Cover

Catch

Synopsis

Once the first female quarterback of her high school team, Sutton McCoy has since landed her dream job as the offensive coordinator for the new NFL team the Connecticut Cheetahs. When the team recruits established quarterback Grayson Moats to lead them, Sutton’s heart is crushed. Grayson isn’t the problem. Sutton’s fifteen-year crush on his wife, Parker O’Neal, is.

Parker is living a life full of regrets dating all the way back to high school when her parents made her end her relationship with Sutton because there were too many rumors about her, not all of them good. When Grayson accepts the new quarterback position with the Cheetahs, he consults Parker first, knowing the three of them have history. But it’s not like she can tell him the truth, that Sutton still occupies so much of Parker’s head and heart.

Interfering in the personal life of the star quarterback and convincing Parker to walk away from her family were never in Sutton’s game plan. But standing on the sidelines when a second chance at true love comes their way proves all but impossible.

What Reviewers Say About Kris Bryant’s Work

Home

“Home is a very sweet second-chance romance that will make you smile. It is an angst-less joy, perfect for a bad day.”—Hsinju’s Lit Log

Scent

“Oh. Kris Bryant. Once again you’ve given us a beautiful comfort read to help us escape all that 2020 has thrown at us. This series featuring the senses has been a pleasure to read. …I think what makes Bryant’s books so readable is the way she builds the reader’s interest in her mains before allowing them to interact. This is a sweet and happy sigh kind of read. Perfect for these chilly winter nights when you want to escape the world and step into a caramel infused world where HEAs really do come true.”—Late Night Lesbian Reads

Lucky

“The characters—both main and secondary, including the furry ones—are wonderful (I loved coming across Piper and Shaylie from Falling), there’s just the right amount of angst and the sexy scenes are really hot. It’s Kris Bryant, you guys, no surprise there.”—Jude in the Stars

“This book has everything you need for a sweet romance. The main characters are beautiful and easy to fall in love with, even with their little quirks and flaws. The settings (Vail and Denver, Colorado) are perfect for the story, and the romance itself is satisfying, with just enough angst to make the book interesting. …This is the perfect novel to read on a warm, lazy summer day, and I recommend it to all romance lovers.”—Rainbow Reflections

Tinsel

“This story was the perfect length for this cute romance. What made this especially endearing were the relationships Jess has with her best friend, Mo, and her mother. You cannot go wrong by purchasing this cute little nugget. A really sweet romance with a cat playing cupid.”—Bookvark

Against All Odds—(co-authored with Maggie Cummings and M. Ullrich)

“Against All Odds by Kris Bryant, Maggie Cummings and M. Ullrich is an emotional and captivating story about being able to face a tragedy head on and move on with your life, learning to appreciate the simple things we take for granted and finding love where you least expect it.”—Lesbian Review

“I started reading the book trying to dissect the writing and ended up forgetting all about the fact that three people were involved in writing it because the story just grabbed me by the ears and dragged me along for the ride. …[A] really great romantic suspense that manages both parts of the equation perfectly. This is a book you won’t be able to put down.”—C-Spot Reviews

Temptation

“This book has a great first line. I was hooked from the start. There was so much to like about this story, though. The interactions. The tension. The jealousy. I liked how Cassie falls for Brooke’s son before she ever falls for Brooke. I love a good forbidden love story.”—Bookvark

“This book is an emotional roller coaster that you’re going to get swept away in. Let it happen…just bring the tissues and the vino and enjoy the ride.”—Les Rêveur

“You can always count on Bryant to write endearing and layered characters, even in stories like this one, when most of the angst comes from the not-so-simple act of falling in love.”—Jude in the Stars

“People who have read Ms. Bryant’s erotica novella Shameless under the pseudonym of Brit Ryder know that this author can write intimacy well. This is more a romance than erotica but the sex scenes are as varied and hot…”—LezReviewBooks

“This book is a bag of kettle corn—sweet, savory and you won’t stop until you finish it in one binge-worthy sitting. Temptation is a fun, fluffy and ultimately satisfying lesbian romance that hits all the right notes.”—To Be Read Book Reviews

Falling

“This is a story you don’t want to pass on. A fabulous read that you will have a hard time putting down. Maybe don’t read it as you board your plane though. This is an easy 5 stars!”—Romantic Reader Blog

“Bryant delivers a story that is equal parts touching, compassionate, and uplifting.”—Lesbian Review

“This was a nice, romantic read. There is enough romantic tension to keep the plot moving, and I enjoyed the supporting characters’ and their romance as much as the main plot.”—Kissing Backwards

Listen

“[A] sweet romance with a touch of angst and lots of music.”—C-Spot Reviews

“If you suffer from anxiety, know someone who suffers from anxiety, or want an insight to how it may impact on someone’s daily life, I urge you to pick this book up. In fact, I urge all readers who enjoy a good lesbian romance to grab a copy.”—Love Bytes Reviews

“If you’re looking for a little bit of fluffy(ish), light romance in your life, give this one a listen. The characters’ passion for music (and each other) is heartwarming, and I was rooting for them the entire book.”—Kissing Backwards

“This book floored me. I’ve read it three times since the book appeared on my kindle. …I just love it so much. I’m actually sitting here wondering how I’m going to convey my sheer awe factor but I will try my best. Kris Bryant won Les Rêveur book of the year 2018 and seriously this is a contender for 2019.”—Les Rêveur

“This is the first story I’ve read in a long time with a virginal character, and it made a refreshing change both in and out of the bedroom. If you suffer from anxiety, know someone who suffers from anxiety, or want an insight to how it may impact on someone’s daily life, I urge you to pick this book up. In fact, I urge all readers who enjoy a good lesbian romance to grab a copy.”—Omnivore Bibliosaur

Forget Me Not

“Told in the first person, from Grace’s point of view, we are privy to Grace’s inner musings and her vulnerabilities. …Bryant crafts clever wording to infuse Grace with a sharp-witted personality, which clearly covers her insecurities. …This story is filled with loving familial interactions, caring friends, romantic interludes and tantalizing sex scenes. The dialogue, both among the characters and within Grace’s head, is refreshing, original, and sometimes comical. Forget Me Not is a fresh perspective on a romantic theme, and an entertaining read.”—Lambda Literary Review

“[I]t just hits the right note all the way. …[A] very good read if you are looking for a sweet romance.”—Lez Review Books

Shameless—Writing as Brit Ryder

“[Kris Bryant] has a way of giving insight into the other main protagonist by using a few clever techniques and involving the secondary characters to add back-stories and extra pieces of important information. The pace of the book was excellent, it was never rushed but I was never bored or waiting for a chapter to finish…this epilogue made my heart swell to the point I almost lunged off the sofa to do a happy dance.”—Les Rêveur

Whirlwind Romance

“Ms. Bryant’s descriptions were written with such passion and colorful detail that you could feel the tension and the excitement along with the characters…”—Inked Rainbow Reviews

Taste

“Taste is a student/teacher romance set in a culinary school. If the premise makes you wonder whether this book will make you want to eat something tasty, the answer is: yes.”—Lesbian Review

Jolt—Lambda Literary Award Finalist

“[Jolt] is a magnificent love story. Two women hurt by their previous lovers and each in their own way trying to make sense out of life and times. When they meet at a gay and lesbian friendly summer camp, they both feel as if lightening has struck. This is so beautifully involving, I have already reread it twice. Amazing!”—Rainbow Book Reviews

Touch

“The sexual chemistry in this book is off the hook. Kris Bryant writes my favorite sex scenes in lesbian romantic fiction.”—Les Rêveur

Breakthrough

“Looking for a fun and funny light read with hella cute animal antics, and a smoking hot butch ranger? Look no further. …In this well written, first-person narrative, Kris Bryant’s characters are well developed, and their push/pull romance hits all the right beats, making it a delightful read just in time for beach reading.”—Writing While Distracted

“[A]n exceptional book that has a few twists and turns that catch you out and make you wish the book would never end. I was captivated from the beginning and can’t wait to see how Bryant will top this.”—Les Rêveur

“Breakthrough delivers satisfying romance, amusing adventures, and a surprising, thrilling change of pace in the latter half of the story. Recommended for fans of ‘fish out of water’ stories, femme/butch pairings, Great Outdoors immersion, and the television series Northern Exposure.”—Omnivore Bibliosaur

Bold Strokes Books Social Media

Catch

Brought to you by

eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

Bold Strokes Books Newsletter Signup

By the Author

Jolt

Whirlwind Romance

Just Say Yes

Taste

Forget-Me-Not

Shameless (writing as Brit Ryder)

Touch

Breakthrough

Against All Odds (written with M. Ullrich and Maggie Cummings)

Listen

Falling

Tinsel

Temptation

Lucky

Home

Scent

Not Guilty (writing as Brit Ryder)

Always

Forever

EF5 (Stranded Hearts Novella Collection)

Serendipity

Catch

Acknowledgments

No other sport gets my blood pumping more than football. I’ve loved it since I was a kid. Kansas City is a massive football town. Sure, we have BBQ and we’re the city of fountains, but football is the glue that keeps this city united.

