Let me preface this by saying I am an Avon Gale superfan and her hockey books are some of my favorite reads and re-reads ever. That being said, this one did not quite hit the mark for me.

There were some things I liked about this book, namely the age gap and the student/professor angle, which was pretty refreshing for an athlete book, especially one set partially in college. Tristan is a non-traditional student, in his mid-20s, who has gone back to school to earn his business degree after a few years in the pro hockey league. He's not retired or injured - he just wants a Plan B. Sebastian happens to teach his summer sociology course. There's some slightly preachy social commentary on behalf of the authors that sneaks in as part of the sociology coursework. Not necessarily a negative, but definitely some eye rolls on my part. I don't like being preached to in my books. Another win - some of the secondary characters were awesome. I loved the honesty of Tristan's family when he came out to them. Their reactions felt more real than immediate acceptance or rejection would have. And Tristan's teammates, especially Ryu - loved 'em. Same with Sebastian's friend R.J.

Unfortunately, the things that didn't work for me completely overpowered the things that did. First and foremost - I am sooooo over the whole "I don't want to be the first out player in pro *insert sport here*" storyline. Can we please come up with some more original conflicts in athlete books? I'm not sure if it's because there's been a larger number of athlete stories lately, or if they've all just become a bit more cookie cutter, but Jesus. I'm begging you, authors writing sports romance, please branch out. This conflict is overplayed and overdone and so predictable it makes me want to DNF. My issue with this overdone conflict was exacerbated by Sebastian essentially emotionally blackmailing Tristan into coming out. It's never ok to force someone out of the closet. So much about how the central conflict went down made my skin prickle and not in a good way.

A few other things just didn't work for me, either. The kink was perfunctory and felt forced. The spanking, especially, was out of place and awkward. Really, Sebastian ruined this story for me. I never felt compassion or empathy or connection with him. And I never felt chemistry between him and Tristan. I'm told it's there, but never saw it. It's rare that I don't end up pulling for the central couple by the end of a romance book but this is one of the few cases when I'd have preferred them going their separate ways.

I really hate that I didn't love this; as I said before, Avon's hockey books are top-notch - some of my favorites ever. But something about this pairing lowered the quality for me. The second book in the series is teed up by the end of Off the Ice, but I for one won't be picking it up, as much as it hurts my heart to say.

An advance copy of this book was received for review on OMGReads.

This book was pretty good. It definitely held my attention and I’ll be checking out the author’s other books.

Loved this book! Such a great story with wonderfully written characters with the great hockey background. Would recommend to anyone!

This book was pretty good. It had all the important things that make up a great sports romance. And kept me wanting to keep turning the pages

While I tend to be wary of books including student/teacher relationships, this one is one of those that I enjoyed extremely. There is no real power imbalance, since Tristan is a famous hockey star, and since both characters try to put it aside, and even plan to postpone it till the grades are in, so as to avoid any conflict of interest.

I enjoyed this book a lot and am so excited to read more by Gale and Vaughn.

OMG, I absolutely love Off the Ice!. Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn immediately captured my attention with the tone of this romance.

I love athlete stories, and this one is fantastic. Tristan and Sebastian have a great relationship with so much to offer. Not only is Tristan a closeted athlete, but they meet when Tristan's a student in Sebastian's class.

So, yes, their story starts with a forbidden desire element, as the professor and student are immediately intrigued in each other. It's fun and extremely entertaining. And, damn, I love the theme in Sebastian's class and how he himself falls victim to that very issue. That theme? Privilege, bias, and prejudice. It's wonderfully written, explored, and as I stated above, illustrated. I love it all.

Everything about this book is what I consider delicious romance. With this writing duo, it's no surprise that the writing is good and the storyline is strong. The characters are both loveable and a lot of fun together. It's a stellar subject matter as they explore the dangers of making assumptions.

Seriously, I love this story! From the start, I found myself completely immersed into Tristan and Sebastian's world. Off The Ice is a compelling and riveting romance, full of tension, attraction, and a forbidden relationship, as well as the struggles of being a closeted athlete. I can't recommend it enough.

Cute and sexy.

'Off the Ice' hit some high notes for me - a hockey player with a heart of gold, hot for teacher, some kink, and lots of relationship development.

I wasn't the biggest fan of Sebastian at first. He's a bit of an ass, and definitely high-and-mighty in his ivory tower of academia. But turns out Tristan's all for it!

The two men spend weeks lusting after each other in class. And once the final grades are submitted and it's no longer unethical, it's no-holds-barred.

The sex in this book is deliciously dirty. And there's lots of it. Is there anything hotter than a big muscled jock wanting to be bent over, spanked, and ridden rough until dawn? I don't think so.

The relationship grows gradually. Neither man expects it to happen, but Tristan and Sebastian like each other for a lot more than just the physical chemistry.

