Emma

When my best friend Aubrey asked me to tag along to an event with her, I never could have imagined that it would be the day that my life changed forever.

He’s arrogant and demanding and doesn’t take a hint. Landon Barker, the quarterback for the Hermosa Beach Trojans, is a player on and off of the field. He’s got his sights set on me as his next play, but I see right through him. Aubrey says I’m overreacting, that I should give him a chance. What she doesn’t realize is men like Landon don’t fall for the girl next door. That’s not reality. She got her fairytale, although it was a long road. Not all of us are that lucky.

Landon

She’s a friend of our new kicking coach’s wife. When I ask Chance for her number, he tells me I have to find a way to get it myself.

Nothing when it comes to Emma has been easy. She’s the first woman ever to turn me down, and that won’t do. However, as time passes, it’s about more than that. It’s about her smile, her laugh, and just spending time with her. She thinks I’m a player, and she’s right. What she doesn’t know is that I play to win, and her heart is the ultimate trophy.

Title: Lucky Bastard
Author: Kaylee Ryan
Series: Cocky Hero Club - Standalone
Pages: 270
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Sports Romance
Hot Buttons: n/a

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So stinkin’ cute

5 stars

Like the other books in the Cocky Hero Club, this book takes place in the Cocky Hero world that Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward created. Lucky Bastard is related to Cocky Bastard and while the couple from that book, Chance and Aubrey, appear as supporting cast in this one, this book still stands completely alone.

This novel focuses on the relationship of Emma and Landon from day 1 - their first meeting, through to their happily ever after. Their first meeting is really cute and it really set the tone for the whole novel with the banter between our couple. The pair had instant chemistry and I loved both characters from that moment on.

Emma was wonderful and I adored her sense of humour. She never cuts Landon a break and I loved how she knew herself - that she couldn’t have sex without catching feelings, and didn't deviate from her course. Personally, I would have given in in a hot second, if a 6 foot+, gorgeous football player was turning his attentions on me. But fair play to Ms Emma for holding out as long as she did.

Her job was made even harder because Landon. Was. Everything. Imagine the perfect mix of a cocky alpha with a wicked sense of humour but also the sweetest guy - all wrapped up in a sinfully gorgeous package. Plus, he absolutely worships Emma, despite his own confusion and slight worry over the way he feels.

The whole story was, I suppose ‘gentle’ is the right word, but without any negative connotations it may conjure. There weren't any misunderstandings to overcome, no angst or drama. It’s the simple story of a guy chasing after a girl, them becoming friends, then becoming so much more. Oh, there’s a little something towards the end to give us a little bit of extra before it’s all wrapped up. The whole novel felt a little bit different - relying on the writing, the relationships, the banter and chemistry between our couple to carry the story rather than throwing in lots of happenings and plot twists. And carry the story they did. I was hooked from the very first page and I just loved reading the progression of Emma and Landon. I feel slightly bereft knowing that I won’t be able to keep reading about their lives and what happens after the epilogue(s). Yes, this book gets all the points because it has not one but two epilogues. Brilliant!

There’s a nice dash of heat to the story, too, which I'm always down for. Nothing too raunchy but I loved seeing the chemistry translate into the bedroom. And bathroom. And I think there was a little something in the living room, too!

This is my first introduction to the writing of Kaylee Ryan and I very much enjoyed it. She really brought me into the story and I adored her characters, her writing and how she knew exactly how I want the perfect love depicted. Now if she could find me my very own Landon then I would pledge my undying devotion to her. A wonderful story and 5 stars from me.

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AUTHOR BIO!

Kaylee Ryan is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. When she’s not spinning tales of happily ever after, she’s reading or spending time with family.  Born and raised an Ohio girl, Kaylee resides in Cincinnati with her husband and their son

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AUTHOR LINKS!

                  

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Click to see other books by Kaylee Ryan

Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward are excited to bring you the Cocky Hero Club: original works from various authors inspired by Keeland and Ward's New York Times bestselling Cocky Bastard series.

You've got lots of different types of story to choose from and although each are set in the world that Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward created, they all stand completely alone and you don't need to have read anything else, to read and enjoy any one of these tales.

So let's get cocky!


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COCKY HERO CLUB LINKS!

              

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Mrs. Ambrosia Bloomington, now a widow, is ready to start a new life amongst Mayfair elites without the overarching reach of her late husband, Mr. Harrison Bloomington.  With her trunks loaded safely onto her own private carriage, she’s ready to face the world as an independent woman in Regency London.

She does not, however, bargain for cocksure Frenchman, Mr. Charles Cochran Bateman coming along and turning her very ordinary journey into the adventure of a lifetime.

She does not bargain for his laughter, his enthusiasm, nor his Joie de vie.

And blast and fiddlesticks, she certainly is not expecting to experience the sparks that charge the air between them.

And, it seems, apparently, neither is he…

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CONNECT WITH ANNABELLE ANDERS

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They say opposites attract, but in this case, they might just combust...

HEATHER

Hermosa Beach seems to be the place for throwing together unlikely opposites.

My rooster Rowdy and his new crush, Pixy the goat.

Me and the obnoxiously cocky cowboy from Texas...

But unlike Rowdy and Pixy, there’s no way I’m going to fall for David Strickland.

Nope. Not gonna happen. I could never be with a man so completely opposed to everything I believe... no matter how hot he is.

DAVID

There couldn’t be two people more different than the beautiful little tree hugger and rooster rescuer Heather and me.

We can’t agree on anything, except that we disagree on everything—some times more heatedly than other times. And believe me, things are starting to heat up between us, in more ways than one.

She's the last thing I expected to find at an animal shelter in California. But now I found her, I have no intention of letting her go.

I just have to get her on board with that plan.

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CONNECT WITH CAT JOHNSON

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She was the fruit of a forbidden tree, but nothing in this world was going to stop me from tasting her.

My name is Dylan Murphy, and I work for the rich and powerful of an exclusive Manhattan building. Graham Morgan was my first boss, but soon after I was working with some of the most famous entrepreneurs, business moguls, and movie stars in the city. They trusted me because I always followed the cardinal rules:

Never betray secrets. And never, under any circumstance, get personally involved.

I’d never dreamed of violating my professional mantra.

Not until she walked past me.

The look we exchanged that night set my body on fire, and I knew right then and there that no matter the consequences, she was going to be mine. But she was one of them—off limits and out of my league, but she was the kind of woman who I was willing to risk everything for.

I keep other people’s secrets for a living, but the biggest secret of all might be my own.

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CONNECT WITH CHRISTOPHER HARLAN

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Ex-fighter pilot, Logan Reid, is exactly the kind of man I despise. He’s a cocky jet jock, a former Navy Blue Angel, and full of all the arrogance that comes with being the best of the best.

I’m an ex-Zoomie, an Air Force tanker pilot. The rivalry between our sister services is nothing compared to that between fighter jocks and tanker pilots. We’re bitter rivals and I’m low-man (woman) on the totem pole

The last thing I need is to spend six hours at thirty-five thousand feet locked in a cockpit with the cocky captain. But I have no choice. I’m his co-pilot, and we’re taking the CEO of Montague Enterprises, and his family, on a mini-vacation to the Grand Caymans.

We have three days on the ground before we fly back.
Three long days in paradise and he wants to spend them all with me.

I have a thing for fighter pilots.
It isn’t animosity, exactly, but rather a deep-seated dislike. They get all the glory while the rest of us sit at the butt end of their jokes and wither beneath their ridicule.
I hate fighter pilots. There, I said it. I hate the arrogant pricks with a passion.

But after one look into those magnetic eyes, and the devastating wink which follows, I’m thinking of throwing caution to the wind. What harm can come from some innocent flirting? Besides, it’s not as if my job is at risk.

I’m not prepared for the air to sizzle when he’s close.
I’m not ready for our explosive chemistry when he touches my skin.
I’m not equipped for the fallout when our three days come to an end.
And I never expected to fall in love.

But all good things come to an end.
I wasn’t prepared when I walked away.
And I wasn’t ready for what came next.

He’s arrogant.
He’s cocky.
He’s determined to get what he wants.
And he’s refuses  to let this end.
He’s fighting for a forever…with me.

But, I’m not ready for our beginning.
He’s arrogant enough to prove me wrong.

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CONNECT WITH ELLIE MASTERS

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When I met Ryan, I might’ve been trying to break into his basement.

It was for a good cause. I swear. Also, my dog broke in first.

Ryan Blake is jaw-dropping handsome, wealthy & cocky. Not quite my type. By some miracle, he doesn’t call the police on me when he catches me trying to rescue my dog. He even fetches a doctor for me. Don’t ask why.

I don’t figure I’ll see him again. Then, I do. Then, he kisses me. Once. Twice. Is three times the charm? To be honest, I swooned at the first kiss.

All swooning aside, we are seriously opposites. I wear cowboy boots and skirts. He wears suits and ties. He’s all New York City. I’m a Southern girl looking for a new start. We even talk at different speeds.

The list of things I don’t expect from Ryan is long. I don’t expect him to think twice about me. I don’t expect him to nearly bring me to my knees with a look. I don’t expect him to be so much more than I ever imagined.

I absolutely don’t expect to fall for him. So hard I’m skidding sideways just to catch my balance.

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CONNECT WITH J.H. CROIX

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Getting fired and humiliated in front of everyone at my newly acquired secretarial job at Morgan Financial Holdings wasn’t how I’d seen my day going.

And then chaos—or maybe luck—ensured.

