Mouthful (Gladiators of the Gridiron #1)

Voluptuous high school senior Faith Lucerna is publicly humiliated when a football player she thought really liked her posts an intimate picture of her with the caption Fellatio Faith. Taken in combination with her body image issues, which have been fostered by her mother, a size zero advice columnist for Teen Beauty magazine, her internet humiliation leaves her determined to hide her curvaceous body beneath oversized hoodies and stay away from guys.

Football tight end Caleb St. John adores his father, but his hero worship is shattered the summer before he starts college when he and his mother walk in on his girlfriend performing fellatio on his dad. He breaks up with the girl and his mother files for divorce.

If two people with complementary issues were ever on a collision course, its these two. Caleb is smitten the first time he sets eyes on Faith, but shes determined never to trust a guy againespecially not a football player.

This book has a solid story line and wonderful, relatable characters, but what really makes it is the killer dialogue. Faith and Calvin banter like theyre in a Tracy/Hepburn script.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book in return for an honest review, but I bought a copy, too, so I’d have it around to re-read (which I rarely do. It’s that good.) Its a winner!

I loved it! I started reading it last night and couldnt put it down. Im groggy at work, but still blissed out on Faith and Calebs story. Other reviews can give you the synopsis. Ill just say that I felt for Faith right from the beginning. The opening hurt and I NEEDED her to find her happy ending. Caleb also starts the book with a pretty big kick in the gut. I ached for them to find each other and to open up just enough to let the other one in. I dont want to spoil it for anyone, but it was charming, and funny, heart-wrenching and sexy. All. The. Feels. And I hope, hope, hope that more books are coming, because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters! <3

Mouthful is a well-written story delivering a meaningful message about the heroines struggles with body image. It was encouraging to see Faith learn to deal with her anxiety and issues, overcome her past, and find friends, as well as a guy who was interested in more than her body. Loved that the hero and other males helped her to see herself through non-critical eyes and recognize her strengths and grow and change as she supports others. Positive message of friendship and acceptance.

Grissom has penned memorable, complex characters in Faith and Caleb. She deftly tackles some of the thorniest issues facing young adults — the ages-old body image/self-esteem issues combined with cyber-bullying and adjustment to college life. Faith’s journey to appreciating her strengths, especially as illuminated by her sweet new boyfriend, is uplifting and inspiring. Look forward to more of Grissom’s novels!

Wow! Mouthful gripped me from the start and kept delivering. The cast of characters had excellent layers that played beautifully off of each other. Teens growing up today have some of the same issues as teens before them, but they have new issues too. I loved how Grissom wove the old and new issues of being a young adult together.

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