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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer
โ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ณ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ?โ
๐๐๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ. โ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐.โ
โ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐โ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐?โ ๐ก๐ถ๐ฐ๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด. โ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐?โ
Nico loves to antagonize referee August Manning on & off the ice. Thereโs just something about the handsome but uptight ref that draws him in, and Nico canโt resist trying to charm the pants off himโliterally and figuratively.
The animosity between August & Nico finally snaps one evening, and the pair have a hot hookup in a hotel room. Their secret tryst is not so secret though, and rumors fly about who the anonymous man seen out with Nico is, and if heโs part of the league.
August swears to never tangle with Nico off the ice again, until after a hard hit on the ice sends Nico to the hospital and August shows up pretending to be his fiancรฉ. Now the pair of them must sell the whole engagement now that Augustโs career and reputation are on the line.
While things may have started out as fake between Nico and August, it very quickly turns into more and I ended up really loving their story. It was a bit slower than book one, but Nicoโs shenanigans kept me hooked and getting to see him and Auggie fall for each other for real was just ๐๐ค๐ป
- pro hockey player x referee
- opposites attract
- fake engagement
- short term amnesia
CW: seizure, brain tumor
๐๐๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ. โ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐.โ
โ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐โ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐?โ ๐ก๐ถ๐ฐ๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด. โ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐?โ
Nico loves to antagonize referee August Manning on & off the ice. Thereโs just something about the handsome but uptight ref that draws him in, and Nico canโt resist trying to charm the pants off himโliterally and figuratively.
The animosity between August & Nico finally snaps one evening, and the pair have a hot hookup in a hotel room. Their secret tryst is not so secret though, and rumors fly about who the anonymous man seen out with Nico is, and if heโs part of the league.
August swears to never tangle with Nico off the ice again, until after a hard hit on the ice sends Nico to the hospital and August shows up pretending to be his fiancรฉ. Now the pair of them must sell the whole engagement now that Augustโs career and reputation are on the line.
While things may have started out as fake between Nico and August, it very quickly turns into more and I ended up really loving their story. It was a bit slower than book one, but Nicoโs shenanigans kept me hooked and getting to see him and Auggie fall for each other for real was just ๐๐ค๐ป
- pro hockey player x referee
- opposites attract
- fake engagement
- short term amnesia
CW: seizure, brain tumor
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gaslighting
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
All the tension! Nico is a pro hockey player that is used to sleeping around and driving people crazy, especially referee August. They run into each other one night in an alley after leaving post-game drinks and all their tension becomes sexual. They run off to a hotel room and enjoy each other for a one-night stand before going their separate ways. At least, August plans for it to be a one-night stand. The next game August is reffing ends up being life-changing for both of them. Nico has been dealing with a persistent headache for months and ignoring it, but some big hits during this game causes a seizure on the ice.
August tries not to, but since he feels partially responsible he ends up going to the hospital. He panics when questioned by the nurse and says he's Nico's fiancรฉ so he can see him. As you'd expect, pretty much everyone finds out before he can take it back. Nico ends up needing surgery and they decide to stick with the engagement story, which includes August moving in with Nico to help take care of him. Sooooo much forced proximity!
๐ฅ: Nico and August get plenty steamy! Not much kink, especially because Nico has to take it easy post-surgery for awhile, but that just makes their scenes more passionate and loving. But when Nico gets his energy back? Hoo boy!
๐: We get some comic relief in this one thanks to Nico's contagious energy and confidence. I love it most when the rest of the team is around!
๐ญ: I absolutely cried with this one. On top of the health issues, which are traumatic, these two both also risk losing their jobs with their relationship. Lots of obstacles for these two!
This series is so entertaining! Brigham Vaughn brings all the emotion and romance with this one!
August tries not to, but since he feels partially responsible he ends up going to the hospital. He panics when questioned by the nurse and says he's Nico's fiancรฉ so he can see him. As you'd expect, pretty much everyone finds out before he can take it back. Nico ends up needing surgery and they decide to stick with the engagement story, which includes August moving in with Nico to help take care of him. Sooooo much forced proximity!
๐ฅ: Nico and August get plenty steamy! Not much kink, especially because Nico has to take it easy post-surgery for awhile, but that just makes their scenes more passionate and loving. But when Nico gets his energy back? Hoo boy!
๐: We get some comic relief in this one thanks to Nico's contagious energy and confidence. I love it most when the rest of the team is around!
๐ญ: I absolutely cried with this one. On top of the health issues, which are traumatic, these two both also risk losing their jobs with their relationship. Lots of obstacles for these two!
This series is so entertaining! Brigham Vaughn brings all the emotion and romance with this one!
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
OMG I so loved this book! I mean, [b:The Husband Game|170171787|The Husband Game (Relationship Goals #1)|Brigham Vaughn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1685628369l/170171787._SY75_.jpg|131499192]? I loved it too, but I wasn't expecting to love this one as much! It really is special, maybe not for the common reasons one reads these stories, where there are exes, or deep cases of closet cases, or awakenings, or well anything like that. Both men were open about their sexualities, maybe not advertising it, but open nonetheless. No family issues or rejections (on the contrary, their families were loving. Extremely loving in Nico's case!). No, this story has none of that.
What it does have is two men with personalities as different as day and night, who are deeply attracted to each other, although at first, neither realized how deep that attraction was. And what we have, is like a pivotal moment in one's life, can change the trajectory of another person's life. And how those two people decide to support each other in those difficult moments, making the best of it, even if the result is not what they expected. And it was amazing how, despite everything, their relationship felt so natural. Even during those first moments where August still thought of Nico as someone annoying, you could see and feel that they matched like the pieces of a beautiful, sexy puzzle.
I can't say which of the two MCs I liked more. Both so different, and yet, both with a depth of character that surprised me, because where Nico seemed superficial and careless, always thinking about having a good time, underneath there is a sweet man who is open to finding that person to share his life with. And August, who seemed too closed off and uptight, hides a wounded heart but willing to risk again, despite his fears, and with a soul thirsty for someone to care for and dedicate himself to. So even though the story does have its angsty parts, what stands out is how in times of adversity, an outstretched hand, a word of encouragement or a hug can mean everything.
I have to say, the only thing I may not have liked so much is the amount of time and place that Skylar took up in the book. I mean, I understand why she was necessary, but maybe her presence was a little much?
I'm looking forward to the next one, because since I started reading her books, [a:Brigham Vaughn|7578712|Brigham Vaughn|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1388354321p2/7578712.jpg] has not disappointed me!
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.
What it does have is two men with personalities as different as day and night, who are deeply attracted to each other, although at first, neither realized how deep that attraction was. And what we have, is like a pivotal moment in one's life, can change the trajectory of another person's life. And how those two people decide to support each other in those difficult moments, making the best of it, even if the result is not what they expected. And it was amazing how, despite everything, their relationship felt so natural. Even during those first moments where August still thought of Nico as someone annoying, you could see and feel that they matched like the pieces of a beautiful, sexy puzzle.
I can't say which of the two MCs I liked more. Both so different, and yet, both with a depth of character that surprised me, because where Nico seemed superficial and careless, always thinking about having a good time, underneath there is a sweet man who is open to finding that person to share his life with. And August, who seemed too closed off and uptight, hides a wounded heart but willing to risk again, despite his fears, and with a soul thirsty for someone to care for and dedicate himself to. So even though the story does have its angsty parts, what stands out is how in times of adversity, an outstretched hand, a word of encouragement or a hug can mean everything.
I have to say, the only thing I may not have liked so much is the amount of time and place that Skylar took up in the book. I mean, I understand why she was necessary, but maybe her presence was a little much?
I'm looking forward to the next one, because since I started reading her books, [a:Brigham Vaughn|7578712|Brigham Vaughn|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1388354321p2/7578712.jpg] has not disappointed me!
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.