I love a romance and this was perfection! This author has quickly become a favourite of mine! A great well written book with great chemistry

There's a lot to love about the book and I did enjoy it in a way, but all in all it wasn't my cup of tea. Piper is fun and outgoing and I adored the open minded and inclusive atmosphere she achieved in her coffee shop. Gavin is just the right amount of grouchy and grumpy to balance out her cheerfulness. Their way to a relationship is certainly rocky and the frustration it created for me was ultimately why I didn't like the book as much as I should have.
I totally get Piper's hesitation about dating men, but her completely denying her attraction to men was frustrating. Her kind of journey to fully coming to terms with her bisexuality is very much a central part of the book, but it still annoyed me too much after a while to always read how shitty all the men she dated were and how no men would accept her bisexuality was a bit overdone. It also ultimately bled into her relationship with Gavin too much and after a while I really felt bad for him.
Overall more of a personal issue for me with the storytelling, as I think it could have been handled better.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t had much in the way of bisexual representation here and it’s time I remedy that. Too Much Man by Katy James was a great book to review. It addressed issues that I have dealt with and could relate to. James has put everything I’ve felt into words that I had a hard time putting into words.

I’m not sure I can avoid spoilers, so here’s your warning!

Piper, a bisexual, coffee house owner. Piper offers up her coffee as a coffee house as the location for a charity event for the area hockey team. She is tasked with making sure the players can serve coffee as well as make sure the winners have a great time.

That is a very small aspect of the story, but it’s how she ends up meeting a very angry Gavin Williams who is still healing from a devastating injury. He’s in pain and unsure of his future. I’d be grumpy too.

Piper fights against her attraction to Gavin. She’s made a promise to herself as a bisexual woman she was done with men. The queer community is where she feels most at home and whenever she is with a man, it’s almost like a party trick, her liking women. She feels excluded from the community whenever she dates a man.

I felt that so much. Personal information time, I’m Demi. My attraction tends to lean more towards women, but I’ve been in a relationship with a man the past year and there are times I feel like I’m not who I’ve thought I’ve been my entire life. That people will claim all those dates and relationships were a phase. Spoiler alert, they weren’t. But it just felt good knowing I wasn’t alone in that feeling.

Piper bargains with herself. She can have a friend with benefits relationship with Gavin. He’s leaving, there’s an expiration date on it. There won’t be any feelings and when he’s gone, she’ll move on. Easy as that. Right?
It’s never as easy as that.

Now I will fully admit, I can’t give a rating to the spiciness. I was more focused on the emotional journey that both Piper and Gavin went on as they learn who they truly are as individuals and what they want in life.

The beginning was a little slow for me. At times I got irritated with the pair of them, but overall I enjoyed reading this. The secondary characters weren't memorable. Which I feel terrible for saying, but I was so focused on Piper and Gavin.

I absolutely loved this contemporary sports romance.

Such a great book with a solid storyline and great characters.

I eagerly look forward to reading more from this author.

A definite recommend

i can’t tell you how happy is makes me to see more MF romances with one (or two) of the MCs being queer.

let’s get one thing out of the way first: your current partner or sexual history does not define your sexuality.
it’s the 21st century, check your assumptions at the door.

grumpy x sunshine & (albeit, very different type of) hockey romance. when i tell you i JUMPED at the opportunity to read this.

there was a lot that worked for me here.
Piper and Gavin are fully fledged out characters, with so much life and personality.

their absolutely train wreck of a capital-F Failed Meet Cute had me in stitches. and the steam was swoon worthy.

i did think this went around in circles for a bit, with regards to Piper’s sexuality. i kept expecting the conversation to move forward and explore more, but we ended up circling the same issues and i was a bit disappointment.

my interest however has been very much peaked, and i can’t wait to read other books in this series.

I am such a sucker for a sports romance (especially hockey) with a grumpy main character. Too Much Man features one of my fav pairings a grumpy hockey player and firecracker coffeeshop owner, plus the "it's just physical" agreement turns into maybe something more? I love it.

Gavin is a seasoned hockey player who just recently is coming off a devastating, instant retirement-type knee injury. An ill-conceived attempt to self-wean off his pain meds with a bottle of liquor has Gavin searching out his first-ever cup of coffee at a friend's recommendation to remedy his hangover. Enter Piper, a spitfire coffee shop owner that has run out of all her... cares to deal with burly, grumpy, sexy hockey players that are too good to ask for help and insult her high-quality coffee.

It is absolutely no secret that I lurve to the moon and back big, grumpy, burly main characters that just don't know how to people. Love it, can't help it, won't apologize. Gavin had a lot of yucky emotions to work through regarding his very instant and unexpected retirement. He had dreams and goals and then... everything wasn't what he expected anymore. I love being able to witness on-page emotional/mental growth and acceptance.

Overall, I really liked Gavin and Piper together once they both got out of their own way. Gavin with his plans or what he used to want and Piper with her self-imposed issues.

Now, I kind of have to stop there and go into the whole Piper's issues for a bit. Far be it for me to be the queer police and tell anyone how to queer, but... I have certain feelings when people start banging on about bi-erasure. I get it way more than idealistically but I feel this has become somewhat of a "trendy" topic for people to throw in. I know the feeling like it's only ok to say you're bisexual if you are dating the same sex, otherwise you are just trying to say you are something but not really. I get the self-imposed feelings of not being able to take part in the community if you are not dating the same sex because then you're just a poser. And I absolutely feel like when you are with cishet people who are interested in you, your bisexuality is like a carnival act. They like to look at it for entertainment purposes but it's something that is just a special occasion to talk about and should otherwise be pushed in a closet or something so you can continue to look like a "normal" person. (Maybe that wasn't the best analogy?) But I say those things to say, I really more than get it in the light of my real, actual world... BUT... I kind of felt like Piper's character carried around that mantle a bit too much for way too long, and way too loudly. Like she wanted to be in the queer community so she just decided to go full lesbian and completely ignore the other part of her sexuality so she could *feel* part of a community. And then she got mad about the fact that she wasn't only a lesbian and was mad at the guy who made her remember. Sigh, maybe I'm not explaining it right. The whole bi-erasure topic just started feeling like less of a concept Piper felt really strong about and her own personal conceptual issues with it and more like a huge wall in the plot to create drama. It's probably just me. Ignore me. I tend to get very persnickety about how certain topics are portrayed and I'm a persnickety person anyway. Continue to ignore my rant.

Beyond Piper and Gavin's issues, their relationship was very supportive, fun, and hella sexy. I did want to smack both of them for the sheer frustrating stubbornness they both exhibited. But, in the end, they both got over their own crap, and so did I. = )

The surrogate family that both Piper and Gavin had/created was great. I really enjoyed Piper's friends and all their shenanigans. Gavin, being as grumpy as he is, was really fun to watch him realize he had actual friends and a support system despite himself.

Overall, I enjoyed Piper and Gavin's story and I am wanting to read more in the Firebird's series.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Hockey romances are always right up my alley and queer friendly ones are even better! I liked this one a lot - but it wasn't love like I expected it to be. I think that is mainly because I didn't love Piper. Everyone in the book kept telling me I should - that she had a big heart and was passionate and funny - but I found her to be aloof and fairly cold. Even when she and Gavin push each other away at the end - I had a hard time finding empathy for Piper.

I loved the concept- and I would definitely be interested in learning and reading more about some of the other folks introduced in the book - but for me Gavin and Piper didn't have the chemistry I like to see between characters and Piper in particular was just not very likeable for me.

I did like the bisexual representation in the book - and felt Piper's concerns were very realistic and well done.

Overall - it was ok - but not great.

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

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book, my thoughts are my own.

This was a not loving, not hating kind of book. The ones I hate to review the most because it is hard to put into words a book that did not leave a mark on me be it good or bad. This is a lukewarm book, neither memorable or bad just not for me in a way I did not expect as I am a HUGE lover of Sports romance.
Especially Hockey as I am from Quebec, Canada and it is a pretty big thing here.

Now about the book, I read it a little while ago and due to family stuff happening and mental health reasons had to step back and not be on anything for a while.
Which means that all I have left are a phrase "Not bad but like meh" which is the note I had left for myself after reading it.

From memory I do believe this author has a lot of potential to write a book I could love in the future, I remember liking the easy to read well made story that was written nicely. Unfortunately the romance did not make me root for them, I felt uncaring about how their relationship would progress.

In the end an okay read
2.5/5 stars
Bookarina.

Really, really enjoyed this debut from James. Grumpy ex-hockey star meets a coffee shop owner who is not taking his shit. Gavin is grumpy because he unexpectedly retires from hockey after an injury, he is having to figure out the next step of his life. But this book is really Piper's. Piper is a bisexual woman who has sworn off dating cis-het men. She does not want her identity as a bisexual woman to be lost and erased by dating a cis-het man. She has placed a lot of worth in her queer identity. So both Piper and Gavin have to work through how to be the people they are without losing a part of themselves. The story is very emotional and many times I had to put it down because it was so heavy. Really looking forward to reading more in this series.

There are so many romance novels out there that follow a similar plot, it isn't always a bad thing, they can be well written and enjoyable. Even so, it's always good to come across one that has something different about it. Too Much Man is certainly that.
Yes, it follows the idea of two people greatly attracted to one another but avoiding anything permanent for one reason or another. What makes this a little different though, is the reason that Piper is reluctant to start anything more than a fling with Gavin. Piper is bisexual and while she is attracted to men and women, she always feels that part of her is erased in the eyes of others when she is with a man, for that reason, she has avoided being in relationships with men for a number of years. I liked the way the author addressed Piper's fears, the story concerns how we worry about the way other people view us, rather than what we want and feel.
At the same time, Gavin is coming to terms with the end of his sports career. He's been successful, incredibly so, but that has come to an end. It's an interesting subject, how even someone who has had it all can face uncertainty when all that they have enjoyed comes crashing to an end.
This was an interesting read and one I really enjoyed. I see that it's the start of a series and I'd be interested to see where next for this hockey team.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

I DNFd this one really early on, I didn't love the plot setup or even the the characters from what I read.

3.5 stars

A grumpy hockey player and bi coffeeshop owner aren't interested in a long-term relationship... but there's no harm in a fling, right?

While I have some nitpicks about the hockey I love how Piper wrestles with her bisexuality, the found family vibes, and pretty much every side character. Along with the romance! Check out my <a href="https://youtu.be/-HQzSt_DXo8">standalone video review</a> for more thoughts - I have so many! So curious to see what the next book of the series brings.

Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Too Much Man by Katy James

In this first in instalment in the Firebirds Hockey series, Gavin Williams is now a former player, his injury making unable to play anymore. Piper Welborn, a coffee shop owner has sworn off relationship with men, but when the smoldering and grumpy Gavin makes his way to the shop for a charity event, the sparks fly and at least for a friends-with-benefit arrangement they both jump-in, at least until their true feelings for each other start to show.

Piper and Gavin are the proof that meet-cute aren't necessary for a happily ever after, after their less than cute first impression those two grump are definitely intrigued by the other. I loved how a lot was discussed in this book surrounding both bisexuality, its place in the world, but also in the queer community and the sometimes toxic "hockey culture", especially surrounding mental health. I loved how Gavin wasn't the usual all-alpha and confident hockey player, he was a little shy and self-conscious. I personally don't love the "it's only sex" trope, but with all the friendship going on at the same time, I found the author had a good rhythm going on. I'll definitely be on the look-out for the next ones in the series! Hoping for Carlo next!

Sexy, Bi, Hockey, LGBTQIA

I really enjoyed this book and the fact it calls attention to some more sensitive and prominent issues like Bisexual erasure, which you typically do not find in a romance novel. The story follows Piper, a Bisexual coffee owner and ex-hockey player, Gavin who is recovering from a career-ending injury. They meet, fight, decide to have a fling and re-evaluate their previous life goals/plans/expectations as they secretly fall for each other. I do have to mention that I did find their internal monologue a bit repetitive as they each worked through their issues, however, I prefer this over them just snapping their fingers and figuring it all out.

There wasn’t anything too surprising about the story but I didn’t mind so much since it was a great debut novel and fairly sexy. Piper’s continual debate with her queerness and her concerns about parts of her identity being “erased” or overlooked were refreshing to hear as authentic Bisexual and representation in entertainment can be hard to come by.

The novel did a fantastic job at setting the stage for more stories within the Firebird world and I can’t wait to read how the other characters find love. I have some hopes for some storylines that I think James was foreshadowing (maybe a gay hockey player?). All in all, this was a good read and I’m excited about55 the next instalment.

PS: Saul the “huge, hairy, mean bigfoot,” I cannot wait to read about your story!

Special thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
#NetGalley #TooMuchMan #Firebirds

This is a good book. The two main characters are Piper and Gavin. Piper owns a coffee shop and Gavin plays profession hockey. They are completely opposites. They have nothing in common except a sexual pull. They have some difficult problems, but together they work them out. They fall in love.

A forward-leaning 3.5 stars for this hot romance with a grumpy older man in need of healing and a headstrong bi woman who’s sworn off relationships with men.
The story is standard fare for the genre with interesting characters and some very smexy scenes. Gavin and Piper are that perfect mismatch of personalities that you just know are perfect for each other as soon as they meet on the page. I would have enjoyed some more page space devoted to their developing relationship, but I understand the limitations of page count. Is it possible to be both superficial and very in depth when creating a character? Because that’s what I walk away feeling about Gavin and Piper. I know the deepest feelings of the characters, but I don’t really know anything beyond that.
My main peeve with the story is Piper‘s obsession with bi erasure and how people are going to see her if she starts dating a man. I understand it’s something that is important to many bi individuals who have to fight prejudice and lack of understanding, yet it Felt like I was getting repeatedly hit with the same issue over and over again. What was maybe a minor thing in the major scope of the story turned into element that felt overused and diluted the importance of what was being said.
I particularly enjoyed how well characters are presented and quirks that made them unique. As much as I didn’t enjoy some of the character choices made with Piper, I’m intrigued by the other characters percent and I’m looking forward to reading their stories.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for the entertaining read!

I was hoping that this was going to be a good read. I really was. And while the story itself was fine...Piper drove me nuts. I have identified as pansexual over a decade now. So, when there is a scene where a self-identifying bisexual woman declares "well, I'm probably more pansexual but I say I'm bi because..." The because is what irks me.

A lot of the Bi community gets so worked up about bisexual erasure --but you know what? You're doing the same thing to pansexual community by making us uncomfortable to use our identity. For some folks, it is literally a flag preference (I get it, I'm not wild about it either), it is SO IMPORTANT to our dialog that we can accurate represent ourselves. So...yeah, that whole thing really irritated me and I almost stopped reading.

I also got very, very annoyed with her constant "I don't want to not be queer by dating a man!". ...Piper, honey...get a grip. As I mentioned: I'm pansexual. I'm also non-binary. I exclusively date cisgender men. Women and trans folx just, historically, are not interested in me. I'm fine with it. But if if a woman/trans person comes along and shows interest...I'M STILL GOING TO GIVE THAT PERSON A CHANCE (...you know, if I like them).

I'm not saying that the book was bad, but I would have liked to see more focus on the RELATIONSHIP and less on the inner turmoil of being a queer identifying person in a heternormative relationship. It was repetitive at best.

The writing itself, other than the repetition, was good and I did enjoy the parts without Piper agonizing about her sexuality. I'd be curious to read another --but if it's more of the same, I wouldn't bother with more unless it was a character pairing I was really excited about.

Too Much Man the debut novel by Katy James is an enjoyable tale that introduces readers to grumpy injured pro hockey player Gavin and bi-sexual coffee shop owner Piper and tells an engaging story full of colourful characters and a rather anti meet-cute. As the main characters clash from the off, but that soon changes and they come to find something in each other and by the end they learn that your identity is more than your job or the person you love.

Would recommend.

3.5 stars I always love a good hockey romance. Throw in a grumbly hockey player and I'm usually a pretty happy person. It started out super strong with some great banter and the cast of friends on both sides were pretty amazing. I absolutely loved Gavin and could completely understand where he was coming from. Piper though was harder for me to understand and love. I love the inclusiveness of the story for all genders and sexualities. Piper's hard line though just kind of threw me a bit and I had such a hard time connecting with her and not because of her sexuality but the hard line in the sand. Eventually, there was a connection between the two that I enjoyed and a satisfying ending.

I'm a lover of hockey romances, it's such a fun sport to read about! This book started off great, there was banter, there was a clear heat-to-love trope happening from the first time the characters interacted and I was excited to see where the story would go. It was good until the middle, there was sexual tension, there was more banter, I love that Piper is bisexual, but the middle of the book kind of lost me, sadly. It got too worked up on the whole hook up and Gavin inevitably leaving that the characters weren't able to grow because of that looming cloud above them.

Please keep in mind that just because it wasn't for me, doesn't mean you won't enjoy it!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the earc in return for an honest review.