ARC Review: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2)
by Rachel Reid
Published by Carina Press
LGBT, sports, contemporary, romance

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game – definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him – except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hook-ups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option.

Heated Rivalry surprised me. I went in expecting a sports romance with rivals to lovers – that’s the story, but it’s also so much more. For one, it spans over years, from Shane and Ilya meeting in the beginning of their respective NHL careers to present day. It’s captivating to follow their careers and relationships and to see them grow from young lads to adults in highly competitive and public platform.

What a chemistry they have! Rivals or lovers, Shane and Ilya are sizzling. Not only that, it’s easy to fall for each of them. Shane’s actually pretty shy and enjoys spending his time away from the spotlight. He’s talented on ice and has dedicated his life for hockey. He’s adorable cinnamon roll, alright, and so easy to root for. Ilya’s almost Shane’s opposite as he’s arrogant, smug and entertaining. He’s also complex and feels deeply and I just loved him. They’re great together and separately, and Reid certainly wields some sort of magic to pull all of that together. My only complain is that there could have been more hockey – or more specifically, more games played on page.

Ilya has an accent and especially after he gets drafted to NHL, he doesn’t speak English fluently. I loved how Reid included that and how it was easy to see Ilya get more fluent but still have that speech pattern that a native wouldn’t have. I haven’t seen a lot of books do this (unless it has been the bad guys who don’t speak English fluently) and it was great. I’m not a native English speaker and I was pretty fluent when I moved abroad, but I could still relate to Ilya’s struggles at times to find the right word. It made it much more realistic than just saying that Ilya had an accent.

Shortly, I truly enjoyed Heated Rivalry. It has all the elements of rivals to lovers I love, there’s hockey which is one of the only sports I somewhat follow. Incredible character chemistry and epic romance; I highly recommend this to everyone who wants a great rivals to lovers and brilliant storyline. Now, I just need a sequel because I need to know what happens next to Shane and Ilya.

5 of 5 stars

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

ARC Review: Medley by Layla Reyne

Medley (Changing Lanes, #2)
by Layla Reyne
eARC

LGBT, contemporary, romance, sports

Sebastian Stewart was never Mr. Dependable; he was more the good-time guy who only wanted to swim, party, and ink tattoos. Until he cost his team the Olympic gold four years ago. Bas is determined to do right this time around—by his medley relay team and his rookie mentee.

Jacob Burrows is in over his head. The Olympic experience—from the hazing, to the endless practices, to the unrelenting media—makes the shy nineteen-year-old’s head spin. He’s trying to be everything to everyone while trying not to fall for his gorgeous tattooed teammate who just gets him—gets his need to fix things, his dorky pirate quips, and his bisexuality.

When Jacob falters under the stress, threatening his individual races and the medley relay gold, he needs Bas’s help to escape from drowning. Bas, however, fearing a repeat of his mistakes four years ago, pushes Jacob away, sure he’ll only let Jacob down. But the only path to salvaging gold is for Jacob to finally ask for what he needs—the heart of the man he loves—and for Bas to become the dependable one.

I really enjoyed Relay and yearned for a sequel, however, I'm sad to say that it didn't live up to my expectations. I had a hard time connecting with one of the main character, Bas, because his actions, and the focus of the story was more frustrating relationship drama than the Olympics.

I actually liked Bas in Relay, when he was acting like a good friend and mentor. However, in Medley Bas played hot and cold with Jacob, pulling him closer only to push him away and then avoid poor Jacob without explanations. Bas justified his selfish actions as greater good for the Olympic team, but it only created tension. I couldn't connect with Bas and I didn't understand where his actions came from until the near end of the book - but then it was too late to like him. Jacob was complete opposite, as I liked him from the beginning and that didn't waver. He's sweet and caring and he put others before himself. He simply deserved more than to go through relationship drama on the eve of his debut in Olympics (especially since all the drama affected his performance).

Relay had some deep themes and character growth, but I felt like Medley lacked both. It wasn't so much about redemption, forgiveness and the Olympics than it was about unnecessary relationship drama, which could have been avoided if a heart-to-heart talk would happened sooner than it did. I guess my expectation where so high after Relay that I just felt disappointed because Medley focused on other stuff. I just wish the Olympics wouldn't been on the back burner, because all the swim moments were exciting and captivating.

I did like the conclusion the book offered: did the US Olympic team win the medals they so coveted? I also really enjoyed the peaks of Dane and Alex, especially Dane, because he was a great friend and support to everyone else this time around, and he continued to stood up against his bigoted parents. And Jacob was so sympathetic character! I only wish he'd get better than the emotional rollercoaster that he got. 

3 of 5 stars

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Review: Fence #2 by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad

Fence #2
by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad
Published by Boom! Box
Comic/graphic novel, YA, LGBT, contemporary, sports

As Seiji and Nicholas struggle with their living arrangement, the competition heats up.

The first issue of Fence set the sport and competition nicely, but I really loved how this issue introduced the boarding school and the fencers there. It gives it a bit more in depth, although with all the new guys from the Kings Row fencing team, I'm more intrigued than ever. Also, I really want to learn more about everyone, especially Nicholas and Seiji, but everyone else too! Nicholas and Seiji's living arrangement was just so hilarious, the contrast between their personalities really comes through it. All the tension between them is just so amazing.

I need more, that's all I can say, because I really like this comic. I want to learn all about the characters, see more fencing scenes, and see if Nicholas can achieve his dreams. The wait between issues is killing me, even if I try to savour the issues and not read them as soon as they're published.

So yeah, really loving this world of boarding school, fencing, and these competitive boys. All I need is more of this adventure.

4 of 5 stars

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Review: Fence #1 by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad

Fence #1
by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad
Published by Boom! Box
Comic/graphic novel, YA, LGBT, contemporary, sports

Sixteen-year-old Nicholas Cox is an outsider to the competitive fencing world. Filled with raw talent but lacking proper training, he signs up for a competition that puts him head-to-head with fencing prodigy Seiji Katayama...and on the road to the elite all-boys school Kings Row. A chance at a real team and a place to belong awaits him—if he can make the cut!

I have been super excited about Fence for months - ever since I heard that Pacat was creating a comic about fencing with LGBT characters. I loved the Captive Prince series, so I dived right into the world of Fence, even if I haven't really read comics before and only a few graphic novels. First of all, I loved the artwork and illustrations: Johanna the Mad is talented, and I like the realistic style. There were multiple occasions where I just stared the panels and admired them! 

Then the story line and characters; I liked the main character Nicholas from the beginning. He's a raw talent with little to no training, but more than that, he's determined to make it to the elite school where he can fence and compete. The fencing prodigy, Seiji, also intrigued me and I can't wait to read more about him! This first installment was a nice start, however, my only complain is the length. Fence is around thirty pages long and since I'm used to reading books that have hundreds of pages, it all ended so soon and left me yearning for more. I know that comics are shorter and maybe it just takes a little bit time to get used to the shortness of them.

Anyway, I liked Fence and I'm excited the read more about Nicholas and his adventures in the world of fencing - and I do recommend it for everyone who's intrigued by the premise!

4 of 5 stars

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ARC Review: Relay by Layla Reyne

Relay (Changing Lanes, #1)
by Layla Reyne
Published by Riptide Publishing
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, sports, romance

Captain is not a title Alejandro “Alex” Cantu takes lightly. Elected by his teammates to helm the US Men’s Swim Team, he proudly accepts the role, despite juggling endless training, team administrative work, and helping out on the family farm. And despite his ex-lover, Dane Ellis—swimming’s biggest star—also making the Olympic Team.

Dane has been a pawn in his celebrity parents’ empire from crib to pool, flashing his camera-ready smile on demand and staying deeply in the closet. Only once did he drop the act—the summer he fell in love with Alex. Ten years later, Dane longs to cut his parents’ strings, drop his too-bright smile, and beg Alex for another chance.

Alex, though, isn’t ready to forgive and forget, and Dane is a distraction he doesn’t need on his team, until an injury forces Alex to accept Dane as his medley relay anchor. Working together, their passion reignites. When Dane’s parents threaten reprisal and Alex is accused of doping, the two must risk everything to prove Alex’s innocence, to love one another, and to win back their spots on the team, together.

Relay is intense and captivating story, that left me yearning for more; I need the sequel.

The whole medley relay team is hungry for the coveted Olympic gold, since four years ago they went home with silver, because Dane was injured and had to miss it, and Bas's some personal drama. They are hungry for victory and everything is intense because of the high adrenaline - and it doesn't help that one member of the medley relay team, Mo, gets injured in practice and Dane replaces him, which Alex doesn't like at all because he's still hurt from a decade ago when Dane broke his heart. Still, they have to learn to let it go and work as a team if they want to win the Olympics.

