DOWN BY CONTACT (THE BARONS #2)

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…

Release Date: January 16, 2018

InterMix

The Barons #2

Sports Contemporary Romance-M/M Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

Illegal Contact was the first book I'd read by Santino Hassell, and I loved it. I couldn't wait to read Down by Contact as soon as it hit my kindle. 

Adrián and Simeon have been at odds since Simeon left the New Jersey Predators team for the New York Barons. When all hell breaks loose between them at a preseason game, they are forced to work together on a joint community service project teaching football to a group of kids at a community center. 

I have to admit right up front that I had a very hard time with Adrián and what he said through much of the book. He spewed so much hatred that I honestly had trouble getting into the book in the beginning. I really didn't see a way for Hassell to redeem Adrián at all. On the other hand, I absolutely adored Simeon and really wanted him to find a man to fall in love with and make him happy. I figured out pretty quickly Adrián was gay or at least bi and that was part of the reason he made such an ass of himself when it came to Simeon. It still took me over half of the book to start to like him.

I did love how well both men connected with the kids they were working with at the community center. Yes Simeon seemed to connect better with most of the kids, but Adrián started to really enjoy working with the kids and making connections the longer they worked with the kids. I think seeing Adrián with the kids is what helped start to turn my feeling around for him. Honestly his snarkiness never really goes away, but I quickly learned it was a bit of a defense mechanism for him. 

While it did take me a bit longer to buy Adrián and Simeon as a couple, I will say the sex between them was smoking hot! I did love how they really couldn't keep their hands off each other. I also love that both Simeon and Adrián really wanted to protect the other from anything coming out about them before Adrián was ready. I will say I didn't agree with how Simeon tried to protect their secret, but got his reason for doing it at the time. I also loved seeing both men go big in their declaration for each other. OMG I think that was honestly when I fell in love with Adrián. 

I absolutely loved Santino Hassell's voice and his in-your-face story telling in Down by Contact. While I only found Santino Hassell's books recently, I have to say he has become an auto-buy author for me rather quickly. I highly recommend his books.

Rating: 4 Stars (B)

ILLEGAL CONTACT (THE BARONS #1)

The rules of the game don’t apply off the field in this first Barons novel. 

New York Barons tight end Gavin Brawley is suspended from the team and on house arrest after a video of him brawling goes viral. Gavin already has a reputation as a jerk with a temper on and off the field—which doesn’t help him once he finds himself on the wrong side of the law. And while he’s been successful professionally, he’s never been lucky when it comes to love.

Noah Monroe is a recent college grad looking for a job—any job—to pay off his mounting student debt. Working as Gavin’s personal assistant/babysitter seems like easy money. But Noah isn’t prepared for the electrifying tension between him and the football player. He’s not sure if he’d rather argue with Gavin or tackle him to the floor. But both men know the score, and neither is sure what will happen once Gavin's timeout is over…

Release Date: August 15, 2017

Intermix

The Barons #1

M/M Sports Romance/Contemporary Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

Illegal Contact is the 1^st book in a new series from Santino Hassell. Illegal Contact is the first book I've read from Santino Hassell, but won't be my last. 

I absolutely loved growly Gavin Brawley from the moment he appeared on the page. What is not to love about a guy who beats up a jerk for threatening to expose his best friend with a video to out him? Even with Gavin's rough background and lack of apology for his actions, that spoke more to his character than anything else could honestly. It showed he was protective of his friends and teammates and made me want to see him find happiness.

Noah Monroe knows pretty much nothing about football, so he has no idea who Gavin Brawley is when he applies to be his personal assistant. Gavin needs live in help while he spends the next 6 months under house arrest and Noah not knowing who he is seems to be a mark in his favor. The mark against Noah, at least where Gavin's people are concerned is the fact that Noah is gay. 

I adored that both Noah and Gavin fought their attraction to each other for so long. The fact that initially Noah didn't realize Gavin was bisexual probably helped in the beginning.  However, once they kissed the first time, all bets were off. OMG one of the sexiest kisses ever! I absolutely loved Noah and Gavin together. Yes they still continued to butt heads some, but there was a happiness about Gavin that wasn't there before. Gavin and Noah were smoking hot together! I loved how they couldn't keep their hands off each other and grew closer the more time they spent together.

Illegal Contact was an amazing start to The Barons series. I loved getting to meet some of the other players besides Gavin, and can't wait to see each player get his own book. I absolutely fell in love with his voice and want to go back and read his entire backlist.

Rating: 5 Stars (A)