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Arizona Raptors #2
Across the Pond
The greatest journey isn’t from England to the States, it’s the one that two men take on the way to find each other.
Sebastian Brown is on a mission to rescue the Arizona Raptors and a vow he made to a friend in college. Either that or he’s on vacation. He’s not entirely sure that he’s made up his mind yet. Either way, traveling from England, to the arid desert of Arizona isn’t exactly a picnic, particularly with the doubts and worries he takes with him. He’s turned even the worst of companies around, but faced with the challenge of improving the reputation of a hockey team that everyone seems to hate, he knows his work is cut out for him.
Focus is key, but that is easier said than done when Seb is sent into a tailspin by the intriguing Alejandro. Seb’s entire marketing plan hinges on making Alex a poster boy for equality and fair play. But with Alex’s utter dedication to the game, and his dark secretive eyes, the gorgeous Alex is stubborn, opinionated, doesn’t want any part of being the team focus, and worst of all, doesn't appear to like Seb at all. It takes everything that Seb has to keep his hands off of Alex, but things get out of hand and Seb’s life might never be the same again.
Alejandro Garcia has had to work hard to get where he’s at. Born to Mexican immigrants, his siblings and himself have never had it easy in this new country their parents dreamed of calling home. A native son of Arizona, Alex has always been the odd man out on the ice but he’s not going to let a stupid thing like his heritage get in the way of his dreams. He’s now a Raptor and he plans to put all that training and collegiate hockey experience to good use. Working hard comes naturally to him. It’s something his parents have instilled in him from the time he was a toddler. Being one of a handful of Latino hockey players makes him strive for success with even more determination. His first pro season has had some ups but a lot more downs, but Alex is one stubborn young man and failure is not an option.
As the Raptors struggle to rebuild not only their team but their core values, Alex finds himself drawn to one of the owner’s friends, a tall, lanky Brit with the face of an angel and an accent and attitude that bewitches and befuddles him. Sebastian is everything he thought he would never be attracted to but he can’t push the sexy, older, fun-loving man out of his thoughts. If ever there were a man he would not be able to take home to his parents - not that he can bring a man home since he is deeply closeted - it’s Sebastian, but desire knows no socioeconomic, age, or international borders. The heart wants what the heart wants and Alejandro’s wants Sebastian.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2019
174 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Scott
307 books2,720 followersRJ Scott writes heartwarming, passionate MM/gay romance stories where every man finds his happily ever after. When not writing, she enjoys reading books, watching movies, spending time with her family, following Formula 1 (Forza Ferrari!), and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Email her here: rj@rjscott.co.uk
Find RJ here: Amazon | BookBub | Facebook - Also, Never miss a release
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
November 1, 2019
This didn't go at all like I was expecting it to but it was still an enjoyable read.
It was a lot more quietly angsty than I thought it would be and, surprisingly for this author pair, most of the relationship intimacy was developed off page.
There is a mutual blowjob/handjob on page at the start of their relationship, but the next time we get the full visceral experience of them in bed together, it's almost at the end of the book.
That really surprised me to be honest, as RJ and Vicki have such a talent for getting the emotional balance between the heat of a sexual encounter and the growing level of trust it needs in a relationship.
It doubly surprised me because Alex coming to terms with being gay and how that affected him because of both his Mexican-American heritage and his Roman Catholic upbringing and his own beliefs is a massive part of the plot and he's an inexperienced virgin, worrying about it.
So to skip over the first time he and Sebastian commit to extending their trust into a more deeply emotional sexual intimacy just felt odd.
Still, that's pretty much my main niggle with this otherwise lovely romance between two people who are as different as night and day.
I really loved how Seb's Englishness was played to the hilt, it made me laugh a lot each time a typically British saying or word was dropped into the dialogue.
Alex blew hot and cold for me for a while, I liked him and I sympathised with his inner turmoil, but I also felt frustrated a lot of the time at what was going on with him and Seb.
There were a couple of times it felt like I'd missed something happening, as they went from attraction to boyfriends without much discussion and time jumped along with them.
The fallout from Henry's accident is still being felt throughout this book, and we see both Alex and Ryker trying to deal with what's happening with their friend.
A lot happens in this book, I'm not sure if everything perfectly hits the mark, but I think some of those plot elements will carry through into Henry's story which is up next.
All in all, I preferred book one a smidgen but I'm really looking forward to seeing Henry recover and move on.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
It was a lot more quietly angsty than I thought it would be and, surprisingly for this author pair, most of the relationship intimacy was developed off page.
There is a mutual blowjob/handjob on page at the start of their relationship, but the next time we get the full visceral experience of them in bed together, it's almost at the end of the book.
That really surprised me to be honest, as RJ and Vicki have such a talent for getting the emotional balance between the heat of a sexual encounter and the growing level of trust it needs in a relationship.
It doubly surprised me because Alex coming to terms with being gay and how that affected him because of both his Mexican-American heritage and his Roman Catholic upbringing and his own beliefs is a massive part of the plot and he's an inexperienced virgin, worrying about it.
So to skip over the first time he and Sebastian commit to extending their trust into a more deeply emotional sexual intimacy just felt odd.
Still, that's pretty much my main niggle with this otherwise lovely romance between two people who are as different as night and day.
I really loved how Seb's Englishness was played to the hilt, it made me laugh a lot each time a typically British saying or word was dropped into the dialogue.
Alex blew hot and cold for me for a while, I liked him and I sympathised with his inner turmoil, but I also felt frustrated a lot of the time at what was going on with him and Seb.
There were a couple of times it felt like I'd missed something happening, as they went from attraction to boyfriends without much discussion and time jumped along with them.
The fallout from Henry's accident is still being felt throughout this book, and we see both Alex and Ryker trying to deal with what's happening with their friend.
A lot happens in this book, I'm not sure if everything perfectly hits the mark, but I think some of those plot elements will carry through into Henry's story which is up next.
All in all, I preferred book one a smidgen but I'm really looking forward to seeing Henry recover and move on.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
November 10, 2019
2nd book of the “Arizona Raptors” series following the fate of a Hockey Team and the MM romances of some of the members of the team. Just like with their previous series, “The Harrisburg Railers”, these authors play with the team spirit and friendship, it’s low on angst and with the right amount of sweet for me. Going into these books is like spending a nice evening catching up with good friends.
The team is still internally struggling to be on top again, despite the efforts of the management, of the new coaches and some good promising recruits, one of them being the young Alejandro, very well liked, bitter with the racist comments against his heritage, and deeply into the closet. Here enters Sebastian, flying from England, a good friend of one of the team owners and taking the task of improving the reputation of the Raptors.
The part that kept me the most interested ? : the slow rebuild of the team and following Henry’s struggle after his accident from book1. I was less invested on the romance between Alejandro and Sebastian, maybe because it felt a bit like a YA romance, like a lot happened out of page and felt unfinished.
Tepid enthusiasm for this specific romance, but a nice tease for the next gathering featuring Henry. I will be ready.
ARC of “Across the Pound” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The team is still internally struggling to be on top again, despite the efforts of the management, of the new coaches and some good promising recruits, one of them being the young Alejandro, very well liked, bitter with the racist comments against his heritage, and deeply into the closet. Here enters Sebastian, flying from England, a good friend of one of the team owners and taking the task of improving the reputation of the Raptors.
The part that kept me the most interested ? : the slow rebuild of the team and following Henry’s struggle after his accident from book1. I was less invested on the romance between Alejandro and Sebastian, maybe because it felt a bit like a YA romance, like a lot happened out of page and felt unfinished.
Tepid enthusiasm for this specific romance, but a nice tease for the next gathering featuring Henry. I will be ready.
ARC of “Across the Pound” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2020
Is it me or the book?
That’s a toss up.
This is the third book I’ve read by these authors. I wanted to give them a chance because: HOCKEY!
Well, I gave them a chance and I’ve concluded that these authors are not for me. I don’t care for their jilted writing style nor for a lack of real chemistry in the MCs I’ve encountered.
I know many readers love this duo and their many books, but I know when a writing style and I just don’t hit it off.
This makes me sad because hockey romances are truly my favorite. Ah, well.
My rec? Try a sample over coffee and see if you get along before you commit.
That’s a toss up.
This is the third book I’ve read by these authors. I wanted to give them a chance because: HOCKEY!
Well, I gave them a chance and I’ve concluded that these authors are not for me. I don’t care for their jilted writing style nor for a lack of real chemistry in the MCs I’ve encountered.
I know many readers love this duo and their many books, but I know when a writing style and I just don’t hit it off.
This makes me sad because hockey romances are truly my favorite. Ah, well.
My rec? Try a sample over coffee and see if you get along before you commit.
November 10, 2019
Sebastian/Seb and Alejandro/Alex
Seb is traveling all the way from England to Texas to help the hockey team The Raptors get a better image. He is a nice guy. Taking care of his mom, who was left alone by his dad, the moment she told she was pregnant.
For the time being, he will stay in the pool house from Jason, the co-owner of The Raptors.
He wants to use Alejandro/Alex for his marketing plan.
Alex, twenty-two, has a secret as a good catholic Latin American boy, he just can’t show his true colors.
With this, he doesn’t want to get involved with the big plan. He can’t even stand Seb now does he?
Alex was very vulnerable and Seb very reasonable. Very cautiously Seb tries to get closer.
It seems Alex is the one who wants to get closer, only he has to face all of his religious family.
A lovely story, a lot about working out how to upgrade the imago of the team and a lot about the lives of other team members. I preferred the moments where it was more exclusively about Seb and Alex. The struggle was hard. Alex had a somewhat stiff family.
Sebastian was way too mellow. I would have loved to see him give some more thrill and emotions, some resistance, fight or even a break. I’m bad I know, I can’t have it all.
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t wholeheartedly commit to both men, that’s on me.
The moments both men were together were nicely put down so it was easy to visualize them.
Overall a good, well developed, smoothly written story, a nice addition to the series.
Seb is traveling all the way from England to Texas to help the hockey team The Raptors get a better image. He is a nice guy. Taking care of his mom, who was left alone by his dad, the moment she told she was pregnant.
For the time being, he will stay in the pool house from Jason, the co-owner of The Raptors.
He wants to use Alejandro/Alex for his marketing plan.
Alex, twenty-two, has a secret as a good catholic Latin American boy, he just can’t show his true colors.
With this, he doesn’t want to get involved with the big plan. He can’t even stand Seb now does he?
Alex was very vulnerable and Seb very reasonable. Very cautiously Seb tries to get closer.
It seems Alex is the one who wants to get closer, only he has to face all of his religious family.
A lovely story, a lot about working out how to upgrade the imago of the team and a lot about the lives of other team members. I preferred the moments where it was more exclusively about Seb and Alex. The struggle was hard. Alex had a somewhat stiff family.
Sebastian was way too mellow. I would have loved to see him give some more thrill and emotions, some resistance, fight or even a break. I’m bad I know, I can’t have it all.
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t wholeheartedly commit to both men, that’s on me.
The moments both men were together were nicely put down so it was easy to visualize them.
Overall a good, well developed, smoothly written story, a nice addition to the series.
May 10, 2023
I loved these guys as a couple but this book felt too short.
So many issues were raised but there were barely any resolutions which got really frustrating.
Alex also went from deeply closeted to coming out to his entire family so quickly that the emotional response I expected to have to it never came, because it was all over so fast!
The instances of racism from both security people Alex and Seb encountered were detailed and I assumed were leading to something more, but then nothing came of it so it felt like sensationalism rather than a genuine plot point, which was disappointing.
The ending was super vague too, like I want to know how they're going to make the relationship work after taking a few hours to read about them, but everything was left up in the air! Some parts of this ongoing series just really frustrate me 🤷🏻♀️
So many issues were raised but there were barely any resolutions which got really frustrating.
Alex also went from deeply closeted to coming out to his entire family so quickly that the emotional response I expected to have to it never came, because it was all over so fast!
The instances of racism from both security people Alex and Seb encountered were detailed and I assumed were leading to something more, but then nothing came of it so it felt like sensationalism rather than a genuine plot point, which was disappointing.
The ending was super vague too, like I want to know how they're going to make the relationship work after taking a few hours to read about them, but everything was left up in the air! Some parts of this ongoing series just really frustrate me 🤷🏻♀️
July 3, 2021
"Across the Pond" is the second book in the Arizona Raptors series, a tie-in to the Harrisburg Railers and Owatonna U series. As part of the continuing efforts of the owners and coaching staff to turn the Raptors around, Sebastian Brown is brought over from England to raise the team's media profile and is immediately bowled over by gorgeous 22-year-old player Alejandro Garcia, thinking he would be the perfect poster boy to repair the team's tarnished image.
Alex loves his close-kind Catholic family, but struggles with the "toxic machismo so many Latino males grow up with" and is absoulutely terrified about coming out to his family. Alex copes by acting cocky, macho, and above all straight:
The plot also keeps us up-to-date on Ryker, their goalie Colorado Penn, Henry (recovering from a horrific car accident) and Sebastian's efforts to rehabiliate their image. I like the character development of the secondary characters (who I imagine will soon star in their own books in the "Arizona Raptors" series) and the glimpses into Alejandro's strong family, but around 75% through the book ...
As the second book in the series, "Across the Pond" nicely moves along the series by giving us more insight into members of the team and their dynamic, and showing us how the team is slowly pulling together. While aspects of this particular book didn't work for me personally, I'm enjoying the series and looking forward to more books! 3.5 stars for "Across the Pond."
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Alex loves his close-kind Catholic family, but struggles with the "toxic machismo so many Latino males grow up with" and is absoulutely terrified about coming out to his family. Alex copes by acting cocky, macho, and above all straight:
Fuck. I so hated this. Hating it didn't keep me from doing it, though. I wiggled into the skin of a straight Latino man, pasted on the smile the ladies liked, and sauntered into party central.But no matter what he does, "sexy and foreign and whiskery" Sebastian intrigues him and once Alex admits to himself that he is gay, his relationship with Sebastian very slowly evolves as he tentatively explores his sexuality. There are kisses, frottage and a sexy shower scene, but Alejandro still has a firm grasp on his v-card.
The plot also keeps us up-to-date on Ryker, their goalie Colorado Penn, Henry (recovering from a horrific car accident) and Sebastian's efforts to rehabiliate their image. I like the character development of the secondary characters (who I imagine will soon star in their own books in the "Arizona Raptors" series) and the glimpses into Alejandro's strong family, but around 75% through the book ...
As the second book in the series, "Across the Pond" nicely moves along the series by giving us more insight into members of the team and their dynamic, and showing us how the team is slowly pulling together. While aspects of this particular book didn't work for me personally, I'm enjoying the series and looking forward to more books! 3.5 stars for "Across the Pond."
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Stop by my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
November 22, 2019
I am so on a roll with this writing duo...so far for me...they can do no wrong. Full review to follow soonish!
When “Coast to Coast” ended...
we were left with a hockey team that seemed to be on the brink of destruction…there was a new coach that no one seemed to know what to do with…lucky for them he knew what he was doing because as the story moved along some things got better but other things…well not so much and now here we are back in Arizona and the Raptors are still picking up the pieces and as part of that effort Jason Westman-Reid has called on Sebastian Brown a close friend from his uni days. Seb’s a fixer, he takes companies that are hot messes and turns them around making them profitable and if anybody needs fixing…it’s the Raptors.
Seb’s giving his friend’s team 3 months and he’s going to get them sorted out during that time or at least he will if he can keep his focus on the team and not just one player in particular…Alejandro (Alex) Garcia…beautiful, dedicated, mouth-wateringly gorgeous Alex…Seb is so screwed and Alex isn’t doing any better where Seb’s concerned.
But Alex comes with his own challenges…you see Alex is not only in the closet, he’s nailed the door shut. Growing up the son of Mexican immigrants and raised in a Catholic household the one thing that Alex knows for sure is ‘being gay, out and proud’ is a guaranteed way to lose your family.
Along with playing hockey, Alex has put a considerable amount of his free time and energy into showing the world that he’s just another straight dude, but as he and Seb become closer he begins to resent the charade that he’s been leading and dreams of being able to be himself even with his family start to eat away at him until he’s no longer comfortable with the pretense of being something that he’s not until he’s ultimately faced with a choice.
I really liked Seb’s character right from the start. He’s mature (there’s a 10-year age gap between him and Alex), Seb’s kind and confident and most importantly has a wealth of patience…not just money although he seems to have a fair bit of that too. In spite of the fact that Seb and Alex have very different backgrounds there’s much about what Alex is facing that Seb understands and has dealt with in his own way.
Alex for me was a little more of a challenge to warm up to. There were times that he seemed to be blowing hot and cold in rapid succession, but all things considered it made sense. This is a young man all of 22 years old and while in many ways he’s very mature for his age, he’s also dealing with a lot of pressures both externally and internally. He’s one of a handful of Latino hockey players in the NHL and this my friends is very much based on fact. I spent a few minutes on google and as near as I could ascertain there are maybe 6 players who are Latino in the NHL out of a total of 713 players (31 teams each allowed 23 players on their active roster) if I was a Latino playing in the NHL I’d find that to be more than a little bit intimidating add in his family and team dynamics and running hot and cold would be the least of my issues…hell, I’d just be running. So at the end of the day when I sat back and tried to imagine the pressures of being Alex…well all I can say is he’s one brave young man and he really deserves to have a Seb in his life.
And that was when I fell a little bit in love with this story when I sat back and looked at it objectively or at least as objectively as any of us can. Sure there were some quirks and quarks that maybe would have worked better if they were a little different…but at the end of the day maybe not. I don’t know. I do know that as it stands this story was sweet and these two characters worked. Initially the attraction felt very ‘lust at first sight’ but truthfully, I’m ok with that. I’ve even ok with the fact that the connection between Seb and Alex came from the little things…the kisses, the touches, the quiet talks, the small gestures that showed their support of each other and the big gestures.
I also really liked getting to see Henry and I’m so freakin’ happy that he’s getting his own story and we’ll get to hopefully share in some happiness for him because damn, if he doesn’t deserve some happy I’m not sure who does…now with any luck after Henry we’ll get Colorado’s story because ain’t no one going to convince me there’s not one hella’ good story waiting to be told about that boy.
*************************
An ARC of “Across the Pond” was graciously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.
When “Coast to Coast” ended...
we were left with a hockey team that seemed to be on the brink of destruction…there was a new coach that no one seemed to know what to do with…lucky for them he knew what he was doing because as the story moved along some things got better but other things…well not so much and now here we are back in Arizona and the Raptors are still picking up the pieces and as part of that effort Jason Westman-Reid has called on Sebastian Brown a close friend from his uni days. Seb’s a fixer, he takes companies that are hot messes and turns them around making them profitable and if anybody needs fixing…it’s the Raptors.
Seb’s giving his friend’s team 3 months and he’s going to get them sorted out during that time or at least he will if he can keep his focus on the team and not just one player in particular…Alejandro (Alex) Garcia…beautiful, dedicated, mouth-wateringly gorgeous Alex…Seb is so screwed and Alex isn’t doing any better where Seb’s concerned.
But Alex comes with his own challenges…you see Alex is not only in the closet, he’s nailed the door shut. Growing up the son of Mexican immigrants and raised in a Catholic household the one thing that Alex knows for sure is ‘being gay, out and proud’ is a guaranteed way to lose your family.
Along with playing hockey, Alex has put a considerable amount of his free time and energy into showing the world that he’s just another straight dude, but as he and Seb become closer he begins to resent the charade that he’s been leading and dreams of being able to be himself even with his family start to eat away at him until he’s no longer comfortable with the pretense of being something that he’s not until he’s ultimately faced with a choice.
I really liked Seb’s character right from the start. He’s mature (there’s a 10-year age gap between him and Alex), Seb’s kind and confident and most importantly has a wealth of patience…not just money although he seems to have a fair bit of that too. In spite of the fact that Seb and Alex have very different backgrounds there’s much about what Alex is facing that Seb understands and has dealt with in his own way.
Alex for me was a little more of a challenge to warm up to. There were times that he seemed to be blowing hot and cold in rapid succession, but all things considered it made sense. This is a young man all of 22 years old and while in many ways he’s very mature for his age, he’s also dealing with a lot of pressures both externally and internally. He’s one of a handful of Latino hockey players in the NHL and this my friends is very much based on fact. I spent a few minutes on google and as near as I could ascertain there are maybe 6 players who are Latino in the NHL out of a total of 713 players (31 teams each allowed 23 players on their active roster) if I was a Latino playing in the NHL I’d find that to be more than a little bit intimidating add in his family and team dynamics and running hot and cold would be the least of my issues…hell, I’d just be running. So at the end of the day when I sat back and tried to imagine the pressures of being Alex…well all I can say is he’s one brave young man and he really deserves to have a Seb in his life.
And that was when I fell a little bit in love with this story when I sat back and looked at it objectively or at least as objectively as any of us can. Sure there were some quirks and quarks that maybe would have worked better if they were a little different…but at the end of the day maybe not. I don’t know. I do know that as it stands this story was sweet and these two characters worked. Initially the attraction felt very ‘lust at first sight’ but truthfully, I’m ok with that. I’ve even ok with the fact that the connection between Seb and Alex came from the little things…the kisses, the touches, the quiet talks, the small gestures that showed their support of each other and the big gestures.
I also really liked getting to see Henry and I’m so freakin’ happy that he’s getting his own story and we’ll get to hopefully share in some happiness for him because damn, if he doesn’t deserve some happy I’m not sure who does…now with any luck after Henry we’ll get Colorado’s story because ain’t no one going to convince me there’s not one hella’ good story waiting to be told about that boy.
*************************
An ARC of “Across the Pond” was graciously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2025
Sebastian et Alex avec un Culomètre à 🍑
Encore un tome sympathique que nous propose un duo d'autrice qu'on ne présente plus ~
Alex Garcia est bien au fond de son placard, bien qu'il côtoie des coéquipiers queer, son origine latino est déjà un frein, il ne veut pas rajouter son homosexualité dans la balance. Mais quand Sebastian Brown débarque d'Angleterre pour donner un coup de fouet à l'équipe en dérive, par les médias sociaux, Alex sent que cette histoire va mal finir.
C'est une romance qui se lit assez vite, avec des personnages attachants, une histoire de coup de foudre et de relation interdite. Que ce soit la différence d'âge ou le milieu social, les deux hommes ont pas mal de barrières à détruire pour espérer vivre une belle histoire d'amour.
La plume des autrices fait toute l'histoire, on connait ce genre de scénario, on sait comme il va se dérouler et comment cela va se terminer, mais j'ai quand même pris plaisir à découvrir la romance des deux protagonistes. Le thème qui donne un plus est le racisme, qui n'est pas très abordé dans les romances anglophones et qui est important, surtout le racisme banalisé. Un très bon point qui rajoute une force en plus au livre.
Bref, il ne refera pas le monde, mais vous fera passer un bon moment ~
Encore un tome sympathique que nous propose un duo d'autrice qu'on ne présente plus ~
Alex Garcia est bien au fond de son placard, bien qu'il côtoie des coéquipiers queer, son origine latino est déjà un frein, il ne veut pas rajouter son homosexualité dans la balance. Mais quand Sebastian Brown débarque d'Angleterre pour donner un coup de fouet à l'équipe en dérive, par les médias sociaux, Alex sent que cette histoire va mal finir.
C'est une romance qui se lit assez vite, avec des personnages attachants, une histoire de coup de foudre et de relation interdite. Que ce soit la différence d'âge ou le milieu social, les deux hommes ont pas mal de barrières à détruire pour espérer vivre une belle histoire d'amour.
La plume des autrices fait toute l'histoire, on connait ce genre de scénario, on sait comme il va se dérouler et comment cela va se terminer, mais j'ai quand même pris plaisir à découvrir la romance des deux protagonistes. Le thème qui donne un plus est le racisme, qui n'est pas très abordé dans les romances anglophones et qui est important, surtout le racisme banalisé. Un très bon point qui rajoute une force en plus au livre.
Bref, il ne refera pas le monde, mais vous fera passer un bon moment ~
November 18, 2019
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the second book in the series, but closely linked to the other two joint hockey series by this talented duo of authors. I would recommend them all to you - and would certainly suggest that you read the first Raptors book, so that you understand the environment and team that you are reading about here.
Alex is an NHL anomaly as a tall, talented Latino hockey player. As we discover, he is subject to considerable racial abuse from fans and opponents whilst in player mode, but even in his daily life he deals with unwarranted racial slurs. He has learned to behave calmly and allows it to pass over him as best he can. It is a reminder of how the world remains an unequal place for many. The fact that he is fairly certain he is attracted to men not women is something that he can never imagine revealing to anyone, so his whole life is based on a falsehood. I found the passages where he thinks about his different selves engaging as he travels from one environment to another hugely compelling. The good news is that he does get some peace in his life, but he definitely has to fight for it, even against himself!
Seb comes to the Raptor team as a favour to part owner Jason, to see if he can turn it around. He plans on hanging around for a few months to try and revitalise the business and give the team a chance to continue playing into the future. Whilst reviewing the details of the squad he is blown away by his attraction to Alex, and irrespective of boundaries, cannot help but hope to get to know him better. And so starts a journey for both men that is led by the confident, out and proud Seb, and the very uncertain Alex. It is full of all the very best elements of a team; the caring for each other, the cheekiness, but the loyalty, and the desire to win.
I thought this was a lovely romance surrounded by some serious issues, and doing both of them justice. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next; clearly Henry is due some good fortune soon.
This is the second book in the series, but closely linked to the other two joint hockey series by this talented duo of authors. I would recommend them all to you - and would certainly suggest that you read the first Raptors book, so that you understand the environment and team that you are reading about here.
Alex is an NHL anomaly as a tall, talented Latino hockey player. As we discover, he is subject to considerable racial abuse from fans and opponents whilst in player mode, but even in his daily life he deals with unwarranted racial slurs. He has learned to behave calmly and allows it to pass over him as best he can. It is a reminder of how the world remains an unequal place for many. The fact that he is fairly certain he is attracted to men not women is something that he can never imagine revealing to anyone, so his whole life is based on a falsehood. I found the passages where he thinks about his different selves engaging as he travels from one environment to another hugely compelling. The good news is that he does get some peace in his life, but he definitely has to fight for it, even against himself!
Seb comes to the Raptor team as a favour to part owner Jason, to see if he can turn it around. He plans on hanging around for a few months to try and revitalise the business and give the team a chance to continue playing into the future. Whilst reviewing the details of the squad he is blown away by his attraction to Alex, and irrespective of boundaries, cannot help but hope to get to know him better. And so starts a journey for both men that is led by the confident, out and proud Seb, and the very uncertain Alex. It is full of all the very best elements of a team; the caring for each other, the cheekiness, but the loyalty, and the desire to win.
I thought this was a lovely romance surrounded by some serious issues, and doing both of them justice. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next; clearly Henry is due some good fortune soon.
November 9, 2020
Reading the blurb, I was enthusiastic about this book:
Hockey guys: check
Age gap: check
Culture clash: check
Saving a failing business: check
There are so many points and things I love in a story, it should have been
fabulous.
However, maybe I read too many great Hockey stories lately,
I must say, that this was a disappointment.
It is not a terrible book to make it clear, for me it was an okay average read, but I had high expectations and the book really didn't deliver...
So many of the above mentioned tropes were just given at the beginning but then completely ignored,
only the culture clash between the Brit and the Latino played a role, and that on the other hand was completely exaggerated, a little banter concerning the different languages would have been nice, but here it was definitely too much.
I also had a hard time connecting to those guys and honestly I didn't believe their falling in love, I am completely clueless why they liked each other apart from being hot, as we were repeatedly told...
Sebastian looks for a poster boy to advertise the Hockey team he has been hired to promote and he immediately dismisses Ryker, the obvious choice, because as he tells everyone, a Bi player does not appeal to the mainstream hockey fan, but he realizes Alex is gay, the minute he meets him and still thinks he would be the perfect choice for this job, did I miss something here?
A lot of little things like this just didn't make sense, so overall I had an okay time reading it, but I would not necessarily recommend it.
3 stars for me.
Hockey guys: check
Age gap: check
Culture clash: check
Saving a failing business: check
There are so many points and things I love in a story, it should have been
fabulous.
However, maybe I read too many great Hockey stories lately,
I must say, that this was a disappointment.
It is not a terrible book to make it clear, for me it was an okay average read, but I had high expectations and the book really didn't deliver...
So many of the above mentioned tropes were just given at the beginning but then completely ignored,
only the culture clash between the Brit and the Latino played a role, and that on the other hand was completely exaggerated, a little banter concerning the different languages would have been nice, but here it was definitely too much.
I also had a hard time connecting to those guys and honestly I didn't believe their falling in love, I am completely clueless why they liked each other apart from being hot, as we were repeatedly told...
Sebastian looks for a poster boy to advertise the Hockey team he has been hired to promote and he immediately dismisses Ryker, the obvious choice, because as he tells everyone, a Bi player does not appeal to the mainstream hockey fan, but he realizes Alex is gay, the minute he meets him and still thinks he would be the perfect choice for this job, did I miss something here?
A lot of little things like this just didn't make sense, so overall I had an okay time reading it, but I would not necessarily recommend it.
3 stars for me.
December 13, 2019
Missed the Net
I found the 2nd book of the Raptors series to be somewhat off the mark. I liked the characters of Alex and Seb. But overall the story was lacking on a few fronts. ———Spoilers ahead———
The discrimination/Prejudice by 2 different security guards; one at the rink and one at the rehab facility never had a satisfactory Resolution. The confrontations with Alex’s family were never really explored, considering he had such angst about coming out. The fact that Alex’s mother manages a large dental practice and had a freak out about HIV, seems very out of character for what should be an informed professional. Alex’s coming out process was handled poorly and the fact the story never spread is unbelievable.
I found the 2nd book of the Raptors series to be somewhat off the mark. I liked the characters of Alex and Seb. But overall the story was lacking on a few fronts. ———Spoilers ahead———
The discrimination/Prejudice by 2 different security guards; one at the rink and one at the rehab facility never had a satisfactory Resolution. The confrontations with Alex’s family were never really explored, considering he had such angst about coming out. The fact that Alex’s mother manages a large dental practice and had a freak out about HIV, seems very out of character for what should be an informed professional. Alex’s coming out process was handled poorly and the fact the story never spread is unbelievable.
October 17, 2024
Reread
Review below still stands
Enjoyable
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this more than the previous book, but for some reason this series isn’t as good as the Harrisburg or Owatonna ones. The characters just aren’t as engaging to me.
I did like Alex and enjoyed watching him take the steps to be who he wanted to be. His families differing reactions felt realistic and I was disappointed in his parents.
I liked that Seb was a self made man and he took his time with Alex, slowed him down when he wanted to go gung ho. His mother and aunt were lovely.
I do like that the series is realistic in that the guys both have lives at opposite ends of the world and they need to work out a way to combine them.
Review below still stands
Enjoyable
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this more than the previous book, but for some reason this series isn’t as good as the Harrisburg or Owatonna ones. The characters just aren’t as engaging to me.
I did like Alex and enjoyed watching him take the steps to be who he wanted to be. His families differing reactions felt realistic and I was disappointed in his parents.
I liked that Seb was a self made man and he took his time with Alex, slowed him down when he wanted to go gung ho. His mother and aunt were lovely.
I do like that the series is realistic in that the guys both have lives at opposite ends of the world and they need to work out a way to combine them.
January 3, 2020
I didn’t enjoy this story mainly because I didn’t feel the connection between Sebastian and Alejandro/Alex. There was also no satisfying resolution to a few main storylines which left me feeling frustrated for having invested the time to read this. Alex was such a sweet, complex character and he deserved far more than the half assed resolutions he got.
November 11, 2019
This is another solid installment to this series, although this one doesn't see very much ice time. Seb has come from England to lend his skills to college friend and co-owner of the Raptors in an attempt to better their public image as they continue with their rebuild. He brings with him his British flair and hits the ground running with the idea of using the rising star rookies as the new face of the Raptors. Between the three (Ryker, Alejandro and Colorado), it is Alejandro who catches Seb's eye. On the outside, he seems like the perfect man for the job.
Unfortunately, Alex is not the confident outgoing man he appears to be. He is hiding the big secret which, in and of itself, would be a big thing. However, for Alex, it is much bigger due to the fact that he comes from a very large, close knit, religious Mexican family. His biggest fear is that he will lose the family he relies so heavily on if they find out. Little by little though, it is eating away at him and starting to affect his entire life, including his hockey. Needless to say, he has no interest in becoming the face of the Raptors.
The turning point for Alex is the appearance of Seb. As much as he doesn't want to like him, he is drawn right away, the attraction undeniable. Seb doesn't push, allowing Alex to go at his own pace but supportive nonetheless. It is clear that he only ever wants what is best for Alex. There is also the issue of Seb only being in the US for a few months while he is helping the team. But, things don't drag out too long and while things don't go as well as one would hope, Alex had the support of his siblings and Abuela who were total rock stars in my book.
As with the previous books, this was a thoroughly enjoyable installment with appearances by the teammates, etc. to make it even more entertaining. As always, I'm left looking forward to the next one.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
November 17, 2019
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is the story of the relationship that develops between Sebastian, the Raptors’ new business consultant and Alex, a closeted hockey player. The chemistry between these two is instant but their complicated lives make an actual relationship feel impossible.
When we first meet Alex, he is trapped between worlds. He’s a Latino hockey player in a very white sport. He’s a gay man in a conservative Catholic family. Alex doesn’t quite fit anywhere and he’s exhausted by all the pretending. I think Alex’s personal journey is the best part of this story. When we first meet Seb, he’s confident and comfortable in his skin. We don’t see the same growth in Seb as we do in Alex. Seb is a solid, supportive presence in the story - but this is mostly the story of Alex growing into himself.
I really enjoyed the characters and I like the focus on Alex’s experiences with his Mexican American family but I felt like the pacing was a bit wonky in this book. I feel like some of Alex’s decisions were completely unexpected and didn’t quite fit his character. We get snapshots of moments in his life but not always the ones which would have made readers understand him fully. The end comes too soon and too easily - the tidy HEA tacked on at the end doesn’t sit well with the complicated romance that comes before it.
So far the Raptors books haven’t captured my imagination or my heart quite the same way the Railers books did. I like the slow team rebuilding happening in the background of these books but I feel like the books are missing a bit of the magic that made the previous two series really special.
This is the story of the relationship that develops between Sebastian, the Raptors’ new business consultant and Alex, a closeted hockey player. The chemistry between these two is instant but their complicated lives make an actual relationship feel impossible.
When we first meet Alex, he is trapped between worlds. He’s a Latino hockey player in a very white sport. He’s a gay man in a conservative Catholic family. Alex doesn’t quite fit anywhere and he’s exhausted by all the pretending. I think Alex’s personal journey is the best part of this story. When we first meet Seb, he’s confident and comfortable in his skin. We don’t see the same growth in Seb as we do in Alex. Seb is a solid, supportive presence in the story - but this is mostly the story of Alex growing into himself.
I really enjoyed the characters and I like the focus on Alex’s experiences with his Mexican American family but I felt like the pacing was a bit wonky in this book. I feel like some of Alex’s decisions were completely unexpected and didn’t quite fit his character. We get snapshots of moments in his life but not always the ones which would have made readers understand him fully. The end comes too soon and too easily - the tidy HEA tacked on at the end doesn’t sit well with the complicated romance that comes before it.
So far the Raptors books haven’t captured my imagination or my heart quite the same way the Railers books did. I like the slow team rebuilding happening in the background of these books but I feel like the books are missing a bit of the magic that made the previous two series really special.
November 11, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Across the Pond is the second in the Arizona Raptors series and while you don’t have to read these books in order, things will be more enjoyable if you do. Alex is generally a strong character and one whose struggles read as believable. He’s a Latin man in a culture that values masculinity and from a devoutly religious family. Acknowledging one’s sexuality under those circumstances has to be unbelievably hard and embracing it is something altogether more challenging. So the pressures that Alex is under have weight and validity here. Unfortunately, Sebastian feels like a blank slate, just a stand in character to serve as the supportive and loving boyfriend, but one without much personality of his own. His backstory is minimal and I never felt like I really understood who he was as a character.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
Across the Pond is the second in the Arizona Raptors series and while you don’t have to read these books in order, things will be more enjoyable if you do. Alex is generally a strong character and one whose struggles read as believable. He’s a Latin man in a culture that values masculinity and from a devoutly religious family. Acknowledging one’s sexuality under those circumstances has to be unbelievably hard and embracing it is something altogether more challenging. So the pressures that Alex is under have weight and validity here. Unfortunately, Sebastian feels like a blank slate, just a stand in character to serve as the supportive and loving boyfriend, but one without much personality of his own. His backstory is minimal and I never felt like I really understood who he was as a character.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
November 13, 2019
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Sebastian travels from England to Arizona to help get the Raptors image back on track. But Sebastian has his eyes on Alex before he even arrives in America. It isn’t long before Alex notices the hot Englishman around the rink. The problem is Alex is very firmly in the closest.
A lot of this story revolves around Alex and coming to terms with his sexuality and trying to decide if he should come out. He is terrified of the reaction from his traditional catholic Mexican/American family if they find out he is gay. I really felt Alex’s stress and terror about people learning about his sexuality. I loved the way that Sebastian support Alex all the way and never pushed him to do more than he was ready or be anything but who he is. The is really good chemistry between the couple but I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the romance between the two of them and experience more of them falling in love. I guess I just wanted more.
I really liked the way the story ended and I felt like Alex had really grown up and I was left with warm, happy feelings. This gets a solid 3 stars from me.
Sebastian travels from England to Arizona to help get the Raptors image back on track. But Sebastian has his eyes on Alex before he even arrives in America. It isn’t long before Alex notices the hot Englishman around the rink. The problem is Alex is very firmly in the closest.
A lot of this story revolves around Alex and coming to terms with his sexuality and trying to decide if he should come out. He is terrified of the reaction from his traditional catholic Mexican/American family if they find out he is gay. I really felt Alex’s stress and terror about people learning about his sexuality. I loved the way that Sebastian support Alex all the way and never pushed him to do more than he was ready or be anything but who he is. The is really good chemistry between the couple but I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the romance between the two of them and experience more of them falling in love. I guess I just wanted more.
I really liked the way the story ended and I felt like Alex had really grown up and I was left with warm, happy feelings. This gets a solid 3 stars from me.
November 10, 2019
If you want to read a winner of a story about hockey, look no further than the writing team of V.L. Locey and R.J. Scott.
As the second book in the Arizona Raptors series, both MC's are new to the team. Alex was brought in to fill Henry's place after his accident and Seb was brought in to help with the management side.
The MC's were night and day different, which worked for the most part. Alex struggled with coming to terms with his sexuality, being raised with the 'machismo' attitude.
This book read a bit differently than previous books I've read by this team of authors. It was a little less dirty than I've seen before, which was fine, but it was a bit angst heavy as well.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and can't wait to read Henry's story next!
*Galley copy generously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted.*
As the second book in the Arizona Raptors series, both MC's are new to the team. Alex was brought in to fill Henry's place after his accident and Seb was brought in to help with the management side.
The MC's were night and day different, which worked for the most part. Alex struggled with coming to terms with his sexuality, being raised with the 'machismo' attitude.
This book read a bit differently than previous books I've read by this team of authors. It was a little less dirty than I've seen before, which was fine, but it was a bit angst heavy as well.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and can't wait to read Henry's story next!
*Galley copy generously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted.*
June 4, 2023
one of my favorites!
This is a modern sports romance, the second book in “Raptors” series which is part of a bunch of interconnected series’s and I suggest this series should be read in order.
Seb is coming to the US as a favor to help the Raptors with their public image and he wants to make Alejandro the new focus. Alex is dealing with some struggles of his own as well as a budding attraction to the Brit. There is fire between the two and emotional turmoil as Alex tries to come to grips with who he is. This one was especially emotional and one of my favorites
This is a modern sports romance, the second book in “Raptors” series which is part of a bunch of interconnected series’s and I suggest this series should be read in order.
Seb is coming to the US as a favor to help the Raptors with their public image and he wants to make Alejandro the new focus. Alex is dealing with some struggles of his own as well as a budding attraction to the Brit. There is fire between the two and emotional turmoil as Alex tries to come to grips with who he is. This one was especially emotional and one of my favorites
March 6, 2020
I enjoyed Alex and Seb's story. I really felt for Alex. Life is not easy for a deeply closeted mexican american man whose family and church are a big part of his world. Seb was patient, loving, and never pushed Alex to do anything he wasn't comfortable with. Coming out to his family was messy and painful, but I have hopes they was come around. Also, there was no forced outing with the team or media, which was a nice change. Alex and Seb are just doing there thing.
December 7, 2019
4 stars.
August 19, 2021
3.5 stars
November 3, 2019
3.5 stars... This one wasn’t one of my favs…this was 1/2 a story for me..there needs to be part 2..If the sex hadn’t been made an issue, then I wouldn’t have cared, but Alex was a virgin and it was an issue and it happened and I wasn’t there and I felt like it was glossed over and I was cheated …They fall in love but I didn’t experience them falling in love, they have sex for the first time but I didn’t experiencing them having sex for the first time…these are the things I want to experience..not told after the fact…I am a big fan of these 2 writers so I’m just going to look forward to the next one..
December 26, 2020
I don't know just what Sebastian Brown's official occupation title is(perhaps I just missed it😉), social media expert extraordinaire, PR, image consultant, whatever the official wordage is, the Raptors are in desperate need of his services. Personally, I'm still in complete awe of Scott & Locey being able to showcase a team that came from such horrible history in their Harrisburg Railers series and make them the "heroes" of their own series, for me that is just another example of not only their individual talents but also their storytelling chemistry.
Alejandro Garcia, Alex, is a man twisted inside over who he lets his family see, who he lets his teammates see, who he lets the Raptors fans see, and who he really is. The fight to keep them separate and all in their place is beginning to take its toll on him and his playing. Meeting Seb only stirs the inner pot but maybe he's actually the right ingredient that's been missing to make it all come together? For that you have to read for yourself and trust me you won't be disappointed.
One thing I loved and it is a minor point, only a few scenes really but they stood out for me and that is the connection between Seb and Jason, co-owner of the team who brought Seb in to work his magic. We learn that Jason went to school for a time in England and that is how they met and it is the scenes that show Jason using British English and slang from his time there. Now I have never been to the UK but it is near the top of my bucket list but I have been watching British television shows and movies pretty much my whole life, first on the local PBS stations when I was little and then with the explosion of digital and streaming services, it's safe to say that 75% of what I watch is from across the pond(see what I did there😉😉). Even though I have never been there I often use British terminology so those Jason/Seb moments were an added bonus for me.
As for Alex's family, well a couple of them are complete and total gems that I just want to give them a huge Mama Bear hug and then there a few who I really just want to whack sense into them(and by "whack" I mean that quite literally) and then never speak to again. I really don't know how Seb can be so civil to them but that is probably more down to his occupation than anything else. I wish I could be more like Seb but my Irish/German/Dutch temper is more on the line of Alex so I have very little patience for people like those in his family I wanted to whack sense into.
On paper, Seb and Alex shouldn't work but once you get to know them there is no doubts whatsoever that they are a perfect fit. By "perfect" I don't mean all unicorns and roses. When I think of perfect fit in relationships I think of fighting and making up, arguing and hugging, or what I have recently come to label: snark and cuddle. Not to throw around cliche's but they really do complete each other. This isn't spoiling anything because Across the Pond isn't a question of HEA, the joys and sorrows, the ups and downs, the meat and potatoes of the story is in the journey getting from page one to the last.
One last note: if you are wondering about reading order I highly suggest reading Coast to Coast first. For the main purpose as to see how the friendships between Alex, Ryker, and Henri formed but also to see just what happened to Henri. For me, the Arizona Raptors(all of Scott & Locey's hockey series: Harrisburg Railers & Owatonna U) are all part of an ongoing saga where each entry is just that much better having known the previous ones. This is just my opinion because you won't be lost if you don't read in order of publication, the authors "recap" just enough to keep the reader "up to date".
Alejandro Garcia, Alex, is a man twisted inside over who he lets his family see, who he lets his teammates see, who he lets the Raptors fans see, and who he really is. The fight to keep them separate and all in their place is beginning to take its toll on him and his playing. Meeting Seb only stirs the inner pot but maybe he's actually the right ingredient that's been missing to make it all come together? For that you have to read for yourself and trust me you won't be disappointed.
One thing I loved and it is a minor point, only a few scenes really but they stood out for me and that is the connection between Seb and Jason, co-owner of the team who brought Seb in to work his magic. We learn that Jason went to school for a time in England and that is how they met and it is the scenes that show Jason using British English and slang from his time there. Now I have never been to the UK but it is near the top of my bucket list but I have been watching British television shows and movies pretty much my whole life, first on the local PBS stations when I was little and then with the explosion of digital and streaming services, it's safe to say that 75% of what I watch is from across the pond(see what I did there😉😉). Even though I have never been there I often use British terminology so those Jason/Seb moments were an added bonus for me.
As for Alex's family, well a couple of them are complete and total gems that I just want to give them a huge Mama Bear hug and then there a few who I really just want to whack sense into them(and by "whack" I mean that quite literally) and then never speak to again. I really don't know how Seb can be so civil to them but that is probably more down to his occupation than anything else. I wish I could be more like Seb but my Irish/German/Dutch temper is more on the line of Alex so I have very little patience for people like those in his family I wanted to whack sense into.
On paper, Seb and Alex shouldn't work but once you get to know them there is no doubts whatsoever that they are a perfect fit. By "perfect" I don't mean all unicorns and roses. When I think of perfect fit in relationships I think of fighting and making up, arguing and hugging, or what I have recently come to label: snark and cuddle. Not to throw around cliche's but they really do complete each other. This isn't spoiling anything because Across the Pond isn't a question of HEA, the joys and sorrows, the ups and downs, the meat and potatoes of the story is in the journey getting from page one to the last.
One last note: if you are wondering about reading order I highly suggest reading Coast to Coast first. For the main purpose as to see how the friendships between Alex, Ryker, and Henri formed but also to see just what happened to Henri. For me, the Arizona Raptors(all of Scott & Locey's hockey series: Harrisburg Railers & Owatonna U) are all part of an ongoing saga where each entry is just that much better having known the previous ones. This is just my opinion because you won't be lost if you don't read in order of publication, the authors "recap" just enough to keep the reader "up to date".
November 20, 2019
Another great story in this series.
I really love this series; RJ Scott and V.L. Locey haven't really converted me into a hockey fan but they sure have converted me into a hockey romance reader. I never realized how popular a theme this was in MM romance until I began reading their Harrisburg Railers series. The Arizona Raptors series is kind of a spin off of that one but it can totally be read as a standalone, as can this book. Your enjoyment of the story would be enriched, however, if you've read at least the first Raptors book, Coast to Coast.
There are so many things to like about Across the Pond. I loved the fact that one of the MCs is British. I've become quite a fan of British MM romance stories and the addition of Sebastian Brown to this series was great. We get to read about Digestives and Twiglets, both things I had to look up. 😊
I loved the reference to Star Trek (my all-time favorite TV series in all its flavors) in Chapter Five:
And I LOL'd at this exchange between Alex and Sebastian about Twiglets in Chapter Ten:
The blurb for the book is pretty comprehensive so take a look at it. What I loved about the story is how real the characters seemed to me. I really felt how hard it was for Alex to accept his sexuality and finally decide to be with Sebastian. I loved how caring Sebastian was and how understanding he was of Alex's situation.
I think most of the books co-authored by RJ and V.L. are pretty character driven but this one felt especially so for me. The books they write together just keep getting better and better. I can't wait to read Henry's book, Shadows and Light.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the authors.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
I really love this series; RJ Scott and V.L. Locey haven't really converted me into a hockey fan but they sure have converted me into a hockey romance reader. I never realized how popular a theme this was in MM romance until I began reading their Harrisburg Railers series. The Arizona Raptors series is kind of a spin off of that one but it can totally be read as a standalone, as can this book. Your enjoyment of the story would be enriched, however, if you've read at least the first Raptors book, Coast to Coast.
There are so many things to like about Across the Pond. I loved the fact that one of the MCs is British. I've become quite a fan of British MM romance stories and the addition of Sebastian Brown to this series was great. We get to read about Digestives and Twiglets, both things I had to look up. 😊
I loved the reference to Star Trek (my all-time favorite TV series in all its flavors) in Chapter Five:
"The inside of my head suddenly became the bridge of the Enterprise on a red alert. Crimson lights flashing, grating siren blasting out of all the com stations, a captain shouting, “Shields up! All hands to battle stations! Load the photon torpedoes and ready to fire on my command!”
And I LOL'd at this exchange between Alex and Sebastian about Twiglets in Chapter Ten:
“What is this again?” Mark asked and held up the tiny knobbly stick. He touched his tongue to the end of it and reared back with horror on his face.
“A Twiglet,” I explained for the fifth time.
“And it’s covered in?” He waved the tiny snack around, and the distaste on his face was hilarious.
“Yeast extract,” I deadpanned, “like Marmite.”
He raised a single eyebrow. “And Marmite is?”
This was going round in circles. “Mark, I dare you to eat that Twiglet.”
He rotated his shoulders and cracked his neck. “If I die…” Then he pushed the snacky goodness into his mouth, crunched twice, swallowed, and sat there with a horrified expression. We stared at each other for a moment, and then he downed half a can of beer, followed by an entire handful of Cheetos. “Dude,” he sprayed orange cheesy flakes everywhere, “that is rank.”
The blurb for the book is pretty comprehensive so take a look at it. What I loved about the story is how real the characters seemed to me. I really felt how hard it was for Alex to accept his sexuality and finally decide to be with Sebastian. I loved how caring Sebastian was and how understanding he was of Alex's situation.
I think most of the books co-authored by RJ and V.L. are pretty character driven but this one felt especially so for me. The books they write together just keep getting better and better. I can't wait to read Henry's book, Shadows and Light.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the authors.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
December 1, 2019
That didn't work well. There's a lot going on here that would be worth real and further exploring. But everything is just touched in the surface and doesn't find the solution I hoped for. It's just not satisfying reading a book that clearly wants a happy all over ending without dealing with uncomfortable truths in lives of the MCs. I think it's a missed chance to explore the family problem, the faith problem, the racist remarks. I'm disappointed that a guard is working for the team who discrimates Alex and nothing is done.
All over it's well written but the plot is not satisfying.
All over it's well written but the plot is not satisfying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
Raptors and Railers are my Hockey Favorites
I went into this story thinking, I'm not an Alex fan. But I was wrong. This was another terrific addition to the series. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of Alex's lively traditional hispanic family and Seb's dry Brittish humor.
I will admit I didn't see or feel any intensity or depth to the romance, I liked The characters of Alex and Sebastian both very much just didn't feel a connection. But the over all story arc of this series is just fun.
I went into this story thinking, I'm not an Alex fan. But I was wrong. This was another terrific addition to the series. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of Alex's lively traditional hispanic family and Seb's dry Brittish humor.
I will admit I didn't see or feel any intensity or depth to the romance, I liked The characters of Alex and Sebastian both very much just didn't feel a connection. But the over all story arc of this series is just fun.
November 15, 2019
So not what I expected
The book was just...off? The story line was good but wow I can’t believe I’m saying this because usually I’m a super fan, but the story was choppy. No depth, or I just couldn’t connect with the characters as I normally do. It all felt rushed. Hope the next one is better.
The book was just...off? The story line was good but wow I can’t believe I’m saying this because usually I’m a super fan, but the story was choppy. No depth, or I just couldn’t connect with the characters as I normally do. It all felt rushed. Hope the next one is better.
November 19, 2019
Love!
God these books are so good! I’ve enjoyed almost everything that I have read by both authors, but hockey romance is so freaking fun to read. Dying for the next one!
God these books are so good! I’ve enjoyed almost everything that I have read by both authors, but hockey romance is so freaking fun to read. Dying for the next one!
November 10, 2019
First of all, can I just say how much I enjoyed Sebastian. I suspect whoever wrote him is a huge fan of the Twitter site, Very British Problems. Being a Brit myself, I found myself laughing gleefully at some if the 'Britishisms' used by Seb.
This was an interesting read, delivering even more than I expected from it. On the surface, I was expecting a straightforward May/December romance with lots of steam. Instead, while we do eventually get some nice steamy scenes, this is a real slow burn romance as each partner learns, grows and discovers an unexpected relationship.
It's a really good love story, about Seb and Alex falling in love, and the difficulties that come with one partner being in the closet. I adored Seb, he's so incredibly patient with the hot headed Alex. He's such a love.
The story was well written and easy to read, while the characters had real depth to them complete with hopes and fears, which they had to overcome to be happy. Alex is totally lost. He sees the only way of proving his sense of worth is by acting in an overly aggressive and brash way, terrified in any way of being perceived as femme. It is so difficult for him to balance his life. His heart and mind are all over the place, sending totally confusing messages.
All of this builds up to quite an emotional read, but certainly not lacking humour, well worth the time. Seb and Alex are made for one another. Loved how the story ended. Hoping to see more of both MCs in future books. Highly recommended. Can't wait for the next one.
Merged review:
Great read.
First of all, can I just say how much I enjoyed Sebastian. I suspect whoever wrote him is a huge fan of the Twitter site, Very British Problems. Being a Brit myself, I found myself laughing gleefully at some if the 'Britishisms' used by Seb.
This was an interesting read, delivering even more than I expected from it. On the surface, I was expecting a straightforward May/December romance with lots of steam. Instead, while we do get some nice steamy scenes, this is a real romance as each partner learns, grows and discovers an unexpected relationship.
It's a really good love story, about Seb and Alex falling in love, and the difficulties that come with one partner being in the closet. I adored Seb, he's so incredibly patient with the hot headed Alex. He's such a love.
The story was well written and easy to read, while the characters had real depth to them complete with hopes and fears, which they had to overcome to be happy. Alex is totally lost. He sees the only way of proving his sense of worth is by acting in an overly aggressive and brash way, terrified in any way of being perceived as femme. It is so difficult for him to balance his life. His heart and mind are all over the place, sending totally confusing messages.
All of this builds up to quite an emotional read, but certainly not lacking humour, well worth the time. Seb and Alex are made for one another. Loved how the story ended. Hoping to see more of both MCs in future books. Highly recommended. Can't wait for the next one.
This was an interesting read, delivering even more than I expected from it. On the surface, I was expecting a straightforward May/December romance with lots of steam. Instead, while we do eventually get some nice steamy scenes, this is a real slow burn romance as each partner learns, grows and discovers an unexpected relationship.
It's a really good love story, about Seb and Alex falling in love, and the difficulties that come with one partner being in the closet. I adored Seb, he's so incredibly patient with the hot headed Alex. He's such a love.
The story was well written and easy to read, while the characters had real depth to them complete with hopes and fears, which they had to overcome to be happy. Alex is totally lost. He sees the only way of proving his sense of worth is by acting in an overly aggressive and brash way, terrified in any way of being perceived as femme. It is so difficult for him to balance his life. His heart and mind are all over the place, sending totally confusing messages.
All of this builds up to quite an emotional read, but certainly not lacking humour, well worth the time. Seb and Alex are made for one another. Loved how the story ended. Hoping to see more of both MCs in future books. Highly recommended. Can't wait for the next one.
Merged review:
Great read.
First of all, can I just say how much I enjoyed Sebastian. I suspect whoever wrote him is a huge fan of the Twitter site, Very British Problems. Being a Brit myself, I found myself laughing gleefully at some if the 'Britishisms' used by Seb.
This was an interesting read, delivering even more than I expected from it. On the surface, I was expecting a straightforward May/December romance with lots of steam. Instead, while we do get some nice steamy scenes, this is a real romance as each partner learns, grows and discovers an unexpected relationship.
It's a really good love story, about Seb and Alex falling in love, and the difficulties that come with one partner being in the closet. I adored Seb, he's so incredibly patient with the hot headed Alex. He's such a love.
The story was well written and easy to read, while the characters had real depth to them complete with hopes and fears, which they had to overcome to be happy. Alex is totally lost. He sees the only way of proving his sense of worth is by acting in an overly aggressive and brash way, terrified in any way of being perceived as femme. It is so difficult for him to balance his life. His heart and mind are all over the place, sending totally confusing messages.
All of this builds up to quite an emotional read, but certainly not lacking humour, well worth the time. Seb and Alex are made for one another. Loved how the story ended. Hoping to see more of both MCs in future books. Highly recommended. Can't wait for the next one.
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