I read this book awhile ago, but I am woefully behind with my book reviewing due to several (positive) life changes. I’ve been a fan of Reid’s books for several years, so I was excited about this book.

Grumpy/Sunshine is one of my favorite romance tropes, and this book is a textbook example of that pairing. Landon appears stoic, but under the surface, he’s a big old ball of anxiety… and then there’s Casey, who is the polar opposite of that: hyperactive and overly friendly. Casey is so friendly that he offers to let Landon live with him, and Landon is so pessimistic about his prospects as a professional hockey player, that he accepts the offer because he assumes he’ll be sent back down to the minor league.

I liked this book for several reasons. First of all, Reid has departed from the Game Changers series. As much as we love Ilya Rozanov (one of the protagonists of Heated Rivalry), he can’t skate into every single book like the chaos gremlin that is for all eternity. I missed having an Ilya cameo, but it was a nice change of pace to have completely new characters.

On that note, this book was just so FUN to read. I loved the banter and I loved all the Costco references, including the trip to that bastion of bulk shopping.
Landon and Casey have such great chemistry. Having healthy dynamics is one of the things I expect from the romance novels I read, and I loved the way that Casey was so patient and kind to Landon, who is much less experienced.

I would absolutely recommend Time to Shine. This is a standalone, so you don’t have to read any of Reid’s other books before this one. This book is full of feelings, banter, and yes, some hockey too. I am looking forward to reading more from Reid in the future.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley

I love these boys so much tbh

Their relationship arc was handled and paced so well, and Casey in particular was such a breakout star. I LIVE for the soft boy in the pair, every single time. The driving force of the story was definitely Landon, and he held his own there, but in terms of what they brought to their relationship? It was Casey all the way. Warmed every corner of my heart with their ridiculousness, and the ways they shored up the world and protected each other from the edges. I could've done with a LITTLE less "we're together but we're too afraid to be public" especially considering the inherent homophobia that might crop up in the league in other hockey romances wasn't really a thing here, it was all internal on Landon's side. But it led to some hilarity at the cabin, which made it all worth it.

I would love for this to turn into a series because there are a couple of other players on the team whose story deserves to be told.

I loved every second of this book. It was sweet and fun, with the right amount of angst. As always the hockey parts were near perfect, but made me miss the Game Changer gang 😭.

I related with one of the MC and his views and experiences with sexuality. So the book hit me on a personal level. The other MC was also a very complicated character, I think his struggles and anxieties were well portraited. They made an interesting but fitting couple ❤️. It was amazing to read their journey and I was sorry when it ended. I don't know if there's a plan for a new series or we'll get to see more of them but I'm excited 😆!

PS: I posted my review on Goodreads on August 10 but somehow I forgot to update on Netgally 😭

A heartwarming and festive romance, “Time to Shine” was just as cute as I wanted it to be. It was a great example of the grumpy/ sunshine trope and the interactions the MCs were thrown into made for a delightfully funny read. Beyond humor though, this book explored characters haunted by past traumas. Whether it be grief or loneliness, Landon and Casey were there to support one another both inside the world of hockey and out.

While the book didn’t bring anything new to the table, it was still a read I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to any sports romance reader.

Rachel Reid writing queer hockey romance is everything I need! This was cozy, warm and very sweet! I absolutely adored the MMC's and the love story Rachel wove was incredible

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Cute. Nothing surprising or super unique but it’s written well and the characters, while a smidge boring at times, are likable enough.

I’m not convinced Rachel Reid knows how to write a bad book. Every single thing she publishes is a certified banger

Let me tell you, I am completely enamored with the Grumpy x Sunshine romance in this book. And when that sunny character happens to be an adorable Golden Retriever, like Casey, it's the icing on the cake. The main character, Landon, is brooding and searching for himself, including exploring his sexuality. Rachel's holiday tale was a joy to read, although I did not anticipate the slow-burning romance. However, this is Rachel's forte and I should have seen it coming. With hockey players, roommates, and a forced closeness, it sets the perfect stage for a heartwarming love story.

3.5

I really enjoyed this book but I think I was expecting more more. This is my first hockey romance, so I’m not sure how this book would feel if you are an avid hockey, romance reader.

The first half of the book I was not vibing with. I found Casey to be very annoying and I felt like the feelings were growing a little too quickly. The second half of the book however, I thoroughly enjoyed. Once the characters started to be more romantically involved with each other, I felt like the banter and dialogue was enjoyable. The smut was well written, and detailed and their romance enhanced the overall plot of the story.

This is my first book I’ve ever read by this author, so I’m not sure how her writing is with other books. But I can tell that this author does know her hockey. There are a lot of dialogue that related to the hockey world and I really enjoy those little tidbits.

As an addition, I loved the scenes with the family. The family was so heartwarming and loving. And it was really nice to read an LGBTQAI+ book where are the family was accepting.

I think if the buildup in the first half of the book was more enjoyable for me, this would’ve easily been a four-star for me. Nonetheless, I’m glad I stuck with it and glad it picked up in the second half of the book.

I've read nearly all of Rachel Reid's hockey romance books and I thought this one was very cute. It was not as heavy as her Game Changers series, but it made for a lighter read in more ways than one. Really love the queer characters and their development as they grow closer throughout the book. Would recommend to any readers of the queer hockey genre.

Love Canadian content especially if it revolves around hockey. As if one hockey player wasn’t enough we get two and they catch feels for each other.

One is established and the other player needs to prove himself and earn his place on the team.

A great romance read. A perfect happily ever after by an author who never fails to leave a smile on my face.

This was a cute little story, a quick read. I thought it flowed well and I liked the characters. I would read another book by this author in the future.

I enjoyed this so much more than I expected to. Casey and Landon almost feel like The Odd Couple, but I truly adored seeing them become more close, watching them open up to each other, and fall for one another. It was slow burn, but the slow burn was incredibly well done.

Casey took me a while to warm to, I initially wrote him off as the typical jock character, but he turned out to be so much more than that. He was warm, friendly, and truly a golden retriever character.

The discussions of sibling loss, phobias, and grief were well written and handled so well.

Also, the spice was incredible. Rachel Reid, you'll see me again.

Ah, a hidden gem (and it's queer too)! The representation, plot, characters, and setting really worked together to bring forth magic, love, and a wonderful book. I hope you try to find a place for this one in your 2024 reads!

Time to Shine was fun of romance and laughs. I always like a Hockey romance book because when the camaraderie among the team is usually hysterical and this time I was not disappointed. Casey is energetic and intuitive, but definitely has undiagnosed ADHD. He struggles with anxiety/fears of loneliness. Along comes Landon who is a complement to Casey where is wants to be alone to deal with his own demons in his head. Each of them help each other deal with their issues in a kind gentle way which touched my heart. Overall the story is touching, joyful, a bit sad, and funny. I enjoyed reading it.

Oh, what a great book! It’s a sweet story between two very differents characters that fits together perfecly. There’s really no tension but there’s no need, you fall in love with tham and feel their insecurities.
It’s my first time with Rachel Reid and it surely won’t be the last.

Okay, deep breath, here we go. I have a lot more to say about this book than I thought I would.

When all is said and done I wouldn’t go back and choose to read this. The highs are high, but the lows are LOW. This felt longer than it probably actually was because of that.

Basically, It felt like reading about what someone THOUGHT two people like this (Introvert/Extrovert. Asexual/Hyper-sexual. Grumpy/Sunshine) would be like in a relationship with each other. The writing was not good. Story was fun at times, but style-wise was so bland! Quippy dialogue please!!!

I love every asexual and demisexual rep romance ever written though. So big ups for that. It was also oddly charming sometimes? While I didn’t think the writing was well done, the plot was a really cute idea. And even though the characters ended up being more caricatures, I still like the concept (Again, I love every Ace-spectrum romance ever written)

I also tend to hate reading a ton of scenes where an MC hooks up with someone not the love interest on the page. Once for plot purposes, sure. A jealousy scene here or there, usually worth it. But there’s a lot of it in this book. Like a lot of it. I can honestly say the only reason I DIDN’T mind is that neither of the characters felt super realistic to me anyway.

So yeah *shrugs*

My hopes for this were much higher than they should have been, to be honest. I do think this is a very easy and light read and for some people that’s definitely enough! But for me, I’m giving this one a pass.

Thank you so much to Carina Adores and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

Everything that Rachel Reid writes is wonderful. And this was no exception. This was significantly less angsty, but delightful and cozy.

I love an opposites attract romance and these 2 were polar opposites. Casey is a bubbly ball of energy and Landon is quiet and reserved. Mix that with forced proximity/roommates and I was immediately hooked.

Not only was the romance itself delightful, but the teammate relationship and personal growth journey for each of the heroes was also great.

Landon is trying to find self confidence in his ability while Casey struggles to be alone. I loved how their relationship helped them both down these paths without it ever feeling the romance itself was "fixing" them.

While this does take place near the holidays, it's a definitely a romance you could pick up at any time. If you're looking for low angst, forced proximity, and plenty of hockey, definitely check this one out!