college sports – Goodys.Blog

*Publication Date: September 26th, 2016*
*Number of Pages: 334 Pages*
*Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing*
*Genre(s): New Adult Romance*

***Warning!!! This review contains spoilers for this book plus the previous books in the series, continue reading at your own risk! You’ve officially been warned!!!***

To see my full review of book #1 – The Deal – Click HERE

To see my full review of book #2 – The Mistake – Click HERE

To see my full review of book #3 – The Score – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 2.25 Stars

Footsteps approach the kitchen. Garrett wanders in, wiping sweat off his brow. When he notices Sabrina, he brightens. ‘Oh good. You’re here. Hold on—gotta grab something.’
She turns to me as if to say, Is he talking to me?
He’s already gone, though, his footsteps thumping up the stairs.
At the table, Hannah runs a hand through her hair and gives me a pleading look. ‘Just remember he’s your best friend, okay?’
That doesn’t sound ominous.
When Garrett returns, he’s holding a notepad and a ballpoint pen, which he sets on the table as he sits across from Sabrina. ‘Tuck,’ he says. ‘Sit. This is important.’
I’m so baffled right now. Hannah’s resigned expression doesn’t help in lessening the confusion.
Once I’m seated next to Sabrina, Garrett flips open the notepad, all business. ‘Okay. So let’s go over the names.’
Sabrina raises an eyebrow at me.
I shrug, because I legitimately don’t know what the fuck he’s talking about.
‘I’ve put together a solid list. I really think you’re going to like these.” But when he glances down at the page, his face falls. ‘Ah crap. We can’t use any of the boy names.’
‘Wait.’ Sabrina holds up a hand, her brow furrowed. ‘You’re picking names for our baby?’
He nods, busy flipping the page.
My baby mama gapes at me.
I shrug again.
‘Just out of curiosity, what were the boy names?’ Grace hedges, clearly fighting a smile.
He cheers up again. ‘Well, the top contender was Garrett.’
I snicker loud enough to rattle Sabrina’s water glass. ‘Uh-huh,’ I say, playing along. ‘And what was the runner-up?’
‘Graham.’
Hannah sighs.
‘But it’s okay. I have some kickass girl names too.’ He taps his pen on the pad, meets our eyes, and utters two syllables. ‘Gigi.’
My jaw drops. ‘Are you kidding me? I’m not naming my daughter Gigi.’
Sabrina is mystified. ‘Why Gigi?’ she asks slowly.
Hannah sighs again.
The name suddenly clicks in my head. Oh for fuck’s sake.
‘G.G.,’ I mutter to Sabrina. ‘As in Garrett Graham.’
She’s silent for a beat. Then she bursts out laughing, triggering giggles from Grace and eventually Hannah, who keeps shaking her head at her boyfriend.
‘What?’ Garrett says defensively. ‘The godfather should have a say in the name. It’s in the rule book.’
‘What rule book?’ Hannah bursts out. ‘You make up the rules as you go along!’
‘So?'”
– Elle Kennedy, “The Goal”

This is merely a taste of the humor that is Elle Kennedy whenever you read a new adult romance by this amazing author! As I’ve said before in plenty of my past reviews of her work, It’s just so incredibly hilarious, heartfelt, steamy, and genuine; I wonder if she literally just sits down in her home and thinks up these scenes so full of banter? Maybe that’s what I need to start doing as a writer in order to even get close to her level and quality of craft.

Here we are at the fourth and final book of this college hockey romance series, and I’m sad to say that despite all the praise I usually give these books and the author in general, The Goal has to be my least favorite book of them all. It’s a damn shame because it’s the end and a book series should never have the final book be the weakest, it leaves such a sour taste in the mouth of the reader.

It’s not that I don’t think the two main characters, Tuck and Sabrina, go through their own growth and change throughout this book, it’s more just that I didn’t feel as connected to them compared to the others like Graham, Hannah, Dean, Allie, and Logan. I just found I wasn’t as interested in them; I like Tuck just fine, but that’s about it, I literally have nothing to add to him as a character…Sabrina was a hard-headed, strong willed female protagonist who is fiercely ambitious and determined to go where she wants to end up, but there just wasn’t really anything to make me care about her as much. This is all of course my opinion, but feel free to take all this criticism with a grain of salt.

While the two main characters are rather subpar for my taste, at least all the others whom I mentioned earlier still make their appearances! It’s always good to see them continue to make wise-cracks and give each other a hard time like an actual group of friends, although Garrett Graham seems much more like a typical airheaded hockey bro when the story doesn’t focus so much on him. Nonetheless, him and all the others are always welcome to make appearances and live inside my head rent free.

What It’s About:

The Official Blurb:

She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated…

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.

What I Liked:

The Humor! This never disappoints whenever I read an Elle Kennedy novel, I can always count on her to make me laugh out loud at least once every time I open a book of hers, whether she’s written it by herself or if it’s with Sarina Bowen!
The Return of All the Other Characters! It’s always a warm welcome to see characters like Garrett, Hannah, Grace, Logan, Dean, and Allie all make reappearances once again, even as their perspectives are no longer being centralized. It’s also adorable to see them as couples now that they’ve all had their little “happily ever afters” with their previous books.
Plenty of New Characters! There’s a certain amount of new characters introduced by now that are worth being mentioned, most of them are underclassmen teammates like Hunter, Fitzy, and even Dean’s little sister. I guess I can kind of spoil this, but pay attention to these characters because they’ll be getting their own spin-off set of books!

What I Didn’t Like:

I Just Didn’t Connect With the Two Main Characters…Like I said earlier in this review, I just didn’t care as much for Tuck and Sabrina in this book. It’s not that I don’t like them, I just wasn’t as interested in them when compared to the others.
How Was it Tucker Who Got Someone Pregnant?…For some reason, I always considered Tuck to be the smartest of the bunch, so I just find it ironic that he ended up being the one to get a girl pregnant first out of the four guys in that house! I would’ve pegged Logan for sure, or maybe even Dean, but I thought Tuck being the guy to get a bun in the oven first was a little unrealistic to say the least!
Not As Memorable…To be honest, I’m not a big fan of these kinds of stories where, whoops!…someone ends up pregnant, and now the two must quickly learn to readjust everything in each other’s lives to revolve around that notion, plus navigated their now much more complicated relationship. I think babies are absolutely adorable, at least when they’re not crying, but I’m just not as interested in reading stories so heavily involving them so much.

Conclusion:

My goal, once upon a time, was to succeed. I didn’t realize that success wasn’t grades or scholarships or achievements, but the people I was lucky enough to have in my life.”
– Elle Kennedy, “The Goal”

I was disappointed with how much I didn’t care about the two main characters in this final installment of the Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy, and I say that while literally everything she includes in her stories that I love are all included within this book: the banter, the humor, the friendships, the scorching romance, and I still wasn’t entirely sold on this!

Luckily, the story is actually NOT over entirely, and there’s going to be a spinoff series named the Briar U series that I know will star some of the newer side characters like Hunter, Fitzy, Dean’s younger sister, Summer, and plenty of others! While the original gang’s time is up and they’re all set to graduate, I’m so glad the fun at Briar University is not quite over yet!

I recommend these books to anyone who’s looking for a sweet, humorous, and sexy romance novel that’s light and easy to read through. Anyone who’s a fan of hot college jocks and the sassy female protagonists who put them in their place like the characters in these books will fall in love just like I did.

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Writing/Articles

My WIP: “When In Doubt – Freshman Year” : Chapter 5

November 14, 2020 nicholasjgoodsell

*“When In Doubt” banner, created on Canva.com, I don’t own any of the images included, and can remove per owner’s requests*

Here is the fifth chapter to add to my sneak peak of my work in progress about six young adults who all meet their freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. In this chapter, you meet student athlete/scholar Madison Parker, who’s going to learn that balancing all that, plus a social life, isn’t as easy as she’d like it to be!

Also be sure to head over to my page dedicated to this project at the top menu of the website! It’s labelled as WHEN IN DOUBT (WIP BOOK SERIES), or if you don’t feel like scrolling, just click the link HERE

Hope you enjoy!

~~~

Chapter 5:

One day Madison Parker was going to change the world, and if fate didn’t make it so, she would have absolutely no problem taking it into her own hands. She knew life didn’t toss you more than a huge mess of curveballs—she’s had plenty thrown her way—so she always reminded herself to never hold her breath and wait for something to come to her; she needed to take it for herself if she wanted it enough.

Walking out of the Johnson Fieldhouse, the athletic center on the southernmost part of the University of Wisconsin-Stout campus, Madison heaved a sigh that eased the tightness in her chest. She stopped for a moment to enjoy the beautiful late-summer day. Sure, it was a bit outside of the normal hustle and bustle that made up her home city of Chicago, but she had to admit she liked the quieter, small town feel of the campus infused into the small, midwestern town of Menomonie. If she can thrive in Chi-Town, surely she would be just fine in small town, Wisconsin USA.

Growing up in in one of Chicago’s oldest and nicest neighborhoods, Beverly, Madison lived right in the middle of the action of the Southside, but never felt like it was ever totally unsafe, and she’s always been used to a close-knit, diverse community that her hometown gave her while growing up, and with the Metra nearby, she could be deep within the Windy City in a matter of minutes with her friends, and get into (not) too much trouble.

Madison was always busy putting high expectations on herself in whatever she did: being in the top one percent of her graduating class, speech team, yearbook committee, and even being a two-sport athlete with a few records she proudly left behind in her final year back home.

She supposed she could’ve gone anywhere for school, but what she didn’t bother telling her friends back home was how UW-Stout probably had one of the most affordable art programs in the midwest. Money wasn’t necessarily tight, but Madison could tell how they were worried how they’d be able to afford to send her off to school and not fall into the deep, dark hole that was student debt. Thankfully with her organization and ability to pay attention to even the microscopically-sized details, she’d been able to find enough scholarships that almost entirely financially backed her years as an undergrad.

Thinking about her mom, Madison sighed again with a sharp pang shooting straight through her chest. She hadn’t expected to already miss her family on just her second day of college; she even wished her obnoxious little turd of a brother, Dante, was around even though he stole a pair of her underwear to use as a slingshot the night before they left, or left her crude messages on her vanity mirror with her tubes of lipstick. It was a huge shock to her when her mother and baby brother helped move her into her dorm the day before and left before it’d fully hit her. She’d always had her family nearby whether she was home or out spending her hard earned money on the latest handbag from Michael Kors on Michigan Avenue, but now she was on her own for the first time ever. She wouldn’t be able to sit in her dining room and enjoy her mom’s amazing cooking everyday after school; she’d have to rely on the cafeteria or the Memorial Student Center; and there was no way it was going to be the same.

A small group of three upperclassmen guys walked by along the sidewalk, and Madison warmed under their appreciative looks as they passed by. With how much her outfit cost and how long she took in getting ready that morning, she knew she looked good.

As she drew closer to her new home for the next two semesters, HKMC, Madison heard someone playing music from plus movement on the sand volleyball court also caught her eye, and she saw Heather Gracie with two seriously good looking guys practicing sets to each other. Heather put her hair up in a high ponytail and laughed at something the darker haired guy said, but the blond one was especially some serious eye candy, Madison had to admit. She watched him take his shirt off, appreciating the way the sun brightened his golden skin and made the dips and planes of his muscles even more pronounced. She was a sucker for a decent pair of abs.

Oh my goodness, Madison mentally chastised herself. Girl, stop drooling before they catch you staring!

She waltzed inside the side entrance of the dorm to get up to the third floor of Milnes and Chinnock. Checking her smartphone and to see a Snapchat from Lindsay, Madison opened it up to see her new friends were in Mandy and Ali’s room.

It still surprised her how quickly she’d met the other girls, who were thankfully all on the same floor as her. It was only the second day at school and it seemed like everyone has already paired off into little groups; maybe they formed meaningful relationships, or maybe it was more out of pure convenience to latch onto the closest people who have anything in common with out of fear of being alone, being looked down upon in some way. Madison liked to think the former on her situation: the girls approached her immediately after that extremely long and awkward floor meeting and formed their little inner circle.

When Madison walked into the room, Mandy was curling Lindsay’s hair to give it some beachy waves while Ali sat in their red suede loveseat, watching The Walking Dead on a large TV.

Madison smirked at Mandy’s disgusted look as a group of zombies began to tear open some poor, screaming victim like a feeding frenzy. It was never her thing either, but Madison could appreciate the amount of detail the costume department put into making a show about a zombie apocalypse look so realistic.

Lindsay looked like she also wanted to protest, but just remained quiet and simply did her best to ignore the gory scene on the TV screen, and perked up when she noticed Madison in the doorway.

“Ohmygosh, Mads, how’s it going? We missed you at breakfast earlier.”

“Hey Linds, sorry about that, but I was in a meeting.” Madison sat down next to Ali. “I’m joining the Track team.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you played sports,” Mandy said without looking away from Lindsay’s hair.

“Do you play any?” Madison asked.

“Hmm, not really, they’ve never been my scene, but all the more power to you. What position are you on, anyways?”

Madison chuckled. “I’m just a runner, so sprints and relays are my thing.”

“Huh, that makes sense considering how great your legs look,” Ali said.

Lindsay grinned at her friend. “Right?! I was just saying how bangin’ Madison’s body is. Like, she totally has better legs than Rihanna ever did.”

Mandy bemusedly rolled her eyes while still working on Lindsay’s hair. “Yes Mads, you could totally be working a runway if modelings on your radar.”

“Well, my only runway right now is the synthetic rubber of my lane on the track field, but feel free to keep these facts rolling, I am high-key all for it!” Madison sat up straighter and straightened her designer blouse. “Actually, speaking of sports, I saw Heather with some really cute guys down on the court. Anyone interested to go join?”

Lindsay and Mandy both acted like they hadn’t heard her., but both jumped when someone’s scream blasted from the TV.

Mandy groaned. “God Ali, seriously?…how can you watch that crap?”

“What? This is entertaining as hell! Plus, Daryl’s one of the best characters in TV history,” Ali responded, her eyes barely leaving the screen.

Lindsay played with the ends of a few strands of hair. “She’s always been into these kind of shows. She’s defs going to, like, make us watch all her favorite horror movies once it gets closer towards Halloween too.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Ali sat up. “Actually, count me in, Madison, Heather seemed pretty legit yesterday.”

Oh right, I could I forget she’s going to be there? Madison rolled her eyes. “Mhmm, yeah…totally.”

Ali’s eyebrow rose. “Please try to hold in your enthusiasm on that. What’s your problem? She say something to you?”

Madison huffed. “Not at all, but I’m not exactly high on anyone who so obviously doesn’t want to be around us.”

Mandy’s green eyes flashed as she looked over. “Seriously though! She was a total bitch to us at the MSC for no reason at all, and was actually so rude even though we invited her to come with us.”

Ali scoffed. “You weren’t any better, Mandy.”

“Hey, I was only giving back what she was dishing out in the first place. If someone is going to be an asshole to me when I don’t deserve it, I’m gonna call a bitch out on it.”

Madison nodded. “Exactly! Ain’t nobody got time for that unjustified bitchy behavior for absolutely no reason.”

Lindsay pursed her lips and her baby blue eyes were wide as she remained silent in her seat.

Ali frowned. “Okay, then why suggest that we go out and join her?”

“Because I wouldn’t mind showing her up after putting up with her BS,” Madison shot back with a neck roll. If Heather Gracie wanted to start drama on the first day on campus, Madison swore she had no problem with some retaliation to show she was more than capable of ending it.

“Maybe she’s just shy? Being quiet doesn’t automatically mean someone is being bitchy, you know?”

Madison rolled her eyes. “Alright fine, you’ve got a point Ali, so maybe let’s go down and join in and start over then?”

“We should go for a little bit,” Mandy announced after a short pause. “After all, according to Madison there are cute boys, and I didn’t break up with my ex over the summer to just stay inside and just spend time with my girls.”

Lindsay just continued to smile and remain silent, but her smile seemed more forced.

Madison nodded at her. “Sorry Linds, I know she’s your roommate and all, but even you can admit she was being pretty ratchet towards us for no apparent reason.”

Lindsay’s smile finally dropped and she looked down at the floor. “I guess, but maybe it’s like Ali said and she’s just shy?”

Mandy scoffed. “I doubt it…a girl who looks like a younger and hotter Jessica Simpson should have absolutely no problem with self-confidence.”

Mandy finished the last few strands of Lindsay’s hair before putting her curling iron away. Ali got up and stripped down without any warning, not caring one bit that her door to the hallway was still wide open while she changed in front of her closet.

“Holy Shit, Ali!” Madison feigned shock and shielded her eyes. “Warn a girl before deciding to let it all fall out!”

“If you’ve got it, flaunt it baby,” Ali shot back with a wink. She decided on one of her faded black concert tees’ with the sleeves cut out with some with some well-worn cutoff denim shorts.

Mandy playfully poked Ali right in the chest before closing the door and changing into some workout gear. “Well, at least volleyball doesn’t have any gross, nasty AF zombies lurking around.”

Nope, just ex boyfriends apparently…

The four of them walked down to the court, and Madison couldn’t believe what was happening before her: Mandy had just called out the incredibly gorgeous blonde guy, who they all learned was named Jared, admitting he’s the guy she broke up with over the summer. Normally, Madison couldn’t help but live for the amount of drama that was happening before her eyes—it felt like she was inside one of her favorite tv shows, Gossip Girl—but it is so different when it happens in real life.

Did Mandy know beforehand that her ex went to the same school as her? Maybe she was hoping to run into him like this; she certainly seemed to be eating it up how much shaken he obviously was about it, but if she did know about him, why wouldn’t she share the news with any of her friends? Sure, they’ve only known each other just under twenty-four hours, but something felt off about all this.

Everyone is dead silent, eyebrows all shot to the sky along with eyes darting back and forth, anticipating what could possibly happen next, or who would speak up first.

Heather cleared her throat after regaining some composure. “Well, obviously I don’t know the whole story here, but I’m shooting down any drama starting right now. We’re just here to play some volleyball, so if you want to join in, feel free, but otherwise you can go if you’re just here to start shit.” She turned back towards a glowering Jared. “What do you say?”

Jared pouted a little bit while not meeting anyone’s eyes, but reluctantly nodded his head with a gaze that almost looked like respect. “I’m here to play some volleyball.”

Heather gave him a small smile as he patted her on the shoulder before jogging back towards the game, and Madison couldn’t help but sneak a peak at his retreating form.

Heather turned back towards her and the other girls and crossed her arms. “Like I said, you’re all more than welcome to join in too. Just no drama.”

Madison wanted to shoot back some retort, considering the cold shoulder Heather gave them the day before, but her new friend beat her to the punch.

Mandy tilted her head with a seemingly sincere smile. “There’s absolutely nothing to worry about, we’re all only here to play some games, that’s all.”

“Yep, playing games alright,” Heather muttered under her breath.

Madison couldn’t help but smirk at that, plus Heather’s sour expression as Mandy strutted right past her just made it even more hilarious. She had to give the blonde some credit though: she mean’t business when she actually spoke up, and she definitely noticed Mandy’s absolutely scandalized expression at Heather’s warning. Things were getting very interesting between the two of them.

Lindsay walked forward next and smiled extra wide. “Thanks for letting us join, roomy! I bet we’ll all have loads of fun.”

Heather’s expression warmed, because how could anyone be cruel towards someone like Lindsay, who always has a bright smile? “I’m sorry I didn’t invite you earlier. Honestly, I didn’t know if you and the girls would want to play or not.”

Lindsay waved her off. “Oh it is, like, so not a big deal! We made it, we’re all here now, so the real fun can begin.”

Madison noted how Lindsay practically bounced straight over to Mandy’s side on the court, all while Jared made sure to stay as physically far away from them as possible as if they had the swine flu everyone freaked out about not too long ago.

Madison stayed behind with Ali, who shared a look with her before clearing her throat to catch Heather’s attention.

Ali shot her a nod. “You know Heather, you’re alright. You don’t stand for bullshit, and I’ve got mad respect for that.”

Madison wanted to say so much more, not nearly as complimenting as her friend, but nodded her head in agreement to play along. For now. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty sure Mandy’s not used to having anyone actually stand up to her like that. It takes a real boss-bitch to make that sort of power play.”

Heather whole body remained taut like she was expecting them to pounce at a moment’s notice, but she shrugged a shoulder nonetheless. “It’s no big deal, I just don’t want stupid drama when it’s only our second day here is all.”

Hmmm, then what was your issue with us in the MSC yesterday? Madison wondered.

“I hear ya, and like I said, I can respect that. On that note, I say lets play already.” Madison felt Ali’s gaze land on her with a knowing smirk. “Right Mads?”

Madison frowned. “Of course, what’s with the look?”

“Oh nothing, don’t think so much about it.” Ali turned regarded Heather once again with a raised brow. “Well if you want to join us, there’s that free movie playing tonight on the quad. I know Mandy will be there, but she’s actually not as bad as you probably think.”

Heather laughed under her breath. “I’ll think about it.”

Madison continued to eye her down, and the two shared a look before Heather decided to turn around and rejoin the game.

“Well, that was reassuring,” Madison muttered once Heather was out of earshot.

Ali groaned. “Don’t be such a hater, Mads. Let’s go see those legs of yours in action.”

Ali smacked Madison right on her behind while jogging away before Madison even had a change to retaliate.

Madison couldn’t help but laugh to herself before noticing the small group of four sitting over at the picnic table. Eden Harrington and Jenna Nguyen sat at a picnic table with two guys whom Madison hadn’t seen before. One was tall, slim, and very obviously flamboyantly gay, while the other seemed much quieter, and judging by how everyone but him giggled uncontrollably, the only sober one of the four. Madison cringed and hoped none of the RA’s came out and caught them in the act, because they weren’t even trying to be subtle about it by now. They continued to pass a water bottle amongst each other.

Eden noticed Madison staring, and she smiled and waved with an exuberance of excitement that usually came with someone who was incredibly drunk and saw someone they knew. “Heeeeyyya roomy!”

Totally busted, Madison reluctantly waved back and hoped her cringing grimace was perfectly hidden by the smile she popped onto her face. Yep, her and Eden were roommates, and they couldn’t be any more different from each other. She was already in countdown mode when the housing department would allow them to put in requests to switch rooms, then maybe she and Lindsay could switch while maybe Heather and Eden could move in together.

Madison tied her dark, long hair up into an artfully messy bun that rested on the top of her head as she turned away and finally joined the game, ignoring her roommates pleas to come join her.

~~~

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

New Adult, New Adult Romance

My Review: The Score (Off-Campus #3): by Elle Kennedy

August 27, 2020October 28, 2020 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: September 25th, 2016

Number of Pages: 354 Pages

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Genre(s): New Adult Romance, Romance

***Warning!!! This Review may contain spoilers from the previous books in this series, continue reading at your own risk! You’ve officially been warned!!!***

To see my review of book #1 – The Deal – Click HERE

To see my review of book #2 – The Mistake – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 4.5 Stars

‘You know, I don’t think we’re dealing with a Bella’s-magical-blood situation here.’
‘No?’
‘No. I think you’ve imprinted on this girl’s pussy.’
… ‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean you’re facing a Jacob quandary. You imprinted on her pussy, and now it’s the only pussy you can think about. You exist solely for this pussy. Like Jacob and that weird mutant baby.’
– Elle Kennedy, “The Score”

I mean, what else is there to say that I haven’t said before about this NA Romance series? It’s definitely up there in terms of high quality and utterly binge-worthy reads. They’re the perfect balance of humor and sexy and heartfelt. They’re so easy to get into and become absorbed by if they’re the type of book you want to read.

It’s been fun to read how each boy living in the house who we met all the way back in The Deal starring Garrett and Hannah are getting their own story, and this time it’s the blond, ultra rich lothario on the hockey team: Dean Di Laurentis. Something about him has made me interested when he’d get the spotlight, so I was so happy to finally get his after Garrett and Logan both got the spotlight for their bit. I was also happy to see that his love interest turned out to be Hannah’s roommate and best friend: Allie Hayes. The two of them have never really interacted up until this point, and I personally thought Sabrina was going to be his love interest based off their history, so I was curious as to how the author was going to bring them together, and I can definitely say she didn’t disappoint! Allie and Dean had some wicked chemistry that scorched the pages in all honesty.

The story itself flows pretty smoothly with it feeling like you could stop right at about the 50% mark and call it good there, and that’s just because right then and there everything seems to be going smoothly for the two main characters, so why read on and see it all fall apart, right? By that point, I was head over heels for both characters, and I was convinced this was my favorite book out of the bunch.

‘I’m adorable, first off. My sense of humor is stellar—obvs.’
‘Obvs,’ she echoes dryly.
‘I’m extraordinarily skilled in the art of conversation.’
She nods. ‘When it’s about yourself, of course.’
‘Of course.’ I pretend to think it over some more. ‘Oh, and I’m a mind reader. No lie. I always know what the other person is thinking.’
‘Yeah? What am I thinking right now?’ Allie challenges.
‘That you want me to shut up and fuck you again.’
She shakes her head in dismay. ‘Goddamn it. That’s actually what I was thinking.’
I smirk at her and tap my forehead. ‘Told ya. Mind reader.’
– Elle Kennedy, “The Score”

Sure, the formula isn’t the most original, but we readers can all attest that a book doesn’t need to be immensely unique and a totally unheard of idea in order to be successful story! For this, we have the playboy jock who meets the sassy girl next door that knocks the guy on his ass unexpectedly, and (surprise) he’s the one who ends up pursuing her. Eventually, she caves in because he’s, like, sooooo hawt and BANG! Friends with Benefits, cuz that always works out… Inbetween hot sex sessions, they both realize there’s more to the other person and deny how they’re seriously falling for them. Outside forces, or their own inner insecurities come between them and for a while they’re convinced they’re better off without each other, but then get their heads out of their asses and realize that’s whack, so que HEA moment! It’s predictable, it’s familiar, but goddam does Elle Kennedy still somehow make a great story out of it!

This time around, the issues that the characters both face felt more realistic than the past books, and I felt they were also just handled a little better with more care too. You don’t have to have someone be a sexual assault victim in order to garner sympathy for them, so it’s great to see the writing get even better in that regard. The author is able to add a lot of depth to her characters in this regard and makes it feel like they’re actual people in your life that you’re experiencing everything happening with them.

Besides the romance, I love that this books also included more scenes about friendship, especially amongst all the male main characters who all live together. They tease each other, they get into actual fights, but at the end of the day they all know they have each other’s backs and know they’ll be there for each other when life gets incredibly heavy.

What It’s About:

The Official Blurb:

He knows how to score, on and off the ice…

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she’s going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean DiLaurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over…

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls… he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world-and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

What I Liked:

Dean’s Douchebagery! Yeah I know…It seems weird that I’d put this under the “like” section, and to be honest I’d probably hate Dean in real life if I ever met him, but I have to give it to him that he owns up to it. He’s not a complete douchebag, I’d say he just more has douchebag tendencies. He’s got confidence and cockiness galore—which isn’t always a bad thing—he’s rich AF, and pretty much an Abercrombie/Hollister model straight out of the catalog, BUT at least he doesn’t use his looks or money to put others down or be a bully in any way. He’s not the greatest when it comes to women, but he is at least honest and upfront about his expectations going in, so you can’t exactly knock him for that either. At first he appears like the typical blond, rich player type, and he still kind of is, but there’s more below the surface and he never apologizes for who he is.
Dean and Allie’s Chemistry! Elle Kennedy always is able to nail the romantic chemistry for her main characters, and this pairing was one I absolutely did not see coming until I started reading the book. While I was blind to it going in, very quickly was I all about the dynamic that develops between them. They’re thrown together in an odd situation, and then it ends up being Dean pursuing her, and Allie really makes him work for it before she gives into temptation. While it was hot and steamy, their relationship really went through a lot and they really become close as they glimpse into each other’s lives and accept each other for even the less than stellar moments. It was the perfect mix of humor. steam, and heart.
The Scene in the Bathtub! In typical Elle Kennedy fashion, there’s a hilarious ongoing joke that happens in this book involving Dean in the bathtub. Can’t give too much away, but I absolutely howled when I first read this glorious scene, and loved all the crap Dean’s friends gave him because of it.
The Realistic Inner and Outer Conflicts! Both characters felt so fleshed out in the issues they both dealt with while exploring their newfound relationship. Dean has always been dead set on going to Harvard to get a Master’s in Law because that’s just been the family expectation but begins to question what he really wants when he’s pulled into coaching a junior level kids team in his free time. Allie wants to become an actress and is trying to secure something past graduation all while getting over her ex of three years. One thing I also love was the inner dilemma of when the two main characters are worried about their real lives causing separation between them so they wonder how things will work out, but of course figure out some solution in the end!

What I Didn’t Like:

Character Death…It’s not that it was a poor idea or horrible addition to the book itself, it was more just how sad it was! Someone dies in this book, and it truly shakes some of the cast to their core.

Conclusion:

‘You’re lucky I love you, babe. If any other girl had done this to me –“
‘You love me? You just said it.’
‘I … Well, damn. I guess I did.’
‘Did you mean it? I want to hear it again.’
‘Aw shit, babe. Don’t make me say it again. It’s bad enough I said it first.’
– Elle Kennedy, “The Score”

Another amazing addition to an amazing NA Romance series that I’m so glad I discovered when doing research on books similar to my current WIP. I definitely need to take tips from how Elle Kennedy writes romance, because I consider her to be top notch!

Now that Dean and Allie’s story has been told, it’s now officially onto the next and final book in this book series: Tuck. He’s the quiet ginger-haired chef of the house with southern charm to spare, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for him!

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

New Adult, New Adult Romance

My Review: The Hook Up (Game On #1): by Kristen Callihan

July 23, 2020October 28, 2020 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: January 16th, 2015

Number of Pages: 352 Pages

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing

Genre(s): New Adult Romance, New Adult, Romance

Total Star Rating: 4.25 Stars

‘Why won’t you let me kiss you, Anna?’
I can’t breathe.
‘Why, Anna?’
‘It’s too much,’ I rasp.
‘Not when I want everything.’ He says it so deep and strong, a staking of a claim. ‘And I want everything with you, Anna.’”
— Kristen Callihan, “The Hook Up”

For fans of new adult, sports, opposites attract, or just college-age romance stories, The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan is a definite choice to add to your “To-Read” stack ASAP. It was actually pretty well written, the romance was equally sweet and steamy, there was never any unnecessary drama, and both the main characters were incredibly likeable, fleshed out, and both go through so much growth within the chapters of this book.

I honestly didn’t have too high of expectations going in; I thought it was just going to be another college/sports romance, like the ones I’ve read before, but it was just going to be one that wasn’t as trashy as some of the titles available out there. The premise, to me, sounded like my assumptions would be right and this wasn’t going to be anything special. It also didn’t help that there was the whole cliché “Insta-Love” moment right off the bat when the two characters’ eyes met for the first time. Hard as it was, I tried not to roll my eyes too much and kept reading on. That’s where I slowly became full of shock and surprise in the best way possible.

For a new adult romance novel, this story had a surprising amount of depth to it once the author really lets you in on her character’s’ thoughts, especially the inner conflicts of both her main characters, Anna Jones and Drew Baylor. Both have traumatic pasts that they both want to be able to move on from, but of course it’s what’s holding them back from their goals, and it was so enticing to see how they both realized that dealing with their issues would help out their relationship. Added bonus to the fact that their issues were both so extremely relatable too compared to other NA romances: Anna used to be picked on for being the fat girl growing up back home, so when the big man on campus, star quarterback “Battle Baylor” is hitting on her and seeking her out, why wouldn’t she believe that it’s some sort of prank or that she couldn’t handle being in the spotlight with everyone’s eyes on them? Drew’s background is a sad one: his parents both died and it’s been just him for quite some time. Everyone recognizes him and loves him as the football star and leader on the field, but he wants to be known as more than just that. He wants to have actual friends and not fans, to be seen as more than just a dumb jock to some, and wants to know he can make it without people’s pity or letting things slide just because he’s won the Heisman trophy for their campus. Like I said, the characters felt so incredibly real as you learn more about them: their faults, their dreams, their fears, and it was amazing how they both overcome their inner turmoils all while their relationship develops based on where they’re both at mentally. It all tied together so well, and I was impressed by this story development

Of course, there was also plenty of sex. A new adult romance is expected to, and believe me, I’m not exactly complaining either. I was a little surprised at how quickly the first hook up happened in the story, especially with how the story was set up, and it does have the potential to make you think this story is going to be trashy and there’s not much else that’s going to happen. Don’t think that way! I’m telling you, it gets better, even in the love scenes that fill up the book. None of them seem excessive or over the top, they are all very well written, there’s plenty of balance between the sweet and pure fluff compared to the steamier and smutty moments too. What starts off as just casual sex slowly evolves into more passionate and meaningful as the romance develops and both characters really begin to fall for each other.

I also really enjoyed the fun banter between Drew and Anna too; the author really shows that their relationship works outside of the bedroom too as they bond and continue to get closer to each other. Anna is a hard shell to crack, what with her past and her insecurities, but she has those moments where she lets Drew in, and shows what great chemistry the two of them truly had. The dialogue was a little off at some points; there were times where I scoffed and said “A college student doesn’t talk like that,” but there wasn’t anything that raised too many redflags, so it’s an easy thing to overlook.

And I think how you see yourself makes you who you are. Your soul doesn’t have a title or an occupation. It’s just you. The rest of the world can go fuck themselves.”
— Kristen Callihan, “The Hook Up”

What It’s About:

The Official Blurb:

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all… No falling in love!

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy, right?

Too bad he’s committed to making her break every rule…

Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.

That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

All’s fair in love and football…Game on

What I Liked:

Both Main Characters Inner Conflicts! This was the most surprising out of the whole novel, and it added so much depth to the story. Gone was the sexy, shallow, and smutty college romance, and right before my eyes, the characters felt so much more genuine, more fleshed out, more relatable, and so much more memorable.
New Book Boyfriend: Drew Baylor! He definitely gets the MVP award for me, he was an amazing character who I liked even when his first line was when he sputtered out “Hey Big Red.” I liked that he was the one fighting and scratching for more than just hot, casual sex in his relationship with Anna. He fell hard for her, probably also way before her feelings were mutual, and it was sweet to see how devoted he became. Also, I’m glad he wasn’t just another man-whore that has become a cliché in this genre; he’s charismatic and has a past with that reputation, but he’s learned from it and has moved on since, but it’s still something that came between them when he wanted more and she was so hesitant.
The Romantic Chemistry! Kristen Callihan gave Anna and Drew some amazing chemistry, even outside of the bedroom, library, Drew’s car, etc. With both of them dealing with their own issues, it was great to see the scenes where they bond and ultimately help each other overcome both their fears and setbacks in order to be together in the end. Their banter was hilarious and sexy, and the tension rose to scorching levels that show how well they worked together.
Gray Gets Better! Gray is Drew’s teammate and oldest best friend. They’ve been through a lot together, but honestly he wasn’t doing it for me through most of the beginning. He’s blond, he’s hot, he can get with any chick and he knows it, and he’s not a fan of his best friend falling for some random chick. Luckily, as he appears more often and we see a different side of him with both Drew and Anna, he really starts to grow on you and you see yourself also hoping he gets everything he wants out of life.

What I Didn’t Like:

Insta-Love/Lust…It’s a cliché in fiction, both regular and romance, that a lot of readers are just tired of. I admit that I too am one of those people, and part of me was already willing to pass on this story when it happens right away in the story. It’s just not realistic, and Anna’s body’s reaction to when her and Drew’s eyes land on each other for the first time seemed over the top, even if I’m a male myself. You can look at someone and instantly think they’re hot, and maybe you really want to have sex with them right off the bat, but let’s get real… our bodies don’t feel like they’re about to combust with lightning shooting out of our eyes, etc. Not that that’s word for word what happened, but you get my point.
Some of the Dialogue Seemed Off…It’s minor, but there were just a few lines or instances where I couldn’t help but scoff at some of the dialogue written and think “That is not how a college student talks.” Sure, Anna and Drew are both practically AP-level students who are both incredibly intelligent, but even smart people don’t just say certain phrases or words just for the sake of them sounding smart.

Conclusion:

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was a scorching romance with two amazing main characters that were easy to root for and get behind, but what made me really love it was the way the author handled both character’s inner conflicts and how they both had their own coming of age moments that were needed in order for them to end up together and be happy. It made it feel like this story wasn’t just about the romance, it was about personal inner growth too.

I definitely compare this book to the Off-Campus or Briar U series written by Elle Kennedy; both are sports/college-age new adult romance titles, and they both have swoon-worthy leading males that are more than just the playboy womanizers that’s slightly only a part of their reputations. They also share sassy, snarky, intelligent female leads who put the athletes on notice and keep them on their toes.

This is a part of a series, and Drew’s best friend Gray gets the spotlight next time around, so with how much I enjoyed my first ever Kristen Callihan novel, I think it’s safe to say I’m going to be checking it out. I’m not exactly in a big hurry to get my hands on a copy since I have over 80 books stacked up in my bedroom that I still need to finally read, but a review of the sequel in the Game On series is inevitable.

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

graphic novel, LGBT, YA Contemporary Fiction, YA romance

My Review: Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey (Check, Please! #1-2): by Ngozi Ukazu

March 12, 2020October 28, 2020 nicholasjgoodsell

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 37534577.jpg — Publish Date: September 18th 2018
Number of Pages: 288 Pages
Publisher: First Second
Genre(s): Graphic Novel, Sports, LGBT, YA

Total Star Rating: 4.35 Stars

Okay, so if you love hilarious, heartwarming, coming of age story with college male athletes who love to party, and a gay little figure skater who loves to bake and joins the team, this graphic novel is totally for you!

Before this story literally fell into my hands, I never really read graphic novels before. Not that I ever had anything against them, they were just something that I never really looked into, plus they seemed like something that Marvel took over for the most part. This book just so happened to fall into my hands one day while at work in the bookstore, and I was immediately drawn towards the artwork, the blurb on the back, and I thought it would be great material to not only enjoy, but to get some possible inspiration towards my own story that I’m working on, which also takes place on a college campus.

After some resarch from my ever curious, erudite Ravenclaw mind, Check, Please turned out to have started out as a webcomic on the author’s Tumblr and/or Twitter accounts, and it gained so much popularity with it’s growing fandom, that she eventually turned to Kickstarter to be able to make printed copies of it to send to interested parties. It eventually went on to become the most funded webcomic to ever be put up on the site, making an astounding $74,000 when her goal was only $15,000.

I’m so sad to say that before I stumbled upon the book that I’d never even heard of the franchise, and thats because it turned out to be one of my favorite stories that I’ve read in recent memory! Its got sports, it’s got friendship, it’s got brotherhood, it’s got it’s laughs and tears, romance, hot male athletes, witty and hilarious banter, sexual tension, and it’s such a great story to get behind. It’s got some extremely relatable themes like coming out, collegiate stress, overcoming fears, friendship, growing up, athletes, and eventually graduation. I’m only sad that I have to wait until Spring of 2020 in order to read Vol. 2 (at least a printed copy of it, which I want to hold off on anything until the physical copy comes out, I know the third and fourth years are available to read online).

What It’s About:

Eric “Bitty” Bittle, a vlogger and baker, enrolls as a new freshman at Samwell University, a private college over in Massachusetts. He’s a former figure skating champion, but is actually at Samwell to play on the boy’s Hockey team, who all begin to warm up to through his cheery demeanor, his excellent baking skills, and overall kindness and compassion.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is eric_bittle.png — Eric Bittle, image courtesy of tvtropes.org

Four other characters meet Bittle and become a big part of his overall story; there’s his teammates Shitty, Ransom and Holster, Jack, and Lardo.

B. “Shitty” Knight is a typical cocky, chill, go with the flow kind of guy who is actually pretty intelligent, but wants to keep it on the down low. Despite being a junior who’s actually double majoring in Political Science and Sexuality, Women and Gender studies, he is very much what some people may consider to be a “stereotypical” hockey bro, at least by appearance and first impressions.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is shitty.png — Shitty, image courtesy of tvtropes.org

Adam “Ransom” Birkholtz and Justin “Holster” Oluransi are the dynamic duo; they’re not an actual gay couple, but they might as well be. Both are each other’s best friend, they play off of each other and are always there for a good laugh, or get into “deep” philosophical debates like whether flow actually helps a hockey player’s performance or not, how nicknames are created and earned, the perfect shape of Jack’s ass (which has its own parody twitter account), and plenty of other hilarious and random qualms that come up. They are total bro’s, but lovable bro’s in a beautiful bromance.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ransom_and_holster.png — Holster and Ransom, image courtesy of tvtropes.org

Larissa “Lardo” Duan is the snarky and moody female team manager. She is an art major in her sophomore year, based off her sculpture and painting work done that’s referenced, and though she doesn’t always say much, she usually knows what needs to be said. Initially best friends with Shitty since they’re from the same hometown, she also befriends Bitty and gets closer to him.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is larissa.png — Lardo, image courtesy of tvtropes.org

Finally, we have Jack Zimmerman. Considered by most as a “prodigy” with his dad being a hockey legend, Jack always felt the pressure coming from all sides, and it’s led to issues with stress and anxiety and other things down the road. A junior at the beginning of the story who’s a History Major, he’s incredibly driven, brooding, moody during the preseason and is a natural born leader with a no nonsense attitude. He initially dislikes Bitty, but grows to like him over the course of the two years that they are teammates. Jack even begins to tease Bitty about his mannerisms and his obsession with Twitter and baking, and they develop a fun dynamic because Bitty reminds him to take joy in the little things in life.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is jack_zimmermann.png — Jack Zimmerman, image courtesy of tvtropes.org

As the story develops, you discover that Bitty learns to come to terms with his sexuality when he discovers that he has a major crush on Jack. No one else really knows, and he’d prefer to keep it that way. This first volume covers Bitty’s freshman and sophomore years at Samwell University, while the second volume (releasing Spring 2020) will of course feature the last two years, and hopefully/most likely feature some characters that graduated and moved away in this first part.

What I Liked:

The Characters! Honestly, it’s the characters and their whole group dynamic that steals your heart in this story. They’re just such a fun group of people to read about, and you feel like you’re immersed within their inner circle. They say funny and stupid things, and actually do funny and stupid things too; the author absolutely nails the banter and the camaraderie amongst the teammates. Her characters were surprisingly so fleshed out and dynamic, and it was so great to see how they grew as time went on. Yes, to some, they’re just the typical alpha jocks on campus, and sure, sometimes they say things that may seem problematic or stupid, but I can appreciate the fact that the author nailed their authenticity to a T, and still made them likeable all the same. With that said, I suppose there are some slight trigger warnings for some readers: there’s underage drinking, panic attacks, hazing, and the misogynistic guy talk about hooking up with girls, and frankly other sexual content. Personally, I didn’t mind any of it as I thought it added to the authenticity of the characters and who they are (boys who are athletes in college), but I could see others not be too keen on it.
The Slow-Burn Romance! Yes, there is a romance, and oh….it is so agonizingly drawn out, much like someone who is a giant wuss and makes tearing off a bandaid an absolutely horrendous experience. It’s fun to see it slowly develop, but also so satisfying when it finally goes somewhere. There’s plenty in between to keep you interested at least! You can’t help but love Bitty and want him to get everything he wants in the world; he is the literal definition of a human cinnamon roll!
The Author! the author took her time studying the sport of Hockey for three months at Yale back when she was writing a screenplay that was similar to Check, Please, but much darker in tone. afterwards, she wanted something lighter, more fun and uplifting, when she witnessed the friendship amongst the athletes and their own group dynamic, and so Check, Please was created. Also, she unintentionally became a huge fan of the sport after all the research she did for her works of fiction, which is awesome! She went above and beyond because she wanted it to be authentic, realistic and show that she knew what she was talking about. Any writer, author, etc should do the same sort of thing in order to make their work stronger. I also just love that from what I’ve heard, she’s just as much a part of the fandom while also being the main contributor of it all. She literally just sits and draws little three-part comics, sketches, character’s, you name it. She does her own fanart for her own comic, which just sounds adorable. It’s awesome to hear about a creator who loves her work so much, that she’s also such a huge fan as well!
The Artwork! The artwork is done in such a beautiful, fun way, and the panels are smartly done in a seamless way that easily moves you within the story the next box. It’s simple and cartoony, but effective and enjoyable all at the same time.
Bitty! I mean, he’s a short, gay little baker who was a figure skater who joins the hockey team. Imagine Spongebob Squarepants making it into the Salty Splatoon. He’s also from the south and says “Y’all,” “Bless your heart,” “Girl, Please” and uses people’s full names like an angry mother whenever he needs to make a point. So, he’s a gay little southern baker who’s on the hockey team, and he’s officially too pure for this world.

What I Didn’t Like:

Nothing…I didn’t dislike anything…it was all so so so so perfect….I am WAY too excited for Spring 2020 for it to release! I don’t even care, I’m rolling up in my 2004 Mercury Sable at Barnes & Noble and paying full price like:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is effmdb3.jpg

Conclusion:

Oh my lord…What can I say? This story is a treat. A delicious, sweet, cavity inducing treat that most fans of LGBT!, sports, M/M romance and college story lovers will immensely enjoy. It’s mainly character driven, so it’s a little on the slower side towards the middle, but like I said, the author has created a truly amazing dynamic with her characters with their unique personalities, their banter and conversations, and how they develop for not only themselves, but for you, the reader. They truly may shock you at some points when you think you have them all figured out.

It’s funny, its heartfelt, its deep, and it’s another great coming of age story for anyone to enjoy! If you couldn’t guess, I am currently in countdown mode for the release of vol. 2 in the spring of 2020, and refuse to read what happens before then on the internet, because who doesn’t like the long, drawn out torture of waiting for the next book in a series to come out a year later?