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A review by queenofswordsandwords
Tough Guy by Rachel Reid
5.0
➸ Hockey player with anxiety
➸ Aspiring musician
➸ Mutual teenage crush
➸ Years later in Toronto
Ryan price, tall cinnamon roll in a very intimidating exterior. His job on the team is to fight other players, and I really appreciated how he struggled with that and the mental toll it took on him. There is a lot to explore with hockey being one of the only sports where it's allowed to fight and the author did a great job portraying that through Ryan.
❝ Ryan didn't expect to form any particularly strong bonds to any of his teammates. Something about being naturally awkward, shy, clinically anxious, terrified of flying, and, oh yes, gay, didn't exacly make him a friend magnet in the ol' locker room. ❞
That scene where Ryan has a hard time ordering something at a coffee shop hit really hard, the man deserves a hug and I'm so glad he found Fabian for that. Fabian who hates hockey and has such a hard time fitting together the Ryan he knows and the Ryan on the ice.
❝ I'd rather struggle to do what I love than devote myself to something I hate. ❞
There is something beautiful about Fabian wanting Ryan because of who he is, not because of what he does, can do. And about Fabian wanting what's best for Ryan, including his physical and mental health. It's a tough job to follow heated rivalry in a series, but this book was solid, full of heart and amazing characters, Wyatt and Vanessa are standout friends.
➸ Aspiring musician
➸ Mutual teenage crush
➸ Years later in Toronto
Ryan price, tall cinnamon roll in a very intimidating exterior. His job on the team is to fight other players, and I really appreciated how he struggled with that and the mental toll it took on him. There is a lot to explore with hockey being one of the only sports where it's allowed to fight and the author did a great job portraying that through Ryan.
❝ Ryan didn't expect to form any particularly strong bonds to any of his teammates. Something about being naturally awkward, shy, clinically anxious, terrified of flying, and, oh yes, gay, didn't exacly make him a friend magnet in the ol' locker room. ❞
That scene where Ryan has a hard time ordering something at a coffee shop hit really hard, the man deserves a hug and I'm so glad he found Fabian for that. Fabian who hates hockey and has such a hard time fitting together the Ryan he knows and the Ryan on the ice.
❝ I'd rather struggle to do what I love than devote myself to something I hate. ❞
There is something beautiful about Fabian wanting Ryan because of who he is, not because of what he does, can do. And about Fabian wanting what's best for Ryan, including his physical and mental health. It's a tough job to follow heated rivalry in a series, but this book was solid, full of heart and amazing characters, Wyatt and Vanessa are standout friends.