3.75/5

Red Card is a delicious sports romance with the bad boy British rugby player falling for the coach’s daughter. Cillian is a hot-head who is on his last chance to make it big. After his mother’s death, he had a downward spiral, getting into all kinds of trouble and fights, and getting himself permanently banned from his team in London. The only team that will have him is in New Hampshire, but he is coming in halfway through the season and the other players have no interest in welcoming him on the pitch. If he wants to stay on the team and make it to play professional rugby, he needs to find a way to make the guys trust him and turn over a new leaf. Enter Rory, the coach’s daughter and equipment manager for the team. She knows the sport better than most and is beloved by all the other players. She also is perpetually single and has no idea how to talk to men outside of the team, that is, until she comes up with a plan to help them both. In exchange for flirting lessons, Rory will help get the guys to trust Cillian and earn his place on the team.

This book was such a great combo of all the things I love in a contemporary romance. It had the grumpy MMC who opens up to the lovable sunshine FMC, a deal of teach me how to flirt and I’ll help you with your problem, some delicious tension and angst with the attraction brewing between the two, and a lovable found family with the team.

Cillian is grumpy and moody, but also a charmer and ladies man. I mean, the man has thick thighs and a slutty tattoo AND he rides a motorcycle. Like he is bad boy deluxe. He also has a sad backstory and wants so much to make up for his mistakes. He has a sister who he adores and who he is trying to make the changes for. I love a bad boy with a heart of gold. Rory was enjoyable as an FMC, although she teetered a little on the “not like other girls” edge for me. I really liked their chemistry and the spice lessons were delicious!

The plot was fun and quick (I read it in a day) while also having some heart and dealing with grief and loss. It was fairly predictable, but honestly with a contemporary sports romance, I don’t mind predictability. There were touching moments throughout and the spice was spicing. I do wish there had been a little more drama or something to it, as it did feel like everything “bad” happened pretty quickly and was wrapped up easily. I feel like a little earlier conflict and longer resolution would have really added to this for me! Overall an enjoyable sports romance though and a good time if you read it!

🎧: This was one of the few times when I actually had some issues with the audiobook. Stella Hunter’s portrayal as Rory was well done. I liked her voice and how she narrated the character. However, Matt Sykes wasn’t my favorite for the other narrator. His voice for Cillian was well done, he had a nice accent and did a good job connecting me to his character. But his voice for Rory and for the side characters was not enjoyable to me at all. I wish that I had an ebook copy of this one so I could have listened to her parts and eyeball read when it was Cillian’s POV because it really just took me out of the story whenever he had to voice another character. It could just be a me thing, but I wouldn’t recommend this on audio if you are particular about how certain characters sound.

So TL:DR - I would recommend reading the book, just not on audio!

Overall, I really enjoyed the premise of this book: the tomboy daughter of the rugby coach is tired of being friend-zoned by guys. Enter the new transfer student, the broody Cillian, who gives her flirting lessons. I thought Rory and Cillian were both great characters. Honestly, I though Cillian's story was the most interesting part and I would've loved to dig into that some more. The conflict between Cillian and the rest of the team made sense and helped drive the story forward. The building of the relationship between Rory and Cillian started really great for me, but kind of fell flat once they got together. Overall, really fun, but not super memorable for me.

I listened to the audiobook of this one, thanks to Hachette Audio, and I would overall give that 4 stars. The voices for Rory and Cillian both matched the characters so well and the overall production was fantastic.

Red Card by Maren Moore is a super fun, drama-packed college romance with just the right amount of spice. Killian is your classic grumpy rugby player, and Rory is the sweet coach’s daughter he definitely shouldn’t be falling for — which makes it even better. The forbidden vibe between them adds so much tension, and it’s impossible not to root for them. The narrators did an awesome job bringing all the emotions and heat to life. If you're into angsty, steamy romance with a bit of rule-breaking, this one's totally worth a listen.

This book was so enjoyable. The banter and tension between Cillian and Rory was top notch, I loved how they got to know and trust each other. Maren wrote a book that was excellent and had me hooked to the very end. The added mystery towards the end was perfect, and I enjoyed the development of the team dynamic.

The narrators Matt and Stella were perfect, and I enjoyed the job they did. They provided the perfect voices that brought this book to life. The narrators were easy to follow, and they definitely did an amazing job at bringing emotions when it was needed.

This was such a good read. A sports team player falling for the coach’s daughter always delivers! Cillian and Rory’s tension and banter was just perfect. Cillian is such a broken boy and deserves the world. Matt Sykes and Stella Hunter did a brilliant job with the narration. They really brought the characters to life. Really enjoyed this one!

Super cute read that I really enjoyed! I think Maren Moore did a great job writing characters with depth and handled the topic of grief with love and care. This was my first by Maren and certainly won’t be my last!

The narrators were also fantastic and portrayed the characters flawlessly.

You know those books you just want to sink into and live in? That's exactly how I felt about Red Card. Maren Moore has done it again with a steamy, captivating romance that will have you rooting for the characters from the very first page.

The story follows a classic "bad boy" and "good girl" trope, but with a twist. Cillian “Kill” Cairney is a rugby star whose career is on the rocks, and Rory St. James is a rugby fanatic with a plan to get the guy. Watching them navigate their complicated, off-limits dynamic is a pure delight. The character development is top-notch—you'll see them both grow so much and really fall for them along the way.

My only small gripe? The book felt a little long. I was so invested in Kill and Rory's journey that I just wanted to get to the good stuff, but the extra detail, while sometimes slowing the pace, really adds to the story's depth. And let me tell you, it's all worth it for the surprise ending that will absolutely leave you speechless. I honestly never saw it coming and had to go back and reread a few pages to make sure I caught everything!

If you're a fan of spicy, slow-burn romance with a healthy dose of tension and a great supporting cast, you need to pick up Red Card. Just be prepared to lose a few hours, because once you start, you won't be able to put it down!

I absolutely enjoyed this college sports romance! Not only was it steamy and oh so spicy, it was also emotional, and I enjoyed every moment of it!

The audiobook was fabulously done- I love an accent and our British MMC delivered!!

My first Maren Moore book and I’m OBSESSED. I saw this ALC on NetGalley, read the blurb, and instantly knew I needed it in my life. Thankfully, the NetGalley gods were on my side, and I got approved, and from the moment it hit my library, I absolutely inhaled it. Rory and Cillian’s unexpected romance was everything I hoped for. Also, my first rugby romance! This book was full of firsts, and I loved every second of it.

Cillian was the perfect British Broken Bad Boy. From page one, I was HOOKED. His character had so much depth; he’s been through it, and when you finally understand his story, it makes his past behavior hit that much harder. His character development? Immaculate. Watching him grow and soften (without losing that edge) was everything. He’s also hot, like really hot, like tattoos and drives a motorcycle hot. And the way he treated Rory just sealed the deal, I’m in love with this man.

And Rory? I adored her. The relationship she had with her dad and the rugby boys was so wholesome. She felt so real to me, like yes, she wants to go to parties, but also, she’d rather be in bed binge-watching trashy reality TV and doing cross-stitch. Relatable queen. I loved how she and Cillian were forced into each other’s orbit and slowly realised just how right they were for one another. She helped him see that college, and the people in it, could actually be home. These two were just the cutest.

This was such a perfect introduction to Maren Moore, and I’m 100% hooked now. The fact that this is a series already makes me so excited. Also, can we PLEASE get a Fitz book next? I loved him as Rory’s bestie and just need more of him in my life.

I really hope you guys love Cillian and Rory as much as I did, because I’m still not over them.

✧.* Rugby Player x Coaches Daughter
✧.* Forced Proximity
✧.* Flirting Lessons
✧.* British, Tattooed, Motorcycle Riding MMC
✧.* Broken Boy x Good Girl

Let's talk about "Red Card." As a fan of Maren Moore, I was ready for another fun college sports romance, and this book certainly delivered on that front. It's a lighthearted, medium-paced read that manages to get serious when it counts. Once we finally get the full picture of what happened to Cillian—his trauma, his past, and why he got kicked off his old team—the story really hits its stride.

Cillian's journey is the heart of the book. Calling him a "bad boy" feels completely off-base; his life was a mess, and coming to the States was his chance for a fresh start. It was frustrating to watch him get a bad rap with the team when he was clearly trying, and everyone else was being a complete jerk. Then we have Rory, the coach's daughter, who is navigating her own social awkwardness. Her problem with guys was never about her, though—it was about the 25 rugby players acting as her impromptu security detail.

When Cillian and Rory team up—she helps him fit in, he helps her learn how to flirt—their chemistry is magnetic. Their relationship felt incredibly natural, and watching Cillian finally bond with his teammates was a highlight. The ending, with the final dramatic turn, felt a little sudden, and I wish we had more team scenes to really show how Cillian's acceptance sparked the jealousy of a few "specific assholes" who tried to sabotage him.

The audiobook was great, and the narrators did an excellent job. I have to admit, though, that the scenes with the male narrator, Matt Sykes (Cillian), performing the female parts with an American accent were a bit challenging at my usual 2.5x speed. I had to slow it down a few times.

All in all, "Red Card" is an enjoyable read that fulfills its tropes and delivers a feel-good romance. It might resonate more with younger readers in their late teens or early twenties, but it's a solid, fun book that I'll definitely be adding to my library.

I already loved this story from plain old eyeball reading it, but to hear the story come to life with narration was another fun added layer!

Thank you to Maren Moore and Netgalley for an ALC of Red Card! This was such a fun, light=hearted romance that was well paced, had great main/side characters, and was overall a great, well-rounded story I thoroughly enjoyed. This was my first rugby romance as well as my first book by this author, and I wasn't sure what to expect, but I loved every second of it! Our MMC is Cillian, a British bad boy was who kicked off his rugby team in the UK and forced to move to the US as a last resort, while our FMC is Rory, the rugby coach's daughter. Both are such great characters! Cillian had a lot more depth than I initially expected and was more than just the typical bad boy, all-star athlete, and Rory was feisty and not afraid to speak her mind. What starts out as Cillian giving Rory dating/flirting advice quickly morphs into more. Overall, this a great story and first book for me from this author. I will definitely be reading more of her books!

Tropes
College Ruby
British Bad Boy & Coach's Daughter
Forbidden Romance
Spicy

Audiobook
While I wasn't the biggest fan of the male narrator - I felt like his voice made the MMC sound much older than he actually was and the pacing of the voice was slower than expected, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story at all. The female narrator was great! And even her male voices were also very good.

This was my first rugby romance and I immediately need more! Cillian was everything to me. His relationship with his sister, the way he opened up to Rory and helped her without judgement. I will say, it felt like the author has never stepped foot in New Hampshire. I kept forgetting that’s where it was taking place because she’d describe what they were wearing or what they were doing and I’d think it was the start of the school year but then she’d mention it was Valentine’s Day and it just didn’t match up. Also was the pitch not outside because you’re not gonna be practicing outside in February unless someone plows the field first? Despite that, I did really enjoy this book and the narration! I will definitely be looking for more rugby books and Maren Moore books in the future.

Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advance listener copy. I really enjoyed this book and the narrators did a good job. This is a new adult romance in a college setting revolving around rugby. The team was big part of the story but other than practices and team building exercises there wasn’t much discussion of the actual sport or games. I liked Rory and Killian a lot and really enjoyed how their relationship developed- I always enjoy the dating/love coach trope. I liked the way Rory helped Killian become accepted by his teammates and the way that Killian helped Rory gain confidence in herself. I also enjoyed the strong family ties Rory had to her father and Killian had to his sister. The spicy scenes were steamy and well done and the emotional development and acceptance of their feelings and emotions was refreshing.

