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Goalie Oriented: Minnesota Fury #1
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.
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.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 24, 2026
Goalie Oriented was quite the ride and I was invested in the characters, but I think it tried to do too much in the plot. Some things felt like they should be important, but also that they were out of left field. Almost like they were included for plot progression and a need to say an important thing, but like the same thing could be accomplished differently. (I hope that makes sense, I'm trying to avoid spoilers, lol!) As someone else said in their review, it felt like there was a list of goals to achieve in the plot of the book, but they didn't feel bound together as well as I'd hope. I'm interested to see where this series goes, and I'm super thankful for the opportunity to read this one early.
March 27, 2026
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.
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.
May 30, 2026
I understand that this is a debut and it's also very clearly meant to be some sort of homage to Heated Rivalry, so I tried to read with this in mind, but this was not a great reading experience for me.
This is one of the most emotionally shallow romances I've ever read in my life. I'm not using that term pejoratively, I just mean that every single thing that happens in this book happens on the surface. Even though there's quite a lot first-person inner monologue, there's virtually no emotional depth, or peeling back of layers, or subtext. The writing is very factual and also repetitive, the author kept saying the same thing over and over. All conflict is swiftly resolved and there is zero tension, even though the potential is there. It has a YA feel, but not in a good way. There's also the straight up theft of HR lines, which wouldn't have bothered me if they served some sort of purpose in the story, but the references just felt like unnecessary plugs. It's all very wink wink, it was kind of annoying.
The story itself is about a new trade to a Minnesota hockey team who shows up and immediately has an enormous crush on the hot goalie. The hot goalie reciprocates the crush and offers for the new guy to move into his house while he tries to find non-hotel accommodation. You can see where this is going right? They spend a very short amount time of palming their dicks (this happens so often) and not having sex, and then do and the rest is history. I just did not connect with them. If you asked me what each of these guys are like, I would struggle to describe them, they didn't feel super distinct to me at all.
The thing is - there is just SO MUCH hockey fic out there, like tons and tons, from really good authors who have been writing for a long time, and MM readers have been reading hockey MM for as long as its been around, so we have opinions. And now post-HR, it feels like the genre has exploded and it feels so saturated, to stand out you have to be pretty extraordinary. So I wish this author all the best, but I don't think I'm going to try and keep up with the rest of this series.
This is one of the most emotionally shallow romances I've ever read in my life. I'm not using that term pejoratively, I just mean that every single thing that happens in this book happens on the surface. Even though there's quite a lot first-person inner monologue, there's virtually no emotional depth, or peeling back of layers, or subtext. The writing is very factual and also repetitive, the author kept saying the same thing over and over. All conflict is swiftly resolved and there is zero tension, even though the potential is there. It has a YA feel, but not in a good way. There's also the straight up theft of HR lines, which wouldn't have bothered me if they served some sort of purpose in the story, but the references just felt like unnecessary plugs. It's all very wink wink, it was kind of annoying.
The story itself is about a new trade to a Minnesota hockey team who shows up and immediately has an enormous crush on the hot goalie. The hot goalie reciprocates the crush and offers for the new guy to move into his house while he tries to find non-hotel accommodation. You can see where this is going right? They spend a very short amount time of palming their dicks (this happens so often) and not having sex, and then do and the rest is history. I just did not connect with them. If you asked me what each of these guys are like, I would struggle to describe them, they didn't feel super distinct to me at all.
The thing is - there is just SO MUCH hockey fic out there, like tons and tons, from really good authors who have been writing for a long time, and MM readers have been reading hockey MM for as long as its been around, so we have opinions. And now post-HR, it feels like the genre has exploded and it feels so saturated, to stand out you have to be pretty extraordinary. So I wish this author all the best, but I don't think I'm going to try and keep up with the rest of this series.
April 28, 2026
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)
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)
May 24, 2026
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.
“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.
May 3, 2026
Thank you to the author for the eARC!
I think this book had potential, the blurb had me interested, but it fell short. It needed quite a bit more refining.
One of my major complaints is that there is so much going on in this book that I genuinely could not keep up with every plot line, and neither could the book. There were many situations that were left hanging, plot lines just forgotten, and, frankly, ones that were so unnecessary, There were many things that are mentioned once or twice and then ignored, like resolution wasn't necessary.
There is heavy influence from HR, with a lot of scenes being very reminiscent of the book/show. While there are always going to be some overlaps, there were more than seem coincidental or acceptable, especially for a book that has a dedication to Jacob Tierney and other loons waiting for season 2.
The characters in general were mainly enjoyable. It's a friends (and roommates) to lovers romance, with quite a bit of insta-lust if not insta-love.
Ultimately, this wasn't the book for me. I'm intrigued by what is being set up for the future of the series, so I may be back.
*While I did receive an ARC and not a final copy, there were a lot of editing issues that would not be fixed with the typical proofreading that follows the ARC copies before the final copies, but rather needed more of a developmental edit. Since I did not read the final edition, these changes may have been fixed...
I think this book had potential, the blurb had me interested, but it fell short. It needed quite a bit more refining.
One of my major complaints is that there is so much going on in this book that I genuinely could not keep up with every plot line, and neither could the book. There were many situations that were left hanging, plot lines just forgotten, and, frankly, ones that were so unnecessary, There were many things that are mentioned once or twice and then ignored, like resolution wasn't necessary.
There is heavy influence from HR, with a lot of scenes being very reminiscent of the book/show. While there are always going to be some overlaps, there were more than seem coincidental or acceptable, especially for a book that has a dedication to Jacob Tierney and other loons waiting for season 2.
The characters in general were mainly enjoyable. It's a friends (and roommates) to lovers romance, with quite a bit of insta-lust if not insta-love.
Ultimately, this wasn't the book for me. I'm intrigued by what is being set up for the future of the series, so I may be back.
*While I did receive an ARC and not a final copy, there were a lot of editing issues that would not be fixed with the typical proofreading that follows the ARC copies before the final copies, but rather needed more of a developmental edit. Since I did not read the final edition, these changes may have been fixed...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
April 22, 2026Dnf at 26%
I'm really bummed about this one because everything in me wanted to love it. I struggled with minor inconsistencies, which to so many readers wouldn't matter, but jump off the page at me. They lives together two weeks, the next page it's been 24 hours, then back to two weeks. I know it is nitpicky but my brain just doesn't let that stuff go. The big issue I had really came down to not feeling like I was reading two professional hockey players. I don't know how to describe the tone other than it felt like I was being told a story written by someone rather than the characters telling the story. I made it to the first spicy scene which felt ao incredibly rushed (for these characters, not for the timing in the book) and I just had to be done.
I'm really bummed about this one because everything in me wanted to love it. I struggled with minor inconsistencies, which to so many readers wouldn't matter, but jump off the page at me. They lives together two weeks, the next page it's been 24 hours, then back to two weeks. I know it is nitpicky but my brain just doesn't let that stuff go. The big issue I had really came down to not feeling like I was reading two professional hockey players. I don't know how to describe the tone other than it felt like I was being told a story written by someone rather than the characters telling the story. I made it to the first spicy scene which felt ao incredibly rushed (for these characters, not for the timing in the book) and I just had to be done.
Did Not Finish
March 26, 2026Had 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
Read
April 1, 2026Thank 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!
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!
April 27, 2026
2 ⭐️ 1.75 🌶️
I really appreciate the author sending me this book. I was so looking forward to another hockey romance and there were elements that I would have enjoyed thoroughly and I wanted them flushed out more, to go deeper with the MMC’s and their journeys, and pulled together more.
What I enjoyed: a forced proximity, the forbidden of the relationship, lovable characters, intro to other couples in the series, and the feminization during the spicy scenes.
Where I wanted more: depth about the progression of their relationship (it’s very insta and then fairly fast paced without seeing the development), certain plot points connected more cohesively (some parts felt placed in and there never revisited for full closure), and the pacing to slow down and enjoy these wonderful characters.
I absolutely think there’s an audience out there who would love this book! And really enjoy Beau and Milo- and while I enjoyed many parts of what book had, I felt that there was more potential the book 🩵
I really appreciate the author sending me this book. I was so looking forward to another hockey romance and there were elements that I would have enjoyed thoroughly and I wanted them flushed out more, to go deeper with the MMC’s and their journeys, and pulled together more.
What I enjoyed: a forced proximity, the forbidden of the relationship, lovable characters, intro to other couples in the series, and the feminization during the spicy scenes.
Where I wanted more: depth about the progression of their relationship (it’s very insta and then fairly fast paced without seeing the development), certain plot points connected more cohesively (some parts felt placed in and there never revisited for full closure), and the pacing to slow down and enjoy these wonderful characters.
I absolutely think there’s an audience out there who would love this book! And really enjoy Beau and Milo- and while I enjoyed many parts of what book had, I felt that there was more potential the book 🩵
March 21, 2026
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.
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.
April 24, 2026
Arc Review: I really enjoyed this book Beau and Milo 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
Review of advance copy received from Author
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!)
-
- 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):
Thanks to the author for the chance to read & review this book early!
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!)
-
- 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):
Thanks to the author for the chance to read & review this book early!
April 24, 2026
Mild spoilers throughout here I guess?
Not a big fan of this one. I picked it up because it said it was “for people who loved Heated Rivalry” but it actually veers into copying HR in quite a few places (like a whole scene about a “thing” and a hit that leads to a concussion and a broken collarbone bone, among other things). Apparently it was inspired by Scott picking up Kip which does happen in the story but that’s one connection I wouldn’t have picked out on my own.
There were a few storyline threads that got picked up and never explored fully - like Beau’s alcohol issues which just sort of went away by the end, or Bianca and the agent, or the homophobic taunts on the ice.
This author has never written/published a book before and got this one done since HR has come out. It would have benefitted from a lot more time spent working out the kinks and inconsistencies (the first time he went back to Dallas was for a playoff game??). The author thanks their editor for her thoroughness in the acknowledgements which makes me cringe because there were still so many errors it almost took me out of the story a few times.
The basics of a fun, if not 5 star amazing read are there, and I hope the author’s self-admitttd sensitivity to criticism and edits doesn’t stop them from writing more and getting better, but this one should not have been rushed to publish.
I received an ARC of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Not a big fan of this one. I picked it up because it said it was “for people who loved Heated Rivalry” but it actually veers into copying HR in quite a few places (like a whole scene about a “thing” and a hit that leads to a concussion and a broken collarbone bone, among other things). Apparently it was inspired by Scott picking up Kip which does happen in the story but that’s one connection I wouldn’t have picked out on my own.
There were a few storyline threads that got picked up and never explored fully - like Beau’s alcohol issues which just sort of went away by the end, or Bianca and the agent, or the homophobic taunts on the ice.
This author has never written/published a book before and got this one done since HR has come out. It would have benefitted from a lot more time spent working out the kinks and inconsistencies (the first time he went back to Dallas was for a playoff game??). The author thanks their editor for her thoroughness in the acknowledgements which makes me cringe because there were still so many errors it almost took me out of the story a few times.
The basics of a fun, if not 5 star amazing read are there, and I hope the author’s self-admitttd sensitivity to criticism and edits doesn’t stop them from writing more and getting better, but this one should not have been rushed to publish.
I received an ARC of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
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
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
April 24, 2026
I unfortunately could not finish this book despite really liking the premise, characters and the potential of their story. It felt like a first draft that had not been proofed or edited. It may do/have done well on AO3, but I do not believe it to be ready for publishing in its current form. Lots of inconsistencies as other reviewers have said, and felt very formulaic…as if the author had made a list of things she loved about Heated Rivalry (the stated inspiration), and tried to include every single one in this story. This is also what made it feel - and I want to be very clear that I’m not making any accusations - as if the author possibly used AI for some parts of the writing or planning process. Several plot and characted points were underdeveloped or felt really rushed, and a good editor would definitely have pointed these out, and encouraged corrections/refining. I am on the ARC teams for several romance authors and this is by far the roughest copy I have been sent. Rather than sending out ARCs, the author may instead benefit from finding a small team of readers willing to help with editing? So much promise, but I think that sending this version of the book out at this stage is doing a disservice to what the book COULD be in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Author
10/10 actually obsessed, so in love with this story!! And yeah that’s 6 stars - I loved this smutty hockey romance!
Miles and Beau are just honestly the most loveable guys. I loved their interactions, how they were struggling with their feelings of not knowing how each other felt.
Miles setting up a Grindr account killed me - such a sneaky little princess!
I really loved seeing tender, vulnerable moments from both of the MMC - the hospital was so touching… Both times!
I loved the world that Emma created, I loved that Darlene (Beau’s truck) played such a pivotal part in their story. I loved that they worked through the pain caused by their shitty parents together. I melted that there was in fact a pinky holding moment like the cover.
Speaking of trucks… oh my stars that scene 🥵🫠
There are so many side characters that I feel like I neeeeeeeeeeed to know more about!!!!
Like with most books there are trigger warnings so check them first as always. For me they were a tasty little teaser and I was excited for what was to come… literally.
I am just so incredibly proud of Emma and so privileged to be a part of this journey.
Miles and Beau are just honestly the most loveable guys. I loved their interactions, how they were struggling with their feelings of not knowing how each other felt.
Miles setting up a Grindr account killed me - such a sneaky little princess!
I really loved seeing tender, vulnerable moments from both of the MMC - the hospital was so touching… Both times!
I loved the world that Emma created, I loved that Darlene (Beau’s truck) played such a pivotal part in their story. I loved that they worked through the pain caused by their shitty parents together. I melted that there was in fact a pinky holding moment like the cover.
Speaking of trucks… oh my stars that scene 🥵🫠
There are so many side characters that I feel like I neeeeeeeeeeed to know more about!!!!
Like with most books there are trigger warnings so check them first as always. For me they were a tasty little teaser and I was excited for what was to come… literally.
I am just so incredibly proud of Emma and so privileged to be a part of this journey.
April 24, 2026
*I recieved an advanced copy of this book for free. The thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are honest and my own*
Goalie Oriented is Emma Kathleen's debut novel, a hockey romance taking inspiration from Heated Rivalry. The book follows the relationship of Milo and Beau after Beau is traded to Milo's team.
Despite raising my eyebrows at the *very* heavy influence of HR in certain scenes, I found the overall plot enjoyable and fun with some fantastic one-liners. The main characters are loveable and their chemistry is amazing. There are side characters whose stories I hope we get a chance to explore in the future as some of them seem to be set up for great storylines. Milo and Beau each have their own hardships that are touched on lightly without making them the sole focus of the book - something I actually found a bit refreshing.
Overall I really enjoyed Goalie Oriented and am looking forward to a continuation of the story.
If you're looking for a light-hearted hockey romance that's a quick and easy read, this book is for you!
EDIT: bumping this up another star as of 4/24/26 because I haven't been able to stop thinking about Milo and Beau 😭
Goalie Oriented is Emma Kathleen's debut novel, a hockey romance taking inspiration from Heated Rivalry. The book follows the relationship of Milo and Beau after Beau is traded to Milo's team.
Despite raising my eyebrows at the *very* heavy influence of HR in certain scenes, I found the overall plot enjoyable and fun with some fantastic one-liners. The main characters are loveable and their chemistry is amazing. There are side characters whose stories I hope we get a chance to explore in the future as some of them seem to be set up for great storylines. Milo and Beau each have their own hardships that are touched on lightly without making them the sole focus of the book - something I actually found a bit refreshing.
Overall I really enjoyed Goalie Oriented and am looking forward to a continuation of the story.
If you're looking for a light-hearted hockey romance that's a quick and easy read, this book is for you!
EDIT: bumping this up another star as of 4/24/26 because I haven't been able to stop thinking about Milo and Beau 😭
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'm giving this book 3.5 stars. I've struggled with how to approach this review, so I will lay it all out.
This book has a lot of potential. The storyline was great but it could have used more development. There was a few inconsistencies that were hard for me personally to get past (that's a personal issue).
I absolutely loved Milo right away, Beau grew on me a little. However, after the first spicy scene it was like Milo was a whole new character and it saddened me. I liked the direction the author went with addiction, but I wish we got to read the path to recovery. After a certain point everything felt very rushed.
I still have a soft spot for Milo 💚. With some adjustments this book could be amazing. I mean who doesn’t love a good idiots-to-lovers, mm hockey romance. Great work for your first book, Emma!!
This book has a lot of potential. The storyline was great but it could have used more development. There was a few inconsistencies that were hard for me personally to get past (that's a personal issue).
I absolutely loved Milo right away, Beau grew on me a little. However, after the first spicy scene it was like Milo was a whole new character and it saddened me. I liked the direction the author went with addiction, but I wish we got to read the path to recovery. After a certain point everything felt very rushed.
I still have a soft spot for Milo 💚. With some adjustments this book could be amazing. I mean who doesn’t love a good idiots-to-lovers, mm hockey romance. Great work for your first book, Emma!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this book dearly! From the start, I fell in love with Milo and Beau, and honestly, their teammates as well (I really want to read a book about Paxton). They both were dealing with family drama as well as internal conflict in regards to their sexuality. Together, they worked through it all and fell oh so deeply in love. They were both so cute, especially Milo. The moment they locked eyes for the first time…chef’s kiss! I just wanted to hug them, give them a kiss on the forehead, and pinch their cheeks, you know. Definitely recommend you check it out!
⭐️5
🌶️3
💧3
😂3
🏒🥅🏠🧊❄️🥵🔥🛏️🥃🍹🍺👨🏼❤️💋👨🏻👨🏻❤️👨🏼
📍Minnesota
💚mm
💚hockey teammates
💚roommates
💚forced proximity
💚insta lust
💚closeted mcs
💚forced proximity
💚idiots to lovers
💚family drama
💚alcoholism
💚praise
💚feminization
💚cock warming
💚hea
Always check content warnings before reading!
I received this book as an ARC!
⭐️5
🌶️3
💧3
😂3
🏒🥅🏠🧊❄️🥵🔥🛏️🥃🍹🍺👨🏼❤️💋👨🏻👨🏻❤️👨🏼
📍Minnesota
💚mm
💚hockey teammates
💚roommates
💚forced proximity
💚insta lust
💚closeted mcs
💚forced proximity
💚idiots to lovers
💚family drama
💚alcoholism
💚praise
💚feminization
💚cock warming
💚hea
Always check content warnings before reading!
I received this book as an ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Author
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!
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!
Review of advance copy
*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
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
Review of advance copy
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Author
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Author
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.
April 25, 2026
I can’t remember when I started to read this story but for you it was the preview of the book before I was selected as an arc reader. I read some of the reviews prior about this being similar to HR. It makes sense that it was but I do love the story line in this book and feel like it was different. Both the main characters have my heart and I read it for hours at a time not able to put the book down!
There were a couple of grammatical errors but I’ve seen those in books that have been published and printed for years. This was the first time I was selected as an ARC reader and I’m so happy it was for this book. I look forward to the official print, that way I can add it to my library!
There were a couple of grammatical errors but I’ve seen those in books that have been published and printed for years. This was the first time I was selected as an ARC reader and I’m so happy it was for this book. I look forward to the official print, that way I can add it to my library!
Review of advance copy received from Author
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.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
HEA ✅️
THIS. I am in love with Beau and Milo. Both of these guys face struggles I can't imagine. I found myself powering through their story because I am just so dang proud of these two men.
Finding love and finding themselves and finding a community that loves them too.
This is a MM romance. It is very (wonderfully) spicy! It does have some topics that may be triggering so read the warnings. Their journey is not a smooth one.
I am so grateful for this ARC. Stories like this make me feel so many emotions.
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
HEA ✅️
THIS. I am in love with Beau and Milo. Both of these guys face struggles I can't imagine. I found myself powering through their story because I am just so dang proud of these two men.
Finding love and finding themselves and finding a community that loves them too.
This is a MM romance. It is very (wonderfully) spicy! It does have some topics that may be triggering so read the warnings. Their journey is not a smooth one.
I am so grateful for this ARC. Stories like this make me feel so many emotions.
April 24, 2026
Broken Book Therapist Reviews
Is this Heated Rivalry coded... yes, and it is such a fun coding!! We get some nods to icon moments (what color ;) ), we get sweet and spicy, we get some family drama. We also get distinct characters that stick with you. These two are adorable and fun and bring out a chance to just be honest about yourself and your wants and needs. I am also excited to see the rest of the series play out because I have a feeling this team is going to be full of queer relationships that deserve sunshine.
Is this Heated Rivalry coded... yes, and it is such a fun coding!! We get some nods to icon moments (what color ;) ), we get sweet and spicy, we get some family drama. We also get distinct characters that stick with you. These two are adorable and fun and bring out a chance to just be honest about yourself and your wants and needs. I am also excited to see the rest of the series play out because I have a feeling this team is going to be full of queer relationships that deserve sunshine.
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