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Hockey Ever After #3
Unrivaled
People say there’s a fine line between love and hate. If you ask Grady Armstrong, the line’s as obvious as the one across the middle of a hockey rink.
So he can’t explain why he doesn’t walk away when his Grindr hookup—a guy who accused him of impersonating himself—turns out to be Max Lockhart, a rival player Grady once punched in the face. Apparently Max can goad him just as well off the ice as he can on it.
Max Lockhart showed up thinking he was going to expose a fake. Instead he hooks up with a guy who claims to hate him. And has a good time. A really good time. But that doesn’t mean players from different teams can be together.
Max has always wished Grady would relax a little. When the season starts and Grady accepts Max’s offer of help with finding someone to date for real, Max gets his wish. But he should’ve been careful what he wished for, because now that he knows Grady is a big softie under that prickly shell, he’d rather keep Grady for himself.
Grady only goes on a handful of dates before he realizes he has a lot more fun with Max. But he can’t be falling for a rival player… can he?
So he can’t explain why he doesn’t walk away when his Grindr hookup—a guy who accused him of impersonating himself—turns out to be Max Lockhart, a rival player Grady once punched in the face. Apparently Max can goad him just as well off the ice as he can on it.
Max Lockhart showed up thinking he was going to expose a fake. Instead he hooks up with a guy who claims to hate him. And has a good time. A really good time. But that doesn’t mean players from different teams can be together.
Max has always wished Grady would relax a little. When the season starts and Grady accepts Max’s offer of help with finding someone to date for real, Max gets his wish. But he should’ve been careful what he wished for, because now that he knows Grady is a big softie under that prickly shell, he’d rather keep Grady for himself.
Grady only goes on a handful of dates before he realizes he has a lot more fun with Max. But he can’t be falling for a rival player… can he?
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2023
269 people are currently reading
2341 people want to read
About the author
Ashlyn Kane
33 books511 followersAshlyn Kane is a thirtysomething writer, editor, procrastinator, and dog mom. She likes cheese, puns, and hockey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 448 reviews
May 23, 2023
What is it about MM hockey romance that is so comfy cozy?
If you are looking for something similar to Heated Rivalry to fill the Shane/Ilya hole in your heart, Unrivaled will fill that space very well. Grady(grump) and Max(sunshine) have their own charms. Just give them some time, it gets better as it goes.
The satisfaction here is watching Grady come to the realization he doesn’t hate Max as much as he thinks he does. The relationship growth to misunderstanding (cleared up in the right amount of time and realistically) to grovel to love declaration moments really brought the feelz.
Loved the ‘I hate you but I instinctively keep buying you things to take care of you because my brain hasn’t caught up to my heart’ trope.
Good balance of hockey play/romance stuff 🏒 ♥️
Rivals with benefits
One sided hatred
Domestic moments
3rd book in series can be read as stand-alone. I did.
If you are looking for something similar to Heated Rivalry to fill the Shane/Ilya hole in your heart, Unrivaled will fill that space very well. Grady(grump) and Max(sunshine) have their own charms. Just give them some time, it gets better as it goes.
The satisfaction here is watching Grady come to the realization he doesn’t hate Max as much as he thinks he does. The relationship growth to misunderstanding (cleared up in the right amount of time and realistically) to grovel to love declaration moments really brought the feelz.
Loved the ‘I hate you but I instinctively keep buying you things to take care of you because my brain hasn’t caught up to my heart’ trope.
Good balance of hockey play/romance stuff 🏒 ♥️
Rivals with benefits
One sided hatred
Domestic moments
3rd book in series can be read as stand-alone. I did.
April 22, 2023
Well I loved this! Max and Grady were cute together and I liked how they grew both individually and together through the book. The tattoos were sweet too.
I would have easily rated this 5 stars but the ending was just so abrupt! It felt like there were chapters missing and it was like the book ended mid conversation?! I wanted to see how their season ended, and more time with Max's family at the end. The conclusion to the book felt like jumping out of a plane then realising the parachute was missing!
I hope there's more to come in this story world because I've enjoyed all the books so far!
I would have easily rated this 5 stars but the ending was just so abrupt! It felt like there were chapters missing and it was like the book ended mid conversation?! I wanted to see how their season ended, and more time with Max's family at the end. The conclusion to the book felt like jumping out of a plane then realising the parachute was missing!
I hope there's more to come in this story world because I've enjoyed all the books so far!
August 25, 2025
*update August 2025, re-read on audio, Nick J. Russo narrating.
I considered taking 1 star off my original rating but eventually decided against doing so because the story itself is still a 5 star read. Well, more like a 4,5, actually. But the narrating was not Nick Russo’s best. It feels like he has lost his freshness and has caught the repetitive syndrome. It sounded like this book was the last in a row of numerous books he had to narrate and finish. Uninspired and, well, repetitive. There were quite some moments where I felt like dnf-ing, but I do like this book a lot, and I love Grady and Max, so I continued until the end, but I have to admit Nick didn’t get me all that invested. I think this is one of few times I would rather do another re-read just reading the e-book instead of listening to the audio.
