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Hard Count: Book One of The Piper Ashton Saga: A Dark MM Football Romance
Football consumed Piper Ashton.
Every snap, every route, every victory was a masterclass in control.
Until Noah Reyes.
Piper’s rival quarterback, who smiled like sin and threw like a freight train.
Noah was the one player who could make Piper’s perfect world crack wide open with nothing but a wink across the line of scrimmage.
An obsession, so all-consuming, that two of the league’s most watched men began making the kind of mess that could end careers, reputations and their lives.
The truth is, Piper’s life was never really his to begin with. It belongs to a powerful billionaire who has spent years pulling every string in his life, and that man doesn’t share.
One championship.
One forbidden, toxic obsession.
One secret that could burn the entire league to the ground.
This isn’t a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance.
This is raw, filthy, addictive MM dark romance.
LET THE GAY FOOTBALL SEX OPERA BEGIN.
But first… a warning.
Hard Count is an unapologetically dark MM romance. It contains explicit sexual content, psychological abuse, coercive control, homophobia, eating disorders, trauma, gun violence, coarse language, and other disturbing themes. If you’re looking for a lighthearted sports romance, this isn’t it.
Every snap, every route, every victory was a masterclass in control.
Until Noah Reyes.
Piper’s rival quarterback, who smiled like sin and threw like a freight train.
Noah was the one player who could make Piper’s perfect world crack wide open with nothing but a wink across the line of scrimmage.
An obsession, so all-consuming, that two of the league’s most watched men began making the kind of mess that could end careers, reputations and their lives.
The truth is, Piper’s life was never really his to begin with. It belongs to a powerful billionaire who has spent years pulling every string in his life, and that man doesn’t share.
One championship.
One forbidden, toxic obsession.
One secret that could burn the entire league to the ground.
This isn’t a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance.
This is raw, filthy, addictive MM dark romance.
LET THE GAY FOOTBALL SEX OPERA BEGIN.
But first… a warning.
Hard Count is an unapologetically dark MM romance. It contains explicit sexual content, psychological abuse, coercive control, homophobia, eating disorders, trauma, gun violence, coarse language, and other disturbing themes. If you’re looking for a lighthearted sports romance, this isn’t it.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 16, 2026
“Gay football sex opera” is how Lucas Malone describes his book. That’s really helpful, although I’d add “soap opera” into the mix to help you understand what you’re getting. This book cannot be taken too seriously if you want the right mindset before diving in.
Hard Count centers around Piper Ashton, a football star with terrible parents and a billionaire backer who’s trapped him in a terrible contract that Piper unfortunately did not read. Noah Reyes is a rival football player. Piper and Noah form a loose relationship in secret, while Piper is basically passed around in a powerful sex ring by his billionaire backer.
The good:
Loved the foreward, usually those are boring and I skip them. It helped to set the tone for 80s over the top big hair dramatic romance. If that didn’t give enough of a setting warning, Piper’s inner voice being Joan Rivers is probably a clue. Or maybe that’s just the millennial in me.
There are sports romances with a lot of sports on page, and there are sports romances where it’s like, “Adam is a quarterback!” and zero sports action sequences actually exist on page. Hard Count is the first one, opening with two chapters back to back on the field, and introducing us to both our main characters.
What didn’t mesh for me:
The writing style occasionally feels a bit stilted. There’s a real lack of contractions that makes it feel stiff. A pass through an editor could really help polish this.
It’s got fanfic vibes. The sex scenes can be a bit hilarious at times. Like when a character coming was described as like a Nerf Super Soaker gun. If the author hadn’t warned that this was a bit satirical instead of straight faced serious romance, I would have been a bit more worried.
Who I think will like this:
MM romance readers who like soapy dramatic romances
Sports romance fans
Anyone who grew up watching soap operas
Fans of angst and melodrama
Thank you to Lucas Malone and NetGalley for the ARC!
Hard Count centers around Piper Ashton, a football star with terrible parents and a billionaire backer who’s trapped him in a terrible contract that Piper unfortunately did not read. Noah Reyes is a rival football player. Piper and Noah form a loose relationship in secret, while Piper is basically passed around in a powerful sex ring by his billionaire backer.
The good:
Loved the foreward, usually those are boring and I skip them. It helped to set the tone for 80s over the top big hair dramatic romance. If that didn’t give enough of a setting warning, Piper’s inner voice being Joan Rivers is probably a clue. Or maybe that’s just the millennial in me.
There are sports romances with a lot of sports on page, and there are sports romances where it’s like, “Adam is a quarterback!” and zero sports action sequences actually exist on page. Hard Count is the first one, opening with two chapters back to back on the field, and introducing us to both our main characters.
What didn’t mesh for me:
The writing style occasionally feels a bit stilted. There’s a real lack of contractions that makes it feel stiff. A pass through an editor could really help polish this.
It’s got fanfic vibes. The sex scenes can be a bit hilarious at times. Like when a character coming was described as like a Nerf Super Soaker gun. If the author hadn’t warned that this was a bit satirical instead of straight faced serious romance, I would have been a bit more worried.
Who I think will like this:
MM romance readers who like soapy dramatic romances
Sports romance fans
Anyone who grew up watching soap operas
Fans of angst and melodrama
Thank you to Lucas Malone and NetGalley for the ARC!
July 13, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for an advanced copy of Hard Count by Lucas Malone.
This book consumed me. I read the first half before bed and couldn’t sleep because I could not stop thinking about it! I finished the 2nd half as soon as I woke up. This is a dark romance so check trigger warnings. It is not my first dark romance by any means but it really hit me hard. Piper’s story is absolutely horrific, it was hard to read certain parts. That said I couldn’t put it down.
The MMCs Piper and Noah are quarterbacks in the NFL. The media plays them up as rivals but they only are so on the field. Both of these guys were so likable. They both had a lot going on outside of their professional lives, Piper more so than Noah. But they both were genuinely good guys. Their relationship was very insta love without any real depth. Hopefully that will be more developed in the next book.
The side characters were also great! Tank and Darius were such supportive friends and Vivienne and Carmen were hilarious and badass.
The story doesn’t end on a complete cliffhanger but nothing is resolved by the end of the book so I will be not so patiently waiting for the next one.
4.25⭐️
This book consumed me. I read the first half before bed and couldn’t sleep because I could not stop thinking about it! I finished the 2nd half as soon as I woke up. This is a dark romance so check trigger warnings. It is not my first dark romance by any means but it really hit me hard. Piper’s story is absolutely horrific, it was hard to read certain parts. That said I couldn’t put it down.
The MMCs Piper and Noah are quarterbacks in the NFL. The media plays them up as rivals but they only are so on the field. Both of these guys were so likable. They both had a lot going on outside of their professional lives, Piper more so than Noah. But they both were genuinely good guys. Their relationship was very insta love without any real depth. Hopefully that will be more developed in the next book.
The side characters were also great! Tank and Darius were such supportive friends and Vivienne and Carmen were hilarious and badass.
The story doesn’t end on a complete cliffhanger but nothing is resolved by the end of the book so I will be not so patiently waiting for the next one.
4.25⭐️
July 20, 2026
This was a quick read and exactly what I wanted while reading on the beach. The plot kept me interested and I thought it had a lot of potential. Unfortunately I don’t think the characters or the romance were developed enough to really make it work.
I never felt like I got to know Piper or Noah beyond the surface, especially Noah. We didn’t spend much time seeing them actually build a relationship. They met, hooked up, and suddenly they were calling each other boyfriends. I wanted more conversations, more moments of them interacting and being with each other and overall more emotional depth. The romance definitely felt like it took a backseat to the rest of the plot.
The writing also could have used another round of editing. There were a few grammatical and spelling errors that pulled me out of the story and some of the sentence structure felt awkward. Overall, I think the story and characters had a lot of promise but they needed more development to really reach their full potential.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I never felt like I got to know Piper or Noah beyond the surface, especially Noah. We didn’t spend much time seeing them actually build a relationship. They met, hooked up, and suddenly they were calling each other boyfriends. I wanted more conversations, more moments of them interacting and being with each other and overall more emotional depth. The romance definitely felt like it took a backseat to the rest of the plot.
The writing also could have used another round of editing. There were a few grammatical and spelling errors that pulled me out of the story and some of the sentence structure felt awkward. Overall, I think the story and characters had a lot of promise but they needed more development to really reach their full potential.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for sending me this ARC!
3.25 stars rounded down to 3
The premise of this book drew me in, but the writing and its lack of flow kinda kept me from fully enjoying it. The things I really liked were how angsty this book felt, that there was ACTUAL football described on the page (which is not very common for sports romances, surprisingly), the romance wasn’t the whole plot because there was a lot going on with both MMCs (especially Piper), and the side characters added so much to the book. The things I didn’t enjoy were that sometimes it was hard to tell which piece of dialogue belonged to which character (which could definitely be fixed with some editing), and there were a few points where the conversations felt very stilted and didn’t belong in the story. I do wish there was a bit more on the romance side, because it felt a bit rushed. Overall, this was an okay book, but it needs a bit more flow from the writing for me to fully enjoy.
3.25 stars rounded down to 3
The premise of this book drew me in, but the writing and its lack of flow kinda kept me from fully enjoying it. The things I really liked were how angsty this book felt, that there was ACTUAL football described on the page (which is not very common for sports romances, surprisingly), the romance wasn’t the whole plot because there was a lot going on with both MMCs (especially Piper), and the side characters added so much to the book. The things I didn’t enjoy were that sometimes it was hard to tell which piece of dialogue belonged to which character (which could definitely be fixed with some editing), and there were a few points where the conversations felt very stilted and didn’t belong in the story. I do wish there was a bit more on the romance side, because it felt a bit rushed. Overall, this was an okay book, but it needs a bit more flow from the writing for me to fully enjoy.
July 9, 2026
Premise was really good but ahh, I wish this was more intense and nasty and angsty and more in the face on the feelings, pining, mental trauma etc. This could have been deliciously dark and dirty but alas. There were quite a few characters in this book that have a significant content on page so it kind of pulled away from the MCs and their story. Although there were many smut scenes in number, they progressively become short (tbh they are not too long even in the beginning). The act almost sounds mechanical as we progress thro the story.
TW/CW: There is an on page sexual exploitation/blackmail of one MC by others (again, this is also told in a sort of mechanical way so I am glad THIS was kept short).
A good attempt for debut book (I am sorry if I got my facts wrong here). I would love to read more of this author if they succeed in bringing more to the story.
TW/CW: There is an on page sexual exploitation/blackmail of one MC by others (again, this is also told in a sort of mechanical way so I am glad THIS was kept short).
A good attempt for debut book (I am sorry if I got my facts wrong here). I would love to read more of this author if they succeed in bringing more to the story.
July 14, 2026
I received an ARC of this book but all thoughts are my own.
I will write a proper review once I’ve processed my trauma
3.5 stars rounded up.
I liked the premise of this book but I spent a lot of the book confused by the passing of time. I felt the courtship was like the scene in ‘He’s just not that into you’ when the gay men are explaining to Connor that they just need to hold eye contact to know it’s on. It was very emotionless in that regard.
In say that, I was hooked from the beginning and will be reading the rest of this saga - I just hope that the lack of emotions was more Piper’s trauma response and I will be able to understand and follow the emotions in the next books now he’s got a tad more freedom.
Edited to add: Vivienne and Carmen gave me so much life and I would read countless spinoffs about them.
I will write a proper review once I’ve processed my trauma
3.5 stars rounded up.
I liked the premise of this book but I spent a lot of the book confused by the passing of time. I felt the courtship was like the scene in ‘He’s just not that into you’ when the gay men are explaining to Connor that they just need to hold eye contact to know it’s on. It was very emotionless in that regard.
In say that, I was hooked from the beginning and will be reading the rest of this saga - I just hope that the lack of emotions was more Piper’s trauma response and I will be able to understand and follow the emotions in the next books now he’s got a tad more freedom.
Edited to add: Vivienne and Carmen gave me so much life and I would read countless spinoffs about them.
July 6, 2026
Ok so I was an ARC Reader for this book and it is certainly a wild ride!
Let me get the negative out of the way because there’s so much to love here. The writing is a bit… wooden. He doesn’t use very many contractions, so the writing feels more formal than is needed. BUT this is Lucas Malone’s first book. I’m sure he will settle into a more relaxed voice as he gains experience and confidence.
As for the story itself: WOW. I’m usually pretty good at scoping out the plot by the middle to end of act 1, but this had me on my toes the whole way through. The MC is put through a lot of trauma in this book, so please check trigger warnings before reading!
CW/TW: note: these scenarios are NOT with the love interest. Sexual and Financial abuse, graphic coerced sex, degradation
Let me get the negative out of the way because there’s so much to love here. The writing is a bit… wooden. He doesn’t use very many contractions, so the writing feels more formal than is needed. BUT this is Lucas Malone’s first book. I’m sure he will settle into a more relaxed voice as he gains experience and confidence.
As for the story itself: WOW. I’m usually pretty good at scoping out the plot by the middle to end of act 1, but this had me on my toes the whole way through. The MC is put through a lot of trauma in this book, so please check trigger warnings before reading!
CW/TW: note: these scenarios are NOT with the love interest. Sexual and Financial abuse, graphic coerced sex, degradation
July 19, 2026
I really, really wanted to like this book and I really did love parts of it.. The base storyline is extremely dark but intriguing, the characters are interesting and the Carmen/Vivienne bits are hilarious and camp. But the football parts threw me off. (Mostly because I'm an huge football fan.) The story struggles from a lack of continuity and needs more fact checking. (The team that defers gets the ball to start the second half... Football season goes through Christmas... Games take significantly longer than 2 hours etc...)
There are over 30 song names//artists dropped in this story and yet the one that was stuck in my head most of it was Christina Aguilera's "Dirty."
Thanks to NetGalley for the EARC.
There are over 30 song names//artists dropped in this story and yet the one that was stuck in my head most of it was Christina Aguilera's "Dirty."
Thanks to NetGalley for the EARC.
July 15, 2026
If Heated Rivalry took a turned a really dark turned you would have ended up here.
First of all, you should really check for thrigher warning. I have read a lot of dark romance, but still had to put the book down after some of the scenes.
This is not a literary master piece by any chance, it has some problem with the composition, but that what we are here for.
I really loved the funny cute relationship between the MMCs, it felt light and happy in a rather sad and heartbreaking story. Overall it has a balance between wanting to cry out loud and swooning over the silly banter.
It manage to give a finale where I am satisfied with the end of book 1 but still can't wait to get to book 2.
First of all, you should really check for thrigher warning. I have read a lot of dark romance, but still had to put the book down after some of the scenes.
This is not a literary master piece by any chance, it has some problem with the composition, but that what we are here for.
I really loved the funny cute relationship between the MMCs, it felt light and happy in a rather sad and heartbreaking story. Overall it has a balance between wanting to cry out loud and swooning over the silly banter.
It manage to give a finale where I am satisfied with the end of book 1 but still can't wait to get to book 2.
July 16, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy!
This book sucked me in right from the first page. It really is a dark romance that reminded me of my fave sports MM books combined with my fave mafia / dark MM books. Mind blown no one has done this cross over before.. and I want more!
Although the writing style sometimes felt a bit clunky, I liked the voice and characterization and I think I will be following Lucas as he continues to write MM. I really had loved both Piper and Noah, although Piper had such a special place in my heart as their lives unravelled on the page.
Counting down for book 2 (note this is a HFN ending!) ✨
This book sucked me in right from the first page. It really is a dark romance that reminded me of my fave sports MM books combined with my fave mafia / dark MM books. Mind blown no one has done this cross over before.. and I want more!
Although the writing style sometimes felt a bit clunky, I liked the voice and characterization and I think I will be following Lucas as he continues to write MM. I really had loved both Piper and Noah, although Piper had such a special place in my heart as their lives unravelled on the page.
Counting down for book 2 (note this is a HFN ending!) ✨
July 18, 2026
Unlike a few of the other reviews, I loved this book. It was what it says it was..a soap opera book about football. It was over the top just like a soap. Piper and Noah are rival quarterbacks who develop a secret relationship that if discovered would have serious consequences on so many levels. First and foremost is the billionaire who "owns' Piper and uses him a s sex play toy among him and his friends. I was engaged and laughed at some places when sex scenes were described and will admit I am ready for book two as I know it will step things up.
July 10, 2026
For a debut novel, it is a good attempt, but I didn't connect with this book.
The main characters were overshadowed by the other characters in this book, preventing them from coming into their own.
And the story struck me as too businesslike, causing me to miss the emotion.
Thank you to the Author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC
The main characters were overshadowed by the other characters in this book, preventing them from coming into their own.
And the story struck me as too businesslike, causing me to miss the emotion.
Thank you to the Author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC
July 19, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc. I rate this book 4 stars and 5 chili peppers for spice. I really liked the plot of this book and am excited to hopefully read the conclusion because it left off on a cliff hanger. I’m not really a fan of insta love but I was able to look past it as I got invested pretty quickly.
July 12, 2026
Hard Count is the first book in the Piper Ashton Saga and the debut book by Lucas Malone. This book was decent, especially for a debut, but I can definitely see a lot of room for improvement. I am hopeful for the next book and will be looking forward to it.
July 15, 2026
2.5 stars
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.
A short and spicy read but it just wasn’t my favorite. There is some pretty heavy subject matter within this and the way it was written made me a tad uncomfortable.
Also the dialogue within it just felt a bit off to me.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.
A short and spicy read but it just wasn’t my favorite. There is some pretty heavy subject matter within this and the way it was written made me a tad uncomfortable.
Also the dialogue within it just felt a bit off to me.
July 17, 2026
For a debut novella, it was an okay story. The story idea was good, but a number of scenes were a bit too much. I couldn't place who said what in some of the dialogue, and there were also conversations that added no value. I give this book 3.5 ⭐️
July 17, 2026
Short and spicy. Something about this just didn’t work for me.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews