Devney’s college football series which began with Coach is continued with Blitz and damn is this book dripping in forbidden. He’s a football coach and she’s a star volleyball player, they can not explore any sort of relationship. What ensues is a slow burn, with so much tension, and I will guarantee that any reader who likes a taste of forbidden will enjoy this one.

I am a Devney Perry review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

A forbidden, small town, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry.
 

A coach. A student. The rules were concrete. We broke them anyway.
 

The night I met Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lie. He was a Treasure State football coach. I was the star of the volleyball team. Coaches and students were forbidden. My future was on the line, so I told myself it was only one night.
 

That was the first lie. They got easier to tell after that. The lines blurred. The boundaries shifted. Our relationship became a game of its own.
 

A chaste smile. A knowing glance. A veiled touch or a hushed kiss. We hid in plain sight. We were invincible. Or so we thought. Neither of us saw the blitz coming until it was too late.
 

Game over. The night I left Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lose.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Toren and Jennsyn are the main characters of this story. Fans of this series may remember Toren as Ford’s best friend and assistant coach. Torren grew up and attended Treasure State, his dream was always to come back and help coach the team he played for. It’s hard not to fall for him quickly, he’s noble and kind. Jennsyn threatens that nobility, she’s a transfer student to Treasure State, but she and Toren hook up in the summer and never share the key details that would have had them clue in to the forbidden nature of their relationship. Jennsyn will be relatable to any reader out there who struggles with balancing parental expectations with doing what actually makes you happy. Jennsyn’s past reveals itself throughout the story (I think some of the reveals could have happened earlier, I don’t like how long she kept pieces of her past from Toren), but nonetheless, my heart broke for her and I loved her character journey.
• Setting: As with all of Devney’s stories it is set in Montana. Treasure State is in a little college town called Mission, and it has that very US college town feel. Toren and Jennsyn are neighbours so much of the book is the longing glances and the sneaking out late at night and early in the morning. I think Devney writes college very well and am very excited for more books in this series.
• Pacing: The timeline of this story was super interesting as it is told concurrently with the previous standalone, Coach (Millie and Ford’s story), which I really liked. I find most often romance series tell one story after another in chronological order, so it was a nice change. It also gave a nice insight into Toren’s thoughts on Millie and Ford’s relationship. I flew through this book, I literally read it on a plane and half my flight just went by in a blink cause I was so entranced by it. I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending, it felt like it was like an abrupt end and here’s an epilogue. I would have liked a bit more exploration of their relationship once more people knew about it.
• Romance: Ooooh Devney crafted a delicious slow burn here, the payoff is so worth it. The story naturally opens up with them meeting the night Toren hosts a party and Jennsyn is compelled to check out what her new neighbour is up to. You don’t get the story of that first night right away, rather you get it in flashbacks and I loved this. After that night they do attempt to steer clear of each other, but their undeniable chemistry breeds some emotional and romantic moments. That build-up also meant that when they could no longer keep their hands to themselves the characters and the readers alike were giddy. 

Blitz receives 4.5/5 stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Amazon Worldwide | Paperback | Hardcover

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Thank you again to Devney and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Devney Perry’s Blitz ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Did I dive into Keeping 13 basically one minute after finishing Binding 13, yup I definitely did! What a cliffhanger, maybe one of the most brutal I have read this year. This book wrecked me even harder than Binding 13, it had me bawling my eyes out.

Falling in love was the easy part. What comes next is the test. Johnny Kavanagh’s first, last, and only true love has always been rugby…until now. Following a devastating injury that has left him stripped of his beloved number 13 jersey, Johnny struggles to hold onto his dreams as they crumble around him. Lost and desperate, he sets his sights on unraveling the mystery of the girl with the midnight-blue eyes who haunts his every waking Shannon Lynch. But navigating the future, even together, isn’t as easy as it once seemed. Keeping secrets has never been a problem for Shannon. The life she was born into demands nothing less. After all, demons and evil men don’t just exist in fairytales―they exist in her world, too. Traumatized beyond repair after her return from Dublin and desperate to protect her little brothers, Shannon finds herself struggling like never before, barely keeping her head above water. Her walls are up and her trust is shaken, and only one boy has the ability to reach her heart. But when new truths come to light and old wounds are reopened, will love be enough to help them heal, or is their future forever broken?

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Johnny and Shannon have my heart! This book took all our characters on such an emotional journey. I want to ensure I do not spoil the events of this sequel, but I thought the worst was behind Shannon and her brothers Joey, Tahdg, Ollie, and Sean, but it was not. I will not get over the emotional wrecking ball that is this story and neither will Joey (I cannot wait to read Saving 6, I need to know that Joey and Aoife are going to be okay!). Chloe Walsh has pulled off what I love in an ensemble story when the side characters are so rich that you cannot wait to devour their stories too.
• Setting: This story is set in 2005 Ireland, in the small town of Ballylaggin and I had no idea just how attached I would get to this town and all the people in it. I love all the Irish slang and the early 2000s references. This small Irish town matches the heaviness of the book perfectly.
• Pacing: I read this book in a few days, back to back with Binding 13. It made me stay up late and get up early to read, which is always a good sign of just how much a book is enthralling me. I do feel the need to say that I still find this series too long and I will be interested to see how the lengths affect future instalments.
• Romance: I adore Shannon and Johnny and their relationship. This book features their physical relationship much more than the previous instalment. As they are given so many more moments to be alone together in their feelings. I adored the reformed gentleman Johnny, matched against the bolder Shannon who in falling in love with Johnny grew her confidence and willingness to ask not just for what she wanted, but what she deserved.

Keeping 13 receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo

Thank you again to Bloom and Raincoast for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and su

The post Chloe Walsh’s Keeping 13 Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I am so excited to help celebrate this book re-entering the world in this pretty pink package. I liked Flawless my first time though, the second time through just hit different. Maybe knowing the characters and this world better just made me appreciate this story even more.

The rules were keep his hands off his agent’s daughter and stay out of trouble. But now he’s stuck with her. There’s only one bed. And well, rules are made to be broken. Rhett Eaton is the face of professional bull riding. The golden boy. Or at least he was until it all blew up in his face after a public brawl. Now his agent says he has to clean up his image, and sticks Rhett with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as “full-time supervision.” But Rhett doesn’t need a goddamn babysitter―especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can’t stop running. A mouth he can’t stop thinking about. And he quickly learns that Summer Hamilton isn’t just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn’t run―she pulls him closer, even when she shouldn’t. She says this means nothing. Rhett says this means everything. She says there are boundaries they shouldn’t cross. That Rhett’s reputation can’t take any more hits…and neither can her damaged heart. Rhett says he’s going to steal it anyway.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Rhett Eaton lassoed my heart and I was not expecting it. I mentioned this was my second time though and initially, he came across as just some stubborn bull rider. But he is so much more. He falls first and falls fast and hard. It is so interesting to know that from the beginning and see the cracks in his grumpy exterior. I already loved Summer and didn’t need more convincing to love her more. Also, this should go without saying this story is riddled with amazing side characters, who get even more amazing stories. I still wish that the other Eaton’s weren’t so against Rhett’s career choices.
• Setting: Chestnut Springs is a small fictionalized town located outside Calgary. I love the Canadian setting so much! The Wishing Well Ranch feels like a home away from home. I love the dynamic of Summer with all the Eaton boys navigating life together on the ranch. I did find it fun when Summer and Rhett were away on the rodeo circuit, especially when they were forced to share a hotel room.
• Pacing: I read almost three-quarters of this in one sitting. I love the pacing and it is such a perfect length. I guarantee you that when you pick this up you will fall hard for this story and let the wild ride just take you.
• Romance: Damn Rhett and Summer are so hot and I love them so much. Their tension was just so great. I already alluded to some really fun scenes, thank god the heat stopped working in Summer’s hotel room. Rhett is definitely more of the alpha-protective type and if that is not for you, you probably won’t want to ride that cowboy.

Flawlesss receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to Elsie and Raincoast for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog.

The post Elsie Silver’s Flawless Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

The next story in this set of second-generation Pucked novels is just as heartbreaking and heartrending as its predecessors. I adore this series so much and was so happy with BJ’s story. All the fans who have been waiting to get in his head will be very happy.

I am a Helena Hunting review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

The first time I met Winter Marks, I almost took her out with my Jeep.
To be fair, she came out of nowhere.

I flirted with her, and she flipped me off and disappeared into the woods on her bike.
But she left me a souvenir: a single hockey skate.

Seemed to me that divine intervention shouldn’t be ignored.

She was my icy Cinderella and I would be her Prince Not-So-Charming.

Winter was more than just a sassy, badass hockey-playing hottie.
She’s stuck in a prison of a life. And I’m the perfect escape.

Neither of us expected to fall.
Or for the truth to shatter us.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: BJ Ballistic is our hero (I know the name is quite the mouthful, gotta love the humour of the Pucked series seeping into this one) and I loved him. He is a figure skater, a nice switch-up from the hockey players of previous novels. He was selfless and caring. He was the perfect guy for Winter. She needed BJ and his friends and family to step in and help her from her life’s attempt at drowning her. She is a dedicated hockey player with a heart of gold. I love the wider cast of characters just so damn much. I loved seeing Lily and Randy as parents and it’s not like BJ keeps it easy for them to be super loving and understanding. The way they welcomed Winter into their family warmed my heart.
• Setting: This story is set in the lakeside community where the Pucked families have vacation houses. Most of this book takes place over a summer break. I loved this blip that BJ and Winter lived through, a summer fling that grows into so much more. One of my favourite parts of this story is all the time spent at the ice rink. It is such an important setting for so many aspects of the book. Side note I loved Alex’s girls hockey program and how the Canadian welfare state inspired giving back to these girls.
• Pacing: I truly escaped into the first part of this story, as I reflected on earlier I got so attached to the summer love story, that I even needed time to adjust once they went back to school in the fall. This story progressed in the beginning and as story beats were hit I couldn’t help but be brought to tears. I couldn’t recommend adding this to a binge read and making sure you have taken in the joy that is
• Romance: This romance was just perfect. Winter and BJ were so in need of a great love and they deserved to find each other. This relationship was tested constantly, Helena did not make it easy of these guys. You are going to root for them every step of the way. They do get pretty hot and heavy though and Helena never disappoints in that department. When a relationship gets me hot and bothered while making me cry my eyes out I know it’s a good one.

Shattered Truths receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Helena and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Helena Hunting’s Shattered Truths ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

This story is so damn adorable. Perfect for fans of both friends-to-lovers and fake dating!!

I am a Lauren Blakley review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

Am I fake dating my best friend? Hear me out…
So I’m throwing myself a breakup party, a glittery fete where I envision I’ll lift a glass and celebrate being free and single again.
What I actually do: Drink too much champagne and blurt out to my best guy friend that I’d really like to get back on the horse.
But what I truly don’t expect is Carter’s answer – he volunteers as tribute.
With his sinful brown eyes and too-good-to-be-true body it’d be no hardship for me to say yes, though I certainly don’t want him to feel obligated to, um, service me, just because my failed, loveless marriage was a s-e-x desert.
But since the charming and confident pro football star owes five public dates to his dating app sponsor, we make a deal to help each other out.
Pretty soon, our public how to date lessons turn into, ahem, very private ones. And I’m a star student, graduating quickly from flirty banter and lingering looks to toe-curling, sheet-grabbing, mind-blowing hours of physical education.
The problem? Turns out learning to date again feels a lot like the real thing. Can our friendship withstand all these late-night bedroom sessions?
Especially since I’m suddenly longing for my best friend and there’s nothing fake about my feelings…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Rachel, our heroine is a recent divorcee, after having left her toxic husband, the man who she thought would be the father of her children after she found his business trips were him visiting his secret second family. She is so relatable to anyone who has ever felt unsure about finding love and feeling worthy of adoration. Enter her best friend, Carter. They had been close friends since high school and are now back in the same city again after a while, ready to rekindle that friendship. The NFL player had a few exes but nothing was too serious. He too is deserving of using his great boyfriend skills on someone.
• Setting: This is Lauren Blakley’s San Francisco so lots of cute cameos from characters you will recognize. This includes Carter’s brother Axel and his girlfriend Hazel from My So-Called Sex Life.
• Pacing: I found myself intrigued by this story right away, which is a change from the pacing I am used to with Lauren’s recent work. It was a refreshing change to not have to put in a few chapters before getting attached to the story. I did find it lost some momentum near the third act though.
• Romance: What pulled me in right away was the tension between the characters. I am not as big on friends-to-lovers (I am usually more of an enemies-to-lovers girlie) but these two were adorable with their feelings and hot with their actions. Damn, Lauren Blakley treated us to some hot sex scenes. I found I got so emotionally invested in them too, the fans the characters had in the book, they also made one in real life.

Plays Well With Others receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

Thank you again to Lauren and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Lauren Blakely’s Plays Well With Others ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Helena Hunting writes such charming romantic comedies. This book is perfect for animal lovers and haters alike, being very much a story of two people who have faced their own separate hardships finding someone to share that burden. Plus there are tons of cute animals, both cats and dogs.

