While this was an easy listen, I did not love the audio. I did not necessarily feel like the narrators voices matched the characters. Either way, it was a pleasant listen - just not my favorite. As for the story/plot, I was not expecting it to feel so heavy. There are themes of grief, second chances, development and growth, and big life changes in your 40s. It is a much more grown up novel than Rachel's other books. Also - the hockey was very much not a part of the plot. It's a slow burn with lots of character development for the first 75% of the book. At that point, the heat kicks into gear. If you are looking for a story that focuses on overcoming past trauma, loss of a parent, and discovering where you belong in the world, this will be enjoyable for you. Another theme that is not often found in romance books and is contained in this story (without being beaten to death) is an MMC who was married to a woman, had kids, got divorced, and then came into himself as either gay or bisexual (not clear). I liked Riley a lot. He reminded me of a less chaotic Casey (Time to Shine). Rachel's golden retriever men are the best.

This is a wonderful MM second chance Hockey romance. The characters were wonderful and well developed, the pace kept my interest. What I loved most about this book were the characters and how their relationship changed during the course of the book. I also loved the small town it was set in. The characters had faults, they had ups and downs and I could relate to their issues. The town was a wonderful small town where everyone is in your business, and helping when you need it. It was a wonderful book.

I chose to DNF this after reading the first three chapters. The writing felt a bit basic. The way that Adam treated his wife and his "friend with benefits" really made me uncomfortable. I don't think this is the book for me. I wish this author, who wrote one of my favorite M/M hockey romances, Time to Shine, all the best!

Trigger warnings (that I saw in the first three chapters): cheating, death of a father, funeral of a father, discussion of a family member's remains (ashes)

I'd like to thank Harlequin Romance, Carina Adores, and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid is an emotional, heart-wrenching & heartwarming second chance romance between two retired hockey players that reconnect later in life.

The Shots You Take is great for those looking to read…
🖤 Second Chance Romance
🖤 MMC’s in their 40’s
🖤 Close Proximity
🖤 Two Retired Hockey Players
🖤 Emotional Topics Such as Grief
🖤 Nova Scotia Setting

This is my second read by this author & I’ve really enjoyed both of them. The small town setting was absolutely perfect & made me want to move there. I appreciated that this didn’t shy away from the hurts & the complexity of their past. The connection & chemistry between the two heroes was so good. This was a really interesting story. I also loved that their main characters were in their forties. I would love to read more from this author.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Harlequin Romance-Carina Adores for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

With THE SHOTS YOU TAKE—her eighth (!!!) book—Rachel Reid turns her hand to second chance romance between two retired hockey players in their 40s; a bit of a departure for her, even as she maintains her grieving Nova Scotians brand. There’s a ton of baggage here, packed tight with decades-old fears and mental health challenges, but the drama never feels excessive because the characters have the maturity and the perspective to really SEE each other, understand the realities they both lived with in their 20s, and consider where they might go from here. Riley’s recent loss tempers everything, too. I teared up for him more than once.

It’s very well done and I absolutely recommend it, though I must confess I didn’t love it quite as much as Reid’s previous books. (Maybe I’m too much of a drama-monger when it comes to fiction.) Still, I’m always glad to devour a new book from my favourite romance writer, and it’s great to see her explore different territory.

I don't read much middle-aged romance (but want to be intentional about reading more) and I loved getting to see these two at that stage of their life. The history, the yearning, the dealing with the years that had passed since they'd spoken... I absolutely adored The Shots You Take.

What an incredibly special second chance story that will tug on your heartstrings from start to finish!! I LOVED this book and it was such a refreshing read. One of my favourite from Rachel Reid and a book I can see myself reading over and over again!

Riley and Adam are former NHL teammates whose friendship ended abruptly in their twenties from unrequited love. In present day, both men are now in their forties and Riley is grieving the death of his father. When Adam arrives back in town after 12 years without contact, the former best friends are forced to work through their painful memories to rekindle a relationship.

I LOVE a story with older MMCs! Riley and Adam felt so real, with all the life and health changes that age brings. Because they are older in the present, the story was able to focus so much more on their relationship, rather than the physical side that often comes with young hockey player romances. But don’t let that fool you - this book has some seriously delicious spice! It is definitely a slow burn in the present, but the waiting was absolutely worth it and didn’t ever feel “slow” because of the spicy recollections from the past.

The flashbacks throughout this story were absolutely brilliant and Rachel did such a beautiful job of showcasing the difference between the characters as young men vs. more mature and self-aware adults in the present. That dichotomy was so fun to read, and even if some moments were painful, it really came across as a story of hope to me. That great love can span years and that second chances are worth fighting, even when it seems impossible.

I also have to point out how much I loved the way Rachel weaved the beauty and serenity of the maritimes into this story, along with some uniquely Canadian aspects that made this book so joyful to read!

If you are looking for an incredible second chance romance that will fill your heart like a hug, I can’t recommend The Shots You Take enough!

I was so won over by this. I expected it to feel like fanfiction because it’s hockey romance and I know how much fandom goes crazy for those but I’m thrilled to report that while it shares the charming, delightful tone of fanfiction (the banter is SO top notch), the characters have real, developed personalities and their time together felt genuine and well articulated. The pacing of the story was excellent; I was worried there was going to be some dumb third act issue and I didn’t miss one at ALL. At first I didn’t like that it switches POVs but I really came to enjoy it after a while. I think the end gets away from itself a little bit and becomes pretty saccharine, but blah blah blah soft epilogue, you get it.

(SPOILERS) My favorite thing about this book was unspoken, which is that we never get to meet Harvey Tuck, we just hear about how much the town loved him and how important he was to Riley, and how he laments that he can’t be like his father the way Avery River needs, and then he literally marries someone who becomes that for the town. The whole book I was like, the man you’re describing who could fill this space is ADAM. And I love that the author didn’t hang a hat on that. It’s just the beautiful, honest truth of this book. It’s really, really lovely to me.

I really enjoyed this! It was my first Rachel Reid novel and I will definitely be reading more. The story had a great ride and it was nice to see the flashbacks for Riley and Adam to see how they got to where they were. Loved how much they loved each other!

While still paying homage to the great Canadian game, Rachel Reid's latest romance takes us beyond the rink and into retirement... in two very different scenarios that come to a head when Adam crashes Riley's father's funeral...

These two men have a lot to go through - and I'll admit that I skipped over some of their history chapters because I have trouble reading in a non-linear way, but I don't think I missed much of the story because the characters are great at reflecting and eventually realizing what their past meant.

I love the setting where much of the story takes place, If it were real, I would definitely add it to my vacation list.

What if you realized, nearly 20 years too late, that you’d stupidly rejected and lost the love of your life? Twice? Would you figure out a way to finally take the shots you missed? Meet Adam “Shep” Sheppard, a retired hockey star, who does just that. Riley Tuck is the former “friend-with-benefits” and teammate who got away. And it is entirely Shep’s fault.🏒

Riley “Riles” Tuck got over Shep years ago - after tumultuously ending his career and successfully battling with his addiction and mental health issues - and has a solid life back in his hometown, with a great group of friends and a loving sister and parents who appreciate him for all he is. He has a lot, but not, of course, the one who ran away. Twice. Riley pretty much hates Shep for that. Then Riley’s father dies, and Riley is left to pick up the pieces of their sporting goods store and his grieving heart.❤️‍🩹

Enter newly divorced, out to himself - and to his ex-wife and teenaged kids - Shep, who loved Riley’s dad (and Riley, it turns out) and travels from Toronto to Nova Scotia to support Riley and his family. Much to Riley’s confusion, dismay, irritation - and, secretly, his hopeful-yet-broken heart.💔

But Riles won’t tell Shep that last part and clearly wants him to leave, so he can grieve in peace. But Shep - Adam - wants to make his shockingly clueless and crappy behavior up to Riley, whom he has finally realized he did love all those years ago - and still does.❤️‍🔥

Like a bad penny, Adam keeps turning up. Adam helps Riley in the shop, bringing him food, signing pucks for curious fans, organizing display cases, agreeing to MC the minor hockey banquet, and being kind to Riles’s mom and sister and loving on Lucky, Riley’s amazing best friend and mutt (and, quite, possibly, the star of the show). 🐶

The story proceeds with clipped-then-friendly-then-spicy banter, sidelong glances, nosy friends and family, halting conversations, and the stopping and starting you’d expect from a relationship that went very wrong and is now trying to right its precarious self.❣️

In addition to Lucky, Lindsay (Riley’s sister), Riley’s mom, and his friend Darren, I’d like to shout out Riley’s house. Besides writing stunning descriptions of the ocean and the beach and Riley’s garden and greenhouse, Rachel Reid lovingly describes a bright and colorful - with my loves blue and white as the theme that runs throughout - home, which Riley has creatively renovated and decorated. And which, by the way, Adam also falls in love with. I’d like to see it in real life, quite honestly. 🏡

THE SHOTS YOU TAKE is classic Rachel Reid - a fantastic MM hockey romance from a different place in her players’ careers. It’s also a second-chance love story and is full of angst and a bit of miscommunication and a fiery relationship. My passion for Rachel Reid’s work, starting with HEATED RIVALRY & the “Game Changers” series, continues unabated. 🔥

Thanks so much to @NetGalley & @Harlequinbooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is out now!

📣 here’s to second chances 🥹🥹🥹🥹

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

I put off this book for a while, but The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid ended up taking me on a complete, delicate, & mesmerizing second chance romance journey that I wouldn’t have missed.

After losing his beloved dad, Riley Tuck is totally surprised/angry/upset to see his former BFF & hook-up Adam Sheppard at the funeral. Now-divorced, Adam wants to be the friend to Riley that he wasn’t always.

The love between these two is so strong, & watching them excavate the past & explore who they were, who they are now, & who they can be together is so moving. These are best friends with a capital B & F, & the care they have will make you believe in love if you don’t already. Not to mention that their jokes & banter sometimes put a smile on my face, despite all of the other heavier undercurrents the book is swimming in.

This second chance is not to be missed & I can’t wait to add it to my shelves. Perfection!

5 ⭐️. Out 03/04.

CWs: references to homophobia, Riley & Adam once cheated together when Adam was married.

[ID: Jess wears a burgundy shirt, jeans, & sandals & holds the ebook while standing outside.]

⭐ Rating: 5/5 stars
🗓 Publish date: March 4, 2025
🏷️ Tags: retired hockey stars, former teammates/best friends, second chance romance, grief, made me sob


Can someone tell me why I was already crying in the first chapter? And basically never stopped?

Despite not knowing the characters yet, Rachel Reid wrote them in a way where I immediately connected to them and their pain. From there, I only fell more in love with Riley and Adam and their struggles with reconciling and healing.

This story is about grief and regret, more than anything. And it's written so well. There is so much tenderness and heart in every word. My review can't do it justice.

Rachel Reid has done it again. Do yourself a favour and read this book.

Thank you to Carina Adores and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

In The Shots You Take Adam Shepard and Riley Tuck reconnect after being former teammates, best friends and a touch more. Told with flashbacks from the past and present in dual points of view, we get to see how these men care for each other.

The book explores male friendships and society’s pressures for those within the LGBTQIA community and professional men's sports mental health. Adam and Riley did the work to come together at the end and that made the book more powerful.

It was hard for me to get into the story but around halfway I was hooked. I think it was the flashbacks that, while important to the plot pushed me out from the story. Once I had the audiobook, the performance kept me engaged.

The Shots You Take is narrated by Greg Bourdeaux who plays both men seamlessly with different accents and tones. I never wondered which point of view I was in. I highly recommend the audio especially for those who appreciate a Canadian accent.

Thank you for the ALC, these are my genuine feelings about the book.

TW: Death of a parent, mental health,

First, I want to do a huge thank you to @harlequinbooks @netgalley and Harlequin Audio for giving me the opportunity to read this before its release. I loved it!
Once again, of course, Rachel delivers with another heartfelt, beautiful story of two men's love for each other and hockey.
I love that this story is two older men. We get to see Adam and Riley later in life, post retirement, trying to decide what they want from life. I appreciated seeing this side of the hockey journey. Riley left early in his career, and Adam stayed through retirement, and both built very different lives. It's not something often focused on in these hockey romances.
These two men have my whole heart! 🥹 Working through things like mental illness, injuries that affect their career, the loss of a parent, and coming to terms with their sexuality publicly are all explored.
I'm not even mentioning the longing! The angst! The slow burm. The love lost and then rekindled! Ugh!!!
I loved them both so much and just wanted to see them together and happy!!!
I absolutely recommend this one. It's a hockey romance by Rachel. What more could you want?!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Rachel Reid stories and I love the hockey stories in this world. Was Adam loveable at first? Not at all, but by the end of the story, I had a new respect for him. I understand not knowing who you are when it is not accepted by much of society. I lived it. I don't have first hand experience in being a sports star when it is especially not accepted and how you need to hide yourself. It makes understanding who and what you are even more difficult. This story tackled biases, mental health and the pain of loss and in the end, I got the happy ending I needed. Adam did indeed redeem himself in my eyes and seeing Riley grow was even more satisfying.

I already loved Rachel Reid's previous titles and The Shots You Take did not disappoint! I've read a number of sports romances and so many of them are focused on younger men or some sort of age gap, so it was refreshing to have a relationship between older men. Thank you for the opportunity to review the book!

I struggled deeply with this book. I hated one of the MC’s so much that I actively rooted against the romance.

The story was such a fun and enjoyable read. I had a good time reading it.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

This may have been the most un-hockey hockey romance I’ve read, but with that being said, Rachel Reid still makes the best hockey romances out there!

Riley and Adam were teammates, roommates, best friends… and sometimes lovers 12 years ago. Now they are both retired from their professional hockey careers living very different lives, that is until Riley’s father passes and gives Adam the opportunity to take one last shot at a happily ever after with Riley! Reunited by the funeral, Riley and Adam commence a slow burn return to friendship… and more.

This was a wonderful depiction of grief and the resilience of friendship and connection. Rachel‘s depiction of Riley as he attempts to move forward after the sudden loss was very emotional but also cathartic as it allows a space for Riley to let Adam back in again.

I absolutely loved both of these characters. It’s so nice to see older characters moving on and finding their place after big changes in their lives. This is the type of second chance romance that makes me love this trope.

As for hockey, this is definitely a hockey romance. Don’t let what I said before throw you off. It’s just not the main focus. Riley and Adam are both former hockey players. They are both retired, but hockey is still part of their lives, whether through enjoying watching and supporting their former teams or the local peewee league- the game will never leave them and we see it through these moments and in flashbacks of their glory days.

So, if you’re looking for older MC’s, second chance romance, friends to lovers, with a little hockey sprinkled in- this is a must read!