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A review by isitcake
The Athlete by Elin Peer
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is probably the most boring of the series. Hunter goes to play soccer on a co-ed Motherlands team, which is captained by Emanuela, councilman Jonah's sister (he's an aspiring councilman and he first meets Pearl and Mila in this book). Soccer isn't just about scoring points in the Motherlands, its also about style and sportsmanship (cursing out the ref will make you lose points). Like everything else, the team spends a lot of time talking about feelings and they all shower together. This makes it difficult for Hunter since he's not used to being around women he finds attractive.
Emanuela and Hunter start off as enemies, which is somewhat of a defense mechanism since they're attracted to each other. The team proposes that they be roommates which of course means they have to share Emanuela's one bed too - since its impossible for them to move another bed into the room. But things really escalate when Hunter goes to a sex club operated by her family.
What I didn't like about this book is that Hunter's "broken heart" from his time with Alice in the last book felt so overblown. Like he was ready to marry Alice after such a short time. His big hangup in this book is that he thinks he'll fall for and be broken hearted by any woman he sleeps with. When he goes to the sex club he goes in wanting to be blind folded to prevent this (kind of dumb plot). Emanuela hears about it and takes the place of the woman he was going to be with. They end up having sex with Hunter supposedly not knowing its her - but of course he recognizes her smell, sounds, feel.
Afterwards he tries to get her to admit it was her but she's hung up on all the throwaway comments he's made. Like how he would never date a team member, or someone older than him (she's 2 years older), and someone else says Hunter prefers skinny blondes. Emanuela was frankly just annoying. How is a team captain so lacking in self confidence!?
The other plot event that happens is they go to Willow and Solo's wedding in the Northlands and bring Jonah with them. There he meets Mila and Pearl and everyone and people see how much Hunter cares for Emanuela.
Then back in the Motherlands there's a ridiculous incident with a bobcat attack on the family Nostalgia Park and Hunter is called in to take care of it. Emanuela gets all butt hurt that he's gone to kill it plus she mistakenly heard he was going to the sex club afterwards and she fucking breaks up with him over the phone but he shows up later and is like wtf and they work it out I guess.
Of course at the end they get together and she agrees to marry him and she'll retire from soccer in a few years to have kids.
Just a ton of this story felt sooo contrived to come up with things to force them together then apart. Definitely the weakest book of the series.
What I didn't like about this book is that Hunter's "broken heart" from his time with Alice in the last book felt so overblown. Like he was ready to marry Alice after such a short time. His big hangup in this book is that he thinks he'll fall for and be broken hearted by any woman he sleeps with. When he goes to the sex club he goes in wanting to be blind folded to prevent this (kind of dumb plot). Emanuela hears about it and takes the place of the woman he was going to be with. They end up having sex with Hunter supposedly not knowing its her - but of course he recognizes her smell, sounds, feel.
Afterwards he tries to get her to admit it was her but she's hung up on all the throwaway comments he's made. Like how he would never date a team member, or someone older than him (she's 2 years older), and someone else says Hunter prefers skinny blondes. Emanuela was frankly just annoying. How is a team captain so lacking in self confidence!?
The other plot event that happens is they go to Willow and Solo's wedding in the Northlands and bring Jonah with them. There he meets Mila and Pearl and everyone and people see how much Hunter cares for Emanuela.
Then back in the Motherlands there's a ridiculous incident with a bobcat attack on the family Nostalgia Park and Hunter is called in to take care of it. Emanuela gets all butt hurt that he's gone to kill it plus she mistakenly heard he was going to the sex club afterwards and she fucking breaks up with him over the phone but he shows up later and is like wtf and they work it out I guess.
Of course at the end they get together and she agrees to marry him and she'll retire from soccer in a few years to have kids.
Just a ton of this story felt sooo contrived to come up with things to force them together then apart. Definitely the weakest book of the series.