Review: Homecoming by Shannon Stacey

Posted August 7, 2016 by Elizabeth in Elizabeth B, Reviews / 0 Comments

Review: Homecoming by Shannon StaceyHomecoming by Shannon Stacey
Series: Boys of Fall, #3
Published by Jove Publication Date: August 30, 2016
Pages: 304
Also in this series: Under the Lights, Defending Hearts
Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org
Find on: Goodreads
three-half-stars

The New York Times bestselling author of Defending Hearts returns to small-town New Hampshire where a substitute football coach and a guidance counselor tackle love.

They were the golden boys of fall: Stewart Mills High School’s legendary championship football team. Fourteen years later, they’re back to relive their glory, save the teamβ€”and find themselves again . . .

Sam Leavitt has two goals when he returns home to Stewart Mills to fill in for Coach McDonnell: to keep the school from finding a permanent replacement while Coach gets back on his feet, and to reconnect with his mother. As substitute coach for the high school football team, Sam must work hard to keep the boys on track, and that means spending time with the sexy guidance counselor he shared a hot night with months ago.

Jen Cooper knows what she’s looking for, and it’s not Samβ€”he wasn’t even supposed to come back. She wants a cultured, romantic soul, not some rough-around-the-edges guy with calloused handsβ€”and a hard, muscular body. But seeing him every day forces Jen to question what she really wants out of life. And as Sam begins to deal with his past, Jen discovers there’s more to him than she imagined.

Cocktails and Books received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.

This is the third book in the Under The Lights series and while it is not necessary to read the prior books, having read one or both would add useful background information for the story.

Sam is the former high school quarter back who left town and didn’t look back – until he got the call that his mentor needed help. Now, he’s back in town temporarily to help out until the Coach is back on his feet. Sam is an easy character to like. He’s basically a good guy and is putting the demons of his adolescence behind him.

Jen is one third of the force that brought Sam back to town the first time. She is also the high school guidance counselor and Sam’s steamy hook up from his first trip back. She’s another easy to like character and someone I would want to be working with my kids. Sam and Jen together are fun. There is some predictable awkwardness when they first reconnect and the story line between the two is not unique – all three of the Under the Lights books follow a bit of a pattern. There are some teasers of heavier emotions and great advice given, but nothing terribly heavy.

This is a well written and fun book. The supporting cast is great and if you have read the prior books, you will enjoy getting to visit and catch up with where they are now.

The following two tabs change content below.
I am a full time mom who works part time. I squeeze reading in wherever I can between work, volunteer stuff, and kid activities. I read a little bit of everything, but really enjoy indie authors and Happy- Ever-Afters. I've been reviewing for Cocktails and Books since January 2015.