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Southern Scrimmage #4
Bootleg Diva: Confessions of a Quarterback Princess by Levi Brody
All heroes need an origins story.
From trailer park to the Super Dome.
Everybody's All-American quarterback by day.
Infamous exotic dancer by night.
Levi Brody is one of the undisputed greats of the game. With two Super Bowl rings, one MVP, three Pro-Bowl appearances, three National Championships, three SEC Championships and four State High School championships Levi has indeed left his mark on the sport, but it's all a load of crap.
This is my origin story and like all good origin stories, this one lies somewhere-
Between the helmet and the tiara.
The story of the rise and fall of the first fictional gay quarterback in the NFL.
Author’s I introduced Levi Brody in the second Southern Scrimmage book Sidelined and continued his story through his brother’s eyes in Offside Chance. While this book is officially the fourth book in the Southern Scrimmage Series it does not continue the story. Bootleg Diva is a biographical look at Levi’s life through to the end of Offside Chance.
From trailer park to the Super Dome.
Everybody's All-American quarterback by day.
Infamous exotic dancer by night.
Levi Brody is one of the undisputed greats of the game. With two Super Bowl rings, one MVP, three Pro-Bowl appearances, three National Championships, three SEC Championships and four State High School championships Levi has indeed left his mark on the sport, but it's all a load of crap.
This is my origin story and like all good origin stories, this one lies somewhere-
Between the helmet and the tiara.
The story of the rise and fall of the first fictional gay quarterback in the NFL.
Author’s I introduced Levi Brody in the second Southern Scrimmage book Sidelined and continued his story through his brother’s eyes in Offside Chance. While this book is officially the fourth book in the Southern Scrimmage Series it does not continue the story. Bootleg Diva is a biographical look at Levi’s life through to the end of Offside Chance.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2016
42 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
August 30, 2016
I don't know where to begin.
This isn't a full 5 Stars but JAY-SUS was it close. So...4.555 Stars?
This isn't for newbs to Mercy Celeste. Highly recommended for Southern Scrimmage fans especially fans of Levi Brody MUST READ PRIOR BOOKS before starting this.
This memoir kicked my ass. Triggers: Abuse (mentions of physical, child abuse), rape, gay bashing, violence
I just wanted to take a peek, ended up reading this in less than 24 hours because I had to learn about every inch of Levi's life.
We get a heavy taste of it in Offside Chance.
His memoir doesn't detail exactly everything (ex - there's a lot of child rape but it's off page). But nothing was left to the imagination, if you catch my drift.
We start with adolescent Levi who already is too worldly for his own good. Just about everyone has let him down. And it could be argued there are laws and agencies to put a stop to cases like Levi's but there are times when it falls through the cracks. And Levi... I just hurt thinking about all her went through.
Me every time something bad happened to Levi:
It was a LOT of abuse. And there were sweet moments. mixed in with the angst and hurt.
However, when one reads Celeste, expect ton of angst. There was no exception with this.
I think the way the memoir was told was true to Levi's voice. He is the most interesting character of the entire series, IMO. Mental health issues aside, there is something about him that grabs the attention. (No, not the cross dressing, or gender identity conflict)
His personality, his will to survive for those he loves....I think that made his memoir worthwhile.
Is the story without flaws? Nope. There are typos. Sometimes, the transitions where scattered and all over the place. And a chapter would end at a weird spot. The story couldn't hurt from maybe 1-2 rounds of edits. The uneven bits kind of work in Levi's favor but was a little jarring while reading.
And something that sticks out for me was Levi saying he would "let [insert whomever] do [whatever sexual sexual act to him]". I get his thought process while with customers (did I mention he was a teenage prostitute too?) but he felt this way with his consensual acts as well. So...it made me question every person he ever slept with. If he's mentally capable of consent, since he's learned the hard way about bad touch from such an early age. I might be over analyzing it. *shrugs*
But it's my quibble.
The story ends on one hell of a cliffhanger.
So while I still go through book withdrawal and recover by finding the pulverized bits from the floor...
...I'll be waiting with bated breath for "Blindsided" (which I expect to an epic story to explain what the hell is going on and give a HEA).
Book withdrawal is a bitch.
This isn't a full 5 Stars but JAY-SUS was it close. So...4.555 Stars?
This isn't for newbs to Mercy Celeste. Highly recommended for Southern Scrimmage fans especially fans of Levi Brody MUST READ PRIOR BOOKS before starting this.
This memoir kicked my ass. Triggers: Abuse (mentions of physical, child abuse), rape, gay bashing, violence
I just wanted to take a peek, ended up reading this in less than 24 hours because I had to learn about every inch of Levi's life.
We get a heavy taste of it in Offside Chance.
His memoir doesn't detail exactly everything (ex - there's a lot of child rape but it's off page). But nothing was left to the imagination, if you catch my drift.
We start with adolescent Levi who already is too worldly for his own good. Just about everyone has let him down. And it could be argued there are laws and agencies to put a stop to cases like Levi's but there are times when it falls through the cracks. And Levi... I just hurt thinking about all her went through.
Me every time something bad happened to Levi:
It was a LOT of abuse. And there were sweet moments. mixed in with the angst and hurt.
However, when one reads Celeste, expect ton of angst. There was no exception with this.
I think the way the memoir was told was true to Levi's voice. He is the most interesting character of the entire series, IMO. Mental health issues aside, there is something about him that grabs the attention. (No, not the cross dressing, or gender identity conflict)
His personality, his will to survive for those he loves....I think that made his memoir worthwhile.
Is the story without flaws? Nope. There are typos. Sometimes, the transitions where scattered and all over the place. And a chapter would end at a weird spot. The story couldn't hurt from maybe 1-2 rounds of edits. The uneven bits kind of work in Levi's favor but was a little jarring while reading.
And something that sticks out for me was Levi saying he would "let [insert whomever] do [whatever sexual sexual act to him]". I get his thought process while with customers (did I mention he was a teenage prostitute too?) but he felt this way with his consensual acts as well. So...it made me question every person he ever slept with. If he's mentally capable of consent, since he's learned the hard way about bad touch from such an early age. I might be over analyzing it. *shrugs*
But it's my quibble.
The story ends on one hell of a cliffhanger.
So while I still go through book withdrawal and recover by finding the pulverized bits from the floor...
...I'll be waiting with bated breath for "Blindsided" (which I expect to an epic story to explain what the hell is going on and give a HEA).
Book withdrawal is a bitch.
July 1, 2017
Review originally posted at Sinfully.
4.5 stars
Written in memoir style, this is the heartbreaking backstory of Levi/Liv Brody that was only hinted at in Sidelined and Offside Chance. If you haven’t read those two stories, I wouldn’t suggest starting with this one. It fills in the gaps of what we know about the character and tells a tale of strength and survival. The things Levi did to survive, but more importantly to make sure his younger brother Jude was safe and taken care of without suffering the same abuse and pain Levi did.
The “memoir” is a telling of Levi’s recollections, not written for publication, but written down at the suggestion of his therapist and for Jude, so that he would know everything Levi could never tell him about who Levi is and why he has done the things he has. It takes us from the time Levi was 12 up to the end of Offside Chance when Jude makes that phone call to their father.
Jude and Levi have a fragile, fractured relationship, Jude always seeming to resent Levi for leaving even as he knows Levi put him through school and took care of him. Diva details just how much Levi loves Jude, how he has always considered Jude his since their mother never seemed to care. Jude was his responsibility from day one and though Levi should, he can’t hate the mother who didn’t keep them safe or care for them, realizing that she was as much a young victim of their father as he was.
Levi has been abandoned and used so many times, even those who take him in and protect him have a complex relationship with Levi. What I really loved was seeing more in-depth the necessity of Liv and being able to bring Liv out really did save Levi. There are some new characters introduced, including George/Gigi and his partner, who had a huge impact on Levi, and some characters that were seen in the prior books have their role in Levi’s life explained more fully.
The book doesn’t repeat the previous stories, rather it enhances and expands on them and Levi’s character. I liked being able to connect the scenes back to the previous books including Levi’s run-ins with Tracy on the field back in school, what was really behind the hit that ended his career and his college days with Slayer and his cousin Aaron.
The timeline of the series so far isn’t really furthered with this book until the final chapter, which is told from Jude’s point of view and takes place between the end of Offside Chance and the future installment, Blindsided. Some may see it as a cliffhanger, but it seemed to me more of a bridge to the start of the upcoming book (at least that’s my interpretation of the sub-heading for the chapter). In either event, there is an excerpt from Blindsided following the end of Diva, which if read carefully should temper any fears the last chapter may bring up.
This story is a must read for anyone who has read the Southern Scrimmage series and has fallen in love with Levi/Liv Brody. Every nuance of Levi that was touched upon in the last two books is fully fleshed out here and the writing was emotional and heartfelt. I truly had the feeling that the words on the page were coming straight from Levi. It made me sad and angry and made me love the character even more. If you’ve been holding off because you heard about the “cliffhanger ending”, then get it and read all of it except the last chapter and you will have Levi’s full backstory up until where Offside Chance ends, but I can’t recommend this enough for anyone who has read and enjoyed the series so far.
