Review: Time to Shine by Rachel Reid is sweet to spicy hockey romance

If you enjoy gay hockey romances, then Rachel Reid is the author for you. And if you are looking for something new, Time to Shine has arrived.

We received an ARC of Time to Shine ahead of its release on September 26. When it comes to new voices, Reid definitely brings something fresh to the world of hockey romance. And as a fan of M/M romances in general, I was excited to dive into Time to Shine.

I have to say that I was not disappointed in this book at all, and I can be an extremely picky reader when it comes to M/M romance. It is definitely a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers style of romance, but that works for this story. It definitely feels like a sweet to spicy romance and that makes it so much better.

When I think of hockey romances, I think of these main characters who are loud and vibrant, sometimes brash and over the top. But with Time to Shine, it feels like we got something different, thanks to Landon and his more reserved nature.

Landon is a cinnamon roll. He is ooey-gooey and sweet, with a much more reserved disposition. And because of that, we love the way his romance with his new roommate, Casey, develops. There is a lot of depth to this story and it allows us to see the characters grow over the course of the book. There are still heavier topics involved in this story, but it never takes away from the overall development of the romance. It’s sweet and spicy and it has moments that make you laugh. And that is all I can ask for!

Instead of an epic journey to love, we almost get to see a glimpse into what an everyday love story might look like. I think that is why this book is so good. It’s not a rough road to love, but rather a slow and steady journey to finding an HEA.

Time to Shine was a beautiful read and one that we would totally read again. Now we just need to wait for the next Rachel Reid book!