The Striker - Ana Huang

 

(Have you read who wrote it? Thought so)

It's a long one.

Guys, I don’t even like football but now I need to marry a footballer. Thanks a lot Ana….and Asher. Scarlett, how does it feel to live my dreams?

My love for the sport and its player both starts and ends with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Okay in my defence – ha the pun – I may have read it just because it was written by my most loved author and not because of the storyline. I didn’t even really pay attention to the book or pre-order it until I saw all the people who got blessed with ARCs’s flaunting their opinions before mine. Anyways, it was written by Ana herself so of course it was on my TBR.

As a fellow born and raised Brit, I can say that I’m not the biggest fan of football other than the World Cup. Aimless, no profitable bets based on which team will win based on the colours. I'm a girl - sue me. I believe the last time I was interested was when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United again after years. Promise Me Not by Megan Brandy got me back into the American football type of romances again, however there’s nothing like a ode to the British in me. I ate this up. Or more specially, I ate Asher Donavan up.

If you’ve read any of the books by Ana, then you know how big the name Asher is because all the MMC’s are jealous of him. Every. Single. One. Whether it’s your ED Doctor Josh Chen or an scary, Italian billionaire named Dante Russo. They are all after this guy because their ladies swoon over them. I’ve got a system whilst reading books and I’ve made some amazing notes that I just want to word vomit on here.

A little back story before we begin. First of all, I didn’t even know that not every single copy was going to blessed with the colour fan art of Asher and Scarlett. Second of all, I always pre-order with Waterstones who didn’t deliver on the release day this time. So, I rang my local The Works who said they have 31 copies in store on release day and off I went. A 30-minute power walk to pick up my very own copy of The Striker. Yes, it’s a big deal and Ana is the chosen one. I could have just purchased it on Kindle – which I did – but like I say in all my blog posts, I like my first read to be on a paper back not on an ordinary phone. I still haven’t decided on whether I should get a kindle or not. Help a sister out.

Earlier this year, all of us who are subscribed to the best-selling authors newsletter got breaking news that our local billionaire writer was to now enter her sports era. I had such mixed thoughts on it mainly due to my intense investment in the King of Sins series. I’m salivating over Vuk Markovic. It’s not even funny at this point. As a chronological person, I don’t love things out of place but the Aries in me loves a challenge therefore I embraced this challenge as you would. DISCLAIMER: This will probably have a ton of spoilers and I don’t care. Read at your own discretion.

Asher Donavon didn’t speak to me in any of the series – found him a bit annoying - and nor did he in the blurb of the book. Same goes for Scarlett DuBois. I only started to get interested in the major footballer in King of Sloth. After seeing some of his personality come through his phone call with Sloane, my interest skyrocketed. Not as much as Vuk but skyrocketed nonetheless. We have Asher Donovan who’s a famous football player that’s just had a transfer from Holchester to Blackcastle. He’s notorious of his street-racing ways and a rivalry with Vincent DuBois. In the first match we see them lose a important match due to this feud, so off they go to a cross-training programmer with a ballet instructed at RAB who just so happens to be Scarlett DuBois, also known was Asher’s mystery girl. Scarlett is an ex-prima ballerina who had to give up her dreams after an accident. She now teaches ballet and apparently trainers’ childish footballers for the summer. Rivals’ sister, instructor and most important off-limits.

Surprise. Asher just has to have a dirty mouth that get's used in the mirror scene. Yes that's the scene just like King of Sloth had the bathroom scene. He was also down to earth. I love down to earth people. I want an Asher. I'm confused about what kind of man I want. An Italian + Russian billionaire who plays football in the mafia somewhere in a small town? It's stressful being delu-lu.

Ah. What a plot. So much happened. It was the longest book I’ve reader form Ana since Twisted Lies. It was both too long and not long enough. It felt like a Lauren Asher book. Take a drink every time I say the damn name ASHER!

Scarlett was so different to what I thought when Asher and her initially met at Angry Boar. It was refreshing. This wasn’t her first time with a football player. Rafe was someone who I’m not going to waste too much time on. Read about him yourself, he’s a nobody. Rafe was an idiot. Only Rafe I like is the Visconti’s type. Scarlett keeps her heart wrapped up nice and tightly after the trauma she’s been through. The accident messed her up but instead of crying over it, she just took it in her stride. I’d say where she doesn’t have the most strained relationship with her parents, Asher does. The death of his best friend Teddy and his father feeling like he betrayed Holchester by transferring to Blackastle without a word is a lot for him to handle.

