Chasing Chance (Gilcrest University Guys #1)

Title: Chasing Chance: Gilcrest University Guys Book One
Author: M.E. Parker
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: March 17, 2019
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance, Sports
Page Count: 175
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Read book blurb here

THE MORE YOU KNOW (shooting star... RAINBOW): The author notes: "Chasing Chance" is the first book in the Gilcrest University Guys series. It’s a full-length, “friends to lovers” romance novel. It has “coming out” and “first-time gay” themes, is stocked full of STEAM, heartache, and laughter, and it has a guaranteed happy ending. The series will follow the love stories of four college friends. "Chasing Chance" is the first of two books that will tell Andy and Chance’s love story. Look for book two, "Catching Chance," to come out next month!" Be aware that we aren't getting Andy and Chance's complete story in "Chasing Chance" and the ending is up-in-the-air and incomplete.

I must admit that I love the best-friends-to-lovers trope and the first part of this book is sweet as 6-year-old Chance and Andy become best friends and have a great childhood that includes camping together and building a great tree house that Chance designs (he's always been interested in becoming an architect). We get alternating POVs here and through a series of flashbacks see how good things are between the two boys ... until they aren't.

Catching Chance (Gilcrest University Guys #2)

Title: Catching Chance (Gilcrest University Guys Book 2)
Author: M.E. Parker
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: April 30, 2019
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance, Coming Out
Page Count: 252
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Read book blurb here

The author notes that “Catching Chance” could be read as a standalone, but personally I would recommend reading "Chasing Chance" first to get the background of Chance and Andy’s romance. While the first book ends with Chance and Andy realizing they love one another, “Catching Chance” is all about Chance coming to terms with coming out and believe me, it’s a rocky road.

Chance loves Andy, and truly wants to be with him, and their romance and growing relationship feels real and honest. I especially like the community that takes Chance to their heart – Andy’s friends Cam, Jordy and Ben as well as Chance’s team mate Travis and his girlfriend – and I love their coming out party for Chance.

Their relationship seems solid … except when they venture out into the real world. The path to really being together is a long (very long) and agonizing one for Chance. Chance wants to come out, but when confronted with friends and/or football fans, Chance is more than willing to leap back into that closet and pretend that Andy is just a friend.