I’ve got one today that may be a little more than some of you want to take on.  But those who are brave and a little more daring in your reading, Samantha Kane’s Broken Play delivers a scoring drive.

*****

Broken Play

Birmingham Rebels # 1

by Samantha Kane

Releasing September 1, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb:

Perfect for fans of Shayla Black and Lexi Blake, the deeply sensual new Birmingham Rebels series introduces an unforgettable team of chiseled football gods—and the daring, provocative games they play behind closed doors.

Birmingham Rebels offensive linemen Beau Perez and Cass Zielinski are inseparable, on and off the field. Cass, the captain with the cowboy swagger, is a loose cannon. Beau, the veteran tight end, is cool under pressure. And ever since they were caught on tape in a steamy threesome, their exploits have fueled more than a few tabloid headlines—and naughty fantasies.

Marian Treadwell knows all about the video. And now that she’s the Rebels’ new assistant offensive coach, she can’t look at Beau and Cass without picturing their hard, naked bodies—with her pressed in between. Marian would like nothing more than to indulge those impulses, but she knows better than to get too close to her players, a bunch of adrenaline-fueled alpha males who don’t always follow the rules.

Just the thought of sharing the gorgeous yet guarded Marian drives Cass wild. At first, Beau isn’t sure she’s right for them . . . and lately, all he desires is a little alone time with Cass to explore their new intimacy. But it’s only a matter of time before Cass breaks through both of their defenses. Because when seduction is the game plan, he always plays to win.

Broken Play is intended for mature audiences.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23834711-broken-play?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/147783-birmingham-rebels

Buy Links:  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“Hey, sugar, come here often?” Jo Jo Jones said to her as he came around from the showers wearing nothing but a towel, his dark-cocoa skin starkly contrasting with the white terry cloth. Jo Jo was a great linebacker, but he had a death wish. He couldn’t stop smoking weed, and he liked to tease Marian. One of those was going to get him thrown out of the NFL, and the other was going to get him dead.

“Really?” Marian said with exaggerated disappointment. “You had the whole day to think of a come-on line, and that’s the best you could come up with?”

The guys all laughed and Jo Jo got snapped with a few towels. He laughed, too, as if he’d really been joking, which was good. Cass crossed beating him up off his to-do list.

“Okay, gentlemen—and I use the term loosely,” she said, teasing them. “Today is press day. You get to be smart and funny and irresistible for the press corps. Make yourselves pretty before you join us back on the sidelines.”

There were groans from all over the room. “Oh, man,” Tyler Oakes, team quarterback, said. “You have to, too, right?”

Marian frowned. “Hello? I’m already pretty.”

Cass laughed out loud with the rest of the team. “You sure are,” he said, loud enough for her to hear him. Her gaze darted over to him, as if she’d been avoiding looking at him but couldn’t help herself now. He was sitting there in his shorts and nothing else, sweating. Beau was leaning on the locker in front of him, similarly undressed. Cass looked at him, hoping to lead Marian’s eyes that way, too. Beau was sure enough pretty when his copper skin was all sweaty, his tats gleaming black and slick.

Marian cleared her throat and Cass turned back to her. “Uh,” she said, blinking nervously as she backed up, holding the door with her hand. “Thanks. Hurry up. Down on the field. Press. Bye.” She turned and hurried off, letting the door swing closed.

“That girl got it bad,” Jo Jo said with a whistle. “You gonna put her out of her misery, or let me pick up the pieces of her broken heart?”

“Do you have a death wish?” Cass asked quietly, rearranging his to-do list again. He took a sip of his water as he stared at Jo Jo over the top of the bottle. Jo Jo backed up, his hands in the air.

“No, sir,” he said, shaking his head. “Not me. I didn’t say anything.”

Beau laughed. “Chicken.”

Jo Jo grinned. “You got that right, my man. Smart chicken.” He laughed as he sat down and started to get dressed. “See, I’m gonna be the first one down there with Miss Marian, while you pigs still got to wash the dirt off.” He laughed again as he danced out of the way of Cass’s reaching hand. “None of that,” he chided him. “Miss Marian would be very put out if I appeared all bloody for the press.”

“We’ll just make sure you don’t appear at all,” Beau said, which made Cass feel better. Beau may not have been actively pursuing Marian, but he was definitely interested in her, thank God. Cass didn’t want to be with a woman without Beau. He hadn’t been for . . . hell, three years. There was something between Marian and Beau. He just had to push it past the edge of whatever it was and into sex. No, more than sex. He wanted more than sex with Marian and Beau. It was time for more.

Before he could digest that mind-boggling thought, Beau slapped his shoulder. “Come on, man,” he said. “We’ve got to shower and get down there before they miss us.”

“Coming,” Cass said. He put aside his confusing thoughts and focused on the upcoming interviews. He really hated the press.

*****

Review:

Y’all need to take what the blurb says seriously because this book is not going to be for everyone.  Usually your love story is girl meets boy, they fall in love, sometimes experience trouble of some sort, but figure things out so they can have their HEA.  Here, girl meets boys, who already know each other quite well, everyone falls in love and addresses a few big problems so they can live HEA (although I’m sure it isn’t going to be easy considering the nature of their relationship).  For those who don’t mind the explicit sex, including M/M and multiple partners, it is WELL worth the read because Kane does a great job of exploring some fascinating dynamics between these interesting and complex characters.  In fact, there is so much going on here that I just couldn’t put it down and finished it in an afternoon.

I do have a couple of issues with it.  Early on the flow isn’t as smooth as I’m used to, with paragraphs of weirdly stilted sentences, but I quickly am so wrapped up in their story that I stop noticing.  If it continues, I have no idea because the rest of it is that engrossing.

And then there is the unprofessional relationship between Marian, Beau and Cass.  She’s the assistant coach for their football team and a couple of times they have intimate moments in her office.  I have no idea why it bothered me because there are a ton of books with office romances, including those with the boss, but this one seemed …. well, just more so.  But then again, everything about their relationship is “more” so I guess it works 🙂

The characters hook you so completely though that it doesn’t take long to get past these things.  The relationship between Beau and Cass is so very complicated and meeting Marian causes them to evaluate their feelings not only for her but for each other.  I think my favorite thing about the whole book is how their this is addressed.  It is so smooth because they had already started putting together the framework, they just hadn’t openly acknowledged it.

Marian, though, is more complicated and has some soul-searching to do.  She had a traumatic incident in her past that has had far reaching effects, not just on her but on others.  It’s shaken her trust and causes her to be afraid, in relationships and with football players – which is not good considering her job.  Cass and Beau won’t let her ignore it because it is the make or break thing for their future.  Their solution may be unorthodox but considering how unusual their lives are anyway it works.

Again, this book isn’t going to be for everyone.  But it is full of a lot of heart and heat, which makes it perfect for those who are a little more adventurous in their reading.

*****

Author Info:

Samantha Kane lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children, two boys and one girl. With a master’s degree in American history, she spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full-time writer and mom.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Select Loveswept Ebook Bundle

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/235babe7251/

*****

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