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Love Match #2
Love Match: Book 2
Having left his tennis school, young jackal Rocky N'Guwe has to adjust to life on the professional tour, starting at the bottom. At least he's got the company of his mother and his boyfriend Marquize, and he can start earning enough money to bring his sister home from Africa. But between his mother insisting on coaching him and his boyfriend pulling him away from practice, Rocky's going to have to decide whether family and relationships are more important than the game he's given his life to--especially when he turns eighteen and adult problems pile onto that already-complicated life.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2018
9 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Kyell Gold
66 books637 followersHi there! I am a writer of gay furry fiction--but you probably know that if you've seen my book listing here. I live in California with my husband Kit, and when I'm not writing, we like to go out to eat and watch movies. We travel a lot, too, mostly around the West Coast, but occasionally to the midwest and east.
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 1, 2018
A great continuation from the first book.
I did find that perhaps the plot was lacking in tension, as the flash forward scenes give away that Rocky will make it - we just don't know the exact path he will take.
There were some surprises along the way, where things didn't go quite as expected - both for Rocky and the reader.
I will say that I was surprised by Braden. He was set up as an arrogant and heartless person focused only on his tennis. But once he got more than a couple of fleeting moments, he actually became one of the most interesting characters in the story so far.
Certainly looking forward to part 3!
I did find that perhaps the plot was lacking in tension, as the flash forward scenes give away that Rocky will make it - we just don't know the exact path he will take.
There were some surprises along the way, where things didn't go quite as expected - both for Rocky and the reader.
I will say that I was surprised by Braden. He was set up as an arrogant and heartless person focused only on his tennis. But once he got more than a couple of fleeting moments, he actually became one of the most interesting characters in the story so far.
Certainly looking forward to part 3!
March 2, 2018
If there’s one thing author Kyell Gold knows how to do well, it’s drama. Even when the outcomes seem predictable, I’m always on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next. And this book -- the second installment of the “Love Match” trilogy -- is no exception, even though it takes a while to get there.
Looking at my review of the first book, one of my main issue was how it was structured, with flash forwards in the prologue and epilogue as well as between each major part. I wondered how those parts would be balanced next to the main chronological story. Seeing how Kyell Gold continues to handle them in this book makes me feel better about their inclusion, and I’m starting to see what he’s doing. You see, this isn’t really a sequel as much as it is a continuation. You aren’t given much of a refresher of the plot and characters, not that it’s complicated, but this book definitely isn’t for new readers who haven’t read the first installment. Even the title, “Volume 2” or “2010-2012” gives you the idea that this is really meant to be read as one whole thing. In this way, the framing device does make sense.
That being said, I do have some issues with the narration. Like the last book, it’s 1st person reflective POV, obviously from Rocky’s perspective as an older man recounting his life. My issue with this narrative device is how little investment there seems to be with a majority of events. Our characters jump from tournament to tournament, match to match, in only paragraphs. I understand that you can’t focus on every match (because there are a lot of them), but there’s a disconnect between us and the characters when time is so fleeting. The first two parts, covering 2010 and 2011 in the narrative, are short and they go by so fast that it was hard to be invested in the characters lives. Not to say nothing important happens, or that the interpersonal drama isn’t there and isn’t interesting, but there just isn't any suspense in Rocky’s career -- which is a shame because that’s what those first two parts focus on.
But that does change when we get to the 2012 section of the story. The pacing slows down and Rocky comes across more characters to become engaged with. This is also where a lot of the drama that’s been building since the first book pays off, and it’s all executed great and completely engrossing in typical Kyell Gold fashion. The way he tackles the complexity of evolving relationships is very enthralling, even when you can see the obvious choices that have to be made, you understand why the characters are so conflicted about them. Even the matches seem to get more description as the challenges get harder. We also get more of Braden here, who I have to say is probably one of the most interesting characters Kyell has created, and his rivalry/friendship with Rocky is dynamic and well crafted.
While its first half is somewhat weak, the second half makes up for it through Kyell Gold’s strong characterization and nuanced understanding of relationships. This is an obvious recommendation for fans of his work, and for readers looking for a gay themed coming-of-age story.
Looking at my review of the first book, one of my main issue was how it was structured, with flash forwards in the prologue and epilogue as well as between each major part. I wondered how those parts would be balanced next to the main chronological story. Seeing how Kyell Gold continues to handle them in this book makes me feel better about their inclusion, and I’m starting to see what he’s doing. You see, this isn’t really a sequel as much as it is a continuation. You aren’t given much of a refresher of the plot and characters, not that it’s complicated, but this book definitely isn’t for new readers who haven’t read the first installment. Even the title, “Volume 2” or “2010-2012” gives you the idea that this is really meant to be read as one whole thing. In this way, the framing device does make sense.
That being said, I do have some issues with the narration. Like the last book, it’s 1st person reflective POV, obviously from Rocky’s perspective as an older man recounting his life. My issue with this narrative device is how little investment there seems to be with a majority of events. Our characters jump from tournament to tournament, match to match, in only paragraphs. I understand that you can’t focus on every match (because there are a lot of them), but there’s a disconnect between us and the characters when time is so fleeting. The first two parts, covering 2010 and 2011 in the narrative, are short and they go by so fast that it was hard to be invested in the characters lives. Not to say nothing important happens, or that the interpersonal drama isn’t there and isn’t interesting, but there just isn't any suspense in Rocky’s career -- which is a shame because that’s what those first two parts focus on.
But that does change when we get to the 2012 section of the story. The pacing slows down and Rocky comes across more characters to become engaged with. This is also where a lot of the drama that’s been building since the first book pays off, and it’s all executed great and completely engrossing in typical Kyell Gold fashion. The way he tackles the complexity of evolving relationships is very enthralling, even when you can see the obvious choices that have to be made, you understand why the characters are so conflicted about them. Even the matches seem to get more description as the challenges get harder. We also get more of Braden here, who I have to say is probably one of the most interesting characters Kyell has created, and his rivalry/friendship with Rocky is dynamic and well crafted.
While its first half is somewhat weak, the second half makes up for it through Kyell Gold’s strong characterization and nuanced understanding of relationships. This is an obvious recommendation for fans of his work, and for readers looking for a gay themed coming-of-age story.
March 13, 2018
I truly enjoyed this book; it was a worthy sequel to the first novel, which introduced us to Rocky N'guwe and his adventures at Palm Gables.
As it had been a little while since I'd read the first book, I actually went back and re-read the first volume before beginning this installment. Doing this allowed me to appreciate how Rocky grows from a timid newcomer to the States, unsure of how to even use contractions appropriately in conversation, to a mature professional tennis player, taking down tough opponents with ease.
Again, Kyell does a great job of character development, allowing the reader to see how Rocky becomes both more skilled at tennis and at relationships. While I was reading, I got the sense that this book reminded me of the U.S. TV show "The Office," as both "Love Match" and "The Office" portray very "real" situations effectively. Watching Rocky struggle through things like balancing work and play, managing long-distance relationships, and dealing with loss really struck home for me. These are all things that every reader will experience in life, and seeing Rocky succeed - and fail - at these challenges adds a layer of depth to the story (just like how "The Office"'s relationships make the show much more than just your typical comedy).
I did think this time that the flash-forwards were used much more effectively than in the first book, but perhaps that's just because I'd gotten more used to them. Minor gripes include the plethora of characters to keep track of (sometimes I had to flip back to remind myself who minor characters were) and how there were so many side-plots besides the main relationship and tennis stories.
Highly recommended (but read the first volume before this one!) and I'll be looking forward to Volume 3.
As it had been a little while since I'd read the first book, I actually went back and re-read the first volume before beginning this installment. Doing this allowed me to appreciate how Rocky grows from a timid newcomer to the States, unsure of how to even use contractions appropriately in conversation, to a mature professional tennis player, taking down tough opponents with ease.
Again, Kyell does a great job of character development, allowing the reader to see how Rocky becomes both more skilled at tennis and at relationships. While I was reading, I got the sense that this book reminded me of the U.S. TV show "The Office," as both "Love Match" and "The Office" portray very "real" situations effectively. Watching Rocky struggle through things like balancing work and play, managing long-distance relationships, and dealing with loss really struck home for me. These are all things that every reader will experience in life, and seeing Rocky succeed - and fail - at these challenges adds a layer of depth to the story (just like how "The Office"'s relationships make the show much more than just your typical comedy).
I did think this time that the flash-forwards were used much more effectively than in the first book, but perhaps that's just because I'd gotten more used to them. Minor gripes include the plethora of characters to keep track of (sometimes I had to flip back to remind myself who minor characters were) and how there were so many side-plots besides the main relationship and tennis stories.
Highly recommended (but read the first volume before this one!) and I'll be looking forward to Volume 3.
January 6, 2019
When Kyell writes about relationships, he manages to be one of the most pleasant writers I’ve ever read. And when his main character is into sports, then it gets a level of excitement I very much appreciate. Love Match vol. 2 is way better than the first one, with more (and more significant) stuff going on. I’m not sure to what extent his writing of the “other” excessively glorifies the American perspective, but it’s nice that he’s trying to get out of his comfort zone to write characters from different cultures since he clearly took the time to get some research done. And considering how many stories about relationships he has written, it’s surprising how he still comes up with new, universal situations to explore. Good book, can’t wait for the third volume.
December 2, 2019
Well, this book was slightly off in comparison with the prequel. That is mainly due to the somehow desultory plot that often jumps from one passage to the other, not leaving enough space to digest it whilst volume one did it. The other thing is that maybe some tournaments have been described too meticulously, an element that wasn't very much important and sometimes turned out to be boring and lengthy. But overall, the book was more enthralling than boring and that is why Kyell's books are special and deserve to be read.
May 5, 2024
I've never read something so compelling to know what happens next, while also taking my heart and shattering it right before I have to go to work. I hope the last book has some sort of ending that won't wreck me, but damn this series is good.
May 14, 2018
Given the challenges of the Patreon novel process, Gold does a great job of keeping this story moving and intriguing. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume. Thanks Kyell!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews