Down by Contact by Santino Hassell Series: The Barons #2
on January 16, 2018
Genres: M/M
Buy on Amazon|B&N|Kobo
Add to Goodreads
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…
OMG! Give me all the Hassell created football players! Give me all the Hassell books period!
Back for season two and I am deeper in love with The Barons. These boys are adorably complicated and full of male drama that is addicting. Simeon and Adrian are an enemies to lovers romance that recreates the feeling of a touchdown in the forth quarter with seconds to go. The confusion of emotions, and sexual tension have this duo pushed to their limits. Forced into community service, they both exhibit growth and compassion for one another. Their true colors show as they work with troubled youth and find that stepping back every once in a while allows that growth to shine.
Santino Hassell excels as an author. This series has heart and heat. The book far surpasses a male/male romance and became a story of two people in love that anyone can relate to. I can’t say it enough, this is a must read series. I will always hold a special place for Gavin and Noah, but Simeon and Adrian pull a close second.
About Santino Hassell
Santino Hassell was raised by a conservative family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into a romance writing and sarcasm loving guy that is most well known for co-writing a free, dystopian series that has spawned an online cult following.
Santino is a dedicated gamer, a former anime-watcher and fanfic writer, an ASoIaF mega nerd, a Grindr enthusiast, but most of all he is a writer of LGBT fiction that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.
