Rating: 3.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Devon D’Agostino is a star hockey player who is confident and self-assured, but only on the ice. As captain of the Epsen Jetties, he knows how to play the game. But when it comes to his personal life, Devon much prefers to be out of the spotlight. And every time he comes face to face with Lincoln Newland, he becomes a tongue-tied, shy mess. But in a fit of bravery, and an awkward moment, Devon finally asks Lincoln out.
Lincoln doesn’t date. His time in the Navy, and the reason he was medically and honorably discharged, haunts him to this day. And despite the work he’s put in to heal and stand on his own again, PTSD is still part of his life. It’s better if Lincoln stays hidden and alone, so that he doesn’t burden anyone else. But there’s something about Devon that calls to him, and at the urging of his therapist, Lincoln takes a chance.
Things go well at first. The two men quickly go from a few dates to much more. But one moment changes everything, and a panic attack sends Lincoln running for the hills. He’s sure he can’t lean on Devon for something like this and that he’s never going to be able to have a real relationship. Both men are broken hearted, and it’ll take some stark truths before Lincoln is ready to move through the pain and find true healing. And win Devon back.
This is the first book I’ve read by the writing duo Haven Hadley, and it’s clear this is the first of a new series for the pair. I’m a sucker for hurt/comfort, so I was quick to pick this one up. Though there were parts of this story that I really enjoyed, other things didn’t work as well for me.
I really liked both the MCs. The authors played with opposites well. Devon is confident on the ice, but in the real world, he’s shy and awkward. It made for a well-rounded character who has several layers, and I liked watching Devon grow in his confidence with Lincoln. Lincoln is closed off and keeps his truths close to the vest, and there are parts of his life that only his therapist knows. The two have chemistry that sparks and it’s clear they’re really into each other. I liked the easy way they fell in love with each other, and I loved how supportive Devon was, even when Lincoln was pushing him away. Devon has cinnamon roll/golden retriever energy and I really enjoyed it.
I also thought the authors handled PTSD fairly well. It wasn’t just a cliched gimmick for the character, and Lincoln spends a good amount of time talking with his therapist on page. The worst panic attack, and the flashbacks, are handled delicately and a point is made that PTSD doesn’t look the same for everyone. I really liked seeing Lincoln putting in the work and healing, as he certainly deserved it.
However, the narrative style didn’t always work well for me. The authors mesh well together in writing style, so that wasn’t a problem. But there’s a lot of telling going on here, with details that don’t add much to the story, and then time jumps to the next part. It felt a bit disconnected to me. I would have liked to see some scenes explored more deeply, instead of just a few paragraphs and then moving on to the next thing. This disjointedness pulled me from the story on more than one occasion.
Despite the heavy subjects, this is a lighthearted book for the most part. I really did enjoy the MCs and the secondary characters fleshed things out nicely. Even though I had issues with the narrative style at times, I’m looking forward to see what Hadley does with the next book in the series.
