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For Puck's Sake #2
Starting Line
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.
This is a LGBT+ (MMM) story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
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.
This is a LGBT+ (MMM) story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.
332 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2023
559 people are currently reading
1123 people want to read
About the author
Crea Reitan
109 books1,101 followersCrea 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. 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!
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!
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November 11, 2023DNF @ 65%. But to be honest, I started skimming around the 35% mark. This was not it. I’m sorry, but it was actually bad; I don’t usually type long reviews for books I don’t finish, but this pissed me off badly enough to do exactly that. It’s even worse that I had high expectations, which just serves as a reminder that you should never have high expectations for books. Now what exactly was wrong with this book? Well, many things.
1) Unbalanced dynamics. You expect me to believe that Jakub was just all fine and dandy with Ethan and Creed being all lovey dovey when the team accused him of being homophobic? How does that make any sense unless he’s a robot? This book was in no way realistic, which would be fine if it had anything else going for it. The author essentially wrote Jakub as some unemotional cyborg to keep up with her plot, and it was irritating as hell. Speaking of irritation, not only was I annoyed at the dynamics, but the lack of equal POV’s pissed me off. This is what I despise most about “why choose” books; there’s bound to be uneven POV’s unless you switch off every chapter to give each character a fair perspective. But nope, the author clearly messed up here because it’s primarily Ethan and Creed sharing their thoughts. And the cut-off’s for certain chapters were so unnecessary and lazy. Like how are you going to cut Jakub and Ethan’s Xmas time together short and switch to Ethan and Creed cuddling right after. Why wasn’t there a damn full chapter of Ethan and Jakub that didn’t involve sex in some way? You really think they’re in love? Gtfo. Jakub not even being mentioned by name in the blurb just proves this book to be unbalanced. Idgaf about what your thoughts are on poly relationships (I’m fine with them if they’re written well), but excluding a whole character and trying to justify it by writing he was okay with it is just mediocre writing. It takes away personality and makes it hard to connect.
2) Bland characters with a dull “romance.” For the amount of tropes this book covers, you’d think it’d be more interesting. Unfortunately, this was stale and boring as hell. You expect me to believe that Ethan and Creed loved each other when there was literally NO build up that was SHOWN rather than TOLD. It was just written that they loved each other and that Jakub was okay with it, but that’s just lazy writing. You can’t just tell the readers that something is happening just to say it occurred; fucking show it through descriptive writing and actual meaningful interactions. Enough with the “I love you” every other chapter when there was more time spent interacting with college/high school students or teammates than as a couple/throuple. Individually, the characters were terrible. How did we drift so far away from actual endearing or interesting characters like Egon and Rakesh to such dry, unimaginative characters here? Jakub at least was romantic with the roses and candles, but other than that, he was robotic and drab. Ethan was ridiculous, and I didn’t see his appeal at all; how the hell did this man pull 2 dudes? It’s a mystery. Credence was by far the worst though. Sure, he felt more human in the sense that he possessed insecurities, but goddamn was he plain. Anytime it was his POV, I rolled my eyes so hard. The only cool or unique thing about him was his name. And, I love how most of their interactions were sex-based or focused around saying “ily” with no reason to (notice the sarcasm?)!!! So much romance HAHAHAAHAHAHH 😐
It would’ve been fine to claim Ethan and Creed loved each other for years before actually getting together if they were referenced in the first book. But nope, they were new characters that were introduced here, meaning that their relationship felt so shallow and meaningless due to a lack of build-up.
I commend the author or editor or whoever made those errors in the previous book for improving their grammar. However, in exchange for less mistakes, there was a lack of descriptive scenes. Basically, it wasn’t a good trade-off at all. Similar to Jakub’s trade to Buffalo. I really wish it was Creed’s ass that got traded or hell, I wish this was an MMMM so that things felt more balanced. I’m sorry for being so judgmental and rude here, but this book was such a shame. I’ll just reread Shiver instead of entertaining this further.
1) Unbalanced dynamics. You expect me to believe that Jakub was just all fine and dandy with Ethan and Creed being all lovey dovey when the team accused him of being homophobic? How does that make any sense unless he’s a robot? This book was in no way realistic, which would be fine if it had anything else going for it. The author essentially wrote Jakub as some unemotional cyborg to keep up with her plot, and it was irritating as hell. Speaking of irritation, not only was I annoyed at the dynamics, but the lack of equal POV’s pissed me off. This is what I despise most about “why choose” books; there’s bound to be uneven POV’s unless you switch off every chapter to give each character a fair perspective. But nope, the author clearly messed up here because it’s primarily Ethan and Creed sharing their thoughts. And the cut-off’s for certain chapters were so unnecessary and lazy. Like how are you going to cut Jakub and Ethan’s Xmas time together short and switch to Ethan and Creed cuddling right after. Why wasn’t there a damn full chapter of Ethan and Jakub that didn’t involve sex in some way? You really think they’re in love? Gtfo. Jakub not even being mentioned by name in the blurb just proves this book to be unbalanced. Idgaf about what your thoughts are on poly relationships (I’m fine with them if they’re written well), but excluding a whole character and trying to justify it by writing he was okay with it is just mediocre writing. It takes away personality and makes it hard to connect.
2) Bland characters with a dull “romance.” For the amount of tropes this book covers, you’d think it’d be more interesting. Unfortunately, this was stale and boring as hell. You expect me to believe that Ethan and Creed loved each other when there was literally NO build up that was SHOWN rather than TOLD. It was just written that they loved each other and that Jakub was okay with it, but that’s just lazy writing. You can’t just tell the readers that something is happening just to say it occurred; fucking show it through descriptive writing and actual meaningful interactions. Enough with the “I love you” every other chapter when there was more time spent interacting with college/high school students or teammates than as a couple/throuple. Individually, the characters were terrible. How did we drift so far away from actual endearing or interesting characters like Egon and Rakesh to such dry, unimaginative characters here? Jakub at least was romantic with the roses and candles, but other than that, he was robotic and drab. Ethan was ridiculous, and I didn’t see his appeal at all; how the hell did this man pull 2 dudes? It’s a mystery. Credence was by far the worst though. Sure, he felt more human in the sense that he possessed insecurities, but goddamn was he plain. Anytime it was his POV, I rolled my eyes so hard. The only cool or unique thing about him was his name. And, I love how most of their interactions were sex-based or focused around saying “ily” with no reason to (notice the sarcasm?)!!! So much romance HAHAHAAHAHAHH 😐
It would’ve been fine to claim Ethan and Creed loved each other for years before actually getting together if they were referenced in the first book. But nope, they were new characters that were introduced here, meaning that their relationship felt so shallow and meaningless due to a lack of build-up.
I commend the author or editor or whoever made those errors in the previous book for improving their grammar. However, in exchange for less mistakes, there was a lack of descriptive scenes. Basically, it wasn’t a good trade-off at all. Similar to Jakub’s trade to Buffalo. I really wish it was Creed’s ass that got traded or hell, I wish this was an MMMM so that things felt more balanced. I’m sorry for being so judgmental and rude here, but this book was such a shame. I’ll just reread Shiver instead of entertaining this further.
December 15, 2024
3.5
I feel like Goldilocks 😂 book one didn't have enough details or explanation, this book has way too much! Maybe book three will be just right...
Again this is ridiculously OTT, highly unrealistic and reminds me of soap operas, but I just can't look away from it 😂
So, I'm a big fan of poly relationships, it's not something that bothers me because I'm just not a jealous person, but the amount of justification that is in this book made it unenjoyable to read. If you focus on the relationship and show the reader how they love, trust and support each other, then you wouldn't need to justify why they're together - they would just be together and it'd be representative of a poly relationship. There's never justification for why a man and woman are in a relationship! Some people don't like poly and that's fine, but you don't need to be so preachy to try and win them over. Chances are that people who aren't into it won't even read the book, but the people who are here for it have to suffer through what feels like an endless lecture 😩
I also think the author was getting a little sidetracked by ranting about so many things. I did agree with a lot of it, but it felt so random to be included in a romance novel.
There are also far too many side characters mentioned. I don't care about characters who only pop up for a paragraph! It felt chaotic and there was so much that could have been removed to streamline the story and focus on the characters that really mattered.
What I loved was the relationships. Ethan and Jakub were so solid, Ethan and Creed were adorable, Jakub and Creed were so cute, and when they all merged their relationships they were just so good together. There really should be a better word than triad or throuple though because one sounds mathematical and the other sounds a bit like a fungal infection 😂
Jakub was my favourite character by far, I loved his caretaker role and how he likes to be in control. The sensation play was my favourite sex scene - I actually didn't want to skip over it! I liked Ethan but I don't have much to say about him. Creed confused me though. Why at 60% of the book does he suddenly reveal he's extremely self conscious about his size? It made no sense - he's already had sex with Ethan on multiple occasions and Jakub has also seen him naked. His self-confidence issues came out of nowhere and they were never fully explained. It just felt like one thing too many.
I am weirdly enjoying this series though, even though it's a bit of a trainwreck!
I feel like Goldilocks 😂 book one didn't have enough details or explanation, this book has way too much! Maybe book three will be just right...
Again this is ridiculously OTT, highly unrealistic and reminds me of soap operas, but I just can't look away from it 😂
So, I'm a big fan of poly relationships, it's not something that bothers me because I'm just not a jealous person, but the amount of justification that is in this book made it unenjoyable to read. If you focus on the relationship and show the reader how they love, trust and support each other, then you wouldn't need to justify why they're together - they would just be together and it'd be representative of a poly relationship. There's never justification for why a man and woman are in a relationship! Some people don't like poly and that's fine, but you don't need to be so preachy to try and win them over. Chances are that people who aren't into it won't even read the book, but the people who are here for it have to suffer through what feels like an endless lecture 😩
I also think the author was getting a little sidetracked by ranting about so many things. I did agree with a lot of it, but it felt so random to be included in a romance novel.
There are also far too many side characters mentioned. I don't care about characters who only pop up for a paragraph! It felt chaotic and there was so much that could have been removed to streamline the story and focus on the characters that really mattered.
What I loved was the relationships. Ethan and Jakub were so solid, Ethan and Creed were adorable, Jakub and Creed were so cute, and when they all merged their relationships they were just so good together. There really should be a better word than triad or throuple though because one sounds mathematical and the other sounds a bit like a fungal infection 😂
Jakub was my favourite character by far, I loved his caretaker role and how he likes to be in control. The sensation play was my favourite sex scene - I actually didn't want to skip over it! I liked Ethan but I don't have much to say about him. Creed confused me though. Why at 60% of the book does he suddenly reveal he's extremely self conscious about his size? It made no sense - he's already had sex with Ethan on multiple occasions and Jakub has also seen him naked. His self-confidence issues came out of nowhere and they were never fully explained. It just felt like one thing too many.
I am weirdly enjoying this series though, even though it's a bit of a trainwreck!
December 5, 2023
* 4 stars *
Starting Line is the second book in the For Puck's Sake series by Crea Reitan, but it can also be read as a standalone.
It's a nicely done MMM story between three hockey players. Two of them, Jakub and Ethan, are secretly married and have an open relationship. They're playing for different teams so they're also doing the long-distance thing. They're always honest with each other, completely open about everything, and very secure in their relationship and their feelings. They have a strong relationship despite the physical distance between them through most of the year because they put a lot of effort into communicating and being totally honest.
The third MC, Creed, is Ethan's teammate, linemate, and one of his closest friends. It's clear there's something more than friendship between them even though they haven't taken that step yet at the beginning of the story. Jakub knows about Creed, has known about him from the start, and is aware of Ethan's feelings. He's supportive and encourages Ethan to pursue what's between them.
There's absolutely no cheating in this story. Everyone is on the same page, everything is happening out in the open, they're all honest and they're all on board with the evolution of their relationships.
For me, the story really began once Jakup got traded and all three of them were on the same team. It happened fairly early in the book but I still wish it was even sooner.
After that happened, the relationship between all three of them started to change. They were spending a lot of time together getting to know each other and becoming comfortable in each other's company. Creed started to relax more with Jakub and to trust him. He had some self-confidence issues that Ethan and Jakub helped him overcome, and even though he didn't quite overcome them, he did reach a point where he felt safe with both of them.
I won't go into too much detail about the later part of the book, I'll just say that I'm glad we also got to see them all together in a relationship and the book didn't end right when they figured things out.
All three of them worked well together, it was like they completed each other. I don't think there was a missing piece in Jakub and Ethan's relationship before Creed but I do believe that he fit with both of them effortlessly.
~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~
Starting Line is the second book in the For Puck's Sake series by Crea Reitan, but it can also be read as a standalone.
It's a nicely done MMM story between three hockey players. Two of them, Jakub and Ethan, are secretly married and have an open relationship. They're playing for different teams so they're also doing the long-distance thing. They're always honest with each other, completely open about everything, and very secure in their relationship and their feelings. They have a strong relationship despite the physical distance between them through most of the year because they put a lot of effort into communicating and being totally honest.
The third MC, Creed, is Ethan's teammate, linemate, and one of his closest friends. It's clear there's something more than friendship between them even though they haven't taken that step yet at the beginning of the story. Jakub knows about Creed, has known about him from the start, and is aware of Ethan's feelings. He's supportive and encourages Ethan to pursue what's between them.
There's absolutely no cheating in this story. Everyone is on the same page, everything is happening out in the open, they're all honest and they're all on board with the evolution of their relationships.
For me, the story really began once Jakup got traded and all three of them were on the same team. It happened fairly early in the book but I still wish it was even sooner.
After that happened, the relationship between all three of them started to change. They were spending a lot of time together getting to know each other and becoming comfortable in each other's company. Creed started to relax more with Jakub and to trust him. He had some self-confidence issues that Ethan and Jakub helped him overcome, and even though he didn't quite overcome them, he did reach a point where he felt safe with both of them.
I won't go into too much detail about the later part of the book, I'll just say that I'm glad we also got to see them all together in a relationship and the book didn't end right when they figured things out.
All three of them worked well together, it was like they completed each other. I don't think there was a missing piece in Jakub and Ethan's relationship before Creed but I do believe that he fit with both of them effortlessly.
~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~
May 12, 2024
I enjoyed the book a lot, and I thought the way it was written was very sensitive and thoughtful. I just wish I could read a poly book where half the book didn’t have to be a careful justification on why different forms of love are valid and beautiful.
My favourite parts were when the team supported them unconditionally.
My favourite parts were when the team supported them unconditionally.
November 15, 2023
I actually really enjoyed the main characters and their dynamic but there was too much else going on in this book that distracted from them. Literally every single side character in this book read like they cameos from books the author previously wrote or like they were being set up to be main characters in a sequel, which is great for a couple characters, but not every. single. one. And all that only for the main characters of the first book of this series to be mentioned briefly once lol.
I don’t wanna rag on this book too much, it just wasn’t for me, which was disappointing because there was a great story and relationship dynamic going on there that made me want it to be for me.
But also, there’s like a 2 page full break down of this world’s OnlyFans type websites that was just… bizarrely detailed and entirely unnecessary? I think they were trying to set up this storyline where Creed finds out his younger cousin was kicked out by his family for making porn on ReachMe (a dumb name for OnlyFans). But that was even more confusing because instead of Creed, a millionaire who knows how hurtful it was to be shunned by his bigoted family reaching out to offer to help support his 18 year old cousin, instead he digs around to find his cousin’s account and makes his whole hockey team subscribe to it?? And that’s the last we hear of it??
Ever so slight very mild spoiler: one of the reasons this book is a 2 star read for me instead of a 3 star is it is mentioned at least a dozen times since like chapter 2 how bad Creed’s agent is and how much he needs a new one. By halfway in I told myself if Creed didn’t get a new agent by the end of the book, it was an automatic 2 stars because that’s just ridiculous. And, well. Lol.
I don’t wanna rag on this book too much, it just wasn’t for me, which was disappointing because there was a great story and relationship dynamic going on there that made me want it to be for me.
But also, there’s like a 2 page full break down of this world’s OnlyFans type websites that was just… bizarrely detailed and entirely unnecessary? I think they were trying to set up this storyline where Creed finds out his younger cousin was kicked out by his family for making porn on ReachMe (a dumb name for OnlyFans). But that was even more confusing because instead of Creed, a millionaire who knows how hurtful it was to be shunned by his bigoted family reaching out to offer to help support his 18 year old cousin, instead he digs around to find his cousin’s account and makes his whole hockey team subscribe to it?? And that’s the last we hear of it??
Ever so slight very mild spoiler: one of the reasons this book is a 2 star read for me instead of a 3 star is it is mentioned at least a dozen times since like chapter 2 how bad Creed’s agent is and how much he needs a new one. By halfway in I told myself if Creed didn’t get a new agent by the end of the book, it was an automatic 2 stars because that’s just ridiculous. And, well. Lol.
July 3, 2024
2.5
Hablan demasiado de cosas ajenas a lo que nos interesa... 🙄
Hablan demasiado de cosas ajenas a lo que nos interesa... 🙄
December 20, 2023
This story of an open relationship becoming a triad is sweet and warm, and I do like a book that has unusual dynamics. The most interesting point for that was early on, when Ethan, who has been happily but secretly married to Jakub (who plays for an opposing team) for years, realizes he's also falling in love with Creed, a teammate. Since he and Jakub have had an open marriage, the new part for them is having something more than just sex involved with a third party. And then, as they are negotiating life as a V with Ethan the guy in two separate relationships, Jakub gets traded to the same team. Something he and Ethan would've adored years ago, but now complicated by the new relationship with Creed.
I had to suspend disbelief somewhat, mostly with regard to Jakub, who was portrayed as a saint about watching his husband falling for someone else at a distance, while he was alone and isolated. Ethan had it all - the chance to be out, supportive teammates, supportive management, more star power, and a lover right there within reach. Jakub was closeted and alone. That Jakub had no bitterness, no jealousy, had in fact endured that imbalance of fortunes for so long without any regret, seemed implausible. (And the book would've been much more interesting, though less sweet, if he had battled his own jealousy and insecurity as he tried to support Ethan.) I also wished we had seen a bit more ambivalence on the part of Ethan's teammates - their wholehearted support was lovely but not nuanced.
I did like the coming out process, and the external impacts, since we got some much needed conflict there. The loving moments had a lot of caretaking (which I'm a bit of a sucker for) and some elements like sensation play that we don't see as often. Early on, I wished the author had written a book where an open relationship was allowed to keep working, but those are unpopular with romance readers so I understand the impetus behind providing a solid, warm, conclusive HEA.
I had to suspend disbelief somewhat, mostly with regard to Jakub, who was portrayed as a saint about watching his husband falling for someone else at a distance, while he was alone and isolated. Ethan had it all - the chance to be out, supportive teammates, supportive management, more star power, and a lover right there within reach. Jakub was closeted and alone. That Jakub had no bitterness, no jealousy, had in fact endured that imbalance of fortunes for so long without any regret, seemed implausible. (And the book would've been much more interesting, though less sweet, if he had battled his own jealousy and insecurity as he tried to support Ethan.) I also wished we had seen a bit more ambivalence on the part of Ethan's teammates - their wholehearted support was lovely but not nuanced.
I did like the coming out process, and the external impacts, since we got some much needed conflict there. The loving moments had a lot of caretaking (which I'm a bit of a sucker for) and some elements like sensation play that we don't see as often. Early on, I wished the author had written a book where an open relationship was allowed to keep working, but those are unpopular with romance readers so I understand the impetus behind providing a solid, warm, conclusive HEA.
January 17, 2025
For the third time, I find myself extremely intrigued by the blurb of a Crea Reitan book but reading it proves to be an exercise in edging, and not the good kind.
I really thought this would be the one but alas, I return with complaints.
Disgustingly healthy communication. In this essay I will —
This one's on me. 4% in, it was made clear that Ethan liked Creed, Creed liked Ethan, the knowledge of this was mutual, albeit not acted upon. Ethan is married to Jakub and has been for 8 years. Creed knows this. Jakub also knows about Ethan's 3 year long crush on Creed.
So many opportunities for angst, none taken.
And the whole time they just talk things through like mature adults who want their relationship to work? Who even DOES that?
Honestly this whole book felt like a how-to for healthy poly relationships. Which would be great if I wasn't a whore for angst.
The only time the comms was weird was the whole Ethan failing to tell his teammates he's been married for ages, even long after he really should have.
But honestly? I'm not a GM. I don't really care about team chemistry. I want problems WITHIN the relationship.
I really thought this would be the one but alas, I return with complaints.
Disgustingly healthy communication. In this essay I will —
This one's on me. 4% in, it was made clear that Ethan liked Creed, Creed liked Ethan, the knowledge of this was mutual, albeit not acted upon. Ethan is married to Jakub and has been for 8 years. Creed knows this. Jakub also knows about Ethan's 3 year long crush on Creed.
So many opportunities for angst, none taken.
And the whole time they just talk things through like mature adults who want their relationship to work? Who even DOES that?
Honestly this whole book felt like a how-to for healthy poly relationships. Which would be great if I wasn't a whore for angst.
The only time the comms was weird was the whole Ethan failing to tell his teammates he's been married for ages, even long after he really should have.
But honestly? I'm not a GM. I don't really care about team chemistry. I want problems WITHIN the relationship.
November 3, 2023
Starting Line, book two in the For Puck’s Sake series-
My rating is 4 stars.
This is the second book in a standalone series. There is some character crossover but it isn’t necessary to read all the books to comprehend and experience this one. (I haven’t read the first book.)
The tropes within this book are:
MMM
Found family
Obedience
Caregiver
Cuckold
Sensation Play
Voyeurism/Exhibitionism
High Emotion
Video sex
HEA
This is the first book that I’ve read by Crea Reitan and I REALLY enjoyed it. It is so much more than just another MMM hockey romance. I loved the depth of emotions in this book!I also really appreciated the physical differences written between the three MMC’s, it made the book more realistic, in my opinion. The found family trope hits hard, as well, and I’m a huge fan of that trope.
I don’t want to give any spoilers but this book was better than I anticipated. This is all about inclusivity and love. The evolution of the relationship between Ethan, Jakub and Creed was absolutely breathtaking. The support characters were exactly that! So supportive and protective of their teammates. Jakub is my favorite MMC, the caretaker, he did a brilliant job caring for his laskos. The spice was spicin’ and this book contains one of the hottest spice scenes I’ve ever read.
It ends with an HEA but I wish there would have been something…more. I’m not sure what but, I wanted more. I hope the author writes a novella with Creed’s perfect…day in it. I would love to see that. Overall, this is a great read and I will be going and reading from the author’s backlist. Crea Reitan has earned another fan!
I received an advance reader copy and am leaving my review voluntarily.
My rating is 4 stars.
This is the second book in a standalone series. There is some character crossover but it isn’t necessary to read all the books to comprehend and experience this one. (I haven’t read the first book.)
The tropes within this book are:
MMM
Found family
Obedience
Caregiver
Cuckold
Sensation Play
Voyeurism/Exhibitionism
High Emotion
Video sex
HEA
This is the first book that I’ve read by Crea Reitan and I REALLY enjoyed it. It is so much more than just another MMM hockey romance. I loved the depth of emotions in this book!I also really appreciated the physical differences written between the three MMC’s, it made the book more realistic, in my opinion. The found family trope hits hard, as well, and I’m a huge fan of that trope.
I don’t want to give any spoilers but this book was better than I anticipated. This is all about inclusivity and love. The evolution of the relationship between Ethan, Jakub and Creed was absolutely breathtaking. The support characters were exactly that! So supportive and protective of their teammates. Jakub is my favorite MMC, the caretaker, he did a brilliant job caring for his laskos. The spice was spicin’ and this book contains one of the hottest spice scenes I’ve ever read.
It ends with an HEA but I wish there would have been something…more. I’m not sure what but, I wanted more. I hope the author writes a novella with Creed’s perfect…day in it. I would love to see that. Overall, this is a great read and I will be going and reading from the author’s backlist. Crea Reitan has earned another fan!
I received an advance reader copy and am leaving my review voluntarily.
May 4, 2024
3.75🌟
Initially I thought I wasn’t going to be a fan because with this book and the first, the story started off pretty slow and boring. I’m not gonna lie, on any other day I would’ve probably DNF’ed but this author can take all my gold coins after the masterpiece that was shiver.
I love how different these books are, I don’t wanna spoil anything but I was afraid of the chemistry between the characters because of the “long distance marriage” elements in the plot. I was pleasantly surprised when I feel in love with the characters and the love they have for each other. I also love that this didn’t have an unrealistic ending. The author gave the characters a happy ending while reminding us that the world has a long way to go.
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Didn’t think I was gonna continue the series after reading shiver but at this point, it’s safe to say I’m obsessed!
Initially I thought I wasn’t going to be a fan because with this book and the first, the story started off pretty slow and boring. I’m not gonna lie, on any other day I would’ve probably DNF’ed but this author can take all my gold coins after the masterpiece that was shiver.
I love how different these books are, I don’t wanna spoil anything but I was afraid of the chemistry between the characters because of the “long distance marriage” elements in the plot. I was pleasantly surprised when I feel in love with the characters and the love they have for each other. I also love that this didn’t have an unrealistic ending. The author gave the characters a happy ending while reminding us that the world has a long way to go.
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Didn’t think I was gonna continue the series after reading shiver but at this point, it’s safe to say I’m obsessed!
Read
November 7, 2023“I want to be with both of you together.”
It’s like my mind reminding me that the world isn’t black and white like that. Not everything is a choice. Sometimes you can keep both options.
ARC Review~
I’m withholding a star rating for the moment because this book left me feeling conflicted. The parts that I loved - I *loved* but not all of it worked for me.
The book starts with Jakub and Ethan being secretly married for years and playing on different hockey teams. This arrangement works for them as they want to focus on their careers first and they’ve always had an open relationship. Ethan has been slowly falling in love with his teammate Creed and once Jakub gives him the green light to pursue that relationship it seems like every is going to go well. Until Jakub is traded and all three men end up on the same team as the starting line.
The three MCs are almost too perfect and their interactions were sweet, heartbreaking, sexy, or funny when the moment called for it. I really enjoyed watching them navigate their non-traditional romance together. The spice was interesting! The sensory play scene in particular was both erotic and showed how much they all trusted each other.
At times it felt like the book focused more on the way a poly queer relationship is view by society rather than the developing relationship itself. There was so much going on outside of the relationship but I wanted more character interaction because what we get is really special. I’m not at all dismissing the topics the author wanted to touch on, they’re incredibly important, but it came across almost preachy at times and took me out of the story.
I think if you like your romance with a hefty side of social commentary this might be for you!
It’s like my mind reminding me that the world isn’t black and white like that. Not everything is a choice. Sometimes you can keep both options.
ARC Review~
I’m withholding a star rating for the moment because this book left me feeling conflicted. The parts that I loved - I *loved* but not all of it worked for me.
The book starts with Jakub and Ethan being secretly married for years and playing on different hockey teams. This arrangement works for them as they want to focus on their careers first and they’ve always had an open relationship. Ethan has been slowly falling in love with his teammate Creed and once Jakub gives him the green light to pursue that relationship it seems like every is going to go well. Until Jakub is traded and all three men end up on the same team as the starting line.
The three MCs are almost too perfect and their interactions were sweet, heartbreaking, sexy, or funny when the moment called for it. I really enjoyed watching them navigate their non-traditional romance together. The spice was interesting! The sensory play scene in particular was both erotic and showed how much they all trusted each other.
At times it felt like the book focused more on the way a poly queer relationship is view by society rather than the developing relationship itself. There was so much going on outside of the relationship but I wanted more character interaction because what we get is really special. I’m not at all dismissing the topics the author wanted to touch on, they’re incredibly important, but it came across almost preachy at times and took me out of the story.
I think if you like your romance with a hefty side of social commentary this might be for you!
March 23, 2024
Too many characters to keep track of and too much explanation about mundane unrelated things.
November 8, 2023
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.
🦋
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.
🦋
January 30, 2025
DNF at 50%. A very disappointing MMM..
Imagine if Shane and Ilya found a third person after book 1.. BUT you didn't read book 1, so you don't know who Shane and Ilya are, or how they arrived at an open relationship like the MCs have in this book.
But it gets worse, because Shane and the third guy have been in love for years without acting on it. And that's where the book starts: 'Hey, so I've been into you for 3 years and my husband says it's okay, so we should fuck, is that cool?'
Aside from (imo) serious structural issues, we're introduced to 20+ side characters in the first few chapters, most of which do not appear to be relevant to the story whatsoever. Nothing about the writing seems concise or purposeful.
This was disappointing because I loved the first book. This book feels like a separate series (maybe the author did write a book before this, but they trashed it and wrote the sequel, so that's what this book is?? Idfk)
Imagine if Shane and Ilya found a third person after book 1.. BUT you didn't read book 1, so you don't know who Shane and Ilya are, or how they arrived at an open relationship like the MCs have in this book.
But it gets worse, because Shane and the third guy have been in love for years without acting on it. And that's where the book starts: 'Hey, so I've been into you for 3 years and my husband says it's okay, so we should fuck, is that cool?'
Aside from (imo) serious structural issues, we're introduced to 20+ side characters in the first few chapters, most of which do not appear to be relevant to the story whatsoever. Nothing about the writing seems concise or purposeful.
This was disappointing because I loved the first book. This book feels like a separate series (maybe the author did write a book before this, but they trashed it and wrote the sequel, so that's what this book is?? Idfk)
June 26, 2025
oooh I'm in love with these men 🫠
November 17, 2023
This book was a very strange read for me. I’m not sure if it was editing or timeline confusion but there were many times I had to stop and think ‘wait, what?’
Ethan snd Creed are finally going to get together and they tell each other they love each other. Creed specifically says he’s loved Ethan for years. Later when Creed is feeling like the relationship may not work he’s upset because he knows he’s falling for Ethan and may already have fallen. ?? We already had love declarations 90 pgs in, why are we here again?
E and C have also been BFF’s for YEARSSSSSSS! This is how it’s explained. But once they get together romantically they are talking as if they’ve just met.
“What about you? Siblings?” “No. I’m an only child.
Really, this hasn’t come up in all the time you’ve been joined at the hip as friends and teammates?
The amount of cameos that were in this book were overwhelming. Especially since these were not people from book 1 in this series but from other books the author has written. Way too many side plots that were never mentioned again or meaningless to the story.
Giving the book 3 stars because even though I found this to be a head scratcher, I will come back for the next book just out of pure curiosity. I’m hoping to see Azure Danye again, the player that gave Ethan ‘murderer’ vibes.
Ethan snd Creed are finally going to get together and they tell each other they love each other. Creed specifically says he’s loved Ethan for years. Later when Creed is feeling like the relationship may not work he’s upset because he knows he’s falling for Ethan and may already have fallen. ?? We already had love declarations 90 pgs in, why are we here again?
E and C have also been BFF’s for YEARSSSSSSS! This is how it’s explained. But once they get together romantically they are talking as if they’ve just met.
“What about you? Siblings?” “No. I’m an only child.
Really, this hasn’t come up in all the time you’ve been joined at the hip as friends and teammates?
The amount of cameos that were in this book were overwhelming. Especially since these were not people from book 1 in this series but from other books the author has written. Way too many side plots that were never mentioned again or meaningless to the story.
Giving the book 3 stars because even though I found this to be a head scratcher, I will come back for the next book just out of pure curiosity. I’m hoping to see Azure Danye again, the player that gave Ethan ‘murderer’ vibes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2023
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
Iloved this book! They way Crea writes poly is beautiful. Truly a love story. This book is based on hockey but it's not the main focus of the book. It plays a part as in friendships and the dynamic of these relationships play out but it's so much more than that.
This book is about honesty, transparency and trust. Jakub and Ethan and Creedence are so unique and different in who they are. How each of their relationships develop is special to each couple and as a throuple (or whatever they decide to call themselves) they are just magnetic.
Ethan loves to give up control
Jakub is the care taker, and one to lead mostly
Sweet Sweet Creed is a little of both and a perfect piece to Ethan and Jakub's puzzle.
I will also say the team dynamics and support that Ethan and Creed get and than also Ethan is dream worthy. It's an ideal and one I hope can be true for all gay/poly athletes. With that said it is shown that not all fee that way nor had an easy time being gay and an athlete.
This book was a love story. With a little spice added in. But I will say I appreciated the sensation play that is often not read in books! I hope you read this because it was amazing in my opinion!
3🌶️
Iloved this book! They way Crea writes poly is beautiful. Truly a love story. This book is based on hockey but it's not the main focus of the book. It plays a part as in friendships and the dynamic of these relationships play out but it's so much more than that.
This book is about honesty, transparency and trust. Jakub and Ethan and Creedence are so unique and different in who they are. How each of their relationships develop is special to each couple and as a throuple (or whatever they decide to call themselves) they are just magnetic.
Ethan loves to give up control
Jakub is the care taker, and one to lead mostly
Sweet Sweet Creed is a little of both and a perfect piece to Ethan and Jakub's puzzle.
I will also say the team dynamics and support that Ethan and Creed get and than also Ethan is dream worthy. It's an ideal and one I hope can be true for all gay/poly athletes. With that said it is shown that not all fee that way nor had an easy time being gay and an athlete.
This book was a love story. With a little spice added in. But I will say I appreciated the sensation play that is often not read in books! I hope you read this because it was amazing in my opinion!
January 29, 2024
To give credit where credit is due I really loved all 3 mmcs, usually I struggle with poly books because I pick favourites but this one I liked them all equally and thought they were a really cute throuple and everything worked out.
But aside from that this book was baaaad. The dialogue was really disjointed and the movie was not playing in my head because they spoke like really formal robots! Nobody says furthermore in real life. Then there were so many side characters and names and descriptions of people that were confusing and went nowhere. Like multiple page descriptions of made up social media sites, random celebs and only fans stars?! What was the reason?!!! I lost it at the ice castle with a hot tub let’s be for fucking real here 😭😭
But aside from that this book was baaaad. The dialogue was really disjointed and the movie was not playing in my head because they spoke like really formal robots! Nobody says furthermore in real life. Then there were so many side characters and names and descriptions of people that were confusing and went nowhere. Like multiple page descriptions of made up social media sites, random celebs and only fans stars?! What was the reason?!!! I lost it at the ice castle with a hot tub let’s be for fucking real here 😭😭
November 6, 2024
I’ve read quite a few MMM, most of which I absolutely love and adore the throuples and can see all three being deeply inlove with each other.
However reading this, I felt like Jakub was easily pushed to the background. Yes 65% or so into the story we start to get more of him but even at that, when all three of them were together, it felt like Jakub was a side character in Ethan and Creed’s story. Yeah, it was mentioned a lot that Ethan and Creed had eyes for each other and had been pinning for each other for a while. I honestly didn’t see it. There’s a certain disconnect that I honestly cannot put my finger on.
However reading this, I felt like Jakub was easily pushed to the background. Yes 65% or so into the story we start to get more of him but even at that, when all three of them were together, it felt like Jakub was a side character in Ethan and Creed’s story. Yeah, it was mentioned a lot that Ethan and Creed had eyes for each other and had been pinning for each other for a while. I honestly didn’t see it. There’s a certain disconnect that I honestly cannot put my finger on.
November 16, 2023
I've hit a point now with Crea Reitan's book where I don't actually read the blurbs anymore as I like the surprise of the story when I open this and this one was amazing. Ethan and Jakub have a secret relationship that they have kept private, and Ethan also has the hots for Creed. The first chapter of the story absolutely blew me away and kept me turning the pages all the way to the end. They talk about authors sucking you into a story, and this definitely did it for me.
I really liked the dynamics of the characters, it shows a true open marriage where each side of the couple is trusting of their partner and there's no jealousy to be seen. It's a sweet story, with some pretty steamy scenes and I loved every minute of it. Will I be reading more in this series, I most certainly will and can't wait for book three to come out.
I really liked the dynamics of the characters, it shows a true open marriage where each side of the couple is trusting of their partner and there's no jealousy to be seen. It's a sweet story, with some pretty steamy scenes and I loved every minute of it. Will I be reading more in this series, I most certainly will and can't wait for book three to come out.
December 31, 2023
This book is mostly about how to navigate other people’s reactions to the master characters relationship. There are fewer spicy scenes then I would like😅 But the scenes that are in the book is very good🔥
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November 24, 2024
Yes, yes & yes!!!! Give me more of this triad immediately. Loved how they built their poly relationship and how it moulded together so well and how Jakob was in charge and dominated them both. The freaking blindfolded scene? Are you kidddddding me. I was sweating 🤭 4.5/5 ⭐️ 3/5 🌶️
December 21, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
If they were real their relationship/scandal would break the internet and I would eat it all up!! Like please post more relationship selfies I’m begging you 😩🤪
Also Jakub is such a man I love him
If they were real their relationship/scandal would break the internet and I would eat it all up!! Like please post more relationship selfies I’m begging you 😩🤪
Also Jakub is such a man I love him
March 10, 2025
March 2025
Kindle edition
Read for a group challenge week 8. Not too sure on this one. I did like Creed and Jakub spending time together. It was sweet that J was the one making sure Creed felt included. I didn't like Ethan, it felt like he was the centre clinging to his husband and dragging his friend along. The way it was J stepping up with Creed made it look like a failing on E's side. Big on the press chaos and people not minding their own business, a running occurrence in the series.
Kindle edition
Read for a group challenge week 8. Not too sure on this one. I did like Creed and Jakub spending time together. It was sweet that J was the one making sure Creed felt included. I didn't like Ethan, it felt like he was the centre clinging to his husband and dragging his friend along. The way it was J stepping up with Creed made it look like a failing on E's side. Big on the press chaos and people not minding their own business, a running occurrence in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2023
this surprised me but in like a really good way. i'm kinda impressed ngl.
November 11, 2023
I enjoyed this once the trade happened, everything up to that point I skimmed. After the guys were all 3 together, I enjoyed it a ton more and was more invested in their relationship.
February 19, 2024
Somehow a snooze
January 1, 2024
It's like I knew as soon as I met him that I was going to fall in love with this man.
Ethan and Credence became best friends while playing for the same professional hockey team. Being two out players meant they were never afraid of showing their affection for each other and their teammates were actually rooting for them to get together. Their friendship naturally progressed towards a deeper connection, but there was something stopping Ethan from taking things to the next level: Ethan is married to Jakub, another hockey player from a rival team. Their marriage, which was open from the start, has remained secret for the last seven years and nobody kew Jakub's not straight. With Jakub's blessing, Ethan and Creed get together and start exploring their feelings towards each other. But in the hockey world, nothing stays secret forever and a trade can happen so quickly...
Because the blurb seemed promising and because I loved Shiver so much, I had high expectations for this book. Unfortunately, it kinda missed the mark for me. It was still an entertaining read, but I wanted more. In my opinion, the story needed more work: some scenes with multiple characters were unnecessary and it was hard to keep track of who's who, especially since they didn't make another appearance in the book. There was also a good deal of social commentary in some scenes or internal monologue, which felt a bit preachy at times. Also, many important moments were told rather than shown (for example, Ethan and Jakub's Christmas celebration). For this reason, I didn't quite feel the passion between all three characters (outside of the many physical scenes, which were great).
Ethan and Credence became best friends while playing for the same professional hockey team. Being two out players meant they were never afraid of showing their affection for each other and their teammates were actually rooting for them to get together. Their friendship naturally progressed towards a deeper connection, but there was something stopping Ethan from taking things to the next level: Ethan is married to Jakub, another hockey player from a rival team. Their marriage, which was open from the start, has remained secret for the last seven years and nobody kew Jakub's not straight. With Jakub's blessing, Ethan and Creed get together and start exploring their feelings towards each other. But in the hockey world, nothing stays secret forever and a trade can happen so quickly...
Because the blurb seemed promising and because I loved Shiver so much, I had high expectations for this book. Unfortunately, it kinda missed the mark for me. It was still an entertaining read, but I wanted more. In my opinion, the story needed more work: some scenes with multiple characters were unnecessary and it was hard to keep track of who's who, especially since they didn't make another appearance in the book. There was also a good deal of social commentary in some scenes or internal monologue, which felt a bit preachy at times. Also, many important moments were told rather than shown (for example, Ethan and Jakub's Christmas celebration). For this reason, I didn't quite feel the passion between all three characters (outside of the many physical scenes, which were great).
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