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Overtime #1
Rebound
If there’s one thing that’s a certainty in life, it’s change.
It’s taken Victor Kalinski years to settle into the kind of happiness that he thought he’d never find. The small town of Cayuga, New York, has welcomed him warmly. It’s given him a championship team to coach, a tightly-knit group of friends, a father who he has reconciled with, and a safe place to raise the son he adores. The small town has also blessed him with Dan Arou, his husband and his soulmate, and one of the most skilled forwards on the Cougars. Given Dan’s outstanding play in their recent Calder Cup win, it was inevitable that Dan’s time in the minors was about to come to an end.
When Dan is given a starting position in Boston, Victor’s serene life is thrown into complete chaos. Pride over Dan’s accomplishment fills his heart but facing a long, lonely season in Cayuga is causing no small amount of discord. Add in a wedding that will give his son a new stepfather, health issues for his dad, and Victor’s own penchant for saying things that aren’t exactly politically correct, and the impending explosion is guaranteed to blow Vic’s life to bits. Life-altering choices will have to be made. Will Victor rebound from the challenges, or will he be unable to accept the upheavals that life has dealt him?
It’s taken Victor Kalinski years to settle into the kind of happiness that he thought he’d never find. The small town of Cayuga, New York, has welcomed him warmly. It’s given him a championship team to coach, a tightly-knit group of friends, a father who he has reconciled with, and a safe place to raise the son he adores. The small town has also blessed him with Dan Arou, his husband and his soulmate, and one of the most skilled forwards on the Cougars. Given Dan’s outstanding play in their recent Calder Cup win, it was inevitable that Dan’s time in the minors was about to come to an end.
When Dan is given a starting position in Boston, Victor’s serene life is thrown into complete chaos. Pride over Dan’s accomplishment fills his heart but facing a long, lonely season in Cayuga is causing no small amount of discord. Add in a wedding that will give his son a new stepfather, health issues for his dad, and Victor’s own penchant for saying things that aren’t exactly politically correct, and the impending explosion is guaranteed to blow Vic’s life to bits. Life-altering choices will have to be made. Will Victor rebound from the challenges, or will he be unable to accept the upheavals that life has dealt him?
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 30, 2019
71 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
V.L. Locey
213 books733 followersV.L. Locey loves worn jeans, Dr. Who, Torchwood, belly laughs, yoga, reading and writing lusty tales, walking, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.)
She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, and a flock of assorted domestic fowl.
When not writing lusty tales, she can be found enjoying her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, fresh cup of java in hand.
Sign up for my newsletter here: http://vllocey.com/Newsletter
She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, and a flock of assorted domestic fowl.
When not writing lusty tales, she can be found enjoying her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, fresh cup of java in hand.
Sign up for my newsletter here: http://vllocey.com/Newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
January 12, 2020
Vic is my very favorite of all the great hockey characters VL Locey has created or collaborated on. I loved this continuation of his story. Vic is rough and unapologetically crude and unpolished, damaged and tough. He has a fierce love for the important people in his life, an innate sense of fairness he tries but fails to squash, an addictive personality, and both the best (in Dan Arou) and worst luck. Some of the worst he makes for himself, of course. But he tries so damned hard.
This doesn't really stand alone. You would be well advised to first read the Point Shot Trilogy Boxed Set - three novellas that introduced Victor Kalinski and Dan Arou to the world. Other characters also show up here from the related Cayuga Cougars stories, and are all great, but really what you need are those first 3 novellas plus Coach's Challenge. Watch Vic scrape himself up off the ground and take responsibility for his self-sabotage. Watch Dan find and fall for and love him wholeheartedly, for all his strengths and regardless of his weaknesses.
*some spoilers below for the earlier stories*
In this book, we see the life that Vic and Dan carved out falling apart on multiple axes. Dan is finally getting his shot at the pros, but it will put him in Boston and on the road, while Vic is in Cayuga. Vic's father, with whom he is trying to repair a relationship, faces some health issues. Heather, Vic's baby-mom, and her husband Brooks are struggling, and want to move down South with little Jack. And Jack is letting his inner two hearts fly, sometimes indulging his boy heart, sometimes his girl heart, sometimes both together.
One of the most poignant aspects of the book for me is the feeling Vic has of not being able to protect his genderqueer child. The move from marginally accepting Cayuga deeper into the conservative South is fraught with potential for pain for little Jack. Brooks may promise he won't let anyone hurt or bully the child, but it's a hollow promise. Jack is a sweetly brilliant butterfly, rocking his camo shorts and red sparkly ballgown. For kids like Jack, a better house and yard and money coming in may not balance out the way the world is going to treat him down there.
Vic is trapped; his life is being pulled apart and rearranged completely out of his control. The people he loves are going to be spread out across the country, out of range for hugs and together-time, and facing things he can't protect them from. And Vic's coping mechanisms when life goes to shit have never been healthy.
This one is poignant, painful, sweet, and ultimately satisfying. Dan deserves an award for loving Vic so wholeheartedly, body and spirit, the way Vic needs it. And may the world treat little Jack, and all the kids like him, more kindly in the future than it has in the past.
This doesn't really stand alone. You would be well advised to first read the Point Shot Trilogy Boxed Set - three novellas that introduced Victor Kalinski and Dan Arou to the world. Other characters also show up here from the related Cayuga Cougars stories, and are all great, but really what you need are those first 3 novellas plus Coach's Challenge. Watch Vic scrape himself up off the ground and take responsibility for his self-sabotage. Watch Dan find and fall for and love him wholeheartedly, for all his strengths and regardless of his weaknesses.
*some spoilers below for the earlier stories*
In this book, we see the life that Vic and Dan carved out falling apart on multiple axes. Dan is finally getting his shot at the pros, but it will put him in Boston and on the road, while Vic is in Cayuga. Vic's father, with whom he is trying to repair a relationship, faces some health issues. Heather, Vic's baby-mom, and her husband Brooks are struggling, and want to move down South with little Jack. And Jack is letting his inner two hearts fly, sometimes indulging his boy heart, sometimes his girl heart, sometimes both together.
One of the most poignant aspects of the book for me is the feeling Vic has of not being able to protect his genderqueer child. The move from marginally accepting Cayuga deeper into the conservative South is fraught with potential for pain for little Jack. Brooks may promise he won't let anyone hurt or bully the child, but it's a hollow promise. Jack is a sweetly brilliant butterfly, rocking his camo shorts and red sparkly ballgown. For kids like Jack, a better house and yard and money coming in may not balance out the way the world is going to treat him down there.
Vic is trapped; his life is being pulled apart and rearranged completely out of his control. The people he loves are going to be spread out across the country, out of range for hugs and together-time, and facing things he can't protect them from. And Vic's coping mechanisms when life goes to shit have never been healthy.
This one is poignant, painful, sweet, and ultimately satisfying. Dan deserves an award for loving Vic so wholeheartedly, body and spirit, the way Vic needs it. And may the world treat little Jack, and all the kids like him, more kindly in the future than it has in the past.
May 3, 2023
I can't even explain how much I love Victor Kalinski 🥰
This book broke my heart! I love how many stories we've been given about Vic because it really feels like you know the character and he's so easy to connect to. Plus his flaws really make him feel like a real person, which I love to read.
I really hated Brooks in this one, I never liked him but now I think he's a dickhead - you seriously couldn't come up with any other options??
I'm also really excited to read the next book because it's Dan telling the story!! Been waiting for the little hobbit to let me into his brain for seven books now!!! 😂
This book broke my heart! I love how many stories we've been given about Vic because it really feels like you know the character and he's so easy to connect to. Plus his flaws really make him feel like a real person, which I love to read.
I really hated Brooks in this one, I never liked him but now I think he's a dickhead - you seriously couldn't come up with any other options??
I'm also really excited to read the next book because it's Dan telling the story!! Been waiting for the little hobbit to let me into his brain for seven books now!!! 😂
December 29, 2019
Full review tomorrow when I'm at the laptop.
***
I wasn't sure, when Vicki said she'd be going back to this series, what I thought about it.
After all, last time we left the foul-mouthed obnoxious Pole Victor Kalinski, he was happily getting on with life as a married man and dad to his unexpected son Jack. Did I want to read their HEA being disturbed?
And, I have to be honest and say some of my fears were realised, as this is not an easy ride for Vic, Dan and their families.
But, it's also a wonderfully written exploration of just how much Vic has changed from his earliest days and how much work he's willing to put into making his husband happy and in trying to be his best self.
He's still obnoxious, he wouldn't be Vic if he wasn't, and I was howling with laughter at some of his antics. He's also still a broken child in many ways, and this book was at times also a hard read, with memories of painful times, Vic himself going through the ringer and him and Dan being apart from each other for a bit of it.
For lovers of this pair though, it's a "must read" because, lets face it, who doesn't want to catch up with two of the best written ice hockey heroes in the genre? (It's rhetorical right, you all should 😁)
I love Vic, all of his grumpy, his attitude, his devotion, his failings, his triumphs and I ultimately really enjoyed this book. I've not given it 5* only because, for me, I think I was missing a bit more of the uplifting elements and it seemed to end a bit abruptly.
Having said all of the above, I cannot wait for the next book, which will be from Dan's PoV and sounds like it's having a time jump into the future and which looks absolutely fascinating.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
***
I wasn't sure, when Vicki said she'd be going back to this series, what I thought about it.
After all, last time we left the foul-mouthed obnoxious Pole Victor Kalinski, he was happily getting on with life as a married man and dad to his unexpected son Jack. Did I want to read their HEA being disturbed?
And, I have to be honest and say some of my fears were realised, as this is not an easy ride for Vic, Dan and their families.
But, it's also a wonderfully written exploration of just how much Vic has changed from his earliest days and how much work he's willing to put into making his husband happy and in trying to be his best self.
He's still obnoxious, he wouldn't be Vic if he wasn't, and I was howling with laughter at some of his antics. He's also still a broken child in many ways, and this book was at times also a hard read, with memories of painful times, Vic himself going through the ringer and him and Dan being apart from each other for a bit of it.
For lovers of this pair though, it's a "must read" because, lets face it, who doesn't want to catch up with two of the best written ice hockey heroes in the genre? (It's rhetorical right, you all should 😁)
I love Vic, all of his grumpy, his attitude, his devotion, his failings, his triumphs and I ultimately really enjoyed this book. I've not given it 5* only because, for me, I think I was missing a bit more of the uplifting elements and it seemed to end a bit abruptly.
Having said all of the above, I cannot wait for the next book, which will be from Dan's PoV and sounds like it's having a time jump into the future and which looks absolutely fascinating.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
January 5, 2020
5 Angstastic Stars!
So, first of all, you absolutely need to read the Point Shot Trilogy and Coach's Challenge before even thinking of starting this book. You'll be very lost if you try to read it as a standalone.
So, I will admit that I've been drawn to Victor ever since I read Two-Man Advantage (the first book in the Point Shot Trilogy). He's one of my favorite characters ever and I love him more with each new book where he at, as main or secondary character. I know he's acerbic and more than a bit difficult and for some he might be more of an acquired taste, because let's be perfectly honest here, he's a man dealing with a lot of demons and it shows in his attitude. However, he's also a man that loves both his husband and his son deeply and would do anything for them and who has done a lot of growing up and maturing since we first met him and that was more clear than ever with the turmoil he had to go through in this book.
I love Dan and I like Heather and Eugene, but frankly, the amount of pressure they put on Vic this time around, even if Vic didn't allow them to take any of the blame for what happened, just made me want to scream at them. And don't let me get started on Brooks or the Cayuga's management team, because I hated them both. The shining lights in this book were Jack, who is so adorable and sweet and I just adore his relationship with Vic and how Vic puts him first always, and Mario, who stepped up to support his friend when he needed it.
I loved this book. It was very angsty, yes, and you'll definitely need tissues for the second half. Still, it ends in a HFN, which makes sense since it's the start of this new trilogy. I have no trouble recommending it to any Vic/Dan fans, because Ms. Locey definitely recaptured the chemistry between them, and showed how much love they share for each other and Jack. I'm already looking forward to more even if I'm sure VL Locey will put us through the wringer once more. *sobs*
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
So, first of all, you absolutely need to read the Point Shot Trilogy and Coach's Challenge before even thinking of starting this book. You'll be very lost if you try to read it as a standalone.
So, I will admit that I've been drawn to Victor ever since I read Two-Man Advantage (the first book in the Point Shot Trilogy). He's one of my favorite characters ever and I love him more with each new book where he at, as main or secondary character. I know he's acerbic and more than a bit difficult and for some he might be more of an acquired taste, because let's be perfectly honest here, he's a man dealing with a lot of demons and it shows in his attitude. However, he's also a man that loves both his husband and his son deeply and would do anything for them and who has done a lot of growing up and maturing since we first met him and that was more clear than ever with the turmoil he had to go through in this book.
I love Dan and I like Heather and Eugene, but frankly, the amount of pressure they put on Vic this time around, even if Vic didn't allow them to take any of the blame for what happened, just made me want to scream at them. And don't let me get started on Brooks or the Cayuga's management team, because I hated them both. The shining lights in this book were Jack, who is so adorable and sweet and I just adore his relationship with Vic and how Vic puts him first always, and Mario, who stepped up to support his friend when he needed it.
I loved this book. It was very angsty, yes, and you'll definitely need tissues for the second half. Still, it ends in a HFN, which makes sense since it's the start of this new trilogy. I have no trouble recommending it to any Vic/Dan fans, because Ms. Locey definitely recaptured the chemistry between them, and showed how much love they share for each other and Jack. I'm already looking forward to more even if I'm sure VL Locey will put us through the wringer once more. *sobs*
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
January 2, 2020
This book definitely pulled at the heartstrings! Victor and Dan are together and in love like never before, but life decides to throw them so many curveballs it isn’t funny. This follows Vic and his struggles with Dan moving away, his son potentially moving away, and his alcoholism. He has a lot of battles to fight, but I love how the battles aren’t glossed over and Vic has to truly fight them. Depression, lonlieness, therapy, love, and family are all big and important themes in this. I really enjoyed it.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by the author
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by the author
October 14, 2022
3 stars?
VL Locey is definitely one of my favourite hockey authors. I mean, recently I’ve just been going through so many VL Locey books that I’ve missed and I’ve been loving them.
But...unfortunately I feel like I got dropped off in the middle of this book. It’s an established couple, sure. No issue there. But there’s so much history that’s been alluded to but never really explained or explored that I can’t help but feel like the unwanted guest who doesn’t know all the in-jokes.
Also, Vic is definitely not likeable. No matter how much you see beneath the veneer and past his history and shitty childhood, he feels very much to me like an anti-hero. But I did like him a teeny weeny little bit at the end. Or well, at least I didn’t hate him 😆
I do enjoy the writing. I just wish we had the backstory and history and such. Instead of all the side swiping and backhanded claps that insinuate at a behind the scenes story.
So yes, I have mixed feelings about this book. But I definitely absolutely loved Jack. The little boy with 2 hearts - a boy heart and a girl heart - who loves dressing up in dresses one day and army boots the next. Loved him. Absolutely loved him! 😍
Welp, I do think I might continue this series. All solely because of VL Locey’s amazing writing 🤩
VL Locey is definitely one of my favourite hockey authors. I mean, recently I’ve just been going through so many VL Locey books that I’ve missed and I’ve been loving them.
But...unfortunately I feel like I got dropped off in the middle of this book. It’s an established couple, sure. No issue there. But there’s so much history that’s been alluded to but never really explained or explored that I can’t help but feel like the unwanted guest who doesn’t know all the in-jokes.
Also, Vic is definitely not likeable. No matter how much you see beneath the veneer and past his history and shitty childhood, he feels very much to me like an anti-hero. But I did like him a teeny weeny little bit at the end. Or well, at least I didn’t hate him 😆
I do enjoy the writing. I just wish we had the backstory and history and such. Instead of all the side swiping and backhanded claps that insinuate at a behind the scenes story.
So yes, I have mixed feelings about this book. But I definitely absolutely loved Jack. The little boy with 2 hearts - a boy heart and a girl heart - who loves dressing up in dresses one day and army boots the next. Loved him. Absolutely loved him! 😍
Welp, I do think I might continue this series. All solely because of VL Locey’s amazing writing 🤩
October 3, 2020
6++++ stars
Bestill my heart I am in LOVE.
I ate this book up like I was starving. It was so unexpected. I didn't have any idea what I was getting into. I didn't even read the blurp well. I thought it was going to be another hockey-jock themed book (which i love but ultimately they all are alike).
This book was NOTHING like that.
Victor is my badass asshole worrior. Dan is the most precious jockey celeberity angel. Jack, their son, is literally the most adorable thing that ever graced fiction.
UGH I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS.
This book had everything I didn't know I liked but turned out I loved: which is an extention to the plot.
I feel like some people would feel like they missed out of Victor since we didn't see his rebillion days in the NFL, we didn't see him getting to know Dan, didn't experince any conflict when they created their relationship. Honestly we just jumped forward when Victor and Dan are married with Jack.
You know what I liked? This thick intresting plot that was full of angst and character development and hurt and healing that didn't end when both characters got together like some fairy tale princess. Vic and Dan love each other, married, with a kid, their still have the passion, the connection, the comfort, but beyond all that they are still indivisual human beings who suffer independently but ultimately find comfort in each other and...this is shit real love, yk? That's what my sappy writhering heart is looking for when I start a new contemporary romance, not lust-confused-by-love or fated love that didn't have any proper substance behind it, but real stuff with solid bones that is proven by time and nurture.
Also it didn't hurt that I had an actual hardon for Victor. His narritive is fucking addicting give me more from that sass, those flippant crude remarks, from those brush offs and brutal honesty and fierce loyatly and vulnerbility. He's protective, possessive, asshole, rude, but in the absloutly best way that could've been ever created. The way he cares about his loved ones? About Dan and Jack?
Like this book actually gave me a new prespective. I was hurting for Vic when he let Jack go, agreed on Heather's terms and got separated from his son. I was like fuck it it's so unfair why does he just get to see him in the summer and holidays? Like he's his dad, but that fuckbitch Brook is getting to be there with him, teaching him how to ride a bike, be there with him, day in and day out, while Victor, his biological dad, doesn't get anything except scraps, few months in the summer and few weeks holiday?
I'm not gonna lie and say I didn't want to watch Vic tear into them, law suites and all.
But in the end I realized how fucking selfless Victor is. He made an exchange with the devil. He gave up alllll that, gave up his time with Jack, gave him a slice of his...fatherhood, so Jack can win it all. Instead of being selfish and gainf full custody and drag Jack through a messy version of rope tug, he literally rolled over (but not completly), agreed on shared custody, agreed to live most of the year in heartache and miss irreplacable years from his son's life so Jack won't have trauma from the lawsuit, so he can still have three fathers and a mother, so he can witness a good relationship between his mom and dad despite them not being together. Victor spared Jack trauma on the expenses of his own heart so excuse for not giving a shit when he mooned some lesbians, because I realized from that moment onward that he's a fucking saint.
I'm literally going to bask in the afterglow of this book for dayssss.
Bestill my heart I am in LOVE.
I ate this book up like I was starving. It was so unexpected. I didn't have any idea what I was getting into. I didn't even read the blurp well. I thought it was going to be another hockey-jock themed book (which i love but ultimately they all are alike).
This book was NOTHING like that.
Victor is my badass asshole worrior. Dan is the most precious jockey celeberity angel. Jack, their son, is literally the most adorable thing that ever graced fiction.
UGH I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS.
This book had everything I didn't know I liked but turned out I loved: which is an extention to the plot.
I feel like some people would feel like they missed out of Victor since we didn't see his rebillion days in the NFL, we didn't see him getting to know Dan, didn't experince any conflict when they created their relationship. Honestly we just jumped forward when Victor and Dan are married with Jack.
You know what I liked? This thick intresting plot that was full of angst and character development and hurt and healing that didn't end when both characters got together like some fairy tale princess. Vic and Dan love each other, married, with a kid, their still have the passion, the connection, the comfort, but beyond all that they are still indivisual human beings who suffer independently but ultimately find comfort in each other and...this is shit real love, yk? That's what my sappy writhering heart is looking for when I start a new contemporary romance, not lust-confused-by-love or fated love that didn't have any proper substance behind it, but real stuff with solid bones that is proven by time and nurture.
Also it didn't hurt that I had an actual hardon for Victor. His narritive is fucking addicting give me more from that sass, those flippant crude remarks, from those brush offs and brutal honesty and fierce loyatly and vulnerbility. He's protective, possessive, asshole, rude, but in the absloutly best way that could've been ever created. The way he cares about his loved ones? About Dan and Jack?
Like this book actually gave me a new prespective. I was hurting for Vic when he let Jack go, agreed on Heather's terms and got separated from his son. I was like fuck it it's so unfair why does he just get to see him in the summer and holidays? Like he's his dad, but that fuckbitch Brook is getting to be there with him, teaching him how to ride a bike, be there with him, day in and day out, while Victor, his biological dad, doesn't get anything except scraps, few months in the summer and few weeks holiday?
I'm not gonna lie and say I didn't want to watch Vic tear into them, law suites and all.
But in the end I realized how fucking selfless Victor is. He made an exchange with the devil. He gave up alllll that, gave up his time with Jack, gave him a slice of his...fatherhood, so Jack can win it all. Instead of being selfish and gainf full custody and drag Jack through a messy version of rope tug, he literally rolled over (but not completly), agreed on shared custody, agreed to live most of the year in heartache and miss irreplacable years from his son's life so Jack won't have trauma from the lawsuit, so he can still have three fathers and a mother, so he can witness a good relationship between his mom and dad despite them not being together. Victor spared Jack trauma on the expenses of his own heart so excuse for not giving a shit when he mooned some lesbians, because I realized from that moment onward that he's a fucking saint.
I'm literally going to bask in the afterglow of this book for dayssss.
January 2, 2020
Victor and Dan are back!
Victor Kalinsky and Dan Arou were introduced in V.L. Locey's Point Shot Trilogy and we read about them again in Coach's Challenge, book 3 of the Cayuga Cougars series. I've read Coach's Challenge but I haven't read the entire Point Shot Trilogy. All of this is to say that even if you haven't read any of those stories, I think you can still enjoy Rebound.
Victor is a hard person to like at times. He is brash, irreverent, caustic and kind of a dick; he's also one of those characters that people come to love and I do love him. He's had a hard way to go. His mother was abusive and his father left him with her and disappeared. An injury left him unable to play hockey so now he's a coach.
The excellent blurb gives you detailed information about this story; I'll tell you how it made me feel. I wanted to hug Victor so hard because of the things he goes through in this book. He becomes depressed because of things happening in his life and his hard-won sobriety is in jeopardy. I laughed at times when Victor was being his typically irreverent self and I cried when life kept kicking his butt.
I love how V.L. Locey has continued to keep writing Victor as the same irreverent character he was in the previous books. He knows he's an a-hole but he just can't seem to help himself. Rebound is told from Victor's point of view but the next book in the series, Final Shot, will focus on Dan; I can't wait to read it.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com*** (posting on 1/4/2020)
Victor Kalinsky and Dan Arou were introduced in V.L. Locey's Point Shot Trilogy and we read about them again in Coach's Challenge, book 3 of the Cayuga Cougars series. I've read Coach's Challenge but I haven't read the entire Point Shot Trilogy. All of this is to say that even if you haven't read any of those stories, I think you can still enjoy Rebound.
Victor is a hard person to like at times. He is brash, irreverent, caustic and kind of a dick; he's also one of those characters that people come to love and I do love him. He's had a hard way to go. His mother was abusive and his father left him with her and disappeared. An injury left him unable to play hockey so now he's a coach.
The excellent blurb gives you detailed information about this story; I'll tell you how it made me feel. I wanted to hug Victor so hard because of the things he goes through in this book. He becomes depressed because of things happening in his life and his hard-won sobriety is in jeopardy. I laughed at times when Victor was being his typically irreverent self and I cried when life kept kicking his butt.
I love how V.L. Locey has continued to keep writing Victor as the same irreverent character he was in the previous books. He knows he's an a-hole but he just can't seem to help himself. Rebound is told from Victor's point of view but the next book in the series, Final Shot, will focus on Dan; I can't wait to read it.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com*** (posting on 1/4/2020)
March 21, 2022
We get more from our Cougar Hockey men in this spinoff set from the "Cayuga Cougars" series, with caustic Vic and promising star, Dan, and their son, gender fluid Jake.
First we are reminded of Victor's sass and snark in his daily life,
while he's at the self checkout at the grocery. His sobriety is still in place.
We catch up with some other guys, too, and see how things are going.
Our focus is the situations Vic and Dan are dealing with now. Eugene, Vic's Dad, has diabetes,
Dan may be going to Boston,
Jake is well and adorable as he tells us about drab ducks, and Paul Revere.
Heather and Brooks throw a kink in the happiness and Vic is in an upheaval. At his crossroads he takes a wrong turn with woeful consequences.
Life is a constant struggle, big decisions are made, and we see the misery amidst the joys in life.
I like these men, little Jake is terrific and their fears are well founded.
There is deep love, hot sexy times, life changing times and hope, too.
Vic is a dynamic character, still in therapy, Dan is extremely delving in deep thoughts, and our men want sanity.
This is a marvelous tale we can learn from.
I recommend reading the previous series. Cayuga Cougars.
ENJOY !
=======
First we are reminded of Victor's sass and snark in his daily life,
while he's at the self checkout at the grocery. His sobriety is still in place.
We catch up with some other guys, too, and see how things are going.
Our focus is the situations Vic and Dan are dealing with now. Eugene, Vic's Dad, has diabetes,
Dan may be going to Boston,
Jake is well and adorable as he tells us about drab ducks, and Paul Revere.
Heather and Brooks throw a kink in the happiness and Vic is in an upheaval. At his crossroads he takes a wrong turn with woeful consequences.
Life is a constant struggle, big decisions are made, and we see the misery amidst the joys in life.
I like these men, little Jake is terrific and their fears are well founded.
There is deep love, hot sexy times, life changing times and hope, too.
Vic is a dynamic character, still in therapy, Dan is extremely delving in deep thoughts, and our men want sanity.
This is a marvelous tale we can learn from.
I recommend reading the previous series. Cayuga Cougars.
ENJOY !
=======
May 8, 2020
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
Whilst this may be the first in a newly numbered series, I would definitely recommend that you consider looking at the Cayuga Cougars first and ideally the Point Shot books too - so much goodness awaits you! This is the first of many, but is also a duet with book 2. I was lucky enough to read them back to back and it was a lovely treat.
Victor and Dan are such an interesting couple, so very different and yet so very, very good together. They make the confusion that surrounds them make perfect sense, and with Vic's son Jack spending time with them, they really are a family. So the news that things are all about to change, does a lot to disturb the equilibrium that keeps Vic's demons under control. It is so sad to watch it all like a perfect storm, bringing him down.
We really do get to experience the highs and lows with them and understand the true power of love. I love how Locey never shies away from the difficult parts of a romance, but also never lets the reader down in the end!
Very satisfying read, now to enjoy Final Shot.
Whilst this may be the first in a newly numbered series, I would definitely recommend that you consider looking at the Cayuga Cougars first and ideally the Point Shot books too - so much goodness awaits you! This is the first of many, but is also a duet with book 2. I was lucky enough to read them back to back and it was a lovely treat.
Victor and Dan are such an interesting couple, so very different and yet so very, very good together. They make the confusion that surrounds them make perfect sense, and with Vic's son Jack spending time with them, they really are a family. So the news that things are all about to change, does a lot to disturb the equilibrium that keeps Vic's demons under control. It is so sad to watch it all like a perfect storm, bringing him down.
