Sunday, April 23, 2017

Review & Giveaway: GASPING FOR AIR by TS McKinney (Game Day #2)


Gasping for Air
Series: Game Day #2
Author: TS McKinney
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: April 22, 2017


How far will Trystan go to win the heart of the man he loves? All the way.

Trystan Matherly is conceited, arrogant, and rich. He has plenty of money, athletic ability, and gorgeous looks to keep the men forming a long line just to be with him. Choosing his next lover has been as simple as down-selecting to the hottest candidate.

Until Dakota.

With his sad eyes, full lips, and perfectly sculpted swimmer’s body, Dakota is just the kind of lover Trystan wants. After only one look, he knows he has to have him. Too bad Dakota seems to be totally oblivious to all his charms.

Dakota Jacobson is lonely, tired, and depressed. He’s at Alabama Temple to complete his degree, not to put up with idiots. He works diligently to be as invisible as possible. He doesn’t need friends and he sure doesn’t need lovers…especially not football titans that think they rule the world. Nope; been there, done that.

Until Trystan.

With his sexy eyes, arrogant smirk, and muscled physique, Trystan is just the kind of lover Dakota never intends to have…again. Too bad Trystan refuses to allow him to be invisible.

















You might think as you start reading this that Trystan is an arrogant, obnoxious ass who thinks he can have whatever he wants, and you’d be right—and he knows it too.  He’s a “hit it and quit it” guy, you know—the one we all love to see get knocked down a few pegs.  But we all know what happens when a guy like that encounters that one person who couldn’t care less about him, who gives him the cold shoulder and just scoffs at his advances, right?  So, let the chase begin!

Dakota just wants to fly under the radar until he graduates; he has his own issues and a past that affects him deeply and makes it almost impossible for him to entertain the notion of anything other than a physical relationship with anyone, and even that is dicey.  He keeps his emotions boxed up along with his secrets—secrets that are constantly hinted at but that we don't find the truth out about until very late in the story.  For me, that was a bit frustrating because it was mentioned many times to the point it was overly teased for me as a reader.

Trystan finally hooks Dakota—albeit with the caveat that their relationship will only be a physical one—and that’s where the heat factor goes from cute to holy-cow-someone-grab-a-fire-extinguisher in no time flat.  There’s plenty of heat, with the level of naughtiness rising rapidly and venturing into the kinky arena pretty darn fast…enough to raise some flags that Trystan might not see at first, but that his friends can (oh yes, we get to see Alexander and Lincoln from Touchdown in this book—a very welcome set of supporting characters!).

There were a few things that contributed to my rating of this story in a negative way.  The length of this book did wander into the overly long category given the story being told, to me it felt a bit too drawn out which did cause my attention to stray a bit while reading.  Both Trystan and Dakota said and did things that caused me to roll my eyes more than once, but one thing was unquestionable throughout the book—Trystan’s feelings toward Dakota.  And as for the climactic scene when Dakota’s past comes crashing into the here and now?  I thought it was a bit excessive, though the conclusion of it was still satisfying.

Overall though, Gasping for Air was a good read, tense and emotional while also insanely hot and wicked when it came to the sex scenes.  This one gets 4 stars from me, and for those M/M romance fans who like it on the kinky side, this story will definitely be one you want to check out.  This book is meant strictly for readers 18+ for adult language and explicit M/M sexual content.  There are also some pretty distressing topics regarding Dakota’s past, which includes physical and sexual abuse both ongoing and as a triggering event, so readers sensitive to such subjects should be aware before you read.



T.S. McKinney lives in East Tennessee with her high school sweetheart/husband and all the countless dogs she picks up from deserted country roads. Her professional career has been in business but her heart has always belonged to the fantasy world found in books.



Creating wicked worlds where one can meet the perfect hero – and then do anything to him that you want – has been a hobby that has brought her plenty of hours of fun and naughty entertainment.

When not working, reading, or writing, she loves to spend time with my family and forcing them (because they don’t really have another choice) to allow me to redecorate their houses…and listen to my naughty…sometimes sadistic stories.








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