From a USA Todaybestselling author comes a sexy romance: Football star Lathan pretendsto be engaged to a woman — until his sizzling chemistry with Pax forceshim to admit who he really desires…My mom is dying. The cancer is eating away at her body a little more each day, and the worst part is I know she’s so tired of fighting. She’s starting to surrender to the sickness.That’s why I stupidly … surrender to the sickness.
That’s why I stupidly blurted out at Thanksgiving that I had met a woman and was engaged. The truth is, there’s no woman in my life and never has been. I just wanted to give my mother something to live for, a few celebrations, an extravagant wedding, the possibility of grandchildren…
Now I just need to find a nice girl to pretend to be my fiancée and walk down the aisle with me in a matter of weeks.
Actually, that may be a piece of cake compared to trying to stay away from the one person who has managed to ignite something deep inside of me for the first time in my life. Something I can’t ignore or forget no matter how hard I try.
This is a sweet and sexy standalone M/M romance.
more
Delay of the Game is the third book in a series that follows the players of the Wildcats Football Team.
Lathan Savage is not your typical player on the field or off. Yes he is outstanding at his job but his private life is just that.. private . He has had many opportunities to be shall we say romantically involved but it never was quite right. He questions his sexuality . He loves women but something is just off. He soon thinks that he may be interested in both sexes.
Paxton , I love his thrive for life. He is openly gay since high school and that led to his mother and father moving him to his grandmother. It wasn’t something that they saw for him. Thank heavens he has her. He is now a confident, successful business man. He is Roxy the female kickers best friend and such a fabulous addition to this cast!
Pax has always had his eye on the rugged Lathan and soon decides to start to press his buttons and see what happens.
The progression of this relationship was fabulous. Paxton is funny, sexy but oh so patient . Lathan is still trying to find himself and this man gave him that opportunity!
Loved it !!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
I have really enjoyed this series, and Lathan with his shy but steady personality has always been a favourite. Pax is a savvy businessman and knows what he wants and goes for it. The back story of Lathan’s mom and everything he would do to make her happy and give her hope made me sob big ugly tears. This book will make you experience so many different emotions happy, sad, anxious and joy when ultimately love prevails.
I really loved this book. The main characters were so cute and even when they did something I didn’t agree with it was easy to see why the did it. The happy ending was perfect. Enjoy!!
***I decided to review an ARC of this book.***
I can’t apologize to the author enough as I’ve had this since 11/2017!
Lathan is a 24 year old, professional footballing virgin. Following a traumatic first attempt with a girl in his teens, he is short on confidence so has decided to keep his v-card for the one he is going to marry. What he doesn’t expect is for that person to be a he, not a she. Paxton is very confident with his sexuality, he is 100% gay, but he always seems to fall for a closet case who just won’t come out. He wants his forever guy, but he sets his eyes and heart on Lathan after a meeting in the men’s locker room after a game.
What a beautiful story, Lathan is adamant he’s not gay, he fancies women, but there is no denying the attraction and chemistry between him and Pax, they were so passionate together. I loved his journey of self discovery and acceptance. It was a struggle and he makes a crazy decision, then seems to dig himself deeper and deeper into a hole, but what a wonderful friend Kelsey is. Paxton has a beautiful soul and despite his own pain, he is there for Lathan when he needs him most (I could have done with a hug from him too when the tears flowed).
I loved this story, it was heartfelt, sweet, sexy, funny, heartbreaking and above all shows what good things can happen when you put your trust in love.
Thank you very much to the author for accepting my arc request, I recommend this if you love a well written MM story.
Finally this book is here… Finally… Because I wanted to know so much more about this guy…
I was beyond happy to start reading this…
It’s no secret that I love this author and I’m always eager to get more books from her. Let’s just say that I’m addicted. Lol.
Lane Hart has an intense and beautiful writing that can be kinky or sweet. Have you had the chance to read any of her books? If you haven’t you don’t know what you’re missing..
Delay of Game is the third book from the Playing Dirty series and oh boy.
Have you read Ballbuster or Perfect Spiral? If you have you can’t miss this new book but If you haven’t I totally advise you to read them all in order to be able to understand and meet all the characters.
This new book explores the lifes of Lathan and Paxton.
Lathan is a sweet guy that has only one goal. Help his mom to battle cancer and make her happy for the time she still has. He’s frustrated that his money can’t save her and because of that he can be angry and feel frustrated. He wasn’t always the popular boy since he was overweighted back in school and because of that he was teased alot. He has a sweet secret that he’s teases about but he really don’t care.
Paxton is a guy that only wants to be happy. He wants to find the guy that will make him happy and don’t have the need to hide their relationship. He’s fed up with it and wants peace, quiet and love.
I can’t even find the proper word to describe how much I love this book. I can’t say much without spoil so I’m gonna stick with the basic.
The plot is amazing and the interaction between the characters is beautiful, intense and funny sometimes.
I’m not that used to MM books but after this one I think I want more.
The story is beautiful and heartfelt because you can feel every single emotion that each character shared with us. It looked like we were there with them. There were parts of the book that I wanted to get inside the story and knock some sense into them. Jeez what a bunch of stubborn people.
And I couldn’t even imagine that the hot scenes could be this hot… Oh boy!
Lane Hart you nailed it again and I’m so happy for this chance. You managed to pick some taboo issue and turn it into a beautiful story. Thank you for being the way you are and I can’t wait for your next release.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This was such a great, emotional story! So glad Lathan got his happily ever after.
I have read quite a few of Lane Hart’s books and she is one of the best at writing contemporary romance. Delay of Game is the first book of her’s that I read in the Playing Dirty series and it was so good that I will be going back for the rest! Lathan is a player on the team but off the team not so much. He’s quiet, shy and a 24 year old virgin. It just hasn’t happened for him and he’s not sure if it’s him or circumstances so he has come to the conclusion that he will just save himself for love. What he didn’t expect was to be attracted to his teammate’s out and proud best friend Paxton. Paxton has known since he was a teenager who he was and what he wants and that is another man. His biggest problem is that he keeps falling for men that don’t want to embrace their sexuality. I really fell for these two guys and I kept hoping that they would figure out a way to make their relationship work. I cannot recommend this sweet, funny, sexy and sometimes sad story enough. If you are not comfortable with the idea of one man loving another then this isn’t the book for you.
Lathan has held on to his v-card for a long time. He just figured that when the right girl came along it would just happen. He never thought that the right one wasn’t a girl at all. (I sure as heck didnt see that coming either!)
Paxton has a thing for falling for men who refuse to come out of the closet. He wants to be with some one that he can be seen in public with. He gets a feeling that Lathan just might be interested in a fling, so he figures he will let himself have this last affair before he gives up “that kind of man” once and for all.
As they begin their relationship Pax sees that Lathan could be different. While Lathan is under a lot of pressure, he doesnt want to disapoint his dying mother or lose his football contract. He is afraid of what would happen to an openly gay man in his position. Pax thinks that he could be willing to wait it out, but then Lathan blows that whole idea to smithereens. Both Lathan and Pax need to reevaluate their feelings and figure out what they are willing to sacrifice, if anything, to be together. I really love how patient Pax is with Lathan, and also that even goes out of his comfort zone to give Lathan more experiences.
I really loved this story. The fact that it was about 2 men was not at all an issue to me. I feel like a good love story needs to be told, no matter who the lovers are! Lane Hart did a great job of keeping the story about the love.
Delay of the Game by Lane Hart a game changer of a five-star read. This is the third book in the Playing Dirty series, but each book can be read alone, they all focus on a player of the Wildcats football team and this time was the turn of Lathan ‘The 24 year old virgin’ Savage it is a M/M romance, and I know not everyone likes this genre but this is a great one to take a chance on, it’s very sweet journey that will break you in gently and hopefully make you realise it can be just as hot.
Lane Hart is my hero, I used to be in the mmm not my fave camp for M/M, but give it a go if it’s an author I like but not I am so in the camp I am considering going to Shimmer (A gay signing in the UK, just to find more out more books in the genre)
I have major girl crushage on Lane Hart she writes people I want in my life, and wrote one of the best series I have ever read, and this one is coming in a very close second. I loved the first two book in the series, they both had great characters and story’s that you could get behind, and funny situations that have you giggling like a loon. This instalment doesn’t disappoint, this one was darker and sadder than the others, even though we saw loss in the other books, this time it was a real punch in the gut. The things we do to make other people happy. Would you be able to give up your happiness for someone else? I don’t know if I could and this book makes you think of that chance, will you come out the other side stronger? Or sadder?
Whoa! This book was so much more than I thought it was going to be! I’ve never read a m/m before so I wasn’t sure what to expect but it definitely wasn’t this! Lathan and Pax were just perfect! I fell so hard in love with this couple and all the struggles they each had to wade through in order to find their happy ever after. My heart literally hurt for them. Pax had been used too many times, always being kept a secret to men who would never come out. And Lathan was concerned that coming out would damage his career which would cause a domino effect throughout his relationships with family, friends and team mates.
What started as a purely physical relationship quickly became much more but each were afraid to take the extra step. Justifiably so. That’s where my heart broke. Because I could completely empathize with them together as a couple and individually. I have to admit, some of the dynamics of their relationship threw me off because I’m used to there being one hero who is in control and one heroine who gives control. And yet with Pax and Lathan, their relationship was so much more than that. They each held a position of power as well as the ability to submit (not just in a physical sense) and I found that to be a beautiful thing.
So, what started out as me being apprehensive that I wouldn’t like this trope, but taking a chance because this author is one of my all-time favorites (and I figured if anyone could break me into the m/m world it would be her), I am sold. Thank you Lane Hart for introducing me to Pax and Lathan as a couple. This was a story I didn’t even know I needed!
I have never read an M/M book before so I went in with an open mind. Let me just say that I absolutely without a doubt fell in love with Lathan and Pax! Their story was beautifully written and captivated me from the very first chapter to the Epilogue, so much so, that I inhaled this book in a day I just couldn’t let it go. I am a huge fan of Lane’s words and I’m so glad I read this amazing story!
I have been patiently waiting for Lathan’s story, When we met him in
Kohen and Roxy’s book and then saw him in Quinton book OMG I fell
so so hard for the shy virgin! Lathan is dealing with the fact that his mom
is fighting cancer. She has all but given up, that is until she accidentally
finds the engagement ring he is holding for Quinton. BUT there is so so
much more going on to this book, Paxton, Roxy’s best friend has decided
to move to Wilmington NC to open a club (a gay club) Paxton is so tired of
the relationships he has been in, He falls for someone but they are always
scared to commit. All Paxton wants is someone who is not scared to be seen
in public with him, that will hold his hand while walking down the street.
Someone who will love him and not hide it from the world.
When Paxton accidentally walks into the wrong locker room where Lathan
is just coming out of the shower after a game (he is the last to leave due to having
to soak in an ice bath) Paxton cannot help but flirt with him.
This story was so beautiful, it made me laugh (LOVED the bouquet Pax sent Lathan)
the innuendo’s he used with Lathan were so great!. But it also had me bawling my
eyes out many times, not just for Lathan and his mom, but for Paxton as well.
Lane Hart has absolutely outdone herself on this story. I was so very HONORED to
have read this LOVE story. the epilogue was so beautiful as well that when I finished the
book I cried for a while because I was not ready to be done! I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this book
even if MM stories are not for you PLEASE give this one a chance. It will touch your heart!
Delay of Game is a well-written, entertaining read. Lathan’s innocence about relationships made him such an endearing character and Pax was a hoot as he found ways to gain Lathan’s attention. Poor Lathan has a lot on his plate with an ailing mother and being part of a sport that is traditionally dominated by alpha males, yet one more reason for Lathan’s adamant refusal to acknowledge his feelings. While the attraction between this pair is immediate, the romance blooms as Lathan explores with the witty Pax, so certainly not instalove (another plus). The story is sweet, funny, emotional, and sexy. There were some stomach-turning moments that I felt were a bit much, but other than that, it was a completely enjoyable romance about finding that special someone where you least expect it.