Goalie Interference is the second book in the Hat Trick series by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn. I did not read the first book in the series, and think that newcomers to the series will be able to fully enjoy the read on its own.
Ryu Mori has had a stellar season as goalie for the Atlanta Venom. So when he’s called into management’s office, he’s expecting to hear he’s the new starting goalie for the team, not that some new guy—an incredibly hot, annoyingly bratty rookie—is here to compete for his spot. Not everyone gets to play in the best league in the world. Emmitt Armstrong knows that, and he’s not about to waste the opportunity after grinding his way from the bottom to the top. If the Venom are looking for a meek, mild-mannered pushover, they’ve got the wrong guy. Ryu doesn’t want to admit the other goalie’s smart mouth turns him on. Beating Armstrong at practice feels good, sure, but there are other, more fun ways to shut his rival up. In this league, it’s winner takes all. But there’s more to life than winning, and if Emmitt and Ryu can get past their egos and competitive natures, they might just discover they work better as partners than they ever imagined possible.
Goalie Interference is so much more than a m/m or sports romance. Ryu and Emmitt both have family that love and support them, but that might not all offer the kind of pride and overt recognition that they sometimes crave. They both have friends or family they can rely on, and develop support systems, and still have issues that they need to face. Their problems are unique- because of who they are- but they read like real people with real problems. Sometimes it is nice to connect with a character going through problems that are realistic and relatable rather than horrific things that make me sad or angry. Yes, I have no clue what it is like competing for the goalie spot on an NHL team- but I do know what it is like to struggle with feeling accepted or wanting my parents to be proud.
I enjoyed seeing Emmitt and Ryu dance around each other as they came to terms with their feelings- and finding their way to each other. More importantly- they needed to figure out how to face the inevitable professional struggles they will face. I loved some of their bickering- and some of the frank discussions about love, lust, and attraction in the book. Sometimes when this many sensitive topics arise in a single book it feels manufactured or like it is being done to be trendy or tick off boxes. Here it felt completely organic- the conversations about racism, sexuality, and family all felt natural and organic to the story. I greatly enjoyed the read- and would honestly love to hang out with the characters in real life- they just were that real to me as I read.
Goalie Interference is a solid romance that touches on a wide range of emotional issues. I loved getting to know these characters and will be keeping an eye of for more from the authors.
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