His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington (Love and Sports #1)
Released: October 9, 2017
M/M Contemporary Romance
Entangled

Reviewed by Mandi

A contemporary, male/male, marriage of convenience book?? It’s my candy! Isaiah is a NFL football player, who lost his husband three years prior to the book starting. His late husband was quiet, and serious and together they never made any drama – which is how the big guns at the top of the NFL chain like to keep it when it comes to handling gay players. They adopted a bi-racial son, who is also gay, and both Isiah and his son are still grieving this loss.

Isaiah’s agent introduces him to a  Russian ballet dancer named Victor, visiting from Russia to perform in the states. Victor wears make-up and is much more flamboyant than Isaiah – and has also become somewhat of an activist – as gay people are treated horribly – even sentence to death, back in Russia.Victor has become so outspoken over this, that he is seeking asylum in the United States. He meets Isaiah when Isaiah’s son wanted an autograph, and there is an instant attraction. So much so, they have a very hot and heavy make out session shortly after their first meeting. When Victor’s plea for asylum is denied, he is terrified of going back to Russia. Isaiah offers to marry him so he can stay in the states, and their marriage can just be more for friendship, not an actual relationship. But these two have a hard time keeping it in their pants – and staying just friends.

I enjoyed both Isaiah and Victor. Isaiah is trying to raise his son, and not make a lot of waves with the people in the NFL. He tells himself over and over again that he has already experienced a love of a lifetime, and doesn’t want to head down that path again. Sure, he will enjoy a physical release with Victor, but no feelings are to become involved.  Especially with a loud, more vibrant ballet dancer.

Victor falls for Isaiah hard, and with the pressures he is facing back in Russia, he wears his heart more on his sleeve in this one. When I received the request for this review, the blurb described Victor as “gender fluid” – but now that I look at the blurb on Goodreads, it’s been edited out. So, I’m not sure what that means, but I was going to put in this review that I didn’t feel as if Victor was gender fluid. But we don’t get to know him that well. I think we could have really used a more deep look into Victor’s life – while I enjoyed him, there is so much that we miss out on – his life back in Russia, how he was raised – basically we only get the main highlights of his past. I also think Isaiah could have been any profession – he didn’t really feel like a football player. And I wish we had had more ballet in the book as well.

I liked the two main guys, but everything else felt rushed and a bit glossed over. I needed more depth.

Grade: C

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