Zarah Detand

4.5 stars

Ben is a talented premier league football player who accidentally drunkenly outs himself one night after his team clinches the championship. His agent suggests that it might be easier for Ben with the club and his teammates and the public if he has a boyfriend, and has the perfect guy to play the part. Ben and Henry start of awkwardly, as two people who don't know each other but have to pretend that they know one another well do. However, they spend quite a bit of time getting to know one another, and even though it starts out strictly as a blossoming friendship, attraction starts to creep into the picture.
I really enjoyed this. I did find it hard to get into at first, almost like it was written in 2/4 time and I was bobbing along in 3/4 time. Plus it's third person present tense. (GRRRR!) However, both Ben and Henry were very sweet and very earnest, and I completely believed both their friendship and then the more. I loved the reaction of Ben's best mate/teammate, and how one of them who had reacted a little poorly came to apologize to him for it. I'll be honest and say that I didn't think that I was that invested until closer to the end when they are both struggling, but when I started crying, I realized that both characters had wormed their way into my heart. All in all, I would recommend this, especially since Ben wasn't forced out by anyone and didn't even really think about denying that he was gay.… (mere)

There are spoilers, but not too bad, and I am pretty sure you already know, or at least can guess the ending :)

***
We have Ben, a football star, and Henry, an average college kid, in a fake relationship for the strategic media purposes. For Ben having a fake boyfriends means softening the blow of coming out of the closet. Despite being fake boyfriends, the boys enjoy themselves together. It's all sunshine and rainbows and lollipops and very very sweet and beautiful.

But don't get fooled. The gloom is just around the corner.


It's not unusual for the boys to break up for a day or two. They can't fully enjoy themselves without thinking "it's fake"...



They tend to overthink things, of which both are guilty...





or eavesdrop, mostly Ben...



or assume things, and again, both are guilty, but again mostly Ben.





Jake, Ben's friend, is the only person who can see straight and in the real light...



And so he arranges for the boys to meet each other, in their darkest hour, when all seems to be lost.



While Ben is still too confused, because



and tries to send Henry away...



Henry - finally! - comes out of his funk....



and all but forces himself on Ben.



That's when it dawns on the football star...



The suffers they suffered were all for nothing!!!

♥~♥~♥~♥~♥

Hugs, kisses...



and hot sex follows.



In the end, as they ride into the sunset airport together, flowers and hearts and pretty things rain down on them.


THE END.

Loved the book, but continuous misunderstandings and complete lack of communication knocked a star off for me.

Nevertheless, loved the boys! Will probably re-read in the near future :D
… (mere)