That's What I'm Talking About

Broken Play is the first book in a new erotic romance series by Samantha Kane. The series follows the players of the fictional Birmingham Rebels NFL expansion team. Cass Zielinski, captain of the Rebels, leads this team full of misfits and has-beens who know this is their last chance to make it. Beau Perez, Cass’s best friend, is a recovering addict. Cass will do anything to protect his friend, and the pair do EVERYTHING together. The final piece of Broken Play’s menage is Marian Treadwell, the Rebels new female assistant coach. Marian has many secrets, including the fact that her father is a famous college coach. 

While Broken Play holds a lot of promise, it was more about hot and erotic sex scenes than a lot of substance. It is a menage romance, and there is some emotional growth and development between Cass, Beau, and Marian, but it’s mostly framed by sex. There are promising external dynamics… like a last-chance football team looking to make its mark and a female coach in a male-dominated profession. However these side stories get little attention, and there is no plot development to go along with them. Additionally, conflict in the form of a homophobic player comes up once, yet is never addressed again. If these aspects of the book had been developed more, I think the book would have been stronger. 

What the book does have going for it are super erotic, multi-partner sex scenes. However, I feel it necessary to give a small warning to those “no lube” critics, lube is never once mentioned during the rear-entrance scenes. Additionally, the mention of condom use is sporadic and inconsistent. Regardless of the condom and lube issues, the scenes are very hot, and while they are going on, I can mostly forget my concerns over the professional relationship aspect. However, the fact is these people are teammates and she is a coach, so it did bother me.

My biggest issue with the entire book is the portrayal of Marian as a coach. I get that she has massive demons to exorcise. I understand that she's non-conventional and has spent her whole like suppressing who she is. I have no issues with her desires and applaud her journey of self-discovery and acceptance. However, she is one of the team’s assistant coaches, which should come with job standards and an expectation of professionalism. She continually makes poor decisions, like making out with players in public and having sex in her unlocked office. Not only would her behavior get her fired, but it sends the wrong message to women who actually hold these jobs. I love that a book exists putting a woman in a position of power within a male-dominated industry, but her behavior just gives women an undeserved bad name. I would have enjoyed the story more if she was either a) not the Rebels’ coach or b) dated men outside her own team. In the end, I was just frustrated and even a bit sad. 

If you enjoy reading an erotic romp for the sake of drawn-out sex scenes, Broken Play may be just your thing. I liked the idea of a female football coach and a story about a last-chance team trying to succeed. However, these very aspects of the story that I had hoped to read about were diminished by the pure volume of sex and lack of overall plot development. While I had issues with Broken Play, I am looking forward to the next book in hopes that more football drama will be integrated into the plot, with the sex supporting the overall romance and story, rather than being the central aspect. 

My Rating:  C, Liked some, didn't like some

Review copy provided by NetGalley

Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About