I thought mandatory leave for running my mouth was terrible enough. Then my plane crashes on a remote tropical island—with my childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy as my only companion.
The last person I need for survival is the guy who lost his own shot at hockey and now makes a living tearing down mine as a sports reporter. And way worse? I like him just as much as I did back then.
Tropes: forced proximity, second chances, hockey player/sports reporter, villain redemption Feels: 2.5/5 Steam*: 1.5/5 Kinks: submission Angst: low HEA: yes Pairing: MM Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: internalized homophobia, homophobia, unsupportive homophobic family Cheating between MCs: No Any cheating: No Other person drama: when they were 16 years old, they kissed at hockey camp. It's been 10 years since they last saw each other at 16. Once they meet again, they aren't interested in anyone else. Jason talks a bit about his past hookups, he didn't treat women the best.
3.25 stars
Jason is an NHL player. He has struggled with his sexuality since he was a child. He was raised and a homophobic and toxic masculinity family. His father and grandfather were hockey players and when they got a idea that Jason might be queer, they crushed it out of him and reinforced how bad homosexuality was in their eyes from his childhood onward. Jason is bisexual, and he has worked so hard to repress all interest in men. He comes off as homophobic because of his internalized homophobia but also because he is jealous of the MLM relationships his colleagues have fallen into so easily.
Back when Jason was 16 and in hockey camp, he had a friendship and an interest in Cal. They kissed and then had a misunderstanding and Jason left the camp, and they haven't seen each other since for 10 years. Cal is now a sports reporter, working at a new job, and he's asked to cover Jason who has recently been called out as being homophobic and was suspended for 2 weeks. Jason had a part in getting a bisexual teammate deported.
Jason tries to run away from things, taking a Fiji vacation. And Cal follows him to try to get the story. They end up stuck on a desert island and have to survive for a while only relying on each other. They bond and their interest in each other comes out. But can they make a relationship work back in the real world when they're rescued?
This was an okay read. It had funny moments and sweet moments. It was a low angst, light love story.
There was a lot of awkwardness and stiltedness to the storytelling though. Jason was painfully awkward in leaping from one thought to another, and said a lot of cringe things. The way they got together in the present could have used some more finesse, they just jumped into kissing twice in the presence out of nowhere and just went with it. It came off a little lazy. And when they were back in the real world and alone together, Jason just yelled out sex, let's have proper sex now that we have supplies! It was so awkward and juvenile. Also, Jason's feelings were a little insta-love, he hadn't seen Cal for 10 years and within seven or eight days he was basically in love.
Some notable moments:
"He puts an arm around my neck, and I relax against him. “You came to find me,” I say happily, snuggling into him. Perfect."
If you have read the other books, this is a funny throwback. "“I have a new announcement,” Coach says, his voice gruff. “As you know, the team’s masseuse was rarely here. Some of our players were sneaking into the room to do... non masseuse activities.” “Seriously?” Troy asks. Finn and Noah’s faces are way redder than they were before. So is Luke’s."
Oh god, this speech Jason made to his team. It was so awkward and baaad, but funny. "“They’re good at filling you up,” I continue, barely aware I’m still speaking. “Stretching you. Making you feel like there’s nothing else in the world except that pressure. That rhythm. Thrusting in and out of you, steady or fast or slow, until your breath stutters. Until you’re writhing with pleasure. Until you explode.” Okay, everyone is definitely staring at me now. I force myself to shake my head and attempt a nonchalant smile. “I just mean that dicks have good qualities.” “Do you often think about their good qualities?” Finn asks, his expression somewhere between amusement and concern."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A wonderful and funny bi-awakening story. I love this series and this author. The way she presents her stories by describing first person what the characters are thinking and feeling in the situations is both a hilarious yet very serious. She shows us how someone is dealing with learning a truth about themselves and how to accept themselves while dealing with the outside world and social norms.
Jason is in total denial about liking men, specifically Cal his best friend from high school with whom he once shared a kiss. Understandable since Jason's father seems to be hard-core anti-gay especially since his son plays in a professional hockey league and his father doesn't want a scandal. But Jason has always had all the feels for Cal since Cal kissed him in summer camp. His inner musings are absolutely hilarious how he justifies to himself his feelings for Cal and the inappropriate things he notices. Even how he explains away his "relationships" aka one night stands with women. Total denial. Which comes across outwardly as homophobia. But he is in trouble when he gets a 2 week suspension from his team, leaves for vacation on his father's advice, and is followed by ace reporter Cal who is doing a follow-up story on him. Stuck together with his secret fantasy guy. Anything can happen!
I liked how both Cal and Jason explained away to themselves what happened in high school. And how each pretty much misinterpreted what the other one was feeling. Cal is pretty insecure about thinking he forced an unwanted kiss on his crush.. his straight best friend. He feels he acted stupidly.
As things develop between Jason and Cal, Jason reflects on his teammates during his struggle to accept himself, he thinks, "They fell in love with men but hadn't been tormented by decades-old self-hatred". A perfect description of himself being repressed for so many years. And continues to describe how they feel about themselves which is how he wants to strive to feel, ..."This is me, I'm worthy of respect, it's no big deal, and love is love."
I also liked how the author jumped right in to the present day story first, then gave the background details before returning to where the characters were at in the plot. It was interesting and easy to maintain interest in the story. This is another fantastic book in this series well worth reading.
This is book 4 in the Hockey Rules series and the first book by this author that I have read. I was able to enjoy this book without having read the earlier books first. This is the story of Jason and Cal. Jason is a professional hockey player that is in denial about liking men. His father and grandfather have drilled into him that no man in their family is gay. So he desperately hides those desires. And in doing so, alienates himself from the team. Forced on a two week suspension, he plans to keep his head down at home. Then Cal knocks on his door. The Cal that he remembers from hockey camp ten years ago. The Cal that he had his first kiss with. So he lies and says he is leaving on vacation to Fiji and can't talk. He believes that he is safe now but Cal doesn't give up so easy. Cal is an out and proud sports reporter. He follows Jason to Fiji and that is where the wheels fall off. The two of them survive a broken jet ski and getting lost. Now they are trapped on an island together. There is no way they can ignore each other. Each has some explaining to do and some self reflection. This is their story. The book is written well and is easy to read. I enjoyed watching them slowly get their friendship back. My heart hurt for Jason. He fell into a trap of his own making. And don't even get me started on his father and grandfather. Good thing I believe in karma. There is a bucket load headed their way. I enjoyed this book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jason knows he messed up. His hockey team and coach are all angry with him and he is currently suspended from the team. And now there is a sports article out in the world sharing his mistakes and the reporter who wrote it is coming back for another article. And if that isn’t bad, the reporter is Cal. The only guy that made all those feelings he shoved deep down appear. But there is no escaping Cal. Even when Jason takes an impromptu trip to Fiji. And believe it or not, things kind of get worse… Cal has run that moment between him and Jason over and over for years. And it’s still hard for him to comprehend how that boy is who Jason is now giving what his reputation has become. And when Cal is assigned to get an interview with Jason, he chases him around the world. But things turn bad fast when the two of them end up stranded on an island off the coast of Fiji. They just need to survive until someone finds them. And though it’s terrible it may be the best thing that happens to them. There’s no more hiding the truth when all they have is one another. And Jason can’t help but feel exhausted after all this time. I really liked Jason’s redemption story here. He wasn’t a bad guy. He just was forced to bury a part of himself so far down that it really hurt him later down the line. But his feelings for Cal have always been so strong and he gets a second chance in a way with Cal. And a chance to make amends so many others that he has hurt along the way.
⚪ M/M Romance ⚪ Sports Romance ⚪ Hockey Romance ⚪ Bi Awakening ⚪ Second Chance Romance
Jason es jugador de hockey y ha sido suspendido por su equipo durante 2 semanas por haber tenido comportamientos homófobos con sus compañeros. Acaba huyendo a Fiji para evitar a un periodista que quiere conseguir una entrevista con él tras el escándalo. El periodista es Cal, al que conoce desde su época del instituto ya que solían coincidir en campamentos de hockey y le dio su primer beso; después del cual Jason huyó de él y no volvieron a verse hasta la actualidad. Jason ha rechazado su atracción por los chicos desde entonces y se ha convertido en un mujeriego. Cal le sigue a Fiji y ahí terminan atrapados y aislados en una isla tras tener un problema con unas motos de agua. Esto les hace acercarse de nuevo.
Aunque el libro está lleno de clichés, es divertido, me ha gustado y lo recomiendo. El personaje de Jason ha tenido una buena redención de los errores que había cometido anteriormente. Me ha descuadrado un poco la forma en la que estaba escrito con el salto en el tiempo.
