The Summer Games: Out of Bounds by R.S. Grey Series: The Summer Games #2
Published by Self-Published on July 30th 2016
Amazon
From the USA TODAY Bestselling author of Scoring Wilder, comes a sexy new standalone novel.
I despise Erik Winter.
He’s arrogant and cruel—a man I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy—and by some twisted turn of fate, he’s my new Olympic gymnastics coach.
I’ve had to contend with gruff coaches in the past, but Erik is far worse. His stern demeanor complements a body built for intimidation, and his reprimands come from a mouth so cunning, I know it could strip me of my defenses—if I let it.
Though each of us would love to be rid of the other forever, we are bound to each other by need and necessity. I’m his rising star, his best shot at proving himself to his critics. And without a coach, I have zero chance of winning gold in Rio.
The easiest way forward would be to wave a white flag and make peace with the man I’ll be sharing close quarters with for the foreseeable future, but he is intent on war.
Fine. By. Me.
If he pushes me, I’ll push back harder. If he wants to test me, to play with my head, I’ll show him just how many boundaries I’m willing to cross. Because I know it’s not a choice between winning or warring—not if you can have them both. At the end of it all, I plan on leaving Rio with gold around my neck and his icy heart in the palm of my hand.
Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
R.S. Grey certainly knows how to feed my sports romance addiction—not to mention my Summer Olympics obsession. In Out of Bounds she takes the sport of competitive gymnastics, adds in a fabulous enemies to lovers scenario, tons of heat, and a touch of forbidden romance, and—voilà—you’ve got a winning combination.
I’ve read many books that are categorized as enemies to lovers stories. In actuality, it’s rare to find a book of this trope where the couple doesn’t just dabble in some irritation with each other, only to fall in love a few chapters later. Out of Bounds is the epitome of a well done lust/hate story.
Brie Watson is an elite gymnast on her way to her first Olympics. Erik Winter is the newly appointed head coach of the USA women’s Olympics gymnastics team. They get off on the wrong foot and instantly can’t stand each other. Between Erik’s rude, cold then hot behavior and Brie’s fiery, rebellious temperament, the flames of hatred are well and truly stoked throughout most of the story. They seem to bring out the worst in each other, and yet much to their aggravation and confusion they find themselves battling an intense magnetism. The fact that Erik is Brie’s older coach and the world is watching their every move makes the situation even more awkward and forbidden.
My main issue with the story is that Erik is downright cruel to such an extreme extent that I often wondered why Brie has a tough time getting him out of her system. His douchey attitude lasts a little too long for my taste. Brie is a smart girl, and her stubbornness helps her give as good as she gets, so sometimes I was irritated when her gullibility slips through. I must admit, though, that Erik is a walking advertisement for sex appeal, so he is hard to resist.
Learning about the discipline and hard work that is required of competitive gymnasts was interesting, and I relished the insider’s peak into the experiences of an Olympian. And while I appreciated the dedication and special hardships Brie endured on her path to the Olympics, I did find her bemoaning her mom’s sacrifices to be a tad repetitive.
I enjoyed the unpredictable dynamics between Brie and Erik and the simmering sexual tension. Their vehement disdain for each other, as well as their mutual attraction and Brie’s reluctant respect for Erik eventually meld into intense sexual chemistry and some seriously scorching scenes. I was also thoroughly entertained by Brie’s relationship with her diverse group of wacky teammates.
Out of Bounds is a fun and sexy treat that should delight readers looking for a satisfying sports romance fix.
Recommended for fans of:
Enemies to lovers stories
Sports romances
Gymnastics
The Olympics
Baking
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review**
About R.S. Grey
I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way, I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things… everyday.
I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors include Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I’m a comedy geek and love all things “funny”. Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.
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