Stevie‘s review of His Convenient Husband (Love and Sports, Book 1) by Robin Covington
Gay Sports Romance published by Entangled: Indulgence 09 Oct 17

I’m not a great one for reading sports romances where one of the protagonists plays a sport that’s very US-centric, but I’m always happy to see established authors branching out into subsets of romance that are closer to my interests than anything they’ve written previously. In this case, a writer who has previously written only straight romances, as far as I can see, has branched out into gay romance and taken a familiar trope in the form of the marriage of convenience, but put a bit of a twist on it.

Isaiah Blackwell is a successful American Footballer, as well as the widowed single father to a flamboyant teenage boy. Although he’s made no secret of his being gay, Isaiah has never made a big deal out of it either, and his manager and teammates are happy for him to keep things that way. By contrast, Victor Aleksandrov, a visiting Russian ballet star, is very outspoken about his sexuality and about the way LGBT people are treated back home. The unlikely pair have a one-night stand after Isiah takes his son – a fan of Victor – to the ballet, but don’t expect to meet again.

Victor’s application for asylum is turned down, however, and he ends up being rescued from the bar where he’s drowning his sorrows by Isaiah. They discuss Victor’s plight and the dangers he’ll face if he returns to Russia, after which Isaiah comes up with the idea of a fake marriage for at least as long as it takes Victor to get a green card. Isaiah is keen that they make this a marriage in name only – no more sex – because he’s scared of falling for Victor and having his heart broken all over again, should anything happen to his new husband.

Sadly, the twisting of the trope wasn’t enough for us to fall into a whole big world of clichés. I found it hard to believe that Isaiah’s teammates and fans were cool with him being quietly gay – we seemed to be inhabiting a strange parallel universe at times where the West is quite a bit more liberal than it feels to quite a few of us after the past couple of years’ political happenings. I also found it odd that Isaiah hadn’t noticed any of his son’s issues and was more than a little cynical of the men being able to convince the authorities that their marriage was real, while they told all their friends what a sham it was. Finally, there was that really annoying thing lazy US authors do of assuming that British and English are interchangeable when describing accents and that both are without regional variation anyway (accents and dialects vary from town to town, never mind from county to county or from one end of a country to the other).

Not an inspiring introduction to this author for me, but I did think Isaiah’s son and his friends were kind of cute.

Grade: D

Isaiah lost the one love of his life, and vowed never to get close enough to anyone else to have to endure that pain again. So, the last thing he expected was the physical and emotional reaction he had to the hot ballet star his artistic teenage son worshiped. When Isaiah and Evan attended the performance featuring Victor Aleksandrov, Isaiah was stunned at how beautiful the man was, and entranced by how kind he was to Evan. He was gorgeous eye candy, but nothing more. Or so Isaiah had himself convinced.

Victor was not only on tour, dancing in the U.S., but also seeking asylum from his homophobic country, for he knew that returning there once his visa expired meant, essentially, a death sentence for him. He used every photo opportunity to speak out on the injustices and crimes being committed against the gay community in Russia, which made him an automatic target should he return there. Needless to say, when Isaiah caught his eye, Victor was ready for anything the professional football player wanted to give—even if it was a casual one-night stand. What neither man planned on was Victor’s request for asylum being denied, nor the shattering reality of the consequences that presented for Victor.

Isaiah was never impulsive. He was out to his fans but quietly reserved about discussing his sexuality, which he felt was no one’s business but his own. Since the death of his husband he has barely dated, so imagine the surprise of the entire world when Isaiah Blackwell announced he was marrying Victor. The two men had struck a bargain; they would live as a married couple long enough for Victor to gain citizenship and secure his future. What neither intended on was the growing realization that the contrived marriage they’d agreed upon could be more than in name only. But Victor pined for the reality of a real home and a lasting love, while Isaiah ran from it with everything he was worth. He simply could not expose himself or Evan to losing someone they loved again… Or, could he?

Author Robin Covington offers up a sweet romance in her latest release, His Convenient Husband. Both Victor and Isaiah have good reason to avoid being involved with another man and opening themselves up to the reality of possible failure or rejection. Victor, in particular, truly longs to have a family again, especially since he was forced to leave his own when he became a dancer in training in Russia. But it’s Isaiah who really balks at the idea that he will ever love again, as he did his first husband. The incredible sense of loss haunts him daily, and he can’t even bring himself to think of any other man sharing his life. The two men live inside their own heads way too much and, over and over again, Isaiah fails to see how hurtful his comments and decisions are to Victor, especially when it comes to accusing Victor of failing to shield Evan from the spotlight that seems to follow Victor everywhere.

It is fascinating and frustrating to watch Isaiah fumble his way through this novel. He is actually desperate for someone to fill the void left by his deceased husband, but too busy denying those feelings. He misconstrues shielding Evan with the reality that he has, in actuality, been denying the fact that his gender-bending son has already endured large doses of a homophobic world thrown in his face. When he is confronted with the fact that Evan has been dealing with racist homophobes at school, Isaiah realizes just how much he has failed to see while wrapped up in his own grief. The tender scene that then follows between he and his son, that morphs from an angry confrontation, is really lovely to read.

I think there are really only two elements to this story that made me question the author’s choices. The first was Isaiah continually thinking of Victor as his husband. I understood completely why that was done, for the sake of the press and to fool others when they were out in public, but Isaiah’s internal dialogue always had him calling Victor husband as well. I felt that was in direct conflict with how he actually felt and what he was fighting against throughout a good portion of the novel. It got to the point where, in my opinion, it was a bit overdone with references to “my husband” constantly surfacing in Isaiah’s inner monologues. The only other trouble I had with this story was the quick resolution of the final conflict between our two main characters. Some fairly damning and harsh statements were leveled by Isaiah, the final salvo of which would be the reason for Victor to flee to New York earlier than expected. Even though it was well established that Victor loved Isaiah deeply by that point, the way in which he glibly forgave the man was a bit too easy and hard to swallow.

In the end, however, the redeeming qualities of this lovely romance outnumbered the problems and made the story one that fans of second chances and romance will really enjoy. Robin Covington presents two strong men who find in each other a safe place to call home. His Convenient Husband is a sweet romance and is sure to delight the dreamer in us all.

Pro-football player Isaiah and Russian ballet dancer Victor meet and spend one night together with the understanding that it’s a one-time hookup. Their chemistry is obviously off the charts but Isaiah, having lost his husband three years ago, is solely focused on raising his teenage son and is not interested in another relationship. Victor has been outspoken about his country’s brutal treatment of gay men and when his request for asylum is denied Isaiah steps in with a surprising proposition: a quickie wedding in Vegas meant to keep Victor safe in the U.S. Now navigating a new marriage of convenience, Isaiah struggles to balance his need for privacy with Victor’s activism – all while trying to ignore his growing attachment to this new man in his life.

Despite having several fundamental differences, Isaiah and Victor had an instant attraction with the possibility of so much more. Unfortunately, Isaiah was dead set against opening himself up to a new relationship. He had been devastated by the death of his husband and was determined to never feel that kind of loss again. As a professional football player, he was a public figure but maintained a very low profile. He was naturally a private man and was also adamant about providing his son Evan with a normal life outside the spotlight. I applauded Isaiah’s commitment to protecting Evan and, to an extent, understood his resistance to a new relationship, but only up to a point. There were times I was frustrated with Isaiah for continually keeping Victor at arm’s length and at times his rigid stance was downright hurtful to Victor. 

Speaking of Victor, he’s described in the synopsis as brash and loud but I never saw that. He was a committed and outspoken activist for gay rights and was a man who was strong with the power of his conviction. But he was also a lonely man who was raised as ward of the Russian government when his talent for ballet became evident. Victor was sweet and kind and so desperate to be a part of a loving family. From the first time Isaiah’s mother met Victor and engulfed him in a welcoming hug it was obvious this man pined for the safety and security of family. I wanted that so much for Victor and my heart hurt for him each time Isaiah made a choice to shut him out.

What I enjoyed about Isaiah and Victor was the fact that they were so different and they appreciated those differences in one another. And they were almost always honest and upfront with each other. I also loved Victor’s connection with Isaiah’s son, Evan. The two of them bonded quickly and had such a great relationship. Unfortunately the length of the book (barely over 200 pages) didn’t allow for much character development and the end of the story felt rushed. It would have been nice to see this expanded into more of a full length novel and allow for more time to form a real connection with the characters and their story.

I love a good fake relationship/arranged marriage romance and Isaiah and Victor's story did not disappoint, I just love the chemistry between these two guys that were just so great together. If you enjoy good M/M books then give this one a go, In fact, if you enjoy a good romance then you should give it a go.It was a great read and I would recommend to all.

i was excited abt this book bc the blurb promised that 1) there's a fake marriage trope & 2) victor is gender fluid. (i see now that this part isn't in the blurb anymore? which... interesting)

it didn't deliver on any of the fronts. i mean, there is the fake marriage thing yeah, but it's not enough to make u want to suffer through this. 

there was so much info-dumping in just the first chapter i never would have even imagined it possible. the writing is awkward and basically feels like the author's first work which it clearly isn't. everything is fake and over the top, and just not able to convey any emotions at all. and then u have the way the author writes gay men... 

so the book literally starts w one of the main characters describing the other as a "wet dream" & if that isn't bad enough for u, it goes on to talk abt sex for like 3/4 of the first chapter alone. obviously all gay people want to do is sleep w each other. thanks. there was some awkward lip biting while ogling the other man, lowkey foot fetish & generally just so much embarrassing rubbish! i'm just glad i dropped this book before the first sex scene because i rly don't think i could handle it...

as for victor being gender fluid - honestly, the main selling point for me - all we got was that he wear make up sometimes? and is like, not overly masculine? whoever wrote the blurb really didn't do their job very well.

so anyway. as a book w lgbt rep, this is a joke to me. as a sports romance, it's just very much mediocre.

It's kind of amazing how sometimes authors manage to write textbook examples of abusive relationships without realising it. 

I was very excited to read this book, as the premise sounds wonderful. I quite literally pounced on it and was left disappointed and angry. God, I was so angry by the time I finished. I was promised a non-binary russian activist ballet dancer falling in love with a black widower nfl player with a son. I got... this book.

I have so many issues with this book that I don't know where to start. There is barely any development for Victor and Isaiah as a couple. They meet, they fuck and are immediately in love. We never get anything explaining why these two are suddenly in love, they just are. When Isaiah suggests they get married, we don't see how he feels about the decision or why he suggested it. You'd think Isaiah, the man still grieving his husband after three years (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with grieving someone for years), would have something to say about the fact he's marrying someone he barely knows, no matter the reasons? We get a lot of "oh no I can't fuck him bcs that's unethical and I might fall in love even more", but nothing about the actual marriage.
Those two as a couple are mess. A horrible, horrible mess. I wouldn't mind the characters by themselves, but together, they made me back my head against the table. Their relationship is horrible. They spend half the book yelling at each other and they never, ever talk through any of their arguments. They yell at each other, ignore each other for a day, and then fuck to resolve it and then go back to ignoring their problems. They spend most of the book in denial about what they need out of a relationship and they never talk. Ever. 

What made my skin crawl was how the "activism" was handled. Isaiah repeatedly tells Victor to "keep that bullshit on the down-low". He, the black gay married man calls a gay rights activism "that shit". Oookay. No. He repeatedly calls activism bullshit and never gets called out on it. It's horrible and damaging. What's worse though is that whenever something happens, such as reporters getting into Victor's face about Russia, Isaiah then yells at Victor, as if it was his fault. He repeatedly yells at Victor for apparently hurting his kid by association and please don't do that. 
So whenever something bad happens that's out of Victor's hands, Isaiah makes it his fault and yells at him. And of course Victor is his dependent now and can't escape.
That's literally abusive behavior. Cut that shit out.

Then, around 80% in, we have some disgusting hate speech thrown our way. I understand the writer wanted the readers to understand that Evan's classmates are bad, but reading those lines? As a queer person, it made me feel horrible. It made me feel horrible and disgusting and I can't even imagine how triggering those lines could be for others. Don't make me read such disgusting hate speech in a gay romance novel, jesus christ. But that's not even the worst part, no. We get repeated and much worse version of all their previous arguments about activism and then Isaiah's kid calls him a coward for never doing any activism. Right, let's unpack this bit.

So first we have Isaiah blaming Victor yet again for having his "activism bullshit" "harm his kid". Because Evan defended himself from bullies spewing horrible violent hate speech. That is somehow Victor's fault. Random people's homophobia is Victor's fault, yet again.
Then we have Evan, Isaiah's kid, calling Isaiah coward for "not doing any activism". Later on Evan has to explain his father the concept of "straight passing." So let me get this straight. You're telling me that Isaiah, the twice-married openly gay black nfl player with a queer kid, has A) no concept of straight passing and B) has never been an activist??? His existence alone is activism! Every queer person just existing in this world is a form of activism. Someone as famous as Isaiah being openly gay is already so radical, it's obvious the author has no idea how much his existence alone would mean to people. But since he never says the "right words", he's a coward who never helped anyone, because the author says so. God, that made me so angry. Not to mention we actually don't see any "activism" being done on the pages. Victor talks about doing activism, but actually... doesn't. So I'm not even sure what the author is on about.

There's also Isaiah's passive-aggressive homophobia towards Victor and his slut-shaming of his best friend that he never gets called out on and made my skin crawl. Also in the version of the book that I got, Victor was supposed to be non-binary (one of the reasons I picked up the book so that was a huge disappointment), but given how that bit was erased from the blurb, the publishers agreed there was no basis for that. There were also a lot of grating inconsistencies, but in the context of the rest of the book, I'll let them slide.

There were things I liked. Isaiah's family were wonderful and the book had a really strong start, but then it all started falling apart. By 50%, I knew I wasn't going to like it and by 80%, I was angry and despairing. Missed potential is so much worse than just a bad book.

This book was really good! I like M/M stories and this one didn't disappoint. My first time reading this author but it won't be my last.

Overall, I enjoyed Isaiah and Victor's story. I loved the characters' connection to each other. I loved Isaiah's son, and Victor was easy to love- BUT Isaiah I had a hard time with. I understood where he was coming from but his argument started to feel weak, and his hot and cold behavior towards Victor started to grate on my nerves. 

Not a slam dunk for me but saw lots of potential in the writing. I would try this author again. 

3.5 Stars

Isaiah, an NFL player, suffered a tragic loss three years ago when his husband died. Ever since, he prefers to live quietly as he raises their teenage son, his career providing for them. But, when he meets Victor, his plans change.

Victor, a ballet dancer, isn't known for being quiet, and in fact, is seeking asylum from his country due to how outspoken he is in regards to how men like him with a different preference than his government believes in. He knows if he's sent back to Russia he'll die.

Isaiah and Victor are completely different people, personality wise, but their attraction is instant and mutual.  What started as one night together grew into a friendship and temporary arrangement, and both are enjoying their time together. Until Victor's request is denied. Though Isiaah no longer believes in the fairy tale, he also wants to help Victor has he's come to care for him, so he proposes, literally, and it's arrangement that will save Victor, and maybe Isaiah too.

Will Victor accept Isaiah's idea? What will Isaiah's son think? Will Isaiah ever be able to move forward, leaving his past behind? Can Victor and Isaiah have the fairy tale after all?

One-click now and follow along as two people get a second chance at life.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**

His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington is absolutely my favorite book to date from Ms. Covington. This book gave me all the feels and I honestly wanted to re-read it as soon as I read the last page.

Isaiah and Victor are such an amazing couple. I really felt like their differences made them work so well as couple. I loved that Isaiah is an NFL football player and Victor was a ballet dancer. While they are both athletes, they have such different jobs and ideas of how to live in or out of the spotlight. I totally got that Victor was more open and outspoken about gay rights and his lifestyle than Isaiah, and absolutely loved that about him. I also understood Isaiah's choice and didn't fault him for his choice not to live in the spotlight.

Isaiah and Victor had the most incredible chemistry between them. Even before they shared their first kiss, the way they looked at each other made me fall in love with them as a couple. I loved they tried to keep their relationship platonic, but knew the more time they spent together the harder it would be for them not to act on their attraction. OMG when they finally did get together, their love scenes totally and completely steamed up my kindle screen. 

I will flat out just say that my heart almost broke when Isaiah and Victor were apart for a bit. I understood Isaiah's reaction, but I still wanted to Gibbs smack him upside the head every bit as much as I wanted to hug Victor. I loved that it took Isaiah's son Evan to make him see the light about Victor's choices and Evan's choices as well and how they alined completely. I loved that Isaiah really just wanted to protect the men he loved and while he didn't always go about doing it in the right way, he did see the light before he lost Victor forever.

I absolutely adored His Convenient Husband and thought it was an amazing start to the Love and Sports series. I can't wait to read the rest of the book in the series next year.


Rating: 5 Stars (A+)

I had heard so many good things about this book even before it went live and I was not disappointed. I completely fell head over heels for Victor and Isaiah . While RL got in the way of me getting to this book as soon as I had it loaded up on my Kindle, once I had a moment to start reading it, I couldn't put it down. Looking forward to reading more from Robin Covington.

**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

It has been a long time since i have read a M/M book and i am quite glad that i picked it up.

Yes, there can be some quite graphic sex scenes, so if that is not your thing, this book is not for you, but the emotional connection between the two and the growth of the characters is just what i expected from Robin.

A well written book that really makes you feel that the two deserve each other and that they have a special connection and some really great friends and a wonderful adopted son.

A difficult book to give a firm rating to.  On the one hand, the characters are great.  I really enjoyed reading an imperfect black gay man who was allowed to be imperfect - too often authors think their gay characters aren't allowed flaws, and stubborn Isaiah has many.  This never makes him unappealing, however.  Similarly, Victor is stubborn as hell in how he pursues his dreams and goals, and I like that we're invited to see that even the most sympathetic character in the narrative (Victor) can be imperfect.  Points also for Isaiah's son, Evan, who very nearly steals the show.

All this said, the plot premise is flimsy.  Yes, I know it's a staple, but this sort of fake marriage simply doesn't work for immigration purposes.  Perhaps having a legal background makes me more sensitive to this, but there's not a chance that the US government would give Victor a green card based on his marriage to Isaiah in these circumstances.  And that inaccuracy nagged me throughout the book.  Overall, a flawed by enjoyable read.

This is my first read by Robin Covington, but I have heard of her before. From what I've read online, she mostly writes category romances, and this is her first m/m story. I'm not a sports fan, so I usually skip sports romances, but a marriage of convenience plot? That's my catnip, sign me up.

NFL football player Isaiah Blackwell meets Victor Aleksandrov, Russian ballet dancer, via their mutual manager at a backstage event at the ballet. They're very different personalities, with Isaiah not in the closet since he'd been married to a man and adopted a kid with him, but still not “in your face” about being gay. Victor is out, proud, and vocal about how LGBT+ people are being treated in his home county. As a result, if he doesn't get asylum in the US, he'll be sent back to a country where he could be killed.

They have a one night stand, but Isaiah doesn't want anything more because he's still in mourning for his husband, Stephen, and doesn't want to risk his heart again. He also feels he needs to shield his son, Evan, who is is much more flamboyant than either of his fathers, and is quite the fanboy for Victor even before the marriage of convenience plot kicks in. Victor's a bit disappointed but not terribly surprised that Isaiah doesn't want more, considering his history, and they go their separate ways.

So of course Victor's amnesty is denied, and their agent (who is out of town) calls Isaiah to go talk to Victor, and he ends up proposing a trip to Las Vegas to get married. Just long enough for him to be able to legally stay on his own. Of course. A little niggle here, but there was talk of it taking two years, but if he's applying for citizenship, it takes much longer than that in most cases, even if you marry a citizen. In some cases, it can be a decade or more before citizenship. There's also never a mention of any meetings with immigration officials, who would certainly take note of an NFL player marrying a dissident who was recently denied asylum.

For a sports romance, the NFL stuff didn't play much of a role, other than being part of the reason Isaiah is so leery of not being in the spotlight as a gay man, despite admiring Victor for being so outspoken. He was married and didn't have much problem, but as his team manager tells him later, it wasn't so bad when he was happily married with a kid and stayed out of the tabloids. Being married to Victor could create a problem for the team if he continues to be so outspoken. In other words, it's OK if you're gay, just don't keep talking about it.

We see much more of Victor's life in the ballet, which is just as demanding an athletic pursuit as football, and thankfully Isaiah knows it. We get a little history of Victor being taken from his family at a young age to train for the ballet, then traveling around the world, so he's never really had a home. He craves it, and bonds with Evan, who was in the system before his dads adopted him. Evan is also strongly hinted to be bisexual as well as very artistic, so they bond over his art as well, with Isaiah being supportive, but not really “getting” his son's endeavors.

This being a marriage of convenience story, we all know where we're going, especially since they already know what they're missing sexually, and long for something emotionally, though Isaiah is very reluctant to admit that even to himself. I do wish we'd spent a bit more on the “I don't want a relationship, but I don't want this guy to die, so I'm going to marry him” part of the story. What can I say? I like the angst.

When I started reading this, I thought it sounded like a traditional m/f category romance with a m/m twist. Turns out I was right, as there's a mention of it in the notes at the end of the book, and visiting the author's web site showed her previous works were m/f category romances. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, “categories” are those slim romance books most people call “Harlequins” after the main publisher of this type of book. They're quick, formulaic reads, and are often a monthly fix for voracious readers who find a line of categories they like. Reading it with a familiarity of the style can make a difference to the reader. Those expecting a “regular” m/m romance might get disappointed over the shorter story and lighter than normal plot, even though this one does deal with some heavy issues such as the treatment of LGBT+ people in Russia and homophobia in the NFL.

I feel bad for those who were misled by the earlier blurb which said Victor was genderfluid, which I didn't read. There's no indication of that, unless the original blurb writer though an out, proud, and loud ballet dancer wearing eyeliner counted. Honestly, Evan comes across as more genderfluid than Victor does. I don't blame those who feel let down by that element not being in the book when it was originally advertised, but I do feel terrible for the author because she was getting buzz for something she didn't write in the first place (and she didn't write the blurb either), with some reviewers possibly knocking off stars for the lack. I am glad the blurb has been corrected for publication, and I hope the initial one doesn't hurt the book in the long run. 

It's a pleasant read for a category, especially for a first time author writing m/m after writing m/f. This appears to be the first in a series, and I'm curious to see if the rest will be m/m, or go back to her usual m/f stories with sports as the theme. Perhaps a mix? I think the disappointment over the lack of a genderfluid lead in this one shows there's demand for more representation.

3.5 stars
 There was quite a bit of buzz about this book on my social media timelines, so I wanted to see what it was all about. This was my first time reading this author.

Isaiah is quite content living a quiet life with his teenage son.  The loss of his spouse has put him off all relationships as he just can't go through that sort of pain again. 

But when he arranges a meeting between his son and one of his idols by the name of Victor, Isaiah's world goes into turmoil.  He's attracted to Victor in a big-time way, only his grief over losing his husband keeps him from letting go.  After a one-night stand, Isaiah moves on.

Victor is a gender fluid ballet dancer and artist. He's attracted to Isiaih, but accepts that he's not going to have more than one night.  But when Victor's application for asylum is refused, Isaiah can't let Victor go back to Chechnya and possible death for his sexual orientation.  They do the only thing they can -- fly to Vegas and get married.

Even after all this, Isaiah is sticking to his rule that they can't have a relationship. It's all for show.  But there's a big bucketload of chemistry between them, and it's hard to always follow Isaiah's rule. 

Isaiah may find out too late just what his no-relationship rule is going to cost him.

I loved Victor in this, especially his interactions with Isaiah's son Evan. Victor's honesty and believe in  himself and his causes really made this book for me.  I did find the pacing to be slower than I like with this book, and there were quite a few times I wanted to smack Isaiah upside the head.  

Overall, I liked this diverse story and how it highlighted some of the difficulties of being out and proud. 

An ARC was provided for review.

This was my first foray into this author's writing, but hopefully not my last. 

I found this to be an excellent use of the "marriage of convenience" trope, showcasing a romance between a still-grieving widowed football player and a somewhat effeminate Russian ballet dancer seeking and being denied asylum in the US, who get married avoid deportation and potential death in the homophobic climate of Mother Russia. 

I adored Viktor, the ballet dancer and activist, who's not afraid to use his fame position to shine a light on homophobia and the persecution of LGBTQ people everywhere. He was loud in his advocacy, but also thoughtful and kind and generous and loving. And very insightful, too. 

Isaiah on the other hand is much more reserved and chooses to live his life much more quietly, afraid to rock the boat, even though everyone knows he's gay, considering he was married to a man before his husband's untimely death. He's unwilling to confront homophobia in others, and prefers to focus on his football career and on raising the teenage son he and his late husband adopted. He's also still grieving and unwilling to open his heart to a second chance at love, thinking that it would diminish what he had before. 

Viktor and Isaiah meet, spend a hot night together, but decide to part as friends. When Viktor's asylum request is denied and he's faced with having to return to Russia, Isaiah steps in and offers marriage and the subsequent Green Card, but takes sex completely off the table.

Isaiah is an interesting character. I was wondering many times whether his reluctance to live his life "out loud" was because of his career choice and the still rampant homophobia among NFL players/teams/coaches/owners, or because of his skin color, or because of his need to keep his son Evan safe and protected, or just because that's who he is - quiet, introverted, and perhaps just a little spineless. 

Obviously, Isaiah's desire to keep a lid on Viktor's activism backfires spectacularly. But that's not the only thing that backfires - his plan to keep his hands off Viktor and not fall for the man crumbles just the same. For a lot of the book, there's a ton of tension in the relationship, and more often than not, I was angry with Isaiah for making Viktor feel like he had to walk on eggshells. There's clearly a power imbalance at play as well, what with Viktor dependent on keeping the marriage "alive" for as long as he has to until he's no longer in danger of losing his immigration status. 

The two men have zero issues getting along in the bedroom, and there were plenty of steamy scenes inside. And still, Isaiah is reluctant to examine what he's feeling for Viktor, and ends up pushing the other man to his breaking point. 

Of course, this being a romance, a HEA is expected and was delivered, in a grand romantic fashion when Isaiah pulls his head out of his ass, listens to his son, and runs after Viktor to grovel. While I loved the romantic conclusion, I was a little irked for two reasons. One, Isaiah's change of heart came way too quick for my taste, and two, he didn't have to grovel nearly long enough before Viktor took him back. Yes, yes, I know - the grand romantic gesture - but that didn't excuse the hurt Isaiah inflicted on Viktor before that. 

Still, all's well that ends well, right?

I'm definitely interested in reading the next book in this series. The story flowed well, there were no massive time jumps or lulls in the plot, and the writing was not overly purple. The characters' actions and reactions were, for the most part, reasonable and realistic, and the dialogue felt organic as well.

"...one prince had everything and lost it, and the other prince had nothing but was willing to fight for the right to have it."

This is my first time reading Robin Covington and it 100% certainly won't be my last. I was sucked in and connected to these characters from the very beginning. 

Isaiah and Victor are complete opposites. 

Isaiah is an out gay man, however he's quiet about it. He doesn't feel the need to march in parades or publicly speak out about his personal life. He's a widower (his husband died 3 years ago in a car accident), a father, and he plays football. Those are his priorities. 

Victor is vocal about what he believes in and feels that his somewhat celebrity status as a popular professional dancer gives him a platform to fight for the rights of LGBTQ+ members around the world. Especially in his home country of Russia. 

The attraction between these two is instantaneous. And one night together is enough to calm the desire, but not enough to keep either man far from the other's thoughts. When they decide to marry it's a little quick and jarring, but I went along with it. 

It's clear that the two men share a connection, but Isaiah is determined to keep Victor in a box. He can't afford to have emotions tangled up in this convenient arrangement.

"Sex leads to intimacy and intimacy leads to feelings, and this is not about feelings."

However, he plays hot and cold with Victor for a good portion of this book and well, that got frustrating at times. He also has a couple asshole moments (principal's office anyone?) where I wasn't sure if I'd ever fully believe that he'd move beyond his hang ups. Don't worry, he did and I believe! 

Victor was impossible not to love. He's lived a difficult life and so much of what he'd dreamed for himself comes in the package that is Isaiah. His desire and longing for the man was a constant need, and in the beginning he'd take whatever Isaiah was willing to offer.

"Victor knew how good they could be together, and while he knew they would walk the razor's edge between emotion and pure physical indulgence, he was willing to risk it. If he fell, then he'd embrace it.

But he knew he'd be falling alone."

The push and pull was delicious angst along with hair-pulling frustration. For my tastes, Robin Covington walked this line with fragile precision. The scale never quite tipped into the negative. Just when I wanted to throttle either man, a small breakthrough would come and the scales would balance. 

"...it would be everything; it would be life changing. A risk of his heart, one he wasn't sure he was ready to make, but might not have a choice."

And Evan (Isaiah's son)...he shines so bright in this book. A boy who's lived a rough life, seen the ugly side of people, and still isn't afraid to speak up and to fight for what he believes in. He's strong, he's brave...and he hugged my heart so tight in this book! 

"I'm just like Victor, Dad. We don't have to come out because we wear it on our skin. You're huge and athletic and a macho professional football player, and if you don't tell people you're gay, they never know, and even when you do tell them, they don't always believe you. If you wanted to, you could pass as straight. So, don't talk to me about me creating risk. I'm at risk because I can't hide who I am."

However, as much as I loved this book, there were a couple of things that kept me from rating this higher...because let me tell you...this book had some SERIOUS 5 star potential for me. 

1. Certain scenes weren't included that I felt could have really added some depth and emotion to both the characters and the story arc. For example, I would have loved to see the morning after Isaiah and Victor's first night together, or their Vegas wedding, or the couple of days after they got married. Especially that last one. The author glossed over their first few days back home with a time jump and a throwaway sentence that they'd settled into a warm, homey and domestic routine. Isaiah, Victor, and Evan easily became a family and I really wanted to have seen that transition. 

2. I wish the author would have went all the way with how committed Victor was about speaking up. I didn't need anything big, but just some mention of what he was doing. It was such a big part of his character and the big conflict between him and Isaiah...yet I felt it was something that was happening waaaay back in the background. Not too much mention of it. 


Overall, this was a book that I really liked and if real life didn't get in the way, I would have easily gobbled this up in one sitting. I was drawn in by the characters, engaged in the story, and rooting for everyone. And damn it, I love me a nice grovel...and Isaiah delivers beautifully! 

"To watch him dance is breathtaking. To hear him speak is uplifting. To observe him playing video games on the couch with our son is joyful. To have him smile at me is...a gift. To have him love me is priceless. To love him is humbling..."

Highly recommend this book! Pick it up and fall in love.

2.5 stars rounded up

I will snatch up any book that has dancing so when I first read the blurb I had high hopes that this one would be for me. Speaking of the blurb, I’ve seen several reviewers give this book a lower rating because they felt Victor wasn’t as genderfluid as the original summary implied. That has since been corrected so my review will not be covering Victor’s gender.

I really wanted to like this book but for the most part it left me less than wowed. The timing of events was off and while I spent the better part of the middle wishing something other than Isaiah’s reservations to a relationship with Victor would happen, I ended up waiting so long that the grand gesture at the end felt super rushed and I wasn’t convinced that that these two could overcome everything that had happened. At least not right away. Harsh, nearly unforgivable words were spoken so since I wasn’t ready to forgive Isaiah, it made me skeptical that Victor would be able to either. I’m not a big fan of grand gestures to begin with but at the pace that this one took place and the fact that it was done in front of an audience made me uncomfortable.

Something else that bothered me was the discussion that Isaiah has with his son Evan about fighting. Evan was one of my favorite parts of the book. I felt for him as he navigates his way through a school where his sexuality and gender are a constant source of mockery and bullying. I loved that Isaiah was so understanding and listened to his son and I also completely understood why Evan would feel the need to defend himself. He, rightfully, didn’t want to be seen as a pushover who will just stand by and accept a beat down. But Isaiah didn’t explain to him that violence is not the answer and should only be considered as a last resort so I fear that an omission such as this would actually condone that behavior.

I would also have liked to see more positive representation of Victor’s LGBT+ advocacy in regards to how it impacts his relationship with Isaiah rather than focusing on the rift is causes. I really liked him and I respected that he wouldn’t hesitate to speak up about important issues but it’s a big factor in the problems they have so it would’ve been nice to see his passion for equality be the source for something good – possibly in the conflict resolution. Victor’s a good role model for Evan as well, and I really liked how the two storylines tied into one another.

I loved Isaiah’s mom, his relationship with her, and the warm sense of family in the book. Especially since Victor was on his own and needed that in his life. The other supporting characters were a bonus as well and created a well-rounded cast.

In the end, I really liked the intense and immediate connection between Victor and Isaiah. When it was good between them it was REALLY good but it just took them too long to get where they were going.

I really enjoyed this book by new to me author Robin Covington. This is the story of Isaiah and Victor. Isaiah is a NFL player who fiercely guards his privacy and that of his son and family members. He would rather be in the shadows instead of being out in the light. Victor is the complete opposite of Isaiah...he is loud not afraid to speak his mind and have his voice heard. With his job as a ballet dancer he is always in the spotlight. They are as opposite as can be but the attraction is there for the both of them. They have one night of passion and thought that was the end of it. Victor is needing asylum but was denied...to help him out Isaiah offers to marry him so Victor can stay. Isaiah tries his hardest to keep himself not feeling any emotion but Victor carefully knocked each and every wall down. When the chips fall can Isaiah step up to the plate and show Victor how much he means to him?

I highly recommend this story to everyone...it was a well written very entertaining story. Well done!!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance readers copy of this book.