The Shots You Take is a warm, emotional second-chance romance about two former hockey teammates, Riley and Adam, reconnecting after years apart. There’s a lot of heart and history between them—they were best friends, secretly lovers, and then everything fell apart. Now they’re stuck back in their small hometown, facing the past and figuring out if there’s still something real between them.

This one hits all the good tropes: second chance romance, friends to lovers, forced proximity, and a cozy small-town setting. It’s a slower burn with a lot of emotional depth, perfect if you’re into romances that focus on healing and personal growth. A thoughtful, tender read that still gives you all the feels.

I don’t always enjoy books that involve revenge and shaming, but for this particular book I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the writing style and I could not look away.

I used to be all about enemies to lovers but I think a second chance friends to lovers read is in a league all it's own. There's nothing that hits the angst better and sets the emotional stakes higher. And The Shots You Take? Oh man, def hits this trope out of the park. Thanks to @harlequin for the ebook.

✔️ Hockey Romance
✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Roommates
✔️ It's Just Sex
✔️ Small Town
✔️ Hurt/Comfort

The last person Riley wants to see during his father's funeral? His former bff Adam who be used to hook up with back when they were teammates until that dynamic proved to be too painful and he left that team suddenly. Now, Riley is more well-adjusted, but yeah, this blast from the past who is just as hot as ever is bringing back old feelings and making life more complicated again (in good and bad ways!)

I love this as a setup. If you know me, you'll know that Him by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen and The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen are two of my faves. They're both second chance friends to lovers set in the hockey world; The Shots You Take will live right next to them as I think best in class of this very specific trope pairing.

The raw pain Riley feels around Adam as well as all the gooey feelings from early in their relationship? You waffle between both as you read and you feel just as torn as Riley. The plot os great, the characters are too, particularly Riley's friends and family - all combine to make this story feel like it's happening to someone close to you.

5⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

The Shots You Take is an emotionally charged second-chance romance that doesn’t pull any punches (especially when it comes to grief, regret, and the messy process of healing). Rachel Reid excels at diving deep into raw emotional territory, and the characters in this story grapple with love, loss, and the weight of their shared past.

Riley is a beautifully drawn character, reeling from the sudden death of his father, who was his biggest supporter. The grief is palpable and heartfelt, and those early chapters hit hard. Then there’s Adam: the once-closeted ex-best friend who broke Riley’s heart and has now reappeared just in time for the funeral. It’s complicated, to say the least.

This story walks the fine line between tender and infuriating. Adam’s past actions are hard to forgive—he hurt Riley deeply and for a long time—but the slow rebuilding of trust is written with nuance. There’s a lot of groveling, and while I still had mixed feelings about Adam by the end, I appreciated his growth and the small, quiet ways he tried to show up this time around.

The writing is strong, the emotional beats are intense, and the intimacy—both physical and emotional—feels earned. While some elements strained believability (like Adam’s oddly invisible children and the overly neat resolution with his ex-wife), the overall story felt authentic in its portrayal of mid-life love and redemption.

This isn’t a lighthearted read, but it’s one that stays with you. I definitely recommend this book for readers who like their romances complicated, cathartic, and packed with feeling.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The biggest issue with second chance romances is that there can often times be a lot of emotional baggage right from the beginning without any great context for it. For this book it seemed to really stymy my emotional investment from the start. I'm sure people can enjoy this for the steamy romance scenes but I didn't care enough about the characters themselves to stay invested with how the story was told.

Rep: MLM romance

4.5 Stars.

FULL REVIEW IN MY BLOG:
https://aishasbookworld.wordpress.com/2025/02/24/review-the-shots-you-take-by-rachel-reid/

“Hockey makes us into liars.”
Riley’s fingers stopped. “Hm?”
“Liars,” Adam repeated without opening his eyes. “About how much pain we’re in. Mental health, addiction, all of it.”

Riley Tuck and Adam Sheppard were roommates, best friends and hockey teammates in their twenties. During that time, they also had a friends with benefits dynamic. Unfortunately, while Adam saw it as a funny thing (or so he thought then), Riley had deeper feelings for Adam; he was secretly in love with his friend. Then Adam married and started a family, and Riley eventually asked for a trade and left Toronto, brokenhearted.

Twelve years later a tragedy hit Riley’s family and Adam, now divorced, shows up in Avery River, Nova Scotia to support him. But that’s not Adam’s only purpose to come to Riley’s hometown after so many years, he also wants to make things right with the man he finally has the courage to love. Their reunion brings some truths to come out and feelings long buried resurface. Could they leave a past full of pain, to have a future together?

This book is simply fantastic. The story’s well narrated and developed, having nice transitions and well described scenes. The fact that the book goes back and forth in time, telling what happened between Riley and Adam, is great because Ms. Reid had the ability to find the perfect moment to make those time switches without interrupting present time’s chronological events. In addition, although I wanted more hockey stuff, because Adam and Riley are retired NHL players, I can buy what we have about the sport in the book. And the epilogue (guilty: I LOVE epilogues!) is PERFECT.

The Shots You Take is a story about second chances, redemption, forgiveness, friendship, grief, self growth, and love. This is my first book from this author, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.

ARC given by Harlequin and Carina Adores via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for your trust.

Rachel Reid is the GOAT of hockey romance. Everything she writes is amazing. The Shots You Take is different from her previous books in that we're seeing older MCs who getting a second chance at love while still grappling with their queer identities. These are two sad boys coming together and learning what it means to love each other and Reid writes it beautifully. I will forever read anything she writes.

Thanks to Carina Adores and Netgalley for my ARC.

This is a M/M second chance hockey romance with two appealing heroes who have to overcome multiple obstacles to reach their happy ending. Riley and Adam have such chemistry, but grief and past mistakes make their journey emotional and well worth taking. Highly recommended.

Although I found myself wishing for more passionate moments between the characters, I can appreciate the author's intent. The gradual reconstruction of their relationship required careful pacing, and the emotional development was executed well. Ultimately, even though I didn’t connect with the couple as much as I hoped, their journey was filled with significant and memorable moments.

I throw myself at the altar that is Rachel Reid writing queer hockey romances.

THIS is how you do second chance romance. It has been a decade that Adam and Riley have seen each other and during that time, they’ve stopped not only being friends who Do Things to… not being friends at all.

I loved The Shots You Take so much. I thought it was beautifully written and a very realistic and beautiful story about the grief of losing a parent (not a spoiler; the funeral is how the book begins). The people who are there for you during the first days, the worst days, end up being the ones you recognize as important. And when Adam shows up for Riley after years of silence? Yeah, that’s the stuff.

Rachel Reid is a master of character and by the time we’ve finished the first POV chapters for Riley and Adam, we know them. The plot almost doesn’t matter because these characters are so specific and complex and detailed. I know who they are, I know why things fell apart between them, and I know what they need even if they don’t want to admit it.

Anything Rachel Reid wants to write, I’m there day one. Add this to the list of incredible books she’s written.

Ya know I really wanted to love this. I saw hockey romance and MM and I was sold. What I was not sold on was the second chance (as it’s not my vibe), so that’s a me problem. I didn’t hate this book, but I also was just skimming away at times. Overall cute book! Thanks for the arc !

Book 14 of 2025 - ✅! Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin - Romance | Carina Adores & Rachel Reid for an ARC of The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid, in exchange for my honest review.

Long-time romance reader, first time hockey romance reader, here. The Shots You Take drew me in pretty quickly on NetGalley, based on its adorable cover, and having looked up author Rachel Reid, who has a devoted following. Sports romance isn’t generally my thing - I want to say my first venture into it was via the Baseball Player/Sports Journalist pairing in You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian, and (naturally), I thought it was great. While sports also really aren’t my thing, I like to think that I’m a pretty supportive wife to my sports-loving and specifically, hockey-loving, Canadian husband.

The Shots You Take centers on retired hockey superstars Riley Tuck and Adam Shepard. Riley’s surprise, Adam appears at Riley’s father’s funeral after basically having disappeared from Riley’s life after 12 years. Part of the book is told in a dual-timeline, where the reader sees their relationship at the height of their success a dynamic duo in hockey in the early ‘00s. In ‘24 - Riley is living his life as an out-and-proud gay man in the fictional small town of Avery River, Nova Scotia, and recently divorced Adam is living in Toronto trying to figure out what it means to be his most authentic self. The two examine their past, look toward their future and Adam works to do right by Riley.

I thought this book was very sweet, quite steamy (at around the 72% mark, the book really kicks it into high-gear and goes into about 4.5/5 🌶️’s until the end), and I appreciate that there’s no 3rd act break-up at this particular juncture. I also loved that it was by a Canadian author and it took place in Canada (I mean, it IS about hockey), and was very thoughtful about how it portrayed men’s (especially men in sports) emotions. Additionally, both MCs are over 40, which was also very refreshing.

4.5/5 ⭐️ and 4.5/5 🌶️ - I look forward to reading more of Rachel’s “sad hockey players” books soon! 🏒 🇨🇦 👬

This book was a sweet reminder that it's never too late to make amends and to live the life you want to live.

Riley and Adam's second-chance romance was so heartwarming. I loved the dual timeline aspect between them in their 20's playing professional hockey, and them in their forties living very different lives.

When Riley's father passes away, Adam ventures all the way to Nova Scotia to see Riley, whom he has not seen or spoken to in 12 years. He is now divorced from his wife and has come to accept that he is gay.

I found Adam's journey so relatable as someone who struggled to accept their own bisexuality. While Adam did make mistakes that hurt Riley in their past, I loved the way Adam fought for forgiveness and proved to Riley he had grown. I found myself relating and sympathizing with both characters, and I really believed they deserved their second chance at love together.

I also really appreciated that for most of the book they were in their forties, which is an age group that I feel is often neglected in Romance books.

I really loved Adam and Riley's story.

Riley's father dies (off-page), and at his funeral, Riley's former teammate and biggest heartbreak shows up. Adam wants to be a support for Riley, and to pay his respects to a man he had looked up to for years. Adam sticks around in town, even though they haven't seen or talked in over a decade, just in case Riley needs him, but Riley doesn't want or need the help... does he?

This is a second chance romance for sure. It was a nice change to have the MCs in their 40s. They're no longer playing, though there's plenty of flashbacks to when they were, and they're now trying to figure out their next steps.

I liked that Adam was trying to be the support Riley needed in his time of grief. I appreciate that, and that he was trying to navigate how to handle himself after finally finding his truth. I just wish he was a little less clueless about how his actions of the past might have affected Riley.

I TOTALLY get where Riley was. Losing a parent is no joke. I do wish that, for both their sakes, they had talked earlier about what had happened to split them up. I get it, dudes don't talk about their feelings, etc. But I think some sort of acknowledgement from Riley, or a blow-up, or something would have happened, instead of Riley running and never looking back. Though there is the addiction side of it that Riley was dealing with too.

This was a good romance. There were frustrations in the storyline choices, but it's a good one. Spicy.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

This was a super sweet book! I love a hockey romance, so a queer hockey romance? Say less. I do think this leans more towards a Hallmark, single dad trope, less than a hockey romance since both Adam and Riley were retired.

"Unfair. This was all horribly unfair. How was Riley supposed to deal with all of this? A man he absolutely did not want to be in love with was making him dinner and buying him flowers and pie? His favorite pie?"

I adore Riley. His ups and downs, his heartaches and triumphs. Seriously, just read the story for Riley. I like his "small life", as well as his quiet life of yearning for Shep. This is a story about shades of grief, about how we deal with loss.

But it's also really about second chances - to be who you are and accepted for who you love.

"Hockey makes us liars. Liars. About how much pain we're in. Mental health, addiction, all of it."

5 stars!

I absolutely adored "The Shots You Take" by Rachel Reid. WOW, what a book! It's a slow-burning "right person, wrong time" second-chance MM hockey romance featuring two former-friends-and-teammates that is full of learning, growing, anger, angst, regret, reconnection, and grief. The emotion in this story made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think... seriously, this book made me feel so many different things. It broke my heart and stitched it back together again. The best books move readers in one way or another, and that's what this one did. I loved Riley and Adam so, so much. Even when they were failing or doing something "wrong," I knew there was going to be redemption there for them, I could feel it! Their connection was so realistic and so strong. The banter between them is equal parts catty and hilarious. I can see why some of Riley's or Adam's actions would turn viewers off or be perceived as selfish, and I understand that sentiment. But, as I mentioned, I think their reconnection is earned over time. Their foibles are examined and taken to heart. Each of them changes for the better by the end of the story, whether they took the time to fix themselves or they fixed each other. Whether or not I would have forgiven Adam personally is not for me to say... it's all on Riley. I think that his reluctance and skepticism were warranted, but his forgiveness and faith in the situation are nothing to balk at, either. All I know is I just really felt the love between the two of them, mainly due to Rachel Reid's impeccable writing style. This book is also full of spice, which is very well written and steamy. There are lots of interesting secondary characters, and the setting is really fun, too. This is my first Rachel Reid novel, and I cannot wait to read more books from her. I was blown away by this book in all the best ways!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Reid, Harlequin - Romance, and Carina Adores for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I really like this book! It was sad and angsty but also so funny and sweet. Adam and Riley were such lovely characters and I really enjoyed their small town.

I've loved all of Rachel Reid's books, so I knew this would be the same but it was just such a great read. I appreciated that Adam and Riley were both older main characters, and that their story picks up so many years after a falling out. The tension and love between them was so clear right from the start.

The Shots you take was a sweet, yet steamy, second-chance, ex-teammates, hockey romance. I couldn’t get enough of these two guys. I am here for older MMC’s in my hockey romance. And the spice….oh boy, it was on point. You couldn’t deny these two’s chemistry, no matter how much they may have wanted to fight it. There is so much angst and emotion and Rachel Reid hits you in the feels right from page 1.

Riley Tuck, retired NHL star, comes home after a family death, looking for a fresh start from his early retirement and recent divorce, and to heal his broken heart. Little does he know the one who first broke his heart all those years ago is coming back to beg for forgiveness and attempt to get him back in his life.

Adam Shepard, big time NHL super star, comes home to Nova Scotia to win back Riley. But can he do that after the way things ended when they won a championship on the same hockey team all those years ago? He will do anything to try.

This one had me crying, laughing and crying again. I am a sucker for a good second chance, ex best-friend romance and this one was so sweet. The epilogue was adorable and left me wanting more Riley and Adam.
Trigger warnings:
• Pain and loss

Thank you so much to Harlequin - Romance & NetGalley for this e-arc.


The story is told in the present, but there are flashback chapters that show us the main characters' friendship from its playful start to its tragic conclusion. We get a few flashbacks to the events that led to their breakup all those years ago, but the story is really about moving forward. This one's primary focus is grief, which may sound strange for a romance. This novel was heartbreakingly beautiful, romantic, and sad all at once. I loved every second of this book, and it was very easy to fall in love with Riley and Adam.