this is a revised and reissued version of off the ice and i never read the original book, so can only tell you that this story is my catnip. i don't know why, because personal experience should find "hot for teacher" stories triggering, but i don't. i love, love, love them.

here you have a pro hockey player, doing his due diligence and completing his college degree on the off season. and a hot puerto rican teacher who makes the mistake of judging him entirely on his appearance. and it's so good because he's basically teaching implicit bias and makes the mistake of falling into it.

okay, so maybe that's the academic publishing nerd in me who finds that so interesting to explore. as a woman, as a minority, implicit bias is everywhere. and it's cool to have a romance novel indirectly make us think about the assumptions we make about others due to their appearance or their social strata or their job or their gender. this is what i love about romance novels, honestly. i love the love story. i love to read about people getting to know each other and loving each other in spite of their quirks or the adversity they are facing. but i also love how most romance novels go beyond that and bring an awareness of something else to the table. it can be as simple as expanding one's sexual boundaries, but also as deeply intellectual as thinking about implicit bias and how it affects how we interact with the world. there is something for everyone here.

**off the ice will publish on march 25, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this novel!

Title: Off the Ice
Authors: Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
Genre: Contemporary romance
My rating: 3 stars
Trigger/content warnings: some homophobia, especially regarding homophobia in sports. One of the main characters is afraid of coming out to his friends and family, feels fear and paranoia after hooking up with someone, scared of being outed.

Rep: Both main characters are gay, one of the MCs, Sebastian, is Puerto Rican, a couple of gay and bisexual side characters.


I seem to be in a minority when it comes to this book. Overall, I did really enjoy it, but it was still a solid 3 star read for me.

This story follows two perspectives, Tristan and Sebastian. Tristan is a professional hockey player who decided to take a short college course. Sebastian is the professor teaching the course, they are instantly attracted to each other and things go from there.

Note, Tristan and Sebastian do not get together when they are teacher-and-student, their relationship starts after the course is over.

First up, things that I really liked:
-The chemistry and romance between the two characters were off the charts amazing.
-Super fast paced, I finished this in a couple of days!
-I don't normally read a lot of books centred around sports, but I really liked that aspect of the book.
-I loved Tristan's character a lot. He was so sweet and caring.

Things I didn't really like:
-Sebastian was so judgemental. For a Sociology professor, you would think he wouldn't be the sort of person to judge on site based on appearance alone, but as soon as Seb saw Tristan, that's exactly what happened. He accused him of plagiarism, with no evidence, just because he looks like "the type". Tristan calls him out on this, but still so unbelievable, especially as Sebastian would always teach his class that you should never judge others.
-In the beginning, Seb basically viewed Tristan as a dumb bit of eye candy, without having even spoken to him.
-I felt like the story had no direction, it seemed sort of aimless to me. The only plot line was the "Tristan coming out" plotline.
-When Tristan finally did come out, I felt like it was all for the wrong reasons. You should only come out when you feel safe and comfortable to do so, I felt like Seb gave Tris an ultimatum, basically it was "I love you but it's over if you don't come out" I understood where he was coming from, not wanting to hide who he was, but it just felt all wrong to me. I didn't think Tristan done it for the right reasons at all.

Overall, I really did enjoy the story but I had a couple of problems. After reading the extract for the next book, I am intrigued, so I will probably pick up "Goalie" when it comes out in a few months as it focuses on completely different characters.

I’m a hockey fan, so of course I jumped on the chance to review this reissued m/m hockey romance. This is billed as a “hot for teacher” romance, but that’s not quite the whole story.

“As you know, it’s a subject near to my own academic interests, but it might be a little off from the scope of the course.”
Tristan nodded, leaning forward eagerly. “I thought about that, yeah. I really wanted to do this topic, though, so I was hoping maybe there was a way you could help me figure out how to, uh, apply the idea to the class.”
Oh, could I ever. Right over my desk. Sebastian dragged his thoughts out of the gutter and nodded. “Certainly.”


Tristan, at 23, is taking a summer sociology class (towards his international business major) and is almost immediately attracted to his professor, Sebastian. While Sebastian’s perma-scowl and general curmudgeonly demeanor put off others, Tristan finds it strangely attractive. While they, eventually, acknowledge their attraction for each other, neither acts on it until the semester is complete and the grades are in. Tristan isn’t out at all, not to his family or his team, and he’s wary of being the poster boy first gay NHL player. Sebastian, on the other hand, is firmly out, and doesn’t want to go back in the closet in order to have a relationship with Tristan – he doesn’t want to be just his “friend.” Is their relationship worth Tristan outing himself, or will Sebastian’s ultimatum ruin their chance at happiness?

Tristan comes from a close, warm and loving farming family, and it definitely shows in his character. He’s levelheaded, and doesn’t let his fame or his newfound money influence him. While he knows he (hopefully) still has many years of playing left, he still decides to finish up his college degree so he has something to fall back on when his NHL career is over. He’s also absolutely adorable! One of my favorite bits was that when he first joined the team, he asked the captain for his autograph – because he’d been a humongous fan of his as a teen (and still had a crush on him). I loved that it was actually Tristan who made the first move on Sebastian – he knows what he wants and he’s not afraid to go after it. Sebastian is Tristan’s opposite in nearly every way. He’s nearing his mid-30s (so there is a bit of an age gape there) and quite abrasive and bossy. He doesn’t recognize Tristan as a popular hockey play – he doesn’t even like sports, and views his first trip to one of Tristan’s hockey games as a sort of sociology excursion.

Sebastian makes a potentially very damaging mistake in regards to Tristan early on, but after Tristan calls him on it, he’s sufficiently contrite. Tristan, for his part, accepts Sebastian’s apology and then just lets it go. While things like this could be a stumbling point for me, in this case I found Sebastian’s apology heartfelt, and I thought it showed how well the two handled conflict between them. Despite, obviously, the depth of emotion involved when Sebastian finally draws the line with Tristan, there’s no over the top display of emotion or screaming match. Instead, Tristan thinks about it for a week – missing Seb the whole time – and makes his decision. While I’m a big fan of angsty books, I think the low angst approached was much more in character for both Sebastian and Tristan – neither of them are much for crazy drama.

They do have definite chemistry, though, and they both pretty much have insta-lust for each other from the first class together. Sebastian and Tristan’s relationship has a light BDSM flavor to it, with a bit of a dom/sub relationship between Tristan and Sebastian (including spanking, slapping, and mild humiliation). They also get off on the whole student/teacher thing, and it becomes a fixture in their role-play after the semester is over.

What doesn’t work for me: Sebastian came off as ridiculously judgmental to me, especially for a sociology professor. He tends to view things from a sort of sociologist in the field perspective, like his attitude towards attending one of Tristan’s games. Another scene that stuck with me was when he visits Tristan’s apartment for the first time and is mentally critiquing the decor and the fact that Tristan has a large TV. It was an aspect of his personality that I just really didn’t like. I think this ties into the other piece I didn’t like. I’m not a big fan of “coming out” books, and the added dimension of Sebastian “forcing” Tristan to come out didn’t sit well with me. While I certainly understand Sebastian’s hesitance to be involved with someone who was closeted, Tristan had very good reasons for being anxious about what coming out would mean to his career and friendships, and it felt like Sebastian dismissed it.

Overall, while I enjoyed this book, this was more of a 3.5 star read to me. If you enjoy hockey romances, though, it’s certainly a good read, especially if you’re looking for something low angst!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sweet and well-written, this book hit all the right notes for me. The teacher-kink dynamic was just enough to be hot without being weird and I liked the power dynamic. I enjoyed that the difference in ages was apparent through their approaches to life, but it wasn't focused on. I had a hard time connecting with Sebastian at times, as he often let his intellectual side get away from him, but the way he and Tristan balanced each other out was nice. I always have a hard time with stories in which one partner struggles with the other being in the closet, but I liked the way it was handled so everything was still Tristan's choice. I also enjoyed the way Sebastian's ethnicity played a role in the story without being the focus. It's always fun for me to try to figure out who the rest of the books in a series will be about and I'll definitely be checking them out.

Love this book. by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughan. Both authors know how to weave a story. May/December is a favorite of mine also. Tristian is an NHL player who is taking classes during the offseason. Sebastian is his professor. You can see the chemistry between the two from start to finish.
The book reflects on two consenting adults who decided to pursue a relationship in spite of their age and careers. They decided to wait to until after the semester is completed so there wouldn't be any conflict because of the teacher/student demographics. .Tristian is not out to his team and he fears that they wouldn't accept him because of his sexuality. Overall, it's a sweet, romantic book and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Off the Ice is a great love story. Tristan and Sebastian are such well-rounded characters; their opposite personalities make them fit so well together. I loved that we got to see them grow as a couple along with personal growth from both. Overall, a fantastic sports romance.

I expected to like this book more than I did.

The premise of the story grabbed my interest. Professional hockey player Tristan decides to continue to work toward his college degree, and he winds up taking a sociology class taught by a very good-looking professor, Dr. Sebastian Cruz. Sebastian thinks Tristan is a dumb jock, but he still can’t keep his eyes off of him; when Sebastian realizes that he has misjudged Tristan, he finds himself even more intrigued. Any “extracurricular activities” between a professor and a student are out of the question, of course, but once the class ends, the two men are free to explore their mutual attraction. Their deepening relationship is complicated by the fact that Tristan is afraid to be out as a hockey player, and Sebastian doesn’t want to live his life in the closet.

The two authors worked seamlessly together, and the story is certainly well written. Tristen is a sweetheart of a character; Sebastian is a prickly person and less immediately likeable, but he grew on me as the story progressed. Readers who like their romances on the spicier side with a bit of kink will probably enjoy the light d/s dynamic between Sebastian and Tristan.

What keeps me from rating the novel more highly is that I felt like the relationship between the two men somewhat lacked heart. For much of the book, it seemed like the focus was more on sex than the emotions of the characters. I didn’t really feel the connection between Tristan and Sebastian until late in the story, when their romance hits the crisis point. Only then did I really buy into the idea that they had deep feelings for each other.

So, for me, this was an OK read, but I wanted more.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

The Hockey Player, The Professor and a Kink

This book pulled me in right away. I loved the beginning and the way the relationship built. Everything was a slow build up. The conflict was good and handled wonderfully. I really couldn't tell it was two people writing, which makes the read that much better!

I loved the ending as well. The supporting characters were great and fleshed out so I was happy to get to know them as well.

It was steamy and... wonderful. You should read it.

I have already read/reviewed this book - I didn't realize it was a re print.

This was a pretty sweet, very low angst May/December/OFY story of opposites attract. It had some of the trademark snark that Avon is known for and a bit of the hot smexy times that she and Piper are so good at.
While it had some funny points, for me, it lacked that strong comedic thread that I adore from Avon. It had a fair amount of hockey - although I don’t think you can have too much hockey! I think the relationship developed in a way that felt natural and the sexual tension was sizzling! (I loved the first confrontation in the professor's office - yowza!) I'm not a big fan of the whole power dynamic, vaguely D/s thing - it was mild - but I think the age difference and Tristan's low self esteem would have been enough without it. However that wasn't a huge aspect.
I really enjoyed this and, as far as this writing team goes, I think I enjoyed this one the most and I’m looking forward to more from the series.

This is highly recommended to fans of the author, fans of May/December relationships, fans of hockey romance and fans of opposites attract.
4 of 5 stars

I love MM sports romance and "Off the Ice" is one of my favorite titles of this genre. Sweet and hot at once, delightfully written, and smart, it definitely stands out from the plethora of sloppy romance books that just keep piling up. I absolutely recommend it, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second installment of the series. 4 stars!

When I found out that one of my favorite books was being repolished, I happily signed up to review it, because what's better than re-reading one of your favorites!! I can't really say this is a "golden oldie" because it hasn't been that long since I first read this one. I can tell you that I still loved it just as much the second time around. Maybe even more since I have been slowly building a newfound appreciation for BDSM and other sorts of kink ;)

I was already a huge hockey fan. Those big sexy men, with their big sticks...come to mama !!!!!  I am also a huge fan of Avon Gale's "Scoring Chances" series. No way I wasn't gonna love this one !!

 This book has a lot of tropes I absolutely love...We get two hot guys getting down and dirty, my favorite sport (hockey !!), some age difference, student/teacher (forbidden vibe), and some very nicely done "kink". Not to mention the delicious dirty talk. What more could a girl wish for ... not much, I tell you !!

I am not a big "kink" reader, but I have slowly started to appreciate it more and more. It also helped that these guys were extremely HOT together! There is definitely a bit of a dom/sub relationship going on here and I myself think it was very nicely done. Tristan loves to have his ass spanked ;)  

There was also a bit of humiliation play, and I've got to be honest here and say that I am not a big fan. It's definitely one of the reasons I couldn't give it 5 stars. Thankfully it wasn't too much and so I didn't feel like putting the books down.

Tristan Holt is a 23 year closeted NHL hockey player, for Venom. He is taking classes he is to get his business degree because he is afraid "hockey" alone won't be enough to secure his future.  That's where he meets his Sociology professor. It becomes clear real soon that Tristan...is hot for his teacher :P 

Sebastian Cruz has offered to summer school since this could help him get tenure. He definitely the broody kind and his "resting bitch" face is practically famous. For a professor teaching about "bias", he makes a huge mistake, when it comes to Tristan though. Fortunately, Sebastian is also the kind of person to admit to his mistakes and to try and fix them. 

These two have an instant attraction going on, and sparks are flying everywhere, but they don't act on it, not until Tristan is no longer Sebastian's student, that is. That doesn't mean they don't get off on the whole teacher-student thing. 

I really enjoyed the way Sebastian dominated Tristan, he was exactly what Tristan needed and wanted.

Sebastian helps him to let go. The man was an absolute master at making Tristan submit and blush... and did I mention his dirty talk ?? It was delicious.

As they spend more and more time together, their feelings for each grow. But Tristan is still hiding deep inside the closet, while Sebastian is very much out and proud, with no intention of going back in.

I absolutely loved this book, it was hot and sweet and both characters awesome. I also loved all the other members of Tristan's team, and I really hope, we will get the goalie's story next ...I can't wait !!

I Highly recommend!

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

This was my first book by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn. And it was not bad at all. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The storytelling was good. The pace was good. The characters development was good. Sebastian and Tristan, what a team. Sebastian was a teacher and Tristan was his student but also a professional Hockey player. They got together after the studies were done. Sebastian was out already and leaving his life openly but Tristan was very much still in the closet. The way they come together was great. The only thing that annoyed me was the way Sebastian pressure Tristan a bit to come out. But otherwise this was a good read.
Thanks the publisher and netgalley for this ARC. The opinions expressed here are all mine.

Note: I believe this book was previously self-published, but the version I'm reading is the newly refreshed version published by Carina Press on March 25, 2019.

I was nervous before reading this book for several reasons: 1) I don't normally read erotic romance (I don't mind it, it's just not my most-frequently-read subgenre), 2) I am completely ambivalent about hockey and don't have strong feelings toward sports romance, and 3) I really, really dislike the student/teacher trope.

By the end of this book, my feelings could be summed up by the following: 1) I want to read more erotic romance if it's like this book, 2) I still think hockey is boring in real life, but it's a really sexy sport in romance novels, and 3) I clearly don't have any no-way-in-hell tropes because I enjoyed this forbidden, kinky student-teacher romance and would like a dozen more just like this.

This book is probably the only way I could read a student/teacher romance: 1) the student in question is 23, not some naive 18 year old, 2) the student is taking a short summer course and is not a full-time undergraduate who reads like an immature college kid, 3) both parties feel attraction but don't act on it physically until grades are entered, and 4) the student is only a "student" for the first part of the book, and most of the book explores their non-student/teacher relationship after the 30% mark. I'm a fan of age difference (in this case, it's around ten years), but I'm also glad it wasn't more than that because I wouldn't feel wholly comfortable with the power dynamics.

I liked so much about the book, so here we go:

1) Tristan. I love earnest and enthusiastic protagonists. If Tristan was a dog, he would be a Golden Retriever (I say this as a high compliment!). Sorting characters by their Hogwarts house is always tricky, but I'd classify him as a Hufflepuff (with a bit of Gryffindor) - not a pushover, just someone who is determined to do the best that he can in everything he sets out to do. I loved him so much. He's never disingenuous and deserves all the love in the world. He's not exactly a Cinnamon Roll character, but he came damn close in my eyes. I loved how dedicated he was to finishing his degree even though he had a million-dollar contract. I loved how he was the one who made the first move in the relationship. I loved his unabashed hero worship of his captain (when he first came on the team, he asked for the captain's autograph much to the amusement of other team members). I loved how he wasn't afraid about voicing his fears and vulnerabilities. I loved... well, this list could go on for quite some time so I'll stop.

2) Sebastian. If Tristan is a Hufflepuff-With-A-Dash-Of-Gryffindor, then his lover is definitely a Slytherin (and god, I LOVE Hufflepuff/Slytherin pairings). Icy, hot, and quietly passionate about his subject - Sebastian doesn't tolerate bad behavior from his students and is determined to get tenure. Sebastian is so refreshing. He does mess up early on in the book by accusing Tristan of something he didn't do. When Sebastian realized his mistake, he was genuinely remorseful and delivered an A+ apology. It's natural that protagonists fuck up, but their apology/contriteness doesn't always make up for their crime. I was also grateful that the "school authorities find out about their relationship and his tenure is at risk" was not a plot point in this book because the thought of it gave me so much anxiety. I like the forbidden overtones of the relationship (which was repeated later on in the kink), but I don't like it when there are real consequences to the forbidden relationship. Just the threat of consequences is enough for me to enjoy the "forbiddenness" of the student/teacher trope.

3) This book is so freaking hot, I needed a fan to cool me down in subzero upstate NY weather. That is all.

4) I loved how there wasn't a typical "we have a blazing fight that leads to our break up" Black Moment in the book's climax. Here, the primary issue of their relationship (Tristan being unwilling to come out to his team because he doesn't want to be the first out NHL player) builds up gradually to a crescendo. There is no giant fight with yelling and screaming. At a certain point, Sebastian tells Tristan what he needs from a relationship and Tristan understands. He then has to make his own decision re: his team and relationship. I was so impressed by the execution of this plot line and the aftermath. By the end, I felt 100% confident in their HEA - which, as we all know, is an essential component of the romance novel.

I could ramble on, but it's obvious that I loved this book and I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and will cross-post this review on Amazon on release day.

What a great story. Once again it was not one of my favorite tropes - one MC closeted. But I ended up really liking it.

Off the Ice was just ok with me. I’m not big on student/teacher books, was hoping to find something a little different than the norm. I loved Tristan but could not connect with Sebastian. They didn’t come off as a credible couple. This isn’t a series I will probably continue which is sad as I love Hockey and M/M books.

I am such a sucker for a sports romance and I'm particularly keen on ice hockey as it's a game I know little about but which seems to have such a great sense of community.

That this one also came along with an age gap, a stern Puerto Rican professor and a wee bit of humiliation kink and a light sprinkling of power exchange BDSM made it all the more delicious.

Every bit of the narrative worked, I liked the tensions which were introduced as Tristan had to consider the outcomes of coming out and Sebastian's concerns over not being forced back into the closet.

The sex is hot, but it also has purpose to help anchor Tristan when he gets overwhelmed by his career and his feelings. The spankings, and his need to be lightly humiliated, felt completely grounded in the narrative and not just there to add in some sex.

I loved the secondary characters too, especially Sebastian's friend RJ and Tristan's teammates, although I thought one element of the plot was a bit out of left field and seemed to be there only as a way of setting up what I suspect will be book three.

Still, that's my only criticism and why it didn't make it into a five star read. I'm very much looking forward to book two though with both goalies in focus.

One of those books you have to stay up late to finish just to see how it ends.

I like how smart Sebastian and Tristan were about their relationship. They communicated, they were honest, had a good sulk when they needed to, and are happy together. Sometimes a book works perfectly just reading the steady progression of a relationship without piling on unnecessary amounts of angst and drama. (Scowling Sebastian learning and watching ice hockey was a bonus).

Also kudos for level-headed best friends who give good advance. Good, likeable secondary characters are a plus for me and this book had it. I'm not going to even pretend to know the psyche of professional sports players, but I like that Sebastian's teammates aren't portrayed as a bunch of 'idiot meathead jocks'; they might not understand why he's doing school as well as playing the game, there's that locker room banter but they're not a crowd of jerks either.

And don't worry, there is tension and drama to hold your attention, it's woven into the story so it doesn't feel forced and kept the momentum of the book going until the very end.


Looking forward to the rest of this series.

I love a really well written sports romance and this one was really well done! We have all kinds of wonderful things in this book - two great characters, opposites attracting, some hockey, student/teacher, dirty talk and some mild kink as well! We also get a relationship that builds - instant lust but thankfully no instant love. We also get two characters who have some hard decisions to make but take the time to think it through and all the ramifications of those decisions.

This book centers around Tristan Holt who is a 23 year old NHL hockey player who is in the closet to his family, his team and the world at large. He knows that hockey won't be his life forever and he wants a back-up plan so he decides to finish his degree. His first class is a sociology class where he meets his professor Sebastian Cruz. Sebastian is only teaching summer classes in hopes that it helps him get tenure. He is broody and gruff and although he is teaching about bias he makes one of his own about Tristan. Thankfully, he own up to it quickly and the two get to know each other a little better. They are both very attracted to each other but they also know that because of the student/teacher relationship they can't act on it. That doesn't mean they can't fantasize about each other though and once the grades are in all bets are off.

Sebastian is quite a bit older than Tristan and a dominant personality. I loved that he was the dominant one in the bedroom but out of it they were equals. The sex between them was super hot and I liked that they didn't rush into the I love yous. There was a bit of humiliation play which I don't really like but it wasn't so much that it made me uncomfortable. In fact, I thought the author did a great job of having Sebastian give Tristan exactly what he needed and wanted.

The angst was derived from the fact that Sebastian was out and proud and didn't want to go back in the closet and Tristan wasn't ready to come out. I thought this book did a great job of slowly letting Tristan make some decisions about coming out. (view spoiler)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it had everything I'm looking for in a sports romance including some excellent secondary characters that I'm really looking forward to reading about. I highly recommend this book and hope to get Ryu's story next!

Finally I was able to read Off the Ice!

It was recommended to me last year but when I wanted to buy it, it was already taken down. But waiting for it to be republished was totally worth the wait.

Just a few pages in I was like "okay, I'm really liking this?!" and I had to try to make myself read not as fast so that my enjoyment could last longer. Spoiler: I did not manage to not inhale Off the Ice.

Both Tristan and Sebastian are very complex characters and their dynamic just sucks you into the story. They develop a lot through the book, both on their own as well as together. But what I enjoyed the most was the calling out.

People are not perfect and just because you're in a relationship or friendship with someone does not mean they can't do wrong. This aspect of human interactions was portrayed greatly and I think quite a lot of couples as well as friends could learn from this.

Also on a side note: bossy top? Oh yeah.

Last Words: I can't wait months for the next book?!

I was delighted to reread this novel under Carina Press. I enjoyed this book very much as I feel like Avon and Piper depicted how a couple may struggle with different levels of comfort with coming out. The main characters were well-developed and seem believable and the supporting cast is first rate. I AM VERY EXCITED for the next book in the series!