| Title | : | Blindsided (Fake Boyfriend, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 310 |
| Publication | : | First published March 18, 2019 |
When Talon left to play pro ball six years ago, the hole in my chest confused me. I focused my heartache into making my own NFL dreams come true, and by the time I was drafted, the longing I had for my best friend was buried deep.
Now he wants everything to be like it was in college, but we can't have threesomes and be reckless like we once were. The media storm would be enough to break both our careers.
That's not my biggest concern though. The torch I had for him burns brighter after so long apart, and there's nothing I can do about it. Marcus Talon is straight.
I need to stay away from him.
TALON
Years ago, Miller and I made a pact that we'd win a Super Bowl together. When I'm offered a position on his team in Chicago, I don't hesitate. I move across the country to chase a dream that's a decade old.
Only, now that I'm here, he's avoiding me every chance he gets. If he was anyone else, I'd cut my losses.
But this is Shane Miller--the guy who makes everything better just by existing in my universe. The guy I'd do anything for. The guy who's more to me than a brother, a friend, or even a teammate.
I'm not going to let him get away.
**Blindsided is a full-length MM novel with a HFN/HEA and no cliffhanger. Unlike the other books in the Fake Boyfriend universe, Blindsided does not contain a fake boyfriend trope.**
Blindsided (Fake Boyfriend, #4) Reviews
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Holy crap, that was a RIIIIIDE, and what a ride it was, folks!
Freshman Shane Miller met sophomore Marcus Talon in college and immediately fell into bed, which continued for the next three years, until Marcus graduated and was drafted into the NFL.
Except, they were never alone. Nope. Every single time that they were together that way, there was always one (or more) women in bed between them. With an unspoken hard and fast (slight pun intended) rule was firmly in place. No touching one another.
Fast forward six years and Marcus had just signed with Shane's Chicago team, where they fell back into bed once again with a couple of jersey chasing female fans.
Shane thought this was a major setback, because he'd spent half a decade trying to get over hit feelings for Marcus, and found himself pining for his best friend more strongly than ever, with Marcus still thinking it was all fun and sexy games.
But when Marcus accidentally walked in on his roommate Matt and his boyfriend Noah (from book 2) naked, hard, and grinding on one another, unable to stop watching, something finally awoke in him regarding his attractions.
And it was pretty hilarious, TBH.“I feel like a creep. For, like, watching and stuff.”
I adored how Marcus' brother, Trey, was there to ease his concerns and would've loved for more on-page time for Trey, who was everything that an amazing big brother should be.
Jackson looks even more freaked out now. Great.
“Not for ages or anything. I was taken off guard, and I couldn’t move, and then it was all over, and I had to say something, or you would’ve thought I’d been there the whole time, but I wasn’t, and …”
Fuck, kill me now.
Then, just when the unknown mutual attractions might've been explored, Shane had a season-ending injury and ran 800 miles away, back to his family's home in New York, in hopes of saving his aching heart.
Gah! I *hate* separations in romance, but their time apart actually gave them a distance buffer to help sort out their emotions, discussing their feelings for one another over text and FaceTime.
When the season ended and Marcus went to New York to help Shane get back into shape for the upcoming season, that's when the sexy times, with no women in the room, finally began.
*Decade of Sexual Tension* Achievement, unlocked!I can do this. It’s just sucking a dick. I’ve received countless blowjobs before, and no one ever choked to death, so it can’t be that hard.
I loved how both guys were never concerned over who did what to whom, as long as they were both in it together. That doesn't always happen in romance, but I'm thrilled when it does.
Flip-flopping action for the win!“Oh, holy fucking cheese on a cracker.” Talon laughs again.
“Guess I found your prostate.”
“Don’t stop finding it.”
However, out of the bedroom, for both MC's to have been big, confident, Alpha male types , this story was one big ole' game of emotional push and pull, guys. Big time.
I can't tell you how many times I yelled, "OMMFG, I fucking *hate* that shit!", only for Eden to almost immediately let me off the hook with a quick resolution to what I typically think of as clichéd behavior in romance.
And thank fuck for that, since I have the woman on Facebook speed dial for "feedback". heh
What can I say? I'm shy like that. ;- )
One of my favorite aspects of this story was how 5 of the 6 previous MC's were pulled back into this story, mostly to provide much-needed support and helpful advice when either Shane or Marcus were feeling lost and not knowing how to process their romantic feelings.“I had no trouble wanting Damon, it’s not something everyone would be okay with. Not many guys wake up one day and go hmm, maybe I’ll try dick today.”
In regards to snark and banter, we did get a lot of that, here, because let's face it, Marcus and Shane were filter-less smartasses to their very cores.
I laugh. “That’s how it was for you?”
“Sort of. I was more attracted to Damon as a person rather than to his cock. Although it turns out I’m fond of that too.”“You were so heartbroken when he graduated and left. [...]. I chalked it up to hero worship. I’m glad you two got your act together after all this time.”
The story did end with an HEA, including a final chapter from 3 years on, where every one of the plot threads was neatly wrapped up in a big, believable, happy red bow.
Talon grins. “Hero worshiping, huh? I can totally see that.”
I elbow him. Hard. He lets out an “Oomph.”When I told my family my plan, my mom said I was romantic, Dad said I had balls of steel, and my brother said it was douchey.
If I had to come up with one niggle, it would be that I occasionally had difficulty remembering which MC was narrating, as they were both sarcastic and snarky, so their on-page thoughts could be pretty similar in tone, unlike previous MC's, who were much more distinct.
Thanks, Trey.
I'd rate this story at around 4.25 stars and pray that Eden pops out Jet and Soren's book sooner, rather than later. :- D
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)
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I have enjoyed all the books in the
"Fake Boyfriend" series, and while I can't wait to get to Jet's book, I really liked Marcus Talon and Shane Miller's story. Eden explained, that even though these two don't fit the whole "fake boyfriend" trope...they wouldn't shut up, so she had to write their story. I for one am glad they didn't.
Talon and Miller have been best friends since they met in college. They share a great love for Football....but that's not all they share. They also love to share women ;) Well..at least Talon does. Miller is more in it because he gets to be close to Talon this way, even if there is no touching between them.
After being drafted, they fell out of touch, but now 6 years later, and Talon is joining Miller's team. Old habits die hard and it doesn't take them long to fall in bed together again...with two women between them... Miller's crush comes back with a vengeance, and what is a man to do, when he is lusting after his straight best friend....avoid him at all cost !!!
Too bad Talon is not one to be ignored. Especially, since walking in on some "sexy times" between Jackson and Noah, has stirred some deep feelings within Talon. Feelings he would like to test on Miller....in the bedroom.
And boy do they !! These boys were HOT together. I loved how they explored each other. They did not just fall into bed together, but they let their lust burn a bit, so sexy!
Now as much as I enjoyed this story, I didn't love it as much as the previous book. Reason for that being Miller. I found him to be a bit on the whiny side. He kept pining and pining after Talon, but when push finally came to shove, he pushed away...hard. He was being so difficult and I just didn't get it. I don't think Talon gave him any reason for the whole push and pull deal !! Thankfully Talon was so awesome, he made up for a lot ;)
That said, they do end on a sweet HEA note and I can't wait to get to the next book, which should be Jet and Soren's book...WOOT WOOT. I have a feeling that one is gonna be my fave of the series ;)
If you're a fan of some snarky/fun gay romance, mixed with sports, you should definitely give this series a go.
I highly recommend it.
My reviews are posted on
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4 Stars! After doing a re-read.
The second time reading this I find that I enjoyed it more than I did the first time around. I'm not sure why that is, but this time I felt the connection between these guys a lot earlier than I did the first time around. I found myself really liking Talon. I liked his energy and the way he took his feelings in stride without a really big freakout. Miller stayed in his head a lot and let his worries override his happiness. But he eventually got there. I really like these two together. xx
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3.5 Stars!
I might be in the minority with this one. It just didn't float my boat as the previous books have.
I did enjoy the story. I liked Talon and Shane together as well. I was happy they got their story. But all through reading it I felt like something was missing and nothing new was really brought to their story that I hadn't read before. But still, I liked it.
The bromance was real and I felt like their friendship was the strongest thing going for this story. I had a hard time feeling the romance connection. I struggled with it until the end. The ending I finally felt that romance connection. They were so sweet to each other and their words were aww inspiring. It's just too bad we didn't really get that throughout the book.
I'm really looking forward to the next book though. Jet seems like a fun character and I want to know more about Soren.
Happy reading dolls! xx
**I received an ARC courtesy of Eden Finley and Foreword PR & Marketing in exchange for an honest review.** -
Audiobook - 4.5 stars
Story 3 Stars
I liked it but not as much as the previous books, there was something missing.
I have loved Talon and Miller from the moment they were introduced in this series. I went into this with lots of expectation. It ended up being just ok.
It was still fun though i had a hard time feeling the connection between Talon and Miller as a couple. I felt their love as best friends, bromance, but them as a couple was a little odd.
Overall it was an ok read.
I want Noah and Matt 2nd book. -
4,5 stars
"It's not easy- loving someone you know other people will have opinions about. It's not easy being anything society doesn't expect you to be. But when you're with the person who was literally created with the sole purpose of being your other half, there's no way to fight it."
I absolutely loved this one!!
It's book #4 in the Fake Boyfriend series by
Eden Finley and this one doesn't include the fake boyfriend trope as the other 3 books. But it was great!
I've only read the previous book, but I can honestly say I definitely loved this one much more!
#teamSharkus all the way!
I've read it in one sitting and I was late at a birthday party because I just couldn't put it down. Sorry not sorry!
I enjoyed the previous book,
Deke but this one really kept me glued to the pages.
I think this book can be read as a stand-alone, but it's best to have some ideas about the characters from the other books who pop up from time to time. From
Deke we get Ollie and Lennon, but also Matt Jackson and Noah from
Trick Play.
I absolutely adore friends-to-lovers stories! Especially when one of them is super clueless, like Talon here. Straight Talon.
Shane Miller and Marcus Talon used to have many threesomes in college, but there was always at least a woman between them. 6 years later and they are playing for the same NFL team in Chicago. Old habits die hard, but now Miller has decided to protect his heart and does his best to keep his distance. Which confuses Talon.
I loved the banter between them, loved the way Talon needed to have Miller close and wanted to know why he's pulling away.
What I loved most here was Talon's coming out! His determination. I must admit I enjoyed Talon more than Miller. His insecurities were all over the place.
I really loved the writing. This story was super HOT, hilarious and also sweet at times! Looking forward to reading the next book,
Hat Trick which is Jet and Soren's book.
This review is posted on
DirtyBooksObsession
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she still got it
and that aforementioned she is eden finley. i've been reading these since the first book came out and i absolutely fell in love. but the second book was a big miss for me. the third book redeemed the series... but i had no idea what to expect going into book 4.
thankfully, i am relieved to say, i adored book 4. it had everything that i loved about the previous books plus a little hint of uniqueness.
what you can expect from a fake boyfriend book:
- difficult conversations surrounding sexuality/coming out
- the realities of being a gay/bi man in sports
- healthy, realistic portrayals of what sex is like! (major pet peeve of mine is when MM or really any romances don't have any foreplay or prepping... like that is not real life people)
- lots of sexy AND sweet moments
and that's where eden's books really stand apart for me. most MM romances are written by straight white ladies and it's really reflected in the insta-love MEGA smut stories that are often pedaled as fun romances. but that's not fun for me. i want to see two people fall in love. i want to see their boring day to day. i want to see their intimate moments. i want REALISM, and eden provides.
additionally, all of the couples feel so different. like talon and miller in this book were a friends to lovers story. i felt that tension from the first page and was so excited to see where their relationship would go.
the only thing i didn't like about this book is that one of the characters kind of got cold feet and behaved strangely near the end of the book. it felt kind of out of character, but it didn't take away from the story for me.
overall, these are some of my favorite MM romances and i don't think that will ever change.
ARC provided by publicist in exchange for honest review -
3.25*** stars
It wouldn't have been fitting for this series but I think I would’ve enjoyed Talon & Miller’s love story more as a college romance when they discover their attraction to each other through their threesomes with girls to more.
I was honestly surprised at how little was really happening in this book. At some point I started skipping whole chapters and when I continued reading I realized every time that I missed like nothing. They were still in the same stage, still at the same point.
I’m sorry to say that for everyone who loved this, but I was really bored and annoyed with the second half of this. And while I liked the characters and the plot in general, I find there was no need for the book to be this long. Honestly, I feel that novella-length would’ve been enough to tell these guys’ story.
Regardless, I think I will take a chance with a few of the other books in the series when I’m in the mood for a smutty sports romance in the future.
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Fake Boyfriend Series:
Book 1 - Fake Out
Book 2 - Trick Play - tbr
Book 3 - Deke - tbr
Book 4 -
Blindsided - 3.25 stars
Book 5 - Hat Trick
Book 6 - Final Play - tbr
Talon & Miller’s Kids’ stories:
Can't Say Goodbye!! (release 01/25/22) 🥰
Football Royalty -
Audio...4.5 stars
Story....4.5 stars
It's official for me. Eden Finley writes the best sports romances, because the romance is not the least bit overshadowed by the sport yet there's no doubt that it's a "sport" romance. The balance is perfect! -
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US *
Amazon UK
Talon and Miller's relationship had me all tingly with the emotions. Seriously, I was so envious of their relationship. Honestly they didn't even have any overly romantic scenes between them but it was just the love that they shared that was so evident that had me happy-sighing all over the place. Even just the little things of how much they missed each other if they were apart was so sweet I almost couldn't handle it.
Fangirling over for a minute and on to the details. So this book doesn't follow the fake-boyfriend trope like the rest of the series. Which is more than fine. Instead, Talon and Miller were both very new to the whole "I'm in love with my best friend - who's a dude" thing. And it added so much intrigue this story that had me enthralled and dying to find out how it was going to come to blows. They were comfortable being with each other when it was a threesome situation, as they did that a lot in college, but they never even touched each other in a romantic way. Which left this book open to explore all of their firsts together and let me just say, holy hell make sure you're not reading this in public. Actually, let's just say this book is better read when you have some alone time.
The emotions and the heat and the romance, it was all just flying off of these pages and I was in love. With the characters and their story both, all of it was just fantastic. I feel like my review makes no sense at all since I'm still stuck in the fangirling stage of this book, but just take that to mean that this is a book you need to read. Like right away, go read it, and enjoy it, and love these characters as much as I do right now.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review. -
i loved them but i was incorrect in thinking they would be my favorite couple and book! ollie and lennon still hold that title.😌 i liked the banter and dialogue a lot towards the beginning because they felt like two different guys but as i kept reading they kinda morphed into one person. i wasn’t sure who was talking half the time. the story wasn’t boring exactly but i wasn’t as interested and invested as i was book 3. so i think it comes down to this: i liked the beginning A LOT but i feel sorta let down by this one. i still love the guys and i still kinda liked the story (?) idk. i feel torn! the best part for me was the first 15% and the jealous moments…(surprise surprise). i was so pumped when their backstory was being shown and was so convinced this was going to be an all time favorite for me but i truly feel like one of my biggest gripes is that suddenly they’re in love and i’m like okay well this is bffs to lovers and i feel kinda robbed in the bffs department. where was that🥺 i think i also just found the sex scenes to be so mediocre that it made me kinda meh because that was a great deal of the book and i just wanted more friendship and romance because a great deal of this is the discussion of how they are the best friends ever so i feel like a robbery took place having not seen *that* many moments. i love flashbacks, gimme more🥺 i’m actually shocked i didn’t love this. like flat out aghast because i know myself prettyyyyy well and this sounds like the kind of book i would be obsessed with but alas!!! here we are 😭 i liked it but didn’t love that and sometimes that’s even sadder than hating something when you’ve hyped it up for yourself up so much!!!! i didn’t even feel that much when it came to the love confessions because i feel like we didn’t really get to see the buildup ya know? just a lotta telling without showing imo. i still enjoyed it but i’m sad i didn’t love it😞
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![moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645500038i/37448930._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
5 stars ☆
"Wanna know something weird?"
Is he gonna say the way his hand still rests on my hip over my less-than-sexy hospital gown is weird? Because I'd agree.
"What's weird?" I ask.
"When you went down on the field tonight, my heart stopped, and I wanted to trade places with you. I wish I could take away your pain, because you're the best guy I know, Shane."
ahh this was so cute!! i honestly don't know why i never continued this series after i read the third book last year because i remember liking the first two books and really loving the third book, but i'm excited to finally be back in this universe. Miller and Talon were cute cute, they might be a tie with OllieLennon as my favorite couple in the series (so far, at least). even tho the plot isn't anything new, idc. i loved this anyways. i was grateful there was no annoying push and pull between the two; it was simply just two guys figuring out who they were, together (welll, i guess you could argue and say it was mainly Talon's journey because Miller had realized he was bi years ago, but it was still something they did together) and i adore these kinds of stories so much. <3 -
[27/10/21]
But when you’re with the person who was literally created with the sole purpose of being your other half, there’s no way to fight it.
mm best friends to lovers always hits different, and Talon and Miller are one of my faves when it comes to this trope. they’re for sure my fave couple of this series with Lennon and Ollie a very close second.
the fact Talon could have re-signed with his old team or another team, both top-tier teams and guaranteed spots at the Super Bowl (even my British brain knows that’s a big deal), but signed with the shitty team... all so he could be reunited with Miller again after six years🥺
this man is the original himbo simp.
i also forgot how much i loved their playfulness and their friendship— the dichotomy of their playful, “bro” friendship to their soft love was so endearing to read— they truly were best friends and soulmates.“We won, didn’t we? It’s like a loophole. I get to act like a jackass so long as I’m pulling off the wins.”
“Ooh, so that explains your behavior for the last …” I squint as I pretend to count. “Oh, your entire life.”
“Ooh, I almost forgot. I brought you something.” Talon reaches into his pocket and pulls out his middle finger.
like the way they still tease, joke and taunt each other while in bed is just 🤌🏻
i low-key wish them getting together had been longer and more drawn out... but i love them too much to care, honestly. they were the perfect balance of sweet, sexy and funny.
now i wanna reread Fandom bcos i need more mm best friends to lovers juiciness😏”I fell in love with you without even knowing that was possible.”
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Relisten March 2022: FANTASTIC!
Original AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Wow!! What an AUDIOBOOK!! 5 Stars for Alexander Cendese and Iggy Toma narrating this 4th book in the Fake Boyfriend series!! Toma got Miller spot-on!! This was a DELIGHTFUL LISTEN!
Original ebook review March 2019:
Touchdown!!
This was all sorts of fun!! Talk about crushing on your straight best friend!
Fabulous friends to lovers and OMG-I-been-in love-with-you-for-years-but-never-realized-it-until-now story!
All the characters from the previous 3 books make cameos in this 4th book of the FANTASTIC sports series by Eden Finley! Some of the action parallels the first book, so you might want to peruse that one again if it’s been a while since you’ve read it. I recommend reading all of these in order.
Talon and Miller are adorable together as Talon slowly figures out that he’s attracted to his best friend. Miller is scared that this is too good to be true since he’s been in love with Talon forever.
They live in a happy bubble for a while, but soon the world comes and pops it. What will happen? Will they come out? Will they stay in the closet? Will Miller ever play football again?
Read this and find out!! THIS IS A BIG WIN IN MY BOOK WITH AN HEA THAT’S SUPER SPECTACULAR!! -
Blindsided was probably my favorite read of the Fake Boyfriend series by Eden Finley. Ironically, this book doesn't even contain a fake boyfriend plot. So, it says a lot that this is the best one of the series. I love Eden's work on the CU Hockey series tho. Even though Blindsided is my favorite, it still gets 3 stars. 4 seems a bit too much since I didn't completely love it.
The story revolves around Talon and Miller. They have always been really close friends since college. And that is the literal way of CLOSE. Both men bonded over football and yes; girls! They shared everything and everyone. That is again literally. Kind of off-putting for me personally but I will get to that later. So, Miller has always had feelings for his best friend. But Talon only realizes that he actually loves him waaaaaaay later. Talon reunites with Miller years after they lost contact as he signs with the same football team as him. The latter does not look forward to seeing his crush once again on a daily basis. Only, their bond gets even more intense as feelings really develop that go beyond friendship.
Let me say that I really LIKED the bond between Talon and Miller. They had a genuine friendship at first which developed into a beautiful relationship. And it didn't happen too quickly at all. Because Talon and Miller's bond was already intense before they were involved romantically. And Miller always had feeling beyond friendship for Talon. Only the latter realized this later. It is kinda beautiful how Talon realized he had always been in love with Miller but didn't recognize what that meant exactly in the past. Now, I LOVE bisexual representation in books but this wasn't the way to do it. The fact they 'shared' girls only reinforced the bisexual clichés. Which is sad for the story and its MC's were good.
I would definitely recommend to anyone who love M/M sports themed books to read this Fake Boyfriend series by Eden Finley. It is lighr and fun mostly. I annoyed reading the books so far -
In a quartet of quite brilliant MM fake boyfriend sports romances, Eden saves the best for last and its not only not a fake boyfriend trope but it's two guys who were only supposed to be supporting cast in book two.
Well, let's just say I'm very glad Talon and Miller just wouldn't stop talking and wanting their friends to lovers tale of college threesomes and unrequited feelings to be told.
This is my favourite in what has been a wonderful series examining the pressures of being LGBTQ+ in the sports world.
Each book has taken its own twist on the fake boyfriend element and produced perfectly matched pairs who find the right path to happiness (except this book, which didn't need that particular trope to be a winner).
Talon is adorable, utterly clueless about Miller's feelings but also in the same boat with his own until he has a startling revelation that the thing he liked best about the college years wasn't the sex but Miller's presence.
Miller is a study in contrasts, he's sure of his feelings for Marcus Talon but not entirely convinced that they're returned or that he's really justified in wanting more than friendship.
But let's just say when Talon goes all in, he goes for it completely, wanting to make Shane Miller happy becomes his goal in life, alongside his NFL career.
It's not all plain sailing though and the doubts on both sides felt real and earnt to me. Coming out is never a "once and done" and I thought the fears were expressed well throughout.
As a pair they're hot, scorching hot and there's a shower scene that raises the temperature even further and yet which also felt absolutely centred in emotions and being connected as a couple.
But the epilogue, that just moves this book into my favourites list and cements its place as a genius piece of romance writing.
There wasn't a bit of this book that didn't work for me.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review. -
My favorite Eden Finley book yet. Something about Talon and Miller is just so much fun. These are two guys who genuinely enjoy each other as lovers and as friends, and I just loved watching them deepen their connection. That first kiss was the best. Also, they’re super hot together. A must-read for anyone who loves friends to lovers romances.
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⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*An Easy Read*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
The fourth book in the series centers around offensive NFL player for the Warriors, Shane Miller (27) and star quarterback who recently signed with the Warriors, Marcus ‘Marc’ Talon (28). They met 9 years ago at college, went to the same college for 3 years, lived together for 2 and after Talon graduated, they were apart for 6 years and is now on the same team, but nothing is the same. Talon want his friend back, while Miller is avoiding his friend because what he feel for him is far stronger than friendship. When Talon walk in on a gay couple humping each other, he got quite an eye-opener, which leeds him to see Miller in a different way.
Overall, the book was fast forward, it didn't have much depth, but it was still an enjoyable read. I did tend to get bored at times, but I managed to finish it and I was glad I did. My biggest problem with the whole book was my lack of connection to either character. None of them stood out. Though the last sex scene? Miller was so fucking hot! Dominant, alpha male! Love that! Wish he'd been like that throughout the whole book though... A reminder that this book does not contain the ‘fake boyfriend’ trope and neither will next book.
Other characters:
↦ Maddox ‘Maddy’ Colin O’Shay (23) and his boyfriend, sports agent, Damon ‘Dik’ Isaac King (how old?) <-- Main couple in book one.
↦ Tight end football player for the Warriors, Matt Jackson (23) and his boyfriend, Noah Huntington III (26). <-- Main couple in book two.
↦ The winger in the NHL (hockey) for the Dragons, Ollie Strömberg (24) and sports journalist and his boyfriend, Lennon ‘Clark’ Hawkins (how old?). <-- Main couple in book three.
↦ Trey Talon, Talon's big brother.
↦ Vanessa Miller, Miller's sister, and her five-year-old child, Gabby.
↦ Gloria, Miller's mom.
↦ Caleb Sorensen, NHL player. Main character in next book?
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (New Adult? Adult?) Contemporary Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series (Can Be Read As A Standalone), Book Four.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Shane Miller.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably not.
Rating - 2.5/3 stars. -
I'm not going to lie, friends to lovers is like my crack, and I'm sure my face resembles Gollum when I read a friends to lovers blurb.
When I saw Blindsided by Eden Finley, I had to read it, and I'm happy it lived up to my expectations.
Some highlights:
-Pining. After being best friends in college Talon and Miller went life took them their separate ways and Miller helped life by further putting distance; he felt it was the only way to get past his feelings. All it took was being close to each other for those feelings to come roaring back.
-Bisexual discovery.
-Sports romance.
-Feel good/low angst.
-I love cyber romance ticks this box for me. TEXTS MESSAGES AND FACE TIME SEX FTW.
-Dual POVs
-Banter
-Talon was über sweet. Out of the two men, I was most drawn to him. He knew what he wanted and was all in once he realized what his heart had been trying to tell him all along.
-The end was swoon-worthy.
++Can this read be read as standalone? I have read most of these out of order and skipped one all together and never felt I was missing anything.
The books I've read from this series I've enjoyed. They're quick, fun, emotional, sexy reads I think everyone who loves reading romance would enjoy.
Solid 4 Stars! -
3.5 Could've Been Better✨✨✨
First thing foremost,
How the fuck is Fleshlight (an artificial vagina toy) a fucking thing?
Like seriously, I'm amazed, bewildered and honestly in awe and damned about humanity.
Anywayssssss
Okay I'm not going to lie, I'm not at least a little bit dissapointed in this book.
Miller and Talon has been my most anticipated couple since Book 2.
I couldn't wait to see for the development in their story as soon as they were hinted.
And honestly, I just feel like the timeline of this book is.... is just not for me.
First thing to take is,
The first half of this book is honestly, KIND OF Pointless because everything that happened was already revealed in the ending of book 2, just more added In Detail and of course in their POV.
So it didn't really add anything new, shocking, or just interesting to the story. I was more not surprised based on what was happening and I just kept on muttering, JUST GET ON WITH IT because I already knew what would be happening.
I mean, I get that this is a standalone but again, I'm just not in favor of the timeline of this book.
A huge portion of this book, they weren't even together.Miller spent 6 months away from their relationship by the 1 year end mark of their story in the end (excluding the last chapter) because he was injured and recovering.
And look, I've read online dating romance books before, and they're not my favorite. Which is another reason why the timeline just didn't work for me was because 50% of this book was them not together, messaging and facetiming. There's nothing wrong with that, and YET it doesn't just stop there cus there still is.
You'd think even with them communicating together, they'd be actually communicating, but really.... They just had sex over the phone. That and sports talk and one of the other daring and challenging the other on the phone.
There was no.... talk.
No deep shit kinda talk.
One of the reasons why I love romance is that we get to see how two people connect, get to know each other and just talk deep shit about each other. Yes falling in love is the point, but seeing the WHY behind it is so mesmerizing.
And I feel like the WHY behind this book was already pre-established because of their past so we just don't get to see how they bond, do sweet adorable shit together IN THE PRESENT.
And here's the third point.
They did no coupley shit together.
60% of this book was them not being together and when they were, the last 40% of this book was them having sex, and a constant Push and Pull situation ( which I'll get into a second) that lasted literally until the 4 chapters before this book ended before it was all threw to the bin.
In short. There's no fucking romance
·
And now the Push and Pull Shit I was talking about.
All I have to say to that is, God damnit, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST FUCKING SAY IT?
TALK IT OUT. JUST HAVE A FUCKING CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
I swear to you, if this couple just fucking talked it out (from the beginning), this entire book would've been SOOOOOOOO different and perhaps even better.
(Which goes to my previous points, they don't fucking talk nor do they have any kind of bond that's not already pre-established that makes me convince that what they have... even is worth it, because that question: Is what we have even worth it? was questioned by both of them, numerous times throughout this book. )One of my friends noted that earlier on this book, where because this series is Dual POV based, he noted that at the beginning, it was confusing to pin point who's POV was whom because their sarcastic nature was so un-drastically similar
AND I 100% agree. Maybe because it's already many books in the series already but in the start, It was like someone was forcing me to fucking juggle many names and when I just start to get the hand of it, they add more names making it even more confusing (even when it's characters of previous books) because I was BEYOND confused at that point.
REGARDLESS, I know I had nothing but complaints in this book, and yet I still rate it 3.5 ⭐
Well for what it was worth, this book did have some fun moments.
Talon frowns. “It’s not weird between Jackson and me.”
“You refuse to look him in the eye even when you’re talking to him.”
“That’s because I … because I thought … and then I’m all … I mean …”
“Aww, did someone forget how to use their words,” I say in the same voice I talk to my niece with.
“Shut up.” The tips of Talon’s ears turn pink
“What’s weird?” I ask.
“When you went down on the field tonight, my heart stopped, and I wanted to trade places with you. I wish I could take away your pain, because you’re the best guy I know, Shane.”
“And I can deny it all I want—tell everyone I signed with the Warriors because it was more money—but watching you tonight and helping you struggle right now, I know that it’s a lie. I’ve been lying to myself for months.”
“What lie is that?” My question is so quiet, even I barely hear it, but Talon moves in even closer.
“I moved to Chicago because I missed you.”
I take a deep breath. “I moved to Chicago for you because I’ve never had as much fun as when we were roommates. When I think about the happiest times in my life, it wasn’t when I was drafted to the NFL. It wasn’t when I won a Super Bowl or when I put that championship ring on for the very first time. It’s all those nights a million years ago being your roommate and friend.”
Movies and TV will tell you that pure will is enough to win. Fuck talent—it’s determination that gets you across that line.
He inches closer and does that thing girls do where they nudge your shoulder like a cat to get you to open your arms for them.
I lift my arm and wrap it around Talon’s muscular body as he snuggles into my chest.
Miller locks eyes with me and nods. Leaning in, he lifts his head until our lips are almost touching. “Explore me. Use me. Take whatever you want from me.”
The way Miller kisses, I understand why he loves my mouth. Kissing him is nothing like the kisses I’ve shared with others before. I’ve had passionate kisses, warm kisses, kisses that made me feel all cozy, and others that kinda made me bored. But Miller’s mouth? It has the power to make my universe crumble. It makes me weak in the knees, and I don’t know whether to relax under the comfort of the familiarity of Miller or pin him against the wall and see how far these sparks can fly
He hastily dresses himself while grumbling, “Yep. Definitely hate you.”
“Again, not what you said last night.”
“That’s because your dick was distracting me.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of that. ADDD. It’s like ADHD but it’s attention deficit dick-distraction disorder.”
I wish this sad truth just really... wasn't the truth.
“Man, this part isn’t on the brochure, is it?”
“Brochure?”
“When you hear about people coming out, you always picture awkward teens sitting in front of their parents. They come out, parents react—good or bad—and then it’s done. Fuckin’ nope. You’ve got friends, work, random people figuring it out in bars …” Talon grunts. “Whoever the assholes are who say being queer is a choice clearly don’t know shit. No one would choose to feel like this.”
Finally, for what it was worth, the ending is sure is worth it.
“It’s not easy—loving someone you know other people will have opinions about. It’s not easy being anything society doesn’t expect you to be. But when you’re with the person who was literally created with the sole purpose of being your other half, there’s no way to fight it. There’s only the choice to hide it or face it together, and I want to fight every battle and overcome every obstacle with Miller. I want us to help pave the way for others to be who they want to be and love who they want to love.” -
This is officially one of my favorite book in the series. It’s fast paced and entertaining. Loved the chemistry between the characters. Talon is extremely endearing, he is the type of guy who gets his way and never really has setbacks. He would bulldoze into his issues and is a bit reckless. He’s won the Super Bowl 3 times and is incredible in football.
Miller on the other hand, is struggling to stay in the team after his leg injury. He is more levelheaded and the two balances out perfectly.
The two met in college and they clicked ever since. Talon and Miller would do this thing where they would be in bed together with girls but the rule was to never touch one another. Miller has had a crush on Talon for years however, he does not have the courage to fess up as Talon is straight and an extreme play boy who does not believe in love. After Talon left for the NFL, Miller explores his sexuality but he does not feel much with the other guys. They both met again 6 years later and Miller tries to avoid Talon like the plague as he does not want to get hurt again. Talon moved to Miller’s team as he wanted to stay with Miller as a friend and he does not understand why Miller is avoiding him.
Later when Miller gets injured, Talon became Miller’s support and helps him get back to his feet. Meanwhile, Talon becomes aware that he actually loves Miller after seeing Jackson and Noah dry humping lol. He sees the love they have for one another and he wants that kind of love too which breaks his playboy character. He then thinks of Miller more and more leading him to realize his feelings for Miller. He becomes a hopeless romantic which was so cute. -
I think BLINDSIDED is my favourite in this series so far. Which is funny as it's the first one to not have the fake-boyfriend trope but.. maybe that's just a coincidence. The progression of this relationship, long time friends who have been recently reunited, one pining, one discovering something more, felt really genuine. The fact that Talon was such a man-child softie dumb dumb probably helped, too. What a loveable moron. For all these couples do run up against a lot of rejection and homophobia, there's an equal number (if not more) of accepting individuals in their lives, too, and I love that balance. Finley has definitely run the gamut of various scenarios and I appreciate how these books aren't totally following a cookie-cutter formula. My one main criticism might be that there was one too many sex scenes near the end. But I also could just be getting a wee bit overdosed on these books, too.
That said, I'd be lying if I wasn't highly anticipating this next read. Hopefully it lives up to my expectations. -
Probably more of a 4.5.
This is another series which I have enjoyed a lot but never written reviews for before. The previous installment Deke is a particular favorite and I have been waiting for Talon and Miller’s story since they were introduced in Trick Play. So, when I got the opportunity to review this ARC, I can’t describe my excitement... and I’m so happy that this book was all that I wanted it to be.
Marcus Talon is a delightful character to read about. The most popular and two time championship winning quarterback, he is a superstar and he knows it. He is impulsive, gregarious and has always gotten whatever he wanted. He has worked hard for his life of privilege and he knows it too. Shane Miller on the other hand is a good player, but not the superstar kind. He is also much more reserved, conscious of everything that his single mom did for him to be able to achieve his dream of playing in the NFL. And he is hiding his feelings for his best friend and decided that he will never get what he wants.
Best friends to lovers is my favorite trope in romance and I thought it was done really well in this book. Talon and Miller’s friendship reflects off the page and it’s endearing to see how much they care for each other. Their transition to lovers just seems very natural and organic and quite inevitable. While Miller is sure of his bisexuality but isn’t comfortable talking about it, Talon handles his sexual identity crisis in stride and in his usual impulsive way. He goes into this new phase of their relationship all guns blazing, because he is so sure of his love for his best friend and wants him to be a part of his life forever. There are many instances in the book where Talon gets these sudden realizations about their relationship and they were very cheesy and romantic but I absolutely loved them. They are totally made for each other and it shows.
The author does a great job of giving us these memorable characters, showing us their struggles in a realistic manner and giving them a hopeful future. In the present day, it’s obviously not an easy decision for any sportsperson to be out, so we get a realistic portrayal of how the characters weigh their decision of coming out vs the consequences and then make choices which are important to them. We also get some wonderful cameos of the characters from the previous books and it showed how much a supportive friend group is important while making such life changing decisions. The epilogue is also very very adorable and romantic and I was smiling so much.
If like me, you have waited for the story of this couple since you started this series, then I promise you won’t be disappointed. This is a wonderful and slightly angsty best friends to lovers romance and I would definitely recommend to any fans of this trope (especially the fans of Him by Sarina Bowen/Elle Kennedy). -
Esta serie está siendo una muy grata sorpresa, este ha sido uno de los que más he disfrutado. Jugadores de fútbol americano, escenas muy eróticas, escenas con mucho sentimiento, entretenido. Sé que es too un tanto fairytale, pero una a veces también quiere soñar. Muy bonito.
-
Great addition to a great series. I've really liked all of the books.
But I am absolutely DYING for the next book.
JET. -
I may be the odd one out here. But this is really not working for me. Talon and Miller have the same voice to me so I'm having trouble keeping them apart. The last-name-calling and then using their first names doesn't help either.
Miller - Shane, Talon - Marcus... uuhhhhh?
With a lot of persistence, I finished the book.
I'm so disappointed.
*sniffs
-
3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: I enjoyed this. I liked both characters and I liked their connection. I didn’t feel as many emotions as I would’ve liked but this was good for what it was. It doesn’t get too deep into their feelings for each other and I feel like that was often glossed over with sex scenes instead. But! I have to say that this seems to be pretty typical for me with football romances for some reason, so I wasn’t all that disappointed that this wasn’t all that deep. While the epilogue left me with what I would call a HFN ending, I liked it and it left me smiling in the end. So! Overall, it was an enjoyable, hot read but not one that’s going on my favorites shelf.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Talon and Miller’s story. They were best friends through college but reunited when Talon gets transferred to Miller’s NFL team as their new quarterback. Things are weird once reunited though and straight Talon starts to see things between them that he never had before while Miller has been secretly in love with Talon for a long time. There is some personal confusion, some sexy times, and some career drama...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Talon and Miller’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, but strong feelings had already developed when this story begins.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Talon. I liked him. I liked how he was optimistic and caring.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 4 stars. Miller. I liked him too. I appreciated how protective of Talon he was and how much he loved him.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes but with both mcs
Cheating: No
Separation: Not once they are together
Possible Triggers: Not really
Closure: This ended with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HFN ending , but I’m sure others would be fine calling this a HEA
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences -
Miller and Talon have been friends since college. They use to not only share a room together but they would always share girls. When I say share girls I mean at the same time. Three ways were there thing. However, when they entered the NFL and went their separate ways those became a thing of the past. With them being on separate teams the only time they interact is through social media. That all changes when Talon signs on to the same team as Miller.
After Talon walks in on his roommate, Jackson with his boyfriend Noah, he starts questioning his sexuality. He starts seeing his college roommate/friend in a whole new light. With his questions he wants answer but how will he go about sharing this new revolution with Miller.
Miller has been in love with Talon since his college days. When Talon was drafted a year before him he was heart broken. The reason he doesn't stay in contact with Talon as much is due to him trying to get over his feelings. But when Talon signs up with his team, trying to get over Talon becomes harder. It becomes so hard that it becomes a distraction which is messing up his game. So when Talon reveals his epiphany Miller is thrown for a loop. Does he want to be Talon's experience? Could he handle the fall out?
There is a whole separation when Miller gets injured that we as a reader have to endure. Just when they both decided to jump into bed together they are separated. So we are left with their initial hook ups being through text and face time. Until Talon's season is over and he comes to help Miller get back into shape otherwise Miller's career might be over.
So these two do hook up and their relationship blossoms. When both realize their feelings they have to figure out what they want. How can they keep what they have safe in a sports world that is so unwelcoming to the LGBTQ+ community.
I was looking forward to this story and maybe for that reason I may have expected too much. This is probably my least favorite of the books, so far, overall it was just an ok read. -
4.5 stars.
I loved this book.
And I love Eden for writing it. I am glad that the characters didn't shut up and demanded their own story. It wasn't a fake boyfriends trope like the rest of the books in the series but that's totally okay because it was a great book nonetheless.
Miller and Talon were amazing together. Their chemistry was there and I loved their friendships. Their story just solidified that they were meant to be and I'm happy I read it. I also enjoyed how funny the story was.
"I wasn't that drunk."
"Dude, you called Jackson your pet unicorn."
I laugh. "He is my unicorn. Without him we so would've lost the game last night."
"You threw imaginary glitter at him and yelled 'Be majestic, bitch!'"
Even though this is not a fake boyfriend trope somehow Eden made everything work in this book. It seemed to work in Miller and Talon's case and I couldn't be happier for them. The book also ended really adorably! Exactly how I wanted their book to finish off.
I've been a huge fan of Eden, for a while now and I'm excited for whatever she brings us in the future. I'm gonna be the first in line to buy that. This review might not make sense but the moral of the story is that I loved this book!
I fell for Talon because of who he is, not because he's a guy.
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Blog -
This was one of my favorites in the serie, i just loved Talon from day 1.
Their relationship is so fantastic, they are friends on top of everything and the story really stayed with me, the last book came out in audiobook a few months ago so I wanted to reread the series before reading the last book, it was as enjoyable as the first time!
Rating: 4 Stars.
Steam: 8 out of 10.
Triggers:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA: -
Love this series. So easy to read, a little angsty, excellent plot & relationship development, HEA. Two best friends & football players, Talon & Miller have theeesomes with girls but realise it’s each other that is most important. Miller has always been in love with Talon, & he finally catches up. Finally one that doesn’t focus on the label, but does talk a lot about the trauma of coming out as a gay sportsman.
