Release Blitz: Illegal Contact: Santino Hassell
Illegal Contact (The Barons #1)
Santino Hassell
Add to Goodreads
Released August 15, 2017
Buy Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | BAM | Googleplay
The rules of the game don’t apply off the field in this first Barons novel.
Santino Hassell
Add to Goodreads
Released August 15, 2017
Buy Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | BAM | Googleplay
The rules of the game don’t apply off the field in this first Barons novel.
New York Barons tight end Gavin Brawley is suspended from the team and on house arrest after a video of him brawling goes viral. Gavin already has a reputation as a jerk with a temper on and off the field—which doesn’t help him once he finds himself on the wrong side of the law. And while he’s been successful professionally, he’s never been lucky when it comes to love.
Noah Monroe is a recent college grad looking for a job—any job—to pay off his mounting student debt. Working as Gavin’s personal assistant/babysitter seems like easy money. But Noah isn’t prepared for the electrifying tension between him and the football player. He’s not sure if he’d rather argue with Gavin or tackle him to the floor. But both men know the score, and neither is sure what will happen once Gavin's timeout is over…
When I heard about Santino Hassell’s plans to write a series of football romances, I eagerly looked forward to them because his unabashedly real characters and gritty storytelling found in many of his books seemed perfectly suited to the trope. After reading the first in the series, Illegal Contact, I’m pleased to say that it largely lived up to my hopes for it, a promising start to the new series.
After being sentenced to six months of house arrest for assault, the star tight end for the NFL’s New York Barons, Gavin Brawley, a man notoriously known more for his bad attitude and rough play than for his equally impressive performances on the field, has no choice but to sit out the coming season. His attitude comes from feeling he’s never really been in control of his life, even now as a superstar athlete. So when his manager essentially forces him into hiring a personal assistant, it’s too much like being told he needs a babysitter for him to get behind the idea, even though he knows he’s clueless when it comes to running his life outside of playing football. Noah Monroe’s last job ended badly. Buried in student debt and trying to help his recently unemployed father, Noah isn’t thrilled at the prospect of working for an athlete, especially one who is so hostile all the time, but the salary is too good to pass up and it’s only a temporary thing. What he doesn’t expect is just how much attraction he has for his boss…or that the electricity he feels goes both ways.
As I have grown to expect when I pick up a book from this author, the characters in Illegal Contact are easy to get a good grasp on and behave in a believable manner, facts that go a long way toward making them feel real to me. For example, for a good part of the book, Gavin acts like an asshole, but he’s unapologetic about it because it fits with the past the author develops for him—though perhaps naming a character Brawley when he is being punished for brawling is a little silly (*grin*). And because Noah is unafraid to stand up to Gavin’s attitude, it leads to delicious interactions and banter filled with a subtle, flirty tone. That being said, the connection between Gavin and Noah is not quite as intense as many of the pairings in this author’s previous books. I admit that I had hoped the intensity would be more here considering how long it takes for them to act upon their attraction within their forbidden employer/employee dynamic. Despite this, it still worked well, perhaps because it allowed some unexpected character traits within Gavin to be highlighted.
As a whole, I’m not even sure I can classify this as a slow burn so much as a subtle burn. Both characters have compelling reasons not to allow their attraction to turn into something more, but it’s the antagonism between them that keeps this feeling more like a simmer than a burn. While this would definitely be a complaint had this been a poorly constructed story, here it is not, because at no point did it feel like the author was being lazy, just repeating the characters’ internal thoughts of “he’s hot, I want him, but I shouldn’t, and I can’t.” The way these thoughts were woven into the story as a whole was balanced just the way I like.
As with nearly every non-hetero sports romance I have read that involves professional athletes, the issue of being closeted because of the toxic masculinity rampant in big-league sports makes an appearance here. Fortunately, it’s not done in a clichéd manner here. I don’t want to go into spoilery specifics, but rest assured, this doesn’t turn out to be a book with a me-or-the-closet ultimatum I hate so much.
