Book Review: Rival Hearts by Maggie Rawdon
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Looking for a steamy sports romance? Check out Maggie Rawdon’s Rival Hearts!
I first discovered Maggie Rawdon when I stumbled onto her books Plays and Penalties, a college sports series.
When I found out about Rival Hearts, I was so excited to jump back into her world of sports-dom.
Rival Hearts is a standalone book, but has character cameos from Maggie Rawdon’s other book series.
I read Rival Hearts on Kindle Unlimited and these are my honest opinions.
Pro football might see me as their favorite underdog, but Madison Westfield would rather see me six feet under.
My ex-best friend’s little sister has every reason to hate me. I took her boyfriend’s spot on this team, her brother might lose his too, and our short-lived engagement years ago is part of the reason our families are locked in a grudge match that has the whole league on edge.
Ruining me would fix most of her problems, but she’s stuck trying to work a PR miracle with my career instead.
Making my way through her build-a-better-image checklist is the kind of torture I’ll gladly sign up for, especially if I get to help her prove everyone wrong.
But it means we’re spending a lot of time alone together, and when it comes to Madison, I’ll take any chance she gives me. Even if it means there’s hell to pay—on and off the field.
Summary: Rival Hearts by Maggie Rawdon
Quentin and Maddison’s love story started the summer before she went on a gap year. He was her brother’s best friend, and she was always off-limits. But a stay in the cabins changed their relationship and Quentin and Maddie fell in love.
However, they were young and Quentin was easily manipulated by her father and was sent away to play for another team. To Maddie, Quentin disappeared for 10 years without communication.
Now Maddie is Quentin’s PR rep and he’s not going to let her get away again. Quentin is following all of Maddie’s directions and chasing after her like no other.
Maddie doesn’t want to get her heart broken again, but she can’t resist Quentin. He was her first everything after all.
My Thoughts: Rival Hearts by Maggie Rawdon
I loved how dedicated Quentin is to his pursuit of Maddie, especially as he realizes she’s the one who got away. Maggie Rawdon does a great job building up how Quentin is going to woo her from page 1 and I’m all in for the journey.
Maddie doesn’t know what’s coming for her, but she is struggling to fight her feelings for Quentin. Even though they last talked 10 years ago, their chemistry is off the charts and everyone can tell.
I love the scene with A.J., when he tells her he would be jealous if he was her real boyfriend. I love how Quentin never stopped thinking about her. I love how she fights her feelings for him.
Together, Quentin and Maddie map out a second chance at love that’s both heartwarming and filled with the inevitable chemistry readers crave in a romance.
Speaking of chemistry, Rival Hearts should come with a warning for the steamy scenes that it portrays with unflinching detail. If you’re in this for the steam, you’ll find it in spades–Quentin is 🥵.
Maggie Rawdon doesn’t shy away from the passionate interactions between the characters, yet she also balances it well with tender moments that hold emotional depth.
I gave this a 4/5 stars as I lean towards a touch more drama, yet Rival Hearts is refreshingly straightforward. Their relationship progresses steadily, effortlessly overcoming challenges along the way.
The conclusion was neatly wrapped up, though it lacked that extra spark of uniqueness.
Final Thoughts: Rival Hearts by Maggie Rawdon
Overall, I highly recommend Rival Hearts for readers who love a sports romance with steamy scenes and a second chance at love.
Maggie Rawdon’s writing style is personal and engaging, making this book an easy and enjoyable read. Fans of sports romance will definitely want to add this to their reading list!
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