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A review by stephbeaudoin20
The Cincinnati Thrashers Hockey Series: The Complete Collection by Laura Marquez Diamond
5.0
Cincinnati Thrashers Series Box Set by Laura Marquez Diamond
Reviews of each story are below. Things I am here for in this series:
Authentic Filipino Representation
Diverse characters
Women in sports
LGBTQIA2S+ Representation
All of the feelings, warm fuzzies and the hard stuff
Cold Temptation by Laura Marquez Diamond
This is book 1 in the Cincinnati Thrashers series. Andre and Glynnis meet again and the stage is set for a second chance romance. Something that really stuck with me was Andre standing up for his needs, setting boundaries, communicating what he wanted to Glynnis, and leaving when necessary. Boundaries are so swoonworthy. I love that Glynnis is a powerful woman in sport. We need more stories about successful women in sports! The side story of Seth coming out as the first openly gay professional hockey player, and how his team and organization supported him was so heartwarming. He may be the first, but he's not alone!
Love's Defense by Laura Marquez Diamond
This whole story was a ride! We got a meet cute at the veterinarian, with a sick puppy and a huge hockey player worried about his dog! Daniel has been a player since his divorce, never going to settle down, and Stella just knocks him off his axis. Stella lost her first love and was never going to be intimate or vulnerable again and Daniel connects with her on such a deep and immediate level that he sneaks under her defenses. And then the twists, who Daniel's family is, how his upbringing is so different from hers. The scene where Daniel and Stella are fighting about systemic racism was so poignant. Stella, who has been dealing with racism her whole life, just can't educate this white dude from Texas. And Daniel, who loves Stella so much, just wants to understand. But being a white dude, he doesn't get why Stella can't just teach him. That whole scene was written so well.
Home Ice Seduction by Laura Marquez Diamond
Oh my goodness! This book has the best demisexual representation I've ever read! No coming out. Just Gigi being who she is, how she is, that is all. Sooooooooo good!!!! I also LOVED that she is a woman in professional sports! We need more stories about successful women in sports! Liam is adorable, silly and reckless, but adorable. His relationship with his grandfather is wonderful. And when Gigi seduces Liam on her shopping trip - swoon!
Coaching Secrets by Laura Marquez Diamond
I think the author's note at the end says it all. Can a woman be a single mother, have a career she loves, a great relationship with her son, and find love? Ava and Rick trip over each other many times. There is a lot of miscommunication. But in the end, we get our HEA. We also get some spectacular consensual kink! As always, Laura Marquez Diamond tackles the tough subjects with emotions, with vulnerability, with care. Rick is a victim of sexual harassment and stalking. We get a look at his past, why he moved away, and how the feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, and being violated are so hard to heal from.
Passion's Players by Laura Marquez Diamond
Ok, so I totally thought this was going to end up being a menage romance because of previous hints in other books in the series. And while I love a good MMF menage, I'm really happy with how this story went. It took Mariam and Jean-Marc so much effort to drop their walls, listen to their hearts, and create a relationship with true intimacy. And their physical relationship is so steamy! And don't worry about Sebastian, he gets his HEA in The Love Campaign.
As always, Laura Marquez Diamond gives us important topics inside our romance novels, we get a glimpse of racial profiling, gun violence against young black men who are just existing, and the trials of moving to another country where you don't speak the primary language.
Reviews of each story are below. Things I am here for in this series:
Authentic Filipino Representation
Diverse characters
Women in sports
LGBTQIA2S+ Representation
All of the feelings, warm fuzzies and the hard stuff
Cold Temptation by Laura Marquez Diamond
This is book 1 in the Cincinnati Thrashers series. Andre and Glynnis meet again and the stage is set for a second chance romance. Something that really stuck with me was Andre standing up for his needs, setting boundaries, communicating what he wanted to Glynnis, and leaving when necessary. Boundaries are so swoonworthy. I love that Glynnis is a powerful woman in sport. We need more stories about successful women in sports! The side story of Seth coming out as the first openly gay professional hockey player, and how his team and organization supported him was so heartwarming. He may be the first, but he's not alone!
Love's Defense by Laura Marquez Diamond
This whole story was a ride! We got a meet cute at the veterinarian, with a sick puppy and a huge hockey player worried about his dog! Daniel has been a player since his divorce, never going to settle down, and Stella just knocks him off his axis. Stella lost her first love and was never going to be intimate or vulnerable again and Daniel connects with her on such a deep and immediate level that he sneaks under her defenses. And then the twists, who Daniel's family is, how his upbringing is so different from hers. The scene where Daniel and Stella are fighting about systemic racism was so poignant. Stella, who has been dealing with racism her whole life, just can't educate this white dude from Texas. And Daniel, who loves Stella so much, just wants to understand. But being a white dude, he doesn't get why Stella can't just teach him. That whole scene was written so well.
Home Ice Seduction by Laura Marquez Diamond
Oh my goodness! This book has the best demisexual representation I've ever read! No coming out. Just Gigi being who she is, how she is, that is all. Sooooooooo good!!!! I also LOVED that she is a woman in professional sports! We need more stories about successful women in sports! Liam is adorable, silly and reckless, but adorable. His relationship with his grandfather is wonderful. And when Gigi seduces Liam on her shopping trip - swoon!
Coaching Secrets by Laura Marquez Diamond
I think the author's note at the end says it all. Can a woman be a single mother, have a career she loves, a great relationship with her son, and find love? Ava and Rick trip over each other many times. There is a lot of miscommunication. But in the end, we get our HEA. We also get some spectacular consensual kink! As always, Laura Marquez Diamond tackles the tough subjects with emotions, with vulnerability, with care. Rick is a victim of sexual harassment and stalking. We get a look at his past, why he moved away, and how the feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, and being violated are so hard to heal from.
Passion's Players by Laura Marquez Diamond
Ok, so I totally thought this was going to end up being a menage romance because of previous hints in other books in the series. And while I love a good MMF menage, I'm really happy with how this story went. It took Mariam and Jean-Marc so much effort to drop their walls, listen to their hearts, and create a relationship with true intimacy. And their physical relationship is so steamy! And don't worry about Sebastian, he gets his HEA in The Love Campaign.
As always, Laura Marquez Diamond gives us important topics inside our romance novels, we get a glimpse of racial profiling, gun violence against young black men who are just existing, and the trials of moving to another country where you don't speak the primary language.