This book was wonderful. Beautiful. Consumed me. I read it in a weekend and basically did nothing else but read this book because it was so all-consuming. Deep, raw emotions make the happily ever after that much sweeter. It's a book about grief and a book about ex-best friends falling in love after years of not talking which sounds like it could be a sad book. And there are sad emotions! But it's also not? I don't know how to explain it. Rachel Reid is a magician, that's clearly the answer. The love interest is so patient and kind and willing to put in work to repair the relationship with the MC and give him space to grieve his father. It's got lots of pining and family interactions. Features my all-time favorite trope of "in love the whole time".

This is a book I know I will buy both the audiobook and the paperback of, so I can listen to it and also annotate a physical copy of it.

Another absolute win by Rachel Reid. This woman can write romance like no other. This one is second chance and deals characters in their 40’s (yay!) with a lot of big feels.
I am really enjoying this new series of hers!

Riley Tuck and Adam Sheppard used to be team mates and best friends, who just happened to fool around every once in a while. Until Riley admitted how much it all actually meant to him and it scared Adam, driving them apart. Now it's been 12 years since they last saw each other and Riley's dad has just passed away and Adam shows up at the funeral out of the blue. And he won't go away, he's bringing Riley breakfast and sticking around even when Riley tells him not to.
This book is, I think, Rachel Reid at her best. There's the signature swoony hockey romance with characters who have deep emotional lives but I think this book balances those things in a way that really shines. Second chance romances can be hit or miss for me and I really loved this one, I liked the time jumps we saw into the Riley and Adam's past - but i also like that we got just enough to really understand what their past was, the flashbacks didn't bog down the story at all.
Riley's journey through his grief over his dad was really poignant and giving Adam the opportunity to re-earn his trust by sticking with him through that really made me root for them.
I loved that this story was between 2 men in their 40s, bringing that maturity to the story i think also really helped me root for this relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Romance for access to this eARC. I was so excited to receive this book and it did not disappoint. Perfect angst, perfect spice, great characters.

Adam and Riley are former hockey teammates and friends (whose friendship has often been more). After a disastrous end to his career, and their friendship, Riley has returned to his hometown. Adam shows up at his father's funeral, having spent their years apart having a Hall of Fame career (and being married with two kids). He's now divorced, admitting his true identity, and trying to show Riley his heart is his.

It was so enjoyable watching Adam show up and put in the effort. Riley trying to manage his grief compounded by all of these other emotions was very relatable. His anger and disappointment and unwillingness to settle were so well-written I was in all of those feelings with him. I did wish we saw more of the official relationship once they re-committed, instead of a large skip to an epilogue. But overall a great read. 4.5 stars

Rachel Reid has the best mix of plot, compelling characters, emotional depth and spice! I have not read many books by her, but am quickly discovering she’s a new favourite author for me.

I adored The Shots You Take! It has a little bit of a past/present storytelling that gives some insight into Adam and Riley’s past together. This is not *quite* a second chance romance, because they were only in secret and just fooling around the first time. This almost felt like a right person/wrong time type book. When they were young and playing hockey Adam just wasn’t ready to admit to himself he was gay.

Older MMCs. Love that they’re in their 40s, hockey careers are over, and they’re established. They have a lot of life experiences behind them and any time Adam was presented with his past behavior he confronted it, admitted it, accepted blame. I liked him for that. He was trying so hard. I loved this new life for him and felt so happy for him.

Grief is ever present in this book. It centers around Adam coming to Avery River to attend the funeral of Riley’s dad. What a lovely family Riley has. The community he lives in is so vivid and real in my mind. Adam coming to Riley right after his dad died felt like a LOT, but it works. There was a lot of care and comfort and it felt like they were becoming friends all over again at the same as falling in love again.

I’ll definitely be reading more by this author!

A second chance at romance between two ex-teammate hockey players/best friends with benefits! Riley and Adam were best friends and team mates... and something more, friends with benefits.... but it all blew up in their face and ended with Riley telling Adam he loved him only for Adam to laugh in his face and run back to his wife and with Riley leaving the sport completely. Now 10 years after Riley has moved back into his hometown to mend his broken heart and the trauma that Avery left him.... he's getting through day by day. Yet when Riley's father passes away suddenly Adam is attending the funeral and is staying in town. Adam has had time to address his feelings for Riley, has finally divorced his wife and come out of the closet.... and he now knows and realizes that he has been in love with Riley this entire time and that he'll do anything to show Riley that he still loves him and to make up for hurting him all those years ago. Adam knows that Riley is severely hurt and that he is grieving and he'll do anything to just help, be it stay in a motel in town, help Riley restore his father's store, or just bring him meals... Adam just wants to prove to Riley that he's serious. Riley isn't ready to forgive and forget... but something about Adam really trying and staying despite everything Riley says is slowly wearing his guard down. Can Adam prove to Riley that he's serious about wanting another shot at romance or is it too late for them after all the pain? Oh I love a Rachel Reid Romance. This was such a fantastic second chance romance featuring two older characters. They're both in their 40s and both working on themselves and their communication. I love the way that they took the time to talk and to discuss their relationship. I just had such a lovely time reading this and can't wait to read what Rachel writes next.

Release Date: March 4, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin - Romance | Carina Adores for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

5 stars!!!

This was the second chance romance of my dreams!

Rachel Reid is so good at flushing out characters and making you fall in love with them and this book is not an exception. I loved everything about Avery River, Riley’s family and friends. The community that surrounds them is so special and can I just say I want to buy Riley’s house!

Adam and Riley are clearly meant to be together so watching them reconnect was so special. Adam really proved to Riley he wouldn't run away again.

I enjoyed my time with this book and would absolutely recommend it to other readers especially those that love a small town, second chance, hallmark esque, romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Adores for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

This story is a beautiful depiction of grief and how it can affect relationships with yourself and others. The characters are complex and we're allowed to see them grow apart and reunite over time. The flashbacks offer perfect context and depth to their emotional connection, pain, and love. Ultimately, the writing is wonderful and Rachel Reid proves she can craft an emotionally charged love story. This can be a tough read for some as Adam's past actions are monstrous. I'm not completely sure I would be able to forgive his actions.

I was praying to the book gods that I would receive an ARC of this one and I pretty much cried when I got the approval.

Rachel Reid is a tried and true author for me. Not only is she Canadian, but she writes about queer characters and their love stories and does a beautiful job at the same time. While Time to Shine fell a little flat for me, The Shots You Take came for me and it came swinging! Riley and Adam were best friends - and maybe something more - when Adam broke Riley's trust, and his heart. When Riley's father passes away unexpectedly (have some tissues for this book by the way), Adam comes to the small town of Avery River, Nova Scotia to pay his respects and try and make things right with Riley.

Look, friends to lovers to enemies to lovers is a god tier trope. Combine that with second chance and I couldn't put this book down. Reid packed The Shots You Take with heart and feelings and the way these two men were able to work through their shared past to find a way into their shared future was perfect. Once I finished the ARC I immediately preordered a physical copy and I can't wait to have this book in my hands when it releases!

I love a book with older MCs, especially when it's second chance. I love seeing the growth the characters do when they're separated, the different people they turn into, and how they view past actions now with more years of experience.

Adam and Riley are so sweet. We're taken through their story in a mix of past and present chapters that highlight both the differences between them and also the differences in who they were vs who they are now. Both have done a lot of growing in the the decade+ they spent apart. Adam especially has learned a lot about himself and his worldview.

My favorite character arc is Riley's though. He's portrayed as a victim (kind of) for much of the book. He's dealing with a lot in the present timeline with the death of his father, and was having a hard time in the past with accepting who he is and finding himself in love with his best friend. I loved that he was able to view himself at a distance (years later) and see that he was part of the problem way back when. Communication is a two-way street and neither of them was good at it (I mean what 20-something is?). I also loved how he turned his life around after a big spiral.

Overall a great read if you love second chance. The setting was charming and the side characters were sweet.

Do you love a hockey setting but want to see more romances with older characters? Reid offers up two retired players, neither of whom are still connected to the game beyond their legacy (they don't even coach!), both of whom had very different careers trajectories and reasons, and timeframes, for their retirement. But because this is a second chance romance, we also get in-game moments and some action shots from their youth, as well as milestones, through flashbacks. It was a really good balance and, thankfully, the flashbacks ended once they had served their purpose instead of being dragged out for no reason. This also works as a small town romance, just to throw another trope at you!

Additionally, we have grief, groveling, and gardening (I needed a third g, but there actually is gardening). The arc of this reconnected relationship, starting off first with a rocky reluctant rekindled friendship, went pretty well. It's always hard to be perfectly content with the transition from dislike/anger to forgiveness/friendship (or more), especially with Riley because he had been so angry at the onset, and I wish maybe.. a little more time had been given to let that fade? But I get that there's only ever so much room for these things. And the aftermath of it, the time they gave each other once they cleared the air, that worked so well.

There's also some other really great choices Reid made that I'd love to talk about but hey, have to leave you with something to discover on your own reading journey. No more hints.

I think fans of this author will really enjoy this newest offering, particularly as it's a little different from the last few that have come out, and it will certainly satisfy those looking for an angsty bite to their sportsy romances.

3.5 stars

People kept saying this book was good, but no one told me I’d be sobbing by chapter 2!

Rachel Reid does it again with this beautiful emotional and poignant second chance romance. The main characters are deep and complicated, the side characters are rich, even the setting of the small Nova Scotia town adds to the wonderful experience of reading this book!

I was so moved by the depths of self exploration, forgiveness, and allowing oneself to be loved!

Is it me, Jesus? Because I think it's possible that I might be on the only person who did not connect with Riley and Adam's story and love them, Don't get me wrong, it's Rachel Reid, so the writing is fantastic, but this just wasn't for me.

Another INCREDIBLE read from Rachel Reid, I'm COMPLETELY obsessed with The Shots You Take. I've been reading a lot of second chance hockey romance lately, and I'm kind of amazed by how different they all are - this is definitely one of my favorites. Adam and Riley's story is a sad one - this book is ANGSTY and I ended up in tears multiple times. But I loved reading about older men making up for lost time, the beautiful setting in Nova Scotia, and the overarching theme of hopefulness. HIGHLY recommend

OMG y'all, Riley absolutely broke my heart. The flashback chapters with him pining over his best friend who is giving him everything except what he really wants are honestly incredibly hard to read. Adam had some serious work to do with him, coming back after TWELVE YEARS - I'm not sure if I would have trusted him with my heart either. But these guys have serious soulmates vibes, and for Adam to show up, do some serious groveling and FINALLY admitting that he hurt Riley, that what they had between them was REAL, and that he wants some of what they had back had me absolutely swooning. Though I know there were some readers who couldn't forgive Adam, I totally get where he was coming from and why he waited so long. In some ways, coming back when he did was honestly the only thing he COULD do, and I'm glad he was there for Riley when he needed someone so badly. The secondary story about the death of Riley's dad and the intensity of his grief was heartbreaking as well, but I loved that it gave the opportunity for Riley and Adam to find each other again in an idyllic small town that is accepting of them both.

The Shots You Take is so much more than your typical hockey romance. It's got some really good commentary on how the prevailing stereotypes about hockey player's sexuality, mental health, and physical well-being can be incredibly harmful, but perhaps progress can be made. I loved the themes about finding yourself later in life, how important it is to have the support of friends and family, and that sometimes all someone wants is for you to choose them and show up, even if you are seemingly pushing them away. Books like this are why Rachel Reid will forever be one of my favorite authors, such an incredible storyteller.

I have enjoyed Rachel Reid's hockey books in the past and leapt at the chance to read her new one. At first, I thought it was a bit underwhelming and predictable. The funeral of the father of one former hockey player, Riley, brings him back into contact with his former teammate and love interest, Adam, who had rejected him many years before because he could not accept that fact that he himself was gay.

The trajectory seemed clear: Adam, now retired, would slowly wear down Riley's defenses and they would re-unite. While that essentially is what happens, we get to know these two men on much deeper level--Riley's mental health and addiction struggles, Adam's internalized homophobia and his problematic relationship with his own parents and his kids. It's nice to have a hockey romance with two older former players where the focus is not on the upcoming games, pursuit of the Cup, or whatever. I really rooted for the two 40-somethings to get together and Reid does not short-change how messy a process this can be. Loved the small-town Nova Scotia setting and the many supportive secondary characters.

There was the same fault that I find in so many romances--over-reliance on the f-bomb as the language of love (or at least sex). Can't men express passion in a more original non-porn star way? This always seems lazy to me. The extended epilogue was SO sweet that I got quite a sugar rush.

Overall, a solid read with sympathetic forty-something MCs--good feels and medium spice.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Rachel Reid knows how to write a contemporary romance! The Shots You Take is a beautiful exploration of grief, relationships, and communication. Since both Riley and Adam are older, retired hockey players, it was refreshing for them to talk through their issues.

Compared to her previous sports romance, this new standalone is more hockey-adjacent. Rachel gives the audience brief glances into her knowledge of hockey, and how athletes are fueled by youth and adrenaline to put their bodies on the line.

The Shots You Take is a heartwarming exploration centering on mental health, friendship, grief, and growth.

Thank you to Carina Adores and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

There’s something about sad retired hockey players that is such a powerful read. Or maybe it’s the quality of the author. Either way The Shots You Take is a wonderful read that grabs a hold of you and doesn’t let go. This is one of my favorite reads this year so far.

Rachel Reid's newest standalone hockey romance is a little different than her previous standalone 'Time to Shine' or her Game Changers series. Riley Tuck retired from the NHL years ago, when his tumultuous career cratered after a broken heart and a trade that landed him far from anything that felt like home. Since his retirement, he's rebuilt his life in his hometown in Nova Scotia, working side by side with his dad in their family-owned sports equipment store.

But now his dad has died, and Riley is reeling with grief. And who should appear at the funeral but the man who broke his heart all those years ago, his former NHL teammate and best friend, Adam Sheppard. Since his own retirement put the capstone on his superstar career, Adam has done a lot of reevaluating. He's been honest with himself about his sexuality, divorced his wife, and decided to try to reconnect with Riley...however unwelcome Riley makes him feel at first.

Riley is slow to let go of the anger and resentment that have calcified over his former attachment to Adam, but Adam chips away at it with earnest good intentions and emotional support. This isn't one of Reid's funnier or spicier novels (though humor and heat definitely make appearances), but its sweetness shines on every page through characters who are trying to do the right thing for themselves and others, who are asking for and granting forgiveness even when it's difficult, who are seeing each other at their worst and helping each other stand back up. This is a great book for small towns, second chances and slow burns.

Many thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the eARC.

*4.5

It's kind of strange that it's marketed as a hockey romance considering both of them are retired. Adam messed up really bad when they were younger and wants to make it up to Riley. It kind of hurts to read how Adam treated Riley in the past but he was so repressed. In the present all Adam wants to do is be there for Riley. I love how they reconnected and how they each have grown.

I received an arc through netgalley.

🏒 The Shots You Take 🏒

Oh my heart I adore Adam and Riley. Those precious souls. This was absolutely heartwarming, hard and beautiful all at the same time.

Adam and Riley are former hockey teammates and former more than best friends. They hadn’t talked in 12 years when Adam shows up to Riley’s dad’s funeral and stays to be there for Riley in a hard time. They reconnect and are honest about where they are now in middle age and what they weren’t honest about when they were younger.

This is a beautiful journey of being true to yourself, accepting help and honoring your mental health.

The Shots We Take is on shelves March 4, 2025! My opinions are my own.