2.5/3 stars

This is a really rough book. The first 30% of the book are really hard to go through and made me almost DNF several times.

Spoilerish ahead??

First up: evil manipulative sports parents. They exist I know. I've seen dance moms but that didn't stop them from coming off as cartoonishly evil

Dane: is a shining blinding piece of white privilege and white savior with magical amazing hacking skills. Hacking skills that remind me to much of Jamie and felt really out of place in this book. Like yes its nice he got out from under his parents thumb to come out but I didn't care. He was going to be fine even he did come out and didnt have Alex.

Alex: it was not his job to do all the emotional labor to get his boyfriend to come out of the closet. Alex deserved better

Also as a personal trigger I could have done without the mother most likely dying from breast cancer. When it recurs like that it means its stage 3 or 4. I personally hate sick/dying parent plotlines having gone through it

Best: Jacob and Bas. I want there book. Jacob needs to be protected

Overall the plot is a lot of magical hand waving of hacking but the writing is mostly solid. Agents Irish and Whiskey are much better than this

"He'd loved Alex from across the pool and across a dorm room, then from across the country and across the years. Across everything that had stood between them."


Oh the HATE LUST is strong in this one!

Dane and Alex were each other's first loves, and 10 years ago Dane turned his back on Alex because of his parents' stronghold on him. Parents whose entire focus is on their image.

Now reunited and teammates, Alex can't let go of the anger, disappointment, rejection, and still ever present desire. While Dane turns his yearning for Alex into defensive arguments and stubborn cockiness.

These two could hurl some hurtful insults without blinking an eye. They were slinging barbs left and right while all that desire boiled just below the surface.

Alex couldn't understand why Dane was willing to be a puppet? Why he wouldn't stand up to his parents when it was clear he was miserable? But even with all that anger, memories from 10 years ago flooded his mind and heart. Two teenage boys dancing in the dark in their dorm room, discovering each other's bodies, and falling in love.

Dane was bombarded with the same memories, but he kept those memories locked tight...buried in an encrypted folder on his computer and deep within his heart...away from his parents, his sponsors, and the media. The anger and jealousy taking over whenever he saw Alex and his teammate Bas so comfortable in their skin and getting to live their lives how they wanted.

"To be that easygoing, to be that carefree, to focus so little on what other people thought, to live and love as they pleased...the jealousy nearly strangled him."

But you can only hide for so long. A night away from training where Dane can let his guard down and an unexpected turn of events in preparation for the Olympics puts things in perspective for both Dane and Alex. Maybe it's time Dane finally grabs hold of the future he wants? But can Alex trust him not to walk away again?

I do enjoy a good enemies to lovers trope, and this one definitely delivered. My heart broke for Dane and his yearning for the life he didn't think he'd ever have. To be around the one person you want more than anything was a torture that Dane lived through every day. He lashed out to hide the pain.

Same for Alex. He resented Dane's privileged behavior and resented the fact that it was so easy for him to walk away all those years ago. The love never went away, but he didn't think he could handle Dane rejecting him all over again.

The push and pull dominated the first half of this book, while the second half kinda went in a direction I wasn't expecting. First off, the switch was flipped a little too easily for my tastes. And second, certain elements felt out of place and didn't fit with the overall feel of the book. I didn't expect to pick up a book about swimming and have a suspense element thrown in?

And speaking of swimming, there really isn't a whole lot in here. It appears that the arc of the series will be the team preparing for the Olympics in search of their elusive gold relay medal. Maybe there'll be more in the second book since the team is now on their way to Madrid for training.

And speaking of the second book...GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!! I'm beyond curious about Bas and Jacob!! Tatted, carefree guy + shy cinnamon roll = ♥ ♥ ♥ Yes!! This speaks right to my heart.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and satisfying start to Layla Reyne's new series. And I'll tell you one thing....the cover branding for this series is A+++ WOWZA!!

Spoilerish?

I was so excited for this book and trust me when I say I wanted so badly to love it. There were things that I liked but on the whole it was mostly a miss for me. However, please bear in mind this is coming from a sports fanatic so, grain of salt.

It started off rough. Both Dane and Alex have tempers and tend to become physical when they're angry. Big 'no' for me there but I pushed on and things did approve somewhat after Alex called the truce around 30%. They continue to be pitiful communicators overall but they do make headway on their relationship. What puzzles me about this is how this story can become almost didactic on certain buzz topics yet still deploy violence as a means of showing how "strong" the feelings are between the protags. I, personally, have trouble believing in a relationship when one can so easily resort to violence against someone whom they claim to love, but that's me.

However, a large part of what drew me to this story in the first place was the lovers to enemies to lovers/second chances thing happening in the blurb and minus the violence it was a decent interpretation of the trope. Dane and Alex met at a swim camp when Dane was 16 and they fell in love. Unfortunately, Dane comes from Southern parents that are almost carcaturish in their religious fervor that reads more like villainy and at 16 he was ill-equipped to defy them, thus Alex was left heartbroken. Dane then proceeds to pour all of his energies into swimming to become the face of the sport in all his ginger glory.

As a sports fanatic if I can marry romance and sports I feel like I'm having my cake and eating it too which made this book an instant add. The problem is there's no sports in this sports romance. We start in the pool with Dane slapping the wall just before his teammate and mentor Mo. But after that... essentially bupkis.

I haven't the words for how disappointed I was at this development and, honestly, I don't understand why it happened. Since they are readying for the Olympics there is some training and talk of improved times, but IMO opportunities were missed. No mentions are made of international competition and you can bet money almost all of these guys have an international rival that they keep up with. Injuries, relationship woes, controversy, coaching changes, training changes or anything they could potentially use to their advantage is kind of a benchmark in sports but elevates when one is involved in an individual sport. If you don't believe me check out this vid from the Rio Olympics and watch Phelps squish his tiny little head, figuratively of course. What's more, the whole team is hyper-focused on winning the medley relay but there's no mention one of Team USA's biggest rival, the Australians?

Instead the narrative fragments into a kooky plotline involving the evil parents and an even kookier hacking scheme. For me, the evil parents cruel machinations didn't add up. The father is some big whig evangelical pastor who's known far and wide and the mother is a former beauty queen who supposedly has a successful business all her own, so why is Dane's sponsorship money the "golden goose"? As far as the hacking goes, it seemed like an cockamamie choice for a sports romance. Then again, there was next to no sports in this story. My only other quibbles are the timeline that somehow prevented Dane from competing in the previous Olympics doesn't jive and either we didn't get introduced to everyone on the team or there aren't enough members on this team for an Olympic squad.

On a positive note, what I did like were the team building and Dane and Alex's sexual chemistry. They do a good job of convincing me of their devotion to one another by the end of the narrative. But listen, the bottom line is I already like the mojo happening between Bas and Pup and I am truly looking forward to the next one. I think I see the end game of building towards the Olympics so I'm hopeful there will be more sports going forward and this was just a fluke.

Recommend to contemporary and second chance romance fans.




An ARC was provided by NetGalley.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love watching competitive swimming, especially around the Olympics. When I saw Santino Hassell's tweet about this book, I was pumped. A M/M romance about two competitive swimmers heading to the Olympics, reconnecting with a second chance story? I am so here for that.

Unfortunately, I thought the book felt a bit flat. There was a lot of build-up and tension at the beginning, but in some ways it felt forced. I wanted more from the characters besides their complicated family histories and inability to move beyond the past. Once they finally got there, some implausible plot points were able to salvage the story, but I was a bit disappointed at how fast and convenient it felt. I think the next book will be about Bas, which I'm looking forward to reading.

While I didn't enjoy this one *quite* as much as the Irish and Whiskey series, it was still good.

Yes, there's some martyrdom going on with Dane and some lack of communication but I was still almost always engaged in the story.

My one complaint would probable be Dane's heinous parents. And while, I didn't always agree with or like the way Dane acted....in the end I thought he made up for it.

I'm definitely looking of forward to Jacob and Seb's book.

Hmmmm, this was my first time reading Layla Reyne, and I was pleasantly surprised with her writing and the story. The story was good, but predictable. However, the ending was a good way to get you hooked into the story enough that you need to continue with the series and now I can't wait for Bas and Jacob's story. And then there we will get to find out if Alex and Dane were able to bring home their golds.

I felt such sadness at the beginning of this book because of a love that suffered due to fear and having to hide; away from family and friends and the world at large. To see something as pure as this, spoiled and taken away really did break my heart.

Alex Cantu cares for everybody. He cares for his family, he cares for the team he’s captain of but leaves little time for himself, what with the gruelling training schedule of the US mens swim team, his job at USOC and then his family farm where he needs to help out. Not to mention that his Mum is having treatment for cancer and he needs to stay close for her and the rest of the family. Dane Ellis, golden boy of swimming, seems like he has it all; affluent parents, sponsorships galore, a poster boy for the sport, but that’s all a front and a lie.
What started as a beautiful and innocent love many years ago at training camp, which turned sour when Dane has to turn his back on Alex and follow his parents’ edict of fame, money and sponsorship are really the only thing that matters. Now, Alex and Dane are both chosen for the Olympic team, and this is where the real heartache kicks in.

I really felt for both these men, Alex; such a beautiful and caring soul , having the weight of the world on his shoulders and Dane, having to put on a front and hide his sexuality, just playing a part and a pawn in the game for his greedy and selfish parents, stuck in the web of their control. How can they overcome this?
After a stolen night together, could there be a chance for them? Sadly, this night is the catalyst for more heartache which blows them apart in the worst way imaginable. But truths are told and souls are bared and good friends step in and they begin the fight of their lives and all this happening right before the Olympic Games – not much pressure then?

I really enjoyed this story, it tells of a love that had to be fought for, and that you can’t do everything alone. You have to depend on other people and sometimes just trust that everything will work out okay. I loved the camaraderie and the love and help they got from their friends and teammates, namely Bas and Jacob (I fell alot in love with the pup here, no lie, and I can’t wait to hear his story!).

I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending you read this book, a heartbreaking and ultimately beautiful tale and a cracking start to the Changing Lanes series.

Layla Reyne has fast become one of my go-to authors for spectacular m/m romance, and Relay was pure romance gold that kept me reading from start to finish. Oh, how I loved this book!!!

Both of these main characters brought their A-games and the secondary cast was the icing on the cake. Alejandro was cast aside by the closeted Dane a decade before, and Alex isn’t willing to risk his heart a second time. Unfortunately, they’re both on the same Olympic swimming team and finding the middle ground is a feat in itself especially when Alex's career is on the line.

I had the happy heart squeezes and the clutch-my-heart moments watching these two! It definitely starts with this enemies-to-lovers vibe with all this bad blood keeping them apart. But underneath is this inevitable simmering attraction.

Dane grew up in a conservative environment, his parents pulling his string to be the poster boy of the media. The one time he took what he wanted was his relationship to Alex which turned out badly and not much in his case has changed. He's stuck in this place of being what his parents want him to be and who he truly is. (Be prepared to despise hsi parents something fierce!)

Dane's journey was humbling to watch, and I can’t tell you how misty-eyed I got.

Alejandro has the freedom of being out with a supportive family, but he has so much on his plate! This guy shattered me into pieces! The additional emotional knot of Dane is something he's unprepared for and things get complicated when Alex lands in hot water.

This is such a well-rounded story that delivers heat and camaraderie, passion and playfulness, competition and friendship. But what truly amazes me about this writer is how she intertwines vulnerability in her characters with this strength in letting yourself be vulnerable.

I can't recommend this series enough! And the wait for Bas’s story?! GIMMEE, GIMMEE!

5 blazing gold stars!

I'm excited for this new series about Olympic swimmers! I'm glad Riptide is publishing it and that sports romance is making a comeback slowly but surely.

I adored everything about it to be honest. The relationship was so strong and pure and powerful. Alejandro and Dane love each other so much and I felt for them so strongly from the very start. I cried tons but not because I was sad or anything, sometimes yes, but many times because I felt it too deeply inside of me and their story is just so magnificent and beautiful.

I do want to note that some Spanish translations were kinda wrong? Maybe two or one I dont remember quite well. And whenever they talked in Spanish, the author didn't put the Spanish translations, they just said they were talking it but put it in English which was disappointing in a way, sadly.

But overall, I loved it and cannot wait to continue with this series.

I think I'm the minority with this book because Dane grated on my nerves from page one. I didn't understand how he could act like that at his age, it just didn't add up for me at all. I loved Alex from the beginning and I understood his hurt at being shunned by Dane. Yes, Dane was young in the beginning but come on, ten years later and he's till acting like a child. No, doesn't add up.

I'm a sucker for second chance romances and this one was no exception. Both Dane and Alex were great characters with distinctive voices and a complex back story. I liked that the author didn't spend too much time on their past but focused more on the present and future. The romance was both slow and omnipresent and I really liked that the author put the emotional and story development first instead of relying on sex from the very beginning. 

I just wished we got to see the story through to the Olympics but I guess that's what book 2 is for 😉

The simmering intensity of testosterone-laden competitive athletes and that crazy energy that they bring to it are what I particularly love about sports romances. Never having read M/M for olympic swimmers, ‘Relay’ quite literally had my eyes popping at the blurb that was followed by furious clicking on Netgalley and earnest prayer that I’d be given an ARC.

From the way Layla Reyne amped it up straight from the start as hostile sparks flew between Alex and Dane, I sat back, licked my chops and knew immediately this was going to be a good one. There were so many things I liked about this: the pairing, the unique pressures that the modern sports celebrity faces, the multiethnic representation of the swim team, the petty politics that goes on behind the performance and practice and the ever-present, pounding anticipation of the upcoming meet that pours off the pages.

And just as I liked the context and the build-up to the Olympics, I was fond of Alex from the start—the overworked athlete struggling to make ends meet and while keeping his swim team in sync and in good spirits, while keeping his heart and head away from Dane Ellis. Alex and Dane as we learn, had a history and one that ended in a nasty way a decade ago, no thanks to Dane. Consequently, I had a bit of a harder time with Dane, wishing that his own courage wasn’t just limited to pushing his limits in the water but Reyne does peel back the layers to reveal more than a spoilt boy with his hypocritical parents (though I do wonder why religious characters always tend to be the biggest hypocrites in romantic fiction) who had done nothing but control his life.

My only complaint is that some bits felt far-fetched, which made the ending somewhat anti-climatic as everything started and ended during the run up to the heart-pounding Olympics itself: Dane’s ultimate stepping in, the quick resolution, the unrealised but hopeful dream, the rushed HEA. 

Or maybe I’m nitpicking about what left me a little dissatisfied, only because ‘Relay’ felt unfinished, like the fall of the curtain before the climax of a play. Still, ‘Relay’ is probably one of the most unusual M/M books I’ve come across and I’m already hopping impatiently for the next one to come.