This series just gets better and better, and I must say Troy Barrett is in the running with Ilya Rozanov for the top spot in the Game Changers. Finally deciding to stand up for justice, against his best friend no less, gets Troy traded to the under performing Ottawa Centaurs who are pretty much the bottom of the league. That’s when he meets the social media manager, Harris Drover, who is straight up adorable, loving, kind, and most definitely touchy feely, he holds nothing back. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of Troy in every way, except one. Even their family life is on a completely different par. A wonderful, sweet and sexy coming out sports drama. Rachel Reid really knows how to spin a tale, I was truly invested in their ‘romance’. Ilya too, is on hand to give advice (great advice that is), and I loved the way the whole team rallies round and looks after one another. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why miss all those previous hockey hunks in all their pucked glory. I can’t wait to see where book 6 takes us. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this M/M sports romance series, and this newest entry (which can be read as a stand-alone) is one of my favorites. Opposites attract when a closeted pro hockey player is traded to a struggling franchise and has to deal with the very out and optimistic, energetic social media rep. There are a number of social issues included in the plotline, including sexual assault and the way professional sports organizations often deal with it. Watching Troy and Harris come together is simply a joy, and I cannot wait for the next entry!

It's so good!

Troy is closeted and miserable. He's just been traded to Ottawa's losing NHL team after calling out his former best friend as a rapist. His secret boyfriend dumped him for another man. He literally can't smile. Harris is Ottawa's social media manager and an apple farmer. He's out, everyone's friend, and a bundle of sunshine.

Troy has an amazing journey. He's been a world class asshole - tearing down everyone around him - in part to hide the parts of himself he fears. Now he's in a new place with people who assume he's a dick and he's miserable. But as his attraction to Harris grows, and as he develops friendships with better people, he begins to work past his terror, atone for being an asshole, and discover what life could be. Harris is the rock in this story. He's an amazing, adorable ray of sunshine who deserves to have everything he ever wanted.

Their relationship is so sweet. As it starts, Troy brings Harris an eggnog latte and cake pops, hangs out, then flees. Troy keeps being nice, hanging out, and then fleeing. It's endearing. The sweet gestures, the tiny acts of bravery, they stole my heart.

This book wouldn't be half as strong as it is if Troy didn't make amends. But throughout his is continually trying to be better. Sometimes faltering, but always working.

Oh, and it's spicy. It's so darn spicy. *fans self*

I haven't read the other four books and definitely need to go back and read them because this is a spectacular hockey romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I only discovered the Game Changers series this year in February when I binge read the first four books in four days, but I’m not exaggerating when I say this has now become one of my favourite romance series ever. And trust me when I say no one is no more surprised than me that sports romance books have become so important to me, when I don’t even know the difference between baseball and cricket.

Role Model follows Troy Barrett, one of the antagonists of Tough Guy, after he calls out his former best friend and team mate Dallas Kent, who has been accused by multiple anonymous women of sexual assault and rape. Trying to avoid a scandal, Troy’s old team trades him off to the substandard Ottawa team, as they prefer to protect Kent rather than acknowledge the horrible accusations. Troy moves to Ottawa, depressed and anxious, having lost his best friend, his team mates, and his secret boyfriend all in one hit. There, he meets Harris, the social media manager for Ottawa, and tries not to show how hard he’s crushing on the other man who is determined to bring Troy out of his shell.

One of my favourite romance tropes is grumpy/sunshine, where one love interest is a sweetheart and the other has never smiled in their entire life, and Role Model is this trope incarnate. Troy is deeply closeted and terrified of coming out as gay, as he’s felt intense pressure from his toxic father and former team, Toronto, for years. He knows that if he comes out, he’ll lose everything. To hide this part of himself, he hides behind the mask of a homophobic asshole: he makes horrible jokes at the expense of others and befriends the biggest douchebags because he finds it safer to be in the inner circle rather than on the outside. But all the changes the second he hears that his best friend might be a sexual assaulter and he becomes determined to change himself.

