Relay: An Enemies-to-Lovers M/M Sports Romance

I absolutely loved this book! I love a good second chance love story but this story also had sports, suspense, lust, love and some enemies to lovers that tried to cover up the hurt and the desire still there between Dane and Alex from the past. Man, I felt for both men so much. Alex because he was so hurt by Dane when they were young and never quite dropped the torch he had for him yet hid it behind anger and betrayal. His family life was hard, too, and he was working hard for his dream and helping provide for his family. And Dane. Some will say that he's a coward or were frustrated with him which is understandable but to have your life planned since you were little down to the very detail and being no more than a puppet meant to make your family imagine look good while they control everything around you is hard to get out of. But with the help of Alex and their swim team, both men support each other and get through it all together. Now it's on to win the gold in the next story!

Relay fit very well for a summer 2021 listen, and I really liked the premise. The story is a male/male romance, a second chance romance, and a sports romance all in one, and Layla Reyne combines the tropes very well. I'm always a sucker for a second chance love story, and Dane and Alex's love story was 10 years in the making. This one turned out to be a bit of a coming-of-age tale despite the characters being in their mid-twenties. Dane has a lot to learn about being his own man and standing up to those who want to control him, so he has quite the personal journey as he figures it all out, and I don't mind admitting that I really wanted to give him a good shake along the way. Alex is a sweetheart, a hotheaded sweetheart at times but totally lovable. His drive and determination are what make him a great captain and keep him going despite more than his fair share of personal troubles. There's also a great group of secondary characters that made for some terrific camaraderie and witty banter. Nick J Russo gives voice to the characters, and since the chapters alternate between Dane and Alex, we get to see the story from both perspectives. Russo does a fine job of keeping the voices distinct, even the secondary characters - once a character was introduced to the story, I had no problem keeping them straight just with the differences in pitch, accent, and tone. I've listened and enjoyed Nick Russo before, so it was a treat to hear him again. All in all, this first Changing Lanes romance is an engaging romance with likable characters, and I'm excited to go right on into listening to the next in the series.

Dane is afraid to be himself. It's costing him everything he wants, and, its killing him slowly. Can he reach out and grab the stars? Alex is the one that got away. What would happen if he held on tight? Alex will do what it takes for his team to grab the gold. The pain is second nature at this point. Then he has to work with Dane again, and the sparks between them ignite. The plan is to stay away. But his heart is whispering to move closer...... This story caught me by surprise. There is so much actual story for both characters. I was sucked in so fast. Then I could not put it down until it was over. Each page was so good, and I could not help myself. ***This copy was provided for a review with honest feedback.