Relay is a journey of growth, forgiving and forgetting, for Alex and Dane. To reach unity withing the US Olympic swim team, Alex has to forgive Dane for breaking his heart ten years ago, when after an intense summer of romance, Dane decided to stay in closet and left Alex. And Dane has to stand up against his controlling parents, who disturb the swim team with constant publicity stunts. I loved the tension and feelings, and I rallied for Alex, who has always taken so much as his responsibility - the captaincy of the men's swim team, as representative of both Hispanic and LGBT communities, and providing for his family, especially since his mother's cancer has come back. I also loved the romance and how Alex and Dane respected each other, even when their feelings were hurt and when they 'hated' each other.

Relay is character driven story, and it had the perfect cast for it. I loved Alex and Dane, both together and separate, and the other team members, especially Bas and Jacob (and I can't wait for their story in Medley!) The only people I couldn't stand were Dane's controlling and bigoted parents, Reverend Ellis and Mrs Ellis. Relay is also complicated and taking sides is extremely hard, which is why it was such captivating and perfect story.

I highly recommend Relay, because of how captivating and intense it is. There's drama and there's competitive swimming and character growth. It's simply a book, that I couldn't put down.

4 of 5 stars.

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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Relay!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Relay by Layla Reyne

Relay (Changing Lanes, #1)
by Layla Reyne
Published by Riptide Publishing
Release day: January 8th, 2018
M/M contemporary sports romance

Captain is not a title Alejandro “Alex” Cantu takes lightly. Elected by his teammates to helm the US Men’s Swim Team, he proudly accepts the role, despite juggling endless training, team administrative work, and helping out on the family farm. And despite his ex-lover, Dane Ellis—swimming’s biggest star—also making the Olympic Team.

Dane has been a pawn in his celebrity parents’ empire from crib to pool, flashing his camera-ready smile on demand and staying deeply in the closet. Only once did he drop the act—the summer he fell in love with Alex. Ten years later, Dane longs to cut his parents’ strings, drop his too-bright smile, and beg Alex for another chance.

Alex, though, isn’t ready to forgive and forget, and Dane is a distraction he doesn’t need on his team, until an injury forces Alex to accept Dane as his medley relay anchor. Working together, their passion reignites. When Dane’s parents threaten reprisal and Alex is accused of doping, the two must risk everything to prove Alex’s innocence, to love one another, and to win back their spots on the team, together.

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Publisher

Amazon UK

Excerpt:

“How’s it going in there?”

Dane opened the stall door, eyes downcast as he tried to straighten out his shirt. “There are a lot of snaps.”

Alex inhaled sharply, and before Dane could wrap his head around that sound, around the blush streaking those high cheekbones, Alex had already moved on. To standing right in front of him. “You’re supposed to leave the shirt open.”

Dane lifted his hands, and Alex batted them away. He grabbed the uneven shirttails and ripped the buttons apart, the staccato snaps mirroring Dane’s stuttering heartbeat. Alex’s grip on the chambray lingered, as did his presence in Dane’s space, and with each heaving breath, each whiff of cologne tinged with chlorine, a pore-deep scent no swimmer could shake, Dane’s paper-thin resolved shredded.

Author bio

Author Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she's not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs.

Connect with Layla: Author Site | Twitter | FB | FB Group | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram | Goodreads | Newsletter

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ARC Review: Off the Ice by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn

Off the Ice (Hat Trick, #1)
by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn
Published by Riptide Publishing
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, romance, sports

Tristan Holt is nothing if not pragmatic. Despite a flourishing career as a defenseman for the Atlanta Venom, Tristan knows he can’t play hockey forever. One day he’ll retire—if an injury doesn’t force him to hang up his skates first. His backup plan? Finishing his business degree. But he doesn’t count on a very inappropriate attraction to his standoffish sociology professor, Sebastian Cruz.

Sebastian is on the bottom rung of the Sociology Department at Georgia State. He has his sights set on tenure, and he can’t afford to be distracted, especially not by a sexy student with a body straight out of Sebastian’s dreams. No matter how much Tristan tempts him, that’s one line Sebastian won’t cross. At least not until summer classes end. After that, everything is fair game.

But Sebastian lives loud and proud, and Tristan is terrified of being the first out player in the NHL. Neither of them can afford to risk their hearts when they can’t imagine a happily ever after. The problem is, unlike hockey, when it comes to love, there are no rules.

I haven't read sports romances centering around hockey before, so this was a refreshing take on that field, instead of the usual American football centered M/M romances. I grew up with a father who's a big hockey fan, so I truly were excited about this. Indeed, all things hockey were great in the story - the games especially and the atmosphere of cheering for your favourite team. Basically, everything that had to do with hockey was absolutely great.

However, it was the romance and one of the main characters which made the story not so enjoyable for me. Tristan was absolutely sweetheart and I loved him because he was so real with his struggles and enthusiasm for both studies, hockey, family, and relationships. Tristan and the hockey were the best parts of the story. Sebastian, the grumpy professor, was really unlikable character. He was demanding and seemed to dislike his students to the point where the reader is left wondering why he's a professor in the first place. He was the definition of university professor whose lectures students usually avoid. Even outside of classroom, Sebastian was rude and quite selfish. He didn't seem to have any redeemable qualities, which is why I had a hard time understanding why Tristan fell for him.

On that note, there really wasn't romantic chemistry. Sexual chemistry yes, but outside of that the relationship felt a bit too forced upon a reader. Then again, everyone else seem to love the book, so it might just be me. I just couldn't understand Sebastian, and the dominant/submissive kink that developed during the story was not my cup of tea either - in fact, I ended up skipping most of the sex scenes altogether.

I had a hard time deciding between three and two stars. Tristan, his teammates and the hockey were good and enjoyable, and the beginning of the story was interesting and quite captivating. On the other hand, Sebastian, the lack of romantic chemistry, and the sex that wasn't my cup of tea, made the story drag, and the last half of the story was less captivating than the beginning. In the end, the story just seems to be something that wasn't for me, even if I loved the hockey parts and Tristan.

2 of 5 stars.

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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Off the Ice!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

ARC Review: Heels Over Head by Elyse Springer

Heels Over Head
by Elyse Springer
Published by Riptide Publishing
e-ARC (received via NetGalley)
New Adult, LGBT, contemporary, sports, romance

Jeremy Reeve is one of the best divers in the world, and he’s worked hard to get where he is. He intends to keep pushing himself with one very clear goal in mind: winning gold at the summer Olympics in two years. That medal might be the only way to earn his father’s respect as an athlete. 

Brandon Evans is everything Jeremy isn’t: carefree, outgoing, and openly gay. With his bright-blue eyes and dramatic tattoos, he’s a temptation that Jeremy refuses to acknowledge. But Jeremy can’t ignore how talented Brandon is—or that Brandon has no interest in using his diving skills to compete. 

They’re opposites who are forced to work together as teammates, but Jeremy’s fear of his own sexuality and Brandon’s disinterest in anything “not fun” may end their partnership before it begins. Until a single moment changes everything, and they help each other discover that “team” can also mean family and love.

I don't follow sports except Formula One, which is why I surprised even myself when my interest piqued with Heels Over Head. I think the best testament to this story and author I can give is to say that I was almost as invested to diving as Jeremy was, and now I want to watch all the diving competitions. Somehow, Springer got me interested in watching sports which I never really do.

Heels Over Head is very intense story that spams over two years - the two years that Jeremy is preparing to qualify to Olympics. Jeremy is nothing but intense, driven and extremely focused on his goal; to win gold at Olympics, to prove himself that he isn't weak and to earn his father's respect. Jeremy lives for diving only and he never slacks in his training or nutrition regime: basically, he never does anything else but train and go to his lectures. Well, until his solitary training changes when his coach, Andrey, takes on Brandon who's naturally talented in diving with little training as well as Valerie who's Jeremy's friend and has been diving for years. For first time in his life, Jeremy has a team he has to work with, especially when Andrey teams Jeremy and Brandon up for synchro diving. Brandon's quite new to the competitive diving and he's not too invested in it at first but he wants to prove himself to Jeremy. While Jeremy is totally focused to live and breath diving, Brandon enjoys having fun and not taking everything so seriously. He's fiercely independent and he's had life rough because his parents cut him off but Brandon still loves life - and wants Jeremy.

Brandon's extremely likable character and he's quite a sweetheart with a little bit devil may care attitude. I liked him a lot but somehow I truly rooted for Jeremy who wasn't always the nicest person - in fact he rarely even liked people and saw others as a distraction to his ultimate goal. But I loved him because he wasn't a bad person, he was scared and emotionally abused by his family and his sole focus was diving because it made him feel free. So I rooted for Jeremy, although what I rooted most were both Jeremy and Brandon because they were so good together. That's because they completed each other.

I really loved Heels Over Head, and I now it'll stay with me for a long time for various reasons. I fell in love with the story and became invested in diving which was quite surprising. It's brilliant and intense story with complicated and flawed characters and relationships but it all just made everything so perfect. Now I just need a sequel, pretty please?

I highly recommend!

5 of 5 stars

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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Heels Over Head!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)