This audiobook was a delight! Stella Hunter perfectly captures the nervous energy of Rory. And Matt Sykes does a wonderful job flowing between accents.

Red Card is a new adult, college sport romance about a bad boy rugby player looking for a fresh start and the coach's daughter who is looking for flirting/dating lessons.

This was a fun, light, spicy read.

•Dual 1st Person POV
•College Sport -Rugby
•Player/Coach’s Daughter
•Dating Lessons
•Open Door Spice

Thank you to Hachette Audio | Forever and NetGalley for giving me access to an advanced listening copy!

ARC Review Audiobook for NetGalley!
Obsessed!!!!! I loved this audiobook and these characters and dare I say Mrs Moore is my new auto read author! Light content spoilers to follow:

Content:
I did really like the conflict towards the end, and was so glad to not have the typical third act breakup, and instead an issue I have rarely seen in similar books.
This book is for fans of Elle Kennedy, classic college sports romance, but rugby was a fun spin!!

- Dual POV narration
- Spice!
- College / Sports Romance
- Workplace x Team Romance
- Rugby player x Equipment coach
- British bad boy
- Dating / Flirting Lessons
- Off limits / Coach’s daughter x Player on the team
- Loss of parent
- Sick sister & caretaker roles
- Redemption arc!!!


Production:
The narrators were so great and I was so pleased when the MMC had a British accent. The performance was so good! I would definitely recommend this audiobook.

Love love love the narrators on this! They did just a great job keeping me engaged. Their voices were clear, and portrayed the emotion of the characters so well!

The story was great also! A bit predictable in some parts, but still great. Fun little sports romance!

4.5/5

I truly love a good sports romance and this one hit all the right spots. And what was even better is that there was no miscommunication or third act breakup. Their relationship progressed well throughout the book, from friends to lovers.

My favorite scene is when she gets stuck in that dress... truly the funniest part of the book. But closely followed by the shower in the locker room...

Spice Level: 2/5
He has a dirty mouth

College Sports Romance
Coaches Daughter
Bad Boy x Good Girl
Forced Proximity
Secret Romance
Slow Burn
TW: Death of family member

Cillian transfers to a university in America after he was red carded from his London rugby team. And this transfer is his last shot at getting noticed by scouts to play professionally. However he comes with a reputation that makes his new team instantly dislike him.

Rory is the coaches daughter and equipment manager, and very awkward with boys who aren't rugby players. She also has a great relationship with the team, so when Cillian offers to teach her how to act around boys in exchange for helping him integrate into the team, she jumps on the offer. But neither of them expected to fall for each other so fast and possessively.

I received an advance review copy audio version. Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Forever, for the opportunity to listen to this book. Matt Sykes and Stella Hunter did an amazing job narrating this audiobook

I was genuinely surprised when I picked up the Red Card audiobook. When I started, I expected it to be a simple, cute, high school sports romance; while it has all of that, it also has a much more human and profound side. I thought I wouldn't cry, but it was quite the opposite. It's a beautiful, sweet, emotional story, all of it mixed together. It was perfect. Just right.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the audiobook.

This is my new favorite book by Maren Moore. There was banter, chemistry, spice and such a wonderful plot. I ate up every single word.

Cillian and Rory are something extremely special. Their tension was so dang good. I was rooting for them from the beginning.

Cillian was a broken boy who deserved everything good the world had to offer. His dirty mouth had me blushing and dreaming of thick rugby thighs.

Rory was everything. I related to her so much and I fear I may have a girl crush on her.

Narration:
Matt Sykes and Stella Hunter were AMAZING. They brought Cillian and Rory to life. I could feel their personalities and chemistry in every word. It was utter perfection.

Thank you so much to Maren Moore, Hachette Audio and Forever Publishing for the ALC.