The Real Ones
J. Rose Black
(Chasing Victory)
Publication date: February 12th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports
Second chances don’t usually come wrapped in shoulder pads on Valentine’s Day…
Ten months ago, All-American shortstop Briella Reddington fell hard for grumpy, battle-scarred quarterback Maddox “Mick” McBride.
And then he walked away—right when she was finally ready to let him in.
Now Ella’s done being vulnerable, done being blindsided, and definitely done with emotionally unavailable athletes. But losing a bet lands her at a Valentine’s charity flag-football event…face-to-face with the man who broke her heart.
Maddox never stopped wanting Ella—but teammates loyal to her golden-boy ex, a rival gunning for his spot, and a coach who made Ella the price of peace forced his hand. Choosing her once cost him everything. His season tanked, his starting job is on the line, and seeing Ella again is the one hit he isn’t prepared to take.
When a chaotic Valentine’s “cupid” pushes them together, sparks ignite, truths surface, and Maddox realizes he’s been fighting the wrong battles all year.
This time, he’s not walking away.
He’s fighting for the girl who was always worth the risk.
READ THIS IF YOU LIKE…
Grumpy/protective hero
Sunshine-with-boundaries heroine
Second-chance romance
College sports + rival athletes
Forced proximity
Emotional scars & healing arcs
Charity-event chaos
A hero who finally fights for his girlTW: mild hazing, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse; mentions of combat scars.
EXCERPT:
“I want to know what it’s like to kiss you.”
I don’t know what came over me, but there was just something about him, his quiet confidence. The proud way his shoulders squared when he spoke of his time in the Marines—not that he said much.
Heat hovered in the air, and I was positive I was as red as his potted sweetshrubs.
Those grey-blue eyes turned to look at me, and I became aware of every muscle in my body—as I fought to keep still. His brow pinched into a small frown. “Depends.”
I blinked and took another sip of my water. I’d seen enough of large muscles and sculpted physiques. He was leaner than most of the football squad Ash hung out with, but still powerful-looking. And yet, the gentle way he handled the bundle of flowers with their “root emergency” made him seem…different.
My chest warmed just to look at him. The urge to touch him, kiss him buzzed through me. I needed it in a way that I shouldn’t. Couldn’t. Except…I told Ash to go to hell when I saw him—my stomach squeezed and tumbled over—with her.
Maybe I should. Maybe I could, for the first time in more than two years. “On what?”
His eyes narrowed and he moved closer. The heat from my chest hit my veins. It sparked and popped, like it could catch fire. Like I could.
“Do I get to kiss you back?”
Dear God, yes. I managed to keep the commentary locked inside even as I could’ve sworn the room temperature spiked. He ducked his head, messy strands of dark hair shifting over his forehead. Those eyes focused, intense…I burned inside his look.
“If you want to,” I breathed as I slid my hand over the back of his neck. Soft pieces of hair curled between my fingers. My heels gave me the bit of height I needed to reach him.
His eyes slipped closed as his breath hitched. If there was a moment a person could choose to fall in love, that would have been mine—with him. So proud and strong. Lips parted, eyes closed, and waiting for my kiss.
Author Bio:
J. Rose Black weaves stories about redemption and the transformational power of love – with a few side-helpings of snark. Now an award-winning and Amazon Top 300 chart-topping author, Rose writes about broody alpha males and plucky, no-nonsense women ready to fight for what they believe in. Her novels have been praised for their realistic mental health representations, with narratives offering a unique balance of romance, humor and tougher, real-world issues.
When Rose isn’t deeply immersed in her latest manuscript, she’s working in cyber security and thwarting the next generation of internet bad guys. Out of the office, she’s #Shipping with friends over her favorite, swoon-worthy couples, heading to the gym to battle the great evil that is Unmovable Baby Weight, or complaining about her husband’s addiction to 3D printing. Also: nagging her children to eat something other than cheese.
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