Adult, ARC review, book review

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid (ARC Review)

Title: Time to Shine
Author: Rachel Reid
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
Publisher: Carina Adores
Date published: September 26, 2023

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Harper Collins Canada in exchange for an honest review. Paid ad. Ad. Sponsored.

For Landon Stackhouse, being called up from the Calgary farm team is exciting and terrifying, even if, as the backup goalie, he rarely leaves the bench. A quiet loner by nature, Landon knows he gives off strong “don’t talk to me” vibes. The only player who doesn’t seem to notice is Calgary’s superstar young winger, Casey Hicks.

Casey treats Landon like an old friend, even though they’ve only interacted briefly in the past. He’s endlessly charming and completely laid-back in a way that Landon absolutely can’t relate to. They couldn’t have less in common, but Landon needs a place to live that’s not a hotel room and Casey has just bought a massive house—and hates being alone.

As roommates, Casey refuses to be defeated by Landon’s one-word answers. As friends, Landon comes to notice a few things about Casey, like his wide, easy smile and sparkling green-blue eyes. Spending the holidays together only intensifies their bromance-turned-romance. But as the new year approaches, the countdown to the end of Landon’s time in Calgary is on.

⤖ My Review ⬻

I wasn’t sure what to expect of Time to Shine since I’ve never read anything by Rachel Reid before. However, diving into this contemporary adult hockey romance, I was pleasantly surprised by the combination of characters, dialogue, and the Canadian setting.

I found myself loving the characters pretty early on—the two main love interests, Landon and Casey, as well as members from their hockey team. Reid expertly crafted characters that feel authentic and relatable, drawing readers of Time to Shine into their lives and relationships and the team member interactions added depth to the story.

The dialogue in Time to Shine was one of my favorite parts. I loved the banter between Landon and Casey, and also between them and other team members. I found myself laughing and smiling a lot while reading Time to Shine.

Overall, I absolutely loved Time to Shine. The slow burn romance between Landon and Casey was beautifully executed, keeping me eagerly turning the pages to see how their relationship would unfold. And when things heated up, the spice was indeed spicy! Months after reading it, I still find myself missing the characters and their story. I can’t wait to read more Rachel Reid books!

⤖ About the Author ⬻

Rachel Reid is the pen name of Rachelle Goguen. She chose it because it is much easier to say, spell and remember than Rachelle Goguen! Rachel writes cute, romantic smut, mostly about hockey players. Her Game Changers m/m hockey romance series is available from Carina Press. Rachel/Rachelle lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has always lived there, and it’s looking like she probably always will. She has two boring degrees and two interesting kids.

⤖ Places to Purchase the Book ⬻

⤖ Let's Chat ⬻

Thank you for reading my review! Have you read this book? What did you think? And if you haven’t read it yet, do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!

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