ARC Review: Outing the Quarterback by Tara Lain

Outing the Quarterback is the first book that I have read by Tara Lain and is also the first book in her Long Pass Chronicles series. I knew I wanted to read this book straight away because I am a huge sports fan and I have also really enjoyed the male male genre over the past few years. Since I am still relatively new to the genre, I am always looking forward to discovering new authors. While I did like some of this book, this one wasn't what I had been expecting and I was left with some mixed feelings on this book.

Will Ashford has spent his life living in the closet and according to his father's wants rather than his own. He is the quarterback of the SCU football team and only has to get through his senior year before he finishes up his business degree and joins his father's company. But Will's secret passion is art, and he is determined to get the Milton scholarship so that he can finally live his own life. If he can get the scholarship he can finally admit that he is gay and would rather paint than play football. It is in his secret art class that he ends up meeting the beautiful Noah Zajack. Noah has overcome a tough life and has been going for the same scholarship as Will. The attraction between them is instant, but with so many secrets and obstacles in the way things between them won't be easy. Will must decide if he should give up everything he has been working towards for a chance with Noah, or if he can deny his feelings and want for a relationship with this beautiful man and remain firmly in the closet.

I liked Will at times, but at others he seemed really weak to me. I can understand wanting to remain in the closet and protect his future, but I didn't understand him trying to be with girls knowing that he was so disgusted by them. I thought it took him way too long to end things with Tiffany and that he should have just been alone rather than with her if he didn't want to go after a guy. I liked that he was able to see the beauty in Noah though and was able to look beyond what most would consider to be ugly. I just wish that he hadn't been so scared at first to go after what he wanted. I did like Noah a lot though. I loved that he was comfortable in his own skin and that he wouldn't take the easy route to a successful future. He wasn't willing to sacrifice his morals and that meant a lot. He was a great guy and a really hard worker and I admired him a lot. I thought that there was a lot of chemistry between him and Will, and I just wished that they had figured things out sooner.

I did like moments of this book, and I thought that there were some really great characters. I really loved Will's friends and adopted family. I loved the camaraderie between them and how open and accepting they were. But as for the rest of the story, it was pretty predictable and didn't offer anything new or special. I didn't really get a strong emotional connection between Will and Noah and was left feeling pretty ho hum about the whole thing. I didn't love it but I did like it for the most part, and it was a quick and easy read. I guess I was just looking for more. I would be interested to read more about Jamal though, and I hope that his book is next. If you are looking for a male male book about a closeted athlete looking to follow his dreams, this might be one that you would want to give a shot. But if you are looking for a deep emotional connection without a bunch of drama, you might want to steer clear of this one.

**ARC Provided by Enchantress of Books Blog Tours**

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