NEW BOOK ALERT: Offside Trap by Kiru Taye @kirutaye #sportsromance
- Love Africa Book Club
- Jun 6
- 5 min read
The much-anticipated new sports romance, from author kiru taye is here! Offside Trap will keep you turning the pages until the last one. Find out more and read a sample below.
BLURB
The thing about an offside trap? You don’t see it coming …
Diaye Zambo is one of the best defenders in the English Premier league. But now, it’s not a striker dogging his heels, it’s one scandal after the other. Forced on the sidelines both professionally and personally while no team wants to touch him with a ten-foot pole, his life can’t get any lower. A stint in Nigeria, back home to see his grandmother, seems like the only thing he can do as the fates decide his future.
Oseki ‘Seki’ Asemote is a compassionate nurse, juggling two jobs to stay afloat and keep her family together. The last thing she has time for is a hot-headed football player from the UK who thinks the sun shines out of his arse. But Diaye is her employer’s grandson, and she’ll keep the peace for her, even if the too-hot man makes her want to pull her hair out in the same breath as her knickers.
Then providence shines—Viva City FC wants Diaye on their team … but this offer comes with strings. He has to prove his days of scandal are behind him, for example, by taking a wife.
There’s no way Diaye will turn his back on playing football, and if it comes with the noose of marriage, he will bite down. According to his grandma, Seki’s the perfect candidate. If she marries him, she gets an all-expenses-paid opportunity to study for her master’s degree in England, which will set her and her family up for a better life.
A marriage of convenience, on paper, shouldn’t be hard. But real-life is another matter, when your spouse gets under your skin and in your blood.
Suddenly, the opposition is neither on the pitch nor on the sidelines. It’s in their hearts as passion and feelings get involved.
This is supposed to be play-acting for a few years, and the first rule is not to succumb. What happens when off-side is now on-side, and pretend starts to look too real?
Step into the thrilling world of professional footballers in the Viva City FC Books series!
AVAILABLE FROM
Selar: https://selar.com/5xr521 🌍
Apple: https://apple.co/4hwcAmh 🍎
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/OffsideTrapAmazon 📦
Google: https://tinyurl.com/OffsideTrapGoogle 🤖
All the links: https://www.kirutaye.com/offside-trap 🔗
EXCERPT
“What can I get you?” a soft female voice asks.
I raise my head to find Seki standing there. She’s not looking at me, almost as if she’s avoiding my gaze. She’s our waiter for the evening. There’s a light pain in my chest because I’m shocked to find out she works here, and I still don’t understand why, considering she works for Iye. But who am I to put down on someone’s hustle? If she wants to work on her day off, it’s her headache. As long as she’s not doing anything illegal, which she’s not.
“Can you bring a bottle of your finest champagne,” Harrison says, and the women cheer. “And bring glasses for the ladies.”
“Of course.” Seki walks away without looking at me.
Does she feel uncomfortable about my presence? Yes, I asked a few questions earlier, but I didn’t intend to make her feel bad. I know what it feels like for people to judge you incorrectly, and I don’t want her to feel like I’m judging her. She’s not doing anything to hurt me or my grandma.
In fact, from all indications, she is taking very good care of Iye, and I want this to continue. Maybe she’s upset because I pulled her into my arms this morning and I had an erection. In which case, I need to apologise. I don’t want her to feel awkward about taking care of my grandmother.
“Excuse me a moment,” I say to Beverly, and stand. Then I walk to the counter where Seki is waiting for the bartender to deliver her order.
“Seki,” I say when I pull up next to her.
“Oh. Diaye.” She turns, rubbing her hand over her skirt. “Is everything okay?” She glances back at the table.
“Yes, everything is fine. I just wanted to talk to you briefly. I noticed you seemed a little tense earlier. You take care of Iye, and I appreciate it with my whole heart. If I did anything to make you feel uncomfortable, then I’m sorry. I know I’m a grumpy asshole, but I don’t mean to upset you.”
“No, you didn’t do anything.” She rubs her eyebrow with her index finger knuckle.
“Then relax, please.” I place my hand on her arm as reassurance. “I’m just hanging out with my friends. Treat me like any customer, okay?”
“Okay.” She swallows and nods with a small smile. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. I just want to reward all the help you provide for Iye. When does your shift end? Chinedu and I can drop you off when you finish?”
She coughs, shifting uncomfortably. “No. It’s not necessary.”
“Don’t tell me you’re working here all night?” My eyebrows draw together in concern as my muscles tighten. She’s another person I have to take care of because she matters to Iye. It can’t be good for her to work all these long hours.
“No. I’m not working all night. But …”
“What is it?”
“I’m staying in the hotel for the night.” She tugs at the collar of her shirt, avoiding my gaze.
“I don’t understand. They give you a room here? You don’t need it. As I said, I can take you home or back to Iye’s house afterwards. You don’t have to spend the night here.”
I can understand if she’s spending the night in the hotel because it’s easier than trying to get transport home so late. But I’m willing to wait and drop her off.
“Is everything okay?” A man steps up to us and stands next to Seki, looking at her in a proprietary way. He has the manager’s badge pinned to his waistcoat.
“Everything is fine,” I say. “I was just talking to Seki.”
“Okay. You must be Diaye Zambo. I was told you are visiting us today. Welcome to Crystal Palace Hotel. I’m the night manager, Mide.” He extends his hand for a shake.
I take it, but his shake is limp, and I withdraw my hand. “Nice to meet you. I have to get back to my friends. Seki, think of what I said.”
I leave them and head back to the group on the sofas, feeling someone’s gaze burn into my back. Probably Seki.
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