Weekly Reads: December 8 to 14, 2025

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid (2019)

Contemporary romance. Book 2 of the Game Changers series. The hype is real. Everything anyone says about this book being amazing is true. Did it take a TV adaptation and all the hype to get me to read it? Yes. Have I even seen the show yet? No. But this book was so good. How the heck does a secret romance spanning 8 years over the course of the book hook you in? I don’t know, but it’s amazing. We start with Shane and Ilya being total sports enemies, sports prodigies, totally famous rookies, but also terrified of being attracted to each other. There’s hockey and then there are all the secret hookups, that start off as an angry way to get it out of their systems, but keep happening. For years. And the pining when they aren’t together is insane. Loved this book. It will change your life.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Tough Guy by Rachel Reid (2020)

Contemporary romance. Book 3 of the Game Changers series. Ryan just got traded to a hockey team in Toronto, mostly known for being the tough fighter guy on the team, and has a history of anxiety. He’s not quite in the closet, but he’s socially awkward and doesn’t advertise his sexuality. And he definitely has a thing for more androgynous sort of guys, which includes Fabian, a musician that he had a teenage crush on and reconnects with in Toronto. It’s super obvious these two have a crush on each other and it’s fun seeing them stumble through their burgeoning relationship. Big fan of Fabian’s friend group and also glad to step outside and away from the sports world of this series. These two are total opposites and it totally works.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Common Goal by Rachel Reid (2020)

Contemporary romance. Book 4 of the Game Changers series. Recently divorced Eric is trying to figure out his life and he’s not happy about being attracted to the much younger and carefree Kyle, who is kind of hung up on his friend Kip who is engaged to Eric’s teammate Scott. It’s a little messy here, but somehow Eric and Kyle become friends, and then friends-with-benefits with flirting and sex lessons built in. Both of them start having feelings fast, but Eric is doing that annoyingly noble thing where he thinks he’s too old and boring and inappropriate for Kyle and pushes him away. Classic romance trope type of book here, with special appearances and humor by our favorite Russian hockey star.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

Role Model by Rachel Reid (2021)

Contemporary romance. Book 5 of the Game Changers series. Troy used to be an asshole, but I guess he’s turning things around after a video of him calling his best friend a rapist has gone viral. Troy is out of his old hockey team and onto a new suckier team, but is somehow in the most welcoming and collegial team he’s ever been on. And social media manager Harris is totally part of sunshine, with his positive attitude, apple farmboy vibes, and the caretaking of the team puppy. Troy has been trying to improve himself and that might actually mean coming out as gay instead of hiding his true personality. Luckily, he’s got Harris to help with everything. And we’re spending all our time in Ottawa, so tons of Ilya being awesome. Timeline overlaps with The Long Game, so events will be seen from multiple perspectives.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

The Long Game by Rachel Reid (2022)

Contemporary romance. Book 6 of the Game Changers series. I don’t have words. I’m in a book hangover after binging this whole series in five days. Best book binge I’ve had in awhile. We’re following Shane and Ilya for this one, still in a secret relationship, with Shane being kind of an oblivious idiot while Ilya suffers in his loneliness. Ilya’s the star of this book with his emotional journey and seeking friendship and help. Shane’s got a lot of stepping up to do here and wake up to how he hasn’t actually given up any of his life or comforts to have a secret relationship with Ilya. Lots of callbacks to previous events from prior books, and this book overlaps in timeline with Role Model. We do finally tie it up and get the happily ever after that Shane and Ilya deserve.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Hoopla.

The Christmas I Stole a Viscount by Alexandra Vasti (2025)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Standalone novella. Loved this quick little holiday novella. Persephone wants to make sure her brother doesn’t fret about her reputation, so she decides to ruin it herself by kidnapping her brother’s best friend Leo and plan to be seen in public at an inn. Leo’s too noble for the whole thing and proposes a marriage of convenience instead. He’s got an elderly grandmother who wants to see him settled anyway, so it’s all a very smart plan. Leo and Percy head to his country estate to see grandma real quick, but the weather has them trapped there. And of course they fall in love and Leo falls first and is super sweet and awkward and delightful. Seriously, anything Alexandra Vasti writes is delightful.

Ebook provided by the author.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (2024)

Thriller/Mystery. Rich people, multiple timelines, and missing persons. Rich kid and camper Barbara disappears one night, and everyone’s covering something up. Her parents are terrible, her mother is anxiety-ridden and severely medicated. Oh, and her brother also disappeared over a decade ago. We get a non-chronological timeline here with multiple points of view, which is super interesting to see. I loved seeing the different angles of the mystery and the new bits of information that are presented. Super twisty, but not too scary. Loved it.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio.