Title: Love Simplified
Series: Game, Set, Match, #2
Author: Teegan Loy
Genre: Contemporary/Sports
Length: 286 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (4 March 2016)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Blurb: Life is about making choices. For nineteen-year-old Jalen Marten, the choices he makes will not only affect his life, but the life and career of his superstar tennis player boyfriend, Austin Suter. Jalen spends the summer following Austin around the pro tennis circuit playing the supportive friend as Austin adjusts to life on tour.
Keeping secrets from people is hard enough, but when the media, a horde of new fans, and staff and family who all think they know what’s best for Austin are involved, it’s even worse. Coming out to the world is not an option, so Jalen is forced to hide in the shadows. It doesn’t always work, and Jalen begins to wonder if they should stay together.
The next choice could make or break them as a couple, and both men wonder why love has to be so complicated.
ISBN: 978-1-63477-046-0
Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7508
Reviewer: Prime
Review: Love Simplified is the second book in Teegan Loy’s series Game, Set, Match. This is a direct sequel to book 1, Love Complicated but to be completely honest I read most of the book not realising that I had read the first book and I didn’t get confused or lost at all. So in a way, though I don’t like recommending to so, you could read this as a standalone book.
But let’s talk about Love Simplified.
We back with nineteen year old lovers Jalen and Austin. They’ve finished high school and Austin is now a tennis champ, playing all the big international tournaments like Wimbledon. For the good of his career – and for handling his homophobic father – Austin must stay in the closet. This is more Jalen’s story rather than Austin, entirely from Jalen’s side – something which I think does not take away from the story in any way.
Instead we are seeing two young men who have such a deep love for each other face the reality of celebrity and the paparazzi with Jalen knowing that he has to be careful with each step that he takes so not to expose Austin. Jalen can be a tad melodramatic at times but it all fits the story, which is relatively simple with no real “villains” or massive stumbling block other than Austin’s career and Jalen doing the best he can to keep it all together.
We are introduced to more minor characters when Jalen is in LA which gives the story a bit of a shake up and some smiles. They also act as good companions for Jalen as he battles his internal demons.
Despite the fact that this can be read as a standalone, this is a must read companion to Love Complicated. Though these feature young adult characters, they are also quite mature, so don’t be afraid to read of it because of the age of the couple.
I’m not sure if there is going to be anything else in store for Jalen and Austin (or any of Jalen’s friends in the future), but the ending was sweet and satisfying, everything that I want for in a book.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *