TOUGH GUY by Rachel Reid (2020)
★ ★ ★ ★ .75 - Absolutely loved the rep in this one: 6'7" hockey enforcer struggling with anxiety & self-image issues & an androgynous, femme, Lebanese-Canadian musician MLI… *chefs kiss*
“Colleen’s face lit up. “Ryan! That’s adorable! Did you carry his books?”
Ryan flushed. “I carried his gear.”
“Aw. Did he kiss you good night?”
“Let’s change the subject.”
“Come on. The last date I went on was with Andy Hart, and it turned out we’re distant cousins. I need some big city romance stories.”
Ryan laughed. “Isn’t he Mom’s cousin’s son?”
“I don’t know. Something like that.”
“Yeah, that’s not that distant.”
“Oh, look at you, Toronto. So fancy just because you aren’t dating your cousins.””
title: Tough Guy
series: Game Changers, book three
author: Rachel Reid
published: 2020
publisher: Carina Press
genre/subgenre: gay hockey romance
setting: Toronto
main themes/subjects/rep/tropes: NHL, out gay hockey player, a fighter who hates fighting, gender presentation (/subversion), self-image, addiction, shy bear + flamboyant musician, the problematic /toxic side of hockey, hilarious & supportive friend group, vibrant gay community (Toronto’s Village), witty banter, “I can’t watch you get hurt”, “you’re worth more than this”, second chance romance
summary/blurbs/premise: Book 3 in the Game Changers series follows NHL “goon”/tough-guy/fighter Ryan Price who is a 6’7” out gay hockey player who is adorably shy & struggles with severe anxiety, panic attacks, aviophobia, & self-image issues. After a particularly bad (& public) breakdown, Price is traded to Toronto where he runs into an old crush: Fabian—a beautiful rising musician whose gender presentation features rompers, espadrilles, & make-up, & who finally gives Price something worth fighting for.
“Ryan had a type, no question. He liked men who . . . blurred the line, a little. He found androgyny very sexy, and it wasn’t just the physical beauty of a dazzling, decorated man that attracted him; he was in awe of their confidence. Of their bravery to openly be themselves and dare anyone to say anything about it. It turned Ryan on like nothing else.”
my thoughts:
I almost skipped this one —“Ceallaigh! After everything you said in your review for Heated Rivalry??” I know, I KNOW...—but yes I am glad I didn’t. While it wasn’t as spicy or intense as the previous two in this series, it was just as wholesome & actually more relatable imo than the previous two. At least I very strongly related to both MMCs: especially Ryan’s struggles with anxiety & self-image as well as Fabian’s approach to gender expression & his priority for living his life on his terms entirely regardless of anyone else’s expectations.
I am also loving (like beyond words) all of Ilya Rozanov’s little cameos in these books. When he showed up at the funeral & sat next to Price I did literally burst into tears. I also really loved the interactions between Price & Wyatt & the children at the center.
““You gonna bring him flowers?” Wyatt asked. “Do guys do that?”
Ryan hadn’t thought about it. Should he bring flowers? “We can do that,” he said. “Men can like flowers.”
Wyatt seemed to consider this. “Y’know? I would love to get flowers. Why don’t men ever get flowers?”
“Because the world is stupid.”
“No kidding. Hey, let’s stop at a flower shop and we’ll both impress our sweethearts, huh?”
Ryan smiled. “Okay.””
final note: I think it’s funny how after Heated Rivalry I said I was going to take a small break from these books & I only lasted like two days before inhaling this one in 24 hours. 😂 & yes I’m already halfway through book four. Edit: I finished book four. 🫣
CW // severe anxiety, panic attacks, self-image issues, addiction, ED
spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
season: hockey season
music pairing: so in the story, Fabian is a solo-act musician who sings & plays the violin… I love indie or pop music that incorporates stringed instruments but I shockingly don’t have a playlist with all my favorites together which I will try to remedy asap but if you have a suggestion for a musician like this PLEASE lmk! In the mean time, check out these artists/albums:
Sam Smith, especially their Gloria album:
D Sharp:
Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra:
further reading:
ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE by George M Johnson (2020)
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by LM Montgomery (1908)
Goon (2011 film)
Find out more about the You Can Play initiative for supporting queer folks in sports (in which the NHL partners & very actively participates).
the rest of the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid:
GAME CHANGER (2018) ★ ★ ★ ★ .75
HEATED RIVALRY (2019) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
TOUGH GUY (2020) ★ ★ ★ ★ .75
COMMON GOAL (2020) ★ ★ ★ ★
ROLE MODEL (2021) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
THE LONG GAME (2022) —this is actually the sequel to Ilya & Shane’s story.
TIME TO SHINE (2023) —the one also sounds really good.
THE SHOTS YOU TAKE (out Mar 2025) —actually I think this is a stand-alone book, not part of the Game Changers series…
the Hockey Ever After series by Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James:
WINGING IT (2015; repub. 2022) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
SCORING POSITION (2022)
UNRIVALED (2023)
CRUSHED ICE (2024)
TEXTBOOK DEFENSE (out Feb 2025)
the Him trilogy by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy—book one: HIM (2015)
the Hockey Guys series by Sarina Bowen—book one: THE NEW GUY (2023)
the Check, Please! comic book duology by Ngozi Ukazu—book one: HOCKEY (2018)
the Puckboys series by Eden Finley—book one: EGOTISTICAL PUCKBOY (2022)
Click on the star ratings beside the titles I’ve read to read my reviews/thoughts about the book.
I earn commissions from the sponsored links to my shop on bookshop.org which allow me to keep the majority of my content like Book Reviews & Reading Lists free to all subscribers. <3
“Fabian smiled. “Anyway. I quit. It wasn’t an easy decision, and I knew I was torching a very important bridge by doing so, but I’ve never regretted it. Not even when I am restocking lip balm at the drugstore, or when I am freezing to death in this drafty, shitty apartment. Because this,” he waved a hand around, “is all me. I’d rather struggle to do what I love than devote myself to something I hate. …being good enough does not obligate us to take those jobs. It’s okay to use your talent to create happiness rather than wealth. It’s okay to not use your talent at all! Fuck anyone who says otherwise.””
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