L.A. Witt - Shot on Goal

The Vancouver Narwhals’ star goalie. The New York Krakens’ head coach. This can’t possibly be a recipe for disaster.
Goalie Brad Spencer is flying high after his team clinches the Cup and names him their MVP. Like his teammates, he’s ready to celebrate—ideally with someone in his bed. When he slips off to a gay bar, he meets someone who’s gorgeous, willing, and… absolutely the last man he should be touching.
Head coach Anthony Caruso just wants to have a few drinks and get laid to soothe the sting of his team losing the Cup. Then that ridiculously sexy player from the opposing team strolls into the club. The chemistry is instantaneous, and a mountain of PHL regulations can’t keep them apart. After all, it’s just a hookup.
And then another hookup. And then a summer getaway that’s just enough time and privacy for them to get in way over their heads. When the hockey season starts up again, they walk away… but they can’t stay away.
Anthony and Brad value their careers way too much to be this reckless, but they’ve both been alone for way too long to ignore these feelings.
Sooner or later, though, something has to give, and one of them is going to have to choose between the man he loves and the sport he lives for.

Comment: This is the third installment in the Pucks and Rainbows trilogy by LA Witt. I have read the first last month but skipped the second book because it would feature a romance between three guys. Nothing against it but it's not a relationship dynamic I'm interested in, so I've jumped to this third story instead.

In this story we meet Brad Spencer and Anthony Caruso, goalkeeper and coach of two opposed teams which have just played each other and Brad's team won the cup. As a celebration, Brad checks out a gay bar where he hopes to find someone to spend the night with and who else would be there but Caruso, the only openly gay coach in the league. They hit it off and decide to spend the night... then Bard invites Anthony to spend a week with him, and they they mutually agree to spend the whole summer together... but reality and their jobs won't allow them to be a couple. How will they cope or will they need to stop seeing each other?

I liked the previous book in this trilogy but didn't love it. In fact, I liked the cover more than the story (this book's is also gorgeous) but the blurb of this book seemed to captivate me and I hoped this would be a good story, better than the previous one.

Although this one and the first - and the second, which I haven't read - all feature characters in the same universe, hockey players, I mean, the plots are independent and the characters are only referenced, and from what I understood, it's not important if one reads in order or not. Still, it was nice to have the main character of the first book named here once or twice and I could know who he was.

Brad and Anthony are two people who should not match, and not only due to their roles in their respective teams. I can see how a relationship between a player and a coach of an opposed team would be too hard to maintain, especially if this is at a professional level, one only needs to think about real life and the repercussions of it and how it would affect several things. Still, to me, the forbidden aspect was never a thing because these two are falling in love and as with so many other sports novels out there featuring rivals who fall in love, this is the fun part to see developed.

I think it was also a good idea to have the guys in teams that don't play each other often, only at decisive moments, because it certainly made the opposition seem less important if real feelings are involved. Of course, this means the relationship struggles with long distance and if this wasn't a romance, the odds of they holding on to it in a steady way would seem very weak. I liked it how the author played things out and the "solution" in the end was rather predictable. I still preferred it to something unrealistic, so..

Brad and Anthony have very different personalities but I think the way the author established that they were falling in love and what was special about the other in this situation, with this sequence of events seemed intriguing and I wanted to see them being happy and finding a way to make it work. I also liked the way the sport they played and their professional roles being key to how they dealt with the potential discovery of their relationship. Perhaps what was lacking was a more obvious interaction with the secondary characters, namely their teams. This does happen but only close to the end of the book and I think to have these dynamics more would have been important.

I won't analyse how well the sport is portrayed since I don't know any rules about ice hockey, but when it comes to the way this affected Anthony's behavior in leading a team, and in how Brad felt when things weren't as great for him as a player, I think the sport was key enough to make these things seem important and why it influenced their decisions as much as it was made to seem.

All things considered, this was a good enough story. I think there was something extra missing, that special thing that made me like other novels more and a few others even less, but I would not mind re-reading this one, if I were to have time one day...

Grade: 8/10

L.A. Witt - Rebound

Officer Geoff Logan has his plate full. His cop’s salary and Marine retirement aren’t enough to make ends meet. He’s got war wounds and demons that are in it for the long haul. His teenagers are, well, teenagers, plus they’re pissed that he left the boyfriend they loved. Can’t a guy catch a break?
Seattle Snowhawks center Asher Crowe has it all. A seven figure salary. A literal house on a hill. A stable, loving relationship with an amazing boyfriend. At least, that’s what the world sees. Behind closed doors, he’s been living in a private hell, and when he finally works up the courage to end things, his boyfriend refuses to go quietly.
One call to the cops, and suddenly Geoff and Asher’s paths cross. But is the connection between them simple chemistry? Kindred spirits? Or just a pair of lonely hearts looking for a hot distraction?
And even if it’s more than physical, is there really a future for two men from such vastly different worlds? Especially when the past comes knocking?

Comment: This is the first book in the Puck and Rainbows trilogy by author L.A. Witt, which I have decided to read because I had tried the author's books before and liked them, so... why not try some more?

Geoff Logan is a 40 something police officer who answers to a call with his partner and they meet hockey player Asher Crowe and his boyfriend Nathan, who seems to be the aggressor. Geoff quickly realizes Asher needs help and makes it possible for him to leave and he follows up on his promise, checking in with Asher in the days after, becoming aware Asher and Nathan have finally broken off. As their meetings pile up, so does the fact Geoff and Asher have a lot in common, in spite of their age difference and the numbers on their paychecks. But Geoff's experience through a similar situation is enough to give him hindsight in how to be with Asher?

It is rather obvious that hockey romance in m/m books has had quite a boom lately, but let it be said this title was released in 2019 and it does seem to show. I say this because I have loved the m/m hockey series that have taken the world by storm lately but in this book by mrs Witt, hockey isn't really the focus of the plot. In fact, it seems to be more a convenience and not a necessary item.

In general, I cannot say this is a bad story but it wasn't always very thrilling to read either. Probably, the element I wasn't as amazed by was the romance, which felt a little mechanical and a little superficial, considering the amount of personal issues they both had, and then adding the age gap and the different interests/work fields, made things seem to be too focused on their shared history of having an abusive partner. I mean, I understand their initial link, but the romance felt almost secondary.

Geoff is a man in his 40s, with two children, he still gets along with his ex, their mother, and he is still dealing with some PTSD from his days in the marines, and now the end of a six year relationship with a man who manipulated him, mostly through financial issues. He has baggage but he is still a likable person, he is aware of his limits and problems and he tries his best to do the right thing. Basically, a sweet man! I was, of course, rooting for him and for Asher.

Asher is a 20 something, has a great paycheck and is known in all of Seattle, as expected. His physique matches his job as a professional hockey player but he hides the fact his boyfriend has been abusive for a long time, which he knows would clash with the idea others have of him. Asher is a sweet guy too and quite mature for his age, which we learn why when he shares his more humble origins and the stable family background.

As individuals, these two were great on their own and I think their personal stories were worth of more depth, more development, which didn't happen. I can understand that it's not easy to include so much in one romantic dynamic, but the truth is that none of the elements used seemed to have been developed with the intensity or the depth they merited. Perhaps the author only wanted to let if be obvious why the guys would take their time, why they would be careful with one another, why they would respect boundaries and such, which is wonderful, but then the chemistry and romance seemed to be missing.

There were too many elements to keep track of, things that deserved more air time. Thus, the plot included too many important things for the romance to feel it was center stage. I liked the scenes between Asher and Geoff but did I fully believe in their falling in love? Not really... and the age gap, Geoff's children, their jobs... all these things were like props, it felt. I am certainly being harsh, but I kind of wanted more from this, considering the memories I have of having enjoyed the author's other books I had tried.

All in all, a good enough effort, it did entertain me. I wanted more out of it, though, and for that, for the potential, I think the author could have done better.

Grade: 6/10

LA Witt - Skin Deep trilogy

Comment: This is a trilogy I got quite recently because someone's recommendation was so positive I felt like not waiting to read the books and I bought them all last month.

Since the stories are connected, I've decided to have a general comment on the trilogy rather than individual posts on each story. For blurbs, there is always goodreads or the author's website.

The three books follow characters from the tattoo shop Skin Deep, Inc. and we get to see how each tattoo artist finds love with a previous client despite the initial agreement being they will have a casual hook up and won't let things go beyond friends with benefits but, of course, falling in love in the process.

In the first book, Back Piece, we have the story of the owner of the tattoo shop, Colin.

Colin is a 30 something guy who has dealt with a toxic relationship which affected his self esteem and he now has to deal with an eating disorder. Work and his brother help him being steady in his routines but things change when he checks Daniel out at the gym and is checked out in return by him. Daniel, a navy (sort of) soldier, looks for him for a tattoo and they discover they are a good match.

I liked this first story more because Daniel is a sweet guy, innocent in several ways but not stupid. I really liked how he felt attracted for Colin and felt comfortable enough to take a chance on him and share some intimate details with him such as the fact he had never been with anyone.

The relationship felt really nice because neither felt like overpowering the other and the main conflict was not solved, only dealt in a realistic way.

I finished this just glad they got an HEA and that they talked about their issues and neither judged the other for past choices and how supportive both are now. The book wasn't better because I think there was a bit too much time spent on the sex scenes where more "domestic" situations showing their bond in a different way could have happened instead.

The second book, Pounding Skin, features Matt, another tattoo artist, and navy pilot Jon, when he and a bunch of friends go to the shop so Jon can get a tattoo after losing a bet. Matt and Jon feel attracted to one another and at first they agree on a hook up but soon see themselves being together more often than not and even sharing personal moments like when Matt invites Jon to his mother's house or when Jon takes Matt with him to official ceremonies.

This felt a bit more centered on the sexual aspect of the relationship and in a way that can be explained by the fact Matt has recently come to accept he isn't straight but bi. Most of the conflict shows how his doubts have affected his life but now he is with Jon he can be himself and things even start to look better in other areas too. For Jon, the issue is commitment. He is never mean nor unfair to Matt but it gets to a point his reluctance to admit they have strong feelings for each other becomes too silly. 

I liked their story and how intense it was, how some emotions were put on the page but the relationship didn't feel as easily balanced as the first couple's.

The third book, Cover Up, introduces Nate, a friend of Jon's whose husband of ten years cheated on him and now Nate wants to cover up a matching tattoo they did. The most recent add to the shop is Lucas, a sort of expert on cover ups. Lucas has three jobs and is feeling a little down because he botched a tattoo. Colin and the other guys support him but he does perk up a bit when he meets Nate and the attraction is instant.

This was, I felt, the most cliched story of the bunch. I mean, the one where it was more obvious that the characters went through the motions and the final HEA felt like a need to finish the trilogy rather than an obvious consequence of the character's paths and emotions together.

Nate is still mentally dealing with the loss of his marriage and Lucas has a lot on his mind so the beginning feels like they are sort of using each other but their actions clearly indicate the opposite. I just think it wasn't as subtle how the romance had to evolve. 

I liked them together and that it got to a point where they felt like talking for real about their relationship and things end up well after all. But their match didn't feel as balanced because they didn't feel as emotionally equals. Perhaps it was just my personal impression.

Although I liked the first one better, as a trilogy this was a good series. I had a good time reading and I often space out series reading because I don't want to feel too immersed in a "world" that things start to feel too repetitive.

Here, the formula was obviously the same but each character had enough differences that it made the reading experience a good one.

As a whole, I'd say this is a series above average and this does make me confident to read more things by the author in the future too. another final mention to the covers which, by the way, are gorgeous.

Grade: 8/10

L.A. Witt - The Best Man

Jon Beatty thought he had the best man in his ex, Craig. But in the six months since their break up, Craig's managed to find a new lover—a woman—and wants Jon to be a different kind of best man…at his wedding.
Reasoning that the only way to get over one man is to get under another, Jon heads for a local club to get drunk and laid. Bartender Liam Sable is more than willing to help with both.
Their one night stand turns into a rebound fling which enables Jon to move on. Craig, however, is having second thoughts about the break-up. While inconvenient and annoying, Craig’s antics are nothing compared to the danger posed to Jon and Liam's relationship by another, more sinister threat...

Comment: I've picked this book to read this month because it has been in my TBR list for a long time..like most of them are, poor things.

This book starts with the main character, Jon, still mopping because his ex left to marry a woman. He still feels awful and to make things even harder, he is asked to be the best man at the wedding. After this, he decided it's time to go out and have some fun otherwise he feels he can' stand it. So he goes to a gay club where the clients are known to find someone to hook up with anytime...so Jon goes there after six months of hurt and one of the bartenders immediately recognizes the signs of someone who's there exactly for the reasons Jon picked the bar in the first place. However, thy ended up talking and going out together and they spend the night in the bartender's house. When they say goodbye the next morning it seems it was all a one night stand but a few days later Jon is back in the club not knowing if he would be welcome by Liam, the bartender, as they never talked about meeting again. After a strange meeting, however, they start going out together often and it's clear something is happening to them, could it be love?

I enjoyed this book. It was good to read, the writing is fluid and easy. I still think they didn't have to give in to sex so many times, but oh well. The book has a lager amount of air time dedicated to plot other than sex, so I can't really complain.

The characters seemed real enough. Both had baggage from their exes and some things weren't hard to get over with. Jon was rally in love and took the break up too hard, although he tried his best to remain friends with his ex, he accepted to be best man at his wedding and even tried to get an easier relationship to the bride, who couldn't stand him. All in all, Jon seemed a good guy and I felt sorry for him. I was quite happy when he and Liam started to fall in love, it was good to watch. 

Liam too has a lot of issues concerning his ex to deal with before really accepting a new relationship and part of the plot was him dealing with it. This originated the conflict in the book, some things seemed a bit too much, but I guess it could really happen in real life, who knows what's going on through some people's minds, so, not that bad.

The romance started slow but soon it grew stronger and it felt right for them. I liked how the author didn't follow the usual stereotypes of his type of relationships, like the good looking bartender rather alpha and the nerd tech guy more submissive, no, their relationship was equal parts and I liked how they took turns and Liam was more emotional than what I thought and Jon wasn't as shy as I imagined. It was a nice change.

In the end, a good story. I don't feel dazzled at all, but it was quite interesting and I felt very interested in knowing what would happen next.

More titles by this author to look for in the future, as this is the second story by her that I read and enjoyed, so...let's see.

L.A. Witt - Cover Me

While finishing Colleen McCullogh's book, I've also read this one by L.A. Witt, a gay novels author.

I've read Cover Me, which tells us the story of Nick and Andrew, a paramedic and a cop involved with a ruined drug operation, threats and...each other.

I enjoyed the story a lot, their feelings for each other seemed to be realistically developped, nothing too rushed or too slow.

A wonderful read, I'll try to read more things by this author.