I wanted to like this book, but I found myself just wanting to get it over with. Then, when I finally got to the end, I found out it’s the first of a series and nothing has been resolved. It was too long, the characters are not well-developed, and the storyline jumps around. It was not well edited, either. If I had to read about the FMC’s eyetooth one more time I was going to lose it! I don’t care enough about the characters to read to next book and I’m sorry to say I would not recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

An steamy and intense relantionship between two people looking for somethung different in their lives. Jake, handsome NFL player, had sworn off meningfull sex and is looking for a real partner. Rakell's life is been a lie for four years and she craves a normal boy to engage with. But their explosive attraction can be thier undoing if they are not ready to face their demons and look for a future together.

I thought this was just going to be a steamy novel but it had depth. Rakell is a high end escort but wants to get out of that business but can’t do it just yet as she has one long term client. Jake is an NFL quarterback, pretty much partying all the time with many different beautiful women. But if he is to be taken seriously he has to clean up his act. Jake and Rakell meet at the gym and Jake immediately is taken by her. Rakell is not so keen although she is very attracted to Jake. She seems afraid of commitment. Their journey is is so fun to follow, lots of laughs, some crying and hoping they will make it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Entertaining book. It was well liked and I happy to read. I enjoyed this story and found me a new author. This was a good one. I will try to read more.

The idea of this book was so exciting to me but I felt the outcome left a little to be desired. I liked Jake as the leading man but I think Rakell felt a little weak as a leading female. I don’t personally love third person point of view but I can tolerate it, however, I didn’t enjoy the way this third person jumped from one persons thoughts to the other. I think more dedication to what each character was thinking and feeling in the chapter would have allowed me to connect with them more. I really liked the side characters and felt they added a lot to the plot and I’m looking forward to future books in this series including them. I also thought this incorporated the perfect amount of steamy and romantic chapters and I could feel myself falling into Jake and Rakells love story, I just would have enjoyed being in their head a little more.

This was a nonstop ride! I loved every page of this book. It kept me engaged from the first line and I can't wait for what is next by the author.

This was not what I was expecting. I thought this would be a fun spicy sports romance and it fell very short. To be honest I just finished it and I honestly don't remember what it was about. The story line felt very jumpy. I could not connect with the characters in anyway. I did appreciate the conversation of race that may have been the one piece of saving grace. Also to be left on a cliffhanger did not help the book. I don't mind cliffhangers if books are well written and easy to follow.

He’s a famous, and infamous, quarterback and she’s been a high end escort. Both of them want to turn a new leaf, get away from their outrageous lives and find someone normal that they can actually build a normal life with. But there’s that infamy thing going on. Is it possible to keep that from one another and is it possible to keep that from the public eye?

This book had more substance than I expected. I thought it would be sex scene after sex scene. Not that the spicy bits aren’t frequent and sizzling.They are. But there is more character development.

You amazingly begin to root for Rakell and Jake. Both are hiding a huge part of who they are but you want them to have the happily-ever-after they seek. They want a normal relationship, as normal as an NFL quarterback and a call girl can be, that is. But then again, they don’t know that about each other in the beginning of their relationship. The dual POV helps us really understand them. It really helps us go along on this engaging, fascinating and hot, hot, hot ride.

I like reading books in a series but am a little disappointed that one of them came clean and the other didn’t. How will that affect their love story? It didn’t fully reach that conclusion- you have to wait until the next in the series to tie up the ends to reach that HEA.

Warning: cold showers ahead! Austin Heat is such a fun read with characters that are easy to root for (Matt being my personal favorite!). Jake and Rakell's chemistry is undeniable and the detail in their.. spicier.. scenes is just so visual and insanely sexy to read! Living in Austin, I love seeing some real locations and brands brought into the plot in a way that reads like someone who has actually lived here and didn't just google it. It's refreshing to read a romance book that doesn't take itself too seriously with trauma-focused backstories or dark scenes. And the ending... I need book two NOW! Recommend to anyone looking for a sweet and sexy escape with memorable (hot!) scenes.

Not sure what I was expecting but I thought it would at least be a fun spicy book. Unfortunately it didn’t do it for me. It seems to bounce around with no rhyme or reason and leave more questions than answers. The characters aren’t too intriguing and I don’t care to finish the series.

There were parts of this book that I really liked. There was a definite connection between Jake and Rakell which kept me reading, but the plot was lacking. The story dragged on and never seemed to go anywhere. I really did not like that it ended in a cliff hanger.

I struggled to get through this. The beginning was all about the gym and how hot Jake thought Rakell was and he was supposed to be changing his playboy ways. In my opinion there wasn't much depth to the story and ended in what I considered a cliffhanger, which is a big no-no for me unless forewarned. I received an advanced readers copy from netgalery and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Enjoyed the general story- this book has potential. While there are obviously stories about escorts finding love (hello Pretty Woman), I was excited for this modern take. However, I think that this book has a lot of editing in its future. There were parts, especially in the beginning that were choppy and somewhat unreadable. There is no reason to add “send” to text messages — it was unnecessary and vv distracting. And also as a whole, it’s needs to be tightened up. I am not sure it’s necessary to drag their story into six books, although I could very easily see a series following everyone in their friend group (including Matt!!) as they find their own love.

Overall- it has a ton of potential, and I think with editing could be great. Also- it’s weird how much the author references the cover model, if the reader is to believe he’s the main character, any thank you to the actual model should be brief and at the end of the book.

I was provided a copy of this novel by the publisher for an honest review.

From the start the description had me curious and wanting to submerge into the worlds of Jake and Rakell. Their banter and chemistry is so steam throughout the book. The author did a great job of exposing a taboo lifestyle/living to make you want to root for this couple.

I really cannot wait for the next book in the series!

i liked this book a lot. I found jake charming and it was fun to get past all of the layers in Rakell one by one. the layers of intimacy covered in layers of lies from both sides quickly coming together then unraveling over and over again kept me on my toes. The way Jake was entirely too persistent for his own good and Rakell would do almost anything to keep her head in the game i think is going to play out interestingly in the rest of the series. i can't wait for the next book so i can continue to dive down the rabbit hole that the author has painted so well.

This book felt unfinished and unedited. I appreciated the secondary characters, the discussion of race, and the steamy scenes. However, other parts of the book did not hold together.

I could not root for the romance. Jake was trying to change his negative reputation as a player. Rakell gave him lots of mixed signals. And her backstory didn't explain all of her standoffish and inconsistent behavior. Both main characters had secrets, lies and lots of miscommunication.

Strangely, the book began with a prologue that was actually a letter to readers celebrating the cover model. That needs editing and to be moved to the back with acknowledgements.

There was a really sweet scene with Jake's niece and nephew. But the next chapter jumped time as if the scene had never happened. The book was trying to do a lot bringing these kinds of scenes that gave more depth to the characters in, But they didn't lead to a consistent narrative. Additionally, there was a thrown in story about a suicide attempt that was not adequately addressed, and some questionable representation for body image and bisexuality.

Finally, this is not a stand alone. It is too long already and ends with a cliffhanger and the expectation that their story will continue in a later book.

CE: suicide attempt, homophobia

1.5 rounded up

The whole time they hide their professions from each other and your girl here was screaming at them to be honest! Like please, find happiness you both deserve it. What started as a slow burn definitely turned up by a few hundred degrees. I had to fan myself a few times to take a small break. Both characters were very easy to fall in love with and made me look forward to their next interaction to see how they would fight their attraction towards each other plus bonus banter. Also, the author has some amazing short videos showcasing Austin. Let me tell you I binged them all and it was so surreal seeing fictional characters coming to life. I can't wait for the next one.

The characters in this book were very hard to relate to and their feelings were often confusing to follow. Spicy scenes were well written and the banter was enjoyable. I personally enjoyed the friendships in the book than the relationship between the lead characters.

Austin Heat is definitely a sexy read. Somehow, however, I never really got into caring about the characters…an escort wanting to get out of the business and an NFL player trying to shed his bad boy image. This is the first of a series, and there promises to be more with the same characters.

Trying to get away from his playboy image we follow a very proud Texan that will one minute pull at your heartstrings and then the next have you pulling at your hair. Superstar NFL player Jake Skyler is training in his off-season when he meets a beautiful Aussie Rakell. I definitely appreciate the dual pov because we can see both fighting their inner battles and obvious attraction to each other. Jake exudes a charming southern boy on the outside but with his family and friends, he is very caring and passionate about those he holds dear. Rakell is trying to come to terms with who she is. After years in a profession where she has to pretend to be someone or something else she settles in Austin for the year hoping to lay low and maybe snag a normal cutie. She is used to being lavished with expensive jewels and whisked away on exotic vacations. She is slowly falling for the normal Jake that takes her to picnics in the park or mini-golfing. The whole time they hide their professions from each other and your girl here was screaming at them to be honest! Like please, find happiness you both deserve it. What started as a slow burn definitely turned up by a few hundred degrees. I had to fan myself a few times to take a small break. Both characters were very easy to fall in love with and made me look forward to their next interaction to see how they would fight their attraction towards each other plus bonus banter. Also, the author has some amazing short videos showcasing Austin. Let me tell you I binged them all and it was so surreal seeing fictional characters coming to life. I can't wait for the next one.