I usually prefer to group my reviews together, but I had so many thoughts about Role Model by Rachel Reid (spoiler: I loved it!) that I word vomited a super long review. Whoops! I've cleaned it up significantly from that first draft but this is still a pretty long, somewhat rambly review with some spoilers clearly marked further down. Though if you prefer your reviews completely spoiler free, maybe skip this one and just know that it's an excellent addition to the series!

Role Model opens with Troy joining the Ottawa Centaurs, a team he was quickly traded to after getting in a fight with his former best friend during practice and saying he believes the women accusing the friend of raping them. Troy just wants to keep his head down and stay focused on hockey while still reeling from losing his best friend, his team, and his home. He also recently broke up with his first boyfriend, who he'd been dating quietly for several years, and everything is hitting him at once. Social media manager Harris has no idea what's going on in Troy's life, but he knows Troy can use a friend, and Harris can't stay away. As their friendship blooms and develops into something more, Troy starts to open up and question what he wants his life to look like going forward.

Omg, I loved this so much! I read it in one sitting and stayed up way too late reading it and then woke up the next morning and started rereading my favorite parts. It just gave me all the feels, and I absolutely adored it! I think this one is my new second favorite right behind Heated Rivalry. Seriously, this book just made me so, so happy. It's full of big emotions and just made me feel like I was wrapped up in a warm, happy hug at the end. It's so rare that I finish a book and immediately want to reread it, but it does happen a few times a year, and Role Model was one of them. It will absolutely be on my favorites list at the end of 2021!

Also, can I just say that I loved seeing Ilya and Wyatt in this book?! I thought Ilya kind of stole the show in Common Goal — the scenes where he appeared were the ones I found myself rereading. So I really, really love what a perfect supporting character he was in this book. You still get all of the personality you love and get to see him be a great team captain, but Troy and Harris were really the stars of this book. I'm also really interested in Reid's setup for Ilya and Shane's sequel. As much as I love that book, I'm always afraid when authors revisit my favorites because so often it doesn't go well, and I have that same fear with the Heated Rivalry sequel. But it's interesting because I think Reid has set it up so that there's a lot of potential. I guess we'll see!

I will say, I do have a few qualms about this book. Previous books gave the impression that Troy was a good guy who chose his friends poorly and was negatively influenced as a result. And this book, you start to learn more about why he chose poorly, which I think gives a lot of context, but you also learn that he REALLY engaged in a lot of behavior that's hurtful and unacceptable. It was really interesting seeing his redemption story because I think it worked for me in a surprising number of ways. So I guess my qualm here is that I didn't like who Troy was before this book, and I wish he'd never been like that, but I do like getting to understand him better and seeming him try to be better, and I think it's great to see someone like that get an HEA, too.

Also, while I really liked seeing a prominent male athlete stand up against the protection of an NHL star being accused of raping women and using his platform to speak out, I'm not sure I was entirely comfortable with that being the impetus of Troy ending his friendship with Dallas. Dallas was awful and toxic in a lot of ways beyond just that, and I wish it hadn't taken rape for Troy to finally realize. Idk. It seemed like it was handled well and it was a great way to touch on how well protected famous athletes are from such allegations, but I still didn't love that that was the impetus for the whole book.

MID BOOK SPOILERS

I'm also not entirely sure how I feel about the potential plane crash? It was such a traumatic event! It seemed a little extreme and I wonder if there was a better way to accomplish the same thing, but again, I like how it not only pushed Troy and Harris together, it seems like it's pushing Ilya and Shane to rethink things as well, and it was a nice tie-in to Troy better understanding how brave Ryan was in Tough Guy.

END SPOILERS

I should also mention, the beginning of this book is depressing. Troy was just in such a dark, unhappy place between his breakup with his boyfriend and the end of his friendship with Dallas and getting traded to a new team he didn't want to be on and starting to realize a lot of ugly things about himself and dealing with his awful father, I was worried about how on earth he'd possibly get to an HEA! I'm actually a little surprised he didn't wind up going to therapy, because I think he really could have used it.

But I absolutely adored the found family element of this story and how the team really came together and became a family for Troy and supported him. The way the coach and the team handled finding out that Troy was gay and dating Harris was just so precious! And then their Pride Night! It was just a nonstop overwhelming of feelings, and I adored it. I loved seeing Troy start to look at things differently and realize he doesn't want to be closeted (and never once considering having Harris hide their relationship) and gradually taking more steps and gaining confidence that coming out as gay was the right thing to do. And the way the fans all treated it? And the team supported him? And he made a point to tell Ilya it was all for him, too, even if the fans didn't know it? Seriously, it was all too much!!

Glancing back at what I've written so far, I noticed that pretty much everything I've written about has been relating to Troy, and I think you could argue that this book would be stronger if Harris had more of his own growth. He's such a great, happy, sunshine-y person who is excellent at his job as a social media manager and is amazingly supportive of Troy and everything he's going through, but I'm not sure he has much of his own growth throughout the story. I'm not sure what that would like like or how much he really needs it, but it does mean that the focus of the book (at least for me) is a lot more on Troy, and I think that does Harris a disservice, because he is great.

END OF BOOK SPOILERS

Also, I really, really love that there's not really a third act breakup here. I thought there might be, that Troy would panic about coming out and break up with Harris because of it before they got their HEA together, but that never happened. Instead, Troy was reluctant early on to share his feelings (and I loved seeing him apologize to Harris whenever he made mistakes!), and then wanted some space to figure things out since he was closeted. But once they're together, they're TOGETHER through the end of the book, and I loved it! And we really got all of the big emotional moments I was hoping for: Troy apologizing to Ryan, Troy standing up to his dad, Troy getting his Pride Night and getting to see his mom. It was all so, so great.

END SPOILERS

And of course, returning to this world and getting to see Ilya again made me go back and reread some of my favorite parts of Heated Rivalry, and now I'm so, so excited to get my hands on his and Shane's sequel. I really hope it doesn't involve cheating or a breakup or anything and that we get to see the two of them just be happy together. I suppose there should be a conflict of some sort, but honestly, I'm fine if there isn't! Reid has done a great job of setting up the NHL in her books to be a lot more accepting of queer hockey players, and the end of Role Model makes me feel like it's possible for Shane and Ilya to get their public HEA and keep their careers, and I can't wait to see it happen.

Oh, and can Carina PLEASE just print physical copies of this series already??? I was super lucky to get the first three as author copies in a Twitter giveaway, but I desperately need to add Role Model to my collection (and may as well complete the series while I'm at it!).

Have you been looking forward to Role Model, too? I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I received an arc of Role Model from the publisher via Netgalley and purchased a finished digital copy.

This author seems to dip into my favorite tropes to choose some for her books. This time, it’s the regular guy character–the one with a bit of a tummy and a normal appendage–who still looks sexy to the one who loves them. I couldn’t be more charmed. Especially when the other guy is some kind of Adonis.

Harris and Troy make for an adorable couple. They take their time though, as Troy is a closeted gay at first. The whole process, from misunderstanding to friendship to lover, was great to watch. I enjoyed seeing Troy coming out of his shell–and coming out, period. To see what emotional abuse and learned homophobia can do to someone was heartwrenching. And I loved how Harris healed him slowly.

On the other hand, we see Harris who had it easy with his accepting family. The contrast, of course, was meant to show the ideal environment for a kid being different.

There was a serious criticism of the whole NHL–though it could have been any sports league, or any large organization with mostly male members–and the way they can protect predators. Rape culture and ordinary sexism are violently criticized. And the fact that a closeted gay man fights the good fight in the story was great.

I felt some plot points were left hanging–Troy’s father, Dallas Kent–and I’d love to see more of them in the next book in the series. But it was a delicious MM romance with a serious societal and moral side plot, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Quickie

- Series: Game changers #5 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #MM romance #hockey romance #closeted gay #out gay #coming out
- Triggers: some homophobia, mention of women assaulted and victim bashing
- Main couple: Troy Barrett & Harris Drover
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + the positive message about victims of assault and against victim bashing
- – Troy’s coming out was a bit too much (though I liked it)

I loved Troy and Harris’s story! Once again this author has completely engaged me with her writing! So much so that I practically read this book in one sitting. I was immediately drawn into both these character’s lives and I didn’t want to put it down. I loved Harris immediately for his sunny disposition and fantastically outgoing personality. In turn I loved Troy for his broodiness and for standing up for what he believed in. These two seemed an unlikely pair, but Harris helped bring Troy out of his funk and Troy didn’t treat Harris with kid gloves. I loved how their friendship formed and grew to more. The sexual tension between them, and resulting slow burn worked for their story so well! When they finally did get down to business, the chemistry was fantastic! I loved how Troy found his footing with the team and processing his sexuality. Harris was such an amazing support for him both as a friend and fellow gay man. Harris was such an amazing person and he was so well respected by the NHL team he worked for. I loved Troy’s teammates and how they were so open minded about getting to know the real Troy after having less than stellar pst experiences with him. They were supportive of him, and willing to give him a second chance. They were so open to his truth I loved it. Especially his Captain Ilya Rozanov. If you’ve read other books in this series I know you’ll be as excited as I was to see that Ilya was a large supporting character in Troy and Harris’s story. Along with some other players we’ve met along the way such as Ryan Price, Scott Hunter, Eric Bennet and a brief cameo by Shane Hollander as well! There were some really great moments with Ilya that may be some foreshadowing to the upcoming continuation of Shane and Ilya’s epic love story. It definitely made me want to dive into a re-read of Shane and Ilya’s book, “Heated Rivalry”! While I think this story can standalone, I think for the most enjoyment the previous books in the series should be read as well. This was a fantastic addition to this series and I know it’s one I will pick up again!

Of COURSE I loved this, and I'm not surprised. Since book one, I've loved every couple in this series. I was so excited to get my hands on this. Troy has made a not so great impression on everyone over the years. He was best friends with a really awful guy, made a bunch of rude comments, was super standoffish. But it was all a shell kind of, to protect himself. He's been in the closet and trying to be the person he thinks he's supposed to be. This new team brings out a new Troy, and it's a much healthier situation for him. He grows so much in this story. Then there's Harris. He's bubbly and sweet, friends with everyone, always smells like APPLES. He's adorable.

There are a lot of funny moments in the book, I highlighted a lot of things too. The end made me cry and laugh, and I loved every page. And honestly, it made me really want to go reread Shane and Ilya's story. Just being real. Ilya is Troy's teammate so he's in this book and I still love him.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book, my thoughts are my own.

TW: not mentioned in details is rape and rape culture especially in sports "boys will be boys" and "protecting people in power"

THIS WAS *chef kiss* !
It is no secret that I am A HUUUUUGGGGEEEE fan of Rachel Reid's especially heated rivalry as it resonated on a personal level with me. This is officially my second favorite book of hers. I loved Troy's redemption stories and the funny moments e.g.: last three lines of ch.5 (to not spoil anything).
I loved his character development and him feeling like he had to pretend to be someone else to be safe and loved, this was an emotional ride and he apologized for things and to the people he hurt in the past, I loved the conversation surrounding people not owning you forgiveness for things you have done and walking away.

Surrounding the TW, I loved how this was addressed especially with the history that we know of sports silencing it, people not believing the victims because (even though they don't know them personally they are such good people and would've never done this). I loved how the "it would ruin a man's career" was also touched on.

Rachel Reid has a beautiful way of making characters feel real, and making you fall in love with them. This was no exception. While we get to see our old faves we also get to understand why troy was acting how he was and genuinely understand his actions without them being glossed over or excused. While I did not love our main love interest (for Troy) I did really love this story.

There is not enough I would give to the author to get my hands on a physical copy of the next book, I cannot wait ! Ilya and Shane are just a special story in me heart, with bi-rep that made me feel seen.

4/5 stars.
Bookarina

4.5 Stars

Troy Barrett has been a bully and a follower, as well as a skilled hockey player, but he's done cowering from the bigger bullies in his life: his father and his best-friend and teammate Dallas Kent. It seemed the best way to keep the spotlight off his personal life--not that he has much of one, because it's really hard to be a closeted pro athlete. He'd been on the hot shot Toronto team for years, but after calling out league golden boy Kent as a rapist, well, now he's persona non grata, and his team promptly traded him to the cellar-dwelling Ottawa Centaurs. He's teaming up with all-stars like Ilya Rozanov and Wyatt Hayes, but he's honestly hoping to get moved someplace else--except that's even less likely than Kent being non-guilty of the (multiple) accusations against him. 

Troy has a bad reputation in the league, behaving badly will do that, but he knows he must build relationships to survive. Thing is, Troy is pretty ashamed of himself, and it makes it hard for him to reach out or ask for help. Also, he's bruised emotionally because his one-and-only boyfriend--someone Troy had considered coming out for--has just come out to be with another man. Thankfully, the Ottawa players are decent to him--they just want him to play his best hockey. They might not be amped for winning all the time, but they are also not a toxic bunch. In fact, they are super friendly, and--more importantly--they believe he's telling the truth about Kent, even if Troy's only going on his intimate knowledge of situations and experiences with Kent--without directly having witnessed an assault. It's almost too good to be true to be accepted instead of a pariah, and it also comes with an unlikely friendship with the social media manager for the Centaurs, Harris Drover. A native of the Ottawa area, Harris' family owns a local apple orchard and cider brewery. Harris is the sunniest flower in the garden with flair and flamboyant panache. He's a consummate smiler and unapologetic cheerleader for all things Ottawa, and Troy lets Harris help him get acquainted to the city, team, and fanbase. And Troy just absorbs Harris' positive energy for the balm it is.

Harris is way attracted to Troy Barnett, not that he'd ever imaging he was gay--or interested. But, hey, he needs an image makeover, and Harris knows how to do that. Photo ops with sick kids, and puppies, and funny interviews for the fans help Troy see that there are folks in the world who are willing to accept him. Troy starts using his own social media to raise awareness for sexual assault survivors and domestic violence victims. He takes it a step further and begins actively donating to those charities. And, he's finally playing up to his full potential, helping to lead Ottawa closer to a playoff berth. It's also awesome that Troy and Harris connect on a more personal level. 

I loved Troy learning to love himself, and being an awesome human--and finding real love for himself. His relationships with his mom and dad are multilayered and divergent--which was important to see. His mom is amazing, while his dad is NOT, and Harris' family are entire delight. But, specifically, I think this is the first book that really shows a player coming out and then continuing to play during the aftermath. I know Game Changer had a coming out, but it was late in the book. Troy's situation was more fraught, especially with the vitriol he'd already been facing over the Kent issue. This made his HEA all the more sweet, I felt. Plus, life-threatening situations always add interesting conflict, and that was 100% true for Troy and Harris, who clung to one another rather than walk away. 

This was a great catch up book for the series, with lots of close-ups on Ilya, who is a perennial fave of fans. Also, as more and more players come out publicly, it seems like we have another Ilya-centered book in the offing. I cannot WAIT!!

Always a good read from Rachel Reid. What happens when standing up for what's right turns you into a pariah and changes your entire life? What happens when you've spent years hiding who you were trying very hard to be someone you weren't? What happens when all your worlds begin to collide? Do you crash and burn? Or do you power through and allow yourself to love who you love, and allow people who surround you to help carry the burden? Troy and Harris by all accounts probably shouldn't work, but sometimes, it is the least expected people you come across who will give meaning to your life. Whether Troy is, in general, shy and reserved or not, Harris refuses to let him cower and the team that Troy disparaged will show him they will always have his back.

Role Model is the fifth book in the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid and is currently scheduled for release on August 10 2021. Each book in the series can stand up fine on its own, but some subtext and inside jokes will be missed if you have not read the previous books.

The hits just keep coming for Troy Barrett. Traded to the worst team in the league would be bad enough, but coming on the heels of a messy breakup and a recent scandal… Troy just wants to play hockey and be left alone. He doesn’t want to be in the news anymore, and he definitely doesn’t want to “work on his online presence” with the team’s peppy social media manager. Harris Drover can tell standoffish Troy isn’t happy about the trade—anyone could tell, frankly, as he doesn’t exactly hide it well—but Harris doesn’t give up on people easily. Even when he’s developing a crush he’s sure is one-sided. And when he sees Troy’s smile finally crack through his grumpy exterior, well… That’s a man Harris couldn’t turn his back on if he wanted to. Suddenly, Troy’s move to the new team feels like an opportunity—for Troy to embrace his true self, and for both men to surrender to their growing attraction. But indulging in each other behind closed doors is one thing, and for Troy, being in a public relationship with Harris will mean facing off with his fears, once and for all.

Role Model is a read that tackles some of the same big issues as previous books in this series (homophobia and all the trauma that comes with it) and adds in the rape culture that seems to be all to common. Even with all that going on the character development and growth of the characters is not lost or diminished. I hurt for Troy as he comes to terms with the things he lost and tries to become a better person. I found his journey to be realistic and very well written. Seeing returning characters get some page time and play a solid role in Troy's story made me very happy. I have to say that I love Harris. He is sweet and understanding but does not come off like a doormat, rather just someone that can wait for the right moment and doing what he can to make everyone's life better. I loved the honesty and direct handling of the varied elements of the story and cannot wait for more from the author.

Role Model is another great read from Reid. It is a definite must read for fans and a simply great read for everyone else.

Troy Barrett has been punished for doing what he felt was right. Calling out a former teammate for deplorable behavior and taking a stand. He landed in Ottawa, to a failing team, trying to find his place among players he feels like are better people than he is. He keeps his guard up and doesn’t let plan on letting anyone in to see the real him.

He didn’t predict the social media manager, Harris Drover. There’s something about the man that makes Troy want to smile, be himself, and to share who he is with everyone else. Troy believes that he could be a better person.

First off, I was not ugly crying towards the end of the book. I just had a really big eye lash in my eye, and I couldn’t get it out. Also, I’m sure Reid had no way of knowing just how Troy’s storyline would tie into reality. There’s a double standard in athletics today that she addresses and does eloquently. Just because someone is an athlete, it doesn’t excuse their behavior. They are held to the same rules as the rest of us normal folks.

What I loved about Role Model was the way I could relate to Troy. He wasn’t just a fictional hockey player. There was depth to his character. There is so much I want to just say here, but I’d spoil the book. I’m trying to be careful not to do that.

Troy had hidden himself from the people in his life for so long, finally meeting people who accepted him no matter what and supported him, I could feel the freedom that Troy was experiencing.

I was proud of him, for sticking to his beliefs and challenging those around him, even when he was pretty much ousted for those beliefs. I was proud of the whole Ottawa team.

Harris was so adorable. Any time he came into a scene I ended up smiling. Then finding out he wasn’t all innocent under it all made him even better.

The chemistry between Troy and Harris was phenomenal. They gravitated towards each other. Then those romance scenes, oh my, they were good. It made my heart beat a little faster. It felt right for them in those scenes and moments.

Reid has a way of painting a vivid picture with her words, and I could see Troy, Harris, and the entire Ottawa setting clearly in my mind as I read.

4.5 stars

I love this book.
Troy's story was one I really wanted to read since he was introduced in previous books and it delivered!
I loved the grumpy/sunshine trope in this because they were polar opposites and yet they complemented each other so perfectly.
The small gestures they both did for each other, like the pin and the puppy walks were amazing because they built the relationship between Troy and Harris one step at the time and that made their relationship real.
This doesn't get the full 5 stars because I wish we got closure in some parts like with the ex and Troy's dad but overall I'm very happy with how it ended.

Overall an amazing addition to the series.

Now.... a bit spoilers but with some things that happened in this book... does this means we're getting another Ilya book??!?!?! Because YES!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Role model. Book 5 in the series. It holds itself compare to the other books. The chemistry is palpable between the two leads. Opposites definetly attracts here. Ilya, he is very present in this one.
Easy, fun, sexy read. Let's bring on book 6.

Honest opinion provided. Thanks the publisher for this ARC.

I’m not exactly sure what draws me into the books in this series. It’s not the hockey, because I’m not a die-hard fan. It’s also not the “nerd gets the jock” troupe, because even though I love that dynamic, not every book in this series is about that. In fact, a lot of the books in the Game Changers series have been the exact opposite and I loved them just as much. If pressed, I think it may be watching these big bad hockey players show their vulnerable side – even if that side is more than a little broken in some cases.

Which brings us to Troy and Harris. We’re introduced to Troy when he was seemingly being punished for doing the right thing. He’s determined to make his time with Ottawa worth it. He has a lot to make up for and he’s hoping his efforts won’t be considered too little too late. He had his reasons for acting the way he did, but that didn’t make them right. The more time he spends with his new team, the more he realizes that this move may have been more of a blessing than a curse – especially meeting Harris.

Harris was adorable. He was also strong, caring with an amazing personality and had a serious attraction to Troy. Their growing friendship turned into a growing attraction that Harris had no idea went both ways. He thought Troy was uncomfortable around him because of his refusal to hide who he was. I think one of my favorite parts of this story was how clueless each of them were and how everyone around them saw what they couldn’t – and how accepting they all were. It just made Troy become even more aware of the fact that he was exactly where he was supposed to be. Harris and the rest of the team and their families gave him the strength to become a person he could respect.

The supporting characters in Role Model were amazing and I loved spending time with familiar characters. Some of those characters helped Troy more than he expected and surprised him with their openness with him. As usual Ilya stole the show… which brings me to the next book in the series. The Long Game can’t come soon enough, but on the plus side, it should give readers enough time to either play catch up or start the series over from the beginning. 😉

I love a good redemption story and this one grabbed me from the first page.

Troy Barrett has hidden behind a facade and toxic friends until he just could not take it anymore. And when he called out his previous best friend and teammate regarding some allegations, he was the one sent packing. So now he has been traded to the worst team, the Ottowa Centaurs. He used to be a prick and now is also seen as a traitor. Old fans and his old teammates hate him, and the new fans do not want him and the new team are not sure about him at all. He also was dumped by his secret boyfriend. So his life has basically imploded and he has plenty to be grumpy and unsure about.

Harris Drover is the team's social media rep. He is chatty, sweet, fun, steady, welcoming, and supportive. And he is out, proud, and wears the lapel pins to prove it. But sometimes people underestimate him or treat him with kid gloves, and he just wants to live a normal and fulfilled life. Harris is surprised that Troy starts gravitating to him more and more.

For the first time in his life, Troy is taking a hard look at who has been and who he wants to be. He is finding purpose, opening up, being vulnerable, and beginning to trust. These two find companionship and give in to their attraction. But moving forward will mean Troy will have to face his fears, embrace who he truly is, and hope to find acceptance.

This is a true redemption story and I really felt like Troy was learning and changing for the better along the way and he was not afraid to admit his past mistakes and try to make amends. And Harris just wanted to be seen as strong and worthy. I adored these two together. They have this opposites-attract, grumpy meets sunshine vibe, but truly connect. They are witty, hot, adorable, and just perfect for each other even when they both are not sure they deserve the other.

There is plenty of time with old friends from the other books. I was thrilled to get so much time with Ilya. I cannot wait for more of him and Shane in The Long Game!

Fifth in the Game Changers series, but you don't need to have read any of the others to enjoy this one. The author writes such well rounded characters. I could feel Tony's feelings of betrayal by his best friend, fear of coming out, and wanting to be a better person. Harris was so loveable and smart, perfect for Tony.

Oh how I loved this; Troy and Harris .... sigh! I've absolutely enjoyed this series and Role Model is a solid addition to the Game Changers series. Ilya and Shane are still my top fave, but Troy and Harris are right along behind them.

This was just the read I needed to close out my month, with a grumpy/sunshine trope and just so many adorable moments. Plus some laughs in between.

As soon as we meet Harris, it was an insta-love. Definitely someone you'd always want in your corner, super fun-loving, and one that'll get a ton of laughs out of you.

And then we have Troy, definitely not someone I expected, but it I loved getting to know. He had a lot to work through, some of it just sad, which brings some emotions. When he's traded to Ottawa, it's a complete 180 from what he's used to and it's going to take some time to adapt to that. He has some things that need to change, but when you have a solid support system, things can only get better for you.

And no surprise here, but I loved ALL the Ilya moments, oh how I've missed him. You have no idea how excited I am for the next book. I NEED it.

So yeah, plenty to love and enjoy in Role Model, can't wait for more!

I liked that this wasn't an instalove for Troy and Harris. A bit of a slow burn, but they have some really adorable moments together as they're getting to know each other. I'd say I was a little surprised that Troy would show his cards first, but it only gets better from there. And Harris was just the best person to have standing alongside Troy

Heat Factor: It’s sexy but not as sexy as some of the other books in this series
Character Chemistry: I am charmed: grumpy loner falls for the the bubble of joy
Plot: It’s never too late to be brave enough to make good choices
Overall: I came for the Heated Rivalry postscripts, but I stayed for the sweetness

Troy is a bully to the hero of book 3 in this series, but he’s portrayed as the sidekick bully, not the leader bully (who is pretty terrible, one must acknowledge). So this here’s a redemption book, with the story beginning after Troy’s lost everything he cared about personally (just because that’s how life goes sometimes) and professionally (because he finally got fed up and took the first step to turning his life around).

That’s what I want to focus on because that’s possibly the thing I liked best about this book. Yes, Troy and Harris are totally adorable, what with Harris being full-time cinnamon roll material and Troy also figuring out how to cinnamon roll whenever he’s able to let go of his demons or his guilt or both. But I liked that Reid made Troy’s struggle a struggle. He called out a rapist and was punished for it, traded to the worst team in the league, to a town that very few people would ever call vibrant and exciting (sorry, Ottawa!), and he lost all his friends (who were also jerks) and has no prospects for new ones...because he’s been a real jerk to all the people who might have approved of him breaking ties with all his terrible friends.

His reasons for being a bully are not particularly surprising, right? His dad is a bully, and Troy is terrified of not having his dad’s love and approval, even though he knows that, simply by being himself, he will not have it. He’s been hiding, trying to protect himself, for years. This is the other part of this redemption arc I liked. Troy doesn’t suddenly realize that he’s been a jerk and then he’s just nice now. There are times when he really has a hard time doing the right thing (or being himself) because he’s absolutely terrified of losing anything more. It’s easy to say, “Well he’s got supportive friends now that he’s out of that toxic environment, so he should be able to make better choices more easily!” But his dad is still his dad, and getting fired for speaking truth to power is still getting fired. And also people on the internet are really mean.

Let’s be honest: Troy could definitely benefit from some professional counseling. But he does okay.

Harris initially suspects that Troy is everything he thought he would be - which is to say: a homophobic asshole, even if he did call out a rapist - even though Troy is super-dee-duper hot. But also Harris is the first person to think that maybe Troy is really struggling and to extend a hand, stabilizing Troy’s foundation a little bit. Don’t worry, there are also supportive moments from Wyatt Hayes (of book 3) and Ilya Rozanoff (which is why I read this book - can it be 2022 already? I need The Long Game), but also Troy was a jerk and he does need to earn people’s trust rather than having it handed to him.

Anyway, the romance was totally charming. But Reid did a great job making this redemption arc complex and worth thinking/reading about.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

Mais quel bonheur de retrouver la plume de Rachel Reid ! Cette série Game changers est ma foi un peu inégale à mon goût, mais j’étais vraiment ravie de découvrir un nouveau tome, car la magie opère de nouveau !

Très honnêtement, je ne me souvenais pas de Troy, et c’est sans doute mieux comme ça. Troy, en fait, jusque là, c’était ce qu’on appelle un bully, le genre de gars à toujours faire des blagues sexistes, homophobes, méchantes, à se moquer, et à être globalement mauvais comme la gale avec les autres. Seulement là, au début du roman, tout son monde s’est écroulé, car du jour au lendemain, il est viré de son équipe de Toronto, pour des raisons « politiques » (à gerber, si vous voulez mon avis).

Troy est transféré à Ottawa, une équipe pas franchement réputée pour ses bons résultats, et pour un type comme lui, arriver contre son gré dans une équipe de loosers comme ça, vous imaginez bien que ça passe mal.

Rachel Reid a fait un superbe travail sur le développement de ses personnages. L’histoire de Troy, c’est l’histoire d’une rédemption. S’il était un bully, on découvre vite que Troy est quelqu’un de solitaire, il ne sait pas comment se comporter avec les autres et surtout, il se déteste profondément pour la façon dont il s’est comporté pendant des années. Il veut changer, mais il ne sait pas comment. Pour couronner le tout, Troy a le cœur brisé car il a été largué après deux ans de relation ultra secrète, et évidemment, personne ne sait qu’il est gay. Il suit vraiment une belle évolution, il m’a tellement fait mal au cœur dans la première partie du livre, car on voit à quel point il se déteste, à quel point il est maladroit et incapable d’avoir des relations normales avec les gens. Il est bridé à un point fou, il questionne tout et il a un vrai besoin de se lâcher. Heureusement, il pourra compter sur Wyatt, toujours aussi amical, spontané et adorable, et sur un certain Ilya … Aaaaaah Ilya, mais qu’est-ce que je l’aime !! Comme d’hab, Ilya est extra, avec son humour décalé, sa façon de lâcher des bombes l’air de rien … (Je n'en peux plus d'attendre le tome 6 !!!!)

Et puis évidemment, il y a LA rencontre avec Harris, en charge des réseaux sociaux de l’équipe d’Ottawa … Harris est un pur arc-en-ciel dopé au sucre (et aux pommes !! ^^), un vrai rayon de soleil. Harris, c’est le genre de gars ami avec tout le monde, qui porte fièrement les couleurs du drapeau LGBTQ+, il a beaucoup de charisme, et il aura très envie de dérider ce nouveau joueur sur lequel il fantasme depuis des années … Mais quel amour ce Harris !

il y a vraiment un jeu de contrastes entre les deux hommes, et leur duo fonctionne très bien. On est plutôt dans le slow burn, ce qui est tout à fait cohérent avec le vécu de Troy. C’est une belle romance, touchante et tendre, ils vont vraiment bien ensemble ces deux-là ! Ils sont vraiment adorables tous les deux, j’ai adoré suivre l’évolution de leur histoire. ♥

Outre la romance et le hockey (de bonnes scènes de match comme j’aime !!), Rachel Reid aborde ici le sujet de la masculinité toxique, avec ces conversations de vestiaire, ce sexisme ordinaire, mais aussi, sur un aspect plus grave, la prise en compte de la parole des victimes, et la façon dont la société réagit. Elle montre ici une ligue, une équipe, un public qui défend envers et contre-tout un violeur présumé, et comment la situation se retourne contre Troy, qui a pourtant pris la défense de ces victimes présumées. Et franchement, c’est absolument écœurant et révoltant de lire certains passages … Et du coup, le contraste entre ça et la camaraderie et le vrai esprit de fraternité qui règne au sein de l'équipe d'Ottawa n'en est que plus marquant, car les joueurs sont vraiment des mecs bien, sympas, ouverts, et intelligents ! Et le coach est également un super personnage, là encore, avec lui, on est à l'opposé de la masculinité toxique !

La fin du roman offre une scène bourrée d’émotions, qui m’a mis les larmes aux yeux, et je n’ai pu m’empêcher, à ce moment-là, mais aussi à d’autres moments au cours de ma lecture, de penser à ce tout jeune joueur de NHL qui vient de faire son coming-out, quelques semaines après celui d’un joueur de NFL. J’espère que ces deux hommes recevront un maximum de soutien aussi bienveillant que celui qu’on peut lire dans nos romances …

Une bien chouette lecture donc, forte en émotions, à la fois douce et intense à certains égards, avec des dialogues très réussis, un casting de personnages secondaires 5 étoiles, bref, un vrai bon moment de lecture ! ♥

Troy is a hockey star, on top of the world until he gets traded. His only option is to suck it up and play the type of hockey that makes him happy. Which he definitely isn’t. Then Harris bounces into his life and he realizes he’s just been marking time waiting for something extraordinary.

Some angst, a nice slow burn that heats up rapidly, and teammates that create a well rounded story. Hockey players from the other books in the series were here in full force. Family also figures in to the story.

The book deals with sexual abuse (off page), which, though the subject is unpleasant, it was, I thought, handled carefully. Also Troy’s coming out journey seemed realistically done.

Good book and a welcome addition to the series.

Bottom line: A beautiful, gripping story of redemption and self-discovery.

The stand-alone fifth novel in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series is a real treat. With themes of hurt/comfort and coming out, "Role Model" is a stunning read that is filled with emotional discoveries, bravery, and an opposites-attract couple who fit so perfectly.

This book is super trope-y, which honestly is a huge win, especially because the narrative is so well crafted and the characters' voices are unique and evolve so naturally.

Troy Barrett and Harris Drover's love story and swoon-worthy romance ticks so many happy-sigh boxes. The heat is sizzling, the internalised angst emotive, and the journey the two take is beautifully balanced, sweet, and exciting.

A definite must-read.

Unsurprisingly, this book is really good! The latest installment in the Game Changers series tells the story of Troy Barrett, former asshole, and Harris, the social media manager for Troy's new team, the Ottawa Centaurs. Troy has finally come out from hiding behind the homophobic comments of his former teammate/best friend, Dallas Kent, and taken a stand in support of Kent's sexual assault victims. Unfortunately for Troy, his bravery lands him traded to a new team in Ottawa. Oh yeah, his secret boyfriend also dumps him. So Troy is at a low point in his life when he meets Harris, the openly gay social media manager for the Centaurs. The two have the perfect grumpy-one-loves-the-sunshine-one as Troy can't help but be drawn into Harris's world. For Harris, he can't believe that the NHL player that he's had a crush on for years apparently reciprocates his feelings? It's adorable.
This is probably my favorite book in this series after Heated Rivalry. Troy's growth from being a shut down homophobe to being able to be proudly gay is great, and I really appreciated that there was no real "dark moment" in this book. Ilya, of course, steals every scene he's in, and the desperation I now feel for The Long Game is very real. Really excited to see where this series goes!