Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Pass Interference
SERIES: The Package Deal
AUTHOR: Rheland Richmond and Emerson Beckett
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 281 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 26, 2022
BLURB:
Aidan:
Ten years. It’s been ten years since Marcus Monroe walked out of my life. Now he’s back as my brother’s #1 wide receiver. And he wants me back. We’ll see about that.
Marcus:
Ten Years. It’s been ten years since I made the biggest mistake of my life. I let him go, and I regret it every single day. I’ve been traded to the Portland Pirates, and his brother is my new quarterback. I’ll stop at nothing to get him back. This time, there will be no interference.
REVIEW:
Note: This is the second book in this series and as such, contains spoilers for the first book. That being said, it can be read as a standalone.
Aidan Hayes and Marcus Monroe were college sweethearts at USC. They were together for three years while Marcus was in undergrad playing football and Aidan finished school and started Law School. Marcus was in the closet and they didn’t raise any eyebrows when they were together. They were completely in love and planned on spending the rest of their lives together. Marcus was good enough to make the NFL and had plans on entering the draft. Aidan was determined to follow him – even changing law schools if he needed to if Marcus didn’t get picked up by either LA teams. But Marcus gets picked up by Boston and Aidan never hears from him again. He’s just gone. Ghosted. Aidan is devastated. He finishes law school and ends up working as a sports lawyer/agent. His brother Alex is a franchise player Quarterback and is playing in Portland, OR – where Aidan has also moved.
Marcus goes on the play for Boston and then Chicago. He’s lonely and tired and misses Aidan fiercely. He knows he’s screwed up, but he can’t figure out how to make it right. He’s now got a son and an ex-wife, but he’s miserable. He discovers where Aidan is and asks his agent to get him a trade. He’s not happy in Chicago and he figures this might be the way to get back to the life he wanted. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get Aidan back. He is best friends with Aidan’s brother Alex – who just happens to be the quarterback for the Portland team. He and his boyfriend Christian are kind of Marcus’s secret weapon.
Aidan is shocked when he sees Marcus again. He’s moved to Seattle to avoid seeing him and it’s clear that he is still angry and hurt – even though it’s been ten years. He’s never dated anyone else in all the time since. Marcus truly was the love if his life and as much as he’d like to think he’s gotten over him, it’s clear that he has not. Marcus knows it’s all his fault – that he literally just disappeared on Aidan without a goodbye or saying a word. But he’s serious about getting Aidan back. But he’s got a lot to explain and make up for and it’s not going to be easy.
Aidan is not willing to give Marcus the benefit of the doubt at first and is clearly going to make him grovel a bit. He knows if he gives in to Marcus and Marcus leaves him again, he will not survive – since he barely did the first time. Alex, for his part, is kind of not too happy that Aidan had never shared his pain with him and he’s kind of hurt about that too, but Aidan did not want to out Marcus. Then there is his friends with sometimes benefits, Blake, who really wants Aidan to be done with Marcus. Even though it’s clear that there is something powerful between them, Aidan wants to take it slowly.
When Alex and Christian encourage Marcus and help facilitate their reconciliation, things get interesting. Marcus is absolutely dogged in his pursuit of Aidan. Patience is not his strong suit, but he’s not going to give up. He can wait and do what it takes to prove to Aidan that he’s not going to make the same mistake ever again. He wants to give Aidan the forever that they always dreamed of when they were so young.
This story literally starts at the end of the previous book, Christian and Alex’s story. However, before that can occur, we have to get through several prologues to set the stage for Marcus and Aidan’s relationship (or non-relationship) over the previous decade. Then once they are thrust back together, it’s a case of will he or won’t he take him back. Aidan was devastated and so was Marcus. Marcus ended up with a kid that he loves but a marriage that was a sham – because he had always been in love with Aidan. I actually really liked that Marcus’s wife was a supportive character in this story. She really seems to want what’s best for his child – which is two happy parents who put his needs first and don’t use him as a pawn/weapon. What a refreshing point of view! Aidan has nursed his broken heart for a decade, stuck and never moving forward. He has never even tried to find someone else – Marcus was it for him. He’s a bit of a sad sack in some ways. It was really lovely to see his brother and his brother’s boyfriend support him and want what was best for him. I liked that part of the story a lot. In fact, there was a LOT of Alex and Christian in this book – so much so that it’s almost a sequel to the previous book for them. I actually didn’t mind that because I liked those characters and really wanted to see them get their full HEA and with Marcus and Aidan, they really do. I won’t spoil the story, but there are trips and weddings and kids and dogs and so much more! Personally I would have liked to see a little more groveling and amends making from Marcus, but then again, if we’ve learned anything the last few years, it’s that life can be short and you better grab for the happiness you can since nobody is promised tomorrow. All in all, this is a good sports romance that should hit all the right buttons for those who like second chances, closeted jocks fixing mistakes and very very happily ever afters 😀
RATING: 
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