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Totally Pucked #1
Poetry On Ice
I can’t tell if we’re fighting…or flirting?
Being traded to the Seattle Vipers has left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, they’re my team, the team I’ve loved and supported since I was a kid, but on the other hand, he’s here. Him. Ant Decker. Infamous NHL bad boy. Right wing to my left. A man who’s made it his sole purpose in life to be better than me.
Well, the joke’s on him because I’m faster and my stats are better than his.
Not that I’m competing with him. Of course not. I wouldn’t stoop to his level.
He’s the most infuriating person I’ve ever met. A dark, chaotic presence that distracts me.
When we’re not coming to blows on the ice, he tries to provoke me by calling me Princess. And Pretty Boy...and Babygirl.
I hate it. Obviously, I do. It makes me so angry I can hardly see straight.
So why does my body react as if I like it?
Being traded to the Seattle Vipers has left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, they’re my team, the team I’ve loved and supported since I was a kid, but on the other hand, he’s here. Him. Ant Decker. Infamous NHL bad boy. Right wing to my left. A man who’s made it his sole purpose in life to be better than me.
Well, the joke’s on him because I’m faster and my stats are better than his.
Not that I’m competing with him. Of course not. I wouldn’t stoop to his level.
He’s the most infuriating person I’ve ever met. A dark, chaotic presence that distracts me.
When we’re not coming to blows on the ice, he tries to provoke me by calling me Princess. And Pretty Boy...and Babygirl.
I hate it. Obviously, I do. It makes me so angry I can hardly see straight.
So why does my body react as if I like it?
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2025
1,150 people are currently reading
3,238 people want to read
About the author
Jesse H. Reign
17 books1,037 followersI'm Jesse, and I write contemporary and paranormal MM romance.
Whether my characters are born magical, or whether magic is something they make between the sheets, I strive to take the reader into the mind of the narrator. My ultimate goal is to leave the reader feeling like they’ve made a new friend or have spent a few hours flirting with a brand-new book boyfriend.
I love coffee, chocolate and daydreaming, in no particular order. I love conflicted characters, lust at first sight and angst – no seriously, ALL the angst. Give it to me!
Whether my characters are born magical, or whether magic is something they make between the sheets, I strive to take the reader into the mind of the narrator. My ultimate goal is to leave the reader feeling like they’ve made a new friend or have spent a few hours flirting with a brand-new book boyfriend.
I love coffee, chocolate and daydreaming, in no particular order. I love conflicted characters, lust at first sight and angst – no seriously, ALL the angst. Give it to me!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,006 reviews
March 21, 2025
{this is a school essay length, I'm so sorry to anyone who bothers to actually read this}
I'm going to write my review in the same way this book was written.
If you can handle my review, you might even like the book.
If you liked this book, scroll on, I love you, nothing to see here.
Lessssssssssssgo:
CAPITAL LETTERS FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT at the beginning of my review. The book is bad. Real bad. Awful. Unenjoyable at best. I would often find myself eyerolling. It was intolerable. My eyes hurt from rolling. I feel so much pain. I feel too much. The cringe had it's hooks into me like I was a majestic fish in the ocean and the cringe was the piercing sunrays from the god of another universe showering it's light into my darkest depths of my infinite soul.
I not only feel like a raging storm. I am a raging storm. Thrashing around in my mind for the words in this review MAKE SOME KIND OF SENSE. But they don't. No sense. No sense at all. The words written in this book often just feel inserted for no reason because when you add the words together, all I can think is What the fuck is this dickhead even talking about?
I must come to my senses. Think properly. Review properly. The people need to understand. The depth of my feelings. The drama. Jesus. What a painful read.
One MC thinks socks are slutty. You heard me. Slutty socks. Wow, would have thought? My brain does not like any of the way this book is written, okay? There's nothing I can do about it. A super unserious thing. So unserious.
I will never unsee the words "Show me that pretty pussy I drilled into you" and "A memento of the first time you got cunted, pussyboy" because I don't actually understand these words.
Is it me? The words thrust into me. A deep thrust. A long thrust. But they bounce around around my head until I am still empty of understanding what head cinema I am receiving from my neural pathways. My brain is fried. All I know. All I understand. IS THIS BOOK AND HOW I FEEL. How I feel to see a grown ass man, a professional hockey player.... having a FULL ASS CHILD tantrum because someone won't fuck him. Yes. You read correct. He throws a tantrum. Child-style. When someone says no to him.
OKAY, I GIVE UP I'M GETTING FUCKING READING PTSD. BUT WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THIS SHIT??????????? THE FUCKING 1-4 word sentence structure was actually making me go insane.
The writing is horrendous, and incredibly jarring.
Half of the words/sentences don't actually make sense.
Modern romance + whimsical bullshit writing = cringey af.
These are 27 year old men, there's no way in hell it's that deep.
AND BRUH, I like tropes... don't get me wrong, but like....... I want them to be discreet, like when he rocks up on the porch of his rival broken and bleeding, I want it to feel organic and squeal-worthy... When they pop out the "who did this to you?" I want to cum on the spot, from excitement you know.
WHAT I DON'T FUCKING WANT is to feel like he arrived on the porch broken and bleeding because in the chapter beforehand, they purposefully added a scene which involved letting you (the reader) know that one MC has a doctor for mother who makes him carry a first aid kit... So he carries a first aid kit... So he's rocking up, to the porch for under the guise of medical help...
(this whole scene is literally just to drop in a "I was at a GAY bar" reference so he could come out and the gay confusion between them could start, he could have literally just gone to the team doctor and said he'd been at a bar, there was no need for gay mentioning. and IT WAS DUMB)
UGHHHHHHHHH BIG FUCKING SIGHS. THE TROPES FEEL SO FUCKING INSERTED. Does that make any sense?????? Like the author had a checklist of tropes, and as the book was being written it was like oooop, i can tick off grumpy/sunshine now because one mc is grumpy pat pat on my back for that.
Within like 2 chapters we have the trope of "grumpy/sunshine" shoved in our face.
We have "rivals to lovers" shoved in our face.
We have "forced proximity" shoved in our face.
We have a "showing up on porch/who did this to you?" moment shoved in our face.
Nothing is organic or natural.
It feels barn-laid and purposeful.
I'M FUCKING CHOKING ON TROPE CAKE, THAT'S ENOUGH SLICES
And like, they're 2 ADULT men squabbling/beating each other up on the ice, whilst on the same team, like unprofessional twats because......... because...........
I actually can't tell you why, because........... (you do find out eventually, and the reason is thinner than a human hair follicle)
👻Is the angst in the room with us?👻
👻Is the rivalry in the room with us?👻
The angst and the rivalry left the chat SO EARLY that it only adds to my confusion about this book and all it's 5 stars.
One MC pretty much gets a boner in the shower, makes the other one look at it and is like HA! YOU'RE GAY NOW. and the other MC says "oh okay guess I'm gay now"
it's very........
Every moment spent reading this, was one that I hated.
Dishonorable mentions:
1. THE PART WHERE ANT SAYS HE GLIMPSES HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR AND IS GRINNING MANICALLY AND HE'S HOLDING HIS BONER IN ONE HAND LIKE A PET RODENT.....
2. ONE MC'S MOST EMBARRASING LIFE MOMENT WAS NOT WEARING UNDERWEAR TO A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT WHERE HE HAD TO GET HIS GROIN CHECKED OUT.......... you know........ like the one area, you will be required to have no pants on............
3. THE USE OF THE WORD 'BELLY', Grow the fuck up. It's just as bad as saying 'tummy' like a child.
4. ANT TALKING TO THE READER?? Why are we doing that???
THIS IS MY 11th, 12th 13th and 14TH REASON. GOODNIGHT x
I'm going to write my review in the same way this book was written.
If you can handle my review, you might even like the book.
If you liked this book, scroll on, I love you, nothing to see here.
Lessssssssssssgo:
CAPITAL LETTERS FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT at the beginning of my review. The book is bad. Real bad. Awful. Unenjoyable at best. I would often find myself eyerolling. It was intolerable. My eyes hurt from rolling. I feel so much pain. I feel too much. The cringe had it's hooks into me like I was a majestic fish in the ocean and the cringe was the piercing sunrays from the god of another universe showering it's light into my darkest depths of my infinite soul.
I not only feel like a raging storm. I am a raging storm. Thrashing around in my mind for the words in this review MAKE SOME KIND OF SENSE. But they don't. No sense. No sense at all. The words written in this book often just feel inserted for no reason because when you add the words together, all I can think is What the fuck is this dickhead even talking about?
I must come to my senses. Think properly. Review properly. The people need to understand. The depth of my feelings. The drama. Jesus. What a painful read.
One MC thinks socks are slutty. You heard me. Slutty socks. Wow, would have thought? My brain does not like any of the way this book is written, okay? There's nothing I can do about it. A super unserious thing. So unserious.
I will never unsee the words "Show me that pretty pussy I drilled into you" and "A memento of the first time you got cunted, pussyboy" because I don't actually understand these words.
Is it me? The words thrust into me. A deep thrust. A long thrust. But they bounce around around my head until I am still empty of understanding what head cinema I am receiving from my neural pathways. My brain is fried. All I know. All I understand. IS THIS BOOK AND HOW I FEEL. How I feel to see a grown ass man, a professional hockey player.... having a FULL ASS CHILD tantrum because someone won't fuck him. Yes. You read correct. He throws a tantrum. Child-style. When someone says no to him.
OKAY, I GIVE UP I'M GETTING FUCKING READING PTSD. BUT WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WAS THIS SHIT??????????? THE FUCKING 1-4 word sentence structure was actually making me go insane.
The writing is horrendous, and incredibly jarring.
Half of the words/sentences don't actually make sense.
Modern romance + whimsical bullshit writing = cringey af.
These are 27 year old men, there's no way in hell it's that deep.
AND BRUH, I like tropes... don't get me wrong, but like....... I want them to be discreet, like when he rocks up on the porch of his rival broken and bleeding, I want it to feel organic and squeal-worthy... When they pop out the "who did this to you?" I want to cum on the spot, from excitement you know.
WHAT I DON'T FUCKING WANT is to feel like he arrived on the porch broken and bleeding because in the chapter beforehand, they purposefully added a scene which involved letting you (the reader) know that one MC has a doctor for mother who makes him carry a first aid kit... So he carries a first aid kit... So he's rocking up, to the porch for under the guise of medical help...
(this whole scene is literally just to drop in a "I was at a GAY bar" reference so he could come out and the gay confusion between them could start, he could have literally just gone to the team doctor and said he'd been at a bar, there was no need for gay mentioning. and IT WAS DUMB)
UGHHHHHHHHH BIG FUCKING SIGHS. THE TROPES FEEL SO FUCKING INSERTED. Does that make any sense?????? Like the author had a checklist of tropes, and as the book was being written it was like oooop, i can tick off grumpy/sunshine now because one mc is grumpy pat pat on my back for that.
Within like 2 chapters we have the trope of "grumpy/sunshine" shoved in our face.
We have "rivals to lovers" shoved in our face.
We have "forced proximity" shoved in our face.
We have a "showing up on porch/who did this to you?" moment shoved in our face.
Nothing is organic or natural.
It feels barn-laid and purposeful.
I'M FUCKING CHOKING ON TROPE CAKE, THAT'S ENOUGH SLICES
And like, they're 2 ADULT men squabbling/beating each other up on the ice, whilst on the same team, like unprofessional twats because......... because...........
I actually can't tell you why, because........... (you do find out eventually, and the reason is thinner than a human hair follicle)
👻Is the angst in the room with us?👻
👻Is the rivalry in the room with us?👻
The angst and the rivalry left the chat SO EARLY that it only adds to my confusion about this book and all it's 5 stars.
One MC pretty much gets a boner in the shower, makes the other one look at it and is like HA! YOU'RE GAY NOW. and the other MC says "oh okay guess I'm gay now"
it's very........
Every moment spent reading this, was one that I hated.
Dishonorable mentions:
1. THE PART WHERE ANT SAYS HE GLIMPSES HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR AND IS GRINNING MANICALLY AND HE'S HOLDING HIS BONER IN ONE HAND LIKE A PET RODENT.....
2. ONE MC'S MOST EMBARRASING LIFE MOMENT WAS NOT WEARING UNDERWEAR TO A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT WHERE HE HAD TO GET HIS GROIN CHECKED OUT.......... you know........ like the one area, you will be required to have no pants on............
3. THE USE OF THE WORD 'BELLY', Grow the fuck up. It's just as bad as saying 'tummy' like a child.
4. ANT TALKING TO THE READER?? Why are we doing that???
THIS IS MY 11th, 12th 13th and 14TH REASON. GOODNIGHT x
January 18, 2025
His head whips back and he blinks in indignation. His lips pinch into such a small, tight O that they look like an asshole. One that’s clenching.
DNF after skimming to check out the big to-do about the feminization kink.
This is my third DNF by this author. I think the writing style isn't for me, it's first person present dual POV with *italics*, and lots of short sentences in a row describing the same thing 10 different ways for emphasis. I guess the pucked and pucking thing is not going away this year, LOL.
The sex euphemisms were abundant: winking hole, star hole, flooding his chute. And then: I fucked his throat with gay abandon.
I was not interested in the details of the decor of the meeting rooms, the walls, chairs, and whatnot. I read hundreds of pages about nothing.
The door is solid and heavy, made of dark timber, Eastern black walnut or ebony maybe, and it’s been varnished to a gleaming satin finish.
There’s a gold medallion inlaid into the wood. A shield and the letter S with a viper coiled loosely around it, head drawn back, jaws wide open, ready to strike.
A large oval room with a heavy- duty navy- blue carpet on the floor and the same almost- black timber for benches and stalls. It’s a dark, ominous space, broken only by the starkness of the white- and- gold practice jerseys hanging below each player’s number. Sorry, I don't care. Fantasy setting, historical setting, yes, that would be interesting.
By the time we get to the locker room, most of the rest of the team has already made tracks and the guys still here are in the final stages of getting dressed. Empty drink bottles are strewn all around and wet towels hang out of the big hamper near the shower. Steam from the showers has wafted into the locker room, thickening the air and making it stagnant. The strangely not- totally- unpleasant smell of sweat and soap sears my nostrils when I inhale. The shower has seen enough through traffic tonight that the mottled beige tiles are glossy and wet. Vapor has gathered and condensed, forming rivulets that run down the walls in tiny parallel lines. There are two rows of showerheads in the room, five on each side, with a hook and a shelf each for toiletries. I undress quickly, eager to get away from Decker as fast as I possibly can. He’s still getting out of his protective gear by the time I hang up my towel and flick the faucet on. I choose the spout farthest from the door and step back as I wait for the water to warm up. When it’s as hot as I can handle, I step in and almost groan from the instant relief the heat on sore muscles brings. So much detail for what? Ambience?
Everything about this book is why I DNFed The Step Bro Situation, same droning on in the inner monologues, short sentences, repeating things, immature/casual speech and behavior, I really cannot stand it. Oh, and like in Step Bro, there is a sunshiney perfect MC who everyone adores (side character dialogue and behavior is also awkward and strangely unrealistic) and is fawning over. I found it aggravating. Zero depth.
A sample of what drove me nuts:
For the first time in a long while, I feel like I shouldn’t be here. Like I’m in the wrong place. Like I’m trespassing.
The team that changed my life, my physiology, and made my heart pump ice.
In case you’re wondering, they’re close, but I’m better.
I shoulder the door, and as it opens, a discordance of sights and sounds envelops me.
I manage to suppress it with a constipated croak that almost sounds like my name.
The deep, breathy sound rises half an octave, warbling slightly, and ends with a sharp, clipped tss.
He moves like water. Sure and smooth. A force that’s harnessed the sun and tamed gravity. 🤣
Limpid green eyes blink at me in slow confusion.
McGuire and I are stuck to each other like magnets, snapping and snarling until they manage to put enough distance between us.
“Talk to him, but be nice ’cause he’s the babiest babygirl in the whole wide world, so make sure he gets special babygirl treatment.”
I know it’s part of the job, but seriously, imagine spending your life waiting around in parking garages on the off chance you get to run into a player? Not my idea of a good time.
This close, I can see fine striations of fern and moss green fanning out against a golden- brown backdrop. His eyes are hazel, not green. I forgot about that.
My front is hot from the water and a rash of goosebumps forms on my lower back. I feel warm. Hot. And cold. Hotter and colder than I should be in the shower. Warm on my front, like hot oil has been poured on my shoulders and is slowly tracking down my chest while cold creeps up the back of my legs. A chill runs up my spine. A hot-cold burn that feels like a block of ice is being traced over my skin. Eight sentences to tell us he's hot and cold. 🤣
An eerie feeling sets my marrow alight. A dark, menacing feeling. An inimitable, unmistakable feeling—a man’s eyes boring into me.
And the sex descriptions:
Pushing his cheeks together and then spreading them until I see what I want. A shadow. A star. It’s darker than the rest of him. Exposed and winking at me. 🙄😉
Mentally, I’m in a good place. I’m in a mother fucking good place. I’m as close to content as I’ve ever been. I’m paralyzed. Speared. Skewered. And I don’t just mean my body. I mean my mind. It’s vacant and still. Open and full. There’s no resistance in me. I should have counted how many one and two words sentences there were, LOL. Loses impact when you do it hundreds of times.
Until I’m marooned, helpless, legless, bobbing around on a flimsy rafter in an ocean becalmed.
“Come on, Princess, do it. Push out and show me what I dumped inside you.”
““Aw, look at that little pussy. So pink and pretty. So tight. I’m going to have to stretch it out real nice just to get my head in, aren’t I?”
The feminization kink felt forced or out of place. I don't mind soft or hardcore degradation feminization kink, I didn't feel this particular one had any reason for being there. But that has nothing to do with disliking the book.
“Uh-uh,” he warns, “I’m not going to go so easy on you this time, Princess. Last time I was gentle because your pussy was brand new. This time, I’m going to give it to you until you can’t walk straight. Till you can’t think of anything else for days. Maybe weeks.”
“Imma make you into the perfect pussy boy you were born to be.”
Tags: CR hockey romance, rivals-to-lovers, feminization kink (good girl, princess, pussyboy), first time, bi-awakening, forced proximity (shared hotel rooms), closeted MC, grumpy/sunshine, golden retriever MC, low-angst, barebacking, dirty talk, spanking, teammates, bondage, come-play, frotting, needy bottom, strict roles (teased at switching), lacey jockstrap, first person present dual POV
DNF after skimming to check out the big to-do about the feminization kink.
This is my third DNF by this author. I think the writing style isn't for me, it's first person present dual POV with *italics*, and lots of short sentences in a row describing the same thing 10 different ways for emphasis. I guess the pucked and pucking thing is not going away this year, LOL.
The sex euphemisms were abundant: winking hole, star hole, flooding his chute. And then: I fucked his throat with gay abandon.
I was not interested in the details of the decor of the meeting rooms, the walls, chairs, and whatnot. I read hundreds of pages about nothing.
The door is solid and heavy, made of dark timber, Eastern black walnut or ebony maybe, and it’s been varnished to a gleaming satin finish.
There’s a gold medallion inlaid into the wood. A shield and the letter S with a viper coiled loosely around it, head drawn back, jaws wide open, ready to strike.
A large oval room with a heavy- duty navy- blue carpet on the floor and the same almost- black timber for benches and stalls. It’s a dark, ominous space, broken only by the starkness of the white- and- gold practice jerseys hanging below each player’s number. Sorry, I don't care. Fantasy setting, historical setting, yes, that would be interesting.
By the time we get to the locker room, most of the rest of the team has already made tracks and the guys still here are in the final stages of getting dressed. Empty drink bottles are strewn all around and wet towels hang out of the big hamper near the shower. Steam from the showers has wafted into the locker room, thickening the air and making it stagnant. The strangely not- totally- unpleasant smell of sweat and soap sears my nostrils when I inhale. The shower has seen enough through traffic tonight that the mottled beige tiles are glossy and wet. Vapor has gathered and condensed, forming rivulets that run down the walls in tiny parallel lines. There are two rows of showerheads in the room, five on each side, with a hook and a shelf each for toiletries. I undress quickly, eager to get away from Decker as fast as I possibly can. He’s still getting out of his protective gear by the time I hang up my towel and flick the faucet on. I choose the spout farthest from the door and step back as I wait for the water to warm up. When it’s as hot as I can handle, I step in and almost groan from the instant relief the heat on sore muscles brings. So much detail for what? Ambience?
Everything about this book is why I DNFed The Step Bro Situation, same droning on in the inner monologues, short sentences, repeating things, immature/casual speech and behavior, I really cannot stand it. Oh, and like in Step Bro, there is a sunshiney perfect MC who everyone adores (side character dialogue and behavior is also awkward and strangely unrealistic) and is fawning over. I found it aggravating. Zero depth.
A sample of what drove me nuts:
For the first time in a long while, I feel like I shouldn’t be here. Like I’m in the wrong place. Like I’m trespassing.
The team that changed my life, my physiology, and made my heart pump ice.
In case you’re wondering, they’re close, but I’m better.
I shoulder the door, and as it opens, a discordance of sights and sounds envelops me.
I manage to suppress it with a constipated croak that almost sounds like my name.
The deep, breathy sound rises half an octave, warbling slightly, and ends with a sharp, clipped tss.
He moves like water. Sure and smooth. A force that’s harnessed the sun and tamed gravity. 🤣
Limpid green eyes blink at me in slow confusion.
McGuire and I are stuck to each other like magnets, snapping and snarling until they manage to put enough distance between us.
“Talk to him, but be nice ’cause he’s the babiest babygirl in the whole wide world, so make sure he gets special babygirl treatment.”
I know it’s part of the job, but seriously, imagine spending your life waiting around in parking garages on the off chance you get to run into a player? Not my idea of a good time.
This close, I can see fine striations of fern and moss green fanning out against a golden- brown backdrop. His eyes are hazel, not green. I forgot about that.
My front is hot from the water and a rash of goosebumps forms on my lower back. I feel warm. Hot. And cold. Hotter and colder than I should be in the shower. Warm on my front, like hot oil has been poured on my shoulders and is slowly tracking down my chest while cold creeps up the back of my legs. A chill runs up my spine. A hot-cold burn that feels like a block of ice is being traced over my skin. Eight sentences to tell us he's hot and cold. 🤣
An eerie feeling sets my marrow alight. A dark, menacing feeling. An inimitable, unmistakable feeling—a man’s eyes boring into me.
And the sex descriptions:
Pushing his cheeks together and then spreading them until I see what I want. A shadow. A star. It’s darker than the rest of him. Exposed and winking at me. 🙄😉
Mentally, I’m in a good place. I’m in a mother fucking good place. I’m as close to content as I’ve ever been. I’m paralyzed. Speared. Skewered. And I don’t just mean my body. I mean my mind. It’s vacant and still. Open and full. There’s no resistance in me. I should have counted how many one and two words sentences there were, LOL. Loses impact when you do it hundreds of times.
Until I’m marooned, helpless, legless, bobbing around on a flimsy rafter in an ocean becalmed.
“Come on, Princess, do it. Push out and show me what I dumped inside you.”
““Aw, look at that little pussy. So pink and pretty. So tight. I’m going to have to stretch it out real nice just to get my head in, aren’t I?”
The feminization kink felt forced or out of place. I don't mind soft or hardcore degradation feminization kink, I didn't feel this particular one had any reason for being there. But that has nothing to do with disliking the book.
“Uh-uh,” he warns, “I’m not going to go so easy on you this time, Princess. Last time I was gentle because your pussy was brand new. This time, I’m going to give it to you until you can’t walk straight. Till you can’t think of anything else for days. Maybe weeks.”
“Imma make you into the perfect pussy boy you were born to be.”
Tags: CR hockey romance, rivals-to-lovers, feminization kink (good girl, princess, pussyboy), first time, bi-awakening, forced proximity (shared hotel rooms), closeted MC, grumpy/sunshine, golden retriever MC, low-angst, barebacking, dirty talk, spanking, teammates, bondage, come-play, frotting, needy bottom, strict roles (teased at switching), lacey jockstrap, first person present dual POV
January 16, 2025
I absolutely LOVED this book! I had the biggest smile the entire time I was reading this and I couldn't put it down.
Ant and Robbie were just so entertaining. I loved the tension between them, I loved how explosive and volatile they were to begin with, and I adored the way their relationship developed.
I was laughing at Ant so much, especially when Robbie was all-knowing, all-seeing about how their relationship was going to go and Ant just had to get on board with it 😂 Robbie was such a manipulative little shit but in a really endearing way - he definitely knew all of Ant's buttons and how to get exactly what he wanted! I also really liked the part where Robbie totally flipped and realised he was the one being an absolute twat.
Ant's internal monologues made me want to give him so many hugs! I also want to be Robbie's best friend because he was ridiculous and I loved it. Also loved the way Ant encouraged Bodie even though he thought Bodie was super embarrassing 😂
This is also the first book I've read where an MC is being called baby girl, good girl, princess etc. and it's felt so perfect for the character in question! Normally I find it a bit cringy but I loved the dynamic between Ant and Robbie and the way they had so much fun with the sexual side of their relationship. Ant trying to be stern and in control was hilarious, especially when Robbie was giggling so much 😂
I also found Robbie's tattoo so bloody cute 🥹🥹🥹
This might be my favourite Jesse H Reign book so far!
Ant and Robbie were just so entertaining. I loved the tension between them, I loved how explosive and volatile they were to begin with, and I adored the way their relationship developed.
I was laughing at Ant so much, especially when Robbie was all-knowing, all-seeing about how their relationship was going to go and Ant just had to get on board with it 😂 Robbie was such a manipulative little shit but in a really endearing way - he definitely knew all of Ant's buttons and how to get exactly what he wanted! I also really liked the part where Robbie totally flipped and realised he was the one being an absolute twat.
Ant's internal monologues made me want to give him so many hugs! I also want to be Robbie's best friend because he was ridiculous and I loved it. Also loved the way Ant encouraged Bodie even though he thought Bodie was super embarrassing 😂
This is also the first book I've read where an MC is being called baby girl, good girl, princess etc. and it's felt so perfect for the character in question! Normally I find it a bit cringy but I loved the dynamic between Ant and Robbie and the way they had so much fun with the sexual side of their relationship. Ant trying to be stern and in control was hilarious, especially when Robbie was giggling so much 😂
I also found Robbie's tattoo so bloody cute 🥹🥹🥹
This might be my favourite Jesse H Reign book so far!
February 14, 2025
6 ⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Format: ebook
Fans of Brianna Flores’s Pretty Boy - I have great news: We have another novel with feminization kink and all the spice!
Jesse H. Reign literally never misses, and this is another great example. Hockey, low-angst, so much kink and filth, and another pair of amazing characters.
I loved both Robbie and Ant so much. I loved how obsessed they were with each other while trying to write it off as hate. I loved the way they were constantly antagonizing each other and getting themselves in trouble over and over again because of it. I loved the little bit of slow burn until it became a whole inferno.
The way their addiction to each other shifted after their first time together and they literally couldn’t keep their hands off each other. How Robbie just decided they were a thing and how Ant couldn’t deny him anything. Ugh, absolute perfection.
This for sure will be a constant reread. I cannot wait for more of this series. The little glimpse we got at the end of this book already has me so sat.
*I received a free, advanced copy of this book from the author and this is my voluntary, honest review.
Bookstagram | Booktok
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Format: ebook
Fans of Brianna Flores’s Pretty Boy - I have great news: We have another novel with feminization kink and all the spice!
Jesse H. Reign literally never misses, and this is another great example. Hockey, low-angst, so much kink and filth, and another pair of amazing characters.
I loved both Robbie and Ant so much. I loved how obsessed they were with each other while trying to write it off as hate. I loved the way they were constantly antagonizing each other and getting themselves in trouble over and over again because of it. I loved the little bit of slow burn until it became a whole inferno.
The way their addiction to each other shifted after their first time together and they literally couldn’t keep their hands off each other. How Robbie just decided they were a thing and how Ant couldn’t deny him anything. Ugh, absolute perfection.
This for sure will be a constant reread. I cannot wait for more of this series. The little glimpse we got at the end of this book already has me so sat.
*I received a free, advanced copy of this book from the author and this is my voluntary, honest review.
Bookstagram | Booktok
December 31, 2024
Poetry On Ice is a high heat, low angst rivals-to-lovers MM hockey romance.
4.5✨
Just to add some visual:
Clean drool and lets go!
I love it when I start a book and my nose keeps wrinkling because I think I won’t like it. Maybe I don’t understand the characters, or it feels like it’s not for me… and then voilà! Suddenly, I’m melting into a puddle of swoon and hotness, and highlighting the hell out of it. Best feeling ever! And Poetry On Ice was this for me.
I adore Jesse. Even if I’ve seen this plot before, she still delivered a fantastic story. Her writing makes all the difference—it brings the characters to life. Whether it’s competition, dirty talk, surprises, or that perfect mix of sexy and sweet, you feel it. You’re right there, swooning, cringing, fanning yourself, laughing, perving, and clutching your damn pearls.
I love it. And even if there’s something I don’t like in the book, it never takes away from the pleasure of reading her stories. I’m a fan for life. 🥹
✨✨✨All the stars✨✨✨
😡 The grumpiest grump to ever grumped
☀️ The sunniest sunshine to ever shined
🔥 Rivals-to-fuck buddies-to-lovers-to-forever
🛏️ Forced proximity / There's only one hotel room
🚿 Steamy communal showers
💋 Dirty talk that will have you clutching your pearls
🥊 Strong "are we fighting or f*cking" vibes
👑 Baby girl / princess / baby
😈 The devil is biting his bottom lip from all the steam
🍫🕯️ Hot chocolate, light-candles picnic—it’s not a date (totally is)
🪞 Decorating can be sexy—add a lamp and a mirror
🌫️ Foggy hearts are the worst
🏒🧊 Tension on the ice
🫠"Boyfriend"—the dirty word we love
🎄 Christmas at the McGuire’s
❤️🔥 There’s nothing better than a grumpy in love
😍Holding hands
🥵 Very strict roles on page, but the promise is there
🤍 🐜
This, this is why I loved it:
❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
“When I say bad things happen to boys like you, McGuire,” I growl, “I mean it.”
“Like what? Tell me. I want to know.”Jesus. He’s fearless. He doesn’t have an ounce of self-preservation in his whole body.(…)
Boys like you…” I threaten. And credit where credit’s due because even I have to admit, I don’t sound all that different from McGuire’s primitive impersonation of me. “…find themselves stripped naked. That’s what happens to them.” I poke at his temple with my forefinger a couple of times to drive my point home. “They find themselves bent over. Folded in half and held down…” I pant in his ear and rub my face against his cheek, biting him again and licking his cheek this time as well. “…with a big dick rammed up their ass.”(…)
Promise?” he says softly.
🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠
He puts a hand on my chest. Lightly. So lightly, it feels insignificant. Like something he’s done many times in the past and fully intends to do many times in the future. That scares me too. He pushes himself onto his toes as I stand frozen and kisses me on the cheek. Soft, puffy lips stamp an invisible brand onto the hairless skin over my cheekbone.“I can feel you when I move, Ant,” he whispers. “I can feel where you were last night and what you did to me. I can feel you when I walk… When I move my legs.” He kisses me again, this time on my neck. And this time, he chases the kiss with a slow stroke of his tongue along my earlobe. A rash of goosebumps erupts and spreads down one side of my body. “I’m going to feel where you were when I’m on the ice later,” he says it like a promise and a threat rolled into one. “And I want you to know that.”
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Goddammit, Robbie,” I cry. “That’s not how this works. You don’t get to say I love you from you to me and also from me to you. That’s not a thing. Everyone knows tha—”
“Oh no? How’s it supposed to work then?”
“You’re supposed to say you love me, and then you’re supposed to let me say I love you.” (…)
I love you too, Princess. I tried not to fall for you. I really did. But I couldn’t help it.”
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
It’s different, though, because this room comes complete with an almost totally naked Robbie McGuire on his hands and knees with his legs open wide enough to show off the cleft of his ass and a dark, shadowy hint of his hole. There are reams and reams of golden skin on view. So much skin. Skin stretched over tightly corded muscles in his back, arms, and legs. Skin soft to the touch. Smooth. Hot. A perfect, silky vista broken only by a slutty pair of socks that have been pulled up to his calves and a hot-pink lacy jock strap that cuts into the perfect mounds of his cheeks.
I’m not expecting the lace.
I lose my footing and slump back, briefly crumpling against the door as I fight to regain my composure. My hand is on my heart, clutching at my chest, and I gurgle the words, “Hot. So fucking hot.”
Robbie looks over his shoulder and smiles. It’s the sweetest, most sinful smile I’ve ever seen. I’m lost in it. Drowning. Swimming. Living. Only managing to clamber back into a fully upright position when he arches his back hard. A deep line dips in his back, traveling up his spine, and his cheeks part. His hole is slick, glittering with lube, just like I told him.
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
We move together in the night. Him then me. Him and me. My body answers every question his asks. His does the same. Neither of us speaks, but we pass a primitive chant back and forth to each other.
By the time we finally come, my heart, mind, and body have been cracked open. I let go with spectacular force, and pleasure pours from me in thick, heady waves. A steady stream of bliss that makes my toes curl. It goes on and on. A lifetime of pleasure rolled into itself and poured directly into my soul.
Before I’ve had time to recover, Ant rolls me onto my side and snuggles up as close as he can. I can’t talk yet, so I groan to tell him I’m happy. He answers back the same way.
Ramblings about the missing half ⭐️
»That bi-awakening came out of nowhere, but I loved it!
»Sometimes the inner dialogues were endless.
»Feminization? I’m okay with the baby girls and princesses—actually, I loved it here. But the boypussy/pussy? Not so much. I ran from MF because of this 😅.
»Safe talk only happens after they’ve already gotten together twice, which… yeah.
»there’s a lot more that I didn’t like, but honestly it didn’t ruined the experience for me.
When I say I loved it, I mean I’m utterly, completely, pucking IN LOVE with it!. If Robbie asked me if I was happy, I’d say without a doubt—with my face hurting from all the swooning—"Yes, Robbie, I’m so happy!"
Can’t wait for The Boy Next Door❤️🔥👀. Thank you, Jesse, for this ARC—this is my honest opinion.
4.5✨
Just to add some visual:
Clean drool and lets go!
I love it when I start a book and my nose keeps wrinkling because I think I won’t like it. Maybe I don’t understand the characters, or it feels like it’s not for me… and then voilà! Suddenly, I’m melting into a puddle of swoon and hotness, and highlighting the hell out of it. Best feeling ever! And Poetry On Ice was this for me.
I adore Jesse. Even if I’ve seen this plot before, she still delivered a fantastic story. Her writing makes all the difference—it brings the characters to life. Whether it’s competition, dirty talk, surprises, or that perfect mix of sexy and sweet, you feel it. You’re right there, swooning, cringing, fanning yourself, laughing, perving, and clutching your damn pearls.
I love it. And even if there’s something I don’t like in the book, it never takes away from the pleasure of reading her stories. I’m a fan for life. 🥹
✨✨✨All the stars✨✨✨
😡 The grumpiest grump to ever grumped
☀️ The sunniest sunshine to ever shined
🔥 Rivals-to-fuck buddies-to-lovers-to-forever
🛏️ Forced proximity / There's only one hotel room
🚿 Steamy communal showers
💋 Dirty talk that will have you clutching your pearls
🥊 Strong "are we fighting or f*cking" vibes
👑 Baby girl / princess / baby
😈 The devil is biting his bottom lip from all the steam
🍫🕯️ Hot chocolate, light-candles picnic—it’s not a date (totally is)
🪞 Decorating can be sexy—add a lamp and a mirror
🌫️ Foggy hearts are the worst
🏒🧊 Tension on the ice
🫠"Boyfriend"—the dirty word we love
🎄 Christmas at the McGuire’s
❤️🔥 There’s nothing better than a grumpy in love
😍Holding hands
🥵 Very strict roles on page, but the promise is there
🤍 🐜
This, this is why I loved it:
❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
“When I say bad things happen to boys like you, McGuire,” I growl, “I mean it.”
“Like what? Tell me. I want to know.”Jesus. He’s fearless. He doesn’t have an ounce of self-preservation in his whole body.(…)
Boys like you…” I threaten. And credit where credit’s due because even I have to admit, I don’t sound all that different from McGuire’s primitive impersonation of me. “…find themselves stripped naked. That’s what happens to them.” I poke at his temple with my forefinger a couple of times to drive my point home. “They find themselves bent over. Folded in half and held down…” I pant in his ear and rub my face against his cheek, biting him again and licking his cheek this time as well. “…with a big dick rammed up their ass.”(…)
Promise?” he says softly.
🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠
He puts a hand on my chest. Lightly. So lightly, it feels insignificant. Like something he’s done many times in the past and fully intends to do many times in the future. That scares me too. He pushes himself onto his toes as I stand frozen and kisses me on the cheek. Soft, puffy lips stamp an invisible brand onto the hairless skin over my cheekbone.“I can feel you when I move, Ant,” he whispers. “I can feel where you were last night and what you did to me. I can feel you when I walk… When I move my legs.” He kisses me again, this time on my neck. And this time, he chases the kiss with a slow stroke of his tongue along my earlobe. A rash of goosebumps erupts and spreads down one side of my body. “I’m going to feel where you were when I’m on the ice later,” he says it like a promise and a threat rolled into one. “And I want you to know that.”
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Goddammit, Robbie,” I cry. “That’s not how this works. You don’t get to say I love you from you to me and also from me to you. That’s not a thing. Everyone knows tha—”
“Oh no? How’s it supposed to work then?”
“You’re supposed to say you love me, and then you’re supposed to let me say I love you.” (…)
I love you too, Princess. I tried not to fall for you. I really did. But I couldn’t help it.”
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
It’s different, though, because this room comes complete with an almost totally naked Robbie McGuire on his hands and knees with his legs open wide enough to show off the cleft of his ass and a dark, shadowy hint of his hole. There are reams and reams of golden skin on view. So much skin. Skin stretched over tightly corded muscles in his back, arms, and legs. Skin soft to the touch. Smooth. Hot. A perfect, silky vista broken only by a slutty pair of socks that have been pulled up to his calves and a hot-pink lacy jock strap that cuts into the perfect mounds of his cheeks.
I’m not expecting the lace.
I lose my footing and slump back, briefly crumpling against the door as I fight to regain my composure. My hand is on my heart, clutching at my chest, and I gurgle the words, “Hot. So fucking hot.”
Robbie looks over his shoulder and smiles. It’s the sweetest, most sinful smile I’ve ever seen. I’m lost in it. Drowning. Swimming. Living. Only managing to clamber back into a fully upright position when he arches his back hard. A deep line dips in his back, traveling up his spine, and his cheeks part. His hole is slick, glittering with lube, just like I told him.
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
We move together in the night. Him then me. Him and me. My body answers every question his asks. His does the same. Neither of us speaks, but we pass a primitive chant back and forth to each other.
By the time we finally come, my heart, mind, and body have been cracked open. I let go with spectacular force, and pleasure pours from me in thick, heady waves. A steady stream of bliss that makes my toes curl. It goes on and on. A lifetime of pleasure rolled into itself and poured directly into my soul.
Before I’ve had time to recover, Ant rolls me onto my side and snuggles up as close as he can. I can’t talk yet, so I groan to tell him I’m happy. He answers back the same way.
Ramblings about the missing half ⭐️
»That bi-awakening came out of nowhere, but I loved it!
»Sometimes the inner dialogues were endless.
»Feminization? I’m okay with the baby girls and princesses—actually, I loved it here. But the boypussy/pussy? Not so much. I ran from MF because of this 😅.
»Safe talk only happens after they’ve already gotten together twice, which… yeah.
»there’s a lot more that I didn’t like, but honestly it didn’t ruined the experience for me.
When I say I loved it, I mean I’m utterly, completely, pucking IN LOVE with it!. If Robbie asked me if I was happy, I’d say without a doubt—with my face hurting from all the swooning—"Yes, Robbie, I’m so happy!"
Can’t wait for The Boy Next Door❤️🔥👀. Thank you, Jesse, for this ARC—this is my honest opinion.
January 14, 2025
This book was so good that I wished I had amnesia so I could read it again for the first time
February 16, 2025
Disclaimer:
I’m very aware that I’m an outlier in my opinion on this book. But to put it bluntly, I hated it. Loathed it, even. For me, and please bear in mind this is obviously just my personal opinion, it was utter garbage.
I’ve read other books by this author, so I knew this could be a hit or miss. I was already wary because of the hype. Books that get this kind of response tend to be horrible for me, God of Fury, Loving the Legend , I’m looking at you. And unfortunately, this one was no exception.
Why was this book so bad? Let's see some of the reasons:
Excessive tropes It felt like the author had a checklist and was just shoving in random tropes for fun. Nothing felt natural or well-developed. There was no effort to fit them into the story naturally. It just felt like the author was throwing in one trope after another, like ticking off a checklist.
Choppy writing style Short sentences. And pauses. And breaks. All the time. One-word sentences even. It felt like the author was trying to be poetic or dramatic, but it just came across as lazy and irritating. On top of that, she clearly had a thesaurus tab open the entire time. There were way too many synonyms and excessive descriptions for the simplest things, making the writing feel bloated and exhausting.
Where is the hockey? This is supposed to be a hockey romance, yet hockey is mentioned maybe five times. We’re told they play professional hockey, but we never see it in any meaningful way. It feels like the setting was chosen just to jump on the sports romance trend without actually committing to it.
The forced "enemies to lovers+ Forced Proximity" dynamic Ant apparently has some unexplained, weird animosity toward Robbie and decides to make his life hell *for reasons*, the coach obviously decides this is the best moment to make them share a room. The hostility is one-sided, completely unearned, and once it's explained it's the most anticlimactic reveal ever. One minute Ant is being an asshole, the next he’s hooking up with Robbie, and suddenly we’re supposed to believe in their romance.
The awkward feminization It doesn’t feel natural. It just reads weird and forced. It’s like the author was trying too hard to add the term Babygirl to the story but had no idea how to do it well. It even seems that she read Pretty Boy , and wanted to replicate it, but this book completely missed the mark. Case in point, this actual conversation between Robbie and Ant:
“So, are you ever gonna let me fuck you, or what? ’Cause I’m telling you, Ant, I want to put my dick in you more than I want air.”
I don’t skip a beat. “Don’t you mean your clit?”
Excuse me, what??
The relationship makes no sense Robbie and Ant hook up once, and suddenly Robbie is determined to be in a relationship with him. Why? Ant has done nothing but treat him like crap. There’s no build-up, no emotional connection, no logical reason for Robbie to pursue anything with Ant except that the plot demands it.
The weird "touch him and die" moment When Robbie is hurt during a game, and listen, normally, I love this trope, but here it felt completely out of place. It barely made sense, especially considering these guys are supposed to be professional hockey players where these types of hits are expected, and to make it worse, it happens off-page.
Where’s the actual romance? When did these two even interact enough to fall in love? Their conversations are bizarre. Ant can’t resist Robbie’s advances, and Robbie always has this smile that supposedly conveys “you won’t be able to escape me” vibes. Instead of being romantic, it comes off as weird.
Why are Bodie and Beth even in this book so much? Nobody cares about them, yet they take up so much page time for no reason. This is supposed to be Ant and Robbie’s story, but we get random conversations like this one between Ant and Bodie:
“Course I’m going to be cool about it. Are you kidding me? I’m dedicated to the enemies-to-lovers trope, bro. It’s like my favorite one.”
“Really? I thought you’d be more of a fan of he falls first.”
What is this? Who talks like this? It’s like the author wanted to wink at the audience about tropes instead of actually making them work in the story.
Everything feels rushed and underdeveloped There’s no real emotional depth. The conflicts are shallow, the character motivations are nonexistent, and the pacing is all over the place. The book just throws tropes and dialogue at the reader without actually developing anything in a meaningful way.
Honestly, there’s so much more that I hated, but I’ll stop here. This book was really, really bad. Awful. Heinous. Lousy. Shocking. The only reason I didn’t DNF was because hate-reading is my guilty pleasure and I was BR with my bestie.
Honorable mention for the cringiest phrase I’ve ever read in an MM romance:
"He struggles to smother the sound of his pleasure between his teeth as he floods my chute with a massive load that sends a fresh, overflowing wave of pleasure through me."
Your honour, I rest my case.
I’m very aware that I’m an outlier in my opinion on this book. But to put it bluntly, I hated it. Loathed it, even. For me, and please bear in mind this is obviously just my personal opinion, it was utter garbage.
I’ve read other books by this author, so I knew this could be a hit or miss. I was already wary because of the hype. Books that get this kind of response tend to be horrible for me, God of Fury, Loving the Legend , I’m looking at you. And unfortunately, this one was no exception.
Why was this book so bad? Let's see some of the reasons:
Excessive tropes It felt like the author had a checklist and was just shoving in random tropes for fun. Nothing felt natural or well-developed. There was no effort to fit them into the story naturally. It just felt like the author was throwing in one trope after another, like ticking off a checklist.
Choppy writing style Short sentences. And pauses. And breaks. All the time. One-word sentences even. It felt like the author was trying to be poetic or dramatic, but it just came across as lazy and irritating. On top of that, she clearly had a thesaurus tab open the entire time. There were way too many synonyms and excessive descriptions for the simplest things, making the writing feel bloated and exhausting.
Where is the hockey? This is supposed to be a hockey romance, yet hockey is mentioned maybe five times. We’re told they play professional hockey, but we never see it in any meaningful way. It feels like the setting was chosen just to jump on the sports romance trend without actually committing to it.
The forced "enemies to lovers+ Forced Proximity" dynamic Ant apparently has some unexplained, weird animosity toward Robbie and decides to make his life hell *for reasons*, the coach obviously decides this is the best moment to make them share a room. The hostility is one-sided, completely unearned, and once it's explained it's the most anticlimactic reveal ever. One minute Ant is being an asshole, the next he’s hooking up with Robbie, and suddenly we’re supposed to believe in their romance.
The awkward feminization It doesn’t feel natural. It just reads weird and forced. It’s like the author was trying too hard to add the term Babygirl to the story but had no idea how to do it well. It even seems that she read Pretty Boy , and wanted to replicate it, but this book completely missed the mark. Case in point, this actual conversation between Robbie and Ant:
“So, are you ever gonna let me fuck you, or what? ’Cause I’m telling you, Ant, I want to put my dick in you more than I want air.”
I don’t skip a beat. “Don’t you mean your clit?”
Excuse me, what??
The relationship makes no sense Robbie and Ant hook up once, and suddenly Robbie is determined to be in a relationship with him. Why? Ant has done nothing but treat him like crap. There’s no build-up, no emotional connection, no logical reason for Robbie to pursue anything with Ant except that the plot demands it.
The weird "touch him and die" moment When Robbie is hurt during a game, and listen, normally, I love this trope, but here it felt completely out of place. It barely made sense, especially considering these guys are supposed to be professional hockey players where these types of hits are expected, and to make it worse, it happens off-page.
Where’s the actual romance? When did these two even interact enough to fall in love? Their conversations are bizarre. Ant can’t resist Robbie’s advances, and Robbie always has this smile that supposedly conveys “you won’t be able to escape me” vibes. Instead of being romantic, it comes off as weird.
Why are Bodie and Beth even in this book so much? Nobody cares about them, yet they take up so much page time for no reason. This is supposed to be Ant and Robbie’s story, but we get random conversations like this one between Ant and Bodie:
“Course I’m going to be cool about it. Are you kidding me? I’m dedicated to the enemies-to-lovers trope, bro. It’s like my favorite one.”
“Really? I thought you’d be more of a fan of he falls first.”
What is this? Who talks like this? It’s like the author wanted to wink at the audience about tropes instead of actually making them work in the story.
Everything feels rushed and underdeveloped There’s no real emotional depth. The conflicts are shallow, the character motivations are nonexistent, and the pacing is all over the place. The book just throws tropes and dialogue at the reader without actually developing anything in a meaningful way.
Honestly, there’s so much more that I hated, but I’ll stop here. This book was really, really bad. Awful. Heinous. Lousy. Shocking. The only reason I didn’t DNF was because hate-reading is my guilty pleasure and I was BR with my bestie.
Honorable mention for the cringiest phrase I’ve ever read in an MM romance:
"He struggles to smother the sound of his pleasure between his teeth as he floods my chute with a massive load that sends a fresh, overflowing wave of pleasure through me."
Your honour, I rest my case.
![Profile Image for Megan [Semi-Hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1634561405i%2F25103878._UY200_CR50%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 20, 2025MM Romance
Hockey Rivals
No rating
DNF @ 68%
Well, I had no intention of picking this book up despite all the 5 star reviews because I just don’t seem to vibe with this author’s books but then Sully wanted to buddy read this to see what all the hype was about and I folded like a cheap lawn chair. Long story short, Sully only made it to 15%? Maybe? But I soldiered on because I’m a masochist and because I actually kind of liked the banter and the way Ant always said no but then gave into Robbie every single time. However, this book was just too long (474 pages) to hold my interest and I kept feeling this weird sense of deja vu while reading it (I’ll explain later) so I had to drop it.
So I guess the weirdest part of this book is that I have no feelings about it whatsoever. I don’t love it but I also don’t hate it so writing this review is kind of challenging because usually when I DNF something so late into the story I have a lot to say about it but this time? Not so much. 🤷🏻♀️
So initially I liked the banter and how ridiculous these two were around each other. They riled each other up and then could barely make coherent sentences in each others presence plus Ant’s POV was just laughable at times with his over analyzing to why he had butterflies or felt good around Robbie. I also liked how submissive Robbie was and I did enjoy Ant calling him baby girl and Princess.
However, what I liked initially is what also made me lose interest and ultimately DNF this book. Let’s start with the sex scenes. While fem kink and using feminine anatomy for males isn’t my preferred thing to read in gay romance every once in a while it works for me. In this case it felt a bit random and I cringed when Ant was using the words “boy pussy” or just “pussy” itself. The pet names were fine but there was never any talk about Ant speaking to Robbie like that and it just felt off to me and the more I read, the less excited I was to read those scenes which were a large part of the book. The other thing that put me off was this dejavu feeling I kept having while reading this. It felt familiar and once I read this excerpt below I realized why.
”Ah, I see. I get it now. I’m tripping. I’m high. I’m chilled out and happy. Chatty as fuck. I’m not myself. It’s clear I’m delirious. The sugar has gone to my head. Yeah, that’s what’s happened. I’ve consumed a truckload of chocolate, and my system has been flooded with glucose. It can’t process all of it at once, and thus, I’m experiencing a rush that’s affecting my mood.”
There are some writing styles that just don’t really work for me and sentences like this kept popping up over and over again reminding me of something until it finally clicked. This felt very Cora Rose to me because she has a habit of using lines just like this one when a love interest won’t admit they have feelings. Sentences like “my chest hurts when I’m around him, must be the bacon I had for breakfast” and then repeating something like that 10 more times and that’s exactly what this book did. It got repetitive and I’m in no way saying Jesse plagiarized Cora just that it’s too similar of a writing style I don’t care for especially since I have Cora on permanent DNR due to it.
Because these are mostly me problems I won’t be rating this but I blame Sully for getting me into this mess 🫶🏻😂
Hockey Rivals
No rating
DNF @ 68%
Well, I had no intention of picking this book up despite all the 5 star reviews because I just don’t seem to vibe with this author’s books but then Sully wanted to buddy read this to see what all the hype was about and I folded like a cheap lawn chair. Long story short, Sully only made it to 15%? Maybe? But I soldiered on because I’m a masochist and because I actually kind of liked the banter and the way Ant always said no but then gave into Robbie every single time. However, this book was just too long (474 pages) to hold my interest and I kept feeling this weird sense of deja vu while reading it (I’ll explain later) so I had to drop it.
So I guess the weirdest part of this book is that I have no feelings about it whatsoever. I don’t love it but I also don’t hate it so writing this review is kind of challenging because usually when I DNF something so late into the story I have a lot to say about it but this time? Not so much. 🤷🏻♀️
So initially I liked the banter and how ridiculous these two were around each other. They riled each other up and then could barely make coherent sentences in each others presence plus Ant’s POV was just laughable at times with his over analyzing to why he had butterflies or felt good around Robbie. I also liked how submissive Robbie was and I did enjoy Ant calling him baby girl and Princess.
However, what I liked initially is what also made me lose interest and ultimately DNF this book. Let’s start with the sex scenes. While fem kink and using feminine anatomy for males isn’t my preferred thing to read in gay romance every once in a while it works for me. In this case it felt a bit random and I cringed when Ant was using the words “boy pussy” or just “pussy” itself. The pet names were fine but there was never any talk about Ant speaking to Robbie like that and it just felt off to me and the more I read, the less excited I was to read those scenes which were a large part of the book. The other thing that put me off was this dejavu feeling I kept having while reading this. It felt familiar and once I read this excerpt below I realized why.
”Ah, I see. I get it now. I’m tripping. I’m high. I’m chilled out and happy. Chatty as fuck. I’m not myself. It’s clear I’m delirious. The sugar has gone to my head. Yeah, that’s what’s happened. I’ve consumed a truckload of chocolate, and my system has been flooded with glucose. It can’t process all of it at once, and thus, I’m experiencing a rush that’s affecting my mood.”
There are some writing styles that just don’t really work for me and sentences like this kept popping up over and over again reminding me of something until it finally clicked. This felt very Cora Rose to me because she has a habit of using lines just like this one when a love interest won’t admit they have feelings. Sentences like “my chest hurts when I’m around him, must be the bacon I had for breakfast” and then repeating something like that 10 more times and that’s exactly what this book did. It got repetitive and I’m in no way saying Jesse plagiarized Cora just that it’s too similar of a writing style I don’t care for especially since I have Cora on permanent DNR due to it.
Because these are mostly me problems I won’t be rating this but I blame Sully for getting me into this mess 🫶🏻😂
January 10, 2025
4.25**** stars
I enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was a lot of fun, sweet and super steamy.
Although, there honestly could’ve been a tiny bit less of the steam and the book therefore like 50 pages shorter. Because while I’m a huge fan of smutty goodness I’m not a fan of a lot of sex scenes that do nothing for the romance-/relationship development and are just for the hell of it.
Anyhow… this was great! Can’t wait for the next one.
************
Totally Pucked Series
Book 1 - Poetry on Ice - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - The Boy next Door - tbd
“You bit me! What’s wrong with you? What the hell did you do that for?”
He exhales and his shoulders drop. “’ Cause,” he says with regret, “I’m going to kiss you, and”—he takes my head in both hands and holds me firmly in place as he closes the space between us—“
I want it to hurt you as much as it’s going to hurt me.”
I enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was a lot of fun, sweet and super steamy.
Although, there honestly could’ve been a tiny bit less of the steam and the book therefore like 50 pages shorter. Because while I’m a huge fan of smutty goodness I’m not a fan of a lot of sex scenes that do nothing for the romance-/relationship development and are just for the hell of it.
Anyhow… this was great! Can’t wait for the next one.
“Just so you know, it’s casual,” I tell him. […]
“We’ll see about that,” he says.
************
Totally Pucked Series
Book 1 - Poetry on Ice - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - The Boy next Door - tbd
December 31, 2024
Poetry on Ice is easily in my Top 5 Books read in 2024 list. We have enemies to lovers, we have forced proximity, we have high spice level that doesn't feel gratuitous, and we have hands down the absolute best "I love you" scene I've ever read. The sunshine one falls first, but the grumpy one falls so satisfyingly hard I know I'll be thinking about this book for weeks.
Jesse is a fantastic writer- from the characters to the way she combines tropes in ways that feel fresh and new. I am absolutely putting this one on my To Reread List! Books this good usually aren't about hockey, which is a shame because all books should be this good, no matter what the trope or subject matter. I loved everything about the book and the little teaser for Totally Pucked #2. Every side character in this book has an interesting personality- particularly the female side characters- no matter how minute their contribution to the book. I laughed, I teared up, I marvelled at how well done the book was, and now I'm gushing in my review. I swear there's something about how Jesse's writing that controls my reading pace. The sentence structure and word choices have me experiencing the book in slow motion during really intense scenes, and speeding up in others. It's very cool to experience a book in that way!
Rating: 5 stars
Angst: 3.5/5
Steam: 4/5
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
He tilts his head toward the crumpled mess that’s his bed and says, “We’re doing that again.” He says it like it’s a fact, not an opinion. Like it’s already been decided. Like it’s written in stone. Like there’s not a goddamn thing I can do to stop it. [...] “I know,” I croak eventually. There’s no point in denying it. It’ll only make me look stupid later. [...] “Just so you know, it’s casual,” I tell him. “This thing between us, it’s just fucking, okay? I’m not a relationship guy, and I’m not saying you are or anything. I just want to be super clear about who I am so we don’t get our wires crossed.” His eyes darken and his bottom lip narrows till it’s little more than a dot. He raises his mug to his lips and takes a spiteful sip of coffee. A fission of fear carves a hole in my sternum. I know that look. I’ve seen it before. I saw it when I told him he couldn’t blow me anymore, and just look how that turned out—I’m twenty grand in debt to this man, and his mouth is practically my dick’s holiday home.
Jesse is a fantastic writer- from the characters to the way she combines tropes in ways that feel fresh and new. I am absolutely putting this one on my To Reread List! Books this good usually aren't about hockey, which is a shame because all books should be this good, no matter what the trope or subject matter. I loved everything about the book and the little teaser for Totally Pucked #2. Every side character in this book has an interesting personality- particularly the female side characters- no matter how minute their contribution to the book. I laughed, I teared up, I marvelled at how well done the book was, and now I'm gushing in my review. I swear there's something about how Jesse's writing that controls my reading pace. The sentence structure and word choices have me experiencing the book in slow motion during really intense scenes, and speeding up in others. It's very cool to experience a book in that way!
Rating: 5 stars
Angst: 3.5/5
Steam: 4/5
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
March 23, 2025
Tropes: Rivals to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, secret relationship, forced proximity, workplace romance
Feels: 5/5
Steam*: 5/5
Kinks: feminization dirty talk, bondage, spanking, cum play
Angst: low/high
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: homophobia, Ant is beaten up a bit by some homophobic assholes outside a gay club, a little bit of violence between mmc's and in hockey games, mild concussion injury, unsafe sex
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: Neither MMC was with anyone else during book, there were no other love interests or exes. They were so preoccupied with each other, they weren't thinking of anyone else.
March 23, 2025 - reread. This is one of those couples where I just love their love. I know I'm going to be rereading this at least once a year.
5 stars, this book is going on the keeper podium!
Robbie and Ant are NHL players aged 24 and 25. They've interacted in the hockey realm since they were about 16 years old. Initially Robbie was really impressed by Ant, he didn't understand the animosity that Ant soon had for him. They grew into a mutual rivalry over time though, and they riled each other up. They are both star wingers, left and right wing. Robbie has just been traded to Ant's team, and now their teammates who have to get along but every time they look at each other they want to fight. They get into fights with each other, and their coach is pissed off. The coach makes them spend more time practicing together and forces them to be roommates for away games. As they spend more time together, their thoughts tilt from wanting to lay hands on each other in violence to just wanting to lay hands on each other. They start hooking up. But Ant wants to keep it casual and a secret. Just something they do on away games.
Ant is a closeted gay man, he's only out to his family and very close friends. Robbie has questioned his sexuality in the past, but he's never been with a man because he is attracted to women and he didn't know if his occasional confusing thoughts about guys were that he wanted to be the guy or be with the guy in the past. With Ant, there is no ambiguity, he definitely wants to be with him.
They are absolutely feral about each other the entire duration of the book. For the first half of the book they are so caught up in the fight or fuck urge that they lose their mind and can't form coherent thoughts around each other. They are entirely acting on raw emotion and instinct with no brain power. It makes for a very sensual and erotic read for that first 50%, the tension is crazy. But for me, where it got god tier was after that first 50%! Because I am utterly weak for snuggling, platonic affection, and characters that are entirely whipped for their love interest. And after the 50% mark, that lust fog finally cleared enough for them to be able to see the sun in the sky and have a rational thought. And as soon as they started talking, you could see their personalities and you could see the type of relationship that they were capable of having together beyond just the marathon athletic sex. And they were fantastic together. Robbie was exactly what Ant needed. Robbie had a way of getting his way, he was sexually submissive, the bottom, the newbie to being with men, but every time Ant tried to keep the relationship casual or draw lines, Robbie just stared him down and said we'll see! And Robbie was the gentlest and subtlest bulldozer in bashing down the lines between the two of them. Ant had no chance denying him anything and he knew it. Ant is an introvert raised in an accepting but distant family, and while it's been easy for him to not do relationships, he just sucks in the affection that Robbie offers him.
Ant reminds me of Ilya from Heated Rivalry, just in the way that he is aloof and stiff, but on the inside he has all these tumultuous emotions and is so obsessed with his love interest. Ant has been obsessed with Robbie since they met as teens, he's been constantly watching Robbie's Tiktoks, unaware that Robbie can see who views his profile. He keeps looking at Robbie in person, in pictures and videos and his thoughts are chaotic obsession, admiration, and reverent affection. His favorite look of Robbie's is the smushed sleepy happy face Robbie makes when they snuggle and fall asleep in bed together, swoon.
Robbie is a sunshiny golden retriever. He was raised in a very happy family, very supported and emotionally healthy. When he realizes that he wants Ant, he rolls with it and lets himself fall, he's not in denial and he's very self aware of what he's feeling and he goes after what he wants in a smart way. Ant caves to being secret boyfriends with Robbie, but he doesn't want to take their relationship public because he wants to protect Robbie from homophobia and he's an introvert and doesn't want to deal with people interfering in his life. So that is a conflict in their relationship.
I love when characters are unhinged for their love interest. I love a romance novel that has a lot of humor to it, and this had that. I like when an author shows us rather than telling us, when the author gives us the direct thoughts of the characters so we can see and feel the emotion along with the character. We can see how obsessed and preoccupied by their love interest they are, and we can see the complexity of the feelings and motivations for their actions. It makes for a really visceral, deep and epic connection. It's not a paint by numbers relationship, it's something we feel with every breath, every glance, every stutter, every touch. There's so much feeling and emotion bleeding into all the scenes. That made this book really special.
Fyi, this book regularly breaks the fourth wall and the characters address us directly. But that didn't bother me at all. And there were a couple typos but not many especially given the length of the book.
Some notable moments: (there were so many good moments, I had to hold myself back from quoting too many)
"The only reason I opt for an ice bath instead is because I know damn well that if I hit the gym in this mood, I’ll probably hit Decker a little bit too. It’s been two days since the last time I punched him, and I keep thinking about it. It’s almost like I’m jonesing for it. There’s something about landing a punch on his smug face that I like. It works me the fuck up, and afterward, my bones feel bendy and my insides go all warm and gooey. It’s wrong of me to feel that way. I know that. It’s bad. Violence is bad. Hitting a teammate is bad. I’m not going to do it again. Unless he provokes me."
"I have options. I do. I know that. I can do this. I can open my mouth and let Decker slide his dick into it. I can suck him off. I can taste him. Make him come and swallow his load. I can do that. It’s a definite option. Let’s call it option one. I have other options too. I’m sure of it. I must. It’s just that I can’t think of any."
"“Why are we eating on the floor anyway?” “Well,” I explain, “the thing is…I don’t have a table. Or chairs.” I give him a knowing look. He interprets it correctly. “Oh Jesus.” He slumps back against the bed. “We’re going shopping again, aren’t we?”"
This scene where Ant confided in his friend about how deep he was in it with Robbie was hilarious! "Stacey is dumbfounded. She’s well and truly aghast by what I’ve said. Either that, or she’s laughing so hard she can’t get any sound out. “I don’t even know where to start with that,” she says when she can. “I mean, we’ve got the fact you slept over, the fact you let him in your car, and now you’re telling me you’re letting him draw hearts on your fucking windows…I feel like I don’t know you anymore.” “It’s still not the worst thing,” I wail. “There’s more?"
"“That’s not even the main thing. It used to be, but it isn’t anymore,” Ant says, his voice small and childlike. “It’s you, Robbie. Now it’s you. You’re so fucking sweet and so fucking nice, and people are dicks, and I just…can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt. I can’t stand it, okay? I can’t fucking stand knowing that if we come out, a fuck-ton of people are going to have shit to say about it, and you’re going to read it and hear it and see it. I don’t want that for you. I don’t want to be the person who does that to you. Please don’t make me be the person who does that to you.”'
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 5/5
Steam*: 5/5
Kinks: feminization dirty talk, bondage, spanking, cum play
Angst: low/high
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: homophobia, Ant is beaten up a bit by some homophobic assholes outside a gay club, a little bit of violence between mmc's and in hockey games, mild concussion injury, unsafe sex
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: Neither MMC was with anyone else during book, there were no other love interests or exes. They were so preoccupied with each other, they weren't thinking of anyone else.
March 23, 2025 - reread. This is one of those couples where I just love their love. I know I'm going to be rereading this at least once a year.
5 stars, this book is going on the keeper podium!
Robbie and Ant are NHL players aged 24 and 25. They've interacted in the hockey realm since they were about 16 years old. Initially Robbie was really impressed by Ant, he didn't understand the animosity that Ant soon had for him. They grew into a mutual rivalry over time though, and they riled each other up. They are both star wingers, left and right wing. Robbie has just been traded to Ant's team, and now their teammates who have to get along but every time they look at each other they want to fight. They get into fights with each other, and their coach is pissed off. The coach makes them spend more time practicing together and forces them to be roommates for away games. As they spend more time together, their thoughts tilt from wanting to lay hands on each other in violence to just wanting to lay hands on each other. They start hooking up. But Ant wants to keep it casual and a secret. Just something they do on away games.
Ant is a closeted gay man, he's only out to his family and very close friends. Robbie has questioned his sexuality in the past, but he's never been with a man because he is attracted to women and he didn't know if his occasional confusing thoughts about guys were that he wanted to be the guy or be with the guy in the past. With Ant, there is no ambiguity, he definitely wants to be with him.
They are absolutely feral about each other the entire duration of the book. For the first half of the book they are so caught up in the fight or fuck urge that they lose their mind and can't form coherent thoughts around each other. They are entirely acting on raw emotion and instinct with no brain power. It makes for a very sensual and erotic read for that first 50%, the tension is crazy. But for me, where it got god tier was after that first 50%! Because I am utterly weak for snuggling, platonic affection, and characters that are entirely whipped for their love interest. And after the 50% mark, that lust fog finally cleared enough for them to be able to see the sun in the sky and have a rational thought. And as soon as they started talking, you could see their personalities and you could see the type of relationship that they were capable of having together beyond just the marathon athletic sex. And they were fantastic together. Robbie was exactly what Ant needed. Robbie had a way of getting his way, he was sexually submissive, the bottom, the newbie to being with men, but every time Ant tried to keep the relationship casual or draw lines, Robbie just stared him down and said we'll see! And Robbie was the gentlest and subtlest bulldozer in bashing down the lines between the two of them. Ant had no chance denying him anything and he knew it. Ant is an introvert raised in an accepting but distant family, and while it's been easy for him to not do relationships, he just sucks in the affection that Robbie offers him.
Ant reminds me of Ilya from Heated Rivalry, just in the way that he is aloof and stiff, but on the inside he has all these tumultuous emotions and is so obsessed with his love interest. Ant has been obsessed with Robbie since they met as teens, he's been constantly watching Robbie's Tiktoks, unaware that Robbie can see who views his profile. He keeps looking at Robbie in person, in pictures and videos and his thoughts are chaotic obsession, admiration, and reverent affection. His favorite look of Robbie's is the smushed sleepy happy face Robbie makes when they snuggle and fall asleep in bed together, swoon.
Robbie is a sunshiny golden retriever. He was raised in a very happy family, very supported and emotionally healthy. When he realizes that he wants Ant, he rolls with it and lets himself fall, he's not in denial and he's very self aware of what he's feeling and he goes after what he wants in a smart way. Ant caves to being secret boyfriends with Robbie, but he doesn't want to take their relationship public because he wants to protect Robbie from homophobia and he's an introvert and doesn't want to deal with people interfering in his life. So that is a conflict in their relationship.
I love when characters are unhinged for their love interest. I love a romance novel that has a lot of humor to it, and this had that. I like when an author shows us rather than telling us, when the author gives us the direct thoughts of the characters so we can see and feel the emotion along with the character. We can see how obsessed and preoccupied by their love interest they are, and we can see the complexity of the feelings and motivations for their actions. It makes for a really visceral, deep and epic connection. It's not a paint by numbers relationship, it's something we feel with every breath, every glance, every stutter, every touch. There's so much feeling and emotion bleeding into all the scenes. That made this book really special.
Fyi, this book regularly breaks the fourth wall and the characters address us directly. But that didn't bother me at all. And there were a couple typos but not many especially given the length of the book.
Some notable moments: (there were so many good moments, I had to hold myself back from quoting too many)
"The only reason I opt for an ice bath instead is because I know damn well that if I hit the gym in this mood, I’ll probably hit Decker a little bit too. It’s been two days since the last time I punched him, and I keep thinking about it. It’s almost like I’m jonesing for it. There’s something about landing a punch on his smug face that I like. It works me the fuck up, and afterward, my bones feel bendy and my insides go all warm and gooey. It’s wrong of me to feel that way. I know that. It’s bad. Violence is bad. Hitting a teammate is bad. I’m not going to do it again. Unless he provokes me."
"I have options. I do. I know that. I can do this. I can open my mouth and let Decker slide his dick into it. I can suck him off. I can taste him. Make him come and swallow his load. I can do that. It’s a definite option. Let’s call it option one. I have other options too. I’m sure of it. I must. It’s just that I can’t think of any."
"“Why are we eating on the floor anyway?” “Well,” I explain, “the thing is…I don’t have a table. Or chairs.” I give him a knowing look. He interprets it correctly. “Oh Jesus.” He slumps back against the bed. “We’re going shopping again, aren’t we?”"
This scene where Ant confided in his friend about how deep he was in it with Robbie was hilarious! "Stacey is dumbfounded. She’s well and truly aghast by what I’ve said. Either that, or she’s laughing so hard she can’t get any sound out. “I don’t even know where to start with that,” she says when she can. “I mean, we’ve got the fact you slept over, the fact you let him in your car, and now you’re telling me you’re letting him draw hearts on your fucking windows…I feel like I don’t know you anymore.” “It’s still not the worst thing,” I wail. “There’s more?"
"“That’s not even the main thing. It used to be, but it isn’t anymore,” Ant says, his voice small and childlike. “It’s you, Robbie. Now it’s you. You’re so fucking sweet and so fucking nice, and people are dicks, and I just…can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt. I can’t stand it, okay? I can’t fucking stand knowing that if we come out, a fuck-ton of people are going to have shit to say about it, and you’re going to read it and hear it and see it. I don’t want that for you. I don’t want to be the person who does that to you. Please don’t make me be the person who does that to you.”'
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2025
This felt less like a bi-awakening and more a bi-roaring to go. Seems like Robbie has been woke for a timeeee.
Immediately got with the program.
Neediest bottom to ever need. Fuck you mean 'Don't pull out.'? Y'ALL ARE NEEDED ON THE ICE OMG???
Horniest bottom award goes to Robbie McGuire.
I swear it's like whenever Ant touches him, he immediately TRANSCENDS to another plane. And if Ant doesn't touch him then he wants to throw things. Christ. The ungovernable horn.
Talking about 'long TRUE thrusts' 😂
“I’m going to feel where you were when I’m on the ice later,” he says it like a promise and a threat rolled into one. “And I want you to know that.”
Christ.
Anyway. Feminization isn't my favorite kink to read and this book didn't change that. But I knew the score going in so....
I really liked their dynamic though. Ant was the sexually assertive one and Robbie was assertive everywhere else so it made for a good balance.
My favorite thing though? Robbie's assertive delusion. Is it even delusion if it works?
Robbie is the kind of person to suggest an outing, choose the place, then sweetly say, "I love this place. Thanks for bringing me here."
💀
"I deleted my profile on all the apps I was on after the first time you called me pretty.”
💀
In any other situation, he'd be accused of aggravated sexual harassment in the workplace but Ant was game so....
Anyway.
I'm unsurprised the love declaration went the way it did.
I used to see reviews where people would complain that the inner monologues were too much and I'd be surprised because I LOVE those!
Yeahhhhh, this time I understood. It felt like the first 40% of the book was them talking more to themselves in their heads than to each other.
Then the breeding. The creampies. Dear Lord, the creampies.
Just pie after pie after pie after pie after pie after—I'm sure you get my meaning.
I pushed through all the cum because I usually love this author's writing so I figured it was worth a shot and I'm glad I did.
3.5 rounded up.
PS- Glad there was an explanation for why there's a guy in a caged helmet on the cover because when I first saw this I was worried it was going to be some sort of historical hockey romance and I simply could not imagine what that would be like.
Immediately got with the program.
Neediest bottom to ever need. Fuck you mean 'Don't pull out.'? Y'ALL ARE NEEDED ON THE ICE OMG???
Horniest bottom award goes to Robbie McGuire.
I swear it's like whenever Ant touches him, he immediately TRANSCENDS to another plane. And if Ant doesn't touch him then he wants to throw things. Christ. The ungovernable horn.
Talking about 'long TRUE thrusts' 😂
“I’m going to feel where you were when I’m on the ice later,” he says it like a promise and a threat rolled into one. “And I want you to know that.”
Christ.
Anyway. Feminization isn't my favorite kink to read and this book didn't change that. But I knew the score going in so....
I really liked their dynamic though. Ant was the sexually assertive one and Robbie was assertive everywhere else so it made for a good balance.
My favorite thing though? Robbie's assertive delusion. Is it even delusion if it works?
Robbie is the kind of person to suggest an outing, choose the place, then sweetly say, "I love this place. Thanks for bringing me here."
💀
"I deleted my profile on all the apps I was on after the first time you called me pretty.”
💀
In any other situation, he'd be accused of aggravated sexual harassment in the workplace but Ant was game so....
Anyway.
I'm unsurprised the love declaration went the way it did.
I used to see reviews where people would complain that the inner monologues were too much and I'd be surprised because I LOVE those!
Yeahhhhh, this time I understood. It felt like the first 40% of the book was them talking more to themselves in their heads than to each other.
Then the breeding. The creampies. Dear Lord, the creampies.
Just pie after pie after pie after pie after pie after—I'm sure you get my meaning.
I pushed through all the cum because I usually love this author's writing so I figured it was worth a shot and I'm glad I did.
3.5 rounded up.
PS- Glad there was an explanation for why there's a guy in a caged helmet on the cover because when I first saw this I was worried it was going to be some sort of historical hockey romance and I simply could not imagine what that would be like.
Read
March 1, 2025DNF @ 4%
"His lips pinch into such a small, tight O that they look like an asshole. One that's clenching"
Nope, can't do it.
Shortly after these sententes were uttered by the narrator, I saw a cursed pic of a pink jello bundt cake on insta that was like the visual depiction of this and now I'll have nightmares about asshole mouths :(
"His lips pinch into such a small, tight O that they look like an asshole. One that's clenching"
Nope, can't do it.
Shortly after these sententes were uttered by the narrator, I saw a cursed pic of a pink jello bundt cake on insta that was like the visual depiction of this and now I'll have nightmares about asshole mouths :(
January 30, 2025
This book is silly and funny and so fucking smutty. It’s like if Garron Park and Heated Rivalry had a baby.
THE PREMISE: two ice hockey rivals are put on the same team, and things very quickly go from antagonistic to gay.
TROPES & VIBES:
- *Arch-rivals are so gay. What are you arching, your back?!*
- Turning up at your enemy’s door bleeding
- Ant’s spiralling internal monologues gave me life
- This book is literally so horny
- Idiots to lovers
- When you keep fighting so the coach makes you *roommates*
- Minimal plot, maximum vibes
4⭐️ 4.5🌶️
THE PREMISE: two ice hockey rivals are put on the same team, and things very quickly go from antagonistic to gay.
TROPES & VIBES:
- *Arch-rivals are so gay. What are you arching, your back?!*
- Turning up at your enemy’s door bleeding
- Ant’s spiralling internal monologues gave me life
- This book is literally so horny
- Idiots to lovers
- When you keep fighting so the coach makes you *roommates*
- Minimal plot, maximum vibes
4⭐️ 4.5🌶️
December 30, 2024
Ant and Robbie are a lot of fun. I love their rivals-to-lovers dynamic, and how attracted they are to one another while dealing with their underlying tension. This tension quickly bubbles over into an insane amount of intense, provocative, and consuming chemistry. Robbie is initially curious about his attraction, while Ant completely detests any feelings towards his rival.
Their journey towards acknowledging and accepting their growing feelings for one another is entertaining, surprising, and full of intense moments that catch both off guard. Their relationship has some fascinating elements that I was not expecting in terms of pet names and hidden kinks. This was an element that I think works, even if I was surprised at its development.
These two have their work cut out for them as they navigate their fascinating dynamic and growing feelings for one another. Overall I enjoyed this story and cannot wait for what comes next.
** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.**
Their journey towards acknowledging and accepting their growing feelings for one another is entertaining, surprising, and full of intense moments that catch both off guard. Their relationship has some fascinating elements that I was not expecting in terms of pet names and hidden kinks. This was an element that I think works, even if I was surprised at its development.
These two have their work cut out for them as they navigate their fascinating dynamic and growing feelings for one another. Overall I enjoyed this story and cannot wait for what comes next.
** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.**
January 14, 2025
Ant + Robbie 🖤
Enemies to lovers | Bi-awakening | Feminization
Was this good? Yes.
Was it worth all the hype of being the only book talked about on Instagram since it was released? No.
Also are we really going to start using "hawk tuah" in books now? Stop. Don't. No seriously. Stop it. I should take off another star just for that.
....
"... I know this time it's different. It's unlike the other times I fell in love. It's you and me baby, from now till the end. It has to be 'cause I'll never feel like this about anyone else."
"He holds me and rocks me gently whispering, "I love you," over and over. He says it until I start to believe it's real. That it's really happening. That he means it. That this is my life."
....
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes and trigger warnings
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Hockey
Bi-awakening
Deeply closeted MC
Feminization
"Princess" and "baby girl"
Supportive family
Bareback
"I didn't know where else to go"
Forced proximity (same team and forced to share hotel room by coaches at away games)
Frotting
Strict roles on page but hints towards switching
Hurt/comfort
Touch him and get your ass kicked
Locker room shenanigans
Straight guy becomes needy bottom
Lacey jockstrap
TWs:
Violence between MCs
The use of "hawk tuah" 🙄
Enemies to lovers | Bi-awakening | Feminization
Was this good? Yes.
Was it worth all the hype of being the only book talked about on Instagram since it was released? No.
Also are we really going to start using "hawk tuah" in books now? Stop. Don't. No seriously. Stop it. I should take off another star just for that.
....
"... I know this time it's different. It's unlike the other times I fell in love. It's you and me baby, from now till the end. It has to be 'cause I'll never feel like this about anyone else."
"He holds me and rocks me gently whispering, "I love you," over and over. He says it until I start to believe it's real. That it's really happening. That he means it. That this is my life."
....
⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes and trigger warnings
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Hockey
Bi-awakening
Deeply closeted MC
Feminization
"Princess" and "baby girl"
Supportive family
Bareback
"I didn't know where else to go"
Forced proximity (same team and forced to share hotel room by coaches at away games)
Frotting
Strict roles on page but hints towards switching
Hurt/comfort
Touch him and get your ass kicked
Locker room shenanigans
Straight guy becomes needy bottom
Lacey jockstrap
TWs:
Violence between MCs
The use of "hawk tuah" 🙄
January 12, 2025
I really should learn control.
anyway, this was both exactly what I wanted and what I wasn’t expecting. In one word, I would say it’s : crude. But with two words, I would describe it as : sweet and crude.
I definitely think you should know what you’re getting into because the writing or at least some of the words used in here can be off putting. not exactly a spoiler but there’s also quite a few scenes with cringey dirty talk so be prepared.
“Just so you know, it’s casual,” I tell him. “This thing between us, it’s just fucking, okay? I’m not a relationship guy”
“We’ll see about that,” he says.”
but it’s also surprisingly sweet. It was so cute watching ant be in complete denial when Robbie started pursuing him. I loved him giving into every single one of robbie’s wishes. Man was whipped since day one. I loved reading about him barely able to function everytime Robbie was near him ✨✨
“Why not? Are you jealous?”
“I’m not jealous,” he hisses. I can tell he’s trying to convince himself more than me, and he’s not doing a great job of either. “I’m not. But, but, don’t call her, okay?”
towards the end, this was almost a Disney movie (not complaining) everyone ended up being so supportive and sweet. the parents and teammates. Boadie and Beth. It was practically a rom com. But it was fun to read so I’m giving it 3.75 stars?
I see fighting or flirting in a hockey romance and i will add it to my tbr.
anyway, this was both exactly what I wanted and what I wasn’t expecting. In one word, I would say it’s : crude. But with two words, I would describe it as : sweet and crude.
I definitely think you should know what you’re getting into because the writing or at least some of the words used in here can be off putting. not exactly a spoiler but there’s also quite a few scenes with cringey dirty talk so be prepared.
“Just so you know, it’s casual,” I tell him. “This thing between us, it’s just fucking, okay? I’m not a relationship guy”
“We’ll see about that,” he says.”
but it’s also surprisingly sweet. It was so cute watching ant be in complete denial when Robbie started pursuing him. I loved him giving into every single one of robbie’s wishes. Man was whipped since day one. I loved reading about him barely able to function everytime Robbie was near him ✨✨
“Why not? Are you jealous?”
“I’m not jealous,” he hisses. I can tell he’s trying to convince himself more than me, and he’s not doing a great job of either. “I’m not. But, but, don’t call her, okay?”
towards the end, this was almost a Disney movie (not complaining) everyone ended up being so supportive and sweet. the parents and teammates. Boadie and Beth. It was practically a rom com. But it was fun to read so I’m giving it 3.75 stars?
I see fighting or flirting in a hockey romance and i will add it to my tbr.
January 13, 2025
"I’ve been here before. You needn’t think I haven’t. I know how this ends. For the avoidance of doubt, it’s badly. Badly is how it ends. Badly is how it always ends. Getting myself tangled up with someone like McGuire is the worst possible scenario for me."
I love Jesse H Reign's writing style, so I always adore her books and Poetry On Ice is no exception. This is Jesse's first foray into the world of MM sports romance and she totally nails it - Ant and Robbie are just perfect. Enemies to lovers is my absolute kryptonite with rivals to lovers coming a close second, and these two have that whole vibe in spades!
What To Expect:
🖤MM ice hockey romance
🏒Rivals to lovers
🖤Grumpy/sunshine
🏒Forced proximity
🖤Bi-awakening
🏒All the first times
🖤High steam
🏒HEA
Poetry On Ice is the first book in Jesse's Totally Pucked series and I can't wait for book 2, The Boy Next Door!
4.5 stars
I love Jesse H Reign's writing style, so I always adore her books and Poetry On Ice is no exception. This is Jesse's first foray into the world of MM sports romance and she totally nails it - Ant and Robbie are just perfect. Enemies to lovers is my absolute kryptonite with rivals to lovers coming a close second, and these two have that whole vibe in spades!
What To Expect:
🖤MM ice hockey romance
🏒Rivals to lovers
🖤Grumpy/sunshine
🏒Forced proximity
🖤Bi-awakening
🏒All the first times
🖤High steam
🏒HEA
Poetry On Ice is the first book in Jesse's Totally Pucked series and I can't wait for book 2, The Boy Next Door!
4.5 stars
January 25, 2025
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but: for some books, less smut would have been the better choice 🤷♀️
Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun reading this enemies to lovers/hockey romance: it’s about Robbie, a hockey player who’s traded to his dream team, the Vipers. Robbie is charming, good looking, a golden retriever if you’ve ever seen one. Everyone likes him, except for his arch nemesis Ant Decker, one of the Viper’s wingmen. Ant is as grumpy and hostile as it gets, and is bent upon showing the world that Robbie’s happy facade is just that - a facade.
To force them to get over their animosities, the coach makes them room together on away games. And that’s when all the pent up energy and aggression finds another (not really surprising) outlet.
Post-nut exhaustion is heavy and doing its damnedest to pull me under. On top of that, I’m fighting full-bodied panic over being buried under a guy I just fucked. I’m currently participating in an activity that can best be described as cuddling. And on top of that, we’re talking a lot more than I consider ideal.
What I loved most about this book was the banter and the relationship growth - it truly felt organic and inevitable, especially after we learn what the root of Ant’s initial animosity is. The sex scenes were hot, too, even for me who’s not overly fond of feminisation kink - but thankfully, it’s not overdone, and it also feels kind of organic and natural.
My stupid belly erupts in a flutter of its own. They’re not my butterflies, okay? They’re his. I’m having sympathetic butterflies, for fuck’s sake.
The main issue I had with the book is that is a bit too long towards the end. Other than that, I loved it. Yes, their outing feels like it’s no big deal, even though Ant dreaded the consequences before, but we don’t read these books because we want realism, right?
Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun reading this enemies to lovers/hockey romance: it’s about Robbie, a hockey player who’s traded to his dream team, the Vipers. Robbie is charming, good looking, a golden retriever if you’ve ever seen one. Everyone likes him, except for his arch nemesis Ant Decker, one of the Viper’s wingmen. Ant is as grumpy and hostile as it gets, and is bent upon showing the world that Robbie’s happy facade is just that - a facade.
To force them to get over their animosities, the coach makes them room together on away games. And that’s when all the pent up energy and aggression finds another (not really surprising) outlet.
Post-nut exhaustion is heavy and doing its damnedest to pull me under. On top of that, I’m fighting full-bodied panic over being buried under a guy I just fucked. I’m currently participating in an activity that can best be described as cuddling. And on top of that, we’re talking a lot more than I consider ideal.
What I loved most about this book was the banter and the relationship growth - it truly felt organic and inevitable, especially after we learn what the root of Ant’s initial animosity is. The sex scenes were hot, too, even for me who’s not overly fond of feminisation kink - but thankfully, it’s not overdone, and it also feels kind of organic and natural.
My stupid belly erupts in a flutter of its own. They’re not my butterflies, okay? They’re his. I’m having sympathetic butterflies, for fuck’s sake.
The main issue I had with the book is that is a bit too long towards the end. Other than that, I loved it. Yes, their outing feels like it’s no big deal, even though Ant dreaded the consequences before, but we don’t read these books because we want realism, right?
December 30, 2024
"𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙰𝚗𝚝 𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚛. 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚣����. 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚐, 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚐 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕. 𝙰 𝚋𝚒𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚋𝚒𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎.
𝙷𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚒𝚝 𝚢𝚎𝚝. 𝙷𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚝, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚘. 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜. 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚞𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝."
Jesse H Reign with an enemies-to-lovers hockey romance!? Color me intrigued my friends. And intrigued I was after first meeting our MCs. Both are NHL stars who play opposite wings on a team Robbie has just recently been traded to. They are also opposites in personality as well. Ant is the quintessential grumpy AH, and Robbie is the energetic golden retriever on skates. As a gay man Ant can appreciate a player with a great hockey physique, I mean hockey butts am I right?, but that's about the only thing he appreciates about being stuck on team with Robbie McGuire. At least, that's what he initially believes.
"𝙸'𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚐𝚞𝚢 𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍. 𝙸'𝚖 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚍���𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚞𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝚠𝚎'𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕."
One thing I did not expect about this book was how sweet it was going to be. I mean we have the "enemies" portion of the book leading to the steamy AF portion, which made a nice segway into the feels. Honestly, I think Robbie might be a lot smarter than anyone gives him credit for, and Ant just held on as best he could for the ride. No matter how much Ant complained about the boyfriendy aspects of their relationship, he still did them. He still did them because just like Robbie, he knew there was something more between them. He just didn't want to admit it.
The little moments when Ant would let down his walls were my favorite parts of the book. He may be a man of few words, but Ant could make them count. I think he loved seeing Robbie smile just as much as Robbie loved making him do the same. The epilogue was absolutely adorable and warmed my heart. It also had me laughing watching these two beefy hockey players acting like a couple of nosey old ladies. I hope we get to find out if the guys are right about their neighbor soon!
𝙷𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚒𝚝 𝚢𝚎𝚝. 𝙷𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚝, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚘. 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜. 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚞𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝."
Jesse H Reign with an enemies-to-lovers hockey romance!? Color me intrigued my friends. And intrigued I was after first meeting our MCs. Both are NHL stars who play opposite wings on a team Robbie has just recently been traded to. They are also opposites in personality as well. Ant is the quintessential grumpy AH, and Robbie is the energetic golden retriever on skates. As a gay man Ant can appreciate a player with a great hockey physique, I mean hockey butts am I right?, but that's about the only thing he appreciates about being stuck on team with Robbie McGuire. At least, that's what he initially believes.
"𝙸'𝚖 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚐𝚞𝚢 𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍. 𝙸'𝚖 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚍���𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚞𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝚠𝚎'𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕."
One thing I did not expect about this book was how sweet it was going to be. I mean we have the "enemies" portion of the book leading to the steamy AF portion, which made a nice segway into the feels. Honestly, I think Robbie might be a lot smarter than anyone gives him credit for, and Ant just held on as best he could for the ride. No matter how much Ant complained about the boyfriendy aspects of their relationship, he still did them. He still did them because just like Robbie, he knew there was something more between them. He just didn't want to admit it.
The little moments when Ant would let down his walls were my favorite parts of the book. He may be a man of few words, but Ant could make them count. I think he loved seeing Robbie smile just as much as Robbie loved making him do the same. The epilogue was absolutely adorable and warmed my heart. It also had me laughing watching these two beefy hockey players acting like a couple of nosey old ladies. I hope we get to find out if the guys are right about their neighbor soon!
April 8, 2025
I went into this thinking I was going to love this but I really should know better than to trust these internet sensational reviewers. Don't get me wrong, I did not hate this, far from it. The expectations were set really high and it just didn't meet it.
I did like both MCs and they had amazing chemistry. I didn't even hate the all the hockey talks. I just found the book very lengthy and the story very repetitive(argue, phuck, repeat). At some point I had to switch from ebook to audiobook(the narrators were AMAZING) to not dnf.
Overall, an okay read.
Story: 3.5 stars
Narration: 5 stars
I did like both MCs and they had amazing chemistry. I didn't even hate the all the hockey talks. I just found the book very lengthy and the story very repetitive(argue, phuck, repeat). At some point I had to switch from ebook to audiobook(the narrators were AMAZING) to not dnf.
Overall, an okay read.
Story: 3.5 stars
Narration: 5 stars
January 9, 2025
Poetry On Ice is book one in the Totally Pucked series. This enemies to lovers MM hockey romance story is about Robbie and Ant.
Robbie and Ant are both stars in the NHL, and their story starts off with Robbie recently being traded and becoming teammates with Ant. Robbie is the nice guy that everyone likes, while Ant is the grumpy ahole. When Robbie and Ant can’t seem to get along on the ice or off of it, their coach calls for them to have extra practices together and forces them to room together at away games.
Robbie and Ant are clearly attracted to each other, and their forced proximity has them acting on it. Robbie and Ant’s chemistry was amazing and they were extremely hot together. I loved how Robbie would get Ant so worked up, and I just ate up all of Ant’s dirty talk. And what is supposed to be casual ends up turning into so much more.
Not only I did I enjoy all of their spicy scenes, but Robbie and Ant also had me swooning with all of their sweet moments together. There is so much more I want to say, but I don’t want to spoil it. There are definitely things you will want to experience reading first hand. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a fantastic start of a new series. I can’t wait for the next book!
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
Robbie and Ant are both stars in the NHL, and their story starts off with Robbie recently being traded and becoming teammates with Ant. Robbie is the nice guy that everyone likes, while Ant is the grumpy ahole. When Robbie and Ant can’t seem to get along on the ice or off of it, their coach calls for them to have extra practices together and forces them to room together at away games.
Robbie and Ant are clearly attracted to each other, and their forced proximity has them acting on it. Robbie and Ant’s chemistry was amazing and they were extremely hot together. I loved how Robbie would get Ant so worked up, and I just ate up all of Ant’s dirty talk. And what is supposed to be casual ends up turning into so much more.
Not only I did I enjoy all of their spicy scenes, but Robbie and Ant also had me swooning with all of their sweet moments together. There is so much more I want to say, but I don’t want to spoil it. There are definitely things you will want to experience reading first hand. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a fantastic start of a new series. I can’t wait for the next book!
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
December 29, 2024
♾️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I always struggle with being able to explain ANYTHING when it comes to an ♾️⭐️ book.. because how?! How can I possibly begin to convince you to read this book other than just saying I thought it was phenomenal, legitimately perfect, and I think EVERYONE needs to pick this book up LIKE NOW. POI became one of my top reads of 2024, and I hold these boys so close to my heart. No criticisms.
First off, Ant and Robbie are deliciously perfect Enemies to Lovers. Probably one of the best EtoL I’ve ever read. They fight, they kiss, and they f*ck. A lot. 🥵 I was NOT expecting this book to be a freakin 5🌶️ book.. but here we are friends. Almost every chapter had some panty melting spice that was both beautiful, and HOT as heck.
For 2 NHL players who are in the closet, sneaking around behind closed doors is where they find they’re happiest. They literally can’t stay away from one another. They fall fast, and HARD. Robbie falls into this relationship very quickly, he’s always been sure of who he is and what he wants. Ant is a different story. He’s closeted, always has been, and has resigned himself to the fact that he always will be. He doesn’t want to get hurt, and he doesn’t want anyone to hurt Robbie.
The sweet moments, the tender moments really made me fall in love with these two. The hot chocolate date, the Christmas with the parents, the “will that go back to normal too?” conversation.. all of it was just.. well, beautiful. There’s no other way to describe Jesse’s writing. She writes GD POETRY. The way she describes a kiss, a touch, a FEELING… UGH. It was just stunning to read.
I don’t think I’ve really experienced FILTHY / DIRTY talk like I did at the hands of Ant Decker. THAT MAN can literally talk Robbie to or**sm. And he does. THE MOUTH ON HIM IS UNMATCHED. 🔥
There is nothing to say other than I hope you pick these two up and experience the absolute joy, hilariousness, (I was literally laughing out loud for half of this book, I swear 🤣) love, passion, and heart eyes that I felt while reading. I’m not over them, I’m not sure I ever will be.
🐜 Hockey Boys
🐜 Beautiful Bi-Awakening
🐜 He Cares For Him
🐜 Unmatched Dirty Talk
🐜 🍑 Appreciation
🐜 Slutty Socks & Lingerie
🐜 Biting & Spanking
🐜 One Bed Because The Other Has A Wet Spot
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I always struggle with being able to explain ANYTHING when it comes to an ♾️⭐️ book.. because how?! How can I possibly begin to convince you to read this book other than just saying I thought it was phenomenal, legitimately perfect, and I think EVERYONE needs to pick this book up LIKE NOW. POI became one of my top reads of 2024, and I hold these boys so close to my heart. No criticisms.
First off, Ant and Robbie are deliciously perfect Enemies to Lovers. Probably one of the best EtoL I’ve ever read. They fight, they kiss, and they f*ck. A lot. 🥵 I was NOT expecting this book to be a freakin 5🌶️ book.. but here we are friends. Almost every chapter had some panty melting spice that was both beautiful, and HOT as heck.
For 2 NHL players who are in the closet, sneaking around behind closed doors is where they find they’re happiest. They literally can’t stay away from one another. They fall fast, and HARD. Robbie falls into this relationship very quickly, he’s always been sure of who he is and what he wants. Ant is a different story. He’s closeted, always has been, and has resigned himself to the fact that he always will be. He doesn’t want to get hurt, and he doesn’t want anyone to hurt Robbie.
The sweet moments, the tender moments really made me fall in love with these two. The hot chocolate date, the Christmas with the parents, the “will that go back to normal too?” conversation.. all of it was just.. well, beautiful. There’s no other way to describe Jesse’s writing. She writes GD POETRY. The way she describes a kiss, a touch, a FEELING… UGH. It was just stunning to read.
I don’t think I’ve really experienced FILTHY / DIRTY talk like I did at the hands of Ant Decker. THAT MAN can literally talk Robbie to or**sm. And he does. THE MOUTH ON HIM IS UNMATCHED. 🔥
There is nothing to say other than I hope you pick these two up and experience the absolute joy, hilariousness, (I was literally laughing out loud for half of this book, I swear 🤣) love, passion, and heart eyes that I felt while reading. I’m not over them, I’m not sure I ever will be.
🐜 Hockey Boys
🐜 Beautiful Bi-Awakening
🐜 He Cares For Him
🐜 Unmatched Dirty Talk
🐜 🍑 Appreciation
🐜 Slutty Socks & Lingerie
🐜 Biting & Spanking
🐜 One Bed Because The Other Has A Wet Spot
January 9, 2025
I absolutely adore all of Jesse H Reign stories. I know for certain I’m in for a roller coaster ride and Poetry on Ice is no exception.
I love Robbie. He knows exactly what he’s doing and exactly what he wants and he is not shy in getting it.
Ant never stood a chance. Robbie consumed him before he had any clue what was happening.
At the beginning of the story I’d have said Robbie was my fav, and Ant was an a**e. As we get to know Ant better, we find out his history and his insecurities, I can say these men are not equally my favs. Their banter is fab! And as much as Ant thinks he’s in charge, he isn’t!
Their entire relationship is endearing and the smut is off the charts but so very Jesse!
This entire story is beautiful and I will absolutely be re reading it again, as I do with all Jesse words!
I love Robbie. He knows exactly what he’s doing and exactly what he wants and he is not shy in getting it.
Ant never stood a chance. Robbie consumed him before he had any clue what was happening.
At the beginning of the story I’d have said Robbie was my fav, and Ant was an a**e. As we get to know Ant better, we find out his history and his insecurities, I can say these men are not equally my favs. Their banter is fab! And as much as Ant thinks he’s in charge, he isn’t!
Their entire relationship is endearing and the smut is off the charts but so very Jesse!
This entire story is beautiful and I will absolutely be re reading it again, as I do with all Jesse words!
January 1, 2025
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
ARC review.
I begin this new year with a fantastic read, and it's all thanks to Jesse H. Reign.
Poetry On Ice is the third book I read by Jesse H. Reign, and once again, she never disappoints! I previously read Romeo Falling and Rent: Paid in Full which were stories I deeply enjoyed, so I was actually very excited to begin a new one!
At the beginning, I had difficulties getting into the story – hockey romances are generally not my favorite genre – but once the characters’ bickering transformed into…another kind of foreplay, I was hooked.
I loved both main characters. Robbie and Ant were such a great pair. I loved their banter, and their chemistry was really well written. Seriously, I went from thinking they were a teeny-weeny annoying (I said that with affection, of course) to thinking they were absolutely made for each other.
What I love most about Jesse H. Reign’s books is that I never doubt either main character’s love for the other, even though she usually likes to write a character “wooing” the other a bit more. For instance, in Poetry On Ice, the fact that it’s Robbie who’s mainly pursuing Ant was really funny, in my opinion. But it didn’t come off as unnerving or over the top. It was kind of endearing to see Robbie being like this! He just got intimate with Ant for the first time, and decided that this asshole of a man (again, it’s said with affection, I love Ant) had to be his boyfriend, and no one else! Robbie was an adorable character.
Anthony “Ant” was a grump through and through! He was a bit harsh to Robbie at the beginning, I admit, but you cannot help but appreciate him though. And to be completely honest, they did start as rivals so him being nice to Robbie wouldn’t make any sense. However, seeing him becoming soft for Robbie was so cute! At one point near the end, he made me tear up, but I’m glad he found a family in the McGuires! Ant had a great development, which was so satisfying!
My only complaint is how Robbie’s bi-awakening seemed to come out of nowhere, and how he threw a tantrum when Ant didn’t want to have sex with him when he realised it was his first time being with a man. Fortunately, it wasn’t a big scene, and Robbie apologised to Ant, so I quicky got over it.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable read. Jesse H. Reign's books are always written so beautifully, and I truly think she's becoming a favorite author of mine 🫶
ARC review.
I begin this new year with a fantastic read, and it's all thanks to Jesse H. Reign.
Poetry On Ice is the third book I read by Jesse H. Reign, and once again, she never disappoints! I previously read Romeo Falling and Rent: Paid in Full which were stories I deeply enjoyed, so I was actually very excited to begin a new one!
At the beginning, I had difficulties getting into the story – hockey romances are generally not my favorite genre – but once the characters’ bickering transformed into…another kind of foreplay, I was hooked.
I loved both main characters. Robbie and Ant were such a great pair. I loved their banter, and their chemistry was really well written. Seriously, I went from thinking they were a teeny-weeny annoying (I said that with affection, of course) to thinking they were absolutely made for each other.
What I love most about Jesse H. Reign’s books is that I never doubt either main character’s love for the other, even though she usually likes to write a character “wooing” the other a bit more. For instance, in Poetry On Ice, the fact that it’s Robbie who’s mainly pursuing Ant was really funny, in my opinion. But it didn’t come off as unnerving or over the top. It was kind of endearing to see Robbie being like this! He just got intimate with Ant for the first time, and decided that this asshole of a man (again, it’s said with affection, I love Ant) had to be his boyfriend, and no one else! Robbie was an adorable character.
Anthony “Ant” was a grump through and through! He was a bit harsh to Robbie at the beginning, I admit, but you cannot help but appreciate him though. And to be completely honest, they did start as rivals so him being nice to Robbie wouldn’t make any sense. However, seeing him becoming soft for Robbie was so cute! At one point near the end, he made me tear up, but I’m glad he found a family in the McGuires! Ant had a great development, which was so satisfying!
My only complaint is how Robbie’s bi-awakening seemed to come out of nowhere, and how he threw a tantrum when Ant didn’t want to have sex with him when he realised it was his first time being with a man. Fortunately, it wasn’t a big scene, and Robbie apologised to Ant, so I quicky got over it.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable read. Jesse H. Reign's books are always written so beautifully, and I truly think she's becoming a favorite author of mine 🫶
February 24, 2025
“AW,” he says sweetly, “look at you, Babygirl.” The word hits me right between the eyes and slices through reason. It enters my brain and rewrites neural pathways.
“Look at you.” It’s softer this time. Raspy and raw. “So pretty with my dick in your mouth.” He gently strokes my hair again and smiles darkly.
“A dick in your mouth and not a thought in your head.”
…
“Show me,” he croons, taking my cheek in his hand and spreading me open.
“Show me that pretty pussy I drilled into you.” I whimper from under the pillow, struggling to stop my hips from writhing at his words.
“Come on, Princess, do it. Push out and show me what I dumped inside you.” To my endless surprise, and perhaps even interest, I find myself doing exactly as he says. I bear down and relax my ring a little. I do it carefully. I do it tentatively—you better believe I do it motherfucking tentatively—but I do it.
“Mmm,” he murmurs as a hot, creamy load spills out of me, “good girl.”
…
He puts a hand on my chest. Lightly. So lightly, it feels insignificant. Like something he’s done many times in the past and fully intends to do many times in the future. That scares me too.
“I can feel you when I move, Ant,” he whispers. “I can feel where you were last night and what you did to me. I can feel you when I walk… When I move my legs.” He kisses me again, this time on my neck. And this time, he chases the kiss with a slow stroke of his tongue along my earlobe. A rash of goosebumps erupts and spreads down one side of my body.
“I’m going to feel where you were when I’m on the ice later,” he says it like a promise and a threat rolled into one. “And I want you to know that.”
…
It’s the kind of kiss that starts off soft and slow, but really, it’s a match dragged over sandpaper. Red phosphorous turns white and ignites. There’s a clash of bodies. A battle of mouths and tongues. A hard, grunting thing is born. A thing that exists outside of us. A hungry thing punctuated only by the sound of our breathing. When he pulls away, my hands are in his hair and I’m gaping, open-mouthed, as I fight for air. He’s fisting my jacket, pulling at it, tearing at it, without the presence of mind to unzip it first.
“Come inside, Ant. I need you. Please come in. I’ll let you do whatever you want with me if you come in.” Maybe men exist who could turn down an offer like that, men with self-discipline or even a smidgeon of restraint. I’m not one of them.
…
He looks between my legs and smiles. “Aw, look at that little pussy. So pink and pretty. So tight. I’m going to have to stretch it out real nice just to get my head in, aren’t I?”
“Mm,” I gurgle, spluttering and nodding and trying to open my legs wider.
…
“Close your eyes,” he says.
I don’t want to, but he runs his fingertips lightly down my face, over my eyes, forcing them to slide shut reflexively. I want to open them again, and I would, but he keeps kissing my face, which makes it difficult. He kisses my cheeks, then my eyelids, then my lips, then my eyelids again. He has a hand on my chest, palm flat and open, covering as much surface area as possible. He moves it in a big, slow figure-eight, warming my heart.
…
But then I wind my fingers into the hair that’s fallen into his face and brush it back, exposing his face. His beautiful face. His mouth. His cheekbones. His eyes and all the good things they contain, and holy shit, how did I ever think I could come within a hundred feet of this guy and not fall for him. I must have been fucking insane. I had no chance. No choice at all. I never did.
“I love you too, Princess. I tried not to fall for you. I really did. But I couldn’t help it.”
…
“When we get to the hotel, I want you like that.” I move the pointer finger of the hand in my lap fractionally and point to where he was stretching.
“I want you on your hands and knees. Ass in the air, so when I open the door, it’s the first thing I see.” I shift my leg slightly toward him. I don’t mean to do it, but I can’t help it. “I want you on all fours so I can teach you what happens to little sluts who mock-fuck the ice.”
…
“I know I’m in love with you, Ant. I know it, like really know it.” He sighs gently. He looks intensely vulnerable, heart open and exposed, beating in his chest cavity with no protection, but he doesn’t look weak. He’s laid bare, but unlike me, he accepted his condition a while back, and instead of thinking of it as a weakness, he sees it as a strength.
“But also, I know this time it’s different. It’s unlike the other times I fell in love because this time…” He kisses me again, softer. Deeper.
“This time, it’s the last time. The last time I’ll ever fall in love. It’s you and me, baby, from now till the end. It has to be ’cause I’ll never feel like this about anyone else.”
POETRY ON ICE was quiet literally boring and I did dnf it at first but the teases on bookstagram got to me and I gave it another shot. More of a beginners MM book than anything. I fear I’m more into dark settings romance. A cheesy read if you’re into that sorta thing.
“Look at you.” It’s softer this time. Raspy and raw. “So pretty with my dick in your mouth.” He gently strokes my hair again and smiles darkly.
“A dick in your mouth and not a thought in your head.”
…
“Show me,” he croons, taking my cheek in his hand and spreading me open.
“Show me that pretty pussy I drilled into you.” I whimper from under the pillow, struggling to stop my hips from writhing at his words.
“Come on, Princess, do it. Push out and show me what I dumped inside you.” To my endless surprise, and perhaps even interest, I find myself doing exactly as he says. I bear down and relax my ring a little. I do it carefully. I do it tentatively—you better believe I do it motherfucking tentatively—but I do it.
“Mmm,” he murmurs as a hot, creamy load spills out of me, “good girl.”
…
He puts a hand on my chest. Lightly. So lightly, it feels insignificant. Like something he’s done many times in the past and fully intends to do many times in the future. That scares me too.
“I can feel you when I move, Ant,” he whispers. “I can feel where you were last night and what you did to me. I can feel you when I walk… When I move my legs.” He kisses me again, this time on my neck. And this time, he chases the kiss with a slow stroke of his tongue along my earlobe. A rash of goosebumps erupts and spreads down one side of my body.
“I’m going to feel where you were when I’m on the ice later,” he says it like a promise and a threat rolled into one. “And I want you to know that.”
…
It’s the kind of kiss that starts off soft and slow, but really, it’s a match dragged over sandpaper. Red phosphorous turns white and ignites. There’s a clash of bodies. A battle of mouths and tongues. A hard, grunting thing is born. A thing that exists outside of us. A hungry thing punctuated only by the sound of our breathing. When he pulls away, my hands are in his hair and I’m gaping, open-mouthed, as I fight for air. He’s fisting my jacket, pulling at it, tearing at it, without the presence of mind to unzip it first.
“Come inside, Ant. I need you. Please come in. I’ll let you do whatever you want with me if you come in.” Maybe men exist who could turn down an offer like that, men with self-discipline or even a smidgeon of restraint. I’m not one of them.
…
He looks between my legs and smiles. “Aw, look at that little pussy. So pink and pretty. So tight. I’m going to have to stretch it out real nice just to get my head in, aren’t I?”
“Mm,” I gurgle, spluttering and nodding and trying to open my legs wider.
…
“Close your eyes,” he says.
I don’t want to, but he runs his fingertips lightly down my face, over my eyes, forcing them to slide shut reflexively. I want to open them again, and I would, but he keeps kissing my face, which makes it difficult. He kisses my cheeks, then my eyelids, then my lips, then my eyelids again. He has a hand on my chest, palm flat and open, covering as much surface area as possible. He moves it in a big, slow figure-eight, warming my heart.
…
But then I wind my fingers into the hair that’s fallen into his face and brush it back, exposing his face. His beautiful face. His mouth. His cheekbones. His eyes and all the good things they contain, and holy shit, how did I ever think I could come within a hundred feet of this guy and not fall for him. I must have been fucking insane. I had no chance. No choice at all. I never did.
“I love you too, Princess. I tried not to fall for you. I really did. But I couldn’t help it.”
…
“When we get to the hotel, I want you like that.” I move the pointer finger of the hand in my lap fractionally and point to where he was stretching.
“I want you on your hands and knees. Ass in the air, so when I open the door, it’s the first thing I see.” I shift my leg slightly toward him. I don’t mean to do it, but I can’t help it. “I want you on all fours so I can teach you what happens to little sluts who mock-fuck the ice.”
…
“I know I’m in love with you, Ant. I know it, like really know it.” He sighs gently. He looks intensely vulnerable, heart open and exposed, beating in his chest cavity with no protection, but he doesn’t look weak. He’s laid bare, but unlike me, he accepted his condition a while back, and instead of thinking of it as a weakness, he sees it as a strength.
“But also, I know this time it’s different. It’s unlike the other times I fell in love because this time…” He kisses me again, softer. Deeper.
“This time, it’s the last time. The last time I’ll ever fall in love. It’s you and me, baby, from now till the end. It has to be ’cause I’ll never feel like this about anyone else.”
POETRY ON ICE was quiet literally boring and I did dnf it at first but the teases on bookstagram got to me and I gave it another shot. More of a beginners MM book than anything. I fear I’m more into dark settings romance. A cheesy read if you’re into that sorta thing.
January 13, 2025
4.25 stars for Ant and his Princess
I’ll admit it took me a minute to get into this book. I wasn’t crazy about the first half but it definitely picked up when the second half started.
I feel like I’m in the minority here because I didn’t absolutely love this book like everyone seemed to. It wasn’t the characters or the plot. Actually I loved the characters so much. Ant and Robbie were so cute together. I loved how Robbie just went full force into it. I appreciated his honesty and openness about everything and how there was absolutely no miscommunication because Robbie is like the king of communication. I even loved Ant’s grumpy ass. Watching him fall all over himself for Robbie was fun to witness. I loved how tongue tied he got when Robbie told him how things were going to be. How when he told Robbie this thing between them was just casual because he wasn’t into relationships and Robbie was all “we’ll see about that.” I found that so hilarious. I loved the enemies to lovers, hockey aspect of it. Even the secondary characters were great.
So it wasn’t any of that that stopped me from giving it 5 stars but the writing itself. I’ve read this authors other books and they were much more simplistic. I found this book a little hard to read because it was so damn wordy!! So many words to describe one thing. So many words just thrown in there that weren’t even needed like: “I was cold. Ice cold. Then I was hot. So hot. Cold and hot. Hot and cold.” Not an exact quote but you get what I mean and I was like dude just take out half these words and this book would have been easier to read. The monologues were also soo lengthy!!! I feel like the entire first full sex scene was a whole monologue and again, it made it harder to read.
Other than that I did enjoy this book. I actually loved Bodie so much and I’m bummed he won’t be getting his own book but I am very happy for him that he finally hot the girl he’s been in love with since he was a kid. (Robbie’s sister)
Kind of nervous about the next one though because if you look at the context of Ben looking hollow and sad and him being there with his young son all signs point to losing a spouse and I do not want to read a dead ex trope because it’s the worse trope known to man!!!
NO CHEATING
NO OP DRAMA
NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
HFN/HEA (living together)
I’ll admit it took me a minute to get into this book. I wasn’t crazy about the first half but it definitely picked up when the second half started.
I feel like I’m in the minority here because I didn’t absolutely love this book like everyone seemed to. It wasn’t the characters or the plot. Actually I loved the characters so much. Ant and Robbie were so cute together. I loved how Robbie just went full force into it. I appreciated his honesty and openness about everything and how there was absolutely no miscommunication because Robbie is like the king of communication. I even loved Ant’s grumpy ass. Watching him fall all over himself for Robbie was fun to witness. I loved how tongue tied he got when Robbie told him how things were going to be. How when he told Robbie this thing between them was just casual because he wasn’t into relationships and Robbie was all “we’ll see about that.” I found that so hilarious. I loved the enemies to lovers, hockey aspect of it. Even the secondary characters were great.
So it wasn’t any of that that stopped me from giving it 5 stars but the writing itself. I’ve read this authors other books and they were much more simplistic. I found this book a little hard to read because it was so damn wordy!! So many words to describe one thing. So many words just thrown in there that weren’t even needed like: “I was cold. Ice cold. Then I was hot. So hot. Cold and hot. Hot and cold.” Not an exact quote but you get what I mean and I was like dude just take out half these words and this book would have been easier to read. The monologues were also soo lengthy!!! I feel like the entire first full sex scene was a whole monologue and again, it made it harder to read.
Other than that I did enjoy this book. I actually loved Bodie so much and I’m bummed he won’t be getting his own book but I am very happy for him that he finally hot the girl he’s been in love with since he was a kid. (Robbie’s sister)
Kind of nervous about the next one though because if you look at the context of Ben looking hollow and sad and him being there with his young son all signs point to losing a spouse and I do not want to read a dead ex trope because it’s the worse trope known to man!!!
NO CHEATING
NO OP DRAMA
NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
HFN/HEA (living together)
January 12, 2025
I have mixed feelings about this book. I've seen the majority of reviews are 5 stars, and that's ok, so I guess I'll be among the few that didn't enjoy this book that much. Still, it wasn't a terrible novel, it just got me a bit confused regarding the plot as it felt like it was three different books in one.
The MCs were actually great and I liked them a lot. My favourite was Ant, he was the grumpy one in the story but he had a huge heart and was just afraid to get hurt. I loved his grumpiness and how he tried to put distance between him and Robbie, and he failed miserably. His comments made me laugh and his struggles made my heart cry for him.
Robbie, on the other hand, was a bit confusing. He started off getting railed off by Ant, but at some point he lost all his rage and just decided to pursue his teammate. I didn't understand how or when that change happened. I missed some explanation about that, mostly because the book's PoV is written in first person and there were a lot of inner thoughts told by the MCs themselves.
There is also the issue about sex. I don't mind sex scenes, the steamy part of every romance novel is something I love. In this book, I found there was too much sex for my liking. I didn't understand the need to include so many hot scenes between the MCs. I would've loved more romantic dates with them (even though Ant insisted there were NOT dates). Also, it takes very long, in my opinion, to learn where Ant's hatred towards Robbie comes from, and when it's unravelled it kind of felt like it could've been revealed a lot sooner so it was easier to understand Ant's attitude.
The way I see this book is like there were three parts that looked to me like three different books. There was a first part where they hated each other. Then a second part where they got into business with all the sex in the world and more. And then a third part where the romance bloomed and it was beautiful, sweet and the part I loved the most.
The book is very well written, I love how Jesse writes and describes emotions, but I think this book wasn't for me. I liked the general plot of the novel and the MCs were wonderful, also the fact that it was a hockey romance (go sport romances!!!). I'll definitely read the next one in the series.
The MCs were actually great and I liked them a lot. My favourite was Ant, he was the grumpy one in the story but he had a huge heart and was just afraid to get hurt. I loved his grumpiness and how he tried to put distance between him and Robbie, and he failed miserably. His comments made me laugh and his struggles made my heart cry for him.
Robbie, on the other hand, was a bit confusing. He started off getting railed off by Ant, but at some point he lost all his rage and just decided to pursue his teammate. I didn't understand how or when that change happened. I missed some explanation about that, mostly because the book's PoV is written in first person and there were a lot of inner thoughts told by the MCs themselves.
There is also the issue about sex. I don't mind sex scenes, the steamy part of every romance novel is something I love. In this book, I found there was too much sex for my liking. I didn't understand the need to include so many hot scenes between the MCs. I would've loved more romantic dates with them (even though Ant insisted there were NOT dates). Also, it takes very long, in my opinion, to learn where Ant's hatred towards Robbie comes from, and when it's unravelled it kind of felt like it could've been revealed a lot sooner so it was easier to understand Ant's attitude.
The way I see this book is like there were three parts that looked to me like three different books. There was a first part where they hated each other. Then a second part where they got into business with all the sex in the world and more. And then a third part where the romance bloomed and it was beautiful, sweet and the part I loved the most.
The book is very well written, I love how Jesse writes and describes emotions, but I think this book wasn't for me. I liked the general plot of the novel and the MCs were wonderful, also the fact that it was a hockey romance (go sport romances!!!). I'll definitely read the next one in the series.
January 15, 2025
Did not finish
I am not sure I’m reading the same book as everyone else but I’d rate this book a 1/5. The first 40% of the book was great but then it felt like a completely different book after their first sexual encounter. The characters seemed to do a 180 in personality with no actual growth.
The author also used weird descriptive words and a lot of “unintelligible sounds” that made everything sound more cavemen than anything.
Overall, I couldn’t finish this book and wouldn’t recommend it.
I am not sure I’m reading the same book as everyone else but I’d rate this book a 1/5. The first 40% of the book was great but then it felt like a completely different book after their first sexual encounter. The characters seemed to do a 180 in personality with no actual growth.
The author also used weird descriptive words and a lot of “unintelligible sounds” that made everything sound more cavemen than anything.
Overall, I couldn’t finish this book and wouldn’t recommend it.
January 22, 2025
4 Stars
A little too much sex for me. Their relationship felt more like lust rather than love, BUT I did love their dynamic and how one would push away and the other didn't take no for an answer. It was cute and sexy.
A little too much sex for me. Their relationship felt more like lust rather than love, BUT I did love their dynamic and how one would push away and the other didn't take no for an answer. It was cute and sexy.
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