Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Bad Idea
SERIES: Brooklyn Kings
AUTHOR: Felice Stevens
NARRATOR: Kale Williams
PUBLISHER: Good Man Press
LENGTH: 7 hours and 35 minutes
RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2025
BLURB:
From Lambda Literary-Awarding winning author Felice Stevens comes the start of a sexy, sweet M/M football series that delivers the perfect, swoony happily ever after.
Losing your job to the boss’s new wife. That’s bad luck.
Hooking up with a stranger to forget about it?
Seems like a good idea.
Finding out your new boss is that one-night stand?
There’s that bad luck again.
Except you both agree to put it behind you.
That’s a great idea.
Until you slip and hook up again—not the best idea.
Catching feelings for the boss? Not the smartest idea.
Falling in love with your boss?
Now that’s a really bad idea…
Or is it?
REVIEW:
Well this was a quite unexpected kick-off to a sport romance series 
Mostly because the MCs aren’t athletes, but rather the gay owner and son of a homophobic father who died unexpectedly so he inherits the team and his new PA who is also his best one night ever 
Armie is a sweet sweet man. His upbringing had all the perks of a son of the uber wealthy. However, he lacked a few things that this father felt were necessary – the most important one being that he is not straight. His parents divorced when he was young and his mother was busy with her charity work and so Armie suffers quite a bit from low self-esteem. He’s an accountant by training but a horticulturist/rosarian by desire. His house has a lovely garden and he has raised prize winning roses as well as new varieties. When his father dies in a car accident, he unexpectedly inherits the team. He doesn’t know about football and the other men who run the team, with one exception, clearly have no use for a gay non-sportsfan owner in their midst. Too bad. He owns the club. His dad’s best friend seems to want to help.
Hayden is a great PA. He’s lived and breathed his work for six years and his boss returns from Vegas with a wife 40 years his junior and they’ve decided SHE will be his PA, so he’s out. He needs a new gig so he goes back to his headhunter who begins a search for him. The interviews are ridiculous and when he’s literally the victim of an attempted SA, he’s kind of had it. His headhunter tells him to go out and have some fun and forget about it for a night. So he does.
Armie and Hayden meet at a club where Armie isn’t having much luck either. He’s getting browbeat by some guy and Hayden steps in. He buys him a drink and they chat a bit. There is a spark there and they end up back at Hayden’s. The chemistry is HOT. But Hayden wakes up toe an empty apartment. But he does feel a bit better about things
Then Hayden is sent to an interview at the Brooklyn Kings football team HQ to interview for the PA position for the owner. He gets there and disovers the Armie from his ONS is none other than Armand Winters, said owner. Hmmmm. Hayden needs a job and Armie clearly needs someone in his corner. Hayden observes how disrespected Armie is and he’s determined to help Armie get his feet under him. Clearly Armie is smart – even if he is a bit of a klutz. Armie is determined to make a success of the team and not get run out. After the terrible things his father said and clearly felt, he really feels like he has something to prove. And Hayden is there to help.
The two work really well together. Hayden is ahead of the curve on everything – clearly organized, good at research, etc. Armie is over his head but with the two of them working on Armie’s behalf, he just might make this work. He’s got some unconventional ideas and even his own mother isn’t convinced they will work. Hayden is definitely suspicious of some of the other men who work at the Kings organization. He’s not big on trust on the best day given his own past and so he plays things close to the vest.
When it’s clear that someone in the organization is deliberately sabotaging Armie’s efforts to lead the organization, well Hayden goes into damage control and help mode. Just one little problem though. Their working closely together and Hayden caring about Armie is making the not fraternizing with the boss pact really difficult. Until they can’t exactly keep away from each other.
But there are things about Hayden Armie doesn’t know. And Hayden doesn’t want to tell him but then they issue is forced a bit. The sabotage and games continue and Hayden isn’t exactly happy to have been right all along, but at least he knows now. Can their relationship withstand the pressure? You’ll have to listen to find out
So this story is a sweet and sexy romance between two men who have pasts that have done a little bit of a number on their respective self-worth. Hayden keeps beating himself up over a mistake he made when he was young. Armie didn’t have an easy time with a homophobic father and an absent mother. He finds his solace in his garden. He’s smart and sweet but he hasn’t found anyone who thinks he’s worthy he guesses. Which makes him assume he’s the problem. Clearly he is not. Hayden is a gorgeous guy, but he’s not a relationship guy either. That youthful indiscretion is something he doesn’t EVER want to have to disclose. He focuses on this work and that’s that. But then they meet and when they start working together and clearly Hayden is Armie’s biggest fan and cheerleader and supporting. HE believes in Armie even when Armie doesn’t believe in himself. He’s there as a constant pillar supporting Armie, helping him study and prepare and be on time. He’s going to look out for Armie no matter what. I loved how there relationship evolved and grew from a place of mutual respect. In no way was this relationship a power dynamic issue. Neither was using the other one or forcing anyone to do anything they didn’t want to. And honestly they were just so good together. Their personalities and strengths really complimented each other Also shoutout to Hayden’s wonderful parents! My only complaint is that I wanted the villains of the piece to suffer, but that’s not what happens in real life so this is pretty accurate. Especially if the bad guys have money. Somehow they never pay any real price – other than a bruised ego I suppose. Bottom line, Armie and Hayden are really lovely. I can’t wait for the next book
Kale Williams and Felice Stevens are a match made in heaven. Mr. Williams is a consummate professional and I really really enjoyed his performance here. Both Armie and Hayden go through some stuff during the course of this story and I felt like this narrator did a fabulous job of hitting all the right emotional notes – whether Hayden’s playful confidence at the first meeting or Armie’s devastation at being sabotaged – it was all just note perfect and really kept the story so engaging. There are a lot of characters in this one and I never had to wonder who was speaking. From the football players, to Armie and Hayden’s friends and family every voice choice was spot on. Just another great performance. Highly recommended.
RATING: 
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