Santino Hassell is back with the second book in the Barons series and again has managed to make me end up loving a hero I hated in the beginning. How he does it is pure genius I swear. I loved this book.

I don’t often admit to hating a hero, that usually means I didn’t like the book. But there’s something about this author’s writing that makes me change my mind every single time and I love it.

That said, this is a bloody fantastic read from the first page to the very last where you will close it with a huge satisfied sigh and a desperate need for the next book in the series because you find out who’s coming next and boy will it be good.

Are you ready for two smoking hot and talented NFL players who are thrown together for community service but find something so much more? Who am I kidding of course you are. I had you at NFL players, right?

Well prepare yourself for Simeon and Adrian. Theirs is a love story that will melt you in all the right places as they get to know each other better and find that they have more than football in common.

I loved watching Simeon and Adrian tease, flirt and dare each other to push the boundaries and to see who would cave first. There was just something seeing the push and pull of attraction, war with feelings and expectations that made this story unputdownable.

Seeing this pair go from rivals to friends then lovers was so worth the hate if felt toward Adrian at the start. It took me a little while to warm up to him, I admit that, but once I did I was solidly on Team Adrian.

As for Simeon, that man could charm the underwear off anyone with little effort and I completely adore him. Seeing him learn to trust another person after an ordeal burned him badly made my heart all squishy. Like I said, adored him.

To be honest, the best thing I can say is just read this damn book. I could waffle on more, but I could never do it justice. Santino Hassell is just one of those authors that you pick up the book without reading the blurb because you already know it’s going to be good. And this was no different.

Falling for a man, a person - not a gender

After absolutely loving the first book in Santino Hassell’s series the Barons (Illegal Contact), I was definitely keen to read this next book, Down by Contact. Focusing on Gavin’s best mate Simeon Boudreaux, I was intrigued at how this book would deal with a recently outed homosexual NFL player and his rivalry with a former team mate Adrián Bravo.

For me, this book was a brilliant insight into the culture of male sport and its respect (or often lack of respect) for gay or non-heterosexual (bi-sexual, sexually fluid) players. What comes across as “joking”, non-P.C. banter can be construed as bigoted and homophobic, making those who may be gay etc extremely uncomfortable and unlikely to own their true identity. And that’s without the media attention that these high profile sports players receive regardless of their sexual orientation. But Down by Contact doesn’t lecture or soap-box these issues, just presents them in the context of the story and leaves the reader to take away what they will.

The romance in this book was one of the sweetest, steamiest and most intriguing when it comes to the (few) mm romance novels I have read. Initially I was uncertain if it was going to be a book about out and proud Simeon “turning” the openly heterosexual Adrián - but I quickly realised it was so much more than that. Santino gives us a story that illustrates that it’s the person - not their gender or sexual orientation - that we fall in love with, and that even a big, brawling, apparently homophobic NFL player like Adrián can develop feelings for ONE man. This was the perfect slow burn book, and I could hardly put it down - the anticipation and “will they, won’t they” had me eager for more at every turn.

Throw in some updates about fellow Barons players Gavin and Marcus, a bunch of summer camp kids learning to play NFL from two guys who are so far removed from teaching their first day with the kids is hilarious (and frightening lol), a bunch of overbearing parents, a freak storm and some of the steamiest mm sex scenes I’ve read - and Down by Contact is going to be at the top of my recommended read lists for January and for 2018!

Enemies-to-lovers stories are my thing.
Adrian Bravo and Simeon Boudreaux are rival players. Long time ago they were friends that bonded over playing for the same team for a short period of time, the bond was broken when Simeón was traded to the Baron’s. Since then it has been a resentment and passive aggression, and some misconduct on the field leads them to spend time together, and make their relationship evolve to something else when became impossible to ignore their attraction for each other.
There were interesting talks between characters about queer and In general human respect, loved how while trying to educate Adrián's in this matter, to make him understand, that what he thinks are jokes and funny harmless comments could offend others. Simeon give him a different perspective.
I loved the writing and the back and forth banter were flawless, the story and character development on DOWN BY CONTACT is perfection.

Now I need book 3 though!

Reviews posted on V's REads, Goodreads, Amazon and B & N: https://vsreads.com/2018/01/12/coming-out-soon-down-by-contact-a-review/

Simeon Boudreaux and Adrián Bravo were teammates and friends on the Predators for a short stretch a few years back, but Simeon got cut, and picked up by the Barons. Adrián blames the Baron’s success against his Predators on Simeon knowing their playbook, but deep inside he’s really angry that he lost his friend. And, he’s using that anger to fuel some anti-gay slurs he makes once Simeon comes out. Adrián’s Predators are all about toxic machismo, and homophobia; Simeon’s glad he left that behind and found a team where he could be himself–and support a fellow out player. He lives his truth and loves his life.

Of course, he’s not happy with Adrián’s trash talk, or with Adrián’s late hit that lands him on the disabled list for eight weeks. Adrián’s suspended, and their PR teams work out a deal to get both players some positive press: have them use their time off to volunteer at a LGBTQ kids outreach center running the sports recreation. Neither Simeon nor Adrián is wild about this arrangement, and the tension is rough. They have outbursts and power trips, and cause more fuss than help. And, somewhere in the hurt they generate, a kernel of desire is born. As neither man is dating anyone, the taunts they let fly turns the tension up to eleven. Adrián is especially struggling with the recognition that Simeon is such a great guy, and soon he’s also seeing his former adversary as a desirable man.

Not that Adrián can act on his impulses. His old school folks would never accept him coming out as bisexual, nor would he find the Predators to be welcoming. But, Simeon is patient even with all the hate sex Adrián is offering. He definitely likes turning Adrián inside-out; his main mission is to turn Adrián into an ally, even if he’s undercover. The press gets wind of their developing relationship, when one of the kids leaks an incriminating photo, and Simeon tries to shield Adrián from the fall-out, but Adrián wants to write his own story. Especially if it includes Simeon.

I always love the gritty, filthy talking, hot-and-dirty sexytimes Mr. Hassell writes. There’s no shortage of those moments here, and the sweet way Adrián comes around to accepting his sexuality is a bonus. I love the urbanity of the writing, and the ethnic dialect and experiences. Both Simeon and Adrián are men of color and they feel culturally authentic and interesting. I liked the football setting, though there are lots of off-the-field scenes, as both players are sidelined temporarily. The banter between Simeon and Adrián is amusing, and filled with athletic trash talk, amidst the flirtatious challenges. Their physical relationship begins with little more than a dare, but it grows more tender the longer they go at each other. Adrián’s fledgling steps into sex with Simeon are a revelation he didn’t expect to find, but the companionship they share fills a void neither man anticipated. It’s unexpectedly sweet. And, the end leaves the reader wondering if the league’s biggest homophobe, Adrián’s friend and teammate, Rocky Swoops, might be protesting just a bit too much. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Football players? Check.

Queer football players? Check.

Queer football players of color? Check!

Rivals to lovers? CHECK CHECK CHECK

“Oh look the storm is crazy out so we best stay inside and just fuck the weekend away”? CHEEEEEEEEEECK.



Listen, that’s really all you need to know about Down by Contact. If that list doesn’t make you one-click, I don’t know what more I can possibly say to change your mind.



But I’m going to try my best because this book was fucking perfect and you need it in your life, even if you don’t know it yet.



Reading Down by Contact reminded me that I am a sucker for a good rivals-to-lovers romance. [Seriously, I need moooore, give me all your recs, any gender pairing. Please and thank you!] There’s something extremely delicious and fun, watching the couple dance around each other while trying to one-up each other professionally. That tension and dynamic is the BEST to read. And Hassell does such an amazing job with it here.



Adrián and Simeon used to be teammates, and got along pretty well; far better than any of the other players treated Simeon, that’s for sure. When Simeon left the team -- he wasn’t going to get any field time . . . possibly ever – and joins the Barons instead, the switch was flipped overnight, and the rivalry-hatred was on. Since then, they’ve been starting shit on Twitter, making sly comments about the other during interviews, and even coming close to blows a time or two – and not just on the field.



When they clash during a preseason game, injuring Simeon’s arm and setting off fights among both the teams on the field and the fans in the stands, the two are suspended for part of the season. Even better, they must work together at a community center program for kids. But you know that’s not going to be enough to get these two to play nice and make up. Nah, there’s still more tension and bickering in store before they start to let down those thick walls.


The thing is, it’s not just the rivalry that stands between them – it’s also some deep "Shit, I can’t like you – no really I CANNOT LIKE YOU” feelings from Adrián. See, Adrián is a subtle, but no less harmful, homophobe—or at least that’s how he acts. This is partly because of the very sport he is in (hello, toxic masculinity!) and especially from his teammates in particular, but it’s also from his unwillingness to unpack his internalized shit and accept that he’s not straight after all. So his way of thinking is something like “To avoid anyone thinking I’m not-straight, I need to make sure I act SUPER straight and be a homophobic dick”.



I’m going to be honest with you, this type of story? I wouldn’t really trust many authors with it, most especially not most cishet women writing M/M (…which is basically the entire genre, but that’s a different conversation…). But I trust Santino, and I know that he potentially has more . . . experience, I suppose? . . . as a queer man to be able to tackle this kind of story without it being damaging. And in my [cishet-woman] opinion, I think he did a great job at it.



Because Adrián does come to terms with his sexuality, bit by bit, and Simeon does not take his shit, which is what made this book work for me so much. Doesn’t matter the gender of the couple, if one is going to be a bit of a dick at times, I need the other character to be able to hold their own. And that’s certainly the case here.



As I mentioned on Twitter -- and I am by no means the first to say this, but it always bears repeating – I love that we’ve got a realistic sports romance here and it’s not an all Wonderbread-white team. [We could have an entire conversation about how the genre shows its racist ass with this kind of shit, but I digress. For now.] And I’m mad that getting this ONE book, this one series, with queer players AND players of color has me so excited. Because what does that tell you about the rest of the industry and genre? But again, I digress. In case you were wondering, Adrián is Latino [if we were ever told a specific heritage, I must have forgot, and I do apologize!), while Simeon is black.

DOUBLE QUEER AND DOUBLE POC REP? I’M IN FUCKING HEAVEN.



So I mentioned that there’s a bit of forced proximity sexytimes, which is SUPER IMPORTANT for many of us, I know. Catnip alert! After they’ve started to mess around, a storm hits the city (hurricane? Tropical depression? My memory is shit, so IDK) and they stay at Adrián’s condo to ride it out. And of course that leads to nonstop sexcapades, because what else do you do when you’re locked inside with your partner and nothing else to do?



I don’t have to tell you that all of their scenes together were all hot as fuck, do I?

I loved the rivalry dynamics. I loved watching Adrián accept his sexuality (bi). I loved seeing these two together, both in bed and out. And of course I loved Hassell’s fantastic writing and very unique and fun voice.



I mean, really, how can you not love his writing when you get fun gems like this sprinkled throughout:



"Mister Softee? Sounds like a gay-for-pay bottoming porn scene."



I was sitting by my family watching TV – okay, THEY were watching TV, I was busy watching Adrián and Simeone, obviously – when I hit that line and I just barely stopped myself from laughing out loud, turning it into a muffled snicker and a ridiculous grin instead. Because how the fuck do I explain to my grandfather that I’m laughing about soft dicks and porn stars? NOPE, NOT GOING THERE.



Anyway, my point is we always get a lot of that snark and humor in Hassell’s books, and that’s definitely the case with this one, too. And I fucking loved it.



But alongside the fun, we get the angst and feels – not that I’m complaining. While Adrián might come to terms with his sexuality, that’s not the same as being out. Hell, Simeone only just recently came out publicly, though he’s been comfortable with his sexuality since his early teens. The two have to navigate the tough choices, and decide if they’re okay with the secret hookups (while hoping they don’t get caught) or if Adrián wants to come out. And if he does, how that might affect him and his career[because fuck you, society]. There’s some time apart, some makeup sex, and then the entire scene at the Predators vs Barons game and . . . oh, my heart. My heart was a big mess for the last 15% of the book. But it all turns out okay in the end, don’t you worry. These two are too perfect together to be kept apart, messy parts and all.



I loved book 1. Absolutely loved it (it has a BatB trope to it). I gave it 4 ½ stars at the time though I have no clue why, it deserves 5 stars too. Down by Contact is my first 5 star read of 2018 and honestly I think it’ll be one of my top picks when I do the 2018 round-up. It left me with all the Happy Reader Feels and I literally have zero shit to complain about – okay, wait, there was one sex scene that they mentioned, but it wasn’t on page, and it sounded super hot and involved some toys, so naturally I half-heartedly bitched that I wanted that scene NOW, but hey, that’s just my dirty-reader complaining a bit. Otherwise, this was complete perfection. I need book 3 RIGHT THE FUCK NOW, but Hassell is still writing it so I guess I’ll have to make do until it’s ready. I can be a good, patient reader.



Is it ready yet?

Is it?

4.5*

Adrian really has a hair up his ass for Simeon (I never understood that expression...). His lame excuse was that Simeon switched teams and shared the Predator's playbook with the Barons. No proof of it, just assumed, but in reality its so much more that that. Regardless, he treats Simeon like garbage, talking smack on social media and the news. During pre-season it all comes to a head and our MCs are in some trouble.

Fantastic job bringing up the fact that men can be sexually harassed and no one thinks twice about it because they're men, and men apparently don't have feelings. This is one thing I love about Santino's books. He brings up current topics in the way he knows how, gritty and real."

The chemistry between these 2 is off the charts, even the hate. They get under each others skin like no other, so obviously there is something there. Simeon decides to find out. There is no reason for this unwarranted attitude, its either jealousy or pride. So this need to find out turns into a little game between the Barons QB and the Predator's LB. A dirty talking sexy little game. All while trying to not kill each other during Football Camp for teenagers.

Once the guys get to reacquaint themselves with each other and remember why they were friends in the first place, they find that they actually make a very good coaching team and things go smooth for a bit...until they don't- when Adrian freaks out...again. I was so mad at Adrian...and a little more so at Simeon for letting things happen the way they were. I did think it was a little funny when he used Adrian's jealousy against him to help him "see the light". When they do finally come all the way around it's beautiful.

I am super curious to find out what happens with Rocky Swoops, teammate and ex-roomate to Adrian. His attitude and anger is totally misplaced. He's this super aggressive guy with a LOT of anger issues. It's not a pretty sight when his anger explodes and then he goes off the radar. I am wondering how Santino will redeem him....

The problem with thinking an author’s writing is damn near perfect is when they write something that isn’t perfect for you, it’s all the more disappointing. I loved Mr. Hassell’s Community series so much my friends were going to call an intervention if I didn’t stop gushing about it. I loved Illegal Contact and had really high expectations for this book. But…I was disappointed. Overall, except for my issues I liked this story and the idea of enemies being forced to spend time together because off their stupid behavior. I gave it 3 stars because unfortunately, when something bugs me in a book I become a nit-picky ole biddy and it’s hard to come back from that.

I’ll just start with Simeon. In my review of book 1, I was unsure about him…

”The jury is still out on Simeon for me…he’s a little over the top but I’m guessing that’s for show and we’ll find out why in his book.”

There’s no reason…he’s just over the top. OK, fine. And of the two of them, I liked him more than Adrian but that’s not saying much. He seems to have a good heart. But his hate for Adrian is profound and his goal once they are forced to work together is to get him to admit he’s homophobic because he’s hiding his attraction (and eventually his bisexuality). He wants them to get busy for vindication. He wants Adrian to ‘know how it felt to be queer in a homophobic industry and then regret everything he’d said while in his feelings about something that had happened years ago.’ NOT.A.FAN. I can’t fathom hate sex…seriously. And his reaction to the media over the picture of the two of them…he just went off. I suppose it was a good thing he got it off his chest because he clearly hadn’t forgiven Adrian for what he’s said over the years and there is no way they could have a relationship with that bitterness inside.

So, Adrian. He’s actually a rich kid with a professional athlete for a father. And his mother has pretty much kept him in line over the years. NONE of that came across in his character except maybe him acting like a spoiled child. I would have NEVER guessed he was a rich kid…and maybe that was on purpose? I did not like him. AT. ALL. He gets better-ish toward the end of the book once he admits his feelings and let’s go of the animosity. His original reasons for hating Simeon are iffy at best. He eventually owns his bisexuality and goes all in. As with everything else, his ‘coming out’ is over the top (although kind of sweet, finally).

This couple works…but mainly because I’m not a huge fan of either one of them. I’m not invested in them but I can admit fit and am glad they have each other.