4.5 stars
Written in memoir style, this is the heartbreaking backstory of Levi/Liv Brody that was only hinted at in Sidelined and Offside Chance. If you haven’t read those two stories, I wouldn’t suggest starting with this one. It fills in the gaps of what we know about the character and tells a tale of strength and survival. The things Levi did to survive, but more importantly to make sure his younger brother Jude was safe and taken care of without suffering the same abuse and pain Levi did.
The “memoir” is a telling of Levi’s recollections, not written for publication, but written down at the suggestion of his therapist and for Jude, so that he would know everything Levi could never tell him about who Levi is and why he has done the things he has. It takes us from the time Levi was 12 up to the end of Offside Chance when Jude makes that phone call to their father.
Jude and Levi have a fragile, fractured relationship, Jude always seeming to resent Levi for leaving even as he knows Levi put him through school and took care of him. Diva details just how much Levi loves Jude, how he has always considered Jude his since their mother never seemed to care. Jude was his responsibility from day one and though Levi should, he can’t hate the mother who didn’t keep them safe or care for them, realizing that she was as much a young victim of their father as he was.
Levi has been abandoned and used so many times, even those who take him in and protect him have a complex relationship with Levi. What I really loved was seeing more in-depth the necessity of Liv and being able to bring Liv out really did save Levi. There are some new characters introduced, including George/Gigi and his partner, who had a huge impact on Levi, and some characters that were seen in the prior books have their role in Levi’s life explained more fully.
The book doesn’t repeat the previous stories, rather it enhances and expands on them and Levi’s character. I liked being able to connect the scenes back to the previous books including Levi’s run-ins with Tracy on the field back in school, what was really behind the hit that ended his career and his college days with Slayer and his cousin Aaron.
The timeline of the series so far isn’t really furthered with this book until the final chapter, which is told from Jude’s point of view and takes place between the end of Offside Chance and the future installment, Blindsided. Some may see it as a cliffhanger, but it seemed to me more of a bridge to the start of the upcoming book (at least that’s my interpretation of the sub-heading for the chapter). In either event, there is an excerpt from Blindsided following the end of Diva, which if read carefully should temper any fears the last chapter may bring up.
This story is a must read for anyone who has read the Southern Scrimmage series and has fallen in love with Levi/Liv Brody. Every nuance of Levi that was touched upon in the last two books is fully fleshed out here and the writing was emotional and heartfelt. I truly had the feeling that the words on the page were coming straight from Levi. It made me sad and angry and made me love the character even more. If you’ve been holding off because you heard about the “cliffhanger ending”, then get it and read all of it except the last chapter and you will have Levi’s full backstory up until where Offside Chance ends, but I can’t recommend this enough for anyone who has read and enjoyed the series so far.
June 29, 2016
This was my favorite of the series so far! God, I just love Levi/Liv. Loved seeing his life as told by him, even though most of it is heartbreaking. He's been through so much with only small breaks of happiness before the shitstorm hits again. Everything he did, he did to survive and to make a better life for his brother.
This is Levi's memoir. It covers his entire life and fills in a million tiny gaps in the other stories, most I didn't even realize were there. I immediately ran back to the other books to catch back up and loved being able to read them again with the new information fresh in my mind. I say new information, but not any of it is really new. We basically knew how shitty a life Levi had and who Liv was, but this really expands upon that and just shows more of the emotions behind everything. I loved every minute and didn't want it to end.
But, be prepared, because that ending! It stopped me short and had me scrambling to the other stories for more information about what was happening. I'm afraid but at the same time can't wait for the next book to see what happens next and to see it all play out.
Brilliant job, Ms. Celeste, connecting all these dots and showing me I was even more in love with Levi/Liv than I previously thought.
December 30, 2017
I love this series!
Levi/Livy just breaks my heart. I love his character and this look into his past is truly heart wrenching.
Written as a 1st person POV memoir, it details Levi's high school years in Alabama, his college exploits and the emergence of Livy. We get to meet a new cast of characters and see how crucial they were to his survival.
If you're a fan of this series, it's a must read. It really brings to light Levi's character and has me wanting to read his and Tracy's book again. I wouldn't recommend this as a standalone novel, and if you've not yet picked up this series, it's high time you do!
Levi/Livy just breaks my heart. I love his character and this look into his past is truly heart wrenching.
Written as a 1st person POV memoir, it details Levi's high school years in Alabama, his college exploits and the emergence of Livy. We get to meet a new cast of characters and see how crucial they were to his survival.
If you're a fan of this series, it's a must read. It really brings to light Levi's character and has me wanting to read his and Tracy's book again. I wouldn't recommend this as a standalone novel, and if you've not yet picked up this series, it's high time you do!
May 25, 2017
The memoirs of Liv St Cinq aka Levi Brody. Closeted genderfluid guy, NFL quarterback, Pole dancer, unwanted son, physically abused by his sperm donor of a father, [who coincidentally raped his mother, and was one of those lovely tele-evangelists the southern US in particular is well-known for], sexually used and abused since he was 13 by paedophiles who should have known better and were of course breaking the law, and yes, they included a cop but Levi did what he felt he HAD to do to protect his younger brother Jude, cos no-one had protected him..ever until he found the one man who would stand up for him.
Heartbreaking stuff, and all I kept thinking was 'Oh Levi'. This is not a story in the Southern Scrimmage series, but rather a well-written explanation as to why Levi/Liv was as screwed up as he was. As for the end, well I'm assuming that Levi is in a coma after having his shoulder operated on...if someone would like to put me right on that, I'd be grateful. The next story is Last Man Standing. Me and my big mouth....Blindsided is the last of the series. ;) [Thanks Deb]
June 8, 2016
So worth the wait!
I wanted to fling my kindle after reading this book, the ending??? I was hyperventilating and sobbing. I had to be like...did she just really do this??
I love Levi. Straight up. Always have. To see all he had gone through in his life, all that happened to him broke my heart. He is so strong and I love that he came out on the other side with the love of his life.
So, how long til the next one comes out? I'm not sure my heart can take it.
I wanted to fling my kindle after reading this book, the ending??? I was hyperventilating and sobbing. I had to be like...did she just really do this??
I love Levi. Straight up. Always have. To see all he had gone through in his life, all that happened to him broke my heart. He is so strong and I love that he came out on the other side with the love of his life.
So, how long til the next one comes out? I'm not sure my heart can take it.
July 6, 2016
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
I think most fans of the Southern Scrimmage series will tell you this is not the book we were waiting for. It doesn’t take the overall story line forward at all but rather fills in gaps and adds to what we know already. In fact you have to read the other books in this series for Bootleg Diva to make any sense at all – this is not a story per se but instead it’s the brave fight, the self-sacrifice and the mostly heart-breaking memoirs of a man too old for his young years that was determined to save his family.
I think most fans of the Southern Scrimmage series will tell you this book was just what we needed…
Bootleg Diva starts recording Levi’s life in startling detail from when he is 12 years old. His memories before that day when he found himself locked out on a porch step are hazy but certainly responsible for the nightmares he can’t run from. He always felt a sense of responsibility – for his mother who was the town whore and spent most of her life drunk and for his baby brother who he protected fiercely to make sure he never suffered the same fate he had. Whether that responsibility made Levi feel forced of just allowed him to put up with the abuse he suffered isn’t always clear but it’s definitely the reason it happened for most of his life.
You get to meet Liv much more here too and Liv really is Levi’s saviour. Liv finds them both a safe place and a guardian of sorts in George that with hindsight probably saved Levi’s life. Everyone needs a safe place and when you have two personalities set on such different paths where one could certainly destroy the other that safe place becomes even more important.
This is a painful book to read. Mercy has pulled very few punches and the abuse that Levi and Liv deal with is on page and detailed and not hidden away and left to the readers imagination. I was getting edgy towards the end of the book – I never read reviews for any book I am reviewing myself but I had seen some updates that were all about the ending. I was literally down to the last few pages before that one hit and it comes out of nowhere! Read it carefully and it will give you your answers but poor Jude – having read the memoir what will he do? I can’t wait for the next book to see where the story goes next.
I think most fans of the Southern Scrimmage series will tell you this is not the book we were waiting for. It doesn’t take the overall story line forward at all but rather fills in gaps and adds to what we know already. In fact you have to read the other books in this series for Bootleg Diva to make any sense at all – this is not a story per se but instead it’s the brave fight, the self-sacrifice and the mostly heart-breaking memoirs of a man too old for his young years that was determined to save his family.
I think most fans of the Southern Scrimmage series will tell you this book was just what we needed…
Bootleg Diva starts recording Levi’s life in startling detail from when he is 12 years old. His memories before that day when he found himself locked out on a porch step are hazy but certainly responsible for the nightmares he can’t run from. He always felt a sense of responsibility – for his mother who was the town whore and spent most of her life drunk and for his baby brother who he protected fiercely to make sure he never suffered the same fate he had. Whether that responsibility made Levi feel forced of just allowed him to put up with the abuse he suffered isn’t always clear but it’s definitely the reason it happened for most of his life.
You get to meet Liv much more here too and Liv really is Levi’s saviour. Liv finds them both a safe place and a guardian of sorts in George that with hindsight probably saved Levi’s life. Everyone needs a safe place and when you have two personalities set on such different paths where one could certainly destroy the other that safe place becomes even more important.
