Block Shot is the second novel in Kennedy Ryan's "Hoops" series but can be read as a standalone.

Block Shot follows Banner, a sports agent, who is cut throat with her job and adores everyone in her close circle. Her senior year of college, she thought she may have had a connection with Jared, but that was quickly thrown away. Now, dating her best friend, she's met once again with Jared (the man that makes her toes curl with pleasure). Jared is not going to let her best friend or anything else block his shot now of being with Banner. No matter the risks, she is worth it all.

I enjoyed reading Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan but wished there were trigger warnings placed at the beginning of the novel. Something as easy as go to Kennedy's website to find the triggers before reading would have been preferable. While the consistent weight issue thoughts weren't an issue for me, I'd want to war those who struggle with body image. There were definite questionable things that Banner and Jared did thorughout the novel that made me want to throw my reading device. However; I powered through and found the end to be satisfying.

This was a highly emotional read with plenty of angst, steam and some moral grey areas. I loved Banner’s drive to succeed but her fixation on her weight seemed repetitive. Maybe because I have not been weight obsessed but I could not emphasize nor appreciate her point counting, dawn gym class regime. I really enjoyed the inclusion of Spanish especially given Banner was bilingual. There seemed to be a natural flow between languages especially when she was speaking with other Spanish speakers.

The moral gray area for me was the cheating. I also questioned the immediate “attraction” between Banner and Jared after a disastrous falling out 10 years ago. After the soul crushing Pride-initiation experience Banner went through in college, I would have thought there would be more than physical attraction for her to contemplate letting Jared back into her life. Especially given she knew he was hanging out with various college Pride bullies still.

This was an emotional roller coaster but it also had some morally distasteful parts.

This was a five out of five starts. Banner and Jared were fire. Jared's single minded relentless to get his girl was enchanting. All in all this book was beyound amazing.

Block Shot is the second book of the Hoops series of interconnected standalones. I couldn’t wait for Jared’s story after reading about him in Long Shot. I’m not going to lie, I almost DNF’d this one. I only have one trigger and it is cheating! I stuck it out and glad that I did. I loved Jared and his alphahole attitude. I loved the banter between him and Banner and the connection that they had. The writing was beautiful and I have so much highlighted and can’t wait to get the paperback so I can annotate it! I loved almost everything about this story other than the cheating…I can’t get past it but that is a me problem. If you enjoy enemies to lovers, second chance, and sports romances then you will love this one!

So. This book was a lot. I thought Long Shot was a lot (and it was) but this book goes to show that everyone reads and receives themes and tropes differently. This book is chock full of miscommunication, cheating and manipulation. All things that I would hate in an actual real life situation. It made me not like any one of the three characters at times. I almost threw my kindle a couple of times. I left the book feeling unsure of my relationship with this series.

The writing is so good. I wanted to love story to work so badly. I was invested. I think that's why I took poor decisions and bad behavior so personally. It was just a lot for a girl who generally refuses to be emotionally manipulated.

I had to get this physical copy of the first book but then once I got to this one I was super excited. I really love this series and I never want it to end.

Yikes. Now I get what some of my buddies were talking about when it came to this middle instalment of this series and how it didn’t quite live up. It’s rather hard to believe this is the same author that gave us LONG SHOT. Like that first book, we have something of a complicated romance, though whereas the former dealt with abuse, this at least was way less heinous and horrible to live through. But may involve a trope you also don’t enjoy.. I know I didn’t. You’ve been warned, I guess?

My problem with a lot of second chance romances, and this one is no exception, is there’s almost always a decade (seriously, why is it ten years, always) of time that passes between the first go round and the second. And I just don’t believe, especially with this one considering the moment was literally fleeting, that anything endured. No matter how on-the-fence Banner was about her current relationship, I just don’t think her time with Jared had enough of an impact to challenge that. Certainly not push her to do what she did. As an isolated incident? Maybe. Though unlikely considering her own background history with relationships. Which brings us back to my original issue. There wasn’t enough here. Plus, I mean.. Jared was a douchebag. A self-proclaimed asshole, yes, but his self-awareness doesn’t make it better. And Zo, another corner of the triangle, was forced into behaviour that didn’t remotely suit him, just to give Jared some competition for Asshole of the Week. But that doesn’t make Jared better. It just means everyone was dramatic and stupid and I wanted off the ride well before it was over.

And, sadly, not even Banner saved this. But for different reasons. Listen, I appreciate some fat girl rep (though I’m not sure she actually was? just heavier than average?), and I appreciate the fat-girl-embracing-her-size thing, but being in her head, the counting points, the mental hoops she jumped through to consider eating a damn pizza, the app harassing her to workout and wake up and eat meals, it was exhausting — as was her constant doubting of Jared over, like, everything. There could’ve been a lot less of this, I think. Not because it isn’t realistic but it just sorta becomes triggering and it ends up sounding less like a positive lifestyle change and more a toxic rigid mentality. But maybe that’s just me.

Overall, there probably were some good parts to this but honestly I’m just tired and overwhelmed by all the parts I didn’t like and I’m really hoping we round out this series with a strong contender to match even half the intensity (though not the triggers!) of book one. Please please please.

I loved this book. Banner was just my favorite, I felt all the emotions. I laughed, cried and got mad. There were some hard topics to deal with in this one. The book was very spicy and the romance was sweet. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this one just as much as I did the first book in the series. I like the way this author writes a story. She makes you love the characters. She has you routing for each one in whatever they are doing, whether it's a female sports agent, which is a male dominated field or the basketball player everyone is made to love. She writes so that you love the characters or you hate them each passionately.
I loved this book. I love any romance where you want the character to get together so bad and the book builds and builds and then they finally get together or they share an earth shattering kiss that will eventually lead to so much more. She is such a fun writer and I enjoy the plot of both books I've read this far. I highly recommend her books to anyone who loves romance books.

“Jared can say more with the corner of his mouth than most people do with a hundred words. Turned down, canted up, twisted. Humor, disdain, skepticism. Those lips say it all without uttering a sound, but I have no idea what they are saying now.”

- rivals to lovers
- second chance romance
- sport romance
Please check the Trigger Warning

Kennedy Ryan excels at portraying flawed, realistic characters. The story tackles real-world topics often glossed over in romance novels, such as infidelity and the complexities of sex and desire.

The pacing of the novel is generally well-balanced, with moments of tension, passion, and reflection. However, there were a few instances where the story seemed to meander. Despite these occasional lulls, the engaging dialogue and character interactions keep the reader invested in the unfolding drama. The characters in this book are well-crafted and multi-dimensional, with a focus on Jared Foster and Banner Morales, two individuals whose chemistry is undeniable. Jared, a successful sports agent, and Banner, a brilliant entrepreneur, are driven, ambitious, and unapologetically flawed. Their passionate, love-hate relationship is both entertaining and emotionally charged, and Ryan does an excellent job of delving into their backgrounds and motivations.

Banner is an incredible woman who has worked so hard in all areas of her life and she is so caring and driven. I adored seeing how she has managed to be such a badass in the field of sports management without sacrificing anything that some men would deem make her soft. And Jared is… Honestly, he is fairly amoral and doesn’t really give a fuck about the vast majority of people on the planet. And the people he’s willing to sacrifice for? That list is nearly non-existent. It’s so cool to see how Kennedy manages to make you care about Jared even though he really has so little softness in him and it’s because his love for Banner really humanizes him. But not in a Banner fixes him kind of way. But in a like, because he loves Banner, he sort of tries to be a better human. If that makes sense. Either way, I love them and how well developed they are. And that is true of all of the supporting cast as well. I just had such a great time with this one.

Yeah. So read it. Give your heart a little zip and a little smoosh, and enjoy this perfectly, unperfect love story. Then add Kennedy Ryan to your auto-buy-author list. She belongs there.

Block Shot is one of the only Kennedy Ryan books that I have not read yet and as usual, she knocked it out of the park-yes, yes I realize that is the wrong sport. Jared Foster is not your knight in shining armor, he works hard and is not afraid to play dirty to win, and there is nothing he wants to win more than Banner Morales. Banner has had her heart broken by Jared, and she is not about to give Jared a second chance despite all her Jared-inspired fantasies. This enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance is so hot and carries some cheap shots from two powerful people that are willing to do almost anything to get what they want.

There were so many things to love about this. Per usual, this book was so spicy and the chemistry between these two is out of this world.. It was refreshing having characters with so much depth and moral greys and shades of black. I had so many emotions throughout this story and that is a credit to Kennedy Ryan.

That said, there is a lot of trigger warnings that you should be sure to look at before reading this. The author and publisher did a great job listing those though, which is much appreciated. There is some fat-shaming in this book and some cheating.

Overall, I will continue to read anything and everything that Kennedy Ryan writes. She is an all times favorite author and while Block Shot is not my absolute favorite book of hers, it is still the epitome of what good romance should be. I never feel like I can adequately describe how amazing Kennedy's books are, they have changed my life and my standards for romance!

I have been such a Kennedy Ryan fan since reading the My Soul to Keep series in 2015, and since then, I have not stopped. I think this series is my last to catch up! I read Block Shot before reading Long Shot - they are standalone, but darn it! I prefer to read them in order!

Anyway - I just loved these characters. The characters in Kennedy Ryan's books are what draw me to her! I love the stories, but it's the characters that keep me coming back. She always has such strong characters, strong women characters at that. Banner is just an amazing woman who has such a drive, and she won't allow anything to get her off the path she has set. Jarred is the one man who is her equal, and he's not taking no for an answer.

The chemistry between these two begins in the back room of a laundromat, and years later, it's still there! This amazing connection continues throughout the book and the epilogue(s), which are perfection!

Off to read August's story!

I was a little late to the game with reading the amazing Kennedy Ryan. Long Shot was my first book to read. She writes the best down to earth and real stories. Her heroines are very strong women with amazing storyline. Along with some very strong heroes that challenge those women in every way possible.

Case in point Jared and Banner’s story. The beginning of this story broke my heart, I could relate with Banner and her weight issues. But what happened to her and thinking Jared was involved crushed my heart.

We push forward years and Jared and Banner continue to run into each other both being very successful sports agents. Banner has never forgiven or forgot Jared’s part of the incident in their last year of college. Jared tries to tell her that she was wrong and that he had nothing to do with it.

Jared begins to pursue Banner even though she has a boyfriend. She fights the connection as long as she could, eventually she found out that Jared was telling the truth he was not involved. She begins to question the “what ifs” if she would have believed him at the time it happened.

There is a lot of push and pull, some serious banter I was somewhat frustrated with both of their behavior and some of the choices they made. Banner was a very strong independent heroine. Jared tests her resolve every chance he gets. It’s a test of wills with some hot chemistry!!

Catching up with August and Iris was great!!

I love this very passionate love story and we get not one but two epilogues and a link for a bonus epilogue!!

This is an interesting second-chance romance. The initial romance broke up over a misunderstanding and created a will they won't they reluctant relationship. It's an interesting story.

Thanks so much to Kennedy Ryan, Sourcebooks/ Bloom books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have such mixed feelings about this book but honestly I think I'm frustrated. While the premise promised an engaging battle of wills and simmering tension between the characters, the execution unravelled in a way I wasn't expecting.

First and foremost, the characters of Jared Foster and Banner Morales was a pairing filled with fiery passion and conflict, however at times they often came across as forced and repetitive. The constant back-and-forth between them, with Jared making advances and Banner resisting, quickly became tiresome and predictable. But the biggest issue I had with this story is the way Zo was unfairly treated in this story, and the cheating storyline was one i didn't enjoy. However, I did like the fact that Banner was successful in her own way!

The writing style is the strength of this story, but the storyline itself, while promising at the outset, became increasingly convoluted as the book progressed. This book had so much potential but ultimately failed to deliver on its promise of a captivating and passionate romance. The lackluster character development, and unlikeable characters really made this story quite difficult as I had such high hopes for Jared and Banner.

I seriously thought this was a new book turns out I already read this novel but the author revamped the cover and republished it. Block Shot still hold its weight amongst the masses. Banner and Jared's chemistry are off the charts smoking hot however Banner keeps her heart under lock and key but she definitely has her reasons. But in the end Jared came correct. That's enough spoilers, click buy and read this masterpiece!

This whole series is just delightful but I really enjoyed this one. Normally I'm not into "we aren't together and now we meet up again" but this one really works. I loved Banner's character. She's the best leading lady! Fantastically fun series!

A Complex Romance that is truely hard to root for..

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3 stars)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Tropes: Second Chance, Rivals to lovers, Love triangle, Sports romance

"Block Shot" by Kennedy Ryan is a complex romance that delves into real-world issues, but it combines some challenging tropes that make it a difficult journey.

What I Liked:
- Kennedy Ryan excels at portraying flawed, realistic characters. The story tackles real-world topics often glossed over in romance novels, such as infidelity and the complexities of sex and desire.

What I Didn't Like:
- The book combines two challenging tropes, cheating, and miscommunication, making it hard to root for the couple for most of the story.
- The misunderstanding that caused their college breakup felt cringe-worthy, particularly regarding the portrayal of the plus-size heroine.
- The heroine's problematic relationship with food and weight-watching needed more careful handling.
- The cheating was difficult to forgive, as the emotional connection between the main characters seemed primarily physical rather than emotional.

In conclusion, "Block Shot" is a romance novel that confronts real-world issues but struggles due to challenging tropes and character actions. Readers who appreciate complex, imperfect characters may find this story engaging, but those sensitive to themes of infidelity and problematic relationships with food should proceed with caution.

I was really excited to read this book as I love how Kennedy Ryan writes- she is a very talented author and rounds out characters beautifully. Personally, I struggled with this story because of the cheating trope. That really isn't my thing at all and I found it difficult to get past. I'm also not a huge fan of books that span long periods of time like this one does, but I do love a good enemies to lovers... The author did well creating a likeable enough character in Jared when he is tough as nails with few redeeming qualities, BUT I love his love for Banner. I found it well-written and it was an enjoyable read with a difficult topic handled well for what it was.

Wow! To say I was in trance while reading this book! Kennedy Ryan did it again! This book was all things sexy, funny, and passionate. The love between Jared and Banner is a once in a lifetime love! I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed all of this book! A must read! A page turner! Can't wait to start part 2!