A Wild Card Kiss

Ballers and Babes Series, Book 3

By: Lauren Blakely

Narrated by: Erin Mallon, Zachary Webber

Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

A sexy stand-alone romance between a single dad athlete and the woman who got away narrated deliciously by Zachary Webber and Erin Mallon!

Things that suck on my wedding day - walking in on my groom kissing another woman 20 minutes before the ceremony.

Things that suck worse? The woman he’s kissing is my mom.

I head straight for the bowling alley bar down the street and ask for a double. And in walks a deliciously charming local football hero - Harlan Taylor. Yes, I’ll take another drink in the form of a one-night stand with this hunk of a man.

In the morning, he asks if I want to get together again. More rebound nookie? Yes please!

But then I learn his football team just hired my yoga studio to teach downward facing dog to their star player, making my O-delivering hottie officially off limits. Trouble is, the more time I spend working with the sexy single dad who dotes on his daughter, the more I’m feeling all the things far too soon.

There’s no way this can end well, but tell that to my runaway heart....

This production also includes a short story performed by Blake Lockheart!

©2022 Lauren Blakely Books (P)2023 Lauren Blakely Books

love is

Love is so awesome in Lauren Blakely's stories. The couple have fun together, laugh together, and fall in love together! Great story, great narrators, and can't wait for the next book!

Zachary Webber ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Holly cow “MOOO”, what an awesome story line and performance!!!!! So stinking funny and swoon worthy!

Absolutely (kiss) blown away!!

Lauren Blakely has done it again!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

If you are familiar with the Blakely Universe you would possibly remembered Harlan from the Babes and Ballers series. This is Harlan and Katies story, its a story about a second, third, fourth chance love.

Katie and Harlan meet when the ended up being surprise wedding dates, they hit it off hot and heavy. Their chemistry was palpable and undeniable, but unfortunately timing was not on their side. They're respective lives took them into different directions, but left them with one great night to remember (you can read their whole prequel in A Wild Card Night).

Fast Forward 8 years later, Katie is about to get married, like heading for the alter. On the way to the aisle she finds out her fiancé was cheating on her ( you will never guess who with!!). She leaves the wedding and makes her way to the nearest bar to drown her sorrows in tequila. While sitting there, still in her wedding dress, she runs into Harlan. The chemistry is just as intense as it was before, and they are not letting it go to waste...But again, time is not on their side. Katie just broke off her engagement and Harlan is about to start training.

Fast forward to the fall, they both seem to be in the right place and the right time to start something. The finally decide to give the "us" of them a shot. Only to find out the new team Yoga instructor...is Katie. Yet again, Katie and Harlan are blocked from being together. But this does not stop them from spending time together and becoming better friends. The spend time doing private yoga sessions, and baking with Harlans 6 year old daughter Abbie. After a while though their burning embers have become an unstoppable inferno and they can no longer deny what is happening between them. Will Katie risk her career, business and reputation? Will Harlan risk still being viewed as a playboy and his respect on the team? Find out what happens when love just can not be ignored.

This book has all the perfect makings of a Lauren Blakely book. It has Heart, character, comedy and as always some delicious HEAT! This was such a fun story to listen to, despite some serious subject matters. and of course, we meet several characters we have seen mentioned before, some have their own stories already and some have stories coming up. There are even two chapters towards the end with some special characters (and narrators :-o).

One of my favorite parts of the book was the relationship Harlan has with his daughters mother. The daughter was a result of a one night stand but that did not get in the way of them figuring out their co-parenting. In fact Harlan is even friends with her new husband and their 2 year old. Too many times I read a story with split parents and a child and it is not amicable. This is the type of mixed family story I love to see and hope to see more in the future.

The book was perfectly narrated by two of my favorites, Zachary Webber and Erin Mallon. These two just brought these characters to life, as they always do. Zach perfectly embodied the fun, sexy, swagger of Harlan and hit every joke with comedic precision. Erin gave a voice to the badassness that is Katie. These two are just a perfect pairing.

Great addition to the series

This was a slow burn but essential to have the characters get to know each other. I am glad it wasn’t rushed. Great story, great characters and great narration! I am hoping the upcoming books in the series are as good. Still wish “ Einstein “, the kicker from the other books, got his own story. I know there was a story there. 🏈

✫✫ 5 Stars ✫✫

Everyone knows I am a huge sucker for a Single Dad Romance and this one ticks all my happy boxes. I mean a single dad & a second chance, what more could I want! I absolutely loved the relationship between Harlan and his daughter, the meet cute with Harlan & Katie, Katie's relationship with her dad and even the relationship Harlan has with his ex. Harlan is a dream, I just love a mature adult that handles his life without drama. Katie has a pretty messed up relationship with her mom but she deals with it like a pro. These two are perfect for each other, hot and fun all in one! This book made my heart feel happy and light. Exactly what I needed!

Erin Mallon & Zachary Webber were perfect <3

Great Start to This Series!

Harlan is a football star and meets Katie at a friend's wedding. They hit it off from the start. Their connection and banter are off the charts. When they set a date for the following Tuesday, she has a job opportunity that gets in the way. Oh and her mom is a witch with a capital B.
Seven years later they meet again, this time it is on her would have been wedding night. The sparks are still there but once again the timing is off. She needs time to heal and he will not push her for more. When she is finally ready and they set a date, something else happens.
Will these two ever get their chance to be together? Will one have to give up something for the other? Can they make a relationship work?
As this is the first in a new series, Happy Endings, I can not wait for more and to see who will be in book 2.
I also loved Erin Mallon and Zachary Webber as the narrators.

Loved it!

I loved this story, because it seemed to be different then others. It was a heartwarming and beautiful story of how life can be even after they meet again after 7 years.
I loved Harlan and his love for his daughter. The narrators are some of my favorites and they bought the story to life.

Super sexy!

Lauren Blakely is as always amazing with her fabulous unique stories. In A Wild Card Kiss Harlan and Katie didn’t believe in Fate but it’s obvious Fate had a hand in their being together. Being in the right place at the right time, Harlan is the perfect antidote for Kate’s shock after being jilted on her wedding day and the betrayal of her mother. Zachary Webber and Erin Mallon swept me along with their sensual and emotional narration. Oh, and loved the additional epilogues! Pleasant surprise hearing special performances by Teddy Hamilton and Blake Lockhart. Lauren Blakely has that special knack of tying in all my favorite characters from previous books.

Terrible “reader”

I am sure this story will be as wonderful as all the others, but I simply cannot continue. I cannot even get through A Wild Card Night” the prequel story. The woman reader, Erin Mallon, draws out every sentence at the end and I can’t stand to listen to her any longer. I will make sure she isn’t the reader in any others. Listening to her is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. Too bad.

Katie and Harlan were so great together.

Katie and Harlan were so great together. Harlan was quite swoon-worthy- he's a single dad professional athlete who's just an all-around fantastic guy. Sassy and driven yoga instructor Katie was such a great match for him. I love that author Blakely has created a world with such charming characters and her books always have scorching chemistry and fantastic dialog. I purchased the audiobook and enjoyed performances by Erin Mallon and Zachary Webber- they are two of my favorite narrators and always do such a great job. As with most Blakely audiobooks, some fun extras are included at the end.