REVIEW: Cross My Heart – Darcy Archer

When a tackle stopped NFL superstar Tyler Fantana’s heart, millions of fans watched their MVP die on camera. Now America’s Tightest End has headed home to put his broken pieces back together. Tyler knows returning to football could kill him, so keeping his rehab on track seems impossible—until he starts training with a familiar guy-next-door who knocks his jock off.

Josh Ayres has harbored a secret crush on Tyler since high school. Fifteen years later, Josh has blossomed from a quiet nerd into bona fide beefcake, coaching the team for his alma mater. Helping Tyler get back in the game might become the second chance he never expected… if he can work up the courage to confess his feelings to the bad boy he never stopped loving.

Sparks fly as Tyler and Josh join forces to save the school library, battling book bans, malicious gossip, and media pressure. What happens if infatuation turns into something that feels like forever? And when the NFL offers Tyler the chance to reclaim his fame, can he choose between a deadly game and the man who finally taught him that hearts can heal?

Reviewed by Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

Tyler Fontana is an NFL superstar who had a heart attack on the field in full view of millions of people at the stadium and on live TV. Now he has returned home for treatment and is living with his sister Nadia. While the doctor keeps telling Tyler he needs to exercise and eat healthy in addition to seeing a therapist he just lacks motivation.

Football was what Tyler lived for, it was what helped him support his mother and sister when his drunken, abusive father left them. With his sister’s help he finally decided to take the doctor’s advice but finding a gym would be difficult. There was no way he would be able to work out while people would be crowding around him. It was Nadia who came up with the perfect solution to see if he could get access to the high school gym working after hours or when the gym was not being used.

Since he was the town hero permission was granted to him and he began by running on the track before the school opened for students. While running he saw another man on the track a man that caught his attention and a man, he thought he knew. Thinking about it he immediately put a name to the face, Josh Ayres, a boy from high school, skinny and a nerd but now a hunk.

Josh Ayres saw Tyler but didn’t crowd him. He was the one person he had a crush on in high school, the person he stalked in quiet and the one person he still couldn’t get over. He had no doubt that Tyler would not know who he was but was surprised when on one of their runs Tyler called him by name. It seems Tyler always wanted to meet Josh, but he had to stay as deep in the closet as possible to ensure he would have a football career.

Tyler and Josh spend time together as friends both wanting more but neither willing to voice it. Josh knows that Tyler will do anything to return to football and he would find himself alone. Tyler is afraid that Josh would not be interested in him, and he also is hesitant to voice his feelings. Only Tyler can’t hide it from Nadia.

Tyler is under constant scrutiny from the press and a simple dinner out would attract fans, so his life was like a fishbowl. Tyler finally decides to reveal his feelings to Josh, and they can finally begin a relationship. No idea what the future holds but they are both willing to enjoy whatever time they have.

It was no surprise to realize that the powers that be in charge of Tyler’s career want him back and are willing to overlook the fact that returning would be too soon. While with Josh he finds other ways to use his fame by helping the school library in jeopardy of being shut down due to some parents believing their books are nothing short of porn.

While Tyler considers his return and promises Josh, they will still be together reports begin to delve into Josh’s life because of his association with Tyler. So many secrets, surprises, romance and sex and the constant threats by bigoted parents and overzealous reporters made this book very interesting and worthwhile.