3 Star Book Review | Broken Play by Samantha Kane | Giveaway
by Samantha Kane
Published: September 1st, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica, Sports
Provided by Publisher via NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes
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.
Cover Review:
Broken Play has a nice cover. There's a hot guy and he's a football player (obviously). Honestly, it's like a lot of sports romance covers. I don't really have that much to say about the cover.
Book Review:
In Broken Play, all three of our main characters have something to prove or overcome. Marian needs to overcome the lasting effects caused by her sexual assault and she needs to prove that she can make it as a female football coach. Beau needs to overcome his past drug abuse and the public image it caused him, proving that he's no longer the same weak man he once was. And Cass needs to overcome the public image a sex tape (with Beau and a woman) created when it was leaked, prove that he can lead the Rebels and create a winning team.
When these three come together, the passion is intense. Beau and Cass have been inseparable for years, but had never voiced their feelings for each other, and always had a woman with them during sex. Marian has always had a desire to be with two men, and yes, she had seen Cass and Beau's sex tape. But when she had voiced her desire to her college boyfriend, he took it too far, and she was nearly gang raped. All three have had dark spots in their sexual history, but they are able to help each other heal in a way that no one else has been able to - they accept each other and their desires.
Here's where some of my complaints come in. There wasn't an even amount of character development. Marian's character was more developed and we learn more about her and her back story than we do about Cass and Beau. It seemed like the story focused more on her than all three of them. We do learn a little about Beau's past and his drug abuse and how Cass helped and took care of him. We learn next to nothing about Cass's past, which was really disappointing. And I would have liked more background on Cass and Beau's past together. So there were some holes and imbalances in the character development that just didn't make me happy.
The story, though, is really good. I liked that Broken Play addressed serious issues and showed how they healed. I loved the romance between our triad. There's some great humor, especially when the other members of the Rebels come in. So really, if the character development were fleshed out more, this book would be golden. I'm still definitely going to be checking out the next book in this series when I get a chance.
When these three come together, the passion is intense. Beau and Cass have been inseparable for years, but had never voiced their feelings for each other, and always had a woman with them during sex. Marian has always had a desire to be with two men, and yes, she had seen Cass and Beau's sex tape. But when she had voiced her desire to her college boyfriend, he took it too far, and she was nearly gang raped. All three have had dark spots in their sexual history, but they are able to help each other heal in a way that no one else has been able to - they accept each other and their desires.
Here's where some of my complaints come in. There wasn't an even amount of character development. Marian's character was more developed and we learn more about her and her back story than we do about Cass and Beau. It seemed like the story focused more on her than all three of them. We do learn a little about Beau's past and his drug abuse and how Cass helped and took care of him. We learn next to nothing about Cass's past, which was really disappointing. And I would have liked more background on Cass and Beau's past together. So there were some holes and imbalances in the character development that just didn't make me happy.
The story, though, is really good. I liked that Broken Play addressed serious issues and showed how they healed. I loved the romance between our triad. There's some great humor, especially when the other members of the Rebels come in. So really, if the character development were fleshed out more, this book would be golden. I'm still definitely going to be checking out the next book in this series when I get a chance.
Rating:
I gave Broken Play a 3 STAR rating. I like the story, but there were some things that I felt should have been in the story that weren't. I like that it talks about a serious topics like sexual assault/abuse and drug abuse. And I really liked the relationship between Cass, Beau, and Marian, and how the guys helped her deal with the lingering effects of her assault.
“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.
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.
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