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modags's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ailishparsonageee's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a sweet sweet book!!! The ending had me kicking my feet!!! 🥰🖤 such a fast read but so worth it. It was quick because I NEEDED to know what happened next & could never put the book down.
I adore stories where the character doesn’t have to have this big “coming out” I LOVE when it’s just like “hey, I’m gay & we are dating” & everyone is like “I know” 🥰 its exactly how it should be, imo.
Casey is the perfect golden retriever boyfriend & I love seeing him break through Landon’s mysterious side!!!!
I can tell that this will be a book I re-read & recommended to others!!!!!
The only reason I didn’t rate this 5 stars is because I wish there was just a BIT MORE of something. I don’t know what, but something!
I adore stories where the character doesn’t have to have this big “coming out” I LOVE when it’s just like “hey, I’m gay & we are dating” & everyone is like “I know” 🥰 its exactly how it should be, imo.
Casey is the perfect golden retriever boyfriend & I love seeing him break through Landon’s mysterious side!!!!
I can tell that this will be a book I re-read & recommended to others!!!!!
The only reason I didn’t rate this 5 stars is because I wish there was just a BIT MORE of something. I don’t know what, but something!
dnndavie's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
saber77's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sara11_reads's review against another edition
5.0
This was excellent. I loved both characters and how they worked together. Casey definitely has golden retriever energy.
discoanddessert's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
winemakerssister's review
3.0
3.5 stars
This was light on plot but I didn't really mind because the MCs were so adorable. And I admire the author's portrayal of Casey - he could've been annoying but the way he was written, he was a Golden Retriever puppy. And everyone loves them.
Terrific narration as well.
This was light on plot but I didn't really mind because the MCs were so adorable. And I admire the author's portrayal of Casey - he could've been annoying but the way he was written, he was a Golden Retriever puppy. And everyone loves them.
Terrific narration as well.
crex's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this book so much and I’m glad I gave this a chance.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
indiekay's review against another edition
5.0
Holiday Romance Readathon 2023: 17
This is my second time reading this book - the first time I did ebook, this time I did audiobook while also annotating my paperback. So I've got all 3 formats of this book lmao. I do think I enjoyed the ebook more than the audiobook, but still loved this just as much on the second go.
Original review:
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think I just found a new favourite book?! Like holy shit, did I love this. I've read all of Rachel Reid's Game Changer books, and while I enjoyed every one of them, this one completely blew me out of the water, I loved it so much. And as grateful as I am to have gotten the chance to get an advanced copy of it, I'm devastated I can't go out and buy a physical copy so I can annotate the shit out it. I highlighted SO many bits of my Kindle version.
SO! This is a holiday AND a sports romance, but I don't think you need to save this book for your December TBR to read around Christmas because the Christmas stuff is probably only about 30% of the story. Read this all year round!! (That said, I'll probably be rereading or listening to the audiobook of this in December as part of my yearly holiday readathon, because I can't help myself.) Hockey is a BIG part of this, so if you like your sports romance to actually have a lot of sports happening, this is a great one. I can't think of a lot of other hockey romances I've read where the main character is a goalie, so it's really fun reading the sports scenes from Landon's perspective.
Landon and Casey have a fantastic character dynamic that I'm a huge fan of - I love small loud popular character x tall quiet shy character romances. I also love the dynamic of a character that is very sex positive and has a lot of sex with a lot of people versus someone who is more untrusting when it comes to sex and hasn't had it often or at all, and this book gave me that. They never actually use the term asexual for Landon but I'm putting this book in my asexual shelf because Landon, to me, reads as being on the ace spectrum, and I really loved the way his and Casey's relationship slowly developed. Lord, give me more books about touch-adverse characters slowly learning to CRAVE the touch of a specific person they feel connected to in a way they've never felt with anyone else before.
This book has representation to 3 things I REALLY liked: adults that are scared of the dark (Casey), adults that haven't had sex but don't make getting laid a huge part of their personality (Landon), and side representation!! It's SO rare to fine m/m romances where one of the characters isn't a top or a bottom or a verse, but is in fact a side (a mwlm who doesn't participate in anal at all), and I loooved seeing that here. And while there's no anal sex in this story there is still quite a lot of really hot and sweet sex scenes in the second half of the book.
I cannot express just how much I adored both Casey and Landon. They had such a lovely strangers to friends to lovers story going on, and the humour!! I laughed out loud so many times during this book, they had some really great banter between the two of them. There was also the perfect amount of pining and angsting over each other for me as well.
This is my second time reading this book - the first time I did ebook, this time I did audiobook while also annotating my paperback. So I've got all 3 formats of this book lmao. I do think I enjoyed the ebook more than the audiobook, but still loved this just as much on the second go.
Original review:
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think I just found a new favourite book?! Like holy shit, did I love this. I've read all of Rachel Reid's Game Changer books, and while I enjoyed every one of them, this one completely blew me out of the water, I loved it so much. And as grateful as I am to have gotten the chance to get an advanced copy of it, I'm devastated I can't go out and buy a physical copy so I can annotate the shit out it. I highlighted SO many bits of my Kindle version.
SO! This is a holiday AND a sports romance, but I don't think you need to save this book for your December TBR to read around Christmas because the Christmas stuff is probably only about 30% of the story. Read this all year round!! (That said, I'll probably be rereading or listening to the audiobook of this in December as part of my yearly holiday readathon, because I can't help myself.) Hockey is a BIG part of this, so if you like your sports romance to actually have a lot of sports happening, this is a great one. I can't think of a lot of other hockey romances I've read where the main character is a goalie, so it's really fun reading the sports scenes from Landon's perspective.
Landon and Casey have a fantastic character dynamic that I'm a huge fan of - I love small loud popular character x tall quiet shy character romances. I also love the dynamic of a character that is very sex positive and has a lot of sex with a lot of people versus someone who is more untrusting when it comes to sex and hasn't had it often or at all, and this book gave me that. They never actually use the term asexual for Landon but I'm putting this book in my asexual shelf because Landon, to me, reads as being on the ace spectrum, and I really loved the way his and Casey's relationship slowly developed. Lord, give me more books about touch-adverse characters slowly learning to CRAVE the touch of a specific person they feel connected to in a way they've never felt with anyone else before.
This book has representation to 3 things I REALLY liked: adults that are scared of the dark (Casey), adults that haven't had sex but don't make getting laid a huge part of their personality (Landon), and side representation!! It's SO rare to fine m/m romances where one of the characters isn't a top or a bottom or a verse, but is in fact a side (a mwlm who doesn't participate in anal at all), and I loooved seeing that here. And while there's no anal sex in this story there is still quite a lot of really hot and sweet sex scenes in the second half of the book.
I cannot express just how much I adored both Casey and Landon. They had such a lovely strangers to friends to lovers story going on, and the humour!! I laughed out loud so many times during this book, they had some really great banter between the two of them. There was also the perfect amount of pining and angsting over each other for me as well.
kmkasiner's review against another edition
3.0
This wintry romance follows two hocky players, Landon and Casey, after Landon gets called up to join Casey's hockey team as a substitute. It was sweet and entertaining enough, but really didn't live up to the Game Changers series for me. The main characters just felt like bros who slept together (I couldn't get over the use of the term "buddy" in the bedroom...). also, I get Landon "doesn't like labels" but I read him as demi and I wish it had been explored a little bit more.