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Goalie Interference
He was supposed to fix my game.
Instead, he changed my life.
Starting goalie Ashton Kincaid has never backed down from a fight. With the NHL draft looming, he's determined to prove he belongs between the pipes—even if it means ignoring the anger, injuries, and pressure threatening to consume him.
His new goalie coach is another problem entirely.
Retired NHL legend Thomas Thayer is older, patient, infuriatingly calm...and the only person who sees through Ash's walls.
One stolen moment becomes another.
Professional boundaries blur.
And before either of them realizes it, they're risking careers, reputations, and futures for a relationship that should never have happened.
Keeping their secret is hard.
Pretending they don't belong together is impossible.
Instead, he changed my life.
Starting goalie Ashton Kincaid has never backed down from a fight. With the NHL draft looming, he's determined to prove he belongs between the pipes—even if it means ignoring the anger, injuries, and pressure threatening to consume him.
His new goalie coach is another problem entirely.
Retired NHL legend Thomas Thayer is older, patient, infuriatingly calm...and the only person who sees through Ash's walls.
One stolen moment becomes another.
Professional boundaries blur.
And before either of them realizes it, they're risking careers, reputations, and futures for a relationship that should never have happened.
Keeping their secret is hard.
Pretending they don't belong together is impossible.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 31, 2026
This book needed to be longer and more fleshed out. The pacing was all off especially for it's short length. I don't think the age gap was handled well. I also don't think the cheating aspect was necessary. It seemed like it was used just to have a moment of Ash being called a slur by his ex. The whole cheating part could have been taken out and not effected the story at all. He could have/should have broken up with his girlfriend before he explored his sexuality, or the author could have just had him not have a girlfriend. Even just having them be friends with benefits or fuck buddies would have been better. You can have a character who had previously only been with women without having them actively cheat on their girlfriend. This just perpetuates the stereotype that bisexual people cheat. Also, the way the narrative continually reminds us how bored Ash was with their relationship and how Callie is depicted just felt like the author justifying the cheating. There were multiple valid reasons for Ash to want to end things with Callie. It's fine that he was unsatisfied in their relationship, but none of it justified the cheating.
I feel like this book could have been so much better and ultimately it just disappointed me.
I feel like this book could have been so much better and ultimately it just disappointed me.
September 18, 2026
KU read, part of the summer challenge (Single Scoop achievement)
I struggled with either the formatting or the lack of editing. Dialogue by the same character would be split onto multiple lines.
Example: (made up by yours truly)
"I love hockey coaches."
"Who know my off switch"
"One touch & I'm done."
Vs "I love hockey coaches who know my off switch. One touch & I'm done."
This happened throughout the novel, making it hard to track who was speaking the lines. There weren't any "Thayer said" to denote who was speaking. This happened several times per page. It made it hard to follow along. There was no reason to break up what was continuing speech about the same topic. I don't believe this is a formatting issue since each line was bracketed by quote marks.
Note to author: either put all the dialogue together in the paragraph or end the paragraph hanging (without ") and begin the new paragraph with " to denote the dialogue continues.
I struggled with either the formatting or the lack of editing. Dialogue by the same character would be split onto multiple lines.
Example: (made up by yours truly)
"I love hockey coaches."
"Who know my off switch"
"One touch & I'm done."
Vs "I love hockey coaches who know my off switch. One touch & I'm done."
This happened throughout the novel, making it hard to track who was speaking the lines. There weren't any "Thayer said" to denote who was speaking. This happened several times per page. It made it hard to follow along. There was no reason to break up what was continuing speech about the same topic. I don't believe this is a formatting issue since each line was bracketed by quote marks.
Note to author: either put all the dialogue together in the paragraph or end the paragraph hanging (without ") and begin the new paragraph with " to denote the dialogue continues.
October 20, 2026
--SUMMARY
Ash has anger issues. He’s the only goalie on his team who even cares about winning, he got injured last year and he is in constant pain, his girlfriend doesn’t understand, and they’ve just hired another goalie coach to try to “help.” He doesn’t need another useless coach; he just needs things to go right for once.
Thayer had a long career as a goalie with the Sharks until an injury made lifelong disability a possibility. So he retired, but he is bored. He heard about a young goalie with promise in Michigan, so he applied to be the goalie coach and was hired. But this Ash… he’s good, real good; but he’s got a real hot head and he’s favouring his right leg -- there’s an injury there he’s not admitting to. Thayer is gay. His teams have known, but he’s kept his head down during the seasons and it never made the news.
Ash is pretty: blond hair, blue eyes. But Thayer shouldn’t be noticing that. And when Thayer massages Ash to try to work out the injury he has, which Thayer recognizes, Ash's interest seems piqued. But Ash is supposed to be straight. And Ash is suddenly embarrassed by his body’s reaction and avoiding Thayer. This is no good….
Until it is!!!!!
--REVIEW
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Thayer is a soft dom for his boy: total green flag heaven. Not only was this a fun hockey romance, but the dynamic between the two main characters was awesome to read as trust took time to develop.
This is a novella, so it was a super fast read. This was both a little sad, because I was so into it, but also amazing because I got satisfaction very quickly. I had read the second novella in the series, Offside, previously, so I had to go back and re-read the Ash and Thayer parts of that book again. I just love these guys so much!
This was a 5/5 novella with 6/5 steamy heat.
Ash has anger issues. He’s the only goalie on his team who even cares about winning, he got injured last year and he is in constant pain, his girlfriend doesn’t understand, and they’ve just hired another goalie coach to try to “help.” He doesn’t need another useless coach; he just needs things to go right for once.
Thayer had a long career as a goalie with the Sharks until an injury made lifelong disability a possibility. So he retired, but he is bored. He heard about a young goalie with promise in Michigan, so he applied to be the goalie coach and was hired. But this Ash… he’s good, real good; but he’s got a real hot head and he’s favouring his right leg -- there’s an injury there he’s not admitting to. Thayer is gay. His teams have known, but he’s kept his head down during the seasons and it never made the news.
Ash is pretty: blond hair, blue eyes. But Thayer shouldn’t be noticing that. And when Thayer massages Ash to try to work out the injury he has, which Thayer recognizes, Ash's interest seems piqued. But Ash is supposed to be straight. And Ash is suddenly embarrassed by his body’s reaction and avoiding Thayer. This is no good….
Until it is!!!!!
--REVIEW
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Thayer is a soft dom for his boy: total green flag heaven. Not only was this a fun hockey romance, but the dynamic between the two main characters was awesome to read as trust took time to develop.
This is a novella, so it was a super fast read. This was both a little sad, because I was so into it, but also amazing because I got satisfaction very quickly. I had read the second novella in the series, Offside, previously, so I had to go back and re-read the Ash and Thayer parts of that book again. I just love these guys so much!
This was a 5/5 novella with 6/5 steamy heat.
September 22, 2026
Quick and easy read
I loved this hockey romance. Its quite short and super easy to read.
Ash is a goalie who has issues regulating his temper which has lead to a slew.of coaches that just dont get him.
Cue Thayer who is his new coach. He's the only one that seems to get Ash.
Tropes
Hockey x coach
Bi-awekening
Dom x sub
I loved this hockey romance. Its quite short and super easy to read.
Ash is a goalie who has issues regulating his temper which has lead to a slew.of coaches that just dont get him.
Cue Thayer who is his new coach. He's the only one that seems to get Ash.
Tropes
Hockey x coach
Bi-awekening
Dom x sub
September 20, 2026
I went into Goalie Interference thinking this could be exactly my kind of messy.
Hockey. Age gap. Coach/player. BDSM. A relationship with enough questionable decisions to keep me entertained.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn't work for me.
My biggest problem was the writing. From the very beginning, I felt like the book was constantly telling me who these characters were instead of letting me figure them out. There was so much exposition and explanation that the characters rarely felt like they were developing naturally on the page.
And then there was Thayer.
The age gap and power dynamic were clearly intended to create a particular kind of tension, but instead of finding it sexy or deliciously uncomfortable, I increasingly found Thayer's behavior unsettling. I wasn't titillated, I was disturbed. Ash didn't feel like he had enough agency within their dynamic for me to really buy into this being a relationship.
The BDSM parts had a similar problem. I wanted to feel like these were two people actively choosing and building a dynamic together. Instead, too much of it felt like Thayer deciding what Ash needed and not giving him any other choices. There's a responsibility to these romances, where the aggressor has to care for the sub, and that ... did not exist here.
That doesn't work for me romantically.
I also really, really, REALLY thought this story desperately needed more room to develop. The premise had SO much potential, but everything felt rushed and overly explained at the same time. I never got enough depth from the characters or their relationship to make the emotional progression land.
And honestly? If this hadn't been an ARC, I probably would have DNF'd it.
Which is frustrating, because I wanted to like this one. The ingredients were there. I just needed the book to actually give me the depth and character development to make all that deliciously messy potential work.
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Hockey. Age gap. Coach/player. BDSM. A relationship with enough questionable decisions to keep me entertained.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn't work for me.
My biggest problem was the writing. From the very beginning, I felt like the book was constantly telling me who these characters were instead of letting me figure them out. There was so much exposition and explanation that the characters rarely felt like they were developing naturally on the page.
And then there was Thayer.
The age gap and power dynamic were clearly intended to create a particular kind of tension, but instead of finding it sexy or deliciously uncomfortable, I increasingly found Thayer's behavior unsettling. I wasn't titillated, I was disturbed. Ash didn't feel like he had enough agency within their dynamic for me to really buy into this being a relationship.
The BDSM parts had a similar problem. I wanted to feel like these were two people actively choosing and building a dynamic together. Instead, too much of it felt like Thayer deciding what Ash needed and not giving him any other choices. There's a responsibility to these romances, where the aggressor has to care for the sub, and that ... did not exist here.
That doesn't work for me romantically.
I also really, really, REALLY thought this story desperately needed more room to develop. The premise had SO much potential, but everything felt rushed and overly explained at the same time. I never got enough depth from the characters or their relationship to make the emotional progression land.
And honestly? If this hadn't been an ARC, I probably would have DNF'd it.
Which is frustrating, because I wanted to like this one. The ingredients were there. I just needed the book to actually give me the depth and character development to make all that deliciously messy potential work.
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 9, 2026
🚨 book contains negative stereotypes of gay men, infantilisation of the bottom character, predatory behaviour, bi erasure, and unrealistic depictions that is clearly only aimed to fetishise gay men for female pleasure.
I started this book loving it, then I fell off a cliff. Before the first semi spicy scene I was enjoying this book and excited to see where it would go and see how the characters would navigate having feelings for other while not being able to act on them as I really liked the initial character building. The author just acts on them and removes any consequences that would have happened.
One of my main issues was how it was clear this was a fetishisation of gay men and not a loving depiction.
The author’s use of homophobic slur after depicting gay men as caricatures of negative (and borderline homophobic) tropes for me wasn’t okay with the fact of this being an unauthentic fetishisation of gay men.
One of the MCs puts their partner with no consent or concern for how he would feel about it, another sign that the author knows nothing about the gay experience.
There were elements of bi erasure, also apparently if you’re a vers and get with a top you’re no longer a vers. Also conflates dom/sub roles (switch) with sexual positions. Switch and Vers are not interchangeable.
It’s implied earlier on that the “dom” is kinky, and there was nothing kinky about their relationship other than the power dynamic.
The characters fall in love within a couple of weeks of admiring they like each other. He moves in within a few weeks too. The most interesting character development happens off screen in the time jumps.
Story wise it is incredibly problematic. Student teacher at uni have been done and done well in ways that aren’t problematic, this book leans into the toxic problematic areas, but then ignores them and makes it so the person in charge of the students welfare turns a blind eye.
Then there’s the grammar issues. If a new paragraph is started within dialogue and the next paragraph is the same person talking, you don’t put peach marks at the end of the paragraph until they are don’t talking. This author constantly had new paragraphs that read as different person speaking when it wasn’t the case and you always had to play a guessing game to work out who was speaking.
The author does a really funny line in her anti ai statement (which is interesting when two previous books have Ai covers I have since found out) where she defends her use of em dashes—which I agree with whole heartedly. The issue is, she doesn’t use em dashes. She uses en dashes (–) and not em dashes (—), which are meant for numbers not sentences.
This book is a victim of not being developed enough, the MCs reading like children to an uncomfortable level; and and instead of making the ‘we can’t have a relationship’ a plot point, just ignores it.
Also the bi awakening is essentially ignored and just automatically accepted, he also then sometimes identifies as gay and sometimes bi.
And the spicy scenes are the least realistic spicy scenes I’ve ever seen written. The way their orgasm is described in a few chapters made me not realise they’d both cum. Also sleeping with a hard cock in the bottoms ass all night and it still being there in the morning??? Come on now. And the infantilisation of the student during sex scenes was worrying, and read almost like the character was ten years younger than he was.
I started this book loving it, then I fell off a cliff. Before the first semi spicy scene I was enjoying this book and excited to see where it would go and see how the characters would navigate having feelings for other while not being able to act on them as I really liked the initial character building. The author just acts on them and removes any consequences that would have happened.
One of my main issues was how it was clear this was a fetishisation of gay men and not a loving depiction.
The author’s use of homophobic slur after depicting gay men as caricatures of negative (and borderline homophobic) tropes for me wasn’t okay with the fact of this being an unauthentic fetishisation of gay men.
One of the MCs puts their partner with no consent or concern for how he would feel about it, another sign that the author knows nothing about the gay experience.
There were elements of bi erasure, also apparently if you’re a vers and get with a top you’re no longer a vers. Also conflates dom/sub roles (switch) with sexual positions. Switch and Vers are not interchangeable.
It’s implied earlier on that the “dom” is kinky, and there was nothing kinky about their relationship other than the power dynamic.
The characters fall in love within a couple of weeks of admiring they like each other. He moves in within a few weeks too. The most interesting character development happens off screen in the time jumps.
Story wise it is incredibly problematic. Student teacher at uni have been done and done well in ways that aren’t problematic, this book leans into the toxic problematic areas, but then ignores them and makes it so the person in charge of the students welfare turns a blind eye.
Then there’s the grammar issues. If a new paragraph is started within dialogue and the next paragraph is the same person talking, you don’t put peach marks at the end of the paragraph until they are don’t talking. This author constantly had new paragraphs that read as different person speaking when it wasn’t the case and you always had to play a guessing game to work out who was speaking.
The author does a really funny line in her anti ai statement (which is interesting when two previous books have Ai covers I have since found out) where she defends her use of em dashes—which I agree with whole heartedly. The issue is, she doesn’t use em dashes. She uses en dashes (–) and not em dashes (—), which are meant for numbers not sentences.
This book is a victim of not being developed enough, the MCs reading like children to an uncomfortable level; and and instead of making the ‘we can’t have a relationship’ a plot point, just ignores it.
Also the bi awakening is essentially ignored and just automatically accepted, he also then sometimes identifies as gay and sometimes bi.
And the spicy scenes are the least realistic spicy scenes I’ve ever seen written. The way their orgasm is described in a few chapters made me not realise they’d both cum. Also sleeping with a hard cock in the bottoms ass all night and it still being there in the morning??? Come on now. And the infantilisation of the student during sex scenes was worrying, and read almost like the character was ten years younger than he was.
September 9, 2026
Coach/player, age gap, secret relationship, bi-awakening, hockey. All a win for me. It was a fun, sweet, short, spicy read with a sprinkle of tension in the third act. The relationship developed a bit too quickly and the cheating trope wasn't really necessary but overall I enjoyed this! I'm looking forward to the second book.
September 3, 2026
i love my two gay boyfriends 🥰
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was so sweet 😭 Ash and Thayer are just the sweetest little beans just waiting to crash into one another and fall in love 🥰🥰🥰 I’ve read it twice now because it’s so sweet and the spice is 🫣🫣
So glad I got to read this early but forever pouting book two isn’t out for me to binge next.
So glad I got to read this early but forever pouting book two isn’t out for me to binge next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
*I did receive a free ARC of this book. However, this review is 100% voluntary and reflects my honest opinion*
Synopsis:
Ash has gone through several goalie coaches, but none of them were the right fit. But then Thayer is hired and he *sees* Ash; his anger, his drive, and the desires not even Ash was aware of.
Highlights:
- Enthusiastic Consent
- “Baby”
- Thayer is well aware of who’s really in charge in a D/S dynamic.
Recommend?
Yes. This is a short, sweet, and spicy read. It can be read in one sitting, but still tells a fulfilling story.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
"Goalie Interference" by Marina Bennett is an MM College Hockey romance between a team's starting goalie (Ash) and the new goalie coach (Thayer).
Their relationship develops from mutual trust and attraction. However, it's not all smooth sailing, they have to keep their relationship a secret and when trust is broken, it threatens to ruin everything.
Ratings:
Overall: 4/5 hearts - I definitely enjoyed this book! It's short enough to read in one sitting but still contains all the things I like: Sexual tension, romance, and even a little bit of angst.
Peppers (Spice Quantity): 2/5 - I'm stuck between a 2 and 3 for this one. There's a lot of sexual tension and discussion of sex which I think makes it seem spicier than it really is.
Spice Quality: 4/5 - I love a good d/s dynamic and this book definitely gave me a taste of it. I also really enjoyed the little detail of Ash's injury and how it affects his physical ability to have sex. I think that's something all of us 30+ year olds can relate to.
Plot: 4/5 -
Storyline: The storyline itself is nice and simple. Just how I like my romance stories. From the beginning, I had a pretty good idea of how the story was going to play out, but Bennett still managed to make the anticipated events unfold with a great sense of tension that kept me eagerly flipping pages.
Characters: With this being a shorter read, I do think the characters lacked a little bit of depth. But they still have their own unique personalities, make mistakes, and have interesting backstories.
Writing Style: I didn't love the writing style here. It flowed okay and always made sense to me. But the language itself felt "young" and while I didn't mind this in the POV of a 21 year old, it didn't feel right for Thayer who was in his 30's.
But it's a subjective thing and I'd much rather an interested reader read a sample from the book rather than take my opinion on it.
Conclusion: This is definitely a book worth reading if you're looking for a shorter-length "snack" to feed your inner book goblin. There's romance and spice and a nice storyline that felt emotional and real. While I didn't find it to be a "perfect" read for *me*, it was super enjoyable and made me excited to read more from Bennett.
As always, if you like this review and want to see more like it, check out my profile and/or visit me on my instagram (where I make half-decent graphics to go along with the reviews): @rainbow.reviews.mm
Synopsis:
Ash has gone through several goalie coaches, but none of them were the right fit. But then Thayer is hired and he *sees* Ash; his anger, his drive, and the desires not even Ash was aware of.
Highlights:
- Enthusiastic Consent
- “Baby”
- Thayer is well aware of who’s really in charge in a D/S dynamic.
Recommend?
Yes. This is a short, sweet, and spicy read. It can be read in one sitting, but still tells a fulfilling story.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
"Goalie Interference" by Marina Bennett is an MM College Hockey romance between a team's starting goalie (Ash) and the new goalie coach (Thayer).
Their relationship develops from mutual trust and attraction. However, it's not all smooth sailing, they have to keep their relationship a secret and when trust is broken, it threatens to ruin everything.
Ratings:
Overall: 4/5 hearts - I definitely enjoyed this book! It's short enough to read in one sitting but still contains all the things I like: Sexual tension, romance, and even a little bit of angst.
Peppers (Spice Quantity): 2/5 - I'm stuck between a 2 and 3 for this one. There's a lot of sexual tension and discussion of sex which I think makes it seem spicier than it really is.
Spice Quality: 4/5 - I love a good d/s dynamic and this book definitely gave me a taste of it. I also really enjoyed the little detail of Ash's injury and how it affects his physical ability to have sex. I think that's something all of us 30+ year olds can relate to.
Plot: 4/5 -
Storyline: The storyline itself is nice and simple. Just how I like my romance stories. From the beginning, I had a pretty good idea of how the story was going to play out, but Bennett still managed to make the anticipated events unfold with a great sense of tension that kept me eagerly flipping pages.
Characters: With this being a shorter read, I do think the characters lacked a little bit of depth. But they still have their own unique personalities, make mistakes, and have interesting backstories.
Writing Style: I didn't love the writing style here. It flowed okay and always made sense to me. But the language itself felt "young" and while I didn't mind this in the POV of a 21 year old, it didn't feel right for Thayer who was in his 30's.
But it's a subjective thing and I'd much rather an interested reader read a sample from the book rather than take my opinion on it.
Conclusion: This is definitely a book worth reading if you're looking for a shorter-length "snack" to feed your inner book goblin. There's romance and spice and a nice storyline that felt emotional and real. While I didn't find it to be a "perfect" read for *me*, it was super enjoyable and made me excited to read more from Bennett.
As always, if you like this review and want to see more like it, check out my profile and/or visit me on my instagram (where I make half-decent graphics to go along with the reviews): @rainbow.reviews.mm
August 30, 2026
✨ dom/sub relationship - sub awakening ✨
If you like Teddy by Emmy Sanders then you neeeed to read Goalie Interference by Marina Bennett!
✨✨✨✨✨
I started Goalie Interference thinking it would be a typical hockey romance. I love a good hockey romance, and the MMC is a goalie (I LOVE goalies!), so this was a no-brainer to get off my TBR. But I had no idea just how good this book would be, and you’ll see what I mean below. But first, the messages that I sent to my book bestie when we were parallel reading this:
“Crap. I just looked this up on goodreads. It said: highlights: “baby”. Why do I love that so much??!”
“Okay I only read the first chapter but I’m in this.”
“Just finished Thayer’s first chapter. Obsessed with him.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t think that the goalie coach would be a former goalie. This is the best.”
“Girl ... my eyeballs are exploding out of my head. Tell me exactly what part you are at.“
“Omg 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵“
“Omg the epilogue. I have more to say but will refrain until you are finished.“
“I won’t say anything. But I want to say things. I’m exercising so much self-restraint right now. Like it’s taking everything in me not to text more.”
“I’ll make vague notes:
Plot
Epilogue
Next book”
✨✨✨✨✨
Now you might be wondering why I am telling you to read a hockey book if you liked Teddy. Teddy is about adult film star Teddy, who works at the Elite 8 studios, and his “wake up married in Vegas after a drunk night” relationship with Kipp (who is best friends with Niko, one of the other Elite 8 stars). Goalie interference is about Ash, a grumpy college goalie who has gone through four other goalie coaches before meeting Thayer, his new goalie coach who retired from the NHL too early because of repeated injuries. And yeah, those plots are pretty different 😂 But what is the same, and what I absolutely looooooved about each book, is the sub awakening that Kipp and Ash have, and the tender and protective way that Teddy and Thayer care for them. So if you too loved sweet Teddy the daddy dom who has it so bad for Kipp, and Kipp’s guided discovery of being a sub, then you need to read about Thayer and Ash.
From Chapter 1 I was immediately sucked in by Ash’s grump, and then in Chapter 2 Thayer's concern about Ash was already making me feel the feels. By chapter 3 I was completely hooked and rooting for them so hard. But thennnnnn Thayer started to hint that he is a dom. And that he thinks Ash is unknowingly a sub. And I about lost my ever-loving mind with giddiness as I thought about Teddy and hoped that Goalie Interference would be just as good. And boy was it!
This book gripped me so hard from start to finish! Marina is veeeery good at making the reader let down their guard. The plot was plotting! There's a lot more that I want to say but won't because of spoilers. But let's just say there is a LOT in this book. I literally could not put it down and read it in one sitting. It was honestly impressive how much happened in only 200 pages. Equally impressive was that the pacing was perfection and it didn't feel rushed at all. PLEASE message me after you've read this so we can talk about the plot-spoiler parts.
✨✨✨✨✨
Goalie Interference is book 1 in her The Penalty Series. On October 26th you can read Offside, book 2 in this series! I've already got it on my calendar and am dyyyyying to get it on my Kindle.
Worth rereading? ✅ Definitely yes. I will absolutely be rereading this to prep for Offside!
You'll like Goalie Interference if you like:
✨ happily ever after
✨ hockey romance
✨ goalie + coach
✨ forced proximity
✨ dom/sub
✨ bi awakening
✨ "baby"
If you like Teddy by Emmy Sanders then you neeeed to read Goalie Interference by Marina Bennett!
✨✨✨✨✨
I started Goalie Interference thinking it would be a typical hockey romance. I love a good hockey romance, and the MMC is a goalie (I LOVE goalies!), so this was a no-brainer to get off my TBR. But I had no idea just how good this book would be, and you’ll see what I mean below. But first, the messages that I sent to my book bestie when we were parallel reading this:
“Crap. I just looked this up on goodreads. It said: highlights: “baby”. Why do I love that so much??!”
“Okay I only read the first chapter but I’m in this.”
“Just finished Thayer’s first chapter. Obsessed with him.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t think that the goalie coach would be a former goalie. This is the best.”
“Girl ... my eyeballs are exploding out of my head. Tell me exactly what part you are at.“
“Omg 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵“
“Omg the epilogue. I have more to say but will refrain until you are finished.“
“I won’t say anything. But I want to say things. I’m exercising so much self-restraint right now. Like it’s taking everything in me not to text more.”
“I’ll make vague notes:
Plot
Epilogue
Next book”
✨✨✨✨✨
Now you might be wondering why I am telling you to read a hockey book if you liked Teddy. Teddy is about adult film star Teddy, who works at the Elite 8 studios, and his “wake up married in Vegas after a drunk night” relationship with Kipp (who is best friends with Niko, one of the other Elite 8 stars). Goalie interference is about Ash, a grumpy college goalie who has gone through four other goalie coaches before meeting Thayer, his new goalie coach who retired from the NHL too early because of repeated injuries. And yeah, those plots are pretty different 😂 But what is the same, and what I absolutely looooooved about each book, is the sub awakening that Kipp and Ash have, and the tender and protective way that Teddy and Thayer care for them. So if you too loved sweet Teddy the daddy dom who has it so bad for Kipp, and Kipp’s guided discovery of being a sub, then you need to read about Thayer and Ash.
From Chapter 1 I was immediately sucked in by Ash’s grump, and then in Chapter 2 Thayer's concern about Ash was already making me feel the feels. By chapter 3 I was completely hooked and rooting for them so hard. But thennnnnn Thayer started to hint that he is a dom. And that he thinks Ash is unknowingly a sub. And I about lost my ever-loving mind with giddiness as I thought about Teddy and hoped that Goalie Interference would be just as good. And boy was it!
This book gripped me so hard from start to finish! Marina is veeeery good at making the reader let down their guard. The plot was plotting! There's a lot more that I want to say but won't because of spoilers. But let's just say there is a LOT in this book. I literally could not put it down and read it in one sitting. It was honestly impressive how much happened in only 200 pages. Equally impressive was that the pacing was perfection and it didn't feel rushed at all. PLEASE message me after you've read this so we can talk about the plot-spoiler parts.
✨✨✨✨✨
Goalie Interference is book 1 in her The Penalty Series. On October 26th you can read Offside, book 2 in this series! I've already got it on my calendar and am dyyyyying to get it on my Kindle.
Worth rereading? ✅ Definitely yes. I will absolutely be rereading this to prep for Offside!
You'll like Goalie Interference if you like:
✨ happily ever after
✨ hockey romance
✨ goalie + coach
✨ forced proximity
✨ dom/sub
✨ bi awakening
✨ "baby"
October 22, 2026
I'm pretty selective about the ARC's I request. If they have tropes and dynamics I am drawn to, characters that sound interested, I swoop in. And that's exactly what happened here.
Unfortunately, from the beginning of the book, I could tell it was not going to go well.
The story follows Goalie, Ash, and his coach, Theyer, as they navigate their workplace relationship. Boundaries get blurred and they have to figure out if this whole relationship is worth the struggle of their dynamic.
Which sounds great and fun- if handled apppropriately. I'm no stranger to taboo, but reading this made me feel gross. I shouldn't be actively rooting for Ash to leave this man if you're wanting us to want a happily ever after.
From the moment Theyer laid eyes on ash, it felt incredible predatory The way Theyer speaks about Ash is infantilizing even outside of the bedroom.
The kink is incredibly mishandled, not thoroughly researched, and frankly disappointing to read.
What was killing me was, again, I really love dynamics like these and think they can be done so well with so much substance. I think inner conflict is incredibly important when dealing with these topics but there was none.
All of the conflict came from each other, butting heads and Ash acting his age. There's no chemistry and then we're suppose to be happy for them at the end? Absolutely not.
The only people who had a single rational thought were Ash's parents.
On top of all of this, plot points were lost (Ash's injury?? where'd it go??) and conflict between them was just a mess. The pacing was insanely rushed and would have benefitted from being fleshed out longer but I'm truthfully glad it wasn't if it would continue with this same theme.
I really, strongly, heavily believe this book needs a big TW for grooming because nothing in this book felt appropriate. 100 pages has never felt so agonizing
Unfortunately, from the beginning of the book, I could tell it was not going to go well.
The story follows Goalie, Ash, and his coach, Theyer, as they navigate their workplace relationship. Boundaries get blurred and they have to figure out if this whole relationship is worth the struggle of their dynamic.
Which sounds great and fun- if handled apppropriately. I'm no stranger to taboo, but reading this made me feel gross. I shouldn't be actively rooting for Ash to leave this man if you're wanting us to want a happily ever after.
From the moment Theyer laid eyes on ash, it felt incredible predatory The way Theyer speaks about Ash is infantilizing even outside of the bedroom.
The kink is incredibly mishandled, not thoroughly researched, and frankly disappointing to read.
What was killing me was, again, I really love dynamics like these and think they can be done so well with so much substance. I think inner conflict is incredibly important when dealing with these topics but there was none.
All of the conflict came from each other, butting heads and Ash acting his age. There's no chemistry and then we're suppose to be happy for them at the end? Absolutely not.
The only people who had a single rational thought were Ash's parents.
On top of all of this, plot points were lost (Ash's injury?? where'd it go??) and conflict between them was just a mess. The pacing was insanely rushed and would have benefitted from being fleshed out longer but I'm truthfully glad it wasn't if it would continue with this same theme.
I really, strongly, heavily believe this book needs a big TW for grooming because nothing in this book felt appropriate. 100 pages has never felt so agonizing
Review of advance copy received from Author
Goalie interference by Marina Bennett
What happens when you are the goalie of your college hockey team, burned through every goalie coach around and have anger issues? They bring in a new goalie coach! Thats what happened to Ash Kincaid! Until HE came in… Thomas Thayer!
Let me just say how much I loved Thomas and Ash’s banter right from the start! Poor Thomas, and having to win over Ash!
This book is really good, you have this player/ coach dynamic where the coach really isn’t trying to make the players life difficult in fact it’s quite the opposite. Thomas and Ash have this relationship that works on a give and take approach, and I loved them!
Ok so can I just say the spice in this book, wow ok so I love a good forbidden relationship probably my favorite trope really and this was done beautifully, you have Thomas trying so hard to deny himself while Ash is trying to figure out what this all means as far as why he craves this dominant relationship from Thomas it’s perfect!
I love a good dom / sub in the bedroom story this was perfect because you have Ash who’s kinda figuring it all out , and Thomas who’s so patient with him, and the pet names, I am a sucker for a pet name and when Thomas called him baby I melted.
This story is short and sweet and spicy and it hits all the right notes! I loved these two men they were both very sweet! This is a book I will be reading again and again, it had everything, it had a story line, it had that good forbidden romance and it had such good spice! I couldn’t ask for anything more!
What happens when you are the goalie of your college hockey team, burned through every goalie coach around and have anger issues? They bring in a new goalie coach! Thats what happened to Ash Kincaid! Until HE came in… Thomas Thayer!
Let me just say how much I loved Thomas and Ash’s banter right from the start! Poor Thomas, and having to win over Ash!
This book is really good, you have this player/ coach dynamic where the coach really isn’t trying to make the players life difficult in fact it’s quite the opposite. Thomas and Ash have this relationship that works on a give and take approach, and I loved them!
Ok so can I just say the spice in this book, wow ok so I love a good forbidden relationship probably my favorite trope really and this was done beautifully, you have Thomas trying so hard to deny himself while Ash is trying to figure out what this all means as far as why he craves this dominant relationship from Thomas it’s perfect!
I love a good dom / sub in the bedroom story this was perfect because you have Ash who’s kinda figuring it all out , and Thomas who’s so patient with him, and the pet names, I am a sucker for a pet name and when Thomas called him baby I melted.
This story is short and sweet and spicy and it hits all the right notes! I loved these two men they were both very sweet! This is a book I will be reading again and again, it had everything, it had a story line, it had that good forbidden romance and it had such good spice! I couldn’t ask for anything more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2026
4⭐️
3.5🌶️
REVIEW: Ash is an arsehole! He is the goalie for his college team and seems to be the only athlete among them who actually gives a shit about hockey. To help him achieve his NHL dreams, coach Reed has hired 5 different coaches who couldn’t handle him and ran away. That is until he hires Thomas Thayer 34 year old NHL goalie who retired 4 months ago with a hip injury. He immediately notices Ash favouring his left leg and offers to help massage the tight muscle.
Thayer is gay, out to his team and to Reed but not publicly. Before he massages Ash’s groin he makes sure Ash doesn’t think he’s crossing any boundaries but Ash is in too much pain to care - that is until he is moaning, hard and confused as hell.
Ash gets pulled from a game after throwing a tantrum because his team is fucking useless, and Thayer follows him to the locker room. Ash is furious until Thayer pulls out the dom card and taps into a submissive streak Ash didn’t know he had. Thayer is falling for Ash, but he’s risking his job and Ash’s NHL career so if they are going to do this it has to stay quiet. When Ash gets hurt on the ice, and Thayer can’t stay away, he’s got some explaining to do.
I enjoyed this book! When Ash let’s go of his anger the relief is almost palpable. What I love about this book is that Ash’s bi awakening wasn’t effortless. He was worried they wouldn’t work because Thayer is a strict top and Ash wasn’t sure he could be a permanent bottom. He wasn’t immediately a fan of rimming which never happens. Altogether I really loved this story.
3.5🌶️
REVIEW: Ash is an arsehole! He is the goalie for his college team and seems to be the only athlete among them who actually gives a shit about hockey. To help him achieve his NHL dreams, coach Reed has hired 5 different coaches who couldn’t handle him and ran away. That is until he hires Thomas Thayer 34 year old NHL goalie who retired 4 months ago with a hip injury. He immediately notices Ash favouring his left leg and offers to help massage the tight muscle.
Thayer is gay, out to his team and to Reed but not publicly. Before he massages Ash’s groin he makes sure Ash doesn’t think he’s crossing any boundaries but Ash is in too much pain to care - that is until he is moaning, hard and confused as hell.
Ash gets pulled from a game after throwing a tantrum because his team is fucking useless, and Thayer follows him to the locker room. Ash is furious until Thayer pulls out the dom card and taps into a submissive streak Ash didn’t know he had. Thayer is falling for Ash, but he’s risking his job and Ash’s NHL career so if they are going to do this it has to stay quiet. When Ash gets hurt on the ice, and Thayer can’t stay away, he’s got some explaining to do.
I enjoyed this book! When Ash let’s go of his anger the relief is almost palpable. What I love about this book is that Ash’s bi awakening wasn’t effortless. He was worried they wouldn’t work because Thayer is a strict top and Ash wasn’t sure he could be a permanent bottom. He wasn’t immediately a fan of rimming which never happens. Altogether I really loved this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2026
Oh my good hot hockey gods
This book was so different from what I thought it would be. And thank goodness for that. It was honestly so freaking good. I was drawn in to the story from the start. Hooked on the brooding and intense Ash. But what I was not prepared for was Thayer. He may be a soft Dom but that man is daddy all the way. He is so sweet and caring and understanding. But he’s also dominant and controlling (in the best and sexiest ways) and protective. The chemistry between Thayer and Ash was absolutely insane. It was intense and undeniable from their very first interaction. But it was their honest and genuine and true connection that sold me on their relationship. That intense need they have for one another outside of any sexual nature was beyond endearing. They are truly each other’s perfect complement. The other half of their soul. And I melted for them. This book also was so respectful in the way it portrayed D/s relationships and the various dynamics within them. These two were amazing together and I just couldn’t get enough of it. And that ending was pure perfection, utter gold. The only negative aspect of this book is that it ended. I wanted so much more. But that just shows you how good of a story it truly was.
This book was so different from what I thought it would be. And thank goodness for that. It was honestly so freaking good. I was drawn in to the story from the start. Hooked on the brooding and intense Ash. But what I was not prepared for was Thayer. He may be a soft Dom but that man is daddy all the way. He is so sweet and caring and understanding. But he’s also dominant and controlling (in the best and sexiest ways) and protective. The chemistry between Thayer and Ash was absolutely insane. It was intense and undeniable from their very first interaction. But it was their honest and genuine and true connection that sold me on their relationship. That intense need they have for one another outside of any sexual nature was beyond endearing. They are truly each other’s perfect complement. The other half of their soul. And I melted for them. This book also was so respectful in the way it portrayed D/s relationships and the various dynamics within them. These two were amazing together and I just couldn’t get enough of it. And that ending was pure perfection, utter gold. The only negative aspect of this book is that it ended. I wanted so much more. But that just shows you how good of a story it truly was.
September 20, 2026
3.5⭐️
This book was ok. Ash and Thayer were cute
MM Hockey Romance
Goalie x Goalie Coach
Age Gap (21 & 34)
Bi Awakening (Ash)
Cheating (With, Not on each other)
Slight OWD
No OMD/Sharing/Third Act Break Up
No real intimate scenes with op
Dual pov (1st person)
HEA
No Condoms
Soft dom/sub
Notes
OWD
Ash has a girlfriend in the beginning, it’s a very surface level relationship. He’s honestly not even into her if at all.
Intimate scenes with op
There’s a very quick scene I think in chapter 2 or 3, where ash and his girlfriend are about to/trying to have sex, they’re still in clothes, I think she’s like on top of him but he’s in too much pain because of his injury to do it.
Cheating
When Ash and Thayer our Internet for the first time, Ash is still technically with his girlfriend, but at that point, they haven’t talked to each other for a few weeks, so they’re pretty much done with the relationship, but he hasn’t officially broke up. He doesn’t break up with her until like the next morning after being with Thayer.
Also, while there is no third act break up, there is a third act conflict between Ash and Thayer.
Sexual Experiences
Ash - Experienced. Has a girlfriend. Also has a ritual of having sex before his games.
Thayer - Experienced. Gay.
This book was ok. Ash and Thayer were cute
MM Hockey Romance
Goalie x Goalie Coach
Age Gap (21 & 34)
Bi Awakening (Ash)
Cheating (With, Not on each other)
Slight OWD
No OMD/Sharing/Third Act Break Up
No real intimate scenes with op
Dual pov (1st person)
HEA
No Condoms
Soft dom/sub
Notes
OWD
Ash has a girlfriend in the beginning, it’s a very surface level relationship. He’s honestly not even into her if at all.
Intimate scenes with op
There’s a very quick scene I think in chapter 2 or 3, where ash and his girlfriend are about to/trying to have sex, they’re still in clothes, I think she’s like on top of him but he’s in too much pain because of his injury to do it.
Cheating
When Ash and Thayer our Internet for the first time, Ash is still technically with his girlfriend, but at that point, they haven’t talked to each other for a few weeks, so they’re pretty much done with the relationship, but he hasn’t officially broke up. He doesn’t break up with her until like the next morning after being with Thayer.
Also, while there is no third act break up, there is a third act conflict between Ash and Thayer.
Sexual Experiences
Ash - Experienced. Has a girlfriend. Also has a ritual of having sex before his games.
Thayer - Experienced. Gay.
September 13, 2026
3.25⭐️
Ash is a college goalie who loves hockey, but has hated every coach he’s ever had. Enter recently retired NHL goalie and new goalie coach Thomas Thayer. Ash is hesitant and combative at first, but a very effective massage is the catalyst that sends these two into a relationship that is not only trusting, but romantic.
This novella has:
-coach/player forbidden romance
-age gap (13 years)
-hockey
-hidden relationship
-light d/s themes
This book has a lot of potential, but I feel like there was just so much that wasn’t properly explored. It made the pacing seem strange and rushed. It didn’t allow us to love Ash, as I truly feel he was probably mostly misunderstood, but a lot of his actions just kind of made him seem like a dick.
There were some fun tropes, and I loved some of the aspects of their dynamic. I just felt it wasn’t properly hashed out and not given time to develop. If this was a fuller length novel, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
Still, if you’re looking for a fast and steamy hockey romance with a slice of forbidden romance, then you’ll enjoy this.
Ash is a college goalie who loves hockey, but has hated every coach he’s ever had. Enter recently retired NHL goalie and new goalie coach Thomas Thayer. Ash is hesitant and combative at first, but a very effective massage is the catalyst that sends these two into a relationship that is not only trusting, but romantic.
This novella has:
-coach/player forbidden romance
-age gap (13 years)
-hockey
-hidden relationship
-light d/s themes
This book has a lot of potential, but I feel like there was just so much that wasn’t properly explored. It made the pacing seem strange and rushed. It didn’t allow us to love Ash, as I truly feel he was probably mostly misunderstood, but a lot of his actions just kind of made him seem like a dick.
There were some fun tropes, and I loved some of the aspects of their dynamic. I just felt it wasn’t properly hashed out and not given time to develop. If this was a fuller length novel, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
Still, if you’re looking for a fast and steamy hockey romance with a slice of forbidden romance, then you’ll enjoy this.
September 16, 2026
Cute book and storyline. Found this book due to a kindle unlimited challenge. It was about 200 pages, so I quick read that held my attention and made we want to keep reading. Shorter chapters in dual POV which I liked and helped the flow of the story. Is it a perfect story? Heck no but low angst and an easy read. 3.5 star read rounded to a 4.
Ash is his university’s #1 hockey goalie and Thayer is hired to be his 5th coach. Ash has trouble controlling his anger (which is a theme throughout the story) and has run through coaches. But Thayer is finally someone able to help that. They fall in love pretty quickly and although more development there would have been nice, it’s a novella so not much time. Ash technically cheated on his girlfriend but she hadn’t returned his texts or calls in weeks, so not sure why she gets so angry at him. She was ghosting him. Story did get a little mushy at about the 80% mark after Ash’s injury but it was pretty funny.
Overall it was a cute story.
Ash is his university’s #1 hockey goalie and Thayer is hired to be his 5th coach. Ash has trouble controlling his anger (which is a theme throughout the story) and has run through coaches. But Thayer is finally someone able to help that. They fall in love pretty quickly and although more development there would have been nice, it’s a novella so not much time. Ash technically cheated on his girlfriend but she hadn’t returned his texts or calls in weeks, so not sure why she gets so angry at him. She was ghosting him. Story did get a little mushy at about the 80% mark after Ash’s injury but it was pretty funny.
Overall it was a cute story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2026
I won't lie I love this couple and it was a major surprise to me because I didn't expect to love them so much 🤭
I read Offside first which is book 2 in the Penalty Series and immediately had to come back for book one.
Ash is a goalie who has serious trust issues, anger issues and absolutely no patience for coaches. Then Thayer comes along and decides he's going to earn Ash's trust.
I just loved their chemistry and the forbidden player-and-coach dynamic 😏 Ash's bi-awakening and the way he slowly discovers what he wants were so good.
And BABES, this book has the brat x brat handler dynamic? which I ate that UP 🫦
I loved watching Ash learn that letting someone take care of him doesn't mean giving up his strength ❤️
The jealousy, praise, hockey, spice and emotional healing made this such a fun read.
I read Offside first which is book 2 in the Penalty Series and immediately had to come back for book one.
Ash is a goalie who has serious trust issues, anger issues and absolutely no patience for coaches. Then Thayer comes along and decides he's going to earn Ash's trust.
I just loved their chemistry and the forbidden player-and-coach dynamic 😏 Ash's bi-awakening and the way he slowly discovers what he wants were so good.
And BABES, this book has the brat x brat handler dynamic? which I ate that UP 🫦
I loved watching Ash learn that letting someone take care of him doesn't mean giving up his strength ❤️
The jealousy, praise, hockey, spice and emotional healing made this such a fun read.
September 19, 2026
This was a fun, easy sports romance that checked a lot of the boxes I wanted.
The forbidden romance element was a fun addition, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between our characters. The surprise dom/sub dynamic was actually one of my favorite parts because it wasn’t just thrown in for spice. Seeing that dynamic help calm our sweet goalie down during moments of anxiety was such a nice touch. It showed a level of trust and care that made the relationship feel more meaningful.
The story is sweet, sensual, and has just enough drama to keep things moving without turning into a full emotional disaster marathon. There were a few moments where things got a little repetitive, but nothing that took away from the overall enjoyment.
The forbidden romance element was a fun addition, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between our characters. The surprise dom/sub dynamic was actually one of my favorite parts because it wasn’t just thrown in for spice. Seeing that dynamic help calm our sweet goalie down during moments of anxiety was such a nice touch. It showed a level of trust and care that made the relationship feel more meaningful.
The story is sweet, sensual, and has just enough drama to keep things moving without turning into a full emotional disaster marathon. There were a few moments where things got a little repetitive, but nothing that took away from the overall enjoyment.
October 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ || 4.5
🎧 Song association: Carry You Home by Alex Warren
This book was ADORABLE. Like, genuinely, utterly adorable.
I had absolutely no idea how much I actively needed this book until I started reading it. Sometimes you just need something soft, sweet and easy to fall into, and this was exactly that for me.
The length felt perfect, too. It didn’t ask too much of me, never felt like a chore to pick up, and I found myself genuinely looking forward to reading it. Which, honestly, is sometimes exactly what you need!
I also think this is a really lovely introduction to a softer D/s dynamic. It was such an enjoyable read, and I genuinely loved every moment of it.
And now, excuse me while I go and find myself a trophy book edition.
🎧 Song association: Carry You Home by Alex Warren
This book was ADORABLE. Like, genuinely, utterly adorable.
I had absolutely no idea how much I actively needed this book until I started reading it. Sometimes you just need something soft, sweet and easy to fall into, and this was exactly that for me.
The length felt perfect, too. It didn’t ask too much of me, never felt like a chore to pick up, and I found myself genuinely looking forward to reading it. Which, honestly, is sometimes exactly what you need!
I also think this is a really lovely introduction to a softer D/s dynamic. It was such an enjoyable read, and I genuinely loved every moment of it.
And now, excuse me while I go and find myself a trophy book edition.
September 3, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
It was a good little novella for taking a brief intermission from spooky season reads to get hype for hockey season.
It was hot and spicy with the D/s and coach/ player dynamic and because of the length of the story it was very insta love which I enjoyed. I was entertained for the few hours it took me to knock it out.
I didn’t really like how the girlfriend situation was written and I think the story could have gone without the cheating trope. It wasn’t necessary to the plot and was just kind of off putting.
Overall it wasn’t one of my favorite hockey romances, but I’m not mad I spent my day reading it.
It was a good little novella for taking a brief intermission from spooky season reads to get hype for hockey season.
It was hot and spicy with the D/s and coach/ player dynamic and because of the length of the story it was very insta love which I enjoyed. I was entertained for the few hours it took me to knock it out.
I didn’t really like how the girlfriend situation was written and I think the story could have gone without the cheating trope. It wasn’t necessary to the plot and was just kind of off putting.
Overall it wasn’t one of my favorite hockey romances, but I’m not mad I spent my day reading it.
September 27, 2026
Falling for a fixer
If you need a quick, cute, and delightfully smutty little read to shake things up, this is an absolute winner!
This is a fun and fast-paced dive into the world of hockey romance. It follows hotheaded goalie Ashton Kincaid and his older, level-headed new coach, Thomas Thayer. The chemistry 😮💨. Watching the boundaries blur between coach and player made for a deliciously satisfying dynamic.
It is low-stress, highly entertaining, and delivers on the heat while keeping things light and bingeable. If you want a quick-witted, spicy sports romance you can polish off in a single sitting, grab this one!
If you need a quick, cute, and delightfully smutty little read to shake things up, this is an absolute winner!
This is a fun and fast-paced dive into the world of hockey romance. It follows hotheaded goalie Ashton Kincaid and his older, level-headed new coach, Thomas Thayer. The chemistry 😮💨. Watching the boundaries blur between coach and player made for a deliciously satisfying dynamic.
It is low-stress, highly entertaining, and delivers on the heat while keeping things light and bingeable. If you want a quick-witted, spicy sports romance you can polish off in a single sitting, grab this one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Reading this felt like getting a sweet snack after a long day at work. Fun, spicy and short!
It is a story with a lot of sexual tension and a very clear soft dom/sub dynamic and I really enjoyed how the author showcased that. Ash and Thayer were fun to read and I would’ve loved more moments of them together.
Being honest, I did not expect much apart of a simple erotic romance given that it is a novella. But I even got kind of emotional for a moment there!
Beware, this is an age gap with a coach/player power imbalance so if you don’t enjoy those, you might not like this.
It is a story with a lot of sexual tension and a very clear soft dom/sub dynamic and I really enjoyed how the author showcased that. Ash and Thayer were fun to read and I would’ve loved more moments of them together.
Being honest, I did not expect much apart of a simple erotic romance given that it is a novella. But I even got kind of emotional for a moment there!
Beware, this is an age gap with a coach/player power imbalance so if you don’t enjoy those, you might not like this.
August 30, 2026
it was cute
I think that the plot was maybe unrealistic which is what didn’t make this 5 stars for me. The age gap wasn’t an issue and neither was the d/s type of relationship. I just think that it was too perfect that it all worked out without any consequences considering the forbidden aspect of their relationship. It also threw me off that the actual romance between would happen off page and the only thing on page was the sexual relationship, at least until nearly the end. Which again, just made it not as realistic. Overall, a good story. Just not my favorite.
I think that the plot was maybe unrealistic which is what didn’t make this 5 stars for me. The age gap wasn’t an issue and neither was the d/s type of relationship. I just think that it was too perfect that it all worked out without any consequences considering the forbidden aspect of their relationship. It also threw me off that the actual romance between would happen off page and the only thing on page was the sexual relationship, at least until nearly the end. Which again, just made it not as realistic. Overall, a good story. Just not my favorite.
August 31, 2026
3.5 rounded up to 4.
Ash is a goalie for his college’s hockey team. He has a short temper and has been through several goalie coaches. Enter Thayer, a retired pro goalie and Ash’s newest coach. Thayer sees Ash and knows how to get through to him.
Mutual trust and attraction is the base for any healthy soft dom/sub relationship and Thayer and Ash have that in spades. They his a rough patch where trust is broken and it threatens to destroy their relationship.
This story is short, sweet, and spicy. It’s perfect for someone who wants a quick read that’s high in spice and low in angst.
Ash is a goalie for his college’s hockey team. He has a short temper and has been through several goalie coaches. Enter Thayer, a retired pro goalie and Ash’s newest coach. Thayer sees Ash and knows how to get through to him.
Mutual trust and attraction is the base for any healthy soft dom/sub relationship and Thayer and Ash have that in spades. They his a rough patch where trust is broken and it threatens to destroy their relationship.
This story is short, sweet, and spicy. It’s perfect for someone who wants a quick read that’s high in spice and low in angst.
September 10, 2026
This book started off slow and I was a little turned off by the depiction of Ash, our MC, with his “girlfriend” Callie - truly if that was what I wanted to read about I would’ve gotten myself an MF book.
I was curious so I persisted with the story and whilst the story between Thayer and Ash was quite good it also came off as a little 1 dimensional.
Then there came the “cheating” which gave me WTF moments. Then the badly made third act break up.
I don’t know. It was a good book relationship-wise; with some bad tropes.
I was curious so I persisted with the story and whilst the story between Thayer and Ash was quite good it also came off as a little 1 dimensional.
Then there came the “cheating” which gave me WTF moments. Then the badly made third act break up.
I don’t know. It was a good book relationship-wise; with some bad tropes.
September 28, 2026
This book needed a bit of work, both on the formatting and editing, as well as the pacing.
It had a great premise, but unfortunately, the stacked dialogue, the short em dashes and the double spacing threw me in a bit of a loop.
There were times where one person spoke twice in a row, and dialogue tags weren’t used, which made it super confusing as to who was speaking.
I also didn’t feel a connection to these characters at all as they were a bit all over the place. They were not very consistent in their personas and at times it felt like I was reading multiple books at once.
It had a great premise, but unfortunately, the stacked dialogue, the short em dashes and the double spacing threw me in a bit of a loop.
There were times where one person spoke twice in a row, and dialogue tags weren’t used, which made it super confusing as to who was speaking.
I also didn’t feel a connection to these characters at all as they were a bit all over the place. They were not very consistent in their personas and at times it felt like I was reading multiple books at once.
September 1, 2026
3.5⭐️ but rounded up to 4.
This book gave me exactly what I expected. I loved the connection and spice we got from Ash and Thayer. Goalies are my favorite so that was a plus. It had age gap and dom/sub which I also love. A lot was missing story wise and you really never see the relationship evolve outside of the bedroom.
Overall this was a fun quick read. I am looking forward for what the author comes out with next in this series.
This book gave me exactly what I expected. I loved the connection and spice we got from Ash and Thayer. Goalies are my favorite so that was a plus. It had age gap and dom/sub which I also love. A lot was missing story wise and you really never see the relationship evolve outside of the bedroom.
Overall this was a fun quick read. I am looking forward for what the author comes out with next in this series.
October 9, 2026
I absolutely loved the dynamic between these two. Seeing the trust form and take hold and then seeing how they navigate said trust was so fun. I didn't know this was a novella until I picked it up which kind of disappointed me because I wanted it to be so much longer. I think the pacing was done really well though, skipping through the timeline instead of seeing everything drawn out, even though I could probably read 400 more pages of them.
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