The Deal

Rules of Play #1

by Mackenzie Gray (Original pen name), M.A. Gray

Aidan

Sebastian Dumont: Star athlete, golden boy, and the most arrogant person I've ever met. The guy struts around campus like he's God's gift to man. And who gets the unfortunate job of tutoring him? Me. I'm counting down the days until I'm finally free of him.

Sebastian

Aidan is... awkward. I feel bad for the guy. Aside from his brain, he doesn't have much going for him. He's about as sexually appealing as a toothpick.

What Aidan needs is a crash course in seduction. How to dress, how to flirt, how to seduce a man. Figure it's the least I can do. Sebastian Dumont: Good Samaritan.

Truth is, I never expected anyone to fall for him.

I never expected that person to be me.

The Deal is the first book in the Rules of Play series, a steamy m/m contemporary romance series about four brothers finding love on and off the field. Contains failed under-the-table-dealings, bar trivia, a Jude Law look-alike, and a happy ending for our two heroes. It was formerly published as Sebastian. For those who purchased it under the previous title, please update your Kindle for the most recent version.

Genres: M M Romance, Sports, Contemporary, College, Romance, Gay, LGBT

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 5, 2019

Reviews

[Ed Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Sebastian was such a duck in the beginning and such a sweetheart in the end. I love a jock who falls for a nerd and this was such a sweet read. This was my first book by M. A. Gray and I look forward to reading others.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/4/2020)! 🎁

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Too awful to continue. Ughxinfinity.

[~BookNeeds~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, it was really cute. I loved the dual POV’s. Sebastian pulled at my heartstrings. A great start to this series.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Self iso book 4.

Yeah look this was just ok. It’s a generous 3 star read. The characters didn’t really have chemistry, I didn’t understand their attraction to each other really either... I didn’t particularly like either of the main characters. They both had redeemable qualities but they were just boring people, I guess.

It felt like this was written for Wattpad, or for YA, just with an R rating.

[Alejandro Martinez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh! I've read better

What I liked about the book

Nice choice in vocabulary

Dislike

Not enough store line.
And uses Jude law's name too much.
In my opinion, I feel like the author takes a jab at millennials. For being on there phones too much. (Not sure, it could be my point of view. I could totally be wrong)

Will see if the second book is any better

[Tina]

This book needs better editing

[Nina]

DNF page 16. One of the reviews said it reads like a Wattpad story. Another said it needs some serious editing. I should have listened. Both characters are judgy already and getting on my nerves. Some fact checking would also help. University of Oxford is in OXFORD! NOT LONDON. Which is a whole different city and like a 2 hour drive away. Go figure. If you are such a good football (soccer) player, you would have entered the Premier League or European league already. Also, most Oxford students are academically gifted. Rhodes Scholar anyone? Also, why would you leave a country just because of your family? People do move away for university! The whole premise was annoying. Rant over.

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes: nerd/jock
Feels: 3/5
Steam: 3/5
Kinks: none
Angst: low
Triggers/potential icks: minor character death

This was a cute enough story. Sebastian was a real narcissist jerk at the beginning. His change of heart was a little abrupt and unbelievable. Sebastian was sweet with Aiden. He made a couple comments about him being nerdy but he was always attracted to him and never tried to change him. The ending was more of a HFN. They didn't really deal with long-term directions for their life. They still are in an awkward spot of Aiden being Sebastian's tutor.

[Maraya21 (The Reading Dragon) · Rating 2 out of 5]

💕 Read for the 2024 URR Bingo at URR™ 💕

  
    •• 1. Free Space ••
  

Bingo Images:

[Mrs C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jock meets nerd and they fall in love. But Sebastian is a complete entitled arsehole but slowly changes over time. It's s great story with a few hot sex scenes. It's quite refreshing when these scenes don't become the book and take over the storyline. Definitely reading book 2 in the series.

[Rugby8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about soccer player

Sebastian is an exceptionally talented soccer player. Unfortunately, he's very aware of it. He's also a rich, spoiled, entitled, brat.
Aidan is his Math tutor and incredibly different from Sebastian in his approach to life - and everything else.
I enjoyed as these 2 danced around each other, making mistakes, fixing them, then doing it again. .....and, lots of heat
😎😎😎

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this. It had good bones, but I wish the author dug a little deeper with everything. It also could have used a good editing, but it wasn’t enough to make me stop reading.

I felt the ending, although a happy one, was abrupt. I would have loved to see an epilogue!

I don’t think I will continue this series.

[Jennifer Veer-Boyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

I actually enjoyed this book. Yes Sebastian was an arrogant ass who had his head shoved up his butt most of the book, but he kind of grew on me.

Great read with a sad part but a wonderful HEA. I am most certainly looking forward to the next book.

[Itzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 4.5 simple because that one scene threw me off! Great book nonetheless. A short read, which made it easy to finish in a matter of a few hours.
I like the character growth Sebastian goes through. I am curious about the other brothers stories.
The ending felt so abrupt though.

[Breighan L · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute story. Instalove tale.
Seemed a bit rushed IMO.
Met 1 day, hang out and the boom in love..

Ended okay. I’ve started the next book because I was interested in what happened between the mom characters only to find out it’s the next storyline- new brother.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fantastic book and I loved them. Aidan was so sweet and Sebastian was an asshole but I liked how he grew up and changed his attitude

[Shirley (Secret Squirrel) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t care for Sebastian for most of the book but towards the end I started to like him and their romance.

[Yasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Sebastian and Aidan's story, the secondary characters were also interesting, I will try to read Noah and Mav's story.

[Brianna]

DNF @ 34%

[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an entertaining and sexy story with two handsome guys, sometimes that's all you need for a good book. :) Sebastian is an arrogant soccer player, born to a rich family, not doing great in his math class at uni. Aidan was asked to tutor him, because nobody else would take the job (which I found quite funny to be honest). The story is really predictable, but it is still very entertaining, I'd recommend it to fans of this genre.

[Rebecca Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the characters but Aidan Is my favourite

[KRYM · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7 ~