I don’t even know where to begin with my review of Kickin’ It!! I loved every single word of this amazing, funny, serious and kick ass book!!

Rachel Van Dyken writes these wonderful stories that pull me in slowly and then refuses to let go!!! She creates these amazing, relatable and wonderful characters, that you will fall in love with!! Rachel touches on a lot of important issues in this story, that touched my heart in a profound way.

I absolutely loved Parker and her determination to succeed in a very male dominated world of soccer. She trains hard and keeps her secrets close but watching her share her painful past, doubts, and heart with Matt was beautiful! I could feel the insecurity and pain that Parker was hiding and to see her slowly let Matt in and freely give him her heart, soul and trust was love as it should be. Rachel has written a book with serious issues that a lot young women face and blended it with the beauty of sharing your struggles with others and asking for help..

This book had so many emotions and as always Rachel tackles the emotional issues and throws in a little humor along the way!! Kickin’ It was such a great read with familiar characters like Slade, Jagger and Matt and new to the party Willow, Parker and I can’t forget Jagger’s Russian grandmother what a hoot!!

Once again Rachel Van Dyken has poured her heart into this book and given us the perfect mix of love, hate, passion and friendship that never fails!! I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes a little humor, a touch of angst, a dash of passion and a whole lot of friendship & love!!

Kickin’ It a beautiful and powerfully story.

Parker needs help with her soccer career, and moving in with her best friend and her brother could be her best shot.
Matt is the best sports agent around, after promising his little sister that she could move in and apprentice with him, he also get the surprise that he will have another house guest.
Parker is a star soccer player but has gotten a bad rep, if people only knew the truth they would see things differently.
Matt takes Parker under his wing to train and coach her but what happens when he starts to fall for her?
Rachel creates a beautiful story with characters that are real and gripping. The chemistry Matt and Parker is truly beautiful. I could not put this book down and I highly recommend this read!

Matt Kingston is one of the hottest sports agents around, known for scoring big deals for his high-profile clients, there’s nothing he can’t handle. That is until Parker Speedman shows up as his latest houseguest, she’s a super talented soccer player looking for a team. She’s got a smart mouth, doesn’t back down, and is trying to shake the bad reputation she earned after punching her last coach on the field in front of everyone. As crazy as she makes him, Matt agrees to be her agent and temporary coach to help her get ready for tryouts. But Parker quickly gets under his skin and he’s struggling with trying to not cross the line from professional to personal. Parker doesn’t trust men easily after what happened between her and her last coach but she can’t seem to resist Matt’s charms and, for once, thinks she might have found something besides soccer to fight for. Can Matt and Parker find a way to have it all or will making Parker’s professional dreams come true mean that their personal dreams are off the table?

I thought that this was a good follow up to Risky Play. I really liked Matt in that book, he took a lot of crap from Slade and Jagger but he did a lot to hold everything together. It was fun seeing something else shake him up when Parker crashes into his life. I enjoyed the two of them together, I thought they made a good pair. Parker challenged Matt and really kept him on his toes and I think that he helped to ground Parker, he was always there for her and it was really sweet. This book had all of the signature banter that RVD is known for but it also dealt with a pretty heavy, and timely, topic with what Parker had gone through. I thought that this aspect was handled really well, it was believable and actually really creeped me out. There was a little suspense built in as it pertains to this topic and I liked how it all came to a head, even if I thought it was resolved a little quickly. There was a bit of a side story involving Jagger and now I’m wondering if he’ll get a book of his own, a novella perhaps? Either way, I was glad about how everything turned out and I enjoyed returning to these characters!

3.5 STARS

I requested this from NetGalley without realizing it was part of a series. Nevertheless, it was easy to follow along, and it never felt like the previous book was a vital link. As with all RVD books, there is fabulous banter/dialogue and lovable secondary characters. My only complaint is I wanted the serious issue discussed to have been addressed more completely in lieu of a quick resolution. Overall, this is a light-hearted, sweet read, and everything I've come to expect from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for my advanced review copy.

Kickin It is the second book in Rachel Van Dyken's Red Card series. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first book, Risky Play, first. This book centers around Matt, the agent we met in Risky Play, and Parker, Matt's sister Willow's best friend. Willow begs Matt to take her under his wing for the summer so she can intern with him and learn the ropes of sports management. Willow brings her friend Parker along to keep her company for the summer. Parker is looking for a manager, and when Matt and Parker find themselves drawn toward one another, Matt eventually signs on as her manager. Parker has a complicated past with older men in charge of her career, so she tries her best to keep things professional and keep her distance. Rachel writes the best tension and banter between her characters, and Matt and Parker have that in spades. I must be honest, I'm not typically a huge fan of sports romances, but I love Rachel's writing, and this book is no exception. It's fun, full of banter, sweet, and sexy. It also tackles some heavy and very socially relevant themes (consent, misuse of power, etc.). Everything is handled delicately, so there's no need to fear reading this book. I like that Rachel created a character with trauma in her past without making her fragile and broken. Instead, we see a character with such strength and resiliency. It's a beautiful message. I highly recommend this book for the romance and the message.

When your career goes up in smoke, there are many ways you can handle the situation. For Matt – the lack of abilities on the field did not dampen his desire to ‘make it big’. Instead of kicking a ball on the field, Matt found his calling representing other players as their agent. To say that the career choice was profitable would be an understatement. Matt has worked hard to earn the livelihood that now graces his doorstep.

Matt is about to have his life turned upside down when his sister Willow moves into his home. Willow wants to learn the ins and outs of the business from the one person she looks up to most in this world. Did I mention that Matt has a hard time telling Willow ‘no’? That lack of attention to the things Willow asks for is about to turn Matt’s world around. When Willow shows up, it’s with her friend Park in tow.

With soccer as her main focus, Parker found her career in a downward spiral. No one wanted to even entertain talking to her about a career move after the fiasco on the field. After meeting Matt, Parker is hopeful that he can revive her career in spite of the secrets that she is keeping. Does Matt possess the magic to rebound Parker’s career while helping her secure a deal that would be life changing?

Kickin’ It is the second installment in the Red Card series by Rachel Van Dyken. This installment centers around Matt and career as a sports agent. With Matt trying to revamp Parker’s career, anything can and WILL happen. The banter between these two characters had me laughing at times, while pulling me in when the secrets surrounding Parker’s career came to light. I loved the fact that this novel brought to light one of the challenges that many individuals face when dealing with their careers. Kickin’ It is definitely one for the negotiating table and the playing field!!

Kickin' It is Matt's story and we met him in the first book. I fell in love with his "open mouth immediately stick foot in" nature. Also, he has this sense of humor that just drags the reader into both books and makes you love him. Parker is a wonderful character and we get to see all the other characters from the first book. I love what RVD does when she writes and that's bringing all her characters from others books into the second book - it flashes it out and makes it well-rounded. The storyline speaks for itself and I'm not going to give anything away. Just go read it...it's worth it!!

Okay, okay. I should just give RVD my ultimate fan card now, right? Matt and Parker are all the things I want in my romance. Sports, sexiness, banter, flirty, fun.

Yep, Kickin' It has all the things I want and it does NOT disappoint.

Started on a high note and I was overall please but the first few chapters but once the actual relationship began to develop between Parker and Matt, it was a fast moving train and once the "love you" bombed dropped I became instantly turned off. I will say I did like the dynamic between the athletes at first and I was really hoping Matt would be able to aide Parker in overcoming her past assault but once the attraction started, it didn't live up to my expectations. More built up and character development could have really made this series.

Kickin’ It by Rachel Van Dyken is book two in the Red Card series. You don’t have to read Risky Play to appreciate this, but you meet Matt in book one. I will say this was a nice blend of romance, sports, and prevalent issues in today’s society.
Matt is a former professional soccer player turned sports agent. He’s good at what he does and has it all or at least he thinks does until his little sisters best friend barges into his life.

Parker has been working for years to have a career in soccer until one moment ended it all for her on live tv. She hit her coach and was blacklisted. But why? Why would a star athlete risk everything she worked for? When her best friend decides to move to Seattle to live with her agent brother, Parker rags along. Maybe Matt will help her save her reputation? Only she wasn’t expecting him to barge his way into her heart.
These two have some amazing chemistry. The banter between them was fun and so many sexy moments, but also some heartbreaking ones. Parker has some sass and Matt acts like an over protective dad sometimes, but once she opens up about her past, it was game over for me. I felt her sadness and fear. Matt was the perfect mate for her. The protectiveness and understanding he showed her melted my heart.

The secondary cast of characters add some humor to the story and loved all the interactions between them.

Kickin’ It was downright sweet, sexy and truthful. Rachel did a fantastic job adding in the current society issues we have had lately. What I liked most was this was about a woman in the sports world when we have so many sport romance books centered around men. I always love her stories and she is able to write so many different ones easily. She gets her readers easily sucked into them. This is just another fantastic one too add to my love for her.

Matt is a successful sports agent and his sister wants to follow in his food steps. When his sister and her friend Parker come to his house it turns everything upside down. Parker wants to get back into playing soccer and wants Matt to be her agent. There’s only one problem, the sexual tension is high between them. Can they keep things professional or will they take the leap?

Kickin' It by RVD is a emotional ride from start to finish. It is full hardship, strength, courage, and compassion. Each character is unique in their own way. One character in particular will grab your attention and hold on to you and say watch my journey with me! Be brave with me! And if for some reason you are already in her predicament or been through it, you are not alone, you are not weak, you are strong! This story was beautifully written and I believe will go a long way.

Another awesome book by Rachel.


You get love, laughter, a little bit of insanity, and some fun!

Loved all of the characters but I have to say Jagger is trip! I laughed in the beginning about his grandmother wondering if he worked for the KGB. Hilarious.

There is so much in the book that it all goes and yet you can’t help but just fall right into it.

Rachel is an awesome writer and her books are a must for me.

was completely moved by the subject matter of this book. I love all of Rachel’s book. This one had such a strong message to all who read it. I hope everyone realizes how strong victims of abuse are when they come forward. Rachel told this story beautifully and I truly appreciate that.

Parker is Willow’s friend, and she is looking for a professional soccer team to be a part of. Willow manipulates Matt into letting her and Parker stay at his house for the summer while Willow “interns” for his agency. Matt takes Parker on as his client, and quickly starts getting her ready for meetings and tryouts for teams. Things quickly change for them when Parker is faced with the one person she was trying to get away from. Matt is super supportive of Parker once she tells him what has happened in the past. I won’t spoil it, but you have to read it to see what happens!

Matt and Parker’s story is awesome. I love how everyone is still part of this book as well. It wouldn’t have been as entertaining without Slade and Jagger having their say in everything possible!!! I absolutely can’t wait to get more story for Jagger’s Russian Grandma. Willow is the perfect little sister to Matt, and she just wants to follow in his footsteps. You can definitely see how much of a pushover Matt is when it comes to Willow. They have such a great dynamic, and you can really tell the love they have for each other. I also LOVE the Chief of Police..... and that’s all I’m going to say about him :)

Thank you Rachel for giving us another awesome story.

Kickin’ It is such a great story that will make you laugh out loud, make you angry,and make you love again kinda book. Rachel scores big with this book. This is a sports romance I totally loved and recommend you to read.!

After reading Risky play I couldn't wait to read Matt's book and Rachel did an awesome job with there story, as with most of her books she knows how to add humor into her stories while also writing about tough subjects, This was so well written and I really enjoyed getting to know Parker and Matt.

Matt's story was everything I wished it could be. Amazing story about a female athlete and some challenges she's overcoming. I appreciated the characters going through some very hard but also real issues. And we almost got two stories for the price of one with Jagger and Willow's story intertwined.
Matt is a great agent, works hard for his clients and is a great guy.
Matt and Parker's chemistry is off the charts, both trying to fight what they are feeling and failing. This book had me laughing and crying throughout. Loved this installment by Rachel Van Dyken and cannot wait for the next

After reading a couple of books by RVD, her patterns are readily apparent. When it comes to male heroes, they are rich, good looking, adequately equipped/able to pleasure, snarky as heck and flocks with friends of a feather (so if they're at athlete-level, he's at athlete-level). When it comes to female heroines, they are gorgeous and mouthy. On writing what emotional internal dialogues, she turns to prose:

The shorter, the better.
All it takes.
One. Sentence.

Ok, that's an exaggeration on the above, but those of us familiar with that device, know what's comin' from this dual POV story.

Despite all this, I still pick up RVD's books, which started way back when I won a Goodreads contest for Wingmen #1. Enjoyed it and recommended it to my Book Club. Then, I got Wingmen #2 on my e-reader and had to show Book Club the mini-movie scenes in the book. Now, if I see her books, it's essentially a done deal that I'm going to try to get it.

It's fun, it's fluff. The #MeToo element was a different twist than her usual and I'm still mulling over whether it was done well or not...

I loved Matt and Parker. Parker was really struggling with an issue she didn’t want the world to known. Where as Matt has an idea of what has happened he doesn’t want to be looked at in the same way. It was nice to see that their relationship wasn’t instalove. In my eyes their relationship grew over the time of the book.
I also enjoyed hearing about Willow and Jagger in this book. I’m hoping we will hear more about them in the future.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have actually been sitting on this review for a week or so. Or rather, I’ve been mulling Rachel Van Dyken’s newest book, Kickin’ It, since I finished reading it a week ago. From the time I started it until I finished it (which, by the way, happened to be one day), I was engrossed in the story from its outset.

In the world of #metoo and the push for equality between the sexes, this book is necessary in the romance world. Let’s be honest. There are so many moments when romance readers must suspend their disbelief over the treatment of a woman in a story. I am a personal fan of BDSM and dark romance books because they allow me to live in a world that, I’m fairly certain, I will never exist. For a small time, I can imagine it, but it never becomes my reality. However, there are many instances when women are treated like possessions or worse in romance books. And we accept it because it is fiction.

Yet, there is a bigger reality in our world and in our time. Women are taken advantage of by people of power, most oftentimes, men. This is wrong and dangerous and disgusting. Van Dyken’s newest book gives voice to this problem in a way that gives me hope for our future, for change.

Parker is a graduated college soccer player who is looking for her big break on a professional team. Unfortunately, the “buzz” surrounding her suggests she’s a “problem” player. She’s been accused of erratic behavior, which makes her a liability to any team. Thankfully, her roommate’s, brother, Matt, is a seasoned, well-known sports agent, and Willow (her roommate) has promised Parker that she will ask Matt to represent Parker to find her the best contract with a pro team.

Matt lives a comfortable life at the top of his game as an agent. At first sight, he’s unimpressed with Parker, believing her to be a problem client. She is brash and outspoken. Even more problematic, he is instantly attracted to her which causes problems for their living arrangement and representation. However, he suppresses his interest in her and begins to work for her. Very quickly, Matt comes to realize that Parker harbors a secret, one she hides carefully from everyone (including Willow). When he finds out her secret, will this end their work relationship, or will he believe her and protect her at all costs?

There is so much I want to say about this book, and I struggle to find all the words to say it. For one, Parker is one of my favorite heroines to date. She’s strong and capable and tragic and sensual in a way that is understated. She’s incredibly athletic, and her strength on the field matches her inner strength to persevere. She has been taken gross advantage of, and she should be devastated. Instead, she utilizes tenacity to stand in the face of fear. I loved her from the beginning through the middle to the end of this story, and she’s a necessary heroine today.

Similarly, Matt is the quintessential hero. In this book, important people in Parker’s life have let her down. They’ve betrayed her trust in them, and it’s damaged her. Matt is the first male in this book to truly “see” her. I have to admit. That is always one of my favorite parts in a romance. In Van Dyken’s book, it made me cry because I knew it was necessary that Parker be seen, especially by a male. He is stalwart, aggressive when necessary, thoughtful, and compassionate, all the qualities men need today to bring about change in our society. To be honest, it isn’t surprising within the realm of this story and Van Dyken’s former book, Risky Play, where Matt plays a large part in bringing the H and h together. Yet, he is fairly neurotic and set in his ways, so I was initially worried that he couldn’t be strong enough for Parker. And I was wrong, thankfully.

For all of the angst of this story, it is also incredibly funny. Matt’s chemistry with his clients/friends, Jagger and Slade, are some of the best interactions in the book. His sister, Willow, also lends humor to the story, which is a refreshing break from the headiness of the book’s story. This book is equal parts funny, serious, and sweet, the reasons I could not put it down.

I really cannot say enough about Rachel Van Dyken’s book, Kickin’ It. I know my personal preference is romances with serious topics that force readers to ponder on the gravity of life’s complications. Van Dyken’s book adds more voices to these necessary discussions. If you love sports romance with a little “meat” to its story, then you definitely will want to read Kickin’ It.