Outplayed

by Courtney W. Dixon

It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

Aspen
Cooper Summers is a rising football star at the University of Texas. And he happens to be my new roommate. He’s amazing and surprisingly chill. It doesn’t take us long to form a strong friendship. But serendipity is a funny thing. I suddenly find myself wanting to explore my sexuality with Cooper. Let’s just say he’s hot. The only problem is that we’re both straight, and Cooper is especially so. Will he go along with my crazy idea? All I need to do is ask.

Cooper
Aspen Harper is a singer in a band, the most easy-going person I’ve ever met, a total hippie. But he also has his quirks, like walking around naked and carrying his pet rat on his head. After a night of heavy drinking, Aspen stumbles into my bed and comes up with the craziest idea. He wants to explore our sexuality together, but only for fun. Nothing serious. I’ve been struggling to get over my last girlfriend, so I agree with his ridiculous idea. The problem is that I like him more than I should.

Outplayed is a standalone MM, double bi-awakening, friends to lovers, forced proximity, roommates, college romance.

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, College, Sports, Contemporary, Romance, Forced Proximity

Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2024

About the author

Courtney W. Dixon loves to write steamy hurt/comfort romance, giving her characters challenges, struggles, and sometimes trauma... Fine, a LOT of trauma. Her team teases her about charging her for their therapy bills after reading one of her books.

She loves to add variety and multiple tropes in her stories along with different types of dynamics/relationships. And she writes her characters as having flaws, imperfections, and who don't always do the right thing. Humans are sometimes frustrating, never perfect, and make a lot of mistakes in their lives. Courtney enjoys pushing her characters, making their HEAs so much more worth it when they get there. Mental health is a big feature in her books.

She loves her coffee ice cream and popcorn a little too much. And her cat, Olly, is her co-writer, where he sleeps on an ottoman under her desk as her muse. Actually, he's rather useless, but he's adorable.

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Reviews

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok I liked this enough to slap on the three star rating but I do have some issues with it! It was cute and low stakes. I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop. But then it turned into they had us in the first half not gonna lie.gif. The first half was just so much better. Too many repeated scenarios and not enough happening ensued as the pages went on. It’s like as soon as I made the status update at 50% that I was loving this, the book said we’ll see about that! I was cheesin like the guy on the cover for a while.😃 But stilted unnatural dialogue and sex in place of emotional intimacy left me cold. You guys are in love but when did it happen because I feel like we’ve had two conversations of substance? Was I asleep? Okay I promise I liked this! I promise! There’s a pet rat in here and honestly this guy rocks. Whenever there was pet rat content I was thrilled! The jealousy and possessiveness are a lot of fun. The characters are nice enough but I was hoping to learn more about them as more time passed. Also I could never really picture anyone because everyone (including the main characters) are just described by their hair color, pretty much. I guess my main problem is lack of information. We’re told too little to ever form an attachment to anything. I know I keep talking nonstop about how I liked the first part most but my favorite portion of the book was in a shocking turn of events…the third act breakup? *Audience gasps* Because finally I felt like the characters deepest emotions were on display. We got to know them more than surface level I like you because you’re hot and nice and hot and nice and you’re also very hot and you’re very nice!!!! Snooze….😴 Fun at some points and forgettable at others, I’m still glad I read it because at the very least; I’m out of my review slump. 🥳

[Miss S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I touched him, would I burn?
I wanted to burn so very fucking much.

This is the first book I’ve read by Courtney W. Dixon and it definitely wont be the last. I wasn’t going to read it just yet, I just wanted to check it out, look through a few pages, and suddenly it was evening and I had to wish Aspen and Cooper well with their HEA.

This story is very low angst, but not at all boring. It’s like one of those smaller rollercoasters, where you know you’ll be safe, and you know what to expect, but you still get butterflies in your stomach at each turn and little dip.

Bi-awakening is my favorite trope when it comes to MM romance, and the whole bromance roommate scene with “we’re just messing around”… I love it. So yea, I really, really enjoyed this book.

Aspen and Cooper are roommates, and they get along pretty well from the beginning despite having very different upbringings, personalities and hobbies. Add a little “bromance” to that, and you have a sweet, but heartbreaking journey with a lot of firsts, laughs and love.

The author asks in the afterword if you’re team Aspen or team Cooper, and I’ll answer that here.

I’m team BOTH.

I’m team Cooper because he’s the one I can relate to the most. He’s a people pleaser which means it’s hard for him to put his own happiness first, he can’t just go with the flow, he worries a lot, he cares about the opinions of others and he’s shy. His character might not be as lovable as Aspen is to most, but he’s the character with the most growth, and it was a beautiful journey.

I’m team Aspen because he’s just the kind of guy you can’t help to love. He’s a free spirit, he’s open and honest and doesn’t hide how he feels even if it’s something new and scary. He is better with his words, showing his feelings and your heart will break when his does. He’s exactly what Cooper needs to overcome his fears and to live his life the way that makes him happy.

The road to their HEA isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it’s a trip worth taking. There’s also a bonus epilogue, and it’s perfection.

What to expect:
❥ Dual POV ❥ MM Romance
❥ Roommates ❥ College ❥ “Bromance”
❥ Bi-Awakening ❥ Opposite Attracts

I was so lucky to receive this ARC to review with my honest opinion.

Read the full review on my blog here.

[Crisana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I'm surprised as I don't usually gel much with this author but I actually liked this book quite a lot. Simple story but the writing was good and I absolutely loved the pining. Bro-jobs FTW!

[Tash · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @70%

This is the second book I’ve read from this author and the writing just isn’t for me. It felt so unnatural and repetitive at times. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Won’t be trying this authors work again

[Paloma · Rating 1 out of 5]

i really wanted to like this book because of the pet rat, im honestly very disappointed it fell flat for me. while i don't think this book is AWFUL or anything its just not very good. it feels like maybe this is early on in this authors writing journey and they haven't quite figured out non-cringe dialog yet.

the dialog is honestly what i have the biggest problems with, NO ONE TALKS LIKE THIS!! it feels so forced and unauthentic that it makes it hard to think of these characters as anything besides words on paper. this won't have any spoilers in it so i won't go into specific moments but i will say that people do not switch up that quick, like literally ever.

while the dialog is undeniably the worst part the best of the book is just meh. the plot is ok? the characters felt flat. and the background characters were soooo annoying (like seriously who unironically wears a fedora in 2024????). and WHY WERE THERE SO MANY BLONDES IN THIS BOOK??? that was the other thing is no character was ever described beyond their hair color, eye color, a specific piece of clothing, or a specific physical feature (i.e. tall, short, lean, freckles, dimples). this made all characters lack depth for me.

also the third act breakup/conflict (however your prefer to say it) could have been completely avoided by ✨communication✨. which for some reason books hate. if you dont feel comfortable enough to voice your feelings/reserves about whatever with your partner you are not going to stay together for very long. a relationship (romantic or not) is built on trust and communication, both of which aspen and cooper lacked.

(it is also normally recommended for rats to be in pairs because they are social and playful animals and want and need attention and love damn near constantly so when they have a rat friend its easier for them! but thats neither here nor there i suppose.)

the ending as a whole felt rushed and almost undeserved. the hardships that were built up for them were explained away in the last like three chapters and suddenly everything is ok and everyone is happy? personally it felt as though this was a draft of a book that had potential. just everything needed to be planned out more and everyone needed more depth. besides cooper and aspen i dont think i could tell you another name from this book by the time im done writing this review.

overall i dont think that this book is an awful book, i think with more editing (forgot to mention i found serval spelling, wording, and layout errors) and more planning this book could have been good! i think cooper and aspen could have had a very interesting and fun dynamic instead it fell flat. i think that the family dynamics and issues could have been interesting to expand on but instead they were just there for the sake of being there. and i think there could have been some lovable side characters instead (once again) they all fell flat.

i dont think i will read another book by this author.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this roommates to lovers story. I’m a huge fan of the “and they were roommates” trope 🙌🏼

This story started off a bit flat for me. It took a bit to get into and then around 20% the writing started to mesh. There was a ton of over explaining in dialogue which is a pet peeve of mine 😭

After it got started though? Boy did it take off. Aspen and Cooper are just sweet. They felt their age. They spoke their age. It was very organic and young.

I love that not everything went according to plan. They needed to lower their standards a bit and that’s something I enjoy in a love story. Not everything will be perfect all of the time, even when the couple is together and happy. It’s such an important part of making a story seem realistic 🖤🙌🏼

I really did enjoy them I just think the beginning was rough for me personally.

Also, as a Texas Tech fan who grew up in Lubbock? Rude. 😂
It hurt to support Cooper sometimes. 🖤❤️

[Alfonsina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 to 4
This book was fun and cozy.
I was coming from a really dark and toxic romance and this was like a sin wash..
They are sweet and hot..
If your are looking for a good time and something light this book is for U.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story. I loved Cooper and Aspen so much. Together they made such a great couple, Aspen’s easygoing lifestyle really helped Cooper find a way to be more comfortable being himself. I love the roommates to lovers trope, and through in double bi-awakening and you’ve got a hit!

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 A new to me author with a book about one of my reading favorites-college guys. They can be jocks, bookish, frat boys, or bro dudes, I like them all.
In this story, big and talented school football player, Cooper, is under the thumb of his distant and controlling parents. It’s their way or the highway. The parents were well written semi bad guys. Cooper needs a place to stay off campus and finds it with handsome and free spirited Aspen, whose beliefs are anti-clothes, shown in some humorous in the buff scenes at their apartment.
A drunken party with friends opens up the idea of ‘bro job blow jobs’ to Aspen who has Cooper going along with it, until they each find a girl for a relationship.
Both young men are straight, but there is an attraction thing building between them.
The first third of the book was really good. High quality writing of the UT at Austin college scene. Cooper is a Longhorn! One who is catching feelings for Aspen and does not want that to happen, as everyone in his world will freak.
Aspen is written as so attractive, his was an excellent character. He had that insouciant charm of guys that age, plus he was super cool! No wonder Cooper found himself opening up to and responding to Aspen’s kindness and free spirited ways. He loved Aspen’s free spirited family, too, and was sad about the contrast with his strict parents.
I liked all this, but the middle of the book dragged and the writing didn’t sparkle like the beginning. The dialogue between the MCs sounded somewhat formal and didn’t sound like guys would talk, especially Cooper.
The plot line contained familiar tropes and characters of a college sports world. I felt my interest slipping away from the book. I think it was just too long and was repeating the angst about the coming out as a couple.
There is a medical drama in the last third and the book ends with two in the near future epilogues.
This was a solid MM with excellent opening chapters.

[Shanise · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I love them so much 🥹

ARC REVIEW

This was my first book from Courtney and I cannot wait to dove into her backlist now because Outplayed was exactly what I was looking for and I could hardly put it down.

I refuse to pick teams because I’m way too indecisive and Aspen and Cooper each have their own redeeming qualities. Yes, Aspen is incredible and I dream of a world where all men are as expressive and open as he is but Cooper shines in his own way and personally, his upbringing was a lot more similar to my own so I immediately had a soft spot for him. They balanced each other out perfectly and I loved seeing how they helped each other grow.

[camms.bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

While it’s easy to be Team Aspen, I’d have to say Cooper was a brave soul too. This is truly a feel good book that we can all hope comes from a story of coming out to the world as anything but a straight man. These characters are phenomenal! I love them both.

[Linnea Marie Jarild Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

started our good

Second book I’ve read by this author where I’m completely obsessed and loving it in the first half, and then somehow I feel the dialogue turna awkward and unnatural and it all becomes a bit meh. I’d give it a 4,5 at the beginning and a 3 at the end, so a 3,5 overall.

[Colleen (colleenreads40) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outplayed is a standalone low angst romance from Courtney W. Dixon. Here’s what you can expect from Cooper and Aspen:

- First person dual point of view
- Guaranteed happily ever after
- College romance
- Double bi-awakening
- Roommates to friends to lovers
- Golden retriever main character
- Forced proximity

Aspen looked downright starry-eyed at me for petting his damn rodent. I rolled my eyes at him. You’d think I hung the sun and moon with that look by simply being nice to his pet, who could be as chill as Aspen.

Courtney wrote Outplayed as the antithesis to her darker release, His Bane. Once again, she demonstrates that she’s an extremely versatile author with plenty of range. This book was light and fluffy, with that little bit of conflict it needed to advance the plot as well as some great spice! This book would be great if you’re looking to balance your upcoming reads with something lighter, and I think it would be perfect if you’re looking to dip your toe into the queer romance space. Aspen and Cooper were a lot of fun (and we can’t forget Aspen’s pet rat, Morpheus, who wormed his way into Cooper’s heart!) and both very likable characters. They were opposites in so many ways, but I found this just made them compliment one another that much more. I adored Aspen’s honesty, and he truly was a golden retriever main character. The way he set boundaries and spoke about his emotions is something I think we can all learn from and we love to see it in romance books! Cooper had a lot of expectations from his family, and although he didn’t always make the best choices, I think his character development was perfect at the end there. My only issue with this story was that it was a touch longer than it needed to be, but an overall solid read. I also enjoyed that the characters, particularly Aspen, weren’t focused on labeling themselves. That’s a really refreshing take, in my opinion.

If you love a good epilogue like me, make sure you check out the bonus epilogue you can get! We get a chance to check in with Aspen and Cooper after ten years and it’s just as adorable as you can imagine it would be. Another great release by Courtney W. Dixon.

I worked my way down, down, down, pressing my lips into his happy trail, the hairs tickling my nose as I took a deep breath of him. “God, your smell is fucking addicting, Superstar.”

I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gina Roma · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
OUTPLAYED by Courtney W. dixon

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Releasing 10th May


"...𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲."


Such a fun time!! 😍
This book was my first by Courtney W. Dixon and It was a such fun time. I enjoyed this book very much.

Once I started reading it I couldn't stop. The story of Aspen and Cooper grabbed me from the first page.

Cooper is looking for an apartment and Aspen is looking for a roommate. From the moment they meet there is a connection between the two and they know they will be great roommates and friends. (Even with Aspen's curious quirks... 🤣)

During a party they hear about bro-jobs and Aspen's restless mind does not hesitate to ask Cooper to try it. (Both are having a bad time with girls).

What begins as something innocent, sexy and uncomplicated will lead to something much deeper.

One thing is clear, from that moment on everything will change for both of them.

Cooper is adorably shy, a Golden retriever. Football player. Patient. Honored. But he is under great pressure from his family.

Aspen is a free spirit. A pure soul. Noble. Sincere. Gentle. Always with a smile for everyone. Kind. He works in a pub and has a band with his friends in which he is the vocalist and plays the guitar. Oh, and he also has a peculiar pet. (I love Morpheus!!! 🖤).

This book has everything. It is a fresh, pleasant, fun read, with spicy moments that are chef kiss.
The characters will have to endure several hard moments but it is not a book with a lot of grief and the HEA is wonderful.

I love Cooper with all my heart but I have to admit that I am Team Aspen. He is sooo pretty and deserves everything good in the world!

The secondary characters are beautiful. (Except Cooper's family, sorry!)

Outplayed is a book that makes you enjoy yourself. That makes you fall in love very strongly with its two protagonists. That encourages you to live life shouting "Carpe Diem". And I have undoubtedly enjoyed it from start to finish.

✨ I received an ARC and this is my honest review of the book. ✨

_________________________________

ESP:

ARC RESEÑA

Este libro a sido mi primero de Courtney W. Dixon y que alegría haber podido leerlo porque he disfrutado de este libro muchísimo.

Una vez empecé a leerlo no pude parar. La historia de Aspen y Cooper me atrapó desde la primera página.

Cooper está buscando piso y Aspen está buscando compañero de habitación. Desde el momento en que se conocen hay una conexión entre los dos y saben que serán grandes compañeros de habitación y amigos.
(Aun con las curiosas peculiaridades de Aspen... 🤣)

Durante una fiesta escuchan sobre los bro-jobs y la mente inquieta de Aspen no duda en preguntarle a Cooper por intentarlo. (Ambos estan pasando mala racha con las chicas).

Lo que inicia como algo inocente, sexy y sin complicaciones derivará a algo mucho más profundo.

Una cosa esta clara, a partir de ese momento todo cambiará para los dos.

Cooper es adorable, un auténtico Golden Retriever. Jugador de futbol americano. Paciente. Honrado. Pero arrastra una gran presión por parte de su familia.

Aspen es un espíritu libre. Un alma pura. Noble. Sincero. Amable. Siempre con una sonrisa para todos. Bondadoso. Trabaja en un pub y tiene una banda con sus amigos en la que es el vocalista y toca la guitarra. Ah, y además tiene una mascota peculiar. (Adoro a Morpheus!!!).

Este libro tiene de todo. Es una lectura fresca, agradable, divertida, con momentos spicy que son chef kiss.
Los personajes tendrán que sobrellevar varios momentos duros pero no es un libro con mucho grief y el HEA es maravilloso.

Adoro a Cooper con todo mi corazón pero tengo que reconocer que soy Team Aspen. Él es taaan bonito y se merece todo lo bueno del mundo!

Los personajes secundarios son preciosos. (Excepto la familia de Cooper, lo siento!)

Outplayed es un libro que te hace disfrutar. Que te hace enamorarte muy fuerte de sus dos protagonistas. Que te anima a vivir la vida al grito de "Carpe Diem". Y que sin duda he disfrutado de principio a fin.

✨Recibí una ARC y está es mi honesta reseña sobre el libro. ✨

[yazaleea · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I had it rounded up to 3, but after sleeping on it, I'm not sure (I have rating sm).

So we have two straight guys who move in as roommates in college. Cooper is a football star, who lives his life to please other people, especially his cold parents' expectations. They want him to go to med school, but he only wants to shoot his shot with the NFL. Aspen was adopted by very open-minded parents and he believes that one should always be honest and follow their heart. But they're both straight. Aspen is especially convincing when his first POV chapter starts with "I'm straight" and the very next paragraph, he is drooling over Cooper's looks, muscles and freckles. Insane, the less straight straight guy ever. They're both kinda crushing on each other, when one of their friend introduces them to the concept of bro-job: no strings attached blow-jobs between friends to help each other out! Scratch an itch! But what starts as a casual BJ-only arrangement, slowly becomes more as they realise they're better matched than they'd thought.

It was not terrible, it was just... fine. I felt like the attraction was way too instant though, I wish the story had let it build up more, but that's my personal preference. There were too many things repeated between the two characters' POV, at the start of the book we'd get Cooper's side of an event, and then go back in time to get Aspen's side of the same period of time and it was a bit offputting to me. A lot of sentences and conflict were repeated throughout the book as well, especially when it comes to the relationship's main conflict which was that while they both really cared for each other, Cooper was scared to come out and compromise his potential career in the NFL as well as his family.

But they were literally so cute together, the smut was hot and the intimacy and the affection between them was so endearing that I just wanted more of that and less of the convoluted drama that I felt led nowhere and was dragged out.

[JoeBlack · Rating 5 out of 5]

90 % ... 4,5*/5*

Courtney W. Dixon is the author of many MM romances in several different series, but every now and then she likes to get out from those series and write a standalone novel like this one. The story is told from the point of view of both main characters, who take turns in the narration, which is a big plus because you get to see inside the heads of both heroes, which is really important in this story. At the same time, the chapters are not particularly long, most often they take around 20 minutes to read. I also appreciated the epilogue, which was described from Cooper's point of view 2 months later compared to the last chapter, while Aspen tells his part one year later. I have never seen this different time period in epilogues in books with multiple narrators.

The book was easy to read, it really is light reading without serious topics. We get to know both main characters and their personalities and we can watch how it develops and changes over time. At the same time, lovers of spicy erotic scenes, which are here to a great extent, will be happy but again these are a little bit different than what we are used to in other MM romances, because this time both heroes are initially heterosexuals, who are only just getting to know and discover these intimacies with men and how things go between men. At the same time, there is a big theme of family, where we have a diametrically different approach with Aspen's family and Cooper's family. You will fall in love with both heroes very easily and quickly, and at the end of the book you will not want to say goodbye. But nothing lasts forever and we need to move on. But I do not regret the beautiful moments I spent in the company of Cooper and Aspen. And if they appear in another book sometime in the future, I certainly wouldn't mind. I can recommend this reading with a calm heart to everyone who loves MM romances and a good story.

[Amy Crull · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book with the concept of an experiment of sort and double bi awakening. I am a huge fan of bi awakening and to have two characters in a book experience was mind blowing to me. I loved both Aspen and Cooper so freakin much!!!
Aspen is a free spirit. He says and does things so freely that he doesn't think others won't be ok with it...case in point, walking around the apartment naked. He has the confidence that Cooper needs in his life.
Cooper is a different case though. His life has been planned out for him and he's set out on a course made by his parents. He isn't happy about it and starts to question why he's even doing it. His love is playing football and going to the NFL. He doesn't want to be in medicine. With being around Aspen and learning to let his walls down some, he gain the courage to tell his parents.
With Cooper and Aspen, these two characters come from two different worlds but Cooper finds comfort with Aspen's family and friends. I mean, it was one of Aspen's friends who suggested the idea.
So a idea was talked about and peaked Aspen's mind. Who knew something so simple could light a spark and find love from it?
This book was so cute, sweet and fun to read. I fell instantly in love with these characters and found myself feeling so much throughout the entire book. I was there worrying right along with Aspen, while Coop was in the hospital bed. I was there with Coop when he told his friends the truth of his sexuality and what he's been doing with Aspen. It was a gem of a book!! I loved every minute of this book!!

[Nicole A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outplayed us a double bi-awakening, college roommate romance.
Aspen is a free spirit, one who is accepting of others and just takes life as it comes.
Cooper is a star football player but on a path to become a doctor. He’s worried about pleasing everyone. He is stressed and not living the life he wants, all in an effort to make his parents proud. But he starts to question everything after meeting his roommate.
This is a story of self exploration, sexual awakening and love. What starts out as ‘bro jobs’ with Aspen and Cooper, purely to find release and explore becomes so much more. But their relationship quickly grows and their bond strengthens.
The characters are what makes this story a must read. Both Aspen and Cooper are good guys. Really good guys. And when they’re together it’s always magic. The spice between them is white hot and their love story is beautiful.
I couldn’t put this book down. The spice, the exploration, the rat! And of course, it wouldn’t be a book by Courtney if it didn’t have angst. Here I thought it was going to be a sweet and spicy story… I mean it’s about college boys and bro jobs… then BAM! Heartache! But then there was a beautiful relationship that blooms from it.
Outplayed is a must read for any mm romance lover!!

[loverexreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Outplayed and for my first time reading a book by Courtney W. Dixon it was a very good place to start.

Roomates to lovers is definitely one of my favorite tropes and Aspen and Cooper's story really hit the spot. I really loved all the build up there was in their relationship, how they became friends first and that it evolved into something that was unexpected for them. These two were so wholesome and cute that it was impossible not to love them. Aspen was extra special, an MC like I'd never read before. He was a free spirit who aspired to live his life without submitting to all the expectations of society. That was something that really endeared him to me. Cooper was a sweetheart who wanted to please everyone at the expense of his own aspirations. Together they were simply perfect, and I swooned to see them discover what they meant to each other.

This is a wonderful low angst book filled with so much love. For me, the build up was my favorite part of the book. I felt the story lost steam towards the end and some aspects of the conclusion resonated less with me personally. Still, I loved Aspen and Cooper to pieces and they've definitely made their way into my heart.

I also have to give some love to Morpheus, Aspen's pet rat. I have a soft spot for pet rats and he reminded me of my two late beloved rats. So thank you Courtney for giving Morpheus a place in your book, he was adorable and one of my favorite things about your novel!

[Heather MMRomanceReviewed]

Who knew Courtney W. Dixon could write a fairly low angst, innocent, college romance that still has heart wrenching family drama? I absolutely love Connor and Aspen, both individually and as a couple... and the double bi-awakening through bromance is both sweet and fun. I like how both men grow into their feelings and their understanding of themselves and how they handle their respective families. This is full of great college/new adult situations and the roommates to lovers trope works really well.

[Liza · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never ending internal monologues. Unnecessary 3rd act breakup.
I think I skip the author from now on.

[Brianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 25% - I can’t get into it. And then a dirty part happened, the first one in this book, and it was so lackluster… I’m just not into it.

[Hannah Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so adorable. I loved Aspen with his irks and just an easy going vibe of him. Morpheus stole my heart (him and coops little scenes were adorable)

Cooper was so lovable but he had a tough time being a people pleaser so that ended up hurting him some in the book obviously but there was tons of character building and love.

Their chemistry was always there and it was precious. And the ending was great

Steam-3/5

[Bookish Meag 🩵 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outplayed is the second book I’ve read by Courtney W. Dixon. It was exactly the story I needed and I loved every minute of Cooper and Aspen.

This story flowed so effortlessly and Cooper and his people pleasing self spoke to me; I loved this football superstar and how different he was from a normal jock. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders but he was so down to earth and simple. I loved that.

And gosh, did I love Aspen. His feel spirit and attitude about life, you couldn’t help falling in love with the person he was. He was also such a hard, dedicated worker. Bartender and lead singer in a band, he checked all the boxes.

I normally hate a third act breakup but Courtney did it so well. I was dying when these boys feel apart. They both wanted the relationship so badly, but didn’t know how to just grab it by the hand and take their happiness. I truly believe it was needed for this book. Cooper hand to learn to put him and his wants above his family, friends, football and the world. He needed to see how this decision and being away from Aspen would affect him.

Courtney this was marvelous. Thank you for letting me ARC read for you. I truly love this.

[Nedra81 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are we expected to choose a side, because both of these characters have their respective dispositions and personalities to fall into. The depth of which Connor forced himself was completely unnecessary and the blame lies solely on his parents, which is made evident towards the end. But, fires ignited upon initial contact and never seemed to dull.

The hardships that which these two endure could have been so much worse, luckily, Aspen’s family was more than supportive of their newfound love. Connnor’s final willingness to accept his sexuality and feelings for Aspen was the icing on the cake 🎂! The innocence of their “bro-jobs” was absolutely adorable, no rushing into their actions with both having the patience of a saint.

Such a beautiful story of double biawakening, with all the feels and emotions included! Such an incredible journey of acceptance and admiration for those walking the thin line of truth and conviction, witnessing their struggles along the way.

[Pretty.odd08 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me

The dialogue was suuuuuuuper unrealistic. There is not a single college boy (or probably any other demographic) that actually talks like that. Way way too much character info dumping in conversations. For example, my family is awesome my mom does xyz and my dad does this, my sister is way into blank. That kind of stuff usually comes up naturally in a conversation, not just stuck in there to force in some character background. Tbh the story itself I could have stuck with if the dialogue didn't get to me so much. The writing style was fine otherwise. As it is I had to DNF at 25%. If you're looking for cute college romance, highly recommend Eden Finley or Saxon James instead.

[Joanna Grosz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5**** rounded up.

Initially, I had doubts about requesting an ARC of this book because although I absolutely love the double bisexual awakening theme, I'm not a fan of the "evil / homophobic parents" trope.

Fortunately, Courtney wrote this trope so deftly, focusing on other aspects than just parental homophobia, that those so-called "evil parents" ultimately turned out to be more concerned about their son's career and life comfort than the fact that he got involved with a man.

The shift in focus towards caring for the son's future rather than his romantic life was so well-written that despite my overall fatigue with the "evil parents" trope, I found the book quite enjoyable to read.

Courtney has a pleasant style, very smooth and natural, making the book quick and easy to read without major interruptions, keeping the interest alive.

I found great pleasure in accompanying Cooper and Aspen on this journey. I especially liked Cooper because he reminded me a lot of myself, while Aspen was also charming, but his personality traits differed greatly from mine, making it harder for me to vibe with him.

Interestingly, Aspen has a pet rat, which is perhaps the first time I've read a book with such a pet, and it was a nice addition.

I also appreciated that even if Cooper and Aspen had moments of breakup, it didn't last long, as I often find those multi-month breaks in relationships particularly annoying. Here, it was probably about a week and a half or something similar, so it didn't bother me at all, and I'm grateful to the author for quickly bringing about reconciliation between the characters.

There was one aspect that I found somewhat saddening, which was Cooper partially taking the blame for his ex-girlfriend's cheating. This indicated that he needed to work on his self-confidence and setting boundaries, as stating "did I push her into another guy's arms" shows that Cooper had deep insecurities and lack of self-belief, which was very sad for me. It's definitely controversial to suggest that someone cheats because they were pushed into someone else's arms, but Aspen summed it up well by saying that she should communicate if something was wrong, rather than immediately resorting to cheating.

There were a few minor issues where I personally saw things differently than the author; my own views differed on a few matters, but it wasn't significant enough to discourage me from the text.

To Courtney's credit, she tactfully navigated the storyline, leaving nothing excessively pushed into the readers' heads, instead leaving these topics as open discussions, emphasizing many times in the characters' dialogues that people have their unique opinions, and one must accept that worldviews differ.

This also earned the author a big plus in my eyes because there are authors who try aggressively to force their own views on various matters in their books, showing the viewpoints as the only correct point of view.
Courtney thankfully wrote everything so delicately and with respect for the reader's diverse views that the book was read without irritation or eye-rolling, as often happens to me with other authors - especially the more mainstream ones who love to preach about what is right and what is not, as if there is only one truth that everyone must adhere to.
So, a big plus to Courtney for not saturating the book with such messages, and even if something is mentioned, it's either very brief or in such a tactful way that the reader isn't put off by the book.

Overall, the book is very balanced and enjoyable to read, with no major flaws, everything fitting nicely together.

I also like that the ending is very honest, showing that professional sports unfortunately come with a lot of problems, that it's not the perfect career everyone dreams of, and that it has its dark sides, because professional sports are not a playground for children - it's competition, it's brutal rules, and often more failures than victories. It's good that the author leaves no doubts about that.

I've recently read several sports romance books where authors presented the sports career as almost perfect and flawless, idealizing it, which took away realism from the stories, but Courtney keeps a touch of reality when it comes to this aspect of the sports career, for which she deserves praise.

Overall, the romance is nice, the love between the MCs develops naturally, and their personalities complement each other well.
Although I personally slightly prefer top/bottom dynamic, but she managed to do the vers part well, and the sex scenes were not over the top and very vanilla which I love as I'm super vanilla myself 😂
So I appreciate it very much, I was a bit afraid if there would be some "daddy" calling or "take it, sl*t!" dirty talk, but there was none, so I'm super thankful for that :)

I spent a few pleasant hours and will definitely reach for other books by this author in the future!

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book; this is an ARC review, and this is my honest opinion about this book.

[Britney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Cooper and Aspen's dynamic. They were just so sweet and so infatuated with each other, and Aspen was exactly what Cooper needed. Cooper was a shy, football player, who lived his life trying to please his parents, while Aspen was wild and free, and believed in being true to himself no matter what. Cooper needed someone like Aspen to make him brave and to give him something to fight for, and I loved seeing Cooper come into his own. I can honestly say I was never mad or irritated at Cooper for trying to figure out his feelings for Aspen because the author did a good job at making Cooper relatable. Aspen and Cooper have both never been with men and though this wasn't hard for Aspen to accept, Cooper had to think about his NFL career and his controlling parents. His hesitance was realistic. I feel like the author provided two different, but plausible paths for coming out: Cooper's bumpy road and Aspen's carefree attitude.

While Cooper's internal &external angst was interesting, I LOVED Aspen and his carefree attitude. He was patient, honest and brave for going after what he wanted and what he wanted was Cooper. However, even though he was determined and patient he didn't pressure Cooper and he wasn't a doormat. And his dirty talk was on point. Aspen always told & showed Cooper how much he wanted him. Cooper, the people-pleaser, finally found someone who wanted to please him inside and outside the bedroom...and I fully support it.

Also, I saw a review Mention the lack of communication between the characters, but I honestly don't agree. This is actually one of the healthiest couples I've seen in a while. This couple talked about hooking up, made rules. Caught feelings, and yes there was hesitance on sharing these feelings bc they were afraid the relationship &friendship would end, but as always, Aspen went for it and it worked out. When they had problems between them, once again they talked about it. I think there was a ton of communication throughout this book.

I think I liked this book because it wasn't loaded with drama and it was a step away from the dark romance books I've been reading. I liked that this couple was cute and NOT toxic. I liked that there weren't any huge twists and turns throughout the book. It was a quick, simple read and that's exactly what I was looking for.

[Theodore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finished the book, but heavily skimmed the last 30%

When I hear Aspen, I think of the place, not a tree, so it was weird to read so many people comment on his name as such (and it got repetitive)

I didn't get Cooper's guilt over supposedly having to leave Aspen after four months. Did he not say that beforehand? Wasn't there a lease agreement even if it was informal? Aspen was apparently organized enough to have forms. Was it just month to month then?

The story spent waaay too much time in the "I'm attracted to him but I'm not gonna say anything" spot. It took until 60% of the way through for Cooper and Aspen to hold a proper conversation about what they were. 😒 Literally just fucking talk. You live together. How was it possible for them to not have broached the subject at least once?

What the hell was the emphasis on the "I'm not gay!" thing. I get it, Cooper was still attracted to women, but the vehement denials (even after he accepted his attraction to Aspen) was incredibly annoying. A simple "I'm attracted to both genders" would've sent the same message w/o the homophobia.

Don't even get me started on Cooper’s family and magic redemption. 🙄 His parents suddenly realizing they'd been narcissitic and overbearing made my eyes roll. Of course they ask and get his forgiveness. Things have to end in a neat knot right? And don't even get me started on Ben. Homophobe homophobe homophobe hiding under the guise of "I'm just looking out for my brother".

Cooper’s jealousy even after he ended things with Aspen was incredibly annoying too. You can't end things then get angry that Aspen supposedly moved on. Needed way more grovel on his part to even justify them getting back together.

TL;DR Plot was annoying and needed to have the MCs actually talk. Cooper’s family is unredeemable in my eyes. Cooper in general was the weak point in the story. Being the reluctant MC means that he needed to do so much more to make it up to Aspen (and the reader) but he never does.

[A.E. Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

💖 ARC Review 🏈 Outplayed 🎸 by Courtney W. Dixon 💖

I loved this book so fluffing much! Cooper and Aspen have my heart and are my new favorite college couple! 🩵

For those of you that know me, you know that I’ve been holding on to the Healer for the longest time as my favorite Courtney book. But… I’m sorry… sometimes a Girl just meets someone new that makes your heart go all WTF JUST HAPPENED?! 😳😳

I’ve been over college romances for a while now, because they’re not really speaking to me. But since Courtney has a way of writing authentically, I decided to give this book a shot. And sweet baby Jesus at a drag show, was I glad I did! 💖💖

This book ya’ll was phenomenal. Right up there with some of my fav college romances like Football Royalty and Learning Curve! Courtney just got everything right without it being forced or clicheed.

There’s a lot of steam in the book since it’s a double bi-awakening and I’m not really a huge fan of smut. But this was done amazingly. It was so intimate and fun and sweet and just UGH! It was relatable. Those awkward first times. The getting to know each other’s likes and dislikes. The talk about sexual boundaries. It was all just so perfect! 🥰🥰

I seriously wish that there were more authors out there like Courtney. She writes her heart out. Nothing is done half-assed or clicheed. I dont think there’s anyone as diverse as Courtney in MM right now. She can basically write anything. She does it with nerve and gut and love of her boys—and you can feel it in every line 🥹🥹

Quite a few authors have made attempts at writing college romances but they often end up falling flat because authors skip a lot of important parts of coming to terms with sexuality and vulnerability. If you want the real deal, then read Outplayed! It is the authentic college experience and so much more!

Congrats, Girl! I hope this book gets all the attention it deserves 🩵👏🏻🩷🏈🎸🌈