Charming as Puck by Van Cole

Amazon Link - Available in KU
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Blurb

A Blistering Romance Between A Rookie Hockey Player And a Veteran Threatens To Melt The Ice.

I was that rookie hockey player, at his first training camp and all the pressure was on me.
As the son of the former star player, Bryan Sixsmith, everyone expected me, Axl, to return the team to the glory years, no one more so than Dad.

One player who didn’t appreciate me was a veteran, Chip.
Despite an initial clash in personalities, I sensed a growing tension between us and although I’m straight, I couldn’t stop fantasizing about my older teammate.

Added into the mix was a blogger, Zack, who was documenting the team’s season and he found evidence of our illicit relationship.
But what did he want, and what would it cost to keep our secret?

Charming As Puck is a standalone MMM First Time Hockey Romance with a HEA and NO cheating!

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Van Cole's Charming as Puck is fun hockey romance. A short story, it's a fast paced quick read. 

Axl's the son of a hockey legend, always being compared to his famous father. They have a tough father/son relationship, full of expectations and burdens. All told from Axl's pov, Axl finds himself attracted to Chip, his new teammate who's a former teammate of his famous father. A gay man, Axl's never had a chance to acts upon his feelings before. As for Chip, he's gay but has always been closeted.

What follows is quick story of a man who's never acted on his sexual feelings before and another who has experience, but has always been closeted. Their story is one of some sexual exploration, and the struggle of coming out. Their story includes an age gap, and a huge conflict with Axel's father. And it's all great. 

Charming as Puck is short, fast paced, and hot. For such a short tale, it never lacks character or storyline development. Simplistic and to the point, this Van Cole definitely entertains. And damn, I love the surprise steamy scene.

Somebody To Love: Gay First Time Best Friend Romance by Van Cole

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Blurb

Best Friends. Best Companions. But Can They Be The Best Of Lovers?

Joe and I were best friends when we met in high school.
In fact, he was the only thing that made my teenage years halfway tolerable.

But I knew he wouldn’t switch.
I knew he couldn’t switch.
But there was always something a bit curious about Joe.
And it wasn’t just his charisma.
Or his looks.
There always seemed something slightly furious in his chestnut eyes.
Something forbidden… even to himself.
It was a fury that terrified me.
And I wanted to taste it.

When I saw him for the first time in almost seven years, I didn’t know how close I was to doing just that.


Somebody To Love is a standalone Gay First Time Best Friend Romance with a HEA and NO cheating!

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Van Cole's Somebody to Love is an interesting friends to lovers romance. 

This is a story that spans the years of an extremely complicated relationship between three friends. Honestly, I was easily riveted by these characters and I couldn't put down this complex tale of these three friends.

There are three main characters throughout. Joe, Dan, and Lucy. From their school days to many years later, their choices continue to affect them. Their relationship is so much more than I could have ever expected. 

This quote sums up this story well, but more importantly, it's a poignant thought in general.  "...that's the funny thing about masks. You become so accustomed to them, you don't even remember who you are sometimes."

Told in first person pov of Joe as an internal monologue, the reader is easily transported fully into his mindset. By only showing his side of things, the weirdness and allure is heightened. In other words, this in the perfect way to have written this story despite it being long winded and overly descriptive. There are definitely times where it's too much though.

I love and adore the Upstate NY mentions. And, wow, that's definitely a random small town they picked. Super fun for this NY girl.

Somebody to Love is a complex, long journey towards love. This Van Cole tale is full of missed chances, fear, and complications. It's a fantastic illustration of how one's choices affect others. A super quick read, I'm definitely glad I read it but I don't know who I'd recommend it to. 

Ready For Love by Van Cole

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Blurb

Sometimes An Old Friend Can Be More Than Just A Friend

I returned from the war with scars that run deeper than my flesh.
Tormented by memories of the past I wonder if I’ll ever be able to become the man I used to be, or if I’m always destined to be this shell that returned from the foreign country, broken and battered and defeated.
There seems to be little hope for improvement until I receive a surprising call from my old best friend, Clint.
We lost touch a while ago as life took its hold on us, but as we reconnect, I start to remember why he was such a good friend.
He’s the only one who can get me to talk about my emotions, and as I open up to him, I start to feel something else.
Something unfamiliar…something a little scary, but very exciting.
Maybe, just maybe, we can save each other. 

Review 

My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

Always intrigued by a first time gay romance, I was doubly intrigued by Van Cole's Ready For Love, as it's also a military romance. 

Focusing on PTSD from the army, this is a story of survival and accepting that your life is worth living. I definitely enjoy the insight into what ex-military men have to deal with when they return home.

Bobby's always been into girls, but suddenly can't stop thinking about Clint. What follows is a tale of sexual confusion. Clint's lost his lover Jason in the service. Having been friends with Bobby for a long time, he suddenly find them connecting more than ever; first as close friends, and then as more.

Theirs is a story of finding the courage to resolve problems and the strength to face homophobia.

Ready For Love's a short, fast friends to lovers tale. Throughout I found it to be nothing spectacular, but rather a decent GFY romance. In the end, as these two broken people find love together, I actually liked it more. 

Going For Two: MMM Best Friend Football Romance by Van Cole

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Blurb

Sometimes One Isn't Enough
The playboy life is the life for me and nothing is going to change that. Nothing.
That is until I got this wild idea that changed my entire life.
Now, most people wouldn’t go gunning for their best friend –
Or, their best friend’s ex.
I went for both.
That’s right.
Both.
Because, why settle for one when you can have two?
Truth be told, this probably isn’t my best nor brightest idea.
And I’m prepared for everything to crash and burn.
Or, at least, I thought I was.
But things are getting heated and I’m getting attached.
I don’t want to lose these guys but things don’t always work out the way you want them to.
And I have a bad habit of coming up short.
Let’s just hope my love life is nothing like my career because one more failed Superbowl and I’m just another failure for the history books. 

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Going For Two is a friends to lovers menage romance by Van Cole.

Axel never thought of his best friend Riley in a sexual way, until now. Running into Riley's ex, Cain, Axel gets a crazy idea involving all three of them. It's enjoyable that these three men have a history before getting together. 

This tale of apologies and forgiveness is a quick, short story that's quite easy going. It's hot at times, of course, but it definitely lacks depth. 

Going For Two is an enjoyable light read when you're looking for something short and spicy. 

Havoc: MMM First Time Biker Romance by Van Cole

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Blurb

Bad Boys, Bikers, And Lovers???

Bobby is leaving everything he knows behind, embracing the life of a biker, having been entranced with the Brothers of Chaos, a famed biker gang in the region.

A young man entering his prime, Bobby is choosing what kind of man he wants to be, and when he meets the Brothers he’s faced with a wake-up call as it’s not what he expected at all. During his initiation he’s faced with a tough choice, and it’s only thanks to Mal, one of the Brothers, that he passes at all.

Bobby is instantly taken with Mal, and there’s forbidden passion between the two of them. But lurking in the background is Mal’s ex, Jimi, who still holds a torch for Mal. The three men become involved in a heated love triangle, and there’s only one way out.

Review 

My Rating - 3 Stars!

Van Cole's Havoc is a short, super fast biker menage.

I enjoy the family aspect of the Brothers of Chaos bike club, and Bobby's reasons for wanting to join. They're all men who don't fit in anywhere else, but together form a huge family.

Bobby's always longed to be a part of something bigger than himself. He longs for a family who he can trust no matter what. When Bobby asks to join the biker club, he immediately notices the tension between leaders Mal and Jimi. Mal's an interesting guy who doesn't take to Bobby, creating some fun moments.

The reader gets to follow along as Bobby proves himself worthy to the club. 

The story's ok, but isn't anything that stands out. However, I definitely enjoyed the sex scenes towards the end

Team Chemistry: MMM First Time Hockey Romance by Van Cole

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Blurb

They Might Be In A Three-Way Tie

Harvey Price is the best player in the league but he’s playing for the wrong team.

He’s known as hockey’s playboy. Every time he goes into a bar, he finds someone new to flirt with. That is until he meets Jay Collins, the new defenseman for his team and his potential replacement.

His usual approach doesn’t work on Jay because, well, he’s smitten. But Harvey Price can’t be gay. He’s known for chasing skirts and yet, he cannot deny that Jay is the best-looking thing he’s seen in a while.

And then there’s the fitness trainer. Oh, he is too.

Will Harvey stick to the straight and narrow?

Or will he go for the handsome young hockey player gunning for his position?

Or maybe work up a sweat with his personal trainer during after-hours?

Whatever his choice, this book is bound to melt right through the ice.

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Van Cole's Team Chemistry is a fun hockey menage romance. 

Harvey's always been a bit of a man whore, until he finds himself attracted to his new teammate Jake. Soon he's wanting to hookup with Jake, as well as their trainer, Kalvin. As it's a short story, everything happens quickly. You'll get to enjoy some steamy scenes, in addition to an entertaining story that involves denial, fear, and coming out. There's not a lot of character development, nor a lot of angst. 

Overall, Team Chemistry is a quick, enjoyable tale of a hockey player learning to accept his sexuality.