Most Valuable Player by A.M. Woody | Audiobook Review

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The cocky star QB and the team's sarcastic water boy. What could go wrong? A sports romance with humor and heart from the author of They Hate Each Other

Cameron Morelli is hot sh*t. Worse, he knows it. With a godlike physique and a position as his varsity football team’s star quarterback, there’s nobody he can’t charm. So one might imagine his mortification when he’s rejected by Mason Gray, the team’s snarky water boy. To make matters worse, this disgrace is followed by Cam’s coach benching him until he can get his grades up. Luckily, a reliable tutor steps forward to help Cam reclaim his dignity—the boy who just humiliated him.

For Mason, tutoring an airheaded jock is nothing but a distraction from a past he can’t escape. What he doesn’t expect is to find something worthwhile in their conversations—something softening in the ice between them. Nor does Cam expect that Mason’s calm smile hides a harrowing story. As they slowly nudge through each other’s steel gates, the dangerous realities beyond high school threaten their deepening bond.

But really, it’s about football.

Why Did I Listen To Most Valuable Player by A.M. Woody?

Most Valuable Player by A.M. Woody appealed to me for a variety of reasons — first the cover was giving fall vibes. Second, I quite enjoy young adult books about sports. Third, I thought the relationship and subject matter sounded like this would be a book that would have some depth and emotion to it. Frankly, my assumptions were correct. I am so glad I picked Most Valuable Player up to listen to. 

What’s The Story Here?

Most Valuable Player is a dual POV story following Cameron Morelli and Mason Gray. Cameron is a star football player – no one turns him down. He’s popular and very, very good at football. So, when he asks out the team’s water boy, Mason Gray, he expects a yes. Only, Mason turns him down. Cameron is like cool, onto the next one. However, things don’t end there. You see, Cameron isn’t doing so great at school and so, he has to ride the bench until his grades improve. Enter, Mason, who is asked to tutor Cameron. Now the two are in proximity and spending a lot more time together. As it turns out, they may have more in common than they realized. The chemistry cannot be denied. As the two get to know each other, we get to learn more about their pasts which, unfortunately, are not happy. 

How Did I Like Most Valuable Player?

I really wasn’t quite prepared for the serious turns this book would take or how emotionally invested I was going to be. Mason unfortunately has a hard life – where he had this babysitter who groomed him from a younger age AND oh this is so infuriating but his parents encouraged it — more so — his mother. Reading this as a mom of boys, I was so mad that Mason’s mom was not protecting her son. Then his dad is like a bump on a log, useless. As for Cameron, he’s newer to town because of bullying he experienced in his old town. Cameron’s parents, by the way, are wonderful. I loved them. I also loved how his parents treated Mason. I liked how things developed between Cameron and Mason — that slow build of trust. I also liked that this book tackled serious topics with care.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook of Most Valuable Player is a wonderful listen. It has two narrators — Briggon Snow and Michael Crouch. I absolutely love Michael Crouch’s narration style — so I was excited that he was attached to this audiobook. Crouch narrates Mason’s POV chapters. Snow narrates Cameron’s POV chapters. Both do a superb job embodying their assigned characters. This audiobook is compelling and the narrators do justice to the gravity of some of the themes. 

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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