Taking the Body

Watkins Glen Gladiators #4

by V.L. Locey

One’s from Flushing, New York, the other from Ambroise, France. Worlds, wit, and passions are about to collide!

Phil Greco is that player that every opponent and their fanbase hates but secretly wishes played for their team. Greck is a mouthy guy, high-spirited, and able to tweak nerves with relative ease. Having grown up with a large family he’d learned early that you had to fight for what you wanted. This is how a short, undrafted guy from Flushing made it as far as he had. It had taken no small amount of bull&*#*, grit, and plenty of wit. Generally that wit and grit was enough to get him on the top of the pileup but that’s not the case with Henri Gaudion, owner of Gaudion Winery. Ever since they’d met sparks have flown, and for the life of him, Phil cannot understand what it is about the suave, well-dressed, handsome French vintner that makes him so edgy. They have nothing in common aside from a love of Watkins Glen, so why does he keep finding himself so drawn to the lean man with the rapier wit? Sure, he was pretty, and did keep him on his toes, but Phil’s not the kind of fella to be drawn to such a fancy pants rich boy. How stupid would it be to think that a hoodlum like him could ever catch a man like Henri? Not that he wanted to catch the stuck-up winemaker…

Henri Gaudion has no time for shenanigans or those who engage in them, especially boorish braggarts on skates. Yes, he enjoys the game of hockey and having the Gladiators hockey team and the local gentry at his chalet overlooking Seneca Lake every Sunday for brunch, but that’s solely for keeping up appearances. Since the death of his father, he has devoted his life to ensuring the lands bequeathed to him produce the finest wines and champagne in the Finger Lakes district. Henri is a lonely, heartbroken man when the blinds are drawn and the erudite mask is dropped. He also has no room in his life for rowdy little men with bright smiles, cheeky winks, and heavily accented, fanciful tales about his large Italian family back in, of all places, Flushing. The pull that he’s feeling for Phil Greco must be some sort of glitch, or perhaps he’s been spending too much time in the tasting rooms. Whatever the reason, he is not about to let his attraction to Phil grow. It would be impossible for two such incompatible men to fall in love. Wouldn’t it?

Taking the Body is a low-angst, opposites attract queer hockey romance with a mouthy hockey player, a refined vintner, a whole lot of forced proximity, on-ice action, evenings spent sipping wine, a nosy butler, even nosier teammates, a large loving family, and a perfectly aged happy ending.

Genres: Sports, Romance, M M Romance, Hockey, LGBT, Family, Enemies To Lovers

193 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 5, 2024

About the author

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, Dr. Who, Torchwood, belly laughs, yoga, reading and writing lusty tales, walking, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.)

She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, and a flock of assorted domestic fowl.

When not writing lusty tales, she can be found enjoying her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, fresh cup of java in hand.

Sign up for my newsletter here: http://vllocey.com/Newsletter

Reviews

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book.

Greck, aka Philip, as Henri calls him, is a loud-mouthed New Yorker with a heart of gold, a large and boisterous family, and a secret crush he's not willing to admit to the beautiful vintner who's been on his mind for a few years now.

So, when he ends up having to take refuge at the chateau at the heart of the winery, he's somewhat flummoxed to find himself tangling tongues with the debonair and sophisticated Frenchman who's offered him a temporary home.

I loved the spark between these two men, they're so different but they just work beautifully together. Henri's been hiding a secret, his degenerative eye disease which will, one day, make him essentially blind.

He's unwilling to let anyone in, but somehow the brash ice hockey player who never stops talking and telling him the wild adventures of his family, breaks through the walls and sees right to the heart of him.

This book's super steamy too. At first it's all heightened emotions and angry sex but it slowly morphs into true feelings and a sense of rightness that settles on them the more they spend time together.

These opposites attract really do find the perfect partner who they can lean on in times of trouble and find joy in the company of.

My only niggle was that I felt it ended rather abruptly and I'd have liked just a little bit more after the big I love yous and their discussions of the future were had.

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an unbiased and honest review.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was sweet. It kind of bordered in enemies to lovers territory, which isn't my cup of tea, but it had enough openness for the characters to learn to like each other, which I liked.

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 4 in the Watkins Glen Gladiators series but it could be enjoyed as a standalone. Though once you read this book, you'll want to go back and read the entire series. This is the story of Phil Greco and Henri Gaudion. Phil is a member of the Gladiators hockey team and achieved that goal through straight grit. He is loud mouthed (unless you compare him to his family) and friendly. He also never stops talking. He is proud to come from Flushing and never plans to leave there. When a bathtub falls though his living room, his current apartment is unlivable. Unsure where he can temporarily live, his pastor finds him a place to live with Henri at his chalet. Henri is the owner of Gaudion Winery. He is refined and likes quiet and routine. Phil wears his heart on his sleeve while Henri has his barricaded behind walls. When the pastor forces him to volunteer to house Phil, both their lives are in for a shake up. It is definitely an opposites meet. While Phil doesn't fit in at all in the beginning. His charm and genuine caring slowly wins over all the household staff. Even Henri is astonished how he has won them over. More astonishing is how attracted Henri and Phil are to each other. Though both are loathe to admit it. This is their story. I really enjoyed this book. It was so much fun to read. I absolutely fell in love with Phil. Though this is part of the hockey series, this book is all about these two people. Hockey is in the far, far background. And that is okay. You will be enthralled by the interactions of Phil and Henri. I honestly had a smile on my face the entire time I read this book. This is my favourite book of the series so far. The yardstick has been set pretty high.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather MMRomanceReviewed]

I love the obvious opposites attract quality of this story - it's in your face and out and proud, the motormouth hockey player from Flushing who is obsessed with the other famous native daughter - Fran Dresher and her 90's hit The Nanny, and the steady, refined Frenchman who finds peace in formality and routine... in a steamy, sweet and often exciting forced proximity story with great supporting cast.

I did find it hard to stay in the story a bit, mostly because of some of the language choices. I also found that as much as I loved watching Henri adapt to his houseguest and the chaos, that I wanted to see Phil making more of an effort... particularly with Henri's name and some of the singular behaviours that could have led to more of an even meeting.. I also wish we'd gotten an extended epilogue - it felt like they had more to share... maybe as a cameo in the future....

This book is definitely best read in order, but if you read it standalone you'll just want to go back and find out what's happened in the previous three stories...

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greck and Henri ❤️

4.5 Stars ⭐️

What do you get when a loud mouth New Yorker and an uptight Frenchman cross paths?? PURE MAGIC, that's what!!!


I have to say that this is one of my favorite opposites reads ever!! The banter between these two, I couldn't get enough! The relationship build was pretty much perfection, it was fun, sweet and had a bit of spice. These two men together were so freaking great!! I would most definitely recommend this book, it truly brought a smile to my face and the ending was perfect.

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

[Suzun · Rating 1 out of 5]

it’s ridiculous DNF

I read over 60% but I didn’t enjoy it. I mean it sounded iffy anyway. Like the author set themselves a challenge to force these two characters together and it just doesn’t work. The hockey player is one of the most annoying stereotypical characters I’ve ever read. It is very well written in that regard but a serious relationship between these two characters is not sustainable. There’s no transition either. First the refined gentleman is totally annoyed by the guy’s personality and then suddenly it’s charming to him with no explanation. A reader can only suspend disbelief so far.

