EMMETT
From the moment I met Stella Wilder on the first day of kindergarten, I knew she’d be a part of me forever. We were inseparable, slowly falling for one another more with each passing year. The summer before we went to college on opposite sides of the country, she made me the happiest man alive by agreeing to be my wife. But it wasn’t long before it all fell apart. It’s been over seven years, and just when I think I’ve finally found my place with Cleveland’s brand-new football team, she crashes back into my life and turns everything upside down.
STELLA
When I was a teenager, I couldn’t imagine my life without Emmett Hayes. I had everything planned—get married, go to nursing school while he made his football dreams a reality, and live happily ever after. But I was young and dumb, letting a small seed of doubt grow until it led me to make the biggest mistake of my life. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about what could’ve been. But when fate puts his injured teammate in my care, I’m forced to face the reality of what I lost. Has the time apart closed the door on our happy ending—or is there still a chance to make it right?
From childhood sweethearts to heartbreak and back again, Bad Call is C.L. Rose at her absolute best.
My heart broke for Emmett. Stella walked away from him eight years ago—out of fear, doubt, and the poisonous whispers of others—and he’s been a shell of himself ever since. He buried every memory of their love, only to have them come roaring back when fate throws them together again. And from that very first moment, every emotion—anger, regret, longing, and passion—hits them both like a freight train.
“But now she’s right here, and I can’t deny the fact that I’m being pulled back into her orbit. I hate myself for not being stronger, although I should’ve seen this coming. I’ve always been weak when it comes to Stella.”
Stella and Emmett’s story began the day they met in kindergarten. Their love grew stronger each year, leading to a courthouse wedding at eighteen. But with two sets of parents doubting them, distance between colleges, and the pressures of growing up too fast, cracks began to form. One careless comment, one bad night, and one act of fear tore them apart. Watching Stella realize the weight of her mistake, and how much she lost when she left, absolutely wrecked me.
Fast forward eight years later: Stella is a traveling nurse hired to help one of Emmett’s teammates, Austin, recover from an injury. She knows that it’s possible she may run into her ex-husband again, but she’s naive in thinking she can put it off. But when they see each other again? Oh boy. The tension, the hurt, the heat—it’s all there.
“We could’ve experienced life together—grown together—but you decided to walk away and leave me to do everything on my own. Sorry if I don’t want to face the fact that the girl I would’ve taken a bullet for is a fucking stranger now.”
And this is where Bad Call shines. Stella doesn’t just want forgiveness—she earns it. She’s determined to prove that she’s not the same scared girl who walked away. Every small gesture, every quiet apology, every moment of honesty becomes part of her fight to win him back. She shows up, over and over again, determined to remind Emmett that love like theirs doesn’t just vanish. Watching her put in the work—owning her mistakes, rebuilding trust, and showing him she’ll never walk away again—was deeply moving.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my lifetime, but letting go of Emmett Hayes is the only one I truly regret, and I’m not prepared to make it a second time.”
Emmett resists her at first, and rightfully so. He’s angry, guarded, and terrified of opening himself up to heartbreak again. But you can feel the moment he starts to crumble. It’s in the way he still knows her better than anyone, it’s in the way one look and one touch, undoes all his defenses. Their slow, tender rebuilding was beautifully written. Every conversation felt like another brick laid in the foundation of a love that’s stronger and more intentional this time around.
“He tastes exactly like I remember. He tastes like home.”
C.L. Rose balances that emotional depth with accessible, easy-flowing writing. The pacing is perfect, the length just right, and the football backdrop adds realism without overwhelming the romance. And as always—the spice. Fan me please. Emmett’s filthy mouth, Stella’s equal energy, and the way their passion explodes once that emotional wall comes down…this book is fire. It’s intimate, raw, and deeply satisfying.
“You said you’d use your last breath to apologize for what you did to me…I’d rather you choke on it, instead. Get on your fucking knees.”
The found family element adds warmth and levity amid the angst. I adored seeing familiar faces from the series—Maddox, Grace, Jett, Bailey, Livvy, Sydney—and watching Stella find her footing with her new group of friends in Cleveland. Her bond with Austin is particularly special; it’s protective and pure, and the way he walks her down the aisle later nearly broke me. After all, if it weren’t for his matchmaking skills, who knows how long it would have taken the two of them to get back together.
C.L. Rose poured every ounce of heart, heartbreak, and healing into this story. It’s emotional, tender, and utterly unforgettable—a book about second chances, forgiveness, and finding your way back to the one person who has always felt like home.
“I want to thank you for keeping my heart safe while I found my way back home.”
This book made me cry, laugh, swoon, and yes…fan myself repeatedly. It’s easily a top read of the year and one I’ll be recommending over and over again.