Wow!!!!!!! Just.....Holy Amazeballs!!!!

Let me first start by saying that I have read a fair share of MM Romances and this one...this was everything. The story. The build up. These characters. And why the hell is this the first time I've heard of this amazingly talented author? His writing skills are top notch. And to find out he also writes PNR....HELLLLLLLOOOOOOO, score! You better believe I'll be picking up more books from Mr. Hassell. And can we just drool over that cover please. I'm not trying to start anything, but that jawline sure looks like Mr. Hassell could be doing his own covers..."jus sayin'"

Gavin is a hard ass, both literally and figuratively. He's the tight end for the new NFL team in NY and he's gotten himself in to trouble. Again. But this time, he's been caught on tape and can't exactly get himself out of this one. And all to protect his friend. So now what? He's on house arrest for 6 months and yep, he's missing his season. They really know how to kick someone when they're down. No worries though. He's got a huge house, huge yard, huge pool, a private gym, no furniture, no food, no idea how to pay his bills and he can't even leave the house to go to the grocery store. Piece of cake. Yeah, no. Time to hire a personal assistant. But considering he doesn't like people, this is gonna be hard.

Noah needs a job, desperately. His father was recently let go from his job, so he's moved in with pops to help him with the bills. Problem. Now Noah is out of a job as well. After being called back on a job he really isn't qualified for, Noah finds himself face to face with not only one of the most important Reps in the sporting world, he's actually speaking to one of the most successful self centered jocks in NY. Oh, and he's hot as sin. Good thing Noah knows absolutely nothing about sports and pretty much insults his potential boss within the first 15 minutes of the interview. Yep. Back to the drawing board. Or is it?

These two. These two are everything. I love the banter between them. I love the no holds barred they both give and receive from each other. And the build up!!!! Good Lord. It made the relationship that much more for me. Each one of these guys possess their own issues, but together, they fit. And then we get to meet the other guys. Holy Moley. These team mates and best bros are awesome. Simeon!!! I need some Simeon in my life. I can't wait to see where this author takes us next. I. Can't. Wait!!!!

reviewed by Chris

Illegal Contact is a sports-related romance and I liked it. That's a sentence I don't write often, probably because I hardly ever read them. However, Illegal Contact is Santino Hassell's sports romance, and that I had to read.

The first book about the Barons introduced Gavin Brawley, the team's tight end who was in trouble with the law. Gavin wasn't a charismatic athlete beloved by the fans. No, his fan mail was mostly hate mail. He was known as an asshole. He had a bad relationship with the media, and an infamous Brawley glare, and when the Barons would win thanks to him, people would begrudgingly give him credit for it. When a video of his confrontation with some guy, a confrontation that included punches, went viral, he got suspended for a whole season and six months of house arrest. Not being allowed to leave his house for so long meant he had to hire a personal assistant. That brought Noah Monroe into the picture.

Noah was jobless and drowning in debt. He was living with his dad who had also lost his job and had no savings. Being a PA for a football player under house arrest wasn't a position he wished to fill, but after his last employment ended badly for him, he couldn't be picky. He was, however, prickly. Even during his interview he argued with Gavin. It was their first of many rather amusing arguments. When it came to football, Noah was ambivalent. It's something we have in common, Noah and I. That would change for him over time, at least about the Barons. And even I can't deny wanting Gavin and his best friends Simeon and Marcus to lead the Barons to victory.

Gavin and Noah had six months to spend in the same house. The first part of it, they spend arguing, and at times avoiding each other. They were also getting to know each other, and that was the time they were trying really hard to hide the growing attraction between them. Noah was undeniably attracted to Gavin from the get-go, but the more he learned about him, he grew to like him. I grew to like him, too. Under the gruff exterior, Gavin was a football player who loved the game, and felt it had saved his life. His fan mail wasn't only hate mail; he received letters from kids in the foster system who loved football and dreamed of going pro like Gavin did, and with Noah's assistance, Gavin found a way to help those kids. Gavin was also a loyal friend. My favorite part of the book was with Gavin, Noah and his besties Simeon and Marcus joking and teasing like best friends do. It was his loyalty to Simeon that had him going after that guy from the video which resulted in him missing the entire season, and spending months in his barely furnished house. Thanks to Noah, the public got to meet another side of Gavin. He went from having an infamous Brawley glare to a smile that charmed the fans so much that #DatBrawleySmile started trending.

The romance between Noah and Gavin progressed slowly. They really got together in the last third of the book, but in this case I didn't mind that at all. I enjoyed the buildup too much to mind. They spent the second third of Gavin's sentence in a blissful bubble, and the bubble burst when they had to face the harsh reality of what their relationship would be like after his house arrest was over, because Gavin's bisexuality was hidden from the public eye, and if it came out, it could ruin his career. Having to hide all the time and living in fear a paparazzo would still manage to take a picture of the two of them which would probably mean the end to Gavin's playing football wasn't an option for Noah, so he did what he felt was the right thing to do: he left. Everything was going so well with them, I kind of expected it would be smooth sailing to the very end. Once they realized the implications of being together long-term, it was like my own bubble burst.

Luckily for Gavin and Noah, and me, Illegal Contact is a romance which means their separation wasn't of a permanent nature. The story ended with them back in their sexy little bubble, but what happened to them after they joined the rest of the world is what I am wondering now. I hope the next book Down by Contact will not only be a treat with Simeon as a main character, but that it'll also satisfy my curiosity about Noah and Gavin and see if DatBrawleySmile is still charming the Barons fans.

Review of this book to come, on my blog entertainmelgbt.tumblr.com

review contains spoilers.

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

OMG!! No epilogue? Santino, are you trying to kill me? Tisk, tisk - that oversight deducts a half star rating, leaving this at 4.5. I live for epilogues, I crave epilogues!! To just end Gavin and Noah's story without [showing Gavin returning to the football field after his house arrest is over, or showing the fallout from Gavin coming out as bisexual and in love with a man, to not give me MORE is just...just wrong! (hide spoiler)]

Okay, little rant over with. :-D Now, Gavin and Noah - Noah and Gavin. How cute was Noah? Seriously, he was no wilting flower here and the fact that he is not a football fan and therefore not star struck being so close to THE Gavin Brawley made him such a snarky and "takes no shit from anyone" MC that I wanted to just jump up in the air (with fist pump too) and scream - "You tell him, Noah!"

Gavin knows he is fortunate to be able to play pro football, he is fully aware of the fact that few players ever make it to the big leagues. He had a rough life growing up and it's made him leery of people who want to just take advantage of him. When Gavin's friend and fellow team mate gets into a tricky situation with a "hookup" and a cell phone video, Gavin gets into trouble and is sentenced to house arrest for 6 months. Enter Noah Monroe, a young man who recently moved in with his dad to help support him (his dad lost his job) and also finds himself looking for employment. When he is called in to interview as a personal assistant, he had literally no idea what he is getting himself into. He doesn't even know who he will be working for, LOL.

These two do NOT get off on the right foot and it was snark at first sight, hehe. Watching these two banter back and forth, with Noah clueless at first as to the fact that Gavin is checking him out, I was simply captivated and soooo wanted to skip ahead to see these men finally get it on, but I resisted. Gavin is attracted to Noah and doesn't want to be, firstly because Noah works for him and he doesn't want Noah to feel as if his job is on the line. Secondly, Gavin knows that he is becoming dependent on Noah helping him be organized during his house arrest and if things go south between then, Gavin is going to be alone.

But all that doesn't matter when Gavin becomes jealous of Noah's friendship with a local mechanic, and Noah is simply a goner when he realizes Gavin isn't as straight as he thought [Noah hears Gavin having wild sex with what he assumes is a woman, but then he sees the man come to the kitchen after and give Gavin a big kiss. Yep, Gavin not so straight. :) (hide spoiler)]

Finding they can't fight their feelings anymore, they both agree to have a secret romance during Gavin's house arrest. And it's all so amazing and perfect and right, and Noah and Gavin are so happy!! Yeah, that doesn't last because Gavin's manager finds them together and has a total shit fit. Noah's eyes are really opened to the fact (with the managers help) that Gavin is in the closet and they have been living in a bubble during his house arrest. What does Noah really see happening once Gavin returns to the field? Certainly not Gavin proudly showing Noah off to all his teammates and the rest of the public. Noah doesn't want to live in the closet, but he isn't going to force Gavin into outing himself either.

[Yep, breaking up is hard to do. And they are both miserable. They have both declared their love for the other, and they know how they feel - but reality doesn't care about feelings. They mutually separate with much tears and goodbye sex. Gavin has admitted that he loves football more than Noah, but it's not until he loses Noah that Gavin sees he is wrong. He loves Noah way more than he ever loved football, and he goes and gets his man! By outing himself to an online news reporter he has worked with before. Noah and Gavin reunite, and then it's The End!! I was so mad! I just needed a little bit more. Why couldn't there have been a short epilogue, or just something more. A small 5 sentence paragraph would have sufficed. You know, it could have even been written as a news article or something: "Noah Monroe - a constant supporter and fan of his long time boyfriend, Gavin Brawley, was seen cheering in the stands as Gavin makes the winning touchdown. It was clear that Gavin immediately sought out his boyfriend in the stands and heedless of those watching, blew him a kiss." Now, that wasn't hard, was it Santino? (hide spoiler)]

I love Santino Hassell's writing style and his characters, especially the moody ones (Raymond Rodriguez from Five Boroughs is one of my favorite book characters). This book definitely didn't disappoint - the characters were well developed and the drama was at a believable level. There was a good amount of bitter to balance out the sweet, which is important. I really liked how the relationship drama played out between Gavin and Noah as well - especially once the pressures of Gavin's job and fame came looming over them. I think that the way the characters handled the stress and pressures on them was more believable than in most books - nothing too dramatic happened between them, they just looked at things with practicality and acted accordingly. I did want there to be a love triangle with Gavin's manager Joe - he didn't like Noah and I was expecting him to eventually try to start a relationship with Gavin. That would have made a nice spinoff book.

Guilty as charged staying up until 2 am reading 80% of this book. Finished the rest at the gym this morning. Why starting a new book at bedtime is ever the thing to do- I should know better by now. Gavin was quite the jerk at first but good thing Noah hung in there with him because the chemistry was hot, hot, hot! The next in the series is Simeon (the quarterback) and a rival linebacker, sign me up and schedule an all nighter.

This was my first Santino Hassell book and now I'm wondering why I waited so long to pick one up! I loved it! I knew I was going to love Noah before I even started the book, and I was not disappointed. He is my favorite kind of character, funny, geeky, and kind. But Gavin! I was surprised by how much he grew on me and by the end I absolutely loved him. Together they were perfect. Their banter had me constantly laughing, and all the while they were balancing each other out and learning from one another. I can't wait for the next book in the series, and have already gone on a search for my next Hassell book!

This was definitely the most romantic book I've read by this author, and I loved it! Sports romance is a favorite of mine anyway, especially football stories, so this one was made for me. I enjoyed both main characters and their story so much!

Gavin Brawley is the bad boy of the NFL. He's brash, rude, arrogant, and he couldn't care less about the media, or the public's perception of him. He's just here to play football. Football was all he had growing up in foster care, and it's what got him out of his terrible living situation and into his multi-million dollar Hamptons mansion. But, after assaulting a guy after a fight in a club, and having that assault caught on video, he's been sentenced to 6 months house arrest, and he's been suspended from playing football for the entire season. Since he can no longer leave his house, he needs an assistant. Someone to do his shopping and errands, and help keep things up at the house. He's not a huge fan of the idea of someone living in the house with him, and being all in his business, but his manager and agent finally convince him it's a necessary evil. Now the hard part, is finding someone he can stand to live with, and possibly begin to trust.

Noah Monroe is a recent college grad, with a degree in social work. He had a disastrous experience at his first job out of college, so he quit, and now he's moved home to Queens with his dad, who just got laid off of his job after 20 years. He's got student loan debt like whoa, but he's there to help his dad with bills until they both get back on their feet. He sends in his resume for the personal assistant job on a whim, and a recommendation from his best friend Jasmine, even though he has no interest working for a celebrity. But, it's a 6 month job, with good pay, and it'll be perfect while he's searching for a new opportunity in his field of choice. But, he is taken aback by Gavin and his bad attitude, and he's not sure even the money is worth the trouble.

Gavin and Noah butt heads constantly. Gavin is a dick, and Noah has no problem clapping back on him. They are continually sniping and arguing, and Noah isn't sure how long he's willing to put up with it. But, the money is too good, and when he starts really getting to know Gavin, behind the front he puts on for the world, he finds he likes him more than he should. This is a bit of a slow burn romance. They are both attracted to each other, but they don't act on it for quite a while, for many reasons. Noah's biggest issue is that Gavin is his boss. Gavin's biggest issue, is that he's a completely closeted bisexual man in the NFL, and NO ONE can find out about his preferences, if he wants back in the league when his suspension is over. They both have their own personal issues to overcome as well, before they can have any kind of meaningful relationship. It was entertaining, and often bittersweet to see them navigating their issues together.

I really loved the banter between the main characters, and their conversations were always full of sarcasm and humor. The side characters were very entertaining too, especially Gavin's teammates and best friends, Simeon and Marcus, and Noah's best friend, Jasmine. They provided much needed comic relief sometimes, as well as acting as sounding boards and advice givers to the main characters. This story was so sexy, and sweet, but heartbreaking, and healing too. I loved the characters' journey, and I am so glad I read this book. It's the first time I've cried reading a book by Santino, and I loved how this story made me feel. I can't wait for more, and I'm so looking forward to Simeon's story next. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

I received Illegal Contact as an ebook ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

THAT. WAS. INCREDIBLE

I will admit that when I first received it I was a little sceptical because I thought it was going to be one of those cheesy poor-kid-meets-millionaire romances where the shagging is so good they fall in love. But I should have known better. Santino Hassell blew every one of my cliched expectations out of the water and I want to scream from the rooftops about how good this damn book is.

