Goalie Oriented: Minnesota Fury #1

by Emma Kathleen

Milo Hall has one rule: to keep his head down, stop pucks, and don’t let anyone see past the mask.
At only twenty-three, he’s the Minnesota Fury’s Golden Boy. He’s also very closeted, very anxious, and not at all prepared for the team’s newest left winger.
Beau Bennett is confident, chaotic, and painfully hot. He’s also scared as hell after being traded from the only team he’s ever known.
When Milo offers up his spare room, the two are thrust into very close quarters, and Milo’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel.
Beau is supposed to be straight.
Milo is supposed to stay invisible.
And teammates are definitely not supposed to… whatever these two are doing.
But chemistry doesn’t care about the rules.
Neither does the heat simmering between late nights, accidental touches, and the growing truth that they can’t keep
They don’t just want each other, they want to be seen.
Rumors spark and the spotlight turns brutal, Milo and Beau will have to choose between hiding in the dark, or stepping out into the light.
A tender, insta-lust, clueless-to-lovers hockey romance about identity, desire, and the terrifying, exhilarating moment when wanting becomes risking everything.

Genres: Hockey, LGBT

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 24, 2026

Reviews

[Taylor Priem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc/sensitivity reader review !


I just want to say thank you to Emma for having me apart of this journey and with it being your first book it really makes a lot!!

And I just want to say this story OH MY GOD!! What a beautiful/strong book.

It being a hockey romance and LGBTQIA+ centered always gets me every time authors write it but the way that Emma wrote this was so good and to me the aspects of homophobia and queer aspects that happen in real life also like not being accepted and feeling scared to come out and that alone set this story to another level, it elevated it for me. Family is key for LGBTQIA+ individuals and them finding their found family just made my heart feel so happy.

I really grew to love beau like his character really grew in many ways. Like I loved him so much his so sweet side and then his dominance on the ice and in the bedroom like okay Mr Beau I see you mister I see you!!
But I loved how he grew to love himself and everything that he went through as a child and as an adult he really found himself and I really loved him.

Milo my sweet angel, he was a character I instantly grew to love, with him loving books especially smut books like I see you king I see you cause same. But also his trauma throughout his lifetime especially within his childhood and how that affected him even as an adult. He is a character that had so many emotions and feelings and you could tell by the way it was written that goes for beau too because both men had these strong emotions and they felt disconnected form the world and scared to come out and then everything that happened between them and them finding their own path and finding each other they became so strong and close and how they connected and how beau was protective of Milo but also how caring Milo was of beau like my Shayla’s I love the so much


I also wanna talk about the truck scene like HOLY FUCKK!! They are so hot and smutty like Jesus Christ I love it how dominate beau is and how beau is so submissive but then layer on the twist like I wasn’t expecting that.

And then the little plot twists and things that were said (I can’t say it you gotta read to find out about the teammates) and then the ENDING like the way I SCREAMED LIKE OH MY GOD I NEED MORE LIKE AHH!!


I personally loved this story I loved how it felt real, the smut felt very passionate but also so steamy and the nicknames like GIRLLLL!! And I also felt like the real life aspects like the homophobia, the scared to coming out and the importance of family acceptance can be for LGBTQIA+ indicuals and I felt like this book portrayed everything so well and the aspect of hockey like it just adds to the perfectness this book is. And it being centered in Minnesota just adds another personal component to this book because I’m from Minnesota but I’m also gay so this all felt very real and I loved every minute of it!!

Tropes:

🏑💋MM HOCKEY ROMANCE
🏑💋INSTA-LUST
🏑💋SUNSHINE
🏑💋sunshine protector
🏑💋idiots to lovers
🏑💋no one touches the goalie but him
🏑💋virgin (Milo)

🏑💋reader mmc (Milo)
🏑💋bisexual x gay
🏑💋good listener
🏑💋stubborn
🏑💋HORNY

Talks about homophobia, family issues, addiction, etc (mostly about real life/ livved experiences that LGBTQIA+ individuals go through daily)

[Kayte · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy!

Unfortunately, this one didn’t hit quite right for me. It seemed like it was trying to do too much and as a result, was underdeveloped by the time it got to my tablet. Sort of like detailed bullet points joining sex scenes together, rather than a fully fledged story. Also, first person perspective can be hit or miss for me; the narrative style really didn’t land with this one.

There are definitely readers on team queer hockey who will love this! I just wasn’t one of them.

[Veronica Ross]

Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Final rating: undecided at the moment! leaning towards 3/3.25 area.
I am in my gay hockey romance era so when i saw Emma’s pitch for her book on threads i knew i wanted in! i’m so grateful she let me see this story early. Goalie Oriented is a sweet and sexy romance between two new teammates on a professional hockey team. I felt that the characters were each fairly distinct and had well developed personalities. The side characters were a little under developed but i can see that changing as the series continues. The romance itself was also a little under developed but that could be because i personally struggle with instalove/instalust because it’s not something i personally experience. I saw another reviewer say that this felt a little bit like an ao3 fic tagged “plot what plot?” meaning heavy on the smut, low on the plot. while i don’t think that’s entirely the case, i do agree to an extent that the smut felt more well crafted than the plot. there were attempts at introducing certain plot lines that just didn’t really get a thorough follow through or were resolved too easily. however, this isn’t an inherently bad thing! that’s exactly what a lot of people are looking for. i read this in two sittings and enjoyed my time. so while it may not have been as deep or explorative as much of what i read, i am still glad i read it and will check out the author’s next work!

[Megan]

I received an arc from the author and had to DNF. I read to 28% and had to stop. The author literally dedicates the book to Jacob Tierney for the show inspiring the book but the inspiration goes way too far. It made me uncomfortable reading it because pieces are really just SO similar and, in some cases, exactly the same. Like, there are literally pieces of dialogue that are word for word.

“What a fucking night….
Everything you dreamed it would be?”
“Almost.”

I almost dropped it right there but was coming up to the first spicy scene so decided to read through that. I didn’t hate that, in fact, I’m so bummed because the feminization was great and I’d love more of it, but not in this fanfic-esque Heated Rivalry world. I’m honestly shocked none of the early readers (the editor, beta readers, or sensitivity readers) didn’t call out the blatant similarities. Inspiration is one thing but this was too far a step beyond inspiration for me that I can’t continue.

Good luck to the author on their release.

[Vannesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc Review: I really enjoyed this book Beau and Milo were kind of had an insta love/connection type of vibe going on and I was here for it. The way they helped each other out when it counted the most was so sweet and swoon worthy. I do wish there was an epilogue to see how there relationship blossomed and what the future looked like for them

[Becca Cherpak]

Had to DNF around 25%. I get being inspired by Heated Rivalry, but having some of the exact same lines/ scenes just felt weird. Felt like someone decided to publish a fic

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Thank you so much for this ARC. It was absolutely adorable. I loved watching Milo and Beau navigate life together. Some of the pacing felt rushed and i would have loved more focus on Beau working on his addictive tendencies but it was a really cute and fun read.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, but I think it could use a bit of polish and connective tissue. That said, I found myself looking forward to returning to the book when I had to put it down, so it was a good time. I did not know until recently that there was a name for "idiots to lovers" but I love it and this slots right in there.

You might like this book if you like:
- Dual POV with some 1P stream of consciousness
- Breakfast food
- You like smushing two characters together and saying "NOW KITH" and they absolutely do (and plenty else) #InstaLust
- Honorable mention: short women ruling the world (would love to see more of your minor characters in book #2)

Things I didn't like:
- The number of shirts that Beau ruined (sir!)
- Milo's parents (as God and author intended)
- Some of the pacing. When you're in a good scene, we're IN IT, but a few felt strung together, jumping from point A to point D because we wanted to get to the D (I said what I said).

My Top 5 favorite lines/quotes (no major plot spoilers, but if you don't want text directly from the book until you've read it, I've marked as a spoiler):

5. A million tiny butterflies moshing
4. I may be so proud of him I'm horny
3. You're making the same face you make when you find all the edge pieces for your puzzle.
2. His face is such an open book, and right now, that book is titled I Hate This
1. How beautiful to have been kissed so fervently by the sun


Thanks to the author for the chance to read & review this book early!

[Carlton Schaps · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate to be able to read an advanced reader copy for this book.

This is a very enjoyable book that is a good first effort. From the dedication on down, it is very clearly inspired by the “Game Changers” series by Rachel Reid and uses a lot of the tropes present in that specific author's work and is very clearly derivative of them.

That said I liked a lot about the book and would definitely read another one from the author. The characters are reasonably well developed. The author does a fantastic job describing locations in the book. It's like you're there. The main characters are likable. There are also several likable supporting characters that are pretty well developed.

Ironically for me I think the biggest turn off in the book were the relationship and the sex scenes. This is not an own voice work and I think the author would probably benefit from reading similar books by queer men to learn how they write about themselves. In particular, one of the characters has some sort of feminization kink that I am sure was meant to be hot but kind of struck me as cruel.

So for the scorecard:

Setting descriptions and sense of place, A

Character development and descriptions, A

Romantic relationship, B

Sex scenes, C

[Kyle Boyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely devoured this book! I experienced all the emotions while reading: lots of joy, anger, annoyance, sadness, the right amount of cringe, and always back to more joy at the end. The content warnings before chapter one are specific and thorough, whether something is prevalent or mentioned once for two sentences it is included which is really appreciated. The characters are not perfect people and their flaws are aplenty, but it’s really nice to see through communication they bring out the best in each other.
Knowing a series is planned it’s nice to see hints at some other characters who will likely get storylines of their own in the future. Some of my favorite characters were not the main couple and I am really excited to see how they are featured in the future of the series.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for this arc !

Devoured this book in such a short span because it was right up my alley. Insta-lust plus hockey players? Yes please!

I wish it was longer and more fleshed out but overall very cute hockey romance with the same type of storyline as Heated Rivalry with a few key differences.

They are both on the same hockey team, one has been there for a bit so established and the other just got traded to this team. These two are thrust into each other's daily lives when they now live together. Watch these two dance around each and then immediately clock each other and the wild adventure unfolds. I really loved Beau and Milo, they both have different journeys with their sexuality and I loved watching each stretch and grow. Overall very good book!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Arc copy*
A solid debut, if a little rushed.
Author is upfront their inspiration comes from the television series of Heated Rivalry and this is most evidenced by the absolute insta-love between our main couple. Their time together felt both like years of monumental lack of communication but also like there was 0 build up to the “I love yous”.
There’s also a lack of a clear timeline, with plots that seem to hit for a few pages to be immediately solved and forgotten about.
However, the relationship is sweet and the smut (whilst occasionally very short) is fun.
I’m looking forward to reading more of this series, hopefully when a little more time can be expended fleshing out the characters and narrowing down the conflict

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review:

The premise of this book was good, and I do enjoy an LGBTQ hockey romance. It was a page-turner, and I enjoyed reading it.

It was explicitly inspired by Heated Rivalry, which in the main didn't really affect my enjoyment of it, except for the injury scene - which was just so similar to the one in Heated Rivalry that it frustrated me.

Milo's backstory was very sad, and well written, and helped to explain his character really well.

I found some of the narrative around Beau's alcohol use irritating to read, partly because I felt it was unrealistic that he would stop drinking so easily after really minimal discussions with Milo.

Points for the dedication to Jacob Tierney by the way - I loved it!

I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[JoAnna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC, and I really, really wanted to like it. The author states in the dedication that it was inspired by the TV show Heated Rivalry, which wasn't a problem for me at all. However, as I got into the book, there were parts that were less "inspired by" and more directly ripped off of, and if I were Rachel Reid, the author of the book series from which HR was adapted, I would not be okay with that in any way.

I did enjoy the personalities of the characters and the spicy scenes were well written. But, the timeline was a little hard to follow, particularly as it relates to the hockey season, and I thought there were some loose ends left here and there.

Overall, it was an okay read, but the parts pulled directly from Heated Rivalry made me deduct a star.

[Dean Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goalie Oriented is the first hockey romance I read and it exceeded my expectations. Emma Kathleen masterfully represents the nuances of two queer men navigating a new relationship in a traditionally toxic male environment. While Milo and Beau’s longing and love for one another is clear to the reader, it’s adorable to watch them dance around each other and their feelings. Though deliciously smutty, Kathleen doesn’t shy away from the harder parts of Milo and Beau’s lives. From a struggle with alcohol to parental disappointment, Kathleen shows that with support and communication, a couple can survive and even succeed despite their circumstances. If you want something that’s equal parts steamy and sweet, Goalie Oriented is the book for you.

[Nicole Pinto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC. It is inspired by heated rivalry which I loved so of course I wanted to read this. I love a good MM hockey romance and I think with a bit of polish this could be a good book, but it definitely needs some editing with spelling and language. I didn’t love the POV because it did make it choppy at times. I also didn’t love Beau as a character all that much and I think that he himself could use a bit of polishing. It was a little too much at times. I did love Milo. He was a great character. I appreciate getting to read this early for an honest review.

[Erin Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Emma for allowing me to read this as an ARC!

I really wanted to love this. I’m a big fan of hockey romances, especially ones involving goalies, but this fell short for me. There were a few great moments, but it felt very similar to Heated Rivalry in a lot of places. While I understand being inspired by a work, it’s entirely different to utilize some of the same lines or plot points.

[Lindsay Burnatowski Freeman · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a very quick read. I am an ARC reader and received my copy from the author.

I wanted to love it as I love reading about hockey boys falling in love. I feel like it was inspired by Heated Rivalry, as mentioned in the beginning, but some scenes it cut too close plot and quote wise. There are still some typos and finessing to complete.

I did enjoy the characters themselves but felt like some scenes were rushed. A little fine tuning should help overall.

[Lea Branov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rtc

[acalithas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really sweet and cute! I liked how the main characters met and I enjoyed Milo and Beau together despite them playing relationship hookey for so long! Easy breezy read!

[Robin Hedger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Emma Kathleen for the ARC of Goalie oriented!
This is an insta-Lust story, which is usually not my cup' o tea but the story kept me reading :) Curl up and enjoy
M/M hockey gets another hit!