“It’s just hockey. (…) And we’re good at hockey. If they wanted us to go out there and do, like, opera, I’d be fucked. But hockey? Pfft. No problem.”

Genre: Sports Romance, LGBTQIA+
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on heavy subjects like death, drug use, and mental illness. Describes a car crash. Contains explicit sexual content.

Good ol’ queer and winter-y hockey romances are few and far between, so I was extremely excited when I saw this book come up in my feed. “Time To Shine” follows Landon Stackhouse, a hockey goalie that’s just been called in to a Calgary professional team, and Casey Hicks, the team’s superstar young winger. Landon is a bit shy and reserved, and everyone seems to catch up on that except Casey. He treats Landon like an old friend, and when Landon is looking for a place to stay and Casey has just bought a huge house with a bunch of extra room, it only made sense they’d be housemates, right?

This book was the literal representation of the “and they were roommates” meme about queer people in the 1800s.

Even if you’re not a fan of hockey or perhaps don’t even know how hockey works, you can still quite enjoy “Time to Shine”. Take it from me, as I’ve only seen hockey because of the vibes and know absolutely nothing about the rules that go into it, yet this book had me hooked.

If you’re looking for a queer hockey romance with some close proximity trope sprinkled in, then look no further—“Time to Shine” is just for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid is not part of her Game Changer series, it is a more cozy hockey romance. 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.

Time to Shine is much more of a sweet or cozy read that I usually get with Reid. The heat is still there, as is the complexity of the major players, but worries about homophobia or larger complications to their relationship outside themselves does not really come into play. The only this this book lacks in comparison with books from that series is the deeper understanding of the team, its dynamics, and its other players. I love that Landon and Casey each have their own issues, and have a healthy dose of self awareness. I have to admit that Landon's biggest fault is one I share- the difficulty in talking about and unpacking the big feelings. Of course, if he was better at that there would have been very little delay or conflict with this couple. It was nice to see Reid do something a little different, but still very much in her wheelhouse. She continues to be a must read author for me.

Time to Shine is a sweet, fun read with doses of heat.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this e-book. This was my first ever Rachel Reid book and it did not disappoint. The hockey romance was so cute and enjoyed my time falling in love with the characters.

This book was so lovely and soft. I'm a big fan of pretty much everything about this book. It is low angst, it is sports romance, it is friends to lovers, and it is wonderful. What I loved about this book was the mental health representation and the communication of grief. While this book was comforting, it still managed to cover some pretty difficult topics. Overall, I'm definitely going to be recommending this book.

I enjoyed this hockey romance! It’s actually got me hooked on the sub genre. It’s a roommates to friends to lovers story, and I loved watching the growing relationship between the men. It’s definitely an opposites attract story, and I found myself really invested. There is humor, joy, and some angst. I think it is worth reading, though a bit less fluffy than the cover might suggest.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

This was my first hockey romance and probably won’t be my last. Cinnamon roll sunshine Casey is the sweetest thing when it comes to grumpy Landon who is just trying to find his way in the world while also feeling like he doesn’t deserve to have good things happen to him. I enjoyed the mix of sports and romance and seeing Landon transform from shy sad boy to openly happy and flirtatious.

This was 3.5/5 stars for me. I reallllly wanted to love this book, but the sex-obsessed part of Casey kind of ruined it a bit for me. As a matter of personal preference, I do love that the two MCs were so openly communicative in the bedroom/steamy scenes, but I would have preferred a slightly more closed door or fade to black romance after the first encounter or two. Again, totally just a personal preference, because I don’t feel that all the sex scenes added to the depth of the storyline. They just felt like cheap fillers in some sense. That being said, I really loved the grumpy/sunshine trope, as well as the roommates to friends to lovers but. I loved that the MCs families were so open and accepting of them. I loved that there was some discussion of Landon’s demisexuality and that Casey was completely comfortable with his own bisexuality. We don’t see this a lot in stories or in real life, so I really really appreciated it!

Overall I did enjoy this. Thank you to Rachel Reid, NetGalley, and Carina Press for this eARC.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of Time to Shine by Rachel Reid. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for this ARC.

Landon and Casey were so sweet, and I loved their romantic journey. The perfect example of opposites attract. I also appreciated that there was just enough emotional angst/growth in the story to make it interesting but not super angsty. I give this book 4/5 stars.

Even more convinced that I'll read anything Rachel Reid writes!

TIME TO SHINE gives us friendly and exuberant Casey and quiet, lonely Landon, and the two form an unlikely friendship when Landon is called up to play with Casey on the Calgary Outlaws hockey team. AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES. Friends to lovers and opposites attract at its finest, folks.

I thought this book was well done and so enjoyable to read. It's very spicy (so be aware!), but had the most delicious tension and mutual pining. I loved the journey Casey and Landon take, both together and as individuals. And usually, I have a hard time buying a romance between two people are just SO obviously different (this is a me hangup admittedly), but Rachel did this romance so well that I not only WANTED Landon and Casey together, but ultimately believed (and championed) their love story from page one to the end.

I also love that Reid had characters address and try to right past wrongs and communicate about issues. And the consent over intimacy! We love to see it!

Read for:

-Group hockey team trips to Costco
-Non-sexual forms of intimacy
-Sexual forms of intimacy (and with characters who are at different comfort & desire levels and can communicate about this!)
-dimples
-height difference
-discussions about grief, healthy coping mechanisms
-tender found and blood family relationships
-holiday-themed cereal as a love language
-teasing and sarcasm (affectionate)
-opposites who make each other better and cherish the differences in one another
-hockey competence as a kink
-soft sweaters
-failed "Don't Kiss" Operations
-Obvious "i'm not in love" lies
-"fucking pancakes!"
-"Christmas hot tub is a journey."
-characters being each other favorite people
-sexy aprons

This was a really hopeful and heart-warming story, a timely read for all the absolute BS going on in NHL with regards to how they treat their LGBTQ+ communities.

Thank you to Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. TIME TO SHINE is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Rachel Reid for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To preface, I am not a romance reader. The exception to this is Rachel Reid! I love her character development, the pace of her novels, and the style of her writing. This book was so different than her other books; it was a slower pace and a more cozy story. The would be a perfect book to cuddle up with on a snowy evening before Christmas. It's really a warm "gingerbread" book, equally sweet and spicy!

However, none of these things were my favorite things about this book. This book describes the loss of a family member and the reverberations that grief casts on a family long after the initial loss. I lost my mother this year and her description felt like someone reached into my heart and pulled my exact feelings out. It was palliative for me to read this and not feel alone.

The other thing I really enjoyed was the diversity displayed in this book. As a gay person, I like to read stories with queer characters. However, things tend to be redundant and showcase a traditional range of sexuality. I liked that this book showed a more diverse and real range of sexual expression. Consent and boundaries were clear and nothing was presented as a work up to an ultimate goal of penetrative intimacy. It was refreshing that everything was real and healthy while showing the spectrum of gay relationships. This is a pattern that was also demonstrated in her book Tough Guy, which I also loved.

Finally, although I received an ebook, I did purchase a physical copy because I liked it so much. I was happy to see it published in trade paperback rather than mass market paperback. I like a nice substantive book!

I was excited to read this after hearing so much about hockey romances, even though hockey isn't one of my favourite sports. I found this very fun! The main couple was really cute and I was rooting for them for sure. The third act breakup felt realistic as well! I would have liked a bit more character development for one of the main characters, but other than that this book worked really well for me - I would definitely recommend even if you aren't already a hockey fan.

This was adorable and sweet and romantic. I love Rachel Reid, so I expected nothing less. Landon and Casey are a new favorite couple.

- Hockey romance
- MM romance (bi/demi rep)
- Found family
- Opposites attract

This is a tough one for me, as I loved Casey and his love for and patience with Landon. He felt very real and relatable and most of the time I just wanted to give him a squishy hug! I also loved the found family vibes with the hockey team.

But I've got to admit... Landon let me down. His behaviour was very hot-and-cold, push-and-pull and this frustrated me because Casey deserved better! Because of this, their relationship was very one-sided and I felt like their chemistry and connection were lacking.

Casey also sleeping with others until halfway (!!) into the book rubbed me the wrong way.

This was so cute what the heck!! Absolutely loved this, I’m a sucker for a good MM hockey book 🥰 already thinking about reading this again

This book is a spicy hockey romance with two male main characters. This was a very cute story with the right amount of hockey included and was a quick and easy read. Cute and realistic story line. Would definitely recommend!

Alright, I really enjoyed this one!

I love a good hockey romance, I ESPECIALLY enjoy a good queer hockey romance with Bi rep (labeled on page) and Ace rep (not labeled, but definitely part of the MCs depicted journey!)

This roommates to friends to lovers story had me whooping with excitement when the feelings started and had me blushing more than once! It was so so good!

There were a few things that kept it from being a full 5⭐️ read but not so much that it will stop me from buying the book asap!

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-arc, all opinions are my own!

I thoroughly enjoyed this hockey romance. I enjoyed the budding romance between Landon and Casey and the pure respect oozing between the two of them.

I have been around hockey quite a bit and enjoyed the fairly realistic portrayal of team life and player comraderie.

The only miss for me was that I felt Casey was a caricature or written too immature occasionally. He was endearing and fun but occasionally I felt it was over the top.

However, I laughed out loud so many times and did a sappy happy dance several times while swooning over these two. Their journey, both personally and as a couple was well done!

This is a fairly hockey forward hockey romance, so if you are a fan of hockey you will enjoy it and if you aren't, well, you may walk away as one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this to read. All opinions and swoons were my own.

A different approach to hockey romance compared to her previous books but those differences do not make this in anyway a less enjoyable read. I loved how both characters grew as people thanks to their partners different perspectives and a true friends to more story that is well worth a reread.

Landon Stackhouse just got the call he has been dreaming about his entire life—he’s going to the NHL. Even if it’s just temporarily filling in for an injured backup goalie. Landon is thrilled and terrified, even though he knows he won’t get that much time on the ice. Landon is quiet and never knows what to say to people, but his new teammate, Casey Hicks, hardly notices that.

Casey comes from hockey royalty, as his father was a star player in the NHL. Casey’s mind moves fast from one unique idea to the next and he’s chattering about something all the time. He has a big house that he really doesn’t like to live in alone and he offers Landon a place to stay. Casey is easy going and welcoming and he’s so different from Landon, and at times Landon has difficulty simply interacting with Casey and his new teammates. Casey is determined to make Landon’s time on the team memorable, while Landon starts to notice things about Casey that he really hasn’t had much interest in before. Landon has had crushes on people, but he starts thinking about Casey’s eyes and his smile and what it would be like to kiss Casey.

Casey likes everything about Landon and he is patient with him. Spending the holidays together intensifies their feelings and everything feels better and safe for both of them when they are together. However, Landon and Casey’s time of being teammates is coming to an end and heartache seems to be what’s next for them.

This is a standalone book from author Rachel Reid and is an easy, low-angst story of Casey and Landon finding each other. Casey and Landon’s life is all about hockey. For Casey, there was never an option he would do anything else. Landon worked hard on his skills and, when a tragedy changed his family forever, Landon focused on hockey. Landon loves his parents, but he feels guilty and he and his parents have not had the conversation they needed to have for years.

Casey and Landon are incredibly different. Casey is outgoing, bisexual, and is always ready for a new partner for the night. Landon is quiet and introspective and comes across on the asexual spectrum. For the first time, he wants to be physical with someone, but Landon has a lot of fears and anxiety about it. The one thing they do have in common is they feel safe when they are together.

This is a low angst book, which is what you can generally expect from the Carina Adores line. The mild tension comes from Landon figuring himself out and his relationship with his parents and from how Casey and Landon can stay together if the day comes they are not playing on the same team. The men are in their early 20s, but at times seemed even younger than that. This is a gentle book for readers looking for hockey players supported by their team and families, while finding forever love.

I really enjoy Rachel Reid's hockey books and somehow she keeps the MC's different enough that they don't read like replays. I loved these two MC's and there friends to lovers journey. I loved that it wasn't instant love and I really loved that Landon was a bit grumpy and shy. He hadn't defined himself but he read Demi and didn't always like to be touched. He had an interesting backstory and my heart just went out to him. I also loved Casey who was the exact opposite of Landon. He grew up rich and always knew he'd play hockey but he had his own challenges with some of the ways people thought of/teased him. They just made a great pair and the slow burn was lovely. There was also a great ratio of hockey to romance IMO. The families of both MC's played a roll and I enjoyed the family scenes as well. Honestly, there wasn't anything I didn't like about this book.