Review: A rating....
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 24, 2013
My Review:This is book #2 in what is shaping up to be one of my favorite sports series. And I'm going to stop this review right here because the three books in this series are one huge love story. As a result, anything you read below here hints at spoilers for all the books. It's just the way the series is set up. I try not to get into specifics, but relationship generalizations are here. If you don't want any hint of what happens and haven't read the first book and like some erotic, sexy times in a sports setting.... then stop reading this review and just go buy book #1, FAIR PLAY. You will enjoy these, I think. The series is really well-written with an exciting set-up.OMG, I loved Garrett and Savannah together in book #1, but Garrett and Rhian....whoa!! The thing that Samantha Wayland did so incredibly well, though, was that she kept Savannah present (and it's still a good presence) even though she's truly not in this book. This book is all about Garrett and Rhian. See, Garrett is bi and although he's totally committed to Savannah and their relationship (they are engaged to be married), she's worried that he will eventually be unfulfilled in their relationship. So when she has to move to Boston, she encourages him to take a male lover.For Garrett, it's been a long time since he did that. He works in hockey which isn't a sport that really welcomes homosexual relationships so he's just denied that part of himself. But then Savannah puts this kernel of an idea in his head and there's one man that keeps coming to mind...his best friend who's also very straight...Rhian.Rhian. *sob* If there was ever a man that needs someone to love him, it's this one. This is a guy who learned way early in life through the foster system to not make attachments. He doesn't connect with people and is okay with that, but as a part of this hockey team, that's been subtly changing. Unknown to anyone else, including Garrett, he's also bi. He's also good friends with Savannah and doesn't want to do anything to mess up that relationship between Garrett and Savannah. Eventually a relationship does develop between the two men, but Rhian knows that in the end he's going to get his heart crushed again because Savannah and Garrett belong together. He knows it. They know it. And as a reader, I hurt so much for this guy. He so needs that love. Seriously, Rhian is an incredible character who's overcome so much to become this great guy.In the background was also lots of drama around the hockey team and some that ties back to Rhian from when he was a kid. I continue to love all the supporting characters in these stories. The hockey team side of the story is great...the players and the relationships within that, the ownership and the continued struggles there especially for Garrett, and then there is Rhian and the fact that he's a 24 yo player on his way to greater things within hockey while Garrett is on the verge of player retirement. It's not only about the smexy times...there's a real, riveting story here too and I enjoyed every minute of reading it.The book was great. I love reading m/m and as a result, tend to have problems with the female in menage situations. Although this series hasn't reached that point yet, I really like the way Samantha Wayland has written Savannah. She never felt like an intruder on the two guys relationship to me and that's a rare thing. I cannot wait for book #3.