The Locker Room Kindle Edition

ORIGINAL REVIEW:5 stars — Well, at first I was thinking this review was going to be utterly pointless with just a bunch of gushing b/c I was so overwhelmed after I finished. But then I figured maybe I should sit down and actually figure out what specific things worked for me. B/C I don’t know what works for you, but this book had practically everything I needed to be a successful Lenore rave. Sooooo…. Fabulous lead characters. I honestly can’t say whether they were realistic or not b/c I’m not that kind of reviewer who cares….but I loved them. That’s all that matters to me. They broke my heart. Fabulous side characters — though at times Penny rubbed me the wrong way. Heartbreaking situations and obstacles to overcome. And a small detail that really makes a book over the top for me — enough time in each of the life stages to really feel like you’re living it with them…. I’m the kind of girl that likes the beginning…the middle…and a good extended end (happy of course). I want to see them at different stages in their lives. It just flowed well for me. Oh, and last but not least in this particular book category — HOT. OMG Hot. So yeah. LOVED it. 🙂ON REREAD:4.95 stars — This one was still just as good as the first time I read it, it’s why I’ve reread it at least 4 times now. I love that we get to see them right from the beginning, you can feel their friendship chemistry right from the start and how it just naturally turns into more. I love the parts when they are young and trying to navigate some really serious situations (poverty, neglect, abuse, starvation) as well as these feelings that they have for each other.There were so many things that broke my heart in this story as well, starting from them knowing they had to hide their relationship if they wanted to have a successful basketball career (from college to pros). But the things they felt they had to do to keep the secret, the 3rd home game of the month, broke the camel’s back for me. Their coach was just….horrifyingly bigoted. So I understood how they came to that “solution” for keeping their secret, but I felt their pain and despair right along with them.I loved all the secondary characters, they really added to the story. From Christian’s parents and Penny to Cliff to Lucia to Mandy & Audrey (Xander’s girls) to “Uncle” Leo.Honestly, the loss of .05 stars is because of the ending. I’m a need to know it, love to have it spelled out for me kind of girl. I HATE unanswered questions. I totally get why the author went that way, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to know what happened…I feel like there should be a choose your own adventure thing with this book…like author’s original cut, and the spelled out ending for the whiny babies like me that don’t like to make up their own ending, and HAVE TO KNOW what the ending is. In a perfect world such a thing would exist. 😛So yeah, worth the reread. I’m pretty sure it’s a book I will reread til the end of time, b/c it just works for me.

Sometimes you read a book and it's a really good book and that's it and somtimes you read book like one.This book made me care deeply about Chris and Xander and I cried for them, was angry on their behalf and I thought about the book when I had to do other things.Xander lives a hard life as a kid and as a teenager with a drug addict as a mom, coming and going males in the house that occasionally beats him and a life where he has to fend for himself so he doesn't starve to death. In this life he only has one outlet and it's basketball , until he meets Chris.From the moment they meet there's an instant connection between and it's not long until that connection grows to love. And as Xander says, from that moment he lived for two things- basketball and Chris.A book that is both heart warming and heartbreaking and I hate that there's real people with this kind of love that has to hide and suffer because of ignorance. 5++ stars for this book and for Xander and Chris.

Some people's reviews don't seem to take into account that when this book was written and published, gay marriage wasn't legal across the U.S. yet. I loved this book not only because of how sweet Xan and Chris were with each other, but because it highlights how difficult it must be to decide to come out as a professional athlete (and even though society is becoming more enlightened and tolerant, we still have a long way to go). And for anyone who said there was too much drama, I'm grateful that the author steered clear of any gay-bashing that went beyond words, like that awful coach or his buddies egging their car, or worse. Xan and Chris's relationship was a bubble of safety and comfort for both of them, and I loved that. I've read only two books by this author, so I can't say if all of her books are like this, but I can totally get behind the "me and you against the world" scenario. I really enjoyed reading this - but I'm only giving it 4 stars because it didn't make me cry (very few books can do that!).

Not too keen on the front cover, but I can understand why the author chose it.That I think is the only, very minor criticism I have.I thoroughly enjoyed this. Right from the start it caught me. Told from Xander's perspective it follows his and Chris's initial friendship, born on a basketball court when both were in their early teens, and follows their changing relationship to adulthood and their careers as pro basketball players.Being gay, they both felt they had to hide the real people they were and that is why it is such a heart rending story. I don't want to spoil the read so won't go into any detail, but through the highs and lows of their story, the love they have for each other shines through (there is sex throughout and nicely done). Some might say it was golden (you will get the reference if you read it). Some of the things they felt they had todo were heart breaking.There is a fair amount of basketball speak, but not being a basketball bod I felt it added rather than detracted from the storyline and didn't find it in any way overpowering.I found both MC's very likeable, which was handy as we spend so much time with them. The secondary characters were a good supporting cast. They get their HEA in the end, after some drama, and it doesn't finish on a cliff-hanger but it does leave you to draw your own conclusion regarding their careers.I recommend this very relationship driven read, and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. One of my keepers.I would also like to point you in the direction of Bonfires, by the same author, and the follow up Crocus, which I haven't actually read yet as it isn't out until the 17th April 2018 (but needless to say am looking forward to, after re-reading Bonfires).

What is going on with these book covers?? I have to say for the record that I'm not a great fan of the extremely cheesy looking covers which publishers of this genre tend to use, in fact I'm not a fan at all! Why do the authors let them get away with it - ugh! This cover is a particularly bad example IMHO.This review contains **Spoilers**As far as the contents of the cover are concerned, a magnificent book, and for me, on a par with Amy Lane's other brilliant book 'Sidecar', to which I've also given a 5* review. Xander & Chris have been together and in love since they were 14. As the formative years of Xan's life were so horrific (mum's drugs and general couldn't give-a-toss attitude, violence and so much hunger), once he'd met Chris, all he wanted were Chris and basketball. As they grew up, and continued to play B/B, they tried to date girls (even sleeping with them) in an effort to conform to sports general outlook as a whole (be manly and lots of groupies are OK), to avert suspicion away from themselves (Chris' family and close friends were 'in the know' and were cool with it). However, it started to take a toll on the 2 guys; Chris began to drink heavily as he tried to maintain the charade, and unfortunately Xander's nightmares from his childhood (of being locked in a box) began to worsen and he also started getting an ulcer - please bear in mind that by this time, the guys had been together and in love as a couple for a lot longer than most modern-day marriages, in fact they thought of themselves as married. When they eventually returned to Sacramento to play for their team (their hometown), things were fine at first until the coach was changed, and a really homophobic moron arrived, whose every other word was extremely derogatory, and as he noticed that they seemed to be together all the time, picked on them incessantly. He discovered them kissing in the locker room (hence the title) on the one occasion when they'd decided that they couldn't continue the charade any longer and were going to 'out' themselves. Overnight, Chris was transferred to a team 1000 miles away, and Xander was left in their huge house to confront his worsening nightmares alone. Luckily, Chris' sister Penny and a couple of 'stray' girls who were friends of the boys moved in, which obviously helped Xander, but Chris was then left alone in Denver, drinking more by the day. This of course eventually resulted in a car accident which meant that Chris was unable to continue playing B/B, indeed, was lucky to get away with his life. As Xander continued to try and get Sacramento to the play-offs (with Chris' wish that Xander play for himself and not the team), Chris slowly recovered sufficiently enough to be able to be airlifted back to California, and continue his rehabilitation in their own home, complete with nursing staff etc., Xander then decided that he no longer had a problem announcing to the world that they were gay (as it no longer meant anything to keep it a secret because Chris could no longer play). This lead to Barbara Walters, American chat show host extraordinaire apparently, visiting their home and getting an interview that finally put their side of their story. At this point, Xander was still none the wiser as to whether he could continue playing for Sacramento, as no-one from the club had been in touch since the interview, but there were no rules in B/B's book to say that a gay person couldn't play, and as Xander was the heart and soul of the team (as well as their best player), they needed him, and the book ended with a phone call.The only minor niggle I had with the book was that as both of the guys had tats done at 18 featuring rings and each other's names (in place of actually wearing each other's ring), I would have thought that their secret would have been discovered much, much earlier than it was, I mean don't they shower after a game? Maybe they showered at home? I have to admit to shedding quite a few tears during the reading of this book, that's how much I enjoyed it and got so involved in the characters. I'll readily hold my hands up and confess that to me B/B is just a 'souped up' version of netball (which I hated as it was so boring) and I do not understand it, but the book was tremendous, and I'll read it again and again. Many thanks Amy.

There's not many books in the M/M genre that should be recognised by a wider readership, but this is definitely one of them. Now I know the sexual content precludes that, but the social commentary on themes like toxic masculinity and the personal consequences of prejudice in sports means this book is more than the sum of its parts.

I love the m/m genre, you know what you're getting, emotion and lots of it. Chris and Xander, friends, lovers, soul mates and the story of how they got from childhood to fame and fortune, disaster and ultimately to where Xander wanted them. What a fabulous tale, plus I learned a bit more about basketball than the only team I know - The Harlem Globetrotters! It was just so good and your heart bleeds for Xander and his early life, and Chris and his family are so what every family should be like, loving and happy, two parents and a safe haven. I won't spoil it - you don't want to know the plot you just want to know if its worth reading and it most certainly is.

I have read so many of Amy Lanes books and this one is right up there with one of my all time favs. It was amazing, completely had me gripped from the fist chapter and didn't let up Chris and Xan you will love them and route for them all the way. Get this book u will not be disappointed : )