Hassell is everywhere I look these days - all over my Instagram feed, my twitter feed, and plastered everywhere on goodreads so it should have been unsurprising that his latest work turned out to be worth every line of hype I've seen floating round these past few months.

I am an absolute sucker for a well developed and well rounded character, even if they can be a little cliched at times, so it was no surprise that I fell in love with Gavin Brawley and Noah Monroe within minutes.

Noah Monroe. How do I begin to explain Noah Monroe? Noah Monroe is flawless. He has morales and a goddamn conscience. I hear he cares more about the wellbeing of others than about himself.
In all honestly Noah is probably one of the best characters I've read in a long time. He's kind, he's compassionate, he's not afraid to be himself or stand the hell up for those who can't stick up for themselves. He seems like a right sweetheart when you first meet him, but boy does that lad have a mouth on him. He's not afraid to let rip on ANYONE. If you're bleating bullshit, he's gonna call you on it. And that's exactly what he does with Gavin.
So initially they get off to a rough start, as you'd expect when you get a brand spanking new job with a millionaire boss who's on house arrest and breathing down your neck all day every day for shits and giggles. But slowly, ever so slowly, the tension between them builds and builds until it's more than a slow burn romance; its electric. And boy do sparks fly left right and centre.

Now Gavin, well, Gavin's a bit of a rough diamond. He's been alone and dependant on himself and the sport that saved him for so long that he no longer knows how to let anyone else who doesn't share that connection in. Here and there you get an insight into his childhood and the way he was bounced around in the foster system, struggling to support himself and dependant on those in positions of power to survive. Throw his closeted sexuality and lack of trust in the mix and it's easy to see why it took Gavin so long to warm to Noah.

The plot is obvious, but I sincerely loved how Hassell incorporated far more than just slow burn romance. He touched on LGBT+ issues, calling out the media and the NFL for their homophobia, and raised important themes like general homophobia, women of colour on positions of power, poverty, the job crisis, healthy relationships and friendships, and sexual harassment in the workplace.
I read it all in one sitting/day and the only time I put it down was when I was desperate for the toilet.

The writing was gorgeous - it was real and raw and there were no attempts to hide how crass and abrasive the personalities of the characters were. There were modern pop culture references that made me laugh every time they popped up because you kinda forget that it's supposed to be set in real time - you're just so caught up in the ebb and the flow of Hassell's writing that timelines don't seem to exist anymore. And the sex scenes, God the sex scenes. I love it when an author is so unashamed about sex and can write it in a way that makes a reader feel like every sexual encounter is a moment of passion, not just a quick shag and a way for the author to get his rocks off while writing. There's nothing non-consensual about the scenes in this book, no take without give, and no rush to reach the end.

This is without a doubt one of the best LGBT+ books I have read this year and I'm so glad I read it. I'm assuming from the character development of Simeon and Marcus that there's going to be a spin off or a whole series just like Hassell's other works. Here's hoping!

5/5 stars

So, frequent readers of this blog know that I read a lot of romance, and I’ve read and reviewed a lot of Santino Hassell but this:

Like, Gavin is a jerk but he’s so goddamn hot. Characters don’t normally do that for me, especially not grumpy, assholish characters but Gavin, goddamn, he’s just. I can totally see why Noah fell for him. Gavin and Raymond (from Hassell’s Five Boroughs series) are, whilst polar opposites in personality, so goddamn sexy it’s unreal.

Gavin is a football player and is currently under house arrest for beating the crap out of some guy. What the world doesn’t know is that said guy was blackmailing his gay teammate, Marcus, and Gavin, as a cranky bisexual, and best friend of Marcus wasn’t going to let the blackmailer get away with that. Which is how he ended up under house arrest for six months.

How he ended up with a sexy assistant that rubs him up the wrong way – well, he’s a glutton for punishment.

Noah and Gavin aren’t enemies to lovers, but it takes quite a while for them to get on, never mind get to know each other, but it’s glorious when it happens. And when they get together – perfection.

Pretty much my favourite romance series is Hassell’s Five Boroughs, and I think this, which is the first book of his new The Barons series, could well be right up there with them.

Roll on book two and Marcus’ story!
(And can we take a moment to just pause at the cover of this book. I’m not one for muscles, but damn)

Santino Hassell kicks off a new series with Illegal Contact and even if you aren't a sports fan you need to read this book. It was awesome.

Full brutally honest disclosure here....I hated the main character Gavin so much in the first quarter of the book I almost stopped reading it. The only reasons I didn't was that one, I liked Noah the other main character and two, it's a Santino book.

