After slamming It’s A Steal and discovering the few people who weighed in similarly I noticed this title on one of their Goodreads profiles and thought why not since I have the Kindle Unlimited membership for the year. And for once, Goodreads came through!
I was a bit put off at the beginning because it starts a bit more like L.A. Witt’s works and Damon Suede’s works in that they go right in and they go hard. Yes, I’m talking about sex. This one starts off with a hot and heavy sex scene where Colton, quarter back, NFL prospect, and All-American Boy, is buried balls deep in Jace, four year out and proud cheerleader, in a college locker room after having just come onto him. Thankfully, it cools down for a bit but I was definitely worried it was going to be constant hot and heavy.
When the story cools down it does so after an incredibly romantic spring break in Hawaii with just Jace and Colt getting to know each other. Colt definitely comes across as stalker central, but in an endearing way? He’s kept tabs on Jace, but also kept his distance knowing that his family wouldn’t be okay with him being gay and it would definitely affect his NFL prospects. Jace was a little annoying in the scholarship boy refusing to be paid for but not trusting anyone sort of way, but they seem to really work together. AND then there’s a 12-year leap forward after a traumatic event and they’re not seeing each other/talking to each other, but still secretly carrying torches for each other (and basically stalking each other).
For Colt, this seemed a big fun game, sneaking private moments and simple touches when no one was looking. To Jace, it was just incredibly stressful to hide his body’s reaction from everyone around him every time Colt made one of those bold, secret moves. (49)
The event and how Colt behaves were necessary to move the story forward, but also kind of painfully written. I don’t mean they were painful, this book is seven years old and set in the early 2000s, but they just weren’t great scenes and to be honest really turned me off Colt as a character. Thankfully, his love of Jace not only causes him to turn to alcohol and drugs and live the party life while trying to protect Jace by staying away, but it also sobers him up when it needs to.
Jace and Colt getting back together was a given, but the how it happens and the when were well thought out. But what really got me in the book was the red herring and the mystery/thriller aspect Alexander brought into the story. It set up the second book really well and ultimately made me appreciate Colt as a character even more in spite of the earlier scene that I’m vaguely referencing.
I’ve never gotten over you. Ever. Not one day passed that I didn’t think about you. For me, you’re the love of my life. Wherever you are is exactly where I want to be . . . (216)
The sex scenes were well written and enticing, apart from the abrupt first one that could’ve put me off. It was funny though, as I was reading I realized one sex act hadn’t happened and was like whoa I can’t believe that hasn’t happened and then within 20 minutes of reading there it was. It was like they knew I was waiting for it. And if you like vers guys Kindle Alexander may be the author for you. So far, they all flip and they most definitely appreciate it. This being said there were insanely corny lines like,
It was all down, set, hut, hut, and fuck Jace in the butt, butt! He groaned and then chuckled at the little cheer.
That did make me laugh out loud, but also groan in embarrassment.
For a self-published book this is pretty well edited. There were some basic editing mistakes here and there and the story, even though when you open it and it says it’ll take 5ish hours to read, flows really well. There’s some excess and over description that probably could’ve been cut back with tighter editing, but I can’t really complain like I did with It’s A Steal.
Recommendation: I should probably come up with some sort of blush factor rating, but let’s face it most of these books make me blush like a school girl with a crush. Either way, this is definitely worth the read if MM Romance or Sport Romance (or rekindling and old flame, or carrying a torch or a secret wedding, or . . . you get the picture) are your thing. I thought it was great to flip the football/cheer leading dichotomy on its head and it made the book better for it. The characters were well written and believable and I’m 100% on board to find get to the whodunnit that I hope is solved in the second book, Full Disclosure, but I’m guessing will be in the final book, Full Domain. Either way sign me up for Mitch, the US Martial who is the protagonist in book two. Yum.
Opening Line: “Jace gripped the side of the locker, his knuckles turning white as he dropped his head inside the open metal frame.”
Closing Line: “‘I’ll hold you to that, Michaels,’ Jace said, kissing Colt again.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Other Books in Nice Guys:
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