What I really love about this series is that every book is drastically different and thus gets diffferent degrees of love. If I had to rate all three books of this series I would put Heated Rivalry (book 2) at the top, followed by this one here and lastly the first book in the series, Game Changer.

I absolutely loved Heated Rivalry, was indifferent about Game Changer, and Tough Guy sits in the middle of both of them.

Tough Guy had some things that I personally found unnecessary for the story but other things that I loved as well. I could totally relate to Ryan and all I wanted to do was give him a big hug. I adored how patience Fabian was with Ryan and his needs. I also loved seeing little glimpse of previous characters, especially my love Ilya.

I am also a big fan of childhood friend turns lover, even though that's only partly the case here. Usually I also don't really like flashbacks but I was kind of missing them here. I just can't make up my mind about them apparently. When a book has them, I hate them, when a book doesn't have them, I miss them... oh, well, whatever.

I don't really know what rating I should give this book. I wasn't hooked by it like I was by Heated Rivalry but I also wasn't bored. It was a fun read and I absolutely still want to see more of this series. I would rate it more towards Heated Rivalry than Game Changer, so I guess I'll give it... 3.5 stars?

Despite being a Canadian who hates hockey, m/m hockey romances are my catnip so I was very excited to find this book. First off, how refreshing to have one of the lovers NOT be another hockey player or athlete. (Though don't get me wrong, I love hockey boys who love each other as well.)

Fabian is a genderfluid musician who is sexy as shit. He also hates hockey, with one exception. The player who was billeted with his hockey-obsessed family thirteen years ago.

Giant Viking-like enforcer Ryan isn't sure he loves the game that gave him his NHL career anymore, but he's definitely has a soft spot for Fabian all these years.

Their romance is sweet and super sexy. One thing that I absolutely adored about this book was that Toronto was as much a character as the men, and it felt absolutely authentic. Too often, lately, I've read books about Canadian cities that make me wonder if the author has actually been there. But Reid (who is Canadian) did a phenomenal job.

I'm thrilled to have discovered Reid's work and can't wait to dive in to more of her stories.

Thank you to Harlequin - Carina Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 solid stars! I was very excited to hear Ryan was going to be the MC for Book 3 in this series - I had been hoping for precisely that when I first encountered him in Heated Rivalry. His character interested me instantly and he did not disappoint!

Reid always manages to toe the line of light and fun while relevant and thought provoking. As someone with anxiety I thought Ryan's mental health was handled beautifully and respectfully. The amount of sex positivity and just blatant acceptance in this book blew me away, and makes me desperately crave to read more books like it.

I started reading this 4 minutes after I got the approval e-mail and finished it on the same day and I just want to say thank you, because it had been a while since a book made me feel like that.

Hearing about Scott Hunter and Shane & Ilya also puts a huge smile on my face! I know there probably won't be another S&I book but a girl can dream. And maybe a pairing with both guys on the same team? What do you think Rachel? Come through for me, please!

In all seriousness, I feel like some people may think less of this book because of the cover or think this story and characters are shallow, but there is so much light and love and positivity in these pages it is a disservice to dismiss because of the cover - just because he's hot, doesn't mean he doesn't have a lot to say, okay?

I cannot wait to keep reading the Game Changers series, and maybe I'm due for a (third) reread of HR before the year is out.
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I do have one note: whenever there's talk of height and weight the author uses feet and pounds which struck me as weird because this is a book set in Canada, told from the POV of two Canadians... So the units should probably be meters and kilograms?

Definitely more of a 3.5.

Heated Rivalry was one of my favorite romances of 2019 and I loved it so much that I read it more than once :) So, when I found that there was going to be another book in the series, I was very very excited and so glad when I received the ARC.

The author’s writing style is very easy to read and once I start, I just don’t wanna put it down despite whatever I’m feeling. Because I thought Game Changer was an okay read but Heated Rivalry was excellent, I didn’t exactly know what to expect from this book, but this turned out to be a good one too. There were quite a few moments which were heartbreaking and touching and made me very emotional - there may have been tears involved. I also thought the author did a good job of representing the difficulty of being a professional sportsperson while also suffering from mental health issues - the stigma attached to it, undue pressure to conform to certain masculine stereotypes which don’t include talking about mental health, playing through pain and maybe even getting addicted to the pain medication - I truly didn’t expect so much commentary on such important issues from a romance novel and I think that’s great.

We only met Ryan very briefly in Heated Rivalry, so I wasn’t sure if I would like him as a main character, but I almost fell in love with him instantly. He is an enforcer on the ice, a big intimidating presence but in reality, he hates flying, has severe anxiety and panic attacks, is in therapy and is very very awkward and shy. He is such a sweetheart and even though I’m probably a foot and a half shorter than him, I wanted to give him a hug and protect him. It was heartbreaking to see him struggle with not finding anymore joy in his sport, and also unable to talk about his feelings and issues, but still try very hard to overcome them all. He deserves the world.

I can’t say I liked Fabian a lot. I initially loved that he was very considerate towards Ryan and his shy nature, slowly trying to get him out of his shell. But as the book gradually went on, I just couldn’t get past his hatred of hockey and not trying to understand Ryan’s perspective at all. I understand he had baggage of his own from his unsupportive parents, but I thought it was unfair to judge Ryan because of that. While there were so many beautiful moments between them, Fabian’s insensitive behavior really made me forget about them. Thankfully, the conflict between them was predictable and was resolved nicely, but it went on longer than I liked.

I really liked the friend group in this book. Fabian’s three best friends are a delight, always teasing and being over the top but also giving solid advice even when he wasn’t ready to listen to them. Ryan on the other hand has never had friends because of constantly being traded, so it was heartwarming to see him make a close friend on the team in Wyatt. He was such an understanding and caring friend and I absolutely loved their conversations, and the time they spent teaching hockey to kids. And last but not the least, I was so happy to see the extremely short cameos of Ilya and Shane. It’s such a nice feeling to see them be happy and do good with their foundation.

To conclude, this was a nice romantic read but also a bit darker in tone and definitely more angsty. But just keep in mind that it’s very different from the previous books in the series. It’s also great to see some good mental health rep and discourse in a sports romance. If you like reading love stories where the hero is a gentle giant, this one is perfect. While I didn’t always like the love interest, Ryan was an absolutely wonderful MC and I would totally recommend this book just to get to know him better. And I have no clue if the author has started writing the next book, but I know it’s rest of Ilya and Shane’s story and I’m already extremely excited for it.

3.5 STARS!!!
This was a good M/M romance read with great characters. I enjoyed Ryan and Fabian characters a lot and their c0-workers, friends and family made this a read with a lot of laugh out loud moments. Vanessa, Tarek, Marcus, Wyatt and Colleen were great side characters that definitely kept this story going. Fabian and Ryan were very different characters, Fabian was a singer/songwriter with confidence that will rival anyone's and Ryan was a hockey star that suffered from anxiety and needed constant reassurance and was insecure. I wished that Ryan's character was a little stronger in a mental sense but he was definitely caring and sweet. This story also had it moments where it was slow and seemed to drag. The ending was sweet but I wished there was a little more to it. Overall, it was a good read and I would give other books from this author a try. This one was worth reading.

3.75* Not the storyline or leads I expected, though in a life-positive and sweet way.

This is mostly a tale about appearances not being what they seem, about a second chance at something that might have been and about how mental health can affect a person, as well as the effects of treatment.

I think the latter was very well done, and highlighted how important it is not only to seek medical help, but therapeutic help. The author also didn't shy away from the physical effects of meds, but refreshingly, she never strayed into making Ryan hesitant about taking them because of the effects. I think that was a breaks-the-mould, strong thing to do, because toxic masculinity would likely make most men avoid meds, due to the effect on libido. I loved the gentle giant that Ryan was and how much he wanted to help himself, but I also think he needed a bit more counselling, as he had low self-esteem on top of his anxiety. I know he saw a counsellor remotely, on an ad-hoc basis, it seemed, but it would have been helpful to see someone in person and someone who could discuss better coping methods and perhaps wean him off the meds. Yes, there's a personal POV here, because CBT can work.

The past history that the leads shared made the romance progress nicely, despite Ryan's self-esteem issues and I liked both leads equally. There was the tiniest hint of a trope with the slighter, smaller guy being the more alpha, but I loved Fabian's patience with Ryan.

As someone from an ethnic minority, I loved how accepting Fabian's family was of his sexuality. I think that was refreshingly done, without any faux drama and/or gushiness.

What confused me was Ryan's actual role as enforcer - it came across, to this newbie to hockey, as a poop-stirrer role. I liked that Ryan struggled with how getting into character, and tbh, I didn't understand the need for this. It didn't seem like a good sportsmanship thing and it didn't sound like team playing. I've not come across anything like this in any other kind of team sports and it didn't feel natural. No wonder the poor guy was as messed-up as he was, and no wonder what happened to a side character, happened. Hopefully, like the effects of knocks has been studied in American Football, someone, somewhere, is studying the effects of what this part of the hockey game does to those who have to do it - trying not to Spoiler here, so sorry for being so vague.

Overall, this was a sweet, second-chance romance with a HEA. And, apparently, it's not the last tale in the series, with the author mentioning more to come, soon.

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

¸.•´¸★*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.★¨*.¸¸.•`★¤The Enforcer and the Musician.¤★¨*.¸¸.*ˑ˞★

I am an advocate for mental health, so that aspect I could respect in this story and they way the author handled it.

I loved book one, it was the best for me. I am still reading book 2, which is strange as I sit here writing a review for book 3!!

This was an interesting tale of a flamboyant musician and an anxiety ridden hockey player. Fabian and Ryan were old acquaintances who through Ryan's trade, met up again. Both men were good for each other. Ryan allowed and encouraged Fabian to be his true self and Fabian was able to indirectly get Ryan to see that he was better than the person he thought he was.

With little to no angst, a ton of harpy friends who had absolutely no filter, and two men who realize almost too late that compromise was a word, and that in order to be together, they both needed to understand that.

Happy for now? Happy ever after? You decided.

HEATED RIVALRY, book two in the Game Changers series, was one of my favourite reads of this year. It came as a complete surprise considering the romance and tone of book one which, while far from bad, was just nothing like the follow up. As a result I was trying to lower my expectations for book three and went in to this one just hoping it ranked somewhere in the middle. And, for the most part, I got my wish.

<b>Ryan inwardly cringed at how rude he must have seemed. He wished he could just wear a sign that said <I>I’m sorry. I am terrible at socializing. Please don’t take it personally.</I></b>

There are a few elements in this installment that make it stand out — but I don’t want to spoil the nitty gritty of it all — but more or less the majority of my enjoyment came from Ryan. This soft cinnamon roll was dealing with so much, while also thinking so little of himself, and yet despite how contrary to his personality it was, he was always expected to be a fighter. The tough guy (heyyyoooo). He was a bundle of contradictions and I enjoyed how Reid explored that.

Opposite him is a non-hockey player but who comes from a long line of hockey supporters and, when he was young, his family often billeted players, too. But Fabian has no interest in the sport or the typically homophobic alphajerkholes who play it. Except there was that one exception from thirteen years ago..

.. who happens to be Ryan.

This was one of the cuter reunion romances, though not quite a second-chance, and while Fabian didn’t always wow me on page, I did like him. Though I’ll admit I thought he was most enjoyable when amongst his friend group.. who were hilarious. I’m such a sucker for a friend group.

“<I>Price! Thank god you are here. This goblin is bothering me.</I>”
“<b>Eat my nuts, Rozanov<b>!“
“<I>No fucking thank you.</I>“
“<I><b>Sorry! Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh.</I></b>“
“<u>Don’t encourage Rozanov.</u>”
“<I><b>I think I might love him.</I></b>“

The romance between these two, the intimacy involved, is one of the things that stands out to me. Beyond just Ryan, full stop. Adding to the fun were cameos by a certain Russian player and, I mean, any page with Ilya is a page you’re going to love.

So, yes, this definitely wasn’t a new favourite but I did enjoy this read. I do want to say, though, that these endings give me actual whiplash. They are the most abrupt and I don’t understand why. As a result, and because of my overall love for the series and this author, I don’t want them to end. Please will there be more. I ain’t too proud to beg.

I am enjoying this series, and this newest entry features Ryan Price, a pro hockey enforcer who increasingly no longer has either the desire or the stamina to continue playing his role. When he unexpectedly encounters Fabian Salah (musician, decidedly not a hockey fan, and someone he knew in high school), new possibilities open up providing both of them can overcome their differences in light of the chemistry developing between them. This M/M sports romance hits all the right notes.

Sensitive, alluring, and heartfelt!

In this third novel in the Game Changers series, Tough Guy, Reid gives us a slightly more emotional tale about the shy, troubled, anxious Ryan who is struggling to come to terms with a life and career that no longer makes him happy, and the fun-loving, talented Fabian who lives boldly and loves fully.

The prose is smooth and seductive. The characters are open, honest, and committed. And the plot is an alluring, pensive tale of longing, desire, angst, doubt, anxiety, compassion, support, friendship, love, and hockey.

Overall, Tough Guy is a deliciously steamy, heartwarming novel about two unique, seemingly incompatible men who finally find the solace, sensitivity, tolerance, tenderness, and intimacy they need in each other.

Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.