Southern Scrimmage Series by Mercy Celeste

Take one NFL tight end, and one Marine, add one week and watch the sparks fly.Bowen Murphy craved two things, football and Dylan. After high school he had football but he lost Dylan.Dylan Sunday walked a different path, one laid down before him by his father and his grandfather. Losing Bo one day after discovering they shared more than football wasn’t part of the bargain. Six years of missed connections and finally Dylan is able to come home to the man he left behind... moreTake one NFL tight end, and one Marine, add one week and watch the sparks fly.Bowen Murphy craved two things, football and Dylan. After high school he had football but he lost Dylan.Dylan Sunday walked a different path, one laid down before him by his father and his grandfather. Losing Bo one day after discovering they shared more than football wasn’t part of the bargain. Six years of missed connections and finally Dylan is able to come home to the man he left behind. The spectacle of the biggest game in the NFL is only the beginning of one sizzling week. After that time and fate would decide if Bo and Dylan would walk the same path, or if one of them would make the ultimate sacrifice.Warning: bittersweet tale of two hot men, making up for six years of separation. May not be suitable for sensitive readers. Contains scenes of male/male sexual practices. less

My, how the mighty falls. After leading his team to two Super Bowl wins, being cut leaves quarterback Levi Brody reeling. Betrayed, scared, and picking up the pieces from a failed love affair, he abandons New Orleans for the speck-on-the-map Alabama town he left behind. He wants nothing more than to hide out and lick his wounds, but an interfering brother thrusts him back into sports—coaching high school football... moreMy, how the mighty falls. After leading his team to two Super Bowl wins, being cut leaves quarterback Levi Brody reeling. Betrayed, scared, and picking up the pieces from a failed love affair, he abandons New Orleans for the speck-on-the-map Alabama town he left behind. He wants nothing more than to hide out and lick his wounds, but an interfering brother thrusts him back into sports—coaching high school football. Where once he’d ruled the field as star player, now he’s taking orders from a very young, very attractive head coach. A coach with a deep-rooted hatred for all things Levi Brody. Head coach of the newly formed East County High, Tracy Wright has his work cut out for him. Forming three former rival teams into one working unit is all that he can handle. The last thing he needs is an interfering golden boy. He has no use for Levi Brody, until discovering how much Levi has to offer both the team and Tracy. Small town jealousy plus big city secrets converge, and just might leave both men Sidelined. Book 2 in The Southern Scrimmage Series. Should be read after Six Ways from Sunday less

Judah Brody meets William Slater and it's loathe at first sight. Jude had spent his whole life in his famous brother’s shadow. Returning to New Orleans seemed like a good idea now that Levi was back home. But Jude couldn’t turn around without something of Levi’s getting in his way. In this case it’s Levi’s best friend, a three hundred pound knuckle-dragger named Slayer, who likes strippers, football, porn and making Jude’s life miserable—not necessarily in that order... moreJudah Brody meets William Slater and it's loathe at first sight. Jude had spent his whole life in his famous brother’s shadow. Returning to New Orleans seemed like a good idea now that Levi was back home. But Jude couldn’t turn around without something of Levi’s getting in his way. In this case it’s Levi’s best friend, a three hundred pound knuckle-dragger named Slayer, who likes strippers, football, porn and making Jude’s life miserable—not necessarily in that order. William Slater’s season couldn’t get much worse. He lost his house to fire, his contract was set to expire, and his prospects of getting picked up by another team were slim to none. House sitting for his best friend was the only bright spot in an otherwise bleak New Orleans winter. Until Levi’s stuck up nerd of a brother came to stay. A freak winter snow storm, deep familial secrets, and a whole lot of male/male bonding wasn't exactly in the game plan. But bragging rights were on the line and there wasn’t an offside chance in hell of this game going into overtime. less

A Southern Scrimmage BiographyAll heroes need an origins story. From trailer park to the Super Dome.Everybody’s All-American quarterback by day.Infamous exotic dancer by night. Levi Brody is one of the undisputed greats of the game. With two Super Bowl rings, one MVP, three Pro-Bowl appearances, three National Championships, three SEC Championships and four State High School championships Levi has indeed left his mark on the sport, but it’s all a load of crap... moreA Southern Scrimmage BiographyAll heroes need an origins story. From trailer park to the Super Dome.Everybody’s All-American quarterback by day.Infamous exotic dancer by night. Levi Brody is one of the undisputed greats of the game. With two Super Bowl rings, one MVP, three Pro-Bowl appearances, three National Championships, three SEC Championships and four State High School championships Levi has indeed left his mark on the sport, but it’s all a load of crap.This is my origin story and like all good origin stories, this one lies somewhere-Between the helmet and the tiara.The story of the rise and fall of the first fictional gay quarterback in the NFL. Author’s Note: I introduced Levi Brody in the second Southern Scrimmage book Sidelined and continued his story through his brother’s eyes in Offside Chance. While this book is officially the fourth book in the Southern Scrimmage Series it does not continue the story. Bootleg Diva is a biographical look at Levi’s life through to the end of Offside Chance. less

The truth has a strange way of coming out.With the upcoming unauthorized release of his memoir Bootleg Diva: Confessions of a Quarterback Princess, Levy Brody has a lot of explaining to do.Names were changed to protect the innocent. But his memoir didn't cover all of his sins. In the end, some will come back to blindside him.Come Monday is one of those sins.In a moment of weakness, Levy Brody succumbs to his ultimate teenage fantasy... moreThe truth has a strange way of coming out.With the upcoming unauthorized release of his memoir Bootleg Diva: Confessions of a Quarterback Princess, Levy Brody has a lot of explaining to do.Names were changed to protect the innocent. But his memoir didn't cover all of his sins. In the end, some will come back to blindside him.Come Monday is one of those sins.In a moment of weakness, Levy Brody succumbs to his ultimate teenage fantasy. A one-night stand with a coach, that will become his first long-term relationship.Well aware that the scandal will rock not only his professional life but Matt McCord's as well, they keep their relationship a secret. Until tragedy strikes.Come Monday is not a romance. There will be no happily ever after. The situations in this book may be triggering: Violence, extreme sex, and death.Please read after Bootleg Diva: Confessions of a Quarterback Princess by Levi Brody less

Previously published as Last Man StandingThere’s no dating in football.After living his entire football career in Levi Brody’s shadow, Damien Sullivan is set to take the NFL by storm.Angry at the world, he lands in New Orleans with a chip on his shoulder and a need for some action. He wants nothing more than to experience life to the hilt, but a controlling parent and a set of rigid fraternization rules seek to slow Sully’s roll... morePreviously published as Last Man StandingThere’s no dating in football.After living his entire football career in Levi Brody’s shadow, Damien Sullivan is set to take the NFL by storm.Angry at the world, he lands in New Orleans with a chip on his shoulder and a need for some action. He wants nothing more than to experience life to the hilt, but a controlling parent and a set of rigid fraternization rules seek to slow Sully’s roll.Starting quarterback for the disgraced New Orleans team, Raphael Acosta has his work cut out for him. His team doesn’t respect him, his coaches barely know his name and now there’s this hotshot kid lauded as the second coming of the great Levi Brody. The last thing Raf needs is an insufferable rival for his position.After a chance, anonymous hookup before camp leads to tension on and off the field, can Sully and Raf survive new rules and old prejudices to have a shot at happiness? Or will their egos tear them apart and leave them both standing on the sidelines?Book Five in the Southern Scrimmage Series. Should be read in order. less

Mind the gap. Any Given Sunday is the story that takes place in the gaps of Six Ways from Sunday. Six Ways from Sunday was NEVER supposed to be part of a series. Six Ways from Sunday was written in five days and was supposed to be a standalone short story. As the Scrimmage series evolved and the story grew I realized that I needed to know Bo and Dylan’s whole backstory. Any Given Sunday started out as Sunday Schooled... moreMind the gap. Any Given Sunday is the story that takes place in the gaps of Six Ways from Sunday. Six Ways from Sunday was NEVER supposed to be part of a series. Six Ways from Sunday was written in five days and was supposed to be a standalone short story. As the Scrimmage series evolved and the story grew I realized that I needed to know Bo and Dylan’s whole backstory. Any Given Sunday started out as Sunday Schooled. It retells Bo and Dylan’s story from the day they met until the ending of Six Ways from Sunday. Including the flashback scenes from Sidelined and certain aspects of Bootleg Diva from Bo’s POV. Any Given Sunday explores the time gaps in Six Ways from Sunday, in greater detail. Any Given Sunday is a companion to the Scrimmage Series and can be read in any order. Any Given Sunday is an original story, the scenes from Six Ways from Sunday are not repeated in this companion edition. Certain details and characters from this expanded story will return in Blindsided. Warning: Readers sensitive to the perceived cheating in the original two books should avoid. 68,000 words less