HIDDEN PLAYS (Desert Football #1) by Christie Gordon | Release Blitz
September 16, 2025
HIDDEN PLAYS
Desert Football #1
by Christie Gordon
Release Blitz
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Genre: M/M Sports Romance Standalone
Tropes: Rivals to lovers, bi-awakening, first time with a man, driven athlete, fallen golden boy, secret relationship, fake dating, hurt/comfort, bedroom toys, some angst
Synopsis
Sharing a locker room with my high school rival is bad enough. Pretending to date him? A terrible idea. Trying not to fall for him? Hopeless.
JJ
Football is everything—my escape, my future, my one shot to prove I’m not my father’s disappointment.
Then Holden Cox appears. The golden boy who stole my MVP and made me doubt myself.
Now he’s my student trainer, living under my skin, touching me like he owns me.
And to prove a point, I challenge him to fake-date me.
It’s the only way my friends will shut up about my last boyfriend.
One lie. One kiss. One mistake waiting to happen.
Holden
I’m in college to rebuild my future in football, not to be tangled with JJ Matthews.
I told myself I’d never fall for him. I’m not even sure I like guys.
But JJ is different. Always has been.
Now I’m faking kisses that feel too real and wanting things I don’t know how to name.
Keeping this secret could save us both or break me in ways my busted knee never did.
Hidden Plays is a college football romance featuring rivals who can’t keep their hands off each other, a fake boyfriend scheme that feels all too real, a bisexual awakening that changes everything, and found-family teammates cheering for their happily ever after.
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Purchase Link
Giveaway
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About the Author
Christie Gordon is the author of steamy, heartfelt gay romance novels that explore the emotional journey of men discovering themselves and finding love. It all started when she stumbled upon MM fanfiction by accident—and let's just say, it was love at first read. Inspired by the genre's mix of passion and complexity, Christie transitioned from reading about men in love to writing her own stories. After taking fiction writing classes at a local community college, she published her first MM romance novel in 2009 with a small press, and she’s never looked back.
When she’s not writing, Christie watches boys-love dramas, creates digital art, or is serenaded by her snoring one-eyed rescue pug. A graduate of both Electrical Engineering (BS) and Business Administration (MBA), she spends her "day job" navigating the high-tech world, but her heart belongs to the characters who live in her books. Christie currently resides in the Phoenix metro area, though she’s also lived in California’s Bay Area and Minnesota (which probably explains her deep love of pumpkin spiced latte coffees and hockey).
She’s also the proud mother of two young-adult sons who provide plenty of material for stories—usually in the form of chaotic shenanigans. But no matter what, Christie’s always up for a new adventure, whether it's on the page or in the real world.
Connect with Christie
Website: https://www.christiegordon.com
Newsletter: https://geni.us/BIxVAC2
Facebook Author Page: https://geni.us/3ExOBd
Facebook Reader Group: https://geni.us/btRmW
Goodreads Author Page: https://geni.us/PrH7
Instagram: https://geni.us/06V6tHd
TikTok: https://geni.us/LupXa
Bluesky: https://geni.us/RoCO
Pinterest: https://geni.us/hBxqtKC
Amazon Author Page: https://geni.us/kMCIsf
Bookbub Author Page:
https://geni.us/IMsP
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