RELEASE BLITZ
Book Title: He Shoots, He Scores (Skate to Love Book 1)
Author: Tricia Owens
Publisher and Cover Artist: Tricia Owens
Genre/s: Sports M/M Romance
Heat Rating: 5 flames
Length: 70 000 words
Release Date: June 16, 2020
Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited
“There’s more than one way to score.”
When superstar winger Neil Shannon is injured in the Stanley Cup Finals, he loses more than the hockey championships. With his confidence shot, his career begins to fall apart and an early retirement seems inevitable. Unwanted by his former team, Neil is traded to one that's starting over. Even worse, he's joined there by his biggest rival, the sexy Swede Adrian Magnusson. Adrian feels responsible for Neil's fall from grace and is determined to revive his career, but Neil wants to stay far away from this Swedish temptation, or else he'll lose the last thing of value he owns: his reputation.
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My Rating - 4.5 Stars!
He Shoots, He Scores is a riveting hockey romance. This Tricia Owens book had me gripped from the start.
When we meet Neil, he is injured during an important hockey game by his rival Adrian. As time goes on, the two men find one another on the same team. There's animosity, intrigue, awkwardness, tension, and more.
This is a story that's driven by the fear of coming out in sports. Both Neil and Adrian are closeted NHL players. Despite being rivals, the attraction and chemistry are there in full force from the start.
Neil and Adrian make a fascinating couple. They are complete opposites, who have a long journey to get past their natural conflict. Their journey is well developed, with some light angst. Their relationship is a slow burn one with some sizzling heat. The injury factor is intriguing, and the enemies aspect is fabulous.
The writing is wonderful, with some fun banter, two well rounded characters, and some interesting obstacles in their way. There are plenty of side characters and game action to round out this story. The author definitely impresses with the entertaining dialogue. The one problem is that this story falls flat with the ending. No definitive ending. There damn well better be more of this couple in my future. I need it! And they need their happy ending.
Overall, He Shoots, He Scores is an exciting sports romance. If you enjoy closeted athletes finding their way to love, you will enjoy this Tricia Owens read.
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“I like keeping in touch,” Magnusson admitted. “And I thought it would be fun, texting you. We’re always being pitted against each other by the fans and the media. Funny if they got it all wrong, yeah?”
“We’re not really friends, though,” Neil said, regretting it immediately when the light dimmed behind the other winger’s eyes. “I mean, we don’t know each other that well,” he hastened to add. “This is the first time we’ve said more than a few words to each other.”
“We should be a secret.” Magnusson’s face, normally animated, became still. “You and me.”
You’re already mine, Neil thought. He knew Magnusson meant only friendship, but a person could dream, and Neil was good at entertaining dreams.
“We are a secret,” he declared with drunken boldness. Let Magnusson think he meant it innocently. It didn’t matter.
Emotion moved across the Swede’s face, something wistful. Something stronger. Magnusson was strangely intense when he was drunk. It made Neil nervous, as though anything could happen, good or bad.
Then Magnusson grinned, and the tension snapped.
“I’m glad you yakked today, Shannon.”
Neil sighed, his arousal deflating. “Bite me, Magnusson.”
“Don’t say something like that around a Swedish lion.” Magnusson abruptly stood up and strode to the bathroom. “I’m going to shower.”
He left the door open and Neil could see him clearly in the mirror’s reflection, clumsily undressing. Neil opened his mouth to yell at him to shut the door. But then the tight yellow dress shirt came off, and the undershirt beneath it—and Neil forgot what he was going to say.
Damn, he’s built. He stared openly, unable to look away as the other man struggled with his tight pants until he finally managed to yank and kick his way free of them. His thighs were indeed tree trunks, his calves chiseled. And his ass—Magnusson wore a thong beneath his pants. Neil choked.
Magnusson heard him. His blue eyes flashed up to the mirror, wide with shock. He hadn’t realized Neil could see him. But instead of blushing as Neil expected, Magnusson’s expression grew intent again. Holding Neil’s captive gaze, he reached back and slapped himself loudly on one ass cheek.
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Tricia Owens has been writing m/m fiction since 2000, after stumbling onto the term ‘slash’ and thinking it referred to horror stories. She is the author of the Sin City, A Pirate’s Life for Me, and Juxtapose City series, among several others. She lives in Las Vegas.
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