Contemporary Authors

• Looking for Trouble Forever (New York, NY), 2010
• Here Comes Trouble Forever (New York, NY), 2011
• Along Came Trouble Forever (New York, NY), 2013

1. Looking for trouble LCCN 2014659916 Type of material Book Personal name Kern, Erin. Main title Looking for trouble / Erin Kern. Edition First edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Forever ; Grand Central Publishing, 2013. ©2010 Description 436 pages. ISBN 9781455598779 CALL NUMBER CPB Box no. 3887 vol. 6 Copyright Pbk Coll FT MEADE Copy 1 Request in Rare Bk/Spec Coll Rdng Rm (Jefferson LJ239) - STORED OFFSITE 2. Along came trouble LCCN 2014656718 Type of material Book Personal name Kern, Erin, author. Main title Along came trouble / Erin Kern. Edition First edition. Published/Produced New York : Forever, 2013. Description 422 pages ; 18 cm ISBN 9781455573929 (pbk.) 1455573922 (pbk.) CALL NUMBER CPB Box no. 3824 vol. 3 Copyright Pbk Coll FT MEADE Copy 1 Request in Rare Bk/Spec Coll Rdng Rm (Jefferson LJ239) - STORED OFFSITE 3. Here comes trouble LCCN 2014659683 Type of material Book Personal name Kern, Erin. Main title Here comes trouble / Erin Kern. Edition First mass market edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Forever ; Grand Central Publishing, 2013. ©2011 Description 374 pages ; 17 cm ISBN 9781455573967 (pbk.) 1455573965 (pbk.) CALL NUMBER CPB Box no. 3874 vol. 9 Copyright Pbk Coll FT MEADE Copy 1 Request in Rare Bk/Spec Coll Rdng Rm (Jefferson LJ239) - STORED OFFSITE

• Nothing But Trouble - 2014 CreateSpace,
• The Trouble with Trouble - 2014 Erin Kern,
• Winner Takes All - 2016 Forever, New York, NY

• Erin Kern Home Page - http://www.erinkern.com/

  About

  ErinKern_crop300

  My love of writing began many years ago while reading the likes of Rachel Gibson, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Linda Howard. These brilliant women, along with many others, gave me the inspiration and motivation I needed to pen my own stories. Romance is my true calling and ultimate passion but I read many other types of stories.

  Looking For Trouble is my debut novel that took lots of time, sweat, tears and smiles. I pour every ounce of energy and love into my characters and plots in order to make them shine.I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with my husband and two small children. When I’m not sitting at my laptop I’m playing with my kids, cooking and other things that keep stay-at-home moms like me busy until we drop to our weary feet.
  I love hearing from my readers. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions, comments and/or suggestions you may have. There is no bigger compliment to an author than word of mouth from one reader to another.

• Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Erin-Kern/e/B0047AQ6R0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1491778751&sr=8-3

  I was born in Houston, Tx. and am the oldest of two sisters. After moving around umpteen times, I finally settled in northern California, where I lived most my life, but am finally back home now in Texas. I live in the north Ft. Worth area with my husband, 6 year old daughter and 2 year old son.

  I absolutely love to read! With the exception of my family, reading is my one passion I would never be able to give up. I've spent countless hours researching some of my favorite authors on Amazon looking for that perfect book to read next. Once I find it, I cherish every page until I've reached the end.

  Second to my passion for reading is writing. One day, while going about my daily routine of working, chores, and other domesticated stuff, I sat down at my computer and started typing. I typed until every single word, character and setting was out of my head and on the computer screen. Seven years later, I've finally published my first book, and I could not be happier what my chosen profession.

  This passion of mine was a collaborative effort of some of my favorite authors, including, but not limited to, Linda Howard, Cindy Gerard, Rachel Gibson, Susan Mallery, Lori Foster... I could go on and on but I don't want this biography to stretch from now until the end of time.

Winner Takes All
Publishers Weekly. 263.30 (July 25, 2016): p55.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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Full Text:
Winner Takes All

Erin Kern. Forever, $6.99 mass market (384p) ISBN 978-1-4555-3598-9

In this somber first entry in Kern's Champion Valley contemporary series, two unlikable people awkwardly connect. Superstar quarterback Blake Carpenter pretended ignorance of the performance-enhancing drugs injected by his trainers, and now his legacy is tarnished. In an effort to put the past away, he returns to his Colorado hometown to coach his high school football team. Determined to take them to the play-offs, he resents physical therapist Annabelle Turner getting between him and the players. Blake and Annabelle certainly lust after each other, but they don't seem to like each other very much, with Blake being downright vulgar at times, in one instance accusing Annabelle of "rubbing [her]self all over {him] like a cat in heat." Sometimes tension and arguments are the precursor to passion, but they don't spend enough time talking, so they never click. Strangely, Kern keeps most of the action inside their heads as both consider the consequences of getting to know each other better. Agent: Kristyn Keene, ICM Partners. (Sept.)

"Winner Takes All." Publishers Weekly, 25 July 2016, p. 55. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA460285503&it=r&asid=9f7a46882711b94d4ec03a7af9c3ce4a. Accessed 9 Apr. 2017.

• Harlequin Junkie
  http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-winner-takes-all-by-erin-kern/
  Word count: 603

  REVIEW: Winner Takes All by Erin Kern
  Posted August 19th, 2016 by Sara @HarlequinJunkie in Blog, Contemporary Romance, Review, Sports Romance / 4 comments
  In Winner Takes All by Erin Kern, former NFL player Blake Carpenter Winner-Takes-Allhas returned to his hometown to coach the high school football team. The only catch is that he needs to lead them to the playoffs. If they don’t make it, he’s out of a job. The problem is that the team is awful. The old coach didn’t seem to care about putting together a championship team. He has a lot of work to do, and then he meets Annabelle Tuner.

  Annabelle was hired by the school to work with the players on stretching before and after practices and the games. Blake, untrusting of most people after being burned by his NFL coach and medical staff, worries that she’s going to try to take over the team. The only thing Annabelle wants is to help the players, and that means standing up to Blake when he doesn’t want to hear her ideas.

  Annabelle had known some obstinate people in her life. Hell, she could be pretty darn stubborn when she wanted to be. But this guy practically gave new definition to the word.
  She didn’t back down from anyone, though, and she wasn’t about to let some ex-football player think he could bully her.
  Annabelle is friendly and outgoing, while Blake can be abrasive and unapproachable. There were several times where Blake was hostile towards Annabelle, but instead of giving up, she kept trying to get him to come around. While I enjoyed her determination, I found Blake’s attitude to be a bit much at times.

  Drew gave her a slow nod. “And you met Blake,” he concluded.
  Obviously she wasn’t the only one Blake had conversational issues with.
  “Yes,” she confirmed. “He’s…” Her words trailed off as she sorted through her mind, trying to find the correct word to describe such a complex man.
  “An ass?” Drew helped with a lifted brow.
  Exactly. “That’s not the word I was going to use,” she hedged, instead of agreeing with him. “But he does seem a little…socially challenged.”
  There were some humorous moments, mainly courtesy of the Beehive Mafia, a group of four senior citizens who wore their hair in the beehive style. They stalk Blake and his cousin Brandon in the park to get pictures of them shirtless to put up on their social media pages. They’re into everyone’s business, and their antics were pretty funny.

  Next to Lois, Beverly sniggered and waved her orange foam finger in the air. She was waving the darn thing so hard, she whacked her own beehive.
  Virginia yanked the thing off Beverly’s hand. “What do you think you’re doing? Beverly demanded.”
  “You’ve smacked me in the head about five times,” Virginia scolded. “You’re only allowed to have this if you know how to use it.”
  Stella griped Annabelle’s forearm, her fingers digging into the soft flesh. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
  “Do you mean the game or the Beehive Mafia?”
  Stella snorted. “Both.”
  Winner Takes All was an enjoyable read, but I wish I had felt more of a connection between Blake and Annabelle. If you enjoy stories about disgraced sports stars looking for redemption, then this may be a story for you.

• All About Romance
  http://allaboutromance.com/book-review/winner-takes-it-all-by-erin-kern/
  Word count: 802

  Winner Takes All
  Erin Kern

  Buy This Book
  Blake Carpenter was at the top of his game as a professional football player when trusting the wrong people led to it all crumbling around him. Now he’s moved back to his hometown to coach the high school football program and is none too happy about it. Annabelle Turner knows all about why Blake is back in town and has her own opinions about it. As the physical therapist for the team, however, she tries to be professional despite her misgivings. The problem is that assumptions and rumors are never whole truths and there’s more to Blake than she previously believed. Winner Takes It All is a story of a sizzling love/hate relationship with a happily ever after.

  When Blake returns to his small Colorado hometown, he’s in full redemption mode. He has a life to rebuild and not a lot of time in which to do it. He takes the job of coaching his alma mater’s football team back to glory, but the pressure is intense. If he’s not successful and they don’t become state champions, he’ll be unemployed. The politics of small town football are in full play here – Blake has to balance his vision with the vision of the district athletic director and the hopes of the town.

  What he definitely doesn’t need added to that already difficult balance is a physical therapist hired by the district who also happens to be gorgeous, professional, and unwilling to put up with his demands for her to leave his team alone. Boldly standing her ground, Annabelle provides the biggest challenge to his goals, mostly because he cannot stop thinking about her and hates that.

  Blake is constantly in a lot of pain from a football injury that never really healed. He relies on prescription painkillers to numb that pain, but they do nothing to heal his sour attitude. While he is clearly an alpha hero, he flirts with the line between alpha and asshole a little too much for my liking. I can respect that his grumpiness comes from being in chronic pain, but it doesn’t make it any more pleasant to read.

  Annabelle is the first person who sees through his tough-guy facade and tries to help. He, of course, brushes her off. Her initial reaction is to ignore him right back, but something about him keeps drawing her to him. Their dynamic is firmly love/hate; they’re an explosive couple mostly because Blake is such a volatile human and is set off by small things. Additional complications come from the opinions of the town; Blake’s disgrace was well documented and most folks in the town have strong opinions on it and are happy to share those with both of them. Blake’s past informs most of his interactions at the beginning of this book, and his shame and frustration are palpable.

  This is a hero’s phoenix journey, a fall from grace followed by a rebuilding into a new creature, one who is stronger and yet more tender, more open to life and to love than it was before. The happy ending here is not just for Blake and Anabelle as a couple, but for his redemption arc. As he faces down demons, he discovers new purpose and a new future.

  The trouble is, I really couldn’t bring myself to care about any of it.

  I never connected with Blake, and never really cared about Annabelle. Everything about this book should have worked for me, but it just didn’t. I kept checking the bottom of my Kindle, each time hoping to have advanced further than I had. The pace dragged and frequently took me right out of the story as a result. Additionally, while this is a sports romance, and takes place almost exclusively around football, the sport doesn’t feel like anything but a plot point.

  There are people who are going to like this book, I am sure of it. If someone is looking for a sweet romance with that enemies-to-lovers or love/hate dynamic and a whole heap of sexual tension, this may just scratch their itches. Additionally, there’s some interesting mother/daughter dynamics between Annabelle and her quirky mother that will surely entertain some readers. This is not a bad or offensive book by any means. It’s just one that didn’t work for me.

  Book Details
  Reviewer : Kristen Donnelly

  Grade : C-

  Sensuality : Warm

  Book Type : Contemporary Romance

  Review Tags : Champion Valley series | enemies to lovers | Sports Romance

• Harlequin Junkie
  http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-along-came-trouble-by-erin-kern/
  Word count: 629

  REVIEW: Along Came Trouble by Erin Kern
  Posted December 7th, 2013 by Sara @HarlequinJunkie in Blog, Contemporary Romance, HJ Recommends, Review / 1 comment
  In Along Came Trouble (Trouble #3) by Erin Kern, Brody McDermott needs a miracle to save his restaurant from going under and that miracle arrives in the form of photographer Elisa Cardoso. Elisa is hired to take photos of their signature dishes for a magazine write up, but from the moment Brody spots her, he is completely taken by the beautiful woman. His problems at the restaurant and with his family continue to battle for his attention. ACTElisa becomes someone very important to him, calming his anxiety yet fueling his desire at the same time. To say Brody has trouble with expressing his emotions is an understatement. And unfortunately, that may push Elisa into making a decision to leave him behind.

  ‘Something about Elisa brought out an animalistic side of him, like he needed to drop to his knees and howl at the moon. That or claw her clothes off.’
  Elisa Cardoso built a wall around her heart after her last boyfriend destroyed her emotionally. Biding her time in Trouble, Wyoming, she didn’t expect to fall head over heels for restaurant manager Brody when she took a photography job. Elisa knows from the beginning that he is someone she could spend her life with and in turn he could hurt her deeply if she let him. But when the chance of a lifetime comes up, Elisa is forced to choose between the man of her dreams or the career advancement she’s been waiting for.

  ‘Elisa didn’t care what secrets he had. She loved him, flaws and all. She could take whatever he tossed her way. What she couldn’t take was the secrecy.’
  Along Came Trouble is a very sexy and emotional contemporary romance set in rugged Wyoming. There are quite a few characters to keep track of, but book three in the Trouble series can certainly be read as a standalone or along with the others in succession.

  ‘But this was more than flirting. This was outright seduction. The tone of his voice held all sorts of promises, the kinds of promises that led to screaming.’
  I thought the writing style was really fun and spicy, but still had a lot of depth to the emotions portrayed for each character. The double entendres used throughout the story just had me cracking up (and fanning my face from the heat)! I have to say, though, that there was a bit of angst to Brody and Elisa’s inner monologues that I didn’t expect in a contemporary romance. Not that it was a bad thing. In some ways it was almost more realistic that they waffled with their feelings so much, rather than having an epiphany right away like in some other stories.

  Watching Elisa and Brody fall in love was equal parts entertaining and torture for me. They were meant to be together. Everyone around them could see it. And if they would only admit it, they knew they belonged together as well. However, they were both stubborn and didn’t want to give in and try, both having had bad luck in romance before. Understandable. But wow…I didn’t think they’d ever have a HEA for a while there! Love has a funny way of working things out just as they should be in the end, though.

  Overall, I enjoyed Along Came Trouble. The plot had some nice twists and the characters were well developed. If you like passionate romance with raw, intense emotions, I’d suggest giving this one by Erin Kern a try.

• Fiction Vixen
  http://fictionvixen.com/review-along-came-trouble-erin-kern/
  Word count: 357

  Review: Along Came Trouble by Erin Kern

  November 20, 2013

  Along Came Trouble (Trouble #3) by Erin KernI must admit I picked this book to read because of the cover. I didn’t even look at the blurb. I saw cowboy hats and a big field, and I was sold. While the story is set in Wyoming, throughout it I kept wondering, “Where’s the cowboy?” The main characters in Along Came Trouble are Elisa, a food photographer, and Brody, a restaurant owner. Brody is also a single dad with a not so great relationship with his ex-wife.

  I struggled with some of this book. I actually really liked Elisa. She was strong, independent, smart, and I loved the way she interacted with Brody’s son. But Brody just didn’t appeal to me at all. He wasn’t a great businessman, his interactions with his son made him even less appealing, and emotionally he was all over the map. Hot and cold. While the last thing can sometimes make for an interesting dynamic between the main characters, ultimately it was the stuff with Brody and his son that kept me struggling with this book. And the back story between Brody and his ex-wife didn’t work for me either – it too made him less appealing to me.

  But even with all that going on, I must say the sex scenes between Elisa and Brody were hot. This author definitely knows how to write two people between the sheets. After every sex scene I would say to myself, “Damn Brody! You’re hot!” Then Brody would disappoint me again. Boo. Which was kind of a bummer, because the premise and the heroine really worked and could have made for a great book. There is a small subplot with two secondary characters that was extremely intriguing, and I will for sure read their book if they get one. I couldn’t get enough of the two of them when they were on the page together.

  Rating: C+
  Along Came Trouble by Erin Kern
  November 19th 2013 by Forever

• Romantic Times
  https://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/here-comes-trouble-2
  Word count: 180

  HERE COMES TROUBLE
  Image of Here Comes Trouble
  Author(s): Erin Kern
  his second in the Trouble series has everything that makes contemporary romance fun to read. Chase McDermott is one sexy cowboy, and though he’s a bit of a player, he’s irresistible. Lacy is vulnerable, but gets the chance to grow. Both are realistic and believable characters, and their longtime friendship-turned-romance is a great recipe for playful dialogue. Kern is an author to keep track of.
  Lacy Taylor seems destined to live up to the unfortunate name of her hometown of Trouble, Wyo. When her love/hate relationship with lady-killer Chase McDermott takes a turn for the passionate, they come up with a no-commitment plan to keep them both happy. Lucy wants a distraction from her troubles and Chase is happy to help — until he sees how vulnerable she truly is. Will he gather the courage to leave behind his player persona and show Lacy he can be trusted with her heart? (FOREVER, Oct., 384 pp., $6.00)
  Reviewed by:
  Terri Dukes

• Romantic Times
  https://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/along-came-trouble-1
  Word count: 230

  ALONG CAME TROUBLE
  Image of Along Came Trouble
  Author(s): Erin Kern
  Kern’s third Trouble book is a beautiful study in balance. Her sense of humor shimmers, but her prose packs an emotional punch that is unforgettable. Her characters are fascinating and multifaceted alone, but as a couple they shine, finding the courage to deal with the best and worst in each other while side by side. This story is smoldering and sexy, and the depth of feeling that is woven throughout this story is genuinely touching. Kern’s fans will be delighted by this installment, which will hopefully win her a legion of new readers.
  Elisa Cardoso arrives in Trouble, Wyoming, dreaming of photographing the stunning landscape and agrees to dabble in food photography. But when she is hired by the Golden Glove Sports Bar and meets the sexy owner, the work suddenly becomes a lot more interesting. Brody McDermott is quite eager to get to know the beauty working behind the camera, but from the first kiss, he knows he wants much more. Brody’s past is a mess of mistakes, and though Elisa says she won’t be scared off, her job could take her half a world away — unless Brody finds the courage to give her a reason to stay. (FOREVER, Nov., 432 pp., $8.00)
  Reviewed by:
  Bridget Keown

• Romantic Times
  https://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/winner-takes-all-0
  Word count: 171

  WINNER TAKES ALL
  Image of Winner Takes All (Champion Valley)
  Author(s): Erin Kern
  This tale comes to a pretty abrupt end and could have benefited from extra pages. The author fails to provide specific solutions to the problems presented, and instead offers generic conclusions that leave the story feeling unfinished. The slow buildup of a romantic relationship may have happened too slowly, as there was no climactic moment.
  Former NFL quarterback Blake Carpenter retired from the league amidst rumors of drug abuse and landed a job as the head coach of his high school's football team. Half of the community is happy to have him home, while the other half is wary of his influence on the students. Adding to his distraction is physical therapist Annabelle Turner, who works with the team. Her cautiousness from past relationships and his need to keep things casual causes the two to but heads despite their mutual attraction. (FOREVER, Sep., 384 pp., $6.99)
  Reviewed by:
  B. Nakia Garner

• My Guilty Obsession
  http://myguiltyobsession.blogspot.com/2011/08/looking-for-trouble-by-erin-kern.html
  Word count: 846

  Sunday, August 21, 2011
  Looking for Trouble by Erin Kern
  Title: Looking for Trouble
  Author: Erin Kern
  Published By: Self Published (Oct. 12. 2010)
  Genre: Chick Lit/Contemporary Romance
  My Rating: 4 Stars

  Goodreads Description:
  When Noah McDermott, owner of McDermott Construction, walks out into the bright morning sunshine, the last thing he expects is to get run over by a careless woman in a yellow Mercedes. His anger quickly fades into curiosity when the driver turns out to have endless legs and bottomless brown eyes.
  Avery Price, daughter of a publishing millionaire, should have followed her instinct and kept driving instead of stopping at a dot on the map. But Trouble, Wyoming is growing on her and she needs a job – fast. So what is she thinking by accepting a job from the man she knocked over with her back bumper?
  As the two of them work together, the sparks fly. Surely they can be professional and keep from acting on their impulses. Sometimes Noah gets the feeling Avery isn’t who she says she is. Is she just a girl looking for a change or is there more going on than she’s telling him?
  Avery quickly adapts to her new life in the middle of nowhere. She has a job for the first time in her life and a boss who turns her on more than her ex-fiancé ever did. But did she make the right choice by leaving home or is she falling deeper into trouble?
  My Review:
  I am not going to sugar coat this, this book has a lot of editing errors and inconsistencies. Some were even a little distracting at times, which normally puts me off a book but thankfully the writing and characters were so good that I was able to move past the errors and really enjoy the story.
  The story managed to hold my attention and make me not want to stop reading, in fact, I would have finished this in one day if I hadn't had such a busy schedule at the time I was reading it.
  I loved the characters and even the secondary characters were fun to read about and completely loveable. In fact, I am really hoping we will get to see some of the side characters in another book, I liked them that much.
  And while it did have some distracting editing errors like I mentioned before, this book is so worth the read. It was fun and hot and had great dialog between the characters and definitely left me wanting to read another book by the author.
  In fact I was told that there will be another book out in September and I will definitely be buying it.
  Posted by Kindlemom at 10:05 AM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
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  My Rating Scale
  5 Stars-This book was amazing, hard to put down and completely captivating. It will stick with me long after finishing it. I would recommend it to everyone.

  4 Stars-This book was pretty fabulous and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of the genre.

  3 Stars-This book was good, maybe not a favorite but worth the read.

  2 Stars-This book could have been better, still needs some work and I more than likely wouldn't recommend it.

  1 Star-This book for whatever reason, just wasn't for me.
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  Kindlemom
  I am a full time mom and avid reader. When I am not playing dress up or chasing down lost toys and wrestling with the never ending pile of laundry, I read. Actually, I read whenever I get the chance. I love many different genres and would have a hard time choosing just one favorite book. And yes I really am obsessed with books, in fact I might be a book hoarder. Thankfully I have a Kindle and no one is the wiser to my vastly growing collection of books.

• Will Read for Feels
  http://www.willreadforfeels.com/reviews/winner-takes-all-erin-kern/
  Word count: 740

  Book Review + Bookalikes: Winner Takes All by Erin Kern
  August 31, 2016 Leave a Comment Written by Liana Smith Bautista

  I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
  Book Review + Bookalikes: Winner Takes All by Erin KernWinner Takes All by Erin Kern
  Series: Champion Valley #1
  Published by Forever on August 30, 2016
  Genres: Contemporary, Romance
  Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iBooks • Add to Goodreads
  four-stars

  Money. Fame. Endorsements. Blake Carpenter had it all—before his professional football career spiraled out of control. Determined to rebuild his life, he takes on coaching the high school team in his Colorado hometown. Despite a few fumbles, Blake knows he can lead these boys to victory. As long as he can keep his eyes on the prize and off the team’s distractingly gorgeous physical therapist.

  Annabelle Turner knows all about the scandal that cost Blake his NFL career, and she’ll be damned if she’s going to let his mistakes hurt her team. What she doesn’t count on is the intense attraction that turns every heated run-in they have into a wildly erotic competition. Point by point, play by play, kiss by kiss, they try to keep things professional for the good of the team. But when the score is this close—and the passion this fierce—it’s anybody’s game . . .

  Because I like a good sports romance, I was curious about Winner Takes All by Erin Kern after reading the blurb, but I was doubly so when I learned this was the first book in an all-new small-town romance series called Champion Valley. I’m a big fan of the trope, so it wasn’t hard to convince me to pick up the book.

  And it was a pretty fun read. The hero and heroine, Blake and Annabelle, snipe at each other verbally through most of the book, but behind that animosity is a whole lot of attraction and something more, and knowing that as you read will make for a pretty yummy experience. Plus the description of the buff hero and his equally buff friends will make for imagination candy, if not eye candy.

  Better than that is the fact that Blake isn’t your typical neanderthal jock, even if he does have his moments when he deserves his reputation as an ass. But he’s also a guy who’s suffering, both physically and emotionally, and in typical guy fashion, he’s bottled it up and hid it from the world instead of leaning on friends and family for support or asking for help. Still, he wins some serious yummy points for being so dedicated to the high school kids he’s coaching.

  Annabelle Turner is living her life for everyone but herself, it seems. She’s moved to Blanco Valley to take care of her ailing mother, and she spends her time running errands for said mother and said mother’s spoiled pooch. It leaves her very little time for herself, and she’s finding it hard to convince herself she doesn’t resent it, no matter how much she loves her mom. But verbally sparring with Blake has her getting hot and bothered, and indulging in him lets her indulge in a little healthy selfishness too. And when she finds she can help him with more than just his bum knee and the mutual lust they’ve been itching to satisfy, it’s no surprise that she quickly finds herself fumbling to keep from losing her heart.

  I thoroughly enjoyed the flavors of this small town, especially when it comes to the busybody ladies who rule it (much to everyone’s aggravation). I was also treated to a preview of some of the characters I’m sure to see in the next books, and I’m already looking forward to learning how one particular couple comes together. My main issue with the read was that it was a little on the talky side, but then again, in hindsight I wonder if the characters’ multiple facets would have shone had those talky scenes not been in place.

  All things said and done, Winner Takes All is a touchdown as far as series debuts go.

• Avid Book Collector
  http://avidbookcollector.blogspot.com/2016/08/book-review-winner-takes-all-champion.html
  Word count: 901

  Tuesday, August 30, 2016
  Book Review ~ WINNER TAKES ALL (Champion Valley #1) by Erin Kern *Release Day Blitz*

  Winner Takes All
  (Champion Valley #1)
  by Erin Kern
  On Sale: August 30, 2016
  Publisher: Forever
  Formats: Mass Market & eBook
  Price: $6.99 USD (MM) / $6.99 USD (eBook)

  Money. Fame. Endorsements. Blake Carpenter had it all—before his professional football career spiraled out of control. Determined to rebuild his life, he takes on coaching the high school team in his Colorado hometown. Despite a few fumbles, Blake knows he can lead these boys to victory. As long as he can keep his eyes on the prize and off the team's distractingly gorgeous physical therapist.

  Annabelle Turner knows all about the scandal that cost Blake his NFL career, and she'll be damned if she's going to let his mistakes hurt her team. What she doesn't count on is the intense attraction that turns every heated run-in they have into a wildly erotic competition. Point by point, play by play, kiss by kiss, they try to keep things professional for the good of the team. But when the score is this close—and the passion this fierce—it's anybody's game...

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  Winner Takes All is the first book in the Champion Valley series, and if this installment is any indication of the awesomeness that awaits us, then I positively will be on pins and needles until Back in the Game releases.

  Erin Kern has an amazing talent of bringing her characters to life with exceptional writing, excellent attention to detail, and outstanding character development. Even for this reader, who has a strong diversion to football, I found myself routing for the team and most of all for Blake and Annabelle to finally get over their control issues and just let love happen. I really loved that there was a slow building to the couple's relationship - no instalove - just good old fashioned romance, which is something I believe we need more of in the book world. I thought that this story was more realistic than other books that I have read lately and I could relate to it more in terms of 'real life'.

  Winner Takes All was beautifully written and the story flowed perfectly. With no cliffhanger and a happily ever after, this book was a great start to a new series and one that I would highly recommend!

  4 stars

  “I don’t like people interfering with my work, Ms. Turner,” Coach Blake Carpenter told her.
  Gee, really?
  “And I don’t like people telling me what to do,” he added.
  Again. Shock.
  “You’re used to having your way, aren’t you?” he asked Annabelle with a tilt of his head.
  Always. “Sometimes,” she lied.
  “Well, so am I,” he stated.
  “No kidding? I never would have guessed.”
  This time he did smile. A slow curling of his lips that matched the curling of her toes in. “So who do you think will win, Ms. Turner?”
  “You might if you ever stop calling me that.”
  He grin grew. “Why would I want to do that?”
  Because it turns me on. “Because it’s too formal. Just call me Annabelle.”
  “That’s not why you don’t like it,” he countered in a low voice.
  They stared at each other like two caged fighters waiting for the other to wave the white flag. Only Annabelle didn’t give up, and she wasn’t about to start now. If Blake Carpenter expected her to admit defeat, he’d better think again.

  Erin was born in Houston, TX. but spent the majority of her life in the Bay Area. She married her high school sweetheart and began her writing career while being a stay-at-home mom to her daughter.

  Her first book, Looking for Trouble, was on the Amazon top 100 for four months, and on the indiereads.com top ten for four weeks. The second book in the Trouble series, Here Comes Trouble, was also a top seller on Amazon. Erin currently lives in North Texas with her husband and two children.

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  Labels: Champion Valley Series, Erin Kern, Grand Central Publishing, Winner Takes All
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  Tamara Bass
  Texas girl, devoted wife, mom, new grandmother, compulsive shopper, chocolate lover, book hoarder, avid reader, bird watcher and pet lover. I will read just about anything...except zombies - I hate zombies!

  My love of books started at a very early age and has grown to an obsession that is out of control and taking over my life.....but I would not trade it for the world!

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  “Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped.” —Andy Weir

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