I loved the two main characters and how this book approached grief. It was realistic and didn’t sugar coat it.

This book was heartbreakingly lovely, but folks who are looking for a light and fluffy hockey romance should look elsewhere. The book itself kicks off at Riley's father's funeral in small town Nova Scotia, and the book heavily deals with the grief of a loss of a beloved father both for Riley but also for his family and his community as a whole. On this, one of the worst days of Riley's life, his former best friend-with-benefits, Adam, appears and puts them on a trajectory of reconnection. Adam, newly retired, divorced, and coming to terms with his homosexuality just wants another chance with his former best friend. The story is a beautiful second chance romance of them working through their past and coming together to head into a beautiful future.

I will say, as someone who loves a lot of hockey in my hockey romance, this book was not my favorite of the Rachel Reid books, but if you like your books light on hockey this is definitely for you. It was great in terms of highlighting the importance of community, and the working through of trauma. I did wish we got a little more of the things brushed over in the epilogue and less of the dance of them getting back together, but this is absolutely personal preference not a knock on the book itself.

YES RACHEL!

Thank you for the arc opportunity. It was a somewhat slow burn with some flashbacks. But I love a good MM romance and this did not disappoint.

The relationship between Riley and Adam is sweet and precious. I do love that the story is partly in a small town and mentions Toronto where I’m from and I think it’s funny that way.

The spice is about 2.5/5 but the story is just sweet and I had a hard time putting it down.

This is an angsty, beautifully written romance with a dual timeline. It includes themes of grief.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Overall this book was okay, it wasn’t bad but I also didn’t love it. I didn’t love the middle aged men vibe and the timeline for the relationship bothered me. I think it’s the jumping back and forth in time not being in order. I wish it was more part 1 is their youth and then a part 2 for being older (my personal opinion). I did think that their chemistry was well written though, so I’m giving it a solid 3 stars.

There is something special about a second chance romance, between older MC. Getting to know Riley And Adam was emotional. I was so invested in Riley’s HEA, watching him struggle and pick himself up and despite the hurt and pain and the fear, he made the choice to try and that is so unbelievable brave.

Now I’m going to be honest I wanted Riley to throw Adam out on his A** how dare he hurt him, how dare he be negligent with his heart but he grew on me and getting to understand his side and point of view softened me somewhat and I also needed to remember that this happened in his youth. The way he was there for him and didn’t give up in the end that is what matters.

defending adam sheppard online isn’t enough. i need a gun. listen, i get it — my guy pulled some absolutely crazy shit back in the day! the setup for this second chance romance was wild, i admit: a friends with benefits arrangement ending because of a love confession (and one of them subsequently laughing in the other’s face) is nasty work. NASTY work. but stay with me here, because rachel reid does what many authors struggle with in their relationships and actually takes the time to develop their forgiveness arc.

to me, i feel like that’s one of the strongest parts of the book. riley’s forgiveness is hard-won, and adam puts in time, patience, and effort to apologize for his past actions. i understand why some of the things he did are unforgivable for some readers, but at the same time, i feel a lot of empathy for his situation. to a lesser degree, i’ve been there! denying something that’s such a large part of yourself can slowly destroy you from the inside out, and it’s not as easy as people think to just snap your fingers and accept yourself as you are. it took me years and years to come to terms with the fact that i liked women, and even longer to accept the fact that i was a lesbian; i can’t imagine how hard it must be to do the same in the environment adam was in. he was wrong to do what he did, but i understand him, just as i understand exactly why riley was so hesitant to forgive him. it’s called nuance, people! i feel like that’s part of what makes this such a compelling narrative to me.

anyway, i digress. i personally really enjoyed reading this, but i leaned into the angst and embraced the humanity of making life changing mistakes. i even cried a couple of times! rachel reid does such a good job of showing the tragedy of what they missed while still holding a lot of hope for their future. life isn’t over in your 40s — take notes, my 22 year old friends who think i have one foot in the grave at 27! it felt more serious overall than some of her works, but i loved it. i’ve read every single one of her books and i already look forward to whatever comes next :)

Really good story! I am not a fan of second chance romances, but this is how they should be done. I hesitated at the beginning when Riley thought Adam was still married, but that was cleared up right away. The ending felt a bit rushed to me however I LOVED the epilogue!!!!

5 stars

Is a queer hockey romance by Rachel Reid…of course I was going to love this! But it’s actually less hockey focused since both players are retired and older MCs for the majority of the book with the exception of some flashback scenes. And speaking of, in a second chance romance I love having flashback scenes vs only alluding to the past. It makes it clear what happened previously vs only hearing memories that maybe aren’t the full picture. This second chance is also FULL of angst about how things happened previously and they definitely duke it out a bit. There’s very little tiptoeing around or ignoring the past which felt real. Along with that is also struggles with grief, mental illness, accepting their sexuality, forgiveness, and growth. This is a very deep book but also incredibly romantic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

*2.5 stars rounded down
fool me once shame on you,
fool me twice shame on me,
fool me three times… wait now why did with fall for this a third time

I have some mixed feelings about this book because I absolutely live for the angst that comes with second chance romances but the reason for this being the second chance had me a bit ehhhhhhh.

A big part of the second chance trope is the reveal of why they had their falling out. Most of the time I’m left underwhelmed because it’s usually some stupid miscommunication but the reasoning in this book put me into next level anger. Personally if I was Riley I would not forgive Adam at all. Adam is the main reason that Riley struggled for so long and what he did to him genuinely wrecked him emotionally so him coming around in the end just couldn’t be me.

I mean, although I couldn’t stand what Adam did to Riley it still set up for some delicious angst. I respect that Riley stood his ground and expressed his frustrations with Adam through the book. The dialogue was packed with so much raw emotion that I really appreciated and the inclusion of a couple chapters showing their past added points for extra hurt.

The epilogue lowkey took me out though because it was giving one of those “where are they now?” scenes at the end of movies.

This could be hit or miss with folks and I think it really comes down to how much you project yourself into stories.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me with this ARC.

It blows my mind how Reid consistently writes stories where the pacing and tension ratchet up in perfect sync with the emotional beats of the story she is telling. When I realized she was writing a book with MCs in their 40s, I was curious how she was going to make it work (and it still be a "sports" romance), but I was on board because I love reading books with older protagonists. CW: the book starts in a pretty dark place, emotionally, and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to hang given the state of the world writ large. However, she pulled it back fairly quickly and it is a truly lovely (and hot!) second chance tale with characters who made me swoon and sob (just a little bit!). Loved, loved, loved it. 💗

Review: 3.75 stars

Dang, the angst and emotions just hit you with a whammy on this one. I was forewarned this would be an emotional read and was so glad I went in prepared. I find Time to Shine a more romcom version compared to her earlier works and was wondering if she would take us back to those feelings and was glad she did!

This one is unflinching raw and provoking, hitting just the perfect notes for a second chance romance. I’m all for older and mature MCs and the start of the story begins at such a sad note where Adam and Riley are reunited during the funeral rites of RIley’s dad. Given the interesting history between them, Riley reacts very negatively to Adam’s presence…

I love the small town dynamics and the author captures the essence of Nova Scotia. The supporting characters are great. The strong emotions of grief and angst are reflected in the first half of the book and once Adam and Riley get over their painful history and choose to forgive, the plot takes on tender and sweet moments and they work towards their future. The author captures the feels and the characters dynamics and complex perfectly for this book and showcasing the importance of mental health in this book.

My issue boils down to the characters itself…I had no love for either of them. Adam got the life he wanted while he was denying his feelings for Riley. So much so, he married a woman and also ended up cheating on her with him and started a family. And he finally showed up in Riley’s life after 20 odd years to apologize and try to fix their relationship? I don’t really buy it…Riley on the other hand, chooses to be traded to another hockey team to avoid Adam. He eventually quits hockey for good when his mental health spirals. His reaction upon seeing Adam was so negative due to his mental inability to process strong emotions can be seen as violent and I struggled with that at moments in the first half of the book.

Thank you, Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for the eARC. It was quintessentially a Rachel Reid book!

3 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

Riley, you deserved better.

I'm going to start with what I liked first. I really loved Riley and showing his depression and mental health struggles. I loved that he knew his limits, especially when it came to alcohol and therapy, and that he knew he had a safety net of people who loved him. I loved the portrayal of grief in this as well. Losing someone with such a big personality is so damn hard because nothing will be good enough to take their place.

But really, that's where the book and I start to not get along so well.

I agree with a bunch of other reviewers who said that Adam didn't grovel enough. He strung Riley along for so long, even cheating on his own wife with Riley, and then just waltzes back into his life when Riley is most vulnerable. I get that it's supposed to be a HEA, but I would have told Riley to run if I was in this story.
The casual bi erasure in this also kind of irked me. Adam being bi wouldn't have taken away anything from the story, but I guess in this world, you can only be straight or gay. Nothing else. Him loving his wife and having kids would do nothing to change the story.

Rachel Reid has been a must-read author for me for some years now, and in her latest standalone romance, proves once again just how strong and versatile a writer she has become. The Shots You Take is very different in tone from last year’s Time to Shine; that was a funny, warm and joyful story about two young men in the early stage of their careers, while this book is quieter and more introspective, an angsty, character-driven second-chance romance between two former hockey players whose lives took very different trajectories and who have a lot of baggage to unpack if they’re to get their HEA at last.

When the book begins, Riley Tuck has been hit very hard by the sudden death of his father, a wonderful man and fantastic dad who was a role model to Riley and very much loved by family, friends and everyone in their small-town community. The rawness of his grief is palpable and intense, and just as he thinks life can’t get any worse he’s proved wrong when, on the day of the funeral, he sees a very familiar figure entering the church, one he’d never thought to see again. Adam Sheppard ripped his heart out and stomped on it many years earlier, and the last thing Riley needs now is for him to show up looking for… what? Riley doesn’t know and he doesn’t care.

Riley and Adam met when they were rookies for the Toronto Northmen and quickly developed a strong friendship which, on Riley’s part, turned into a huge crush. For three years, Riley pined for his straight bestie until one night when they were both a bit drunk, Adam kissed him. After this they started hooking up regularly and Riley, almost dizzy with the knowledge thatAdamcould actually want him in the same way Riley had wanted Adam for so long, didn’t immediately notice Adam’s skittishness after they had sex; the way Adam would get up and leave almost as soon as it was over, or that he would never sleep in Riley’s bed, even though they didn’t have roommates who might walk in on them. Adam always brushed off Riley’s attempts to talk about what they were doing and insisted they were just two guys having fun. But when, some years later,Riley couldn’t help telling Adam how he felt about him and Adam basically laughed it off, Riley finally realised that Adam was never going to give him the things he wanted.Not long after this, Adam got married and had two children, and eventually, and for his own good, Riley requested a trade, moved to Dallas and told Adam never to contact him again.

That was twelve years ago, and Riley doesn’t know what to make of Adam showing up at his dad’s funeral. His main reaction is one of anger – after everything that happened between them, there’s nothing Adam can possibly say or do that will make up for what he did and Riley doesn’t want him around. Adam can see how badly Riley is hurting and wants, desperately to do something to help, but when Adam tries to talk to him, Riley makes his feelings very clear and tells Adam, in no uncertain terms, to leave.

But Adam has changed. After his divorce a couple of years earlier – which followed hard on the heels of his finally admitting he was gay – Adam is adrift and struggling to adapt to life after retirement from the sport that has dominated his life for so many years, as a largely unnecessary father (his kids are older teens), and is facing a future that’s very different from the one he’d tried so hard to want. Life had been good for a while – he’d had an impressive hockey career, has two kids he adores and was married to a woman he’d liked a lot – but he’d always felt the Riley-shaped hole in his life and can admit now that he was – still is - in love with him, that he was selfish and insensitive and hurt Riley very badly. Adam knows he doesn’t deserve a second chance with Riley, but he wants one, more than anything - even if friendship is all Riley is prepared to offer.

The Shots You Take is a deeply emotional story that deals with some heavy subjects but which is never bogged down in misery. The anger, the grief, and the longing are sharp and hit hard, but they are tempered by the author’s trademark gentle humour, which serves to balance out the more melancholic elements of the novel. Riley and Adam’s backstory is skilfully woven into the narrative alongside the present day story of their reunion, so we get to see, in well-placed flashbacks, vignettes of their previous relationship, and we learn why Riley decided to quit his career with the NHL before he was thirty and how hard he’s worked to make a new life for himself. He still struggles with anxiety and emotional dysregulation but he’s on an even keel now and is settled and content with the quiet life he’s built for himself in his small home town.

While it’s not difficult to understand why Adam acted as he did, the way he treated Riley, his persistent denial of who he (Adam) was and what Riley meant to him, and his wilful ignorance and cheerful bulldozing of Riley’s feelings make it hard to like him or want to root for him and Riley to get back together. (And I suspect there will be readers who won’t be as forgiving as Riley is.) But Ms. Reid does such a great job of showing that Adam really is a different man, one who understands exactly what he did and is genuinely remorseful; one who is ready to move forward and live as his true self and who knows that he’ll have to work hard to earn Riley’s forgiveness – if Riley is even prepared to offer any. But I came to like him as he finds a way to be worthy of Riley; he’s so quietly caring and tender, doing little things like bringing Riley breakfast, or just being there for him when Riley needs it. I was pleased that Riley gets to be prickly and snotty and petulant with Adam and that he doesn’t shy away from telling him some brutal truths; it feels right that he should get to do that, and that Adam should finally hear them. And I liked that Riley comes to see that things haven’t exactly been a bed of roses for Adam either; even though he’s retired he hasn’t come out publicly yet, fearing the reaction of his friends and former colleagues, and is stumbling his way through life as a gay man with no idea what he’s doing and no-one to talk to about it.

All Rachel Reid’s books have underlying themes about the toxicity of hockey/sports culture, and this book is no exception, containing probably the most hard-hitting depiction of exactly what that culture has cost her characters, both physically and mentally, and touching on physical injury, addiction and mental health issues, which are, as always, approached with care and sensitivity.

There’s a terrific secondary cast of friends and family in the story; I really liked how Riley’s family embraces Adam even without knowing exactly what happened between them, perhaps realising how much Riley and Adam need each other. And Riley’s small circle of friends are a charming, warm and funny bunch who all have his back, but can also see how much he and Adam love each other and just want Riley to be happy. Adam’s kids are kinda shitty to him when we finally meet them, but eh, they’re teenagers.

This is a real emotional rollercoaster of a read, pulling readers through the depths of despair over lost love, a career lost due to depression and addiction and soul-deep grief in the troughs before pulling us up to the highs and the possibility of a second chance at love, hope for the future and redemption for past mistakes. Through all the pain and the harsh words, there’s never any doubt that Adam and Riley never stopped loving each other and are the loves of each other’s lives, and I really liked the way they slowly warm up to each other again, that they actually talk to each other and how clear it is that they’re both scared of getting it wrong this time around.

The Shots You Take is a tender, angsty and lovely story of second chances, enduring love and forgiveness and is highly recommended. It might not always an easy read, but it’s a deeply satisfying one.

I love Rachel Reid’s books, and this one is no different.

Honestly, as much as I enjoyed the romance, I think my favorite part of this book was how Reid depicted and dealt with grief of varying kinds during this story.

Reid’s writing style is simple but emotional, and it really hit in this one for me.

The romance itself was solid, though heart wrenching at times. I just wanted to give Riley a hug and tell him it was going to be okay. I enjoyed her character work with Adam, and how she depicted his journey back to Riley.

Shout out to Carina Adores for the eARC

Another heartwarming hockey romance from Rachel Reid. I'd rate it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. This time it's between teammates Riley Tuck and Adam Sheppard. It's not my absolute favorite of Reid's work (that would be most of the books in her Game Changers series/universe), but that's likely just because neither Riley's journey of grief nor the "exes reunite" dynamic is quite my cup of tea, Still a good read.

Rachel Reid delivers an emotionally charged, heartwarming, and beautifully written second-chance romance in The Shots You Take. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque small town in Nova Scotia, this story brings together Riley Tuck and Adam Sheppard—two men who were once best friends and lovers, now trying to rebuild a relationship after years of heartbreak and distance.

After moving back to his hometown of Avery River, Riley thought his past, particularly his broken hockey career and even more fractured heart, were far behind him. But when an unexpected tragedy strikes, Adam, his ex-teammate and former lover, reappears in his life. Adam's return isn't easy. With his new-found fame as a hockey star, Adam struggles to regain Riley’s trust, which was shattered by the way they ended things years ago.

The chemistry between Adam and Riley is palpable from the first moment they reconnect. Yet, their journey is not without its bumps. As Adam helps Riley navigate the grief of his loss, long-buried emotions come to the surface. This is a love story about confronting the past and working through it, no matter how messy it might be. Adam has a lot to atone for, and while Riley does find it in his heart to forgive him, he makes Adam earn it every step of the way.

The setting of Nova Scotia is perfectly woven into the narrative, providing a beautiful and authentic backdrop that enhances the intimacy of their story. The small-town vibe brings with it a strong sense of community, and the side characters—who serve as amazing support for both Riley and Adam—add even more warmth to the overall experience.

Rachel Reid’s gift for writing deeply developed characters shines through once again. Each character feels real, relatable, and genuine, making it impossible not to fall in love with them. The Shots You Take is a beautiful exploration of second chances, healing, and the power of love.

If you’re a fan of heartfelt, emotional romances with complex characters and a setting that you can almost feel, this is a must-read. Rachel Reid has once again crafted an unforgettable story that will stay with you long after the last page.

Interesting in premise, I found the writing to be hard to follow and I was not a fan of the main character. there were one or two supporting characters that stood out to me but all in all, one that I will not revisit.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I'm not a fan of Adam in basically the whole book. I understand not wanting to accept you are gay or not being able to accept it but to laugh in someones face when they tell you they love you is not okay. Especially given that you had just been inside him. Like that's not okay. I felt so much for Riley. He went through so much in the book and had to overcome so much while it seemed that Adam just had everything good. Ultimately Adam did not redeem himself and was not a very likeable character. I was happy for Riley to be happy though.

A somber, painful second chance romance. While the story was very powerful, I'm uncertain if [two people really can overcome that sort of pain, especially when it's tangled up with substance abuse and mental health issues. Riley was still so raw about their past, even after all that time. Adam really fucked him up. I wonder if they wouldn't each have been better off with someone new (end spoiler)].