Head in the Game

By: Rebecca Rathe

Narrated by: Jake Bordeaux

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

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

🥵 Holy (insert preferred deity here) ..

I’m at a loss for words. I’m obsessed. I’m shrieking at how hot this story is.

Unconventional.. but hot as all sin! I don’t know who I adore more.. Jack or Bryant. Both are absolutely stunning together.

Taboo Age Gap MM romance that is hot AF

Audio. You have to read this book with the audio. Jake killed it!! Jack is a hot head playboy football player. Bryant is a retired NGL player turned college coach. Taboo as heck but hot as the sun. Ugh I love them so much.

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.

Great love dynamic

This type of love dynamic I have not seen done before. The idea of “am I gay if I’m only attracted to or love this one man”. Very interesting concept and Jake Bordeaux (❤️‍🔥) did his thing bringing this to life.
I did hear some technical issues with the audio, but for me it doesn’t deter from the story. I devoured this in one day.
The plot did its job. The spice was nice and overall, this was a good listen.
Narrator: ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Coach/athele student

I had already read this in KU and LOVED IT. Their relationship dynamic, their chemistry was EVERYTHING TO ME. Now to the narrator it was overall really good, just on the coach parts it took me a bit to get use to it. But after a little I could always tell who was who and the story still delivered!

Hot. smexy, and sporty.

The narrator brings so much to the story. He has different voices for each character. The two main characters are uniquely their own. A wonderfully crafted MM romance. The flow was great. The sport aspect wasn’t too heavily focused on. Their push and pull and the tone in the narration completely drew me in.

🔥🔥🔥

Jake Bordeaux does it again! This audiobook was absolute trash but in the best way possible! It was absolutely filthy and the story was fantastic too!