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Unwrapping the Truth
Noah
I've been low-key obsessed with my brother's best friend, Luke Alexander, I walked in on him hooking up. With a guy. We've never talked about it. That worked for years, but I've been traded and Luke is now my captain. We need to discuss what happened, and how it made me feel. Because we're on the same team —maybe in more ways than one— and I want Luke to help me figure that out.
Luke
I've worked very hard at ignoring Noah Prince since he walked in on me in the most compromising situation possible. I don't care what he thinks, even though he turned out to be a pro hockey player, just like me. Even though he ended up on my team. Even though he has pierced nipples now and it's hot AF. But my tough guy attitude gets blown to smithereens when Noah tells me he wants to know what it's like to be with a man. Not just any man, but me. Can I let him experiment with me and not catch feelings?
I've been low-key obsessed with my brother's best friend, Luke Alexander, I walked in on him hooking up. With a guy. We've never talked about it. That worked for years, but I've been traded and Luke is now my captain. We need to discuss what happened, and how it made me feel. Because we're on the same team —maybe in more ways than one— and I want Luke to help me figure that out.
Luke
I've worked very hard at ignoring Noah Prince since he walked in on me in the most compromising situation possible. I don't care what he thinks, even though he turned out to be a pro hockey player, just like me. Even though he ended up on my team. Even though he has pierced nipples now and it's hot AF. But my tough guy attitude gets blown to smithereens when Noah tells me he wants to know what it's like to be with a man. Not just any man, but me. Can I let him experiment with me and not catch feelings?
72 pages, Paperback
Published December 26, 2023
10 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Denault
31 books832 followersSign up for Victoria's monthly newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cexOL9
Victoria Denault loves ocean air, seventies music, strong heroines and flawed heroes. She is a former journalist, stand-up comic and corporate marketing minion. Victoria is a Canadian and former Californian who currently lives in a 225 year-old house with her husband, their Chihuahua Maximus and more spiders than she cares to think about.
Victoria Denault loves ocean air, seventies music, strong heroines and flawed heroes. She is a former journalist, stand-up comic and corporate marketing minion. Victoria is a Canadian and former Californian who currently lives in a 225 year-old house with her husband, their Chihuahua Maximus and more spiders than she cares to think about.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 1, 2024
The first thing that caught my eye was the cover which reminded me very strongly of covers for Isabel Murray's
Not That series. But once I read the summary and realized, to my surprise, that this was a hockey m/m romance I couldn't start reading fast enough. So it's safe to say, my expectations, even though I tried to curb them, were moderately high.
Right from the opening, the story about a 17 year old Noah stumbling upon Luke, his older brother's college friend and roommate, in an intimate situation with another guy, felt a bit rushed. Immediately after that we jump, 7 years in the future, to present time where Noah gets traded to an NHL team with Luke as the team's captain. Luke's reception of Noah as his new teammate is cold, to say the least, and Noah decides to confront him about it. When Luke accuses him of being homophobic Noah admits that Luke was his bisexual awakening.
Up until this point I already started having issues with the story in general and Luke's characterization in particular. The way Luke went about having sex with other random guys in the story made him seem quite entitled and dismissive of the other party at the same time. His reaction to Noah's confession also felt incredibly egocentric.
Noah was entitled to saying whatever he wanted and leaving after that, why would not sticking around to suck Luke's d*ck (like everybody else he comes in contact with does apparently...) make him the selfish one in this equation? Luke came across like a totally entitled d*ck, which admittedly, was not even remotely unrealistic when it comes to hockey players but it didn't mean I enjoyed reading about it.
Luke's POV and his feelings towards Noah were like a roller coaster; first he hated him, then he started lusting after him and not even five minutes later he was jealous of Noah being friends with another teammate... I mean the pure entitlement of that guy. Luke just came across as a very horny guy who cared about little else beside sex. The moment Noah confessed to him, the only thing he could think of was about making Noah's fantasy a reality. He didn't even stop for a second to wonder how it might affect the team dynamics, not that he did give much of an impression of being deserving of the C on his chest, what with so blatantly hating Noah since he was traded to their team.
Once the two of them started "experimenting" together the story did get more readable and things seemed by some miracle starting to work out between them. That is until the epilogue as the effect was ruined because I was still processing the fact that apparently I have missed a good chunk of the story between the last chapter and the epilogue. Not to mention how such a writing choice went against the very nature of an epilogue which really made me miffed about the whole story even more.
I really wanted and hoped I would enjoy this story but I found it to be such a frustrating read with rudimentary characterization, inconsistent pacing and plot, what little there was of it, all over the place.
This was my first time reading anything from this particular author and it has come to my attention, from the other review here, that this story was published as a part of Pucking Around: An MM Holiday Hockey Anthology (which I actually did get but haven't had the will nor energy to try to read through in the previous year) so maybe that format could explain the misgivings I had with the story because I did like the idea behind it but found the execution itself lacking. Maybe with more time to dedicate to the story and at least double the current page count it would have worked better for me than it did currently.
Themes: dual POV, bisexual awakening, older brother's friend, teammates, f*ck buddies, NFL
Not That series. But once I read the summary and realized, to my surprise, that this was a hockey m/m romance I couldn't start reading fast enough. So it's safe to say, my expectations, even though I tried to curb them, were moderately high.
Right from the opening, the story about a 17 year old Noah stumbling upon Luke, his older brother's college friend and roommate, in an intimate situation with another guy, felt a bit rushed. Immediately after that we jump, 7 years in the future, to present time where Noah gets traded to an NHL team with Luke as the team's captain. Luke's reception of Noah as his new teammate is cold, to say the least, and Noah decides to confront him about it. When Luke accuses him of being homophobic Noah admits that Luke was his bisexual awakening.
Up until this point I already started having issues with the story in general and Luke's characterization in particular. The way Luke went about having sex with other random guys in the story made him seem quite entitled and dismissive of the other party at the same time. His reaction to Noah's confession also felt incredibly egocentric.
Noah starts to storm out and now I really want to punch him. Why the hell does he get to drop a bomb like that on me and then just leave? What a selfish jackass. I start to follow him, but Garrett catches my arm. “Hey. Where they hell are you going? I haven’t seen you in months and you said you only had an hour. I drove all this way.”
“You live forty minutes from here,” I reply, unimpressed with his plea because my dick still wants to chase Noah down the hall.
Noah was entitled to saying whatever he wanted and leaving after that, why would not sticking around to suck Luke's d*ck (like everybody else he comes in contact with does apparently...) make him the selfish one in this equation? Luke came across like a totally entitled d*ck, which admittedly, was not even remotely unrealistic when it comes to hockey players but it didn't mean I enjoyed reading about it.
Luke's POV and his feelings towards Noah were like a roller coaster; first he hated him, then he started lusting after him and not even five minutes later he was jealous of Noah being friends with another teammate... I mean the pure entitlement of that guy. Luke just came across as a very horny guy who cared about little else beside sex. The moment Noah confessed to him, the only thing he could think of was about making Noah's fantasy a reality. He didn't even stop for a second to wonder how it might affect the team dynamics, not that he did give much of an impression of being deserving of the C on his chest, what with so blatantly hating Noah since he was traded to their team.
Once the two of them started "experimenting" together the story did get more readable and things seemed by some miracle starting to work out between them. That is until the epilogue as the effect was ruined because I was still processing the fact that apparently I have missed a good chunk of the story between the last chapter and the epilogue. Not to mention how such a writing choice went against the very nature of an epilogue which really made me miffed about the whole story even more.
I really wanted and hoped I would enjoy this story but I found it to be such a frustrating read with rudimentary characterization, inconsistent pacing and plot, what little there was of it, all over the place.
This was my first time reading anything from this particular author and it has come to my attention, from the other review here, that this story was published as a part of Pucking Around: An MM Holiday Hockey Anthology (which I actually did get but haven't had the will nor energy to try to read through in the previous year) so maybe that format could explain the misgivings I had with the story because I did like the idea behind it but found the execution itself lacking. Maybe with more time to dedicate to the story and at least double the current page count it would have worked better for me than it did currently.
Themes: dual POV, bisexual awakening, older brother's friend, teammates, f*ck buddies, NFL
February 20, 2024
What you'll get:
Professional hockey players
Piercings somewhere unexpected
Brother's best friend
Bisexual and gay rep
Setting: Nevada
Love a teammates to lovers. This version was in the Pucking Around anthology which I understand is a slightly different version than the one with this cover. I think there was a second epilogue my version was missing but I'm happy with where mine ended.
I liked that they didn't admit to any huge deep feelings in this because it was so quick and they're still getting to know each other in this new facet of their relationship - teammates and lovers now.
I did want to see Noah’s brother’s reaction when Luke switches brothers to hang with at a future Christmas.
Professional hockey players
Piercings somewhere unexpected
Brother's best friend
Bisexual and gay rep
Setting: Nevada
Love a teammates to lovers. This version was in the Pucking Around anthology which I understand is a slightly different version than the one with this cover. I think there was a second epilogue my version was missing but I'm happy with where mine ended.
I liked that they didn't admit to any huge deep feelings in this because it was so quick and they're still getting to know each other in this new facet of their relationship - teammates and lovers now.
I did want to see Noah’s brother’s reaction when Luke switches brothers to hang with at a future Christmas.
December 22, 2024
It is a very tenuous festive link here as the bulk of it is set around the holiday season.
It delivers exactly what you'd expect - enemies (barely) to friends to lovers with some steamy sex scenes...
I seem to have read A LOT of these sports based MM stories this year, and I blame Kindle and their cheap deals 🤣😅 but they are all getting a little samey, so 2025 I try and branch out more!
It delivers exactly what you'd expect - enemies (barely) to friends to lovers with some steamy sex scenes...
I seem to have read A LOT of these sports based MM stories this year, and I blame Kindle and their cheap deals 🤣😅 but they are all getting a little samey, so 2025 I try and branch out more!
December 23, 2024
Tis the season for hockey romance~
June 10, 2024
“But this is Noah Prince. My best friend’s little brother. My teammate.”
Under a mistletoe, Luke Alexander was getting a blowie from a guy and Noah accidentally walked in on it. Stunned, he never was able to make eye contact or speak to Luke after that. Not because he realized his brothers bestie was gay or bi, but because it created feelings in himself. Sexual feelings.
A bi-awakening.
I hate the miscommunication trope. Or the lack of any communication. Because Noah froze that night, Luke assumed he was a homophobe without even asking what was up. When really, Noah was dealing with feelings of being possibly bisexual himself.
All is well though. An HEA.
Under a mistletoe, Luke Alexander was getting a blowie from a guy and Noah accidentally walked in on it. Stunned, he never was able to make eye contact or speak to Luke after that. Not because he realized his brothers bestie was gay or bi, but because it created feelings in himself. Sexual feelings.
A bi-awakening.
I hate the miscommunication trope. Or the lack of any communication. Because Noah froze that night, Luke assumed he was a homophobe without even asking what was up. When really, Noah was dealing with feelings of being possibly bisexual himself.
All is well though. An HEA.
January 5, 2024
Offff hot and steamy but a nice bi awakening story
June 21, 2024
Tender and Sentual
This is a story of two men discovering each other, one in touch with his sexuality,the other knowing how he feels but still needing confirmation.
This is a story of two men discovering each other, one in touch with his sexuality,the other knowing how he feels but still needing confirmation.
June 21, 2024
4⭐️
A hot hockey novella with plenty of MM spice and not a lot of hockey! 🔥
I really enjoyed this read that’s only 75 pages long, but still thrust (😏) you into the 🌶️🌶️🌶️ quickly! I read this in just over an hour.
Noah is obsessed with his brother’s best friend Luke since he walked in on him hooking up with a guy. They’ve never spoken about it, but Luke is now his hockey captain and they are on the same team in more ways than one. Luke is ignoring Noah since the situation, but Noah is hot AF and told Luke he wants to know what it’s like to be with a guy. Can he let him experiment with him and not catch feelings?
As the blurb suggests, this book is told from the POV of both Noah and Luke. I liked each character for different reasons, with Noah being curious with his bi-awakening and Luke’s tough guy exterior slipping off not quite as fast as his trousers were! 🤪
The spice was there and there was definitely plenty of it. I liked the story alongside it and the themes and tropes explored like gay first time, brothers best friend and enemies to lovers. I related to Luke in so many ways with parent rejection and I liked the portrayal of this.
I loved all the consensual elements and the constant checking and reassurance to make sure that Noah was okay with everything too. 🥹
The only thing that confused me a little was the jump from the final chapter to the epilogue. All of sudden Luke’s epilogue was totally different and the vibes shifted completely. I think it would have been better as another chapter and then ending with Noah’s epilogue.
The novella could have been longer but I think Denault packed a lot in (the boys defintely did! 🥵) and I liked the story behind it. The book is set around Christmas time, but that didn’t put me off reading in June. I was here for the smut! 😍
This book is currently free to buy on Kindle and I recommend if you’re looking for a quick spicy MM read! 🌶️
💬: ‘I'm not asking you to come out. I don't know if I'm going to tell anyone about who I am now. I mean, I didn't exactly go around announcing I was straight so why should I announce I'm not?’
⚠️ Please check out the trigger warnings! ⚠️
A hot hockey novella with plenty of MM spice and not a lot of hockey! 🔥
I really enjoyed this read that’s only 75 pages long, but still thrust (😏) you into the 🌶️🌶️🌶️ quickly! I read this in just over an hour.
Noah is obsessed with his brother’s best friend Luke since he walked in on him hooking up with a guy. They’ve never spoken about it, but Luke is now his hockey captain and they are on the same team in more ways than one. Luke is ignoring Noah since the situation, but Noah is hot AF and told Luke he wants to know what it’s like to be with a guy. Can he let him experiment with him and not catch feelings?
As the blurb suggests, this book is told from the POV of both Noah and Luke. I liked each character for different reasons, with Noah being curious with his bi-awakening and Luke’s tough guy exterior slipping off not quite as fast as his trousers were! 🤪
The spice was there and there was definitely plenty of it. I liked the story alongside it and the themes and tropes explored like gay first time, brothers best friend and enemies to lovers. I related to Luke in so many ways with parent rejection and I liked the portrayal of this.
I loved all the consensual elements and the constant checking and reassurance to make sure that Noah was okay with everything too. 🥹
The only thing that confused me a little was the jump from the final chapter to the epilogue. All of sudden Luke’s epilogue was totally different and the vibes shifted completely. I think it would have been better as another chapter and then ending with Noah’s epilogue.
The novella could have been longer but I think Denault packed a lot in (the boys defintely did! 🥵) and I liked the story behind it. The book is set around Christmas time, but that didn’t put me off reading in June. I was here for the smut! 😍
This book is currently free to buy on Kindle and I recommend if you’re looking for a quick spicy MM read! 🌶️
💬: ‘I'm not asking you to come out. I don't know if I'm going to tell anyone about who I am now. I mean, I didn't exactly go around announcing I was straight so why should I announce I'm not?’
⚠️ Please check out the trigger warnings! ⚠️
January 19, 2024
The updated story with the new double "epilogue" was a bit disappointing, I prefer the story as it was included in Pucking Around: An MM Holiday Hockey Anthology without that addition.
These epilogues, IMO, are not such, but new chapters since they present a new twist in the plot, which, besides being unnecessary, is underdeveloped.
These epilogues, IMO, are not such, but new chapters since they present a new twist in the plot, which, besides being unnecessary, is underdeveloped.
July 12, 2024
This is a novella that apparently appears elsewhere in a hockey anthology.
I often read novellas - some authors have a knack for getting you into a story, illustrate some snappy writing and want to make you read more.
This one for me just fell flat and I wasn’t inclined to went to know anything more about this couple. Very little likeable about them and there was some off page significant stuff later in the book that changed the trajectory of the story but we never saw it, and it would’ve made this actually worthwhile I think.
Disappointing to say the least.
2.75 stars
I often read novellas - some authors have a knack for getting you into a story, illustrate some snappy writing and want to make you read more.
This one for me just fell flat and I wasn’t inclined to went to know anything more about this couple. Very little likeable about them and there was some off page significant stuff later in the book that changed the trajectory of the story but we never saw it, and it would’ve made this actually worthwhile I think.
Disappointing to say the least.
2.75 stars
May 6, 2024
Loved. These short ones are fun and I enjoy them. BUT all of the sudden in the epilogue they were broken up. We seem to have skipped that part. And it was explained but I did not love the choice of doing it as part of an epilogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 1, 2024Dnf
June 20, 2024
Unwrapping the truth
The story is about Noah and Luke, hockey players and teammates and the unexpected way in which they found love.
The story is about Noah and Luke, hockey players and teammates and the unexpected way in which they found love.
June 13, 2024
Like I feel it was ok but it was hard to connect with Luke and understand his motives with not enough pages.
June 21, 2024
To think I used to avoid sports romance, silly me, they are the hottest, sexy stories! This has a young rookie Captained by his brothers friend who has been his fantasy man for years. The story revolves around the team as well but not too deeply about the sport, if you have any reservations on that. It's a touching tale, at times funny and than a little sad, but a enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews