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Lewiston Forge #2
Hard Check
Holt Carver has been in the minors long enough to see fresh-faced rookies come and go—and long enough to know this season might be his last. He’s the Forge’s bruising power forward with a sharp tongue and a short fuse, better known for chirps and chaos than locker room speeches. But all he's ever wanted—more than a call-up, more than respect—is a real leadership role. To leave behind something that mattered. Not just his stats, but his voice.
Enter Matsson Pike—second-year winger, last year’s breakout star, and a walking sunbeam in skates. He’s got an NHL future dangling in front of him, fans who chant his name, and a smile that lights up any arena. But after an off-season injury and mounting pressure to perform, Pike is floundering beneath the surface. And when Coach pairs him with Carver for mentorship? It’s like tossing oil on an open flame.
Carver thinks Pike is too bright, too golden, too everything. Pike thinks Carver is a storm cloud in hockey pads. But as the season grinds on—and forced proximity turns into unexpected conversations, lingering stares, and confusing dreams—they start seeing through each other’s masks.
They’ve shared the ice for a year, but neither saw this the quiet thrill of understanding, the slow-burn heat of tension neither of them has language for, and the terrifying realization that this might be more than friendship… and far more than either of them expected.
Because when the season ends, Pike might be heading to the NHL. And Carver might be hanging up his skates. But between the boards and beneath the weight of everything they’ve never dared admit—what if this is the moment that changes everything?
Hard Check is a grumpy/sunshine, dual bisexual awakening mm hockey romance.
Enter Matsson Pike—second-year winger, last year’s breakout star, and a walking sunbeam in skates. He’s got an NHL future dangling in front of him, fans who chant his name, and a smile that lights up any arena. But after an off-season injury and mounting pressure to perform, Pike is floundering beneath the surface. And when Coach pairs him with Carver for mentorship? It’s like tossing oil on an open flame.
Carver thinks Pike is too bright, too golden, too everything. Pike thinks Carver is a storm cloud in hockey pads. But as the season grinds on—and forced proximity turns into unexpected conversations, lingering stares, and confusing dreams—they start seeing through each other’s masks.
They’ve shared the ice for a year, but neither saw this the quiet thrill of understanding, the slow-burn heat of tension neither of them has language for, and the terrifying realization that this might be more than friendship… and far more than either of them expected.
Because when the season ends, Pike might be heading to the NHL. And Carver might be hanging up his skates. But between the boards and beneath the weight of everything they’ve never dared admit—what if this is the moment that changes everything?
Hard Check is a grumpy/sunshine, dual bisexual awakening mm hockey romance.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2025
31 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 3, 2025
I know we are meant to believe Carver is happy with how his career ended and his new path but I just felt sad. In real life not many make it to the big leagues but I wanted more for him because of how into it he was portraited. I believed in him so much that I wanted more for him. Perhaps both him and Pike being moved up at the same time, even if only for a season, since they were so good together? I'm not sure, I just wanted more of them two professionally together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2025
The blurb sets the book up very well. I enjoyed the story of Carver and Pike, the veteran mentoring the rookie as a deeper and longer lasting connection is forged. Carver is kind of a grump, quick to respond to teammates being targeted on the ice, earning many penalty minutes in the box, but a man who really knows hockey and is able to pinpoint the good skills and the bad, then teach the difference, making him an excellent mentor for up and coming Pike. Pike is 8 years younger, with plenty of talent, he just needs guidance and more time. While working closely together, there are feelings awakened which neither have ever felt before, causing insecurities and fears of being discovered as they explore this new reality off the ice. They go through the typical what-ifs as Pike has scouts checking him out, more than likely headed to the NHL next year. Will they be able to maintain the relationship they are building, what happens when Carver retires or Pike definitely moves? Can they keep the relationship hidden and off the ice, or could it cause problems for Pike and his future? These questions and others must be faced as they must honestly look at the relationship they are building and decide if it is worth it in the long run or should they let it go.
The entire story seems realistic and relevant to players and teams in sports today with more players in same sex relationships needing to decide how to handle them. The characters, both main and supporting ones, are easy to like and get invested in their present and futures. There is a lot of hockey background and world building to enhance the story of these two engaging and relatable players, trying to navigate the uncertainty and inherent impermanence of the lives of professional sports athletes.
I found this hockey romance to be well written, engaging, and a good fit within the other MM hockey romances out there. I have read a lot of hockey romances and this one kept my interest and I read it in one sitting. If you like hockey romances this is one I would recommend checking out.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The entire story seems realistic and relevant to players and teams in sports today with more players in same sex relationships needing to decide how to handle them. The characters, both main and supporting ones, are easy to like and get invested in their present and futures. There is a lot of hockey background and world building to enhance the story of these two engaging and relatable players, trying to navigate the uncertainty and inherent impermanence of the lives of professional sports athletes.
I found this hockey romance to be well written, engaging, and a good fit within the other MM hockey romances out there. I have read a lot of hockey romances and this one kept my interest and I read it in one sitting. If you like hockey romances this is one I would recommend checking out.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 6, 2025
Blair Brady has the blend of hockey and romance down to a perfect blend. She has perfect just the right amount of each needed to make this story, all her hockey stories not only addictive but incredibly readable and believable too. The hockey team, its players, may be fictional but their games, they could be very real, the action behind the scenes? That could absolutely be too.
Holt Carver has spent his hockey career in the minors, it means he has seen rookies come and go. It means he knows this is likely his last season too. That makes him a little grumpier than usual because it means facing the idea that he doesn't know what to do next. Matsson Pike is the newbie, at least on the team, and he has a lot of potential. He is a winger to Carver's forward, the sunshine to the other players storm clouds, they are complete opposites and yet we all know what they say about the attraction between opposites. There is no inta-love here, not really even an insta-friendship. They do however have to deal with being on the same team, with Carver's expertise helping Pike and with Pike's sunny demeanour rubbing off! It is brilliant. Injury, not major but still there, brings them closer, gradually as does rooming together when they are on the road and the slow burn is brilliant, keeping the reader on their toes.
There is so much in this story that I could share but I want you to discover it all as you read it. The team camaraderie which will make you laugh, the brilliant characters that Blair Brady draws with such accuracy we feel as though these men are people we know. The complexities of realising who you truly are and what you want from life, no matter what. The game of hockey. It is all here, it is all brilliant and it binds together into the very best type of hockey stories. The type that is a keeper!
Holt Carver has spent his hockey career in the minors, it means he has seen rookies come and go. It means he knows this is likely his last season too. That makes him a little grumpier than usual because it means facing the idea that he doesn't know what to do next. Matsson Pike is the newbie, at least on the team, and he has a lot of potential. He is a winger to Carver's forward, the sunshine to the other players storm clouds, they are complete opposites and yet we all know what they say about the attraction between opposites. There is no inta-love here, not really even an insta-friendship. They do however have to deal with being on the same team, with Carver's expertise helping Pike and with Pike's sunny demeanour rubbing off! It is brilliant. Injury, not major but still there, brings them closer, gradually as does rooming together when they are on the road and the slow burn is brilliant, keeping the reader on their toes.
There is so much in this story that I could share but I want you to discover it all as you read it. The team camaraderie which will make you laugh, the brilliant characters that Blair Brady draws with such accuracy we feel as though these men are people we know. The complexities of realising who you truly are and what you want from life, no matter what. The game of hockey. It is all here, it is all brilliant and it binds together into the very best type of hockey stories. The type that is a keeper!
September 12, 2025
Thanks to reading the first book in the series, I was genuinely intrigued about the pairing for this one. I liked the unexpected choice which somehow made also sense in a way. Their characterisation was very enjoyable to me to read and I didn’t expect that based on their presence in the prequel.
I was rather impressed with the younger MC who took the first step to address the sparked attraction, there was no unnecessary prolonged internal angst, denial or eye-rolling delays but honest approach and that was quite cool. He has this maturity off ice which I found deeply satisfying, he didn’t run away and faced issues straight on (especially the budding romance). I’m enjoying his inner strength more and more. He is quietly brave and fearless and that’s exactly what the other guy needs.
The older MC was also equally straight forward and drama-free although he tried to act mature in his way which caused friction and confusion but he meant well and despite his own struggles and insecurities, his voice was also very much interesting to hear. In fact, both pretty much green flags all around.
Their scenes together were so normal, real as in there was no hint arrogance or showing off as if to compensate for something, no over-sexiness that sometimes feel so performative. Instead it was just pure mutual discovery of each other, first kisses and touches that were mismatched at first but that didn’t discourage either of them, they took another try and it was damn freaking good.
The book turned out to be a gem that I nearly missed out. The poetic writing style, the focus on feelings with gentle spice made this a very pleasant, beautiful and special read.
I was rather impressed with the younger MC who took the first step to address the sparked attraction, there was no unnecessary prolonged internal angst, denial or eye-rolling delays but honest approach and that was quite cool. He has this maturity off ice which I found deeply satisfying, he didn’t run away and faced issues straight on (especially the budding romance). I’m enjoying his inner strength more and more. He is quietly brave and fearless and that’s exactly what the other guy needs.
The older MC was also equally straight forward and drama-free although he tried to act mature in his way which caused friction and confusion but he meant well and despite his own struggles and insecurities, his voice was also very much interesting to hear. In fact, both pretty much green flags all around.
Their scenes together were so normal, real as in there was no hint arrogance or showing off as if to compensate for something, no over-sexiness that sometimes feel so performative. Instead it was just pure mutual discovery of each other, first kisses and touches that were mismatched at first but that didn’t discourage either of them, they took another try and it was damn freaking good.
The book turned out to be a gem that I nearly missed out. The poetic writing style, the focus on feelings with gentle spice made this a very pleasant, beautiful and special read.
June 19, 2025
Hard Check – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book absolutely delivers on everything I want from a sports romance—and then some. Set against the rough-and-tumble backdrop of minor league hockey, Hard Check is an emotionally rich, slow-burn MM romance that had me hooked from the very first shift.
Holt Carver is the gruff, battle-worn veteran looking for something more meaningful than goals and penalty minutes. Matsson Pike is the golden boy struggling beneath the weight of expectations and the shadow of a recent injury. When they’re paired together for a mentorship program, sparks fly—and not the friendly kind. At first.
But what begins as mutual annoyance slowly, beautifully transforms into something so much deeper. Their chemistry simmers with tension, and the emotional payoff is as satisfying as the on-ice drama. Watching two tough, complex men navigate identity, vulnerability, and the possibility of a future together is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
This is a grumpy/sunshine romance done right—funny, tender, raw, and achingly real. The writing is sharp, the pacing is perfect, and the romance? Absolutely unforgettable. Hard Check is more than a sports romance. It’s about finding your voice, facing your fears, and discovering love in the last place you expect.
Highly recommend for fans of MM romance, found family, and emotionally driven love stories that leave you breathless.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book absolutely delivers on everything I want from a sports romance—and then some. Set against the rough-and-tumble backdrop of minor league hockey, Hard Check is an emotionally rich, slow-burn MM romance that had me hooked from the very first shift.
Holt Carver is the gruff, battle-worn veteran looking for something more meaningful than goals and penalty minutes. Matsson Pike is the golden boy struggling beneath the weight of expectations and the shadow of a recent injury. When they’re paired together for a mentorship program, sparks fly—and not the friendly kind. At first.
But what begins as mutual annoyance slowly, beautifully transforms into something so much deeper. Their chemistry simmers with tension, and the emotional payoff is as satisfying as the on-ice drama. Watching two tough, complex men navigate identity, vulnerability, and the possibility of a future together is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
This is a grumpy/sunshine romance done right—funny, tender, raw, and achingly real. The writing is sharp, the pacing is perfect, and the romance? Absolutely unforgettable. Hard Check is more than a sports romance. It’s about finding your voice, facing your fears, and discovering love in the last place you expect.
Highly recommend for fans of MM romance, found family, and emotionally driven love stories that leave you breathless.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 17, 2025
This is book 2 in the Lewiston Forge series and it can be enjoyed as a standalone read. This is the story of Holt Carver and Matsson Pike. Holt is a forward who knows that the end of his career is looming. He will never be called up to the NHL. That is alright with him. But he has no idea what he will do with his life after hockey. He doesn't want to be forgotten. He needs something to be a reflection of his time in the game. Maybe what he needs isn't something but someone. Matsson is a young player who has the NHL in his future. Coming back off an injury, he is worried that he might not get it all. Luckily the coach has a plan. A new mentoring program. Holt will be Matsson's mentor. Holt has a lot of hockey sense and a sharp eye. He misses nothing on the ice. Matsson will not be able to hide or lie. The grumpy mentor and his sunshine mentee. This is their story. I really enjoyed this book. It is a true hockey story included with a wonderful romance. The chemistry between the Matsson and Holt is fun to watch. A great read. I look forward to the next book in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 19, 2025
This was a first time read for me with this author and I couldn't be more impressed. The authenticity of emotions, especially Carver facing his last year as a hockey player, was so well done. The author's ability to bring his pain at losing his identity after hockey being everything and fear of having no legacy in which to be remembered was so heartfelt. The emotions were so organic and relatable.
Not be outdone, Pike's concern over his injury and the pressure to outperform his golden first season showed that even the sunniest of personality have fears. Also, his BI awakening to Carver with first confusion and then gradual acceptance was handled with grace. Their whole slow burn segue into exploring their physical and emotional attraction rang true to life.
The storyline was intriguing, but this is book centered on Carver and Pike facing major life changes and how they opened themselves up to new horizons. Together.
Great read and I'm going to check out the first book in the series, Broken Lines right away.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Not be outdone, Pike's concern over his injury and the pressure to outperform his golden first season showed that even the sunniest of personality have fears. Also, his BI awakening to Carver with first confusion and then gradual acceptance was handled with grace. Their whole slow burn segue into exploring their physical and emotional attraction rang true to life.
The storyline was intriguing, but this is book centered on Carver and Pike facing major life changes and how they opened themselves up to new horizons. Together.
Great read and I'm going to check out the first book in the series, Broken Lines right away.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 16, 2025
Open minds and hard work for the win. Carver and Pike, both have something to prove in their hockey careers. Carver wants to go pro or at least get a leadership role and leave a legacy. Pike is a rising star, then he suffers an injury. He is struggling during his comeback. Coach has them working together to improve their games. While collaborating, they get to know each other better while their games inmprove. Life is improving then they reach the point where they need to make important decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. Carver and Pike are really nice guys who understand hard work, dedication and love the game. Nice cover art! Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 28, 2025
This may sound odd; but throughout the book I was ONLY rooting for Carver. That’s odd right?
The author made me care about Carver. I understood his story. I didn’t feel the same about Carver and Pike as a couple. And I really didn’t care at all about Pike. I was so far in Carver’s corner that the only ending that would’ve made me happy is if Pike bent head over backwards to do anything he could for Carver - that didn’t happen of course.
Overall. Great writing style and great development with Carver. But I couldn’t connect with Pike and the two MCs as a couple felt half cooked.
The author made me care about Carver. I understood his story. I didn’t feel the same about Carver and Pike as a couple. And I really didn’t care at all about Pike. I was so far in Carver’s corner that the only ending that would’ve made me happy is if Pike bent head over backwards to do anything he could for Carver - that didn’t happen of course.
Overall. Great writing style and great development with Carver. But I couldn’t connect with Pike and the two MCs as a couple felt half cooked.
June 15, 2025
Thank you for the book, here is my honest opinion: 2.5⭐️ I love hockey romance and appreciate that this was focused on the minor leagues. I liked Carver, and enjoyed that his story is focused more on what comes after hockey. This had potential, I think but ultimately, there isn’t much romance. Pike and Carver seem more like buddies much of the time and the ending was a half hearted bummer. It’s was so underwhelming, it felt like these two were strangers in the epilogue, nowhere near a HEA, for me anyway.
June 16, 2025
Holt is near the end of his career and Mattson is on the path up when they find themselves paired by the coaches. They have a lot to learn from one another both on and off the ice. Their time together brings them more than either was expecting as they find love with one another - a double bi-awakening for them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 12, 2025
3.5⭐️s. This is book two in the Lewiston Forge series and we get Holt and Matsson’s story which is a good hockey romance with a grumpy/sunshine and a double bi-awakening storyline but I was definitely drawn to and hoping for the best for Carver(Holt) although I did like Matsson and was liked they got their happiness.
June 14, 2025
3.5 stars. A good ice hockey story, with one MC being at the end of his playing career and the other at the beginning of a big step upwards. Carver was a very enjoyable character to read, and his emotions were well written. Pike felt a lot less detailed. It was really nice to read a sports story with no homophobia and coming out focus.
June 21, 2025
Hard Check is the second book in the Lewiston Forge series and can be read as a standalone. This is a sexual awakening, slow burn, age gap, grumpy/sunshine read about Carver and Pike. I loved the story and the characters and makes me excited for more to come in the series.
July 5, 2025
Carver is a minor hockey player on his way out. Pike is on his way up. Carver is afraid Pike will forget him and leave him behind. Pike has to show Carver that he means everything to him and that he'll never leave him. I really enjoyed this book.
August 29, 2025
Carver faces the twilight of his career while Pike battles post-injury pressure. Pike and Carver are paired together so Carver can mentor Pike. They have chemistry but neither expected it. Will they come to realize that they could have something together?
June 12, 2025
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. it is a well written hockey romance. I liked Holt and I'm glad he found love with Matsson.
July 12, 2025
I'm a sucker for a sweet hockey romance. Pike, the rookie, and Carver, the veteran, are just so cute. I love the grumpy/sunshine vibe. The ending was so good.
August 17, 2025
Trop trop mimi vraiment Carver adorable et PIKE mon prince bien sûr de lui
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews