JOCKBLOCKED is Book 2 in Jen Frederick's Gridiron
series about college football players and their love
lives. After reading and loving JOCKBLOCKED, I am
compelled to hunt down a copy of the previous book, SACKED.
Since
many of the characters are college boys who are often
drunk on their local celebrity, there are multiple
examples of their predictably piggish behavior. However,
Jen Frederick balances that immaturity with genuine
humor, a sexy and sweet romance, and sparkling dialogue
between the hero and heroine.
Jen Frederick creates quite a tangled little web of
relationship drama in JOCKBLOCKED but without having
things rise to the level of melodrama. Quarterback Ace
and pre-law student Lucy have been close friends since
they were children. Ace and Matthew "Matty" Iverson are
teammates. Conflict arises when Lucy and Matty develop an
attraction, thus forcing Matty to give Ace two bits of
news he doesn't want to hear—that Matty has eclipsed
Ace in Lucy's eyes and information about a possible
change in his status with the team. This conflict draws
out the characters and adds intensity and urgency to the
romance without obscuring it. I am very much a fan of
engaging character-driven romances, and JOCKBLOCKED fits
the bill. The romance between Lucy and Matty develops
very organically and the resolution at the end is
satisfying and makes sense for the characters.
While reading JOCKBLOCKED, I was thoroughly charmed by
Matty. While Lucy's first instinct is to immediately
dismiss
Matty as just another shallow jock, it is not long before
he wins her over and she realizes they have more in
common than they thought. The easy banter that marks the
beginning of their relationship is marvelous and leads to
amazing moments of intimacy. I love the way they end up
influencing and supporting each other. Over the course of
JOCKBLOCKED, Lucy learns how to take a chance and gains
more self-confidence, and Matty sees the value of Lucy's
system of risk assessment and knowing her alters how he
sees himself. The self-awareness Matty develops is a
definite plus as a hero.
JOCKBLOCKED is a scrumptious sports-themed romance with a
delightfully charming hero and quick-witted dialogue.
This is the kind of sublime sexy romance you can get lost
in. I'm interested in reading about some of Matty's
teammates in future books like his gregarious friend
Hammer. I eagerly await the next book in this
Gridiron
series by Jen Frederick.
College junior Lucy Washington abides by one rule—avoid
risk at all costs. She’s cautious in every aspect of her
life, from her health, to her mock trial team, to the boring
guys she dates. When a brash, gorgeous jock walks into the
campus coffeeshop and turns his flirt on, Lucy is stunned by
the force of attraction. For the first time ever, she’s
willing to step out of her comfort zone, but can she really
trust the guy who’s determined to sweep her off her feet?
He’s always played around…
Entering his last year of college eligibility, linebacker
Matthew “Matty” Iverson has the team captaincy in his
sights. And it’s his for the taking, if he can convince his
quarterback Ace Anderson to give up the starting position.
Luckily, Matty already has an edge—the hottie he’s lusting
over just happens to be Ace’s childhood best friend. Getting
Lucy on his side and in his bed? Hell yeah. Matty is more
than confident he can have both, but when he falls hard for
Lucy, it’s time for a new game plan: convince the woman of
his dreams that she’s not sleeping with the enemy.