I appreciated that the two men were open and honest with each other, and talked things through as their relationship and feelings progressed.

But around two-thirds in, things started dragging just a bit for me. It might have been the repeated sex scenes, or maybe Sebastian's slight douchey-ness being prolonged.

Whatever it was, I thought the second half of the book could have been tightened up.

Regardless, I enjoyed 'Off the Ice' and was happy to see Sebastian and Tristan get their happy ending. This book doesn't necessarily add something new to the closeted athlete trope, but it's an easy and sexy read if you're looking for that!

Off the Ice surprised me in some very good ways! I'm a big fan of hockey romances, so it's not as if I'm new to that hockey vibe. However, Gale and Vaughn managed to bring a new spin to everything! Not only because Tristan is firmly in the closet and plans on staying there for a while. Or because the hot professor he meets during his summer courses is openly gay... Of course, that definitely brought its share of both hotness and compromise, though!
I loved how Sebastian didn't really know anything about hockey, and Tristan explained it all to him - while stopping the recording of a game several times to point out what was going on.
I loved how both Sebastian and Tristan went with the feeling they got when they were together. Even if they were both a little unsure about the future and each other at the beginning.
I loved how courageous Tristan was when he knew he really wanted Sebastian for the long haul.
I can't wait to read Goalie Interference this fall!

I grabbed the chance to re-read this one and I'm glad I did. I didn't notice any significant changes in this version, but it was a great way to prepare for more books in this series (hopefully coming soon!).

More a traditional romance, with a side order of hockey, fans of the writing duo of Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn will be thrilled with Off the Ice, the first in their new Hat Trick series. There is a definite style in the combination of these two fine authors which is an interesting contrast to how each of them writes on their own. Very polished, the authors’ final product is a story with a great message, interesting characters, and fiery romantic scenes (it’s okay to infer I’m saying the sex is hot!).

Alternating between both main characters’ points-of-view, Off the Ice is the story of closeted NHL hockey player Tristan Holt and out-and-proud university professor Sebastian Cruz. A good deal of the novel is about their initial attraction, the build up to establishing their relationship, and the sparks that fly when they get together.

With a message about accepting yourself for who you are and doing what needs to be done to assure your integrity, Off the Ice will resonate with readers.

Both Tristan and Sebastian have issues to deal with, but when they come together, face the problems, and work for a resolution...well the chemistry between these two is spectacular.

There’s a slight age gap and power differential and toppy Sebastian sees the submissive in Tristan almost right away. Once he encourages Tristan to speak up about his desires, Sebastian leads them into an adventurous romantic relationship.

These boys get down and dirty in the best possible way, and it certainly kept me scrolling along.

Gale and Vaughn establish a really nice flow to this book. I love how Sebastian and Tristan progress from their initial lust to the security of a more established relationship. Watching Tristan grow comfortable enough to make his needs known, and how Sebastian assures Tristan he’ll get the job done, really illustrates the chemistry between these two guys. And it continues outside their sexual relationship as they face every day issues throughout the story.

The authors set the stage nicely in Off the Ice with the promise of future novels surrounding players from the Atlanta Venom hockey team. The goalie Ryu Mori, who is also closeted, and the team captain Daniel Bellamy, who is coming out as bisexual, promise to be intriguing stories and I’ll be looking forward to reading them both. Hopefully very soon!

Off the Ice pretty lighthearted for an in the closet romance. There is some angst, but it's overcome much more quickly than I would've expected, and the story focuses on the romance between Tristan and Sebastian as they get to know each other and find their footing in the relationship. Seb comes off as a bit snobbish and a lot judgmental in the beginning, but as things progress, that all plays a part in the story. So, while I wasn't crazy about him at first, he did grow on me, and I ended up liking both characters. They're also really good together with each bringing out better qualities in the other. That said, the story was still just a middle of the road read for me. The romance works, but in terms of tropes, there is really nothing here to set this one apart from a sea of others like it. All in all, Off the Ice is an easy, laid back story that makes for a pleasant feel-good read.

*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*

[Previously published; newly refreshed by the authors;
first date of reading: October 27, 2017, Riptide Publishing
second date of reading: March 25, 2019, Carina Press]

The re-release of Off the Ice was highly anticipated and naturally I read the first version when it was out (with Riptide) - so in a way it was "just" a re-read but it's always a pleasure to revisit beloved characters. <3

What I really loved about the book is the dynamics in the balance between the two "sides"; we follow Tristan's way as a hockey player but he's also trying to get his business degree and is dealing with going to college, having the mandatory sociology classes - where he's confronted with his hot teacher Sebastian Cruz, someone he has a huge crush about.

I enjoyed their banter and their flirting from the first to the last page. The sparks are definitely there, they burn almost the pages down, even if Sebastian isn't the loveliest guy in the beginning of the book. In fact he's pretty grumpy and kind of antisocial. But that doesn't hold Tristan off trying to get to know him. :D

I can't recall how many times I laughed out loud but also how emotionally I was involved with these two. *big, joyful, totally incandescently happy sigh* <3 I repeatedly screamed: "These guys. THESE GUYS *^* <3 <3 <3" while reading the book and even afterwards for days. :D

Of course the book includes characters who aren't flawless - for some this might be a point where they can't forgive some actions, where some readers might say it's too much what Tristan sacrifices and how Sebastian pressures Tristan. In a way I unterstand this critics. But I also understand the character Sebastian. He is out and proud. Being in the closet isn't an option AT ALL; somehing that Tristan doesn't have - and in ways he is forced to decide between two sides of the coin: either be together with Sebastian, be happy on a personal level but risk his hockey career or stay in the closet, but with the result of losing Sebastian in the end. He's definitely at a crossroads.

Some readers also will love or hate - it really depends what your tastes are - the kinky parts of the book. For me they worked and they gave the book a great dynamics, added a new layer. :) There's definitely a lot of power play, given by the relationship they both have - Sebastian as being his teacher and Tristan the student, but there's also the small age gap between them too. So in ways Sebastian is in parts more experienced than Tristan, whereas Tristan shows lots of character strength within the book. He definitely doesn't shy away from a challenge - on and off the ice - and despite being a total cinnamon roll (too good for this world), he is the perfect counterpart for Sebastian. :)

This book totally get my recommendation. 5 out of 5 stars.
And with getting a glimpse of Ryu Mori, the hero of book # 2, Goalie Interference, finding his love interest (and learning more about his character), we can expect a thrilling continuation of this series and hopefully more (domestic) scenes with Sebastian and Tristan along the way. :D

Review originally posted on my blog with added content Mikku-chan / A world full of words

I’ve read one other book by this writing duo. I liked Permanent Ink, their first book in their Art & Soul series, but I definitely liked this one better. Both books involved a characters that were years apart. I don’t have a problem with “May/December” romances, I just like the way it was handled in Off the Ice better. 😉

I may have liked Sebastian a little less in the beginning of Off the Ice if readers hadn’t gotten both characters’ POV. Actually, even with it, I was a little disgruntled with his automatic assumption that Tristan was a ‘dumb jock’ type of student. Those early encounters said a lot about both characters though and the way Tristan handled the situation made me respect him even more. Sebastian did finally win me over, but not before he screwed up a couple more times.

This is one of those books that had supporting characters that actually made the story. Without Sebastian’s friend R.J. he may not have gotten as far with Tristan as he did. He was a great sounding board for Sebastian, but he also didn’t pull any punches. He let Sebastian know when he was being an idiot. Doesn’t everyone need a friend like that?

I also loved Tristan’s family and the team mates that he he was close to that he pretty much considered family. Coming out for him could have cost him a lot and I would have respected him either way.

I’m really happy that this book is part of a series. There’s more than one character I’d love to get to know better. This writing duo is off to a great start with the Hat Trick series.

Hockey player + college professor = slam dunk for me. There is nothing earth shattering here with the professor/student taboo and the closeted hockey player, but this is still a good story. Predictable, but good.

Sebastian’s grumpy, growly, dominating yet surprisingly sweet and romantic guy. I loved watching him learn hockey and becoming the stressed-out playoff fan! Tristan is not quite his polar opposite but close…he’s sweet and shy, despite his size and profession. He’s wicked smart and down-to-earth thanks to his farm family upbringing. He likes to be dominated in the bedroom which works for Sebastian’s desire to dominate. They have hot sexual chemistry and become best friends as well as lovers.

The situation they faced is a tough one – Sebastian not wanting to be hidden but Tristan being scared to be out among his teammates. It always seems like a forced outing which I don’t care for but usually works in the end (since this IS fiction).

I will admit I was expecting a bit more of Ms. Gale’s typical, brilliant, entertaining banter. There was some cute banter but not the normal laugh out loud quips I’ve come to expect from her.

It’s obvious who the next couple of stories will be about as the hints dropped and foreshadowing are plainly laid out. I’ll stick with the series as I’m a huge hockey fan (and goaltenders are pretty much gods to me) and I usually can’t say no to books about players.

This was an okay read for me. I was really into it at the beginning. Tristan and Sebastien’s chemistry is intense. There’s the student/teacher element that made it intense. The waiting until the end of the semester was totally worth it. What I didn’t particularly enjoy was the direction the sex scenes took. There was a lot of it and I ended up skipping through some of them. I’m not a fan of consensual hitting or the BDSM elements included. It’s not my thing. I don’t feel like there was enough time spent getting to know each other. I really liked Tristan, Sebastien? Not so much.

I really enjoyed the tension that built between Sebastian and Tristan in addition to the contrasts between them. Both of those aspects of the story made for a great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC!

A great coming out story!

This is the first book I've read by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn, either as individuals or as a writing team. It sure was a great way for me to get introduced to their work. I don't follow any sports—none, nada, zip, zilch—but for some crazy reason I really like reading sports themed romances.

The blurb for this book is pretty good but it doesn't begin to convey the depth of this story. Tristan is a closeted NHL player who finds himself attracted to his harsh, demanding, and openly gay sociology professor. When they both realize the attraction is mutual, they have to fight the attraction until Tristan is no longer Sebastian's student. The depth in the story comes with how the writers detail the slowly developing relationship between the two characters and how Tristan has to decide between coming out and losing the man he loves.

Writing reviews is probably not nearly as hard as writing a book but sometimes it is really difficult for me to come up with the right words to describe how much I love a book. Off the Ice is one of those books. The story made me laugh and cry big fat ugly tears but I loved every minute of it. Stories that affect me so deeply are the best kind and Off the Ice was one of those books.

The Hat Trick series was originally published by Riptide Publishing. It has been refreshed by the authors and is now being released by Carina Press. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

My favorite trope to read. Not what I was expecting but I was still able to enjoy it. The characters could have been better developed. I didn’t feel any kind of connection to the MCs.

Really enjoyed this sports romance with a professor living openly and a hockey player completely in the closet. We have two great characters who have successful careers in their respective field and Avon does a great job at bringing both academia and sport together to an entertaining level.
I was drawn to both men but especially to Tristan as he explores the possibility of a relationship. Sebastian is the strong, independent type but has trouble resisting what Tristan offers him, both in and out of the bedroom. There is a lot of chemistry between the two, even when they couldn't be together in the beginning.
The hockey players and friends of Tristan's are a great group with a couple that he is especially close to who offer support and he goes to in times of need. Sebastian's best friend Marty makes for a few laughs but is also there in times of need for his friend.
I really enjoyed the plot of the story. Though it's a trope that is regularly done, it is also one that can be done in so many ways. Avon has given Tristan the chance to explore and find himself with a great man but it inevitably leads to a tough decision.
I would recommend this book and am looking forward to reading further stories in this series that include characters from The Venom.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

I think my rating is more 3.5 for reasons that'll be explained:

Finally reading this for the first time and i enjoyed Tristan and Sebastian a lot. They were great together. i know nothing about hockey but wasn't too confused reading the scenes that included the sport.

I will admit I was torn by the whole conversation between Seb and Tristan after Tristan doesn't introduce Seb as his boyfriend to Ryu (Tristan's team-mate) I say torn because I get Seb's feeling of hurt that Tristan didnt let Ryu know they were dating/a couple, buuuut even though Seb said he understood that coming out was a big deal for Tristan I kind of felt like Seb did phrase it as I can't be with you if you dont come out. And while Tristan said he did it for himself too, when he asked Seb if coming out to his teammates was enough for him (Seb), i feel like my heart was breaking a little? So the feeling of being torn was from loving these two together so muuuuch and then this part. Not loving that. Yes Seb did make it clear he wouldnt go back in the closet when they weren;t even serious yet but i don't know, i feel like he could've handled it differently. i'm not sold on how that all went down.

But i'm excited for Ryu's book cuz I liked what I saw of him and that sneak peek of book 2 from Emmitt's pov got me intrigued

It hits lots of my I LOVE boxes

Student/Professor ....checked
Age/Gap ....checked
Opposites Attract ....checked
Light Kink....checked
Hot AF ....checked
Romantic and light humor...checked
Relatable and likeable characters... checked
Engaging and interesting second characters...checked
No crazy OTT drama ....checked
No ridiculous and overused "misunderstanding and/or separation" ....checked
Problem resolution done by talking as adults....checked
HFN ....checked

Yep, as you can see, I enjoyed reading Off The Ice ; my 1st book by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn . And I believe will be the first of many , as I plan reading the other books of this new series.

So, you might asked , why only 4 stars instead of 5 , if I had so much fun reading it ?

Well, that is because 2 things:
* I felt Sebastian was somewhat selfish in how much pressure he put on Tristan to come out ; without fully understanding and discussing the impact and fall out, personally and professionally that might happened once Tristan told the world.
I mean, Sebastian knew , how his own extended family reacted to his coming out and how his relationship with his father was affected; so , I felt as he didn't have empathy to Tristan feelings.

* There was a lot, A LOT , of Hockey talk. It slow down a bit the flow of the story .

In conclusion , I was satisfied and happy with the resolution and how their relationship progressed. I loved how accepting and open minded Tristan's teammates and coach turned out be. Tristan and Sebastian future seem to in solid ground and a bright future.

ARC received through Netgalley and Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.