4.5 - I stopped and restarted this book a lot in the last few months, but I finally pushed through. TBH, it wasn't until I was close to 50% of this book that I decided that I indeed liked this book. Specifically, there's a fish stew moment and that changed everything for me. From that moment on, I couldn't put this down. Some of that is on me as like Riley I too am grieving parental loss. Some of that is because while this is a very slow burn, the pace of this book is also pretty slow, despite the bulk of it mostly taking place over the course of a week. Riley is the sweetest MC - yes, he is dealing with past/long-term mental health issues as well as more recent grief - it's a lot, but it is well done and I really felt it. I didn't like Adam for a chunk of the book. His past behavior was...quite poor. By the end, though, I really fell for him - he was earnest and complex and it just took him a REALLY long time to figure himself out. But he did - he won my heart by just going all in. So, yeah, I ended up loving this book as well as Riley and Adam. I also loved the Nova Scotia setting. I've been there before once and it is just gorgeous - I loved being able to revisit it via this book. This book has light spice, but is heavy on emotions.

I received a complimentary copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this. I went into it not knowing anything beyond it was Rachel Reid and involved hockey players which is usually a winning mix for me and it did not disappoint. Second chance romance is not usually my thing but the reason behind their time apart makes sense so I enjoyed it. This goes back and forth from the present to the past and I liked how the story unfolded that way instead of a time jump in the middle. The story unfolds without any real outside drama which with the death of a parent being the catalyst for the characters reuniting I really liked because I feel like it would have been too much for the character to deal with on top of his grief. Adam was so clueless about himself and his feelings when he's younger but it's very realistic that it just makes you feel for him when he realizes it all. I loved how their relationship came back together and I feel like it worked so well. The small town setting was so great, I'm sad it's a fictional town because I really want to go visit. Also Lucky is the cutest fur baby ever.

Reid is my one of my favorite authors and this book will be going on my shelf as another favorite of hers. I loved Riley so much. His grief over his father was portrayed so well and made me hurt for him. Seeing his friendship and the trust between him and Adam rebuild was so sweet. I cannot wait to read this again when I miss these two.

5/5 ⭐️s
🌶️🌶️ - medium spice

LOVES:
- My heart breaks for young Riley 💔 and older Riley. And Adam. Sad all around 🥺 but it was addressed in such a meaningful way and felt so realistic to experiences that real people have had.
- Riley’s grief about his dad is portrayed excellently.
- As Adam tries to slowly make amends and just be a friend, my heart just kept growing 💗 Seeing the trust and friendship build back up between them is adorable 🥹🥰
- These two are achingly sweet; I absolutely love them together. This somehow felt like the cutest thing without ever venturing into cheesy territory, which is impressive!

This was beautiful and sad, but also heartwarming and hopeful. I loved it and I highly recommend.

Thanks to @netgalley for the eARC 💝 Release date is March 4th!

I'm several books into my fandom of Rachel Reid, and she continues to deliver! I'm a sucker for sports romance of all shapes and sizes, but I'll be honest -- I was getting tired of forbidden relationships set during players' careers. Enter Reid's latest, The Shots You Take. A refreshing, heartfelt, deeply emotional ride post-career for two hockey players that really hit me in the feels. I loved that Adam was determined to be there for Riley when he needed him most, even though Adam did him dirty when they were younger and Riley wasn't in a place to forgive and forget. Lots of heavy emotions throughout, and the timing could've been better for the spice considering Riley was grieving his father, but love is love and it can't be stopped. *shrug* This was a quick read (skated through it in a day, pun intended) that was really sweet and heartwarming.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

"𝚁𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝙰𝚍𝚊𝚖 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚖. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖...𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢'𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚍. 𝙸𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝙰𝚍𝚊𝚖.

𝙸𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚁𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢."

When this book began, the tone was decidedly heavy. Riley was knee deep in dealing with the loss of his beloved father. He was not in a good mental head space. He especially wasn't in the headspace to deal with his former best friend and love of his life to show up at the funeral after YEARS of no contact. I honestly didn't blame Riley one bit for being upset. I also didn't blame Riley for removing Adam from his life all those years ago. Their relationship brought him nothing but pain by the end.

"𝚁𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚢'𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝙰𝚍𝚊𝚖 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖. 𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚎'𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚊 𝚏*𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍."

As you can guess Adam had a lot to make up for after his arrival in Riley's home town. There was definitely some next level groveling. I don't think I would have continued reading this book if Adam didn't truly show how sorry he was for his behavior in the past. Some of the things that happened had me cringing in sympathy, so I couldn't imagine being the one who actually had to stand there and take it. To also be fair, this all happened in their late teens/early twenties where most people aren't known for making the most mature decisions.

I loved Riley's family. His mother and sister were so supportive of him and you could tell how much they cared about Riley. They cared about Adam too, especially since they were in the dark about everything that happened between them leading to their friendship ending.

A lot of growing up and healing had to happen for Riley and Adam to get their HEA. It was a bumpy road along the way with Riley's mental health issues and Adam's internalized homophobia taking center stage. I don't know if they would have worked if they made a go of it back in their 20s. I am sad that Riley's father never got to see him finally settled with the man he loved, but I also believe that after all these years they got the timing right at long last.

What’s worse than running into your ex? Running into your ex at your dad’s funeral—when said ex is the former teammate who broke your heart, and shows up out of nowhere after more than a decade.

Riley is not thrilled to see Adam again, and honestly? Fair. But Adam? He’s got a decade’s worth of regret, personal growth, and very unresolved feelings to deal with. And as much as Riley would love to ice him out (hockey pun fully intended), the spark between them is still there—taunting, tempting, and way too hard to ignore.

This book delivers all the second-chance angst, grumpy ex-athlete vibes, and small-town nosiness you could want, with a side of spice that says “we probably shouldn’t, but oh, we definitely will.” It’s raw, messy, and emotional in the best way, with a romance that makes you work for the HEA. Adam isn’t just here to grovel—he’s here to earn Riley’s forgiveness, and watching that play out is chef’s kiss satisfying.

And let’s talk grief. This book isn’t all heartbreak (trust me, the steam levels keep things scorching), but the way loss is handled? It hits. It’s poignant without ever overwhelming, making Riley’s emotional journey feel so real.

If you love MM romance, older main characters, and serious character growth, The Shots You Take is a must-read. And yes, it’s spicy—so buckle up.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (because love isn’t over at 40—and forgiveness is the hardest shot to take)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

4.25 stars - I am going to like pretty much anything that’s a sports romance and a second chance romance, so there is no real surprise that I enjoyed this. I really enjoyed that the main characters were in their 40s, as you don’t often see that. I will say that I am woman reading an MM romance, and this book feels like that is the target audience it’s trying to reach. I’d be curious if someone who has been in an MM relationship would find the dynamic in the book relatable/realistic.

The Shots You Take is the mother of all second chance romance stories. So, so heart wrenching. Other tropes include gay awakening, best friends to lovers, and grief/comfort. Ultimately, the story is incredibly uplifting and redeeming, but it takes some time to get there. Plenty of angst along the way, but also emotional depth, forgiveness and second chances. The slow burn of reconnection is sizzling. 100% recommend if you're into this genre.

ARC received from Carina Adores via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

This book is why I struggle so hard with second chance romance. Ideally Riley would have told Adam to kick rocks after what he put him through over 2 decades and found the true love of his life but alas that isn't the story I read. This is my first Rachel Reid novel but it won't be the last. I really liked how she wrote tension, character depth and angst. I'll give her a second shot but not on a second chance romance. LOLLLLL

When I tell you I AM A SIMP for older MCs with a lifetime of experience behind them finally ready to settle down and find their HEA. I loved Adam so much and fully believe he deserves all the good things in this world. These 2 had a tense history, spanning decades and a lot of trauma, so I wasn't sure how this romance (and especially Adam) was going to win me over but, eventually, it did!!!!! I was screaming to call the "red flag guy" multiple times throughout the book tho!!!!

What I enjoyed: the groveling was top tier and I love that Riley still made Adam work for it even the Adam was so apologetic. Adams story tugged on my heartstrings and really brought his character full circle for me, even though he had a million opportunities to do better, in the end he did and I tried to focus on that. And the fact that these MMCs were older just added to the charm.

What to expect:
-Older MMCs (both are in their 40s)
-Ex hockey teammates to friends with benefits
-Small town/hometown return
-Second Chance romance
-friends to lovers
-Grief

I do think Adams family/ex-wife could have been more present. It felt intentionally left out which made this seem like a lack of closure on how they integrated with Riley and Adam as a couple but otherwise I loved the pacing and heart in this book.

By the end I would've gladly laid in front of a train for Riley.
3.5 stars / 1.5 chili pepper

Awe this was so beautiful. Usually not a fan of second chance romance but this was done beautifully. Thank you to NetGalley and Rachel for letting me read this ARC!

The thing that always draws me to Rachel Reid's novels - the hockey aside - is the emotional depth of the characters.  Boy oh boy, did both Adam and Riley have emotions in spades.  So, yeah, I cried through probably three quarters of this book.  But don't let that put you off because a) I'm an emotional person and b) it's just so good.

Riley Tuck is grieving and grieving hard.  Having just lost his father, he's awash in emotion and memories.  Unfortunately, I related to Riley's situation, having lost the most important person in my life a few years ago.  His heartache, his lost-ness, his anger were all very real and raw for me.  The way he threw himself into work was also very familiar, and it only made me want to hug him that much more.  That said, I also understood how he was using his anger - and work - as a shield from facing reality.  That his father was gone.  Oh, and that the man who'd broken his heart was desperately trying to catch a minute of Riley's time.  

Adam Sheppard's lived a charmed life, or at least, that's how it seems.  However, he's come to some conclusions since retiring from the NHL and one of them involves his old teammate, Riley.  To Adam's credit, he doesn't expect much, if anything, from Riley.  He knows that his actions in the past were pretty crummy, and all he wants is a chance to apologize and potentially rekindle their friendship.  That he hopes for more goes unspoken.  In the flashbacks, Adam doesn't always come off as the best person, but it's obvious that he's matured and become better.  Does it fix the past?  Of course not, but it's a step in the right direction.  

The Shots You Take is a wonderful, emotional story of love, loss, and redemption.  While the story itself lacks in actual hockey, the culture and the community surrounding the sport is well represented, both the good and the bad.  It's a heartbreaking tale of lost love and second chances, one that's worth the tears to find the happily ever after.

The Shots You Take is a beautifully written second Chance Romance. Adam and Riley will own your heart and soul with their struggles and regrets about what transpired. These two will have you all up in your feels as they learn to accept themselves and try to rekindle a flame they thought was lost but was only dimmed.

This was the first book by Rachel I’ve read but it won’t be my last. Her prose was seamless and timeless in its execution. The emotions she elicits within her characters will cut you deep but also heal your broken pieces as theirs are healed. Loved this story so much and can’t wait to read more from Rachel.

If you like:

~ Small Town Romance
~ Second Chance
~ Friends-to-Strangers-to-Lovers
~ Sports adjacent
~ Slow Burn Romance

You’ll like this:

“The Shots You Take” is a MM hockey romance in the loosest sense. Honestly, it would be more fitting to say that this novel is what happens when a MM hockey romance matures and grows up. It has depth. It has emotion. It’s not cookie-cutter or stereotypical. It’s realistic in its pain, grief, and growth.

Our characters are in their 40s, retired from hockey, and learning to live life outside of the NHL. They had a relationship in their twenties and it went sideways, but life kept on lifing.

If you’re looking for an emotional second chance romance, this is a title you should read. The hurt/comfort trope shines in “The Shots You Take”. There is a lot of pain, a lot of grieving - both for people and for lives that could have been - but there’s also a lot of relief and joy for second chances.

“The Shots You Take” is a slow burn, filled with the full spectrum of emotions. Check for any content warnings if necessary, and read it when you’re emotionally ready, but don’t miss this. This is Rachel Reid at her best.

I found The Shots You Take to be a heartbreaking, devastating, and beautifully written story about grief and love and discovering self. It's an emotional, hard-earned second chance romance between two retired NHL defensemen set in a small Nova Scotia town, and I found myself emotionally invested in both Riley and Adam from the start. (WARNING: The story opens with the sudden death of a parent, so be aware if you're sensitive to this theme.) Our main characters are grown men in their 40s, and I really appreciate seeing some older characters and life post NHL career in a hockey themed romance.
I definitely cried multiple times while reading, but it was so compelling I couldn't put it down. I know I often see requests for books that will help us through an emotional catharsis, and this is a perfect story for that. (I see you, my fellow "I need a book that will destroy me" folks). I finished TSYT several days ago, but I needed it to settle and to think about what I wanted to say about it.
It absolutely crushed me to watch Riley go through losing his dad, and trying to figure out what comes next for him. I loved that it wasn't instantly easy for either him or Adam after seeing each other again. The struggle feels really honest and authentic. The mental health representation was so good too. It was inspiring and hopeful to see Riley and Adam claim their issues and not just dive right back in because it would feel good temporarily. HUGE props to Rachel Reid. This book could not have been easy to write, but it turned out beautifully.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin, and Rachel Reid for the ARC opportunity.

Oh Rachel Reid…you know just how to suck me into a book and make me never want to put it down. The Shots You Take was no different - the characters, the story, the setting, all of it kept me turning the pages for more.

Riley Tuck and Adam Sheppard were roommates and teammates when they first started out in the NHL together in Toronto. They’re best friends and more than that, but things never quite go how they’d like and things change with their relationship. We see moments of their early days together via flashback and it’s heartbreaking to know what happened but also to see it happening in detail as well.

The majority of the book takes place in the present day, starting with the funeral of Riley’s father and Adam’s reappearance in his life after more than a decade apart. Their second chance is colored by grief, emotions and hurt in the beginning and, at points, it’s a little difficult to read in both the present day and the flashbacks. Riley’s pain over what happened between him and Adam is palpable and the events that happened afterwards completely changed his life, taking him out of the professional hockey world and forcing him to face his demons while building the quiet, small town life he loves so much. Adam comes into town during some of Riley’s toughest days, looking to right his many wrongs with Riley and make up for treating him so poorly when they were younger.

I loved that both of these MCs were in their 40s and acted like it. They had real conversations about tough things, confronted the hurt that kept them apart, addressed all of the things they’ve learned about themselves while they weren’t part of each other’s lives and generally acted like adults. It was real and refreshing and felt right for this second chance romance. The things that Adam did to Riley in the past were horrible, but his dedication to making things right between them and all of the things he did to make that happen made me finally believe that he was there for the right reasons.

This book handles some heavy topics - toxicity in professional hockey, grief, mental health, addiction - in a way that seamlessly wove them into the story and made it feel real, like Riley and Adam were real people I could meet tomorrow. Their story wasn’t typical and it wasn’t all happiness, but it was real and that made their HEA even more rewarding to read because they worked for it and grew as individuals to get there together.

[arc review]
Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Shots You Take releases March 4, 2025

Riley and Adam spent their late teens and early twenties as best friends, roommates, and teammates in the NHL. They even shared many passionate moments together behind closed doors, though Riley’s love was always left unrequited by a man who stayed closeted until his forties.

After a tense and almost irreparable fallout lasting over a decade, Riley and Adam reconnect for the first time when Adam shows up to the funeral of Riley’s father.

This was an angsty, right person wrong time, second chance romance, and yet… I never found myself rooting for them as a couple.

The dynamic between Riley and Adam always felt largely disproportionate (one person constantly giving, and the other only taking), and quite frankly, Adam toyed with Riley’s feelings too much over the years for him to have the audacity to come back into Riley’s life and emotionally manipulate him again at his most vulnerable state — the damage was done and Riley deserved to finally move on and shed the weight of Adam’s humiliating reactions and the detrimental affects those had on his mental health.

I DNFed if at 25%. I love second chance romances but I just couldn't connect with those two characters. Their past relationship was full of red flags and it hurts me reading it. Adam couldn't accept who he was and he hurts so much his best friend who was in love with him.

Then, when they meet again, Riley is grieving and seeing Adam again hurts him but he's so angry and emotional, he punches the wall many times and it triggered me.

I absolutely loved other stories by this author and I think this book will be liked by many but it wasn't for me.

Read it if you love :

✨ Small town romances ;
✨ Second Chance Romances ;
✨ LGBTQ Rep ;
✨ Slowburn ;
✨ Retired Hockey Players ;
✨ Mental Health Representation.

Thank you to Carina Adores for my gifted review copy. My opinions are my own.

This sorta second chance love story starts out with a funeral and a surprise attendee. Riley is reeling from his dad's death, when his ex-best friend and ex hockey teammate Adam Sheppard shows up to the funereal.

Riley has a lot of complicated feelings that he is dealing with, running from a lifestyle that harmed him, running from Adam when feelings weren't returned, running from the limelight, dealing with the grief of losing his father, but also healing nestled into his supportive hometown. Adam made a lot of mistakes that ended up costing him his best friend, his wife, and he's attending the funeral to try and fix some of his mistakes.

There are some miscommunication issues, but it's because conversations aren't had, but this story has all of the emotions building to the actual fulfillment of the missed conversations, because Adam isn't going anywhere, and Riley is stubborn as well. I love that Riley and Adam are not in their 20's, they are full grown adults, in their 40's, with all the things that happen at that stage in life. This is an emotional rollercoaster that you are excited to ride because you can see the good parts coming, and there's plenty of good times, even during the grief.

Highly recommend this story.

I am first and foremost a perfectionist. That is most debilitating when it comes to things I truly care about. It’s taken me months to attempt this review because I so badly want to be able to convey my deep love and appreciation for this book in a way that honors what Rachel Reid has so graciously given. This is a story I will return to time and time again because the pain is so so so worth the journey and destination for these characters. There are few novels that convey what Reid manages to convey in this story. THIS is what second-chance romance should be. This is what a relationship to another person - what we owe to the people we love - should be.

One of my favorite aspects of Reid’s novels are that her characters are so well defined. It feels like I know them because they inhabit not only themselves but also their surroundings. They are defined through their homes, their interests, their friends and family. One-dimensional is not a term that could ever be seriously used when describing the characters in these stories.

I don’t always love second chance romances because they too often rely too much on history being told and the relationship development suffers. However, The Shots You Take is not afflicted with this issue and was very satisfying in the reparation of the relationship and the development of the characters. The conflict between Riley and Adam was not simple or superficial. They make real efforts and take healthy means of repairing their relationship, especially Adam. He is patient and is clear that he has no expectation of Riley to reward him with forgiveness. Their interactions and the representation of loss and grief were deeply emotional and had me in heavy tears that resulted in having to take a few moments in order to continue. I’m not a frequent crier, so when I react this way it’s a sign of effective writing to get at the core of emotion.

It’s a strong statement, but I think The Shots You Take may just be my favorite book I’ve ever read. I’m not sure there’s a book more manful to me or representative of the care I want to receive and see in the world.

As always, I will take whatever authorial gift Rachel Reid offers, and I will cherish it. Thank you, Rachel!