I am a Helena Hunting review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

The fur is about to fly between a cheerful cat sitter and a grumpy hockey nerd in this hilarious and charming rom-com by the New York Times bestselling author of Meet Cute.

Kitty Hart has become internet famous as the Kitty Whisperer for her expertise on all things feline, and as a result, her cat-sitting business is booming. But lately, she has a terrible feeling that maybe her life isn’t quite going where it’s supposed to—especially after falling face-first into her newest client. Not exactly the best first impression.

Fortunately, Miles Thorn is just as bad at first impressions. Strike one: he doesn’t like cats, especially Prince Francis, the haughty and mischievous Sphynx his mom left in his care. Strike two: tackling Kitty to the floor in a misguided attempt to save the pet he continually calls “the gremlin.”

As awkwardness slides into attraction and things start to turn purr-sonal, will these two complete opposites ever be able to find their furry-tail ending?

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: The first character we meet is the hockey nerd Miles. He is a data guy for the local hockey team, spending his time at work analyzing player data to maximize performance. Mr. Suit and Tie is actually trying to keep his life together as he starts off on this new job. Miles ends up needing the services of a cat sitter, enter Kitty. From the moment she stepped foot on the page I fell in love with her personality. She was quirky in a way that was so endearing and relatable. I loved how loyal she was to friends and family. She is dedicated to her job, maybe a bit too much and is reluctant to introduce much change in her life. They have both had to face incredible hardships, as you read it will all be brought to light and you will keep asking yourself how this cute romantic comedy is bringing you to tears.
• Setting: The story is set in Toronto and the surrounding area. As a Canadian who has never been there, I cannot speak to the references, but as a GTA native, I trust that Helena has thrown in some easter eggs for those who will understand. The city did not take up a special place in the story outside of it was nice to see this story set in Canada, by a Canadian author.
• Pacing: From the first few pages this book brought a smile to my face and it made me chuckle countless times. This book started off with lots of comedy, then Helena hit us with some damn hard emotional punches.
• Romance: When Kitty and Miles meet she never thinks it will work out, instead of an adorable meet cute they have an awkward first meeting with Kitty falling flat on her face. How could a romance be possible between a dog person and a cat person, well Kitty and Miles defeat the odds. I loved watching these two have their feelings gradually grow as their physical and emotional attraction only grew with the depth of their feelings. The sex scenes were refreshingly different, they felt relatable with the missteps in choreography, the giggling, and the charming words. This is a couple readers will adore rooting for!

A Love Catastrophe receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Helena and her teams for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Helena Hunting’s A Love Catastrophe ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Another sports M/M from Lauren Blakley, which was an overall enjoyable read but it felt like it lacked something special.

I am a Lauren Blakley review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

One weekend with no strings was supposed to be the plan.

After barely escaping my last train wreck of a romance, I’ve got a new dating goal—play it cool.

I stick to that strategy when I meet a hunky Brit at a fundraiser and ask him to grab a drink. But he’s newly out and eager for all the things he’s never done, so he ups the ante with the wild suggestion that we jet off to the city of sin for a weekend, then say goodbye.

But instead, thanks to blackjack, a bet and some bourbon, we’re saying I do.

And in the morning I’m asking myself what the hell have I done? I can’t risk being the football player who’s also a playa. We’ll just undo the holy matrimony right this stinking second.

Except, the pics of our nuptials are splashed all over the Internet, and my agent says we need to stay Mister and Mister until the brouhaha blows over.

Thirty days as fake husbands with the charming Brit who’s determined to prove that he’s nothing like my ex?

My bruised heart can handle that as long as I don’t fall for my husband.

And I won’t. When we split for real, he’ll be an ocean away.

Contents include: A sarcastic, romance-phobic American football player, a charming and dirty-minded British businessman, an Elvis impersonator, white-hot first times, dangerous decisions, and a sexy, witty, emotional fake marriage, first times MM standalone sports romance!

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are Hunter, a British TV producer and Nate, an American football star. Nate brought some adorable shy energy. He was newly out as Bi, so he is dealing with many insecurities and self-doubt about being with a man for the first time. Lauren loves to make one of the characters a virgin so he takes center stage. While Nate is the much more experience one of the pair. The San Francisco Hawks player is pretty fresh off a divorce and has not really re-entered the dating scene. I enjoyed the warmth Nate gave off, he seemed like a good brother and a good friend. Realistically though neither character impressed me all too much, they were likeable guys but not standouts.
• Setting: This story has a few settings from San Francisco, to Las Vegas, to London. The best part of the story was the part set in Las Vegas. They stayed at the Extravagant Hotel (love a Lauren Blakley easter egg) and it provided fodder for so many hot scenes, including one too many drinks and one too many weddings.
• Pacing: I had some big pacing issues with this story. First off the beginning dragged a bit, I know there needed to be some time to establish how these characters met and who they are. I do think that section could have been condensed so that readers can get swept up in the accidental Las Vegas wedding a bit sooner. Those passages were the shining star, so we needed to get to them sooner. The rest of the books also felt bogged down, my heart just was not in it and it put me in a bit of a reading slump.
• Romance: This couple had really great tension. What great chemistry as both characters oozed sex tension. Lauren keeps writing these characters who just cannot get enough of each other. The best part in many ways was their insatiability, the physical part of their relationship was much stronger than the emotional part. I found I just did not grow that attached to these two, it may be different for other readers. So, please do not let my review disparage you, if you have enjoyed this series it is worth picking up this instalment!

Limited Edition Husband receives three out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

✦ Amazon ✦ Audible ✦

Follow Lauren on all her social channels…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

Thank you again to Lauren and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Lauren Blakley’s Limited Edition Husband ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I have been excited about this Devney Perry passion project since she started talking about it a few years ago. She has never tackled a sports romance (see what I did there, haha) and I was looking forward to her putting her Devney spin on it. This was a great take on a coach romance, in a college setting rather than a professional team. So you get the best of both worlds a forbidden workplace romance and small college-town vibes.

I am a Devney Perry review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

A single dad, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Devney Perry.

Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.

I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.

Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.

Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.

Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our leads are Millie and Ford. I loved them both, they are definitely prime examples of Devney protagonists at their best. Ford is sweet, charming, and a wonderful Dad. Readers will fawn over how he prioritizes his daughter Joey. I loved his determination in everything from fatherhood, work, sport, and re-approaching Millie. I also liked having a sports romance with the heroine connected to the sports world, as authors rarely draw these connections. Millie is the school’s athletic director, and what I did enjoy stemming from that was a subplot of her fighting for agency in a male-dominated field. The other character I liked was Joey, I wished we could have seen more of her. The nature of this book is that key scenes take place at the workplace which just means less kiddo time.
• Setting: This story is set at a university in Montana, and well of course it is because Devney is the queen of Montana stories. Devney has said this will become a series of coach stories but all she has done is made me crave a series of college romances from her. I loved the insights you can glean from all the side characters on the football team.
• Pacing: Devney’s books are such a good length, not too slow or not too fast. The story opens with one chapter in the past, and the rest is in the present. Which means you learn about their history in the present timeline.
• Romance: This book is a bit of a slow burn, but with a ton of history. One of my favourites parts of the story was constructing this couple was the tension she wrote into every kiss. It made it so that I knew it would be magical once they collided. Being two adults that are working at a university sports program, they really channelled their inner horny college kid and made up for the lost time. There was a few hot scenes but too much fade to black for my liking. I also found the relationship pacing occurred a bit fast, I know they have a history but they still moved into the serious stage quite quickly.

Coach receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Kindle  |  Audible  |  Paperback

Follow Devney on all her social channels…

Website  | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Newsletter

Thank you again to Devney and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Devney Perry’s Coach ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

This book is a culmination of so much I love about Sarina Bowen’s work. First off, it’s part of the Brooklyn Bruisers world one of my fave hockey romance series ever. Plus Sarina is so good at writing M/M love stories. Yet, she has not written a gay hockey romance since Him and Us, which she co-wrote with Elle Kennedy. Everyone will eat up The New Guy. If you especially loved Him and Us then The New Guy will pull on the same emotional heartstrings.

My name is Hudson Newgate, but my teammates call me New Guy.

That was my nickname in Chicago, too. And Vancouver. That’s what happens when you keep getting traded. Brooklyn is my last chance, especially after my poor performance last season.

But I can make this work. The new guy knows to keep his head down and shoot the puck. The new guy puts the game first.

What he doesn’t do is hook up with the other new guy—a hot athletic trainer who lives in my building. Gavin needs this job with my team. He’s a single dad with responsibilities.

We can’t be a couple. My arrogant agent–who’s also my father–will lose his mind if I’m dating a dude. And my team needs me to score goals, not whip up a media circus.

Too bad Gavin and I are terrible at resisting each other…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are Gavin and Hudson. We met Gavin fresh to New York City, ready to start a new chapter in his life. I got attached to him so quickly. He is a single dad, as his late husband died in an accident and had adopted this young girl two years before he and Gavin got together. Jordyn is an adorable kid, and no surprise because her dad Gavin is such an incredibly endearing and kind guy. We meet Hudson when Gavin does, in a bar watching a hockey game. Hudson should be playing for the Brooklyn NHL team but he’s out with an injury. He is the perpetual “New Guy” who keeps getting traded around the league. He’s got a controlling father as his agent, who is forcing him to remain in the closet. I loved how Hudson can be adorably awkward especially when it comes to his feelings for Gavin.
• Setting: I love this world so damn much! As Sarina grows her Brooklyn hockey world, I just never want to leave it. Previous fans of Sarina’s hockey books will be ecstatic as there were just so many sweet moments with the other team members and the extended organization.
• Pacing: I enjoyed every moment of this story so much, that I never wanted it to end. I loved that right away it was set up that we were not only an epic love story but also the first time that in Sarina’s hockey world, we would see the ups and downs of navigating coming out as a hockey player. I hope we see even more diverse stories come into this universe.
• Romance: This relationship starts off with a great meet cute. Just two guys in a bar, that should be watching a hockey game, and instead are unable to keep their eyes off each other. Plus we get such a steamy kiss as a tease for the intensity to come. Sarina did a great job of building the sexual tension between Gavin and Hudson. Once those two collided every scene was not just super hot, but brought an emotional intensity. I cried after so many scenes in this book, which is not something I usually find myself doing when I read Sarina’s books.

The New Guy receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | Nook | Audio

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s The New Guy ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I really enjoyed this M/M romance from Lauren Blakley. Filthy in the title does not even describe just how hot and heavy this book is. Fans will fawn over the intensity and steaminess of Gunner and Rafe.

I am a Lauren Blakely review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

It’s a fine line between lust and obsession…

Lately, I’ve been full of questions. Then one hot summer night I find all the answers when I kiss another guy for the first time. But all too soon, he disappears, leaving me wondering who my mystery man was.

Then I can’t stop thinking about him. Even on the ball field, I’m daydreaming about his hungry hands, and the filthy things he whispered in his posh British accent.

Somehow I still win one of the biggest games of my career, and afterward the man surprises me with an invitation: “Meet me in a private suite.”

When I RSVP, he makes me an offer – one chance to try all the things I’ve never experienced. Then we’ll walk away.

But once will never be enough. Soon I’m locked into an intense lessons-in-seduction game with the secretive billionaire who keeps love at a distance, all while he pushes the boundaries of my brand new desires.

And soon I learn that all my desires come with a terrible cost, as he breaks down the walls around my heart.

A Very Filthy Game is a lessons-in-seduction, first times, forbidden MM romance between a billionaire and an athlete…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Gunnar is the athlete. You might recognize him as one of Zane’s (Turn Me On) and Declan’s (Scoring with Him) teammates on the San Francisco Dragons. I loved how his story kicked off with his teammates betting him that he would be in a relationship by the end of the season, but he plays it off and acts very resistant to coupling up. So it was super enjoyable when Gunnar’s plans to win the bet are thwarted when Rafe enters the scene. He’s a charming and rich business owner of a men’s underwear company but has his sights on expanding to clothes from head to toe. He will be super relatable to any reader that has been burned by love, and my favourite part of the story was reading about his reluctance to open his heart. Don’t worry Gunnar will shake that foundation.
• Setting: The story is set in San Francisco. The best part of this is getting to have other members of the Dragons MLB team as essential presences in the story. I especially love Zane’s role as accountability man turned biggest cheerleader.
• Pacing: This book moves at a steady pace, I wouldn’t say either too fast or too slow. I cannot say it’s a very plot-driven book, the charisma of the leading men much more drives it.
• Romance: In terms of romance this one is a scorcher. They ooze sex appeal from their first meeting and it never stopped. Lauren Blakely throws in a virgin who wants to learn, a staple of many of her books. What I like about it is that it adds some breathing room, and may force them to slow down their pace and really be conscious about consent, pain, and pleasure. There is no denying that this book is hot and permeates every scene, from the texts they send to the glances across the room. If you want something more slow burn or less sexually charged this story may not be for you. If you want to escape into one hot relationship you’ll enjoy this one.

A Very Filthy Game receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Audible

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Thank you again to Lauren and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

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