This was such a cute and wholesome book! I absolutely adored the characters, the story, the spice!! It was perfect and tied for my favorite holiday read this year. (Not first cause it wasn’t actually centered around the holiday at all.

“𝑺𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”

A holiday romance written by a Nova Scotian? Yes please!

I absolutely loved this inclusive, sweet (and spicy) hockey romance between two loveable characters. Casey is pure sunshine, but behind his kindness and sociability, he hides his insecurities of doubting his intelligence and fear of being alone. Landon is more reserved, partly from carrying pain from his sister’s death and the fracture in his relationship with his parents. I related a lot to Landon who is from Nova Scotia, loves to cook and watch cooking shows, develops crushes on unattainable people because it’s safe, is an insomniac at times, and gets too in his head. I loved the joy that Casey and Landon brought out in each other, as they found people they were truly comfortable with - each other, their teammates and their family. The glimpses we got of Casey and his sister, Brooke’s relationship was awesome and I could’ve used more of them! I also really liked the Outlaw teammates, and the fact that homophobia didn’t exist on the team. Rachel Reid used the “one bed trope” with a twist, as Casey and Landon choose to sleep in the same bed more-so for company, insomnia and anxiety (at least at first), which I thought was a nice variation. The spicy scenes do not disappoint with their steam; I applaud the different routes Reid chose to go with them, with the emotional connection being just as important as the physical one. Some of the dialogue is a little corny (I don’t know any guy who uses the term ‘a sexy club outfit!), but it’s also part of the charm.

Time To Shine is a story of loneliness, guilt, trust, self-discovery, and courage. It is a sweet festive LGBTQ+ romance that will put a smile on your face. Thank you to Carina Press & NetGalley for the ARC!

The thing I loved most about this book: the ~vibes~ that made me feel so warm & cozy while reading it. There was plenty of humor and great romance scenes with this adorable slow burn, but the character development, mutual respect, and exploration of identity & mental health added so much depth to the story (demisexual rep!!). The arc of Landon and Casey's relationship was so lovely. There were struggles to deal with for both of them, and I really liked seeing them open up and accept help from each other as they grew closer. Their teammates were great supporting characters, I loved all the Canadian rep, and the hockey scenes were well-written. I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes a sports romance with the "extra" things that make a story more special.

I didn't know pessimist/optimist romance was a thing, but this book made me see the light.

Landon is the new reserve goalie on superstar Casey's hockey team, moving by himself to a strange city right before Christmas. Landon thought he was doomed to spending his limited time in a sterile hotel room or cheap apartment. Thankfully, Casey has a big mansion and he would like nothing more than to have Landon as his housemate and maybe also lure him into bed.

There were a lot of touching scenes, especially because Landon is dealing with a lot of grief and anxiety. But there was also a lot of joy and warmth in this story. Characters' identity or sexuality weren't a cause for drama, but fully embraced. Casey and Landon support each other through every hurdle life throws into their path.

Time flew while reading this book. The writing sucks you in and doesn't let you go until you've read the last word and turned that last page.

I loved this story! Having been a big fan of the Game Changers series, I was excited to see another LGBTQ offering in a new hockey world by this author. This time around it's more of a New Adult book, with young men in their early twenties finding their footing in the professional hockey world. The characters, setting and story really resonated with me and it was a treat to read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ebook!

WOW this is steamy! It’s also SO sweet. First experience (for one of the characters) as well as a hockey romance? Sign me up. I really enjoyed this book.

I feel like it would be a ton of fun on audio, too, so definitely check it out!

A lovely grumpy/sunshine novel for winter! This follows Landon and Casey as they become teammates. Casey lets Landon crash with him but Landon seems hesitant.

This was super fun and I breezed through it! This is my first Rachel Reid book and I can’t wait to read some of her other works. This had me entertained from the start.

Phenomenal Christmas book, a million heart eye emojis. Landon and Casey are the epitome of black cat/golden retriever energy. This book will absolutely make you swoon!

This queer hockey romance where two teammates fall for each other is perfect for those obsessed with the genre. It's got plenty of tropes (such as 'omg they were roommates' and the non-experienced x super-experienced) as well as some great representation (asexual/demisexual rep!! as well as confronting trauma & grief).

Landon's journey as a reserve goalie dealing with social anxiety, his sexuality, the grief of losing his sister, and his lack of confidence on a NHL team was so well written. I found myself identifying with him so much, especially in relation to his asexuality/lack of sexual attraction. His plot line was super well developed, and I really loved his chapters, especially in relation to his conversations with his teammates/mentors and parents.

As for the other main character Casey... let's just say I didn't care for him. Babes basically had no development or plot line (his story seemed underdeveloped compared to Landon). This is a dual POV novel, and some of his lines and internal dialogue made me physically cringe. There were some really bad, uncomfortable lines in this book (why are we talking about dick size so much?? please just stop). There's also a good amount of smut, which makes this book more new adult and gives it a bit of a fanfiction feel.

Overall it was cute — a very fluffy romance and some great hockey team & game moments. You definitely need to have a bit of an understanding of hockey terminology and organization (like farm teams & reserves), but it's pretty easy to get into. The only reason I brought down my rating is that I found Casey to be a bit of an annoying character and there were some really garish, weird lines and scenes. Just my opinion!

2.5/5
this book was cute!! a nice little winter (can we call it a christmas) romance!

this is perfect for fans of:
- mlm romance
- hockey romance
- opposites attract
- one bed trope (but he lives in a mansion with about six other beds)
- he falls first (but who?)

i really enjoyed the beginning of this book but as it progressed i felt myself struggling with the pacing of it so it took away from my overall enjoyment of it.

i did appreciate how both mcs really respected the other and the support they showed towards each other and their teammates. i do wish more had been said about casey feeling/calling himself “stupid” as well as his parents putting him down!

thank you so much to netgalley, carina adores and harpercollins for both an e-arc and physical arc of this book!

I had trouble getting invested in the characters- the writing felt a bit juvenille to me and the plot points forced. Just not my cup of tea,

I loved this book so so much!!!!
It was the first open-door romance I’ve ever read with two men, and I have no clue why I waited 35 years before ever picking one up! The cover really caught my eye and I’m so glad I read this book. I will absolutely be reading more from Rachel Reid.

The story of Landon and Casey is so fun, wholesome, sweet, and sexy. It had every element of a romance you could ask for. It was a super easy to read, easy to dive into and lose yourself type of book and I read it in just a few days.

And it’s Canadian!!! I especially love books by Canadian authors that take place in Canada! The perfect winter book to read :)

Absolutely lovely. Casey is adorable, Landon is so sweet, and watching them become friends and fall in love is a treat. The demisexual rep was excellent, as was the supportive environment. While both characters have struggles from past traumas, the book never becomes heavy or depressing. It's a slow burn, but it does get nice and sexy by the end. Very heartfelt, heartwarming, and a joy to read.

Unlike many bookstagrammers, I’m not a hockey romance girlie. Not even a sports romance girlie. But when I discovered Time to Shine was not only written by a Canadian author, but was also set in Canada, I couldn’t resist giving it a shot, and I’m so glad I did. This is easily one of my favourite reads of 2023. This book was hilarious, charming, heartfelt, and heartwarming. I happy-cried on multiple occasions because Casey and Landon were just so damn sweet and lovely. I loved their interactions, and it brought me so much joy watching their tentative friendship turn into something more.

I loved that this book was relatively low angst, while still being compelling and engaging. This is potentially a bit of a spoiler, so be warned: I kept waiting for something bad to happen, and I can’t tell you how relieved I was when it didn’t. I wanted to protect these two sweet babies with everything in me and see them get the happily ever after they both deserved. They still fought for their HEA and I felt those bittersweet pangs of wanting them to be together, but it never became drawn-out, dramatic, or over the top, which I appreciated.

Time to Shine is the perfect cozy winter romance. I loved the mostly-Canadian setting (with a few side trips to the States), and the sprinkling of Christmas vibes. If you’re looking for a sweet and steamy romance that’ll make you grin and laugh while you cheer for incredible, well-developed characters, be sure to pick up Time to Shine.

The story was cute, I liked getting out of my comfort zone and reading a hockey romance however I didn’t connect with the characters. I found the dialogue surface level and no real depth in the story.

Thanks to Netgalley

This book wasn't for me, I gave it a shot, and as much as I love slow burn, this was just not it for me.

I'm 1000% sure I reviewed this when it was released, but I can't find it, so I'm going to review it again: Buy this book! Love this book! I'm slightly embarrassed to be on my third read through, but seriously. Landon and Casey are absolutely adorable. This book owns my heart.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Carina Press for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid is an intriguing sports romances between two hockey teammates & eventual roommates, one is the hotshot of the team meets the AHL goalie called up to temporarily replace his injured teammate. This was a slower burn romance & slower to reel me in, but this couple also had that indescribable charm & love where I couldn’t help but root for them.
I loved the supportive nature of his teammates & their fun & hilarity in general.

Time to Shine is great for fans of
🥅 Hockey Romance
🥅 Teammates & Roommates
🥅 MM Romance
🥅 Opposites Attract

I really enjoyed all the hockey aspects to this novel. I believe this is the first novel I’ve read where a hockey player gets called up to he a temporary reliever for an injured player to the NHL & a goalie at that. I found it to be such a fascinating story & witnessing the pressure & everything that comes with that.

I didn’t love the constant harping on Casey’s intelligence & how everyone seemed to make fun of him. I was happy Landon told him all the good things, but I wanted a more acknowledgment & change by his other loved one personally.

Overall, I ended up really enjoying this. This book made me laugh. It made me giddy as I watched their story unveil. I was incredibly smitten by these two. They had such a lovely supportive & caring nature to their relationship.


I apologize for the lateness of this review. I had back surgery as well as some other health issues that got me behind, but I am trying to catch up. Thanks for the opportunity. I do appreciate it.

My first Rachel Reid and now I cannot WAIT to dive into her backlist! I loved Casey and Landon so much. Their personalities were so different yet they were so sweet together. I thought the traditional hockey romance plot of this series paired with the holidays was so fun!

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy. This one is out now and I highly recommend!

This was a really enjoyable, really sweet romance.

Casey is the legacy superstar on the Calgary team and Landon is the back up goalie from the AHL team being brought up to the NHL. Landon is quiet and reserved but when Casey volunteers to let him stay with him in his home temporarily, they become friends and then that blossoms into more.

Honestly, this book was everything I expected it to be. It was sweet, it was funny, and it has a lot of personal growth between the protagonists.

God I wish the NHL was actually this open.