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Players of LA #2
Fair Catch
Two men.
One night of passion.
They never expected to see each other again.
They were wrong.
Tobias Bennett is a quiet and unassuming man who teaches yoga and enjoys parkour. Though he is proud to be gay, an abusive relationship with a domineering man has left Tobias wary of romance, and he keeps to himself in his tidy Los Angeles apartment.
Pro football player Sullivan Archer is Tobias’s complete opposite: loud, brash, fond of the spotlight… and deep in the closet. When a hamstring injury sends Van to Tobias as part of his therapy, neither of them is expecting to come face-to-face with his one-night stand. Now they’re stuck together throughout Van’s healing process, and the close proximity will force them to deal with some hard truths. For Tobias, it’s realizing his hookup is a celebrity. For Van, it means accepting that he likes Tobias more than he wanted. They’ll both have to acknowledge that if they choose to pursue a relationship, their lives will change in big ways.
*The Players of LA Series are standalones, but characters from each book to appear in subsequent novels. It is recommended to read in order to maximize the reading experience*
One night of passion.
They never expected to see each other again.
They were wrong.
Tobias Bennett is a quiet and unassuming man who teaches yoga and enjoys parkour. Though he is proud to be gay, an abusive relationship with a domineering man has left Tobias wary of romance, and he keeps to himself in his tidy Los Angeles apartment.
Pro football player Sullivan Archer is Tobias’s complete opposite: loud, brash, fond of the spotlight… and deep in the closet. When a hamstring injury sends Van to Tobias as part of his therapy, neither of them is expecting to come face-to-face with his one-night stand. Now they’re stuck together throughout Van’s healing process, and the close proximity will force them to deal with some hard truths. For Tobias, it’s realizing his hookup is a celebrity. For Van, it means accepting that he likes Tobias more than he wanted. They’ll both have to acknowledge that if they choose to pursue a relationship, their lives will change in big ways.
*The Players of LA Series are standalones, but characters from each book to appear in subsequent novels. It is recommended to read in order to maximize the reading experience*
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2017
3 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Carman
6 books34 followersLeigh Carman is the pen name for the M/M romances written by bestselling Contemporary romance writer, Heather C. Leigh.
She lives outside Houston, TX with her husband, 2 kids, and snorty French bulldog named Shelby.
She has left explicit directions in her will requiring her friends to discreetly scatter her ashes around Fenway Park. Then they can sit back, watch the Sox with a beer and a Fenway frank in hand while having a wicked good time.
She lives outside Houston, TX with her husband, 2 kids, and snorty French bulldog named Shelby.
She has left explicit directions in her will requiring her friends to discreetly scatter her ashes around Fenway Park. Then they can sit back, watch the Sox with a beer and a Fenway frank in hand while having a wicked good time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 27, 2017
1.5 HEARTS--Told in dual first person POV, Fair Catch is a new adult romance (I use that term in the loosest of terms) between 22 year old yoga instructor, parkour enthusiast, genius techie and millionaire 5' 6" Tobias "Toby" Bennett and 25 year old Superbowl winning, best NFL wide receiver in the league, 6' 6" alpha male Sullivan "Van" Archer.
That's a lot of hats these main characters wear. Usually when I read a story that give their MC holds many titles, it's used as the depth and characteristics that story lacks.
So is the case with Fair Catch. It was the equivalent of reading about paper thin types play acting a romance. I'm not a fan of those.
Also this story doesn't have trigger warnings, so let me get those out the way: domestic abuse, gay bashing, attempted rape and domestic violence.
The story starts out roughly, Toby (the smaller, beautiful owner of crystalline eyes) is herded into an office but a club owner (best friend of Van) for closeted Van Archer's pick of ass for the night. Toby was celibate and allegedly wary of others since his last relationship, one with a controlling abusive older, larger lawyer. So what does young Toby do when grabbed and told to go into the room? Why he drops to his knees and hooks up with the intimidating stranger's friend. Makes sense.
This monumental hookup is mentioned in the blurb, however, there is no description of this life changing scene, just exaltation of why the MC is so beautiful and smaller, there's a foot difference in height, don't you know?
The story jumps around to Van winning the Superbowl but getting an owwie. Then we jump to a yoga class with Toby as the teach. And it continues to jump all around to make for a bumpy transitions, declarations of not doing an action and then doing it either before or a few paragraphs down the line. The disjointed brand of story telling continues throughout. And the thing is, though weeks and months pass, the main characters basically spend a handful of days together, with no meaningful events written and shown to the reader.
Oh, there is sex. Repetitive sex that I could write the script for you: big hulking guy manhandles the little guy, calls him "beautiful" two finger probe into the "little hole", condom, lube, insert dick, thrust, "mine", cums and falls on top. Rinse and repeat.
Fair Catch was swimming around the 2.5 mark until the repeated attempted rapes plot line. Actually it's right around when the unnecessary villain/ex-boyfriend with the extremely weak blackmail twist was thrown in. After that, the story went onto an over the top tangent with a lot of bruises, tears, possessive behavior and and stereotypes.
The best things about the novel is the concept and the readability. It's very simple to read and you can quickly zip through.
The negatives outweigh the positives however.
The writing style - Too telling, contradictory and relies on stereotypical characters to make the story "interesting" and for added drama. The telling is so heavy, an example is that a character would need to look in the mirror to tell the reader they were horny and describe to you, instead of just writing it and letting the reader figure it out on their own. To say the book needed a through edit, content wise, is not wrong. There are too many examples of this writing style where it fails to showcase the character. More descriptive and time were spent on the superficial things rather than letting the character have a hint of depth. And key scenes that could have actually used a thorough description were ignored.
All of the character could instantly know what the other characters were thinking, been through, etc. Maybe clairvoyant is an unofficial hat to add to the list of jobs they all have.
The stereotypes - I really was not a fan of the way Leo, Toby's best friend was written. He was nothing more that a loud color wearing, cock hound who went into hysterics at a drop of a hat.
The abuse/domestic violence - I am always on the side of an abuse victim. However they react is their right. This book minimizes abuse (also again the characters can just tell what happened to each other):
"My last boyfriend. He was... not nice."
"What do you mean?" Then Leo gasps, gripping his shirt over his chest. "Oh My God, Toby. Did he hit you?"
"Not exactly. Well, sort of. I don't know, Leo. It was abusive, I know, but it all built up over such a long period of time, I didn't realize what was going on until it was too late."
Toby can't tell if he was abused? It was just last year when he described being raped and beaten. Or the fact Toby stated he felt worse for his friend being called homophobic slurs than suffering through actual physical abuse and being raped. Both are horrible, let me be clear, but they are not equal.
And in case the past rape wasn't used enough, the attempted rape plot device was added... TWICE!
To create dramatic effect? The last one made no sense, nor did it add to anything other than it gave the alpha hero a shot to flex his muscles and allegedly save the day. The thing is Van wasn't there the first time the attempted rape card was brought to the table and he didn't seem as cut about it afterwards.
Van - I know he's supposed to read like a good guy. But the way he was written was not as effective, He realized his true self as being a gay man by not wearing sweats and sneakers but rather tailored, designer clothes. Seriously? Or how about the fact he knows about Toby's abused past but didn't care when he got mad at his lover and started to go apeshit on him? Or manhandling Toby in the heat of sexy times so soon after Toby gets beaten again.
If an abuse victim closes himself off from others, why would Van be the one to break their celibacy on? Nothing was shown to support that. The reader is told they're horny for one another, told they're soul mates, told they love each other...but nothing is shown.
This book has the potential to appeal to certain readers, if you rather not learn main characters' life stories, just want a beginning and middle and end with some sex thrown in and a lot of drama, then Fair Catch might be the book for you.
For me:
I'm sure this is my last Leigh Carman I'll read.
A copy provided for an honest review.
That's a lot of hats these main characters wear. Usually when I read a story that give their MC holds many titles, it's used as the depth and characteristics that story lacks.
So is the case with Fair Catch. It was the equivalent of reading about paper thin types play acting a romance. I'm not a fan of those.
Also this story doesn't have trigger warnings, so let me get those out the way: domestic abuse, gay bashing, attempted rape and domestic violence.
The story starts out roughly, Toby (the smaller, beautiful owner of crystalline eyes) is herded into an office but a club owner (best friend of Van) for closeted Van Archer's pick of ass for the night. Toby was celibate and allegedly wary of others since his last relationship, one with a controlling abusive older, larger lawyer. So what does young Toby do when grabbed and told to go into the room? Why he drops to his knees and hooks up with the intimidating stranger's friend. Makes sense.
This monumental hookup is mentioned in the blurb, however, there is no description of this life changing scene, just exaltation of why the MC is so beautiful and smaller, there's a foot difference in height, don't you know?
The story jumps around to Van winning the Superbowl but getting an owwie. Then we jump to a yoga class with Toby as the teach. And it continues to jump all around to make for a bumpy transitions, declarations of not doing an action and then doing it either before or a few paragraphs down the line. The disjointed brand of story telling continues throughout. And the thing is, though weeks and months pass, the main characters basically spend a handful of days together, with no meaningful events written and shown to the reader.
Oh, there is sex. Repetitive sex that I could write the script for you: big hulking guy manhandles the little guy, calls him "beautiful" two finger probe into the "little hole", condom, lube, insert dick, thrust, "mine", cums and falls on top. Rinse and repeat.
Fair Catch was swimming around the 2.5 mark until the repeated attempted rapes plot line. Actually it's right around when the unnecessary villain/ex-boyfriend with the extremely weak blackmail twist was thrown in. After that, the story went onto an over the top tangent with a lot of bruises, tears, possessive behavior and and stereotypes.
The best things about the novel is the concept and the readability. It's very simple to read and you can quickly zip through.
The negatives outweigh the positives however.
The writing style - Too telling, contradictory and relies on stereotypical characters to make the story "interesting" and for added drama. The telling is so heavy, an example is that a character would need to look in the mirror to tell the reader they were horny and describe to you, instead of just writing it and letting the reader figure it out on their own. To say the book needed a through edit, content wise, is not wrong. There are too many examples of this writing style where it fails to showcase the character. More descriptive and time were spent on the superficial things rather than letting the character have a hint of depth. And key scenes that could have actually used a thorough description were ignored.
All of the character could instantly know what the other characters were thinking, been through, etc. Maybe clairvoyant is an unofficial hat to add to the list of jobs they all have.
The stereotypes - I really was not a fan of the way Leo, Toby's best friend was written. He was nothing more that a loud color wearing, cock hound who went into hysterics at a drop of a hat.
The abuse/domestic violence - I am always on the side of an abuse victim. However they react is their right. This book minimizes abuse (also again the characters can just tell what happened to each other):
"My last boyfriend. He was... not nice."
"What do you mean?" Then Leo gasps, gripping his shirt over his chest. "Oh My God, Toby. Did he hit you?"
"Not exactly. Well, sort of. I don't know, Leo. It was abusive, I know, but it all built up over such a long period of time, I didn't realize what was going on until it was too late."
Toby can't tell if he was abused? It was just last year when he described being raped and beaten. Or the fact Toby stated he felt worse for his friend being called homophobic slurs than suffering through actual physical abuse and being raped. Both are horrible, let me be clear, but they are not equal.
And in case the past rape wasn't used enough, the attempted rape plot device was added... TWICE!
To create dramatic effect? The last one made no sense, nor did it add to anything other than it gave the alpha hero a shot to flex his muscles and allegedly save the day. The thing is Van wasn't there the first time the attempted rape card was brought to the table and he didn't seem as cut about it afterwards.
Van - I know he's supposed to read like a good guy. But the way he was written was not as effective, He realized his true self as being a gay man by not wearing sweats and sneakers but rather tailored, designer clothes. Seriously? Or how about the fact he knows about Toby's abused past but didn't care when he got mad at his lover and started to go apeshit on him? Or manhandling Toby in the heat of sexy times so soon after Toby gets beaten again.
If an abuse victim closes himself off from others, why would Van be the one to break their celibacy on? Nothing was shown to support that. The reader is told they're horny for one another, told they're soul mates, told they love each other...but nothing is shown.
This book has the potential to appeal to certain readers, if you rather not learn main characters' life stories, just want a beginning and middle and end with some sex thrown in and a lot of drama, then Fair Catch might be the book for you.
For me:
I'm sure this is my last Leigh Carman I'll read.
A copy provided for an honest review.
Read
March 15, 2017DNF 80%
-Choppy writing
-Contrived drama
-Predictable villain
This is not for me. Sorry.
-Choppy writing
-Contrived drama
-Predictable villain
This is not for me. Sorry.
March 21, 2017
4 stars – Fair Catch is my second exposure to author Leigh Carman, and it’s another dramatic storyline built around a professional athlete. In spite of the fact that the plot was largely predictable once the elements were set up and that the characters were much the same as their counterparts in other M/M novels using the same trope, the storytelling and the intensity of the connection between the main characters is what kept me hooked and ultimately led to my enjoyment of the story.
Tobias Bennett wasn’t at the gay bar looking for a hookup, but it happened, and not only was the guy incredibly hot, their connection seemed genuine. But Toby’s only real relationship was with an abusive man who now has him afraid to pursue anything—even hooking up was way out of character for him. NFL wide receiver Sullivan “Van” Archer is among the best in the game and wants to keep it that way, despite the fact that it means hiding his true desires and limits him to meaningless one-night stands. After a serious injury puts him back in the path of the hot guy his friend hooked him up with all those months ago—the guy who ran off like a spooked animal, the guy Van hasn’t been able to forget—he breaks tradition and decides to go for more. But if they’re going to work as a couple, they’ll both need to overcome their own big issues and learn how to trust one another.
Sports romances are often among my favorites in the genre of M/M romance, but I have read enough of them now so that I can say that when one of the main characters is a professional athlete (especially a professional football player) and the other is not, they are often so similar to others in the subgenre that there is a definite risk of these characters being cliché. On the surface, Van’s character fits the pro-athlete stereotype of this sort of book: he’s at the top of his game, deeply closeted, and petrified of what would happen if his secret were to become public. Toby’s character also fits the mold in many ways: he is clueless about who the athlete is, supports (to some degree) the decision to keep the relationship hidden but isn’t happy about it, and ultimately gets hurt once there is a serious threat of the secret being revealed. And probably the biggest relationship factor that’s common to this category of book comes through loud and clear in this one as well: communication is a huge problem between them.
But it’s the background plot involving Toby and his ex-boyfriend that keeps Fair Catch from being just another example of the cookie-cutter professional-athlete trope. Their past makes Toby so leery to get involved with Van that twice in the early stages of the story, Toby ends things before they can get too close. And that’s not counting the initial hookup that starts the story. This makes for a good and frustrating slow burn, because weeks and months pass between these episodes where both keep thinking of the other but neither takes the step to get back into contact. The intensity of their physical desire for one another adds to the problem. For the reader, it’s blazing hot, but for the characters, it comes at the price of overpowering their need to communicate with one another in order to keep their problems from getting worse.
While this could have made it difficult to connect with the characters, the individual character development and the pacing of the novel had me wanting these two to stop running from each other and get their acts together, both individually and jointly. The conflict between them is also the common formula the subgenre—Toby doesn’t want to be Van’s dirty little secret, Van knows Toby deserves better but doesn’t think he can be that man, and so on—but then throw in the ugly drama of Toby’s abusive and domineering ex into the mix and things get quite angsty. Powder keg, meet lit fuse. From a broad-brush standpoint, this part of the plot is also largely predictable, but because I had developed an attachment to the characters and their tumultuous relationship, the inevitable explosion kept me flipping the pages until it was resolved because I wanted everything to work for them, both individually and together.
Fair Catch had all the makings of a book that should have been only meh for me. But instead, it was a sizzling, intense, and dramatic read that had just the right amount of vulnerability and sweetness in the characters that I couldn’t put it down. I think the reason was simple: instead of what we might expect out of such a pairing in the real world, here it’s Toby, as the everyday guy, who inspires Van, the guy at the top of the heap, to become a better person not only for Toby but for himself. And that’s the sort of thing that keeps me reading romance as a genre.
The author and/or publisher generously provided me a complimentary copy of Fair Catch in exchange for this fair and honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
Tobias Bennett wasn’t at the gay bar looking for a hookup, but it happened, and not only was the guy incredibly hot, their connection seemed genuine. But Toby’s only real relationship was with an abusive man who now has him afraid to pursue anything—even hooking up was way out of character for him. NFL wide receiver Sullivan “Van” Archer is among the best in the game and wants to keep it that way, despite the fact that it means hiding his true desires and limits him to meaningless one-night stands. After a serious injury puts him back in the path of the hot guy his friend hooked him up with all those months ago—the guy who ran off like a spooked animal, the guy Van hasn’t been able to forget—he breaks tradition and decides to go for more. But if they’re going to work as a couple, they’ll both need to overcome their own big issues and learn how to trust one another.
Sports romances are often among my favorites in the genre of M/M romance, but I have read enough of them now so that I can say that when one of the main characters is a professional athlete (especially a professional football player) and the other is not, they are often so similar to others in the subgenre that there is a definite risk of these characters being cliché. On the surface, Van’s character fits the pro-athlete stereotype of this sort of book: he’s at the top of his game, deeply closeted, and petrified of what would happen if his secret were to become public. Toby’s character also fits the mold in many ways: he is clueless about who the athlete is, supports (to some degree) the decision to keep the relationship hidden but isn’t happy about it, and ultimately gets hurt once there is a serious threat of the secret being revealed. And probably the biggest relationship factor that’s common to this category of book comes through loud and clear in this one as well: communication is a huge problem between them.
But it’s the background plot involving Toby and his ex-boyfriend that keeps Fair Catch from being just another example of the cookie-cutter professional-athlete trope. Their past makes Toby so leery to get involved with Van that twice in the early stages of the story, Toby ends things before they can get too close. And that’s not counting the initial hookup that starts the story. This makes for a good and frustrating slow burn, because weeks and months pass between these episodes where both keep thinking of the other but neither takes the step to get back into contact. The intensity of their physical desire for one another adds to the problem. For the reader, it’s blazing hot, but for the characters, it comes at the price of overpowering their need to communicate with one another in order to keep their problems from getting worse.
While this could have made it difficult to connect with the characters, the individual character development and the pacing of the novel had me wanting these two to stop running from each other and get their acts together, both individually and jointly. The conflict between them is also the common formula the subgenre—Toby doesn’t want to be Van’s dirty little secret, Van knows Toby deserves better but doesn’t think he can be that man, and so on—but then throw in the ugly drama of Toby’s abusive and domineering ex into the mix and things get quite angsty. Powder keg, meet lit fuse. From a broad-brush standpoint, this part of the plot is also largely predictable, but because I had developed an attachment to the characters and their tumultuous relationship, the inevitable explosion kept me flipping the pages until it was resolved because I wanted everything to work for them, both individually and together.
Fair Catch had all the makings of a book that should have been only meh for me. But instead, it was a sizzling, intense, and dramatic read that had just the right amount of vulnerability and sweetness in the characters that I couldn’t put it down. I think the reason was simple: instead of what we might expect out of such a pairing in the real world, here it’s Toby, as the everyday guy, who inspires Van, the guy at the top of the heap, to become a better person not only for Toby but for himself. And that’s the sort of thing that keeps me reading romance as a genre.
The author and/or publisher generously provided me a complimentary copy of Fair Catch in exchange for this fair and honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
March 13, 2017
When Van meets Toby and shares a hot club encounter, they never expected to see each other again. But when Van gets assigned to a yoga class by his trainer due to a healing injury, he is surprised to see his hook-up is the instructor. Thus begins the angsty back and forth between these two men who could not be more different.
Sullivan Archer is is living a double life. "Van" is gay and just wants to be in a real relationship, but "Sullivan" is a closeted football player who is worried that coming out would ruin his career. He is funny, caring, bold, protective, burly, and imposing. But he is afraid of truly being himself in public, and has to be aware of media attention. He struggles with what he wants and needs, and what he feels like he can really have. He never expected to have the kind of reaction he did to Toby, but feels stuck due to his fear and career.
Toby is quieter, centered, and avoids attention. He is gay, out, and fit, but smaller in stature. He is a yoga instructor and likes the adventure of parkour. He has been in an abusive relationship, so has trust issues and does not respond well to being dominated. His reaction to Van scares him. He's good at avoiding, running, or turning Van away and he has plenty of reasons and excuses.
Oh my... These two...The angst, the running, the fear, the lack of communication. Their chemistry was volatile so they would combust together, but then blow apart again. Toby didn't want to be a dirty secret. Van knew Toby deserved more, but still wanted him. Things would happen to cause issues, guilt, or hurt feelings and they would separate again. This roller coaster kept going on for months But it gave Van a reason to want to be a better man and to try to get a hold of his life. And for Toby to try to get his own life back and quit living in the shadow of his past. It wasn't easy and it did not happen overnight. There was heartbreak, separations, some really raw moments, and unpleasant scenes.
There were people against them. But they also had some good ones on their side. I loved Toby's flamboyant bestie, Leo, and Van's friends, Cal, and Griff. I wanted to cause bodily harm to Toby's horrible ex.
This was a love story between two opposites who weren't really looking but found a connection that they couldn't deny. But unfortunately they had a lot to straighten out in their lives in order to have a chance at anything more. Sometimes circumstances got in their way and other times they did with their own decisions or fears. I really liked Van and Toby even when they were driving me crazy. It was told in dual points of view that was especially important due to their internalized fears and communication issues. They never expected each other, but they changed each other's lives. But they both had risks to take in order to move forward.
I will admit that sometimes it felt a bit repetitive...in the beginning it was their physical descriptions, and later on it was the sex scenes that often got in the way of them actually talking about their problems. But overall it was an enjoyable sexy, sweet, dramatic, and emotional M/M story about a pro football player trying to find his way and the man that inspires him.
This is a complete stand alone and not related to the first book in the series. The male lead of the third book was briefly mentioned at the end of this one, but he was not part of the story.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
Sullivan Archer is is living a double life. "Van" is gay and just wants to be in a real relationship, but "Sullivan" is a closeted football player who is worried that coming out would ruin his career. He is funny, caring, bold, protective, burly, and imposing. But he is afraid of truly being himself in public, and has to be aware of media attention. He struggles with what he wants and needs, and what he feels like he can really have. He never expected to have the kind of reaction he did to Toby, but feels stuck due to his fear and career.
Toby is quieter, centered, and avoids attention. He is gay, out, and fit, but smaller in stature. He is a yoga instructor and likes the adventure of parkour. He has been in an abusive relationship, so has trust issues and does not respond well to being dominated. His reaction to Van scares him. He's good at avoiding, running, or turning Van away and he has plenty of reasons and excuses.
Oh my... These two...The angst, the running, the fear, the lack of communication. Their chemistry was volatile so they would combust together, but then blow apart again. Toby didn't want to be a dirty secret. Van knew Toby deserved more, but still wanted him. Things would happen to cause issues, guilt, or hurt feelings and they would separate again. This roller coaster kept going on for months But it gave Van a reason to want to be a better man and to try to get a hold of his life. And for Toby to try to get his own life back and quit living in the shadow of his past. It wasn't easy and it did not happen overnight. There was heartbreak, separations, some really raw moments, and unpleasant scenes.
There were people against them. But they also had some good ones on their side. I loved Toby's flamboyant bestie, Leo, and Van's friends, Cal, and Griff. I wanted to cause bodily harm to Toby's horrible ex.
This was a love story between two opposites who weren't really looking but found a connection that they couldn't deny. But unfortunately they had a lot to straighten out in their lives in order to have a chance at anything more. Sometimes circumstances got in their way and other times they did with their own decisions or fears. I really liked Van and Toby even when they were driving me crazy. It was told in dual points of view that was especially important due to their internalized fears and communication issues. They never expected each other, but they changed each other's lives. But they both had risks to take in order to move forward.
I will admit that sometimes it felt a bit repetitive...in the beginning it was their physical descriptions, and later on it was the sex scenes that often got in the way of them actually talking about their problems. But overall it was an enjoyable sexy, sweet, dramatic, and emotional M/M story about a pro football player trying to find his way and the man that inspires him.
This is a complete stand alone and not related to the first book in the series. The male lead of the third book was briefly mentioned at the end of this one, but he was not part of the story.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
May 16, 2017
This book was a big miss for me!
This book featured a yoga instructor, Tobias Bennett and an injured football player Sullivan Archer as they first met as an anonymous hookup, and then later as a part of injury therapy. Toby was out and Sullivan wasn't, so there was the secrecy thing as they sought to protect Van's successful football career. I had to put this one down several times because it didn't engage me at all. I really hate the non-communication thing between grown people. Seriously, people can't be this averse to talking or asking for what they want. Instead of talking, they humped each other silly.
The writing wasn't smooth and the characters were so shallow that I didn't feel a connection. Then there was sex, sex and more sex.
I didn't read book 1, but I was expecting more substance than I got in this book. Van and Toby were nice guys but the actual story is didn't impress.
I received this book for free from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
This book featured a yoga instructor, Tobias Bennett and an injured football player Sullivan Archer as they first met as an anonymous hookup, and then later as a part of injury therapy. Toby was out and Sullivan wasn't, so there was the secrecy thing as they sought to protect Van's successful football career. I had to put this one down several times because it didn't engage me at all. I really hate the non-communication thing between grown people. Seriously, people can't be this averse to talking or asking for what they want. Instead of talking, they humped each other silly.
The writing wasn't smooth and the characters were so shallow that I didn't feel a connection. Then there was sex, sex and more sex.
I didn't read book 1, but I was expecting more substance than I got in this book. Van and Toby were nice guys but the actual story is didn't impress.
I received this book for free from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2017
2.5 - 3 Stars
I loved the blurb and was really looking forward to this book, but it was kind of disappointing. I thought the relationship was a bit immature and annoying. Van and Toby were both stubborn and too quick to throw in the towel. The story needed more relationship time to make the love feel more believable. I love sex in books, but in this book it got in the way. Times where conversations should have been had to solve issues, the characters wound up falling into bed instead of communicating and trying to fix their problems. The writing felt choppy and some scenes felt somewhat incomplete. I thought the author could have focused much more on Van's teammates reaction to his coming out. It's just sort of an afterthought in the epilogue, and it's a shame, because I think it would have made an interesting scene. It also made his coming out a little anticlimactic.
I thought parts of the story were really unrealistic, particularly a scene with Toby's ex. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but there was a scene that I didn't understand the outcome of. It didn't make sense and again, the scene ended abruptly and the author moved on without involving the reader in something that I think we should have seen on page.
I feel bad because this is such a negative review, so I'll give you the things I liked about the story. I loved the secondary characters, especially Toby's best friend, Leo. He was funny and unapologetically himself. He was a great support system for Toby and I adored him. There were some sweet moments in this book and I liked the characters, I just wish we'd gotten more of them as a couple.
All in all, this wasn't a horrible book, it just needed some more work, I think. While I didn't really care for this book all that much, I'd be open to giving the author another try.
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.*
I loved the blurb and was really looking forward to this book, but it was kind of disappointing. I thought the relationship was a bit immature and annoying. Van and Toby were both stubborn and too quick to throw in the towel. The story needed more relationship time to make the love feel more believable. I love sex in books, but in this book it got in the way. Times where conversations should have been had to solve issues, the characters wound up falling into bed instead of communicating and trying to fix their problems. The writing felt choppy and some scenes felt somewhat incomplete. I thought the author could have focused much more on Van's teammates reaction to his coming out. It's just sort of an afterthought in the epilogue, and it's a shame, because I think it would have made an interesting scene. It also made his coming out a little anticlimactic.
I thought parts of the story were really unrealistic, particularly a scene with Toby's ex. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but there was a scene that I didn't understand the outcome of. It didn't make sense and again, the scene ended abruptly and the author moved on without involving the reader in something that I think we should have seen on page.
I feel bad because this is such a negative review, so I'll give you the things I liked about the story. I loved the secondary characters, especially Toby's best friend, Leo. He was funny and unapologetically himself. He was a great support system for Toby and I adored him. There were some sweet moments in this book and I liked the characters, I just wish we'd gotten more of them as a couple.
All in all, this wasn't a horrible book, it just needed some more work, I think. While I didn't really care for this book all that much, I'd be open to giving the author another try.
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.*
March 13, 2017
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
There were some really sweet moments in this story about Van, an American football star and Toby, his yoga teacher. While much of the storyline is familiar to any readers of m/m sports romance (closeted star/secret relationship/threat of exposure), Toby’s personal experiences with an ex-boyfriend add a layer of suspense to the story.
I like Van. He wears his star status lightly and reacts with kindness in difficult situations. For a main character and a romantic lead, he feels a little underdeveloped. I wanted to know more of his past and I wanted him to have hobbies and interests.
This is really Toby’s story as most of the book is told from his perspective. I really didn’t warm to him. When he isn’t whipping himself into an emotional frenzy and playing hot and cold with Van, he’s allowing himself to be bullied by the ex-boyfriend he’s attempting to hide from. Meh. He’s a bit of a damp squib.
The action sequences that focused on Toby and Austin, his ex, were a little bit bewildering at times. I hate it when an author allows characters to ignore the simple solution (call the police), in an obvious effort to draw out drama and tension. All the miscommunication in this story felt so contrived and repetitive that I wasn’t terribly invested in the final outcome of Van and Toby’s relationship.
This is my first book by this author and I struggled with her writing style. I found the writing quite choppy and the dialogue didn’t always ring true. There was more ‘telling’ than ‘showing’ in this book and as a result, the characters and situations didn’t quite feel real to me. Writing style is always a personal preference, so I’d urge readers to download a sample and make up their own minds.
There were some really sweet moments in this story about Van, an American football star and Toby, his yoga teacher. While much of the storyline is familiar to any readers of m/m sports romance (closeted star/secret relationship/threat of exposure), Toby’s personal experiences with an ex-boyfriend add a layer of suspense to the story.
I like Van. He wears his star status lightly and reacts with kindness in difficult situations. For a main character and a romantic lead, he feels a little underdeveloped. I wanted to know more of his past and I wanted him to have hobbies and interests.
This is really Toby’s story as most of the book is told from his perspective. I really didn’t warm to him. When he isn’t whipping himself into an emotional frenzy and playing hot and cold with Van, he’s allowing himself to be bullied by the ex-boyfriend he’s attempting to hide from. Meh. He’s a bit of a damp squib.
The action sequences that focused on Toby and Austin, his ex, were a little bit bewildering at times. I hate it when an author allows characters to ignore the simple solution (call the police), in an obvious effort to draw out drama and tension. All the miscommunication in this story felt so contrived and repetitive that I wasn’t terribly invested in the final outcome of Van and Toby’s relationship.
This is my first book by this author and I struggled with her writing style. I found the writing quite choppy and the dialogue didn’t always ring true. There was more ‘telling’ than ‘showing’ in this book and as a result, the characters and situations didn’t quite feel real to me. Writing style is always a personal preference, so I’d urge readers to download a sample and make up their own minds.
June 30, 2017
After enjoying the intense feelings and passion in ‘Match Point’, I was looking forward to another pairing of two men too stubborn to recognize they are made for each other. This time one is quiet and withdrawn and shying away from future relationships based on a bad experience with a domineering man. The other part of the future couple is a professional football player who is as loud and brash as he is deeply in the closet. Talk about opposites! While quite different than the first book in terms of plot and tone of the story, the emotions and issues between quiet Toby and pushy Van are just as intense as those found in Finn and Dexter’s story.
Toby and Van’s relationship starts in a rather unusual way. Neither of them expects a hookup: Toby is too scared of strangers to normally attempt something like that, and Van is too well known to be seen in a gay club, so he has the club manager bring the men he is interested in to him instead. Once they meet neither is opposed to some quick, dirty interaction, and both expect never to see the other man again.
Fate has other plans.
The next time they run into each other, Van has been told to take some yoga to help him heal from a hamstring injury, and Toby is shocked to find out whom he will be working with. Both are shocked, but for different reasons, and both quickly realize their short encounter may have been only the beginning of something between them neither of them wants to acknowledge was more than lust. But, as Van’s health improves and they get attached to each other, they discover a compatibility beyond the physical – and that is when the real problems start.
Just like the first story in the series, the two main characters “speak” in alternate first person, and it enabled me to get really close to each of their thought processes and feelings. Sometimes that was painful, since I was really close to Toby’s fears of being overwhelmed and dominated again as well as his reaction to the a**hole ex making an ugly reappearance. Van’s dilemma between personal happiness and his success and fame as a professional football player wasn’t an easy situation to deal with either. Seeing them both struggle up-close-and-personal made reading this book quite an experience.
If you like stories about opposites who attract, if you want to watch two men go from one casual hookup to a deeply passionate relationship, and if you’re looking for a read that is as frustrating as it is emotional and has lots of character growth on both sides, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Toby and Van’s relationship starts in a rather unusual way. Neither of them expects a hookup: Toby is too scared of strangers to normally attempt something like that, and Van is too well known to be seen in a gay club, so he has the club manager bring the men he is interested in to him instead. Once they meet neither is opposed to some quick, dirty interaction, and both expect never to see the other man again.
Fate has other plans.
The next time they run into each other, Van has been told to take some yoga to help him heal from a hamstring injury, and Toby is shocked to find out whom he will be working with. Both are shocked, but for different reasons, and both quickly realize their short encounter may have been only the beginning of something between them neither of them wants to acknowledge was more than lust. But, as Van’s health improves and they get attached to each other, they discover a compatibility beyond the physical – and that is when the real problems start.
Just like the first story in the series, the two main characters “speak” in alternate first person, and it enabled me to get really close to each of their thought processes and feelings. Sometimes that was painful, since I was really close to Toby’s fears of being overwhelmed and dominated again as well as his reaction to the a**hole ex making an ugly reappearance. Van’s dilemma between personal happiness and his success and fame as a professional football player wasn’t an easy situation to deal with either. Seeing them both struggle up-close-and-personal made reading this book quite an experience.
If you like stories about opposites who attract, if you want to watch two men go from one casual hookup to a deeply passionate relationship, and if you’re looking for a read that is as frustrating as it is emotional and has lots of character growth on both sides, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
March 21, 2017
I have to say, I loved the matchup of Toby and Van. From their very first meeting they just felt so right, I was hooked on the two of them from the start. And while there's the predictable angst from the pairing of a closeted guy with someone who's out along with an obvious bad guy in Toby's ex, I still really enjoyed seeing how Toby quickly became a part of Van's heart.
Angst point #1. Any time you have gay characters in an uber-masculine setting--like professional football--it opens up the gates for homophobia, and Fair Catch does have its share of this with some of Van's teammates. Angst point #2. Add on an ex who was emotionally and physically abusive. Angst point #3. Accelerate with said ex upping the ante with some truly deplorable behavior, which continues to escalate as the story progresses. And cue the crazy drama and tension overload. At times it might seem excessive, but all of this actually works quite well for this story. It certainly did keep my attention.
But my favorite part about this story is the relationship that develops between Toby and Van. Toby has been so hurt in the past, and Van is not ready to come out--they each have their issues, but when they are together they really are wonderful. Their chemistry is strong and heated, and their physical scenes are the kind you need an extra set of batteries on hand for. I did get a bit irritated with Van and his actions-or rather non-actions-with his teammates, and I was frustrated some with Toby for not telling Van what was going on with his ex. But the emotion and love that flows between them is enough to override these things for me.
I liked that we get the story from both Toby and Van's points of view, I'm always a fan of getting both sides of the story since it does give the book more depth. There's also some good supporting characters, and I absolutely adored Toby's best friend and neighbor Leo.
Fair Catch gets 4 stars from me, and I do recommend this to M/M romance fans, particularly those who like sports romance. This story is definitely for readers 18+ (mmm, yes...you'll need a cool down after Toby and Van) for adult language and M/M sexual content, plus there are some scenes of attempted force/abuse and mentions of past abuse/rape that some readers may be sensitive to reading.
Angst point #1. Any time you have gay characters in an uber-masculine setting--like professional football--it opens up the gates for homophobia, and Fair Catch does have its share of this with some of Van's teammates. Angst point #2. Add on an ex who was emotionally and physically abusive. Angst point #3. Accelerate with said ex upping the ante with some truly deplorable behavior, which continues to escalate as the story progresses. And cue the crazy drama and tension overload. At times it might seem excessive, but all of this actually works quite well for this story. It certainly did keep my attention.
But my favorite part about this story is the relationship that develops between Toby and Van. Toby has been so hurt in the past, and Van is not ready to come out--they each have their issues, but when they are together they really are wonderful. Their chemistry is strong and heated, and their physical scenes are the kind you need an extra set of batteries on hand for. I did get a bit irritated with Van and his actions-or rather non-actions-with his teammates, and I was frustrated some with Toby for not telling Van what was going on with his ex. But the emotion and love that flows between them is enough to override these things for me.
I liked that we get the story from both Toby and Van's points of view, I'm always a fan of getting both sides of the story since it does give the book more depth. There's also some good supporting characters, and I absolutely adored Toby's best friend and neighbor Leo.
Fair Catch gets 4 stars from me, and I do recommend this to M/M romance fans, particularly those who like sports romance. This story is definitely for readers 18+ (mmm, yes...you'll need a cool down after Toby and Van) for adult language and M/M sexual content, plus there are some scenes of attempted force/abuse and mentions of past abuse/rape that some readers may be sensitive to reading.
March 23, 2017
The Blogger Girls
I love football, I love football players, and I really love to read about them in MM novels. This is the second book in the Players of LA series, and I was unsure if the author could back it up considering how much I liked the first book. In this case, I would say Ms. Carman is 2 – 0 and I am a lucky girl.
Tobey is a heartbreaker in this one, and Van, well he is a little bit too, just in a different way. This book covers a multitude of topics, from abusive ex’s, closeted celebrities, homophobic teammates, violence and attempted rape, but it also covers a very sexy and romantic relationship between the two men who have a lot to fear but who learn to put that fear aside and trust in each other.
From the sneak peek at the end of this story, we know that another naughty athlete, a hockey player this time, is on deck for book three. I didn’t read it, as I like to be surprised, but he sounds like he’s going to be a handful. I am all in and expecting the author to wow me for a third time. What I am really hoping for though, is that Leo shows up again. He was an amazing secondary character and deserves to find his happily ever after, too.
If you love coming out stories, big, big, big guys, a bit of angst, famous athletes, and happy endings than I suggest you give this series, and this book a try. You do not have to read them in order as they are easily stand alone with the common factor being that they are all men from LA.
I love football, I love football players, and I really love to read about them in MM novels. This is the second book in the Players of LA series, and I was unsure if the author could back it up considering how much I liked the first book. In this case, I would say Ms. Carman is 2 – 0 and I am a lucky girl.
Tobey is a heartbreaker in this one, and Van, well he is a little bit too, just in a different way. This book covers a multitude of topics, from abusive ex’s, closeted celebrities, homophobic teammates, violence and attempted rape, but it also covers a very sexy and romantic relationship between the two men who have a lot to fear but who learn to put that fear aside and trust in each other.
From the sneak peek at the end of this story, we know that another naughty athlete, a hockey player this time, is on deck for book three. I didn’t read it, as I like to be surprised, but he sounds like he’s going to be a handful. I am all in and expecting the author to wow me for a third time. What I am really hoping for though, is that Leo shows up again. He was an amazing secondary character and deserves to find his happily ever after, too.
If you love coming out stories, big, big, big guys, a bit of angst, famous athletes, and happy endings than I suggest you give this series, and this book a try. You do not have to read them in order as they are easily stand alone with the common factor being that they are all men from LA.
March 22, 2017
I really wanted to like this book. I really enjoyed Match Point so I had high hopes for this one. I honestly had to go back and make sure I was thinking of the right author on this one. Just too much of the same drama, over the top situations and unrealistic reactions to those situations. I am sometimes ok with all of that but something about this book didn't work for me. I will read others though, hopefully this is just a fluke.
March 9, 2017
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the second in a series, but I read it as a standalone, and enjoyed it a lot. As a big sports romance fan, I was very happy to find a new author to read.
It is not often that a side character really deserves first mention, but really Leo does! He was the unexpected voice of reason and champion of the closeted Van when things got tough. And his sartorial style and self confidence was very endearing too.
The story itself is well written, has a good pace, and deals with some big issues for both Van and Toby. There are some really lovely touches which bring to life these two men, and how much they feel about each other.
A good read, thank you Ms Carman.
This is the second in a series, but I read it as a standalone, and enjoyed it a lot. As a big sports romance fan, I was very happy to find a new author to read.
It is not often that a side character really deserves first mention, but really Leo does! He was the unexpected voice of reason and champion of the closeted Van when things got tough. And his sartorial style and self confidence was very endearing too.
The story itself is well written, has a good pace, and deals with some big issues for both Van and Toby. There are some really lovely touches which bring to life these two men, and how much they feel about each other.
A good read, thank you Ms Carman.
dnf
April 20, 2017DNF
I tried, but I couldn't. There was something about the MCs that irritated the hell out of me, and I decided to give up at 20%.
I tried, but I couldn't. There was something about the MCs that irritated the hell out of me, and I decided to give up at 20%.
March 20, 2017
Full review at: https://optimummblog.wordpress.com/20...
Fair Catch, is book two of the Players of LA series, but it’s basically a standalone as there is no correlation to the previous book. This book follows the characters Tobias (Toby) Bennett and Sullivan (Van) Archer. Toby is a slightly shy and nervous 22-year-old yoga teacher who has only been in one serious relationship and has never had a one-night stand or hookup, even though his best friend Leo is always trying to encourage him to get out and meet some guys. Van plays pro football for the LA Wild Cats and at 25-years-old is one of the best wide receivers in the country, but he’s also very much in the closet and the fear of destroying his career is keeping him shut tight in there.
Toby and Van first meet at a gay nightclub in LA when Van spots Toby standing at the bar. Van asks his friend and club owner Griff to bring Toby to his office so as he can speak to him, as he can’t go out and pick Toby up in the club himself because he can’t risk being recognised or outed by someone. Toby doesn’t know who Van is and is surprised that a man as attractive as Van would even look at him and thinks Griff has picked him by mistake. There’s an instant attraction between the two men and after a few words pass between them, the little chat soon becomes much more, and Toby breaks his own no one-night rule. A few weeks later, Toby is teaching his yoga class when in walks Van who has been sent there by his team trainer to increase his flexibility after sustaining an injury during a game. Toby is shocked to see Van and the men soon get reacquainted. This meeting begins a series of liaisons and also misunderstandings that bring Toby and Van both joy and pain. Their road to happiness is far from smooth, but in the end, the two men can’t deny what their heart’s and head’s are telling them.
Although the story and plot were pretty predictable, it was actually quite an enjoyable read. The book is written in first person with dual POV, which is something that I really love, I always like to see a story from each character’s perspective. I’m also a huge sports fan, so the fact it was about football made me very happy. The author seemed to have a good understanding of the sport and terminology which definitely added to my enjoyment of the book as there is nothing worse than reading a story where you know the author has just tried to add in something for the sake of it. I liked the characters a lot, especially Van, as he was so different to his public persona. Toby and Van’s friends were also really well written, which brought the whole story to life and made me want to know more about them. Leo in particular, seems like a really fun guy and I hope the author gives him his own story along the line somewhere.
Now, I do have a criticism, and it was quite a big issue for me. The way the story is written makes it feel quite rushed, chapters/POV’s end quite abruptly and when the new chapter/POV begins there is often a time jump which makes it feel like chunks of the story are missing. This is most noticeable in the first few chapters. On more than one occasion I had to skip back to the previous page because I thought I had gone too far forward and had missed a page or section of the story out. This did cause some confusion and did affect how the story flowed, but didn’t affect how I felt about the book overall. The author has done a good job of writing a story that grabs your attention and keeps you interested the whole way through. At the end of the book, we also get a little sneak peek of the next story in the series, and I have to say I’m really looking forward to it.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
Fair Catch, is book two of the Players of LA series, but it’s basically a standalone as there is no correlation to the previous book. This book follows the characters Tobias (Toby) Bennett and Sullivan (Van) Archer. Toby is a slightly shy and nervous 22-year-old yoga teacher who has only been in one serious relationship and has never had a one-night stand or hookup, even though his best friend Leo is always trying to encourage him to get out and meet some guys. Van plays pro football for the LA Wild Cats and at 25-years-old is one of the best wide receivers in the country, but he’s also very much in the closet and the fear of destroying his career is keeping him shut tight in there.
Toby and Van first meet at a gay nightclub in LA when Van spots Toby standing at the bar. Van asks his friend and club owner Griff to bring Toby to his office so as he can speak to him, as he can’t go out and pick Toby up in the club himself because he can’t risk being recognised or outed by someone. Toby doesn’t know who Van is and is surprised that a man as attractive as Van would even look at him and thinks Griff has picked him by mistake. There’s an instant attraction between the two men and after a few words pass between them, the little chat soon becomes much more, and Toby breaks his own no one-night rule. A few weeks later, Toby is teaching his yoga class when in walks Van who has been sent there by his team trainer to increase his flexibility after sustaining an injury during a game. Toby is shocked to see Van and the men soon get reacquainted. This meeting begins a series of liaisons and also misunderstandings that bring Toby and Van both joy and pain. Their road to happiness is far from smooth, but in the end, the two men can’t deny what their heart’s and head’s are telling them.
Although the story and plot were pretty predictable, it was actually quite an enjoyable read. The book is written in first person with dual POV, which is something that I really love, I always like to see a story from each character’s perspective. I’m also a huge sports fan, so the fact it was about football made me very happy. The author seemed to have a good understanding of the sport and terminology which definitely added to my enjoyment of the book as there is nothing worse than reading a story where you know the author has just tried to add in something for the sake of it. I liked the characters a lot, especially Van, as he was so different to his public persona. Toby and Van’s friends were also really well written, which brought the whole story to life and made me want to know more about them. Leo in particular, seems like a really fun guy and I hope the author gives him his own story along the line somewhere.
Now, I do have a criticism, and it was quite a big issue for me. The way the story is written makes it feel quite rushed, chapters/POV’s end quite abruptly and when the new chapter/POV begins there is often a time jump which makes it feel like chunks of the story are missing. This is most noticeable in the first few chapters. On more than one occasion I had to skip back to the previous page because I thought I had gone too far forward and had missed a page or section of the story out. This did cause some confusion and did affect how the story flowed, but didn’t affect how I felt about the book overall. The author has done a good job of writing a story that grabs your attention and keeps you interested the whole way through. At the end of the book, we also get a little sneak peek of the next story in the series, and I have to say I’m really looking forward to it.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
March 27, 2017
Original review on Molly Lolly
Fours stars!
This was a really good story. I liked the storyline and the characters. Plus Ms. Carman’s writing kept me interested in the story from start to finish. I enjoyed watching Toby and Van get to know each other and fall in love. Some of the emotions and reactions were over the top and made me roll my eyes a few times. Plus I got tired of the Alpha chest pounding, “you’re mine”, “protect what’s mine” type of behavior pretty quickly. However the story was still sweet and enjoyable and I didn’t want to stop reading until it was over.
Toby was a sweetie. My heart hurt for him and his past. He overcame a lot just to get to where he was ready to meet Van and start a relationship. He struggled with panic and his self worth. But I loved his friendship with Leo. Toby handled some of the situations in the story kinda poorly. However his reactions were very appropriate for his past. I liked watching Toby grow and figure out he’s worthy of love and happiness.
Van was a bit of a mixed bag of a character. His emotions swung from one extreme to the other, sometimes within the same scene. However he truly cared for Toby and wanted what was best for Toby. I enjoyed the scenes dealing with football and the other players. Those scenes came alive and really took me into the workings of how a professional sports team worked. Van’s journey to coming out was wonderful to watch. His emotions were clear during his times when struggling if he should come out or not, and if he made the right decision.
Van and Toby are so good together. They are so in love by the end. Their happily ever after is sweet and makes me very happy to see they’re going to make it. I also enjoyed the characters around them. Toby and Van’s friends were wonderful additions to the story. I’d love to see more of the friends get their own happy endings and their own stories. Ms. Carman is an author to watch. She has major potential and I’m eager to see how she grows as an author the more books she puts out. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Fours stars!
This was a really good story. I liked the storyline and the characters. Plus Ms. Carman’s writing kept me interested in the story from start to finish. I enjoyed watching Toby and Van get to know each other and fall in love. Some of the emotions and reactions were over the top and made me roll my eyes a few times. Plus I got tired of the Alpha chest pounding, “you’re mine”, “protect what’s mine” type of behavior pretty quickly. However the story was still sweet and enjoyable and I didn’t want to stop reading until it was over.
Toby was a sweetie. My heart hurt for him and his past. He overcame a lot just to get to where he was ready to meet Van and start a relationship. He struggled with panic and his self worth. But I loved his friendship with Leo. Toby handled some of the situations in the story kinda poorly. However his reactions were very appropriate for his past. I liked watching Toby grow and figure out he’s worthy of love and happiness.
Van was a bit of a mixed bag of a character. His emotions swung from one extreme to the other, sometimes within the same scene. However he truly cared for Toby and wanted what was best for Toby. I enjoyed the scenes dealing with football and the other players. Those scenes came alive and really took me into the workings of how a professional sports team worked. Van’s journey to coming out was wonderful to watch. His emotions were clear during his times when struggling if he should come out or not, and if he made the right decision.
Van and Toby are so good together. They are so in love by the end. Their happily ever after is sweet and makes me very happy to see they’re going to make it. I also enjoyed the characters around them. Toby and Van’s friends were wonderful additions to the story. I’d love to see more of the friends get their own happy endings and their own stories. Ms. Carman is an author to watch. She has major potential and I’m eager to see how she grows as an author the more books she puts out. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
December 31, 2017
Professional football player Sullivan "Van" Archer is outgoing, sensational, and definitely straight. Or at least that's what he needs everyone to think in order to keep his position. The truth is that there are some thick walls around his closet that he hopes will never come down. After Van suffers and injury that results in a recommendation to take yoga classes, Van finds himself in the class of Tobias Bennett--one of Van's one-night stands that he hoped he wouldn't cross paths with ever again. Tobias is quiet, still recovering from an abusive relationship, and has very little patience for Van's attitude. But there is something between them that neither of them can easily shake, and it's clear they will need to figure out what it is if they're going to figure out what to do about it.
It can be easy to forget that each of our actions has an impact and that sometimes those impacts are not intended. And sometimes we cannot foresee how things just might come back around to haunt us. But ignoring people and feelings is not a way of resolving them, and finding resolution may mean needing to let down the walls that one has put up for protection. After all, if you close yourself off to possibilities, are you truly living? This book does an excellent job of addressing these questions and issues as we follow these two young men down a road of new experiences, taking chances, and letting go.
This is the second book in the series, but it is not necessary to read the first book to follow, understand, and enjoy the story.
It can be easy to forget that each of our actions has an impact and that sometimes those impacts are not intended. And sometimes we cannot foresee how things just might come back around to haunt us. But ignoring people and feelings is not a way of resolving them, and finding resolution may mean needing to let down the walls that one has put up for protection. After all, if you close yourself off to possibilities, are you truly living? This book does an excellent job of addressing these questions and issues as we follow these two young men down a road of new experiences, taking chances, and letting go.
This is the second book in the series, but it is not necessary to read the first book to follow, understand, and enjoy the story.
March 20, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
When we first meet Toby, he is working on getting his life back together after leaving his abusive ex. He has a good friend in his neighbor, Leo, and it’s Leo who gets Toby to go out one night. Van and Toby meet when Van expresses interest in Toby for a discreet hookup. The author chose to keep this first meeting, with the exception of the introductions, off page so when the men are fondly reminiscing about each other in the early parts of the book, it was more difficult to connect with what they were remembering.
At first it was easy to see where each character was coming from, with Toby being wary and Van desperate to keep his orientation a secret from his teammates. The attraction between the men is clear, and with Van being a bit more dominant and Toby being bendy, it made for more than a few heated scenes.
The book jumps forward in time, often from a few weeks to months at once, and there were few details of what was happening during those times. So when an issue would arise, the scene would end only to pick back up again at a later date and it was harder to find a rhythm with these guys as they were together and then apart over and over.
The main issue I had here was the way Toby responded to his ex, Austin. Austin was a two-dimensional and predictable character. He abused and assaulted Toby during their relationship, yet when Austin calls him, Toby goes to see him alone. It was difficult to give Toby even a pass for going to see Austin once, let alone the several times that he did and here’s why:
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
When we first meet Toby, he is working on getting his life back together after leaving his abusive ex. He has a good friend in his neighbor, Leo, and it’s Leo who gets Toby to go out one night. Van and Toby meet when Van expresses interest in Toby for a discreet hookup. The author chose to keep this first meeting, with the exception of the introductions, off page so when the men are fondly reminiscing about each other in the early parts of the book, it was more difficult to connect with what they were remembering.
At first it was easy to see where each character was coming from, with Toby being wary and Van desperate to keep his orientation a secret from his teammates. The attraction between the men is clear, and with Van being a bit more dominant and Toby being bendy, it made for more than a few heated scenes.
The book jumps forward in time, often from a few weeks to months at once, and there were few details of what was happening during those times. So when an issue would arise, the scene would end only to pick back up again at a later date and it was harder to find a rhythm with these guys as they were together and then apart over and over.
The main issue I had here was the way Toby responded to his ex, Austin. Austin was a two-dimensional and predictable character. He abused and assaulted Toby during their relationship, yet when Austin calls him, Toby goes to see him alone. It was difficult to give Toby even a pass for going to see Austin once, let alone the several times that he did and here’s why:
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
March 19, 2017
Who doesn’t love a hot sexy football romance? In Fair Catch, we meet Toby while he’s at the bar for the first time in forever, humoring his friend until he gets spooked and makes his way to the restroom for a break. Almost immediately, he runs right back out and is asked to enter the back office of the club owner and comes face to face with the man of his dreams. From there, Toby and Van’s love story unfolds – well, their first encounter at least, until several coincidental meetings, almost like a force of nature, bring them back together.
Fair Catch was a very quick read and had some depth in unexpected places. For example, Toby had suffered in an abusive relationship in his recent past and that was a theme that continued throughout. [Warning: triggers in this story for domestic violence and gay bashing.] And while Van is “just a jock,” he’s so much more when Toby gets to know him – and together they make a great match.
While I enjoyed how the story unfolded, there were a few tidbits that didn’t seem to matter, add value to the story, move the story forward, or get solved throughout the novel. For example, we hear about Toby and his relationship with his parents, but they aren’t a part of the story at all. Neither is his genius-level brilliance really important… although it could have been perhaps? Small things like this that seemed to step on the line of being significant and important, until they just didn’t seem to pan out.
Regardless, this is a recommended read – especially for anyone who likes sports romances and the “I’m coming out for you” storylines. Both characters were a pleasure to get to know and their story was filled with a lot of ups and downs right until the end.
Review Copy of Fair Catch provided by Dreamspinner Press for an honest review.
Reviewed by Mel from Alpha Book Club
Fair Catch was a very quick read and had some depth in unexpected places. For example, Toby had suffered in an abusive relationship in his recent past and that was a theme that continued throughout. [Warning: triggers in this story for domestic violence and gay bashing.] And while Van is “just a jock,” he’s so much more when Toby gets to know him – and together they make a great match.
While I enjoyed how the story unfolded, there were a few tidbits that didn’t seem to matter, add value to the story, move the story forward, or get solved throughout the novel. For example, we hear about Toby and his relationship with his parents, but they aren’t a part of the story at all. Neither is his genius-level brilliance really important… although it could have been perhaps? Small things like this that seemed to step on the line of being significant and important, until they just didn’t seem to pan out.
Regardless, this is a recommended read – especially for anyone who likes sports romances and the “I’m coming out for you” storylines. Both characters were a pleasure to get to know and their story was filled with a lot of ups and downs right until the end.
Review Copy of Fair Catch provided by Dreamspinner Press for an honest review.
Reviewed by Mel from Alpha Book Club
September 27, 2017
I didn't like this one as much as the first but still enjoyed it quite a bit. Like others had said, it did feel a bit disjointed and the time lapses threw me a bit. Still, I loved Toby and Van. They were both at fault for their craptastic beginning to the relationship and I really wish we got more depth in that area. It seemed like they were both so gaga for each other right away but I think that's where one of the time lapses happened. Maybe? I don't know but they seemed so totally into each other without spending any time together. It did follow a pretty standard trope with the evil ex but like I said, I liked it.
October 15, 2020
Blegh. This book was sloppy. The romance felt super forced and instead of a nice build with some UST it ran hot and cold like a toddler playing with the taps. Plus, I really disliked Toby. I mean, I know he's been through some shit but he was proper pathetic. Like you live in LA in the 21st century. Go see a therapist, god. Not that Van was such a prize either, but I could not see why he was so gone on this wet rag of person. Yikes. Not my favourite. I wish characters would just talk to each other, I would take an honest conversation over manufactured drama any day.
March 20, 2017
What happens when a one night stand, shows up on your work wanting more than just that one night?
This book wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I loved the relationship between Van and Tobias, but there were moments where I wanted to smack both of them upside the head. But, I can see both of their point of views for being standoffish when committing to one another.
Tobias had it rough, really only having one relationship and look how that turned out. Van being a professional footballer, coming out as gay I can only assume is a player’s worse nightmare for fear of not knowing how people will react. I love the fact that Van persistence paid off in the end. Two people who have had it rough definitely deserve a happily ever after.
I will say that what kind of makes the book is Leo, who is Toby’s best friend. I love how supportive he is of Toby and trying to get Toby out of the house and to try and break him out of his shell. As well as when he tried to help out Van and Toby. For me the story wasn’t long enough and I would have loved to of been able to know more of what happened after the big reveal.
March 14, 2017
Leigh Carman knows how to deliver swoony men!!! I just devoured this book! I am a big fan of sports romances so I loved how this story revolved around football.
I loved how the story started out as a random, one night hook up but ended up leading to more, much more. I really enjoyed the story. I thought the characters had a solid start to their story. There was a lot of flirting and angst happening back and forth that kept me interested. In the middle it sort of tapered off but then,OMG the ending! The author definitely grabbed my attention with Toby and his ex-boyfriend.
The characters were great! There were a few time where I really wanted Toby to stick up for himself but by the end, he did good! He was the more shy, quiet, and sweet type and Van was more strong and dominate type. He was definitely the alpha out of the two. But Van did have a sweet side too!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I thought it was well written and had a good storyline. There was a lull in the middle of the book but ending totally made up for that! I can't wait to see what will be next from this author!
FMR BOOK GRIND
I loved how the story started out as a random, one night hook up but ended up leading to more, much more. I really enjoyed the story. I thought the characters had a solid start to their story. There was a lot of flirting and angst happening back and forth that kept me interested. In the middle it sort of tapered off but then,OMG the ending! The author definitely grabbed my attention with Toby and his ex-boyfriend.
The characters were great! There were a few time where I really wanted Toby to stick up for himself but by the end, he did good! He was the more shy, quiet, and sweet type and Van was more strong and dominate type. He was definitely the alpha out of the two. But Van did have a sweet side too!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I thought it was well written and had a good storyline. There was a lull in the middle of the book but ending totally made up for that! I can't wait to see what will be next from this author!
FMR BOOK GRIND
March 30, 2021
The tale of a closeted NFL superstar and an independently wealthy computer programmer with an abusive boyfriend in his past. In some ways, the best moments of this one are when we learn something new about the supporting characters.
The main characters are pretty appealing and the tale was told with mostly solid workman-like prose, the plot was well thought out and the sex scenes were plentiful and well crafted but it lacked that little something extra I'm always looking for in my favorite books. As to the sex scenes being frequent... there was nothing really new or terribly erotic here. In fact they sort of got in the way of the story telling. Also, the author relied on the whole "miscommunication" crutch to keep the plot moving along. I've always felt that this may be OK for TV writers but readers should be able to expect better.
For me a Five-star read has me ready to start the book all over again almost immediately upon finishing. A four star read, I'll definitely consider reading again if I'm in the right mood and there's nothing better in the queue. A three star read is one that I'm glad that I read but probably won't ever return to. This one merited its solid three star rating.
For what it's worth... I got this via the Hoopla program at my local (St. Petersburg, FL) library. Oddly, the Kindle Hoopla app is no longer available for my Kindle Fire so I ended up reading it on my desktop computer. I am really intrigued by the other titles available through this program but really wish Hoopla and Kindle would learn to play nicely with each other. The current state of affairs makes curling up with a good book a lot more difficult than it needs to be.
The main characters are pretty appealing and the tale was told with mostly solid workman-like prose, the plot was well thought out and the sex scenes were plentiful and well crafted but it lacked that little something extra I'm always looking for in my favorite books. As to the sex scenes being frequent... there was nothing really new or terribly erotic here. In fact they sort of got in the way of the story telling. Also, the author relied on the whole "miscommunication" crutch to keep the plot moving along. I've always felt that this may be OK for TV writers but readers should be able to expect better.
For me a Five-star read has me ready to start the book all over again almost immediately upon finishing. A four star read, I'll definitely consider reading again if I'm in the right mood and there's nothing better in the queue. A three star read is one that I'm glad that I read but probably won't ever return to. This one merited its solid three star rating.
For what it's worth... I got this via the Hoopla program at my local (St. Petersburg, FL) library. Oddly, the Kindle Hoopla app is no longer available for my Kindle Fire so I ended up reading it on my desktop computer. I am really intrigued by the other titles available through this program but really wish Hoopla and Kindle would learn to play nicely with each other. The current state of affairs makes curling up with a good book a lot more difficult than it needs to be.
February 27, 2017
What happens when you have a one night stand that just keeps popping back up into your life?
Toby is a quiet, proud to be gay but also a little shy. He keeps to himself because he's had an abusive relationship that he's not really over yet. He goes out with his bff Leo for his birthday and try's a one night stand. He's never been one for casual sex but there's a first time for everything. Never in a million years did he expect Van. And he never thought he would see him again until Van shows up at his job. Toby has some major trust issues thanks to his ex. He's a little freaked out.
Van is a pro football player. He's hiding everything for his career. His fear has taken over and he can't be who he wants to be. He's scared if he comes out he will lose everything. But sometimes one person comes into your life that changes everything you thought you knew.
This was a sad sweet story. Toby just broke my heart. I wanted to stab his ex in the eye. An other things but I won't go there. Van is an over protective caveman and I absolutely love him. He's perfect for Toby. They can be who they are with each other and share the love they have. I really hope we get a book about Leo, he had me cracking up.
Toby is a quiet, proud to be gay but also a little shy. He keeps to himself because he's had an abusive relationship that he's not really over yet. He goes out with his bff Leo for his birthday and try's a one night stand. He's never been one for casual sex but there's a first time for everything. Never in a million years did he expect Van. And he never thought he would see him again until Van shows up at his job. Toby has some major trust issues thanks to his ex. He's a little freaked out.
Van is a pro football player. He's hiding everything for his career. His fear has taken over and he can't be who he wants to be. He's scared if he comes out he will lose everything. But sometimes one person comes into your life that changes everything you thought you knew.
This was a sad sweet story. Toby just broke my heart. I wanted to stab his ex in the eye. An other things but I won't go there. Van is an over protective caveman and I absolutely love him. He's perfect for Toby. They can be who they are with each other and share the love they have. I really hope we get a book about Leo, he had me cracking up.
February 12, 2019
Fair Catch is one of those special sports romances that I fell for immediately. It is everything I love about sports romances.
Van's a closeted football player, who's one of the best in the game. Anyone can understand why he's been hiding in the closet, as it's realistic to fear telling your teammates that's your gay in any sport, let alone a macho one.
Meeting Toby changes his world. It's a long and scary road for them, but Toby's the guy who inspires Van to stop hiding in the closet.
Toby's ex, and the story of the abuse Toby suffered at his hands is tragic. My heart was breaking for the loveable man.
I absolutely love this story, and I am shocked I had not heard of it until now. It has everything that I love in a sports romance. Yet, even better, Toby is a wonderful mix of being a yoga master and is a lover of parkour. Love it!
I enjoy the ups and downs of their relationship, the hiding, and all the complications that entails.
Leo is Toby's best friend, and he's positively charming, adding some more fun to the tale.
In Fair Catch, Leigh Carman masters the challenges associated with being a closeted athlete and anyone dating one. The fear, the secrets, and the animosity. It's a wonderfully sweet and sexy romance that I loved.
Van's a closeted football player, who's one of the best in the game. Anyone can understand why he's been hiding in the closet, as it's realistic to fear telling your teammates that's your gay in any sport, let alone a macho one.
Meeting Toby changes his world. It's a long and scary road for them, but Toby's the guy who inspires Van to stop hiding in the closet.
Toby's ex, and the story of the abuse Toby suffered at his hands is tragic. My heart was breaking for the loveable man.
I absolutely love this story, and I am shocked I had not heard of it until now. It has everything that I love in a sports romance. Yet, even better, Toby is a wonderful mix of being a yoga master and is a lover of parkour. Love it!
I enjoy the ups and downs of their relationship, the hiding, and all the complications that entails.
Leo is Toby's best friend, and he's positively charming, adding some more fun to the tale.
In Fair Catch, Leigh Carman masters the challenges associated with being a closeted athlete and anyone dating one. The fear, the secrets, and the animosity. It's a wonderfully sweet and sexy romance that I loved.
January 17, 2016
What started out as one encounter of mutual bliss, turned out to be so much more.
Two lonely hearts. One afraid to risk it all on love, and one afraid to risk it all for his career.
The circumstances that keep bringing Toby and Van together almost scream "They're soul-mates!" Of course, these two hottie men need to figure things out for themselves. I kept asking myself if they would before it was too late.
You can really feel the hurt, confusion and rage that come pouring out of the pages while these men discover each other, and themselves. You feel for both characters, and hope they can get it right.
Leigh Carman took me on a journey that had me crying from the hurt, and crying from the joy. These characters felt like old friends to me. This is one that everyone needs to read, whether you like M/M or not. The story about love, hurt, loss, fear, and acceptance is one that is for everyone.
I received an ARC of Fair Catch.
Two lonely hearts. One afraid to risk it all on love, and one afraid to risk it all for his career.
The circumstances that keep bringing Toby and Van together almost scream "They're soul-mates!" Of course, these two hottie men need to figure things out for themselves. I kept asking myself if they would before it was too late.
You can really feel the hurt, confusion and rage that come pouring out of the pages while these men discover each other, and themselves. You feel for both characters, and hope they can get it right.
Leigh Carman took me on a journey that had me crying from the hurt, and crying from the joy. These characters felt like old friends to me. This is one that everyone needs to read, whether you like M/M or not. The story about love, hurt, loss, fear, and acceptance is one that is for everyone.
I received an ARC of Fair Catch.
March 29, 2017
A solid touchdown
Leigh Carman was an unknown author to me until very recently. In the last two days I've read two books by her and I can honestly say, that I'm a fan.
Her writing is solid and she has the story running smoothly. The plot might be a little predictable but it works.
Her characters are well developed and likeable even when they have there moments of stupidity. You can relate to them. They are real people with flaws and whatnot.
If you are still considering getting this book, I fully recommend exercising you one-click finger.
Leigh Carman was an unknown author to me until very recently. In the last two days I've read two books by her and I can honestly say, that I'm a fan.
Her writing is solid and she has the story running smoothly. The plot might be a little predictable but it works.
Her characters are well developed and likeable even when they have there moments of stupidity. You can relate to them. They are real people with flaws and whatnot.
If you are still considering getting this book, I fully recommend exercising you one-click finger.
March 21, 2017
A must read
This book is real, sexy, and sweet. Van and Toby's journey is worth the read with a feel good ending.
This book is real, sexy, and sweet. Van and Toby's journey is worth the read with a feel good ending.
March 25, 2017
I found a level of predictability in the path of this story. Closeted jocks tend to intrigue me due to the conflict they face – especially if their career is in professional sports. Van was a pretty typical closeted jock in that he feared the consequences of coming out, but craved his cake and wanted to eat it too. His approach to getting his cake, however, was a little out there and slightly creepy.
Toby, on the other hand, was lovely. He was quite the interesting combination of hidden intelligence and hobbies with a twist. He was out and proud, but not flashy about it. He didn’t want to be anyone’s dirty little secret and he had trust issues from a prior abusive relationship.
These guys had a roller coaster ride for a relationship that was somewhat fascinating to watch and frustrating at the same time. Their communication skills were sorely lacking which complicated an already challenging situation. This really peaked in relation to Toby’s ex when he came back into the picture and I found myself thinking “come on man, do the right thing” and ended up pissed off at how he chose to handle the situation with that freak.
I loved the secondary characters – Leo and Cal. Both were an integral part of the story. I wish that Toby and Van could have trusted in their respective best friends a little more readily.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and have a newfound fondness for pool tables and their, umm, versatility.
Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review through ...
- 3 hearts
Toby, on the other hand, was lovely. He was quite the interesting combination of hidden intelligence and hobbies with a twist. He was out and proud, but not flashy about it. He didn’t want to be anyone’s dirty little secret and he had trust issues from a prior abusive relationship.
These guys had a roller coaster ride for a relationship that was somewhat fascinating to watch and frustrating at the same time. Their communication skills were sorely lacking which complicated an already challenging situation. This really peaked in relation to Toby’s ex when he came back into the picture and I found myself thinking “come on man, do the right thing” and ended up pissed off at how he chose to handle the situation with that freak.
I loved the secondary characters – Leo and Cal. Both were an integral part of the story. I wish that Toby and Van could have trusted in their respective best friends a little more readily.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and have a newfound fondness for pool tables and their, umm, versatility.
Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review through ...
- 3 hearts
March 27, 2017
GINA'S REVIEW
4 STARS
Leigh Carman knows how to deliver swoony men!!! I just devoured this book! I am a big fan of sports romances so I loved how this story revolved around football.
I loved how the story started out as a random, one night hook up but ended up leading to more, much more. I really enjoyed the story. I thought the characters had a solid start to their story. There was a lot of flirting and angst happening back and forth that kept me interested. In the middle it sort of tapered off but then,OMG the ending! The author definitely grabbed my attention with Toby and his ex-boyfriend.
The characters were great! There were a few time where I really wanted Toby to stick up for himself but by the end, he did good! He was the more shy, quiet, and sweet type and Van was more strong and dominate type. He was definitely the alpha out of the two. But Van did have a sweet side too!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I thought it was well written and had a good storyline. There was a lull in the middle of the book but ending totally made up for that! I can't wait to see what will be next from this author!
4 STARS
Leigh Carman knows how to deliver swoony men!!! I just devoured this book! I am a big fan of sports romances so I loved how this story revolved around football.
I loved how the story started out as a random, one night hook up but ended up leading to more, much more. I really enjoyed the story. I thought the characters had a solid start to their story. There was a lot of flirting and angst happening back and forth that kept me interested. In the middle it sort of tapered off but then,OMG the ending! The author definitely grabbed my attention with Toby and his ex-boyfriend.
The characters were great! There were a few time where I really wanted Toby to stick up for himself but by the end, he did good! He was the more shy, quiet, and sweet type and Van was more strong and dominate type. He was definitely the alpha out of the two. But Van did have a sweet side too!
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I thought it was well written and had a good storyline. There was a lull in the middle of the book but ending totally made up for that! I can't wait to see what will be next from this author!
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