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Gymbos #3
Grind
Hockey star Diego Ferguson says he knows about the grind, but he’s about to learn that his new personal trainer, Callan, gives the word a whole new meaning.
Everyone in Chicago has been following the news about Diego's injury and the last season spent on the bench. It doesn’t hurt that he's got a major sexy brood going on in every picture I see of him these days.
The last place I expected him to show up was Sweat. But he's looking for a personal trainer to help him get fully back in shape before the season, and I'm just the guy for the job.
It figures that he's straight, but that doesn’t mean I can't enjoy the view while I help get his fine backside ready to get back out on the ice.
He's definitely as surly as his pictures, and twice as arrogant. Turns out he's also desperate for some bro time in between workouts, and I'm more than qualified to be the guy for that job too.
Maybe he's not as straight as he claims. Maybe he just needs a little fun to get his confidence back up after last season. Maybe I'll let myself indulge in a harmless fling with a cocky, bi-curious hockey player as a little treat. I work hard after all, and I deserve a little fun too.
We both know it can't last, but puck it, a summer fling is always a good time.
Everyone in Chicago has been following the news about Diego's injury and the last season spent on the bench. It doesn’t hurt that he's got a major sexy brood going on in every picture I see of him these days.
The last place I expected him to show up was Sweat. But he's looking for a personal trainer to help him get fully back in shape before the season, and I'm just the guy for the job.
It figures that he's straight, but that doesn’t mean I can't enjoy the view while I help get his fine backside ready to get back out on the ice.
He's definitely as surly as his pictures, and twice as arrogant. Turns out he's also desperate for some bro time in between workouts, and I'm more than qualified to be the guy for that job too.
Maybe he's not as straight as he claims. Maybe he just needs a little fun to get his confidence back up after last season. Maybe I'll let myself indulge in a harmless fling with a cocky, bi-curious hockey player as a little treat. I work hard after all, and I deserve a little fun too.
We both know it can't last, but puck it, a summer fling is always a good time.
258 pages, Paperback
Published June 26, 2026
About the author
K.M. Neuhold
104 books3,487 followersK.M.Neuhold has long since been a romance junkie. When she’s not writing she’s reading or spending time snuggling with her husky or her husband. She fell in love with M/M romance last year and hasn’t been able to turn back. There’s nothing she loves more than love in all its forms.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
July 14, 2026
3.5
Not much originality in this one, but is cute
Not much originality in this one, but is cute
July 7, 2026
unfortunately not as good as the first two😭
July 27, 2026
More gymbo romance antics
This felt like it was shorter, everything happened a bit quicker than in the previous romances, but it was still the same lot of fun and gym antics.
Callan and Diego were a nicely matched pair, although I never felt like we got as much information about either of them than with the first two books in the series.
As with book one though, the sexual awakening was done well, I felt like Diego was really opening up to having an attraction for Callan and it not seemingly coming from nowhere.
They had fun together with their competitive natures and the personal training element did a lot of heavy lifting in driving the attraction.
Not sure who's up next though.
This felt like it was shorter, everything happened a bit quicker than in the previous romances, but it was still the same lot of fun and gym antics.
Callan and Diego were a nicely matched pair, although I never felt like we got as much information about either of them than with the first two books in the series.
As with book one though, the sexual awakening was done well, I felt like Diego was really opening up to having an attraction for Callan and it not seemingly coming from nowhere.
They had fun together with their competitive natures and the personal training element did a lot of heavy lifting in driving the attraction.
Not sure who's up next though.
July 7, 2026
This is an easy and fun read. There’s no angst, no twists, and no depth, but you do get a good quantity of smut.
However, the romance here is driven almost entirely by lust; they never have any real intellectual conversations. Furthermore, Callan is particularly disappointing—he lacks any sort of background story or potential for future development.
The good thing is that it’s short. If you’re looking for a quick, low-effort read to relax with, this is it, just don’t expect too much.
However, the romance here is driven almost entirely by lust; they never have any real intellectual conversations. Furthermore, Callan is particularly disappointing—he lacks any sort of background story or potential for future development.
The good thing is that it’s short. If you’re looking for a quick, low-effort read to relax with, this is it, just don’t expect too much.
July 10, 2026
A nice and easy read. I had higher hopes or maybe it’s the timing who knows. Diego is a hockey player recovering from an injury, his stupid teammates send him to our favourite gym Sweat as a prank. Little did they know they made him a favour, cuz he found his Callan. Let me tell you Callan is a PT and super nice easy going guy. It’s not long before sparks are flying and a nice bi-awakening is happening for our boy Diego. He was maybe freaking out a bit too much, or it was absolutely appropriately, don’t know or care. We get a nice and sweet happy end. The epilogue was meh 🌸
July 14, 2026
Another fun addition to the Gymbo series.
Diego 🏒 Callan
Diego is a professional hockey player recovering from both an injury and the betrayal of his girlfriend of 10 yrs, who left him while he was injured for the team’s goalie.
Diego and Callan meet one night watching sports at a bar and then Diego ends up somewhat randomly going to his gym to workout. They meet again, Callan becomes his personal trainer and friend, and then they quickly move on to friends w benefits.
Diego is conflicted/confused about his ‘gay-for-you’ feelings toward Callan but eventually decides he doesn’t care. There’s moderate angst as they each assume it’s short term and Callan fears that Diego won’t want to deal w his bi-sexuality long term/when the season starts.
❤️No third act breakup.
🗣️Communication - there is no miscommunication driving the story, but they also don’t really talk about how they’re each feeling either.
👬🏽MM - Callan - out/gay; Diego - Bi awakening/gay for you. Never had romantic feelings for another man
💪🏼Professional Hockey player and big athletic professional trainer. Both have muscles for miles
🫣No OM/OW - both possessive and jealous in a cute way. His ex girlfriend never makes an appearance and he’s clearly over her. We know that Callan hasn’t been in a relationship and also seems to pick unavailable men and/or previously straight men who use him for fun.
🐶Dog - drooly pug named Slapshot
🏠Found family - Diego has a sister who plays a small part in the story and is supportive. There are also the various gym guys from Sweat.
🌶️Spice - starts early and continues throughout. Almost too much. Open door; vers.
👥Dual POV; 8 month layer epilogue; Diego is out to his team and they are living together.
Classic 3 star fun story. I was little frustrated by the gay awakening/closeted professional hockey player story line. I feel like it’s just been done so many times; but this one ended fairly well, so props for that.
Diego 🏒 Callan
Diego is a professional hockey player recovering from both an injury and the betrayal of his girlfriend of 10 yrs, who left him while he was injured for the team’s goalie.
Diego and Callan meet one night watching sports at a bar and then Diego ends up somewhat randomly going to his gym to workout. They meet again, Callan becomes his personal trainer and friend, and then they quickly move on to friends w benefits.
Diego is conflicted/confused about his ‘gay-for-you’ feelings toward Callan but eventually decides he doesn’t care. There’s moderate angst as they each assume it’s short term and Callan fears that Diego won’t want to deal w his bi-sexuality long term/when the season starts.
❤️No third act breakup.
🗣️Communication - there is no miscommunication driving the story, but they also don’t really talk about how they’re each feeling either.
👬🏽MM - Callan - out/gay; Diego - Bi awakening/gay for you. Never had romantic feelings for another man
💪🏼Professional Hockey player and big athletic professional trainer. Both have muscles for miles
🫣No OM/OW - both possessive and jealous in a cute way. His ex girlfriend never makes an appearance and he’s clearly over her. We know that Callan hasn’t been in a relationship and also seems to pick unavailable men and/or previously straight men who use him for fun.
🐶Dog - drooly pug named Slapshot
🏠Found family - Diego has a sister who plays a small part in the story and is supportive. There are also the various gym guys from Sweat.
🌶️Spice - starts early and continues throughout. Almost too much. Open door; vers.
👥Dual POV; 8 month layer epilogue; Diego is out to his team and they are living together.
Classic 3 star fun story. I was little frustrated by the gay awakening/closeted professional hockey player story line. I feel like it’s just been done so many times; but this one ended fairly well, so props for that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2026
6/10 Якось ця частина не дотягнула, хоча я обожнюю атмосферу іх залу, компанію, весь антураж🤼♂️🏋🏼♂️🏆Якось ці всі джимбро позитивно впливають на мене. Тому мило, але перші більш ржачні, десь серйозніші⭐️ а, і ще тут прям на початку російські прізвища, бо хокей 🏒 же ж. Якщо це тригерить Вас
July 18, 2026
So entertaining. I really enjoyed this.
June 27, 2026
**I was gifted an arc copy of this book**
K.M. Neuhold is the queen of feel-good MM romance. I already loved Jacked and Pumped, so I went into Grind fully expecting to love it—and to absolutely no one's surprise, I did. I devoured it in one sitting!
Callan and Diego were such a sweet couple. I loved that they first met at a straight bar and bonded over their shared love of sports, only to run into each other again when Diego ends up at Sweat for rehab after an injury. Watching their relationship develop from friendship into something more was so much fun. Their constant friendly competition and banter kept me smiling the whole time.
Callan was immediately attracted to Diego (and admittedly a bit of a fanboy), but one of my favorite things about him was how patient he was. He never pressured Diego and gave him the space to figure out who he was and what he wanted on his own. He would have accepted friendship if that was all Diego had to offer and never pushed for anything Diego didn't ask for (consent king!).
Diego's inner monologue as he slowly realized he was attracted to Callan was both entertaining and believable, and I thought the pacing of their relationship was really well done. Once they finally got together, their chemistry was incredible, but what I loved even more was the emotional connection they built first. Diego fit seamlessly into the found family at Sweat, and I loved that he embraced the group long before he fully understood his feelings for Callan. Jen was also a great side character, and I appreciated how supportive she was as Diego worked through everything.
The only reason this wasn't a full five stars for me was that the final third of the book felt a little rushed. I loved their story so much I wanted more! I would have loved more time watching Callan and Diego settle into life as a couple- to see how they navigated their relationship during hockey season since that was such a concern for both of them. That said, I absolutely loved that once Diego accepted his feelings, he was all in. Seeing him come out to his team and choose to love Callan openly was such a satisfying conclusion to his journey.
If you love friends-to-lovers, bisexual awakening, low angst, found family, witty banter, and plenty of spice, you'll definitely want to add Grind to your TBR.
K.M. Neuhold is the queen of feel-good MM romance. I already loved Jacked and Pumped, so I went into Grind fully expecting to love it—and to absolutely no one's surprise, I did. I devoured it in one sitting!
Callan and Diego were such a sweet couple. I loved that they first met at a straight bar and bonded over their shared love of sports, only to run into each other again when Diego ends up at Sweat for rehab after an injury. Watching their relationship develop from friendship into something more was so much fun. Their constant friendly competition and banter kept me smiling the whole time.
Callan was immediately attracted to Diego (and admittedly a bit of a fanboy), but one of my favorite things about him was how patient he was. He never pressured Diego and gave him the space to figure out who he was and what he wanted on his own. He would have accepted friendship if that was all Diego had to offer and never pushed for anything Diego didn't ask for (consent king!).
Diego's inner monologue as he slowly realized he was attracted to Callan was both entertaining and believable, and I thought the pacing of their relationship was really well done. Once they finally got together, their chemistry was incredible, but what I loved even more was the emotional connection they built first. Diego fit seamlessly into the found family at Sweat, and I loved that he embraced the group long before he fully understood his feelings for Callan. Jen was also a great side character, and I appreciated how supportive she was as Diego worked through everything.
The only reason this wasn't a full five stars for me was that the final third of the book felt a little rushed. I loved their story so much I wanted more! I would have loved more time watching Callan and Diego settle into life as a couple- to see how they navigated their relationship during hockey season since that was such a concern for both of them. That said, I absolutely loved that once Diego accepted his feelings, he was all in. Seeing him come out to his team and choose to love Callan openly was such a satisfying conclusion to his journey.
If you love friends-to-lovers, bisexual awakening, low angst, found family, witty banter, and plenty of spice, you'll definitely want to add Grind to your TBR.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2026
ᕙ(˃ ᵕ ˂‶)ᕗ The Gymbos are back with Grind, hockey player x trainer romance ⚡︎
I get so happy going back into the Gymbos world and reuniting with my fave gym trainers who couldn't be more lovable. I can easily say that this is such a good series and could recommend it to anyone who loves romance. I love and have enjoyed every one of these books and can't wait for the next one whenever I finish the most recent one.
Last night I read basically the whole thing - I couldn't stop! I slept until 2 am because I wanted to know how this would end. While it does have some good miscommunication and an end date trope in the horizon, it's pretty light on the angst! I did cry because whenever it went to Callan's POV and him thinking this was gonna end either way because he didn't know Diego wanted more, etc, I was feeling sooo sad for him *cry* He has always been the secret in the hook up or the experiment in the relationship and now here you have a sexy hockey player who is perfect and he tells you the same thing. OH I WAS FEELING IT HARD FOR CALLAN.
Even though it does feature the miscommunication trope mainly in the way of them not knowing what the other is feeling because they're afraid to ask, they do have good communication lmao. In the end, they always ask for what the other wants and go from there. I feel like I'm contradicting myself but you'd understand me if you read it lmaoo it does have the trope but also they have good communication 💪🏼
More microtropes:
⚡︎ Lonely hockey player finds a best friend and falls for him
⚡︎ "Is it gay for you to give me a blowjob"
⚡︎ Hockey player has a very cute pug
⚡︎ JEALOUSY SCENESSS
⚡︎ Bi-awakening
I'm ready for more!
I get so happy going back into the Gymbos world and reuniting with my fave gym trainers who couldn't be more lovable. I can easily say that this is such a good series and could recommend it to anyone who loves romance. I love and have enjoyed every one of these books and can't wait for the next one whenever I finish the most recent one.
Last night I read basically the whole thing - I couldn't stop! I slept until 2 am because I wanted to know how this would end. While it does have some good miscommunication and an end date trope in the horizon, it's pretty light on the angst! I did cry because whenever it went to Callan's POV and him thinking this was gonna end either way because he didn't know Diego wanted more, etc, I was feeling sooo sad for him *cry* He has always been the secret in the hook up or the experiment in the relationship and now here you have a sexy hockey player who is perfect and he tells you the same thing. OH I WAS FEELING IT HARD FOR CALLAN.
Even though it does feature the miscommunication trope mainly in the way of them not knowing what the other is feeling because they're afraid to ask, they do have good communication lmao. In the end, they always ask for what the other wants and go from there. I feel like I'm contradicting myself but you'd understand me if you read it lmaoo it does have the trope but also they have good communication 💪🏼
More microtropes:
⚡︎ Lonely hockey player finds a best friend and falls for him
⚡︎ "Is it gay for you to give me a blowjob"
⚡︎ Hockey player has a very cute pug
⚡︎ JEALOUSY SCENESSS
⚡︎ Bi-awakening
I'm ready for more!
July 5, 2026
This is a friends to more romance, featuring Diego Ferguson and Callan, and is book three in the Gymbos series.
After a season-ending injury, Diego hires Callan, as his perineal trainer, to help him get back in game shape, but their workouts quickly turn into an undeniable attraction and lead to something more.
I frigging love this series and this one was a low angst, sweet and spicy read. Diego and Callan were so good together, great chemistry, curiosity and both of these two crushing hard. I loved how they moved from friends to FWB to more and the found family vibes are top tier. LOVED THEM!
Things to expect in this book are:
Book 3 in series
MM romance
Personal trainer x hockey player
Pet dad: Dog (slapshot)
Hurt / Comfort
Injury recovery
80s movie enthusiasts
Friends to more
Bi awakening
Spicy times
First times
Public s*x
Voyeurism
Rough play & ass play
Jockstraps & slutty socks
Calls him Fergie
Coming out
Found family
HEA
After a season-ending injury, Diego hires Callan, as his perineal trainer, to help him get back in game shape, but their workouts quickly turn into an undeniable attraction and lead to something more.
I frigging love this series and this one was a low angst, sweet and spicy read. Diego and Callan were so good together, great chemistry, curiosity and both of these two crushing hard. I loved how they moved from friends to FWB to more and the found family vibes are top tier. LOVED THEM!
Things to expect in this book are:
Book 3 in series
MM romance
Personal trainer x hockey player
Pet dad: Dog (slapshot)
Hurt / Comfort
Injury recovery
80s movie enthusiasts
Friends to more
Bi awakening
Spicy times
First times
Public s*x
Voyeurism
Rough play & ass play
Jockstraps & slutty socks
Calls him Fergie
Coming out
Found family
HEA
August 15, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grind was such a refreshing love story! Diego and Callan finding their way to each other felt natural, genuine, and just so damn satisfying. I especially loved how well they communicated—it made their connection feel even stronger.
And the spice? 🥵🔥 These two had CHEMISTRY. The tension, attraction, and heated moments definitely delivered. Watching them fall in love while bringing all that heat made this one such a fun, sexy read. Diego and Callan had me smiling one minute and fanning myself the next!
Grind was such a refreshing love story! Diego and Callan finding their way to each other felt natural, genuine, and just so damn satisfying. I especially loved how well they communicated—it made their connection feel even stronger.
And the spice? 🥵🔥 These two had CHEMISTRY. The tension, attraction, and heated moments definitely delivered. Watching them fall in love while bringing all that heat made this one such a fun, sexy read. Diego and Callan had me smiling one minute and fanning myself the next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this so much. This felt like such an authentic rep for a bi awakening. Diego had been through a lot so I loved seeing him find happiness in an unlikely place. Also loved seeing Brody get at least a little of what he deserved. Callan was so sweet and I loved how he forced Diego to really think about the joke and ultimately challenged him to stick around. This was great.
June 30, 2026
4.5 stars
Highly enjoyable, easy to read, friends to lovers between a hockey player and a personal trainer.
These two were too cute. Loved them both. Poor Diego’s doing it a bit tough. He’s recovering from surgery and having to deal with the fact that one of his teammates stole his girlfriend while he was on bed rest. As his time healing comes to a close he knows he needs to start focusing on getting back in shape if he wants any chance to keep playing the game he loves. Enter Callan, personal trainer extraordinaire!!
Callan is a PT at a gym, gay, and is just a genuinely nice dude with plenty of friends and a killer bod. When he meets Diego he’s immediately attracted but figures Diego’s straight so while he’s happy to help get him back in shape he accepts that that is all it’ll likely be. Except Diego can’t quite keep his eyes off Callan and he’s asking an awful lot of not so straight questions…
I read this book in one day. Absolutely flew through it. I enjoyed both MMCs, the side characters and the whole friends to lovers set up. Although this is the third book in this series it can be read as a standalone - I haven’t read the other two books yet and had no trouble following along or figuring out who was who in the side character department.
Low angst, hot to trot, bi awakening with a pet pug to boot? What’s not to like!? Grab this one if you’re in the mood for something a little lighter, a little fluffier and a little sweeter.
ARC copy received as part of authors ARC team. This is my full and honest review.
Highly enjoyable, easy to read, friends to lovers between a hockey player and a personal trainer.
These two were too cute. Loved them both. Poor Diego’s doing it a bit tough. He’s recovering from surgery and having to deal with the fact that one of his teammates stole his girlfriend while he was on bed rest. As his time healing comes to a close he knows he needs to start focusing on getting back in shape if he wants any chance to keep playing the game he loves. Enter Callan, personal trainer extraordinaire!!
Callan is a PT at a gym, gay, and is just a genuinely nice dude with plenty of friends and a killer bod. When he meets Diego he’s immediately attracted but figures Diego’s straight so while he’s happy to help get him back in shape he accepts that that is all it’ll likely be. Except Diego can’t quite keep his eyes off Callan and he’s asking an awful lot of not so straight questions…
I read this book in one day. Absolutely flew through it. I enjoyed both MMCs, the side characters and the whole friends to lovers set up. Although this is the third book in this series it can be read as a standalone - I haven’t read the other two books yet and had no trouble following along or figuring out who was who in the side character department.
Low angst, hot to trot, bi awakening with a pet pug to boot? What’s not to like!? Grab this one if you’re in the mood for something a little lighter, a little fluffier and a little sweeter.
ARC copy received as part of authors ARC team. This is my full and honest review.
