I’m going to jump right in and say I adored this book! Matt Lancaster, star quarterback and school hero and fellow student Trevor meet in quite unusual circumstances; Matt’s friends think he needs a happy-ending massage and take him to a parlor but little does Matt know, fellow Bodine student Trevor Kim is the masseur and he gets the shock of his life when Trevor attempts the proverbial ‘happy-ending’. The story unfolds and we find that Matt – who’s deep in the closet and coming to terms with idea of being gay - has had a thing for Trevor since having a class with him, instantly intrigued by the edgy, tattooed and gorgeous guy. Matt’s worried that if ever his sexual identity was revealed, he’d be off the team and not to mention the ructions it would cause with his Father... Trevor is out, but this didn’t come without its own traumatic event though, he was disowned by his parents and now has no contact with them and he has to work jobs at the parlor and the local coffee shop - as well as studying - just to keep his head above water. Matt can’t stay away from Trevor and ends up going to his dorm twice a week for private sex ‘lessons’. These two begin to fall deeper and external factors don’t allow them to be together. The story is told really beautifully as I felt for both main characters and understood why they acted as they did, they have so many obstacles in their way before getting the ending they deserved. It was heartbreaking at times, to see something so new and pure having to be sacrificed for the sake of Matt’s place at the school and also the fear of the safety and well-being of his two sisters. My heart broke at times reading this story; it was so very good and made me feel so much and then the ending made it all worthwhile. It was a definite five star read for me and I won’t hesitate in reading more of the author’s works.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMG Reads.

Another day, another M/M novel. It's so hard to find one that stands out anymore. They seem to be so cookie cutter, and this one leads the cookie cutter pack. My biggest issue with this is that at the crux of this story, Matt sacrifices himself for his family by going to a conservative college because it's close. His dad isn't a very nice man, so he wants to stay close to his younger siblings. And guess what? We get one scene with those siblings. One! Matt's life choices revolve around them, but the author can't bother to put them on the page? Honesty, it was a thinly veiled plot to send him to a conservative college so he could be miserable, and it was a story line that the author didn't bring any justice to. It made it impossible for me to enjoy the rest of the story.

So fun! I ended up listening to the audiobook because I waited to long to read it that it's been published, and I liked that format a lot.

sexy college/ new adult sports romance. Loved the sexy heroes and everything they did with each other, would read from this author again.

I did not finish this book because I found it impossible to get into and really did not feel comfortable with the racist and misogynistic views by the protagonist. Because I didn't read past 12% I decided not to review the title.

A cross between New Adult and Erotic Romance, this book started out great. The author does a good job with the "football stuff" and I adored that neither Matt nor Trevor come off as stereotypes. As the star quarterback at a small conservative college, it's easy to understand why Matt would be as deep in the closet as he is, and I loved that Trevor understood that (even though, yes, it does wear thin for him once their relationship heats up - as you would expect it to!). Also, I loved that Trevor never read like an Asian math nerd stereotype who needed "rescuing" because his parents disowned him.

Other reviewers have pointed out the rampant homophobia - but I was actually surprised there wasn't more given the setting (a football program at a small, conservative Southern school) and as great as Matt and Trevor are - the secondary characters DO succumb to stereotyping. Matt's BFF's girlfriend who squeals that two guys "doing it" are is SO HOTTTTT (ugh!), Trevor's Fabulous Gay Theater Major Roommate, and Trevor's stereotypical Fag Hag Girlfriend were some of the more egregious examples.

The romance itself does what all good erotic romance should do - it explores the developing relationship through sexual exploration and awakening. But the whole thing begins to drag on and by the end it starts smacking of fetishization with Matt's giggly twin sisters talking about "topping" and "bottoming." No. Just No. So. Much. No.

What this needed to be was shorter. I loved the first half, but as the book drags on towards the end it starts to read kind of p0rny and while Trevor and Matt's early love scenes are rather sweet, written as exploration and discovery, by the end I felt like the author was catering to the straight female audience who predominantly reads m/m and I began squirming in my seat.

Yeah, I said it.

Starts out great but ends with a whimper. Probably around a C+ for me.

I enjoyed this book because it was different. Matt was the superstar and Trevor the oddball. They were opposites and would never have been in each other's sphere if Matt's friends hadn't decided to show him they knew who he was. I liked this about the book a lot. There was a lot of character growth and growing up which honest both boys needed. Matt and Trevor were frustrating for me. Their dancing around things when it would have been easier to talk. It must be the girl in me. This was a nice fast read with a good romance.

That was absolutely perfect! This story has everything... great characters, an interesting and very unique plot, and it's fast paced and fun to read. It's also crazy hot!

The football stuff was interesting and really well done - especially that last game! It's not a ton of football, so don't be turned off if you're not a sports fan, the author incorporates it nicely into the story.

These two guys have an amazing connection - you can feel it from their first meeting (and holy hot damn, what a great opening scene!!!). Really great kink, just excellent.

I'm now a huge fan of Mackenzie Blair - what a great book!

This was a really fun read about a romance between two college students, one a white quarterback for the college football team, and the other, an Asian accounting student who is forced to work several part time jobs to make ends meet. The two meet at a massage parlor where Trevor works as a masseuse, and the two begin a secret relationship because Matt is firmly in the closet. There was a fair amount of angst, but it was never overwhelming, and this was overall a fun read with a satisfying happy ending. It was refreshing to read a sports book where the athlete is content not to go pro! I look forward to Blair's future books.

A complementary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

I've never read this author before (and according to GR, this is her first novel), and it's always a crapshoot when you read a new author, throw in college, football (or sports in general) star, hiding in the closet and of course religion/ family pressure. It could be a mess of a book or a really, really good. This book falls into the latter category.

I was of course apprehensive about what to expect from these characters but I was delightfully entertained through the whole book. I really liked Matt and Trevor, not just as a couple but as people period. They were real, which sometimes is hard to pull off when dealing with young characters. I did have a few eye rolling moments but they didn't hurt and it was mostly because they did something silly/stupid but I could understand why they did what they did, or said or whatever. They have feelings for each other and that doesn't always equal level headed thinking.

Matt is the [virgin (hide spoiler)]star quarterback hiding in the closet, Trevor is the regular guy on campus who works hard for his money any way he can earn it so he can stay in school [since his family disowned him for being gay (hide spoiler)]. On the surface these two don't really have a lot in common and should not work as a couple, but when you really look at the person and not just their outward persona, they have so much in common: They are both smart (yeah Matt isn't a dumb jock in any way), they are kind and caring, loyal to their friends, they like kinky sex (though Matt is still learning), and they both come from families that look down upon homosexuality.

What I found the best part of this story is that there were no overdone histrionics just for dramatic purposes to create storyline conflict. No, the drama and angst felt genuine and natural - exactly how two people coping with hiding their relationship (and all the reasons why) should act.

Matt is scared to lose his scholarship because he needs his degree to get a job after college. He knows what the other guys on the team would say if they knew he was gay. Yes, Matt's close friends know and support him, but that's not always enough. Trevor is very sweet and understanding, sassy too. ;) And he gets that Matt isn't ready to come out. There are moments the closet gets a little claustrophobic for Trevor, but they work it out (sometimes with the help of their friends) like mature adults (mostly, haha).

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and thought the writing was great. I will definitely read more from this author and really hope she writes a story about Drew, Trevor's friend and roommate. Talk about sass!! :D

To sum it up I just LIKED these characters and their friends. The sex between these guys was awesome, FYI. Trevor agrees to tutor Matt in the art of gay sex and Trevor takes his tutoring responsibilities very seriously. Everything about this story worked for me and that epilogue is so sweet, but alas too short.

Aaawwww, that was so cute! And not in the saccharine, so sweet my teeth ache kind of way, just genuinely adorable and nice. I really liked this.
Sure, lots of elements in this book were terribly cliché, and the angst that comes with one of the love interests being in the closet usually isn't my thing, but those guys were just so damn lovable.

In romance books, particularly NA ones that are set in college and/ or have a sports theme, it's often the secondary characters that totally make or break it for me, and I can honestly say that the ones in this novel insanely contributed to my enjoyment of it.
I just wish Connor were gay, too, so he could get his own book. But then again, I wouldn't have the pleasure of reading about that hilarious girlfriend of his. Huh. Torn.

Fun, hot, cute and kinky. What more could a girl ask for?

The Quarterback was heartwarming and delightful read with a dash of angst that never got too overwhelming. The best part of the story was definitely one of the main characters, Matt, because he was just so adorable and sweetheart. Matt also breaks the stereotype of dumb jock - he's majoring in environmental science, and he doesn't want to make a career out of playing football.

The main characters, Matt and Trevor, are complex and flawed, as was Matt's situation: he's deeply in closet because he's the quarterback of small southern college football team and because his father is controlling Matt's younger sisters. Matt could lose his scholarship and not see his sisters until they turn eighteen if he'd come out. It's a heavy burden for Matt, and his facade starts to crumble when he meets Trevor, who's confident, and the chemistry flares between them. Matt and Trevor are adorable together, but the problem arises because Matt is so closeted and Trevor isn't. However, the story manages to avoid the usual, huge melodrama moments. There was various fights over the issues, which mainly centered around Matt being in the closet and scared, but I loved how the fights were never dragged on. Instead they dealt with them by talking about it. Sometimes Trevor might have caved in a bit too quickly, but personally I didn't find that as a bad thing, mostly because I understood Matt's situation and how much he could lose if he'd come out.

Despite the issue of Matt being in the closet, the angst wasn't overwhelming. The story was funny and heartwarming and the relationship was steamy and adorable at the same time. The story also included moments with Matt's family and both Matt and Trevor's friends. Let me just say that Matt's father was absolutely despicable! But then there was Trevor's roommate Drew, who was so funny and nice, and his family had basically adopted Trevor and it was heartwarming.

The Quarterback was a good story, and it definitely left me with a smile. It's a sport romance without being overwhelming on the sport part, which I really liked.

I'd give this book 5 stars for two hot lead male characters who burned up the pages. Unfortunately, there was just so much going on in this book, so many cliches used, so much left unanswered by the end and secondary characters that became a distraction, that I had to rate this one lower than it had the potential to be.

Again, I absolutely loved Matt and Trevor. Matt is a QB for a Division II religious college in the south and he's secretly gay. He knows if he comes out, he'll lose his scholarship and shame his dad, or that's what he thinks for 95% of the book. So he just fakes it his whole college career. That is until his friends take him to a seedy massage parlor that provides 'happy endings.' They end up getting him a male masseuse and Matt freaks out when the guy tries to go too far. This guy turns out to be Trevor, another student at the same school that Matt recognizes.

Trevor is a hot tattooed and pierced Asian guy who sticks out like a sore thumb at the school. He's also gay, making him even more noticeable. He's always had a thing for Matt, but the QB seems as straight as they come and unattainable. They end up hooking up eventually, well, Trevor agrees to 'tutor' Matt in sex. But they have to still keep it on the down low. They're not as subtle as they think they are and the friends find out (turns out they already knew he was gay and could care less).

Matt's dad is a huge jerk who is shady in business and not at all a nice guy. Matt has to play nice though because he has twin 17 year old sisters who are still living with his dad. Let me stop there and say that his sisters are crazy - the things that came out of their mouths just shocked me (like the, 'are you the top or bottom' question). I mean, I liked that they supported Matt, but they were just a bit too vocal with their inappropriate thoughts.

Trevor was disowned by his family when he was a teen and is still estranged from them. We don't get a resolution to this by the end of the book either, which was disappointing. So he has nothing to lose really by continuing the relationship with Matt. But Matt has everything to lose it seems. Not to mention, there are some homophobic guys on his football team who are pretty vocal about their opinions in public.

Matt's relationship with Jocelyn just made me grit my teeth. I strongly disliked her and her forwardness. If I were Trevor, I would not have forgiven Matt so easily all the time, nor would I have let Matt continue to fake it with her.

They get their HEA, but it's not without a lot of angst and heartache at times. I thought they made the cutest couple though, just wish all the cliche's and added drama didn't take so much away from what could have been a beautiful story.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Quarterback is a really good m/m romance. Matt is the football star of the college team who knows if his colleagues and fans found out he was gay could seriously harm his career, particularly in a college where the dean is vocally homophobic.
Trevor, who has been kicked out of his home by his Korean parents is having to work 3 jobs to support himself through college, he is openly gay and proud of it. They meet in the massage parlour where 'sparks' fly. As their relationship deepens it becomes harder and harder for Matt not to be able t express how how feels for Trevor in public, and Trevor is not too happy to have such a clandestine relationship.
A heartwarming and fun read, very enjoyable, there's also the message that how prejudice towards how some people live their lives can be destructive and totally unnecessary.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book honestly.

I really enjoyed this book. It took off for me right from the beginning. It never slowed down. I had all the feels of a new relationship while reading this book! And I loved that! This book was kinda funny! The things they would say to each other. From the friends to the main characters! They had me busting out laughing! I could so picture guys saying the things they would say! lol

I really enjoyed the main characters. Matt & Trevor had this undeniably attraction towards each other. They've had this crush on each other since freshmen year of college. But never doing or saying anything to each other about it. They never even saw each other after that year.
Until one day Matt walks into Trevor's job. And just from that one encounter. Matt knew he couldn't stay away.
Now this is where I felt Matt really started to step out of his closet. (Because he was so far in there!!) He needed to make the first move and get things started. And he did. Trevor I felt was the prefect guy for Matt. He was really understanding. He took things incredibly slow for Matt. He really wanted to show Matt how good things could feel.

I loved that. The pace of how things unfolded. it all felt so real. The sex in this book was just so damn good! I loved how Matt went all in for everything.

Matt had a very complicated life. I really felt for him. He had so much pressure on him. He had it from his football team, his father and at times from Trevor. But to be fare. Trevor had to become something he told himself he would never become once he came out of the closet.
Trevor too felt the pressure of Matt's secret. Alway watching what he said. Making sure everything looked ok when they were together. That alone takes a lot out of a person. And takes a toll on them too.

Both had crappy families. Trevor's family was horrible. I really felt for him. Thanksgiving broke my heart. I just wanted to give him a big hug. And Matt's dad was something else. Matt's dad put him through years of hell. He deserved what he go in the end.

I absolutely loved the ending. They've come a long way and endured so much. It was a nice ending.
This was a nice surprise. I'm so glad I read this book. I hope we get more from all the secondary characters! Because I just loved them in this book! Or maybe more on Matt & Trevor!?

Surprisingly enough I finished reading the book though knowing the outcome of the story right from the beginning. This was the first book I read by the author. I wondered why it was full of those typical stereotypes about LGBT. The book is kind of a romance between two guys but with very explicit details of them having sex. Although it's fiction one wonders why safe sex is practiced using condoms for penetration but swallowing.... (You get the hint I guess). Would I buy the book? Probably not

I love sports, especially football and hockey themed stories, so it was a no-brainer once I’d seen the cover, and title of this book, that I was going to read it. I was not disappointed. It starts out pretty hot and sexy at the “deluxe” massage parlor, and I can understand why there is a “massage” category in gay porn, now. It was really hot.

Matt is a college senior and the star quarterback who is on his way to taking his team to the championship. Coming out is not an option at this point in his life. Football, and especially his sports scholarship, deny him that privilege, but he is counting down the days. What he doesn’t expect is his closest friends already knowing his secret and setting him up with a male masseur. A very hot, tattooed and pierced Asian masseur who ticks all his little boxes.

Trevor never accepts the “deluxe” massages but once he realizes his crush is the one requesting one, he can’t say no. There is a lot that goes on during the first massage, so let’s just leave that for you to read and enjoy for yourself. Just trust me when I say that Trevor and Matt make an amazing couple, and once things settle and they begin their “relationship” it is all worth it.

Both Matt and Trevor, and even a few of their friends, are really good guys and they make this story a very enjoyable and sexy read. It has all the components that I come to expect in a sports themed book and I was not disappointed. If football, college aged, and exploring one’s sexuality is something that calls to you, then I highly recommend this book.

The Quarterback is a sexy, sweet MM college sports romance. Matt is Bodine College's celebrated quarterback and he's miserable. He's so far in the closet he's not sure if he'll ever be able to find his way out. He's not in denial to himself, but he hasn't told anyone around him he's gay. Bodine is a private, Baptist college and he's only there on a full-ride football scholarship that comes with a stupid morals clause. Deep in Alabama, the town, the state, has conservative (read close-minded, bigoted) ideas about what is and what isn't appropriate behavior. But, when his friends and fellow teammates take him to a shady massage studio and request a "deluxe" athletic massage for him, one complete with a hot Asian guy as his masseuse, suddenly Matt's seeing his life a little differently, and realizing exactly what he's missing by staying in the closet and remaining a virgin.

When Trevor sees Bodine's golden boy quarterback on his massage table, the guy he's lusted after since freshman year, he's excited but a little ashamed that he has to work here in this shady massage studio to help pay his bills. He doesn't feel like a prostitute, in fact, he's not, but when Matt leaves him a huge tip after Trevor helps get Matt off, suddenly he's seeing life differently, too, and quits. He never expects to see Matt again, except perhaps on campus or in class, but when Matt shows up on his doorstep asking him to tutor him (for free) and help him get over his inexperience, the two can't keep their hands off each other and are suddenly engaged in a hot, but very secret relationship. How can they possibly maintain a relationship when it has to be a secret? Matt can't come out of the closet or chance losing his scholarship. He has no intentions of going pro, but he needs his scholarship to stay in college and graduate with his environmental sciences degree. Trevor doesn't want to be a secret, though, although he understands the predicament Matt's in. So do they stay a secret and allow themselves the feelings they're developing? Or do they go their separate ways and be miserable, but keep Matt's scholarship and his hopes for graduating?

I like both Matt and Trevor, especially Trevor. I like that Trevor's Asian (Korean), interracial couples are always something I like to see, especially when one of them is Asian. As a fellow Asian (Filipina), I love seeing my ethnicity represented in literature of all types. I feel as if Trevor is represented authentically, down to his bigoted family. And Matt feels authentic, too. A white guy from Alabama can't possibly be comfortable coming out of the closet, especially when he's the college's celebrated quarterback and his father is a sleazy bigot. But, and there's a big BUT here, some of the stereotypes and inappropriate dialogue in The Quarterback really bothered me. For instance, when Matt's twin sisters meet Trevor for the first time and one of them ask him if he's a top or a bottom, um, really?! What kind of question is that?! And is that really the question a younger sister would ask her brother's boyfriend when first meeting him?! I think not. Or when Matt's best friend's girlfriend meets Trevor and his best friend/roommate for the first time and she says to Drew (the best friend/roommate), "You are so cute, I love the faux hawk and your cute little tushy." REALLY?! Um, just no. And then just after that when she sees Trevor for the first time and she literally checks out his package and her boyfriend calls her out on it. "You're drooling babe," Connor said dryly, giving his girlfriend a look." Ugh, so inappropriate. If gay guys really have to endure conversations like that, then I feel for them, but something felt off about this type of dialogue. I sincerely hope it's not realistic and I know it offended me just reading it, so I can imagine how a guy might feel if he actually has to endure it.

All in all, though, I enjoyed The Quarterback, and Matt and Trevor. They have a nice connection and the sexy times are hot. I don't feel as if it's the most modern MM romance I've ever read, but it's nonetheless enjoyable and engaging with two likable leads and an interesting secondary cast. If college sports romances, and/or MM romance is your thing, you might do well to check out The Quarterback.

I really liked this book although there were far too many stereotypes for my liking. I liked both of the characters, but their side stories with each of their respective parents seemed like a side note.