Heated Rivalry Hang-Over Recommendations
If you are finishing up the Crave Series and have read the Game Changers novels, here are some follow up recommendations!
1. Unrivaled - Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James
Grady Armstrong and Max Lockhart have a well-established rivalry, cemented by the time Max accidentally broke Grady’s arm on the ice. When a catfish Grindr hook up makes them reevaluate each other, sparks fly. But can their hot hook ups thaw their on ice rivalry? Part of the “Hockey Ever After” Series.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, cheeky and grumpy, found family, hockey players, MM, secret relationship, miscommunication, distance
2. The Trade Deadline - A.L. Heard
Ryan Russell is used to feeling forgettable. As a third line grinder in the NHL with several trades to his name, he constantly feels the pressure to prove his value to coaches and owners. Lars Nilsson, on the other hand, is an undeniable star and an unforgettable player. Certainly Ryan can’t forget the night he and Lars had spent in Switzerland after the World Juniors, though it is clear when Lars walks into the Baltimore Blue Crabs training facility seven years later that he has no recollection of Ryan at all. Sparks fly and both Ryan and Lars have to decide whether time and distance is insurmountable, or to make sure they never forget each other again.
Tropes: MM, hockey players, secret relationship, second chance, forgotten hook-up, complicated family
3. Check, Please - Ngozi Ukazu
Eric “Bitty” Bittle is excited and trepidatious about his freshman year at Samwell College and his place on the NCAA hockey team, particularly is a closeted gay Southern boy. A former Junior figure skating champion, he has great moves on the ice, but checking is a problem. When team captain and NHL prospect, Jack Zimmerman steps in to bring Bitty’s skills up to par, his demeanour is colder than the arena. But as Bitty wins over his teammates with pie and his friendly Southern nature, he learns that Jack is not all that he seems. Heads up, this is a graphic novel and more romance than spice (PG-13 rating for language)
Tropes: MM, coming out, sunshine/grumpy, addiction/recovery, found family, cooking as love
4. Lucky Bounce - Cait Nary
Zeke loves the Philadelphia Liberty both as a hockey fan and as a fan of beautiful men. While he appreciates checking out his celebrity crush Spencer McLeod, the stoic and intense first-line winger, on the ice, he is floored to see him walk into Zeke’s class on the first day of school at Rittenhouse Friends with his tiny secret five-year old daughter clutching his hand. As a gym teacher, any time you can bring an athlete into class, you must! Yet, the more time Zeke spends with Spencer, the deeper he falls for him. As time passes, Zeke gets the sense he might not be alone in those feelings.
Tropes: MM, Grumpy/Sunshine, neurodiverse (ADHD), secret relationship, secret kid, single-father, teacher/hockey player, rich/poor
5. Understatement of the Year - Sarina Bowen
Michael Graham betrayed the most important person of his life, his best friend and secret hook up John Rikker. Since that day, he has lived with the guilt gnawing away at him, leading him hide in alcohol and isolationist tactics. But when John strides into the locker room at Harkness College and throws his gear into the stall across from Graham, he can’t hide what happened any longer. Will Graham’s self-hatred consume him, or can he and John set things right and find their way back to each other? Part of “The Ivy Years” series, a mix of MM and MF romances
Tropes: MM, second chance, secret relationship, closeted/coming out, found family, acceptance, recovery, religious trauma
6. The New Guy - Sarina Bowen
As a frequent trade, Hudson Newgate is used to being the new guy. He hopes, however, that he will finally find a permanent spot on the roster with the Brooklyn Bruisers. His hopes become precarious though when he falls for Gavin, the new athletic trainer for the team. Like, Hudson, Gavin has a lot to lose as widower with a young daughter, trying to start a new life for them both. Losing his job by hooking up with one of the athletes he supports will ruin this fresh start. Is it worth the risk? And will Hudson stay with the team long enough to see if they could really make a life together? This book is part of the “Brooklyn Bruisers” series AND Sarina’s stand-alone set of MM Hockey romances.
Tropes: MM, athlete/trainer, single-dad, closeted player, secret relationship, found family
7. The Shots You Take - Rachel Reid
Riley Tuck has had his heart broken many times; when hockey turned on him, when his best friends with benefits married a woman, when he cheated on her with Riley and then dismissed it, and when his father died. Dealing with this fresh grief, the last thing Riley expects to see at his dad’s funeral is his former heartbreak, Adam Sheppard, sitting in the back row. Recently retired and having come to terms with his sexuality and what it means to have lost, Riley, the best thing in his life, Adam has come to Avery River, Nova Scotia to try and make things right. He thinks he knows how badly he fucked to with Riley, but he is determined to be there for him now. Building a life after losing a parent is hard, but is it something they could build together?
Tropes: MM, secret relationship, best friends with benefits, hockey players, addiction/recovery, mental health, loss/grief, second chances, found family, queer joy
8. Him - Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
Ryan Wesley has always known he was gay. He has never had a hard time finding a quick hook up with his chiseled hockey body, edgy tattoos, and quick wit. But everything is temporary and secretive, in part because he is a top NHL prospect headed to Toronto, but also because he can’t let go of his yearning, and guilt, about his last night with his best friend from summer hockey camps, Jamie Canning. Riley should never have let things get weird their last night together, coaxing Jamie into a little experiment together after a few drinks. After all, Jamie is straight….. right? This novel has a sequel, “Us” and is part of the “WAG’s” series by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen.
Tropes: MM, second chance, friends to lovers, sexual discovery, secret relationship, coming out, hockey, forced proximity, camp
Hope you enjoy! If you have questions, feedbacks or other recs, comment below!
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