⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This was amazing! There was spice, cute romance, great characters, fantastic build up for their relationship. Perhaps I’m also bias, I LOVE hockey romances. By the first half of the book I was so hooked I started to try to read slowly to savor the story!

This story was fantastic - my heart is full! It has a quiet calm to it & just feels like a warm hug, and it had me hooked from the start. I loved Casey & Landon so much. They were so different personality-wise but they just worked so well as a couple. I loved Casey’s energy - such a sweetheart and just so endearing & friendly towards everyone. Landon was the opposite - quiet & anxious.

I really liked that there was total acceptance in this story, both between Casey & Landon and from their team & their families. Casey’s bisexuality is not treated as a joke by anyone, and Landon figuring things out was accepted as normal. The mutual pining between the two was frustratingly obvious to everyone who was around them, and it was great to see that they had so much support.

I also appreciated how the heavy subjects were treated. Landon’s anxiety and unresolved grief & guilt play a large part in his life, and I thought these were handled sensitively. Casey & Landon balance each other out - Casey makes Landon braver, Landon makes Casey more grounded, and they both help each other be the best version of themselves. I loved every second of this!

I think my face broke from smiling so much while reading this. ITS SO CUTE AND ROMANTIC. also I’m in my hockey romance era and this ticked all the boxes for me. I love MM romance as it is but man, these were perfect MCs.

Thank you, Netgalley and Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin), Carina Adores for the e-Galley.

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid is a very sweet and cute mm romance novel. The two protagonists are wonderfully written, but it is safe to say that Landon was my favourite.
Just wish there was a little bit more angst/conflict, to add another layer of something, as it was super sweet the whole way through and I just felt that there was something missing.

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid

releases 9/26/23
(thanks to @netgalley & @harlequinbooks for the ARC!)

SYNOPSIS: For Landon Stackhouse, being called up from the Calgary farm team is exciting and terrifying, even if, as the backup goalie, he rarely leaves the bench. A quiet loner by nature, Landon knows he gives off strong “don’t talk to me” vibes. The only player who doesn’t seem to notice is Calgary’s superstar young winger, Casey Hicks.

Casey treats Landon like an old friend, even though they’ve only interacted briefly in the past. He’s endlessly charming and completely laid-back in a way that Landon absolutely can’t relate to. They couldn’t have less in common, but Landon needs a place to live that’s not a hotel room and Casey has just bought a massive house—and hates being alone.

As roommates, Casey refuses to be defeated by Landon’s one-word answers. As friends, Landon comes to notice a few things about Casey, like his wide, easy smile and sparkling green-blue eyes. Spending the holidays together only intensifies their bromance-turned-romance. But as the new year approaches, the countdown to the end of Landon’s time in Calgary is on.

THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO: friends to lovers, shy boy meets social butterfly, hockey players, emotional depth, hurt and comfort, fluff, accepting each other for exactly who they are, demisexual & ace-spec rec, discussions and respect of boundaries

CWs: explicit sexual content, death of a family member (past), depression, anxiety

>> buckle up, folks, because you have a new book to add to your TBR! having read Rachel Reid's other hockey series, I was kind of expecting the same formula...and I am happy to report this is NEW and fresh and full of feels. as a late joiner to the Game Changer books, I definitely noticed a change in writing style - especially with Ilya and Shane's 2nd book, which is just *chef's kiss* her writing in this rings like a true romance novel and wow was it good. i devoured this in 3 days & that is saying something because it was digital and not audio!

I definitely recommend folks check out this book so that you can fall in in love with Casey and Landon just the way I did!

(4.25/5)

landon is moved to another team as a backup goalie for one game since their current goalkeeper got injured. he is quiet and keeps to himself, but star player casey doesn’t seem to notice, as he keeps trying to strike up a conversation with landon. when it looks like the injured goalkeeper will be off the court for longer than expected, casey offers landon to stay in his house while he helps the team. the two seem very different, but between rides to practice, late-night movies, and deep conversation, they start to catch feelings.

i love their dynamics so much! it’s the “i hope i’m not talking so much, i don’t want to bore you” dating the “no don’t stop, i love listening to you.”

the domestic routine they had is so cute. they feel so comfortable just being in each other’s presence! i like seeing one of them cook while the other makes coffee, and they have their spots on the couch, and everything about it is so simple but adorable. especially because casey isn’t a person who seems relaxed next to others, but he cancels his plans to go out just so they can watch movies together.

i like how they noticed the small things about each other :’) casey doesn’t fully understand it, but he knows that landon doesn’t like crowded places, so whenever they go out he stays next to him. he makes sure landon feels comfortable at parties and meetings, without landon needing to ask. also, casey is insecure about asking questions, so landon always validates him when others put him down. whenever someone answers casey in a condescending tone, landon says that he was wondering the same thing and he was glad casey asked the question! they are there for each other without even realizing their impact, which is super sweet.

i love the trope when one character can’t sleep / has nightmares, and can only feel comfortable with the other. the author did it so perfectly - both characters have their problems with going to sleep, and they approach the idea of falling asleep together in such a sweet way :]

i really appreciated the way the author handled their consent and boundaries! landon isn’t someone who is good with physical touch, and it was so refreshing to see him being so upfront about it. he told casey that sometimes he wouldn’t want to be touched in some areas, and some days he might need to be by himself, and casey was so good about it. even without knowing landon’s reasons, casey immediately said that he would be there to support him no matter what. i also liked how casey let landon choose the pace of their relationship. he knew that landon doesn’t have as much experience, and he never pushed him to do more than what he wanted at the moment. it was great to see two characters with undeniable chemistry talk through their feelings.

the characters had depth and went through character development throughout the book. although the book had a focus on romance, it also tackled real-life issues. landon lost his sister in a car accident and was still struggling with grief and getting close to others. despite casey's care-free attitude, he is scared of being alone in the dark and doesn't feel a real connection with another person in a while.

casey’s pov chapters are so funny. throughout the book, he starts by not thinking about landon at all, and then some chapter starts with something like “half of his brain was consumed by landon,” and then it moves to “90 percent of his thoughts were about landon. i can respect his dedication.

the teammates are so supportive! every single one of them noticed that casie and landon were in love, and tried to push them together. the dynamic between all the hockey players on the team was so adorable :’) lee saw landon for 20 minutes, and immediately tried to help him find friends and feel good with the new team. i do hope there were more interactions between all the players; i feel like too many names were thrown at us and i didn’t have enough time to connect to all of them.

overall, i’m sure you would fall in love with this heartwarming story about two hockey players falling in love. between intense games, supportive families, sad backstories, and the slow burn romance, there’s nothing not to love.

I have loved all of Rachel Reid's other books, and I loved this one too.
The characters in this one were a little different from her Game Changers series, as these two had more of a soft romance versus a more sexual one. They slowly got to know each other, and one of the characters was possibly demisexual, but it was never stated on the page. I loved the interactions they had with each other, and how they were there to help deal with the other's fears and frustrations.
I loved how Casey was out to his teammates and was completely comfortable with his bisexuality.
These characters were just a good balance for each other, and it was a joy to read.

Well, well, well. I got this book and then immediately dropped everything, stayed up super late and just devoured this book. It’s absolutely swoony and sweet and somehow this author always seems to have fresh and new stories that keep me up late and night. I just adored how Casey and Landon came together and shored each other up and how the author tackled some very sensitive issues but still delivered this just feel good story. Absolutely read this!

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy! Seriously, when that came in I about jumped for joy and def this book will be in my top books for the year.

If you love grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, countdown tropes…buckle up…this is in your wheelhouse!
This was cute, sweet, and perfect to get you in the mood for the approaching holidays/winter/snowy seasons!

5+++++ stars. My heart was just SO full after reading this. It was the perfect combination of sweet, sincere, and a bit spicy. The characters are unbelievably charming, and I liked that the author avoided a lot of the typical hockey romance cliches. There are so so many hockey romances new on the market right now that they're started to feel repetetive, but Time to Shine is refreshingly unique.

Generally, I tend to read more MF and FF romances, but I was intrigued by the synopsis for this book. I thought it seemed like such a genuinely sweet read - and it was. I devoured this book on an airplane and was about an hour away from finishing when I landed at midnight. I was exhausted, but you better bet I finished this book before I went to sleep.

Honestly, foregoing sleep is about the highest compliment I can pay a book, but I'll try to expand on why I liked this one so much.

First, these characters are just wonderfully human. Landon lives somewhere on the boundary of asexual, leaning towards demisexual, and Casey treats his boundaries with dignity and respect. Casey has some phobias that Landon embraces without question. Sometimes they just sleep together with such warmness and comfort?! Often romances are driving towards sex, but I think this book treats the smaller moments in the relationship with just as much care and importance as the sex.

In the end, I just felt happy after reading this book. It's the perfect read for a cozy day in, maybe with a cup of tea or hot chocolate, and some snacks nearby to keep you fed. I'm really grateful I had the opportunity to read the eARC and I look forward to purchasing the book when it's published.

This was a really cute and sweet MM sports romance! I had a smile on my face almost the entire time and Landon and Casey were adorable.

Things to look forward to:
- Tropes like: opposites attract, teammates/workplace romance, forced proximity/roommates, friends to lovers, slow burn, virgin hero, sexual instruction, etc
- I loved the development of Landon and Casey's relationship. It was a slow burn between these two and I adored the care and tenderness between them. Yes, they joke and banter, but they did so many sweet and little things to show they cared. I thought the exploration of Landon's sexuality and his limits was so well done. Casey's respect for those concerns and how he attempted to make Landon comfortable was so wonderful. I also loved how unapologetic Casey was about his sexuality and personality.
- The spice. *bites fist* Rachel Reid can bring the heat! The "watch me" scene nearly melted my kindle.
- The relatively low angst. There are some serious topics addressed in Time to Shine, but it was an overall happy read. The drama at the end made sense for the characters and their situations. I thought it was realistic that two people who had never really been in a relationship would stumble in this way.
- An amazing cast of supportive and wonderful secondary characters! I loved both families and I thought the Stackhouse family grief and guilt was handled in such an honest and relatable way.

OW/OM Notes: As much as I enjoyed the novel, there was one aspect that bothered me. I did not like that Casey had sex with other women and men after his friendship/relationship with Landon started. There weren't any explicit scenes, but I did not need to know that Casey thought the sex was awesome with these other people or have an awkward morning after scene where Casey's hook-up flirts (and requests a threesome) with Landon. I understand that there was nothing going on between Casey and Landon at that point besides friendship and lust/a crush, but it just takes away from the romance for me.

CW: automobile accident resulting in death of loved one (past), grief, strained relationship with parents, loneliness, fear of sleeping in the dark, one MC is teased repeatedly through the book about his intelligence

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This book was so very different from what I'd expected in the best of ways.

We meet Landon Stackhouse the day he's called up to play professionally for the NHL. He's a reserved person in general but knowing the position is not permanent means he has an excuse to lie low and fly under the radar. Beloved team motormouth, Casey Hicks, refuses to let Landon stay alone and friendless and soon the two are roommates, tentative friends and maybe even something more.

I enjoyed Heated Rivalry, the only other novel I've read by Rachel Reid, but Time to Shine blew it out of the water for me in terms of pacing and character.

The grumpy/sunshine dynamic is a favourite and it is immaculate here. What I loved most was the realistic portrayal of these characters, who were both extremely relatable. I found Casey's casual acceptance of being perceived as annoying and stupid to be an effective way of showing readers that there's more to him than being simply a friendly chatterbox, while Landon's anxiety and clear grief makes it easier for readers to understand his closed off nature. I love both of these characters from the depths of my soul and I hope to read about them again.

While we may have seen many hockey romances come and go recently I don't think I've read one quite so sweet and good natured. I really loved it!

Rachel Reid’s Time to Shine is one of my most highly anticipated new books of 2023. The success of her much loved Game Changers series means reader expectations are high – and I’ll admit that while I really hoped this book would live up to them, I’ve also seen one too many an author fail to replicate earlier success to have been completely sure that would happen. Which makes me extra delighted to be able to say that Ms. Reid has done it, because Time to Shine is simply lovely, a low-angst, briskly-paced romance between two thoroughly endearing characters who, at first, seem like a total mismatch, but who are slowly revealed to be absolutely perfect for each other. The author has – very wisely - created something completely different from her previous work; other than being set in the world of professional hockey, this book bears little resemblance to anything in the Game Changers stories. It’s set in a completely different universe, and the characters are younger (twenty-three and twenty-four), and at a different stage in their careers, so this has more the flavour of a New Adult story. But it’s full of the things I’ve come to love about her books – excellent characterisation, a strong supporting cast, genuine warmth and plenty of humour.

Like most hockey players, Landon Stackhouse - the talented goalie for the Saskatoon Bandits AFL team - dreams of one day getting the call to go to play for the NHL. When that call comes – following the injury sustained by the back-up goalie for the Calgary Outlaws - Landon is ready and excited, but he’s also realistic and expects that his NFL début will be spent mostly sitting on the bench before he hops a plane back home. Finding out that he’s actually going to be going on a short road trip with the team is something of a relief; he knows himself well enough to know that being busy is the best way of preventing him from spending all his off-ice time alone and up in his head. The travel will be good for him.

Landon has spent a little time in Calgary before, most recently at the Outlaws’ prospects training camp, but he’s not going to be sticking around so he doesn’t expect any of his new - temporary – teammates to spend any time getting to know him. Which is why he’s surprised when Casey Hicks, the team’s pint-sized, superstar left-winger, not only remembers his name, but greets him like an old friend and strikes up a conversation. Landon, who is quiet, shy and introverted – the complete opposite of Casey – really isn’t sure what to make of him

Casey is a sweet, sunshiny chatterbox full of charm and energy and kindness who has never met a stranger. He’s the son of a hockey legend, but there’s not an ounce of ego or arrogance to him; he’s confident and outgoing and has no verbal filter – he knows he can be a lot to take and doesn’t blink an eye when his teammates rib him for being a bit dumb; he knows they love him, and he loves them. He loves being around people and is more than happy to seek out the latest member of the team and sets out to make him feel comfortable and included, in and out of the locker room.

When the team returns from their short trip, the coach informs Landon that he’s going to be with them for another couple of months – at least until January. Sensing Landon could use a friend, Casey suggests Landon move in to his house rather than stay in a hotel for two months. He has plenty of room and really, Landon would be doing him a favour – the place is way too big for one person. Landon is not immediately enthusiastic, worried that he’ll be too boring and solitary to be a good roommate – but he likes Casey and doesn’t want to say no. So he accepts the offer and moves in that day.

At first glance, the overly-eager puppyish himbo and the quiet, prone to over-thinking introvert doesn’t seem like a match made in heaven, but the author takes the time to build a strong foundation to their relationship, one built on mutual liking and respect, good communication, openness and honesty, which means that when they start to develop feelings beyond friendship, their romance already has a very solid basis. Casey is smitten by Landon, and although Landon’s reserved nature makes him hard to read, Casey really likes him - he wants to spend time with him and get to know him and make him smile. At the same time, Landon is somewhat bewildered by his responses to Casey. He has only rarely felt attraction, and in the past, he’s stuck to developing crushes on unattainable people because it was safe, but the intensity of his feelings for Casey surprises him. He hasn’t felt like this about anyone, ever, and he doesn’t know what to do or what he really wants.

While Casey and Landon’s tender, slow-burn romance is unfolding, both of them are also dealing with some sensitive issues which add emotional weight to the story. It’s clear from the start that Landon is struggling with a lot of guilt and self-doubt and that his relationship with his parents is somewhat fragile. His grief over the death of his older sister and the way her loss affected his family hangs over him like a dark cloud, even six years after the event, and he’s reached the stage where he’s starting to feel that he really needs to try to bridge the gap – for his own sake as much as for his parents’. He just doesn’t know how. This aspect of the story is handled very well; Landon’s parents are obviously good people who have been struggling themselves, and the scene where they finally talk everything out is expertly done. Equally well handled is Landon’s questioning of his sexuality and sexual identity; from the way he’s written, he’s on the asexual spectrum – maybe grey ace or demi. The representation is excellent and I loved that Casey is so patient with Landon, helping him to explore and find out what he likes and what works for him, eager to understand something he doesn’t particularly relate to and accepting Landon’s needs without hesitation or judgement

Casey is supremely confident on the ice and in just about every other way, but he’s so used to being called stupid that he even thinks of himself that way. He knows he can be a bit much – that he’s prone to running off at the mouth, to saying the first thing that enters his head - plus, hiding what he feels is a childish fear of being alone in the dark only makes it easier for him to buy into the general impression of him as being a bit dumb. Landon is the first person to tell Casey he isn’t stupid - and I was pleased when, near the end, the team captain actually apologises to Casey for letting him believe that about himself for so long. All the teasing and ribbing by the team has been done in love and affection, but none of them has realised quite how much it has played into Casey’s already shaky confidence in his own intelligence.

The lack of on-page homophobia is a refreshing change for sports romance. It might not be realistic, but it’s good to see Casey being out and proudly bisexual, talking about going on dates and hooking up with men and women, and his teammates being completely cool with it. The team dynamic is really well done, too – this is a great bunch of guys who like each other and look out for one another, and I liked that their coach is so supportive and treats them like people rather than yelling and screaming at them all the time.

Time to Shine is a fantastic read – a delicious, achingly-tender slow-burn romance between two immensely likeable and well-written characters whose love for each other grows in a completely organic way. The steamy scenes are superbly done, with a real emphasis on the emotional connection between Casey and Landon, and the book oozes warmth and charm and joy and is also very funny, whether it’s down to Casey’s antics or Landon’s rare but very dry humour. Smoosh all of this together, and you’ve got one very special romance, full of feels and fun and friendship and love. Highly recommended.

Book Review for: "Time to Shine" by Rachel Reid
Source: ARC from NetGalley
Score: 4/5 stars

The book "Time to Shine" mainly follows Landon as he is called up from the AHL to play in the NHL and his budding relationship with Casey.

The book explores sexuality and the impact of grief on family and mental health.

Plot:
The book follows Landon and Casey as they play together on the same hockey team and develop a relationship with each other.

Landon is sexually inexperienced and reserved. Throughout the book he learns to become comfortable with being LGBTQ and overcomes some challenges with mental health.

Casey is outgoing and very experienced. Throughout the book he helps Landon become more comfortable with sex as they develop a relationship together.

Although sex is central to the book, there is a "lead by example" discussion around consent and it is so easy and reassuring.

The book also looks at grief and it's impact on mental health as Landon navigates his relationship with his parents after the death of his sister.

Overall, the plot is straightforward and follows our main characters through most their season together.

Writing:
The book is mostly paced well. The book mainly focuses on the developing relationship between Landon and Casey. It does feel frustratingly repetitive at points because the two characters keep questioning whether the other one feels the same way they do.

Overall, the book is paced well and discusses some heavy topics.

Characters:
Overall, the characters are likeable. The two main characters are quite different from each other.

Landon is quiet and reserved while Casey is talkative and loves to get to meet new people.

The supporting characters add some depth to the story. It did get difficult to keep track of everyone because team mates were introduced with first and last names, then only first or last names are used, then nicknames are used. Perhaps if important characters were streamlined into a single character it could help with tracking and developing a relationship with supporting characters.

Finale:
Overall, the story looks at exploring sexuality and a sweet budding relationship between two team mates.

This is a book filled with tropes such as grumpy meets sunshine, forced proximity, and friends to lovers, which makes it a perfect cozy, low-angst romance read!

Oh. My. Goodness. This is a gloriously sweet romance from Reid! I love the quirky, well-formed characters of Casey and Landon. Landon is quiet and a bit prickly and probably demisexual. Casey is a lovable himbo with enthusiastic puppy vibes, and he is so caring and considerate with Landon as their relationship progresses. This is another funny, heartwarming novel from Reid, an easy 5 stars.

Another amazing story by the talented Ms Reid. I love her hockey stories and her last series was the best I have ever read. Her new book once again embraced in the world of hockey proves how talented she is.

Landon Stackhouse is moving to the big time.
Replacing an injured star goalie in the NHL, Landon is in shock and figures his luck will never last. Landon has had a past family tragedy shape him into a very closed off and lonely man. Then he meets the ball of energy Casey Hicks, the teams superstar winger. I loved Casey. He found joy in everything.
He was alot for Landon to deal with at first but their development of friendship to much more was sweet to witness.

Landon needs to confront his past and learn there is more to life than hockey while barely existing off the ice rink. Maybe a blond haired, optimistic chatterbox is just what he needs to start really living. I so highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for my reading pleasure.

4.5 stars


This was so!! good!!! I've enjoyed Reid's past writing (to varying degrees), and I think without a doubt this is her best book yet. The main characters' chemistry was fantastic (big ADHD + autistic energy, *chef's kiss*), and Reid sustained tension through the whole story super effectively. (I knew the HEA was going to arrive, but how!!) This book was just incredibly sweet and wholesome -- not to say that it wasn't spicy (it was), but the characters' emotions and tenderness towards each other really leapt off the page.

Absolutely loved this one. I'm planning to pre-order a copy for myself, and who knows, maybe one of my pals will be getting a copy for Christmas too. Strongly recommend!

I really loved the first half of this, liked the third quarter and was meh about the last quarter. It definitely hooked me from the start and I liked both MCs, especially Casey. I cannot resist a himbo. While no labels are ever used, Landon definitely read as on the ace spectrum to me, and I appreciated that perspective. Some of his experiences and feelings were very similar to mine and some were very different, but there's no one way to be ace and every experience is valid. The more I see those various experiences represented, the happier I am.

I laughed quite a bit while reading and even teared up a couple of times. This is definitely much lower angst than this author's other books. It's holiday fluff, which is fine by me. There's really no struggles for either character about their sexuality and everyone is supportive of them. I think it's good to have queer books that are just all about joy, as long as we also have books that delve into the realities of how terrible the world can still be for queer people. This one is all about the joy, with no homophobia or struggles with coming out. I really loved the building of the relationship between the MCs, that was my favorite part of the book.

As things went on, I got a bit annoyed by how easy everything was. Everything just falls perfectly into place. Casey ended up seeming almost too perfect. I wish we'd seen a little more of what it would take to negotiate a relationship between someone who is very sexual and someone who has a less interest in sex. I did like how respectful, patient and supportive Casey was with Landon, even if it did seem a little like it was all too perfect and easy.

And the ending of the book was extremely blah for me. I mean, parts of it were cute and very true to the characters, but I very rarely like a romance to end that way, especially ones with very young MCs.

Despite some things not being entirely my jam, I would recommend this as a light, sweet read with a really lovable himbo. It does have some mentions of Christmas, but isn't super holiday focused. When you're looking for something with very little angst, this is a good bet.