I was so excited to write this book! Women in the NFL. Women playing football. I jumped into the research for Catch and was stunned. I had no idea there were several professional women’s football teams around the country. These leagues aren’t supported or sponsored like NFL teams. They don’t get million-dollar deals and there is almost no advertising because everything costs money. The players aren’t paid. They play because they love the game and want to play. And they’re good. I watched the Kansas City Glory play two home games and had a great interview with their head coach and offensive line coach, Keke Blackmon. She has such a positive attitude about coaching, football life, and the love of the game. So, thank you, Keke, for being so helpful and truthful about women in football and the obstacles they face.

I also interviewed Jennifer King, the Washington Commanders’ assistant running backs coach and first Black woman to coach in the NFL. She said players don’t care that she’s a woman. They trust her and know she’s there to better them as players. Thank you for your time, Coach King. In such a male-dominated sport, it’s nice to hear that women are proving to be invaluable and are taken seriously.

Thank you to my family for being a loving, unified force. I love you, Mom, Dad, and Patty.

I also have the best friends anyone could have. The Nugtastic Four! You will always have my heart. We have the best times together irl and on the thread. Life has been tough, and you all have made it easier by being by my side. I love you, Krystina, Ana, and Morgan. Let’s get married. Another massive thank you to my inner circle for propping me up—KB, HS, Friz, Kathy, GFB, Mellie B, Paula, Carsen, Dena, Karen, Cathie, Tagan, all the patrons on Patreon. My BFF Fiona has my heart! I miss our writing sprints, but I know you’re pulled in so many different directions. I love you, Jenn & the ginger snaps.

I have a great life and I know not to take things for granted. Molly is still by my side and I kiss her way too much knowing every day is precious. Thank you, Deb, for taking care of me and Molly. We’re not easy, but we’re worth it.

I hope you enjoy this story and the way I’ve told it. It’s different and I can’t tell you how hard I fought to get this book in your hands. Thank you, BSB, for agreeing to publish something unique. Ashley and Cindy worked extra hard to hit the deadlines because I wanted this to land during football season. Great job on learning about sports balls, Ash!

And to my readers. Without you, I wouldn’t have the desire to create stories. Your reviews and kind words fill my heart.

Dedication

To my mom

Who pretends not to care but watches football with us every Sunday and knows more about the game than we do.

Chapter One—Win the Game, Lose the Girl

Past

Clear your mind, Sutton.

I had thirteen seconds to get us close enough for Joey Ritchie to kick the tying field goal or find somebody open to run it in for a touchdown to win the game. It sounded so easy. We were down fourteen to seventeen and the winner went to state. Sure, a win and a trip to state would be nice, but my bruised ego and shredded heart wanted Grayson Moats and the Hilltop Hawkeyes to lose. Not because they were a great team and always went to state, but because Grayson Moats took something from me and I wanted him to pay. This was the only thing I could take from him that might hurt.

“As soon as you catch the ball and you see defenders, you drop to your knees and call time out. We’re twenty-five yards from the end zone and we need to get to the eighteen-yard line so Joey has a good shot.” I grabbed Max’s helmet to ensure he was listening. “No showboating. We need these points. If it’s not a clear shot to the end zone, drop. Do you understand me?” He nodded and shook loose. We were all on edge. Scouts were everywhere and some of my teammates were looking to get last-minute football scholarships. I wouldn’t be given the same football opportunities after high school, so this was my last shot at anything great.

“Just throw me the ball. I’ll get it in,” Max said.

I couldn’t tell if he was being confident or cocky. His eyes narrowed with determination as he wiped the sweat from his brow. It was forty-two degrees out, but we were all sweaty, dirty, and had hit new levels of stress.

The importance of this moment took my breath away. My lungs refused to fill. I was sucking in tiny gasps of air and fighting the anxiety that bubbled up in my throat. This was our moment. In the huddle, I was the boss. I’d spent three years winning this team over after the starting quarterback broke his leg at the start of our sophomore year. I made the team because of my talent, but most people thought it was because my father was the assistant principal. That is, until they saw me throw the ball.

I looked at the determined faces staring back at me and felt proud. Proud of them for sticking with me even though my linemen were beat up. Beckett had a trail of blood that had dripped from his nose down the front of his silver and blue uniform and our center, Justin, had been pushed to the ground so many times protecting me, his uniform was almost green. I was proud of myself for getting us here. Proud of keeping my focus after such a shitty start to my senior year.

“This is it. This is our time to shine.” They were exhausted, bloodied, but determined to win this game. “Stay focused and give Max the room he needs.”

He locked eyes with me and nodded solemnly. “Let’s get this done, Pumas,” he said.

I barely heard the roaring crowd that filled both stands. Two towns had showed up to this game and the seats filled up quickly. Their screams and fist pumps meant nothing to me. I heard the excitement in the announcers’ voices, but I couldn’t make out their words. My heartbeat was so loud that my ears were throbbing. We lined up in formation.

“We’re coming for you, girl!” a tackle yelled, emphasis on the word girl.

A few more unsavory things were said before I got into position. “Blue thirty-two. Blue thirty-two.” I looked to my right as the wide receiver lined up and then to my left as Max ran by. “Arizona.” The defense pointed at Max and two defenders slid over to cover him. Fuck. It was going to be impossible for him to make anything happen. One Mississippi. “Arizona.” Two Mississippi. Justin snapped the ball and pushed at the line fighting to get to me. I fell back into the pocket and waited for Max to set up. He twisted and turned to get away from the two defenders. Nobody was open. When he slipped and fell, instinct took over. I tucked the ball under my arm and ran. Everything seemed to be in slow motion except the clock. The seconds slid off faster than I could run. It was too late to drop and call time out. It was all or nothing.

“Unhitch that trailer, Sutton!” my dad shouted from the sideline.

If it wasn’t for the snarling, huffing defensive backs hot on my trail, I would’ve laughed at his solid advice to run faster, but I was too focused on not getting clobbered. Fifteen-yard line. I opened myself up to get severely hurt every time I ran with the ball. The football world hated female players. I was the first in my state. There were rumors that opposing players were paid by their coaches to knock me down, personal foul or not, but I was fast and my players protected me. In track, I won state two years in a row. Running was in my blood. It was time to add football to my résumé of state wins. Ten-yard line.

“Go, go, go!” Wyatt, my wide receiver, picked off one of the defensive linemen who had been his shadow since the ball was snapped. The other one crashed into them. I leaped over the pile and pushed forward.

I was at the five-yard line when I felt hands brush the back of my jersey. I twisted loose and tucked the ball tight against my body, knowing I was going down any second. Three-yard line. I dug deep and pushed myself even harder. When I hit the turf and the air left my lungs, I wasn’t sure if I made it or not. I was on the bottom of a pile, and everyone was screaming. My lungs burned as I fought for a breath. The pads protected me from getting squashed, but it still hurt.

In the distance, I heard Justin yell as though he read my mind. “Get off her.”

The crushing weight on me lifted. I tried to take several deep breaths, but the warm metallic taste of blood filled my mouth instead. I gagged and spit it out. My mouth guard had slashed my upper gums when I hit the ground. Somebody flipped me over and I struggled to keep the ball in my grasp.

Max’s face came into view. “We’re going to state, baby!”

I smiled at him, removed my mouthpiece, and turned my head to puke. He and Justin pushed people away.

“Back the fuck up, man. Back up!” Max yelled. He waved the coach over.

I wanted to tell him I was okay, but I couldn’t find my words. I closed my eyes and smiled when I realized all my body parts were accounted for and worked. My lungs were still inside my body even though I thought somebody had squeezed them out.

“McCoy! McCoy! Can you hear me?” Coach’s face fell into my line of vision. I never noticed the gray in his stubble or how, from this angle, his face slid slightly forward and his cheeks sagged enough to force open his mouth. He was a nice-looking man, but at this angle, he looked like a fish. A very concerned one.

I took another deep breath and nodded. “We’re going to state.”

The Story Continues on BooksBarbecue!

Enjoyed this preview? ❤️ Do not stop here!

Read the complete book free online → 🔗

Continue reading now on BooksBarbecue and discover every page!

Love reading? Bookmark BooksBarbecue.com for more amazing books!

Happy Reading!