Tough Guy

Game Changers #3

by Rachel Reid

They have nothing in common—so why does Ryan feel most like himself whenever he’s with Fabian?

Pro hockey star Ryan Price may be an enforcer, but off the ice he struggles with anxiety. Recently traded to the Toronto Guardians, he’s determined to make a fresh start in the city’s dynamic LGBTQ Village. The last thing he expects to stumble upon in his new neighborhood is a blast from his past in the fabulous form of Fabian Salah.

Aspiring musician Fabian loathes hockey. But that doesn’t stop him from being attracted to a certain burly, ginger-bearded defenseman. He hasn’t forgotten the kiss they almost shared back in high school, and it’s clear the chemistry between them has only intensified.

Fabian is more than happy to be Ryan’s guide to the gay scene in Toronto. Between dance clubs and art exhibits—and the most amazing sex—Ryan’s starting to feel something he hasn’t experienced in a long time: joy. But playing the role of the heavy on the ice has taken its toll on his body and mind, and a future with Fabian may mean hanging up his skates for good.

Genres: Romance, Sports, LGBT, M M Romance, Audiobook, Sports Romance, Hockey

292 pages, ebook

First published January 13, 2020

About the author

Rachel Reid is the pen name of Rachelle Goguen. She chose it because it is much easier to say, spell and remember than Rachelle Goguen!

Rachel writes cute, romantic smut, mostly about hockey players. Her Game Changers m/m hockey romance series is available from Carina Press.

Rachel/Rachelle lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has always lived there, and it's looking like she probably always will. She has two boring degrees and two interesting kids.

Reviews

[chan ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i hate to say that ilya was the highlight of this for me buuuuuut

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything in this series is a 3.5-6 star it’s just fantastic. Love how different all the stories are, Ryan and Fabien are so sweet.

Ilya cameos in every book is keeping me going.

[len ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I don’t want to alarm you, but I’m quite fond of you, Ryan Price.”

I ended up binge-reading this series and sad to say that this was the only installment I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish.

However, if you know me well, I don’t think it comes to anyone’s surprise. Despite how Heated Rivalry was a huge recommendation, a lot of my friends doubted my enjoyment of that. Meanwhile, I’m pleased to say those who told me to please give this a chance because they did believe I’d enjoy it were absolutely correct. It also doesn't surprise me to know that the book many of my friends didn’t love is the one I ended up loving.

Tough Guy is exactly the type of opposites attract I love. I haven’t read many MM romances where two characters are opposites like Fabian and Ryan–the tough, viking/lumberjack looking hunk of a man who plays hockey and punches other players, and the proud, femme boy who wears nail polish, bright eyeshadow, eyeliner, and sings. You have two characters who couldn’t look any more different, yet they work so well together. And I adored every second of them.

I had no doubts I would love Ryan. An orange (literally, a ginger) soft and gentle giant of a teddy bear who is misunderstood. There’s no redemption, but his character has qualities about him that make him intimidating and, unfortunately, comes with big expectations. This is one thing I really appreciated about this, as much as I hate it, because of the toxic hockey industry. Not only for its homophobia, but for its manly expectations of how and what a hockey player should be life. It really isn’t until a couple years ago that more hockey players started coming out. Hell, it wasn’t until July 2021 when Luke Prokop became the first NHL player to come out as gay and make NHL history. Sports industries, in general, have this mindset of what constitutes an active, sports player. And it’s seen here in Tough Guy. Ryan is hiding, and despite him looking the way he does and being a player that is known for his physical appearance and fights, he’s scared, hiding, and doesn’t like hurting others. His portrayal of a character felt authentic and real because of the expectations vs reality scenarios he was put in a lot: his type of men are the opposite of what “man” means; hunk of a guy who has anxiety; scared of planes; has pretty much no friends besides one of his teammates; is actually not the happiest when playing hockey and feels like he’s doing it for others and not himself. In other words, I loved him, and I felt every moment of hurt he felt. His emotions and feelings felt so real, and while they were valid, I appreciated the effort the author made in constructing how he felt to be seen as not okay to show the reality of hiding yourself.

I had heard this was one one of the angstiest of the series, and while it wasn’t “angsty” by my definition, it still didn’t hide from the brutal truths of a couple things. I loved the mental health portrayal of Ryan’s anxiety and general fear. His character has two masks, the real one and the fake one. But it’s the fake one that makes his character power through. He feels disappointed and, for someone his size, weak for how he is. While he doesn’t get addicted to his anxiety meds, he does come to realize he can get addicted, even experiences a moment of highness because of them. Throughout his scenes where his anxiety is shown (like on the plane, or when he’s with Fabi’s friends), he feels a sense of discomfort, like he doesn’t belong where he is. In regards to what I previously mentioned, I loved the portrayal here because it again went to show expectations versus reality. There’s the justification of judging a book by their cover–Ryan is expected and seen as a specific person, while inside, he’s someone else and wishes he could show it.

And then you have Fabian Salah.

Fabi is the complete opposite of Ryan. Effeminate and proud, Fabi wears his pride on his sleeve. Fabi doesn’t care what others think, and I loved him for it all. He’s an aspiring musician who works part-time to earn some money and spends the rest of the time performing in small venues to gain an audience. He’s the opposite of Ryan in every form–glamorous, out, and unapologetic. While he’s not a twink, he’s still a foot shorter than Ryan, slim, and a proud, femme boy. Despite what happens towards the end, I felt like Fabi understood Ryan in areas that others didn’t. Some may also describe Fabi was judgemental, but could I really blame him? Fabi has never liked hockey, mostly because of how jocks acted with him when he was young. While judging without knowing and making stereotypes isn’t really the route I’d take, I’m a firm believer in saying some stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason: because they’re real.

Ryan and Fabi don’t exactly fit the childhood friends to lovers trope, Fabi and Ryan were friends at 17 when the two lived together. Despite having strong thoughts about jocks, Ryan was able to be one of the only players who proved Fabi why they aren’t all the worst. Despite the fact that they both developed a crush on each other during their teenage years, while Fabi was out, Ryan wasn’t, which caused the two to send each other mixed singles of unsureness. Thirteen years later, they reunite, and it’s a chance they use to catch up and see where the future leads them. This is where I found most of my enjoyment to come in through. I love it when two characters who later fall in love actually become friends first, no matter how they felt about each other before. Seeing the small build-up of their friendship slowly become something more and bigger is always a highlight. In this case, Fabi and Ryan’s friendship is already there, although a little strange, but the two use a couple days that turn to weeks to catch up and grow that friendship that was slowly wearing down. These types of situations really allow me to better understand the feelings they develop for each other. Even if they already have some sort of attraction, the simple fact that they don’t act on them instantly and instead take some time to get to know each other better allows the development to progress nicely and show an emotional connection building up. Most of it is due to the small things they notice about each other, which always makes me grin like a fool because there is nothing better than character a noticing things about character b that character b wasn’t even aware of. There’s also nothing better than seeing the two characters have more than one proper conversation where they do nothing but talk about anything. Fabi and Ryan shared a lot of intimate and domestic moments between them where, even if the tension was there and the need and urge to get together was becoming more difficult, the two still took it slow and steady to make sure they were both ready.

Now, because this was the only book I loved from this series, here are some honorable mentions:

When Ryan carried Fabi’s gear without hesitation despite his back hurting

“Yeah, but he’s beautiful. And charming. And has a ton of friends who all do interesting things. And he plays music that’s, like, the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Okay, so this charming, beautiful man has been hanging out with you?”
“We haven’t really been hanging out. I went to his show last night, though, and I...walked him home after.”
Colleen’s face lit up. “Ryan! That’s adorable! Did you carry his books?”
Ryan flushed. “I carried his gear.”
“Aw. Did he kiss you good night?”
“Let’s change the subject.”

Them just hanging out and talking, like at the coffee shop, ramen place, and bookstore

Fabi brushing his delicate fingers over Ryan’s bruised knuckles (don’t judge me, I’m a sucker for this)

Ryan being adorable and flushing when Fabi was teasing him in a flirtatious way

Ryan purchasing, downloading, and listening to all of Fabi’s music and listening to it all day (I repeat, he purchased the music)

It turned out that Fabian’s music was available online. Ryan had discovered this on the Thursday after Fabian’s show, and he’d immediately purchased and downloaded everything he could find. He’d spent most of that day listening to all of it. When he’d decided, late in the afternoon, that he really needed to get some groceries for dinner, he brought his earbuds so he could continue to listen as he walked to the store.

Ryan brushing his fingers on the spot Fabi kissed him

And then Fabian stretched up and kissed Ryan on the cheek. Ryan was caught so off guard by it that he just stood there stiffly, barely registering what was happening until it was over. “Good night, Ryan.”
Fabian turned and walked away so quickly that Ryan could only mumble “good night” to his retreating back as he brushed his fingers against the spot where Fabian had kissed him.

Fabi watching Ryan’s hockey matches just because of him

But there was a text message on his phone.
From Fabian.
You scored a goal!
Ryan checked, and then double-checked, to make sure the message was from Fabian. Because it didn’t make any sense that he had watched the game. Then Ryan texted back, You watched the game?
Fabian: I was at a bar to see a friend’s band and the game was on.
Ryan: And you watched it?
Fabian: Not closely. But I saw a blue jersey with “Price” on the back so I watched for a bit.

Fabi constantly admiring Ryan, trying to show him he is beautiful no matter how much he disagrees because of their clear differences

“I wouldn’t look like you,” Ryan said hoarsely.
“Have you ever felt beautiful, Ryan?” Was Fabian’s face even closer now?
“No.” Ryan laughed as if the question were ridiculous. “Of course not. Look at me.”
“I am looking at you.” Fabian reached out and tucked a strand of Ryan’s hair behind his ear. “You don’t think you’re beautiful?”
“I—” Ryan could only imagine what the two of them, side by side, must look like right now. The stark difference between Fabian’s staggering beauty and Ryan’s old weathered barn of a body.
Fabian was stroking his hair freely now, his fingertips gliding over Ryan’s scalp, then down his cheek into his beard. Ryan wasn’t sure when he’d closed his eyes, but when he opened them, Fabian was looking at him like he was something precious.

Fabi’s praise and Ryan’s need of it

The mood was effectively killed anyway, so Ryan decided to go for broke. “I need...instruction.”
Fabian’s eyes widened. “Like...domination?”
“No! No. That’s not what I mean. I just need a lot of...” It took a moment, but Ryan found the right word. “Reassurance. That what I’m doing is good. Because otherwise I just spend the whole time worrying that I’m doing everything wrong.”

Ryan getting Fabi Mikimoto pearls because he thought they’d look good with the black jumpsuit Fabi owns

“Thank you. I have something for you too. I hope it’s not too much. I don’t have a lot of experience buying gifts for men I’m dating.”
“Well, let’s see how you did,” Fabian teased as he took the box. When he opened it, he gasped. “Ryan, are these Mikimoto pearls?”
“Maybe? I forget the name.”
“Holy fuck. Ryan, are you serious here?”
“If you don’t like it I can—”
“Like it? Ryan, it’s gorgeous.” He carefully pulled the long, white-gold chain from the box. The necklace was dotted with black pearls and tiny diamonds.
“I thought it would look good with that black jumpsuit you have.”
“God, it will. I can’t believe this. Is this really for me? I own this now?”
Ryan laughed. “It’s yours. The lady at the store was really excited about it. She assured me my ‘wife’ would love it.”
“She does love it. I want to put it on, but it won’t go with this sweater.”

Them trying out the sex toy Vanessa gave Fabi and laughing about it

“Ryan nodded, still biting his lip to hold back laughter, and pressed the bottom button.
“Ow! Fuck! Stop! Take it out!”
Ryan removed the toy as fast as he could without hurting Fabian. “What did it do?”
“God, it was, like, pinching the inside of my ass. It was not a good feeling.”
Ryan frowned at the toy as if he was thinking about punching it, which made Fabian laugh. “Just throw it in the sink.”
Ryan darted to the bathroom, where he presumably dropped the terrible toy into the sink, and returned to the bed. “So it’s not getting a good review?”
They both cracked up, laughing until they became tangled in each other on the bed. “Oh god,” Fabian wheezed, “this was supposed to be such a sexy evening.”

Fabi sitting on a stool to kiss Ryan so he doesn’t have to bend or lift him up because he’s a foot shorter (there is something about height differences that get to me).

Adding on to that, every moment of interaction in this was so easily visible, sometimes it felt like I could see the interactions in real life. Fabi’s friends, especially, would probably and usually be the type I could easily get annoyed with. Meddling side characters, in general, are a pet peeve of mine. Luckily, Fabi’s friends here didn’t feel that way. They were supportive in the true friendship way–supportive, teasing, and loving. As I was reading, I also noticed their dialogues were clear to see. They never felt fake or forced, but the flow of them felt natural and even essential. They always felt necessary for the current situation, and they gradually added to the plot and characters. I thought they took just the right amount of page time, which can be quite rare for me to say. As for Ryan, one of his only and close friends is Wyatt, who starts off as a player in his team but later gets traded. He was supportive from the start and was patient with Ryan in every way. His sincerity was real.

I also had different feelings about the unnecessary miscommunication towards the end compared to others. Before reading this, I had heard about it. But even though I was expecting it, it also wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. For me, it didn’t seem like Fabi gave Ryan an ultimatum because I didn’t think he ever really told Ryan to make a decision. More or so, Fabi made the decision for him and Ryan (which is usually the case of the miscommunication trope, which is why it leads to miscommunication in the first place). Did I think what Fabi did helped the situation? Absolutely not. I thought it could have been handled differently. I hated how little Fabi really thought of the entire situation and of Ryan. I thought if he was someone who loved Ryan, he would have been there for him and helped him. I wished he had given Ryan time. However, I could also understand where Fabian was coming from. Ryan tells him he doesn’t understand his situation, which Fabi takes as an insult and epiphany because, as he realizes, he really doesn’t. But part of this has to do with how Fabi doesn’t understand because Ryan doesn’t let him understand. They both hid from each other, but mostly Ryan. He hides his pain and pretends he’s okay. He forces himself to act differently for the sake of Fabi. There were already signals that were alerting the future misunderstanding. So despite how much I loved Ryan, and how upset it made me that Fabi couldn’t be there for him when he needed all of his support, I can’t be mad at him when Ryan also had a role in the situation. In my opinion, misunderstanding (in books, at least) is always caused by both characters. Even if one is hurting more than the other, there’s always fault at both ends.

So even with the dreaded miscommunication at the end, I really enjoyed this. I had high hopes for most of this series, but maybe the hype every book has received made my expectations too high. Despite this, I’m glad I still gave it a chance, and happy that I managed to really enjoy this one.

“Fabian. Look at me.” That was probably a mistake because Ryan forgot how awful his mouth looked. He noticed Fabian’s flinch when he turned his eyes up. Ryan tugged him closer. “My life is a fucking mess, but the one thing I know for sure is that I like being with you. And I would like to be with you as much as possible.”

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"So, you want to tell us about that hockey lumberjack or what?"

Ryan Price (the hockey lumberjack in question) has been the enforcer of every team he's ever been on - he knows his reputation and he knows exactly what would happen if everyone actually knew what was going on in his head.

"...wished he could just wear a sign that said I’m sorry. I am terrible at socializing. Please don’t take it personally."

He's the guy who's called in to fight when they don't want the star player to get messed up but after all these years, he's the one who's all screwed up.

He's 6'7", built like a truck, and yet, he can barely it on the plane cause of his anxiety and let's not even start about how he feels when he's trying to talk to another guy. Not that he's had much dating experience with his new anxiety meds making *ahem* relations difficult.

But then, Ryan meets Fabian. THE Fabian. From the family that Ryan briefly lived with while he was working on his hockey skills in high school. THE FABIAN who Ryan had the most massive crush on and who apparently still ticks all the boxes.

Ryan could not believe he was trying to describe his perfect man to his perfect man. "Okay. This is it: I like men who sort of look at what men are supposed to be and say ‘fuck you.’ I like men who have the confidence to be themselves."

And for once, just once, the Ryan Price who always did what his coach and teammates told him to...reaches out for something of his own.

Honestly...I liked this one way more than I expected!

I feel like it can always be a little iffy when the author tries to tackle mental illness in a romance books - but I feel like the author did such a great job with the characters. There was a good balance of realism of living with a condition but also adding in the fluffy moments to keep things from feeling too bleak.

I liked how Fabian was famous in his own right which definitely helped balance Ryan's pro-hockey career (in terms of money and power dynamics in a relationship - what can I say? I like my characters to have equal footing).

Another thing I liked about the book is it dealt with how to handle a career that you no longer want. While I never went pro in hockey like Ryan, I do have experience in spending a lot (and I mean a LOT) of time preparing for a career that ultimately didn't make me happy.

I went so far as to get my PhD in the science field, and similarly to Ryan, had a bit of a breakdown and needed to really reconsider where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do with my life. It was hard to pivot so late and after I sunk so many hours into something I used to think I wanted but I felt so much better when I cut myself off from that world.

Annnnyway, long story short: Ryan deserves the world and I'm so happy with how the book ended for him.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook re-read 2026, rating bumped down to 3 stars

As many of you are here from 2025/2026 with the phenomenon of the Heated Rivalry TV show, I've been re-reading the whole series to see if it holds up (obvi Ilya and Shane are untouchable).

The audiobook of Tough Guy is not amazing, and I'm not surprised that the narrator switched in the middle of the series. It definitely factored into my feelings about the book on re-read. But regardless of that, this book is just much more bland than the other books in the series. Ryan and Fabian don't have that kind of chemistry that jumps out on page. I still empathize with Ryan and I still am touched by his story, but the book felt very slow and a slog to get through.

I felt nostalgic while reading this book, but I would skip it on another series re-read.

***
Original review from 2019

*3.75 stars*

Tough Guy is a very different book from Heated Rivalry, which was one of my favorite books of 2019. It's a more... angsty story, a lot weightier, and though I enjoyed it, I didn't adore it like the second in the series.

I loved the fact that we get a confident, femme MC. I'm always into books with MCs who play with gender and blur the lines, and so Fabian was a real pleasure to read. I adored his confidence, and though he edged towards too judgmental and unsupportive of Ryan at times, he was a sweet character with an amazing group of friends. In fact, I think he had the best friend group I've read about in a long time.

Ryan really touched me. As an anxious person with a child who suffers from anxiety, I really related to him and his struggles. He is a gentle giant, even with his job as an enforcer. I loved that he was so very different from the typical male romance MC. He was so sweet and so earnest that my heart really went out to him. Also, his sexual difficulties aren't usually discussed in romance, which I found to be refreshing. Real relationships have challenges and aren't all sex, all the time (well, most of the time!).

While I found the pairing to be really lovely and with great chemistry, I found the plot to be slightly slow. I read the book quickly, but I didn't feel that urgency to finish that I do with a 5-star read.

If you want an opposites attract romance with some hockey angst to boot and MCs that you don't usually see in romance, this will be the story for you. I think Rachel Reid is on a great roll with this series.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*


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[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Overall, I enjoyed this more than I expected. Especially the first half of the book. Loved the dialogues, the pacing was just right for me and the story had a very natural flow.
The second half of the book had some ups and downs.

When I started this, I wasn't sure how I would feel about Ryan. He is not the type of character I would expect to like, but he really grew on me. He is such a sweetheart and I actually found him very relatable.
His relationship with Fabian was mostly very sweet, but I felt like it was lacking something more.

There were some great side characters in this story. I loved Wyatt. He was such a wonderful friend to Ryan. I also really liked all of Fabian's friends. I enjoyed every scene with them, their banter was super fun and genuine. This author really knows how to write dialogues that sound natural and realistic.

I started listening to this story on audio, but I'm afraid I didn't get very far. The narration didn't work for me at all, so I switched to ebook.

*******
Re-read 4/2022: Enjoyed it even more this time around. Full 4 stars.

[Alright Hey (Matt) · Rating 2 out of 5]

it’s a no from me

a tacky plot with tackier characters and the tackiest ending. I’m not even kidding half the plot is that one of them cums too fast the other can’t cum at all. :))))

it was all just a bit weird and lacklustre. Ryan was the more enjoyable character even though he gave us literally ✨nothing✨. Fabian was camp and cute and had much more depth but honestly just seemed selfish and bratty. Both characters weren’t that likeable and it was like reading a really tragic boring pathetic relationship blossom into.. whatever it blossomed into in the end.

Skip this one LMAO. Wish I did xx

[Ali L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come for the opposites-attract love story, stay for the staring-longingly-into-the-distance Ilya appearances.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't love it.Didn't hate it.It was ok.


Maybe I was,unfairly,comparing it to book two which was one of my favourite books from last year.Was I expecting that same intensity? Most definitely.But,to be fair,this was a completely different book.



Let's start with the positives....



Fabian He is my absolute favourite type of character.Femme( enough said really)...I loved everything about him.I could wax lyrical all day about him.


Ryan,on the other hand....I had mixed feelings about him.At times I kind of melted and at times he just irritated me( the inner thoughts started to bore me).


Overall,I loved these two guys together.I got their connection and chemistry,I really did.But something just wasn't pulling me into this one.I stalled around half way and never really got going again.



Review copy provided from the publisher,via NetGalley.

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one.

Book 2 will forever be my favourite book ever. I went into this one with zero expectations and tried really hard not to compare it to book 2. I think i succeeded.

This is the story of Ryan the hockey enforcer and Fabian the aspiring Indie Musician. It is some sort of second chance thingy/the one that got away thingy.

I liked both characters, Ryan is a giant teddy bear, he struggles with anxiety, i wanted to hold him and wrap him in a warm blanket. Fabian is the complete opposite of Ryan, He is femme, confident out and proud, who loves to wear eyeliner, lipstick and lace. Me likey him alot.

So why only 3?

The writing is good and the story flowed so well. This one deals with some I felt like the beginning dragged, it only picked up for me at around 40%. The MCs spent too much time in their head. I also missed the hockey in this one. I like Fabian and his friends but they took away some page time. I found myself zoning out then i had to go back and read again to see what i missed. Ugh!!

The relationship between Ryan and Fabian was just ok, it didn't give me butterflies, there was something missing, huh? Maybe some intense chemistry and hot, hot sex? Or maybe it was the build up. Ryan and Wyatt on the other hand! Made me all tingly, their conversations were what gave me butterflies. Those two got mad bromance chemistry.

Overall, it was an ok cute story, the writing was good, the characters likable enough. Oh! and we got Ilya and Shane cameo. Me is good.

ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[nark · Rating 3 out of 5]

“my life is a fucking mess, but the one thing i know for sure is that i like being with you. and i would like to be with you as much as possible. i’m happy when i’m with you.” 🖤

i enjoyed this more than i thought i would. i didn’t dnf this, despite it dragging a little towards the end, so i count that as win!

this book had the whole opposites attract thing that i tend to usually like. however, i am very sad to announce that didn’t love the mcs together that much lol.

Ryan stole my heart from the very beginning, while i had trouble fully connecting with Fabian, or liking him in general tbh.

Ryan is the epitome of don’t judge a book by its cover. he’s this big, intimidating looking dude, but under the surface he’s super shy, awkward, has anxiety, has low self esteem, is terrified of flying. he’s just such giant teddy bear.🥺 so gentle and sweet. i love him.

“maybe this isn’t obvious,” Ryan said, “but i’m a fucking mess.” oh Ryan, baby, i just wanna wrap you in a blanket and hide you from the world.🖤

the way i related to this man… i have horrible anxiety and the thought of talking to people sometimes literally makes me want to vomit, so seeing him struggle so much with social interaction was really sad, since i know exactly how all that shit feels. however, in a way, it was also nice seeing a character have the same struggles i have. gotta love realistic anxiety representation.

“he wished he could just wear a sign that said - i’m sorry. i am terrible at socialising. please don’t take it personally.” maybe i should do that…🧐🤔

as i mentioned, i had trouble connecting with Fabian. he’s a musician. he’s artsy, super confident, loves attention and praise. Fabian is relaxed when it comes to human interaction, he’s quite laid back in general. he’s very unlike Ryan, who overthinks everything.

“i hope you don’t think you’re getting the better end of this deal, Ryan, because i have never been with anyone who makes me as happy as you do.”

i know that being completely different is the whole point of opposites attract… but i just found something missing from their relationship.

me not loving their relationship in general clearly wasn’t enough, because the inevitable dumb plot twist that you see from a mile away came along.

🏒 spoilers incoming. look away if you don’t want to be spoiled for this book! 🏒

the break up was SO fucking stupid. i knew it was coming, because Fabian clearly couldn’t stand the fact that Ryan is a hockey player, who constantly fights people on the ice, but WHY would you break up with a person you love, instead of trying to sort out the actual problem like a normal person? the way he just left didn’t slide for me AT ALL. my sweet gentle giant Ryan just deserved better than that.🙄 he needed actual support and love at that moment, not for his asshole boyfriend to LEAVE him. the whole situation was just so fucking dumb.

and yeah, sure, Ryan clearly doesn’t love hockey as much as he used to, and the whole situation of him not taking time off to actually heal was terrible, but STILL, it’s not Fabian’s fucking decision on whether Ryan plays or not. that slight pressure i felt from him towards Ryan to quit hockey made me silently fume. like who the fuck would walk away from an actual NHL career just like that??🙄 nobody!

anywayssss… i’m glad that Fabian later realised that he was acting like an asshole and sort of apologised, but i’m still a little salty as you can tell.🤣

🏒 end of spoilers. 🏒

this had some great side characters. i actually really liked Fabian’s friend group. also, Wyatt was such a wonderful friend to Ryan, i absolutely love their friendship.

the random Ilya appearances made me SO happy.🥰🙈😌 the way this man just instantly steals the show is un-fucking-believable. i adore him. the little moment at the end we got of Shane/Ilya made me actually laugh out loud. i love them.🥺

to sum up, this book definitely wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. it’s just there, existing. since i loved Ryan so much, i can’t help but feel a little bit sad that i didn’t love this book that much. but at least i have a new mc to add to my long list of favourites. 🥰

[Drusilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I freaking fucking loooooove this book. OMG what is happening? This is so unreal.
So, I read this in one go. I had plans, plans for other books, but I couldn’t put it down.
Even so the beginning of this story weirded me out, this is also the reason for not giving it five stars. Ryan describing his cock was just not good. I get it, the not loving your body thing and being unable to get off, believe me I really get it. But I do not like how the author wrote this description because it is not simple the hate for your parts it is gross how it is done.
All the other things in this book were wonderful. I absolutely love both characters and the plot and the relationship and I got a bit more of the substance and depth that the first two books were lacking. But all three stories are completely different and not comparable.
I really love the dynamic between Ryan and Fabian. I love how they're getting closer and how they talk about things even when it hurts.
Oh, and Ryan, I just want to cuddle him.
I almost came when he stood up to Kent, that was so awesome.
And do I love Ilya's little scene? Of course, I was breathless and had stars in my eyes.

Ryan was increasingly overwhelmed by the feeling that he did not belong here. He wished he could fit in with these sparkling, creative people, but he didn’t. He was a dark cloud, and it was time he drifted away. 🥺🥺🥺

Fabian fell on top of Ryan’s enormous body and kissed him. It was hard to do because he was laughing. And maybe Ryan was laughing too. It felt good to get all of their sexual laundry aired before they started playing around. It was refreshing to be so honest with a new partner. ❥♥️❥

As Ilya was unlocking his Mercedes SUV, he said, “Find something that makes you happy, Price. Hold on to it.” 🫠🫠🫠

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

Honestly, I intended to wait to read this until closer to its release but I am currently muddled in a reading desert complete with tumbleweeds and the occasional snake so... I needed a slam dunk.

AND that's what Reid delivered in the third of the Game Changers series which, by the way, was completely different in tone to its predecessors. I found myself impressed with Reid's range and ability to straddle the line between sweet and meaty. Let it be known, I'm not averse to closeted characters and Ryan is in no way wearing Pride boxers in the locker room but it was a nice change of pace to have a hockey player who doesn't morph into a closet monster at the drop of a hat.

"You're a giant, orange teddy bear with deep pockets!"

Tough Guy features a ginger gentle giant that will pull on the heartstrings of even the most callous of readers. Ryan struggles with anxiety and body image issues both of which run deep. My heart broke for him more than once and I appreciated that the magic peen panacea wasn't trotted out. All his life he's found it difficult to connect with people both personally and professionally which has landed him on the trading block multiple times.

Was it possible for your heart to hold on to a ridiculous crush for thirteen years?

Which is how he lands in Toronto and with a little help from the serendipity gods has a chance run in with his high school crush, Fabian, or should I say a second chance run in? Full disclosure, I'm kind of a sucker for the unrequited love being requited trope especially when both parties were moony over each other.

"There's always been something about you. I've always been drawn to you. Is that weird?"

Ryan considered it. "I don't know. But I feel the same way."

Fabian is Ryan's polar opposite: femme, confident, extroverted and loves the spotlight. He's an emerging local singer/songwriter who at one point was chosen for the Toronto Symphony. In short, super talented, super adorable, gives zero fucks what anyone thinks of him and, needless to say, has to carry the bulk of the lets get reacquainted portion of the relationship early on for obvious reasons. The scales do balance with Ryan treating Fabian like he's the center of the universe and Fabian's almost preternatural ability to temper Ryan's mental health issues which is a must for me as a romance reader with a squishy marshmallow center.

The relationship evolves realistically and Ryan's angst was offset by Fabian's easy-breeziness coupled with their obvious chemistry. However, while they are enamored of each other Tough Guy is considerably less sexy than the other books in the series. It's more of a quiet sexiness with one BAJANGAJANG scene that was worthy of a reread. For science. Which proved my hypothesis that jazz hands and some primal... vocalizations really enhance the experience. True story.

Also, Tough Guy's secondary characters were on point! All of them. They were fantastic and fun including a certain Russian who makes a couple of appearances which you know I was 100% on board with. #1-FAN

If you're a fan of the series, sports romance, opposites attract, second chances or someone who can appreciate a significant size difference in their reads then give Tough Guy a whirl. I, for one, am hoping these two turn up again as the series continues.

p.s. It can probably be read as a standalone, though I would never recommend that. Because Ilya.

p.p.s. Sorry. I talked a lot about a Rachel Reid book. Again.



An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough Guy is book three in the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid. I loved this book but I think I also struggled with it the most of this series so far. Only because one of the characters just broke my heart. Read on and I’ll tell you about him.



Ryan Price is thirty one years old. He had a gift for hockey since he was a kid. But with his huge size and strength, he was always placed in the position of enforcer. The guy whose job it was on the ice to fight. And fight he did. He was feared. But off the ice, Ryan struggled with so many issues. He was painfully shy, had severe anxiety, and the constant fighting on the ice was taking a toll on his body. He was on anxiety medications which were also causing him problems.



Ryan, as all pro hockey hopefuls did, spent a year with a host family when he was seventeen. It was there that he formed a tentative friendship with the seventeen year old son of the family he lived with. He had a huge crush on him but never acted on it. He was still struggling with accepting his own sexuality back then. Now, Ryan has once again been traded to the Toronto Guardians. He’s exploring his new neighborhood when he sees him, that boy who is now a man that he crushed on all those years ago, right in front of him!



Fabian Salah was raised in a family that loved hockey, which was the furthest thing from anything that interested him. When they realized he was never going to be into sports, he just kind of got forgotten. Fabian can’t stand hockey as a result, or hockey players. Except one. The boy from his teenage years that he had a crazy crush on that stayed with his family. And now here he is, and Fabian is just as smitten with him as he was all those years ago.



Ryan struggles with just about everything, his own body image, how to talk to others. But somehow it’s easier with Fabian. The more time they spend together, the stronger his feelings are for him. To him, Fabian is the most beautiful human being he’s ever seen. How could he ever be anything to him?

As I said, watching Ryan struggle was painful for me. He had a supportive family but everything was just so difficult for him. Fabian was perfect for him in that way, he accepted his struggles and just seemed to know how to help him. But Fabian still has very strong feelings about the world of hockey. And he can see what it’s doing to Ryan. Can he stay quiet and support Ryan no matter what? Is he strong enough to support Ryan in something that he knows will eventually ruin him, if it hasn’t already?

These two were so sweet together. It was a pretty emotional book. I really enjoyed seeing the effect that Fabian had on Ryan. I love this series. This book was just the hardest for me so far. The next book in the series, book four, is Common Goal. I can’t wait to read it.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Imme van Gorp · Rating 4 out of 5]

|| 3.5 stars ||

➛First read: May 2022 | ★3.5 stars
➛Second read: April 2023 | ★3.5 stars

This was so cute, adorable, wholesome and even a little bit touching.

Ryan is the literal embodiment of a gentle giant. He is so sweet and shy that it was incredibly easy to love him. That's why it was also rather regretful to see that he has such low self-esteem, a constant feeling of anxiety and a clear case of depression. Ryan is just a big ball of nerves and insecurities, and my heart broke for how he has gone 13 years in the NFL without anyone giving him the love and attention he clearly deserved.

Fabian, on the other hand, was basically the complete opposite: he was confident, happy, fun, flamboyant, and just generally satisfied with life (except for his dating habits). Like Ryan, I found it very easy to like him. He just seemed like he was so well put together and was simply a great person to be around, and I love that. Especially considering he had such a tough time growing up with his ‘masculine’ hockey loving family, which made it extra beautiful to see how he came out the other end feeling so happy with himself and his life!

Ryan and Fabian's relationship was one I genuinely found extremely sweet. Fabian was so good for Ryan, but I also appreciated that it wasn't like he 'cured' Ryan. As long as Ryan was in that horrible environment of being a NFL enforcer, there was no way he would ever be truly happy, and even then, Ryan's issues are likely also just a part of who he is.

I can understand why dating someone like Ryan would be hard, and although I can see why some people might be a little bit annoyed by some of Fabian's actions (such as the break-up scene), I felt it was understandable, and the best thing for Fabian to do for himself. You can't live your life for someone else, and even if both of them were miserable apart, it makes sense for Fabian to not want to be around such self-destructive behaviour.

Nonetheless, Fabian was generally like a bright light in Ryan's extremely dark life, and my heart swooned every time it was obvious how much Ryan adored Fabian. Fabian encouraged Ryan to open up, do new things, experience joy, and be the sweet and gentle guy he was deep inside beneath that tough exterior. It was so lovely.

Another thing I really appreciated in this book (aside from the mental health portrayal and sweet relationship dynamic) were the genuine friendships between Ryan and Wyatt but also Fabian and his group of friends. Both were such authentic displays of friendship, and I found it heart-warming to read. I loved those parts so much.

I am sure this book could have done some things differently to make it even better, but all in all I thought this was incredibly cute and very enjoyable!


'Game Changers' series:
1. Game Changer - 2.0 stars
2. Heated Rivalry - 5.0 stars
3. Tough Guy - 3.5 stars
4. Common Goal - 2.5 stars
5. Role Model - 3.5 stars
6. The Long Game - 4.0 stars

[Laura Greenhalgh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ryan and Fabian are ADORABLE 😭

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous entry in this ice hockey series from Rachel Reid.

I love how each book has been different in narrative, tone and in the romance it tells and this one could be my favourite of the lot because I just adored Ryan Price and everything about him.

Fabian was also an interesting character, but I took longer to warm up to him because, while he was wonderful mostly in the way he intuitively understood Ryan's fears and anxieties, he also had a serious chip on his shoulder which I didn't think really was earned to the degree he exercised it.

That's a minor quibble though in a book which is otherwise a beautiful slow burn romance, one in which two men who are as different as light and dark can find common ground in their appreciation of what makes the other unique.

Fabian was unashamedly queer, Ryan quietly so, but he also wasn't closeted and didn't hide his attraction to Fabian.

Ryan's clinical anxieties were handled with consideration by the author, I never felt like they were overplayed or that they were brushed aside with the properties of magical dick.

It was also different to have a main character who wasn't always able to engage fully in sexual activity because of his inner fears and anxieties and I really want to commend Rachel Reid for taking this approach.

I never once felt that Fabian or Ryan were missing out on anything because of their lack of penetrative sex, although there is one incredibly beautiful and seriously hot scene in which they do.

The emotional connection between them, and Ryan's joy in just finding his anxieties put aside long enough to enjoy Fabian's sexual release was a very powerful narrative.

There's a lovely guest appearance from our favourite mouthy Russian and his all-Canadian secret ice hockey superstar boyfriend and I loved how their book was brought into this one with a subtle nod and hint.

All round another great addition to what's been, for me, a really brilliant series of sports romances.

#ARC kindly received from the author via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

Ryan and Fabian are no Ilya and Shane, but really, that’s an impossible act to follow.

I obvioulsy enjoyed this book. Where this excels the most is the character Ryan. His anxious gentle giant nature clashing with his fighter hockey persona wrings out plenty of emotions.

Reid surprisingly captures Ryan’s struggles with sympathy and empathy, not shying away from the uncomfortable parts when it comes to dealing with one’s fears that aren’t just easily magically cured by therapy and medication. I appreciated Ryan’s inner turmoil and his very very gradual evolution to really dig deep in what would make him happy and not just doing something out of obligation.

Snippets of Illy were the icing on the cake, and I only have 2 more books to go till I get to revist him and Shane!

[Riley Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone knows that Heated Rivalry was my favorite read of 2019. I'm basically obsessed, especially with Ilya. I was nervous to read this just because I loved book two so much. I was lucky enough to get an ARC and I absolutely LOVED it. I mean, it's different. Let's just get that out there now. It's different from the first two books in the series and really different from book two but that's one of my favorite things about it. I love that Rachel stayed true to Ryan and Fabian's story and Ryan's character and told this story authentically and as it came to her. I really loved Ryan. He's a gentle giant. Honestly, he's different from any character I've read and he just really touched my heart. He stood out and she went there in ways I'm not sure others would have done and it made me a fan for life. Fabian was great and he and Ryan were great together, but man I just wanted to hug Ryan and be his friend and tell him how wonderful he was. Great book, great series!

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars — all my love to hollanov, but whewwww they are VANILLA compared to ryan and fabian?!

love the spotlight on ryan’s anxiety and how it was handled. this series continues to emphasize the importance of positive masculinity in different ways, and i’m here for it. 🩵

[Wendys Wycked Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of this series and the second book, Heated Rivalry is definitely one of my all times faves. I have fallen head over heels on love with Ilya and I don't think I will be recovering anytime soon I don't even want to !!



So, of course, there was never any question about me reading this third book in the series, which by the way can be read as a stand-alone. I don't know why you would want to do that since I just told you about Ilya and his awesomeness... but you could.

Now as much as I enjoyed this one, it just wasn't the same. I knew that before I even started it that it would be. All these three books are pretty different from one another. This one was a bit heavier on the hurt/comfort/emotional side. 



Now it isn't that this book wasn't good, it is just that the second book left such a huge impression on me, that my expectations for this one were maybe a bit too high. I know that isn't fair because they are completely different books...but I can't help how I felt either. 

Ryan and Fabian were definitely sweet together...and did I mention HOT... they were definitely HOT as well ;)



Also, there are some awesome appearances from my all-time favorite Russian hottie !!

So even though this book did not surpass the previous one (it is gonna be hard to top anyway) I did still enjoy reading it and I am very curious what is gonna be next from this author ;) 


An ARC was provided to

in exchange for an honest review

 

[꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱ brandon sklenar’s baby (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was... okay. i don't know what to say more than that.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I waited for SO LONG before heading into book 3 because I felt like there was NO WAY in FUCK, any book could compare to the feral rat love of book 2????????
There's a reason we are all feral for Ilya and I almost knew it my soul that book 3 wouldn't be able to compete and I feared I'd insta-hate it or insta-compare it to book 2.

I admit


Even if it doesn't get to the 5 star goodness of book 2... This was a solidly sweet, feet kicking time!

The first half of this book was incredibly strong, and it fizzled a bit second half for me.
But that's a reflection of me and not the book, because I like the chase, the awkward build up, the uncertain flirty interactions and the anxiety in the beginning parts of working out another person.... and this book was FULL of that.

Ryan was so fucking endearing, he's just a big ole skin-vibrating-levels of anxious bean.


I AM FUCKING WEAK A BIG TALL MAN AND HIS SMOL FEMININE NAIL POLISH WEARNING BOYFRIEND.💅🏻
And, as much as this book really doesn't focus on the size difference between the mc's, it does focus on how fucking huge Ryan is, so of course my brain decides, hmmmm yes, size difference is a thing you love.

[Hayley ☾ (TheVillainousReader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 S T A R S

Heated Rivalry (book 2 in this series) was one of my favorite reads of last year and is my favorite contemporary M/M romance. That being said, I went into this read with lower expectations, assuming that I probably wouldn't love it as much and sadly for me that turned out to be true.

Even sadder was that this didn't even rank as "I liked it" for me. I didn't hate this, but I was bored throughout. Which makes me think that this could possibly be an instance of not the book but me because this really wasn't bad.

I really loved the direction that Reid decided to go with these characters, making Ryan quiet and clinically anxious which is definitely the exact opposite of what you think of a big sports star, especially one whose unofficial position on the team is "enforcer". I loved that Fabian went against society's typical concept of what men should be, that he wore FABULOUS makeup, and amazing outfits and was 100% his authentic self and everyone else could just fuck off. I loved that Ryan and Fabian discussed these norms and battle against them. Fabian's group of friends were OTT but in a way that was fun and realistic.

All that being said... everything was just so flat to me. Ryan and Fabian had personality, they just didn't have enough and when I was reading them I couldn't connect and felt like an outsider looking in. They were like a rough sketch, I could see their potential but they never became full developed. I wish Ryan's clinical anxiety had been explored more, I wish the concept of masculinity had been deeper, everything was very surface level, and I really couldn't bring myself to care. I also didn't feel any chemistry or connection between Ryan and Fabian which added to the overall feeling of disconnection. There was a lack of overall plot, which is fine when the story is very character driven, but these ones weren't fleshed out enough for me to care just about them.

I will say that Ryan did have some good development but it felt a little out of nowhere, like he met Fabian and just changed . Fabian was pretty much the same from beginning to end but that's fine because this was more Ryan's story I guess.

My favorite part of this book was seeing my babies Shane and Ilya. For the very few pages Ilya was present he was so real and I just really didn't get that from Ryan and Fabian.

Reid is a new writer and I definitely have not given up on her. She put magic into Heated Rivalry and I know that magic is still in there. For me, it just didn't make it into this book.

**Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so sweet 🥹 Protect Ryan Price at all costs! He’s just an anxious little cutie who needs hugs and a cup of tea. Ryan’s mental health was handled so well, and Fabian is my favorite diva 💅 I was living for the Ilya crumbs in this book, and I’m so glad I didn’t skip it. 🩷

[Ele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think book 2 set the bar too high for me. I liked this one well enough, but it certainly did not wow me.

I liked both characters a lot, Fabian for being confident and fabulous, Ryan for being a big teddy bear (an anxious one). I just did not love them together. They definitely had a connection but I didn't feel great chemistry, I'm afraid.

I liked the beginning a lot, it was very engaging. After a while, though, the characters would spend so much time in their heads, I was almost bored.

Overall, an ok read. Great writing, though.

[EmmaSkies]

I love Ryan a whole lot as a character, but this is easily the most boring of the books I've read in this series so far.

I am reading compeltely out of order so I've done 2, 3, 5, and 6 and I'll be doing 1 next and then 4. Reading order for this is just whenever my library holds come through

[Flo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less spicy than Heated Rivalry and following romantic tropes more closely. For some, it is comforting to read exactly what they want to read. For me, it feels like it somewhat limits the experience. I still found it enjoyable because I like the characters and the discussions about mental health and gay relationships in the hockey world, and I’m going to try at least one more from the series, but I’m going to be honest, I’m more tempted to reread The Long Game.

[Joshua · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story had the bones to be something memorable, but Fabian makes it almost impossible to care. He reads as a selfish, self-absorbed mess who soaks up Ryan’s affection without offering anything real in return. Ryan shows genuine interest in Fabian’s career, his family, his history. Fabian can barely tolerate hockey or anything tied to Ryan’s world. He refuses to confront the very obvious roots of his issues and instead melts down, bolts, and leaves Ryan to shoulder the emotional labor. The final act relies on crisis, guilt, and Ilya’s generosity to pull things together, and by then the damage is done.

On a separate note, there is a recurring problem I’ve started seeing in MM written by women (which is most of it). The way penises are described is oddly sanitized. In the first two books, foreskin simply does not exist, and the descriptions read as though every character is circumcised, which makes no sense since they are Canadian and European. In this book, foreskin finally appears, but only through Ryan’s negative self-talk. Fabian notices it and then the text drops the subject entirely. It comes across as a discomfort with or misunderstanding of intact bodies, and once you notice it, it stands out. After reading more MM by actual gay men, this kind of omission feels glaring and strangely regressive.

[em · Rating 1 out of 5]

not everyone in the gc universe needs a book and that’s ok! (1 star for Ilya)