I was curious how a second M/M hockey romance could differ enough from Time to Shine to stand out. This is an excellent romance, but the hockey is less important. It's still very present, but both characters are retired. While their second-chance storyline is based on their history as roommates, teammates, and a one-sided romantic desire, fewer scenes, historical or contemporary, take place on the ice or in training. Readers who don't know anything about hockey don't have anything to worry about: the sport is just the setting, you don't need to know the terminology or mechanics of the game.

This book is heartbreaking-- it actually had me tearing up throughout! If you're a reader who likes to occasionally have a good cry, put this on your shelf for the next time you need something to help you start.

Since both characters are retired, this story follows older protagonists ("older" being early 40s, but hey, if you're tired of New Adult problem arcs, this is a lovely change of pace).

Recommended for all contemporary romance readers. eARC from NetGalley.

4.25 stars, 3 peppers. Thanks so much NetGalley for approving me for this ARC.

This was a great read! The Shots You Take was my first book ever by Rachel Reid, and based on the premise and cover I decided to take my own shot. For all you romance lovers, this book doesn't disappoint with its dizzyingly maddening slow burn and the tense second chance romance. This story follows former hockey teammates (MMC Riley and MMC Adam) who have reconnected after 12 years of being apart.

TSYT deals with some heavier themes (death, depression, sobriety, coming out), but it also had so many cute and genuinely funny moments. I think Rachel Reid's sense of humor is delightful and it really shines through with some of the banter we get to see between the MMCs.

I feel like one of my biggest and truest gripes was with the MMC Adam who honestly was kind of awful (back then!!! We love him now, but seriously DON'T do that again, Adam).

Riley and Adam's story has a lot of heartache from their past and obstacles they now face in their present...but will it all be worth it for the promise of their future??? Who knows??? ME I DO I JUST FINISHED THIS BOOK AND IT WAS GREAT.

This was a cute hockey romance about former NHL players. Riley had quit hockey some time ago and is back home helping to run a sports equipment store. Adam is recently retired and a big hockey hero. The two had a friends with benefits arrangement when they were teammates but that ended when Adam married a woman and the two lost touch. The two reconnect at Riley's dad's funeral. Adam is now divorced and out to his family. He regrets pushing Riley away so many years ago and realizes he has always loved Riley but was just not ready. This is a cute second chance romance and it's easy to fall in love with both Riley and Adam and their very different journeys.

Basically, when I got this ARC, everything else was immediately pushed to the side so that I could prioritize reading it. I have absolutely no regrets. This was sad and sweet and angsty and lovely. It is a wonderful book that I devoured and enjoyed during a not-so-wonderful time.

Overall, this felt like both a new direction for Reid and a fresh take on a second-chance romance. Much of the story takes place in the present, but intermittent flashbacks help fill in the back story instead of the main characters having to rehash everything. I loved the mature ages of the main characters and how much personal growth they each had to do before their HEA was even possible. All of Reid's books critique the toxicity of hockey culture, and I feel that this book was the most successful in demonstrating exactly what the sport had taken from these men and how much it had cost them mentally and physically.

Even though the themes explored are heavy, this is still a lovely hockey romance set in a small town on the Canadian coast. What more could you want to curl up with on a gloomy day? Can't recommend this one enough!

This book switches back and forth between two time periods, when Adam Sheppard and Riley Tuck were best friends playing hockey together and winning the stanley cup (when their relationship comes to a devastating end) and several years later after they are both retired from the league. This book is about grief, and mental health, second chances, and the struggle that many have in accepting their own queer identity.

I should say that I'm a huge fan of Rachel Reid but that until now, none of her books inspired me to be anywhere close as obsessed as I am to Heated Rivalry and The Long Game. So, you should know that when I say I may already love Adam and Riles almost as much as I love Shane and Ilya, its a really big deal. :)

I would 100% recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harlequin/Carina Adores for this amazing eARC!

Rachel Reid is an expert in writing moving MM romances, and The Shots You Take is no exception. This is the least sports-heavy of her oeuvre, but hockey still plays a central role, as we follow two retired NHL stars into their early forties. Adam and Riley first met as a D-pair fresh out of the draft and quickly became inseparable. We get to see some of their early moments through flashback chapters that peter out halfway through. The two men form a "no homo" friends-with-benefits arrangement until Riley admits he caught feelings, causing him to flee to another team and shun Adam for more than a decade. That brings us to the opening of the book where Riley is at his father's funeral and Adam shows up in support and the two slowly start to unearth past secrets. Both men have grown tremendously in their time apart, making things almost too easy in the present as the two naturally fall back together. There is deep feelings of nostalgia and grief throughout the story, and it's clear how deeply Reid loves these characters, hockey, and Nova Scotia. The ending was a little abrupt, but the lengthy epilogue made up for that. Anyone who enjoyed Reid's previous works will undoubtedly love this one as well.

I know that there is a wide world of Hockey Romance Novels, for every pairing and every trope and every spice rating you could ask for. Very few of them are poignant portraits of grief and regret.

This book is about two former NHL teammates finding their way back to each other after the devastating implosion of their friendship more than a decade before. Riley was in love with Adam; Adam was afraid to be in love with Riley. Everybody got hurt.

On page 13(!) I texted a friend that I was already crying. I immediately cared so much about these fractured men and how they were going to do the hard work of reassembling themselves and each other. I typically do not choose second-chance romances because they are flimsy and unearned. Riley and Adam *worked* their way back to each other. It was painful, and I cringed, and I read the next sentences with great trepidation, as unsure as Adam as to how Riley would react. I tell you, Rachel Reid does not miss.

You know they live happily ever after because that’s a requirement of the genre; you will be so delighted to watch them get there. They deserve it. And it’s not all sad and angsty! I laughed so hard!

In addition to grief, there are a lot of factors in Riley and Adam’s lives that might hit close to home for you. Always check the content warnings.

I was hashtag blessed to get an advance copy of this ebook via NetGalley, so many thanks to whoever decided to accept my request. 🤣 By the time this book is released on March 3, 2025, how many times do you think I’ll have re-read it? (So far, three times since receiving it two weeks ago. 🤷‍♀️) I’ll buddy read it with you next spring, regardless.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh okay that’s all o really have to be honest. It was so fun and so good it was such a great time!!!

This is a wonderful new slow burn from Rachel Reid that will tear you to pieces and put you back together! I knew just a few pages in that this book would destroy me... and I had cried multiple times before even making it 10% through. Hopefully that tells you what you need to know!

Hockey players Adam and Riley had a friends-with-benefits relationship during several of their years as teammates, before being driven apart. Years later, a tragedy in Riley's life prompts Adam to seek out his old friend. But can they overcome everything that's happened in their past to get to something even better?

Those of you who have read Heated RIvalry and The Long Game know that Rachel Reid is skilled at writing across multiple timelines, and that also comes through in this story. While the present-day storyline is Adam and Riley in their 40's, we're also getting plenty of flashbacks to their younger days and why they turned out the way they did.

It's a bit hard on the heart to read how Adam treats RIley in some of their earlier interactions. He really doesn't understand how much hurt he's causing. But he's also going through a confusing time himself. Seeing the two of them as adults who are more sure of themselves and know what they want and can communicate is very cathartic and creates some wonderfully poignant moments! (Also Lucky is a star)

Parts I loved:
-- Lucky
-- Riley standing up for himself
-- The cinnamon buns and the chowder
-- Riley's friends
-- Adam's blunt children
-- The caretaking
-- Riley's love of antiquing
-- The silk robes

I found myself wishing the second half of the book were longer! We definitely get that HEA, but I would have loved to have seen more of the relationship development. Honestly, however long Rachel wanted to make a book, I'd read it. Definitely one to pick up!

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley.

I wish more books were like this. Chemistry was phenomenal.

Riley + Adam

-mm romance
-retired hockey players
-second chance
-small town
-gay awakening

man this was a rough ride for these two & it was devastating for both of them! but they made it out & it made me so happy for them!

Rachel Reid is an instant-buy for me. This new standalone release was lovely. Yes there was angst but the way it was handled and the caring look at mental health struggles and finding comfort in your life was so well done. There's also a thoughtful look into grief and how you continue on when the loss is so huge. I'm usually not a fan of the second chance trope but this one made sense. And tons of groveling lol. And there's a soup scene! Love that micro-trope
Crying over a snail shell!
Hurt/comfort
Good soup
Groveling
Mental health rep
Small town
Hockey
M/M

Adam Sheppard and Riley Tuck were once best friends with benefits, and first line D on the same hockey team. But on the night of their Stanley Cup victory, their relationship was irrevocably changed. Within a few days, Riley had requested a trade to a rival team and left without a word.

In present day, almost 14 years later, the funeral of Riley’s beloved dad Harvey brings Adam to Riley’s hometown of Avery River.

I am a massive Rachel Reid fan. I remember when I first picked up Heated Rivalry in my bookstore, expecting a simple sports romcom, receiving awesome spice content, but also a nuanced story of mental health, depression, and familial pressure. In my opinion, The Shots You Take is even better. We watch Riley struggle through the recency of grief, a history of heartbreak and mental health issues. Adam, while having been able to retire on his own terms, has to deal with a lack of support system, fear of coming out and fear of the depth of his own feelings. I generally do not love second chance romances but this one delivered with emotional depth, fun banter, plenty of swoon worthy chemistry, and also a CUTE DOG. I loved the cozy town of Avery River and it’s plentiful supply of cinnamon rolls. This novel is a character journey (for both Riley and Adam) that feels genuine and honest.

* Miscommunication
* Second chance romance
* Slow burn
* Retired hockey players

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harlequin/Carina Adores for this amazing eARC! I absolutely adored it and would definitely recommend!

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review. I am a big fan of this author's previous books: Ilya and Shane 4eva. But this one was a miss for me.

The best I can say is that it felt phoned in - nothing really stood out emotionally for me, there was very little sense of connection between the characters, and neither had much of a personality. I DNF at about 60%.

I'm really sorry because I truly do like this author, but this one felt rushed, forced, and did not have the depth of some of the previous books.

Rachel Reid has a way of pulling me into her books like no other.
Beautiful scenery, accompanied with a great story or love, grieving and everything in between, absolute chef's kiss.

Highly recommend

Such a wonderful book about a later in life love. It’s a slow burn with a smaller climax, which sounds like it might be a bad thing but isn’t. The story picks up several years after a large climactic event, which is interesting narratively. Rachel Reid has a magical ability to make characters feel real and genuine. Very different from her other novels, which I also love, though as usual, she is at her best when taking a more unconventional approach to a story. Would absolutely recommend!

4.25 stars

This gets the emotions flowing right out of the gate. The story starts at the funeral for Riley's father, Harvey, which is the catalyst that brings Riley and Adam together again after almost 14 years apart. They are in their 40s now and have truly experienced life. Riley is openly gay and Adam is now divorced. I appreciated all the necessary conversations that happened. Adam truly treated Riley poorly in the past, and luckily he now realizes his mistakes and wants to make things right. This is truly a story of right person, wrong time. They have both always loved each other, but Riley was the only one who could admit it. Riley really gave me Ryan Price vibes (Tough Guy) in that he was really struggling and deserved so much better from the NHL. The mental health rep was also lovely to see here. Rachel Reid handles the subject with so much care, and it felt so relatable for anyone who has struggled with depression.

I enjoyed the cozy vibes of Avery River. It was such a nice backdrop for such an emotional story. Adam is a redemption character. You honestly kind of hate him a little for a lot of the story because of what he did, but he is on a journey of growth, and I loved being there for that.

This is a slow-burn of sorts in my mind because Riley takes his time in forgiving Adam, as he should. Adam really has to work to get back into Riley's good graces, and I liked seeing that. The journey felt real and honest.

My only desire from this that wasn't fulfilled was that I would have liked to see a few more flashback scenes. I would have liked to see a little more of what happened, rather than be told in the present. That said, Rachel Reid is amazing. She really knows how to write good characters and raw stories. This is definitely worth checking out.

In Rachel Reid we trust!

Seriously— there’s nothing she can write that I will not absolutely devour. I was starting this book mere minutes after it arrived on my kindle and did not put it down till I had finished. The way Rachel explored themes around identity, grief and forgiveness was truly masterful. I loved the older protagonists and the second chance romance, and didn’t find myself missing the hockey focus *too* much with all of the Nova Scotia scenery and family dynamics. While the first half was definitely difficult with the loss of Riley’s father, Adam’s tender care of him was so gut wrenching and will remain with me long after I finished. Overall, I just remain in complete awe at Rachel Reid’s writing and can’t wait to pick up all her future work!

Can he win the heart of the man who hates him now?

This is everything I look for in a love story. Adorable, swoon worthy, painfully tender, The Shots You Take is about two people who want to be the happy ending to their life story.

Leaving his ex-teammate, best friend, and NHL career behind, Riley moved back home to Nova Scotia and mended his heart after an emotional roller-coaster friendship with Adam.

When tragedy strikes, Adam takes a chance and turns up in Riley’s small hometown. With more than a decade between them, both Riley and Adam have much to catch up on.

Told in present time with some glimpses of past events creates a captivating experience. Riley and Adam soon realize that their original passion has not dimmed with the passage of time, but the hurt continues to surface. The obstacles that once prevented Adam from realizing his love for Riley finally unfolds.

This story has the fundamental elements of love lost and found again, revolving around unrequited, seemingly forbidden relationship and a clear portrayal of chemistry. The realistic conversations and maturity embedded in this book elevated the quality, made it believable. Deeply moving, tender, and I just loved it.

Thanks to Carina Adores (Harlequin - Romance) for providing me with an e-ARC of this via Netgalley.

New Rachel Reid??? Yes, please!!!!

I was so excited to be offered an ARC through Harlequin! Of course no one writes hockey like Reid!

This book is so heart wrenching but also a really great friends to lovers, unrequited love with found family book. This deals with grief, loss of a parent, depression and mental health so if those are triggers please take care of yourself and take these into consideration. The death of Riley’s father is a huge part of the story and losing my father a few years ago really hit close to home. I didn’t find the subject upsetting but it is something that can be a trigger for some.

This really was such a beautiful story. Riley is a strong character who has been in love with his best friend and teammate Adam for years. It’s been more than a decade since he cut Adam out of his life but after Riley’s father dies Adam comes to his funeral. For Adam, Riley’s father was the closest thing he had to a true father figure, his parents having always been cold and closed off.

Riley’s family, his mother and sister, are so supportive and of course Riley’s dog Lucky is the best! Riley does not want to see Adam after everything he went through before leaving hockey all together. He doesn’t know why Adam has shown up after so long and he cannot go through the pain he experienced after Adam ripped his heart to shreds.

Adam has no idea why Riley cut him out of his life. I thought it was obvious but when you’re in a situation it’s not that simple. Adam has had a lot of revelations through the years and when he learns that Riley’s father has passed away he knows he has to pay his respects and finally find out why Riley cut him off completely.

The slow pace of the romance was perfect since Adam had a lot to make up for but Riley also had to face things he never did before too. The center of this book is about mental health and how in sports many players are looked upon as being weak if they put themselves first. I love that Reid writes about these important topics. She is so good at bringing these subjects to light.

I do wish the ending was not so fast, the epilogue is wonderful but I felt like we didn’t have enough of Riley and Adam after they got together. We didn’t see Riley with Adam’s children or how he fit into that part of Adam’s life.

I did love this though and I am so happy we have another Rachel Reid book to enjoy.

ARC provided by Harlequin for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own