A review by adhdandread
On the Edge by J.J. Mulder

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 
On the Edge by J.J. Mulder 
SCU Hockey Series #3 
Length:  302 pages 
Source: Gay Romance Reviews eARC 
Publication date: April 2, 2025 
 
3 ⭐️ 
2 🌶️ 
 
Henri Vasel (Vas) is a pretty typical college guy: good student, plays hockey fairly well, has a lot of friends, and is overall pretty happy with how life is going. He’s a big-time people pleaser, but he’s also naturally warm and sweet, so getting along with people isn’t much of a struggle. That is, until he gets stuck working with Atlas Kaiser, a fellow student in his communication class. They couldn’t possibly be more different, and from the jump, Atlas is absolutely not a fan. 
 
Atlas is prickly and guarded, and in his opinion, people are only ever going to disappoint you. For him, Vas is too nice, too handsome, too … everything. He is incredibly anti-love and anti-relationships, but Vas’ steadfastness and calm nature are reassuring, and Atlas starts to let down his walls. Despite his best attempts, they form a friendship of sorts. And much to Atlas’ distress, it seems to eventually be more than friendship. He’s determined to fight it every step of the way, but unfortunately for him, Vas is just as determined to show him why their “complete opposites” energy doesn’t mean they don’t belong together. 
 
OK, right off the bat, let’s establish that Vas is the most cinnamon of cinnamon-roll MMCs, and Atlas is the most prickly of prickly MMCs. So of course they would work so well as a couple and end up together! The character development of both main characters feels in-depth and detailed enough that it seems like the book should be longer and more angst-filled. While On the Edge IS an emotional read, it’s not painful or drawn out. The conflicts the two men go through feel realistic and organic, especially for someone so anti-love as Atlas and so people-pleasing as Vas. They really are lovely together. 

What to expect: 
Black cat (100% feral) x golden retriever (the goodest of boys) 
MM college hockey romance 
First times 
Slow burn 
Ace rep 
 
Overall, I enjoyed this and would add it to your TBR, especially if you’re already immersed in Mulder’s hockey universe. 
 
— A 
 
Thanks to GRR and J.J. Mulder for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Review up now on BlueSky, StoryGraph, Fable, Tome, and BookBub.