Wrestling Demons

Another great book by Mr. Mayne ...
This is focused on the story of Jonah and Casey ... A video of Jonah shows up on the internet and Ethan and Gabriel are called to their town for the investigation.
Discovering the truth and who's behind the posting of the videos.
Through this Jonah and Casey have to endure really difficult moments but also get to view the reality of what they to each other.
The sad thing is small town mentality and not accepting the way people have the right to love whomever they want.
Well done ! Looking forward to the next book of the series.

Veronica Rundell's review Nov 30, 14 · edit
4 of 5 stars
bookshelves: adult, contemporary, male-male, quick-read, romance, steamy, sports-romance
Read in November, 2014
This is the second book in the Brandt and Donnelly Series. I have read both books now, and recommend reading this series in order.
Officers Brandt and Donnelly are an out gay couple who have a knack for undercover assignments and exposing cyber crime. In this mystery, we find them investigating the release of locker room video from a high school wrestling team.
(Step back into reality--this actually happened to my husband's college team back in the day, so I was REALLY intrigued!)
Anywho, the local police are focused on finding the anonymous poster/videographer before the video gets viral, and upsets the training of the championship wrestling team, most notably, Jonah Fischer, the 18 y/o team captain who is the feature of the video.
After initial investigations, the best that can be managed is to get the video removed from the Interwebs. Then a second video surfaces, and later a third--this one features a nude, aroused Jonah--presumably excited by his fellow teammate and BFF, Casey.
Yeah. That's not gonna be traumatic.
Especially not when your homophobic family, church and town disown you--like what happened to Jonah. Good thing Casey's cool. In fact, throughout the story Casey is so incredibly supportive of Jonah, and his fledgling \"coming out\" that it becomes inevitable for Casey and Jonah to move onto a more-than-friends level of experimentation.
This book also features positive examples of gay couples: Brandt and Donnelly and Bryce and Nestor. Brandt and Donnelly go the extra mile to ensure that Jonah is safe, and also that his future isn't compromised. Casey is a super BFF/boyfriend, and Bryce and Nestor are such fun comic relief I wished I had gay pals like them in my life.
Some parts of the end felt a little too convenient, but I forgive a lot in my romance. I really enjoyed the slow build of romance between Casey and Jonah, and how positive Casey was throughout. He has suffered a whole lot in his life, and Jonah helped him at his lowest point, there was no chance he'd leave Jonah in disgrace.
In all it's a solid Gay-For-You contemporary gay romance. Lots of yummy smexytimes and plenty of humor to keep the story from getting too dark.
1 like ·

While not quite what I expected from the follow up to Frat House Troopers, one of my favorite reads last year, I did end up enjoying this one.
Jonah and Casey, 18 year old HS seniors, are the main focus of this book and it wasn't long before I was completely taken in and brought to tears by the devotion and love between the two friends. Jonah's sudden, public outing of not just his sexuality, but his feelings for his best friend throw them both into dangerous territory in their ultra conservative, religious small town. In a town that seems to revolve around church and the wrestling team, a gay star wrestler is permission for all forms of bigotry and hatred to be let loose.
Brandt and Donnelly are investigating the hidden camera videos of Jonah that are being sent around the school and posted on an adult website, but also become personally involved in helping Johah navigate his feelings and the sudden hatred coming from his family and community. If you read the first book, you will have a better feeling for why both Brandt and Donnelly, would become so involved in what was going on. It was good to see that six months after the last book they are still happily together as partners on and off the force and are comfortable with who they are.
Luckily for Jonah and Casey they do have support from Casey's employer Malcom, Casey's very understanding and supportive mother, and the rest of their wrestling team. Even Nestor and Bryce are back helping out in their own special way.
Xavier Mayne's writing always combines humor and emotion in characters that are well fleshed out. I enjoy reading characters that are open to falling in love where they never expected to find it and even when it goes against everything they were raised to be. While I would have loved more private time with Brandt and Donnelly, the last scene between the men leaves me with hope for another story focused on the two.