Book Review: "Tender Tackles" by B.T. Wolfe

Bryan was overwhelmed with grief after his brother’s death. He decided he needed a fresh start, so he took a job as a head football coach at a small town high school.

When one of his star players gets hurt during practice, Bryan meets his father and gets quite a surprise. It turns out that they’ve met before: Emerson, who is the town doctor, was the man with whom Bryan had an intense one-night-stand in NYC two years ago.

While the chemistry between the two men is still intense, Emerson doesn’t want to give into temptation again. He wants to focus on his relationship with his two sons and his busy practice, and he doesn’t want to complicate things. But every time he and Bryan are together, they can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves.

The two decide to pursue a relationship but keep it secret for a while given Bryan’s coaching job. For the first time since his brother’s death, Bryan feels freer and happier, and he looks forward to building a future with Emerson.

But when news of their secret relationship leaks out, it threatens Bryan’s job and Emerson’s relationship with his sons. Can their love withstand the stress of possible scandal?

I haven’t read many M/M age-gap romances, but I enjoyed this. I wanted a bit more intensity in their relationship but I liked the way the author kept things from getting too melodramatic.