A Novel in the Long Pass ChroniclesEveryone wants the best for SCU student and tight end Raven Nez-and they know exactly what that is. Enter the NFL draft, become a big football hero, promote his tribe’s casino, and make a lot of money to help people on the reservation. Just one problem. Raven’s gay and he really wants to work with gay kids. Plus he figures a gay Native tight end will get … figures a gay Native tight end will get flattened in the NFL. Then the casino board hires a talented student filmmaker to create ads for the tribal business and asks Raven to work with him. But the filmmaker is Dennis Hascomb, a guy with so much to hide and a life so ugly it’s beyond Raven’s understanding. Still, he’s drawn to Dennis’s pain and incredible ability to survive. Captivated by Raven’s stories of the two-spirited and by the amazing joy of finally having a friend, Dennis knows he has to break free from everything he’s ever been taught was good-but that’s a struggle that could kill him and Raven too. Is there a chance for “the great red hope” and the “whitest guy on earth”? A future for the serpent and the raven?
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Tackling The Tight End is book 3 in the Long Pass Chronicles.
This book is completely different from the first 2 books in the series. I wasn’t really really expecting it!
It covers a lot of trauma and abuse from parents and could be triggering to some readers.
Raven and Dennis story is pretty complicated and I’m still not sure how I feel about the whole thing! I would still say to give it a go and read.
Tara has done a great job in creating this story as she did with the others and definitely has a way to bring out all the emotions.
I don’t want to go into details of this one as feel it would spoil it. All I would say is expect the unexpected!Tara Lain
Raised by Wolves? Not really, unless you consider the human variety. And I’m not talking shifters here so much as grifters.
Dennis Hascomb the one doing the tackling here was something of a villain in the first book in this series. Here he’s one of the protagonists and his image is rehabilitated a bit in that we see the reasons behind the way he acted in the first book. Dennis was raised by an unloving pair of con artists. Yes, he was initially trying to “out” Will Ashford but that was at the direction of his abusive, unloving, parents. Now he’s being asked to pull the same sort of stuff on Raven Nez. But Raven is already out and proud and just spoiling to get out from under his father’s manipulative thumb.
Raven Nez, the titular “Tight End” is a student, a star tight end for the SCU football team, and (according to his domineering father) his tribe’s best hope for a bright future. Problem is Raven’s gay, or two-spirited as he likes to think of it, and he really wants to work with gay kids. He’s not interested in running an Indian Casino like his old man.
When I first read this back in 2016 this tale was a pleasant surprise. The author has good instincts as a story teller and there’s a real plot here that rises above the mere fantasy fulfillment/gay romance that I’d expected. Yes, there are some spicy sex scenes but they play a backseat role to an already compelling story. And while this is the third in a series that is football themed, most of the action here takes place off the field.
If you’re looking for just another m/m sex romp full of gay angst and coming-out drama, look elsewhere, but if a well told tale with two interesting main characters and a slightly more substantial plot sounds good, you could do worse than checking this one out.
As stated earlier, I read this when it first came out in 2016. I was particularly interested in the intersection of football, an m/m romance, and a native American MC. On those levels it succeeds and was perhaps even better the second time around. This is one that I can see myself revisiting again from time to time, even if it lacks that unique epiphany yielding plot that makes it an unforgettable 5.
*** Note: I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a complimentary copy ***
Of all the surprises in a series, Dennis ended up being it. Somehow, you end up in this push and pull of emotions.
Initially, you just wanted to yell “walk away!” Raven saw something beneath the surface and decided to see it through. As it turns out, Dennis was just as fascinated with Raven. Trying to relearn what he knew, and find the love and happiness he deserved.
Polar opposites, coming together as one.
You really can’t pick your family. Raven wants to work with LGBTQ kids. His Dad and tribe expects him to be a professional footballer, promoting the tribal casino. Dennis’s bad upbringing, broke him. He is a person, driven by fear. Fear for himself and fear for his sister. Dennis is motivated by circumstances beyond his control. Raven is driven by his conflicting needs for finding his joy and supporting his Dad. There are several decisions, choices and conflicts that need to be resolved. Will Raven and Dennis communicate honestly trusting each other? Will they make the right choices? Will they meet their professional and personal goals? Great story. Dennis provides a real challenge, which demonstrates and excellent job by the author. Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved Raven from the first but if you’d told me I’d ever understand or care about Dennis after what he did in book one I would have said no way. It is through Raven and his ability to perceive what is really going on with Dennis that both we as readers and Dennis find his better self. Raven’s struggle to stand up for his dreams and not try to be what others want/expect him to be was a great story. These two men were so good for each other.
