Red Card by Maren Moore – 5 Stars
I loved this book. As someone who’s prior military and definitely a guys’ girl, I related so hard to Rory and what it feels like to be one of the guys. I also tend to eat up sports romances like candy, and this one had everything I love—quick, spicy romance, real emotional depth, and characters working through actual trauma.

And let’s talk about Kill… our British bad boy was hot, spicy, and completely head over heels for Rory. I was sold the moment it gave “She’s the Man meets She’s All That” vibes. Scratch that—I was sold the second I saw it was written by Maren Moore. She never misses.

Loved, loved, loved.

I seriously loved this book; it’s got all the fun, cheeky vibes of a classic rom-com with a fresh, sporty twist that totally won me over. It’s about second chances, fighting for what matters, and discovering that sometimes the biggest risk is letting someone in. I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down.

Red Card by Maren Moore is a masterclass in slow-burn romance packed with heart-pounding banter and chemistry that will leave you breathless.

The electric banter between Cillian "Kill" Cairney and Rory St. James is nothing short of addictive—sharp, witty, and laced with simmering tension. Their push-and-pull dynamic will have your heart racing as every playful jab and smoldering glance builds to an unforgettable slow-burn romance. Moore captures the thrill of two opposites colliding, making "Red Card" an irresistible ride of passion and humor.

Thank you to Maren Moore and Forever Publishing for the eARC!

📖 𝙍𝙚𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙈𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙚

“𝘖𝘩, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘺𝘦𝘵, 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.”

I finished Red Card & I am UNWELL in the best way imaginable! I can’t even tell you how many books I’ve read by Maren, but I was beyond excited to dive into her FIRST TRAD RELEASE. I can’t think of a more deserving author than her. She’s such a sweet human and her stories always make me feel a full gambit of emotions.

In this new rugby romance we get pulled right into the story by meeting Cillian Cairney. The broken boy trope was so well done. Cillian comes off as this sexy British baddie, and he definitely is just that, but under the surface he’s so much more. This poor boy has been put through an emotional wringer but he’s determined to walk the line and keep a promise he made to his sister.

The last thing he should be thinking about is the coach’s powerhouse of a daughter, but she’s his only way to be accepted by his new team.

I can say with full certainty, Rory St. James is an ICON. My girl crush was so strong seeing how she’s built a bond with the entire rugby team. The twister scene is going to live rent free in my brain for forever! 🤣☠️

She’s always been “one of the guys” which has made dating nearly impossible. With a little help from a surly rugby boy, she’s hoping to finally start dating!

Seeing Cillian try to give Rory dating advice while also being jealous of every man she talks to, was a freaking TREAT.

I loved the friendship they built. I didn’t know this was going to be a friend’s to lovers story, but it’s so sweet! Even though Kill has a rough exterior, the way he talked to Rory gave me heart palpitations.

“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘙𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

Maren has always been the queen of spice and she absolutely upheld that tradition! This slow burn had me freaking MELTING.

“𝘙𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐’𝘮 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳.”

Book besties, trust me you are going to want to pencil this book into your TBR for August. Cillian Cairney is WAITING to show you how much it pays off to be a good, ‘patient’ girl. 🤭

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🏉 𝘙𝘶𝘨𝘣𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
❤️‍🩹 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘺 𝘹 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭
🇬🇧 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘉𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦
✨ 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘝𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
🫶🏼 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺
🤭 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
💋 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴
❤️‍🔥 “𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.”

PS: Just know I will 100000% be reading this again and again. The thought of listening to it on audio when it comes out is also so dang exciting! Cillian’s voices is going to bring me to my damn knees, I just know it! 🫶🏼

Classic Maren Moore charm! Red Card is effortlessly swoony, delightfully fun, and deliciously sexy! It's sincere, heartfelt, with just the right dash of drama...and also full of plenty of rugby team antics AND thick thighs. And as always, Maren Moore balances heart, heat, and humor with deft acumen. And the spice is spicing! Prepare to be charmed by the most endearing cast of rugby heartthrobs and the most delightfully fierce but vulnerable heroine who keeps them all in line. I'm already madly in love with the Prescott U world!

What to expect:
-new adult/college
-rugby romance
-coach's daughter
-British bad boy x coach's daughter
-flirting lessons/dating "coaching"
-reformed bad boy
-amazing secondary cast
-high spice
-She's the Man Vibes

Cillian "Kill" Cairney is the definition of swoon-worthy bad boy with all his brooding!!! Oh, he is British too and battling a chip the size of UK on his should. I mean I don't blame him once you find out why. Going from UK to USA for his last chance on a Rugby team is not easy at all. It hurt my heart the way he was iced out. However, getting help from Rory, the equipment manager and the coach's daughter is his way in... and so much more ;)

Rory is smart, driven and so much fun. The way she owned the boys on the Rugby Team was amazing!!! The whole scene about "balls" had me rolling! She was on a mission to not be seen as the coach's daughter or the rugby obsessed sports girl!

The banter between Kill and Rory is delicious. Watching their connection evolve from helping each other out, friendship, friends with benefits to something more was pure magic!! The slow burn - burned but I was hear for it.

If you like a strong heroine who wins over the bad boys heart, a story that packs heat and heart, this is it.

If you like:
Sports Romance(Rugby)
Friends to Lovers
Coach's Daughter
Friends with Benefits

I’m fully obsessed! Red Card might just be my favorite Maren Moore book yet! This one had me hooked from page one with the hot and broody, British rugby bad boy! Cillian is a little broken, yet surprisingly sweet once you crack the surface, and Rory is a total queen! She’s passionate and not afraid to go after what she wants. Their dynamic is pure fire…the tension, banter, and chemistry! If you love a good sports romance with heat and heart, read this because Maren Moore absolutely nailed it!

Rory and Cillian are perfection. Rugby thighs. British accents. Forbidden. and all the perfection that is Maren Moore. I adored this book from start to finish. Their relationship, with all its flaws, was so fun and enjoyable to read.

Rory & Cillian
rugby romance
college
forbidden
coach's daughter

Rory + Cillian

-sports romance(rugby)
-college romance
-coach’s daughter
-british bad boy
-she’s the man meets she’s all that

ahhhhh omgawddd yesss!! marennnn came in & did it again!! & we got my hottie little kill sooooo DOWN BAD OMGGG hahaha & his sluttly thighs that got rory all hung up on him!! its so so so good!! man the tension build up was everything & i was NOTTTT expecting that plot twist AT ALL!! like i knew something was gonna happen but not THAT!!! damn mare you went HARDDD girl!! & it paid off cause literally i love them so much!!!