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Love and Football #1
Under Pressure
Rookie quarterback, Drew Carmichael, is under pressure like never before.
When Drew abruptly and unexpectedly comes out of the closet, his life is upended. The media is hounding him. Fans and haters are scrutinizing him nonstop. Worst of all, team management is wary of him, unsure if he’s worth all the hassle.
He’ll do anything to stay on his home state's NFL team, including pretending to be in a serious and committed relationship. The only problem is his fake boyfriend is Scott Hunter-the irresistible country music star and his secret teenage crush.
Scott Hunter is used to being under pressure. He’s dealt with it his whole life, handling it all with grace and an unwavering smile on his face.
When his manager presents him with the long-awaited opportunity to come out of the closet, he jumps on it, no questions asked. Pretending to be Drew Carmichael’s boyfriend should be easy. Simple. Fun.
He never expected or wanted to start caring about the golden boy of football. That’s definitely not part of the plan. Neither is fooling around with him on a football field...
Touchdown.
When Drew abruptly and unexpectedly comes out of the closet, his life is upended. The media is hounding him. Fans and haters are scrutinizing him nonstop. Worst of all, team management is wary of him, unsure if he’s worth all the hassle.
He’ll do anything to stay on his home state's NFL team, including pretending to be in a serious and committed relationship. The only problem is his fake boyfriend is Scott Hunter-the irresistible country music star and his secret teenage crush.
Scott Hunter is used to being under pressure. He’s dealt with it his whole life, handling it all with grace and an unwavering smile on his face.
When his manager presents him with the long-awaited opportunity to come out of the closet, he jumps on it, no questions asked. Pretending to be Drew Carmichael’s boyfriend should be easy. Simple. Fun.
He never expected or wanted to start caring about the golden boy of football. That’s definitely not part of the plan. Neither is fooling around with him on a football field...
Touchdown.
129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 8, 2019
About the author
Lauren Ashley
1 book12 followersLauren Ashley discovered her love for books at an early age. She is a hopeless romantic at heart and believes that everyone deserves their happily ever after. An East Coast native hailing from the Tri-State area, Lauren hates the cold weather, but loves her chunky sweaters and cups of coffee. When she’s not writing, she can be found traveling, binge-watching TV, spending time with loved ones, and obsessing over all things Harry Potter.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 7, 2019
I wish I could give this book a higher rating, since I'm one of the first people reviewing an advanced reading copy, but I have to be honest, peeps: this book isn't great.
I haven't read anything by Lauren Ashley before, and I'm not too eager to read anything else, truth be told.
One of the biggest issues I had was the writing style. The best way to describe it is SIMPLE. It's alternating, present-tense, first-person POV, which isn't my favorite narrative style anyway, but couple that with mostly telling (little showing) and an overabundance of adverbs and adjectives (versus setting the scene and showing us how the MCs are acting and feeling), and you have yourself a very prosaic, boring story.
Everything about this book is basic.
There is no real relationship or character development. Drew and Scott are nearly interchangeable. They're both white, rich, hot, and famous. They fall in love pretty much immediately and jump into bed just as quickly (even though Drew is a gay virgin).
There is an attempt at creating conflict by introducing Scott's horrible parents and his beloved young niece, but that story line is wrapped up in one paragraph at the very end. It came out of nowhere and had me going, WTF?
The smex is there, but I wasn't invested enough in the men's relationship to care, and the tentative HEA just didn't feel earned.
The blurb made me think this book had tons of potential (I mean, NFL player and country singer???), but it fell flat on almost all fronts. I can't recommend.
I haven't read anything by Lauren Ashley before, and I'm not too eager to read anything else, truth be told.
One of the biggest issues I had was the writing style. The best way to describe it is SIMPLE. It's alternating, present-tense, first-person POV, which isn't my favorite narrative style anyway, but couple that with mostly telling (little showing) and an overabundance of adverbs and adjectives (versus setting the scene and showing us how the MCs are acting and feeling), and you have yourself a very prosaic, boring story.
Everything about this book is basic.
There is no real relationship or character development. Drew and Scott are nearly interchangeable. They're both white, rich, hot, and famous. They fall in love pretty much immediately and jump into bed just as quickly (even though Drew is a gay virgin).
There is an attempt at creating conflict by introducing Scott's horrible parents and his beloved young niece, but that story line is wrapped up in one paragraph at the very end. It came out of nowhere and had me going, WTF?
The smex is there, but I wasn't invested enough in the men's relationship to care, and the tentative HEA just didn't feel earned.
The blurb made me think this book had tons of potential (I mean, NFL player and country singer???), but it fell flat on almost all fronts. I can't recommend.
October 8, 2019
NOTE: 8/10/19 - I've just received an updated ARC with an edited ending, so I shall see what has changed and report back accordingly.
Okay, I've read the edited version and my original review and rating still stands.
Both things I was WTFing about still come out of nowhere and, while there's a bit more follow up for both, it still feels like a heavy handed way of setting up book two and wrapping up the issue with Scott's parents and niece.
***
Original Review This was okay and I was liking the sweet nature of the story until it went a bit bizarre at the end.
I'm going to come back when I've had time to think about it more.
***
Righty I'm back.
So, the biggest issue I had with this one was that it was all one tone, there were no highs and lows to bring tension to the narrative up until the very end - like I'm talking at 96% ish! when all of a sudden there's a huge plot point for what I suspect is going to be book two in the series.
I won't say it came from nowhere, there'd been a tiny hint that the person involved might be singing from the same hymnsheet, if you see what I mean, but nothing even close to the revelation that comes out.
Then, in the EPILOGUE there's a throwaway line about Scott's parents and his niece which was an absolute cop-out imho and basically made me just shake my head.
Unfortunately, for me, there wasn't anything which made this one stand out in a sea of similar sports romance/fake boyfriend/I'm never going to fall in love, oh look whoops I did books on the market.
Not to say it's badly written, it's a fairly tightly paced book and the characters are decently drawn and I loved Drew's madcap extended family. I'd have just liked a bit more light and shade as we used to say in the dance world, to give depth.
Everything was just a bit too simple, a bit too easy, a bit too telling and not a lot of showing and most of the details were sex scenes not emotional connections between the two. Also, I felt they read much older than they were supposed to be (23-year-olds).
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
Okay, I've read the edited version and my original review and rating still stands.
Both things I was WTFing about still come out of nowhere and, while there's a bit more follow up for both, it still feels like a heavy handed way of setting up book two and wrapping up the issue with Scott's parents and niece.
***
Original Review This was okay and I was liking the sweet nature of the story until it went a bit bizarre at the end.
I'm going to come back when I've had time to think about it more.
***
Righty I'm back.
So, the biggest issue I had with this one was that it was all one tone, there were no highs and lows to bring tension to the narrative up until the very end - like I'm talking at 96% ish! when all of a sudden there's a huge plot point for what I suspect is going to be book two in the series.
I won't say it came from nowhere, there'd been a tiny hint that the person involved might be singing from the same hymnsheet, if you see what I mean, but nothing even close to the revelation that comes out.
Then, in the EPILOGUE there's a throwaway line about Scott's parents and his niece which was an absolute cop-out imho and basically made me just shake my head.
Unfortunately, for me, there wasn't anything which made this one stand out in a sea of similar sports romance/fake boyfriend/I'm never going to fall in love, oh look whoops I did books on the market.
Not to say it's badly written, it's a fairly tightly paced book and the characters are decently drawn and I loved Drew's madcap extended family. I'd have just liked a bit more light and shade as we used to say in the dance world, to give depth.
Everything was just a bit too simple, a bit too easy, a bit too telling and not a lot of showing and most of the details were sex scenes not emotional connections between the two. Also, I felt they read much older than they were supposed to be (23-year-olds).
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
November 13, 2019
My first read by Lauren Ashley wasn't a good one.... I'm sad to say that I was glad this wasn't a full length book. She's a new author, though, so I'm not ruling out reading something else by her in the future.
One of the things that bothered me in the story was that Drew spoke like he had been in the NFL for a decade. At first I had trouble figuring out his age because everything pointed to him being very young and then he spoke about his career and his place in the NFL in a way that sounded like he had been a part of it forever and I could combine the two and come up with a timeline. The reason for it, as it turned out, was that when the story started, even though Drew talked big and his team fell down right and left to accomodate him, he hadn't actually played even one NFL game yet. He had just graduated college, was newly signed and the season hadn't even started yet. That kind of big talk continued throughout the story and it was one of the things that bothered me.
Another one was Drew's coming out scene, it was in the first chapter of the book and the scene was so crazy I kept expecting it to be a dream of Drew's. Then, came the obsessed childhood friend with her revelation out of the blue and her 180 turn of behaviour and I started to understand that this book and me were not a good match.
The scenes where Drew interacted with his siblings were tiring. I think they were supposed to be funny but they read like show-offs. Like they were performing for someone (maybe the reader, I don't know).
The epilogue was the final drop. Drew and Scott's relationship moved very fast from the start and they were together and loved-up in no time, even with the attempted fake boyfriend trope that this story was supposed to have but apparently forgot about it from the get go. I stay away from insta-love and insta-relationship stories whenever I spot them so it's not hard to guess that I wasn't particularly happy with how this book turned out. But then came the epilogue and the author's solution for Scott's family issue. I had forgotten that there was even one and then to have a solution thrown at me at the last minute gave me whiplash. Like an afterthought, it was something that had to be resolved so it did in one sentence and that was it.
From reading the blurb I was expecting something entirely different from what I got and saddly the result of how that turned out is showing in my rating.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. *
One of the things that bothered me in the story was that Drew spoke like he had been in the NFL for a decade. At first I had trouble figuring out his age because everything pointed to him being very young and then he spoke about his career and his place in the NFL in a way that sounded like he had been a part of it forever and I could combine the two and come up with a timeline. The reason for it, as it turned out, was that when the story started, even though Drew talked big and his team fell down right and left to accomodate him, he hadn't actually played even one NFL game yet. He had just graduated college, was newly signed and the season hadn't even started yet. That kind of big talk continued throughout the story and it was one of the things that bothered me.
Another one was Drew's coming out scene, it was in the first chapter of the book and the scene was so crazy I kept expecting it to be a dream of Drew's. Then, came the obsessed childhood friend with her revelation out of the blue and her 180 turn of behaviour and I started to understand that this book and me were not a good match.
The scenes where Drew interacted with his siblings were tiring. I think they were supposed to be funny but they read like show-offs. Like they were performing for someone (maybe the reader, I don't know).
The epilogue was the final drop. Drew and Scott's relationship moved very fast from the start and they were together and loved-up in no time, even with the attempted fake boyfriend trope that this story was supposed to have but apparently forgot about it from the get go. I stay away from insta-love and insta-relationship stories whenever I spot them so it's not hard to guess that I wasn't particularly happy with how this book turned out. But then came the epilogue and the author's solution for Scott's family issue. I had forgotten that there was even one and then to have a solution thrown at me at the last minute gave me whiplash. Like an afterthought, it was something that had to be resolved so it did in one sentence and that was it.
From reading the blurb I was expecting something entirely different from what I got and saddly the result of how that turned out is showing in my rating.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. *
October 9, 2019
Under Pressure has good bones, but felt rushed to me, as though several scenes had been cut out, especially the ending, and ultimately left me wanting more and frustrated at not getting it.
I would've liked more scenes with Drew and Scott together, publicly and privately, and with the family, and more scenes with just Scott (like, does he have friends?). I'd like to know if Drew ever came clean with the family, and I really hoped for a better lead up to the epilogue. I wish the characters had been developed more, including Drew and Scott, and I just didn't feel like that happened here. Everything felt, to me, like it was surface and I wanted to go deeper. Obviously, ymmv.
The first in a new series, Under Pressure is a new adult, fake boyfriend romance, with a dual POV, no angst, some heat, a bombshell drop that's clearly a setup for Love and Football #2, and a happy ending.
2.5 Stars
Galley copy of Under Pressure provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
I would've liked more scenes with Drew and Scott together, publicly and privately, and with the family, and more scenes with just Scott (like, does he have friends?). I'd like to know if Drew ever came clean with the family, and I really hoped for a better lead up to the epilogue. I wish the characters had been developed more, including Drew and Scott, and I just didn't feel like that happened here. Everything felt, to me, like it was surface and I wanted to go deeper. Obviously, ymmv.
The first in a new series, Under Pressure is a new adult, fake boyfriend romance, with a dual POV, no angst, some heat, a bombshell drop that's clearly a setup for Love and Football #2, and a happy ending.
2.5 Stars
Galley copy of Under Pressure provided by the author in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
October 4, 2019
Thanks to the author and publisher via A Novel Take for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Even though this story dealt with some difficult issues, the actual love story between Drew and Scott was very sweet. Both characters were so pure and honest, I never once doubted that their PR relationship would turn into something real. Drew's siblings and family were great and I could clearly picture them welcoming Scott into the fold and making up for his lack of family support in his life.
There were some plot bombshells that fell at the end that I wish we could see more of how it was dealt with, (*cough* Mateo *cough*), but maybe we'll get his story in the second book?
Even though this story dealt with some difficult issues, the actual love story between Drew and Scott was very sweet. Both characters were so pure and honest, I never once doubted that their PR relationship would turn into something real. Drew's siblings and family were great and I could clearly picture them welcoming Scott into the fold and making up for his lack of family support in his life.
There were some plot bombshells that fell at the end that I wish we could see more of how it was dealt with, (*cough* Mateo *cough*), but maybe we'll get his story in the second book?
October 12, 2019
Update: I was sent a newer copy of the book which had a chapter and a couple of scenes added toward the end. And I'll admit, they did make the end better. But not enough to make up for the rest of the book. The best I could have done I think, had I read that version of the book, would have been giving the book 2.5 Stars.
*************************
I don't know what I expected from this book, but it was more than what I got. The plot of the book is pretty simple. A football player accidentally/intentionally comes out to the world and, to make the homophobic assholes feel better, and to take the focus off the coming out story, it's suggested that he "date" a male celebrity. The celebrity in question is a country-pop musician who's been looking for a way to come out for years.
The simple plot works for such a short book. And the writing's okay. The sexual chemistry between the two characters is good and I like that the author decided not to put any drama in here, though maybe some of it would have been good. And honeslty, I don't dislike this book. I just can't justify giving it a higher rating.
The biggest reason for that is the author's priorities when it comes to what should get more page time. She basically glossed over all the character and relationship building moments. There were just a few short scenes where the protagonists bonded over more than the physical but they were usually follows by make out sessions or sex scenes. In fact, the only long, detailed scenes in this book are sex scenes. This is a romance novel and it should not give more importance to sex.
Also the last couple of chapters and the epilogue weren't good. One chapter actually had nothing to do with this book and was just setting up the sequel. So overall, a disappointing read but without any negative feelings left behind.
*************************
I don't know what I expected from this book, but it was more than what I got. The plot of the book is pretty simple. A football player accidentally/intentionally comes out to the world and, to make the homophobic assholes feel better, and to take the focus off the coming out story, it's suggested that he "date" a male celebrity. The celebrity in question is a country-pop musician who's been looking for a way to come out for years.
The simple plot works for such a short book. And the writing's okay. The sexual chemistry between the two characters is good and I like that the author decided not to put any drama in here, though maybe some of it would have been good. And honeslty, I don't dislike this book. I just can't justify giving it a higher rating.
The biggest reason for that is the author's priorities when it comes to what should get more page time. She basically glossed over all the character and relationship building moments. There were just a few short scenes where the protagonists bonded over more than the physical but they were usually follows by make out sessions or sex scenes. In fact, the only long, detailed scenes in this book are sex scenes. This is a romance novel and it should not give more importance to sex.
Also the last couple of chapters and the epilogue weren't good. One chapter actually had nothing to do with this book and was just setting up the sequel. So overall, a disappointing read but without any negative feelings left behind.
October 8, 2019
~ ARC WAS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW ~
Debut author.
#1 Drafted NFL Quarterback
County Music Star
Both publicly coming out
Fake relationship.
Insta Love
Sigh. I really wanted to like this story. The premise was intriguing and I'm always on the lookout for new authors. But this story did not work.
Drew and Scott never once felt like seperate people. Their personalities weren't distinct at all despite having dual POV. Besides Dre coming from a huge loving family and Scott coming from one who abandoned him because he was gay. They're like the same person.
There's also not one conflict in the story. Both of their teams urge them to not fall for each other and when they do within days. Nobody cares and it's no issue. We're told Drew's teammates are weird about him being gay but we see nothing. And Scott's career? Again nothing.
Also childhood stalker who randomly turns out to be a lesbian and now they're bffs. I'm sorry? What.
They don't fuck until way past the 60% mark. Fine whatever. But the sex is BORING AF.
The drama with Drew's roommate came from literally nowhere except a way to most likely milk a series out this.
Spoiler alert.
Scott's parents. Who we've never met get arrested for money laundering and he magically gets custody of his neice. Again. Who we never met.
It's laughable. It's ridiculous.
I'll give the author credit for making the story fast paced. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have finished it. Will I be reading the sequel? Nope.
Debut author.
#1 Drafted NFL Quarterback
County Music Star
Both publicly coming out
Fake relationship.
Insta Love
Sigh. I really wanted to like this story. The premise was intriguing and I'm always on the lookout for new authors. But this story did not work.
Drew and Scott never once felt like seperate people. Their personalities weren't distinct at all despite having dual POV. Besides Dre coming from a huge loving family and Scott coming from one who abandoned him because he was gay. They're like the same person.
There's also not one conflict in the story. Both of their teams urge them to not fall for each other and when they do within days. Nobody cares and it's no issue. We're told Drew's teammates are weird about him being gay but we see nothing. And Scott's career? Again nothing.
Also childhood stalker who randomly turns out to be a lesbian and now they're bffs. I'm sorry? What.
They don't fuck until way past the 60% mark. Fine whatever. But the sex is BORING AF.
The drama with Drew's roommate came from literally nowhere except a way to most likely milk a series out this.
Spoiler alert.
Scott's parents. Who we've never met get arrested for money laundering and he magically gets custody of his neice. Again. Who we never met.
It's laughable. It's ridiculous.
I'll give the author credit for making the story fast paced. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have finished it. Will I be reading the sequel? Nope.
October 8, 2019
Throughout the whole book I was waiting for the other shoe to drop but I got nothing. Nada. This is a no angst, pretty straightforward and short read.
Drew and Scott have a very sweet love story. But there's no character development. I just couldn't feel it. This book had a lot of potential, especially with fake relationship, football and country singer? It should've been perfect. But I was just left wanting more. There's basically no conflict. Also there's a lot of telling but no showing.
I liked Drew's siblings. Enjoyed those moments. The last chapter just came out of nowhere and I think it's a set up for the next book. Even the epilogue felt sudden.
*ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
Drew and Scott have a very sweet love story. But there's no character development. I just couldn't feel it. This book had a lot of potential, especially with fake relationship, football and country singer? It should've been perfect. But I was just left wanting more. There's basically no conflict. Also there's a lot of telling but no showing.
I liked Drew's siblings. Enjoyed those moments. The last chapter just came out of nowhere and I think it's a set up for the next book. Even the epilogue felt sudden.
*ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
October 3, 2019
Drew is a football player and until now, he was in the closet. At the public event full of fans and reporters he accidentally comes out. To calm things and rumors for a while, he finds himself in a fake relationship with a popular singer who he's a fan of.
Scott waited for years for the right time to announce that he's gay. Faking a relationship with a popular football player is just the right opportunity to do that.
They don't fake it for too long. First they fall into bed together, then they fall in love.
I liked this book. It was a sweet, angst-free, romantic story.
I received an ARC copy for A Novel Take PR. Thank you!
Scott waited for years for the right time to announce that he's gay. Faking a relationship with a popular football player is just the right opportunity to do that.
They don't fake it for too long. First they fall into bed together, then they fall in love.
I liked this book. It was a sweet, angst-free, romantic story.
I received an ARC copy for A Novel Take PR. Thank you!
October 15, 2019
This was... weird.
Everything in this book happened way too fast. Usually when that's the case, the writing is also not good - but with Under Pressure I mostly enjoyed the writing. It didn't feel hurried at all, even though it totally was. Like, I was enjoying myself reading this and getting into the characters, just to then stumble over the incredibly fast love declarations and realizing I was almost done already even though I felt like I only just started reading.
So many scenes that would be fun to see, that would have added to character development and just... establishing the setting of the book were completely absent.
Under Pressure felt more like the bare bones of a story, with all the meat in between missing. The structure was there, as well as the setup for so many thing that I would have loved to see (like meeting the teamates, the first official date, the interview, meeting with fans, more time with the family, the games themselves...), but it felt like half of the things were simply cut out and mentioned in a side sentence.
I honestly have no idea why it was written this way.
Everything in this book happened way too fast. Usually when that's the case, the writing is also not good - but with Under Pressure I mostly enjoyed the writing. It didn't feel hurried at all, even though it totally was. Like, I was enjoying myself reading this and getting into the characters, just to then stumble over the incredibly fast love declarations and realizing I was almost done already even though I felt like I only just started reading.
So many scenes that would be fun to see, that would have added to character development and just... establishing the setting of the book were completely absent.
Under Pressure felt more like the bare bones of a story, with all the meat in between missing. The structure was there, as well as the setup for so many thing that I would have loved to see (like meeting the teamates, the first official date, the interview, meeting with fans, more time with the family, the games themselves...), but it felt like half of the things were simply cut out and mentioned in a side sentence.
I honestly have no idea why it was written this way.
October 11, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this sweet little romance.
Due to limited page count the development between Drew and Scott from strangers to lovers was rather quick and without many obstacles. Both characters are really interesting and likeable, but I would have loved for them to get a bit more depths and to have more couply time after starting their real relationship :)
However, I have to say the relationship never felt fake, even in the beginning the two men have an instant connection.
The ending came a bit abrupt, but nevertheless left me curious for the next book in series which seems to be Mateo's story. I will definitley give it a try :)
Solid 3.5 stars, due to good editing and captivating and fluent writing style rounded up to 4 stars
Due to limited page count the development between Drew and Scott from strangers to lovers was rather quick and without many obstacles. Both characters are really interesting and likeable, but I would have loved for them to get a bit more depths and to have more couply time after starting their real relationship :)
However, I have to say the relationship never felt fake, even in the beginning the two men have an instant connection.
The ending came a bit abrupt, but nevertheless left me curious for the next book in series which seems to be Mateo's story. I will definitley give it a try :)
Solid 3.5 stars, due to good editing and captivating and fluent writing style rounded up to 4 stars
October 17, 2019
This book has all the possibilities to be great. A good bone to start with, fake boyfriends, drama, a bit forced coming out and a bunch of siblings.
The characters were lovable and kind and they were so sweet together but nothing happens on this book. They met, they were supposed to be fake boyfriends but they had a crush and never discussed shifting from a fake relationship into an actual one.
I feel a bit frustrated because I was expecting so much more, especially because I love sport MM.
This book is lacking depth I think. I've recieved only the first copy of the arc and i do know that there are some updates on the book. So maybe I'll be reading it again.
BUT, I'm curious about the teammate though. So I'm definitely reading book 2.
The characters were lovable and kind and they were so sweet together but nothing happens on this book. They met, they were supposed to be fake boyfriends but they had a crush and never discussed shifting from a fake relationship into an actual one.
I feel a bit frustrated because I was expecting so much more, especially because I love sport MM.
This book is lacking depth I think. I've recieved only the first copy of the arc and i do know that there are some updates on the book. So maybe I'll be reading it again.
BUT, I'm curious about the teammate though. So I'm definitely reading book 2.
October 12, 2019
Rating 2,5
An NFL player and a country star? Fake dating? So much potential, and it was so disappointing.
The main issue I had is that is was boring. There was no conflict, no plot. Like literally nothing happened for 90% of the book and then the ending was all sorts of WTF.
I saw no chemistry between the MCs and the 'fake boyfriend' trope was no fun as there wasn't any back and forth, no banter. The romance was really bland.
Sadly I won't be checking out the next books in the series.
ARC provided by the author through A Novel Take PR
An NFL player and a country star? Fake dating? So much potential, and it was so disappointing.
The main issue I had is that is was boring. There was no conflict, no plot. Like literally nothing happened for 90% of the book and then the ending was all sorts of WTF.
I saw no chemistry between the MCs and the 'fake boyfriend' trope was no fun as there wasn't any back and forth, no banter. The romance was really bland.
Sadly I won't be checking out the next books in the series.
ARC provided by the author through A Novel Take PR
October 8, 2019
So this is a new author to me, and I definitely will be reading more. I like the way the story was told and the characters.
Drew and Scott are both hiding in the closet. Drew is a NFL quarterback and Scott is a country/ pop singer, they decide its time to be true to who they are. Both are tired of hiding. So a PR scam to be fake boyfriends is the only way to go. They never expected to fall for each other. Through all the media, twists, turns and family, they have a whirlwind romance.
Drew and Scott are both hiding in the closet. Drew is a NFL quarterback and Scott is a country/ pop singer, they decide its time to be true to who they are. Both are tired of hiding. So a PR scam to be fake boyfriends is the only way to go. They never expected to fall for each other. Through all the media, twists, turns and family, they have a whirlwind romance.
October 8, 2019
This is sweet fake relationship turn real. I like that Drew and Scott's story is angst free and a sweet romantic story. I like how this story progressed. Now the ending did feel a little rush but overall I love this story and can't wait to read the next one.
Read
December 5, 2019DNF
This one isn't for me, I'm afraid. I can't seem to connect.
This one isn't for me, I'm afraid. I can't seem to connect.
Read
November 20, 2025I have to declare giving up this one.
No rating.
No rating.
October 8, 2019
3 sweet stars
„Under Pressure“ is a sweet, and fast paced m/m fake relationship story with some sports and music elements and I really enjoyed this mix.
It is a bit insta lust/love, which I totally don‘t mind because sometimes two people just „click“ and Dew and Scott are so adorable together.
"It could just be beginner‘s luck,“ I tease. „You never know.“ „Could be,“ he says with an amused lilt in his voice, playing along with me. „Mind helping me figure it out?“
I have to admitt, the fake relationship could have played a bigger role for my liking and Drew and Scott felt older than 21 to me, I somehow pictured them at least mid twentys.
But besides that, there are many sweet moments that made me smile, some funny moments (especially if Drew‘s wonderful family is involved ;) ) that made my laugh out loud and a few sexy ones that made me blush ...
„You‘re such a f** drama queen,“my older brother, Landon, whispers in my ear under the guise of fixing my tie. „How none of us realized you were gay will forever be a mystery to me.“
It seems like Mateo‘s story is going to be next and after that last chapter I‘m really curious for his story!
ARC in exchange for an honest review
„Under Pressure“ is a sweet, and fast paced m/m fake relationship story with some sports and music elements and I really enjoyed this mix.
It is a bit insta lust/love, which I totally don‘t mind because sometimes two people just „click“ and Dew and Scott are so adorable together.
"It could just be beginner‘s luck,“ I tease. „You never know.“ „Could be,“ he says with an amused lilt in his voice, playing along with me. „Mind helping me figure it out?“
I have to admitt, the fake relationship could have played a bigger role for my liking and Drew and Scott felt older than 21 to me, I somehow pictured them at least mid twentys.
But besides that, there are many sweet moments that made me smile, some funny moments (especially if Drew‘s wonderful family is involved ;) ) that made my laugh out loud and a few sexy ones that made me blush ...
„You‘re such a f** drama queen,“my older brother, Landon, whispers in my ear under the guise of fixing my tie. „How none of us realized you were gay will forever be a mystery to me.“
It seems like Mateo‘s story is going to be next and after that last chapter I‘m really curious for his story!
ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 12, 2019
Under Pressure,
Its not for me,okay I am not good with first books in a series.
But this one,wow there is little story,both mc`s are the same.
There is no conflict,angst or emotion except boring sex scene(s).
some making out with no heat what so ever.
And first the fake relationship has a end-date,
and with no conflict everyone is ok with the "real deal"
there is no relationship building,and suddenly getting custody,
that does not happen.
I have read a lot of fake-real love books.and this
one comes not even close to them.
in the read again or nice reading before bed.
pity.
Is Lauren Ashely a new author ? ,I should say,try something different but not
this genre You wil never make it, there are some really great authors in this genre
who would make Under Pressure a fun,good read.
Is Lauren Ashley a well known author,to bad but this is not for you.
arc was given by Novell Take Pr.
in exchange for an honest review.
Its not for me,okay I am not good with first books in a series.
But this one,wow there is little story,both mc`s are the same.
There is no conflict,angst or emotion except boring sex scene(s).
some making out with no heat what so ever.
And first the fake relationship has a end-date,
and with no conflict everyone is ok with the "real deal"
there is no relationship building,and suddenly getting custody,
that does not happen.
I have read a lot of fake-real love books.and this
one comes not even close to them.
in the read again or nice reading before bed.
pity.
Is Lauren Ashely a new author ? ,I should say,try something different but not
this genre You wil never make it, there are some really great authors in this genre
who would make Under Pressure a fun,good read.
Is Lauren Ashley a well known author,to bad but this is not for you.
arc was given by Novell Take Pr.
in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2019
This was different than I thought it was gonna be, but not in a bad way. The characters were funny and had great chemistry together. The book was shorter than I wanted it to be, and I thought there would be more conflict (though, it wasn't a bad thing that there wasn’t).
Drew was actually beyond what I thought he was gonna be, which I liked. He was sweet and funny and I liked how supportive his family was. His brothers and sisters were definitely my favorite. They were really protective of Drew but they also gave him a hard time.
Scott was not my favorite because while he seemed like an okay guy, he was too back and forth (like he said one thing, then said the exact opposite in the same breath), but I did like how he was with Drew.
With that ending, I will definitely be picking up Lauren Ashley next book in this series.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Drew was actually beyond what I thought he was gonna be, which I liked. He was sweet and funny and I liked how supportive his family was. His brothers and sisters were definitely my favorite. They were really protective of Drew but they also gave him a hard time.
Scott was not my favorite because while he seemed like an okay guy, he was too back and forth (like he said one thing, then said the exact opposite in the same breath), but I did like how he was with Drew.
With that ending, I will definitely be picking up Lauren Ashley next book in this series.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
October 11, 2019
Rookie footballer Drew accidentally outs himself at a fundraiser when he was unaware of a nearby microphone. His team management set up a fake relationship with Scott, a singer who wants to come out after securing his music career.
To me, the relationship seemed to escalate to quickly from fake to real.
While there is coverage of Drew’s family, Scott’s is barely mentioned other than the religious parents do not accept Scott’s homosexuality. It came as a surprise then that Scott’s parents were arrested for fraud. I’m puzzled why this disclosure was needed.
The ending of the book appeared to come abruptly and left me hanging.
I was provided an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
To me, the relationship seemed to escalate to quickly from fake to real.
While there is coverage of Drew’s family, Scott’s is barely mentioned other than the religious parents do not accept Scott’s homosexuality. It came as a surprise then that Scott’s parents were arrested for fraud. I’m puzzled why this disclosure was needed.
The ending of the book appeared to come abruptly and left me hanging.
I was provided an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
October 14, 2019
A football romance that had a decent premise. I felt that the book had potential, (fake boyfriends is one of my favourite tropes), but the follow through fell apart. I also found a lot of typos and grammatical errors here and there throughout.
Despite this, I did like the characters and the plot, it should have been a nice, light read. The story was just tootling along, everything was going to plan, fairly predictable, then wham! Out of nowhere came a couple of sideblinders, that totally took me right out of the story.
This was Ms Ashley's first attempt at writing, and it did sort of fall apart near the end. However, kudos to the lady for giving it a go and I do feel that she does show promise.
Despite this, I did like the characters and the plot, it should have been a nice, light read. The story was just tootling along, everything was going to plan, fairly predictable, then wham! Out of nowhere came a couple of sideblinders, that totally took me right out of the story.
This was Ms Ashley's first attempt at writing, and it did sort of fall apart near the end. However, kudos to the lady for giving it a go and I do feel that she does show promise.
October 9, 2019
This was a first time read with this author for me and this book was just an okay read for me. Drew and Scott's story was a super quick story that where it started out as a fake relationship never really felt like the pair had a fake relationship. The entire story felt rushed as it felt like the book no more than started and then it was finished. There was no real build up to this sweet story.
Overall this was a well written book and both characters had chemistry together. There was a set up that was super brief that was toward the end of this book for the next book but really did not involve the characters from this book. The whole book felt like it was missing something.
Overall this was a well written book and both characters had chemistry together. There was a set up that was super brief that was toward the end of this book for the next book but really did not involve the characters from this book. The whole book felt like it was missing something.
Read
October 9, 2019The blurb sounded great but unfortunately the book didn't live up to expectations. Two individuals in high profile and historically homophobic industries come out. This should have been full of conflict and resolution. It wasn't. And even plain sailing coming out stories, which are sweet and angst free, still need character and relationship development to give the story depth. This didn't.
And what the hell was with that ending? A massive plot development that is obviously the lead in for book two and a throwaway paragraph about Scott's parents and niece.
And what the hell was with that ending? A massive plot development that is obviously the lead in for book two and a throwaway paragraph about Scott's parents and niece.
October 9, 2019
A very enjoyable fake relationship romance. I liked Drew and Scott, they were engaging characters and perfect for each other. All in all an enjoyable read.
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by A Novel Take PR*
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by A Novel Take PR*
October 10, 2019
Another bust for me. There was a lack of chemistry between the MCs. And they came off as younger (immature) than they were. Fake relationships is my favorite trope, but this one fell flat.
***ARC provided by A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review.***
***ARC provided by A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review.***
October 28, 2019
3.5 stars
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