I’m loving Yahrah St. John’s Locketts of Tuxedo Park series. The series focuses on the adult children of Josiah and Angelique Lockett, an African American family who are football royalty, owning the fictitious Atlanta Cougars professional football franchise. There are currently three full-length novels and one free online read, with at least one more full-length story to come. All the installments are truly standalone reads.

Holiday Playbook is the story of Giana Lockett, the third child, and only daughter. Giana is the chief marketing and branding officer for the team. She oversees the team’s marketing efforts, business operations, and strategies surrounding the team’s brand. She has been tasked by her father to sign an endorsement deal for their star player Curtis Jackson with Wynn Starks and his health and sports drink company, Starks, Inc. The problem is that the elusive billionaire has kept Giana at arm’s length for much of the year. With Giana not making much headway, her father starts back on his ramblings about her not being cut out for the job and maybe more suited to being a married Southern Belle working with various charities. Desperate to prove her father wrong, Giana pulls out all the stops to finally get Wynn to notice her and agree to a meeting. And notice her he does….

From the moment the two lay eyes on each other, there’s instant attraction. But Wynn has a strict no football players rule, which means Giana is going to have to work extra hard to get him to agree to work with them. From being trapped in an elevator together to explosive kisses and tender moments these two find a way to mix business and pleasure and make them both work. Unfortunately, old insecurities, outside forces, and a misunderstanding threaten to destroy the fragile trust they have built.

I loved Giana and Wynn for their great banter, chemistry, and big hearts. I loved that Holiday Playbook was low on drama. I won’t necessarily say that there’s a dark moment, but your heart does break a little watching everything unfold. Going into this story, I thought Consequences of Passion with Roman and Shantel were my favorite book and couple of this series, but it and they have been replaced by Giana, Wynn, and Holiday Playbook.

The next book in the series is A Game Between Friends, featuring the youngest and most elusive Lockett, Xavier. So far in this series, he has had very limited page time, but you do see him a little bit more in this story. I'm definitely looking forward to reading his story and finding out more about him and the woman who has captured his attention, heart, and love.

~ Favorite Quotes ~

“Love is a powerful force and it won’t be denied.”

“You are worthy.”