A Romance Review: Time to Shine

My sister introduced me to Rachel Reid years ago. I think I’ve read every book in her Game Changers series at least three, but less than five times each. They are that good. Her book Time to Shine is a stand alone novel, still about hockey, but not in the same universe as the Game Changers series. I’m grateful that my sister loves reading as much as I do, and that she shares her best finds with me!

Casey Hicks has it all: a loving family (including a former NHLer as a father), an amazing start to his NHL career (he’s the top goal scorer on his team), and great friends (fellow Calgary Outlaws players). What he’s missing is someone to fill his giant house (and LOVE!). Enter Landon Stackhouse. His family is complicated, he’s a bit of a loner, and he’s the newest backup goalie on Casey Hicks’ team. He also could be sent back to Regina any day (if the regular goalie gets healthy). As these two teammates quickly become roommates, they find out that love is worth risking it all–even a career–if it’s for the right person.

Time to Shine is a slow burn romance where a hesitant bromance turns into the cutest romance.

What I enjoyed most about this book was Reid’s love of hockey. She knows hockey. She’s a fan, and has clearly done research into hockey players’ lives. I think she nails the hardships of being on a farm team and getting called up with the ever-present threat of being sent back down at a moment’s notice. The topsy-turvy feelings she develops as Landon experiences this part of the game are so believable. And something to note, a goalie getting called up happened this year to the Calgary Flames, so it was hard for me to keep the story out of my mind while watching the games. (Go Wolf!)

As an editor, I was impressed with how polished this book was. From the structure to the grammar, I think this book was well crafted. It’s a labour of love to polish a book this well, and Rachel Reid clearly finds the time to put out books of really high quality for her readers. And I’m so happy for Reid that she was picked up by Harlequin. I’m sure that having some of that powerhouse behind her has helped her career. Yeah for editors and publishers! Especially after she announced in December 2023 that she has Parkinson’s Disease: “Because I knew almost nothing about Parkinson’s before I was diagnosed, I like the idea of finding some community around it. And also, I suppose, there’s no reason to hide it. It’s a part of who I am now, and it always will be… As far as how it’s affecting my writing, besides my being pretty overwhelmed by this life-changing diagnosis, mechanical things like typing, writing with a pen, and using a mouse have become challenging. I feel bad for my editor haha.” I hope that she’s able to write more books, because she’s really really good at it!

One recommendation I would have as an editor is to fact check a bit more about the setting (Calgary). And this is just a nitpicking note, and I wouldn’t have known any different if I didn’t live in Calgary. But in the book, Landon’s parents come to visit and they head downtown for the day. Oh boy. Downtown Calgary is a ghost town until lunch hour when all of the office towers spill out onto Stephen Ave. Some better neighbourhoods to check out while in Calgary are Kensington, Inglewood, the Beltline (and 17th Ave and Victoria Park), and Marda Loop. But if that’s the only issue I have with the book, then it’s a good book!

Here are some of my favourite lines from Time to Shine:

  • He wanted to just be with Landon at the party, and then be with him some more when they got back home. And then later in bed. And then the next morning. And maybe every day and night after that. 
  • There had never been anyone Landon had trusted enough to relax that way. To experience pleasure in being touched, and in being watched. In sharing something intimate with another person. Casey had made it easy. Or, easier, at least.
  • It was nice, being in love. Casey was into it.

If you’re looking for a super cute Christmas slow burn that is written by a hockey fan, Time to Shine needs to go on your TBR list immediately!

💖

A Romance Review: The Cupcake Cottage

I found Jean Oram while Googling for Alberta romance authors. There she was, and with a list of books that impressed me. She has several series for readers to jump into. One of my favourite tropes is the accidently married trope, where couples have to figure out how to make things work, so the first book I read was Accidentally Married in the Veils and Vows series. But then I noticed that she had a hockey romance series! So, I downloaded The Cupcake Cottage, book one in the Hockey Sweethearts series and got reading.

Maverick Blades is holding out on dating until he has his NHL career (and wrongfully tarnished reputation) under control. That doesn’t stop Daisy-Mae Rae from crushing hard on her childhood friend, even if his house is a “no women” zone. When Daisy-Mae gets a job working for Maverick’s team, the coach thinks these two Texas friends can save the team’s reputation by fake dating. And both Maverick and Daisy-Mae secretly hope that the fake part doesn’t last long.

The Cupcake Cottage is a friends to lovers, fake dating hockey romance that is delightfully sweet.

Jean Oram’s book is a sweet, closed-door romance. The tension between the two is on the page, but their intimate relationship is left to the readers’ imaginations (behind closed doors). The friends to lovers trope is a great fit for this slow burn romance because both characters know each other so well that the reader can’t help but cheer when they finally reveal that they truly love each other as more than friends. I also enjoyed the minor characters. Maverick’s mom is a woman I’d like to meet in real life, and Daisy-Mae’s friend Violet (the team mascot) is a lot of fun (and the main character in the next book in the series).

As an editor, I thought that Oram did a great job of creating a backstory for her characters. Maverick and Daisy-Mae were childhood friends, and the ease of their friendship makes it easy for them to fall in love romantically, and more importantly the reader believes it. From Daisy-Mae’s strained relationship with her mom, her pageant-winning teen years, and her ability to start small businesses to stay afloat, Oram helps the reader get a better understanding of who Daisy-Mae is and why she has doubts about Maverick’s sincerity. The balance between reaching into the past to develop the characters, and showing who they are in the present setting of the story is done well. The setting (their growing up years in Texas) is a big part of each character, and Oram doesn’t overwhelm the reader with historical details, but infuses the past into the present in such a thoughtful way.

One recommendation I would have as an editor would be to delve a little more into the world of hockey. A bit more research about the game would have added more realism, especially for fans of the game. I do love hockey, and I think that there were some opportunities in the book to add in more details about the game and the world of hockey for those hockey fans out there. That being said, the focus was more on their relationship and their past, and less so on their involvement in the game. This suggestion is just an editor’s preference at this point.

Here are some of my favourite lines from The Cupcake Cottage:

  • Daisy-Mae’s crush was taking on a life of its own as she continued to hang out with Maverick.
  • He’d seen her earlier in the day and she’d been hands-down sexy in her new work wardrobe, giving him long, heated glances that made him want to hit the elevator’s Stop button and mess up her lipstick.
  • It felt like he was not only inviting her into his life but also to become a part of his family.
  • She blushed, and he knew that while he might have a crush on Daisy-Mae Rae, she had a crush right back.

If you are looking for a sweet hockey romance that’s light on the hockey and heavy on the romance, this is the book for you. Enjoy!

💖