Title: ⟫ Off Sides (part of the Worthy: A Pride Anthology)
Author: ⟫ Andi Jaxon
Rating: ⟫ 4/5
Blurb: ⟫ Worthy: A Pride Anthology is a collection of original, brand-new short stories brought to you by thirteen incredible authors. Each story touches on the common theme of LGBTQ+ Acceptance.
Review: ⟫ I understand that the athletes of Darby U are part of a bigger universe but you don’t have to have read any of the other stories to read this novella. Nick and Joey meet in a club, both wanting to scratch an itch. What takes this story a step further is the issues that Joey is struggling with – his confusion regarding his sexuality and sexual needs is affecting these encounters and he seems to be on the point of breaking.
Somehow, Nick taps into something in Joey that makes their chemistry red-hot and makes him feel seen in a way that he hasn’t before. I think it was incredibly skilful of the author to manage to do that in a novella – you have time to fall in love with Joey and Nicky, believe in the relationship that they are building between them, and feel the sense of ease and acceptance that Joey reaches by the end of the story. That’s a lot to pack into a novella but the author made it happen.
I don’t think I’ve read any of the other Darby U books (although a situation that occurs in the book did ring a bell), but this can definitely be a standalone read with nods to previous characters for those who have read deeper. I enjoyed the story and will be looking for more of the anthology.
I received an ARC from Indie Author Creative.
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