The Outfielders

Title: The Outfielders

Author:  Robert P Rowe

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Publisher URL: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

ISBN: 978-1-63477-868-8

Genre: {M/M}, Contemporary, Sports

Rating:  4.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Tony had his life planned out, but as often happens in real life those plans get tossed around until he is only living day by day.  With all his dreams dashed, at twenty-four,

Tony finds himself still living at home worrying that things are never going to change.

Tony is gay, but because he has grown up in a small town and is worried about what his family will say he does nothing.  He was planning on coming out while away at college.  But things don’t go as planned, and Tony finds himself working at the big box store that is slowly killing the town he lives in, instead.  If it wasn’t for his few friends, and the store’s baseball team, Tony doesn’t know what he would do.   

One of those friends is Alex.  Alex also works at the big box store and has been friends with Tony for some time.  But Alex does not know that he is the object of Tony’s secret crush.   When Tony’s “girlfriend” decides to help him get the man of his dreams, things go a little crazy.  

I loved the way the author used a gay romance story to help Alex and Tony find their way.  At times, it does get a little confusing, but bear with it.  There are a lot of emotions in The Outfielders.  From the confusion, friendship, lust and love that Tony and Alex feel, to the anger, fear, and acceptance that several of the secondary characters go through.  There are also moments of laughter.  More than once, i found myself laughing, usually at Tony’s expense.  The scene where Tony’s father gives the young men a new set of speakers is really over the top.  

The Outfielders is my first book by Mr. Rowe.  I enjoyed this story, especially as I live in a small rural town and could see the similarities between my town and Mr. Rowe’s fictional one.  The characters in this book are also well done, even the secondary ones.  I found myself curious as to how the story would play out, and i think others will like just as much.  

Sporting Chance

Title: Sporting Chance

Author: Alexa Milne

Publisher: Totally Bound Books

Publishers URL: https://www.totallybound.com

ISBN/BIN: 9781784302702

Genre: {M/M}, Sports, Contemporary

Rating: 4 Nymphs

Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Iestyn is the total opposite of a jock.  He’s a geek, a school teacher and, while not in the closet, he does not advertise his sexual orientation.  Dan is the country’s most famous rugby player.  Part of that is due to being good at what he does, but some of it is because he’s openly gay.  No one would ever think that these two would have anything in common until Iestyn fell at Dan’s feet.

Sporting Chance is a fast paced novel by author Alexa Milne.  While the book centers on a sports figure, the story is not so weighed down with the subject that it becomes overbearing.  Both main characters are easily likeable and I loved the way they first meet.  While there seems to be a spark at their initial meeting, it is only because of the pushiness of friends that the two reconnect. 

The chemistry between Iestyn and Dan is strong and I loved seeing them together; however, their relationship is not an easy one.  Although both men are out, they receive a lot of flack from others, which ends up affecting both their careers.  The problems that come their way make Iestyn’s fears regarding starting a relationship with Dan understandable.  I really felt for the men but could not help feeling that both men gave up to easily. 

Once again it is up to friends to help the men find their way.  While I loved the way the author brings them back together, as well as how the story was wrapped up, I also thought the end felt a little rushed. 

All in all, Sporting Chance was a good book and I am glad I had the chance to read it.

Golden

Title: Golden

Author: Sean Michael  

Publisher: Torquere Press

Publisher’s URL: http://www.torquerebooks.com

ISBN/BIN:  978-1-61040-438-9

Genre: {M/M}, Contemporary, Sports

Rating: 4.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Having won gold at the Summer Olympics, Justin knows what it’s like to be on the top of the world.  Justin never knew life without swimming could go so wrong however, or that his coach would leave him stranded without any help.  Now four years later he’s wondering if it’s a feeling he’ll ever have again.  

I am a big fan of Mr. Michael so I was glad to see that he had a new book out, especially one centered around the sports world.  Readers should know that while this story does touch on the Olympics, both past and future, Golden is not part of the author’s Going for the Gold series.

The characters and story line in Golden are well done.  I was drawn into the story from the first page and must say I was a little worried about Justin at the start.  I was also a little miffed at Chris and could not believe he thought walking away from Justin after the Olympics and basically letting the young man go cold turkey from the world he once knew, was the way to go.  I did like that after talking and seeing Justin again, Chris saw the error of his ways and set out to correct the problem.  I loved that the author does not drag issues like this out and instead fixes them as soon as possible.

Readers can tell from the moment the men meet up again that there is a strong connection between them; one that they were unable to act on before due to their working relationship at the time.  It is also easy to see that Justin is a natural submissive, something that causes the young man more than a few problems in the beginning.  The passion that exists between the two is intense and really heats up the pages.  Chris and Justin do move into their relationship at a fast pace, but it feels right within the context of this story.

Golden is a great story and one that would make a good starter point if you are just trying this author for the first time.  While this author already has many different series going, I hope he has plans to bring these two men back for at least one more story.

Scrambling

Title: Scrambling

Author: Lex Valentine

Publisher: Loose Id

Publisher’s URL: http://www.loose-id.com

ISBN/BIN:  978-1-62300-014-1

Genre: {M/M}, Contemporary, Sports

Rating: 3.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Evan and Reed have been friends since they both joined the Pee Wee football league.  They’ve also been perfectly matched football partners since then as well.  Now that the men are in a pro league and one of them is thinking of coming out of the closet, neither knows what that will mean to their friendship or their professional careers. Once the genie is let out of the bag, there’s no going back.

Scrambling is the current release by author Lex Valentine.  The story centers around two young men who have been friends for so long neither knows what they would do without the other.  This is one of those stories where the author spends a lot of time jumping back and forth between the past and present.  While I can understand why the author did this, I must admit that there were times when I wished the characters would just tell us what had happened without all the jumping around.  For me, it was easy to see how strong the men’s friendship was, but I had a hard time seeing the romantic connection between them.  The fear that both Reed and Evan have over losing their longtime friendship keeps them from coming clean about their true feelings, resulting in the men spending more time in other romantic endeavors rather than thinking about what they can’t have, which is unfortunate since the times they do end up in bed, they really heat up the pages. 

The author does throw in several different outside issues that cause the men more than a few difficult moments and there are some interesting secondary characters that help move the story along as well.  Scrambling also has a sports theme, but unlike some authors, Ms. Valentine does not bombard the reader with so much sports info that the reader will feel that this is all they are getting.

The Trouble with Angel

Title: The Trouble with Angel
Author: JM Cartwright
Publisher: Torquere Books
Publisher URL: http://www.torquerebooks.com/
ISBN: 978-1-61040-216-3
Genre: {M/M}, Contemporary, Sports
Rating: 4.5 Nymphs
Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Angel works hard as one of CeCe’s many assistants so that he can make a good life for himself and his mother. Working for one of the top agents in L.A, he has met and worked with his fair share of celebrities, but none of them have been as much trouble as Brandon.

From the very first page, The Trouble with Angel, the newest book by JM Cartwright will have you laughing. The story centers around two strong-willed men, who have been circling around each other for years. Angel has worked his way out of the barrio and loves the finer things in life. He’s also gay and out, which means the attraction he feels for Brandon makes no sense. Brandon is a gorgeous major league baseball player who finds himself drawn to his agent’s assistant. What Angel does not realize is that Brandon is gay and this leads to some funny moments, especially once Angel is forced to take CeCe’s place when Brandon needs help.

The two men are clearly attracted to each other and this comes through nicely. The chemistry between them heats up the longer they get to know each other. While there are many secondary characters, two play an important role in the men’s lives. Trey and Marisa have lost a lot in their short lives. The grief, anger and confusion they feel as, once again, their lives are torn apart comes through realistically, as does the men’s uncertainty with becoming instant parents. From the steamy sex to the tender moments between the two men and their new charges, The Trouble with Angel is sure to be a keeper for many of the author’s fans.

Sagittarius: Mr. November

Title: Sagittarius: Mr. November
Author: Pepper Espinoza

Publisher: Amber Allure

Publisher URL: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/
ISBN: 978-1-61124-026-9

Genre: {M/M}, Sports

Rating: 5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Patton Cooper is a great quarterback, but he’s also coming to the end of his career. When betrayal leads to a trade, Patton does not know if he can ever recover. Then he meets DeShawn Jones and Patton soon finds more on his mind than his career.

I loved this new story by Pepper Espinoza. The characters in Sagittarius: Mr. November come to life and pull you into their story. Poor Patton has no ground to stand on when DeShawn decides the older quarterback is the man for him. While the chemistry and connection between these two is strong, I liked the fact that the author was able to bring other emotions to the forefront, making the men more realistic. When Patton starts having his “breakdown”, or steps away from DeShawn, the emotions and reasoning behind his actions are believable. While I loved how the author wrapped up the story, I would have loved to have seen Patton’s ex meet up with DeShawn.

Readers who love a little sports action thrown into their stories will love Sagittarius: Mr. November. The author blends a mixture of romance and sports so well that at times it was like watching ESPN. Those readers who do not like a lot of sports in their stories should not worry as the romance between the men is just as well done.

Playing the Field: Served

Title: Playing the Field: Served
Author: J.M. Snyder
Publisher: Amber Allure
Publisher URL: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure
ISBN: 978-1-60272-557-7
Genre: {M/M} Contemporary, Sports
Rating: 4.5 Nymphs
Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Colby's had a rough day and just wants a few minutes of down time. Stopping at the local watering hole, Colby isn't surprised when a sexy woman comes up to him; what does surprise him is why she's there.

Van doesn't usually let his sister approach men on his behalf but when you're in a new town, it always pays to be cautious. The instant attraction he feels for Colby seems to be mutual but what will happen when the two men find out they are playing against each other in tomorrow's beach volleyball tournament.

For those who do not yet know, author J.M. Snyder has been writing a series, Playing the Field, centered on the world of sports. Each new book highlights a different sport and with this recent addition, we get the perfect summer sport, beach volleyball. The characters in Playing the Field: Served are great. From the instant attraction Colby and Van feel to the annoyance their female relatives, Megan and Vallery project, the reader will be kept entertained and wanting more. Whether it is in the kitchen after a late night or on the beach wishing for privacy, the humor adds to this great story and makes this a couple I would love to see again.

Bases Loaded: A Going for the Gold Novel

Title: Bases Loaded: A Going for the Gold Novel
Author: Sean Michael
Publisher: Torquere Books
Publisher URL: http://www.torquerebooks.com

ISBN: 978-1-60370-733-6
Genre: Gay, Sports, Contemporary
Rating: 4.5 Nymphs
Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Brett is the first baseman for a major league team; unfortunately, he is also on their injured list. Hoping to complete at least one more year and go out at the top of his game, Brett and his long time partner, Benj plan to spend the off-season at a rehab facility.

As a physical therapist, Ralph has seen a lot of hard cases but none like his new client. He does not expect things to go easy yet he did not think the ball player would fight him at every turn either. It’s going to take more than just Ralph to turn things around.

With the help of Benj, Ralph and Ralph’s partner Jean, Brett has no choice but accept the changes life throws at him.

Even though this new addition to the Going for the Gold series differs from the previous books in many ways, it still fits perfectly. While the previous books centered on young athletes and their coaches struggling to make the Olympics, Bases Loaded tells the story of an established couple and the struggles they face as one of them tries to return to the game he loves. As in all Sean Michael books, the characters are the strong Alpha types or the cute quiet ones that have hidden strengths and wells of tenderness. The love and passion Brett and Benj have for each other, as well as the emotional turmoil they go through, comes across realistically, drawing the reader into this wonderful story. Readers will also fall for Ralph and his sexy Cajun partner, Jean, whose passion is just as strong as that of Brett and Benj. This is another great book by author Sean Michael. I cannot wait to see what sport he tackles next.