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Radford U #2
Crossing Lines
Asher Reynolds–Dutch to his teammates–is the guy who always wants things to be fair. But there’s nothing fair about losing his sister in a car accident a few months ago, along with suffering an injury that’s going to derail his senior year with the Radford Renegades.
Wyatt Chase is used to handling whatever life throws at him. A former pro hockey player who lost his career to a brutal injury, he’s now a single dad to a precocious five-year-old—and Radford’s newest physical therapist. He’s no stranger to clawing his way forward in spite of the odds.
What he’s not expecting is for Asher–broody and sullen and injured–to be his first serious case so early in the season. Or his next door neighbor. And he’s definitely not expecting for Asher’s depth–and pain–to stir something in Chase that he’s spent years trying to push past.
He knows that Asher is one-hundred-percent off limits. He’s Chase’s patient, and it’s his responsibility to help rehab him and keep the line between them clear.
So, why do they keep finding themselves crossing it over and over again?
Crossing Lines, a mm college hockey romance, is Book #2 in the Radford U series, but it can be read as a standalone novel.
TROPES:
🏒 mm college hockey romance
💖 hockey player x physical therapist
🏒 forbidden romance
💖 single dad
🏒 gay awakening
💖 disability rep
🏒 slow burn
💖 angst & yearning
🏒 first person / dual POV
Wyatt Chase is used to handling whatever life throws at him. A former pro hockey player who lost his career to a brutal injury, he’s now a single dad to a precocious five-year-old—and Radford’s newest physical therapist. He’s no stranger to clawing his way forward in spite of the odds.
What he’s not expecting is for Asher–broody and sullen and injured–to be his first serious case so early in the season. Or his next door neighbor. And he’s definitely not expecting for Asher’s depth–and pain–to stir something in Chase that he’s spent years trying to push past.
He knows that Asher is one-hundred-percent off limits. He’s Chase’s patient, and it’s his responsibility to help rehab him and keep the line between them clear.
So, why do they keep finding themselves crossing it over and over again?
Crossing Lines, a mm college hockey romance, is Book #2 in the Radford U series, but it can be read as a standalone novel.
TROPES:
🏒 mm college hockey romance
💖 hockey player x physical therapist
🏒 forbidden romance
💖 single dad
🏒 gay awakening
💖 disability rep
🏒 slow burn
💖 angst & yearning
🏒 first person / dual POV
421 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
May 31, 2026
This was fantastic. There is a lot happening in this. Poor Asher has a lot to work through, grief, loss, sexual identity and ultimately failing in love. Wyatt had already worked through his losses and was such a wonderful example for Asher. I don’t typically love books with children but this was done beautifully. I loved Lyla and how she was such a strong character for a 5yrs old. This was the second book by Mel McCabe and the second in her series. You don’t have to read book one to read this. This can be read a a standalone however I really enjoyed this still be going back to read book one. Thank you so much for this ARC I loved it.
July 1, 2026
Really enjoyed this one, I was intrigued right away compared to the first.
-1 for grammar errors as sometimes it really throws me off and I feel like I’m solving a riddle to understand what the author is trying to say.
-1 for grammar errors as sometimes it really throws me off and I feel like I’m solving a riddle to understand what the author is trying to say.
May 29, 2026
Power Play, the first book in this series, has been on my TBR for a while, so when I saw that the second book was a standalone and the author was accepting applications for ARC readers, I jumped on the chance to get my hands on it. On paper, it sounded like it would be completely up my alley, and I really, really wanted to love it.
Both Asher and Wyatt were likeable MCs, and I commend the author for including discussions of mental health and disability throughout. Unfortunately, the execution of the romance didn't quite stick the landing for me, and because this is a romance book, that dampened my enjoyment of the book overall. While I thought Asher and Wyatt's physical attraction and chemistry was fairly clear, their emotional and romantic connection wasn't as strong as it could have been. As their relationship developed, it seemed like I was missing a lot of it because I was being told that it was happening but not necessarily shown. I was rooting for them, and I wanted them to be together, but I didn't find the payoff of them figuring things out particularly satisfying.
Beyond that, I also struggled with the lack of follow-through with some of the things brought up and made to seem important but ultimately not taken anywhere meaningful. For example, at the beginning of the book, Asher was struggling with the death of his sister as well as his own injury from a car accident, for which he blamed himself. As he worked with and got to know Wyatt, all of that sort of faded away, as if Wyatt's presence in Asher's life was the fix. Now, I'm certainly not opposed to the concept of Wyatt helping Asher through those challenges. He was, after all, his physical therapist, and he also provided Asher with tools to cope with panic attacks and other similar manifestations of his trauma. Still, Asher's wounds—literally and figuratively—were pretty fresh, and I wish there would've been a more continuous look into the way they impacted him over time, even with Wyatt's involvement in his life easing the pain. Similarly, there was a lot of discussion about Wyatt's own career-ending injury and his relationship with Lyla's mom, who left both him and Lyla in the aftermath, but those things never felt quite fully-realized to me. There was also the conflict with Zane toward the end of the book that felt a bit like it came out of left field. While, yes, Zane had been something of an antagonist since early on, the culmination of that was somewhat over the top, just for it to end up pretty quickly and conveniently wrapped up.
I don't think this was a horrible book. I actually think a lot of people will probably really enjoy it. But, I've read so many queer hockey romances at this point that I couldn't help but compare it to others that I think have accomplished some of the things this book was trying to accomplish more successfully. I'm still interested in Power Play, and I might even check out the third book once it's available, but unfortunately this one in particular just didn't resonate with me.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Both Asher and Wyatt were likeable MCs, and I commend the author for including discussions of mental health and disability throughout. Unfortunately, the execution of the romance didn't quite stick the landing for me, and because this is a romance book, that dampened my enjoyment of the book overall. While I thought Asher and Wyatt's physical attraction and chemistry was fairly clear, their emotional and romantic connection wasn't as strong as it could have been. As their relationship developed, it seemed like I was missing a lot of it because I was being told that it was happening but not necessarily shown. I was rooting for them, and I wanted them to be together, but I didn't find the payoff of them figuring things out particularly satisfying.
Beyond that, I also struggled with the lack of follow-through with some of the things brought up and made to seem important but ultimately not taken anywhere meaningful. For example, at the beginning of the book, Asher was struggling with the death of his sister as well as his own injury from a car accident, for which he blamed himself. As he worked with and got to know Wyatt, all of that sort of faded away, as if Wyatt's presence in Asher's life was the fix. Now, I'm certainly not opposed to the concept of Wyatt helping Asher through those challenges. He was, after all, his physical therapist, and he also provided Asher with tools to cope with panic attacks and other similar manifestations of his trauma. Still, Asher's wounds—literally and figuratively—were pretty fresh, and I wish there would've been a more continuous look into the way they impacted him over time, even with Wyatt's involvement in his life easing the pain. Similarly, there was a lot of discussion about Wyatt's own career-ending injury and his relationship with Lyla's mom, who left both him and Lyla in the aftermath, but those things never felt quite fully-realized to me. There was also the conflict with Zane toward the end of the book that felt a bit like it came out of left field. While, yes, Zane had been something of an antagonist since early on, the culmination of that was somewhat over the top, just for it to end up pretty quickly and conveniently wrapped up.
I don't think this was a horrible book. I actually think a lot of people will probably really enjoy it. But, I've read so many queer hockey romances at this point that I couldn't help but compare it to others that I think have accomplished some of the things this book was trying to accomplish more successfully. I'm still interested in Power Play, and I might even check out the third book once it's available, but unfortunately this one in particular just didn't resonate with me.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2026
I loved Crossing Lines, Wyatt and Asher and their relationships so much! I have to admit, I dived into this book for the dask of forbidden romance, and I stayed for the yearning. I am not a huge fan of the single dad trope usually, but this book did a wonderful job in portraying a lovely relationship between Wyatt and his daughter Lyla, and the interactions with her did not feel forced.
I loved the depiction of Asher’s disability and his anxiety, and I have loved reading about the two characters helping one another throughout their relationship, before it was even romantic. I have not read the previous book of this series, but I will definitely pick it up after this, because the tiny bits and pieces we got of the previous MMCs got me wanting more.
If you’ve been around in the past few months, you know that I love myself a hockey romance, and Crossing Lines definitely delivered.
What to expect with this book?
Hockey player x physical therapist
Single (bi) dad
Forbidden workplace romance
Disability rep
Gay awakening!
I loved the depiction of Asher’s disability and his anxiety, and I have loved reading about the two characters helping one another throughout their relationship, before it was even romantic. I have not read the previous book of this series, but I will definitely pick it up after this, because the tiny bits and pieces we got of the previous MMCs got me wanting more.
If you’ve been around in the past few months, you know that I love myself a hockey romance, and Crossing Lines definitely delivered.
What to expect with this book?
Hockey player x physical therapist
Single (bi) dad
Forbidden workplace romance
Disability rep
Gay awakening!
June 7, 2026
It was so beautiful 🥹 I'd have loved it more if there were more scenes of Layla and Asher. But the ones present were amazing ♥️♥️♥️
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD:
"I wasn't lying, she's chatty."
"Do you work with my dad?" She's asking before I've managed to slide myself onto the passenger's seat.
"He's on the hockey team, baby. We're giving him a ride to campus today."
"Why do you need a ride to campus?" she asks, directed at me.
I look to Chase again. He gives me a confused, if not a little annoyed, stare back. "You can talk to her, you know. There are even studies that children can actually be treated as people. Crazy concept," he finishes dryly.
I feel like an idiot. That happens a lot around him these days. But he's totally right. "Nice to officially meet you, Lyla. I'm Asher."
"Like the Pokémon trainer," she says decisively before getting back to her original track. "Is your car broken? Our car broke down a few months ago. Grandma had to drive us everywhere."
Now, it's Chase's turn to look a little flushed. "It was only for a day before we got a rental," he corrects.
Lyla pushes past her dad's correction, undeterred. "We used to live with Grandma and Grandpa. Now we live here. How long have you lived here?"
My mind is swirling with questions, but I try to stay focused. "I moved in a little over a week ago."
I catch her stare in the mirror again, as she's absorbing the information seriously. "What's wrong with your leg?"
"Lyla," Chase chides. "It's not nice to ask people about differences unless they bring them up first. And even then-"
"I should think about how I'd feel if someone did the same thing to me," she sing-songs back, like this isn't the first time that they've had this conversation.
I'm struck with the realization so suddenly that it knocks all the air out of my lungs. Lyla reminds me so much of Olivia. I was about seven years older than my little sister, so by the time she was this age, I was old enough to appreciate what a smart, funny, curious little person she was already becoming.
"Daddy, can Asher watch Aladdin with us? Please," Lyla begs. She's really started selling it too, pulling at his much bigger hand.
"Honey, I don't know that Asher wants to watch a movie with us."
She looks at him like that's the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard. And again, in spite of how damn awkward this is, I have to bite back a laugh.
"Do you wanna watch Aladdin? Daddy's making popcorn and everything," she says seriously.
"Lyla-"
"Actually, I'd love to watch Aladdin. It was one of my favorite movies growing up." With my words, it's like I've made Lyla's whole year. And damn if my chest doesn't ache when she levels the world's sweetest smile at me. I have countless memories growing up of cozying up on the sofa with Olivia and watching Disney movies.
"Well, then. Welcome to the party."
"And it's your job to take care of everyone else?"
He turns up toward me and presses a soft kiss against my chin. “It is, actually."
"Then who takes care of you?" I ask seriously.
She says, "Asher came up quite a bit. He seems to have become a steady fixture in your lives. Pro hockey games. He watched her on Wednesday while you were with us at the hospital. She knows all his favorite foods, which makes me believe that he's been over to dinner pretty regularly..."
I can't bring myself to respond. I'm not sure if she's asking what I think she's asking, but I'm also a terrible liar. Anything except the truth is going to have me tied up in knots by the end of my first sentence.
"She also said that Ms. Jodi called him a 'beefcake' at the winter recital."
Now, I know that I'm blushing, and there's nothing that I can do to stop it. "Um... neither of them mentioned that to me. The 'beefcake' comment, I mean."
But, Ms. Jodi definitely isn't wrong. Even if she needs to keep her eyes-and definitely her hands-to herself.
He's in my life. In my bed. In my heart.
It feels like a lifetime ago that I hung out in this apartment, playing Mario Kart with the guys.
And now? My idea of a perfect night is hanging out on a different sofa with a snuggly five-year-old and a ruggedly handsome man who makes my stomach do weird little swoops whenever our arms brush. At least, during the nights when I get the privilege of sitting right next to him. Lyla has a lot of thoughts about our seating arrangements depending on what we're watching or playing.
If it's a card game, I sit on the floor on the other side of the coffee table, with Chase on one side of the sofa and Lyla on the other. For movies that she's already seen that have a sad part, she insists on sitting between us and making sure that we're all cuddled with pieces of her baby blanket. When we watch hockey, she's so darn cute, usually pacing in front of the coffee table and getting really close to the tv so that she can focus on the fast-moving puck.
"When's your flight tomorrow?"
"Early," I answer.
"Lyla and I can take you. Would that be okay?"
I look up at him, and he's already staring at me, an intensity in his eyes that I don't know what to do with. Like he wants more, too. Only, he won't let himself have it.
I swallow and tighten my hold on his torso. "I love hanging out with you both, but I'm sure it's not going to be a fun drive."
He toys with my hair, curling the edges around his fingertips. "She and I can make a day of it in the city. Distract ourselves from missing you."
"Yeah?"
"We both feel it, when you're not here. It feels like something is missing," he admits. "And telling you that is so fucking scary, but you deserve to know."
Chase is one of the most direct people that I've ever met, except when it comes to his heart. To what he wants and what he needs.
But what he just told me is not nothing.
"I know exactly where I belong."
Those two are thick as thieves these days, especially since we told Lyla about our relationship-officially-three months ago when the season ended. I was worried that she'd have an issue with me being in a relationship, which seems silly now.
If anything, I'm the third wheel in this family. They have a secret language. A secret handshake.
We came back to Michigan for the one-year-anniversary of Olivia's death.
Asher and I debated whether or not Lyla should come along, but ultimately, we decided that hiding the hard parts of life is only going to make them more difficult to understand or process later.
So, she did get a sanitized version of why we're in town, but she knew that we were here to celebrate Asher's sister, who's no longer with us.
When she found that out, she went over to him and crawled in his lap, wrapping her little arms around his broad shoulders and giving him a hug that rivaled any that I've ever gotten from her. So we think, on some level, she does understand the permanence of death, even though it breaks my heart to have to teach her these things about the world.
"You're thinking about how Jason taught her to make fart noises with her arm, aren't you," Asher says in my ear, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
I laugh and lift my hand up so that I can scratch his beard. "I don't think that she's ever gotten so much unadulterated attention from so many people before."
When we told her that we'd be leaving Asher's parents' house to drive an hour away to spend a couple of days at the lake before heading back home, I thought she was going to instigate World War 3.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD:
"I wasn't lying, she's chatty."
"Do you work with my dad?" She's asking before I've managed to slide myself onto the passenger's seat.
"He's on the hockey team, baby. We're giving him a ride to campus today."
"Why do you need a ride to campus?" she asks, directed at me.
I look to Chase again. He gives me a confused, if not a little annoyed, stare back. "You can talk to her, you know. There are even studies that children can actually be treated as people. Crazy concept," he finishes dryly.
I feel like an idiot. That happens a lot around him these days. But he's totally right. "Nice to officially meet you, Lyla. I'm Asher."
"Like the Pokémon trainer," she says decisively before getting back to her original track. "Is your car broken? Our car broke down a few months ago. Grandma had to drive us everywhere."
Now, it's Chase's turn to look a little flushed. "It was only for a day before we got a rental," he corrects.
Lyla pushes past her dad's correction, undeterred. "We used to live with Grandma and Grandpa. Now we live here. How long have you lived here?"
My mind is swirling with questions, but I try to stay focused. "I moved in a little over a week ago."
I catch her stare in the mirror again, as she's absorbing the information seriously. "What's wrong with your leg?"
"Lyla," Chase chides. "It's not nice to ask people about differences unless they bring them up first. And even then-"
"I should think about how I'd feel if someone did the same thing to me," she sing-songs back, like this isn't the first time that they've had this conversation.
I'm struck with the realization so suddenly that it knocks all the air out of my lungs. Lyla reminds me so much of Olivia. I was about seven years older than my little sister, so by the time she was this age, I was old enough to appreciate what a smart, funny, curious little person she was already becoming.
"Daddy, can Asher watch Aladdin with us? Please," Lyla begs. She's really started selling it too, pulling at his much bigger hand.
"Honey, I don't know that Asher wants to watch a movie with us."
She looks at him like that's the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard. And again, in spite of how damn awkward this is, I have to bite back a laugh.
"Do you wanna watch Aladdin? Daddy's making popcorn and everything," she says seriously.
"Lyla-"
"Actually, I'd love to watch Aladdin. It was one of my favorite movies growing up." With my words, it's like I've made Lyla's whole year. And damn if my chest doesn't ache when she levels the world's sweetest smile at me. I have countless memories growing up of cozying up on the sofa with Olivia and watching Disney movies.
"Well, then. Welcome to the party."
"And it's your job to take care of everyone else?"
He turns up toward me and presses a soft kiss against my chin. “It is, actually."
"Then who takes care of you?" I ask seriously.
She says, "Asher came up quite a bit. He seems to have become a steady fixture in your lives. Pro hockey games. He watched her on Wednesday while you were with us at the hospital. She knows all his favorite foods, which makes me believe that he's been over to dinner pretty regularly..."
I can't bring myself to respond. I'm not sure if she's asking what I think she's asking, but I'm also a terrible liar. Anything except the truth is going to have me tied up in knots by the end of my first sentence.
"She also said that Ms. Jodi called him a 'beefcake' at the winter recital."
Now, I know that I'm blushing, and there's nothing that I can do to stop it. "Um... neither of them mentioned that to me. The 'beefcake' comment, I mean."
But, Ms. Jodi definitely isn't wrong. Even if she needs to keep her eyes-and definitely her hands-to herself.
He's in my life. In my bed. In my heart.
It feels like a lifetime ago that I hung out in this apartment, playing Mario Kart with the guys.
And now? My idea of a perfect night is hanging out on a different sofa with a snuggly five-year-old and a ruggedly handsome man who makes my stomach do weird little swoops whenever our arms brush. At least, during the nights when I get the privilege of sitting right next to him. Lyla has a lot of thoughts about our seating arrangements depending on what we're watching or playing.
If it's a card game, I sit on the floor on the other side of the coffee table, with Chase on one side of the sofa and Lyla on the other. For movies that she's already seen that have a sad part, she insists on sitting between us and making sure that we're all cuddled with pieces of her baby blanket. When we watch hockey, she's so darn cute, usually pacing in front of the coffee table and getting really close to the tv so that she can focus on the fast-moving puck.
"When's your flight tomorrow?"
"Early," I answer.
"Lyla and I can take you. Would that be okay?"
I look up at him, and he's already staring at me, an intensity in his eyes that I don't know what to do with. Like he wants more, too. Only, he won't let himself have it.
I swallow and tighten my hold on his torso. "I love hanging out with you both, but I'm sure it's not going to be a fun drive."
He toys with my hair, curling the edges around his fingertips. "She and I can make a day of it in the city. Distract ourselves from missing you."
"Yeah?"
"We both feel it, when you're not here. It feels like something is missing," he admits. "And telling you that is so fucking scary, but you deserve to know."
Chase is one of the most direct people that I've ever met, except when it comes to his heart. To what he wants and what he needs.
But what he just told me is not nothing.
"I know exactly where I belong."
Those two are thick as thieves these days, especially since we told Lyla about our relationship-officially-three months ago when the season ended. I was worried that she'd have an issue with me being in a relationship, which seems silly now.
If anything, I'm the third wheel in this family. They have a secret language. A secret handshake.
We came back to Michigan for the one-year-anniversary of Olivia's death.
Asher and I debated whether or not Lyla should come along, but ultimately, we decided that hiding the hard parts of life is only going to make them more difficult to understand or process later.
So, she did get a sanitized version of why we're in town, but she knew that we were here to celebrate Asher's sister, who's no longer with us.
When she found that out, she went over to him and crawled in his lap, wrapping her little arms around his broad shoulders and giving him a hug that rivaled any that I've ever gotten from her. So we think, on some level, she does understand the permanence of death, even though it breaks my heart to have to teach her these things about the world.
"You're thinking about how Jason taught her to make fart noises with her arm, aren't you," Asher says in my ear, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
I laugh and lift my hand up so that I can scratch his beard. "I don't think that she's ever gotten so much unadulterated attention from so many people before."
When we told her that we'd be leaving Asher's parents' house to drive an hour away to spend a couple of days at the lake before heading back home, I thought she was going to instigate World War 3.
May 28, 2026
⭐ - 4.5/5
⊹ | 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 by Mel McCabe is an M/M college hockey romance. It is the second book in the 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘜 series and follows Asher "Dutch" Reynolds and Wyatt Chase. This story explores themes that some readers may find triggering.
Omfg, this book is another one I can definitely add to my top reads of the year. I absolutely loved Wyatt and Asher's story so freaking much. Now, I don't often pre-order books, but I just HAD to for this one, and I don't regret it for one second. I really think that Mel McCabe is for sure going to be a new favorite author of mine.
Asher Reynolds is grieving the loss of his sister after a car accident that led to her death. Not only did he lose his sister, but he also suffered an injury that throws a wrench into his senior year plans with the Renegades. Nothing feels right to Asher anymore, not when his sister is gone and he's barely holding his head above water. Then he meets Wyatt Chase. Wyatt shows him what it feels like to live again, but things are complicated. Wyatt is Asher's new Physical Therapist, and a strict policy forbids staff and players from crossing that line.
Wyatt Chase's life was turned upside down when he was in a sports-related accident that ruined his pro hockey career, leaving him with a visual disability and a newborn baby that he didn't know what to do with.
Now he's a single father to a five-year-old and the new Physical Therapist at Radford University. He's used to figuring out what life throws at him, but what he's not expecting is to already have his first serious patient this early into the season. When Wyatt starts working with a grieving Asher, emotions from his past come to the surface—emotions that he's spent years trying to push through. What starts off as a professional relationship soon turns into something more when the line between what's wrong and what feels right is crossed. Over and over again.
Asher and Wyatt's story wasn't all sunshine and rainbows; it was emotional and honestly so heartbreaking at times. As someone who only has sisters and would probably go crazy if I lost any one of them, I understood Asher's pain deeply. I swear, at the beginning of the story, I just wanted to hug him so bad. His grief and struggles after the accident literally broke my heart to pieces.
One of my favorite parts of Asher and Wyatt's relationship was how Wyatt showed Asher that life does, in fact, go on after horrible things happen. Giving up when life gets rocky can do more harm to yourself than anything. But in return, Asher showed Wyatt that accepting help from the people around you who love and support you doesn't make you weaker, but stronger for knowing that you can't always do things alone. I seriously think that they suited each other so freaking well.
Okay, I could never forget my dearest Lyla. I absolutely adored all the scenes of them together as a family. If you haven't seen the fan art of them together, I beg you to go look at the author's Instagram. It's so freaking cute and I'm obsessed with it 🥹. I also enjoyed how witty and resilient Lyla was; I literally found myself chuckling at some of the stuff that she said.
Overall, I really loved this book. Asher and Wyatt's story was so raw and real. I definitely recommend it if you like a good M/M hockey romance with a dash of emotional distress. Also, I hated Zane ☺️.
— 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒚 𝑷.𝑹.
⊹ | 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 by Mel McCabe is an M/M college hockey romance. It is the second book in the 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘜 series and follows Asher "Dutch" Reynolds and Wyatt Chase. This story explores themes that some readers may find triggering.
Omfg, this book is another one I can definitely add to my top reads of the year. I absolutely loved Wyatt and Asher's story so freaking much. Now, I don't often pre-order books, but I just HAD to for this one, and I don't regret it for one second. I really think that Mel McCabe is for sure going to be a new favorite author of mine.
Asher Reynolds is grieving the loss of his sister after a car accident that led to her death. Not only did he lose his sister, but he also suffered an injury that throws a wrench into his senior year plans with the Renegades. Nothing feels right to Asher anymore, not when his sister is gone and he's barely holding his head above water. Then he meets Wyatt Chase. Wyatt shows him what it feels like to live again, but things are complicated. Wyatt is Asher's new Physical Therapist, and a strict policy forbids staff and players from crossing that line.
Wyatt Chase's life was turned upside down when he was in a sports-related accident that ruined his pro hockey career, leaving him with a visual disability and a newborn baby that he didn't know what to do with.
Now he's a single father to a five-year-old and the new Physical Therapist at Radford University. He's used to figuring out what life throws at him, but what he's not expecting is to already have his first serious patient this early into the season. When Wyatt starts working with a grieving Asher, emotions from his past come to the surface—emotions that he's spent years trying to push through. What starts off as a professional relationship soon turns into something more when the line between what's wrong and what feels right is crossed. Over and over again.
Asher and Wyatt's story wasn't all sunshine and rainbows; it was emotional and honestly so heartbreaking at times. As someone who only has sisters and would probably go crazy if I lost any one of them, I understood Asher's pain deeply. I swear, at the beginning of the story, I just wanted to hug him so bad. His grief and struggles after the accident literally broke my heart to pieces.
One of my favorite parts of Asher and Wyatt's relationship was how Wyatt showed Asher that life does, in fact, go on after horrible things happen. Giving up when life gets rocky can do more harm to yourself than anything. But in return, Asher showed Wyatt that accepting help from the people around you who love and support you doesn't make you weaker, but stronger for knowing that you can't always do things alone. I seriously think that they suited each other so freaking well.
Okay, I could never forget my dearest Lyla. I absolutely adored all the scenes of them together as a family. If you haven't seen the fan art of them together, I beg you to go look at the author's Instagram. It's so freaking cute and I'm obsessed with it 🥹. I also enjoyed how witty and resilient Lyla was; I literally found myself chuckling at some of the stuff that she said.
Overall, I really loved this book. Asher and Wyatt's story was so raw and real. I definitely recommend it if you like a good M/M hockey romance with a dash of emotional distress. Also, I hated Zane ☺️.
— 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒚 𝑷.𝑹.
June 17, 2026
Chase and Wyatt gave the impression of being one of those soft hurt/comfort reads I would indulge in and enjoy, but it fell flat 😐. For the most part, the book was okay; the chemistry between the two MCs was never in question ✨. Their intimacy, though, was awkward and plain. That's just me, though; I wanted some spice— even vanilla spice would've done it 🌶️— but it was just bland.
Falling in love was cool, but for me personally, it shouldn't have been an easy fix for all the trauma and losses both men had been through 💔. We started off with Asher grieving his sister, and while I appreciated that it didn't drag the story, it just kind of disappeared once he and Wyatt started hooking up. The same goes for Wyatt's ex and injury. I was given the impression that he was an amazing player before the injury, and it would've been nice to see that, which brings me to more telling than showing.
Zane was a wasted antagonistic opportunity; he just felt unnecessary and rushed. A bit of foreshadowing of his deeds would've been nice to build up.
"Crossing Lines" wasn't bad; I liked the sweet moments between Asher, Wyatt, and Lyla 🥰. Their little family was cute; everything else just felt out of place and not well fleshed out.
Falling in love was cool, but for me personally, it shouldn't have been an easy fix for all the trauma and losses both men had been through 💔. We started off with Asher grieving his sister, and while I appreciated that it didn't drag the story, it just kind of disappeared once he and Wyatt started hooking up. The same goes for Wyatt's ex and injury. I was given the impression that he was an amazing player before the injury, and it would've been nice to see that, which brings me to more telling than showing.
Zane was a wasted antagonistic opportunity; he just felt unnecessary and rushed. A bit of foreshadowing of his deeds would've been nice to build up.
"Crossing Lines" wasn't bad; I liked the sweet moments between Asher, Wyatt, and Lyla 🥰. Their little family was cute; everything else just felt out of place and not well fleshed out.
May 14, 2026
Another great addition to this series. I am a total sucker for a physician/patient forbidden love story.
Loving the tension between Wyatt and Asher created by Wyatt's internal conflict, trying to stay professional for the sake of his job while his feelings for his patient become impossible to ignore. Asher's battle with grief is so raw that you just want him to get the happiest ending possible. I really appreciated that Wyatt doesn't just pity Asher, and he makes him actually confront his healing journey.
I also adored Asher's relationship with Lyla. They make the sweetest, most wholesome little family, and Lyla absolutely has everyone wrapped around her little finger.
Plus, getting to see Kellan and Wells again, all domestic and happy was a bonus. I love an interconnected series.
I am really enjoying this series so far and can't wait to continue. Who is next? Cooper? Does Zane get a redemption arc? I can’t wait to find out!
Loving the tension between Wyatt and Asher created by Wyatt's internal conflict, trying to stay professional for the sake of his job while his feelings for his patient become impossible to ignore. Asher's battle with grief is so raw that you just want him to get the happiest ending possible. I really appreciated that Wyatt doesn't just pity Asher, and he makes him actually confront his healing journey.
I also adored Asher's relationship with Lyla. They make the sweetest, most wholesome little family, and Lyla absolutely has everyone wrapped around her little finger.
Plus, getting to see Kellan and Wells again, all domestic and happy was a bonus. I love an interconnected series.
I am really enjoying this series so far and can't wait to continue. Who is next? Cooper? Does Zane get a redemption arc? I can’t wait to find out!
June 12, 2026
DNF @ 33%
Notes I took while reading:
The intro chapters were fine, but too reliant on narrative explanations. I liked Chase's more than Asher's just because it felt like there was a bit less expo dumping there. I liked that there was a believable reason for Chase to move away from his parents despite them being helpful and that he was unsure if getting their own place was the correct move (even if it was only fifteen minutes away). Though both of them felt a bit too "tell-y" since both Asher and Chase continually explained and contextualized every action they took (bringing it back to Asher's sister and Chase's daughter respectively).
The expo dumping and explicit narrative explanation unfortunately didn't stop and just continued. Asher asking himself why he was letting his walls down around Chase was particularly egregious considering we literally just saw the scene that showed it happening (aka Lyla endeared herself to him + underlying attraction). The story would've been so much more emotional if there wasn't an internal monologue summarizing events that just happened every 3 pages.
It was weird timeskipping over Asher becoming more cooperative with Chase's recovery plan. You'd think that we should've at least seen one example of it happening before it goes to "Something shifted a few weeks ago with Asher..." Why did a significant shift in dynamic happen off page and relegated to a summary? Ignoring the fact that there hadn't been a strong established dynamic between them to begin with (they had like two sessions, but the story acts like Asher and Chase had been at it for weeks), we should've seen Asher being more compliant before timelapsing it away.
It was so weird how the story basically just throws us the idea that Chase's coworker was antagonistic towards him when there was nothing to suggest that at all in their prior interactions? You'd think if Zane truly "had it in" for Chase that he'd have shown evidence of it before? We get one scene where Zane tells Chase to watch himself and Chase assumes that it's because Zane was jealous of his position/mad for his friend that Chase briefly dated.
Chase: I don't want people thinking I'm being inappropriate with patients
Asher: Is he hitting on me?
Yes, Asher. Chase is doing the exact opposite of what he said he wanted to do. That sort of "omg, is he into me" would've been great if Chase hadn't literally also said that he wasn't trying to look unprofessional. I needed Asher to give both parts of that statement equal attention, aka trying his hardest to believe that Chase was just being his physical therapist, but failing and wishing that Chase was hitting on him instead of just ignoring the former. The lack of any sort of guard rails/consideration for Chase's situation in Asher's wishful thinking made the writing feel disjointed (as if Chase hadn't even said that he was trying to not break the rules of his position).
When Chase confronted Asher about how weird he was being, I didn't understand how Asher then took that to mean that Chase was attracted to him? Did I miss a sentence where Chase explicitly said that? The dialogue was pretty clearly about Chase confronting Asher about what he thought was homophobia, so I'm not sure how Asher got the definitive idea that Chase was talking about being attracted to him.
I gave up when Asher talked to Kellan and Kellan brought up Asher's accident. It reminded me that Asher was supposed to actually still be torn up over his sister's death, but made me realize that the trauma hadn't actually been brought up in god knows how long. So much for survivors guilt and grief right?
TL;DR: Way to reliant on telling and conflicts were not impactful and just felt like underdeveloped afterthoughts. 1.5 stars rounded up.
Notes I took while reading:
The intro chapters were fine, but too reliant on narrative explanations. I liked Chase's more than Asher's just because it felt like there was a bit less expo dumping there. I liked that there was a believable reason for Chase to move away from his parents despite them being helpful and that he was unsure if getting their own place was the correct move (even if it was only fifteen minutes away). Though both of them felt a bit too "tell-y" since both Asher and Chase continually explained and contextualized every action they took (bringing it back to Asher's sister and Chase's daughter respectively).
The expo dumping and explicit narrative explanation unfortunately didn't stop and just continued. Asher asking himself why he was letting his walls down around Chase was particularly egregious considering we literally just saw the scene that showed it happening (aka Lyla endeared herself to him + underlying attraction). The story would've been so much more emotional if there wasn't an internal monologue summarizing events that just happened every 3 pages.
It was weird timeskipping over Asher becoming more cooperative with Chase's recovery plan. You'd think that we should've at least seen one example of it happening before it goes to "Something shifted a few weeks ago with Asher..." Why did a significant shift in dynamic happen off page and relegated to a summary? Ignoring the fact that there hadn't been a strong established dynamic between them to begin with (they had like two sessions, but the story acts like Asher and Chase had been at it for weeks), we should've seen Asher being more compliant before timelapsing it away.
It was so weird how the story basically just throws us the idea that Chase's coworker was antagonistic towards him when there was nothing to suggest that at all in their prior interactions? You'd think if Zane truly "had it in" for Chase that he'd have shown evidence of it before? We get one scene where Zane tells Chase to watch himself and Chase assumes that it's because Zane was jealous of his position/mad for his friend that Chase briefly dated.
Chase: I don't want people thinking I'm being inappropriate with patients
Asher: Is he hitting on me?
Yes, Asher. Chase is doing the exact opposite of what he said he wanted to do. That sort of "omg, is he into me" would've been great if Chase hadn't literally also said that he wasn't trying to look unprofessional. I needed Asher to give both parts of that statement equal attention, aka trying his hardest to believe that Chase was just being his physical therapist, but failing and wishing that Chase was hitting on him instead of just ignoring the former. The lack of any sort of guard rails/consideration for Chase's situation in Asher's wishful thinking made the writing feel disjointed (as if Chase hadn't even said that he was trying to not break the rules of his position).
When Chase confronted Asher about how weird he was being, I didn't understand how Asher then took that to mean that Chase was attracted to him? Did I miss a sentence where Chase explicitly said that? The dialogue was pretty clearly about Chase confronting Asher about what he thought was homophobia, so I'm not sure how Asher got the definitive idea that Chase was talking about being attracted to him.
I gave up when Asher talked to Kellan and Kellan brought up Asher's accident. It reminded me that Asher was supposed to actually still be torn up over his sister's death, but made me realize that the trauma hadn't actually been brought up in god knows how long. So much for survivors guilt and grief right?
TL;DR: Way to reliant on telling and conflicts were not impactful and just felt like underdeveloped afterthoughts. 1.5 stars rounded up.
May 26, 2026
There’s something special about a book by Mel McCabe. Once I start reading, it’s hard to stop. It’s captivating and cosy, with lovable characters and wonderful prose.
It feels like being wrapped in a warm hug.
I love Ash and Chase, and the way they slowly move towards each other even though they both try to resist the attraction they feel at first. Their relationship feels completely natural, and even though the story touches on some heavier subjects, they never take up too much space. It’s perfectly balanced.
I loved it and I’m looking forward to more books in the series! I’m now going to buy the first and second books for my bookshelf. I received the ebook as an ARC, and I think it’s important that we also support the authors we love by buying their books. ❤️
It feels like being wrapped in a warm hug.
I love Ash and Chase, and the way they slowly move towards each other even though they both try to resist the attraction they feel at first. Their relationship feels completely natural, and even though the story touches on some heavier subjects, they never take up too much space. It’s perfectly balanced.
I loved it and I’m looking forward to more books in the series! I’m now going to buy the first and second books for my bookshelf. I received the ebook as an ARC, and I think it’s important that we also support the authors we love by buying their books. ❤️
May 24, 2026
Firstly thank you to Mel McCabe for the advanced copy of this book.
I genuinely loved Power Play when I discovered that a few months ago, and found it helped fix a reading slump I was in at the time, and the same thing can be said for Crossing Lines.
McCabe is a brilliant writer, and as a heavily dyslexic person I didn’t struggle reading her style of writing once which is rare.
The story is brilliant, and while I have read a MM Hockey book where a uni player and a staff member fall for each other, I was glad that that was where the similarities end and that the story felt completely original and fresh.
I highly recommend reading this once it’s out in a few days!
I genuinely loved Power Play when I discovered that a few months ago, and found it helped fix a reading slump I was in at the time, and the same thing can be said for Crossing Lines.
McCabe is a brilliant writer, and as a heavily dyslexic person I didn’t struggle reading her style of writing once which is rare.
The story is brilliant, and while I have read a MM Hockey book where a uni player and a staff member fall for each other, I was glad that that was where the similarities end and that the story felt completely original and fresh.
I highly recommend reading this once it’s out in a few days!
June 1, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ rounded down
Review of an ARC from the author
This was my first Mel McCabe book, but they have been on my TBR for ages. I was so glad to get this ARC and I loved this book from beginning to end. The relationship between the two MMCs starts as a slow burn and then is hot and heavy. While there are some deep themes in the novel (loss, injury, etc) it only adds layers to the storyline. I absolutely loved this book and am excited to jump into the first book of the series (and absolutely can’t wait for the next book to come out!!)
Review of an ARC from the author
This was my first Mel McCabe book, but they have been on my TBR for ages. I was so glad to get this ARC and I loved this book from beginning to end. The relationship between the two MMCs starts as a slow burn and then is hot and heavy. While there are some deep themes in the novel (loss, injury, etc) it only adds layers to the storyline. I absolutely loved this book and am excited to jump into the first book of the series (and absolutely can’t wait for the next book to come out!!)
June 3, 2026
YES, YES, YES!!!! Crossing Lines is heartfelt, healing and makes you feel all the emotions.
While reading Wyatt and Ashers journey, my heart was broken, slowly healed and taught to love again right along with them. I could not get enough of their genuine, all in from the start love they had for each other. And Lyla, that sweet little girl, made this story that much better. Oh course let not forget about the chemistry, and spice between Asher and Wyatt 🥵🥵.
Highly recommend if you want a spicy, slow burn and healing read. Loved it!!!!
While reading Wyatt and Ashers journey, my heart was broken, slowly healed and taught to love again right along with them. I could not get enough of their genuine, all in from the start love they had for each other. And Lyla, that sweet little girl, made this story that much better. Oh course let not forget about the chemistry, and spice between Asher and Wyatt 🥵🥵.
Highly recommend if you want a spicy, slow burn and healing read. Loved it!!!!
June 26, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
i LOVED this! i mean duh its a single dad romance which is my kryptonite. i loved how the relationship developed between asher and wyatt, specifically how wyatt helped asher through his injury recovery as well as his emotional struggles after he lost his sister. wyatt’s daughter lyla was also super cute and i loved how her and asher interacted. i also appreciated how they communicated and worked through their issues (which thank god were mostly external) and it just left me with a good feeling!
i LOVED this! i mean duh its a single dad romance which is my kryptonite. i loved how the relationship developed between asher and wyatt, specifically how wyatt helped asher through his injury recovery as well as his emotional struggles after he lost his sister. wyatt’s daughter lyla was also super cute and i loved how her and asher interacted. i also appreciated how they communicated and worked through their issues (which thank god were mostly external) and it just left me with a good feeling!
July 10, 2026
You know me…I’m a sucker for a single dad and this one didn’t disappoint. These two became friends, then they became an expirement turned more.
I loved the simple life they fell into. They everyday things that mattered. And sweet Lyla-thatblittle
girl was adorable!
There are a few things that you may want to check trigger warnings for but all in all a sweet read!
I loved the simple life they fell into. They everyday things that mattered. And sweet Lyla-thatblittle
girl was adorable!
There are a few things that you may want to check trigger warnings for but all in all a sweet read!
June 9, 2026
it’s the same thing back and forth and repeat and I can’t TAKE IT ANYMORE.
June 14, 2026
Such an amazing book! Loved everything about it!
May 29, 2026
This was the best romance I’ve read in a while (and that’s saying something due to how much romance I’ve read recently 😛)
Did Not Finish
May 28, 2026I tried and tried with this book. I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll try again later.
June 12, 2026
Wyatt and Asher are red hot!!
Asher is in a rough place both physically & mentally during the beginning of the season due to losing his sister enter Asher.
Asher knows what Wyatt is going through and keeps on him to get the help he needs.
There are not enough words for this couple.
They were destined to be together.
I cried along with them, I laughed, I wanted to scream and swooned so hard when they were finally able to be out about their love
Asher is in a rough place both physically & mentally during the beginning of the season due to losing his sister enter Asher.
Asher knows what Wyatt is going through and keeps on him to get the help he needs.
There are not enough words for this couple.
They were destined to be together.
I cried along with them, I laughed, I wanted to scream and swooned so hard when they were finally able to be out about their love
May 27, 2026
To no one’s surprise, this book was amazing, Mel McCabe can truly do no wrong. And did she freaking deliver or what!? You can’t read a sports romance and not love a forbidden trope!
An injured hockey player entering his senior year of college after losing his sister is already a heavy load to carry. But falling for the retired hockey legend you used to have taped on your bedroom wall? The same legend who ends up being a hot single dad AND your new team physical therapist? I devoured it up!
This book was so much more than just spice and a good time. Mel really took the time to focus on each of these characters and how they navigate trauma, showing that learning to lean on the people around you is the only way to truly heal. Having Wyatt, someone a bit older and more experienced with a different kind of loss, help Asher become a better version of himself while navigating his own grief was handled so delicately. The author absolutely nailed it.
Crossing Lines was EVERYTHING. It took sensitive topics and turned them into "bite-sized nuggets" of deep, beautiful moments without ever losing sight of the big picture.
I also love a good gay awakening story. The way Asher explores this new side of himself adds so much complexity to his character, and watching him realize his draw to Wyatt is so much more than just friendship was stunning. Seeing that appreciation turn into a deep connection was just breathtaking.
The true turning point in their dynamic starts when Asher is struggling with the realization that his sister won’t experience the same milestones he is. While walking through campus, seeing everyone live their lives and build futures she’ll never have, he spirals into a panic attack. When he starts sprinting, pushing himself and his injury just to find somewhere to be alone and Wyatt is the one who finds him and works him through it, that’s when everything really begins.
As Wyatt and his daughter, Lyla, start spending time with Asher (as neighbors, of course!), you can really feel that connection growing. It keeps you on your toes, especially with a "gruntled jerk" trying to keep them apart!
The true standout moment for me was realizing that they would both give up everything for the other. Those are the kind of moments that always leave me melting in a puddle.
Mel McCabe is the queen of taking me out at the knees and making me ask for more. This book did not disappoint, and I can’t wait for whatever is next!
An injured hockey player entering his senior year of college after losing his sister is already a heavy load to carry. But falling for the retired hockey legend you used to have taped on your bedroom wall? The same legend who ends up being a hot single dad AND your new team physical therapist? I devoured it up!
This book was so much more than just spice and a good time. Mel really took the time to focus on each of these characters and how they navigate trauma, showing that learning to lean on the people around you is the only way to truly heal. Having Wyatt, someone a bit older and more experienced with a different kind of loss, help Asher become a better version of himself while navigating his own grief was handled so delicately. The author absolutely nailed it.
Crossing Lines was EVERYTHING. It took sensitive topics and turned them into "bite-sized nuggets" of deep, beautiful moments without ever losing sight of the big picture.
I also love a good gay awakening story. The way Asher explores this new side of himself adds so much complexity to his character, and watching him realize his draw to Wyatt is so much more than just friendship was stunning. Seeing that appreciation turn into a deep connection was just breathtaking.
The true turning point in their dynamic starts when Asher is struggling with the realization that his sister won’t experience the same milestones he is. While walking through campus, seeing everyone live their lives and build futures she’ll never have, he spirals into a panic attack. When he starts sprinting, pushing himself and his injury just to find somewhere to be alone and Wyatt is the one who finds him and works him through it, that’s when everything really begins.
As Wyatt and his daughter, Lyla, start spending time with Asher (as neighbors, of course!), you can really feel that connection growing. It keeps you on your toes, especially with a "gruntled jerk" trying to keep them apart!
The true standout moment for me was realizing that they would both give up everything for the other. Those are the kind of moments that always leave me melting in a puddle.
Mel McCabe is the queen of taking me out at the knees and making me ask for more. This book did not disappoint, and I can’t wait for whatever is next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC REVIEW
Crossing Lines by Mel McCabe
⭐⭐⭐⭐¼ (4.25/5)
What a soft, emotional romance about finding love in the middle of grief and learning how to let yourself heal.
Asher is still deeply struggling after the loss of his younger sister, carrying both grief and survivor’s guilt while recovering from the accident that changed his life. Enter Wyatt—the team’s new athletic trainer—who slowly becomes more than just the person helping rehab Asher’s injury. Wyatt challenges him emotionally in ways nobody else really can, and watching Asher gradually begin to open back up to life felt incredibly rewarding.
Because of the nature of their relationship—college hockey player and trainer—the attraction between them is something they both try hard to ignore at first. The tension definitely builds, but what makes the romance work so well is that their connection never feels rooted in physical attraction alone. They become a source of comfort and support for each other long before anything actually happens.
Wyatt especially got me. As a single father, he’s so used to being the caretaker, the dependable one, the person everyone leans on. But with Asher, he finally has someone who wants to care for him, too. And Asher desperately needs someone who makes him feel like surviving the accident meant something—that maybe he’s still allowed to have a future after all of that pain. Their relationship develops so naturally into not just a romance, but a little family unit, and I loved every second of it.
This is definitely a quieter romance, built through small moments instead of huge dramatic declarations. Asher helping Wyatt’s daughter Lyla practice for her dance recital, cuddling on the couch watching hockey highlights, holding each other through hard days—those are the scenes that stayed with me most. Relationships like this always hit hardest for me because they feel sustainable and real. It’s about choosing each other consistently and finding comfort in the ordinary moments together.
And seeing Kellan and Wells again was such a treat. Power Play was one of my favorite reads last year, so getting glimpses of their happily-ever-after made me ridiculously happy.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC!
Crossing Lines by Mel McCabe
⭐⭐⭐⭐¼ (4.25/5)
What a soft, emotional romance about finding love in the middle of grief and learning how to let yourself heal.
Asher is still deeply struggling after the loss of his younger sister, carrying both grief and survivor’s guilt while recovering from the accident that changed his life. Enter Wyatt—the team’s new athletic trainer—who slowly becomes more than just the person helping rehab Asher’s injury. Wyatt challenges him emotionally in ways nobody else really can, and watching Asher gradually begin to open back up to life felt incredibly rewarding.
Because of the nature of their relationship—college hockey player and trainer—the attraction between them is something they both try hard to ignore at first. The tension definitely builds, but what makes the romance work so well is that their connection never feels rooted in physical attraction alone. They become a source of comfort and support for each other long before anything actually happens.
Wyatt especially got me. As a single father, he’s so used to being the caretaker, the dependable one, the person everyone leans on. But with Asher, he finally has someone who wants to care for him, too. And Asher desperately needs someone who makes him feel like surviving the accident meant something—that maybe he’s still allowed to have a future after all of that pain. Their relationship develops so naturally into not just a romance, but a little family unit, and I loved every second of it.
This is definitely a quieter romance, built through small moments instead of huge dramatic declarations. Asher helping Wyatt’s daughter Lyla practice for her dance recital, cuddling on the couch watching hockey highlights, holding each other through hard days—those are the scenes that stayed with me most. Relationships like this always hit hardest for me because they feel sustainable and real. It’s about choosing each other consistently and finding comfort in the ordinary moments together.
And seeing Kellan and Wells again was such a treat. Power Play was one of my favorite reads last year, so getting glimpses of their happily-ever-after made me ridiculously happy.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
“I’m pretty sure that Wyatt Chase was grown in a lab to meet every need and want that I could ever have. And for as terrifying as that feels, it’s also exhilarating. I can’t wait to keep exploring this connection between us. I’m discovering more about myself along with discovering more about him.”
Crossing Lines by Mel McCabe is the second book in the Radford U series. I haven’t read the first book but this totally works and kept me obsessed (I’m going to read Power Play ASAP). It is a hidden gem. I loved every single page of it. It had me completely hooked and I couldn’t put it down.
Asher is a hockey player who’s going through it after losing his sister in a car accident that also left him with a brutal injury that completely wrecks his senior year playing for the Redford Renegades. Wyatt is an ex-pro hockey player turned physical therapist, who is Asher’s PT in the team, and who is also a single dad. The chemistry and tension between them are absolutely perfection. I liked the forbidden therapist-patient dynamic. The emotional push-and-pull and the intense “I want you but I can’t have you” vibe, completely captivated me in a way I can’t even explain.
Also, what to say about Lyla? Wyatt’s 5-year-old daughter is the cutest, and their little family dynamic totally melted my heart. Wyatt’s relationship with her was so beautiful. I was looking for the moments where the three of them were cuddling on the sofa or were just spending time together.
I would like to have had more pages of them together as a couple after graduation, but I think I was just sad for the book to end. I’m so incredibly protective of Asher after everything he went through.
If you’re looking for an emotional 5-star MM hockey romance, you need to add Crossing Lines to your TBR. I can’t recommend it enough.
Thank you, Mel McCabe for this free eARC. This is my honest review and recommendation.
May 26, 2026
ARC REVIEW
This was my first book by Mel McCabe, and wow… I’ve clearly been missing out.
Set in a college environment, Crossing Lines doesn’t shy away from heavier themes. Both main characters are dealing with loss and life-altering setbacks.
Asher is struggling with intense grief after his sister’s death in a car accident, an accident he survived but still feels deeply guilty about, even though he wasn’t the driver. On top of that, he’s coping with his own injury and has completely shut himself off from the world and the people who care about him.
Wyatt’s story is just as heartbreaking. After a stellar rookie year as a professional hockey player, his career is cut short due to an injury. He rebuilds his life as a physical therapist and becomes a single parent to his daughter, Lyla who absolutely steals every scene she’s in.
When Wyatt is assigned to oversee Asher’s recovery, their lives begin to intertwine in unexpected ways.
Wyatt and Lyla slowly become a light in Asher’s dark world, helping him find his way back to living again. Watching Asher open up, not just emotionally, but also in terms of his identity, was incredibly well done. His journey of self-acceptance felt realistic and nuanced.
As a philosophy major, he’s spent so much time analyzing the world around him that he never truly examined himself, which makes his realization at 24 feel both natural and impactful. I really appreciated that the “awakening” aspect wasn’t rushed.
And then there’s the tension… because of course, there’s a forbidden element. While they’re both adults, Wyatt is Asher’s physical therapist, meaning their relationship could cost him his career. Wyatt genuinely tries to maintain boundaries, but their connection is undeniable and you feel that.
The longing, the restraint, the slow burn… it’s all so good.
I devoured this 400-page book in a single day, which says everything. For me, this is easily one of the best college MM sports romances I’ve read this year.
Highly recommend if you love emotional depth, slow-burn tension, and beautifully written character growth.
This was my first book by Mel McCabe, and wow… I’ve clearly been missing out.
Set in a college environment, Crossing Lines doesn’t shy away from heavier themes. Both main characters are dealing with loss and life-altering setbacks.
Asher is struggling with intense grief after his sister’s death in a car accident, an accident he survived but still feels deeply guilty about, even though he wasn’t the driver. On top of that, he’s coping with his own injury and has completely shut himself off from the world and the people who care about him.
Wyatt’s story is just as heartbreaking. After a stellar rookie year as a professional hockey player, his career is cut short due to an injury. He rebuilds his life as a physical therapist and becomes a single parent to his daughter, Lyla who absolutely steals every scene she’s in.
When Wyatt is assigned to oversee Asher’s recovery, their lives begin to intertwine in unexpected ways.
Wyatt and Lyla slowly become a light in Asher’s dark world, helping him find his way back to living again. Watching Asher open up, not just emotionally, but also in terms of his identity, was incredibly well done. His journey of self-acceptance felt realistic and nuanced.
As a philosophy major, he’s spent so much time analyzing the world around him that he never truly examined himself, which makes his realization at 24 feel both natural and impactful. I really appreciated that the “awakening” aspect wasn’t rushed.
And then there’s the tension… because of course, there’s a forbidden element. While they’re both adults, Wyatt is Asher’s physical therapist, meaning their relationship could cost him his career. Wyatt genuinely tries to maintain boundaries, but their connection is undeniable and you feel that.
The longing, the restraint, the slow burn… it’s all so good.
I devoured this 400-page book in a single day, which says everything. For me, this is easily one of the best college MM sports romances I’ve read this year.
Highly recommend if you love emotional depth, slow-burn tension, and beautifully written character growth.
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨️ARC REVIEW✨️
⭐️ 5/5 🌶2/5
Another song that's fitting for this book i forgot to include was:
🎵Cariño Eres un amor (there's something about you, babe)🎵 Cariño - The Marias
I loved this so much, I read about 75% one day and finished it the next day. It's a beautiful story between our two mmcs Wyatt and Asher along with the cutest moments between Wyatt and Lyla (his daughter, who is the most adorable and outgoing child ever). A single father who is a physical therapist and grieving injured hockey player fall in love despite fighting their own battles and crossing the lines between having a professional relationship and romantic relationship. The plot and relationship had me turning the pages tbh, I really couldn't put it down if I wanted to and I don't regret a thing! Plus the disability Wyatt has was well explained, in my opinion, and I learned a couple things through reading so woohoo!!
My dear Asher "Dutch" Reynolds😭 my baby💙 I feel for him truly, as the second oldest in a family of 4 I wouldn't know what to do if I lost any of my siblings to a tragedy like that. The grief, the loss, the PTSD, the mental plummet, and an injury to top it all off, my poor child Asher cannot catch a break😭 but luckily Wyatt is there to help and support him come back both mentally and physically🥹
And Wyatt Chase, my love💙 a former NHL player who had to retire early do to a career ending injury makes me so sad but he has his little ball of sunshine to fight and strive for a better quality of life and that was honestly so precious 😭 His and Lyla's relationship is SO CUTE, I loved their moments and when Asher started getting involved it was twice as cute! Asher truly fit in like a puzzle piece and I ate those moments up😭 the three of them together was perfect and never felt forced or awkward which is very much appreciated and loved!
Overall, Mel Mccabe truly delivered with this book 🙂↕️🙂↕️ The tension, the romance, the drama, and the characters made this an incredible read and I cannot wait for the next one!
⭐️ 5/5 🌶2/5
Another song that's fitting for this book i forgot to include was:
🎵Cariño Eres un amor (there's something about you, babe)🎵 Cariño - The Marias
I loved this so much, I read about 75% one day and finished it the next day. It's a beautiful story between our two mmcs Wyatt and Asher along with the cutest moments between Wyatt and Lyla (his daughter, who is the most adorable and outgoing child ever). A single father who is a physical therapist and grieving injured hockey player fall in love despite fighting their own battles and crossing the lines between having a professional relationship and romantic relationship. The plot and relationship had me turning the pages tbh, I really couldn't put it down if I wanted to and I don't regret a thing! Plus the disability Wyatt has was well explained, in my opinion, and I learned a couple things through reading so woohoo!!
My dear Asher "Dutch" Reynolds😭 my baby💙 I feel for him truly, as the second oldest in a family of 4 I wouldn't know what to do if I lost any of my siblings to a tragedy like that. The grief, the loss, the PTSD, the mental plummet, and an injury to top it all off, my poor child Asher cannot catch a break😭 but luckily Wyatt is there to help and support him come back both mentally and physically🥹
And Wyatt Chase, my love💙 a former NHL player who had to retire early do to a career ending injury makes me so sad but he has his little ball of sunshine to fight and strive for a better quality of life and that was honestly so precious 😭 His and Lyla's relationship is SO CUTE, I loved their moments and when Asher started getting involved it was twice as cute! Asher truly fit in like a puzzle piece and I ate those moments up😭 the three of them together was perfect and never felt forced or awkward which is very much appreciated and loved!
Overall, Mel Mccabe truly delivered with this book 🙂↕️🙂↕️ The tension, the romance, the drama, and the characters made this an incredible read and I cannot wait for the next one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
*3.5 stars!
thank you so much to the author for sending me the e-arc for review! all thoughts and opinions are my own.
this was a very sweet romance between the team's physical therapist and a grieving college hockey player! i think that the author did a great job building up this romance, with a great balance of lightheartedness and portrayals of grief and finding oneself.
i think that the gay awakening for asher was handled very well and the discovery of this attraction within the circumstances of physical therapy sessions and becoming friends gave this romance a nice foundation of tension. the whole forbidden aspect of their relationship made their dynamic quite fun and i really enjoyed the bits of sneaking around and flirtation. i do think that there should have been More physical therapy sessions and scenes, like the hydrotherapy one for example, that would have made it even more fun to read and build up that angst. i like a slower burn so this one was a tad quick for the attraction for me, but still quite good.
the looming threat of zane as a villain was useful for the conflict overall, just would have rather had it come from something else. their forbidden relationship already has enough layers to it that would create this conflict anyway, so i didn't think it was necessary to use him to push that plot forward. would have rather used that time towards the romance itself so we could really explore the personal issues both characters are going through on top of it all. that being said, i thought we would go more in depth with the trauma and grief considering that was asher's main issue when introduced to his character. it didn't feel as well fleshed out as i thought it would be. definitely felt like we skipped many steps in his personal journey to the acceptance of his sister's passing.
overall this was still a nice read! i think that it had a lot of heart, enjoyable writing, and some well done intimacy. i would definitely be open to reading some more from this author in the future
thank you so much to the author for sending me the e-arc for review! all thoughts and opinions are my own.
this was a very sweet romance between the team's physical therapist and a grieving college hockey player! i think that the author did a great job building up this romance, with a great balance of lightheartedness and portrayals of grief and finding oneself.
i think that the gay awakening for asher was handled very well and the discovery of this attraction within the circumstances of physical therapy sessions and becoming friends gave this romance a nice foundation of tension. the whole forbidden aspect of their relationship made their dynamic quite fun and i really enjoyed the bits of sneaking around and flirtation. i do think that there should have been More physical therapy sessions and scenes, like the hydrotherapy one for example, that would have made it even more fun to read and build up that angst. i like a slower burn so this one was a tad quick for the attraction for me, but still quite good.
the looming threat of zane as a villain was useful for the conflict overall, just would have rather had it come from something else. their forbidden relationship already has enough layers to it that would create this conflict anyway, so i didn't think it was necessary to use him to push that plot forward. would have rather used that time towards the romance itself so we could really explore the personal issues both characters are going through on top of it all. that being said, i thought we would go more in depth with the trauma and grief considering that was asher's main issue when introduced to his character. it didn't feel as well fleshed out as i thought it would be. definitely felt like we skipped many steps in his personal journey to the acceptance of his sister's passing.
overall this was still a nice read! i think that it had a lot of heart, enjoyable writing, and some well done intimacy. i would definitely be open to reading some more from this author in the future
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ace Review
Release Date 26 May 2026
I went into this book thinking it would just be another sports romance… and wow, I was NOT prepared for how deeply it would hit me 🥹🏒❤️
This story is such a tender mix of grief, healing, self-discovery, and forbidden love. Asher “Dutch” Reynolds completely broke my heart. After losing his sister and dealing with his own injury, he feels so lost and disconnected from himself.
Watching him slowly come back to life throughout the story felt incredibly emotional and real. His overthinking, vulnerability, and confusion about his feelings for Wyatt made him such a beautifully human character 🫶
And Wyatt Chase??? 😭 A former NHL player turned physical therapist and devoted single dad? I was already sold. The way he cares for Asher while battling his own guilt, pain, and growing feelings had me stressed in the BEST way possible. The emotional tension between them was absolutely insane every interaction felt meaningful, soft, and electric all at once ⚡❤️
What I loved most was that the conflict never felt forced between them. It was the outside circumstances therapist/patient boundaries, student dynamics, grief, fear that kept pulling them apart while their hearts kept dragging them back together. The slow burn and constant push-and-pull had me completely hooked 📖✨
Also, I really appreciated that Asher is 24 and Wyatt is 29, so the “forbidden” aspect wasn’t about age at all. Their connection felt mature, emotional, and genuine. And the spice?? Perfectly done 🌶️ It made Asher’s journey of discovering himself feel even more authentic and intimate.
Seeing Wells and Kellan again made me SO happy 🥺 I honestly just wanted more pages of everyone together because I wasn’t ready to leave this world yet.
This book felt comforting, emotional, and quietly beautiful all at once. Definitely another 5⭐ read for me. My heart is still recovering 💔✨
Release Date 26 May 2026
I went into this book thinking it would just be another sports romance… and wow, I was NOT prepared for how deeply it would hit me 🥹🏒❤️
This story is such a tender mix of grief, healing, self-discovery, and forbidden love. Asher “Dutch” Reynolds completely broke my heart. After losing his sister and dealing with his own injury, he feels so lost and disconnected from himself.
Watching him slowly come back to life throughout the story felt incredibly emotional and real. His overthinking, vulnerability, and confusion about his feelings for Wyatt made him such a beautifully human character 🫶
And Wyatt Chase??? 😭 A former NHL player turned physical therapist and devoted single dad? I was already sold. The way he cares for Asher while battling his own guilt, pain, and growing feelings had me stressed in the BEST way possible. The emotional tension between them was absolutely insane every interaction felt meaningful, soft, and electric all at once ⚡❤️
What I loved most was that the conflict never felt forced between them. It was the outside circumstances therapist/patient boundaries, student dynamics, grief, fear that kept pulling them apart while their hearts kept dragging them back together. The slow burn and constant push-and-pull had me completely hooked 📖✨
Also, I really appreciated that Asher is 24 and Wyatt is 29, so the “forbidden” aspect wasn’t about age at all. Their connection felt mature, emotional, and genuine. And the spice?? Perfectly done 🌶️ It made Asher’s journey of discovering himself feel even more authentic and intimate.
Seeing Wells and Kellan again made me SO happy 🥺 I honestly just wanted more pages of everyone together because I wasn’t ready to leave this world yet.
This book felt comforting, emotional, and quietly beautiful all at once. Definitely another 5⭐ read for me. My heart is still recovering 💔✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
Some books entertain you while you’re reading them.
Mel McCabe’s books stay with you long after you finish them.
Crossing Lines pulled me in with the hockey romance premise, but what kept me completely invested was how deeply human these characters felt. The writing is soft and emotional without ever feeling shallow. Every conversation, every moment of tension, every vulnerable scene feels layered with things left unsaid.
Asher and Wyatt felt real to me. Messy. Tender. Complicated.
And honestly, the dynamic between the younger guy and the older single dad hit me in a very personal way because it reminded me so much of my own relationship. There was something incredibly genuine about the way their connection developed through care, patience, protectiveness, and emotional safety before anything else.
That is what made this story stand out for me.
The romance is beautiful.
The yearning hurts.
The spice absolutely delivers.
But it is the emotional intimacy that makes these characters linger in your head afterward. I found myself thinking about them long after I finished the final page, and to me, that is always the sign of a truly special story.
I have read a lot of gay hockey romances, and very few of them feel this nuanced, layered, and emotionally mature. So many books in this genre rely heavily on tropes and surface-level chemistry, but Mel McCabe gives her characters real emotional depth. Their relationships feel lived in. Their pain feels believable. Their love feels earned.
And honestly? I should have rated the first book five stars too.
This series completely surprised me in the best way, and I already know these characters are going to stick with me for a very long time.
Also, getting to be part of this ARC team for my very first ARC experience genuinely meant so much to me. Huge thank you to Mel McCabe for trusting me with an early copy of this story. 💙
Mel McCabe’s books stay with you long after you finish them.
Crossing Lines pulled me in with the hockey romance premise, but what kept me completely invested was how deeply human these characters felt. The writing is soft and emotional without ever feeling shallow. Every conversation, every moment of tension, every vulnerable scene feels layered with things left unsaid.
Asher and Wyatt felt real to me. Messy. Tender. Complicated.
And honestly, the dynamic between the younger guy and the older single dad hit me in a very personal way because it reminded me so much of my own relationship. There was something incredibly genuine about the way their connection developed through care, patience, protectiveness, and emotional safety before anything else.
That is what made this story stand out for me.
The romance is beautiful.
The yearning hurts.
The spice absolutely delivers.
But it is the emotional intimacy that makes these characters linger in your head afterward. I found myself thinking about them long after I finished the final page, and to me, that is always the sign of a truly special story.
I have read a lot of gay hockey romances, and very few of them feel this nuanced, layered, and emotionally mature. So many books in this genre rely heavily on tropes and surface-level chemistry, but Mel McCabe gives her characters real emotional depth. Their relationships feel lived in. Their pain feels believable. Their love feels earned.
And honestly? I should have rated the first book five stars too.
This series completely surprised me in the best way, and I already know these characters are going to stick with me for a very long time.
Also, getting to be part of this ARC team for my very first ARC experience genuinely meant so much to me. Huge thank you to Mel McCabe for trusting me with an early copy of this story. 💙
May 26, 2026
Wyatt Chase is a former NHL player who is now a physical therapist after a catastrophic injury, and he's starting his new job at Radford U to try to do his part to prevent such injuries happening to the college hockey players.
When Wyatt meets Asher Reynolds, who is rehabbing a bad leg, he sees more than an injured man. He sees a man who is grieving, who is depressed, and who wants to disappear.
Asher has just lost his sister and his hockey career in one horrible car accident, and even getting up in the morning is hard. But suddenly, there's a bright spot -- Wyatt Chase and his five year old daughter, Lyla. With them, things that seemed horrible and hard just recently feel lighter. Asher is laughing again. Looking forward to things. Being...happy.
But as the two men get closer, the more they realize that there's something more than friendship here, and because of their work relationship, it could ruin both of their careers.
I loved this one! I am a sucker for a single dad trope, and Wyatt was a great dad. So much so that it was a detriment to his own happiness at times. And although Asher was a college senior, he felt so much more mature than his age. His tremendous loss and his life being put into perspective really made him grow up fast, and so he was a perfect partner for Wyatt.
I loved that their relationship felt so intentional. I feel like with a lot of forbidden relationship books, there's so much drama and waffling. These two were all in from the jump and their first priority was to each other and Lyla. And that made everything feel secure, even when they encountered outside pressure.
I love the Radford U world, and I loved checking in on Kellen and Wells from Power Play too. I'm hoping we hear about Cooper next, but there are a bunch of possibilities as to where Mel could go with the series and I can't wait to see what happens. Although I'd love to hear about Coop and Mason... 🤞🏼
When Wyatt meets Asher Reynolds, who is rehabbing a bad leg, he sees more than an injured man. He sees a man who is grieving, who is depressed, and who wants to disappear.
Asher has just lost his sister and his hockey career in one horrible car accident, and even getting up in the morning is hard. But suddenly, there's a bright spot -- Wyatt Chase and his five year old daughter, Lyla. With them, things that seemed horrible and hard just recently feel lighter. Asher is laughing again. Looking forward to things. Being...happy.
But as the two men get closer, the more they realize that there's something more than friendship here, and because of their work relationship, it could ruin both of their careers.
I loved this one! I am a sucker for a single dad trope, and Wyatt was a great dad. So much so that it was a detriment to his own happiness at times. And although Asher was a college senior, he felt so much more mature than his age. His tremendous loss and his life being put into perspective really made him grow up fast, and so he was a perfect partner for Wyatt.
I loved that their relationship felt so intentional. I feel like with a lot of forbidden relationship books, there's so much drama and waffling. These two were all in from the jump and their first priority was to each other and Lyla. And that made everything feel secure, even when they encountered outside pressure.
I love the Radford U world, and I loved checking in on Kellen and Wells from Power Play too. I'm hoping we hear about Cooper next, but there are a bunch of possibilities as to where Mel could go with the series and I can't wait to see what happens. Although I'd love to hear about Coop and Mason... 🤞🏼
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