bookographic's review
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Alcoholism
cherryblossomreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
Abso-effing-lutely brilliant! Jeg elsker den her. Den er rå, ubarmhjertig og samtidig så fuld af kærlighed og varme. Den rammer lige ind i en tone af alvor og humor, som er helt perfekt til indholdet og formår at balancere tunge følelser og tanker med håb og glæde.
Slutningen kunne godt have været længere - historien blev rundet fint af, men med tanke på, hvor meget der er kredset for detaljer og følelser igennem bogen, så savnede jeg lidt mere. Mest er jeg dog bare glad for, at jeg ikke blev holdt hen i uvidenhed med alt muligt. Og så kommer der jo en toer, så mon ikke vi får liiidt at vide om Mike og Danny også, selv om det er to andre spillere, der er i fokus.
Slutningen kunne godt have været længere - historien blev rundet fint af, men med tanke på, hvor meget der er kredset for detaljer og følelser igennem bogen, så savnede jeg lidt mere. Mest er jeg dog bare glad for, at jeg ikke blev holdt hen i uvidenhed med alt muligt. Og så kommer der jo en toer, så mon ikke vi får liiidt at vide om Mike og Danny også, selv om det er to andre spillere, der er i fokus.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
ginfizz's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
Thank you to Netgalley and Carina Press for the ARC to review.
Game Misconduct is a standout rivals-to-lovers hockey romance. The highlight of the book is the character development of the two mcs. The way Mike and Danny grow and change is so beautiful to see. Their relationship is so hostile and mean at the start, but it's obvious that even when they're still "enemies," they make each other better and challenge each other in a really positive way. They both have that edge of desperation for connection, and if either of them had come to the other from a place of empathy and kindness, I doubt either of them would have been able to receive it; so really the antagonism of their interactions is the only way they could be open with each other.
The topics are heavy and it's always hard to see richly developed and sympathetic characters make bad choices, but the way it all comes together is all the more touching for how difficult the process is. Mind the trigger warnings and prepare for more than a little meanness, but it's ultimately such a gorgeous and powerful read.
Game Misconduct is a standout rivals-to-lovers hockey romance. The highlight of the book is the character development of the two mcs. The way Mike and Danny grow and change is so beautiful to see. Their relationship is so hostile and mean at the start, but it's obvious that even when they're still "enemies," they make each other better and challenge each other in a really positive way. They both have that edge of desperation for connection, and if either of them had come to the other from a place of empathy and kindness, I doubt either of them would have been able to receive it; so really the antagonism of their interactions is the only way they could be open with each other.
The topics are heavy and it's always hard to see richly developed and sympathetic characters make bad choices, but the way it all comes together is all the more touching for how difficult the process is. Mind the trigger warnings and prepare for more than a little meanness, but it's ultimately such a gorgeous and powerful read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
kellylayne's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexism, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Racism
Mind the content warnings provided by the author, including undernegotiated kink and characters who enjoy pain during sex.ravenanjell's review
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Addiction, and Drug abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
_isabel_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
4.25
Well, this was absolutely gripping.
Angst-filled, tough and complex, "Game Misconduct" stole my heart; and Mike Sato stole my soul.
This isn't a light-hearted read: Mike and Danny's romance, their road to a much-deserved HEA (although, I admit, it's more of a HFN), is filled with rage and doubt and pain and addiction, but it's also fueled by care and deep, wonderful, helpless affection and the joy of slowly discovering one another after years of rivalry and violence.
There's nothing I love more than enemies to lovers, and since I absolutely adore hockey romances, I knew (and I hoped) I was going to love their story from the very first chapter.
Mike and Danny's relationship wasn't easy, and their whole dynamic was volatile from the very start: don't go into this book expecting sweetness, because these two, at least in the beginning, have an obsessive, toxic dynamic; and yeah, punching and slapping each other is their own form of foreplay.
To be fair, the (non-negotiated) kinky aspect of their relationship stays rough and violent, but it's also intersected by the love and affection they slowly develop for one another.
Needless to say, they were absolutely explosive together and I loved them, so much.
And actually, their romance does get sweeter and softer, and that is solely down to the utter gem, the disastrous, precious boy, that is Mike Sato.
Mike Sato stole my heart and soul: he's angry and hurt and confused and unsure, but he's also so damn sweet and eager and needy and starved for affection that I literally wanted to jump into the book and cuddle him to death. He's so unexpectedly sweet and unsure and soft at times, so damn thoughtful, I kept myself from sobbing through sheer will. His character growth was exceptional: I have to applaud the author for how they handled Mike, and his wonderful growth throughout the book.
So yeah, I loved Mike to bits, and I also thought, maybe uncharitably, that he deserved better than what he got. Or at least, he deserved a good ol' grovel from Danny near the end.
So yeah, while I did love Mike and I did love Danny in the beginning, after a bit I got really frustrated with how Danny was acting. I know, addiction isn't easy; I know, he was going through hell and he was in constant pain. I know I'm being unreasonable here, but still!
I think that's the reason I can't give this book the full five stars it would have easily deserved. I think I kept expecting them to reach a breaking point or, in the very least, a third act break-up: yes, I know, I shocked myself too. I usually don't like them, but I feel like it would have been justified here and it would have made Danny and Mike's HEA much more sweeter and definitive. And yeah, a grovel scene would have been welcome too. I kept waiting for something like that, so I was disappointed there wasn't.
Anyway, apart from this minor thing, I loved this book and I absolutely adored the writing: it's relentless and emotional and vivid.
I also loved the side characters to bits: from Bee to Celi, to all their other teammates. I'm very excited to see if there will be another book of Ari Baran's about certain two oblivious, BFF teammates: I sincerely hope so.
In the meantime, I thoroughly recommend this book: it was wonderful.
TWs/CWs: alcoholism, drug abuse, injury, rough sex, suicidal thoughts, SA (brief description), homophobia and racism (mentioned).
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Angst-filled, tough and complex, "Game Misconduct" stole my heart; and Mike Sato stole my soul.
This isn't a light-hearted read: Mike and Danny's romance, their road to a much-deserved HEA (although, I admit, it's more of a HFN), is filled with rage and doubt and pain and addiction, but it's also fueled by care and deep, wonderful, helpless affection and the joy of slowly discovering one another after years of rivalry and violence.
There's nothing I love more than enemies to lovers, and since I absolutely adore hockey romances, I knew (and I hoped) I was going to love their story from the very first chapter.
Mike and Danny's relationship wasn't easy, and their whole dynamic was volatile from the very start: don't go into this book expecting sweetness, because these two, at least in the beginning, have an obsessive, toxic dynamic; and yeah, punching and slapping each other is their own form of foreplay.
To be fair, the (non-negotiated) kinky aspect of their relationship stays rough and violent, but it's also intersected by the love and affection they slowly develop for one another.
Needless to say, they were absolutely explosive together and I loved them, so much.
And actually, their romance does get sweeter and softer, and that is solely down to the utter gem, the disastrous, precious boy, that is Mike Sato.
Mike Sato stole my heart and soul: he's angry and hurt and confused and unsure, but he's also so damn sweet and eager and needy and starved for affection that I literally wanted to jump into the book and cuddle him to death. He's so unexpectedly sweet and unsure and soft at times, so damn thoughtful, I kept myself from sobbing through sheer will. His character growth was exceptional: I have to applaud the author for how they handled Mike, and his wonderful growth throughout the book.
So yeah, I loved Mike to bits, and I also thought, maybe uncharitably, that he deserved better than what he got. Or at least, he deserved a good ol' grovel from Danny near the end.
So yeah, while I did love Mike and I did love Danny in the beginning, after a bit I got really frustrated with how Danny was acting. I know, addiction isn't easy; I know, he was going through hell and he was in constant pain. I know I'm being unreasonable here, but still!
I think that's the reason I can't give this book the full five stars it would have easily deserved. I think I kept expecting them to reach a breaking point or, in the very least, a third act break-up: yes, I know, I shocked myself too. I usually don't like them, but I feel like it would have been justified here and it would have made Danny and Mike's HEA much more sweeter and definitive. And yeah, a grovel scene would have been welcome too. I kept waiting for something like that, so I was disappointed there wasn't.
Anyway, apart from this minor thing, I loved this book and I absolutely adored the writing: it's relentless and emotional and vivid.
I also loved the side characters to bits: from Bee to Celi, to all their other teammates. I'm very excited to see if there will be another book of Ari Baran's about certain two oblivious, BFF teammates: I sincerely hope so.
In the meantime, I thoroughly recommend this book: it was wonderful.
TWs/CWs: alcoholism, drug abuse, injury, rough sex, suicidal thoughts, SA (brief description), homophobia and racism (mentioned).
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
Moderate: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Racism
booksandbreadcrumbs's review
4.0
I actually quite enjoyed this book. I was a little worried in the middle when I was 30% into the book and still in the second chapter, but aside from that and a few other chapters that were just way too long, I really liked this. Definitely the more I read, the more invested I was and by the time I reached the end, I was really into it.
I also loved that this version of the NHL has at least one female player.
I also loved that this version of the NHL has at least one female player.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcoholism
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