Scan barcode
lithoerary_atria's review against another edition
emotional
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
god these idiots are gonna make me cry so hard istg.
------------------------------------
god these idiots DID make me cry so hard istg.
ok get ready for this rambly review:
i was so so looking forward to a follow-up on ilya & shane's story because heated rivalry always felt a little incomplete to me and this DID NOT disappont.
ik this book is going to annoy some people who go into this expecting a cute romance but i genuinely like that all the grievances & misunderstandings between shane & ilya came out in this one. imo it's very realistic & i like that they had to work & talk through their issues to get together. and how it wasn't an overnight thing but a constant effort put into work by both of them.
i'm not a fan of the miscommunication trope but this is done VERY well here because the circumstances to create those misunderstandings seemed realistic. also ik many people are gonna get angry at shane (hell, i was too at times) but the book portrays both shane & ilya as so painfully human that it works & you can't help but root for them. i loved how these two characters have matured while still being in love and being absolute sappy idiots with each other.
He had to go to practice. He still felt tired. He always felt tired these days.
also, gonna get a big personal here. i've read plenty of books where the characters have depression and realistically, i KNOWW that depression is very different for different people. but i've NEVER EVER related this much about my experiences as much as i did with ilya — from feeling the bone-deep exhaustion to the frustration of having a downward spiral after having a few good moments — and it made me cry so fucking hard to see a character i care about go through something like this 'cause it's fucking awful.
Are you saying you think about, like—”
“No. Not really. I don’t know. I feel like I could think about it. Okay?”
He was frustrated about the loss, but it was more than that. He wanted to fucking disappear. He didn’t want his teammates to look at him, he didn’t want to talk to anyone. He was exhausted and he couldn’t remember what it felt like to not be exhausted.
He was worried the good vibes would end as soon as he was alone.
istg my notes are just filled with 'i relate to this so much it hurts' and just keysmashes from mushy feelings over how in love shane & ilya are.
this might actually be my favourite book of the series simply because of how particular issues were handled. and if the ending is too sappy or unrealistic, well, fuck it, who cares? queer people deserve to have an escape too and i'm so glad this book exists for that.
------------------------------------
god these idiots DID make me cry so hard istg.
ok get ready for this rambly review:
i was so so looking forward to a follow-up on ilya & shane's story because heated rivalry always felt a little incomplete to me and this DID NOT disappont.
ik this book is going to annoy some people who go into this expecting a cute romance but i genuinely like that all the grievances & misunderstandings between shane & ilya came out in this one. imo it's very realistic & i like that they had to work & talk through their issues to get together. and how it wasn't an overnight thing but a constant effort put into work by both of them.
i'm not a fan of the miscommunication trope but this is done VERY well here because the circumstances to create those misunderstandings seemed realistic. also ik many people are gonna get angry at shane (hell, i was too at times) but the book portrays both shane & ilya as so painfully human that it works & you can't help but root for them. i loved how these two characters have matured while still being in love and being absolute sappy idiots with each other.
He had to go to practice. He still felt tired. He always felt tired these days.
also, gonna get a big personal here. i've read plenty of books where the characters have depression and realistically, i KNOWW that depression is very different for different people. but i've NEVER EVER related this much about my experiences as much as i did with ilya — from feeling the bone-deep exhaustion to the frustration of having a downward spiral after having a few good moments — and it made me cry so fucking hard to see a character i care about go through something like this 'cause it's fucking awful.
Are you saying you think about, like—”
“No. Not really. I don’t know. I feel like I could think about it. Okay?”
He was frustrated about the loss, but it was more than that. He wanted to fucking disappear. He didn’t want his teammates to look at him, he didn’t want to talk to anyone. He was exhausted and he couldn’t remember what it felt like to not be exhausted.
He was worried the good vibes would end as soon as he was alone.
istg my notes are just filled with 'i relate to this so much it hurts' and just keysmashes from mushy feelings over how in love shane & ilya are.
this might actually be my favourite book of the series simply because of how particular issues were handled. and if the ending is too sappy or unrealistic, well, fuck it, who cares? queer people deserve to have an escape too and i'm so glad this book exists for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Mental illness
kharlan3's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Sexual content, and Homophobia
Moderate: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Drug use, Bullying, and Biphobia
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Suicide, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Racism, and Grief
there is achambersaurusrx's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Homophobia
Moderate: Suicide
cherryblossomreads's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
4.0
Årh ❤️ so good!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
ashhearddwrites's review
adventurous
lighthearted
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
sumia's review
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Homophobia
aromarrie's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
don’t have a lot to say at this very moment but this book is special; that’s all for now
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness, Outing, and Grief
Minor: Suicide
marysbookinit's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
reclusivebookslug's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
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
4.0
Even though I'm not gay and have no interest in hockey, I love this series. I hope Rachel Reid continues writing because she's one of my favorite romance authors. (I've read the whole of this series before I started using this app, and I refuse to start marking books I've read in the past because it would never end and drive me insane, so until I reread the others it will appear as though I have only read this one.)
Although I love the other books in this series (Ryan and Fabian's story especially), this has quickly become my new favorite. The closure on Shane and Ilya's story, discussion of mental health, the inclusion of women's hockey, acknowledging the need for trans inclusivity in sports, and the hope of more substantial change in hockey culture and industry (at least in this fictional NHL), are all great additions.
One point that I prefer other couples in this series to this one is the connection I feel to each of the main characters. I just don't relate or connect to Shane very much. I don't think this is simply due to me being personally very different from him, for the same is true of Ilya, who I love. I can't quite put my finger on why this disconnect exists for me, but it's worth mentioning as something that slightly dampened the enjoyability of reading. I always prefer when I am equally invested in each love interest, as opposed to being predominantly interested in just one.
Although I love the other books in this series (Ryan and Fabian's story especially), this has quickly become my new favorite. The closure on Shane and Ilya's story, discussion of mental health, the inclusion of women's hockey, acknowledging the need for trans inclusivity in sports, and the hope of more substantial change in hockey culture and industry (at least in this fictional NHL), are all great additions.
One point that I prefer other couples in this series to this one is the connection I feel to each of the main characters. I just don't relate or connect to Shane very much. I don't think this is simply due to me being personally very different from him, for the same is true of Ilya, who I love. I can't quite put my finger on why this disconnect exists for me, but it's worth mentioning as something that slightly dampened the enjoyability of reading. I always prefer when I am equally invested in each love interest, as opposed to being predominantly interested in just one.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
As discussed in Heated Rivalry (Game Changers #2), Ilya's mother committed suicide when he was young, which is mentioned again here. Now Ilya is struggling with his own mental health, exacerbated by worries of becoming like his mother.prarthana_praveen's review
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Outing, and Homophobia
Moderate: Death of parent and Suicidal thoughts