Game Changer (Vancouver Orcas Book 2) by Amy Aislin - Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

Hired as a busy hockey player's personal assistant, Charlie is really not supposed to crush on his boss. But Blair is just as attracted to Charlie, and even though you really shouldn't date your boss, and neither man has time for a relationship, they can't deny there could be something meaningful between them. Game Changer is a swoony romance for two men struggling with their responsibilities but not wanting to pass on their chance at love.

From the blurb:

It’s Blair Brawsiski’s ride or die year. After a decade in the AHL, if he doesn’t get called up to the NHL this season, it’s time to hang up his skates and focus on other things. But between a second job and

family priorities, his attention isn’t where it should be, and his dreams of making it to the big leagues are dwindling by the day.

Hiring a personal assistant to help out with day-to-day stuff? Probably the smartest move Blair’s made in a while.

But when that PA turns out to be an assertive baker who’s exactly Blair’s type? Blair can’t help but wish those dexterous hands would knead something other than pastry dough. Namely, him.

Charlie needs extra income. Desperately. With his expenses about to go up, it’s find a second job or get evicted. Getting hired as Blair’s PA is perfect: flexible hours, decent wages, and a scorching hot professional hockey player who’s willing to let him use his gorgeous kitchen for his baked goods.

Too bad that hockey player is exactly Charlie’s type. Too bad Charlie knows better than to date his new boss…

SNik's Review:

Second in series (Vancouver Orcas), but can be read as a standalone. Slow burn. no/low angst. Dual POV. 

Blair is juggling too many things, he’s trying to make the final jump into the NHL, help his family with their shop and his sister with his niece, while maintaining his graphic design business. When Charlie is hired as Blair’s personal assistant it’s supposed to help him pay off his mountains of debt, that’s his priority, and he certainly cannot give in to his massive crush on Blair. 

The mutual attraction is impossible to ignore, but people always seem to leave Charlie and he doesn’t want to tell Blair about his money problems, so he can’t hope for anything long term with Blair. 

Both Blair and Charlie are likable characters that have their own personal struggles they are slowly working to overcome while building a sweet relationship together. 

Blair and Charlie are hard-working, responsible individuals and very caring and kind with each other, the slowly building romance and relationship in Game Changer was such a fun read.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Heather's Review:

It was great to read Blair's story and see how his history impacted his time with the Vancouver Orcas and also bring Charlie into his life!  This slow-burn romance builds on a spark of interest from both men that they tamp down because they're now boss/employee - and both men are juggling so much and put others first...

This is a heartwarming and sweet romance between two men who deserve love.  Both are likeable and relatable characters and Game Changer was a fun read!

Rating 4 Stars

Game Changer is available to buy in ebook and paperback formats.

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Game Changer

Author and Publisher: Amy Aislin

Cover Artist: Cate Ashwood Designs

Release Date: July 18, 2023

Genre: Contemporary m/m sports romance

Tropes: Boss/employee, hockey

Heat Rating:  3 flames 

Length:  70 500 words/290 pages

Game Changer is book two in the Vancouver Orcas trilogy but stands on its own.

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

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Audiobook also available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple

Excerpt 

“Charlie?”

The man on his porch turned and . . . oh. Okay. Charlie being Coach Shore’s cousin, Blair had expected him to look like Coach: big, burly, and bearded. But Charlie was short, slim, and clean-shaven. He wore a wool coat in a colour that was somewhere between ivory and tan, a dark green scarf, and a matching toque with a grey pompom. Dark blond hair peaked out the bottom of the hat.

He looked like an ethereal fairy from another realm.

Of course he was exactly Blair’s type, all cute and rosy-cheeked and elfin.

Blair let out a rueful laugh under his breath. As if he had time for dating with everything else going on in his life. Jen and Jerry would be married before Blair found a minute of free time.

“Charlie?” he asked again, holding out a hand as he crested the porch’s top step. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”

“No biggie.” Charlie’s smile was wide and genuine despite Blair’s tardiness, and it triggered something loose in Blair’s brain.

Hand still in Charlie’s, he said, “Have we met before? You look familiar.”

“No,” Charlie said with a conviction that had Blair questioning himself. “But we’ve probably been to several of the same functions, most recently the pre-season barbecue at Coach Epps’ place. I work for the organization.”

“No kidding. Doing what?”

“I’m the baker for our NHL team. I make pastries for team breakfast, breads for sandwiches for lunch, and whatever else the head chef might need. Dinner rolls, desserts, that sort of thing.”

Now Blair recognized him. There were only a few times a year when the entire organization got together: the pre-season barbecue, the holiday party, and the end-of-season barbecue. But when you put the entire AHL and NHL teams in a room, along with coaches, management, and office and support staff as well as significant others and children, it made for close to two hundred people. And with Blair missing half of those due to other commitments in the ten years he’d been with the Orcas, it was no wonder he hadn’t officially met Charlie. Plus, not being a social creature meant that introducing himself to a crowd of strangers one by one was basically his version of a living nightmare.

He did remember once seeing Charlie from across the yard at one of the barbecues and wondering who the cutie with the smile that radiated warmth was. By the time Blair had set his plate down and turned back to make his way toward the man, Charlie had vanished.

And now here he was, on Blair’s doorstep.

What was he doing here if he already had a job, though? “Are you . . . seeking a new career direction?”

“No,” Charlie said with a quiet laugh. “Just a second job.” He cocked his head, and he might’ve looked guileless if there hadn’t been a hint of humour in his brown eyes. “Can I have my hand back?”

“Right.” Blair snatched his hand away, embarrassment tingling across the back of his neck. “Sorry. Uh. Come on in.”

About the Author 

Amy’s lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.

An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter.

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