Spinning Out

The Blackhawk Boys, Book 1

By: Lexi Ryan

Narrated by: Summer Roberts, Tyler Donne

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Once, the only thing that mattered to me was football - training, playing, and earning my place on the best team at every level. I had it all, and I threw it away with a semester of drugs, alcohol, and pissing off anyone who tried to stop me. Now I'm suspended from the team, on house arrest, and forced to spend six months at home to get my shit together. The cherry on top of my f--kup sundae? Sleeping in the room next to mine is my best friend's girl, Mia Mendez - the only woman I've ever loved and a reminder of everything I regret.

I'm not sure if having Mia so close will be heaven or hell. She's off-limits - and not just because she's working for my dad. Her heart belongs to someone else. But since the accident that killed her brother and changed everything, she walks around like a zombie, shutting out her friends and ignoring her dreams. We're both broken, numb, and stuck in limbo.

Until I break my own rules and touch her.

Until she saves me from my nightmares by climbing into my bed.

Until the only thing I want more than having Mia for myself is to protect her from the truth.

I can't rewrite the past, but I refuse to leave her heart in the hands of fate. For this girl, I'd climb into the sky and rearrange the stars.

The Blackhawk Boys, an edgy, sexy, sports romance series from New York Times best-seller Lexi Ryan. Football. Secrets. Lies. Passion. These boys don't play fair. Which Blackhawk Boy will steal your heart?

©2016 Lexi Ryan (P)2016 Lexi Ryan

TORTURED SOULS, TRAGEDY & STAR-CROSSED LOVE

I don't usually like NA romances but the Summary tempted me and it was written by Lexi Ryan - an Author that repeatedly delivers a creditworthy book.. and she did just that by creating this emotionally charged love story. It's a story that is broken into parts and those parts are either in the past where emotions run high, where heartbreak happens and where tragedy strikes and it tells of lost opportunities, bad decisions and wrong choices. And it's also told in the present where feelings are numbed, attraction and chemistry are fought, secrets are revealed and two hearts slowly mend.

Mia had a choice of two handsome College football players.. one gave her butterflies and tingles and one was a steady 'safe bet'. But Mia ignored the butterflies, tingles and what her heart truly wanted as her head was telling her to stay away because his last name meant they were doomed from the start, that they were from different worlds and his last name meant they could never be together. However Destiny had other plans.. and together with Fate they created an emotional Tsunami that broke hearts, destroyed lives and left devastation in its wake. But out of the rubble of pain, misplaced guilt, anguish and sorrow the truth would set them free.. and the two soul mates would finally find happiness.

There were a rollercoaster of 'feels' in this very addictive and enjoyable dual POV love story which told of Arrow's unshakeable love and devotion for Mia.. his best friend's girlfriend, and his pain and torture over what he can never have. And it tells of Mia's strength in times of despair, her anguish over the 'if onlys' and her awakened heart because of Arrow. There's sex, romance, angst, drama, death, a mystery, sadness, twists, heartache and joy as Arrow and Mia finally find there HEA's.. together.

Worth a credit? A well written captivating meaty story with loveable, but a little lost, H/H, good supporting characters and the narration was great - so, in my book, that's a YES.. but the back/forth through timelines did get a wee bit frustrating for me. Even though I thought this creditworthy and gave it 4 stars - I really don't think I'll continue with the series because I prefer a more mature listen.

emotional wringer

This story is an emotional wringer for the listener following Arrow and Mia, their friendship, a few wrong choices and how people react to crisis, sometimes with devastating consequences. It made me sad for the most part, almost gave up a few times, but it is worth it to get to the end. Few unexpected twists, a couple that had my jaw drop. Lexi Ryan really knows how to get a reader hooked. The one thing I had a hard time with was the back and forth of the timeline, the before and after the fateful night of the accident.

Narrated by new-to-me voices, Ms. Roberts and Mr. Donne did great voice variation for the many characters and the story was skillfully brought to life.

