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The Riptide #connected
The Rainbow Clause
Librarian's Note: An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.
Don't like the athletes. Don't sleep with the athletes. Don't fall for the athletes. It had never been particularly difficult to keep the rules but Nick had a feeling he was about to be tested.
Heisman winner. Member of the National Championship team. NFL Rookie of the Year. Quarterback Colin O’Connor knows he’s become the ultimate romance novel cliché: all the success he’s ever dreamed of but nobody to share it with. Too bad it’s not as simple as asking out the next girl who intrigues him – because the next girl to intrigue him probably won’t be a girl at all.
Unexpectedly, the solution comes in one neat package: Nick Wheeler, lead journalist for a leading sports and pop culture blog. Hired by Colin’s team, Nick comes to Miami to shine a spotlight on the NFL’s most private quarterback.
The heat in Miami rises when Nick discovers that Colin is nothing like the hollow personality he pretends to be in interviews and he’s even hotter in person than on his Sports Illustrated cover. Nick knows this is the story of his career, and it also hits close to home. What he needs is to help Colin share his story while keeping their growing relationship from boiling over in the press, but what he wants is to tell the world.
Note: this book has been re-edited and re-released on 6/24/2017. Content is the same, errors are fixed.
Don't like the athletes. Don't sleep with the athletes. Don't fall for the athletes. It had never been particularly difficult to keep the rules but Nick had a feeling he was about to be tested.
Heisman winner. Member of the National Championship team. NFL Rookie of the Year. Quarterback Colin O’Connor knows he’s become the ultimate romance novel cliché: all the success he’s ever dreamed of but nobody to share it with. Too bad it’s not as simple as asking out the next girl who intrigues him – because the next girl to intrigue him probably won’t be a girl at all.
Unexpectedly, the solution comes in one neat package: Nick Wheeler, lead journalist for a leading sports and pop culture blog. Hired by Colin’s team, Nick comes to Miami to shine a spotlight on the NFL’s most private quarterback.
The heat in Miami rises when Nick discovers that Colin is nothing like the hollow personality he pretends to be in interviews and he’s even hotter in person than on his Sports Illustrated cover. Nick knows this is the story of his career, and it also hits close to home. What he needs is to help Colin share his story while keeping their growing relationship from boiling over in the press, but what he wants is to tell the world.
Note: this book has been re-edited and re-released on 6/24/2017. Content is the same, errors are fixed.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2017
274 people are currently reading
1026 people want to read
About the author
Beth Bolden
76 books677 followersA lifelong Oregonian, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband and their sweet kitten, Earl Grey. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.
Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published fourteen novels and five short stories.
Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published fourteen novels and five short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
July 7, 2021
Extremely polished sports romance
I've a feeling I was supposed to read something before this one but I rarely read M/F these days so I haven't but I don't think it really had a negative effect on my enjoyment of this one.
There's nothing new here, it's a typical 'coming out' sports romance between a bisexual football quarterback and a reporter but it's done really well.
There's a lot of polish to this one, which I note is a re-release, so I'm guessing it was cleaned up then.
I loved both Colin and Nick and I loved watching them fall in love, especially as Colin was a gay sex virgin and not hugely experience with any other sex either. He was sweet and eager to learn and incredibly passionate about everything Nick could teach him.
And cynical Nick, finding out his crush was bisexual and attracted to him was a delight as he fumbled his way through feelings and dilemmas about ethics and integrity while he fell in love with his interview subject.
The support characters helped to nicely round out this enjoyable read.
I've a feeling I was supposed to read something before this one but I rarely read M/F these days so I haven't but I don't think it really had a negative effect on my enjoyment of this one.
There's nothing new here, it's a typical 'coming out' sports romance between a bisexual football quarterback and a reporter but it's done really well.
There's a lot of polish to this one, which I note is a re-release, so I'm guessing it was cleaned up then.
I loved both Colin and Nick and I loved watching them fall in love, especially as Colin was a gay sex virgin and not hugely experience with any other sex either. He was sweet and eager to learn and incredibly passionate about everything Nick could teach him.
And cynical Nick, finding out his crush was bisexual and attracted to him was a delight as he fumbled his way through feelings and dilemmas about ethics and integrity while he fell in love with his interview subject.
The support characters helped to nicely round out this enjoyable read.
February 25, 2018
**2.5 stars**
Well, this one didn’t work for me. This is the story of Colin, a football player, who decides to go public about his bisexuality and Nick, a journalist, is going to spend 3 weeks with him to write an article for this occasion. No surprise here, they end up together.
There were events that seemed thrown and not expended. I saw this author wrote a previous MF book with the characters. Maybe it would have been better to have read it first ? Still, for me, it was too full of clichés and too simplistic. Not for me, even if the MCs were cute.
Well, this one didn’t work for me. This is the story of Colin, a football player, who decides to go public about his bisexuality and Nick, a journalist, is going to spend 3 weeks with him to write an article for this occasion. No surprise here, they end up together.
There were events that seemed thrown and not expended. I saw this author wrote a previous MF book with the characters. Maybe it would have been better to have read it first ? Still, for me, it was too full of clichés and too simplistic. Not for me, even if the MCs were cute.
February 2, 2025
This book was bad, weird, and boring. You might ask, why didn’t I just DNF? Honestly, who knows 🤷🏻♀️, maybe because I’d already DNF’d too many books this week and just wanted to finish something.
The writing itself isn’t terrible, but the story is. So many things make no sense, and there’s way too much focus on Jemma, who I couldn’t care less about.
For example: why does Colin wanting to publicly come out mean he has to practically live with the reporter writing the article? That makes absolutely no sense. Predictably, Colin and Nick (the reporter) start hooking up, except there’s no chemistry or proper development, and they somehow fall in love (?) in less than three weeks. Cue the third-act breakup, because of course. And then, to make it worse, it’s Nick, not Colin, who decides to hide their relationship after they get back together even though there’s no grovelling after the stupidity of their breakup.
I was bored for most of the book. I hated Jemma and Gabe’s presence, and the relationship between the main characters felt forced and nonsensical. I hope The Rivalry is better, since I already have it, but at this point, I have no expectations.
The writing itself isn’t terrible, but the story is. So many things make no sense, and there’s way too much focus on Jemma, who I couldn’t care less about.
For example: why does Colin wanting to publicly come out mean he has to practically live with the reporter writing the article? That makes absolutely no sense. Predictably, Colin and Nick (the reporter) start hooking up, except there’s no chemistry or proper development, and they somehow fall in love (?) in less than three weeks. Cue the third-act breakup, because of course. And then, to make it worse, it’s Nick, not Colin, who decides to hide their relationship after they get back together even though there’s no grovelling after the stupidity of their breakup.
I was bored for most of the book. I hated Jemma and Gabe’s presence, and the relationship between the main characters felt forced and nonsensical. I hope The Rivalry is better, since I already have it, but at this point, I have no expectations.
April 11, 2017
3.5 stars
Beth Bolden is a new-to-me author. I believe that this is also her first M/M book? I bought it on a whim when I saw the blog tour and read one of the blog tour reviews.
For a book with "practically" a virgin bisexual football quarterback who is planning to come out -- so he can date *lol* -- and a reporter who is tasked to write the coming out feature, this one is pretty sweet and angst free.
To be honest, Colin sometimes comes off as adorably innocent despite his fame and popularity as a Heisman winner and NFL Rookie of the Year. Colin protects his privacy highly, and even lives alone on a private island. He shops for his own grocery and he cooks. Yep, adorable. While Nick, well this reporter is smitten with Colin from the very beginning. So their relationship happens pretty easy without many complications.
I think after half-way, when they both acknowledge their attraction it became a bit bland and repetitive -- especially because . It was like the author was trying to find a way to lengthen the story to a full-length novel but didn't know how to do it.
But in overall, I did like this. It was nice to have something sweet and angst-free sometimes, especially set in the world on sports. I hear that Bolden will release another M/M in the near future. I think I will check that one as well.
Beth Bolden is a new-to-me author. I believe that this is also her first M/M book? I bought it on a whim when I saw the blog tour and read one of the blog tour reviews.
For a book with "practically" a virgin bisexual football quarterback who is planning to come out -- so he can date *lol* -- and a reporter who is tasked to write the coming out feature, this one is pretty sweet and angst free.
To be honest, Colin sometimes comes off as adorably innocent despite his fame and popularity as a Heisman winner and NFL Rookie of the Year. Colin protects his privacy highly, and even lives alone on a private island. He shops for his own grocery and he cooks. Yep, adorable. While Nick, well this reporter is smitten with Colin from the very beginning. So their relationship happens pretty easy without many complications.
I think after half-way, when they both acknowledge their attraction it became a bit bland and repetitive -- especially because . It was like the author was trying to find a way to lengthen the story to a full-length novel but didn't know how to do it.
But in overall, I did like this. It was nice to have something sweet and angst-free sometimes, especially set in the world on sports. I hear that Bolden will release another M/M in the near future. I think I will check that one as well.
April 13, 2017
This is going to sound rather ranty and I recognize that I am solidly in the minority on this book. Many loved it. It frustrated me beyond belief! Generally speaking I love football books and the whole somewhat closeted athlete. Better yet was the fact that one of the characters is bisexual and I'd hoped that this was treated respectfully. The clever title roped me in and I thought, oh goodie and sat back to enjoy it. After reading about 20% I realized that the characters, Colin, Nick, Jemma, Gabe were introduced in an M/F read,
. Since I primarily read M/M these days, I had no plans to read that book. But unfortunately lots must have happened in that book that is glossed over and alluded to in this book. I have no problems with authors introducing characters in earlier books, but when you switch genres, so to speak and go from M/F to M/M, I think you need to give more background and not assume that your readers will go back to the earlier book. Nick experiences something traumatic in that earlier book and in this book suffers from nightmares. Okay, but it's not entirely clear what happened and interestingly, the nightmare issue seems to fade away. There's some focus on it, some discussion of PTSD but then nothing. Jemma, whom we see THROUGHOUT this book, is Colin's best friend but apparently at one point Colin loved Jemma and continuously moans over the fact, almost to the 45% point, that she didn't love him back. This too, seems to have occurred in the earlier book. I didn't want to hear/see that... I wanted more Nick and Colin. In addition, and this is a major pet peeve of mine, Colin and Nick constantly refer to each other as "hot" as in "you're so hot." May have been the books I was reading, but that is one of the many reasons I stopped reading M/F. In the throes of lovemaking, these two are calling each other hot. Give me something a bit more meaningful - not the super vapid "oh you're so hot." Some odd typos at one point, the author uses the word god with a lower case g, then later she uses the upper case G. Be consistent. The communication between Colin and Nick is confusing. It's clear they have feelings for each other but we get the whole, "I need to leave because this isn't right" thing. And finally, wasn't this a bit of a conflict of interest for Nick! I mean, he's supposed to be a journalist and write an OBJECTIVE article. Luckily that is addressed later in the book, but in my view, it should have been brought up earlier. I just had so many issues that I wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall. Wanted to like this but just wanted to cry in frustration.
. Since I primarily read M/M these days, I had no plans to read that book. But unfortunately lots must have happened in that book that is glossed over and alluded to in this book. I have no problems with authors introducing characters in earlier books, but when you switch genres, so to speak and go from M/F to M/M, I think you need to give more background and not assume that your readers will go back to the earlier book. Nick experiences something traumatic in that earlier book and in this book suffers from nightmares. Okay, but it's not entirely clear what happened and interestingly, the nightmare issue seems to fade away. There's some focus on it, some discussion of PTSD but then nothing. Jemma, whom we see THROUGHOUT this book, is Colin's best friend but apparently at one point Colin loved Jemma and continuously moans over the fact, almost to the 45% point, that she didn't love him back. This too, seems to have occurred in the earlier book. I didn't want to hear/see that... I wanted more Nick and Colin. In addition, and this is a major pet peeve of mine, Colin and Nick constantly refer to each other as "hot" as in "you're so hot." May have been the books I was reading, but that is one of the many reasons I stopped reading M/F. In the throes of lovemaking, these two are calling each other hot. Give me something a bit more meaningful - not the super vapid "oh you're so hot." Some odd typos at one point, the author uses the word god with a lower case g, then later she uses the upper case G. Be consistent. The communication between Colin and Nick is confusing. It's clear they have feelings for each other but we get the whole, "I need to leave because this isn't right" thing. And finally, wasn't this a bit of a conflict of interest for Nick! I mean, he's supposed to be a journalist and write an OBJECTIVE article. Luckily that is addressed later in the book, but in my view, it should have been brought up earlier. I just had so many issues that I wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall. Wanted to like this but just wanted to cry in frustration.
March 3, 2017
This was the first book I've read by Beth Bolden and it did not disappoint!
Colin is a star quarterback in the NFL. He's also bisexual, only no one knows. Well, his closest friends do. When he first signed with the team, he had a clause added - The Rainbow Clause. It's what he put in place should he decide to come out. Now that he's ready, it's time to put that clause into effect.
Enter Nick. He's the reporter whose been tasked with writing the story, which will announce to the world that Colin is bisexual. But he's not just any reporter. He's had a thing for Colin from the beginning but had only met him once prior to this story. Nick couldn't wait to find out more about the very private quarterback.
Together, Colin and Nick dance around the attraction they feel for one another. Once they finally come together, sparks fly. All is great when they are alone, but what happens when the story is published and the world is watching?
I loved this book. It had everything I look for in a great read. Romance, a fantastic build-up, hot scenes, a little drama to keep me flipping the pages - it was the complete package. Beth Bolden writes in a way that she sucks you right into her character's world and makes you never want to leave. I loved Colin and Nick and didn't want their story to end. I can't wait to read more by the author.
Colin is a star quarterback in the NFL. He's also bisexual, only no one knows. Well, his closest friends do. When he first signed with the team, he had a clause added - The Rainbow Clause. It's what he put in place should he decide to come out. Now that he's ready, it's time to put that clause into effect.
Enter Nick. He's the reporter whose been tasked with writing the story, which will announce to the world that Colin is bisexual. But he's not just any reporter. He's had a thing for Colin from the beginning but had only met him once prior to this story. Nick couldn't wait to find out more about the very private quarterback.
Together, Colin and Nick dance around the attraction they feel for one another. Once they finally come together, sparks fly. All is great when they are alone, but what happens when the story is published and the world is watching?
I loved this book. It had everything I look for in a great read. Romance, a fantastic build-up, hot scenes, a little drama to keep me flipping the pages - it was the complete package. Beth Bolden writes in a way that she sucks you right into her character's world and makes you never want to leave. I loved Colin and Nick and didn't want their story to end. I can't wait to read more by the author.
