title: First and Forever
author: Lynn Painter
publisher: Berkley
publication date: May 12, 2026
pages: 320
peppers: 2 (on this scale)
warnings:
- health scare of a major character
- football injury
- paintgun violence
- dead mother (before book)
- senile dimentia
summary: When Duffy accidentally injures the handsy mascot of her favorite NFL team, the only person who doesn't call her a curse to the team is their star receiver, Connor. The two end up on a talkshow together, after which his agent recommends that he take her out on a date to help his publicity.
tropes:
- athlete star and normal person
- moving back home after college
- rich and poor
- big family
- fake dating
what I liked:
- Duffy's father is a real card
- good scenes of football adoration
- humorous
what I didn’t like:
- the dark moment's genesis was too obvious
overall rating: 4 (of 5 stars)
As always, you can click on the photo above if you want to buy the book.