False Start cover art

False Start

Second Down Duet, Book 1

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False Start

By: Sasha Marshall
Narrated by: Ash Kingsley
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About this listen

Football, a kitten, and 14 dates.

Zhanna Hale

Then

My father is a legend. Some call me football royalty, and in my hometown of Louisiana, I suppose I am. His legacy didn’t prepare me for Bryant Hudson. The quarterback. I swore I’d never date football players. Permanently. Yet Bryant had other plans. Three dates and a handful of conversations, I handed him my heart without realizing it. But, Bryant shatters my soul. I’m left picking up the pieces. If only erasing him from my heart was as easy.

Bryant Hudson

Now

I lost at the only game that matters. And it wasn’t even a game. It was and is my forever with Zhanna. I am the best quarterback out there. That should be enough, right? Achieving my dreams. But none of that matters without my woman beside me. When she left, she took my heart with her. Now I’m back. To remind her of what we had. To see me—the man whose heart she owns, not the quarterback. Our love is fate. Our lives are forever intertwined. I refuse to let a false start signal our end. I’m ready to repeat the play and show Zhanna she is my everything.

©2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 Sasha Marshall (P)2025 Sasha Marshall Romance Sports Game Heartfelt

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All stars
Most relevant  

Listener received this title free

Ah, that one love that you just can't get over. The one that wins your heart and you know it's your soulmate. Until something throws an arrow through it. That is what has happened to Zhanna. She met Bryant in college. The quarterback, the handsome one, the star and he only had eyes for her. So much so that they were married quick and now their lives have started. As Bryant adjusts to his new found fame playing football, Zhanna too is making some adjustments. Parties, appearances, women screaming at him, as long as he comes home to her, it's all good. But when tragedy strikes and things get out of hand, there may just be some unforgiving circumstances. Will these two ever come back to each other? Sasha Marshall, a new author to me, pens a story of incredible love and pain that I felt in every word. Both Zhanna and Bryant are flawed, giving me something to relate to and understand as they muddle their way to find their happiness. And the secondary characters are amazing! Adding good advice and lots of laughter, I truly enjoyed this one. Just beware, there are triggers for this book, so make sure to read the synopsis!

Ash Kingsley narrates this book to perfection. Her voices for all the characters are amazing, giving each an individuality that fit their personalities.Flipping from male to female with ease, I enjoyed the pace and enjoyed this fabulous listen.

Fantastic start to this duet!

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Listener received this title free

I have to say I was thoroughly impressed by this story written by Sasha Marshall and the Narration by Ash Kingsley.
Both Sasha Marshall and Ash Kingsley are totally new to me,and I loved both.
I enjoyed this story very much and Sasha's writing style it flowed effortlessly and the storyline was so different than what I am used to with a sports romance.
This book takes place in the past and in the present of the meeting and the demise of Zhanna Hale and Bryant Hudson's epic romance.
Bryant is a famous NFL Superstar who is traded to his new team and it brings him back to his hometown,and back to the woman he would love until the day he died...The woman whose heart he wants to win again...that woman being his Ex Wife.
Zhanna Hale is a physiotherapist a divorcee and still in love with her Ex husband,but she could not forgive his betrayal and was trying to get on with her life and mend the pieces of her shattered heart.
This book is about forgiveness and second chances as Zhanna and Bryant are back in eachothers lives and trying to reconcile the past.
Bryant is determined for Zhanna to be his wife again,he couldn't forgive himself for what he had done but I admired his relentless pursuit of Zhanna making her confront their past.
She agrees to 14 dates with Bryant and after those dates if she still couldn't forgive him then they would go their seperate ways forever.
But those dates turn into going to couples therapy and it is here that everything that was right and wrong with their relationship right from the moment they met becomes unravelled....and they both had to face their mistakes.
I know Bryant was supposed to be the bad guy in this because he made a major mistake,but I just couldn't Hate him...because up until the fatal night he was a perfect man the things he did and said was so swoon worthy I was melting...Even trying to win Zhanna back the love he had for her was just heartwarming....Simply put they were soul mates.
I was so enthralled by this story I stayed up into the early hours just to finish the story...It broke my heart a little bit in some scenes because Bryant was like the perfect guy and you could feel his adoration and Love for Zhanna.But One night destroyed everything and he did all he could to fix himself and rectify what he did.
But Zhanna would not listen and I was a little frustrated with her sometimes,she kept running from Bryant and deemed their love doomed from the start...She never actually believed it would last and this too contributed to their end.
Ash Kingsley did and Excellent performance narrating ALL the male and female characters within this book she was Amazing and I was captivated by her storytelling.
I Loved listening to False Start and I will really look forward to listening to book 2 when it becomes available..I will definately read/listen to more from Sasha Marshall.
Oh and I Loved the ending.
Brilliant story
5 Stars

second chance sports romance.

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Listener received this title free

This is a second chance football romance. There were some 'trigger warnings' for cheating and non consent, I didn't find these to be overwhelming, they were definitely a big part of the story but I don't think it would be too off putting for anyone reading. It was a central part of these character's story.
College sweethearts, torn apart, and how they find each other again.

The female character did irritate me a bit with her first instinct to always run and hide over any conflict big or small, thankfully in this journey she realizes this and works on that.

Second Chance

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Listener received this title free

I always enjoy discovering new authors and being impressed by not only their writing style, but also the content they have created, and Sasha Marshall was no exception.She created an original story with interesting storylines that are captivating from beginning to end. It was easy to relate to and connect with her characters, they were easy to fall for and root for as well. I enjoyed the way she presented the story, alternating back into the past to show how the characters got to where they are in the present, and it was done seamlessly. The story she created is original with interesting storylines that are captivation from start to end. Her characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they were easy to fall for and root for too. I enjoyed the way she presented the story, alternating back into the past to show how the characters got to where they are in the present, and it is done seamlessly. Zhanna Hale’s late father was a football legend, she her dad and the game, but she saw playing took a toll on his health and eventually cost him his life. This affected her deeply, and she vowed to never date a football player or get into a romantic relationship with one. That was until she met Bryant Hudson. They met in college and he was persistent in her going on a date or fourteen with her. I absolutely loved these two together and for each other. The chemistry between them was smoking hot and the back-and-forth dialogue between them was fantastic. It was great to watch their relationship grow and morph into so much more. She continued her education and became a physical therapist while he went pro. All was going well until it wasn’t and he blows it all away, losing the best thing that happened in his life, his wife Zhanna. This book came with a content warning about cheating, so keep that in mind if that is a trigger for you. While I do not condone cheating, this story is not about the cheating it is more about forgiveness and moving forward. And when I learned what really happened that night, it did not make it all better, it just made more sense. Kudos to the author for keeping it real. My heart went out to both the characters, for different reasons, and I was hoping they would work it out, because it was clear how much they still loved each other. This is a fabulous second chance sports romance, the writing, plotting, and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. There is never a dull moment, and the story has a perfect balance of drama, angst, some charming and heartwarming moments, heartrending moments, heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. There were some great secondary characters too, especially Leslie, we could all use a Leslie in our lives. Sasha Marshall, thank you for this great story and emotional rollercoaster ride. 

🎧📚🎧Ana Kingsley did a wonderful job narrating the story and giving each of the characters their own personality and voice. She is fabulous at covering the roles of both the male and female characters and was believable in every role she played. She set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the characters' emotions and had you feeling them all. This entertaining storyteller is a versatile voice artist and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this wonderful listen.

Great Story & Narration🎧 Riveting & Emotional!

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