The Game Changer

By: Kay Simone

Narrated by: Greg Tremblay

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

A straight quarterback. A gay physical therapist. Love is out of bounds...Right?

Malcolm Rodgers loses everything in one week.

The quarterback is benched with an injury the same week his fiancée breaks off their engagement. Lost, hurting, and stuck on the sidelines, Malcolm must spend his days in physical therapy with the one person who refuses to let him get back in the game: cocky Vance Coberly.

Vance is out and proud in the macho world of pro football. As the top physical therapist in his field, flirting with football players is strictly out of bounds.

But the rules of play all change when Vance meets Malcolm.

Malcolm can't deny what he feels for Vance - but Vance won't be someone's one-time fling. Can a Hail Mary gesture save the deepest love Malcolm has ever felt?

Fantasy football takes on a whole new meaning in this 100,000 word steamy out-for-you football romance, complete with lots of heat and a happily ever after ending.

©2016 Kelly Hould (P)2017 Kelly Hould

Fantastic start - fizzle ending - great narration!

This is the first book I’ve read by this author – I’ve attempted others but haven’t made it all the way to the end. I’m not sure that I’d have finished this if I hadn’t been listening to the amazing Greg Tremblay – but I was glad I did.

The first half of the book is wonderful. I was LOVING it!

Malcolm is a bit of an enigma, and such a great person. Good, kind, a little naïve. Wonderful. Vance is just a bit more worldly, more jaded, more snarky – but still – nice and kind.

I love the slow burn between them, the silly drinking games and the patient wait for sex.
Even though this is a fairly low steam book, the connection is there and I really felt their chemistry.

However, after the first half of the book – things go sideways. The relationship moves from gentle exploration and love and passion to a Big Misunderstanding and hiding and anger and stubbornness. It was amazingly frustrating and I didn’t understand how two people whose number one commitment is “Honesty” could go on so long with this “issue” between them.

In any case, they muddle through that issue and we get a lovely HEA. (If you read the e book and are willing to sign up for her newsletter the author will send you a “bonus chapter” that adds some steam to this low steam story. Alas, not in audio format.)

As always, Greg made this story for me, and he was the main reason I picked up the audio. I love how he brings a story to life and I thought he gave full characters to even secondary or minor characters. His narration really made me stick it out and I give his narration 5 of 5 stars.
As for the story, I’d give 4.5 stars for Part 1 and 2.5 stars to part 2 – average of 3 of 5 stars.

For both narration and story – 4 of 5 stars – I’d still recommend it – but be warned ☺

spectacular

Absolutely amazing. Wonderful story of love and happiness and fighting for what is right, against all odds; and attaining your dreams.

Didn't love it, but didn't hate it...

Any additional comments?

While it had some good moments at the beginning, particularly the relationship building and slow burn, it lost momentum halfway in, and then had miscommunication issues, until nearly the end, that drove me almost insane.

Greg Tremblay does a fantastic job with the character voices, timing and pacing, which helps with the story's momentum issues in a way that kept me interested, but he just couldn't get me over the miscommunication.

BUT - anyone who knows me, or reads my reviews, knows that I absolutely hate miscommunication/misunderstanding, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

All in all, I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either.

Same ol Story

I don’t know if it is just me but, all of these books have the same story line. I’m just tired of the gay guy meets straight men scenario. Its 2018. Lets here about gay marriage, adoption processes, cheating scandals, heck ANYTHING but gay guy meets straight guy. Greg Tremblay did a good job in narrating, I just wish he was able to provide more identity to the characters. I couldn’t tell the difference between Malcolm and Vance.

Good book, important theme

Good book with a very important theme. The narrator was easy to listen to. Good with detailed

Excellent writer & narrator

The book was well written and the narration was exceptional. Great romance delivered expertly! I would love to hear the rest of their story.

Happy and Mad at the same time

Loved this story but some parts made me SO ANGRY! Loved the story of Vance and Malcolm. HATED HATED HATED the parts of discrimination and the bigoted reactions especially by Malcolm's coach.

Even though Vance and Malcolm stayed apart (which made me mad) I really liked how it ended.

I couldn't stop listening.

I enjoyed every minute. will be looking for more from the author.
The narrator was excellent as usual

2nd Time Listening...

I'm from Jacksonville and being able to picture the places referenced by the author gave the book a more realistic feel.

The Game Has Changed.

I am not a football fan and I don't listen to a lot of sports romances. At least, I didn't before I listened to The Game Changer. I loved it. This is the story of two men who are such opposites not only in lifestyle but in temperament, attitude, experience and history. Malcom is a big burly football hero and Vance is a Physical Therapist and they meet after Malcom sustains an injury. They become friends as Vance walks a Malcom through some of the most difficult times of his adult life.
Though Malcom has had every success a professional football player could have his life has no depth of meaning until he meets and falls for Vance. As their relationship develops and becomes more public both of their lives change forever.
This is a tender romance sprinkled with LGBTQ politics that only add to the treasure this story holds. Both Kay Simone, the author and Greg Trembllay, the voice actor were new to me and I very much plan to seek out more of their work. Trembly does an excellent job of giving each character a nuisance of their own that I really enjoyed and appreciated.

A must have

Hands down, one of the best mxm, audiobooks ever I loved this so damn much. It was real and rich with emotion, the love was authentic and undeniable, I love the chemistry between these two as well and their trials and paths to redemption.

It was beautiful

Great book

Great book and excellent story. My only grumble is that the narrator kept changing Vance's name to Vince. Before you say anything, I realise that there is a character, the garage owner whose name is Vince Pierro. Once Vince was out of the story, Vance continued to be called Vince! This is just a small matter, but just annoying given how much narrators get paid to read the story and don't do this as it is in the author's writing.

One of the best!

This is my first Kay Simone audiobook but I've got a few in total through my headphones and this is in my top 3.
The story flows so well, characters developed and connectable.
Greg does a brilliant job with this story, bringing out the depth and emotion in every scene.
I highly recommend!

Just Spectacular

It’s a moving and real world story with vivid characters and a heartwarming plot!

Audible needs more of Kay Simone!!