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Auckland Med. #2
Crossing the Touchline
An Auckland Med. Story
What if you’ve worked your whole life for a dream, to play rugby for the most successful sports team on the planet, the New Zealand All Blacks?
What if that dream is so close you can smell it?
What if you meet someone?
What if you fall in love?
What if your dream will cost the man who’s stolen your heart?
And what if the dream changes?
Reuben Taylor has a choice to make.
Cameron Wano is that choice.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2019
310 people are currently reading
1204 people want to read
About the author
Jay Hogan
25 books922 followersHeart, humour and keeping it real.
I am a two times Lambda Literary Award Finalist—2020 for DIGGING DEEP and 2024 for THE ART OF HUSBANDRY.
I have also received the The Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Romance Book of The Year Award for OFF BALANCE.
I am a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense primarily set in my home country. I write character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality, and a splash of angst. I’ve travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life I worked as a critical care nurse and a counsellor. My family love and somehow put up with me, and my gorgeous Cocker Spaniel thinks I spend too much time at my desk but keeps my feet warm.
Join my reader group to keep up with my news.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hogan...
You can also find me at:
https://www.jayhoganauthor.com where you can buy my audiobooks direct at a discount.
https://www.facebook.com/JayHoganAuthor
I am a two times Lambda Literary Award Finalist—2020 for DIGGING DEEP and 2024 for THE ART OF HUSBANDRY.
I have also received the The Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Romance Book of The Year Award for OFF BALANCE.
I am a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense primarily set in my home country. I write character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality, and a splash of angst. I’ve travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life I worked as a critical care nurse and a counsellor. My family love and somehow put up with me, and my gorgeous Cocker Spaniel thinks I spend too much time at my desk but keeps my feet warm.
Join my reader group to keep up with my news.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hogan...
You can also find me at:
https://www.jayhoganauthor.com where you can buy my audiobooks direct at a discount.
https://www.facebook.com/JayHoganAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
June 3, 2021
Audio 5++++ Stars No one...I repeat, no one could have done a better job than Gary Furlong! The author deserves all the stars for casting the PERFECT narrator for this series 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽😍😍😍
Story 5 Stars
Loved it! Angsty AF with well placed humor to break up the tension. Loved that the femme hero was a fabulous toppy possessive alpha. ❤❤❤
I truly hope that Jay Hogan intends to offer ALL of her books in audio format at some point 🙏🏽 She is officially a one-click buy, favorite author!
Story 5 Stars
Loved it! Angsty AF with well placed humor to break up the tension. Loved that the femme hero was a fabulous toppy possessive alpha. ❤❤❤
I truly hope that Jay Hogan intends to offer ALL of her books in audio format at some point 🙏🏽 She is officially a one-click buy, favorite author!
Read
April 29, 2019DNF/NR
My grandmother has a saying when she's unsure about a new recipe: "it has good stuff in it"! ™
This book has good stuff in it including an athlete who's built like a brick shithouse and a femme and self-proclaimed sassy guyliner wearing love interest. Plus, they're really into each other which has its appeal. There's a slight age difference too!
That's size difference, age difference, femme guy, closeted athlete in a sports romance for the folks keeping track at home, all of which are my kryptonite. So this, by all rights, should've been a feast. But sometimes you can have the creme de la creme of ingredients and it still doesn't turn out like you want it to.
Unfortunately, Crossing the Touchline rapidly deflated like a soufflé for me.
I wanted to like it. Heck, I wanted to LOVE it.
But some things made that challenging and I know myself well enough to know that if I continue I'll nitpick this thing until it looks in the neighborhood of this:
No one needs that, ammiright?
However, I will list some of the things that bothered me in no particular order:
The internal dialogues of both Cam and Reuben, both of which I found grating.
The dearth of emotional maturity on both of their parts.
They sound, and even to a certain extent, think almost exactly the same.
The squirreling.
The info dumps.
Cam's "sassy" comes across as more dickish.
There was this pervasive sense that this story was trying too hard which made it feel clunky and stilted.
Perhaps things improve as the story evolves but, like I said, I've no wish to pick this thing apart on the off-chance it doesn't nor do I wish to negatively review a new author.
Obviously, my opinions are my own and YMMV.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
My grandmother has a saying when she's unsure about a new recipe: "it has good stuff in it"! ™
This book has good stuff in it including an athlete who's built like a brick shithouse and a femme and self-proclaimed sassy guyliner wearing love interest. Plus, they're really into each other which has its appeal. There's a slight age difference too!
That's size difference, age difference, femme guy, closeted athlete in a sports romance for the folks keeping track at home, all of which are my kryptonite. So this, by all rights, should've been a feast. But sometimes you can have the creme de la creme of ingredients and it still doesn't turn out like you want it to.
Unfortunately, Crossing the Touchline rapidly deflated like a soufflé for me.
I wanted to like it. Heck, I wanted to LOVE it.
But some things made that challenging and I know myself well enough to know that if I continue I'll nitpick this thing until it looks in the neighborhood of this:
No one needs that, ammiright?
However, I will list some of the things that bothered me in no particular order:
The internal dialogues of both Cam and Reuben, both of which I found grating.
The dearth of emotional maturity on both of their parts.
They sound, and even to a certain extent, think almost exactly the same.
The squirreling.
The info dumps.
Cam's "sassy" comes across as more dickish.
There was this pervasive sense that this story was trying too hard which made it feel clunky and stilted.
Perhaps things improve as the story evolves but, like I said, I've no wish to pick this thing apart on the off-chance it doesn't nor do I wish to negatively review a new author.
Obviously, my opinions are my own and YMMV.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2023
*3.5* I highly recommend avoiding this story if you have a problem with people deep in the closet. About 85% of this book is the MMCs fear of getting caught. Granted, he has some seriously legitimate reasons for staying in the closet, but my heart hurt so bad for him a majority of this story.
Ruben is a Professional rugby player in New Zealand. He is an amazing uncle to his nephew. Does his best to support his brother who works at a motorcycle garage. They have one of the worst fathers I have ever read.
Cameron is a charge nurse at a local hospital. Known for his outrageous clothing choices, guyliner, occasional sparkles and generous personality.
This is a slow burn, and takes place over many years. Angsty AF. When they finally survive all the drama and come out the other side, it is glorious!
Gary Furlong does another great job with his voice acting.
Ruben is a Professional rugby player in New Zealand. He is an amazing uncle to his nephew. Does his best to support his brother who works at a motorcycle garage. They have one of the worst fathers I have ever read.
Cameron is a charge nurse at a local hospital. Known for his outrageous clothing choices, guyliner, occasional sparkles and generous personality.
This is a slow burn, and takes place over many years. Angsty AF. When they finally survive all the drama and come out the other side, it is glorious!
Gary Furlong does another great job with his voice acting.
January 1, 2020
Full review tomorrow, but that was good, like seriously good, speaking as a huge Rugby League fan and follower of Rugby Union.
Right.
Ian Roberts, Gareth Thomas, Keegan Hirst, Sam Stanley, Nigel Owens, Louisa Wall, Phaidra Knight, Jillion Potter, Jen Kish, Mark Bingham ( hero of 9/11 although he never played the top game).
Ten names, ten different stories, all rugby league or rugby union players (and one referee).
In Crossing The Touchline Jay Hogan puts the spotlight on possibly the biggest, and most successful, sporting team in the world - the New Zealand All Blacks (hush Manchester United fans 😉 ) and gives the reader an insight into the pressures of not conforming to the norm when it comes to sexuality.
Both Reuben and Cameron are wonderful creations, they're fully rounded out characters, they live, they love, they hurt, they deal with tensions that the vast majority of people will never have to think about.
This is a love story, make no bones about that, but it's also so much more. It's about the pressures put on our top sportsmen and women to conform, it's about the mental health issues of having to hide who you are and who you love, it's about dickhead families, it's about sporting organisations that put their money where their mouths (and sponsorship deals) are.
I totally believe in this New Zealand All Black side, management and all, having the back of a gay out player, they're one of the loudest shouting sides in the world when it comes to equality.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...
The struggles both Reuben and Cam go through never overshadow the romance though. Jay has pitched this book absolutely perfectly (and I don't just say that as a full flag carrying supporter of both codes of rugby football!)
They are scorching hot together, their relationship relies as much on friendship and support as it does with what happens between the sheets.
There were times I was screaming at what was going on (not going to spoiler it, but be aware of potential triggers for a parental unit that should never have been graced with offspring), the careful and considered treatment of a character who falls on the Autistic Spectrum is also encouraging and brings another layer of tension to the narrative which is wholly believable.
Everything about this book spoke to me. It's quite radically different than the first book in the series (which is now with Dreamspinner and will be re-published later this year for those wondering) but it's no less a story.
I loved it. It's not an easy read, it's a long book but it never felt like a trial, I didn't want to put it down because I had to see how they reached their Happy and the Epilogue is beyond awesome.
I'd love there to be no stigma about being a gay sportsman or woman, sadly I know we're a long way off that, but the more books like this give people hope, the sooner we might reach that goal.
#ARC kindly received from the author via the publishers Dreamspinner Press in return for an honest and unbiased review
Right.
Ian Roberts, Gareth Thomas, Keegan Hirst, Sam Stanley, Nigel Owens, Louisa Wall, Phaidra Knight, Jillion Potter, Jen Kish, Mark Bingham ( hero of 9/11 although he never played the top game).
Ten names, ten different stories, all rugby league or rugby union players (and one referee).
In Crossing The Touchline Jay Hogan puts the spotlight on possibly the biggest, and most successful, sporting team in the world - the New Zealand All Blacks (hush Manchester United fans 😉 ) and gives the reader an insight into the pressures of not conforming to the norm when it comes to sexuality.
Both Reuben and Cameron are wonderful creations, they're fully rounded out characters, they live, they love, they hurt, they deal with tensions that the vast majority of people will never have to think about.
This is a love story, make no bones about that, but it's also so much more. It's about the pressures put on our top sportsmen and women to conform, it's about the mental health issues of having to hide who you are and who you love, it's about dickhead families, it's about sporting organisations that put their money where their mouths (and sponsorship deals) are.
I totally believe in this New Zealand All Black side, management and all, having the back of a gay out player, they're one of the loudest shouting sides in the world when it comes to equality.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...
The struggles both Reuben and Cam go through never overshadow the romance though. Jay has pitched this book absolutely perfectly (and I don't just say that as a full flag carrying supporter of both codes of rugby football!)
They are scorching hot together, their relationship relies as much on friendship and support as it does with what happens between the sheets.
There were times I was screaming at what was going on (not going to spoiler it, but be aware of potential triggers for a parental unit that should never have been graced with offspring), the careful and considered treatment of a character who falls on the Autistic Spectrum is also encouraging and brings another layer of tension to the narrative which is wholly believable.
Everything about this book spoke to me. It's quite radically different than the first book in the series (which is now with Dreamspinner and will be re-published later this year for those wondering) but it's no less a story.
I loved it. It's not an easy read, it's a long book but it never felt like a trial, I didn't want to put it down because I had to see how they reached their Happy and the Epilogue is beyond awesome.
I'd love there to be no stigma about being a gay sportsman or woman, sadly I know we're a long way off that, but the more books like this give people hope, the sooner we might reach that goal.
#ARC kindly received from the author via the publishers Dreamspinner Press in return for an honest and unbiased review
i-m-a-quitter
May 7, 2019DNF @ 40%
Going to throw in the towel on this one, otherwise it's likely to take me weeks to finish.
This one had so much potential. Sports themed books are some of my favorites. But the pacing killed this one for me. I never really felt much chemistry with either MC either, or the MCs together.
The writing was overly descriptive or something. Too many words without accomplishing anything.
40% in and I didn't feel like the MCs had progressed much at all. It was the same conversations, the same thoughts. I thought I saw a review somewhere that this book was too much sex. There wasn't much at 40%. Or none? I can't remember.
The drama with the dad and brother was already making me ragey.
No rating, but this one just wasn't for me.
Going to throw in the towel on this one, otherwise it's likely to take me weeks to finish.
This one had so much potential. Sports themed books are some of my favorites. But the pacing killed this one for me. I never really felt much chemistry with either MC either, or the MCs together.
The writing was overly descriptive or something. Too many words without accomplishing anything.
40% in and I didn't feel like the MCs had progressed much at all. It was the same conversations, the same thoughts. I thought I saw a review somewhere that this book was too much sex. There wasn't much at 40%. Or none? I can't remember.
The drama with the dad and brother was already making me ragey.
No rating, but this one just wasn't for me.
June 7, 2023
Much Angstier than Expected! Great Read!!
I have never encountered a worse, more despicable father than the one in this novel. Horrible, repugnant, needing to be decapitated (and I’m not a violent person). Be warned that you will want to punch your Kindle where it hurts!
Let’s get to it:
Opposites attract
Toppy femme, out and very proud
Bottomy rugby player, very closeted
Both wear scars: one from dating masc men, the other from their abusive father.
Both show fear, but can’t stay away from each other.
Both grow immensely during this story.
Both learn to love and show love.
I’ve been told that the father gets even worse in the follow up to this 😱
Can be read a a standalone, although part of a series.
Incredible narration by Gary Furlong!
My rec? Read it! But be prepared for the hateful words the father heaps on his son.
I have never encountered a worse, more despicable father than the one in this novel. Horrible, repugnant, needing to be decapitated (and I’m not a violent person). Be warned that you will want to punch your Kindle where it hurts!
Let’s get to it:
Opposites attract
Toppy femme, out and very proud
Bottomy rugby player, very closeted
Both wear scars: one from dating masc men, the other from their abusive father.
Both show fear, but can’t stay away from each other.
Both grow immensely during this story.
Both learn to love and show love.
I’ve been told that the father gets even worse in the follow up to this 😱
Can be read a a standalone, although part of a series.
Incredible narration by Gary Furlong!
My rec? Read it! But be prepared for the hateful words the father heaps on his son.
October 27, 2021
I started listening to the audiobook for this book just after I finished On Board by the author because I was in the mood for some rugby romance. However, it took me more than 20 days to finish it even though the narration by Gary Furlong was outstanding.
Things that worked great
1. Closeted rugby player- Reuben is a sweet guy who is torn between his responsibility towards his fucked up family and Cam.
2. A out and proud femme guy- Cam is a none nonsense femme guy. He loves laces and makeup but fights like an alpha.
3. Lots of talk about men in black.
4. friends to lover tropes.
Things that made me hate it
1. Way too much family drama. Abusive father, alcoholic brother and a nephew who is on the spectrum. The family drama was around 40% part of the book.
2. A lot of the time the story felt like dragging. We have no development, just drama and then some more drama.
3. Lack of smut🤭 Yeah!! The author promised initially that Cam is a bit of a dom but we didn't get anything to prove it.😩😩
In the end, I think this book has only one redeeming quality- Lots of talk about my fav rugby team.
Things that worked great
1. Closeted rugby player- Reuben is a sweet guy who is torn between his responsibility towards his fucked up family and Cam.
2. A out and proud femme guy- Cam is a none nonsense femme guy. He loves laces and makeup but fights like an alpha.
3. Lots of talk about men in black.
4. friends to lover tropes.
Things that made me hate it
1. Way too much family drama. Abusive father, alcoholic brother and a nephew who is on the spectrum. The family drama was around 40% part of the book.
2. A lot of the time the story felt like dragging. We have no development, just drama and then some more drama.
3. Lack of smut🤭 Yeah!! The author promised initially that Cam is a bit of a dom but we didn't get anything to prove it.😩😩
In the end, I think this book has only one redeeming quality- Lots of talk about my fav rugby team.
September 27, 2023
This is good & I ended up enjoying it much more than book one - but it did have some frustrating moments that really make you have to put the book down and go do something else (which is probably a good thing, I need reminders sometimes to stop reading and go do somethin productive 😂) There are some loose ends with this story that didnt get tied up, but I saw that book 5 in this series is also about this same couple, now I'm almost tempted to jump straight to book 5! (Don't worry, I won't though)
April 27, 2019
Try scored for me, yeah !!!
I was not impressed by the prologue of this book which left me dubious about the enjoyment I could get. But you know what ? Chapter 1 and all the following ones washed all my doubts away !
This story is set in New Zealand, famous, even though not only, for his National Rugby Team. Reuben Taylor works hard as a rugby player to be noticed and selected by the All Blacks. Not an easy fate for him : he also has to deal with his shitty father, his drunken brother (and shitty father as well) and his 4 year old nephew whom he adores but who needs special attention. Not willing to add more pressure on his shoulders, he refuses to come out to anybody.
But that was before meeting with Cameron Wano. Cameron is out, sassy and not willing to involved in a relationship where he would be a dirty little secret (been there, done that). He’s grounded and caring but also sexy and fun and boisterous. And even though he feels the instant chemistry between him and Reuben, he’s also fully aware Reuben is not the “boyfriend” he’s looking for.
Right from chapter one (I’m still not enthusiastic with the prologue, LOL), I was enthralled by this Sport romance full of fun, of sass, of family dynamics, enough angst to make it not dull and with 2 MCs fully rounded, with their strengths and their flaws.
I greatly enjoyed watching the relationship being build, the pace set (no BAM factor at all as I was afraid from the prologue), the way they faced all the issues on their ways, and the hot chemistry between them.
Did I mention that it was written with a lot of humor ? A sense of humor that worked well for me, enough to not care about some moments that felt a tiny bit too sugary for my tastes.
Finally, the ending was so good, one that I hope to see achieved when it comes to the sport world, and one that I need in my reading world when it comes to romance.
Good writing, great characters, hot romance. As the blurb says : “Reuben Taylor has a choice to make. Cameron Wano is that choice”. And I really liked being a witness of that choice-making.
ARC of “Crossing the Touchline” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was not impressed by the prologue of this book which left me dubious about the enjoyment I could get. But you know what ? Chapter 1 and all the following ones washed all my doubts away !
This story is set in New Zealand, famous, even though not only, for his National Rugby Team. Reuben Taylor works hard as a rugby player to be noticed and selected by the All Blacks. Not an easy fate for him : he also has to deal with his shitty father, his drunken brother (and shitty father as well) and his 4 year old nephew whom he adores but who needs special attention. Not willing to add more pressure on his shoulders, he refuses to come out to anybody.
But that was before meeting with Cameron Wano. Cameron is out, sassy and not willing to involved in a relationship where he would be a dirty little secret (been there, done that). He’s grounded and caring but also sexy and fun and boisterous. And even though he feels the instant chemistry between him and Reuben, he’s also fully aware Reuben is not the “boyfriend” he’s looking for.
Right from chapter one (I’m still not enthusiastic with the prologue, LOL), I was enthralled by this Sport romance full of fun, of sass, of family dynamics, enough angst to make it not dull and with 2 MCs fully rounded, with their strengths and their flaws.
I greatly enjoyed watching the relationship being build, the pace set (no BAM factor at all as I was afraid from the prologue), the way they faced all the issues on their ways, and the hot chemistry between them.
Did I mention that it was written with a lot of humor ? A sense of humor that worked well for me, enough to not care about some moments that felt a tiny bit too sugary for my tastes.
Finally, the ending was so good, one that I hope to see achieved when it comes to the sport world, and one that I need in my reading world when it comes to romance.
Good writing, great characters, hot romance. As the blurb says : “Reuben Taylor has a choice to make. Cameron Wano is that choice”. And I really liked being a witness of that choice-making.
ARC of “Crossing the Touchline” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2019
Reuben and Cam
I don’t even know where to start this review. I was swept of my feet by this stunning story !!
Reuben was heavily impressed by Cam’s appearance. He was the most beautiful delicate person, stunning make-up, fem and out and proud. He looked fragile but Reuben was surprised by his strong demanding attitude.
Cam was concerned for Reuben who was a rugby player and far in the closet.
Reuben has the chance to play with the All Blacks rugby team. But with a lot of bigotry from family and friends he can’t risk this place by outing himself.
It’s a widely written story and not one second dull or repetitive. It had excellent developed characters and a more than fascinating plot. Many different emotions all over the place.
It was entertaining and engaging.
Cam oh boy my dear, beautiful extraordinary Cam I loved him hard!! At moments I wanted to strangle Reuben, he needed time, a lot, he was over his ears from the first second he laid eyes on Cam. And this hurt both of them hard. He lived in a split position and that was so awful. Cory his little nephew on the autism spectrum was just so wonderful in all his being. My heart swelled at moments for him. Reuben was the only one who cared for him. There are family members whose name I don’t want to speak, and members I want to hug hard. The best families and the wurst families.
Even I knew where it came from, I got very very frustrated by Reuben’s state of mind. But dear goodness, once he freed himself from his cage and spread his wings freely, he was the best everrr.
An unbelievable heartbreaking story, beautifully written, captivating as hell and very emotional.
And the heartwarming beauty in this story...? Actually, beside Cam and Reuben as the main characters, dear Cory was the center of this journey and my goodness was that right!!
And the end.. best statement ever. I cried my eyes out and fainted of emotions, masterly done!!
I don’t even know where to start this review. I was swept of my feet by this stunning story !!
Reuben was heavily impressed by Cam’s appearance. He was the most beautiful delicate person, stunning make-up, fem and out and proud. He looked fragile but Reuben was surprised by his strong demanding attitude.
Cam was concerned for Reuben who was a rugby player and far in the closet.
Reuben has the chance to play with the All Blacks rugby team. But with a lot of bigotry from family and friends he can’t risk this place by outing himself.
It’s a widely written story and not one second dull or repetitive. It had excellent developed characters and a more than fascinating plot. Many different emotions all over the place.
It was entertaining and engaging.
Cam oh boy my dear, beautiful extraordinary Cam I loved him hard!! At moments I wanted to strangle Reuben, he needed time, a lot, he was over his ears from the first second he laid eyes on Cam. And this hurt both of them hard. He lived in a split position and that was so awful. Cory his little nephew on the autism spectrum was just so wonderful in all his being. My heart swelled at moments for him. Reuben was the only one who cared for him. There are family members whose name I don’t want to speak, and members I want to hug hard. The best families and the wurst families.
Even I knew where it came from, I got very very frustrated by Reuben’s state of mind. But dear goodness, once he freed himself from his cage and spread his wings freely, he was the best everrr.
An unbelievable heartbreaking story, beautifully written, captivating as hell and very emotional.
And the heartwarming beauty in this story...? Actually, beside Cam and Reuben as the main characters, dear Cory was the center of this journey and my goodness was that right!!
And the end.. best statement ever. I cried my eyes out and fainted of emotions, masterly done!!
April 10, 2024
Calling it, this author is not for me. Too many scenes are summarized. Too much of the backstories are info dumped. I didn't feel the connection between the MCs because of that. We don't see their "dates", we are told aboht them briefly afterwards. They mostly think about each other in sexual ways which doesn't show their connection or explain the strong foundation needed for a relationship yo have such a massive impact on both their lives. The MCs remained one dimensional to me and not exactly consistent. Reuben is a pro rugby player but that doesn't really have an impact on him, he is never tired/physically limited because his body is exhauted. Cam doesn't have a personality. We are told he is sassy but not really and he wears make up. That's it. The way gender was handled didn't sit right with me either: Cam wears "guyliner" (WTF, why gender a gender neutral term) and is alpha IN SPITE of it. As if wearing make up makes you a gentle wildflower. That's one example but there were others. The skipped the sex scenes and that's all I'll say on them.
There is a lot of family drama on Reuben's side but the way it was handled was also strange. His father's animosity didn't really make sense, at least not the extent of it... His family dynamic was kind of unclear to me. The hurdles to come out seemed insurmountable but then pouf they all disappear when he is ready. That seemed a bit much.
Anyway this author is shelved for good, I get why some would like her books but she is definitely not for me.
There is a lot of family drama on Reuben's side but the way it was handled was also strange. His father's animosity didn't really make sense, at least not the extent of it... His family dynamic was kind of unclear to me. The hurdles to come out seemed insurmountable but then pouf they all disappear when he is ready. That seemed a bit much.
Anyway this author is shelved for good, I get why some would like her books but she is definitely not for me.
April 16, 2019
I'm going to keep this short.
I love the premise. I'm a sucker for a good OFY sports romance, and it was a sports romance, but it wasn't good for me.
Why?
Drama. It was exhausting. I am not a fan of too much drama in books, and I just felt like it hindered the pace of the story. I almost DNFed this book. And while I love a steamy read- it was too much sex.
While underneath all the drama there was a story of hope that covers many important topics- it wasn't for me.
I'm sure I'll likely be the minority.
3 Stars
I love the premise. I'm a sucker for a good OFY sports romance, and it was a sports romance, but it wasn't good for me.
Why?
Drama. It was exhausting. I am not a fan of too much drama in books, and I just felt like it hindered the pace of the story. I almost DNFed this book. And while I love a steamy read- it was too much sex.
While underneath all the drama there was a story of hope that covers many important topics- it wasn't for me.
I'm sure I'll likely be the minority.
3 Stars
January 5, 2021
*2.5 Stars*
Well, Crossing the Touchline is a bit of a disappointment as the first read of the year.
It's quite standard, nothing particularly new or memorable. I liked it fine. It's a familiar story, written decently, paced well with lovable two-dimensional characters.
Unfortunately, it doesn't go any deeper. The setting is flat, it's New Zealand and it could have been anywhere else in the world. There are some pretty serious themes sprinkled in such as suicide, autism, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, but it's all surface and not as impactful as such things should be in my opinion.
Did I enjoy it? Sure. It's one of those stories I consider guilty pleasures because they're a kind of mindless read, where I'm relatively entertained but by the time I finish the characters name and the story begins to fade away.
Recommending to those who are coming off of heavy reads or are looking for something familiar and not too deep in contemporary MM. Read this as a stand-alone, and though the previous protagonist from the first book make an appearance it's not vital to read in order.
Well, Crossing the Touchline is a bit of a disappointment as the first read of the year.
It's quite standard, nothing particularly new or memorable. I liked it fine. It's a familiar story, written decently, paced well with lovable two-dimensional characters.
Unfortunately, it doesn't go any deeper. The setting is flat, it's New Zealand and it could have been anywhere else in the world. There are some pretty serious themes sprinkled in such as suicide, autism, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, but it's all surface and not as impactful as such things should be in my opinion.
Did I enjoy it? Sure. It's one of those stories I consider guilty pleasures because they're a kind of mindless read, where I'm relatively entertained but by the time I finish the characters name and the story begins to fade away.
Recommending to those who are coming off of heavy reads or are looking for something familiar and not too deep in contemporary MM. Read this as a stand-alone, and though the previous protagonist from the first book make an appearance it's not vital to read in order.
March 6, 2021
3.5 stars. I loved this book, but also found it incredibly frustrating at times. I adored both Cam and Reuben, both amazing beautiful characters, and such a great match, especially in bed. :::fans self:::
The family drama, with the evil father and infuriating brother had me almost DNF multiple times. Especially since it seemed to always trigger the MCs to push each other away, and then spend pages overanalyzing everything in their own heads. It was exhausting.
But then once Reuben woke up and was all in, I swooned my way to the end. ❤️
The family drama, with the evil father and infuriating brother had me almost DNF multiple times. Especially since it seemed to always trigger the MCs to push each other away, and then spend pages overanalyzing everything in their own heads. It was exhausting.
But then once Reuben woke up and was all in, I swooned my way to the end. ❤️
May 7, 2021
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A SASSY NURSE AND A MACHO RUGBY PLAYER CROSS PATHS?
Title: Crossing The Touchline by Jay Hogan
Why should you read this book?
Cam: sassy, out and proud nurse with a penchant for lacy and satiny underthings... #MySpiritAnimal
Rueben: Closeted, up-and-coming rugby star who would sacrifice his own happiness for his nephew... #BeStillMyHeart
Star-crossed lovers with so much against them... #CantCatchABreak
Romantic, sweet with so much pining... #AllTheFeels
Angst-o-meter: Medium ansgt... #ThereWillBeTears
Steam-o-meter: High steam! Cam is the toppy twink and Reuben is the giant of a man who loved to relinquish control. #FuckYeah
HEA: Hard-earned HEA with so much swoony goodness... #MuchDeserved
There were some niggles for me... the back and forth with them getting together and breaking up for one... but it didn't bother me too much.
I also do think that listening to Gary Furlong made this book so much better with his performance. he nailed every emotion and every character.
Title: Crossing The Touchline by Jay Hogan
Why should you read this book?
Cam: sassy, out and proud nurse with a penchant for lacy and satiny underthings... #MySpiritAnimal
Rueben: Closeted, up-and-coming rugby star who would sacrifice his own happiness for his nephew... #BeStillMyHeart
Star-crossed lovers with so much against them... #CantCatchABreak
Romantic, sweet with so much pining... #AllTheFeels
Angst-o-meter: Medium ansgt... #ThereWillBeTears
Steam-o-meter: High steam! Cam is the toppy twink and Reuben is the giant of a man who loved to relinquish control. #FuckYeah
HEA: Hard-earned HEA with so much swoony goodness... #MuchDeserved
There were some niggles for me... the back and forth with them getting together and breaking up for one... but it didn't bother me too much.
I also do think that listening to Gary Furlong made this book so much better with his performance. he nailed every emotion and every character.
February 3, 2020
I know zip about rugby, but I have heard of the All Blacks rugby team of New Zealand.
This was a ride that brought me to tears at times and had me grinning like a loon at other times.
Many thanks to the kind person who gifted this to me for the Secret Elfster gift exchange 2019.
This was a ride that brought me to tears at times and had me grinning like a loon at other times.
Many thanks to the kind person who gifted this to me for the Secret Elfster gift exchange 2019.
August 29, 2023
This book brought out my mama bear side more than any other book I've ever read.
Cory could be my son almost exactly, except my kid doesn't speak at all and has very limited understanding of the world around him.
What I liked the most about this book is how being a parent of a child with complex special needs wasn't given the fairytale treatment. It was brutally honest and realistic. Although the character of Craig was a selfish dickhead, I could truly empathise with him easily because I live that life myself (minus the alcohol and drug issues!). There are days where you just cry and question everything you're doing, but usually stories don't show you that and the lack of realism definitely causes mum guilt because you feel alone in your parenting struggles.
I'm extremely grateful that this aspect of the story was so realistically portrayed because people need to see having kids isn't all sunshine and rainbows and bragging about their perfection and obedience, and not all kids are neurotypical.
The relationship between Reuben and Cam also felt realistic with the back and forth, and I enjoyed seeing their love grow and their relationship develop. Reuben's dedication to his nephew is what won me over to him because without that he would be completely unlikeable.
I'm excited to get Mark's story next because I loved him in the first book.
Cory could be my son almost exactly, except my kid doesn't speak at all and has very limited understanding of the world around him.
What I liked the most about this book is how being a parent of a child with complex special needs wasn't given the fairytale treatment. It was brutally honest and realistic. Although the character of Craig was a selfish dickhead, I could truly empathise with him easily because I live that life myself (minus the alcohol and drug issues!). There are days where you just cry and question everything you're doing, but usually stories don't show you that and the lack of realism definitely causes mum guilt because you feel alone in your parenting struggles.
I'm extremely grateful that this aspect of the story was so realistically portrayed because people need to see having kids isn't all sunshine and rainbows and bragging about their perfection and obedience, and not all kids are neurotypical.
The relationship between Reuben and Cam also felt realistic with the back and forth, and I enjoyed seeing their love grow and their relationship develop. Reuben's dedication to his nephew is what won me over to him because without that he would be completely unlikeable.
I'm excited to get Mark's story next because I loved him in the first book.
February 14, 2021
Hands up, this is the first time I've actually finished a Gary Furlong narration. I usually find his voice fairly monotonous and snooze worthy 😴😴😴 and never finish the audio, but here he puts life and his heart and soul into the Kiwi accents for Cam and Reuben's story...and what a great story it is. I absolutely LOVE Jay's stories [there isn't one I haven't read as far as I know], and although I have to say I do prefer the Southern Lights series, Off Balance, book 1 of the new Painted Bay series, was one of my books of 2020. As long as Mr Furlong continues to put his heart and soul into narrating Jay's work, I will continue to listen to the audios too. First Impressions is next up.
***Book Review***
4.5 stars rounded up from me for this well-written tale. Loved it to bits, angst and all. Cam was just a brilliantly rounded, take no nonsense character, and Reuben?? Well, yes there were a few times I wanted to give him a good smack, but until/unless you've been in that particular situation yourself, you don't have any right to judge, so this is me shutting up 🤐.
Yes, it's a sports story...a rugby union story about playing for one of the greatest sporting teams in the world BUT...first and foremost it's a 'baring your soul' story, a friends to lovers story, a coming out story, a 'choosing who your own family is' story, and with the love of a good man beside you, finally having the courage to tell everyone else the unvarnished truth about yourself...whether they like it or not. Loved that Rube cared deeply enough about his autistic nephew Cory to practically wrestle him away from his incapable brother [who was obviously suffering from some kind of depression]...and as for their complete homophobic pillock of a father, well the less said the better 🤬.
March 25, 2022
There were some parts I loved, and some I hated.
Let's start with the things I loved.
And that's been almost every scene involving Cam. He was so unapologetically gay/queer/ femme/bossy, I couldn't help but admire and love him. And I felt sorry for all the things Reuben put him through, even if I could understand Reuben's motives.
Reuben. Upcoming rugby star (not a sport known for its queer-friendlness), with a scumbag of a father, a brother with severe alcohol addiction and (probably) depression, and a 4 year old nephew with a form of autism. Literally every scene with Reuben's father was SO toxic, I felt the urge to stop reading more than once because it made me so angry, and it made me angry that Reuben played along for far too long.
I would have rated it with 3 or even 2 stars if not for
1. The glorious ending. When Reuben FINALLY pulled his head out of his arse and stood up for Cam, it was nothing short of epic, and I cheered along.
2. The narration by Gary Furlong. While it might not come as a surprise that I like him, his performance here was even better than usual, he poured so many emotions into his characters and carried me through the moments I considered dnf- ing.
So when in doubt, listen to the audiobook - and now excuse me while I google femme-man-silky-underwear, because I seem to have a severe educational gap I need to close there.
Let's start with the things I loved.
And that's been almost every scene involving Cam. He was so unapologetically gay/queer/ femme/bossy, I couldn't help but admire and love him. And I felt sorry for all the things Reuben put him through, even if I could understand Reuben's motives.
Reuben. Upcoming rugby star (not a sport known for its queer-friendlness), with a scumbag of a father, a brother with severe alcohol addiction and (probably) depression, and a 4 year old nephew with a form of autism. Literally every scene with Reuben's father was SO toxic, I felt the urge to stop reading more than once because it made me so angry, and it made me angry that Reuben played along for far too long.
I would have rated it with 3 or even 2 stars if not for
1. The glorious ending. When Reuben FINALLY pulled his head out of his arse and stood up for Cam, it was nothing short of epic, and I cheered along.
2. The narration by Gary Furlong. While it might not come as a surprise that I like him, his performance here was even better than usual, he poured so many emotions into his characters and carried me through the moments I considered dnf- ing.
So when in doubt, listen to the audiobook - and now excuse me while I google femme-man-silky-underwear, because I seem to have a severe educational gap I need to close there.
October 20, 2021
This ended up being better than the first one in this series, which I didn't even finish due to the onslaught of sex scenes. (This one did have some sex, but not nearly as numerous and it didn't take too long to skip through them.) I was more interested in the stuff going on with Ruben's nephew Corey, though not so much Ruben's scumbag dad and loser brother. Cameron's cousin was more interesting too.
Cameron and Ruben worked out in the end, but honestly, I wasn't feeling their great epic love that made Cameron throw caution and past trauma to the wind to take a chance on Ruben's closeted issues. And every time Cameron whined and ranted about those issues I wanted to smack him. His resolve was more wishy-washy than his sashay. It was ridiculous that they ever tried to get together, especially given the way they met. Basically what I'm learning from all these M/M romances is that multiple orgasms is worth putting up with all kinds of crap so long as said orgasms knock your socks off. Sure. Riiiiiight. 🙄 How y'all function or get anything accomplished if sex muddles your brains this much, I have no idea. 😂
Gary Furlong is a favorite of mine, and he does a pretty good job with this, except that his voices for the MCs, both with similar 1st-person POV voices, sounded way too much alike and I often lost track of whose head I was in.
Cameron and Ruben worked out in the end, but honestly, I wasn't feeling their great epic love that made Cameron throw caution and past trauma to the wind to take a chance on Ruben's closeted issues. And every time Cameron whined and ranted about those issues I wanted to smack him. His resolve was more wishy-washy than his sashay. It was ridiculous that they ever tried to get together, especially given the way they met. Basically what I'm learning from all these M/M romances is that multiple orgasms is worth putting up with all kinds of crap so long as said orgasms knock your socks off. Sure. Riiiiiight. 🙄 How y'all function or get anything accomplished if sex muddles your brains this much, I have no idea. 😂
Gary Furlong is a favorite of mine, and he does a pretty good job with this, except that his voices for the MCs, both with similar 1st-person POV voices, sounded way too much alike and I often lost track of whose head I was in.
April 23, 2021
This story of a closeted rugby player trying to choose between coming out for the man he's falling in love with, and a host of cascading disasters that might result, was an engrossing read that kept me up late. I really liked that the reasons Ruben can't come out don't just revolve around his sport and the risk to his career- although that's not inconsiderable as he works hard for a rare opportunity- but also the family repercussions.
He's the one responsible person in the life of his brother's young autistic son. His own father is a manipulative bigot who uses the boy, the apartment Ruben lives in, and the garage his brother works in, as weapons to keep the whole family dancing to his tune. For his father, Ruben is a potential meal ticket down the road when he makes the All-Blacks team. That, and petty victories and cruelties, matter more than family. Ruben's brother is circling the drain of alcoholism, the child's mother is dead, and Ruben is the one holding everything together.
So when he meets a gorgeous, flamboyant, out and proud nurse, anything more than a hidden night is a huge risk. But Cam makes him want to take risks... later. As soon as he makes the All-Blacks and has money and can take care of the kid better and, and, and. Ruben knows it's unfair to ask Cam to hide and wait. Especially when Cam was burned by a closet case before. But they're so good together, they're both hoping they can make it work.
I enjoyed both main characters, but really liked Cam as a no-nonsense, take charge, femme guy with a tough job. Both men are clearly doing their best, with outside odds stacked against them. The chemistry and hurt-comfort are good, there's some wit and banter, and the secondary characters round out the story. The sport aspect is essential to the plot, but fairly light in the execution. You wouldn't have to know anything about Rugby to enjoy this book. The child character is realistic, imperfect, and important to the story. And I appreciated that it moved on past the point where many coming out sports romances stop, and gave us some of the aftermath.
He's the one responsible person in the life of his brother's young autistic son. His own father is a manipulative bigot who uses the boy, the apartment Ruben lives in, and the garage his brother works in, as weapons to keep the whole family dancing to his tune. For his father, Ruben is a potential meal ticket down the road when he makes the All-Blacks team. That, and petty victories and cruelties, matter more than family. Ruben's brother is circling the drain of alcoholism, the child's mother is dead, and Ruben is the one holding everything together.
So when he meets a gorgeous, flamboyant, out and proud nurse, anything more than a hidden night is a huge risk. But Cam makes him want to take risks... later. As soon as he makes the All-Blacks and has money and can take care of the kid better and, and, and. Ruben knows it's unfair to ask Cam to hide and wait. Especially when Cam was burned by a closet case before. But they're so good together, they're both hoping they can make it work.
I enjoyed both main characters, but really liked Cam as a no-nonsense, take charge, femme guy with a tough job. Both men are clearly doing their best, with outside odds stacked against them. The chemistry and hurt-comfort are good, there's some wit and banter, and the secondary characters round out the story. The sport aspect is essential to the plot, but fairly light in the execution. You wouldn't have to know anything about Rugby to enjoy this book. The child character is realistic, imperfect, and important to the story. And I appreciated that it moved on past the point where many coming out sports romances stop, and gave us some of the aftermath.
September 18, 2022
⭐️3.7⭐️
I really enjoyed the relationship dynamic in this one, and the pining was really good too. I did start to get a bit bored towards the end but that more on my terrible attention span than the book.
I really enjoyed the relationship dynamic in this one, and the pining was really good too. I did start to get a bit bored towards the end but that more on my terrible attention span than the book.
April 13, 2021
The second novel in Jay Hogan’s standalone Auckland Med series, Crossing the Touchline, is now available as an audiobook. Performed by the talented Gary Furlong, the whole experience of this spectacular story is enhanced by his narration, and brings all the drama, humor, and romance of Crossing the Touchline to life.
An emotional hurt/comfort novel, with some interesting family drama, I’m calling Crossing the Touchline an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. Grabbing my attention from the get-go, the initial meeting between Reuben and Cameron “Cam” sets the stage for their electric chemistry. It also provides some insight into the core of what type of men these guys are. Both of them are fiercely proud, and extremely self-confident. Their first scene really lets us know where each other’s boundaries lie.
There’s a fair bit of angst in this one, but the pace is fast and there’s a ton of action. Plus, Jay Hogan keeps our spirits up with witty banter, dry and clever humor, exciting rugby action, and the simply mouthwatering and smoking hot romance between the main characters.
The instant Reuben and Cam agree to be friends they have fantastic chemistry. This romance builds steadily as the drama unfolds, and as Jay Hogan has proven over and over, they write a delicious sex scene! These guys work beautifully with each other in and out of bed, and with all the crises they have to tackle, that’s a lucky thing.
Jay Hogan doesn’t shy away from a number of serious and sensitive issues in Crossing the Touchline. Reuben’s coming out journey is an emotional one, as he faces both bigotry and heartfelt support. Family issues include abuse and neglect, substance abuse, and there’s a struggle to diagnose Reuben’s nephew and to get him the support he needs.
It’s been quite a while since a cast has impressed me as much as the folks in Crossing the Touchline. Every single person in this extensive entourage is thoroughly developed and one hundred percent genuine. From the tumultuous family members, to the wide range of players on Rueben’s rugby teams, to Cam’s friends and co-workers, these people are fascinating!
Gary Furlong’s sexy, sassy spin on these characters makes the most of this novel. He understands they are complex men, and capitalizes on the chemistry between them. From their initial spark, to the true and honest friendship, to the eventual explosion in their physical coupling, Mr. Furlong clearly gets what Jay Hogan is going for in these guys.
Looking ahead of Crossing the Touchline, the next novel in the Auckland Med series, Up Close and Personal, is a mystery/thriller. Fingers crossed Jay Hogan continues to take advantage of Gary Furlong’s superlative skills and it won’t be long till the rest of the Auckland Med series is available in audio.
An emotional hurt/comfort novel, with some interesting family drama, I’m calling Crossing the Touchline an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. Grabbing my attention from the get-go, the initial meeting between Reuben and Cameron “Cam” sets the stage for their electric chemistry. It also provides some insight into the core of what type of men these guys are. Both of them are fiercely proud, and extremely self-confident. Their first scene really lets us know where each other’s boundaries lie.
There’s a fair bit of angst in this one, but the pace is fast and there’s a ton of action. Plus, Jay Hogan keeps our spirits up with witty banter, dry and clever humor, exciting rugby action, and the simply mouthwatering and smoking hot romance between the main characters.
The instant Reuben and Cam agree to be friends they have fantastic chemistry. This romance builds steadily as the drama unfolds, and as Jay Hogan has proven over and over, they write a delicious sex scene! These guys work beautifully with each other in and out of bed, and with all the crises they have to tackle, that’s a lucky thing.
Jay Hogan doesn’t shy away from a number of serious and sensitive issues in Crossing the Touchline. Reuben’s coming out journey is an emotional one, as he faces both bigotry and heartfelt support. Family issues include abuse and neglect, substance abuse, and there’s a struggle to diagnose Reuben’s nephew and to get him the support he needs.
It’s been quite a while since a cast has impressed me as much as the folks in Crossing the Touchline. Every single person in this extensive entourage is thoroughly developed and one hundred percent genuine. From the tumultuous family members, to the wide range of players on Rueben’s rugby teams, to Cam’s friends and co-workers, these people are fascinating!
Gary Furlong’s sexy, sassy spin on these characters makes the most of this novel. He understands they are complex men, and capitalizes on the chemistry between them. From their initial spark, to the true and honest friendship, to the eventual explosion in their physical coupling, Mr. Furlong clearly gets what Jay Hogan is going for in these guys.
Looking ahead of Crossing the Touchline, the next novel in the Auckland Med series, Up Close and Personal, is a mystery/thriller. Fingers crossed Jay Hogan continues to take advantage of Gary Furlong’s superlative skills and it won’t be long till the rest of the Auckland Med series is available in audio.
April 12, 2019
I love rugby so I was absolutely hyped to read this story of a young Kiwi rugby player striving to make the legendary All Blacks while struggling to figure out how to handle his attraction to his teammate's brother, all the while adamantly staying in the closet. Reuben Taylor is a young talented player with a lot on his plate. His father is a homophobic hard@ss who runs roughshod over his sons Reuben and Craig. Craig's son Cory is on the autism spectrum and needs diagnosis and help but Craig is too weak to stand up against his father and casts Reuben in the role of protector and provider.
When Reuben meets Cameron Wano, he is immediately smitten but believes he can never have a relationship with the lean, lithe charge nurse with the guyliner. Becoming an All Black and getting endorsement deals would finally free Reuben of his father's toxicity and provide him with money for Cory's therapy. But Reuben just can't face becoming the first out All Black and Cam won't go back into the closet for anyone, no matter how sexy.
And a few minor niggles - there is some discrepancy on the time frame (mentioning how one year has passed, and into the second year, and then at another point referring to only a few months) and Cam is continually described by his use of eyeline/guyliner (over 20 times). "Crossing the Touchline" just did not work for me and I cannot recommend it, although please note "your mileage may vary." 3 stars.
I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
When Reuben meets Cameron Wano, he is immediately smitten but believes he can never have a relationship with the lean, lithe charge nurse with the guyliner. Becoming an All Black and getting endorsement deals would finally free Reuben of his father's toxicity and provide him with money for Cory's therapy. But Reuben just can't face becoming the first out All Black and Cam won't go back into the closet for anyone, no matter how sexy.
Anything ... between us ... Is.Not.Happening. So what are you doing? If you want to keep your gay undercover, it's maybe not the best idea to be seen talking to the guy wearing eyeliner, and who may as well have 'I love dick' tattooed on his forehead. I'm hardly a shrinking violet, yeah?I like the premise of this story but the pacing almost made me DNF this book. At 300 pages, the book feels bloated with all the melodramatic scenes rehashing this central conflict between Reuben and Cam, as well as Reuben trying to get therapy for Cory and dealing with Craig's excessive drinking. Sure the sex is very steamy and erotic but after a while, I found myself skimming the sizzling sex scenes because I didn't get any sense of an emotional connection between the two MCs. There is no resolution to either situation until after page 250 or so, and while other readers may not feel the same, by this point I was done.
And a few minor niggles - there is some discrepancy on the time frame (mentioning how one year has passed, and into the second year, and then at another point referring to only a few months) and Cam is continually described by his use of eyeline/guyliner (over 20 times). "Crossing the Touchline" just did not work for me and I cannot recommend it, although please note "your mileage may vary." 3 stars.
I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
April 25, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
Jay Hogan impressed me with her first book, First Impressions, and then I was so ready to check out Crossing the Touchline as it continues on in the same world. We met Cam in the first book as he was friends with Michael and they work at the same hospital and we get an early scene checking back in with Michael and Josh. Hogan offered a great first chapter in that first book, and again here in the prologue, and I was immediately drawn in. I really like when that opening chapter sets such a great tone of what is to come and Hogan does it well.
There was so much I liked about this book starting with both Cam and Reuben. Their chemistry is immediate and all consuming. Their internal dialogue and the snark and the banter and the way they notice each other initially sets the scene, but then continues on and grows as the book progresses.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Jay Hogan impressed me with her first book, First Impressions, and then I was so ready to check out Crossing the Touchline as it continues on in the same world. We met Cam in the first book as he was friends with Michael and they work at the same hospital and we get an early scene checking back in with Michael and Josh. Hogan offered a great first chapter in that first book, and again here in the prologue, and I was immediately drawn in. I really like when that opening chapter sets such a great tone of what is to come and Hogan does it well.
There was so much I liked about this book starting with both Cam and Reuben. Their chemistry is immediate and all consuming. Their internal dialogue and the snark and the banter and the way they notice each other initially sets the scene, but then continues on and grows as the book progresses.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
February 14, 2021
Jay Hogan is now a faved author😍😍😍😍
5+±+++++ stars audio and story!!!!
5+±+++++ stars audio and story!!!!
March 26, 2024
I've given this an A for narration and an A- for content at AudioGals.
In Crossing the Touchline, book two in Jay Hogan’s Auckland Med . series, we meet twenty-three-year-old rugby player Reuben Taylor, who is on the verge of achieving his lifelong dream of playing for the All Blacks. It’s all he’s ever wanted – until he meets the out, proud, and totally fabulous ER nurse extraordinaire Cameron Wano, and for the first time in his life finds himself starting to consider that maybe dreams can change. The book is sexy and angsty and something of an emotional rollercoaster, but that’s like catnip for yours truly, and I was fully invested in Cam and Reuben and their story from the get-go. Add in another terrific performance from Gary Furlong, and the almost twelve hours of audio just flew by.
Reuben is very much a rising star and has high hopes he’ll get a try-out with the All Blacks soon. But he’s got a lot of his plate that makes it difficult for him to focus solely on his career; his abusive, bigoted father bullies him relentlessly – Reuben might be too big for him to use his fists on now, but that doesn’t stop his mean-spirited diatribes, his constant threats and the hate he spews every time he opens his mouth – and his older brother Craig is an alcoholic who struggles to care for his four-year-old son Cory. Reuben adores his nephew and loves spending time with him, but it’s not always easy; Reuben suspects Cory has ASD, but Craig refuses to have him assessed, mostly because their father keeps insisting there’s nothing wrong with Cory that discipline won’t fix.
On top of all that AND the pressure of a career in professional sport, Reuben is gay and deeply closeted – and wants to stay that way. There’s never been an out, gay professional rugby player, and Reuben doesn’t want to be labelled as the ‘first’ or be a trailblazer; he just wants to be known for his skills on the pitch.
Cam Wano runs the ER at Auckland Med. with an iron hand. He’s well-liked, well-respected and highly competent, can wound at twenty paces with a well-placed barb and takes no shit from anyone. He’s been out since forever –
on account of being born with a congenital swish in my walk and a sassy mouth to match, not to mention an apparently hugely inappropriate obsession with makeup and clothes well before the age of eight.
– and although he’s had to fight to be who he is and endured his share of bullying, he’s come through it all stronger and completely secure in himself.
When Cam and Reuben first meet, the sparks fly like nobody’s business – but once Cam realises that Reuben isn’t out – and he does understand his reasons even though he can’t agree with them – he backs off. He was badly burned by someone who wanted to keep him as his Dirty Little Secret, and Cam isn’t going back into the closet for anyone, no matter how tempting Reuben is, or how strong a connection exists between them.
The romance between Reuben and Cam is a gorgeous slow-burn and is extremely well written. The longing and the strong attraction between them is palpable and ever present, but they both know where they stand and decide to go forward as friends. They spend time together regularly over the ensuing weeks and months, getting to know each other over coffee or on outings to the beach with Cory, and Reuben eventually opens up about his toxic relationship with his father and his difficult family situation. It’s clear how much Reuben adores the little boy – but he hasn’t told Cam the whole story, that his father is using his fondness for Cory against him, threatening to send the boy to live with his maternal family (who are not good people) unless Reuben toes the line.
The story is thoroughly engrossing and Cam and Reuben are attractive, well-developed but flawed characters whose path to happily ever after is rocky to say the least. Unsurprisingly, given their relative ages and life experience, Cam is the more emotionally mature partner in the relationship, while Reuben is more than a little bit clueless; he knows he wants to be with Cam, but doesn’t know how to make it happen, how to continue to play the sport he loves while being out and openly in a relationship with a man. He’s become used to waiting for problems to sort themselves out rather than being proactive, but perhaps that’s not surprising given everything he’s dealing with. Ms. Hogan does a great job of conveying the immense pressure Reuben is under, and each time he lets Cam down – albeit unintentionally – my heart hurt for both of them.
I had a few small niggles; sometimes the story meanders a little and there’s a bit too much internal monologuing at times, but for the most part I was so wrapped up in what was going on that it didn’t matter. Cam and Reuben are complex, likeable characters, and there’s enough rugby in the story to make Reuben’s situation convincing but not so much that a total-non-sports fan (like me) starts to glaze over!
Gary Furlong once again delivers a truly impressive performance, and I honestly can’t think of a single thing about it that doesn’t work. His pacing is just right, all the secondary characters are well differentiated and easy to identify, his vocal acting is superb – and best of all, his portrayal of the two leads is spot on. Cam is larger-than-life, big hearted, warm, funny and a bit naughty; he doesn’t suffer fools but there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the people he cares about, and all of his fabulousness shines through in Mr. Furlong’s portrayal. He does perform both characters in a similar register, but Reuben’s voice is slightly lower-pitched and his speech is a little slower, and I never had any problems working out who was saying what. The thing that turns an impressive performance to an outstanding one however, is Mr. Furlong’s insight into and understanding of the two leads and the way he uses that to enhance and strengthen the emotional connection between them. He hits every emotional cue in the story, whether it’s the longing and desire crackling between Reuben and Cam, the twisted bigotry of Reuben’s father or the frustration and despair felt by his brother Craig – it’s all there in his voice and at times I forgot I was listening to just one person. I know there’s a vogue for two narrators in first person, dual PoV contemporary romance these days, but when a narrator is this good, there really is no need for a second one.
Great characters, strong chemistry, sharp dialogue, warmth, humour and steamy sexytimes all contributed towards making Crossing the Touchline a terrific listen, and one I found hard to put it down. Gary Furlong proves once again that he’s one of the best and most versatile romance narrators around, and I’m eagerly anticipating the next release in the Auckland Med. series.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
In Crossing the Touchline, book two in Jay Hogan’s Auckland Med . series, we meet twenty-three-year-old rugby player Reuben Taylor, who is on the verge of achieving his lifelong dream of playing for the All Blacks. It’s all he’s ever wanted – until he meets the out, proud, and totally fabulous ER nurse extraordinaire Cameron Wano, and for the first time in his life finds himself starting to consider that maybe dreams can change. The book is sexy and angsty and something of an emotional rollercoaster, but that’s like catnip for yours truly, and I was fully invested in Cam and Reuben and their story from the get-go. Add in another terrific performance from Gary Furlong, and the almost twelve hours of audio just flew by.
Reuben is very much a rising star and has high hopes he’ll get a try-out with the All Blacks soon. But he’s got a lot of his plate that makes it difficult for him to focus solely on his career; his abusive, bigoted father bullies him relentlessly – Reuben might be too big for him to use his fists on now, but that doesn’t stop his mean-spirited diatribes, his constant threats and the hate he spews every time he opens his mouth – and his older brother Craig is an alcoholic who struggles to care for his four-year-old son Cory. Reuben adores his nephew and loves spending time with him, but it’s not always easy; Reuben suspects Cory has ASD, but Craig refuses to have him assessed, mostly because their father keeps insisting there’s nothing wrong with Cory that discipline won’t fix.
On top of all that AND the pressure of a career in professional sport, Reuben is gay and deeply closeted – and wants to stay that way. There’s never been an out, gay professional rugby player, and Reuben doesn’t want to be labelled as the ‘first’ or be a trailblazer; he just wants to be known for his skills on the pitch.
Cam Wano runs the ER at Auckland Med. with an iron hand. He’s well-liked, well-respected and highly competent, can wound at twenty paces with a well-placed barb and takes no shit from anyone. He’s been out since forever –
on account of being born with a congenital swish in my walk and a sassy mouth to match, not to mention an apparently hugely inappropriate obsession with makeup and clothes well before the age of eight.
– and although he’s had to fight to be who he is and endured his share of bullying, he’s come through it all stronger and completely secure in himself.
When Cam and Reuben first meet, the sparks fly like nobody’s business – but once Cam realises that Reuben isn’t out – and he does understand his reasons even though he can’t agree with them – he backs off. He was badly burned by someone who wanted to keep him as his Dirty Little Secret, and Cam isn’t going back into the closet for anyone, no matter how tempting Reuben is, or how strong a connection exists between them.
The romance between Reuben and Cam is a gorgeous slow-burn and is extremely well written. The longing and the strong attraction between them is palpable and ever present, but they both know where they stand and decide to go forward as friends. They spend time together regularly over the ensuing weeks and months, getting to know each other over coffee or on outings to the beach with Cory, and Reuben eventually opens up about his toxic relationship with his father and his difficult family situation. It’s clear how much Reuben adores the little boy – but he hasn’t told Cam the whole story, that his father is using his fondness for Cory against him, threatening to send the boy to live with his maternal family (who are not good people) unless Reuben toes the line.
The story is thoroughly engrossing and Cam and Reuben are attractive, well-developed but flawed characters whose path to happily ever after is rocky to say the least. Unsurprisingly, given their relative ages and life experience, Cam is the more emotionally mature partner in the relationship, while Reuben is more than a little bit clueless; he knows he wants to be with Cam, but doesn’t know how to make it happen, how to continue to play the sport he loves while being out and openly in a relationship with a man. He’s become used to waiting for problems to sort themselves out rather than being proactive, but perhaps that’s not surprising given everything he’s dealing with. Ms. Hogan does a great job of conveying the immense pressure Reuben is under, and each time he lets Cam down – albeit unintentionally – my heart hurt for both of them.
I had a few small niggles; sometimes the story meanders a little and there’s a bit too much internal monologuing at times, but for the most part I was so wrapped up in what was going on that it didn’t matter. Cam and Reuben are complex, likeable characters, and there’s enough rugby in the story to make Reuben’s situation convincing but not so much that a total-non-sports fan (like me) starts to glaze over!
Gary Furlong once again delivers a truly impressive performance, and I honestly can’t think of a single thing about it that doesn’t work. His pacing is just right, all the secondary characters are well differentiated and easy to identify, his vocal acting is superb – and best of all, his portrayal of the two leads is spot on. Cam is larger-than-life, big hearted, warm, funny and a bit naughty; he doesn’t suffer fools but there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the people he cares about, and all of his fabulousness shines through in Mr. Furlong’s portrayal. He does perform both characters in a similar register, but Reuben’s voice is slightly lower-pitched and his speech is a little slower, and I never had any problems working out who was saying what. The thing that turns an impressive performance to an outstanding one however, is Mr. Furlong’s insight into and understanding of the two leads and the way he uses that to enhance and strengthen the emotional connection between them. He hits every emotional cue in the story, whether it’s the longing and desire crackling between Reuben and Cam, the twisted bigotry of Reuben’s father or the frustration and despair felt by his brother Craig – it’s all there in his voice and at times I forgot I was listening to just one person. I know there’s a vogue for two narrators in first person, dual PoV contemporary romance these days, but when a narrator is this good, there really is no need for a second one.
Great characters, strong chemistry, sharp dialogue, warmth, humour and steamy sexytimes all contributed towards making Crossing the Touchline a terrific listen, and one I found hard to put it down. Gary Furlong proves once again that he’s one of the best and most versatile romance narrators around, and I’m eagerly anticipating the next release in the Auckland Med. series.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals.
November 1, 2025
I don't believe Cam and Ruben really had the potential to be a couple. Their chemistry was barely there, and their falling in love didn't make much sense to me.
I still enjoyed the book because Jay Hogan + Gary Furlong are always a good time. Still, I spent the majority of the book either frustrated with Ruben for his self-pity or annoyed that both he and his brother gave so much power to their shitty dad. I really can't understand why they were so beholden to him, like Ruben is a professional athlete, and the brother is a really good mechanic, like they had options? 🤷🏻♀️
I still enjoyed the book because Jay Hogan + Gary Furlong are always a good time. Still, I spent the majority of the book either frustrated with Ruben for his self-pity or annoyed that both he and his brother gave so much power to their shitty dad. I really can't understand why they were so beholden to him, like Ruben is a professional athlete, and the brother is a really good mechanic, like they had options? 🤷🏻♀️
July 18, 2019
In one word: Rollercoaster.
"In" then "Out" then "In" then "Out" etc...
I really loved this but all along there are a lot of dramas.
Surely Reuben was my hero in this. I mean between his family (OMG I just can't understand how he managed to survive that long with them. Really), his career and his love interest. He's deep in the closet. Really deep. For many reasons. And I understand every each of them. I really liked his HEA. What an incredible team this All blacks!
Cameron was really incredible too. Such a big heart (due to his beautiful family! His mother. This woman really. The BEST). I must admit that he annoyed me many times too. He asked a lot of someone who already had the weight of a family (and a career) on his back. I wish he had done less in the drama.
I still have to admit that my favorite couple is Jake (Cam's cousin) and Trent haha. They completely stole the show for me! Such a cute couple! I was so happy seeing them falling in love. I hope we'll have some news in the next book!
nope-nope-because-reasons
May 4, 2019Reviews are saying too much drama, and I'm allergic to that in my books, so......
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