Decker

Changing the Play

By: Kayley Loring, Connor Crais

Narrated by: Connor Crais, Mackenzie Cartwright, Ava Lucas, Ron Butler

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Johnny Decker, #12. Star quarterback for the Boston Tomcats. Two-time Super Bowl MVP...a decade ago. Nickname: "Decker the Panty Wrecker".

When we lose our beloved team owner, his estranged daughter inherits the Tomcats. I don’t know which is worse—the fact that she’s a finance nerd from New York who knows less than nothing about football...or that I mistook her for a secretary when we first met.

She’s stubborn, uptight, infuriating, looks way too good in a skirt, and she’s wrong about absolutely everything—from pizza to how to run my team.

We have to learn to work together without kissing or strangling each other.

But I can’t stop arguing with her. Even while I’m discovering how good she looks out of a skirt. Even when I’m realizing she might be right about some things after all.

I thought I had a winning play. But Hannah Strong changed everything.

Duet multicast narration! Performed by Connor Crais and Mackenzie Cartwright, featuring Ava Lucas and Ron Butler

©2021 Connor Crais, Kayley Loring (P)2022 Connor Crais, Kayley Loring

Fantastic collaboration!

Kayley Loring has long been a one-click author for me and teaming up with Connor Crais to write this book was brilliant move. Johnny Decker, the NFL quarterback with probably only one season left before retiring, is knocked on his ass by the beautiful daughter of the late team owner. Hanna Strong inherits the team when her estranged father suddenly passes away and unexpectedly leaves the team to her, and leaves the players and fans wondering if she will carry on his legacy in a sport that she resents and knows virtually nothing about.

Connor Crais obviously brings the football knowledge to the story, but you can also clearly hear his “voice” coming through in Decker’s chapters. Kayley Loring has long written some of the best text conversations I have ever read in many of her books, and Decker: Changing the Play is no exception. The back and forth banter between Hannah and Johnny is laugh out loud funny and incredibly charming. This book is hot and steamy with plenty of heart and a perfect HEA that will leave you cheering and with a smile on your face.

Connor Crais narrates this book in duet with Mackenzie Cartwright and they are absolute perfection. You can hear the genuine connection with the story in Connor’s heartfelt performance (the singing is awesome too!) and Mackenzie’s comedic timing is impeccable. Throw in two more pros like Ron Butler and Ava Lucas as supporting characters and this audiobook is pure gold. This is a 5-star listen and will be one that I will enjoy again and again.

Should come with a content warning

This book is very problematic for me because the MCs keep talking about how the heroine OWNS the players. Not owns the team, but owns them as people. She says it over and over and over in a way that is gross. Like these men have to behave how she wants them to because she OWNS them. She can’t have a relationship with a player because she OWNS him. Gross. As a POC this is unacceptable to me. There are many ways that the authors could have gotten this point across without referring to humans being owned by someone who has power over them.
In addition, the h’s behavior is also problematic. Her game playing (dress sexy, walk by the H’s door and then act like she didn’t want to be there) and saying no when she means yes is not ok. It’s 2022 - we should be waaaaay past that type of BS. I am surprised the Ms. Loring would write or support such outdated and harmful content.
If bodice rippers are your thing, then this book may be for you. Otherwise, save your credit for some of Loring’s other works that treat women and men with much more dignity.

Fabulous

The narration was so good and cute 🥰 it made the story. That said the story was wonderful and fun caught myself laughing out loud at my desk. Not many books I have listened to again right away but I might have to it is that good.

Doc-Absolutely Loved!!!

I wasn't sure about this listen, but decided to burn a credit anyway. I was so pleasantly surprised!! The story was good, the back and forth between Decker and Hannah was great and the narration was awesome!!

I couldn’t turn this one off!

I Love this story! It gave me the chills and I laughed, chuckled and smiled all throughout! I adored all the witty banter between Hannah and Decker! It really kept my ears tuned in so I wouldn’t miss a thing! All the way to the end I couldn’t stop listening and those epilogues?? Just precious! This one is going on my favorites list to be enjoyed over and over!

I did listen to this on audio. The narrating team did an outstanding job. Connor Crais is quickly becoming a new favorite narrator. Kayley Loring and Connor Crais did a wonderful job with this story and I hope for more from them.

What a Win

This book is the first collaboration between the extremely talented Kayley Loring and now we know equally talented Connor Crais. I loved that they teamed up to write a book that gave us a great perspective of both our heroin and hero from the female and male point of view. This is a little different from our funny lady's normal. This book has sadness and more feelings from our characters and some really tough decisions that require putting your big girl panties on even if Decker the panty wrecker will indeed wreck them. I loved how we start with sadness and end with happiness and we get to feel everything in between.

Hannah is a strong woman although in the game of football she is lost. When she is left with a team that meant more to her dad than she thought she did she has resentment towards not only the team but the game. Now what to do with all this that she has been left with.

Johnny has a reputation with the ladies but when a certain lady owns him he suddenly wants to prove himself worthy of more than playing for her. He wants to not only win games but to win her heart.

This is a great story and even though it is centered around football, it is a love story and a story of healing with some football terms thrown in. I loved this book and give it more than 5 stars and a touchdown for these two for their first book of writing together. Fantastic job.

Narration for this book was off the charts. Not only did Connor Crais co write this book but he also narrated it along with Mackenzie Cartwright. These two are perfect together and I loved listening all the way through. We also get Ava Lucas and Ron Butler as an added bonus. This was great.

Narration You Don’t Want to Miss!

Overall, this was a great story. I did feel like there were a couple holes/things that didn’t make sense to me. Without going into too much detail or giving away any spoilers, I will say this…every story has that dilemma that arises, that pivotal moment (or set of moments) where everything seems to fall apart, where things go south before they are made right again. I just didn’t buy the pivotal moment in this story as a feasible one…these main characters were fairly mature (relatively speaking…she did and said a few really stupid things and he liked to mention his “past” man-whoring ways a little too much) based on prior circumstances to have responded the way they did…it wasn’t believable to me. No true communication/explanation occurred and neither even tried to put themselves in the others’ shoes. Still they had these weird, sporadic, half-baked text messages going on after “the thing”. This made the story feel forced/underdeveloped. Also, fairly early on, we find Decker intervening to make sure Hannah is safe when she’s checking out possible neighborhoods to rent in…he doesn’t want her scouting rentals alone at night in certain areas. They end up going to dinner and he promises to help her find a place. Then the ball is dropped (pun intended) and Hannah later casually mentions she found a house to rent. This is a small thing in the grand scheme but it bugs me. All that said, I am a huge football fanatic, love sports romances, and found this couple to have good banter and chemistry. Exceptional narration enhances the read. Connor Crais…yum…stealing all our hearts with his writing ability and his voice acting skills!! And the entire narration cast was just fantastic! 5 star narration and 4 stars overall. I do recommend.

Sooo cute

I loved this story so much that I bought the audio even though I had already read the book. The audio was fantastic.

100% will listen again and again. I’ve found my new comfort listen.

Fun and sexy hit! 5+++ stars

Decker is one of those stories that makes you feel good from start to finish. I’ve laughed, sighed, teared up and dang near put my head inside the freezer to cool off. I’m so glad I took a chance and gave this a listen.

The narrators are pros with perfect comedic timing. I really enjoyed the duet style and the additions of the two other narrators for some of the supporting characters only enhanced the audio experience. WELL DONE.

Great start to a new series and I’m looking forward to book 2.

Loved all things Decker and Hannah!!

Decker by Kayley Loring and Connor Crais was a laugh-out-loud good time and scored a winning touch down in my heart! Sports romances are one of my favorite tropes, so I was instantly intrigued and hooked on Hannah and Decker's story. Kayley and Connor's writing flowed seamlessly, and I loved the whole concept of a hunky quarterback, and a new sassy female team owner!

Connor Crais and Mackenzie Cartwright narrate this audio in duet featuring Ava Lucas and Ron Butner. Connor Crais brought his "A game" to his performance absolutely embodying all things Johnny Decker. In his narration he conveyed all of Decker's dedication to the game of football, his love for family, and his devotion to Hannah! Connor's tone in his performance showcased this charismatic confidence that you couldn't help but swoon over. Mackenzie Cartwright was Hannah Strong perfection! Mackenzie portrayed all of Hannah's doubts, desires, and determination to thrive in her new job brilliantly. Mackenzie also made me giggle quite a bit, especially with that epic burp!
Ava Lucas and Ron Butler were the icing on the cake voicing several supporting characters that gave this audio even more life!

Overall, I loved this audio and story! If you love a football romance with a hot veteran quarterback in search of one more Super Bowl title, a fierce new NFL team owner adamant to learn the game, fun loving teammates, supportive best friends, steamy locker room times, away game road trips, hilarious football terminology, a cameo from Billy O'Sullivan, and a championship worthy HEA that will make you cheer, then you will love Hannah and Decker's story! Congrats Kayley and Connor you have a new Boston Tomcats fan, and I can't wait for more in this series!

Great Read!

Throughout this story, I cringed, laughed, sniffled and swooned. Gave me everything I like from a book. The narration was amazing. I could listen to Connor on repeat forever and I’d die a happy woman, especially when he’s growling!

Fabulous

Narration by Connor was great as usual, but it seemed all the more personal as he actually wrote the male perspective.
Great story with some fun times

Awesome Story & Narration🎧 An Enjoyable Delight!

Kayley Loring and Connor Crais make a great team and not only a football team but a great writing team for this fabulously delightful sports romance novel. The story drew me right in, grabbing my attention and captivating it the entire book. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to care about and root for too. The world building and character development is fantastic as well. Hannah Strong never had a relationship with her father, the owner of a professional football team, the Tomcats, he gave all his attention to his other baby, the team and it caused her to resent them and football all together. After her father passes away she learns he left her the team and she has no idea why, it was not like she ever went to any games with her father. Despite being out of her element she will make the best of the situation. Her first day visiting the team she was meant to meet one of the managers but she got Johnny Decker, the star quarterback instead, not that she knew who anyone was at the time. Johnny did not know who she was either and thought she was one of he team’s administrators, a clueless about football one, but definitely a nice looking one and one he loved going back and forth with. He tried schooling her and she gave as good as she got, but he was on to something and after a while she starts to take his advice and learns more about football and the team. The chemistry between these two was undeniable and they could deny each other for so long. I thought these two were great together and for each other, the banter and witty dialogue was fun to hear and so was watching them fall for each other. I loved how everything played out in this book, it is an enjoyable and wonderfully plotted story with the perfect balance of drama, a touch of angst, some humor, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Kayley Loring and Connor Crais, thank you for this amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, who better to take the lead, other than Connor Crais as Johnny, Mackenzie Cartwright joins him as Hannah with Ava Lucas and Ron Butler backing them up performing the roles of various secondary characters. I loved how each one took their roles, ran with it and made it their own, sounding believable and just as I pictured the characters to sound. These entertaining storytellers make a great team and their exceptional performance is a treat to your ears. Thank you for another fabulous listen it is always a pleasure to listen to your audios.

Loved loved the narration, story was good

First, the narration, done duet style with some of the best vocal artists in the business, was awesome. I loved it and they really brought the story to life. Connor Crais, narrator and author? Yes please!

The story was also well done but i have to admit that Hannah really bothered me through a gpod proportion of the book. The story basically has her inheriting the team that Decker is on but she really didn't like her father because he never really paid attention to her (he had many ex wives and children too). So throughout the book, she had an attitude and she took it out on Decker. Decker, an aging quarterback, was amazing. Sweet, smart, witty and fun, i really liked his character and as Hannah grew as a character, they really started to be the perfect foil and team, achieving a wonderful HEA. I would definitely relive this story, especially with this fantastic narration.

Sarcasm and snark

I adore books where our (eventually) loving couple snark and snarl at each other in the beginning because we all know when it all comes to a head it's going to be soooo worth the wait!

Deck and Hannah are this couple.

Wowsers!

So, so good.

I absolutely adore Kayley Loring and have read/listened to everything she has ever written. She does not fail to bring everything to the table, and then some!!! This was co-written with Narrator (and now romance author) Connor Crais. Oh my word this book was everything. Connor Crais and Mackenzie Cartwright narrated this book to absolute perfection!! The story was great and so much fun. It was so funny, and I mean laugh out loud funny, and I need to mention the amount of spice and hotness they brought to this story, it was off the scale!! This book was perfection. Kayley and Connor are a force to be reckoned with. I can’t wait for more to come from this amazing duo.

Fabulous!!

Great story, filled with wit, humour and warmth. Hannah and Decker are a wonderful pairing and the whole premise from start to finish is a delight. Hannah is a buttoned up, fish out of water beauty who is thrown into the deep end of the pool after inheriting her father's football (of the US variety 🤣) team. The banter that grows between these two is so much fun, as is the growing relationship between them. And these narrators! Ava Lucas, Ron Butler, Mackenzie Cartwright and Connor Crais are simply outstanding throughout. Their skill at bringing all of the characters to life is joyful. I have loved every minute!! 💖💖💖💖💖