Down by Contact

Hassell’s raunchy, hypermasculine second Barons erotic romance (after Illegal Contact) is hotter than tempers on Super Bowl Sunday. Simeon Boudreaux is the star quarterback for the Barons, New York’s NFL franchise. Not only is he a talented athlete, a charming Louisiana Cajun, and seemingly an all-around great guy, he’s also one of the few openly gay football superstars. Adrián Bravo is the snarky linebacker for the rival New Jersey Predators, the team Simeon left after hearing one too many bigoted comments in the locker room. After Adrián makes thinly veiled anti-gay jokes at Simeon’s expense—on live television—and the two men get into an on-field fistfight, they’re are suspended for six games and assigned a coaching project at a youth center. In order to succeed with the kids, the men first have to deal with the root of their enmity: Adrián’s bisexuality, suppressed because he fears the reactions of his teammates and Puerto Rican parents. The testosterone is balanced by thoughtful examinations of cultural differences and the effects of fame on relationships. Frequent, explicit sex scenes almost overwhelm the raw, beautifully told love story, which could leave some readers wishing for just a little more of the protagonists’ interplay outside the bedroom. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary. (Jan.)