Rachel Reid has done it again! Riley and Adam hooked me right from the start and kept me late into the night. Their story is very angsty, and Riley's emotional turmoil had me feeling all the feels, and Adam also got me right in the soft spots. This second chance romance blew me away because it showed glimpses of their past - the good times and the bad - juxtaposed with their fraught reunion and slow progress forward. I liked that Adam was careful and patient, and that he really wanted to make sure Riley wasn't spiraling after the death of his father. Likewise, even though Riley is hurting and angry, he still cares for Adam and doesn't want to see him in pain. It's a lot and at times I thought, how is this going to work out? Their love story is like one of Riley's lovingly tended crops - needing care, time, and attention to truly flourish. Romance aside, I also loved the Nova Scotia small town setting and all of Riley's friends. It was wonderful to see the way that his hometown accepted all of him and made him feel welcome. There's not much on the page hockey play because the characters are retired, but the weight of their careers is in everything they do, especially Adam. I like that they talk about the impact playing pro hockey has had on them, physically and mentally. I loved every minute with these characters, even when they were hurting me with their feelings!

Second chances
Grief
Dual timeline
Groveling
Slow burn
MCs in their 40s



Adam and Riley, best friends and teammates in the NHL, through a series of events Riley had to make the choice to cut Adam out and ends up ghosting him for 12 years. We learn the reason why in flashbacks

The story starts with Adam coming to Riley’s hometown after learning Riley’s dad, a beloved member of the community (who was also important to Adam), passes away and tries to reconnect with Riley. Riley is furious when Adam shows up, even though it’s been 12 years every emotion floods to the surface and Riley isn’t ready to deal with it.

The slow pace of the romance was perfect, anything else would have felt too fast. These two had issues that needed to be worked out while dealing with their own struggles. I loved how genuine and messy their story felt. It was an Angsty and emotionally fueled journey.

I found this to be very different from any of her other books. The way Reid wrote about depression, grief and the discussion of mental health, addiction and sexuality within sports was very thoughtfully and honestly done.

A gay hockey romance? Sign me up. I don’t know what it is about gay romance stories and hockey, but they seem to go together like cheese and crackers. I can’t seem to get enough or stay away. I loved the books Heated Rivalry and The Long Game, so I knew going into this book that I was going to love it and I was not disappointed.

"Someday, Riles. You and me, sitting in a hot spring, watching the northern lights."

Characters: 4⭐
Plot: 3.5⭐
Writing Style: 4.5⭐
Enjoyment: 4⭐
Overall rating: 4⭐

What to expect? The Shots You Take is a classic Rachel Reid book. It follows Riley and Adam, two former hockey teammates both now middle aged. This is a second chance romance, it's a story of redemption, regret and learning to accept yourself.

Things I loved?
🔸 I loved the writing, I loved the characters and the beauty of this story. There isn't much I didn't love.
🔸 But a real stand out for me was that this was dual POV and the inner monologues were so so so well written.
🔸 And I loved that we got a few flashback chapters, these were highlights for me.

What could be improved?
🔸 I don't think this book dove far enough into the characters and the incredibly complicated pasts they have. Reid breezed over a lot that I thought needed to be aired out. I don't think the two mmc's really sat down for an in depth conversation. Most of the conversation and growth that happens is internal and not spoken aloud.

Books recs if you liked this one?
🔸 Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid. This is by far Reids best book. I don't think anything will ever top this read. It's certainly my favorite hockey romance. It's similarly about two hockey players, it's enemies to lovers and it has all the angst and tension of The Shots You Take.

Would I recommend this book? A million times yes!

A beautifully told second chance romance by hockey queer romance superstar who deserves all the praise she gets. The depiction of grief is so well portrayed and well written in this book. The redemption arc for Adam really tugs at your heartstrings, he tries so hard to earn back Riley's trust and love. And Riley is such a sweetheart with a big heart and big emotions. You get quickly attached to both characters and root for them to get their happily ever after.

This was sooo good. It might've dethroned Heated Rivalry as my favorite of Reid's books that l've read. A really lovely second chance romance. Reid doesn't skate over the difficult ending of their friendship, and it makes their reconnection so much more compelling. I really just loved Adam and Riley so much by the end. I would read like a hundred more pages about them!

Spoilers below:

I think this is the best second chance romance l've read. Riley's heartbreak was believable, and I loved how he didn't immediately forgive Adam just because he wanted him now. Adam has to actually work for Riley's trust, and it was so sweet watching that unfold.
Absolutely loved Adam's journey of acknowledging he's gay finally in his forties. Their situation is messy, and Reid doesn't shy away from it.

A heartbreakingly beautiful romance from one of my favorite authors! I was nervous to start this one, as second chance romances aren't always my thing, but I shouldn't have doubted Rachel Reid. I laughed, I cried, I kicked my feet.
I cannot wait to read this again. 10/10

4.5 stars

If you’re looking for an angsty second-chance romance that ends with all the squishy feelings, look no further. There is a lot to unpack in the relationship Riley and Adam have had through the years and, after not talking for over a decade, it’s time for them to finally face the past and what they were to each other. It’s terrible timing as Riley’s father just died and they were very close. He’s grieving hard when the man who broke his heart shows back up in his life.

Some may say Adam didn’t grovel enough to deserve having Riley back in his life. At times I was concerned about the same thing. Yet, as the story progressed and Riley found forgiveness in his heart, it was Riley who won me over to Adam’s side. Once he let go of his anger, he understood the scared young man Adam had been all those years ago.

Riley spiraled and ended his hockey career early when things fell apart with his best friend. It’s hard to be in love with someone, spend almost every waking moment with them, and watch them immersed in their family life. He had to give himself distance, and once he did that he couldn’t fool himself any longer so finally went home to his small town to live a quiet life. A life in which he has thrived.

Not only do Riley and Adam have to forgive the past and speak the truth about what really happened all those years ago, but they also need to figure out if they can even fit into each other’s lives. They both have things that keep them in their respective cities that cannot be easily given up. I had the hardest time with that…worrying about Adam’s kids. Although it’s a well-known fact that teenagers want nothing to do with their parents, I wish they were brought into the conversation more. As a mom, I wanted the acknowledgment of how important they were to Adam to be more than it was. I was so relieved when he finally expressed that he could never regret having them so couldn’t regret the direction his life took.

This author’s stories always pull me in and grip me tight. I knew there would be a light at the end of the tunnel for this couple, but she put me through an emotional wringer before they got there.

This story was a cute read for my first hockey romance book. It features two retired hockey players and focuses on a second-chance romance. I loved Riley right from the start. Although Adam initially seemed like a complete jerk, he ultimately redeemed himself by the end of the book. The emotional growth in the story was well executed. The transitions between the past, where the reader could feel Riley's pain and heartbreak, and the present, which showcased Adam's changes and emotional growth, were done perfectly. However, I wish there had been more emphasis on hockey throughout the story but I enjoyed Riley and Adam getting a second chance on love.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Harlequin - Romance | Carina Adores for my copy.

3.5 stars

I loved Riley and Adam! Their relationship was so sweet. 🥹 However, there were big chunks of the book where I was sort of bored. And the end seemed rushed to me.

I am still getting over my Onyx Storm hangover so that may be part of the problem. 😅

Thanks to Harlequin & NatGalley for the ARC!

I want to start off by saying there’s nothing wrong with this novel. All of my complaints are about personal preference, not the actual quality of the book. If you like all of the tropes and storytelling structure used, it’s a great novel.

This story goes back and forth in time quite a bit in order to fill the reader in on the character’s backstory. I did appreciate that these were always sectioned off by chapter – we never went back and forth in one chapter. Despite this, I hate when stories do this. I know why it was used, but it really throws me off and I feel like I can’t flow with the story because we keep popping around in time.

I also don’t enjoy the hate to love trope, and this one included some really difficult relationship history between the characters as well. This is a well-loved trope, but I don’t really enjoy it. Their history was so heavy that it wasn’t particularly pleasant for me to read. I don’t personally enjoy that much strife between love interests.

This story did cover some really heavy topics, and I feel like it did a good job in this regard. Both main characters had a number of problems to deal with on different levels, and the discussion around those things and how they (eventually) dealt with them were great.

I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. I’ve read most (all?) of Rachel Reid’s other M|M hockey romance and liked them, and am happy to read more in the future. This one, unfortunately, just had a lot of elements that I don’t particularly enjoy.

I’ve enjoyed all of Rachel Reid’s books. This one is more serious than her previous books, but that’s not a bad thing. I liked reading about two players who were in their forties. One’s career ended 10 years ago, and the other is at the end of his career. It was refreshing to get their perspectives and not the usual “hotshot at the top of his game” or “struggling player works to improve his game” books that are all too common in hockey romance.

A beautiful story of grief, love, and acceptance. It won’t be for everyone, but if you can handle the heavier content (death of a parent, grief, depression), it’s well worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book is what you wish for when your heart is irrevocably broken. It's the healing process from young love into a love that can endure. It's a heavy story. It starts at Riley's dad's funeral. The emotions are high, and that doesn't lend itself to the best of reunions between Riley and Adam.

Both Riley and Adam have some accountability to how their relationship was when they were young. They didn't communicate well. They hid their feelings from themselves. In Adam's case, he still hadn't come to terms with his sexuality. That's a lot to put on two young men who are living in the macho culture of hockey. The years that have passed since, they are both in their 40's, have given them clarity that they were without in their youth.

There's such deep emotional (and physical) pining. They are drawn to one another. They yearn for the other. They see where they hurt each other in the past. They are aware of their wounds that are still healing. And the background to ALL OF THIS is deep grief over the loss of Riley's dad. I honestly, applaud (and was frustrated by) how slow they took this.

It's a slow burn.

I loved watching these older characters. It gave this story a heaviness, a weight to it that can be missing from characters in their 20's. While Adam is newly "out", he's an established adult. Riley has built a full life for himself in his hometown. We get a deep sense of his community, both his literal family and the people who support him. It's what Adam was missing. He let hockey be his grounding, but didn't create deep relationships outside of it. We also see Adam deal with aches and injuries from hockey. They have to watch out for his shoulder!!! Yes! Bodies get old and they are still sexy.

If you love hockey players, but don't want to see any sports played, this is for you. If you love a deeply emotional second chance, go read it. If you want to see two men who are the other halves of each other, this book will make you whole.

This was a cute second-chance romance with some hockey elements thrown in.

While I enjoyed the story and characters overall, I had some issues with the writing. It oftentimes felt stilted and choppy and the dialogue felt forced at times.

I read a good bit of hockey romance and it was refreshing to read about two guys at the end of their careers and not some young guys just starting out. Riley’s career ended about 10 years before the start of the book and he’s done his self-acceptance and is now the one dealing with grief which isn’t easy to begin with and then Adam shows up and it’s just all the emotions. Adam is dealing with a level of grief himself as his career is ending and he’s at this point of trying to figure out where his place is anymore.

Ried does such a good job of giving us the complicated feelings of both men and flushing them out into full bodied characters. It was so easy to root for them and get fully invested in their story.

The promo was correct, it was hard for me to put this book down.

*3.5 rounded up*

The only sports romances I will read are Ms Rachel Reid's but I oh how I wish the covers weren't what they were (like these men are supposed to be in their 40s and the cover does not give that).

A very endearing a slow burn second chance romance. The Shots You Take is more of a "one room drama" than Time To Shine was so it tends to feel a bit more stagnant at times.

Another hockey romance from Rachel Reid to give you all the feels. Perfect for fans of this series and hockey romances.

Rachel Reid is a go to author from me so signing up for this arc was a no brainer, I would love to see Rachel take a swing at writing a non hockey romance, but overall this was a lovely read that fit well with the rest of her books

This was a really lovely meditation about grief, regret, and second chances. I loved the way Reid allowed her characters to grow up and redeem themselves--especially Adam. This one definitely has a different vibe than Reid's Game Changer series--both main characters are retired and, aside from how it bound them together originally, the hockey background feels somewhat irrelevant. It got me wondering if Reid is working out how to stay on brand with her hockey romances while writing a different type of quieter, non-hockey story she is being drawn to.

I really loved this tender book.

The Shot You Take was my first Rachel Reid book and it is definitely not my last!  Reid was exceptionally detailed in her writing and you could feel everything her characters were feeling. I was really able to connect with both Riley and Adam and it made the flow of the book even more enjoyable.  Each character we meet has their own form of baggage and it was clearly detailed out for the reader. -  Riley and Adam are ex-teammates and former best friends who are given the precious gift of a second chance. If both are willing to be vulnerable with themselves and each other and fully explore the chemistry they are both feeling then a shot at forever after is not out of the question!