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stephennc2's review against another edition
5.0
Not at all 5 star books are created equal because after giving Heated Rivalry, the first book about Shane and Ilya 5 stars, I want to give this one 6, no 10 stars. I was completely enraptured by this book. It was 496 pages and I could’ve read double that about these two MCs. The way they are so in love nearly brought me to tears more than once. I’m not a big hockey romance lover, but I wish I could read 1000 more pages of this. Such a great, emotional, spicy read full of so much heart that I thought mine might explode.
moll_ereads's review against another edition
5.0
6/11/23: hand on heart now I 100% believe this is the BEST romance book that I have ever read!!! And i highly doubt i'll ever read one better. Put it on my gravestone!!!
Edit 15/6/22: this book is just beyond incredible, its completely satisfying and makes me so happy
Edit 15/6/22: this book is just beyond incredible, its completely satisfying and makes me so happy
kerithesmutslut's review against another edition
5.0
Ugh this book made me cry. I wanted to knock some sense into Shane and I was so glad when he finally took a stand and made it clear who he chose. Loved this book.
michellemoon's review against another edition
5.0
Don't mind me, I'm just sitting in a darkened room listening to diamonds by rihanna on repeat
meghanlew_'s review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
sara_anita's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
oceaneanagonye's review against another edition
3.0
I mostly loved the Game Changers series and really enjoy Rachel Reid's writing style. The characters are unique and complex, and their connections are usually electric. This book however... Buckle up.
I'll be honest, I've never been a Shane Hollander stan. In my opinion, he's always come across as neurotic and egotistical, with a few shining moments of empathy here and there. This book was the nail in the coffin for me. Shane is so incredibly self-obsessed and downright mean to Ilya for most of the book. I was confused because in HR, he at least seemed capable of feeling empathy for Ilya and seemed like he wanted to be a good person. In this book, that all goes out the window from his first scene where he makes the thoughtless comment about Ilya's mom not pestering him like Yuna was. All the way to when he berates him saying that he still wants to win games instead of just getting high with his teammates between losses like Ilya. Does Shane ever atone for his wrongs? Sure. If you consider sex, shallow conversation, and an ill-fitting wedding band to be atonement.
There is also the issue of Shane's orthorexia. It's treated as more of an annoying quirk than the serious eating disorder that it is and is magically cured by the end of the book. I've seen orthorexia ruin relationships and destroy people's self-worth in my own life, so maybe I'm a bit sensitive to how it was handled here. Ilya's depression was a bit jarring after seeing how he was portrayed in HR, but depression is like that sometimes. I don't fault the author for how she portrayed his struggles, and appreciated that HE at least got the help he needed.
Overall the book just felt devoid of depth and heartfelt moments. It had so much potential as a book focused on a decade long relationship between two beautiful characters, but it just didn't deliver.
I'm a Happily Ever After addict, so I'm glad that these characters got to skate off into the sunset together with Anya. I hate being a negative Nancy, but this book really bothered my spirit enough to leave this review.
I'll be honest, I've never been a Shane Hollander stan. In my opinion, he's always come across as neurotic and egotistical, with a few shining moments of empathy here and there. This book was the nail in the coffin for me. Shane is so incredibly self-obsessed and downright mean to Ilya for most of the book. I was confused because in HR, he at least seemed capable of feeling empathy for Ilya and seemed like he wanted to be a good person. In this book, that all goes out the window from his first scene where he makes the thoughtless comment about Ilya's mom not pestering him like Yuna was. All the way to when he berates him saying that he still wants to win games instead of just getting high with his teammates between losses like Ilya. Does Shane ever atone for his wrongs? Sure. If you consider sex, shallow conversation, and an ill-fitting wedding band to be atonement.
There is also the issue of Shane's orthorexia. It's treated as more of an annoying quirk than the serious eating disorder that it is and is magically cured by the end of the book. I've seen orthorexia ruin relationships and destroy people's self-worth in my own life, so maybe I'm a bit sensitive to how it was handled here. Ilya's depression was a bit jarring after seeing how he was portrayed in HR, but depression is like that sometimes. I don't fault the author for how she portrayed his struggles, and appreciated that HE at least got the help he needed.
Overall the book just felt devoid of depth and heartfelt moments. It had so much potential as a book focused on a decade long relationship between two beautiful characters, but it just didn't deliver.
I'm a Happily Ever After addict, so I'm glad that these characters got to skate off into the sunset together with Anya. I hate being a negative Nancy, but this book really bothered my spirit enough to leave this review.
spicyviolets's review
emotional
funny
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
Now this is the HEA I wanted for Shane and Ilya! The book totally worked for me. There was such depth throughout their whole story, plenty of spice, and the romance was super sweet.