Harris is the complete opposite of Troy: he’s a literal ball of sunshine. He’s an apple farmer as well as a social media manager and he’s publicly out to the Ottawa team, who all love and support him. Harris has also had a major crush on Troy for years, and when he meets Troy for the first time, he’s convinced that nothing could ever come of his crush. But still he tries to befriend Troy as he can’t stand seeing how miserable and sad Troy is. And so over eggnog lattes, queer pins, apple cider, and the cutest little puppy, Troy’s frosty exterior slowly starts to crack and he lets Harris in.

I can’t get over how adorable the romance between Troy and Harris is. They just suit each other so well! While other romances from the previous books revolve a lot around sex and passion, Troy and Harris’s relationship develops slowly and sweetly. That’s not to say there’s no chemistry between the two, because there definitely is, only that the book focuses on their friendship as well, with Harris encouraging and helping Troy to leave behind the poisonous way of thinking his father and former team forced upon him.

It would be remiss of me not to mention my favourite part of the novel, which is Ilya Romanov! Ilya is one of the main characters from the second book in the series, Heated Rivalry, and is a fan favourite. I’ve got a feeling he’s everyone’s favourite character because he’s just so much fun. He’s a bit of a shit-stirrer, loves annoying people, and becomes one of Troy’s closest confidantes. At the end of Heated Rivalry, Ilya requests to transfer to Ottawa, a pretty average team, in order to be closer to Shane Hollander, his boyfriend, although no one in the hockey world knows this. And in Role Model, we find that Ilya is now the Ottawa captain and under his guidance, and Troy’s amazing skills, Ottawa starts winning almost every game. I have a feeling that in The Long Game, the last book in the series coming out next year which will be about Ilya and Shane again, will have Ottawa winning the Stanley Cup with Ilya as their captain.

Role Model is an amazing addition to the Game Changers series. A month after reading it, I’m still thinking about this book and can see myself rereading it again and again. If you’re a fan of this series, you’re going to love this book. If you’ve been looking for a reason to pick up the series, then consider my review the nudge you need! And just to make sure I get my point across, this book has Ilya Romanov wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and a Santa hat, while hugging a puppy. You’re welcome.

Role Model continues Rachel Reid’s Game Changers mlm hockey romance series. It follows Troy Bennett, who met briefly earlier on in the series, a closeted gay hockey player who finds his life upended by a trade, a controversy, and a breakup. He doesn’t want to play in Ottawa, which is a bottom-feeding team in the league, but he doesn’t have a choice. His boyfriend dumped him. Can he make the best of a bad situation so he can get out of Ottawa as fast as possible? Or is Ottawa exactly what he needs?

This might be one of the heavier installments in the series, which hasn’t shied away from some more challenging themes, but this tackles sexual assault and sports culture, abusive parents, major physical health challenges, and coming out. That might sound like it’s a heavy book overall, which I didn’t find it to be. Actually, overall, the whole central romance here is very sweet and tender.

My favorite aspect of this book was real and believable character growth for Troy. We meet him at the beginning of the book reeling from multiple setbacks and re-evaluating all of his choices. This drives him to really examine himself and his role in the sport. Though he is traded to Ottawa against his will, being in an environment that in many ways bucks the dominant sports culture is the catalyst his needs to take a long, hard look at his life, and to do the work to be the person he wants to be. That might seem a lot for what is very much a romance novel, but it works here.

Overall, I enjoyed this installment, though I don’t think it will be my very favorite. Looking forward to continuing Ilya and Shane’s story next year!

I loved this book so much. It's like the perfect comfort read. The beginning is heartbreaking and gloomy, then it gradually gets lighter, and by the end it's just so comforting and indulgent that I couldn't let go. I believe the general consensus is that Heated Rivalry is in a league of its own, but this one comes very very very close. Troy and Harris have a lovely journey from the opposite of a meet-cute to being very passionate and romantic together, with some fun banter and awkwardly cute coffee deliveries along the way.

Troy is pretty broey and grumpy, but unexpectedly instrospective and sensitive. At the beginning of the book he's hurting so deeply with no one to lean on, and that was just painful to see. A lot of his behaviour is a defense mechanism, and some of it comes from surrounding himself with the wrong people and then going along with what they do. I loved his snarky attitude, but also how much he learns about himself, how much he matures, and how he stays accountable for his actions.

Harris is kind of a regular guy who manages to stand his ground, and even stand out, around all these hockey players. He has a lot of personality, a good sense of who he is, and a great sense of humour. He makes almost everyone feel at ease, which proves to be very useful with Troy. I liked how out and proud he is, how goofy he can be, and I really really wanted him to get the hot pouting hockey player.

Troy is very aware of Harris from the first time they meet, but he's closeted, and confused, and convinced he's not good enough for him. Harris has kind of had a tiny crush on Troy for a while, and he believes Troy is way too hot, and perfect, and well...too straight for him. I can't describe how much I loved these two together. Troy is just completely lost having nice and supportive people (like Harris) around him and he has some trouble adapting to it. At the beginning it's one step forward, two steps backward, but it never gets frustrating. It's kind of a slow burn, filled with cute moments, but then a very intense situation gives them the push they needed, and it gets very steamy. They have a lot of chemistry, they both like it a little rough, and they're both very eager, which leads to extreme hotness. Like, some of the hottest in the series. It's pretty low angst, at least in terms of the relationship, and the ending is just delightful and very swoony.

I have to mention the writing, which is one of the reasons I love this series. The prose is crisp, amusing, and very effective. The story has a very nice flow. The characters and the relationships are very well-written and nuanced, the most shining example being how Troy's feelings about his ex were handled, and how much insight he gains about the relationship as he moves on. The on-page hockey was great, and it added a lot to characterisation. The book definitely speaks a lot about the effects of toxic masculinity, but it's organic and it's never preachy. I enjoyed Troy's relationship with his mom, the cameos from the other protagonists, and the easter eggs about Ilya and Shane, which were great, but not overwhelming. Oh, and cute puppy alert! Chiron is kind of a star in his own right and I might be easily bought, but I loved any scene with him.

To sum up - Role Model is a wonderful book, Troy and Harris are one of my favourite couples, and now I don't know what to do with myself until the next one.

*I have received an ARC from Netgalley and Carina Press, and I am leaving an honest and unbiased review*

Role Model is book five in the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid. This is only the second book I’ve read in this series. I read book two and now this one. I intend to read the other books because I loved both the ones I read so much but haven’t had time yet. Reading series out of order seems to be a thing for me, even though it’s unintentional.

Troy Barrett grew up with a toxic father. After going into professional hockey, he seemed to gravitate towards the same type of men. All while keeping a huge secret about his sexuality. When he publicly accused his friend and teammate of the worst kind of behavior, he was immediately traded to the worst team in the NHL, the Ottawa Centaurs.

Troy started his time with the Centaurs in much the same way, angry and distant. He didn’t plan on staying long. But little by little, with the help of his team mates and one very cute social media director, Troy found himself actually smiling, playing better, and re-evaluating everything.

Harris Drover grew up on the family apple farm just outside of Ottawa. His family still runs the farm which also produces a very popular hard apple cider. Harris loves his job with the Centaurs taking care of their social media. He’s been a huge fan since he was a child. The day Troy came to join the team, Harris saw the hard shell on the outside but could also see the pain and conflict on the inside. It was obvious to him that there was so much more than Troy wanted anyone to know about lurking behind his eyes. Harris was attracted to him immediately. How could he not be?! But he was also determined to do whatever it took to try to ease his pain, to make him smile the beautiful smile he got a glimpse of.

Harris and Troy become friends. Troy finds himself seeking Harris out more and more. And he begins to dream of a life like Harris’s, where he could live and love freely, out in the open. No more hiding. And he starts to think about Harris as much more than just a friend.

As these two navigate the changes in their relationship, Troy is forced to struggle with his beliefs on whether to continue to take a stand against his former friend, or keep quiet as the upper powers want him to. All the while, he starts to feel like he might actually belong in Ottawa with the Centaurs. They are truly becoming a team, they support each other. And of course, there is Harris, right by his side the entire time.

I loved this book. First, we get plenty of Ilya Rozanov from book two since he is the team captain of the Centaurs. I love that guy. Troy and Harris were so adorable together. I absolutely adored watching Troy’s transformation from a closed off, angry loner of a man, to this smiling, happy team player who was willing to stand up for what he believed was right.

This book was sweet, sexy as heck, and absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to go back and read the books I missed. I also am beside myself with excitement for book six, The Long Game, which is going to be a continuation of Ilya and Shane’s story. I’m swooning already and Rachel hasn’t even finished writing the book yet.

After devouring this entire series over the last two weeks (or so), I went from absolutely hating these to loving them. Okay? I admit it. I love them. I hate myself for it, but I do. I have almost no complaints about this book, at all. Troy and Harris's relationship isn't toxic (as some of the past relationships have been), and while I wish they did more precautionary safe sex practices, I"ll be happy that they use condoms and don't ever mention *not* using condoms. (That is literally my biggest pet peeve of all time when it comes to M/M romance)

What did I want out of this book that I didn't get?
More Ilya, obviously. I love that man. Just love him. I know that this was Troy and Harris's story, but I do wish that Ilya had opened up more to Troy. I think it could have propelled the story further forward, but I get that the author is probably waiting. I'm glad to see that Ilya and Shane are getting a continuation (although it makes me worry that they're going to, albeit briefly, break up... Carina Press's stringent standard for HEA/HFN endings kind of ruins the anticipation for me...)

As for the main drive of THIS novel though, I liked Troy. I wish he had been a little less self-loathing, and if he were a real person I would have kicked him for not kissing Harris on that plane. I think the story could have taken a definite different route if he had done it then, rather than after they all knew they were back safely on the ground. The inclusion angle on Harris as not only an openly gay man on the hockey scene, but also as someone with a serious heart condition was...interesting, but felt a bit like a crutch at times. Even as the youngest kid, he might have still wanted :"rough", because families tend to "baby" the baby. It added an element that could have been played up more..

My last complaint is, I wish it was longer. I like a chunky book. I know Carina/Harelquin shoots for more of a 60-70K word length, but this could easily, EASILY have been 80-90K and I still would have devoured every word. I'm very much looking forward to the next one already.

What a book! I love Rachel Reid's writing and this book did not disappoint. It's a little different plot-wise as the central arc is about the emotional growth of one of the characters. I loved every second of this book. The two main characters felt real and whole in an of themselves. It was beautifully done.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋💋

Very enjoyable and entertaining read that had me hooked from the beginning.

The characters are some of the best I’ve come Across in this genre so far, they are full of depth and the chemistry, that between them is so satisfying.
I’d love to read more from this author and definitely more of this series as this is the 5th book in the Game Changer series.

I can’t wait to get my teeth into more.
A brilliant sports romance M/M,
One that you will be dying read again.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

If I had read this book without being aware of the other installments in Rachel Reid's let's-face-it fabulous hockey series Game Changers, I might have been all-in, because gorgeous hockey player, cute social media director, said hockey player calling out scuzzy rapist Dallas Kent and coming to terms with his sexuality .... I mean, it's all very, very good.

But because of Heated Rivalry and Common Goal, I have to admit that I perhaps spent far too much time celebrating tidbits of information about Ilya and Shane, grinning to see mentions of Eric and Kyle, as well as Scott and Kip, plus a little shout-out to Fabian from Tough Guy. And with the next book in the series - The Long Game - back to Ilya and Shane, I was a bit .... distracted.

Of all the MCs in the other books, Troy and Harris did not seem as fully fleshed-out or as richly developed. But your results may vary. 3.5 stars for Role Model, and I'm definitely looking forward to more books in this series!

3.5 rounded up to a 4 for my love for Harris

Role Model is the 5th stand alone in Rachel Reid's MM hockey series, Game Changers. This one follows Troy who is new to the team, sort of an a**hole, and deeply in the closet, and Harris, the team's social media manager, who is proud of who he is and caring, supportive and just the greatest.

You might be wondering where my synopsis of the book is, my wrap up of what goes down without spoilers. Basically, this is the story about Troy finding a way to accept himself and be proud of himself. Which involves him standing up for others one second and then hesitating the next, him giving into his feelings one second and running away the next. I'm not going to lie it might not have felt so underwhelming if I actually liked Troy, but I didn't. He really didn't grow on me until the later half of the book, when he finally opens up to Harris and they spend a lot of really sweet moments together.

As I said in the first paragraph of my review, Harris is the greatest. I simply adored everything about him. His easy loud laughter, his smiles, the support he shows everyone on the team, and his big loving family. I just wanted to reach into the pages and give him a big hug. The whole time I was waiting for Troy to get it together, because Harris deserves to be cherished. I will admit I did love their dynamic in the bedroom and how Troy was the only one to ever treat Harris rough and not like he was made from glass.

I also loved seeing some of my favorite hockey players. The amount of page time Ilya had made my heart happy, and it was a pleasure getting to see Eric and Kyle again. Overall, the Game Changers series is a solid one, and I look forward to which ever hockey stick welding hottie gets a story next.

Happy guy - grumpy guy hockey romance and it was delightful! This is book 5 in the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid. I think you could read them in any order, but I appreciate the character building as the series goes on - seeing where the relationships have gone and such. It's steamy and there are tough moments where characters have to face family members or friends who aren't supportive, but, overall, it's an upbeat, positive book with lots of hope and excitement for the future.

Definitely the 2nd best in the series. Partially because Ilya is featured and I love him so much. Harris and Troy are an odd pairing, but Harris does all the talking needed for the two of them, so it works. Harris is eager and charming, while Troy starts out gruff and acts like a total dick. But, as the book goes on, we get to know the real Troy, and uncover a childhood of verbal abuse from his father which has set him up for a closeted and cranky existence.

The Game Changer series has been a boon for my sanity the last year, and I cannot wait to recommend the latest one to all the romance readers I know. Now, to wait until the sequel for Shane and Ilya. I don’t know how I’ll make it til 2022.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review

I love a good sunshine and grump pairing and felt that Troy and Harris were adorable together, and just the right amount of opposite to make their attraction plausible and sweet.

I don't think it's fair to compare or even measure every book in this series with my all time favorite Heated Rivalry, But unconsciously I do compare them, and nothing can measure up, it's just not possible. BUT books like Role Model stand on their own feet, as solid additions, easy reads, and wonderful MM romances that should be on anyone's tbr.

It had everything I enjoy about this genre, a solid romance, with a couple that had real chemistry, Great supporting characters, with witty and smart dialogues. And the sport was actually part of the story. I'm always so disappointed when sports romances have nothing to do with sport.

And I actually loved what the author did with Troy's story, especially considering where he came from. Also I genuinely liked him from the very first page, and I loved it even more that he didn't 'slip up' once the entire book.

Bonus points went to the many scenes with Ilya, since he was the captain of Troy's new team, and my anticipation for the next book went even higher.

*4.25 stars*

For SURE my favorite in the series after Heated Rivalry (nothing holds a candle to that banger of a story), Role Model was a stand-out addition to the amazing Game Changers series.

I'm so incredibly addicted to this series, it isn't even funny. Rachel Reid continues to impress with interesting pairings and storylines, and though allll the readers are starry-eyed over Ilya and Shane (I MEAN, I MEAN), Troy and Harris were an adorable pairing.

Readers, I know you love a sunshine and grump pairing (*raises hand*), and we really get that here. Troy has a past and has made some epically bad decisions in his career, but I liked how the eternal optimist, Harris, made him come out of his shell. They were just so good together, and I liked their opposites-attract chemistry.

Of course, Rachel Reid gave the readers what they wanted and we get a lot of Ilya (a more mature Ilya, I might add) and a ton of previous cast members, which kept me smiling from ear-to-ear. I didn't want to put this book down, and I shamelessly ignored my family all day to read. It was incredibly readable and well-paced.

The story could have used a few loose ends tied up, IMO. I wanted more closure on the ex-boyfriend situation, and I think the relationship moved a little quickly once it started rolling, but, overall, this book was like a warm hug. Or like a warm glass of hot cider (wink, wink). I couldn't get enough, and I didn't want it to end.

Rachel Reid, please never stop writing these adorable, sexy hockey players. I'd read this series *forever*.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

This is a good book. The main two characters are Troy and Harris. Troy has been traded to the worse team. He has some press issues. Harris tries to straighten his image but along the way they fall in love.

I absolutely adored this book. I have loved each book in this series, and Reid has done it again.

Troy Barrett is going through it. After publicly confronting his former friend, being dumped, and then being traded to the worst team in the NHL, he’s having a rough time. Enter Harris Drover: social media manager for the Ottawa Centaurs and pure ray of sunshine. Harris is a people-person and tries to help Troy boost his image online. Working closely, though, the two start to develop feelings for each other. Will Troy be brave enough to come out and live his life how he wants to?

I truly loved this book. The ensemble cast was outstanding and it made me so happy that we have appearances from every single main character from Reid’s earlier books, some more than others. Ilya stole the show and I loved the snippets with him. Also, Chiron. I love that there was a team dog.

I honestly loved every part of this book and I absolutely could not put it down. It does deal with some heavy subjects, with some aspects dealing with sexual assault (not on page), the book still manages to be sweet and funny. So funny that I actually found myself laughing out loud at moments.

Highly recommend.

TW: mention of sexual assault, homophobia, homophobic parent

Rep: two gay MCs, heart condition, bisexual and gay SCs

I read over 80 books this year already through all genres and this one has been my absolute favourite so far.
A serious case of “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”.

When I saw that there would be a new book in this series, I was so excited I looked for it every time I logged into Netgalley. I liked every single book so far and was a little disappointed at first, because I thought it would be the second “Shane and Ilya” book. Most people’s favourite couple are Shane and Ilya and while I love them I have to say…I now have a new favourite couple in this series and also a new favourite book(move over Tough guy, you have been replaced).
So yes, this will be a lot of me rambling because I have no idea how to put everything I felt while reading into a semi coherent review.


Troy had a very rough year. First he got dumped by his boyfriend of two years (and he can’t even talk about it to anyone, because he’s deeply in the closet), then he got transferred to the worst team in the NHL because he defended sexual assault victims instead of his rapist teammate (and ex-best friend).
I love a good redemption arc and I definitely love a grumpy x sunshine romance, and this book combined both of these perfectly.
Harris is this always happy, goofy, fun guy that everybody loves…and he’s loud and proud. The exact opposite of what Troy presents.
Harris does his best to help everyone and make everyone feel happy, this includes the new team member, Troy. He’s very chatty and tries to make Troy feel welcome and to convince him that his new team isn’t as bad as he thinks it is.
I loved both of them so so much.
Troy has this amazing character development, going from grumpy dickhead to an absolute sweetheart. He’s doing everything within his power to become a better person, to be deserving of someone like Harris. I loved how realistically his thoughts and feelings were described. The doubts he had in himself.
And while he is a NHL superstar, millionaire and apparently pretty hot he was also so shy and unsure of himself from time to time that my heart completely melted.

The chemistry between Troy and Harris was unbelievable. You could simply feel the sparks and the little red hearts flying out of the pages.
It was kind of a slow burn romance and it was just perfect like that. They slowly get to know each other better, Troy slowly coming out of his shell, showing who he really is and who he wants to be. Figuring himself out. Being absolutely terrified to come out, but wanting to do it for Harris.
I loved it all so much!!!
They were also absolutely hilarious together.
Especially the sex scenes. And while this may sound strange, it wasn’t. It was simply realistic and so so cute!
The best thing about this book honestly was, that there was absolutely no love drama.
There was always open communication, consent and no fighting. They were just perfect together and if they don’t get married in book 20 in this series (please let there be more!!!) I’m going to be mad.

One huge theme in this book is sexual assault and I think it deserves to be talked about more. And we need men to defend the victims, to believe the woman and not question their motives. Troy was a total hero for me.
This book was perfect. The characters were perfect. Even the freaking title was perfect.
I need a physical copy to hug now.

This is one of my favorite series and Role Model is a great addition to the story. Troy and Harris's relationship took a bit to get off the ground but watching them build their friendship was pretty great.
I wasn't sure about Troy in he beginning. He was best friends with a known bully and the players by him in the same light.
Harris is a big sweetie! I was totally smitten with him and hoping Troy could change and give him what he needed.
There are sensitive topics but the author handled it smartly.
I also loved catching up on the other members of the team.