This is a painful book to read. Mercy has pulled very few punches and the abuse that Levi and Liv deal with is on page and detailed and not hidden away and left to the readers imagination. I was getting edgy towards the end of the book – I never read reviews for any book I am reviewing myself but I had seen some updates that were all about the ending. I was literally down to the last few pages before that one hit and it comes out of nowhere! Read it carefully and it will give you your answers but poor Jude – having read the memoir what will he do? I can’t wait for the next book to see where the story goes next.
May 24, 2017
OK I am totally sucked into this series - This book GUTTED me - Levi's has had a rough life and this is whole story of how he became the guy we meet in book 2. For me what I enjoyed the most was the strange, strained relationship between Levi & Jude. It's complex, flawed, really messed up but they do love each other in their own odd ways. Spoiler < It made me so happy that Levi did not spend too much time on the Bo affair in this book. More important how spoke of Tracy (adore him & will be really pissed if he gets dumped) I am a bit nervous for Blindsided, I do not want to see Levi hurt Tracy, he's a good one and does not deserve to get left in the cold. I have my feelz on Bo ( selfish) . On to the next /
July 16, 2017
Wow I just had my heart ripped out by this book. Sobbing literally. It simply cannot end that way! I'm not even sure what to say - this book is a story of so much pain - and so much love and need and care and confusion. Easily the best book I've read this year, maybe the last couple. It doesn't make sense w/o the others -- so don't read it first. It adds so many layers - so many - that you just wallow in it.
September 11, 2016
I liked this book but I just didnt find it sad, apart from the ending, as it seems alot of other readers did.
It was nice to gave some background on Levi and Jude as they went through their teens and into adult life.
I remember alot of this story from Levis's book in the series.
I guess now we wait for the final book to wrap all the storylines up.
It was nice to gave some background on Levi and Jude as they went through their teens and into adult life.
I remember alot of this story from Levis's book in the series.
I guess now we wait for the final book to wrap all the storylines up.
June 22, 2016
From start to finish, this was simply brilliant writing. I absolutely loved every minute of it, even though I cringed and ached for Levi over and over again. We all knew and loved Levi/Liv, but did we really know him? Well, we do now and it was awful and wonderful. It was no surprise that he was raised poor (basically raised himself and his brother, Jude) and was violently abused, but the extent of that abuse, and the ways it shaped the man he became is all laid out for our viewing pleasure…even though there really wasn’t very much that was pleasant for our favorite quarterback princess.
The title and blurb tell you all you need to know about this book. There are no new story lines and very little about Levi and Tracey as a couple, until the end. This is a succinct memoir, mainly all of it from Levi’s point of view. It is heartbreaking, it will make you sick and angry, but it leaves no doubt as to why Levi turned out the way he did. And Jude, his brother finally gets Levi’s point of view on their past, but oh man; I could not believe the way it ended.
I was edge of my seat throughout most of this book, and it was difficult to put it down. I was pretty confident I knew what to expect, but Mercy Celeste surprised me and did a phenomenal job of getting inside Levi’s head and showcasing how much damage his upbringing and the abuse cost him. His selflessness and undying will to create a better, safer life for his mother and brother cost him, dearly, and I was really glad that Jude finally got to see those sacrifices. I just didn’t expect that ending. How am I supposed to wait for the next book with that hanging over my head?
If you’ve read the Southern Scrimmage series then you must read this book. It is the perfect companion to the series, and lovers of this series will be in for a treat. The snippet at the end lets us know where the series is going next and is exactly what I needed to put my mind at ease, especially after reading the last chapter. So, yes, I highly recommend this book. Enjoy, but be prepared to be heart hurt.
The Blogger Girls
The title and blurb tell you all you need to know about this book. There are no new story lines and very little about Levi and Tracey as a couple, until the end. This is a succinct memoir, mainly all of it from Levi’s point of view. It is heartbreaking, it will make you sick and angry, but it leaves no doubt as to why Levi turned out the way he did. And Jude, his brother finally gets Levi’s point of view on their past, but oh man; I could not believe the way it ended.
I was edge of my seat throughout most of this book, and it was difficult to put it down. I was pretty confident I knew what to expect, but Mercy Celeste surprised me and did a phenomenal job of getting inside Levi’s head and showcasing how much damage his upbringing and the abuse cost him. His selflessness and undying will to create a better, safer life for his mother and brother cost him, dearly, and I was really glad that Jude finally got to see those sacrifices. I just didn’t expect that ending. How am I supposed to wait for the next book with that hanging over my head?
