Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for letting me read Hard And Fast by Kathy Lyons for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

My first time reading that author.

This is the first book I've read in the Locker Room Series.
I give it 3.5 stars. I liked it, didn't love it! Enjoyable, a bit slow at first. Good story, good characters, interesting... I just didn't really feel a connection as much as with other books I've read.

Review shared online on NetGalley, Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon when published.

A great fast read I discovered this was the third book in the series and I am now buying book one and two so that tells you how much I enjoyed this story

Connor and Gia shared a kiss abou two years ago but due to life and commitments they never took it any further now Gia has started working at the baseball club and the proximity has brought them back together . There's is a slow build relationship Connor has trouble dealing with the softer side been in a relationship and this isn't helped by people trying to create dramas for them As usual true love will triumph and you get a sweet moment when their nemesis gets their comeuppance Overall this book is a great page turner that will keep you entertained great for all romance readers not just sports romance buffs

i was given a copy of this book but this is true ad honest review.

This for me was a odd story. I didn't like the sister/PR and Connor's weird relationship. It seemed weird that Connor would let his sister be so controlling. It made a very weird story.

3.75⭐
This is the first book I've read in the Locker Room series. But it made no difference to the story. As it was easy to follow and the characters were pretty engaging and likable. Except for Connor's sister Sophia. Who was really awful. And the actual storyline easily held my interest. Not to mention there was plenty of hot moments and just enough family drama and angst to keep me reading and I would happily recommend it to others.

Gia and Connor shared a kiss on New Year’s Eve, but nothing came of it despite them both wanting more. Gia is a publicist for his team and he has an issue with her profession. But with Gia tasked with promoting Connor, they are forced to work together, and ignoring their attraction is proving difficult for both of them.
This is a cute read. I liked Gia and Connor together and their hot chemistry. But I found Connor and his opinions about Gia’s job a little over the top. For me Hard and fast is an ok ok read.

Secret "office" romances can be delicious and fun and this one does exactly that. The story is layered perfectly with sexual tension, forbidden desire, fear, pain and utter satisfaction. The characters are relatable, interesting and entertaining. I have quickly fallen hard and fast for Kathy Lyons stories.

Good story, likeable characters and a good pace. Very enjoyable.

The two key characters are very real and I really wanted them to have their HEA.

I found the end of the book unsatisfactory really, it was a bit rushed. I just didn’t believe that the police would share with her sister but not the brother esp given his high profile. That just would not have happened he was at risk too.

Connor and dGia heat up the pages and I just love them. Their story is not only sexy but full of romance. Loved it!

I was pleasantly surprised at the intricate plot of this story. It was supremely well developed. The characters of Gia and Connor had a wealth of depth in expression, emotions and feelings. The sub plot of the family issues with Sophia and Cassie which included a little mystery just added to the allure and drama of the book. The HEA achieved by Gia and Connor was hard fought and well won.

This one is a 3.5 for me. I’m chalking it up to a meh. Connor is a huge Judgey McJudgerson pants. Oh and his sister Sophia, she is a straight up ahole. She needs a swift kick to the bajinga. I think my huge dislike for Sophia made me not enjoy the book so much. But hey, that’s some good writing to get someone to loath a pretend person!

2.5 stars

After reading another book in the Locker Room Diaries series, I was looking forward to Connor's story.

I really liked Gia. She's smart, capable, and good at her job. Connor frustrated me as a character, and though he does grow and change some I wish we could have seen more from him.

The pacing of the plot was uneven, but the further I read the more I enjoyed it. Especially as the author let us get to know Gia better.

Overall a nice entry into the series, but not quite what I had hoped for.

I love sports romance books and this is for sure one of the top ones. Conner is a catcher for the Indianpolis Bobcats baseball team and hes a good, hes a veteran, and well things are heating up. Hes not a fan of the press and getting up in age in the field and his body isnt handling it quite well.

When things heat up with the press wanting more of the quite private Conner Hart... Gia the team's publicist will have her work cut out for her. Shes not had an easy life and not getting it together an foung an amazing job is all that matters. However one kiss changed things a bit.

The story is good, the chemistry is great, and it was just simply enjoyable.

Drama, drama, drama! All the angst that keeps you twisting and turning those pages! Book two in this baseball series and Kathy knocked this right out of the park! Yowza! This is Connor and Gia's story.
Now Gia drove me absolutely bonkers in the first book, but here we see a different side of her and her backstory is something you must read. She's spectacular in her role as PR for the team. She and Conner happened to share a New Years Eve kiss a year ago that was promptly broken up by his overbearing, obnoxious sister who... you have to read the book to fully comprehend the dynamics in Connor's family. Connor is catcher for the team, his knees have seen better days and he's stepping up his batting so he can keep playing ball. Connor has a serious disdain for the press, media and anything related to that. Including public relations. Gia has bailed his backside out of multiple uncomfortable places with the press more than once, as well as run interference with the rest of the team. Imagine if you will babysitting a large group of grown men who act like boys. Her job is to spin the story, wipe things clean, and crank out good press. Connor is totally taken with Gia but hates her job. These two start a seriously steamy relationship which is precarious at times, he's got his own backstory, his sisters and then there's Gia and his future. All of which Connor worries about. I loved Gia is this story. What a strong character she is and Connor, for all his skewed views on things, I loved him too. The road for these two takes a couple u-turns and sharp s curves, thanks to Connor.
What a great story to watch unfold and when I put down my reader I'd think about the story and wonder why.... yep. That's what a great story does, makes you think about it after you put it down.
Well done Kathy, well done. It's a must read.

arc from Net Galley and Entangled for an honest review

Hard and Fast by Kathy Lyons a sublime five-star read that wasn’t hard to read but was a fast read. Pro Veteran Connor Hart is a great man and he is feeling every day of his many years, and they aren’t that many but for a professional ball player who catches for a living means he has had a hard time in his many years. He’s a man who works hard and shows the younger players how to behave, he has a lot to keep him in order and knows what he wants, but as always you can’t always have what you want, sadly for him he has a sister he doesn’t want to upset and a boss he also doesn’t want to upset. But one kiss and one woman may change all of that, this is a story of romance and drama and will have you turning the pages to the next one with a smile on your face.

Definitely mixed feelings. 3.5 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had a hard time coming to the right rating for this book, There are so many factors that went into picking the right star. So I am taking the 3.5 star rating which is an "I like it" according to GoodReads.

Gia - I wanted to like this chick but sadly she annoyed me so much! I hate that she feels she has to be in everyone's business and no privacy is allowed, especially when it comes to Connor's family and history. I had real issues with this. I hated when she would grill him about his personal life when clearly it was not her business. I would have thrown her ass out. Plus, she broke his confidence several times. Not cool.

Conner- He could be a jerk and several times he was rude and treated her like a piece of ass. But she kept coming back for it too, so that is on her just as much. He also cared for her deeply but couldn't face up to it because of his screwed family.

The story - was unique and interesting for the most part. A few good twists and a sister you will HATE! ugh!

The sex - off the charts. Actually saved the book for me.

Overall - a good read and Conner.... he is yummy, but can still be a jerk.... sigh

Nothing is perfect.

Hard and Fast is Connor and Gia’s story. Connor is his team’s aging catcher with knee issues, and Gia is the team’s publicist. They are both carrying around more emotional baggage than most - Gia due to her early life on the streets with a drug-addict mother and Connor due to his efforts to protect an emotionally-fragile younger sister from a psychotic older sister. The characters are well developed and easy to root for. This is the third book in a series, but can easily stand alone. It was fun to read about a fictional team in my hometown.

I thought this book was okay. I mean it wasn't bad, it wasn't great. I guess my problem with this book was the "hero" of the book. I thought he needed to get a backbone with his older sister/PR rep. Why would you keep someone like that in your life in any way. There would be NO WAY anyone would remain in my life after pulling crap like his older sister did/does. Nope. No way.

Pro catcher Connor Hart has a simple plan in place to keep his life drama free, you don't mix work life with your personal life, but that is easier said then done when he meets the teams newest publicist Gia Kubic. She is about the last person he expected to walk through the door, they have history, the very heated kind, and he is certain that if he gets too close that aforementioned heat could come back and bite him where the sun doesn't shine, and also shake his focus on the game. So the plan is simple, avoid her at all costs, but unfortunately for him love doesn't always abide by the rules or the pesky plans you make!

Gia Kubic has a job that most women would die to have, she works side by side with the players on the team, and helps them create an image that draws the fans in, and scores bonus points with the ladies! Most of the guys seem pretty receptive to what she has in mind for them, but there is one certain guy on the team that keeps giving her the run around, and just so happens to be the one that curls her very own toes, the veteran catch Connor Hart. She thought working with him would be easy, but for some reason he keeps trying to avoid her like she's got a case of the plaugue and doesn't seem to want to cooperate, the man has his walls up and isn't talking... but unfortunately for him she is good at what she does, and she is determined to knock those walls down!

Hard and Fast is a dramatic little page-turner that is certain to score serious points with sports romance readers, within it's pages lies a steamy contemporary romance story that is certain to curl the toes, and bring on a case of the feels! I really enjoyed this one, you give me a story with sports involved and my interest is instantly peaked, then you add in a sexy brooding alpha and I am totally in! This one did not disappoint, I found the sports theme I craved, a sexy athlete who inspired the swoons, and a feisty heroine who kept him on his toes, and kept me laughing, and in my book that makes it was a total win! Highly recommend this one, it will keep you enthralled from start to finish!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Privacy and family have always been in the forefront of Connor's mind. Whether he is behind the plate or out in public he has kept his secrets close to his chest. But one kiss on New Year's Eve with Gia, a publicist for the baseball team, knocks Connor for a loop. Will Gia be the one to break down the barriers and allow Connor to get a HEA? Or will she open his heart and trample it into pieces? I absolutely loved these characters and the storyline had more twist and turns than a roller coaster. I was locked in from the opening pages and did not want the story to end. Nothing better than baseball and romance!!

This book was ok, We meet Gia and Connor who had a kiss two years earlier and due to the demands of their job and just life nothing was ever pursued. Now Gia is hired to work for Connor's baseball team. I wasn't crazy of Connor he annoyed me and his sister was a piece of work. I did like Gia and thought she was a pretty strong woman given her background but she was a little too forgiving of Connor, I would have made him sweat a bit.