What do you think?
Rate this book
Glasgow Lads #4
Playing in the Dark
The popular Scottish gay romance series takes a thrilling turn, as a spy falls for a wedding planner who can’t keep a secret to save his life—literally.
Evan Hollister needs to feel real. He’s pledged his life to protecting the innocent, but heroism carries a heavy price. After his job forced him to abandon his last boyfriend, Evan vowed never to love—and hurt—another man. Now, a wedding planner with a kind heart and a goofy grin is taking a blowtorch to Evan’s wall of ice.
Ben Reid needs to feel safe. Burned by secrets in the past, he thinks knowing everything about everyone is the best way to keep people happy—to keep them, full stop. But after falling for a god-on-earth-gorgeous footballer spy, Ben learns that some secrets can never see the light.
When Ben’s same-sex weddings become a terrorist target, Evan must once again choose between the man he loves and the country he swore to defend. And Ben must find the courage to fight for what he needs—no matter the cost.
Evan Hollister needs to feel real. He’s pledged his life to protecting the innocent, but heroism carries a heavy price. After his job forced him to abandon his last boyfriend, Evan vowed never to love—and hurt—another man. Now, a wedding planner with a kind heart and a goofy grin is taking a blowtorch to Evan’s wall of ice.
Ben Reid needs to feel safe. Burned by secrets in the past, he thinks knowing everything about everyone is the best way to keep people happy—to keep them, full stop. But after falling for a god-on-earth-gorgeous footballer spy, Ben learns that some secrets can never see the light.
When Ben’s same-sex weddings become a terrorist target, Evan must once again choose between the man he loves and the country he swore to defend. And Ben must find the courage to fight for what he needs—no matter the cost.
472 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2018
52 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
Avery Cockburn
18 books501 followersAvery Cockburn (rhymes with Savory Slow Churn) lives in the great State of Maryland with one infinitely patient man and two infinitely impatient cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
December 7, 2018
4.5 Still Impressive Stars!
I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to this Glaswegian series, but don’t be fooled that this is some easy going sports themed romance. It consistently brings the emotions, the gritty angst, and the oh-so-relevant issues that face our young MC’s. Though these Scottish guys take their football seriously, they are faced with much more dire things than finding a job and graduating school. In past books, we’ve witnessed their country’s warring political climate which included social differences, marriage equality and acceptance, independence and nationalism, and this time around, the little known but very real threat of terrorism that pretty much everyone around the world can potentially face these days.
Here, we finally get to Evan’s story. He’s an understandably much disparaged character, but Evan has more layers than an onion, and though on the surface he might be that cocksure guy who cheated on poor Fergus in Playing for Keeps, in reality, there’s many a personal and extenuating circumstance surrounding that tumultuous time. Evan has quite the burden to carry, and how he handles it with grace and bravery is strongly affecting.
It’s also not surprising that Evan’s basically an outcast amongst his fellow teammates, and he’s alone and lonely. When he connects with Ben, there's a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, love might be a possibility for him again. For me, this latest installment was a bit more weighty - there’s real fears, there's real stakes at play as lives possibly hang in the balance. So, not only is this a thoughtful touching romance, mix it with complex local and international political issues with also an insightful and frustrating look at religion as well. There are no easy answers for Ben and Evan, and they definitely struggle with the difficult dilemma of choosing between faith and love and love and duty.
Cockburn obviously does not fail us here. She keeps this consistently engaging, sexy and sensual, with heartache and hope and redemption with possibly some forgiveness. This no doubt was a long story, but I never once felt impatient or bored which is an amazing feat for my feeble brain. I urge all to invest the time and start with Play On and immerse yourself in these men and their struggles. It’s been a well worth it and rewarding journey, and I absolutely look forward to more!
I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to this Glaswegian series, but don’t be fooled that this is some easy going sports themed romance. It consistently brings the emotions, the gritty angst, and the oh-so-relevant issues that face our young MC’s. Though these Scottish guys take their football seriously, they are faced with much more dire things than finding a job and graduating school. In past books, we’ve witnessed their country’s warring political climate which included social differences, marriage equality and acceptance, independence and nationalism, and this time around, the little known but very real threat of terrorism that pretty much everyone around the world can potentially face these days.
Here, we finally get to Evan’s story. He’s an understandably much disparaged character, but Evan has more layers than an onion, and though on the surface he might be that cocksure guy who cheated on poor Fergus in Playing for Keeps, in reality, there’s many a personal and extenuating circumstance surrounding that tumultuous time. Evan has quite the burden to carry, and how he handles it with grace and bravery is strongly affecting.
It’s also not surprising that Evan’s basically an outcast amongst his fellow teammates, and he’s alone and lonely. When he connects with Ben, there's a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, love might be a possibility for him again. For me, this latest installment was a bit more weighty - there’s real fears, there's real stakes at play as lives possibly hang in the balance. So, not only is this a thoughtful touching romance, mix it with complex local and international political issues with also an insightful and frustrating look at religion as well. There are no easy answers for Ben and Evan, and they definitely struggle with the difficult dilemma of choosing between faith and love and love and duty.
Cockburn obviously does not fail us here. She keeps this consistently engaging, sexy and sensual, with heartache and hope and redemption with possibly some forgiveness. This no doubt was a long story, but I never once felt impatient or bored which is an amazing feat for my feeble brain. I urge all to invest the time and start with Play On and immerse yourself in these men and their struggles. It’s been a well worth it and rewarding journey, and I absolutely look forward to more!
December 2, 2018
5 Stars
Spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the rest of the series!
I remember having a conversation about this series, roughly a year ago, during which me and my friend were all like, “could you imagine if Evan turned out to be a spy!?!” We were joking at the time, literally laughing the idea off. We figured such a twist would never happen in this already well-established series about football (soccer) and romance. But as it turns out, guys, EVAN’S A FREAKIN’ SPY!!!!... And I couldn’t be happier with this turn of events!
Like many a long-time reader of this series, I was on the “we hate Evan, the bastard cheater” bandwagon for a good long while. Up until late in Play Dead (book #3.5), I could not fathom ever rooting for this guy, let along wanting to read his story. But looks can be deceiving and information can be misleading, and, thankfully, everything I thought I knew and understood about Evan was completely wrong – so wrong, in fact, that by the time I knew this book was in the works, I was eagerly counting down the months until its release as one of my highest reading priorities.
Turns out that what we (and the other characters in the series) thought we knew about Evan was completely false. Everything he is perceived as doing in the past is a lie, of sorts, led to cover up a much bigger, more dangerous truth regarding his secret job working in anti-terrorism for a government agency.
In Playing in the Dark we finally get to know the real Evan – a man who battles with personal demons from his past, unable to tell anyone what he really does or who he really is. I felt for him immediately upon finally getting his POV, and before long I was head over heels for the man within that Evan keeps hidden from the rest of his world.
When Evan (re)meets Ben, a young, mixed-race gay man, who specialises in LGBT wedding planning in Glasgow, Evan finally considers what it would be like to truly let someone into his world for the first time in his adult life. The risks are high and the keeping of the classified secrets remains an issue, but in Ben Evan finds his perfect partner in all things, and the fight to make a real and honest relationship work with Ben becomes paramount to Evan’s health and happiness.
I loved Evan and Ben together. I’ve spent several years holding Lord Andrew and Colin (from book #2) up on a pedestal as my preferred Glasgow Lads pairing, but I daresay that Evan and Ben have just taken top spot as my ultimate favourites. I loved every single interaction these two shared. Their chemistry was through the roof, in and out of bed, and although the sexy-times were of the highest quality in terms of intimacy, steam and tenderness, I adored their simple interactions and in-depth conversations about life, politics, and religion just as much.
From the outside, it’s possible to assume this series is yet another simple and fluffy sports romance romp, but the Glasgow Lads and their stories are SO MUCH MORE than that. The themes alone are thoughtful and impressively weaved into the stories, featuring a deeper look at everything from the threat of terrorism we all now face in the free world, to gay rights and marriage equality, to religion, and the vast scape of the political and social climates across Scotland. Most of these themes are not ones I’d usually seek out – in fact, I’d be more likely to avoid stories with such themes in my regular reading – but the way Cockburn delivers her narratives, intelligently and comprehensively, I find myself completely enthralled and fascinated by all the themes touched upon within. I honestly come away from these stories feeling like I’ve learned something of value, which I can’t say often.
Although a long read, clocking in at almost 500 pages, I was never once bored or impatient. The story was paced to perfection, and even though it was long, I finished with a feeling that I could have easily just kept reading about these guys and their complex and delicious romance.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants a brilliantly written, deeply thoughtful and intelligent read, featuring some of the hottest and most swoon-worthy book couples in the M/M genre.
Spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the rest of the series!
I remember having a conversation about this series, roughly a year ago, during which me and my friend were all like, “could you imagine if Evan turned out to be a spy!?!” We were joking at the time, literally laughing the idea off. We figured such a twist would never happen in this already well-established series about football (soccer) and romance. But as it turns out, guys, EVAN’S A FREAKIN’ SPY!!!!... And I couldn’t be happier with this turn of events!
Like many a long-time reader of this series, I was on the “we hate Evan, the bastard cheater” bandwagon for a good long while. Up until late in Play Dead (book #3.5), I could not fathom ever rooting for this guy, let along wanting to read his story. But looks can be deceiving and information can be misleading, and, thankfully, everything I thought I knew and understood about Evan was completely wrong – so wrong, in fact, that by the time I knew this book was in the works, I was eagerly counting down the months until its release as one of my highest reading priorities.
Turns out that what we (and the other characters in the series) thought we knew about Evan was completely false. Everything he is perceived as doing in the past is a lie, of sorts, led to cover up a much bigger, more dangerous truth regarding his secret job working in anti-terrorism for a government agency.
In Playing in the Dark we finally get to know the real Evan – a man who battles with personal demons from his past, unable to tell anyone what he really does or who he really is. I felt for him immediately upon finally getting his POV, and before long I was head over heels for the man within that Evan keeps hidden from the rest of his world.
When Evan (re)meets Ben, a young, mixed-race gay man, who specialises in LGBT wedding planning in Glasgow, Evan finally considers what it would be like to truly let someone into his world for the first time in his adult life. The risks are high and the keeping of the classified secrets remains an issue, but in Ben Evan finds his perfect partner in all things, and the fight to make a real and honest relationship work with Ben becomes paramount to Evan’s health and happiness.
I loved Evan and Ben together. I’ve spent several years holding Lord Andrew and Colin (from book #2) up on a pedestal as my preferred Glasgow Lads pairing, but I daresay that Evan and Ben have just taken top spot as my ultimate favourites. I loved every single interaction these two shared. Their chemistry was through the roof, in and out of bed, and although the sexy-times were of the highest quality in terms of intimacy, steam and tenderness, I adored their simple interactions and in-depth conversations about life, politics, and religion just as much.
From the outside, it’s possible to assume this series is yet another simple and fluffy sports romance romp, but the Glasgow Lads and their stories are SO MUCH MORE than that. The themes alone are thoughtful and impressively weaved into the stories, featuring a deeper look at everything from the threat of terrorism we all now face in the free world, to gay rights and marriage equality, to religion, and the vast scape of the political and social climates across Scotland. Most of these themes are not ones I’d usually seek out – in fact, I’d be more likely to avoid stories with such themes in my regular reading – but the way Cockburn delivers her narratives, intelligently and comprehensively, I find myself completely enthralled and fascinated by all the themes touched upon within. I honestly come away from these stories feeling like I’ve learned something of value, which I can’t say often.
Although a long read, clocking in at almost 500 pages, I was never once bored or impatient. The story was paced to perfection, and even though it was long, I finished with a feeling that I could have easily just kept reading about these guys and their complex and delicious romance.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants a brilliantly written, deeply thoughtful and intelligent read, featuring some of the hottest and most swoon-worthy book couples in the M/M genre.
November 29, 2018
Avery Cockburn es una autora que a temporadas es muy activa en Twitter, fundamentalmente en lo relativo a política. En muchas ocasiones estoy de acuerdo con ella, en otras no tanto (lógicamente puesto que somos dos personas distintas) y soy muy consciente de que diferimos en algunas ideas sobre las que trata este libro y fundamentalmente sobre el trabajo de Evan, probablemente estas diferencias estén muy influenciadas por el hecho de que ella es de USA y yo europea (española). Teniendo en cuenta esto encaraba la lectura con mucha ilusión, porque adoro la serie y a la autora, pero también con muchas dudas.
Afortunadamente, no tenía por qué haber tenido esas dudas, la experiencia, como siempre en el caso de los lads, ha sido muy positiva. Evan y Ben son polos opuestos, uno extremadamente reservado y el otro extrovertido, con backgrounds culturales y religiosos diferentes, uno deportista y otro organizador de bodas. Pero, todas esas diferencias al final se complementan y nace una historia de amor llena de sensibilidad y con unas escenas de sexo que tienen siempre una razón de ser, como es habitual con Avery, muy eróticas, pero también llenas de sentimientos. Al mismo tiempo que se desarrolla la relación entre los protagonistas hay una subtrama relacionada con el trabajo de Evan, se entrelaza muy bien con la historia de amor, es interesante y nunca llega a ser aburrida o con una carga pesada de información. Además de todo esto, puedo decir que he aprendido muchísimo, fundamentalmente sobre la Fe de Ben. Los personajes están muy bien dibujados, puedes compartir o no cómo actúan o cómo piensan, pero los entiendes siempre y sabes de dónde vienen esas actitudes y pensamientos y tras tantos libros es francamente bonito ver cómo Evan encuentra el amor que merece. Punto muy muy positivo adicional es la aparición de Colin, Lord Andrew, Fergus, John (que es un santo), Duncan y Brodie, ¡los amo a todos!
Le pongo 4.5 estrellas, no llega a las 5 porque en la última parte la trama relacionada con el trabajo de Evan me costó algo creérmela y porque la relación entre los dos, aunque el amor se palpa, en alguna ocasión me ha parecido algo precipitada.
Es un libro largo para lo que estamos acostumbrados en el MM, pero en ningún momento se hace tedioso, además de una bonita e intensa historia de amor es un libro muy entretenido, se me ha pasado en un suspiro.
Una vez más, y ya son un número considerable de libros y novellas, los lads no me decepcionan, una de mis series favoritas, y sin duda una de las más completas, la autora siempre consigue un equilibrio entre amor, sexo y cuestiones sociales/políticas.
Muy muy recomendable.
Afortunadamente, no tenía por qué haber tenido esas dudas, la experiencia, como siempre en el caso de los lads, ha sido muy positiva. Evan y Ben son polos opuestos, uno extremadamente reservado y el otro extrovertido, con backgrounds culturales y religiosos diferentes, uno deportista y otro organizador de bodas. Pero, todas esas diferencias al final se complementan y nace una historia de amor llena de sensibilidad y con unas escenas de sexo que tienen siempre una razón de ser, como es habitual con Avery, muy eróticas, pero también llenas de sentimientos. Al mismo tiempo que se desarrolla la relación entre los protagonistas hay una subtrama relacionada con el trabajo de Evan, se entrelaza muy bien con la historia de amor, es interesante y nunca llega a ser aburrida o con una carga pesada de información. Además de todo esto, puedo decir que he aprendido muchísimo, fundamentalmente sobre la Fe de Ben. Los personajes están muy bien dibujados, puedes compartir o no cómo actúan o cómo piensan, pero los entiendes siempre y sabes de dónde vienen esas actitudes y pensamientos y tras tantos libros es francamente bonito ver cómo Evan encuentra el amor que merece. Punto muy muy positivo adicional es la aparición de Colin, Lord Andrew, Fergus, John (que es un santo), Duncan y Brodie, ¡los amo a todos!
Le pongo 4.5 estrellas, no llega a las 5 porque en la última parte la trama relacionada con el trabajo de Evan me costó algo creérmela y porque la relación entre los dos, aunque el amor se palpa, en alguna ocasión me ha parecido algo precipitada.
Es un libro largo para lo que estamos acostumbrados en el MM, pero en ningún momento se hace tedioso, además de una bonita e intensa historia de amor es un libro muy entretenido, se me ha pasado en un suspiro.
Una vez más, y ya son un número considerable de libros y novellas, los lads no me decepcionan, una de mis series favoritas, y sin duda una de las más completas, la autora siempre consigue un equilibrio entre amor, sexo y cuestiones sociales/políticas.
Muy muy recomendable.
December 13, 2022
Update: Months later, all I remember is how annoying the MCs were, and how deeply unsympathetic I found them. So I'm dropping my rating from 3 stars to 2.5 stars, and rounding down.
_________
I loved the premise. I'd been eagerly anticipating this from the day I accidentally got spoiled by reading its blurb. The story was good, and some bits (like the lambing scenes) I loved. The only real problem for me was with the romance. And since this *is* a romance... well.
I never got invested in it. While it was gratifying to get Evan's story at last, since he'd been such a villainous figure in the previous books, he never really clicked for me. As a character, he struck me as kind of sad and dumb. And Ben — OMG, don't let me get started on Ben. For someone supposedly over-endowed with people skills and empathy, he could be breathtakingly thoughtless and cruel. Unforgivably so. Well, Evan forgave him. Which is probably exactly why Evan struck me as sad and dumb.
Still, looking at the big picture, this served as a solid installment in the series. It's been a long time since I binge-read a new-to-me series the way I've been tearing through this one. I'm already into the next book, Play Hard, and after that I'll go on to the Glasgow Lads on Ice series. So overall, I can't complain. If Avery Cockburn keeps writing them, I'll keep reading them.
_________
I loved the premise. I'd been eagerly anticipating this from the day I accidentally got spoiled by reading its blurb. The story was good, and some bits (like the lambing scenes) I loved. The only real problem for me was with the romance. And since this *is* a romance... well.
I never got invested in it. While it was gratifying to get Evan's story at last, since he'd been such a villainous figure in the previous books, he never really clicked for me. As a character, he struck me as kind of sad and dumb. And Ben — OMG, don't let me get started on Ben. For someone supposedly over-endowed with people skills and empathy, he could be breathtakingly thoughtless and cruel. Unforgivably so. Well, Evan forgave him. Which is probably exactly why Evan struck me as sad and dumb.
Still, looking at the big picture, this served as a solid installment in the series. It's been a long time since I binge-read a new-to-me series the way I've been tearing through this one. I'm already into the next book, Play Hard, and after that I'll go on to the Glasgow Lads on Ice series. So overall, I can't complain. If Avery Cockburn keeps writing them, I'll keep reading them.
April 27, 2021
These days I feel like I should just hire a ghostwriter to write my reviews, I have a thousand thoughts in my head about the books I read but I just can’t seem to put them into words.
Thankfully, for this book I don’t need to, since Linda already did such a great job here, right down to me not remembering Ben (at all!) and needing to reread this series sooner or later because I completely drew a blank on some characters when they were mentioned.
I’ll add that I couldn’t believe it when
-------------------------
Reread in 2021:
Maybe this time I could write a more coherent review, but Linda said it so well that I don’t see the point. 😉
At least I can report that I finally came around to rereading the series (yay for buddy reads!) and that I’m enjoying it just as much as the first time. I especially like how every book has something new (to me) and interesting to focus on, with the characters being all from different backgrounds and parts of Scotland while still being linked together by the Warriors team and Glasgow.
Regarding this particular book, it wasn’t perfect and Ben was a little hard to digest sometimes, but I really liked Evan and they fit each other. Evan has the patience of a saint with Ben and I don’t know how he does it, but if he’s happy, who am I to complain? Lol
The way their relationship progressed had realistic ups and downs and I appreciated how they had to come up with compromises to make it work.
Another thing I appreciated a lot was the additional insight in Fergus and Evan’s past relationship, especially regarding the part
All in all, another good book in a great series.
Thankfully, for this book I don’t need to, since Linda already did such a great job here, right down to me not remembering Ben (at all!) and needing to reread this series sooner or later because I completely drew a blank on some characters when they were mentioned.
I’ll add that I couldn’t believe it when
-------------------------
Reread in 2021:
Maybe this time I could write a more coherent review, but Linda said it so well that I don’t see the point. 😉
At least I can report that I finally came around to rereading the series (yay for buddy reads!) and that I’m enjoying it just as much as the first time. I especially like how every book has something new (to me) and interesting to focus on, with the characters being all from different backgrounds and parts of Scotland while still being linked together by the Warriors team and Glasgow.
Regarding this particular book, it wasn’t perfect and Ben was a little hard to digest sometimes, but I really liked Evan and they fit each other. Evan has the patience of a saint with Ben and I don’t know how he does it, but if he’s happy, who am I to complain? Lol
The way their relationship progressed had realistic ups and downs and I appreciated how they had to come up with compromises to make it work.
Another thing I appreciated a lot was the additional insight in Fergus and Evan’s past relationship, especially regarding the part
All in all, another good book in a great series.
November 24, 2018
I have been waiting for Evan to get his story (and his redemption!) for aaaages. And it was well worth the wait. I so loved discovering more of this character, his secrets, his past, his struggles, and I felt for him so much. What didn't work for me, however, was the romance.
I mostly liked Ben, I loved the diversity and dialogue surrounding his faith, but I never felt the connection between these two. Not once. Somehow they just didn't click for me. I don't know if I could've loved Ben had he been in a different story, with a different guy, but I like to think so. I just couldn't root for these two as a couple.
As for the plot, it was very well researched and very in-depth, all these political and terrorist elements, and I mostly enjoyed that, too. It did get a little heavy on the details at times and I felt some of that slowed down my reading, so, overall this is not my favourite of the Glasgow Lads series but I loved the closure it offered to an event that stretches back to book one and that Evan did get his HEA.
I mostly liked Ben, I loved the diversity and dialogue surrounding his faith, but I never felt the connection between these two. Not once. Somehow they just didn't click for me. I don't know if I could've loved Ben had he been in a different story, with a different guy, but I like to think so. I just couldn't root for these two as a couple.
As for the plot, it was very well researched and very in-depth, all these political and terrorist elements, and I mostly enjoyed that, too. It did get a little heavy on the details at times and I felt some of that slowed down my reading, so, overall this is not my favourite of the Glasgow Lads series but I loved the closure it offered to an event that stretches back to book one and that Evan did get his HEA.
April 3, 2022
Reread review:
I found Ben a little inconsistent this time around, since his "legendary loudmouth" only trampled out when needed for plot advancement. Otherwise, he was actually really astute, observant and quite good at keeping mum on things.
And now that I've reread everything and finally read Auld Lang Syne, I found their relationship better set up this time around, though it did still move quite quickly, especially with Maybe that's an unpopular opinion, but that's how I see it. :D
Original review Nov 2018:
When this series started, I hated Evan with a passion for hurting Fergus the way he did, skipping off to Belgium to be with some other lover. Only in Play Dead, we learned that things were not as they seemed, and I got instantly way more interested in learning more about him. And about Ben too, I guess. *whispers* I actually forgot who Ben was! shhh!
Evan's trying to get his life back together after a horrifying ordeal and when he met Ben in Playing with Fire, he was pretty much resigned to living a lonely life as the bad guy on the team. But he and Ben connected instantly apparently, and they pick up on that attraction here and move incredibly quickly considering the sort of life Evan lives and the secrets he needs to keep and lies he needs to make. (I should do a reread one of these days because I was having trouble keeping a lot of these couples straight ... but not straight-straight. You know what I mean.)
I admit, I started getting a little worried by the halfway point about where this story might go. I don't know why, since Ms. Cockburn has always avoiding cliché pitfalls before, but there's always a first time right? Not here, I'm glad to say. This story was more about two characters learning how to be more fully themselves and realizing that in order to do that they actually had to let go of some of their previous preconceptions of who they were. That didn't stop me wanting to smack them more than a few times when they were making stupid mistakes, and there were a few chapters with a few too many sex scenes too close together at the beginning, but that evened out and we really got to see how they work as a couple and not just in the sack.
I did like learning about Ben's Bahá'í faith, which I never knew about before. It did feel a tad on the preachy side a couple of times though. I really would've liked to see some more of Ben's mom and Evan's family. Evan's job with was also interesting and well-paced, with a layered quasi-mystery to drive the plot. Evan was a little reckless at times, and this teetered just over the line into unprofessional professional a couple of times, but I could understand why Evan made the decisions he made.
I was happy where this book left them though and they're both clearly where they need and want to be by the end of it. I hope we get more of them in later books and novellas.
I found Ben a little inconsistent this time around, since his "legendary loudmouth" only trampled out when needed for plot advancement. Otherwise, he was actually really astute, observant and quite good at keeping mum on things.
And now that I've reread everything and finally read Auld Lang Syne, I found their relationship better set up this time around, though it did still move quite quickly, especially with Maybe that's an unpopular opinion, but that's how I see it. :D
Original review Nov 2018:
When this series started, I hated Evan with a passion for hurting Fergus the way he did, skipping off to Belgium to be with some other lover. Only in Play Dead, we learned that things were not as they seemed, and I got instantly way more interested in learning more about him. And about Ben too, I guess. *whispers* I actually forgot who Ben was! shhh!
Evan's trying to get his life back together after a horrifying ordeal and when he met Ben in Playing with Fire, he was pretty much resigned to living a lonely life as the bad guy on the team. But he and Ben connected instantly apparently, and they pick up on that attraction here and move incredibly quickly considering the sort of life Evan lives and the secrets he needs to keep and lies he needs to make. (I should do a reread one of these days because I was having trouble keeping a lot of these couples straight ... but not straight-straight. You know what I mean.)
I admit, I started getting a little worried by the halfway point about where this story might go. I don't know why, since Ms. Cockburn has always avoiding cliché pitfalls before, but there's always a first time right? Not here, I'm glad to say. This story was more about two characters learning how to be more fully themselves and realizing that in order to do that they actually had to let go of some of their previous preconceptions of who they were. That didn't stop me wanting to smack them more than a few times when they were making stupid mistakes, and there were a few chapters with a few too many sex scenes too close together at the beginning, but that evened out and we really got to see how they work as a couple and not just in the sack.
I did like learning about Ben's Bahá'í faith, which I never knew about before. It did feel a tad on the preachy side a couple of times though. I really would've liked to see some more of Ben's mom and Evan's family. Evan's job with was also interesting and well-paced, with a layered quasi-mystery to drive the plot. Evan was a little reckless at times, and this teetered just over the line into unprofessional professional a couple of times, but I could understand why Evan made the decisions he made.
I was happy where this book left them though and they're both clearly where they need and want to be by the end of it. I hope we get more of them in later books and novellas.
January 6, 2019
I usually do reviews mainly to remind myself how I felt or what I liked/disliked if I ever feel like reading a book again or the book comes up again somehow and I need to remember. Glasgow Lads are one of my favorite series, one where I know the next book is not just the same same as the one before and it's one of the rare real contemporary historical books - so I will feel the need to reread it sometime but instead of writing my own thoughts about it I can completely refer to the review of R* A Reader Obsessed * and can only support her to urge all to invest the time and start with Play On
May 25, 2019
5 brilliant stars!
This was definitely worth the wait. I don’t know how many months but it was many, many months!
I have so much respect for Avery Cockburn (although I know that’s not her real name) that not only is she able to craft such a beautiful and believable romance with all the sweetness and angst that truly makes a romance. But also for making the plot lines work especially with real world events in the timeline she has chosen. That’s possibly one of the hardest things to do, to string all that together. So massive, massive respect for Ms Cockburn. 🙌🙌🙌
For this instalment, I love Ben! He’s such a happy character and definitely one that makes up for Evan’s maudlin nature. I didn’t know where this story would take me so it was truly lovely to be immersed in a story that isn’t predictable.
I laughed and cried and hurt and had adrenaline coursing through my veins in this brilliant story. And swooned. Definitely swooned with Ben as he fell in love with Evan and vice versa.
I have to point out that I love a despairing Evan as he fed and looked after new-born lambs. So adorable! 😍 the entire scene just tickled me for some reason 😂
In closing, I just want to say, Thank you, Ms Cockburn. Now when’s the next one coming?? 😋
This was definitely worth the wait. I don’t know how many months but it was many, many months!
I have so much respect for Avery Cockburn (although I know that’s not her real name) that not only is she able to craft such a beautiful and believable romance with all the sweetness and angst that truly makes a romance. But also for making the plot lines work especially with real world events in the timeline she has chosen. That’s possibly one of the hardest things to do, to string all that together. So massive, massive respect for Ms Cockburn. 🙌🙌🙌
For this instalment, I love Ben! He’s such a happy character and definitely one that makes up for Evan’s maudlin nature. I didn’t know where this story would take me so it was truly lovely to be immersed in a story that isn’t predictable.
I laughed and cried and hurt and had adrenaline coursing through my veins in this brilliant story. And swooned. Definitely swooned with Ben as he fell in love with Evan and vice versa.
I have to point out that I love a despairing Evan as he fed and looked after new-born lambs. So adorable! 😍 the entire scene just tickled me for some reason 😂
In closing, I just want to say, Thank you, Ms Cockburn. Now when’s the next one coming?? 😋
December 7, 2018
In this book, we get to see what happened back at the beginning, when Evan Hollister cruelly dumped Fergus right before that semi-final game-- both the pain of it, and the fact that Evan made his choice for valid reasons, but... despite everything, he could have chosen Fergus if Fergus had truly been the center of Evan's universe. He wasn't, quite - not enough to balance other really vital priorities. This reveal both solidifies the relationship of Fergus and John with no regrets, and gives room for Evan to move forward as a sympathetic character, the spy who was forbidden to tell the truth.
He met Ben at Fergus's wedding, and there was a real spark of attraction, but Evan isn't looking for a relationship to complicate his life. When the next terrorist threat appears to be against gay weddings, though, Evan's work and personal life are about to collide again.
Ben is doing gay wedding planning, but he's conflicted about it. He's sweet, open, a bit naive despite all the pick-up sex he's indulged in. He's torn between a faith he and particularly his mother still believe in, and his sexuality and his right to be who he is. "Love the sinner, hate the sin of gay relationships" is hideously unfair, no matter what religion it's coming from. You can't love only a part of who someone is, but Ben's mother is trying to walk that path. So far, Ben has coped by keeping the gay sex hidden away from his life, and his heart. But Evan is different, and he's going to make Ben face all the various parts of himself he's been trying desperately to compartmentalize.
Evan deeply believes in the work he has been doing as an intelligence agent, infiltrating organizations that may be planning terrorist attacks. He hasn't let his personal life ever come ahead of saving innocent lives. He let the job take Fergus from him, for the greater good.
But as Ben works his way deeper into Evan's heart, Evan's ability and willingness to go on keeping secrets and following orders will be threatened. Last time, Evan chose to hurt the man he loved to protect strangers, but this time the situation is messier, and Ben is directly at risk. And this time, Evan is an older, battered and traumatized man, psychologiaclly scarred by how things played out last time. Lives were saved, but also lost, and it wasn't clean and it wasn't always heroic, and now Ben isn't someone who'll fit comfortably or silently into those grey areas.
I really enjoy this series, both the characters and relationships, and the social context. We see the fracture lines between belief and power in society, the agencies that are both protection and oppression, the hidden hands in the background of our social media and beliefs. There are no easy answers to the problems these characters face, and that makes their stories all the more compelling.
He met Ben at Fergus's wedding, and there was a real spark of attraction, but Evan isn't looking for a relationship to complicate his life. When the next terrorist threat appears to be against gay weddings, though, Evan's work and personal life are about to collide again.
Ben is doing gay wedding planning, but he's conflicted about it. He's sweet, open, a bit naive despite all the pick-up sex he's indulged in. He's torn between a faith he and particularly his mother still believe in, and his sexuality and his right to be who he is. "Love the sinner, hate the sin of gay relationships" is hideously unfair, no matter what religion it's coming from. You can't love only a part of who someone is, but Ben's mother is trying to walk that path. So far, Ben has coped by keeping the gay sex hidden away from his life, and his heart. But Evan is different, and he's going to make Ben face all the various parts of himself he's been trying desperately to compartmentalize.
Evan deeply believes in the work he has been doing as an intelligence agent, infiltrating organizations that may be planning terrorist attacks. He hasn't let his personal life ever come ahead of saving innocent lives. He let the job take Fergus from him, for the greater good.
But as Ben works his way deeper into Evan's heart, Evan's ability and willingness to go on keeping secrets and following orders will be threatened. Last time, Evan chose to hurt the man he loved to protect strangers, but this time the situation is messier, and Ben is directly at risk. And this time, Evan is an older, battered and traumatized man, psychologiaclly scarred by how things played out last time. Lives were saved, but also lost, and it wasn't clean and it wasn't always heroic, and now Ben isn't someone who'll fit comfortably or silently into those grey areas.
I really enjoy this series, both the characters and relationships, and the social context. We see the fracture lines between belief and power in society, the agencies that are both protection and oppression, the hidden hands in the background of our social media and beliefs. There are no easy answers to the problems these characters face, and that makes their stories all the more compelling.
December 7, 2018
*3,75*
I enjoyed this, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.
All the +++++++:
.) One of the Glasgow lads actually being a *cough* spy was a huge surprise and a very interesting move.
.) The author did a good job highlighting the complexities of living with a person working in the secret service. Having to sign a non disclosure document before you can even date ... darn. I wouldn't want to be in that situation. And that is only the beginning.
.) The MCs:
Evan, who we grew to hate as Fergus's ex is actually an amazing guy who does whatever it takes to do his 'duty'. But his job is having a severe effect on him. Not only does he deem himself unlovable, but he is seriously effected by events of a previous operation.
The wounds left by his rough, work-related break up with Fergus are closed here in a very honest way. I loved that he and Fergus talked it out eventually.
Ben we met as the wedding co-ordinator who helped out with Fergus and John's wedding. He is just a 'wee cutie' with a very kind heart and a genuinely nice guy. But it did irk me that he 'couldn't keep a secret'.
Why was I not over the moon with this one?
Bascially I think there was too much going on everywhere.
With Evan: I think that all his worries and psychological issues would have been enough. But then we get the whole backstory of his family and his parents' marital problems on top of it. The events at his sister's wedding felt half baked and irrelevant.
With Ben: First there is Evan and all the problems that come with him being who he is, then we get a lot of info about the weddings he's organizing and his mother who is half approving, half disapproving of him being gay (her attitude really confused me) and mostly the struggle with his faith which does not allow OPEN gay relationships. I think this issue alone could have been the centre of a book.
The terrorist investigation ... I admit I found it a bit long winded and did switch off sometimes when too many acronyms hit the page. It seemed somehow not quite to fit in with the rest of the book.
To me it felt the book is going into too many directions. Adding in all of Evan's family, Evan's work colleagues and the whole footballing community at the Warriors it is also bustling with a huge amount of people.
Saying that, I did have a good time. I loved this series, but this was not my favourite.
I enjoyed this, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.
All the +++++++:
.) One of the Glasgow lads actually being a *cough* spy was a huge surprise and a very interesting move.
.) The author did a good job highlighting the complexities of living with a person working in the secret service. Having to sign a non disclosure document before you can even date ... darn. I wouldn't want to be in that situation. And that is only the beginning.
.) The MCs:
Evan, who we grew to hate as Fergus's ex is actually an amazing guy who does whatever it takes to do his 'duty'. But his job is having a severe effect on him. Not only does he deem himself unlovable, but he is seriously effected by events of a previous operation.
The wounds left by his rough, work-related break up with Fergus are closed here in a very honest way. I loved that he and Fergus talked it out eventually.
Ben we met as the wedding co-ordinator who helped out with Fergus and John's wedding. He is just a 'wee cutie' with a very kind heart and a genuinely nice guy. But it did irk me that he 'couldn't keep a secret'.
Why was I not over the moon with this one?
Bascially I think there was too much going on everywhere.
With Evan: I think that all his worries and psychological issues would have been enough. But then we get the whole backstory of his family and his parents' marital problems on top of it. The events at his sister's wedding felt half baked and irrelevant.
With Ben: First there is Evan and all the problems that come with him being who he is, then we get a lot of info about the weddings he's organizing and his mother who is half approving, half disapproving of him being gay (her attitude really confused me) and mostly the struggle with his faith which does not allow OPEN gay relationships. I think this issue alone could have been the centre of a book.
The terrorist investigation ... I admit I found it a bit long winded and did switch off sometimes when too many acronyms hit the page. It seemed somehow not quite to fit in with the rest of the book.
To me it felt the book is going into too many directions. Adding in all of Evan's family, Evan's work colleagues and the whole footballing community at the Warriors it is also bustling with a huge amount of people.
Saying that, I did have a good time. I loved this series, but this was not my favourite.
December 15, 2018
Brilliantly detailed spy adventure still keeps the romance alive
This review is spoilery but the short story Avery just released let the cat out of the bag already so.
Wow, just wow. I've been waiting for Evan's story ever since he sent the Captain's armband and a note saying he was running off to Belgium with his lover and broke Fergus' heart.
I knew there had to be more to it, running off to Belgium just sounded like it had to be an excuse, not that there's anything wrong with Belgium, but it's not the first place you think of when it comes to illicit affairs.
Avery dropped other hints here and there throughout the series that there was more to Evan than him being a callous heartbreaker and I remember mentioning somewhere that I bet he was in MI5.
Now I was joking really when I said it, I honestly was expecting some kind of twist, undercover police or special forces perhaps, rather than the UK secret service.
But with this wonderful narrative, it makes perfect sense and my heart broke for Evan so many times. This is a love story, it is a romance, but it's like all of the Glasgow Lads series - it's laced through with so much more.
Set back in 2015 there's a whole host of things going on here in the UK which are reflected in this book and Evan's dedication to his country is given the weight it deserves.
I loved Ben, I was fascinated by the background Avery gave him and the insights into a faith I'd only heard about in passing. I loved his passion, his innate sense of justice, his quirks and his growing confidence in himself and his relationship with Evan.
All of this book made me happy, but the scenes in Orkney were among my favourites, where Evan could let go and be the Evan he might have been in a different lifetime.
A triumphant closure, if it is the last of the Lads I think they've gone out on a positive note.
This review is spoilery but the short story Avery just released let the cat out of the bag already so.
Wow, just wow. I've been waiting for Evan's story ever since he sent the Captain's armband and a note saying he was running off to Belgium with his lover and broke Fergus' heart.
I knew there had to be more to it, running off to Belgium just sounded like it had to be an excuse, not that there's anything wrong with Belgium, but it's not the first place you think of when it comes to illicit affairs.
Avery dropped other hints here and there throughout the series that there was more to Evan than him being a callous heartbreaker and I remember mentioning somewhere that I bet he was in MI5.
Now I was joking really when I said it, I honestly was expecting some kind of twist, undercover police or special forces perhaps, rather than the UK secret service.
But with this wonderful narrative, it makes perfect sense and my heart broke for Evan so many times. This is a love story, it is a romance, but it's like all of the Glasgow Lads series - it's laced through with so much more.
Set back in 2015 there's a whole host of things going on here in the UK which are reflected in this book and Evan's dedication to his country is given the weight it deserves.
I loved Ben, I was fascinated by the background Avery gave him and the insights into a faith I'd only heard about in passing. I loved his passion, his innate sense of justice, his quirks and his growing confidence in himself and his relationship with Evan.
All of this book made me happy, but the scenes in Orkney were among my favourites, where Evan could let go and be the Evan he might have been in a different lifetime.
A triumphant closure, if it is the last of the Lads I think they've gone out on a positive note.
December 15, 2018
Fascinating take on spying
It’s so cool to get this explanation for Evan’s behavior towards Fergus and find out he’s not a cheating son-of-a-B. What did happen was far more than I could have imagined. I kind of wish I’d gone back and reread everything but I was too anxious to read this. Ben is kind of adorkable but I confess, I didn’t entirely believe his and Evan’s connection fit. I never got that extra zing of having my emotions become invested in them. I also feel like adding in the crisis of Ben’s religion was a bit much on top of the many contretemps over Evan’s job and details in Evan’s family that didn’t really have a point. It was still pulled off quite well through Avery Cockburn’s skills and the added interest she builds using political subjects to stimulate a readers intellect along with the romantic and erotic content. She balances it well, never making it overly political but entirely intriguing.
The entire Warriors team is present for various scenes of course, so updates for previous couples were nice to see. I did like Ben and Evan’s characters, helped by the alternating viewpoints. It was a rather lengthy story, complex but not complicated. Info about Evan’s father and extended family with his mother and stepfather added quite a bit of support to the choices Evan had been making in his life. I did really enjoy the overall story and hope there will be another book centered around the team members.
It’s so cool to get this explanation for Evan’s behavior towards Fergus and find out he’s not a cheating son-of-a-B. What did happen was far more than I could have imagined. I kind of wish I’d gone back and reread everything but I was too anxious to read this. Ben is kind of adorkable but I confess, I didn’t entirely believe his and Evan’s connection fit. I never got that extra zing of having my emotions become invested in them. I also feel like adding in the crisis of Ben’s religion was a bit much on top of the many contretemps over Evan’s job and details in Evan’s family that didn’t really have a point. It was still pulled off quite well through Avery Cockburn’s skills and the added interest she builds using political subjects to stimulate a readers intellect along with the romantic and erotic content. She balances it well, never making it overly political but entirely intriguing.
The entire Warriors team is present for various scenes of course, so updates for previous couples were nice to see. I did like Ben and Evan’s characters, helped by the alternating viewpoints. It was a rather lengthy story, complex but not complicated. Info about Evan’s father and extended family with his mother and stepfather added quite a bit of support to the choices Evan had been making in his life. I did really enjoy the overall story and hope there will be another book centered around the team members.
April 23, 2019
4.25 stars
Who knew that a romance that involves spies become my favorite book of this series so far! I mean, I'm really not a fan of spy-romance, I neither like nor care about their job description (even if they're heroes to the country they represent).
Having said that, Evan as a character intrigued me -- he comes at first as the villain who breaks Fergus' heart -- but then we find out that he's a spy! And well, I want to read his redemption romance, so to speak.
And BOY, I LOVE this book!!
I loved both Evan and Ben as characters. I loved their struggles -- Evan with his secrets, his job, and his desire to keep Ben close and safe, then Ben with his Bahá'í Faith, his relationship with his mother, and his protective stance towards Evan.
IT'S A VERY COMPELLING READ, people!! I mean, it's the longest book in this series to date, and I almost usually avoid romance with more than 400 pages these days, but this one kept me focused.
I felt that Evan and Ben were really good for each other. I'm sorry for Fergus, and I can understand his hurt. But hey, he's with John now, and John is good for him. Evan and Ben are solid together, and I'm happy that they can live happily ever after too.
I still didn't care about the spy job though -- every time Evan talked about his work, my eyes got blurry, and I sort of skimmed the words. Maybe it's the state of the world, with Russia, ISIS, immigrants, etc. But at the same time, my country has its own problem, so yeah, I don't really pay attention to all of these. Sorry.
Who knew that a romance that involves spies become my favorite book of this series so far! I mean, I'm really not a fan of spy-romance, I neither like nor care about their job description (even if they're heroes to the country they represent).
Having said that, Evan as a character intrigued me -- he comes at first as the villain who breaks Fergus' heart -- but then we find out that he's a spy! And well, I want to read his redemption romance, so to speak.
And BOY, I LOVE this book!!
I loved both Evan and Ben as characters. I loved their struggles -- Evan with his secrets, his job, and his desire to keep Ben close and safe, then Ben with his Bahá'í Faith, his relationship with his mother, and his protective stance towards Evan.
IT'S A VERY COMPELLING READ, people!! I mean, it's the longest book in this series to date, and I almost usually avoid romance with more than 400 pages these days, but this one kept me focused.
I felt that Evan and Ben were really good for each other. I'm sorry for Fergus, and I can understand his hurt. But hey, he's with John now, and John is good for him. Evan and Ben are solid together, and I'm happy that they can live happily ever after too.
I still didn't care about the spy job though -- every time Evan talked about his work, my eyes got blurry, and I sort of skimmed the words. Maybe it's the state of the world, with Russia, ISIS, immigrants, etc. But at the same time, my country has its own problem, so yeah, I don't really pay attention to all of these. Sorry.
December 2, 2023
Damn I really enjoyed this! Definitely recommend reading Auld Lang Syne first as the prequel, available free on the authors website, this is when they first meet and really sets the scene for their first interaction.
This is a longer book and had a lot of different things going on but it never felt like it dragged. I couldn’t put this down, love the authors writing. I really enjoy the depth to the writing, the complex plots and characters and careful planning that has gone into this series. This series has delved into some topics I don’t normally enjoy reading about - politics and religion, but I didn’t feel preached to and I genuinely found them really interesting. I’m not sure if it’s the uniqueness of the Scottish setting that helped or just the way it was written but I liked it a lot. Evan and Ben both have flaws and I enjoyed seeing a different side to Fergus and his relationship with Evan. I thought that whole arc across the series was really well done. I’m hoping these two have a follow up novella.
This series has been so good, I highly recommend.
This is a longer book and had a lot of different things going on but it never felt like it dragged. I couldn’t put this down, love the authors writing. I really enjoy the depth to the writing, the complex plots and characters and careful planning that has gone into this series. This series has delved into some topics I don’t normally enjoy reading about - politics and religion, but I didn’t feel preached to and I genuinely found them really interesting. I’m not sure if it’s the uniqueness of the Scottish setting that helped or just the way it was written but I liked it a lot. Evan and Ben both have flaws and I enjoyed seeing a different side to Fergus and his relationship with Evan. I thought that whole arc across the series was really well done. I’m hoping these two have a follow up novella.
This series has been so good, I highly recommend.
April 20, 2019
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
There is so much to love about this story! The main characters—Evan and Ben—and the setting, the diversity of their backgrounds and religious beliefs, their family situations, their friends, and the Woodstoun Warriors, an all-LGBTQ football team. Where to start? Well, first I need to say that this book is very long—nearly 500 pages so be prepared to read, enjoy, and read some more.
Evan Hollister is the young man who broke Fergus’s heart in Playing for Keeps, the first book of the series. How? By leaving him a note at the start of their football team’s quarterfinals, telling Fergus he’s off to Belgium with his new lover. Well, we find out in this story that the excuse was hogwash. Evan is a M15 operative and was sent undercover to Northern Ireland, where he not only accomplished his mission but nearly lost his life and did lose the life of the young man he was wooing for information. I wanted to like Evan when he came back in the previous books in the series, but now? Now I love him.
And the author gave him the perfect boyfriend—Ben, the guy Robert connected with on Grindr when he was trying to decide if he liked guys (Playing with Fire). A likeable character then, in this story, Ben is so much more. Born to an Iranian mother and Scotsman father, they practice the Baha'is religion—a religion that will excommunicate him if he’s in a relationship with a man. The problem is that religion is important to him, a part of his daily life and a guiding force for his morality and good judgment. Ben is a part-time wedding planner and a full-time honor student in his last year at university.
But Ben is also not a secret keeper. He’s bright and enthusiastic and wants to know everything about everybody. When Evan finally gets the okay from M-15 headquarters that Ben has been vetted (something he had to do to date Ben), he finally asks Ben out. The two hit it off quickly but imagine the reticent, secretive Evan with the gossipy, personable Ben and you have the crux of the story.
There’s undercover activities, terrorist threats against gay marriage in Scotland, football games, and teammates trying to come to terms with Evan’s return to the team, and there’s family—both Ben with his mom and Evan with his extended family in the Orkney Islands. So much in this story, way too much to cover details in a review. But the important thing to know is that the author knows how to weave a tale of love and compassion and forgiveness and heartache and heartwarming moments. There’s secrets and confessions and quiet moments and danger and intrigue. I most highly recommend this story to those who love secret agents and spy thrillers in combination with MM romance and men in kilts. It’s simply outstanding!
There is so much to love about this story! The main characters—Evan and Ben—and the setting, the diversity of their backgrounds and religious beliefs, their family situations, their friends, and the Woodstoun Warriors, an all-LGBTQ football team. Where to start? Well, first I need to say that this book is very long—nearly 500 pages so be prepared to read, enjoy, and read some more.
Evan Hollister is the young man who broke Fergus’s heart in Playing for Keeps, the first book of the series. How? By leaving him a note at the start of their football team’s quarterfinals, telling Fergus he’s off to Belgium with his new lover. Well, we find out in this story that the excuse was hogwash. Evan is a M15 operative and was sent undercover to Northern Ireland, where he not only accomplished his mission but nearly lost his life and did lose the life of the young man he was wooing for information. I wanted to like Evan when he came back in the previous books in the series, but now? Now I love him.
And the author gave him the perfect boyfriend—Ben, the guy Robert connected with on Grindr when he was trying to decide if he liked guys (Playing with Fire). A likeable character then, in this story, Ben is so much more. Born to an Iranian mother and Scotsman father, they practice the Baha'is religion—a religion that will excommunicate him if he’s in a relationship with a man. The problem is that religion is important to him, a part of his daily life and a guiding force for his morality and good judgment. Ben is a part-time wedding planner and a full-time honor student in his last year at university.
But Ben is also not a secret keeper. He’s bright and enthusiastic and wants to know everything about everybody. When Evan finally gets the okay from M-15 headquarters that Ben has been vetted (something he had to do to date Ben), he finally asks Ben out. The two hit it off quickly but imagine the reticent, secretive Evan with the gossipy, personable Ben and you have the crux of the story.
There’s undercover activities, terrorist threats against gay marriage in Scotland, football games, and teammates trying to come to terms with Evan’s return to the team, and there’s family—both Ben with his mom and Evan with his extended family in the Orkney Islands. So much in this story, way too much to cover details in a review. But the important thing to know is that the author knows how to weave a tale of love and compassion and forgiveness and heartache and heartwarming moments. There’s secrets and confessions and quiet moments and danger and intrigue. I most highly recommend this story to those who love secret agents and spy thrillers in combination with MM romance and men in kilts. It’s simply outstanding!
January 17, 2022
Wow!! The Glasgow Lads grow up and come of age in this adult-themed, right wing extremism story from Avery...and I warn you now, there is hardly any football in this read. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 4.5 stars rounded up from me.
Evan...well, even *I* had a go at him in book 1 Playing for Keeps but smoke and mirrors people, smoke and mirrors. To keep his friends safe and his profession under wraps [Evan has more layers than the proverbial onion], he takes all the flak for dumping Fergus, losing his friends and legging it to Belgium with a 'new lover' when the actual reality was something much more scary indeed...he was on an undercover op in Belfast [I've mentioned in previous reviews for this series that to this day some parts of Glasgow remain divided by religious differences as they have close ties to Belfast]. I'm not going into any more detail about what happens but suffice it to say that things did not go as planned for either Evan or his employers MI5.
Due to his Persian and Scottish ancestry, Ben really struggles to reconcile his faith with the fact that he is a young, out and proud gay man with needs. His 'job' as a wedding planner means that he knows several of the Warriors players, and when he and Evan connect at Fergus and John's wedding 💑 [Playing for Keeps], we could only hope that things would work out for the two of them. I had big issues with Liam in this story I have to admit but he redeems himself towards the end. Evan finally gives Ben the vaguest details about his job [to keep him safe] but Ben unfortunately is unable to keep quiet when things get rough, and trouble follows 😲. He also has problems with his own perception of Evan, and doesn't know whether the man he is in love with is the 'real' Evan 😕. I'll leave this one here...
Evan...well, even *I* had a go at him in book 1 Playing for Keeps but smoke and mirrors people, smoke and mirrors. To keep his friends safe and his profession under wraps [Evan has more layers than the proverbial onion], he takes all the flak for dumping Fergus, losing his friends and legging it to Belgium with a 'new lover' when the actual reality was something much more scary indeed...he was on an undercover op in Belfast [I've mentioned in previous reviews for this series that to this day some parts of Glasgow remain divided by religious differences as they have close ties to Belfast]. I'm not going into any more detail about what happens but suffice it to say that things did not go as planned for either Evan or his employers MI5.
Due to his Persian and Scottish ancestry, Ben really struggles to reconcile his faith with the fact that he is a young, out and proud gay man with needs. His 'job' as a wedding planner means that he knows several of the Warriors players, and when he and Evan connect at Fergus and John's wedding 💑 [Playing for Keeps], we could only hope that things would work out for the two of them. I had big issues with Liam in this story I have to admit but he redeems himself towards the end. Evan finally gives Ben the vaguest details about his job [to keep him safe] but Ben unfortunately is unable to keep quiet when things get rough, and trouble follows 😲. He also has problems with his own perception of Evan, and doesn't know whether the man he is in love with is the 'real' Evan 😕. I'll leave this one here...
October 24, 2020
Reread 2020
Still a great addition to the series. The author does a great job turning Evan around from where we met him in the first book to a sympathetic character here.
Liam really annoyed me this time around, more so than the first, he needs to grow up and understand that sometimes it’s not about you and what you want.
I enjoyed the way Ben’s religion was handled.
Great addition
4 .25 ⭐️
I actually really enjoyed this one.
I was worried in parts that it would get too bogged down in the religious aspects and I felt that this was handled well
I liked learning about Ben’s religion and how it affected his decisions. I enjoyed his relationship with his mum too.
The match up of Ben and Evan was well done. On paper Ben would have been totally opposite to what Evan needed. He couldn’t keep a secret to save his life, (and I liked that it was just who he was it wasn’t malicious in any way) But in reality he was exactly what Evan needed. Someone to believe in him and someone to stand up for him against the haters. I was a bit disappointed in Liam in this one. I understood why he did it, but when it comes down to it he had no right.
I hope we see some more of Jamie
Still a great addition to the series. The author does a great job turning Evan around from where we met him in the first book to a sympathetic character here.
Liam really annoyed me this time around, more so than the first, he needs to grow up and understand that sometimes it’s not about you and what you want.
I enjoyed the way Ben’s religion was handled.
Great addition
4 .25 ⭐️
I actually really enjoyed this one.
I was worried in parts that it would get too bogged down in the religious aspects and I felt that this was handled well
I liked learning about Ben’s religion and how it affected his decisions. I enjoyed his relationship with his mum too.
The match up of Ben and Evan was well done. On paper Ben would have been totally opposite to what Evan needed. He couldn’t keep a secret to save his life, (and I liked that it was just who he was it wasn’t malicious in any way) But in reality he was exactly what Evan needed. Someone to believe in him and someone to stand up for him against the haters. I was a bit disappointed in Liam in this one. I understood why he did it, but when it comes down to it he had no right.
I hope we see some more of Jamie
November 26, 2018
4 stars
January 14, 2019
2 stars inflated to 3 that will most likely return to 2
Reasons explained later on.
First things first, mild spoilers to be expected from now on.
Second, I don't consider the next bit to be a big spoiler, since it's been relentlessly hinted at for the past 3 books and it is disclosed as soon as the book starts: Evan's an intelligence officer with MI5. And everything he did previously to this story and everything he does after this story stars is justified through the lens of that fact. I abhorred everything about it. I won't pretend to understand even the tiniest bit about MI5 or Britain's approach to anything regarding national security. My thoughts and views on the subject are solely based upon the reading of this book. Knowing all of this is necessary for the understanding of my notes on the book.
There's a free novella that's advertised as a prequel of sorts, that supposedly only shows a small interlude of scenes previous to the start of this story. It is not a stand alone. Its basically awful without the context of the last 3 books and 2 novellas. But, I believe it should have been a chapter in the actual book. It provides important context for how Ben and Evan meet at the wedding of Fergus and John, and it gives a bit of an explanation as to how they are initially attracted to each other. Honestly, without it Evan comes off as extremely intense and you don't understand a fucking thing about how later on they fortuitously meet at another wedding with Evan undercover and Ben as last minute stand-in wedding planner. I feel like the clues to the start of their relationship soften a bit how awful Evan is.
And it is right at the beginning where my problems with the book start. The next paragraphs are my raw unedited notes taken while reading. I won't be unpacking them because I honestly don't feel inclined to spend any more time with the book. I suppose this is sort of a review.
Again, *mind the spoilers ahead.*
After having met each other for the first time (refer back to the novella), Ben and Evan coincide in wedding where Evan is working undercover (using a persona of Gunnar, right wing extremist and possible domestic terrorist) and Ben was a last minute addition to the planning of the wedding. It throws Evan under a loop and this is where you have to start suspending all kinds of disbelief. Seriously, if you have three working neurons in your brain it's impossible to accept the next premise. So "Gunnar" is under a disguise of sorts (beard and glasses and slightly darker tinted hair) and we are suppose to believe that not only Ben didn't recognise him (he doubted) but the issue was never addressed the next time they saw each other???? Like, the author is seriously telling me that there's this guy I've been panting for for the last 2 months and I know he's an architect working at a governmental department, boring stuff, and next thing I know I meet him under a laughable Halloween costume playing the waiter at a wedding and I don't stop for a second to say WTF dude???!!! . And the next time we speak nobody alludes to it????????
From here on, we get this whole like 200 pages dedicated to Evan's backstory (interposed with a romance story I guess), his conflict about the lies he has to tell and a badly job done of trying to justify his personal actions with the use of his job as an excuse every single time.
First, Jamie from the Woodstoun Warriors and Charlotte, the team's manager, turn out to know the secret and the whole charade. Like, they don't know details and they don't need them, but they have the info necessary to understand Evan. So why couldn't his actual friends know???? Not to mention his partner (Fergus)??? I realise some of the story is "explained" later on. But why the fuck couldn't it have been explained early on? .
I won't pretend I understand the first thing about how MI5 works or what it does, but everything about the story seems shoddily done, with unexplained gaps in the way it presented Evan's background. This is full of plot holes that are basically created to manipulate the anguished Evan Hollister into a character to feel pity for. So that all his past mistakes are forgiven in the name of... patriotism???
And it was so incongruous that with so many people actually knowing the truth NOBODY thought to confront him about the way he treated Fergus. Because his job justifies what he needed to do, not the way he did it.
That's my biggest problem with the story and the main reason that prevented me from getting behind this supposed love story. If I were Ben, I could never, seriously NEVER, stop myself from wondering if someone who is capable of being as unnecessarily cruel as Evan was to a years-long- partner (the man he "loved", the man he was moving in with, possibly marrying) is someone I want to be with. Someone I can lie next to in bed and plan ahead a life and build a future together with.
I resent the implication that in a relationship of equals a lie by omission isn't as bad or does not mean the same betrayal as a lie. I don't condone at all the way Evan handled his relationship with Fergus. There's a thousand ways to end a relationship and you don't even owe an explanation if you are unable/unwilling to give one. But there's ending a years long relationship with a resounding "I'm done, I don't want to be with you anymore" (for whatever reasons) and then there's purposefully causing harm and damage and hurt (like when Evan still wasn't sure about Ben and did think of respectful ways of breaking things off).
I also never felt like I got sufficiently good enough answers to my questions in regard to Fergus aaaand the rest of their friends and even family. Like, it all reeks of lame excuses "in the name of the nation". He told Ben about his job after *three dates*. Why the fuck didn't he tell Fergus when the opportunity first presented itself? Before the extended background check? I just, I can't get it in my head that the convoluted situation the author got herself into with Evan's story was resolved in such an unsatisfactory way.
Evan's character seems even more irredeemable now that his book is over to me, than before. I don't think the author ever presented a good enough and reasonable answer as to why things with Fergus had to happen the way they did. There's no discernible explanation that atones for anything.
Evan just never seemed like a good person to me. And that made it impossible for me to enjoy this book, enjoy the relationship it showed.
It also never makes sense how much Evan supposedly loves his job, sacrifices be damned, if at least once a chapter he laments how "exhausting it all is, this pretending not to be a pretender" (quote).
And then, after 300 pages, suddenly, the book seems to present Evan's questioning in regards to his job as something to think of in terms of "good guy/bad guy", which seems like an incredibly childish and naive way to view your job in espionage. I once read that only sociopaths are able to shed personalities like a snake skin with the changing of seasons and honestly that seems like a more understandable approach to undercover work than the way Evan puts it. In a pinch all of Evan's principles crumble and we get the watered down finale that we do here.
That's when I realised that even though I'd been mostly engaged with the topic of Evan, his job and his subsequent unforgivable betrayal of Fergus, a thousand other things were happening. I realised this was headed towards the melodramatic. Tragedy after tragedy would be piled on to the couple to create the illusion of plot.
Ben's backstory is a whole other thing I could spend hours finding holes in.
There's Ben's conflict about dedicating himself to geography versus wedding planning that's presented as the major issue. That's the topic that's treated as wild and unpredictable and difficult to broach instead of, you know, the crazy shit where Evan isn't allowed to tell his boyfriend what he does for a living???????
I think the only subject matter that was treated with an ounce of consideration and a modicum of reality was Ben's approach to his religion. Mind you, this coming from "atheist #1" and someone with admittedly skewed views towards faith. Not to mention that family plays a big part of the love story for everyone, but Ben's dad is conveniently left out of the story. So that only plays a part to shove into the relationship something Evan and Ben can bond over with, but never acknowledging there may be another side of the story in regards to Ben, his mom and their problems over their religion.
Ben is presented as someone who is naturally curious and to put it generously, someone with a big mouth. So I cannot fathom how he never questioned the Gunnar/Evan thing. I mean before the whole thing was put to the open by Evan coming clean about his job. How did the author think that was in any way congruous with Ben's characterisation???
A little bit after Evan's sister's wedding I stopped reading seriously. I realised I could never get behind the relationship and that I had never gotten the answers I needed to for me to root for Evan and his future. I think the author tried to do something with Evan that got out of her hands.
She wasn't capable of delivering and to be honest I have to repeat the comment I made in a previous review for the Throwing Stones book: I really miss the feel of the original Glasgow Lads books. For me the story of Fergus and John in the first book was a one time wonder that Cockburn hasn't been able to reproduce again.
Those books were passionate, political, ambitious, with complex characters and complicated backstories. But all the last books have been run-of-the-mill romances that are ok for an afternoon and I won't remember much about them the next day. Or the only thing I'll remember is that I'm fucking annoyed with the ridiculous plots (*cough*Evan*cough*).
Which brings me to my first point of the review. I said I'd give the book three stars. And that's solely because even though I finished the book on Friday, I've spent a whole weekend with the book on my mind and all the things I found deplorable with it. It has at least got me thinking and I *was* invested. I wanted to know the story, I wanted explanations and I wanted a resolution. None of those things were provided in a satisfactorily manner, but fuck it if I'm not thinking about them. So props to Cockburn for that. I think I'm still gonna leave this at 2.
Reasons explained later on.
First things first, mild spoilers to be expected from now on.
Second, I don't consider the next bit to be a big spoiler, since it's been relentlessly hinted at for the past 3 books and it is disclosed as soon as the book starts: Evan's an intelligence officer with MI5. And everything he did previously to this story and everything he does after this story stars is justified through the lens of that fact. I abhorred everything about it. I won't pretend to understand even the tiniest bit about MI5 or Britain's approach to anything regarding national security. My thoughts and views on the subject are solely based upon the reading of this book. Knowing all of this is necessary for the understanding of my notes on the book.
There's a free novella that's advertised as a prequel of sorts, that supposedly only shows a small interlude of scenes previous to the start of this story. It is not a stand alone. Its basically awful without the context of the last 3 books and 2 novellas. But, I believe it should have been a chapter in the actual book. It provides important context for how Ben and Evan meet at the wedding of Fergus and John, and it gives a bit of an explanation as to how they are initially attracted to each other. Honestly, without it Evan comes off as extremely intense and you don't understand a fucking thing about how later on they fortuitously meet at another wedding with Evan undercover and Ben as last minute stand-in wedding planner. I feel like the clues to the start of their relationship soften a bit how awful Evan is.
And it is right at the beginning where my problems with the book start. The next paragraphs are my raw unedited notes taken while reading. I won't be unpacking them because I honestly don't feel inclined to spend any more time with the book. I suppose this is sort of a review.
Again, *mind the spoilers ahead.*
After having met each other for the first time (refer back to the novella), Ben and Evan coincide in wedding where Evan is working undercover (using a persona of Gunnar, right wing extremist and possible domestic terrorist) and Ben was a last minute addition to the planning of the wedding. It throws Evan under a loop and this is where you have to start suspending all kinds of disbelief. Seriously, if you have three working neurons in your brain it's impossible to accept the next premise. So "Gunnar" is under a disguise of sorts (beard and glasses and slightly darker tinted hair) and we are suppose to believe that not only Ben didn't recognise him (he doubted) but the issue was never addressed the next time they saw each other???? Like, the author is seriously telling me that there's this guy I've been panting for for the last 2 months and I know he's an architect working at a governmental department, boring stuff, and next thing I know I meet him under a laughable Halloween costume playing the waiter at a wedding and I don't stop for a second to say WTF dude???!!! . And the next time we speak nobody alludes to it????????
From here on, we get this whole like 200 pages dedicated to Evan's backstory (interposed with a romance story I guess), his conflict about the lies he has to tell and a badly job done of trying to justify his personal actions with the use of his job as an excuse every single time.
First, Jamie from the Woodstoun Warriors and Charlotte, the team's manager, turn out to know the secret and the whole charade. Like, they don't know details and they don't need them, but they have the info necessary to understand Evan. So why couldn't his actual friends know???? Not to mention his partner (Fergus)??? I realise some of the story is "explained" later on. But why the fuck couldn't it have been explained early on? .
I won't pretend I understand the first thing about how MI5 works or what it does, but everything about the story seems shoddily done, with unexplained gaps in the way it presented Evan's background. This is full of plot holes that are basically created to manipulate the anguished Evan Hollister into a character to feel pity for. So that all his past mistakes are forgiven in the name of... patriotism???
And it was so incongruous that with so many people actually knowing the truth NOBODY thought to confront him about the way he treated Fergus. Because his job justifies what he needed to do, not the way he did it.
That's my biggest problem with the story and the main reason that prevented me from getting behind this supposed love story. If I were Ben, I could never, seriously NEVER, stop myself from wondering if someone who is capable of being as unnecessarily cruel as Evan was to a years-long- partner (the man he "loved", the man he was moving in with, possibly marrying) is someone I want to be with. Someone I can lie next to in bed and plan ahead a life and build a future together with.
I resent the implication that in a relationship of equals a lie by omission isn't as bad or does not mean the same betrayal as a lie. I don't condone at all the way Evan handled his relationship with Fergus. There's a thousand ways to end a relationship and you don't even owe an explanation if you are unable/unwilling to give one. But there's ending a years long relationship with a resounding "I'm done, I don't want to be with you anymore" (for whatever reasons) and then there's purposefully causing harm and damage and hurt (like when Evan still wasn't sure about Ben and did think of respectful ways of breaking things off).
I also never felt like I got sufficiently good enough answers to my questions in regard to Fergus aaaand the rest of their friends and even family. Like, it all reeks of lame excuses "in the name of the nation". He told Ben about his job after *three dates*. Why the fuck didn't he tell Fergus when the opportunity first presented itself? Before the extended background check? I just, I can't get it in my head that the convoluted situation the author got herself into with Evan's story was resolved in such an unsatisfactory way.
Evan's character seems even more irredeemable now that his book is over to me, than before. I don't think the author ever presented a good enough and reasonable answer as to why things with Fergus had to happen the way they did. There's no discernible explanation that atones for anything.
Evan just never seemed like a good person to me. And that made it impossible for me to enjoy this book, enjoy the relationship it showed.
It also never makes sense how much Evan supposedly loves his job, sacrifices be damned, if at least once a chapter he laments how "exhausting it all is, this pretending not to be a pretender" (quote).
And then, after 300 pages, suddenly, the book seems to present Evan's questioning in regards to his job as something to think of in terms of "good guy/bad guy", which seems like an incredibly childish and naive way to view your job in espionage. I once read that only sociopaths are able to shed personalities like a snake skin with the changing of seasons and honestly that seems like a more understandable approach to undercover work than the way Evan puts it. In a pinch all of Evan's principles crumble and we get the watered down finale that we do here.
That's when I realised that even though I'd been mostly engaged with the topic of Evan, his job and his subsequent unforgivable betrayal of Fergus, a thousand other things were happening. I realised this was headed towards the melodramatic. Tragedy after tragedy would be piled on to the couple to create the illusion of plot.
Ben's backstory is a whole other thing I could spend hours finding holes in.
There's Ben's conflict about dedicating himself to geography versus wedding planning that's presented as the major issue. That's the topic that's treated as wild and unpredictable and difficult to broach instead of, you know, the crazy shit where Evan isn't allowed to tell his boyfriend what he does for a living???????
I think the only subject matter that was treated with an ounce of consideration and a modicum of reality was Ben's approach to his religion. Mind you, this coming from "atheist #1" and someone with admittedly skewed views towards faith. Not to mention that family plays a big part of the love story for everyone, but Ben's dad is conveniently left out of the story. So that only plays a part to shove into the relationship something Evan and Ben can bond over with, but never acknowledging there may be another side of the story in regards to Ben, his mom and their problems over their religion.
Ben is presented as someone who is naturally curious and to put it generously, someone with a big mouth. So I cannot fathom how he never questioned the Gunnar/Evan thing. I mean before the whole thing was put to the open by Evan coming clean about his job. How did the author think that was in any way congruous with Ben's characterisation???
A little bit after Evan's sister's wedding I stopped reading seriously. I realised I could never get behind the relationship and that I had never gotten the answers I needed to for me to root for Evan and his future. I think the author tried to do something with Evan that got out of her hands.
She wasn't capable of delivering and to be honest I have to repeat the comment I made in a previous review for the Throwing Stones book: I really miss the feel of the original Glasgow Lads books. For me the story of Fergus and John in the first book was a one time wonder that Cockburn hasn't been able to reproduce again.
Those books were passionate, political, ambitious, with complex characters and complicated backstories. But all the last books have been run-of-the-mill romances that are ok for an afternoon and I won't remember much about them the next day. Or the only thing I'll remember is that I'm fucking annoyed with the ridiculous plots (*cough*Evan*cough*).
Which brings me to my first point of the review. I said I'd give the book three stars. And that's solely because even though I finished the book on Friday, I've spent a whole weekend with the book on my mind and all the things I found deplorable with it. It has at least got me thinking and I *was* invested. I wanted to know the story, I wanted explanations and I wanted a resolution. None of those things were provided in a satisfactorily manner, but fuck it if I'm not thinking about them. So props to Cockburn for that. I think I'm still gonna leave this at 2.
December 3, 2018
Avery Cockburn’s Glasgow Lads series has been one of my favorite ongoing M/M series for quite a few years now. But I have to confess that I was a teensy bit less excited to read the latest, Playing in the Dark, the fourth full novel in the series. Not because I’d been disappointed in any of the others (or her spin-off series about curling. Yes, curling!), but because I wondered how much more drama there was to be rung out of the world of Glaswegian soccer.
I needn’t have wondered. Because Cockburn has pulled a fast one on us readers. Or to use a much more appropriate sports metaphor, Playing in the Dark is a change-up.
Yes, it’s still set (mostly) in Glasgow, and, yes, it still involves soccer and the gay soccer team, the Warriors. But this time, playing soccer and the fate of the Warriors aren’t central to the tale. Instead, our story this time focuses on Behnam Reid and Evan Hollister. Fans of the series might remember Evan was the villain who broke Fergus’ heart in a previous book.
But it turns out Evan isn’t the villain readers believed. In fact, he’s a good guy. A really good guy. Explaining how would spoil the fun for many readers, but let’s just say Cockburn convincingly uses the world of the UK’s MI5 to take her series in an entirely new direction that I loved once I got past my initial skepticism. (Let’s just say the words “spy,” “Glasgow,” and “terrorism” don’t usually go hand in hand.
Cockburn also adds a great element of diversity with Behnam, known to his friends as Ben. I’d never read a character who was also a practicing Baha’i, a mostly progressive and tolerant religion, except when it comes to same-sex relationships. Ben has to struggle with his own beliefs, as well as those of his mother’s. Given that they both work as wedding planners—and that Scotland had just legalized same-sex marriages—life gets pretty complicated for Ben when he falls for Evan.
But that’s the least of the complications these two gay men have to navigate.
Playing in the Dark is filled with Cockburn’s usual attention to Scottish detail—the dialect, slang, and setting truly make the book sparkle—as well as her hot sex, deft weaving in of current political events, and most importantly for me, characters you truly care for and want to see end up happy.
While Playing in the Dark isn’t too much of a soccer book, it will definitely leave you cheering at the end. You might even yell “GOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!”
I needn’t have wondered. Because Cockburn has pulled a fast one on us readers. Or to use a much more appropriate sports metaphor, Playing in the Dark is a change-up.
Yes, it’s still set (mostly) in Glasgow, and, yes, it still involves soccer and the gay soccer team, the Warriors. But this time, playing soccer and the fate of the Warriors aren’t central to the tale. Instead, our story this time focuses on Behnam Reid and Evan Hollister. Fans of the series might remember Evan was the villain who broke Fergus’ heart in a previous book.
But it turns out Evan isn’t the villain readers believed. In fact, he’s a good guy. A really good guy. Explaining how would spoil the fun for many readers, but let’s just say Cockburn convincingly uses the world of the UK’s MI5 to take her series in an entirely new direction that I loved once I got past my initial skepticism. (Let’s just say the words “spy,” “Glasgow,” and “terrorism” don’t usually go hand in hand.
Cockburn also adds a great element of diversity with Behnam, known to his friends as Ben. I’d never read a character who was also a practicing Baha’i, a mostly progressive and tolerant religion, except when it comes to same-sex relationships. Ben has to struggle with his own beliefs, as well as those of his mother’s. Given that they both work as wedding planners—and that Scotland had just legalized same-sex marriages—life gets pretty complicated for Ben when he falls for Evan.
But that’s the least of the complications these two gay men have to navigate.
Playing in the Dark is filled with Cockburn’s usual attention to Scottish detail—the dialect, slang, and setting truly make the book sparkle—as well as her hot sex, deft weaving in of current political events, and most importantly for me, characters you truly care for and want to see end up happy.
While Playing in the Dark isn’t too much of a soccer book, it will definitely leave you cheering at the end. You might even yell “GOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!”
January 15, 2019
2,5
Creo que hace tiempo que no cierro un libro tan decepcionada, y me duele que sea Avery, ya que su serie de los Lads es una de mis favoritas.
No digo que no haya un excelente trabajo de documentación sobre el trabajo de Evan, o la fe de Ben, que lo hay, pero la parte final del libro me ha cabreado tanto, me ha parecido tan absurda por momentos, que no puedo darle más nota.
Y es una pena, esta mujer escribe como nadie escenas románticas y declaraciones de amor, la parte central del libro, más enfocada en ellos 2 me tenía super feliz, por eso el batacazo ha sido mucho más gordo.
Aún así, seguiré leyendo a los Lads, ya son como viejos amigos y siempre es un gusto ver pinceladas de mis favoritos en otras historias.
Creo que hace tiempo que no cierro un libro tan decepcionada, y me duele que sea Avery, ya que su serie de los Lads es una de mis favoritas.
No digo que no haya un excelente trabajo de documentación sobre el trabajo de Evan, o la fe de Ben, que lo hay, pero la parte final del libro me ha cabreado tanto, me ha parecido tan absurda por momentos, que no puedo darle más nota.
Y es una pena, esta mujer escribe como nadie escenas románticas y declaraciones de amor, la parte central del libro, más enfocada en ellos 2 me tenía super feliz, por eso el batacazo ha sido mucho más gordo.
Aún así, seguiré leyendo a los Lads, ya son como viejos amigos y siempre es un gusto ver pinceladas de mis favoritos en otras historias.
December 30, 2018
Thrilling turn
...I should have noticed that from the start.
This was definitely much more of a thriller for it certainly wasn't a romance.
I was so very excited about it and found myself so very disappointed with it. *sad face* And it felt soooo long. I struggled to push through to the end. Again, not what I expected.
I missed the football.
I missed the banter.
I missed the spark of my beloved Scots.
Heavy on the political and religious spectrum and light on the love affair.
Lots of rave reviews out there...looks like I'm the odd reader out on this one. Me-not-you? Maybe?
*2.5 stars*
This was definitely much more of a thriller for it certainly wasn't a romance.
I was so very excited about it and found myself so very disappointed with it. *sad face* And it felt soooo long. I struggled to push through to the end. Again, not what I expected.
I missed the football.
I missed the banter.
I missed the spark of my beloved Scots.
Heavy on the political and religious spectrum and light on the love affair.
Lots of rave reviews out there...looks like I'm the odd reader out on this one. Me-not-you? Maybe?
*2.5 stars*
April 29, 2021
I was looking forward to read this one after I learnt the secret about Evan in Play Dead. This one should have been right up my alley and it wasn't bad but I found some of the situations hard to believe and I spent the whole book wanting to punch Ben in the face... repeteadly... So, while I liked this, it wasn't at the same level as the first two as much as I complained about how politically heavy those were. It hasn't helped that I've been deadly tired lately and I couldn't keep my eyes open if my life depended on it.
Still, BReading is the best invention ever, and I'm looking forward to complain about Ben to my fellow friends.
Still, BReading is the best invention ever, and I'm looking forward to complain about Ben to my fellow friends.
January 27, 2019
Cómo convertir al "malo de la película" en el primer libro al "inolvidable héroe" del cuarto y que los lectores ni nos inmutemos!!!!!!. Este es el gran logro de éste libro.
Me gustó bastante aunque reconozco que cuesta. Entre las expresiones escocesas, los acrónimos de tantas y diferentes asociaciones e instituciones inglesas y el estar pendiente de la traducción al no ser angloparlante, hay que ponerle todos los sentidos a la lectura. Pero como volvió a la temática política lo disfruté mucho. La temática religiosa ya no tanto, porque me da la impresión de que quiere darle mucha importancia pero falla a la hora de afrontarla, de repente es super importante y de repente no lo es, como que no se aclara y por extensión el lector se aclara menos.
Me gustó bastante aunque reconozco que cuesta. Entre las expresiones escocesas, los acrónimos de tantas y diferentes asociaciones e instituciones inglesas y el estar pendiente de la traducción al no ser angloparlante, hay que ponerle todos los sentidos a la lectura. Pero como volvió a la temática política lo disfruté mucho. La temática religiosa ya no tanto, porque me da la impresión de que quiere darle mucha importancia pero falla a la hora de afrontarla, de repente es super importante y de repente no lo es, como que no se aclara y por extensión el lector se aclara menos.
November 9, 2021
People on here have explained the reasons why I don't like this book much better. If you read through the one and two-star reviews you'll see some excellent analysis.
This is a shame because Avery's books are a joy to read. I wanted to read Evan's side of the story and forgive him. But he just...wasn't very deep or interesting.
First of all, his personality - is nonexistent...he is blonde and hot. His only character flaw is that he gets seasick. That's it. That's the biggest problem he has. In a series of novels where guys suffer from poverty, crime, bereavement, poor mental health, and explore their sex lives in pretty honest ways, we get pretty boy Evan going "Eugh, I feel queasy on boats, what am I like!?" That's it.
He's tortured and good looking. And why is he tortured? Errr, because he had an affair and left his boyfriend and his now ex-boyfriend is with someone else and 50% of his old friends hate him.
Um, good? Serves you right. At no moment does Evan show any regret in his decisions. He doesn't seem to really care that he ruined Fergus's life. Avery throws in a few lines to show from Evan's POV that Fergus and he weren't right for each other and Fergus was a pretty selfish boyfriend at times. Yup. Cool. Doesn't excuse what you did.
He then goes on to worry about Ben and goes out of his way to never do that same thing to Ben. So, hang on, you would never do it to Ben but doing it to Fergus was fine? Note, this isn't written as Evan having character growth or any sort of empathy, it's just that Ben was more special to him than Fergus ever was so he wouldn't want to hurt him.
There's a lot of muddy vague reasoning for why Ben can know aspects about his job but Fergus couldn't. Technically, the plot makes sense here with how it's written, but Evan was never tempted for some pillow talk with Fergus to even hint at it? Whereas Ben had worked it all out by day 2.
I think the thing that annoyed me the most was the lack of realism in this. Yes, going down the spy thriller route was always going to wash off some of the 'slice of life' realism the books had but it was done so poorly. With Colin and Andrew's storyline in book 2, the violence and danger were covered without being OTT Okay the stalking aspect was weak but their subsequent novella did well with PTSD).
Here, we start off with ludicrous disguises (ugh, SO SO BAD) and a cat that the boys bond over (how twee, I honestly nearly gave up at that moment) and it just gets worse. I was so disappointed.
Also, Ben and Evan were so boring.
Ultimately, though, my dislike just came down to how unlikeable they were. The scenes at the football matches were two big examples.
Ben's entire storyline was just as bland. "Oh, I don't know what to do after uni! Waaah!" He was such a spoiled brat. It's a shame the first non-white Main character in these books is probably the most unlikeable.
In summary, I was totally open to forgiving Evan, but at no stage did he ever show contrition or regret for his hurtful actions. Instead, we got told how wonderful and noble he was. Yeah, Nah.
Also, where were the jokes?
Really hoping this was a wobble and the next book in the series is back to the quality of the first few.
This is a shame because Avery's books are a joy to read. I wanted to read Evan's side of the story and forgive him. But he just...wasn't very deep or interesting.
First of all, his personality - is nonexistent...he is blonde and hot. His only character flaw is that he gets seasick. That's it. That's the biggest problem he has. In a series of novels where guys suffer from poverty, crime, bereavement, poor mental health, and explore their sex lives in pretty honest ways, we get pretty boy Evan going "Eugh, I feel queasy on boats, what am I like!?" That's it.
He's tortured and good looking. And why is he tortured? Errr, because he had an affair and left his boyfriend and his now ex-boyfriend is with someone else and 50% of his old friends hate him.
Um, good? Serves you right. At no moment does Evan show any regret in his decisions. He doesn't seem to really care that he ruined Fergus's life. Avery throws in a few lines to show from Evan's POV that Fergus and he weren't right for each other and Fergus was a pretty selfish boyfriend at times. Yup. Cool. Doesn't excuse what you did.
He then goes on to worry about Ben and goes out of his way to never do that same thing to Ben. So, hang on, you would never do it to Ben but doing it to Fergus was fine? Note, this isn't written as Evan having character growth or any sort of empathy, it's just that Ben was more special to him than Fergus ever was so he wouldn't want to hurt him.
There's a lot of muddy vague reasoning for why Ben can know aspects about his job but Fergus couldn't. Technically, the plot makes sense here with how it's written, but Evan was never tempted for some pillow talk with Fergus to even hint at it? Whereas Ben had worked it all out by day 2.
I think the thing that annoyed me the most was the lack of realism in this. Yes, going down the spy thriller route was always going to wash off some of the 'slice of life' realism the books had but it was done so poorly. With Colin and Andrew's storyline in book 2, the violence and danger were covered without being OTT Okay the stalking aspect was weak but their subsequent novella did well with PTSD).
Here, we start off with ludicrous disguises (ugh, SO SO BAD) and a cat that the boys bond over (how twee, I honestly nearly gave up at that moment) and it just gets worse. I was so disappointed.
Also, Ben and Evan were so boring.
Ultimately, though, my dislike just came down to how unlikeable they were. The scenes at the football matches were two big examples.
Ben's entire storyline was just as bland. "Oh, I don't know what to do after uni! Waaah!" He was such a spoiled brat. It's a shame the first non-white Main character in these books is probably the most unlikeable.
In summary, I was totally open to forgiving Evan, but at no stage did he ever show contrition or regret for his hurtful actions. Instead, we got told how wonderful and noble he was. Yeah, Nah.
Also, where were the jokes?
Really hoping this was a wobble and the next book in the series is back to the quality of the first few.
December 5, 2018
Great addition to the Glasgow Lads series. I enjoyed this one a lot.
Recommend! Free with Kindle Unlimited
Recommend! Free with Kindle Unlimited
October 11, 2019
So we finally get the full explanation behind Evan and his abandoning both Fergus and the team. Of course he never betrayed Fergus like he thought, though he still is responsible for breaking both their hearts. But finding new hope and a chance with Ben might give them all the space to heal.
I really enjoyed watching Ben and Evan work out the boundaries of their relationship. Their's wasn't an easy courtship, there are a lot of secrets in Evan's line of work and Ben isn't great with secrets even when he's in on a few of them. These two had a lot to work out to find a way that they could be together. This story really tied up a lot of the past tensions between all the couples. It's let them all start to heal.
I really enjoyed watching Ben and Evan work out the boundaries of their relationship. Their's wasn't an easy courtship, there are a lot of secrets in Evan's line of work and Ben isn't great with secrets even when he's in on a few of them. These two had a lot to work out to find a way that they could be together. This story really tied up a lot of the past tensions between all the couples. It's let them all start to heal.
May 27, 2023
Po raz pierwszy miałam problem z książką tej autorki. Bo jak fragmenty społeczno-obyczajowe były jak zwykle świetne, tak szpiegowsko-sensacyjno-terrorystyczny wątek po prostu mi nie siadł. Nie oznacza to, że był zły czy marnie utkany, bo tak nie było. Po prostu od dłuższego już czasu nie mam serducha do tego typu historii i tutaj się najzwyczajniej w świecie męczyłam...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews