The rules of the game don’t apply off the field in this first Barons novel. New York Barons tight end Gavin Brawley is suspended from the team and on house arrest after a video of him brawling goes viral. Gavin already has a reputation as a jerk with a temper on and off the field—which doesn’t help him once he finds himself on the wrong side of the law. And while he’s been successful … successful professionally, he’s never been lucky when it comes to love.
Noah Monroe is a recent college grad looking for a job—any job—to pay off his mounting student debt. Working as Gavin’s personal assistant/babysitter seems like easy money. But Noah isn’t prepared for the electrifying tension between him and the football player. He’s not sure if he’d rather argue with Gavin or tackle him to the floor. But both men know the score, and neither is sure what will happen once Gavin’s timeout is over…
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Finally my first Santino Hassell book and not my last, that’s for sure!
What happens when you get a suspended football player with anger management and nerdy guy who needs a job to help his dad and growing debt together? Well you get a book that you will read in one day because you want to know how these two polar opposites dudes that learn to co-exist.
After being suspended by his football and in need to do house arrest for six months, hires Noah as his personal assistant. Gavin has a big chip on his shoulder and more so now that he has to be holed up at home for six months for an assault charge. Noah had to move back home to help his dad out, after his dad lost his job. Noah, too lost his job after being a “whistle blower”.
Noah at first was a bit intimidated by Gavin, but he saw there was a lot more to him than his gruffness. He would call him out on his BS and vice versa.
Lots of sexual attraction, but Noah doesn’t want to toe the line like he has in the past. Gavin just wants to protect Noah.
This book had everything I like, sports, a hot nerdy guy and a hot football player oh and it’s m/m one of my favorite genres to read. Mr. Hassell’s writing will grab you. I cannot believe I have waited so long to read one of his books. His words will give you lots of things to ponder especially the misconceptions of jocks. I cannot wait for Simeon’s book!
Listen, I don’t even like enemies to lovers that much but this is Santino Hassell so I read it anyway. AND IT WAS SO GREAT OK. I devoured this in a few hours, I didn’t even sleep.
Gavin and Noah make my heart happy. Gavin is a grumpy, distrustful, bisexual football player for the New York Barons who’s under house arrest for beating someone up. He lives and breathes football, and after growing up in the foster care system he has some anger issues. After sleeping with his boss, Noah is fired, living with his dad, and looking for a job. He is so knee deep in student loans debt he’ll even suffer for six months as a personal assistant to Gavin’s grumpy ass.
Like I said, this is enemies to lovers’ trope. The reason I’m not a huge fan of this is because I think most of the time it’s done wrong. Like one person in the relationship has all the power and it borders on abuse. BUT THIS WAS SO GOOD. Noah doesn’t like football (he doesn’t even know who Gavin is when he meets him), he doesn’t take Gavin’s shit, and he call him out on all his crap, I love him.
Also, this story is filled with tension. This is the ultimate slow-burn romance. By the time they finally got together I thought I was going to combust. These two characters have so much chemistry and their dialogue was natural and funny.
The secondary characters are very fleshed out, and I am dying to read Simeon’s book. Sadly it doesn’t come out until next January. Anyone who likes romance books needs to try Santino’s books because they’re all pretty amazing. Okay? Okay.
Slow burn romance at its best
This is only the third Santino Hassell novel (and second full length one) I’ve read and man I can’t wait to devour more of his books. Getting through a lot of Santino’s back catalogue is high in my reading goals this year!!!
Illegal Contact is a fabulous story about two men – Gavin the high profile NFL player and Noah, his recently hired PA – who end up in the most unlikely of circumstances and come to find that they were exactly what each other needed. What I loved about this story is that I learnt so much about topics I was unfamiliar with – from NFL to the role of a sports star PA to the difference between a manager and an agent as well as the influence that the media can have on ones perception of celebrities. And then there is the romance between two men who spend a good third of the story at each other’s throats but only because the obvious attraction and chemistry is messing with them. I have a massive soft spot for the lovable a**hole and Gavin fits this to a tee. His brash demeanour covers a kind, sweet soul who just wants to play NFL and not deal with all the “extras” (like publicity and endorsements) that goes along with it. Watching him fall for the cute, quirky nerd Noah is equal parts fascinating and hilarious as they both navigate their newfound feelings for one another. I’ve said it before and it’s likely I’ll say it in all my reviews of Santino’s books but he writes the ins and outs of relationships in a way I have never experienced with another romance author. The nuances, the subtlety, the feelings and emotions are absolutely perfect and it’s this which will keep me buying and reading Santino’s novels time and time again.
I’m so keen to find out more about Gavin’s friends Simeon and Marcus – so January 16 cannot come soon enough when I can dive into book 2 of the series!!
I absolutely fell for this story. Noah is awesome. I adore him and the way he cares so much, but I’m in love with Gavin, the grump with a heart of gold type. If you’re one of his people, he has your back. Gavin has anger issues and is on house arrest because of it. Noah is desperately scrambling for a job. He has no idea who Gavin is and doesn’t know much more about football in general. Football is all that Gavin has in his life except for a couple of close friends. Noah becomes Gavin’s PA. Both are pretty blunt so things are a bit antagonistic at first. The more they get to know each other, the more the mutual respect and attraction grow. Yes, there is definitely something between them, but there are also so many reasons why they can’t go there. I like how the characters don’t just hook up, and then everything works out perfectly. They’re mature about the facts and know their actions have consequences. The storyline feels realistic. I understood and felt all the emotions with Gavin and Noah. Illegal Contact has a great storyline and plenty of sexy. I definitely recommend.