Offensive Rebound: Holding Court

Written by MJ Fields

Narrated by Mara Walker

Trae

It's a call that changes my life and my little girl's. Years ago, playing for the NBA was the dream, but the Seattle Stallions suck. Worse than that, my old teammate is now the star center, not to mention my number one rival. There has to be a catch, some sort of agenda. Before I was injured, I was the best. Now? There's no way they want me. 

But when I see the roster and salaries, it all comes together. It's a chance to get on the court again and change our lives. And I just can't wait for the opportunity to finally take him down. What I never counted on is Courtney Cohen being the game changer. 

Courtney

I inherited the Bad News Bears of the NBA. When I discovered the star center, my ex fiancé, cheating on me, all I want is to jump ship before the whole thing sinks. But with revenge on my mind, I exact a plan.

Take down the dirty player and save my father's dream. Suddenly, 12 minutes is too little time, and a season is not long enough.

Will it be love or just a game?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Valley Publishing LLC
• Release date: Aug 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781958804018

Reviews for Offensive Rebound

[carleneinspired · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Courtney Cohen has inherited a basketball team, but not just any team, she inherited The Stallions, the laughing stock of the NBA. To make things worse, her ex-fiance, Brock, is team captain and prior to his passing her father hired Brock's arch-nemesis. Desperate to prove everyone wrong, Courtney takes on The Stallions and begins turning things around, but things get confusing when Trae Rhodes shows her he's more than just Brock's enemy and her Plan B.
Trae has everything riding on this year with The Stallions, he needs the money, he wants to prove Brock wrong after years out of the spotlight, and his little girl needs her dad, but he doesn't expect Courtney Rhodes to be the type of girl he wants for more than just revenge. What starts as necessary arrangement soon becomes friendship and flirting, but neither can give each other more than the season.

“When I’m near her, I am aware of every breath she takes—that’s what I told your mom. What I learned last night is that, when I’m not near you, it’s harder to breathe, knowing you are steps away. You have my season, I have your time, and we do this one hundred and ten percent.”


Offensive Rebound is a standalone, sports romance novel told from the dual POVs of Courtney Cohen and Trae Rhodes. Courtney is a 23 year old girl who is a whole heck of a lot smarter than most people I know in that age group and Trae is a handsome, player type that isn't quite the bad guy he's made out to be. I found the slow-paced novel to be incredibly accurate to the world of basketball and loved the multiple layers that M.J. Fields gave to each character, even the secondary characters that consisted of family members and other teammates. I don't think the story would have been nearly as interesting if it didn't have Christa, the ditzy best friend. The story line is cute, a bit cliche, but done so well I never found myself bored. The situation between Courtney and Trae is taboo in nature, a forbidden romance, but the chemistry between them allows both to throw caution to the wind. Trae's desire to woo Courtney is entertaining and ultimately the basis of their blossoming relationship, despite Courtney's still fresh break-up from the Stallion's team captain. There's history there too, between Trae and Brock, it builds overtime, creating a twist readers won't expect. The entire novel is angst-riddled, filled with smart dialogue, heated arguments, and smut that will make every reader a bit swoon-y for Trae Rhodes.

"When I'm on court I own it.
When I'm inside Court I own her."

I absolutely was beyond impressed with the world building that went into Offending Rebound. It is apparent that M.J. Fields not only did her homework, but cared to make the novel as realistic as possible. The NBA team, the Stallions, features a group of young men with filled pockets and ginormous egos, they fight on the court, they party off the court, and they bring a significant level of depth to the novel, making it truly a sports romance. The description of practice and game time was on point, especially for a reader like me who spends a significant amount of time in front of the TV yelling at my team. Then there's Courtney's relationship with her deceased father, her overly-anxious mother, her stepfather, her best friend, her ex, the entire team, and the list could go on. I actually felt like her interaction with each character made me like the book more, because I recognized their significant impact on her character development and her growth with Trae as he shifted from employee to friend to something more. Then there's the heavy situation that I won't give away, but it took the novel to another level. I found respect for the characters, lost some for others, and easily thought of the characters as people from real life, dealing with real life situations.

"You are woman, hear you roar, and I am gonna be your Rafiki, and be with you every step of the way.”

It's not insta-love, it isn't just a romance that features a sports professional, Offensive Rebound is a complete novel filled with a spectacular cast of characters, brilliant writing, and plenty of laughs and swoon-worthy romance. I absolutely recommend this slow burn, across the board, to readers who are fans of M.J. Fields previous works, sports romance fans, and contemporary romance fans in general.