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brutalistemerald's review
2.0
I feel like 2 stars is me being generous. This is MM hockey, so my favourite romance sub-genre, maybe that’s why I’m rounding up. This review is basically a list of everything that annoyed me in this book.
It felt like a first draft of a book. There were continuity errors (pretty sure Mark lost a nephew at one point), sentences that didn’t make sense (unless Mark’s mother really did have a jacket for a turban), factual errors (yeah, even I know that the NHL has procedures for dealing with players like Aarni), and bits of the story that went absolutely nowhere (Rowen’s ex).
The main characters don’t like each other, have sex, and then miraculously are in love. The relationship development was weird/non-existent. I will absolutely accept main characters who hate each other having sex, but not going from hate to love with nothing to bridge the gap other than sex.
Also, this book is pitched as being the first in a series, but I definitely didn’t get some of the references to what had happened with Aarni previously. They seem to have happened in a different book (series of books?), and the backstory wasn’t fully explained for readers coming to this series without prior knowledge.
I did not buy Mark as a model turned model agency owner and multi-millionaire by 26. He was also a bratty, whiny character with few redeeming characteristics. Rowen was slightly less annoying, but the whole thing about not liking Mark because he’s once had a beautiful boyfriend in the past (or something?!) was just stupid.
Ugh.
It felt like a first draft of a book. There were continuity errors (pretty sure Mark lost a nephew at one point), sentences that didn’t make sense (unless Mark’s mother really did have a jacket for a turban), factual errors (yeah, even I know that the NHL has procedures for dealing with players like Aarni), and bits of the story that went absolutely nowhere (Rowen’s ex).
The main characters don’t like each other, have sex, and then miraculously are in love. The relationship development was weird/non-existent. I will absolutely accept main characters who hate each other having sex, but not going from hate to love with nothing to bridge the gap other than sex.
Also, this book is pitched as being the first in a series, but I definitely didn’t get some of the references to what had happened with Aarni previously. They seem to have happened in a different book (series of books?), and the backstory wasn’t fully explained for readers coming to this series without prior knowledge.
I did not buy Mark as a model turned model agency owner and multi-millionaire by 26. He was also a bratty, whiny character with few redeeming characteristics. Rowen was slightly less annoying, but the whole thing about not liking Mark because he’s once had a beautiful boyfriend in the past (or something?!) was just stupid.
Ugh.
nicki_theoverflowingbookcase's review
5.0
A new series creates a new beginning for the Raptors hockey team. Forced to leave his own business in NY, Mark Westman-Reid has no interest in the hockey team his deceased father left to his three sons to manage. Mark's hatred is concentrated on the new coach Rowen. But with hate comes interest and with interest becomes so much more. Can Rowen take the Raptors to a new level? Will Mark find happiness in a job he just wanted nothing to do with? With so much riding on old and new characters this book was just what the reader needed to make it one they will not be able to put down. We get glimpse of Ryker, one of our favorites as well as the defense player we all want to see out of the league. Beautifully written and the perfect beginning of what will become yet another fabulous series.
valerieullmerauthor's review
4.0
While I enjoyed the terse interactions between Mark, the outcast of his family who owns the team along with his siblings, and the coach of the clearly failing Arizona Raptors, Rowen. I found there was more of a concentration on Mark's past (being thrown out of his family at the age of sixteen for being gay and making a name for himself in the modeling world) and trying to save the organization which is on the edge of failing, instead of the romance between the two men who are opposites in every way.
But the chemistry between the two men is off the charts. Their bickering hid their attraction for each other and when they gave into their attraction for one another, it was explosive and very hot. I look forward to the other Raptors books.
But the chemistry between the two men is off the charts. Their bickering hid their attraction for each other and when they gave into their attraction for one another, it was explosive and very hot. I look forward to the other Raptors books.
bekacrook's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
2.0
I liked the idea of this book but it just felt too rushed and things progressed in a way that felt like time had jumped and wasn't quite natural.
Generally I liked the characters and I liked that people were shown to be different to the first impressions they made. Mark and his family's relationship was strained and I liked that they slowly rebuilt that but the whole bit around their mum not caring about any of them because she was suffering but now wants to care about them felt inconsistent and brushed over. It would have been interesting to find out more about Rowan and his past as well as we don't really get to know him very well.
I liked the ice hockey setting.
Generally I liked the characters and I liked that people were shown to be different to the first impressions they made. Mark and his family's relationship was strained and I liked that they slowly rebuilt that but the whole bit around their mum not caring about any of them because she was suffering but now wants to care about them felt inconsistent and brushed over. It would have been interesting to find out more about Rowan and his past as well as we don't really get to know him very well.
I liked the ice hockey setting.
karlaasmith's review
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
triplebriiii's review
3.0
Mid. The author's like to go from point A to point D without showing us anything that happens in between. The "telling instead of showing" was heavy with this one.
Still read it all in one sitting tho.
Still read it all in one sitting tho.
obsessedmuch's review
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
biggotortensen's review
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Se lee re rápido, no sé por qué colgué en terminarlo si en 2 días ya había leído como el 80% del libro y solo me quedaba el final dhsjsj pero bueno, los personajes están bien, quizá no se entiende mucho ciertas decisiones de los personajes pero no en relación al vínculo sino a cosas de la historia. (SPOILER: por ejemplo, no entiendo por qué no le rescindieron más rápido el contrato al jugador problemático??? No se entiende por qué no es tanta vuelta!! Me vas a decir que no pueden pagar buenos abogados?? No es tan grave!! Lo digo como hincha de San Lorenzo que todos los jugadores tienen problemas de contrato aprox!!)
tenaw's review
emotional
funny
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
aplace_inthesun's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0