Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
The world we want to live in
What a journey. This is a long read, particularly for a sports romance; there's so much for Julien to work through though, and the pacing is mostly managed really well so there were only a couple of moments where I found the pace dragged a little.
The chemistry and emotional connection between Julien and Isaac is palpable, with a lot of high heat interactions. I adored the way Isaac gives Julien space, never putting pressure on him to open up before he's ready; I also love the little moments where you see how much Isaac appreciates Julien's support in return.
As I said, Julien has a lot to work through and it's really tough to read at times, but this just makes the ending so much more enjoyable. There's a lot of "world we wished me lived in" positivity here; it's a world where no one bats an eye about queer teammates, there's little to no homophobia and the bad guys get what's coming to them.
I'm really excited to read the next book in the series as all the side characters were so full of life.
What a journey. This is a long read, particularly for a sports romance; there's so much for Julien to work through though, and the pacing is mostly managed really well so there were only a couple of moments where I found the pace dragged a little.
The chemistry and emotional connection between Julien and Isaac is palpable, with a lot of high heat interactions. I adored the way Isaac gives Julien space, never putting pressure on him to open up before he's ready; I also love the little moments where you see how much Isaac appreciates Julien's support in return.
As I said, Julien has a lot to work through and it's really tough to read at times, but this just makes the ending so much more enjoyable. There's a lot of "world we wished me lived in" positivity here; it's a world where no one bats an eye about queer teammates, there's little to no homophobia and the bad guys get what's coming to them.
I'm really excited to read the next book in the series as all the side characters were so full of life.
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a long book, and I’m glad. There were several places where I expected a chapter break and a, “The next morning, Isaac was still uncertain…” and the authors don’t do that here. They give the characters a lot of space to cuddle and talk through their relationship, and it’s great.
For the first 2/3, I thought this was going to be a relatively low-conflict story. Yes, Julien kept alluding to his past, but I thought, “That’s not that… bad… oh.” That sweetness and light is there to balance the wallop.
The teammates, friends, and family are all wonderful, and I was delighted to see the sequel teaser at the end—it was exactly what I’d hoped for.
For the first 2/3, I thought this was going to be a relatively low-conflict story. Yes, Julien kept alluding to his past, but I thought, “That’s not that… bad… oh.” That sweetness and light is there to balance the wallop.
The teammates, friends, and family are all wonderful, and I was delighted to see the sequel teaser at the end—it was exactly what I’d hoped for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual assault
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Gaslighting
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Oh gosh, do I love hockey romances. I enjoyed this so much I'm not sure how to explain it.
[full review to come]
4.5/5
[full review to come]
4.5/5
This wasn’t bad but I was bored with it. I’m just not invested enough to read 500 pages of this. I think it needed a slower burn or more plot or something to hold my interest. Maybe I’ll give it another go another time.
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes