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No Line Change
Dylan Everett is a superstar. First round pick. Two-time Stanley Cup champion. Gold-medal Olympian. Elite goal scorer. Captain of the Albuquerque Turkeys. He’s had a great career...up until his best friend / linemate / kind of boyfriend decided to change teams.
Luc-Henri Baptiste is not a superstar. He thought he had that in him, but after being bounced around a couple of teams, he’s given up that dream. He just wants to play hockey. When he’s traded to the Turkeys, he worries this is his last chance to make it in the NHL.
Dylan’s just trying to help out a new teammate. It’s his job as captain, right? He didn’t mean for feelings to get tangled up in it, and he certainly wasn’t expecting to get tangled up with a teammate all over again...
Luc-Henri Baptiste is not a superstar. He thought he had that in him, but after being bounced around a couple of teams, he’s given up that dream. He just wants to play hockey. When he’s traded to the Turkeys, he worries this is his last chance to make it in the NHL.
Dylan’s just trying to help out a new teammate. It’s his job as captain, right? He didn’t mean for feelings to get tangled up in it, and he certainly wasn’t expecting to get tangled up with a teammate all over again...
540 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2026
About the author
A.L. Heard
33 books257 followersAshley, pen name A.L. Heard, fandom name jhoom, is a 34 year old teacher, writer, and mother of two little boys. She’s been writing fanworks since she discovered ff.net back in her middle school days; the platform has changed and the writing’s improved, but Ashley ultimately still spends her free time writing about characters she adores in worlds she’d like to explore. Her first novel, Hockey Bois, was published in 2021. In between writing projects, she works as a language teacher in the Pittsburgh area, plays hockey, and plays trains with her sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
4,5 ⭐️ rounded up because this book carried me through some wild times and had me laughing even while my stomach was squirming with anxiety!
This might just be my new favorite hockey romance (not counting Taylor Fitzpatrick, that author is in a league of their own) - basically everything about it worked wonderfully for me. Lovely relatable characters I could adore and root for? Check. Actual hockey that made sense and had me on the edge of my seat instead of just being a backdrop to be able to call it a sports romance? Hell of a check. Heart-warming camaraderie of a hockey team that would probably die for each other while bantering like children? Ughhh 🫠 Great side characters. Top-notch communication skills of adults who want their relationship to work. An ex drama that made sense and was a part of important character development instead of there for the sake of unnecessary drama.
I could just go on and on because guys, this book really is such a comfort read with some stakes. A true healing journey, with all the angst taking place outside the developing relationship, and I think that's my favorite kind.
Luc-Henri Baptiste is a hockey player with a reputation for being uncoachable, a problem no team wants to deal with for too long. Albuquerque Turkeys need to fill a spot so they took a chance and drafted him, hoping for the best, especially their captain and an NHL star Dylan Everett (also known as a golden retriever in human form). Soon, the team and the entire hockey-related Internet will find out it was the best decision the Turkeys made in the last decade at least.
The characters!!! I had no trouble picking a favorite child here lol, Henri was so precious to me. Drowning in misery, feeling like he doesn't belong anywhere, his childhood love for hockey evaporating throughout the years of not gelling with any team properly. Like a beautiful sad flower desperately in need of water and sunlight.
You can tell right from the start how damn kind and considerate Dylan is. Truly a genuinely decent human being to the core, and while I don't typically gravitate towards the extroverted goldies, he made me swoon. He also had his rough days where he struggled to be this great source of positive energy, which made him so very human.
Can you tell how GOOD these two are for each other?? Henri longing for a place among his own team, touch- and praise-starved, and Dylan who loves taking care of people, touch and praise being his love language. They're the kind of characters you take one look at while they stand next to each other and you just want to grab them with "now you smooch and live happily ever after" 😩❤️
Their chemistry was also off the charts, woah. Here's also my one niggle, a very me-problem barely anyone else will have. Too many sex scenes, that page-time could have been utilized differently. To be clear, I get bored after more than two smut scenes so take that as you will 🫡 Objectively speaking, all the scenes served their purpose of...deepening (lol) their connection, in both physical and emotional sense.
Otherwise, the pace worked incredibly well despite the page count, especially thanks to the social media posts and messages. They were so damn entertaining and exciting, and such a great way to let a reader know everything while naturally speeding the pace up when necessary.
(That one sweet account dedicated to Henri's smiles?? And the meaning of the timing behind them, ugh! I grinned each time they appeared 🥹)
The hockey! If you want some actual sport scenes and tidbits, look no further. Some of those games made me feel as if I were reading about actual battles, my heart pounding so hard. It's clear the author loves and knows hockey and she was able to bring forward all the emotions - the excitement, the hunger for a yet another win, and even the bone-deep exhaustion of players deep in play-offs.
This book could absolutely be read as a standalone but I would still recommend to at least read The Trade Deadline because timeline-wise, there are some overlapping scenes that made more sense if you were already a bit in the know.
God, I had such a lovely time with these characters. Save this up for when you need a pick-me-up, and Henri and Dylan with the Turkeys will take care of you! 🥰
Huge thank you to A.L. Heard for trusting me with this e-ARC! No Line Trade pub date is 6th of October so get your sticks and pucks ready (and if you have none, an e-reader will suffice lol).
(A side note, just as a Hi from me...You would never guess where I'm writing this from. Fucking Edinburgh. My first ever solo trip. Am I freaking out? Ahaha kinda. Is my social anxiety trying to annihilate me? Oh you bet. But fuck all that because there's a queer-owned bookstore and I'm going to treat myself there. As a reward. And an apology from past Teru who, for some unfathomable reason, thought I could be someone who likes to be challenged out of the comfort zone. Lmao. I'm holding a grudge )
This might just be my new favorite hockey romance (not counting Taylor Fitzpatrick, that author is in a league of their own) - basically everything about it worked wonderfully for me. Lovely relatable characters I could adore and root for? Check. Actual hockey that made sense and had me on the edge of my seat instead of just being a backdrop to be able to call it a sports romance? Hell of a check. Heart-warming camaraderie of a hockey team that would probably die for each other while bantering like children? Ughhh 🫠 Great side characters. Top-notch communication skills of adults who want their relationship to work. An ex drama that made sense and was a part of important character development instead of there for the sake of unnecessary drama.
I could just go on and on because guys, this book really is such a comfort read with some stakes. A true healing journey, with all the angst taking place outside the developing relationship, and I think that's my favorite kind.
Luc-Henri Baptiste is a hockey player with a reputation for being uncoachable, a problem no team wants to deal with for too long. Albuquerque Turkeys need to fill a spot so they took a chance and drafted him, hoping for the best, especially their captain and an NHL star Dylan Everett (also known as a golden retriever in human form). Soon, the team and the entire hockey-related Internet will find out it was the best decision the Turkeys made in the last decade at least.
The characters!!! I had no trouble picking a favorite child here lol, Henri was so precious to me. Drowning in misery, feeling like he doesn't belong anywhere, his childhood love for hockey evaporating throughout the years of not gelling with any team properly. Like a beautiful sad flower desperately in need of water and sunlight.
You can tell right from the start how damn kind and considerate Dylan is. Truly a genuinely decent human being to the core, and while I don't typically gravitate towards the extroverted goldies, he made me swoon. He also had his rough days where he struggled to be this great source of positive energy, which made him so very human.
Can you tell how GOOD these two are for each other?? Henri longing for a place among his own team, touch- and praise-starved, and Dylan who loves taking care of people, touch and praise being his love language. They're the kind of characters you take one look at while they stand next to each other and you just want to grab them with "now you smooch and live happily ever after" 😩❤️
Their chemistry was also off the charts, woah. Here's also my one niggle, a very me-problem barely anyone else will have. Too many sex scenes, that page-time could have been utilized differently. To be clear, I get bored after more than two smut scenes so take that as you will 🫡 Objectively speaking, all the scenes served their purpose of...deepening (lol) their connection, in both physical and emotional sense.
Otherwise, the pace worked incredibly well despite the page count, especially thanks to the social media posts and messages. They were so damn entertaining and exciting, and such a great way to let a reader know everything while naturally speeding the pace up when necessary.
(That one sweet account dedicated to Henri's smiles?? And the meaning of the timing behind them, ugh! I grinned each time they appeared 🥹)
The hockey! If you want some actual sport scenes and tidbits, look no further. Some of those games made me feel as if I were reading about actual battles, my heart pounding so hard. It's clear the author loves and knows hockey and she was able to bring forward all the emotions - the excitement, the hunger for a yet another win, and even the bone-deep exhaustion of players deep in play-offs.
This book could absolutely be read as a standalone but I would still recommend to at least read The Trade Deadline because timeline-wise, there are some overlapping scenes that made more sense if you were already a bit in the know.
God, I had such a lovely time with these characters. Save this up for when you need a pick-me-up, and Henri and Dylan with the Turkeys will take care of you! 🥰
Huge thank you to A.L. Heard for trusting me with this e-ARC! No Line Trade pub date is 6th of October so get your sticks and pucks ready (and if you have none, an e-reader will suffice lol).
(A side note, just as a Hi from me...You would never guess where I'm writing this from. Fucking Edinburgh. My first ever solo trip. Am I freaking out? Ahaha kinda. Is my social anxiety trying to annihilate me? Oh you bet. But fuck all that because there's a queer-owned bookstore and I'm going to treat myself there. As a reward. And an apology from past Teru who, for some unfathomable reason, thought I could be someone who likes to be challenged out of the comfort zone. Lmao. I'm holding a grudge )
Review of advance copy received from Author
Happy Publication Day to the Dylan and Henri 💕✨I love them 😩
“Henri…” He twisted so they were facing once more and reached out to put a hand on Henri’s thigh. The contact was gentle, completely friendly, but it scorched Henri like a brand. It felt like he was on fire, an inferno radiating from that single point of contact, and what worried him most is that he’d let himself be consumed by the flames if Everett wanted him.
I am simply overflowing with love for these boys. Sometimes there is a story that comes along and just whispers to your brain and your heart in such a way that you know you will never be able to walk away from it, and that was this book for me ❤️
Luc-Henri Baptiste had all the promise of a bright future ahead of him the day that he was drafted into the NHL, however, following years of being poorly utilised, sudden trades and poor coaches, Henri’s confidence is at rock bottom and he knows that the recent trade to the Albuquerque Turkey’s is possibly his last opportunity to make it work in the NHL.
Dylan Everett, golden boy of the NHL, 2x Stanley Cup Champion and Captain of the Albuquerque Turkey’s is not having a great year. Since his long term best friend, room mate, boyfriend (?) traded teams with no notice or warning he has been off his game and despite cycling through several new Centres, no one has been able to click in to the line chemistry the way the team needed. Until the team acquires the quiet, serious French-Canadian Baptiste. And really, Dylan is just being friendly by making sure his new team mate feels welcome, it definitely has nothing to do with the fact that he’s handsome with dark soulful eyes and makes Dylans toes curl when he hears him speak french…...
I have never made it a secret that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE a golden retriever/black cat dynamic and the only thing that can make that even more delicious to me, is when they are both carrying secret hurts and insecurities that finally have an opportunity to heal by each one providing a safe harbour of friendship, love and support for the other. The way that Dylan slowly comes to understand how toxic his past relationship was by learning what a healthy relationship looks like broke my heart and put it back together again.
While technically a standalone, I would encourage people to pick up Heard’s The Trade Deadline before reading this one (and why wouldn’t you?? it’s also fantastic!) given that the timeline of both books runs concurrently so there are spoilers that happen in TTD that are unavoidable while reading this one.
Heard has a talent for writing characters that feel so layered and nuanced that I have to remind myself that they aren’t real people, but it really feels like she has outdone herself with this one. As much as I loved Dylan and Henri, the side characters here were also fantastic. I loved the relationship between Novak and the boys and I especially loved Dylans sister/agent Vanessa and her interactions with Dylan legitimately made me laugh out loud. (I keep my fingers crossed for more snippets with Vanessa, her wife Staci and the boys hahaha.)
There is something about witnessing this healing journey and watching Dylan and Henri grow together that is just a balm to my soul. If you need any further sign of how much I loved this book, I was fortunate enough to read this book as an alpha reader back in April, and regardless of having read it before and knowing what happens, I still dropped everything I was doing to reread this because I missed them and wanted to read their story again.
If you are someone who perhaps doesn’t like much sports in their sports romances, I would gently suggest that this may not be for you. Heard is obviously a very passionate and knowledgeable fan of hockey and you can read that in every line of her works. I don’t think I have read a single one of Heard’s book without finishing it with having a deeper understanding of the sport, and given that The Trade Deadline was the book that really sparked my interest into ice hockey and made me into a fan, I can only thank her for that gift.
Thank you to Heard for bringing this boys into the world and generously providing an ARC for review. These thoughts and feelings are my own ❤️.
Planned release 6th October 2026
Consider following my instagram
“Henri…” He twisted so they were facing once more and reached out to put a hand on Henri’s thigh. The contact was gentle, completely friendly, but it scorched Henri like a brand. It felt like he was on fire, an inferno radiating from that single point of contact, and what worried him most is that he’d let himself be consumed by the flames if Everett wanted him.
I am simply overflowing with love for these boys. Sometimes there is a story that comes along and just whispers to your brain and your heart in such a way that you know you will never be able to walk away from it, and that was this book for me ❤️
Luc-Henri Baptiste had all the promise of a bright future ahead of him the day that he was drafted into the NHL, however, following years of being poorly utilised, sudden trades and poor coaches, Henri’s confidence is at rock bottom and he knows that the recent trade to the Albuquerque Turkey’s is possibly his last opportunity to make it work in the NHL.
Dylan Everett, golden boy of the NHL, 2x Stanley Cup Champion and Captain of the Albuquerque Turkey’s is not having a great year. Since his long term best friend, room mate, boyfriend (?) traded teams with no notice or warning he has been off his game and despite cycling through several new Centres, no one has been able to click in to the line chemistry the way the team needed. Until the team acquires the quiet, serious French-Canadian Baptiste. And really, Dylan is just being friendly by making sure his new team mate feels welcome, it definitely has nothing to do with the fact that he’s handsome with dark soulful eyes and makes Dylans toes curl when he hears him speak french…...
I have never made it a secret that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE a golden retriever/black cat dynamic and the only thing that can make that even more delicious to me, is when they are both carrying secret hurts and insecurities that finally have an opportunity to heal by each one providing a safe harbour of friendship, love and support for the other. The way that Dylan slowly comes to understand how toxic his past relationship was by learning what a healthy relationship looks like broke my heart and put it back together again.
While technically a standalone, I would encourage people to pick up Heard’s The Trade Deadline before reading this one (and why wouldn’t you?? it’s also fantastic!) given that the timeline of both books runs concurrently so there are spoilers that happen in TTD that are unavoidable while reading this one.
Heard has a talent for writing characters that feel so layered and nuanced that I have to remind myself that they aren’t real people, but it really feels like she has outdone herself with this one. As much as I loved Dylan and Henri, the side characters here were also fantastic. I loved the relationship between Novak and the boys and I especially loved Dylans sister/agent Vanessa and her interactions with Dylan legitimately made me laugh out loud. (I keep my fingers crossed for more snippets with Vanessa, her wife Staci and the boys hahaha.)
There is something about witnessing this healing journey and watching Dylan and Henri grow together that is just a balm to my soul. If you need any further sign of how much I loved this book, I was fortunate enough to read this book as an alpha reader back in April, and regardless of having read it before and knowing what happens, I still dropped everything I was doing to reread this because I missed them and wanted to read their story again.
If you are someone who perhaps doesn’t like much sports in their sports romances, I would gently suggest that this may not be for you. Heard is obviously a very passionate and knowledgeable fan of hockey and you can read that in every line of her works. I don’t think I have read a single one of Heard’s book without finishing it with having a deeper understanding of the sport, and given that The Trade Deadline was the book that really sparked my interest into ice hockey and made me into a fan, I can only thank her for that gift.
Thank you to Heard for bringing this boys into the world and generously providing an ARC for review. These thoughts and feelings are my own ❤️.
Planned release 6th October 2026
Consider following my instagram
October 12, 2026
Second read in hard copy.
COMPLETELY AMAZING ALL OVER AGAIN!!! And now I need to re-read The Trade Deadline bc RJ and Lars's story is almost as good. Not quite, but, almost.
This may be my #2 fav hockey book ever after Impaired Judgement (by TP). The connection bt Dylan and Henri, shown through Hen's POV and Dylan's social media/texts, is perfection. I loved everyone (except Sokolov, but, he actually gets what he deserves!!) all over again. And yes, my fav parts remained my favs! HA HA HA. Chemistry, acts of service, respect, kindness, competence, softness, unflinching moral codes...ah, sigh. 🥰
Next goal? Listen to audio...if it happens...looking at you, A L Heard and universe...c'mon...!
* * * * *
Original review of ebook:
10 stars no notes.
HA HA HA HA of course I have notes. This was everything I ever wanted and more. RTC I promise. For now read the updates.
Actual review:
I enjoyed this one from start to finish. Giddy. Kicking feet. In love with two terrific MCs who are grownups, who show up and are competent, vulnerable in different ways, both giving their all without asking anything in return, one guarded, one love-starved, and the physical and emotional chemistry was sizzling on all levels. NHL hockey and romance, both at their best here.
Spoiler alert: I freakin’ loved this book. When AL Heard gets it right, she gets it RIGHT.
Safety info up front for my friends: The book starts with the “backstory” years of MC Dylan Everett’s doomed situationship with his closeted and emotionally constipated roommate, Alexei Sokolov. And does it in the most perfect, safe way for Me. Dylan’s POV throughout is shown only through text messages and other social media communication, an unusual and risky way of doing it that this author pulled off, no notes, no arguments. She shares 10 years in a quick, easy to read social media style that trusted me to read between the lines, and Showed me how unsatisfying, how gas-lighty, this poor excuse of a relationship was for Dylan. The ghosting. The outrageous way Dylan finds out something important. NO on page sex of course, just all the explanation we need to see why Dylan is so care-starved and hurting. This guy who has SO much to give.
That text/social media message style for Dylan continues throughout the book, with the author masterfully Showing him pine for and then receive everything he ever wished for from the other MC…
Narrator POV Luc-Henri Baptiste. Traded yet again. Never well-coached, shuffled around the NHL, his worth diminishing from rising star status to ignored, traded for peanuts, until he’s become a demoralized and insecure player with so much to give to his sport, if only someone sees his potential and puts him with the right line to do his job.
The NM Albuquerque Turkeys are the right fit. And, oh, seeing him blossom on the line with Dylan (replacing Fuckface Whatisname ghoster ha ha ha ha SO satisfying!) and delightful secondary character Novak “Nover” was one of the best things I’ve read all year.
Yes, the author pulled off Henri “Hen” replacing Sokolov in player position, looks, height, and Dylan’s affections without it seeming at all like he was a replacement. 🤷♀️
This book has some of the most perfect conflict motivation-reaction elements, moments I have wished for but almost never see.
They are
Dylan choosing to Perfect response, via text. No notes.
Dylan not . Seeing him draw that line, and without leaving any wiggle room? SO AWESOME! Go Dylan! 😁🩷👏👏👏
Henri being reluctant to/trying delicately to get out of. AAAAAAAH!!! I screamed with joy. FINALLY someone gets it! And the text threads before he mans up (I mean, he has to do it to overcome this ghost, I get it, but, the lead up? PERFECTION!!!) and does were so masterfully done. The author has let the reader read between the lines of these masterful text threads from the beginning. But these? That first, oh hey but how about coming here bc X, Y, Z? I was hoping so hard this was the reason. AND IT WAS!!!
I was only so shocked and delighted bc no one ever does that. No one delivers on this for me. This book? DELIVERED. 🥰🥰🥰
The book even got a final element right that at first was a very understandable but sad thing for me, And that was Dylan agreeing Even that element was put right by the end! 🥳🥳🥳
The tentative friendship, the pining, the clear attraction simmering, Dylan’s yearning to give and give and give to someone, but Hen not feeling like just anyone because they were so beautifully attuned, Hen responding like a flower to sunlight to Dylan’s give energy and welcoming attitude, and his amazing captaining of his team…so rewarding to read. It kept giving and giving and giving!
The Dylan text threads are fantastic. With his sister-and-manager Vanessa? LOVED HER! With "Nover"? 😘 With Alexei?! 😂😂👏👏👏👏 And more. SO GOOD!
My one wish is that Dylan and Henri would choose a new home together. But honestly, even that element didn’t feel like Hen was replacing Sokolov, because Reasons.
Hen getting firsts with/from Dylan…! Such evidence that the right person will always lift you up. This was beautiful, steamy intimacy. And yes, Hen has had hookups and situationships in the past, but, not OTT, just, regular guy, not a playboy, mentioned a couple times just for, not rubbed in our face (though one mention honestly was enough…I think AL Heard didn’t realize she was repeating herself needlessly). The info made sense, felt truly realistic, organic, not dumb romance cliché OTT-ness at all. SO well done. I was glad to know and not get BS around it.
There are so many incredible moments I can’t even describe them all but it was like AL Heard read my mind about everything that ever bugs me/feels unnecessary in a romance and said, here, here’s what you want, and DELIVERED on it in a way that kept tension high and my interest riveted… yeah. Really, I could just say 5 stars no notes. I loved it.
Oh but, just a couple notes, things I noticed but didn't really care about: there could be more development/characterization of team members. The goalie and Novak are awesome, but others kept being mentioned and not really standing apart. I also thought the coach could use a bit more characterizing, and more interactions with Henri to show him giving Henri what he so well deserves on the coaching front. And as mentioned, my wish for a follow up gift to fans story would be Dylan and Hen getting a new place that is only theirs; Hen not quite feeling like Dylan's home is THEIR home was still up in the air at the end. But you know what, ...yeah. Still okay for Me!
HEA. NHL teammates to lovers. One traded and yearning to shine. One top of his game and yearning to give love to the right person. Incredible tension, strong OM drama (TW: including off page but mentioned drunk SA attempt/violence to get away) handled satisfyingly, terrific authentic hockey (might be too much hockey for those not interested, but, I LOVE authentic sports books in which the author is clearly an expert at the game, felt like I was on the ice taking shots!). Just damn good story telling here. Highly, highly recommended. Thank you, AL Heard! It’s like you heard me! 😂😂💙🩵💙
COMPLETELY AMAZING ALL OVER AGAIN!!! And now I need to re-read The Trade Deadline bc RJ and Lars's story is almost as good. Not quite, but, almost.
This may be my #2 fav hockey book ever after Impaired Judgement (by TP). The connection bt Dylan and Henri, shown through Hen's POV and Dylan's social media/texts, is perfection. I loved everyone (except Sokolov, but, he actually gets what he deserves!!) all over again. And yes, my fav parts remained my favs! HA HA HA. Chemistry, acts of service, respect, kindness, competence, softness, unflinching moral codes...ah, sigh. 🥰
Next goal? Listen to audio...if it happens...looking at you, A L Heard and universe...c'mon...!
* * * * *
Original review of ebook:
10 stars no notes.
HA HA HA HA of course I have notes. This was everything I ever wanted and more. RTC I promise. For now read the updates.
Actual review:
I enjoyed this one from start to finish. Giddy. Kicking feet. In love with two terrific MCs who are grownups, who show up and are competent, vulnerable in different ways, both giving their all without asking anything in return, one guarded, one love-starved, and the physical and emotional chemistry was sizzling on all levels. NHL hockey and romance, both at their best here.
Spoiler alert: I freakin’ loved this book. When AL Heard gets it right, she gets it RIGHT.
Safety info up front for my friends: The book starts with the “backstory” years of MC Dylan Everett’s doomed situationship with his closeted and emotionally constipated roommate, Alexei Sokolov. And does it in the most perfect, safe way for Me. Dylan’s POV throughout is shown only through text messages and other social media communication, an unusual and risky way of doing it that this author pulled off, no notes, no arguments. She shares 10 years in a quick, easy to read social media style that trusted me to read between the lines, and Showed me how unsatisfying, how gas-lighty, this poor excuse of a relationship was for Dylan. The ghosting. The outrageous way Dylan finds out something important. NO on page sex of course, just all the explanation we need to see why Dylan is so care-starved and hurting. This guy who has SO much to give.
That text/social media message style for Dylan continues throughout the book, with the author masterfully Showing him pine for and then receive everything he ever wished for from the other MC…
Narrator POV Luc-Henri Baptiste. Traded yet again. Never well-coached, shuffled around the NHL, his worth diminishing from rising star status to ignored, traded for peanuts, until he’s become a demoralized and insecure player with so much to give to his sport, if only someone sees his potential and puts him with the right line to do his job.
The NM Albuquerque Turkeys are the right fit. And, oh, seeing him blossom on the line with Dylan (replacing Fuckface Whatisname ghoster ha ha ha ha SO satisfying!) and delightful secondary character Novak “Nover” was one of the best things I’ve read all year.
Yes, the author pulled off Henri “Hen” replacing Sokolov in player position, looks, height, and Dylan’s affections without it seeming at all like he was a replacement. 🤷♀️
This book has some of the most perfect conflict motivation-reaction elements, moments I have wished for but almost never see.
They are
Dylan choosing to Perfect response, via text. No notes.
Dylan not . Seeing him draw that line, and without leaving any wiggle room? SO AWESOME! Go Dylan! 😁🩷👏👏👏
Henri being reluctant to/trying delicately to get out of. AAAAAAAH!!! I screamed with joy. FINALLY someone gets it! And the text threads before he mans up (I mean, he has to do it to overcome this ghost, I get it, but, the lead up? PERFECTION!!!) and does were so masterfully done. The author has let the reader read between the lines of these masterful text threads from the beginning. But these? That first, oh hey but how about coming here bc X, Y, Z? I was hoping so hard this was the reason. AND IT WAS!!!
I was only so shocked and delighted bc no one ever does that. No one delivers on this for me. This book? DELIVERED. 🥰🥰🥰
The book even got a final element right that at first was a very understandable but sad thing for me, And that was Dylan agreeing Even that element was put right by the end! 🥳🥳🥳
The tentative friendship, the pining, the clear attraction simmering, Dylan’s yearning to give and give and give to someone, but Hen not feeling like just anyone because they were so beautifully attuned, Hen responding like a flower to sunlight to Dylan’s give energy and welcoming attitude, and his amazing captaining of his team…so rewarding to read. It kept giving and giving and giving!
The Dylan text threads are fantastic. With his sister-and-manager Vanessa? LOVED HER! With "Nover"? 😘 With Alexei?! 😂😂👏👏👏👏 And more. SO GOOD!
My one wish is that Dylan and Henri would choose a new home together. But honestly, even that element didn’t feel like Hen was replacing Sokolov, because Reasons.
Hen getting firsts with/from Dylan…! Such evidence that the right person will always lift you up. This was beautiful, steamy intimacy. And yes, Hen has had hookups and situationships in the past, but, not OTT, just, regular guy, not a playboy, mentioned a couple times just for, not rubbed in our face (though one mention honestly was enough…I think AL Heard didn’t realize she was repeating herself needlessly). The info made sense, felt truly realistic, organic, not dumb romance cliché OTT-ness at all. SO well done. I was glad to know and not get BS around it.
There are so many incredible moments I can’t even describe them all but it was like AL Heard read my mind about everything that ever bugs me/feels unnecessary in a romance and said, here, here’s what you want, and DELIVERED on it in a way that kept tension high and my interest riveted… yeah. Really, I could just say 5 stars no notes. I loved it.
Oh but, just a couple notes, things I noticed but didn't really care about: there could be more development/characterization of team members. The goalie and Novak are awesome, but others kept being mentioned and not really standing apart. I also thought the coach could use a bit more characterizing, and more interactions with Henri to show him giving Henri what he so well deserves on the coaching front. And as mentioned, my wish for a follow up gift to fans story would be Dylan and Hen getting a new place that is only theirs; Hen not quite feeling like Dylan's home is THEIR home was still up in the air at the end. But you know what, ...yeah. Still okay for Me!
HEA. NHL teammates to lovers. One traded and yearning to shine. One top of his game and yearning to give love to the right person. Incredible tension, strong OM drama (TW: including off page but mentioned drunk SA attempt/violence to get away) handled satisfyingly, terrific authentic hockey (might be too much hockey for those not interested, but, I LOVE authentic sports books in which the author is clearly an expert at the game, felt like I was on the ice taking shots!). Just damn good story telling here. Highly, highly recommended. Thank you, AL Heard! It’s like you heard me! 😂😂💙🩵💙
October 9, 2026
Reread 10/2026
I loved Henri and Dylan so much, when I tried to choose another book after having finished No Line Changes, my mind made a subtle suggestion... why not read it again... immediately?
Obviously I was on board with my mind's awesome suggestion, so here I am, telling you that yes, I loved every moment of my second read of this book (fewer sex would have been nice, but I got why the author felt the need to insist).
I'll only add a few things I forgot to mention in my first review.
-The deleted text messages and Dylan's internet search history!
-Dylans's texts to his coach.
-Vanessa and Novak, who felt like the best support system (even when they didn't know much).
-How much I loved the way the author SHOWED us Dylan's insecurities when it came to intimacy and relationships, and his need to care for Henri, in whatever way Henri would allow (especially as we only got Henri's pov).
This book is the perfect comfort read. Adults behaving like adults, talking about what matters, trying to set boundaries and learning to believe in themselves. Characters who get to see that their needs are valid, that there are people who care, deeply. Plus lots of hockey and a beautiful, genuine feeling relationship development.
----------------
Read 10/2026
Beautiful, touching, heartwarming hockey romance between two men who unexpectedly find in each other someone who cares deeply, shares their values and their passion (hockey).
Henri and Dylan slowly fall in love, learn to open up and communicate, and find happiness with each other.
I loved how the author developed the plot, always moving steadily forward without unnecessary drama or miscommunication.
The story is told in single pov (Henri) third person, past tense. But there are also transcripts of tweets by hockey bloggers about Henri and Dylan and their team, and there are text messages between Dylan and Alexej (his ex), between Dylan and his sister/agent Vanessa, between Dylan and Henri, and between Dylan and Novak (who has been for years with Dylan on the first line). These snippets into Dylan's mind were awesome.
The author did a fantastic job with Dylan and Henri's personalities. I loved to get to know them slowly.
While I loved both Dylan and Henri, Dylan definitely stole my heart. What he did for Henri, day after day, being his rock and cheerleader, showing him how much he cared.. again and again.. it was exactly what Henri had needed and never thought he'd get.
The story has lots of hockey, so that felt like a breath of fresh air (similarly to Catherine Cloud and Taylor Fitzpatrick's hockey romances, I'd say).
I would have preferred less sex scenes overall, but I'm sure I'm in the minority (once, when the author started yet another one, I thought, what, again? But then thankfully they got interrupted, lol).
This is immediately going on my all time favourites shelf.
I loved Henri and Dylan so much, when I tried to choose another book after having finished No Line Changes, my mind made a subtle suggestion... why not read it again... immediately?
Obviously I was on board with my mind's awesome suggestion, so here I am, telling you that yes, I loved every moment of my second read of this book (fewer sex would have been nice, but I got why the author felt the need to insist).
I'll only add a few things I forgot to mention in my first review.
-The deleted text messages and Dylan's internet search history!
-Dylans's texts to his coach.
-Vanessa and Novak, who felt like the best support system (even when they didn't know much).
-How much I loved the way the author SHOWED us Dylan's insecurities when it came to intimacy and relationships, and his need to care for Henri, in whatever way Henri would allow (especially as we only got Henri's pov).
This book is the perfect comfort read. Adults behaving like adults, talking about what matters, trying to set boundaries and learning to believe in themselves. Characters who get to see that their needs are valid, that there are people who care, deeply. Plus lots of hockey and a beautiful, genuine feeling relationship development.
----------------
Read 10/2026
Beautiful, touching, heartwarming hockey romance between two men who unexpectedly find in each other someone who cares deeply, shares their values and their passion (hockey).
Henri and Dylan slowly fall in love, learn to open up and communicate, and find happiness with each other.
I loved how the author developed the plot, always moving steadily forward without unnecessary drama or miscommunication.
The story is told in single pov (Henri) third person, past tense. But there are also transcripts of tweets by hockey bloggers about Henri and Dylan and their team, and there are text messages between Dylan and Alexej (his ex), between Dylan and his sister/agent Vanessa, between Dylan and Henri, and between Dylan and Novak (who has been for years with Dylan on the first line). These snippets into Dylan's mind were awesome.
The author did a fantastic job with Dylan and Henri's personalities. I loved to get to know them slowly.
While I loved both Dylan and Henri, Dylan definitely stole my heart. What he did for Henri, day after day, being his rock and cheerleader, showing him how much he cared.. again and again.. it was exactly what Henri had needed and never thought he'd get.
The story has lots of hockey, so that felt like a breath of fresh air (similarly to Catherine Cloud and Taylor Fitzpatrick's hockey romances, I'd say).
I would have preferred less sex scenes overall, but I'm sure I'm in the minority (once, when the author started yet another one, I thought, what, again? But then thankfully they got interrupted, lol).
This is immediately going on my all time favourites shelf.
November 8, 2026
AL HEARD I WANT TO KISS YOU ON THE FOREHEAD THIS WAS SO INCREDIBLY GOOD
RTC
RTC
October 9, 2026
This book begins slowly - we are introduced to some online tweeters who will be a Greek chorus through the book, and then to Dylan Everett and Alexei Sokolov - talented young players who are teammates, then roommates, and eventually more. We only see them via text messages, though, and it feels like a cold and unemotional introduction, but there is a reason for that. Because after two great seasons they both star in, and a few mediocre ones, Sokolov asks to be traded, without notice or warning. And leaves.
Suddenly, Dylan Everett is without his center, his best friend, and whatever else they were to each other, as captain of the Albuquerque Turkeys (LOL - I'm not sure a real team would ever go there but can see the temptation.) Dylan is alone and struggling, when Jean-Henri Baptiste, one of those once-promising players who bounce around the league, never living up to their potential, is picked up to center for Dylan.
And in Henri, Dylan has a new center fast enough to keep up with him, extremely hard-working, determined to not get traded away again, a bit battered and lacking confidence, but who blooms under the kindness of Dylan and the Turkeys.
This is a romance slow burn with a very satisfying amount of hockey for those who enjoy the game. There are a lot of text exchanges, and we only get Henri's POV in the text passages, but I still felt like I knew (and loved) Dylan. Their linemate on the other wing, Novak, is a good guy, also very talented, and kind. He saw at a distance the devastation in Dylan that Sokolov left behind, leaving the way he did. But he comes to see that Henri is not another Sokolov.
Highly recommended for people who like realism, low-key damaged main characters, supportive secondaries, and hockey, and who understand the pressures that professional sports exert on players. Not everything works out perfectly, but it's a great ride.
Suddenly, Dylan Everett is without his center, his best friend, and whatever else they were to each other, as captain of the Albuquerque Turkeys (LOL - I'm not sure a real team would ever go there but can see the temptation.) Dylan is alone and struggling, when Jean-Henri Baptiste, one of those once-promising players who bounce around the league, never living up to their potential, is picked up to center for Dylan.
And in Henri, Dylan has a new center fast enough to keep up with him, extremely hard-working, determined to not get traded away again, a bit battered and lacking confidence, but who blooms under the kindness of Dylan and the Turkeys.
This is a romance slow burn with a very satisfying amount of hockey for those who enjoy the game. There are a lot of text exchanges, and we only get Henri's POV in the text passages, but I still felt like I knew (and loved) Dylan. Their linemate on the other wing, Novak, is a good guy, also very talented, and kind. He saw at a distance the devastation in Dylan that Sokolov left behind, leaving the way he did. But he comes to see that Henri is not another Sokolov.
Highly recommended for people who like realism, low-key damaged main characters, supportive secondaries, and hockey, and who understand the pressures that professional sports exert on players. Not everything works out perfectly, but it's a great ride.
October 16, 2026
Another one that goes into my hockey romance favorites list !
Really great characters (I loved both Dylan and Henri so much), amazing chemistry, and their romance was just a joy to read about. There's also a lot of hockey, but it actually made sense and felt realistic and had me rooting for their team.
The story is told from Henri's POV, and the rest from different social media accounts, which I think worked well enough that I didn't miss not having Dylan's POV.
The timeline runs concurrently to The Trade Deadline (which I also loved) and some of the characters overlap but I think both can be read as standalones.
Will probably re-read this again soon as it is quite a comfort read
Really great characters (I loved both Dylan and Henri so much), amazing chemistry, and their romance was just a joy to read about. There's also a lot of hockey, but it actually made sense and felt realistic and had me rooting for their team.
The story is told from Henri's POV, and the rest from different social media accounts, which I think worked well enough that I didn't miss not having Dylan's POV.
The timeline runs concurrently to The Trade Deadline (which I also loved) and some of the characters overlap but I think both can be read as standalones.
Will probably re-read this again soon as it is quite a comfort read
October 31, 2026
MM hockey romance of what I call the AO3 original fiction hockey stories school - in the style of Taylor Fitzpatrick (and also Catherine Cloud). If you love their books, you totally need to check this author also. It's a tone, a vibe, a bit different from other traditional and self published stories ( I am basic and my utter favorite really is Rachel Reid)
But my problem is I really do not click with that A03 big names style of writing - long long works, very heavy in hockey (fair enough in hockey romances! But boring eventually for me), with something cold and morose to the writing, oddly passionless, and a bit emotionally masochistic. Also sometimes the crushes, the diffidence of the characters, the passionless of it feel very feminine and not at all like I would imagine male athletes to act like.
Case in point - this book. My first by the author and I can totally see why people love it, I just didn't. Throughout it felt like the book was focusing on the wrong things to me, too blow by blow of every game result, while skipping important revelations by having them through text or twitter, or revealing them too soon and so removing any tension the reader might have regarding the MMCs relationship or the exact relationship between Dylan and his ex.
Every section (and there are many many), starts with either twitter posts (still called twitter here in 2024, but fair enough I am still calling it twitter in 2026) particularly narrating some years back history or the current season, or texts between characters. Pages and pages of it. And sorry if I am a dinosaur, but I find it boring and not as expressive as a reveal in dialogue or internal thoughts. (Is this an effect of the Heated Rivalry tv series, narrating stuff fast through a podcast? But tv needed it, written fiction has other resources). I have been getting frustrated with such tricks more and more recently without realizing it, but this book abused it so much (in my opinion, for my taste, etc) it made me realize it! I hate too much narration through social media and text posts. It is boring.
When an author tells a story they can choose particularly what scenes they are writing to tell the story, the framing the parts you show the reader, the pace of when to reveal things the reader is wondering about (in romance, feelings usually), what to leave the reader guessing and hoping for the reveal, and that was just out of whack here. I did not need a lot of these scenes, and there was no real uncertainty to anything.
More stuff: a lot of the time these male hockey players read or talked like women to me. I can't point it all out, but things like Dylan repeating "respect the boundary or exit the chat" to his ex in a chat, it just made me roll my eyes. I mean maybe hockey players do talk like that to each other, but it did not click at all in believability for me.
A petty complaint envolving a spoiler: I am not a masochist you know and I am reading a romance novel and I want a HEA. If you are showing me blow by blow every game of a season, move by move every match, all the painful injury details of many players in a team's cup run . Also for all the (justified) drama of Henri worrying about getting traded without his input and really wanting a contract with the Turkeys, is not really solved on page, there is a passing glance to Dylan's sister wanting to become his agent and fixing it but it does not happen - and I wanted to see that, I wanted to read about his relief, see their HEA more established contractwise. That was really way more important for me than the blow by blow details of many hockey matches.
Ah, peak pettyness - I am not american, and not from a culture with team names (not of this sort) but a lot of the team names here were just plain silly. Turkeys for a start, but crabs, fleurs de lis (not very macho...) and plenty more.
So in all, a new to me author that lots of friends of mine love, but this is just not clicking for me on all sorts of levels. Not for me.
But my problem is I really do not click with that A03 big names style of writing - long long works, very heavy in hockey (fair enough in hockey romances! But boring eventually for me), with something cold and morose to the writing, oddly passionless, and a bit emotionally masochistic. Also sometimes the crushes, the diffidence of the characters, the passionless of it feel very feminine and not at all like I would imagine male athletes to act like.
Case in point - this book. My first by the author and I can totally see why people love it, I just didn't. Throughout it felt like the book was focusing on the wrong things to me, too blow by blow of every game result, while skipping important revelations by having them through text or twitter, or revealing them too soon and so removing any tension the reader might have regarding the MMCs relationship or the exact relationship between Dylan and his ex.
Every section (and there are many many), starts with either twitter posts (still called twitter here in 2024, but fair enough I am still calling it twitter in 2026) particularly narrating some years back history or the current season, or texts between characters. Pages and pages of it. And sorry if I am a dinosaur, but I find it boring and not as expressive as a reveal in dialogue or internal thoughts. (Is this an effect of the Heated Rivalry tv series, narrating stuff fast through a podcast? But tv needed it, written fiction has other resources). I have been getting frustrated with such tricks more and more recently without realizing it, but this book abused it so much (in my opinion, for my taste, etc) it made me realize it! I hate too much narration through social media and text posts. It is boring.
When an author tells a story they can choose particularly what scenes they are writing to tell the story, the framing the parts you show the reader, the pace of when to reveal things the reader is wondering about (in romance, feelings usually), what to leave the reader guessing and hoping for the reveal, and that was just out of whack here. I did not need a lot of these scenes, and there was no real uncertainty to anything.
More stuff: a lot of the time these male hockey players read or talked like women to me. I can't point it all out, but things like Dylan repeating "respect the boundary or exit the chat" to his ex in a chat, it just made me roll my eyes. I mean maybe hockey players do talk like that to each other, but it did not click at all in believability for me.
A petty complaint envolving a spoiler: I am not a masochist you know and I am reading a romance novel and I want a HEA. If you are showing me blow by blow every game of a season, move by move every match, all the painful injury details of many players in a team's cup run . Also for all the (justified) drama of Henri worrying about getting traded without his input and really wanting a contract with the Turkeys, is not really solved on page, there is a passing glance to Dylan's sister wanting to become his agent and fixing it but it does not happen - and I wanted to see that, I wanted to read about his relief, see their HEA more established contractwise. That was really way more important for me than the blow by blow details of many hockey matches.
Ah, peak pettyness - I am not american, and not from a culture with team names (not of this sort) but a lot of the team names here were just plain silly. Turkeys for a start, but crabs, fleurs de lis (not very macho...) and plenty more.
So in all, a new to me author that lots of friends of mine love, but this is just not clicking for me on all sorts of levels. Not for me.
October 16, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It was really lovely. The characters were really nice. I really liked the themes explored and how they fit together. There was a lot of ice hockey, and I like my sports romances sport-heavy, so this was right up my alley. I liked how parts of the ice hockey season were experienced via the Twitter posts/interactions rather than the characters. Honestly, it was a pretty perfect... 3½✭ book.
So what was missing? Feeling. Stakes. Real challenges that the characters had to make an effort to overcome. At the end of the book, there was no real feeling of accomplishment or resolution. It was just... the end of the season so The End.
So what was missing? Feeling. Stakes. Real challenges that the characters had to make an effort to overcome. At the end of the book, there was no real feeling of accomplishment or resolution. It was just... the end of the season so The End.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.
Dylan Everett is the golden boy of American hockey and centre of the Albuquerque Turkey's franchise. Luc-Henri Baptiste has been passed around, ignored and deemed uncoachable. Brought together when it all falls apart, they create something beautiful.
No Line Change is unique in the way it uses POV to tell the story. The traditional narrative element is told from Henri's perspective. Dylan's POV is told through the use of social media posts, text messages and internet records. It's such an interesting dynamic. As a character, Henri is a perceptive thinker and a true playmaker, whereas Dylan has that quirky golden retriever energy. Telling Dylan's side in such a unique way reflects that quirkiness, and it gives us a great insight into how Henri is able to read Dylan.
Even though we don't get that traditional POV from Dylan, it still feels like we experience his character fully with how Henri truly sees him. There were only certain times I felt like this limited the story, and I'm not convinced that's I'm not just being greedy for content. I would so love to see pivotal explicit moments from Dylan's POV. A main theme in the book is his toxic ex, and how he was given such scraps of affection for so long. Being able to see him truly experience aspects of their sexual relationship as queer men in it together would be the icing on the cake.
The story really does focus on their linemates and Andrew Novak was such a great secondary character, but I do think there was room to expand other teammates. The playoff arc in the book is such a team orientated story, and it sometimes felt we were missing the depth of character to fully appreciate that. Especially as Henri was learning what it felt like to be finally accepted and wanted within a team. It would have been nice if that depth had gone beyond his linies. However, I am realistic that you can't have everything.
I am not much a reviewer. But I truly adored this book, and would recommend it to everyone who enjoys two slightly broken people finding each other; and a sport romance that has the actual sport it in! It will be on my reread list.
Dylan Everett is the golden boy of American hockey and centre of the Albuquerque Turkey's franchise. Luc-Henri Baptiste has been passed around, ignored and deemed uncoachable. Brought together when it all falls apart, they create something beautiful.
No Line Change is unique in the way it uses POV to tell the story. The traditional narrative element is told from Henri's perspective. Dylan's POV is told through the use of social media posts, text messages and internet records. It's such an interesting dynamic. As a character, Henri is a perceptive thinker and a true playmaker, whereas Dylan has that quirky golden retriever energy. Telling Dylan's side in such a unique way reflects that quirkiness, and it gives us a great insight into how Henri is able to read Dylan.
Even though we don't get that traditional POV from Dylan, it still feels like we experience his character fully with how Henri truly sees him. There were only certain times I felt like this limited the story, and I'm not convinced that's I'm not just being greedy for content. I would so love to see pivotal explicit moments from Dylan's POV. A main theme in the book is his toxic ex, and how he was given such scraps of affection for so long. Being able to see him truly experience aspects of their sexual relationship as queer men in it together would be the icing on the cake.
The story really does focus on their linemates and Andrew Novak was such a great secondary character, but I do think there was room to expand other teammates. The playoff arc in the book is such a team orientated story, and it sometimes felt we were missing the depth of character to fully appreciate that. Especially as Henri was learning what it felt like to be finally accepted and wanted within a team. It would have been nice if that depth had gone beyond his linies. However, I am realistic that you can't have everything.
I am not much a reviewer. But I truly adored this book, and would recommend it to everyone who enjoys two slightly broken people finding each other; and a sport romance that has the actual sport it in! It will be on my reread list.
October 9, 2026
I realllly liked this! I loved the text and social media post parts so much!
Dylan, although I loved him bc he was just lovable, did annoy me with how long he took to put boundaries in place with alexei. He did some things that I don’t think he should’ve done while in a relationship, no matter how innocent (and it was innocent on his part but still). His insistence on being friends with alexei was irksome, and I was glad when he finally let that go, he gave him wayyyyy too many chances. I don’t like when relationships are compared, but j did like that it showed how much better Henri was than alexei.
I also wish the epilogue was farther out.
ALSO *SPOILER ALERT* I WAS PISSED THEY DIDNT WIN THE CUP!!!!! This is fiction, what’s with the realism???
Dylan, although I loved him bc he was just lovable, did annoy me with how long he took to put boundaries in place with alexei. He did some things that I don’t think he should’ve done while in a relationship, no matter how innocent (and it was innocent on his part but still). His insistence on being friends with alexei was irksome, and I was glad when he finally let that go, he gave him wayyyyy too many chances. I don’t like when relationships are compared, but j did like that it showed how much better Henri was than alexei.
I also wish the epilogue was farther out.
ALSO *SPOILER ALERT* I WAS PISSED THEY DIDNT WIN THE CUP!!!!! This is fiction, what’s with the realism???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
When I got the chance to access a ARC of this book , I literally jumped at the chance and started reading it immediately. A. L. Heard is doing something very special in the hockey-romance space. The past few releases have had deeply layered characters with compelling story arcs that don't follow the expected/predicatble hockey romance story beats.
This story is much the same. The storyline moves in ways that feel almost like a sociological study of a person, not a single-note tale. It makes for a super compelling story, impossible to put down.
Things I loved:
-My favourite element was how the electronic communication was used in the writing. That's all I'll say on that to avoid *spoilers*, but you'll see, it's very deliberately and artfully applied to the story.
-The actual hockey aspects are well written and realistic in this story. That should be notable for readers who are familiar with the actual game.
-The golden retriever - black cat trope.
-Including translations for most text in different languages.
Not allowing your partner to ejaculated because you're worried about their hydration levels is the funniest case of boy-brain thinking that I've seen in awhile. Hilarious.
Officially I rate this as a 4.5/5 but rounded it up to 5 stars. Great story! I am off to re-read some of A. L. Heard's other stories.
This story is much the same. The storyline moves in ways that feel almost like a sociological study of a person, not a single-note tale. It makes for a super compelling story, impossible to put down.
Things I loved:
-My favourite element was how the electronic communication was used in the writing. That's all I'll say on that to avoid *spoilers*, but you'll see, it's very deliberately and artfully applied to the story.
-The actual hockey aspects are well written and realistic in this story. That should be notable for readers who are familiar with the actual game.
-The golden retriever - black cat trope.
-Including translations for most text in different languages.
Not allowing your partner to ejaculated because you're worried about their hydration levels is the funniest case of boy-brain thinking that I've seen in awhile. Hilarious.
Officially I rate this as a 4.5/5 but rounded it up to 5 stars. Great story! I am off to re-read some of A. L. Heard's other stories.
October 19, 2026
2026: 4.5
THIS WAS SO GOOD. But also I wished for something sliiiiiiightly different in the ending, would have been 5/5 iykyk
Also I’ve read like so many ice hockey romances and this is the first one that made me feel like being a sports fan could be fun (in another, more queer, reality)
THIS WAS SO GOOD. But also I wished for something sliiiiiiightly different in the ending, would have been 5/5 iykyk
Also I’ve read like so many ice hockey romances and this is the first one that made me feel like being a sports fan could be fun (in another, more queer, reality)
October 25, 2026
While I really enjoyed this one, considering the length, I could have gone for a lot more pining and a lot less hockey.
Or even a lot less hockey. There was so much hockey in this. I don’t know that it needed so much. Like, I don’t need that many play by plays. This could have been under 400 pages if the hockey was shortened a bit.
Especially since we have the social media comments, which were sometimes followed by the same game that was just briefly dedicated with the social media stuff.
I get it’s a hockey romance… but romance >>>> hockey. At least give me more ass eating to even things out.
But lovely caretaking, and fuck Alexei.
Or even a lot less hockey. There was so much hockey in this. I don’t know that it needed so much. Like, I don’t need that many play by plays. This could have been under 400 pages if the hockey was shortened a bit.
Especially since we have the social media comments, which were sometimes followed by the same game that was just briefly dedicated with the social media stuff.
I get it’s a hockey romance… but romance >>>> hockey. At least give me more ass eating to even things out.
But lovely caretaking, and fuck Alexei.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love this book. Can that be my review? I read this book in less than 24 hours. I stayed up too late. I said I was going to go to bed, but I had to wait till they kissed. One of my most anticipated books of the fall, I will read everything AL Heard writes. This did not disappoint.
When you start reading this book, you think oh this is going to be about Dylan and another character and then that other character turns out to be a complete ass. In walks a French Canadian replacement. Henri replaces the ass in more ways than one!!!! This is a kick up your feet, squeal and DM your friends to talk about the book kind of book. Henri and Dylan are everything you want them to be! The yearning and palpable chemistry!! I could read another book about them.
When you start reading this book, you think oh this is going to be about Dylan and another character and then that other character turns out to be a complete ass. In walks a French Canadian replacement. Henri replaces the ass in more ways than one!!!! This is a kick up your feet, squeal and DM your friends to talk about the book kind of book. Henri and Dylan are everything you want them to be! The yearning and palpable chemistry!! I could read another book about them.
November 8, 2026
I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to love this couple, but in the end, the only thing that truly saved the reading experience was Luc-Henri Baptiste. My sweet Henri.
First, and perhaps what bothered me the most: I simply didn't feel like I was reading a story. It felt more like someone was telling me what had happened. There were so many moments when it felt like something was missing. Some scenes were abruptly cut short, others were never properly developed, and I could never fully immerse myself in the narrative or connect with the characters' feelings.
And the comments... At first, I understood the idea and even liked it. It was an interesting way for the author to show us Dylan's ten years in hockey alongside Alexei. But once that part was over, why did we have to keep getting those Twitter (?) comments throughout the narrative? It felt like a social media platform had been unnecessarily inserted into the story. It completely disrupted my concentration, and every time a new comment appeared, I couldn't help rolling my eyes.
Second: important moments were simply cut out. We only found out they had happened through text messages or social media comments. Like when Henri arrives at his first practice. First impressions matter, and the book doesn't even show us THE FIRST CONVERSATION between Henri and Dylan. Like, what? These are moments I wanted to experience on the page, not find out about later through other people.
Third: Alexei. Holy fucking shit.
Dylan, can we please get over this man already? You spend the entire book talking about how you've finally discovered what it's like to be in a relationship, to be appreciated, and to receive the affection you deserve, yet you keep giving Alexei's words your attention and entertaining his messages. When Dylan finally blocked Alexei, I thought: FINALLY! But no. At around 87% into the book, Alexei is still texting him, and Dylan is still replying. WHY ARE YOU STILL TALKING TO THIS MAN?
And Dylan acts as if they had the most beautiful friendship in the world, as if Alexei were his best friend. BOY, YOU WEREN'T FRIENDS FOR EIGHT YEARS AND ONLY HAD SEX FOR TWO. YOU HAD SEX FOR TEN FUCKING YEARS!
They weren't just two friends with benefits. There were so many more layers to that relationship. Alexei was the man Dylan was in love with, someone he shared ten years of his life with, and who had been an asshole to him throughout all that time. And now we're supposed to listen to "oh, I miss my friend."
And another thing: what friendship are you even talking about? This brings me back to my second point. Dylan keeps talking about his friendship with Alexei, but we never actually get to see it. From all their interactions and text messages, what I got was that they had sex, lived together, and occasionally exchanged a few jokes. Even over text, Alexei was rude to him, and Dylan keeps going on and on about missing a friendship I didn't even know existed. Oh, come on.
Friend? Novak is your friend, sweetheart! Alexei was the man you were in love with, the man who never knew how to appreciate you. For fuck's sake. Total turn-off.
Why, Dylan, do you insist on continuing to exchange messages with a guy who has a fiancée, knows you have a boyfriend, and still wants to have sex with you? Why do you disrespect your own relationship by keeping someone like that in your life? Why didn't Henri ask them to stop talking? Because he didn't stand up for himself, even though Dylan was the one who should have taken the initiative. But he's way too spineless to do that.
That being said, Luc-Henri Baptiste, I loved you. I really wish I could have seen you work through your trust issues a little more, followed that development, and gotten to know that side of your story better. But what can I do? Judging by what we got in this book, I apparently won't get the chance to witness that.
Anyway, I wanted to love this couple, but it just wasn't meant to be.
First, and perhaps what bothered me the most: I simply didn't feel like I was reading a story. It felt more like someone was telling me what had happened. There were so many moments when it felt like something was missing. Some scenes were abruptly cut short, others were never properly developed, and I could never fully immerse myself in the narrative or connect with the characters' feelings.
And the comments... At first, I understood the idea and even liked it. It was an interesting way for the author to show us Dylan's ten years in hockey alongside Alexei. But once that part was over, why did we have to keep getting those Twitter (?) comments throughout the narrative? It felt like a social media platform had been unnecessarily inserted into the story. It completely disrupted my concentration, and every time a new comment appeared, I couldn't help rolling my eyes.
Second: important moments were simply cut out. We only found out they had happened through text messages or social media comments. Like when Henri arrives at his first practice. First impressions matter, and the book doesn't even show us THE FIRST CONVERSATION between Henri and Dylan. Like, what? These are moments I wanted to experience on the page, not find out about later through other people.
Third: Alexei. Holy fucking shit.
Dylan, can we please get over this man already? You spend the entire book talking about how you've finally discovered what it's like to be in a relationship, to be appreciated, and to receive the affection you deserve, yet you keep giving Alexei's words your attention and entertaining his messages. When Dylan finally blocked Alexei, I thought: FINALLY! But no. At around 87% into the book, Alexei is still texting him, and Dylan is still replying. WHY ARE YOU STILL TALKING TO THIS MAN?
And Dylan acts as if they had the most beautiful friendship in the world, as if Alexei were his best friend. BOY, YOU WEREN'T FRIENDS FOR EIGHT YEARS AND ONLY HAD SEX FOR TWO. YOU HAD SEX FOR TEN FUCKING YEARS!
They weren't just two friends with benefits. There were so many more layers to that relationship. Alexei was the man Dylan was in love with, someone he shared ten years of his life with, and who had been an asshole to him throughout all that time. And now we're supposed to listen to "oh, I miss my friend."
And another thing: what friendship are you even talking about? This brings me back to my second point. Dylan keeps talking about his friendship with Alexei, but we never actually get to see it. From all their interactions and text messages, what I got was that they had sex, lived together, and occasionally exchanged a few jokes. Even over text, Alexei was rude to him, and Dylan keeps going on and on about missing a friendship I didn't even know existed. Oh, come on.
Friend? Novak is your friend, sweetheart! Alexei was the man you were in love with, the man who never knew how to appreciate you. For fuck's sake. Total turn-off.
Why, Dylan, do you insist on continuing to exchange messages with a guy who has a fiancée, knows you have a boyfriend, and still wants to have sex with you? Why do you disrespect your own relationship by keeping someone like that in your life? Why didn't Henri ask them to stop talking? Because he didn't stand up for himself, even though Dylan was the one who should have taken the initiative. But he's way too spineless to do that.
That being said, Luc-Henri Baptiste, I loved you. I really wish I could have seen you work through your trust issues a little more, followed that development, and gotten to know that side of your story better. But what can I do? Judging by what we got in this book, I apparently won't get the chance to witness that.
Anyway, I wanted to love this couple, but it just wasn't meant to be.
November 1, 2026
Spoiler
I wanted this to be the A.L. Heard book that blew me away but sadly that didn't turn out to be the case.
I mean it took me 3 weeks to read, and i honestly had to force my attention to it in the end so I could finish it.
Its not that the book is per se bad, but it just suffers from a very extreme case of the middle third of the book being far too long and boring. The start was intriguing enough and the end also brought some much needed excitement, but the middle is hard to read as Henri and Dylans relationship really isnt enough to lend tension to that part of the story.
Also i felt the writing was weirdly inconsistent, some passages it was very good, much like I'm used to from Heards books, and other times it was almost clumsy. That, together with the issue with the pacing had me wishing this book had been edited more diligently.
Now the characters were fine but thats all i can really say for them as I had trouble connecting with them. They both fell relatively flat for me, and as soon as i finiahed the book they vanished from my mind and I didnt think about them further.
Like there was nothing to them to particularily endear them to me. In a way they were just strangers to me. Their chemistry with each other was sadly only Okay too. They were cute enough together, and the sex scenes were well written but overall the impression of their relationship was...meh. I mean once they started a physical relationship in the first third (and eventually moved in together) the only thing left to do for them was to say ILY but that wasnt even exciting because the reader already know the feeling is mutual and there is nothing keeping them apart. If your book is this long, there better damn well be an angsty slowburn in it!
I mean by comparison, the chemistry in drop the gloves was much much better than here!
Also the whole thing with Sokolov was definitely under-handled (not a word, I know) as in its never satisfyingly resolved. Dylan never has it out with him, Sokolov never suffers any consequences and while the impact of Dylan and Sokolovs relationship on Dylan is adressed i felt it wasn't enough. Sokolov put him through some serious shit. Like a seven year long situationship with this guy and its all sort of just...meh (again)? You should be 'the shots we take' levels of mentally fucked up.
As for the Side characters: liked Nover and such but really felt that the team dynamic was kind of missing a bit here, especially because theres so much actual hockey in the book (which I love)
I liked the ending and I really liked the descriptions of the physical and mental toll playoff hockey has on the players. And i did like that they didn't end up winning the cup, that just felt realistic in a way.
As I said, the ending did bring in some excitment and the last stretch (maybe 60 pages) I read practically in one go, and while Heards Hockey descriptions, knowledge and love of the game were top notch as always, it wasnt enough to pull this thing around.
Henris french was fine and pretty accurate but nothing about it seemed really quebecois to me? I mean the character doesn't need to say 'Calisse' or whatever all the time but Quebecois french doesnt just differ in pronunciation but also in word usage and expressions. And we didnt really get that here. I'm not french canadian so I'm no expert but im pretty sure the french here is just the kind they use in france. Or maybe there wasnt enough of it to even pass that judgement. All i know is that I keep getting promised French Canadians in books and none of them ever deliver on the lamguage aspect.
The story telling through Hockey Twitter was cute I guess, the interactions were written well and it does reflect how a lot of hockey discourse happens online. It was a good way to give the reader information and it did break up the reading experience a bit which was pleasant in the tedious boring stretches.
Butttttttt if u hate social media in books this will probably piss you off to no end.
I love re-reading but honestly this has no re-read potential for me, i think I'm one and Done with this.
I wanted this to be the A.L. Heard book that blew me away but sadly that didn't turn out to be the case.
I mean it took me 3 weeks to read, and i honestly had to force my attention to it in the end so I could finish it.
Its not that the book is per se bad, but it just suffers from a very extreme case of the middle third of the book being far too long and boring. The start was intriguing enough and the end also brought some much needed excitement, but the middle is hard to read as Henri and Dylans relationship really isnt enough to lend tension to that part of the story.
Also i felt the writing was weirdly inconsistent, some passages it was very good, much like I'm used to from Heards books, and other times it was almost clumsy. That, together with the issue with the pacing had me wishing this book had been edited more diligently.
Now the characters were fine but thats all i can really say for them as I had trouble connecting with them. They both fell relatively flat for me, and as soon as i finiahed the book they vanished from my mind and I didnt think about them further.
Like there was nothing to them to particularily endear them to me. In a way they were just strangers to me. Their chemistry with each other was sadly only Okay too. They were cute enough together, and the sex scenes were well written but overall the impression of their relationship was...meh. I mean once they started a physical relationship in the first third (and eventually moved in together) the only thing left to do for them was to say ILY but that wasnt even exciting because the reader already know the feeling is mutual and there is nothing keeping them apart. If your book is this long, there better damn well be an angsty slowburn in it!
I mean by comparison, the chemistry in drop the gloves was much much better than here!
Also the whole thing with Sokolov was definitely under-handled (not a word, I know) as in its never satisfyingly resolved. Dylan never has it out with him, Sokolov never suffers any consequences and while the impact of Dylan and Sokolovs relationship on Dylan is adressed i felt it wasn't enough. Sokolov put him through some serious shit. Like a seven year long situationship with this guy and its all sort of just...meh (again)? You should be 'the shots we take' levels of mentally fucked up.
As for the Side characters: liked Nover and such but really felt that the team dynamic was kind of missing a bit here, especially because theres so much actual hockey in the book (which I love)
I liked the ending and I really liked the descriptions of the physical and mental toll playoff hockey has on the players. And i did like that they didn't end up winning the cup, that just felt realistic in a way.
As I said, the ending did bring in some excitment and the last stretch (maybe 60 pages) I read practically in one go, and while Heards Hockey descriptions, knowledge and love of the game were top notch as always, it wasnt enough to pull this thing around.
Henris french was fine and pretty accurate but nothing about it seemed really quebecois to me? I mean the character doesn't need to say 'Calisse' or whatever all the time but Quebecois french doesnt just differ in pronunciation but also in word usage and expressions. And we didnt really get that here. I'm not french canadian so I'm no expert but im pretty sure the french here is just the kind they use in france. Or maybe there wasnt enough of it to even pass that judgement. All i know is that I keep getting promised French Canadians in books and none of them ever deliver on the lamguage aspect.
The story telling through Hockey Twitter was cute I guess, the interactions were written well and it does reflect how a lot of hockey discourse happens online. It was a good way to give the reader information and it did break up the reading experience a bit which was pleasant in the tedious boring stretches.
Butttttttt if u hate social media in books this will probably piss you off to no end.
I love re-reading but honestly this has no re-read potential for me, i think I'm one and Done with this.
October 4, 2026
Thank you AL Heard for a digital copy to review! God, this was good. An absolute treasure from start to finish. Henri and Dylan forever let me never leave this hockey universe, amen.
I wrote a whole review that goodreads erased which makes me furious but no matter, I can keep talking about these two forever.
I love every single book that AL Heard writes and this was no exception. Henri and Dylan have my heart, and they did from the beginning of the story. This is one of the only books I can remember reading that tells a story from one person's POV (like normal) and the other is strictly through web searches, text messages, and social media posts. And reader, it worked. Like no other book I've seen before. I never felt like I was missing anything from Dylan's POV with what we got from his posts/searches/texts and how he interacted with Henri. It was magic, and something that truly kept me flipping the pages.
This was a gorgeous love story. Dylan had been hurt, and Henri comes in needing a friend. They end up confiding in each other and feelings grow and develop. Watching Dylan understand what a relationship should look like, rather than what he had previously, as beautiful. He was so vulnerable, unsure, nervous. Henri made him nervous! And Henri was not as nervous, but more self assured, understanding, and most of all, patient.
I found myself enjoying the quiet moments between these two the most. When Henri listened to Dylan's insecurities and validated his feelings. Dylan wanting to learn French to speak with Henri. Henri's soft touches and embraces when Dylan needed them. When Dylan held Henri during his breakdown about being traded. When Dylan took a chance to make Henri's dream come true. When they kissed for the first time. When they took care of each other. These moments were so beautiful and marked such a healthy relationship. Henri and Dylan also surrounded themselves with great people (minus one, lol) and had so much support.
One thing I'll never get tired of is seeing the way an author can seamlessly blend their books in the universe they've built. I loved our glimpses here but seeing the outside reaction to what happened with Lars was such a cool moment between these two who were also hiding how they felt to the outside world. It was so interesting to see them acknowledge what happened, and go to take the power into their own hands (IE with Vanessa talking about drafting a statement for Dylan coming out, not being outed). Giving a character that autonomy is important, especially in the real hockey world where being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community is not well accepted.
I hope we get so many more stories in this universe - because it's lovely. I cried so much during this book. But one of the parts that truly got me was when Henri did not want to be traded. He spent so much of his time talking down his contributions and wondering when he'd get a choice to stay rather than be forced to go. My heart went out to him. But I also cried from happiness - watching these two get their HEA that they fully deserved.
In conclusion, I loved this book.
I wrote a whole review that goodreads erased which makes me furious but no matter, I can keep talking about these two forever.
I love every single book that AL Heard writes and this was no exception. Henri and Dylan have my heart, and they did from the beginning of the story. This is one of the only books I can remember reading that tells a story from one person's POV (like normal) and the other is strictly through web searches, text messages, and social media posts. And reader, it worked. Like no other book I've seen before. I never felt like I was missing anything from Dylan's POV with what we got from his posts/searches/texts and how he interacted with Henri. It was magic, and something that truly kept me flipping the pages.
This was a gorgeous love story. Dylan had been hurt, and Henri comes in needing a friend. They end up confiding in each other and feelings grow and develop. Watching Dylan understand what a relationship should look like, rather than what he had previously, as beautiful. He was so vulnerable, unsure, nervous. Henri made him nervous! And Henri was not as nervous, but more self assured, understanding, and most of all, patient.
I found myself enjoying the quiet moments between these two the most. When Henri listened to Dylan's insecurities and validated his feelings. Dylan wanting to learn French to speak with Henri. Henri's soft touches and embraces when Dylan needed them. When Dylan held Henri during his breakdown about being traded. When Dylan took a chance to make Henri's dream come true. When they kissed for the first time. When they took care of each other. These moments were so beautiful and marked such a healthy relationship. Henri and Dylan also surrounded themselves with great people (minus one, lol) and had so much support.
One thing I'll never get tired of is seeing the way an author can seamlessly blend their books in the universe they've built. I loved our glimpses here but seeing the outside reaction to what happened with Lars was such a cool moment between these two who were also hiding how they felt to the outside world. It was so interesting to see them acknowledge what happened, and go to take the power into their own hands (IE with Vanessa talking about drafting a statement for Dylan coming out, not being outed). Giving a character that autonomy is important, especially in the real hockey world where being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community is not well accepted.
I hope we get so many more stories in this universe - because it's lovely. I cried so much during this book. But one of the parts that truly got me was when Henri did not want to be traded. He spent so much of his time talking down his contributions and wondering when he'd get a choice to stay rather than be forced to go. My heart went out to him. But I also cried from happiness - watching these two get their HEA that they fully deserved.
In conclusion, I loved this book.
Read
September 19, 2026Spoilers⚠️
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Time to return to this hellhole of a website to write my annual review for an A.L. Heard ARC. I'm starting to enjoy this tradition...
In complete honesty, I was nervous to read No Line Change. Hockey Bois and The Trade Deadline were both stellar reads that I've returned to multiple times, but after the complete embarrassment that was Drop The Gloves, I was preemptively dreading to write the review for No Line Change in which I would have to beg one of my favorite indie authors to please just take a break and stop churning out 100,000+ words every year.
Thankfully, though, I won't be having to do that, because this book is another home run from A.L. Heard! I truly feel like Heard read all of the criticisms surrounding Drop The Gloves, and adjusted accordingly.
The good:
- This book is long, and it definitely feels long, but it never felt like it was dragging. I thoroughly enjoyed waking up every morning, entering this little gay hockey world for an hour or two, and repeating that process for about a week.
- I was nervous about how Heard would handle the POV, and having the prose from Henry's perspective enveloped by texts from Dylan's was quite the bold choice, but it works pretty seamlessly. I hadn't even consciously thought about the perspectives until about a third of the way through the book.
- I'm so glad No Line Change circumvented the third act breakup this time around. I'm not against third act breakups per se, but with the first two books in this universe, I was worried that Heard was becoming too indulgent with this trope and creating unnecessary (and unrealistic!) drama for her own personal enjoyment. However, Dylan and Henri are actually emotionally mature this time around.
- Speaking of Dylan and Henri, I absolutely adore both of these characters. Typically, I enjoy Heard's aptitude for creating characters that are well-intentioned but deeply flawed (I'm looking at you, Lars), but these two are just absolute beauties. They both carry baggage, with Henri's anxieties regarding his career and Dylan's past relationships, but these guys are emotionally available and responsible human beings.
- As always, the hockey is spot-on.
- External plot events actually happen in this book! There are external stakes! (I only point this out because of a...previous book in this universe.)
The bad/confusing (these are all relatively minor):
- Why are all of these guys drinking so much during the season?? I understand that not every player is going to be on a strict diet 24/7, but you're telling me that on this team of professional world-class athletes, not a SINGLE one is on a diet of any kind?
- If Dylan is so insistent on pronouncing Luc-Henri the french way, then why is his nickname (Hen) based off the American pronunciation?
- I generally enjoyed how the book spent a handful of chapters building up to the present, but because of this, it was hard for me to understand exactly why Dylan was so hung up on Sokolov. The gaps were filled in throughout the rest of the book, and I absolutely hated the guy by about two-thirds of the way through, but I would've liked to see some more emotional stakes/tension in the beginning section.
- There's a lot of side characters in this book, and you get to know about half of the team, but it would've been nice to see some actual scenes and character development with more of the team, rather than them just being background placeholders.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
- I'd love to see some bonus scenes from Dylan's perspective.
- These damn kids need to get off their phones during intermission. FOCUS ON THE FUCKING GAME!!!
(I've largely abandoned star ratings, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.)
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Time to return to this hellhole of a website to write my annual review for an A.L. Heard ARC. I'm starting to enjoy this tradition...
In complete honesty, I was nervous to read No Line Change. Hockey Bois and The Trade Deadline were both stellar reads that I've returned to multiple times, but after the complete embarrassment that was Drop The Gloves, I was preemptively dreading to write the review for No Line Change in which I would have to beg one of my favorite indie authors to please just take a break and stop churning out 100,000+ words every year.
Thankfully, though, I won't be having to do that, because this book is another home run from A.L. Heard! I truly feel like Heard read all of the criticisms surrounding Drop The Gloves, and adjusted accordingly.
The good:
- This book is long, and it definitely feels long, but it never felt like it was dragging. I thoroughly enjoyed waking up every morning, entering this little gay hockey world for an hour or two, and repeating that process for about a week.
- I was nervous about how Heard would handle the POV, and having the prose from Henry's perspective enveloped by texts from Dylan's was quite the bold choice, but it works pretty seamlessly. I hadn't even consciously thought about the perspectives until about a third of the way through the book.
- I'm so glad No Line Change circumvented the third act breakup this time around. I'm not against third act breakups per se, but with the first two books in this universe, I was worried that Heard was becoming too indulgent with this trope and creating unnecessary (and unrealistic!) drama for her own personal enjoyment. However, Dylan and Henri are actually emotionally mature this time around.
- Speaking of Dylan and Henri, I absolutely adore both of these characters. Typically, I enjoy Heard's aptitude for creating characters that are well-intentioned but deeply flawed (I'm looking at you, Lars), but these two are just absolute beauties. They both carry baggage, with Henri's anxieties regarding his career and Dylan's past relationships, but these guys are emotionally available and responsible human beings.
- As always, the hockey is spot-on.
- External plot events actually happen in this book! There are external stakes! (I only point this out because of a...previous book in this universe.)
The bad/confusing (these are all relatively minor):
- Why are all of these guys drinking so much during the season?? I understand that not every player is going to be on a strict diet 24/7, but you're telling me that on this team of professional world-class athletes, not a SINGLE one is on a diet of any kind?
- If Dylan is so insistent on pronouncing Luc-Henri the french way, then why is his nickname (Hen) based off the American pronunciation?
- I generally enjoyed how the book spent a handful of chapters building up to the present, but because of this, it was hard for me to understand exactly why Dylan was so hung up on Sokolov. The gaps were filled in throughout the rest of the book, and I absolutely hated the guy by about two-thirds of the way through, but I would've liked to see some more emotional stakes/tension in the beginning section.
- There's a lot of side characters in this book, and you get to know about half of the team, but it would've been nice to see some actual scenes and character development with more of the team, rather than them just being background placeholders.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
- I'd love to see some bonus scenes from Dylan's perspective.
- These damn kids need to get off their phones during intermission. FOCUS ON THE FUCKING GAME!!!
(I've largely abandoned star ratings, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2026
4.5 stars
October 30, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ The way I loved everything about this story and devoured it in 24 hours. AHHH this just ticked so many boxes for me and I couldn’t love my sweet bb angels Henri + Dylan more!!! The single POV + text/twitter combo, the supporting characters (Henri’s papa and Novak !!!), the relationship evolution and soft and sweet dynamic between Henri and Dylan… literally kicking my feet. Already looking forward to reading more by this author!
October 16, 2026
4.75 stars. Really really loved this. I didn't give it the full 5 stars, because it could have been a little bit shorter at the end, but other than that it was great. Just two guys who wanted to be loved finally found their safe place with each other. It's single pov from Henri, but there are a lot of message threads included from Dylan, which was wonderful, because it made it so easy to get to know him too. His sister Vanessa and Novak were great, loved the deleted messages, and Alexei was a douche. I wish Dylan had seen the light a bit earlier, but in the end he did.
Definitely going to reread this next year!
Definitely going to reread this next year!
Review of advance copy received from Author
AL Heard is one of my favorite hockey romance writers and she once again proves why with No Line Change. It’s obvious that Heard knows puck and is not afraid to incorporate all that knowledge into an incredibly well told story. Hockey romances should have romance and hockey, and this one has both in spades.
Dylan Everett is the captain of the Albuquerque Turkeys, with whom he’d previously won two Stanley Cups. Unbeknownst to the world, he and his, at-the-time, center were involved in a secret relationship until, seemingly out of the blue, Dylan’s teammate changes teams, leaving Dylan bereft and leading to a decrease hockey production, until the team acquires new center, Luc-Henri Baptiste.
Henri Baptiste was a first-round pick, but that was six years ago. Since his rookie season he’s been steadily relegated to lower and lower lines, given less shifts, and developed an undeserved reputation as a “difficult player.” He’s misunderstood and mistreated, until he’s traded to the Albuquerque Turkeys and put in the hands of their captain, Dylan Everett.
One of my absolute favorite things about hockey romances is the bonus love story you get between the MCs and their team. Heard does a fantastic job of conveying what makes a good captain and showing those qualities through Dylan Everett – from making sure every member of his team feels welcomed and included to being their constant cheerleader.
Seriously, I could list so many little actions Dylan takes that absolutely make you fall in love with him as a team captain, but I don’t want to spoil them for you “babe”.
Then we have Baps, and his slow burn journey to feeling not only like he belongs on the team, but is able to contribute in the way he’s always known he could. 🥹🫂
Along with bearing witness to Henri’s hockey journey, we also get to see Dylan heal from his previous “relationship.”
I’m a person who likes to read many books at once but I kept finding myself consistently coming back to this one. What drew me back was how you could feel the love between the MMCs. Long before the official “I love you”s, this book will have you smiling like a fool with how much the MCs are gone for each other. And here, AL Heard, once again, excels at showing and not telling.
I also really enjoyed the epistolary components of the book. The small glimpses into Dylan’s POV we get through text messages were essential confirmation of Dylan’s feelings, whereas the twitter account that tracked Henri’s smiles did the same for his growing connection to both Dylan and the Turkeys. The fan tweets commenting on live games also provided a nice, varied way to experience game. These texts/tweets artificially inflate the page count a bit, so don’t let that intimidate you.
This is AL Heard’s fourth book set in the same universe but can be read as a stand-alone, though there is a small crossover in the story between this and Trade Deadline. If you read this first, there is a mediumish spoiler for Trade Deadline, if you read this after Trade Deadline, the end result of the playoff run will be spoiled. I read this after Trade Deadline and was still very much gripped by the story despite knowing the outcome.
I have bought many of AL Heard’s work but I did receive and ARC of this one (thank you! ❤️)
Dylan Everett is the captain of the Albuquerque Turkeys, with whom he’d previously won two Stanley Cups. Unbeknownst to the world, he and his, at-the-time, center were involved in a secret relationship until, seemingly out of the blue, Dylan’s teammate changes teams, leaving Dylan bereft and leading to a decrease hockey production, until the team acquires new center, Luc-Henri Baptiste.
Henri Baptiste was a first-round pick, but that was six years ago. Since his rookie season he’s been steadily relegated to lower and lower lines, given less shifts, and developed an undeserved reputation as a “difficult player.” He’s misunderstood and mistreated, until he’s traded to the Albuquerque Turkeys and put in the hands of their captain, Dylan Everett.
One of my absolute favorite things about hockey romances is the bonus love story you get between the MCs and their team. Heard does a fantastic job of conveying what makes a good captain and showing those qualities through Dylan Everett – from making sure every member of his team feels welcomed and included to being their constant cheerleader.
They always said Dylan Everett was a selfish player...What they didn’t see was that Dylan grinned twice as wide when his teammates scored.
Seriously, I could list so many little actions Dylan takes that absolutely make you fall in love with him as a team captain, but I don’t want to spoil them for you “babe”.
Then we have Baps, and his slow burn journey to feeling not only like he belongs on the team, but is able to contribute in the way he’s always known he could. 🥹🫂
He had tears in his eyes that he hoped they thought were from laughter and smiling, when really it was that for the first time in his NHL career, he felt like he was part of a team.
Along with bearing witness to Henri’s hockey journey, we also get to see Dylan heal from his previous “relationship.”
I’m a person who likes to read many books at once but I kept finding myself consistently coming back to this one. What drew me back was how you could feel the love between the MMCs. Long before the official “I love you”s, this book will have you smiling like a fool with how much the MCs are gone for each other. And here, AL Heard, once again, excels at showing and not telling.
I also really enjoyed the epistolary components of the book. The small glimpses into Dylan’s POV we get through text messages were essential confirmation of Dylan’s feelings, whereas the twitter account that tracked Henri’s smiles did the same for his growing connection to both Dylan and the Turkeys. The fan tweets commenting on live games also provided a nice, varied way to experience game. These texts/tweets artificially inflate the page count a bit, so don’t let that intimidate you.
This is AL Heard’s fourth book set in the same universe but can be read as a stand-alone, though there is a small crossover in the story between this and Trade Deadline. If you read this first, there is a mediumish spoiler for Trade Deadline, if you read this after Trade Deadline, the end result of the playoff run will be spoiled. I read this after Trade Deadline and was still very much gripped by the story despite knowing the outcome.
I have bought many of AL Heard’s work but I did receive and ARC of this one (thank you! ❤️)
September 16, 2026
“I’m gonna win you a Cup,” Dylan promised. “I’m gonna take care of you.”
Like those two were equal considerations. Given the choice, Henri knew which he wanted more.
Huge thanks to the author, who provided me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I need to issue a formal apology to Lars and RJ from The Trade Deadline, who have officially been dethroned as my favorite couple in the Heard hockey ‘verse. Dylan and Henri are everything! This book is EVERYTHING! Dare I say this might even be Heard’s magnum opus…? I’ve never squealed my way through a book as much as I did with this one, only to end up crying ugly (happy) tears by the end.
There are certain ingredients you can always expect to find in an A.L. Heard novel:
1. There will be hockey (a lot of it).
2. There will be epistolary segments that make you blush and snicker and wince, and that somehow manage to say SO MUCH with so little.
3. There will be a team that feels like a family.
4. There will be an under-appreciated, misunderstood player for whom that team eventually becomes not just a family, but a home.
And truthfully, I eat it up every! single! time!
No Line Change ticks all of these boxes. We’ve got Dylan Everett, captain of the Albuquerque Turkeys and league superstar, and Luc-Henri Baptiste, once a promised talent, now passed around the league from team to team as he struggles to find his place in the NHL. Henri is jaded. He’s lost faith in himself and his hockey over the years, and when he’s traded to the Turkeys, he’s convinced it’ll be another short, meaningless stop along the road of his mediocre career.
Enter Dylan: relentlessly kind and unwavering in his belief in Henri from day one. No one is immune to The Dylan Everett Effect™…and Henri is no exception. My favorite thing about their relationship is how they BOTH give each other a safe space to land: Dylan shows Henri that he’s talented, that he matters, and Henri shows Dylan that he’s worthy of love and affection and attention, all things his ex never gave him.
This book is Soft (yes, with a capital “S”). It’s also heavy on the hurt/comfort, but in the loveliest way. My heart aches for Henri and the way he’s been conditioned to doubt his own worth. For most of the book, he tells himself this is temporary—that one day soon, Dylan will leave him and the Turkeys will give up on him. As I was reading, I kept thinking about the song “Orbiter” by Noah Kahan; Henri thinks he’s the astronaut orbiting Dylan (his moon), when in reality, they’re both orbiting each other! The epistolary bits give us juuuuust enough of a look into Dylan’s brain to know that his feelings for Henri run equally as deep.
If you want a book that feels like a warm hug, this is IT. Yet again, Heard has gifted us with a funny, heartwarming, teammates-to-lovers story that will make you laugh and swoon and ache to hug these characters 1000x over.
Like those two were equal considerations. Given the choice, Henri knew which he wanted more.
Huge thanks to the author, who provided me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I need to issue a formal apology to Lars and RJ from The Trade Deadline, who have officially been dethroned as my favorite couple in the Heard hockey ‘verse. Dylan and Henri are everything! This book is EVERYTHING! Dare I say this might even be Heard’s magnum opus…? I’ve never squealed my way through a book as much as I did with this one, only to end up crying ugly (happy) tears by the end.
There are certain ingredients you can always expect to find in an A.L. Heard novel:
1. There will be hockey (a lot of it).
2. There will be epistolary segments that make you blush and snicker and wince, and that somehow manage to say SO MUCH with so little.
3. There will be a team that feels like a family.
4. There will be an under-appreciated, misunderstood player for whom that team eventually becomes not just a family, but a home.
And truthfully, I eat it up every! single! time!
No Line Change ticks all of these boxes. We’ve got Dylan Everett, captain of the Albuquerque Turkeys and league superstar, and Luc-Henri Baptiste, once a promised talent, now passed around the league from team to team as he struggles to find his place in the NHL. Henri is jaded. He’s lost faith in himself and his hockey over the years, and when he’s traded to the Turkeys, he’s convinced it’ll be another short, meaningless stop along the road of his mediocre career.
Enter Dylan: relentlessly kind and unwavering in his belief in Henri from day one. No one is immune to The Dylan Everett Effect™…and Henri is no exception. My favorite thing about their relationship is how they BOTH give each other a safe space to land: Dylan shows Henri that he’s talented, that he matters, and Henri shows Dylan that he’s worthy of love and affection and attention, all things his ex never gave him.
This book is Soft (yes, with a capital “S”). It’s also heavy on the hurt/comfort, but in the loveliest way. My heart aches for Henri and the way he’s been conditioned to doubt his own worth. For most of the book, he tells himself this is temporary—that one day soon, Dylan will leave him and the Turkeys will give up on him. As I was reading, I kept thinking about the song “Orbiter” by Noah Kahan; Henri thinks he’s the astronaut orbiting Dylan (his moon), when in reality, they’re both orbiting each other! The epistolary bits give us juuuuust enough of a look into Dylan’s brain to know that his feelings for Henri run equally as deep.
If you want a book that feels like a warm hug, this is IT. Yet again, Heard has gifted us with a funny, heartwarming, teammates-to-lovers story that will make you laugh and swoon and ache to hug these characters 1000x over.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A.L. Heard does it again! The combination of hockey, text messages, social posts, and just pure heart had my attention absolutely captured.
One thing that had me so intrigued and entertained was that it is largely singular POV, but we get some insights to the other MC. The prose is entirely from Luc-Henri Baptiste's POV, but we get to see social posts that are more objective, and text messages from Dylan's phone, giving us some of his side of it all. This book spans a few seasons, giving us ample background to understand the backstory of Dylan, and what this all means to/for him.
Hockey is a central part of the book and we are so tapped into the season. This isn't light on hockey, this is fully in the deep end of the sport, from on-ice practices and games to watching game and talking strategy on planes and in hotel rooms. This is a *hockey* romance!
I loved Henri and Dylan together and how beautiful their relationship was, even when they didn't really know much about it themselves. The found family on the team was everything and the way it helped heal parts of Henri just warms my heart.
This is a large book, but it kept my attention and I was always wanting more out of it. Thoroughly enjoy and highly recommend, as I do all A.L. Heard books.
Thank you to the author for the eARC.
One thing that had me so intrigued and entertained was that it is largely singular POV, but we get some insights to the other MC. The prose is entirely from Luc-Henri Baptiste's POV, but we get to see social posts that are more objective, and text messages from Dylan's phone, giving us some of his side of it all. This book spans a few seasons, giving us ample background to understand the backstory of Dylan, and what this all means to/for him.
Hockey is a central part of the book and we are so tapped into the season. This isn't light on hockey, this is fully in the deep end of the sport, from on-ice practices and games to watching game and talking strategy on planes and in hotel rooms. This is a *hockey* romance!
I loved Henri and Dylan together and how beautiful their relationship was, even when they didn't really know much about it themselves. The found family on the team was everything and the way it helped heal parts of Henri just warms my heart.
This is a large book, but it kept my attention and I was always wanting more out of it. Thoroughly enjoy and highly recommend, as I do all A.L. Heard books.
Thank you to the author for the eARC.
October 23, 2026
Definitely my favorite of the A.L. Heard's books, which I usually like save for the two MMCs being inexplicably mean to each other. This was so soft but also a ton of hockey which I really enjoyed. It's like golden retriever x golden black cat?? Idk they were both just so sweet to each other which I love in my MM romance sometimes. Loved Novak too, a real ride or die.
There's also some really fun overlap with the Trade Deadline boys that I felt made so much sense here. Just like a really sweet, steamy romance. A little long but so be it.
There's also some really fun overlap with the Trade Deadline boys that I felt made so much sense here. Just like a really sweet, steamy romance. A little long but so be it.
October 9, 2026
i ADORED this so so much
October 11, 2026
I ended up skimming a lot of this book, I just had a hard time getting through it. I liked the author’s other book ‘The Trade Deadline’ better. This book was kind of uneventful.
October 18, 2026
I might have gone into this book with too-high expectations. After loving The Trade Deadline and enjoying Drop the Gloves, No Line Change was a bit of a nothing-burger for me. There wasn’t really any conflict and by the end of the book it just seemed like nothing happened.
The book is told from Henri’s POV, although we get snippets of Dylan’s POV through text message exchanges and social media posts. I personally didn’t love this choice, but I have to give kudos to the author for the creativity of it.
This book is much longer than Heard’s other novels, but I felt like I knew the main characters less somehow…or maybe I just didn’t like them as much. I really enjoyed the secondary characters though. Vanessa and Claude were great, and Novak was a 10/10. The Twitter banter from the fan accounts also made me laugh several times.
Setting it concurrently with The Trade Deadline’s timeline has both pros and cons. Pro: it was nice to see these characters’ reactions to a major event from TTD. Con: the ending was very anti-climactic because I already knew what would happen based on TTD.
Even though this book wasn’t my favourite, A.L. Heard is still one of the best hockey romance writers out there (in my opinion). And the Albuquerque Turkeys is probably my favourite fictional team name ever.
The book is told from Henri’s POV, although we get snippets of Dylan’s POV through text message exchanges and social media posts. I personally didn’t love this choice, but I have to give kudos to the author for the creativity of it.
This book is much longer than Heard’s other novels, but I felt like I knew the main characters less somehow…or maybe I just didn’t like them as much. I really enjoyed the secondary characters though. Vanessa and Claude were great, and Novak was a 10/10. The Twitter banter from the fan accounts also made me laugh several times.
Setting it concurrently with The Trade Deadline’s timeline has both pros and cons. Pro: it was nice to see these characters’ reactions to a major event from TTD. Con: the ending was very anti-climactic because I already knew what would happen based on TTD.
Even though this book wasn’t my favourite, A.L. Heard is still one of the best hockey romance writers out there (in my opinion). And the Albuquerque Turkeys is probably my favourite fictional team name ever.
Did Not Finish
October 31, 2026Not a fan of the structure of the first 10%. It was like 40 pages of texts/group chats. Def not for me.
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