Professional hockey player Jason Larvik is adamant in claiming he has no interest in men. He still hasn’t gotten over the time 10 years ago when he shared a kiss with his high school best friend Cal Prescott. Jason didn’t want to upset his family members with his interest in Cal, so he kept his feelings hidden. But when he gets a 2-week suspension for an inflammatory comment he made, sports journalist Cal Prescott arrives at his door, and Jason tells him he is leaving for Fiji and has no time to talk to him. So of course Cal follows him. Jason rents a jet ski to avoid talking to him, but Cal rents one too -- and he can’t swim! So when the engine dies, Jason rescues a very panicked Cal. He gets them to a deserted island and he does his best to keep Cal reasonably calm until they both get rescued. Is this a good time to talk about the past and clear up the misunderstanding that has kept them apart? Will it lead to anything positive?
'Because the real answer for why I acted the way I did is because I was jealous. Because I wanted what they had. Because I’d realized I’d made a sacrifice at some point in my career I hadn’t realized I’d made.'
I really enjoyed this book. It was a good hurt/comfort, bi-awakening, [almost] second chance romance. I loved both Cal and Jason and found them both really relatable. Cal has some insecurities. Jason has repressed himself and his feelings for years he doesn't even work them out in his head. There are some misassumptions because of this, and because Jason is a little socially awkward and thus misinterpreted. I liked how they slowly let the walls down and opened up. I was looking forward to the stranded on the deserted island scenes for some suspense and relying on each other to survive and get rescued. A fun read. 4 stars.
I will never regret finding this series, I'm obsessed with my blizzard boys fr and Jason and Cal's story really highlights that for me. I literally couldn't put this down and read it all in one sitting. I absolutely love how every character in the series have a real and complex depth to them. The writing and the pace of the story matches them perfectly and it feels so natural because you still get so many hints and foreshadowing in the beginning that really shows how they were always meant to be together but they just had to wait until the time was right and they were both ready to face it together.
Rule #4: Never Get Stranded with a Sports Reporter is another fantastic addition to Portia Blake’s Hockey Rules series! This book combines all the best tropes—forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and bi awakening—into a fun, emotional, and tropical ride.
Cal and Prescott have serious chemistry, and their banter is sharp, funny, and full of tension. The island setting amps up the intimacy and makes every moment count, especially as past feelings and unresolved attraction come crashing back. There’s so much heart here too—redemption, vulnerability, and the courage to be honest about who you are.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It took being suspended and then stranded on an island with Cal for Jason to finally confront his own feelings. Jason had always been interested in other guys but felt he had to deny it. I liked how a kiss between Jason and Cal at hockey camp finally becomes love. I liked how Jason came out and later proposed to Cal.
Cal and Jason have quite the journey in their story. Jason is in the midst of dealing with a scandal and just wants away and Cal follows along to get the story. And somewhat more. They have history that Jason has been denying. Being stranded with Cal gives him a chance to face himself not only in general about his interest in men, but more specifically his interest in Jason.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jason is an ice hockey player, in denial about his sexuality, and Cal, is an out and proud gay sports journalist. I loved seeing the relationship between Cal and Jason develop, and reading as Jason comes to terms with the fact that he’s gay. This is a low angst, easy read. I enjoyed this book, a lot. I highly recommend reading this book.
Cal is obnoxious. I just don't understand why he made it his life's mission to destroy Jason. So there's rejection. Get over it. I understand it wouldn't be a book if he did that but I just couldn't get behind this relationship when Cal was just so malicious. It's gross. Great writing but the story is obviously not for me.
Loved this book I was fortunate to read all previous books in the series I really like this one because they both are on the opposite end was a sport writer And the other is a hockey player too, which everyone thinks he’s a homophobic, but he’s not. He just doesn’t know how to have the right conversation and Cal and Jason,,. knew each other before they went to hockey camp before when they were young that is the first kiss happened, ,,,but Carl thinks Jason hates him to witch that is further from the truth,,,they will find out what happens when they get stranded on a island .I read this book for this author through BookFunnel for my honest opinion
Though I'm not normally a lover of sports theme I really enjoyed this book. A well written storyline with plenty of great characters keep me fully invested in their journey.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I thought this book was well written and I couldn't put it down and Portia Blake did it again and I can't wait to read more. This is the fourth book in the series and it's a great. I recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a fun and interesting story. I enjoyed the journey of Jason and Cal. In a way they are very different from each other but at the same time they are exactly what the other needs. The way they met in their youth, the misunderstanding between them, and the feelings that are still there - I loved it all. The depiction of the MC's the author is giving is really good, and I especially like how Jason's feelings toward Cal is described. Everyone thinks he's homofobic, but instead he is just terrified of dissapointing his family and don't want other's to know about his attraction towards men. So happy he met someone like Cal who is just perfect for him, to help him feel safe and make him want to be the best version of himself. Together they are just the sweetest.
The book's written in a way that kept my interest through the whole story and I finished it really fast.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.”