Tag Archives: LGBTQ

Coach Stare Down (For Puck’s Sake 6) by Crea Reitan-review tour

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Coach Stare Down (For Puck’s Sake 6) by Crea Reitan-review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date MAY 16, 2024

All it takes is just one look.

Adak

After a series of relationships where I’ve been made to feel inadequate because of my asexuality, I’ve made the sole focus of my life my coaching career. I love hockey – the chill of the ice, the fast paced, high stress game. I love the fans and the atmosphere. The energy. Now that I’m coaching in the NHL, I feel a sense of serenity and comfort with life. All that’s left is to get my team to The Stanley Cup.

A series of unfortunate injuries has riddled the Bobcats into a serious funk. The frustration that my boys feel echoes through me and after one of the most horrible plays I’ve ever witnessed, I turn my back on the ice – only to catch his eyes. Suddenly, I know what I’ve been missing. In a sea of over 15,000 faces, I found the one I’ve been waiting my entire life for.

There’s sadness in his eyes that’s only overcome with the fear behind it. Nothing will stop me from making Oren mine and giving him the life and love he deserves. Nothing.

Oren

My life is shit. I’m the pariah of my family for hell knows why. All I want is to get away. But I tried once – at nineteen, I ran and my father with his buddies on the police force dragged me home. I’ve since been dragged down into submission.

But then I meet his eyes and everything inside me just… shifts. Adak takes a chance on me and I think that perhaps my father has finally met a wall he can’t barrel through to keep control. That is, until he starts blasting his hate everywhere.

I wouldn’t blame Adak if he chooses to leave. This is his career on the line. His image and reputation. Am I worth it?

•••••••

REVIEW:I was hoping for a better story this time as I wasn’t too keen on the last one!

This one I loved, we got the hockey side (which I missed in the last one) we got a few little steamy moments. But it was the connection between Oren and Adak that I adored.

Adak is an ice hockey coach. We’ve met him a couple of times in previous books. It’s not necessary to read the previous ones as they all stand on their own. It was just great that he finally got a story.

He loves the game, his team and the fans that come out to support the team week in and week out.

But he’s lonely, he has a loving family, but he wants what his nephew has with his new husband. He wants a connection to another soul…. Past partners have put pressure on Adak to bend to their needs and make him feel guilty when he doesn’t conform to what society thinks is normal.

I love meeting new characters, I like that it’s not always about the s€x. The author has shown us that love comes in many shapes and forms like humans do. Just because you love someone differently, doesn’t make it wrong.

Oren had me in the first page. His home life is horrid. A father that controls every aspect of his life…. From the clothes he wears to the food he eats. From the job he should be doing (luckily Oren stuck to his principles on that one!) to the friends he should have. He was verbally beaten down, until Oren had nowhere or no one to turn to!! Even his brothers joined with the verbal beat down!! 😔

Fate, or whatever you want to call it put Oren in Adak’s sights. And from then on it gave Oren the strength to fight for what he wanted. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t pretty, in fact reading parts of the struggle to gain his freedom had me in tears and shouting at my kindle!! His confidence was nonexistent, his self worth was at an all time low. He constantly questioned himself, and had nothing but anxiety when around his family.

It also gave Adak the partner he deserved. One who loved him just the way he was, didn’t expect anything but love/cuddles and understanding.

This book does have triggers. This book is hard going (but sooooo worth the effort) and this book is now my second favourite in the series (Rakesh and Egon will always have my number one position) I just loved how they grew stronger after each incident. I chuckled at the most inappropriate times, and smiled at all the cuddling within this book.

Slow burn ? 🤔 almost borders on the sweet side. But it’s a great read, and one I’m highly recommending. 🫶🏻👌🫶🏻

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Shiver
Starting Line
Lucky Shot
The Crease
Wingman Score

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B🦋

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

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You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian-review

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You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 7, 2024

The 1960 baseball season is shaping up to be the worst year of Eddie O’Leary’s life. He can’t manage to hit the ball, his new teammates hate him, he’s living out of a suitcase, and he’s homesick. When the team’s owner orders him to give a bunch of interviews to some snobby reporter, he’s ready to call it quits. He can barely manage to behave himself for the length of a game, let alone an entire season. But he’s already on thin ice, so he has no choice but to agree.

Mark Bailey is not a sports reporter. He writes for the arts page, and these days he’s barely even managing to do that much. He’s had a rough year and just wants to be left alone in his too-empty apartment, mourning a partner he’d never been able to be public about. The last thing he needs is to spend a season writing about New York’s obnoxious new shortstop in a stunt to get the struggling newspaper more readers.

Isolated together within the crush of an anonymous city, these two lonely souls orbit each other as they slowly give in to the inevitable gravity of their attraction. But Mark has vowed that he’ll never be someone’s secret ever again, and Eddie can’t be out as a professional athlete. It’s just them against the world, and they’ll both have to decide if that’s enough.

••••••

REVIEW:YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY is an historical, adult, LGBTQ+ baseball romance set in 1960 focusing on twenty two year old, professional baseball player Eddie O’Leary, and journalist Mark Bailey. YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY is set in the same world as the author’s WE COULD BE SO GOOD.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Eddie and Mark),covering approximately nine months, YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY follows journalist Mark Bailey as he is tasked with writing a diary (of a sorts) focusing on professional baseball player Eddie O’Leary, a young man whose career is quickly spiralling out of control. Traded without warning to the New York Robins, Eddie is in a slump, struggling at the plate, and in the proverbial closet when it comes to his sex life and his career. The world has yet to accept the idea of homosexuality, or ‘queers’ in professional sports but Eddie will quickly discover the journalist assigned to write a piece about his career, is a man with more in common than Eddie could have ever imagined. Enter journalist Mark Bailey, a gay man who is battling between head and heart in the wake of losing someone he loved,and his attraction to a man whose career could end if his secret were discovered.

The relationship between Eddie and Mark begins as a professional arrangement in which Mark has been assigned to follow Eddie, and write a weekly journal focusing on the man with whom he will fall in love but Mark’s last relationship had been hidden from view, and Mark refuses to cross the line in the face of discrimination, homophobia, heart break and professional suicide. The $ex scenes fade to black and are mostly implied.

The secondary and supporting characters include a few cameos from reports Nick Russo, and his lover Andy Fleming (We Could Be So Good 1), as well as sports reporter George Allen, and several teammates and management from the New York Robins.

YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY is an extremely slow building story of secrets and lies, acceptance and love. The premise is thought-provoking; the slow burn romance is awkward at times; the characters are charismatic yet desperate.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Wingman Score (For Puck’s Sake 5) by Crea Reitan-review tour

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🩵🏒Wingman Score (For Puck’s Sake 5) by Crea Reitan-review tour🩵🏒

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 18, 2024

It’s time to score.

Zak

When you fight for so long, sometimes it’s just easier to give in. I want to give in to the god before me. Sent to me from the heavens, Owen is the very definition of divine perfection. But he doesn’t know my truth. If he did, he’d know that I don’t belong in his world.

The shame of seeing the disgust on his face when he figures it out keeps me running from him. Even though fate or destiny or something cruel keeps throwing us together. Maybe he’s the motivation I need to get my shit in order.

But can I do it before he figures out I’m nothing but a street rat?

Owen

The person who was made for me turns up at the New Year’s Eve party I didn’t want to go to. We’ve been serendipitously thrown together a handful of times since and though I know Zak wants me, he keeps walking out my door and refusing to call.

I can’t figure out why and it’s driving me insane. When I can’t take it anymore, I chance him thinking that I’m a stalker and show up at the address I dropped him off at last. Zak doesn’t live there but I finally learn his secret.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to convince Zak that I’ll give him the world if he’ll let me. Should be as easy as winning that elusive Stanley Cup.

••••••

REVIEW:Reading the blurb had me wondering if this would be as good as the rest of the series. Let me tell you it was, it took me a little longer than usual to warm up to the characters, but as usual the author puts so much into these stories, it’s hard not to fall in love with them and their story.

Zak hasn’t got two cents to rub together, sleeping on his friends couch and ducking into parties that he can’t afford! He’s not lazy, he wants a better life for himself, but as a struggling fashion designer, he knows he’s never going to make it big! He just needs motivation or a chance….

Owen is a god amongst his peers (well that’s what all the media says!) he’s loved and lived his best life to the fullest so far. But not having anyone to share it is becoming boring. But people are only usually nice to him because of his status.

Fate puts them in the right place. And are struck by how right they are together, but Zak can’t get past the fact they are from two different worlds …. Owen has money behind him, and Zak feels he just isn’t good enough to be with Owen! I loved Owen such a caregiver. He never let Zak think any less of himself. If he could he would have given him the world.

The angst comes mainly from Zak, his inability to let go of his inadequacies, not thinking more of himself. Owen never gives up, but it does get a little close at times!

And seeing Orson again 😊 that brings back happy memories, and a few of the other characters have books (look them up and give them a read, you won’t be sorry 😉)

So can Owen convince Zak to give them a chance? Or will Owen not be able to give his trust and love to the only man who will love him back unconditionally?

Again another original story that will have you thinking of Owen and Zak long after you put them down.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Shiver
Starting Line
Lucky Shot
The Crease

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B🦋

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

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The Crease (For Puck’s Sake 4) by Crea Reitan-review tour

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?? The Crease (For Puck’s Sake 4) by Crea Reitan-review tour ??

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 7, 2024

Always protect the heart of the ice.

Max

This wasn’t supposed to happen to me. I’m supposed to be at the top of my career. Untouchable. Worshiped. Finally proving to all the jerks in my life that I made it. I’m at the top.

Then a video that shouldn’t exist leaks and everything comes crashing down. I’m about to lose it all and I can’t seem to get out of my own way. My agent banishes me to a place that technology can’t touch while he tries to salvage my career.

I’m caught between rage and deep depression, lashing out at everyone and everything around me. I have myself to blame but right now, all I want is to drown in my misery. Even when something unexpected and good comes along, all I can do is push and push until I’m once more drowning all alone.

Deryke

I don’t know what’s come over me. Why does this disaster of a hockey player suddenly call to my heart and everything inside my body and mind? I mean, the world knows what’s in his pants and I’ve never been even slightly turned on by that! Why now? Why him?

Even when he’s bratting so hard I want to break him, I can see that he acts the way he does because he’s hurting somewhere deep inside. He won’t let me in, but for some unknown reason, I can’t let Maximus Latham go.

He needs me. He needs someone to believe in him and not disappear the minute he messes up. He needs someone to love him for him, not for being the hockey god he is. Except I’m not sure I can reach him in time before he self-destructs.

But damned if I’m not going to try.

••••

REVIEW: I’m hoping this series goes on forever. Another story smashed off the ice and into the back of the net ? this authors ice hockey/mm romance series has to be one of my all time favourites.

The characters are so 3 dimensional that I tend to forget they aren’t real. That the text messages that send to one another aren’t on my phone!! The books in this series hold not only a place in my heart, but also a place in my head.

This book focuses on the bad boy, the player, the trouble maker and his name is Maximus Latham (Max to friends)

He’s popped up in a few books (but you don’t have to read them to understand his character,) and in all of them he’s acted up, played the fool and will do anything for attention! But this time it backfires spectacularly and Max is facing the horrifying threat of losing the only thing he’s good at ice hockey!

Taking himself off to a remote island sounds like a good idea, but Max suffers a boat load of self doubt and insecurities, and begins to withdraw from his surroundings and in fact life itself!

It’s so sad reading how he slowly stops caring, how the voices in his head batter him about, until he’s just a husk, a shell of the man he once was….

Deryke is on the same island as Max, but for different reasons. He comes to the island to visit friends and recharge before the start of the season (yes, Deryke is a hockey player too) ? Seeing Max in the bar on the island has Deryke approach him to say hi. They aren’t on the same team but they do recognise each other enough to say hello. But Deryke gets no response!

I love the whole idea of someone out there just for you. And although Deryke isn’t gay, and Max is bi (although probably prefers men to be honest) they just click. Deryke doesn’t really question why he’s attracted to Max, he just knows he is suppose to be there to care and support Max ?

And so starts the whole story of Deryke bringing Max back to life. Showing him that he is worth the time and effort. Max’s backstory is a sad one, it certainly contributes to his mental health and the way he sees himself….

This book is about redemption, recognition and caring for someone enough to put your own life on hold…..But with the start of the hockey season, and Max still hasn’t heard from his manager or coach and Deryke is heading back to the mainland to start training how will Max cope on his own? Deryke is his lifeline!!

I liked how we get to see previous characters from previous books in this series. I liked how Deryke dealt with Max ? and I just wanted to wrap Max up and deal with all of his heartache.

Another highly recommended read from me.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Shiver
Starting Line
Lucky Shot

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B ?

 

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

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Pierre and Bill Now by Patrick Doyle-a sequel review

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Pierre and Bill Now by Patrick Doyle-a sequel review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

A novel about gay men as lovers, parents, children, and friends.

Pierre and Bill have been together for 35 years ever since Bill was a kid. Neither related nor romantically involved, their relationship began with a third man who has long since passed. Like everyone, they face challenges. Theirs, though, are acute as are anyone’s who lives outside the norm. But they overcame those obstacles and in the end, each found a partner and all four men settled down together—along with one little girl.

‘Pierre & Bill Now’ opens several years later and Pierre and Bill are alone once again. Life’s rollercoaster ride has taken its toll. There’s been a separation, a custody loss, and a death. Age, too, has become an issue and, for Pierre, new challenges arise. Bill, on the other hand, is at his peak—professionally, at least. While he engages in sex on occasion, he’s given up on love. So when his job is threatened by insidious allegations, his world falls apart. Until he fights back. And that fight gives Pierre new life. Even now, he’s a scrapper.

Litigation, illness, and ghosts from the past rise up to destroy them. Some will be defeated and others held at bay. There will be losses, though, but they won’t face them alone. Pierre isn’t the center of only Bill’s world. He’s the center of many. Bill, too, has a following. Some of his colleagues may believe the claims made against him, but his students do not. Neither does the new caregiver assigned to take care of Pierre. He cares a lot.

With elements of mystery, erotica, and romance along with a good dose of humor, the novel follows many trails. But love takes center stage. Whether as parents, children, lovers, rivals or friends, everyone wants love, fears losing it, and struggles to make room for more. This is a story about family, too. The family that you choose.

[‘Pierre & Bill Now’ follows an earlier novel, ‘Pierre & Bill: A Love Story’, but can be easily read on its own. The story is new and events from Pierre and Bill’s earlier years are fleshed out so that the reader will have no trouble entering their world.]

•••••••••

REVIEW:PIERRE AND BILL NOW by Patrick Doyle is the sequel to the author’s contemporary, adult PIERRE AND BILL: A LOVE STORY, a LGBTQ+ erotic, love story of family and friendships. This is the continuing story of octogenarian Pierre Tremblay, and forty year old, high school teacher Bill Harris. PIERRE AND BILL NOW can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading PIERRE AND BILL: A LOVE STORY.

Told from single omniscient third person perspective (Bill) PIERRE AND BILL NOW focuses on the relationship between Pierre Tremblay and Bill Harris. Pierre Tremblay had helped raise Bill Harris from the time the young man was five years old but the death of Bill’s father left Pierre Bill’s only ‘guardian’, a position he would hold until the end of his life but all was not well with Pierre, and Bill was struggling with the inevitable. A high school art teacher Bill found himself the at the centre of a scandal, and Pierre would be targeted by a ghost from the past. In desperate need of help, Bill reconnected with, and sought help from an unlikely source, another young man whose life once revolved around Pierre Tremblay.

Most of the previous story line characters return as secondary and supporting players including Pierre’s one-time love Danny, and his ‘granddaughter’ Ruth, as the ‘family’ must take up proverbial arms against those striking where it hurts the most.

PIERRE AND BILL NOW is a love story of family and friendships, relationships and love; betrayal and vengeance, greed and obsession, homophobia and lies. The premise is captivating, edgy and thought provoking; the characters are desperate, animated and tragic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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For Your Forever (For Your Love 4) by Crea Reitan-review tour

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For Your Forever (For Your Love 4) by Crea Reitan-review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: January 25, 2024

Wishes on a star just don’t come true.

I used to believe in fairy tales, but I’ve kissed far too many frogs that never turn into Prince Charming. The glass slipper never fits. I’m always the ugly step-sibling; never the princess. They’re the same crushing blows every time.

When will you grow out of this phase?

Why can’t you be normal for once?

This was cute but now you’re just embarrassing me.

Why is it so difficult to accept that I like myself the way I am? With my pretty dresses, pastel tattoos, and sparkly nail polish, I like to feel beautiful.

All I want is my happily ever after. To be cherished and adored and loved for who I am. I desperately want to find my forever person.

Why am I always left with a broken heart instead?

••••••••

REVIEW:Sad to see this mini series end as I’ve loved every book.

But what a way to finish a series. This book was never meant to be written, but I’m so glad it was.

Vulcan was never meant to have a story, but I’m so glad he did. He was a side character that fell in love with and wanted him to have a happy ending.

He’s described as a huge walking teddy bear, he’s also covered in tattoos. But he’s not your usual bearded/tattooed giant. Oh no, Vulcan is a gentle giant who loves to dress in skirts, sparkly tops and his tattoos are all pastel coloured. His best friend loves him for who he is and reminds him of this on a daily basis. Because not everyone gets Vulcan’s sense of fashion. He’s had dates and relationships that start ok, then after a while they want him to change, to leave the “fad” behind and be “normal”. Vulcan won’t change for no one, but it does dim his sparkle for a while ?

So when he meets a stranger in a queue and he comments on his attire and tattoos, Vulcan doesn’t hear the positive only the negative….

Luca can’t believe what is in front of his eyes… A beautiful man covered in pastel tattoos and a cute skirt and top. Now Luca loves big men, and he’s instantly smitten with this man, he needs to know his name and is he single.

This is a insta love for Luca. It takes longer for Vulcan to believe him and trust it won’t disappear.

Wren/Zvi/Oscar are already a family, but they’ve come to know the signs when Luca has a new obsession. It’s been Oscar and Luca forever, then they both bring in a new partner into the fold. But Wren and Zvi are feeling a little insecure, does that mean a new addition or will one (or both) have to leave?

This story will stay with me for a long time, it’s different from most stories I’ve read. It has role playing moments that were sweet if not a little cheesy (i did chuckle out loud at those parts).

Children were just so darn cute. They were brought up in the family by all the men (the females that gave birth didn’t have a huge role in the book!)

It’s a book and series that I recommend highly. You don’t need to read the previous ones to enjoy this. But characters from the said books do make appearances.

Reading Order and Previous Review
For Your Time
For Your Heart
For Your Mind

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B ?

 

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

 

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Lucky Shot (For Puck’s Sake 3) by Crea Reitan -review tour

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?? Lucky Shot (For Puck’s Sake 3) by Crea Reitan -review tour ??

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 14, 2023

The entire game can be determined by a lucky shot.

PrettyInLace

Even a gay athlete has an appearance to uphold. There are a handful out in every sport and while every trashy magazine wants to get the scoop on what the gays are up to, looking for a scandal and a way to ruin us, every one of us is constantly on our best behavior. Acting a certain way; dressing a certain way; speaking a certain way.

If the world knew the real me, it’d shudder. Lace. Pearls. Dresses. Collars. All I want is to be someone’s pretty little doll that they dress up and tell me how pretty I am. I want to be loved for the real me; not the image I’m forced to show to the world just so I can keep my spot on the ice.

The only place I find that escape is in an online role playing game where I can be the sexy femme mage and get my flirt on. Find the man of my dreams.

And I do. He’s a big, hot druid ready to sweep me off my feet. Now if only I could find the courage to tell him who I am and trust that he won’t share it with the rest of the world. I’m not ready to end my career yet.

DemiDefenseKip

I’m known for my defensive plays. Aggressive. Precise. Quick. Strong. On the ice, I’m an icon that the world loves to put on a pedestal and worship. I’ve carefully cultivated everything about my public appearance to capitalize on my short career. Considering I’m a noted ‘queer athlete’ – a title that never strays too far from any article – I’m truly living a charmed life.

What the world doesn’t know is that it’s not just my sexuality that makes having a relationship in the spotlight difficult. It’s also because I’m demisexual. Finding someone interested in me and not my jersey or bank balance has proven especially challenging.

So how does someone with a recognizable face the world over find love? If you figure it out, let me know.

***

This is a LGBT+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.

••••••••

REVIEW:You think you’ve read your favourite book by this author. Then she throws another contender into the ring.

I absolutely loved this one, and didn’t put it down until I finished it….

Noah and Elixon (Lix) have known each other for a few years. A nod or a “how are you?” have really been their only form of communication.Noah is a great hockey player, but sometimes feels like they only see his face! He’s tired of being called “pretty” he is well aware of what he looks like, he just wants someone to notice him, and to dress him up….. Noah really wants to be someone’s treasured possession, for someone to see past his face and to get to know the real him…. And so far no luck!

Elixon (Lix to friends and family) might be a gay hockey player, but he hates the fact that people assume he’s always up for a one night stand! He’s selective in who he spends time with, but unless he makes an emotional connection with someone, Elixon just isn’t interested. So if Elixon and Noah know of each other through their sport, why haven’t they hooked up before? And this is where this book is different from the rest of the hockey romances I’ve been reading recently.

They meet online…. Nope, not a dating app, but a Role Playing Game. You create a character, do challenges and basically have fun and do stuff you wouldn’t do in the real world. They meet, they hang out, they accept and do challenges together, and along the way find out about one another, whilst remaining anonymous.

Both Noah and Elixon spend every waking hour in this pretend world, they are both drawn to one another and tell each other their hopes/dreams and darkest desires. Whilst in the real world not having a clue they’ve just spent time with one another (there are moments in the book that will have you laughing) The role playing game leads them to exchanging phone numbers, that lead to texting one another, that lead them into phoning each other. Until a date with a FaceTime meeting changes their whole relationship…..

Over the few months they’ve grown to love one another, and both Noah and Lix can’t wait to finally see each over….. So can you imagine their shock and surprise that they’ve literally known one another and not known who they were interacting with! So meeting up is just a matter of a plane flight away. But Noah can’t get his head around it, and is worried it will all fall apart once the hockey season begins again!

Can Lix convince Noah that what he feels for Noah is real, and it won’t go away?

I loved both Noah and Lix for different reasons. Their characters were so different from both one another and from characters I’ve read about. This author brings to life their struggles that happen in the real world. I got so excited when they finally saw each other for the first albeit over a FaceTime. And couldn’t wait for them to meet in person. The airport scene was so touching.

So another fantastic read from one of my favourite MM authors.

A highly recommended read from me.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Shiver
Starting Line

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B ?

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

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Starting Line (For Puck’s Sake 2) by Crea Reitan-review tour

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??Starting Line (For Puck’s Sake 2) by Crea Reitan-review tour??

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 9,2023

Every game begins with a good starting line.

Ethan

I’ve been secretly married for eight years. Why is it a secret? Because having an open marriage splashed all over headlines isn’t a good look. We’d constantly be under the spotlight; our lives and relationships judged. That’s not the kind of hockey player I want to be known for. Especially because we play for different teams.

Although most of my relationships outside of my marriage are passing, I’ve been pining over my best friend and teammate for years. YEARS! Just as I decide that maybe it’s time to see where this leads, management throws an unexpected play in our faces.

It might be over before it begins and I’m not sure what to do about it.

Creed

Since the day I was swapped to Buffalo, I’ve been in love with Ethan Wilder. He’s an intense player, breaking records every year. But he’s also fun, sweet, thoughtful, and gorgeous. He’s everyone’s perfect dream.

When he tells me he wants to be more than friends, I almost jump him right there in the locker room. Things between us heat up quickly and I’ve never been happier. Everything is perfect.

Except our starting line. We’ve been through four right wingmen in the last three seasons but no matter who management brings on board, they just don’t gel with me and Ethan. Now they’ve thrown us a trick play that I’m not sure we’re going to be able to work around – on the ice or off.

It’s not just the starting line we need to worry about. In fact, this complication could put the entire team – and our new relationship – on ice.

••••••

REVIEW: Yay, one of my favourite authors has another book out. It’s an MMM read and another book to add to her “For Puck’s Sake” series. You don’t need to read book one to get this story. (But it’s my favourite so far, so if you haven’t read “Shiver” and you like this type of book, then go grab it, you won’t be sorry)

Ethan doesn’t hide who he is, and that’s a gay man playing ice hockey. He’s good at his sport. He’s also known in the press as a bit of a player, always with a new man…..
But Ethan has a secret, and if it ever got out…. Well it could be bad news for anyone associated with him…..

But since meeting and playing with his teammate Creed, Ethan hadn’t looked at another man…. He wants Creed, but dating a teammate can get messy and Ethan feels if he lets go then his feelings for Creed could turn into something more!

Creed has crushed and loved his teammate Ethan almost as long as he’s known him. He knows his feelings would be reciprocated, but something is hold Ethan back. He just wants a change at a happiness he never had as a young man. Will Ethan ever love him back?

And the third person in this story …. Jakub. Also a hockey player, and Ethan’s secret husband! He’s the caregiver in this long distance relationship, he loves Ethan with every molecule in his body. He’s also aware of Ethan’s attraction to Creed.

Creed has known about Jakub, and vice versa. Ethan is the center of both their world. But as the book continues, you get the sense that Jakub would spoil and care for Creed as well.

I loved how the three of these wonderful characters held each other up. I liked how vastly different they are, but gel so well when they are together. The chemistry between Ethan and Creed is strong and fierce, between Ethan and Jakub it’s loving and a power exchange. And even between Creed and Jakub there is a tentative relationship growing. I loved how understanding Jakub was with Ethan. A long distance secret relationship couldn’t have been easy on them, but you get the intensity of their love for one another clearly coming across the pages.

Then the sh!t hits the fan!! And the unthinkable happens!! It pops their bubble and has the potential to tear their worlds apart!! Can they really be together, or will the media/family and friends pull them apart?

I loved this story. I also liked the explanation given in this book by the author. it’s a little heavy on the politics of gender and sexuality. But you can see where the author is going, they are her views, and I might not agree with everything, they are still out out there and not rammed down your throat.

I adored Ethan and Creed’s teammates, and hope they all get a story ?

If you like sports romance, MMM romance and a tangled love story then grab it now.

Click HERE for Julie’s review of book one SHIVER

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B ?

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

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