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Sporting Secrets #1-3 and Bonus Material
Sporting Secrets Box Set
Sporting Secrets books 1-3: Playing Offside, Playing at Home, and Playing for Keeps, plus bonus stories for each of the Sporting Secrets couples.
This box set features three books about hot rugby players, fun banter, sweet moments, steamy times, a little bit of angst, and, of course, a happy ever after for each couple! You don't need to know anything about rugby to enjoy these stories.
This box set features three books about hot rugby players, fun banter, sweet moments, steamy times, a little bit of angst, and, of course, a happy ever after for each couple! You don't need to know anything about rugby to enjoy these stories.
982 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2024
59 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Jax Calder
28 books1,035 followersJax's stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.
Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. To read her exclusive novella Being Set Up, sign up to her newsletter: https://jaxcalder.com/newsletter-sign.... You can also join her Facebook group Jax's Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.
Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. To read her exclusive novella Being Set Up, sign up to her newsletter: https://jaxcalder.com/newsletter-sign.... You can also join her Facebook group Jax's Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 11, 2024
First off - RUGBY! Jax Calder manages to capture all the tension and exhilaration surrounding this professional sport, especially set in a location like New Zealand known for its rugby prowess. Calder creates some really lovable characters, and I enjoyed being immersed in their world. I couldn't help but root for each as he follows his dreams and finds his HEA.
April 9, 2024
Okay, so I'm not a sports fan. I feel incredibly indifferent towards the majority of sports, and have never read a sports romance in my life. Actually didn't know sports romances were a thing until recently. And when I first read a couple of Jax Calder's books, and looked into the rest of them, I wasn't convinced I'd ever read these sports romances.
Then I read everything else Calder has written. Even the books where one of the characters is a single parent. I didn't think I would enjoy those books, but I was wrong, I loved them. And I can't seem to get enough of Calder's stories and characters. So when I discovered I could get 3 novels in a box set for 2/3 the price of each book individually, I had to get them.
A non-spoiler spoiler: They did not disappoint!
Book 1: Playing Offside - Aiden and Tyler
Aiden is the star player of the New Zealand national rugby team, and has been for a few years now. With the nickname "Ice King", nothing fazes him. That is, until he meets Tyler, the up-and-coming rugby star, gunning for Aiden's position on the national team. Forced to share a room ay training camp, it doesn't take long for the two to realise they're both gay and that hooking up can he the perfect solution to neither of them getting outed...
Told in dual POV and with first person narration, I loved getting these characters' thoughts directly from them. Aiden's icy demeanor is just a mask, created by trauma from his past, and behind Tyler's cocky attitude is a sweet and sometimes insecure young man, and I felt so much for both of them! I loved following the ups and downs of this story, and there were multiple times where I thought my heart was about to stop because something dramatic happened! I recognised some similarities to Calder's other stories (Attractive Forces and The Unlikely Heir, at the top of my mind), and I really liked that! Also, fantastic bonus epilogue, absolutely loved that!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 for this one!
Book 2: Playing at Home - Jacob and Austin
Jacob is rugby royalty, with both his father and his uncle having been massive stars back in their day. He's also the father of two, and divorced from their mother, New Zealand's favourite daughter and a celebrity in her own right. Jacob has also always known he finds guys attractive, something he's always suppressed. That's until Matilda hired a male nanny - Austin, who's recently returned from nannying for a celebrity couple in the UK. Austin comes with glowing references and gets on well with the kids as well as their mother, but he also comes with secrets and a broken heart.
Jacob was a side character in Aiden and Tyler's story, who was at the NZ national team's training camp with them. I was happy so see that the stories were linked with a few characters, especially as Aiden and Tyler appeared a few times in this story as well! There was more angst in this one, more agonising over each other before getting together for sure! But I was so happy with how the characters came together in this one. Of course there's some drama, but a pattern I've spotted that I really like is that even when things go badly, the characters are quick to resolve the issues in these stories! I read this in a day and it's another ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 for me!
Book 3: Playing for Keeps - Ethan and Luke
Ethan is a rugby player on the Mauraders team from Christchurch; he's a young single dad and the jokster of the team. Ethan and Luke grew up together as best friends, did everything together... Until Ethan slept with Luke's twin sister and she got pregnant. Luke, heartbroken that his best friend and first love hooked up with his sister, fled to Japan to play rugby there. 6 years have gone by, but now he's back, with his boyfriend in tow, to play professional rugby for the only team in New Zealand that has two openly gay rugby players on the team, and dreams of being picked for the national team. And Luke is determined that Ethan will have no effect on his life from this point onwards...
Again, book 3 ties into books 1 and 2 in this series, with Ethan making small appearances in the precious novels, and the couples from books 1 and 2 as well as other rugby players showing up in this one. I love how this series ties together so well. I also thoroughly enjoyed this friends-strangers-friends-lovers romance, and Calder kept me wondering how they'd get together, what would happen that would push them back together again, first as friends and then as a couple. Calder doesn't disappoint; this book was just as addictive as the previous books in the series, and I loved both Ethan's and Luke's points of view so much, they're amazing characters and I'm very happy with their story! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 again!
Then I read everything else Calder has written. Even the books where one of the characters is a single parent. I didn't think I would enjoy those books, but I was wrong, I loved them. And I can't seem to get enough of Calder's stories and characters. So when I discovered I could get 3 novels in a box set for 2/3 the price of each book individually, I had to get them.
A non-spoiler spoiler: They did not disappoint!
Book 1: Playing Offside - Aiden and Tyler
Aiden is the star player of the New Zealand national rugby team, and has been for a few years now. With the nickname "Ice King", nothing fazes him. That is, until he meets Tyler, the up-and-coming rugby star, gunning for Aiden's position on the national team. Forced to share a room ay training camp, it doesn't take long for the two to realise they're both gay and that hooking up can he the perfect solution to neither of them getting outed...
Told in dual POV and with first person narration, I loved getting these characters' thoughts directly from them. Aiden's icy demeanor is just a mask, created by trauma from his past, and behind Tyler's cocky attitude is a sweet and sometimes insecure young man, and I felt so much for both of them! I loved following the ups and downs of this story, and there were multiple times where I thought my heart was about to stop because something dramatic happened! I recognised some similarities to Calder's other stories (Attractive Forces and The Unlikely Heir, at the top of my mind), and I really liked that! Also, fantastic bonus epilogue, absolutely loved that!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 for this one!
Book 2: Playing at Home - Jacob and Austin
Jacob is rugby royalty, with both his father and his uncle having been massive stars back in their day. He's also the father of two, and divorced from their mother, New Zealand's favourite daughter and a celebrity in her own right. Jacob has also always known he finds guys attractive, something he's always suppressed. That's until Matilda hired a male nanny - Austin, who's recently returned from nannying for a celebrity couple in the UK. Austin comes with glowing references and gets on well with the kids as well as their mother, but he also comes with secrets and a broken heart.
Jacob was a side character in Aiden and Tyler's story, who was at the NZ national team's training camp with them. I was happy so see that the stories were linked with a few characters, especially as Aiden and Tyler appeared a few times in this story as well! There was more angst in this one, more agonising over each other before getting together for sure! But I was so happy with how the characters came together in this one. Of course there's some drama, but a pattern I've spotted that I really like is that even when things go badly, the characters are quick to resolve the issues in these stories! I read this in a day and it's another ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 for me!
Book 3: Playing for Keeps - Ethan and Luke
Ethan is a rugby player on the Mauraders team from Christchurch; he's a young single dad and the jokster of the team. Ethan and Luke grew up together as best friends, did everything together... Until Ethan slept with Luke's twin sister and she got pregnant. Luke, heartbroken that his best friend and first love hooked up with his sister, fled to Japan to play rugby there. 6 years have gone by, but now he's back, with his boyfriend in tow, to play professional rugby for the only team in New Zealand that has two openly gay rugby players on the team, and dreams of being picked for the national team. And Luke is determined that Ethan will have no effect on his life from this point onwards...
Again, book 3 ties into books 1 and 2 in this series, with Ethan making small appearances in the precious novels, and the couples from books 1 and 2 as well as other rugby players showing up in this one. I love how this series ties together so well. I also thoroughly enjoyed this friends-strangers-friends-lovers romance, and Calder kept me wondering how they'd get together, what would happen that would push them back together again, first as friends and then as a couple. Calder doesn't disappoint; this book was just as addictive as the previous books in the series, and I loved both Ethan's and Luke's points of view so much, they're amazing characters and I'm very happy with their story! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 again!
February 11, 2024
Love stories set in the world of rugby
You don't have to understand rugby to read these. They're love stories featuring men who happen to be rugby players. There's so much heart and passion both on the field and off, a great series that's entertaining and also has the added bonus of introducing Aiden Jones, one of my favourite Jax characters, and his unexpected love, Tyler Bannings.
Jax creates stories that are so easy to read and so hard to put down. These are no exception.
You don't have to understand rugby to read these. They're love stories featuring men who happen to be rugby players. There's so much heart and passion both on the field and off, a great series that's entertaining and also has the added bonus of introducing Aiden Jones, one of my favourite Jax characters, and his unexpected love, Tyler Bannings.
Jax creates stories that are so easy to read and so hard to put down. These are no exception.
January 22, 2024
This is such a great series that I couldn’t put down! So many of my favorite tropes. Grump/sunshine, secret relationship, bi-awakening, and age gap to name a few. All the characters are just fantastic! Definitely exciting enough to keep me turning the pages to see what’s going to happen next! Very enjoyable and I highly recommend! This is my honest opinion of this complimentary copy of this book
March 9, 2025
great box set of 3 wonderful books
Three books set in the world of New Zealand rugby. Each couple’s story involved navigating complex relationships with secondary characters and a fair amount of angst. The HEAs are totally worth the pain of getting there. Loved these as much as all the rest of Jax Calder’s books!
Three books set in the world of New Zealand rugby. Each couple’s story involved navigating complex relationships with secondary characters and a fair amount of angst. The HEAs are totally worth the pain of getting there. Loved these as much as all the rest of Jax Calder’s books!
May 1, 2024
Sweet reads
I enjoyed this series. There were many heartwarming and heart-rending moments. Jax Calder has a gift for entertaining, light reads that provide a good dose of reality and tricky situations where love ultimately conquers all.
I enjoyed this series. There were many heartwarming and heart-rending moments. Jax Calder has a gift for entertaining, light reads that provide a good dose of reality and tricky situations where love ultimately conquers all.
December 8, 2025
An enjoyable trilogy of sports romances; the first was really good, the second one so-so, and the third one somewhere in between. About middling in terms of lovers’ angst. To be honest, I kept reading mostly because it was so fun to read about New Zealand locations that I’ve now visited.
January 29, 2024
A hot and wonderful set of stories giving readers a glimpse of Jax Calder’s New Zealand rugby team and their stumbling toward love
April 7, 2025
This was three stories all completely different but from the same rugby team. Loved them all although I think my favourite was definitely Tyler, he’s just so blooming cute
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews