Use of Hands

The Barons #3

by Santino Hassell

Rocky Swoops has a secret and only by leaving it all on the field can he become the football player and man he was always meant to be, in this contemporary romance by the author of Down by Contact.

Rocky Swoops has been in hiding since he was released from his contract with the New Jersey Predators. He's dedicated his entire life to becoming a professional football player, but now he's a free agent without prospects. He knows his reckless and harmful reaction to the sudden flood of out-and-proud football players is to blame. As someone who felt forced to erase his sexuality at a young age, the idea of acceptance is impossible to fathom...

In an effort to clean up his public image, Rocky attends an LGBT benefit in the Hamptons. When he meets handsome mechanic, Case Bianchi, at the party, he can't hide his attraction. Case doesn't recognize him as an infamous athlete, and ends up drawing Rocky into a passionate kiss that he's too stunned to resist. Rocky is left on the beach with his heart pounding and head spinning. Unfortunately, Case was only interested in a distraction. But with a connection this intense, there has to be more to the story or it will be Rocky's biggest loss to date.

Genres: Sports, M M Romance, Queer, Romance, Sports Romance

Unknown Binding

Published September 18, 2018

About the author

Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family but grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into a grumpy introvert and unlikely romance author with an affinity for baseball caps. His novels are heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, and his desire to write relationships fueled by intensity and passion.

He’s been a finalist in both the Bisexual Book Awards and the EPIC Awards, and was nominated for a prestigious RITA award in 2017. His work has been featured in BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Washington Post, RT Magazine, and Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Santino@santinohassell.com
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amazon.com/author/santinohassell
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Reviews

[Debi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved it...then I only liked it.

I loved Rocky. He's such a hot mess of deep seeded trauma and vulnerability. He's so locked up inside himself over his sexuality and he wants so much to overcome where he's at and the person he's become. Case is great too. In the beginning, they're hot and sexy and all kinds of adorable together. Then, they go flat. They're still great together but the author fails to keep the momentum going and seems to get lazy in the end.

Rocky needed to fully be able to overcome. He worked VERY hard to not be manipulative and be the good man he should have been all along but there's no forgiveness for Rocky; not really. Yes, he did an alarmingly horrific thing. But does no-one here believe in redemption? Second chances? A human's ability to recognize their wrong-doings and truly become sorrowful for their actions? Don't those people deserve some mode of compassion? Rocky was the first to admit he was wrong and didn't expect anything from anyone but he was very obviously ashamed of himself and worked hard to make it right; without expecting/asking for any special treatment. I think the other characters could have been much more forgiving after witnessing that; especially Adrian: who, at one point, was Rocky's best friend. He should have known Rocky had that heart in him somewhere. I don't think that's a hard stretch for mankind to be compassionate and forgiving when someone actually does the hard work to become a better person. This lack of compassion from the other characters made me ashamed of them and from that point on...this lost points quickly in my rating.

[Karen BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5
Roman génial. J'ai tellement accroché à l'histoire et aux personnages. Juste un petit poil déçue par la fin, trop "normale", pas assez "flamboyante" à mon goût. J'aurais aimé un partage émouvant de déclarations bien dégoulinantes... ;)

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thing is, I read the entire book thinking It should be an Adrian & Rocky love story. This would have worked so so so much better...

[Anjiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

There should have been a little more discussion about Case’s initial issues and unloveable personality traits, and Rocky deserved forgiveness and more because he genuinely deserved it and it was like some of those other characters had no human compassion.

[Jojo92 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Déçus par la fin un peu bâclé mais bon je pardonne j’attend la suite Hahahha

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to read this book check into the author’s patreon. You will not find it anywhere else.

[C V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really need Unnecessary Roughness finished...

[Anthea P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite of the Barons series. Surprised it wasn't published more broadly. Great ending.

[Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8/5⭐

[Loïc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je viens de le finir à l’instant et j’ai tout simplement (sur)adoré. J’avais déjà adoré le second tome de la série, mais je dois avouer que ce troisième opus le surpasse. Je suis totalement tombé sous le charme du personnage de Rocky. Pendant deux tomes on nous l’a présenté comme un vulgaire connard alors que c’est un personnage d’une rare complexité et plein de nuances. L’auteur a fait un travail admirable sur ce personnage et sur son histoire. Il/elle n’est pas tombé dans le cliché et dans la facilité, mais a réussi à écrire une histoire terriblement crédible et réaliste. La fin est pour moi une réussite, même si j’aurais apprécié après un peu plus de souffrance, à l’image par exemple de celle du tome 1 de sa série five borough.
Je suis heureux d’avoir pu lire cet opus qui apporte une certaine conclusion à la série.

[Hilcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5