The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
piperclover's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
This was such a disappointment. On the surface this seems like it has everything that I enjoy and that I should have really loved it but I was alternating between so bored I was considering quitting and so irritated I was considering quitting.Â
 Starting with the things I did like were I really enjoy Beck as a character. He's an interesting mix of confident, shy, anxious and a little cocky and flirty but still it experienced and sweet. I like the dynamic between him and Jason, especially with Jason being a little bit more serve himself all the time and more calm and rational.Â
 I love the relationship revealed moments so the chapters where they were telling people that they were in a relationship I really enjoyed because I enjoy reactions and the way people behave around them as a couple.Â
 And that's it. That's all I enjoyed in this book. Everything else was either confusing, poorly done, or boring to me. The pacing and page length is so off. This book in my edition was 635 pages and it should have been at tops 400 pages. There are 2 epilogues that are both just unnecessary and boring that should have been cut out and from pages 300 to 500, the author could have condensed like crazy or just straight up cut out pages. I think most of those pages cut should have been almost all of the sex scenes. Those were so boring and so long so I ended up skipping over all of them in the last half of the book.Â
Because it's so long I had the sense that we were following weeks and weeks and weeks of time but in reality we were following about 2 months which was so jarring to realize. I had to Google various NFL dates in order to figure out the timeline of this book which is absurd. I shouldn't have to do outside a research in order to understand the time line of your story.Â
 I cannot for the life of me understand why they couldn't come out when they started dating. The book itself does not establish any sort of barrier between them having a relationship and them coming out about it in public so I was just left to rely on general knowledge of how the NFL works. There's no direct influence from bad publicity or scathing media or the coaches and administration being homophobic or the team members being homophobic or bad rumors around the league or literally anything that would have made me think that a secret relationship is the safest and healthiest option for these characters.Â
 The plot twist or third act twist is them breaking up which is overdone anyway but its also useless. Its so short, like less than 4 or 5 chapters, so it impacts nothing in the scheme of the book. It only serves to make the character depressed so the reader can be like "aw they really do love each other" except that we already know that they do before that happens. .Â
This feels very idealistic. Theres only one implied homophobic character and he gets punished by never getting a job in the league again which is so unreasonable and unrealistic. I don't know if this is a theme in NFL romances or just the ones I've picked up but I don't like it.Â
 Starting with the things I did like were I really enjoy Beck as a character. He's an interesting mix of confident, shy, anxious and a little cocky and flirty but still it experienced and sweet. I like the dynamic between him and Jason, especially with Jason being a little bit more serve himself all the time and more calm and rational.Â
 I love the relationship revealed moments so the chapters where they were telling people that they were in a relationship I really enjoyed because I enjoy reactions and the way people behave around them as a couple.Â
 And that's it. That's all I enjoyed in this book. Everything else was either confusing, poorly done, or boring to me. The pacing and page length is so off. This book in my edition was 635 pages and it should have been at tops 400 pages. There are 2 epilogues that are both just unnecessary and boring that should have been cut out and from pages 300 to 500, the author could have condensed like crazy or just straight up cut out pages. I think most of those pages cut should have been almost all of the sex scenes. Those were so boring and so long so I ended up skipping over all of them in the last half of the book.Â
Because it's so long I had the sense that we were following weeks and weeks and weeks of time but in reality we were following about 2 months which was so jarring to realize. I had to Google various NFL dates in order to figure out the timeline of this book which is absurd. I shouldn't have to do outside a research in order to understand the time line of your story.Â
 I cannot for the life of me understand why they couldn't come out when they started dating. The book itself does not establish any sort of barrier between them having a relationship and them coming out about it in public so I was just left to rely on general knowledge of how the NFL works. There's no direct influence from bad publicity or scathing media or the coaches and administration being homophobic or the team members being homophobic or bad rumors around the league or literally anything that would have made me think that a secret relationship is the safest and healthiest option for these characters.Â
 The plot twist or third act twist is
This feels very idealistic. Theres only one implied homophobic character and he gets punished by never getting a job in the league again which is so unreasonable and unrealistic. I don't know if this is a theme in NFL romances or just the ones I've picked up but I don't like it.Â
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
tankytoon's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Although I liked the premise of a sports rival romance, the prequel sounded more exciting than this book.
I did like the sassy and sexy banter between Jason and Beck, especially on the radio show when they pretend to talk trash while giving each other the lusty eye. But it almost seemed to me that this is what their relationship is based on, that it was more sexual attraction and desperate hunger than a deep connection.
Perhaps the development of their relationship progressed too fast for me to have missed it. Going from 0 to 100, with a quick breakup that was unnecessary and when their official boyfriend status was barely established in a matter of pages.
This book was pretty low-angst even with the mention of Beck's anxiety which was swiftly dealt with. He did come a long way though from a year ago when he had to deal with the death of his brother.
All in all, the Boyfriend Comeback was just an average read for me.
I did like the sassy and sexy banter between Jason and Beck, especially on the radio show when they pretend to talk trash while giving each other the lusty eye. But it almost seemed to me that this is what their relationship is based on, that it was more sexual attraction and desperate hunger than a deep connection.
Perhaps the development of their relationship progressed too fast for me to have missed it. Going from 0 to 100,
This book was pretty low-angst even with the mention of Beck's anxiety which was swiftly dealt with. He did come a long way though from a year ago
All in all, the Boyfriend Comeback was just an average read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Homophobia
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