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FIRST AND FOREVER

First and Forever, May 2026
by Lynn Painter

Berkley
320 pages
ISBN: 0593817443
EAN: 9780593817445
Kindle: B0FM7FV5SB
Trade Paperback / e-Book / audiobook
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"Fast Fun Twist on a Fake Dating Trope"

Fresh Fiction Review

FIRST AND FOREVER
Lynn Painter

Reviewed by S. Lyn Collins
Posted May 12, 2026

Romance Sports | Romance Comedy

Lynn Painter's newest release, FIRST AND FOREVER, is a slow-burning, low-spice, football romance with laugh-out- loud antics from a full cast of supporting characters.

After going viral for shoving the beloved team mascot, fanatic Minneapolis Coyote football fan Duffy Distefano agrees to go on a morning talk show to try to change public opinion. She was just defending herself from grabby Coyote Carl after all. What she doesn’t expect is to be trading snarky banter with star tight end Conner Cunningham that becomes a viral meet cute.

Moving back home to take care of her widowed father and studying for her CPA exam doesn’t leave Duffy with much room for anything else. But when Conner calls to ask her out, she is tempted to find the time, not realizing the team PR manager put him up to it.   And so begins a one-sided fake dating stunt that starts to feel all too real for Conner.

Add in Duffy’s cat, three obnoxious brothers, nosy father, and hilarious best friend to make this twist on a fake dating story a fast, fun read.

Learn more about FIRST AND FOREVER

SUMMARY

A football star and his team’s die-hard fan find themselves entangled in a PR stunt—that only one side knows is fake—but it might just be the right play…

Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyote football. So after she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain following an awful encounter with the team’s beloved mascot, she is disgruntled, to put it mildly. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end.

When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of a PR nightmare involving its mascot, he thinks that means saying a few words on the Coyotes’ behalf. Instead, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. Duffy pelts him with fiery jabs but is also clearly diehard about the Coyotes—color him intrigued…and attracted.

The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. A strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, he discovers being with Duffy is much easier than he anticipated, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. This secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life.

EXCERPT

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