[Lorenzo Adduci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voto 4,5 ❤️

[Love Is All Around · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voto: 4.5
RECENSIONE A CURA DI ELYXYZ
Phil Greco è quell’amico che ti mette in imbarazzo per la sua boccaccia insolente e la logorrea dilagante, ma a cui vuoi comunque bene per il suo cuore grande e perché è uno su cui puoi contare nel momento del bisogno.
Enrico Gaudion è l’amico con cui… no, aspetta, lui di amici non ne ha. Henri passa la vita rinchiuso nella sua torre d’ avorio che in realtà è uno chalet, circondato da un gigantesco vigneto e da un’eredità di cui si sente al contemporaneo onorato e schiacciato. Henri sente che deve onorare le convinzioni con cui lo hanno cresciuto suo padre e sua madre, prematuramente scomparsi, ma questa scelta, assieme ai suoi segreti problemi di salute, gli impediscono di legare con chiunque, figurarsi osare sperare nell’amore!
Ci vuole un mini-tornado sotto forma di giocatore di hockey a sconvolgere la sua solitaria esistenza, con Phil che si ritrova senza casa e invade la sua, dato che Henri è stato “gentilmente costretto” a ospitarlo per un po’.
Continua sul nostro blog!

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riletti tutti i precedenti volumi 😍
È stato magnifico e molto divertente, ho riso sempre. 🤣
Phil "Greck" Greco italo-irlandese ed è un giocatore di hockey dei Gladiators, un tipo allegro, sfrontato e in grado di dare sui nervi con estrema facilità. È basso di statura ma con una grandissima grinta.
È amato dai suoi tifosi, dalla sua squadra, ana dare soprannomi azzeccati, ha una grandissima famiglia italiana.
Henri Gaudion è il garbato, elegante e fascinoso viticoltore francese . Non ha tempo per le buffonate, per le prese in giro, la mancanza di educazione, la trascuranza nel vestirsi, di un giocatore di hockey.
Ma a causa di un grave incidente nell'appartamento di Greck, dell'aiuto del pastore Gabe, Henri si ritrovare ad ospitare nel suo Chalet proprio Phil.
Rivoluzionerà tutto il suo tenore di vita, la tranquillità sua del duo staff e fi tutta l'azienda agricola.
È una storia davvero troppo divertente di 2 uomini totalmente opposti in tutto, ma che troveranno ad essere attratti l'uno verso l'altro.
💖💖💖💖💖😂

[Lillian Francis]

* sports
* ice hockey
* winery
* enemies to lovers
* opposites attract

[Monikat]

D.N.F

It's not you, it's me. Apparently such far fetched opposites attracting doesn't do it for me. Especially when the lively one is portrayed almost as a neanderthal.
Not for me this one.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

well written, great characters, hilarious

Rating: 4.75🌈

Taking The Body just became my favorite of this series . I laughed so hard so much of the time when reading it, mostly due to the outrageous family tales related to various people by the main character, hockey player, Phil Greco. He’s such an entertaining and highly engaging person. Irish/Italian from Queens, New York, once he appears on the page, he’s got the reader’s total attention.

Locey must have had such an incredible time writing this man and his unique voice. He had me in stitches but he was also such a believable person, grounded in family and a recognizable location such as Flushing.

Frenchman Henri Gaudion, of Gaudion Winery, and his wonderful found family of staff, that includes his butler, Barnaby, is a well defined character and great match for gregarious Phil. His character is also a very poignant person. Locey has created in Henri such a relatable person and backstory. Henri’s background is one of loss, constant inter-family fighting over the winery and his sexuality, and finally, the ways in which Henri has isolated himself due to the fears caused by his illness and approaching blindness. His emotional walls are those of fear and experience.

Watching Phil moving through that previously ordered and quiet existence as seen and heard through both men’s perspectives is such a joy and utter blissful experience.

And that Locey wove The Nanny and Fran Drescher into this? Priceless!

The only thing that keeps the story from a total 5 rating is that the ending came about rather quickly. It feels too abrupt. Had that been extended to go into a little longer explanation of the situation, and not leaving that other renter hanging, then this would have been a 5+ story.

As it is, Taking the Body (Watkins Glen Gladiators #4) by V.L. Locey is my favorite of a lovely series. I hope to see more of this couple in the stories to come.

Watkins Glen Gladiators:
- [x] Between The Pipes #1
- [x] Defending The House #2
- [x] Dump and Chase #3
- [x] Taking The Body #4
- [ ] Reading The Play #5 - coming next

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 14%. Neither character was interesting and Phil just rambled way too much for me to care one whit about his thoughts. I usually enjoy Ms. Locey’s book, but this one was a major “miss”

[Denise H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Flushing and France, two men find common ground! The Watkins Glen Gladiators, Hockey
Phillip/Phil, 34, Italian/Irish, minor league

hockey, big, hairy and strong, dark eyes, extremely friendly and has the gift of gab, and is a bit wild. He is restoring his grandfather's old car, an Olds Rocket 88, made in 1949.
Henri, not Henry, owns a winery near

Lake Seneca, he's blonde, neat and tidy, thin and lean muscled, can speak French and is very proper. He has Macular Degeneration (juvenile onset) which has gradually been getting worse for his eyesight. He does not want to be anyone's burden.

A plumbing problem at Phil's apartment requires him to live elsewhere for awhile while it's repaired.

Through friends, he ends up staying at the winery, in Henri's chalet. The two meet and Phil takes a bit to adjust to, because these men are complete opposites, and neither can figure out why they were so attracted to each other.

They are living under the same roof, so their worlds collide, friends are helpful, and Henri's life gets more lively. Phil discovers the antique care in the garage.

Their sexy times grow slowly,

but are shockingly hot and spicy. These two grow to understand one another, all the while, Henri is afraid to tell Phil about going blind. He's lost many a relationship as it barely begins, because they don't want to take care of a blind man.

Later, as they progress, Henri picks a time to tell Phil, and Phil's response is amazing and caring. Phil is for real and every bit as honest as he acts.

They are a delightful pair, misunderstandings aside, and they are priceless together.

Highly recommend this lovely story of romance and overcoming obstacles.

ENJOY !

======

[Elyxyz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recensione su copia ARC
VOTO: 4.5 stelle

Phil Greco è quell’amico che ti mette in imbarazzo per la sua boccaccia insolente e la logorrea dilagante, ma a cui vuoi comunque bene per il suo cuore grande e perché è uno su cui puoi contare nel momento del bisogno.
Henri Gaudion è l’amico con cui… no, aspetta, lui di amici non ne ha. Henri passa la vita rinchiuso nella sua torre d’avorio che in realtà è uno chalet, circondato da un gigantesco vigneto e da un’eredità di cui si sente al contempo onorato e schiacciato. Henri sente che deve onorare le convinzioni con cui lo hanno cresciuto suo padre e sua madre, prematuramente scomparsi, ma questa scelta, assieme ai suoi segreti problemi di salute, gli impediscono di legare con chiunque, figurarsi osare sperare nell’amore!
Ci vuole un mini-tornado sotto forma di giocatore di hockey a sconvolgere la sua solitaria esistenza, con Phil che si ritrova senza casa e invade la sua, dato che Henri è stato “gentilmente costretto” a ospitarlo per un po’.
Nei precedenti volumi si era intuita una sottile corrente attrazione-odio fra loro, ma la vicinanza forzata porta questi due caratteri opposti e complementari allo scontro diretto e alle conseguenti scintille… con bollenti soluzioni e qualche sana risata.
Ho letto questo quarto volume con vero piacere. Il carattere esuberante e caciarone di Phil spinge quello riservato e composto di Henri verso una reazione salvifica. Ho amato come anche i dipendenti del maniero ne giovino, ritrovando gioia e allegria fin troppo trattenuta a lungo.
È stato piacevole ritrovare brevemente anche gli altri giocatori, mentre la numerosa e chiassosa famiglia Greco è un punto bonus in questa storia, anche se ha fatto venire i capelli grigi all’attendente del nostro viticoltore.
Questo volume è una storia appassionante e divertente con una punta di riflessione seriosa. Le caratterizzazioni dei personaggi e la loro evoluzione, sia per i protagonisti sia per i secondari, è davvero ben gestita e la trama scorre con un buon ritmo.
Il volume mi è piaciuto tantissimo e non vedo l’ora di leggere il prossimo!
(Trattandosi di una copia ARC, la versione a noi inviata potrebbe subire delle modifiche relative alla fruibilità del testo da parte dell* autor*/CE prima della messa in vendita)

[Nancy Lockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet book with humor and a couple of tara moments. Phil Greco is a hockey player on the AHL Watkin's Glen Gladiator team. He is Irish on his father's side and Italian on his mother's side. He is brash, outgoing and charming in his own way. He also can talk quite a bit and the conversation can go off in tangents. He grew up poor in Flushing, New York with it being just he and his mother after his father died when he was a child. Due to also being a bit short, he learned to fight for everything that he has. What he lacks in height, he makes up for in energy and hard work on the ice. Henri Gaudin is a French born and is a quiet and refined winery owner in Watkin's Glen. He hs a progressive genetic eye condition called jubilee macular degeneration which over time takes away his central vision. He is afraid of becoming a burden to any partner that he may have. Other people he has dated have left him after he has told them of his condition. However, he enjoys watching hockey and has the team to his chalet for brunches on Sunday's. He thinks that Phil is loud and a bit crude. Phil thinks that Henri while quite Attractive is a rich and snobby guy. When Phil's apartment becomes uninhabitable, Henri is talked into having Phil stay at his chalet. Phil is soon making friends with all the chalet staff and grounds staff. As they get to know each other, they realize that some of the animosity has covered up how attracted they are to each other. Henri soon realizes that while Phil may be brash and talkative but that he is also quite kind and loyal. Phil also realizes that Henri is lonely, generous, and quite thoughtful. These two opposites find themselves falling in love. As I said, I found this to be a really sweet love story and quite enjoyed how the two MC's relationship progressed.

[Bill Bottomley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy. This review is being submitted voluntarily.

Philip Greco plays for the Watkins Glen AHL team. While he’s home enjoying his family during the off-season, he receives a call telling him that his upstairs neighbour’s bathtub has flooded and fallen through the ceiling to the basement (2 floors). As a result, he hurries home to find out what’s going on. He clearly can’t live in his flat, so he initially arranges to live in the pastor’s home, though that’s far from ideal since the latter now has a boyfriend making it inconvenient. The pastor uses his influence to get Henri Gaudion, the head of a local vineyard, to take Phil into his “chalet”, really a mansion. While it’s clear that they like each other a lot, their differences lead to many conflicts. Phil is a typical loud person from Queens, New York, with his never-ending stories while Henri is a refined gentleman born in France. Henri is also suffering from a condition that with eventually render him legally blind. Phil totally disrupts Henri’s life and home, including his staff. Despite these problems, they eventually get to their happy ending.

As is often the case, the plot is quite straightforward with little deviation. I must admit that this is my preferred approach to the storyline. The main characters are great. Henri is delightfully prissy and isn’t quite sure what to do about Phil verbal diarrhea with his stories about his family, which I find totally fun. The secondary characters are delightful and, at least for the staff, fall easily under Phil’s spell. His teammates are all somewhere on the queer spectrum or allies. The book is relatively low angst and that appeals to me as well.

I can happily recommend this book to all lovers of the MM romance genre.

[Ellie (On a break, mostly rereading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking the Body is the fourth book in VL Locey's latest ice hockey series, Watkins Glen Gladiators. VL Locey (along with RJ Scott) is one of my favourite go to authors, especially when it comes to ice hockey romances. This series is also interconnected with some of Locey's other works (primarily According to Liam series) that it makes me fan girl so much. And despite gushing as much as I have, I reckon that this book would work well as a standalone if you've not read the full series.

In this book we meet Gladiators player, Phil Greco. He's an Irish-Italian from Flushing, Queens. Of course, because as an Australian Millennial who identifies Flushing with the TV show The Nanny, I found it totally amusing to have the show featured in the book. Love it or hate it (The Nanny, that is), the use of The Nanny in this book is fun. Being Irish-Italian also means that Phil has a massive family - something that I also relate to with my own Italian family. He's in a bit of a rut while waiting for the pre season training camp and the season to start. When he's back in Watkins Glen, he finds himself in trouble when the bathtub from the apartment above his ends up in his living room. That is how, through mutual friends, he ends up with wealthy Frenchman and a local to the Glen, Henri Gaudion.

Henri and Phil are complete opposites. Henri is very reserved, while Phil can't help but to babble every thought in his head and has a story for absolutely everything. Henri is order where Phil is chaos. Yet, they fit together perfectly and as a reader we get to enjoy seeing the couple discover each other as their relationship blossoms.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 for me. An enjoyable, fun read, this book has Phil, a hockey player and car buff, forced to stay at the swanky home of Henri, who runs a vineyard. They are completely different from one another, Phil one of the poorer relatives from a large family in Flushing Queens, Henri a sophisticated and wealthy "priss." Phil really dislikes Henry in that way that usually signals attraction.

Immediately we are swept up in Phil's almost compulsive but funny monologues about his family and friends. He can almost not open his mouth without spewing a tale and while it starts out charming, for me this was a case of too much of a good thing. It seems to work magic on everyone around him, and Henri is captivated too. But, especially as the walls between Henri and Phil break down, I was ready for Phil to talk and listen rather than spew humorous stories. I was waiting to find out that he talked compulsively like this when he was anxious or something, but that never occurred.

Phil in this book seems more like a caricature than a character. Henri, on the other hand, is grappling with whether he can move forward with a serious relationship, knowing that his juvenile macular degeneration is getting worse.

I thought Henri's internal struggle about disability, relationships and commitment was well done. When he finally airs his fears and thoughts with Phil, Phil acts like a disability savant, magically saying all the right things. I thought it was convincing that while Henri didn't completely believe him, he saw the intent behind the words for what it was.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fourth book in the Watkins Glen Gladiators series is an amusing clash of cultures and temperaments hockey romance. It can stand on its own but I am glad I read book three, Dump and Chase, first as it gave me more insight into each of the main characters that helped flesh out this book.

Phil Greco is a vibrant, noisy, mouthy half Italian-half Irish hockey player from Queens who uses his big personality to help make up for his lack of stature. Henri, pronounced On-ree thank you very much, is the wealthy winery owner from France who is classy, erudite, fashionable, and reserved. Neither of them likes the other, or at least that’s what they tell themselves, and push comes to shove when they end up spending a lot of time together due to a change in living situations and a “helpful” Pastor. (Gabe, one of the MCs from book three.)

At first they are at loggerheads. Phil feels like a fish out of water and Henri hates having his peaceful, organized solitude interrupted. As Phil gradually charms everyone at the vineyard including Henri’s closest staff (helped along by introducing them to the sitcom The Nanny) things finally come to a head and their explosive chemistry goes the way we can all tell it’s heading.

The characters both have their own pains and secrets they are dealing with and while the book is fairly lighthearted and low angst you can feel the pain they are experiencing. The ending is sweet and I’m sure we will see more of these men in subsequent books.

**I voluntarily read an arc and this is my unbiased opinion.**

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up

I only discovered the series a couple of weeks ago and read the first three books back-to-back.
Being curious about Phil and Henri I looked forward to this one but somehow I didn't like it as much as the other ones.

If you read the other books, you knew Phil, the non-stop talker with a bit of a chip on his shoulders because of his upbringing.

When circumstances (or fate) throws him and Henri together, it seems to be a great opportunity for opposite attracts and while it does, it does't deliver as it could have.

I think Henri and Phil both need the other, Henri needs someone to drag him out, to show him that his ideas of his future aren't correct and he doesn't need to stop living. Phil needs a person cheering him on and showing him that he is more than the poor guy from Queens.

I love how Phil basically takes Henri's household and puts it upside down. I love how he irritates Henri enough for him to drop his guards and let him in.

But - and this is the reason for the star reduction - he is also portrait as an immature jock and not the mid-thirties guy who I think is underneath and didn't have a chance to properly come out.

Also, while his talking and storytelling is part of him, it does get so much that I skipped paragraphes as they don't really bring anything to the storyline. This could have been edited better.

I look forward to the next installment of the Gladiators.

[Jack Harkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prissy Frenchman & "Mook" from Flushing, NY ("Don't call yourself a mook!")

Wow, these two are so very different from each other, one wonders how they will overcome that chasm. This begins by introducing us to each main character separately. They have nothing in common and each has an unflattering opinion about the other.

Yet, they are forced to live together under Henri's roof, thanks (or no thanks) to Gabriel who is the local pastor. Phil, a hockey player, turns Henry's household upside down and shatters the order, quiet, and calm, much to Henry's dismay. Henri has all kinds of walls up, keeping him safe from hurt and disappointment.

But they are constantly on each other's minds, while they try to fight their illogical, yet major mutual attraction. Phil wonders why Henry is so guarded and prissy. Henri wonders how someone can be abrasive, disruptive, and charming at the same time. At first Henri's household staff are put off by Phil's actions and behavior. Phil eventually wins the staff over with his no-nonsense and down-to-earth attitude. But as they learn more about each other, their opinions change and see the other's good traits.

This is a really good and steamy story. It's entertaining seeing how the two repelling forces begin to orbit around the other and ending up with mutual pulling in to each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend reading it.

[Maude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap, I haven’t laughed this hard over a book in a long, long time. This story is a love story of two total opposites.
Phil comes from a large Italian/Irish family. He’s loud, brash and doesn’t stand on manners. Henri is a quiet, gentle man who has his house and life ordered and staid. This book is a total opposite attracts with a healthy dose of laugh out loud humor.
I absolutely fell in love with both men. Phil needs a place to live when a bathtub crashes down into his apartment. Henri is kinda strong armed into bringing him to his home on the winery. Phil literally hits Henri’s ordered life like a force 5 hurricane. Phil turns the household on its ear and in doing so endears himself to all of Henri’s household. Everyone loves Phil and Henri starts slowly falling for Phil.
Henri has his reasons for his ordered quiet life and he doesn’t believe that anyone could want him for himself. Phil breaks through every one of Henri’s defenses and they finally end up on the same page. While we are getting to that point there are scenes that you better not be drinking anything because you will be spewing that drink all over the place. I absolutely fell totally in love with both men. Your reading journey with these two men will be just as enjoyable as mine so go forth and enjoy.

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phil Greco is a lively and outgoing hockey player who plays for the AHL Watkin's Glen Gladiator team. He has a diverse background with Irish and Italian roots. Phil grew up in Flushing, New York, with his single mother, and despite being short in stature, he compensates with boundless energy and hard work on the ice. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when his apartment becomes uninhabitable, forcing him to stay at the chalet owned by Henri Gaudin, a refined winery owner in Watkin's Glen.

Henri is a Frenchman with a progressive genetic eye condition who fears becoming a burden to his partners and has faced rejection in the past. At first, he finds Phil loud and crude, but he reluctantly allows him to stay at the chalet. As Phil befriends the chalet staff and grounds crew, the initial animosity between him and Henri begins to fade. Both men discover hidden depths in each other—Phil's kindness and loyalty, and Henri's loneliness, generosity, and thoughtfulness.

As they spend more time together, the animosity turns into attraction, and the two opposites find themselves falling in love. The story unfolds as a sweet and enjoyable love journey, showcasing the progression of Phil and Henri's relationship and the discovery of their complementary qualities.

[Traci S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henri and Phil have a charmingly prickly relationship gosh, I just loved both main characters. Henri is kind, generous, and so wonderfully fussy, living alone with his trusted staff and caring for the vineyard his father left in his care. Phil is a force of nature, he is a wonderful son to his mother, an excellent teammate, and one of the most entertaining and endearing characters I’ve come across. I loved this take on forced proximity. Thanks to a flooded apartment and a little push from pastor Gabe, Hernri finds himself with a most aggravatingly charming and chatty hockey player houseguest. These two are hilarious together, a really perfectly mismatched pair. I loved the humor in their story. Phil is a delight of a human being, his family stories are genuinely hilarious. But, it’s his goodness and heart that I loved most. His reaction to learning of Henri’s progressive eye disease was so perfectly Phil and definitely made me tear up a bit. The Watkins Glen Gladiators have become one of my favorite hockey romance series, the characters are truly exceptional and the writing and world building
makes them a treat to read. Loved it, can’t wait for the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really a shame that Phil had to deal with a tub dropping from the apartment above him through his apartment to the basement. And that left him with no place to stay in Watkins Glen. But sometimes when something crappy happens some good comes of it. Phil, the hockey player from Flushing, Queens and Henri, the stuffy French vintner are truly opposites. But their attraction to one another is only eclipsed by how little they know about one another and their assumptions about one another. When Pastor Gabriel prevails upon Henri to host Phil it was the silver lining that gifted both of them. Henri needed someone to bring some verve into his life. Phil is a down to earth guy who helps Henri come out of his hibernation and the love, humor and steamy fun that they find with one another makes their story fun and a bit over the top. Phil also shares his family, his mom and grandmother with Henri. They are cute together probably because they work well together although they seem like they would not. The joy in this story made me smile.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Barwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, and blame this author as one who got me into reading hockey romance although I don’t follow the sport at all! I was intrigued by Henri in the previous book, and already wanted him to get his own HEA. Phil is a great match for him in this opposites-attract story with a wonderful emphasis on family and found family.

I thought Henri’s reasons for avoiding relationships were very real. I love his relationship/friendship with Barnaby and the others in his household, and how he obviously he misses his parents. I liked his friendship with Gabe too, and seeing Gabe and DJ again.

I love how Phil has no boundaries or filters and talks…and talks. He’s refreshing, and cares deeply for those he loves. His family are also larger than life. I love how they quickly consider Henri one of their own, yet Phil’s mother is also aware of how full on he can be, and how Phil endears himself to the vineyard workers by getting out amongst them and very obviously caring about them as people.

Phil and Henri’s story is a feel-good read, with likeable characters. I was cheering them on for their HEA from their first meeting.

[Babara-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANOTHER AMAZING READ!

The fourth book of the Watkins Glen Gladiators series once again has amazing characters, great storylines and emotional moments paired with hilarious situations!

“ I wanted a partner, a lover, and someone who could make me laugh. Laughter was important.”

A quiet, refined French vintner Henri Gaudion (’onrie ) not (Henree like Phil pronounces it) has become like a hermit due to a generative eye disease but agrees to house a player from the Watkins Glen Gladiators- Phil Greco ( or Phillip like Henri calls him) a mouthy, short, crass , straightforward and witty character who goes on hilarious tangents at times…

“wondering exactly what kind of chaos I had allowed into my home.”

Two total opposites and yet they mesh with amazing chemistry and endearing moments…

This is their sweet journey to finding your perfect person, passion, acceptance , a port in the storm and a big Italian/ Irish family!

I voluntarily received an ARC from GRR for an honest review.

[Anna Riv · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about Phillip and Henri. Philip is a hockey player from Queens while Henri owns a vineyard in the town where Phillip plays hockey. They have known each other for a while and have some low level attraction to the other but have focused on hating each other because of their differences in personality as well as social/economy position. However, a flooded apartment and the intervention of a priest force these two different characters to get to know each other and understand who they are, where they come from and how compatible they actually are.

This was an interesting reading, a little slow at the beginning but the story picks up its pace. I would recommend this book to people looking for a romance between two different characters that dislike each other but realize that love is more fun.

I received a copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my voluntary opinion.

[Elle Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henri and Greck. Has there ever been a stronger example of complete opposites? But then you read the book. And find out Phil Greco is more than he seems. I mean, the man has layers! And Henri Gaudion is not nearly as tightly buttoned as you’d initially think. A lot of his aloofness comes from a secret he’s been harbouring. Suddenly the two men together make sense.

Add in a slew of fascinating side characters and appearances by other Gladiators that we’ve gotten to know in the first three books in Locey’s hockey series and you have a tale that speeds by as you read it.

As usual, Locey demonstrates her skill in creating feisty and zany memorable characters and this book is no exception. Readers even get to meet some of the extended Greco clan!

Low-angst, opposites-attract, vers lovers. Five stars.