Reviewed by Dan

TITLE:    No! Jocks Don’t Date Guys

SERIES:   The Jock Series #2

AUTHOR:     Wade Kelly

PUBLISHER:  Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH:     294 Pages

BLURB:

What is a sexy soccer stud supposed to do when “following family tradition” falls 180 degrees opposite his closeted ideal?

From birth, Chris Jackson has been schooled on how to land a cheerleader. After all, his father married one, and his father’s father before him. Heck, even his older brother married a stereotypical cheerleader the summer before Chris went off to college. For two years, Chris dodges invasive questions about relationships by blaming his lack of female companionship on grueling practices and heavy course loads. But his lack of interest in girls should’ve given his family a clue. It isn’t until Chris mentions meeting a boy that his father’s synapses short-circuit.

Alonzo Martin is anything but a buxom blond. From his black hair, combat boots, and trench coat to his nail polish and guyliner, the mysterious introvert isn’t easily persuaded to date. Alonzo’s insecurities keep Chris at arm’s length, but Alonzo’s painful past might meet its match in the charismatic jock’s winning smile and sense of humor.

When opposites attract, only cheerleaders and gummy bears can help overcome fear and family tradition.

REVIEW:

I finished reading Wade Kelly’s newest Jock installment last night, and I’ve got to say…I quite enjoyed it, as usual for a Wade Kelly book.

The characters in this one had some flaws which made their story more interesting in some ways, and maybe one which touched me in an irritating way. I’ll share both as I go along, rather than just pointing out either side. Chris is this perfect son, sexy soccer player that all the cheerleaders have chased for years. But he hasn’t been caught by any of them, because he isn’t at all interested in females, or cheerleaders. His Dad is completely insistent that Chris find a big boobed blond cheerleader to carry on the family tradition, because ALL the men in the Jackson family marry cheerleaders and have for something like 4 generations!

Then one day Chris notices a guy dressed all in black, including a black trench coat, sitting in the stands watching one of their soccer team practices. Did I mention it is late summer in Maryland? Black trench coat? Chris is instantly intrigued. When he sees the guy in the cafeteria the next day, and starts a conversation, he realizes that the cheerleader thing might be completely off the table after gazing into the deep brown eyes of the guy, Alonzo.

Alonzo Martin has just received a scholarship to attend the school, but he is from Podunk, Nebraska, and has never seen the world beyond his small homophobic town. And he has some heavy baggage tying him to his past. Is he ready to date? When the sexy soccer player comes over and introduces himself…could he be interested?

I really liked the characters. Alonzo has been broken by events that happened back in Nebraska. Events that were bad enough to put him in a psych ward for a while. He is still very fragile and he could fall apart at any point. I liked Alonzo a lot, and wanted to reach out and give him a big supporting hug.

I also liked Chris. But he, on the other hand, had some issues which I didn’t particularly like. Chris kind of read at times as self-centered and not really giving a crap about those around him. We’ve all met “that” jock, and in my opinion, Wade captured him perfectly. He wasn’t perfect. He had issues. He treated others poorly at times, and was super jealous.

So let’s talk about the part of the book that I really didn’t like, and the part that made me vaguely dislike Chris for the rest of the book. It was one scene, where Chris took off to be with Alonzo minutes after his best friend, from his ENTIRE life, Doug, jumped him and kissed him, and then ran crying from the room, I believe I called Chris an F-ing A-hole, out loud. I know my husband looked at me and asked if he needed to take my Kindle away from me, so I’m pretty sure I was loud. I lost a lot of respect for Chris at that point, and honestly when I think back to this book, that is going to be the section that stands out in my mind the most. Did Chris go on to redeem himself? Yes, very much so. Did things work out with the best friend? Yes. Did I like Chris again by the end of the book? Yes, but I didn’t love him…because I’ll always remember him ditching his friend while he was in pain. I think anyone who has ever been in Doug’s place, like I was personally in the far distant past, will understand where I’m coming from on that part. That section opened old personal wounds that I thought closed years ago, and I didn’t particularly like that.

Other than that one small section, I loved the book. Of course, I say that on every book from Wade Kelly. This one can stand on its own, but I would recommend reading My Roommates a Jock? Well Crap!, and Oh Crap! This Jock’s getting Married!, first so that you have background on Ellis and Cole, but again…not necessary.

I was a little annoyed, Ms. Kelly, at the teasing about some new player who is coming, is coming, is coming, and then never showed up in this book. I’m assuming that is in Jock 3? I’m also hoping we get more on Doug and Cullen’s cousin in the next book?

As always with Wade’s books, I am very comfortable recommending you give this one and all her other books a read. They are entertaining and filled with angst ridden young adults. If you’re an old duff like me, while you’re reading her books, you might want to reach in and slap one of her characters once in a while, but that is what makes me like Wade’s writing. She instills that feeling of annoyance in me, which means her characters are well written and have depth…

Give this one a try, you won’t be sorry!

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon