Rush by Samantha Towle

“With the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select…”

It’s been three years since quarterback Ares Kincaid’s NFL dream came true, and he’s living the high life. The days of cleaning up after his drunk of a father are long gone, and he has no intention of going back.

A car crash and DUI charge meant a lengthy stint in rehab for Arianna Petrelli, and her dream of being a professional artist slips further away when she’s sacked from her position at a gallery. Her need for a job stronger even than her dislike of football, Ari goes to work for her father, the head coach of the New York Giants.

Ares hates alcoholics, which is fine with Ari because she thinks he’s a brainless jock. Yet when Ares rescues Ari from a situation with her ex-boyfriend, an unlikely friendship begins – one that quickly becomes more.

But messing around with the coach’s daughter can only lead to one thing…trouble.

4.5 Stars
Review by Lisa Kane

Arianna Petrelli is the daughter of Eddie Petrelli, the head coach of the Giants football team. She's trying to get her act together. After driving drunk, wrecking the car and a stint in rehab she's slowly making that climb from hitting rock bottom.

The push to rehab came because a little over six months ago, I was arrested for driving under the influence after I caught my ex-boyfriend, Kyle, in a compromising position at a house party. 

She left, crashed Kyle's car, and her life spiraled from there. Now she's in NYC but the only real contact she has besides her dad, is her sponsor Luke.

Arianna and her dad have a strained relationship. Not just because she is a recovering alcoholic, but because he always made football his priority. Even after Ari lost her mom, he still choose football over spending time with her. These two have a baggage full of unresolved issues.

Did I mention Ari's does not like football. At all.

On Ari's first day at her new job-helping her dad out as an assistant to the players-she gets caught in the rain and is a total mess. She's about to grab a new shirt in the locker room when she's nabbed by one hot, gorgeous abs to die for guy.

I'm half-naked in front of Ares Kincaid. Super quarterback, god like football hero. 

There just might be some flirty little conversation between these two but Ari shuts it down in her mind.

Relationships are not something I'm interested in. Staying sober is. 

Now Ares might be gorgeous but he has a whole bunch of opinions about alcoholics. He has no problem once he finds out who Ari is (her reputation precedes her, that's for sure!) and lets her know just how much he disdains them.

Ares Kincaid has formed an opinion of me because of what he heard or read in the press.
But he knows jack shit. 

Ares can't make Ari feel any worse about herself then the job she does on herself. Ari has not learned to forgive herself. She has no problem sucking up to the responsibility for her actions, but she is so hard on herself.

"You want to kiss me, Jailbird?" he whispers and inches closer. So close that I feel his lips brush mind when he talks again. "Yeah..." he breaths out. "That's never going to happen." 

Yeah, Ares is a jerk. But he has his reasons, they might justify them in his eyes, but he's going to need to be taken down a peg or two.

Now this is a Samantha Towle book, so you know that even when you think things are going well, the other shoe is going to drop.

"We're done. Don't call me. Don't come to see me. In fact...just forget I eve existed because that's what I intend to do with you."

Hear that crack? That's my heart splitting right up the center. Ouch.

Here's two people who have more in common than they thought. But they are both stubborn and impulsive and quick tempered. But there is so much good in both of them, are they going to work things out?

"The only thing I plan on doing from now on is loving you."

SAMANTHA TOWLE is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She began her first novel in 2008 while on maternity leave. She completed the manuscript five months later and hasn’t stopped writing since.

She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series and The Revved Series, and stand-alones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Wardrobe Malfunction, Under Her, Breaking Hollywood, Ruin and Sacking the Quarterback, which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. All of her books are penned to the tunes of The Killers, Kings of Leon, Adele, The Doors, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, Lana Del Rey, and more of her favorite musicians.

A native of Hull and a graduate of Salford University, she lives with her husband, Craig, in East Yorkshire with their son and daughter.