Last Chance Hero by Cathleen Armstrong

Football is in the air. In small towns across America the bleachers are full on Friday night. But what if you are new in town and you really don't like football?

Dr. Jess MacLeod was new to Last Chance, New Mexico. The California woman had decided to leave the bustle of California and have a practice in a small town. While people seem to be excited that there is finally a doctor in town, they do not hesitate to tell her they've been seeing a doctor in the next town all their lives so don't expect them to see her any time soon. Jess' frustration at trying to fit in only increases when everyone starts talking about the coming football season. One thing Jess does know about herself – she doesn't like football.

The football issue becomes more difficult when Jess begins “seeing” Andy Ryan. He's a professional quarterback whose career being pretty much over, came back home to coach the high school teem. He's under pressure from the towns people to recreate the Glory Days of his own high school football past. A few losses to start off the season and the grumbling begins. And when Jess suggests one of his guys might consider academics a better way to get a scholarship than football, Andy wonders of if there is any hope for the two of them.

This is a nice small town romance story for the football season. Last Chance is one of those towns where everybody knows everybody else and is related to half of them. I enjoyed reading about the small town atmosphere and the football frenzy.

Jess is not a Christian and doesn't really understand the people she meets who are. I liked the elderly “Gran” who was treasured by so many in Last change. She is a great and godly woman.

I recommend this book to those who like a pleasant romance without too complicated a plot. It is part of a series although it reads well on its own. There is unfinished business at the end so I expect another in the series soon.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Cathleen Armstrong grew up in New Mexico and now lives with her husband in California. After they had raised their children, Cathleen returned to college and earned a BA in English. Her debut novel Welcome to Last Chance won the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women's Fiction. You can find out more at http://www.cathleenarmstrong.com/.

Revell, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.