REVIEW: Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim

In Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim, Will, an NHL linebacker and the national spokesperson against deadbeat Dads, doesn’t do one night stands. And he always uses protection… “He’s borne the shame of being the consequence of a one night stand all his life.”, and he is adamant no child of his will ever be subject to that. But one hot night and one hot woman a year ago is about to change all that…

“…a sensual encounter the night of his best friend’s wedding.” with a woman who never told him his name and who disappeared before he woke up, is about to change Will’s life. Julianna is a wedding dress designer, living in Italy, when she returns to the US for a friend’s wedding. A migraine, a storm, and some potent medication soon had her in the company of Will, and in his bed. A broken condom and nine months later though, Julianna now has a son – Owen. Julianna has no intention of telling Will about Owen, or having him in their lives – until it becomes a life and death decision.

Will is furious when he finds out about the secret Julianna has been hiding from everyone. Determined to do right by his child, he guilts Julianna into a marriage of convenience. Both of them vow that’s all it will be, and it won’t be forever. But forced to live together and care for Owen together soon have Julianna and Will cautiously forging a relationship together…and given their history and chemistry, it is bound to heat up.

But Will has secrets of his own that can affect not only his relationship wtih Julianna, but his career. He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders along with misguided perceptions of how others view him. Misunderstandings, secrets and a lack of communication might rattle the already shaky relationship they are establishing. Can Will put his trust in Julianna? Or with everything else in the way is theirs a relationship doomed to failure, with Owen being the only bond between them?

Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim is much more than the romance of Will and Julianna! Tracy will draw you in with an intricate plot and some fascinating secondary characters. I will admit that it took me a while to warm up to Julianna…no matter her past or reasoning, I really did not like her for not telling Will about her pregnancy. Julianna has a lot of unresolved issues in her life, some of them I still don’t understand, and I felt like as successful as she was, she still had a lot of growing up to do. Having said that, Julianna was a strong heroine and she did manage to gain my respect and admiration. Above all, she was willing to do anything for her son. She also proved to have more depth to her than she initially appeared, she understood Will, and I found myself really wanting Will to trust her, confide in her, and give her a chance.

Through most of Foolish Games, my perception of Will was that he had a lot more to give if only he wasn’t so angry about past and present events. He doesn’t let anyone get close to him, but Julianna is certainly managing to wiggle her way closer and closer to his heart. He loves Owen unconditionally, and it is fun to see him lighten up a bit with his baby boy. There is a lot going on in Will’s life right now, and as much as he struggles with the bad, some good can come of it if he’ll open himself up to it if it’s not too late.

I loved the secondary romance of Will’s very young mother and his manager Hank! I loved watching his mother finally blossom! Hank and his daughter were fun and came across as honest, don’t hold anything back people. This part of Foolish Games had me just as intrigued as the relationship between Will and Julianna. There were also some friends of Will’s that I really hope to read about in a future book.

Tracy kept me far more intrigued than I thought I’d be in Foolish Games. There was a lot going on, but she writes smoothly and manages to separate the sub plots enough that there is no confusion, only a reader wanting to get deeper into the story. I have not read the first book in this series, and would definitely say Foolish Games can be read alone. I will be looking forward to another book in this series though! I’d love to read Brody’s story!

I highly recommend Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim to a romance reader looking for a plot that just keeps getting better as the story progresses, and strong, memorable characters.

Book Info:

Published December 3rd 2013 by Berkley | Series: Out of Bounds

A Hail Mary play for the heart.

Bridal gown designer, Julianne Marchione knows better than to lose her head at a client’s wedding. But, much to her embarrassment, a mix of migraine medication and a smoking hot football player lead to a steamy one night stand resulting in a surprise pregnancy. Julianne has every intention of leaving her NFL hookup far in the past until her son, Owen, is born with a life-threatening blood disorder that requires a transfusion—and Julianne is not a match.

Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up tough, shouldering the stigma of being a bastard child born on the wrong side of the tracks. He refuses to let any child face the same discrimination. When he finds out about Owen, he’s furious that Julianne kept his son a secret. But when he sees her again at the hospital, he realizes that his feelings for her go far beyond anger.

Will insists that Owen recuperate at his home in North Carolina, and he’s adamant that Julianne become his wife—even if it’s only a temporary marriage in name only. But will their simmering attraction ever lead to a real connection? Or are they just playing foolish games?