Quick Info
Give and Go

• Title: Give and Go
• Series: World Cup book 3
• Author: F.A. Ray
• Release Date: 19.07.2022
• Genre: Contemporary, Romance
• Content Warnings: mention of stalking, possible alcoholism
• Diversity: POC
• Rating: 2/5 Stars

Blurb
Give and Go

“I’ve never been tied up and spanked, but for him, I’d say yes to just about anything.”

Alejandro goes home from the 2024 Olympics with a silver medal – and a hunger for the man who put him on his knees. He never had someone dress him in lingerie and order him to his knees. But now he has a taste for more.

Blair talks about ropes, about paddles, about safe words and boundaries and pushing the limits. Alejandro doesn’t even know what half the weird toys in Blair’s arsenal do. But he’s eager to try. Maybe a little too eager.

With his movie-star looks and perfect athlete’s body, Alejandro isn’t used to hearing no. He’ll travel the world and uproot his career if that’s what it takes to get what he wants. But Blair is carrying baggage from his past that makes him want to stop Alejandro long before either of them hit the edge. Together, they’ll push past boundaries they didn’t even realize they had.

The Queer’s Review

Even though I’m German and I’ve seen my fair share of different soccer games, both on tv and in stadion, both men and women, I never really got into that sport.

But you don’t need any knowledge about soccer to read Give and Go. Honestly, it feels like it would be best if you don’t know anything about soccer. Not that it plays any huge part in the story. But I did stumble more than once over the importance Alejandro puts on the Olympic silver medal.

At least in Germany, it feels like Olympic medals aren’t important for soccer. There is the World cup and the European cup if we’re focusing on playing for your national team. So I really, really didn’t get why the fuck he is that bothered about a silver medal.

I’m trying to put that aside for the rest of the review and I really tried to get myself to like Alejandro. I really did. But I couldn’t. At best I feel neutral about him, at worst I’m annoyed. Basically, he overhauls his whole life because of an orgasm he had. Maybe the reasoning for that is in an earlier book but Give and Go should work as a standalone and if we’re speaking about motivation, it really doesn’t work. So the motivation lies in the past and we’re told little tidbits about it.

Tidbits that don’t make me feel the love. Or even lust. Like, what connects Alejandro and Blair? They’re supposed to have met as teens? Children? Sometimes in their past, but on rivaling teams? Then they met briefly in Tokyo, there was one orgasm? And then the book starts.

There’s also this issue about repeating things the reader was already told. And I have to stress the telling issue here because the whole book is telling, not showing in my eyes, so that makes it even harder to get invested in the story for me. Meh characters, the underlying sports romance that is not a sports romance, and then not even a good reading flow.

Another issue I have is this… look at Alejandro and you simply know he needs to submit. What? Also… apparently alcohol is the solution if you’re having problems. Of course.

I’m also not willing to call this book a romance, to be honest. Alejandro acts like an irresponsible teen in a way, there is no real connection and suddenly happy ever after that takes place after the story. Again, telling not showing. There is no real conflict, or maybe there would have been if it would have been handled authentically. I’m also unsure about the timeline.

It feels like deciding to overhaul your whole life, get into Blair’s pants, and test game a few different soccer teams while focusing on trying to get into Blair’s pants happens over maybe a month. Two? And then after the story, there’s the second overhauling of your whole life. Immediately after? I’m not even sure anymore. I do know that I didn’t cheer for those two at all.

I did cheer when I finally finished Give and Go though.

I do have one positive note though! They use condoms.

Bookish Thoughts

You trust me, and I take that very seriously.

Kindle Pos. 1667

Disclaimer

I received a free ARC through Gay Romance Reviews Tours in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.