My rating: 2.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes:
- sports romance
- football romance
- single mom
- teacher & pro football player
- opposites attract
- reverse age gap
- dating app

It was a fun read. The book is fast-paced and perfect for unwinding after a dark story. Out of all the characters, I liked the FMC's daughter the most. As for the main characters, they sometimes acted like — he was like a teenager, she was like a teacher (lol).

If you're looking for something with a light, easygoing plot and occasional wit, a book to help you relax, this story might be a good fit for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The main characters first meet on a dating app. He’s a 25-year-old quarterback. She’s a 29-year-old teacher and a single mom. At first, they don’t get along because the hero doesn’t want kids, while the heroine is looking for a serious relationship. But then, one unexpected event brings them back together.

I enjoyed the first part—their texting was funny—but in the second half, Dex started to annoy me. He decided to use Margo for his own benefit and saw nothing wrong with it. He felt like a big kid, way too immature for his age, and only thought about himself. Margo forgave him way too quickly. Their relationship lasted only a few weeks, yet by the end of the book, they were already talking about having a child together. I just didn’t believe in their love.

Of all the characters, I liked the heroine’s daughter, Wyatt, the most. She was the most mature one.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted, witty romance for an evening, this book might be a good pick. But I’d recommend starting with the author’s How to Date a Douchebag and Jock Hard series instead.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓ sports romance
✓ opposites attract
✓ they meet on a dating app
✓ single mom
✓ football romance

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 44%.

Margot is a teacher and a single mother of a ten year old daughter.

Dex is a smoking hot quarterback, his friends are all coupled-up and he wants the same, but no kids just yet, just wall-to-wall smexy times.

Dex and Margot meet on a dating app, she thinks he's catfishing people because he is telling the truth about who he is. Then when he changes his dating profile (so as to avoid gold-diggers) they swipe right on each other. Despite the mutual attraction they agree to just be friends because she has a child and he just wants to have fun.

Unfortunately, I found that Dex read like a seventeen year old, his idea of 'moves' is to stretch and put his arm around Margot at the cinema, his idea of a date is to meet at Glam Golf - FFS what about dinner?

As with a lot of NA/YA authors I found that there was a whole lot of nothing happening as an excuse for heavy petting (eg plumbing issues leading to them both getting soaked - pfft), no life outside each other. So I gave up. I'm having one of those days.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

After reading Not Your Biggest Fan I was so excited to get Andy's best friend Dex's story next with Biggest Player.

This story had the potential to be great- a pro football player interested in finding a relationship now that some of his best friends have all fallen to the love bug, only to find his first real spark with the one kind of woman he would normally run from- a single mom.

I loved the playful and flirty banter between Margot and Dex, I also thoroughly enjoyed the bickering and jabs these two would swap as they started their tentative friendship of sorts. Margot's daughter Wyatt was a shining star in this book- her mischief and plotting were top tier and I really liked the way that Sara incorporated her into the story in a way that showcased her maturity but also gave way to show her childhood innocence and trust.

Unfortunately I didn't completely love this book as much as I did Andy and Harlow's. Dex is a pretty good guy with his biggest downfall being his playboyish ways. It was the way that he acted almost dumb at times like he didn't fully grasp why jumping into a relationship with Margot at the urging of his agent would cause problems- despite her clear and concise warning not to get involved with a single mom unless you mean it. Sure he had fun hanging out with Margot and Wyatt, and there was this pull towards them that he wasn't sure what to do with but he wasn't clueless as to why going into the relationship half for the PR and half because he didn't want to just be friend zoned was a bad idea. If he was he wouldn't have had all those inner monologue guilt trips.

Then there's Margot- I initially loved her strong independent personality. She's a teacher, a single mom and finally taking the step to put herself out there so that she isn't all alone when Wyatt is with her father. I loved the fire in her when she initially thought Dex was catfishing on the dating app and how she entertained his idea of friendship for half a second before putting her own needs at the forefront knowing that no guy would believe or be ok with her friendship between her and a pro football player. Then she got together with Dex and it was like some of the things I loved about her went away and she was this gooey "I have a hot boyfriend" girl. And the ease that she just forgave Dex after learning his secret and went into the "I love you" phase was a little too quick given the circumstances.

The book itself is still decently written and for the most part fun to read- I was just a little disappointed in the development of the characters especially given how much I enjoyed the first book in the series. So decent but not my favorite Sara Ney book.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. Biggest Player by Sara Ney is a fun and flirty romance that delivers plenty of laughs and steamy moments. The story revolves around a charming but cocky protagonist who is a self-proclaimed “player,” but as the narrative unfolds, we see him face personal growth and emotional depth. Ney’s witty writing style adds a playful tone, while the chemistry between the main characters is palpable and keeps the plot engaging. The book strikes a good balance between humor and heart, making it a perfect read for fans of contemporary romance with a bit of sass. Overall, Biggest Player is an entertaining and enjoyable romance that will leave you smiling.

I had so much fun reading this book. The banter between Dax and Margot had me kicking my feet. I loved how strong of a woman Margot is. Sometimes in books, especially romance, you don’t get to see a strong FMC and it was nice to see that.
I did like Dax but there were times that I wanted to shake him through the pages. I was nice to have that reaction. It shows how Sara Ney’s writing can make you feel like you’re in the middle of the story with these characters to where you physically want to get their shoulders and shake them and ask them what the heck are they doing.

I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book. The banter between the two characters sparkled and for me that carried the book. The plot was a bit meh, but I still would say I enjoyed it overall as Sara Key does write strong characters.

I loved the premise but this fell a bit flat for me. The characters weren’t that loveable and I ended up getting kind of bored. The kid was super cute tho! I’d give this a shot if you like single mom romances and meeting on a dating app!

I love a single mom and NFL player in a romance. Biggest Player by Sara Key was pure steamy fun! They meet on a dating app and she's convinced that he's too good to be true and one thing I love is a reformed playboy that changes for one girl and she challenges him, doesn't make it easy for him and makes him work for it but their chemistry was off the charts. I love when a single mom can see that she's loved and wanted and thats exactly what he does for her. They balanced each other out and made it work. It's sweet, fun, hot and steamy and a must read for sports romance and single parent trope fans. Sara Ney is queen of sports romance and Biggest Player is no exception!

I did love reading and getting to learn about the characters and their worlds. Looking forward to more.

This is a cute romance. Dex is a professional football player. Margot is a first grade teacher and single mom. They both join the dating app Kissmet.

Their banter back and forth is so cute and funny.

I absolutely loved Wyatt, Margot’s ten year old daughter.


Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own!

Margot y Dex coinciden en una aplicación de citas, pero ella piensa que alguien se está haciendo pasar por el famoso jugador, por lo que termina bloqueándolo. Sin embargo, estaban destinados a conocerse, ya que días después se encuentran en el mismo restaurante. A partir de ahí, una serie de acontecimientos los mantendrán en la vida del otro. Ambos buscan el amor, pero hay un problema: él no quiere tener hijos y ella es mamá soltera.



~

Ya sabía cuál sería el problema, y lo que esperaba era cómo Dex se reivindicaría; la verdad es que dejó mucho que desear. Su disculpa fue pobre, necesitaba demostrar lo arrepentido que estaba y que ya no era el mismo inmaduro.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC of Biggest Player by Sara Ney. I devoured this book in one sitting! I was absolutely hooked! I loved the concept of a single mom finding an NFL player on a dating app, the man being adamant that he didn't want a woman with a child, but being so interested in her that he was willing to change his mind. Absolutely loved their banter and text exchanges! I did not love how big of a man child Dex was, and I think it was overplayed. As a single mom, why would Margot want to be with someone who was more immature than Wyatt, her 10 year old daughter? I thoroughly enjoyed Wyatt's witty character and the relationship she has with her mom. I feel like Margot should have made Dex work harder to get back in her good graces, considering she was so persistent about protecting herself and her daughter, yet she gives in to Dex with ease. Overall, I did like the book, but I think Dex should've grown up at least a little bit before his proclamation in the epilogue.

Sara’s stories are so much fun to read. The humor she adds to them is my kind of humor, so she’s always an automatic read for me. Loved the characters, they had the right amount of chemistry to keep the story flowing until the end.

I swear Sara Ney just always is a slay in her words. After reading Not Your Biggest Fan, I knew i had to continue the series and just so excited to read this one.

The concept of this book had me signing up immediately because it felt so fun and different, and I’m not disappointed! Dex and Margot had me laughing so hard. Add in a michevious 10 yr old and you’re in for one of the most hilarious, yet sweet reads!

Dex had me laughing with how clueless but sincere he is. Margot is serious and all about her daughter but Dex opens up her fun and hilarious side!

This story is not over the top spicy but the hilarious characters and fun storyline for me really made up for it. I got hooked immediately and didn’t want to stop reading till the last word.

Book Review: The Biggest Player by Sara Ney

The story follows a professional football player who turns to online dating, hoping to find a relationship that can travel with him on tour. He’s tired of being alone. But instead of meeting his dream girl right away, he matches with a woman who only swiped on him to catch a catfish. Their online exchanges start with bickering, but when they meet in person, a friendship forms—and even though he swore he wouldn’t date a single mom, he slowly starts falling for her.

I really enjoyed how obvious it was that he was into her. He kept calling her cute in a way that felt so genuine, like he just couldn’t help himself. His attraction to her was clear from the beginning, even when he tried to pretend otherwise. But at the same time, his whole I’m not dating a single mom stance felt like an excuse—because let’s be real, he was already halfway in before he even realized it.

That said, I didn’t love everything about him. He had this habit of saying things that didn’t always feel intentional, like he was trying to sound cool rather than actually meaning what he said. It made it hard to tell if he was serious about certain things or just saying them in the moment. Also, I’m personally not into the man-child type of hero, and that’s exactly what he was. He hires people for everything—cooking, cleaning, managing his life—and while I get that he’s a wealthy football player, that kind of helplessness just isn’t attractive to me.

What really stood out to me, though, was the writing style. It reminded me of those early 2000s TV shows that break the fourth wall, like Lizzie McGuire, where the characters have these little emotional asides that make you feel like they’re talking directly to you. It added this fun, personal vibe that made the story feel more engaging and different from a lot of other romances. It wasn’t just here’s a story, now read it—it felt like the book was aware you were reading it, which made it way more fun.

The only things that knocked it down a star for me were the hero’s immaturity and a little bit of the dialogue. Some of the lingo wasn’t really my generation (or just not terms I use), so a few lines made me pause or cringe a little. But that’s a minor thing.

Overall, I’d give The Biggest Player the 3.75 out of 5 stars. The chemistry was great, the story was cute, and Sara Ney brought the energy and charm she’s known for. If you like lighthearted, witty romance with a fun narrative style, it’s definitely worth reading!

I've heard a lot of great things about Sara Ney so I figured I would give this ARC a chance but I was pretty disappointed. Obviously I knew that the MMC was going to be pretty immature but I found him to be veryyyy immature, especially given that he wanted to be in a relationship from the beginning. I like the FMC and her daughter but I just didn't feel that they were actually a good match. Overall, I don't know that I would give her books another try.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

I really loved this book! I adored Wyatt and Margot. Dex was hot and cold for me. Some parts bugged me but I loved the ending and the banter through the story.

What a five-star read that you may need to suspend your reality for but will make you smile so big. Wyatt makes this story, genuinely I have never met a 10-year-old that I would like to meet more, I will admit that Dex annoyed me with him immaturity, but then as you get to know his story, you get to know him and understand him, he does make more sense. Sara Ney will keep you hooked with her stories and bring joy to your life.