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Penalty Box #4
Goaltender Interference
Will two struggling hockey players grab their second chance at love, or will it slide right through their grasp?
Newly retired hockey star Aiden Campbell should be a man with no regrets. Instead he is consumed by them. When he runs into his ex in New York City ten years after they broke up, he’ll have to confront his biggest regret of them all. Montreal hockey captain Matt Safaryan never expected to see his old flame again. Now that he has, he can’t forget what they had, no matter how badly Aiden hurt him. Which is why Matt finds himself on Aiden’s doorstep late at night with only a deep want driving him. One passionate night has them hooked all over again, but great sex was never the problem. Life after hockey has left Aiden adrift. Watching Matt push himself through chronic injuries isn’t helping, but this time around they’re determined to make this thing between them last. If only they can rebuild the trust they destroyed a decade ago. Giving their relationship a second chance might cut sharper than a blade, but it may also end up being their best play ever.
Newly retired hockey star Aiden Campbell should be a man with no regrets. Instead he is consumed by them. When he runs into his ex in New York City ten years after they broke up, he’ll have to confront his biggest regret of them all. Montreal hockey captain Matt Safaryan never expected to see his old flame again. Now that he has, he can’t forget what they had, no matter how badly Aiden hurt him. Which is why Matt finds himself on Aiden’s doorstep late at night with only a deep want driving him. One passionate night has them hooked all over again, but great sex was never the problem. Life after hockey has left Aiden adrift. Watching Matt push himself through chronic injuries isn’t helping, but this time around they’re determined to make this thing between them last. If only they can rebuild the trust they destroyed a decade ago. Giving their relationship a second chance might cut sharper than a blade, but it may also end up being their best play ever.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2025
40 people are currently reading
665 people want to read
About the author
Ari Baran
4 books184 followersBorn just outside of Philadelphia, Ari moved into the city for school and never looked back. In their day job, they are a lawyer (not that kind of lawyer).
When they’re not writing, they’re listening to black metal, researching one of several incredibly niche interests, or watching too many hockey games.
Ari is a writer of hockey romances, epic fantasies, and other emotionally-distant messes.
When they’re not writing, they’re listening to black metal, researching one of several incredibly niche interests, or watching too many hockey games.
Ari is a writer of hockey romances, epic fantasies, and other emotionally-distant messes.
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June 23, 2025
Reread 06/2025 All time favourite, same feelings as last time..
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Read 02/2025. This may be the best second chance romance I've ever read. In addition, one of the best hockey romances. One of the best romances with MCs in their late thirties. One of the best romances with a depressed MC (that's how it resonated with me as a reader who's not a therapist, though).
And I'm not throwing these superlatives around lightly.
I loved how the author threw Matt and Aiden together after 10 years of distance (and relationships, even marriage with other people in between), and had me rooting for them so hard. They had to acknowledge that they were the same people but also had changed fundamentally over the years.
I hate when authors imply that love or sex can cure depression. Thankfully this was not the case here, at all. Both MCs are (let's be honest) fucked up. Aiden definitely more than Matt, but Matt isn't all happy sunshine, either. Aiden is too scared to face his future, his feelings, his fears for a long time. Both Aiden and Matt at the beginning use sex (with each other) as a means of distraction, but the author did a stellar job at showing how much Aiden needed therapy and how slowly (very slowly) it seemed to help him (although he didn't really see it).
I loved to see the emotional connection between Aiden and Matt, and how it grew deeper and stronger. Matt still knowing instinctively after all this time what Aiden needed from him when he was overwhelmed by his thoughts. Aiden cooking for Matt, wanting to care for him. Matt calling Aiden "baby" and "Aidy" in their most intimate moments and Aiden loving it so much.. argh it was all so beautifully written... interwoven with the struggling and not knowing where they were moving, both individually and with their relationship.. the story touched me. I loved every moment of it.
Instant all time favourite.
This was my second book by this author and I'm so happy I found them.
Don't forget to read the free bonus 190 pages novella available via the author's homepage "Would you promise to be kind" that's set 10 years earlier, but should be read after Goalie Interference!
It was lovely and heartwarming and simply wonderful to learn more of Matt and Aiden's first relationship. I loved it so much!!
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Read 02/2025. This may be the best second chance romance I've ever read. In addition, one of the best hockey romances. One of the best romances with MCs in their late thirties. One of the best romances with a depressed MC (that's how it resonated with me as a reader who's not a therapist, though).
And I'm not throwing these superlatives around lightly.
I loved how the author threw Matt and Aiden together after 10 years of distance (and relationships, even marriage with other people in between), and had me rooting for them so hard. They had to acknowledge that they were the same people but also had changed fundamentally over the years.
I hate when authors imply that love or sex can cure depression. Thankfully this was not the case here, at all. Both MCs are (let's be honest) fucked up. Aiden definitely more than Matt, but Matt isn't all happy sunshine, either. Aiden is too scared to face his future, his feelings, his fears for a long time. Both Aiden and Matt at the beginning use sex (with each other) as a means of distraction, but the author did a stellar job at showing how much Aiden needed therapy and how slowly (very slowly) it seemed to help him (although he didn't really see it).
I loved to see the emotional connection between Aiden and Matt, and how it grew deeper and stronger. Matt still knowing instinctively after all this time what Aiden needed from him when he was overwhelmed by his thoughts. Aiden cooking for Matt, wanting to care for him. Matt calling Aiden "baby" and "Aidy" in their most intimate moments and Aiden loving it so much.. argh it was all so beautifully written... interwoven with the struggling and not knowing where they were moving, both individually and with their relationship.. the story touched me. I loved every moment of it.
Instant all time favourite.
This was my second book by this author and I'm so happy I found them.
Don't forget to read the free bonus 190 pages novella available via the author's homepage "Would you promise to be kind" that's set 10 years earlier, but should be read after Goalie Interference!
It was lovely and heartwarming and simply wonderful to learn more of Matt and Aiden's first relationship. I loved it so much!!
November 21, 2024
I can just imagine the looks on Matt's family's faces when he tells them he's back on with Aiden. They're going to think he's the dumbest MF on earth 💀
Hell, even I think that, and I KNOW Aiden. So.
"You don't think this is a terrible idea that could potentially end in disaster?"
"When has that ever stopped us, Matty?"
I really wanted to hate Aiden but I understood so much where he was coming from that writing this review has been a mindfuck.
You know how someone commits Advanced Tactical Emotional Terrorism™ but their reasons are extenuating so you can't quite hate them even though you'd like to?
That's Aiden.
Without getting into spoiler territory, Ari Baran has once again written a compelling book with really good representation for mental health struggles.
This author writes about hockey in a way that gives me goosebumps. And I HATE sports in sports romance (yeah, I know 🙈)
The way Matt speaks of the Royal's history? It sounds like a game I should get into, and not just for the phenomenal butts.
I really adored Matt. But.....how do I say this? He's the kind of lover you want to have but wouldn't aspire to be. There have got to be limits somewhere.
Also, I love the running theme with this author where people struggling with mental health issues don't have to be 'fixed' first before they deserve happy endings.
My feelings on Aiden are complicated. My feelings on Matt are not. Top tier green flag MC.
Dumb AF when it comes to Aiden, though.
Thankfully, I'm not. Docking a star for Aiden's shenanigans and not NEARLY enough of an apology tour💀
A smooth criminal is STILL a criminal.
Hell, even I think that, and I KNOW Aiden. So.
"You don't think this is a terrible idea that could potentially end in disaster?"
"When has that ever stopped us, Matty?"
I really wanted to hate Aiden but I understood so much where he was coming from that writing this review has been a mindfuck.
You know how someone commits Advanced Tactical Emotional Terrorism™ but their reasons are extenuating so you can't quite hate them even though you'd like to?
That's Aiden.
Without getting into spoiler territory, Ari Baran has once again written a compelling book with really good representation for mental health struggles.
This author writes about hockey in a way that gives me goosebumps. And I HATE sports in sports romance (yeah, I know 🙈)
The way Matt speaks of the Royal's history? It sounds like a game I should get into, and not just for the phenomenal butts.
I really adored Matt. But.....how do I say this? He's the kind of lover you want to have but wouldn't aspire to be. There have got to be limits somewhere.
Also, I love the running theme with this author where people struggling with mental health issues don't have to be 'fixed' first before they deserve happy endings.
My feelings on Aiden are complicated. My feelings on Matt are not. Top tier green flag MC.
Dumb AF when it comes to Aiden, though.
Thankfully, I'm not. Docking a star for Aiden's shenanigans and not NEARLY enough of an apology tour💀
A smooth criminal is STILL a criminal.
January 10, 2025
ETA on book release day: there's a free 50,000+ word Aiden/Matt novella available to Ari Baran newsletter subscribers!
Apologies in advance that this review is all over the place, but my feelings about this book are somehow resisting making sense. So instead of trying to put them in some kind of logical order, I'm going to live in the moment à la Aiden and see what happens.
-- I am trash for a second-chance romance, and also trash for (relatively) older MCs, so of course I went weak at the knees for two f*cked-up old dudes rekindling the doomed (and low-key kinky!) torrid romance from their 20s, complete with allusions to said romance and its horrifying fallout.
-- In my review of book 2 in this series I wrote, "Oh, and if “plot” is something important to you . . . well. Thoughts and prayers." Same here: all vibes, no plot. This is literally just two f*cked-up old dudes rekindling the (etc etc). It is extremely interior. Aiden is clinically depressed (but no suicidal ideation). Matt is walking on tenterhooks while trying to front calm certitude to himself, to Aiden, to his teammates, to his (disapproving) family [not disapproving in the bi-phobic sense, necessarily, but definitely disapproving in the specific sense of Aiden]. Neither are good at articulating their feelings and, in fact, actively shy away from confronting them (more Aiden than Matt, really, but Matt's so afraid of being burned again that he follows Aiden's lead). That's it. That's the book.
-- Whether or not this works for you is, of course, not for me to judge. It mostly worked for me, but it shouldn't be underplayed that we are spending ca 360 pages in the head of, or in the head of the partner of, a clinically depressed character who, for long stretches, is emotionally unable to imagine or begin pursuing any kind of viable future for himself, post-retirement. Again: ymmv.
-- Ari Baran is a funny author for me because their books never quite hit the sweet spot -- and in fact, I found book 1 pretty upsetting -- but I still want to read their stuff, because there's always something interesting going on and the writing style is just off enough to keep you on your toes. Sometimes a bit too on your toes; there were times when I got lost in jumpy transitions or abrupt non-sequiturs. But it has an urgency and vitality that keeps the story, insofar as there is one, moving forward, and make Aiden and Matt feel like fully fleshed out, if occasionally frustrating (non-communication!!!), characters.
-- I saw on KD Casey's insta that the previous book in this series made their best-of list for 2024, and it made me think about Baran's work up against Casey's. They are doing a lot of the same stuff: very interior, character- and vibes-driven stories where the sport is the scaffolding but it's not a sports story. Casey works for me in every possible way -- seriously, it's like I was made in a lab to be their ideal reader -- and while, as noted above, I don't quite mesh with Baran's work the same way, I admire the commitment to forensically analyzing how these incredibly demanding and public-facing careers, which require all of one's focus and resources from childhood on, screws people up in an endless variety of ways.
-- In that respect, I loved how Baran played around with the effect of Aiden's greatest (goalie-wise) advantage -- his extreme focus and ability to live only in the present moment -- on his relationship with Matt, past and present; and how Matt himself related to this core component of Aiden's personality and coping mechanisms.
-- Because I'm totally normal, when I saw that Matt is reading Marcus Aurelius, my immediate reaction was, "Sebastian Stan also reads Marcus Aurelius!," and then I had a vision of Civil War-era Winter Soldier Bucky sitting in his squalid hideaway exchanging deep ("deep") philosophical meditations with NotRoyalHockeybro69 on some subreddit about stoicism's modern relevance, and then I may have had an hysterical break. The fact that Aiden's reaction is basically, "this is some bullshit, bro" is just the cherry on top.
-- WHY DOES ARI BARAN HATE ENDINGS, COME ON??!!!!!! Like Game Misconduct, this book doesn't really achieve any kind of emotional resolution until 98% (resolution that I would characterize more as an HFN, given where things are left); then we get a slam-bam-thank you ma'am epilogue that, ok, I guess technically crosses the HEA threshold, but feels more like a cheat than a proper ending. Seriously. We just read 360 pages of angst, depression, and heaping helpings of non-communication. Either commit to the authentic-feeling HFN or give us more than a 2% epilogue. You owe us this!!!!!
-- I got an ARC so I don't know if the typo on page 1, line 1 was fixed, so if someone could let me know in the comments, I'd be forever grateful because it PLAGUED me from the start. (Chapter one in my version starts "July" but also claims it's the first day of the offseason after getting eliminated from the playoffs, which is wrong wrong wrong. It could be June if they made it all the way to the conference finals before being knocked out; it could be as early as May, if they got knocked out early. In general, the timeline here -- which really doesn't matter beyond "off-season" and "season" -- is extremely wishy-washy; by my accounting, August had approximately 15 weeks. This, too, seems to be a consistent Ari Baran thing, and it drives me nuts.)
-- Gabe, my beloved. I want your story bad!!!!
-- Final point: Ari Baran sent a subscriber newsletter full of delicious pictures and descriptions of Gujarati food in advance of the release, so I expected lots of food p*rn. This was a tease!!!! There is an ongoing thing about how Aiden relates to food (not in terms of ED, but in terms of the physical and mental energy, or lack thereof, he uses in feeding himself), but there is no food p*rn to speak of. I feel lied to!
tl;dr after the world's most disjointed review: 4 stars, because it just feels right.
I got an ARC from Carina via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Apologies in advance that this review is all over the place, but my feelings about this book are somehow resisting making sense. So instead of trying to put them in some kind of logical order, I'm going to live in the moment à la Aiden and see what happens.
-- I am trash for a second-chance romance, and also trash for (relatively) older MCs, so of course I went weak at the knees for two f*cked-up old dudes rekindling the doomed (and low-key kinky!) torrid romance from their 20s, complete with allusions to said romance and its horrifying fallout.
-- In my review of book 2 in this series I wrote, "Oh, and if “plot” is something important to you . . . well. Thoughts and prayers." Same here: all vibes, no plot. This is literally just two f*cked-up old dudes rekindling the (etc etc). It is extremely interior. Aiden is clinically depressed (but no suicidal ideation). Matt is walking on tenterhooks while trying to front calm certitude to himself, to Aiden, to his teammates, to his (disapproving) family [not disapproving in the bi-phobic sense, necessarily, but definitely disapproving in the specific sense of Aiden]. Neither are good at articulating their feelings and, in fact, actively shy away from confronting them (more Aiden than Matt, really, but Matt's so afraid of being burned again that he follows Aiden's lead). That's it. That's the book.
-- Whether or not this works for you is, of course, not for me to judge. It mostly worked for me, but it shouldn't be underplayed that we are spending ca 360 pages in the head of, or in the head of the partner of, a clinically depressed character who, for long stretches, is emotionally unable to imagine or begin pursuing any kind of viable future for himself, post-retirement. Again: ymmv.
-- Ari Baran is a funny author for me because their books never quite hit the sweet spot -- and in fact, I found book 1 pretty upsetting -- but I still want to read their stuff, because there's always something interesting going on and the writing style is just off enough to keep you on your toes. Sometimes a bit too on your toes; there were times when I got lost in jumpy transitions or abrupt non-sequiturs. But it has an urgency and vitality that keeps the story, insofar as there is one, moving forward, and make Aiden and Matt feel like fully fleshed out, if occasionally frustrating (non-communication!!!), characters.
-- I saw on KD Casey's insta that the previous book in this series made their best-of list for 2024, and it made me think about Baran's work up against Casey's. They are doing a lot of the same stuff: very interior, character- and vibes-driven stories where the sport is the scaffolding but it's not a sports story. Casey works for me in every possible way -- seriously, it's like I was made in a lab to be their ideal reader -- and while, as noted above, I don't quite mesh with Baran's work the same way, I admire the commitment to forensically analyzing how these incredibly demanding and public-facing careers, which require all of one's focus and resources from childhood on, screws people up in an endless variety of ways.
-- In that respect, I loved how Baran played around with the effect of Aiden's greatest (goalie-wise) advantage -- his extreme focus and ability to live only in the present moment -- on his relationship with Matt, past and present; and how Matt himself related to this core component of Aiden's personality and coping mechanisms.
-- Because I'm totally normal, when I saw that Matt is reading Marcus Aurelius, my immediate reaction was, "Sebastian Stan also reads Marcus Aurelius!," and then I had a vision of Civil War-era Winter Soldier Bucky sitting in his squalid hideaway exchanging deep ("deep") philosophical meditations with NotRoyalHockeybro69 on some subreddit about stoicism's modern relevance, and then I may have had an hysterical break. The fact that Aiden's reaction is basically, "this is some bullshit, bro" is just the cherry on top.
-- WHY DOES ARI BARAN HATE ENDINGS, COME ON??!!!!!! Like Game Misconduct, this book doesn't really achieve any kind of emotional resolution until 98% (resolution that I would characterize more as an HFN, given where things are left); then we get a slam-bam-thank you ma'am epilogue that, ok, I guess technically crosses the HEA threshold, but feels more like a cheat than a proper ending. Seriously. We just read 360 pages of angst, depression, and heaping helpings of non-communication. Either commit to the authentic-feeling HFN or give us more than a 2% epilogue. You owe us this!!!!!
-- I got an ARC so I don't know if the typo on page 1, line 1 was fixed, so if someone could let me know in the comments, I'd be forever grateful because it PLAGUED me from the start. (Chapter one in my version starts "July" but also claims it's the first day of the offseason after getting eliminated from the playoffs, which is wrong wrong wrong. It could be June if they made it all the way to the conference finals before being knocked out; it could be as early as May, if they got knocked out early. In general, the timeline here -- which really doesn't matter beyond "off-season" and "season" -- is extremely wishy-washy; by my accounting, August had approximately 15 weeks. This, too, seems to be a consistent Ari Baran thing, and it drives me nuts.)
-- Gabe, my beloved. I want your story bad!!!!
-- Final point: Ari Baran sent a subscriber newsletter full of delicious pictures and descriptions of Gujarati food in advance of the release, so I expected lots of food p*rn. This was a tease!!!! There is an ongoing thing about how Aiden relates to food (not in terms of ED, but in terms of the physical and mental energy, or lack thereof, he uses in feeding himself), but there is no food p*rn to speak of. I feel lied to!
tl;dr after the world's most disjointed review: 4 stars, because it just feels right.
I got an ARC from Carina via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2025
I hadn't read a good hockey book in a while, and this one made me remember how much I love them.
As is the theme with the MCs in this series, mental health plays an extremely important role in the story.
Aiden is severely depressed and drifting aimlessly through retirement, and after a random encounter, he reconnects with Max, his first love and ex, whom he hasn't spoken to in a decade. They sort of, but not really, indirectly start to give it another go. But depression is no joke, and self-sabotage isn’t either. So, I think I can easily say this is a third-chance romance, you guys. Be prepared for the angst because there’s a lot of it.
The book has so many sweet and tender moments that it’s impossible not to root for them to be together. Matt is THE BOOK BOYFRIEND, and Aiden messes up a lot, but like, I can’t be angry with him. After all, Matt forgave him.
As is the theme with the MCs in this series, mental health plays an extremely important role in the story.
Aiden is severely depressed and drifting aimlessly through retirement, and after a random encounter, he reconnects with Max, his first love and ex, whom he hasn't spoken to in a decade. They sort of, but not really, indirectly start to give it another go. But depression is no joke, and self-sabotage isn’t either. So, I think I can easily say this is a third-chance romance, you guys. Be prepared for the angst because there’s a lot of it.
The book has so many sweet and tender moments that it’s impossible not to root for them to be together. Matt is THE BOOK BOYFRIEND, and Aiden messes up a lot, but like, I can’t be angry with him. After all, Matt forgave him.
January 8, 2025
Yes, by posting the day before this was released that I wished it could drop early so I could read it at the airport I one MILLION percent jinxed myself, my flight WAS cancelled and I was moved onto a flight the next day. So I ended up reading this at the airport after all!
