Blurb:

There’s nothing Charlie Barnes has wanted more than to play hockey with his brothers. Avery, Charlie and Ethan have been dreaming about uniting the Barnes brothers on one team since they were barely old enough to hold a hockey stick.

When Avery’s traded to the Bandits mid-season, it should be the happiest day of Charlie’s life. Charlie loves having his big brother around again, but not everything is roses and sunshine.

Charlie’s best friend Max—and the guy he’s secretly been in love with since his rookie season—is suddenly challenged by the team, the media and the fans to step up and be better leadership material than the newest Barnes addition. Everyone’s tired of the Bandits losing and the big trade means that winning is no longer optional.

Being captain of the New York Bandits isn’t always easy, but Max Meier loves it. Loves the team and his teammates enough to give up his dreams of playing hockey in his native Germany.

But there’s nobody he loves more than Charlie Barnes. He never dreamt Charlie might return his feelings, until a leaked video makes it crystal clear Charlie feels the same.

It’s a challenge, navigating the intense politics of a hockey team, even without the big brother of your unrequited crush hovering over your shoulder.

This time, though, Max is determined to ace every test, score the goal, and win Charlie, once and for all.

Tropes: best friends to lovers, forbidden romance, teammates, pining and yearning, emotional healing

On Amazon & KU: https://readerlinks.com/l/5658814

Series: https://readerlinks.com/l/5606908

*****

Review:

Oh goodness, Charlie … the second hand emotions that I felt at the beginning of this story. The anxiety and fear and how uncomfortable it had to be to have all of your feelings out there for the entire world to see. For the object of those feelings to see! My heart just hurt for Charlie. And for him to not feel like he can have what he wants, what they both want, so so much. Heartbreaker! And poor Max who has gone years either pretending, or stuffing the truth so far down, that his feelings for Charlie are one sided.

Of course it all comes to a head and they spend the rest of the story being all sorts of adorable with each other. And I love that for them! Because the amount of stress that Charlie puts on himself, that his dad puts on him. To be perfect, to be better, to do more, to keep to a very specific path. It’s all so very crushing. Luckily he has Max, who understands him and supports him. And he’s got his brothers, now all together, and a team that is there for him as well.

Bolden does such a wonderful job showing us Charlie and his anxieties, the pressure that he’s under. Put there by himself AND his dad. She also gives us the connection between not only Charlie and Max, but all of the Barnes family & friends. I felt everything along with Charlie (and Max) and I was so very invested in him figuring out a way forward that works for them. Yes, it was frustrating at times but I knew that if I was patient it would all work out in the end 🙂 Now I just have to make it thru Avery’s story – not sure my heart can handle it!