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I have so many Tal Bauer books on my TBR list but when this one came up, I knew I needed to jump on it and I’m SO glad I did - Bryce and Hunter’s story was beautiful, emotional, unexpected and unbelievably romantic.
Bryce Michel is the captain of the Montreal Étoiles hockey team, a brotherhood he’s invested years of his life cultivating and making into a powerhouse team. He’s the captain but he’s also an incredible hockey player, setting records and being praised by other players and commentators alike. But, he’s keeping part of himself hidden because he just figured it out and doesn’t know how people will react - he’s gay and is afraid of how that will play out in the professional hockey world. Bryce is a strategist and plays the game of hockey better than anyone else, but he’s also a sweetheart and a romantic, unafraid to express himself when the opportunity presents itself.
Hunter Lacey is a big, strong professional hockey player on a team that’s full of no ones where he’s underutilized and underrecognized until he’s given an opportunity to show off at All-Star Weekend. Hunter has idolized Bryce Michel for years and getting the opportunity to play together is a dream come true. He’s so endearing - soft, sweet and a little bumbling - all things that are unexpected in a professional hockey defenseman. But he’s forced to consider something about himself that he never questioned before until he met Bryce and he turned his life completely upside down in the best way possible.
After meeting at NHL All-Star Weekend, setting the ice on fire with their chemistry and spending every possible hour together off the ice, things change and they leave Vegas feeling confused and heartbroken. But, once they get past the shock and talk things through, Bryce and Hunter become inseparable, so completely intertwined both on and off the ice in a new way for both of them. Even through the hard times, and there are definitely hard times in this book, the two of them left me swooning and so invested in their happiness and love that I couldn’t put it down. Their chemistry and connection are both off the charts, the addition of the French phrases was incredibly romantic and their honesty about their feelings was so endearing. There’s an overall sense of softness in this story that made me overlook some of the insta-love elements but that also made me love all of the emotional moments even more.
I loved this book more than I have words to describe it. I swooned, I laughed, I sobbed and I smiled more times than I can count and I loved Bryce and Hunter more than I can say. I’ll definitely be picking up more Tal Bauer books soon!
Bryce Michel is the captain of the Montreal Étoiles hockey team, a brotherhood he’s invested years of his life cultivating and making into a powerhouse team. He’s the captain but he’s also an incredible hockey player, setting records and being praised by other players and commentators alike. But, he’s keeping part of himself hidden because he just figured it out and doesn’t know how people will react - he’s gay and is afraid of how that will play out in the professional hockey world. Bryce is a strategist and plays the game of hockey better than anyone else, but he’s also a sweetheart and a romantic, unafraid to express himself when the opportunity presents itself.
Hunter Lacey is a big, strong professional hockey player on a team that’s full of no ones where he’s underutilized and underrecognized until he’s given an opportunity to show off at All-Star Weekend. Hunter has idolized Bryce Michel for years and getting the opportunity to play together is a dream come true. He’s so endearing - soft, sweet and a little bumbling - all things that are unexpected in a professional hockey defenseman. But he’s forced to consider something about himself that he never questioned before until he met Bryce and he turned his life completely upside down in the best way possible.
After meeting at NHL All-Star Weekend, setting the ice on fire with their chemistry and spending every possible hour together off the ice, things change and they leave Vegas feeling confused and heartbroken. But, once they get past the shock and talk things through, Bryce and Hunter become inseparable, so completely intertwined both on and off the ice in a new way for both of them. Even through the hard times, and there are definitely hard times in this book, the two of them left me swooning and so invested in their happiness and love that I couldn’t put it down. Their chemistry and connection are both off the charts, the addition of the French phrases was incredibly romantic and their honesty about their feelings was so endearing. There’s an overall sense of softness in this story that made me overlook some of the insta-love elements but that also made me love all of the emotional moments even more.
I loved this book more than I have words to describe it. I swooned, I laughed, I sobbed and I smiled more times than I can count and I loved Bryce and Hunter more than I can say. I’ll definitely be picking up more Tal Bauer books soon!
The first 40% of the book was fine.
It all went downhill after that. It simply was really, really boring. I got stuck at 70%, and almost couldn’t finish it, but I pushed through.
And here we are.
The characters are lovely, and their relationship is really cute. The only problem I had with this book is how boring it was.
It all went downhill after that. It simply was really, really boring. I got stuck at 70%, and almost couldn’t finish it, but I pushed through.
And here we are.
The characters are lovely, and their relationship is really cute. The only problem I had with this book is how boring it was.
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
i think the reason why the very over the top romantic, love at first sight, i’d die for you instantly and let’s marry each other after a few months tropes work for me here … is that i (used to) write fanfics the exact same way. I love people so helplessly in love. And of course this book is an extreme, let’s be totally honest here, but idk idk it worked for me???? Don’t know what that says about my own writing because I usually disliked it but whatever. Sure, there was not much depth to the characters, especially the side characters, but this book is about the romance and the author definitely focuses on that HEAVILY. Luckily the sport also has his own spot and is at times more important than the friendships between characters LMAO
So like … i’m not ashamed to admit that this book is definitely what I still wish for in terms of a romance. And yes that makes me an absolute fool because it’s way too much and nobody these days loves like this anymore hahahaa
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was very dissapointed with this. First of all the insta love was very extreme. Suddenly he was in love with him after not mentioning anything before. There was no build up at all. The romance was not really hitting and the injuries were described so graphic i was disturbed. I watched 16 seasons of greys anatomy but this was sth else. It was all in all VERY unrealistic and yeah. The last game was extreme like is this actually happening like this?? Bc if it is god i will never watch the NHL.
fast-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
emotional
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