Good Summer read. Only problem is Marcus LaRue supposedly picks off Tyson's passes which would make him a defensive player and later in the book he is supposed to be catching Tyson's passes which makes him an offensive player. That doesn't happen in the NFL ( )

It was a good light romance with exceptional character development. I'd like to read about Tyson Palmer, Dani Carr, and the other folks again. ( )

4.5 feel good stars!

The Total Package by Stephanie Evanovich is a sweet romance between a recovering bad boy quarterback and a sexy sports commentator harboring a mighty big secret.

Number one draft pick and star quarterback Tyson Palmer's spectacular fall from grace was well documented in the media. An alcoholic with a pain pill addiction and a few sex scandals under his belt, Tyson hits rock bottom in a big way but surprisingly, Austin Mavericks owner Clint Barrow offers him the deal of a lifetime: he will pay for Tyson's rehab as long as he commits to maintaining his sobriety and signs a three year deal with the Mavericks. Grateful for the opportunity while at the same time unsure he can follow through, Tyson accepts his offer and once he makes it through a brutal detox, he is well on his way to staging a successful comeback. Fast forward a few years and the still clean and sober superstar is ready to retire when his personal nemesis on the playing field, Marcus LaRue, makes a deal with Barrow that brings Tyson face to face with someone from his notorious past.

Sports commentator Dani Carr is not exactly Tyson's biggest fan and she avoids him as much as possible. But when she makes a connection with media shy Marcus and he insists the Mavericks hire her as his personal media spokeswoman, she leaves behind her family to temporarily move to Austin. While she has good reason to dislike the man Tyson once was, Dani continues to hold a grudge for their somewhat complicated history. Although she finally realizes he genuinely regrets his past actions, Dani still tries to stay as far away from Tyson as possible because she has been hiding a huge secret from him.

Publicity shy Marcus is an enigmatic character who is much more perceptive than he lets on. He is quiet, reserved and tries to maintain as low a profile as possible. Even after months of spending time with him, Dani does not know him any better than she did when they first met, but he is surprisingly observant and offers her sound advice about her relationship with Tyson. But will Dani takes his words to heart? Or will she let a future with Tyson slip through her fingers?

A wonderful blend of realistic issues and laugh out loud humor, The Total Package is an engaging romance that old and new fans of Stephanie Evanovich are sure to love. The storyline is fast-paced with underlying themes of redemption and forgiveness that give the plot substance and depth. The characters are appealing and their growth throughout the story is absolutely phenomenal. An all around outstanding read that I positively adored and highly recommend.
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I love Stephanie Evanovich.....okay, I love the Stephanie Plum series. I wanted to read this b/c of the Stephanie Plum series (and I love football). This was good. I finished it -- and enjoyed it -- but it was just good. I didn't find myself telling my girlfriends about this one. Nothing earth shattering. Just a pretty good story. ( )

Right from the beginning it was no secret that I knew how this story was going to end. However, it was still fun to read this book. Tyson really did a complete 180 improvement on his life. He was more mature, thoughtful, a good friend and team mate. Dani is a fighter. I like that she fought hard for her career to make sure she was taken seriously as a sports commentator .

The funniest moments were when Dani was drunk and she was trying to seduce Tyson. I could tell her lack of experience was playing a big part. Not that this is a bad thing. It just showed that Dani would not give her heart to just anyone. Although, watching Dani in action was funny and charming. Tyson showed that he could be a perfect gentleman. It took all his will power. I felt the strong connection between these two. If you are a fan of this author's or are a new reader, you will enjoy this book. Tyson truly is the total package. ( )