Overall Grade: βοΈ βοΈ βοΈ βοΈ
I absolutely adore a hero who has a cold or grumpy exterior with a soft interior. It usually takes the skillful hand of the heroine to unleash that teddy bear, which leads to romance gold. Sara Neyβs Jock Royal is all of this and more. Before you enter Neyβs newest story, you should know the following:
*This story continues her Jock Hard series. It finds us in the rugby house with hard-bodied aggressive males. Like her other jocks, there is razzing and jock idiocy. However, her hero, Ashley aka Ash, is THE best guy in this group.
*I would constitute it as an HFN (happy for now). There is a promise of a HEA, but it really ends in the present.
*As I mentioned earlier, Ashley is my dream hero: all gruff and British on the outside, but thoughtful and protective on the inside. He is polished in a way that Neyβs other heroes donβt tend to be, but, interestingly, Ney hides it behind this masculine, βbeat-upβ exterior. That dichotomy in Ashley makes for a compelling characterization.
*I liked her heroine, Georgia, but Iβll be honest. She was a bit milquetoast. Georgia comes alive next to Ashley. Itβs their chemistry and friendship and partnership which leads to the interesting storyline. But on her own, Georgia wonβt bowl you over.
*Overall, I liked this story, but it didnβt make me feel deeply. This story is an opposites attract, friends to lovers, surprise wedding burrito of romance. Since there are multiple tropes, it never feels as though it goes deep enough into a particular trope. This creates a fairly innocuous romance.
I adore Sara Ney and her brand of douchey heroes and their βshake-up-the-worldβ heroines. And Jock Royal fits nicely into this world. If you love a gruff, British hero who tries to ignore his feelings for the heroine, then youβll enjoy Sara Neyβs newest book.
In love and romance,
Professor A