When the Referee Runs: Romantic thrillers, a premade three-book pack | PlotProse
SHARE OF ROMANCE READER CONVERSATION · LATEST SETTLED 8 WEEKS, TO 28 SEP 2026
PARANORMAL 5.51% ▲ +0.81pp CONTEMPORARY 4.43% ▲ +0.65pp LGBTQ+ ROMANCE 3.85% ▲ +1.80pp SMALL TOWN 3.21% ▼ 0.73pp MAFIA ROMANCE 3.13% ▲ +0.08pp ROM-COM 3.13% ▲ +0.63pp DIVORCE FICTION 3.09% ▲ +1.11pp ROMANTASY 2.99% ▲ +1.09pp NEW ADULT COLLEGE 2.95% ▲ +0.80pp CLEAN & WHOLESOME 2.84% ▼ 0.39pp ROMANTIC FANTASY 2.66% ▲ +0.58pp SAPPHIC 2.62% ▲ +0.22pp WORKPLACE 2.55% ▼ 0.03pp MM ROMANCE 2.38% ▼ 0.94pp ENEMIES TO LOVERS 2.36% ▼ 0.69pp BI ROMANCE 2.35% ▼ 0.58pp MULTICULTURAL INTERRACIAL 2.31% ▲ +0.35pp POLYAMORY 2.15% ▼ 0.19pp
Home / Premade Series / When the Referee Runs
Romantic thrillers · Premade three-book pack

When the Referee Runs

The officials leave by a different door for a reason.

This pack has been sold. Each pack is only sold once.
3-book package
$705

$235 per book · Save $75

Order this pack

Each pack is only sold once.

Until 3 December: your concept comes with two On-Demand classes of your choice and six TropeSmith Maps.

Paid in full to reserve your slot · not refundable · free revision against your brief · Terms · Prices are in US dollars; Stripe may show your local currency at checkout · processed by PlotProse (The Coral Hart Group)

When the Referee Runs, a romantic thriller concept package. The graphic shows 3 novel covers and the free lead magnet, The Flag Behind the Dugout.

The concept

In three linked football thrillers, a match official sees something from the pitch that nobody in the stands can verify. A person they already want has the other half of the view. Violence in a crowd, a stolen uniform and a planned attack turn the walk from changing room to car into the most dangerous part of the match.

A whistle from the away stand stops a striker. In Danielle’s headphones a second sound follows: somebody calmly telling a witness which exit to use. Andy knows that exit is closed. The free companion novella is The Flag Behind the Dugout.

The worldFictional regional clubs. Referees can stop play and report danger; stewards and police manage protection. Winning a match is never the criminal motive.
Series tropesSports Romance • Mutual Pining • Slow Burn
Intended readershipAdult romantic thrillers for readers who want sporting atmosphere, reciprocal courage and danger bigger than a scoreline.
Tone & contentThreats and brief physical violence. Moderate open-door intimacy. Each sporting threat and romantic arc resolves.

The people behind the promise

Free novellaPolly Amesan assistant referee
Free novellaMark Lopesher former training partner
Book 1Andy Kayea referee
Book 1Danielle Shawcrossa radio commentator
Book 2Nell Ashtona club medic
Book 2Lee Hobarta linesman newly back from suspension
Book 3Maria Foya match referee
Book 3Fraser Doylea steward and single father

Series arc

A misplaced flag reconnects two officials. A false whistle, a pursuer in official colours and a game called off before kickoff each reveal different threats. Each pair takes its love story beyond the final whistle.

The three books

The direction is set. The books are written after you order.

Free novella

The Flag Behind the Dugout

Polly finds a flag rolled round a warning for a teenage referee. Mark saw the person who folded it. The boy about to collect it is standing beside his furious father.

Story outline
Story arc and endingThe father’s former teammate sent a warning about an adult who has threatened him. Polly confirms the sender’s identity via the team sheet and gives the matter to the safeguarding lead. Mark keeps the adults apart while police investigate the threat. The referee goes home with a trusted relative. Polly and Mark meet again away from a match and choose a season together.
Emotional payoffThey can protect a young official without silencing him.
Story focusReunion Romance
Length30,000 words planned
Book 1 of three

A Whistle From the Wrong Stand

A whistle from the away stand stops a striker. In Danielle’s headphones a second sound follows: somebody calmly telling a witness which exit to use. Andy knows that exit is closed.

Story outline
Story arc and endingA banned supporter needs the witness away from cameras before police arrive over a previous assault. He uses the whistle to create a distracting rush to the rail. Andy stops play officially and moves players clear. Danielle identifies the false exit instruction on a recording and directs stewards to the real witness. The man is caught trying to force the witness through the shutter. After the hearing the pair choose a life with two very different match-day jobs.
Emotional payoffDanielle trusts what Andy sees at ground level. Andy accepts her right to report the whole incident.
Story focusFriends to Lovers
Length55,000 words planned
Book 2 of three

The Runner in the Officials' Tunnel

Somebody wearing Lee’s spare shirt runs into the officials’ tunnel. Moments later a visiting coach is unconscious and a steward insists Lee was the last man inside. Nell has just finished bandaging Lee’s ankle.

Story outline
Story arc and endingThe runner is the coach’s adult son, who struck him in revenge for earlier abuse. He wanted the suspended official blamed. His shoes have the team’s unusual charity laces and the kit-room volunteer remembers issuing them. Nell discloses the treatment time without hiding that she and Lee once dated. Officers locate the son and get his allegations independently investigated. Lee is cleared; the two resume courtship once scrutiny ends.
Emotional payoffNell can tell the truth about their past and still ask for a future.
Story focusReunion Romance
Length55,000 words planned
Book 3 of three

The Match That Never Kicked Off

Fraser’s adult daughter is meant to bring out the match ball. A stranger carries it instead. Maria refuses to allow kickoff until Fraser can account for the girl whose face he has been searching for since the gates opened.

Story outline
Story arc and endingThe daughter saw a steward assault a fan and is held behind a service kiosk. The replacement mascot was innocently asked to cover for her. Maria keeps the teams off the pitch as Fraser recognises his daughter’s chalk signal from their home games. Emergency staff free her; a spectator’s uncut video proves the assault. The game is rescheduled. A year later Maria joins the family for a match at which nobody is working.
Emotional payoffFraser lets trained colleagues protect his daughter while Maria refuses the pressure to entertain a crowd.
Story focusSingle Parent
Length55,000 words planned

From the free novella into Book 1

The lead magnet establishes who carries a spare whistle. The whistle heard in Book 1 comes from the stands.

In the concept package

Includes the author pitch, editable Authorythm seeds and individual AI-generated front-cover concepts. The planned fiction totals 195,000 words.

Included free

Buy the 3-book concept pack and receive the companion lead magnet concept free. Each novel is planned at 55,000 words. The lead magnet, The Flag Behind the Dugout, is planned at 30,000 words.

Included in the pack

Author pitch PDF with the series premise, characters, book blurbs and complete story arcs. One editable Authorythm seed document. 4 coordinated front-cover concepts.

What you get with this pack

  • Three completed booksDeveloped from the pack you choose.
  • Editing and human proofreadingFor every manuscript.
  • Three coordinated coversA recognisable identity across the series.
  • Blurbs and Amazon metadataFor all three titles.
  • A+ contentTo showcase your books on their Amazon pages.

Order this pack and your series enters our production queue; we confirm your scheduled start.

This pack has been sold. Each pack is only sold once.
3-book package
$705

$235 per book · Save $75

Order this pack

Each pack is only sold once.

Until 3 December: your concept comes with two On-Demand classes of your choice and six TropeSmith Maps.

Paid in full to reserve your slot · not refundable · free revision against your brief · Terms · Prices are in US dollars; Stripe may show your local currency at checkout · processed by PlotProse (The Coral Hart Group)

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