For What It's Worth


Monday, June 15, 2015

4 Reasons to Read the new Glasgow Lads series by Avery Cockburn…

25608496“They're out. They're proud.


They're a wee bit daft.
Meet the Warriors, an all-LGBT soccer team from Glasgow, Scotland, as they seek and find love, one lad at a time.” (Source)

Play On Summary: A tale of pride over prejudice on the soccer pitch kicks off this gay romance series set in Scotland.

Duncan Harris is on the edge. Scandal has shredded his LGBT soccer team’s history-making season, and now the once-unflappable striker is lashing out. Only one person can tame Duncan’s rage and make him feel like himself again…

Bullied by schoolmates in his wee village, Brodie Campbell lurked deep in the closet before coming to the city of Glasgow. Here at university he’s out and proud, but the years of abuse have left him emotionally paralyzed. Can flatmate Duncan help Brodie escape his past and heal his wounded heart?

As the two lads grow closer, Brodie can’t forget how athletes like Duncan once tortured him. When Duncan attacks an opponent who threatens Brodie, the situation escalates. Soon Brodie doesn’t feel safe anywhere—especially in Duncan’s arms.

To defeat the bullies who’ve wrecked his life, his mind, and his ability to love, Brodie must find the strength to fight his own battles. And Duncan must find the strength to let him.

Note: The Glasgow Lads series contains dirty talk with a Scottish accent, naughty bits of a gay nature, and characters who call soccer “football.”
Approximately 40,000 words/160 pages.




I’m really loving this new LGBT series and here’s why…

1.) It takes place in Glasgow. It’s not just a backdrop either. The series examines the economic and political strife in the region in a way that feels very authentic rather than just putting some hot dudes in kilts and having them say *Aye* a lot. (although there is some of that Smile) For someone who is woefully ignorant of politics outside of the US, I find this aspect really fascinating and educational without being dry and boring.

2.) The Warriors are an all LGBT soccer team and while the series so far has been male/male, there is quite a bit of diversity within the team – female, male, bi, gay, trans.

3.) The stories are more than a gay love story. While being gay is obviously a big part of these *lads* lives, it’s not the only thing and it’s nice to see the genre  expand beyond the *coming out* story.

4.) Referring to a few things I’ve mentioned above; I love how the romances have real obstacles like class differences or strong opposing political beliefs that are seemingly insurmountable. But the guys really challenge themselves and work towards acceptance and tolerance rather than being stubborn asses.


Buy the book!

Play On - Amazon (free for Kindle unlimited)

Play On is the series intro novella – Playing for Keeps (below) the first full length novel but both can be read as a stand alone

* Until June 18, 2015 12:01 EDT– You can receive a link for a free ARC (advanced review copy) of the first full length Glasgow Lads novel – Playing for Keeps by signing up for the authors newsletter HERE (read for details) Final version goes on sale June 18th


d844b5d5-9b05-2c2c-2d8e-732b4b02e68bPlaying for Keeps summary: Rule One: No Drama!
Fergus Taylor is damaged goods. Reeling from a brutal breakup, he’s determined to captain his LGBT soccer team out of scandal and into a winning season. For that, he needs strict rules and careful plans. He does NOT need a brash, muscle-bound lad messing with his head and setting his body afire.
John Burns has a rule of his own: Don’t get attached. Boyfriends are for guys with nothing to hide. Nobody—not his university mates, not the men he beds—knows his family’s shame, a shame that stains all Scotland. Now his double life is starting to unravel, thanks to a certain Highlander whose storm-riddled eyes turn John inside out, who wears a kilt like he was born in it.
Fergus is the first man John wants to share his secret with—but he’s the last man who could handle it. John knows the truth would shatter Fergus’s still-fragile heart. But how can he live a lie when he’s falling in love?
Note: The Glasgow Lads series contains dirty talk with a Scottish accent, naughty bits of a gay nature, and characters who call soccer “football.”

Approximately 95,000 words/325 pages

14 comments:

  1. Though that first cover, what's up with the shirt?

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  2. Well, I haven't heard of these ones before, but glad you enjoyed them! I'm always wary of sporty books though. >_< I'm just sooo un-sporty and uncoordinated it's not even funny. HAHA SCRAP THAT. It is funny. I'm an embarrassment. xD Love the sound of the setting too, though!
    Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!

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    1. yeah - I'm not sporty AT ALL but that's not really an issue with these two books. What little soccer there is - is explained well and os so fast paced I actually got caught up in it rather than bored.

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  3. Whilst not something that would usually catch my attention - I'm no FOOTBALL fan - I admit to being intrigued by these, perhaps because of the LGBT angle. That said I'm a bit put off by the Scottish accent thing despite my living closer to Glasgow than I do London. Great review, thank you for featuring these.

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    1. Football is an important part of their lives but it isn't a huge focus so it didn't bother me (also not a big sports fan).

      The accents are fairly heavy as well and I usually have a VERY difficult time with that but in this case I found the whole thing authentic and immersive. A lot of books use Scotland etc as a romantic backdrop and not much more.

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  4. The realistic obstacles faced to these characters sounds great to read about

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  5. Dude! I am SO SO in, I'm off to buy copies right now. Sports, diverse characters, MM romances and Glasgow? How did I not know about this series before?!

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    1. It's brand new! I think you will really like it Maja - we seem to have similar tastes in this genre.

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  6. Oh Aye! I love a good kilt... I mean story. It would also be interesting to see the politics of another country. Hm... it's still not football... it's soccer. Yes, I know they would have my head for saying that. ;)

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  7. Sounds like a solid series. I enjoy learning the culture/politics of different countries.

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  8. Unique setting indeed and it's great that the series isn't focused solely on the romance. Love the cover arts too!

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  9. I really want to read this - sounds fantastic!
    Jen @ YA Romantics

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  10. Probably not the series for me (not my genre) but I am seriously loving the setting and that it FELT like the location. I read one recently set in Scotland and it totally did the aye thing as the way to tell. Other than that randomly thrown in now and again it felt like any other city.

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