July 3, 2026
Diego is an injured hockey player, and It’s been six months since he had surgery. When he got injured he also lost his girlfriend, who ran to the next hockey player.
He needs to train more to get back on the ice. A teammate suggested Sweat.
The first time he saw Callan, it was at a bar. They talked, and Diego had a great time.
Entering Sweat, Diego understands his teammate made a joke. Because Sweat is part of the rainbow.
Would Callan be gay? Callan calls him out: ‘What’s the joke?’
Callan will be Diego’s personal trainer. They work out together, and spend private time together.
Diego’s mind makes overtime thinking about gay things.
He believes it isn’t gay if a man sucks your dick. Right? One of the other trainers told him.
Ha! when he felt Callan’s mouth, his mind blacked out.
Maybe he should explore a bit more with Callan, until the season starts.
While they have fun, Callan knows there’s nothing more to expect; it’s just getting off; he’s not stupid.
They are getting more and more involved, when Diego is back on ice, this will all be over, and it’s gonna hurt like hell.
What he doesn’t know is Diego is struggling too. Is there hope?
Both their workouts and private time are entertaining.
Ditto with exploring in the bedroom. Of course, we meet other guys from the gym again, a bunch of awesome people.
Overall, it was a lovely read, angst-free, comfortable, and with kind characters.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
He needs to train more to get back on the ice. A teammate suggested Sweat.
The first time he saw Callan, it was at a bar. They talked, and Diego had a great time.
Entering Sweat, Diego understands his teammate made a joke. Because Sweat is part of the rainbow.
Would Callan be gay? Callan calls him out: ‘What’s the joke?’
Callan will be Diego’s personal trainer. They work out together, and spend private time together.
Diego’s mind makes overtime thinking about gay things.
He believes it isn’t gay if a man sucks your dick. Right? One of the other trainers told him.
Ha! when he felt Callan’s mouth, his mind blacked out.
Maybe he should explore a bit more with Callan, until the season starts.
While they have fun, Callan knows there’s nothing more to expect; it’s just getting off; he’s not stupid.
They are getting more and more involved, when Diego is back on ice, this will all be over, and it’s gonna hurt like hell.
What he doesn’t know is Diego is struggling too. Is there hope?
Both their workouts and private time are entertaining.
Ditto with exploring in the bedroom. Of course, we meet other guys from the gym again, a bunch of awesome people.
Overall, it was a lovely read, angst-free, comfortable, and with kind characters.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
Read
July 3, 2026What more can you ask for - another bi-awakening at Sweat! Diego's rehab blooms a friendship and then so much more when he reconnects with Callan after talking at a bar and then hanging out between gym sessions...
I appreciate the low angst story and the slow build from strangers to friends to friends with benefits to more... and I love the way Callan continuously checks in with Diego. I would have liked to see this story continue (maybe a bonus short) as Diego continues to navigate his return to hockey and his teammates... but I do appreciate the place this ended...
I appreciate the low angst story and the slow build from strangers to friends to friends with benefits to more... and I love the way Callan continuously checks in with Diego. I would have liked to see this story continue (maybe a bonus short) as Diego continues to navigate his return to hockey and his teammates... but I do appreciate the place this ended...
July 6, 2026
Another great addition to the gymbros series, Callan and Diego have great chemistry. Worthy of their double meet cute, first at the bar being bros and drinking beer while watching baseball and second when Diego is sent to Sweat on a homophobic "joke" by his teammates.
Callan shows great patience and keeps up proper boundaries of their friend/client relationship develops and is curious Diego that initiates the breaking of some of those boundaries. A love that builds out of friendship and support.
A true Bro Romance as usual.
Callan shows great patience and keeps up proper boundaries of their friend/client relationship develops and is curious Diego that initiates the breaking of some of those boundaries. A love that builds out of friendship and support.
A true Bro Romance as usual.
July 8, 2026
I liked this a lot, probably more than any other gymbro book so far! I didn't love the tension about whether or not what they had was temporary, and I thought it was wrapped up a little fast at the end. But it was really hot and sweet. Their competitive spirit made it really fun to read!
June 23, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Gymbros series has been so much fun to read. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with low stakes. Diego and Callan’s story still plays into the light-hearted vibe while also being in the world of pro sports!!
Diego’s thoughts and Callan’s feelings really jump off the page, and I wasn’t ready for their story to end! It was a bit abrupt in the last few chapters, but I absolutely loved it.
Thank you, KM Neuhold, for the ARC!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Gymbros series has been so much fun to read. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with low stakes. Diego and Callan’s story still plays into the light-hearted vibe while also being in the world of pro sports!!
Diego’s thoughts and Callan’s feelings really jump off the page, and I wasn’t ready for their story to end! It was a bit abrupt in the last few chapters, but I absolutely loved it.
Thank you, KM Neuhold, for the ARC!
July 6, 2026
These two were so cute but the end felt so rushed!!!
July 13, 2026
5 stars
This was everything! I love the story and and the returning characters!
Super spicy and cute. It actually supriesed me how sweet Callan was with Diego.
I love every minute of this book 🥰
This was everything! I love the story and and the returning characters!
Super spicy and cute. It actually supriesed me how sweet Callan was with Diego.
I love every minute of this book 🥰
July 12, 2026
Grind by K.M. Neuhold
Gymbos #3
Length: 259 pages
Source: Author-direct
Publication date: July 3, 2026
5 ⭐
WHAT TO EXPECT
Hockey player x personal trainer
Bisexual awakening
There's begging
And a cute dog
Competitive gym bros
AUTHOR'S BLURB
Hockey star Diego Ferguson says he knows about the grind, but he’s about to learn that his new personal trainer, Callan, gives the word a whole new meaning.
Everyone in Chicago has been following the news about Diego's injury and the last season spent on the bench. It doesn’t hurt that he's got a major sexy brood going on in every picture I see of him these days.
The last place I expected him to show up was Sweat. But he's looking for a personal trainer to help him get fully back in shape before the season, and I'm just the guy for the job.
It figures that he's straight, but that doesn’t mean I can't enjoy the view while I help get his fine backside ready to get back out on the ice.
He's definitely as surly as his pictures, and twice as arrogant. Turns out he's also desperate for some bro time in between workouts, and I'm more than qualified to be the guy for that job too.
Maybe he's not as straight as he claims. Maybe he just needs a little fun to get his confidence back up after last season. Maybe I'll let myself indulge in a harmless fling with a cocky, bi-curious hockey player as a little treat. I work hard after all, and I deserve a little fun too.
We both know it can't last, but puck it, a summer fling is always a good time.
MY THOUGHTS
Gymbos just keeps getting better and better! This is my favorite so far. I love the connection between Callan and Diego and the dynamic between them as they get to know one another. And once they're a couple? Lord help me, they are the sweetest thing around! Equally down bad, the MCs are two competitive peas in a pod, truly. They have so many things in common, and their desire to win keeps things interesting. To top it off, they're each others' biggest cheerleaders.
Though I'm not a queer man, Diego's sexual awakening feels extremely realistic in the flow of the story. He doesn't try to deny it, but he doesn't immediately go "Welp, guess I'm bi." He's genuinely questioning and tries to understand how he didn't know until now. He's honestly baffled in the beginning as to why Cal makes him feel the way he does.
I also like that Cal calls him out on his unconscious biases of being gay or queer, seeing as he's coming from the NHL, where homophobia abounds in all the locker rooms that Diego has ever been in. Cal's direct questions and responses rub off on Diego in such a positive way, and I think that helps him understand his awakening even more.
As I've come to expect, there are adorable and hilarious little cameos from past characters, and the found family of our gym bros leaves me smiling.
BOTTOM LINE
Yeahhh, you know what I'm going to say. Kyleen is one of my very favorite authors, and this latest series is fantastic.
–A🩷
Thanks to K.M. Neuhold for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Fable.
Gymbos #3
Length: 259 pages
Source: Author-direct
Publication date: July 3, 2026
5 ⭐
WHAT TO EXPECT
Hockey player x personal trainer
Bisexual awakening
There's begging
And a cute dog
Competitive gym bros
AUTHOR'S BLURB
Hockey star Diego Ferguson says he knows about the grind, but he’s about to learn that his new personal trainer, Callan, gives the word a whole new meaning.
Everyone in Chicago has been following the news about Diego's injury and the last season spent on the bench. It doesn’t hurt that he's got a major sexy brood going on in every picture I see of him these days.
The last place I expected him to show up was Sweat. But he's looking for a personal trainer to help him get fully back in shape before the season, and I'm just the guy for the job.
It figures that he's straight, but that doesn’t mean I can't enjoy the view while I help get his fine backside ready to get back out on the ice.
He's definitely as surly as his pictures, and twice as arrogant. Turns out he's also desperate for some bro time in between workouts, and I'm more than qualified to be the guy for that job too.
Maybe he's not as straight as he claims. Maybe he just needs a little fun to get his confidence back up after last season. Maybe I'll let myself indulge in a harmless fling with a cocky, bi-curious hockey player as a little treat. I work hard after all, and I deserve a little fun too.
We both know it can't last, but puck it, a summer fling is always a good time.
MY THOUGHTS
Gymbos just keeps getting better and better! This is my favorite so far. I love the connection between Callan and Diego and the dynamic between them as they get to know one another. And once they're a couple? Lord help me, they are the sweetest thing around! Equally down bad, the MCs are two competitive peas in a pod, truly. They have so many things in common, and their desire to win keeps things interesting. To top it off, they're each others' biggest cheerleaders.
Though I'm not a queer man, Diego's sexual awakening feels extremely realistic in the flow of the story. He doesn't try to deny it, but he doesn't immediately go "Welp, guess I'm bi." He's genuinely questioning and tries to understand how he didn't know until now. He's honestly baffled in the beginning as to why Cal makes him feel the way he does.
I also like that Cal calls him out on his unconscious biases of being gay or queer, seeing as he's coming from the NHL, where homophobia abounds in all the locker rooms that Diego has ever been in. Cal's direct questions and responses rub off on Diego in such a positive way, and I think that helps him understand his awakening even more.
As I've come to expect, there are adorable and hilarious little cameos from past characters, and the found family of our gym bros leaves me smiling.
BOTTOM LINE
Yeahhh, you know what I'm going to say. Kyleen is one of my very favorite authors, and this latest series is fantastic.
–A🩷
Thanks to K.M. Neuhold for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Fable.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
4.5 stars
Diego Ferguson is a defenseman for the Chicago Huskies who has been off for hip surgery and a bit lost. His longtime girlfriend left him, and he is worried about getting back on the ice and about teammate dynamics. He's broody, kind of depressed, and in limbo.
When one of his teammates refers him to a trainer at an outside gym, he had no idea it was just a joke, and he sent him to a very gay friendly gym. But there he stumbles upon Callan again. They had previously met one night in a bar and enjoyed a bit of bro-like teasing.
Callan is a personal trainer. He is friendly, fun, competitive, and motivating, and is just who Diego needs to kick him into the training zone.
They start to train, hang out, and crush a bit. It is confusing for Diego who has always identified as straight. And Callan has a history of falling for closeted athletes who never want a real relationship with him. But Diego's getting more curious and tired of overthinking, and Callan can't resist letting him explore. As they cruise into a fling and situationship, the reality about a set timeline and the start of a new season is looming over them.
I loved these two together. They have such fun banter, competitive spirits, passion, and motivate and inspire each other. Diego feels seen and understood by Callan, but also cannot cause any kind of drama coming back to his team. And Callan knows he is probably heading for a fall, but cannot help himself. The bi-awakening component was done well and Diego's hockey career added complexity to the situation.
It brings back the guys from previous books and teases Fender's story. This series is fun and steamy, and I love the dynamics of the gym crew.
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Diego Ferguson is a defenseman for the Chicago Huskies who has been off for hip surgery and a bit lost. His longtime girlfriend left him, and he is worried about getting back on the ice and about teammate dynamics. He's broody, kind of depressed, and in limbo.
When one of his teammates refers him to a trainer at an outside gym, he had no idea it was just a joke, and he sent him to a very gay friendly gym. But there he stumbles upon Callan again. They had previously met one night in a bar and enjoyed a bit of bro-like teasing.
Callan is a personal trainer. He is friendly, fun, competitive, and motivating, and is just who Diego needs to kick him into the training zone.
They start to train, hang out, and crush a bit. It is confusing for Diego who has always identified as straight. And Callan has a history of falling for closeted athletes who never want a real relationship with him. But Diego's getting more curious and tired of overthinking, and Callan can't resist letting him explore. As they cruise into a fling and situationship, the reality about a set timeline and the start of a new season is looming over them.
I loved these two together. They have such fun banter, competitive spirits, passion, and motivate and inspire each other. Diego feels seen and understood by Callan, but also cannot cause any kind of drama coming back to his team. And Callan knows he is probably heading for a fall, but cannot help himself. The bi-awakening component was done well and Diego's hockey career added complexity to the situation.
It brings back the guys from previous books and teases Fender's story. This series is fun and steamy, and I love the dynamics of the gym crew.
rest | Instagram
Review of advance copy received from Author
This series continues to be such a hit for me. I just love everything about these books and this one was once again, the perfect book for me. I was not so patiently waiting on my ARC of this book, and then ended up putting aside all of my life responsabilities to binge read this book as I refused to put it down before I finished it.
I adored the premise of Diego, a “straight” hockey player needing to get back in shape for the next season after an injury employing Callan as a personal trainer and then they start spending more and more time together and calling it bro time when in reality they’re just falling in love.
The way Callan and Diego both were a little obsessed with each other from the first time they met and just wanted to spend all of their time together was just so fun to read. Also the banter between them was just so damn good. It made for so many fun interactions between the two of them and I could have read 1000 more pages of these hanging out with each other, they had the best chemistry I swear.
Also I adored all the scenes of them saying they’re not into the other and then spending the next 5 pages waxing poetics about the other, it was very much my jam.
Also, I loved the vibes in this book, so so much. And, I adored the mutual yearning they did for the other and how they could not help but fantasize about the other at every time. And, I also loved the bisexual awakening that Diego experienced, I loved how his lust for Callan hauted every little thoughts he had until he could not ignore it, no matter how hard he tried, I just felt like the way it was done was so realistic.
I just had such a good time reading this book. You know those books that put the biggest grin on your face the entire time you’re reading them, this was this book for me. I was just vibing so so much with every little aspects of this book.
Also, I just want to mention that I very much adored the typical heteronormativity that comes from being in the hockey world for ages was sprinkled in every little aspects of Diego’s persona and speech, I thought it was brillantly done.
I adored the premise of Diego, a “straight” hockey player needing to get back in shape for the next season after an injury employing Callan as a personal trainer and then they start spending more and more time together and calling it bro time when in reality they’re just falling in love.
The way Callan and Diego both were a little obsessed with each other from the first time they met and just wanted to spend all of their time together was just so fun to read. Also the banter between them was just so damn good. It made for so many fun interactions between the two of them and I could have read 1000 more pages of these hanging out with each other, they had the best chemistry I swear.
Also I adored all the scenes of them saying they’re not into the other and then spending the next 5 pages waxing poetics about the other, it was very much my jam.
Also, I loved the vibes in this book, so so much. And, I adored the mutual yearning they did for the other and how they could not help but fantasize about the other at every time. And, I also loved the bisexual awakening that Diego experienced, I loved how his lust for Callan hauted every little thoughts he had until he could not ignore it, no matter how hard he tried, I just felt like the way it was done was so realistic.
I just had such a good time reading this book. You know those books that put the biggest grin on your face the entire time you’re reading them, this was this book for me. I was just vibing so so much with every little aspects of this book.
Also, I just want to mention that I very much adored the typical heteronormativity that comes from being in the hockey world for ages was sprinkled in every little aspects of Diego’s persona and speech, I thought it was brillantly done.
July 4, 2026
MY OPINION: One of my favorite authors for sure, so my reviews might be a little biased, or the books are always that good. The stories in this series so far are comfortable and fun. They have good men trying to get through life, and they stumble into romance.
When Diego Ferguson is sent to a gym in Boystown that is gay friendly by one of his NHL teammates as a joke, he doesn’t think it’s funny. But there is a trainer there he had hung out with who convinced him he could get him in shape now that his injury is recovered. So what if guys kissed guys between sets? If he could be game-ready, that was the only thing that mattered.
Callan was only a little starstruck when his NHL crush sat at the bar and hung out. But when he gets the chance to train him, he sees it as a challenge he knows he can win. Diego is straight but fun to look at, and he is also talented. Callan knew he could help him get ready for the upcoming season.
Maybe Diego isn’t so straight when he starts thinking things about his personal trainer. Sure, he is doing a great job conditioning him, but there are ideas. He thinks about his lips in places that personal trainers don’t work on; the hard planes of his body are calling for him to touch. Plenty of not-so-straight thoughts.
Unwilling to put a name to things, Callan is more than happy to let Diego explore what is happening to his libido. What Diego finds is that he didn’t even know what spice was until he was with Callan. Now he was addicted and wanted more, wanted it all. But they have to figure out the misogyny of the NHL, and what happens if he is traded.
Overall, another fun, low-angst, spicy book by KM Neuhold. This series gives me Palm Island vibes, and I am there for it. I hope there are a ton more in this series, because I will read them all. Great easy read with some great side characters, including a pug named Slapshot who steals the show a few times. I don’t think you will lose much if you read these out of order, but 100% you should read them all because they are fun.
When Diego Ferguson is sent to a gym in Boystown that is gay friendly by one of his NHL teammates as a joke, he doesn’t think it’s funny. But there is a trainer there he had hung out with who convinced him he could get him in shape now that his injury is recovered. So what if guys kissed guys between sets? If he could be game-ready, that was the only thing that mattered.
Callan was only a little starstruck when his NHL crush sat at the bar and hung out. But when he gets the chance to train him, he sees it as a challenge he knows he can win. Diego is straight but fun to look at, and he is also talented. Callan knew he could help him get ready for the upcoming season.
Maybe Diego isn’t so straight when he starts thinking things about his personal trainer. Sure, he is doing a great job conditioning him, but there are ideas. He thinks about his lips in places that personal trainers don’t work on; the hard planes of his body are calling for him to touch. Plenty of not-so-straight thoughts.
Unwilling to put a name to things, Callan is more than happy to let Diego explore what is happening to his libido. What Diego finds is that he didn’t even know what spice was until he was with Callan. Now he was addicted and wanted more, wanted it all. But they have to figure out the misogyny of the NHL, and what happens if he is traded.
Overall, another fun, low-angst, spicy book by KM Neuhold. This series gives me Palm Island vibes, and I am there for it. I hope there are a ton more in this series, because I will read them all. Great easy read with some great side characters, including a pug named Slapshot who steals the show a few times. I don’t think you will lose much if you read these out of order, but 100% you should read them all because they are fun.
July 5, 2026
‘Funny, I never pegged him for humble’ – Moves, on the ice and off!
Author KM Neuhold makes a terrific impression on someone who’s reading her books for the first time. She not only writes well, but she is unafraid to inject some kinky ideas into her MM romance (that’s male Chick Lit) stories, opting for humor within the parameters of steamy physical attraction. It works – very well indeed.
GRIND is the third installment in the author’s Gymbos series – and this story deals with the game of hockey – so appropriate now during all the obsession with World Cup events. Neufeld’s ability to crate colorful characters is a talent she owns, and in this case, she presents injured hockey player Diego and his attentive (in so many ways!) trainer Callan. The plot is well distilled as follows: ‘Hockey star Diego Ferguson says he knows about the grind, but he’s about to learn that his new personal trainer, Callan, gives the word a whole new meaning. Everyone in Chicago has been following the news about Diego's injury and the last season spent on the bench. It doesn’t hurt that he's got a major sexy brood going on in every picture I see of him these days. The last place I expected him to show up was Sweat. But he's looking for a personal trainer to help him get fully back in shape before the season, and I'm just the guy for the job. It figures that he's straight, but that doesn’t mean I can't enjoy the view while I help get his fine backside ready to get back out on the ice. He's also desperate for some bro time in between workouts, and I'm more than qualified to be the guy for that job too. Maybe he's not as straight as he claims. Maybe he just needs a little fun to get his confidence back up after last season. Maybe I'll let myself indulge in a harmless fling with a cocky, bi-curious hockey player as a little treat. I work hard after all, and I deserve a little fun too. We both know it can't last, but puck it, a summer fling is always a good time.’
Entertaining on many levels, this is a solid, steamy, and entertaining MM romance by an author who deserves the wide audience appeal she is enjoying!
Author KM Neuhold makes a terrific impression on someone who’s reading her books for the first time. She not only writes well, but she is unafraid to inject some kinky ideas into her MM romance (that’s male Chick Lit) stories, opting for humor within the parameters of steamy physical attraction. It works – very well indeed.
GRIND is the third installment in the author’s Gymbos series – and this story deals with the game of hockey – so appropriate now during all the obsession with World Cup events. Neufeld’s ability to crate colorful characters is a talent she owns, and in this case, she presents injured hockey player Diego and his attentive (in so many ways!) trainer Callan. The plot is well distilled as follows: ‘Hockey star Diego Ferguson says he knows about the grind, but he’s about to learn that his new personal trainer, Callan, gives the word a whole new meaning. Everyone in Chicago has been following the news about Diego's injury and the last season spent on the bench. It doesn’t hurt that he's got a major sexy brood going on in every picture I see of him these days. The last place I expected him to show up was Sweat. But he's looking for a personal trainer to help him get fully back in shape before the season, and I'm just the guy for the job. It figures that he's straight, but that doesn’t mean I can't enjoy the view while I help get his fine backside ready to get back out on the ice. He's also desperate for some bro time in between workouts, and I'm more than qualified to be the guy for that job too. Maybe he's not as straight as he claims. Maybe he just needs a little fun to get his confidence back up after last season. Maybe I'll let myself indulge in a harmless fling with a cocky, bi-curious hockey player as a little treat. I work hard after all, and I deserve a little fun too. We both know it can't last, but puck it, a summer fling is always a good time.’
Entertaining on many levels, this is a solid, steamy, and entertaining MM romance by an author who deserves the wide audience appeal she is enjoying!
July 2, 2026
Grind
Gymbros
KM Neuhold
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Gymbros has been such a fantastic series, and Grind absolutely doesn’t disappoint!
This was such a fun read! I completely fell in love with Callen and Diego.
Diego is dealing with a lot between his career-threatening injury and his cheating girlfriend. What he definitely didn’t expect was that a little man-on-man action would completely change his world. Queer sex heals! 🤣 I am an absolute sucker for a gay/bi awakening, especially when the main character is coming up with every excuse under the sun to convince himself that what he’s feeling isn’t queer. Watching Diego finally embrace his sexuality without dragging the angst out forever was so refreshing, and I loved how naturally his journey unfolded.
And I can’t talk about this book without giving Callen the love he deserves. He was patient, supportive, and exactly what Diego needed. Even while training him, Callen never pushed beyond Diego’s comfort zone. As their relationship grew, he continued to let Diego set the pace—whether that meant exploring their relationship privately or deciding when and how to share it with the people around him. It made their romance feel genuine, respectful, and incredibly satisfying.
The guys at Sweat continue to be one of my favorite found families. They’re constantly giving each other a hard time, making me laugh, and somehow balancing all that teasing with unwavering loyalty and support. Every book makes me more invested in this group, and I can’t wait to see each of them get their own happily ever after.
And can we talk about the spice? Because WOW. 🌶️🔥 This book was spicing. Every lingering touch, every stolen glance, every step forward in their relationship had me sweating and white-knuckling my e-reader. The chemistry between these two was absolutely electric.
I’m already looking forward to diving into the rest of the series!
Gymbros
KM Neuhold
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Gymbros has been such a fantastic series, and Grind absolutely doesn’t disappoint!
This was such a fun read! I completely fell in love with Callen and Diego.
Diego is dealing with a lot between his career-threatening injury and his cheating girlfriend. What he definitely didn’t expect was that a little man-on-man action would completely change his world. Queer sex heals! 🤣 I am an absolute sucker for a gay/bi awakening, especially when the main character is coming up with every excuse under the sun to convince himself that what he’s feeling isn’t queer. Watching Diego finally embrace his sexuality without dragging the angst out forever was so refreshing, and I loved how naturally his journey unfolded.
And I can’t talk about this book without giving Callen the love he deserves. He was patient, supportive, and exactly what Diego needed. Even while training him, Callen never pushed beyond Diego’s comfort zone. As their relationship grew, he continued to let Diego set the pace—whether that meant exploring their relationship privately or deciding when and how to share it with the people around him. It made their romance feel genuine, respectful, and incredibly satisfying.
The guys at Sweat continue to be one of my favorite found families. They’re constantly giving each other a hard time, making me laugh, and somehow balancing all that teasing with unwavering loyalty and support. Every book makes me more invested in this group, and I can’t wait to see each of them get their own happily ever after.
And can we talk about the spice? Because WOW. 🌶️🔥 This book was spicing. Every lingering touch, every stolen glance, every step forward in their relationship had me sweating and white-knuckling my e-reader. The chemistry between these two was absolutely electric.
I’m already looking forward to diving into the rest of the series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved them 🥹 I mean of course I loved them! How could you not?? I could read another full length book about it these two! Sweet, sweet Diego. He had the most beautiful bi-awakening ever. I love him. FULL RTC
_______________________
By now you know that if KM writes it, I’m going to read it. And this book has been one of my most anticipated reads of the entire year! This series is just so fun, so sweet, absolutely hilarious, and an easy going good time and so of course Grind was no different.
Diego is injured, newly single, and needs to get his butt off the couch to be ready to prove to his team that he is meant to be a Husky, and he does NOT want to be traded. So injured hockey player walks in to a gay gym.. we all know where this is going right?
For Callan, this is great! He’s got a new client to work with, he can utilize his skills as a personal trainer, and the company is great (even if he’s got a bit of a crush on the very straight hockey player of his dreams). But more than anything, Diego needs a friend.. and Callan can be that for him.
Until Diego starts thinking maybe he isn’t so straight after all. Maybe the way Callan makes him feel means something more? Maybe it’s not THAT gay to get a BJ from a gay man.. right?! Maybe, most definitely Bi-sexual though 😂
I loved these two so much. Their banter, their competitive natures, their grilling competition, their farty pug sidekick, spicy lessons, THE HEAT?? I can’t. They were just a very easy, feel good time! And I’m so happy for them.
🏒 Later In Life Bi-Awakening
🏋🏻♂️ Competitive Bros Working Out Together
🏒 A Pug Named Slapshot
🏋🏻♂️ Frotting (OH GOD THE FROTTING)
🏒 Injured Hockey Player
🏋🏻♂️ Jocks & Jock Robbery
🏒 THROAT GOAT
🏋🏻♂️ Rimming 💦
🏒 Purely Innocent Muscle Massages
_______________________
By now you know that if KM writes it, I’m going to read it. And this book has been one of my most anticipated reads of the entire year! This series is just so fun, so sweet, absolutely hilarious, and an easy going good time and so of course Grind was no different.
Diego is injured, newly single, and needs to get his butt off the couch to be ready to prove to his team that he is meant to be a Husky, and he does NOT want to be traded. So injured hockey player walks in to a gay gym.. we all know where this is going right?
For Callan, this is great! He’s got a new client to work with, he can utilize his skills as a personal trainer, and the company is great (even if he’s got a bit of a crush on the very straight hockey player of his dreams). But more than anything, Diego needs a friend.. and Callan can be that for him.
Until Diego starts thinking maybe he isn’t so straight after all. Maybe the way Callan makes him feel means something more? Maybe it’s not THAT gay to get a BJ from a gay man.. right?! Maybe, most definitely Bi-sexual though 😂
I loved these two so much. Their banter, their competitive natures, their grilling competition, their farty pug sidekick, spicy lessons, THE HEAT?? I can’t. They were just a very easy, feel good time! And I’m so happy for them.
🏒 Later In Life Bi-Awakening
🏋🏻♂️ Competitive Bros Working Out Together
🏒 A Pug Named Slapshot
🏋🏻♂️ Frotting (OH GOD THE FROTTING)
🏒 Injured Hockey Player
🏋🏻♂️ Jocks & Jock Robbery
🏒 THROAT GOAT
🏋🏻♂️ Rimming 💦
🏒 Purely Innocent Muscle Massages
Review of advance copy received from Author
I do enjoy KM Neuhold's writing style and I immediately connected with the characters in this book. Both MCs are adorable and I enjoyed the wider cast as well. I didn't love Diego's initial insistence that he wasn't gay, he didn't seem to realise he could be bi, even tho bisexuality had been mentioned he still couldn't seem to apply it to himself. To be fair he did adopt it quickly when he realised it was an option, but it seemed to take forever, I suppose the series isn't called Gymbos for nothing. The book was fun, with high heat and low angst, and I was thinking a solid four stars all the way through until the very end, (spoilers ahead). I'm loath to copy paste the text as it's the final paragraph of the book, but the gist is that Diego has come out to his team but doesn't plan to come out publicly, although he has a plan in place for if it gets out. Obviously nobody is required to come out but the reasoning for this makes my head hurt. He wants to set up a hockey camp for queer youth, and doesn't want to make a spectacle by coming out and distracting from the real issue of queer inclusion in sport by publicly being a queer man in sport. The fact that coming out would make things easier for queer inclusion seems to pass him by, and it seems obvious that someone will let it slip eventually, so why not do it on your own terms and make it clear that it's something you're proud of rather than something you tried to hide? I also resent the implication that someone coming out and hoping to live their life authentically is in any way wanting a spectacle or the drama associated with it. I assume the author plans to have him come out or be outed in a future book, which is fine, but just the reasoning and the way the issue is couched seems very hypocritical and disingenuous and honestly leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I had been hoping for a grand gesture, sure, but I would have been satisfied with him planning to come out after X event or something like that. The bravery of coming out to the team and then stopping halfway, along with the bullshit hypocrisy about not wanting to distract from the real issues, was very anticlimactic and pulled the very nice 4 star review down to a rather disheartened 3 star. It's amazing how much one paragraph can ruin an otherwise great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I need to make a complaint. Why does K.M. Neuhold always do this to me? I start to read a book of theirs or listen to the audio of a book and then I finish it too fast because I need all their books to be like 1000 pages each. This ARC was getting close to not being read before the release date because I quite literally read so slow just because I wanted it to go on forever. I honestly love every single book I have read of theirs so far.
K.M. writes these characters in such a way that you really cannot help but want them to be real so you could spend all your free time with them. Also, I am usually not the biggest lover of low angst books but I will constantly devour every low angst book she writes. Primarily because the books aren't without conflict. Just because a book is low angst doesn't mean it has to be all happy, all the time with no drama ever and K.M always has the perfect balance for me. Nothing is ever so dramatic in a way that I am clenching my jaw in this one but there is definitely some issues throughout. Also there were times where I had to squint to read because Diego was so awkward and would say something that one could get embarrassed over. If he wasn't embarrassed I was embarrassed for him lol.
Diego & Callan are such a good fit for each other. They are competitive with each other in a fun way and Callan really gets Diego to not focus as much on his injury and worry about whether he will be able to come back to the team. Callan's group of friends welcome Diego into their lives so easily and become such a good support for him in a way when he is trying to figure out his sexuality. Also LOVE Diego's sister Val who just accepts every part of Diego no matter what. She is a great support system for him and honestly one of my favorite female characters in an MM Romance.
Once the spice starts happening, I cannot get enough. I wouldn't say no to a revisit of this book. Gonna have to restart the series again. This was such a great read and I am sad that it is over. Hopefully there will be an audio of this soon.
"There’s nothing gentle or careful about the way our lips meet. His mouth is hot and I can feel the stubble on his chin against mine. His fingers tangle in my hair as he parts his lips and growls into my mouth. My heart thunders and my whole body aches, from my scalp down to my toes and everywhere in between, with an awareness I’ve never felt before. I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut, too breathless to form any thoughts that aren’t about Callan’s mouth, his body, or getting him naked as quickly as possible."
K.M. writes these characters in such a way that you really cannot help but want them to be real so you could spend all your free time with them. Also, I am usually not the biggest lover of low angst books but I will constantly devour every low angst book she writes. Primarily because the books aren't without conflict. Just because a book is low angst doesn't mean it has to be all happy, all the time with no drama ever and K.M always has the perfect balance for me. Nothing is ever so dramatic in a way that I am clenching my jaw in this one but there is definitely some issues throughout. Also there were times where I had to squint to read because Diego was so awkward and would say something that one could get embarrassed over. If he wasn't embarrassed I was embarrassed for him lol.
Diego & Callan are such a good fit for each other. They are competitive with each other in a fun way and Callan really gets Diego to not focus as much on his injury and worry about whether he will be able to come back to the team. Callan's group of friends welcome Diego into their lives so easily and become such a good support for him in a way when he is trying to figure out his sexuality. Also LOVE Diego's sister Val who just accepts every part of Diego no matter what. She is a great support system for him and honestly one of my favorite female characters in an MM Romance.
Once the spice starts happening, I cannot get enough. I wouldn't say no to a revisit of this book. Gonna have to restart the series again. This was such a great read and I am sad that it is over. Hopefully there will be an audio of this soon.
"There’s nothing gentle or careful about the way our lips meet. His mouth is hot and I can feel the stubble on his chin against mine. His fingers tangle in my hair as he parts his lips and growls into my mouth. My heart thunders and my whole body aches, from my scalp down to my toes and everywhere in between, with an awareness I’ve never felt before. I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut, too breathless to form any thoughts that aren’t about Callan’s mouth, his body, or getting him naked as quickly as possible."
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