Offside

March 5, 2013 by Pip

Title : Offside

Author : Ryan Loveless

Publisher : Dreamspinner Press (BUY HERE)

Genre : M/M, Contemporary, Sport

Length : 200 pages (e-book)

Published : April 26, 2011

Blurb:

Adam Dumas is Major League Soccer’s only openly gay player. When he is transferred to St. Louis, his new teammates don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat. It doesn’t help that Adam sees “the Gateway to the West” as a step down from his high-profile position in LA—an attitude Adam has no problem sharing with his new housemate and fellow center forward, Colin Evets.

Colin is Adam’s only friend on the team, but when Adam misinterprets Colin’s Midwestern charm for something more, he could end up ruining both their friendship and their careers. As Adam struggles to make a better impression, Colin tries to decide if the person he’s been showing the world is who he wants to be with Adam. The pressure to win influences decisions both on the field and off as Adam and Colin discover how making the wrong move can be very right.

Review:

This book was very sweet, quite charming and has a small amount of angst. The smexy is minimal too. And yet I enjoyed it, go figure 😉

First off I love books with sports – and this has football – I LOVE football! (yes, you might.. and the author certainly does, call it soccer, but still 🙂 ) I also love arrogant bastards…. normally.

Adam Dumas is a striker for the Galaxy – and like most top sportsmen he has a certain amount of swagger, to the point where, after the first chapter, I really didn’t like him. At all. Having been signed as a 15 year old, he has virtually grown up at the Galaxy. The coach, who has been like a father figure, shows that business is business, when Adam is unceremoniously transferred after 13 years at the club. And sport really is a business these days. Adam acts like a spoiled brat – not only upset about being transferred, but also about the club he was going to. He is out and proud – the only openly gay player in the MSL and the thought of leaving the bright lights of the big city is not very appealing. Then he meets Colin …

Colin Evet is Adam’s new team mate and house mate, and sparks fly from their first meeting. Colin picks up a tired, cranky and pissed off Adam from the airport. Adam lets slip that he has no intention of hanging around St. Louis for long. He needs his big city lights. Not the best thing to say to a new team mate – given that you are putting someone out of their normal position, as the coach reshuffles the team to fit the new star player into the side. His reception from the team as a whole is pretty harsh at first – they are wary of his loyalties to his old club, but remain totally cool about him being gay. I think the author did a good job capturing the feel of how all these egos coalesce into one team; to win one game; and not be about one player. What we aren’t sure about is if Colin is gay too. Even Colin isn’t sure. He has never really thought about it that much; football is his life. Then he meets Adam …

And so the self discovery and re-evaluation of the 2 MC’s begins – there are dates that aren’t dates; kisses that shouldn’t have happened, and a trip to a strip club 😀 It’s a story about a sweet young guy coming to terms with his sexuality; and an arrogant SOB who grows up and discovers that that one special person can, in fact, be the lights, you so need in your life. If you like sweet romance, then you will love this book.

Rated 4 stars by Barb