Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - Time to Shine

RACHEL REID NEVER MISSES.

the individual character arcs were a bit shallow (Casey is afraid of the dark/of being alone… Landon is dealing with grief and depression) but their weird quirks made them so much more believable and complex. Reid really knows how to craft lovable, relatable three-dimensional characters—even if the pieced that make up each character seem a little silly.

i read some reviews before diving into this book which made me hesitant to read. after the Game Changers series, i doubted Reid could top her shilya duology. however, her extremely commercial, palatable style and the tangible, compelling chemistry drew me in. this book was fast, easy to digest, and gave me SO MANY FEELINGS. i don’t know how she does it.

i liked how she portrayed Landon’s demisexuality and his touch aversion, but i wish Landon and Casey had had a more awkward and realistic first-time experience. or that they would have acknowledged that sex can and will be awkward or uncomfortable. Casey’s sexual expertise and openness (and chattiness) certainly improved their first experiences with one another, but i like Reid’s REALISM in her relationships, and i wish she’d incorporated just a touch more of it here.

the main issue i had with this book was how quickly each character realized and acknowledged their crush. there weren’t really any “oh” moments, and their chemistry really didn’t leap off the page until after they’d stated they were crushing. <edit: i reread the book this week and disagree with this opinion now—i think the gradual build was done well despite not having any “oh” crush moments. we did get that much later though with casey at the christmas party. wink!>

i will say that once they caught feelings, i was hooked. i stayed up until 4am reading because i had such intense butterflies i just couldn’t wait to see what happened next. i loved how wholesome and unconditional their love for one another was, and how that balanced with the sexier scenes.

all in all, a slay. anything Rachel Reid writes, i will read.

Content Warnings

bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

"Landon smiled back at him. “We’re going to the playoffs together.”
Casey glanced around, then gave Landon a quick kiss. “We’re going everywhere together.”"

➽ I don't usually read sports romances, but Time to Shine was fun! It's about two hockey players falling for each other who couldn't be more different. Landon is an introverted, reserved person and the new backup goalie because another player got injured. It's a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Landon who is finally able to play in the NHL in a prestigious team. He's struggling with feeling like he's good enough and dealing with the effects of grief in his own family. Casey is an extroverted sunshine character and the son of a famous player. He's very energetic and intends to bring Landon out of his shell.

➽ For the most part, I enjoyed their dynamic! Landon becomes Casey's new roommate because the latter feels lonely in his huge house. I liked how different they were and yet still fit together. Casey is doing his best to make Landon feel welcome, even though his new roommate is pretty closed off. The audiobook was nice, so I really enjoyed listening to their banter and growing attraction!

➽ In the end, I wasn't completely sold on Time to Shine. The pacing was pretty slow at times and the ending dragged for me. I was also hoping for a more in-depth character Arc for Casey. His issues of being alone and insecurity about 'being dumb' were barely explored, which made him a bit more shallow compared to Landon, who had the storyline about his family's grief.

➽ I also wasn't the most comfortable with how Landon's demisexuality was portrayed. The word itself was never mentioned and though I'm sure the author had the best intentions, it didn't feel like she explored Landon's struggles with his sexuality well. I appreciated that Casey was supportive and willing to do what Landon was comfortable with! However, once Casey and Landon got together, it felt like his demisexuality was never brought up again. That was disappointing, as I wish Landon had the opportunity to figure out for himself how building an emotional connection with Casey might have affected his sexual attraction.

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jerseygirl1229's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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takarakei's review against another edition

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funny 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

4.5

hockey romance
teammates
forced proximity
queer discovery
opposites attract

Casey is the most golden retriever character I've read. But also, a bi-king! Landon's journey was also so heartwarming to read, he is definitely on the ACE spectrum of sexuality. Holiday romance, but not centered on the holidays (more-so hockey season). Just a really wonderful queer romance!

🌶️4/5

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wilybooklover's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

What lovely, cosy Christmassy vibes this book had! So fluffy and festive.

I absolutely adored these two characters; sweet, outgoing himbo Casey and reserved, awkward loner Landon were complete opposites yet balanced each other out beautifully. I really loved how they appreciated each other for who they were. You could see how much better they made each other with the more time they spent together. Landon being flustered by Casey's constant praise was so cute, and Landon telling Casey he wasn't stupid just warmed my heart. These two deserved everything!!

Another thing I loved was how the sex scenes played out. They were slow and exploratory

with the focus completely away from penetrative sex.

I loved how sex-positive and focused on consent Casey was — he really just wants everyone to have a good time. The perfect pairing for Landon,

who was a virgin who'd barely been kissed before.

The side characters were all fantastic here as well, from their families to their teammates and even Casey's one-night stands (Zach flirting with Landon the morning after was hilarious!). Seeing Landon start to heal his relationship with his parents was so heartwarming and the Christmas scenes in the 'cabin' were so fun! I'm not a big sports fan but the sports aspects were well-integrated into the story too, and never took away from the romance.

This whole book was just so soft and tender and I loved it. The perfect Christmas book.

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daniellesharp's review against another edition

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5.0

🌶️🌶️🌶️

Sortof 3rd act breakup
Dual POV
Casey/Landon

OH MY GOD. I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. This was so cute! I was just smiling and "aw"ing most of the book. I really loved it.
The spice isn't, like, really kinky or anything, but very detailed/explicit, lol.

Casey and Landon are both so insanely awkward, and I love it.
Landon definitely reads as demisexual/on the asexual spectrum.

I absolutely loved this. 10/10.

Content Warnings

eenicem's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted

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

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anil's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I went into this book basically blind and like by 10 minutes in I'm:
[looks at the Matthew Tkachuk hugging David Rittich embroidery I
am working on while listening to this] [looks at audiobook] [looks at reference picture] Hm.

It's great though! This is not a complaint. It should come as no surprise that within those same ten minutes I was ready to die for Casey.

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