Book Blurb Blitz for Rip Cord: The Reunion/The Weekend by Jeanne St. James (Review & GIVEAWAY)

Readers will find themselves on the edge of their seats with this quick and scorching romance of opposites attracting.  When two high school acquaintances meet up at their reunion the sparks will fly, but so too arises all the inherent issues of being a gay football player hiding in the closet.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Rip Cord: The Reunion/The Weekend by Jeanne St. James, along with my impressions of it, then learn even more about this m/m read by visiting the other sites hosting this tour.  In honor of this burgeoning romance between the geek and the bad boy football player make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $10 bookstore GC too!

The Reunion
Gil Davis hated high school. Ever the geek, he has no intentions of attending his 10th year class reunion. The last thing he wants is to relive the taunting and teasing he received during his teenage years. However there is one thing he misses from high school: the star Varsity football player. The one he had a crush on from the first day he laid eyes on him. But the last thing he expects is the now pro football player to come back to their home town to attend a lame high school reunion. Known as the Bad Boy of the NFL, Ripley “Rip” Cord, not only shows up, but shows up without a date and an eye for Gil.
The Weekend
Geek extraordinaire Gil Davis hooked up with his long-time crush Rip Cord, the Bad Boy of the NFL, during their tenth year class reunion. It was a dream come true for Gil, so when Rip surprises Gil with a trip to the pro football player’s cabin on the lake two weeks later, Gil looks forward to their weekend alone. Since Rip is still deep in the closet due to his career, Gil will take any stolen moments they have. Little does Gil know, those moments will be filled with a blindfold and ropes, as well as a bad tumble down the mountain.
But a few bumps and bruises won’t stop Gil from spending precious time with Rip and his toys. However when the weekend ends, will Rip disappear again? Or will Rip want to take their relationship to the next level?

EXCERPT:

Katie hovered by the bay window while Gil stood on the front stoop of their little shared house. She was as excited as he was. Okay, maybe even more so, since Gil sort of, kind of, dreaded the mountains. Well, the outdoors in general. The bugs. The dirt. Fresh air. Okay, maybe not air. Oxygen was necessary for breathing. But being an accounting nerd, he tended to prefer being indoors. It was safer. And he was less likely to hurt himself, klutz as he was.

When he heard the deep roar of a motorcycle coming up the street, Gil gripped the handle of his rolling carry-on like a lifeline.

The man of his dreams—his crush since ninth grade—rolled into the driveway on his blacked-out Harley Davidson. His broad shoulders were encased in a black, heavy-duty leather biker jacket. The kind with all the rivets, buckles, and snaps. All that leather made his solidly honed body appear even bigger. When he pulled up to Gil, Rip’s shoulder-length dirty blond hair was a mess from the wind. But it made him look like a badass. That’s because Rip was a badass! A sexy, hard-core badass.

Rip shut down the powerful machine between his legs and stared at Gil. No, not stared. Rip inspected every inch of him, from his short brown hair to his T-shirt and light Windbreaker, to the blue jeans, which were still a like-new dark blue since Gil hardly wore them. His gaze stopped on Gil’s boots.

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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Homosexuality in pro sports has been an issue not often talked about, but it plays a big role in the rocky romance between the geeky Gil and bad boy football player Rip.  Though it's been ten years since they last saw each other their lives have been forever intertwined and collide in an erotically-charged encounter at their high school reunion.  It's an unforgettable encounter that gives hope to Gil while leaving Rip confused and frustrated by what he wants in his life off the field and on it as well.  It's a relationship that ultimately keeps readers on edge due to uncertainty over personal and societal expectations that leaves readers with a cliffhanger that has me ready for more.

Gil hated his time in high school as he was picked on mercilessly, especially cruel were the athletes who made him dread P.E.  The only bright spot during that time was football player Rip who was never cruel and became the epitome of the kind of man Gil wanted.  Rip never acknowledged him beyond the occasional glance, never protected him from the bullies, but he remained Gil's dream man.  Their meeting at their reunion was combustible from the moment they shook hands and fulfilled many of Gil's dreams as well as defying his perceptions of Rip.  He knows things can't last as Rip is too worried about coming out of the closet but he'll enjoy all the decadent delights Rip gives him for as long as their time together lasts.  Gil's a bit naive, quiet, and reserved when we first meet him but he has a kind heart which could easily get bruised. His friend Katie has helped him come out of his shell through the years with new clothes and a more modern hairstyle but deep down he's still that lost and lonely high schooler.  While he doesn't feel worthy of Rip's attention it does give him confidence.  When they're together he tries new things, goes beyond his comfort zone, to be the man he thinks is worthy of Rip.  While I applauded this part of his time with Rip I hated to see him as a doormat, waiting breathlessly for Rip to show up on his doorstep.

In high school Rip knew what was expected of him if he wanted to make it to the pros.  With his talent he knew he also had to appear confident with the ladies to be the full package the pros wanted.  After years of living the playboy lifestyle he's tired of being what others want though, tired of living a life full of lies.  His anger and resentment in hiding his true self is affecting every facet of his life on and off the field in fights and alcohol that have made him a liability. Teams are getting tired of his bad boy shenanigans which leaves his future in doubt and him adrift.  Seeing Gil is like a breath of fresh air to him as he always admired Gil's being who he was despite how much he got picked on.  For one night he let himself go in a scorching encounter that left him coming back for more despite the hurt it might cause Gil.  Rip's a bit of a jerk when we first meet him, arrogant and a bit mocking, and continued that way throughout the story. He overwhelms Gil from the very start in bdsm-lite interactions that have him usually in control as he wars with himself over his sexuality.  Despite his bad boy words and deeds it's clear that he's hurting, a bit self-destructive in his volatile moments on the field but shows true heart by caring for Gil when he gets hurt.  Tender smiles and sweet kisses are constantly at odds with painful lies in a relationship that keeps Gil his dirty little secret.

This is a quick read full of erotic encounters that flirt with bdsm play and are combustible from the very first page to the last with Rip taking the lead but giving Gil control in a moment the loudly proclaims his feelings for him.  This story mostly focuses on the two of them, the highs and lows of their being together, but Gil's friend Katie is a definite bright spot as she's his cheerleader and protector.  Readers who dislike cliffhangers will be left frustrated by an ending that leaves things unfinished.  Though there's a HFN in Gil's mind, Rip is far away from his HEA as his lies continue with his preparation for the new football season.  This book may be a bit rough around the edges, a bit too full of erotic encounters at the expense of quiet character interactions, but I still found myself caught up in this emotional journey of opposites attracting and am ready for more.

My rating for this is a C+/B-

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Jeanne St. James is an erotic romance author who loves an Alpha male (or two). She was only 13 started writing when she started writing since it gave her an escape from teenage angst! Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages.

She has a few new releases coming up in 2016 and 2017. So keep an eye on her website at www.jeannestjames.com or sign up for her newsletter.

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