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2many2read's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.5
madigan_likestoread's review against another edition
DNF for now. I'm not interested in these characters. There's so little chemistry that I cringe when things become heated between them. I wish we had gotten the team captain's book instead.
nrich's review
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very predictable, but in the expected way that I really enjoyed the story.
The dynamics between Shane and Troy were great. I loved their spicy scenes. And I loved their shared moments. I enjoyed the side characters in this. I enjoyed the banter.
It's a simple story yet really good in my eyes.
The dynamics between Shane and Troy were great. I loved their spicy scenes. And I loved their shared moments. I enjoyed the side characters in this. I enjoyed the banter.
It's a simple story yet really good in my eyes.
rainjrop's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Not as engrossing, dramatic, or high-stakes as some of the other installments in this series. I liked how straightforward the characters were about their feelings -that's refreshing in a genre that thrives on miscommunication, internalized homophobia/denial of gayness or feelings, and/or pining. I don't hate pining as much, but miscommunication is an overused plot device that needs to die. Or at least be used sparingly and with precision.
Troy Callahan's gruff, no-nonsense character was fun to read. I also appreciated that the characters were older, being 36 and 40-something. This really helped out the basic premise of a coach-player relationship. If it would've been an older coach with an 18-year-old rookie, this book would have been a hard pass. Anyway, I get tired of reading about teenagers and the associated drama that comes with. It's nice to read about characters who are established in their identities instead of suffering through another coming-of-age story...now that I think about it, this is why it's so damn hard to find satisfying romance novels. They need to be gay, older guys but without a ton of sex, jealousy, or miscommunication. Slim pickings.
I also really, really appreciate the respect for women! I've mentioned in a previous review that I'm tired of gay romance novels where all the guys shit on women constantly. The specific effort that went into respecting women is something that really stands out in a novel and something I look for, particularly in a novel that revolves around sports. Putting down and disrespecting women is NOT NECESSARY to prove masculinity and I will never get tired of seeing an author say that.
Not as engrossing, dramatic, or high-stakes as some of the other installments in this series. I liked how straightforward the characters were about their feelings -that's refreshing in a genre that thrives on miscommunication, internalized homophobia/denial of gayness or feelings, and/or pining. I don't hate pining as much, but miscommunication is an overused plot device that needs to die. Or at least be used sparingly and with precision.
Troy Callahan's gruff, no-nonsense character was fun to read. I also appreciated that the characters were older, being 36 and 40-something. This really helped out the basic premise of a coach-player relationship. If it would've been an older coach with an 18-year-old rookie, this book would have been a hard pass. Anyway, I get tired of reading about teenagers and the associated drama that comes with. It's nice to read about characters who are established in their identities instead of suffering through another coming-of-age story...now that I think about it, this is why it's so damn hard to find satisfying romance novels. They need to be gay, older guys but without a ton of sex, jealousy, or miscommunication. Slim pickings.
I also really, really appreciate the respect for women! I've mentioned in a previous review that I'm tired of gay romance novels where all the guys shit on women constantly. The specific effort that went into respecting women is something that really stands out in a novel and something I look for, particularly in a novel that revolves around sports. Putting down and disrespecting women is NOT NECESSARY to prove masculinity and I will never get tired of seeing an author say that.
eesh25's review against another edition
4.0
I put this book off for a long time. Maybe because I knew that afterward, I'd be all caught up with the series. And that's not something I wanted to rush into. Also, I wasn't familiar with either of the protagonists, which made waiting easier. The wait is over though,
If you've read the rest of the series, or at least books 3 and 4, then you're likely familiar with the Asheville Ravens. They're an ECHL team. And they're the most hated team in the league. For good reason, too, since the players always behaved like assholes. But it wasn't really their fault. They simply had the misfortune of having the worst coach in history, who, thankfully, was recently exposed for his tactics. He was replaced with Troy Callahan.
Troy is gay, and he was once blackmailed into giving up his career as an NHL player by the Ravens' ex-coach. Now he's determined to fix what that guy broke. He's a temperamental guy and, in true coach fashion, fond of ranting at players for their screw-ups. Not everyone can be blessed with Misha's stare-of-doom, after all. Troy says what's on his mind and doesn't hold back. So when the team gets a new player on the roster that Troy doesn't think is a good addition, he's not subtle about his displeasure.
Shane North is often said to be the player who never quite lived up to his potential. And when his AHL contract doesn't get renewed, he signs on with the Ravens for a year so he can end his professional hockey career on his own terms. Shane, like Troy, isn't known to be a "chill" guy.
What that means for the book is lots of bickering. Like, so much of it. Whether they're getting along with each other or not, Troy and Shane are all about the snark. And it's so much fun to read. This is not the kind of relationship we usually get to see. Yes, other books have snark and sarcasm, but the protagonists always, at some point, turn mushy. It's because it's hard to sell a relationship otherwise. But Avon Gale definitely sold it, and without any mushy-ness. Not that I have anything against that. This was just refreshing.
Troy and Shane are a blast to read about, I loved seeing the Ravens slowly come together as a team, and I loved how the protagonists dealt with the conflicts that arose toward the end. I could have done without the sex-montage toward the middle of the book, but that's more a personal preference than anything.
This is a well-written and entertaining book; it's a great addition to the series. Not my favourite, but that's because Scoring Chances has so many great books. I don't know for sure if the author is planning to release more books in this series, but I really hope she is. I need Xavier to have a happy ending. He's fucking adorable, and after all that he's been through, he deserves it. Finally, a shoutout to Issac Drake for being awesome.
If you've read the rest of the series, or at least books 3 and 4, then you're likely familiar with the Asheville Ravens. They're an ECHL team. And they're the most hated team in the league. For good reason, too, since the players always behaved like assholes. But it wasn't really their fault. They simply had the misfortune of having the worst coach in history, who, thankfully, was recently exposed for his tactics. He was replaced with Troy Callahan.
Troy is gay, and he was once blackmailed into giving up his career as an NHL player by the Ravens' ex-coach. Now he's determined to fix what that guy broke. He's a temperamental guy and, in true coach fashion, fond of ranting at players for their screw-ups. Not everyone can be blessed with Misha's stare-of-doom, after all. Troy says what's on his mind and doesn't hold back. So when the team gets a new player on the roster that Troy doesn't think is a good addition, he's not subtle about his displeasure.
Shane North is often said to be the player who never quite lived up to his potential. And when his AHL contract doesn't get renewed, he signs on with the Ravens for a year so he can end his professional hockey career on his own terms. Shane, like Troy, isn't known to be a "chill" guy.
What that means for the book is lots of bickering. Like, so much of it. Whether they're getting along with each other or not, Troy and Shane are all about the snark. And it's so much fun to read. This is not the kind of relationship we usually get to see. Yes, other books have snark and sarcasm, but the protagonists always, at some point, turn mushy. It's because it's hard to sell a relationship otherwise. But Avon Gale definitely sold it, and without any mushy-ness. Not that I have anything against that. This was just refreshing.
Troy and Shane are a blast to read about, I loved seeing the Ravens slowly come together as a team, and I loved how the protagonists dealt with the conflicts that arose toward the end. I could have done without the sex-montage toward the middle of the book, but that's more a personal preference than anything.
This is a well-written and entertaining book; it's a great addition to the series. Not my favourite, but that's because Scoring Chances has so many great books. I don't know for sure if the author is planning to release more books in this series, but I really hope she is. I need Xavier to have a happy ending. He's fucking adorable, and after all that he's been through, he deserves it. Finally, a shoutout to Issac Drake for being awesome.
afindley14's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
teenykins's review against another edition
5.0
2nd re-listen. Upping my initial rating from 4.5 stars to full 5.
Full stars for Scott and his narration, which unlike the first time I listened to this, I didn't have issues differentiating between voices and characters.
This is everything I wanted Power Play to have been. Emotions, chemistry, character development, relationship and of course the sex scenes.
Troy and Shane were hot, funny, open, played no mind games, went after what they wanted, amazing all in all.
I really hope Avon will continue the series. I miss her writing.
-------------
4.5 stars
Seriously while listening to the audiobook I was wondering what kind of mood I was in when reading it and I only gave it 4 stars, although it might as well have been Scott R. Smith's incredible narration that made me enjoyed it more than reading it.
Still though I would have liked to give it 5 stars full and not round up but there were times especially on the last 1/3 of the book that I couldn't differentiate Smith's voice for Troy and Shane and I had to wait for the name of either character to be mentioned to understand who was talking. Thus half a star was deducted.
Full stars for Scott and his narration, which unlike the first time I listened to this, I didn't have issues differentiating between voices and characters.
This is everything I wanted Power Play to have been. Emotions, chemistry, character development, relationship and of course the sex scenes.
Troy and Shane were hot, funny, open, played no mind games, went after what they wanted, amazing all in all.
I really hope Avon will continue the series. I miss her writing.
-------------
4.5 stars
Seriously while listening to the audiobook I was wondering what kind of mood I was in when reading it and I only gave it 4 stars, although it might as well have been Scott R. Smith's incredible narration that made me enjoyed it more than reading it.
Still though I would have liked to give it 5 stars full and not round up but there were times especially on the last 1/3 of the book that I couldn't differentiate Smith's voice for Troy and Shane and I had to wait for the name of either character to be mentioned to understand who was talking. Thus half a star was deducted.