This was a cute, fast paced prequel that left off on a cliffhanger to gear readers up for the first book in the series. Had to remind myself that they are playing soccer multiple times

Thank you to NetGalley for access to this novella.

Cute little novella that gets you interested in the storyline of Wes and Cara!

Wes and Cara meet each other at the airport and they end up seated next to each other on the plane headed towards the same football recruitment camp. They’re instantly attracted to each other - but hold off because they need to focus on getting recruited.

Lainey Davis does a fantastic job here with this prequel to Wes’ story in the next generation of the Stag family. Soccer (football) player Wes meets Cara as they are both testing for competitive team football spots. This is a novella, so it’s a taster for Forging Glory, where we will follow Wes and Cara as hopefully they find their HEA.

The Stag universe is so well drawn that the characters and relationships resonate and I can appreciate why Wes is cautious. He has a lot to do and a lot to prove. So does Cara. I loved the push and pull for them as they feel their attraction, but need to focus on their ambitions. Deliciously steamy though :)

We can see just how competitive sport is at the professional level, and see issues around sexism and the more lucrative stakes for male players. Lainey does her homework so well, flags the challenges and sets the scene for Forging Glory. Recommended on its own, but especially as an entry to the Stag universe. So worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley, and the author for the ARC.

Absolutely loved this book!

The authors writing style is amazing!

I look forward to reading more from them!

It’s a cute little novella (about 75 pages), nothing special but definitely worth a quick read but only if you intend to read the book series.

Wes is a recent college drop out trying to make it into professional soccer. He is hiding is current plans from his family full of professional athletes because he thinks they wouldn’t understand.
Cara is also trying to make it as a female soccer player and the two meet on a plane while flying to the same soccer recruitment camp.

It’s kind of a insta-interest/ insta-lust scenario, though they wait until the end of the book to actually do something about it.
There isn’t really much to the plot other than that you meet the two characters, see how they meet and get to know their passion for soccer.

So I would only recommend reading this novella if you intend to read the rest of the series.. because of you don’t then it is slightly boring and missing the certain wow-factor.

I enjoyed this. It was a really good and enticing prequel novella, that now has me desperate to read the next book! There were several hints about possible large plot points that I'm guessing will come up and they were all set up well.
There was also great knowledge and description of behaviour and the importance of consent and harassment.
Being selfish I wish I had the full story to carry on reading now, but I am excited to read it when it comes out.

Quite the read. Very entertaining and pleasing. I thoroughly enjoyed the story between wes and cara. I would highly recommend people to read it and enjoy it for themselves. Quite the intriguing read. The content was well written.

This novella is a great prequel to the book Forging Glory. Although the novella is short, it is jam packed with information about how the two main characters, Wes and Cara, meet and their interactions in the beginning of their relationship.

The connection between Wes and Cara is clear from the beginning and I am looking forward to reading how their characters develop in the novel. Anyone who enjoys reading sports romance books with some spicy scenes would enjoy this novella.

Awesome. This was a very exciting wild ride. Lots of action. Great heroes. Fallible humans. All good stuff. Great first book in a series. Can't wait for more.

Forging Passion is the prequel to what promises to be a new series of amazing books covering the wider Stag family.

In her typical style, the book immediately hooks you in and if you've read any of Davis' previous books about the older Stag brothers, you will feel at home right from the start!

I am guessing this prequel got created /fast tracked after the debacle at the Women's World Cup in soccer (football for us over the pond!). Very apt dedication too!

I am looking forward to reading Forging Glory, the first book in the series, which hopefully will be out some time next year (tbc).