Down by Contact

Hassell's second "Barons" novel (after Illegal Contact) tackles the enemies-to-lovers trope with the erotically charged attraction between former teammates. Now rivals on opposite sides of the football field, Simeon Boudreaux and Adrián Bravo cause more than a reasonable ruckus in their preseason. Forced to come together for community service, the men square off at every turn, getting increasingly more personal. But for the sake of the children at the camp, Adrián and Simeon put their differences aside. Or do they? The bickering and contest besting feels more like foreplay and simmers beneath the surface for a long time. In between doing right by the Grant Street Center kids, the two find some serious smolder off the clock. The sexuality borders on erotica, and the rationalization of feelings outside of the bedroom is sincere. In navigating their respective issues, the men both have their reasons for wanting to overcome the stigma of football bravado. Hassell is expert at depicting this age of social media, intrusion, opinions, tabloids, and politics.