The Inside Edge

by Ashlyn Kane

What does a work-life balance look like to recently retired professional athletes?

Ex-hockey player Nate Overton is trying to find out, but dipping his toes in the gay dating scene post-divorce is a daunting prospect even without the news that his show is on thin ice. Before he can tackle either issue, he skates headfirst into another problem—his new cohost. Former figure skater Aubrey Chase is the embodiment of a spoiled rich playboy. He’s also flamboyant, sharp, and hot as sin.

Aubrey knows how important it is to get off on the right foot. He’s just not very good at it outside the rink. Having spent his life desperate for attention, he’ll do anything to get it—even the wrong kind.

For Nate and Aubrey, opposites don’t so much attract as collide at center ice. But while Nate’s everything Aubrey has scrupulously avoided—until now—Aubrey falls suddenly head over heels, and Nate’s only looking for a rebound fling. Can Aubrey convince Nate to risk his heart again, or will their unexpected connection be checked at the first sign of trouble?

Genres: Romance, Sports, M M Romance, LGBT, Hockey, Contemporary, Fiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2020

About the author

Ashlyn Kane is a thirtysomething writer, editor, procrastinator, and dog mom. She likes cheese, puns, and hockey.

Reviews

[Rosabel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is weird...

It needed a better editing or someone to tell the author that the characters should not develop their feelings outside the book, what I mean is we were told that the main dudes went out and got to know each other, we weren't shown that part.

So when we meet them again, they have already walked another step in their relationship and as readers we are like huh? Whut? When did that... WHUT?

So I DNF this one, didn't seemed worth it. 🥲

[ancientreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

+ appealing MCs
+ I believed in their mutual attraction
+ Aubrey has a pleasingly sharp tongue
+ the miscommunication is understandable and relatively brief
+ the SPAG didn't make me want to stab the author with a butter knife

- why did Aubrey's family have to be super-rich? gross.
- I get so, so, so, so, so tired of the "our lives are not complete unless we have children (and, implicitly, biokids)" narrative, especially in queer romance. take care of a cast-out sib. have foster kids. adopt. be a good uncle/aunt/nuncle. all the insistent pronatalism ... after a while, I start to think that queer couples in romance are actually heterosexual couples in which both parties happen to have the same genitalia. and traditional heterosexual couples, at that.

taking off just one star because it's not Ashlyn Kane's fault that I'm pissed off at authors of queer romance generally

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Former NHL veteran Nate Overton and former Olympian figure skater Aubrey Chase are newly formed co-hosts for a sport news program, The Inside Edge , featuring analysis of professional hockey. Their had a rocky start but soon found the rhythm that worked. They also realize that they are attracted to one another…

Nate and Aubrey had two different personalities and experience in relationship. Nate is more reserved, even though he longs for some adventure in the bedroom. Nate doesn’t have experience with casual relationship though, as he has been married for years before getting a divorce after he is retired from the sport.

Aubrey is blunter in nature; Aubrey says it himself that he needs to be a center of attention – one of the topics that is often discussed with his therapist. He is attracted to Nate, but Aubrey never has a serious commitment before, and he wonders if he can do that with Nate.

I thought this was an enjoyable read. I liked the process from tentative co-hosts to something more. I liked that both Nate and Aubrey had doubts to approach before acting on their attraction. I always prefer a process rather than immediate sexual release.

I also LOVED that in this book, Aubrey didn’t shy away from therapy. When he felt that he needed it, Aubrey went and get it. Oftentimes getting professional help is seen as weak (usually for male characters); but I believe that not everything can be solved by talking to family and friends.

My biggest complain about this book will be one of the overused tiresome tropes of “men don’t talk/ask/communicate” to each other in M/M romance. Yep, some of the conflicts that happened between Nate and Aubrey was caused by that – both didn’t ask, only assumed about what the other wanted/thought/needed, et cetera. After reading M/M romance for so many years, I’m so over this trope *shrugs*


A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls



The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun! I loved the chemistry between Nate and Aubrey, but they also have big decisions to make and don't always get it right.

I also like that Aubrey was self-aware enough to understand that the fake relationship situation was hurting him and he actually spoke up about it in depth to his therapist, his friend and Nate! That doesn't happen enough in fake dating books so it was refreshing.

What the show turns into was disappointing but I liked where Nate and Aubrey were by the end of the book.

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - 3.6⭐

This is one of those books where I'm so, so disappointed the author didn't have an editor, because it's a really good romance book and for me, it would be a solid 4⭐ book, if only.

🔵 Hockey / Ice skating romance
🟣 Both MCs are gay, in their 30s, vers
🟡 Both MCs live an expensive lifestyle
🔴 Miscommunication trope, but not extreme
🌶️ Good spice

The story is about Nate and Aubrey, two retired athletes who end up working for the same sports news show.

Nate is 36 and a retired hockey player who's divorced and being a serial monogamist, he doesn't really have luck in love.

Aubrey is a 30 year old retired olympic-medals-winning ice skater, who's never had a relationship, a playboy, who's also very openly gay, very flamboyant and out there.

🔵 Both live in the same building and have some initial animosity towards each other, but that translates to good banter, which we should've read more about.
There wasn't enough of that.

Nate is trying to move on and get out there more, so he decides to hook up and Aubrey turns out is the guy who's going to do the honors.

It was sexy, hot, it was very lifelike, two grown men, going to work, living their lives and feeling each other out.

🟣 They do get more and more attached and end up falling in love, but it was a bit painful to read about them getting there, because of miscommunication, but it wasn't that extreme for me to bang my head up against the wall, I guess it was just normal hiccups two people might have before diving into a serious relationship.

🟡 I absolutely liked the MCs, I liked the setting, the ideas, the dialogues, the sex.

It clicked all my boxes and me being a hockey romance fan, I really appreciated the ice time, the references to both sports and them being athletes.


What failed a little bit were...

🟠 The cut-off dialogues, cut-off events, sometimes the chapter would just end out of nowhere and it left me hanging, wondering what went on, how did the situation resolve itself?

🟢 The dual POV that was present, but officially wasn't there.

The POVs kept switching back and forth, like in the middle of the chapter we get both POVs, it was confusing - again, the book needed editing . That would've solved many things here.


I have to be objective and rate it at 3.6⭐, even though I really liked the story, but it wasn't edited and I'm positive the book would have much higher ratings otherwise.



I'm going to try out this author, see what else is out there.

[Gaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like it was fine, I read it in a day and I enjoyed it, but let's be honest I will forget about it in a couple of weeks and it also does not help that blurb in no way reflects what the book is about.

So spoilers below I guess?

For starters, there isn't any really push and pull of one of them wanting a relationship and the other wanting to just hook up, and even that "conflict" is resolved within the 1st half of the book.

The pacing is also sort of weird, like from the reader's perspective they have gone out together maybe like 5 times, and then suddenly they are both in love with each other and have all these amazing memories of their time together, but like, we have not seen them hang out that much, so when did this closeness happen?

And the cherry on top, Nate is recently divorced, and yet he goes and decides to get engaged to the guy who he has been dating maybe for 2 months? I don't know it doesn't seem in line with the character.

[X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread. This was so good! I was looking for something fluffy but still engaging, and this more than delivered. I remembering liking it a lot but I was sort of doubting my memory – would it actually hold up? And then it was better than I expected, which was perfect.
 
Even though the book felt a little bit dated in some ways (buying a plane ticket at the ticket counter!) the being-queer-in-media plotline was way more realistic than I remembered – they hit it off as cohosts… and the show is immediately sold by its first owners because they see an opportunity to make a quick profit? The new owners fire the ex-pro figure skater host and swap in a closet nepotism hire who says women and queer people don’t belong on sports and then gets annoyed when Nate doesn’t like it because “it’s just entertainment”? And the way the plotline is resolved – Nate essentially blackmailing the new owners by telling them he’ll leak fake bad press if they don’t let him out of his contract?
 
So often these m/m hockey & sports romances have media-focused plotlines – about celebrity/the media/coming out publicly/etc. – that mostly accomplish either, uh, suffering or pablum. Either it’s all horrific, with max homophobia, or it’s upbeat and cheesy and unrealistic. This book manages to casually avoid both of those poles: it feels realistic, but never focuses on the bad stuff too long because its characters don’t. Which feels realistic in a way that books like this rarely do, I guess. All of this stuff is sort of a side show to them living their normal lives – hanging out with friends, dating, thinking about what kind of person they want to be and what kind of life they might want to have.
 
I guess also refreshing to read a sports romance where the dilemma isn’t that at least one of the characters doesn’t know how to prioritize anything above sports. Or any kind of romance that’s workplace-focused – this book is sort of nominally a romance between an ex-hockey player and an ex-figure skater who work together, but it’s actually a romance between these two specific characters as people who are fully realized, within the book and to themselves. Maybe it’s also that it’s set in a sports environment but both characters are retired from their professional careers, so there’s nothing either of them needs to prove – they both have a level of earned confidence which takes the pressure off in a way that’s nice to read about.
 
And having written all this about just one element of this book, I will also say that I thought the characterizations were deft, the romance-related plot points (trapped by a blizzard!) were fun and worked in organically, and the way their relationship developed felt realistic to uh normal human experience in a way that is often not the case in romance novels. I have some small nitpicks (speaking of dated, that LOTR reference!) but everything else was so pleasant that those things didn’t really bother me. This was just a Good Read. So here I am writing about it lol.

[Gustaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[juli✨]

dnf = forty something %


simply put, i think i liked the concept of the inside edge way more than the execution. there seemed to be a whole lot of telling vs showing. also, enemies-to-lovers where?

[anna. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know if I've read a book this weird. The "I love you's" came out of nowhere, there were things happening off page... not good

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a cute story, and I loved the MCs, but the romance felt a bit lacking to me. It happened too fast to be believable they said the I-love-you's around a month after meeting, and got engaged soon after and I feel like a lot of the falling in love was done off page, while the sex scenes could have been cut a bit shorter. But Ashlyn Kane is still my vibe, and I enjoyed the book even though it's not her best in my opinion.

[peach · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jrooknroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this novel. The characters were well fleshed out and came alive on the page. Aubrey in particular was a delight. He was self admittedly vain and self centered. I really appreciate when characters are given actual personalities and flaws. What made it even better was that Aubrey went to therapy during the novel to work on some of his struggles, and the therapist was good. So often in books, mental health workers get poor representation so this was a breath of fresh air in that regard.

Additionally, there were several times I laughed out loud while reading, which is rare for me. I truly enjoyed the humorous aspects of this book, and the trope of people who initially dislike each other but end up in a relationship is fun. The author took the topic of Nate still dealing with the aftermath of his divorce and handled it well. Also, the first time they hook up is steamy and the writing during that portion is great.

Most of my quibbles are small; around the 70% mark the plot starts to lag a bit and flounder with where it is headed. While the predictable third act conflict actually feels organic, I do think the miscommunication aspects were a bit inflated for dramatic effect. I wasn't exactly bored at the end, but I felt it could have been condensed considerably for the ending to feel stronger.

Overall, if you like opposites initially dislike before attract, and a bit of a romcom feel at times this is an enjoyable read.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one surprised me. I'd been running through a lot of 'okay' romances and cruised into this with moderate expectations. The two protagonists, Aubrey, a former figure skater, and Nate, a former NHL player are co-hosts of an NHL sport show. There's some initial friction, but after an apology from Nate, the two find they have a compelling dynamic on the show. The most unbelievable part of this whole series was that a pair of out gay men would be hosting a NHL analysis show, but sign me up for that alternate universe. Although their show is sold to another network and Aubrey is let go, so even in this world, the two gay men hockey show is a short lived phenomenon.

In the usual way of romances, they get to know each other, talk, flirt, fall into bed, and fall into love. I enjoyed their dynamic and I genuinely liked both characters. The hitch in their relationship comes from the challenges of two adults with careers that head off in different directions. What do you prioritize? Relationship? Career? Try to balance the two? These aren't easy questions and as a stumbling block of a relationship, it's plausible. As expected, in the end, they figure out a way to balance their priorities and build a relationship together.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read review.
We both like skating,
TV jobs, and dick. No way
we’ll fall in love, right?






I’m a sucker for M/M hockey and ice skating books, and this one has both and is great.

Aubrey and Nate has both retired from competition but are working tv sports journalism. When they are matched to talk hockey, they banter until they fall in love.

Super low angst, just the right amount of steamy sex, engaging characters, realistic conflict.

4.25 stars. Read it!

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this. An ex figure skater and ex hockey player are cohosts on a show with banter? Should be The Cutting Edge based catnip for me but this wasn't quite it. I felt like there was a lot of tell and missing some show. A few times I was reading along and my brain got stuck like, did I miss a page or 8 to explain that just happened?

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good. The two main characters were nice, and their relationship was believable and went at a nice pace. The story was different for a hockey romance. Rather them being players, one is a retired player who hosts a show about hockey stats etc., and the other is a retired figure skater who becomes his co-host.

I enjoyed it. It’s low angst, very little drama, and the side characters also add something rather than just overwhelming the story. But, there isn’t much development either. It remains sort of flat throughout, not exceptional but not shite.

I really liked this paragraph. It spoke to me 😆
“He’s in good shape—the type who treats his body like a temple.” Aubrey rolled his eyes. “I’m with Tony Bourdain. Your body isn’t a temple. It’s an amusement park; enjoy the ride. I mean, I like to look good, and I appreciate a guy who puts in the effort. But I also like a man who knows when to cut loose and have a good time.”

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author's books can be hit or miss for me, but happily this was a hit! Sports romance but with a twist since they're both retired. I quite enjoyed the characters and the build of their relationship. It felt quite real and adult and I appreciated the way they approached the various issues. Really enjoyed this one!

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Rafaela (dragonsandpaperbacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

mini review coming some time soon to my blog i promise

[micah ➳ canonicallychaotic · Rating 3 out of 5]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(3.5)

[Nainika Gupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great enemies to lovers book where our main guys couldn't help the instant attraction between them.



The characterization was the only thing I didn't quite like as much - I didn't think it was that developed. It was like:

Aubrey: *exists*
Nate: *heart eyes*
Aubrey: *heart eyes*
Nate: *angry eyes*
Aubrey: *dopey eyes*
Nate and Aubrey: *intense sex scene*



Like, to me, it felt a little forced and not as fluid as it could have been, no pun intended.

But I still enjoyed the book, it was a good story!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quick romance about a retired hockey player and a retired figure skater finding each other. Nate and Aubrey are both well developed and their post sports struggles to find a second career are fairly well done.

There’s some steamy scenes too, and places where it cuts away to get back to the plot. The tv sports show they are on changes and causes the relationship strife. It leads the reader to worry about their new relationship.

The ins and outs of rich people and high level jobs falling in their laps was a little less easy to care about. Luckily their personal lives pulled it together enough to be interesting.

I’d say the biggest let down is I felt there was little knowledge about pro figure skating and definitely not a lot of research coming across about the NHL and hockey in the novel. I can’t even recall a mention about what position Nate played. If it was, forgive me, but it did not stand out. Nor was there much about an out NHL player, which was a huge gap for me. Also, most of the other characters were one note or we were left to even imagine who they were. They were referenced a lot but there was almost no development there. It also left me frustrated that a homophobic sports personality gets the W here, no matter how reality based that is. If we are to believe a player was out in the NHL and it isn’t even a hiccup in this novel, then why can’t we get some social justice too?
I almost forgot that the book basically ends on a contract negotiation and a quick recap of where they are now epilogue. Hmmm.

It was a fun read. I cared what happened to Nate and Aubrey. I wanted it to work out for them. I was mostly happy here.

[Devy B · Rating 1 out of 5]

A bad and boring read. I ended up skipping a looooot and the epilogue sucks.
I don’t Iike romance without romance. It’s all sexual, no feels, no development relationship. It went from hidden sex relationship to “ Hey we’re fucking each other”
The sex wasn’t even good or hot. Oh was meeeeeh
I couldn’t connect to the characters, they are supposed to be in heir 40’s and Aubrey is like a whiny stupid teen and Nate .. unfriendly . I hate lies, Aubrey didn’t care that much about Nate and was ready to move to Vegas no matter what even after the “ I love you’s and let’s make things real”, why didn’t he tell Nate he was leaving? Why the unnecessary drama!
Not that Nate cared about him as well.
I was expecting Aubrey to give up on that stupid circus job and come back for Nate not the opposite. Not that it matter anyway.

It’s my fault, I don’t like the friends with benefits trope anymore, why did I try to read it !! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I don’t recommend

[BevS · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. This was an OK read. I didn't get a lot of connection between Nate and Aubrey at first before they started their 'friends with benefits' thing [to me, they weren't even friends then], but then the characters and scenarios began to be more fleshed out, and the story improved. I did feel that the ending was rushed though, and having highly anticipated this read, I was left feeling a tad disappointed 😕. Winging It still remains my favourite from this author, and will making yet another appearance on my tbr list fairly shortly.

[Pjm12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love hockey stories, and throw in a figure skater who knows his hockey and I am all in! Forgot about it, but with our 3 day lockdown, I couldn't help but spend the money (that's why I forgot it), and enjoyed its twisty drama.

[Ay]

Dnf 19%

Both MCs have friends talking at them about how they want to bone each other.

Just yuck.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a super cute and enjoyable book! Both of the heroes were complex and interesting. The contrast between their families was great, and I loved seeing such a casual, positive depiction of therapy.

I really felt the tension between them from the beginning, and the way they tumbled into bed together worked well. Even the reason for fake dating makes far more sense than most books with that trope.

While I wanted to shake them and tell them both to confess their true feelings, I realize that’s much harder said than done. The main climactic conflict was also more than a simple misunderstanding, which is always appreciated.

And, as always, I would have liked to see some more happy scenes at the end.

Definitely recommend this book!

[Monikat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sweet. The initial rough first meeting slowly but surely evolved into work partners with benefits to fake dating while secretly pining for each other. The misconception that the more sex with different partners was a happy place to be (hook up culture), and the assumption that a steady partner would somehow be sexually boring, were the key elements of this fun book. Watching Aubrey and Nate un-jade themselves and see how good they are together had a smile on my face.
Easy fun reading

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore smart sports romances and this one was ADORABLE 🥰 The hockey / figure skating combo and the wonderfully inclusive community the two men had with their friends and colleagues made me so happy. And the ROMANCE ❤️