Have you heard the rumor around campus about the locker room?If you haven’t, let me enlighten you: Legend has it if you bring a girl into the sacred after-game domain of the baseball locker room, it will end with a walk down the aisle. One rowdy and naked encounter against the lockers with the girl of your dreams will make her your wife. Translation: baseball players are stupidly superstitious … stupidly superstitious and believe the locker room has magical powers.
But not all baseball players are superstitious, me included.
So when the girl I’ve fallen for brushes me off, I start to question if I need to switch my way of thinking. Maybe it’s time I finally hand out a coveted invitation to the locker room.
The only question is, will she accept?
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This is a baseball romance set at uni and an unlikely couple. Knox is the starting Shortstop for the Brentwood Baseball Team and Emory is a Library Sciences student interning at the college library. Emory makes Knox work hard for their friendship that blossoms into a relationship but it quickly falls apart after Emory believes she’s doing what’s best for both of them. There are some steamy not quite $ex scenes and plenty of banter. Their HEA is something you don’t think is going to happen but are so glad it eventually does. Better late than never.
The narration was good. Felicity had a good variety of voices for the girl gang and other side characters and her performance was believable. She brought the emotion for sure. Rock gave us the playful yet frustrated Knox and when they read the text conversations duet style the chemistry was there.
A fun, light read with just a touch of steam and angst so a good one if you need a break from some heavies.
Oh Knox. Your sweet southern accent and personality stolen my heart. I love Meghan’s books but I’m the weirdo who will read them out of order. I know, I know. I’m far ahead in the timeline but when I go back to earlier works, I love reading about old book friends. Romeo? Holt? Those are my guys.
And I can’t forget Emory. She’s wonderful and selfless. What she did? I’m not sure I’d be able to do that.
This book had me laughing and sighing and swooning. I did listen to the audiobook version. Rock Engle and Felicity Monroe were amazing. They did a great job of breaking me down and putting me back together. The perfect choices for this story.
The Locker Room is a standalone college sports romance in the Brentwood Boys series told from the first-person dual point-of-view of Knox and Emory.
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Knox is one of the most popular baseball players on campus. Emory has transferred to Brentwood. While trying to find her way around the campus her map flies out of her hands and smacks Knox in the face. Remembering him from a campus party, she is embarrassed and just wants to getaway. Emory has had her heartbroken and has trust issues that Knox is going to have to work hard to get her to trust him and give him a chance.
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I am not sure where to start with my review. I wanted to love this book being a baseball romance but I just never got there. I did laugh at some of the more quirky points in the book and that is what kept me going until the end. It was an extremely slow burn (50% agree to date, 90% sleep together), I did not connect with the characters, and I did not understand the point of the time jump (especially so late in the book). Emory did nothing but whine and sabotage her and Knox’s happiness right from the beginning. The premise behind the story is about bringing the girl who is “the one” into the locker room which never actually happens between the two main characters. I am hoping the rest of The Brentwood Boys are better.
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Audio … This was my first time listening to these narrators. They both did a good job with the story but I just was not sold on them as Knox and Emory.
If baseball’s your jam (or even if it isn’t), but you’re into sports romance, then The Locker Room is a must read, and sets the stage for this sports romance series, it has the infamous Knox Gentry trying his utmost best to woo Emory Ealson, just as things start looking up, curveball! Sweet, funny, yet highly emotional second chance romance that broke my heart in places. Narrated by Felicity Monroe and rock Eagle, brilliant.
I was lucky enough to get the ALC of the 3-book audio collection of The Brentwood Boys by Meghan Quinn! The audios included are The Locker Room, The Dugout, and The Lineup. What’s better than a swoony laugh out loud sports romantic comedy? THREE of them!
