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Coach
A Gay Hockey Romance
Adam Kennedy is a hockey goalie with unusual raw talent and Nate Slater is his player-coach with past professional experience. Adam is gay and Nate is straight. Their lives are about to change.
Minor-league hockey star forward Nate Slater knew he was on the edge of fame until tragedy struck. A three-player ambush ended his playing career, and he retreated from his beloved game disillusioned about human beings and life in general. To nobody’s surprise, he couldn’t stay away for long and he grabbed hold of the comeback ladder on the lowest rung, player-coach for a team in his city’s recreational league.
To others, the Galeforce Flyers were a ragtag team of questionable talent. For Nate, they have unexploited skills that can take them to the top of their league, and he agrees to be their star forward and coach. Perhaps the most promising player is Adam Kennedy, a kid only two years out of college who plays goalie with elegant dexterity.
Although he knows in his heart that everything turns out well in the end, Adam is experiencing a rough patch in his life. Fired from his job, and low on cash to pay his rent, he considers a humiliating return to life with his parents. After his teammates step in and lean hard, Coach Slater offers the empty second-floor in his house as a temporary solution to Adam’s housing dilemma.
The quiet Adam is a good housemate for the sometimes brooding Nate. The kid is gay and the coach is straight. They maintain their distance in the house until the night Adam spots his coach…dancing.
Coach is a 58,000-word standalone gay hockey romance with first time and friends-to-lovers themes. It includes steamy scenes and a guaranteed happy ending.
Adam Kennedy is a hockey goalie with unusual raw talent and Nate Slater is his player-coach with past professional experience. Adam is gay and Nate is straight. Their lives are about to change.
Minor-league hockey star forward Nate Slater knew he was on the edge of fame until tragedy struck. A three-player ambush ended his playing career, and he retreated from his beloved game disillusioned about human beings and life in general. To nobody’s surprise, he couldn’t stay away for long and he grabbed hold of the comeback ladder on the lowest rung, player-coach for a team in his city’s recreational league.
To others, the Galeforce Flyers were a ragtag team of questionable talent. For Nate, they have unexploited skills that can take them to the top of their league, and he agrees to be their star forward and coach. Perhaps the most promising player is Adam Kennedy, a kid only two years out of college who plays goalie with elegant dexterity.
Although he knows in his heart that everything turns out well in the end, Adam is experiencing a rough patch in his life. Fired from his job, and low on cash to pay his rent, he considers a humiliating return to life with his parents. After his teammates step in and lean hard, Coach Slater offers the empty second-floor in his house as a temporary solution to Adam’s housing dilemma.
The quiet Adam is a good housemate for the sometimes brooding Nate. The kid is gay and the coach is straight. They maintain their distance in the house until the night Adam spots his coach…dancing.
Coach is a 58,000-word standalone gay hockey romance with first time and friends-to-lovers themes. It includes steamy scenes and a guaranteed happy ending.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2020
103 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 18, 2021
Unfortunately boring!
May 31, 2020
Just gonna start out by saying that I don't think I could have loved this book anymore that I do! Adam and Slater were just adorable together! The book contained not only scorching hot sex, but plenty of humor and a ton of adorableness! I spent the last 15% alternating between giggling and crying and loving every word of it! Definitely one of the very best from an author I have read many books from!
November 9, 2021
I wasn't sure on the writing style at first, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with Coach and Adam. Also I'm not usually a huge fan of sports and yet I adored all of the hockey aspects in this book, the teamwork and training.
The slow burn approach was perfect with Nate realizing as he spends more time with Adam, that his feelings have grown and he makes the first move. I loved their dates with the meal at home and then ice skating, Adam showing how to figure skate and dancing together was really sweet.
Always has to be some angst of course and I wasn't keen at all with the situation, lack of communication and understanding. However it did make for a lovely reunion and final match of the hockey season for the team.
So many side characters that made me smile too from the rest of the team and Adams best friends, they all have their own words of wisdom and humor that adds to the story in a fun way.
Overall if you enjoy hockey, sexual discovery and steamy scenes with a soft romance this book is a great find! 💕
The slow burn approach was perfect with Nate realizing as he spends more time with Adam, that his feelings have grown and he makes the first move. I loved their dates with the meal at home and then ice skating, Adam showing how to figure skate and dancing together was really sweet.
Always has to be some angst of course and I wasn't keen at all with the situation, lack of communication and understanding. However it did make for a lovely reunion and final match of the hockey season for the team.
So many side characters that made me smile too from the rest of the team and Adams best friends, they all have their own words of wisdom and humor that adds to the story in a fun way.
Overall if you enjoy hockey, sexual discovery and steamy scenes with a soft romance this book is a great find! 💕
June 1, 2020
I know that I will always enjoy a book written by Declan Rhodes. I love the happiness, and joy that his characters experience without ridiculous amounts of unrealistic drama. If I am honest though, I’m not sure that I think either Coach or Adam reacted true to their characters when they fought.
I liked that Adam was introverted and was able to be an excellent goalie while not being a walking stereotype. Coach was a bit more complicated, and a bit less easy for me to relate to. Was he really as driven as he was described? Because I didn’t really see it.
Regardless, I loved the two of them together and the love that these two men clearly felt for each other. Once they both got out of their own heads, they realized just how much they trusted each other, and that trust is the best foundation for love.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I liked that Adam was introverted and was able to be an excellent goalie while not being a walking stereotype. Coach was a bit more complicated, and a bit less easy for me to relate to. Was he really as driven as he was described? Because I didn’t really see it.
Regardless, I loved the two of them together and the love that these two men clearly felt for each other. Once they both got out of their own heads, they realized just how much they trusted each other, and that trust is the best foundation for love.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
June 3, 2020
I don’t like the writing style. Something is off for me. The steam and the bonding was good but I think I just don’t enjoy the style and it throws it off for me.
June 3, 2020
"I decided that I’d let the furor from all the publishing die down and try to call him in a week."
Slater, ( Coach,) was being groomed for the NHL, when a injury left him straddling the fence between "sometimes player," and coach. He is a player-coach, and he is worlds apart from the rest of his team. It's not just that he's a trust fund baby, inheriting a really nice home, and not having the usual worries of most men his age - roof over your head, or being one paycheck away from destitution. Slater really couldn't grasp why his players allowed their lives and relationships to interfere with their game, or playing for the team, in general. When Slater's new goalie, Adam, finds himself without a job, it's through the finagling of friends, that Slater's "spare second floor," is offered up to Adam, rather than Adam trying to juggle low-wage jobs, and perhaps, not being available to play goalie for the team. To me, it seemed like Slater's goal was "what's best for the team," versus, just being a nice guy. The results of this roommate situation, is a rather slow-burn romance, between an openly gay man and a straight man. I have to tell you, I enjoyed this romance, but I guess those rumors about me being "high maintenance," are true. Slater is a... trip. He had me rolling my eyes and wanting to just SHAKE him. Being dead wrong, doesn't spur him into apologizing, until he's damn good and ready! Truth be told, Slater didn't spend quite enough time, in the penalty box! Just saying. In "Coach," by Declan Rhodes, you can expect low drama and angst, action, camaraderie, amusing situations, humor, misunderstanding, and heat. Hockey lovers are in for a real treat. An entertaining read. I received this book as an ARC from the author, and I volunteered this review.
Slater, ( Coach,) was being groomed for the NHL, when a injury left him straddling the fence between "sometimes player," and coach. He is a player-coach, and he is worlds apart from the rest of his team. It's not just that he's a trust fund baby, inheriting a really nice home, and not having the usual worries of most men his age - roof over your head, or being one paycheck away from destitution. Slater really couldn't grasp why his players allowed their lives and relationships to interfere with their game, or playing for the team, in general. When Slater's new goalie, Adam, finds himself without a job, it's through the finagling of friends, that Slater's "spare second floor," is offered up to Adam, rather than Adam trying to juggle low-wage jobs, and perhaps, not being available to play goalie for the team. To me, it seemed like Slater's goal was "what's best for the team," versus, just being a nice guy. The results of this roommate situation, is a rather slow-burn romance, between an openly gay man and a straight man. I have to tell you, I enjoyed this romance, but I guess those rumors about me being "high maintenance," are true. Slater is a... trip. He had me rolling my eyes and wanting to just SHAKE him. Being dead wrong, doesn't spur him into apologizing, until he's damn good and ready! Truth be told, Slater didn't spend quite enough time, in the penalty box! Just saying. In "Coach," by Declan Rhodes, you can expect low drama and angst, action, camaraderie, amusing situations, humor, misunderstanding, and heat. Hockey lovers are in for a real treat. An entertaining read. I received this book as an ARC from the author, and I volunteered this review.
June 4, 2020
A story of emotions of a natural slow progression.
For me this was true to life. No immediate lure of attraction but a slow approach to what each man wants-a relationship. Throw in the fast-paced game of hockey and the reader is all set for action. I'm not a fan of hockey but I was interested in learning all the strategies of the game and how the players were together as team players for each other. This team player attitude is what leads Slater to offer Adam rent free living in his house when he learns from the other players Adam's threatened living circumstances. Adam is the young man, shy, quiet, insecure but a hockey player but with a lot of potential on the ice. But off the ice is another story. He's been rejected and thrown out by his parents and on his own. Adam does have 2 good friends, Jacob and Austin, that are a couple. They add levity to the story. For Adam Hockey is something to hang on to. And then in walks Coach aka/Slater and Adam's world spins. Here is a man who appeals to him and stands up for him against bullies. Coach was such a temptation and he offered Adam stability to his life and desire to his libido. The one fly in the ointment was Adam's ambition to become a writer/blogger and what he published that infringed on Slater's desire for privacy. I did like this story and would recommend it to any sports minded reader whether the reader was into hockey or not. For the ARC this author sent to me I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.
For me this was true to life. No immediate lure of attraction but a slow approach to what each man wants-a relationship. Throw in the fast-paced game of hockey and the reader is all set for action. I'm not a fan of hockey but I was interested in learning all the strategies of the game and how the players were together as team players for each other. This team player attitude is what leads Slater to offer Adam rent free living in his house when he learns from the other players Adam's threatened living circumstances. Adam is the young man, shy, quiet, insecure but a hockey player but with a lot of potential on the ice. But off the ice is another story. He's been rejected and thrown out by his parents and on his own. Adam does have 2 good friends, Jacob and Austin, that are a couple. They add levity to the story. For Adam Hockey is something to hang on to. And then in walks Coach aka/Slater and Adam's world spins. Here is a man who appeals to him and stands up for him against bullies. Coach was such a temptation and he offered Adam stability to his life and desire to his libido. The one fly in the ointment was Adam's ambition to become a writer/blogger and what he published that infringed on Slater's desire for privacy. I did like this story and would recommend it to any sports minded reader whether the reader was into hockey or not. For the ARC this author sent to me I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.
June 6, 2020
Coach is one of those feel-good romances that you can fall into for an afternoon and come out with a smile. After reading the blurb, I was a little worried that this would be a gay for you story, which don't always work for me, but Coach and Adam are just too adorable together. Coach is kind of gay curious and I love that he doesn't get too far into his own head about his attraction to Adam and figuring it all out. He has kind of a laid back vibe that works really well for this story. Adam is one of those characters that you just want to hug right from the start, so this relationship was bound to be full of oohs and aahs. This romance has plenty of feels without getting too heavy on the angst, some steamy goodness, and for the hockey fans, there's plenty of that too. Personally, it was maybe it bit too much with the hockey play by plays, but it didn't take anything away from the story and it's written so that even I can understand what's happening on the ice. I really enjoyed the characters here, and I loved that they're hockey players but they don't necessarily fit the mold of alpha male sports figures that we see so often in sports romance. None of us are just one thing, and the author shows that with these characters. All in all, another engaging sports romance from Declan Rhodes.
May 31, 2020
🏒Lots of hockey play but something missing🤔
3.5🌟stars
Good steam, lots of male bonding and minimal angst made this an okay read that kept my interest but not one of my favorite Declan Rhodes MM romances.
I like a sports romance and winter sports are some of my favorites but find it better when the sports do not impinge too much on the romance. This one did get a bit too blow-by-blow in the gameplay for me, but I also felt that the lead characters were less developed than in the other novels I've read recently and liked more by the author.
Coach aka Slater, a former minor league player, seems to glide from his hetero past to same gender romance with his new young goalie Adam with no hesitation. I don't know, for me it seemed just too smooth a transition. And Coach is a misanthrope who gets fulfillment from volunteering and working in the community? Something just did not jive.
Adam's friends added some liveliness and humor, as do some of the hockey team players, but this story did not provoke much emotional connection for me.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
3.5🌟stars
Good steam, lots of male bonding and minimal angst made this an okay read that kept my interest but not one of my favorite Declan Rhodes MM romances.
I like a sports romance and winter sports are some of my favorites but find it better when the sports do not impinge too much on the romance. This one did get a bit too blow-by-blow in the gameplay for me, but I also felt that the lead characters were less developed than in the other novels I've read recently and liked more by the author.
Coach aka Slater, a former minor league player, seems to glide from his hetero past to same gender romance with his new young goalie Adam with no hesitation. I don't know, for me it seemed just too smooth a transition. And Coach is a misanthrope who gets fulfillment from volunteering and working in the community? Something just did not jive.
Adam's friends added some liveliness and humor, as do some of the hockey team players, but this story did not provoke much emotional connection for me.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
June 8, 2020
Combine hockey, humor, with a slow burn romance and you have a fun story-line. Lots of hockey and team mate fun. I enjoyed the MC's and their interactions. The story-line flowed and the pacing was good. This is a story of contracts with Slater having to really grow to understand not having funds and choices. Adam really has to struggle with not having a job and this brings the two together.
This is a low angst story with team camaraderie, hockey action, funny situations and steamy connections. This is a story for the hockey lover in all of us.
I was gifted this book from the author and i freely give my honest opinion and review.
This is a low angst story with team camaraderie, hockey action, funny situations and steamy connections. This is a story for the hockey lover in all of us.
I was gifted this book from the author and i freely give my honest opinion and review.
June 3, 2020
3.5 stars. Declan Rhodes is always a guaranteed win for me. I love his characters and low angst with sweet endings. For some reason, this story was just okay for me. I would highly recommend all of Declan's books, especially the Mathesons or the Matchmaker series, if you want a taste of Declan's talent. My favorite part of Coach was Slater and Adam pairs dancing on the ice. Adam's BFFs were a great addition to the story.
June 24, 2020
I liked the sports theme. The characters were ok if a bit less developed than in other Declan Rhodes books. Overall, a good read. However, it just didn’t ring true that this big tough hockey player, with no apparent angst about his sexuality, could meet a guy and automatically be interested in a relationship. I don’t think it’s ever that easy. Still, I liked it.
I received an ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I received an ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.
June 1, 2020
I enjoyed reading Coach and Adam's story. Coach doesn't trust anyone and tends to keep to himself. Adam is the goalie for the team and has just lost his job and needs a place to live.
Needless, to say he is surprised when Coach suggests he moves in with him. Sparkles fly.
This is a low angst, sweet read.
Needless, to say he is surprised when Coach suggests he moves in with him. Sparkles fly.
This is a low angst, sweet read.
August 2, 2020
Love or loss
Trying to be perfect at the cost of who you are and trying to make a relationship work hiding your true self comes at a cost usually to high to pay without pain! Mr. Rhodes does an exceptional job penning the emotions of a man who wants love but doesn't trust it
Trying to be perfect at the cost of who you are and trying to make a relationship work hiding your true self comes at a cost usually to high to pay without pain! Mr. Rhodes does an exceptional job penning the emotions of a man who wants love but doesn't trust it
May 31, 2020
Couldn’t even get past the messy beginning.
Things start out way too sudden and without explanation.
Things start out way too sudden and without explanation.
June 2, 2020
Another good read by this amazing hockey loving author. It was a little predictable but fun to read. I can already see where another couple or two may appear in the future.
June 2, 2020
I left this one at 40%, couldn't keep reading, everything happened too fast, without any reason at all. I don't like insta-love and this one is insta-love at the extreme. Not for me.
June 4, 2020
Didn’t feel that much of a connection between the main characters. Something just felt like it was missing. Did enjoy the taboo of it.
June 7, 2020
This was an easy, entertaining read about a player and his coach on a recreation hockey team. Likeable characters, low on drama... I liked it.
June 16, 2020
This whole story is awkward. Awkward characters, awkward dialogue, awkward relationship. Nearly instant relationship without much chemistry. Disappointed.
D.
D.
September 22, 2025
DNF at 40%.
Rushed, implausible, and shallow—I couldn’t keep reading.
Rushed, implausible, and shallow—I couldn’t keep reading.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews