emwith's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
zenancyne's review against another edition
3.0
Before I say anything else, and given recent book rating drama, I want to say that 3 stars is a good review and I will be keeping my eye out to see what else the author comes out with. For me, especially, if a book is good and delivers exactly what it says it will, the rating starts at 3 stars and 4 and 5 come in when I really really enjoy the book.
Onto the review.
I think, overall, this book gives you what it says it will. It's a rivals to lovers romance about boys playing sport (and, to my delight, about all the women who should also be getting the hype that they deserve but do not because they're female athletes).
However, I feel like the character relationships weren't as well developed as they could have been. I really appreciate that the author took the time to build relationships between all the hockey players, not just the main relationship pairing, and I genuinely liked the other players we met. I also loved seeing Mickey's sisters, they were amazing and all their different relationships were incredibly cool. I am a huge fan of Delilah.
It just felt like there needed to be more of, well, everything.
Especially, in developing the main relationship. The rivals to lovers progression felt incredibly fast paced. I wanted more development into the rivalry itself. I get that it was fuelled by the media and both of them had their own personal reasons for being "mortal enemies" but I wanted to see it in play more. I also wanted their romantic relationship to more fleshed out. It felt as if the basis of their relationship blossomed out of a team bonding game and a simple 20 questions like text exchange. It felt almost disingenuous and like a cheat code way to create a relationship where you establish that two characters have common interests by getting them to ask each other questions and not much else. I wanted more scenes like the concert scene or the Tom Holland spider man scene where you actually see them finding common interests (or participating in each other's interests bc that's what you do when you like someone both romantically or platonically. I wanted more of that development beyond just thinking each other is hot.
I also, and this is a personal pet peeve of mine, don't really vibe with people using real life pop culture references and references to current internet phenomenons in fictional stories. There's something about it that really takes me out of the story. For example, all these references to real life people and this sentence specifically: "Nova strictly reads hurt fic involving her favorite fictional guys. If there’s any hint of comfort in it, she’s not about it." Just made me pause for a moment. I don't mind mentions of things like 'spiderman' or the concept of fanfiction in general but when you start using 'Tom Holland's spiderman' or terms like 'hurt fic' it feels like a good way to make the contents of the book seem dated really quickly.
Regardless, there was a lot to like here too. Like I already mentioned, I liked a lot of the characters. I wanted more of them. I also like the focus on mental health and the way different characters interacted with it.
Overall, I am keen to see what the author writes next.
Onto the review.
I think, overall, this book gives you what it says it will. It's a rivals to lovers romance about boys playing sport (and, to my delight, about all the women who should also be getting the hype that they deserve but do not because they're female athletes).
However, I feel like the character relationships weren't as well developed as they could have been. I really appreciate that the author took the time to build relationships between all the hockey players, not just the main relationship pairing, and I genuinely liked the other players we met. I also loved seeing Mickey's sisters, they were amazing and all their different relationships were incredibly cool. I am a huge fan of Delilah.
It just felt like there needed to be more of, well, everything.
Especially, in developing the main relationship. The rivals to lovers progression felt incredibly fast paced. I wanted more development into the rivalry itself. I get that it was fuelled by the media and both of them had their own personal reasons for being "mortal enemies" but I wanted to see it in play more. I also wanted their romantic relationship to more fleshed out. It felt as if the basis of their relationship blossomed out of a team bonding game and a simple 20 questions like text exchange. It felt almost disingenuous and like a cheat code way to create a relationship where you establish that two characters have common interests by getting them to ask each other questions and not much else. I wanted more scenes like the concert scene or the Tom Holland spider man scene where you actually see them finding common interests (or participating in each other's interests bc that's what you do when you like someone both romantically or platonically. I wanted more of that development beyond just thinking each other is hot.
I also, and this is a personal pet peeve of mine, don't really vibe with people using real life pop culture references and references to current internet phenomenons in fictional stories. There's something about it that really takes me out of the story. For example, all these references to real life people and this sentence specifically: "Nova strictly reads hurt fic involving her favorite fictional guys. If there’s any hint of comfort in it, she’s not about it." Just made me pause for a moment. I don't mind mentions of things like 'spiderman' or the concept of fanfiction in general but when you start using 'Tom Holland's spiderman' or terms like 'hurt fic' it feels like a good way to make the contents of the book seem dated really quickly.
Regardless, there was a lot to like here too. Like I already mentioned, I liked a lot of the characters. I wanted more of them. I also like the focus on mental health and the way different characters interacted with it.
Overall, I am keen to see what the author writes next.
dami_96's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
This book is such an entertaining ride. Like I would watch a whole show about them and hockey and I don't even like supports. I like how Mickey mental health is the major theme and overall hurtle of the book. I could see this being a cute lil sports anime. My only issue, which is minor is that I would have preferred the characters be a little older especially with the amount of liquor they be drinking and also it would have allowed the authors to explore more of the characters relationship had they been a little older. Other than that. This book was a solid 4 stars and a fun ride.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
minty_k's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
yawnb's review against another edition
4.0
i remember putting this book off for probably a year when i saw it was written in first person, but now i regret it. this book was so cute and wholesome! a rivals to lovers always just huts different. i did not expect there to be good mental health representation in this either i was rather pleasantly surprised. the ending was a little disappointing but i understand why the ended it like that. overall i thoroughly enjoyed this book and (shockingly, not really) finished it in a day :3
lucerez's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure if it was just me not being in the mood for the book or what, but I couldn't get into it and ended up skimming most of it. I read the end and it was fine. The characters acted age appropriate, but I think it was just too young-feeling for me. Hard to pinpoint specific flaws, but this book missed me.
babytloves2read's review against another edition
4.0
CW: heavy drinking, depression
Tropes: Enemies/rivals to lovers
Spice: Everything is closed door
I was initially interested in this book because the description sounded like a YA version of Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid and honestly it did not disappoint. This book touches on family pressures, struggling with depression, secret relationships, college struggles, and hockey culture. I really love the way depression was portrayed, especially the way that Mickey got super sick from drinking after he started on antidepressants - that is so realistic and I’ve never seen it represented in a book before.
I honestly loved everything about Cauler. He seems like such a sweetie. And the cover is just gorgeous. The ending seemed very abrupt (hence the -1 point) but what can I say? I love an HEA and I’ll take what I can get!
Tropes: Enemies/rivals to lovers
Spice: Everything is closed door
I was initially interested in this book because the description sounded like a YA version of Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid and honestly it did not disappoint. This book touches on family pressures, struggling with depression, secret relationships, college struggles, and hockey culture. I really love the way depression was portrayed, especially the way that Mickey got super sick from drinking after he started on antidepressants - that is so realistic and I’ve never seen it represented in a book before.
I honestly loved everything about Cauler. He seems like such a sweetie. And the cover is just gorgeous. The ending seemed very abrupt (hence the -1 point) but what can I say? I love an HEA and I’ll take what I can get!
beauty_and_the_rose's review against another edition
5.0
Such an amazing read! I thought I might get tired of the hockey references by the end but nope, loved everything about this ❤️
The characters are amazing and the author did a great job of keeping me guessing how things were going to go. I loved being in the main characters head. His voice was so unique and pulled me in from the first page.
So worth the read! A new favorite for sure
The characters are amazing and the author did a great job of keeping me guessing how things were going to go. I loved being in the main characters head. His voice was so unique and pulled me in from the first page.
So worth the read! A new favorite for sure
stori_time's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
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
4.0