Hard Count cover art

Hard Count

An MM Tight End and the Governor Bi-Awakening Romance (The San Diego Storm MM Football Series, Book 1)

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Hard Count

By: Emerson Beckett
Narrated by: Michael Dean
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Summary

A feel good, low angst, steamy mm sports romance that will make you smile, laugh, and swoon.

Evan Ellis
Evidently, I’m a rule breaker.
The rule I broke? Falling for the straight man with two kids. Didn’t help that he is the Governor of California.
As the starting tight end for the San Diego Storm, you’d think I had better self-control. But there was no avoiding it when our unlikely friendship blossomed, and he unknowingly started flirting back. It was out of my control.
Yes, I want him. But I’m probably the last complication he needs in his life. I was fine being just friends until the tension between us broke, and our lips found one another.
From that point on, I knew one thing. I wanted him more than my next breath, and I’d take him any way I could get him. Even if it meant we were just friends.

Governor Hudson Gatlin
If anyone were to ask me how to fall in love with the most unlikely human and staring tight end for the Storm, the answer would be simple.
Sling your drink all over him at a black-tie fundraiser. And if he just smiles and sends you flirty texts, then he’s yours.
Problem was, as much as I enjoyed his friendship, I found myself wanting more from him. But he didn’t seem to care. He saw the hot mess who needed a friend. And that’s what I thought we were, until we both wanted so much more.
This is our love story and how he found a missing piece of me I didn’t know I’d lost.

Content Warning: death of a spouse

Hard Count is book one in the San Diego Storm Football Series. Tropes include: age gap, opposites attract, single dad, long distance love affair, finding love after loss.

©2025 Emerson Beckett (P)2026 Emerson Beckett
Contemporary Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Romance Sports Feel-Good Friendship
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Most relevant
Hudson Gatlin is finishing up his 2nd term as Governor of California. He’s widowed, 44 yo, and the single father of Jack (15) and Erin (12), and he can’t believe he spilt a drink over his son’s favourite San Diego Storm pro-football player, Evan Ellis. Evan is 32 yo, openly bisexual, and one of the most talented tight ends in the game. The spilt drink leads to an easy friendship between the two men and Ellis is soon adored by the whole family. Hudson has always considered himself straight, but now he’s wondering how to break the news that he’s in a relationship with a high-profile sportsman. Meanwhile, Jack has something on his mind and Evan may be the only one he feels comfortable sharing it with.

I REALLY liked this age-gap / political / sports romance! The author, Emerson Beckett, states she felt that in 2025, the world needed a feel-good series and she absolutely achieves that. While there are some complex things to negotiate and decide, there’s virtually no angst here and, yet, it’s never bland or boring. The sizzling chemistry between Hudson and Evan certainly helps with that, but so does the lovely connection Evan makes with each of the family. I’ll definitely seek out more in this series and more by this author. 🎧 The deep, gravelly tones of Michael Dean are always welcome; he’s just so great at performing the testosterone-fuelled characters!

An absolutely feel-good sports romance!

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I originally only started listening to Hard Count as it was in the “free” catalog. I did not expect it to become one of my favourites in MM Sports romance. All I can say without ruining it is get the tissues ready towards the end of the book and get ready to feel all the feels throughout.

Unexpectedly amazing

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Wow - this book is perfect!!! I wouldn’t change a thing, Narration was perfect, story was touching and beautiful and length of the book was spot on!!!

This is going on to the re-read section of my TBR!!!

And hang around for the Epilogue - I cried on the train 😭❤️👏🏻

Gonna Need a Higher Rating! 6 Star

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This is a truly a delightful and thoroughly enjoyable book. The story flows seamlessly and is beautifully written. The side characters add an interesting and refreshing dimension to this heartwarming love story of Hudson and Evan 🔥🔥🔥I always enjoy Emerson Beckett’s books and this one is no exception. The narration by Michael Dean is exceptional as always ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved it!

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