I've decided to rename the Game Changers books: (***spoilers ahead***)
1. Game Changer Scott Hunter and the Backstory for Ilya and Shane's Big Moment
2. Heated Rivalry Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander and the Most Beautiful Star Crossed Love of the Century
3. Tough Guy Ryan Price and the Third Act Breakup that's Singlehandedly Solved by Ilya Rozanov
4. Common Goal (I haven't read it but I assume) Eric Bennett and the Gay Bar that Ilya Rozanov Frequents With Sage Advice
5. Role Model Troy Barrett and the Weird Ensemble Cast Book That Forgets It's a Romance Novel Because Even IT Wants More Ilya Rozanov
6. The Long Game Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander's Hard Fought Happily Ever After
7. ???? Luca Haas and the Time that Ilya and Shane Finally Win a Stanley Cup Together (if that doesn't happen I will riot)
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Book Chat: Tough Guy
Game Changers (Book 3) by Rachel Reid
Source: Google Images
They have nothing in common—so why does Ryan feel most like himself whenever he’s with Fabian?
Pro hockey star Ryan Price may be an enforcer, but off the ice he struggles with anxiety. Recently traded to the Toronto Guardians, he’s determined to make a fresh start in the city’s dynamic LGBTQ Village. The last thing he expects to stumble upon in his new neighborhood is a blast from his past in the fabulous form of Fabian Salah.
Aspiring musician Fabian loathes hockey. But that doesn’t stop him from being attracted to a certain burly, ginger-bearded defenseman. He hasn’t forgotten the kiss they almost shared back in high school, and it’s clear the chemistry between them has only intensified.
Fabian is more than happy to be Ryan’s guide to the gay scene in Toronto. Between dance clubs and art exhibits—and the most amazing sex—Ryan’s starting to feel something he hasn’t experienced in a long time: joy. But playing the role of the heavy on the ice has taken its toll on his body and mind, and a future with Fabian may mean hanging up his skates for good.
ISBN: 9781488068911 (2020) | Source: Goodreads
Good Concept, Poor Execution
Like Reid's previous two books in Game Changers, Tough Guy is nothing like its predecessors. Our athlete here was not hiding his sexuality. The love interest here was not a struggling service employee nor a fellow athlete. However, with that in mind, I knew Tough Guy was not going to beat Heated Rivalry in terms of, well, everything. I did go into this book knowing I would most probably not enjoy it.
First things first, based off that synopsis, it just wasn't enticing enough. If Ryan did not appear previously, I would not have known to expect something deeper in this story. Honestly, this felt like a rather different sports romance novel as compared to the ones I've read before. Tough Guy brushed on obvious subject like stereotypes but it also talked about panic attacks and identity crisis. Not something you come across often in this specific genre, right?
Anyway, I really did like the idea of Tough Guy. I liked that we were teased with what Ryan might be going through previously, and in his book, we get to see him grow. However, because we were so busy watching (or reading) Ryan grow, Fabian seemed so irrelevant to the story. This felt like when I was reading the first book in the series, it was so much Scott Hunter and that was it. Not gonna lie, I almost DNF-ed this book like I did Game Changers. But because I really wanted to see the character development in Ryan, I went on to finish the book. No regrets there because that epilogue? And walking in on them? Yeah, that epilogue made my experience with Tough Guy slightly better.
I just wished Reid had taken her time to write this book. Or rather, let Ryan take his time to grow and have the couple take their time to develop their relationship. In terms of chemistry, I felt more chemistry between Scott and Kip, and I did not even finish reading that book! Fabian needed more spotlight, Ryan needed a slower pace and well, this book could have done with a couple more chapters.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
More on the Game Changers series here: Heated Rivalry (#2)
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Ryan Price at the Legends Awards 2023
Well, well, well. If it isn’t another white man in a plain black suit that looks straight off the rack from K-Mart. At this point, we’re still begging Ryan to do better but even we know a lost cause when we see one. Come on, not even a tie?
1/10
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The pacing of the Game Changers books is wildly inconsistent. Heated Rivalry feels like a different genre entirely from the others.
Here's how long it took into the books for them to hook up.
Scott and Kip - page 56 (13%)
Ilya and Shane - page 12 (2%)
Ryan and Fabian - page 158 (50%)
Troy and Harris - page 181 (50%)
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top 10 fuckboys in new york?
I'd say - in no specific order - oryn connelly, kingston jiang, nathan lee, braxton cruz, kastor kang, ryan price, basil hawthorne when he's not flopping on flight to forever, jaden myers, daxton myers, and selena right. yeah she's a girl. i don't care. honorable mention: maddox woods.
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𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑖 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟.
OUTER BANKS.
jj maybank, rafe cameron, pope heyward, sarah cameron
SURVIVING SUMMER.
baxter radic, marlon sousa
THE WALKING DEAD.
benjamin (twd), glenn rhee, rick grimes, daryl dixon
SCHOOL SPIRITS.
wally clark
911.
evan buckley
MARVEL.
peter parker (all), captain america
TOP GUN.
jake seresin, bradley bradshaw, robert floyd, natasha trace
LIFE IS STRANGE.
chloe price, warren graham, rachel ambers, ryan lucan, alex chen, steph gingrich
RED DEAD REDEMPTION.
arthur morgan, sadie adler
THE DOLAN TWINS.
grayson dolan, ethan dolan
SHAMELESS.
lip gallagher
THE MAZE RUNNER.
minho, thomas, gally
THE QUARRY.
jacob custos, max brinly, nicholas furcillo
UNTIL DAWN.
josh washington, jess riley, mike munroe
TEEN WOLF.
stiles stilinski
CELEBRITY CRUSHES.
dylan obrien, will poulter, thomas brodie sangster, archie madekwe, jeon jungkook, park jimin, josh hutcherson, rudy pankow, drew starkey, tom holland, milo manheim.
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