False Start

Red Zone Rivals

By: Kandi Steiner

Narrated by: Heather Schroeder, Wesley Mercer

Kyle Robbins: Seattle's rookie tight end and the first boy to break my heart.
Oh, did I mention he's also my new client... and fake boyfriend?

The commission from working with him is a key to my new life -- it's worth putting up with the cocky athlete. The problem is that my past is dark, and when Kyle sees the bruises, he thinks he can save me.

Fake-dating each other was supposed to be for my safety.
But I can't help thinking my heart is more at risk now than ever before.

TROPES:
Sports Romance
Fake Dating
Second Chance
Single Mom
He Falls First
"Who Hurt You"
One Bed

©2023 Kandi Steiner (P)2024 Kandi Steiner

KYLE, MADS & SEB 🤭🖤

✨✨ALL HAIL QUEEN KANDI✨✨

I say this with every single kandi review and I’ll say it again…. KANDI DID THE DANG THING. This book right here is why Kandi Steiner is my favorite author OF ALL TIME. How did she go from making me so annoyed from season 1 Kyle aka fair catch to being my absolute favorite red zone rival man!?!?! Holy smokes. What a redemption arc for my man!!! Kyle was not hated by me by any means, he was just an annoying side character in the beginning and he grew in my heart as the books moved on. By Hail Mary I was so sad we weren’t getting a Kyle book because I had loved him at that point, then Kandi surprised us worth this gem.

This book holds such a special place in my heart. It was such a perfect ending. These narrators were absolutely amazing. I wouldn’t have pictured mads and Kyle any other way. Kandi had me so emotional throughout, and the narrators brought it to life perfectly, they had me crying both happy and sad tears. I did not want it to end!!! Thank you Kandi for giving us Kyle’s book, this is truly the perfect ending to this series. 🖤

Tropes:
- sports romance
-first love / second chance
- single mom
- he falls first
- who did this to you

5++⭐️
2.5🌶️

Protect Kyle at all costs

Protect Kyle at all costs!!

False start is a second chance romance with Kyle Robbins, now a professional NFL player and Madelyn James (Hearst) a real estate agent, each other’s first love from High School and a past that suddenly tore them apart. After years of no communication, Madelyn Is now Kyle’s real estate agent. Reading about Kyle and Madelyn coming back into each other’s lives was so emotional, Madelyn was now a single mother going thru a divorce and when Kyle and Madelyn see each other again the tension is real. They are both hurt and yet care so deeply for one another and still appreciate the friendship they had in the past. I loved how all though major miss-communication tore them apart, communication brought them back together. They were able to be there for one another in so many ways, with her son, with his friends, they had real talks, real emotions and you could feel how much they cared for one another. As the book goes on the story gets sweeter. Kyle is seriously so caring and the strength Madelyn shows during her dark days is admirable. This book has so much going on and all of it was wrote so well, with a bit of
fake dating for a second chance at forever, a survivor single mom with a nightmare of an ex, an NFL player with amazing friends, a surprise pregnancy and that extra bit of spice that makes you feel all the things!

Purchased this audio

Kyle’s Redemption 🥹

📖 False Start by Kandi Steiner (@kandisteiner)
🎙️ Narrated by Heather Schroeder (@heatherwiththebangs) and Wesley Mercer (@awordwithwes)

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/ 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5
Narrator: 🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️ / 5

I really have no backbone. How in the world did Kandi Steiner give Kyle Robbins a story that had me crying actual tears for him?!? The redemption arc this man got was a whole damn circle!

When I saw Kyle was getting a book, I scoffed! Why waste the time!?? 🫣 Well, this is me eating my words. It was absolutely worth the read! Kyle and Madelyn’s story was so beautiful. 🤌🏽💋 The second chance romance. The shared tragedy 🥺 (Did Kandi Steiner give me a good example of the miscommunication trope?!?🤔 Still undecided on that.) Just wow. Kyle’s story was surprisingly sweet.

And to add on all that, we got some really great scenes with the rest of the Red Zone Rivals gang. Honestly, I’d read just about anything to get more of Giana and Leo FUCKING Hernandez 😁

🎧 I think that listening to the audiobook contributed to the overall volume of tears shed. The emotion that Heather Schroeder and Wesley Mercer put in their monologues (you’ll know which ones) had me sobbing 😭 Amazing jobs! I definitely recommend the audio for this book!

TLDR: Proof that Kyle Robbins has a heart. Sweet second chance romance with a shared tragic past, but oh-so-sweet future.

Second Chance

Kyle and Madelyn use to be teenage sweethearts till something ripped them about without closure…

Now Madelyn is a recent divorcée single mom and a Seattle Real Estate. When she has a new wealthy client, she is excited that this might be her ticket out of the city away from her toxin abusive ex. When the client shows up, she finds out it’s Kyle. Both completely shocked. Mad and I reared with one another but she needs the big sale and Kyle wants answers. When he sees bruises on Madelyn, he offers protection as fake dating one another. She will play his girlfriend at his friend’s wedding and will also leave her ex away from her.

The forced proximity with one another and the help of a one bed at the hotel away for the wedding made them both face the past. Hearing their stories come together was very emotional. My heart broke for both.

Can I just say how much I love being around the couples of the Red Zone Rivals!? (Especially Leo 🫠🫠)

Tropes:
Fake dating
Second Chance
Teenage Love to strangers to lovers
Football Romance
Single Mom
OM Drama
One Bed
Who Hurt You?
It’s Always Been You
No 3rd Act Breakup

wonderful narration!!

Beautiful. Emotional. Wholesome.

Ahh. I loved it.

Kyle and Madelyn got their beautiful second chance!

"We were home again.
We were whole."

This book was full of so many of my favorite tropes!

• Second chance
• Sports romance
• Single mom
• Adorable 6 year old
• Surprise pregnancy
• Playful banter
• Protective MMC

Madelyn was such a strong FMC. She was a survivor and we got to watch her get stronger and stronger. Especially with Kyle by her side. He poured so much love and encouragement into her. Always constantly boosting her up! He's determined to right every wrong. Even the wrongs that he didn't causes!

And the connection that he shared with her son was what every single mom wishes they could find after leaving a rough situation! For someone that loves their child like they are their own. Someone who treats them like they are their world. And Kyle was alll thay and more! The way he spoiled that little boy and loved him instantly! The way he became as important to him as Madelyn was. Treating them truly like a packaged deal! It was beautiful!

The things that flowed out of this man's mouth! 😍

Every single mom who's looking for love after an abusive relationship DESERVES a Kyle.

This story hit very close to home for me. Because I found my Kyle.

I will say usually I can't stand a miscommunication trope! And that's usually why I avoid second chance romances. BUT this one was so quickly resolved and so realistically handled! I loved it!

And I loved following all their memories.

"And there he was. Kyle Robbins, number eighty-two on the field and number one in my heart."

I was such a huge fan of this audio! Heather Schroeder and Wesley Mercer did such an incredible job! And it was in Duet!!!

all the feels

The way that I was a sobbing mess after finishing
this one. I am convinced that this is the best book
Kandi has ever written. 🥹😭🤍

single mom • second chance • "who hurt you"
forced proximity • fake dating • sports romance
ALL. THE. FEELS. LITERALLY. All of them. 😭🤍

This audible performance was perfection. It's a duet narration so the male speaks all the male roles and the female speaks all the female roles. The performance was incredible. Not only could you physically feel the emotions they were trying to convey, but it felt like you were watching and hearing it all take place right in front of you.

💭From the beginning, the tension was HIGH. I'm talking skyscrapers. Hating her while battling with the love he always has for her, Kyle goes to insane lengths to keep her and Sebastian safe.

I freaking loved how all in Kyle was. Kandi is a queen at writing men, but she did something so special with this one. It was beautiful and raw to it's very core. Giving us Madelyn and Kyles, highest of highs and lowest of lows. While also delivering us the spiciest of spice.

This storyline was so beautifully done but also so heartbreaking. I am positive that it is my mission to get every single person to read this book.

KYLE MF’in ROBBINS🥹😭

KYLE MF’IN ROBBINS🥹

This audio was so amazing! Love a duet style, & these narrators were fantastic! They bring Kyle & Mads to life beautifully!

I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t sure about Kyle, especially after the way he acted in Fair Catch, although he had grown on me in Hail Mary, but I don’t know that I’ve ever been this happy to be proven wrong!!! I ADORE HIM & MADS OKAY?! ADORE!!!!! I bawled so many different times throughout, but I loved every second of it!

Kyle & Madelyn are a second chance romance that broke me & then put me back together. Their past is so heartbreaking, but their now is so beautiful with how they come back together after so much hurt in the past. Their love may be a new favorite!

Kyle is a reformed playboy for Mads, & I love a man while falls fast, first, & HARD! Add in Mads is a single mom with the most precious little man (who he adores!!), & I’m a goner! Kyle Robbins has solidified his spot in my heart forever!

Mads is so so strong & brave, I LOVE how she protected herself & her son. She & Kyle had to fight for their future, but how they are together is incredible!! Maybe it’s because I’m a mama too, but she is one of my favorite FMCs in this series!

One of my top reads of 2024 for sure!!!

THE second chance romance of the summer

kandi steiner aka the queen of taking the vast majorities least fav tropes (theres a major miscommunication) and making a gut wrenching fucking masterpiece out of it 😩

step aside the rest of the red zone rivals men bc kyle robbins is THAT mf man. i was absolutely obsessed with him from the start lol. i loved his cocky little shit attitude bc i could see right through it from the start. i loved that mads and her sassy self for not taking his shit either.

this book was un put downable. i binge listened and read along to it completely entranced by kyle, mads and sebastian 🥹

i really enjoyed how you got to see recurring appearances of all of our previous RZR couples, i loved seeing where all of them were at in their lives and the way they took mads in and made her feel like family immediately, along with the heart to heart kyle so clearly needed 😭

books like this are the reason second chance romances is one of my absolute favorite tropes!! i say it with each new book of hers but this is seriously my favorite of Kandi’s. i dont know how she manages to surpass just how phenomenal her previous book was but she does every damn time and i absolutely cannot wait for everyone else to fall in love with these two the way i did!!

Oh my, Kyle has my heart

Oh his voice is so perfect!

Oh my gosh!!! I didn’t think I was going to LOVE Kyle so much!!!!! Kandi made me cry a couple of times, but they were good cries.

Kyle is looking for a house after getting drafted to the NFL and happens to run into his first love Madelyn.

Madelyn is a single mom who is trying to make a great life for her son and get away from her ex husband.

Kyle asks her if he would be his fake girlfriend for a wedding date and then it just gets better from there!!!!!

Man this was such a good book! Can’t wait for the next one!!!

My new favorite Kandi book!

It took me so long to write this review because I couldn’t adequately put into words how much I love Kyle and Madelyn. I listened and read along to this book. I love doing this when audiobooks are in duet, because it’s like watching a movie in my head with subtitles. Heather Schroeder and Wesley Mercer brought all of the emotions to this incredible book. I felt every single heartache, every single twinge of love, every bit of hope. These two were the perfect pairing to bring Kyle and Madelyn to life.

Even though Kyle was a bit of a tool in the rest of the series, I’ve always kinda loved him. He was a big butthead and kind of a himbo, but always silly and sweet. Seeing how his past shaped him made everything make so much more sense. He has such a depth of character, and it all seemingly stems back to Madelyn. Ah, Madelyn. I just love her. She’s so protective and strong for Sebastian, and she’s what every parent wants to be in that sense. I love her love for her son, and I love Kyle’s love for him too. The way the three of them immediately become a family was so perfect.

I loved how the fake dating was never actually fake in either of their eyes because they’re both still helplessly in love with the other. When the big secret is revealed, it only makes them stronger, and that’s my favorite part of this. It shows that conflict doesn’t have to break people apart, but can bring them even more together. This is such a beautiful and real story, and it’s my new favorite Kandi book!