This is a sweet second chance love story! It was pretty low angst. Adam groveled the perfect amount! I absolutely loved the characters and I loved that the Nova Scotia town where it took place felt like a character.

I devoured this tender, loving book in less than a day.

Thank you to Harlequin and Carina Press and Rachel Reid for this ARC

After moving back to his hometown, Riley Tuck faces unexpected grief and the return of his former best friend and unrequited love of his life, Adam Sheppard. As Adam tries to rebuild trust with Riley, unresolved feelings and past complications challenge their chance at a fresh start.

The blurb on this is correct. Rachel Reid never misses. I’ve been looking forward to this book since it was announced. I truly loved Time to Shine and I still think about those characters all the time.

Reader - Riley and Adam are going to be on my mind for a LONG time. The sweetest sad boys. Riley is reeling from the loss of his dad suddenly to a heart attack (relate way too hard to this) and Adam is kind of lost after his divorce and coming to terms with his sexuality.

I loved the dual POV in this, and I absolutely adored the flashbacks. You got so much history packed into these pages. The families were great. Lucky 🥹.

I loved how soft Adam was for Riley. I love how Riley worked to control his emotions. I loved how Adam worked so hard to win Riley back. I love that they were characters in their 40s. I loved literally every single thing about this book. I cannot wait to own a paper copy that I can mark up considering I highlighted half of the book on my Kindle.

Obsessed with them and their love and that epilogue are you joking???

*I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, all thoughts are my own.*

I’m a huge fan of the Game Changers series and it’s often my go to when I want to reread something. The Shots You Take really feels like it has a different, heavier tone. I’m not mad, just impressed by the range of the author. There are a lot of difficult topics here like grief, cheating, alcoholism, and mental health. Plus all of the initial heartbreak followed by healing that comes with second chance romances. Hockey takes a backseat as the characters are both retired and in their 40’s. Lots of emotions that definitely made me tear up.

And I don’t know what good karma points I’ve racked up but somehow I got on the good list and was invited(!) to read this by the publisher through NetGalley. I’m very grateful, thank you!

This was very cute!

I think I've come to the realisation that second chance romances aren't going to be for me. Rachel Reid consistently writes such healthy, well-rounded queer relationships and this book and the characters in it are no exception. Fast-paced, unique story structure, very cute and amazing vibes! I don't think I like the second chance trope, but this is the best I've seen it done.

Thank you so much for the ARC :)

This book was both heart-breaking and healing. It was a true page turner and I could not put it down. This book had me full on sobbing but also laughing. Rachel Reids hockey romances are in a class of their own and I truly don't think she's capable of writing a bad book. It was so easy to fall in love with both Riley and Adam and I loved getting to know them throughout this book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this ARC

This is such a delightful, sexy, and ADULT book. It's so wonderful to read about hockey players after the hockey is over, and also to read about middle aged queer people falling in love and finding happiness. A+ for the Nova Scotia content, too!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Riley and Adam have a long history. They were roommates, teammates in the NHL, but also secret lovers. That came crashing to an end and they didn't speak for 12 years until Adam arrives at RIley's dads funeral.

This was another fantastic hockey romance from Rachel Reid. Grief is very heavy in this one as well as depression.

Well, this was an all-around surprise! I had no idea there was even a new Rachel Reid book on the horizon when I received an ARC invitation for The Shots You Take. What wasn’t a surprise though was how quickly I abandoned all of my upcoming reading plans to immediately devour it!

This was such a lovely departure from Rachel’s other books. While the topic of grief weighed heavier than her usual fare, I didn’t find the story overly sad or depressing. Having lost my own father unexpectedly over a decade ago, I found Rachel’s portrayal of Riley’s grief very relatable. Everyone’s experience with grief is different, but I felt she captured those early stages quite well. The way you go through your days and it feels like you just haven’t seen the person or spoken to them in a while until suddenly the grief catches you and you realize those things will never happen again. I appreciated how Rachel was able to capture Riley’s grief, give it space, and then weave it into his life as he moved forward and dealt with Adam’s reappearance. It was beautiful seeing the way Adam supported Riley along his journey while also grieving the loss of someone who was more of a father to him than his own.

Another thing I loved about this story was that Riley and Adam are in their 40s and we’re catching them later in life for their second chance romance. Also, while this is technically a hockey romance, there wasn’t actually much on page hockey. Even though we meet Riley and Adam after their hockey careers have ended and life has moved on, we get glimpses of the past and the pressure and expectations of living in the hockey world. We see its undeniable influence over the course of their lives and relationships and how those things led them to present day.

“You staying in town another night? Riley asked.
“Yeah.” Ask me why I’m divorced.
“Why?”
“You know why.” The words were out before Adam could stop them, and they hung in the air for what felt like forever.

Riley and Adam were great characters and Rachel did a fabulous job of showing us how messy they were and how messy they still are while making us root for them all along the way. My heart went through everything right along with them. I felt anger at young Adam and his treatment of Riley, but also anger at his situation and why he felt he had to make the choices he did. My heart ached for Riley and how he had to cope with his mental health and the fallout of what happened with Adam. It was a journey from anger to acceptance and understanding that Rachel handled wonderfully.

For all that I loved the story and how much I adore Rachel’s writing, this still fell short of a five star read for me. There were little things here and there that I found frustrating, but my biggest issue was the pacing. The last 15% or so felt off to me. It was almost like the ending was an afterthought. For around 85% of the story, everything takes place over the course of a week with flashbacks interspersed. However, as soon as the MCs got together, it was like we’d entered a lightning round, speed running through events as quickly as possible. I went from enjoying a nice, slow buildup for most of the book, to catching up a few weeks later, to being thrown into an epilogue 5 years in the future. I was left feeling sad I’d missed so much, especially the important moments that were only briefly mentioned. I spent so much time becoming invested in Riley and Adam’s happiness that I wanted more time enjoying it with them once it had been achieved. I wanted to cuddle up with their HEA long enough to get warm and cozy, but that didn't happen. Still, this was a fabulous read and I can’t recommend it enough! If you enjoyed Rachel’s other books, you’re sure to love this one!

I received an ARC from Carina Adores via NetGalley in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Did I need to read this right now? No. Did I have other things to read? Yes. Did I drop everything to read this anyway? YES!

I love Rachel Reid's writing and the care she takes with her characters. This time she has changed things up a bit by having older MCs that have a bad history with each other. I am not usually a fan of second chance romances, but with Rachel Reid it doesn't matter I'm gonna read it anyway.

The first half of this book had me weeping. The touching ways that Reid writes about grief and loss and family just absolutely got to me and I was crying everytime our main character did. It was so sad but so good. I believed that these characters were real and really hurting.

The second half of this book had me giggling as these two men figured out how to love the new, grown-up versions of themselves while also dealing with the baggage of years of hurt and misunderstood emotions. The romance part came slowly but believably and for every step forward I cringed with the steps backward.

I thought that the flashbacks worked really well with this story and the ending was fully satisfying and exactly what I wanted. As always, Rachel Reid does not miss.

For clarity, I will probably read this at least twice more before it comes out but I had to gush right away. Read this book as soon as it comes out and in the meantime you have plenty of time to read her entire backlist.

I really liked this! It might be my second-favorite Rachel Reid. Of course, anything she writes is going to be compared to her book Heated Rivalry, and I think this comes the closest to capturing that energy out of all of her books so far. I think we need way more romances about men in their 40s, and this is a great move in that direction. Both protagonists had a lot of interesting things going on, and it was a satisfying story about two retired athletes figuring out what their lives are going to look like.

You guys, this book.

I was so excited to get this ARC and I think it may be Rachel Reid's best yet. The exploration of grief, identity, growing into who you are was so human and sweet and sad and funny all at once. I loved how nuanced and multifaceted and real every emotion felt. And the relationship between Adam and Riley and the journeys they had to take solo and together to get to the end was lovely. There are moments in this story that hurt so much and moments where you just want to jump for joy, layered with this maturity and self-awareness that will leave you wanting more! What a triumph of a novel!

Rachel Reid honestly doesn't miss, and this is no exception. I'm not sure that anything will ever compare to Heated Rivalry, but this certainly came close. Perhaps my second favorite Rachel Reid book.

Two retired hockey players reunite after nearly a decade apart. This is very much a second chance romance with perhaps a touch of an enemies to lovers vibes. Although the enemy bit is definitely one-sided, as Adam desperately tries to convince Riley not to hate him. The reader gets thrown into the mix, straight at a funeral and emotions are high and messy as both of the characters don't want to get things wrong again, and don't want to be hurt.

This was fairly different than a lot of her other works because both of the characters were retired from hockey and it doesn't hit a lot of the beats that a typical Reid hockey romance does. It was kind of nice to read a queer book where the whole conflict wasn't centered on hiding a relationship, or coming out. It was a solid exploration of longing with some grief thrown in there, and how emotions and relationships can be so messy.

All in all, fabulous book and I would recommend if you like Rachel Reid signature heart-tugging emotions.

This book just reinforces what I already know: I will read whatever Rachel Reid writes!

I'm so glad I got to read this book early, as it was everything I'd been craving in a read: a delicious, tension- and angst-filled second chance romance. With hockey, of course!

Two ex-team ex-teammates and former best friends with benefits -- Riley and Adam -- reconnect at the funeral for Riley's father, a return to the past that Riley resents. But Adam is determined to stick around, to make amends for the way things ended with him and Riley years ago. With hockey careers and a lot of memories behind them, Adam and Riley must confront their feelings and their possibility for a future together.

I love that this book is an after-NHL career book, and that the main characters are in their 40s. It's refreshing to see a second-chance romance that is long after the original getting-together, and to see what Riley and Adam had gone through in that time. It's heartbreaking and emotional, while still remaining incredibly tender and hopeful.

As Riley and Adam find their way back to each other, we're treated to Reid' signature brand of storytelling, full of humor, heat, and heart, as the two characters work through grief, repair mistakes, and confront long-buried feelings. I adored this book.

Thank you to Carina Adores and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. THE SHOTS YOU TAKE is out 3/4/25.

I cried A LOT but I also couldn’t put this down nor stop myself from loving it with my whole heart. Riley and Adam are pure perfection.

I had SUCH a lovely time with this book!! I devoured it over the course of 2 days, and I had such a great time through the entirety of it. This is without a doubt my favourite from this author -- I'm really impressed with how well-crafted this novel is. From the beginning, there's an air of grief yet hopefulness that pervades the narrative (one of the MC's parents has died right before the story starts), and Reid works these emotions through the entire story.

I really loved that we get to see these characters re-connect in a way that feels meaningful and far from forced. Second-chance romances are NOT my favourite, but I trusted the author and she absolutely delivered. It also doesn't feel very much like a second-chance romance, since the characters were not in a romantic relationship while they were younger, even though they def had feelings. (Also I just really, really love romances with middle-aged or older characters; it's really fun to read about characters who have full lives and still manage to find fulfillment in each other.) The way hockey is woven into the story is also so, so good -- while it's minimal, it grounds the story and the characters very effectively.

Overall, while there were little things that detracted from my giving this 5 stars, I do think this is Reid's finest work yet, and I heartily recommend it to pretty much anyone who enjoys romance novels. I definitely plan to pre-order a copy!!

Riley and Adam were teammates, best friends, and occasionally lovers for years in the NHL during their 20s. Riley fell hard, which made Adam’s casual treatment of their relationship and eventual marriage to a woman all the more painful. Now in their 40s, Riley is shocked and angry when a now divorced Adam shows up in his small Nova Scotian town for his father’s funeral. In the week after the funeral, Adam does what he never did before, constantly shows up for Riley, forcing him to confront his past feelings and new grief.

Yes I know this book will not be published for six months and does not even have a cover yet, but I do not hesitate when a new Rachel Reid book shows up in my inbox. This book was very different from Rachel’s other hockey books. While still about hockey players, setting the book after both men are retired creates a new view on the hockey world including the lingering effects of the sport on the body and mind. While the story mainly takes place over the single week after Riley’s dad’s funeral, we get flashbacks spread throughout the book to tell the pair’s full story, which is an effective way to tell a second chance romance. I appreciated the representation in Adam of someone who comes out later in life and is still figuring out how to be queer, and dealing with the internalized homophobia of his youth. This book has a beautiful melancholy to it, not only is Riley mourning the loss of his father, the pair are in their own ways mourning what could have been if they had made different decisions in their 20s. I didn’t find this book sad, but it had a weight to it and reminded me a lot of Cat Sebastian’s We Should Be So Lucky. This is definitely a book that I will be rereading.

Thank you to Carina Press, Harlequin, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Did I cry the entire book? No. But nearly.

This book was absolutely beautiful. For those who love Shane and Ilya, you’re going to break for Riley and Adam. The Shots You Take was a gorgeous love letter to first loves and second chances, hometowns and hockey. A brilliant exploration of grief in a multitude of ways. Of queer identity and mental health. Reid handles these subjects with such care and compassion and has crafted one of the best romances ever.

Rachel Reid has a knack for writing characters that embed themselves into my heart and mind in such a way that I think about them even when I’m not actively reading about them. As her stories go, I can’t wait to reach a happily ever after but I also never want the book to end. Those things were certainly true for me when it comes to Riley and Adam.
This was a beautiful story about a second chance that came at a vulnerable time for one of the men and after a very long stint apart. I loved the dialogue and all of the characters, and I really appreciated the honest depiction of grief (yeah, I cried).
I never thought I’d say this, but I did wish for more chapters from their lives before that painful separation—I wanted to spend a little longer watching them fall in love with each other, even if they struggled to admit it at the time. Regardless, this is still a magnificent and lovely book with wonderful characters that will linger in my mind.

Oh, how I love Rachel Reid! Her MM hockey romances are somehow equally cozy, spicy, hilarious, and heartwarming and THE SHOTS YOU TAKE was no different.

While I absolutely loved it, I will say this book, especially the first half, was pretty depressing. Riley has just lost his father and is dealing with unimaginable grief when his ex-teammate/best friend/love of his life shows up in his small town to pay his respects. Riley and Adam have a difficult history and it was hard to read about some of their past behavior.

Eventually, the men start to forgive each other and I was swooning nonstop. I loved the maturity of both characters especially as they figured out what they wanted. There’s less hockey in this as some of Reid’s other sports romances, but just as much humor and heart. I finished this in one sitting because I simply couldn’t step away from Riley and Adam!

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own.

This book is everything I expect from a Rachel Reid's book and more. The angst, the yearning, the smut, the sweetness - everything is blended perfectly. My heart melts for the main characters, Riley and Adam, whom I now adopt, and who deserve all the good things in the world.

What I appreciate most about Rachel Reid's ice hockey romance is the way she connects aspects of the sport and its culture to the premise or the core conflict of the romance plot. This book deals with the struggles that ice hockey players face with mental and physical health, and how those struggles are amplified ten-fold for queer players. The main characters are both victims and perpetrators to the problem in some ways, and we get to see them acknowledging it and growing from it in a beautiful and matured way. Rachel Reid writes communication so well, and everything the character thinks and says hits me dead in the feels. It's gut-wrenching at times - exactly what I need from a second-chance romance - but it makes the payoff of their epic romance that feels that much more real and sweeter.

Because it's such a nice read, I just wish I get more of it. Maybe one more chapter before the epilogue. I don't know what exactly I want, but I just want a tiny bit more.

But overall, I just really love this book. I finished it in one afternoon, and it made my whole day. I'm so, so glad that I get to read it.