Down by Contact by Santino Hassell

Down by Contact by Santino Hassell
Also by this author: Illegal Contact
Published by Penguin on January 16th 2018
Genres: Fiction, Romance, LGBT, Gay, Multicultural & Interracial, Sports
Pages: 205
ISBN: 9780399586309
Goodreads

Two rival football players begin a game with higher stakes than the Super Bowl in this steamy romance from the author of Illegal Contact.   

Simeon Boudreaux, the New York Barons’ golden-armed quarterback, is blessed with irresistible New Orleans charm and a face to melt your mama’s heart. He’s universally adored by fans and the media. Coming out as gay in solidarity with his teammate hasn’t harmed his reputation in the least—except for some social media taunting from rival linebacker Adrián Bravo.

Though they were once teammates, Adrián views Simeon as a traitor and the number-one name on the New Jersey Predators’ shit list. When animosity between the two NFL players reaches a boiling point on the field, culminating in a dirty fist fight, they’re both benched for six games and sentenced to joint community service teaching sullen, Brooklyn teens how to play ball.

At first, they can barely stand to be in the same room, but running the camp forces them to shape up. With no choice but to work together, Simeon realizes Adrián is more than his alpha-jerk persona, and Adrián begins to question why he’s always had such strong feelings for the gorgeous QB…

Praise for Down by Contact and Santino Hassell

“Santino Hassell is writing football romance for a new generation…The dialogue is snappy…and the sex scenes are hot.”—NPR.org

"This is a deliciously dirty yet surprisingly sweet tale of two people who, in the end, want to love and be loved, whatever the obstacles might be. A sexy and satisfying look into the hearts and minds of unlikely lovers."--Kirkus Reviews "Hassell’s raunchy, hypermasculine second Barons erotic romance (after Illegal Contact) is hotter than tempers on Super Bowl Sunday... The testosterone is balanced by thoughtful examinations of cultural differences and the effects of fame on relationships... [A] raw, beautifully told love story."--Publishers Weekly  "Santino Hassell is a romance author to keep your eye on... I always appreciate getting to read a M/M romance by an actual male writer."--Hypable 

"Santino Hassell never disappoints!”--Suzanne Brockmann, New York Times bestselling author  

"Santino Hassell is one of those writers who elevates the male/male romance genre."--Christopher Rice, New York Times bestselling author 

"Santino Hassell knows how to write a romance that will steam up your windows one minute and make you swoon the next."-Roni Loren,New York Times bestselling author

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Thoughts 

 

I really loved the first book in this series, therefore I had super high expectations for this one, and honestly, maybe that was the issue because I didn’t truly enjoy this one as much. I am a fan of the author’s work and will continue to read his books, however, this one fell short. While Adrian and Simeon were likable characters, I felt that they lacked maturity and their back and forth banter just did not feel authentic. It was offensive at times and fell flat when it should have been either sexy or funny. Either way, it was still a pretty good read over all, but it didn’t have the same magical feel as its predecessor.