I loved this book so much. The characters were amazing, the plot was easy to follow, the romance was top notch. Rachel Reid delivered a masterpiece with this one and I'm already counting down the days until I get to reread it. Thanks to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think I would love any book Rachel Reid writes because her hockey romances are intoxicating but so good. They always contain sprinkles of relatability and mental health representation. The Shots You Take did not disappoint! In fact, I'm surprised by how much I loved this one! It was the softest, small, coastal town love story. I'm not usually a fan of second chance romance either because I prefer getting to watch two character fall in love genuinely, without a messy past or prior feelings involved, but this book proved me wrong! A second chance romance can be good when so much time has passed that the love interests have to learn each other all over again. It was so refreshing to see them slowly and tentatively come together and trust themselves to fall in love again. I couldn't put this book down, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet hockey romance.

Rachel Reid is an auto buy author for me, and when she announced the details of this title, I knew I would be reading it no matter. I was definitely intrigued by the second chance premise between two former teammates, and seeing them more than a decade removed from their relationship. But little did I know the emotional, caring, heartwarming journey Reid was about to put me on with Riley and Adam.

Adam, a single dad professional hockey retiree finds himself in the hometown of his former teammate and lover after 12 years of radio silence because of a devastating loss in his immediate family. Riley, the grieving son tasked with shouldering the loss of his hero, is not expecting to see the love of his life at his dad’s funeral service — and expects it even less when Adam overstays his welcome in his small town to help Riley with his store.

I was all in on the slow burn journeythat Adam and Riley took to find their way back to each other. As men who spent most of their professional career in the closet due to the cultural climate of their sport, they have to learn how to take care of each other in a truthful and healthy way. Despite the distance and boundaries that their relationship sustained, their care for — and attraction to — each other is crystal clear.

Bouncing between the early days of their relationship, which was all drunken hook ups and hidden feelings, and the present situation of treading carefully towards a new future together was incredibly rewarding. I do wish we had lived a little bit more in the present after their reconciliation, but that’s being said knowing that I could have happily sat in 200 more pages of this book.

I loved so deeply the representation of middle aged queer community in a small town. For Adam to be welcomed so readily into that fold was affirming, and I’m so glad that scene was an essential part of Adam’s self acceptance and positive movement in his and Riley’s new relationship.

This story is definitely for people who aren’t looking for something plot heavy. This story takes a meaningful and meandering path that centers forgiveness, self love, and the persistence of true love. Whether you are a long time lover of Reid’s previous work or this is your introduction to her, get ready to fall head over skates in love with Adam and Riley!

The Shots You Take was a fun read and I’m usually not a fan of romance without an extra plotline or genre (fantasy, thriller, etc.) but I took a chance because I like one of Rachel Reid’s previous novels. I’m glad I did because this one was also an enjoyable read for me. I loved that there was plenty of angst but no third act breakup. Overall, would recommend, even as a primarily non romance reader.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Help. My heart has been smooshed around and squished and I don’t know what to do about it.

Rachel Reid pretty much said “what if I gave you two messy humans that are young and stupid and screw it all up and then give them a tender love story after years of separation” and then I got it in my hands and cried about it.

I think this is a perfect example of let messy people be messy. Let people that aren’t perfect and have been not that great in their young adulthood learn some hard lessons and find a happy ending. Adam isn’t intentionally a bad person. He’s a closeted NHL player in his athletic prime and he’s *terrified* to admit he’s gay even to HIMSELF. So it’s no wonder that Riley has enough of enough and cuts contact. It doesn’t make Adam a bad person. He’s just a lost 20-something pro athlete with a huge secret in a homophobic sport. I couldn’t hate Adam if I tried.

And trust me, Adam and Riley have it out once Adam has the nerve to show back up in Riley’s life (while Riley is grieving his father). But after the yelling and hurt is gotten out of the way, it’s very tender and very sweet. Two middle aged former hockey pros learning what it is to be committed to each other and deciding whether they can make things work after 12 years. I cried…3 times? And each time was because these two were angsty sweethearts and I wanted to scream at them to just admit they always loved each other!!!

Which they do. And it obviously works out in the end. But on the way there it was like if Shane and Ilya were older, had hurt each other emotionally quite a bit more, and if Shane was a hot Dilf with a thick tummy. (RR, plz write this Long Game epilogue thank you).

Phenom. Loved. Highly recommend.

Thank you Harlequin and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I loved this one! Riley’s father had passed, while trying to deal with his feelings someone from his past walks back into his life. Adam’s an old teammate, ex friend, and someone he had feelings for. As the two reconnect and Adam tries to help Riley with his grief will they be able to let go of the pain of their past? Can they trust each other? Full of grief, love, and all the feels! A lovely second chance romance that’s sweet, charming, and has a lot of heart! Highly recommend!

I love this book so much!! After reading Rachel reads book Time to shine I fell in love with mlm open door romance novels, and she is now the gold standard author for me in this type of genre. Immediately after the first few pages of Rachel’s books, I instantly love the story and writing style. I love how these characters are hockey players, and it seems to open the door into a world we never get to see in real life (that I like to think has some truth to it.) I think hockey players have so much more to them than the brute athletes were shown on television and it’s too easy to forget! These stories are such a nice reminder of the complexity of people. Even if it’s fiction, it’s a welcome idea that there is more to these people in real life too.

The Shots You Take is a story between a former hockey player, and his ex-best friend and teammate, and it is really sweet. It dives into some big topics, there’s grief around the death of family member. There’s definitely some abandonment trauma that we see, and there’s also some very sweet sweet love that has lasted for a very long time. The characters go through a lot together and are at a point now where they haven’t spoken in many years and we are seeing them reconnecting unfolding and I absolutely loved it.


I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance novel that goes a little bit deeper and is a little more interesting than your average romance. It’s spicy too which is fun!!!

Third act break up haters this book is for you! This book did a really wonderful exploration of grief surrounding the loss of a parent. Riley is struggling in a way that is really raw and compelling. I haven’t lost a parent, but I had two family members pass away this year and this book really encapsulated the humor that can be found in times of grief.

I’m sure there are some good straight hockey books out there but the queer ones are just built different. All the queer books I’ve read have a deep love for hockey but they’re not afraid to critique the ways in which being a professional athlete can ruin someone’s life. This book looks touches on substance abuse, homophobia, and parental pressure in ways that felt meaningful but still lighthearted. There may be difficult topics at hand, but this book still felt like a warm hug. I think much of that can be attributed to the sweet small town setting.

Rachel Reid’s last three releases have just been impeccable. The Iliya and Shane books with always be my favorites but she’s been reaching similar heights with the last two standalones. I’m glad that she was able to take a year off and I can’t wait for the next standalone or Luca book. If you’re looking for somewhere to start with Reid’s books the standalones (Time to Shine and The Shots You Take), Heated Rivalry, or Game Changer is where I’d start.

CW: death of a parent, mc with a substance abuse disorder in remission, mc with previous suicidal ideation, and allusion to abusive parents

🚨New Rachel Reid Book Ranking🚨
1. The Long Game
2. Heated Rivalry
3. The Shots You Take
4. Role Model
5. Time to Shine
6. Common Goal
7. Tough Guy
8. Game Changer

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel Reid has a beautiful brain. I love the heart that she infuses into every single one of her books. Are they also hot as sin....yes! But they're so sweet and mushy gushy that the sex really is just a cherry on top.

I believe there is a content warning at the beginning of this book, but if there isn't, just know we are dealing with grief from a very recent death of a parent. And she does not skimp on that side of things. Riley is really going through it, and he took me on that ride with him. But while Riley was going through it, he was still one of my favorite characters. He's just this really cute 30ish gay man living his best small town Canadian life.

Then there's Adam. Who is figuring things out, and also desperate to be there for the one that got away. He's had this beautiful life up to this point, with a wife and kids and plenty of money and recognition from his super successful hockey career. And for a long time, he had his best friend who he used to hook up with, Riley.

There's a lot of water under the bridge between these two men. And the way that they navigate it, and the persistence with which they care for themselves and each other is really lovely. Avery River also sounds like a dream town. More than a book boyfriend, this book gave me a book hometown to dream about. <3

Thank you, NetGalley and Carina Adores for the ARC copy!

MM, second chance, best friends to lovers, hockey romance. Riley & Adam’s love story was wonderful to read and I absolutely adored this book. I don’t usually enjoy books written in the third person but easily got used to that after a couple of chapters.

This was my first Rachel Reid book and where has she been my whole life? This was absolutely amazing. The emotion that she wrote into this story was phenomenal. I loved every minute of the journey Adam and Riley took us on. The dual timeline added so much depth. I could go on and on about how much I loved this book.

Such a beautiful second chance romance and example of how to support someone through grief. Rachel Reid is becoming a must read author for me.

Thank you to Carina Adores NetGalley for the ARC!

Rachel Reid is one of my favourite romance writers and I will devour everything she writes so I was delighted to be given this ARC.

I really enjoyed this one. I’m unsure how I feel about second chance romance, and truthfully I feel Riley could’ve been angrier. But I kept reading as I really enjoyed the storyline and I think it was handled quite well.

The portrayal of grief after parental loss was excellent and very hard-hitting. I feel awful for Riley and I’m glad he got his happy ending.

I do recommend this to those who have read Rachel Reid’s previous books, and I will definitely look to get my own copy.

Rachel Reid does it again! The Shots You Take is an emotional, second chance romance with grownup characters and lots and lots of feelings. I adore this story, especially its fantastic mental health discussions and the journey Riley and Adam each take to find their HEA.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hockey teammates Adam and Riley were best friends and lovers. But Adam denied his sexuality and shut down any time Riley mentioned feelings, and married a woman and had kids. Now more than a decade later, Riley’s beloved dad’s dies, and Adam shows up at the small town Nova Scotia funeral. He wants to support Riley, but Riley is grieving and has years and years of heartbreak and despair to leave behind. Can he move past his hurt and have a second chance at happiness with Adam?

I adore these two and just want to give each of them a hug. Do I also want to yell at young Adam for being a dumb dumb? Sure. But his journey makes sense, even with all its bumps along the way. The poignant story is mostly vibes and great characters. Not only do I adore Riley and Adam, but the secondary characters, from Darren and Tom to Lucky the dog are truly special.

The time Riley and Adam spent apart clears the way for them both to develop as individual people, which is what makes it believable that they can finally forgive and move ahead years later. The mental health discussions here are great, both with Riley’s matter of fact portrayal and with the recognition that professional hockey has had a terrible track record when it comes to mental health.

Clearly I have a thing for romances with grownups lately, and The Shots You Take is a wonderful example. I love seeing older characters earn their HEA, especially when the road to get there is a little messy. Rachel Reid writes an amazing romance, and Riley and Adam’s book is a special, emotional story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was so good! It was such a beautiful and emotional story about second chances.

Riley and Adam were best friends and teammates until Riley left his hockey career and broken heart behind him. After an unexpected tragedy, Adam travels to Riley’s hometown to be there for him even though it’s been years since they’ve seen each other. Fighting through grief, Riley starts to remember why he fell for Adam in the first place, but they have such a complicated past that he isn’t sure they’ll ever have a future together.

I really loved Riley and Adam. They had so much history, pain, and love between them. There were so many times that this book made me cry. I was rooting for these two the entire time and waiting for them to get their hard earned happy ending. I also loved that they were in their 40s because you’re never too old to fall in love and finally live the life you were always meant to live. This is a perfect read if you’re looking for an emotional second chance romance, best friends to strangers to lovers, lots of angst, and a satisfying grovel.

THE SHOTS YOU TAKE by Rachel Reid is an excellent second-chance story set in Nova Scotia. Star defenseman and team captain Adam Sheppard and fellow defensive player Riley Tuck were best friends, and then more, before a panicked reaction blew everything up in the most painful possible way. More than a decade later, Adam heads to Riley's hometown of Avery River to try to repair that friendship.

Rachel Reid's story is beautifully written and I could not put it down. Riley and Adam have each worked hard over the years to reach a better understanding and peace with themselves, and it is deeply moving and heartening to see them then wrestle with their feelings with regard to each other. There isn't one magical conversation or quick fix, and I loved seeing their friendships and families provide some real support as well.

Ms Reid has written another story for the keeper shelf.

This was an unexpected Rachel Reid—I ended up loving the middle-age characters and think that’s refreshing in romance. I like the second chance at love & the grief elements. This one wasn’t as “fun” as the first Rachel Reid I read but it’s still an excellent version of what it is, MM hockey romance set in Canada. I’ll continue to read everything she puts out.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

✨”Being normal about you. I can’t do it. I’ve never been normal about you. Don’t want to be.” ✨

After moving back to his hometown ten years ago, Riley Tuck left his major league hockey career and his broken heart far behind—at least, that’s what he thought. But when an unexpected tragedy strikes, it brings ex-teammate and former best friend Adam Sheppard back into his life. Adam’s not sure he’ll ever win back Riley’s trust after the way they left things. But as Adam helps Riley navigate his grief, long-buried feelings start to resurface.

Eight books in, I’m convinced Rachel Reid is our lord and savior 🙂‍↕️🙏 She just never misses!!!

The Shots You Take is Rachel’s latest standalone hockey romance. It doesn’t take place in the Game Changers universe and the Time to Shine universe (I think? I’m not sure about that because they have similar covers and vibes, but idk).

Constantly impressed by how Rachel Reid writes hockey romances that feel different and unlike any of the others she has written before. While The Shots You Take has an exploration of mental health like The Long Game, and while it’s also a lot more rom-comy and less smutty like Time to Shine, this one has a more melancholy tone to it.

There’s a lot of grief and longing in this one. Grief as Riley starts the book off having just lost his father, but also grief for what his relationship with Adam used to be.

Second-chance romances are always either a hit or a miss for me. It’s usually a miss if we don’t get to see what the characters’ relationship was like before the breakup, but that was not the case with this one!! We get brief glimpses into Adam and Riley’s relationship before whatever happened between them happened, and they RUINED ME.

Simply, I love it when a romance has so much angst, longing, and yearning that it becomes painful!! I LOVE SUFFERING !! I love it when a romance book ruins me ✋😔

This might be in the top three Rachel Reid books for me? I need to do a full reread, but I think it’s just behind The Long Game/Heated Rivalry in my ranking (I don’t think anything will ever dethrone those two. They are everything to me. I would die for Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander).

All of her books are amazing! I would definitely recommend them for anyone who loved hockey romance!