So, a M/M ice hockey romance review is not exactly typically for the blog, but a friend of mine has been passionately recommending the TV show (Heated Rivalry) to me, so naturally I had to read the books first. Besides, a little bit of trashy smut is scientifically proven to be good for your health (I think...)
I was unsure where to start with this series as each book centers around a different couple. Most people seem to recommend starting with book 2 and then book 6 (which continues Ilya and Shane's story) then to go back and read the rest. That didn't compute in my brain. Also, I found this collection of the first 3 books on my kobo so decided to just read the series in release order and I'm glad I did it that way. Take that reddit.
Below are my individual reviews for each of the first 3 books, along with my thoughts on the first 4 episodes of the TV show!
Book 1: Game Changer
The Premise
Kip works in a smoothie shop and goes about his normal day when the hottest man he's seen in his life comes and orders a blueberry smoothie. Turns out this man also happens to be an NHL superstar. Believing that the smoothie is a good luck charm, Scott comes back the next day, and again the next... Maybe the smoothie really is a good luck charm, or maybe the intense sexual tension between Scott and Kip is the real reason for his frequent returns…
The Review
When I was scouring reddit deciding where to start with this series, most people seemed to agree that book 1 is the worst of the series. However, I found myself relating to Kip an awful lot. He has graduated from university with a seemingly useless degree, working in hospitality, living with his parents, trying to make ends meet. A good looking customer starts to regularly come to the shop, and he starts to question if there's something more to it than mildly flirtatious interactions... This is all too known to me and it was fun/triggering seeing the parallels of Kip's life and mine. I was instantly attached to Kip, as a character, which definitely vastly increased my engagement than it perhaps would have been otherwise. When Kip and Scott started to get together (obviously), it got much more ridiculous and unrealistic to be in my life, so I was able to detach myself from the story from then on!
Once they’re together, the main strain in their relationship is that Scott (the ice hockey player) must keep their relationship secret, to avoid his sexuality getting out to the press. Despite being sickly in love with Scott, Kip naturally becomes increasingly distressed by being a dirty little secret, forced to hide in the shadow of Scott's spotlight. It was quite heart breaking to see Kip battling through his contrasting feelings and emotions, which are oppressed by Scott's requirements.
Scott is deeply closeted. Being so immersed in the sports industry for his entire life has made it hard for Scott to be open about his sexuality. Despite being supportive of the LGBT commercially, the reality of homophobia within NHL is still very prevalent on the ice. Now that he has become increasingly famous, it seems that having any sort of love life is simply out of reach. That was until he ordered that first blueberry smoothie and locked eyes with Kip...
The relationship dynamics between these two was interesting. It's clear that Kip wants more, but doesn't want to push Scott and make him uncomfortable. And it's clear that Scott wants more, but doesn't want his hard-earned career to go up in flames. Therefore, they both try to be happy with what they have got, but the steamy desire between them both only heightens their spiralling emotions.
With Scott being a millionaire and Kip working at a smoothie shop, there's naturally a financial imbalance. I really appreciated how both parties handled this. Scott wants to do anything he can to make Kip happy and for him to achieve his own dreams. However, Kip is mighty aware not to lose himself in Scott's generosity. Kip is such a gem, and I really enjoyed reading from his perspective.
Not so much hockey in this one I have to say… I think most of the hockey games were replaced by steamy sex scenes. Whenever there was a game, I was like - “Oh yeah, Scott is an NHL player... I’m back in the room.” I’m exaggerating of course, but still… I would go into this expecting much more scenes on the bed than the ice…
I hadn't anticipated to enjoy this as much as I did, so I guess I got the rest of the series to get through now... This has thrown a spanner in the works for my end of year reading plans, but honestly, sometimes it's nice to take a break from epic fantasy and horror, and to read something light and fluffy.
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘- 4.25 Stars
Book 2: Heated Rivalry
So now we focus on the stars of the show, Ilya and Shane. They are both professional ice hockey players with a, you guessed it, heated rivalry. It just so happens that in this case 'heated' doesn't just apply to their interactions on the ice...
The relationship dynamic between Ilya and Shane differs greatly from that of Kip and Scott. Kip and Scott's story was much more romantic from the get go, with a focus on their emotional feelings towards each other and the struggles that come with that. On the other hand, Ilya and Shane's relationship is initially void of all romance, and is pure sex. Lust is the driving force pushing them together again and again, despite being sworn enemies on the ice. And it's not even as if that's an act, and when they're alone together they let that all go. They genuinely despise each other and really know how to push each other's buttons. (Well, Ilya definitely knows how to push harder). Both of them care deeply about Hockey and the rivalry that fuels their hatred for one another. They're essentially enemies with benefits. A lot of benefits... Often...
Since both Ilya and Shane are huge stars within the NHL, and their rivalry is in the public eye, there is much more emphasis on the actual hockey in this one. It was fun to see how their careers progressed overtime, whilst constantly being at odds with one another. However, I also found myself missing Kip... In Game Changer it was really nice to have that 'normal guy' perspective, who is out of the limelight. It really helped to ground the story. Saying that though, this whole rivalry business was so ridiculous! It was a lot of fun knowing that they were secretly boning each other the whole time, unbeknownst to the public.
The book takes place over a long period of time, since they've both been sleeping together over a long period of time... It's kind of crazy how well they kept it hidden, despite having so much attention on their rivalry already. Kip and Scott could barely last a few months! The beginning of the book started way before the events of Game Changer, but quickly caught up to be parallel to Kip and Scott's timeline. I loved having all the character crossovers and nods to the events that transpired in book 1. It's so fun seeing what other characters in this world were up to whilst the whole Scott and Kip fiasco was taking place. Turns out, it was a lot of steamy sex between two people who famously hate each other, who knew...
I'm glad that I started with book 1, as seeing the impact that Scott has had on the events in this one was quite beautiful. I think if I had read them the other way around, I wouldn't have enjoyed these moments as much. There's plenty of people on Reddit who would argue otherwise though, so I guess it's dealers' choice. I really hope that these little crossovers continue to happen in the rest of the series! Guess I'll find out shortly with Tough Guy.
Shane was honestly a bit of a drag at times. He can be so rigid and tense. He's constantly stressed and comes across as a beg. Ilya is the perfect counter to this, with his much more laidback attitude, teasing Shane into submission. (This happens a lot). Whenever Shane was starting to annoy me, normally Ilya would just call him boring, or take the piss out of his clothes or something, and that would make me laugh.
Shout out to Rose! She’s some big time actress who Shane begins to date, and that whole situation didn’t end up how I expected it to at all. She was so sweet and understanding, it was refreshing to see.
Ilya is kind of the classic 'mysterious bad boy, who has a big heart' type. It's very cliché at times, but hey... I'm reading a smutty m/m hockey romance... I'm okay with a bit of cliché at this point. It was really hard to do his Russian accent in my head lol. I kept fumbling it up and doing second takes, before realising that it really doesn't matter and I should just carry on reading. I was committed, okay!
Controversial opinion, but… I preferred Game Changer to Heated Rivalry. Don’t get me wrong, I have devoured both of these books in a silly amount of time, but something about Kip and Scott’s story connected with me more. Ilya and Shane’s relationship is pure sex. As fun as that was, Kip and Scott’s relationship was much more dynamic and complex. Sue me.
🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑 3.75 stars
Book 3: Tough Guy
Tough Guy focuses on the developing relationship between Ryan Price and Fabian Salah. Ryan is a hockey player, featured in the previous books. He is known for being a formidable fighter, who is extremely quiet and keeps himself to himself. In Heated Rivalry, I distinctly remember a conversation where Ilya tells Shane that Ryan isn’t exactly what you would expect him to be. Fabian, on the other hand, is an extremely confident, out-going and extravagant musician, who detests Hockey and everything it stands for. This hatred of Hockey stems from the fact that his parents used to billet various hockey players when he was younger, forcing Fabian to live with overly macho men. Not Fabian’s style at all. One day, whilst working his part-time job at the drugstore, one of these hockey players that Fabian used to live with, as a late teen, walked into the shop. They lock eyes and Fabian remembers that Ryan Price wasn’t like the rest…
Tough Guy goes back to what I loved about book 1: Game Changer. We have the hockey perspective, but also the everyday normal life perspective. Fabian is an arty twink, who loves wearing make-up to the club, playing his violin and having a weekly brunch catch up with his wholesome group of friends. It was very interesting seeing how this world clashed with that of the NHL. At the crux of it Ryan is attracted to how Fabian is the complete contrast of what a ‘man’ should be, and Fabian is attracted to how Ryan seemingly defies all preconceived notions and prejudice, he held towards hockey players.
Fabian’s perspective is very humorous and fun. At times he reminded me a lot of Sam from Tales of Verania by TJ Klune. He has the same sort of confident, sassy, snarky and delusional attitude which comes across very well when delivering comedic lines.
“Stick with me,” Fabian murmured sleepily, “and you’ll be bewitched, bothered, and bewildered.”
Ryan’s perspective was interesting, as we got to see inside the mind of a quiet and mysterious character, often in the background of the previous books. Turns out, Ryan suffers from social anxiety and overthinks absolutely every situation. Therefore, Fabian and Ryan compliment each other well in this regard, oftentimes balancing out each other's energy.
Interestingly, the sexual side of their relationship doesn't start until much deeper into the story, unlike in Game Changer and especially in Heated Rivalry... Since I binged these books back to back, this was actually a nice change of pace from the relentless sex scenes thrown our way in book 2. There are, of course, still plenty here, but the first half of the story is dedicated to building up Fabian and Ryan as characters and the inevitable relationship which forms, before the sex starts.
However, what made Tough Guy so enjoyable for me, wasn’t even Fabian and Ryan’s relationship, but rather the support network of friends surrounding both of them. Like a lot of gay people, Fabian is extremely close with his friends, and it was so wholesome seeing their dynamic. We have:
- Vanessa, who works in a lesbian owned sex shop. She is very direct and assertive, but is always there for Fabian.
- Marcus, a bartender at Force, a local gay club.
- Tarek, who works a 9-6 at an immigration services organisation.
All three of them share an apartment together and host a 'Bargain Brunch' every week, which Fabian joins for a catch up. Everyone brings a waffle topping and they heat up frozen waffles, all accompanied by a mimosa, of course. This friend group was really fun, and you can tell that they’ve been close friends for a long time. They are extremely honest with each other, yet the banter is always light-hearted and playful. I loved every scene we got of Fabian and the ‘Bargain Brunch crew’ just hanging out.
"Ryan, what the fuck?" Fabian said. "I said bring, like, Nutella. Not hundred-dollar champagne."
Similarly, Ryan’s friendship with Wyatt was also very wholesome. Wyatt is a teammate of Ryan’s, and despite Ryan keeping to himself, Wyatt makes a great effort to get to know him better. They become closer, and it was really nice to see Ryan open up to someone and have their friendship blossom, without it turning into anything more. Wyatt is straight, who has a gay sister, and is a self proclaimed ally, and he genuinely shows care and compassion for his buddy, Ryan. Perhaps Wyatt also appreciates how Ryan is seemingly not like the rest.
As always, every crossover we got with appearances and mentions of Ilya, Shane and Scott was amazing. It’s just so much fun being in a world with all these interconnecting gay characters who all have their own storylines, parallel to each other. I look forward to seeing what’s in store for the rest of the series! For now though, I think I will take a break, before I fall deeper down this Hockey romance rabbit hole.
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 4 stars
The Tv Show: Heated Rivalry
Now, the reason I started reading these books in the first place, the TV show: Heated Rivalry. At the time of this review there are 4 episodes out, so here are some rapid fire thoughts:
It’s so good! So much of the dialogue is taken straight out of the books, word for word and delivered in the exact same way! Honestly, It’s crazy how faithful the show has been so far. The show obviously focuses on Ilya and Shane’s relationship the most, and the way in which their rivalry and sexual tension is built is very intense. The casting is perfect, and now when I read any of Ilya’s lines in the book, I can hear the Russian accent! Ilya perfectly captures that nonchalant, mean, teasing attitude, while Shane encompasses the character in all his mundane, boring seriousness.
I loved how all the time jumps were kept in the show, because it means we get to witness all the little titbits that help build their rivalry. Special shout out to when they had to announce the award together and Ilya asks for a selfie. That whole scene was acted out so perfectly, with how clearly scripted and awkward it was. Also, the actual Hockey scenes are really fun to watch, and much more enjoyable than the rare times a hockey game is featured in the books.
The award show scene
When we had that club scene in episode 4, I was so happy! The way the remix of All The Things She Said kicked in and it all went slow Mo - ART. It was so drawn out, cheesy and cringe, but I loved every second of it! Pure camp. You can really feel the intensity between the two of them, with their sexual desire for one another reaching boiling point.
The club scene
Sometimes, I don’t quite believe the hatred that Shane has for Ilya, especially in the first episode. Yeah, they are mean to each other, but I feel like you can tell that Shane doesn't actually mean it. He’ll be like - “Fuck you, Ilya” and then smile softly, no doubt with a raging hard on… Whereas in this book, we are inside both of their heads, and it’s very clear that they hate each other with a fiery passion. Maybe even Shane more so, given how seriously he takes his hockey career. I don’t think this translates fully to the show but who cares, we all know they are going to get together eventually, so whatever.
In episode 3, we have a whole episode dedicated to Kip and Scott, which I was very thankful for. After reading these first 3 books, they are still my favourite couple. Both of them look nothing like how I imagine, but I don’t care. Scott is extremely attractive in the show, so I’ll forgive it. I had to look up where I recognised him from, and of course it was Yellowjackets! It was really cute seeing all their smoothie shop interactions!
Their story line is naturally a lot more rushed and sped up, given the shorter time frame, but I think it was handled really well. You can really see the internal battle Scott Hunter is facing, and how much Kip means to him. Similarly, that feeling of Kip being trapped in the shadows as Scott’s dirty little secret also comes across well. It’s hard to watch.
I’m intrigued on what will happen in these last 2 episodes, as there still seems to be a fair bit of story left to go from book 2, not to mention book 1. However, I have confidence that it will be good, based on how well these books have been adapted so far! Besides, season 2 has already been officially announced, which is exciting. I wonder if we will get Ryan and Fabian’s story. I did notice that Ryan Price was very purposefully mentioned in the show, so perhaps that was all planting the seed. Guess we’ll have to wait and see…
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