You gotta laugh, guys, otherwise you’ll remember you got about four hours of sleep at the terrible airport hotel and then spent eight full hours sitting at the airport waiting for the only flight available just to have to fly into [redacted far inferior & extremely remote airport] rather than the one you were originally booked for.
This book, though, made that experience SO much more delightful than it would have been otherwise! To the extent that I finally got home at 12:30am and thought “should I go to bed now bc I have work tomorrow? nahhhhh not when I’m at 90%.”
To me, the first half of the book was stronger… yes it’s the depression/sex/depression/kink/deep breathing that actually does not help much! I co-sign it all.
The second half of the story did not gel quite as well, and in particular the more therapy-speak/mental health-y Aiden’s storyline got the less convincing I found it. Admittedly hard to tell that story in the confines of a romance novel, though, and I feel like overall Baran did a decent job. (My hot take - shoulda cut the therapist! Shoulda cut the epilogue! The one scene with the mom alone does everything they do, better!)
(My other hot take - Goaltender Interference is MY Heated Rivalry!! Something something Montreal something something coming out something something the bi one is far more emotionally stable than the other one. Look, I’m running on so little sleep right now guys…)
But look, this book was the perfect distraction from my horrendous travel, I loved the MCs and their dysfunction and all their friends/teammates, I loved the way Matt and Nate from book #2 just had one (1) awkward on-ice convo… that’s how all romance series tie-ins should work going forward, one somewhat uncomfortable obligatory chat and then they can all go back to their own lives, having promised to make plans that will never ever ever come to fruition. As it should be!
You gotta laugh, guys, otherwise you’ll remember you got about four hours of sleep at the terrible airport hotel and then spent eight full hours sitting at the airport waiting for the only flight available just to have to fly into [redacted far inferior & extremely remote airport] rather than the one you were originally booked for.
This book, though, made that experience SO much more delightful than it would have been otherwise! To the extent that I finally got home at 12:30am and thought “should I go to bed now bc I have work tomorrow? nahhhhh not when I’m at 90%.”
To me, the first half of the book was stronger… yes it’s the depression/sex/depression/kink/deep breathing that actually does not help much! I co-sign it all.
The second half of the story did not gel quite as well, and in particular the more therapy-speak/mental health-y Aiden’s storyline got the less convincing I found it. Admittedly hard to tell that story in the confines of a romance novel, though, and I feel like overall Baran did a decent job. (My hot take - shoulda cut the therapist! Shoulda cut the epilogue! The one scene with the mom alone does everything they do, better!)
(My other hot take - Goaltender Interference is MY Heated Rivalry!! Something something Montreal something something coming out something something the bi one is far more emotionally stable than the other one. Look, I’m running on so little sleep right now guys…)
But look, this book was the perfect distraction from my horrendous travel, I loved the MCs and their dysfunction and all their friends/teammates, I loved the way Matt and Nate from book #2 just had one (1) awkward on-ice convo… that’s how all romance series tie-ins should work going forward, one somewhat uncomfortable obligatory chat and then they can all go back to their own lives, having promised to make plans that will never ever ever come to fruition. As it should be!
December 23, 2024
Ari Baran has a gift for writing sexual connection -- I mean sex scenes that are hot because they're convincing, and also emotionally convincing because they're hot. That was true of Game Misconduct and Home Ice Advantage (in which the relationship narrative really takes off once the MCs start sleeping together), and it's true here -- with a twist, which is that both MCs, Aiden and Matt, use their sexual connection as an avoidance mechanism. Conversation getting too close to the bone? Cut it off with a kiss, and for the love of all that's holy keep on going until the bed is wrecked. Points to the author for leaving us to notice the pattern, rather than beating it into our heads.
I have objections, because of course I do. We learn that Matt went to pieces after the first time Aiden dumped him, and that alcohol, player assistance, and therapy were involved, but we don't get any flashbacks to that time. We don't get those for Aiden, either, though we're told he was also a wreck, but because Aiden is still a wreck (only even worse off than after the breakup, because he had no idea of a self beyond hockey and at the book's opening has just retired) his post-Matt misery seems tangible. Matt appears from the outset as pretty much self-actualized apart from the small matter of still being in love with Aiden, with the result that his characterization is flatter. (It doesn't help that he's a fan of Marcus Aurelius, possibly the first known author of an overrated self-help book. Don't @ me: Mary Beard and I are on the same page here.)
Aiden and Matt run into each other in NYC after not communicating for a decade; Matt shows up at Aiden's house and they have sex; rinse and repeat, though Aiden barely speaks to Matt during these encounters; and then Matt invites Aiden to come stay with him in Montreal, even though the last time they had sex in NY Aiden threw him out afterward. There's a credibility hoop to jump through, here, and I don't think Ari Baran quite makes it -- we need a little more of Aiden doing something appealing or affectionate with Matt during this phase for it to be clear why Matt doesn't cut his losses once and for all.
But get past that, and their life together in Montreal is more persuasive. Aiden makes taking care of Matt the center of his life, as hockey was once the center of his life; because he's profoundly depressed, though, he eventually commits a kind of emotional suicide, becoming convinced that Matt's life is worse with him in it so he should remove himself. I kept waiting for a literal suicide attempt, which thankfully didn't come; instead, Aiden gets a couple of talkings-to and marshals his remaining resources to go back to Matt and to get help. (I suppose all that technically qualifies as a spoiler, but this is a romance novel, so we know going in that the story will end well.)
A few more words about Aiden. He can easily, perhaps accurately, be read as autistic (Baran's newsletter has some interesting things to say about that), but whether or not we see him that way, it's also clear that aspects of his personality intersect with the isolation of goalies and the extreme pressures on them to leave him especially vulnerable to the depression he falls into once hockey is no longer available to him. I found Aiden's characterization complicated and satisfying, head and shoulders above most portrayals of people falling into serious mental illness.
As usual, I could have done without the epilogue in the last chapter. I will always, always prefer the openness of an ending that's a hopeful beginning, and I would have believed in Aiden and Matt's success without seeing it all tied up with bow. Oh, well.
Thanks to Carina Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
I have objections, because of course I do. We learn that Matt went to pieces after the first time Aiden dumped him, and that alcohol, player assistance, and therapy were involved, but we don't get any flashbacks to that time. We don't get those for Aiden, either, though we're told he was also a wreck, but because Aiden is still a wreck (only even worse off than after the breakup, because he had no idea of a self beyond hockey and at the book's opening has just retired) his post-Matt misery seems tangible. Matt appears from the outset as pretty much self-actualized apart from the small matter of still being in love with Aiden, with the result that his characterization is flatter. (It doesn't help that he's a fan of Marcus Aurelius, possibly the first known author of an overrated self-help book. Don't @ me: Mary Beard and I are on the same page here.)
Aiden and Matt run into each other in NYC after not communicating for a decade; Matt shows up at Aiden's house and they have sex; rinse and repeat, though Aiden barely speaks to Matt during these encounters; and then Matt invites Aiden to come stay with him in Montreal, even though the last time they had sex in NY Aiden threw him out afterward. There's a credibility hoop to jump through, here, and I don't think Ari Baran quite makes it -- we need a little more of Aiden doing something appealing or affectionate with Matt during this phase for it to be clear why Matt doesn't cut his losses once and for all.
But get past that, and their life together in Montreal is more persuasive. Aiden makes taking care of Matt the center of his life, as hockey was once the center of his life; because he's profoundly depressed, though, he eventually commits a kind of emotional suicide, becoming convinced that Matt's life is worse with him in it so he should remove himself. I kept waiting for a literal suicide attempt, which thankfully didn't come; instead, Aiden gets a couple of talkings-to and marshals his remaining resources to go back to Matt and to get help. (I suppose all that technically qualifies as a spoiler, but this is a romance novel, so we know going in that the story will end well.)
A few more words about Aiden. He can easily, perhaps accurately, be read as autistic (Baran's newsletter has some interesting things to say about that), but whether or not we see him that way, it's also clear that aspects of his personality intersect with the isolation of goalies and the extreme pressures on them to leave him especially vulnerable to the depression he falls into once hockey is no longer available to him. I found Aiden's characterization complicated and satisfying, head and shoulders above most portrayals of people falling into serious mental illness.
As usual, I could have done without the epilogue in the last chapter. I will always, always prefer the openness of an ending that's a hopeful beginning, and I would have believed in Aiden and Matt's success without seeing it all tied up with bow. Oh, well.
Thanks to Carina Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
December 15, 2024
Aiden Campbell (Aidy 😭) might be the most deeply depressed man I have ever met in a contemporary romance and when I tell you I mean that as the highest compliment—
April 24, 2025
3.4 stars.
This book was a beautiful and brutal slog through depression and learning to accept love in the midst of it.
The audiobook narrator does a great job with getting out of the way of the story and voicing characters that felt real and distinct.
Aiden is obsessive about hockey and has defined himself and his whole life by being a hockey player. To the extent that, when he retires, his whole identity goes up in smoke. Ten years ago, he told Matt "no" when Matt wanted to get married. Aiden wanted hockey more than Matt. Even though he was desperately and deeply in love with Matt and the grief over losing him never went away. But, in his retirement, he bumps into Matt and they first start meeting to have sex again. They don't talk about their feelings... and sadly, that continues for 90% of the book. The amount of times they thought "I love this guy and want a future with him" but aloud said nothing!? DROVE ME ABSOLUTELY BATTY!!!
I actually relate to Aiden quite a bit in terms of being depressed because his identity is in one thing. I've been looking at my life and realizing I was used to being busy and my identity was in my activities rather than just in me. I loved his journey, but I wish we had gotten to see his triumph in the book. Instead, we get an epilogue "article" where Aiden tells us how he's changed and worked through his issues and is happy with Matt. I wanted to experience that with him, but instead, we experience the long, dragging sadness of his depression and get a smidgeon of his self-realization.
These men love each other so much and I really enjoyed that part a lot. I wanted to see them talk about their feelings more and sooner.
We have some great rep in this book from a South Asian-Canadian (not sure if he was Indian or Pakistani or?... but references to certain foods and nicknames that sounded Indian) hockey player who was neurodivergent. The author did a great job at including a lot of diversity and making this feel like a real community of characters.
This was a solid book, but I need more lightness. As beautiful as this story was, it spent a LOT of time in the dark. The third act breakup was BRUTAL. And it happened so late in the book that there wasn't much time after that for me to enjoy them being honest and loving and open together after they got together again.
This book was a beautiful and brutal slog through depression and learning to accept love in the midst of it.
The audiobook narrator does a great job with getting out of the way of the story and voicing characters that felt real and distinct.
Aiden is obsessive about hockey and has defined himself and his whole life by being a hockey player. To the extent that, when he retires, his whole identity goes up in smoke. Ten years ago, he told Matt "no" when Matt wanted to get married. Aiden wanted hockey more than Matt. Even though he was desperately and deeply in love with Matt and the grief over losing him never went away. But, in his retirement, he bumps into Matt and they first start meeting to have sex again. They don't talk about their feelings... and sadly, that continues for 90% of the book. The amount of times they thought "I love this guy and want a future with him" but aloud said nothing!? DROVE ME ABSOLUTELY BATTY!!!
I actually relate to Aiden quite a bit in terms of being depressed because his identity is in one thing. I've been looking at my life and realizing I was used to being busy and my identity was in my activities rather than just in me. I loved his journey, but I wish we had gotten to see his triumph in the book. Instead, we get an epilogue "article" where Aiden tells us how he's changed and worked through his issues and is happy with Matt. I wanted to experience that with him, but instead, we experience the long, dragging sadness of his depression and get a smidgeon of his self-realization.
These men love each other so much and I really enjoyed that part a lot. I wanted to see them talk about their feelings more and sooner.
We have some great rep in this book from a South Asian-Canadian (not sure if he was Indian or Pakistani or?... but references to certain foods and nicknames that sounded Indian) hockey player who was neurodivergent. The author did a great job at including a lot of diversity and making this feel like a real community of characters.
This was a solid book, but I need more lightness. As beautiful as this story was, it spent a LOT of time in the dark. The third act breakup was BRUTAL. And it happened so late in the book that there wasn't much time after that for me to enjoy them being honest and loving and open together after they got together again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2025
4⭐️
I’m in some kind of a weird book slump and can’t seem to get out of it. But. I really liked this book. Even if it was hard for me to get into it and then to continue reading it. It’s still a wonderful, realistic story about depression and tunnel vision and second chances. And I loved it.
I’m in some kind of a weird book slump and can’t seem to get out of it. But. I really liked this book. Even if it was hard for me to get into it and then to continue reading it. It’s still a wonderful, realistic story about depression and tunnel vision and second chances. And I loved it.
January 18, 2025
My god, what a book.
They start and stay lost, in love,
unsure, together.
They start and stay lost, in love,
unsure, together.
did-not-finish
January 12, 2025I am at around 46% in (and this is a long book) but I going to put this aside for now - maybe one day I will try to finish it, maybe not, but right now I am not going to try to keep reading because this character dynamic is just not enjoyable for me and the characters are driving me crazy with loathing.
Like with other Ari Baran books I read, I think they write really well and ambitiously - in style, mental health themes, realistic intentions. But like with another of their books, the relationship seems oddly unbalanced, in that the point is grumpy assholes with bad mental health deserve love also and not just love but a nice well adjusted guy being totally devoted to the grumpy guy, and hey, I am not feeling it personally and just think the nice well adjusted guy deserves better and should bail out for their own mental health. And what the characters really need is interventions, separate ones, both of them. (And therapy, yeah... Not love fixes all).
Also this is a second chance plot, where there is clearly a lot of back story to the relationship that halfway through a very long book is still not clear. I expect the big reveal will be all about why exactly Aiden dumped Matt (aww, probably insecurity and depression, it is vibing that way...) but it's a messy chronology and it is getting on the way. The author put out a free story on her newsletter with the before parts. It is very long 50K words long (on top of this already being a very long novel!) but I wish it was all one story and a much shorter one and better structured.
So, I respect the author's talents, but what they do with their talent is not clicking for me.
Like with other Ari Baran books I read, I think they write really well and ambitiously - in style, mental health themes, realistic intentions. But like with another of their books, the relationship seems oddly unbalanced, in that the point is grumpy assholes with bad mental health deserve love also and not just love but a nice well adjusted guy being totally devoted to the grumpy guy, and hey, I am not feeling it personally and just think the nice well adjusted guy deserves better and should bail out for their own mental health. And what the characters really need is interventions, separate ones, both of them. (And therapy, yeah... Not love fixes all).
Also this is a second chance plot, where there is clearly a lot of back story to the relationship that halfway through a very long book is still not clear. I expect the big reveal will be all about why exactly Aiden dumped Matt (aww, probably insecurity and depression, it is vibing that way...) but it's a messy chronology and it is getting on the way. The author put out a free story on her newsletter with the before parts. It is very long 50K words long (on top of this already being a very long novel!) but I wish it was all one story and a much shorter one and better structured.
So, I respect the author's talents, but what they do with their talent is not clicking for me.
November 25, 2024
Ari has done it y'all - THIS book is OFFICIALLY my FAVORITE hockey romance I've ever read. I binged it, read half of it in the middle of the night because I couldn't put it down, cried off and on through the entire thing, and you'd better believe this is one I'm not going to shut up about. Goaltender Interference is incredibly raw, emotional, and VERY hockey focused, and you can tell that Ari KNOWS the sport. This is their best work - the writing is beautiful, the romance is beautiful, the spice is beautiful, and these characters will forever have a special place in my heart. I am BEGGING you to please read this immediately when this comes out, so you can fall in love along with me.
I read a lot of hockey books, and they are not all the same. A lot of times the hockey is completely irrelevant to the story. A lot of times the characters feel like caricatures of actual hockey players. That is NOT the case in this book. Matt and Aiden felt SO real, I could feel their pain at their separation, the LONGING to be together again, the relief when it does happen. This is a TRUE soulmates kind of love.
In addition, I have NEVER read a second chance romance this PERFECT - it's the best handling of this trope I've ever read. These characters are meant to be together, but their journey to get to the place where they actually can be is hard won. We don't get flashbacks of Aiden and Matt's first relationship in this story, and honestly, I think that works so well, because once they reunite after TEN YEARS APART, they get to see how much they've each grown AND feel that same spark from their relationship in the past. And that reunion is kind of funny - they just run into each other in a bar, and once that happens, BOOM. They cannot keep out of each others orbit and just end up inadvertently living together with no prior discussion. It's messy and it's hard and they have a ton of difficulty actually talking about how they feel, but somehow there's still so much swoon? And spice that truly moves the story along - when Aiden and Matt cannot communicate with words, they use s3x, and while that is NOT the way to rebuild a relationship, in some ways it does work for them. The mental illness rep is also excellent and handled well - these guys go THROUGH it, but they do figure things out in the very beautiful HEA.
I could literally gush about this book all day - please DM me if you want ANY details because I will yap SO HARD. If you love hockey, angst, and/or hard won HEAs, THIS is the book for you. TOP read of the year, TOP hockey romance, just top... everything. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS ENOUGH.
I read a lot of hockey books, and they are not all the same. A lot of times the hockey is completely irrelevant to the story. A lot of times the characters feel like caricatures of actual hockey players. That is NOT the case in this book. Matt and Aiden felt SO real, I could feel their pain at their separation, the LONGING to be together again, the relief when it does happen. This is a TRUE soulmates kind of love.
In addition, I have NEVER read a second chance romance this PERFECT - it's the best handling of this trope I've ever read. These characters are meant to be together, but their journey to get to the place where they actually can be is hard won. We don't get flashbacks of Aiden and Matt's first relationship in this story, and honestly, I think that works so well, because once they reunite after TEN YEARS APART, they get to see how much they've each grown AND feel that same spark from their relationship in the past. And that reunion is kind of funny - they just run into each other in a bar, and once that happens, BOOM. They cannot keep out of each others orbit and just end up inadvertently living together with no prior discussion. It's messy and it's hard and they have a ton of difficulty actually talking about how they feel, but somehow there's still so much swoon? And spice that truly moves the story along - when Aiden and Matt cannot communicate with words, they use s3x, and while that is NOT the way to rebuild a relationship, in some ways it does work for them. The mental illness rep is also excellent and handled well - these guys go THROUGH it, but they do figure things out in the very beautiful HEA.
I could literally gush about this book all day - please DM me if you want ANY details because I will yap SO HARD. If you love hockey, angst, and/or hard won HEAs, THIS is the book for you. TOP read of the year, TOP hockey romance, just top... everything. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS ENOUGH.
January 8, 2025
Can you believe the Penalty box series is coming to an end? I‘m honestly still ignoring this fact because otherwise I might cry! This series has carried me through this year and I loved every single book. I’m still trying to bribe Ari to write one more book!
.
Am I loving second chance romance after all?! Because hockey romance definitely saved this trope for me.
Finding the love of your life in a teammate in your 20s when you’re both playing professional hockey in NYC of course didn’t have a happy ending for Matt and Aiden. Meeting Matt in a bar 10 years later, freshly retired and without any plan for his future wasn’t on Aidens bingo card either. But the feelings aren’t gone even a little bit, so after a passionate night together, finding Aiden floating in nowhereland, depressed and without any direction for the rest of his life Matt decides to take him in.
.
These two had my whole heart, Aiden completely lost, having had his whole life dictated by the sport, left without any routine or plans for the future. Matt being so close to retirement himself, refusing to face it at all even though his body is struggling to hold up. Both of them trying to take care of each other and making it work this time, but also so afraid of losing their person again.
The funniest thing was reading about Aiden and immediately clocking him as autistic, sliding into Aris DMs and them being like „yeah I figured some stuff out while writing this book I guess…“ 🧍🏽😂.
I loved how real these characters felt, the depression rep and the mention of therapy and medication. I can’t imagine what it must be like to give half your life to a sport, only to retire so young (in your 30s!) and then being completely lost without that one thing that was your every day life so far.
I think these two found each other again at the perfect time and while this was super angsty, it was also a really beautiful story about two guys I absolutely rooted for individually and together!
It was also really wonderful to read about these two in a mostly white dominated sport and book genre! I now want to eat all the food Aiden cooked!
If you loved Rachel Reid’s standalone books this is definitely a book for you.
I’ll go cry now in the corner, this series coming to an end feels like my personal NHL retirement!!!
.
