Gavin Brawley, starting tight end for the New York Barons, could give two shits about anyone’s opinion of him. Unfortunately, even though he is a fast, furious powerhouse on the field, it’s his anger issues and one particular violent episode caught on tape that have garnered all the media attention lately. On house arrest and monitored by an ankle bracelet for the next six months, he’s not sure how he’ll live without football. Growing up in the foster care system, the only thing Gavin had was the game, it saved his life and is the most important thing to him. That and the teammates and friends he considers as close as family.

Noah Monroe needs a job as soon as possible. Any job. Not only is he struggling financially after being let go from his previous post, but his father is now out of work as well. He doesn’t really have any desire to take a position as a personal assistant, especially once he finds out that the position would mean six months of up close and personal time with the cranky, growly, argumentative Gavin Brawley. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and despite his reservations, he takes the job.

As you can imagine Noah and Gavin do not get along well at first. It starts when Noah admits he doesn’t care one way or the other about football, which is basically Gavin’s whole life. They make assumptions about each other, they poke and prod and trade insults, but slowly and surely a friendship is born and trust is built. Gavin has never really been able to be himself around anyone other than his closest friends, as a bisexual man he knows coming out would almost certainly end his career. So he’s kept quiet, and tried to protect his best friend Simeon’s reputation as well.

I loved these two. Yes, there is instant lust between them, Gavin is a football stud with a cut body and penetrating stare, which totally does it for Noah, and Noah has this college boy, Clarke Kent thing going on that totally does it for Gavin, but don’t worry Mr. Hassell builds their relationship beautifully. From antagonism, to tentative getting to know you, to crazy, swoon worthy, gorgeous first kisses, to crazy, filthy, sexy love scenes, to an HEA that made my romantic heart soar. This was the first book in a long while that I could not put down. I found myself laying my Kindle on the bathroom counter so I could read while I dried my hair in the morning and sneak reading throughout the day. While the first half is all Noah and Gavin building trust and getting to know each other, the second half is all about angst, and need and hard choices. Very real and true to life hard choices. Honestly, I knew what was coming once Gavin and Noah fell for each other and I knew that it would break my heart and leave an ache in my chest, and it did, but oh wow the lovely ending and HEA made it all worth it.

The second book in the series is all about Simeon and all I can say is YESSSSS. Gimme. Want, want, want.

If sports themed romances are your jam and you enjoy watching total opposites fall in love and find a wonderful happily ever after then you’ll definitely want to add Illegal Contact to your TBR list. Final Grade- B+/A-

Favorite Quote:

He was so addictive. Like candy. Or drugs. One taste of him had me fiending and my heart beating out of my chest.

Illegal Contact by Santino Hassell
August 15, 2017 by Intermix
GR * AMZ * BN * K * GP

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