#avon gale

[sbbarnes]

Hockey Romances. Why?

So I was taken out of work a couple weeks ago due to ~pregnancy stuff~ (mostly just stress, the baby and I are fine) which has left me with a lot of spare time on my hands. And as one does, I have been filling my time reading lgbtq+ romance novels. Because I can.

In this time, I have fallen headfirst into the hockey romance novel subgenre, and I ask myself, as I have done every time I see these books advertised, why? I am not a sports fan. One time, my husband was watching football (European), and a team in red kits was playing against yellow kits, and I started laughing because "it looks like ketchup is playing against mustard". His expression was great, but he hasn't taken me seriously since.

So why is hockey of all things such a draw for the mlm romance subgenre? Especially given the NHL's apparent fear of rainbow tape? Why do I now know what the word "celly" refers to and what an "enforcer" is? Why why why?

Here are my answers:

Extremely organic way to set up some of the most classic romance tropes. Forced proximity? Being on the same team takes care of that. There was only one bed? Shared hotel rooms during away games. Enemies to lovers? Rival teams.

Lots of potential for drama given that players lead very transient lives in terms of the constant possibility of trades. In mlm love stories, even more so given that the NHL is so blatantly homophobic.

Perfect level of fame. Fame and wealth as a draw for a love interest are kind of staples of the genre, and NHL players are famous, sure, but not all of them, and they aren't as famous as football stars (either kind of football). They are still filthy rich, which makes great wish fulfillment. You can have the sexy penthouse and the anonymity.

I would go on to talk about how different roles on the team lend themselves to different tropes (goalie = tightly controlled dude who needs someone to help him cut loose; enforcer = misunderstood fighter with a heart of gold; coach for all your forbidden love/sleeping with the boss desires) but that would very quickly reveal my utter lack of hockey knowledge, so let's not. Instead, here's a quick reclist.

Rachel Reid's Game Changers series. It's a classic in the genre for a reason and it has everything. Forbidden love? Got that, maybe the definitive example. Redemption arc? Got that. Misunderstood bruiser with a heart of gold? Got that. Age difference? Got that. Also really excellent sex scenes, not gonna lie, and satisfying endings throughout - sometimes a happy end will come a little suddenly for me, but these books really delivered, and the nice thing about how romance series are structured is that you get a little peek at what comes after for the couples in the other books.

2. Him, Us and Epic by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. This one surprised me, I don't generally go for first person POVs, but I did enjoy this! Coming-of-age story turned coming out story featuring a budding hockey star and his best friend. Lots of fun.

3. Scoring Chances series by Avon Gale. This series is fun in that it doesn't focus on the NHL, it actually focuses on the minor leagues in the southeast of the US, a place almost no one associates with ice hockey. As such, there's a chance to tell different stories about professional athletes who aren't super rich and famous, which I appreciate a lot. TBH the first pairing wasn't entirely my cup of tea, but I'm glad I kept going because I especially enjoyed the later books, which tackle tough topics (including eating disorders, abuse etc., so content warning for that). These are still romance novels though, so rest assured that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. What I especially appreciate is that these books don't have relationship drama, in that the main couples communicate and work together instead of a third act break-up-make-up!

4. Hockey Ever After series by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James. These are just great. Lots of fun to read, lots of cameos from character in later books, just excellent mood all around. Also features my favorite ever trope (secret relationship, sorry, anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for it I just can't help myself) heavily, which is a win in my book. I especially enjoyed book two, "Scoring Position". Is that because Nico is German and I loved him? Is that because Ryan is my new blorbo? We may never know.

Happy reading and please give me recommendations for more books like these, I'm lowkey obsessed.

#lgbtq books #book review #lgbtq romance #mlm romance #hockey #hockey romance #mlm hockey romance #ashlyn kane #morgan james #winging it #sarina bowen #elle kennedy #scoring chances #avon gale #rachel reid #game changers #heated rivalry #tough guy #common goal #role model #breakaway #coach's challenge #empty net #power play #save of the game #scoring position #unrivaled

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: M/M Hockey Romance

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei (YA) Gravity and The Rest of the Story by Tal Bauer On the Board by Anna Zabo and L.A. Witt Penalty Box by Ari Baran Scoring Chances by Avon Gale

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#A.L. Graziadei #Anna Zabo #Ari Baran #Avon Gale #Contemporary Romance #Gravity #Hockey #Icebreaker #L.A. Witt #m/m Romance #On the Board #Penalty Box #Scoring Chances #Sports Romance #Tal Bauer #The Rest of the Story

[hattrickeryreviews]

Breakaway (Scoring Chances #1) - Avon Gale

"Drafted to play for the Jacksonville Sea Storm, an NHL affiliate, twenty-year-old Lane Courtnall’s future looks bright, apart from the awkwardness he feels as a gay man playing on a minor league hockey team. He's put his foot in his mouth a few times and alienated his teammates. Then, during a rivalry game, Lane throws off his gloves against Jared Shore, enforcer for the Savannah Renegades. It’s a strange way to begin a relationship.

Jared’s been playing minor league hockey for most of his career. He’s bisexual and doesn’t care if anyone knows. But he’s determined to avoid another love affair after the last one left him devastated. Out of nowhere a one-nighter with rookie Lane Courtnall gives him second thoughts. Lane reminds Jared why he loves the game and why love might be worth the risk. In turn, Jared hopes to show Lane how to be comfortable with himself on and off the ice. But they’re at different points in their careers, and both men will have to decide what they value most."

Did I reread it? Yes

POV: 3rd person limited, alternating between Lane Courtnall and Jared Shore

Tropes: Rivals, Age Gap, Emotional Scars

My thoughts:

Characters/Character Development: 3/5

Lane: Lane is a 20-year-old character that I imagine you either love or hate; I happen to love him. He is absurdly charming, with about no people skills and the charisma to make up for it. He is autistic-coded, and the best part about him is that no one ever asks him or wants him to change. His own character arc is unrelated to any shortcomings of his own, instead following the tense relationship between himself and his parents.

Jared: Jared is a hardened 32-year-old who has seen the ugly side of hockey and is learning to live with it. He’s slightly grouchy and generally rough around the edges, except when it comes to Lane. His character arc revolves around self-acceptance and a difficult family.

Overall, the character development is… okay. We see some changes in the characters, but not much. Lane’s own arc is mostly glossed over and left to the background, and it doesn’t really involve any personal growth as opposed to the growth of the people around him. Jared’s own changes are so incredibly internal that at times it is hard to believe anything is actually influencing them. However, the characters themselves (both main and side) all have very solidly fleshed out personalities that are easy to distinguish and charming. At times, they can be a bit of caricatures, but they are still decently developed.

Believability (Hockey): 5/5

This book specifically follows the ECHL, with accurate depictions of what that means for the characters. The team names themselves are fake, but the structure of the games and league is very real. I can’t exactly say what an ECHL locker room really looks like, nor can I speak on the true personalities on and off the ice of players, but I imagine it could be pretty close to this. Is it a little idealized? Sure. But this is fiction, and I think it’s okay to make things a little better than they probably would be, so long as it’s near the realm of believability.

Believability (Plot): 2/5

This plot is enjoyable, but I didn’t quite believe it. We basically follow two rival teams, yet I’ve been to high school football games with more animosity. I adore happy endings in my romance books, as I’m sure we all do, but I think that anywhere in a book it is important for characters to struggle, and you don’t see much of that here. Additionally, we’ve got a story where everything all works out without really any work done from the characters. Couple in with that an immigration that is way too quick and easy, and you’ve got a book that’s just on the wrong side of realistic.

Uniqueness: 4/5

Every hockey book is going to be at least a little bit similar, so it’s important to look for details you don’t see in other stories. Here, we’ve got our focus on the ECHL, which goes against the common “top in their sport” theme of sports books. The characters have personalities that you don’t come by in many books, especially Lane. Some of the plot points are pretty common in other books, but there’s only so many ways you can write a romance book.

Trope Integration: 2/5

I love the tropes that we see in this book; however, they are criminally under-utilized. We’ve got a sizable age gap, where one character is in his 30s and another can’t even legally drink, but besides a couple ‘old man’ jokes, it doesn’t really play into the plot at all. They’re both on rival teams, but even the rivalry itself isn’t a factor in the romance. We’ve got traumatized pasts and potentially homophobic parents that don’t impact the relationship and are hardly visible in the characters. They are used as talking points more than anything else, but at least they exist in the story at all.

General enjoyment: 4/5

This book isn’t going to change the world, and that’s okay. I love some of the one-liners, especially the ones we get out of Lane. This book is upfront about what it is and unapologetic. At some points I found the humor to be a bit repetitive, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. I have read this book one time before, and I definitely don’t regret reading it again.

Overall Score: 20/30 or 3.3/5

#lgbt fiction #queer books #queer characters #lgbtqia #lgbt books #hockey romance #avon gale #breakaway #scoring chances #book review #book blog #hockey #echl #ratings #rivalry

[poisindonottouch]

Queer reads: Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn

Day 30! And this one is on time! Okay, to round out my sport romance section, I give you Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn. (side note: I only had room for 3 posts for sport romances, and let me tell you, there are hundreds. Thousands, probably. Some better than others, but I’ve really only scraped the surface of the gay sport romance genre)

So, this is the Hat Trick series, which is a sport thing (yes, I figured out what a hat trick is, it’s a hockey thing). 

Avon Gale has lots of books, some co-written, some not, as does Piper Vaughn, but having read some of each, I think I like their cowriting together the best. (Avon Gale has a couple books cowritten with Roan Parrish, who I also like, but surprisingly I was not moved by the one I read. It lacked something for me.) 

Anyway, Off The Ice is book 1, and I think my favorite of the three, because it features a sunshine/asshole dynamic, and I love that shit. These books are more about the characters than they are about the sports, and I enjoyed the relationships between the characters, and in particular, I enjoyed the dialogue in these books. A+ banter. 

I said I liked these two writing together better than their other stuff, but I also really enjoyed her Scoring Chances series, which is five books about a minor-er league than the NHL and the hockey players there. 

#sandi reads #queer books #happy pride 🌈 #sport romances #avon gale #piper vaughn #hat trick series #gay romance #off the ice #goalie interference #trade deadline

[bodycomingthroughtherye]

favorite books → empty net by avon gale

“see? i’m good for you. i make you like things you didn’t before. like hockey and dick and marshmallows.”

#images #mine #moodboards #books #empty net #avon gale #queer shit #demisexual #gay #disability

[willstafford]

Dick Moves

RICHARD III Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Thursday 15th August, 2022 Perhaps more than most plays, Shakespeare’s Richard III depends on the charisma of its leading man, who in this case happens to be the villain of the piece.  Through soliloquies and asides, the scheming Duke of Gloucester lets us in on his nefarious plots.  Richard needs to be more than a pantomime villain, enjoyable though it is…

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#Arthur Hughes #Ben Hall #Conor Glean #Gregory Doran #Jamie Wilkes #Joeravar Sangha #Kirsty Bushell #Minnie Gale #review #Richard III #Royal Shakespeare Theatre #RSC #Stratford upon Avon #William Shakespeare

[aurorawest]

Reading update, part 1

Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall - 4/5 stars

The problem with this book was that I liked Paris and Tariq, but god, it was rough to read. I also felt—and I'm going to be honest, this is an issue I've been noticing increasingly with Hall's newer novels—a little like I was reading like, the Perfect And Unproblematic Way To Date. There's this sort of preachy, social media I-don't-know-who-needs-to-hear-this quality to a lot of the dialogue. It was also just hard to read at times. But I still rated it 4 stars, so I guess I didn't hate it.

Rattlesnake by Kim Fielding - 5/5 stars

This book is about a drifter who ends up in a town because a hitchhiker dies in his car (sounds grimmer than it is!), and the hitchhiker was trying to get to said town to see his estranged son. If you said to yourself, I bet the drifter falls in love with the estranged son, you would be exactly right. This book was so poignant and sad, so the HEA was amazing.

Gold Wings Rising by Alex London - 5/5 stars

This is the last book of The Skybound Saga and it was an excellent ending.

Heart of the Steal by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish - 3.75/5 stars

I told a friend the other day that I would die for Roan Parrish, but I should have told her not to pick up this book. It wasn't awful, but...it wasn't great, either.

Rag and Bone by KJ Charles - 4/5 stars

The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen - 4/5 stars

The Half Life of Valery K by Natasha Pulley - 5/5 stars

Look. Guys. I've raved about every Natasha Pulley book I've read, yeah? And this is no exception. I need you all to read this. Like, I'm not sure you're all taking me seriously out there. But if you read anything I've recommended, it needs to be Natasha Pulley's books. I can only rate up to 5 stars on Storygraph, so yeah, maybe it looks like I loved this book the same as I loved Rattlesnake by Kim Fielding. No. This book lives in my heart and my mind. This book is part of my soul. All of her books are. I love and hate her for A) making me feel SO MUCH and B) being a better writer than I will ever be.

I know I've said nothing about the book, but like. You just have to trust me. Read her books.

Oh yeah, this one is about a nuclear disaster in the USSR that was covered up for decades.

You & Me by Tal Bauer - 4.5/5 stars

Teddy Spenser Isn't Looking for Love by Kim Fielding - 3.25/5 stars

Man, I wanted to like this one? It felt really phoned in, though. The characters all felt very surface level.

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew - 4/5 stars

Subtle Blood by KJ Charles - 5/5 stars

How did this series just keep getting better? I'm so bummed that this was the last in the trilogy, because I totally could keep reading about Will and Kim and their adventures.

Firestarter by Tara Sim - 5/5 stars

Also the last in a trilogy, and also a worthy wrap-up.

The Mayor and the Mystery Man by AJ Truman - 4.25/5 stars

Fence, Vol 5: Rise by CS Pacat with Johanna the Mad - 5/5 stars

Cattle Stop by Kit Oliver - 5/5 stars

AHHHHHHHHHH. God. This book! Looks like a romcom but will stab you in the heart repeatedly. Oliver has a gorgeous way with words and captures the dynamic between two people who have no idea how to talk to each other so well. There's something the dialogue in Oliver's books that just speaks to me.

Rookie Move by Riley Hart and Neve Wilder - 2.75/5 stars

Boyfriend Goals by Riley Hart - DNF

Please note here that it seems like I don't like Riley Hart's writing. Unfortunately I still have like 3 of her books in my TBR pile.

The Gentleman's Book of Vices by Jess Everlee - 4.75/5 stars

Even Though I Knew the End by CL Polk - 4.5/5 stars

I feel a little meh about this one, despite the rating I gave it. Like, the world was cool, the writing was excellent. I've seen this book hyped so much, though, and it was like...yeah it was fine. Definitely the best over-hyped Sapphic book I've read lately, so there's that.

Nothing Like Paris by Amy Jo Cousins - 4.5/5 stars

Necropolis by Jordan L Hawk - 4.25/5 stars

Roommate Arrangement by Saxon James - DNF

The Place Between by Kit Oliver - 5/5 stars

Yeah this Kit Oliver book was really good too. It's about academics instead of farmers but it will still stab you in the heart a bunch of times. Oh and it's fake dating.

A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson - DNF

I didn't love Kosoko Jackson's debut—there were waaaaay too many pop culture references, many of which I didn't understand, but even when I did, I found it obnoxious. But it was readable. This was...not. I hated the main character so much, and I barely even met the love interest, but I didn't like him, either.

Level Hands by Amy Jo Cousins - 4.25/5 stars

The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles - 4.25/5 stars

How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager by DN Bryn - 5/5 stars

I looooooved this book, omg. I'm not really a vampire person, but this was so cute. I guess it was kind of cozy fantasy? Sort of? With a backdrop of homelessness, medical experimentation, and bereavement.

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo - 1/5 stars

Catch me never reading a Leigh Bardugo novel again. Oof. This woman wrote Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom? I wasn't too impressed by King of Scars but that was better than this, even though the Crows actually appear in this book.

The Barkeep and the Bro by AJ Truman - 3/5 stars

Heartbreak Boys by Simon James Green - 4.5/5 stars

I don't usually laugh out loud when I read, but this book made me cackle. Obnoxious self-referential bit aside (yeah Simon James Green, I did catch you slipping a reference to your previous book into this one), this was very cute and very funny. I even got my wife to read this, despite her dislike of romance and YA, and she liked it!

Part 2 (because tumblr cut me off at 30 images)

#paris daillencourt is about to crumble #alexis hall #rattlesnake #kim fielding #gold wings rising #alex london #the half life of valery k #natasha pulley #subtle blood #will darling adventures #kj charles #cattle stop #kit oliver #even though i knew the end #cl polk #a dash of salt and pepper #kosoko jackson #how to bite your neighbor and win a wager #dn bryn #rule of wolves #leigh bardugo #heartbreak boys #simon james green #reading tag

[namesarelikeshinythings]

Common fem names to masc ones

For transmascs who're looking for a name similar to their birth names but cooler and masculine

Abigail : Abel (breath in hebrew), Gale/Gail (fem leaning, joy in english), Guy (masc, guide in old french)

Amber : Ambrosius (masc, greek for immortal), Asher (masc leaning, hebrew for blessed)

Amelia : Amabilis (masc, latin for lovable), Amable (neutral, old french, lovable), Amé(e) or Aimé(e) (old french for loved, é=masc, ée=fem)

Anna : An (short for these names), Anakin (i'm half joking, masc, sanskrit for warrior, hebrew for giant), Andrea (neutral ?,Andrea is masc, Andréa is fem, from the greek andros meaning man)->Andrew(masc), Andy(neutral)

Ava : Avis (bird in latin) Avon (river in irish), Navy (neutral, boat in latin)

Camila : Cam (short for all these names), Camille (acolyte in latin), Carlisle (neutral,from the walled city in english)

Charlotte : Carl, Charles, (both man in germanic), Charlie (short for both names)

Chloé : Claude (neutral, tw : validist word : crippled in latin), Cleante (pure in greek), Cleon (glory in greek), Clyde (masc, gaelic for warm)

Daisy : Aster (means daisy), Daimon (masc, to tame in greek, or demon)

Emma : Armin (same as Emmet), Emmanuel (masc, hebrew for god is with us), Emmet (masc leaning, whole truth in hebrew), Emory (neutral, home strenght in old german),

Evelyn : already gender neutral :) Evan (masc, irish for youth), Flynn (masc irish for son of Flann), Lynn (fem leaning, lake in welsh)

Isabella : Eli (masc leaning, hebrew for high), Isaac (masc, hebrew for one who laughs), Isabeau (fem but sounds really masc, hebrew for god's promise), Isidore (gift of Isis in greek)

Isla : Islay (neutral, scottish island), Stanislas (masc, to stand+glory in slavic)

Lily : Billy (neutral, protection in germanic), Lilian (neutral), Lilien (french, masc)

Luna : Alun (masc, two rivers in welsh), Lunar (neutral, related to the moon), Moon (neutral)

Mary : Marc (masc, manly, brave in latin), Marius (masc, male in latin), Mars (masc, planet named after the greek and latin god of war)

Mia : Micah (masc, hebrew for "who is like Yahweh (or god)?"), Minos (masc, greek for king),, Mio (neutral, swedish name or fem japanese name for beautiful cherry blossom)

Mila : Milan (masc leaning, dear in slavic), Miles (masc, latin for soldier), Milo (same as Miles)

Olivia : Oliver (olive tree in latin), Olie (short for both names)

Sarah : Samuel (masc, name of god in hebrew) -> Sam (gender neutral short for Samantha or Samuel), Sasha (neutral, defender in slavic)

Sophia : Sophos (greek for clever, wisdom), Sophocles (greek poet, name means wisdom+glory)

#transing names #names #trans #trans ftm #ftm #enby #transmasc #non binary #name suggestions #writing

[kitausu]

Kit's MM *Spicy* Book Rec List

Because I need basically zero encouragement to make a book rec list, and @thepixiepaige mentioned that a rec list would be appreciated, here is a rec list of some of my favorite MM spicy books that I've read in the last few years.

*Note: Please check content/trigger warnings as needed. Not all, or even most, of these will be everyone's cup of tea. Many contain kink, age gaps, and some contain sibling relationships.*

Cara Dee's The Game series

Forever and always my go to spicy rec. This series has me by the throat and there's just so many of them and they're all amazing! There are currently 16 and counting...

The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, two things are certain. This is not a perfect world, and life never turns out the way you planned.

Other Cara Dee Books

Nora Phoenix's The White House Men series, Perfect Hands series, and Kinky Boys series

Nora Phoenix is often hit or miss for me. Sometimes I love the books (like the ones pictured here) and sometimes they're a little meh. She writes daddy kink though in a way that consistently hits, so if that's your thing, these three are excellent reads and can be mostly read as standalones (although The White House Men series less so)

Avon Gale's Scoring Chances series

Below is the blurb for the first book. Each series deals with different players on the team. This is my go to hockey romance and I read all of these SO quickly.

Drafted to play for the Jacksonville Sea Storm, an NHL affiliate, twenty-year-old Lane Courtnall’s future looks bright, apart from the awkwardness he feels as a gay man playing on a minor league hockey team. He's put his foot in his mouth a few times and alienated his teammates. Then, during a rivalry game, Lane throws off his gloves against Jared Shore, enforcer for the Savannah Renegades. It’s a strange way to begin a relationship.   Jared’s been playing minor league hockey for most of his career. He’s bisexual and doesn’t care if anyone knows. But he’s determined to avoid another love affair after the last one left him devastated. Out of nowhere a one-nighter with rookie Lane Courtnall gives him second thoughts. Lane reminds Jared why he loves the game and why love might be worth the risk. In turn, Jared hopes to show Lane how to be comfortable with himself on and off the ice. But they’re at different points in their careers, and both men will have to decide what they value most.

N.R. Walker's Thomas Elkin trilogy

Each book is only about 100ish pages, so really this is just one book broken up into three parts. Just very sweet and indulgent and architecture as a setting feels very unusual!

Even the strongest of buildings start out as plans on paper, and every architect knows that sometimes plans need to change. Sometimes, these lessons are learned on the job. A successful New York architect, Thomas Elkin almost has it all. Coming out as gay and ending his marriage before his fortieth birthday, he needed to start living his life. Now, four years later, with his relationship with his son back on track, and after a few short-lived romances, this esteemed traditional draftsman thought he knew everything about architecture, about life. Cooper Jones, twenty-two years old, is about to take the architect world by storm. Talented, professional, driven, and completely infuriating, Cooper is the definition of Generation Y. Starting an internship working with Thomas, Cooper is about to knock Tom’s world off its axis. Tom can teach Cooper about the industry, but Cooper is about to teach Tom a few things about life.

Annabeth Albert's Out of Uniform series

Listen, I wouldn't rec a Navy SEAL series if it wasn't great, and these are GREAT. The blurb here is for the first one, but I loved them all.

After trading the barracks for a fixer-upper rental, navy SEAL Zack Nelson wants peace, not a roommate—especially not Pike, who sees things about Zack he most wants to hide. Pike’s flirting puts virgin Zack on edge. And the questions Pike’s arrival would spark from Zack’s teammates about his own sexuality? Nope. Not going there. But Zack can’t refuse. Pike Reynolds knows there won’t be a warm welcome in his new home. What can he say? He’s an acquired taste. But he needs this chance to get his life together. Also, teasing the uptight SEAL will be hella fun. Still, Pike has to tread carefully; he’s had his fill of tourists in the past, and he can’t risk his heart on another, not even one as hot, as built—and, okay, yeah, as adorable—as Zack. Living with Pike crumbles Zack’s restraint and fuels his curiosity. He discovers how well they fit together in bed…in the shower…in the hallway… He needs Pike more than he could have imagined, yet he doesn’t know how to be the man Pike deserves.

Keira Andrews

Another author who is often hit or miss for me, but these are really fun! She does the age gap romance that I crave.

Specific Books

All of these are standalones, although many are part of a "series," and all of them are kinky and spicy af.

#kit reads books #romance books #mm romance #mm romance rec #mm romance books #romance book recs #mm romance recs #pls feel free to come tell me if you read any of these! #especially the game omg im obsessed

[magicalrocketships]

Here for the hockey romance novels recs if you want to share!!

Sure, here are a few series:

Game Changers series by Rachel Reid - Heated Rivalry is one of my favourite books full stop, and I really like its sequel, Long Game, but my other favourite from this series is Role Model. I've read them allllll more than once though. It's embarrassing how many times I've read Heated Rivalry. Maybe seven times?? It's not "maybe seven times", it's definitely seven times, I've got the Goodreads data to prove it, but anyway.

Scoring Chances series by Avon Gale - Minor League hockey. Did I know what that was before reading this? I mean, I know nothing. But I DO know what minor league hockey is now. My favourite of these is Breakaway, the first one.

CU Hockey series by Eden Finley and Saxon James - College hockey.

Puckboys series by Eden Finley and Saxon James - NHL spinoff of CU Hockey. These two series are pretty fun.

#rambling on about books #important to note I still know absolutely fuck all about hockey

[sapphicreadsdb]

Do you know of any sapphic friends with benefits (doesn’t need to be explicitly stated) to lovers books? Or books that have a sapphic physical fast burn with romantic slow burn?

i have a couple with bi mcs in a f/m relationship — take a hint, dani brown by talia hibbert & crownchasers by rebecca coffindaffer — and f/f specifically in storm season by pene henson, knit, purl, a baby and a girl by hettie bell, the romance recipe by ruby barrett, the love song of sawyer bell by avon gale & the girl next door by chelsea m cameron.

#q

[lgbtqreads]

Hiya! Do you by any chance have any sports romance fiction (preferably lgbt+ and centred around hockey or winter sports, but honestly I’ll read anything at this point lol) where there’s rivals to lovers? (And no questionable/suggestive cover art, but can have it in the writing idrc). Thank you so much for your help!!

Ah hello please allow me to make your day:

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei (m/m YA)

Gravity by Tal Bauer (m/m)

Delay of Game by Tracey Richardson (f/f)

Unexpected Goals by Kelly Farmer (f/f) (and Calling the Shots, if you're open to hockey coaches rather than players)

Goalie Interference by Avon Gale (m/m)

Empty Net by Avon Gale (m/m)

And here's an upcoming f/f for your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157334159-wake-up-nat-darcy?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_20

#LGBTQReads #Sports Romance #Hockey Romance

[hattrickeryreviews]

Coach's Challenge (Scoring Chances #5) - Avon Gale

“It’s been decades since blackmail forced Troy Callahan to retire from playing professional hockey, and he’s built a successful career behind the bench. When he’s offered the opportunity to coach the Asheville Ravens—the most hated team in the ECHL—he’s convinced that his no-nonsense attitude is just what the team needs to put their focus back on hockey. But Troy is disheartened when he finds out the Ravens have signed Shane North, a player known for his aggression—especially when Shane’s rough good looks have Troy thinking inappropriate thoughts about a player, even if he’s set to retire at the end of the season.

Shane’s career in the majors never quite took off. Wanting to quit on his own terms, Shane agrees to a one-year contract with the Ravens and finds himself playing for a coach who thinks he’s an aging goon, and with a team that doesn’t trust him, Troy, or each other. Despite his determination not to get involved, Shane unwillingly becomes part of the team… and is just as unwillingly drawn to the gruff, out-and-proud coach. As the Ravens struggle to build a new identity, Shane and Troy succumb to the passion that might cost them everything.”

Did I reread it? Yes

POV: 3rd person limited, alternating between Troy Callahan and Shane North

Tropes: Power Dynamics, Blackmail, Redemption, Age Gap

My thoughts:

Characters/Character Development: 3.5/5

Troy: Troy is an ex-NHL player who was blackmailed out of the league and has since found his place in coaching. He’s gruff, grumpy, and a bit of a lovable asshole. His character arc is focused on moving on from the past and accepting romance.

Shane: Shane is a hockey player who was supposed to be great yet has found himself falling down in the leagues until finally hitting the ECHL. He’s stubborn and defiant, feeling like he has something to prove no matter where he goes. His character arc is focused on accepting his future.

These guys are stuck in their opinions and not going to change for anyone—except maybe each other. They both have some pretty solid personalities, but I’d say at times they became a bit derivative; there wasn’t much depth going on, mostly due to the fact that they very much have accepted their lots in life by the time of the book. Enjoyable personalities with lively interactions, but they fall a bit flat.

Believability (Hockey): 3.5/5

Just as the previous books in the series did, this book follows the ECHL, with accurate depictions of what that means for the characters. The team names themselves are fake, but the structure of the games and league is very real. I’d say some later administrative aspects of the team (which I will not mention to keep this review spoiler free!) are definitely not how I’d expect things to actually pan out.

Believability (Plot): 4/5

The plot is generally believable, with just a few instances of “how did that work out?” or “you’re really doing this?”. The way the two main characters progressed made sense with their personalities, and some of the actions of the side characters really lined up with what I would anticipate, with an appropriate amount of plot twist.

Uniqueness: 2/5

There isn’t much that happens in this book that is bringing anything new to the table. Some of the subplots are a bit unique, but otherwise it’s not something that I haven’t seen out of other hockey books. This isn’t a book where I’m going to be thinking “wow, I’m really in the mood for ___, I’ll pick up this one!”

Trope Integration: 2/5

This isn’t a trope-y read, to be completely honest. You’re look at a few different things going on, but what is supposed to be the biggest one (power dynamics) isn’t explored within the relationship itself and only has plot significance near the end of the story. It’s there; you just have to squint to see it.

Series Integration: 4.5/5

This was eluded to nicely! The end of the last book predicted the start of this one. While I would have preferred that Troy’s love interest had been an established member of the team already, the progression made sense from the previous book.

General enjoyment: 3/5

This book wasn’t really blowing my mind at any point. I enjoyed it, I thought it was okay, but I wasn’t sucked into it. The characters were enjoyable, but I didn’t feel compelled to keep reading. Overall, I would say it was worth the reading time.

Overall Score: 22.5/35 or 3.1/5

#lgbt fiction #queer books #queer characters #lgbtqia #lgbt books #hockey romance #avon gale #scoring chances #book review #book blog #hockey #echl #ratings #rivalry #coaches challenge

[poisindonottouch]

Queer reads: a month of links

Here are the 30 books/authors I’ve recommended for the month of June.

Science Fiction

1: The Locked Tomb, by Tamsyn Muir

2: Provenance, by Ann Leckie 

3: A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine 

4: The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K LeGuin 

5: The Roads of Heaven, by Melissa Scott 

6: Winter’s Orbit & Ocean’s Echo, by Everina Maxwell

7: Murderbot Diaries, by Martha Wells 

8: Stars In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand, by Samuel R Delany

9: The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold

Horror 

(I don’t really read too much horror, because I’m a scaredy-cat, but these were both so good!) 

10: The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

11: Summer Sons, by Lee Mandelo 

Fantasy

12: The Greenhollow Duology, by Emily Tesh 

13: The Manifold Worlds, by Foz Meadows

14:  Paladin’s Hope, by T Kingfisher

15: The Last Binding, by Freya Marske

16: The Scholomance trilogy, by Naomi Novik

17:  Rain Wild Chronicle, by Robin Hobb

18: The Cemeteries of Amalo, by Katherine Addison

19: My Real Children, by Jo Walton

20: The Amberlough Dossier, by Lara Elena Donnelly

21: The Broken Earth trilogy, by N.K. Jemisin

Romance! 

22: K.J. Charles

23: Cat Sebastian

24: Alexis Hall

25: AJ Demas

26: Elin Gregory

27: Roan Parrish

Sport Romances! 

28: KD Casey

29: Rachel Reid

30: Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn

Go enjoy some queer books! 

#happy pride 🌈 #sandi reads

[christophe76460]

QUI S’OPPOSE A MON DROIT ? COMPARAISSONS ENSEMBLE

Savoir reconnaitre l’influence du monde des ténèbres (4ème Partie)

Nous avons vu vendredi dernier que, pour savoir ce qui se trame contre nous dans le monde des ténèbres qui est essentiellement un monde invisible à l’œil nu, nous devons aspirer à avoir les dons du Saint Esprit en général, et les dons de révélation en particulier. La bonne nouvelle réside dans le fait que, Dieu a prévu qu’on puisse demander à avoir ces dons, selon qu’il est écrit dans Luc 11 :13 : « Si méchants comme vous l’êtes, vous savez donner de bonnes choses à vos enfants, à combien plus forte raison le père qui est au Ciel ne donnera le Saint Esprit à ceux qui le lui demandent ? ».

Cela dit, Dieu étant souverain, il accorde ces dons à ses enfants comme il veut et quand il veut, il peut par exemple nous accorder des dons de puissance tels que la Foi, le don de guérison ou le don de miracles, mais ne pas nous accorder un don de révélation. Dieu peut nous accorder un don de langues tel que le don de prophétie, mais ne nous accorder aucun don de puissance ou don de révélation. Dieu peut aussi avoir prévu de nous accorder un don de révélation 10 ou 15 ans après que nous soyons devenus enfant de Dieu.

Que faire lorsque nous n’avons pas un don de révélation ? Comment reconnaitre l’influence du monde des ténèbres dans notre vie, alors que nous ne sommes pas équipés d’un don de révélation ? David a répondu à cette question importante dans Psaumes 119 :105 : « Ta Parole est une lampe à mes pieds, et une lumière sur mon sentier. » Lorsque nous cheminons dans ce monde enténébré, la parole de Dieu est comme une lumière pour nous ; elle nous apporte l’éclairage nécessaire pour comprendre ce qui nous arrive.

En effet, la Bible présente en plusieurs de ses passages, des descriptions correspondant à des conséquences de l’influence du monde des ténèbres sur la vie de certains personnages. Si quelqu’un découvre qu’un problème qu’il subit est conforme à une de ces descriptions, alors il y a des fortes chances que le problème en question ait été provoqué par le monde des ténèbres. Voici quelques exemples illustrant bien cette approche :

Exemple un

Considérons un chrétien qui fasse le constat suivant : i) tout ce qu’il entreprend échoue systématiquement ; ii) dès qu’il s’implique dans une activité qui florissait pourtant, cette dernière s’effondre immédiatement ; iii) ses rapports avec tout son entourage sont caractérisés par un rejet manifeste et inexpliqué.

Il est écrit dans Psaumes 109 :18 :

« Qu’il revête la malédiction comme son vêtement. Qu’elle pénètre comme de l’eau dans son intérieur, comme de l’huile dans ses os »

Lorsque ce chrétien lit ce passage, il doit pouvoir réaliser qu’il est revêtu d’une malédiction et que cette dernière l’accompagne partout.

Exemple deux

Prenons le cas d’une personne malade, souffrant de divers maux gastriques, et qui, bien qu’elle soit allée à l’hôpital, bien qu’elle ait fait tous les examens, bien qu’elle ait respecté tous les traitements lui ayant été prescrits par les médecins, se rend compte que sa condition ne s’améliore guère.

En lisant, Deutéronome 28 :27 : « L’Eternel te frappera de l’ulcère d’Egypte, d’hémorroïdes, de gale et de teigne, dont tu ne pourras guérir. »,

Cette personne devrait pouvoir considérer sérieusement la possibilité d’être victime d’une malédiction à subir ces maladies sans pouvoir en guérir.

Exemple trois

Considérons une personne qui cultive un champ entouré de beaucoup d’autres champs. Il l’ensemence et utilise tous les intrants prescrits, respecte scrupuleusement l’itinéraire technique prescrit par les agronomes. Au moment de la récolte, il se rend compte que son champ à lui n’a rien produit, alors que dans les champs voisins, la récolte est abondante.

Cette personne à intérêt à se demander si elle n’est pas victime de la malédiction suivante contenue dans Deutéronome 28 : 38 « Tu transporteras dans ton champ beaucoup de semences ; et tu feras une faible récolte, car les sauterelles la dévoreront »

Quelles sont ces sauterelles qui peuvent frapper un champ et éviter de sévir sur les champs environnants ? Ce sont des sauterelles spirituelles, chargées de veiller sur le statut spirituel de « maudit » dans la vie du propriétaire de ce champ.

Exemple quatre

Considérons une personne qui constate que, en six ans, elle a perdu 12 membres de sa proche famille, au rythme d’un mort tous les six mois, et tous dans la fleur de l’âge.

Il est écrit :

Psaumes 109 :13 « Que ses descendants soient exterminés, et que leur nom s’éteigne dans la génération suivante »

1 Samuel 2 : 33 « … mais tous ceux de ta maison mourront dans la force de l’âge »

A la lecture de ces deux versets bibliques, cette personne devrait se poser la question de savoir si sa famille n’est pas victime des malédictions qui y sont contenues.

La vérité est que, la Parole de Dieu est un autre mode de révélation des réalités du monde des ténèbres, selon qu’il est écrit dans Romains 15 :4 « Or tout ce qui est écrit d’avance l’a été pour notre instruction… ». Lisez régulièrement la parole de Dieu et méditez là. Vous serez surpris de découvrir que votre problème spirituel y est décrit.

Que Dieu vous bénisse !

Rev Marie Louise Nangoa

[photos-car]

Lotus Exige Sport 380 2017 - La plus rapide Lotus Exige jamais produite.

Lotus présente une radicale Exige Sport 380.

Lotus dévoile la Exige Sport 380 qui comme sa terminologie l’indique dispose de 380 ch. Fidèle à la tradition de la marque dont le poids est une obsession permanente, cette nouvelle évolution Sport 380 est légère puisqu’elle ne pèse que 1 066 kg. Galerie - Exige Sport 380

Un bloc V6 3.5L avec désormais 380ch et 410Nm 380ch, oui, il est loin le temps des Lotus Exige atmosphérique de moins de 200ch ! Pour sa dernière née, la marque anglaise pousse encore un peu plus loin le V6 3.5L. Désormais 380ch et 410Nm de couple. Ce bloc est associé à une boite manuelle 6 rapports avec un refroidissement supplémentaire, tandis qu’une boite automatique sera disponible l’année prochaine. Mais pour cette version « hardcore », Lotus avance aussi un gros travail sur le poids et le châssis. Avec 1.066kg sur la balance! elle gagne 25kg par rapport à une 350 avec notamment les jantes les plus légères du marché! une batterie lithium-ion, un échappement titane ou encore des vitres en polycarbonate. Eléments aérodynamiques en fibre de carbone Selon Jean-Marc Gales, PDG de Lotus, cette Exige Sport 380 est le « meilleur de Lotus ».  Nous ne voulions pas seulement ajouter plus de puissance! nous avons amélioré l'aérodynamisme et réduit le poids au maximum précise le « big boss » de la marque de Hetel. Cela colle ainsi avec la philosophie de Colin Chapman. Le fondateur de l'entreprise : « Light is Right » (« Ce qui est léger est bien »). Cette perte de poids est liée aux éléments aérodynamiques qui sont tous en fibre de carbone comme l'aileron arrière. Cette Lotus Exige Sport 380 est disponible avec une boîte manuelle six rapports. La boite automatique sera disponible au printemps 2017. A l'intérieur de cette sportive! le raffinement à l'anglaise sera de la partie avec des finitions en cuir, alcantara et tartan. Un aileron arrière en fibre de carbone Deux paires d’ailerons montés devant les roues avant, un aileron arrière en fibre de carbone. Ainsi que des déflecteurs placés derrière les roues arrière permettent d’augmenter la force d’appui à 140 kg en vitesse maximale. Un gain de 60 % par rapport à l’Exige Sport 350 qui génère 88 kg à sa vitesse de pointe. Cette force d’appui accrue ne compromet cependant en rien la résistance à l’air, qui reste la même que sur l’Exige Sport 350. (Site officiel Lotus) https://youtu.be/uiBob6-XPMY

Voir tous les modèles Lotus Read the full article

#ConstructeurAnglais #Lotus #LotusExige #MoteurV6 #VoituresSportives