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shamaramill's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Emotional abuse
circe813's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
In Behind the Net, I did NOT like Rory Miller. However, this book does a great job of explaining why he is the way he is (or was—there’s excellent character development here) and redeeming him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual assault
Great representations of affirmative consent!ronnieex's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault
koistyfishy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.5
4.5 Skating Lesson Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Giddy! That is how this book makes you feel! Utterly and completely GIDDY! It had me kicking and squealing, giggling like a schoolgirl with a crush and just overall shaking my legs at how cute and awesome it was.
I was elated at the events that happened and loved how things unfurled. The two flirting with each other was excellent and the way these two migrated from fake to not fake was TEXTBOOK PERFECTION on how to pull off that trope FANTASTICALLY! (Mostly because the lines blurred so well you weren't sure when they realised this is no longer fake between them - because it was WELL BEFORE they told each other).
Hazel is the team's physiotherapist and older sister of Piper, who was the main character in Behind the Net. Hazel has a dilemma, her cheating ex-boyfriend has just been traded into the hockey team she works for and she is assigned as his physiotherapist. He is also the reason Hazel has closed off her heart to any professional sports player - because you can't get hurt if you never open yourself to it in the first place. Rory has been secretly pining after Hazel since she was his math tutor in high school, so to keep her Ex at bay, the two strike up a fake relationship as a way to hinder any advances that her ex might make.
This book does interpersonal relationships really well. Especially how difficult it can be to maintain and work on those relationships. Hazel's relationship with her mother is quite strained as her mother is battling with a body image problem. She was a ballerina that hasn't been able to dance for a while, so is super critical of how she looks. As a result, she doesn't allow herself to try any experiences because of how her body would be perceived. This goes against everything Hazel is trying to achieve with her dream of opening a body-positive yoga studio.
Rory has a strained relationship with both his parents. He believes that choosing hockey and staying with his dad forced his mom away. However, with age, it's become clear that his dad seems to love hockey and only hockey. Being Rory's agent he pushes Rory in directions that don't make him happy anymore causing conflict between the two.
Hazel and Rory's relationship was absolutely beautiful because the two of them bring out the best in each other. Rory makes Hazel see that she can do anything. She can make her dreams a reality and her presence makes people's lives better. He helps her overcome her fear of love and the underlying trauma her ex caused and helps her see how amazing she is. Likewise Hazel makes Rory find his love for hockey again. At the start of the book, has lost touch with what the game means to him. Due to his father's influence, he is just going through the motions and being who he thinks his father wants him to be. But Hazel changes his perspective, opens his heart to collaboration and teamwork and gives him the chance to be his own type of role model allowing him to balance life and hockey in a way his parents never managed to do when he was growing up.
The spice in this was also fun! Rory makes Hazel feel incredibly sexy by sending her a shit ton of lingerie which the two of and enjoy through various phone exchanges and spicy scenes.
Tropes in this include:
▶Enemies Hate to Love
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Golden Retriever/Cinnamon Roll
▶ Fake Dating
▶ No Third Act Breakup
▶ It's always been you
▶ Forehead Kisses
Overall this felt just like a sweet and cute Hallmark movie, that is just going to make you giddy and smile. It was absolutely adorable and a fantastic book to pick up if you are looking for your next hockey romance fix!
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Giddy! That is how this book makes you feel! Utterly and completely GIDDY! It had me kicking and squealing, giggling like a schoolgirl with a crush and just overall shaking my legs at how cute and awesome it was.
I was elated at the events that happened and loved how things unfurled. The two flirting with each other was excellent and the way these two migrated from fake to not fake was TEXTBOOK PERFECTION on how to pull off that trope FANTASTICALLY! (Mostly because the lines blurred so well you weren't sure when they realised this is no longer fake between them - because it was WELL BEFORE they told each other).
Hazel is the team's physiotherapist and older sister of Piper, who was the main character in Behind the Net. Hazel has a dilemma, her cheating ex-boyfriend has just been traded into the hockey team she works for and she is assigned as his physiotherapist. He is also the reason Hazel has closed off her heart to any professional sports player - because you can't get hurt if you never open yourself to it in the first place. Rory has been secretly pining after Hazel since she was his math tutor in high school, so to keep her Ex at bay, the two strike up a fake relationship as a way to hinder any advances that her ex might make.
This book does interpersonal relationships really well. Especially how difficult it can be to maintain and work on those relationships. Hazel's relationship with her mother is quite strained as her mother is battling with a body image problem. She was a ballerina that hasn't been able to dance for a while, so is super critical of how she looks. As a result, she doesn't allow herself to try any experiences because of how her body would be perceived. This goes against everything Hazel is trying to achieve with her dream of opening a body-positive yoga studio.
Rory has a strained relationship with both his parents. He believes that choosing hockey and staying with his dad forced his mom away. However, with age, it's become clear that his dad seems to love hockey and only hockey. Being Rory's agent he pushes Rory in directions that don't make him happy anymore causing conflict between the two.
Hazel and Rory's relationship was absolutely beautiful because the two of them bring out the best in each other. Rory makes Hazel see that she can do anything. She can make her dreams a reality and her presence makes people's lives better. He helps her overcome her fear of love and the underlying trauma her ex caused and helps her see how amazing she is. Likewise Hazel makes Rory find his love for hockey again. At the start of the book, has lost touch with what the game means to him. Due to his father's influence, he is just going through the motions and being who he thinks his father wants him to be. But Hazel changes his perspective, opens his heart to collaboration and teamwork and gives him the chance to be his own type of role model allowing him to balance life and hockey in a way his parents never managed to do when he was growing up.
The spice in this was also fun! Rory makes Hazel feel incredibly sexy by sending her a shit ton of lingerie which the two of and enjoy through various phone exchanges and spicy scenes.
Tropes in this include:
▶
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Golden Retriever/Cinnamon Roll
▶ Fake Dating
▶ No Third Act Breakup
▶ It's always been you
▶ Forehead Kisses
Overall this felt just like a sweet and cute Hallmark movie, that is just going to make you giddy and smile. It was absolutely adorable and a fantastic book to pick up if you are looking for your next hockey romance fix!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity and Sexual assault
hcgambrell's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault
cehoop's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
britwalsh16's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
4.0
I love a good enemies to lovers romance! I enjoyed this book very much. Hazel and Rory’s story was perfect. They make such a sweet pair, Rory chasing after Hazel since high school, & Hazel fighting her attracting to Rory so she doesn’t get hurt again. But neither of them realize what awaits them. And the whole hockey team & organization that stands behind them is amazing, and something I love so much about the hockey organization & community, they’re a family, & when someone threatens that family they deal with it, even when the threat comes from within, they stand behind eachother & protect! Connor made a great villain, & I love how no matter what he did, Hazel & Rory didn’t let him get between them. I want a love like that!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
liih's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
gabs_parr's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
5.0
Loved this book more than the first. This couple was more relatable to me than the first couple because Hazel’s passionate but kind personality is so similar to mine. The way she behaves in her relationship though, anxious-avoidant, snarky, while also being deeply loyal, protective, and supportive- and secretly caring more than she’s willing to admit even to herself at first… for better and for worse, was like watching myself in a mirror. It was sweet to see a girl like us get a happy ending.
This book also improved in the first. Every problem that I had with the first book was addressed in this book to at least some degree. My biggest issue with the first book was that the main characters didn’t have friendships outside of each other and I thought that was weird. In this book, Hazel has a slightly deeper relationship with her sister than was shown in the first book and Rory’s relationship with Jamie has healed so that friendship is a shown, along with some blossoming casual relationships with other men on The Storm, including Hayden and Coach.
This book also contains a better balance of romance, friendship, and … love scenes than the first book did. A much, much better balance. The ones that were included fit into the story much better and they were still just as well done as the ones in the first book. Another improvement I loved to see.
I really loved the storylines with their parents in this book. All 3 of them. Very well done.
I would recommend this book to any romance reader looking to get into the sports romance genre.
This book also improved in the first. Every problem that I had with the first book was addressed in this book to at least some degree. My biggest issue with the first book was that the main characters didn’t have friendships outside of each other and I thought that was weird. In this book, Hazel has a slightly deeper relationship with her sister than was shown in the first book and Rory’s relationship with Jamie has healed so that friendship is a shown, along with some blossoming casual relationships with other men on The Storm, including Hayden and Coach.
This book also contains a better balance of romance, friendship, and … love scenes than the first book did. A much, much better balance. The ones that were included fit into the story much better and they were still just as well done as the ones in the first book. Another improvement I loved to see.
I really loved the storylines with their parents in this book. All 3 of them. Very well done.
I would recommend this book to any romance reader looking to get into the sports romance genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
aelin_morgenstern's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexual harassment