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donnavb's review
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
3.75
solly's review
3.0
I enjoyed this, but I also felt like the switch from we-don't-like-each-other to we're-boyfriends-now happened a little too fast for my taste maybe? And I wasn't a big fan of the conflict resolution at the end, like I'm just not sure it was entirely resolved properly? But I liked both characters and their interactions, and the general setting! I just didn't like this one as much as the first book.
ashrocketship's review
3.0
I wasn't interested in the first book in this series, but the idea of a goalie tandem seemed pretty rife with potential and while it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for it was pretty okay. I liked the characters and I liked that it was two leads of color where race was openly discussed as an issue in the league and I liked getting to see them interact both together and separately with a variety of different personalities and on like, different interpersonal planes, but it just wasn't as fun as I'd been hoping for. I really like Gale's characters in the books I've read by her previously and their tendency to be a little goofy and while I think diversifying one's repertoire is good, it just wasn't as fun. A quick, easy read at least!
Merged review:
I wasn't interested in the first book in this series, but the idea of a goalie tandem seemed pretty rife with potential and while it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for it was pretty okay. I liked the characters and I liked that it was two leads of color where race was openly discussed as an issue in the league and I liked getting to see them interact both together and separately with a variety of different personalities and on like, different interpersonal planes, but it just wasn't as fun as I'd been hoping for. I really like Gale's characters in the books I've read by her previously and their tendency to be a little goofy and while I think diversifying one's repertoire is good, it just wasn't as fun. A quick, easy read at least!
Merged review:
I wasn't interested in the first book in this series, but the idea of a goalie tandem seemed pretty rife with potential and while it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for it was pretty okay. I liked the characters and I liked that it was two leads of color where race was openly discussed as an issue in the league and I liked getting to see them interact both together and separately with a variety of different personalities and on like, different interpersonal planes, but it just wasn't as fun as I'd been hoping for. I really like Gale's characters in the books I've read by her previously and their tendency to be a little goofy and while I think diversifying one's repertoire is good, it just wasn't as fun. A quick, easy read at least!
mynameisprerna's review against another edition
4.0
Review:
I enjoyed the story and the tension. It was fun, but the characters were a little flat.
I listened to the audiobook, and all of a sudden Sebastian had a bizarre accent he didn’t have in the first book. Yes, he’s Puerto Rican, but he’s from New York! It’s not just an audiobook narration issue though… in this book, they insinuated that he had never heard of Jenga and didn’t know how it worked! What?!
I enjoyed the story and the tension. It was fun, but the characters were a little flat.
I listened to the audiobook, and all of a sudden Sebastian had a bizarre accent he didn’t have in the first book. Yes, he’s Puerto Rican, but he’s from New York! It’s not just an audiobook narration issue though… in this book, they insinuated that he had never heard of Jenga and didn’t know how it worked! What?!
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4: Great, calling it good doesn’t feel adequate. I really liked it and had a very good time reading it.
Source: Library, KU, owned, NetGalley, Gay Romance Reviews
fabi_g's review
4.0
Enemies to lovers hockey goalies on the same team. Oh yeah, I was rubbing my hands in glee to see how this would turn out. Why are hockey stories so hot? ;-)
We met Ryu Mori in the previous book as Tristan's BFF. A Japanese American hockey goalie with the stoicism and drive to achieve greatness as his family expects. He's finally looking at a year of starting goalie when the most unexpected happens.
Emmitt Armstrong is a black man who has just had the best year of his career in the minors. Celebrating the win with his teammates expecting to be called up to his NHL team for the following season he gets a shocking surprise when he's traded to rival team.
Before he can even resign himself to being backup goalie, the new coaches announce that he's in the running for the starting position. With their minds and emotions in upheaval, Emmett and Ryu also find their personalities at opposite ends.
Sparks fly from the start between these two. It's a pleasure to watch as they catch fire and create an unusual but heartwarming relationship between these two MCs.
I found it very stressful to see what their coaches put them through. I was humbled by their love of the game and respect for each other. I cheered as race, ethnicity, sexuality and culture were challenged and acknowledged in a sports setting.
This is another well done sports romance for this author duo. It can easily be read as a stand alone.
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
We met Ryu Mori in the previous book as Tristan's BFF. A Japanese American hockey goalie with the stoicism and drive to achieve greatness as his family expects. He's finally looking at a year of starting goalie when the most unexpected happens.
Emmitt Armstrong is a black man who has just had the best year of his career in the minors. Celebrating the win with his teammates expecting to be called up to his NHL team for the following season he gets a shocking surprise when he's traded to rival team.
Before he can even resign himself to being backup goalie, the new coaches announce that he's in the running for the starting position. With their minds and emotions in upheaval, Emmett and Ryu also find their personalities at opposite ends.
Sparks fly from the start between these two. It's a pleasure to watch as they catch fire and create an unusual but heartwarming relationship between these two MCs.
I found it very stressful to see what their coaches put them through. I was humbled by their love of the game and respect for each other. I cheered as race, ethnicity, sexuality and culture were challenged and acknowledged in a sports setting.
This is another well done sports romance for this author duo. It can easily be read as a stand alone.
Review ARC graciously provided by the publisher via NetGalley
stang_gt3's review
5.0
4.5 Stars
I enjoyed Ryu and Army so much. This is a fun enemy to lovers story with a great sports backdrop. I really have fun with the guys on the Venom team. One of the things I like best about this sports series is that Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn don't even try to fit things into the NHL as it exists in reality. They're not making up teams amidst real team. This hockey world functions exactly like the NHL but all the teams are fictional teams, with fictional names. It means there's no confusion. I appreciate that in my sports stories. The Atlanta Venom are such fun. They have great camaraderie which of sets the antagonism between Ryu and Army at the start of the story so well.
I wasn't sure how I felt about this book being between the two competing goalie's on the team, but ultimately it was told in such a lovely way. I was worried it was going to be such a source of contention between these two that the romance wouldn't be believable. Instead they figured out how to love and support each other while making the team better in the end. I liked this story a lot. If there was one downside I wish I'd gotten a little bit more of how Ryu felt about everything. I felt like I knew more about how Emmitt was feeling in everything than I did Ryu. Still they were both great characters and I throughly enjoyed this story.
Merged review:
4.5 Stars
I enjoyed Ryu and Army so much. This is a fun enemy to lovers story with a great sports backdrop. I really have fun with the guys on the Venom team. One of the things I like best about this sports series is that Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn don't even try to fit things into the NHL as it exists in reality. They're not making up teams amidst real team. This hockey world functions exactly like the NHL but all the teams are fictional teams, with fictional names. It means there's no confusion. I appreciate that in my sports stories. The Atlanta Venom are such fun. They have great camaraderie which of sets the antagonism between Ryu and Army at the start of the story so well.
I wasn't sure how I felt about this book being between the two competing goalie's on the team, but ultimately it was told in such a lovely way. I was worried it was going to be such a source of contention between these two that the romance wouldn't be believable. Instead they figured out how to love and support each other while making the team better in the end. I liked this story a lot. If there was one downside I wish I'd gotten a little bit more of how Ryu felt about everything. I felt like I knew more about how Emmitt was feeling in everything than I did Ryu. Still they were both great characters and I throughly enjoyed this story.
I enjoyed Ryu and Army so much. This is a fun enemy to lovers story with a great sports backdrop. I really have fun with the guys on the Venom team. One of the things I like best about this sports series is that Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn don't even try to fit things into the NHL as it exists in reality. They're not making up teams amidst real team. This hockey world functions exactly like the NHL but all the teams are fictional teams, with fictional names. It means there's no confusion. I appreciate that in my sports stories. The Atlanta Venom are such fun. They have great camaraderie which of sets the antagonism between Ryu and Army at the start of the story so well.
I wasn't sure how I felt about this book being between the two competing goalie's on the team, but ultimately it was told in such a lovely way. I was worried it was going to be such a source of contention between these two that the romance wouldn't be believable. Instead they figured out how to love and support each other while making the team better in the end. I liked this story a lot. If there was one downside I wish I'd gotten a little bit more of how Ryu felt about everything. I felt like I knew more about how Emmitt was feeling in everything than I did Ryu. Still they were both great characters and I throughly enjoyed this story.
Merged review:
4.5 Stars
I enjoyed Ryu and Army so much. This is a fun enemy to lovers story with a great sports backdrop. I really have fun with the guys on the Venom team. One of the things I like best about this sports series is that Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn don't even try to fit things into the NHL as it exists in reality. They're not making up teams amidst real team. This hockey world functions exactly like the NHL but all the teams are fictional teams, with fictional names. It means there's no confusion. I appreciate that in my sports stories. The Atlanta Venom are such fun. They have great camaraderie which of sets the antagonism between Ryu and Army at the start of the story so well.
I wasn't sure how I felt about this book being between the two competing goalie's on the team, but ultimately it was told in such a lovely way. I was worried it was going to be such a source of contention between these two that the romance wouldn't be believable. Instead they figured out how to love and support each other while making the team better in the end. I liked this story a lot. If there was one downside I wish I'd gotten a little bit more of how Ryu felt about everything. I felt like I knew more about how Emmitt was feeling in everything than I did Ryu. Still they were both great characters and I throughly enjoyed this story.
aodhan_gw's review
3.0
2.5 stars
Yeah I really wasn’t about this. The first book in the series was really enjoyable, so I had high hopes despite my total lack on interest in this book based on the summary. Ryu was such a totally lifeless, pointless background character in the first book that I didn’t really have any interest in reading about him in his own book, but this book was for some reason the most highly rated of the three, so I went for it.
Ryu remained a flat, lifeless Japanese stereotype with no kind of character development or growth. The repressed emotions, the emotionally repressed and overly critical parents, the hair and personal style, the classic otaku foods - it’s been done before, and it’s never a good combination.
Emmitt was a bit more enjoyable to read about, but his character was still underdeveloped. The authors would introduce things like “he understood now that his parents’ divorce was for the best...” but never explain or expand on it. His dad seems great, his mom seems great, I understand that they could be two good people who grew apart, but that felt like exposition that went nowhere. If they’re just two people whose marriage didn’t work out, leave it at that! Don’t hint at doomy-gloomy things!
This book was just a disappointment. I’m really not sure why it’s rated so highly, and I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a miss.
Merged review:
2.5 stars
Yeah I really wasn’t about this. The first book in the series was really enjoyable, so I had high hopes despite my total lack on interest in this book based on the summary. Ryu was such a totally lifeless, pointless background character in the first book that I didn’t really have any interest in reading about him in his own book, but this book was for some reason the most highly rated of the three, so I went for it.
Ryu remained a flat, lifeless Japanese stereotype with no kind of character development or growth. The repressed emotions, the emotionally repressed and overly critical parents, the hair and personal style, the classic otaku foods - it’s been done before, and it’s never a good combination.
Emmitt was a bit more enjoyable to read about, but his character was still underdeveloped. The authors would introduce things like “he understood now that his parents’ divorce was for the best...” but never explain or expand on it. His dad seems great, his mom seems great, I understand that they could be two good people who grew apart, but that felt like exposition that went nowhere. If they’re just two people whose marriage didn’t work out, leave it at that! Don’t hint at doomy-gloomy things!
This book was just a disappointment. I’m really not sure why it’s rated so highly, and I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a miss.
Yeah I really wasn’t about this. The first book in the series was really enjoyable, so I had high hopes despite my total lack on interest in this book based on the summary. Ryu was such a totally lifeless, pointless background character in the first book that I didn’t really have any interest in reading about him in his own book, but this book was for some reason the most highly rated of the three, so I went for it.
Ryu remained a flat, lifeless Japanese stereotype with no kind of character development or growth. The repressed emotions, the emotionally repressed and overly critical parents, the hair and personal style, the classic otaku foods - it’s been done before, and it’s never a good combination.
Emmitt was a bit more enjoyable to read about, but his character was still underdeveloped. The authors would introduce things like “he understood now that his parents’ divorce was for the best...” but never explain or expand on it. His dad seems great, his mom seems great, I understand that they could be two good people who grew apart, but that felt like exposition that went nowhere. If they’re just two people whose marriage didn’t work out, leave it at that! Don’t hint at doomy-gloomy things!
This book was just a disappointment. I’m really not sure why it’s rated so highly, and I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a miss.
Merged review:
2.5 stars
Yeah I really wasn’t about this. The first book in the series was really enjoyable, so I had high hopes despite my total lack on interest in this book based on the summary. Ryu was such a totally lifeless, pointless background character in the first book that I didn’t really have any interest in reading about him in his own book, but this book was for some reason the most highly rated of the three, so I went for it.
Ryu remained a flat, lifeless Japanese stereotype with no kind of character development or growth. The repressed emotions, the emotionally repressed and overly critical parents, the hair and personal style, the classic otaku foods - it’s been done before, and it’s never a good combination.
Emmitt was a bit more enjoyable to read about, but his character was still underdeveloped. The authors would introduce things like “he understood now that his parents’ divorce was for the best...” but never explain or expand on it. His dad seems great, his mom seems great, I understand that they could be two good people who grew apart, but that felt like exposition that went nowhere. If they’re just two people whose marriage didn’t work out, leave it at that! Don’t hint at doomy-gloomy things!
This book was just a disappointment. I’m really not sure why it’s rated so highly, and I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a miss.
bibliorow's review
4.0
3.5. I missed reading hockey romance. The first book in this series was definitely better, and I liked Tristan and Seb’s dynamic a lot better than Ryu and Emmitt’s. I wasn’t as invested in this book, but hockey romance is still hockey romance, and I’m a sucker for it.