4.5 stars! The third in the Game Changers series breaks the mold on hockey romances. Fabian is NOT a hockey player. Ryan is but no longer loves playing for the NHL due to anxiety and other complex issues involving his forced role of enforcer. Fabian and Ryan reconnect - Star Crossed Lovers seriously - as Ryan had been billeted with Fabian’s family briefly as a teen. Involves scenes with music as Fabian is an up and coming musician who is fabulous, Fabian and Ryan being super sweet together, and Ryan learning to love hockey in a new way towards the end. 💕

I love how each book has been different in narrative, tone and in the romance it tells and this one could be my favourite of the lot because I just adored Ryan Price and everything about him.

Fabian was also an interesting character, but I took longer to warm up to him because, while he was wonderful mostly in the way he intuitively understood Ryan's fears and anxieties, he also had a serious chip on his shoulder which I didn't think really was earned to the degree he exercised it.

That's a minor quibble though in a book which is otherwise a really beautiful slow burn romance, one in which two men who are as different as light and dark can find common ground in their appreciation of what makes the other unique.

Fabian was unashamedly queer, Ryan quietly so, but he also wasn't closeted and didn't hide his attraction to Fabian. Ryan's clinical anxieties were handled with consideration by the author, I never felt like they were overplayed or that they were brushed aside with the properties of magical dick.

It was different to have a main character who wasn't always able to engage fully in sexual activity because of his inner fears and anxieties and I really want to commend Rachel Reid for taking this approach.

I never once felt that Fabian or Ryan were missing out on anything because of their lack of penetrative sex, although there is one incredibly beautiful and seriously hot scene in which they do. The emotional connection between them, and Ryan's joy in just finding his anxieties put aside long enough to enjoy Fabian's sexual release was a very powerful narrative.

There's a lovely guest appearance from our favourite mouthy Russian and his all-American secret ice hockey superstar boyfriend and I loved how their book was brought into this one with a subtle nod and hint.

All round another great addition to what's been, for me, a brilliant series of sports romances.

I think this might possibly be the sweetest hockey romance that I have ever read. Not that I've read many, but I've come across a few. Ryan is a gentle giant, despite his reputation on the ice. He loves men who are the complete opposite of him; confident, delicate and beautiful. He fell for Fabrian as a teenager although he never acted on it. Fabian doesn't have a particular type, but e also fell for Ryan when they were teenagers. It's only when they meet again now that their feelings for one another are revealed.
In many ways, Ryan and Fabian seem like an odd couple. But it soon becomes clear that they work really well together. I don't know a great deal (anything) about ice hockey, having seen a grand total of two games in my life. Ryan's job on the team is as an enforcer. He fights in order to protect other members of his team. Unfortunately, it's not a position that is easy to deal with and Ryan struggles in this story. I did a quick google and found an article about three young enforcers who had all died due to their struggles with mental health and the toll that the game took on them. I thought that this aspect was dealt with quite well in the story. Fabian struggles to reconcile the sweet and caring man that he has fallen for, with the aggressive side he shows on the ice.
Of course, this is a romance story and we know that we all read those for the happily ever after, the ability of the characters to work through their differences and be together. Tough Guy delivers on that front and I'm sure that you'll be left with a happy smile by the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gosh I loved this story! I would give it more than 5 stars if I could!

It’s a heartfelt MM romance with one of the sweetest heroes ever. Ryan is a giant hockey player and I have to say I absolutely adored him. His quirks, his shyness and his soft inside the “fighter” outside made me fall for him in a big way.

Fabian is just what he needs to find himself, his confidence and a love story he deserves. I loved that he was a beautiful gay man who owned his flamboyance and it was a nice change from the usual MM I read where both guys are manly men. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy them too but I love seeing everyone having their story told.

I smiled hard in this one & I also got teary in scenes. It’s a beautiful story and a fantastic read with a fresh twist on not judging a book by its cover. Definitely recommend.

I know a lot of books in this genre pretty much boil down to a romance novel, but for some reason I always hope for a little more. Sometimes I get it, most times I don’t. Tough Guy is definitely one of those time when I wanted more and was left wanting.

Hockey player Ryan Price is suffering from anxiety, isolation, and loneliness. He’s grown to hate his role as the team fighter on the Toronto Guardians, he’s Skyping a therapist after a mid-game meltdown, he can’t get himself off even with the help of gay porn, and he has to medicate in order to board an airplane without completely losing it. So, of course, I thought this would be a good read. Hopefully it would delve into issues of stress, anxiety, mental health, being gay in a predominantly masculine and violent sport, all sorts of very real things that people deal with, but that are still treated as taboo topics throughout much of our society. Unfortunately, none of these issues were discussed in much depth, and the overall message seemed to be if you find a hot enough guy to fool around with, you can overcome all of these issues.

Despite that, I actually liked Ryan’s character. He had many self-esteem issues, and I felt a lot of empathy for him because he was dealing with so much. He was so weighted down with his issues but trying so hard to tread water while slowly sinking. In fact, I thought he deserved so much better than Fabian Salah. Cosmetics counter clerk and aspiring musician Fabian grew up in a home where his parents valued the hockey protégés that boarded them each summer, but had no time or use for their gay, musically gifted son. Which should have made me feel bad for him, but Fabian was shallow. At times, I felt as though he was written as two different characters: one who had total empathy and compassion for Ryan and another who was just plan selfish. His entire approach to Ryan’s career was too avoid it or pretend that it didn’t exist. Ryan tried to immerse himself in Fabian’s career interests. He attended his concerts, bought his music, met all his friends. Fabian did none of that for Ryan. He watched a few minutes of Ryan fighting on the ice, and basically gave up on him. When Ryan needed him the most, Fabian walked out on him. Ryan made all the effort to win Fabian back, and the whole time all I could think was, why? Why make the effort for someone who cares more about himself and his appearance than he does about you?

I liked most of the supporting cast of characters and enjoyed the bromance between Wyatt and Ryan. I actually didn’t know this book was the third in a series until I was about halfway through, which just goes to show that it works well as a stand-alone, and you don’t have to read the first two in order to understand this one.

If you’re reading this as a basic romance novel, I think it will meet your expectations, and you’ll really enjoy it. If you’re reading it for something a little deeper, then you may end up a little disappointed. I would have really liked to have seen more of Ryan and his issues, but it was a decent read.

Not my favourite Game Changers read to date, but a welcome addition nonetheless. I love the whole opposites attract theory, and you really couldn’t get two more opposite guys than tough hockey jock Ryan Price, and glitzy musician Fabian Salah. Ryan loves everything about Fabian, his small frame, his clothes and his perfect colourful makeup, he also adores his music. Fabian however, hates hockey and absolutely everything related to it, except for Ryan, he’s besotted with Ryan. Reconnecting after 13 years they easily fall into an extremely comfortable friendship whereby Fabian learns that Ryan may not be quite as happy with the hockey lifestyle he leads, as his public persona leads him to believe. A wonderful, heartfelt story, a wonderful group of friends, loving life and living to please. I loved seeing Ilya again, he was a firm favourite of mine, and I feel a reread is in order. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This series gets better and better! This is a different take on a second chance romance. I loved Fabian and Ryan and how different they are.
I thought the overall plot and flow of the book was well written and held my interest.
I was a bit teary eyed towards the end but then this couple pulled through and made it work!
I loved that we connected with some of our favorite characters from older books

Wow! I was not prepared for how much I would like this book! It's the first I've read from Rachel Reid. Now, I need to find the previous 2 books in this series!

Ryan is a tough defensive enforcer in the NHL with crippling anxiety and awful self-esteem. Fabian is a femme artist with a flair for the dramatic. Who knew two obvious opposites could be perfect together?!

It was fun to see Ryan regain confidence and embrace who he is and who he loves. Fabian learned that not all hockey players are dumb brutes. . .some of them even loved his femininity.

The writing was good. Loved Fabian's Bargain Brunch friends! Wyatt is a great friend for Ryan. All in all, a solid hockey M/M romance!

I adored this story. Hockey and sports romance are my catnip - but sexy m/m non-standard LGBTQ hockey romance!?! Sign me up!! Ryan is everything you think of when you think of a hockey player - big, really big, bearded and ultra masculine. And gay - openly gay. He is also extremely shy, has major self-confidence issues, and a serious level of anxiety. He is an enforcer - which means he pretty much gets paid to beat people up first, be a defenseman second. Fabian is pretty much the complete and total opposite of Ryan. Fabian is a talented musician, outgoing, and pretty much the textbook definition of non-binary.

Fabian's family was a big-time hockey family and hosted hockey players in their home of years while Fabian was growing up. Ryan was one of those players. Most of the players were ultra-jocks with a heavy dose of homophobia. Fabian was just different - and his family clearly didn't understand him. He has a fair amount of baggage and dislike of hockey and hockey players as a result. But Ryan was different - and he and Fabian definitely had a connection. When they meet again after Ryan is traded to Toronto - they really reconnect quickly.

This book does a great job of showing that people are rarely defined by one thing and one thing only. It also shows that love doesn't manifest itself in only one way. Ryan loves everything about Fabian and accepts him unconditionally. Fabian loves everything about Ryan except for his job. The problem with that is that Ryan defines himself, in a lot of ways, by his job. Even though Ryan doesn't love or enjoy his job anymore, he believes it is the only thing he's good at. This conflict ends up being pretty significant between the two of them.

Overall, I loved both Ryan and Fabian. They were definitely an opposites attract scenario - but in such an amazing way. This is a great love story with serious growth and development of all the major characters.

Loved it.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these are my own opinions.

Liked this review? You can read more of my reviews here: http://thisbookthatlife.com

3.5 stars

Tough Guy brings us a gentle giant in hockey pads. Ryan Price is the intimidating giant of a man whose job is to beat up the opposition. His job is to fight and win and with his strength and training it isn't hard. What's hard is living with himself after!

This sweet, sensitive man is miserable, lonely, and in need of some serious TLC. I would volunteer but Ryan and I bat for the same team. (He isn't interested in what I have to offer...sigh) A chance meeting with an old friend and former crush has this story hearing up. Friends to lovers...formerly unrequited...take your pick of ways to describe the sweet reunion for these two men.

It seems even the tough guy has a soft spot!

I won't lie. Fabian and Ryan are no Ilya and Shane but that's my problem. This sequel to the Ilyaverse was very sweet. There was a lot less focus on hockey and a lot more focus on Fabian and Ryan.

Ryan is an enforcer for the Guardians and is disillusioned with his job but feels trapped. Fabian is an indie musician who can play a mean violin. They knew each other when they were younger and bump into each other in Toronto. Fabian still carries an aversion to hockey players that he developed when his parents did a billet thing for young hockey players.

But Ryan is like no other hockey players. He isn't homophobic, a macho bully. He's actually a teddy bear. A six ft seven teddy bear with severe anxiety. I've never wanted to hug a fictional character more.

Ryan and Fabian's great love adventure's only misstep was coming after Ilya. Nobody's gonna top that. And yes, we get some Ilya in this book.

The review will be published on the publication date. The book will get a full five star rating and a glowing review. :)

Hochemotionaler, sehr schöner m/m-Liebesroman

"Tough Guy" ist das dritte Buch in einer m/m sports romance Reihe der Autorin, die in der Welt von Eishockeyspielern angesiedelt ist. Ich habe die beiden anderen Bücher der Reihe bereits gelesen und fand beide gut, #2 sogar fantastisch. Daher hatte ich vor dem Lesen recht hohe Erwartungen an "Tough Guy", ich habe einen emotionalen, unterhaltsamen und mitreißenden Liebesroman erwartet und glücklicherweise auch bekommen.

Der Roman dreht sich um die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Eishockeyspieler Ryan und Musiker Fabian. Die beiden haben sich vor Jahren als Teenager kennengelernt, seitdem aber keinerlei Kontakt zueinander gehabt. Jahre später treffen sie sich zufällig wieder und merken recht schnell, dass sie sich wieder sehen wollen. Da Fabian Hockey als Sport kritisch sieht und Ryan mit vielen sozialen Situationen und Beziehungen Probleme hat, ist die Beziehung der beiden kein Selbstläufer.

Die Autorin hat es geschafft, dass ich ihre Charaktere von der ersten Sekunde an als richtige Personen gesehen habe und mit ihnen mitgefühlt habe. Ryan und Fabian sind nicht perfekt, sie haben Ecken und Kanten, die sie zu faszinierenden Personen machen. Vor allem Ryan hat es geschafft, mein Herz zu erobern, ich hätte ihm beim Lesen mehrfach am liebsten fest gedrückt und ihm ins Ohr geflüstert, dass alles gut werden wird. Seine Probleme mit gewissen Situationen werden sehr realistisch dargestellt und es hat mir gefallen, dass das Happy End diese nicht vollständig hat verschwinden lassen, denn das wäre nicht realistisch gewesen.

Die Liebesgeschichte ist sehr schön und intensiv, so wie die anderen Beziehungen in der Reihe. Generell kann ich sagen, dass die Reihe bisher richtig stark ist. Die Liebesromane spielen alle in der gleichen Welt, stehen aber doch auch für sich und haben je einen eigenen Fokus. Das ist eine schöne Abwechslung zu sports romance Reihen, bei denen man das Gefühl hat, die gleiche Geschichte immer und immer wieder zu lesen.

Mich hat "Tough Guy" sehr gut unterhalten und auch tief berührt, daher gebe ich dem Buch 4,75 Sterne, die ich sehr gerne auf fünf aufrunde.
Wer nach einer anderen guten m/m Hockey sports romance Serie sucht, dem kann ich übrigens die Bücher von Amy Aislin empfehlen (A Stick Side Reihe).

I loved this. It’s completely different from the second book...which let’s be honest was very different from the first - and I LOVE that. I love how they’re each unique from the pack.

This has stellar anxiety rep in Ryan. He is a cinnamon roll anxiety bun, with sex issues that are real and honest. He could stand to be a little more honest with his therapist tho lol. The additional great rep lies in Fabian, a character who is fem and proud and doesn’t want to change and is lovingly understanding of his partner’s entire self is just great - these two are each other’s partners in every sense of the word.

Highly recommend. Now bring me more Ilya and Shane.

What I really love about this series is that every book is drastically different and thus gets diffferent degrees of love. If I had to rate all three books of this series I would put Heated Rivalry (book 2) at the top, followed by this one here and lastly the first book in the series, Game Changer.

I absolutely loved Heated Rivalry, was indifferent about Game Changer, and Tough Guy sits in the middle of both of them.

Tough Guy had some things that I personally found unnecessary for the story but other things that I loved as well. I could totally relate to Ryan and all I wanted to do was give him a big hug. I adored how patience Fabian was with Ryan and his needs. I also loved seeing little glimpse of previous characters, especially my love Ilya.

I am also a big fan of childhood friend turns lover, even though that's only partly the case here. Usually I also don't really like flashbacks but I was kind of missing them here. I just can't make up my mind about them apparently. When a book has them, I hate them, when a book doesn't have them, I miss them... oh, well, whatever.

I don't really know what rating I should give this book. I wasn't hooked by it like I was by Heated Rivalry but I also wasn't bored. It was a fun read and I absolutely still want to see more of this series. I would rate it more towards Heated Rivalry than Game Changer, so I guess I'll give it... 3.5 stars?

Despite being a Canadian who hates hockey, m/m hockey romances are my catnip so I was very excited to find this book. First off, how refreshing to have one of the lovers NOT be another hockey player or athlete. (Though don't get me wrong, I love hockey boys who love each other as well.)

Fabian is a genderfluid musician who is sexy as shit. He also hates hockey, with one exception. The player who was billeted with his hockey-obsessed family thirteen years ago.

Giant Viking-like enforcer Ryan isn't sure he loves the game that gave him his NHL career anymore, but he's definitely has a soft spot for Fabian all these years.

Their romance is sweet and super sexy. One thing that I absolutely adored about this book was that Toronto was as much a character as the men, and it felt absolutely authentic. Too often, lately, I've read books about Canadian cities that make me wonder if the author has actually been there. But Reid (who is Canadian) did a phenomenal job.

I'm thrilled to have discovered Reid's work and can't wait to dive in to more of her stories.

Thank you to Harlequin - Carina Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 solid stars! I was very excited to hear Ryan was going to be the MC for Book 3 in this series - I had been hoping for precisely that when I first encountered him in Heated Rivalry. His character interested me instantly and he did not disappoint!

Reid always manages to toe the line of light and fun while relevant and thought provoking. As someone with anxiety I thought Ryan's mental health was handled beautifully and respectfully. The amount of sex positivity and just blatant acceptance in this book blew me away, and makes me desperately crave to read more books like it.

I started reading this 4 minutes after I got the approval e-mail and finished it on the same day and I just want to say thank you, because it had been a while since a book made me feel like that.

Hearing about Scott Hunter and Shane & Ilya also puts a huge smile on my face! I know there probably won't be another S&I book but a girl can dream. And maybe a pairing with both guys on the same team? What do you think Rachel? Come through for me, please!

In all seriousness, I feel like some people may think less of this book because of the cover or think this story and characters are shallow, but there is so much light and love and positivity in these pages it is a disservice to dismiss because of the cover - just because he's hot, doesn't mean he doesn't have a lot to say, okay?

I cannot wait to keep reading the Game Changers series, and maybe I'm due for a (third) reread of HR before the year is out.
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I do have one note: whenever there's talk of height and weight the author uses feet and pounds which struck me as weird because this is a book set in Canada, told from the POV of two Canadians... So the units should probably be meters and kilograms?

Definitely more of a 3.5.

Heated Rivalry was one of my favorite romances of 2019 and I loved it so much that I read it more than once :) So, when I found that there was going to be another book in the series, I was very very excited and so glad when I received the ARC.

The author’s writing style is very easy to read and once I start, I just don’t wanna put it down despite whatever I’m feeling. Because I thought Game Changer was an okay read but Heated Rivalry was excellent, I didn’t exactly know what to expect from this book, but this turned out to be a good one too. There were quite a few moments which were heartbreaking and touching and made me very emotional - there may have been tears involved. I also thought the author did a good job of representing the difficulty of being a professional sportsperson while also suffering from mental health issues - the stigma attached to it, undue pressure to conform to certain masculine stereotypes which don’t include talking about mental health, playing through pain and maybe even getting addicted to the pain medication - I truly didn’t expect so much commentary on such important issues from a romance novel and I think that’s great.

We only met Ryan very briefly in Heated Rivalry, so I wasn’t sure if I would like him as a main character, but I almost fell in love with him instantly. He is an enforcer on the ice, a big intimidating presence but in reality, he hates flying, has severe anxiety and panic attacks, is in therapy and is very very awkward and shy. He is such a sweetheart and even though I’m probably a foot and a half shorter than him, I wanted to give him a hug and protect him. It was heartbreaking to see him struggle with not finding anymore joy in his sport, and also unable to talk about his feelings and issues, but still try very hard to overcome them all. He deserves the world.

I can’t say I liked Fabian a lot. I initially loved that he was very considerate towards Ryan and his shy nature, slowly trying to get him out of his shell. But as the book gradually went on, I just couldn’t get past his hatred of hockey and not trying to understand Ryan’s perspective at all. I understand he had baggage of his own from his unsupportive parents, but I thought it was unfair to judge Ryan because of that. While there were so many beautiful moments between them, Fabian’s insensitive behavior really made me forget about them. Thankfully, the conflict between them was predictable and was resolved nicely, but it went on longer than I liked.

I really liked the friend group in this book. Fabian’s three best friends are a delight, always teasing and being over the top but also giving solid advice even when he wasn’t ready to listen to them. Ryan on the other hand has never had friends because of constantly being traded, so it was heartwarming to see him make a close friend on the team in Wyatt. He was such an understanding and caring friend and I absolutely loved their conversations, and the time they spent teaching hockey to kids. And last but not the least, I was so happy to see the extremely short cameos of Ilya and Shane. It’s such a nice feeling to see them be happy and do good with their foundation.

To conclude, this was a nice romantic read but also a bit darker in tone and definitely more angsty. But just keep in mind that it’s very different from the previous books in the series. It’s also great to see some good mental health rep and discourse in a sports romance. If you like reading love stories where the hero is a gentle giant, this one is perfect. While I didn’t always like the love interest, Ryan was an absolutely wonderful MC and I would totally recommend this book just to get to know him better. And I have no clue if the author has started writing the next book, but I know it’s rest of Ilya and Shane’s story and I’m already extremely excited for it.

3.5 STARS!!!
This was a good M/M romance read with great characters. I enjoyed Ryan and Fabian characters a lot and their c0-workers, friends and family made this a read with a lot of laugh out loud moments. Vanessa, Tarek, Marcus, Wyatt and Colleen were great side characters that definitely kept this story going. Fabian and Ryan were very different characters, Fabian was a singer/songwriter with confidence that will rival anyone's and Ryan was a hockey star that suffered from anxiety and needed constant reassurance and was insecure. I wished that Ryan's character was a little stronger in a mental sense but he was definitely caring and sweet. This story also had it moments where it was slow and seemed to drag. The ending was sweet but I wished there was a little more to it. Overall, it was a good read and I would give other books from this author a try. This one was worth reading.

3.75* Not the storyline or leads I expected, though in a life-positive and sweet way.

This is mostly a tale about appearances not being what they seem, about a second chance at something that might have been and about how mental health can affect a person, as well as the effects of treatment.

I think the latter was very well done, and highlighted how important it is not only to seek medical help, but therapeutic help. The author also didn't shy away from the physical effects of meds, but refreshingly, she never strayed into making Ryan hesitant about taking them because of the effects. I think that was a breaks-the-mould, strong thing to do, because toxic masculinity would likely make most men avoid meds, due to the effect on libido. I loved the gentle giant that Ryan was and how much he wanted to help himself, but I also think he needed a bit more counselling, as he had low self-esteem on top of his anxiety. I know he saw a counsellor remotely, on an ad-hoc basis, it seemed, but it would have been helpful to see someone in person and someone who could discuss better coping methods and perhaps wean him off the meds. Yes, there's a personal POV here, because CBT can work.

The past history that the leads shared made the romance progress nicely, despite Ryan's self-esteem issues and I liked both leads equally. There was the tiniest hint of a trope with the slighter, smaller guy being the more alpha, but I loved Fabian's patience with Ryan.

As someone from an ethnic minority, I loved how accepting Fabian's family was of his sexuality. I think that was refreshingly done, without any faux drama and/or gushiness.

What confused me was Ryan's actual role as enforcer - it came across, to this newbie to hockey, as a poop-stirrer role. I liked that Ryan struggled with how getting into character, and tbh, I didn't understand the need for this. It didn't seem like a good sportsmanship thing and it didn't sound like team playing. I've not come across anything like this in any other kind of team sports and it didn't feel natural. No wonder the poor guy was as messed-up as he was, and no wonder what happened to a side character, happened. Hopefully, like the effects of knocks has been studied in American Football, someone, somewhere, is studying the effects of what this part of the hockey game does to those who have to do it - trying not to Spoiler here, so sorry for being so vague.

Overall, this was a sweet, second-chance romance with a HEA. And, apparently, it's not the last tale in the series, with the author mentioning more to come, soon.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

¸.•´¸★*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.★¨*.¸¸.•`★¤The Enforcer and the Musician.¤★¨*.¸¸.*ˑ˞★

I am an advocate for mental health, so that aspect I could respect in this story and they way the author handled it.

I loved book one, it was the best for me. I am still reading book 2, which is strange as I sit here writing a review for book 3!!

This was an interesting tale of a flamboyant musician and an anxiety ridden hockey player. Fabian and Ryan were old acquaintances who through Ryan's trade, met up again. Both men were good for each other. Ryan allowed and encouraged Fabian to be his true self and Fabian was able to indirectly get Ryan to see that he was better than the person he thought he was.

With little to no angst, a ton of harpy friends who had absolutely no filter, and two men who realize almost too late that compromise was a word, and that in order to be together, they both needed to understand that.

Happy for now? Happy ever after? You decided.