I came to Los Angeles to finish my book and consider a career-changing offer to join their football, umm….I mean soccer team. I am not looking for a woman. Especially not one with two kids, two ex-husbands, and a dialect coach who keeps telling her to sound less like herself.
Then she walks into the library like a golden age movie star, carrying two children and somehow still looking like she owns the place. She doesn’t recognize me. I don’t recognize her. For the first time in fifteen years, I’m just a man. Not The Lion. Not the famous footballer. Just Leo.
Turns out she’s only the most famous telenovela star in all of Mexico.
And I’m only the most famous soccer player in the world.
And we’re both starting over in L.A.
But when the paparazzi come knocking and jealous exes start making trouble, I realize that for the first time in my career, I’m genuinely terrified of losing. Not a match. Not a trophy. Just one woman who licks her ice cream cone like it’s the role of a lifetime and still doesn’t even know my jersey number.
I’m completely done for.
Before Tempest gets her story in The Jackass in Class, meet the grandparents who showed her that real love means being seen for exactly who you are—in this swoony, sexy prequel to the Cocky Kingmans series, featuring a confident plus-size heroine who knows her worth, a hero who can’t believe his luck, and a telenovela love story you’ll wish you could watch on the big screen.

"A meet-cute at a library (and a short story)? Say less! This one had me hooked from the very beginning, and I'm so glad I picked up this sweet novella!...If you are looking for a short, cozy romance with a massive amount of heart, bookish themes, and a beautiful message about representation and staying true to yourself, please put this on your TBR immediately. I can’t wait to read more from this author!"
"This story is just so full of love it flows out of the book leaking into your heart. Perfect little bit that you didn’t know you needed!"
"I absolutely loved this little novella! It was the perfect addition to the Cocky Kingmans series, and it reminded me why I’ve fallen so hard for this world and these characters. Amy Award has created such a fun, heartfelt series, and this was the sweetest bonus story."
"Five roars… I mean stars… for The Lion in the Library. This was such a cute read and I found it to be a perfect blend of heartwarming and chemistry. Considering that it is a novella there was a lot of character build and I felt like it was easy to be immersed in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the peek into Abuela’s love and meet cute!"