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Lighting the Lamp

(Sophie Fournier #3)

K.R. Collins

4.59 · Rating details · 41 ratings · 20 reviews

Entering her third season, Sophie Fournier has almost everything she wants. She’s the captain of the Concord Condors, she’s roommates and linemates with Elsa Nyberg, the elite Swedish winger she’s wanted to play alongside since the Zurich U-Tourney.

There are two major things she’s missing, though. She doesn’t have her next contract lined up, and she still hasn’t won the Ma ...more

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ebook, 252 pages

Published May 25th 2020 by NineStar Press

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May 24, 2020 Lex Kent rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-favorites, asexual, f-f-ninestar-press, lgbtq, sports

4.25 Stars. Back in the groove. After a disappointing book 2, I’m happy to say that this series is back on track. Plus the storyline we were promised to get in book 2, we finally now get in this book. The story stopped feeling stuck and the plot actually moved forward. And this book brought back some of the things that made me fall for the first book. I had high hopes this book would rebound the series and I’m so happy it did.

This book is a big change for Sophie as she is no longer the only wom 4.25 Stars. Back in the groove. After a disappointing book 2, I’m happy to say that this series is back on track. Plus the storyline we were promised to get in book 2, we finally now get in this book. The story stopped feeling stuck and the plot actually moved forward. And this book brought back some of the things that made me fall for the first book. I had high hopes this book would rebound the series and I’m so happy it did.

This book is a big change for Sophie as she is no longer the only woman in the NAHL. Finally she has others around that understand just what she is going through. Will this give Sophie the boost she needs to play even better, or with promises made and her career possibly on the line, will it be too much pressure for her to take?

This book had me hooked from the first few pages. It just had the magic back that the first book did but the second was missing. You saw some actual growth in Sophie and even some of her teammates. It still drives me nuts that Sophie can be so passive when it comes to her dad, coach, and reporters. For a hockey player she needs a tougher backbone, but I feel like maybe she can eventually get there.

The hockey scenes were great. Well the hockey scenes are great in every book of this series but this book was really exciting. I felt on the edge of my seat most of the time wondering what’s going to happen. It was exciting and an entertaining ride. This is the closest I have gotten to real sports in a few months so this book came at the right time for me.

There has been lots of talk if this series will have any romance. It still doesn’t yet but it felt like it took the first step to maybe. How close of a line is there from friendship to something more? Well it looks like Sophie is approaching that line. The person she is approaching it for seems to have feeling for her back (at least that was the signs I was reading) so there is potential for something there in the future, that is if Sophie can handle hockey and romance at the same time. I guess we will have to wait and see if there is a book 4 to have that question answered.

If you are a hockey fan I highly recommend this series. If you were a fan of the first book, chances are high that you will enjoy this one too. I don’t know if there will be a book four, but if there is, I will be happy to get back on the ice with Sophie.

A copy was given to me for a honest review.
...more

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May 26, 2020 Jude in the Stars rated it it was amazing

4.5* – This series is on its way to being the most frustrating while clearly addicting I’ve read in a long time. I’m going to try not to spoil too much, but damn, it’s not gonna be easy. If you’re worried I might fail and don’t want to ruin your own enjoyment of this book, maybe all you need to know is that it could have been a full 5* if the author had taken it just a step further in the relationship department.

K.R. Collins writes hockey beautifully. I don’t think I’ve ever watched an entire ic 4.5* – This series is on its way to being the most frustrating while clearly addicting I’ve read in a long time. I’m going to try not to spoil too much, but damn, it’s not gonna be easy. If you’re worried I might fail and don’t want to ruin your own enjoyment of this book, maybe all you need to know is that it could have been a full 5* if the author had taken it just a step further in the relationship department.

K.R. Collins writes hockey beautifully. I don’t think I’ve ever watched an entire ice hockey game (I’m French, hockey is definitely not my sports), yet when reading her books, I’m a Concord Condors fan all the way. The plays she describes are utterly exciting, the suspense is thrilling and breathtaking. We know that, we’ve known it since book 1, Breaking the Ice. The real suspense here pertains to Sophie’s love life. Or rather lack thereof so far. I know romance isn’t everything, and I don’t really need it in every book I read but when a novel is released by an LGBTQA publisher with tags such as “bisexual”, “demisexual”, “lesbian”, “romance” or “slow burn”, you can’t blame readers for believing they mean something. In this instance, I think that something will be the slowest burn ever, but that’s only speculation on my part. Also, Sophie is such an endearing character and her growth over the series is so beautiful that I plain and simple want more, for her and for me.

