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Firebirds #1
Too Much Man
A grumpy former hockey player and a bisexual coffee-shop owner refuse to commit—to themselves or each other—in this fun, flirty debut.
Piper Welborn has created a warm, welcoming space for all in her queer-inclusive coffee shop, even if the long hours came at the cost of her love life. But she’s not ready to welcome one man in particular—a grumpy, muscular former hockey player. His smoldering presence is a temptation and a challenge to her long-standing vow not to date cis men.
Gavin Williams has no business starting a relationship, least of all with a woman he’s not sure even likes him. He can’t resist the Friendly Bean’s hot, pink-haired owner, but a casual fling is all he can commit to. He’s hoping to leave town for the next stage in his career…if he ever gets the call with the job offer.
A friends-with-benefits arrangement is perfect for them both—but neither is ready for the feelings that hit. When the post-hockey life Gavin always dreamed of is suddenly within his grasp, they’ll both have to make a choice: hold tight to what they thought life should look like, or work together to build something new.
Piper Welborn has created a warm, welcoming space for all in her queer-inclusive coffee shop, even if the long hours came at the cost of her love life. But she’s not ready to welcome one man in particular—a grumpy, muscular former hockey player. His smoldering presence is a temptation and a challenge to her long-standing vow not to date cis men.
Gavin Williams has no business starting a relationship, least of all with a woman he’s not sure even likes him. He can’t resist the Friendly Bean’s hot, pink-haired owner, but a casual fling is all he can commit to. He’s hoping to leave town for the next stage in his career…if he ever gets the call with the job offer.
A friends-with-benefits arrangement is perfect for them both—but neither is ready for the feelings that hit. When the post-hockey life Gavin always dreamed of is suddenly within his grasp, they’ll both have to make a choice: hold tight to what they thought life should look like, or work together to build something new.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2021
About the author
Katy James
3 books54 followersKaty James writes contemporary romance books that get to the heart of falling in love while finding one’s place in today’s world. When not writing, she works as an archivist and rare book librarian. Her free time is spent being a single mom, wrangling an ever-fluctuating number of pets, fixing up her old house, reading, knitting, cooking, gardening, and generally making all kinds of stuff.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 14, 2021
4.5 STARS
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS ONE!
Enemies to lovers set up: Anti meet-cute?
Opposites attract
Grumpy hockey player
Driven sunshiney queer heroine
No strings attached arrangement... or is it?
Escalating sexual tension
Soft, intimate and verra nice sex scenes 😏
Queer representation and bi-erasure discussion
Endearing and fun supporting cast
Great romance pay off, low angst, A+ writing, Too Much Man was most satisfying!
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS ONE!
Enemies to lovers set up: Anti meet-cute?
Opposites attract
Grumpy hockey player
Driven sunshiney queer heroine
No strings attached arrangement... or is it?
Escalating sexual tension
Soft, intimate and verra nice sex scenes 😏
Queer representation and bi-erasure discussion
Endearing and fun supporting cast
Great romance pay off, low angst, A+ writing, Too Much Man was most satisfying!
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
December 6, 2021
I absolutely adored TOO MUCH MAN and I read it one sitting because the writing and plot just sucked me in. Professional hockey star Gavin Williams is still reeling from his career ending knee injury and a bad morning has him butting heads with bisexual coffee shop owner Piper Welborn. Piper has no interest in dating cisgender men, let alone having a no-strings fling with one, but she can't deny her attraction to Gavin.
Piper and Gavin's confrontational first encounter was full of sparks and fire and I loved watching them get to know each other after that initial bad impression. Both of these MCs were incredibly relatable and likable, even grumpy Gavin who's just starting to come out of a dark place from his injury. Piper's concerns over her bisexuality being erased by dating a man were written so beautifully that I felt every one of her struggles and worries. There was so much heart to these characters and I felt like I really knew and understood them.
After a few missteps, Piper and Gavin start to find a connection and I loved the way their relationship developed. Their chemistry has a softer, mature feel to it but it's no less steamy. I just really enjoyed these two as a couple, with all their ups and downs. Additionally, the side characters were really well developed and I adored Piper's group of friends. I hope we see more of the Firebird's team in the future books and I'm really looking forward to more in this series and by this author.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Content Warning: discussion of and concern over bi-erasure; chronic pain from a knee injury; references to past parental death
Piper and Gavin's confrontational first encounter was full of sparks and fire and I loved watching them get to know each other after that initial bad impression. Both of these MCs were incredibly relatable and likable, even grumpy Gavin who's just starting to come out of a dark place from his injury. Piper's concerns over her bisexuality being erased by dating a man were written so beautifully that I felt every one of her struggles and worries. There was so much heart to these characters and I felt like I really knew and understood them.
After a few missteps, Piper and Gavin start to find a connection and I loved the way their relationship developed. Their chemistry has a softer, mature feel to it but it's no less steamy. I just really enjoyed these two as a couple, with all their ups and downs. Additionally, the side characters were really well developed and I adored Piper's group of friends. I hope we see more of the Firebird's team in the future books and I'm really looking forward to more in this series and by this author.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Content Warning: discussion of and concern over bi-erasure; chronic pain from a knee injury; references to past parental death
December 26, 2021
I was really looking forward to reading this since a bunch of people I follow on GR were really into it, but this did not work for me for three reasons (I took notes so I could remember lol):
- The first third of this book was a drag. In fact, a LOT of this book was a drag. Every time the mains were not on page, I was so bored. I skimmed a lot a lot a lot. The side characters don't feel like real characters, they feel like people saying lines. The conversations and dialogue felt rote and dry.
- The book is premised on a friends-with-benefits situation, and that doesn't actually start until near the halfway mark. The FWB trope is not one requires THAT MUCH setup and in fact, I feel that more time should be spent on the stuff that happens after the sex because that's when feelings come into play and when the story and conflict really kick into gear. And look, I'm not saying that because I think there is One Way to write a FWB story, but all the stuff that came up until the point when the hero and heroine have sex could've been edited down by a lot. There was a lot of nothing happening, and the hero's internal conflict in particular was painfully boring and so overdone that I didn't feel like it was worth spending that many pages on. The heroine's fears — her queer identity being erased in some way because of her relationship with a cisgender straight man — was much more interesting.
- My third and final issue with this book — and very much a "me" issue and might not be an issue for anyone else — is that this author coddles its readers too much, and through that, I can sense the author's lack of confidence. There was a lot of telling and not showing re: identity and the characterizations were painful sometimes: For example, we're told that the heroine's friends are a ragtag group of outsiders, and then we're treated to physical descriptions of these characters, like, someone has a bunch of piercings and tattoos, and then someone else has a shirt that literally says, "On Wednesdays we smash the patriarchy." This is so fucking cringe to me, like when the Sex and the City reboot has a nonbinary character who came from the imagination of the lamest straight person ever — like how it's so obvious when boomers write millennials, or when millennials write Gen Zers.
At one point, the author builds a definition of "cisgender man" into the story to describe the hero and I just really hate that, personally, as a reader. I think authors should have the confidence to use phrases that may or may not be in the mainstream and let their readers figure it out. It reminds me of an interview I read by Tia Williams, author of the brilliant and beautiful "Seven Days in June," where she said that at the beginning of her career, she wrote a lot of books about black people for white people, and how as she got older and more tenured as an author, she stopped doing that and wrote black books for black people. She basically said (I'm paraphrasing) that if readers didn't know what she was talking about in her text, they can look it up. And yes!! That is the energy I want from authors who talk about stuff that their readers may or may not know. Trust your readers to figure it out, and if they don't, that's on them. Don't baby them.
- The first third of this book was a drag. In fact, a LOT of this book was a drag. Every time the mains were not on page, I was so bored. I skimmed a lot a lot a lot. The side characters don't feel like real characters, they feel like people saying lines. The conversations and dialogue felt rote and dry.
- The book is premised on a friends-with-benefits situation, and that doesn't actually start until near the halfway mark. The FWB trope is not one requires THAT MUCH setup and in fact, I feel that more time should be spent on the stuff that happens after the sex because that's when feelings come into play and when the story and conflict really kick into gear. And look, I'm not saying that because I think there is One Way to write a FWB story, but all the stuff that came up until the point when the hero and heroine have sex could've been edited down by a lot. There was a lot of nothing happening, and the hero's internal conflict in particular was painfully boring and so overdone that I didn't feel like it was worth spending that many pages on. The heroine's fears — her queer identity being erased in some way because of her relationship with a cisgender straight man — was much more interesting.
- My third and final issue with this book — and very much a "me" issue and might not be an issue for anyone else — is that this author coddles its readers too much, and through that, I can sense the author's lack of confidence. There was a lot of telling and not showing re: identity and the characterizations were painful sometimes: For example, we're told that the heroine's friends are a ragtag group of outsiders, and then we're treated to physical descriptions of these characters, like, someone has a bunch of piercings and tattoos, and then someone else has a shirt that literally says, "On Wednesdays we smash the patriarchy." This is so fucking cringe to me, like when the Sex and the City reboot has a nonbinary character who came from the imagination of the lamest straight person ever — like how it's so obvious when boomers write millennials, or when millennials write Gen Zers.
At one point, the author builds a definition of "cisgender man" into the story to describe the hero and I just really hate that, personally, as a reader. I think authors should have the confidence to use phrases that may or may not be in the mainstream and let their readers figure it out. It reminds me of an interview I read by Tia Williams, author of the brilliant and beautiful "Seven Days in June," where she said that at the beginning of her career, she wrote a lot of books about black people for white people, and how as she got older and more tenured as an author, she stopped doing that and wrote black books for black people. She basically said (I'm paraphrasing) that if readers didn't know what she was talking about in her text, they can look it up. And yes!! That is the energy I want from authors who talk about stuff that their readers may or may not know. Trust your readers to figure it out, and if they don't, that's on them. Don't baby them.
January 31, 2022
I wanted to love this 🥲
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
i can’t tell you how happy is makes me to see more MF romances with one (or two) of the MCs being queer.
let’s get one thing out of the way first: your current partner or sexual history does not define your sexuality.
it’s the 21st century, check your assumptions at the door.
grumpy x sunshine & (albeit, very different type of) hockey romance. when i tell you i JUMPED at the opportunity to read this.
there was a lot that worked for me here.
Piper and Gavin are fully fledged out characters, with so much life and personality.
their absolutely train wreck of a capital-F Failed Meet Cute had me in stitches. and the steam was swoon worthy.
but this just went around in circles with regards to Piper’s sexuality. i kept expecting the conversation to move forward and explore more, but we ended up circling the same issues and i was a bit disappointed.
it was just too slow and low stakes for me.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
i can’t tell you how happy is makes me to see more MF romances with one (or two) of the MCs being queer.
let’s get one thing out of the way first: your current partner or sexual history does not define your sexuality.
it’s the 21st century, check your assumptions at the door.
grumpy x sunshine & (albeit, very different type of) hockey romance. when i tell you i JUMPED at the opportunity to read this.
there was a lot that worked for me here.
Piper and Gavin are fully fledged out characters, with so much life and personality.
their absolutely train wreck of a capital-F Failed Meet Cute had me in stitches. and the steam was swoon worthy.
but this just went around in circles with regards to Piper’s sexuality. i kept expecting the conversation to move forward and explore more, but we ended up circling the same issues and i was a bit disappointed.
it was just too slow and low stakes for me.
December 24, 2021
3.5 stars
A grumpy hockey player and bi coffeeshop owner aren't interested in a long-term relationship... but there's no harm in a fling, right?
While I have some nitpicks about the hockey I love how Piper wrestles with her bisexuality, the found family vibes, and pretty much every side character. Along with the romance! Check out my standalone video review for more thoughts - I have so many! So curious to see what the next book of the series brings.
Content notes:
A grumpy hockey player and bi coffeeshop owner aren't interested in a long-term relationship... but there's no harm in a fling, right?
While I have some nitpicks about the hockey I love how Piper wrestles with her bisexuality, the found family vibes, and pretty much every side character. Along with the romance! Check out my standalone video review for more thoughts - I have so many! So curious to see what the next book of the series brings.
Content notes:
December 21, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyable with a great cast of characters. The handling of grief, biphobia, and identity struggles for both MCs is handled with utmost care and relatability. I’m looking forward to what else comes in this series!
Overall rating: 4
Hannah Angst Scale™ Rating: 2
Content notes: grief, FMC’s parents were killed in car accident in past, bi-erasure and biphobia (FMC references past experiences of both and struggles with some internalized biphobia), MMC has injury causing permanent disability, on page alcohol use, on page sex
Overall rating: 4
Hannah Angst Scale™ Rating: 2
Content notes: grief, FMC’s parents were killed in car accident in past, bi-erasure and biphobia (FMC references past experiences of both and struggles with some internalized biphobia), MMC has injury causing permanent disability, on page alcohol use, on page sex
December 14, 2021
I think this book is really interesting, because it's largely about how much of yourself you owe to yourself or others, but I did find it a bit frustrating to read at times, because of how much both the hero and heroine kept jumping to the wrong conclusions? And I personally could have used more time with them together to see the heroine's evolution into actually having feelings because for most of the book it did feel like she was just using the hero for sex (fine) due to all of the cis men bad stuff. I needed more transition, I guess.
Read
January 1, 2022Really, really enjoyed this debut from James. Grumpy ex-hockey star meets a coffee shop owner who is not taking his shit. Gavin is grumpy because he unexpectedly retires from hockey after an injury, he is having to figure out the next step of his life. But this book is really Piper's. Piper is a bisexual woman who has sworn off dating cis-het men. She does not want her identity as a bisexual woman to be lost and erased by dating a cis-het man. She has placed a lot of worth in her queer identity. So both Piper and Gavin have to work through how to be the people they are without losing a part of themselves. The story is very emotional and many times I had to put it down because it was so heavy. Really looking forward to reading more in this series.
December 8, 2021
I am such a sucker for a sports romance (especially hockey) with a grumpy main character. Too Much Man features one of my fav pairings a grumpy hockey player and firecracker coffeeshop owner, plus the "it's just physical" agreement turns into maybe something more? I love it.
Gavin is a seasoned hockey player who just recently is coming off a devastating, instant retirement-type knee injury. An ill-conceived attempt to self-wean off his pain meds with a bottle of liquor has Gavin searching out his first-ever cup of coffee at a friend's recommendation to remedy his hangover. Enter Piper, a spitfire coffee shop owner that has run out of all her... cares to deal with burly, grumpy, sexy hockey players that are too good to ask for help and insult her high-quality coffee.
It is absolutely no secret that I lurve to the moon and back big, grumpy, burly main characters that just don't know how to people. Love it, can't help it, won't apologize. Gavin had a lot of yucky emotions to work through regarding his very instant and unexpected retirement. He had dreams and goals and then... everything wasn't what he expected anymore. I love being able to witness on-page emotional/mental growth and acceptance.
Overall, I really liked Gavin and Piper together once they both got out of their own way. Gavin with his plans or what he used to want and Piper with her self-imposed issues.
Now, I kind of have to stop there and go into the whole Piper's issues for a bit. Far be it for me to be the queer police and tell anyone how to queer, but... I have certain feelings when people start banging on about bi-erasure. I get it way more than idealistically but I feel this has become somewhat of a "trendy" topic for people to throw in. I know the feeling like it's only ok to say you're bisexual if you are dating the same sex, otherwise you are just trying to say you are something but not really. I get the self-imposed feelings of not being able to take part in the community if you are not dating the same sex because then you're just a poser. And I absolutely feel like when you are with cishet people who are interested in you, your bisexuality is like a carnival act. They like to look at it for entertainment purposes but it's something that is just a special occasion to talk about and should otherwise be pushed in a closet or something so you can continue to look like a "normal" person. (Maybe that wasn't the best analogy?) But I say those things to say, I really more than get it in the light of my real, actual world... BUT... I kind of felt like Piper's character carried around that mantle a bit too much for way too long, and way too loudly. Like she wanted to be in the queer community so she just decided to go full lesbian and completely ignore the other part of her sexuality so she could *feel* part of a community. And then she got mad about the fact that she wasn't only a lesbian and was mad at the guy who made her remember. Sigh, maybe I'm not explaining it right. The whole bi-erasure topic just started feeling like less of a concept Piper felt really strong about and her own personal conceptual issues with it and more like a huge wall in the plot to create drama. It's probably just me. Ignore me. I tend to get very persnickety about how certain topics are portrayed and I'm a persnickety person anyway. Continue to ignore my rant.
Beyond Piper and Gavin's issues, their relationship was very supportive, fun, and hella sexy. I did want to smack both of them for the sheer frustrating stubbornness they both exhibited. But, in the end, they both got over their own crap, and so did I. = )
The surrogate family that both Piper and Gavin had/created was great. I really enjoyed Piper's friends and all their shenanigans. Gavin, being as grumpy as he is, was really fun to watch him realize he had actual friends and a support system despite himself.
Overall, I enjoyed Piper and Gavin's story and I am wanting to read more in the Firebird's series.
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Gavin is a seasoned hockey player who just recently is coming off a devastating, instant retirement-type knee injury. An ill-conceived attempt to self-wean off his pain meds with a bottle of liquor has Gavin searching out his first-ever cup of coffee at a friend's recommendation to remedy his hangover. Enter Piper, a spitfire coffee shop owner that has run out of all her... cares to deal with burly, grumpy, sexy hockey players that are too good to ask for help and insult her high-quality coffee.
It is absolutely no secret that I lurve to the moon and back big, grumpy, burly main characters that just don't know how to people. Love it, can't help it, won't apologize. Gavin had a lot of yucky emotions to work through regarding his very instant and unexpected retirement. He had dreams and goals and then... everything wasn't what he expected anymore. I love being able to witness on-page emotional/mental growth and acceptance.
Overall, I really liked Gavin and Piper together once they both got out of their own way. Gavin with his plans or what he used to want and Piper with her self-imposed issues.
Now, I kind of have to stop there and go into the whole Piper's issues for a bit. Far be it for me to be the queer police and tell anyone how to queer, but... I have certain feelings when people start banging on about bi-erasure. I get it way more than idealistically but I feel this has become somewhat of a "trendy" topic for people to throw in. I know the feeling like it's only ok to say you're bisexual if you are dating the same sex, otherwise you are just trying to say you are something but not really. I get the self-imposed feelings of not being able to take part in the community if you are not dating the same sex because then you're just a poser. And I absolutely feel like when you are with cishet people who are interested in you, your bisexuality is like a carnival act. They like to look at it for entertainment purposes but it's something that is just a special occasion to talk about and should otherwise be pushed in a closet or something so you can continue to look like a "normal" person. (Maybe that wasn't the best analogy?) But I say those things to say, I really more than get it in the light of my real, actual world... BUT... I kind of felt like Piper's character carried around that mantle a bit too much for way too long, and way too loudly. Like she wanted to be in the queer community so she just decided to go full lesbian and completely ignore the other part of her sexuality so she could *feel* part of a community. And then she got mad about the fact that she wasn't only a lesbian and was mad at the guy who made her remember. Sigh, maybe I'm not explaining it right. The whole bi-erasure topic just started feeling like less of a concept Piper felt really strong about and her own personal conceptual issues with it and more like a huge wall in the plot to create drama. It's probably just me. Ignore me. I tend to get very persnickety about how certain topics are portrayed and I'm a persnickety person anyway. Continue to ignore my rant.
Beyond Piper and Gavin's issues, their relationship was very supportive, fun, and hella sexy. I did want to smack both of them for the sheer frustrating stubbornness they both exhibited. But, in the end, they both got over their own crap, and so did I. = )
The surrogate family that both Piper and Gavin had/created was great. I really enjoyed Piper's friends and all their shenanigans. Gavin, being as grumpy as he is, was really fun to watch him realize he had actual friends and a support system despite himself.
Overall, I enjoyed Piper and Gavin's story and I am wanting to read more in the Firebird's series.
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
December 5, 2021
I was hoping that this was going to be a good read. I really was. And while the story itself was fine...Piper drove me nuts. I have identified as pansexual over a decade now. So, when there is a scene where a self-identifying bisexual woman declares "well, I'm probably more pansexual but I say I'm bi because..." The because is what irks me.
A lot of the Bi community gets so worked up about bisexual erasure --but you know what? You're doing the same thing to pansexual community by making us uncomfortable to use our identity. For some folks, it is literally a flag preference (I get it, I'm not wild about it either), it is SO IMPORTANT to our dialog that we can accurate represent ourselves. So...yeah, that whole thing really irritated me and I almost stopped reading.
I also got very, very annoyed with her constant "I don't want to not be queer by dating a man!". ...Piper, honey...get a grip. As I mentioned: I'm pansexual. I'm also non-binary. I exclusively date cisgender men. Women and trans folx just, historically, are not interested in me. I'm fine with it. But if if a woman/trans person comes along and shows interest...I'M STILL GOING TO GIVE THAT PERSON A CHANCE (...you know, if I like them).
I'm not saying that the book was bad, but I would have liked to see more focus on the RELATIONSHIP and less on the inner turmoil of being a queer identifying person in a heternormative relationship. It was repetitive at best.
The writing itself, other than the repetition, was good and I did enjoy the parts without Piper agonizing about her sexuality. I'd be curious to read another --but if it's more of the same, I wouldn't bother with more unless it was a character pairing I was really excited about.
A lot of the Bi community gets so worked up about bisexual erasure --but you know what? You're doing the same thing to pansexual community by making us uncomfortable to use our identity. For some folks, it is literally a flag preference (I get it, I'm not wild about it either), it is SO IMPORTANT to our dialog that we can accurate represent ourselves. So...yeah, that whole thing really irritated me and I almost stopped reading.
I also got very, very annoyed with her constant "I don't want to not be queer by dating a man!". ...Piper, honey...get a grip. As I mentioned: I'm pansexual. I'm also non-binary. I exclusively date cisgender men. Women and trans folx just, historically, are not interested in me. I'm fine with it. But if if a woman/trans person comes along and shows interest...I'M STILL GOING TO GIVE THAT PERSON A CHANCE (...you know, if I like them).
I'm not saying that the book was bad, but I would have liked to see more focus on the RELATIONSHIP and less on the inner turmoil of being a queer identifying person in a heternormative relationship. It was repetitive at best.
The writing itself, other than the repetition, was good and I did enjoy the parts without Piper agonizing about her sexuality. I'd be curious to read another --but if it's more of the same, I wouldn't bother with more unless it was a character pairing I was really excited about.
October 22, 2021
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
I liked this book even if I wasn’t fully sold in their relationship progression. To be fair, I am not a fan of insta-love and this felt very much that. After an initial not great meeting, the two MC’s quickly shelve their sh*t, drop their clothes then immediately serve up their hearts on a platter. We’re told they fall in love by the end of the book, but did I feel it as a reader? Not really.
I adore a good enemies to lovers storyline… this didn’t have that vibe.
What worked really well for me? Our heroine’s internal musings and describing bi-erasure were very well done. More so than any other romance book I have read. For that alone, I’d say this is worth the read.
Fingers crossed that Tyler Valentine is our hero in book two of this series.
I liked this book even if I wasn’t fully sold in their relationship progression. To be fair, I am not a fan of insta-love and this felt very much that. After an initial not great meeting, the two MC’s quickly shelve their sh*t, drop their clothes then immediately serve up their hearts on a platter. We’re told they fall in love by the end of the book, but did I feel it as a reader? Not really.
I adore a good enemies to lovers storyline… this didn’t have that vibe.
What worked really well for me? Our heroine’s internal musings and describing bi-erasure were very well done. More so than any other romance book I have read. For that alone, I’d say this is worth the read.
Fingers crossed that Tyler Valentine is our hero in book two of this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2021
A promising, enjoyable debut. Gavin’s emotional arc was really strong, as he dealt with a career-ending injury and figuring out what his life can or should look like if he can no longer play hockey. There’s also a lot around the image he’s presented to the world vs. who he really is (or will be) that was fascinating. Piper’s arc was more confusing to me, as it mostly centers around her fear of bierasure and working through internalized biphobia due to her decision years ago to no longer date cis men. This poses a problem since she’s intensely attracted to Gavin. I do not want to minimize what Piper was working through because that is a valid issue and struggle for bi folks. However, it felt like she should have worked through this earlier or at least taken her friends’ words to heart sooner, as they were all great about pointing out that who Piper dates doesn’t determine her sexuality. It wasn’t enough of an emotional arc to sustain the book or provide a good enough counterpart to Gavin’s arc. Either way, the book felt a bit disjointed as a result.
Gavin and Piper had great chemistry after a rough start and I really appreciated the way they couldn’t resist each other. That doesn’t mean they communicate well though and this felt true to life, even if it did make for some frustrating missteps. The timing of Gavin’s job offer felt unrealistic, especially the timeframe of when he would start. That made it difficult for me to accept the way the low moment unfolded because I couldn’t understand why he was letting things move forward when there were other valid options on the table.
But those are small complaints in the grand scheme of things. I had a hard time putting this one down during a week filled with lots of great distractions. Very high praise in my book. (Pun intended.) There are lots of promising secondary characters and I’m curious about whose book will be next. While Piper’s friends’ level of nosiness initially felt intrusive, I came around on them by the end and would gladly read any of their stories, in addition to those of Gavin’s hockey friends.
Characters: Gavin is a 42 year old white former hockey player. Piper is a 33 year old white bisexual coffee shop owner with pink hair. This is set in Shady Hill and Philadelphia, PA.
Content notes: bierasure, internalized biphobia, past biphobia, MMC has chronic pain due to permanent knee injury (has a knee brace and cane), internalized ableism (around using cane), MMC getting off painkillers for injury (at very start), past death of FMC’s parents (car accident), past divorce (MMC), secondary character’s mom is in remission for breast cancer (has a charity fundraiser for her), on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, gendered insults, gender essentialism (sometimes countered), ableist language
Gavin and Piper had great chemistry after a rough start and I really appreciated the way they couldn’t resist each other. That doesn’t mean they communicate well though and this felt true to life, even if it did make for some frustrating missteps. The timing of Gavin’s job offer felt unrealistic, especially the timeframe of when he would start. That made it difficult for me to accept the way the low moment unfolded because I couldn’t understand why he was letting things move forward when there were other valid options on the table.
But those are small complaints in the grand scheme of things. I had a hard time putting this one down during a week filled with lots of great distractions. Very high praise in my book. (Pun intended.) There are lots of promising secondary characters and I’m curious about whose book will be next. While Piper’s friends’ level of nosiness initially felt intrusive, I came around on them by the end and would gladly read any of their stories, in addition to those of Gavin’s hockey friends.
Characters: Gavin is a 42 year old white former hockey player. Piper is a 33 year old white bisexual coffee shop owner with pink hair. This is set in Shady Hill and Philadelphia, PA.
Content notes: bierasure, internalized biphobia, past biphobia, MMC has chronic pain due to permanent knee injury (has a knee brace and cane), internalized ableism (around using cane), MMC getting off painkillers for injury (at very start), past death of FMC’s parents (car accident), past divorce (MMC), secondary character’s mom is in remission for breast cancer (has a charity fundraiser for her), on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover, gendered insults, gender essentialism (sometimes countered), ableist language
December 31, 2021
This was cute! I liked the dynamic between Piper and Gavin. He was super grumpy and rude and she was having none of it, and I like that it didn’t just go away when they first got together. I really liked the discussion Piper had throughout the book on finding a way to be with Gavin while also being proud of her queerness and accepting that not everyone will know and get it but those who know her and matter will. And Gavin was supportive and kind. The conflict did frustrate me with how much it seemed to drag on, but I’m happy with how it all ended!
June 22, 2022
I'm from Texas so everything I know about hockey players I learned from romance novels, and what I know is that they just show up in coffee shops and fall in love with people, it's wild.
October 25, 2023
2 stars.
This one just did not work for me. It felt very slow and repetitive. Too many side characters for any of them to have actual personalities or be kept straight. And I bounced off both the main characters’ “grumpy” personalities.
Plus, for a book I was expecting to be pretty hot, there either wasn’t much sex or it was so forgettable it already escaped my mind (I’m remembering one oral scene and one medium-descriptiveness PIV scene, but there may have been more I forgot)
This one just did not work for me. It felt very slow and repetitive. Too many side characters for any of them to have actual personalities or be kept straight. And I bounced off both the main characters’ “grumpy” personalities.
Plus, for a book I was expecting to be pretty hot, there either wasn’t much sex or it was so forgettable it already escaped my mind (I’m remembering one oral scene and one medium-descriptiveness PIV scene, but there may have been more I forgot)
October 8, 2024
Too slow and too much time spent in both characters heads instead of... things actually happening? Introspection is fine and, oftentimes, necessary but it just kept going in circles for both of them and then they just kept not talking to each other. Just too many misses that not even a good Philly setting could save.
December 9, 2021
Sexy, Bi, Hockey, LGBTQIA
I really enjoyed this book and the fact it calls attention to some more sensitive and prominent issues like Bisexual erasure, which you typically do not find in a romance novel. The story follows Piper, a Bisexual coffee owner and ex-hockey player, Gavin who is recovering from a career-ending injury. They meet, fight, decide to have a fling and re-evaluate their previous life goals/plans/expectations as they secretly fall for each other. I do have to mention that I did find their internal monologue a bit repetitive as they each worked through their issues, however, I prefer this over them just snapping their fingers and figuring it all out.
There wasn’t anything too surprising about the story but I didn’t mind so much since it was a great debut novel and fairly sexy. Piper’s continual debate with her queerness and her concerns about parts of her identity being “erased” or overlooked were refreshing to hear as authentic Bisexual and representation in entertainment can be hard to come by.
The novel did a fantastic job at setting the stage for more stories within the Firebird world and I can’t wait to read how the other characters find love. I have some hopes for some storylines that I think James was foreshadowing (maybe a gay hockey player?). All in all, this was a good read and I’m excited about55 the next instalment.
PS: Saul the “huge, hairy, mean bigfoot,” I cannot wait to read about your story!
Special thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
#NetGalley #TooMuchMan #Firebirds
I really enjoyed this book and the fact it calls attention to some more sensitive and prominent issues like Bisexual erasure, which you typically do not find in a romance novel. The story follows Piper, a Bisexual coffee owner and ex-hockey player, Gavin who is recovering from a career-ending injury. They meet, fight, decide to have a fling and re-evaluate their previous life goals/plans/expectations as they secretly fall for each other. I do have to mention that I did find their internal monologue a bit repetitive as they each worked through their issues, however, I prefer this over them just snapping their fingers and figuring it all out.
There wasn’t anything too surprising about the story but I didn’t mind so much since it was a great debut novel and fairly sexy. Piper’s continual debate with her queerness and her concerns about parts of her identity being “erased” or overlooked were refreshing to hear as authentic Bisexual and representation in entertainment can be hard to come by.
The novel did a fantastic job at setting the stage for more stories within the Firebird world and I can’t wait to read how the other characters find love. I have some hopes for some storylines that I think James was foreshadowing (maybe a gay hockey player?). All in all, this was a good read and I’m excited about55 the next instalment.
PS: Saul the “huge, hairy, mean bigfoot,” I cannot wait to read about your story!
Special thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
#NetGalley #TooMuchMan #Firebirds
November 19, 2021
3.5 out of 5 stars
Too Much Man was a quick, easy read for me. Anyone who likes big, muscly hockey player love interests and strong, queer leading ladies will definitely enjoy this romance story. It follows a pretty standard romance formula: Grumpy guy makes a bad impression. Gal puts guy in his place. Attraction flares, leading to a temporary friends-with-benefits situation...UNTIL! Both have feelings. Then former grumpy guy becomes grumpy again and pushes gal away. Both are miserable, their friends give them a swift kick in the butt, big declarations are made, and everyone lives happily ever after.
I liked Piper and Grant just fine, but they weren't memorable. I did enjoy Piper's group of friends and the abundance of queer rep. Gavin's teammates were enjoyable, as well. Apart from Piper's pink hair, nothing sticks out for me. I am curious about the next book in the series and who will be the MC. Perhaps Valentine, as it seems the author inserted a few nuggets to make me curious about his backstory.
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.***
Too Much Man was a quick, easy read for me. Anyone who likes big, muscly hockey player love interests and strong, queer leading ladies will definitely enjoy this romance story. It follows a pretty standard romance formula: Grumpy guy makes a bad impression. Gal puts guy in his place. Attraction flares, leading to a temporary friends-with-benefits situation...UNTIL! Both have feelings. Then former grumpy guy becomes grumpy again and pushes gal away. Both are miserable, their friends give them a swift kick in the butt, big declarations are made, and everyone lives happily ever after.
I liked Piper and Grant just fine, but they weren't memorable. I did enjoy Piper's group of friends and the abundance of queer rep. Gavin's teammates were enjoyable, as well. Apart from Piper's pink hair, nothing sticks out for me. I am curious about the next book in the series and who will be the MC. Perhaps Valentine, as it seems the author inserted a few nuggets to make me curious about his backstory.
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.***
June 14, 2022
There's a lot to love about the book and I did enjoy it in a way, but all in all it wasn't my cup of tea. Piper is fun and outgoing and I adored the open minded and inclusive atmosphere she achieved in her coffee shop. Gavin is just the right amount of grouchy and grumpy to balance out her cheerfulness. Their way to a relationship is certainly rocky and the frustration it created for me was ultimately why I didn't like the book as much as I should have.
I totally get Piper's hesitation about dating men, but her completely denying her attraction to men was frustrating. Her kind of journey to fully coming to terms with her bisexuality is very much a central part of the book, but it still annoyed me too much after a while to always read how shitty all the men she dated were and how no men would accept her bisexuality was a bit overdone. It also ultimately bled into her relationship with Gavin too much and after a while I really felt bad for him.
Overall more of a personal issue for me with the storytelling, as I think it could have been handled better.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I totally get Piper's hesitation about dating men, but her completely denying her attraction to men was frustrating. Her kind of journey to fully coming to terms with her bisexuality is very much a central part of the book, but it still annoyed me too much after a while to always read how shitty all the men she dated were and how no men would accept her bisexuality was a bit overdone. It also ultimately bled into her relationship with Gavin too much and after a while I really felt bad for him.
Overall more of a personal issue for me with the storytelling, as I think it could have been handled better.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2022
Hockey romances are always right up my alley and queer friendly ones are even better! I liked this one a lot - but it wasn't love like I expected it to be. I think that is mainly because I didn't love Piper. Everyone in the book kept telling me I should - that she had a big heart and was passionate and funny - but I found her to be aloof and fairly cold. Even when she and Gavin push each other away at the end - I had a hard time finding empathy for Piper.
I loved the concept- and I would definitely be interested in learning and reading more about some of the other folks introduced in the book - but for me Gavin and Piper didn't have the chemistry I like to see between characters and Piper in particular was just not very likeable for me.
I did like the bisexual representation in the book - and felt Piper's concerns were very realistic and well done.
Overall - it was ok - but not great.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
I loved the concept- and I would definitely be interested in learning and reading more about some of the other folks introduced in the book - but for me Gavin and Piper didn't have the chemistry I like to see between characters and Piper in particular was just not very likeable for me.
I did like the bisexual representation in the book - and felt Piper's concerns were very realistic and well done.
Overall - it was ok - but not great.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
March 20, 2022
This was... fine? It was fine.
I found it to be very slow, and ended up skimming most of the second half of the book. I didn't really like either Piper or Gavin, and disliked (or just didn't understand) Piper's friend group and how they had absolutely no boundaries. I understood Piper's reticence, but found it to be too preachy and too much of a plot point.
I found it to be very slow, and ended up skimming most of the second half of the book. I didn't really like either Piper or Gavin, and disliked (or just didn't understand) Piper's friend group and how they had absolutely no boundaries. I understood Piper's reticence, but found it to be too preachy and too much of a plot point.
Read
December 1, 2021Categories
Sports Romance, Bisexual, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Firebirds (Book #1)
Sports Romance, Bisexual, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Firebirds (Book #1)
March 5, 2022
DNF 27%
Kudos on the premise but I wish the execution had been less clunky. I got 150 pages in and almost nothing happened. An experienced romance novelist could have done the setup in 20 pages.
Kudos on the premise but I wish the execution had been less clunky. I got 150 pages in and almost nothing happened. An experienced romance novelist could have done the setup in 20 pages.
December 21, 2022
3.5 rounded down.
Why aren't we talking more about Too Much Man by Katy James? It's one of the best bisexual romances I've read recently, and I had to stumble across it by accident while browsing through Libby. Tsk, tsk, queer romance community - get with it! A brief summary: Gavin is a legendary hockey player who experiences a career-ending injury less than a year after he moves to a new team, the Philadelphia Firebirds. Piper is a coffee shop owner/friend of one of Gavin's teammates whose insecurity in her sexuality pushes her away from dating cis men. When they meet, sparks fly; they soon decide to enter a friends-with-benefits relationship with an end date. Shenanigans occur.
Too Much Man does a lot of things right. Take the character of Gavin. He is an excellent example of an open-minded, grumpy-with-reason, heterosexual male protagonist. He doesn't fall into the typical misogynistic BS that we often see in the romance genre; he is really and truly a decent person whose mistakes are redeemable and entirely understandable (uh, mostly - we'll get to that momentarily). I also really appreciate the solid friend groups that surround both Gavin and Piper, in particular Piper; though her friend group is perhaps a bit too large for its own good, I always love to see a solid queer friend group. (And the fact that she's friends with one of her exes? Talk about realistic!)
A huge component of this book is bisexuality and bisexual visibility. As mentioned above, Piper identifies as bisexual (with pansexual tendencies), and bad experiences dating cis heterosexual men have led her to avoid dating them. Moreover, she is dedicated to being openly and visibly queer; the mere thought of dating Gavin, a heterosexual cis man, causes huge amounts of turmoil. The question at hand: what happens when a bisexual woman enters a relationship with a heterosexual man? I think this is an extremely important discussion to be having, and I appreciate that James decides to tackle this. That being said, considering how this is a romance, I feel like there is a bit too much time dedicated to this struggle. As a result, I have trouble feeling sympathy for Piper.
On that note: to be honest, Piper herself is a bit of an unsympathetic character. For someone who works so hard at participating in the queer community and is so concerned with being outwardly queer, she sure finds it easy to fall into a heteronormative relationship with Gavin. By this I refer to her willingness to let him take the initiative at various points. Instead of facing her issues head on, she does nothing until Gavin approaches her (no spoilers, but the 80% miscommunication is one such example - Piper's attitude is trash). For what is trying to be an extremely queer book, this is a MASSIVE failure.
There's more to say about the book, but I'll cut it off there. Despite some issues, it's definitely worth reading. Recommended if you like sports romances; bisexual representation; grumpy/grumpy romances; characters who are oblivious until the last possible minute; the city of Philadelphia.
Why aren't we talking more about Too Much Man by Katy James? It's one of the best bisexual romances I've read recently, and I had to stumble across it by accident while browsing through Libby. Tsk, tsk, queer romance community - get with it! A brief summary: Gavin is a legendary hockey player who experiences a career-ending injury less than a year after he moves to a new team, the Philadelphia Firebirds. Piper is a coffee shop owner/friend of one of Gavin's teammates whose insecurity in her sexuality pushes her away from dating cis men. When they meet, sparks fly; they soon decide to enter a friends-with-benefits relationship with an end date. Shenanigans occur.
Too Much Man does a lot of things right. Take the character of Gavin. He is an excellent example of an open-minded, grumpy-with-reason, heterosexual male protagonist. He doesn't fall into the typical misogynistic BS that we often see in the romance genre; he is really and truly a decent person whose mistakes are redeemable and entirely understandable (uh, mostly - we'll get to that momentarily). I also really appreciate the solid friend groups that surround both Gavin and Piper, in particular Piper; though her friend group is perhaps a bit too large for its own good, I always love to see a solid queer friend group. (And the fact that she's friends with one of her exes? Talk about realistic!)
A huge component of this book is bisexuality and bisexual visibility. As mentioned above, Piper identifies as bisexual (with pansexual tendencies), and bad experiences dating cis heterosexual men have led her to avoid dating them. Moreover, she is dedicated to being openly and visibly queer; the mere thought of dating Gavin, a heterosexual cis man, causes huge amounts of turmoil. The question at hand: what happens when a bisexual woman enters a relationship with a heterosexual man? I think this is an extremely important discussion to be having, and I appreciate that James decides to tackle this. That being said, considering how this is a romance, I feel like there is a bit too much time dedicated to this struggle. As a result, I have trouble feeling sympathy for Piper.
On that note: to be honest, Piper herself is a bit of an unsympathetic character. For someone who works so hard at participating in the queer community and is so concerned with being outwardly queer, she sure finds it easy to fall into a heteronormative relationship with Gavin. By this I refer to her willingness to let him take the initiative at various points. Instead of facing her issues head on, she does nothing until Gavin approaches her (no spoilers, but the 80% miscommunication is one such example - Piper's attitude is trash). For what is trying to be an extremely queer book, this is a MASSIVE failure.
There's more to say about the book, but I'll cut it off there. Despite some issues, it's definitely worth reading. Recommended if you like sports romances; bisexual representation; grumpy/grumpy romances; characters who are oblivious until the last possible minute; the city of Philadelphia.
March 12, 2022
I’m not sure I can avoid spoilers, so here’s your warning!
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Piper, a bisexual, coffee house owner. Piper offers up her coffee as a coffee house as the location for a charity event for the area hockey team. She is tasked with making sure the players can serve coffee as well as make sure the winners have a great time.
That is a very small aspect of the story, but it’s how she ends up meeting a very angry Gavin Williams who is still healing from a devastating injury. He’s in pain and unsure of his future. I’d be grumpy too.
Piper fights against her attraction to Gavin. She’s made a promise to herself as a bisexual woman she was done with men. The queer community is where she feels most at home and whenever she is with a man, it’s almost like a party trick, her liking women. She feels excluded from the community whenever she dates a man.
I felt that so much. The thought that people will claim all those dates and relationships with women were a just a phase. Spoiler alert, they weren’t. It felt good knowing I wasn’t alone in that feeling. There are other people out there that feel what I feel.
Piper bargains with herself. She can have a friend with benefits relationship with Gavin. He’s leaving, there’s an expiration date on it. There won’t be any feelings and when he’s gone, she’ll move on. Easy as that. Right?
It’s never as easy as that.
Now I will fully admit, I can’t give a rating to the spiciness. I was more focused on the emotional journey that both Piper and Gavin went on as they learn who they truly are as individuals and what they want in life.
The beginning was a little slow for me. At times I got irritated with the pair of them, but overall I enjoyed reading this. The secondary characters weren't memorable. Which I feel terrible for saying, but I was so focused on Piper and Gavin.
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Piper, a bisexual, coffee house owner. Piper offers up her coffee as a coffee house as the location for a charity event for the area hockey team. She is tasked with making sure the players can serve coffee as well as make sure the winners have a great time.
That is a very small aspect of the story, but it’s how she ends up meeting a very angry Gavin Williams who is still healing from a devastating injury. He’s in pain and unsure of his future. I’d be grumpy too.
Piper fights against her attraction to Gavin. She’s made a promise to herself as a bisexual woman she was done with men. The queer community is where she feels most at home and whenever she is with a man, it’s almost like a party trick, her liking women. She feels excluded from the community whenever she dates a man.
I felt that so much. The thought that people will claim all those dates and relationships with women were a just a phase. Spoiler alert, they weren’t. It felt good knowing I wasn’t alone in that feeling. There are other people out there that feel what I feel.
Piper bargains with herself. She can have a friend with benefits relationship with Gavin. He’s leaving, there’s an expiration date on it. There won’t be any feelings and when he’s gone, she’ll move on. Easy as that. Right?
It’s never as easy as that.
Now I will fully admit, I can’t give a rating to the spiciness. I was more focused on the emotional journey that both Piper and Gavin went on as they learn who they truly are as individuals and what they want in life.
The beginning was a little slow for me. At times I got irritated with the pair of them, but overall I enjoyed reading this. The secondary characters weren't memorable. Which I feel terrible for saying, but I was so focused on Piper and Gavin.
December 27, 2021
There are so many romance novels out there that follow a similar plot, it isn't always a bad thing, they can be well written and enjoyable. Even so, it's always good to come across one that has something different about it. Too Much Man is certainly that.
Yes, it follows the idea of two people greatly attracted to one another but avoiding anything permanent for one reason or another. What makes this a little different though, is the reason that Piper is reluctant to start anything more than a fling with Gavin. Piper is bisexual and while she is attracted to men and women, she always feels that part of her is erased in the eyes of others when she is with a man, for that reason, she has avoided being in relationships with men for a number of years. I liked the way the author addressed Piper's fears, the story concerns how we worry about the way other people view us, rather than what we want and feel.
At the same time, Gavin is coming to terms with the end of his sports career. He's been successful, incredibly so, but that has come to an end. It's an interesting subject, how even someone who has had it all can face uncertainty when all that they have enjoyed comes crashing to an end.
This was an interesting read and one I really enjoyed. I see that it's the start of a series and I'd be interested to see where next for this hockey team.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
Yes, it follows the idea of two people greatly attracted to one another but avoiding anything permanent for one reason or another. What makes this a little different though, is the reason that Piper is reluctant to start anything more than a fling with Gavin. Piper is bisexual and while she is attracted to men and women, she always feels that part of her is erased in the eyes of others when she is with a man, for that reason, she has avoided being in relationships with men for a number of years. I liked the way the author addressed Piper's fears, the story concerns how we worry about the way other people view us, rather than what we want and feel.
At the same time, Gavin is coming to terms with the end of his sports career. He's been successful, incredibly so, but that has come to an end. It's an interesting subject, how even someone who has had it all can face uncertainty when all that they have enjoyed comes crashing to an end.
This was an interesting read and one I really enjoyed. I see that it's the start of a series and I'd be interested to see where next for this hockey team.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
December 15, 2021
Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Too Much Man by Katy James
In this first in instalment in the Firebirds Hockey series, Gavin Williams is now a former player, his injury making unable to play anymore. Piper Welborn, a coffee shop owner has sworn off relationship with men, but when the smoldering and grumpy Gavin makes his way to the shop for a charity event, the sparks fly and at least for a friends-with-benefit arrangement they both jump-in, at least until their true feelings for each other start to show.
Piper and Gavin are the proof that meet-cute aren't necessary for a happily ever after, after their less than cute first impression those two grump are definitely intrigued by the other. I loved how a lot was discussed in this book surrounding both bisexuality, its place in the world, but also in the queer community and the sometimes toxic "hockey culture", especially surrounding mental health. I loved how Gavin wasn't the usual all-alpha and confident hockey player, he was a little shy and self-conscious. I personally don't love the "it's only sex" trope, but with all the friendship going on at the same time, I found the author had a good rhythm going on. I'll definitely be on the look-out for the next ones in the series! Hoping for Carlo next!
In this first in instalment in the Firebirds Hockey series, Gavin Williams is now a former player, his injury making unable to play anymore. Piper Welborn, a coffee shop owner has sworn off relationship with men, but when the smoldering and grumpy Gavin makes his way to the shop for a charity event, the sparks fly and at least for a friends-with-benefit arrangement they both jump-in, at least until their true feelings for each other start to show.
Piper and Gavin are the proof that meet-cute aren't necessary for a happily ever after, after their less than cute first impression those two grump are definitely intrigued by the other. I loved how a lot was discussed in this book surrounding both bisexuality, its place in the world, but also in the queer community and the sometimes toxic "hockey culture", especially surrounding mental health. I loved how Gavin wasn't the usual all-alpha and confident hockey player, he was a little shy and self-conscious. I personally don't love the "it's only sex" trope, but with all the friendship going on at the same time, I found the author had a good rhythm going on. I'll definitely be on the look-out for the next ones in the series! Hoping for Carlo next!
January 1, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book, my thoughts are my own.
This was a not loving, not hating kind of book. The ones I hate to review the most because it is hard to put into words a book that did not leave a mark on me be it good or bad. This is a lukewarm book, neither memorable or bad just not for me in a way I did not expect as I am a HUGE lover of Sports romance.
Especially Hockey as I am from Quebec, Canada and it is a pretty big thing here.
Now about the book, I read it a little while ago and due to family stuff happening and mental health reasons had to step back and not be on anything for a while.
Which means that all I have left are a phrase "Not bad but like meh" which is the note I had left for myself after reading it.
From memory I do believe this author has a lot of potential to write a book I could love in the future, I remember liking the easy to read well made story that was written nicely. Unfortunately the romance did not make me root for them, I felt uncaring about how their relationship would progress.
In the end an okay read
2.5/5 stars
Bookarina.
This was a not loving, not hating kind of book. The ones I hate to review the most because it is hard to put into words a book that did not leave a mark on me be it good or bad. This is a lukewarm book, neither memorable or bad just not for me in a way I did not expect as I am a HUGE lover of Sports romance.
Especially Hockey as I am from Quebec, Canada and it is a pretty big thing here.
Now about the book, I read it a little while ago and due to family stuff happening and mental health reasons had to step back and not be on anything for a while.
Which means that all I have left are a phrase "Not bad but like meh" which is the note I had left for myself after reading it.
From memory I do believe this author has a lot of potential to write a book I could love in the future, I remember liking the easy to read well made story that was written nicely. Unfortunately the romance did not make me root for them, I felt uncaring about how their relationship would progress.
In the end an okay read
2.5/5 stars
Bookarina.
October 24, 2025
Liked this story of challenged identities and the found community in a simple local business.:
Bisexual Piper runs her coffee shop, The Bean, as a community hub and a queer hang out. Not a hockey fan.
One employee has a brother in Hockey. Charity event brings hockey to the shop. Big handsome, sometimes awkward hockey players. Gavin had stumbled into a random coffee shop one morning hung over and grumpy with a painful injury in long recovery. Very anti social
Spoiler alert: He made a brief impression but left a spark. Vancouver was home but traded away, finds him lonely, bitter and in pain and living locally.
Nicer story than expected. Finds community and maybe love?
Bisexual Piper runs her coffee shop, The Bean, as a community hub and a queer hang out. Not a hockey fan.
One employee has a brother in Hockey. Charity event brings hockey to the shop. Big handsome, sometimes awkward hockey players. Gavin had stumbled into a random coffee shop one morning hung over and grumpy with a painful injury in long recovery. Very anti social
Spoiler alert: He made a brief impression but left a spark. Vancouver was home but traded away, finds him lonely, bitter and in pain and living locally.
Nicer story than expected. Finds community and maybe love?
December 21, 2021
if you like grumpy/sunshine, you'll love this one. The grumpy hero has enough self-awareness to apologise when he messes up, although it takes him a long time (and several friends) to figure out what he really wants.
The heroine is fun and business focused but perhaps a little shallow as a character compared to the hero who owns the story. Lots of friendships and found family which is always great.
The heroine is fun and business focused but perhaps a little shallow as a character compared to the hero who owns the story. Lots of friendships and found family which is always great.
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