REVIEWED by Jen B.
TITLE: Shot on Goal
SERIES: Pucks & Rainbows
AUTHOR: L.A. Witt
PUBLISHER: L.A. Witt
LENGTH: 357 Pages
RELEASE DATE: May 12, 2020
BLURB: The Vancouver Narwhals’ star goalie. The New York Krakens’ head coach. This can’t possibly be a recipe for disaster.
Goalie Brad Spencer is flying high after his team clinches the Cup and names him their MVP. Like his teammates, he’s ready to celebrate—ideally with someone in his bed. When he slips off to a gay bar, he meets someone who’s gorgeous, willing, and… absolutely the last man he should be touching.
Head coach Anthony Caruso just wants to have a few drinks and get laid to soothe the sting of his team losing the Cup. Then that ridiculously sexy player from the opposing team strolls into the club. The chemistry is instantaneous, and a mountain of PHL regulations can’t keep them apart. After all, it’s just a hookup.
And then another hookup. And then a summer getaway that’s just enough time and privacy for them to get in way over their heads. When the hockey season starts up again, they walk away… but they can’t stay away.
Anthony and Brad value their careers way too much to be this reckless, but they’ve both been alone for way too long to ignore these feelings.
Sooner or later, though, something has to give, and one of them is going to have to choose between the man he loves and the sport he lives for.
REVIEW:
I love stories where the relationship seems to be unobtainable but they find ways to make it work. Here, Brad and Anthony hook up, despite the fact that a relationship would be very dangerous to both of their careers. That hookup turns into more with each get together and while they each question whether they should, they are drawn to each other being worth the risk.
Brad and Anthony spend the off-season together and carry on once they return to the ice. They have some great chemistry, although it takes some time for Brad to believe Anthony is for real – most of his past hookups couldn’t be bothered with much. The age gap doesn’t seem to be much of a factor and the issues surrounding their being together stem mainly from their respective positions on rival teams. The long-distance aspect is a bit difficult, but the secrecy they must keep is definitely stressful.
There is another complication these guys are dealing with when another team ramps up their dangerous play resulting in numerous player injuries, including Brad. Add an investigation Anthony is a part of and things get a bit more complicated. But these guys cannot turn off their feelings and, in fact, they grow stronger every day whether they are apart or spending time together.
This can easily be read as a stand along, but you will surely want to read the others. Keith from the previous book is in this one quite a bit as Brad’s friend (and Anthony was also Keith’s dad’s friend – long story you’ll have to read Keith’s book to learn). Asher from the first book is mentioned but doesn’t play a bigger role. It was great seeing Keith again and knowing he and his men are still going strong.
I really enjoyed this installment and while I didn’t love the long-distance aspect, these guys make it work. It is easy to see how beneficial it would be for both people to be in the same job field. Both clearly understood the challenges and knew what it would take to deal with that. I loved how things turned out but would have really enjoyed seeing these guys a little further down the road. Regardless, it was a great installment to the series, and I really hope there will be more to come.
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