Sunday 29 January 2017

♂♂ Down By Contact (Wilmington Breakers #1) ♂♂ Sloan Johnson ♂♂





There’ve been two great loves in Zach Kendricks’ life. He lost one because of his commitment to the other.

After Griffin walked away because he refused to live his life in the closet, Zach put everything he had into achieving his football dreams. When he was drafted, he began to understand that Griffin had done the best thing for both of them by leaving. But that doesn’t mean he’s ever forgiven his first love.

Now in his second season with the Wilmington Breakers, Zach’s committed to keeping his head down so he can prove his rookie stats weren’t a fluke. He knows his resolve will be tested when he’s selected to participate in Outside the Pocket, a reality show which follows players through training camp. He’s almost convinced himself it won’t be a distraction when Griffin walks into the room. Distraction becomes an understatement when he’s informed he will be spending nearly every waking minute for the next six weeks with the only man he’s allowed to hurt him.

Will Zach’s love of the game be enough to keep him from being downed by contact again?
 


ARC received from author for an honest review

M/M? Check!

Second chance romance? Check!
Sweaty sportsmen (whom I cannot smell!) Check

A new series from Sloan Johnson? Let me at it!

Down By Contact is the first in the Wilmington Breakers series, moving from baseball to football.

I adored Zach when we met him in Line Drive - he is Nate's twin - but now we have his whole story, and I couldn't help but fall completely and utterly under his and Griffin's spell.

First Love. Lost Love, Rekindled Love - this is Zach and Griffin's story.  Unexpectedly reunited,  you could feel the hurt leap off the page as they try to come to terms with events from the past and being together now.

I loved the behind the scenes of the NFL aspect of the story.  I know absolutely nothing about NFL (I am Australian, call me when they don't need padding and don't have to stop every 14 seconds to have a cup of tea and a meeting!) so I was glad that this was set in the preseason - if there had been lots of football talk I would have been at a complete loss!

I just love Ms Johnson's writing and the way she brings her characters to life.  Zach and Griffin just leapt off the pages.  She weaves such an intricate story, without lots of unnecessary fluff.  I needed to turn each page, had to know what happened next.

Down By Contact is a fantastic start to her new series, and I can't wait for the next book.