while she returns home with said child to teach at a private school. They meet up again and get a second chance to be the family they both always wanted back in high school. There son is such a card! A great book that I could not put down and helped make a 6 hour road trip go by so much quicker!

I love a good sports romance read. This was such a nice fast paced reading! Love Mark & Tessa. Geez, they’re a hot together & I want more of them. Great read & perfect ending!

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by this author. I love books with kids and will always pick them up. I am excited to be introduced to other members on the football team and their relationships.

This was a fantastic story and a first book in the series about football players on a team called the Shark's. The first book features Mark and Tessa and an adorable little boy who is 5 years old, Angus. It is also a secret baby, single mom and second chance story and it was wonderful. I loved the characters and the plot and absolutely everything about it.

Mark is a rookie on the team when he sees his ex on the Jumbotron and later he meets her son, Angus and he realises he is a dad. It was a really great start and I loved this second chance story.

BOOK REVIEW: First Down by Leslie North

2.5 stars
Smut level: 3/5

There was so much missed potential in this book which was a huge shame as I did enjoy the characters and the general gist of the story.

Mark is an NFL rookie who finds out Tessa, his ex girlfriend from high school, has kept his son from him for 6 years. I really liked Mark and Tessa as a couple and they definitely had the chemistry and background for their relationship to move quickly.
The storyline of them learning to coparent and becoming a couple was a nice, easy read but almost a little too easy. Mark got over the fact Tessa had kept his child from him way too easily plus there were a few roadbumps and problems that also got swept to the side way too easily. Especially one problem that just disappeared at the end before the epilogue and wasn't discussed again! It was almost like the author could come up with problems but didn't know how the characters would actually deal with them or learn to get over them.
There was also a depth that was lacking which the fact that the book was only 200 pages definitely added too. It just isn't enough time to get a full romance story with depth, character building and some smut on the side. The smut is okay but a little lacking as well.
The writing was okay but I had assumed it was a debut, which it isn't. So sadly I won't be continuing the series or reading this author again as there are much better sports romances to read.

Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t love the 3rd person narrative of this book. I find 3rd person takes away from the intimacy of a romance book and wished it had just been split POV instead.
An fun read but definitely hindered by that choice.

Pretty good book... Some steamy scenes through out the book..... A cute little boy named Angus who idolizes a football player who ends up being his dad...

In First Down, North gives her readers a quick, cute and satisfying read. Bring this with you to the beach. It is a great way to spend an afternoon.

This book starts with a bang! We meet Mark who is a professional football player. Mark looks up in the stands and sees the one woman who got away, the one who owned his heart. Then he sees the little boy who looks an awful lot like him . Tessa has a lot of explaining to do. Beginning with why?

This was a good read, had some steam, some obstacles to over come but most importantly it ends with a HEA. Looking forward to the others in this series.
This was my first Leslie North and it won’t be my last.

Thank you to Leslie North and Netgalley for my ARC for my honest review .

I received this arc for an honest review.
Mark Coleridge has gotten his dream making it to pro football. Now as a rookie playing for Savannah he is on top of the world. After the first preseason game he sees an old friend, actually his former girlfriend, Tessa Black she is a teacher at a private school and along with her son, she is there watching the game and Mark.
It is later when she has to tell him about her secrete and about her son, she also has to explain to him why she broke up with him before they graduated. Now she must deal with her son and his new father and also the prejudice of the teacher and principal at her school who all change because of her situation and how people are not to judge but do anyway. Overall, I liked this book and the characters.

3.5 stars

This was such an adorable story to read!
I liked how real and down to earth both main characters were.
The story was heartwarming and cute. I love sport romances and with the surprise baby element add to it, this was pretty awesome.
Fully recommend this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mark Coleridge is a player in the Savannah Sharks. He is just a rookie but he is over the moon because his dream is becoming true.
During one game, he sees Tessa on the Jumbotron. Tessa was his first love. His everything. But she is not alone. She is with a child who looks like Mark. A lot.
Could that boy be the reason she ghosted him years ago?
This story is ok. I liked it because it's very sweet. It will put a smile on your face.

Another great story by Leslie North!!! Leslie never ceases to entertain with her fantastic storytelling!
This is a heartwarming story about two people who have always belonged together. I can't wait to meet the rest of the team in future stories!

Mark Coleridge is shocked to learn he has a son. That is the premise of Leslie North’s newest book, First down. I enjoyed diving into this endearing second chance romance. Mark and Tessa, the two main characters are down to earth and genuinely nice people. They deserve a second chance and I was rooting for them all through the story.

Mark and Tessa go through some tough times before they can find happiness together. They need to realize they are resilient enough to withstand the ups and downs of a high profile relationship. As long as they are together they can take whatever life throws their way.

Mark is the Savanna Sharks newest rookie running back. He loves football and is excited to have finally made into the big leagues, but he has never forgotten his high school girlfriend, Tessa. Mark is caring and a good guy and through everything, he never stopped loving Tessa.

Tessa is just starting in her new position as a teacher and she is excited to finally be doing what she loves to do. She has worked so hard to get to this point in her life.
Even though it made her life much harder, Tessa made the ultimate sacrifice, she let Mark go so he wouldn’t be tied down.

Tessa surprises Mark six year after breaking up with him to let him know he has a son. Mark and Tessa face many challenges and have to wrestle with their emotions as they reconnect. Can they work things out and be together again? Mark and Tessa have both worked hard to accomplish their dreams and goals, now they deserve to be happy. This is a heartwarming and delightful story.

This book quite surprised me to be honest. I seriously expected something similar to the author's previous books but I really enjoyed this book. Heck, I loved it! Tessa's colleagues and boss really pissed me off. Like seriously? They're basically asking her to focus less on her relationship with 'the famous football player' as well as her son because the mothers of the students were jealous of her and because of that they complained about her. Where the heck is professionalism? And they had no right to comment on her personal life at all. They practically bullied her. What the heck is wrong with people? Ugh! And the guy who posted Tessa's photo? I'm really speechless with his reasoning right now. And Mark only punched him and everything was okay? Wow! Anyway, moving along, I'm glad picked this book.

As Savannah Sharks professional running back Mark Coleridge plays in his first pre-season game he recognizes the combination of luck and hard work that’s taken him from his modest trailer-park beginnings to wealth and opportunities to achieve athletic greatness. When he sees Tessa Black, his high school sweetheart, and a young child who resembles Mark, among a group of fans the circumstances of their sudden breakup years earlier and her recent outreach take on new meaning. It forces him to rethink everything he’s believed about their past relationship while elementary school teacher Tessa reminds herself of her well-intentioned motives in keeping their child a secret from him until now.

First Down is a sports romance with familiar secret baby and second chance elements fans of Sarina Bowen and Alexa Martin should enjoy. Tessa and Mark’s love story offers lighter fare in its glossy treatment of their backstory details, the team’s internal conflicts and resolutions, and harsh social media scrutiny and consequences. The young lovers’ solid friendship and sexual chemistry establish a fundamental sense of sweet affection and optimism that create a satisfying read.