Time to Shine is my first Rachel Reid book, but it certainly won't be my last! Firstly, I'm all for diverse romance reads and was super excited to read about an M M sports romance! That was also a first for me, and it did not disappoint. Secondly, I'm also all for Canadian settings, and was super thrilled to see Calgary pop up as the book's Wintery setting. As for the relationship itself, both the male leads were lovely to read about. Landon's heart and soul captivated me from the moment he was introduced, and Casey's personality was practically jumping off the page. Its been a while since I've adored both ends of a couple like this, and I just wanted to hug them both and never let go.

I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but the ambiguity of Landon's sexuality (as maybe being ace) was an element of his character that I, and I'm sure others, really appreciated. The rep Rachel Reid provides in Time to Shine is all around fantastic, though. There was an unconditional acceptance of identity and sexuality by all characters in the book, and as a reader, I felt as if I were a part of a world full of love and acceptance. And even though this novel was a fun read, I appreciated the way in which Rachel Reid expertly navigated more sensitive issues, such as Landon's grief, anxiety, and self-confidence.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for providing me with an electronic copy of Time to Shine by Rachel Reid in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third party.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Roommates to friends to lovers MM hockey romance?! Toys in the bedroom? There are a lot of positives to this 😜

Negatives: I wish Casey would have been less self deprecating… constantly talking down about himself was annoying. And I think for me I didn’t need to hear about every other sexual conquest he had. Might be cool for others but not for me.

I did love how Landon’s relationship with his parents changed over the course of the novel and how they processed their grief. That was a pretty heavy topic to cover during this romance novel but somehow it worked. I found myself tearing up as they had their big talk.

And loved their communication during the intimate scenes ♥️ Overall, a pretty great hockey romance.

I really loved this book! One of the best sports romances of the year, this book is so unique because of the main characters roles as teammates! I can't wait to read what Rachel writes next!

THIS BOOK!!!!!! AHHH, I loved it so much, I still have such a goofy grin on my face when I think about it. I loved Casey and Landon and sb dhas d fk f it was WONDROUS. Thanks Gretal for reccing, I will be reading more Rachel Reid.

This book was SO SWEET and I loved it so much!! I listened to the audiobook and really liked the narrator. I've never been a fan of sports romances, but I'll always give them a shot (pun not intended lol), and I'm glad I tried this hockey romance out because it was so so good. I listened to it in two days and didn't want to put it down!

It is set around the winter holidays but it isn't really a holiday book. I loved the two main characters, one was super shy/anxious/awkward, and the other was extroverted/talkative/lonely, so it was a great mix. Plus there are some lovely conversations in here about family and grief. And no homophobia from teammates and stuff too which I loved to see! And the spice was A+!!

🌈Queer rep: MM main relationship, bi/pan main male character, gay/questioning male main character

I loved this book! It was the perfect blend of romantic comedy with characters working through their emotions and flaws. Landon took a minute to warm up too but I loved Casey right from the get-go. I really appreciated the exploration of sex in this book and the boundaries associated with sex. This is one I would read again and again. I definitely need a physical copy.

4.5 stars

I really do love myself a hockey romance. I’ve been inhaling hockey romances ever since I started reading them 6 years ago now. This was such a sweet story and I loved it so much! And this has definitely become one of the cutest queer sports romance stories I’ve ever read (and I’ve read my fair share of them).

This story was so moving and my heart was touched through this entire story. Rachel delved into series topics and I feel like she handled every topic with the gentleness, care, and love it deserved. I finished this book with this overwhelming sense of joy and hope. This book truly was so sweet and beautifully written.

This actually was my very first Rachel Reid book (even though I’ve had one of her other MM romances on my tbr shelf for soooooo long now) and this has totally made me a fan and I’ll be reaching for more of her books in the future.

*Thank you Carina Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This was a fun hockey romance to read, but I didn’t find any of the main characters likable. There were so many things that feel like they weren’t addressed or that got dropped by the end of the book.

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid was such a sweet romance with Landon and Casey in this MM opposites attract sports romance. Casey was all sunshine with kind nature while Landon is more reserved. As roommates, Landon is more of a loner, but Casey slowly brings him out of his shell as they get to know each other. This was a slow-burn romance with amazing chemistry and two characters I loved. I loved watching them get to know each other, fall and see their journey from start to finish.

Happy reading!

This was really sweet! It was refreshing to read a sports romance where the characters are out to the team, and the team is supportive. The focus was on the romance and the relationships instead of external homophobia. Unfortunately, I don't know if this is realistic, but I appreciated the positive portrayal in this story.

A couple of character highlights for me:
I love that Casey had strong emotional intelligence and was very careful with people and their feelings. I also like that other characters stepped up to defend Casey against teasing about being stupid.
There was also excellent portrayal of Landon's inexperience with relationships and intimacy. I liked that he had the support to explore at his own pace and was confident in his boundaries.

One thing I did not like was the casual inclusion of vaping. It was unnecessary, and I think the positive portrayal of vaping is unfortunate.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

As an Alberta girl, I LOVED that this book was set almost entirely in my province. That was such a fun aspect that I didn't expect when I started reading.

As for the book itself, I thought it was so cute! The opposites attract roomance was delightfully executed and I loved being a part of Landon and Casey's relationship as it blossomed and grew. I will definitely check out more of Rachel Reid's books.

As always, Rachel Reid never disappoints. I was sucked right into this story and found myself rooting for these characters from the very beginning!

This was such a cute and wholesome book! I absolutely adored the characters, the story, the spice!! It was perfect and tied for my favorite holiday read this year. (Not first cause it wasn’t actually centered around the holiday at all.

“𝑺𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”

A holiday romance written by a Nova Scotian? Yes please!

I absolutely loved this inclusive, sweet (and spicy) hockey romance between two loveable characters. Casey is pure sunshine, but behind his kindness and sociability, he hides his insecurities of doubting his intelligence and fear of being alone. Landon is more reserved, partly from carrying pain from his sister’s death and the fracture in his relationship with his parents. I related a lot to Landon who is from Nova Scotia, loves to cook and watch cooking shows, develops crushes on unattainable people because it’s safe, is an insomniac at times, and gets too in his head. I loved the joy that Casey and Landon brought out in each other, as they found people they were truly comfortable with - each other, their teammates and their family. The glimpses we got of Casey and his sister, Brooke’s relationship was awesome and I could’ve used more of them! I also really liked the Outlaw teammates, and the fact that homophobia didn’t exist on the team. Rachel Reid used the “one bed trope” with a twist, as Casey and Landon choose to sleep in the same bed more-so for company, insomnia and anxiety (at least at first), which I thought was a nice variation. The spicy scenes do not disappoint with their steam; I applaud the different routes Reid chose to go with them, with the emotional connection being just as important as the physical one. Some of the dialogue is a little corny (I don’t know any guy who uses the term ‘a sexy club outfit!), but it’s also part of the charm.

Time To Shine is a story of loneliness, guilt, trust, self-discovery, and courage. It is a sweet festive LGBTQ+ romance that will put a smile on your face. Thank you to Carina Press & NetGalley for the ARC!

The thing I loved most about this book: the ~vibes~ that made me feel so warm & cozy while reading it. There was plenty of humor and great romance scenes with this adorable slow burn, but the character development, mutual respect, and exploration of identity & mental health added so much depth to the story (demisexual rep!!). The arc of Landon and Casey's relationship was so lovely. There were struggles to deal with for both of them, and I really liked seeing them open up and accept help from each other as they grew closer. Their teammates were great supporting characters, I loved all the Canadian rep, and the hockey scenes were well-written. I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes a sports romance with the "extra" things that make a story more special.

I didn't know pessimist/optimist romance was a thing, but this book made me see the light.

Landon is the new reserve goalie on superstar Casey's hockey team, moving by himself to a strange city right before Christmas. Landon thought he was doomed to spending his limited time in a sterile hotel room or cheap apartment. Thankfully, Casey has a big mansion and he would like nothing more than to have Landon as his housemate and maybe also lure him into bed.

There were a lot of touching scenes, especially because Landon is dealing with a lot of grief and anxiety. But there was also a lot of joy and warmth in this story. Characters' identity or sexuality weren't a cause for drama, but fully embraced. Casey and Landon support each other through every hurdle life throws into their path.

Time flew while reading this book. The writing sucks you in and doesn't let you go until you've read the last word and turned that last page.

I loved this story! Having been a big fan of the Game Changers series, I was excited to see another LGBTQ offering in a new hockey world by this author. This time around it's more of a New Adult book, with young men in their early twenties finding their footing in the professional hockey world. The characters, setting and story really resonated with me and it was a treat to read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ebook!

WOW this is steamy! It’s also SO sweet. First experience (for one of the characters) as well as a hockey romance? Sign me up. I really enjoyed this book.

I feel like it would be a ton of fun on audio, too, so definitely check it out!

A lovely grumpy/sunshine novel for winter! This follows Landon and Casey as they become teammates. Casey lets Landon crash with him but Landon seems hesitant.

This was super fun and I breezed through it! This is my first Rachel Reid book and I can’t wait to read some of her other works. This had me entertained from the start.

Phenomenal Christmas book, a million heart eye emojis. Landon and Casey are the epitome of black cat/golden retriever energy. This book will absolutely make you swoon!