The Penalty

New York Gods #3

by J.R. Gray, Andi Jaxon

I've been kept away from my destiny as long as I've been alive.

I'm the bastard, banished from Manhattan, and forbidden from my dream of playing college hockey for the Gods because no one can find out about me.

But now Dad's dead, and guess who's in the will? So my dream of playing for the Gods can finally come true, but I have to find my place in my half-brother's shadow while dealing with my rival Teddy, who's been a thorn in my side since juniors.

He's cocky, infuriating, and the biggest himbo I've ever met.

Half the time, I think he hates me. But it all comes out after a drunken night, and now I can't get him out of my head.

Exile is over, and I'm here to make their lives a living hell.

Genres: M M Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Hockey, Romance, College, Fake Dating

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2025

About the author

When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.

Reviews

[lakshmi]

there are books that you want to experience reading for the first time again and there are books you wish you can unread. guess which category this book falls under for me ☺️

[Emna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The previous book??? An actual crime against literature—against me. LITERAL TORTURE. Hands down the worst book ever written in the world. Bro, I hated every single second of it with a passion.

But then I read this one—and it hit me. I didn’t actually hate the characters. I hated the way they were written. Because in this book? They were so cool, and i actually had so much fun with them.

The two books felt like night and day. A SHOCK. And let’s be honest—I did not see it coming. One was a chaotic mess, the other?
THIS????????????
This was everything. It genuinely felt like I read two books from two different universes.

This one was so unserious. Ridiculous. Hysterical. Iconic. Chaotic. These people didn’t take themselves seriously at all,and that’s exactly why it worked for me . I LOVED every second of it.

Rhys and Teddy (especially Teddy—our soft, sweet teddy bear) didn’t take long to win me over. Three chapters in and I was:
Hooked? Check.
Emotionally invested? Check.
In love? Absolutely.

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this much while reading a book. I was cackling like a lunatic every other page.

Actually? IDC. This book is flawless in my opinion. And these two? They’ll be soul-tied to me forever.

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Penalty is a hilarious best friend-brother romance. Rhys and Teddy have known one another for years and reveal themselves as their mutual feelings finally bubble over to the surface. This creates utter chaos for the two as they try to resist their tempting new feelings. Not to mention they both play for rivals hockey teams. All of these elements made for an entertaining story that had many laugh-out-loud texting exchanges that had me in stitches.

Teddy is adorable and so pure of heart. He is a rather literal-minded person who lacks the ability to pick out nuances, while mostly wanting to help his brother and best friend. This leads to many interesting hijinks between him and Rhys as their forbidden attraction leads to many funny moments and misunderstandings.

Overall I enjoyed this story, it has a lot of heart, and watching these two try to make their situation work made for a fun story. I cannot wait for Tobi's story. My heart really breaks for him and the sneak peek of his story sounds incredible.

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***

[Sona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have officially found THE most unhinged, hilarious, and horny fake-dating book of my life. Teddy and Rhys are a disaster, and I love them with my whole feral heart.


Book 1 was Isaac and Oliver, and I LOVED that story.

Book 2? Mixed reviews scared me off (Colin + Owen—sorry, maybe later).

But Book 3? Ohhh, Book 3 came swinging and gave us Rhys + Teddy. And let me tell you, this pairing? Perfection. Comedy + heart + heat = ME OBSESSED.

So here’s the setup: The rich twin boys (Owen & Oliver) find out after daddy dearest dies that—surprise!—they have a brother. Enter Rhys. Poor guy, raised outside the money bubble, now dragged into this fancy family drama.

At first, Rhys and Teddy barely have a connection. Except Teddy is Rhys’s best friend’s brother. But when Rhys needs a date for a stuffy family event, his best friend Tobi is supposed to step in. Except he gets sick. Enter Teddy, clueless and adorable, ready to “help.” Cue the fake dating and sparks flying.

Teddy. Oh my sweet summer child, Teddy. Imagine a giant hockey goalie with the brain-to-mouth filter of a toddler and the vocabulary skills of… a creative disaster. He’s big, he’s golden retriever energy on steroids, and he is literally the softest giant alive.

And OMG, the chemistry. Teddy has no idea how gay sex works (I somehow dont think he knows how straight sex works also 😆), but still wants Rhys BAD. The best part? Rhys never once makes him feel dumb. Not once. Instead, he listens, he decodes, he loves Teddy exactly as he is. That? MELTED ME INTO A PUDDLE. Rhys is that rare guy who sees Teddy’s innocence as gold, not something to fix.

But you know what really stole my heart? THE TEXTING. These two texting was PURE GOLD. I was HOWLING at the name changes in their phones. Once I realized it was a thing, I started keeping track (missed a few early ones, but oh well). And now, for your entertainment, here is the iconic list:

The Name Change game:


• Cuddlesnake 🐍🤗
• The Enemy ⚔️😈
• Likes-to-suck-God’s-dick ✨🍆
• Ejaculate 💦😂
• Needs a Breeding 🍼🔥
• Cherry Pumpkin 🍒🎃
• Not My Brother 🚫👬
• Loves My Cock ❤️🍆
• Fake Boyfriend 🎭💔
• Vore Enthusiast 🦖😋
• Sugar-Cup 🍭☕
• Dick Tease 😏🍑
• Boyfriend Beta Test 🧪💘
• Size Queen 👑📏
• My Glory Hole 🔥🕳️
• Breeder 🌱🍼
• Tendy Bear 🐻💕
• That Ass 🍑😍
• Top Me ⬆️🔥
• Double Stuffed 🍆➕🍆
• Not The Enemy ✅🤝
• My Love ❤️🌹

Tell me this isn’t couple goals?! The vibe went from thirst → enemies-ish → chaotic sweetness → heart eyes → endgame romance.

And speaking of endgame, let me shout out Tobi , At first, I hated him. Like, what even was his deal? But by the end, my heart broke for him. I get him now. And honestly? I NEED a Tobi book. Make it happen, universe. Give my sad boy a happy ending.

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sexy Scene Frequency: 🍑🍑
Sexy Scene Heat Level: 🌶️🌶️
Teddy: 💙💙💙💙💙 (Golden retriever with goalie pads)
Rhys: 💙💙💙💙💙 (Patient king, fluent in Teddy)
Angst Level: 💔 (Mostly Tobi related feels, but the main couple? Pure serotonin.)

This book was such a different experience for me—funny, tender, and low-angst but with enough heart to keep me invested. Teddy and Rhys OWN me. I adored their texting, their clueless-to-committed journey, and the fact that this whole story made me grin like a fool.

If you love chaotic golden retrievers + men who worship them, go read this immediately. I’m still giggling at “Double Stuffed.” 😂

[Steph (Teacups & Tropes)]

DNF @ 9%

Uh they’re arguing about the word “yeti” and if it’s a slur and I’m like.. ????

[raccoon reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flew through this book. Teddy and Rhys will *FOREVER* hold an amazing spot in my heart as one of the best couples ever. They just did it for me. Teddy has a heart of gold.

For Teddy it's an idiots to lovers trope. For Rhys, well, Rhys loves Teddy despite his.... I don't even know what to call them. Teddy-isms? Heart of gold I tell you. I love that there wasn't too much drama in this book between the Godfrey brothers. And I loooved getting to see back into the brothers relationships. I cannot wait to read more in this universe. Hilarious.

You cannot convince me that these authors do not get together in their living room and get drunk (or high) to come up with these OTT snort inducing scenes in this fabulous series. The laughter was constant. If you want a book that doesn't take itself so seriously, is silly and sweet, and if you want a book where the himbo is apparently so ignorant about sex he doesn't know how it works, if you want fake dating to friends to lovers to loving each other deeply. Then this is the book for you! So sweet and funny. Don't ask me how someone can be a himbo and also be ignorant about the ins and outs of sex, but it totally works. Teddy is a free spirit. I hope the series continues to the point where we get to see him take over the NHL. 🏒🖤🩶🖤

ps. I began laughing *in* the trigger warnings (always a good sign).

ps.ps. That cover is crack. Absolute crack. It's hard to believe a real man is just out there.... looking like that... walking around. Jesus. 🫠

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, I have a soft spot for adorable himbos, and I completely understand why that isn't for everyone because Teddy truly is a whole idiot and a half, but I have never wanted to be best friends with someone as badly as I want to be best friends with the lovable weirdo that is Teddy.

He truly is THE biggest himbo to ever himbo, and he and Rhys were just too precious for words.

What to expect:
- college hockey
- rivals to lovers
- best friend's older brother
- fake dating turned real
- idiots to lovers, well, in Teddy's case lmfao
- secret relationship
- hilarious banter
- found family
- jealous + possessive MMC
- so much spicy goodness

[Denise DeLeon · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.75⭐️ Generously rounded up for giving us so much of the boys from the prior books.

Yeah, this was fucking awful. It felt like the authors were either playing a sick joke on us or that they’ve grown to hate this series & just did a “fine, here you go” to get it done.

I really enjoyed the first two books & was so excited that I grabbed this on KU as soon as it was released. I understand that my expectations were too high but this went beyond that. Teddy was horribly annoying. He was a parody of a dumb jock in every sense. They tried to force this himbo thing & took it way too far. Rhys had so much potential & was a pretty decent character which just made their relationship even harder to digest.

Literally the only reason I finished this book was because of the Godfrey brother storyline. I was interested in that & loved all of the Oliver, Owen & their boys that came along for this train wreck. After about a third of the way in, I skimmed anything with Teddy or their relationship & any spice because I couldn’t stomach it. I only focused on the Godfrey stuff & a little bit of the hockey because I do plan to give the next book a shot as well. I’m interested in the Godfreys & in Tobi… who, might I add, I hated that so much of his shit was shoved in at the end & Rhys expected him to talk & deal with them after asking for space, wtf?

If you read the other books & want more from the family, read this but keep your expectations in Hell.

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: best friend's brother, college hockey romance, miscommunication, fake dating
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 2.5/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: depression and anxiety, minor character who is suicidal at the end, sex between mmcs when both of them are intoxicated, death of parent
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: no cheating between mmcs, but Rhys' dad cheated on his wife with Rhys' mother, he's the product of their affair
Other person drama: no virgins. They first hooked up 6 months ago as a one-time thing hookup. Then they avoided each other, but then hooked up after the 6 months apart and were exclusive. There's no references to whether or not they were with other people during the 6 months apart, so you can believe whatever you want.

3.75 stars

Teddy is about 21. He held off on entering college for 2 years to play in the hockey juniors. He's now playing college hockey and is a goalie. Rhys is about 19, and he has known Teddy for years because Teddy's little brother Tobi is his best friend. They have both had a crush on each other, but they haven't done anything about it because of Tobi. Then Rhys' dad passes away and he hooks up with Teddy in an emotional moment. They stay away from each other for 6 months, but then see each other again at college because they're playing hockey on rival teams in the same town. They think they should stay away from each other, but then Rhys needs a fake boyfriend for moral support while dealing with his dead dad's other children. His dad was really wealthy and he has obligations socially and business-wise and a messy relationship with the brothers to navigate. Fake dating turns into real hookups and a real relationship because they know each other well and like who the other person is so much, in addition to being attracted to them. But they see conflict because they keep their relationship a secret because they are on rival teams and they are worried about Tobi.

I have complicated feelings about this book. I feel like I can't judge this as I would have regular romance novel because of Teddy. Teddy is not a smart guy, and he is so challenged with understanding basic concepts that I could not think of him as a realistic long-term romantic partner and I also had these niggling ethical concerns about his mental capacity. It's one thing to have a character who is naive in a charming way, a not so smart himbo can be a very funny thing and can make a good romantic lead! But Teddy was so far past that, but I was just in this uncomfortable zone. Like for example, Teddy didn't know what anal sex was, that it was a thing that was possible, he learned about it by Rhys saying he wants to do something and to trust him, and then fingering and taking him. Rhys enjoyed sex but can he consent to things he doesn't understand? While there was a billion hilarious moments of Teddy misunderstanding things, the reality is that it's extremely frustrating and difficult to not be able to communicate with a person. My neurospicy brain would not be able to handle someone like Teddy in my life, the communication problems would make me want to yeet myself from life.

That said, I feel like I need to judge this book as a book rather than as a romance novel! And with that in mind, I did find it and enjoyable story. The characters were endearing. There was humour, plot, spice, platonic affection, and real emotional connection between the characters. I am weak for humour and a relationship where characters take such comfort in each other in a platonic way as well as a smutty way. And this couple was always sneaking in hand holding, hugs, snuggles and craved those things just as much as they craved getting off.

And hey, it was nice to see the moment at the end of the book where Teddy gave Rhys some good advice when he was in a tough spot. I'm glad that Teddy was able to be supportive and contribute to the decision Rhys had to make. I was worried with his mental state he wasn't capable of being an equal or supportive partner, so it was promising to have that moment.


Some notable moments:

Teddy wanting to cuddle a bunny, lol "Blondie smacks Shredders stomach. “We’re going to find some bunnies. Later.” “Who has bunnies? I could want to cuddle a bunny. All tiny and soft and shit.” I look between them but no one answers me. “Well?” They look between each other then back at me like I’m speaking a different language. “What?” “Who. Has. Bunnies?” I say slowly this time. “We’re trying to get laid,” Shredder says. “What?! You can’t fuck a bunny! They’re tiny! That’s animal cruelty!” What kind of monsters am I on a team with and why am I the only one who seems to have an issue with this?"

Tobi, you are all of us... "“Are we supposed to learn about gay breeding in high school? What class was that cause I would have liked that one.” Tobi slams his face into his hands and groans. “Jesus Christ.” “I’m sorry. Are you praying? I didn’t know. I’ll wait. Continue.” “I am honestly concerned about the future of humanity. How are you this dumb?” He looks up from his hands. “Oh, are you done praying?” “I wasn’t praying!”"

Teddy just casually whipping his dick out and taking a dick pic in front of half of his team in public. "I snap a picture of my soft dick, with flash since I’m classy, and send it before looking up. Half the team is standing around me, staring. “What?” “Who did you just send a dick pic to?” Porter demands, crossing his arms, and looking real captain-y. “Mind your own business.""


*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.

[Mariah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the worst of the trilogy.

Teddy is so dumb that it is annoying to read his parts. So much of what he says and the questions he asks could be handled with a google search, texting him mom to talk about “breeding” was ridiculous. Internal monologue wondering how men have sex because where’s the “hole” they need, was absurd. He’s written in an almost juvenile way.

Their relationship happens out of nowhere and then turns into a fake dating plot that’s totally unnecessary for the storyline.

I don’t like Rhys mom or particularly understand where she’s coming from with her issues. Wanting him to keep playing hockey in the junior league until his early twenties so he doesn’t spend his father’s money, that they’ve literally survived on for his whole life, doesn’t make any logical sense.

The texting became a nuisance, they were too frequent, the name changes were too much; “my glory hole” “breeder” nothing about the texts were endearing, which is what I assume they were supposed to be.

Teddy and Rhys seemed to just be friends with benefits for so long, I never even really felt like they loved each other beyond the novelty of being new to m/m relationships and their obsession with each other.

I’ll check out the fourth for sure but I won’t reread this one.

[Beaumont · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6 ⭐️ rounded up beside it was fun.

Fair warning, the blurb isn’t completely accurate. Rhys never tries to make Owen and Oliver’s lives a living hell.

Rhys is a 19-ish year old cis white gay man. He’s closeted to everyone but his best friend Tobi (and eventually Teddy when he kissed him). He implies he isn’t a virgin but we don’t know anything about his attractions or sexual experience other than Teddy. He’s had a crush on Teddy for a few years but doesn’t take any action until the start of the book. Like his two half brothers Owen and Oliver from the previous books, he’s pretty toppy and dommy, thought not as much as his brothers.

Teddy is a 21-ish year old cis white gay man. He’s implied to have not realized he liked men until a man offered to hook up with him, and then he realized he was gay and took it in stride. He’s never had anal sex and knows almost nothing about any kind of sex other than handjobs and maybe blowjobs. He’s a himbo through and through. Very, very not bright. Sometimes what he says isn’t comprehensible. He’s had a crush on Rhys since Rhys was 18 (about a year ago) which he describes as “forever” ago. He likes slightly older pop music (Katy Perry, Beyoncé) and crocheting. He likes crocks (the shoes) and sparkles sometimes.

While I like Teddy and love that he’s a himbo, he was probably too dumb even for a himbo. Like he somehow knew almost nothing about reality at times. He didn’t know some common words associated with hockey, a game he’s played for years. He was more like an alien or a born sexy yesterday robot.

I also struggled with the authors’ attempt to write gen z characters while highlighting their generation. It got awkward real fast. Also if they’re implying millennials didn’t text with bad grammar/spelling, and abbreviations, um yes they did. Millennials pretty much put abbreviations on the map and it wasn’t pretty. Do the authors not remember the flip phone shorthand? But what do I know? I’m not gen z so maybe they’re dead on?

While I enjoyed the story, I felt like the 75 pages or so in the middle felt a bit aimless.

Other than that my enjoyment of the book was more than my issues with it. I loved that Owen has made such big strides with the support of Colin and Oliver, and I really like seeing the result of it. He’s more stable even with his struggles, he’s open about his mental health, and he’s fostering healthy relationships even if they’re a bit weird. It wasn’t as blatant (because Oliver isn’t as open as Owen), but I liked seeing Oliver coming into his own as well. And as always Colin is my darling and my favorite.

I liked the two new main characters. The focus was mostly on their relationship with a sprinkling of hockey and other relationships (family and friends). I like that they weren’t perfect but they tried and they learned and they worked hard to improve. It’s impressive for such young people. Rhys is softer than his brothers because he’s younger and was raised away from the super elite society. He’s similar but different. Teddy is a weirdo but a sweetheart and I loved how much Rhys meant to him and how much he loved his brother Tobi, but he was too confused about why Tobin”hated” him to fix it.

The relationship between Tobi and the MCs is left in limbo, so I’m assuming the next book is Tobi’s. No clue who his LI is going to be.



Contains:
—himbo MC
—gay mc x gay mc
—closeted mc x out mc
—jock x jock
—goalie x winger
—hockey players from rival college teams
—d/s dynamic (nothing official)
—somewhat smaller (but not small) top
—somewhat younger (two years) top
—sub/bottom is the big spoon for snuggles/sleeping
—sexually inexperienced bottom (not a virgin) x sexually experienced top
—fast burn romance, kinda
—serious lack of sexual education (which is standard in America)
—best friend’s older brother / younger brother’s best friend
—hockey
—college
—several typos but nothing that makes it unreadable, just needed someone to clean it up
—mild jealousy (from Teddy)
—mild possessiveness (from Rhys)
—“goalies are weird”
—poor communication (not between MCs, they’re weirdos but mostly on top of the communication with each other)
—side character jokes about committing suicide

Other:
—first person dual POV
—cheating: no
—romantic rival: not really, neither MC likes anyone else, but Tobi eventually admits he’s in love with Rhys and jealous of Teddy, though Rhys doesn’t feel the same way
—breakup:
—kids: no
—sex: strict roles. Teddy bottoms and Rhys tops. Super mild d/s, barely there.
—HEA: yes.


“If we go to your fucking room I will have my cock down your throat before you have the door closed. Is that what you want?” He swallows hard not saying anything but the bulge in his pants tells me enough.

“I’m keeping this shirt.”
“When it stops smelling like me, I’ll trade you for a different one.”

“Does pretend dating have orgasms cause I’m good with it, if it does.” Wait. Then what’s the difference between fake dating and real dating?
“I don’t think it does.”
“Well, that’s stupid. It should have orgasms. It would make everyone happier.”
“Or…” Rhys takes a deep breath, almost like he’s bracing himself. “We can try dating for real and just keeping it quiet. For now.”

“We can use the times I have to go to family stuff to test it out, see how we like it. And dating me definitely comes with orgasms. Who knows, maybe it’ll help your game if you’re bred regularly.”

His legs fall open as he writhes in ecstasy. He meets every one of my thrusts, like he was born to power bottom.

There is nothing I want more than to fill him with my cum and actually breed him.

“Porn isn’t real. Everyone knows that.”

The more we mingle, the more people check out Teddy. He’s drawing all the eyes in the room between his size and his big, happy grin. I’m so fucked when he makes it to the NHL. He’s going to have people falling all over themselves for him. All my nerves and pent-up energy were already too much to deal with, but the people flirting with him pushes me over the edge. I need to mark my territory. Now.

“I’m going to fuck you against this glass.” Rhys spins me so all I can do is watch the people moving around. “What if all those people knew you were mine? What if they could see how badly you want to be impaled on my cock?”

“You’re taken, what are you doing?” Lancelot throws back.
Osha wags his eyebrows. “Oh sweet baby gay, we are open to sharing.”
“That’s a real thing?” I ask him. Cause there’s no way I’m sharing Rhys. Ever.

One hand slides into my hair, making me shudder. “You gave my hairs hard-ons.”
“I…what?”
I lift my arm to show [Rhys] the hairs standing up. “See?”
“Goosebumps. Those are goosebumps, baby.”

“I would love to fuck you raw. To see my cum leaking out of your hole.” [Rhys] shudders and it’s my turn to grin at him.

We lay there for a minute, just existing in this moment. It’s so clear to me that I love him. That post nut clarity is clarifying. It’s not like. It’s not lust. It’s love. It has to be. Nothing else makes sense. But now what do I do with that?

“And if I want out?” I ask, needing to know what Owen will say before we’re in front of Oliver.
Owen shrugs and looks at his hands. “I don’t know if he’ll forgive you but I will.”
“Really?” I ask, my eyes suddenly burning.
He nods. “It will kill him, and I’ll hate it because he’s half my soul. I can’t change that but I get it. You don’t owe us anything and our relationship isn’t based on what you can do for me. I don’t want it to be. I want you to be my brother.”

“Rhys! Do not try to escape. I love you too!”

[Amberly Hays · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun! It had humor, like lol moments and Teddy and Rhys were just so cute! I can’t wait to see what’s next for this series.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so conflicted on this book. It is not yet released and I received it early. I didn't even know it was coming out until I got an email that the ARC was ready for download. I briefly researched what it was about and was pleasantly surprised. The first two were about fencing. This one switches to hockey (with rivals-to lovers) which is my preferred sport to read about (obsess about, rather). Then I started to remember that this would be about the illegitimate son that is step brother to the twins from the first 2 books. I dived in immediately, putting my current read on hold. Rhys is the new step brother. He shows up after his fathers death to find out he has an inheritance and shares in the family business. Although the twins are featured heavily in this book, its not completely necessary to read their books first (usually I am a stickler about reading an interconnected series in order). Rhys ends up in a relationship with his best friends brother (Teddy). The way it started felt like whip lash. There was no build up, tension, etc. Just BAM. Then they start this "fake dating" relationship that was entirely contrived for the purpose of throwing them together. He didn't NEED a date to the functions with his new brothers.

Teddy is quite a character. He is the stupidest HIMBO that ever HIMBO'd. I am quite a fan of HIMBOs and the idiots-to-lovers trope. This one took it too far. The authors went out of their way to make this guy the biggest idiot. I almost quit the book so many times because it didn't feel genuine or endearing. This man is supposed to be in college. Yes, he is a jock and plays hockey - BUT STILL.... he had to at least pass high school to get to college and I'm not convinced he did pass. I finally just had to accept that he was an idiot and I kept reading to see how everything would turn out. I needed to see how Teddy's brother/Rhys's best friend would react to their coupling (not well). He did start to grow on me as the book progressed and I did end up liking the book. I can't say I would specifically recommend it to anyone. I will say that the covers for this series are some of my most favorite covers in the mm space. I just love them so much.

Ways this book could have been better (in my opinion):
- More build up/tension. I didn't like how they just sexually attacked each other out of nowhere. It happened so fast
- Gave Teddy a little more intellect. Being a HIMBO is cute but he was exhausting
- The text conversations were a chore. Teddy abbreviated everything that I spent more time trying to decipher them then actually reading it. I understand that that was the point, but again - he didn't have to be an idiot in every aspect of his life. They also kept changing each other's names in their text convos which was cute at first but I kept losing track of who was who. I had to rely on the the misspellings and abbreviations to know which one was Teddy.
- I don't truly believe they loved each other - which is an important part of a romance book. They lusted for each other and they got each other through some emotional turmoil. That doesn't equal love.

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book!! I had a blast reading it! Teddy is hilarious with his cuddle snakes and the snow people and fancy crocs 🤣🤣. I’m telling you, right off the bat, from the dedication onwards this book had me in stitches. I was literally cackling out loud. I was expecting some hockey rivalry and that was there, along with some seriously swoony romance and this is obviously a high heat, tons of chemistry, singeing the pages sexy book, but the absolutely fun humour blindsided me and I LOVED it!

I really liked Rhys, I had no clue what Tobi’s problem was for the longest time but I LOVED Theodore, I will be taking no arguments on that, he is hands down one of my all time favourite characters now, I almost choked on breakfast cause I was reading and laughing so hard. That man has no guile and a very unique understanding of the world and its effects 🤣🤣🤣.

Teddy is Rhys’s best friend’s brother and something’s been brewing there for a while, it all sort of tips over when they happen to be on sworn rival teams and it’s a fine balance of forbidden and hiding and understanding with a whole new dimension of Rhy’s secret now not anymore secret Godfrey family twins and their husbands thrown in. Trust me, the authors lay it out and pace it beautifully and it’s a really fun, sweet ride and incase I havnt said it enough I loved the book.

Expect:
* Hockey romance (opposing teams)
* Opposites attract
* The sweetest most clueless MC
* Possessive MCs
* Found family
* Forbidden
* Brother’s best friend

If you’re looking for an absolutely banging entertainer of a book, pick up and gobble this down! Bon Apple Titty!

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"My heart does a little patter when Rhys looks up at me. My brother’s best friend for years has been starring in my dreams since he turned eighteen."

The Penalty is the third book in the New York Gods series by Andi Jaxon and J.R. Gray.

This is Rhys and Teddy's story and if you recall from previous books, Rhys is Oliver and Owen's (surprise) half-brother.

What To Expect:

🖤 MM hockey romance
🖤 Steamy first times
🖤 Brother's best friend
🖤 Rivals to lovers
🖤 Secret relationship
🖤 Family angst
🖤 HEA for the MCs

I loved Rhys but I found Teddy - with all his naive, golden retriever, exuberant misunderstandings - a little hard going. Not my favourite of the series so far, but will definitely appeal to readers who love that trope.

3.5 stars

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I....did not like this at all. I kept reading because I thought it would get better and I LOVED the first two but like...this felt way too random and an excuse for continuing the series? I feel like Teddy was way too dumb. I think it would be funnier if he was just a little stupid about one or two things consistently, but...what the actual fuck. How does he not know that gay sex can involve dicks up butts, and he's watched porn but thinks it's like...CGI or something?? Also I feel like all the emotional stuff was dumped on the reader at the last minute, and to me it came out of left field that Tobi was in love with Rhys??? I thought the changing names in the text conversations were pretty good and it was funny how Teddy and Rhys texted each other. But overall it just felt messy and weird and most of it was the fake boyfriend thing but I feel like the "sudden brother/heir" plotline was just left alone? Honestly have not been this confused by a book in a long time, I have no idea what happened here.

[Laura Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Penalty is book three in the New York Gods series. This MM best friend’s brother romance story is about Rhys and Teddy.

In the previous books in this series, we met the twin Godfrey brothers, Oliver and Owen. When their father passes away, they learn they have a brother Rhys. Rhys is a college hockey player that joins the Gods. He is attracted to Teddy, his best friend Tobi’s older brother. Teddy is also a hockey player, but he is a goalie that plays on a rival team.

After a night of drinking, Rhys and Teddy give into their attraction to each other. But since they are on rival hockey teams and they don’t want to hurt Tobi, they don’t let things go any further. That is until Rhys needs a date to an event with Oliver and Owen. He planned to take Tobi, but he ends up sick and Teddy takes his place. What ends up starting as fake relationship, soon starts to turn into something real.

Teddy was an adorable and naive himbo that took things literally. There were times I found him entertaining, but unfortunately there were other times where he ended up frustrating me. Rhys definitely had patience with all the misunderstandings.

Although it wasn’t easy, Rhys tries to get to know his brothers. I did enjoy getting more of Oliver, Isaac, Owen and Colin. Their comments and banter had me wanting to go back and reread their books again.

Rhys and Teddy were sweet and hot together. Their story definitely had me smiling and laughing at times. I do have to admit there were times it was hard to follow, especially with the texting. I also wish things would have been a little more resolved with Tobi, but it looks like we will be getting his book next.

I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.

[NitaBee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best friends brother ✅
Himbo ✅
Romcom✅
Fake boyfriends ✅



This was a hilarious read but holy moly Teddy , you adorable, croc wearing himbo, I have so many questions 🤣



“Thanks Coach.” I scrub my hands down my face then look at him again. “Can I have a hug?” He snorts and pulls me into a hug, a very dad-like hug. “Damn goalies,” he says, but sounds amused this time. He ruffles the back of my hair before he lets me go. “No more talk of being a traitor, you hear me?” “Yes, Coach.”

“I am rubbing off on him. Sex is great.” Teddy grins like he’s not even trying to annoy Oliver. “Down boy,” Oliver mutters, sitting as far away from Teddy as possible. “We’ve heard extensively about your relations and I can assure you we are all good.” Colin slides in, squishing way closer to Oliver than he needs to be. “I don’t think that’s the case. We love hearing about you, Teddy.” Owen sinks down in his seat, like he would melt into it if possible.

[Schilanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 3 completely missed the mark

I had to double check that the authors were the same when reading this book. The first 2 books in series were good, but for some reason, this book was dreadfully written with MCs dialogue in middle school range and the lack of hockey knowledge was frustrating. How a 20 year old hockey player (Teddy) did not know what a puck bunny was is ridiculous and his maturity level was close to a 12 year old. I skimmed 30% and could not finish. Please, oh please get back on track for book 4

[Alix · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was simply a joy to read! Teddy is now one of my fave MCs and I just adore him! The things Teddy thinks and says and the way he texts...I was just laughing so hard so much while reading this book. I also enjoyed visiting with Owen and Colin, Isaac and Oliver from the previous books! And I loved growly, possessive Rhys!! But yes...Teddy stole the show and my heart! There are so many cute moments throughout this book - the authors apologize for the texts but again, I was just laughing so much over them - perfection! The authors really did an amazing job getting Teddy's personality in particular to shine through and this is all due to their skill. I loved that this also had hockey rivalry along with the trope of brother's best friend to add to the mix. This is a truly enjoyable read and will be added to my comfort reads shelf to pull out when I need sweetness and some laughs.

I received a complimentary copy and am leaving this review voluntarily

[Alyssa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf at 17%


******
“What do the TikTok people say? Gyatt? Rizzin'?
Ohio toilet rizz?
I don't understand slang.”

and the whole - how do guys have sex, theres no hole

Teddy is beyond stupid- I get that its meant to be bc he’s a goalie and they’re a but ditsy but my lord
******


I LOVED LOVED LOVED the first two booked but the writing in this is clunky and the storyline goes so fast theres not much depth.

I have loved all of Andi Jaxons books and I’m so disappointed about this!

[Caroline Forrester · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

🥅 Brother’s Best Friend/BFF’s Brother
🐍 Rival Hockey Teams
🥅 Himbo Golden Retriever
🐍 Surprise Family
🥅 Fake Dating to Secret Relationship

🖤 No third-act breakup
🩶 No OM drama (someone is interested but they’re already in love with each other by then)
🤍 Strict


My thoughts:

I wanted to like this more than I did. Especially since Andi Jaxon wrote one of my favorite books of all time. It was cute and funny, but the quality just wasn’t there for me, and there were too many small things that annoyed me throughout. The biggest annoyance was how stupid Teddy was. I like a dumb jock character, but this book took it too far outside reality. He was so stupid that it was a wonder how he function. Some of the jokes were funny, but eventually it got tired. Especially in the epilogue where he is actually getting mad over his own misunderstandings. It just takes you out of the book.

There were a bunch of places they NEEDED commas.

I did like the general storyline and they made a sweet couple, though I don’t know if I pictured them staying together forever.

Tobi was an asshole. Rhys wasn’t a great friend at the end, but that was no reason to be a butthole about it. Even if his feelings were obvious to the people around them, Rhys clearly didn’t know and Tobi can’t blame him for dating other people when he didn’t speak up.

I kind of wanted to read Tobi’s book and see him redeemed, but I think it’s MMM and that’s not my jam.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first two books in this series and was ecstatic when I found out there would be more. Another Godfrey brother?? I'm here for it. I did like Rhys and following his journey as he got to know Oliver and Owen and find his place on the hockey team. My issue was Teddy, who is written to be so dumb that I wondered if it was cannon that he's suffered some TBI's and that's why he struggled. I'm okay with a character who sometimes mixes things up and isn't book smart, but it got old quickly with how over the top Teddy was.

The next book reminds me a bit of Owen's book (at least just the first chapter that I've seen so far), so I'm hoping it will land better for me.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story! Rivals to lovers, best friends brother, secret relationship, hockey and family drama what’s not to love? This book was a lot of fun, it had me hooked from the very beginning and had me laughing throughout the whole thing. I loved Rhys and Teddy is literally the sweetest ever. And now I’m going to be anxiously awaiting Tobi’s book.

[Grace Purcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solely took off a star because I can’t stand Tobias 😅 maybe his book will redeem him!

[Tabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's OK but Teddy is a bit too much 'sexy baby' trope for me at times.

[Monikat]

DNF @19%

def not my thing. no rating.

[xxBooksILovexx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by JR Gray & Andi JAxon. This story follows Rhys (Step brother to Oliver & Owen from On Guard & The Retreat.) & Teddy (Himbo & brother to Rhys' best Friend, Tobi) The two of them end up in a fake dating situationship that turns real. Lots of drama and text messaging!

[Julia Toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teddy! That's all, that's the review!
Kidding, but Teddy was such a standout in this story! He was the himbo-est himbo to ever himbo, and that coupled with his golden retriever energy was everything. Teddy said and thought the funniest things, and he had me laughing all the way through the book. I loved that Rhys never made fun of him and enjoyed his outrageous statements. I feel like Teddy was the best partner for Rhys. Serious Rhys needed Teddy's type of fun and love for life in his world.
This was such a fun read. I loved how fast paced it was and how much I got to laugh while also getting really sweet moments between Rhys and Teddy. This instantly became a comfort read for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brat · Rating 5 out of 5]

brother's best friend
hidden relationship
on enemy college hockey teams
goalie

teddy is so refreshing and awesome what a great funny character