Delay of Game

Gridiron #2.5

by Jen Frederick

She loved her best friend for years; she didn’t realize he loved her back. Their happy ending is finally here.

*Previously published in the For The First Time Anthology

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Friends To Lovers, Sports, New Adult, Novella, Contemporary Romance

33 pages, Nook

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably the highest I'd ever rated a novella. It was funny, sweet and sexy without trying to hard at any of it. Wyatt is such a great guy and Lisle, while a little insecure and slow, deserved someone who was willing to wait for her. I adored this story.

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5* and spoilers ahead


I read this in the For the first time anthology which I've owned for a while


This is a very short read about friends who don't admit that they're in love with each other. With the references to Ty I may have read this out of order because I'm assuming they show up in his book.

H/h have been friends for years, she's lonely and ready for more in her life so she has a makeover. He thinks the makeover is for their lawyer who he thinks she's dating. They argue which leads to him finally making a move. Ily, sexy times and the end


******** H was celibate for 5 years since he realized he had feelings for the h 💃💃💃💃💃💃💃

[Meegz Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3 Stars*

A fun short about friends who didn't realise the other was in love with them. I love a good best friends to lovers story and this was a good little novella for one.

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[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

This was cute but tbh, friends to lovers stories like this have little flavour for me 🤷‍♀️

But if you're looking for cute, easy and quick read with no drama, this is it.

Kudos for making the hero celibate for 5 years bc he was in love with heroine, though 👌 that was good different!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a few pages more than a blurb....

[Venessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pov: male & female

Main characters: Wyatt & Lisle

Minor characters:

My thoughts:

This is a really short novella. I really liked the first half. Even though it was so short it was well written. Within the first couple of paragraphs I understood Lisle completely. I could see how much she loved Wyatt and how she felt so stuck. I understood Wyatt’s anger and jealously. I didn’t love how quickly they went from arguing to him being dominant while they had sex. It just seemed abrupt to go from jealousy and confessing his feelings to telling her how hard they were going to do it.


Synopsis:

Lisle was insecure growing up. She and Wyatt were best friends since childhood. She swore off relationships and marriage as a kid because she thought no one would ever want her.

She and Wyatt remained best friends all through college and she realized she was in love with him. She knew he only saw her as a friend and constantly tried to hook him up with girls.

They work for her dads construction company and live in apartments across the hall from each other.

She realizes she wants to get married and have a family with Wyatt, but knows he’s not interested in her. She decides she needs to move away from him and get a makeover.

She tells him she’s going to move and he’s confused and angry. She gets a haircut and he questions if she’s seeing the company lawyer. If he’s making her change.

She gets new clothes and when he comes over he gets angry. He snaps and asks if the lawyer is the reason why. She asks why he keeps bringing up the lawyer and he tells her he jealous. That he’s been waiting for her to see him as more than just a friend for years.

She’s shocked. He thinks she’s turning him down. She tells him she didn’t know he felt that way.

He asks what the makeover is for and she confesses she wants to get married and have a family. He tells her they can have that together and kisses her. They have sex and he tells her he fantasized about her a million times. She admits the same. He tells her he’s always loved her. She tells him she loves him too.

He tells her they should get a big house together and get married.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short little novella related to the Gridiron series. I've had my issues with the series and finally decided to give up after reading two of the four full length novels. I saw there was this short and decided to read it and I'm SO glad I did. This is about Wyatt (who we meet briefly in Ty's book) and his best friend Lisle. This takes place 5 years after they graduate and they have had secret feelings for each other for years.

This was just the perfect mix of sweet and sexy and I really want more! The short length prevented it from being too convoluted with sports-jargon and side characters (some of my complaints about the novels) and overall this was just a great read. I really like Jen Frederick's style of writing!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic short novella keeping in line with the Gridiron series. The only negative I have is in the chronological placement of this in with the others. It lists it as book 2.5 in the series - but the characters and secondary character reference to Ty should have placed this story after book 4.
Otherwise - it was a fun quick read (4 chapters).
It's not readily available but I found it on the author's blog for free.
Happy reading...enjoy!

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really short story, and the h was a little clueless. They went five years having secret feelings for each other and then suddenly, they're having sex and deciding to get married.
The time period was sometime after Played, so not sure why it's listed as book #2.5

[Chu · Rating 5 out of 5]

super fast-paced hot, romantic read!

[Caroline F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot that I've already read this story - probably when it was first released. Anyway, it was a gorgeous, sweet, sexy, short friends-to-lovers romance. Loved it!

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short but fun friends to more romance.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too short! I always want more of these stories. Thanks for the treat however.

[Amur3n · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only complaint is that her other books are not indexed and I can’t remember who Wyatt and Leslie are

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this short read.

[Tressa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lisle and Wyatt in Delay of Game were a bit melodramatic for me, but I was amused by some of their dialogue.

[Katie Koziczkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delay of Game was a short and cute read. Wyatt seems really sweet and Lisle was funny. I wish it could have been longer.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

short and sweet

[Anja · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute

[Maria Del Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a blank and passive book this is it.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

super short but cute and steamy!

[Chan]

For the First Time: Twenty-One Brand New Stories of First Love

[Amara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pointless.

[Vivian Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

It was super cute and super cheesy. A little too cheesy for me but I enjoyed it.

[Hailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much you can really do in 30 pages, but it was ok.

[Jujubee]

Reading this in the anthology For the First Time: Twenty-One Brand New Stories of First Love

[Manon the Malicious]

Too short to rate...