Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - Tough Guy

this is straight up pornography.
like i’ve said before, this series can be hit or miss. i had mixed feelings about this one. i thought Ryan’s body issues and sexual dysfunction were really realistic, and the treatment of sex and intimacy was very healthy and realistic. Rachel Reid was definitely experimenting here with all the sex toys and sexual positions… and i wasn’t mad about it.
Ryan’s character arc flew by quickly, and i didn’t think he got the believable development he deserved. Fabian also had some inconsistent character traits, and the third act breakup felt like it was really out of the blue.
i did really like the exploration of anxiety and mental health, as that is apparently a big, important issue for the author. i felt like the depictions of social anxiety were really authentic, and i really empathized with Ryan throughout.
i totally understood the message here: don’t let your “dream” destroy you in the process. i liked THIS as a central conflict more than the outing/coming out plots that are way too common in this series. but i still think it needed some developmental work. i believe in my girl Rachel, though. she’ll get there!
i would maybe read this one again as a comfort read, but it’s not the best in the series.

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tragicgloom's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

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potatogrr's review against another edition

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3.75

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littlewishling's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

I loved the exploration of anxiety in this. It felt true to life. I also adored Fabian’s friends because they reminded me of mine.

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penguinsquack's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.75

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frantic_vampire's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Well, there goes another hockey romance that almost made me cry! I really, really loved this book. I don’t know how this series keeps getting better with each book, but it does.

I’m having a hard time finding words that aren’t just happy and excited unintelligible screaming to describe my feelings for this one. I loved Ryan and all of his anxiety and mental health issues, his fear of flying, and that he finally decided to fight for himself. He felt so real and my heart just ached for him. I also loved Fabian and how comfortable he was with his sexuality and how confident he was, and how open he was with literally everyone. And I loved them together! They seem like they wouldn’t go together, but they fit so well! And the fact that they found each other after 13 years apart just sends me to a whole other level.

Honestly it’s getting hard to pick just one book from this series as a top favorite. I loved Tough Guy so much and I just want more! This one is getting a solid five stars. I would also highly recommend reading the series if you haven’t already!

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antonique_reads's review against another edition

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3.0

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