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heabooknerd's review
5.0
BAD PUCKING TIMING was exactly what I wanted in an MM hockey romance and I'm really looking forward to more in this series! I loved the combination of golden retriever hockey player Niko and moody skater boy Xander and these two were on fire together. You might want to get a fan because this book was extra spicy but also really tender. The chemistry and care between these two was done so well and I was happy to see that while things start out a little rocky, there's not much angst in their relationship.
The hockey plot wasn't as prominent compared to other books in this trope but it was still enjoyable and I loved the hints at some future MCs and couples.
The hockey plot wasn't as prominent compared to other books in this trope but it was still enjoyable and I loved the hints at some future MCs and couples.
romitoak's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
3.0
emmina's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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
4.25
nickymcmo's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
4.5
torinori's review
4.0
this was the first book i’ve read by this author and i really liked it. it was fun and right up my alley of sports romance. i’ll read more from this author in the future!
laurasaur12's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
teenykins's review
1.0
***I think I'm a bit mean with the review so this is your WARNING to NOT go ahead and read it!***
So.... I've heavily skimmed since the 47% mark because we were going nowhere fast, since we kept circling around the same things over and over again, especially when we had Xander's POV.
So let's start with the sex scenes and how the first one managed to be 30pgs long, between only the MCs, and 2 sessions. If it was a marathon length orgy, I would have understood 30pgs of smut, but it wasn't that and I was struggling through 2/3rds of it. The other sex scenes weren't as lengthy but really for vanilla sex why do you need more than 3pgs, TOPS!!! These were 7-10pgs long and not very exciting. I will grant that the dirty talk was good!
It is 2023 and if you have hanged around in the LGBTQIA reading community for at least the last 5 years, be it as an author or a reader, you'll know that using the word "clean" when describing a person negative of STDs, is a big NO NO. To me it's very icky and to some can even be a trigger, so that was a big foul.
I don't know much about hockey, but it seemed strange to me for someone rumored to be "rookie of the year" to think to himself that the NCAA was slower than the NHL and he guessed, after scoring a goal, that good for him, he can match that speed. For someone not coming from the AHL shouldn't it have been a given that he could at least match 90% of the speed an NHL player has? Generally for Niko saying how hard he has worked for his dream and the sacrifices he had made, he seemed to be relaxed towards the whole thing.
And then of course there is Xander. Just as Niko felt and said, did we have to start from the beginning every single time they met? If Niko was exasperated by that, imagine my frustration when we got to live and breathe it through his POV chapters. Plus all the things jocks and his ex. Since he was 25yos he should have also realized, what with not him being a Victorian ingenue, that at 17 what he felt was puppy love and not the end all and be all!!!
Do I care to go into the whole oh my eyes! My eyes! I can't take it! Those Abs are a work of art! They are magnificent as if carved from Michelangelo himself! The perfection is too much!!!. Body positivity -150points in this story!
I'm gonna try Noah and Tripp's story next but things aren't looking good for me.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
So.... I've heavily skimmed since the 47% mark because we were going nowhere fast, since we kept circling around the same things over and over again, especially when we had Xander's POV.
So let's start with the sex scenes and how the first one managed to be 30pgs long, between only the MCs, and 2 sessions. If it was a marathon length orgy, I would have understood 30pgs of smut, but it wasn't that and I was struggling through 2/3rds of it. The other sex scenes weren't as lengthy but really for vanilla sex why do you need more than 3pgs, TOPS!!! These were 7-10pgs long and not very exciting. I will grant that the dirty talk was good!
It is 2023 and if you have hanged around in the LGBTQIA reading community for at least the last 5 years, be it as an author or a reader, you'll know that using the word "clean" when describing a person negative of STDs, is a big NO NO. To me it's very icky and to some can even be a trigger, so that was a big foul.
I don't know much about hockey, but it seemed strange to me for someone rumored to be "rookie of the year" to think to himself that the NCAA was slower than the NHL and he guessed, after scoring a goal, that good for him, he can match that speed. For someone not coming from the AHL shouldn't it have been a given that he could at least match 90% of the speed an NHL player has? Generally for Niko saying how hard he has worked for his dream and the sacrifices he had made, he seemed to be relaxed towards the whole thing.
And then of course there is Xander. Just as Niko felt and said, did we have to start from the beginning every single time they met? If Niko was exasperated by that, imagine my frustration when we got to live and breathe it through his POV chapters. Plus all the things jocks and his ex. Since he was 25yos he should have also realized, what with not him being a Victorian ingenue, that at 17 what he felt was puppy love and not the end all and be all!!!
Do I care to go into the whole oh my eyes! My eyes! I can't take it! Those Abs are a work of art! They are magnificent as if carved from Michelangelo himself! The perfection is too much!!!. Body positivity -150points in this story!
I'm gonna try Noah and Tripp's story next but things aren't looking good for me.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
tdekorte's review
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-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
3.25
queerlyread's review
Despite my early enthusiasm about finding a new-to-me hockey series/author and really liking the first 10% in the sample enough to buy it, I ended up being super turned off by the time I decided to dnf.
I quite liked Xander's character but holy hell what is that 'character development' with Niko? He seemed so cool at first, but I started getting really bad vibes from him.
When Niko convinced a drunk Xander to sleep in his bed after *taking him to his apartment without Xander realizing he wasn't being taken home*, and agreeing to no sex and only friends after Xander opened up about his trauma, it seemed like a productive conversation. ...and then Xander woke up to Niko furiously masturbating and refusing to stop when Xander asked/reminded him of what they'd agreed to/tried to get out of the bed because "you were torturing me rubbing against me in your sleep and now it feels too good/baby I can't stop/just one more time, masturbate with me" until Xander caved? Non-con/somnophilia can be hot but that gave big "it's not sexual assault if they're asleep" vibes in a story that teehee'd it away as a connection.
Combine that with Niko *knowing* that Xander has issues with dating someone in the closet because of his trauma and not wanting to be pushed back into the closet himself (valid!!!) and Niko having the mindset of "I don't know why he's so hung up on that/why shouldn't he be okay with this, I'm not his ex/I'll come out when I'm ready so in the meantime he says friends I'll agree but my goal is friends with benefits." Oof. Sketchyyy!
I am so put off by people like that in real life (especially in queer spaces!) and I guess reading is no different. I will not be continuing this series/author. Bad vibes.
I quite liked Xander's character but holy hell what is that 'character development' with Niko? He seemed so cool at first, but I started getting really bad vibes from him.
When Niko convinced a drunk Xander to sleep in his bed after *taking him to his apartment without Xander realizing he wasn't being taken home*, and agreeing to no sex and only friends after Xander opened up about his trauma, it seemed like a productive conversation. ...and then Xander woke up to Niko furiously masturbating and refusing to stop when Xander asked/reminded him of what they'd agreed to/tried to get out of the bed because "you were torturing me rubbing against me in your sleep and now it feels too good/baby I can't stop/just one more time, masturbate with me" until Xander caved? Non-con/somnophilia can be hot but that gave big "it's not sexual assault if they're asleep" vibes in a story that teehee'd it away as a connection.
Combine that with Niko *knowing* that Xander has issues with dating someone in the closet because of his trauma and not wanting to be pushed back into the closet himself (valid!!!) and Niko having the mindset of "I don't know why he's so hung up on that/why shouldn't he be okay with this, I'm not his ex/I'll come out when I'm ready so in the meantime he says friends I'll agree but my goal is friends with benefits." Oof. Sketchyyy!
I am so put off by people like that in real life (especially in queer spaces!) and I guess reading is no different. I will not be continuing this series/author. Bad vibes.