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lukka2008's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
jozey23's review against another edition
4.0
Rugby and teammates romance
Contains: closeted rugby players, teamates, secret relationship, rivals for the same position, coming out.
***may contains spoilers***
Great story, the first half was somehow dragging, but the last half was soooo much entertaining, there was a lot to see. From the feeling for each other, their own season in different team and their trial for the national team. The struggle with his seggsuality for the new player who is scared to ruin everything, to the experience one who struggle to lose his place to the person he loved. To the one ready to come out and the other one with a double lock on his closet. Are their relationship doom from the start? Are they going to walk away with broken hearts? Included: after one of them is injured, a video of a declaration of love goes viral.
Contains: closeted rugby players, teamates, secret relationship, rivals for the same position, coming out.
***may contains spoilers***
Great story, the first half was somehow dragging, but the last half was soooo much entertaining, there was a lot to see. From the feeling for each other, their own season in different team and their trial for the national team. The struggle with his seggsuality for the new player who is scared to ruin everything, to the experience one who struggle to lose his place to the person he loved. To the one ready to come out and the other one with a double lock on his closet. Are their relationship doom from the start? Are they going to walk away with broken hearts? Included: after one of them is injured, a video of a declaration of love goes viral.
emilylovesbooks94's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure I was going to like this story when I started it, but Aiden and Tyler grew on me as I kept reading. Theirs wasn't a romance I was expecting, and honestly at the beginning I wasn't even sure I liked their personalities. Their initial hookups were steamy, sure, but lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. As time passed and Aiden and Tyler were forced to stay in each other's orbits, I did enjoy the way their relationship progressed from strictly physical to something deeper. The moments when Aiden shed his Ice King persona and Tyler revealed his fears and insecurities made me connect with the two of them more, and as I did, the idea of their romance didn't seem so bad. These men had a surprising amount of baggage from their past, and as sweet as it was to watch them fall in love, I was even more invested in seeing their individual character growth. I knew at some point Aiden and Tyler would have to make a choice about staying in the closet or outing themselves to the world, but I wasn't expecting the heart-pounding drama that forced their hands. Thankfully everything turned out okay without too much heartbreak, but for a minute there I was seriously worried that their love wouldn't be enough to save them.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
indiekay's review against another edition
3.0
This is a pretty straight forward closeted gay sports romance book - if that's a genre you like this is a book worth reading, as it definitely fits on the "comfortable romance reads" shelf. The only thing that really differentiated this book from other sport romances I've read is that it's set in New Zealand (though it doesn't really make a big difference - you could have ctrl f'd all the mentions of New Zealand and replaced it with any other country that plays rugby and I think the book would have still been exactly the same).
I was also intrigued by the family dynamics of both characters, which held the promise of a lot of angst, but unfortunately both situations were resolved in ways that the characters had no agency with, and thus felt a bit lacklustre to me (
And with Tyler's family, his father saw him kissing another boy as a teenager and his father beats him for it, then says he cannot tell his mother as it would kill her. Then every time the father sees Tyler he threatens him about not going public about being gay. This plot point gets resolved with a wet fizzle as his mother finds out after seeing Aidan at Tyler's bedside in the hospital, and immediately goes to tell Tyler she loves him and he's perfect - which BTW ends up happening off-page. And she also apparently talks to Tyler's father off-page too, and he half-assedly apologises to Tyler. Like, woof. That was such a flop of a resolution to me.)
To be honest, I had been tempted to DNF this a few times because I found the 20-50% mark of this book pretty boring - that part is very heavy on the sex scenes, and having read two Jax Calder books now, I can safely say sex scenes are not one of this author's strong points. The sex scenes are very dull - not very descriptive, repetitive, and over incredibly quickly, and then followed by a character saying "wow that was the best sex of my life!"
That all said, I did think the second half of this book was really strong. I liked how Zach, Aidan's best friend, figured out that he was dating Tyler, and I liked how the issues the couple faced were resolved.
This book also had quite a few hints at the couple that are the stars of the next book in this series, and I am intrigued enough by that concept that I will be adding that book to my TBR.
I was also intrigued by the family dynamics of both characters, which held the promise of a lot of angst, but unfortunately both situations were resolved in ways that the characters had no agency with, and thus felt a bit lacklustre to me (
Spoiler
Aidan's mother had been in a depressive state since his father died when he was 11, and he even has the thought at some point that he bets she wished Aidan had been the one to die instead of his father. I'd been hoping Aidan would have a conversation with his mother and share these feelings with her, and have them address his survivor's guilt and her promising to try to go to therapy or to something, but instead this plot point is resolved with Aidan's mother saying she got asked out on a date, and it seems like that cured her depression. No discussions had, the end.And with Tyler's family, his father saw him kissing another boy as a teenager and his father beats him for it, then says he cannot tell his mother as it would kill her. Then every time the father sees Tyler he threatens him about not going public about being gay. This plot point gets resolved with a wet fizzle as his mother finds out after seeing Aidan at Tyler's bedside in the hospital, and immediately goes to tell Tyler she loves him and he's perfect - which BTW ends up happening off-page. And she also apparently talks to Tyler's father off-page too, and he half-assedly apologises to Tyler. Like, woof. That was such a flop of a resolution to me.)
To be honest, I had been tempted to DNF this a few times because I found the 20-50% mark of this book pretty boring - that part is very heavy on the sex scenes, and having read two Jax Calder books now, I can safely say sex scenes are not one of this author's strong points. The sex scenes are very dull - not very descriptive, repetitive, and over incredibly quickly, and then followed by a character saying "wow that was the best sex of my life!"
That all said, I did think the second half of this book was really strong. I liked how Zach, Aidan's best friend, figured out that he was dating Tyler, and I liked how the issues the couple faced were resolved.
This book also had quite a few hints at the couple that are the stars of the next book in this series, and I am intrigued enough by that concept that I will be adding that book to my TBR.
mello_cra02's review
2.0
The story wasn't bad but I was not really into it. I didn't connect with the characters and right now I don't have an impression on either of them, barely remember their names if I'm being honest.
I'm still waiting for the enemies to lovers I was promised... It's one of my favorite tropes and I was disappointed. Sure, they didn't get along at the beginning but that was because they were pretending and that lasted 3 chapters
I'm still waiting for the enemies to lovers I was promised... It's one of my favorite tropes and I was disappointed. Sure, they didn't get along at the beginning but that was because they were pretending and that lasted 3 chapters
vibey_reads's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
bookfish1800's review
5.0
I loved this book
Oh wow this was so very good. I cried and laughed. I definitely will have a book hangover in the morning but it was worth it. One of my favorite tropes is enemies to lovers and playing offside by Jax calder delivered in the juiciest, sexiest, heartwarming way. I love Aiden and Tyler so very much!!
Oh wow this was so very good. I cried and laughed. I definitely will have a book hangover in the morning but it was worth it. One of my favorite tropes is enemies to lovers and playing offside by Jax calder delivered in the juiciest, sexiest, heartwarming way. I love Aiden and Tyler so very much!!
strawb3rrycak3's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0