Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy is a homoerotic contemporary romance.

In Australia, during mid-February it is the time of year when AFL Football, soccer in the USA, reigns supreme. The Australians take their football very seriously. Many choose the teams they will support for life. Simon Murray has been a devote follower of the Richmond team in spite of their dismal failure in their games. Simon’s best friend Roger follows a different team, but in spite of this they have remained friends, even after Simon told Roger that he was gay. That particular problem took a little bit of healthy persuasion from Roger’s wife Fran, but things are great. Now, Roger spends his time trying to set Simon up with dates, but he doesn’t show any interest until the night when Roger and Fran forced Simon to go with them to a party. Simon gets into a healthy conversation supporting a player Declan Tyler, but he doesn’t know that Declan is listening in. Simon left quickly trying to avoid Declan after one of his not so positive comments, but to his surprise Declan followed him. What does a football superstar and an artsy nobody have in common, just a compelling attraction that hits Simon and Declan from the very start. Their other major problem is while Simon is upfront about his sexuality, Declan is very much in the closet. Come on, how would the public view a gay football player. This gives you the basis for the crazy, mixed up and difficult times ahead that Declan and Simon in store for them as they begin to explore their growing feelings for each other.

Mr. Kennedy has written a delightfully intricate story portraying the difficulties that would face a gay couple dealing with the present day media in the sports world. Imagine the stress of just having a new relationship and adding the media who are rabid for an intimate details of a famous footballer’s life who is involved with another man and you get how crazy Simon and Declan’s life became. Between Simon’s faithful, crazy friends and Declan’s media hounds this fast paced story never stopped. The love between Declan and Simon was never in question if the world would just leave them alone. I was astounded at how Declan’s bosses first approached the issue, but when they tried to make Simon the scapegoat I was so not impressed with them anymore. The up and downs in Simon and Declan’s rollercoaster relationship ensnares the reader from the very start. Simon’s artsy, unique personality pulled at my heart strings from the start. This is Mr. Kennedy’s first book and hopefully not his last. Thanks go to Mr. Kennedy for an incredible story.

Reviewed by: Teresa