A new hockey series from Amy Aislin, featuring two hockey players: an attention-seeking sweetheart pursuing a private, caring dog dad. Maybe they have more in common than they realize.
From the blurb:
Sometimes the sweetest victories happen off the ice.
Ryland Zervudachi lives for the game of hockey—and for the chance to build the kind of team unity that will carry the Columbus Pilots all the way back to the playoffs after last season’s crushing defeat. Off the ice, though, there’s one goal he hasn’t managed to score—the heart of Kyle Dabbs, the Vermont Trailblazers’ team captain and his long-time crush.
Kyle Dabbs has built a life centered on quiet strength. After a childhood scarred by his father’s verbal abuse, Dabbs pours his energy into his career on the ice and the book series he’s written to help kids like the boy he once was. He doesn’t need someone flashy, loud, and spotlight-loving like Ryland turning his world upside down.
But when an untimely appendectomy leaves Dabbs stuck at home, Ryland—recovering from an injury—shows up to help. Between late-night Scrabble competitions, pumpkin-carving mishaps, and long talks that peel back layers they’ve both kept hidden, Dabbs begins to see past Ryland’s bold exterior.
With chemistry sparking and walls crumbling, both men must decide if they’re ready to risk their hearts for something even better than a championship: love.
SNik's review:
First in series (Vermont Trailblazers). Opposites attract. Slow burn. Dual POV.
Ryland has had a crush on fellow hockey player Kyle for years, they don’t play for the same team so when they do happen to see each other Ryland flirts as much as he can. When they are both out of commission from playing, they both see beneath the surface and learn there is a lot to love about each other if they give it a chance.
This was a low angst story with a slow building relationship that was super sweet. The long distance they had to deal with made me a little sad, but it gave them all the visits over the months that were so special in their determination to be together and make each other happy. I really enjoyed these likable characters and how they spend time playing games and supporting each other’s interests. If you have a chance to read A Touch of Maple before this story it makes it all the more swoony, and this book is a good introduction to a new series with some possible future main characters that may get their HEA as well.
GreenwingReads review:
This is the first book of a new series. However, if you really want to understand Ryland's backstory, especially with what went down with Bellamy and Jason, I suggest reading A Touch of Maple to get a full picture of Ryland. His past with Bellamy is referenced quite a bit and I think you can get the gist of it without reading the other book, but I found it more enjoyable and it was easier to understand Dabbs' feelings knowing how Ryland used to be.
That said, I wasn't sure I could fall in love with Ryland, but his true character and personality that we get to see in this book won me over. He is a bit of a goofball, but also desperate for attention that he didn't get as a kid. I understood him a lot better and he did try really hard to make up for his past bad acts. And getting to know Dabbs, it was understandable that he'd be hesitant to get involved with Ryland.
That said, I didn't feel like these two really fit together as well as the story tried to make you believe. They were really different. Dabbs helped Ryland settle and be more present. Dabbs also realized that Ryland had more depth and was more observant and caring than he'd assumed. However, I didn't feel like Dabbs showed the same development or growth that Ryland did. He did overcome one thing holding him back, but his overall personality wasn't affected by Ryland the way that Ryland's was by Dabbs. They were cute together and the had great physical chemistry.
Amy writes sports romances really well and in a way that feels authentic. These relationships are almost always long distance and she doesn't sugarcoat the hard parts of that dynamic. They have their struggles, but their commitment to each other overcomes all of that. I did like the ending and how Ryland found the place where he belonged without either of them having to sacrifice anything for their relationship. A cute story overall and a fairly quick read.
Ever since I read Bellamy and Jason's story I've been wanting to know more about Jason's brother, Ryland. In A Touch of Maple, Bellamy and Jason's story, Ryland was depicted as a bit of a bully, but towards the end of that book we got to see a different side to him. And now in this book we finally get the whole picture!
Ryland is someone who people assume is one way when in reality the real him is something entirely different. People assume that because he does his live streams that he loves the spotlight for himself, but that's not entirely true. He has more layers to him than just liking attention, and the reason behind him craving attention goes much deeper than what someone might expect.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was cute and very sweet. I appreciate how detailed Amy got when it comes to writing and describing the hockey lingo and the intense hockey matches. I also loved how Ryland was so determined to make the team building exercises work, he's determined, driven, and cares a lot about not only his team but about his family and friends as well.
Kyle is an absolute sweetheart who craves privacy and hates people's cruel words. After growing up with a verbally abusive parent he doesn't want to give anyone the chance to be cruel with their twisted words. He first thought that by letting Ryland in it meant getting used to cameras and being in the spotlight, but the more he got to truly know Ryland the more he realized that wasn't accurate.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the relationship development between these two, they are just so adorable together! And their love/hate relationship with Scrabble is just so endearing, and very relatable. I liked how their differences helped teach each other something new, they helped each other in various ways because they had differing perspectives, and I enjoyed how Amy highlighted that component of their relationship.
This book will have you smiling, laughing, and saying 'aw' out loud, and it will leave you eagerly waiting for the next book. I know I am! I need to know the history between Sandro and Bennett, I'm sensing their story might be an enemies to lovers romance...
Heather's Review:
This slow burn romance gives us sweet longing and a long time crush finally coming to fruition... I love watching Ryland flirt and try to bolster Kyle's confidence and slowly work himself into Kyle's neatly built world to shake it up just enough.
I love their long chats and slow reveals, it was just a lovely read and a great way to kick off a new series. I can't wait to see where the next Vermont Trailblazers book goes!
The Best Parts of Him is currently available as an e-book
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