Review of The Next Competitor by Keira Andrews

by Keira Andrews

4 stars

If he risks his heart, can he keep his head in the game?

To win gold, figure skater Alex Grady must train harder than the competition morning, noon, and night. He’s obsessed with mastering another quadruple jump, and due to the lack of filter between his mouth and brain, doesn’t have a lot of friends. As for a boyfriend, forget it. So what if he’s still a virgin at twenty? The Olympics are only every four years—everything else can wait. Relationships are messy and complicated anyway, and he has zero room in his life for romance.

So it’s ridiculous when Alex finds himself checking out his boring new training mate Matt Savelli. Calm, collected “Captain Cardboard” is a nice guy, but even if Alex had time to date, Matt’s so not his type. Yet beneath Matt’s wholesome surface, there’s a dirty, sexy man who awakens a desire Alex has never experienced and can’t deny…

A different kind of sports romance with slow-burn sexy characters – another total winner from one of our FAV authors Keira Andrews!

Alex Grady is driven, cold and takes no prisoners to get what he wants, Gold medal at the Olympics, is his ultimate dream and goal. He is a hard character to really get to love – at the beginning of The Next Competitor we were unsure if we could read a whole book with this Prima Donna figure skater who has chip on his shoulder.  But enter Matt Savelli, and Alex truly softened.  As the connection between Alex and Matt grows, the nasty demeaning Alex becomes more human.  He steps out of his comfort zone and we as so happy to see that Alex actually has empathy under his prickly exterior. 

Keira Andrews can write characters, and The Next Competitor does not disappoint.  She immerses us in a figure skating world; we can feel the cold stare of Alex’s Coach, the bitter cold of the ice on the rink and the aches and pains after falling over and over trying to get the Quad perfect.  This is not a long book, but that doesn’t limit the detail. 

So let’s talk about the relationship between Alex and Matt.  It is a sweet, slow-burn, low-angst journey.  Although they are both figure skaters they aren’t competitors, rather they are opposites.  They are both driven, but whereas Alex is single focused on the Gold medal at the Olympics without distraction, the road to the goal is Matt’s focus.  This difference brings about changes in their attitudes, for the betterment of both.   And as their relationship grows, so does their sexual tension, woohooo!  It is so good –sensual, dirty and swoon worthy.  Alex is a firecracker and Matt sees that beneath the icy exterior he is a passionate man, and helps Alex own that side of himself.  They are flammable!

All in all The Next Competitor is a great read; fascinating story of top-athletes, engaging secondary characters, slow-burn love and burnable between the sheets – so checkboxes all around! Keira Andrews builds another story that shouldn’t be missed!

Review of Training Season by Leta Blake

by Leta Blake

2.5 Stars

 Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don't come cheap, and Matty can't afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

Let’s start off with saying that this book had so much potential, and we really really really wanted to love it.  Because really a figure skater and a cowboy, how couldn’t it be all awesome and unicorns?  But really, at 343 pages it felt liked it dragged.

Matty (who’s name by 10%into the book annoyed us!) is an injured professional figure skater who moves to Montana to housesit and meets sexy rancher Rob Lovely.  Their relationship is temporary as Matty will only be in Montana for 6 months, but their feelings are anything but temporary. 

Let’s talk about our 2 MC.  Rob, is that strong sexy rancher who has taken on his families ranch to continue on his father’s wishes.  Matty is a bratty immature, feminine man with SO many mental health issues. He struggles with being good enough, an eating disorder and blaming others for his problems, and somehow falling in a BDSM relationship with Rob is the best way to handle his problems.  See, the thing is we really wanted to like Matty, but man, it is hard sometimes.  We found it hard to see through all his bluff and bluster and see a redeemable man underneath, but struggled. 

So the sex is hot and too much.  It gets a little overwhelming that we started to skim.  And the slide into BDSM was actually surprising for us, and not really super enjoyable.

Redeeming qualities of this book – the writing.  Matt and Rob do have lots of sweets and tender moments together, that you almost can see their allure to each other.  They have a fun banter that kept us entertained and wanted more of that fun flirty relationship and not the angst that Matty always seems to slide into.  And Ben, Rob’s kid is a welcome in this story.