It was difficult to see him struggle with his new team. His old team mates - some of which had been friends - just dropped him. This is why I loved Adil and Noah. It was warming when they all got together as a team - enter book club.

There are so many moments I could talk about like Clive and Ivy but I’m going to talk about 3 moments that had my heart in tatters. The first will be when they went on the double date. They went with different people but ended up in the same bed. Ahhh! The second would have to be when Asher left a match because Scarlett was hurt and the third would have to be when Asher got into an accident after racing even though he told – no promised – Scarlett, he wouldn’t do it again. That also lead to the break-up act but it was fine because the way he got her back was too good.

Let’s work through the notes I made.

We are going to work through this together. Let’s call these observations. I wouldn’t say as a typical Brit because what even is a typical Brit so I’ll say it’s from what I assume other Brits would find a bit like ‘huh’ whilst reading The Striker. Fellow UK babes, either agree or agree to disagree.

Why the overuse of brackets? What is the need? I was visually tired of looking at them. Please. My friend. Just no.

The overbearing use of the word wanker and loo. It was jarring. I can assure you the world loo isn't used as many times as Americans think it is. Puh-lease give it a rest. I almost cried from reading it. Also, why did I keep reading the name Clive as Chive for? I hate chives almost as much I dislike Clive. The use of bruv during the first team outing. No. Bugger off gives me PTSD from Tracey Beaker. Not the usual British lingo I use. Very roadman like – how did we go from sophisticated Kai to that? You were taking the mickey out of me - no. Just stop right there. What? On the contrary, love the word ballsy and taking the piss is a part of my daily vocabulary. I say it with so much aggression. The passionate kind. Darling and Sweetheart make panties drops globally but in a British accent they are just elite. Unmatchable. Snogging was what took it all home.

There’s an unsaid rule through The Twisted series and The King of Sins series that Christian Harper has to make at least one appearance in the book. This did not thus failing the test. Josh and Jules were there but no Christian. An incomplete book in my opinion. Though I did quite enjoy the interaction between the pairs. Josh will also be a Josh. Also, I don’t know if I am in love with the the trio of girls yet. The trio being Scarlett, Carina and Brooklyn as much as the OG girls. No one can beat the OG’s. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt though.

Sloane was there of course and Sebastian Laurent!!! People always over look him but I’ve always been interested. He was so nice to Xavier and Alessandra. I wondered if Clive and Ivy are having their next book but not so sure anymore after we found out why he decided to scratch up Asher’s Jag. Don’t even mess with his car.

Of course, Valhalla club library was there. When Isabella Valencia showed up? When Adil started a book club around her books? Howling. Where’s Christian though? Mode de Vie was even in the book alongside Delemonte - Dante’s portfolio brand.

Going back to how my mind is dribbling for King of Envy, Brooklyn mentioned a certain movie star was on the bring of divorce. It has to be Ayana. My memory’s too good for it to not be.

Adil was so funny and Noah was great to. The book club was a cherry on top. Very Alex-Josh with Christian being the mistress-esque. I got bromance from Vincent and Asher. Vincent calling Brooklyn Blondie is getting me another book vibe.

These characters are so different that what Ana usually writes. Even the writing style is. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this is a really different writing style to what I usually read from this superstar of an author. At times, it didn’t even feel like I was reading from the same person. So, this time, I’m judging this book based on an author I have never read from In one sense. Does anyone feel like this? Ana’s never really a long-winded writer but at times this was.

Guys. I don't even like sports. Football least of all or American football that is our rugby. However, I’m ready to risk it all for Mason (Promise Me Not), Henry (Daydream) and my man Asher Donavon.

I loved Vincent. He needs a book. I loved the scene when he confronted Scarlett about her relationship with Clive whilst Asher was in her bath. SIBLING HEAVEN GOLD.

Brooklyn was coach’s daughter? Thank you. Very. Much. This will be EXCITING. I'm glad carina wasn't with Vincent because boring.  I already knew the bonus scene would be a proposal in Japan.

All in all, this was a 5-star read. I expect no less from the creator of these worlds. As excited as I am for The Defender to read more about Vincent and his blondie, March couldn’t come any faster. I need King of Envy on my bookshelf and the spine colour better be a green. You can never go wrong with a book from Ana Huang so these paper pages are worth it.

I’m re-reading one book whilst filling up my TBR with 20 more all whilst applying for jobs. Wish my luck my peeps and check out my Instagram for a mot interactive review.

P.S. I’m living on writing my 2024 book wrap up. This year has been…….not telling you!

Mwah.

Vivian.

Don’t forget to keep reading, because as long as you do, it’s making a struggling authors day that much better. Reach for the starts of success.