If you love a good friends to lovers romance and some hot hockey action, Trade Deadline is the book for you. I adore that Daniel and Micah were childhood friends (and each others' first kiss!) and then are able to reconnect as adults, so it's almost a bit of a childhood sweethearts romance as well. I loved reading about Micah's job at the aquarium, working to rehab animals to be released into the wild. Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn also give us a bit of a different perspective into a player's life in this hockey romance - most hockey romances are about up-and-comers fighting to win the Cup, but Daniel is fresh off a Stanley Cup win and his career is sort of in its golden years. As Micah would say, he already "won" at hockey, so it's about his work to figure out where his life is going next.

I don't love kids in romance novels (maybe because as a mom of small children I'm trying to get a little more of an escape!) but I was intrigued by Daniel's relationship with his ex-wife and how their family unit functions. I feel like both Daniel and Micah's hang-ups and the major wrenches thrown into their relationship weren't very large hurdles at all and were just repetitively dragged out, so the book felt a bit slow and bogged down. It's OK to just have a sort of fluffy, hot romance without a bunch of drama, and it felt like some of the conflict was really forced to stretch it out and give it more "plot" - when really it just sort of bogged down the whole book. This seems to be a typical problem with the friends to lovers trope in general; when your relationship is built on a really strong, solid friendship there just isn't a lot of that drama you get with enemies to lovers, for example.

This is the third book in the Hat Trick series, and can be read as a standalone. I'm really hoping we get another book for Morley, because he's hilarious!!

This was definitely my favourite book in what's now one of my favourite romance series. The reason for that is mainly that I related to these characters the most. But the setting definitely helped as well: there's not just hockey but also the rehabilitation sea aquarium that Micah works at.

What I love most about this series is how different each of the books is based on the characters personalities. These are so distinct and the choices they make reflect their personalities so well. It's easy to see why they would act the way they do and their choices just make so much sense for them.

I had a few instances where I was like: "please just talk to each other", but luckily that then quickly happened every time.

I liked how easy things were between Micah and Daniel from the get-go. They re-connect almost seamlessly, with the years apart not really changing how they interacted.

The two men just clicked. It wasn’t hard at all to see how that immediate connection could easily go from friendship to romance.

Their hangouts and dates were very cute! It was also refreshing that Daniel’s bisexuality was never an issue, seeing as sexual attraction is so often a conflict point in MM hockey romances.

I also really liked how Daniel and Micah put in the work to become a part of each other’s lives. Though they’re two very different men, they learn about each other’s interests and make an effort to understand each other’s social circles.

And kudos to Daniel’s great family for welcoming Micah with open arms, especially the kids!

This is a fairly low-conflict romance. The major stumbling block is Micah’s need for stability, and the inherent instability of Daniel’s professional athlete career.

But it never becomes a huge issue. Though I generally prefer a fair bit of tension and angst, it was easy to just enjoy the simpler pace.

And even better, Daniel and Micah actually talk through all of their feelings and concerns. Major bonus points for open communication!

The only slight annoyance - Daniel often seemed to make a big deal about his age. Mid-thirties is pretty young!

Overall, I enjoyed Daniel and Micah’s friends-to-lovers romance, and the epilogue was a perfect HEA. If you’re looking for an easy family-centered MM romance, give ‘Trade Deadline’ a try!

Daniel and Micah's story was sweet, very low angst. They were childhood friends who reconnected. I actually really liked the relationship Daniel kept with his ex, was nice to see a story where the ex isn't evil because it didn't work out. I really liked both Daniel and Micah as they were both honest, considerate, and just sweet. There were some adorable moments with Daniel's kids and some good hockey fam moments. The end was very awww worthy too.

In the previous two books in this series, aside from Daniel Bellamy being a great leader and friend to our two couples, we didn’t really find out much about him so I was both curious and excited when I found out he was one of the main characters for this book.

We got to know more about who Daniel "the person" was, outside "Bellzie the Captain and Friend". He was a great dad and friend, and was always willing to lend a hand to those in need. He also had a great outlook towards life and whatever was thrown in his way.He was such a joy to read about and I always found this perspective refreshing.

Micah was also a fun person to read about. He was a bubbly and warm person who connected to various people regardless of their backgrounds. It probably had something to do with his job but I think it just was who he was. Kindness should’ve been his middle name.

Following along the line of both men being so inherently good at heart, their relationship was filled with funny banter, heartwarming moments and the occasional sweetness that made me root for them.

There was no unnecessary angst about Daniel’s bisexuality which was certainly a plus for me story-wise, and the main source of tension between them was from hockey. But even when I thought the story would go the overdramatic/ultimatum route because of this, these two men handled everything maturely and without much fuss.

As with the previous books, the writing was great. We also had cameos from the previous couples in the series and my favourite character in this series Morley, which added more smiles to my face.

Ultimately, this was a fun story of old friends reconnecting and falling in love. I really enjoyed it and found it to be just right for my Sunday reading mood.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book. I am providing a voluntary review. All thoughts and views are my own.

Shamefully, I’ve never read a book by Avon Gale or Piper Vaughn. I’ve heard of both of these lovely writers, but had never found an opportunity to crack a book either of them had written. So, of course, when the opportunity arose to read a book they tag-teamed… well, to say I pounced on it would be an understatement. Considering all the positive hype I’ve heard about both of these authors, I’d say Trade Deadline followed through quite nicely.

However, I’ll say this… I really wish I’d read the first two books in the series. (How many times am I going to make the declaration about not reviewing/reading books in a series unless I’ve read the ones leading up to the one in my greedy little hands?!) Anyway, I think the few areas where I struggled on this one likely would’ve been resolved had I read the prior books and already had a connection with the characters in this one.

But, c’est la vie. There’s no going back, so instead, let’s push forward, shall we??

Overall, aside from struggling a bit with connecting to the story and characters (again, likely my own fault there!) I adored the voices of both Gale and Vaughn. I think they play off one another beautifully and had delightfully distinct voices that made this story all the stronger for it. I’ve found I quite enjoy buddy written stories because one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader is being unable to distinguish between the characters when I’m in the various POVs of a story. That wasn’t the case here. I knew exactly when Daniel/Danny “Bellzie” Bellamy was talking vs. when Micah Kelly had the stage.

In addition to the lovely and distinct voices, I was also in awe of the strong handle they each had on the craft. As a writer, I sometimes struggle to get out of my editing head space in order to sit back and enjoy a pleasure read. These two authors made it easy on me, which resulted in a big, huge readerly sigh on my end.

I would definitely recommend any lovers of MM romance (and contemporary sports romances!) pick up this book and give it a go! However, don’t make the same mistake I did. Read the series in order and don’t dive head first into book three. 🙈😅

Daniel Bellamy appears to be at a crossroads. This 33 year old NHL player has achieved the goal of a lifetime, the Stanley Cup. He feels his career is winding down due to his age and is getting restless. He devoted his entire career to the Venoms but now there is an offer from the Miami Thunder.
Divorced, but on friendly terms with his ex they successfully co-parent and he feels this change can be done without much upset. Daniel feels he can offer the struggling Thunders real help which would be a nice way of exiting out of the game he loves.
Moving to Florida would be wonderful. His ex wife Tabby is willing to move there so he can be near his kids and there is the added bonus of seeing his parents. After the move he reconnects with his childhood friend Micah who is an animal care specialist at an aquarium. Miccah feels very very privileged being able to work at this job as there are very few careers like this. Micah and Daniel enjoy each other's company and the more they are together they realize they can't deny their chemistry.
Soon they're falling for each other and everything is perfect until lifecthrowsxthem a curveball. Being a hockey player for the Thunders is sucking Daniel's soul dry. The players attitudes are abysmal at best and there is zero teamwork. Daniel loves Florida for so many reasons but soon he is at a crossroads to his career. Micah, his kids and parents mean the world to him but his time with the Thunder is coming to an end. Micah can't leave his career as there really are no options for him in another state but Daniel is miserable. Can these two figure a way to keep what they have and be true to their selves? I highly recommend this riveting story. Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy for my reading pleasure.

Definitely a solid 3.5.

As I’ve mentioned a few times before, hockey romances are my comfort zone and I just loved getting to read one during these times when my mood has been increasingly bad. And I’m glad it cheered me up.

While I still maintain that I loved Avon Gale’s Scoring Chances series more, this series has also been fun, especially with the authors making the Venom team and it’s camaraderie something to root for. So it felt a bit jarring to see the proceedings move to a different team, that too not a very good one. This also meant that the time spent with the team itself was considerably less when compared to the previous books, but I somehow didn’t miss that element. The story was also a much more quieter one, with hardly any conflict and kinda sweet.

I really liked both Daniel and Micah as characters. I found Daniel’s uncertainty about his hockey future, his conflict between his competitive nature and wanting to play for his childhood favorite team, and just his love for his old teammates , all felt very realistic and I liked how chill he was despite his worries. Micah on the other hand was a delight. I don’t think I’ve read a romance before with a marine biologist love interest, so that was cool. And I absolutely adored his interactions with his favorite dolphin, as well as his passion for conservation and restoration of sea creatures to their natural habitats.

Even though both of them reconnect after two decades, their comfort level with each other was instantaneous and even though this wasn’t the sort of fiery chemistry I’m used to in romance novels these days, it was such a easy and charming relationship. Just like they felt at ease with each other, I enjoyed reading about their bonding with Danny’s kids and even the junior hockey players. It was a charming love story without much drama and I liked that a lot.

As always, I love when previous characters show up for cameos and I enjoyed the Venom’s appearances. Tristan is a sweetheart and I love it whenever he shows up, and Morley was as always funny with his dudebro jokes even though he seemed grumpy sometimes. And I couldn’t stop laughing during all his talk about fanfics, rivals to lovers tropes and coffee shop AUs - it’s not the kind of nerdy talk you expect from jocks and I thought it was adorable. I’m hoping the next book is about him and we’ll get so much more of this.

To conclude, this was the charming, drama free hockey romance with lovable characters that I didn’t know I needed. I had a sweet time while reading and it left me feeling good. And I’m already excited for the spinoff which was mentioned, though I can’t find the synopsis anywhere and hope it’s about the players I’m expecting.

Definitely the best story so far in the series for me. Great pace. Great characters. No overbearing sex scenes, in harmony with the story. Daniel and Micah relationship was very organic. Sometimes you don't need to have big issues and break up mid book before reaching the Happily ever After. As always it was good characters from previous books pop in. This is a keeper.
I voluntarily reviewed this ARC. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher.

Daniel should be on top of the world, his hockey team just won the Stanley Cup, but instead of being happy like the rest of his team, Daniel feels like something is missing. When he is given a chance to play for his hometown team, he sees it as a chance to pass his wisdom and experience from the last fourteen years on to other hockey players. Micah never thought he would see his childhood crush again, when he finds out Daniel is coming back to the area, he attends a hockey game in hopes of seeing Daniel.

Micah and Daniel reconnect after almost twenty years apart and the crushes from their childhood come back full force, but Micah isn't sure if he should be falling for Daniel, since there is a chance he might have to leave again. As Daniel season seems to go wrong, both Micah and Daniel will need to decide if their relationship is meant to last.

Micah and Daniel were great together and you could see from the beginning that they had chemistry but both of them were hesitant to take the next step without ruining their friendship. Daniel's ex-wife was great and helped Micah feel comfortable in the hockey world. The secondary cast of characters were fun and kept the story light and fluffy.

Trade Deadline is the third book in the Hat Trick series by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn. It is currently scheduled for release on August 17 2020. While it is part of a series, and returning readers will enjoy their previous knowledge and seeing past characters, new readers will be able to fully enjoy the read.

Daniel “Bellzie” Bellamy should be on top of the world—a Stanley Cup is the perfect topper to his fourteen-year NHL career. But despite the post-win high, something’s missing. When the chance to play for his hometown team, the Miami Thunder, comes along, he’s open to it. And when he runs into an old friend from his past soon after he makes the move, he wonders if it might be kismet. Micah Kelly never thought he’d see his childhood crush—and first kiss—again. Danny Bellamy moved on to bigger and better things when they were teenagers, and the idea that Micah’s relationship with the professional hockey player could be anything more than one-sided Instagram thirst seems too good to be true. Maybe too good to be true is the new reality, though. As the season goes on, Micah teaches Daniel to surf, and Daniel introduces Micah to his lovable pack of rescue dogs and the world of being a hockey boyfriend. Life is good. But when things on the ice don’t go as planned, they’ll have to decide if their rediscovered romance is built to last.

Trade Deadline is a story I have been hoping for, since I have been eager to see the Venom crew find their happy endings. This book did not disappoint, but did introduce me to more characters that I want to see grow and find happiness. Daniel and Micah are both well adjusted and open minded guys that just so happened to be each other's first kiss, and first guy crush. I loved seeing them find each other again- and that friendship was just as important to them as the more physical aspects of their relationship once that began. The open communication, and way consent and talking about what is bothering them- even when it is something completely outside their control and unsolvable in the moment- models healthy relationships in a way that makes me want to shout "read this!" to people that need instruction on the matter. This is firmly a friends to more, with plenty of heart and complications that keep things moving and tension high. I think fans of this author team will be very happy, and get just what they were hoping for from this read.

Trade Deadline is another solid romance with emotional stakes and great communication.

Twenty years ago, Micah fell in love with his best friend - right before his best friend left town to pursue his dreams of playing for the NHL. But now Danny is back - and still playing hockey - can these two best friends find their way back together?

This was a sweet, low stakes, queer romance - where no one had to defend their love or have an entire storyline based on bigotry. It was refreshing and lovely - and a quick read. Micah is a cutie marine biologist who is scared to be hurt. And Danny is the happiest, peak Dad, pro hockey player you will ever read. There are really healthy and wholesome depictions of healthy divorce, being friends with an ex, and communication within a relationship.

This does get somewhat steamy - it is not erotica - but definitely hot and heavy but it fits with the story and is not jarring in any way.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Trade Deadline was an enjoyable story. I loved the main characters of Daniel and Micah. I enjoyed seeing them renew their friendship and slowly transition into something more. I found this to be a sweet romance story, Compared to the other books in the story, I wish there was more hockey, but otherwise this was a good story. This is a feel good, low angst story that lovers of the series should enjoy!

This is book three in the Hat Trick series. It can be read as a stand alone since each book focuses on a different couple, but I really enjoyed catching up with previous characters from the NHL team Venom.

Trade Deadline focuses on veteran player Daniel. After finally winning the Stanley Cup, he's met all of his life goals in his career of choice. Now faced with choices of how to wrap up his few remaining years in the league, he opts to move back to his childhood hometown.

Micah and Daniel were best friends throughout childhood, but they lost touch after Daniel moved away to further his hockey dreams. Reconnecting after two decades apart is exciting. Their friendship seems to pick up right where it left off. They were also each other's first kiss at 13 years old. The embers of those flames are still burning.

This is a sweet, fluffy romance. There is no major angst, just a lot of feel good snapshots of two men blending their lives together. Daniel's ex wife and current best friend is almost unbelievably supportive. His two darling children are featured in several scenes, but again, no conflict or drama with them.

It's a wonderful, feel-good break from real life. The epilogue put a huge smile on my face.

4.5 stars

Trade Deadline is a very tender story, in which Daniel has a lot on his mind. Especially when he learns that the Venom isn't renewing his contract. Even going back to his home town Miami doesn't work out the way he thought he would. Apart from the fact that he reconnects with his childhood friend - and first crush - Micah.

I loved how Daniel took everybody's feelings and wants into consideration, from his ex-wife and his children to Micah, and even his parents. He was a solid character who went through something of an extistential crisis, but he had the tools and the support he needed to get through it.

A low-angst, sweet, lovely story. I really enjoyed how Micah and Daniel had a cute history and how they got their second chance. I appreciated too how throughout the entire book they communicate with each other like mature adults so there is no confusion or misunderstandings. That may be boring for some, but Micah with his unique job and Daniel figuring out his career in addition to their shared history was all enough to keep my interest.

Thank you Carina Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

"Trade Deadline" is the third installment in the "Hat Trick" series co-written by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn. We're introduced to Daniel “Bellzie” Bellamy a hockey player who appeared before in the previous books and Micah Kelly - a marine biologist taking care of an adorable dolphin (yes the dolphin is important ok). Our main characters are childhood friends who haven't seen each other for a very long time and because of Daniel's decision to trade teams get to meet each other again.
I think that the most appealing thing about this book is the setup for the relationship. I haven't read many stories focusing on friendship that was lost to the distance long ago. It was truly amazing to witness Daniel and Micah reconnecting again and starting their relationship based on understanding while learning new things about each other.
I was quite surprised by the way Bellzie relations with his new teammates turned out. I was hoping for some more progress and attempts at improving the situation but nothing really happened there.
Seeing the characters from previous books was a nice touch and I loved seeing how their relationships progressed over time.
Overall it was an OK book. I enjoyed it but some maybe some things weren't developed in the level I expected them to be. I'm looking forward to continuing on with the series.

**** Thank you Carina Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

A best-friends-to-lovers hockey romance, the last in the Hat Trick series. I really liked how this series followed individual characters from the same team, focusing mostly on their lives but including their teammates as well - I really got to know the team and see how they interacted with one another.

This book follows former Venom captain Daniel Bellamy who gets a chance to play for his hometown team, the Miami Thunder. Nearing the end of his NHL career, he wants to make his time count, and what better way than to help the struggling Thunders with his Stanley Cup-winning strategies and positive attitude?

Best of all, he runs into his childhood best friend Micah at one of his games ... and the old crush between the two is just as strong as ever. Micah is an accomplished marine biologist with a great job at the local aquarium, and he can’t imagine his life away from the beaches and his dolphins. Starting a relationship with a professional hockey player who may get traded might not be the best idea ... but the two decide to go for it. Sparks fly, steamy scenes follow, and all is well ... until it’s not, of course.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book - I did feel that some of the action did happen too quickly, and would’ve benefitted from being more thoroughly explored - but I loved getting to know the characters even more, and seeing how the two men with very different lives figured out a relationship. Plus, the ending was just damn adorable.

You can’t go wrong with a romance by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn! Looking forward to reading more by them.

An enjoyable story, Trade Deadline is a great read for low-angst romance lovers.

With likeable characters and a couple who are easy to cheer for, this story combines sweet, sexy times, a healthy dose of ice time, and escapism.

Since there's little drama and minor conflict, the pacing is somewhat slow. The temptation to skip ahead and chase dialogue and character interaction rather than be buried in the character-focused narrative is a real battle. It makes potentially an excellent book feel long and drawn out.

While it was more than an okay read as there are many great elements--the characters and support cast especially--the story lacks the charge of passion readers perhaps expect, based on the two previous books in this series.

Overall, a lovely gay sports romance story. 3.5 Stars.

This was a nice addition to the Hat Trick series; as with all their previous books, I enjoyed the way it blended the various challenges of professional athletes at different stages of their carets with romance.