Block Shoot (HOOPS Book 2) by Kennedy Ryan

🛑 Please Do Not Read If You Would Like to Avoid Spoilers 🛑

Ratings:

⭐️: 4.5/5

🌶: 5/5

Tropes:

- Second Chance Novel

- Enemies to Lovers

- Plus Size Heroine

- Sports Agents

- Cheating

- Multicultural Relationship

- Romance

Review:

Block Shot is the second novel in the HOOPS series written by Kennedy Ryan. Click here if you would like to read my review for the first book, Long Shot. This book follows Jared Foster and Banner Morales, Jared is the stepbrother of the hero of the first book, basketball player, August West. It chronicles Jared from the time he was in college and his relationship with a classmate of his pursuing the same career to become a sports agent, Banner Morales. However, one-night ruins the bond they once shared and they lose complete contact with each other. Ten years later, they meet again, but they are both fully engrossed in their careers as agents with Jared owning his own company alongside August though he is a silent partner. Though they have chemistry, Banner has obstacles in her life including a partner and insecurity that will hinder their relationship.

This book started hot and heavy from the beginning! I was gasping in the first chapter which takes place ten years ahead of the time in the remaining chapters. I have never read a novel where the beginning of the book starts with a sex scene. The surprising aspect was that the hero, Banner Morales, was a Mexican American plus-size woman seeking to be a sports agent. As a plus-size woman myself, there is not much representation or books containing such. Some people do not see us as appealing and often we are shamed. I have insecurities myself so to see it written out on paper was astonishing. I teared up a little and was happy to

see Banner start to love her body. It’s not necessarily about the size, but your health and I have witnessed the skinniest people eat unhealthier than me. Kennedy portrayed this well and even during intimate scenes I felt like it was still explored. I adored the scene when Jared defended Banner against those that shamed her and gave up his hopes of joining a “secret society.” I feel like he should have told Banner because I knew those who did such were going to f*ck up something and Jared was not going to be believed by Banner. That did happen which caused the ten-year gap with no contact between them.

As you can see, I have not said I love the characters, do you want to know why? It’s because I did not for a particular reason: cheating😡. I can say Banner was a wonderful agent and if I was ever to have a manager in general, I would want one like her. When she met her first client, Zo, she was the only sympathetic person to him. Having lost his family and entering a draft in a new space and another country, she supported him. Not to mention she saved the life of a client of hers that was once su*cidal due to unfortunately suffering from an amputated leg. She always saw the good in people and motivated those around her. I was pissed with her when she ruined everything. In my head I kept asking myself, why did start a relationship with Zo? He was her client, and she knew she wasn’t in love with him from the beginning. To me, she wanted to please her family and no longer wanted to be alone. She used Zo and I hated that because he was an amazing man. He was faithful, a humanitarian, a

basketball player, and a family man. It’s like all those qualities she knew he possessed went out the door when Jared came back into the picture years later.

As for Jared, he knew he was an a**hole and he did not care that she was in a relationship. Even when she brought up that she was in a relationship when he was making moves on her he did not give a sh*it. He owned up to it and I was glad that he was at least honest. However, I had no respect for him because he was still pursuing Banner sexually on the regular though she was in a relationship. I know the blame is more so on Banner because she was the one that was supposed to be faithful, but he still knew and didn’t respect her relationship.

Banner was cheated on before which was more surprising, and she knew how it made her feel and kept telling herself she is faithful and would never have relations with someone in a relationship. But, she decided to still develop a relationship with Jared even after she and Zo broke up due to her infidelity. She was a hypocrite because she called her client, Kenan Ross, ex-wife a whore after she cheated on him just to go on and do the same thing. It was like they did not care and went on a trip outside of the country. Even that night when Zo broke up with Banner after finding out she cheated she shared a bed with Jared and began to start a committed relationship with him. There was no sympathy from the two and that disgusted me.

Before I read this book, I did not know about the cheating plot of the book I messaged a friend of mine that previously read the book and asked if the book was worth reading. Due to me having a disdain for cheating I was going to DNF the book, but I continued because it is a series, and the characters were in the third book. Also, my friend said it is worth the read 🤷🏾‍♀️.

I can say and will not deny that Jared and Banner had amazing chemistry and more than probably Iris and August 😊. I was also glad to see them in this book and witness how happy Iris is 😊! If the cheating never happened, I think the two would have been my favorite couple. They had excellent chemistry and Jared made sure to tell Banner she was beautiful all the time. Their scenes together regardless of if they were just talking were magic.

Also, though Banner wasn’t faithful in the relationship as an agent she was loyal to the bone to Zo. Without her, Zo would have been dead early on when he was diagnosed with his illness and began treatment. She even stayed by her promise to him and did not speak to Jared, but that still doesn’t change anything. I admired that about her.

The s*x scenes between Jared and Banner were breathtaking. I was shivering all over when

reading the scenes which is why I gave them a 5/5 😂. But, the book, in general, was great and Kennedy’s writing is always exceptional with great plot lines because even though I don’t agree with cheating it kept me suspecting what was going to be next and possibly their karma? I always commend when Kennedy can add other cultures to her book without making it cringe. She included Spanish and the Mexican culture without it coming off as disrespectful or uncomfortable. I gave the book a 4.5/5 because I was not the biggest fan of the plotline and I wanted to see a transition from her old agency to working with Jared and becoming a partner.

The book was excellent, and I would want to see Zo get his book, but I am sure he won’t 😕. I would recommend you read this book due to it being part of the series, but it can be read as a standalone or not read at all. I have read the third book, Hook Shot, and I can say none of the previous sets of couples have anything on Kenan and Lotus.

"Block Shot" Amazon Link