The Long Game (Game Changers, #6) by Rachel Reid Review

This review contains spoilers - read with discretion. You can read my reviews of Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, Tough Guy, Common Goal, and Role Model on my blog now! Heated Rivalry is now streaming on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in select countries.

Already into chapter two and I was a full on sobbing mess. I need to protect Ilya like my life depends on it, and just as much with Shane. Before diving into this book, I had seen rumblings online that readers were tough on Shane with the way he acted in this book and the way he responded to Ilya's thoughts and actions. Honestly, I was able to see both Shane and Ilya's sides throughout this entire book - on one hand, you have Shane, who is desperate to maintain his elite status in the league while trying to balance his secret relationship, while on the other hand, you have Ilya, who is full of feelings of being left behind and longing to be out in the open with the love of his life all while fighting an internal battle.

Both Shane and Ilya have their own issues that they needed to address in this book, and I think it was incredibly important that we got to see more of Ilya's perspective in this installment. While we got glimpses in Heated Rivalry, this follow-up truly was able to expand on him as more of an individual rather than him being the other half of a secret romance. Every single time he went to see his therapist, I was sobbing - you could literally feel the heartbreak and fear ooze off the page as Ilya tried to articulate how he was feeling and how he wanted to feel like his concerns were being reciprocated. He was just so sad all of the time, and when he would mention he was scared of becoming sad like his mother was sad, I could not stop the tears.

I know Rachel Reid has said on a number of occasions that she did not intend to write Shane's performance diet as an eating disorder, but my god I was literally sick to my stomach every time it was mentioned that he was limiting himself so much in the name of hockey. Rose, Hayden, Ilya, basically everyone would tell him that he did not need to put himself through such intense regimens to be a professional athlete, and I think he would not listen to them because it was one of the few things in his life that he could control. I drove me bonkers that this was not addressed more - I wish Shane had an arc like Ilya had with his therapist - when we see that he ate a Snickers bar after being outted, Ilya basically realized Shane was not doing well in that moment because he was not sticking to his diet.

I think we all should beat the commissioner with bats - that nasty, homophobic old man is a dinosaur and a parasite to the entire. I already could not stand him after the way he treated Troy in Role Model, but this really sealed the deal with me on how much I hate that man. To think that he is running around basically telling every queer hockey player that they have to stay in the closet or basically get fired is insane, and considering he does not believe sexual assault victims, this is just one of many horrible mindsets he has. J.J. was really testing me after Ilya and Shane were unintentionally outed in that video - Shane has known J.J. the entire time they have been playing professionally, and he has the audacity to ask Shane if he fell on purpose to let Ilya score?? I almost through my phone across the room after reading that nightmare of a scene.

Ilya gaining a support system outside of Shane, Shane's parents, and Hayden was so nice to see - he was basically only able to confide in three people outside of Shane, and I can only imagine how isolating that must have been. Once he was able to form friendships and bonds with other team members, especially Troy and Luca, you could see that Ilya was starting to come around to becoming more free - adopting a dog certainly helped as well.

Now that I am all caught up, I cannot wait to see what Rachel has in store for the final Game Changers book, Unrivaled, releasing later this year. I am simply glad that Shane and Ilya will not be going through The Horrors like they did in this book - as much fun as conflict makes for the plot, those two have bene through more than enough and deserve to be able to live in peace and beat Montreal's butt next season.

You can add The Long Game on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date with releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Role Model (Game Changers, #5) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, Tough Guy, and Common Goal on my blog, now! Heated Rivalry is now streaming on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in select countries.

I really enjoyed seeing Troy's internal thoughts and how he was able to slowly start coming out of his shell after being traded to the Centaurs. You could clearly tell that he felt out of place after being uprooted from a team that he played with for years, and considering his supposed best friend ended up being a complete scumbag, his weariness to socialize with other people was understandable. Especially taking into account that Troy is closeted and recently out of a long term relationship, he does not know how anyone else would react to this information, even after Scott Hunter's major moment in Game Changer.

Major bonus points for Ilya being so present in this book - he is literally my favorite character in this series, so it was so nice to see him with Troy as they played on the Centaurs together. I was in desperate need of an Ilya fix after season one of Heated Rivalry concluded, and this was the perfect read to get more of him as I make my way towards The Long Game and patiently await season two. You could tell when he was talking to Shane, even when Shane was never even mentioned - Troy was constantly observing Ilya throughout the book, and he was certainly noticing a pattern with Ilya and his bursts of disappearing the second they had an off day.

There is a moment in this book where I literally started sobbing - most of these books are not "high stakes" in the sense that something tragically bad could happen to any of the characters, but I was genuinely fearing for multiple characters' lives at one point. You can literally feel the fear come off the page, and I have to stay this aspect of the book made the reality of what the characters were living through very prominent for the rest of the story. I genuinely think this is one of the main turning points for Troy in his own self reflection in deciding how he wants to see himself as a person and how he wants to live his life without hiding in the shadows any longer.

Harris was a great partner for Troy - while their interactions were a little rocky at first only due to Harris being weary of Troy for his past actions, it definitely blossomed into a great relationship. Their personalities, while not 100% the same, were compatible and I felt as though they were both able to learn a lot from one another, and understand that while their lives are very different from each other, they still had a common goal - pun intended - in mind. Considering Harris comes from a family who is very supportive of his sexuality and Troy comes from a rocky home life with a homophobic father and homophobic team members, it was interesting to see how they both went about their outlooks on life.

I hope Dallas Kent gets everything that is coming to him - I could not stand his little appearances throughout the other books and I am glad that Troy was able to put him in his place and believe those women. I think the addition of this storyline really emphasizes the NHL's past and current compliance with assault culture and is a great commentary on how these players are often believed over their victims in order for the league to keep making money. Which is an interesting factor given now the NHL is trying to monetize off of the success of Heated Rivalry when one could argue that the NHL and the commissioner are the biggest villains of the series. I only hope that the culture starts changing and allegations are taken more seriously.

I cannot wait to revisit Shane and Ilya in The Long Game, but I have to say this entire series has been such a joy to read so far. While there are moments that I have my own opinions on, Reid is able to create a universe where these players are able to have their happy endings and get the love they deserve.

You can add Role Model on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Common Goal (Game Changers, #4) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, and Tough Guy on my blog, now! Heated Rivalry is now streaming on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in select countries.

Thank the stars... an age gap romance that does not have me reaching for my phone to call the police!! Am I starting to shake in my boots now that reading books has main characters a year younger than me? Absolutely. I am simply going to pretend that Kyle is actually a year old and move on with my day. Eric and Kyle are definitely one of my new favorite couples in this series, second to Shane and Ilya. I loved how aware Eric was of his feelings and the way that he viewed Kyle - he was always respectful and honestly was so much more open about his feelings than I expected from him. Kyle was so much fun and honestly refreshing to see after Tough Guy - I just felt like the previous book was lacking a more playful feel to it.

Scott Hunter and Ilya Rozanov making their constant appearances is something that I will never complain about - you can always count on Ilya to make fun of everyone in a fifteen foot vicinity and to have Scott Hunter fighting for his life. Seeing Kip and Scott's relationship develop from where it was in Game Changers to them being at such a big moment in their lives was so full-circle realization. Reid does a decent job calling back to the other characters, but I will say she definitely has a fondness for Scott and Ilya. Shane and Kip certainly make their own appearances but they do not take as much page space as their counterparts. 

Eric exploring his sexuality with Kyle was such a fun read - you can tell that while he was nervous to "learn" with Kyle, he was very much comfortable with who he was and was happy and willing to try new things. Kyle was the perfect teacher for Eric, and it was honestly sweet to see how attentive they were to each other and how focused Kyle was on making sure Eric felt safe enough to explore things with him. Their communication throughout the book was pretty solid, but obviously there were moments where they struggled to convey their true feelings towards one another, which definitely lead them down a more rocky road towards the end.

Readers will appreciate the friendship aspect between Eric and Kyle in this book - while they are a more friends-with-benefits moment, you can clearly see how much they care for one another after meeting and getting to know each other. Watching them grow as individuals, open up to one another about their past relationships, and discover new things with each other made their relationship all the more authentic.

I cannot wait to see what is in store in Role Model, and considering we have concluded season one of Heated Rivalry, I will definitely be needing my hockey yaoi fix as we patiently await season two. This series as a whole has been so enjoyable, and if you are looking to find your way into some true hockey romance, there is no better time than now to dive into the Game Changers series.

You can add Common Goal on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Tough Guy (Game Changers, #3) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of Game Changer and Heated Rivalry on my blog, now! Heated Rivalry is now streaming on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in select countries.

Ryan and Fabian's relationship was certainly... interesting. On one hand, you have hockey star Ryan who has been playing in the league for years and on the other hand, you have musician Fabian who hates hockey. I think their personalities definitely complimented one another, but they also brought out things in each other that were not being explored when they were not together. I really enjoyed how Reid explored Ryan's anxiety throughout the book and did not shy away from the struggles he faced and how it impacted his daily life and his hockey career. Ryan's chapters were definitely the most compelling to me as a reader - it felt as though his character had more care taken in developing his internal development. While Fabian did have development as well, I just could not find myself leaning towards his story. He was not as likable as Ryan in my eyes, and I found him constantly stating how much he hated hockey while literally dating a hockey player becoming increasingly annoying.

Ryan's journey with his anxiety was the most captivating plot of this book. Since Reid makes it clear from the beginning that Ryan is out, there were no undertones of him being in the closet or hiding his relationship from the public for the sake of his career. This meant that we were able to explore new avenues with his character and see how even though Ryan is a "tough guy," he still had a lot going on in his life that was outside the world of hockey. Fabian was sympathetic towards Ryan's anxiety, but it still seemed that Fabian wanted Ryan to quit playing hockey every single chapter, which I felt fed into his anxiety even more.

Fabian has reasoning for not liking hockey players, but I found it odd that he basically let it fester his whole life and then when he finally is dating a hockey player. he spends the majority of his time thinking about how he wants Ryan to quit or watching Ryan's games and wondering why he would play. There were a few times in the book where Fabian was watching a game on television and thinking "why would Ryan be this violent during the game?" which I found absurd because it is literally hockey... they fight every two seconds during a game. I found myself becoming more agitated with Fabian as the book went on because of this, and truly tried to like him more, but just could not find it within my to want to take his side.

I really enjoyed the little Shane and Ilya crumbs in the book - while they were only mentioned a few times and made a guest appearance briefly, it was nice to see how they were being perceived by other hockey players. Ilya's one-liners are still a hit in my eyes and he truly is a hilarious character, even when he is not trying to be.

I think I was expecting a lot more out of this book than what was given, and was hoping Fabian and Ryan's relationship would be as enticing as Scott and Kip's or Shane and Ilya's relationships. Instead, I honestly found myself wanting Ryan to stop dating Fabian multiple times during the book - I did not think in the beginning and middle of their relationship that Fabian was the right man for Ryan. I am glad they both were able to be more vulnerable with each other and have their own growth, but would have loved if Fabian's character was not always on a mission to have Ryan literally quit his career because of his hatred towards hockey players. 

You can add Tough Guy on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Game Changer on my blog, now! Heated Rivalry premieres on November 28, 2025 - only on Crave.

Oh I ate this up so bad... some of my new favorite boys. Obviously I wanted to read this before the show premieres later this month, and now I wish I could wipe my memory and read it all over again. I have been seeing some "arguments" online with some people stating this book was porn without plot, but the plot in this book is so extremely vital to Shane and Ilya's individual struggles and their relationship. That being said, the smut was well written and tasteful as their relationship develops. We see two newly drafted teenagers enter the world of professional hockey while trying to figure themselves out and navigate this rivalry that has been thrust upon them, all while engaging in one of the most complex secret relationships I have seen.

When I heard I had to brace myself when reading the prologue, I could not imagine what Reid had in store for us - when I tell you my jaw dropped. There was no holding back with this book, and it is certainly a leg up on Game Changer. I will say that the timeline of this story was a touch hard to keep track of, but once you get the hang of the way the book flows, it becomes much easier to follow. Typically I am not a major fan of text message usage in books, but I found myself loving Shane and Ilya's conversations - you could really get a sense of their own personalities and humor even when they were not together.

Ilya's storyline felt like he was going through the horrors every two seconds, meanwhile Shane was trying to tell himself he was not gay even though he was literally sleeping with Ilya every chance they could get. Shane's story felt more lighthearted in my opinion - you could tell that he was going to be surrounded by supportive family members, while Ilya's story had me clutching my seat waiting for the next blow. Both experienced some major battles but they were basically there for each other the entire time, even when they would hold back on telling the other something that made them more vulnerable.

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and from what I hear, this is certainly not the last we will see of them. Their relationship was more intriguing than Scott and Kip's, and while I would not consider this a true "rivals to lovers" trope, I can say that I can see how their "rivalry" made the relationship development more interesting. There was a more significant amount of depth to both characters in this book compared to the first and I was glad to see that Reid was able to create some more complex characters. I already placed a Libby hold for the next book in this interconnected series and I am excited to see where it leads readers with the new couple.

You can add Heated Rivalry on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Game Changer (Game Changers, #1) by Rachel Reid Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Heated Rivalry premieres on November 28, 2025 - only on Crave.

I will be completely honest and say that I started this series solely because Heated Rivalry begins streaming soon and I have heard nothing but great things about that book - I wanted to read it before watching the show, and I am very pro-read the interconnected stand-alones in order. I have not read a hockey romance in some time and was excited to get back into them, especially considering the weather is getting colder. Scott Hunter's pre-game ritual of a smoothie has led him to Kip Grady, the kind juice bar barista that captured his eye and led him down a road of a secret romance. Scott's frequent visits become an excitement for Kip, and their friendship blossoms into an attraction that neither can avoid.

However, Scott seems to be the one making all of the rules and has Kip over on his own terms, leading to Kip feeling somewhat isolated from his "old" life and like a secret in the dark. As he spends more time thinking about what he wants and what his future holds career-wise, Scott is focused on playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup. Their different goals seems to cause a rift on the relationship but more so with Kip's perspective, and as playoffs come even closer, Kip is set to make up his mind on what he needs. Sure, Scott is not out to the world, but with Kip being out, he feels as though he is a second thought to Scott when it comes to hockey and what to focus on. I can definitely see both sides - Scott wanting to wait until playoffs are over in order to not overshadow the games, and Kip wanting to be able to go out with his boyfriends without Scott having to hide from the public eye.

Kip and Scott's friends definitely provided them support in different ways - Kip was able to at least confide in a friend regarding his relationship, whereas Scott had to keep everything to himself. You can certainly see how badly Scott wanted to share about his personal life, but also understand why he was keeping that part of him to himself and Kip. It hurt to see Kip go through so much and seemingly alone - you could tell that it was eating him up inside that he would be spending all of his time waiting for Scott to come back from games or practices, and yet barely get to see him when he did get home - not to mention the fact that Kip was not going to any hockey team functions with Scott as his partner - he had to watch from home.

This was definitely a good start to the series, and you can clearly tell where the next installment is headed considering the number of times a certain Russian player was mentioned throughout the book. There are things that I would have changed, but overall the book read well and there was a decent balance of inner turmoil, lightheartedness, and smut. I already have Heated Rivalry on loan from Libby, and cannot wait to see what Shane and Ilya's story has in store.

You can add Game Changer on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!