The Shots You Take

Reid (Time To Shine) tells a complex, emotionally charged story in her latest hockey romance. At his father’s funeral in his small Nova Scotia hometown, former NHL player Riley Tuck spots his former best friend, teammate, and sometimes-lover, Adam Sheppard, and the emotional floodgates open. Riley and Shep didn’t part on good terms, but both still feel an undeniable connection more than a decade after last seeing each other. The bulk of this slow-burn, second-chance romance features scenes both charming and emotionally wrenching as Riley and Shep are reintroduced to each other while navigating hurt feelings, grief over Riley’s father, and Shep’s recent acceptance of his sexuality. This much sorrow and soul-searching may be too much for some readers looking for a playful sports romance, but Reid intersperses the story with funny and uplifting scenes, along with a few well-written spicy ones too, which keep the deeper parts from feeling too overwhelming. The addition of Riley’s cadre of queer friends living happy lives in rural Nova Scotia is also particularly lovely.