4.5* Thankfully for this Brit, this is light on all things hockey! A good tale with decent, very different leads.

This is my first but not last book by these authors, and I'm already looking forward to books 2 and 3, due out later this year. No spoilers, but we meet one of the leads from book 2 here, and I suspected the guy was gay from his descriptions, insight and the amount of page time he was getting, and, I think at the end of the tale we find out who's going to be one of the leads from book 3, a bi guy who has kids. I can't wait for both, because this tale itself was an excellent intro to these authors writing as a duo, though I have read PV co-authored books before and enjoyed them.

So, as a Brit, we don't do hockey as a rule and it's not really even on our radar (Allessandra Hazard, please note when plugging leads from your next book!) Ergo I was pleased that this isn't full-on hockey speak, or else I'd have been doing a Sebastian myself, eyes glazing over... I think we get enough of the game so that fans of hockey romances will be satisfied.

It's a really decent tale that felt real and I can imagine how hard it must be for sportsmen in ultra macho sports to come out, especially in USA 2019, though yes, it's not easy in any country, I don't think. I know that we Brits have many closeted sportsmen, but it's heartwarming that we're accepting as a public (not sure about fellow sportsmen, hence the secrecy, but I hope that's changing, too) and that some, admittedly retired ones, have been able to come out.

I liked both guys, but I had a real soft spot for the gentle, sweet, thoughtful giant that was Tristan, than the more sedate (in appearances only), serious professor that was Sebastian. And he was a Sebastian, not a Seb for me, though I think Seb did make a solo appearance in the tale. I thought their romance was realistic and I liked that the authors didn't do the somewhat trope-y 'student-professor forbidden stuff', as that's been done too much in het romances and has me eye rolling. But, at the same time, the tale lost a 0.5* for me because at the end, we'd learned that Tristan had outed himself for his love, and yet we never got to see him and Sebastian at one of the latter's official functions, or saw them as a couple with the latter's friends. That was actually pointed out by Sebastian's maths professor friend RJ, and I do think for the sake of quid pro quo, it would have been nice for Sebastian to be a bit more open with his colleagues and friends. It wasn't a deal breaker for me, but when your bestie points it out and you agree, as a reader it makes me want to see that interaction. It felt like Tristan was a bit 'forced' (too strong a word, but read and you'll see why I've used it) for his love and because he didn't want to lose his guy, and yet his guy kind of got it all his own way. I'd have liked to see it reciprocated from Sebastian's side of things, is all.

I saw an Authors' Note saying that the book had been previously published and has been lightly edited and updated. I could tell where this took place, and it's both a bit nice and a bit 'stand up', which I appreciated. I do think people whose voices can be heard, and who can influence and who might be able to make a difference, should speak up, and I've seen a couple of respected authors in MM speak up in the last year, openly and critically and honestly so, and I admire that. Here, there's a comment about players standing for the national anthem - read and make your mind up about the authors' stance - I applaud them. And, there are a couple of comments about macho sports/men and men not being meant to cry; here, satisfyingly, it was an attempt to organically bring in the idea of toxic masculinity and trying to overcome/erase it, and again I applaud the authors. Right now in current pop MM tales, too many authors are jumping on the 'let's erase toxic masculinity' and the 'let's erase bi-erasure' bandwagons, but they're doing it so... plantedly and inorganically. Talking the talk and not walking the walk. Refreshingly, here, none of the actual words are used, but I 'saw' more of the actions - well, where the toxic masculinity issue is concerned, I mean, and I suspect I've heard a loud hint re the authors' future tackling of bi-erasure. Kudos to them!

This is a really good tale and I can't wait for more by this duo.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

OFF THE ICE by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn is a great hockey
MM romance! With some very HOT scenes! It has a crazy fun storyline and some tense moments! Definitely a five 🌟 read!

Off the Ice gives you love, friendship, and sexiness all wrapped up in one package. I read this book previously when it was formerly published and I was so wonderfully surprised and happy to find it republished now! I absolutely adored it the second time around.

There is something so inherently pure about the way Tristan was given so much support by both his teammates and his family; how Sebastian gained a family of his own. It made me tear up so badly!

I enjoyed this M/M romance written by two authors I have not previously read. When sparks fly between a professional hockey player, who has returned to college in his free time to complete his degree, and the sociology professor teaching the course, each must decide what exactly they are going to do about it. Especially since Tristan, the NHL player, is firmly in the closet while Sebastian is assuredly not, although he also has something to lose since he does not yet have tenure at the university. While Tristan seems the more likable and sympathetic character, I slowly warmed up to the developing relationship. I look forward to the continuation of this series.

I really enjoyed this! It's my first book by these authors, but it won't be my last. I loved the sports aspect, and I loved Tristan. I wasn't as fond of Sebastian, but that's mainly because he seemed a little rigid (especially in the ways he was pushing Tristan). Still, I think the chemistry between them was portrayed nicely, and although there's a fair amount of sex in this (and I ended up skimming many of those scenes), I think the romance was solid.

I also loved the dual POV, and I'm glad I got to see into Sebastian's head now and then, as it did help make him more sympathetic. Tristan was likable from beginning to end, but I have hope that Sebastian will loosen up a bit after time. :)

No matter how many times I read Off the Ice I just always fall in love with it and the characters all over again and even more than the last time I read it. Super excited this will be out soon again with Carina Press.

Full review to come.

Note: Carina Press is re-issuing "Hat Trick" on March 25, 2019 with a great new cover and it has been "newly refreshed by the authors."

My initial review of "Hat Trick" from 2017 is shown below with a rating of 4 stars. Upon re-reading the book, I realized just how much I enjoyed this story of two men who has an incredibly steamy kinky relationship coupled with a deep connection of love and respect. I appreciated once again their careful negotiations on coming out.

While I'm not sure exactly how the story was "refreshed," the secondary characters seem more integrated and the flow and pacing of the story feels more crisp. I'm revising my rating to 4.5 stars and giving "Hat Trick" a Recommended Read AND I'm looking forward to the second book in the series - "Goalie Interference" - featuring the Venom goalie, Ryu Mori.

Original Review: Tristan, a defenseman with the Atlanta Venom, knows hockey is not forever and is working on finishing his business degree. Taking Sociology 3201: Wealth, Power, and Inequality from Professor Sebastian Cruz. Tristan - tall, blonde, Wisconsin farm boy, rocking sweatpants and a Grateful Dead t-shirt - doesn't exactly fit into the hipster vibe of the other students. But then Professor Cruz - "tall and whipcord lean with warm golden-brown skin and wavy raven-black hair" - isn't what Tristan expected either.

Sebastian is out and proud while Tristan remains closeted, but they soon navigate a relationship that is hot, dirty and sexy with a side of dominance / humiliation kink that totally works for both men:
Tristan learned what it meant when someone like Sebastian Cruz said, Your ass is mine. He spent almost as much time nude—in bed, or bent over tables, or down on all fours—as he did dressed.[...] They couldn’t stay away from each other, or keep their hands and mouths off each other. Tristan was so obsessed with how amazing Sebastian made him feel, it might have scared him if Sebastian didn’t seem equally enthralled.

We get both POVs throughout and I loved how Tris and Sebastian's relationship is free of manufactured angst and strong on conflict resolution as they work their way through Tris coming out to his parents and his team. My only niggles were that at times the pace of the story felt slow, and the abrupt and somehow ....clumsy ... introduction of potential MCs for additional books in the series [In the matter of a few pages, we abruptly learn that SPOILER:

team captain Bellize is getting a divorce and goalie Ryu is gay and looking for someone like Tristan.

END SPOILER

I give Off the Ice 4.25 stars, rounded to 4 stars