A good, quick beach read for the summer with meet-cutes. This is a good low-stakes read. The MMC, Dex, was a bit trusting at times. However, the banter between Margot and Dex was enjoyable.

I had a lot of trouble getting into this story and given how much I love her other series, I was kind of sad about it. Character development was ok but the characters were not great- I didn't like them as much, and felt like they were more one-note and rarely progressed. Overall, some humorous times but not my favorite. I'll continue reading her books though because Sara Ney has some of my favorite stories in this genre. thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and author for the read.

I was really happy to be able to dive into this quite quickly after reading the first book in the series but unfortunately it's another one that isn't a favourite from the author. I've loved loads of her other sports romances but for some reason this one didn't hit for me. I liked the premise of it and it started out well, but in the end I just wasn't a fan of Dex. He was so immature and while I could've accepted it if this was a college romance, for an adult it didn't work. The writing was good and the story flowed well but overall it was just okay for me which was a shame.

Biggest player by Sara Ney is a football romance novel. This book is part of the "not yours" series, it can be read as a standalone or after "not your biggest fan."

The book follows Margot 29 who is a single mom. She struggles to juggle being a single mom and working but is lonely and tries the dating apps to find someone. The book highlights the challenges of modern dating.

Dex is a 25 year old hot quarterback. Maybe it's too many hits on the football field but this character is the epitome of looks hot but is not the brightest crayon in the bunch.

One wants a fling and one wants something more serious. One is busy working and being a mom and the other is a pro football player. Can they find a way to make this last?

Hands down the best character in this book is the Margot's ten year old daughter Wyatt. Not sure why she is the most mature person in this book but it makes for some interesting situations. The book has lots of hilarious one liners and banter in the first half of the book and i wish it continued throughout. I disliked how Margot forgave Dex so quickly and moved on that it was unrealistic and felt like the book just needed to be wrapped up. Overall it was a fun and often funny read.

Thank you to Sara for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This book will be released July 29 2025.

When I need a laugh, I reach for Sara’s books. This one delivered it in spades. I wasn’t a fan of the first in this series, but this one redeemed it. The characters were classic Sara - great banter, witty and hilarious, while being rootable. So fun!

This book is what is it is- a lighthearted, fun to read book that will definitely make you laugh! The meet cute(s) were worth it, in my opinion. I loved how they kept running into each other!

Dex, a quarterback who is looking for love in all the wrong places, meets Margot, a single mom with too much on her plate, on a dating app. Things don't work out until they do, and the opposites attract vibes are fun to read. They aren't the most complex characters, but I enjoyed Margot's daughter Wyatt a lot. I also enjoy sports romance, namely hockey and football, so this was in my wheelhouse.

I loved the banter so much especially in the first half of the book. Like many others, I agree that the first half was the better half. The banter lead to some fun chemistry between the characters and a fun journey of falling in love. The world Ney set these characters in has been fun to read and I look forward to more!

Overall thoughts- Was Dex the most profound hero I've read? No. Was he annoying at times? Yes. Did this make for lighthearted entertainment? 100%.

Quick Summary: A lighthearted, age gap romance

My Review: Biggest Player by Sara Ney is book #2 in the Not Yours series. It is scheduled for release in July 2025.

About the Book: "...a single mom and a football pro ignite sparks when they swipe right--even though they know it's all wrong."

In My Own Words: Two lonely people looking for something more click, clash, and connect in this older woman/younger man romance.

My Final Say: This story had a charm about it. It was witty and easy to read. The characters were pretty unexpected and interesting together. They seemed mismatched, but at the same time, they seemed sweet together. Their playful banter, as well as the sarcastic humor used worked for them.

The timeline of the relationship, in terms of pacing, activity, and conflict, was a stretch for me. Additionally, the maturity factor and what was tolerated, excused, and/or accepted by both leads seemed somewhat unbelievable. I couldn't quite get past it. Despite that, I found the story to be likable.

Other: Wyatt was a hoot. She stole the show.

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 👍
Note: Readers who enjoy OWYM scenarios, single mother finds love situations, sports (off season) romances, and online dating stories may like this book.

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Montlake), and to NetGalley for providing access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. I appreciate the opportunity.

If you are looking for a quick, fun sports romance, then this book is for you! It’s a quick and easy sport romance read that you won’t even notice you finished reading it until you reach the last page. Plus, you will laugh so many times that it makes the read so much lighter. I definitely enjoyed it.

Meet cute on a dating app or meet cute when your daughter pretends to be the guy you matched with's fake daughter to help him get rid of a bad date?

Genuinly Dex and Margot have the best start to their story. They originally met on a dating app and didnt really hit it off at first. But after meeting in real life thanks to Margot's daughter they get to talking and form a friendship.

I really enjoyed these two. The banter between them was just fabulous! I loved how involved Margot's daughter was and how fun she made that book. Dex and Margot definitely fit together even if they don't think so themselves.

4 Stars

I enjoyed this story. I really loved Margot and Wyatt. Dex was kind of a tool. I ended up liking him toward the end but his ego was obnoxious. The book was very fast paced but not necessarily in a good way. The timeline of events were not very realistic especially for a single mom who wants to protect her daughter. The story itself was very cute though. I'm curious as to how they continued on especially once his football season was in full swing.

I always love a Sara Ney book, and add her and sports romance and it is just a major win for me. This was fantastic and I hope it makes a huge splash. The characters were super enjoyable and I loved both of them individually as well as together. I can't wait for more from Sara.

There were definitely aspects of this book I liked.

The premise was solid and felt like a slow build storyline where you know there is going to be angst and regret leading to grovel and eventually a hea, which is essentially what we got.

I liked Riley, she was a delight and kept all the other characters on their toes.

I wanted to like Dex, but he was so childish. It felt like he thought he was such a big man, but his actions (and excuses) were that of a mindless teenager who simply follows along to make life easy. He wanted a girlfriend because his friends all had one, he dated Margot because….even his romantic actions were half hearted and had ulterior motives and lazy half the time.

Margot I liked to a point but she flopped when he apologised and I just wanted her to realise she was essentially going to be in a relationship with someone who still needed to grow up

The single mom trope was well done to a point but incomplete in other areas. They briefly discussed that he could be traded at any point, but nothing more and this is someone with a job and a child whose father is in the picture and so is it not a problem that he could up and leave…it just raised flags for me that this wasn’t dealt with in more depth.

We seems to trip immediately from I hate you to Dex having this great revelation that he loved her, with no real consideration to the consequences of being in a Relationship with her, no consideration of being a father figure for Riley, just that she was cool.

Epilogue, I usually love an epilogue but this one made me cringe. Two months in and it appears Dex still doesn’t have a real clue about what made me Margot tick. most of it is internal dialogue from her about how uncomfortable she is meeting his friends and he does nothing demonstrable to ease her fears or understand how her mind works when she is stressing or that she hates games even. Don’t get me started on him wanting to try for a baby….they don’t even live together.

So good points, some bad and overall not for me but a good time round read also.

This was fine. I didn’t love it and think Ney has other titles I’ve enjoyed much more. On paper, this was cute and had a set-up I should have loved: dating app meet cute, a single mom, a pro-football player. But Dex and Margo had no chemistry and didn’t really seem like they were in the same place in life to pursue a relationship. And Dex was….pretty immature. I didn’t hate it. But I didn’t really enjoy it either.

Sara Ney never disappoints me. I have been hooked to her books since The Learning Hours and here I am again, falling in love with another one of her stories! The banter is always 10/10!

Super cute lighthearted romance about a single mom and a playboy football player. Easy read I didn’t want to put the book down loved the story and the characters.

After reading and loving Not Your Biggest Fan, I immediately continued the Not Yours Series by Sara Ney. Biggest Player is Margot and Dex‘s story.
 
Dex is Andy‘s best friend from the first book and he’s a cocky and charming football player. After his last relationship with a model ended in drama, he desperately needs some good press. Dex is a man who has his heart in the right place and he’s still young and sometimes makes mistakes but fortunately learns and matures from them. He joins a dating app and that’s where he sees Margot for the first time.
 
Margot is a teacher and single mom, and her life is very steady. But she often feels a bit alone and is looking for a partner by her side. Margot is absolutely amazing and she’s sassy and confident and the same can be said for her adorable and clever daughter. Margot is very real and honest and that’s why she thinks Dex is catfishing on the dating app.
 
From the beginning their banter is top tier and the first time they meet in real life is hilarious as well. They have amazing chemistry, and I could totally feel the sparks between them. Even though this story is very instalovey, it works so well because these two are such a cute couple. It’s a perfect mix of sweet and spicy and there were so many amazing moments like the bath scene, the pipe scene, or the rock-climbing scene.
 
I absolutely adored Margot and Dex‘s story and Biggest Player is my new favorite Sara Ney book. 5 stars.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)

Love love LOVE Sara Ney. There is something about a reformed player / playboy that falls so dang hard that just DOES it for me every, single, time. Wyatt (the FMCs daughter) really is the star of the show here! dragged a little in the second half but overall really enjoyed my read!

✨ Review ✨
***
Biggest Player was good. Dex was charming and sweet. He was a bit immature and kind of an asshole at times but sweet and caring at others. I liked Wyatt and Morgan a lot. They were both funny and sweet. The story was good and easy to read. I loved all the banter and conversations. The ending was sweet and I was so happy to see Landon and Harlow again.
***
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🔥🔥
Romance: 🩷🩷
***

I love the strangers to lovers online dating scene with bad boy Dex and single mum Margot. Her daughter Wyatt was my fave character! I enjoyed the book, however got annoyed by little things like the ‘Ha!’ one word sentences and the back and forth of dialogue, but really enjoyed the short chapters! Easy read that was mostly enjoyable

Swipe right for drama, left for chaos—this romance had me hooked but also scratching my head!

Okay, so picture this: a 25-year-old football quarterback and a 29-year-old single mom/teacher match on a dating app. Sounds like the start of a rom-com, right? Well, it is… but with a few twists that left me feeling a little meh by the end.

Let’s start with the good stuff. The banter? Hilarious. The first half of the book had me laughing out loud, especially the texting exchanges between Dex (the quarterback) and Margot (the teacher). And Wyatt, Margot’s 10-year-old daughter? She stole the show. Seriously, this kid was the most mature character in the entire book. Her sassy little moments, like when she basically strong-armed Dex into helping her mom dodge a bad date, were pure gold.

But then… Dex happened. Look, I get it—he’s a football player, he’s supposed to be a little cocky and immature. But wow, did he take it to another level. At times, I felt like I was reading about a teenager, not a grown man. He made some pretty selfish decisions, and Margot forgave him way too quickly for my liking. Like, girl, where’s your self-respect? Their relationship moved at warp speed—we’re talking a few weeks, and suddenly they’re discussing kids and forever. I just didn’t buy it.

Margot had her moments too. She jumped to conclusions about Dex being a catfish (which, okay, fair), but then she just… let it go? And don’t even get me started on the lack of safe sex talk. With Margot’s backstory of accidentally getting pregnant from a one-night stand, you’d think condoms or something would’ve come up. Nope. Not a peep.

The side characters felt underdeveloped too. Dex’s best friend popped in and out like a cameo, and Margot’s parents were so one-dimensional, they might as well have been cardboard cutouts.

That said, if you’re looking for a quick, light-hearted read with some laughs and a touch of sports romance, this might hit the spot. It’s fun, it’s flirty, and Wyatt alone is worth the read. But if you’re after something with more depth, maybe start with the author’s other series (How to Date a Douchebag or Jock Hard).


Tropes to expect:

🎐Sports romance (football, baby!)
🎐Opposites attract
🎐Dating app meet-cute
🎐Single mom vibes

Final verdict? Entertaining but flawed. Dex and Margot’s relationship felt rushed, and I wish we’d gotten more of Wyatt stealing the show. Still, it’s a decent pick if you’re in the mood for something breezy and fun—just don’t think too hard about the plot holes.