Am I loving second chance romance after all?! Because hockey romance definitely saved this trope for me.
Finding the love of your life in a teammate in your 20s when you’re both playing professional hockey in NYC of course didn’t have a happy ending for Matt and Aiden. Meeting Matt in a bar 10 years later, freshly retired and without any plan for his future wasn’t on Aidens bingo card either. But the feelings aren’t gone even a little bit, so after a passionate night together, finding Aiden floating in nowhereland, depressed and without any direction for the rest of his life Matt decides to take him in.
.
These two had my whole heart, Aiden completely lost, having had his whole life dictated by the sport, left without any routine or plans for the future. Matt being so close to retirement himself, refusing to face it at all even though his body is struggling to hold up. Both of them trying to take care of each other and making it work this time, but also so afraid of losing their person again.
The funniest thing was reading about Aiden and immediately clocking him as autistic, sliding into Aris DMs and them being like „yeah I figured some stuff out while writing this book I guess…“ 🧍🏽😂.
I loved how real these characters felt, the depression rep and the mention of therapy and medication. I can’t imagine what it must be like to give half your life to a sport, only to retire so young (in your 30s!) and then being completely lost without that one thing that was your every day life so far.
I think these two found each other again at the perfect time and while this was super angsty, it was also a really beautiful story about two guys I absolutely rooted for individually and together!
It was also really wonderful to read about these two in a mostly white dominated sport and book genre! I now want to eat all the food Aiden cooked!
If you loved Rachel Reid’s standalone books this is definitely a book for you.
I’ll go cry now in the corner, this series coming to an end feels like my personal NHL retirement!!!
April 9, 2025
I finished this on FEBRUARY THE TWENTY-SECOND and still haven't published my review, which is honestly criminal. rather than allowing this to languish any longer while I wait for the perfect words to lightning strike me, I will simply say that ari baran doesn't miss.
August 13, 2025
I had the privilege of beta reading GI. I couldn’t talk or share my thoughts for months. Then the idea of actually reviewing how this book made me feel. Not a chance.
It is my favourite hockey book, my favourite second chance book, to say I love this book would be an understatement. I love Aidy and Matty. They feel real. The struggles Aiden went through after retiring resonated.
I feel like the questions of identity - who am I? Are universal. Aiden is a goalie, he has spent his whole life working on being the best goalie - his mind and body have been fixated solely on that and when it is gone who is he anymore becomes this overpowering and intense thought. What is his purpose and why does he exist? The man is depressed.
No biggy - but then he meets up accidentally with the one thing he loved as much as ( I would actually say more) than hockey - Matt.
Freaking soulmates.
That’s it - soulmates the way they are connected. My god Matt is everything and the way he cares for Aiden.
There is so much to this book and frankly I was and am obsessed with this book.
This book is not bubblegum. It is smart, and painful and deeply beautiful. Your heart will not be the same after reading it. I am completely and utterly in love with these characters. After you read this you need to join Ari’s newsletter and get the prequel novella- my freaking heart will never be the same.
I still don’t feel this is a good enough review.
It is my favourite hockey book, my favourite second chance book, to say I love this book would be an understatement. I love Aidy and Matty. They feel real. The struggles Aiden went through after retiring resonated.
I feel like the questions of identity - who am I? Are universal. Aiden is a goalie, he has spent his whole life working on being the best goalie - his mind and body have been fixated solely on that and when it is gone who is he anymore becomes this overpowering and intense thought. What is his purpose and why does he exist? The man is depressed.
No biggy - but then he meets up accidentally with the one thing he loved as much as ( I would actually say more) than hockey - Matt.
Freaking soulmates.
That’s it - soulmates the way they are connected. My god Matt is everything and the way he cares for Aiden.
There is so much to this book and frankly I was and am obsessed with this book.
This book is not bubblegum. It is smart, and painful and deeply beautiful. Your heart will not be the same after reading it. I am completely and utterly in love with these characters. After you read this you need to join Ari’s newsletter and get the prequel novella- my freaking heart will never be the same.
I still don’t feel this is a good enough review.
February 2, 2025
B+ / 4.5 stars.
This fourth book in Ari Baran’s Penalty Box series is a second-chance romance featuring two top-flight hockey players who are at or near the end of their playing careers and are not handling the prospect of change at all well. It’s an emotional and very messy story, somewhat darker and more sombre in tone than the previous two books in the series, and while it does end with an HEA, the journey is a tough one, strewn with avoidance, poor communication and denial.
Goaltender Interference is very much a character (rather than plot) driven story with the focus firmly on the internal lives of the two protagonists, their thoughts and feelings about their renewed romance and their struggle, in different ways, to come to terms with big changes in their lives.
Aiden Campbell (I loved that his nickname is ‘Soupy’) is thirty-six and has just retired as the starting goalie for the New York Liberty. It’s immediately clear that he’s not coping well with retirement and that he’s deeply depressed without realising it. After so many years in which most of his waking moments were dictated by routine, he’s struggling to adapt to a life in which that routine is now redundant, a life without the one thing that gave him a sense of self. He tries to find things to occupy his time but he’s not feeling any of it; he’s is badly adrift and has no idea of who he is outside of hockey or what he wants to do with his future. And while he knows, deep down, that he needs to find a new purpose in life, he has no real idea as to how to go about it, and no real drive or enthusiasm to do it.
Matt Safaryan is Captain of the Montreal Royal and is the team’s heart, soul and backbone. He’s played for Montreal for his entire career, but isn’t sure what he’s going to do when his contract ends at the end of the coming season. Thirty-six isn’t old by any means, but it’s ancient in hockey years and he’s no longer able to ignore the aches and pains from injuries sustained over the years, and knows he won’t be playing for much longer. But he’s not ready to retire yet – he’s got a few more playing years in him, despite having a chronic knee injury he knows he’s going to have to nurse very carefully through the season if he’s going to make it to the end of it.
A few weeks after his official retirement, Aiden reluctantly agrees to go out for a drink with Gabe Walker, his protégé and now the Libs’ starting goalie. Buzzed after a few shots, Aiden is preparing to pay the tab when he looks up – and into the face of Matt Safaryan, standing just a few feet away. It’s the closest they’ve been to each other off the ice in a decade, and Aiden feels as though he’s been gut-punched. After a few awkward moments, Aiden beats a hasty retreat, shakes off Gabe’s concern and makes his way home, but even being in familiar surroundings can’t shake off the feeling of being on the verge of panic. He’s just downed a generous class of whiskey when the doorbell rings – and he opens the door to find Matt standing on the stoop. Aiden knows what they’re about to do is monumentally stupid – but they do it anyway and Matt leaves straight after.
Aiden and Matt first met as rookies, and not long afterwards, entered into a secret relationship which lasted for several years – until Matt bought a ring and Aiden turned him down. The break-up devastated both of them, leading Matt to seek comfort at the bottom of a bottle and Aiden becoming even more tightly controlled than ever. That they didn’t break up because they stopped loving each other is very clear and is what makes it all the more heartbreaking – and it’s just as clear that they still haven't fallen out of love. After a week of late-night hook-ups, Matt returns to Montreal feeling confused and heart-sore, while Aiden is going round in ever decreasing circles in New York, tourturing himself with all the what-ifs? he’d tried to stop thinking about years ago. It’s the thought of spending the rest of his life in this kind of awful limbo that finally gives Aiden the courage to pick up the phone and text Matt. The ice broken (pun not intended!), they start calling and messaging regularly, and over the next few weeks, they both realise that the sense of connection they’ve been craving and have never found with anyone else, has re-established itself between them. After the way things ended the last time, entering into a relationship a second time is surely not a good idea – but an impulsive invitation from Matt for Aiden to visit Montreal soon finds them doing just that and entering into a kind of easy domesticity as Matt starts preparing for the new season and Aiden finds purpose in taking care of him.
But they don’t talk. They don’t talk about what they’re doing, they don’t talk about how they feel and they don’t talk about the future. Matt knows Aiden is not in a good place but doesn’t know how to help him, and doesn’t want to risk saying or doing something that will cause him to bolt, so he just coasts along and hopes that love will be enough. There’s no doubt about the strength of their connection or their love for each other – but because they show that love through sex, it takes a while for the fault-lines in their relationship to really become apparent. They use sex as an avoidance tactic; they’re both finely attuned to each other when it comes to the physical and know how to give each other what they need – but the longer they go without addressing the issues lying between them, the greater the fallout is going to be. The author does a fantastic job of subtly ratcheting up the tension and permeating the story with feelings of uneasiness and uncertainty so that the reader is constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Goaltender Interference isn’t an easy read but it’s a compelling one, and the depiction of a character in the grips of depression is one of the best I’ve read. The crushing loss of identity Aiden feels after retirement leaps off the page – he’s completely adrift without the one thing that has defined him for so many years and he simply can’t work out how to make a life without it. It’s not that he doesn’t want to – he tells himself several times that he needs to find something else to do with himself – he just can’t see himself doing anything else. And while Matt isn’t there yet, he’s in denial and, like Aiden, hasn’t made any plans for life post-retirement.
The characterisation of both leads is excellent, although Aiden feels somewhat more fully developed and rounded than Matt does. I’m not sure why that is, although perhaps it’s because Matt seems to be more self-aware and self-actualised; we’re told that he went to pieces after Aiden dumped him and that he went through therapy and rehab – but we never see any of that so by the time we meet him, he’s got his shit together. Aiden, on the other hand, is a complex mess, and has a lot of work to do – and here I have to mention that I really appreciate the way this author shows that people with mental health issues don’t have to be ‘fixed’ before they can have a happy ending, and that simply talking to a therapist isn’t going to help unless you are prepared to actually help yourself. Aiden is probably somewhere on the autism spectrum (reading Ari Baran’s newsletter after I read the book is enlightening on this), and while certain aspects of his personality have contributed to what made him such an outstanding goalie – intense focus and a need for routine among them – they have also left him particularly vulnerable to depression once hockey is no longer part of his daily life.
So yes, Goaltender Interference deals with some ‘heavy’ subjects, but there is plenty of humour and there are lighter moments to enjoy, too. The small, well-rounded secondary cast of players, friends and family add colour to the story, and while the romance is angsty and bittersweet, there’s never any doubt that Aiden and Matt truly belong together and that their hard-won HEA is very well-deserved. I’m not sure if this is the final book in the series – I’d happily read more - but if this is the end, I’ll be keeping an eager eye out for whatever Ari Baran comes up with next.
