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This is such a fun read!!
I’m not usually much into sports, but right now I’m on a sports romance kick, and I gotta say - this story is amazing! You can definitely tell Gale is a hockey fan, but Book is still enjoyable for someone who’s never watched a game in their life. And watching the development between Lane and Jared was so enjoyable~~!! There’s so many quips between them and what starts as just a meeting of convenience builds up as feelings are caught.
One thing that bothered me is there were a couple instances near the beginning that felt like ace erasure because Lane talked about how sex is supposed to be enjoyed by everyone and a couple other similar comments.
Overall I had a lot of fun reading this story, and am so looking forward to more in this series~!
Content warnings: on-page sex, some acemisia/ace erasure, on-ice violence (taking gloves off is lead-in to a fist fight??), some homomisia, references to coach-player relationship in one MC’s past that was a power imbalance and manipulation, fears of parental disownment because of being gay.
I’m not usually much into sports, but right now I’m on a sports romance kick, and I gotta say - this story is amazing! You can definitely tell Gale is a hockey fan, but Book is still enjoyable for someone who’s never watched a game in their life. And watching the development between Lane and Jared was so enjoyable~~!! There’s so many quips between them and what starts as just a meeting of convenience builds up as feelings are caught.
One thing that bothered me is there were a couple instances near the beginning that felt like ace erasure because Lane talked about how sex is supposed to be enjoyed by everyone and a couple other similar comments.
Overall I had a lot of fun reading this story, and am so looking forward to more in this series~!
Content warnings: on-page sex, some acemisia/ace erasure, on-ice violence (taking gloves off is lead-in to a fist fight??), some homomisia, references to coach-player relationship in one MC’s past that was a power imbalance and manipulation, fears of parental disownment because of being gay.
03/11/19
I love Lane so much. Jared is also great.
17/02/18
Lane is one of the best characters I’ve ever read.
The supportive relationship is everything to me.
I cry.
I love Lane so much. Jared is also great.
17/02/18
Lane is one of the best characters I’ve ever read.
The supportive relationship is everything to me.
I cry.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was extremely average. I had a fine time reading it but the characters weren't anything special and I found the pacing to be really strange.
#Diversathon read 1
Hello, beautiful book that filled my heart with giggles and squeals and joyous perfection.
By now I have completed the whole Scoring Chances series and I am utterly in love with Avon Gale's approach and narration style. Utterly and forever in love.
When I wanted to describe this book to my dear friend, light of my life, I told her: *there is a Canadian cucumber and he falls in love with a grumpy Husky and he is SOOOO SMITTEN*.
So yes, I stand by that, that's the book.
But also: this book does a great job of touching themes that I way too often see glossed over in romance, and now I shall tell you about them and no, it's not a spoiler guys, it's not.
The themes:
-bisexuality!!!!!!!! Yes we have MULTIPLE bisexual characters and they stay bisexual regardless of the gender their lover belongs to. It is AMAZING. Representation of the best kind, A+.
-age difference: it was greatly done, so subtle and POSITIVE because yes, sometime you fall for people much older or younger than you and sometime they are the perfect fit despite that. It's about respect and communication and amazing, amazing yet again.
-personal ambition: I'm not sure that's the right wording but I'm talking about dealing with the end of a period of your life, a career, something that used to define you, and learning to make something new and still good for yourself after it. And it's also just about following your ambition and learning that not everyone needs to reach the top podium that smaller conquests can still be great and immense if they are for you! You set your own goals and then slay them!
-I have no idea how to phrase this but...not everyone is a NASA scientist, some people are just dudes that play hockey but have an incredible talent and a beautiful heart and I loved that because let's be honest sometime romance books tend to turn every single dude into a secretly emotional and delicate soul hiding his pain under the armor...which is not bad but it's a reverse stereotype I'm tired of. These guys were so smitten and so awkward about romancing each other and IT FELT SO REAL!
-platonic male-female friendship: it was here, it was great, it was IMPORTANT! The girl was definitely in the main cast, her presence was not instrumental period, she had her own arc and through her we deal with some of these great plot points. YAS! Because okay, this is m/m romance but it doesn't mean the cast needs to be 100% brooding hot guys, it makes no sense! Yes to girls in m/m romance!
-believable happy ending: thank you for not making it over dramatic, THANK YOU.
-the parents. Just the parents!
It was great, new favorite series and Spoiler for the sequels: they are great too. ;)
Hello, beautiful book that filled my heart with giggles and squeals and joyous perfection.
By now I have completed the whole Scoring Chances series and I am utterly in love with Avon Gale's approach and narration style. Utterly and forever in love.
When I wanted to describe this book to my dear friend, light of my life, I told her: *there is a Canadian cucumber and he falls in love with a grumpy Husky and he is SOOOO SMITTEN*.
So yes, I stand by that, that's the book.
But also: this book does a great job of touching themes that I way too often see glossed over in romance, and now I shall tell you about them and no, it's not a spoiler guys, it's not.
The themes:
-bisexuality!!!!!!!! Yes we have MULTIPLE bisexual characters and they stay bisexual regardless of the gender their lover belongs to. It is AMAZING. Representation of the best kind, A+.
-age difference: it was greatly done, so subtle and POSITIVE because yes, sometime you fall for people much older or younger than you and sometime they are the perfect fit despite that. It's about respect and communication and amazing, amazing yet again.
-personal ambition: I'm not sure that's the right wording but I'm talking about dealing with the end of a period of your life, a career, something that used to define you, and learning to make something new and still good for yourself after it. And it's also just about following your ambition and learning that not everyone needs to reach the top podium that smaller conquests can still be great and immense if they are for you! You set your own goals and then slay them!
-I have no idea how to phrase this but...not everyone is a NASA scientist, some people are just dudes that play hockey but have an incredible talent and a beautiful heart and I loved that because let's be honest sometime romance books tend to turn every single dude into a secretly emotional and delicate soul hiding his pain under the armor...which is not bad but it's a reverse stereotype I'm tired of. These guys were so smitten and so awkward about romancing each other and IT FELT SO REAL!
-platonic male-female friendship: it was here, it was great, it was IMPORTANT! The girl was definitely in the main cast, her presence was not instrumental period, she had her own arc and through her we deal with some of these great plot points. YAS! Because okay, this is m/m romance but it doesn't mean the cast needs to be 100% brooding hot guys, it makes no sense! Yes to girls in m/m romance!
-believable happy ending: thank you for not making it over dramatic, THANK YOU.
-the parents. Just the parents!
It was great, new favorite series and Spoiler for the sequels: they are great too. ;)
I can't decide if this was stupid or brilliant, but it was gay and about hockey and only mildly pornographic, so I'm here for it.
i really needed something fun, fast, kind of ridiculous after reading la charca (what a fckn downer. everyone good died) and this was just it. in no say was this great, but it made me laugh and smile so it achieved what i needed. there were certain things that i didn't like or agree with, but overall, i liked the book.
Lane is RIDICULOUS, and I'm here for it. Hockey + romance are two of my loves (or at least big likes), and I loved that this was set in ECHL. I loved the hockey, the team, and the romance. I found this really funny, but also moving, and Jared's trajectory as a hockey player made my heart sing.
Out of the series, this is probably my favorite because it's the funniest while still being really moving. Also sexy. Very sexy.
Out of the series, this is probably my favorite because it's the funniest while still being really moving. Also sexy. Very sexy.
2.5
Pros:
Loved the characters - quirky Lane definitely gave me ASD vibes but I love how those around him supported him. I also loved that even though Jared is ‘past his prime’, the author didn’t fill him with all this unnecessary angst. He was clearly ready for a new chapter in life and he embraced it.
The relationship overall - really enjoyed the interactions between the two characters. Their dialogue, while sometimes a bit all over the place, was incredibly relatable and very true to life.
Zoe ☺️
Cons:
The writing was a bit all over the place. It was a bit hard to follow the thinking pattern at time. Also, it switched between narration and first person but not in the right way.
The details of relationship development were missing. I wanted more interactions between them, more bonding.
SPOILER:
They hook up once and then don’t speak to each other at all for weeks, probably even a month. Then the next time they meet their in a relationship. After that we just hear they’ve been texting, talking through the phone and enjoying phone sex. Next thing it’s Christmas and they’re confessing their love to one another.
SPOILER DONE
I’m just missing those little details in between.
Pros:
Loved the characters - quirky Lane definitely gave me ASD vibes but I love how those around him supported him. I also loved that even though Jared is ‘past his prime’, the author didn’t fill him with all this unnecessary angst. He was clearly ready for a new chapter in life and he embraced it.
The relationship overall - really enjoyed the interactions between the two characters. Their dialogue, while sometimes a bit all over the place, was incredibly relatable and very true to life.
Zoe ☺️
Cons:
The writing was a bit all over the place. It was a bit hard to follow the thinking pattern at time. Also, it switched between narration and first person but not in the right way.
The details of relationship development were missing. I wanted more interactions between them, more bonding.
SPOILER:
They hook up once and then don’t speak to each other at all for weeks, probably even a month. Then the next time they meet their in a relationship. After that we just hear they’ve been texting, talking through the phone and enjoying phone sex. Next thing it’s Christmas and they’re confessing their love to one another.
SPOILER DONE
I’m just missing those little details in between.
A 3.5 but rounding up. The beginning and end was wonderfully written. I was immediately hooked on Lane and his social awkwardness and Jared's grumpy sexiness. But there was a little too much going on in the middle. Zoe and Ryan, Riley and all the assorted characters made the middle, for me, a little all over the place. I understand now that the author introduced characters we will see in future books but I needed more focus on my central MCs. The hockey sequences were riveting but went on too long. There was a lovely layer of sweet goofiness throughout the book, though, especially as Lane and Jared's fell for each other. Really liked the ending with the parents, particularly Lane's mom. Quite the hoot she was. So if the middle had been a little less frenetic this would have been a solid 5 stars. Just read the sample of Riley's book at the end of Breakaway and liked it. So here's hoping the pace is a bit slower for book 2.
4.5 Stars
Re- Listen
Audio Review
I love this series. I took a break from this author for a couple of years due to personal reasons but have been dying to re read or listen to this book again.
I adore Lane and his awkward personality, he is hilarious, and Jared's eternal patience is a joy to read and listen to.
You can tell the author has done her research and understands the hockey world.
Re- Listen
Audio Review
I love this series. I took a break from this author for a couple of years due to personal reasons but have been dying to re read or listen to this book again.
I adore Lane and his awkward personality, he is hilarious, and Jared's eternal patience is a joy to read and listen to.
You can tell the author has done her research and understands the hockey world.