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wardenred's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The problem was, Landon always developed crushes on unattainable people because it was safe. That way he never had to deal with the complications of that person liking him back.
This book is billed as “a merry and bright hockey romance,“ but honestly, I feel like at its core it’s a story about loneliness. There are definitely lots of bright and sweet moments here, and the story gets progressively happier as it moves along and the two leads gravitate closer and closer together! The happy ending came as expected and put a huge smile on my face, and there’s definitely an overall positive vibe here. All that loneliness certainly gets successfully overcome, but my, there’s a lot of it.
It’s a really good story about loneliness, though, and the different ways it can manifest. Landon and Casey, the leads, start off as basically polar opposites: Landon has long embraced his loneliness to the point he hardly notices it, just focused on the day-to-day business with a subtle undercurrent of self-loathing and not bothering to make himself easy to talk to. Casey, meanwhile, is constantly aware of his loneliness even as he tries to run from it, and he keeps doing all that bright, cheery stuff to avoid it, whether it’s pestering all his teammates at once to join him for drinks or forcibly inviting the new quiet, standoffish player to share his needlessly huge house for a month. As their different lives and personalities collides, they end up confronting all sorts of truths about themselves, each other, and their pasts, as one does, and eventually building something new and beautiful together.
There were some sections of the story that kind of dragged; the hockey parts probably could have been more exciting, and the side characters probably could stand having 1-2 more personality traits each. But overall, I really, really liked the main pairing and found this to be an interesting story. The snowy, icy, wintry vibes were very welcome in the current heat, too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Alcohol
levilore_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
Once again, Rachel Reid writes an amazing gay hockey book that makes me cry. I really loved this book, especially the MCs. Landon and Casey were both complex characters who had their own unique flaws that I fell in love with.
I thought the ending was a bit rushed, but it did make sense for the story. Also! A unique MLM romance because there were great discussions of physical boundaries and sexual desire!
I thought the ending was a bit rushed, but it did make sense for the story. Also! A unique MLM romance because there were great discussions of physical boundaries and sexual desire!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
Minor: Car accident and Injury/Injury detail
katekatiekait's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Car accident
wanderingtales's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
Minor: Death and Car accident
garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
This was a really sweet story! Ace representation, lots of steamy scenes, and a very good performance from the narrator. Wrapped up kind of in a hurry though. I wish there had been more about Landon's personal growth (get him in therapy!!!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Biphobia, Death, Car accident, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
zoiejanelle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? No
5.0
RACHEL REID NEVER MISSES.
the individual character arcs were a bit shallow (Casey is afraid of the dark/of being alone… Landon is dealing with grief and depression) but their weird quirks made them so much more believable and complex. Reid really knows how to craft lovable, relatable three-dimensional characters—even if the pieced that make up each character seem a little silly.
i read some reviews before diving into this book which made me hesitant to read. after the Game Changers series, i doubted Reid could top her shilya duology. however, her extremely commercial, palatable style and the tangible, compelling chemistry drew me in. this book was fast, easy to digest, and gave me SO MANY FEELINGS. i don’t know how she does it.
i liked how she portrayed Landon’s demisexuality and his touch aversion, but i wish Landon and Casey had had a more awkward and realistic first-time experience. or that they would have acknowledged that sex can and will be awkward or uncomfortable. Casey’s sexual expertise and openness (and chattiness) certainly improved their first experiences with one another, but i like Reid’s REALISM in her relationships, and i wish she’d incorporated just a touch more of it here.
the main issue i had with this book was how quickly each character realized and acknowledged their crush. there weren’t really any “oh” moments, and their chemistry really didn’t leap off the page until after they’d stated they were crushing. <edit: i reread the book this week and disagree with this opinion now—i think the gradual build was done well despite not having any “oh” crush moments. we did get that much later though with casey at the christmas party. wink!>
i will say that once they caught feelings, i was hooked. i stayed up until 4am reading because i had such intense butterflies i just couldn’t wait to see what happened next. i loved how wholesome and unconditional their love for one another was, and how that balanced with the sexier scenes.
all in all, a slay. anything Rachel Reid writes, i will read.
the individual character arcs were a bit shallow (Casey is afraid of the dark/of being alone… Landon is dealing with grief and depression) but their weird quirks made them so much more believable and complex. Reid really knows how to craft lovable, relatable three-dimensional characters—even if the pieced that make up each character seem a little silly.
i read some reviews before diving into this book which made me hesitant to read. after the Game Changers series, i doubted Reid could top her shilya duology. however, her extremely commercial, palatable style and the tangible, compelling chemistry drew me in. this book was fast, easy to digest, and gave me SO MANY FEELINGS. i don’t know how she does it.
i liked how she portrayed Landon’s demisexuality and his touch aversion, but i wish Landon and Casey had had a more awkward and realistic first-time experience. or that they would have acknowledged that sex can and will be awkward or uncomfortable. Casey’s sexual expertise and openness (and chattiness) certainly improved their first experiences with one another, but i like Reid’s REALISM in her relationships, and i wish she’d incorporated just a touch more of it here.
the main issue i had with this book was how quickly each character realized and acknowledged their crush. there weren’t really any “oh” moments, and their chemistry really didn’t leap off the page until after they’d stated they were crushing. <edit: i reread the book this week and disagree with this opinion now—i think the gradual build was done well despite not having any “oh” crush moments. we did get that much later though with casey at the christmas party. wink!>
i will say that once they caught feelings, i was hooked. i stayed up until 4am reading because i had such intense butterflies i just couldn’t wait to see what happened next. i loved how wholesome and unconditional their love for one another was, and how that balanced with the sexier scenes.
all in all, a slay. anything Rachel Reid writes, i will read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia and Medical content
takarakei's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
4.5
- hockey romance
- teammates
- forced proximity
- queer discovery
- opposites attract
Casey is the most golden retriever character I've read. But also, a bi-king! Landon's journey was also so heartwarming to read, he is definitely on the ACE spectrum of sexuality. Holiday romance, but not centered on the holidays (more-so hockey season). Just a really wonderful queer romance!
🌶️4/5
🌶️4/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident
ashhearddwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Alcohol
wildatheart1339's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
vagaybond's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
<b>Nice</b>
- <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/guys-on-the-side-looking-beyond-gay-tops-and-bottoms_b_3082484>side</a> rep . also v sexy
- tender, sweet, the normal romance novel appeals
<b>Negative</b>
- made me think too much about my own heartbreak and how mine cannot be resolved this way.
-lack of diversity. (Typical for the hockey fiction genre.)
<b>Audiobook stuff</b>. None of these are complaints!! Just me being xenophobic toward americans (in a way that is merely silly and completely unreasonable)
It is always a lil funny when an american audiobook narrator has to pronounce <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tuque">toque.</a> For the unaware — it rhymes with duke. I also think it's interesting how a french canadian accent is done in a france french way as though it doesn't come from back further in the roof of your mouth. Very zee zat hon hon hon baguette and not very <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_French_profanity">tabarnak</a> celine dion-y. <a href="https://youtu.be/2AKUqgy7UzY?si=C0eKTQRUt2PhyMRm">This Hour Has 22 Minutes has some sketches of a parody of the accent</a>.
- <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/guys-on-the-side-looking-beyond-gay-tops-and-bottoms_b_3082484>side</a> rep . also v sexy
- tender, sweet, the normal romance novel appeals
<b>Negative</b>
- made me think too much about my own heartbreak and how mine cannot be resolved this way.
-lack of diversity. (Typical for the hockey fiction genre.)
<b>Audiobook stuff</b>. None of these are complaints!! Just me being xenophobic toward americans (in a way that is merely silly and completely unreasonable)
It is always a lil funny when an american audiobook narrator has to pronounce <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tuque">toque.</a> For the unaware — it rhymes with duke. I also think it's interesting how a french canadian accent is done in a france french way as though it doesn't come from back further in the roof of your mouth. Very zee zat hon hon hon baguette and not very <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_French_profanity">tabarnak</a> celine dion-y. <a href="https://youtu.be/2AKUqgy7UzY?si=C0eKTQRUt2PhyMRm">This Hour Has 22 Minutes has some sketches of a parody of the accent</a>.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail