Can your favorite hockey players finish their first season together undefeated?
Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He’s living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves–Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There’s just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.
Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It’s not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn’t help that his new job isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.
Or can they? When Wes’s noisiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?
Warning: contains sexual situations, a vibrating chair, long-distance sexytimes, and proof that hockey players look hot in any shade of green.
MICHELLE’S REVIEW
Lovers. Let me tell you something.
Gay sex is hot. Like- I don’t want to think about my bestie having sex. But like two super hot guys I don’t know doing it- HOT. (Side note- I just reread my review of book 1 and turns out- I said the same thing. Oh well. I stand by it. Gay sex = hot)
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
Exhibit C:
Read this book…
So US by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy has lots of hot gay sex in it and it’s awesome. But it’s also a really great book without any of that. I’ll admit it was a little slow to start for me but about 40% in, I could not put it down. We met Jamie and Wes in HIM (read my review HERE) and while I personally found the ease at which they went from friends to bi-curious to lovers a little quick, their love story was ultimately the sweetest brand of friends to lovers.
In US, Jamie and Wes are in Toronto and Wes is having a great rookie year. They decided not to come clean about their relationship until after the first season was over. Jamie is happily coaching the kids team and loving it despite some issues with a co-worker who uses slurs like their adjectives.
But as the book progresses- some of Jamie’s insecurities start to really play out. His biggest one is ultimately having Wes feel like he’s taking care of him or that Jamie is some how weak and not contributing enough to their life. He gets paid less and I think at times, feels like less.
On top of the internal feelings, Wes’ teammate Blake moves in upstairs and the guys worry even more about not only being discovered but if they will ever have a moment alone now that Blake is here!
Now let’s pause for a moment so I can tell you how much I love Blake. The award for favorite supporting character will ALWAYS go to Blake. He’s a big, lovable beast of a man and I am his #1 fan. (And- OMG AUTHORS IF YOU GIVE ME JESS AND BLAKE I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER.)
Now I don’t want to spoil anything but here’s what I will say. When an emergency arises in Jamie and Wes’ life- the love Wes has for Jamie comes shining through in a way that is so beautiful. But it also thrusts the men into the limelight in a way they are unprepared for and Jamie’s insecurities really start to come through.
Overall thoughts- this book was phenomenal. A great story line that surprised me in how captivating it was considering I thought we left them in a good place. It was a true test of their love and it was perfect. I already told you about the hot sex. Add in a fantastic supporting cast and quality writing and you have a winning book. Pick up this series today!
Book #1 in the HIM series
Read Michelle’s Review HERE
They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?
Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.
Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.
Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend…and a big one to learn about himself.
Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.
AUTHOR INFO
Sarina Bowen writes steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction from the wilds of Vermont.
She is the author of The Ivy Years, an award-winning series set amid the hockey team at an elite Connecticut college.
Also, the Gravity series.
Sarina enjoys skiing, espresso drinks and the occasional margarita. She lives with her family, eight chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.
CONTACT SARINA: GOODREADS / WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER
A RITA-award nominated author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.
Elle currently publishes with Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Harlequin Blaze, Samhain Publishing, and NAL. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
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