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toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Terminal illness and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Suicide, and Outing
levilore_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In particular, the exploration of sexuality really stuck out to me, because many books have a confident gay character and another character who realizes he is bi due to the gay character. This was reversed and I thought that was awesome.
I do wish there was a bit more of an ending after all that build up which is the only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars.
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Biphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Outing, and Deportation
tragicgloom's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide, Dementia, and Alcohol
kharlan3's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Suicide, Terminal illness, Dementia, Outing, and Alcohol
cluckieduck's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
After reading the two books, I find her writing definitely tilts smut > story, but Shane & Ilya hooked me in right from the prologue. The fact that this book spans YEARS is absolutely captivating (unlike the 1/2 season of instalove we got with Scott & Kip - not that their story wasn't cute!), and getting to see Shane & Ilya's growing "rivaly" from their first foray in Juniors through their current NHL career was a really smart narrative. It really sells the uneasy infatuation they have with each other and we get to peel back the onion alongside both of them as they grow more and more in love with one another.
While it is a standalone, I liked how it tied into Game Changer with the little tidbits that popped up, like the playoffs, awards night, and Book 1 spoiler
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent
blackheartbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Well, what's not to love? I immediately need more of the asshole & the golden child trope. You know I love me some stickball gays. And quite frankly, I don't even know what to do with myself while I wait for the sequel to come out in April.
This book is god tier level for books about pining. If that's your thing, believe me, your heart will be hurting in the best way before you can even say Stanley Cup. I like the dimensions of this novel as well, how it's told mostly through flashbacks leading abruptly to the present, how Shane and Ilya give themselves over to each other one reluctant piece at a time, how the eight-year relationship shapes their lives over the course of their exciting careers playing for rival teams. The emotional depth in this book is precisely what I look for with my sports gays, and possibly it's right up there with the resonance of the third book in the AFTG trilogy that is so beloved to me.
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Violence
sarahsthoughtsonbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I just love Ilya and Shane's enemies to lovers story so much. They spend so much time physically apart both because of secret relationship, and as hockey players on opposing teams, they are there for each other as much as possible. Be it by text, phone call, video calls, and those rare times that they can physically be in the same place.
There is so much caretaking in this book. It really comes through when Ilya offers to make Shane a quick meal after one of their interludes. Shane notices that without being asked, Ilya got Shane a ginger ale, while he got himself a Coke. This scene just gave me all warm and cozy.
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Dementia, Death of parent, and Alcohol