I do enjoy when authors create multigenerational universes because it means I just read about the fathers of the guys I just read romances about; big queer families are my jam. Talon and Miller had a great story, and I appreciated how the author dealt with the homophobia that’s rampant in the NFL yet still made it work for these guys. Lots of feels all around, and I loved seeing their story especially after reading about their sons Brady and Peyton (laughing at those names and also that TB12 is still playing almost four years after this book was published). ( )

3,2 stars

- Premise was OK for a romance story.
- Characters were OK but nothing special.
- The writing was mediocre at best.
- The conflicts were, for the most part, completely unnecessary and forced.
- Sex scenes were OK.
- I've already forgotten most of what I read.

I won't be continuing with Finley's books, because mediocre writing isn't made up for even with tropes I usually enjoy. ( )

This was fine but not as good as some of Finley's other books. This was a book entirely based on internal conflict, which is usually a miss for me. There is so much back and forth on the coming out piece of this story and I started getting bored with it, especially since it is such a common plot point in books like this. I also wish we had seen more of their connection in college because I didn't feel like that was super well explored and that led to me having a hard time understanding why they felt so deeply connected. ( )

Probably more of a 4.5.

This is another series which I have enjoyed a lot but never written reviews for before. The previous installment Deke is a particular favorite and I have been waiting for Talon and Miller’s story since they were introduced in Trick Play. So, when I got the opportunity to review this ARC, I can’t describe my excitement... and I’m so happy that this book was all that I wanted it to be.

Marcus Talon is a delightful character to read about. The most popular and two time championship winning quarterback, he is a superstar and he knows it. He is impulsive, gregarious and has always gotten whatever he wanted. He has worked hard for his life of privilege and he knows it too. Shane Miller on the other hand is a good player, but not the superstar kind. He is also much more reserved, conscious of everything that his single mom did for him to be able to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL. And he is hiding his feelings for his best friend and decided that he will never get what he wants.

Best friends to lovers is my favorite trope in romance and I thought it was done really well in this book. Talon and Miller’s friendship reflects off the page and it’s endearing to see how much they care for each other. Their transition to lovers just seems very natural and organic and quite inevitable. While Miller is sure of his bisexuality but isn’t comfortable talking about it, Talon handles his sexual identity crisis in stride and in his usual impulsive way. He goes into this new phase of their relationship all guns blazing, because he is so sure of his love for his best friend and wants him to be a part of his life forever. There are many instances in the book where Talon gets these sudden realizations about their relationship and they were very cheesy and romantic but I absolutely loved them. They are totally made for each other and it shows.

The author does a great job of giving us these memorable characters, showing us their struggles in a realistic manner and giving them a hopeful future. In the present day, it’s obviously not an easy decision for any sportsperson to be out, so we get a realistic portrayal of how the characters weigh their decision of coming out vs the consequences and then make choices which are important to them. We also get some wonderful cameos of the characters from the previous books and it showed how much a supportive friend group is important while making such life changing decisions. The epilogue is also very very adorable and romantic and I was smiling so much.

If like me, you have waited for the story of this couple since you started this series, then I promise you won’t be disappointed. This is a wonderful and slightly angsty best friends to lovers romance and I would definitely recommend to any fans of this trope (especially the fans of Him by Sarina Bowen/Elle Kennedy). ( )

Read this book as part of the 2019 Members' Choice Awards Challenge.
Categories: Best Friends to Lovers, Best Out For You, Best Virgins

The characters were okay, the story was okay, but something was missing. The magic of Maddox and Damon, maybe? I'm not sure. There was nothing wrong with any aspect of the story, I just wasn't into it that much. It's probably me & my current mood. 3 stars for now, but the rating's subject to change when/if I'm in the mood to re-read this. ( )