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A review by _isabel_
The Long Game by Rachel Reid
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
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
Hello, second worst book hangover of the year. We meet again. (And, weirdly, another hockey romance is to blame)
(FYI, the first one was an ARC of "Rookie Mistake" and no, I will NOT stop taking nor recommending that UTTER GEM of a book, sorry not sorry.)
Anyway.
5 stars is definitely not enough to describe how much, how damn much, I adored this book, how much it made me feel. Start to finish, I loved every single page and every single word. I never wanted it to end, but the ending was SO perfect, so now I'm both devasted and unbelievably happy for Ilya and Shane's well-deserved, long-fought-for, HEA.
I loved "Heated Rivalry" with my whole heart, but "The Long Game"? It was everything I love and long for in a romance novel, and then more.
I've always thought that, regardless of HR very romantic, endgame-y and sweet conclusion, Ilya and Shane's story never felt 100% satisfying. So now, I'm really, REALLY glad I was kind of late to the "Game Changers" party when I started reading these books: waiting years would have been absolute torture.
Anyway, this was gorgeous. An utterly romantic, wonderfully I-am-sobbing-my-eyes-out, gut-wrenching, just *chef's kiss*, novel. It has steam and intimacy and friendship and banter and angst and heartache and the most epic conclusion you could ever wish for. PLUS, two MCs and a cast of wonderfully complex and lovable side characters that absolutely SHINE.
I mean, Shane does eventually shine and I was so proud of him by the end I wanted to scream, but he DID frustrate me a bit in the beginning. He's still endearingly grumpy and awkward and easily flustered and just, really sweet, but I wanted to kick him a bit (or a lot), aswell. But you can see and feel how much he just adores Ilya, so I was pretty much ready to forgive him as soon as he started acting better.
But speaking of Ilya.
Ilya Rozanov. God, I think he might have replaced someone in my "Top Ten Characters I Would Absolutely and Cheerfully Die For" list. He's something special. An utter snark king and so hilarious I literally cackled for hours after some bits, so sexy I melted MANY, many times, so lovable and caring and affectionate, and so heartbreakingly soft and sweet I wanted to hurl myself off a mountain.
Also, the way he was with the dogs? I SOBBED. This is such a tough book for Ilya, but I felt like Rachel Reid dealt with some of the most serious issues he has to go through with tact and care. Needless to say I wanted to hug him to death a couple of times, or twenty, throughout the entire book. I still want to do it now. I am so damn proud of him, and Shane, and how far they've both come.
The story flows like a dream, as RR's flawless storytelling, and the side characters? The whole Ottawa team deserve a medal. They are literally the best and if RR decides to write another book in this series, I sincerely hope it will be about one of them. Troy and Hazy and Bood and Shane's parents deserve a special mention for being awesome, whereas Shane's team can go and suck a lemon. Yuck, those idiots. Yes, even J.J. and Hayden.
We get to see some really, really familiar and welcome faces and I'm pretty convinced I would kill for a whole story, short or otherwise, of the queer hockey-adjacent couples interacting with each other and just being happy and maybe kicking some bigoted ass.
Anyway, I was very, very satisfied with everything that happened in this book and with Ilya and Shane fantastic love story. Those last few chapters made my heart explode.
I think I might have underlined the whole thing and I kinda want to do a re-read now? God, somebody save me from the agony that this book hangover will be. "The Long Game" was absolutely everything, romance and found family and banter at its best, a whack-over-the-head-with-a-shovel-loaded-with-feels in book form. I loved it to bits.
(FYI, the first one was an ARC of "Rookie Mistake" and no, I will NOT stop taking nor recommending that UTTER GEM of a book, sorry not sorry.)
Anyway.
5 stars is definitely not enough to describe how much, how damn much, I adored this book, how much it made me feel. Start to finish, I loved every single page and every single word. I never wanted it to end, but the ending was SO perfect, so now I'm both devasted and unbelievably happy for Ilya and Shane's well-deserved, long-fought-for, HEA.
I loved "Heated Rivalry" with my whole heart, but "The Long Game"? It was everything I love and long for in a romance novel, and then more.
I've always thought that, regardless of HR very romantic, endgame-y and sweet conclusion, Ilya and Shane's story never felt 100% satisfying. So now, I'm really, REALLY glad I was kind of late to the "Game Changers" party when I started reading these books: waiting years would have been absolute torture.
Anyway, this was gorgeous. An utterly romantic, wonderfully I-am-sobbing-my-eyes-out, gut-wrenching, just *chef's kiss*, novel. It has steam and intimacy and friendship and banter and angst and heartache and the most epic conclusion you could ever wish for. PLUS, two MCs and a cast of wonderfully complex and lovable side characters that absolutely SHINE.
I mean, Shane does eventually shine and I was so proud of him by the end I wanted to scream, but he DID frustrate me a bit in the beginning. He's still endearingly grumpy and awkward and easily flustered and just, really sweet, but I wanted to kick him a bit (or a lot), aswell. But you can see and feel how much he just adores Ilya, so I was pretty much ready to forgive him as soon as he started acting better.
But speaking of Ilya.
Ilya Rozanov. God, I think he might have replaced someone in my "Top Ten Characters I Would Absolutely and Cheerfully Die For" list. He's something special. An utter snark king and so hilarious I literally cackled for hours after some bits, so sexy I melted MANY, many times, so lovable and caring and affectionate, and so heartbreakingly soft and sweet I wanted to hurl myself off a mountain.
Also, the way he was with the dogs? I SOBBED. This is such a tough book for Ilya, but I felt like Rachel Reid dealt with some of the most serious issues he has to go through with tact and care. Needless to say I wanted to hug him to death a couple of times, or twenty, throughout the entire book. I still want to do it now. I am so damn proud of him, and Shane, and how far they've both come.
The story flows like a dream, as RR's flawless storytelling, and the side characters? The whole Ottawa team deserve a medal. They are literally the best and if RR decides to write another book in this series, I sincerely hope it will be about one of them. Troy and Hazy and Bood and Shane's parents deserve a special mention for being awesome, whereas Shane's team can go and suck a lemon. Yuck, those idiots. Yes, even J.J. and Hayden.
We get to see some really, really familiar and welcome faces and I'm pretty convinced I would kill for a whole story, short or otherwise, of the queer hockey-adjacent couples interacting with each other and just being happy and maybe kicking some bigoted ass.
Anyway, I was very, very satisfied with everything that happened in this book and with Ilya and Shane fantastic love story. Those last few chapters made my heart explode.
I think I might have underlined the whole thing and I kinda want to do a re-read now? God, somebody save me from the agony that this book hangover will be. "The Long Game" was absolutely everything, romance and found family and banter at its best, a whack-over-the-head-with-a-shovel-loaded-with-feels in book form. I loved it to bits.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide