Eight Arms Reading Room

Read: more hockey romance books

Yes, I finally watched Heated Rivalry! Only the once so far, but I'm sure I'll rewatch it. And again.

I have read Heated Rivalry, though. And The Long Game. And Tough Guy and Common Goal. That's the order in which I read them, although that's not the series order. (I read Game Changer over the summer.)

I confess that I had to take a break between Common Goal, which I read after The Long Game (which I read immediately after Heated Rivalry obvs), and Tough Guy. The angst of the three I read in quick succession kind of undid me.

I think we get to know Ilya better in The Long Game and I appreciated that, but poor bastard really has a lot of shit going on, y’know? And Eric’s anxieties about coming out and the age gap between him and Kyle in Common Goal, coupled with Kyle's insecurities about the kind of men who love him and leave him were a bit of a lot, too. I needed a palate cleanser of something a little lighter.

So I switched back to Amy Aislin, who I love for writing (possibly unrealistic) hockey romances where being gay is a-okay, even in pro hockey.

Blurb:

Sometimes the sweetest victories happen off the ice. Ryland Zervudachi lives for the game of hockey-and for the chance to build the kind of team unity that will carry the Columbus Pilots all the way back to the playoffs after last season's crushing defeat. Off the ice, though, there's one goal he hasn't managed to score-the heart of Kyle Dabbs, the Vermont Trailblazers' team captain and his long-time crush.

Kyle Dabbs has built a life centered on quiet strength. After a childhood scarred by his father's verbal abuse, Dabbs pours his energy into his career on the ice and the book series he's written to help kids like the boy he once was. He doesn't need someone flashy, loud, and spotlight-loving like Ryland turning his world upside down. But when an untimely appendectomy leaves Dabbs stuck at home, Ryland-recovering from an injury-shows up to help.

Between late-night Scrabble competitions, pumpkin-carving mishaps, and long talks that peel back layers they've both kept hidden, Dabbs begins to see past Ryland's bold exterior. With chemistry sparking and walls crumbling, both men must decide if they're ready to risk their hearts for something even better than a championship: love.

I just noticed that there's a Kyle in The Best Parts of Him and a Kyle in Common Goal--heh. Choosing names for book characters is a challenge, folks!

What are you reading now? Have you watched Heated Rivalry yet or are you the last person on earth who's managed to avoid it?