Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Scoring With Him

SERIES:  Men of Summer #1

AUTHOR:  Lauren Blakely

PUBLISHER:  Hot Men Books

LENGTH:  400 pages

RELEASE DATE:  July 9, 2021

BLURB:

Falling for the rookie wasn’t part of the plan. As a pro athlete, I have one unbreakable rule when it comes to men — Don’t date another baseball player. Good thing I haven’t been tempted once in four years in the majors. Until the day a rising star walks into my locker room. Outgoing, affable, and sexy-as-sin, Grant has confidence and talent for miles. He seems to get me too, maybe because we each have our fair share of secrets and scars — ones we’ll both fight to protect.

But, I’ve got far too much trouble in my past to want to bring any into my present. All the more reason to resist the kind of dirty deeds his lips and eyes promise. Even after I plant a scorching, hot kiss on the rookie one night after a game. Even after he sends me the world’s sexiest selfie.

But when Grant reveals his biggest secret, I’m so damn ready to rip up the rulebook. Turns out he’s a virgin and he wants me to help him get around all the bases. The only rule? Don’t fall in love with him as we go.

Scoring with Him is book one in the utterly addictive Men of Summer series. This romance between two professional athletes spans five epic years and continues in Winning With Him.

REVIEW:

Savor (verb): to sample or partake in something pleasurable 

This word perfectly encapsulates Scoring With Him. Declan and Grant indulge in each other’s bodies. They devour, taste, and feast on each other as they explore one decadent, sexual pursuit after another.  

“God,” he pants. “You’re just . . . my undoing.” 

This book is fantastic fun. While it’s very sexy – it is a Lauren Blakely book, after all – it’s about much more than getting jiggy with it. Their entanglement is forbidden, but darn, those pesky feelings get in the way. Before long, they’re grappling with the foreign idea of love. This is a case of the wrong place at the wrong time. Their minds know this but their hearts don’t care. Nor do any other body parts.  

Declan and Grant are a lot alike. Both are out and proud athletes. They thrive on being in control – they need it – in baseball and their lives in general. Baseball is the first love for each, and neither has a fallback plan. They both have troubled relationships with their parents. And they’re both outrageous flirts. 

Declan thinks of himself as One-Track-Steele: discipline, order, and control are in his DNA. Grant has a self-given moniker, as well – Grant “Lock It Up” Blackwood. His mantra is reach your goals, find your way, keep your momentum.  

“This is what I worked my ass off for, all those years. To build a new life,” he says, his voice strung tight with desperation. The sound of it makes it clear baseball is way more than a career for him— it’s a reinvention of his soul. I understand that deeply. 

Neither will allow himself to break an ironclad rule: don’t date a baseball player, particularly since they have to work harder as gay athletes to prove their worth in the big league. So during the season, all extracurricular activities are to be of the self-love nature only. Well, that was the plan. The not-so-ironclad plan, apparently.  

They get to know each other as workout partners during spring training and quickly form a comfortable friendship. But despite their resolve not to get involved, the blatant flirting is incessant. They know they’re both feeling little sparks of attraction, and since hooking up becomes irresistible and inevitable, they agree to do the horizontal mambo a pre prescribed number of times only, with a set expiration date. Declan is oh, so, sweet with virgin Grant as he coaches him on the ins and outs (so to speak) of gay sex. He’s gentle and encouraging and relishes his teaching role. But it doesn’t happen right away. Remember, Lauren Blakely makes sexual tension an art form. If memory serves, she was a student of the Juilliard School of UST. 

For fans of A Guy Walks into My Bar (my favorite book of 2020), you’ll be excited to see Fitz make several appearances (but sadly no Dean). Fitz’s sister, Emma, went to college with Declan. A great group of teammates and Grant’s best friend, Reese, round out the supporting cast nicely. 

I love baseball and its plethora of sexy players who all know their way around balls. My only complaint is that their form fitting pants seem to be getting looser over the years. I enjoyed the baseball aspect of the book, but in no way will a lack of knowledge about the sport leave you feeling alienated.  

Declan and Grant are utterly delightful characters. Declan is a private, intelligent, sarcastic man. Grant is a saucy smartass. Both are caring and kind, multi-layered characters with great depth. You’ll be rooting for their happy ending, but that won’t happen in this book. Yes, this book ends with a significant cliffhanger. I wouldn’t let that deter you, though, because book two, Winning With Him, is being released in just a month. You can make it that long, I know you can … chances are you’ll still be suffering a book hangover in a month. 

Scoring With Him is outstanding in every way. Die-hard Lauren Blakely fans will adore it, as will anyone who loves a sexy sports romance packed with witty humor, two unrepentant flirts, and lots of steam. Book two of The Men of Summer can’t get here soon enough. 

“Hey, dude. Called it! I still want to bang you like a screen door in a hurricane.” 

RATING: 

BUY LINK: 

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