The Game Changer series by Rachel Reid has long solidified itself as one of my favorites.
Ab-rific covers aside, these books pack so much substance, and Role Model was no exception.

We've caught a glimpse of Troy before in previous books, and his reputation wasn't the best but one could quickly tell there was more to him than met the eye.

We officially meet Troy during a major low moment for him. He's been dumped by his secret boyfriend for another man, one who is Out, and got into a fight with his best friend Dallas Kent, which not only resulted in the end of the friendship but in Troy losing his position of a great team and being traded to a scrappy one.

To make it worse, his reputation has been strongly linked to his ex-friend Dallas, an all around terrible human, and his chances of making connections with his new teammates are extremely low.

Enter Harris. As Grumpy meets Sunshine, we get to watch Troy break out of his shell, overcome some of his self-imposed mental blocks, in truly excellent slow burn fashion.

I love how Reid d0esn't shy away from heavier real world issues, and it's so refreshing to see it, especially in Hockey romances.

I'm so excited to see where this series go next, and if you need me I'll be counting down the days until "The Long Game."

3.5

I’ve been a little inconsistent reading the books in this series, even though I’ve been enjoying them. So I’m coming into this one having read 2 of the previous 4 books. The good thing about that is the characters that make appearances in this story and are relevant, were the ones I had read about. That being said, ROLE MODEL can work well enough as a standalone.

We immediately meet Troy who is not having the best of times. He was just traded to the Ottawa team and he’s not feeling like that was an improvement in his career. But it was retaliation for him standing up for victims of abuse by a previous teammate and friend. Coming into the new team he’s pretty isolated and feels everyone has a negative image of him. His only “friend” is the team’s social media manager, Harris. An unlikely friendship that slowly turns into more and makes Troy reconsider staying in the closet.

Like I said, I’ve only read 2 books in the series. Heated Rivalry still remains my absolute favorite in the series. This may come in second place for now. ROLE MODEL is a great sunshine and grump pairing. It’s a solid sports romance. I think Rachel Reid does a pretty good job at including the sport while developing the characters and the romance as well as external factors in their lives.

Another important thing to mention is that this book does come with quite a few trigger warnings especially for mentions of rape and sexual assault and even near death experience. For a short and sexy hockey romance, this book tackles some pretty heavy and emotional subjects and does it well.

If you’re looking for a cute story but at the same time with some angst, then this is the book for you. If it’s your first time diving into this series, you’ll definitely want to go and read the rest.

This book made me smile so much and my heart feel full to bursting that I almost couldn’t stand it. Role Model had so much energy and life; once I’d started listening to the audiobook, I didn’t want to stop. I almost didn’t want it end. I appreciate all the hours I lived in this book. The narrator Cooper North did a great job giving Troy and Harris distinct voices that totally captured their personalities.

Harris was pretty much perfect, secure in who he was, while Troy was still figuring out who he was and who he wanted to be. Harris didn’t have much of a character arc, as the story was centered on Troy’s redemption arc from being a total jerk in previous novels in the series to becoming and living his true self.

I enjoyed all the hockey in action scenes and seeing how Troy grew into an integral team player in Ottawa. It was such a treat to see Shane and Ilya together on the ice as well. I can’t wait for the sequel to Heated Rivalry, Shane and Ilya’s love story.

Since Ilya was the captain of Troy’s team, Ilya shared plenty of scenes with Troy in this book, becoming something of a mentor and role model to Troy. Other hockey player MCs from the series also showed up in supporting roles—Scott Hunter, Eric Bennet, Ryan Price, and their significant others. It was great to see them all together, though Troy and Harris were the real stars in this story.

It was such a joy to see how Troy opened up to Harris, who was such a good and happy human being it seemed like there really was no one else in the world who could bring out the best in Troy, who was the best for Troy.

I just loved how vulnerably and sensitively Troy was portrayed in this story and how hard he worked to be a better person. I loved how patient and understanding Harris was and how he set boundaries with Troy and wouldn’t let Troy get away with being the jerk he had been for most of his life and hockey career until he came to Ottawa.