In addition to not loving the characters, the dialog was my Achilles heel. I understand it was part of the characterization but it was SO OVER THE TOP I couldn’t stand it and honestly didn’t get most of it. It took me 4 days to read this book…and it never takes that long but I just couldn’t stick with it because I felt like I was constantly rolling my eyes. I must be pretty sheltered in my corner of the world because I’ve never met someone who talks like either of them. Simeon used the endearment ‘boo’ 14 times. G’ah!

I still don’t understand the use of ‘sub’ in this book. Can someone explain it? (See examples below)
‘I knew he was a homophobe after he steady subbed me after I came out’
‘You and your boys started throwing subs about me selling out your playbook’
‘...but it sounded too much like a sub about gay dudes not practicing safe sex’
‘...because he was throwing all those gay subs and now you’re sucking his d*ck’

OK…moving on. Gavin is his usual grumbly self and we only get about 5 seconds of Noah. We’re introduced to a potential future MC…and I’m not thrilled with that. Mr. Hassell would have to be ON POINT and wow me to get me to read it and I’m not sure how that can happen.

I’m sad to say this was a miss for me but take my opinion for what it’s worth (which isn’t much).

Down by Contact by Santino Hassell is the enemies to lovers story of Simeon and Adrián. They were once teammates and friends, but things quickly soured between them when Simeon was traded from the Predators to the Barons. Adrián made it his mission to bully his old teammate in any way he could. During a preseason game, the two got into it causing them both to get suspended and having to do community service- together. What ensues is slow burn deliciousness.

Some highlights:

-Simeon, in Illegal Contact, he was Gavin’s supporting friend, and although he was still a nice guy in this book, he wasn’t perfect. That added to his appeal- had he been an immaculate human being it would’ve been boring so it was nice to see that he’s flawed just like everyone else.

-Adrián. He was tone deaf, cocky, and an asshole, but he will steal your heart. He grew throughout the story, and once he started coming to terms with his sexuality and developing feelings for Simeon, he was all in. No pun intended.

-UST! Palpable in every encounter between these two men.

-BANTER! It added to the sexual tension and made me laugh.

-The pace of the story is quick and flawless.

-Narration. The story is told from POVs which was perfect, loved being in both main characters’ heads.

-Sexual discovery.

-Bisexual rep.

-And the end….♥

Can this be read as a standalone? Yes, but read Illegal Contact. Don’t cheat yourself out of a great book.

Down by Contact lived up to the high expectations I’d set in my head for it. It was funny, moving, relevant but still raw. This was another outstanding book by Santino Hassell.

“You’re killing me, Adrián,” he whispered. “You’re dangerous.”

“I’m not apologizing for it. I like making your heart beat faster.”

“It does. Trust me.”

Illegal Contact was so far my favorite #Barons book and I liked Simeon and couldn't wait to read Down by Contact. Not as gritty and in your face like IC, but still raw.

Simeon and Adrian have known each other when Simeon played for the Predators for a minute, but Adrian felt Simeon was a sellout, which was further from the truth. After these two got into a pre-season scuffle (which was Adrian's fault), they were suspended for six weeks and had to work together at a community center, teaching the kids about sportsmanship, etc. Yeah, how was that going to work with two dudes who despise each other? Simeon, although he really wanted to hate Adrian, he couldn't help his attraction. Adrian in turn was finding out how he was finally coming to terms with his bisexuality. The chemistry was hot between these two hot-heads lol.

As I mentioned above, not as angsty as IC, but Santino has a way to tell a story, his prose is just so fitting. What I loved the most is reading about my old stomping grounds, Williamsburg, in Brooklyn.

Santino Hassell is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and just with two books. I cannot wait to read more of his other books.

*An ARC was provided via Net Galley for an honest review.

Simeon Boudreaux and Adrian Bravo are former teammates and friends who now play for opposing teams in what happens to be one of the biggest rivalries in the league. The players of the NJ Predators and NY Barons frequently talk smack about each other over social media and don’t hide the fact that they don’t like each other at all, but ever since two of the Barons most beloved players came out as part of the LBGTQ community, the attacks have become more viscous and personal. When Adrian, starting linebacker for the Predators, makes an offensive comment over social media regarding Simeon’s sexuality, he lights a powder keg which ends up as a brawl between the two on the field. The ensuing PR nightmare concludes with the two of them playing coach and teacher to underprivileged children at a local community center during their six game suspension.

As you can imagine, this is very much an enemies to lovers romance. Well, let me rephrase, a friends to enemies to lovers romance as these two have history as teammates on the Predators. They were quite friendly until Simeon was traded to the Barons and most of the Predator organization started to view him as a traitor who gave away their secrets. When I started reading this book I had already read the first book in the series, Illegal Contact, and thoroughly enjoyed. I will admit to being absolutely charmed by Simeon and his happy, easy-going personality. He is the main reason his best friend, Gavin from Illegal Contact, gets into trouble with the law and ends up being under house arrest, but all ended well for Gavin when he hired Noah as his assistant, and I couldn’t wait for Simeon to have his own HEA.

Santino Hassell is known for his gritty, realistic situations and conflicts, Down by Contact seemed like a sweeter romance. There is still some angst and anger between these two men, but once they started working at the community center together they seemed to reform their bond pretty quickly. Or maybe it just felt that way because I ate this book up like candy in a few hours. While I initially requested this book because of Simeon, once Adrian stopped being an offensive ass I came to like him. Quite a bit. He has to come to terms with his bisexuality and the fact that part of his anger at Simeon over the years is because he felt like he left him and their friendship behind. He has always been attracted to the sexy quarterback, but has stuck to his heterosexuality like glue until the two are thrown together and he has to finally admit to himself that he isn’t only interested in women. I liked that he was fully willing to come out in order to keep seeing Simeon, just as much as I liked that Simeon was so protective of Adrian that he was willing to lie to keep him from being forced out of the closet when he wasn’t ready.

There are heartfelt conversations. There is forgiveness. There are endearing secondary characters who I hope to see again. And last, but not least, there are dirty, sexy, sizzling sex scenes that left no doubt about this couple’s chemistry. Toward the end I was worried about Adrian’s parents and how they would react to his coming out, but Mr. Hassell laid all my worries to rest in the epilogue, which I am incredibly thankful for.

I think I know who the next book may be about, and if I’m correct, I have no idea how this character will be redeemed. But I have faith in this author and will most definitely be picking up the third book in the series. Final grade- B

Favorite Quote:

I bit his ear, eliciting a low moan instead of a pained yelp. “I want you to move in, but not now. After the Super Bowl.”
“Duh. No one was trying to pack boxes between games every week.”
“I like how this is turning into the most unromantic chain of events ever.”
“Simeon, we started fucking as a dare. We’re not romantic.”

I'm a huge fan of Santino Hassell's romances and especially the first book in this series so I couldn't wait for this companion sequel. As usual, Hassell's books only improve and this sequel is better than the first.

Simeon is the star quarterback of the New York Barons and recently came out. When he and his former teammate, Adrián of the New Jersey Predators, get into a brawl on the field, they're both suspended and required to do some community service. These two football players haven't been friends for years, but being forced to work together forces old feelings to remerge. 

Down by Contact is the classic hate-to-love trope and I AM HERE FOR IT. I love complicated tropes and exploring the fine line between loathe and love and it was just amazing. As usual, Hassell creates really complex and complicated characters and that's definitely the case with Simeon and Adrián. The characters weren't easy to like all the time, but you definitely rooted for them to work out their differences. 

If you're looking for a great sports romance series, I highly recommend The Barons. The first book in the series was very different but definitely just as good. 

Overall, Down by Contact definitely held up to my high expectations. It was an extraordinary sequel to an already amazing series!

I'm a huge fan of Hassell's writing and couldn't wait to read this book! I'm usually hesitant with multiple books in a series because sometimes they do not live up to the first but Down By Contact did. It's the perfect follow up for Illegal Contact, where we follow Simeon and Adrian after their pre-season brawl. Their agents and coaches have decided to have the two work closely together during their suspension in order to mend those fences, coaching teens at a local community center. They go back and forth, teasing each other with a game of who could make the other more uncomfortable until they find themselves alone, on a Friday night.

No spoilers here, I love the way the story progressed, especially the way Simeon kept calling out Adrian's homophobic remarks. Being surrounded by toxic masculinity had Adrian thinking his quips, comebacks and tweets were no big deal, but throughout the book it showed how big a deal it really was.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, I'm looking forward to more books in the Barons would and would definitely recommend this to anyone who showed interest.

Down by Contact has been on my personal “long-awaited” list since it was first announced that it would be Simeon’s book. Flirty and charming, with a huge personality, Simeon was an instant favorite in Illegal Contact, the introductory story in The Barons series, and I had high expectations for the outcome this title. While this story had a significantly different feel to it than its predecessor—which I viewed as a strength—I believe it holds its own just fine.

Simeon’s situation seemed to be improving by the end of Illegal Contact, with both he and Gavin Brawley coming out on their own terms in order to thwart an imminent blackmailing and involuntary outing. There’s much more to what he’s going through, however, and, although it’s not easy or “fun” to see, I appreciated the significance of the more painful reality that he was still living everyday. I started Down by Contact firmly on Simeon’s side, and that feeling was reinforced over and over as the story progressed.

New to The Barons series is Simeon’s arch enemy, and former friend on rival team, the Predators, Adrián Bravo. While I didn’t love him as much as I did Simeon, he had an extremely powerful effect on the story in other ways. At the beginning, Adrián has no idea that he’s even closeted, just that he’s never been able to forgive Simeon for joining the Barons. That denial costs them both quite a lot as they strive to work together, falling hard for one another in the process.

One thing I discovered about Down by Contact is that there’s so much to pay attention to, I couldn’t distill it to a few easy-to-dismiss notions in a review. This story has a lot of important themes, such as, trust is both dangerous and necessary. Or, until you live through something, you can’t really know what it’s like. Pretending a truth doesn’t exist isn’t the same as real acceptance. And, wanting someone to experience the same hurts you have so they’ll understand won’t work if you care about them so deeply you’d do anything to keep them from feeling that pain at all.

Another consistency in nearly every one of Santino Hassell’s stories I’ve read has been his ability to create stunning secondary characters. Down by Contact is no exception, with the return of Jasmine and Marcus, Gavin and Noah, agent extraordinaire Mel, the supervisors and kids at the Center, and—most especially—Simeon’s mother, Joanne. She stole the main scene she’s in, without a doubt, and I’d love to see more of her anytime.

Even though it uses Simeon and Adrián’s evolving relationship as a means of examining broader concepts, Down by Contact remains a love story at its crux. Like a set of concentric circles with sex at the outermost ring, Simeon and Adrián navigate through the constricting layers of past misunderstandings and wants, eventually becoming inescapably bound at the heart. Challenging, thought-provoking, and heartfelt, Down by Contact builds on what was already a strong beginning to the series, and redefines the boundaries of the genre along the way.

Down By Contact is the second instalment in the Barons series that started with Illegal Contact. In book two we follow Simeon Boudreaux, the New York Barons quarterback & best friend to Gavin Brawley, and Adrián Bravo, the linebacker for the New Jersey Predators & rival, as they are forced to work side by side teaching kids after a fight sees them benched for six games.

Down By Contact is simply amazing. I struggled writing this review because it was so damn hard to get my love for this book into coherent thoughts and I still don’t think I did it justice.

One of the (admittedly many – so many) reasons I love this series is that Hassell does such a wonderful job of tackling homophobia, hyper-masculinity and locker-room talk in the NFL. With Gavin & Noah and now with Adrián & Simeon, it deals with the ways in which this homophobia impacts their relationships and their careers. Over the course of the novel, Adrián comes to terms with his bisexuality and the attraction to Simeon that he’s buried since they met.

The characters in the Barons world are so real and human that you can’t help but become attached to them. There’s no drama for the sake of drama. No one writes romance quite like Santino Hassell. Adrián & Simeon have such chemistry and I loved watching the relationship change and grow from rivals to lovers who can’t keep their hands of each other to so in love IT HURTS.

I spent the final part of the novel with the hugest and most goofy grin on my face and happy tears in my eyes, it was such a beautiful romance and so well written. I never want this series to end and I can’t wait for the next instalment!

Down By Contact is as funny as it is sexy as it is addictive as it is romantic as it is all round amazing.

