Picks & Pucks

Title:  Picks & Pucks

Author:  Teegan Loy

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

Length:  254 pages

Rating:  B List

Quad Shot of Love

 

Blurb:  Rising men’s figure skating star, Justin Corrin, is coming home to train for the upcoming season and face his demons. The last thing Justin needs is to fall in love with a hockey player. Instead of getting rid of his demons, Justin is collecting more. He tries desperately to control his growing feelings for CJ Daly, but finds being with CJ keeps his nightmares away. 

Justin isn’t the only one with problems, and hidden fears and secrets threaten to separate the two. With the pressure mounting, CJ starts to pull away, and Justin doesn’t know why. His skating suffers, and he decides to stop wasting his time on love and focus on winning the nationals. 

If Justin can destroy his demons, he might have a chance for happiness on and off the ice. But if the demons win, Justin’s life could be ruined.

 

Review:  I get all the hockey books at GLBR, mostly because Nina loves me best. But this book started out as something really different. Several moments I stopped, checked the title, checked my list, and went back to reading. 

This is so much more than a hockey book. It’s about coming home, healing, forgiveness and family. The author has a truly unique take on the term ‘fighting ones demons’ and it made what could have been a slow book and propelled it. The way the different characters fought their demons, or didn’t, was fantastic. 

Justin made the decision to go home and get rid of the horde of demons clawing at his back and make peace. I love that it was his decision, but he fought it was well. He is a man struggling with forgiveness both for others and for himself. He was complex and beautiful. 

CJ is introduced after Justin had already jumped in with both feet into the constant conflict of the story. What I liked about CJ was that all he wants is peace and time to heal. He doesn’t want drama, or a boyfriend. He just wants to play hockey, and go to school. And maybe be able to be safe, warm, and feel loved by a family again. 

It’s a beautiful book. I loved the writing and the way we see Justin and all those around him. I loved looking at this family and the two sports through eyes that could give us several different perspectives. And in the end I loved the theme of forgiveness and healing. I highly recommend this book. 

Reviewed by Beans