First up for me was The Locker Room, Narrated by: Rock Engle and Felicity Monroe
This was a slow burn with an extremely steamy ending. Knox Gentry stole Emory’s Oreos and then her heart! The buildup of their friendship first was what every girl dreams about. And Knox’s dirty talk will cause your panties to spontaneously disappear. Three quarters into the book I almost literally screamed and ripped out my ear buds. I had no clue where Meghan Quinn was going with this and may have cried a couple of times. Epic feels ensued and I wanted to slap the heck out of the characters! I experienced so much emotional turmoil until Meghan gave me back my heart with the sweetest ending ever. I am now complete mush! The character development and set up to the Brentwood Boys world was nothing short of perfection. The world and characters are dynamic, unique and unforgettable. If the first book in the series is this good, I can’t imagine how the epic the rest will be!
As far as the narration: I feel like Piece of Cake Audiobooks and Meghan Quinn said, “I can’t decide between these 6 amazing narrators, so let’s choose them all!” I swear whenever I see an email from Piece of Cake my heart skips a beat because I know I’m about to listen to the most incredible story from the best narrators ever. Hey Dana, would you like an audiobook in exchange for an honest review? Um, so much yes, please and thank you!
Rock Engle and Felicity Monroe ARE Knox and Emory. They expertly embodied their characters to give us the most emotionally connected story telling experience. Their tone, pitch, pace, timing, everything was absolutely perfection. My co-blogger and biffle Angie has read this whole series and has been telling me to read it. I’m actually so glad I hadn’t and that I got to experience it for the first time with these incredible narrators. They brought the story to life and made me swoon and laugh out loud. I highly recommend the audiobook version of this story.
Sliding into home with 5 Stars!
NOLA504NERDS BLOG
The Locker Room I basically loved pretty much everything about this. Knox Gentry, the banter, the friendship not just between Knox and Emory but the other baseball team members, the other side characters, Knox, his mom. I had my frustrations with the heroine but for my new BBF I mostly put them aside.
Emory & Knox stole my heart so easily and had me invested and obsessed with them. The fierce and genuine connection they shared and the absolute beauty of their friendship provides a rock solid base to build this engaging story off of. The plot is delicious, hot and steamy, with a twist I didn’t see coming and I loved every single word.
This book had me laughing so hard. Emery and Knox are hilarious. Their back-and-forth banter was perfection.
This book also had some of the hottest non sex scenes I’ve ever read or listen to.
There’s also so many sweet moments like when he takes care of her when she’s not feeling well. The gift exchange back-and-forth that they have.
These were both new to me narrators and they were both very well cast. His slight southern accent was perfect. And she was so good at delivering a funny line.
Super fun super sweet book.
Overall a clever, entertaining read. I love Emory and Knox together, AND Knox makes me swoon. Love him! What a great, fun read! On to the next in the series…
This book was everything I didn’t know I needed. Knox Gentry and Emory Ealson are the perfect match but their HEA isn’t easy. The meet cute was hilarious and had me laughing out loud. Actually this entire book had me laughing out loud. I love how endearing and swoon worthy Knox is but Emory is mending a broke heart after a bad breakup with her long time bf. She makes Knox WORK for it! They’re adorable together and I love Knox’s sweet gestures to win her over. When they finally come together, she finds out he is likely going to be drafted after this season and she makes a really hard decision. My heart was BREAKING for them. But when it’s mean to be, it’s meant to be. Read this book. It’s SO good and I have a major book hangover now.
There was some really strong angst in this book, angst I had not predicted. I loved the story until about 3/4 of the way through and then I was really angry and almost stopped reading. I’m glad I did not give up because I enjoyed the other books in the series. I still have a lot of feelings about this one.
This book was really good, but twisted storyline had some unexpected turns
This story is a lot of fun. I enjoyed the banter and humor that had me chuckling and smiling throughout the story. Emory and Knox are cute together. It’s a slow build, one that starts out as friendship and moves to more and it’s fun and heartwarming to watch their relationship grow. A fun rom-com hat will leave you with a smile.
Overall, a fab, fun, humorous story!
“A sensible librarian wouldn’t flash a horny college guy her underwear.”
Emory Ealson is at Brentwood U to make a fresh start after a bad breakup. She had to work hard to get ahead and can’t afford distractions. Knox Gentry is on course for baseball stardom and he can’t afford to be distracted either. However, Emory really captures his attention and he works damn hard to get her to give him the time of day. One silly bet has them embarking on a slow-burn journey with plenty of sexually-charge encounters, as they build trust and love between them. Unfortunately, one slip of the tongue has Emory evaluating everything about their relationship and future together.
“Winning Emory Ealson is a necessity, not a challenge. She’s worth it.”
I really, really liked this book but then partway through the book, the storyline took a turn that I did not like! My heart hurt because, to me, it was unnecessary and I felt the loss of the years between the main characters. However, the author clawed it back because the emotional conclusion brought a tear to my eye. I was pretty mad at Emory for the way things panned out because I was not at all convinced that she made the right decision. And, Knox! That guy won me over big time. I was all in with him. Gahhhh!!! I loved him. I wanted him. He deserved so much more than Emory’s bad decisions. She made that guy jump through hoops and he was just all kinds of wonderful!
But the good stuff! This story was fun, funny, and super sexy. The rapport, banter and heat between the main characters was stellar and, as I mentioned earlier, the latter parts of the story were emotional. Overall, a really, really good story – just slightly disappointed in the story arc.
5 “traumatizing the patrons and staff at the dealership” stars (I will explain soon. )
So Meghan Quinn did a thing. Wrote book number…(I’m not sure, just trying to prove a point!) and then because I’m easy and needy I begged to read said book. I have finished. I have many things to point out.
Many things I learned (yet again…but clearly never actually learned because I’m having this “discussion”) post reading The Locker Room…
1. Do not read The Locker Room in a public place.
1. A. Do not read it in a public place where: people know your name, see you regularly, or know you as a small business owner (more on the odd reasoning soon).
2. When trying to be stealthy about reading in public, do NOT isolate yourself. It makes it far more obvious that you are crazy. With other people around, you have reasonable doubt.
3. People will be oddly disturbed by your muttered reiteration of random lines… “freak tendencies”
3.A. Especially when random utterances are either proceeded by laughing out loud or followed by laughing like the Joker. #truestory
3.B. Random guffaw and utterances tend to isolate you more as others abandon your corner of crazy…
4. As you fall down the rabbit hole that is the swoon worthy, Mr.Darcy usurping Knox Gentry you will be making up new words adding “posal” as though others will acknowledge your genius…Meghan still hasn’t gotten back to me.
4.A. Said made up words will take over your mind, cause you to “flashback” to the hilarity, swoony, or other “y” that caused said new word and cause utterances/random guffaws/snorts.
5. You will look like you are on furlough from the psych ward!
Now, I know you’re shaking your head. You’re thinking to yourself but Becky…not me. Trust me! I was getting legit crazy eyes from other patrons and staff at the dealership while waiting for my truck to get done. I hid in alcove because I was reading and didn’t want to be disturbed. My previous Meghan Quinn experiences must have some how faded in my mind because I thought today was the perfect 6 hour window to tackle The Locker Room. Just no! Do yourself, and my dwindling pride a favor, do not read in public unless it’s a judgement free zone.
I laughed my ass off, muttered like the furlough was ending, and burst into seemingly random giggles. I swooned. I swooned hard. I replaced Mr. DARCY swooned hard. Knox Gentry is EVERYTHING you ever wanted in a book boyfriend, mate, spouse, SO. EVERYTHING! And a bag of chips! All that awesomeness needs a release…so I cried too. I know you aren’t impressed. The dealership staff wasn’t either but they didn’t understand that your heart can break reading a book. You can. You understand that words have feelings. Words have power. They evoke strong reactions, create friendships, and build amazing worlds. Meghan Quinn may only have taken me to Chicago but she stole a piece of my ever expanding heart by introducing me to Knox Gentry and I refuse to give him back.
So for those who want to see what Knox is like he will be on loan soon. For all those hos who think they have ownership of my man….in your dreams!
P.S. I actually have to bring a different vehicle to the dealership again tomorrow and Thursday. I guess we will see how they react!
My 1st by this author and it was ……
Soo Cute. Funny. I fell in love with the characters.
It’s a big deal for me because it’s a Rom-Com.
I even cried a little – ~ and I shouldn’t have tears during a rom-com ~ – but that goes to show that I truly felt their love. The friends to Lovers buildup was “EVERYTHING!” Their banter and teasing and respect for each other. I loved spending time with them.
OMGaaaaaah! Knox He was so romantic. Perfect. I love him! He left me speechless.
Oh. And he’s a baseball player
POSSIBLE SPOILER COMING
*There was a tiny part of the book that kinda sucked. It almost felt as if it would ruin the story. But it didn’t. So I’m happy about that because I couldn’t hate the entire book based on the author choice of an 8 yr separation while they figured out their lives, goals, dreams.
It is a college romance so that makes sense but I’m thinking they could’ve figured out their shit in maybe 4 yrs. tops
I’ve read other books with years of separation and the purpose for it is growth. Sometimes it’s needed.
Being as this was a rom-com maybe less years of separation would’ve worked best.
I really like Knox he was very persistent in his chase of Emory. There getting to know one another was swoon-worthy. However I did feel Emory used her past break up alot to stop living her life to the fullest. The 8 year break was a little long in my opinion, but I understood Emory not wanting to hold Knox back from his dreams. Sometimes it is the right time to be together
I enjoyed this one, I don’t know why I was so surprised I have listened to one other Meghan Quinn book and loved it. I love the style the cadence all of it.
This book is great it follows all the contemporary romance guidelines but I kind of loved the twist at the end. 😉 I know a lot of people won’t and that is ok but I like that it was like all the others.
Emory and Knox’s story is one I won’t forget anytime soon and that right there is what I like.
Also loved the narrators they did a great job.
I am on to The Dugout because I enjoyed this one so much.
My first thought after reading this was that I’m so glad this wasn’t my first baseball book of Meghan Quinn’s to read. I actually started this “series” with The Dugout which became one of my all-time favorite books as did The Lineup. I’ve also already read The Trade and The Change Up BEFORE finally reading this one.
I am glad that I finally got Knox’s story because it’s clear to see how he fits with the rest of the boys given his humor and personality. I really liked him in this story – his give and take with Emory, how empathetic he is and just all around awesome.
I’m not sure that I really warmed up to Emory. Actually, no- I do know. I never warmed up to her. I completely understand where she was coming from in her initial hesitation with starting anything serious with Knox and even in her final decision when it came to their relationship but it also made for a frustrating read. And that bet – good God couldn’t one of them have just given in?! Geez! I didn’t find it being a sexy build up as they clearly did.
Without giving any spoilers, there is just a lot to go through before you get to the happy ending in this one but even when you do get there it was so quick at the end that it just wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped. That said, this is hands down one of my favorite “series” to read, though personally, I’d start with The Dugout and then circle back to this one at a later time.
Why did I wait so long to read this book again? I was seriously missing out! And you will be too if you don’t snag this hilariously sweet book up! I was roped in from the very beginning! I stayed up well past my bedtime just to read… I kept telling myself just one more chapter!
Emory and Knox are two characters that you wouldn’t normally think would be together if you’d pass them on the street, but the chemistry they have. Whew!! They start out as friends, while Emory works through her thoughts and feelings after getting out of a rough six year relationship. She has to find herself and doesn’t want to be a part of that coupledom. But that doesn’t deter Knox Gentry. Knox gets smacked in the face with this beautiful bombshell. He understands he has to take it at her pace but that doesn’t stop him from completely wowing her from the very beginning. We are talking serenading her, people! He pulls out all the stops! 😉
I found myself smiling so much throughout this book, that I looked like a crazy person! But I couldn’t help it, just the playful banter and sarcasm the two had with each other was just what I needed. With typical Meghan Quinn fashion, this book had the humor you adore, the heartache for the characters, and the outside of the box writing that builds the suspense of waiting, until you get the most perfect happily ever after! *happy sighs*