Review: The All-Star Antes Up

Title: The All-Star Antes Up (Wager of Heats #2)
Author: Nancy Herkness
Released: May 31, 2016

Synopsis:

“No strings, no rings.” That’s Luke Archer’s motto. As the champion quarterback for the New York Empire—not to mention a self-made billionaire—Luke has given up on serious relationships. Women only want him for one thing: the thrill of being with a superstar. And he can’t risk love distracting him from his next Super Bowl victory. But when his best friend announces he’s retiring from football to spend time with his wife and kids, Luke feels like he’s missing out on something much bigger than his career.
The assistant concierge in Luke’s luxury high-rise, Miranda Tate fled her family’s dairy farm to come to the bright lights of New York City. She works hard to move up and sends her spare earnings home to her brother. When she and Luke meet, there’s an instant attraction, but they’re in completely different leagues. Could Miranda be just the woman Luke needs to win the most important game of his life?

My Review:
I absolutely loved this book. For me, the romances I tend to be drawn too are the ones with the bad boy. The boy who messes around a with too many girls, has commitment phobia, and is just an all around douche. The All-Star Antes Up wasn't one of those books, and I'll tell you why.
The story was very well written. You could tell that the author writing this wasn't just throwing words on a page, it was well thought out and planned. There was just enough of a mystery to the book. Of course, from the very beginning I know who Luke would end up with, that's how it is in every romance book. But I really enjoyed how the plot progressed. It was easy to follow along and a quick read. I found that I was enjoying every moment of reading. There was always something interesting going on.
Miranda, damn she’s a spitfire. She knew what she wanted and she went for it. She was also amazing at her job and very hardworking. She didn’t let things get her down and handled problems very well. Right off the bat I knew that I would enjoy her character. She did everything for her clients and made sure that they were well taken care of. I respected her so much throughout the story. She wouldn’t let things get her down too much. Sure, she was sad during some scenes, but she got right back up and moved along. She was strong, caring, respectful, loving, and kind. I loved her character so much.
Luke, oh Luke. First off, he was a Texas rancher and that made me love him right away. He was also an amazing football quarterback who went to The University of Texas. He’s from my home state and went to a school that I respect very much, so that means I just had to love him. He also had those southern manners. Those are very hard to come by these days and it made him so much better. He loved so much, between his brother and his family, that he tried to not let anyone down. He was also so strong, not just in the physical sense, in the emotional sense. He was the same as Miranda, he knew what he wanted and went after it. I loved Luke’s character. He wasn’t your typical messed up jock that seems to be so popular recently. He had a good head on his shoulders and he respected people. He was kind to his fans, especially the children. He was an all around good person. Even though he was nicknamed the Iceman, he wasn’t as cold as he seemed.
The All-Star Antes Up was such a good read. I loved every second of it. My roommate even had to tell me at one point to turn off my iPad and go to sleep because I was up late reading. This book is full of steamy, swoon worthy, and hilarious moments. Pick up The All-Star Antes Up today if you’re in the mood for a great read!