After turning the last page, I am so unbelievably glad I didn't give up becuse the big alpha ass won me over and even had me tearing up at one point. I love when a book, a story, a character have the ability to win you over and make you love them. This was one of those books.

I loved the idea that a big football star is basically sidelined for bad behaviour ( albeit justified) for an entire season. Throw in a burned, football blind newbie personal assistant and watch the fireworks explode when Gavin the straight talker goes head to head with one of the few people who doesn't bow down and treat him like a god in Noah.

The sparks fly from their first meeting and only get hotter and hotter as they settle into their temporary new roles as house arrest detainee and PA.

Gavin is not only an alpha to the max, he takes no bullshit and gives none in return. And that's what made me hate and love him. It wasn't till he started to open up a little that I could see that he wasn't all that bad. But it's hard not to feel bad for him when his whole world is taken away and he gets to watch it from the sidelines.

I adored Noah from the start. From having the balls to admit that he didn't know the huge football star trying to stare a hole in the side of his head was at their first meeting to the moment he starts to fall for Gavin, I could not get enough of him.

Toss them together and see the chemistry burn so hot they almost singe your ereader when they finally give in to the attraction that they can't deny. Holy smokes they are hot and perfect for each other.

This story is about more than the hot sex and chemistry, though there is plenty of that. It's so fun to see Gavin let his guard down and become the real Gavin around Noah. THIS is where I went from loathing to loving him. Noah not only gets under his skin and pants, he crawls into a space where no one has gone before, Gavin's heart.

But it's not all touchdowns and celebrations. They go though a lot to be together and I may have (I totally did) tossed my kindle aside to wipe the leak I sprung away when they have the mandatory breakup before they get their HEA. Okay, I may have sprung a leak when they did get their HEA too. (totally did and it's okay. It was so worth it )

I have to mention Gavin's uber HOT team mates in Simeon and Marcus. I loved them and can't wait to see them fall and fall hard.

Run, don't walk and grab a copy of this book. You won't regret a single feel you will have while inhaling this story. Well played Santino, I'm hooked and ready for more.

I'm a sucker for a MM sport book. Especially a Football one since that is my sport of choice. There wasn't much actual playing going on, but I didn't mind. I like the idea of a big hot Football players getting dirty with another attractive guy just as much and SH surely delivered that.

#ThatBrawleySmile

Gavin is a NFL player who has recently got himself in quite a bit of trouble when he is caught on film having a physical altercation with a man. This incident lands him on house arrest for six months. He can deal with that, but what he can't deal with is also being on athletic suspension that leaves him sitting out a whole season. Gavin lives and breathes Football. It is the only thing that saved him growing up and on the field is where he comes alive. But he's not your usual show boating Football player. No. Gavin doesn't care about his persona or how the media see's him. He has anger issues and a temper that gets the best of him. He also is brash and unapologetic. He is snarky and sarcastic. And I adored him.
Being on house arrest in his huge Hampton mansion and unable to leave the place has put Gavin in a position he isn't quite happy with. That position is having to hire someone to be in house and in his space. He isn't comfortable with that. He doesn't believe he needs a PA, but soon realizes he has no choice. Enter Noah... He's just the match off the field that Gavin needed.

Noah was recently fired from his job. To say he is having financial problems would be an understatement since he to had to move back home to help his father financially since he lost his job as well. He is desperate to find anything and when his friend tells him about a PA position he applies for it. He doesn't really know what the job will require of him or who exactly he will be working for but he is willing to do anything to get out of his debt and to help his father. What he didn't expect is to work for a grumpy, short tempered, overpaid jock.
Noah is full of sass and he's funny, smart, loyal, and can give no f's that his employer is some huge NFL star considering Noah has no love for the game or it's players. Well, expect maybe this player.

The sexual tension between the men was intense. The banter was entertaining. The relationship that builds between the two men was a slow burn that I would gladly watch go up in flames over and over again. Both characters are flawed and raw. They both have a realness to them that Hassell always creates with his characters.

I absolutely loved this story and I can't wait for the next one. This is going to be a series I will follow to the end.

When I heart that Santino Hassell was publishing a new book called Illegal Contact I screamed in excitement. Illegal Contact is the first installment of his new The Barons series which not only includes some badass New Yorker football players, but also a lot of romance, some fluffy moments, steamy hot scenes and some great and fun jokes. It's not a secret that I am obsessed with Santino Hassell's writing and probably always will be but Illegal Contact just has got to be one of my new favorite Santino Hassell books and I'm not only saying this because my boyfriend is a football player as well (as you can obviously see in the pictures) I'm also saying this because dang, this was one romantic rollercoaster ride I couldn't get enough of. Want to find out why? Well then, keep reading!

As I have mentioned above already my boyfriend plays football and ever since I know him I've become quite a football fan myself. I mean I don't have a favorite team (except for his) and I don't watch all the big games on TV but I always try to join my boyfriend for one of his games so when I heard that Santino Hassell was publishing a book that features football players I was head over heels and knew that I had to get it.

I absolutely adored Illegal Contact. Both Gavin and Noah, the main characters, felt so real and well drawn. Their story drew me in from the very first second. Soon I figured that the setting is pretty much just the huge mansion Gavin is living in so at first I was afraid that I would find the story boring since I couldn't imagine a lot of things to happen if they'd stay in the same place for the whole time but I was wrong. It didn't bore me at all and I found all characters very interesting. Both the primary and the secondary characters were well written and very well developed. I especially loved Noah and how he seemed to be such a nerd while Gavin basically spends all his time working out and playing football. While Noah is caring and loving and a little soft, Gavin is badass and strong and tough but no matter how different they are from each other, they make one of the best and most interesting couples I've ever come across in a romance novel.

The bond between those two felt so real and honest and I absolutely loved how shy Noah was at some point and that no matter what he respected Gavin and his love for football, he never tried to talk him out of it, not even in the end. He always wanted him to be happy, he wanted him to do what he thought was the right thing and that was something that really impressed me. Sometimes when you're in love or you think you're in love you act selfish and behave like a little kid but Noah proved that he really loved him; that his feelings for Gavin were real, no matter what. And Gavin actually did the same though; in a different way. He was willing to give up something he loved; he was willing to give up a huge part of his life for Noah and he decided to finally be true to himself; to be the person he always wanted to be; the person he always has been. The thing is that Gavin doesn't trust easily. He grew up in the system and if it wasn't for football getting him out of there, who knows what would have happend to him or who he would have become. But then he meets Noah, who doesn't know anything about football, who doesn't even like football; who has never heard of Gavin who's actually a pretty famous and well known football player before and then their story begins. I loved how Noah always spoke his mind to Gavin, he didn't care that his new boss was a rich and famous NFL player. While at the beginning Noah thought Gavin was a bully, just some rich dude, he quickly realized that he couldn't have been more wrong with his assumptions.

I fell in love with Noah immediately, but it took me some time to like Gavin just as much and eventually I fell in love with Gavin through Noah. Noah brought out the good in Gavin, he made him rethink a few thing and the most important thing, he didn't give up on him right away. He decided he wanted to get to know him, despite the fact that people kept warning him about his anger problems. He listened to him; he tried to understand him; he wanted to be there for him and he was always honest with him. Even when they had a fight, Noah was very protective over Gavin; even when he was so mad at him he wanted to punch him, he never gave up on him; he always stood up for him and Gavin on the other hand would have never found another more stand up guy than Noah. So when they both realized they had real and very strong feelings for each other and that they wanted to be together, despite what everyone said, it was the absolute cutest thing in the world and especially the last quarter of the book was so good, I couldn't put it down.

I absolutely loved Illegal Contact; I loved everything about it, every word, every sentence, every page, everything that happened, every character - just EVERYTHING.

I'm so excited for book two and I can't believe I have to wait until next year til it's release. I also really want a physical copy of Illegal Contact. I hope there will be one soon because I really want the gorgeousness of that book in my bookshelves.

Illegal Contact is a book I can defintely recommend if you're looking for a fun sports romance with a great plot and amazing characters; also Santino Hassell's writing is beyond amazing and although I already finished the book a week ago I still suffer from that bad book hangover.

A copy of Illegal Contact was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Hasell novel. Honestly, he wasn't even on my radar until this year's RT Convention when *someone* practically begged me for an ARC copy of this book that happened to be in a goody bag I received. I'm a nice girl and I gave up that copy. Only later to regret it when I started hearing such great things. But thankfully, I was still able to snag a galley and I now I don't have to hate that *someone* for tricking me out of my book! ;)

Illegal Contact starts out with a pretty rough character, Gavin. A pro football player who's found himself on house arrest for a season. He's not very likeable to start. Unless, you like the cold and bossy type. I do. Noah is a complete contrast to Gavin and when he shows up to interview for Gavin's PA position, I immediately liked the balance between the two. They both push each other's buttons but always seem to learn something about themselves in the process.

While there is an immediate attraction between the two, the romantic relationship is slow to start. For many reasons. Noah doesn't know Gavin is a bisexual. The public sure as Hell doesn't know that Gavin is bisexual. Then, there is that whole boss/employee thing. When it does take a turn though...damn, man. It's hot as fuck but also so freaking sweet. Seeing a big, strong personality completely softened by a man who just plain makes him better is something you can't help but swoon over.

After about the first 25% (which was maybe just a tad slow for me) of this book, it became so hard to put down. I really enjoyed both of these characters and even their side kicks. I'm definitely looking for my next Hassell read, his combination of steam, emotion and life complexities hit the spot!

When Noah and Gavin meet, they make serious assumptions about each other that lead to what one can only call an antagonistic relationship. This isn't enemies to lovers, but two strong willed individuals who are more alike than they assume, need each other for different reasons and rub each other the wrong way. Sparks fly which makes for a great slow build romance filled with pitfalls and the most unlikely of sweet moments.

Gavin is a football player with anger issues. He's in the closet about his bisexuality because he doesn't want to ruin the career that saved him. He doesn't like people and he doesn't play the celebrity game. Everyone thinks he's trouble and he's okay with that. Under house arrest for trying to help his best friend, his manager is trying to find him a PA, but Gavin isn't used to be waited on or catered to and wants no part of it. He's come from nothing and the whole scenario makes him uncomfortable.

Enter Noah, a social do-gooder who doesn't know squat about football, but knows all about the pitfalls of sleeping with the boss. He's deep in debt, both his and his father's, desperate for a job, and still can't find a way to be polite during the interview that could turn everything around. There doesn't seem any logical reason for him to get the job, so when Gavin calls him back, he jumps...well, okay, they're still antagonistic, but they come to an agreement.

Noah’s determination to do his very best butts up against Gavin’s equal determination not to make it easy and every interaction is a battle of wills and words. The proximity gives Noah insight into the man everyone loves to hate and unlike the rest of the world, he starts to see that there’s more to Gavin than meets the eye. He’s fiercely protective of his pseudo-family from the team, he wants to give back in a way that means something without the accolades, he uses his anger as a shield so no one can see that beneath it is a man desperate to be loved, liked, and treated with respect.

Soon Noah is trying to find ways to make Gavin happy, something no one’s ever done for him before, and that takes the attraction that’s been simmering all along to a whole new level. To his own shock, Gavin starts to think of Noah as something more than a PA, something more than a hookup, and that makes this big, bad, grumpy, angry football player the mushy one in the building relationship. Honestly, swoon worthy mush without being cheesy.

Obviously, it can’t be that easy. There’s still the matter of Gavin not being out, his career and house arrest, and the reality check that nearly ended it all. Even as they were trying to handle it maturely, I cried for them both and hated Joe all the more. The ending was just about everything I wanted it to be, though I could have done without Joe pretending to be supportive of Gavin’s decision—it certainly didn’t redeem him in my opinion.

I loved Gavin and Noah together and think the author did an excellent job of portraying the issues professional athletes still face regarding their sexuality. For all that these organizations preach diversity, inclusion, and acceptance, the repercussions haven’t changed. From backlash from fans and the media, to questions about gays in the locker rooms, to worry about how fellow teammates and upper management will react…it’s another reminder that we’ve come so far and still have such a long way to go.

3.5 stars. This m/m romance is very well written, with smart and snappy dialogue, interesting and well-rounded characters, and good pacing. The major themes of the story are not personal favourites of mine: closeted alpha male athlete, a boss/employee-esque situation, and a public coming out narrative. Despite this, I really enjoyed the developing relationship between the characters, and would be excited to pick up another book by this author.

Santino Hassell is not a new author but he’s new to me, and boy, am I sorry I was slow to pick up one of his books! This is one talented writer and I’ll be pulling from his backlist as well as eagerly pursuing his new releases from now on. First of all, let me admit I’m not a sports fan, but this book about a professional football player had me hooked from page one.
Gavin lives for football. Coming from an impoverished background, football was all he had as a dream to break out of his childhood deprived lifestyle and into the rarified dream of the wealth of a professional player. Also, he truly loves the game. He really was never interested in the fame side of things. That comes with its own set of restrictions. As soon as he had signed a multimillion dollar contract he bought a mansion and more cars than he wants to drive. Just because he can. What he never learned to do was be organized, pay his bills on time, cook for himself, and decorate his home. That’s just the beginning of Gavin’s shortcomings. He’s also got a short fuse. Very short. And very few real friends. You can count them on one hand, even if you lost a finger or two in an accident. Oh, and he’s gay. Closeted, but he definitely likes deep voices, hard chests, nice butts, and dicks. He doesn’t perv on the guys in the locker room. Gavin is smart enough to avoid that and he’s choosy about where, how, and with whom he has infrequent hookups. However, his renowned temper has recently landed him in well publicized hot water and he finds himself under house arrest for six months. No football, no going anywhere, no anything that is meaningful to Gavin, except his workout room and pool, where he engages in punishing daily training to both keep himself in shape and burn off some of that angry testosterone. He also has a secret about the encounter that left him housebound, and that secret tells us more about Gavin than anything else, including the glitz and opulence of his fancy home, cars, and fat bank account, or even his wild temper.
Noah is a nerdy, out and proud gay man, who not only doesn’t follow sports, he doesn’t even enjoy watching football. At all. He doesn’t understand it and doesn’t want to. However, Noah recently lost his job because he made the huge mistake of sleeping with his boss. He’s unemployed and living back at home with his dad, who is also recently unemployed. Noah needs a job. Right now. He’s offered employment working for Gavin’s manager as Gavin’s personal assistant. As long as Gavin is restricted to his house, somebody needs to organize his life and his paperwork, get his bills up to date, run errands, and cook for Gavin. One of Noah’s first shocks is how much food it takes to feed a huge, muscular football player! That is a funny side note, so don’t miss that. Gavin doesn’t want a PA and Noah isn’t interested in a sexy football player, who may be straight, for all Noah knows. Noah needs a paycheck and Gavin needs help, so Noah decides he can put up with the scary, cranky Gavin and Gavin decides he can put up with the nerd who is going to be all up in his business, for six months. Only for six months. It shouldn’t be too hard, right? Insert a knowing laugh here. Heh heh.
This is an almost-enemies to lovers story. We meet Gavin’s and Noah’s few friends, we learn their backstories and secrets, and we find out how and why they could become improbable lovers. Then, just as you think they’ve got the anticipated HEA, here comes the really hard part of the story. What is more important to Gavin, football or Noah? And what is the most important thing to Noah, a paycheck or his boss? More than one person has secrets to tell in this intriguing book, and I can guarantee that despite the sweet romance there are hard choices to make and even harder life lessons to learn. You might take away a lesson or three for yourself by the end.

Welp…reading this book slowly went right out the window!

There’s something about a Santino Hassell book that has me gorging the pages up way too quickly. Illegal Contact was no different.

Gavin Brawley is a pro tight-end for the NY Barons, and football is everything to him. Life gets a little messy, however, when he gets suspended from the game that keeps him sane. And oh yeah, he’s under house arrest for the next six months. Solution? Hire a P.A. who can run Gavin’s errands and make sure thing get done. Gavin’s not game for this solution, and he especially doesn’t expect to meet mouthy Noah. A man who (*gasp!*) doesn’t like football.

Noah needs the money that this personal assistant job offers, even though he doesn’t particularly want the job. And he really makes zero effort. I loved him! But during the interview he meets his employer, Gavin, and even though they butt heads something fierce, there’s something about the big guy that gets underneath Noah’s skin. When he does get a call back from Gavin with a job offer? Noah’s bitten off way more than he can chew.

I loved these two, and the plot just thrusts these two together! Not only is Noah running around and doing a job he really has no idea of, he’s at Gavin’s beck-and-call and the dude likes to ruffle Noah’s feathers. Then there’s the little caveat that Noah may have to live with Gavin as Gavin roams around shirtless and like chocolate on a muscled stick. Their communication technique is really nothing more than grumbles and growls, but there’s also these sidelong glances and subtle eye-f&cks that are just…gah!

Gavin's this big, gruff guy who plays tough, but he’s secretly a big ole softie. My favorite kind! His rep, however, has kind of sunk him, and this house arrest business isn’t helping matters. Noah's super intelligent, and though he meets Gavin’s sarcasm with sarcasm, you can just feel the explosive chemistry between them.

But both don’t know how to deal with this intense attraction either. What it would mean in the outside world. Gavin may be bisexual but he has to hide his sexuality with his pro career and the limelight constantly in his direction (mostly bad with his rep, at that). Then there’s Noah who has been burned one too many times and his attraction to Gavin has him wondering if this relationship will end like Noah’s last one.

What makes Illegal Contact truly shine is that this story doesn’t just bring the heat. It brings the romance, full-throttle and out-of-this-world.

Also, I have to say that I have a new appreciation for the career of personal assistant to the stars. Noah is a freaking champ! I also loved the secondary characters, and I’m crossing my fingers that Simeon’s story is up next. A charming hellion, is what he is!

This is Santino Hassell at his finest. Conflict and desire tangled with judgements and mixed feelings. It’s all bundled into this package that has you holding your breath at times, and at others giggling your head off. Illegal Contact is a touchdown.

5 Stars!

I loved this book! It's a fantastic romance with a sports focus without being overwhelmingly about football. Gavin's background is developed well and it fed well into his relationship with Noah. I was particularly impressed by how Gavin was portrayed as tough and violent, but his behavior was never threatening towards Noah, and Noah was aware of the possibility that he would be. I look forward to reading more books in this series.