I don’t read too many sports romances but I appreciate any story where a character must come back from either personal or professional defeat. In Someone Like You, footballer Pierce Harrison has to abandon the game he loves due to a tabloid scandal in the UK that tarnishes his image with his fans and the club he plays for. Retreating back to his family’s home on Long Island, it isn’t long before his fame gets him roped into volunteering with a local youth soccer league. There he’s matched up with coach Abby McCord who is unimpressed with his celebrity. Finding fulfilment in teaching the kids and connecting with a woman who doesn’t want him for his fame is a completely new experience for Pierce. It makes him take a closer look at the man he wants to be versus the walking scandal the public believes he is.
Football (or soccer to us in the USA) plays a big part in putting Pierce and Abby together but it’s a very small part of their relationship. Pierce’s reputation as a womanizer puts Abby instantly on alert that his feelings aren’t sincere. She also has to overcome feelings of inadequacy from being dumped by her fiancé because she wasn't enough for him. Pierce wants to rebuild his name in footballing circles but rediscovers what he loved about the game by keeping it simple with the kids he teaches. He matures by returning to his roots and making peace with his family’s expectations, in a way he never did during of the years he was away playing in Europe.
Some poor choices Abby and Pierce make late in the story hurt my final rating; however I did find enough to enjoy that I’ll be looking for more from Jennifer Gracen and this series.
Sensuality: Warm
Publication Date: 04/2016
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