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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
it was really good. good representation, good romance. i felt the tension. i liked the representation of mental health too. it doesn’t get 5 stars because i just feel like there wasn’t anything that shook me
emotional
funny
reflective
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
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tagline: Won’t someone think of the nepo babies?
I appreciate that this is the author's debut novel, so I will try to be respectful in my review. However, this review is negative. I don't have any compliments for this book beyond appreciating that Black male characters are still so rare to find in hockey romances. It's rare to find queer Black characters in sports romance in general. This is the reason I picked up the book in the first place.
Even knowing that this book did not center the Black character. It centers Mickey.
Mickey is the most insufferable YA protagonist I've read. He is unpleasant to be around, rude to people that try to get to know him, ignorant of how privilege works and judgmental on top of all of that. As a person that's struggled with depression since I was 12, depression is no excuse for treating people this way.
Mickey hates Jaysen because Jaysen points out that Mickey doesn't work as hard as the rest of the team, he doesn't try to improve the skills he's bad at, and he took a scholarship that could've gone to someone that actually needed it. All of this was true.
Mickey doesn't train as hard as the other players, he just ignores that he has skills he could improve on but won't (his slapshot), and though his family definitely has money, he took a scholarship anyway. So, he hates Jaysen because Jaysen's right? I'd believe that irony was intended if we Mickey didn't constantly deny all of this. The team struggles repeatedly to get to know Mickey and invites him to things, but he refuses. Then he gets mad when a reporter says he's not a team player. Once again, this is true.
Mickey comes across as an unpleasant, rude, privileged guy with Napoleon complex who spends 90% of the book looking down on everyone. I spent the entire book wondering what Jaysen saw in him. As with Simon v. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I wished the book had been from the POV of the Black character. We learn so little about them and yet I still found them both more interesting and more pleasant. Seriously, it isn't until page 222 that we learn anything significant about Jaysen.
The most egregious aspect of the book that truly made me question the author's intent was the multiple times we get Mickey lamenting that he's not allowed to be depressed because he has white privilege. Does the author believe people need to comfort the privileged? There are proportionately WAY more people willing to sympathize with and comfort rich, white people than there are people caring for BIPOC with depression. Not only do rich, white people have more resources for treating mental health issues, but they also get more public support, as well. For every "eat the rich" comment, there are hundreds of people complaining that the "poor" are just "jealous".
There's other issues like Jaysen barely getting any character development, the size difference stuff that really gives me the heebies when the larger character is Black (fanfic has really opened my eyes to the way Black characters are viewed), and pacing issues. In conclusion, this was not an enjoyable read for me personally.
I appreciate that this is the author's debut novel, so I will try to be respectful in my review. However, this review is negative. I don't have any compliments for this book beyond appreciating that Black male characters are still so rare to find in hockey romances. It's rare to find queer Black characters in sports romance in general. This is the reason I picked up the book in the first place.
Even knowing that this book did not center the Black character. It centers Mickey.
Mickey is the most insufferable YA protagonist I've read. He is unpleasant to be around, rude to people that try to get to know him, ignorant of how privilege works and judgmental on top of all of that. As a person that's struggled with depression since I was 12, depression is no excuse for treating people this way.
Mickey hates Jaysen because Jaysen points out that Mickey doesn't work as hard as the rest of the team, he doesn't try to improve the skills he's bad at, and he took a scholarship that could've gone to someone that actually needed it. All of this was true.
Mickey doesn't train as hard as the other players, he just ignores that he has skills he could improve on but won't (his slapshot), and though his family definitely has money, he took a scholarship anyway. So, he hates Jaysen because Jaysen's right? I'd believe that irony was intended if we Mickey didn't constantly deny all of this. The team struggles repeatedly to get to know Mickey and invites him to things, but he refuses. Then he gets mad when a reporter says he's not a team player. Once again, this is true.
Mickey comes across as an unpleasant, rude, privileged guy with Napoleon complex who spends 90% of the book looking down on everyone.
Spoiler
Mickey even insults Jaysen after Mickey's screw up lost the team a win.The most egregious aspect of the book that truly made me question the author's intent was the multiple times we get Mickey lamenting that he's not allowed to be depressed because he has white privilege. Does the author believe people need to comfort the privileged? There are proportionately WAY more people willing to sympathize with and comfort rich, white people than there are people caring for BIPOC with depression. Not only do rich, white people have more resources for treating mental health issues, but they also get more public support, as well. For every "eat the rich" comment, there are hundreds of people complaining that the "poor" are just "jealous".
There's other issues like Jaysen barely getting any character development, the size difference stuff that really gives me the heebies when the larger character is Black (fanfic has really opened my eyes to the way Black characters are viewed), and pacing issues. In conclusion, this was not an enjoyable read for me personally.
I listened to this one, and it had me hooked from the very beginning. Loved the characters, enjoyed all of the hockey stuff too. I wouldn't be mad if they wrote a book 2.
Loved this from start to finish. Top-tier mental health rep.
The most relatable and REAL depiction of depression I can recall reading! And an adorable love story
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
Absolutely loved this book. The portrayal of mental health is genuine, well done, and heart wrenching. This book had me crying, grinning, and giggling through out. I devoured it in two days. It's obvious the author is a true fan of hockey, and it was really cool to see them describe the whole culture and especially the games with such loving detail and familiarity.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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