Cost of Redemption (The Saints of Westmont U Book 2) by Hayden Hall

A broken friendship and the return of the man that tempts Elio a closeted hockey player. Jaxon wants Elio to accept that he is attracted to Jaxon, but he has to brace himself for the likelihood that Elio will never be able to give Jaxon the love he deserves.


From the Cost of Redemption blurb:

He was my forbidden craving. My biggest regret. And now, he’s my only weakness.

Elio

Some mistakes you bury. Others crawl under your skin and never let go.

Jaxon Mercer was supposed to be my past. The stolen kiss. The fist that followed. The silence after.

But now? He’s here—cocky, dangerous, and looking at me like he already knows how this ends.

I should shut him out. I should forget the way he used to make me feel.

But when he’s this close, breathing is hard enough, let alone thinking straight.

Enemies. Ex-best friends. Rivals. Obsessions.

I don’t know what we are anymore.

But I know I want him.

Jaxon

He’s scared to want me. I want him desperate.

Elio Castelli pretends he has it all under control.

I know the desperate way he kissed me two years ago. I know the fear in his eyes when he shoved me away.

And now that I’m standing in front of him again, I know one thing for sure—he’s still mine, whether he admits it or not.

I’m done playing it safe. I’m done waiting.

I’ll have him.

Even if I have to break him first.

Cost of Redemption is the second novel in The Saints of Westmont U series. It is a largely standalone novel, but some threads continue from Edge of Temptation. Reading in order is not mandatory, but will enhance your enjoyment of the series. This is a college hockey romance depicting sexual awakening, toxic love, animosity, and has a guaranteed HEA. Content warnings are located inside the book.


SNik's review:

Second in series (The Saints of Westmont U), can be read as a standalone but might be better if read in order. Former best friends. Second chance. Dual POV. Heed content warnings. 

Jaxon took a chance on his best friend and it was a disaster, 2 years later and he’s transferred to play football at the same college as Elio attends and he has had enough experience with closeted jocks to last a lifetime. Hockey and school are the only things Elio focuses on, certainly not how he felt when he kissed Jaxon or how his secrets have led to him letting down his friends and teammates. 

I liked how Jaxon crashes back into Elio’s life which makes Elio examine his personal life and make decisions on how he wants to live moving forward. There is a good sense of how close Elio and Jaxon were before, although when they agree to start up a more intimate relationship I do wish Elio was in a more open place because I felt Jaxon didn’t deserve the secrecy. Both characters were relatable in their decisions and interactions, and luckily the strength of Jaxon’s love remained until Elio could let his true self emerge.

Heather's Review:

Centering around a young man whose internal homophobia is strong and problematic, and the best friend who has loved him forever... reconnecting after two years apart and another incident that causes Elio to lose a close friend due to his actions, this book gives us the chance to see Elio's struggles and also his emerging love for Jaxon.    The layers of tension were palpable and relatable and it was a great read as we watched both men emerge stronger together...  


Cost of Redemption is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription