Virtual Tour: The Quarterback by Mackenzie Blair (Reviews + Giveaway)

Hello, I’m Mackenzie Blair and I’ve been reading romance novels ever since my mom took me to used book sale after book sale as a teenager.  I loved that every romance novel had a happy ending.  (Those covers were also pretty scandalous to my small-town mind, so there was probably a good dose of rebellion in my reading as well.) A few years ago, I discovered MM romance, and although I’d considered writing a romance novel for years, it turns out it took an MM story to finally inspire me to finish one!

So I hope you enjoy reading THE QUARTERBACK as much as I loved writing it.

About The Quarterback

In walks Trevor Kim, a gorgeous, pierced, tattooed fellow Bodine student who does massages—without happy endings—to pay for school after his family kicked him out for being gay. Trevor takes one look at Matt and breaks all his own rules about mixing business with pleasure.

Matt needs to keep his scholarship, win the National Championship, and survive his asshole father. Instead, he falls in love. Trevor needs to accept that the football god is meant to end up with him rather than a perky cheerleader. It’s time for a happy ending for both of them.

GoodReads ~ Riptide

4.5 Stars

Matt Lancaster is the All American Quarterback at Bodine College and seems to have it all, but attending a southern baptist college in a small Alabama town and having a bigoted father keeps him deeply in the closet. But he can't hide from the attraction he feels to Trevor, so he pursues him and asks Trevor to tutor him in the art of sex. As the two spend time together they become closer and their feelings deepen, but if Matt is outed he stands to lose everything: His scholarship, family and ultimately his future. Will Trevor stand for being Matt's dirty little secret?

Trevor's life hasn't been easy either. After coming out to his patents he was disowned. He works multiple jobs to help pay for what his academic scholarship doesn't cover, and as much as he likes Matt, Trevor has lost too much coming out to be pushed back in the closet now. Can Trevor and Matt make things work?

I really loved both these young men and my heart broke for them. Matt's dad, as well as the dean of the college, were complete and utter bigoted asshats. I usually get aggravated reading about closeted characters, but I completely understood why Matt had to remain in the closet. He really was doing it for all the right reasons. I love that while Trevor wasn't exactly happy about Matt keeping their relationship a secret and it caused some tension between them, he too understood Matt's reasons.

I loved watching Matt and Trevor get to know one another and explore their feelings. I also loved watching as Matt really explored his sexuality and what he liked, both in and out of the bed. The progression of their relationship was slow and natural. They had amazing chemistry and they were hot together!

The story well-written and paced well. It was interesting and entertaining and I found I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. The story had some great secondary characters that were great support systems for Trevor and Matt and there were also some secondary characters that were complete douchecanoes I wanted to throat punch!

All in all, this was a great debut novel from Mackenzie Blair and I'm definitely looking forward to more from this author in the future. Enjoyable and highly recommended!

*copy provided by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 Stars!!!

This book was a bit of a surprise for me. While I don't mind closeted characters, I think Matt has to be one of my favorites among those, because of his reasons for remaining firmly inside. It wasn't that he wouldn't have gotten out, eventually, but at that particular moment, it just wasn't possible. Between his athletic scholarship, the pressure to win the National Championship, his father and the dean and the responsibility he felt for his sisters, the poor guy was overwhelmed. Add to that learning that his friends were privy of him being gay and being attracted to Trevor, and I don't know how he coped with it all. Well, that's not true, I do. He had Trevor, who was patient and understanding for the most part, and even when he wasn't, it was understandable.

Matt and Trevor were great together, as different as they could be, but the two of them were sweet and down to earth. I think they complemented each other perfectly and I loved how their relationship evolved from quasi-friends with benefits into something deeper. They were scorching hot together and I loved that they didn't rush into things and that they took their time to know one another in and out of bed.

I adored Matt's friends, especially Danielle, she was a hoot! I liked Drew and Emily, Matt's sisters and his aunt and uncle, too. They all added a lot to the story and were a great support system for Matt and Trevor. I absolutely hated Matt's father, he was a horrible, horrible man.

Overall, this was a fantastic book, very well-written and enthralling, I didn't want to put it down because I needed to find out how it would all work out for the boys and I wasn't disappointed. Definitely a must read!


*** Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley by Riptide Publishing for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

About Mackenzie Blair

Mackenzie Blair is an award-winning screenwriter in Los Angeles who’s written for shows and films you’ve probably heard of.  Mackenzie grew up in the South but fled the humidity for earthquakes, university, and a brief stint in finance. As a cynical idealist, she prefers to write happy endings whenever possible.

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of The Quarterback, one lucky winner will receive a $30 Riptide gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 16, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!