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  • The Endgame

  • Written by: Riley Hart
  • Narrated by: Iggy Toma
  • Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (16 ratings)

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The Endgame

Written by: Riley Hart
Narrated by: Iggy Toma
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Publisher's Summary

Weston

When I left home, I swore I'd never hide anything about myself again. From college, to law school, to the United States Senate representing California, I've done it all as an out gay man. So, when I'm in DC and see a beautiful guy at the hotel bar, I don't hesitate to proposition him...right before he runs out on me, leaving his sunglasses behind like my very own Cinderfella.

Anson

I've always known I'm gay, but never acted on it. Pretending isn't easy, but it means I can keep playing football. No one has ever guessed my secret until the gorgeous man at a bar in DC. At least he doesn't know who I am - the best tight end in the NFL, playing for the Atlanta Lightning. Though my identity doesn't stay a secret from him for long.

Between texts and late-night phone calls, we get to know each other. West's the only person who knows all the parts of me, just like I know his. When he asks for one night together so he can show me what it's like to be with a man, I can't say no. But once isn't enough, and we keep sneaking around together - brief encounters, in California, Georgia, or DC, filled with passionate touches and whispered truths.

I never thought I'd have love. West never thought he'd want it. Now we're all in with each other, but he still has time left in his Senate term. I have contract obligations to fulfill, and I'm closeted. We don't even live in the same state. The odds are stacked against us, but if there's one thing I know, it's how to win. He's the endgame in the biggest challenge of my life, the one I'm banking my future happiness on. 

©2021 Riley Hart (P)2021 Riley Hart

What listeners say about The Endgame

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Strong start, weak end.

The book started off really strong, detailed and it got you hooked, but after 2/3s of the book it felt like the author started to lose passion on this project, started to get rushed and a lot of time jumping just started to happen out of no where. Honestly you could have made this another 100 pages or so. Maybe a deadline to meet or just lost passion while writing the book.

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2 people found this helpful

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  • Zell Oakley
  • 2021-05-03

One of my favorites this year

I don't usually buy an audiobook when I've already read the kindle version of a novel, and even less often do I actually listen to it when I do, but The Endgame was simply one of my favorite books this year and I HAD to have it. And I wasn't disappointed--I mean, I knew I wouldn't be, since I know and like Iggy Toma and, as I already said, I was a HUGE fan of the novel.

I'm a sucker for a good coming-out book, but good examples of that are few and far between. Too often they are written by people who have no idea what it's like to come out or even to be gay in the first place. "I never even knew I liked guys until I met you!" is a sentence that virtually nobody has ever uttered in the history of the world, and yet somehow it's one of the most common refrains you'll hear in books about "coming out," quotation marks intended. So imagine my delight when not one, but THREE excellent books about coming out were released at the same time (this one, "Concealed Hearts" by Nicky James, and "The Jock" by Tal Bauer). I'll also pick up the other two when and if they're released on audio.

This book focuses on the relationship between a closeted gay American football player, Anson, and a very non-closeted US senator, Weston. A senator, you say? Well yes, but the author really, really doesn't focus on that part. Don't worry that the story is going to get bogged down with politics. Actually, making West a senator is one of the very few missteps the book makes, because it's mentioned so seldom and has so little effect on the plot. But no matter, this is Anson's book, and Hart knocks it out of the park with him (yes, I'm aware that's a baseball metaphor, not football). Loyal, brave, and true, Anson embodies everything positive about masculinity. Hart also appears to actually like sports and jocks, since unlike a lot of books which center around athletes, she doesn't treat them with utter contempt. West is also a good character, simply for the fact that he never pushes Anson into coming out before he's ready, something that a deserving partner would never, ever do. Secondary characters include Anson's brother Elias, his best friend and teammate Darren, Darren's sister Mia, and others, and they're all their own fully fleshed-out characters with personalities and backstories.

Iggy Toma is a fantastic narrator, but that's pretty much a given; he's very consistent. He has a pleasant cadence, he sounds appropriately masculine, and, importantly for a romance novel, he doesn't rush and get awkwardly breathless during sex scenes unlike a few overused narrators in this genre. I'll easily give him five stars for his performance, though I have to confess I'm slightly disappointed that this wasn't a dual narration, since Anson and Weston are such different people and Toma only really has one character voice, though it's a good one.

Anyway, this one is highly recommended, and comes during a m/m drought, so it's even more of a blessing. I haven't always been a fan of Riley Hart but this one is a homerun, er, I mean a touchdown.

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Nicole
  • 2021-05-15

Interesting Characters - Narration didn't sell it

Very interesting characters and character development. It is a slow moving, but seemingly truthful, story of coming out and all the angst, mental support and love that it takes to get to one's truth. All of that alone should have been a solid 4 star book but as much as I have enjoyed Iggy Toma as a dual narrator on other books, he just didn't carry this narration enough to actually sell the emotional depth that needed to accompany this material. I think he took away from the experience - not that he was bad, he wasn't, the book just would have been better served with a different reader. I feel a little cheated and that I should have enjoyed the book more.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Nova
  • 2021-04-28

Great story

Wow!!
Iggy Toma is OUTSTANDING!!
He's becoming my Favorite MM narrator.
Great story of coming out.
so many feels, I stayed up all night listening.
Really didn't want it to end.
HEA, thank goodness.
The Football player and the Congressman 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
It's just SO worth the credit and your time to listen....

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Cranky Reader
  • 2021-08-19

Epic effort, a pleasant story to spend hours listening to

I’m not usually a fan of slow burn romance but the pace and escalation of The Endgame was spot on. Just enough to move forward without stagnating, while being realistically slow for a coming out as a pro story, evolving over months.

I was a little thrown by the motorcycle scenes because I understood that most pro athletes’ contracts forbid motorcycles, but that’s a minor quibble. The rest of the elements arced and came together really well. And while it would be nice not to need press conferences for athletes coming out, this went over well enough to be a joyful story. The secondary characters really step up, so the emotional trauma is as minimized as it can be.

Steam: Hot. Slow burn doesn’t mean no contact. Anson & Weston take things slowly, but readers get to see every step, detailed on page, often. It’s delicious. A nice balance of private and public scenes, with no closed doors.

Narration: It’s Iggy Toma, who is excellent for a tremendous 45+ chapters.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • songbird
  • 2021-05-12

Narration perfection 💕💕💕

So happy to hear Iggy Toma again and with one of the best mm authors out there. RH rights a story you just want to be in. The characters are believable as are their situations. Anson is so far in the closet I worried he wasn’t coming out! His struggle is difficult especially with a football career. I loved how patient the senator was with him. Don’t miss this great story and narration!!!

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • J. A. D.
  • 2021-05-16

wow!

What a memorable and moving love story! The character development was outstanding, the storyline original and compelling. The depth of compassion and understanding of what its like to.live in this world being gay and the courage it takes to come out was told with such clarity and empathy that at times it was breathtaking. Iggy Toma is the gold standard for narration. if he is available why would anyone choose another. He is perfection! I am now looking for books with his narration first. if he's the narrator I'll always choose his books first. I have listened to others that I couldn't finish because the narration was too dramatic and over the top. Iggy brings depth of emotion. passion, and can handle as many characters as there are in the story. This story will live in my heart for a long time. I binged this book and literally had to dig out my.earbuds so I could carry the 'book' everywhere I went. Thank you Riley Hart and thank you Iggy Toma! I wish you both continued success and accolades and a long thriving career!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • R.Mugaas
  • 2021-05-14

Strength, passion and love, this book has it all!

You take a heartbreaking journey with two men who start believing they are worthy and deserving of love no matter what it costs them. You can feel their pain, it makes you want to take on the world.

Perfect performance.

Why can’t they make movies like this?

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • BK
  • 2021-05-08

AMAZING!!!!

Incredible story- best I’ve read since Ella James’ Adore series. Iggy Toma is by LEAGUES my favorite narrator. His voice is incredible and his style makes even sub-par books enjoyable. 5+ stars!!

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • James
  • 2021-05-23

Anxious and Tedious

The treatment of the subject matter was anxious about embracing oneself, out of the closet and took up far too many pages to reach the end and thus tedious. About half way through the book, all I could think about was “get a life” or “have some pride”. Once I stopped caring about rich and influential characters having their crisis of identity the book became a slog.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Suzy Green
  • 2021-11-15

Loved Anson and West

I loved everything about this story! The only thing is that I wish there was a dual narration. I love Iggy Toma but there was no difference in the voices of the characters.

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