We really do get to experience the highs and lows with them and understand the true power of love. I love how Locey never shies away from the difficult parts of a romance, but also never lets the reader down in the end!
Very satisfying read, now to enjoy Final Shot.
May 15, 2020
I loved Vic’s voice in this story. His personality comes across loud and clear, and it was easy to be swept away on the rollercoaster of his emotions. I liked how he says it how he sees it, which isn’t always very PC, yet makes him feel very real.
I really felt for his feeling of abandonment as his life explodes around him, and his demons do their best to entice him into places he shouldn’t go. The story kept me turning pages and I got drawn into his and Dan’s world very quickly.
I love Vic and Dan’s relationship, and how although Dan loves Vic completely he’s still aware of his faults, and worries he might enable him. They fit together well with their different personalities. The strong sense of family is something I always enjoy in hockey romances, and this story is very much about family, with Vic and Dan’s family issues, their parenting of Jack, plus the Cougars and Dan’s new team. I liked the glimpse of characters from other books, and the two therapists totally rock.
I enjoyed the story’s conclusion, and am looking forward to read what happens in the next stage of their family’s journey.
I really felt for his feeling of abandonment as his life explodes around him, and his demons do their best to entice him into places he shouldn’t go. The story kept me turning pages and I got drawn into his and Dan’s world very quickly.
I love Vic and Dan’s relationship, and how although Dan loves Vic completely he’s still aware of his faults, and worries he might enable him. They fit together well with their different personalities. The strong sense of family is something I always enjoy in hockey romances, and this story is very much about family, with Vic and Dan’s family issues, their parenting of Jack, plus the Cougars and Dan’s new team. I liked the glimpse of characters from other books, and the two therapists totally rock.
I enjoyed the story’s conclusion, and am looking forward to read what happens in the next stage of their family’s journey.
December 30, 2019
I love Dan and Vic together, however, I felt their relationship was lacking in this book, as Dan is gone through most of it since he’s trying to make the team in Boston. This leaves Vic alone to deal with a lot of heavy things. A slip up costs him his job, his father is having health issues, his son’s mother wants to move him out of state, and he’s struggling to accept that her fiancé will be raising his son more than he will. It’s a lot for poor Vic, and it felt like he was struggling not only to find himself, but to find happiness throughout most of the book.
Despite this, there are some light moments involving Vic and his son, Jack, and I love how all the adults accept him for who he is. There are also humorous interactions between Vic and his psychiatrist.
The road to happiness in this book isn’t easy for Vic, but he learns and grows along the way. While I would have liked to have seen more of him with Dan, I still enjoyed the book. It’s well-written and readers will definitely root for Vic.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy**
Despite this, there are some light moments involving Vic and his son, Jack, and I love how all the adults accept him for who he is. There are also humorous interactions between Vic and his psychiatrist.
The road to happiness in this book isn’t easy for Vic, but he learns and grows along the way. While I would have liked to have seen more of him with Dan, I still enjoyed the book. It’s well-written and readers will definitely root for Vic.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy**
April 29, 2020
4.5 stars from me.
A grown-up story...insofar as Vic can grow up 😉, but there are several heavy things going down in his life in this story, and yes, he may fall off the wagon on one occasion BUT as I said...reasons, so please cut him some slack.
He is definitely getting to be more in control of his demons though, thank goodness, his little hobbit Dan loves him just as much as ever and his son Jack?? Well, Jackie-Blue is a wonderfully well-adjusted 4/5 year old, a little boy who decides for himself whether he should wear girly clothing for that occasion or that day...so he may wear silver sparkly shoes with his boys stuff and combat boots with a tutu [reminds me of Zig from Fish Stick Fridays]...but his daddies and his mum and soon-to-be stepfather love him just as he is.
Looking forward to book 2 Final Shot, which gives us Dan's perspective...and that also sounds full of angst, but with some good laughs too I would imagine.
A grown-up story...insofar as Vic can grow up 😉, but there are several heavy things going down in his life in this story, and yes, he may fall off the wagon on one occasion BUT as I said...reasons, so please cut him some slack.
He is definitely getting to be more in control of his demons though, thank goodness, his little hobbit Dan loves him just as much as ever and his son Jack?? Well, Jackie-Blue is a wonderfully well-adjusted 4/5 year old, a little boy who decides for himself whether he should wear girly clothing for that occasion or that day...so he may wear silver sparkly shoes with his boys stuff and combat boots with a tutu [reminds me of Zig from Fish Stick Fridays]...but his daddies and his mum and soon-to-be stepfather love him just as he is.
Looking forward to book 2 Final Shot, which gives us Dan's perspective...and that also sounds full of angst, but with some good laughs too I would imagine.
January 4, 2020
I love Victor Kalinski's voice. Sometimes when a novel is written in first person and has a character like Victor, it has high potential to be either unbelievable (as in that is no way in hell that's the voice of this character) or to be uncomfortable to read in a bad way. No, Vic's voice is perfect. He's got it rough, no doubt about it. And he's an incredibly well written voice, making the reader feel his pain, his every screw up, his demons, and also the incredible love he had for his son and his husband.
This novel is Vic going through a lot of crap. And watching him come out a stronger man in the end.
I truly enjoyed this book.
This novel is Vic going through a lot of crap. And watching him come out a stronger man in the end.
I truly enjoyed this book.
April 18, 2020
Victor and Dan are one of my all time favorite couples. That made it hard to get through all the problems/struggles Vic goes through in this book. I know tension and intensity are part of this series, a lot of which Vic brings on himself, but I almost cried several times, and it was hard to read in some situations. The situation with Jack is heartbreaking, I think that was the hardest to read. Jack is such a sweet boy - and so wise for his age. Of course Dan is affected by all that happens, and it was good to see how supportive he was, although it made him face some things too. There is some positive in the ending, but it's going to be a hard road for everyone.
May 13, 2020
You really should read Coach’s Challenge before starting this series, as that is where we first get to know Victor and Dan, learn their backstory (Victor’s is a doozy). Having done that, I was excited to see these guys again. Dan has just been called up to try out for the Boston NHL team, along with a few other players. So, Victor is learning to cope at home with his man not by his side.
Here is where I will probably be in the minority on this one. The first 25% of the book had me almost giving up. I am not a huge fan of children in my stories, and I was really looking forward to more hockey, more hot hockey players and all the action that goes along with that. However, this starts out focusing on Victor’s son, a supposed 4 year old genderfluid child who we are told in every way possible how he/she checks off just about every box on the rainbow chart. My issue isn’t with the genderfluid child, but in the preaching tone and bringing up every possible negative thing this child should be prepared for. He is 4 years old, yet he often speaks as a much older child. He apparently picks out his clothes when shopping, designs his own outfits, etc. He is frequently telling us what his boy heart or his girl heart want or feel, and while many will probably find it cute, it was just a bit over the top for me and, like I said, I was about to give up.
Eventually, Victor’s other problems take over, and even though one of them involves Victor’s ex and her fiancé planning to move and the child, he takes more of a back seat as we begin to see Victor implode as the things and pressures begin to pile up. He loses his job, is worried about losing his child, has a newfound father not taking care of medical issues, his husband now living in another state, etc. Dan remains the solid voice of reason in Victor’s life, though he is at a bit of a loss due to his location. But Victor never tries to hold Dan back from being the superstar his is and encourages him even though he wants to be selfish.
So, the story picked up for me, and I was glad I stuck with it. I really do enjoy these guys and can’t wait to see what happens next.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
January 10, 2020
Rebound, the first book in VL Locey's Overtime series is an amazing book. A continuation of the story of Vic and Dan from the Point Shot Trilogy and Coach's Challenge, it's a fantastic addition to what we already have enjoyed. And, damn, I love all things Vic and Dan!
Told in alternating 1st person pov, the reader is easily pulled into the character's heads, becoming fully engrossed in their emotions. And don't doubt it for a minute, this one is full of emotions and carries a sad overtone throughout.
Dan and Vic have a lot they are dealing with. In Rebound, we see them dealing with a lot of changes in their relationship and careers. One is coaching while the other is moving to another town. The alcoholism is still front and center, as the author excels in treating this as a lifelong issue, in which one never stops craving that drink. And they have a slew of decisions to make.
I am extremely touched by the way they all treat Jack, who they are raising as a femme/gender fluid child. There is so much beauty to this aspect of the story, and I applaud the way it's written, with care and compassion. The strength of their love for Jack is beautiful and I love the emotional journey with this issue.
Their story is one of frustration and loneliness as they miss one another. Their story is one of anger as they deal with things out of their control. Their story is also one of spice and heat.
I love the writing style, which is quick and fluid as I've come to expect from this author. She excels in writing dialogue that is natural and entertaining. The plot is riveting, fast paced and includes a few surprises.
Rebound is a marvelous story, with a whole lot going on, taking the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. VL Locey never lets me down, and I love, love, love this book!
Told in alternating 1st person pov, the reader is easily pulled into the character's heads, becoming fully engrossed in their emotions. And don't doubt it for a minute, this one is full of emotions and carries a sad overtone throughout.
Dan and Vic have a lot they are dealing with. In Rebound, we see them dealing with a lot of changes in their relationship and careers. One is coaching while the other is moving to another town. The alcoholism is still front and center, as the author excels in treating this as a lifelong issue, in which one never stops craving that drink. And they have a slew of decisions to make.
I am extremely touched by the way they all treat Jack, who they are raising as a femme/gender fluid child. There is so much beauty to this aspect of the story, and I applaud the way it's written, with care and compassion. The strength of their love for Jack is beautiful and I love the emotional journey with this issue.
Their story is one of frustration and loneliness as they miss one another. Their story is one of anger as they deal with things out of their control. Their story is also one of spice and heat.
I love the writing style, which is quick and fluid as I've come to expect from this author. She excels in writing dialogue that is natural and entertaining. The plot is riveting, fast paced and includes a few surprises.
Rebound is a marvelous story, with a whole lot going on, taking the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. VL Locey never lets me down, and I love, love, love this book!
January 8, 2020
Everything and I do mean EVERYTHING we have come to know and love about Vic , Dan and Jack are in this new story. We get to see more of their lives, struggles, greatness, loveliness and wicked senses of humor NOT to mention amazing way with words and phrases.
A lot of things are addressed in this deeper than ever before. New challenges are put before one of my most favorite couples. How they deal or don't , deal with them is brilliantly written.
Chuckling, outright laughing, gasping in fear of what might happen, needing of fans due to sexy times, weepy eyes, yelling at a certain someone, NO!, wanting to smack someone hard and just LOVING every bit of the journey I was taken on...all happen in this book.
Cannot recommend this enough and yet.....hoping that the feeling that this might not be the end of our visits with Vic, Dan and Jack is correct.
Fingers crossed!
Merged review:
Everything and I do mean EVERYTHING that we have come to know and love about Vic , Dan and Jack are expanded in this story. The way they interact with each other is amazing to see. The hot times, the dad, dad, son times, the Vic with...well you'll see just what I mean and you think like I did, " Omg that is SO Vic! "
Not gonna lie, some hard things to read and wrap your head around in this. It is all a part of their story so we must "buckle up buttercup", like I used to tell my kids, for it's a bit of a bumpy ride.
So worth it though!
Vic is still Vic, Dan is still Dan and Jack is a delightful, insightful and amazing kid.
A lot of things are addressed in this deeper than ever before. New challenges are put before one of my most favorite couples. How they deal or don't , deal with them is brilliantly written.
Chuckling, outright laughing, gasping in fear of what might happen, needing of fans due to sexy times, weepy eyes, yelling at a certain someone, NO!, wanting to smack someone hard and just LOVING every bit of the journey I was taken on...all happen in this book.
Cannot recommend this enough and yet.....hoping that the feeling that this might not be the end of our visits with Vic, Dan and Jack is correct.
Fingers crossed!
Merged review:
Everything and I do mean EVERYTHING that we have come to know and love about Vic , Dan and Jack are expanded in this story. The way they interact with each other is amazing to see. The hot times, the dad, dad, son times, the Vic with...well you'll see just what I mean and you think like I did, " Omg that is SO Vic! "
Not gonna lie, some hard things to read and wrap your head around in this. It is all a part of their story so we must "buckle up buttercup", like I used to tell my kids, for it's a bit of a bumpy ride.
So worth it though!
Vic is still Vic, Dan is still Dan and Jack is a delightful, insightful and amazing kid.
March 3, 2020
Life in not so HEA
I really love VL Locey's book because the characters and situations are so realistic. I mean, Victor is not your typical swoon-worthy heartthrob lead. He has real issues, a real temper, and yet...you can't help but love him.
I found this update in the Victor/Dan/Heather/Brooks relationship very interesting. Could you get a more complicated dynamic? Well, I'm sure you could but this one is fascinating. Follow and as though decisions are needed when the couple's move to the next phase of their lives.
You get to revisit some great friends from previous books and see how things have changed (or not) for them.
The topic of gender fluidity is new to me. I've heard the term but didn't really understand what it meant until I experienced it through Jack and the parents.
If you liked Life accordby to Liam, Jack had some fantastically scripted sayings that reminded me of Liam. Probably the best explanation for Paul Revere's role in the American Revolution included!
While the book stands alone, you'll likely get more out it if you read the Point Shot trilogy and Cayuga Cougars series first. I wish I had reread them before embarking on the next life stage for these characters so their relationships and situations were fresh in my mind. I was simply too eager to jump back in to their world. There is enough explanation in this book that rereading isn't necessary, just helpful.
Well done on another hockey story with LGBTQ focus.
I really love VL Locey's book because the characters and situations are so realistic. I mean, Victor is not your typical swoon-worthy heartthrob lead. He has real issues, a real temper, and yet...you can't help but love him.
I found this update in the Victor/Dan/Heather/Brooks relationship very interesting. Could you get a more complicated dynamic? Well, I'm sure you could but this one is fascinating. Follow and as though decisions are needed when the couple's move to the next phase of their lives.
You get to revisit some great friends from previous books and see how things have changed (or not) for them.
The topic of gender fluidity is new to me. I've heard the term but didn't really understand what it meant until I experienced it through Jack and the parents.
If you liked Life accordby to Liam, Jack had some fantastically scripted sayings that reminded me of Liam. Probably the best explanation for Paul Revere's role in the American Revolution included!
While the book stands alone, you'll likely get more out it if you read the Point Shot trilogy and Cayuga Cougars series first. I wish I had reread them before embarking on the next life stage for these characters so their relationships and situations were fresh in my mind. I was simply too eager to jump back in to their world. There is enough explanation in this book that rereading isn't necessary, just helpful.
Well done on another hockey story with LGBTQ focus.
January 6, 2020
Oh, Victor, how I have missed you!!!!! I was so pleased to learn there was a new story about Vic and Dan (& their son Jack). Vic is as acerbic as always, as prickly as ever . . . but when a slew of challenges hits him hard, you get to know the inner Vic that Dan loves just a little more.
I adore that Locey has allowed Jack to develop his “boy heart” and his “girl heart” and I cheer that all his parentals are supportive of him in this. (I’m following Vic’s lead in still using male pronouns for him at this time)
Although I’ve been a Dan fan for a very long time, there were occasionally times early on when he seemed a bit weak, especially when sharing scenes with the larger-than-life Vic. However, Dan raised to the challenge and showed his backbone well, teaching readers that he is still the tough guy we got to know and love, and that he can be strong as he continues to love Vic.
Locey skillfully manipulated my emotions with a Jack subplot that aroused anger, protectiveness and joy.
I love this family and can’t wait for the next book in the series (which, from the preview, seems to take a few years’ jump).
Locey did not disappoint as she draws us back into the Arou-Kalinski world. This is a fabulous follow-up to the Caryuga Cougars series.
I adore that Locey has allowed Jack to develop his “boy heart” and his “girl heart” and I cheer that all his parentals are supportive of him in this. (I’m following Vic’s lead in still using male pronouns for him at this time)
Although I’ve been a Dan fan for a very long time, there were occasionally times early on when he seemed a bit weak, especially when sharing scenes with the larger-than-life Vic. However, Dan raised to the challenge and showed his backbone well, teaching readers that he is still the tough guy we got to know and love, and that he can be strong as he continues to love Vic.
Locey skillfully manipulated my emotions with a Jack subplot that aroused anger, protectiveness and joy.
I love this family and can’t wait for the next book in the series (which, from the preview, seems to take a few years’ jump).
Locey did not disappoint as she draws us back into the Arou-Kalinski world. This is a fabulous follow-up to the Caryuga Cougars series.
August 31, 2024
I still love Dan and Vic so much, but this book was hard to read cause we basically just read about Vic’s whole life just going to shit, and I felt so sad for him. First, his husband is called up to play with the big leagues in Boston which is great for his career, but to Vic and his abandonment issues, it’s a hard pill to swallow. Then, the mother of his son tells him that her and her boyfriend will move out to Louisiana, and take Jack with her. Basically, life is taking away the two people Vic cares for and has been striving to be better for. So he fucks up his sobriety, gets drunk and gets fired. Ouch. Just seeing all of it happening made my heart ache so bad for him. Yes, he is still an asshole, but I am attached!!!
Vic was the main focus of this book, so we didn’t see much of him and Dan, but I didn’t mind, I know that they’re established, we still got to see Dan explode and doubt and all and that was good. My one fear was when the custody battle was evoked, that it was going to turn into some misogynistic bullshit: as we follow Vic’s POV we are kinda primed to root for him and Dan to get custody, but having two guys « steal » a kid away from his mother felt so icky and I didn’t want that to happen, so even though I am sad that they’re not getting to see their son often, I like the compromise they reached.
Anyway, I really like this series and Dan and Vic as a couple and characters. I feel like they’re flawed in a compelling way, and they got me to root for Vic who is a MESS of a human, so…
Vic was the main focus of this book, so we didn’t see much of him and Dan, but I didn’t mind, I know that they’re established, we still got to see Dan explode and doubt and all and that was good. My one fear was when the custody battle was evoked, that it was going to turn into some misogynistic bullshit: as we follow Vic’s POV we are kinda primed to root for him and Dan to get custody, but having two guys « steal » a kid away from his mother felt so icky and I didn’t want that to happen, so even though I am sad that they’re not getting to see their son often, I like the compromise they reached.
Anyway, I really like this series and Dan and Vic as a couple and characters. I feel like they’re flawed in a compelling way, and they got me to root for Vic who is a MESS of a human, so…
April 11, 2020
Little elates me more than spending time with Vic and Dan. They are my absolute favorite couple. So when a new book comes out with them steering the story, I am all in. Rebound is a continuation of their story after Dan gets his shot at the NHL and moves to Boston, leaving Vic behind in Cayuga. I really think this book would be a better fit for a reader that is already familiar with their background as a couple. Historically, Vic does not do well without his husband and this book spends most of its time exploring Victor trying to stay afloat emotionally with all that is going on in his life. There is some great classic Vic Kalinski dialogue that this author excels at and makes me a happy reader. The POV is singular through Victor, as it has always been in their other books, and this story is absolutely focused on his relationship with all those around him. I loved all of that, but I missed more time spent with Dan. Their time as a couple was limited since they were mostly in different cities for a lot of the story. I would have liked to seen them together more and felt a little sad because of it. I am very anxious to read more in the series
Did Not Finish
March 14, 2022DNF @ 2% because I am BEYOND annoyed.
How is anyone supposed to be able to tell this is a spin-off series? It’s not clear in the blurb because I’ve read books where the couples start out already together. The blurb NEVER says you need to have read the original series. The book inside NEVER says there’s any books preceding this at all.
I had to figure it out from a review because I just wondered if I was missing something once I started the book.
So I wondered if the author’s website mentioned anything about the previous series (which is called the Point Shot series). NOPE. There’s nothing pointing a reader in the right direction under the listing for this book. The reading order lists are for books she’s co-authored and not these books she wrote by herself. The Point Shot series books aren’t even listed under this series name! You have to KNOW the freaking hockey team of the series in order to find the books listed on the website. That’s so ridiculous! How would new readers even know to look for that???
Beyond frustrated.
This is a return to KU and I’m too annoyed to go look up and find the other books on KU to read. It’s like the author doesn’t want new readers.
How is anyone supposed to be able to tell this is a spin-off series? It’s not clear in the blurb because I’ve read books where the couples start out already together. The blurb NEVER says you need to have read the original series. The book inside NEVER says there’s any books preceding this at all.
I had to figure it out from a review because I just wondered if I was missing something once I started the book.
So I wondered if the author’s website mentioned anything about the previous series (which is called the Point Shot series). NOPE. There’s nothing pointing a reader in the right direction under the listing for this book. The reading order lists are for books she’s co-authored and not these books she wrote by herself. The Point Shot series books aren’t even listed under this series name! You have to KNOW the freaking hockey team of the series in order to find the books listed on the website. That’s so ridiculous! How would new readers even know to look for that???
Beyond frustrated.
This is a return to KU and I’m too annoyed to go look up and find the other books on KU to read. It’s like the author doesn’t want new readers.
January 7, 2020
I want to give Vic a hug. This man, he can be the most gruff, prickly, sarcastic person around most people but underneath, especially with Dan and Jack, that man, I love. He had me laughing right from the get go with his issues in the self serve line. Then the therapist...Vicki always writes great humour scenes and in Vic's voice, it's just so much better. I wish there was more Dan around to help Vic during everything (and there was a lot) that was happening, but I did love all the Vic and Jack. This book took my emotions all over the place. I'm glad we get to come back to this relationship and these two men I love reading about but holy heck Vicki, that was a bigger ride than I expected at this stage of their relationship...lol. I know you love these guys as much as we do so I can't wait to see what you have in the next book. Definitely recommend. I recieved an ARC in return for an unbiased and honest review.
March 27, 2022
4.5 Stars
Dan and Vic are one of my favorite hockey couples, so I was thrilled that Ms. Locey was giving us a chance to re-visit these two men.
This leg of Dan and Vic’s story is told from Vic’s point of view and unfortunately, things are becoming a bit rough for Vic. My heart went out to him and all the changes that were being thrown at him at once. It felt a bit like his world was suddenly crumbling around him. I just wanted to hug the prickly bastard.
While things weren’t easy, the love between Dan and Vic stayed strong throughout. The chemistry and connection between them was just as strong as ever and they are still super sexy together.
This was a well-written story and a great addition to Dan and Vic’s story. It was an enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to moving onto the next installment in Vic and Dan’s journey. If you haven’t met Dan and Vic, please be sure to start at the beginning with Two Man Advantage. Definitely recommendable!
**borrowed thru KU**
January 5, 2020
Review by: Jennifer
(5 stars)
OK, so a little advice; read the previous stories about Vic and Dan. They have thier own trilogy, Point Shot Trilogy Boxset (this way its all in one book), then skip over to the Cayuga Cougars, book 3 this is also about them. This will set you up for this book that is def not a standalone. You get to see the progression of their relationship, how their son came into the picture and just really come to understand Vic. Because I had just done the Vic and Dan binge read, this book gave me the feels. My heart broke for Vic when Heather dropped her news. This is about what happens after they got their HEA and life becomes... well life, the ever changing roller coaster that we are all riding. I give this 5 stars.
(5 stars)
OK, so a little advice; read the previous stories about Vic and Dan. They have thier own trilogy, Point Shot Trilogy Boxset (this way its all in one book), then skip over to the Cayuga Cougars, book 3 this is also about them. This will set you up for this book that is def not a standalone. You get to see the progression of their relationship, how their son came into the picture and just really come to understand Vic. Because I had just done the Vic and Dan binge read, this book gave me the feels. My heart broke for Vic when Heather dropped her news. This is about what happens after they got their HEA and life becomes... well life, the ever changing roller coaster that we are all riding. I give this 5 stars.
January 3, 2020
Nothing could be better than getting another chance to visit with Vic and Dan! Much is changing in their world and this story showcases how each of them is affected by these changes.
Vic is still the same brash, impulsive, difficult but oh so lovable man that we have seen in the past. He is struggling to adapt to so many new challenges in his life. He sometimes slips and falls back into old, destructive behavior. Dan is the steady, loving hand that helps keep things on track. I just love the dynamics between these two. When one falters the other is right there holding them up.
This story will give you all the feels plus some. I know I shed more than a few tears, both sad and happy. There are also plenty of laughs along the way. It is great visiting with some old favorites again and I can't wait for more in this new series!
Vic is still the same brash, impulsive, difficult but oh so lovable man that we have seen in the past. He is struggling to adapt to so many new challenges in his life. He sometimes slips and falls back into old, destructive behavior. Dan is the steady, loving hand that helps keep things on track. I just love the dynamics between these two. When one falters the other is right there holding them up.
This story will give you all the feels plus some. I know I shed more than a few tears, both sad and happy. There are also plenty of laughs along the way. It is great visiting with some old favorites again and I can't wait for more in this new series!
January 7, 2020
I just finished Rebound (Overtime #1) and I gotta say that it is a FABULOUS, beautifully written book!! I love how you really dug deep in to Vic's psyche. When I first met Vic in the Point Shot Trilogy, I absolutely fell in love with that asshole! I wasn't quite sure where you could go with Vic and Dan at this point, but boy did you go woman! It was emotional, sexy and typically Vic. I'm so looking forward to Dan's story!! Note: In my opinion, this is NOT a standalone..In order to really get it, I think you must read Point Shot Trilogy which is on KU and/or $.99!!
December 19, 2020
Not what I was expecting at all.
I was thinking I was going to be reading yet another hockey themed m/m romance stories with a HEA, maybe a life-treating plot device thrown in there to speed things up.
But no. No, no, no, no, no. That would not do at all.
This was life as saga, with the whole grand sweep. A life with all the nasty bits still hanging off. It is grit and glitter, love and pain. Everything that makes life worth living and everything that makes one want to drown themselves in a bottle of Jack Daniels.
My hat is and will always be off to you V.L. Locey.
Well done indeed.
I was thinking I was going to be reading yet another hockey themed m/m romance stories with a HEA, maybe a life-treating plot device thrown in there to speed things up.
But no. No, no, no, no, no. That would not do at all.
This was life as saga, with the whole grand sweep. A life with all the nasty bits still hanging off. It is grit and glitter, love and pain. Everything that makes life worth living and everything that makes one want to drown themselves in a bottle of Jack Daniels.
My hat is and will always be off to you V.L. Locey.
Well done indeed.
January 2, 2020
I typically enjoy books that revisit previous couples however this one just isn’t one of my favorites.
Vic and Dan are apart most of the book due to Dan’s career taking off and Vic’s not so much. Vic deals with a lot issues on his own while Dan is out of the picture.
To me their whole relationship was lacking in this book – I know it’s the 1st in a series but just not my cup of tea when revisiting characters from previous books that have their HEA.
I love Vic with all his grumpy foul mouthed attitude and I love that Dan can typically bring him around to see the error of his ways and that was just missing in this book.
Hoping the next book in the series will correct some of the issues I have with this book.
VL’s writing is great as always just the story wasn’t one of my favorites.
#ARC kindly received in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Vic and Dan are apart most of the book due to Dan’s career taking off and Vic’s not so much. Vic deals with a lot issues on his own while Dan is out of the picture.
To me their whole relationship was lacking in this book – I know it’s the 1st in a series but just not my cup of tea when revisiting characters from previous books that have their HEA.
I love Vic with all his grumpy foul mouthed attitude and I love that Dan can typically bring him around to see the error of his ways and that was just missing in this book.
Hoping the next book in the series will correct some of the issues I have with this book.
VL’s writing is great as always just the story wasn’t one of my favorites.
#ARC kindly received in return for an honest and unbiased review.
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