Rating: 5🌈
The Head Game is the latest in Brigham Vaughn’s terrific hockey romance series. Centered in the AHL team, the Toronto Fisher Cats, we’ve already had an amazing story about the team’s captain and a former Olympic figure skating champion. Great characters, incredible elements, and real depth. Set the bar high for the next book.
But The Head Game easily rises to those same heights in some similar ways and some very different ones. The couple this time is referee August Manning and D-man Nico Arents. Arents is a figure from the first book, as is much of the team. The trope here is fake engagement/fiancé just as the first book’s was “woke up married “.
And Vaughn has shown , as she did in The Husband Game, that a popular, much read theme can feel fresh and exciting if given the right creative choices made in elements, layering, language,and chemistry .
The Head Game has all that in abundance.
Each book looks to start with a common trope, and featuring one of the characters with a deep personal issue that arises that needs to be addressed and resolved, together. And often the other person has a past history that brings a realistic perspective to the dynamic and their relationship.
Vaughn’s ability to bring the reader immediately into the lives of these men is remarkable. From August’s heartfelt pain over his ex marrying someone else to the excruciating minutes on the ice when Nico is hit, not once but twice, the reader feels every bit of those moments.
And don’t even get me started on those scenes with the doctor and Nico at the hospital. Bring tissues. Which brings us to the huge aspect of this story. That’s the brain tumor, surgery, and slow recovery that Nico undergoes here. It’s realistically portrayed, from the beginning headaches to the seizures to the frustrations that come with a body that’s slow to heal. I felt like I was going through it along with Auggie and Nico, it was so well done. But for some, it might be an element that might be too raw, you need to decide for yourself.
I loved how Charlie (The Husband Game) was included to talk about recovery (his story involved anorexia, as well as other aspects) and acceptance. A wonderful piece of work.
Plus we have the absolute heartbreak of one man’s loss of a career. That devastation is a part of this story I wasn’t expecting to feel as deeply or was so stunning an element. But it was an emotional part of this journey as was the physical part for Nico. Amazing execution on this author’s part.
So much of this novel is written so beautifully that it’s easy to read and overlook the smallest details. There’s the family members of Nico’s, described warmly and lovingly, August’s brother Julius, Nico’s pregnant friend Sky, and all the members of Toronto Fisher Cats. We are getting to know each of them in greater depth with each book as the author sets them up for the new romance to follow.
This series is turning into a comfort read for me. I love it when that happens. And when I can rec not one but two books so easily as I can hear? Perfect!
Stay tuned for The Waiting Game!
Relationship Goals:
✓ The Husband Game #1
✓ The Head Game #2
◦ The Waiting Game #3 – Feb 29, 2024
◦ The Home Game #4 – tbd
◦ The Blame Game #5 – tbd
Buy Link :
The Head Game: An M/M Hockey Romance (Relationship Goals Book 2)
Blurb:
Nico Arents Rushed to Hospital After In-Game Fall—Mystery Beau Revealed?
The Fisher Cats defenseman is conscious and in stable condition following a seizure that occurred during the recent game against Buffalo.
Updates indicate that while still hospitalized, he’s hopeful for a quick return to the ice.
The incident raises serious questions after referee August Manning was spotted in the same hospital shortly after Arents was admitted.
Recent rumors have swirled around Arents’ involvement with someone within the league. Could Manning be the mystery man?
A credible source claims the two are engaged. “He has been so doting! He’s barely left Nico’s side.”
Tongues are wagging as their off-ice involvement throws Manning’s on-ice impartiality into question.
How will the league react? Thus far, they have declined to comment but given the new Code of Conduct, there will be some tough questions to answer for these men to keep their romance and their careers.
TRIGGER WARNING: Contains non-graphic scenes involving brain surgery and discussions about brain tumors and cancer. HEA guaranteed but please reach out if you have further questions.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 