Sophie Fournier’s third season in the NAHL is bound to be very different from her first two: she’s not the only woman in the League anymore and what’s more, she’s not the only woman in her team anymore. After postponing her arrival last season, Elsa Nyberg is finally here, and the two of them take to each other like ducks to water, both off and on the ice. There’s a connection between the two young women (it’s sometimes difficult to remember, but Sophie is still too young to drink alcohol at the beginning of this book) that Sophie, whose life has always been focused on hockey, fails to identify for what it is, or at least for all that it is. The athletic crush, the very needed friendship with another female player, the novelty of having a roommate are all she sees. Once again, as I wrote above, this is only speculation, but all the signs are there of something more. The matter of the moment, however, is to win the Maple Cup. While things may get better and better, Sophie still has to prove herself day in, day out, but this season, she’s got more backup and more opportunities than ever.

As the first and only woman in the league until now, Sophie has had her way of dealing with the pressure, the demands of both management and the media, the love and the hate of fans. Now that other women have also been drafted, different personalities come into play, and if we get a fourth book (I might be frustrated, I still want a fourth book), I hope we’ll get to see more of that, more of how these other female players capitalise on the path Sophie has opened.

This instalment brings back the energy and exhilaration of the first one. Every scene about hockey is fantastic, whether it’s the games, Sophie’s efforts at motivating her team, everything. I’m still very annoyed at her father’s attitude but she seems to have made her peace with it and to only take the good, in a very mature way. In this book, the third in the series, we get to see more of the adult she’s becoming, the human being, the woman, not just the player anymore. She’s more open with her badassery, her snark, her sense of humour. She’s more comfortable with the other players on her team and it shows in the best way. She was a bit boring in the first two books, she’s becoming quite captivating, as others are also coming to find out. In book 2, Sophomore Surge, most of the off the ice scenes centred on Sophie’s friendship with Dima, the Russian star of the Boston team and her official “rival”. Dima’s still in the picture, and I really enjoy their relationship, but Elsa is now centre stage, and that’s a big part of what makes this third book so exciting. The relationship dynamics are very different, more layered, more complex. Collins writes these scenes very well too and I can’t wait to see where she’ll take the story next.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review. ...more

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May 23, 2020 Lexxi Kitty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: subject-sports-hockey, genre-sports, series-book, lgbt, lgbt-demisexual, lgbt-asexual, job-athlete, genre-bisexual-or-biromantic, length-260-519-novel, setting-city-concord

There are six books I have rated 5+ stars so far this year, including this book here. Two were rereads. If I just look at those published in 2020, this book here is easily the best of 2020 I've read. If I don't include publication date, and just look at 5+ books as is regardless of when published, this book remains the best I've read this year.

It was fun, exciting, riveting, thrilling. Edge of the seat type book, mostly during the hockey games. You know what sports I've watched in the last 3 or ...more

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Dec 04, 2020 Agirlcandream rated it really liked it

This is the third season in the NAHL and Sophie has finally got her wish and now shares her apartment with roommate and winger Elsa Nyberg. She is determined to win the Maple Cup for X in his last season as a Concord Condor and once again needs to prove she deserves to be accepted as an equal in this once all male hockey league. Nothing in life comes easy for pioneers like Sophie Fournier. She has to lead the perfect life while dealing with negative Press reporters, contract extensions based on This is the third season in the NAHL and Sophie has finally got her wish and now shares her apartment with roommate and winger Elsa Nyberg. She is determined to win the Maple Cup for X in his last season as a Concord Condor and once again needs to prove she deserves to be accepted as an equal in this once all male hockey league. Nothing in life comes easy for pioneers like Sophie Fournier. She has to lead the perfect life while dealing with negative Press reporters, contract extensions based on performance and the hatred of fans across the league.

The introduction of Elsa, Lexi and Gabrielle spark new life into this series. Sophie has spent a lifetime controlling her temper, her actions and her private life so women will not be written off as fragile, emotional or temperamental in the hockey world. Now here comes hothead Lexi, revenge seeking Elsa and the talented goalie Gabrielle, sent to the minors without getting a chance to showcase her talents. I loved it. If you are a hockey fan or a sports fan you must read this series. The hockey action is play by play but easy to visualize even if you’ve never watched a game. The emotions and team spirit are there. So are the ups and downs of a long season facing teams hoping to settle grudges from last season. For all the great guys on Sophie’s team, there are men who desperately want to put Sophie in her place and prove they are bigger assets to their teams than she is as Captain of her team.

My desire to see Sophie find someone to love and something to take her mind off the stress she puts on herself might become reality. Having Elsa as a roommate has let us see the softer side of Sophie Fournier. Nothing says stress relief like a woman to cuddle. I love Elsa’s confidence and “take no crap from anyone” attitude. Her frustrations on the ice point to her naivete which sets up barriers between her and Sophie at times. Both women have much to learn about sharing a space and a life together. I’m still hopeful the innocent kisses we get in Lighting the Lamp will lead to more but if Sophie turns out to be more ARO than lesbian I’ll be okay with that too.

Terrific series for hockey fans and everyone who loves watching women excel in sports. ...more

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Jun 30, 2020 Joc rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sports-fitness

I was ambivalent about reading this after the second installment and I’m really glad I did. It’s still all action-packed ice hockey but Sophie comes alive in this one. Elsa Nyberg from the Swedish Hockey League finally joins the North American Hockey League and, more specifically, the Condors. Two other women also get drafted for other teams. Sophie is no longer alone but it’s her resilience and superb playing that has paved the way. From the moment Sophie collects Elsa at the airport things are ...more

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Aug 05, 2020 MJS rated it really liked it

Shelves: hockey, sequel, series, slow-burn, sport, demisexual

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 3 in the Sophie Fournier series, and while I was disappointed in Book 2, the series rebounds here. In all honesty, this is what I thought book 2 would be.

So, Sophie is starting her third season with the Condors and Elsa has finally decided to show up. She and Sophie bond from the start and their relationship is intimate, even though it remains platonic. It’s not explicitly stated but Sophie appears to be demisexual. This ...more

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May 28, 2020 Dani(elle) rated it it was amazing

So good! Sophie finally gets to play with Elsa and they are living their best life. Like with previous books in this series, the timeline runs from the draft to the end of season awards and the themes focus mostly on Sophie's struggles with being a model minority with the added issues of being on the asexual spectrum (she is demi). The latter is what I enjoyed the most as it was reminiscent of many stories my ace friends have shared with me and it was the newest element, without which this entry ...more

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Dec 30, 2020 Della rated it it was amazing

Well it is 2:34 AM and I just finished this novel. I am pumped up on adrenaline as if I just watched Team Canada beat Team USA in double overtime at the Olympics.
Collins brings you into the hockey games play by play while still enriching her characters with their lives around the game. Sophie and Elsa finally get to play together as Condors. It is as dramatic and exciting as you hoped it would be.
Yet you see the costs to the women forging their way in the men’s league.
This novel is definitely a ...more

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Jun 30, 2020 Skye Kilaen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 0-fiction

After a disappointing book 2, this was a strong book 3, though I wish there had been a little more time at the end to let everything that had happened settle in. Will definitely be looking for Collin's next book. ...more

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Jun 10, 2020 AMHH rated it it was amazing

This is the third book in the series, and it builds beautifully on the two that came before. All of the things that are so compelling and heart-wrenching about Sophie’s life as the first female hockey player in her league in the first two installments are still there, with the addition of new dynamics and nuances.

The first and biggest thing to mention is that now Sophie is not the only female player in the league, or on her team. The relationships between the four women in the league as they try This is the third book in the series, and it builds beautifully on the two that came before. All of the things that are so compelling and heart-wrenching about Sophie’s life as the first female hockey player in her league in the first two installments are still there, with the addition of new dynamics and nuances.

The first and biggest thing to mention is that now Sophie is not the only female player in the league, or on her team. The relationships between the four women in the league as they try to navigate the obstacles, big and small, that they face are fascinating and almost intricate: there’s camaraderie but also rivalry, and for me the most compelling moment of the novel, and the one that I’m going to be thinking about for a while to come, is the one in which one of the newly drafted women takes issue with the concessions Sophie’s made to play the game, which she sees as weaknesses. It’s a very real dynamic, one that feels so heartbreakingly relatable between women in so many workplaces.

Also heart-wrenching, but so beautifully, gut-punchingly realistic is the depiction of the kinds of damage that well-meaning, thoughtless sexism can do, as Sophie’s male teammates’ attempts to support her are clueless at best, hurtful at worst, even as they come from the best intentions. The teammate who tries to cheer her on while earnestly insisting that women can be “too emotional” and making period jokes…the one who doesn’t understand why he can’t touch her, even on the arm, when there are video cameras in the locker room or it will lead to rumors in the press…it all adds up and takes a toll on Sophie’s psyche, overlapping with the damage done by the more blatant, hostile misogyny of reporters and her head coach. The punches, physical and metaphorical, just keep coming, and it’s hard to read, but somehow cathartic too: it's horrible, and it's relatable.

There’s more romance in this book than the previous ones, or at least, more potential for romance. Sophie, however, doesn’t always see it, or understand what she’s seeing and feeling in the terms everyone expects her to— it’s fascinating and devastating to see how much of her sexuality, like her self-worth, is bound up in, repressed by, and/or expressed through hockey.

The tl;dr here is that this novel is fantastic, and that it builds on the pervious two in ways that make me anxious to read the next one. And the next one after that. And the one after that...

*I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily composed an unbiased review. ...more

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Jun 09, 2020 Mike Briggs rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sports, lgbt, hockey, reviewed

The third in the series, and a thrilling entry in the series. Sophie is no longer the only woman in the league, and no longer the only woman on her own team. Even though this is her third season, and even though there are other women in the league now, Sophie still has to hide, to show a fake persona to the media, and partially to her teammates. And the pressure has not relaxed, this third year, no it has increased by multiple levels. For multiple reasons.

Her team has made her the captain, but The third in the series, and a thrilling entry in the series. Sophie is no longer the only woman in the league, and no longer the only woman on her own team. Even though this is her third season, and even though there are other women in the league now, Sophie still has to hide, to show a fake persona to the media, and partially to her teammates. And the pressure has not relaxed, this third year, no it has increased by multiple levels. For multiple reasons.

Her team has made her the captain, but hasn't offered her a new contract (this is her final year on her current contract). Both are pressure points. She doesn't really want to be captain in just her third year, but steps up to the challenge. Others have had contract talks, and or signed new contracts (or been released or traded), but she hasn't even heard the first beginnings of possible contract talk. They make her captain but don't try to sign her to a new contract?

She's promised the longest tenured player on the team, and the oldest player on the team that she'll 'win it all' for him, to get him to return. This is pressure she's put on herself, one because of a promise, and second because she thinks she has to 'win it all' just to get a new contract with the team.

Plus, instead of releasing any of the pressure, more women in the league actually increases the pressure, both on herself while playing (or talking to the media), and while watching the others interact on and off the ice. She doesn't want to 'ruin it' for women in the league (those in it now and those future possible players), and she doesn't want the other current women to do something stupid that will be magnified beyond all rights to show that women just don't belong in the league. Doesn't help that at least two of the other women in the league have a hair trigger temper and are not afraid to show it. She's taking their actions/reactions/etc. and putting it on her own shoulders. Adding even more pressure.

I mentioned in the only other review I did for this series that that book was one of the few, of the 109 sports books I'd read, that was a lot more straight up sports action than anything else (while noting most of those I'd read had strong mystery plotlines in them). Well, this is still a straight up sports book, but a certain amount of romantic tension has been pumped into the book. Seen through Sophie's eyes, but with a hint that Sophie isn't understanding the clues in front of her. The clues that Elsa might be seeing Sophie as more than 'just' a teammate, and the jealousy that gets generated, that spills out. Romantic tension, not a romance.

A good solid thrilling hockey book. ...more

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Jun 01, 2020 polly rated it really liked it

Rating = 4.25.
K. R. Collins performs a hat trick with this one (that's the extent of my hockey knowledge). You don't need to know hockey to enjoy the three books Collins wrote in the Sophie Fournier series. You may want to read the first two books in the series before you start this even though Collins introduces the characters in the first two chapters.

Lighting the Lamp is about Sophie's journey in her third year in the NAHL. This year the league has three women playing hockey with several ot ...more

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Jun 09, 2020 Christina rated it really liked it

This hockey drama is another great addition to the series. What I love about the whole series is that it doesn't actually matter if you know hockey or not. This one takes place during Sophie's 3rd year in the NAHL and continues to follow her as the first and only woman in the league. This one was almost as enjoyable as the first.
.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions my own. ...more

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Jun 03, 2020 Vilma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was better than the second book - Sophie has grown a lot as a person and the plot is definitely moving more forward than before.

I LOVE the way K.R. Collins writes hockey scenes, they are so intense and breathtaking I'm sitting on the edge of my seat every time. Of course, her ability to write captivating hockey scenes is no news, they have been top notch since "Breaking the ice".

The things that have been improved are the characters. Finally (!) Elsa is in the US playing for the Condors an ...more

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Jun 04, 2020 Cariadne rated it really liked it

With the title Lighting the Lamp and the intro of more women into the NAHL, I've been wondering if this means a wrap-up of the Sophie Fournier series. I hope not because we need more storytelling like K.R. Collins.

Female readers can be just as loyal hockey fans as any guy -- I mean, how many hockey romance novels are out there? -- and I think we all deserve to have a book that expands the sports world like this series. Sophie's a complex character, there's amazing hockey action and the stories m ...more

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May 27, 2020 Sarita Chapdelaine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc

This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.

This is an absolutely amazing addition to the Sophie Fournier series and I loved every minute of it. I was fully engaged from the first page to the last and I could not put this book down. Lighting the Lamp is beautifully written, inspiring, gritty, hilarious, fun, the hockey is awesome, the action is pretty much non-stop and I love how Sophie deals with all of the adversity thrown her way. She is ...more

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Jun 01, 2020 Gretal rated it really liked it

This was even better than the first two books. It was super compelling and full of tension and stakes the whole way through, and I'm thoroughly looking forward to the next book, hopefully soon.
Also, I hate both the coach and Sophie's dad. ...more

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May 26, 2020 Deborah E Kehoe rated it it was amazing

As the final novel in the Sophie Fournier series I’m expecting a couple of things. More great hockey, because that’s been very consistent in this series, and then the culmination of that sexuality “tease” we were given by classifying this series as LGBTQ and demisexual.

In Lighting the Lamp we are given a ton of great hockey. Elsa comes to the U.S. for her first season playing for Concord and Sophie is rewarded by having a best friend (who is also female) and the excitement of connecting with som As the final novel in the Sophie Fournier series I’m expecting a couple of things. More great hockey, because that’s been very consistent in this series, and then the culmination of that sexuality “tease” we were given by classifying this series as LGBTQ and demisexual.

In Lighting the Lamp we are given a ton of great hockey. Elsa comes to the U.S. for her first season playing for Concord and Sophie is rewarded by having a best friend (who is also female) and the excitement of connecting with someone on the ice. Their line is one of the best in the league and it’s fun to watch a couple of women kick some men’s butt’s on the ice. Elsa has a lot more sass and fire than Sophie. Not having the expectations that Sophie did for the last two years, making sure she didn’t do anything to affect other women getting drafted, Elsa is opinionated and makes Sophie have some fun. It’s a breathe of fresh air to see have a little life off the ice. Sophie keeps Elsa securely in the “friend” category because she’s a hockey playing machine, and has set the goal of winning the cup again for this season.

I’ll admit, Sophie is kind of a confusing character. If I were trying to be her friend I think I wouldn’t be able to tell what she’s truly feeling. Reading from her point of view certainly helps, but poor Elsa, she can’t get a finger on why Sophie’s holding herself back from their friendship. This adds a little extra conflict to an already energetic novel and helps raise it up over the kind of steady pace Sophomore Surge set. Thank goodness! I love hockey and there’s more great play by plays in this story, but I really want something more. Do I get it in Lighting the Lamp? The answer is yes, just not in the way you’d expect. I don’t want to say any more because I don’t want to spoil the ending!

To recap the series I will say again, that if you are a fan of hockey then you must read this book. The hockey games are written superbly, we are given great characters to invest our feelings into, and a couple of great villains to really get our hate on! Concord is an underdog team, and I LOVE rooting for the underdog. Overcoming adversity is the general theme and K.R. Collins does a great job of making the series about more than women entering a man’s game, although that a big part of it. It’s also about trusting yourself, believing in your talents, and living your life the way you want despite society’s norms and expectations. All themes I can definitely get behind. ...more

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Jun 01, 2020 Phoebe rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-f-romance, lgbt-series, new-adult, sports-romance

Welcome to the third season for the race to the Cup for Sophie Fournier in Lighting the Lamp by K.R. Collins. Collins starts us off right at the draft and takes us through training and through the tensenseness of the season. We feel the stress that Sophie feels and the joy of the wins. Ice hockey flows through the pages like a puck sliding along the ice.

I recommend reading the first two books in the series because Collins does not rehash any previous relationships so you have no clue of past his ...more

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Dec 07, 2020 aspeccharactersoftheday marked it as featured

Shelves: demisexual

https://aspeccharactersoftheday.tumbl... ...more

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About K.R. Collins

K.R. Collins

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K.R. Collins went to college in Pennsylvania where she learned to write and fell in love with hockey. When she isn’t working or writing, she watches hockey games and claims it’s for research.