Not as enjoyable as I had hoped it would be. Characters felt like teenagers instead of adults and the writing lacked a bit for me. I felt like I was having to force myself to read the story which is always a huge indicator to me that I'm not enjoying it at all.

4* Great debut, and thankfully not too heavy on the hockey stuff, which this Brit doesn't really get.

I'd ignored this book for a while, because the blurb didn't sound the most appealing, but in a bit of a book drought, I decided to grab it. It turned out to be one of the best reading decisions I've made this year.

Right now, I'm not overly caring for books with tropes and tons of sex and whilst this didn't have the former, it did have the latter, but I got that because Scott was a guy in his sexual prime, but hadn't had sex for ages, hadn't dated, had simply had the odd hook-up, and the author did the scenes well. They were hot, they were sexy and they were filled with emotions, not simply getting off.

The book does mirror the blurb, and it's one of the nicest, non-cliche'd coming out tales that I've read featuring professional athletes. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did, which is both down to the author's decent writing and her very decent characters who weren't into faux angst, scoring points or delivering ultimatums. It was so good, and there was a big enough hint for me to go looking for more of her work. I found out that this is her first published book and that she plans 4 MM tales set in the world of hockey, and I'm pretty sure that someone we've met in this book, who right now is a bit of an anti-hero for me, will end up with a tale of his own. I can't wait to read it.

ARC courtesy of Carina Publishing and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.

Kind of on the fence with this review; it does have plenty of good moments and scenes, I just wasn't a fan of Kip and his feelings when it comes to his relationship with Scott.

Scott Hunter is a star hockey player-captain of his team, and gay. But the closeted man is so unhappy. His team is having a good season, but Scott is just tired. His secret is exhausting. One day he stops into a shop for a smoothie. The drink is wonderful, but the man behind the counter is what catches Scott's eyes! Scott goes onto having a great game! He attributes that to the smoothie he got that afternoon! Athletes are superstitious! Looks like there will be more smoothies in his future-and maybe more sightings of the cute guy behind the counter!

Kip Grady has a degree in history but the jobs just aren't currently out there. He has been working at a smoothie shop to make ends meet. Things change drastically when celebrity athlete Scott Hunter walks in the door! Kip is gay and proud so he is shocked when Scott gives him hints that he is interested in Kip. He becomes obsessed with Scott, as the hockey player needs his smoothie fix prior to home games! Can he really believe Scott Hunter is interested in plain ole Kip??

Scott and Kip have some seriously hot chemistry. What starts off as a way to blow off steam turns into something neither man really expected. They are explosive! Things are going along wonderfully...until they weren't. The problems begin when Scott has no intention of letting the world in on his little secret. Kip is happy to be around Scott, but is starting to resent being little more than a toy thing when he is in town. I felt Kip's frustration. It seemed like Kip was doing all the giving up and Scott just went about his busy normal life. Instead of talking things out though, he bolts. Scott has a lot to work through.

I have to say this was a really great book to dive into. I am a huge hockey fan and this deals with the subject of no known NHL players are publicly gay. The weight of this secret and what it means are paramount. Yes, there is a ton of sex in this one, but I think it lends itself to Scott being so closed off . He just wanted whatever he could have with them once he found someone he could trust in. Scott is scared though. Scared of the reactions to his closest friends and teammates, and eventually the world. Kip understands what's at stake and I give him a lot of credit for giving Scott a huge buffer. Scott knew what he wanted. He now had to figure out how to eventually get there.

The secondary characters played a major role within this book and they did their jobs just right! We understood them and why they are friends with Kip and Scott. This book had the possibility to gloss over everything and just end everything with a bow. That wasn't done here! The author took the time to write a real ending-romance and all-to the delight of this reader!! I loved these characters and I knew things just needed to be sorted out in the right time.

Now I am looking forward to reading about a god-like Finn and burly Russian! They seem to have stories that need telling and I want to get my grubby little hands on those!! Very well done debut!

reviewed by Deb

Game Changer by Rachel Reid is currently scheduled for release on October 22 2018. Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter. Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, never mind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors. Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?

Game Changer is not just a romance, it is also about being comfortable in your own skin and in how the world sees you. Kip is not exactly living his dream. He has great friends and family, but is not using the degree he is still paying off and feels adrift. When he connects with Scott, who is certainly living his dream, neither is prepared for the relationship that develops. The only problem is that Scott is still firmly in the closet, and being famous that means staying under the radar. I thought the emotional and personal issues that the pair need to face are very well written and had me alternating between cheering the pair on and getting frustrated with them. It was so real and relatable- the worries and fears that they face in a relationship and in the bigger picture. I also loved that the romance and related issues were the focus of the book, each of the characters had separate conflicts and questions to deal with that had nothing directly to do with the relationship. The problems were all things that can and do happen, and I felt like all of the characters are people I could meet, and would love to join for a drink or a meal.

Game Changer is an emotionally engaging story, and I enjoyed the read. It is about more than just two people falling in love, that that is still the heart of the tale.

This book was HARD. It was gonna be a DNF, but I pushed through. LOTS of sex, and super insta love, and when not done properly, it's really hard to believe.
Glad I pushed through, the last 40% turned out all right.

I REALLY enjoyed this MM romance by Rachel Reid. I am getting more and more into gay romances, and I was really happy with this one. It was a quick read, with both heroes being really sexy and really caring, and had some super hot scenes to boot! I will definitely be reading more by this author. Who doesn't love a hunky hockey player and a history nerd?

Scott’s hockey career was suffering. He couldn’t find the momentum to score a goal until one day he changed things up and met Kit. Just one suggestion on a smoothie changed everything from his lackluster career to the loneliness that held him prisoner. After meeting Lit, he begins to feel his life slowly turn around and the one thing that was missing from his high profile life. The ability to be himself and finally embrace the happiness he needs in his life. Will he be able to come out and share who he is or be forced to live his life in the shadows?

Okay let me start that I love hockey romances and there have been quite a few m/m romances that I've fallen for. If you dont like either this isnt for you. Scott is a huge hockey star in the closet but he finally meets someone who fills the gap hes been experiencing. Kip is a great character trying to make his life. Meeting Scot changes that completely. It was a sweet love story filled with sort of a difficult road. I seriously enjoyed it.

Who doesn't love hockey? Hot sexy men on ice - skating, shooting and scoring. I mean, amiright?

Scott Hunter, captain of the Admirals, is a loner, not necessarily by choice, and hiding his sexual orientation means no romantic dinners out, no plus one for charity and team events, taking vacations where he isn't well known and picking up men away from the watchful eye of the media.

But when Scott meets Kip, everything changes. Not as quickly as Kip, who is out and proud, would like but for a man whose entire life is dependent on hockey, Scott slowly comes to realize that he can't hide in the closet forever. The chemistry between Scott and Kip sizzles, and the sex is plenteous (so so much, that I actually skimmed through a few steamy scenes nearer the end of the book) and totally off the chain. The plot is a good one and I love the hockey setting, but too often we get a brief synopsis or small snippet of a play where I would have liked to get more actual hockey play. Since Scott is the captain of the team and several players are secondary characters (and the upcoming second book in the series is about a pair of hockey players), getting a feel for the on-ice dynamic would be nice.

The relationship angst here is nicely done, with Scott realizing that he needs to make a decision, and I like Kip's understanding, but his impatience as well. The ending is all sorts of sweet and the epilogue is perfect. All in all, a very good debut novel from Rachel Reid and I'm anxiously awaiting the second book in the series, "Heated Rivalry" due out in March of 2019. 4 strong stars for "Game Changer."

Hot hockey romance is always fun but there is a little twist her because Scott is falling for the guy he met when he went to get a smoothie before a game. Kip becomes Scott's lucky charm after that first day but that quickly changes and a relationship develops. I enjoyed the dynamics of this book and the development of the characters and story. I can't imagine what people who have to deal with media go through, but it has to be tough.

Great story and a very enjoyable read.

This was a fun arc to read during #ContmporaryAThon and one that was needed to break up the serious books I'd been reading. This was a quick paced but very long m/m romance. I'm used to my smutty reads going a lot fast but at over 350 pages it was a very long and sometimes overwritten novel. That said, I did enjoy Kip and Scott as characters even if their relationship was incredibly, insanely, insta-lovey.

Scott is an NHL player and Kip is a smoothie maker who has no idea what to do with his degree or his life. There's a power imbalance in finances and presumed self-worth. There's also the issue of Scott being closeted which adds conflict to the relationship and it was hard to watch Kip hurt and Scott struggle with that. It's hard coming out when you're in the majors and Scott is justifiably nervous about that, all while understanding why Kip needs to not be a secret.

This is a cute romance, plenty of steamy sex (though the scenes do start to feel formulaic) and super insta-lovey...but hey, a fun read doesn't always need to be an epic masterpiece. If you're looking for a sport-related m/m romance this is a decent one.

Imagine my surprise when I read that this is Rachel's first book. I must have misunderstood, because this was just one of my fave reads in awhile, and reads like an author who's on their thirtieth top ten book. Ok so here's why I feel that way-

The heat in Game Changer is off the charts. These two boys could set the world on fire with their passion, it's delicious! But there's so much more than that. Kip, he's sincere, maybe in the middle of figuring out his life, and a little self-conscious, very endearing. Scott is a big star, a big deal, but with little experience and shy in the ways of romance. They have serious obstacles to overcome, and at one point I was tears over it all. I loved this story so much, and I seriously seriously can not wait for the next book. And the next after that!

Scott plays hockey and he loves it. He hopes to do it for a long time. He is also starting to see how lonely his life is. It is time he does something about it. Not lying about who he is might be a place to start.

Kip is a barista who is thrilled to meet someone as hunky as Scott. Never thought he would see him again, the flirting seemed innocent. When he starts coming to his shop often, he starts to think there may be more to these visits.

This was a sweet and sassy book about two people meant for one another. The banter is right on, the pace was nice and steady, and the heat was off the charts! I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down.


***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review by its publisher, and Netgalley.

2.5 stars

I'm a giant hockey fan so I'm always looking for new hockey books. I was really hoping this one would be good for me but unfortunately it wasn't.

The overall plot was fine. It was insta-love which isn't my jam but it wasn't too bad in this case. It was also very sweet. Also, not my jam, but not too bad in this case. What killed this book for me was all the sex. There was seriously probably 15 sex scenes. I was bored with those after 3 in the first 15% of the book. I skimmed all the rest of them. The author could have easily cut 100 pages out of this book if she'd gotten rid of the excessive sex. I'm not a fan of authors using sex scenes to show the love. It's lazy relationship building imo.

I didn't buy excessive sex as love so I wasn't very committed to these guys and their relationship. I also had some issues with Kip. He got on my nerves more than once. First off he goes into a relationship w/a closeted professional athlete fully knowing he's closeted and the reasons why. Then a month or so into it starts whining and complaining about it. Dude, you knew the score when you started this. I flipping hate this storyline & wish authors would find something else for their professional athlete books. I think it makes the person who's pushing the athlete to come out a huge jerk. You don't want to live like that? Fine. I can see that. THEN DON'T DATE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE WHO IS CHOOSING TO STAY IN THE CLOSET FOR HIS CAREER!

This is probably a stupid and petty complaint but I flipping hated Kip for not just pulling this crap but for doing it in the middle of Stanley Cup playoffs. Seriously? Cup playoffs are sacred and if you're dating the captain of a NHL team you have to be a huge A-hole pulling crap during the playoff. I wanted to punch Kip in his imaginary face.

The bones of this book had a lot of potential. The author's actual writing skills were good. The plot points that annoyed me so much are personal and may not bother anyone else. I probably would have overlooked those and rated this higher if it wasn't for the excessive sex scenes.

Fans of M/M and hockey novels: this is a fun, cute, and sweet story of a professional hockey player (Scott) who falls for a smoothie barista (Kip). The writing style feels similar to Sarina Bowen & Ella Kennedy's Him series, while the boyish charm and character of Kip will help separate the novels.

*Provided an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

When Scott Hunter's on-ice slump ends after getting a smoothie, he is superstitious enough to come back for more. Good luck charms are a Game Changer in hockey. The flirtatious banter with the sexy barista, Kip is just an added bonus.

Soon Scott finds ways to spend more time with Kip in and out of the coffee shop. Except, Scott isn't actually out, so they spend all their time in Scott's apartment. Kip's already had one relationship go south where he wasn't enough for his partner and he refuses to be someone else's dirty little secret.

He understands the pressures of Scott's career and he loves the time they spend together, but he also wants more. He's entitled to more. This story was both sexy and sweet. Both guys are characters you can't help rooting for, and you want them to figure things out so badly even though you totally understand both their sides in the conflict. I loved the romance, it was just the right blend of steamy and emotional, and just an absolute pleasure to read.

**Game Changer will publish on October 22, 2018. I received an advance reader copy courtesy of Netgalley/Carina Press in exchange for my honest review.

I was sold the moment I read the blurb for this book. I mean "Hockey players" ... no way I was gonna pass up on this one !!! Everyone knows I love a good "Sports Romance" and hockey is definitely my favorite ;)

Scott Hunter is the captain of the New York Admirals Hockey team. He is also very much in the closet. So much so, that he only hooks up when he's on vacation in countries where they don't recognise him.

A blueberry smoothie (well there was some kale as well) is about to change of all this though ..

One look at Kip Grady, the smoothie barista and he knows he is in trouble. He keeps coming back to get his smoothie fix...After all, it's very important for hockey-players to keep up their routine..especially when they hit a "winning streak" (yeah right) !!

Of course it's not the smoothie Scott is really after, and once this becomes clear, all bets are off.....Yowza !!

Now these two got together pretty damn fast. Not that I am complaining, because they were freaking HOT... but there is a bit of insta-lust/love going on.

At first Kip is over the moon happy. Who wouldn't be, getting in bed with a sexy NHL player on a regular basis. And they get down and dirty a lot !!!

But as time passes, Kip is getting quite frustrated and he's starting to feel like Scott's dirty little secret. Scott is away a lot, and when he isn't, they are always holed up together in his apartment, in fear of being outed. They don't go out together and Kip finds himself more and more alone inside Scott's apartment. It's like stepping back inside the closet.

I myself got annoyed a time or two with Scott, because he kept taking and taking he wasn't willing to give anything in return. Kip was trying to be so patient with him...up until a certain point that is.

No worries though... Scott definitely won my affection back ;) He just needed a bit of a slap in the face, which he got figuratively..

Frustration aside, I really enjoyed this one. I could have done with a bit less steam and a bit more talking though (I can't believe I am actually saying this...)

I recommend this one to anyone looking for a sweet, hot "sports themed" gay romance. I myself will be keeping my eye out for more work by this author....maybe Rozanov's story ???

An ARC was kindly provided to me via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews are posted on DirtyBooksObsession and WendysWyckedWords

I really, truly loved this! I was constantly on edge, because here lately I've been veering toward m/m love stories in which they are both out of the closet, simply because I've read so many books featuring closeted MCs. I need change sometimes! Like conflict outside of the possibility of open romance. So I was wary about actually enjoying this, just because of that trope. But the protagonists were VERY SWEET AND CUTE. I enjoyed their chemistry, and the dialogue was just lovely. The middle lagged a bit, but the beginning and end were very enjoyable. I can't wait for more from this author, her prose and craft are promising!

Kip works in a smoothie shop and still lives with his parents. He wants to go back to school but feels like he needs to pay off his loan debt first. Into the shop walks a gorgeous man. He is totally smitten. When he learns that the guy is a pro hockey player he knows the man is way out of his league. When he returns day after day, his daydreams get carried away.

Scott is in a slump, so far his season sucks. He stops into a smoothie shop and the man behind the counter grabs his interest. At first he goes back because his luck changes and he is a little superstitious. He decides he wants Kip in his life so he makes it happen. Both men dive in head first. Everything is going well until Kip decides he needs more.

There is a lot of insta-love going on here. Also a whole lot of hot sex. They seemed to mesh well with each other. However Kip knew going into the relationship that Scott wasn’t willing to come out and he indicated that this was ok. I thought his attitude needed some adjustment because he wanted to change the rules mid stream. Overall it was a well done story.