I do have a couple of small issues with Illegal Contact, one of which surprised me when compared to my other experiences with Santino Hassell’s books, and the other is something I probably should have expected. The former is that almost all of Noah’s side-plot scenes ended up feeling like filler because they didn’t really get tied up very well by the end of the book. The main reason this bothered me is that because there were several secondary characters introduced solely for these scenes, they felt unnecessary once the story wrapped up, as if they were added only to bring the story to a full-length novel. Without these plots and the characters added for them, the main storyline would have been a mid-length novella. The latter issue is the fact that, like several of his other books, the ending was abrupt, leaving me be less convinced that it’s a happily-ever-after (HEA) instead of just a happy-for-now. Even though I should have learned by now to expect this sort of thing in his books, it still left me wishing for a couple more chapters, especially considering my complaint about other things feeling like filler because of their incompleteness. Replace some of this extra with a longer ending that better establishes the HEA, and I would have felt much better overall.
The acknowledgments page of Illegal Contact gives an indication that Santino Hassell was nervous about writing a gay/bi sports romance for the first time. He certainly should not have been, as this is a solid entry in the category. And it’s certainly a good enough start to a new series that I’m eagerly looking forward to the remaining books it will contain.
New York Barons tight end, Gavin Brawley already had an unpopular rep as a hothead who did not care about what anyone thinks. Now his temper and protectiveness resulted in a fight that got him suspended from the team and on house arrest for six months. His manager thinks he needs a babysitter/assistant to help him out during this time. Gavin is not so sure. He is untrusting, broody, cranky, resentful, and generally angry at his situation. But if you get in his inner circle, he is a loyal friend.
Noah Monroe is a college grad and wanna be social worker who has had his own recent struggles resulting in the loss of a job and money issues. He is desperate and follows a lead about the assistant position and Noah is shocked when he gets a chance to prove himself. He is a geek, but with attitude. And he could care less about football or Gavin's celebrity status.
This was a feisty, flirty, snarky, sexy, slow-burn, hot jock--charming nerd--opposites attract love story told in both points of view. The main couple definitely grew on me and I ended up really liking them together. I would have liked to get a bit more at the end, but I am sure we will get more with these two in the next book. I enjoyed the set up and side characters of the QB, Simeon and running back, Marcus and also Noah's bestie, Jasmine. I am looking forward to more with Simeon in Down by Contact.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Pre-order Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | BAM | Googleplay
Expected Release: January 16, 2018
When I heard about Santino Hassell’s plans to write a series of football romances, I eagerly looked forward to them because his unabashedly real characters and gritty storytelling found in many of his books seemed perfectly suited to the trope. After reading the first in the series, Illegal Contact, I’m pleased to say that it largely lived up to my hopes for it, a promising start to the new series.After being sentenced to six months of house arrest for assault, the star tight end for the NFL’s New York Barons, Gavin Brawley, a man notoriously known more for his bad attitude and rough play than for his equally impressive performances on the field, has no choice but to sit out the coming season. His attitude comes from feeling he’s never really been in control of his life, even now as a superstar athlete. So when his manager essentially forces him into hiring a personal assistant, it’s too much like being told he needs a babysitter for him to get behind the idea, even though he knows he’s clueless when it comes to running his life outside of playing football. Noah Monroe’s last job ended badly. Buried in student debt and trying to help his recently unemployed father, Noah isn’t thrilled at the prospect of working for an athlete, especially one who is so hostile all the time, but the salary is too good to pass up and it’s only a temporary thing. What he doesn’t expect is just how much attraction he has for his boss…or that the electricity he feels goes both ways.
As I have grown to expect when I pick up a book from this author, the characters in Illegal Contact are easy to get a good grasp on and behave in a believable manner, facts that go a long way toward making them feel real to me. For example, for a good part of the book, Gavin acts like an asshole, but he’s unapologetic about it because it fits with the past the author develops for him—though perhaps naming a character Brawley when he is being punished for brawling is a little silly (*grin*). And because Noah is unafraid to stand up to Gavin’s attitude, it leads to delicious interactions and banter filled with a subtle, flirty tone. That being said, the connection between Gavin and Noah is not quite as intense as many of the pairings in this author’s previous books. I admit that I had hoped the intensity would be more here considering how long it takes for them to act upon their attraction within their forbidden employer/employee dynamic. Despite this, it still worked well, perhaps because it allowed some unexpected character traits within Gavin to be highlighted.
As a whole, I’m not even sure I can classify this as a slow burn so much as a subtle burn. Both characters have compelling reasons not to allow their attraction to turn into something more, but it’s the antagonism between them that keeps this feeling more like a simmer than a burn. While this would definitely be a complaint had this been a poorly constructed story, here it is not, because at no point did it feel like the author was being lazy, just repeating the characters’ internal thoughts of “he’s hot, I want him, but I shouldn’t, and I can’t.” The way these thoughts were woven into the story as a whole was balanced just the way I like.
As with nearly every non-hetero sports romance I have read that involves professional athletes, the issue of being closeted because of the toxic masculinity rampant in big-league sports makes an appearance here. Fortunately, it’s not done in a clichéd manner here. I don’t want to go into spoilery specifics, but rest assured, this doesn’t turn out to be a book with a me-or-the-closet ultimatum I hate so much.
I do have a couple of small issues with Illegal Contact, one of which surprised me when compared to my other experiences with Santino Hassell’s books, and the other is something I probably should have expected. The former is that almost all of Noah’s side-plot scenes ended up feeling like filler because they didn’t really get tied up very well by the end of the book. The main reason this bothered me is that because there were several secondary characters introduced solely for these scenes, they felt unnecessary once the story wrapped up, as if they were added only to bring the story to a full-length novel. Without these plots and the characters added for them, the main storyline would have been a mid-length novella. The latter issue is the fact that, like several of his other books, the ending was abrupt, leaving me be less convinced that it’s a happily-ever-after (HEA) instead of just a happy-for-now. Even though I should have learned by now to expect this sort of thing in his books, it still left me wishing for a couple more chapters, especially considering my complaint about other things feeling like filler because of their incompleteness. Replace some of this extra with a longer ending that better establishes the HEA, and I would have felt much better overall.
The acknowledgments page of Illegal Contact gives an indication that Santino Hassell was nervous about writing a gay/bi sports romance for the first time. He certainly should not have been, as this is a solid entry in the category. And it’s certainly a good enough start to a new series that I’m eagerly looking forward to the remaining books it will contain.
The author and/or publisher generously provided me a complimentary copy of Illegal Contact in exchange for this fair and honest review.
New York Barons tight end, Gavin Brawley already had an unpopular rep as a hothead who did not care about what anyone thinks. Now his temper and protectiveness resulted in a fight that got him suspended from the team and on house arrest for six months. His manager thinks he needs a babysitter/assistant to help him out during this time. Gavin is not so sure. He is untrusting, broody, cranky, resentful, and generally angry at his situation. But if you get in his inner circle, he is a loyal friend.Noah Monroe is a college grad and wanna be social worker who has had his own recent struggles resulting in the loss of a job and money issues. He is desperate and follows a lead about the assistant position and Noah is shocked when he gets a chance to prove himself. He is a geek, but with attitude. And he could care less about football or Gavin's celebrity status.
Gavin and Noah fight, push each other, and butt heads. Noah may be organized, anal retentive, and a perfectionist, but he is no pushover. He is sarcastic, real, and does not let Gavin get away with things. They are opposites in some ways, but do have some things in common. The more Gavin gets used to Noah being in his big, lonely space with him, the more he starts to get attached. He might even like him more than just lusting after him. And Noah is in the same predicament. But for quite a while neither is aware of the other's sexuality so it is confusing for them as well as a bad idea due to their circumstances. Noah's recent past also leaves him gun shy of relationships and getting too close to those he works for.
Antagonism, sarcasm, sexual tension, mixed signals, and boundaries easily broken lead to a hot secret affair. It's great while they can live in oblivion, but eventually they have to take a hard look at the reality of the situation with a closeted football player who will eventually be back on the field and back to his real life, and his employee who has his to figure out his own future.
What will happen if it comes a choice between love of the game and love of a man?
This book was a bit rough around the edges just like Gavin. It took me awhile to warm up to Gavin and these two guys together. It was a slow build with them from enemies, to friends, to crushes, to lovers. It was raw but oddly romantic in places with colorful language, intense reactions, and clumsy handling of situations. But Noah pushed Gavin to think, take charge of his life and reputation, and figure out what he needed. And it was a catalyst for him wanting to be a better person than he had been showing to others. Noah had his own issues to deal with as well, and had a helpful and caring heart. I enjoyed getting under their layers and seeing their vulnerability, especially Gavin who became so much more endearing.
They complemented each other and were real. They were not afraid to call each other out. But both had fears and rightly so. It was a near impossible situation with potential consequences and it set them up to get hurt.
Antagonism, sarcasm, sexual tension, mixed signals, and boundaries easily broken lead to a hot secret affair. It's great while they can live in oblivion, but eventually they have to take a hard look at the reality of the situation with a closeted football player who will eventually be back on the field and back to his real life, and his employee who has his to figure out his own future.
What will happen if it comes a choice between love of the game and love of a man?
This book was a bit rough around the edges just like Gavin. It took me awhile to warm up to Gavin and these two guys together. It was a slow build with them from enemies, to friends, to crushes, to lovers. It was raw but oddly romantic in places with colorful language, intense reactions, and clumsy handling of situations. But Noah pushed Gavin to think, take charge of his life and reputation, and figure out what he needed. And it was a catalyst for him wanting to be a better person than he had been showing to others. Noah had his own issues to deal with as well, and had a helpful and caring heart. I enjoyed getting under their layers and seeing their vulnerability, especially Gavin who became so much more endearing.
They complemented each other and were real. They were not afraid to call each other out. But both had fears and rightly so. It was a near impossible situation with potential consequences and it set them up to get hurt.
This was a feisty, flirty, snarky, sexy, slow-burn, hot jock--charming nerd--opposites attract love story told in both points of view. The main couple definitely grew on me and I ended up really liking them together. I would have liked to get a bit more at the end, but I am sure we will get more with these two in the next book. I enjoyed the set up and side characters of the QB, Simeon and running back, Marcus and also Noah's bestie, Jasmine. I am looking forward to more with Simeon in Down by Contact.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Gavin
Somewhere in the past couple of weeks, right around the time I’d watched Noah’s face light up as he threw himself into philanthropic planning schemes and he’d warned me about Joe being a nosy scumbag, I’d lost my mind. Evidence? Me wanting to smack my closest friend for putting the moves on him.
At first I’d thought I was being overprotective. Not even a week ago, I’d had this whole talk with Noah about him feeling safe, and I’d taken it seriously. As a foster kid, I’d never felt safe. Especially in the homes of people who’d temporarily taken me in. I’d been constantly reminded of my precarious position in their houses, and how they could put in a thirty-day notice with my social worker at any point. And they’d used that leverage against me.
I wasn’t about to step into the shoes of bastards who’d worked hard to ensure I would end up distrusting and despising people for the rest of my life.
He was my employee. I was his boss. He obviously didn’t trust me but had agreed to shack up in my house for two reasons only—money to help his father and to catch up on his debt. He didn’t really want to be here, but he had to be. The least I could do was respect his wishes. The same for my friends, but Simeon was laying it on thick.
At first I’d thought I was being overprotective. Not even a week ago, I’d had this whole talk with Noah about him feeling safe, and I’d taken it seriously. As a foster kid, I’d never felt safe. Especially in the homes of people who’d temporarily taken me in. I’d been constantly reminded of my precarious position in their houses, and how they could put in a thirty-day notice with my social worker at any point. And they’d used that leverage against me.
I wasn’t about to step into the shoes of bastards who’d worked hard to ensure I would end up distrusting and despising people for the rest of my life.
He was my employee. I was his boss. He obviously didn’t trust me but had agreed to shack up in my house for two reasons only—money to help his father and to catch up on his debt. He didn’t really want to be here, but he had to be. The least I could do was respect his wishes. The same for my friends, but Simeon was laying it on thick.
As he’d run his hands all over Noah, I’d justified each jolt of discomfort by saying Simeon was shitting all over my promise. But Noah agreeing to fan day and whatever else? That had turned discomfort into outright jealousy. Especially since he hadn’t even known my damn name after meeting me at the interview, but he knew all sorts of random facts about Simeon. Simeon, who was in full-throttle, charming superstar QB mode. I was over it.
Regardless, my jealousy was a complete anomaly. Had never happened before. But it was happening right the fuck now, and I was furious with myself. Who cared if Noah was cute and a smartass who wasn’t afraid to tell me to go fuck myself? And so what if that turned me on? Who cared if he was proving to be helpful and loyal enough to warn me about Joe? He was still my employee. I wasn’t supposed to care that he was more interested in my best friend.
Fuck. Whose idea had it been for me to be someone’s boss? I had zero clue what I was doing. Why had I ever listened to Joe?
I returned to the game room and paced the mostly empty space. I’d just seen that anger-management person a few days ago, and every tip and suggestion had flown out of my mind. All I could think about was how pissed I was at myself, and how I needed to go down to the gym and beat the shit out of a punching bag to work it out of my system. The last time I’d been this mad at myself had been when I’d trusted a journalist who’d invented a fake backstory for himself to get me to respond to his prying questions. Then he’d blasted my childhood across the front page of the newspaper.
Gavin Brawley Blames His Out of Control Temper on Hardscrabble Past.
Every word out of context. Bits and pieces of my identity twisted to fit the story he’d wanted. After that, I’d vowed to never talk to a reporter again. I hadn’t expected my emotional thermometer to blast through to enraged over Simeon coming on to Noah. And now I had nothing to use as an outlet. I could work out from morning to night, but after a while it was monotonous. Energy being expended but not going anywhere, and I felt like it circled the air and absorbed right back into my shoulders every goddamn night.
“You’re being real extra right now.”
Marcus’ calm voice did nothing to settle me down. “Shut up.”
“Nah.” Marcus yawned and plopped onto one of the sofas. “Fuck, dude, I’m ready for nap time. Your cagey, jealous shit is ruining the vibe.”
“Who says I’m jealous?”
“Your white ass gets so flushed when you’re mad that it would be impossible to miss. I thought you were going to jump Simeon when he made that comment about giving ole boy a ride.”
“Yeah, well, what can I say?” I stopped pacing. “I didn’t invite you assholes over here to give my employee a hard time.”
“Your employee.” Marcus threw his muscular legs up onto the couch and stretched out. “Don’t even front like you don’t want to smash him.”
“I don’t.”
“Bullshit. You were staring them down the whole time we were downstairs. I mean, hey, no judgment. He just looks like a typical white-boy hipster to me, but whatever floats your boat, man. You may want to lay it down for Simeon if you’re serious, though. He most definitely wants to tap that ass.”
I ground my teeth together and tried to remember the last time I’d felt possessive over anyone, but I came up short. Then again, I didn’t normally hang out with the people I had sex with for more than ten minutes after we both came.
“I don’t want Simeon fucking him, and it has nothing to do with me being jealous.”
“Oh yeah? What’s it got to do with?”
“Him not pissing off the only person I can stand to have in my house for six months,” I snarled.
“Simeon can stick his dick in someone else until Noah is finished here.”
“And then you’d be cool with it?”
“Yeah, then I’d be cool with it.”
Marcus snickered. He knew I was full of shit.
“Let me ask you a question, Gav.”
“Is that a question or a warning about the fact that I can’t stop you from asking even if I wanted to?”
“Probably the last one.” Marcus propped his feet up on the arm of the couch, making himself nice and comfy. “If you’re having jealous temper tantrums over this kid after a month, how the fuck are you gonna act in another two or three? He’s gonna be here all the time, dude. Showering in your bathroom, sleeping in your guest room, jacking it in bed a few thousand square feet away . . .”
“For fuck’s sake, Marcus.”
“Am I right or am I right, though?”
He was right. But I refused to admit it.
“I already told you I’m not jealous. Do we get along? Yeah. We do. And you know that’s a miracle when it comes to me. Half the Barons can’t stand my ass because I won’t laugh at their stupid jokes, but at least they respect me. Most people think I’m a piece of shit.”
“And your boy?” Marcus pressed, looking truly intrigued. “What’s he like?”
“He’s . . .” How was he? What was it about him that had even clicked with me enough to make me want to guarantee he not walk out of the oversized front door and not come back? To become desperate and throw in that huge bonus so he wouldn’t have to keep commuting? “He’s a smartass, but he’s a good person. And he gets me.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow. “How’s he get you? He doesn’t even like football.”
The disgusted tone drew a smile out of me. I plopped down in one of the armchairs and tilted my head back. “He didn’t grow up like me, but . . . he gets it. And he’s not phony. He’s straight up with his opinions and isn’t afraid to tell me them.”
“So he’s not scared to say . . . ‘Gavin, you’re being a dickhead.’”
“Basically. He talks almost as much trash as I do, which is probably why we managed to get along. Also, he keeps trying to make me look good to Mel. Gave me credit for all this shit that he came up with. I don’t get it, since I was a total douchebag to him, but I appreciate it. He’s a good dude.”
“Huh.” Marcus slowly nodded, analyzing me with his big dark eyes. “Aiight, I’ll talk to Simeon.”
“About what?”
“Him keeping his greedy hands off your boy.” Marcus winked. “But if you’re keeping on with this whole I’m-trying-to-hold-on-to-my-employee bullshit, I’d recommend getting laid. From where I’m sitting, you just look like a jealous, horny bastard.”
“Done.”
Marcus rolled off the sofa and sprang to his feet. He arched his back with a jaw-cracking yawn. “You mind if I catch some sleep, dude? I’ve been having nightmares every night for the past few days.”
“What kind of nightmares?”
“Eh. Stress shit. Getting injured before the season even starts. Moe getting hurt messed me up, man.”
“You spoke to him?”
“Yeah.” Marcus sobered. “His agent isn’t feeling too good about his contract since this is his last year, and he’s had four fucking surgeries during the life of it. Remember what I said earlier? About them saying he was injury-prone? I wasn’t making it up. His career may be over, man. Or maybe they’ll trade him to some douchebag team like the Predators.”
The Predators were infamous dickholes. It seemed to be a requirement for signing with them. Even their cheerleaders were mean as fuck. The Slytherin of the NFL. The only time I could play a game without everyone mentioning my shitty reputation was if we were playing the Predators. They, as a whole, had a shittier reputation than me.
“You won’t get hurt.”
Marcus arched a brow. “You a prophet now?”
“Yeah. And I prophesize your ass winning the Super Bowl this year.”
“Without you and Moe? Nope.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, right.”
“For real, man. I love Phil, but he’s no Brawley. He’s small and lean enough to run circles around D-men after a reception, but he has none of your force or bulk. They’re changing everything to account for you and Moe not being there. Fucking sucks.”
It did suck. Even more so because I was now facing the reality that my team was short not one but two starters. If I’d controlled myself better, I’d be there to support them. All of this stress and anxiety about how the season would roll out wouldn’t be on their shoulders, although in my opinion Moe was more of an asset to the team. He was one of the best wide receivers in the league. Even so, I wanted to be there to step up. But I was stuck. Because of my need to escalate shit five times past where it could have ended.
“All right, bud. I’m gonna go talk to Simeon, and you figure out how to get laid.”
I nodded, watching him go, and actually listened to the tip. Between Simeon and Noah, the shit about Moe, and now the news that my replacement wasn’t rising to the occasion of starting for the Barons? I needed an outlet. It was either time to get in a monstrous fistfight or take out the brimming frustration on someone’s ass.
I went for the latter.
Down By Contact (The Barons #2)
Add to Goodreads Pre-order Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | BAM | Googleplay
Expected Release: January 16, 2018
Two rival football players begin a game with higher stakes than the Super Bowl in this steamy romance from the author of Illegal Contact.
Simeon Boudreaux, the New York Barons’ golden-armed quarterback, is blessed with irresistible New Orleans charm and a face to melt your mama’s heart. He’s universally adored by fans and the media. Coming out as gay in solidarity with his teammate hasn’t harmed his reputation in the least—except for some social media taunting from rival linebacker Adrián Bravo.
Though they were once teammates, Adrián views Simeon as a traitor and the number-one name on the New Jersey Predators’ shit list. When animosity between the two NFL players reaches a boiling point on the field, culminating in a dirty fist fight, they’re both benched for six games and sentenced to joint community service teaching sullen, Brooklyn teens how to play ball.
At first, they can barely stand to be in the same room, but running the camp forces them to shape up. With no choice but to work together, Simeon realizes Adrián is more than his alpha-jerk persona, and Adrián begins to question why he’s always had such strong feelings for the gorgeous QB…
Santino HassellWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Santino Hassell was raised in Brooklyn by a strict Catholic family, but he was anything but traditional. He grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school-cutting grunge kid, then a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into an unlikely romance author.
Santino writes queer romance that is heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, his belief that human relationships are complex and flawed, and his own life experiences.
0 comments