Power Plays & Straight A’s by Eden Finley & Saxon James

Title: Power Plays & Straight A’s

Author(s): Eden Finley & Saxon James

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Amazon/Self

Heat: 3 Flames

Rating: 4 Hearts

Synopsis via Goodreads:

FOSTER

“Look out for Zach and don’t hit on him.”
My brother’s request sounds easy enough. Keep an eye out for his best friend on campus and keep my hands to myself.
Easy.
Even if Zach is a quintessential nerd, who I’ve always thought was cute, I don’t have the time to think with my … stick.
There’s only one stick I should be focused on this year, and that’s my hockey stick. My goal once I graduate is to get an NHL contract.

The last thing I need is a distraction. On or off the ice.
Only, keeping to the rules is harder than I thought it would be.

ZACH

People confuse me.
And no one more than Foster Grant.
I’ve barely spoken two words to him in the whole time I’ve known him, but the second I step foot on campus, he’s impossible to shake.
I can never anticipate his next move. And whenever we’re together, my next move is a total mystery as well.
I want to give in to him, but that might mean coming clean about something I’ve never been bothered about before.
I’m still carrying my V-card.
And I think it’s time to turn it in. 

Review:

Just like Foster, I found Zach endearing and adorable as hell when he was flustered in this one. His complete inability to read social cues and awkwardness around Foster in the first half was so cute. Then later, how Foster began to give him confidence and he came into his own during the second half of the book which at times was really heartwarming to see.  I was a little annoyed at his best friend at times because he seemed to shelter him too much.  I loved that Zach found strength in Foster. 

If I have any complaints, it’s the cover (sorry) and the use of ‘misunderstandings’ to create drama.  I typically hate that plot device.  There is a little of that here, but it wasn’t it wasn’t an overdone melodrama that causes eyerolls like we see in some stories.   It was more so rooted in Zach’s inablility to read people and overthinking things which fit with his character so I didn’t hate it as much.  While other stories I have loved, i.e. Heated Rivalry, use gay athletes in sports as a means to keep characters apart or build conflict, this story our MC is out as bisexual to everyone but his parents so it was refreshing to see here that people were as accepting in both the college and professional sports settings. 

I quite enjoyed the world that these two authors created. The captain of the hockey team falls in love with the cute nerd. ♥

Incidentally, I listened to most of this on Audible, and I loved the narration! Alexander Cendese & Iggy Toma are great narrators.  I think they could find a way to narrate the phone book and I’d still listen…

Purchase Link | Amazon