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Titan Wrestling #5
Chokeholds and Changes
This friendship thing is going great.
Sven Eidvisk doesn’t have time for love, relationships, or anything other than wrestling. After a bogus scandal gets him fired from the largest pro wrestling promo in the country, he moves from Boston to Portland to repair the damage. He’s single, focused, and determined to keep his life uncomplicated. But when he meets his new wrestling partner, Anthony, he finds determination alone won’t cut it.
Anthony Sullivan’s life is fine. He’s a dad and pro wrestler with no real social life beyond the crows in his backyard, so he’s used to a calm, predictable routine. But when he’s paired with Sven, the coolest and most interesting man he’s ever met, something shifts. He wants him as his wrestling partner and his best friend and doesn’t understand why Sven needs anyone else when Anthony is right there.
While Anthony is struggling to figure out why being around Sven feels so different, Sven is struggling with a crush he absolutely does not want. Anthony ups the stakes in the middle of a match, forcing them to confront what they’ve both been avoiding, but when Boston comes calling, they find out it may have come too late.
Chokeholds and Changes is the fifth and final book in the Titan Wrestling series of interconnected standalones. It’s a medium burn, one-sided idiots to lovers, pro wrestling romance featuring one late-blooming demisexual, one reluctant ex-playboy, gifts from backyard crows, an ugly leather jacket, and a dream that changes everything. It contains explicit themes and a guaranteed HEA.
Sven Eidvisk doesn’t have time for love, relationships, or anything other than wrestling. After a bogus scandal gets him fired from the largest pro wrestling promo in the country, he moves from Boston to Portland to repair the damage. He’s single, focused, and determined to keep his life uncomplicated. But when he meets his new wrestling partner, Anthony, he finds determination alone won’t cut it.
Anthony Sullivan’s life is fine. He’s a dad and pro wrestler with no real social life beyond the crows in his backyard, so he’s used to a calm, predictable routine. But when he’s paired with Sven, the coolest and most interesting man he’s ever met, something shifts. He wants him as his wrestling partner and his best friend and doesn’t understand why Sven needs anyone else when Anthony is right there.
While Anthony is struggling to figure out why being around Sven feels so different, Sven is struggling with a crush he absolutely does not want. Anthony ups the stakes in the middle of a match, forcing them to confront what they’ve both been avoiding, but when Boston comes calling, they find out it may have come too late.
Chokeholds and Changes is the fifth and final book in the Titan Wrestling series of interconnected standalones. It’s a medium burn, one-sided idiots to lovers, pro wrestling romance featuring one late-blooming demisexual, one reluctant ex-playboy, gifts from backyard crows, an ugly leather jacket, and a dream that changes everything. It contains explicit themes and a guaranteed HEA.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2026
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April 29, 2026The crow thing was cute, and I actually liked Anthony more than it seems other reviews, this just dragged too much for me. I needed more tension or even more wrestling, just something to keep me more interested than I was.
April 16, 2026
This was really cute and I loved finding a new to me author! Now I have an entire series to read so yay!!!!
Anthony and Sven were adorable together. Anthony, oh you poor clueless man. He was crushing big time on his new friend but had no clue! Sven was pining hard but he thought his feelings were never going to be returned. Anthony cockblocking him was pretty funny! I did like that once Anthony wisened up he was almost all in. He was an over thinker so his small freak-out was expected.
I do wish there was more wrestling in the book. Especially since Anthony and Sven wrestle each other regularly. I like the mix of romance and sports.
Besides some errors the writing was pretty solid, the story did drag out a bit but overall it kept my attention. I loved the crows and now I want to see if I can feed some and get presents!
ARC received for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own
Anthony and Sven were adorable together. Anthony, oh you poor clueless man. He was crushing big time on his new friend but had no clue! Sven was pining hard but he thought his feelings were never going to be returned. Anthony cockblocking him was pretty funny! I did like that once Anthony wisened up he was almost all in. He was an over thinker so his small freak-out was expected.
I do wish there was more wrestling in the book. Especially since Anthony and Sven wrestle each other regularly. I like the mix of romance and sports.
Besides some errors the writing was pretty solid, the story did drag out a bit but overall it kept my attention. I loved the crows and now I want to see if I can feed some and get presents!
ARC received for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own
Did Not Finish
April 20, 2026DNF @ 66%. I received an ARC from the author and don't have to review but wanted to get my thoughts out.
I thought most of my issues with this book were my children constantly interrupting but it honestly just wasn't a compelling enough read. I know it's the fifth in a series, but typically with romance books they're standalones within a connected world, so I wasn't super bothered by this being number five. I'm wondering if maybe the earlier ones explained a bit more about wrestling because I definitely don't know anything about it lol.
Along those lines....I couldn't figure out if Anthony was literally supposed to be one of the dumbest people ever or maybe autistic? Is that something mentioned in previous books? He was beyond even a caricature of a clueless dude. Like I don't think he should have custody of his children if he is this dumb. When I mention autism, I don't meant to equate it with being dumb, I mean he is literally the dumbest guy alive OR he's on a part of the autism spectrum that is very...closed off from emotions. Which I thought at first would change my interpretation of his character, but the more I read, the less I think that is the case.
My barometer a sports romance is really only The Beast and the Brat series. (I guess also Heated Rivalry, but more so the show, the book kinda sucked). Logan's voice in that series is so distinct and singular, it's immediately pulled me in and was so propulsive but from the plot but also just his perspective. By contrast, Anthony was like a brick wall. Normally, I prefer third person perspective but I wonder if this would have benefitted from first? It needed more interiority. Like, he's divorced? Why did he get divorced? They have a good co-parenting relationship but like...was he a shitty husband, was she tired of living next to his parents like...where is the tension?
I don't mind low stakes at all, but there needs to be some amount of tension. There sort of was with Sven having (very deep, quickly) feelings for Anthony who wouldn't be able to feel his way out of a paper bag, and Anthony having some intense denial but like. Sven supposedly had a hard time hooking up in Portland, OR of all places? (It was Oregon, right?) Which is like oh bc he's in love with Anthony but I find it very hard to believe he wouldn't find some people to sleep with (again, under the assumption this is Portland, OR, now I need to double check). And Anthony is like....barely acknowledges his feelings? He's like WE'RE BEST FRIENDS, like you just met this guy.
That's the other thing is, despite how sudden their intense feelings for each other were, Anthony was so deep in denial he was acting more like an abusive parent or partner rather than an endearing love interest. Like, to some degree, yea, no overnight guests when you have kids make sense, but also he was being very controlling. I think these moments were supposed to be funny, maybe, but they were more hideously embarrassing as well as enraging. Maybe it's just because I finished Lindy West's new memoir, so those feelings are heightened right now, but he was being a controlling asshole that Sven felt necessary to placate. And like WHY. You are coworkers, who was invited to live together of his own volition like. Like these guys are adults, Anthony is an adult with CHILDREN.
Thinking again of TBatB, Logan was like in somewhat denial of being so quickly into Caleb but like. There's acknowledgement of it. Obviously Anthony never saw himself as gay so that plays a part but like. That's also not very present. He's like oh I'm now BFFs with his new guy that I initially didn't like and now I'm going to go from intense to denial to I want to fuck immediately. There just wasn't that much buildup.
The crows were why I really wanted to read this because I also feed crows in back yard and even rescued one this year - so I wanted to see what kind of texture they'd add to this story but even that was pretty lukewarm. Again, no tension. Anthony feeds the crows and loves them and Sven also happens to feed crows? Which like fine but like....idk, thinking of Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, that could have been some character and relationship building, Anthony teaching Sven about them or something. TBatB, Logan teaching Caleb football or Caleb teaching Logan anything. There's a back and forth, two distinct personalities of different people working together or feeling each other out. This was just so lacking in that. I didn't buy Anthony or Sven as people after the first two chapters and nothing about them or their relationship together convinced me that I wanted to keep reading.
The kicker for me and why I did not finish - they had a PDA in front of Anthony's parents (just before that Sven was on eggshells all day bc of Anthony's mood which again, red flag). The coming out to parents scene in Heated Rivalry almost had me DNF it and when it happened here, I was like I'm just gonna call it lol.
This book is fine if you like low, VERY LOW, stakes and minimal tension. I didn't find the characters or relationship compelling enough, but if you don't have kids to interrupt you and want some time to kill, this is fine.
I thought most of my issues with this book were my children constantly interrupting but it honestly just wasn't a compelling enough read. I know it's the fifth in a series, but typically with romance books they're standalones within a connected world, so I wasn't super bothered by this being number five. I'm wondering if maybe the earlier ones explained a bit more about wrestling because I definitely don't know anything about it lol.
Along those lines....I couldn't figure out if Anthony was literally supposed to be one of the dumbest people ever or maybe autistic? Is that something mentioned in previous books? He was beyond even a caricature of a clueless dude. Like I don't think he should have custody of his children if he is this dumb. When I mention autism, I don't meant to equate it with being dumb, I mean he is literally the dumbest guy alive OR he's on a part of the autism spectrum that is very...closed off from emotions. Which I thought at first would change my interpretation of his character, but the more I read, the less I think that is the case.
My barometer a sports romance is really only The Beast and the Brat series. (I guess also Heated Rivalry, but more so the show, the book kinda sucked). Logan's voice in that series is so distinct and singular, it's immediately pulled me in and was so propulsive but from the plot but also just his perspective. By contrast, Anthony was like a brick wall. Normally, I prefer third person perspective but I wonder if this would have benefitted from first? It needed more interiority. Like, he's divorced? Why did he get divorced? They have a good co-parenting relationship but like...was he a shitty husband, was she tired of living next to his parents like...where is the tension?
I don't mind low stakes at all, but there needs to be some amount of tension. There sort of was with Sven having (very deep, quickly) feelings for Anthony who wouldn't be able to feel his way out of a paper bag, and Anthony having some intense denial but like. Sven supposedly had a hard time hooking up in Portland, OR of all places? (It was Oregon, right?) Which is like oh bc he's in love with Anthony but I find it very hard to believe he wouldn't find some people to sleep with (again, under the assumption this is Portland, OR, now I need to double check). And Anthony is like....barely acknowledges his feelings? He's like WE'RE BEST FRIENDS, like you just met this guy.
That's the other thing is, despite how sudden their intense feelings for each other were, Anthony was so deep in denial he was acting more like an abusive parent or partner rather than an endearing love interest. Like, to some degree, yea, no overnight guests when you have kids make sense, but also he was being very controlling. I think these moments were supposed to be funny, maybe, but they were more hideously embarrassing as well as enraging. Maybe it's just because I finished Lindy West's new memoir, so those feelings are heightened right now, but he was being a controlling asshole that Sven felt necessary to placate. And like WHY. You are coworkers, who was invited to live together of his own volition like. Like these guys are adults, Anthony is an adult with CHILDREN.
Thinking again of TBatB, Logan was like in somewhat denial of being so quickly into Caleb but like. There's acknowledgement of it. Obviously Anthony never saw himself as gay so that plays a part but like. That's also not very present. He's like oh I'm now BFFs with his new guy that I initially didn't like and now I'm going to go from intense to denial to I want to fuck immediately. There just wasn't that much buildup.
The crows were why I really wanted to read this because I also feed crows in back yard and even rescued one this year - so I wanted to see what kind of texture they'd add to this story but even that was pretty lukewarm. Again, no tension. Anthony feeds the crows and loves them and Sven also happens to feed crows? Which like fine but like....idk, thinking of Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, that could have been some character and relationship building, Anthony teaching Sven about them or something. TBatB, Logan teaching Caleb football or Caleb teaching Logan anything. There's a back and forth, two distinct personalities of different people working together or feeling each other out. This was just so lacking in that. I didn't buy Anthony or Sven as people after the first two chapters and nothing about them or their relationship together convinced me that I wanted to keep reading.
The kicker for me and why I did not finish - they had a PDA in front of Anthony's parents (just before that Sven was on eggshells all day bc of Anthony's mood which again, red flag). The coming out to parents scene in Heated Rivalry almost had me DNF it and when it happened here, I was like I'm just gonna call it lol.
This book is fine if you like low, VERY LOW, stakes and minimal tension. I didn't find the characters or relationship compelling enough, but if you don't have kids to interrupt you and want some time to kill, this is fine.
Review of advance copy received from Author
why did this make me want to cry?! in the best way.
I truly fell in love with Anthony, I don’t know if i’ve ever read such a sweet, awkward and so incredibly endearing man before
the vibes were 100% this
“It would all happen while Anthony lay dying on the cold tile floor with his dick out, all because he got scared when his roommate and friend made him horny.”
but also this 😭🥺
“As long as those marks lasted, he could pretend Sven was still his.”
Anthony is a single dad who is muddling along feeling unfulfilled as a professional wrestler yes, but also just as a human being..until Sven.
Sven brings back light into Anthony’s life, a light Anthony does think is friendship until he realizes that maybe homies don’t make you hard?? maybe homies don’t make you feel like your life could finally be complete with just them?? and their penis??
#biawakening
Sven is our sunshine, gay, beautiful, silly viking who is almost immediately in love with Ant. he is relatable, gorgeous and i genuinely loved his pov, you’ll absolutely be giggling with him
watching them fall in love, create a life worth every pain and becoming crow (and i guess children too) daddy’s was everything to me 🥹🥹💗💗
I truly fell in love with Anthony, I don’t know if i’ve ever read such a sweet, awkward and so incredibly endearing man before
the vibes were 100% this
“It would all happen while Anthony lay dying on the cold tile floor with his dick out, all because he got scared when his roommate and friend made him horny.”
but also this 😭🥺
“As long as those marks lasted, he could pretend Sven was still his.”
Anthony is a single dad who is muddling along feeling unfulfilled as a professional wrestler yes, but also just as a human being..until Sven.
Sven brings back light into Anthony’s life, a light Anthony does think is friendship until he realizes that maybe homies don’t make you hard?? maybe homies don’t make you feel like your life could finally be complete with just them?? and their penis??
#biawakening
Sven is our sunshine, gay, beautiful, silly viking who is almost immediately in love with Ant. he is relatable, gorgeous and i genuinely loved his pov, you’ll absolutely be giggling with him
watching them fall in love, create a life worth every pain and becoming crow (and i guess children too) daddy’s was everything to me 🥹🥹💗💗
Review of advance copy received from Author
I've enjoyed every book in this series, but this may be my favorite. Anthony, a wrestler at Titan, is the sweetest, most awkward man who you can't help but love. And the joy that Sven brings him is so freaking lovely - as is the quiet, steady love Ant gives to him.
Anthony is a divorced dad, close with his ex and his parents, who is floundering a little in his wrestling career. When Sven, a big-name wrestler, joins Titans for what he hopes will be a short glitch in his career path, the two are paired together and quickly realize how much the quiet, introspective Anthony needs Sven's light and laughter and vice versa.
This book grappled with some big topics - sexuality, what really makes a successful life, and what's worth giving up for love - in such a way that it was impossible to put down. You can't help rooting for these two as they stumble their way into a forever kind of love.
Anthony is a divorced dad, close with his ex and his parents, who is floundering a little in his wrestling career. When Sven, a big-name wrestler, joins Titans for what he hopes will be a short glitch in his career path, the two are paired together and quickly realize how much the quiet, introspective Anthony needs Sven's light and laughter and vice versa.
This book grappled with some big topics - sexuality, what really makes a successful life, and what's worth giving up for love - in such a way that it was impossible to put down. You can't help rooting for these two as they stumble their way into a forever kind of love.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Val Simons for giving me this e-arc to review. This is a fully honest review.
This was the first in the series that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't read a wrestling romance before but this one worked a lot and I want to read the rest of the series because of it.
Andrew is so awkward that it is endearing even when it can get him into mild miscommunications, I liked that even a man so awkward can be a wrestler and get more comfortable on the mic and that he started to talk up for himself more. Sven is a very fun character, compliments Andrew really well and I liked how he had goals and dreams that he wouldn't push to the side.
The side characters are all great and while I don't feel like you have to read all the other books in the series to get this book, you would probably benefit by reading them as they will give more context and depth to the side characters.
I love the crows in this as well.
This was the first in the series that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't read a wrestling romance before but this one worked a lot and I want to read the rest of the series because of it.
Andrew is so awkward that it is endearing even when it can get him into mild miscommunications, I liked that even a man so awkward can be a wrestler and get more comfortable on the mic and that he started to talk up for himself more. Sven is a very fun character, compliments Andrew really well and I liked how he had goals and dreams that he wouldn't push to the side.
The side characters are all great and while I don't feel like you have to read all the other books in the series to get this book, you would probably benefit by reading them as they will give more context and depth to the side characters.
I love the crows in this as well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
thank you to the author for the arc!
there is definitely lots to like here. i think maybe if i had read the other books in the series and gotten to know anthony as a side character, i would have enjoyed him more? as it was, i mostly felt that he was supposed to be bumbling and adorable but really just came off as embarrassing. also, i couldn't tell if the author was trying to write him as autistic-coded or just really oblivious?
cute story though, and honestly not a lot of wrestling. one day i might read more of these!
there is definitely lots to like here. i think maybe if i had read the other books in the series and gotten to know anthony as a side character, i would have enjoyed him more? as it was, i mostly felt that he was supposed to be bumbling and adorable but really just came off as embarrassing. also, i couldn't tell if the author was trying to write him as autistic-coded or just really oblivious?
cute story though, and honestly not a lot of wrestling. one day i might read more of these!
April 12, 2026
Thanks to Val Simons for the ARC! Loved the MM romance in pro wrestling premise when it came through someone’s Instagram stories and hopped on it, only to realize later that this is book five in a series. Super sweet idiot to lovers romance with commentary on the pro wrestling system. Obviously I’ve got plenty of backlist to read because there were several established couples in this book whose stories I’ve not read. Very fun for a reader married to a WWE mark.
September 5, 2026
Aww it's a really cute story. It took me a little bit to warm up to Anthony(he can bit a bit annoying), but once I did he definitely became my favorite character. He's just so precious! I almost wanted to whack Sven on the head a couple of times. Like how dare you? But tout est bien qui finit bien as they say.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Loved this so much! Anthony and Sven being basically bestfriends before their relationship grows is so sweet! Sven is complete sunshine! They both feed crows!! Its so cute and I love the wrestling aspect alot!
April 24, 2026
Super cute, I love Anthony being an oblivious idiot and I like Sven realising how much he needed Anthony
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews