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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
tense
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
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Ok I really really liked this! Not only do i LOVE the cover, but i vibed with pretty much everything this had going on from start to finish! Straight up, if you're looking for a lot of smut or an easy read you're probably gonna have to look elsewhere. Because Olli and Nat (and Avery) dealt with the emotional baggage of small town life, ambition and self-inflicted sabotage with bloody fists, bladed feet and tears. Jaded was gritty MM hockey, raw and real, with tattoos, trauma and a ton of atmosphere, and i'm just really happy that this moody beauty worked for me!
What this was about :
Day River's minor hockey team has been in decline for quite a while, due to the transient nature of the local NHL stars they seem to pump out, as they (in all fairness) inevitably leave Day River's claustrophobic comfort to shine brighter elsewhere. So Dingoes mgmt decided to stopper the bleeding with out-of-towners, but all that did was alienate the hockey fans who live there. It didn't help that the team couldn't pull off a win for sh!t.
And so now, after the latest freshest bounce, precious Olli decided to embrace a new beginning and captain the Dingoes' sinking ship. He ofc had his own issues to work through, but his first night in town led to a dynamite encounter with Day River's resident bad boi, and honestly we were both gonzo from then.
And on top of the stunning Nat, there were also bratty teenagers, bloody "Fight Club" style underground hockey, mental health rep, POC rep, hiking zen, and atmospheric snow and cold giving mood for days! But despite the turbulent challenges of the wild nightlife Day River had going on, Olli ended up flourishing so much more than he could have ever hoped for, and i loved that for him!
Jaded was an MM hockey romance with teeth. The narrative was gorgeous in parts, packed a punch most of the time, had a surprising amount of emotional depth and a bevy of fully realized characters that kept the tough, volatile stuff within reach. Very excited for everything else still to come for the Day River Dingoes because i really enjoyed all the levels to this first installment and i can't wait to see where Lex Easton takes this series to next!
Ok I really really liked this! Not only do i LOVE the cover, but i vibed with pretty much everything this had going on from start to finish! Straight up, if you're looking for a lot of smut or an easy read you're probably gonna have to look elsewhere. Because Olli and Nat (and Avery) dealt with the emotional baggage of small town life, ambition and self-inflicted sabotage with bloody fists, bladed feet and tears. Jaded was gritty MM hockey, raw and real, with tattoos, trauma and a ton of atmosphere, and i'm just really happy that this moody beauty worked for me!
What this was about :
Day River's minor hockey team has been in decline for quite a while, due to the transient nature of the local NHL stars they seem to pump out, as they (in all fairness) inevitably leave Day River's claustrophobic comfort to shine brighter elsewhere. So Dingoes mgmt decided to stopper the bleeding with out-of-towners, but all that did was alienate the hockey fans who live there. It didn't help that the team couldn't pull off a win for sh!t.
And so now, after the latest freshest bounce, precious Olli decided to embrace a new beginning and captain the Dingoes' sinking ship. He ofc had his own issues to work through, but his first night in town led to a dynamite encounter with Day River's resident bad boi, and honestly we were both gonzo from then.
And on top of the stunning Nat, there were also bratty teenagers, bloody "Fight Club" style underground hockey, mental health rep, POC rep, hiking zen, and atmospheric snow and cold giving mood for days! But despite the turbulent challenges of the wild nightlife Day River had going on, Olli ended up flourishing so much more than he could have ever hoped for, and i loved that for him!
Jaded was an MM hockey romance with teeth. The narrative was gorgeous in parts, packed a punch most of the time, had a surprising amount of emotional depth and a bevy of fully realized characters that kept the tough, volatile stuff within reach. Very excited for everything else still to come for the Day River Dingoes because i really enjoyed all the levels to this first installment and i can't wait to see where Lex Easton takes this series to next!
💙 𝙹𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚍 💙
𝚋𝚢 @lex_easton
🄰🅁🄲 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆
3.5/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
↓↓
There were some minor issues in the beginning with names changing for the same person that caused me a little apprehension and it was a tad too long. While I know the majority of the story was them finding themselves and all that but it was too long in my opinion, this could have been maybe half the size it was and it would have held my attention more and gotten the same story and point across.
Nat and Olli were sweet but I felt that things between them were explored in ways that it should have or could have been better or different. It felt a bit surface level at times and other time's I felt like they were completely different people than what was being portrayed previously.
The thing I like most about this was the whole Ice Out concept.
I wish I could have enjoyed this a bit more than I did but I just couldn't get in to it as much as I would have liked to.
𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤 / 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝔼𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥
💙 MM hockey romance
💙 Grumpy x Sunshine
💙 Hurt/comfort
💙 Humor/banter
💙 Friends to lovers
💙 Single dad
💙 Spicy slow burn
💙 Mental health rep (depression/anxiety)
💙 Gritty urban setting
𝚋𝚢 @lex_easton
🄰🅁🄲 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆
3.5/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
↓↓
There were some minor issues in the beginning with names changing for the same person that caused me a little apprehension and it was a tad too long. While I know the majority of the story was them finding themselves and all that but it was too long in my opinion, this could have been maybe half the size it was and it would have held my attention more and gotten the same story and point across.
Nat and Olli were sweet but I felt that things between them were explored in ways that it should have or could have been better or different. It felt a bit surface level at times and other time's I felt like they were completely different people than what was being portrayed previously.
The thing I like most about this was the whole Ice Out concept.
I wish I could have enjoyed this a bit more than I did but I just couldn't get in to it as much as I would have liked to.
𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤 / 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝔼𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥
💙 MM hockey romance
💙 Grumpy x Sunshine
💙 Hurt/comfort
💙 Humor/banter
💙 Friends to lovers
💙 Single dad
💙 Spicy slow burn
💙 Mental health rep (depression/anxiety)
💙 Gritty urban setting
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
ARC Review
I loved this book! All of the characters worked so well, both main and side. I could not stop reading it. It may not look like that given how long it took me to read but that’s only because I got sick in the middle and could not read without immediately falling asleep.
I loved this book! All of the characters worked so well, both main and side. I could not stop reading it. It may not look like that given how long it took me to read but that’s only because I got sick in the middle and could not read without immediately falling asleep.
This book never once went where I thought it was going to, and I mean that in the best way possible. There was something that I thought was so obvious for the ending and it didn’t happen that way but it was definitely the best choice. The obvious answer actually wouldn’t have made sense within the character’s arc. I really loved how the two sides of the hockey world in the book were tied together!
I originally had rated this 4.5 stars on account of some continuity errors but the author actually reached out to me about it to fix them! I really appreciate that she was open to hearing what I found so that she could make things better for everyone. Given that, I’ve taken the 0.5 away so now it’s definitely a 5 star book!
Overall, I would say definitely read it! I love the world and the characters and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
This was a great story with more depth than your average MM hockey romance. Ollie and Nat are both really likable main characters who meet by chance at a local bar and quickly form a connection. Nat has lived in Day River his whole life and carries the weight of lost NHL dreams and complicated family dynamics. His brother made it big while Nat stayed behind, now working as the zamboni driver and equipment manager for a struggling AHL team. Plus Nat's a single father, with a now teenager on his hands. (and her "too close to home" boyfriend)
Enter Ollie James, the team’s new captain, who initially comes across as your classic golden boy. But as the story unfolds, we learn he is dealing with his own issues beneath the surface.
It is a satisfying slow burn, and I really enjoyed the beginning and the eventual happy ending. The mental health elements felt important, though I wish they had been more seamlessly woven into the narrative. They sometimes felt a little abrupt. The middle lost a bit of momentum, but overall, this was a solid and enjoyable read.
I'll be back to see what’s next in Day River.
Enter Ollie James, the team’s new captain, who initially comes across as your classic golden boy. But as the story unfolds, we learn he is dealing with his own issues beneath the surface.
It is a satisfying slow burn, and I really enjoyed the beginning and the eventual happy ending. The mental health elements felt important, though I wish they had been more seamlessly woven into the narrative. They sometimes felt a little abrupt. The middle lost a bit of momentum, but overall, this was a solid and enjoyable read.
I'll be back to see what’s next in Day River.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
Jaded - Lex Easton
4.5/5✨🌟
- M/M
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Hurt/comfort
- Single dad
- Mental health rep
- Spicy slow burn
- Friends to lovers
Olli James - I really loved him. From the introvert he was, he was still somewhat outgoing because he had to be since he was the captain of the hockey team.
Nat Taylor - I felt for him on so many levels as he was expected to be something when he was younger. He sees himself as a failure compared to his family’s legacy in the hockey world. I absolutely loved his relationship with his daughter as it was everything along with looking out for her boyfriend, Avery.
The way that these two met was everything from that bar scene. It was the perfect way that led to everything from their friendship to someone so much more.
I’m going to be honest, but when I started to read it and it was such a slow burn, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be, but holy moses, it needed that slow burn to build up everything that happened. I really loved the relationships from the building friendship, family and just everything in between.
When I saw how long this book was, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I ate this up once I got to the good parts and there were so many.
Man, when Jess comes back around, I knew it was not going to be pretty, but he kind of made up for what he did in a certain chapter.
Also, I’m a huge mental health rep, and this one hit the spot because it made me feel what both guys went through on a daily basis.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you GRR for the arc!
I struggle to rate this book, but ultimately I think I've settled on 2.5 stars.
I really wanted to like it more than I did, but there were some aspects that held the story back.
I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style and the long bits of monologue both Olli and Nat had in their respective chapters. It almost made me want to quit, but I kept going to see where the story went.
The story is gritty, messy and feels real, but I just wish there were fewer areas of focus.
You've got the single dad ex hockey player who doesn't trust his daughter's boyfriend, and the boyfriend reminds him off his younger self.
He's also a mess and needs to be bailed out constantly.
He's working in the rink as a Zamboni driver and a skate sharpener bc he can't leave the ice. He's also got a legacy family who left to become big stars.
The town also has this underground illegal ice out hockey fighting ring that he takes part in.
He's also a repo man to cover the bills to support his kid for wherever she decides to go next.
Then when he's already struggling with all this, Olli enters the picture and he's got him questioning everything in his life.
The both of them come with a lot of baggage, but they seem to instantly connect and they can't stay away from each other.
Maybe it was also how gloomy the setting was, but I did appreciate the shift when Olli came into the story.
He brought humor and helped connect with people, understanding them better than they understood themselves.
Olli has ADHD and it honestly felt like an accurate rep, with the highest highs and the lowest lows, which is an often overlooked aspect of it, so I appreciate that.
There was also some demi rep and I feel like that was well done too!
Okay, where do I even start?
Jaded in two words: Absolutely. Phenomenal.
This one is a slow starter, a slow burn romance, but jan packed with big feelings. Olli and Nat are absolutely not perfect characters, and I think that's why I love them so. From anxiety, ADHD, and depression representation to a very relatable not feeling like "enough" for those who depend on you, I see parts of myself in each character.
Their romance? Yeah it's slow, but DANG are they hot! I was rooting for them the entire time, actually giggled and kicked my feet when they kissed for the first time. They deserve the HEA they received. I honestly cannot wait to reread their story and fall in love with them all over again.
Jaded in two words: Absolutely. Phenomenal.
This one is a slow starter, a slow burn romance, but jan packed with big feelings. Olli and Nat are absolutely not perfect characters, and I think that's why I love them so. From anxiety, ADHD, and depression representation to a very relatable not feeling like "enough" for those who depend on you, I see parts of myself in each character.
Their romance? Yeah it's slow, but DANG are they hot! I was rooting for them the entire time, actually giggled and kicked my feet when they kissed for the first time. They deserve the HEA they received. I honestly cannot wait to reread their story and fall in love with them all over again.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
This book gave me all the feels. If I were a pro hockey player who actually liked being outdoors on the regular (lmao), I’d be a lot like Olli. We’re both stressy, messy, and a little bit depressy. He deserves the best. And in a lot of ways, Nat is that best.
I genuinely appreciate how well Nat and Ollie compliment each other. You really believe they see each other on a deep level and it’s so sweet to experience it unfold. I just…this book made me emotional. Olli and I share every one of his diagnoses along with both being Black. The darkness he experiences is one I’m intimately familiar with. I cried a few times, and one of them was more like a sob.
I love a hockey romance - it’s my loophole for strongly preferring a quick and dirty pairing over a slow burn. This slow burn is absolutely the right choice. It develops beautifully and has real heart. My home NHL team even got a mention so that was a cute moment of levity for me in a very moving yet funny book.
I received a copy of this book directly from the author along with Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review. 4.5 stars because I really enjoyed it and hope I’ve figured out the next paring in the series because I already have future faves.
I genuinely appreciate how well Nat and Ollie compliment each other. You really believe they see each other on a deep level and it’s so sweet to experience it unfold. I just…this book made me emotional. Olli and I share every one of his diagnoses along with both being Black. The darkness he experiences is one I’m intimately familiar with. I cried a few times, and one of them was more like a sob.
I love a hockey romance - it’s my loophole for strongly preferring a quick and dirty pairing over a slow burn. This slow burn is absolutely the right choice. It develops beautifully and has real heart. My home NHL team even got a mention so that was a cute moment of levity for me in a very moving yet funny book.
I received a copy of this book directly from the author along with Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review. 4.5 stars because I really enjoyed it and hope I’ve figured out the next paring in the series because I already have future faves.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
I received this book for free from Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Lex Easton’s Jaded is a heartfelt, gritty MM hockey romance that delivers far more than just swoony chemistry. At its core, this is a story about second chances, healing, and finding meaning when life doesn’t go as planned. Nat, once a rising hockey star, is now scraping by as a Zamboni driver and single dad. Olli, the Dingoes’ new captain, is battling his own demons while trying to salvage his shot at the NHL. Neither expects to find something real in each other—but what begins as tension-filled banter quickly turns into something deeper.
The relationship between Nat and Olli is slow-burn perfection, filled with hurt/comfort, vulnerability, and moments of genuine tenderness. The nicknames “Mouse” and “Ghost” are surprisingly intimate and endearing, capturing the soft, guarded sides of both men in a way that lingers long after the final page. The representation of depression and mental health is handled with honesty and care—raw without being overly dramatic, and truly reflective of real-life struggles.
Set against the backdrop of a dying hockey town and an underground fight-club-style league, Jaded adds enough grit and atmosphere to make the emotional moments hit even harder. Some pacing issues in the middle and underdeveloped side characters keep this from being a five-star read, but the connection between Nat and Olli shines. This is an emotional, bruised, and beautiful start to the Day River Dingoes series.
Lex Easton’s Jaded is a heartfelt, gritty MM hockey romance that delivers far more than just swoony chemistry. At its core, this is a story about second chances, healing, and finding meaning when life doesn’t go as planned. Nat, once a rising hockey star, is now scraping by as a Zamboni driver and single dad. Olli, the Dingoes’ new captain, is battling his own demons while trying to salvage his shot at the NHL. Neither expects to find something real in each other—but what begins as tension-filled banter quickly turns into something deeper.
The relationship between Nat and Olli is slow-burn perfection, filled with hurt/comfort, vulnerability, and moments of genuine tenderness. The nicknames “Mouse” and “Ghost” are surprisingly intimate and endearing, capturing the soft, guarded sides of both men in a way that lingers long after the final page. The representation of depression and mental health is handled with honesty and care—raw without being overly dramatic, and truly reflective of real-life struggles.
Set against the backdrop of a dying hockey town and an underground fight-club-style league, Jaded adds enough grit and atmosphere to make the emotional moments hit even harder. Some pacing issues in the middle and underdeveloped side characters keep this from being a five-star read, but the connection between Nat and Olli shines. This is an emotional, bruised, and beautiful start to the Day River Dingoes series.