Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings

Winning the Season by Beth Bolden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hands down, no debate necessary, my favourite book in this series and my second favourite couple from Beth, only being beaten by Colin & Nick (The Rainbow Clause).

I’ve been dying (and bugging Beth) to get Asa’s story since the beginning. There’s always been a hint of sadness and hidden heartbreak that wasn’t related to his ex wife and here we find out why and who.

The opening part of the book sets the scene, seven years previously and we get to see Asa falling in love with his best friend and fellow coach Scott as, over a period of months, he starts to see him in a new light.

This part is done so well by Beth, you live it along with Asa as he goes through the complicated and confusing process.

When he declares his love, you’re cheering alongside him, and your heart breaks when Scott admits he loves him too but he’s taken a coaching job at the other end of the country because he won’t let Asa give up his career, which is what he fears will happen.

We then get a seven year time jump during which Asa’s pushed away his feelings and turned all his focus on being the best coach and winning games.

You know something has to break though, and it does, when he has a mild heart attack and his son Beau brings in his godfather – yup, guess who! – to help out.

We also get to be inside Scott’s head and he’s filled with weighty regrets but also a determination to not let Asa down again.

As they hesitantly learn how to be around each other again, it becomes very clear those feelings haven’t gone away.

What follows is a masterclass in tension raising, UST-filled, emotionally charged narrative as both men are thrown in at the deep end with all that delicious attraction still bubbling right on the surface.

I’m not going to be spoiling anything here, let’s just say you won’t be disappointed by all the fratching, smouldering eyes and heated debates which push them closer to the expected blow up.

And this happens to have one of the most perfectly written first kisses in the history of first kisses imho because it’s utterly unexpected.

There wasn’t a bit of this story I’d have changed, in fact, for the first time ever since I’ve been Beta Reading for Beth, I had no notes 😁

Also this cover is brilliant and so much Asa!

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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