Hockey Romances
Because sometimes you just need a big guy (or two) on sharp skates
I mentioned in the outro of last week’s newsletter that my mom, a huge hockey fan (go Avalanche!) and regular romance reader, didn’t realize how big the hockey subgenre is. It makes sense because her library (she primarily reads via Libby) circulation in my small hometown is pretty limited, and she isn’t on KU (yet). So this week’s roundup is for her, to give her a sense of what some of her options might be, as well as for anyone who has read all of Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen’s entries to this subgenre and who has a hankering for more.
Double Pucked by Lauren Blakely. The first of a series of one girl two hockey player romances (“harem”-style, not polyamorous, sadly) that, frankly, get more ridiculous as they go. Which isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, but once a single city has six pro hockey players who pair off with three different women, we have to all admit to ourselves that this is just itch scratching, especially when they aren’t super distinct as individual books. It’s an excuse to get a slightly different heroine in slightly different threesome scenes, which is, again, fine! That’s fine! I read all of these books, I liked them! But I feel the need to clarify that this series is basically mad libs hockey threesome erotica, lest you get the wrong idea.
As for the plot, light as it may be, this particular threesome includes Trina, book-loving owner of a three legged dog who does agility obstacle courses and who found out her live-in boyfriend was cheating on her when said dog puked up another girl’s panties. In a fit of understandable rage, she steals a bunch of his stuff before moving out and in with a friend temporarily, including two VIP experience tickets he won to an upcoming pro hockey match where he’d get to hang out with the star player of each of the teams afterwards. I think you can see where this is going…
Ryker Samuels and Chase Weston are best friends on opposing hockey teams. Ryker is a shy grumpy word nerd, and Chase is a dog-loving golden retriever, and what’s at first an attempt to help this cute girl get over her awful ex and make him jealous becomes a temporary roommate situation (Trina’s looking for her own place, Ryker’s floors are being redone, so they all stay with Chase) which then morphs into a true relationship, if they can only figure out how to balance it all. This book ain’t complicated, the dialog isn’t quite up to what I’ve seen from this author before, but it’s hot, it’s endearing, and it scratches an itch. I’m seeking out more poly books this year out of curiosity and certainly the concept of two macho straight guys sharing a woman in bed AND out of it was informative, if not precisely realistic-sounding.
Do you have poly recs, where the different partners are into each other equally? Something akin to Misadventures of a Curvy Girl, for instance. Comment below!
Rating: 4/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Dirty Secret by Mira Lyn Kelly. Vaughn is a cranky loner who’s one bad decision away from permanently benching his NHL career. His new team hates him, he had a violent confrontation with the captain at the very beginning of the season, and worst of all… Natalie, the woman he shared a single steamy encounter with months ago, turns out to be his captain’s little sister.
For her part, Natalie is sick of being second-fiddle to her impressive hockey-player brother, though perhaps sleeping with his long-time rival wasn’t her smartest move, especially since she usually avoids hockey players like the plague. In her defense, they’d never all be in the same place at one time! Until Vaughn is traded to her brother’s team, that is.
This brother’s rival secret relationship book is a quick, dirty read, with enough stakes to feel exciting, characters that feel real, and angsty hockey boys for days. Writing this review has reminded me I want to check out more of this author’s backlist as this is currently the only book of hers I’ve read, which I gotta correct right away!
Rating: 4/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Behind The Net by Stephanie Archer. The first of this author’s new hockey series is an excellent edition to the trope canon. I’m kind of a sucker for long-time crush stories, especially with the subject matter of the crush has no fucking idea who the crusher is (at first, or ever).
Pippa, failed musician due to a toxic ex, and Jamie, a rakish NHL player, went to high school together once upon a time, but it seems Pippa’s the only one who remembers (due to her massive crush on him back then and, terrible news, presently). Which makes it extra awkward when she takes a job as his assistant, then his live-in assistant slash dog co-parent, and he doesn’t remember her at all. Then he finds out her ex was bad in bed, and all bets are off.
Jamie helps Pippa regain her confidence (this is another thing on my Id list, I’ll admit), and Pippa helps Jamie feel like he can slow down, settle, feel at home. Like the rest of the books in this roundup, this isn’t a particularly unique book, but it’s a solid one, the characters and dialog are great (though if you’re not one for nicknames, like apparently most of the Goodreads reviewers, maybe prepare yourself), and it really showcases the evolution of this author’s voice and craft. I enjoyed it, and will probably revisit on a cozy winter day if I’m waiting on some new library books to come in, which is one of the highest compliments I can pay a book.
Rating: 4/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Next week, I’ll be releasing my first ever Forced Proximity Interview, with Stephanie Archer, author of the final book in our roundup this week!
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!
On Stuff Your Kindle day I got "Devious" by Jess Savage, which turned out to be the middle book in a series (and about as effective as watching only LOTR the two towers) but it is a poly FFM situation.