This fourth book in Ari Baran’s Penalty Box series is a second-chance romance featuring two top-flight hockey players who are at or near the end of their playing careers and are not handling the prospect of change at all well. It’s an emotional and very messy story, somewhat darker and more sombre in tone than the previous two books in the series, and while it does end with an HEA, the journey is a tough one, strewn with avoidance, poor communication and denial.
Goaltender Interference is very much a character (rather than plot) driven story with the focus firmly on the internal lives of the two protagonists, their thoughts and feelings about their renewed romance and their struggle, in different ways, to come to terms with big changes in their lives.
Aiden Campbell (I loved that his nickname is ‘Soupy’) is thirty-six and has just retired as the starting goalie for the New York Liberty. It’s immediately clear that he’s not coping well with retirement and that he’s deeply depressed without realising it. After so many years in which most of his waking moments were dictated by routine, he’s struggling to adapt to a life in which that routine is now redundant, a life without the one thing that gave him a sense of self. He tries to find things to occupy his time but he’s not feeling any of it; he’s is badly adrift and has no idea of who he is outside of hockey or what he wants to do with his future. And while he knows, deep down, that he needs to find a new purpose in life, he has no real idea as to how to go about it, and no real drive or enthusiasm to do it.
Matt Safaryan is Captain of the Montreal Royal and is the team’s heart, soul and backbone. He’s played for Montreal for his entire career, but isn’t sure what he’s going to do when his contract ends at the end of the coming season. Thirty-six isn’t old by any means, but it’s ancient in hockey years and he’s no longer able to ignore the aches and pains from injuries sustained over the years, and knows he won’t be playing for much longer. But he’s not ready to retire yet – he’s got a few more playing years in him, despite having a chronic knee injury he knows he’s going to have to nurse very carefully through the season if he’s going to make it to the end of it.
A few weeks after his official retirement, Aiden reluctantly agrees to go out for a drink with Gabe Walker, his protégé and now the Libs’ starting goalie. Buzzed after a few shots, Aiden is preparing to pay the tab when he looks up – and into the face of Matt Safaryan, standing just a few feet away. It’s the closest they’ve been to each other off the ice in a decade, and Aiden feels as though he’s been gut-punched. After a few awkward moments, Aiden beats a hasty retreat, shakes off Gabe’s concern and makes his way home, but even being in familiar surroundings can’t shake off the feeling of being on the verge of panic. He’s just downed a generous class of whiskey when the doorbell rings – and he opens the door to find Matt standing on the stoop. Aiden knows what they’re about to do is monumentally stupid – but they do it anyway and Matt leaves straight after.
Aiden and Matt first met as rookies, and not long afterwards, entered into a secret relationship which lasted for several years – until Matt bought a ring and Aiden turned him down. The break-up devastated both of them, leading Matt to seek comfort at the bottom of a bottle and Aiden becoming even more tightly controlled than ever. That they didn’t break up because they stopped loving each other is very clear and is what makes it all the more heartbreaking – and it’s just as clear that they still haven't fallen out of love. After a week of late-night hook-ups, Matt returns to Montreal feeling confused and heart-sore, while Aiden is going round in ever decreasing circles in New York, tourturing himself with all the what-ifs? he’d tried to stop thinking about years ago. It’s the thought of spending the rest of his life in this kind of awful limbo that finally gives Aiden the courage to pick up the phone and text Matt. The ice broken (pun not intended!), they start calling and messaging regularly, and over the next few weeks, they both realise that the sense of connection they’ve been craving and have never found with anyone else, has re-established itself between them. After the way things ended the last time, entering into a relationship a second time is surely not a good idea – but an impulsive invitation from Matt for Aiden to visit Montreal soon finds them doing just that and entering into a kind of easy domesticity as Matt starts preparing for the new season and Aiden finds purpose in taking care of him.
But they don’t talk. They don’t talk about what they’re doing, they don’t talk about how they feel and they don’t talk about the future. Matt knows Aiden is not in a good place but doesn’t know how to help him, and doesn’t want to risk saying or doing something that will cause him to bolt, so he just coasts along and hopes that love will be enough. There’s no doubt about the strength of their connection or their love for each other – but because they show that love through sex, it takes a while for the fault-lines in their relationship to really become apparent. They use sex as an avoidance tactic; they’re both finely attuned to each other when it comes to the physical and know how to give each other what they need – but the longer they go without addressing the issues lying between them, the greater the fallout is going to be. The author does a fantastic job of subtly ratcheting up the tension and permeating the story with feelings of uneasiness and uncertainty so that the reader is constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Goaltender Interference isn’t an easy read but it’s a compelling one, and the depiction of a character in the grips of depression is one of the best I’ve read. The crushing loss of identity Aiden feels after retirement leaps off the page – he’s completely adrift without the one thing that has defined him for so many years and he simply can’t work out how to make a life without it. It’s not that he doesn’t want to – he tells himself several times that he needs to find something else to do with himself – he just can’t see himself doing anything else. And while Matt isn’t there yet, he’s in denial and, like Aiden, hasn’t made any plans for life post-retirement.
The characterisation of both leads is excellent, although Aiden feels somewhat more fully developed and rounded than Matt does. I’m not sure why that is, although perhaps it’s because Matt seems to be more self-aware and self-actualised; we’re told that he went to pieces after Aiden dumped him and that he went through therapy and rehab – but we never see any of that so by the time we meet him, he’s got his shit together. Aiden, on the other hand, is a complex mess, and has a lot of work to do – and here I have to mention that I really appreciate the way this author shows that people with mental health issues don’t have to be ‘fixed’ before they can have a happy ending, and that simply talking to a therapist isn’t going to help unless you are prepared to actually help yourself. Aiden is probably somewhere on the autism spectrum (reading Ari Baran’s newsletter after I read the book is enlightening on this), and while certain aspects of his personality have contributed to what made him such an outstanding goalie – intense focus and a need for routine among them – they have also left him particularly vulnerable to depression once hockey is no longer part of his daily life.
So yes, Goaltender Interference deals with some ‘heavy’ subjects, but there is plenty of humour and there are lighter moments to enjoy, too. The small, well-rounded secondary cast of players, friends and family add colour to the story, and while the romance is angsty and bittersweet, there’s never any doubt that Aiden and Matt truly belong together and that their hard-won HEA is very well-deserved. I’m not sure if this is the final book in the series – I’d happily read more - but if this is the end, I’ll be keeping an eager eye out for whatever Ari Baran comes up with next.
February 22, 2025
I had mixed feelings about this last in the Penalty Box series. Partly because, listening to the audio book, I was put off by the multitude of changing character voices (both male and female), that just sounded a little 'try hard'. I guess that's my own fault for not reading it myself. So if anyone can recommend where you can buy hard copies of LGBQ romances in Australia, please let me know!
I found the concept of two exes, Aiden and Matt, meeting back up an interesting concept, and I really loved their reunion. And phew... Baran does first kisses that scorch! 🔥 But I just couldn't sink my teeth into the seemingly simple re-establishment of their relationship. It didn't feel as though any of their past issues as to why they broke up in the first place were fully dealt with.
The powerplay between them was evident from the beginning, but the kink of the dominance in their relationship I feel could have been delved into deeper. The hitting though felt more abusive than sexy at times.
I thought the issue of retirement was an interesting story arc, as traditionally that's for those in their 60s, but it was believable that ice hockey players would have to face this in their 30s. What became annoying was Aiden's self deprication. The lecture his friend gave him close to the end of the story was exactly what I wanted to say! Either that or get another therapist as there weren't any strategies or action in place after months of therapy.
I almost didn't finish this one. Which is a shame as I think this author writes romance really well. I think my mixed feelings came about because the 4 books had a similar angst journey and rhythm that just became a little predictable. I'll still be looking out for Baran's future books though, as I'm intrigued as to what may come next.
I found the concept of two exes, Aiden and Matt, meeting back up an interesting concept, and I really loved their reunion. And phew... Baran does first kisses that scorch! 🔥 But I just couldn't sink my teeth into the seemingly simple re-establishment of their relationship. It didn't feel as though any of their past issues as to why they broke up in the first place were fully dealt with.
The powerplay between them was evident from the beginning, but the kink of the dominance in their relationship I feel could have been delved into deeper. The hitting though felt more abusive than sexy at times.
I thought the issue of retirement was an interesting story arc, as traditionally that's for those in their 60s, but it was believable that ice hockey players would have to face this in their 30s. What became annoying was Aiden's self deprication. The lecture his friend gave him close to the end of the story was exactly what I wanted to say! Either that or get another therapist as there weren't any strategies or action in place after months of therapy.
I almost didn't finish this one. Which is a shame as I think this author writes romance really well. I think my mixed feelings came about because the 4 books had a similar angst journey and rhythm that just became a little predictable. I'll still be looking out for Baran's future books though, as I'm intrigued as to what may come next.
January 30, 2025
Okay, I'm sorry, I lied in my last review of a Baran book and said I wouldn't read another and I even promised I wasn't lying, but I did and don't you worry because I regret giving this even the sliver of a chance that I did. I'm DNF-ing not only because the writing is just so, so bad -- repetitive and clumsy and like, really emotionally overwrought -- but also because Baran posted, I don't know what the kids are calling them these days, but moodboards maybe? to Instagram and the two for the leads in this just could not have been less appealing, so I guess forcing authors to do their own marketing does work out sometimes, but maybe not the way they'd like.
I get that Baran's shtick is ~grittiness or whatever version of realism they think is vital to their storytelling, but I think it's so strange to have women in the league which would have to be a sign of a changing culture, but then to not have the culture or the men in it seem changed at all. Why are all of these characters the same stoic, emotionally constipated messes? Three books! Six guys with basically identical problems who behave basically identically! What are we doing here!
I would promise (again) that I won't read another and do this to us (again), but I just realized I didn't read the third one in the universe so I'll just keep my mouth shut.
ETA: I think one of the reasons these books frustrate me so much is because you don't just get four books published on a fluke, so clearly these stories and Baran's writing are doing it for someone and it's somehow very irritating that I'm not one of them.
I get that Baran's shtick is ~grittiness or whatever version of realism they think is vital to their storytelling, but I think it's so strange to have women in the league which would have to be a sign of a changing culture, but then to not have the culture or the men in it seem changed at all. Why are all of these characters the same stoic, emotionally constipated messes? Three books! Six guys with basically identical problems who behave basically identically! What are we doing here!
I would promise (again) that I won't read another and do this to us (again), but I just realized I didn't read the third one in the universe so I'll just keep my mouth shut.
ETA: I think one of the reasons these books frustrate me so much is because you don't just get four books published on a fluke, so clearly these stories and Baran's writing are doing it for someone and it's somehow very irritating that I'm not one of them.
November 22, 2024
I can't believe I am currently writing a review for the last (maybe not?? Ari, please tell me you have four more up your sleeve??) book in the Penalty Box series, Goaltender Interference. I have been dying to get my hands on this book since the start of 2024 and now I've literally devoured it in two days. I had extremely high expectations for this book and it flew past every single one of them. So let's get into it, shall we?
Goaltender Interference is a second chance hockey romance following two hockey players at the end of their careers. Aiden Campbell, hotshot hockey star has just retired when he stumbles across his ex lover, Matt Safaryan on the night out in NYC ten years after their relationship broke apart. And not only did it break apart, but it did so in a spectacular fashion, leaving them both bruised and battered yet still deeply in love with one another. And now, one passionate night later, they are hooked on each other again, determined to make this relationship work. But Aiden is sinking deeper and deeper into darkness and Matt is pushing himself through chronic injuries and doing his best to keep them both afloat. Will their stars align this time or is it time to say goodbye for good?
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START! I knew this was going to be angsty, but this was angsty times a hundred. Pain and lack of direction and fear permeated every single page of this story and it somehow made it even better. I felt for both Matt and Aiden and their separate struggles, but Aiden especially burrowed deep into my heart. I'm not exactly a 37-year-old retired hockey player, but I feel like lack of direction and subsequent fall into a pit of despair is somehow a universal experience (or not? Maybe it's just me and this year). It felt like you struggled along with him, like you knew his struggles but were about as good at articulating them as Aiden himself. Communicating and exposing the most vulnerable, most unsure parts of yourself can be harder than anything, especially when those defenses have been up for a while and for a very good reason. So it's pretty obvious that those things are a problem for our MCs, but because they show their love and appreciation through sex, it takes a while for those unresolved things to bubble up to the surface.
That's why their second chance love story oftentimes felt like a ticking bomb - I kept waiting for one or both of them to just bolt. And when it finally happened, it felt like I can breathe again but it also broke my heart. (like, actual tears) When you are reading this book, you see the signs - the despair, the slow descent into even thicker darkness, lack of smiles.
I love how their love story progressed and how it all made sense - from meeting again after ten years of glimpsing each other during hockey games and never progressing past that, and falling in so easily again (because in all honesty, they never stopped loving each other), to it all shattering because it was something that was bound to break sooner rather than later. And, in the end, finally realizing that being together, if they both work on the relationship but also on themselves, is the only way. Like how can you be normal about a love story like this?! About two broken, messy men who are bad at expressing their feelings but who show each other that they are in love with every touch and kiss and item of clothing discarded. Romances where "I love yous" are not thrown around plenty (because the characters are simply not used to it or don't believe that words can properly express what they feel, but actions can) are rare, but I absolutely adore them. Sometimes a gentle look or doing something the other person needs, speaks much louder.
And to touch on some other parts of the story ...
I loved the therapy rep and how it showed that you can have the best therapist in the world, but they won't be able to help you if you don't decide to do something yourself. Goaltender Interference delicately portrayed the ins and outs of therapy and I loved to see Aiden's therapy sessions.
ALSO we have another love-sick puppy of a side character whose love is unrequited and I am gonna start screaming soon, because Ari loves to do that and then leave us a bit heartbroken for those poor saps as well - I am thinking of you, Gabe, and I hope we get to see your happily ever after at some point as well ahhh.
ALSO ALSO we got a cameo of Zach Reid and I went a little bit feral, not gonna lie. I am lowkey mad at Matt for not taking him up on the double date offer, smh.
All in all, this was another stunningly painful Ari Baran book, filled with messy hockey players, even messier feelings, and the softest (not in the kinks department though haha) love story. Ten out of ten, absolutely.
Goaltender Interference is a second chance hockey romance following two hockey players at the end of their careers. Aiden Campbell, hotshot hockey star has just retired when he stumbles across his ex lover, Matt Safaryan on the night out in NYC ten years after their relationship broke apart. And not only did it break apart, but it did so in a spectacular fashion, leaving them both bruised and battered yet still deeply in love with one another. And now, one passionate night later, they are hooked on each other again, determined to make this relationship work. But Aiden is sinking deeper and deeper into darkness and Matt is pushing himself through chronic injuries and doing his best to keep them both afloat. Will their stars align this time or is it time to say goodbye for good?
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START! I knew this was going to be angsty, but this was angsty times a hundred. Pain and lack of direction and fear permeated every single page of this story and it somehow made it even better. I felt for both Matt and Aiden and their separate struggles, but Aiden especially burrowed deep into my heart. I'm not exactly a 37-year-old retired hockey player, but I feel like lack of direction and subsequent fall into a pit of despair is somehow a universal experience (or not? Maybe it's just me and this year). It felt like you struggled along with him, like you knew his struggles but were about as good at articulating them as Aiden himself. Communicating and exposing the most vulnerable, most unsure parts of yourself can be harder than anything, especially when those defenses have been up for a while and for a very good reason. So it's pretty obvious that those things are a problem for our MCs, but because they show their love and appreciation through sex, it takes a while for those unresolved things to bubble up to the surface.
That's why their second chance love story oftentimes felt like a ticking bomb - I kept waiting for one or both of them to just bolt. And when it finally happened, it felt like I can breathe again but it also broke my heart. (like, actual tears) When you are reading this book, you see the signs - the despair, the slow descent into even thicker darkness, lack of smiles.
I love how their love story progressed and how it all made sense - from meeting again after ten years of glimpsing each other during hockey games and never progressing past that, and falling in so easily again (because in all honesty, they never stopped loving each other), to it all shattering because it was something that was bound to break sooner rather than later. And, in the end, finally realizing that being together, if they both work on the relationship but also on themselves, is the only way. Like how can you be normal about a love story like this?! About two broken, messy men who are bad at expressing their feelings but who show each other that they are in love with every touch and kiss and item of clothing discarded. Romances where "I love yous" are not thrown around plenty (because the characters are simply not used to it or don't believe that words can properly express what they feel, but actions can) are rare, but I absolutely adore them. Sometimes a gentle look or doing something the other person needs, speaks much louder.
And to touch on some other parts of the story ...
I loved the therapy rep and how it showed that you can have the best therapist in the world, but they won't be able to help you if you don't decide to do something yourself. Goaltender Interference delicately portrayed the ins and outs of therapy and I loved to see Aiden's therapy sessions.
ALSO we have another love-sick puppy of a side character whose love is unrequited and I am gonna start screaming soon, because Ari loves to do that and then leave us a bit heartbroken for those poor saps as well - I am thinking of you, Gabe, and I hope we get to see your happily ever after at some point as well ahhh.
ALSO ALSO we got a cameo of Zach Reid and I went a little bit feral, not gonna lie. I am lowkey mad at Matt for not taking him up on the double date offer, smh.
All in all, this was another stunningly painful Ari Baran book, filled with messy hockey players, even messier feelings, and the softest (not in the kinks department though haha) love story. Ten out of ten, absolutely.
January 7, 2025
Aiden Campbell never thought about his life after retiring from hockey. He's had a storied and highly successful career as an NHL goalie..now he's retired and has no idea what to do with his life. When he runs into his ex boyfriend Matt Safaryan (captain of the Montreal team) randomly, the pair reconnect after a decade apart. Soon the reasons they broke up don't seem to matter but Aiden still feels distant and depressed post-retirement. Matt invites Aiden to stay with him in Montreal while he continues to work towards his own contract extension with the team. Trying to give their relationship a second chance is more difficult than either Matt or Aiden thought it would be and navigating the intricacies of their mental and physical health puts a lot of strain on everyone.
Okay. So. I really jived with the first...idk 50% of this book? Its very gritty and dirty and real, like most of Baran's Penalty Box series has been but, as the pages kept going on, I found myself more and more frustrated with Aiden. Matt is doing everything he can to try to support Aiden's mental health but Aiden is actively working against himself at every step. I was getting so angry and frustrated watching him actively miscommunicate with Matt and not help himself in any way to start to work through his issues. There is a lovely moment where another character kinda blows up at him and Aiden realizes how frustrating he is which looped me right back into the story. But for a chunk there, it was a real struggle to read.
Overall this book is quite good and heavy in hockey, which is my favorite part of hockey romances. Seeing Matt get to be happy with Aiden was a joy and watching Aiden start to become a person and take ownership of his mental health was great to see. I definitely would recommend this to fans of Baran's writing and those who enjoy realistic characters with deep emotional trauma.
I don't think this is the best place to start the series, but definitely a worthwhile entry. I buck the publishing order on this but I think a great entry to the series is book 2
Okay. So. I really jived with the first...idk 50% of this book? Its very gritty and dirty and real, like most of Baran's Penalty Box series has been but, as the pages kept going on, I found myself more and more frustrated with Aiden. Matt is doing everything he can to try to support Aiden's mental health but Aiden is actively working against himself at every step. I was getting so angry and frustrated watching him actively miscommunicate with Matt and not help himself in any way to start to work through his issues. There is a lovely moment where another character kinda blows up at him and Aiden realizes how frustrating he is which looped me right back into the story. But for a chunk there, it was a real struggle to read.
Overall this book is quite good and heavy in hockey, which is my favorite part of hockey romances. Seeing Matt get to be happy with Aiden was a joy and watching Aiden start to become a person and take ownership of his mental health was great to see. I definitely would recommend this to fans of Baran's writing and those who enjoy realistic characters with deep emotional trauma.
I don't think this is the best place to start the series, but definitely a worthwhile entry. I buck the publishing order on this but I think a great entry to the series is book 2
July 22, 2025
There’s a lot going on in this book. A second chance romance. A *second* second chance. The end of a hockey career. Unrequited love. Coming out as a public figure. Embracing therapy. Conflating career with purpose and identity. But the thing I loved most about this is the portrayal of living as an undiagnosed autistic adult.
Aidan displays a laundry list of autistic/neurodivergent traits that Ari Baran does a superb job of depicting. Baran flips the script on the whole “goalies are weird”idea so that we see the truth instead of the joke. It goes a long way to explaining most of Aidan’s behavior and reactions.
Hockey is the one thing in Aidan’s life that fully captured his interest and focus from a young age; it gave him purpose and safety. Once he retires, he is completely lost. Aidan’s difficulties coping with the sudden lack of routine are complicated by an unexpected reunion with the ex he left a decade ago.
His ex, Matt, is a sweetheart who never understood what happened between the two of them and the split sent him into a spiral. He seems to be the only one who really gets Aidan but doesn’t know how to help him. Their past, their present, and their uncertain future are all sources of angst for Matt & Aidan and it’s almost unbearable.
I really appreciated seeing how Aidan’s behavior is viewed by others as selfish and shitty because when people don’t understand the autistic experience, it’s easier to slap those labels on it. Because we assume the default of neurotypicality. I even found myself being angry with him early on before I had caught onto his neurodivergence.
I loved how supportive Aidan’s mother and friends were. He needed to be pushed to start therapy, to take care of himself, to take charge of his life. His friends hold him accountable for his dumbass decisions so he can see how much he’s letting himself down.
I enjoyed this and will definitely be continuing the series. But I wish we’d have gotten a more thorough, extended resolution. It wrapped up a little quickly for my taste.
Aidan displays a laundry list of autistic/neurodivergent traits that Ari Baran does a superb job of depicting. Baran flips the script on the whole “goalies are weird”idea so that we see the truth instead of the joke. It goes a long way to explaining most of Aidan’s behavior and reactions.
Hockey is the one thing in Aidan’s life that fully captured his interest and focus from a young age; it gave him purpose and safety. Once he retires, he is completely lost. Aidan’s difficulties coping with the sudden lack of routine are complicated by an unexpected reunion with the ex he left a decade ago.
His ex, Matt, is a sweetheart who never understood what happened between the two of them and the split sent him into a spiral. He seems to be the only one who really gets Aidan but doesn’t know how to help him. Their past, their present, and their uncertain future are all sources of angst for Matt & Aidan and it’s almost unbearable.
I really appreciated seeing how Aidan’s behavior is viewed by others as selfish and shitty because when people don’t understand the autistic experience, it’s easier to slap those labels on it. Because we assume the default of neurotypicality. I even found myself being angry with him early on before I had caught onto his neurodivergence.
I loved how supportive Aidan’s mother and friends were. He needed to be pushed to start therapy, to take care of himself, to take charge of his life. His friends hold him accountable for his dumbass decisions so he can see how much he’s letting himself down.
I enjoyed this and will definitely be continuing the series. But I wish we’d have gotten a more thorough, extended resolution. It wrapped up a little quickly for my taste.
October 12, 2025
objectively? it was well written. i just didn't like it. and it's so fucking weird because the books that had some of my favorite tropes were the ones i disliked the most (book 2 and 4).
to put it simply, i was bored. i didn't like aiden. i know he is depressed. but 10+ years of not holding yourself accountable is insane to me. they don't even have a proper talk about why they broke up the first time. they don't even have a single conversation about anything!!!! everything was "i can't" / "i don't know" / "take me to bed". everything was resolved by fucking and i hated that. this romance would've been my favorite (i love second chance romance) but i hated it. i was genuinely so bored. i was even agreeing with matt's brother. if i was matt's family, i would have never ever liked aiden. he would be my enemy number one. and truly, they NEED couple's therapy. you're going to tell me that matt won't develop abandonment issues? and that every time they have a fight matt is not gonna think "this is when he's going to leave me for sure"
IDK IDK i was soooo unsatisfied. it's weird because book 1 and book 3 took me a while to read and i think because i had hours between each read, i could cool it off and maybe thats why i like them? but book 2 and 4 i read them in a day and i disliked them so much..
i usually love second chance romance bc of the angst but THIS DRAGGED FOREVER. they couldve TALKED. omg no i hated it
to put it simply, i was bored. i didn't like aiden. i know he is depressed. but 10+ years of not holding yourself accountable is insane to me. they don't even have a proper talk about why they broke up the first time. they don't even have a single conversation about anything!!!! everything was "i can't" / "i don't know" / "take me to bed". everything was resolved by fucking and i hated that. this romance would've been my favorite (i love second chance romance) but i hated it. i was genuinely so bored. i was even agreeing with matt's brother. if i was matt's family, i would have never ever liked aiden. he would be my enemy number one. and truly, they NEED couple's therapy. you're going to tell me that matt won't develop abandonment issues? and that every time they have a fight matt is not gonna think "this is when he's going to leave me for sure"
IDK IDK i was soooo unsatisfied. it's weird because book 1 and book 3 took me a while to read and i think because i had hours between each read, i could cool it off and maybe thats why i like them? but book 2 and 4 i read them in a day and i disliked them so much..
i usually love second chance romance bc of the angst but THIS DRAGGED FOREVER. they couldve TALKED. omg no i hated it
August 16, 2025
The way I was absolutely *consumed* by this book and this series and poor @aribaranwrites having to deal with my minor meltdowns and requests for sedation and then giving me MORE to love??? I just cannot. I’ve been thinking about how to write my review and this is what I keep coming back to:
Pain.
Love.
Depression.
Pears (person).
Swans.
Step on me (sexually).
Step on me (emotionally).
Jackets.
Photos.
Jersey.
Crying forever.
The ENDING???
I just am having trouble forming words!!! I thought Eric and Ryan were my favorites but IDK, Aidy and Matty kind of stole my heart. I was so so so obsessed with their dynamic and relationship and love and intimacy and fear and depression and happiness and heart and heat and passion. I literally skipped hundreds of pages with the quotes I share here to get to the end because I just don’t know how to not think everything in a book is important and every single word of this book is incredibly important.
Matt and Aiden are end game, full stop. Their years apart brought them back together and their growth in love was stunning to watch. I have no more words I’m just repeating myself BUT I LOVE THEM I LOVE THEM I LOVE THEM. THANK YOU ARI FOR MY ANGELS.
TL:DR - MATT AND AIDEN ARE SWANS WHO MATE FOR LIFE.
Pain.
Love.
Depression.
Pears (person).
Swans.
Step on me (sexually).
Step on me (emotionally).
Jackets.
Photos.
Jersey.
Crying forever.
The ENDING???
I just am having trouble forming words!!! I thought Eric and Ryan were my favorites but IDK, Aidy and Matty kind of stole my heart. I was so so so obsessed with their dynamic and relationship and love and intimacy and fear and depression and happiness and heart and heat and passion. I literally skipped hundreds of pages with the quotes I share here to get to the end because I just don’t know how to not think everything in a book is important and every single word of this book is incredibly important.
Matt and Aiden are end game, full stop. Their years apart brought them back together and their growth in love was stunning to watch. I have no more words I’m just repeating myself BUT I LOVE THEM I LOVE THEM I LOVE THEM. THANK YOU ARI FOR MY ANGELS.
TL:DR - MATT AND AIDEN ARE SWANS WHO MATE FOR LIFE.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
An excellent portrayal of depression, and kudos to Baran for keeping Aiden this side of sympathetic throughout. Having said that, this is not a particularly upbeat story. Yes, it's good that Matt and Aiden manage to reconnect, albeit predominantly via sex and cooking, but not until the last fraction of the book is there any glimmer of hope, optimism or open communication.
On a side note, I am a little surprised that neither Aiden's therapist nor his mother suggested any sort of medical intervention earlier, but I know little about the treatment of depression, so perhaps this is normal practice.
On a side note, I am a little surprised that neither Aiden's therapist nor his mother suggested any sort of medical intervention earlier, but I know little about the treatment of depression, so perhaps this is normal practice.
August 19, 2025
this hit the spot fs. basically just no communication at all, barely any real convos too, just enjoying each other’s company and being the most depressed i’ve ever seen a book character be (as anita kelly said) oh my gosh. lovely book tho, good message, good amount of hockey, well done non-white characters. sweet romance and distinctive characters even tho they felt like they overlapped a decent amount in character traits/storylines. also not always a fan of second chance romances but i quite liked this one!
November 21, 2025
RTC
I finished this literally ages ago (three months exactly) and keep meaning to write a proper review for it but I'm going through it right now so I'll come back. Just know I adored Matt and Aiden 💗💗💗
I finished this literally ages ago (three months exactly) and keep meaning to write a proper review for it but I'm going through it right now so I'll come back. Just know I adored Matt and Aiden 💗💗💗
February 28, 2025
Tattoo this book on my heart. My god. 😭
January 6, 2025
5⭐️s
I don’t have words to explain how much i loved this book. I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this arc. This story of second chance was beautifully written, Ari is an amazing writer.
Aiden and Matt’s love story is one for the books and i’m happy how everything worked out, Aiden was grieving his life with hockey and trying to find who he is outside of hockey. Matt was there for him but there’s so much someone can do for someone else.
I connected with Aiden and I feel like his character was incredibly well written, i love him so so much and matt was wonderful as well.
Ari did amazing with this book and I can’t wait for everyone else to read it! 💗
I don’t have words to explain how much i loved this book. I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this arc. This story of second chance was beautifully written, Ari is an amazing writer.
Aiden and Matt’s love story is one for the books and i’m happy how everything worked out, Aiden was grieving his life with hockey and trying to find who he is outside of hockey. Matt was there for him but there’s so much someone can do for someone else.
I connected with Aiden and I feel like his character was incredibly well written, i love him so so much and matt was wonderful as well.
Ari did amazing with this book and I can’t wait for everyone else to read it! 💗
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2025
This was okay. Aiden sure did have a long period of angst...and that description in many passages dragged the book down considerably.
And then there was the overall angst because Matt had a good chunk too.
I don't know how much hand wringing needs to be read about.
I think I can skip this series.
And then there was the overall angst because Matt had a good chunk too.
I don't know how much hand wringing needs to be read about.
I think I can skip this series.
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