Addictive Vision by (Harsh Realities #2) by J. N. Stein

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sinclair Walsch is singularly focused on making her rugby dreams come true. She has her plan all mapped out. She refuses to be distracted and lost the chance to make the Olympic team down the road. With college done, she has begun playing for an elite regional rugby team that happens to play near the city of Paramount. Everything is going to plan, except Sinclair has to stay in the same house as her former, utterly annoying, stepbrother, Kent Campton. Despite her hatred for her him, Sinclair’s attention is routinely pulled away from the rugby pitch, and onto her former stepbrother. Though Kent proves to spark an uncontrollable attraction within Sinclair, her loss of focus costs her, leading to unbearable pain.

Kent Campton has never set big goals for himself, nor has anyone expected much from him. Coming from one of the wealthy families in Paramount, everything has always been provided to him. When his highly driven, former, stepsister comes back into his life, Kent finds himself wanting more than just a simple, lazy life. He wants Sinclair. And he is willing to do what is needed to keep her, even if that means saving her from herself.

MY REVIEW

I picked up this book expecting an exhilarating ride featuring a tough, confident female main character who plays rugby. And let me tell you, Sinclair “Sin” has the fierce spirit you’d want in a sports protagonist, but sadly, that wasn’t enough to keep me glued to the page.

Sin is on a mission to become an Olympian in rugby, and she’s got the drive to match. She’s got a great support squad of friends around her, and her work-hard, play-hard attitude is admirable. However, I found her immaturity quite frustrating. It felt like she was often in her own little world, and at times, I wanted her to grow up a bit.

Kent is Sin’s ex-stepbrother, who is honestly a tough pill to swallow. He’s this entitled rich kid meandering through life without a job or ambition, clearly a walking red flag in his late 20s. His unhealthy relationships, particularly with his best friend Brice, didn’t help his case either.

The relationship between Sin and Kent didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While they both have their personal demons to battle, I felt like they were both just dancing around issues of responsibility and emotional maturity. Their journey is made a tad more interesting by some unexpected twists later in the book, which definitely add a layer of seriousness. That said, I wanted more backstory on the characters to better understand their choices, especially Kent. It left a sense of missed opportunity for character development.

On a positive note, I really appreciate the author’s knowledge of rugby. As a novice myself, I found those parts well crafted and effective, adding authenticity to the story. Unfortunately, for me, the emotional connections between characters didn’t quite match that level of engagement.

If you appreciate contemporary sports romances featuring a strong female lead, I encourage you to give this book a chance, even if it’s not my cup of tea.

Thank you to Ms. Stein for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Harsh Realities Series

Reckless Stunner (2026)
Addictive Vision (2026)

BUY THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J. N. Stein is an American indie author.

She writes steamy reads with strong female leads.

When she is not writing, she enjoys working out, reading (obvi), and spending time with her hubby and dogs.

Follow J. N. Stein on Amazon and Instagram.

2 thoughts on “Addictive Vision by (Harsh Realities #2) by J. N. Stein”

Anonymous says:

July 12, 2026 at 10:58 am

Thank you so much for a wonderful, thorough review. It was definitely a challenge and balancing act of wanting to keep the pace of the story moving and building up the characters. Your feedback is incredibly helpful! Thanks again! 🥰

Loading...

1. Sharon Clayton says:
  
  July 12, 2026 at 5:00 pm
  
  It’s always a pleasure to find a new author. 🙂
  
  Loading...