Hockey romances are everywhere these days, but a gay hockey romance? with conflict, resolution, and characters who are not caricatures of any one stereotype? Consider me a big fan.

I loved Riley, his adorable quirks and charming interior style spoke to me. I loved the way he moved Adam, even when it was hard.

This book is a modern brokeback mountain, sans the aggressive heterosexuality and upsetting violence.

Thank you for sharing this digital copy with me.#NetGalley

“𝙄’𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙣. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙄’𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩.”

Rachel Reid is back with another heart warming hockey romance that’ll have you crying, laughing, and swooning.

“The Shots You Take” is the story of Adam and Riley - best friends since rookie season turned friends with benefits. Their benefit relationship was a secret for years, and while Riley knew his sexuality, Adam was a whole other story. As Riley’s feelings grew, Adam remained oblivious which ultimately leads to the end of their relationship and friendship.

Twelve years later and a tragic incident causes Adam and Riley to be back into each other’s orbit. Riley wants nothing to do with Adam or the feelings that still linger years later. However, Adam has different plans. One that involves righting the wrongs of his past, and getting the man he’s always loved.

Second chance romances aren’t typically my thing since they’re sometimes a little too cheesy for me, but this one was perfectly written. While Adam has his faults, he’s such a golden retriever and just adorable. Like he’s obsessed with small town living and literally can befriend anyone. Riley, our sweet, broken man. I loved the relationship he has with his family and friends, and seeing him blossom throughout the book. He’s been through a lot, but deserves all the love.

I’ve always loved Rachel’s writing, and while this may not be my typical read, I knew Rachel would make this something special. If you’re a lover of second chance, small town, hockey romances, then definitely give this one a try!

Slow burn for sure....I like hockey romances and the mental health rep was nice to see. I love Rachel Reids books!

It's hard to put into words how emotionally satisfying it was to read this book. I'm typically not a huge fan of second chance or high angst romances. They tend to make me sad and I prefer to be uplifted when reading a love story. But this book seems to have found that magical sweet spot where it can be full of intense emotions, guilt, regret and grief without being a total mood killer. Quite the opposite actually. It felt cathartic to read about Adam and Riley finding themselves on their own time frames and then falling back in love with each other.

Having read and loved previous novels from this author I had high expectations and she delivered on every single one of them. I powered through this book in about 24 hours despite having a very full schedule. I couldn't put it down for more then an hour without thinking about it and needing to know what happens next.

Very similar to another one of her books, Heated Rivalry, this book showcases the relationship Adam & Riley have over several years. Its not chronological like Heated Rivalry was. Instead it mainly focuses on the present day, where Adam & Riley starting talking to each other again after over a decade of going no contact. But it does do whole chapter flashbacks at appropriate moments to give context (and feeling) to references the characters make during the present. It has a satisfying ending. Not as completely perfect as I was hoping for but much more realistic and somehow that makes it better.

I cannot wait for this to come out on audiobook as I will definitely being listening to it so I can experience it again in a different way. Its a book I know I will be thinking about for a long time and will most likely reread. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read, not just romance & LGBTQA+ readers.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ of 5 overall
🌶🌶🌶 of 5 on the spicy scale
☕☕☕☕ of 5 for coziness
🧁🧁🧁 of 5 for sweetness

Key Factors-
Second Chance Romance
Dual POV
Hurt/Comfort
Friends to Lovers
Sports Romance
Time Jumps & Flashbacks
Coming Out
Grumpy/Sunshine
Death of a Parent/Funeral

The Shots You Take follows Riley and Adam, who reconnect after Riley’s father passes away and Adam decides to attend the funeral to support him and attempt to rekindle their friendship. This romance is a wonderful blend of heartwarmingly cute and deeply emotional. Riley’s grief is plays a big part in the story and we get to feel everything that comes with losing a parent. I also loved that the main characters were older and were retired hockey players, it brought a refreshing change of pace.

The focus on mental health is another standout, with the people in Riley's life offering genuine support as he navigates his journey. Rachel Reid consistently excels at creating layered characters brimming with chemistry and yearning, though, in hindsight, there aren't as many scenes where the main characters simply spend time together and fall in love. I rarely notice this while the reading the book because the palpable yearning and chemistry keep you fully engrossed in the story.

This started breaking my heart in the first chapter and I loved every single moment of it. This is <i>angsty</i>. You have to love the pain a little bit, and Reid writes it so well it's hard not to. This is a second chance romance but just a little more than some others. I feel like a lot of MCs "break the heart" of the other but it's not anything more than them leaving or not returning feelings. This is NOT the case here. There needs to be a lot of redemption and we have it and it's perfect. I loved that these were 2 older MCs that have been through a lot in their lives and are now trying to figure out what that will mean for not only themselves but each other. It's not necessarily an easy read, but it is so addictive. I think this is my favorite Reid work of all time.

The Shots You Take was not the book I expected to read when I started it, but once I got into the story I had a hard time putting it down. This story was so much deeper than any run-of-the-mill hockey romance. As a second chance romance between two professional hockey players, it was multilayered, unique, and heartfelt.

Riley Tuck has been in love with his best friend and teammate Adam Sheppard for years. The difference between the two of them is that Riley is an out gay man whereas Adam doesn't seem to recognize himself as such. They have a deep friendship that is broken apart by being on two completely different pages, causing Riley to not see Adam for more than a decade. That was until Adam showed up at Riley's father's wake. Adam has changed significantly since he and Riley last spoke. He wants nothing more than to prove that to Riley, but doing so amidst Riley's terrible grief may not be the right time.

The Shots You Take is a beautifully written mix of friends to lovers and second chance tropes. It's set in a great small town in Nova Scotia and includes likeable, realistic side characters. While there wasn't a lot of on-page hockey action, the main characters' time as NHL players is still important to the plot. I'd highly recommend it to fans of hockey romance!

Riley Tuck and Adam Sheppard are former teammates and best friends whose relationship went up in flames. Riley moved home to his small Nova Scotia hometown of Avery River, and Adam went on to become professional hockey's golden boy. A decade later, after the death of Riley's father, Adam finds himself in Avery River hoping to help Riley put the pieces back together. Can Riley and Adam work through their past pain and shared grief?

Rachel Reid's "The Shots You Take" is a sweet, spicy, emotional second- chance MM romance. I found myself instantly drawn into Riley and Adam's stories and their shared history. Their chemistry lit up the page. This book was unputdownable and I finished reading in an afternoon. This is my first Rachel Reid book, but will definitely not be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this title early.

Rachel Reid has done it again! I’ve devoured every single one of her books and this one was no different! I adored both Adam & Riley so much! It was so nice to see them reconnect and help each other become the best versions of themselves after all the hurt that they went through in the past! I just loved this book so so much!

Rachel Reid is well-known for her queer hockey romance novels for good reason. She does a fantastic job capturing the adrenaline of the sport and juxtaposing it with the rush and passion of sexual awakening and falling in love. With this new novel she gives a different side of the sport: Retirement and all the memories, lingering pain, and regrets that can come in the aftermath. This is a slow-burn, second chances story about two 40-something men who played crucial roles in each other's lives and now must decide how they want the next chapter of their lives to go. There is a lot of grief, hurt, and groveling as Adam tries to comfort Riley after the death of his father and make up for his cruelty towards him years ago. It's a beautiful, heart-wrenching story. I loved that it was set in Nova Scotia, somewhere I've never visited but the details made it come alive. I also really appreciated how realistic it was. Hockey is not romanticized - the injuries, mental health issues, and bigotry that can come with the sport are all addressed frankly. Overall this is a lovely story I would highly recommend, just have your tissues ready.

I LOVED Rachel Reid's latest heartwrenching hockey romance. This was a beautiful second chance/first love story, and the characters were totally unforgettable.

4.5 rounded down to 4

Riley used to have feelings for his teammate and roommate Adam, but he shut himself off from them years ago as a matter of survival. But when Adam shows up at his father's funeral determined to make amends, is Riley ready to let him back in?

Read if you like:
-Later in Life Romance
-Second Chance Romance
-Angst...so much delicious angst
-Grief
-Finally Getting it Right

The angst in this book was top notch! There were so many lines that completely gutted me in the most delicious way. I was hanging on every chapter wishing and hoping for these two stubborn idiots to work it out. It was the type of story that settled under your skin and becomes a little part of your DNA. I loved that Riley and Adam were older and slightly wiser. It added depth to their romance.

The only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars, and it's a small thing, was the ending. I was waiting for one last flashback, one last piece of angst, but it never came. That's not to say it wasn't a satisfying ending. It just could have been stronger.

This was such an angsty and emotional book by Rachel Reid. I cried at least 3 times in the first half of the book.

Adam and Riley's story is so heartwarming and perfect, and I absolutely loved the slow burn/ reconnecting in their 40s, as well as the flashbacks of what their relationship was in the past when they were young hot hockey players.

If you like MM hockey romance with lovable side characters, cute dogs, and hot ex-hockey players, this book is for you!

Oh this book! I devoured it so quickly. As someone with familiarity of small town life in Nova Scotia, this one really hit close to home for me. I could feel every emotion. The story was heartbreakingly beautiful and I’m so thankful I got the opportunity to experience it. Rachel Reid doesn’t miss with this one. It’s nowhere near a typical hockey romance as both characters have retired, but it’s the hockey romance the world needs.

Trying to express how much I loved this book - It was actually perfect. I was fully hooked from the very beginning and could not stop reading even though I have tons of grad school work to do. THIS IS ABSOLUTE SECOND CHANCE GOLDDDDD. I literally feel crazy over the angst and tension. Riley and Adam are made for each other and I feel so attached to them.

This story deals with emotional topics, such as coming out, grief, an addiction, in a very sensitive and not overwhelming way. It has so many beautiful moments and character growth. The then and now timelines were executed very well as well. My new favorite MM romance by far 🥹

I absolutely love everything Rachel Reid writes and The Shots You Take is no exception. I love the new take on her normal hockey romance with a post hockey look at life and older, second chance romance. Adam and Riley are both so real and flawed, my heart aches for them. I love the love letter to Nova Scotia, it makes me want to visit and see what I’m missing. 10/10 would recommend, and will most definitely be rereading.

I have loved everything Rachel Reid has written. I'm a big fan of her previous series so I was excited to see that she was releasing a new book. This book was very sweet and the character work was so great, just like her previous books. Reid has a way of getting you immersed into the story and creates such loveable characters. I liked the time jumps and the relationship between the two mmc's was so endearing.

What a phenomenal book. I wanted to just devour it, but made myself slow down to savor it.

Rachel Reid does such a fantastic job writing romances that deal with huge emotional upheavals. This one dealt with grief and goodness, I could just feel the emotion coming out of the pages.

This is a second chance romance, which had be hard to love, especially if the original reason the first relationship did not make it was bad enough. The author did a great job balancing this, to make it believable and giving the characters enough grace to learn and grow.

I really enjoyed how the main characters are in their 40s, but we do get flash backs to when they were younger.

I can’t wait to read another by this author. Loved it.

A quick and romantic read. The Nova Scotian setting was well-built up. I liked the community of people. For fans of Check Please! by Ngozi Ukazu and E.L. Massey.

I’ve read everything by Rachel. I’m a die hard fan of hers. Will read anything she writes. She never disappoints. Her stories are full of emotions and feelings. The shots you take is nothing short of emotional rollercoaster second chance romance. I loved that these characters are older, more mature, but yet they deal with issues real people experience every day. I enjoyed this book so much.