*Apparently it took me 10 days to finish. With over 400 pages it’s a long book too, I guess. But it doesn’t mean anything, because I loved Max’s and Grady’s story! These 2 authors are writing the best hockeyromances and I can only hope there’ll be another one coming.
Review to come later, when I’ve had some time to think about how to voice my thoughts about this other than just I LOVED IT!*
Max made an effort to be cheerful. That was what people expected from him. Grady Armstrong obviously didn't give a fuck about expectations. Max respected that.
He tucked himself back into his leggings. "I can't believe you made a Grindr profile with your NHL picture. The hell were you thinking, bud?"
"It's Grady," Armstrong - Grady - said grumpily. "I'm not your bud."
I considered taking 1 star off my original rating but eventually decided against doing so because the story itself is still a 5 star read. Well, more like a 4,5, actually. But the narrating was not Nick Russo’s best. It feels like he has lost his freshness and has caught the repetitive syndrome. It sounded like this book was the last in a row of numerous books he had to narrate and finish. Uninspired and, well, repetitive. There were quite some moments where I felt like dnf-ing, but I do like this book a lot, and I love Grady and Max, so I continued until the end, but I have to admit Nick didn’t get me all that invested. I think this is one of few times I would rather do another re-read just reading the e-book instead of listening to the audio.
*Apparently it took me 10 days to finish. With over 400 pages it’s a long book too, I guess. But it doesn’t mean anything, because I loved Max’s and Grady’s story! These 2 authors are writing the best hockeyromances and I can only hope there’ll be another one coming.
Review to come later, when I’ve had some time to think about how to voice my thoughts about this other than just I LOVED IT!*
Max made an effort to be cheerful. That was what people expected from him. Grady Armstrong obviously didn't give a fuck about expectations. Max respected that.
He tucked himself back into his leggings. "I can't believe you made a Grindr profile with your NHL picture. The hell were you thinking, bud?"
"It's Grady," Armstrong - Grady - said grumpily. "I'm not your bud."
The title of this book, Unrivaled, couldn't have been chosen better. This book breaths rivals for a very long time, even when Max and Grady are hooking up. It's something like: meet up-have sex and orgasms - leave. No friendly chatting or getting to know each other, because that's not what they are there for. There's a sizzling sexual attraction between them, despite the rivals-thing, and they both agree it's okay to act on that. Only that. Nothing more. Because they are two alpha's and they are rivals to the core. Always getting under one another's skin when their teams play against each other, and not hesitant in playing it rough.
This is truly one of the best hockey series around. I enjoyed the first book, loved the second book even better and this book equals that one. The characters are just so very well drawn, so dimensional, so humanly imperfect. They breathe hockey, it's all their life is about. In Grady's case there's a sister he cares for very much, and in Max's case there's a bunch of family members he loves and his dog Gru. Oh, and his teammate and his wife, who are his neighbors as well.
Grady's had a difficult upbringing without his parents around. He doesn't connect very easily with people, keeping them at a distant, which makes him the grumpy teammate most of his team players are happy to avoid. Max is quite the opposite - he gets along with almost everyone, he has an easy going character. He could teach Grady a thing or two.
I loved how this slow burn developed so authentic and organically. There's a lot of banter between Grady and Max, and without labeling it, the reader notices a change in their connection possibly before they do, and I think that's due to the wonderful writing. It's a style I really click with, sometimes a bit dragging and too wordy, but it didn't bother me enough to not rate this book 5 stars. The overall feeling it left me with was that of contentment. Of joy. A happy smile plastered to my face for almost the whole book. Those are exactly the things I look for when reading a book - either this, or an almost devastating heartbreak. Nonetheless, these are the things that make me rate a book 5 stars. And so that's exactly why this book deserves all 5 of them.
I can't wait for a new book, because this series is just perfect.
"I love you, you know," Max said finally. He brushed a kiss over Grady's tattoo. "In case it wasn't obvious."
Grady did know. Hearing it again made him feel like his heart was made of feathers. "I know." Unlike Grady, Max had always been pretty good about showing it. It had just taken Grady ages to believe what he'd seen."
February 7, 2025
Turns out I don't hate miscommunication. I hate miscommunication when it's done badly. This was done so well I wasn't even mad at either MC.
That said.
I wanted to cry for Max. So much. He got fucked over for reasons beyond his control BUT I'm so glad he's not the one who had to make an overture to resolve shit. He made so many! He deserved to get chased at least once.
And he was soooooo entitled to his explosion. I'm not mad that he forgave him, because like I said, what they both thought made sense, but Grady absolutely deserved that call-out. At that volume. If anything he got off a little too easy.
He did fuck up. Badly. But I love these two together so I honestly just wanted them to resolve things so they'd both stop walking around with aching hearts.
I won't lie, it helps that Max is so annoying that I was SO SUREEEEEE he'd give Grady shit for it for ages. Starting with making him say the love confession with his chest then saying, "Okay."
💀
And then Max got traded to the other end of the country and I wanted to cry all over again, my babies could NOT catch a break.
Everything ended well, though, and it tried to avoid the hockey formula of both of them ending up on the same team and winning the cup, but the last hour was a bit boring nonetheless.
4.5* rounded down.
That said.
I wanted to cry for Max. So much. He got fucked over for reasons beyond his control BUT I'm so glad he's not the one who had to make an overture to resolve shit. He made so many! He deserved to get chased at least once.
And he was soooooo entitled to his explosion. I'm not mad that he forgave him, because like I said, what they both thought made sense, but Grady absolutely deserved that call-out. At that volume. If anything he got off a little too easy.
He did fuck up. Badly. But I love these two together so I honestly just wanted them to resolve things so they'd both stop walking around with aching hearts.
I won't lie, it helps that Max is so annoying that I was SO SUREEEEEE he'd give Grady shit for it for ages. Starting with making him say the love confession with his chest then saying, "Okay."
💀
And then Max got traded to the other end of the country and I wanted to cry all over again, my babies could NOT catch a break.
Everything ended well, though, and it tried to avoid the hockey formula of both of them ending up on the same team and winning the cup, but the last hour was a bit boring nonetheless.
4.5* rounded down.
March 1, 2023
This started so well. Enemies to lovers, with a generous pinch of grumpy. It was lovely and very funny. The first part of the book is one of my favorite hockey romances. I was so convinced it was going to be a 5 star read. And then we have some ridiculous misunderstanding with lots of overreacting and a personality change by the MCs.
The book also managed to be 200 pages too long while also ending in a quite unsatisfying way. Which was more jarring due to the lack of epilogue.
I wish the tone of the book, and the MCs personalities from the beginning had stayed.
The book also managed to be 200 pages too long while also ending in a quite unsatisfying way. Which was more jarring due to the lack of epilogue.
I wish the tone of the book, and the MCs personalities from the beginning had stayed.
June 9, 2025
Not me giving the lowest rating to the highest rated book in the series. But this reminded me a bit of Heated Rivalry, which I didn't love, so it also makes plenty of sense 😂
Unrivaled is one of those enemies to lovers where they start as rivals who are attracted to each other (enemies AND lovers), and slowly figure it out they could be friends and even like each other. If you know me, I hate that trope. I know it’s the favorite for most readers (hence the average rating), but I’d rather have a strangers to friends to lovers. I don’t like having spice from the beginning and I don't believe in the whole ‘i hate you but you’re hot, let’s have sex’.
I almost dnf this book the second I realized it was going to be that way; I knew it wasn’t going to work for me. I’m glad I didn’t because I enjoyed the middle of the book, where they stop saying they hate each other. It’s not as over the top and unrealistic as other books with this trope and it doesn’t last the whole book. The spice is also not overdone, so I was fine with it even if it’s not a trope I like.
The book lost me again at the end because it’s more focused on the hockey aspect and I’m reading this for the romance. I was so bored I was tempted to dnf it at 82% because I didn’t see the point of continuing reading (I also didn’t know the story ended at 94%).
Once more, I read it for the characters. I love that the authors have given us different characters in every single book of this series so far (sounds obvious, but characters tend to be interchangeable in a lot of romance series). I love that they aren’t perfect but they are perfect for each other, and that their problems and arguments make sense and feel realistic.
Overall, not my favorite from the series because I don’t like the hate to love trope when they start as enemies AND lovers, but if it’s your cup of tea I would recommend giving it a try. You don’t need to read the rest of the series, even if I think the first two were better.
↬ Hockey Ever After:
1. Winging It: 3.5 stars
2. Scoring Position: 3.75 stars
3. Unrivaled: 2.5 stars
Unrivaled is one of those enemies to lovers where they start as rivals who are attracted to each other (enemies AND lovers), and slowly figure it out they could be friends and even like each other. If you know me, I hate that trope. I know it’s the favorite for most readers (hence the average rating), but I’d rather have a strangers to friends to lovers. I don’t like having spice from the beginning and I don't believe in the whole ‘i hate you but you’re hot, let’s have sex’.
I almost dnf this book the second I realized it was going to be that way; I knew it wasn’t going to work for me. I’m glad I didn’t because I enjoyed the middle of the book, where they stop saying they hate each other. It’s not as over the top and unrealistic as other books with this trope and it doesn’t last the whole book. The spice is also not overdone, so I was fine with it even if it’s not a trope I like.
The book lost me again at the end because it’s more focused on the hockey aspect and I’m reading this for the romance. I was so bored I was tempted to dnf it at 82% because I didn’t see the point of continuing reading (I also didn’t know the story ended at 94%).
Once more, I read it for the characters. I love that the authors have given us different characters in every single book of this series so far (sounds obvious, but characters tend to be interchangeable in a lot of romance series). I love that they aren’t perfect but they are perfect for each other, and that their problems and arguments make sense and feel realistic.
Overall, not my favorite from the series because I don’t like the hate to love trope when they start as enemies AND lovers, but if it’s your cup of tea I would recommend giving it a try. You don’t need to read the rest of the series, even if I think the first two were better.
↬ Hockey Ever After:
1. Winging It: 3.5 stars
2. Scoring Position: 3.75 stars
3. Unrivaled: 2.5 stars
February 27, 2023
4.5 Stars
Every hockey book Morgan James and Ashlyn Kane write together is pure magic. The original version of the first book in this series, Winging It, is of my absolute most favourite hockey books ever. Am I still salty about the revised version that Ashlyn Kane did all on her own and rereleased so it’s now the only version you can get? Yes. One thousand percent. So much so that I still need to mention it here. Again. Don’t even get me started on The Winging It Holiday Special. Although I guess I should be kinda sorta happy? grateful? since it seemed to lead to two more fantastic books in this world.
Anyway! This was yet another fucking fantastic hockey book by these two. I just love reading hockey books by authors who love hockey. The best part of this is incredibly charismatic MCs and a perfect supporting cast. This is a long book for a romance but it is wonderful that it is. Grady and Max are so well done, such fully-fleshed characters with so much damn chemistry that my investment in them lead to a near panic attack at the miscommunication that added the angst to the story (fuck you very much Grady). I’m happy to say this was short and handled well and added to the story rather than being absurd and out of place, written in only to create angst and for no other reason.
I really feel like we’re given the entire story of Grady and Max, from their completely random and hilarious meetup, to the most ridiculous, tear-inducing proclamation of feelings, to falling in love. Honestly lobsters haven’t had their moment since Phoebe in Friends and I’m happy and a bit confused to say that they have a fantastic place in this story. Also, the sex scenes were hot AF! Individualized for the characters and for where they were in their emotions.
I also love how there’s actual hockey here. A lot of recent hockey romances only feature hockey players, but the hockey is forgotten. Having hockey scenes really brings home the characters’ passion and careers. I loved when Grady thought he owed Dante (book one) a thank you for being the first out NHL player in this world.
This is a lot of rambling to say I fucking loved this, and I only wished for more time between the two of them as a couple in the end in the post-season, because without an epilogue it felt a bit incomplete.
Two last notes: Like every other book by these two, the only women in this book who are straight and of childbearing age are pregnant. I don’t know if it’s the current attacks on women’s rights in the real world and the out-of-touch push by governments trying to convince women to have more babies to fuel capitalism, but I’m finding myself extra annoyed with this in books lately.
I also really wish these weren’t published with Dreamspinner. How is this company even still running?
Every hockey book Morgan James and Ashlyn Kane write together is pure magic. The original version of the first book in this series, Winging It, is of my absolute most favourite hockey books ever. Am I still salty about the revised version that Ashlyn Kane did all on her own and rereleased so it’s now the only version you can get? Yes. One thousand percent. So much so that I still need to mention it here. Again. Don’t even get me started on The Winging It Holiday Special. Although I guess I should be kinda sorta happy? grateful? since it seemed to lead to two more fantastic books in this world.
Anyway! This was yet another fucking fantastic hockey book by these two. I just love reading hockey books by authors who love hockey. The best part of this is incredibly charismatic MCs and a perfect supporting cast. This is a long book for a romance but it is wonderful that it is. Grady and Max are so well done, such fully-fleshed characters with so much damn chemistry that my investment in them lead to a near panic attack at the miscommunication that added the angst to the story (fuck you very much Grady). I’m happy to say this was short and handled well and added to the story rather than being absurd and out of place, written in only to create angst and for no other reason.
I really feel like we’re given the entire story of Grady and Max, from their completely random and hilarious meetup, to the most ridiculous, tear-inducing proclamation of feelings, to falling in love. Honestly lobsters haven’t had their moment since Phoebe in Friends and I’m happy and a bit confused to say that they have a fantastic place in this story. Also, the sex scenes were hot AF! Individualized for the characters and for where they were in their emotions.
I also love how there’s actual hockey here. A lot of recent hockey romances only feature hockey players, but the hockey is forgotten. Having hockey scenes really brings home the characters’ passion and careers. I loved when Grady thought he owed Dante (book one) a thank you for being the first out NHL player in this world.
This is a lot of rambling to say I fucking loved this, and I only wished for more time between the two of them as a couple in the end in the post-season, because without an epilogue it felt a bit incomplete.
Two last notes: Like every other book by these two, the only women in this book who are straight and of childbearing age are pregnant. I don’t know if it’s the current attacks on women’s rights in the real world and the out-of-touch push by governments trying to convince women to have more babies to fuel capitalism, but I’m finding myself extra annoyed with this in books lately.
I also really wish these weren’t published with Dreamspinner. How is this company even still running?
August 18, 2023
It will be a surprise to absolutely no one who knows me that I was accidentally obsessed with Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid in 2022. This book is the absolute closest I could find to the banter of those two and believe me, I've looked. Many have attempted and few have even made it close.
Grady and Max would like nothing more than to punch each other in the face, again, but fate has them both swiping right on a dating app without believing the other is who they think the other is. They are both out characters so this didn't have any of the hidden sexuality points that H.R. did and this book was stronger for it.
BANTER. For days. I've already crowed about this book in private chats to people. Enjoy.
Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for throwing me a copy as soon as I begged for it. My opinions are my own.
Grady and Max would like nothing more than to punch each other in the face, again, but fate has them both swiping right on a dating app without believing the other is who they think the other is. They are both out characters so this didn't have any of the hidden sexuality points that H.R. did and this book was stronger for it.
BANTER. For days. I've already crowed about this book in private chats to people. Enjoy.
Thank you to Gay Book Promotions for throwing me a copy as soon as I begged for it. My opinions are my own.
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February 21, 2023
Unrivaled was a delightful and, at times, hilarious enemies-to-lovers hockey romance story! We have Grady and Max, who have been fierce rivals on the ice, but soon after, a funny hook-up app mishap gets close, and they soon start opening up to one another. While they are rivals, Max is able to leave it on the rink, but Grady has a more challenging time and brings it outside the arena. Thus it takes him time see that Max actually does care for him.
I love how their relationship grew! Despite hooking up initially and getting under each other's skin, they actually start to care and soon fall for one another. Love how they go from enemies to lovers; the progression is not fast and takes time. The sex was also very hot!
Overall if you love hockey romances, grumpy/sunshine and rivals to lovers, I recommend this book! While it is the third book in the Hockey Ever After series, it can be read as a standalone! I now need to read the previous books while I wait for the next book!
I love how their relationship grew! Despite hooking up initially and getting under each other's skin, they actually start to care and soon fall for one another. Love how they go from enemies to lovers; the progression is not fast and takes time. The sex was also very hot!
Overall if you love hockey romances, grumpy/sunshine and rivals to lovers, I recommend this book! While it is the third book in the Hockey Ever After series, it can be read as a standalone! I now need to read the previous books while I wait for the next book!
September 24, 2024
Such a good book! I really liked the characters, loved the rivals to lovers & the grumpy/sunshine. The pacing on the relationship was really good too. And the tattoos! Overall just a really good hockey romance!
Taking a star off because sometimes the writing style was kind of weird. There would be a time jump then the character would think back on something that happened during the time jump. But why not have that scene happen in the book instead of just a quick paragraph of the character remembering it? Felt like a lot happened off page that I would have liked to see.
And also- the ending of this book was weirdly abrupt and felt unfinished? It ended in the middle of a scene. No epilogue. There is a lot I would have liked to have known that never gets resolved because the books just ends.
Still overall really enjoyed though!
Taking a star off because sometimes the writing style was kind of weird. There would be a time jump then the character would think back on something that happened during the time jump. But why not have that scene happen in the book instead of just a quick paragraph of the character remembering it? Felt like a lot happened off page that I would have liked to see.
And also- the ending of this book was weirdly abrupt and felt unfinished? It ended in the middle of a scene. No epilogue. There is a lot I would have liked to have known that never gets resolved because the books just ends.
Still overall really enjoyed though!
February 23, 2023
This was a hit! My favorite of the series for sure with a nice cast and, most importantly, charming, engaging leads who both antagonize and flirt their asses off. It was nice to have one character who was acutely aware of his feelings and another who simply couldn't recognize his and for that to not be the complication that delays the happy ending! I knew a very stupid misunderstanding was coming -- my least favorite thing about reading romance by FAR, especially since so much on it relies on continued miscommunication -- but I at least trusted that the payoff here would be worth trudging through that beleaguering and boring bit. And it was! I also appreciated that the miscommunication was basically willful and had to be reckoned with as a mistake instead of just a Dumb Thing That Happened. There are a couple of weird technical errors about the function of the NHL and also I have sizable questions about that Stanley Cup match-up at the end and the book was maybe fifty-seventy pages too long as a whole, but I'm happy to ignore all of that because I had a good time -- squealing, kicky-feet, posting screencaps to Twitter and yelling good! Anyway, lots of fun banter and just a very solid take on rivals to lovers with both an obvious and very satisfying ending.
ETA: I can't leave this review up without also including that this has one of the dumbest metaphors I have ever seen used in a... I don't know, love confession, I guess? And it absolutely KILLED. I straight up swooned and pressed my phone to my chest and made a noise that Crystal mocked for the rest of the night. And that's what I'm on earth for, babey.
ETA: I can't leave this review up without also including that this has one of the dumbest metaphors I have ever seen used in a... I don't know, love confession, I guess? And it absolutely KILLED. I straight up swooned and pressed my phone to my chest and made a noise that Crystal mocked for the rest of the night. And that's what I'm on earth for, babey.
June 8, 2025
“I should be the lobster,” Grady repeated quietly when Max’s fingers traced down the side of his face. “You crack me open.”
4.75 ⭐️
Ah, it’s good to be back in the Hockey Ever After series. I really enjoy these books a lot.
I’ll admit—I was a little worried about this one. With a title like Unrivaled, I figured we were diving into some enemies-to-lovers energy (or at least rivals-to-lovers), and as we all know, that’s not exactly my favorite trope. But the Wheel of Doom demanded it, so I jumped in—and I’m so glad I did, because I really liked this book.
I love the author’s style and the world they’ve created—this hockey-universe full of love stories that somehow all feel soft and spicy at once. I adored Grady and Max. Their relationship starts off as a situationship, your classic “fuck buddies” setup, but it grows into so much more.
It was great following along as these two public rivals slowly realized they were catching feelings. Max was down bad—fighting for his life just to get Grady in bed without falling in love, and failing spectacularly. Grady, on the other hand, is haunted by past relationship trauma and full of trust issues (as many book men are). He’s convinced everyone will eventually leave him, so he tells himself he’s just in it for the sex—and to help his sister get her own second chance romance by having a date.
But Max isn’t here to play games. He’s breaking down those walls Grady’s built around his heart, and yes, we’re heading toward a HEA—but not without a few hiccups along the way. Because of course in hockey romance land, there’s going to be drama.
The third-act “breakup” was a little dramatic (Grady definitely overreacted), but honestly, it fit his character so well that I couldn’t even be mad about it. I thought these two were just the cutest fucking things, and it was so nice seeing characters from the other books pop up—not just the main couples, but beloved side characters too.
And of course, my Nick J. Russo obsession helped push this one even higher. I loved it. Give me five more just like it.
4.75 ⭐️
Ah, it’s good to be back in the Hockey Ever After series. I really enjoy these books a lot.
I’ll admit—I was a little worried about this one. With a title like Unrivaled, I figured we were diving into some enemies-to-lovers energy (or at least rivals-to-lovers), and as we all know, that’s not exactly my favorite trope. But the Wheel of Doom demanded it, so I jumped in—and I’m so glad I did, because I really liked this book.
I love the author’s style and the world they’ve created—this hockey-universe full of love stories that somehow all feel soft and spicy at once. I adored Grady and Max. Their relationship starts off as a situationship, your classic “fuck buddies” setup, but it grows into so much more.
It was great following along as these two public rivals slowly realized they were catching feelings. Max was down bad—fighting for his life just to get Grady in bed without falling in love, and failing spectacularly. Grady, on the other hand, is haunted by past relationship trauma and full of trust issues (as many book men are). He’s convinced everyone will eventually leave him, so he tells himself he’s just in it for the sex—and to help his sister get her own second chance romance by having a date.
But Max isn’t here to play games. He’s breaking down those walls Grady’s built around his heart, and yes, we’re heading toward a HEA—but not without a few hiccups along the way. Because of course in hockey romance land, there’s going to be drama.
The third-act “breakup” was a little dramatic (Grady definitely overreacted), but honestly, it fit his character so well that I couldn’t even be mad about it. I thought these two were just the cutest fucking things, and it was so nice seeing characters from the other books pop up—not just the main couples, but beloved side characters too.
And of course, my Nick J. Russo obsession helped push this one even higher. I loved it. Give me five more just like it.
February 12, 2024
it's a very long book and i don't know why but it lost me halfway through the end because it started to be...pointless (to me) but it is nevertheless a good book and i loved max and grady!
March 8, 2023
I didn’t want it to end! Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and this book did it well!
April 14, 2024
I stayed up super late on the day we spring forward (and thus I had to work even earlier than usual) to read the first 35% or so because it was that good! I laughed so hard during the first part of this book! I really appreciated all the hockey talk - it balances really well with the romance.
It’s almost a toss whether I prefer Book 2 or 3 since the books/couples are both great, yet rather different.
Thank goodness an Unrivaled novella is being released soon!! (April 2, 2024)
Oooh, nice little bonus scene on Ashlyn Kane’s website!
Reread 04/14/24 - I LOVE this book!!! It’s jumping into my (mental) top faves! This book gives me all the feels! It has so many good lines! Also, it really is just very well crafted ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s almost a toss whether I prefer Book 2 or 3 since the books/couples are both great, yet rather different.
Thank goodness an Unrivaled novella is being released soon!! (April 2, 2024)
Oooh, nice little bonus scene on Ashlyn Kane’s website!
Reread 04/14/24 - I LOVE this book!!! It’s jumping into my (mental) top faves! This book gives me all the feels! It has so many good lines! Also, it really is just very well crafted ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 14, 2024
“Tell you what,” he said instead as he slid his leg between Grady’s. “You prepare for the worst. I’ll plan for the best.”
“Deal.”
one of my favorite grumpy-sunshine dynamic duos ever … also, possibly the cutest couples tattoos i've ever read about.
October 25, 2025
∞ ⭐️ | 3.75 🌶️
-enemies to lovers
-hockey players
-strict
for me this book holds the top spot for my most favorite hockey romance stories. enemies to lovers supremacyyy. enjoyed reading it over and over again
-enemies to lovers
-hockey players
-strict
for me this book holds the top spot for my most favorite hockey romance stories. enemies to lovers supremacyyy. enjoyed reading it over and over again
Read
February 9, 2024Everything about this annoys me. I think I’m in the wrong mood. I’ll get back to it at some point.
February 26, 2023
4.5 rounded down bc, while i ADORED this, it went on and on for a lot longer than it needed to. and then ended before i felt fully satisfied?? like can i get an epilogue?? hopefully there’s an extra story coming.
February 28, 2025
Was so close to being a 4.5 if not for that ending (abrupt much?! how does their season end????) and the dumb dumb dummy boys not communicating (IYKYK).
But otherwise really, really cute. The matching tattoos, the cufflinks?!, "you crack me open", Grady's reaction on live TV when he learned Max had just been traded 👌👌👌
The audio was awesome as well.
But otherwise really, really cute. The matching tattoos, the cufflinks?!, "you crack me open", Grady's reaction on live TV when he learned Max had just been traded 👌👌👌
The audio was awesome as well.
March 11, 2023
Rough start to the book
and the romance. Zambonied
with talking, hot sex.
and the romance. Zambonied
with talking, hot sex.
March 25, 2023
This was a disappointment after Scoring Position, which was one of my favorite sports romances last year. Unlike that book, I felt like this one didn’t do much to develop the characters. I was mostly convinced by the rivals to friends part of their story arc, but the friends to lovers part felt like it came out of nowhere, and the “I love yous” occurred because the story needed it.
The ending also got way too bogged down with hockey details that distracted from the character development instead of adding to it. Not every sports story needs to show exactly what happened in every round of the playoffs, and not every hockey story needs to end by telling you who won the Stanley Cup. Unless it’s meaningful to the characters (for some reason other than this is what they’ve been working for their whole life, because that’s true of every MC in every sports romance), that stuff can and should be skipped. I don’t need 50-100 pages of hockey after the characters have worked out their problems.
Also, authors really need to stop using kinks as a way to make the early sex scenes interesting and then dropping them as soon as they can write “emotional” sex. Kink and emotion are not mutually exclusive! The kinkiest scenes in your book shouldn’t be the first ones.
The ending also got way too bogged down with hockey details that distracted from the character development instead of adding to it. Not every sports story needs to show exactly what happened in every round of the playoffs, and not every hockey story needs to end by telling you who won the Stanley Cup. Unless it’s meaningful to the characters (for some reason other than this is what they’ve been working for their whole life, because that’s true of every MC in every sports romance), that stuff can and should be skipped. I don’t need 50-100 pages of hockey after the characters have worked out their problems.
Also, authors really need to stop using kinks as a way to make the early sex scenes interesting and then dropping them as soon as they can write “emotional” sex. Kink and emotion are not mutually exclusive! The kinkiest scenes in your book shouldn’t be the first ones.
June 4, 2023
Tropey, emotionally satisfying rivals to lovers mm hockey romance. This doesn’t break any new ground but it’s fun and engaging. And if you’re looking for something with a similar vibe to Heated Rivalry, this may work well for you.
It’s my favorite of the series, by a lot. It’s also pretty stand alone. It references players from other books but the MCs weren’t featured in the other books so I don’t think you’d miss much by skipping them.
It’s my favorite of the series, by a lot. It’s also pretty stand alone. It references players from other books but the MCs weren’t featured in the other books so I don’t think you’d miss much by skipping them.
Read
March 27, 2024DNF ~25%
This was fine, so I'm not going to rate, the dynamic just wasn't really what I was in the mood for, and the characters' chemistry didn't grab me.
This was fine, so I'm not going to rate, the dynamic just wasn't really what I was in the mood for, and the characters' chemistry didn't grab me.
February 2, 2023
I was lucky enough to win an ARC copy of this book.
To be quite honest, I rated this as 5 stars halfway through the read. I just had a smile on my face the whole time. Luckily, the rest of the book held up and I didn’t have to revise my rating.
I just loved this couple… Grady and Max are so hot and sweet. I loved their journey from rivals to hook up to unlikely boyfriends. Their relationship was believable and sincere, and the drama/angst was realistic and not overblown. Just a well written and sweet story.
I feel like each couple of this series is my new favorite and the third installment here was no different. I honestly believe this is one of the best mm hockey series out there.
My only knock is HFN ending which was poignant and sweet, but I could have read 10 more chapters and a long epilogue and it wouldn’t have been enough.
Love love love.
To be quite honest, I rated this as 5 stars halfway through the read. I just had a smile on my face the whole time. Luckily, the rest of the book held up and I didn’t have to revise my rating.
I just loved this couple… Grady and Max are so hot and sweet. I loved their journey from rivals to hook up to unlikely boyfriends. Their relationship was believable and sincere, and the drama/angst was realistic and not overblown. Just a well written and sweet story.
I feel like each couple of this series is my new favorite and the third installment here was no different. I honestly believe this is one of the best mm hockey series out there.
My only knock is HFN ending which was poignant and sweet, but I could have read 10 more chapters and a long epilogue and it wouldn’t have been enough.
Love love love.
did-not-finish
January 24, 2024DNF @ 40%
I tried but UNRIVALED is really not working for me. I adored the first two books in this series but this one just feels different, I don't know if maybe one of the authors wrote more of it compared to the previous books but it just doesn't have the same flow.
But the biggest reason I'm struggling is that I don't like either one of these characters. Grady isn't an endearing grump, he's just an uptight asshole and for every charming and funny thing Max says he also says something really annoying and occasionally misogynistic.
I thought about pushing through but I already know the miscommunication, third act break up is coming and I just can't do it. Knowing how well these two manage to push each other's buttons I can only imagine what dumb and probably really hurtful things they'll say to each other.
Content Warning: past parental death
I tried but UNRIVALED is really not working for me. I adored the first two books in this series but this one just feels different, I don't know if maybe one of the authors wrote more of it compared to the previous books but it just doesn't have the same flow.
But the biggest reason I'm struggling is that I don't like either one of these characters. Grady isn't an endearing grump, he's just an uptight asshole and for every charming and funny thing Max says he also says something really annoying and occasionally misogynistic.
I thought about pushing through but I already know the miscommunication, third act break up is coming and I just can't do it. Knowing how well these two manage to push each other's buttons I can only imagine what dumb and probably really hurtful things they'll say to each other.
Content Warning: past parental death
December 27, 2023
4.5 stars. Definitely my favorite of the series so far!!!
Gosh, I loved both Max and Grady SO much!!!! I loved when they were enemies/rivals, even if that was a lot more one-sided than it appeared, and I loved how they gradually fell for each other despite their better judgement!
I really dug their story arc here! I also really liked the supporting characters in this a lot. Max's neighbors were a delight, as was Grady's sister and her disaster of a love life (and Max helping her out when they didn't even know each other yet!) and Gru the dog was also perfect? Even more perfect, though, was Grady picking him up and bringing him on the team plane for Max, I might sob forever about that!!
Anyway, yes, this really worked for me and brought me a lot of joy on my long flight yesterday.
Gosh, I loved both Max and Grady SO much!!!! I loved when they were enemies/rivals, even if that was a lot more one-sided than it appeared, and I loved how they gradually fell for each other despite their better judgement!
I really dug their story arc here! I also really liked the supporting characters in this a lot. Max's neighbors were a delight, as was Grady's sister and her disaster of a love life (and Max helping her out when they didn't even know each other yet!) and Gru the dog was also perfect? Even more perfect, though, was Grady picking him up and bringing him on the team plane for Max, I might sob forever about that!!
Anyway, yes, this really worked for me and brought me a lot of joy on my long flight yesterday.
May 23, 2023
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
It was so cute.
Max and Grady evolved into the sweetest, most romantic couple. I went through almost every emotion while following along on their journey.
Plus there is an adorable dog and lots of fun side characters.
This made my heart happy, it felt like a warm hug.
It was so cute.
Max and Grady evolved into the sweetest, most romantic couple. I went through almost every emotion while following along on their journey.
Plus there is an adorable dog and lots of fun side characters.
This made my heart happy, it felt like a warm hug.
August 21, 2023
Love when books make me smile like an idiot and cry in public. Wish I remembered more from book 2 to get the references from past characters. Also wish the ending was longer, it felt unfinished.
November 4, 2023
Okay, so this is a book that proves that I don't dislike ALL enemies to lovers romances, and here's why: because they never truly disliked each other, they were just sports rivals who taunted each other on the ice as part of their jobs. At first I didn't love the bedroom scenes because I prefer intimacy between partners who care about each other, but glimpses of their true selves and tenderness shone through almost from the start. By the time we got halfway through the book I was ALL IN.
And yes, I read all 3.5 books in the series within a week!
Source: Kindle Unlimited
And yes, I read all 3.5 books in the series within a week!
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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