I loved how they crushed on each other. I loved how they were so sweet with each other. So sweet sometimes I almost couldn’t take it but I couldn’t stop from smiling either. And I loved how their sex scenes were so freaking hot but more importantly so real and honest. I loved how Troy wanted to give so much to Harris and how much he appreciated him. How he showed his appreciation.

The ending was so emotional I was laughing and crying from one moment to the next from the range of emotions on the page. Though the ending was also a little too “Disney” for my taste, Troy and Harris were just so adorable together I will forgive the author for indulging.

I will never forget Harris’s Pride pins on his jacket, especially the apple-shaped pin that fluttered Harris’s perfectly, flawed heart. This book was such a wonderful gift. It made me so happy.

Redeeming an asshole character is tricky, but it’s depicted believably here! It helps that Troy is already well on the path of reckoning with his long-standing assholery at the start of the book. I loved this title, and I loved the two main characters. Their sexual chemistry is believable and is tied to who they are as people. I tend to avoid asshole protagonists, but I loved Troy in spite of my usual aversion. For that reason I’d compare this book to Out of Nowhere by Roan Parrish…another story line of a truly awful protagonist who becomes more himself and therefore more caring for the people around him.

I don't know how I missed the release date for Role Model. Sorry. I read it ages ago, then relied on my trusty calendar system, but this month has been particularly busy and anyway... here we go...

I love a good pair of opposite attractions - Troy, all grumpy, weary and scared. Harris, completely out, totally comfortable and confident... it's great.

The story revolves around Troy's gradual acceptance of himself as a gay man, and while I cheered on this journey, once it started, it came all too quickly and easily by the end.

But there's enough hockey, family sniping and catching up with previous couples to keep a reader like me happy. SO I am on board for more.

Rode Model was released back on August 10. Thanks Netgalley and Carina Press.

Troy has a reputation problem, but he's determined to turn over a new leaf and have a better attitude. Even if it's in boring, freezing Ottawa.

What he's not prepared for - Harris, the team's bright shining bubbly social media manager. They may be complete opposites, but the mutual crush is real.

Ok so right off the bat - as a resident of the city, I loved all of the Ottawa references. And I don't think we're that boring! Quiet and very bureaucratic, maybe. Although Ottawa has been dubbed "the city that fun forgot" hah.

But hey, that didn't stop Troy and Harris from getting up to some shenanigans!

The beginning of their relationship is cute and slow. Troy may be the man of his dreams, but Harris is content to just look at the yummy supposedly-straight eye candy.

Troy, on the other hand, is completely thrown by Harris. Harris, with his startlingly laugh and brazen display of Pride pins, makes Troy nervous and gradually just a bit smitten. Troy's stumbling when it came to Harris was adorable.

But don't get me wrong - Troy has a lot to answer for. He was a bully and just an outright asshole for most of his career. However, he's determined to make a change, starting with his own attitude and confronting his ex-best friend over sexual assault allegations.

I was rooting for Troy all the way!

Harris and Troy's relationship builds gradually, first as colleagues, and then as friends. But with an undercurrent of attraction that lets off fireworks once they finally give in.

Even better, they make space for each other. Troy feels comfortable in his own skin when he's with Harris, and Harris doesn't feel bogged down by his heart condition around Troy.

This isn't a particularly angsty book, but there are some heavy topics and difficult choices made. But Troy and Harris stick together through it, fighting it out for their own happy ever after.

Overall, this was an excellent addition to the series. Harris and Troy will leave you with warm fuzzy feelings. Recommended!

Troy arrives in Ottawa in a bad place, but fortunately for him, series favorite Ilya Rozanov is there to take him under his wing. His friendship with social media manager Harris starts off on an awkward note; Troy wants to tell the proudly-out Harris that he’s also gay, but it takes him awhile to summon the courage.

I want to take a minute to talk about how adorable Harris is. He’s super smart, a bit geeky, and he smells like apples because his family owns an orchard. He’s so kind and patient with Troy and never pushes his boundaries. This book is full of tender feelings, and after a complicated year, I am here for all the feelings.

I do have a complaint: Ilya Rozanov steals the show at every possible opportunity, and quite frankly, it’s a bit rude when he’s already had his own book, and he’s getting a second book as well. AND yes, I’m talking about him like he’s a real person because we all know that he is.

Scratch that, Ilya Rozanov is an omniscient trickster god who tells people all the things they’re afraid to acknowledge.

But seriously, Troy is trying to sort out his complicated feelings and then BOOM, there’s Ilya with an actual puppy! How is light angst supposed to compete with that?

All kidding aside, Role Model is a solid entry in the Game Changers series, and I would highly recommend it. This book functions well as a standalone, so you don’t need to read the other books before this one. That being said, I would suggest reading Heated Rivalry—Ilya’s book—before jumping into this one. I loved the themes of self-acceptance, as well as the acknowledgement of some of the toxicity in hockey culture. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series because the world needs more Ilya Rozanov.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley.

Rainbows and Sunshine
August 16, 2021

Ah I loved this one!!!!! Definitely my 2nd favourite in the series (No one can dethrone Ilya and Shane🤣) and I really enjoyed it a lot!

It took me a while to warm up to Troy, to really love him as a character but once I did, I adored him. Harris is so sunny and warm and such a great contrast to Troy. I love them together and all those little moments before they got together made me go squeeeee!!!!

It's got grumpy/sunshine, slowburn and friends to lovers, a puppy and ILYA!!!!!! Need I say more?? Unlike the previous two books, Ilya has a slightly bigger role as he is the team captain, and while my main motivation was to see more him, I ended up really loving Troy and Harris.

Really well done redemption ARC and I also loved the cameos from the previous books. While this is the fifth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone (Though reading Heated Rivalry will make it better)

The ending was stunning and so heartwarming and I was filled with so much pride, it made me emotional!🏳️‍🌈

Highly recommended and I cannot wait for the next book, which will be the long awaited sequel, Ilya and Shane!!!!!!!

*ARC provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

I’ve been enjoying Rachel Reid’s hockey romances, so I was looking forward to reading Role Model, which turned out to be a low-key but satisfying redemption story.

The character redeemed is hockey player Trey, who participated in bullying another player in an earlier book, Tough Guy. Here readers learn that Trey’s behavior was an attempt to blend in to hide that he’s gay, a choice driven by the toxic masculinity of his father and his teammates. Then Trey’s life implodes. His secret boyfriend dumps him, and reeling from his loss, Trey goes off on his best friend Dallas after horrifying rape accusations against Dallas surface, causing Trey to get traded from the only team he’s ever played for.

That trade turns out to be good for Trey, however, since it provides him with the opportunity to grow and change. I was expecting more conflict as a part of that process, to be honest. Trey still must deal with his terrible father and the general sexism and homophobia of hockey culture, but everyone in his new environment is supportive, which makes it easier for Trey to become a different person.

His supporters include his love interest, Harris. Harris is just a really good guy, which makes him a perfect match for someone like Trey. Not only does Harris provide the tender care Trey needs, he also serves as an example of the kind of person Trey aspires to be. I particularly liked that the author made Harris an ordinary guy—a bit stocky, attractive but not gorgeous, and with other personal traits that might annoy, like being loud and talkative. Trey doesn’t instantly lust after Harris, but comes to appreciate him as their relationship unfolds, which I thought made for a sweet story.

This is a solid entry in the series, made even more entertaining for Reid’s fans by the glimpses of characters from the other books, particularly Ilya. I’m looking forward to more!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Troy Barrett is really going through it. He's just been traded to the worst team in the NHL after calling out his former best friend for sexually assaulting at least five different women, and on top of all of that, he's just broken up with his boyfriend who nobody knows about because he's not out. He's pretty sure that being in Ottawa isn't going to help anything, but after meeting his teammates and the very cute social media manager, Harris, he realizes that this just might be a different kind of team.

I would like to start off by saying that this was an absolute delight to read. When it comes down to it, what matters is whether or not we enjoyed reading a book, and I honestly had a lot of fun reading this. The one thing that did bother me in the beginning is the whole "he's homophobic because he's gay" trope. Even now at the end of the book, I will say that I don't like this trope. It's harmful to the LGBTQ+ community and honestly like it's just outdated. Troy did experience a lot of growth and education though, which was good, I suppose. I just honestly would've preferred that this trope wouldn't have made an appearance. I'm still giving this book four stars because like, the characters were delightful (I want a friend like Ilya, truly), the spice was good, and the pacing was great. The ending was also genuinely wonderful. Overall, I enjoyed it. Just not a fan of the trope.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

This fifth book in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series is a fantastic read and has immediately gone onto both my keeper shelf and my list of series favourites (alongside Heated Rivalry and Common Goal). At the heart or Role Model lies a gorgeous, sweet and sexy opposites-attract romance, but the story also incorporates some serious issues as well as a coming out story and a redemption arc for a character we’ve met in previous books in the series and have come to solidly dislike.

Readers will recall Troy Barrett of the Toronto Guardians as the dickish friend/wingman/teammate of loudly opinionated sexist, racist, homophobic arsehole Dallas Kent. The pair of them were total shits to Scott Hunter (Game Changer) and then made it their mission to make Ryan Price (Tough Guy) miserable with their continual bullying, insults and all-round obnoxious bigotry. But when Role Model opens, that double-act has been broken up, because Troy has been traded to the Ottowa Centaurs – the “worst hockey team in the NHL” – following a very public bust up with Kent on the ice. At the time, Troy had just learned that a woman had accused Kent of raping her at a party – and that instead of taking the accusations seriously and investigating them, the league, team management and many of his teammates have closed ranks, determined to protect Kent and ridicule his accuser. Sickened that he’d ever called the man a friend and hating himself for not doing something to stop him, Troy calls him out in the middle of a practice session, the video goes viral… and it’s the end of his top-flight hockey career with the Guardians.

Troy’s trade/punishment comes hot on the heels of a recent-breakup (his equally closeted actor boyfriend dumped him for someone else) so he’s not exactly Mr. Happy-Clappy when he arrives in Ottowa. He’s thrown, too, by the completely different atmosphere there; the team members actually get along and even seem to like each other and the coaching style is completely different to what he’s been used to at Toronto (rather than being yelled at, the players are treated like human beings and encouraged). He doesn’t understand how his teammates can be so upbeat while losing games so often, and he really doesn’t know how to handle the positivity and camaraderie, so he keeps his distance – all he wants to do is play hockey and lick his wounds in private. But fortunately for Troy – and us – his larger-than-life team captain Ilya Rozanov isn’t about to let him stew in misery, and the pull of the team’s garrulous, sunny-natured (and total sweetheart) social media manager Harris Drover proves just too hard to resist.

I love a good redemption story and this is an extremely good one. There has been the odd glimpse before this that there might be a decent man behind the toxic, bullshit behaviour Troy indulged in, and his gradual transformation from the bigoted, stereotypically aggressive jock of the past to the Role Model of the title is completely believable and superbly done. It’s clear from the start that his outward homophobia was a way of hiding his own sexuality and that his friendship with a man who, for all his popularity, embodied all the worst qualities of professional sport, was a way of satisfying a powerful need to belong that began in childhood thanks to an arsehole dad who came from the same mould. I was completely won over by Troy’s determination to address the mistakes he’s made and become a better person, and by the journey he takes in order to get there.

Part of that journey towards self-improvement and self-acceptance is his romance with Harris, who is both his complete opposite and his true soulmate. Harris comes from a loving family and has lived in Ottowa all his life; he’s out and proud, he’s determined to make the most of what life offers and he’s an eternal optimist who is happiest when those around him are happy. To start with, Troy can’t wrap his head around the fact that his teammates have absolutely no problem with Harris being gay, and he’s completely baffled by this person who is always so cheerful – but somehow Troy finds himself craving the other man’s company, even if it’s just sitting quietly in his office while Harris gets on with whatever he’s working on. Harris realises that Troy is lonely and could really use a friend, so he sets out to be that friend and make him feel welcome, helping to draw Troy into the friendship and support the guys offer to each other and slowly enabling Troy to start to come out of his shell and realise that he’s someone worth knowing and worth loving. They have chemistry by the bucketload and their romance is sweet and sexy and swoonworthy. Best of all, these are two people who are good for one another and bring out the best in each other.

There’s a terrific ensemble cast including Troy’s new teammates and coach, cameo appearances from Eric, Kyle, Ryan and Kip – and last but certainly not least, a fabulous showing by the snarky, perceptive Ilya Rozanov, who continues to steal pretty much every scene he’s in while offering up small gems of wisdom and quite a few of the book’s biggest laughs. As fans of the series breathlessly await the conclusion of Ilya and Shane’s story next year, Ilya’s important secondary role here is a lovely and unexpected gift, and I loved the more mature, thoughtful side of him we get to see in this book.

I also loved the lack of manufactured drama in this story. There’s no Big Mis or dumb third-act break-up; instead we get more of Troy’s journey of self-discovery as he truly comes into his own, more of Troy and Harris being perfect for each other and an incredible, tear-jerking moment of triumph and acceptance that is worth All The Sighs.

Rachel Reid’s depiction of the toxic culture that continues to be deeply engrained in certain professional sports is, sadly, all too believable, with sexual assault victims openly disbelieved and ridiculed on social media, and Troy bearing the brunt of the fans’ displeasure and risking censure by the NHL for using his celebrity status to give a voice to those who are being shouted down. It’s heavy subject matter, and I applaud the author’s decision to include it, which she does very skilfully, integrating the plotline carefully into the story while not allowing it to overwhelm it.

Boasting two engaging leads, a lovely sunshine/grumpy romance, a superbly crafted redemption story, lots of warmth and humour (and a cute dog!) Role Model is another fantastic entry in the Game Changers series, and I’m happy to recommend it.

Grade: A/5 stars

Dear Rachel Reid,

I read Common Goal a while back and more recently, Heated Rivalry (I am completely an Ilya Rozanov fangirl now) and I jumped on (aka begged for) an ARC of Role Model immediately after because I wasn’t ready to leave this world. (Now I’m reading Game Changer for pretty much the same reason). Which all goes to show that the series can totally be read out of order (although reading Heated Rivalry will be necessary before your next book as it features the same main characters – be still my heart.) Tough Guy will likely be next for me because I have no willpower.

I’ve always enjoyed a good sports romance and even though I know basically nothing about hockey (it’s not really a thing in Australia – hockey here is mostly of the field variety and it’s not a huge deal apart from perhaps during the Olympics) I’m irresistibly drawn to romance novels featuring its players and teams. What I especially like about the Game Changers series is that it isn’t limited to just one team. The books feature a number of different teams (which Google tells me are all fictional) and encompasses the whole (fictional) NHL. It means the pool is wide and deep and the world overall feels more authentic.

Troy Barrett is a 25-year-old player who’s just been traded from Toronto to Ottawa. Ottawa is not a good team. Ilya Rozanov is there now but nobody knows what possessed him to transfer to such a substandard franchise. (We readers know of course *wink*). Troy isn’t stoked about the move but he doesn’t have a choice about it. He had been best friends with Dallas Kent, a star player for Toronto but after a leaked video of Troy calling Dallas a rapist goes viral, the team dumps him and Ottawa are the lucky ones to pick him up. A number of women have anonymously come forward on social media to accuse Kent of rape. While Troy didn’t ever witness anything, he believes them. It’s not super clear to me why that is exactly, but it’s alluded to that Troy has seen and heard how Kent treats and refers to women generally and has put 2 + 2 together. (Perhaps there’s something in Tough Guy that would make it clearer?) It doesn’t really matter why Troy believes the women though. The story isn’t about Kent.

Prior to the move to Ottawa, Troy had been someone he wasn’t proud of. Deeply closeted out of fear of his own father and the (likely) opprobrium of his fellow players and the fans, he adopted the persona of macho asshole – which ultimately led him to being best friends with Dallas Kent. (I liked that Troy’s memories of Kent weren’t all bad – there were some fun times in there – even monsters aren’t generally just one thing.)

After his outburst to Kent, which cost him his Toronto jersey, he’s ready to make some changes. He is not made super welcome in Ottawa initially – they’re suspicious and wary of him and they have good cause. He’s not proud of his prior behaviour – some of which included participating in homophobic slurs for example – but he doesn’t want to be that guy anymore. He always takes responsibility for his own actions and he doesn’t try to excuse them and that went a long way for me. People can change and grow. I was readily able to accept him as hero material.

Troy’s father is a “good old boy” full of toxic masculinity and narcissism. He’s been a shitty dad all Troy’s life but it’s hard for Troy to let the relationship go completely. He knows, if he comes out, his dad will walk away from him forever. But… maybe that’s a good thing?

Since Scott Hunter came out publicly (in Game Changer) the NHL has been slightly less homophobic but there are still vanishingly few queer (fictional) players (past and present) who are out. Troy is terrified of what may happen if he reveals who he really is but he is also desperately unhappy hiding.

In Toronto, he’s taken under the wing of scene-stealer Ilya Rozanov and a previous teammate, Wyatt Hayes ,who give him a chance, despite initial caution and he begins to release his fear and anger and show himself as he really is (apart from his sexuality that is). He also meets Harris Drover, the team’s social media manager.

Harris is not super-tall, and has a stocky build. He doesn’t have the muscle mass of a pro hockey player because of course. That is to say, he’s a regular, good-looking guy. Troy finds him completely adorable. Harris is also openly out and proud and is accepted by everyone on the team and within the franchise. Troy is blown away by the possibility of what this represents. But he’s also deeply smitten with Harris.

Harris is also kind and generous. He sees in Troy someone who needs a friend and if he’s also got a massive crush on said someone well he doesn’t have to do anything about it. (Sure Harris, keep telling yourself that.)

Harris was born with a heart defect and spent a lot of time in hospital as a child. He’s had multiple surgeries. He’s healthy now but has to be careful about some activities. It’s not a significant part of the plot but informs his character and that way he interacts with others and the things he cares about. He’s very close with his family and loves dogs (so he’s obviously amazing). He’s capable and smart and dislikes being treated as fragile.

Essentially Role Model is a coming out story. The role model of the title is Harris. Troy aspires to be that comfortable with himself that he can be out, that he can be himself with no filter or mask. After a near-death experience,what began as a few tentative steps out of the closet becomes more definitive, albeit done in manageable bites.

I enjoyed the humour, most of which came from either the banter between some of the players (especially via Ilya) or from Harris.

Harris was one of the only ones wearing a shirt, but it was a tank top, so he felt practically naked. He was tossing a Frisbee with Bood and Dykstra, which was a physical activity he was actually good at.

He’d engaged in another physical activity he was good at last night, so he was on a real fitness kick lately. Practically a decathlete.

I feel you Harris!

I don’t want to give too much away but I particularly liked the ending of Role Model. And by that, I don’t mean the last chapter or page. I’m talking about the whole way the story is brought to a close and what does (and especially what doesn’t) happen as we reach the HEA. The novel had tension which kept me engaged and reading and an underlying charm which had me smiling to myself often. There is a definite HEA but in some ways the book doesn’t conform to genre conventions (in a good way).

There was one part of the story which felt a little underdeveloped. Troy is basically threatened by the NHL Commissioner when he identifies himself as an aspiring ally of victims of sexual assault. The league is being very shitty about the allegations against Dallas Kent (which sadly feels all too realistic) and wants Troy to shut up. What was in the book was fine but I did want a little more. I wonder if there might further developments in this regard in future books though?

The romance – which is why I read the book, felt fully developed and I was delighted by how it unfolded.

Grade: B+


Regards,
Kaetrin

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE A PLUS SIZED MC! *standing ovation*

I immediately liked Harris. He's just so cozy and happy and I want to be his best friend. Troy his a history of being a jerk and so Rachel Reid had to work a bit harder to get this reader to like him, but I came around pretty quickly. There are a lot of issues in this book that are real issues in the hockey fandom (look, that's what they're are, that's what I'm calling them). It manages to deal with some quite serious topics, which also being this warm, cozy, sort of soft romance... about big, sweaty men zooming around the ice with basically knives on their feet, haha.

This is the 5th book in the Game Changers series, but can be read as a stand-alone. I don't really remember Troy, but I believe he was a side character in one of the earlier books (book 3 Tough Guy, maybe? I don't remember...) ANYWAY! He's turned over a new leaf, so we'll just forget about him being a jerkbutt sidecharacter in an earlier book! Oh, BUT! If you love the second book (Heated Rivalry), Ilya is in this book A LOT and it's GLORIOUS. I was so happy to spend some time with the gorgeous and irreverent Ilya again. :)

Role Model is an excellent addition to the Game Changers series.

We have Troy, a closeted hockey player who has made wrong decisions, befriended the bad people, and been a massive jerk in the past. And Harris; sweet, optimistic Harris.

-Grumpy sunshine
-Dual POVs
-Slow burn
-Character growth
-Friends to lovers
-Great pacing
-ILYA ♥
-Chemistry

I really enjoyed this book, this whole series.

Highly recommend it.

4 Stars

It’s official: Rachel Reid is my favourite romance writer. Five books in and she keeps delivering on every front.

ROLE MODEL’s got two excellent leads in Harris, a pure delight of a guy, and Troy, who’s just started to dismantle the wall of toxic bullshit he’s hidden behind his entire adult life. Reid nails their dynamic, especially with Troy’s journey to punch up and live as his authentic self instead of the asshole dudebro he’s always felt he has to be. There’s a realistic mix of certainty, self-doubt, censure, and support as he speaks out against sexual assault and connects with this lovely guy. My heart ached.

But since it’s Reid, there’re also plenty of funny bits and sweet bits. There’s a PUPPY. There’re APPLES. There’s TONS OF ILYA. My heart sang, too.

It had me all !!!!!! and 😭 and 😍 is what I’m saying. I couldn’t put it down and I miss it now it’s over. 5 stars.

I think this is my favorite of this series. It's more than a sports romance. It addresses a serious problem in the world while showing how relationships can be both harmful or helpful depending on how you treat those around you. Flashes of humor and filled with heart. Role Models is a wonderful read.

"Opposites attract" books are a hit or miss for me depending on how well they are written so even though I had a lot faith in Rachel Reid, I was a tad bit apprehensive about it going well.

I'll be honest and admit that I don't remember Troy from the other books in the series but seeing as he was former best friends with the disgusting Dallaas Kent told me all I needed to know. That is, he wasn't the nicest of people.

Fortunately for him, stood up to Kent for what was right eventually. Unfortunately, this led to he being traded and heartbroken.

Troy was grumpy, blunt and prickly in the beginning. He also had a truckload of self-loathing too. Basically, he had a lot of emotional baggage.

This was a carry-over defense mechanism from his formative years which stuck around way too long. As such, he had a lot of growing to do emotionally.

Harris was a veritable ray of sunshine and just a good guy all around. He was the cutest and I always had a smile on my face when he came on page.

As a couple they of course had a rough start but Troy was surprisingly very sweet in his own way when it came to Harris. Harris brought out the best in him and I believe Troy became a much better man because of it. Truth be told, I couldn't get enough of them and was dreading ending this wonderful storey.

Don't you just love it when someone grows to be so loveable you just want to squeeze them and never let go. I know I sure do because that is exactly what happened with Troy.

Honorable mentions go to Ilya & Shane. Ilya was quite prominent in this book since he was the teams captain and as usual he was the same intense man as he was. I was happy seeing him and I'll admit I'd missed his lovable ass. Shane didn't show up as much but as usual gave as good as he got. I honestly Can't wait for Ilya and Shane's book. They are one of my fave couples ever. ❤️

Oooohhh I’m a sucker for a grumpy falls for a sunshine kinda read 🥰🥰

This is book 5 in the series but could definitely be read as a standalone.

Harris and Troy’s love story is just the kind of heartfelt but seriously hot M/M storytelling I adore. There’s angst, genuine characters and the kind of HEA I love.

This author is fast becoming a favourite for me. Definitely recommend.

Rachel Reid has done it again. I LOVE this series. I really wish it was available in paperback but I’ll take it anyway I can get it.

No book will compare to Game Changers #2 Heated Rivalry, which I HIGHLY recommend...especially via audiobook. (You'll get the full Ilya that way IMO. That accent. *swoon*) This one is in the top 3 of this series for me.

Troy is a character that we've met previously. He was an arse but you knew there was something good behind that image. Here, we get the story as to why.

Harris is a fun-loving, social media employee for the Ottawa team. He's outgoing and liked by many.

As someone who lives between Toronto and Ottawa, I laughed a number of times reading about the cities. Ottawa - museums. LOL

What I loved:

Grumpy / Sunshine trope.
Ilya.
Harris's family.
Troy and Harris becoming friends.
Ilya.
The relationship growing.
Apples.
The Ottawa teammates.
Previous character cameos..especially, you guessed it...Ilya.
The heat...especially the dynamics of them learning what each other likes.
The humour.
The banter.

Looking forward to the next book in this fabulous series.

I sat on this review for a few days, not because I didn’t know how I felt about this story, but because I was so caught up in a swirl of emotions that I couldn’t put thought to pen, so to speak. First, let me say that Troy’s physical description is an exact match to the cover model. What a breath of fresh air that is! There’s nothing better than a visual of the actual character on the cover, as opposed to a character whose description in the book in no way matches the outside—well, all right, I admit, sometimes the hair color matches, but that’s it. In the story, Troy was described as tall, fit, with rangy muscles, pouting lips, a “razor-sharp” jaw, and eyes that glinted “like blue flames.” So thank you, Rachel Reid and Carina Press, for delivering perfection to the cover—as well as to the inside of the book.

Troy Barrett is now playing hockey for Ottawa because his former Toronto team traded him when he failed to support his best friend, Dallas Kent (remember Troy and this bully from Tough Guy?) when Dallas is accused of date rape. In fact, Troy fought with Dallas on ice and accused him of the crime in front of a full house of fans. No one knew that Troy was hiding a broken heart from having just broken up with his boyfriend, a famous actor who suddenly decided to choose another man. So now Troy’s in a new city, friendless, heartbroken, hated by his teammates, and, oh yes, Troy and Dallas did some major homophobic commenting the last time they played this Ottawa team and the players have a long memory.

The shocker for Troy, over and above all else going on in his life (including a homophobic father) is meeting Harris Drover, the team’s media guy. Harris is stocky and rugged, with neatly combed dark-blond hair and a trim beard. He wears Pride pins on his denim jacket and a perpetual smile. Troy can’t believe this guy is covered in rainbows like it’s no big deal. Harris is well-liked, happy, and has a (very) loud laugh. He also has tons of friends, and he shows up to practice with a puppy—a puppy who captures the attention of team captain Ilya Rosanov. Yes, Ilya fans, he’s back with all his snark but this time tempered by wisdom and a caring heart. He’s like the wise professor who encourages his students, on and off the ice, and he takes Troy beneath his wing. Also present from Tough Guy is goalie Wyatt Hayes, who welcomes Troy to his new team.

That’s the bare bones foundation, but the story is the building of an amazing, remarkable, unique high-rise on that foundation. There’s so much to enjoy here, including time on the ice. Rachel Reid’s love of the sport shines through, and given that my hometown team just won the Stanley Cup, the timing for release couldn’t be better. (Go Lightning!) The relationship building between the slow-to-trust, awkward Troy and the overly friendly Harris is beautiful to watch. The author takes the time to forge their friendship, start the slow burn, and finally, cement their relationship with love. One of my favorite passages comes when Troy begins to realize his good fortune and is thinking about the positive force that is Harris: “Troy sat silent, smiling as he continued to fall hard for the walking ray of sunshine he’d managed to snag for himself.”

And having Ilya along for the ride was like putting a juicy red cherry on top of the ice cream sundae. There’s sure to be more beneath the surface of Ilya’s comments and text messages as we see him from afar in this book. This is not his story but I suspect the author is going to delve deeper in the next book and possibly run a concurrent timeline to let us see his lover’s reactions to some of the events that affect Ilya and his teammates in this one.

And though I can’t wait for that last book in the series, in the meantime I’m going to start over on page one and read this again. It’s oh-so-sweet and deserves to be savored like a fine wine. Don’t miss the chance to read this, though I recommend reading previous books first—at least Heated Rivalry and Tough Guy—before reading this one so the revisits with former characters weave in smoothly.