Head in the Game

By: Rebecca Rathe

Narrated by: Jake Bordeaux

Bryant Nicks is the head football coach for the Groveton College Jackals, determined to do anything to push his team toward a championship season. When scouting out new players, Nicks comes across a rookie running back that impresses him both on and off the field. His attraction to his student runs deep, but Nicks knows better. Instead, he finds himself pushing the young player to the ends of his abilities, curious how much it will take to break him.

All playboy Jack Perry has ever been good at is playing football. So when he gets an opportunity to play at a top school with a full scholarship, he jumps on it. But it's more than just the opportunity that reels him in. The heat and intensity he feels when he's around his new coach is visceral. He'll do anything to make his coach proud.

Head In The Game is part of the collaborative Groveton College shared world project, but you do not have to read any of the other books in the shared world series to enjoy this book. It is a standalone with an HEA.

©2023 Rebecca Rathe LLC (P)2024 Rebecca Rathe LLC

A Wonderful Mix of Humor & Spice

The story moved at a good pace, and actually made me laugh out loud several times. The spicy scenes weren’t redundant, and the plot was entertaining and engaging in ways that spicy books often are not.

The narration was phenomenal. I never get yanked out of a story when Jake Bordeaux is narrating. He did a great job making all of the voices sound different, giving each character their own inflections, and keeping their accents all individual to the character.

Sports Age-Gap Love Story

I am still not sure how I honestly feel about this book. The age gap is HUGE but then I told myself in real life we see creepy "out of shape" old men with women 40 years their senior so why not a "VERY HOT" daddy with a younger guy 28 years his senior. Honestly Love Is Love and sometimes we cannot control what our heart wants and they are two consenting adults. Sure a coach should never take advantage of a player but the player was a brat and did his fair share of taking advantage of the coach.
Coach is so real and when he slipped up with his drink it broke my heart. I am 16 years sober and I know that the author wrote what is very real and truth to an alcoholic. We are only one drink away from loosing out sobriety every minute of our lives.
Jack was so frustrating to me and he was very selfish in his motives which lead to the downfall of what was suppose to be a secret.
I think it was a little sloppy in the storyline of how the "B*tch" Aniah got a hold of the phone and the video. Unfortunately it is truth in the portrayal of Aniah and women who trap men into relationships. I wish it wasn't so but I'm ashamed to say women can be nasty.
The bi-awakening (my favorite trope) was a twofer in this story and that pleased me. It pleased me that an older man was portrayed as fit and strong because, guess what, it is fact. Older men can be scrumptious. The s*x was so hot. I mean I was getting hot and things were happening for me listening to what was happening to them. Yikes. I needed a hot fireman to come hose me off because I was up in flames.
I loved that Luke was in Jack's life and he was able to have an openly gay guy to talk to albeit it was hard for Jack to express his feeling but Luke was smart enough to know. Luke has one of the best lines in the book. It's after Jack is trying to find a label for how he feels.

Luke: Honestly if you ask me all of these labels do is separate us from what we all are, human. It doesn't matter if you're gay, maybe not entirely straight, what matters is you find someone who makes you happy.

Amen to you sister author Rebecca. No better words for everyone to live by.

I am happy the two men got their happy ending. They both deserved it. I would have loved to have seen the downfall of Aniah though. She was just a horrible spoiled human being.

I don't regret listening to this story, even though it is not a top favorite of mine, and parts I had a hard time getting through. I knew going in about the age gap and the coach to player so I cannot, fairly, write poorly about that.

I look forward to listening to more audio books from this author.
Narrator Jake Bordeaux did a stellar job.

My top 10 fav of 2023

I read this book at the end of 2023 and out of 150 books it made my top 10! That’s how much I loved this book.

This is a taboo read about a forbidden relationship between a coach and athlete with an age gap of 28 years.

The moment Coach Bryant Nicks lays eyes on the cocky Jack Perry he has the urge to dominate and break him to rebuild him into a better player, a better man. Of course baby bulldog, Jack, isn’t having it at first, but eventually they both start to crave what the other is offering.

The spice was amazing and beyond HOT AF!

The chemistry between these two was off the charts and I was happy with the ending. If you think you would like reading about a reluctant, growly controlling coach and his eager, playful bratty athlete then this book is definitely for you!

I’m usually not a fan of narrators doing southern accents because they over do it and as someone that actually lives in Alabama I can say this narrator did a good job with the accent. As the only narrator he did a great job doing both voices.

10/10

Forbidden MM Sports Romance

Head in the Game by Rebecca Rathe is a forbidden MM sports romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Jake Bordeaux. This is the fourth book in the Groveton College series and each book can be read as a standalone.

This is the first book of Rebecca's that I have read, and it definitely won't be my last. I was pulled in from the very beginning and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. The chemistry between Bryant and Jack was off the charts. Their relationship was extremely messy, but you couldn't help but root for them I really enjoyed getting both of their points of views throughout the book.

I originally read the book when it was first released and was so excited when I saw it was coming to audio. Jake did a great job on the narration. I look forward to listening to more of his work in the future.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for a forbidden romance, gay romance, age gap romance, or sports romance.

Download this now! 🥵🔥

This is by far one of my favorite books I’ve read in a long time. Bryant and Jack are 🔥🔥 together. Jake Bordeaux did a PHENOMENAL job with both there voices! I have listened to this several time since downloading and loved every minute of it. You will not regret this one! 🥵🥵🔥🔥 5 out of 5 in my book across the scales!

highly recommend

this is the 4th time I read this book and the 3rd time I listened to the audiobook. I don't think I'll ever get tired of this story. The narrator did an amazing job. I highly recommend you to give this book/audiobook a chance.

Great read

Loved the premace and characters. Though the voice used for coach is way too much, gruff times 20. Tiresome after a while, make him strong and commanding. Though not a dragon!!

Amazing book

For most one of my new favorites. The details, the scenes, the way their love is described is just amazing. It’s a very good book. I loved it.

One of my top MM reads

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️½
I'm desperate for those four words that precede oblivion just as he's filling my mouth: Come for me, Jack.

📚 Book Review 📚
Head in the Game is my new fav MM romance! It is scorching hot and spicy, with COPIOUS sex scenes.

I wasn’t expecting the emotional gut punch this story packed. This is more than a college sports romance. It is a story about obsession, desire, control, and accepting one’s sexuality. The inner turmoil the MMCs faced in getting to their HEA was absolutely gripping.

This is a very fast burn, very spicy read. The filthy talk… the obsessive thoughts… the claimings… all were so incredibly hot.

Head in the Game is a standalone in the Groveton College shared world that ends in a HEA.

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
Jake Bordeaux was on fire with this one! He played both MMCs, the stoic Coach Bryant and the cheeky Jack. He nailed Jack’s southern drawl.

This book was hot in written form and was made even hotter with Jake’s narration. An absolute treat for the ears.

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance
Tropes/Features: Elite college, coach/athlete forbidden relationship, large age gap, coercion, bi-awakening MM, gay-for-you, mild OW drama, blackmail
Narrator: Dual 1st Person POV
Narration Type: Single Narrator
Narrator(s): Jake Bordeaux
Relationship Type: MM, fast burn, very spicy
Book Type/Ending: Standalone in Groveton College shared world. HEA
TW/CW: Available in book

Fun. Sexy. Gripping. Emotional- Outstanding MM Romance

I am a huge fan of MM Sports Romance, especially when it's football, and this is one of the best I've read and listened to.

The tension and will they/won't they between Jack and Bryant is so engrossing. The steam is as high as the stakes of the secret, forbidden relationship between the college coach and his new star player.
The complexity of the characters personalities and emotions is so satisfying to read.

Jake Bordeaux's vocal performance is outstanding! There is such versatility in his voice. It is amazing that this is a solo narration. All of the characters personalities shine through and sound completely distinct.

Fun. Sexy. Gripping. Emotional.