I loved this one even better than the previous two stories in the series!! Raven is a tight end for the football team and Native American, he’s also gay. His dad asks him to help out the tribe by helping to promote it. Dennis was first introduced in Outing the Quarterback. He also finds himself attracted to Raven. I loved Raven’s grandfather but had a passionate dislike for Dennis’s parents. Overall, it was a really good story!! It well written, highly recommend! I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
Dennis Hascomb first made his name known when he tried to get slander on Will Ashford in Outing the Quarterback and it backfired. Raven Nez is the Tight End and openly gay so thought no dirt could be found in his life. He believed Dennis when he apologized and explained his behaviour.
A story about misleading, espionage, bribery and corruption. Tara Lain is back to her wooing the readers with the plots and plans of her characters.
I received a copy from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the third book in the Long Pass Chronicles, the last of the three. You don’t NEED to have read the other two books, but I recommend you as least read book one. Dennis plays a huge part in Will’s book and what he does there isn’t fully recapped here. Mostly, but not fully. I liked those two books, gave them both 4 stars, with Outing The Quarterback just a tiny step ahead of Canning the Center. This is set a couple of years after book 1.
This one, though? My favourite of the 3!
It took me a little bit to place Dennis, to be honest! He is the e-journalist who makes nasty comments and hints about Will. He is STILL doing that sh8t here, but now we know why. It takes a little bit of time for the full extent of his parents control to show, and I think the author could have gone further with it. I FELT there was more there, you know? Things that weren’t told. Maybe that’s just me, but I do feel the full story wasn’t told. Also with Dennis’ sister, too. I felt kinda like I missed something!
I did love this book, honest I did!
Raven is lovely! Out and proud, he wants to do right by his Tribe but also work towards HIS dream, not just his dad’s. Dad isn’t as pushy as Will’s dad was but he was a bit more . . .manipulative . . .maybe. He takes to Dennis, who comes across as a good guy to Raven, and Raven can really see Dennis, you know? He spots all those little facial expressions and things Dennis doesn’t say, that clue him into the fact there is something bigger going on.
I loved that once Dennis makes the decision to be with Raven, he is all in. I wasn’t sure how Dennis was gonna get out of the situation with his parents, but the way that all went down surprised me and I’ve no idea why!
Loved Raven’s grandfather and all he does for both Dennis and Raven. Loved all the references to some Native American lore and traditions.
I said in my review for Outing The Quarterback that I don’t usually go for college aged characters. I’m glad I gave these three books a chance.
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere*
I absolutely adore Raven. He is a very generous guy and is definitely a care giver type deep down. He truly cares about others while still struggling to figure his own life and career out! Dennis is struggling and has a scarred past. Raven ends up being a real support system for Dennis. They are very different guys with very different life experiences which really adds to the unfolding of the romance. I really enjoyed this last book in the series as it was more of a hurt comfort theme which I personally love! I received an ARC of this book and I recommend you read the entire series to get the full emotions with this team of guys!
I love this series but I have to admit this one didn’t grab me as well as the first two, it is still really good though. It takes just a little bit to really get into it, but in the end it’s worth it.
ARC received from GRR for an honest review.
Raven Nez is a football player that is being pressured by his father to continue playing (when he doesn’t want to) and promote the tribe’s casino. When he meets Dennis he’s determined to help him out.
Dennis Hascomb is a college student that has been a very bad boy. He was pressured by his family to do bad things to others for money and although he didn’t want to and he has a good reason, it’s still just wrong.
Raven and Dennis had good chemistry. I really liked Raven even though he tended to do too much for others at the detriment of his own needs/wants. I liked the Native American aspects of the story. I had trouble warming up to Dennis because even if there’s a good reason for his behavior it’s just really wrong. This is a good ending to the trilogy.
This book was truly moving. I loved it! Raven was such a strong character and was unapologetically himself. Of course we all wanted to hate Dennis at first but we just can’t. Dennis grew on me and the way he was with Raven was just perfection. These 2 had amazing chemistry and I have absolutely adored this series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the third book in Tara Lain’s fabulous series (Long Pass Chronicles)! This is Raven’s and Dennis story and it’s a doozy! What an emotional journey! I loved it! I read an advanced copy of this book and this is my unbiased review!
Same series but each book so refreshingly different seems to be a hallmark of Tara Lain! This writer had me reading not one but three football books! I’m still reeling from that realization! Tackling the Tight End, Book 3 of the Long Pass Chronicles has us back at SC University where Native American Raven Nez is a probable draft pick for the NFL. This will lead to prestige and money for his tribe’s casino. But Raven is out and proud and 100 percent certain he will get maimed on the football field. And his heart is tied to help gay youth accept the beauty of being ‘two-spirited’! There is so much that’s truly wonderful about this book including the fact that the writer reintroduces us to a villain of the first book! Dennis Hascomb is back and is the other main character of this story. We learn that all is NOT well in his world including his attraction to another man–SCU football team tight end Raven Nez! I invite you to enjoy learning a bit about the ‘two-spirited’ and Dennis’s ‘not so wonderful’ life through Tara’s incredible story. The audiobooks of this series are beautifully narrated by John-Paul Barrel!