The Jock by Tal Bauer

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

Wes Van de Hoek clawed his way off his family’s West Texas ranch under the Friday night lights, earning a football scholarship to the state’s best university. Three years in, he has it all: he’s the starting tight end, team captain, and, according to ESPN, maybe the best college football player in the nation. But he’s been keeping a secret from everyone.

Justin Swanscott has three certainties in his life: he’s gay, football is overrated, and he really, really doesn’t like cowboys. He should never have fallen into Wes’s open-range eyes or let his heart run wild when Wes gave him that shy little smile over summer. But he couldn’t stop himself.

Everyone’s asking questions about Wes this season: How is he playing so well? Will Texas be undefeated this year? Will he take the team all the way to the national championship? What’s next for him?

The truth? Wes isn’t dreaming about an NFL contract. His heart belongs to Justin, even though the world wants it to belong to football.

Wes has stadiums packed with screaming fans, ESPN is all over him, and the NFL wants him badly. He’s living under a microscope, and the pressure keeps building as the team keeps winning. Everyone wants something from him, but all Wes wants is to love Justin.

Something’s gotta give. 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Tal Bauer's The Jock is an amazing sports romance. This is a fabulous combination of college romance, sports, whirlwind romance, Paris, and coming of age. 

Basically, it's four hundred pages of awesomeness! I love this story and couldn't devour it fast enough.

A few weeks in Paris for Wes finds him falling madly in love with his roommate Justin. After a whirlwind romance, they head back to the same college in Texas. But things aren't so easy.

Wes is a closeted football player, who can't come out while on the team. His coach hits him with a motivational talk that comes at a terrible time. 

Justin, meanwhile, isn't closeted. 

Ugh, all the feels come out when they need to leave each other for a few weeks. And all the angst starts when Wes is back at school and pressured by his coach. 

All the feels. The tension. The fear. The anxiety. The doubts. The absolute terror of coming out, or being outed. The need to protect Justin at all costs. 

And this is why I love sports romances. All of Wes's fears are well founded. Sports fans are brutal. Teammates are ruthless. Everything Wes feels is absolutely based in reality. 

The pressure he feels is intense and is well illustrated. He's only at college due to his football scholarship. If he comes out and loses football, he loses his education. And his education is extremely important to him, for that is his dream. 

Omg. Everything about this book is amazing. I felt every damn emotion along with the men. The only thing I don't love is that it's written in alternating third person pov instead of first person. There are definitely times this kept me a little disconnected, but overall, the emotions are felt strongly. 

The book gutted me. Just gutted me. And that's less than a third of the way in. 

The rest of their story follows the highs and lows, the good and the bad, of their journey. The strength of their connection and love is never in doubt. But the path they need to take to get their happy ever after is in question throughout.

I love every single second of this romance. It definitely surprised me with some twists and turns I didn't see coming. I appreciate that this is a totally unique storyline to me. It's definitely not what I expected and you'd be hard pressed to find two people who fall in love so quickly or so deeply. 

The Jock is everything I love about sports romances. Tal Bauer perfectly encompasses all the pressures and demands put upon athletes to tow the line and be the star athlete. I love, love, love this book. 

RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW - MF- Floored (Ward Family #3) by Karla Sorensen

Title: Floored

Author: Karla Sorensen

Genre: Sports Romance

Release Date: December 9, 2020

Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs

Goodreads

Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):

Amazon US  *  Amazon CA

Amazon UK * Amazon AU

Universal

If you've ever had a steamy one-night stand with a British football player and then find yourself pregnant with his baby, you know how Lia Ward feels.

To be fair, Lia didn't know who Jude McAllister was when they met.

Studying abroad for her master's program, all she knows is that she's a little lonely and he's very charming, even as they have an epically sexy argument about which type of football is superior.

In Jude's mind, shagging the feisty American girl is exactly what he needs. He’s been fighting the clock of his long-standing football career and the younger players primed to take his position. Proving that he can feel like his old self again—something he's been trying to do with everyone in his life—should be easier after blowing off steam with Lia.

But oh baby, when a plus sign pops up on Lia's pregnancy test, that 'one night' becomes a whole lot more.

Now Lia and Jude have to navigate their impossible-to-ignore chemistry, and prepare for the parenting game, something neither of them know how to play.

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My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Floored is a study abroad romance by Karla Sorensen. The third book in the Ward Brothers series, it's easily read as a standalone. However, reading the series in order definitely adds to the fun. 

As far as I'm concerned, Lia's living the dream. Studying in England for a semester and meeting a hot athlete. Swoon. Course the dream doesn't involve a surprise pregnancy. 

It's a great story, but it took me a little bit to appreciate the characters fully. And, damn, let's just say that Jude's parents are awful. Add in Lia's family history and cue the tears. 

I like that the two work together and never have that big initial fall out due to those two pink lines. It's a nice twist on the typical surprise pregnancy storyline. Of course, there's conflict later on, and I love the way it's done. It's actually a development I appreciate and it never gets cheesy. 

It's a tale of pregnancy and the upcoming life changes that one needs to deal with. It's a tale of figuring out their family issues, as well as distance issues. It's also a tale that explores opening up to others and letting people in.

The writing is wonderful, with everything flowing well and the storyline keeping me intrigued throughout. My only complaint is that I wanted more. I wanted to see some of their daily lives, both surrounding school and his work. But of course, that would have been a whole different story. lol 

Overall, Floored is a good read. It's a nice NA read that explores finding one's place in life, as Lia struggles to figure out where she belongs, as she deals with the changes in her life. If you've been reading the series all along, you'll love this addition to the series. 

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"All the English countryside stars for this awesomeness. It’s getting one of my rare 6 stars...  I’ve read over 400 books this year and have only given 8 x 6 stars so that tells you just how much I loved this book!!" - Claypot Reads

"Karla Sorensen nailed the angsty and steamy feels once again in Floored. This unique sports romance was full of intense emotions and all consuming romance goodness. She never fails to bring out the best and the worst in me with her brilliant writing." (PP’s Bookshelf)

“Karla Sorensen delivers on all the things I love the best: the chemistry, the banter, the sweet steady burn that holds my heart in thrall and keeps my greedy little reader heart hungry for more. Floored delivered on all those things and more!” (Jennifer, Goodreads Review)

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Well, let’s see ... I’m a wife and a mother. If the things that I write bring a smile to someone's face, then I've done my job. I am obsessed with Outlander (both the books and the show). I’m almost exclusively a romance reader, which means some people will never consider me a literary snob. If I could meet one historical figure, it would be Jane Austen. I received my Bachelors in Public Relations and worked in health care marketing before I had my babies. I hate Twitter. I do it, but I hate it. Also, if you want to get on my good side, bring me wine and I'll love you forever.

Social Media Links: 

Facebook page- www.facebook.com/karlasorensenbooks 

Reader Group- www.facebook.com/groups/thesorensensorority 

Website- www.karlasorensen.com 

Twitter- www.twitter.com/ksorensenbooks 

Amazon -https://www.amazon.com/Karla-Sorensen/e/B00UQZ9ENI

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13563232.Karla_Sorensen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karla_sorensen/

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RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW - A Taste Of Agapi by Chris Ethan

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 50,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Tiferet Design

Goodreads Link

Blurb

Jimmy has a secret.

But when he meets Ren, he can no longer hide it.

Ren is an adventurous comic-book nerd.

He transfers to Thessaloniki, Greece in an attempt to find his place in the world.

What he gets is more than just an escape from his academic family.

Jimmy is a hard working man.

After losing his mother, he has put his heart and soul into finishing his studies and helping his dad through his financial difficulties.

When he is introduced to Ren, Jimmy initiates him into the coffee-and-chill culture of his Greek city.

But something awakens in both of them.

Something neither can tame.

Can the two boys be more than just friends?

And what is that feeling called? That feeling they can’t seem to shake off?

REVIEW

My Rating - 5 Stars!

A Taste of Agapi is a fantastic, atmospheric romance by Chris Ethan. It revolves around Jimmy and Ren, who become roommates and friends during Ren's semester abroad in Greece. Jimmy, who's Greek, is hiding the fact that he's gay, in addition to be completely ashamed it.

In addition to the romance, we get a wonderful taste of Greece, both the local flair, as well as the political climate. The homophobia and bullying that take place are both shocking and upsetting. I had no idea that Greece, in general, is not a tolerant country. So heart-breaking.

The political climate of Greece certainly adds to the amazing journey that Jimmy takes, as he learns to accept his homosexuality, as well as embracing it. This story is so much more than just falling in love. It is an eye-opening and heart-warming journey of self-discovery and coming of age.

As for Ren, my heart just breaks for him, as he not only suffers from culture shock, but is the target of some awful bullying. Every thought and emotion is so well written that I found myself transported into their hearts and minds.

I love the scene when Jimmy and Ren are playing "Never Have I Ever." It is just perfectly done! 

A Taste of Agapi contains some wonderful secondary characters, who add so much heart. Chris Ethan has excelled at this marvelous tale, that is both irresistible and inspiring. Don't miss out on this one!

Author Bio

Chris Ethan is a book whore. He enjoys selling his feelings for money and other pleasures and is blatantly unashamed to do so for as long as he breathes. Chris Ethan is also a persona for Rhys Ethan, author of fantasy and sci-fi. He uses Chris Ethan to share stories of adult queer romance with those who need it. Before you delve into his books however, be warned. He likes putting his characters through shitstorms and hates anything conventional. But then there's that darned happy-ever-after. Also, he likes swearing. Deal with it!

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