Could be a movie

Wow! This incredibly heart-wrenching love triangle is just breath-takingly amazing. Mia and Arrow’s angst-filled Love story still has my stomach in knots...so much sacrifice, love, loss and confusion, but wrapped up in a HEA. Soooo good. Can’t wait to jump into volume 2

Great story

What an amazing story.

I listen to the audio and followed along in the book, though the whispersync did not work with this book but I kind of wonder if that is not amazon’s fault. I find that happens a lot. The narrators did a wonderful job.

I fell in love with Arrow. He was this hot sexy carrying college man. He had a big heart though I am sure he did not feel like he did sometimes. I can not blame him from feeling selfish when it came to Mia. The heart wants what the heart wants.

Mia was a sweet girl but I felt she was not only being unfair to herself but to Brogan as well by leading him along. She might of been with Brogan but Arrow had her heart.

There are some pretty sad parts in this story and cried through some of it, some heartfelt parts and, some pretty steamy parts as well.

My heart broke for Arrow. The guilt he carried with him. He was destroying himself over this guilt. There were so many lies and these lies are destroying so many people. Funny how the truth can set you free.

I am glad I took out time to listen to this story.

Wow....

That was pretty deep. I liked the H and the h not as much as him. The night they crossed the line I couldn't believe she did it. I had a good feeling how the outcome was going to be and I was right. The audio was actually pretty good.

The best in a long time

This book was something special. Every word had meaning. I also cried half of the book. It was such an emotional roller coaster. Just perfect!

Listening non-stop

I couldn't stop listening to this book..it had a lot of back and forth and totally kept me looking for the answers. It was a cute love story that had me rooting for Mia and Arrow from beginning to end. Im not sure if I've heard these 2 narrators before but I think they were well suited to this book and did a great job!

A+ rating...

My Review:
Overall: 4.75
Performance: 4.5
Story: 4.75

Oh wow...this book is an emotional roller coaster ride, and Lexi Ryan is the queen of twisting the curves so that the reader has no idea where it's going next. Just...wow.

Okay...so there are several different timelines within this book and the story very slowly unfolds...but getting the reader to where she knows exactly what happened is a masterpiece. And that's going to make this review really difficult to write because I don't want to spoil any of those twists and turns.

Although it's obvious from the very beginning that Arrow and Mia are the hero and heroine of this story, there is a 3rd character involved...Brogan. Wow. When the story begins...Arrow is on house arrest for "some crime", Mia is the working as the live-in nanny for his stepmother, and Brogan is in a really bad way...but it's not obvious what any of that means. This story all unfolds and the reader slowly begins to realize just how broken all the characters are from "whatever" it was that happened. And let me assure you, when you go into this book...NONE of that will be clear until the very end. BUT it was never a confusing book...which is a testament of just how good of a story teller Lexi Ryan truly is.

The story goes back and forth in time...and it's not just a simple before and after...no, it's jumping all over the place to manipulate your emotions. As a reader, you fall in and out of love with the characters and wonder who really is the good and the bad in all of this. It's truly a genius book just in the complexity of how it's told.

But what's never in any doubt...my heart broke for these characters...all of them even the ones that ultimately turned out bad. Gah...a simple change to a single action here or there and so much could have been different. My heart cried through the entirety of this book. It was so, so good. And so, so sad. But I loved it so, so much.

Book #2 is out, and now my debate is do I read it or wait for the audiobook (which isn't out yet) because I can assure you...I will be reading this entire series. LOVE!!

I shed so many tears

Warning: this book is not for the feint of heart. Sure it has an HEA but the majority of the book surrounds tragedy. The plot hooked me and I actually stayed up until 4 am to finish listening. I completed the audiobook in one sitting. I got a really good cry out of this one.

it was ok

almost did not finish. story was somewhat predictable but it was too much constructed angst.