Two for Boarding

Minor Penalties #2

by S.B. Barnes

With fourteen years as the San Francisco Sea Lions’ top defenseman under his belt, Phil Easton is tired. After his coaches push him into playing on a bad knee and he ends up on long-term injured reserve, the chances of having his contract renewed dwindle before his eyes. He’s ready to hang up his skates when head coach Ben Morris shows up on his doorstep to help him recover. As what starts as a short-term boarding situation turns into friendship and maybe more, Phil can’t help noticing a few things about his coach that don’t add up.

Barring a short stint on a college hockey team, journalist Ben Sinclair has never been a sports fan. Every day he spends posing as the Sea Lions’ coach while investigating a scandal at the heart of the Sea Lions’ management, he hopes he can finish the job quickly and move on. But living in Phil’s spare room, growing closer to him by the day, Ben begins to wonder if putting down roots would be so bad. When Ben’s family calls in a favor in the form of taking in his wayward nephew, Charlie, Phil offers his support. The closer they grow, the more Ben relies on Phil for help with coaching and Charlie, going against every instinct he’s trained into himself for two lonely decades.

With his heart on the line, can Ben accept Phil’s offer of a convenient marriage to keep custody of Charlie? Can Phil figure out his own sexuality in time to make the marriage real? And can both of them work together to protect the Sea Lions from a conspiracy going all the way to the top?

Reading book 1 in advance is recommended.

Genres: Sports, M M Romance, Queer, Hockey, LGBT

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2026

About the author

S. B. Barnes attended college in the Hudson Valley, studying English Language and Literature and Anthropology (although unlike her characters, her time there was not interrupted by crime-solving). She grew up split between the USA and Germany, attending university in both countries before eventually settling in Germany. Today, she works as a teacher and lives with her husband, son, and two cats. Fiction has always been one of her greatest loves, as a reader, as a teacher, and as a writer, and she hopes you enjoy reading her work as much as she enjoys creating it.

Reviews

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this but not as much as the first book. Phil is such a sweetheart and I loved everything about him! I wasn’t as crazy about Ben. He was undercover but he wasn’t very good at it. At least try to be a hockey coach. I could never see this happening in real life but it’s a book so obviously I had to suspend disbelief.

I absolutely loved Ben’s nephew, Charlie. I am so happy that he was included in the story. The support for the trans teen and the other teens at the LGBTQIA+ shelter are some of my favorite parts of this series.

I read the first book and I loved it but I was still a bit lost at times because this story happens on the same timeline. You really need to read the first book in order to understand this one. I recommend reading g them close together.

The hockey players (almost all of them) on the Sea Lions are a great group of guys and they are so fun to read about. Breezy is my favorite and I think he could work his way into anyone’s heart.

I liked the relationship between Phil and Ben but I wish the story didn’t overtake so much of it. Everything else kind of overshadowed what was building between them. Things happened kind of fast. Even everything with Charlie happened quickly. This book is so intertwined with the first book that it took away from the love story.

I am very excited for future books, especially Breezy and Luca’s story! Now that the issues with the team that happened during books 1 & 2 are resolved I hope the third book can focus more on the relationship between these two men.

I do love the hockey in these books. The game is another character and I really love that. Barnes writes realistically about hockey and how it affects the players. I enjoy that. It makes these books stand out from other sports books.

Thank you to the author for an ARC
All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Jillian Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hockey romance with INTRIGUE!!

I adored this book. SB Barnes has done what only a true hockey fan can: written a complex and tense, emotional and gripping story about a beloved sport and the seedy underbelly that influences the lives of players and teams from outside the ice. A story that retains the humanity of the people at the heart of it; characters that, while fictional, were lovable, believable, and could just as easily be the subjects of a sports documentary rather than a sports romance.
Barnes did a superb job evoking the feeling of the constant feeding frenzy hockey players (and coaches!) experience as public figures and athletes. The media bytes at the beginning of each chapter both helped establish a timeline of the Sea Lions overall as a team, and underscore the feeling of constantly being under scrutiny from fans and sports media. I enjoyed getting to see familiar "faces" from book 1 in the form of recurring commenters on Sea Lions media posts, and my attention to the usernames paid off handsomely. Kilian Howard's dad, Sea Lions superfans, and a few more exciting appearances made the full experience of each included interview or BTS media moment enjoyable, and helped ground the series' world in reality. This is another thing I love as a reader, feeling glad for paying attention to the little details an author worked hard to weave in for us and feeling the richness of a setting!
I loved the arc of Ben getting to be there for his nephew Charlie, and wanting to be the supportive adult he never had from their family when he was a kid. Jax and Breezy's charity efforts from book 1 paid dividends for this little family now, a support network for Ben and community for Charlie (and hopefully, seeing Charlie happily spending time with other queer kids healed something in Ben, too ;u;). Phil's reflections on himself, the idea of family, and what he wants out of life really had me rooting for his happiness. It was so lovely to get to see his internal dialogue as he allowed himself to connect to parts of himself he hasn't engaged with in a long time. The extra toll of pressures of being a black male pro athlete seemed handled in good faith and with sensitivity, and it sharpened my desire for the investigative arc to come to a fruitful and legally-binding conclusion! Phil feeling a detachment from his body from a lifetime of high-level sports, and his surprise at Ben's interest at his most human, regular state rather than glamorous ad campaign looks or runway-ready moments, was such fertile ground for their romance to bloom. I loveddddddd all the Phil appreciation, and the Ben appreciation! The way Phil sees Ben's handsome body, these two really are perfect for each other.
This is basically turning into a list of "things about this book I liked" but THIS IS MY REVIEW I HAVE THE MIC, LMAO. While I'm at it, I deeply loved their mutual connection and desire for a leisurely intimacy that just lets them relax and enjoy each other (and themselves). Ease and comfort are so foundational in their relationship, from their downtime together to the way they celebrate their milestones. I adored how their relationship centers on their actual wants, not performing some ideal of passion or what partnership "should" look like.
I'm excited to reread this one, and I have a feeling I'll be coming back to it again and again!

[iam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite lovely!
All throughout Two for Holding it is very clear that something is up with the head coach, Ben Morris, and Phil is a great friend to the main character despite being injured and unable to play.
Two for Boarding plays parallel to the first book, and I struggled a bit with keeping the timelines straight. The book didn't seem to concern itself overmuch with marking time, but as a stickler for details this bothered me a little as I was anxious to reach the overlapping markers/interactions that would mark the timeline.

I am not exactly sure if what Ben is doing counts as a spoiler - maybe I missed something, but his exact goal/purpose is only spelled out on-page pretty late in the book, even though it's deducable much earlier.

I really enjoyed Ben and Phil's interactions, even though there are some things that don't entirely make sense. Mainly, the way Phil choses not to comment on/notice the things about Ben that don't add up, and how Ben is absolutely terrible at pretending to be a Hockey coach. To be honest, I am baffled that this was not made into a bigger deal in the books.

This lack of depth applied to the romance too. It just sort of putters along the plot without either character putting much thought into their mutual (reciprocated!) attraction. At the same time, the romance being so low-key and almost secondary was also what made it so charming, and it fit the characters perfectly. Phil describes himself as a simple guy, who is happy to enjoy things that come easily, and that includes company in his house even if their reason for staying is flimsy, and extends to being sort of lazy about sex and not being spending too much time thinking about his sexuality. Ben meanwhile just has so much going on in his life, and pretending to be a head coach is just one of the many, many things of his plate, so thinking too hard about the budding relationship with the hockey player he's rooming with, or putting much thought into pretending, does also make sense.

The plot around Ben's nephew being kicked out by his family and coming to stay with Ben was super lovely. I always love seeing trans-rep in books, but to see it in the extremely cis-dominated space of m/m sports romance was lovely, even if the rep wasn't for one of the main characters (still waiting on that).

Another thing I love, not just about this book but the entire series, is the time spent on the team dynamics, as well as the team itself. I also appreciate the setup of the series not being afraid to make it clear that things are going on in the background, and I was delighted when my suspicions about Breezy and Luca were confirmed at the end, as they are getting their own book sometime soon! I for one am very much looking forward to that.

Overall, I had a great time with this. It is far from your standart sports romance, which is exactly what I enjoyed about it.

I received an ARC and reviewed it honestly & voluntarily.

[Claire Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a queer hockey romance fan I was thrilled when I stumbled across S.B. Barnes’ first book in the Minor Penalties series. Two for Boarding demonstrated the author’s knowledge and critical love of hockey as well as her ability to craft an engaging top tier romance. The second book in the series, Two for Boarding, is similarly an excellent read taking up and extending Barnes’ interrogation of the problematic aspects of a sport that has a long way to go in terms of diversity and inclusion. With one of the main characters being Black, the hockey’s whiteness and the racism players encounter were highlighted in this installation through Phil’s experiences.

In a lot of ways, the premise of this book is outlandish. It’s very hard to believe that anyone associated with an NHL team, including the management and players, would not be more seriously concerned with the absolute ineptitude of an undercover head coach. Moreover, Phil being so welcoming and opening his house to essentially two strangers and the fake marriage scheme also seemed a little unbelievable and convenient. However, forced proximity and marriage of expediency are common tropes in this genre and as a romance reader I’ve been asked to lean into some pretty wild scenarios for the sake of plot. So, I managed to switch off any niggling reservations about plausibility and enjoy Phil and Ben’s story.

This is certainly a very different kind of hockey romance – despite Ben being the head coach he doesn’t even like the sport and Phil is struggling with a potentially career-ending injury. However, hockey as context infuses the text and Ben’s attempts to discover the conspiracy undermining the team is a central driving element of the plot. Therefore, there’s enough sport to satisfy readers who care as much about that element as the romance.

One aspect of the story I really loved was how embedded into the queer community the two main characters became through caring for and supporting Ben’s nephew and their involvement in the team’s charity work with the local shelter for LGBTQIA+ teenagers. Often in hockey romances, the only other queer people the main characters have relationships with are each other and as a reader I long to see them find the support and connection that comes from being in community. I also liked the realism that families often contain multiple LGBTQIA+ members, who might not have the same identities, but who help and encourage each other in empathetic and understanding ways.

If you’re a fan of hockey romances that don’t idealise the sport and instead offer a dose of realism alongside a sweet and sexy romance then I highly recommend this book and series. I’m looking forward to the rest of the books in this series and Barnes is quickly becoming one of my favourite hockey romance authors.

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars rounded up

[Pontiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben is the head coach for the Sea Lions, but not really. He’s an investigative journalist and is undercover, working to prove the team owner and defensive coach are using the team for insider betting.

Phil is off due to an injury, and he can see how Ben has no clue about coaching, and that Trout, the defensive coach, is overworking his group, which led to Phil’s injury.

Phil’s friend Tom, the captain, tells Ben that Phil needs help so he moves in to look after him. Phil can’t find out any more about Ben and his coaching background, which is suspicious, so he coaches through Ben to help him.

They feel attracted to each other and share a kiss, which, for Phil, brings up old memories of teenage fumbling with boys. But this is very different, and he and Ben want to explore their growing feelings for each other.

Meanwhile, Ben’s mother calls to tell him he has to look after his cousin, Charlotte, who’s being kicked out, much like him when he came out. Charlotte is actually Charlie, and he’s only 14, so Ben scrambles to get him set up at school and thinks about getting an apartment and moving out of Phil’s house.

Phil offers to have them both stay, and learns that Ben was a Mormon, and his family was very strict, so he’s been on his own since 18, and he can’t leave Charlie to fend for himself.

To that end, when the social worker visits Phil says they’re going to get married, but Ben is hesitant, even though he’s falling in love with Phil. Phil is desperate to have Ben and Charlie stay, and realizes he’s also in love with Ben.

Ben figures out a way to uncover the bad coach and team owner’s betting, and they are charged. The manager who hired him escapes and tells Ben not to do anything, but Ben has to do what’s right. Ben and Phil do get married, for themselves, and Phil gets the family he’s always wanted.

This was an interesting story, with an undercover element and a heartbreaking religious subplot that shows how hurtful rejection can be. It wasn’t believable for Ben to not be caught out sooner, but a Cyrano save made it work.

I received this ARC for free and am glad to give it my honest review with thanks.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

As repetitive and unbelievable as the first book

There are spoilers ahead.

If you haven't read the first book, Two for Holding, you should. That one and this run concurrently and, while you can read this as a standalone, the first one puts a lot of this into context. That said, it was a long book for a story that could have been told in half the number of pages. I got ARCs of both these books so I felt duty bound to read this one. To be fair, this was better than Two for Holding, but still not great. Suspension of disbelief is a requirement for both books.
Phil is a Sea Lions player on the injured list, Ben is their new coach and this is their story.
Ben is obviously not a coach, not even putting up a good front throughout the books, but no one questions him. Phil has some suspicions but doesn't say anything at all. Ben doesn't even bother to show up for training sometimes and we're expected to believe that wouldn't raise any eyebrows?
Phil's sexuality is another bone of contention for me. Ben is attracted to Phil and keeps telling him they won't work because Phil is straight. Really? Phil keeps his younger self's experimenting quiet and doesn't tell Ben about it, but it doesn't stop them getting handsy and more, and yet Ben still maintains Phil is straight. Really, really?
The story arc behind Ben's appointment to Head Coach was a bit of a damp squib too. It took a back seat to the love story and pretty much fizzled out, with little consequences apart from one coach.
My favourite character overall was Charlie, Ben's nephew. That storyline was lovely, full of heartwarming moments, most of them actually between Phil and Charlie. I loved their interactions with the shelter too, and Charlie finding friends there.
My favourite hockey player was Breezy. What a sweetheart he was, and his friendship with Luca was wonderful. I got the feeling there was more there and that is now confirmed, with the next book being their story. I will have to read it and am keeping my fingers crossed that they get better treatment.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - I just really like this author's style and basically just trust that anything she publishes, I'm going to enjoy. This was a bit of a departure from the first book in the series, but having read her mystery books, I could see this was kind of a mash-up. Not a real mystery, not a thriller, but had a soupçon of intrigue that differentiates it from the thousands of other hockey romances.

The forced proximity is really good, and while it took me a while to be fully on board with the pairing, once I was, it was wonderful. The way that Phil clocks that Ben is not just inexperienced, but constantly adding to his knowledge of his character, and knew that he was a good person, likely with good intentions, so he let his deceptions continue. He knew enough to know there must be a good reason for him being so cagey and decided not to push the issue. I love that aspect of Phil's character; he is the ultimate Dad-bro. He can sit and wait for a fish to come to him for ten hours; he can certainly remain in suspense for why someone would be fibbing about their resume indefinitely.

I can see some readers just not being able to suspend their disbelief about Ben being able to bungle his way along as a head coach with zero credentials, but I went with it, and really enjoyed when he basically gave up the game himself, saying "I know I suck and I agree this is ridiculous. Can I just quit and be released from this ruse?" and the whole team is like "No, you need to finish the season at least."

The addition of Ben's nephew to the mix was a great catalyst, but Charlie is also a wonderful kid who was forced int0 a really tough spot, so I loved watching them all become a family together.

I am READY for book 3, thanks so much to Gay Romance Reviews for the review copy of this one!

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Two for Boarding was yet another immersive and compelling S.B. Barnes romance that I very much enjoyed! Every single sentence felt solid, grounding me into Phil and Ben's love story. It felt tangible, the way their romance unfolded, and their HEA was an adorable one!

Not a lot of hockey in this romance, but Ben's investigation added a layer of intrigue that offset the lack of sporty action. I also looooooooooved the commentary on racism, and other strains of bigotry the league remains guilty of to this day.

Ben and Phil's romance was pretty light one. They were cozy together, and the journey towards their HEA was fairly easygoing and I appreciated that. Phil was open and kind, thoughtful and generous. He gave Ben and Charlie's rough reality a gentle, caring place for them to rest in safely. And I loved that their relationship was built on soft layers of compassion, sweetness, a touch of the spicy stuff, and that Phil and Ben and Charlie's forever ending was a sparkling win for them all!

Really loving this series so far, and I'm LEGIT SCREAMING for Luca and Breezy's story up next!!

Barnes needs to dial up the fire for Book 3, because two books of clocking their UST and they deserve the HOTTEST level of action this series has yet to deliver!

eeee Give. It. To. Me! I'm ready to melt into the floor for their love! Can't wait!

[Michelle N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two for Boarding is the second book in the Minor Penalties series by S.B. Barnes. The story in this book runs parallel with book one in the series and it extends past the events in book one. Two for Boarding brings us back to the ice with the San Francisco Sea Lions hockey team as they work to build their team with new players and a new coach. That new coach is Ben Morris who is one of the main characters of this book with Phil Easton, the defense man who was injured in book one.
Coach Ben Morris was a bit of a mystery in book one of the series. He did not have a big hockey resume, and seemed to not know how to coach a hockey team. His inability to stand up to his players resulted in Phil getting injured. Phil is recently divorced and struggling to function with an injury so Ben moves in to help out. As the two men get to know each other a friendship and companionship develops between them. While Phil learns the secrets of why Ben is coaching the team and needs his help, Phil is learning that his growing attraction to Ben might mean he is not so straight after all.
I enjoyed both books in the series. I was happy many of the questions left from the first book were answered. There are some fantastic side characters featured in this book and they added depth and heart to the story. I am very much looking forward to the third book in the series.

[CatOnABlueBackground · Rating 4 out of 5]

You definitely need to read Two for Holding first, because there is an underlying situation that starts with the first book and ends in this one.

Ben is the head coach of the Sea Lions, but things are odd – he doesn't seem to care much or really know what he's doing. Hockey player Phil wrecks his knee during practice and is having a hard time getting around his house due to the stairs. Ben moves in to help (& really never leaves).

There's a gambling crime ring going on within the Sea Lion's coaches that Ben is under cover to try to solve. There's a 14-year-old that comes to Ben to raise because he is kicked or his Mormon household (Ben left his Mormon upbringing many years ago). Then there's Phil and Ben falling in love (despite Phil thinking he was straight).

Loved the rest of the team – looking forward to seeing more of them. There's a bit of an age gap between Ben & Phil – but everyone's an adult here. Medium spice, trans teenager, and found family.

Good book – a little confusing at first because I had forgotten some things from the first book. Maybe a little slow in spots, but definitely worth reading. I'll be picking up the third book when it comes out.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

This is the second book in the Minor Penalties series and the story timeline is mostly concurrent with the first book. While Tom and Jax are figuring out their lives, the readers got to see hints that more was going on with Phil and the head coach. However, despite this, the stories are fairly separate. There’s only a little interaction between the MCs from the first book and the MCs here, though I still think this series is best read in order. The author also sets up the third book, and it’s clear at least some of that storyline takes place at the same time as the first two books.

I will say, right off the bat, the fact that a journalist is posing as a head coach in the NHL is a little unbelievable. The author does some work to mitigate that, but you definitely have to be ready to suspend some disbelief here

There’s a lot of hockey in this book, which has its moments, and ultimately, it’s a good book. I’m looking forward to what the author does with the next one.

Read Kris’s review in its entirety here.

[L H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a layered story and that really made it interesting for me. Phil is a hockey player at a crossroads in his career. He has a serious injury that threatens his ability to play not only one more season but to keep playing. Phil is also dealing with being one of few Black players in the NHL. His team has a new head coach who is unknown and does not seem to be suited for his job. It turns out that Ben is not suited for the job but is in fact there for another reason. These two wind up living together - Ben needs a place to stay and Phil needs assistance with his injury and over time first a friendship, then more develops between them. There is more going on for the team as it turns out that one of their coaches is dirty and is fixing things to facilitate injuries among the players for gambling reasons and their GM has known but not done what he should to deal with it. This was the scandal that Ben was undercover posing as a hockey coach to uncover. And then on the home front, Ben's transgender nephew winds up coming to live with them. There are so many layers to this story even beyond those and that made it rich and interesting throughout.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book I absolutely devoured - this series is quickly becoming a favorite for me!

I did not want to put this down at all, staying up late, waking up early, and avoiding adulting.

After getting a glimpse of Phil and Ben in the first book, I had so many questions as was excited to get a chance to hear the answers from them directly! Their love story is not direct in any way, but by the end I was rooting for them and I could see how good they were for each other.

While this is a hockey book, this isn't a book that worships the sport or the league. The commentary covers homophobia, racism, and even illegal schemes at the management level. There is no idolization of the sport, but rather actual conversations about some of the negatives of it all.

Added to Ben being a head coach with no experience (and while thinking hockey is a silly sport), his nephew gets sent to live with him, without having ever met in the past. Having to handle so many things at once, Phil really steps in and becomes the family both Ben and his nephew needs.

Absolutely beautiful book, I'm so excited to recommend it when it releases!

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

[Bluemoonchild · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to this book since the end of book 1, and I was not disappointed. I loved the premise of this one - the coach who actually isn't and the veteran defenseman starting down the end of his career, trying to figure out who he is outside of the rink. Everything Phil is going through felt very real and watching him navigate his injury, his recovery, and his identity and what comes next added a lot of emotional weight. And Ben's double life posing as a head coach was a unique twist that I haven't ever read in a hockey romance before. I loved it! Paired with his complete lack of hockey knowledge made it a fun plot line.

I love a good marriage of convenience trope and this one hit the mark. There's the forced proximity, the lack of trust that turns into the most trusting relationship, and the added 'complication' of Ben's nephew - that's a lot for a real marriage, let alone a fake one. But Phil and Ben figure it out, the story wraps up in that feel-good way that comes with found family.

[I received an advanced copy of this book. All reviews and ratings are my own.]

[Ashley Carrillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a doozy. We have Phil, an injured player pushed to play on a bad knee in hopes of renewing his contract with the Sea Lions. He is tired and is now on the injured reserves and is about ready to give up. That is until his head coach Ben steps up to help him recover. What Phil doesn't know is that Ben isn't even a fan of sports and he's actually an undercover journalist with a possible scoop who now finds himself living with Phil and feeling guilty for the rouse. Throw in Phil taking in his transgender nephew, Charlie and an offer of a marriage of convenience and you have a book and a wild ride to be had. Neither man should work together but they just do and their journey from friends to more was enjoyable to read. A lot of things had to be talked about and come to light to give both men a shot at forever but in the end they got their HEA even though the stoey isn't done yet just because they got their happy ending. There are more missing pieces in this story and I'm excited for the next book in the series.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first. I had wondered if it was going to be a little over the top, what with all the drama that goes on in this story, but it actually meshes together really well.

I liked the idea of the illegal betting, and Phil and Ben were really cute together.

Phil was a sweetheart and handled his changes really maturely. Ben is a terrible coach, grumpy, funny, and surprisingly endearing.

Charlie’s situation was so sad, but I’m glad he had people he could rely on. I can’t imagine being 14 and being ripped away from everything I’ve ever known.

I’m still not into the articles at the beginning of each chapter; I don’t think it adds anything, but that’s really my only negative. I thought the story kept you engaged this time around, and the characters were more interesting and likeable.


………………………………………………………….
I got an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second instalment in the Minor Penalties series is far more than a straightforward hockey romance. Phil Easton, a veteran defenceman facing the end of his career after a badly handled knee injury, is forced to reassess everything he thought defined him. When “head coach” Ben Morris moves in to help with his recovery and also secretly investigating corruption within the team, what begins as convenience slowly deepens into something tender and complicated.

Though not a huge fan of sports i loved how this blended with plenty of suspense, keeping me captivated. The behind-the-scenes politics, media scrutiny and organisational scandal add real tension, while the romance itself unfolds with warmth and emotional honesty. Phil’s journey with his injury and sexuality feels thoughtful and nuanced, and Ben’s determination to protect his nephew Charlie gives the story a strong found-family heart.

I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review.

[Nia · Rating 5 out of 5]

• Welp. Oh oh this book 2 didn't disappoint AT ALL. This was soo good, like..what more do I need?? This had everything that I want from a hockey romance.
• The characters were painfully real, and absolutely lovable. They were middle aged, Ben (42) & Phil (34) and acted like it and worked out their trauma, and I loved the issues discussed in this book, the unsavory side of sports without all that glamour that is filled with toxicity, this one had racism, homophobia, religious guilt and trauma but despite such heavy topics being discussed this book is also absolutely tender and adorable.
• I love how sex is shown as too much work and how they communicated their needs to each other clearly.
• I love love this book, totally totally recommended!! Like READ IT NOW!
• I also desperately need book 3!! No cliffhanger this time 😂 but still...I can't wait.
💖 Thanks GRR and SB Barnes for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Babara-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A SWEET SLOW BURN WITH INTRIGUE!💕

The second book of the series was very interesting and engaging with good plot lines and main and secondary characters!

We first met Phil Easton as a married then divorced Assisting Captain and mother hen to the team that hurt his knee during a fight on ice…

Ben Morrison is the head coach that shows no interest in the team but suddenly agrees to look after Phil during his recuperation, thus moving in with him… hmmm there’s more to Ben that meets the eye…

This is where their slow burn romance begins where they get to know each other and discover each other’s weaknesses and secrets in close proximity…

Bens trans nephew that came to stay with them was a breath of fresh air and played an important role in their lives..

The plot line involving Defence Coach Trout was very interesting and engaging with an epilogue to round off everything that hints at the next two characters who will have their own story!

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

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a different and interesting hockey series. This one is much lighter on the sports since we have a "coach" (who really thinks hockey is the silliest thing in the whole world) and an injured player, but it worked for them because they really got to be who they were outside of the hockey world. Which Phil needed because his time in that space was limited and he needed to be able to find his life outside of a rink. And for Ben, well, he wouldn't know what to do if it was all about hockey 😂 I loved watching them fall for each other, the tie up of some of the wild parts of book 1, the introduction of Charlie (seriously,I ADORED this storyline), and the little show of the next couple (BREEZY I LOVE YOU). Also, I loved how like very raw the spice was. These two were jut SO into each other's bodies. Just top notch.

[Karen T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Injured San Francisco Sea Lions defenseman Phil Easton is facing the possible end of his career when head coach Ben Morris moves in to help with his recovery. What starts as a practical arrangement quickly becomes complicated as Phil begins to suspect Ben isn’t who he seems. Posing as the coach while secretly investigating a management scandal, Ben finds his carefully guarded life unraveling as he grows closer to Phil and navigates the added challenge of caring for his troubled nephew.

This is a slow-burn romance with medium spice and minimal on-ice hockey, with much of the story driven by everything else happening in Ben’s life. I enjoyed it from start to finish, and the epilogue left me eager to continue the series with Breezy and Luca’s story next.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.75

Two for Boarding was a good read but I did enjoy book one a little more. Ben is the teams hockey coach we seen how he was in book one and let's be honest he was a horrible coach. Well that would be because he's not a real coach his is under disguise he really is a journalist. But boy oh boy did Ben do nothing to really seem like he could be a coach, he could have tried a little bit more on that lol. Phil we get to see how being out on his ACL issue plays out for him. This man does go through quite a few feelings during this time while Ben stays with him.

I do like them together, it definitely feels their relationship escalated quickly but hey it is what it is I guess with the situation they are in.

Charlie is adorable and I love him in every way.

[Sarah Wozniak]

DNF @ 55%
URGHH I really wanted to like this book. I loved the premise of this book- I even liked the blurb better than the first book. This book felt like it was going to be different than the other mxm hockey books out there- but sadly it did not hit the mark.
I felt like the book just ran out of steam for me about halfway through. Overall, it just felt a little boring to me- I just didn’t care about the players or the story.
All in all, I would still give this a try if it seems like something you might enjoy. It just didn’t catch my interest at this time!

[Jennifer Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed this series! I’ll always love a MM hockey romance. This had a little intrigue. A mystery. Trans rep which was nice. Bi awakening. This is about Ben and Phil who we met in book 1. Ben is undercover and Phil is on the IL (injured list). Ben moves in To help Phil and suddenly they are guardians of a teen.
I really enjoyed the supporting characters like Breezy 🤣 he so funny and chaotic. Can’t wait til we get to his book. Tom and Jax are back and that was fun seeing the timeline in someone else’s story.

This was a slow burn. 1.5-2🌶️. This was mostly ploy and was awesome.

[Vols77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that made me smile a lot about two great men, Phil and Ben. Phil is a wonderfully written veteran hockey player who is suddenly injured and worried about his future. His new coach (Ben), soon to be roomie show up, offering to help, but Phil is suspect in that he is not what he seems. Which is actually true--he actually is a journalist undercover investigating Phil's hockey team. I love how Ben is committed to his job but soon feels guilty about not be honest. A great read that is a wonderful way to spent and afternoon reading.

[Mx Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I may not have cared for all of the inner dialogue versus conversations, I loved everything else about this book. I love the characters. I love the paths they are finding themselves on and how they get to the end of the book. I would have of course loved more intimate and steamy moments, but that isn’t this couple. I’ll be back for the next story because you could see this one coming a country away. I can’t wait.

“Thank you, NineStar Press, for providing this book for review consideration via Indigo Marketing & Design. All opinions are my own.”

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wavered between four and five stars for this, but what the heck, it made me smile a whole lot, and these days that’s worth an extra half star. This is just a sweet, kind, heartwarming story from start to finish. Is it entirely, or even particularly, plausible? No. But it made me want to reread book one and wriggle in anticipation of book three. Tons of fun, no notes.

My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for an advance copy of this book.

[Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED!! Loved this second book as much as the first. Once again I thoroughly enjoyed the real take on a lot of issues in the NHL and in this case with professional sports in general when it comes to race and ethnicity. I also deeply related to Ben LOL I too cannot make it though an entire hockey game without getting a headache from the constant sound of the sticks on the ice and the godawful goal horns 😂 five stars lol

[TUKricker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrative: 📕📘📗📓
Angst: Moderate
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Humor: 😆😆😆
Heart: 💧💧💧💧💧
Romance: ❤️❤️❤️
Burn Time: Moderate

Breezy is one of my favorites but im dying to know what's up with him and Luca.

Besides that its just a breath of fresh ice reading this second installment. The secondary story line really carries in this one and the development of Charlie tugs at the heart strings.

I dont have a bad thing to say about it, just bring on more.

[Jo Atkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book and feel it’s important to have read Two for Holding first as universe will make more sense. Phil is nearing the end of his hockey career when a season ending injury occurs, he can’t navigate his house due to stairs. Ben is the head coach, who is really an undercover reporter investigating a gambling ring. He moves in to assist Phil but it morphs into more. Phil’s nephew Charlie is a fantastic side character and the story is detailed but well told.