Embroiled in a world of lineups, stats, and trades, Harper’s quest to make nice topples when her competitive streak emerges. And her promise to herself that she’ll be a strong, independent woman and leave the drama and heartache behind is seriously tested when she catches the attention of her two biggest competitors: J.J., a local celebrity determined to win a fantasy championship, and Brook, the mild-mannered coach who seems too good to be true. Both threaten her resolve to remain single… and, more importantly, her chances at winning the prize pool.
With a slew of conflicting advice in her real and fantasy worlds, Harper must figure out how to play the game and come out a winner.
My thoughts about First & Goal ~~
Laura has done it again. She has produced another book that I loved! This one is about football, a fantasy football league, and a woman who just needs to fit in with her co-workers.
Harper starts a new job and her boss wants her to slow it down and get to know her working buddies, try to socialize with them more. She overhears them talking about needing another member of their fantasy football team and yep, she signs up. And she needs a lot of help. There are some in the league who want to help, maybe a little too much. And then there are some who want to make it hard for her. Can she win them over? And can she just win some football games?
I love football (although fantasy football still confuses me) and I love that Laura is a Husker fan and writes that fact into the story. I am a huge fan as well and I loved all the references to the team, to some of the players, and to the city of Lincoln. I lived in Lincoln for about 15 years so it was like going home for me.
This is not just a story only about football so if you are not into football that much, you are still going to love First & Goal. Harper learns a lot about relationships (some friendly and some trouble), she finds out what great friends she has, she learns a lot about herself while learning a lot more about fantasy football, and she discovers love.
And.... I am so excited that this is the beginning of a series! There will be more of Harper and her life. Whoo hoo! GBR!!
"Not the victory but the action;
Not the goal but the game;
In the deed the glory"
Excerpt
I focus on the screen. If one of my few preferred players goes, I need to be prepared with a backup. So far, my top choices are on the board. My fingers hover over the mouse, itching for the moment I get to make my first pick.
Ding. I’m up. Two minutes on the clock. I don’t even need two seconds. Click.
“The Pope.” Gio nods in approval. “Well done.”
“Thanks,” I murmur, admiring my first player with pride.
Welcome to Team Harper, John-Paul. May your grip be strong and your legs fast. Play your best on the field and behave off of it, and we won’t have any problems.
Wait. What if we have problems? There has been plenty of buzz the past couple of years about players failing drug tests or landing in jail. My team could suffer if someone violates league rules. I should probably check out their rap sheets—not just their statistics on the field. I pull up a search engine and start typing in the names of my dream players to make sure we won’t have any trouble. I’m so caught up in my new mission, I almost miss the notification.
Brook’s Bros has drafted Chad Baker.
I stare at the screen in horror. No. No, no, no, no, no. This can’t be happening. It’s too soon for anyone to draft him. He’s not projected to go until late in the second round or even the third. He’s my player. Shaking my head, I struggle to contain my befuddlement and dismay. I have to keep my anger in check. I have to move on and find another quarterback to replace Baker. I have to—
“Are you eff-ing kidding me?” The words are out—loudly—before I can stop them. The stream of chatter around the room ends, and everyone turns to gape at me. Even Blitz pauses his ministrations to stare wide-eyed.
Wade is the first to speak up. “Everything okay, buddy?”
Settle down, Harper. Don’t freak out. Come up with an excuse. Lie. You do it all the time. Make it legit.
“Uh, yeah,” I mumble sheepishly. “I spilled some of my beer. Sorry. It’s a little early for a party foul.”
Everyone is still staring, so I have to act fast. “Wade, you only have ten seconds left to pick.”
The distraction works. Wade swears under his breath, and everyone’s attention returns to the draft. I release a sigh and roll my shoulders to work out the tension. I only have a few minutes, maybe even seconds, to decide who I’ll take in Baker’s place.
The Vikings’ new quarterback is the next highest rated QB available, but . . . I’d rather not give myself a reason to cheer against the Packers. I could grab last year’s Super Bowl champ, but half of his starters are under investigation by the league.
I pause on the fifth-ranked quarterback. Todd Northwood. He’s back after sitting out last year to recover from surgery. He’s working with a new offense, and he’s one of the oldest players in the league. But . . . he’s a legend. The records he set during his rookie season haven’t been touched by anyone else. And he’s a good guy. He might not be Chad Baker, but I still wouldn’t mind rooting for him once a week.
The fantasy experts are split on whether or not he’ll make a good QB.
To be safe, I grab wide receiver Isaiah Dewey-Davis with my second pick. It’s too early in the draft to take North. Not with his rank.
“Double D,” Gio says after my selection goes through. “Nice pick.”
“Thanks. Again.” Does Gio plan to comment on every player I add? I don’t need a play-by-play. We’re in our co-worker’s living room drafting fantasy teams, not sitting in a network studio analyzing a real game. I’m sure he’s trying to be supportive, but I kind of want to punch him.
Despite my reservations, I add North to my wish list. Depending on what everyone else does, I’ll take him in the third or fourth round. In the meantime, I peruse the rest of the available players, checking for any red flags. Those who pass my list of demands get added to the list of potential draft picks. Another top quarterback goes away. My top choices for running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers disappear.
Ding. My turn again. Lips pursed, I hover over a top-rated tight end. He’s the smartest pick based on rankings. No question, I should take him. Instead of going with what I know to be best, I open up Todd Northwood’s profile for the dozenth time.
The positive comments from fantasy experts are impressive.
He’s one of the best players to ever take the field. Years from now, people will remember North the way baseball fans have immortalized Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, or the Babe.
The negatives are hard to ignore:
North hasn’t thrown the pigskin in competition in more than eighteen months. Even if he’s physically recovered from his injury and surgery, you can’t ignore the mental hit he’s taken from the bad press, failed team negotiations, and a general loss of faith. North will never come close to recapturing the glory of his former days. Put him out to pasture before he takes others down with him.
The good contradicts the bad and vice versa, but I’m fixated on one comment from a pundit whose name I don’t recognize.
There’s no guarantee managers can expect North to produce at the same level he did back in his glory days. Still, I wouldn’t put it past one of the hardest working men to ever play the game to prove himself to the naysayers. He’s a risky choice, no doubt, but he might be worth it.
He’s a “risky choice,” but if I don’t take him now, someone else probably will before the draft comes back to me. What happens if I take him and he fails me? What if I let him slip and he makes the greatest comeback in sports history? Which outcome can I live with?
“Ten more seconds,” J.J. reminds me, interrupting my contemplation. “Make your selection.”
The computer timer rings a chime in warning, and with a shaky hand, I go with my heart.
“Hmm,” Gio says while the next team manager quickly snaps up the tight end I’d been contemplating. “Todd Northwood. That’s a . . . bold choice.”
“It’s the right one,” I say more confidently than I feel. “North is back.”
“If you say so.”
My fingers tingle, and I clench my fist shut. There’s no point in being overly sensitive. Why bother? There’s no going back now. I have to have faith in North. I have to not worry so much because none of this really matters.
About the author
Laura Chapman is the author of
First & Goal,
The Marrying Type, and
Hard Hats and Doormats. Her work also appears in
Merry & Bright,
A Kind of Mad Courage, and
All I Want For Christmas. A native Nebraskan, she loves Huskers and Packers football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Laura is currently in pursuit of a fantasy football championship while penning her next novel.
