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Rules of Possession #2
A Deeper Blue
Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
A year ago, Kelly Cannon couldn’t imagine he’d end up with his formerly straight best friend. It’s hard to believe he can finally kiss Blue any time he wants… as long as they’re in private. And there’s the rub. Despite Kelly’s promise to wait until Blue is ready to come out, he’s tired of sneaking around. The cracks in their relationship are starting to show, and there might not be enough spackle in the world to fix them.
Britton “Blue” Montgomery may not be the physics brainiac his boyfriend is, but he’s not stupid. He knows Kelly isn’t completely happy. But he’s not ready to be the poster boy for bisexuals and gays in the NFL. He just wants to keep his head down, play the game he loves, and go home to the man he adores. Is that too much to ask?
With the truth slowly coming to the surface, Blue must make a choice. If it means losing Kelly, there’s no decision to make…. He has to find enough courage to face the music and hope they’ll survive the fallout.
Man. Happily-ever-afters may not be just for Disney princesses, but they sure are a lot of work.
A year ago, Kelly Cannon couldn’t imagine he’d end up with his formerly straight best friend. It’s hard to believe he can finally kiss Blue any time he wants… as long as they’re in private. And there’s the rub. Despite Kelly’s promise to wait until Blue is ready to come out, he’s tired of sneaking around. The cracks in their relationship are starting to show, and there might not be enough spackle in the world to fix them.
Britton “Blue” Montgomery may not be the physics brainiac his boyfriend is, but he’s not stupid. He knows Kelly isn’t completely happy. But he’s not ready to be the poster boy for bisexuals and gays in the NFL. He just wants to keep his head down, play the game he loves, and go home to the man he adores. Is that too much to ask?
With the truth slowly coming to the surface, Blue must make a choice. If it means losing Kelly, there’s no decision to make…. He has to find enough courage to face the music and hope they’ll survive the fallout.
Man. Happily-ever-afters may not be just for Disney princesses, but they sure are a lot of work.
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 30, 2018
215 people are currently reading
1,396 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Harmon
19 books1,644 followersS.E. Harmon has had a lifelong love affair with writing. It's been both wonderful and rocky (they've divorced several times), but they always manage to come back together. She's a native Floridian with a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Fine Arts, and used to spend her time writing educational grants. She now splits her days between voraciously reading romance novels and squirreling away someplace to write them. Her current beta reader is a nosy American Eskimo who begrudgingly accepts payment in the form of dog biscuits.
http://seharmon.weebly.com/
http://seharmon.weebly.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews
July 1, 2023
I enjoyed this story so much more than I thought I would.
It's not often that we get a chance to read a whole book about what happens after MCs get together, and this one was done so well. The writing is what made it a 5 star read for me. It was fantastic.
I absolutely loved Kelly, I loved Blue more than I did in the first book, I loved them together. They have an amazing connection, great chemistry and the humor between them is impeccable.
I was really glad that there was no unnecessary relationship drama. It wasn't all roses, but the thing I loved the most was that, no matter what, they never gave up on each other.
Simply wonderful.
*************
10/2019 re-read via audio:
The audiobook was good, but for some reason the narrators' voices bothered me more than in Book 1. I prefer reading this one myself.
Re-read 5/2021
Re-read 7/2023
It's not often that we get a chance to read a whole book about what happens after MCs get together, and this one was done so well. The writing is what made it a 5 star read for me. It was fantastic.
I absolutely loved Kelly, I loved Blue more than I did in the first book, I loved them together. They have an amazing connection, great chemistry and the humor between them is impeccable.
I was really glad that there was no unnecessary relationship drama. It wasn't all roses, but the thing I loved the most was that, no matter what, they never gave up on each other.
Simply wonderful.
*************
10/2019 re-read via audio:
The audiobook was good, but for some reason the narrators' voices bothered me more than in Book 1. I prefer reading this one myself.
Re-read 5/2021
Re-read 7/2023
October 12, 2018
4.5
I'm twirling.I absolutely loved this.I didn't want it to end.I could read about Kelly and Blue FOREVER.
This Author is fast becoming one of my favourites.I just devour her words,her story telling and characters hit all the right buttons for me.
Kelly and Blue are together but things aren't perfect.Kelly thought he was happy with Blue staying in the closest (for now) and Blue seems to be happy to stay there but how long will it be before their current arrangement isn't enough? One thing is certain...their love for each other jumps out at you,these two are adorable together.I believed in them without question,there wasn't any point that I doubted them and that's down to the writing....there wasn't any unnecessary drama or angst thrown at you.This is their story,and it was pretty perfect...
Not a standalone,start with The Blueprint.....I'm sure you'll fall in love with Kelly and Blue.
Highly Recommended.
Review copy.
I'm twirling.I absolutely loved this.I didn't want it to end.I could read about Kelly and Blue FOREVER.
This Author is fast becoming one of my favourites.I just devour her words,her story telling and characters hit all the right buttons for me.
Kelly and Blue are together but things aren't perfect.Kelly thought he was happy with Blue staying in the closest (for now) and Blue seems to be happy to stay there but how long will it be before their current arrangement isn't enough? One thing is certain...their love for each other jumps out at you,these two are adorable together.I believed in them without question,there wasn't any point that I doubted them and that's down to the writing....there wasn't any unnecessary drama or angst thrown at you.This is their story,and it was pretty perfect...
Not a standalone,start with The Blueprint.....I'm sure you'll fall in love with Kelly and Blue.
Highly Recommended.
Review copy.
October 28, 2018
I love sport themed books and I am a huge fan of "the jock and the nerd" stories. So this series ticks off all my favorite boxes. That said... I wasn't very happy with how things progressed in book 1, "The Blueprint". Blue frustrated the hell out of me in that one, and it ended with so many things still left open. I didn't know then, that there was gonna be a second book... I can't tell you how happy I was, when I found out. This book definitely gave me the closure I so desperately needed !!!
Now don't get me wrong... I was still plenty frustrated while reading this one. But...that's oke, because it means that the characters made me "feel", and that I actually gave a damn. Thankfully Kelly also had the ability to make me snort out my coffee, so it was all good
I love it, when on one page you are cursing your kindle, and the next you are rolling on the floor laughing. That is definitely how this book made me feel.
I am so happy for Kelly and Blue, that they found a way to make things work...to both be happy. I am also very happy, I got my closure...what can I say...I am a bit OCD about that shit. I also wouldn't mind reading another book about the two of them...
Or how about Connor, because he has been an awesome character from the very beginning and I would love for him to find true love !!
I highly recommend this series !!
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June 5, 2019
I can’t believe this has come to an end, my “Klue”, Kelly and Blue, (we are not calling the couple “Belly” as Blue requested not to 😂) the sweetest and one of my favorite ever couples. And wow, what a journey it is! 🥰 In case you still don’t know from the previous reviews and after following me for a long time, S.E. Harmon is solely responsible for converting me into loving sports romances and she definitely is the one who encourages me to the path of reading more contemporary romances. 😌 I loved the first book “The Blueprint” and it’s also hands down one of the best and masterfully done friends to lovers story. And it ended with a definitely HFN. But I’ll admit that I was worried. 😅 How would Miss Harmon craft and manipulate into getting their happily ever after without sacrificing their careers? It was a damn difficult task! 😳 Of course, I shouldn’t have doubted because I think this book has one of the most beautiful and satisfying HEAs among all the books I’ve ever read. Now now, enough raving and let’s move onto reviewing. 😘
Kelly is tired, just tired of everything after pretending Blue doesn’t belong to him in public eyes for the sake of his career for six months. Blue wanted to come out for him when they first decided they would be together. But now, he’s very reluctant to change what’s been working for them, at least on the surface. But it’s not enough for Kelly. He’s starting to resent being Blue’s dirty little secret. He hated every second seeing Blue having to go out with drop-dead-gorgeous women in public for his career sake. And no one except hands full of people know they are together. And he hated it. Blue knows Kelly isn’t happy. But there’s just no NFL player who comes out while they are still playing. He doesn’t want to be poster boy for LGBTQ people and be under media microscope for 24/7. Is it too much to ask to play the games he love, to come back into the arms of the man he loves and just be with him? They were friends for their whole lives before they started dating. They have never fought before they get together but now even the smallest things seem to ignite arguments between them. But Blue knows he has to do something and do it soon or else, he would lose Kelly. Kelly and Football are the two greatest loves in his life but perhaps wanting both in his life is an impossible dream. Blue knows he can’t survive and function without Kelly. Now he just needs to find out how he would deal with losing football from his life. After all, love is worth everything.
I really thought Blue had to drop out of NFL to be with Kelly. And frankly that’s one of the reasons I stayed away from sports romances before. I hated the athlete almost always having to give up their careers for the sake of love. 😑 However thank to all deities that it isn’t the case here. Blue was able to have both Kelly and his career in the end. Comparing with the first book which has lots of UST and the conflict of should we or shouldn’t we, this book definitely focuses on the romantic relationship development between Blue and Kelly as a couple. They thought they have known each other for their whole lives but turned out it isn’t true once they decided to be a couple. 😁 And Kelly was as witty and snarky as ever with his killer remarks, hilarious banters and witty snarks. And who knew Blue could be so romantic. Such a closeted softie and a romantic and a super cuddler. 😉 And the smut? 😏 Oh the glorious toe-curling sex, I unashamedly listened those love scenes several times because they really are on fire! 🔥 Hot, passionate, loving and just so romantic! 🔥 And I loved the audio of the first book but this one is even better. The duo narration of Alexander Cendese and Seaf Crisden was just heavenly! 😍 I think these two makes great couple narration. This book was just incredibly and unbelievably romantic. Just so many swoon-worthy and awwwwwwwww moments. The banters were just heartmelting! 💜 And the ending? Damn! That ending! 😱 Miss Harmon is known for not writing epilogues but this one has a fairytale epilogue. 🥰 And true to his nature, Kelly was snarky and hilarious until the end. And special shout out for all the secondary characters in this story. They elevated an already wonderful story to a whole other level. I want spin-offs for lots of support characters from this series and I vow to hound Miss Harmon until we get one. 😁 For now, I’m one happy, satiated bookworm who’s still high from Kelly&Blue cocktail! 😉 Loved it to the moon and back! 💜💜💜
5 I choose you, again, and again, and again stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio rating
Story - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance- 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kelly is tired, just tired of everything after pretending Blue doesn’t belong to him in public eyes for the sake of his career for six months. Blue wanted to come out for him when they first decided they would be together. But now, he’s very reluctant to change what’s been working for them, at least on the surface. But it’s not enough for Kelly. He’s starting to resent being Blue’s dirty little secret. He hated every second seeing Blue having to go out with drop-dead-gorgeous women in public for his career sake. And no one except hands full of people know they are together. And he hated it. Blue knows Kelly isn’t happy. But there’s just no NFL player who comes out while they are still playing. He doesn’t want to be poster boy for LGBTQ people and be under media microscope for 24/7. Is it too much to ask to play the games he love, to come back into the arms of the man he loves and just be with him? They were friends for their whole lives before they started dating. They have never fought before they get together but now even the smallest things seem to ignite arguments between them. But Blue knows he has to do something and do it soon or else, he would lose Kelly. Kelly and Football are the two greatest loves in his life but perhaps wanting both in his life is an impossible dream. Blue knows he can’t survive and function without Kelly. Now he just needs to find out how he would deal with losing football from his life. After all, love is worth everything.
I really thought Blue had to drop out of NFL to be with Kelly. And frankly that’s one of the reasons I stayed away from sports romances before. I hated the athlete almost always having to give up their careers for the sake of love. 😑 However thank to all deities that it isn’t the case here. Blue was able to have both Kelly and his career in the end. Comparing with the first book which has lots of UST and the conflict of should we or shouldn’t we, this book definitely focuses on the romantic relationship development between Blue and Kelly as a couple. They thought they have known each other for their whole lives but turned out it isn’t true once they decided to be a couple. 😁 And Kelly was as witty and snarky as ever with his killer remarks, hilarious banters and witty snarks. And who knew Blue could be so romantic. Such a closeted softie and a romantic and a super cuddler. 😉 And the smut? 😏 Oh the glorious toe-curling sex, I unashamedly listened those love scenes several times because they really are on fire! 🔥 Hot, passionate, loving and just so romantic! 🔥 And I loved the audio of the first book but this one is even better. The duo narration of Alexander Cendese and Seaf Crisden was just heavenly! 😍 I think these two makes great couple narration. This book was just incredibly and unbelievably romantic. Just so many swoon-worthy and awwwwwwwww moments. The banters were just heartmelting! 💜 And the ending? Damn! That ending! 😱 Miss Harmon is known for not writing epilogues but this one has a fairytale epilogue. 🥰 And true to his nature, Kelly was snarky and hilarious until the end. And special shout out for all the secondary characters in this story. They elevated an already wonderful story to a whole other level. I want spin-offs for lots of support characters from this series and I vow to hound Miss Harmon until we get one. 😁 For now, I’m one happy, satiated bookworm who’s still high from Kelly&Blue cocktail! 😉 Loved it to the moon and back! 💜💜💜
5 I choose you, again, and again, and again stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio rating
Story - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance- 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 28, 2020
A Deeper Blue is book two in the Rules of Possession duet by S.E. Harmon. This book takes up about a year after the previous book left off. I gave the first book 4.5 stars mostly because of my frustration with Blue and because a good part of the book was them working towards being together. Even though I loved it, it didn’t have that many really swoony moments. Well, that’s all over now. Now I’m fully invested in this couple and as for the swoons, hold on to your hats. This book is full of all the swoons I could handle.
It’s been a year, it’s football season again and Blue is back on the field. Kelly and Blue are a couple, are in love and fully committed to each other, in private. When you are a famous football star, proclaiming that you are now in love with a man is not that simple of a task. Will the team still support him? His relationship with his dad is tenuous already. How will he take it? Blue just wants to play football, be known publicly for what he can do on the field, and privately, he just wants to love Kelly.
“If I loved you any more than I do now, you’d have to actually remove my heart from my chest and keep it in your pocket for safekeeping.”
Kelly could never have dreamed Blue would actually love him the way he has always loved Blue. If he wants time, Kelly will give it to him. But things are getting tense. He knows Blue doesn’t mean to hurt him but it does hurt to have him act differently when other people are around. You can’t force someone to come out. They have to do it on their own when they are ready. But he’s starting to worry if Blue will ever really be ready.
“When had our easy, breezy friendship turned into this challenging thing we shared? When had it become so hard to just be us?”
I loved both blue and Kelly so much. But I absolutely have to admit that I loved Kelly the most. First, he is adorable. He’s in a relationship with a professional athlete that works out and eats healthy. Kelly doesn’t like to sweat, and loves his trans fats! He keeps his chips hidden and has a secret relationship with sugar. He made me smile ALL THE TIME! I think that’s why I felt so protective of him even in the first book. But in this one, I really felt their love, I knew Blue loved him just as much, he just had so many struggles to overcome. Where Kelly’s family was so supportive, Blue’s was not. The only real love he knew was Kelly’s.
“No one hugged me like Blue did. No one. Like he could fix every problem I ever had just by holding me together, human duct tape for my soul.”
I’m just going to stop here. If you enjoy M/M romance and sports romance, then this duet is definitely for you. If you love swooning, smiling, sighing, maybe even swearing out of frustration at times, then this duet is definitely for you. I will forever be in the debt of my friend Karen who rec’d this duet to me. And I will definitely be reading more by this author.
“Think it’ll always be like this?”
“As long as it’s you and me? You can pretty much count on it.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
It’s been a year, it’s football season again and Blue is back on the field. Kelly and Blue are a couple, are in love and fully committed to each other, in private. When you are a famous football star, proclaiming that you are now in love with a man is not that simple of a task. Will the team still support him? His relationship with his dad is tenuous already. How will he take it? Blue just wants to play football, be known publicly for what he can do on the field, and privately, he just wants to love Kelly.
“If I loved you any more than I do now, you’d have to actually remove my heart from my chest and keep it in your pocket for safekeeping.”
Kelly could never have dreamed Blue would actually love him the way he has always loved Blue. If he wants time, Kelly will give it to him. But things are getting tense. He knows Blue doesn’t mean to hurt him but it does hurt to have him act differently when other people are around. You can’t force someone to come out. They have to do it on their own when they are ready. But he’s starting to worry if Blue will ever really be ready.
“When had our easy, breezy friendship turned into this challenging thing we shared? When had it become so hard to just be us?”
I loved both blue and Kelly so much. But I absolutely have to admit that I loved Kelly the most. First, he is adorable. He’s in a relationship with a professional athlete that works out and eats healthy. Kelly doesn’t like to sweat, and loves his trans fats! He keeps his chips hidden and has a secret relationship with sugar. He made me smile ALL THE TIME! I think that’s why I felt so protective of him even in the first book. But in this one, I really felt their love, I knew Blue loved him just as much, he just had so many struggles to overcome. Where Kelly’s family was so supportive, Blue’s was not. The only real love he knew was Kelly’s.
“No one hugged me like Blue did. No one. Like he could fix every problem I ever had just by holding me together, human duct tape for my soul.”
I’m just going to stop here. If you enjoy M/M romance and sports romance, then this duet is definitely for you. If you love swooning, smiling, sighing, maybe even swearing out of frustration at times, then this duet is definitely for you. I will forever be in the debt of my friend Karen who rec’d this duet to me. And I will definitely be reading more by this author.
“Think it’ll always be like this?”
“As long as it’s you and me? You can pretty much count on it.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
May 13, 2019
Audiobook - 4 stars
Story 5++++ Stars
Loved It! Loved it!
I loved him and he loved me, and we loved each other as long as the world kept spinning. But I knew we would.
Whoop! Whoop! We got a winner! Ding! Ding!
The Audiobook was good but i was sometimes tempted to skip Sean Crisden's parts. Alexander Cendese is quickly becoming one of my favorite narrators.
The story picks up 1 year later after book 1, Blue is still a hot cake in the NFL, Kelly is still Kelly, smart witty Professor. Their relationship is stronger, the only problem is; it is a secret due to Blue being an NFL player. I was happy the way his fears of being outed was handled. It felt more realistic, and it wasn't dragged throughout the book. Some of Blue's teammates were so supportive, i liked that.
The relationship between Kelly and Blue is so effortless and pleasant to read/listen to. It might not be for everyone. Sometimes i wanted to knock their heads together and tell them to stop acting like teenagers, then i realized these two fools are big babies.
The banter! Lawd! this S.E's sense of humor mesh well with me. I love the sarcastic dry humor of Kelly and the gentle humor of Blue. These two are complete opposites; Geek and Jock yet they fit together perfectly. Their chemistry is off the charts.
The secondary characters were well written. We don't like Blue's dad but that is ok. I love Connor and wouldn't mind his story in future.
Overall, it was an amazing story. Sometimes sophomore books don't work out, i am happy this one did. And we have a dog named Waffles, who is the undisputed queen of naps.
Story 5++++ Stars
Loved It! Loved it!
I loved him and he loved me, and we loved each other as long as the world kept spinning. But I knew we would.
Whoop! Whoop! We got a winner! Ding! Ding!
The Audiobook was good but i was sometimes tempted to skip Sean Crisden's parts. Alexander Cendese is quickly becoming one of my favorite narrators.
The story picks up 1 year later after book 1, Blue is still a hot cake in the NFL, Kelly is still Kelly, smart witty Professor. Their relationship is stronger, the only problem is; it is a secret due to Blue being an NFL player. I was happy the way his fears of being outed was handled. It felt more realistic, and it wasn't dragged throughout the book. Some of Blue's teammates were so supportive, i liked that.
The relationship between Kelly and Blue is so effortless and pleasant to read/listen to. It might not be for everyone. Sometimes i wanted to knock their heads together and tell them to stop acting like teenagers, then i realized these two fools are big babies.
The banter! Lawd! this S.E's sense of humor mesh well with me. I love the sarcastic dry humor of Kelly and the gentle humor of Blue. These two are complete opposites; Geek and Jock yet they fit together perfectly. Their chemistry is off the charts.
The secondary characters were well written. We don't like Blue's dad but that is ok. I love Connor and wouldn't mind his story in future.
Overall, it was an amazing story. Sometimes sophomore books don't work out, i am happy this one did. And we have a dog named Waffles, who is the undisputed queen of naps.
November 10, 2018
BR with Sara & R *A Reader Obsessed*!
Blue and Kelly have left their scribbling all over each other's walls. Now an established couple but still with things that need to be ironed out between them, namely Blue's still being (mostly) in the closet, for them to get to where they both want to be. Never did I doubt their devotion. Both are committed to their relationship; they just have to work out the logistics.
From a sporting enthusiast's perspective, there were so many things that were, simply put, spot on. I'm not going to go into all of them because we'd be here for days, so I'll just say S.E. Harmon portrayed Blue in a way that resonated with me. Whether she's a sports fan or just a helluva researcher, I appreciated her depiction of him not just as Blue, other half of Kelly but as Britton Montgomery, Outlaws investment and corporation. Not just because it's true but because all of that extraneous stuff matters when it comes to the characterization and understanding of Blue. There's more at stake than his own personal interests if he comes out and Blue is not a selfish person.
I appreciated those details. They made sense to me.
As for the football in this installment, IT WAS GRRRRREEEAAATTTT!!! This is why I like sports romances. The team dynamics made me giggle and also roll my eyes at the douchey teammates, but that's team sports! Harmon struck a good balance between the footballing, romance and relationship development all of which combined to turn me into a grinning fool whilst reading this.
Before I start blathering on about how much I enjoyed the swoony-ness of their relationship, I want to mention how funny A Deeper Blue is. Harmon put her game face on with their internal dialogue and the banter between #Belly. Yeah, I shipped. Their comfort level shone in the dialogue. They've been best friends since forever which gives them that shorthand you can only achieve with someone who knows you as well as you know them. The one upping each other over the junk food made me snortle repeatedly. Seriously, who hides Doritos in a fireplace? People who need a Frito Lay disorder clinic STAT, that's who.
Their individuality shone in their internal dialogues. I never once got confused as to whose head I was in and kudos to Harmon for that.
They are opposites in virtually every way but they balance each other out spectacularly. Their easy comraderie and chemistry made it obvious how perfect they are for each other which did, at times, make it hard to read when they had to scurry back into the closet. A closet that gets increasingly confining mainly because they can't keep their hands off each and their propensity to make the moony-eyes at each other, something that's pretty obvious to anyone paying attention.
Blue's family, who we get to know much more about, played a significant role in this narrative. Not much of it was good either. Poor Blue. Thankfully Kelly's family is adorable so hopefully they will even out the dysfunction of Blue's in the future. Or they could just deploy Waffles to stink eye the Montgomerys. That dog would definitely do it for a cookie or twelve. But only for, like, a minute then she'd need a nap.
The ending was so... them. Funny and heartfelt and swoony all rolled up into a perfect little taquito. I wish it didn't have to be a thing for Blue, that coming out were passé because no one cared. But it is. Unfortunately. Still, my squishy marshmallow love tank was topped up with this ending and this book and I'm going to focus on that rather than the negative.
The only thing I disliked about this book were the words 'the end'. I do fervently hope that this isn't really the end. I've kind of gotten attached. Maybe a novella? A short story? A haiku? Something?
If you enjoy comedic and heartwarming sports romances this series is something you'll likely enjoy.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Blue and Kelly have left their scribbling all over each other's walls. Now an established couple but still with things that need to be ironed out between them, namely Blue's still being (mostly) in the closet, for them to get to where they both want to be. Never did I doubt their devotion. Both are committed to their relationship; they just have to work out the logistics.
From a sporting enthusiast's perspective, there were so many things that were, simply put, spot on. I'm not going to go into all of them because we'd be here for days, so I'll just say S.E. Harmon portrayed Blue in a way that resonated with me. Whether she's a sports fan or just a helluva researcher, I appreciated her depiction of him not just as Blue, other half of Kelly but as Britton Montgomery, Outlaws investment and corporation. Not just because it's true but because all of that extraneous stuff matters when it comes to the characterization and understanding of Blue. There's more at stake than his own personal interests if he comes out and Blue is not a selfish person.
I appreciated those details. They made sense to me.
As for the football in this installment, IT WAS GRRRRREEEAAATTTT!!! This is why I like sports romances. The team dynamics made me giggle and also roll my eyes at the douchey teammates, but that's team sports! Harmon struck a good balance between the footballing, romance and relationship development all of which combined to turn me into a grinning fool whilst reading this.
Before I start blathering on about how much I enjoyed the swoony-ness of their relationship, I want to mention how funny A Deeper Blue is. Harmon put her game face on with their internal dialogue and the banter between #Belly. Yeah, I shipped. Their comfort level shone in the dialogue. They've been best friends since forever which gives them that shorthand you can only achieve with someone who knows you as well as you know them. The one upping each other over the junk food made me snortle repeatedly. Seriously, who hides Doritos in a fireplace? People who need a Frito Lay disorder clinic STAT, that's who.
Their individuality shone in their internal dialogues. I never once got confused as to whose head I was in and kudos to Harmon for that.
They are opposites in virtually every way but they balance each other out spectacularly. Their easy comraderie and chemistry made it obvious how perfect they are for each other which did, at times, make it hard to read when they had to scurry back into the closet. A closet that gets increasingly confining mainly because they can't keep their hands off each and their propensity to make the moony-eyes at each other, something that's pretty obvious to anyone paying attention.
Blue's family, who we get to know much more about, played a significant role in this narrative. Not much of it was good either. Poor Blue. Thankfully Kelly's family is adorable so hopefully they will even out the dysfunction of Blue's in the future. Or they could just deploy Waffles to stink eye the Montgomerys. That dog would definitely do it for a cookie or twelve. But only for, like, a minute then she'd need a nap.
The ending was so... them. Funny and heartfelt and swoony all rolled up into a perfect little taquito. I wish it didn't have to be a thing for Blue, that coming out were passé because no one cared. But it is. Unfortunately. Still, my squishy marshmallow love tank was topped up with this ending and this book and I'm going to focus on that rather than the negative.
The only thing I disliked about this book were the words 'the end'. I do fervently hope that this isn't really the end. I've kind of gotten attached. Maybe a novella? A short story? A haiku? Something?
If you enjoy comedic and heartwarming sports romances this series is something you'll likely enjoy.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2022
reread: december 2022
I thought about it for a minute as I nuzzled his hair. Finally I thought I might have it. "You're the only person I've ever loved." I paused as the words took a short circuit back through my ears. I didn't know whether it was the scientist in me or what, but I had to amend it for accuracy's sake. "Except my mother, my dad, my sister, my aunt Beth, Connor... There was also this one best friend I had in first grade, but that was before you moved in next door—"
"Kelly," he said with a sigh.
"You're the only one I've ever loved like this," I finished hurriedly.
idk exactly what possessed me to reread this duet when the first (and only) time i've read this was two years ago, but i'm happy i randomly had the urge to do so bc, although i clearly enjoyed it back then based on my original ratings for both books, it also felt like i was reading it for the first time upon reread?? and by that, i mean i feel like i have stronger feelings for Kelly and Blue now compared to then in a way where i understood why i rated the books how i did.
honestly, i can see both ends of how people may either love or hate this duet, but i personally found myself invested in Kelly and Blue's romance. were there certain moments when i felt like Blue didn't deserve Kelly? eh, it's debatable. i think it's up to one's perspective. despite Blue's mixed signals in the beginning, one of the things i loved about his character was how he would literally choose Kelly over anyone in his life, even back when they were still just friends (this dynamic reminded me of Jamie and Ryan from Just a Bit Confusing and it made sense how i was intrigued by both couples, even though some parts had me frustrated lol), the way he was so protective of Kelly and just knew him SO well (and vice versa), i was definitely rooting for these two by the end. i just feel like Kelly and Blue were more memorable to me upon reread. also, i loved Kelly so much. i wanted to protect him at all costs, and his family was literally the cutest family ever. i adored their dynamic. 🥹
overall, i'm satisfied with how everything came to be in the end. <3
I stood out there for a while, staring at nothing in particular until I felt Kelly's hand on my arm. "Are you all right?"
I blinked down at him and took in his concerned expression. Even in the darkness, I could see the slightly red state of his eyes. He'd been crying. Crying. I stared at him, not quite certain what to say or do. I was pretty sure I'd seen every emotion from him under the sun, but in all the years we'd been together, I'd only seen him cry twice. I didn't think he'd appreciate me noticing the number was now three.
I cupped his cheek and kissed the top of his red nose. I choose you. Again and again and again. "I will be."
I thought about it for a minute as I nuzzled his hair. Finally I thought I might have it. "You're the only person I've ever loved." I paused as the words took a short circuit back through my ears. I didn't know whether it was the scientist in me or what, but I had to amend it for accuracy's sake. "Except my mother, my dad, my sister, my aunt Beth, Connor... There was also this one best friend I had in first grade, but that was before you moved in next door—"
"Kelly," he said with a sigh.
"You're the only one I've ever loved like this," I finished hurriedly.
idk exactly what possessed me to reread this duet when the first (and only) time i've read this was two years ago, but i'm happy i randomly had the urge to do so bc, although i clearly enjoyed it back then based on my original ratings for both books, it also felt like i was reading it for the first time upon reread?? and by that, i mean i feel like i have stronger feelings for Kelly and Blue now compared to then in a way where i understood why i rated the books how i did.
honestly, i can see both ends of how people may either love or hate this duet, but i personally found myself invested in Kelly and Blue's romance. were there certain moments when i felt like Blue didn't deserve Kelly? eh, it's debatable. i think it's up to one's perspective. despite Blue's mixed signals in the beginning, one of the things i loved about his character was how he would literally choose Kelly over anyone in his life, even back when they were still just friends (this dynamic reminded me of Jamie and Ryan from Just a Bit Confusing and it made sense how i was intrigued by both couples, even though some parts had me frustrated lol), the way he was so protective of Kelly and just knew him SO well (and vice versa), i was definitely rooting for these two by the end. i just feel like Kelly and Blue were more memorable to me upon reread. also, i loved Kelly so much. i wanted to protect him at all costs, and his family was literally the cutest family ever. i adored their dynamic. 🥹
overall, i'm satisfied with how everything came to be in the end. <3
I stood out there for a while, staring at nothing in particular until I felt Kelly's hand on my arm. "Are you all right?"
I blinked down at him and took in his concerned expression. Even in the darkness, I could see the slightly red state of his eyes. He'd been crying. Crying. I stared at him, not quite certain what to say or do. I was pretty sure I'd seen every emotion from him under the sun, but in all the years we'd been together, I'd only seen him cry twice. I didn't think he'd appreciate me noticing the number was now three.
I cupped his cheek and kissed the top of his red nose. I choose you. Again and again and again. "I will be."
December 22, 2020
DNF 68%
I really liked the first book ... but this one was a big disappointment for me. 🙈
It was frustrating and repetitive... Most of the time NOTHING HAPPENED and the drama was so ANNECESSARY! And unlike the first book - it did not make me laugh, it made me roll my eyes non-stop. 😬
Here is the summary of the story:
They fight... then they make up.
they fight again... then they make up again. GOD DAMMIT!!! 🙈
And the audio? So freaking bad...
I wonder if they were paid, or forced by gun threats to narrate this book! 😂😂😂
My review for the first book: https://books-romance.com/2020/06/12/...
I really liked the first book ... but this one was a big disappointment for me. 🙈
It was frustrating and repetitive... Most of the time NOTHING HAPPENED and the drama was so ANNECESSARY! And unlike the first book - it did not make me laugh, it made me roll my eyes non-stop. 😬
Here is the summary of the story:
They fight... then they make up.
they fight again... then they make up again. GOD DAMMIT!!! 🙈
And the audio? So freaking bad...
I wonder if they were paid, or forced by gun threats to narrate this book! 😂😂😂
My review for the first book: https://books-romance.com/2020/06/12/...
January 3, 2020
4 Hearts! - Team review with CC and Sara!!
Again, this shouldn't have worked but it did.
Most know I’ve become a tad avoidant of in-the-closet tropes because it just gives me too much anxiety, where instead of sitting back and enjoying some nice smexy fluff, I hide behind my hands as I turn page after page with trepidation, waiting for the proverbial bomb to go off. Yep.
I will say that Harmon brought to life Kelly and Blue’s legitimate fears, worries, issues, and hangups - all of which were very realistic, very understandable. Blue knows he can’t have his cake and eat it too, but that’s exactly what he’s doing and he can’t stop, he can’t help but be scared of the ramifications of him coming out. The focus would no longer be on the love of the game but on who he’s sleeping with, and Blue’s just not ready to change the world’s perception of him despite knowing this could ultimately drive Kelly away.
Kelly on the other hand, knows he has to be patient. Blue has to tell his truth on his own terms and for himself. Despite that, Kelly hesitates with fully making them secretly official (ie. moving in with Blue) because what if on the small chance, Blue wakes up and decides they’re not worth it? He’s just not ready to be that vulnerable.
These two struggle, and circular arguments abound. Literally, the entire book is them going back and forth dealing with their relationship - hiding, not hiding, being jealous, insecure, frustrated… So yes, this sort of thing would typically almost 100% guarantee ruin my enjoyment and yes, at times I was not a happy camper.
However, what Harmon does is deliver on the dynamic between Blue and Kelly that’s fun, funny, entertaining, and sweet and swoony in between their relationship issues. She makes you realize, by making them realize that their love is worth it, that Blue and Kelly are meant to be, two puzzle pieces that only fit each other and life without one another is simply not worth living. Harmon doles this out in baby steps. Tiny little itty bitty baby steps. They get there eventually. I promise.
The journey was not all shits and giggles obviously, but the impact was a good one and the ending was simply wonderful. The smoking hot smex didn’t hurt either. Just saying. Unf.
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
Again, this shouldn't have worked but it did.
Most know I’ve become a tad avoidant of in-the-closet tropes because it just gives me too much anxiety, where instead of sitting back and enjoying some nice smexy fluff, I hide behind my hands as I turn page after page with trepidation, waiting for the proverbial bomb to go off. Yep.
I will say that Harmon brought to life Kelly and Blue’s legitimate fears, worries, issues, and hangups - all of which were very realistic, very understandable. Blue knows he can’t have his cake and eat it too, but that’s exactly what he’s doing and he can’t stop, he can’t help but be scared of the ramifications of him coming out. The focus would no longer be on the love of the game but on who he’s sleeping with, and Blue’s just not ready to change the world’s perception of him despite knowing this could ultimately drive Kelly away.
Kelly on the other hand, knows he has to be patient. Blue has to tell his truth on his own terms and for himself. Despite that, Kelly hesitates with fully making them secretly official (ie. moving in with Blue) because what if on the small chance, Blue wakes up and decides they’re not worth it? He’s just not ready to be that vulnerable.
These two struggle, and circular arguments abound. Literally, the entire book is them going back and forth dealing with their relationship - hiding, not hiding, being jealous, insecure, frustrated… So yes, this sort of thing would typically almost 100% guarantee ruin my enjoyment and yes, at times I was not a happy camper.
However, what Harmon does is deliver on the dynamic between Blue and Kelly that’s fun, funny, entertaining, and sweet and swoony in between their relationship issues. She makes you realize, by making them realize that their love is worth it, that Blue and Kelly are meant to be, two puzzle pieces that only fit each other and life without one another is simply not worth living. Harmon doles this out in baby steps. Tiny little itty bitty baby steps. They get there eventually. I promise.
The journey was not all shits and giggles obviously, but the impact was a good one and the ending was simply wonderful. The smoking hot smex didn’t hurt either. Just saying. Unf.
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
October 11, 2018
*4.5 stars*
LOVED! I really, really liked this! First things first, this is NOT a standalone. You need to read The Blueprint first. I know that for a lot of readers The Blueprint's ending was not solid enough. I was not one of these readers so I can't tell if A Deeper Blue messes with the HEA or actually provides closure. In any case, it's an amazing continuation of Blue and Kelly's story.
And OMG Kelly and Blue worked a lot for theirs. They might be together but Blue is firmly in the closet which creates so much tension between him and Kelly. No matter how much Blue tries not to be hurtful and no matter how much Kelly tries to be understanding, Blue's secret life and his career keep colliding.
What I loved, though, is that despite the tension and the constant push and pull, Blue and Kelly never give up. Not even once did they think to just leave because things got messy and hard. They kept trying and trying until the end.
If you 're familiar with Harmon's writing, rest assured that this book has the author's trademark humor and kickass banter. I wouldn't mind a little shorter inner monologues but the words flow so effortlessly, I didn't get bored at all. If you 're a football fan you 'll enjoy the game too. I had no idea what was happening most of the time but it didn't take any of my enjoyment out.
Blue and Kelly still have amazing chemistry and the steamy scenes are scorching hot but at the same time so emotional and intense.
Overall, I really like this. If you loved Blue and Kelly's journey so far, this is a must read.
Recommended!
"I choose you. Again and again and again."
LOVED! I really, really liked this! First things first, this is NOT a standalone. You need to read The Blueprint first. I know that for a lot of readers The Blueprint's ending was not solid enough. I was not one of these readers so I can't tell if A Deeper Blue messes with the HEA or actually provides closure. In any case, it's an amazing continuation of Blue and Kelly's story.
"Happily-ever-afters may not be just for Disney princesses, but they sure are a lot of work."
And OMG Kelly and Blue worked a lot for theirs. They might be together but Blue is firmly in the closet which creates so much tension between him and Kelly. No matter how much Blue tries not to be hurtful and no matter how much Kelly tries to be understanding, Blue's secret life and his career keep colliding.
What I loved, though, is that despite the tension and the constant push and pull, Blue and Kelly never give up. Not even once did they think to just leave because things got messy and hard. They kept trying and trying until the end.
If you 're familiar with Harmon's writing, rest assured that this book has the author's trademark humor and kickass banter. I wouldn't mind a little shorter inner monologues but the words flow so effortlessly, I didn't get bored at all. If you 're a football fan you 'll enjoy the game too. I had no idea what was happening most of the time but it didn't take any of my enjoyment out.
Blue and Kelly still have amazing chemistry and the steamy scenes are scorching hot but at the same time so emotional and intense.
"Think it'll always be like this?"
"A long as it's you and me?"[...]
"You can pretty much count on it."
Overall, I really like this. If you loved Blue and Kelly's journey so far, this is a must read.
Recommended!
November 5, 2018
**3.5**
December 13, 2022
Wow I liked this so much better than book 1. In the first book, I didn't like Blue at all and I actually really enjoyed him in this book. The storyline in this one was way better too. Overall way better.
November 5, 2018
4.5 Stars!
Great conclusion to Blue and Kelly's story. Two of my favorite characters.
This one had similarities to book 1, despite being a couple in this one it was mostly only in private. Blue still really struggled with being out and open and combining football and his life with Kelly.
But they never gave up on each other. And I loved them together.
S.E. Harmon is favorite author for me and this series hit a lot of my boxes - sports, steam, banter, some angst. Definitely a recommended read.
Great conclusion to Blue and Kelly's story. Two of my favorite characters.
This one had similarities to book 1, despite being a couple in this one it was mostly only in private. Blue still really struggled with being out and open and combining football and his life with Kelly.
But they never gave up on each other. And I loved them together.
S.E. Harmon is favorite author for me and this series hit a lot of my boxes - sports, steam, banter, some angst. Definitely a recommended read.
June 24, 2023
Reread June 2023
Just as good as the first time, and definitely one of my favourite ever MM couples. ❤️❤️❤️
First read august 2020
These guys. THESE GUYS. ❤️❤️❤️
I loved this book so much. Almost more than the first. The first book ends with Blue finally realizing he is in love with Kelly and wants them to be together. He talks about officially coming out, but Kelly doesn’t think Blue is ready yet. This book starts a year later. They are still together, deeply in love, but they keep their relationship a secret, except for their respective best friends. They haven’t even told their families.
Kelly said he’d be patient. That he’d wait as long as it took for Blue to be ready. But it seems that Blue is even less ready to come out than he was a year ago. And all the secrecy, all the hiding, it’s starting to really hurt. And even worse than the hiding? He is so scared of Blue getting permanently injured playing football. And that’s a whole other can of worms, because to Blue, football is everything. Everything? You see the struggle here.
We see them fighting. We see them hurting. We see them doubting. But they never stop loving. And since this is a romance novel, true love always wins.
I read a lot of romances. I average about one a day. I forget a lot of the characters as soon as I finish a book and start the next. But these guys? I don’t think I’ll forget them.
Just as good as the first time, and definitely one of my favourite ever MM couples. ❤️❤️❤️
First read august 2020
These guys. THESE GUYS. ❤️❤️❤️
I loved this book so much. Almost more than the first. The first book ends with Blue finally realizing he is in love with Kelly and wants them to be together. He talks about officially coming out, but Kelly doesn’t think Blue is ready yet. This book starts a year later. They are still together, deeply in love, but they keep their relationship a secret, except for their respective best friends. They haven’t even told their families.
Kelly said he’d be patient. That he’d wait as long as it took for Blue to be ready. But it seems that Blue is even less ready to come out than he was a year ago. And all the secrecy, all the hiding, it’s starting to really hurt. And even worse than the hiding? He is so scared of Blue getting permanently injured playing football. And that’s a whole other can of worms, because to Blue, football is everything. Everything? You see the struggle here.
We see them fighting. We see them hurting. We see them doubting. But they never stop loving. And since this is a romance novel, true love always wins.
I read a lot of romances. I average about one a day. I forget a lot of the characters as soon as I finish a book and start the next. But these guys? I don’t think I’ll forget them.
January 7, 2020
This book was everything I could hope for, this couple does what it takes to make it work, when you find that special someone it is all that matters. This story is told with the laughter, the snark and the heat I love with this author. She is an auto buy for me and one I always know will leave me with not wanting to have the book end. Thank you for another amazing story.
June 20, 2023
Excellent second part to this sports romance
I really appreciated this book. And by that, I mean that this second instalment is basically a 'what happens after the happy ending'.
Here we see a relationship which takes work to keep going and I loved every struggle, every step forward and two back, each heated word and loving caress.
Kelly and Blue are a perfect partnership because they want to be. They want to put in the efforts to get the rewards.
I'm glad S.E. didn't skimp on the trials of love, the journey to happiness is fraught with stumbles but it's worth the ultimate pay off.
I really appreciated this book. And by that, I mean that this second instalment is basically a 'what happens after the happy ending'.
Here we see a relationship which takes work to keep going and I loved every struggle, every step forward and two back, each heated word and loving caress.
Kelly and Blue are a perfect partnership because they want to be. They want to put in the efforts to get the rewards.
I'm glad S.E. didn't skimp on the trials of love, the journey to happiness is fraught with stumbles but it's worth the ultimate pay off.
October 23, 2018
4.5 Stars
A Deeper Blue was just the follow up I wanted for Blue and Kelly. I recall when I finished The Blueprint, I wanted more. Well, I'm happy to say I got it. A Deeper Blue was just what I needed.
After the guys officially got together in The Blueprint, Blue offered to come out. He wasn't really ready, though, and Kelly didn't want to push it. Blue wasn't ready to retire and he wasn't much interested in being a poster-child for LGBT+ NFL players, either.
A Deeper Blue gives us some delicious relationship angst due to Blue still being closeted. Having to play is as "just" best friends, in public was tough and the stress is a lot for the both of them. They're both so committed, though, and I never once thought they'd break.
I'm so happy that there wasn't a bunch of unnecessary drama or breakups or the various and sundry other places the author could have taken this story. Nope, we just get Blue and Kelly working hard for their HEA. They fight hard for it and when they get it, it just felt right.
There is plenty of banter in A Deeper Blue as well, and as usual with this author, I loved it!
If you enjoyed The Blueprint, you're going to love A Deeper Blue
---------------------------------
ARC of A Deeper Blue was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
A Deeper Blue was just the follow up I wanted for Blue and Kelly. I recall when I finished The Blueprint, I wanted more. Well, I'm happy to say I got it. A Deeper Blue was just what I needed.
After the guys officially got together in The Blueprint, Blue offered to come out. He wasn't really ready, though, and Kelly didn't want to push it. Blue wasn't ready to retire and he wasn't much interested in being a poster-child for LGBT+ NFL players, either.
A Deeper Blue gives us some delicious relationship angst due to Blue still being closeted. Having to play is as "just" best friends, in public was tough and the stress is a lot for the both of them. They're both so committed, though, and I never once thought they'd break.
I'm so happy that there wasn't a bunch of unnecessary drama or breakups or the various and sundry other places the author could have taken this story. Nope, we just get Blue and Kelly working hard for their HEA. They fight hard for it and when they get it, it just felt right.
There is plenty of banter in A Deeper Blue as well, and as usual with this author, I loved it!
If you enjoyed The Blueprint, you're going to love A Deeper Blue
---------------------------------
ARC of A Deeper Blue was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2018
*4.5 stars*
Remember a book called "The Blueprint"? We talked about it earlier in the year. Well, it's time to bring it up again since the second part of the story is on the way. I'll help you refresh your memory.
It's a friends-to-lovers story about a university professor and a closeted football player. For the player it's also a gfu situation. He is only attracted to his best friend, but classifies himself as bi since his best friend is a guy. The first book was about the beginning of their romantic relationship, them realising that they want to be together and the road to get there.
The second book picks up about a year later and deals with the challenges of being in a secret relationship. The plot is relationship focused and any angst there is stems from the secrecy they have to live with. There are some nice secondary characters and some not so nice, but that just made it more real. There is quite a bit of jealousy and it's written in a way that does NOT make it seem over the top.
I'm sorry to say goodbye to this couple. I liked their story very much and I was glad we got two books with them instead of just one. Both of them were likeable characters, they had real reactions, real problems and real flaws. I liked the way the story was told and, as with every book by S.E. Harmon, I laughed out loud many times. I can't wait to see what this author's next book will be about!
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
Remember a book called "The Blueprint"? We talked about it earlier in the year. Well, it's time to bring it up again since the second part of the story is on the way. I'll help you refresh your memory.
It's a friends-to-lovers story about a university professor and a closeted football player. For the player it's also a gfu situation. He is only attracted to his best friend, but classifies himself as bi since his best friend is a guy. The first book was about the beginning of their romantic relationship, them realising that they want to be together and the road to get there.
The second book picks up about a year later and deals with the challenges of being in a secret relationship. The plot is relationship focused and any angst there is stems from the secrecy they have to live with. There are some nice secondary characters and some not so nice, but that just made it more real. There is quite a bit of jealousy and it's written in a way that does NOT make it seem over the top.
I'm sorry to say goodbye to this couple. I liked their story very much and I was glad we got two books with them instead of just one. Both of them were likeable characters, they had real reactions, real problems and real flaws. I liked the way the story was told and, as with every book by S.E. Harmon, I laughed out loud many times. I can't wait to see what this author's next book will be about!
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
July 9, 2019
The Story: 3 Pants Off
This lost a lot of the magic that made me fall in love with the series, too much unnecessary drama which I think was used to further the plot. Overall, very much a MEH read.
The Narration: 4 Pants Off
Not even the sexy dulcet of Alexander Cendese could make me enjoy the story. Also, solid effort by Sean Crisden not head over heels in love with his narration but I’ve heard worst so...not too bad.
September 6, 2021
Please Note: "Deeper Blue" is definitely NOT a standalone and you'll want to read "The Blueprint" first to get up-to-speed on Kelly and Blue's relationship.
Ooh, I loved this sequel to "The Blueprint," in which we were introduced to Kelly and Blue (Britton) who had been friends since childhood. Blue ends up in the NFL while Kelly is a crazy smart physics professor. And once they admit their attraction to one another, their story is all sort of hot and steamy ... and snarky.
Well, the snarky goodness is definitely back in "Deeper Blue" plus a huge heaping helping (overflowing, really) of crazy hot sex. Blue is still committed to coming out of the closet, but just not yet. He's unsure how his teammmates will react, not to mention the companies he endorses, and Kelly is willing to wait patiently. So while they struggle with the process, they are 100% committed to one another and seeing their relationship deepen and grow is truly a beautiful thing. Plus the sex .... dear gawd, the extremely frequent headboard-banging sex, is pretty darn hot.
Loved the plot, loved the sizzling chemistry between Blue and Kelly, absolutely adored Kelly's snark and smart mouth, felt the pace of the story was a bit slow in a few places and that Blue's dad is almost a cariacture, and thought the ending was pretty darn perfect. 4.5 stars for "Deeper Love" and a Recommended Read!
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Ooh, I loved this sequel to "The Blueprint," in which we were introduced to Kelly and Blue (Britton) who had been friends since childhood. Blue ends up in the NFL while Kelly is a crazy smart physics professor. And once they admit their attraction to one another, their story is all sort of hot and steamy ... and snarky.
Well, the snarky goodness is definitely back in "Deeper Blue" plus a huge heaping helping (overflowing, really) of crazy hot sex. Blue is still committed to coming out of the closet, but just not yet. He's unsure how his teammmates will react, not to mention the companies he endorses, and Kelly is willing to wait patiently. So while they struggle with the process, they are 100% committed to one another and seeing their relationship deepen and grow is truly a beautiful thing. Plus the sex .... dear gawd, the extremely frequent headboard-banging sex, is pretty darn hot.
Loved the plot, loved the sizzling chemistry between Blue and Kelly, absolutely adored Kelly's snark and smart mouth, felt the pace of the story was a bit slow in a few places and that Blue's dad is almost a cariacture, and thought the ending was pretty darn perfect. 4.5 stars for "Deeper Love" and a Recommended Read!
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
May 14, 2021
[2.25] An improvement from the last book—with some sweet acts of love on Blue's part—but the combination of Kelly's fear of Blue getting injured vs. Blue's dreams and insistence on staying in the closet for as long as possible/constant paranoia that he'll be found out made it hard to fully get behind this couple .
I know they love each other and I could understand why the arguments they had would crop up repeatedly as they couldn't be resolved until one of them willingly gave up something important to himself, but the cycle of arguing then sweeping said problem under the rug by having sexy times was on rinse and repeat until the story was basically over. I wish the resolution happened waaaaaay earlier and we got more happy times after :')
I know they love each other and I could understand why the arguments they had would crop up repeatedly as they couldn't be resolved until one of them willingly gave up something important to himself, but the cycle of arguing then sweeping said problem under the rug by having sexy times was on rinse and repeat until the story was basically over. I wish the resolution happened waaaaaay earlier and we got more happy times after :')
October 14, 2018
4.5 stars!
YES! Oh my god, yes, this was really good! And so necessary after the first book. I actually enjoyed this one so much more and couldn't get enough of it.
I was prepared for this second installment to drag, kinda like the first one did, and for Blue to be more frustrating than he was in the first book, even. But while he had his frustrating moments, I actually understood his character a lot and felt like when he finally does come out, it's at the right moment.
He was slowly getting more and more used to the idea as the book went on, and honestly if he hadn't done it when he did it, he never would have. And that, honestly, would have made me more annoyed and angry than anything else.
I said in my review of the first book (before I knew there would be a second) that I had wanted an epilogue or for them to get together earlier so we could see Blue get to that place where he was ready to be out.
So I felt this book was absolutely necessary and completed their story, because while first book was a HFN, it was somewhat solid but also fairly tentative.
As evidenced by the opening of this book, where it's been a year since they agreed to be together but not out, and that constant secrecy is starting to wear on them. They go between having arguments to letting things go and pushing them aside to have sex or act like nothing is wrong. Not that their relationship is to a place that it's in shambles or anything, but it it starts to show some cracks, some "if we don't get this figured out soon, things will get worse" kind of cracks.
Kelly definitely wants Blue to come out, but he's never going to make it or ask him to, so he kind of lets a lot of things go, things that hurt him sometimes, or he gets into an argument with Blue, but eventually drops it. But one thing was, they never freaked out so much that they just gave up.
These two have an amazing connection, great chemistry, and a forever kind of bond. They grew up being best friends, fell in love, and want to be together for the rest of their lives. They just have one of those rare bonds that will last a lifetime, like literally almost a lifetime, since they've been friends since they were kids.
And I think that connection, those years and years of knowing each other inside and out, helped keep them together. I think with a lot of other couples - real life or no - they would break up before getting back together. Which makes sense for a lot of couples in this situation (and honestly something I was scared would happen in this book), and not to say that all childhood best friend who grow up and fall in love will always make it or never break up and those who didn't have no chance of making it either. Just that, for these two, that bond only strengthened in their romantic relationship. That connection only became bigger and stronger and deeper (heh) when they got together.
It was refreshing, though, to see a couple not give up on each other, to fight through it, together, instead of apart. Although honestly this wasn't as angst-y as I was expecting. There was no big blow up, there was no almost break up. There were a lot of arguments, sure, but not blowout fights, and these two were the best at making up.
And like Blue thinks to himself, before they got together, he could count their fights on one hand - and even though they got a lot more frequent when they got together, they got through them, because they were just that type of couple, or really those type of people with each other. They just fit, in that rare but beautiful way that so few do. Not that it makes it any less real, or that other types of romantic relationships are less, just that that is the way Blue and Kelly work together and it works for them where it might not for another couple.
My only complaint was when Kelly let subjects drop with Blue and didn't tell him how he felt and Blue's constant fear of being outed. It wasn't that bad, but it did grate at times, especially when he would pull away from Kelly so quickly or say a stupid thing and then also turn around and be hypocritical when he got upset that Kelly wouldn't I mean...at least he recognized it most of the time, to points for that.
So, overall I definitely recommend this, it was even better than the first book, in my opinion, so if you liked the first book, I feel that most will love this one overall, even more than the first.
Two big thumbs up from me for this one.
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review***
YES! Oh my god, yes, this was really good! And so necessary after the first book. I actually enjoyed this one so much more and couldn't get enough of it.
I was prepared for this second installment to drag, kinda like the first one did, and for Blue to be more frustrating than he was in the first book, even. But while he had his frustrating moments, I actually understood his character a lot and felt like when he finally does come out, it's at the right moment.
He was slowly getting more and more used to the idea as the book went on, and honestly if he hadn't done it when he did it, he never would have. And that, honestly, would have made me more annoyed and angry than anything else.
I said in my review of the first book (before I knew there would be a second) that I had wanted an epilogue or for them to get together earlier so we could see Blue get to that place where he was ready to be out.
So I felt this book was absolutely necessary and completed their story, because while first book was a HFN, it was somewhat solid but also fairly tentative.
As evidenced by the opening of this book, where it's been a year since they agreed to be together but not out, and that constant secrecy is starting to wear on them. They go between having arguments to letting things go and pushing them aside to have sex or act like nothing is wrong. Not that their relationship is to a place that it's in shambles or anything, but it it starts to show some cracks, some "if we don't get this figured out soon, things will get worse" kind of cracks.
Kelly definitely wants Blue to come out, but he's never going to make it or ask him to, so he kind of lets a lot of things go, things that hurt him sometimes, or he gets into an argument with Blue, but eventually drops it. But one thing was, they never freaked out so much that they just gave up.
These two have an amazing connection, great chemistry, and a forever kind of bond. They grew up being best friends, fell in love, and want to be together for the rest of their lives. They just have one of those rare bonds that will last a lifetime, like literally almost a lifetime, since they've been friends since they were kids.
And I think that connection, those years and years of knowing each other inside and out, helped keep them together. I think with a lot of other couples - real life or no - they would break up before getting back together. Which makes sense for a lot of couples in this situation (and honestly something I was scared would happen in this book), and not to say that all childhood best friend who grow up and fall in love will always make it or never break up and those who didn't have no chance of making it either. Just that, for these two, that bond only strengthened in their romantic relationship. That connection only became bigger and stronger and deeper (heh) when they got together.
It was refreshing, though, to see a couple not give up on each other, to fight through it, together, instead of apart. Although honestly this wasn't as angst-y as I was expecting. There was no big blow up, there was no almost break up. There were a lot of arguments, sure, but not blowout fights, and these two were the best at making up.
And like Blue thinks to himself, before they got together, he could count their fights on one hand - and even though they got a lot more frequent when they got together, they got through them, because they were just that type of couple, or really those type of people with each other. They just fit, in that rare but beautiful way that so few do. Not that it makes it any less real, or that other types of romantic relationships are less, just that that is the way Blue and Kelly work together and it works for them where it might not for another couple.
My only complaint was when Kelly let subjects drop with Blue and didn't tell him how he felt and Blue's constant fear of being outed. It wasn't that bad, but it did grate at times, especially when he would pull away from Kelly so quickly or say a stupid thing and then also turn around and be hypocritical when he got upset that Kelly wouldn't I mean...at least he recognized it most of the time, to points for that.
So, overall I definitely recommend this, it was even better than the first book, in my opinion, so if you liked the first book, I feel that most will love this one overall, even more than the first.
Two big thumbs up from me for this one.
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review***
March 2, 2021
2.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was super frustrating. It was just a bunch of back and forth where I’m sure if this was a mf romance it would have readers upset with how Blue was treating Kelly! It might also be because I liked Kelly’s character and it became hard to tolerate him being hurt, but it got old really quick. It was also frustrating how Blue just decided and that whole process with his career was mostly off page and then the absolute lack of a HEA! I laughed and thought the ending was cute but maybe could’ve been a build up to the actual ending because it left me hanging in a lot of ways.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is the conclusion of Kelly and Blue’s story. It takes off where the last book left us. They are trying to navigate a romantic and sexual relationship after being only friends for many years. There is a lot of personal drama, some sexy times, and some family drama...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Kelly and Blue’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. This lagged in places and then ended abruptly. I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, but they’re already in love when this begins
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Kelly. I still liked him. I did, however, want him to stand up for himself and call out Blue a little more than he did
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 2 stars. Blue. I still struggled with him and how he treated Kelly.
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: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ended abruptly with what I would call a HFN ending and a lot of unanswered questions
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was super frustrating. It was just a bunch of back and forth where I’m sure if this was a mf romance it would have readers upset with how Blue was treating Kelly! It might also be because I liked Kelly’s character and it became hard to tolerate him being hurt, but it got old really quick. It was also frustrating how Blue just decided and that whole process with his career was mostly off page and then the absolute lack of a HEA! I laughed and thought the ending was cute but maybe could’ve been a build up to the actual ending because it left me hanging in a lot of ways.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is the conclusion of Kelly and Blue’s story. It takes off where the last book left us. They are trying to navigate a romantic and sexual relationship after being only friends for many years. There is a lot of personal drama, some sexy times, and some family drama...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Kelly and Blue’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. This lagged in places and then ended abruptly. I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, but they’re already in love when this begins
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Kelly. I still liked him. I did, however, want him to stand up for himself and call out Blue a little more than he did
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 2 stars. Blue. I still struggled with him and how he treated Kelly.
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: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ended abruptly with what I would call a HFN ending and a lot of unanswered questions
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
November 4, 2018
There’s one thing that remained the same from Book #1 and that is the quality of the writing . S.E Harmon also retained the MCs’ witty banter and the sense of humour they possessed.
However, for most things, the two books are quite different. In this, although Blue and Kelly still loved each other deeply, they argued CONSTANTLY.
I understood why the arguments kept happening but it made me a bit sad that such a solid partnership was on shaky ground. What made it even sadder was Kelly’s position; he couldn’t force the issue and at the same time couldn’t bear to live with the daily annoyances that came with living they way they did. It was a true quagmire.
It also didn’t help that Blue’s family all needed either personality replacements or in the case of his father, a bigass punch to the face. He was despicable. Luckily, though we didn’t hear much from them, Kelly’s family more than made up for it.
All in all, I really enjoyed this sequel to The BluePrint and hope you do too if/when you pick it up.
I would love to read about Connor finding love. Should he be paired with any of Blue’s teammates, that would be the cherry on my hypothetical cake!
*** eARC Graciously Provided By DreamSpinner Press In Exchange For An Honest, Unbiased, Review ***
However, for most things, the two books are quite different. In this, although Blue and Kelly still loved each other deeply, they argued CONSTANTLY.
I understood why the arguments kept happening but it made me a bit sad that such a solid partnership was on shaky ground. What made it even sadder was Kelly’s position; he couldn’t force the issue and at the same time couldn’t bear to live with the daily annoyances that came with living they way they did. It was a true quagmire.
It also didn’t help that Blue’s family all needed either personality replacements or in the case of his father, a bigass punch to the face. He was despicable. Luckily, though we didn’t hear much from them, Kelly’s family more than made up for it.
All in all, I really enjoyed this sequel to The BluePrint and hope you do too if/when you pick it up.
I would love to read about Connor finding love. Should he be paired with any of Blue’s teammates, that would be the cherry on my hypothetical cake!
*** eARC Graciously Provided By DreamSpinner Press In Exchange For An Honest, Unbiased, Review ***
April 27, 2024
I actually think I hated this book, I spent the majority of it angry at stupid Blue and his guilt and annoyed that Kelly couldn’t stand out for himself.
I also hated their inability to have a proper conversation to discuss one of their many issues.
I also hated their inability to have a proper conversation to discuss one of their many issues.
September 23, 2019
Fabulous second (and last) part in this series!
It was clear at the end of book 1 that in the closet Blue and out and proud science professor Kelly were at the very beginning of their relationship with lots of issues remaining to be resolved.
Kelly promised to give Blue all the time he needs to sort himself out, but a year on after book 1, their secret relationship is starting to burden both of them.
Kelly yearns to be acknowledged as Blue’s boyfriend, to be his in public, not only in private. Hiding even the smallest affection is becoming more and more hurtful. I rooted petty strongly for Kelly and loved him for sticking it out with Blue, despite all the anguish their secret life together causes.
And oh my goodness, the things Blue sometimes says to Kelly made me really flinch, like …
“I don’t know what it’s like to be loved like you’re supposed to be loved.”
“I’ve never known what it’s like to be someone’s everything.”
It’s like being hit in the gut by the hind legs of a donkey, or a horse, or even an elephant! Saying this to the man who has loved you like forever and is loyal to you by default really takes the biscuit. So yes, I was extremely cross with Blue at times, even though we know he doesn’t mean it at all. But then I could feel his guilt and horror and mostly his fear to lose Kelly so acutely, I was able to forgive him just like Kelly.
I think what I liked most in this book was that these two guys are trying really hard to make things work between them. They don’t just give up when the going gets tough and throw the towel. Both men are committed, no matter what. Both men know that this relationship is it for them. And they are willing to tackle all the hurdles.
What takes a bit of time is to figure out how to achieve the desired end result – an out of the closet life together. And it doesn’t come easy for either, but particularly Blue who has to face up to his father, his mother, his team and really the ‘whole world’.
Well written, witty as always and with a good dose of genuine feelings.
Loved these two books!
It was clear at the end of book 1 that in the closet Blue and out and proud science professor Kelly were at the very beginning of their relationship with lots of issues remaining to be resolved.
Kelly promised to give Blue all the time he needs to sort himself out, but a year on after book 1, their secret relationship is starting to burden both of them.
Kelly yearns to be acknowledged as Blue’s boyfriend, to be his in public, not only in private. Hiding even the smallest affection is becoming more and more hurtful. I rooted petty strongly for Kelly and loved him for sticking it out with Blue, despite all the anguish their secret life together causes.
And oh my goodness, the things Blue sometimes says to Kelly made me really flinch, like …
“I don’t know what it’s like to be loved like you’re supposed to be loved.”
“I’ve never known what it’s like to be someone’s everything.”
It’s like being hit in the gut by the hind legs of a donkey, or a horse, or even an elephant! Saying this to the man who has loved you like forever and is loyal to you by default really takes the biscuit. So yes, I was extremely cross with Blue at times, even though we know he doesn’t mean it at all. But then I could feel his guilt and horror and mostly his fear to lose Kelly so acutely, I was able to forgive him just like Kelly.
I think what I liked most in this book was that these two guys are trying really hard to make things work between them. They don’t just give up when the going gets tough and throw the towel. Both men are committed, no matter what. Both men know that this relationship is it for them. And they are willing to tackle all the hurdles.
What takes a bit of time is to figure out how to achieve the desired end result – an out of the closet life together. And it doesn’t come easy for either, but particularly Blue who has to face up to his father, his mother, his team and really the ‘whole world’.
Well written, witty as always and with a good dose of genuine feelings.
Loved these two books!
November 12, 2018
Todo lo que dije en la crítica del primer libro se puede aplicar aquí, sexy, tierno, divertido y dentro de que es un libro de romántica, bastante realista.
Quizás es excesivo, pero por lo que he disfrutado con la pareja, le pongo cinco estrellas
Quizás es excesivo, pero por lo que he disfrutado con la pareja, le pongo cinco estrellas
November 13, 2018
4 stars! Loved it.. 💕 We readers knew that the continuation of Blue and Kelly's story would not be without speed bumps but sometimes it did feel like they were dealing with some of the same issues from the 1st book... Blue; who was scared to come out of the closet due to his career and his relationships with his brother/father; and Kelly who was insecure because of all of Blue's issues and not knowing whether it would last. Nevertheless their chemistry and love for one another surpasses all these issues eventually. It was frustrating to see Blue going back and forth with his closet-status but Kelly was simply amazing with his patience and strength. Also loved the support shown by Blue's team mates and Kelly's family.
Despite the story being just about the day-to-day of Blue and Kelly's life.. it still had enough humor, sass and fun to show the unique talent of S.E. Harmon of writing realistic characters. The steam and sizzle 💕🔥is off the charts and finally the epilogue was just fabulous.. both funny and sentimental.. 💘
Despite the story being just about the day-to-day of Blue and Kelly's life.. it still had enough humor, sass and fun to show the unique talent of S.E. Harmon of writing realistic characters. The steam and sizzle 💕🔥is off the charts and finally the epilogue was just fabulous.. both funny and sentimental.. 💘
March 2, 2024
I was a wee bit nervous going in. I knew the road to HEA wouldn’t be easy for Kelly and Blue, but it was so worth it! And Waffles!! Love the new addition to their family. The balance of heart, heat, and humor was perfect for me. I also appreciated the realism surrounding Blue coming out. This was just a wonderful conclusion for these guys, and I look forward to McAdams’ book.
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