March 20, 2017
***3.5 stars (rounded-up)***
For this being Beth Bolden’s debut MM book, it’s not too shabby. I have to say the blurb intrigued me, and what I got was better than what I expected. I was happy to read (at least I haven’t come across it yet) something new. Namely The Rainbow Clause. I cannot go further, because I would be spoiling it for others, but it was truly nice and refreshing.
While I did enjoy seeing the relationship develop between Colin and Nick, I have to say I did have a hard time following the story at times.
1. First there was the time period between the Prologue and Chapter 1. Then when Nick comes back to LA after being in Miami. It took a while to sort out that timeline, and these are just two instances out of book. So, needless to say it was a bit rough following the six month timeline (excluding the epilogue).
2. The supporting characters Jemma and Gabe. There are so many references I wasn’t catching on to, nor was the author doing a good job answering those questions. For instance while the quad is playing trampoline dodgeball there is a moment where they mention Colin being a sub for Gabe’s partner since he was shot. That was it; nothing more. Before that, I didn't have an inkling of what Gabe did for a living, but from this I surmised he was in law enforcement. It wasn’t until near the end of the book I find out he is actually a detective.
This is just one of many instances, which got me thinking. So I went and skimmed the authors past books and boy was I right. Even though they are not attached by a Series moniker, there is a book entitled Summer Attractions that tells Jemma and Gabe’s story. I am sure all the missing information and questions I have, are probably in that book. I wish that the author would have given us a few sentences here and there for those of us that have not read that book, or are not interested in it.
3. Then there are Nick’s nightmares. Besides the missing information of the incident itself, the author never makes it clear whether Nick truly opens up to Colin about this. At one point in the story it seems like we are going to get the whole story as he finally lets down his wall to Colin, but nope. It is like the train of thought gets interrupted and unfortunately it never gets brought up again. Not only that, but the therapist he is talking to seems to fall off the storyline.
All in all, I really do see potential here. I am willing to give her another try because of her fresh ideas and the realness of the story. I really enjoyed how the author seemed to look at all facets; just not jumping in with rose-colored glasses. In the end, both Nick and Colin get their HEA, even though it took some time for them to reach it.
I am one of many reviewers at Gay Book Reviews and can be found here: http://gaybook.reviews/author/steph/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For this being Beth Bolden’s debut MM book, it’s not too shabby. I have to say the blurb intrigued me, and what I got was better than what I expected. I was happy to read (at least I haven’t come across it yet) something new. Namely The Rainbow Clause. I cannot go further, because I would be spoiling it for others, but it was truly nice and refreshing.
While I did enjoy seeing the relationship develop between Colin and Nick, I have to say I did have a hard time following the story at times.
1. First there was the time period between the Prologue and Chapter 1. Then when Nick comes back to LA after being in Miami. It took a while to sort out that timeline, and these are just two instances out of book. So, needless to say it was a bit rough following the six month timeline (excluding the epilogue).
2. The supporting characters Jemma and Gabe. There are so many references I wasn’t catching on to, nor was the author doing a good job answering those questions. For instance while the quad is playing trampoline dodgeball there is a moment where they mention Colin being a sub for Gabe’s partner since he was shot. That was it; nothing more. Before that, I didn't have an inkling of what Gabe did for a living, but from this I surmised he was in law enforcement. It wasn’t until near the end of the book I find out he is actually a detective.
This is just one of many instances, which got me thinking. So I went and skimmed the authors past books and boy was I right. Even though they are not attached by a Series moniker, there is a book entitled Summer Attractions that tells Jemma and Gabe’s story. I am sure all the missing information and questions I have, are probably in that book. I wish that the author would have given us a few sentences here and there for those of us that have not read that book, or are not interested in it.
3. Then there are Nick’s nightmares. Besides the missing information of the incident itself, the author never makes it clear whether Nick truly opens up to Colin about this. At one point in the story it seems like we are going to get the whole story as he finally lets down his wall to Colin, but nope. It is like the train of thought gets interrupted and unfortunately it never gets brought up again. Not only that, but the therapist he is talking to seems to fall off the storyline.
All in all, I really do see potential here. I am willing to give her another try because of her fresh ideas and the realness of the story. I really enjoyed how the author seemed to look at all facets; just not jumping in with rose-colored glasses. In the end, both Nick and Colin get their HEA, even though it took some time for them to reach it.
I am one of many reviewers at Gay Book Reviews and can be found here: http://gaybook.reviews/author/steph/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2017
*A copy of this book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Okay, first - This book is technically part of a series. I had the feeling Jemma/Gabe had their own book and was proven right when I got to the end. I would've liked to have know that, or had less focus on Jemma/Gabe. (Summer Attractions)
Second - The title. While I get that more people are familiar with the rainbow symbolism, every time it was mentioned I cringed a little. Bisexuality has their own colors/flag and it's not a rainbow. Since Colin is bi and not gay, it just irked me a little. But I also know the rainbow has come to cover the spectrum of LGBTQIA+ so it's a petty irritant. Basically #itscomplicated
But to get to the story and the characters. I loved this. I thought Colin and Nick were adorable and I loved everything about them. I loved Colin's struggle to open up after being so private for so long (though I wish he were a tad older, I think it would've made more sense). Colin was just a nice guy. He wasn't a dudebro. He wasn't full of himself even though he could be. He just wants simple things. To not be lonely. To have someone to come home to. To play football. That's it. Nick was great too. He was a little less nice, but that's part of his charm. He pokes. He prods. He challenges Colin when he gets too comfortable. I loved seeing them fall for each other. It was just super cute. There's some angst, but it's minimal.
Okay, first - This book is technically part of a series. I had the feeling Jemma/Gabe had their own book and was proven right when I got to the end. I would've liked to have know that, or had less focus on Jemma/Gabe. (Summer Attractions)
Second - The title. While I get that more people are familiar with the rainbow symbolism, every time it was mentioned I cringed a little. Bisexuality has their own colors/flag and it's not a rainbow. Since Colin is bi and not gay, it just irked me a little. But I also know the rainbow has come to cover the spectrum of LGBTQIA+ so it's a petty irritant. Basically #itscomplicated
But to get to the story and the characters. I loved this. I thought Colin and Nick were adorable and I loved everything about them. I loved Colin's struggle to open up after being so private for so long (though I wish he were a tad older, I think it would've made more sense). Colin was just a nice guy. He wasn't a dudebro. He wasn't full of himself even though he could be. He just wants simple things. To not be lonely. To have someone to come home to. To play football. That's it. Nick was great too. He was a little less nice, but that's part of his charm. He pokes. He prods. He challenges Colin when he gets too comfortable. I loved seeing them fall for each other. It was just super cute. There's some angst, but it's minimal.
April 5, 2017
When Colin negotiated his NFL contract he had, what has come to be known as the Rainbow Clause included into it. Colin is bi, and wanted to be sure if a man was who he chose to settle down with he had a choice to come out. Colin leans more toward being attracted to men than women and decides he is tired of hiding. He goes to his argent who arranges a coming out interview with Nick, a sports writer.
Nick is out and proud, something you don't see much of in the sports world. He agrees to shadow Colin for a few weeks to get the best profile interview he can. Part of the arrangement is Nick will live with Colin while he shadows him.
This was a quick and easy read. It's well-written and paced well, with likable characters. For the subject matter involved it had very little outside angst. This is not to say the story doesn't have angst. Nick created enough angst with his push and pull routine for two books. I loved him, yet I wanted to strangle him at the same time or at least whack him upside the back of the head. I loved Colin. He was so sweet and caring. The story was a slow-burn, that had a good build up to explosive fireworks once Nick and Colin finally give in to the attraction. Their chemistry was off the charts.
This was a really enjoyable read. I liked the plot and not only were the main characters likable and well developed, but I loved the secondary characters as well. Nick and Colin worked well together. I loved watching them move from writer and subject, to friends and later lovers. The progression of their relationship felt natural and unhurried. This story was funny, sweet and sexy. Very recommendable!
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.*
March 9, 2017
4.5 stars!
Who wouldn't want to read this book....I mean look at the cover!! That completely caught my attention but like with any hot man it was what was inside that kept me around. It may be pretty to look at but it was so much better to read. I will admit I have a slight passion about football books and this one is way up there in my favourites.
It was well written and the story well thought out. I felt the connection between the characters and I was rooting for them the entire time. Even the side characters caught my attention and I wanted to know more about them.
The ONLY thing that marked it down from a 5 star read....and this is totally my thing because I'm that sort of person ...was that there wasn't enough angst for me. I just felt there would be more...but as I say this is totally me! Lots of people don't want pain and angst...and this would be the perfect books for them. Truthfully I think its the perfect book for anyone that loves a good love story...cause thats what this is.
Who wouldn't want to read this book....I mean look at the cover!! That completely caught my attention but like with any hot man it was what was inside that kept me around. It may be pretty to look at but it was so much better to read. I will admit I have a slight passion about football books and this one is way up there in my favourites.
It was well written and the story well thought out. I felt the connection between the characters and I was rooting for them the entire time. Even the side characters caught my attention and I wanted to know more about them.
The ONLY thing that marked it down from a 5 star read....and this is totally my thing because I'm that sort of person ...was that there wasn't enough angst for me. I just felt there would be more...but as I say this is totally me! Lots of people don't want pain and angst...and this would be the perfect books for them. Truthfully I think its the perfect book for anyone that loves a good love story...cause thats what this is.
March 3, 2017
Loved it! Romance, drama, humor, this book has it all and more. It was so good I could hardly put it down, and finished it far too soon - I just didn't want the story to end! Another win from Beth Bolden!
May 1, 2017
I was given a free copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This is the first book I’ve read by Beth Bolden and I enjoyed it. It’s the story of Nick, an NFL football star and Colin, his reporter boyfriend. Nick lives a quiet life for a NFL star. He lives on a private island, does his own shopping, and keeps to himself. The problem is that he wants to date, which means he’s going to have to come out. He had a rainbow clause written into his contract to handle the publicity. No one really knows he’s gay except for a few select people. He’s actually bi, and has been in love with is best friend Jemma for a long time. She was never interested in him romantically so he finally moved on from her, especially when she got a serious boyfriend. Colin, Jemma’s coworker, was hired to write the big story about Nick. Colin has always had a thing for Nick and worked it out so they had to spend time together. They slowly fall for each other. Colin, who is openly gay, helps Nick come out. Colin has his own issues that he has to deal with. They overcome their issues in the end and find their way to a happy ending.
Overall it was a really nice story. Nick is bi and he is hung up on Jemma for a the first part of the book. I would have preferred for it to be just a reference to when he had a thing for his best friend, but it really did seem like he was still very much hung up on her. I was a bit confused at the start of the story because I thought I was reading a M/M story and it seemed like it was starting out to be a M/F story. That was a complaint I had. The M/F aspect was too strong. That was my only real complaint. Once it moved past that I was fine. I liked the slow build of the relationship between Nick and Colin. You could really feel the sexual tension between them. It has angst without being overdone.
This is the first book I’ve read by Beth Bolden and I enjoyed it. It’s the story of Nick, an NFL football star and Colin, his reporter boyfriend. Nick lives a quiet life for a NFL star. He lives on a private island, does his own shopping, and keeps to himself. The problem is that he wants to date, which means he’s going to have to come out. He had a rainbow clause written into his contract to handle the publicity. No one really knows he’s gay except for a few select people. He’s actually bi, and has been in love with is best friend Jemma for a long time. She was never interested in him romantically so he finally moved on from her, especially when she got a serious boyfriend. Colin, Jemma’s coworker, was hired to write the big story about Nick. Colin has always had a thing for Nick and worked it out so they had to spend time together. They slowly fall for each other. Colin, who is openly gay, helps Nick come out. Colin has his own issues that he has to deal with. They overcome their issues in the end and find their way to a happy ending.
Overall it was a really nice story. Nick is bi and he is hung up on Jemma for a the first part of the book. I would have preferred for it to be just a reference to when he had a thing for his best friend, but it really did seem like he was still very much hung up on her. I was a bit confused at the start of the story because I thought I was reading a M/M story and it seemed like it was starting out to be a M/F story. That was a complaint I had. The M/F aspect was too strong. That was my only real complaint. Once it moved past that I was fine. I liked the slow build of the relationship between Nick and Colin. You could really feel the sexual tension between them. It has angst without being overdone.
June 9, 2017
~ 3.5 Stars ~
Apparently The Rainbow Clause is part of a series, but I didn’t feel like I really missed anything in reading this as a stand-alone.
Colin is the hot football star of the moment, but he’s got a big secret, one he’s tired of keeping to himself. He’s distant with his teammates, and his best friend is the girl he loved and lost. He is so done with not being able to be who he wants to be, but he knows the potential consequences if he does pursue the person he wants.
When he finally decides that the time has come, he meets Nick and all bets are off. Nick is very attracted to Colin and, frankly, surprised by him. Colin is much more complicated than Nick had expected. The fact that Colin doesn’t have much interest in partying or hanging with his teammates, but would rather barbecue at home and binge-watch Netflix shows, isn’t what Nick had in mind. He also doesn’t expect that Colin would return his attraction. Colin is guarded—particularly at first. But as the two men grow closer, they have a hard time not acting on their mutual attraction.
There are, of course, complications; although not as many as I would have expected, given the issue major league sports seem to have with “out” athletes while they are still actively playing. For the most part, Colin has support and is less afraid of the consequences of his decision than Nick thinks he should be. Nick’s own experiences have not always been terribly positive, and as time goes on, he’s much more worried for Colin and his inexperience with negativity, given his extremely successful football career up to now. When things do get tense, Nick and Colin have choices to make and reality to face.
I mostly really enjoyed this story of Colin and Nick. I don’t think that some of the story was quite believable, but this is fiction, after all, so I was ultimately OK with suspending reality. Colin and Nick are both very likable characters, and Colin’s loneliness, in particular, I thought was very well portrayed. I do think that is something that many famous athletes who are not natural extroverts experience. There are so many who would exploit/capitalize on any association with them, so they stay isolated quite a bit.
There were some editing issues that got to be a bit annoying after a while. Overall, though, I liked the writing and would read another book by this author. Especially recommended for fans of sports romance.
Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach
Apparently The Rainbow Clause is part of a series, but I didn’t feel like I really missed anything in reading this as a stand-alone.
Colin is the hot football star of the moment, but he’s got a big secret, one he’s tired of keeping to himself. He’s distant with his teammates, and his best friend is the girl he loved and lost. He is so done with not being able to be who he wants to be, but he knows the potential consequences if he does pursue the person he wants.
When he finally decides that the time has come, he meets Nick and all bets are off. Nick is very attracted to Colin and, frankly, surprised by him. Colin is much more complicated than Nick had expected. The fact that Colin doesn’t have much interest in partying or hanging with his teammates, but would rather barbecue at home and binge-watch Netflix shows, isn’t what Nick had in mind. He also doesn’t expect that Colin would return his attraction. Colin is guarded—particularly at first. But as the two men grow closer, they have a hard time not acting on their mutual attraction.
There are, of course, complications; although not as many as I would have expected, given the issue major league sports seem to have with “out” athletes while they are still actively playing. For the most part, Colin has support and is less afraid of the consequences of his decision than Nick thinks he should be. Nick’s own experiences have not always been terribly positive, and as time goes on, he’s much more worried for Colin and his inexperience with negativity, given his extremely successful football career up to now. When things do get tense, Nick and Colin have choices to make and reality to face.
I mostly really enjoyed this story of Colin and Nick. I don’t think that some of the story was quite believable, but this is fiction, after all, so I was ultimately OK with suspending reality. Colin and Nick are both very likable characters, and Colin’s loneliness, in particular, I thought was very well portrayed. I do think that is something that many famous athletes who are not natural extroverts experience. There are so many who would exploit/capitalize on any association with them, so they stay isolated quite a bit.
There were some editing issues that got to be a bit annoying after a while. Overall, though, I liked the writing and would read another book by this author. Especially recommended for fans of sports romance.
Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach
October 25, 2018
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ 4-STAR ✩ #AUDOIBOOK #REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
> > Judging a Book by its Cover < <
Two men standing at angles away from one another, one in a suit and the other in football gear.
The title font is fun and catchy.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third person
=== Book ===
I think when reading a 300+ page book, one does not realize how many times Ms. Bolden uses certain words, particularly “wryly”. But in the audio narration, it became increasingly obvious as the story went on.
Nick’s a reporter with hang-ups. Colin is an NFL player ready to come out as bisexual. Colin’s PR team hire Nick’s agency (Nick specifically) to follow Colin and write the story.
I liked Colin, but was annoyed at times with Nick’s perspective of things. They had good chemistry, although it was a slow burn to get to the relationship point. Dialogue is good, the interactions are enjoyable. The plot was a little lengthy and slow to get rolling, but it flowed at a decent pace. Conflicts were mostly internal and on Nick’s end, but eventually he pulls it together. Predictability is low. The conclusion is fairly satisfying with and implied HEA.
Overall, it’s a lengthy book with a good concept and decent execution. Was not a strong favorite, but it was not bad.
Story as written: 3.825
=== Narration ===
Speed of narration was smooth and easy to follow. The pronunciation tripped me up on occasion.
The “voice” of a character seemed to chance once in a while and some emotional inflections did not match the scene.
Story as narrated: 3.75
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 3.79 ~ Stars: 4
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
> > Judging a Book by its Cover < <
Two men standing at angles away from one another, one in a suit and the other in football gear.
The title font is fun and catchy.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third person
=== Book ===
I think when reading a 300+ page book, one does not realize how many times Ms. Bolden uses certain words, particularly “wryly”. But in the audio narration, it became increasingly obvious as the story went on.
Nick’s a reporter with hang-ups. Colin is an NFL player ready to come out as bisexual. Colin’s PR team hire Nick’s agency (Nick specifically) to follow Colin and write the story.
I liked Colin, but was annoyed at times with Nick’s perspective of things. They had good chemistry, although it was a slow burn to get to the relationship point. Dialogue is good, the interactions are enjoyable. The plot was a little lengthy and slow to get rolling, but it flowed at a decent pace. Conflicts were mostly internal and on Nick’s end, but eventually he pulls it together. Predictability is low. The conclusion is fairly satisfying with and implied HEA.
Overall, it’s a lengthy book with a good concept and decent execution. Was not a strong favorite, but it was not bad.
Story as written: 3.825
=== Narration ===
Speed of narration was smooth and easy to follow. The pronunciation tripped me up on occasion.
The “voice” of a character seemed to chance once in a while and some emotional inflections did not match the scene.
Story as narrated: 3.75
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 3.79 ~ Stars: 4
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
April 7, 2017
Imagine there's this star NFL quarterback that you've been following since his college days, that you've had a crush on. Now imagine you've been chosen to write the most important profile on him, bringing to light his most highly guarded secret...and to do so you get to shadow him by living with him to learn the ins and outs of his life. Sounds like a dream come true, right?
Colin likes to keep to himself-he'd rather enjoy a quiet evening at home away from the spotlight than be out clubbing with his teammates. He's sweet and a bit introverted-not what you'd expect from a star NFL player, and around Nick he lets his vulnerable side show. Nick reads people quite well, and easily picks up on things about Colin. He knows everything about Colin's career, and as he learns more about him personally, he falls hard--no matter how hard he tries not to do so. The closer the two become, the more inevitable them falling for each other.
Colin and Nick's relationship develops at an easy, natural pace and nothing ever feels rushed. I thought they fit well together, and that Nick was the perfect person to write Colin's coming out story. I did get a bit frustrated with Nick when he went back home, but otherwise I really loved the two of them together. Their intimate scenes built slowly over time, going from sweet and tentative all the way to intensely passionate with a slow build of the sexual tension. The gradual build of Colin and Nick's relationship also mirrors Colin's measured process of coming out as he becomes more comfortable with expressing that side of himself over time.
I really enjoyed this story, and it was a 4.5-star read for me. I highly recommend The Rainbow Clause to any M/M romance fan, and if your a sports romance fan even better. I really liked that Colin and Nick's relationship built slowly, I like when a story is more slow burn since it builds the tension and is more impactful when they finally give in to each other. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and explicit M/M sexual content.
Colin likes to keep to himself-he'd rather enjoy a quiet evening at home away from the spotlight than be out clubbing with his teammates. He's sweet and a bit introverted-not what you'd expect from a star NFL player, and around Nick he lets his vulnerable side show. Nick reads people quite well, and easily picks up on things about Colin. He knows everything about Colin's career, and as he learns more about him personally, he falls hard--no matter how hard he tries not to do so. The closer the two become, the more inevitable them falling for each other.
Colin and Nick's relationship develops at an easy, natural pace and nothing ever feels rushed. I thought they fit well together, and that Nick was the perfect person to write Colin's coming out story. I did get a bit frustrated with Nick when he went back home, but otherwise I really loved the two of them together. Their intimate scenes built slowly over time, going from sweet and tentative all the way to intensely passionate with a slow build of the sexual tension. The gradual build of Colin and Nick's relationship also mirrors Colin's measured process of coming out as he becomes more comfortable with expressing that side of himself over time.
I really enjoyed this story, and it was a 4.5-star read for me. I highly recommend The Rainbow Clause to any M/M romance fan, and if your a sports romance fan even better. I really liked that Colin and Nick's relationship built slowly, I like when a story is more slow burn since it builds the tension and is more impactful when they finally give in to each other. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and explicit M/M sexual content.
April 21, 2017
* a copy of this book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review *
I strongly recommend this book to everyone.
It was the first book by this author and I am in love. I love her writing style, the way she created the world, made everything feel real. Additionally I am head over heels with both main characters.
Romance books with athletes are my favorite but most of them are too predictable, too sweet and sometimes just ridiculous. Here we have an AMAZING love story, lots of humor, scorching hot sex, feelings, adorable characters and fully believable story. What I liked the most is that the main character is absolutely different from what we are accustomed to - he is caring, loving, funny and NATURAL.
The pace is fast and it is difficult (almost impossible) to stop reading. There is A LOT happening all at once: first openly bisexual NFL player, exciting coming out story, fight with homophobes and first time real relationship. I loved seeing Colin and Nick fall in love with each other step by step (this is not a love-at-first-sight type of a story) and building their lives together.
This story is definitely worth reading and there is free and sweet/sexy instafreebie epilogue that just makes things even better :)
I wish I could read more about Colin and Nick.
** this book is not perfect - there are missing and misplaced words
I strongly recommend this book to everyone.
It was the first book by this author and I am in love. I love her writing style, the way she created the world, made everything feel real. Additionally I am head over heels with both main characters.
Romance books with athletes are my favorite but most of them are too predictable, too sweet and sometimes just ridiculous. Here we have an AMAZING love story, lots of humor, scorching hot sex, feelings, adorable characters and fully believable story. What I liked the most is that the main character is absolutely different from what we are accustomed to - he is caring, loving, funny and NATURAL.
The pace is fast and it is difficult (almost impossible) to stop reading. There is A LOT happening all at once: first openly bisexual NFL player, exciting coming out story, fight with homophobes and first time real relationship. I loved seeing Colin and Nick fall in love with each other step by step (this is not a love-at-first-sight type of a story) and building their lives together.
This story is definitely worth reading and there is free and sweet/sexy instafreebie epilogue that just makes things even better :)
I wish I could read more about Colin and Nick.
** this book is not perfect - there are missing and misplaced words
June 14, 2022
Great mm contemporary story. Main characters are Nick a sports journalist and Colin a NFL quarterback. Colin decides to come out to the world and Nick, a gay journalist is sent to get his story, only he lets his guard down and falling in love. Great side characters.
April 14, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
This book offers many things I like to read, starting with athletes. While Colin is indeed a quarterback, the majority of the book takes place during the off season and there is no actual football. There were two good characters here, but this book just didn’t quite resonate with me the way it should have. For a coming out story and for Colin basically having his first relationship, this book lacked emotion as well as depth for me.
Colin has made it to the NFL, but he has struggled with his personal life. He fell in love with his best friend, Jemma, but when she didn’t return his feelings, Colin had a hard time moving on. Colin and Nick met previously when Nick interviewed Colin, but Colin doesn’t remember meeting Nick so it then didn’t offer an intriguing set up here and fell rather flat for me.
The guys both have issues to get through, but there is a back story added in for Nick from a previous assignment that he is dealing with and it didn’t really fit well into this book for me. This issue is on the forefront, but then disappeared without any resolution. The attraction also didn’t come off the page for me. We are told they are attracted to each other, but it was all slow for me — not slow burn, just slow. While it took the guys longer to get together, there wasn’t that burning intensity that I felt should have been driving the story as it was presented.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
This book offers many things I like to read, starting with athletes. While Colin is indeed a quarterback, the majority of the book takes place during the off season and there is no actual football. There were two good characters here, but this book just didn’t quite resonate with me the way it should have. For a coming out story and for Colin basically having his first relationship, this book lacked emotion as well as depth for me.
Colin has made it to the NFL, but he has struggled with his personal life. He fell in love with his best friend, Jemma, but when she didn’t return his feelings, Colin had a hard time moving on. Colin and Nick met previously when Nick interviewed Colin, but Colin doesn’t remember meeting Nick so it then didn’t offer an intriguing set up here and fell rather flat for me.
The guys both have issues to get through, but there is a back story added in for Nick from a previous assignment that he is dealing with and it didn’t really fit well into this book for me. This issue is on the forefront, but then disappeared without any resolution. The attraction also didn’t come off the page for me. We are told they are attracted to each other, but it was all slow for me — not slow burn, just slow. While it took the guys longer to get together, there wasn’t that burning intensity that I felt should have been driving the story as it was presented.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
December 26, 2017
Not a MM story, despite the blurb's claims to the contrary, but a boring mix of sports chronicle for dummies and MF frienship until the 50% bar when the writer abruptly decided she had had enough of the star footballer's former love interest turned best gal friend Jemma and began to push said lady into the background so that the gay side of Colin could be asserted. Too little too late; by this point, I was fed up with the mounting evidence for Mrs Bolden's shameful lack of general culture, the excessive attention paid to Colin's coming out as bisexual (boy did as extravagant an expedient as the so-called rainbow clause stand in need of a far more layered and nuanced treatment than the one it receives here !) which makes his attraction to Nick almost feel like an afterthought, the bland, uninteresting portrayal of football, and the sheer superciliousness of having so many pages filled with a vague kind of social commentary about sexual diversity in sports written by someone who, on top of having wrong her basic American geography (Florida abuts to the Pacific, according to her !), is not even capable of delivering with conviction a love story whether straight (Jemma and her boyfriend smuch as much of abiding passion as me and my stack of bills) or gay (where has the chemistry between Nick and Colin gone ? outside of the bedroom scenes, why do we get so little tangible heat when they do interact ?). The sophomoric writing and weak proof-reading drove the last nail into this coffin. The book has been copy-edited and corrected, we are told emphatically; one shudders to imagine the literary standards that were in attendance in the original version...
December 29, 2017
My first by this author and I really enjoyed it!
Colin knew what he wanted. He wanted to find love and if that meant coming out in the world of football then that’s what he was going to do.
Nick was going to be the journalist to write Colin’s coming out article. Nick has been waiting for an opportunity like this and to have it be a man he felt an instant attraction to a year ago, well even better.
Nick and Colin has chemistry and even though Nick tried to fight it, they just worked. They balanced each other out. Fought hard for each other and protected the other even harder.
A fantastic read with a little bit of angst thrown in.
Colin knew what he wanted. He wanted to find love and if that meant coming out in the world of football then that’s what he was going to do.
Nick was going to be the journalist to write Colin’s coming out article. Nick has been waiting for an opportunity like this and to have it be a man he felt an instant attraction to a year ago, well even better.
Nick and Colin has chemistry and even though Nick tried to fight it, they just worked. They balanced each other out. Fought hard for each other and protected the other even harder.
A fantastic read with a little bit of angst thrown in.
January 18, 2018
Fun
I love sports M\M stories because of that extra level of emotions. The characters touched my heart ❤ yet made me smile.
I love sports M\M stories because of that extra level of emotions. The characters touched my heart ❤ yet made me smile.
January 24, 2019
Story: 3.5
Narration: 4
Colin O’Connor is a closeted bisexual NFL quarterback who had the foresight to include coming out stipulations into his contract that became labeled “the rainbow clause”. After a successful rookie year, Colin’s desire for a relationship and to move on from being in love with his best friend Jemma leads him to evoke the clause, and the team’s PR machine decides on several months’ worth of events and interviews to “soften” the impact, culminating in an in-depth article.
While Colin wants Jemma to write it, the article is assigned to her fellow journalist, Nick Wheeler. Nick is a slightly cynical and sarcastic sports writer who has been following Colin’s career since he played in college, and is intrigued by Colin’s slightly aloof demeanor and low profile. The opportunity to not only write such an impactful and important story, but to get a chance to discover the real man behind the projected image that has fascinated him for years, is a dream come true.
The Rainbow Clause is an enjoyable and solid read. Normally I avoid sports themed books, because the athletes in the blurbs tend to fall into the “arrogant douchebag but so stupid-hot the MC just doesn’t care” range of the character spectrum, and sometimes you don’t want to have to work so hard to like a character in order to enjoy a book. Fortunately, Beth Bolden decided on a different and, for me, an infinitely more engaging and less tiresome path of making the requisite super-hot and talented athlete simply a dedicated and hardworking guy who knows he’s great at the game but does not let it turn him into an entitled, “you know you want this; everyone does because I’m an awesome alpha male god” nozzle. I enjoyed the flirting and measured pace of the early stage of their relationship. It had a slow burn that felt organic to the characters and story. The writing was solid and the characters were likeable, not because either was perfect but because they were relatable in their hang-ups and insecurities.
The only “major” downsides to the book are that Nick is still dealing with trauma from being attacked while reporting during the Rio Olympics, and his nightmares have gotten progressively worse during his stay with Colin. Yet, when they get together, the dreams just magically disappear; while the nightmares’ increasing occurrence is a new development, Nick was still having them periodically, and the way they disappear just smacks a bit of the “magical d!ck/power of lerve” cliché. Also, Colin’s best friend Jemma and Nick’s best friend Gabriel met in a previous book, which is fine, but the author has to walk a fine line when using a previous work in a standalone. For me, there is just a bit too much of this other storyline coloring the conversations and interactions, and it’s a little distracting. My perception went from, “oh cool, they obviously have their own book” to “seriously, I get it; can we focus on this story please?”
Other than that, the book is well written, relatively angst-lite, and sweet but not saccharine since Nick’s sarcasm would never let it get too cheesy, a sarcasm that is delivered very well by the narrator, Wyatt Baker. Baker delivers the narrative in a well-paced, engaged tone, and adds to the enjoyability of the story. He also does a good job with the different character voices, particularly with Nick’s and Colin’s, as he manages to capture the inflections of their barbs, insecurities and affection. I definitely enjoyed Baker’s narration and take on the characters and as he is a new to me narrator, I look forward to hearing more of his performances.
Reviewed for The Novel Approach Reviews
April 2, 2017
I love sports, and I love the issue of LGBTQ+ visibility in sports, so this book was very much up my alley.
Beth Bolden tells an ambitious story about Colin O'Connor's coming out. "Ambitious" because a coming out of this caliber of athlete has never happened before. Colin is not your second string punter or NCAA defensive lineman. He is the star quarterback of an NFL team. (Someday. Someday soon I hope.) Colin is bisexual, and he wants to live his live honestly and openly, so he decides that it is time to come out.
The story revolves around his relationship with Nick, the journalist who will write his coming out profile for Five Points magazine. Nick is an out gay man, and has been following Colin's career for years. Bolden navigates their relationship well, with humor and emotional insight. She gives the reader both character's points of view throughout, exposing each's desires and fears, all while moving both the romance and public coming out plots along.
I enjoyed this read. The finer details of publicity and promotion relating to a high profile coming out were very interesting to me, and added a lot to the weight of the story. Nick and Colin's wary flirtations were fun to read, and one dreadlocked, Greek chorus type character near the end made me chuckle out loud. I wish the author had fleshed out Nick's past a bit more, because I felt a specific personal issue of his was sort of dropped halfway through and never revisited, so that feels like an unresolved bit for me. Also I wasn't crazy about Nick's change of tone when their time in Miami came to a close - that felt a little abrupt to me. But neither of these points would prevent me from recommending this book.
I'd like to read Beth's other work, as I see there is a book with some of the characters from Rainbow Clause, called Summer Attractions. I wonder if she'll continue Nick and Colin's story in a future project, where we might see Nick's issues revisited. I'd love to see these characters again.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Beth Bolden tells an ambitious story about Colin O'Connor's coming out. "Ambitious" because a coming out of this caliber of athlete has never happened before. Colin is not your second string punter or NCAA defensive lineman. He is the star quarterback of an NFL team. (Someday. Someday soon I hope.) Colin is bisexual, and he wants to live his live honestly and openly, so he decides that it is time to come out.
The story revolves around his relationship with Nick, the journalist who will write his coming out profile for Five Points magazine. Nick is an out gay man, and has been following Colin's career for years. Bolden navigates their relationship well, with humor and emotional insight. She gives the reader both character's points of view throughout, exposing each's desires and fears, all while moving both the romance and public coming out plots along.
I enjoyed this read. The finer details of publicity and promotion relating to a high profile coming out were very interesting to me, and added a lot to the weight of the story. Nick and Colin's wary flirtations were fun to read, and one dreadlocked, Greek chorus type character near the end made me chuckle out loud. I wish the author had fleshed out Nick's past a bit more, because I felt a specific personal issue of his was sort of dropped halfway through and never revisited, so that feels like an unresolved bit for me. Also I wasn't crazy about Nick's change of tone when their time in Miami came to a close - that felt a little abrupt to me. But neither of these points would prevent me from recommending this book.
I'd like to read Beth's other work, as I see there is a book with some of the characters from Rainbow Clause, called Summer Attractions. I wonder if she'll continue Nick and Colin's story in a future project, where we might see Nick's issues revisited. I'd love to see these characters again.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2017
I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stars
This was almost a four star read for me, but it fell just shy.
There were a lot of positives here. Sexy, hot, cute, innocent (almost naïve), talented quarterback. Smart-mouthed, hot, sexy, inquisitive reporter. Sparks, etc. I liked them together, and overall, the book held my interest for the entirety.
This was definitely a case of external stressors. Coming out and doing so in a manner that would benefit everyone. But I had a hard time believing that even for an in-depth profile, that anyone--especially an NFL team-- would agree to let a reporter live with a player for weeks. It seemed a bit over-the-top. Though, admittedly, the times spent there were sweet, and I enjoyed reading them, I just wasn't sure I believed that it could actually happen.
I wish the book had had another go-through with an editor. There were some typos. It didn't follow the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. I found it somewhat distracting.
Lastly, earlier in the book, there was quite a bit of focus placed on Nick's PTSD from being stabbed. Nightmares that had only increased since he'd been with Colin. Yet after they hooked up, the whole storyline is seemingly dropped. They have one discussion, and it isn't mentioned again. It seemed that PTSD was being used as something to drive the plot to a certain place, but then it was abandoned, which is something that is unrealistic.
This book entertained me. I liked it and its characters. Definitely worth the read, but need to overlook some grammar rules.
3.75 stars
This was almost a four star read for me, but it fell just shy.
There were a lot of positives here. Sexy, hot, cute, innocent (almost naïve), talented quarterback. Smart-mouthed, hot, sexy, inquisitive reporter. Sparks, etc. I liked them together, and overall, the book held my interest for the entirety.
This was definitely a case of external stressors. Coming out and doing so in a manner that would benefit everyone. But I had a hard time believing that even for an in-depth profile, that anyone--especially an NFL team-- would agree to let a reporter live with a player for weeks. It seemed a bit over-the-top. Though, admittedly, the times spent there were sweet, and I enjoyed reading them, I just wasn't sure I believed that it could actually happen.
I wish the book had had another go-through with an editor. There were some typos. It didn't follow the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. I found it somewhat distracting.
Lastly, earlier in the book, there was quite a bit of focus placed on Nick's PTSD from being stabbed. Nightmares that had only increased since he'd been with Colin. Yet after they hooked up, the whole storyline is seemingly dropped. They have one discussion, and it isn't mentioned again. It seemed that PTSD was being used as something to drive the plot to a certain place, but then it was abandoned, which is something that is unrealistic.
This book entertained me. I liked it and its characters. Definitely worth the read, but need to overlook some grammar rules.
April 6, 2017
3.5 Stars
I’m a huge sports fan so I love reading about athletes! This is my first book by Ms. Bolden and while I liked it alot, the author’s writing style took some getting used to. Part of that, as it turns out, is because Jemma and Gabe were introduced in their own story. That may explain why some of the assumptions were made about the characters and were confusing if you hadn’t read their story. There is a pretty big thing that happens with Nick that is kind of glossed over in this story so I’m guessing it started in that book. It’s possible if you’ve read their book, this one won’t be as confusing.
Nick and Colin were really great together. They balanced each other well, being strong for each other when needed. Even when they were dancing around their attraction, their feelings for each other were obvious. They were surprisingly shy about the attraction which made it all the more endearing.
Colin has been hiding and finally had enough. While the story does include some romance between them, the theme is centered on staging his coming out.
I had a couple of issues with the book. In the synopsis, it’s mentioned that Nick was bullied in his teenage years which has shaped his outlook on Colin’s coming out. This was never once mentioned in the story. He continuously told Colin to expect the worst from folks but never mentioned why. That was a big part of Nick’s history, shaping his attitude now that was completely left out of the story.
Additionally, I didn’t like how hung up on Jemma Colin was…even 40% into the book and he’s still thinking about her, bitter that she ‘friend-zoned’ him. He claims to be over it, but his thoughts don’t support that.
Even with the holes, I liked the story and Nick and Colin as a couple.
I’m a huge sports fan so I love reading about athletes! This is my first book by Ms. Bolden and while I liked it alot, the author’s writing style took some getting used to. Part of that, as it turns out, is because Jemma and Gabe were introduced in their own story. That may explain why some of the assumptions were made about the characters and were confusing if you hadn’t read their story. There is a pretty big thing that happens with Nick that is kind of glossed over in this story so I’m guessing it started in that book. It’s possible if you’ve read their book, this one won’t be as confusing.
Nick and Colin were really great together. They balanced each other well, being strong for each other when needed. Even when they were dancing around their attraction, their feelings for each other were obvious. They were surprisingly shy about the attraction which made it all the more endearing.
Colin has been hiding and finally had enough. While the story does include some romance between them, the theme is centered on staging his coming out.
I had a couple of issues with the book. In the synopsis, it’s mentioned that Nick was bullied in his teenage years which has shaped his outlook on Colin’s coming out. This was never once mentioned in the story. He continuously told Colin to expect the worst from folks but never mentioned why. That was a big part of Nick’s history, shaping his attitude now that was completely left out of the story.
Additionally, I didn’t like how hung up on Jemma Colin was…even 40% into the book and he’s still thinking about her, bitter that she ‘friend-zoned’ him. He claims to be over it, but his thoughts don’t support that.
Even with the holes, I liked the story and Nick and Colin as a couple.
March 28, 2017
The Rainbow Clause begins with such an interesting premise that really helped make this book feel fresh and different. I found it hard to put down and read it quite quickly!
Colin O’Connor is a star quarterback in the NFL with a secret; he’s bisexual. He has worked an interesting clause into his contract (hence the title of the book) that will clear the path for the day he decides he wants to come out. Well, that day has come. I liked that he wasn’t the typical football star character and had a lot of quirks and background for those quirks. The character made for a great leading man role.
The reason Colin would like to come out of the closet is so that he’ll be free to find someone to be in a real relationship with, and on his journey to coming out of the closet he meets a very good looking and seemingly interested reporter who will help him do that, Nick Wheeler. I really loved Nick’s witty banter, and it was clear how he used it as a defense mechanism. There were a few little plot points that didn’t seem to get resolved with him, but I felt like it didn’t detract much from the main story.
The book was a great love story with a nice, fast pace to it. I especially loved all the sexual tension and build up to the relationship as well as all the great dialogue. I really enjoyed this book and thought the author really wrote the characters vividly, which gave the story such a realness to it.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
Colin O’Connor is a star quarterback in the NFL with a secret; he’s bisexual. He has worked an interesting clause into his contract (hence the title of the book) that will clear the path for the day he decides he wants to come out. Well, that day has come. I liked that he wasn’t the typical football star character and had a lot of quirks and background for those quirks. The character made for a great leading man role.
The reason Colin would like to come out of the closet is so that he’ll be free to find someone to be in a real relationship with, and on his journey to coming out of the closet he meets a very good looking and seemingly interested reporter who will help him do that, Nick Wheeler. I really loved Nick’s witty banter, and it was clear how he used it as a defense mechanism. There were a few little plot points that didn’t seem to get resolved with him, but I felt like it didn’t detract much from the main story.
The book was a great love story with a nice, fast pace to it. I especially loved all the sexual tension and build up to the relationship as well as all the great dialogue. I really enjoyed this book and thought the author really wrote the characters vividly, which gave the story such a realness to it.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
July 30, 2017
Nick and Colin were very cute
I liked how sincerely naive Colin was about the impact of his rainbow clause. He had spent so long being closed off and private from the press that he didn't realize how much of an impact his coming out would cause.
Nick was the perfect match for Colin, both in personality and in the cynicism he had for the world. Colin was exactly what Nick needed to help him open himself up to realizing that being strong didn't mean not ever seeking help.
I would have liked for Nick's struggles to be a bit more developed. We saw that he had nightmares due to his stabbing and that he was very emotionally closed off, but they all seemed to simply disappear as the book processed and focused on just Colin.
I liked how sincerely naive Colin was about the impact of his rainbow clause. He had spent so long being closed off and private from the press that he didn't realize how much of an impact his coming out would cause.
Nick was the perfect match for Colin, both in personality and in the cynicism he had for the world. Colin was exactly what Nick needed to help him open himself up to realizing that being strong didn't mean not ever seeking help.
I would have liked for Nick's struggles to be a bit more developed. We saw that he had nightmares due to his stabbing and that he was very emotionally closed off, but they all seemed to simply disappear as the book processed and focused on just Colin.
July 15, 2019
This was my first book by Beth Bolden and I really enjoyed it. I am a fan of football books and give me a good coming out story and I am thrilled. Colin is a pro football player who always planned on coming out as bi, so much so that it's written into his contract, The Rainbow Clause. When he decides it's time because he wants to date freely, he does an interview with Nick and sparks fly. Their chemistry was great and I really liked them.
December 3, 2023
Really liked the story and the MCs. U think it could have been better if some topics were explored in greater depth and ... well ... given the story and MCs exactly that, depth. Things like the PTSD, working through it together, how to deal with it not only as the person suffering but also as the partner, more about Colins struggle with his feelings and keeping them under wraps, maybe with the team. Something like that.
July 18, 2019
a sweet romance with a sports background .... I liked the MCs and how the story developed but I was a bit annoyed by Nick inbetween.
nevertheless, there were a lot of things I liked ... eg. there was no big freak-out, the problems were inbetween and not in the end.
the characters were great.
all in all a nice read
nevertheless, there were a lot of things I liked ... eg. there was no big freak-out, the problems were inbetween and not in the end.
the characters were great.
all in all a nice read
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