Knave of Broken Hearts (Love in Laguna #2) by Tara Lain

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

One look at his cardiologist and Jim’s got two heart problems.

Jim disappointed his wealthy family at 16 and he’s been perfecting the skill ever since.
Too much booze.
Too little responsibility.
Too much faking his interest in women.

Then Jim does one good deed to help out his best friend Billy and winds up in the doctor’s office face-to-face with Dr. Ken Tanaka – and Jim’s secret yaoi kink.

Ken’s got baggage like a Beverly Hills debutante, so if Jim wants to be other than a notch on Ken’s stethoscope, he’s going to have to fix more than his mitral valve.

Or maybe he’ll just figure that when you’re a blue-collar guy and fall for your cardiologist, you deserve a broken heart.

KNAVE OF BROKEN HEARTS is an opposites-attract, coming out, finally growing up, yaoi-love, meeting-his-mother, MM romance. 

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Knave of Broken Heart is another great book in the Love in Laguna series. The second book in this Tara Lain series, it's easily read as a standalone.

These two men and their story drew me in immediately. We met Jim in Knight of Ocean Avenue and getting to read his tale is awesome. His immediate connection Ken is fabulous. 

Jim, like Billy in the first book, is a construction worker who never thought about his sexuality. Until Billy comes out. His past put him firmly in the straight column and he never looked back. And now he's about to deal with his sexuality for the first time. And damn, his backstory is heartbreaking. 

And then there's Ken. Oh man, the family pressure on him is ever present. His momma runs his life and he struggles to stand up to her. I really wanted to smack some sense into him often. 

I love the way these two men naturally came together. Neither are the type to jump into a gay relationship quickly, so I love how everything evolved for them slowly. 

Their tale includes a rape drug event that left me extremely shaken. Seriously, this scene is a tough read, but I enjoy the way the author wraps it all up. 

Written in alternating 3rd person pov, these men fully come alive and kept me intrigued throughout. The author includes plenty of Japanese culture into this tale, with Ken being Japanese and Jim being a fan of Japanese comics. The author definitely threw in some things I didn't love, but overall I enjoyed the book a lot. 

Knave of Broken Hearts is an intriguing out for you/sexual awakening romance. Tara Lain definitely put a lot of emotion into this tale and the men make a great couple. 

Goalie Interference (Hat Trick #2) by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

Blurb

It’s goalie vs. goalie in this brand-new enemies-to-lovers hockey romance from Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn…

Ryu Mori has had a stellar season as goalie for the Atlanta Venom. So when he’s called into management’s office, he’s expecting to hear he’s the new starting goalie for the team, not that some new guy—an incredibly hot, annoyingly bratty rookie—is here to compete for his spot.

Not everyone gets to play in the best league in the world. Emmitt Armstrong knows that, and he’s not about to waste the opportunity after grinding his way from the bottom to the top. If the Venom is looking for a meek, mild-mannered pushover, they’ve got the wrong guy.

Ryu doesn’t want to admit the other goalie’s smart mouth turns him on. Beating Armstrong at practice feels good, sure, but there are other, more fun ways to shut his rival up.

In this league, it’s winner takes all. But there’s more to life than winning, and if Emmitt and Ryu can get past their egos and competitive natures, they might just discover they work better as partners than they ever imagined possible.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

This book is approximately 72,000 words

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Goalie Interference, the second book in the Hat Trick series, has everything I love about an Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn book. There's a great hockey story, two intriguing main characters, and some hot sex. 

In this story, a fun, no-strings-attached arrangement leads to more as the lines start to blur. I always enjoy when casual boyfriends turn into a real relationship without the men even knowing. Personally, I love the scene where they talk about wanting more. 

Emmitt's new to the team and finds himself competing with Ryu for the goalie position. As usual, they always have to fight, on and off the ice. They're rivals on the ice so this is normal for them. But best yet, fighting gets them hot, which is always a fun read.

For anyone looking for a book with diverse characters, this one fits the bill. One's a black man, the other is Japanese/American. The lack of diversity in the NHL is well explored.

I love everything about this story. Course I have a thing for athletes, and this one met all my expectations and desires. Ryu and Emmitt are so damn hot together. And don't forget the beauty of their dares. I'm certainly not going to give anything away, but damn, I love their dares.

One big part of their story involves their parents, and the lack of support they receive from them. Parental involvement has the power to make or break someone, and these two definitely struggle with their parent's expectations. 

Goalie Interference is a great enemies to lovers romance. If you enjoy closeted athletes, make sure to check out this Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn collaboration. The second book in their Hat Trick series, it is easily read as a standalone.