The Night Before

Seattle Sasquatch Hockey #0.5

by Harper Robson

Ben

The second I discover my one-night stand is the son of my stepdad's lifelong rival, I know I need to stay far away. How was I supposed to know my gorgeous hookup's father will do anything to stop my groundbreaking research into head injuries in NHL hockey? So I ghost him while he sleeps, desperate to erase our incredible night together from history, or at least from my own mind. But fate throws us back together, and now he holds the fate of my research, and my career, in his hands. Suddenly, forgetting about the most intense connection of my life is no longer an option.

Aleks

The pressure of having to constantly prove myself because people think I'm coasting on my dad's influence never stops. An occasional night of no-strings-attached fun in the arms of a hot stranger helps me forget about it- for a moment. But when my latest hot stranger slips away without saying goodbye, all I'm left with his his first Ben. But the universe has a sense of humor, apparently, and it goes out of its way to bring us back together. This time we have to work as partners on a project critical to both our careers. A project my still-powerful father will do anything to stop, including trying to turn Ben against me.

The Night Before is a steamy M/M romance featuring a brilliant, selfless doctor trying to make the world of pro hockey safer, and an ambitious young NHL team executive, desperate to prove he's more than just the son of a famous hockey player.

Genres: Hockey, Sports, Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary, Christmas, Hockey Romance

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 24, 2023

About the author

Harper Robson grew up dreaming of being a writer, but that didn’t work out until she was in her forties. Along the way, she worked in oil & gas marketing, software development, and spent more than a decade as a stay-home mom.

A true Pacific Northwesterner, Harper loves the rain, and when her family decided to make a big move to Southern California in 2023, she was sure she’d miss the cozy gray winters of Seattle and Vancouver. However, it turns out that a daily dose of sunshine and palm trees isn’t hard to get used to, and San Diego feels more like home all the time.

She’s mom to two teen boys and an adorable but naughty Yellow Lab. Her husband works in the tech industry, and he makes her laugh every single day.

Harper’s favorite things include getaways with her besties, the Seattle Kraken, her dogs and drinking champagne for no reason at all.

Reviews

[trice (semi ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love how i'm reading this after Christmas...this is a relatively short and sweet holiday story. honestly i'd say it's a pretty decent book. nice romance, character growth for the dad. there's a slight bit of miscommunication, but that was resolved fairly peacefully. romance isn't the focal point here, since there's also themes of friendship and family.

some nitpicky stuff - i'm pretty sure chapter 23 the POV is supposed to be Aleks? just a typo though that can be easily fixed. the book only mentioned what CTE was caused by and what it's impact was(i thought CTE caused dementia :/); i only just realised CTE is a degenerative disease and a type of dementia when i googled it.

the book is interesting, but i'm not sure that it'll be super memorable.

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE NIGHT BEFORE was a cute book and I liked reading a hockey romance that featured someone other than a player. Instead Aleks is an equipment manager and Ben is doing research on CTE to improve safety in hockey and other contact sports. Both men were sweet, caring, and a touch nerdy. Most of the angst comes from the history between their respective families and everything resolves itself pretty easily. I don't know that this one will be overly memorable but it does have me interested in reading this author's upcoming hockey series.

Content Warning: on page parent with dementia who occasionally gets violent; past child abuse of a side character

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I’m a sucker for a hockey story, but this was a different sort of hockey story. Set in the world of the NHL but looking at it from a medical standpoint while still giving them. Ooey gooey romance vibes you love. A wonderfully thought out story looking at how to protect hockey players from serious brain injuries while also allowing the head research doctor to find something to get his head out of the clouds of research and into his HEA. You’ll fall in love with Ben and Aleks stories both separate and together and they will bring a tear to your eye more then once.

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay

So my spelling, writing, punctuations are not the greatest and I have never written a review like this as people can over see things its easy.
But OMG this book really needs another edit. The mistakes, your go to next chapter it says Ben you start reading and your thinking this sounds like Aleks, this happened about 4 times. Then there was little mistakes.

Story was quick and good and I loved Aleks dad taking responsibility for his actions.

Alek and Ben were good together.

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

So not only do I enjoy hockey romances, but I also enjoy what I’ll call “hockey-adjacent” romances! This book is the start of a new series and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Ben is a doctor and researcher studying traumatic brain injury, particularly CTE, which happens when a person gets multiple concussions. He’s been focused on sports, particularly hockey, because his stepfather is a former hockey star now dealing with dementia related to the concussions he sustained.

At a bar one night, he meets Aleks, a handsome younger man. The chemistry between them is intense, but beyond that, they really enjoy each other’s company. They go back to Aleks’ place and have an incredibly steamy night, but also one where they feel tremendously connected to one another emotionally. The next morning, when Ben sees a picture of Aleks’ family, he realizes that Aleks’ father was the hockey player who made the final hit on his stepfather, which ended his career. Ben leaves before Aleks wakes up.

Aleks is sad and angry when he realizes Ben left without a word. All he knows is his first name, so the likelihood of meeting him again is slim. Aleks thought their night was so much more than sex, and it certainly felt like Ben felt the same way, so he’s a bit confused.

Aleks’ disappointment leads to excitement when he is offered the opportunity to work with a researcher on some new helmets that might better protect players from concussions. It’s an amazing opportunity—and of course, the researcher is Ben. They’re going to have to work together, and through doing that they find their connection again, but the old family history crops up. Can they overcome this challenge and find happiness?

I really enjoyed the depth of this book. The CTE stuff was fascinating and well-researched, and enhanced the story a great deal. Of course, there’s intense steam, emotions, family drama, and miscommunication, but this was definitely one I got into.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.

[Kendra Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So Ben and Aleks both have had a bad week and need to let off some steam. They end up in the same bar and mutual attraction takes over. During their hook-up Ben finds out something about Aleks that has him out the door like his pants are on fire. Then on Monday they find out they'll be working together on a project. Hard feelings go by the wayside and they are letting that mutual attraction take over again. When Aleks overhears a conversation between his boss, Ben and someone close to him; he's devastated and hurt. Confronting this person lets the healing start. Now that Ben and Aleks seem to have it all; a partnership in and out of the bedroom, things come up that have them thinking it just isn't meant to be. Will they find a way to work things out or will they being going their own ways?

This is a romance around hockey but no hockey on page. I thought it had a good premise but not quite fully fleshed out. Any time drama happened it was quickly and not very realistically ironed out. The new treatment Ben's dad is on seemed to be a miracle and as a medical professional didn't seem very realistic. It seemed like it was written that way to calm the waters of bad blood between the families. It doesn't seem very realistic for an equipment manager that's in his first job/year to get offered an assistant GM position (but since I don't know anything about hockey and management that could just be me). This was kind of a flat story for me. I wanted the drama to be more exciting. The story goes along in a boring everyday fashion and I started to skim at about 60%. I really hope that the author had the book edited again because it has way too many spelling, grammar and punctuation errors for a book already available to purchase.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Night Before was a sweet holiday romance, but it was just short of the mark for me. I thought the premise was really good, though while the story focused on the research conducted by Ben and his team, we never really learned much about what came from said research and the project managed by Aleks. It revolved around hockey, but I wouldn't call it a hockey romance because we didn't see any game play - again, didn't actually see the research/project they were undertaking in action.

Aleks and Ben had a very sweet relationship, and they clearly felt strongly for each other. But I don't think we saw much development of the relationship between them, so their affections felt very surface level. I didn't connect with them and their plight enough to want them to fight for each other and be together. The weeks they worked together were glossed over, so we didn't get to see them build on their connection before they finally took a step towards being in a relationship, so I couldn't really root for them like I wanted to.

However, what we did see was very sweet. I enjoyed seeing Ben take care of Aleks, but also allow himself to be taken care of in return. The spicy scenes were also hot, though they didn't quite make up for the budding connection we never got to see. I was more invested in Aleks repairing the relationship with his dad, and was glad to see Kent changed his thoughts and ways by the end of the book. The situation with Aleks' brother, Brad, also left me curious - will we be getting another book with his story? Why was he so angry/upset?

In all, I think The Night Before was a nice and quick read for the holiday season, but it felt a little rushed and could possibly do with another round of editing. Maybe it was the length of the book, if there was another 50 pages or more we could've explored Aleks' and Ben's relationship a bit further. But taking it for what it was, it was something that has the potential to be enjoyed.

[Kiki Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Before is a hockey novel, but neither MC is a player.
Ben is a doctor specializing in CTE treatment and prevention. He’s seen first-hand the damage this kind of injury can do to patients and their families.
Aleks comes from a family of players, but chose the management side of the family business. He’s a bit of a changeling: smaller than his giant siblings, excelling at school rather than on the ice.
The two meet at a bar, which leads to a pretty explosive night together. It’s only after when Ben sees a family photo that he realizes his hookup’s father is the man who ended his stepdad’s career.
An opportunity to move up to the big leagues has Aleks working closely with the man who crept out of his apartment without a word and ghosted him.
Both MCs are so darn likable.
Ben quickly realizes Aleks isn’t his father. The family drama is raw. Ben feels like he’s betraying his stepdad because of his feelings for Aleks. And Aleks has had his enough is his father’s scorn and denial.
Aleks’ dad wasn’t a cartoon villain, but a complicated man fueled by toxic masculinity and the emotional maturity of a teenager. He was also a man capable of compassion, and loved his children. I appreciated this nuanced portrayal. The confrontation Aleks has with him late in the book is cathartic and long overdue.
Fates align to allow Ben and Aleks their HEA.
Note : Even though the events take place during the holiday season, and there are a few Christmas parties, that part of the story is secondary to the relationships. This is a really good story about love, family, forgiveness, and having dreams come true.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

[Anne Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this another Romeo and Juliet story??
Firstly, let me say I got this book from gay romance reviews, and this is me leaving my honest review.
Ben was getting ready to go home when his best friend called him to meet up for some drinks. Ben had nothing else planned. Other than going home and watching TV, so agreed to meet him at the bar. Ben was surprised when, after a few beers, a good looking man, approached him. His name was Aleks and as soon as these two started talking, it was obvious that there was an attraction there, and it wasn’t long before Ben had gone back to Aleks condo for a hook up. They had an amazing night, but when Ben went to get a glass of water in the night, he noticed some family pictures on the wall quickly discovering that Aleks is the son of a famous hockey player who destroyed his stepfather’s life. Ben quickly high tells it out there, and ghosts him. Aleks is gutted to wake up the next morning without Ben being there, but decides to get on this day, but fate had other ideas when it became obvious that he had agreed to work with Dr Ben on a new CTE research program to improve safety for hockey players. What will happen when these two see each other again??
My heart really went out for these two because it was so obvious that they had a deep connection and attraction to one another. The chemistry was of the charge, and they just made each other happy , but there was so many issues in front of them, but could they overcome them together or would they let it win the day?? I really enjoyed this short read.

[Heather Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

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A one-night stand, a family feud, and setting the past to rest to create a future with peace and love.

What do you do when you discover that the best night of your life was with the son of the man who ended your stepfather's career?

You run. Until you find out that you’ll be working closely together on a project that means everything to you.

Ben and Aleks are both absolutely wonderful people. The kind of people you would want as friends. They’ll have your backs, and you’ll want to have theirs. Caring, thoughtful, and passionate about both the people in their lives as well as their work. And together they just fit. There is something comfortable about them. They work well together, and they just seem to get the other. They are also hot.

There is no real angst between the two, but plenty is surrounding them. And there are more than a couple of scenes that had me tearing up. From the illness that a great man and father is going through, to Aleks feeling like he is not enough for his father, to him discovering his father’s role in such a life-changing incident. Gah, the big confrontation between Aleks and his dad was so incredibly powerful.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Ben and Aleks come from hockey families, and though neither plays the game, both have great respect and love for the men who play, since both their fathers are former players. However, after Ben discovers that Aleks's dad had been the one to bring his own father's career to a screeching halt, he bolts from Ben's bed after hookup. Both of them must work together professionally while fighting the attraction that hasn't waned between them. Ben has to explain why, after they give in to their desire to be with each other, he cannot continue the relationship with Aleks.

Problems that took me out of the story included changing Aleks's dad's surname within paragraphs of each mention, chapters assigned to Ben that were in Aleks's POV, the mystery of Ben's real age -- is there an age gap between him and Aleks or not? And if there isn't, why does he say there is? -- Ben often sounding like Aleks in his speech patterns, and the whole job issue, where Aleks is offered a new job as the helmet project manager, and in what seems like weeks he's accepting a new job asassitant coach for a team across the country, with no indication as to whether or not the first new job was concluded. I really wanted to give this a higher rating, but between all the editing issues and the easy wrap-up of what were major roadblocks to them being together, I couldn't round this up.

[Jennifer O'Malley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start this off by stating sports/hockey romance is not normally my thing. But there was something about the blurb that really piqued my interest, so I thought I'd give it a go.

Now, I will say, as I'm starting this, I'm only 20% in, Aleks and Ben have met and it was fireworks. But even before that, I was sucked into the story. The characters are phenomenal and well developed. I'm already invested and can't wait to devour the rest of the book!

So, I finished the book and I'm really glad I went outside of the box and read this. It was really good.

The dynamic between Aleks and Ben was amazing and the author did a great job of developing that. Unfortunately, personally, I think it fell flat toward the end, after all the cards stacked against them were brought to light and they needed to figure out their... well, everything.

But I think things fall together too easily at the end for them. Also, this is just personal preference, but I would have liked to see some more conflict between the families before it all fell into place, since it was such a big part of the plot and Ben's hesitancy.

That being said, I don't think it took much away from the overall story and it was still a fantastic read that I'm happy I took a chance on and you should too.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Ben and Aleks work has taken precedence over the personal as they each chase their career passion. For Ben, a brain surgeon and researcher, he desires to find ways to make safer helmets for players in contact sports in homage to his stepfather whose career was ended by a life altering hit. Aleks is the only member of his family that is not into being an athlete although his dream job is to be a GM in the NHL. Their worlds collide when both take a night off to relax and their one night stand leads to a mind blowing experience that gets interrupted when Ben realizes that Aleks is the son of the man that delivered his stepfather's career ending hit. So he gets out before Aleks wakes up and resolves to not see him again. But life is not so convenient and it turns out that the research study Ben has entered into with the team Aleks works for has assigned him to be their point man for the project. This gives them time to not only work on figuring out their relationship but also to resolve some past family issues as well. They are such good solid characters that it is easy to root for them to find a solution that ends with them together.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristy Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

❣️ Review ❣️

The Night Before by Harper Robson is a fun steamy story of a one night stand turning into forever with a few obsticals to hurdle.

The Night Before is a steamy M/M romance featuring a brilliant, selfless doctor trying to make the world of pro hockey safer, and an ambitious young NHL team executive, desperate to prove he's more than just the son of a famous hockey player.

This story is a lot of fun to read. Ben and Aleks are great for each other and the author gives them both depth that is well thought out and intentional. I really enjoyed the relationship between Ben and his stepfather. Partly because of the injury his stepfather sustained while playing hockey, Ben becomes a doctor and works to help create a helmet that will better protect the players. Aleks is part of the team that will test out the helmets. He is also the son of the man who gave Ben's stepfather his life altering head injury. See....obsticles 🥺

Within all the things Ben and Aleks are working through, they are also working on their compatibility in the bedroom (among other places 🫣🤭). If you are looking for a high steam, low angst, fun story with a good plotline then I know you will like The Night Before.

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for you if you love very low angst, low drama and a general good feel.

It's a bit on the too sweet side but perfect as a Christmas story.

Ben and Aleks seem to click instantly and Ben's reaction to Aleks' family stops their chances before they even start properly.

But when fate throws them back together, their chemistry can't stop them. These two are seriously cute together and do fit.

Ben's reaction to discovering Aleks' father is valid but for me a bit over the top. He must realise that hockey has changed ways and making Aleks an issue without even knowing how his mum would react is a bit much.

The storyline covers only a couple of weeks and it's quite a case of insta-love and potential problems and family issues are miracilously solved. Fitting for a Christmas novel.

I hope the author goes to to the Seattle hockey team but puts a bit more depth to the stories.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️ 2.5/5🌶️

This book really surprised me! It is honestly so much more than the blurb makes it seem. There's deep-rooted family conflict, MMC's being martyrs (the usual), incredible spice and all of the feels. I am not sure what I was expecting with this book but a deep and emotional book wasn't it! Now, it's not likely to make you need tissues, but the feelings and events are heartbreaking at times. The communication is amazing given the circumstances and the way they just...choose each other is beautiful.

There were some formatting and editing issues, but they were fairly easy to look past! Aleks and Ben made it such an easy read and I found myself giddy to get to the next scene and see where the story takes them and their friends/family. If this book is in your wheelhouse but you're unsure, I recommend going for it! I was pleasantly surprised!

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review! 🙂

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gone but not forgotten, for long. Dr Ben and Aleks are instantly attracted to each other and act on it. Aleks, labors under the weight of his NHL legend Dad. He relieves his stress with random one nighters. His latest and most memorable, Ben ghosted him. Ben, has one of the best one nighter's in his life. Then he discovers the man's Dad is the one responsible for ending his step dad's career. Ben decides distance is the best strategy to avoid any conflicts. Then they find they are teamed up to work on a project critical to their careers. They have choices and decisions that may affect not only their careers but their families and the rest of their lives. Lively read. Ben and Aleks are wonderful men for whom you hope life works out. Good read. Excellent characters, great thread, nice pace. Nice cover art! Well done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tragic accident, or was it, that occurred many years ago, becomes a major stumbling block both mentally and physically between the sons attraction. Although adults in their own right, do they continue to allow the feud to dictate their future, or can they take what they want?
Ben is a doctor on the team to investigate safer security features for close contact sport, while Aleks is trying to secure a future GM position in a sport played by his family.
Emotions run high, not only in the families, but also in the close bond between Aleks and Josie. This author touched on a situation with delicacy and understanding.
I received a copy from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed all the books I’ve read from this author, so I was excited to see this latest novel is related to hockey- which is a personal favorite. It’s a unique take on hockey romance, neither Aleks nor Ben is a hockey player. Ben is a medical doctor researching CTE, head injuries are his focus for some personal reasons. Aleks comes from a hockey playing family, but his dream is to be a GM, not a player. This was immediately engaging to read, the writing style has a wonderful mix of humor, emotion, and steam- all done very well. There’s also some good family drama which kept things interesting but not too angsty between Ben and Aleks. Excellent.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[K-Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book thinking there was going to be a lot of conflict between these two, but I was pleasantly surprised that both Ben and Aleks were both pleasant and mature kind of guys. They were both outgoing and the giving kind of people. Ben's only flaw was that he definitely judged Aleks too quickly. They already had insane physical chemistry and enjoyed each other's company, so I was happy they went all together with themselves and the project. Just a little family drama which was actually kept pretty tame to make this a more heartwarming read with a nice dose of spice!

[Heather MMRomanceReviewed · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night Before gives us a glimpse into the heated world of hockey safety and traumatic brain injury and the impacts of long term tensions...

Beginning with a One Night Stand, a quick exit and then finding out they not only ran in the same circles, they'd be working together, this steamy and sweet story gives us their story, along with a long held family feud that throws more than one potential monkey wrench into their relationship.

Despite the stresses, it gives us that wonderful holiday HEA and leaves you feeling that things could go right in the world.

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben and Aleks are both driven, interesting characters with clear chemistry and a nice vibe together. Much of the (minimal) angst/drama comes from past history between parents, and while there are some narrative waves from this the resolution is neat and pat to the point of being anticlimactic: it’s nice when things work out, I guess, so I won’t complain about the implausible ease with which things ultimately come together. Overall, this is an enjoyable read with likable protagonists and a smooth and easy-to-absorb writing style.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben and Aleks ❤️

4 Stars ⭐️

When your one night stand turns into so much more ❤️ That's what happens is this sweet and spicy holiday read. I thought this story was so sweet and had great characters but what I loved most about this was that the author took the time to incorporate some very important awareness concerning CTE which is a topic that IMO needs to be at the forefront of importance in contact sports. That being said, I would recommend this one, it was short and sweet with some nice heat and a really swoony HEA.

* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. This was a good romance set around the holidays with a bit of angst, the characters Aleks and Ben’s chemistry was electric from the start and quite instalovey but when the history between there fathers is realised they fight their attraction but having to work on a project together brings them closer and then with family confrontations they get their hea. Decent story but could do with a bit more editing and also felt a bit rushed in parts, has the makings of a really great story with the sport, medical, family and love angles.

[Kathy Seabrease · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usually, Harper gives us 2 great characters that she builds a story around, surrounds them with great support characters and writes a story that melts your hearts.
She had me rooting for Aleks and Ben from day one. I loved reading of them together, not just the steamy sex, but just their time together. I hate for her books to end. As I read through some of the other reviews, it irks me that people are choosing to give lower rating because of some typos and small errors. Did it take away from their story? No! Things happen in this imperfect world. Deal with it!

[Staycha Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

*this story does have topics such as, child abuse(very little) and dementia.

I enjoyed this book. There were a lot of real life issues and a lot of growth from multiple characters not just the two main characters. My only con about this book/storyline is that i wish we got an update on bob(Ben’s stepdad) as this story seemed very much about Ben wanting to find a way to not only keep current but future hockey players safe but also to help his stepdad as well.

I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book! Ben and Aleks meet in a bar and have an entertaining night, in and out of bed. But things change when Ben finds out who Aleks is and then they have to work together. Both are great guys and other influences control what they want to be. I loved both their characters and even though there were obstacles, they also had help along the way with wonderful friends, family and mentors. I received a copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion.

[Jo Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was perfectly set in my favourite genre Ice Hockey. Neither of the main characters play hockey but the whole story revolves around it. Aleks and Ben are phenomenal characters and the story well developed. The topic of CTE is controversial but well managed given the limited information available. Struggled to put this down to go to bed but after I dropped my Kindle twice, I relented and waiting until this morning to finish it. It was worth every second I spent reading this book.

[T Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some drama, yes, some nasty history, too, but mostly this book is a love story that ends well with a HeA. Ben and Aleks are a strong couple. They have obstacles to overcome but they do it and their success is a lovely romance. Interesting story that does a good job bringing two people together but also offering forgiveness and hope to a character that wrestles with guilt from the past. Nicely done. I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great story

This had a bit of everything enjoy in a mm. Hockey, dr, loads of chemistry, strong family bonds and a real sense of story. I love how Ben and Alex’s first meet and feel such a beautiful connection immediately and then the story line continues and they need to find their way back to each other a few times. There was a little angst, fun Christmas moments, grovelling and forgiveness. Just the perfect holiday read.