Review: An Ace in the Tiebreak by T.A. Chase and Devon Rhodes
Publisher: Totally Bound
Where did you get this book: E-Arc from Publisher
Release Date: October 10, 2014
International Men of Sports #8
“When Robin has to choose between two very different men, he has to try not to double-fault…while hoping for an ace. Professional tennis player Robin Keller has a love/hate relationship with most everything in his life—his game, his tennis rival and sometimes hook-up Danie Coetzee, the pills and alcohol he uses to get through his days. Nothing seems to be going right anymore, and when he hits rock bottom after the French Open, drastic changes are the only option.
Quinn Damaris has a well-earned reputation for turning around the careers of the athletes he acts as chef for, and he can tell from the first meeting that Robin is going to be a challenge. But as a double amputee, he’s not a man to back down just because the road is rough.He didn’t count on anything starting between them, especially when the way he realizes Robin is gay when he sees him with Danie. Robin will have to make a choice. Is Quinn kidding himself to think that a tennis star could fall for a man who isn’t whole?”
Robin is a top seed tennis player who isn’t anywhere near the top of his game. He’s drinking far too much and abusing pain medication. On top of it all he’s in a love/hate relationship with his biggest rival on the courts. After he loses in the first round of the French Open to a relative newcomer his coaches feel he needs to go back to basics and they hire a chef/life coach in former extreme athlete, Quinn. Quinn lost both legs below the knees in a rock climbing accident and his life which was going in one direction veered off into a new path helping clients find their way back from difficult situations.
Things start out very tense between the men and although they’re attracted to each other it’s not something that they pursue until much later in the read. I liked that they had a working relationship in place before they moved into a more physical one. They got to know each other and appreciate both the good things and the flaws that they have. Quinn is Robin’s first stable, healthy adult relationship and it’s reflected in how his life turns around. He’s appreciates himself more and treating himself better. I liked that he felt he deserved better for himself.
Quinn has his own struggles. It hasn’t been easy re-learning to walk and start a new career but he’s a determined goal driven man. I really enjoyed his relationship with his older brother Morgan here as well, he’s an intriguing man in his own right.
After I finished this book I immediately went and purchased the first seven books in the series and then marathon read them. I can’t really give a higher compliment or a better recommendation than that. I don’t know how the two authors managed to work together so well but the style of writing in all the books came across as seamless and they meshed so well together that the reads all came across as one strong voice.
I love the concept that the authors have here as these books travel the world showcasing different types of sports and the men who play them. The series is made up of standalone stories except for #7 which revisits characters first met in #3 but even then I feel you could enjoy it on its own. I was impressed with the sports research done in all the books as well as the international settings, I loved that we traveled around the world. Most of the stories I read tend to take place in North America (with a few exceptions) so this was so unique and fun for me to go on a vacation from my usual settings.
One of the things that I adored with these books was that there were secondary characters introduced that I want to know more about, so much so that I went to the authors’ website to see where the series was going next. I was thrilled to see that all the upcoming stories will focus on these men that I was so taken with during my marathon. I’m so excited for the next books!
Even though I was only supposed to review the 8th book in this series, which I’m giving a B+ I’ve rated them all and I’m giving the series as a whole a B+
IMoS #1: A Sticky Wicket in Bollywood — C+
IMoS #2: Chasing the King of the Mountains — B+
IMoS #3: At First Touch — B
IMoS #4: Blindsided — B
IMoS #5: Burning Up the Ice — B+
IMoS #6: Serving Love At Carnival — B
IMoS #7: A Grand Prix Romance — B+
IMos #8: An Ace in the Tiebreak — B+