Tag: LGBTGIA hockey romance

Review: Taking the Body (Watkins Glen Gladiators #4) by V.L. Locey

Rating: 4.75🌈

Taking The Body just became my favorite of this series . I laughed so hard so much of the time when reading it, mostly due to the outrageous family tales related to various people by the main character, hockey player, Phil Greco. He’s such an entertaining and highly engaging person. Irish/Italian from Queens, New York, once he appears on the page, he’s got the reader’s total attention.

Locey must have had such an incredible time writing this man and his unique voice. He had me in stitches but he was also such a believable person, grounded in family and a recognizable location such as Flushing.

Frenchman Henri Gaudion, of Gaudion Winery, and his wonderful found family of staff, that includes his butler, Barnaby, is a well defined character and great match for gregarious Phil. His character is also a very poignant person. Locey has created in Henri such a relatable person and backstory. Henri’s background is one of loss, constant inter-family fighting over the winery and his sexuality, and finally, the ways in which Henri has isolated himself due to the fears caused by his illness and approaching blindness. His emotional walls are those of fear and experience.

Watching Phil moving through that previously ordered and quiet existence as seen and heard through both men’s perspectives is such a joy and utter blissful experience.

And that Locey wove The Nanny and Fran Drescher into this? Priceless!

The only thing that keeps the story from a total 5 rating is that the ending came about rather quickly. It feels too abrupt. Had that been extended to go into a little longer explanation of the situation, and not leaving that other renter hanging, then this would have been a 5+ story.

As it is, Taking the Body (Watkins Glen Gladiators #4) by V.L. Locey is my favorite of a lovely series. I hope to see more of this couple in the stories to come.

Watkins Glen Gladiators:

✓ Between The Pipes #1

✓ Defending The House #2

✓ Dump and Chase #3

✓ Taking The Body #4

Buy Link:

One’s from Flushing, New York, the other from Ambroise, France. Worlds, wit, and passions are about to collide!

Phil Greco is that player that every opponent and their fanbase hates but secretly wishes played for their team. Greck is a mouthy guy, high-spirited, and able to tweak nerves with relative ease. Having grown up with a large family he’d learned early that you had to fight for what you wanted. This is how a short, undrafted guy from Flushing made it as far as he had. It had taken no small amount of bull&*#*, grit, and plenty of wit. Generally that wit and grit was enough to get him on the top of the pileup but that’s not the case with Henri Gaudion, owner of Gaudion Winery. Ever since they’d met sparks have flown, and for the life of him, Phil cannot understand what it is about the suave, well-dressed, handsome French vintner that makes him so edgy. They have nothing in common aside from a love of Watkins Glen, so why does he keep finding himself so drawn to the lean man with the rapier wit? Sure, he was pretty, and did keep him on his toes, but Phil’s not the kind of fella to be drawn to such a fancy pants rich boy. How stupid would it be to think that a hoodlum like him could ever catch a man like Henri? Not that he wanted to catch the stuck-up winemaker…

Henri Gaudion has no time for shenanigans or those who engage in them, especially boorish braggarts on skates. Yes, he enjoys the game of hockey and having the Gladiators hockey team and the local gentry at his chalet overlooking Seneca Lake every Sunday for brunch, but that’s solely for keeping up appearances. Since the death of his father, he has devoted his life to ensuring the lands bequeathed to him produce the finest wines and champagne in the Finger Lakes district. Henri is a lonely, heartbroken man when the blinds are drawn and the erudite mask is dropped. He also has no room in his life for rowdy little men with bright smiles, cheeky winks, and heavily accented, fanciful tales about his large Italian family back in, of all places, Flushing. The pull that he’s feeling for Phil Greco must be some sort of glitch, or perhaps he’s been spending too much time in the tasting rooms. Whatever the reason, he is not about to let his attraction to Phil grow. It would be impossible for two such incompatible men to fall in love. Wouldn’t it?

Taking the Body is a low-angst, opposites attract queer hockey romance with a mouthy hockey player, a refined vintner, a whole lot of forced proximity, on-ice action, evenings spent sipping wine, a nosy butler, even nosier teammates, a large loving family, and a perfectly aged happy ending.

• Publication date: January 5, 2024

• Print length: 193 pages

Review: Family First: A Railers Christmas Novella (Harrisburg Railers Series Book 13) by R. J. Scott and V. L. Locey

Rating: 4.5🌈

Family First feels like the final chapter in the Harrisburg Railers series, at least for the original characters and teammates. The teammates have found their own journeys to HEA, with partners and families, some no longer playing.

One of the series favorites has been Russian goalie Stanislav “Stan” Lyamin. Stan of the Elvis obsession, his cat, speaking to his pipes, and eventual love of and marriage to teammate, Erik Gunnarsson (Poke Check). We watch them grow, stumble, laugh, form a family that includes Erik’s son, kids from Russia, Stan’s Mama, his sister and more. It’s been a fabulous and heartwarming experience and a joyful journey.

Now, both men are older, their children growing up. Their bodies are now more prone to the effects of age and the stress that their profession brings on them. Stan suffers a debilitating hit on the ice, the ramifications of which go beyond the physical impact of major injuries and a year off the ice.

Scott and Locey have always been able to get the mindset of a hockey player, no matter where they are in their career, newly acquired, a journeyman, or a star player with unbelievable skills or the ability to pull a team together. To be the head or the heart of the team.

Stan is one of those.

So when he’s sidelined by injuries, surgery, and age, the author’s skillfully show the readers just how much a sea change in his mental and emotional state this is.

For the reader who has followed the series, this isn’t the character we come to love and care for, and that’s makes it even more realistic.

As Erik and Stan are having their issues, their son, Noah, is suddenly diagnosed with a lifelong illness. This changes everything.

Scott and Locey take this serious element of a child and parents, who overnight, have their lives forever altered, and they handle this in a very responsible and sensitive manner. It feels medically well researched yet any details and medical care flows smoothly through the narrative.

Erik too has his own personal decisions to make and follow through with, and those are important for the family and his relationship with Stan. It’s just different and harder for the authors to give Erik’s story as much time as the other threads. There’s not enough page time, and Stan and Noah have the more dramatic moments.

If I have a small quibble, it’s with the Epilogue. I understand why the authors chose to do the timeline they did. However, for me, by moving it ahead so many years, you have effectively eliminated that challenges, growth and change that Stan and Erik (and Noah) had to deal with. It’s a narrative Cliffs Notes. And I don’t find those completely satisfying as they shortchange the characters and readers on so many levels. What does it do? Sets Noah up for his book which is up next.

So I found the ending expedient and sort of satisfying.

I think I could have used more of how the household, all the family members, not just Stan, Erik, and Noah, moved forward with all the changes in their lives after that last scene when Stan retires. And before the epilogue.

Oh well. Family First: A Railers Christmas Novella (Harrisburg Railers Series Book 13) by R. J. Scott and V. L. Locey is one I’m recommending to all fans of the series and their authors. It’s a lovely book and way to bid goodbye to two of the original team of the Railers.

Harrisburg Railers:

✓ Changing Lines #1

✓ First Season #2

✓ Deep Edge #3

✓ Poke Check #4

✓ Last Defense #5

✓ Goal Line #6

✓ Neutral Zone #7

✓ Hat Trick #8

✓ Save The Date #9

✓ Baby Makes Three #10

✓ Rivals #11

✓ Perfect Gifts #12

✓ Family First #13

Buy Link:

Family First: A Railers Christmas Novella (Harrisburg Railers Series Book 13)

Blurb:

An injury threatens to end Stan’s career. Will he choose to fight for his beloved hockey, or put his family first?

Few goalies are as dedicated as Stan Lyamin, known for his resilience on the ice, talking to his pipes, and his love of Elvis. Add in his adoration of his family and his life has been filled with all the things that bring him joy. However, after a heart-wrenching game ends with a disastrous hip injury, Stan faces the most challenging obstacle of his career: surgery, an extensive recovery, and the looming threat of retirement. It’s now that he has to decide which path to take: the one that will lead him back to the game he adores or the one that will see his jersey lifted to the rafters.

Erik and Stan, once invincible with the Railers, have always skated through life’s challenges hand in hand. Their love story, cemented by a shared passion for hockey and the joy of raising their children, has been their shield against the world. But when their son Noah’s life is changed forever by a medical diagnosis, this forever love is put to the test. Erik turns to his husband for support, but Stan is consumed with guilt, overwhelmed by decisions, and retreats into himself when his family needs him the most.

• Publisher: Love Lane Books Ltd; 1st edition (December 8, 2023)

• Publication date: December 8, 2023

• Print length: 116 pages

Review: Holiday Crush: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 3) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5🌈

And it’s back to Elmwood, one of my favorite places to visit for charm and romance. Now it’s Ivan, of Rise and Grind coffee shop and the questionable latte art, and Court Henderson’s, late of a minor Charleston hockey league team, time for love and HEA.

Court’s come home after being cut from his minor league team. He’s a year away from his intended retirement date and he’s got no idea what he’s doing going forward. Lane Hayes is so excellent in getting into the muddled mindset of someone like Court, a player who has only known hockey, but hasn’t been able to leverage his talent to make the NHL so no one is calling now he’s been cut.

Ivan, co-owner of Rise and Grind, has had an 11 year old crush on the town’s golden boy, one that started in kindergarten.

Ivan, all clothed in black and shiny with Christmas spirit, is such a beautiful character. Vulnerable, introverted, yet brave enough to accept who he is and embrace his own style and identity. Hayes portrays him so vividly that his personality becomes an integral part of the town and force for those around him.

Court’s confusion and indecisiveness are believable, especially when he’s talking about his future and lack of planning to Ivan. When they’re slowly reconnecting and discovering how much they like each other’s company, it’s such a wonderful journey to share.

There are other side storylines that give depth and insight into the lives of the characters and Elmswood. These elements are just as interesting and often emotionally important as the main ones they support.

I really wanted a little piece of that Mighty Mites on ice practice chaos. So cute!

This is a heartwarming story, a holiday hockey romance full of the Christmas spirit and HEA joy. It’s one that I’m happy to recommend as well as the entire series. Can’t wait for the next one to come.

The Elmwood Stories:

✓ You, Again #1

✓ Next Season #2

✓ Holiday Crush #3

◦ Thin Ice #4 – tbd 2024

Buy Link:

Holiday Crush: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 3)

Blurb:

The hockey has-been, the barista, and some holiday magic…

Court

Cut from the team, fired my agent…now what?

This can’t be it for me. Unfortunately, the phone isn’t ringing. My best bet is to head home for the holidays and regroup.

Problem: I don’t know what to do with myself. Helping out at the rink might be my ticket out of here, but nothing is happening fast enough. And then there’s Ivan. No, no, it’s not what you think. We went to school together. We’re acquaintance-friends…nothing more.

But you know, I like him. A lot. He’s funny and relentlessly upbeat. I’m a better person when I’m with him—the kind who volunteers to deck the halls and wrap garland on lampposts and—

Whoa. What’s happening here?

Ivan

I love the holidays! But running the coffee shop on my own during the busiest season of the year is going to be a challenge. And the sudden appearance of my former crush is all kinds of distracting.

See, I spent my formative years mooning over Court Henderson, our high school’s hockey phenom, even though he was out of my league. Thankfully, I grew up and left the silly remnants of my youth behind. Or did I?

Grown-up Court is full of surprises, and under his gruff yet extremely fine exterior, he’s a good soul with a huge heart. He’s charming, sweet, handsome, and— Uh-oh.

My crush is back. Just in time for the holidays…

Holiday Crush is an MM bisexual, small town romance featuring a renewed ancient crush, some mistletoe latte art, and a little seasonal magic.

• Publication date: December 10, 2023

• Print length: 190 pages

Review: Get Frosted (a Christmas Falls novel) by Amy Aislin

Rating: 4🌈

Get Frosted is a sweet Christmas romance with elements of small towns at Christmas, retired NHL players looking for a new start, home, and love.

This is a low angst story about a family that has two retired NHL players that have returned back home to Christmas Falls after their careers have ended. It’s the younger brother , Mik, who’s the main character, one who has had a long rivalry with/crush with his older brother’s best friend and NHL teammate, Rudy Snow.

This charts their relationship and Rudy’s indecision about staying in Christmas Falls, the longest stretch of stability in his life.

There are so many wonderful elements written into this book. Aislin’s scenes of Mik’s helping one of his young hockey players learn how to high stick properly highlights not only the author’s own knowledge of the game but her ability to bring this moment beautifully to life, making the shared love and passion for hockey, the teaching that’s etched into the ice, sticks and blades feel real and meaningful.

And there’s the decorations, from the Bigfoot collection to the icicles lighting of memory that mean so much to the men, town, and most likely many readers. The author writes that into the narrative in ways that are humorous, and poignant, much as this mixed feelings of this holiday tradition often brings us.

As the relationship develops and grows, we are able to develop a feeling about the town and characters, not just the couple. It turns into a sweet Christmas romance with a sense of humor and touches of small town pride that makes it a lovely read.

Christmas Falls:

✓ Get Frosted by Amy Aislin

◦ Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison

◦ Snowbody Loves Me by Jacki James

◦ Silent Knight by Beth Bolden

◦ Under the Mistle-tome by Sammi Cee

◦ Clausing a Scene by Casey Cox

◦ No Elfing Way by Hayden Hall

◦ Ready, Set, Glow by Rye Cox

◦ Scrooge You! by Brigham Vaughn

“Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/ M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.”

— Get Frosted by Amy Aislin

Buy Link:

Get Frosted

Blurb:

For years, Mik has wanted nothing more than to put coal in Rudy Snow’s stocking.

As former pro hockey players, they’ve been rivals for years. It started in Mik’s rookie season, when a reporter pitted him against his older brother’s best friend. Rudy pushes Mik’s buttons like no one else, going out of his way to one-up him at every turn.

Now they’re both pub owners in a small town that takes Christmas to a level best seen in Hallmark movies, but not much else has changed. They’re still rivals, this time pitting gingerbread martinis against pomegranate sangria.

But when they’re forced to work together to plan a special holiday party, sparks ignite. Maybe it’s a bad idea to put coal in Rudy’s stocking after all. They both might just catch fire.

Then again, what better way is there to stay warm on a cold winter’s night?

Christmas Falls is a multi-author M/M romance series set in a small town that thrives on enough holiday charm to rival any Hallmark movie.

Review: Next Season (The Elmwood Stories, #2) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.75🌈

I’m not sure how I missed this series because it’s from a must read author and it’s a mm hockey romance. The last is a trope that is definitely a grab and devour read for me.

So even diving into the utterly delightful and charming world of Elmwood, Vermont , via the second novel, has me hooked. Yes, small town Vermont in the fall, check off another box in my romantic fiction lists of things that works for me.

Hayes begins our journey with these characters brutally enough. It’s with a realistic but devastating play on ice that sends Riley Thoreau of the Seattle Seattle Slammers to the hospital. He’s 35, teetering at the end of a long career with a new team that’s not playing so well. And now a potentially career ending injury if he’s not careful about his recovery.

Lane’s emotionally charged scenes and exceptional descriptions bring the reader quickly into Riley’s life and mindset, turning this story into a journey we are on with him.

The choice to recover in Elmwood makes sense in though I haven’t read that first book with the characters that extend the invitation. The need for quiet and a certain environment has already been made.

Elmwood brings not only our second main character but all of the other major characters in this series as well as the heartwarming and charming locations.

JC or Jean-Claude Bouchard, the French Canadian chef at the diner owned by Nolan (half of the first book’s couple), is a fantastic character. He’s too easily portrayed as that “grumpy guy “ because Lane has given Jean-Claude so much dimension to his personality and background.

Together with Riley, this quickly became a romance to invest my heart in. Riley’s story is not only about his struggle to recover but also about his future, and with his attraction to Jean-Claude. The last, he acknowledges is the least he finds he’s having issues with. This is a bisexual awareness for Riley and it’s a good one, not high on angst. But with realistic communications and feelings involved as both men find themselves in a relationship and unexpected situation .

I love this story and these men. For me, it wasn’t long enough. I wanted more of their in between life before that epilogue. I found them and their lives rich in emotion and vibrant in joy.

I hope we see them again in book three. And now I’m going back to pick up book 1.

It’s a must for all lovers of contemporary romance and hockey fans. And this author as well!

The Elmwood Stories:

◦ You, Again #1

✓ Next Season #2

◦ Holiday Crush #3 – Dec 10, 2023

Buy Link:

Next Season: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 2)

Blurb:

The injured hockey player and the grumpy chef…

Riley

My time playing pro hockey will be up soon. I can feel it. And I’ve heard the rumors: he’s too old, he’s had too many injuries, he’s lost his edge. I don’t want to admit it, but they could be right. Next season might be my last.

Or this season. Because of course, this is when the universe decides I need another concussion. It’s a doozy too—the kind that’s going to keep me off skates for a while.

Which is how I end up in a small New England town in the middle of nowhere Vermont, eating every meal at a diner where a grumpy chef from Quebec makes haute cuisine…and burgers. Jean-Claude is funny and charming and—

Okay, I have a crush on a gay man.

This is a new one.

Jean-Claude

Confused straight men are entertaining. But Riley is…fascinating, sexy, and curiously vulnerable. His injury has rocked his confidence a bit, so perhaps he’s in need of a friend. Any friend. Even moi.

I’m an unlikely choice, but maybe he just likes my tuna salad.

No…I think it’s me.

And though I’m happy to help him explore his bisexual curious side, I have career concerns of my own. See, the things I love most about Elmwood seem shaky and uncertain, but not Riley. He’s solid and genuine. Suddenly, this temporary secret liaison feels more real than anything in my life.

I need more than this season. I want it all. With Riley.

Next Season is an MM bisexual-awakening romance featuring a grumpy chef, an injured hockey player, and a big HEA in a small town where anything can happen.

Review: Clueless Puckboy (Puckboys, #5) by Eden Finley and Saxon James

Rating: 5🌈

When I’m not even at 15% and all I’ve done is laugh so hard I’m crying and my sides are in stitches, you bet I’m giving the book a 5 star rating. Clueless Puckboy is right. And probably my favorite novel to date out of a bunch of crazy hockey stories from this pair of authors.

Ayri Quinn is fighting an adductor injury and doesn’t want his team trainers to know he’s not as recovered as he says he is. Quinn is a character so adorable and funny that his issues, which aren’t humorous at all, have this reader snorting in laughter, because the authors have set up this situation and created him just so perfectly.

I love Quinn. He’s ferlect. That’s something you’ll get if you read the book btw. Stumbling over his words, blushing, intense, in his head , practically ferlect in every way.

The man watching Quinn and determined to help him before Quinn’s stubbornness in refusing help derails his career is one Vance Landon. Vance is one of the trainers with Quinn’s NHL team in Buffalo, NY and a great character foil for the younger man. A bit older, athletic , gay, and empathetic, Vance’s personality plays off Quinn’s endearing character in a manner that is made to have the reader fall for them both. As we do.

Starting from a basis of professional concern and knowledge, the switch to attraction and recognition of their mutual interest is natural and believable. It’s often awkward and funny too.

But James and Finley go the adult route, and that’s including a lot of discussion about what a relationship would mean for the team and their future in hockey. All that goes along with spectacular descriptions of a hockey season in play. Buffalo is fighting for the playoffs and Stanley Cup, and the authors make the race vivid in the on the ice physical scenes.

And of course, it’s not a great story if some, if not all, of the NHL Queer Collective make appearances in very memorable moments.

So, do I adore this story and couple? Absolutely. It and them made my day and night as I picked it up and read it through in one sitting. Filled with joy, a ton of laughter, and yes, some sexy moments, this is a favorite of mine.

Pick it up and see why it’s on my reread pile! Highly recommended!

Puckboys:

✓ Egotistical Puckboy #1

✓ Irresponsible Puckboy #2

✓ Shameless Puckboy #3

✓ Foolish Puckboy #4

✓ Clueless Puckboy #5

Buy Link :

Clueless Puckboy (Puckboys Book 5)

Blurb:

QUINN

Straining my groin is bad enough. It puts my hockey career, my future, but even worse, my dignity on the line.

Having to get massages in that area from Vance Landon, one of the team trainers, is mortifying.

It’s impossible to hide my feelings toward him. If my constant blushing and bumbling doesn’t give it away, my body does.

It’s getting to the point where I wonder if hockey is even worth the embarrassment.

Trying to avoid him only makes him seek me out more. He’s determined to rehab my injury, but all I want is for him to leave me alone.

Or fall for me.

One or the other.

VANCE

Ayri Quinn isn’t your typical jock … except for the fact he refuses to admit when he’s injured.

I’ve seen more than enough professional sportsmen lose the career they love due to injury, and I’m not having it happen again.

Especially not when the guy in question happens to be the sweetest, most awkward, innocent jock I’ve ever met.

When a night out leads to Quinn reinjuring himself, I create a care plan that keeps me hands on, literally. Unfortunately, working with him in close proximity brings all those feelings I’ve been trying to ignore to the surface.

I just need to get him better so he can be back on the ice and out of my bed.

Ah, my massage bed.

Because if this goes on any longer, I might mean my actual bed.

Ayri Quinn is impossible to resist.

Review: Dump and Chase (Watkins Glen Gladiators #3) by V. L. Locey

Rating: 4.5🌈

Dump and Chase is such a sweet, low angst romance, that it’s easy to overlook its beautiful moments and great qualities because it’s so smoothly written.

This is a wonderful story of a young d-man from the Watkins Glen Gladiators and the widowed assistant pastor and single father of a small congregation who find themselves in a relationship that’s leads towards a HEA. To be honest, I avoid any novels that have religious content . Not my thing. But here it comes as a profession as well as the man’s desire to serve his community. Locey’s portrait is that of a multidimensional person.

Gabriel Hansley is a single dad with a rambunctious young son, a widower who loved his wife, a overwhelmed assistant pastor trying to move his church forward and a lonely man who’s becomes attracted to a younger hockey player. Everything about Gabe makes him someone we’d like to meet and connect with.

Deandre Jones, defensive man for the Watkins Glen Gladiators, is another of Locey’s gems when it comes to her hockey players. Young, talented, smart, trying to make a name for himself yet stay true to the upright, mannered person he was raised to be by his mother and close knit family. By dialogue and background, Deandre comes together with crystal clarity. That includes the issues he has of commitment that stem from a father’s abandonment.

Dump and Chase layers in a series of serious issues and elements, gently taking an opportunity to inspect, address and then, if possible, resolve them with communication and kindness. It’s not just obstacles that arise between the main characters, although that’s often the case, but other things as well. Things get wider audience as all sorts of allies and friends are drawn together for dialogue and discussions about things that need a closer look.

Super angsty? Perhaps not. Grownup with a lovely optimistic voice of adult reason with its underlying sense of humor and self worth.

And while the adults are finding their way into a relationship, it’s framed around Gabe’s changing life at his small congregation and Deandre’s role at the Gladiators. Change is happening, it’s how each of them will be able to deal with it and decide what to do with the new paths that open up.

The supporting cast of characters is a joy. Whether it’s Gabe’s son or Deandre’s teammates, Deandre’s mother or the wealthy winemaker who’s been Gabe’s biggest supporter at the church for changes, they are engaging and people I’m sure we will be seeing more of in future stories.

Dump and Chase (Watkins Glen Gladiators #3) by V. L. Locey is an engaging sweet romance and one of my favorites to date. I highly recommend it.

Watkins Glen Gladiators:

✓ Between The Pipes #1

✓ Defending The House #2

✓ Dump and Chase #3

Buy Link:

Blurb:

Working side-by-side on a charity project might just prove to be the foundation of a new romance.

Deandre Jones is enjoying his single life quite nicely, thank you. He’s a defenseman on the Watkins Glen Gladiators, gets to travel, dates frequently, and isn’t tied down to anything other than his mom and brother back in the windy city. He has time to do the whole family and kids thing. Right now he’s happy to be footloose, even if his mother has different ideas. As the playoffs near his focus should be on hockey, but for some reason, he can’t seem to give the sport its due. Ever since he volunteered to help the incredibly handsome assistant pastor of a local church work on an addition to the parish, his attention seems to be locked on curly hair and bright blue eyes instead of breakaways and body checks.

Gabriel Hansley has quite the full plate. Not only is he the first openly out bisexual assistant pastor for a small but highly active parish, but he’s also got his son to tend to as well as his work at the church, which keeps him hopping all day long. And that’s a good thing as the nights alone are hard for the young widower. Just when he’s about to give up on finding a person to share his life with—chaotic as it can be—he finds himself hammering nails beside Deandre Jones. As they work side-by-side under the bright spring sun, he’s getting warmer under the collar with each shared smile and terrible carpentry pun.

Dump and Chase is a low-angst, slow burn, age gap queer hockey romance with a not-quite-as-confirmed-as-he-thought bachelor, a harried single father, plenty of nosy but well-meaning parishioners and teammates, tons of joyous song, and a harmonious happily ending.

Review: Drive the Net (Delay of Game, #1) by Hannah Henry

Rating: 3🌈

Hockey romances are my jam so when I see a series by an author I’m not familiar with I’m sure to pick it up , starting with the first novel.

Drive the Net (Delay of Game, #1) by Hannah Henry Is that first book in Henry’s hockey’s romance series and it’s a sweet one. For readers looking for a quick, uncomplicated sweet romance with an adorable dog character, Drive the Net is that book. You don’t need to understand or especially like sports to enjoy this couple.

Which is part of the issue I have with this story. But let’s starts with positives.

The main characters are likable, cute together and the romance sweet

It’s extremely low angst

Well integrated dog character (yes, that’s important because so often it’s not a well done element)

It’s a HFN and quick sweet read

Issues:

The age gap (10 years) isn’t noticeable because of the personalities. Ryan Cosgrove at thirty two doesn’t come off often as much older than the twenty two Jackson Harper in their actions and dialogue. He should as a senior player but he doesn’t.

This age gap should bring up significant questions and discussions. For Ryan about his hockey longevity at his age and prospects about being traded. Same for Jackson if he does well. He’s at the beginning of his career and Ryan is starting towards the end. Is any of this discussed? No, granted they are in the beginning of the relationship but they are hockey players and things like that are foremost in every player’s mind.

Then there’s the entire aspect about Ryan being “closeted “ but suddenly he’s in a relationship with a teammate. There’s no discussion about that with the team, coach or PR staff, which is unrealistic. Even with the coaching staff being supportive. This element is ignored.

Jackson’s emotionally abusive relationship with his mother and dysfunctional one with his father.

This is a big part of his storyline until it’s dropped without further explanation. If an author wants to make a character have this sort of family history and include it into their narrative, then realistically they should carry through with it in a satisfying and meaningful manner. Abandoning it by saying Ryan told him not to take the calls, then nothing about this demanding parent who had no boundaries? Unrealistic and makes this aspect of his character seem like just another example of how not to write a storyline.

Then there’s the hockey. Most of it happens off the page. There’s no on ice excitement, no thrills, no adrenaline rush to be had. We’re told someone got a score or didn’t. This might as well as been any sport . Plus a reader new to hockey won’t understand anything about the sport here, what league this team is in, trading, and there’s no realistic team dynamics involved to give a better understanding of the game other than a bare minimum about a line coming together. For someone new what’s that even mean exactly? Give them an opportunity to see it. We get more dog action (love Lola btw) than we do hockey.

I’m going to check out the others to see if there’s a difference in how the sport is approached . The other books involve different teams in other states (from the descriptions ) so I don’t expect to see any carryover from novel to novel. Could be wrong.

I’ll see how far I get.

For readers looking for a quick , low angst , uncomplicated sweet romance that’s a HFN this just might fit the bill. Sometimes that’s all a reader may want. Not me but someone.

Delay of Game:

✓ Drive the Net #1

◦ Off-Ice Behavior #2

◦ Draft Bust #3

◦ Empty Netter #4

◦ Offensive Edge #5

◦ Home Ice Disadvantage #6

Buy Link:

Drive the Net (Delay of Game Book 1)

Blurb:

Jackson Harper had barely gotten his feet wet in the NHL before he was traded from LA to The Minnesota Northern Lights. It’s hard not to take it personally, but he is going to make the most of being the only out gay hockey player in Minnesota. He’s going to play so well that everyone is forced to talk about his hockey instead of his sexuality. Plus, if he focuses all of his effort on his game, he can ignore his freshly broken heart.

Ryan Cosgrove is thirty-two, which means he’s practically a geriatric hockey player. He won a cup a long time ago, and now all that’s left is his empty house, his golden retriever, Lola, the tail end of his hockey career, and the weight of loneliness as everyone in his life pairs off to start families. It’s hard to put effort into a personal life when you’re closeted, but since he’s the only vet on the team without a partner or kids, it’s obvious for Ryan to give Jackson his guest room for the season.

Their friendship is fast and easy, budding into a legendary bromance, if The Northern Lights’ social media is to be believed. Ryan is calm and steady, an anchor when Jackson needs one. Jackson’s magnetic personality pulls Ryan out of his shell. But despite the best of their intentions to keep their relationship friendly and professional, their feelings keep slipping into romantic territory.

Ryan has been down this road before. He can’t make the mistake of falling for a teammate again. Plus, Jackson is ten years younger than him. Jackson needs to focus on hockey, healing his recently broken heart, and doing even one thing his parents will be proud of him for. Getting into a relationship in the middle of the season with his liney and roommate is a recipe for disaster.

But despite all the best intentions, Jackson keeps finding himself in Ryan’s arms. Will their feelings blow up in their faces, or can they figure out a way to have a real relationship?

Drive the Net is a low-angst, age-gap, MM hockey romance.

Review: The Head Game (Relationship Goals #2) by Brigham Vaughn

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.

Review: Bad Boys (Hot Off The Ice Book 7) by A. E. Wasp

Rating: 4🌈

I’ve enjoyed A. E. Wasp’s hockey romance series, Hot Off The Ice, since the first book debuted back on June 29, 2017. That was the lovely City Boy, about farmer Dakota and closeted NHL player Bryce Lowery.

Now at book 7, with 2 more novels planned, the series continues with the Seattle Thunder going strong and a new troubled arrival from Las Vegas coming for a second and perhaps only last chance to make it in the NHL.

Bad Boys is a hurt/comfort, age gap redemption love story. And when it works great when it stays on the main couple’s relationship, and Noah’s journey to a more well adjusted, healthy adult who can then carry that new understanding over into his career. Those things make Bad Boys a terrific read.

There’s many aspects to Bad Boys that A.E. Wasp does so well narratively speaking. Her characters are so well done, layered with their own unique personalities and combined with elements that speak to their passions and strengths. If they’re hockey players, we see the difference in physicality between them and other people. We get great team dynamics and a depth of understanding about the game. For characteristics, if they’re cooks, business peoples or whatever, Wasp has given each the right amount of detail that they can standout and still be able to be believable and alive. This will add to the richness of the story and hurt it when certain people drop out of sight.

The relationship between Adam and Noah is engaging and wonderful to be a part of. It’s funny, serious, sexy , and real. While there is an age gap, it’s not mentioned or discussed much here, in the relationship or elsewhere. I only found that odd when it was brought up that Adam had played with Noah’s father, however, no mention of either man’s age at the time (Adam or Noah’s dad), although it was said Noah was very young at the time.

Wasp brings therapy into the storyline as a means to get healthy and understand what is driving certain aspects of a person’s behaviors. And how to counteract these behaviors through therapy. It’s a great tool for both men and the league. It was wonderful seeing it here.

Team dynamics, Noah’s redemption within the team and himself is real and fully worth the book. You can see him struggling with his toxic relationship with his father, it’s ramifications, and his mental awareness that allows him to move forward. All amazing elements here.

Same goes for Adam’s grief over his failed marriage and hidden secrets about his dead husband. That actually needed more page time for Adam to finish that chapter of his life. But the author is speeding towards the finish line.

Which brings me to what is still bothering me about this story.

Usually it’s a case of the disappearing animal character that has me so irritated. But here it’s a father, island, and a married couple. Read on but there’s spoilers ahead.

Elements that weren’t allowed to come to fruition or were dropped completely. ⛔️ Spoiler Alert ⛔️

1. Noah Braterman’s toxic father and his relationship with him. The last mention of this man was that the coach was fielding his insistent nasty phone calls, informing Noah the man was coming across as unhinged. Not a single word or sentence afterwards was given over to this man or large section of Noah’s redemptive storyline where he dealing with the toxicity of an adolescence and adulthood under this man. It’s an emotional matter not dealt with, and I can’t understand that. It’s not logical not to include at least some semblance of closure.

2. Then in a connected storyline thread, there’s the unexpected, startling way that the island and mansion were made to disappear from Adam’s life. Towards the end, Dev , the BIL, arranges for a Japanese firm to buy both the island and mansion. Deal done, and a major narrative element is dealt with and vanishes. Just a few sentences and buhbye. Goodbye to all the important scenes, places, whales, the boat, everything. Which brings us to big number 3.

3. Guess who else disappeared with the mansion and island not to be mentioned again. The all important, ever heartwarming fabulous strong women characters who live on the island too. The ones who have been Adam’s support system for years and who the readers get to know and love almost as completely as everyone else in this book. That’s Annie or Ms Potts and her ceramic artist wife, Tracy. They live on the caretaker’s cottage on the island and are a big part of not only Adam’s life, past and present, but become part of Noah’s as well. After parting with Adam in an emotional scene to tell him to, basically, go get his man, they disappear. Not a word about these important people is written again in this book. No goodbye’s, nothing. Not even a vague statement of missing them.

“You’re moving off the island?” Paul asked.

“Yep. It’s sold. House and island together.””

— Bad Boys (Hot Off the Ice Book 7) by A. E. Wasp

A.E. Wasp writes in her author’s notes that it took her years to finish this book. If that’s the case, then I would have expected that the issues that popped up and have stayed with me to the detriment of the overall polished product and satisfaction I derived from Bad Boys to have been resolved.

I wonder about these issues. In the epilogue, the happy couple talk about inviting people over to their new place. Guess who’s not included in that list? Yup, the women who held Adam together.

If I was Wasp’s editor, that would have been on my list for things easily inserted that would have been expected and made readers happy.

So it turned out that Bad Boys is a good book but not a great one. I’m interested in seeing what the next two books will be about. And if some of the things that are a bit flawed here can get corrected in books to come.

I’m recommending this as a good hockey romance, part of a terrific series, and one that fans of this author won’t want to miss.

Off The Ice Series:

✓ City Boy #1

✓ Country Boy #2

✓ Skater Boy #3

✓ Boy Toys #4

✓ Boy Next Door #5

✓ Boys of Summer #6

✓ Bad Boys #7

Buy link:

Bad Boys (Hot Off the Ice Book 7)

Blurb:

Behave or be benched.

Noah Braterman’s hotheaded attitude may cost him his NHL career before it truly begins. After alienating his current teammates, coaches, fans, and the press, Noah gets a second chance to prove his worth when he’s traded to the Seattle Thunder with one ultimatum—lose the attitude or lose his spot on the team.

Enter Adam Labatt, former NHL player, and Noah’s last, best Vegas fling.

After his own rocky past in the show, Adam turned himself around and is now being asked by his old mentor to help Noah learn to play well with others. Living in isolation on his private island and still guilt-ridden over the way his marriage ended, how can Adam possibly mentor anyone? But the man he shared an unexpectedly intimate passionate night with is worth fighting for, even if he has to fight Noah himself.

Forced into close quarters, the walls they’ve erected to protect themselves crumble as they share their hopes, dreams, and fears.

Fate brought them together. Now it’s up to them to find the courage to face the world unafraid. If they do, they just might create a future better than they could have imagined that night in Vegas under the desert stars.