The Player

By: Felice Stevens

Narrated by: Blake Lockheart

Friday night lights hide more than they reveal…

When retired NFL superstar Keller Williams returns to his small town to coach his old high school football team, he’s surprised how much he enjoys being out of the limelight and on the field with the kids. Even more surprising is his immediate attraction to the father of one of his players—single dad Niall Harper.

Problem number one: Niall Harper isn’t gay.
Problem number two: Keller isn’t out to the world.
Problem number three: Niall hates his guts. And Keller has no idea why.

High school librarian Niall Harper has always done the right thing. Except be true to himself. Divorced and raising his teenaged son, Niall is dismayed to discover the new football coach is none other than his long-ago Friday night fantasy and nemesis. Not that it matters—Keller doesn’t remember him. It’s nothing new; Niall has always been easy to forget. Now Keller wants to be friends. And more. Niall can’t deny the annoying man makes him laugh and feel things he’d only dreamed possible. But would a player like Keller be satisfied with a regular guy like him?

Being together is more than complicated, but they are willing to take the risk. Niall reveals he’s dating his son’s coach, and Keller comes out to the team, his fans, the press, and small-town gossips. Neither is prepared for the fallout, but that doesn’t stop them. It’s time to throw the Hail Mary pass of a lifetime and win the game of forever. And they’re ready.

©2024 Felice Stevens (P)2024 Felice Stevens

concern for the players

I loved thos story listening to it all in one day though I would like to hear a sequel about Shane and Vance.

Her best book yet!

Small town hero returns home and reunites with the bookish librarian who was bullied by the football hero’s old friends in high school. A journey of each coming to terms with who they are on their own and then together. I loved this story and will listen again!

Amazing love story

This book unlike many other gay romance books actually tackles the issues that gay men face in today’s society.

Fantastic!

Love! I absolutely loved this small town romance. So much so, I had to listen on audio as well. Felice Stevens does a fantastic job picking her narrators to voice her characters. Blake Lockheart did a fantastic job drawing me into a story I had already read and loved. He brought all the feels with these two closeted men finding each other and their happiness. I adored Keller, he was a bright ray who loved what he found himself doing as he settled back in his hometown - coaching high school football. He brought a smile to my face more than a few times and was a guy you couldn’t help rooting for. Niall also works at the high school, and his son plays for Keller. Niall is none too happy to have Keller back in his life, even though Keller is oblivious to Niall’s past hurts. Keller’s presence brings back all the past feelings of bullying that Keller’s former teammates used to inflict upon him. I appreciated Keller’s doggedness in trying to get Niall to open up to him and tell him why he had so much animosity towards him. I enjoyed their slow fall into friendship and into more. Keller was so patient with Niall as he explored his sexuality, and I loved the firsts that Niall shared with Keller. I loved their chemistry and their connection. There was so much character build up of each of these men, and those who were most important to them, that you couldn’t help but get drawn into their story and the unfortunate drama that reared its ugly side. I loved the support they received when they needed it most. While their story was slow to develop, I couldn’t put it down. Do yourself a favor and block out some you time to listen (or read) this in one sitting! This was a wonderful story and I couldn’t recommend it more!

A Story That Stays With You

I don’t usually leave reviews — actually, I almost never do — but this book is absolutely an exception. The Player by Felice Stevens grabs hold of you right from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the very last word. It’s one of those stories that you think about long after you’ve finished it.

Now, full disclosure: this book isn’t going to be for everyone. Without giving away spoilers, it’s obviously set in the world of football, but it’s also deeply rooted in LGBTQ themes, exploring how identity and acceptance are dealt with at a young age and through high school years. It’s powerful without being preachy, raw without being overwhelming.

Honestly, not to be dramatic, but this book woke up something in me that I didn’t even realize I was missing — a real sense of purpose. As a gay man myself, I found so much of what Keller (the main character) and the high school players were going through incredibly relatable. Their struggles, their wins, the internal battles... it all hit home in a way that few stories ever have for me.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. My only caveat: it has very mature scenes, so I personally think it’s best suited for adults or maybe for older high school students — like 11th or 12th graders — but definitely not younger than that.

Also, a quick shoutout to the narrator — they nailed it. The voice, the pacing, the emotion — it was spot on. I would absolutely listen to more books narrated by them without a second thought.

In short: The Player isn’t just a book, it’s an experience — one I’m really grateful I stumbled across.