Book Reviews

Book Blurb

New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pregame rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, never mind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?

 

Book Review

As hockey romances go, ‘Game Changer’ is the first volume in a series that has been made famous by the TV series Heated Rivalry (that I have not watched). ‘Heated Rivalry’ is also the title of book two in this series, which initially confused me more than a little. However, since I am a (compulsively) serial reader I decided to just dive in and see where the author would take me. It took a while for me to get into this world and understand who the characters were, but in the end, I liked this world and look forward to the rest of the stories set in it.

 

Scott Hunter is a pro hockey star who plays for the New York Admirals, is determined to win the Stanley cup, and will do almost anything to get there. Including denying who he really is – a bisexual man hoping to find happiness but not quite sure how to go about that. He takes his pre-game rituals seriously, much like many athletes, so when he discovers one of the best smoothies he has ever tasted that also (in his mind) seems linked to breaking a losing streak, naturally he returns to get another one. Of course, getting to know the sexy maker of said smoothie is next on the agenda and it leads to so much more than Scott expected.

 

Kip is about as out and proud as a gay man can be. He makes great smoothies even though he does not exactly love his job, but he needs the money to pay the bills. He did not imagine sexy time with Scott could be so exciting, but even though he loves it, he wants more than hidden moments and stolen time away from everyone else’s eyes. He is much more honest with himself about the fact that he loves Scott, but the risks for him being seen together are much fewer.

 

In many ways, this is a typical “will the closeted bisexual man come out” while the openly gay man can only hope for honesty and a more normal relationship – one where their friends and other people know about the lovers. Scott and Kip get naked and have sex almost immediately, almost too soon for my taste. Their emotions take a lot longer to catch up, and both suffer from Scott’s lack of honesty. Yes, it is a big decision for him to come out and there are risks to his career, but still. I was yelling at him to grow a pair more than once because it was so clear to me how much he made Kip hurt. I guess the characters got to me in the end, and I love it when that happens.

 

While Scott and Kip are at the center of the story, there are many secondary characters who helped or hindered their progress as a couple. Some will reappear in later installments, and I look forward to learning more about them. Ilya and Shane are next – and I suspect the sparks will more than fly with those two.

 

If you like hockey players who play hard both on and off the ice, if closeted men figuring out whether or not they can openly love their partner are your thing, and if you are ready to watch a relationship change from “train wreck” to “ready to face the world”, then you will probably like this novel.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book was purchased by the reviewer.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook, print and audio
Length	Novel, 335 pages/94000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	22-October-2018
Price	$4.99 ebook, $18.37 audio book
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Game-Changer-Rachel-Reid-ebook/dp/B07DCTFR2K