Dash: Rushing the Play by Kayley Loring

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#99 Dash Taylor. Rookie defensive end for the Boston Tomcats. 285 pounds of fast-twitch muscle. Nickname: Big D.

I’ve been sacking quarterbacks since junior high and causing trouble since I was born.

My college coach thinks I have a bad attitude, so he makes me take ballet lessons as punishment. If I don’t turn things around on the field next season, he’ll bench me. I have no idea what ballet has to do with football, but it turns out the real punishment is that the beautiful dance teacher refuses to get involved with me.

Two years later, we cross paths again, and it’s not the other team’s offensive line who brings me to my knees—it’s a hundred-pound ballerina.

She doesn’t think I’m boyfriend material, and I used to think that too. 

I’ve been a beast on the field and in the bedroom, but now I’m going to prove that I can be a man for her…and for our surprise baby.

I thought I was all about the smash and dash.
But getting Charlie Bardot pregnant changed everything.

The Ballerina and the Bruiser

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚❤️🩷
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀😛😘🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Duet Narration – Multicast

🎧 Audiobook Review: Dash: Rushing the Play (The Boston Tomcats, #2)

Author: Kayley Loring and Connor Crais
Genre: Sports romance
Narrators: Connor Crais, Mackenzie Cartwright, Emma Wilder and Evan Parker

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Dash “Big D” Taylor

Dash Taylor enters the league as the Boston Tomcats’ top draft pick — a defensive end with freakish talent, a chip on his shoulder, and a reputation for being difficult just because he can. With the team’s ownership shifting to Hannah, the late owner’s daughter, tensions are already high. Dash has zero interest in bonding with teammates or playing nice. But one night out with the team changes everything when he spots a familiar face from college — the one woman he never managed to forget.

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Charlie Bardot

Charlie Bardot grew up in the world of elite ballet, joining the New York Ballet at sixteen and dedicating her life to becoming a prima ballerina. A devastating ankle injury derailed her trajectory, leaving her scraping by in a tiny apartment, teaching classes, and clawing her way back toward her dream. Years earlier, she’d been assigned to teach a cocky football player how to dance — a punishment for him, a paycheck for her — and that reluctant student was none other than Dash Taylor.

📚 The Plot

The story opens during Dash’s rookie season, but the moment he sees Charlie again, the narrative dives into an extended flashback of their college days. What begins as a forced dance partnership slowly becomes a genuine connection. Dash keeps showing up — partly because he wants to impress NFL scouts, partly because he’s wildly attracted to Charlie — and their chemistry builds until an unexpected event tears them apart. Years later, fate throws them back together in a Boston bar, and the unresolved tension between them is impossible to ignore.

🌟 Strengths

• Dash’s emotional evolution is one of the book’s biggest wins. Watching a loner who prides himself on being unlikable slowly reach out — especially to teammates he’s pushed away — is deeply satisfying. His moment of asking Johnny Decker for help is a standout.
• The pacing of Dash’s growth feels refreshingly realistic. He doesn’t transform overnight; he earns every inch of progress, and that makes his arc more compelling.
• Charlie and her friends calling Dash things like “the Food Truck” and “Bacon Double Cheeseburger” adds humor and warmth, balancing the heavier emotional beats.
• The story gives equal weight to both characters’ careers. Dash’s development as a player and teammate mirrors Charlie’s relentless pursuit of her ballet dreams, grounding the romance in ambition and personal growth.
• Their baby-name banter is adorable and one of the book’s most charming moments.

💔 Limitations

• The heavy reliance on flashbacks may not work for every listener. The long detour into the past interrupts the momentum of the present-day storyline, and the book might have been stronger if it had simply begun during their college years.

🎙️ Narration

The duet-style, full-cast narration is a major highlight. Connor Crais delivers a rich, resonant performance that fits Dash perfectly, while Mackenzie Cartwright brings emotional clarity and softness to Charlie. Emma Wilder and Evan Parker round out the ensemble beautifully. The production feels immersive and polished — the kind of audiobook experience that enhances the story rather than just delivering it.

💬 Final Assessment

This audiobook blends sports romance, second-chance longing, and character-driven growth into a satisfying listen. While the flashback structure at the start may slow the pacing for some, the emotional payoff, strong character arcs, and stellar narration make it a rewarding experience. Dash’s gradual transformation and Charlie’s resilience create a romance that feels earned, heartfelt, and ultimately uplifting. If you enjoy flawed heroes, determined heroines, and stories where personal growth is as important as the love story, this one is absolutely worth your time.

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Pinterest|BookBub

View all my reviews