I was set up on a blind date, shocked that my former boss was giving me a month’s severance, and had the perfect interview lined up.

Maybe things were looking up for me after all.

And although finding a man should have been on the bottom of my to-to list, I couldn’t get Jason—the uber sexy blind date—out of my head. Sexy and confident—or maybe arrogant—he had me yearning for more with just a smoldering look and a smirk of his lips.

But when a night of drinking leads to getting in bed with him and having the wildest, most intense night of my life, I didn’t know if I should ask to see him again, or do the good old walk of shame.

And it’s when I walk into my interview the next day and come face-to-face with my prospective employer that the reality of my situation sinks in.

Because there, sitting across from me with that devilish smile on his face, that knowing expression of what we’d done the night before, is the one and only Jason, my supposedly one-night stand.

Looked like my humiliation wasn’t over just yet.

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CONNECT WITH JENIKA SNOW

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Emma

When my best friend Aubrey asked me to tag along to an event with her, I never could have imagined that it would be the day that my life changed forever.

He’s arrogant and demanding and doesn’t take a hint. Landon Barker, the quarterback for the Hermosa Beach Trojans, is a player on and off of the field. He’s got his sights set on me as his next play, but I see right through him. Aubrey says I’m overreacting, that I should give him a chance. What she doesn’t realize is men like Landon don’t fall for the girl next door. That’s not reality. She got her fairytale, although it was a long road. Not all of us are that lucky.

Landon

She’s a friend of our new kicking coach’s wife. When I ask Chance for her number, he tells me I have to find a way to get it myself.

Nothing when it comes to Emma has been easy. She’s the first woman ever to turn me down, and that won’t do. However, as time passes, it’s about more than that. It’s about her smile, her laugh, and just spending time with her. She thinks I’m a player, and she’s right. What she doesn’t know is that I play to win, and her heart is the ultimate trophy.

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CONNECT WITH KAYLEE RYAN

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I’m a fighter.
At least that’s what my daddy always told me.
It’s in our blood.

Hard work, hustle, and a little Hennessey is the Reid motto.
He taught me to fight for everything I wanted in life.
Take down those who threaten the dream.

My dream is to marry the perfect man.
That man is my father’s best friend and I won’t stop until I have him.
And at Daddy’s wedding in Costa Rica, I plan to make that dream finally come true.
Then, my life will be smooth sailing.

Until a chance flight with an arrogant pilot throws me off course. 
Literally. 
Camilo’s decisions affect my future, and I can’t allow anything—not even a cocksure, ridiculously hot idiot—to stand in my way.

Problem is, he fights back.
Every battle I’ve won in life, he shoots down and exposes me for the fraud I am.
Trapped in paradise with my devilishly handsome nemesis seems like one of the seven circles of Hell…and, boy, is it getting hot around here. 

He’ll strip me of my armor.
Remind me of my past.
Force me to rethink my future.
And help me live in the moment.
Will he steal my heart too?

One thing’s for sure.
This girl won’t give up without a fight.

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CONNECT WITH K. WEBSTER

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Harper
I fell in love when I was sixteen. Landon was my entire world and I thought he would be my forever. But I was young and dumb, and with one error in judgement, I destroyed any chance of a future we could’ve had together, along with our hearts.

Twelve years later and I’m going through the motions of life, but not actually living. Which is why I let my friends, Bridget and Simon, set me up on a blind date. Turns out, it’s not so blind after all. Because the man sitting in front of me is the same man who’s held onto my heart all these years.

Landon
They call me a Clutch Player because I’m good under pressure and quick on my feet. I was also quick to fall in love. The first time it was with baseball, the second was with Harper. And for a short time I had them both.

Until I lost Harper and all I had left was baseball.

For years, I focused on my career. I had accepted that baseball was my one true love.

Until I saw her again. I never imagined we’d ever get a second chance, but now that she’s sitting right across from me, I know there’s no way in hell I’m going to let her go again.

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CONNECT WITH NIKKI ASH

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Carlina Perez is in way over her head. Unexpectedly jobless and fostering an exotic pet with an insatiable appetite, this pastry chef needs a new gig faster than she can whip up a batch of scones.  But when she’s tapped to serve as the personal chef to a haughty tabloid regular, she only considers the job out of sheer desperation. After all, Giorgio Acardi may be filthy rich and intoxicatingly handsome, but he’s also a first class scoundrel.

Giorgio Acardi has it all:  money, fame, an endless string of beautiful companions, and the respect of his colleagues and rivals. From the outside looking in, his life is perfect. So perfect, in fact, that he’s even got his eye on a new personal chef. She’s talented and gorgeous, and it shouldn’t make a difference whether she hates him or not as long as she does the job. But there’s something about Carlina that Giorgio just can’t resist, and he hasn’t enjoyed success by backing down from a challenge.

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CONNECT WITH RAISA GREYWOOD