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wanderingtales's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
Minor: Car accident and Death
garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
This was a really sweet story! Ace representation, lots of steamy scenes, and a very good performance from the narrator. Wrapped up kind of in a hurry though. I wish there had been more about Landon's personal growth (get him in therapy!!!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Biphobia, Car accident, Death, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
zoiejanelle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
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.
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
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia and Medical content
takarakei's review against another edition
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
🌶️4/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident
ashhearddwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Alcohol
wildatheart1339's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Grief
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Car accident
vagaybond's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
<b>Nice</b>
- <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/guys-on-the-side-looking-beyond-gay-tops-and-bottoms_b_3082484>side</a> rep . also v sexy
- tender, sweet, the normal romance novel appeals
<b>Negative</b>
- made me think too much about my own heartbreak and how mine cannot be resolved this way.
-lack of diversity. (Typical for the hockey fiction genre.)
<b>Audiobook stuff</b>. None of these are complaints!! Just me being xenophobic toward americans (in a way that is merely silly and completely unreasonable)
It is always a lil funny when an american audiobook narrator has to pronounce <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tuque">toque.</a> For the unaware — it rhymes with duke. I also think it's interesting how a french canadian accent is done in a france french way as though it doesn't come from back further in the roof of your mouth. Very zee zat hon hon hon baguette and not very <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_French_profanity">tabarnak</a> celine dion-y. <a href="https://youtu.be/2AKUqgy7UzY?si=C0eKTQRUt2PhyMRm">This Hour Has 22 Minutes has some sketches of a parody of the accent</a>.
- <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/guys-on-the-side-looking-beyond-gay-tops-and-bottoms_b_3082484>side</a> rep . also v sexy
- tender, sweet, the normal romance novel appeals
<b>Negative</b>
- made me think too much about my own heartbreak and how mine cannot be resolved this way.
-lack of diversity. (Typical for the hockey fiction genre.)
<b>Audiobook stuff</b>. None of these are complaints!! Just me being xenophobic toward americans (in a way that is merely silly and completely unreasonable)
It is always a lil funny when an american audiobook narrator has to pronounce <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tuque">toque.</a> For the unaware — it rhymes with duke. I also think it's interesting how a french canadian accent is done in a france french way as though it doesn't come from back further in the roof of your mouth. Very zee zat hon hon hon baguette and not very <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_French_profanity">tabarnak</a> celine dion-y. <a href="https://youtu.be/2AKUqgy7UzY?si=C0eKTQRUt2PhyMRm">This Hour Has 22 Minutes has some sketches of a parody of the accent</a>.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Death, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
fuzzywilson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, Sexual content, Drug use, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
eenicem's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Alcohol, Death, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Drug use and Injury/Injury detail
anil's review against another edition
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.
[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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail