Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Quarterback  By  cover art

The Quarterback

By: Mackenzie Blair
Narrated by: Greg Boudreaux
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Matt Lancaster is the star quarterback at Bodine College, a small Southern Division II school with an ultra-conservative dean of athletics. Matt is also very much in the closet, and he thinks he’s kept his secret well hidden, until his best friends take him to a happy endings massage parlor and request a male masseuse for him.

In walks Trevor Kim, a gorgeous, pierced, tattooed fellow Bodine student who does massages - without happy endings - to pay for school after his family kicked him out for being gay. Trevor takes one look at Matt and breaks all his own rules about mixing business with pleasure.

Matt needs to keep his scholarship, win the National Championship, and survive his asshole father. Instead, he falls in love. Trevor needs to accept that the football god is meant to end up with him rather than a perky cheerleader. It’s time for a "happily ever after" for both of them.

©2017 Mackenzie Blair (P)2018 Riptide Publishing
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+

What listeners say about The Quarterback

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,216
  • 4 Stars
    289
  • 3 Stars
    67
  • 2 Stars
    13
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,230
  • 4 Stars
    199
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,074
  • 4 Stars
    282
  • 3 Stars
    92
  • 2 Stars
    16
  • 1 Stars
    7

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfection! Just the right mix of everything

It's not often I want to give 5 stars. Usually, something slightly annoying prevents it, not this time. Some may argue the story is too perfect and I would counter and say "things can work out in this cynical world we live in". No new territory covered here, but the cast of characters have almost equal voices in Matt and Trevor's story. Friends behave like friends and people in love behave like people in love.

I think you would be hard-pressed to find something wrong with this story. Just enjoy it for what it is.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

✫✫ 4 Stars ✫✫

I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up on sale on Audible just because and I am pleasantly surprised. First time I've listened to this author's work but not the narrator, I really enjoy the narrator so it was an easy choice. Trevor and Matt were great, they had a god connection with lots of chemistry. I loved that they were on the DL throughout most of the book, not really hiding, but more just private. They told who needed to know like their close friends and family, for me that was sweet and still gave their love story a little excitement too. The ending was sweet with a great HEA!
I will be checking out more audiobook by this author for sure.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Meh As Hell

I don't understand the high ratings of this book. Gay romance novels are my guilty pleasure when I need something lighter in between heavier reads, but this one doesn't pique any interest. There's very little personality differentiation between the two main characters. If it wasn't for the narrator changing the inflection of his voice for the different characters, it would be difficult to tell which character is speaking. And the author's constant use of the phrase "as hell" is irritating. In two chapters I noted "confusing as hell," "nervous as hell," "hot as hell," "charming as hell," "horny as hell," distracting as hell," "adorable as hell," "hoped as hell," "shocked as hell," excited as hell," "expensive as hell." It makes the book boring and tedious as hell. And both characters repeatedly use the phrase, which, again, makes them feel like the same person. The story is very cliche. Yes, it's a cheesy romance novel so cliche is to be expected. But there are no surprises; it's very predictable. The Kage series by Maris Black was much more interesting and engaging. Him, by Sarina Bowen, was pretty good, too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Romantic and Steamy

Most gay romance novels are either romantic or steamy. This was both! the gay sex was even believable.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent story ,excellent narrator

I am chanted with this story, two boys fall in love, and then figures out how to make it work that's an awesome story. I highly recommend this story you will not regret it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly good

Being my first book in this category I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It is well-written and the performance is superb.

The story is captivating and a happy ending (no pun intended).

A major highlight of the book are the peripheral characters that give the story more depth and character.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Please let there be a spin-off/sequel planned!

So much fun! Funny, angsty (goodness the angst!), and just plain adorable—I highly enjoyed this book. The narrator did a fantastic job as always, and I can’t wait to see what Mackenzie Lee comes up with next. Hopefully a sequel/ spin-off for some of the supporting characters?? *Cough*cough* Drew *cough* *cough* O’Donnell.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great!

I've read MANY gay sports romances, some better than others. This one is the one I believe captures the struggle in the most convincing way. It's a sexy story but still full of emotion and tenderness. I was disappointed that this book was not available to add to my Amazon fire eBook collection and found that this is the only book written so far by the writer, but i will definitely keep my eyes peeled for more. It should also be mentioned that the narration is excellent, he acts out the scenes dynamically and effectively. Thumbs up all around!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Matt is GaGa for Trevor with eyeliner! <3

Normally, I’m not one for sports romance. In fact, I usually avoid them because I never got the appeal of football and such competitive field games. 🤷‍♀️ (When I say football here, I’m talking about American football. 😁) And I also stay way from New Adult romances because I always felt like it’s the awkward child between Young Adult and Adult novels. 😂 That being said, my my my, why did I wait this long to listen this gorgeous audio?!?! 😱


First of all, I really have to thank my awesome Goodreads friends for this audio because I purely bought this on mob mentality. 🤣 I mean everyone and their mothers are raving about this book so I was like, yeah, this is usually not my kinda book but I gotta buy it because well, everyone’s listening/reading it! 😁 And what can I say? It’s quite easy to seduce me. 😉 And also, the narrator is Greg Bordeaux aka Greg Tremblay who I adoooooooore so I thought it couldn’t go that horribly wrong! Man, it went so perfectly right! 👏 I looooved every single second listening this audio. 😍


A star quarterback deeply in the closet fell in love with the gorgeous guy who works at a happy-ending massage parlor after a chance encounter. Matt has so many reasons why he couldn’t come out of the closet and Trevor gets it. But he still broke his own rule of not dating closeted guys and he too fell in love with Matt. But when was the journey to a happy ending simple and smooth? (Totally pun intended! 😂👏) If Matt really wants to be with the guy he fell for the first time in his life, he has to be braver than ever to fight for a future for both Trevor and himself. Because there’s always a rainbow lining in the end for those who are brave enough to cross the bridge. 😌


The story itself isn’t that quite unique or unheard of, but the way Mackenzie Blair wrote this story was magical, mesmerizing and enrapturing. 🥰 I was in love from the very first chapter. 😍 And that might also have to do with the fact that I have oil fetish. Lol 😂👏 But anyhow, it was lovely to witness how Matt became a full-blown butterfly from a closeted cocooned caterpillar. 😌 And awwwwww ... I love Trevor Kim! 😍 Our edgy Asian math genius! He’s so supportive, loving and understanding! He really is the perfect boyfriend for Matt. And the smut in this audio!!! I got multiple eargasms from Greg Tremblay’s awesome, seductive narration!!! 😁 That was one mothaf**king smoking hot audio! Sizzzzzzzling!!! 🔥🔥🔥 And that ending couldn’t be more perfect. I’m all gooey after that epilogue. So sweet and perfect! 😍💜 My only fear is that this is Mackenzie Blair’s only published book/audio so I’m really afraid that she might not write anymore. Hopefully she’d see my review and get some encouragements from how much the readers love her book/audio. 😊 Highly highly recommended! 👍 Soooooo worth that Audible credit! 😍💙



5 Matt is GaGa for Trevor with eyeliner stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Mostly good

Matt is closeted college QB. Trevor is out but working too many jobs including a massage gig that provides happy endings. Freakouts ensue.

Mostly, it was a nice story with good pacing and great, supportive friends, including some football teammates. Family is a mixed bag. Matt’s father is problematic in multiple ways and Matt can’t afford to upset him or the dean at his Southern school. Trevor seesaws on whether or not he’s ok with keeping their relationship on the down low. And this is where I have a concern.

Trevor gets all antsy about Matt being closeted multiple times & sometimes right before big games. Causing scenes right before prominent life events is abusive behavior. Trevor mostly pulls through and gets less snippy with Matt in time to matter, but it happens more than once so that concerns me. OTOH, they’re both new to relationships & each have several stressors that seem to come to a head around big events so maybe that won’t be a future issue? It is not selfish to stay closeted when it’s too unsafe to come out. This book dealt a good bit with how their friends & family made being out more safe or less safe.

Trigger Warning & spoiler for:
violent confrontation with a father &
silent treatment from a mother. /spoiler

My other quibble, combined with the problematic timing of Trevors mostly unfair, if understandable, “come out already” snits is about the massage gig. Trevor was a sex worker and the author skirted around that in a weaselly way. Like Trevor only did service X with Matt, but not for other clients. Maybe? But then he quit after acknowledging that he was a sex worker and it seemed to me that he quit from the shame of it. He didn’t stay on as legit masseuse only or go back to his previous “up to but not including X” limits. The shame threw me out of the story. There was no need for it. Sex work is work. It’s a job that often pays better than the alternatives which is partly why he took the job. I would have been ok with Trevor quitting because: he wanted exclusivity with his boyfriend; his schedule didn’t make sense that semester; the transit time got in the way; his car got totaled; he didn’t like massaging any more; it didn’t pay enough with changed personal limits; he risked exposure for Matt; or several other reasons. But shame for being paid for doing a job? Stop it.

But generally, there was a surprising amount of support for our heroes thus things often went more smoothly than they (or I) had feared. There was attention paid to secondary characters, setting, & football games from the perspective of players, fans, & non-fans. I’m not a football enthusiast (I side with the tight pants on athletes enthusiasts) and there was not too much football for me. But there was probably still enough of it for a football fan.

The sexytimes are often about virgin Matt figuring out how things work & both of them exploring potential roles and low key kinks. It’s mostly well done.

I came close to rating this 5 stars. The narrator (GB) did a good job with expressing the given vocal cues and not making either guy sound effeminate, which they were not. Worth a listen in you like stories of hot college athletes and math geeks navigating being gay in private then in public as they figure their lives & loves out.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful