New on Amazon: Unwell
$4.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.

Audiobook Price: $9.77

Save: $2.28 (23%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Emily Silver
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Roughing The Kicker: A Friends to Lovers Sports Romance (The Denver Mountain Lions Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Emily Silver (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 734 ratings
He’s my best friend.
He’s a pro football player.
He’s famous.
I’m just the girl next door.
And I’ve been in love with him since I was 13.
He doesn’t know.
He can never know.
But will I be able to hide my feelings when I move in with him?

Jackson Fields. Denver’s star kicker. My best friend since 9th grade.

When an injury sidelines him, I step up. Living with him will be easy. I can hide my feelings long enough to take care of him. Piece of cake.

Except he depends on me for everything. Every touch, every move he makes has butterflies swarming my stomach. I can’t fall for him. Because he’s my friend. And he doesn’t see me as anything else.

But when his situation changes, and he sees me in a new light? Am I willing to risk everything to see if we’ll be good together? Or will we always be destined to be just friends?

What’s a girl to do?


Roughing the Kicker is a friends to lovers, forced proximity, football romance with a guaranteed HEA!
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Denver Mountain Lions
  2. Print length
    230 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 16, 2022
  5. File size
    2.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 4 books in this series.

Customers also bought or read

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  7. Game Misconduct (Nashville Knights Hockey Book 1)
    Just released
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  9. The Turnover: Branston Bandits #1
    Kindle Edition
    $3.99
  18. Changing The Play
    Just released
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
  30. Body Check (Seattle Serpents)
    Kindle Edition
    $4.99
Next page
Loading...
Popular Highlights in this book
What are popular highlights?
Previous page
  1. “Well, sorry if I’m not processing this as quickly as you. I only just found out that the best kiss of my life was with my best friend and not my girlfriend of the last thirteen years. Why didn’t you say anything?”
    Highlighted by 42 Kindle readers
  2. My heart is Jackson’s for the taking, and I can only hope he guards it with his life.
    Highlighted by 39 Kindle readers
  3. It’s hard to imagine what I saw in her all those years ago. One game of seven minutes in heaven and I was hooked on her. But now it’s hard to remember the reasons why we fell in love. We’re two strangers passing in the night.
    Highlighted by 36 Kindle readers
Next page

From the Publisher

Roughing The Kicker review quote
all the ways to enjoy roughing the kicker

What can you expect in Roughing The Kicker?

  • Football Romance
  • Friends To Lovers
  • Forced Proximity
  • Opposites Attract
  • Grumpy/Sunshine

What readers are saying about Roughing The Kicker...

  • "I'm a sucker for sports romances and this book did not disappoint."
  • "Roughing the Kicker reminded me why I love football romance novels."
  • "From best friends to lovers…Tenley and Jackson are everything!!"
  • "Roughing the Kicker was a super bowl winning field goal!"

Read the rest of the series!

all the ways to enjoy pass interference

Book Two: Pass Interference

  • Enemies to Lovers
  • Second Chance
  • Workplace
  • Forbidden
  • Football Romance

all the ways to enjoy sideline infraction

Book Three: Sideline Infraction

  • MM Romance
  • Closeted Hero
  • Opposites Attract
  • Football Romance

all the ways to enjoy illegal contact

Book Four: Illegal Contact

  • Forbidden
  • Player/Coach
  • Age Gap (She's older!)
  • He Falls First
  • Football Romance

all the ways to enjoy the big game

Series Novella: The Big Game

  • See where all of your favorite players are in The Big Game!
  • Not to be read before the other books in the series!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Roughing the Kicker reminded me why I love football romance novels." - Jenny, Goodreads review

"Roughing the Kicker by Emily Silver was a sweet and swoony friends-to-lovers football romance that tugged at my heart right from the start." - JodiReadsNListens

"I loved this book. I'm a sucker for sports romances and this book did not disappoint." - Tammy, Goodreads review

"Jackson & Tenley are a couple you want to be together from the moment you open this book. They are perfect for one another." - Haley, Goodreads review

"Roughing the Kicker is a flirty and feel good friends to lovers romance that is the perfect start to Emily Silver's newest series." - Late Knight Luna Reads Blog

"Roughing the Kicker by Emily Silver is a super cute and steamy sports romance." - Lindsay, Goodreads review

About the Author

A soldier, an athlete, a comedian, and a softer kind of soul, Teddy Hamilton is the guy to fill any need. Known best for his work in the Him series by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy, and the Mister series by JA Huss, Teddy has lent his voice to over eighty titles, some sweet and some salty, always with a lot of passion and heart.



After winning a Young Author's Award in second grade, Emily Silver was destined to be a writer. She loves writing strong heroines and the swoony men who fall for them. A lover of all things romance, Emily started writing books set in her favorite places around the world. As an avid traveler, she's been to all seven continents and sailed around the globe. When she's not writing, Emily can be found sipping cocktails on her porch, reading all the romance she can get her hands on, and planning her next big adventure!

A lifelong performer, Rose Dioro has worked in the voice-over industry for over a decade and in theater and music for nearly three. She has made a name for herself in the romance genre for bringing honesty and genuine emotion to each character she portrays, and for being as at home with a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy as she is with a gritty, dark drama. Rose has narrated novels from New York Times bestselling authors and fan favorites including Helena Hunting, Alessandra Torre, Debra Anastasia, Rina Kent, and Nicole Snow. She works with the Big 5 and indie publishers and production companies alike.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09Y2B37DX
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Travelin' Hoosier Books (June 16, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 230 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 734 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Emily Silver

Emily Silver

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

After winning a Young Author’s Award in second grade, Emily Silver was destined to be a writer. She loves writing strong heroines and the swoony men who fall for them.

A lover of all things romance, Emily started writing books set in her favorite places around the world. As an avid traveler, she’s been to all seven continents and sailed around the globe.

When she’s not writing, Emily can be found sipping cocktails on her porch, reading all the romance she can get her hands on and planning her next big adventure!

Find her on social media to stay up to date on all her adventures and upcoming releases!

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
734 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers enjoy this sweet friends-to-lovers romance, describing it as a fun summer read about best friends becoming lovers. The story receives positive feedback for its character development, with one customer particularly praising Tenley's strength. Customers find the book easy to read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

18 customers mention "Romance"18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy this sweet friends-to-lovers romance, describing it as a fun summer read about best friends becoming lovers.

"...This book was so much fun and so easy to read. I finished it in a day. I will definitely be coming back for more of this world ❤️..." Read more

"...Rose perfectly portrayed Tenley’s strength, dedication, love, hurt, and anger. Teddy too had an equally strong performance...." Read more

"This book was ok for me. It was a little slow in the pace." Read more

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the plot and the characters. MS Silver understands football and athletes. And teachers of kindergarten children!..." Read more

7 customers mention "Story quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, with one customer noting that the conflict was believable.

"...I loved how the story wasn’t as straightforward as I anticipated and I loved the little surprises along the way...." Read more

"...The conflict in the story was beleiveable and based on issues that were realistic to a professional athlete...." Read more

"...It is a good story, although I can’t imagine how he mistook Rachel and stayed with her so long...." Read more

"What a great story! I love that she has had feelings for so long, yet he only knew her as a friend...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one noting how perfectly Tenley's strength is portrayed, while another mentions that Jackson and Tenley are great together.

"...Rose perfectly portrayed Tenley’s strength, dedication, love, hurt, and anger. Teddy too had an equally strong performance...." Read more

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the plot and the characters. MS Silver understands football and athletes. And teachers of kindergarten children!..." Read more

"...There was nothing romantic about their relationship. Tenley was an okay character. I liked her more than Jackson...." Read more

"Jackson and Tenley are great together. Next door neighbors turned best friends...." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, with one mentioning the stellar narration and another noting it was a quick listen.

"...This book was so much fun and so easy to read. I finished it in a day. I will definitely be coming back for more of this world ❤️..." Read more

"...This story was super easy to cozy up with and was a quick listen for me. I didn’t want to put it down...." Read more

"...I listened to the audiobook and the narration was stellar! You can’t go wrong with Rose and Teddy! This was short but sweet!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Johanna
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I love friends to lovers stories. It always seems to make the romance MORE since they only have to get out of their own way to se what has been right in front of them for so long.

    She had loved him from afar for years and when he got hurt she rallied around him to help him heal. That helped him see her for more than just his closest friend and the romance sizzled between them!

    He ripped her heart due to something with his game but what he did to get her back again was absolutely adorable and very fitting for a Kindergarten teacher 🥰🥰

    This book was so much fun and so easy to read. I finished it in a day. I will definitely be coming back for more of this world ❤️
    Helpful
     Report
  • Sweet Reads and Treats - Mere
    4.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait to listen to the next one
    Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    After listening to another title by Emily Silver, I was ready for more. Roughing the Kicker was a super sweet, sports romance. I loved how these friends finally got their HEA. Jackson was so blind to what was right in front of him this whole time and Tenley was such a sweet character that I wanted her to get her HEA. This friends to lovers, unrequited love, sports romance was a great intro into the series. I really enjoyed the story and want to listen to even more. This story was super easy to cozy up with and was a quick listen for me. I didn’t want to put it down.

    Jackson and Tenley have been friends most of their lives. While Jackson ended up playing for an NFL team, Tenley was always there as his friend. When he’s injured in a game and his soon to be ex girlfriend leaves him high and dry in the hospital, he calls the one person he can always depend on. Moving in with him to help Jackson while he heals seemed like an obvious solution, but as the weeks pass, keeping her feelings to herself gets harder everyday.

    In audio, this book was perfectly cast. Rose Dioro and Teddy Hamilton portrayed Tenley and Jackson with emotion and just the right amount of nuance taking readers on a passionate journey of both healing from an injury and finding out you’ve fallen in love with your best friend. Rose perfectly portrayed Tenley’s strength, dedication, love, hurt, and anger. Teddy too had an equally strong performance. When Jackson is angry about his situation, you can feel all the grit and rage in Teddy’s voice. I loved how the story wasn’t as straightforward as I anticipated and I loved the little surprises along the way. I’m really looking forward to continuing this series in audio.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars 3 stars
    Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This book was ok for me. It was a little slow in the pace.
    Helpful
     Report
  • S. O.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect story!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the plot and the characters. MS Silver understands football and athletes. And teachers of kindergarten children! So good to the last page!
    Helpful
     Report
  • eabreese
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet friends to lovers read!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Jackson and Tenley have been best friends for 13 years and he's been blind to the crush she's had on him while he continued to date the "convienient" girl. All of that changes when the professional footballer gets hurt and needs help.

    I enjoyed seeing them bond as Tenley filled a needed gap in Jackson's life. The idea that the blinders came off for him was entertaining to watch and their evolving relationship was a feel good experience. The conflict in the story was beleiveable and based on issues that were realistic to a professional athlete.

    The secondary cast here including Tenley's sisters and friends, but Jackson's teammates played a bigger role. As this is the first book in a series, the world building was well done and contributed to the story. Ms Silver is a new author to me and I am curious to see if there are other books in this series.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Folk6pack
    5.0 out of 5 stars sweet hometown romance
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    These two grew up next door to one another. One dark closet and she was his forever. He knew nothing and dated another for 13 years. She was his everything but he did t know it. To finally have it all made for a HEA. Very sweet and cozy romance.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Brooke Morin
    2.0 out of 5 stars Could have been better but didn’t hate it
    Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I love a good sports romance. I always read Hockey romance books so when I saw that this book was about football, I said let’s give it a go. The relationships in the book were weird to me. I didn’t like Jackson as a character. He was with his girlfriend for 13 years but it only seemed like he was with her just to say he had a girlfriend. There was nothing romantic about their relationship. Tenley was an okay character. I liked her more than Jackson. I do feel like she was taken advantage of by Jackson because they had been best friends. He would take out his anger on Tenley when something didn’t go his way and I didn’t vibe with that aspect of the book.

    Will I read the rest of the books in the series? Yeah… probably. Did he enjoy this one? Not as much as I’d hoped.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Raerahn2201
    3.0 out of 5 stars Jackson and Tenley
    Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Tenley has been in love with her childhood neighbor turned best friend Jackson for years. When he gets injured and his current long term girlfriend shows her true colors they break up and he immediately calls Tenley to take care of him. Jackson is a gigantic baby about his injury and then come to find out he has been in a long term relationship with a girl based on a single kiss in which she lied about and he never knew the difference. When he re-injures his leg, he lashes out at the one person that has stood beside him. 3stars for the steamy scenes and the friends to lovers trope and HEA but the H in this story was very immature and off putting
    8 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Lee-Anna
    5.0 out of 5 stars What happens when friendship means more?
    Reviewed in Canada on September 16, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    First and foremost Emily Silver wrote one heck of a great sports romance once again. I was/am already a huge fan of hers so when I read this I knew I was in for a treat.

    Jackson has football on in mind 24/7 it is in his veins it's what defines him... or so he thinks. When a knee injury sidelines him, he reaches out to his girlfriend. Ahem... and when that fails, he calls in his bestie. The one girl who has always been there for him, Henley. Also the one girl who stole his breath away years earlier with a kiss.

    Henley is a kindergarten teacher, who has loved Jackson since forever, when he moved in next door, and especially when he gave her one heck of a kiss at a boy girl party. Henley has always supported him, has tried to always bury her feelings deep inside. However when he calls on her to help him recuperate of course she agrees immediately.

    I mean all she has to do is help him, do basically everything while staying in his home all the time, I mean what could possibly happen??? Well let me tell you be ready for feelings, confessions, and steam. These two will grab you by the heart and not let go!!

    5 stars highly recommend!!!
    Report
  • Christina
    5.0 out of 5 stars THIS WAS SO GOOD!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I needed a good Football romance and this STEPPED UP! So freaking good!! The world building, the second chance romance.. absolutely perfect!
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars First Kiss.
    Reviewed in Canada on December 23, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    To be attracted to someone and hide it so well from the person that you want isn't easy. Unique story with all the typical mistakes that tunnel vision careers people who are determined to be the best always manage to make. Happy the kicker was able to kick back and be happy about the true meaning of commitment and communication.
    Report
  • Laura C
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved Tenley and Jackson
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I completely devoured this book! I loved Jackson and Tenley instantly. They really were best friends through everything! Tenley has been secretly in love with Jackson since they were teenagers, when Jackson and his family moved in next door. Fast forward a few years Tenley and Jackson are still best friends but Jackson has a long term girlfriend.....who is just a peach! Both Jackson and Tenley have jobs they love, Jackson is the Kicker for his hometown team and Tenley is a kindergarten teacher. When Jackson's world turns upside down you would think his girlfriend of 10 plus years would step up and help him.....wrong! You know who will Tenley! If you love a friends to lovers romance you will love this! It's also the perfect introduction to the rest of Jackson's teammates and I can't wait to read their HEA!
    Report
  • L beaver
    2.0 out of 5 stars Poor story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Tenley and Jackson are best friends even when he went to play in the NFL as their kicker and he was now rich and famous. He has been with Rachel for 14years since they were at school but break up when she doesnt want to help him when he has an injury. He calls on Tenley and of course she helps. Thought his character was very selfish and she was like a servant to him. Who stays with someone for 14years and suddenly realises they dont work!
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report