Wow. What an amazing enemies-to-lovers book! I loved the connection between Simeon and Adrian. They truly had to work at it to even be in the same room together, never mind working toward getting between the sheets!

There were many "come to Jesus" moments in Down by Contact. Adrian dealing with his attraction to Simeon and the ramifications thereof. And Simeon in working through his recent "outing" and what his new normal looks like.

I loved how their relationship unfolded, so many layers to expose. I loved their interactions with each other and especially the kids at the community center. And that ending. Swoon.

4 stars!

“It was perfect. He was perfect. We were perfect together.”

Adrian and Simeon are enemies on rival football teams. They snark at each other during games, call each other out on social media and can’t stand the sight of each other. Simeon is a openly gay football player and Adrian seems to be anti-gay. When the two of them get into trouble on the field they are forced to spend time together working for a charity, where they both learn there is more to the other than they originally thought.

“All this time, I’d not only been starving for his body—I’d been deprived of his kisses. Now I couldn’t get enough.

Santino Hassell became one of my all time favorite authors very quickly this past year. A very talented writer, he never delivers the same story twice and never the same character twice. That’s what I love about his books, they always bring something new to the table. Football isn’t my sports romance genre of choice usually but I that didn’t even cross my mind when reading this book, the game was important but it also didn’t overwhelm the story which I appreciate.

Simeon and Adrian were both such amazing characters, I loved both in different ways and for different reasons. While they may have started out hating each other, I loved being on the journey of understanding and acceptance with them and thought they had a very beautiful love story.

“I need you to tell me I won’t ruin your career by being in your life. Because no matter how hard I try to be discreet, I know somehow . . . I’ll screw it up. ’Cause that’s me, boo. I’m a mess. A loveable mess, but still a goddamn mess.”

ARC provided by the publisher via netgalley. All/any quotes in this review came from an advance unedited copy and may be subject to change in the final product.

Five absolutely phenomenal stars! I knew when I picked it up I’d be invested in the story. The level of heat, grit, and macho affection Santino Hassell always brings to his books make them fan-friggin-tastic. Down by Contact has now beat out Illegal Contact as my favorite Santino Hassell book!

I think the magic was in how we as the readers had already gotten a feel for Simeon’s personality. We already knew him and loved him as the wisecracking goofball from Illegal Contact. Now he was dealing with Adrian Bravo. There was no holding back Adrian’s antics but he sure forced Simeon to try! The two of them together were beautiful. The hate and heat between Adrian and Simeon made all of their sexual and romantic interactions so much better!

I was honestly hooked from page one. I’m addicted to The Barons series, and I have no idea what’s coming next but I know I want it.

**Full review live on 1/15**

Mention football romance and most people will think of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Chicago Stars series — but Santino Hassell is writing football romance for a new generation with his Barons series (and like Phillips' books, you don't have to be a football fan to enjoy them). In Down by Contact, Simeon Boudreaux, quarterback of the New York Barons, and Adrián Bravo, linebacker for the New Jersey Predators, have a longstanding rivalry dating back to their days on the same team, and some Twitter trash talk causes tensions to boil over during their first game of the preseason. In order to clean up their reputations during their six-game suspension, Simeon and Adrián have to work together on a community service project teaching kids in an afterschool program how to play football.

It's a classic enemies-to-lovers plot, and it's complicated by Adrián's discomfort and uncertainty about his sexuality — he doesn't know why this openly gay football player gets to him so much. The dialogue is snappy (and generously laced with curse words) and the sex scenes are hot. When these enemies finally do become lovers, more obstacles to their happy ending appear: family members who disapprove, a professional culture that makes it challenging to come out. But because this is a romance, true love ultimately wins the game.

I ha e had book friends saying for a long time that I need to read Santino Hassell.

I have decided that in 2018 I want to read a new author each month, so what a perfect time to pick up Down By Contact.

I love m/m. I love enemies to lovers. I love sports romance. Therefore this book tocked a lot of my boxes.

I loved the snark between Adrian and Some on, though not going to lie, I wanted to go all Brawley on Adrian a lot of the time.

I haven't read Illegal Contact however I will be rectifying that soon.

Can't wait for more Barons in the future

I love all my Barons boys, so it was a delight to read! Great contemporary romance, though I didn't love the "closeted homophobe" plotline.