If you’ve read the Southern Scrimmage series then you must read this book. It is the perfect companion to the series, and lovers of this series will be in for a treat. The snippet at the end lets us know where the series is going next and is exactly what I needed to put my mind at ease, especially after reading the last chapter. So, yes, I highly recommend this book. Enjoy, but be prepared to be heart hurt.
The Blogger Girls
August 20, 2016
So I picked up Six Ways From Sunday last week, after it was recommended to me via a GoodReads reading list (I thinks it was an MM Romance/Athletes themed one), and quite enjoyed it. I then went ahead and purchased all the others in the series in preparation for a camping trip where I knew I would have no internet access.
While I became more and more invested in Levi and Jude's history as the books went on (FANTASTIC cliffhanger in Offside Chance by the way!), I ended up reading Bootleg Diva in one sitting. I stayed up until 3.30am reading it, and then lay awake for another hour contemplating what I had just read. Imagining what happened off-page, and what would come next. I can't remember the last time a book did that for me (and for the record- I am a librarian. I read A LOT).
Prior to Boodleg Diva we all knew the brothers had a pretty shitty childhood. We all guessed that Levi had done some things he wasn't proud of while he was in the closet. But nothing that was implied, or that I imagined, could have prepared me for what was coming. It was some horrific reading, but I was sucked in and couldn't tear myself away.
Honestly, I believe Bootleg Diva is her best work of the series (I have not yet read any of your other work). It was of significantly higher quality in terms of writing style, character development and emotional depth.
After finishing the book I checked out her website, hoping to seem some hint of when Blindsided was due out, only to find out that Bootleg Diva is in fact a new release, and has been poorly received. I am so sorry to hear this. I am friends with a couple of MM Romance authors based out of my city in Australia, and I have heard some horrific stories of the kind of mail they receive. I really hope sales of Bootleg Diva pickup, because I want to see the author receive the recognician she deserves for the work she have put in to incredible book.
While I became more and more invested in Levi and Jude's history as the books went on (FANTASTIC cliffhanger in Offside Chance by the way!), I ended up reading Bootleg Diva in one sitting. I stayed up until 3.30am reading it, and then lay awake for another hour contemplating what I had just read. Imagining what happened off-page, and what would come next. I can't remember the last time a book did that for me (and for the record- I am a librarian. I read A LOT).
Prior to Boodleg Diva we all knew the brothers had a pretty shitty childhood. We all guessed that Levi had done some things he wasn't proud of while he was in the closet. But nothing that was implied, or that I imagined, could have prepared me for what was coming. It was some horrific reading, but I was sucked in and couldn't tear myself away.
Honestly, I believe Bootleg Diva is her best work of the series (I have not yet read any of your other work). It was of significantly higher quality in terms of writing style, character development and emotional depth.
After finishing the book I checked out her website, hoping to seem some hint of when Blindsided was due out, only to find out that Bootleg Diva is in fact a new release, and has been poorly received. I am so sorry to hear this. I am friends with a couple of MM Romance authors based out of my city in Australia, and I have heard some horrific stories of the kind of mail they receive. I really hope sales of Bootleg Diva pickup, because I want to see the author receive the recognician she deserves for the work she have put in to incredible book.
August 31, 2016
I'm sure my friends will wonder why I didn't rate this 5 stars like many of them did. I liked the story. I love Levi/Liv. My heart broke for all he went through. My heart broke for Jude. I loved the secondary characters like George/Gigi. But I hated the ending. Hated. It.
In fact, two days later, I'm still hating it. I just reread it and I've even already read the next book in the series (devoured Last Man Standing) and I still hate the ending. And I'm not happy with the author at all. {stomps foot} Not. Happy.
So I allowed my "upsetedness" to take this from a 5, a rating which it may indeed deserve without a certain chapter in it, to a 4. I'm sure this book is a keystone in the plan the author has for the series. And I may come back to it once the series is complete. And I may find that it's 5+ stars at that time. Just not ready for that yet.
If you are a fan of the series, you will probably love it. Just get out the tissues.
And caution: This one is dark, with violence, hate, rape, abuse, and many other triggers.
In fact, two days later, I'm still hating it. I just reread it and I've even already read the next book in the series (devoured Last Man Standing) and I still hate the ending. And I'm not happy with the author at all. {stomps foot} Not. Happy.
So I allowed my "upsetedness" to take this from a 5, a rating which it may indeed deserve without a certain chapter in it, to a 4. I'm sure this book is a keystone in the plan the author has for the series. And I may come back to it once the series is complete. And I may find that it's 5+ stars at that time. Just not ready for that yet.
If you are a fan of the series, you will probably love it. Just get out the tissues.
And caution: This one is dark, with violence, hate, rape, abuse, and many other triggers.
Read
June 14, 2016No rating. I need to reread this at a later time when I'm in a different frame of mind. This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but Levi experiences so much angst, drama, and hardship that it becomes unbelievable. I was pulled in, until I wasn't.
And that cliffhanger...
I'll give this another chance closer to the release of the next book. I don't know why I can't seem to give up on this series. I don't want to look, but I can't look away. This pic of a Ferrari 348TB driven off into a drainage ditch pretty much sums it up.
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And that cliffhanger...
I'll give this another chance closer to the release of the next book. I don't know why I can't seem to give up on this series. I don't want to look, but I can't look away. This pic of a Ferrari 348TB driven off into a drainage ditch pretty much sums it up.
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August 24, 2016
This was a hard, emotional read. I felt so bad for Levi and all the shit life threw at him. And OMG did he get shit thrown at him. It seemed like a never ending cycle of angst and drama and heartache. The few times that he found some small bits of happiness prior to Tracy were glossed over to get back to the sad, which is the reason for the loss of that star. Levi was never my favorite character (that spot is held by Jude), but I find myself seeing him in a new way now. I can't wait to get my hands on Blindsided so I can see how these brothers resolve the issues in their relationship. I think I might just need to go back and reread the whole series now.
February 11, 2017
Goes a long long way towards understanding Levi
For a long time I didn't like Levi in the other Southern Scrimmage stories, even in his own romance he was a difficult character to warm too.
This book goes a long way to explaining why he is as he is and I think I finally fell in love with him, imperfections, demons and feather boas all.
It would be nice to finally get the concluding part of his story but Blindsided doesn't seem to have made it to the publishers yet.
For a long time I didn't like Levi in the other Southern Scrimmage stories, even in his own romance he was a difficult character to warm too.
This book goes a long way to explaining why he is as he is and I think I finally fell in love with him, imperfections, demons and feather boas all.
It would be nice to finally get the concluding part of his story but Blindsided doesn't seem to have made it to the publishers yet.
March 31, 2017
Mercy has no mercy.
First, I was halfway through reading this when the Orlando massacre happened. So I was in a sad mood, distracted by TV and FB so that affected how I felt about much of the second half.
Second, I want to let people know that there are scenes that could be triggers; pedophilia, dub-don, non-con, violence and gay bashing. There's not graphic descriptions, but if I was disturbed by some of it, I wanted to warn others.
Mercy wrote a brilliant, brutal life survival story for Levi, the troubled and incredibly talented QB from Sidelined. Parts of his story as well as his brother Jude's are also in Offside Chance and it all begins in Six Ways From Sunday. Reading them all is highly recommended and really, just necessary to even comprehend this book. I have all three of these on my endless rereads list and this story will join it.
The story will gut you and then leave you foaming at the mouth. Mercy has committed the unpardonable sin of writing a heart wrenching epilogue. Okay, not unpardonable, just grounds to hunt her down and flog her with my E reader. It it still worth reading every word. I will be leaping to read the next book when it comes out and I hope it's sooner than later!
First, I was halfway through reading this when the Orlando massacre happened. So I was in a sad mood, distracted by TV and FB so that affected how I felt about much of the second half.
Second, I want to let people know that there are scenes that could be triggers; pedophilia, dub-don, non-con, violence and gay bashing. There's not graphic descriptions, but if I was disturbed by some of it, I wanted to warn others.
Mercy wrote a brilliant, brutal life survival story for Levi, the troubled and incredibly talented QB from Sidelined. Parts of his story as well as his brother Jude's are also in Offside Chance and it all begins in Six Ways From Sunday. Reading them all is highly recommended and really, just necessary to even comprehend this book. I have all three of these on my endless rereads list and this story will join it.
The story will gut you and then leave you foaming at the mouth. Mercy has committed the unpardonable sin of writing a heart wrenching epilogue. Okay, not unpardonable, just grounds to hunt her down and flog her with my E reader. It it still worth reading every word. I will be leaping to read the next book when it comes out and I hope it's sooner than later!
August 1, 2016
READ PRIOR WORKS IN SERIES FIRST!
Not an easy read. Levy/Levi is one of my favorite characters. Now he tells his life story in his own words. This is all him. All others are just as he perceives them. Emotional. I just finished reading this book and I feel my heart is torn to pieces. The third book has some serious editing problems. This one did not. Must read the next book.
Not an easy read. Levy/Levi is one of my favorite characters. Now he tells his life story in his own words. This is all him. All others are just as he perceives them. Emotional. I just finished reading this book and I feel my heart is torn to pieces. The third book has some serious editing problems. This one did not. Must read the next book.
October 3, 2016
I loved Levi/Livy in his and his brother's books. Was so glad to read this autobiography. I felt like I understood both boys better.
July 21, 2017
This was a good book but man it was hard to read. Poor Levi went through so much, and then the ending? No. Just NO. I don't know why the author wanted to torture us as well, give us characters we come to love and then do what she did. I thought after all the crap Levi went through that we would focus on his happy ending-meeting with Tracy and maybe get a bit more HEA. Not at all. The book kept my attention, I'm not denying the writing was good. But I think the author forgot the genre she was writing and took a chance to write something serious. Good book but very heavy. I wish I had quit on book 3. I ready book 5 and that sucked worse and I'm not going to even touch book 6-i'm heeding the warnings. If you liked the first three books-stop there. If you want to read this one, maybe wait awhile before you do, get some distance, cuz its gonna hurt.
September 19, 2016
I caught a glimpse of someone's review and she said that Levi went through so much in this book (maybe too much) and she was correct. He just couldn't get a break. With all the sex Levi had in this book I'm surprised the only thing he got was . . .
The book did keep my interest but it felt really long. I didn't quite understand some of the choices Levi made. It also pissed me off that we get two separate scenes of gays bashing against Levi. What was up with that? I can understand if it's just one guy who's conflicted but we had two threesome scenes where two different set of guys almost beat Levi to death. Do we now need gays bashing gays? WTF??
I knew Levi eventually got his HEA so I wasn't on pins and needles while reading.
The book did keep my interest but it felt really long. I didn't quite understand some of the choices Levi made. It also pissed me off that we get two separate scenes of gays bashing against Levi. What was up with that? I can understand if it's just one guy who's conflicted but we had two threesome scenes where two different set of guys almost beat Levi to death. Do we now need gays bashing gays? WTF??
I knew Levi eventually got his HEA so I wasn't on pins and needles while reading.
October 2, 2021
Most of this story killed me. I really don't recommend reading this at work -- it's not the sex scenes (well, some of those did put me a little off kilter for a bit), but all the massive amounts of crap that Levi/Livy has gone through to get to the end of the story that almost put me over the edge. And the ending? Yeah, tbh I started the next book, got two chapters in, and decided that I needed to read something a little lighter...so I'm now reading an art theft mystery, since that hopefully won't set off my tear ducts quite as much! I know I'll be back for the next book, but maybe after something a little less heartbreaking.
June 18, 2016
Christ on a bike, what a fucking ride!
Levi is one of my favorite character ever and when I saw this book was out I immediately picked it up to read it. While we knew parts of Levi story from previous book, getting it all like this fucking broke me. I just wanted to take him away from everyone and everything and protect him and tell him how precious he truly is and how the world doesn't fucking deserve my Leebaby. then I'd consider giving him back to Tracy.
and that fucking end???? with all due respect, Ms Celeste, what the fuck? give me blindside!!!!
Levi is one of my favorite character ever and when I saw this book was out I immediately picked it up to read it. While we knew parts of Levi story from previous book, getting it all like this fucking broke me. I just wanted to take him away from everyone and everything and protect him and tell him how precious he truly is and how the world doesn't fucking deserve my Leebaby. then I'd consider giving him back to Tracy.
and that fucking end???? with all due respect, Ms Celeste, what the fuck? give me blindside!!!!
September 3, 2016
I don't even know what to say. This was heartbreaking, but I couldn't put it down. Even though I know that Levi finds his true love, the journey he had on the way is, well, horrifying really. But he survives, and continues to fight, even when he feels like there's nothing left in him to fight with. His love for his brother, his ultimate refusal to give in to his past abuse and trauma, all of it just took my breath away. This is one of those books that stays with you long after the last page is turned and the final words are read.
June 11, 2016
Holy Angst!!! What a book... So emotional & heartbreaking, I was a crying mess.. Oh Levi, I could of crawled inside me Ereader & hugged him if I could :( The end... Grrrrr... I lost it, wanted to flick my Ereader & my heart hurt a lot, I need next book now please?! ;)
July 3, 2016
Mercy, mercy me. Always leave them wanting more must be Mercy Celestes' motto. This book was brilliant and brilliantly written. I just want to hug Levi until it hurts, like the words on the pages.
232 pages
232 pages
August 28, 2016
I love Levi
June 16, 2023
2023…best so far, heartbreaking
December 9, 2016
I'm in love with Levi Brody. He's a beautiful soul. He has just tried to survive his entire life and aches to be true to himself. I don't want to give spoilers, but I recommend everyone read this book....and series. I can't wait to read the rest of this beautiful mans story. Levi is someone I want to pull into a hug, tell him he's perfect and that he is very much loved.....If he was a real person anyway! ❤️❤️❤️
May 24, 2018
So many details to fill in all the little spaces in the previous stories. They make it all feel more real.
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