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Relationship Goals #3
The Waiting Game
Fans Have Mixed Reactions to Engagement of Fisher Cats’ Hale and Brewer
On the eve of their first playoff game this post-season, the Toronto Fisher Cats organization sent out a press release announcing the engagement of their top d-pair.
The release insinuates the childhood friends may have been involved as far back as college and makes it clear the front office supports the relationship. “We are confident that such a longstanding relationship will be nothing but beneficial to Felix in his recovery.”
Reactions are mixed.
An anonymous inside source stated, “Legit? No way. This whole thing’s a PR stunt to soften the public’s perception of Hale.”
One fan commented, “Hale & Brewer have always been so adorable together! It’s great they finally feel comfortable being out about their relationship!”
While many fans are similarly supportive, others speculate that the announcement is tied to the Cats’ shaky play of late. “We all know they’re not gonna make it past the first round,” one fan stated. “It’s just an attempt to distract from how weak the team is.”
Adding fuel to the controversy, Hale shared an image of the players naked in bed together and captioned, “Pre-game nap with Jonah before we take on the Montreal Lynx. Go, Cats!”
PR stunt or happily engaged couple? Only time will tell.
TRIGGER WARNING: Frank discussion of alcoholism, past death of parents, and emotionally neglectful parents.
On the eve of their first playoff game this post-season, the Toronto Fisher Cats organization sent out a press release announcing the engagement of their top d-pair.
The release insinuates the childhood friends may have been involved as far back as college and makes it clear the front office supports the relationship. “We are confident that such a longstanding relationship will be nothing but beneficial to Felix in his recovery.”
Reactions are mixed.
An anonymous inside source stated, “Legit? No way. This whole thing’s a PR stunt to soften the public’s perception of Hale.”
One fan commented, “Hale & Brewer have always been so adorable together! It’s great they finally feel comfortable being out about their relationship!”
While many fans are similarly supportive, others speculate that the announcement is tied to the Cats’ shaky play of late. “We all know they’re not gonna make it past the first round,” one fan stated. “It’s just an attempt to distract from how weak the team is.”
Adding fuel to the controversy, Hale shared an image of the players naked in bed together and captioned, “Pre-game nap with Jonah before we take on the Montreal Lynx. Go, Cats!”
PR stunt or happily engaged couple? Only time will tell.
TRIGGER WARNING: Frank discussion of alcoholism, past death of parents, and emotionally neglectful parents.
565 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 29, 2024
About the author
Brigham Vaughn
62 books533 followersBrigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
February 28, 2024
- best friends to lovers
- fake engagement
Best friends since they were five, Jonah and Felix have been each other’s constants through all the major ups and downs life has thrown their way. From Felix’s DUI and stint in rehab, now to Jonah’s grandmother’s health scare, Jonah and Felix have weathered it all.
In fact, despite everything that’s happened to him in the last year, the one permanently good thing in Felix’s life has been Jonah. & with Jonah’s grandmother harping on him to settle down, and Felix missing the intimacy that relationships bring, suggests they kill two birds with one stone & say they’re engaged.
Only Felix isn’t aware that Jonah has been in love with him since they were teenagers, and Jonah isn’t aware that Felix has started seeing him in a new light since he got home from rehab. The lines quickly blur between what’s real and what’s pretend, and these two oblivious besties fall head first into their happily ever after.
I’ve been waiting on Jonah and Felix’s story since book one, and it did not disappoint at all. These two have loved each other so deeply for so long and seeing their (mostly Felix’s) feelings shift to more was so sweet.
Felix though, man!! He has been through it, and I loved that his character journey was full of growth and healing. Jonah also had a lot of baggage and trauma to work through as well, and I loved his vulnerability with Felix knowing that there would never be judgment. They have always and will always be each other’s person, and I loved seeing them grow as a couple.
- fake engagement
Best friends since they were five, Jonah and Felix have been each other’s constants through all the major ups and downs life has thrown their way. From Felix’s DUI and stint in rehab, now to Jonah’s grandmother’s health scare, Jonah and Felix have weathered it all.
In fact, despite everything that’s happened to him in the last year, the one permanently good thing in Felix’s life has been Jonah. & with Jonah’s grandmother harping on him to settle down, and Felix missing the intimacy that relationships bring, suggests they kill two birds with one stone & say they’re engaged.
Only Felix isn’t aware that Jonah has been in love with him since they were teenagers, and Jonah isn’t aware that Felix has started seeing him in a new light since he got home from rehab. The lines quickly blur between what’s real and what’s pretend, and these two oblivious besties fall head first into their happily ever after.
I’ve been waiting on Jonah and Felix’s story since book one, and it did not disappoint at all. These two have loved each other so deeply for so long and seeing their (mostly Felix’s) feelings shift to more was so sweet.
Felix though, man!! He has been through it, and I loved that his character journey was full of growth and healing. Jonah also had a lot of baggage and trauma to work through as well, and I loved his vulnerability with Felix knowing that there would never be judgment. They have always and will always be each other’s person, and I loved seeing them grow as a couple.
March 1, 2024
Definitely enjoyable but I kind of expected more...
I'm not always the biggest fan of friends to lovers because I like a supersized dose of angst and enemies to lovers is my favourite, but the eventual relationship between Felix and Jonah was sweet, if a little convenient.
I think what really bothered me is that I didn't really understand the logic behind the fake engagement, which was basically the entire plot line, and I was even more confused when other characters claimed they did understand. I still don't get it! Fake relationships usually make sense, but for me I just didn't get this one at all.
Also, there was a LOT of focus on the Grandma and her health battles; the actual hockey; and the sexual side of the relationship; but I didn't feel like they really talked about anything to each other and even though they've been best friends since they were five, surely you have to at least talk about something with each other that isn't just what position you want to try next?! It was weird because they definitely talk about their feelings for each other, but not to the each other until almost the end of the book, which really didn't make any sense to me.
I was expecting more heart to hearts between the two main characters, a little emotional turmoil maybe and I wanted to see them working through their issues together, but they did everything separately and then are magically together forever after a really brief conversation about their true feelings. I understand that Felix is going to talk to his sponsor, but he seemed to have ALL of his important conversations with the sponsor and not with Jonah. Whereas Jonah had all of his conversations with his online friend, his team captain and his Grandma. It just felt weird to me that their relationship is figured out only by talking to other people and not really talking to each other...
For me this wasn't really a romance but a story about a Grandma's health issues and a mediocre hockey season, where two friends end up together finally. BUT I always enjoy the amount of actual hockey content in Brigham Vaughn's books, and I like how each book builds on the story universe. I also really enjoyed seeing the little set ups for Matty's story (I can't wait and I've wanted his book since Book 1), plus the mentions of Dustin and Charlie, and Nico and August.
I think if there had been more conversations between the two, and the fake relationship made sense to begin with, then I could have rated this higher.
Excited for the next book and I have high expectations for Matty especially because he's Demisexual so it hopefully wont be constant sex scenes to begin with and there'll be more focus on building a connection with his partner (in theory anyway!)
I'm not always the biggest fan of friends to lovers because I like a supersized dose of angst and enemies to lovers is my favourite, but the eventual relationship between Felix and Jonah was sweet, if a little convenient.
I think what really bothered me is that I didn't really understand the logic behind the fake engagement, which was basically the entire plot line, and I was even more confused when other characters claimed they did understand. I still don't get it! Fake relationships usually make sense, but for me I just didn't get this one at all.
Also, there was a LOT of focus on the Grandma and her health battles; the actual hockey; and the sexual side of the relationship; but I didn't feel like they really talked about anything to each other and even though they've been best friends since they were five, surely you have to at least talk about something with each other that isn't just what position you want to try next?! It was weird because they definitely talk about their feelings for each other, but not to the each other until almost the end of the book, which really didn't make any sense to me.
I was expecting more heart to hearts between the two main characters, a little emotional turmoil maybe and I wanted to see them working through their issues together, but they did everything separately and then are magically together forever after a really brief conversation about their true feelings. I understand that Felix is going to talk to his sponsor, but he seemed to have ALL of his important conversations with the sponsor and not with Jonah. Whereas Jonah had all of his conversations with his online friend, his team captain and his Grandma. It just felt weird to me that their relationship is figured out only by talking to other people and not really talking to each other...
For me this wasn't really a romance but a story about a Grandma's health issues and a mediocre hockey season, where two friends end up together finally. BUT I always enjoy the amount of actual hockey content in Brigham Vaughn's books, and I like how each book builds on the story universe. I also really enjoyed seeing the little set ups for Matty's story (I can't wait and I've wanted his book since Book 1), plus the mentions of Dustin and Charlie, and Nico and August.
I think if there had been more conversations between the two, and the fake relationship made sense to begin with, then I could have rated this higher.
Excited for the next book and I have high expectations for Matty especially because he's Demisexual so it hopefully wont be constant sex scenes to begin with and there'll be more focus on building a connection with his partner (in theory anyway!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
* 3 stars *
I had high expectations for Jonah and Felix's story. I was rooting for them to get together and was very excited when their book was announced, but sadly the end result wasn't what I was hoping for.
First of all, their story felt exceptionally long for some reason. At around 60% I was surprised there was still so much story left, and that's never a good thing.
I liked the connection between the characters and how close their friendship was. I liked that Felix felt Jonah's family as his own and how Jonah's grandmother treated him.
All in all, I think that the story could have been shorter without missing any integral parts. I liked both characters a lot and I was glad with the appearance of previous MCs.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
I had high expectations for Jonah and Felix's story. I was rooting for them to get together and was very excited when their book was announced, but sadly the end result wasn't what I was hoping for.
First of all, their story felt exceptionally long for some reason. At around 60% I was surprised there was still so much story left, and that's never a good thing.
I liked the connection between the characters and how close their friendship was. I liked that Felix felt Jonah's family as his own and how Jonah's grandmother treated him.
All in all, I think that the story could have been shorter without missing any integral parts. I liked both characters a lot and I was glad with the appearance of previous MCs.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
February 29, 2024
When best friends to lovers are done right, you have this beautiful story of healing and growth. Jonah & Felix have been each other's unbreakable bond and companionship since they were five years old. Felix has made many poor decisions in his life that lead him to a stint in rehab that leads him to self-discovery and to be able to be free of his past. Jonah has loved Felix his whole life yet never thought he had a chance until one hair brained idea allows him to be open with Felix.
And once they two allow their feelings to blossom its pure magic. They are so sweet to each other even before dating that when they are free to show their affections, you can not help but smile at them. As with previous installments, the team dynamics are perfection in a way you wish all teams were that they can confide and rely on each other when you stumble. When you triumph, they celebrate all the victories, small and big, just simply put beautiful.
Now, for Jonahs grandma, can I have her? No, seriously, that woman is a wrecking ball in the best possible way. She does everything and anything to make her grandson (blood and not blood) feel wanted and loved at all times. I am looking forward to seeing Matty, our loveable Teddy bear, find his person with the next installment.
And once they two allow their feelings to blossom its pure magic. They are so sweet to each other even before dating that when they are free to show their affections, you can not help but smile at them. As with previous installments, the team dynamics are perfection in a way you wish all teams were that they can confide and rely on each other when you stumble. When you triumph, they celebrate all the victories, small and big, just simply put beautiful.
Now, for Jonahs grandma, can I have her? No, seriously, that woman is a wrecking ball in the best possible way. She does everything and anything to make her grandson (blood and not blood) feel wanted and loved at all times. I am looking forward to seeing Matty, our loveable Teddy bear, find his person with the next installment.
March 3, 2024
Another great addition to the Relationship Goals series with a friends-to-lovers story. I love these stories so much, they are exceptional and each relationship is unique with each character having different personalities, quirks, likes/dislikes, or flaws. You can go into these series with the mindset that these books would be repetitive or overlapping in similarities, but they are not.
Jonah and Felix were so special and I felt there was such sweetness and care for them that I loved in their relationship. The first 50% is them building up to their romantic relationship which felt more natural and the buildup was great. Then the nature of their relationship changing was great, not without issues uphearing but they made it through their struggles together with love.
I think with these books, you can go into thinking "damn these are long" but the reasoning is that the author provides this beautiful, organic experience when reading. They could be 100 pages short but they still are enjoyable to read because you get so much context about the characters, the couple, the sport, and the found family that the players have. I will say out of the three, this couple did not move to my favorite couple but I still enjoyed their story. I am starving for Matty's story, he seems like such a sweet guy who needs to be loved for all his goofiness/sensitive self. I am still waiting for cameos from the other book series so fingers crossed.
Jonah and Felix were so special and I felt there was such sweetness and care for them that I loved in their relationship. The first 50% is them building up to their romantic relationship which felt more natural and the buildup was great. Then the nature of their relationship changing was great, not without issues uphearing but they made it through their struggles together with love.
I think with these books, you can go into thinking "damn these are long" but the reasoning is that the author provides this beautiful, organic experience when reading. They could be 100 pages short but they still are enjoyable to read because you get so much context about the characters, the couple, the sport, and the found family that the players have. I will say out of the three, this couple did not move to my favorite couple but I still enjoyed their story. I am starving for Matty's story, he seems like such a sweet guy who needs to be loved for all his goofiness/sensitive self. I am still waiting for cameos from the other book series so fingers crossed.
March 3, 2024
4 stars
Finally Felix's story!
We met him in the first book of the series (The Husband Game): he was in a long-time relationship with Withney, but then they broke up, he started drinking and had a terrible accident with his car. After that, Felix went to rehab and came back at the end of the second book (The Head Game).
Felix and Jonah had known each other their whole lives: Jonah lost his parents and went to live with his grandparents, he became fast friend with a boy who lived in the same neighbourhood.
Felix and Jonah spent a lot of time together, the were each other best friend and family, they bonded over their love for hockey and throughout the years their friendship grew stronger. During all those years, Jonah has been able to keep his feelings for himself and never let Felix know he was in love with him.
I think Felix's bisexual awakening was handled very well in this story: Felix didn't started feeling asttraction for Jonah out of the blue, but after his long months in therapy he was able to clear his head, to see the things he had buried inside him and he could finally be himself outside his parents' expectations.
Jonah was obviously both excited and scared about Felix's revelation of being interested in men. He wanted to finally have that physical connection with him, but he also feared that would be the end of their friendship.
Another thing I loved was Felix's recovering journey. He does a lot of introspection, he faces his mistakes and he's not scared to reach out for help when he needs it.
What prevented me from giving a higher rate:
Jonah and Felix were more than friends: they grew up together, they were each other's biggest supporter, they never let anything or anyone come between them. And yet they were incapable of being truly honest about what they really wanted and kept postponing a very much needed conversation.
This book is very very long and I struggled to keep my attention focused sometimes.
As always, I love how supportive the guys are of each other and I'm very curious about next book, Matty's story. In this one he confessed to be demiexual so I can't wait to see what the author has in store for him.
Recommended.
I received an ARC of this book from Neon Rainbow and this is my honest review.
Finally Felix's story!
We met him in the first book of the series (The Husband Game): he was in a long-time relationship with Withney, but then they broke up, he started drinking and had a terrible accident with his car. After that, Felix went to rehab and came back at the end of the second book (The Head Game).
Felix and Jonah had known each other their whole lives: Jonah lost his parents and went to live with his grandparents, he became fast friend with a boy who lived in the same neighbourhood.
Felix and Jonah spent a lot of time together, the were each other best friend and family, they bonded over their love for hockey and throughout the years their friendship grew stronger. During all those years, Jonah has been able to keep his feelings for himself and never let Felix know he was in love with him.
I think Felix's bisexual awakening was handled very well in this story: Felix didn't started feeling asttraction for Jonah out of the blue, but after his long months in therapy he was able to clear his head, to see the things he had buried inside him and he could finally be himself outside his parents' expectations.
Jonah was obviously both excited and scared about Felix's revelation of being interested in men. He wanted to finally have that physical connection with him, but he also feared that would be the end of their friendship.
Another thing I loved was Felix's recovering journey. He does a lot of introspection, he faces his mistakes and he's not scared to reach out for help when he needs it.
What prevented me from giving a higher rate:
Jonah and Felix were more than friends: they grew up together, they were each other's biggest supporter, they never let anything or anyone come between them. And yet they were incapable of being truly honest about what they really wanted and kept postponing a very much needed conversation.
This book is very very long and I struggled to keep my attention focused sometimes.
As always, I love how supportive the guys are of each other and I'm very curious about next book, Matty's story. In this one he confessed to be demiexual so I can't wait to see what the author has in store for him.
Recommended.
I received an ARC of this book from Neon Rainbow and this is my honest review.
February 28, 2024
4.5 stars
This series has been my favourite and I was waiting for the next book in this series, Felix and Jonah were the best of friends and their story was so wonderful to read, I enjoyed it very much.
Felix and Jonah were best friends for a long time, but the recent events in Felix's life have made him insecure about his worth in others' lives and also a disappointment to his best friend and his team.
Jonah had lost his parents at a very young age and then moved to stay with his grandparents where he met Felix and they became best friends. Jonah had a crush on Felix since they were young but never acted on it.
To repair Felix's image after his rehab stint and also after Grandma Ji-min's emergency health scare he suggests to be in a fake engagement with Jonah, but Felix also starts to have feelings towards Jonah and to test if he is enough for Jonah, he suggests the idea of fake engagement.
This story was slow-burn but it was so amazingly written that we got glimpses of their younger self and how close they were to each other. Their relationship development from best friends to lovers was smooth but they were still hesitant. I liked how they didn't want to lose each other and they fought against the trauma that was holding them back.
I enjoyed their moments with the core members, and how they supported them and their banter was amazingly written.
I liked how the author has done thorough research on the topics she has noted and that's one of the things I like about the author's writing style, which has me enjoying the book more.
I am highly obsessed with this series and all the characters and I am looking forward to Matty's book. Also, I recommend starting this series if you haven't already.
* I received an ARC copy from Neon Rainbow Reviews and this is my honest review *
This series has been my favourite and I was waiting for the next book in this series, Felix and Jonah were the best of friends and their story was so wonderful to read, I enjoyed it very much.
Felix and Jonah were best friends for a long time, but the recent events in Felix's life have made him insecure about his worth in others' lives and also a disappointment to his best friend and his team.
Jonah had lost his parents at a very young age and then moved to stay with his grandparents where he met Felix and they became best friends. Jonah had a crush on Felix since they were young but never acted on it.
To repair Felix's image after his rehab stint and also after Grandma Ji-min's emergency health scare he suggests to be in a fake engagement with Jonah, but Felix also starts to have feelings towards Jonah and to test if he is enough for Jonah, he suggests the idea of fake engagement.
This story was slow-burn but it was so amazingly written that we got glimpses of their younger self and how close they were to each other. Their relationship development from best friends to lovers was smooth but they were still hesitant. I liked how they didn't want to lose each other and they fought against the trauma that was holding them back.
I enjoyed their moments with the core members, and how they supported them and their banter was amazingly written.
I liked how the author has done thorough research on the topics she has noted and that's one of the things I like about the author's writing style, which has me enjoying the book more.
I am highly obsessed with this series and all the characters and I am looking forward to Matty's book. Also, I recommend starting this series if you haven't already.
* I received an ARC copy from Neon Rainbow Reviews and this is my honest review *
Read
February 29, 2024Sometimes changing your life means evaluating everything about yourself, including your sexuality... Both Jonah and Felix have had to overcome difficult childhoods, with each other, Jo's grandmother and hockey holding them together... and so much more going on around them.
On the same team, with Felix managing his alcoholism and seeing his world differently, speared on by a health scare for Jonah's grandmother and things take a decidedly 'fake' relationship turn that quickly turns spicy...
The found family, the personal angst, and Grandma Ji-min all make this bisexual awakening story come to life. I also like that the author gives us outside stresses to test the relationship and doesn't just keep the guys hiding in the hammock.
Emotional and sweet, you can tell that this author took care in creating this world and ensuring that Jonah's bi-racial Canadian/Korean heritage was on point.
I can't wait for the next book in the Relationship Goals series.
On the same team, with Felix managing his alcoholism and seeing his world differently, speared on by a health scare for Jonah's grandmother and things take a decidedly 'fake' relationship turn that quickly turns spicy...
The found family, the personal angst, and Grandma Ji-min all make this bisexual awakening story come to life. I also like that the author gives us outside stresses to test the relationship and doesn't just keep the guys hiding in the hammock.
Emotional and sweet, you can tell that this author took care in creating this world and ensuring that Jonah's bi-racial Canadian/Korean heritage was on point.
I can't wait for the next book in the Relationship Goals series.
March 10, 2024
Rating: 4.5
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 3rd person
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Main tropes: friends to lovers, hurt / comfort, fake relationship
The Waiting Game was a great addition to the Relationship Goals series, and I loved to see Felix and Jonah go from childhood best friends to lovers!
I love books with friends to lovers, especially with some pining and a sexual discovery - and this story had it all. Jonah, who have had feelings for Felix since they were kids, but never wanted to jeopardise their friendship… and Felix, who started seeing his best friend in new light after spending some time at rehab.
Their story was a slow burn romance, but once their little fake engagement arrangement was in place, the lines started to blur pretty quickly. They were so close and had already been through a lot together, so the development from friends to lovers felt very natural, and a little inevitable. They were such a sweet couple!
Felix’s issues and spiralling had been shown in the previous books, and I liked that I got to see him from a different perspective here. His character development was great, and I loved how he tried to work through his past trauma and baggage. Both Felix and Jonah had quite a few ups and downs throughout the book, but it was lovely to see the comfort they found in each other and how deep their connection was.
I was completely hooked on their story, and I really enjoyed to see these two loveable idiots realise that some of their feelings towards each other weren’t very friendship-y. I’m ridiculously fond of this little found family of hockey players and their endless shenanigans and banter, and I can’t wait for more books in this series!
-
Thanks to Neon Rainbow ARC Reviews for the opportunity to read and review this book. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 3rd person
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Main tropes: friends to lovers, hurt / comfort, fake relationship
The Waiting Game was a great addition to the Relationship Goals series, and I loved to see Felix and Jonah go from childhood best friends to lovers!
I love books with friends to lovers, especially with some pining and a sexual discovery - and this story had it all. Jonah, who have had feelings for Felix since they were kids, but never wanted to jeopardise their friendship… and Felix, who started seeing his best friend in new light after spending some time at rehab.
Their story was a slow burn romance, but once their little fake engagement arrangement was in place, the lines started to blur pretty quickly. They were so close and had already been through a lot together, so the development from friends to lovers felt very natural, and a little inevitable. They were such a sweet couple!
Felix’s issues and spiralling had been shown in the previous books, and I liked that I got to see him from a different perspective here. His character development was great, and I loved how he tried to work through his past trauma and baggage. Both Felix and Jonah had quite a few ups and downs throughout the book, but it was lovely to see the comfort they found in each other and how deep their connection was.
I was completely hooked on their story, and I really enjoyed to see these two loveable idiots realise that some of their feelings towards each other weren’t very friendship-y. I’m ridiculously fond of this little found family of hockey players and their endless shenanigans and banter, and I can’t wait for more books in this series!
-
Thanks to Neon Rainbow ARC Reviews for the opportunity to read and review this book. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
March 18, 2024
2.5 stars
I'm sorry! I wanted to love this. I really did because I love Jonah and Felix and I was really looking forward to getting a best friends to lovers romance. I guess the whole curve ball of it being a best friends to fake lovers to real lovers romance threw me. I also wasn't a fan of the unnecessary miscommunication particularly when these two have known each other for as long as they have. It just drove me crazy. Obviously my opinion is completely subjective and YMMV. I'm any case I'm looking forward to Matty's story next (but from the epilogue it looks like it might be a single dad he maybe ends up with and I thought he'd be getting together with the guy he had the threesome with ngl).
I'm sorry! I wanted to love this. I really did because I love Jonah and Felix and I was really looking forward to getting a best friends to lovers romance. I guess the whole curve ball of it being a best friends to fake lovers to real lovers romance threw me. I also wasn't a fan of the unnecessary miscommunication particularly when these two have known each other for as long as they have. It just drove me crazy. Obviously my opinion is completely subjective and YMMV. I'm any case I'm looking forward to Matty's story next (but from the epilogue it looks like it might be a single dad he maybe ends up with and I thought he'd be getting together with the guy he had the threesome with ngl).
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 19, 2024DNF. I may come back to it. Not sure. This book was boring me quite a bit and has now been stuck at 38% for so long I have lost interest.
April 28, 2024
Quite enjoyed this one. Lovely friends-to-lovers romance.
March 8, 2024
OMG!!! I love this book so much
I want Jonah's home and I want a Jonah in my life.
Felix and Jonah are so great together since childhood and I keep saying : Felix you love him , open your eyes!
It's really an amazing book and I love his teammates keeps showing up to tease them
I recommend this book
I want Jonah's home and I want a Jonah in my life.
Felix and Jonah are so great together since childhood and I keep saying : Felix you love him , open your eyes!
It's really an amazing book and I love his teammates keeps showing up to tease them
I recommend this book
March 6, 2024
3.75
They were so sweet!
They were so sweet!
February 27, 2024
The Waiting Game is the third book in the Relationship Goals series and can be read as a standalone.
In the prologue, we see Jonah and Felix as children making their marriage pact that made me giggle with how cute and innocent they are. We then skip to present day, I really liked how this book didn’t just immediately jump into the fake engagement. Brigham Vaughn did such a great job with the plot of this book and their friendship, it felt so authentic.
Jonah lost his parents at an early age and was raised by his grandma and granddad. I loved the Korean culture and learnt so much about it! Can I just say how amazing Jonah’s grandparents were?
Jonah and Felix have been best friends since they was five years old and are both playing for the Toronto Fishers Cats in present day. When Felix proposes a fake engagement; it seems like a good idea but there’s the problem of Jonah being in love with him for years…
Vaughn’s character development in this book was top notch. The little intricacies in Felix and Jonah’s characters (like Jonah loving plants and always be late, and Felix’s love of Korean food and reading) made me not only feel like I had known for years but also made me love them that much more.
Felix’s maturity and self awareness made me so feel proud of him, it was really beautiful to see him overcome his struggles with his alcoholism and his parents.
Both of these characters has had a really tough time and I felt like Vaughn made them so emotionally vulnerable to the reader, which I applaud as that’s not easy to write.
The interaction with Jackson (you’ll meet him if you read the book) was so adorable and endearing. I felt like everything is this book fitted there perfectly. All the side characters were great, I love this team so much and am really excited for the next two!
A deliciously dirty fake to forever, best friends to lovers romance that brought all the HEAT and the SWOON. I think this is the hottest MM ever written by Brigham Vaughn and her best to date.
This book contains triggering content such as alcoholism, past death of parents (plane crash) and grandparent, racism/ homophobia/ insensitive comments, mention of brain tumour/ surgery and emotionally neglectful parents.
Plot: 📚📚📚📚📚
Character rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Feels: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Writing style: 🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊
In the prologue, we see Jonah and Felix as children making their marriage pact that made me giggle with how cute and innocent they are. We then skip to present day, I really liked how this book didn’t just immediately jump into the fake engagement. Brigham Vaughn did such a great job with the plot of this book and their friendship, it felt so authentic.
Jonah lost his parents at an early age and was raised by his grandma and granddad. I loved the Korean culture and learnt so much about it! Can I just say how amazing Jonah’s grandparents were?
Jonah and Felix have been best friends since they was five years old and are both playing for the Toronto Fishers Cats in present day. When Felix proposes a fake engagement; it seems like a good idea but there’s the problem of Jonah being in love with him for years…
Vaughn’s character development in this book was top notch. The little intricacies in Felix and Jonah’s characters (like Jonah loving plants and always be late, and Felix’s love of Korean food and reading) made me not only feel like I had known for years but also made me love them that much more.
Felix’s maturity and self awareness made me so feel proud of him, it was really beautiful to see him overcome his struggles with his alcoholism and his parents.
Both of these characters has had a really tough time and I felt like Vaughn made them so emotionally vulnerable to the reader, which I applaud as that’s not easy to write.
The interaction with Jackson (you’ll meet him if you read the book) was so adorable and endearing. I felt like everything is this book fitted there perfectly. All the side characters were great, I love this team so much and am really excited for the next two!
A deliciously dirty fake to forever, best friends to lovers romance that brought all the HEAT and the SWOON. I think this is the hottest MM ever written by Brigham Vaughn and her best to date.
This book contains triggering content such as alcoholism, past death of parents (plane crash) and grandparent, racism/ homophobia/ insensitive comments, mention of brain tumour/ surgery and emotionally neglectful parents.
Plot: 📚📚📚📚📚
Character rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Feels: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Writing style: 🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊
March 5, 2024
THE WAITING GAME was a cute friends to lovers romance with a bisexual awakening and plenty of hockey game play. I liked both Jonah and Felix and they have such a supportive and caring friendship and I loved how Felix was a part of Jonah and his grandmother's family. The team surrounding these guys was also great and I enjoyed the hints at Matty's book which is next. Jonah and Felix take a little bit to get into a physical relationship as Felix is working through his newfound bisexuality but once things start they were very spicy. Felix jumps right in and I think a lot of his comfort comes from how close these two are as friends.
I do feel there could have been a little more focus on developing the change from friends to lovers. There's a lot of history between Felix and Jonah, especially considering Jonah's long standing crush on Felix, but Vaughn relied too heavily on their friendship to advance the romantic relationship. The only thing that seems to change in their interactions is they start having sex with each other and all the romantic feelings seem to already be there from their friendship.
That being said, I was thoroughly entertained and engaged and Vaughn is one of my favorite authors for hockey romances.
Content Warning: MC who is a recovering alcoholic; on page health crisis of a grandparent (resolved); past death of parents
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
“But you’re straight,” Jonah protested.
Felix looked away. “Maybe not like … 100%.”
“What?” Jonah rasped. He had to be hallucinating that.
Felix shrugged. “I mean … I think there’s a little wiggle room somewhere in there.”
I do feel there could have been a little more focus on developing the change from friends to lovers. There's a lot of history between Felix and Jonah, especially considering Jonah's long standing crush on Felix, but Vaughn relied too heavily on their friendship to advance the romantic relationship. The only thing that seems to change in their interactions is they start having sex with each other and all the romantic feelings seem to already be there from their friendship.
That being said, I was thoroughly entertained and engaged and Vaughn is one of my favorite authors for hockey romances.
Content Warning: MC who is a recovering alcoholic; on page health crisis of a grandparent (resolved); past death of parents
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
“But you’re straight,” Jonah protested.
Felix looked away. “Maybe not like … 100%.”
“What?” Jonah rasped. He had to be hallucinating that.
Felix shrugged. “I mean … I think there’s a little wiggle room somewhere in there.”
February 28, 2024
A friends to lovers story, but it's so much more than that: It is a childhood best friend to lovers. This makes everything more risky with the potential to ruin so much. Boundaries definitely get blurred and this leads to miscommunication and feeling unsure of how each other are feeling. When high feelings are involved, pressure is high. The pressure has to escape somewhere and usually aimed at the one you love. I loved how positive the storyline was with Felix and his alcohol issues. His AA sponsor was a really great addition to the story. Family is the main focus and Jonah's grandmother features heavily. She bought a lot of fun to the story. I'm really enjoying this series and I am already looking forward to Matty's story. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 22, 2024
this was one of the slowest “slow burns” to ever slow burn. so much so that it just felt unnecessarily slow. 565 pages is crazy for a sports romance. i understand that we were dealing with addiction and recovery here and i appreciate how much effort and sensitivity it was dealt with, but it still could have been 100 pages shorter and achieved the same thing. i feel like nothing happened in the 1st half to almost 3/4 of the book. we were just getting to know our MCs but by that point, i felt like i didn’t want to know anymore about them.
anyways, i appreciate the effort that probably went into writing this and there wasn’t really anything wrong other than it being super boring at times. the last 30%ish saved it for me so 3⭐️ i guess.
anyways, i appreciate the effort that probably went into writing this and there wasn’t really anything wrong other than it being super boring at times. the last 30%ish saved it for me so 3⭐️ i guess.
February 29, 2024
A really cute friends to lovers/fake engagement romance between Jonah and Felix. While this book does address Felix's alcoholic past and Jonah's death of his parents and grandfather, both are delicately handled that does not take away from the sweetness of the romance. While Jonah's character growth took a lot longer than Felix's growth, they both ended up in a happily ever after.
March 4, 2024
I love Brigham Vaughn’s Relationship Goals and Rules of the Game series and the overlap of characters. This one didn’t disappoint — BFF’s, Felix is figuring life out after rehab and Jonah is a solid support (and has been in love with Felix since they were kids). Sweet and pretty low angst.
February 29, 2024
The Waiting Game by Brigham Vaughn (Toronto Fisher Cats) is the 3rd book in her Relationship Goals series. It is the story of two men who grew up together, play for the NHL team The Toronto Fisher Cats, and fall in love, even though they didn’t think that was possible. Jonah Brewer was a Korean Canadian whose parents died in a plane crash when he was just 5. He went to live with his Grandpa Cho and Grandma Ji-min in Toronto. That was where he met Felix Hale and latched onto him. They became best friends, did everything together, and played hockey, both of them becoming very good at the game and going on to the NHL, at first on different teams but then Felix got traded to the Fisher Cats and they became D-men together. Felix also had some difficulties in his life as he had parents who were distant and didn’t believe in him and he had just had a difficult break up with his girlfriend that led him to drinking, a DUI, and rehab. Jonah had been in love with Felix almost from the day they met, and they both loved each other in a best friend way, so Jonah didn’t reveal his true feelings because he didn’t want to cause any problems in the relationship they had. They knew each other inside and out and were so close that everyone, JockGossip as well as their teammates, thought they were a couple and dating. Growing up Felix had spent most of his time at Jonah’s grandparent’s house, who he looked at as his family since he wasn’t close to his own. So when Grandma Ji-min fell ill he was as traumatized as Johah was. This set in motion a decision to have a fake engagement, which Felix thought would help both his situation and Grandma Ji-min, but Jonah was wary of it. The story continues with both men examining their past lives and what led them to where they were now and saw their relationship growing towards real love. However, with Jonah worrying that that it could end and Felix would leave him like everyone else in his life, he couldn’t bring himself to tell him his real feelings. Felix was also coming to some epiphanies about his life and where it was going and that it always led back to Jonah. Then they started experimenting and had some very hot love scenes as Felix started to realize that he wasn’t totally straight but that he wanted Jonah in every way and that he loved him more than just a friend. Everything comes to a head at the final playoff game and they have to decide if they really want to be together for life and declare their love to each other, which leads to some great ending scenes. I really enjoyed this book as I have the others in the series. There is a perfect blend of what the characters are going through and the hockey they are playing and how it affects their relationship. Jonah was so sweet and worried that if Grandma Ji-min died he would be all alone and this colored his actions with Felix. Felix was always by his side no matter what, but also had his demons to fight with his problems with alcohol, discovering he might not be straight, and having to make up missed games for the team. I loved reading about characters from the other books and how they fit in this one. They are such a close team and while often being snarky they really want the best for Jonah and Felix. There were times I was laughing out loud at their antics. I highly recommend this book. The story is slow burn but gives a lot of information about the characters and the plot that let you know them very well and feel what they are feeling so you are rooting for them to finally get together, which when they do, you can’t help but smile and know they are going to be very happy.
March 3, 2024
the third book has many wonderful elements and a few issues
Rating: 4🌈
“Fisher Cats' Hale and Brewer Engaged: College Sweethearts or Fake Relationship?”
Faked engagement, best friends to lovers , bi-sexual awakening, hurt/comfort m/m hockey contemporary romance time! That’s a lot of tropes for a novel, and it’s not even close to covering the best elements that Vaughn includes in The Waiting Game.
This is the third in Brigham Vaughn’s Relationship Goals series, and I really enjoyed the two previous stories.
The Waiting Game has some great elements woven into its characters and narrative as well as some things I found a bit problematic.
Let’s dive into the positive aspects of this story first.
Korean Canadian history and culture that’s been used for the background and creation of Jonah Brewer , a Canadian Korean hockey player with a strong sense of community and a heartwarming grandmother who’s a great central figure in the novel. From the Korean food his grandmother, Jonah and Felix fix, to the house and gardens that mean home, the Korean culture is well established within the storyline.
Next is the story thread of Felix’s drunk driving, his temporary suspension from the team, and his ongoing treatment for alcoholism. Vaughn’s created in Felix a man still very much in the beginning stages of his recovery. This is Felix dealing with his sobriety and his alcoholism by going to his AA meetings, making those calls to his sponsor, Ismael, when he needs help, and generally within Felix’s storyline, making his journey as realistic as possible. His stress, fears, and doubts are all understandable.
Jonah too has some huge emotional baggage. His parents died in a plane crash when he was young and his life was uprooted from one culture to another. Loss upon loss. That deep seated fear of losing loved ones comes through, especially with his relationship with his remarkable Grandma Ji-min. The author’s making use of the three of them as the heart of this book is a great decision because as a family unit they are the best aspect of the story.
Now to the next part, the issues. It’s the romance that I feel wasn’t working as well. At least for about 20% of the book. From the 45 percent to about 65 percentage or over, where there’s almost no communication between them about what is happening between them, the book would have lost me except for Grandma Ji-min.
It was a great framework and friendship up to that point. Then fake engagement which was strange the way it was handled. Then more avoidance about talking. Then finally exploring new bisexuality and going forward at around 70 or so percent. When the romance felt grounded and believable.
There was, naturally, a several dramatic elements towards the end, and then moments to pull everything back together. That was terrific , and some of it was very moving.
But for me, that large passage of non communication almost derailed it. Which was a shame because, as I said, there’s so much that’s absolutely wonderful here.
The Waiting Game is a good book in the series, although not my favorite. I’m recommending it and it’s great to see diverse representations in hockey .
Great cover.
Relationship Goals:
- [x] The Husband Game #1
- [x] The Head Game #2
- [x] The Waiting Game #3
- [ ] The Home Game #4 - June 2024
Rating: 4🌈
“Fisher Cats' Hale and Brewer Engaged: College Sweethearts or Fake Relationship?”
Faked engagement, best friends to lovers , bi-sexual awakening, hurt/comfort m/m hockey contemporary romance time! That’s a lot of tropes for a novel, and it’s not even close to covering the best elements that Vaughn includes in The Waiting Game.
This is the third in Brigham Vaughn’s Relationship Goals series, and I really enjoyed the two previous stories.
The Waiting Game has some great elements woven into its characters and narrative as well as some things I found a bit problematic.
Let’s dive into the positive aspects of this story first.
Korean Canadian history and culture that’s been used for the background and creation of Jonah Brewer , a Canadian Korean hockey player with a strong sense of community and a heartwarming grandmother who’s a great central figure in the novel. From the Korean food his grandmother, Jonah and Felix fix, to the house and gardens that mean home, the Korean culture is well established within the storyline.
Next is the story thread of Felix’s drunk driving, his temporary suspension from the team, and his ongoing treatment for alcoholism. Vaughn’s created in Felix a man still very much in the beginning stages of his recovery. This is Felix dealing with his sobriety and his alcoholism by going to his AA meetings, making those calls to his sponsor, Ismael, when he needs help, and generally within Felix’s storyline, making his journey as realistic as possible. His stress, fears, and doubts are all understandable.
Jonah too has some huge emotional baggage. His parents died in a plane crash when he was young and his life was uprooted from one culture to another. Loss upon loss. That deep seated fear of losing loved ones comes through, especially with his relationship with his remarkable Grandma Ji-min. The author’s making use of the three of them as the heart of this book is a great decision because as a family unit they are the best aspect of the story.
Now to the next part, the issues. It’s the romance that I feel wasn’t working as well. At least for about 20% of the book. From the 45 percent to about 65 percentage or over, where there’s almost no communication between them about what is happening between them, the book would have lost me except for Grandma Ji-min.
It was a great framework and friendship up to that point. Then fake engagement which was strange the way it was handled. Then more avoidance about talking. Then finally exploring new bisexuality and going forward at around 70 or so percent. When the romance felt grounded and believable.
There was, naturally, a several dramatic elements towards the end, and then moments to pull everything back together. That was terrific , and some of it was very moving.
But for me, that large passage of non communication almost derailed it. Which was a shame because, as I said, there’s so much that’s absolutely wonderful here.
The Waiting Game is a good book in the series, although not my favorite. I’m recommending it and it’s great to see diverse representations in hockey .
Great cover.
Relationship Goals:
- [x] The Husband Game #1
- [x] The Head Game #2
- [x] The Waiting Game #3
- [ ] The Home Game #4 - June 2024
March 8, 2024
This is another story I've been waiting for since the first book in this series! From the moment Felix appeared in Charlie and Dustin's book you could see that he was struggling and the anxiety of knowing what was happening to him and how his relationship with Jonah would develop was killing me!
I can say that I loved the story of the two of them, as much as the two previous books. Through the pages you can see how Felix has grown, learning about himself and accepting himself. His time in rehab and therapy allowed him to begin to recognize those things that he had hidden deeply within himself and that due to his upbringing and his relationship with his parents, he didn't even know, or want to know, that existed. He began to see himself clearly, and began to see what had always been in front of him and he hadn't known how to recognize. This is not to say that he didn't doubt himself, or that he didn't falter, but every time that happened, he immediately sought help.
Jonah also had his own struggle. The losses that he suffered from a very young age marked him deeply, and the fear of losing more people he loved was something that didn't let him move forward, and made him doubt about this new development in his relationship with Felix, even though it was something that he had always dreamed and now it seemed like it could come true. And the situation with his grandmother's health only increased that fear and added more stress.
The only constant in both of them (aside from Grandma Ji Min) was their unbreakable friendship and love of hockey that started when they were just little kids and never stopped, becoming the great love they had for each other.
The only complaint I have is that a large part of the book (and yes, I know it's slow burn) is about their friendship, grandmother's health, the team, etc. and we only begin to see more of their intimate relationship, reaching 70% of the book. And despite being so close and sharing everything, the most important conversations every time they needed help happened with other people and not between themselves. For example, Felix with his sponsor, and Jonah with his grandmother or Dustin, etc. And then they clarified it between them with a brief conversation. And I don't want to say that this is wrong, after all, reaching out for help is the most important thing, but I would have liked them to talk about it between the two of them in more depth.
But despite that small complaint I LOVED the story. I LOVED their relationship, their jokes and their teases. I LOVED the fact that Felix recognized his attraction and decided to explore it, without hesitation and without fear of experiencing new things. And OMG, the chemistry between them! The support of his teammates, the coach and the sassy grandmother, with her deep love for both of them... All of this added up to make this a great story, and the truth is , makes me already eagerly waiting for Matty's!
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.
I can say that I loved the story of the two of them, as much as the two previous books. Through the pages you can see how Felix has grown, learning about himself and accepting himself. His time in rehab and therapy allowed him to begin to recognize those things that he had hidden deeply within himself and that due to his upbringing and his relationship with his parents, he didn't even know, or want to know, that existed. He began to see himself clearly, and began to see what had always been in front of him and he hadn't known how to recognize. This is not to say that he didn't doubt himself, or that he didn't falter, but every time that happened, he immediately sought help.
Jonah also had his own struggle. The losses that he suffered from a very young age marked him deeply, and the fear of losing more people he loved was something that didn't let him move forward, and made him doubt about this new development in his relationship with Felix, even though it was something that he had always dreamed and now it seemed like it could come true. And the situation with his grandmother's health only increased that fear and added more stress.
The only constant in both of them (aside from Grandma Ji Min) was their unbreakable friendship and love of hockey that started when they were just little kids and never stopped, becoming the great love they had for each other.
The only complaint I have is that a large part of the book (and yes, I know it's slow burn) is about their friendship, grandmother's health, the team, etc. and we only begin to see more of their intimate relationship, reaching 70% of the book. And despite being so close and sharing everything, the most important conversations every time they needed help happened with other people and not between themselves. For example, Felix with his sponsor, and Jonah with his grandmother or Dustin, etc. And then they clarified it between them with a brief conversation. And I don't want to say that this is wrong, after all, reaching out for help is the most important thing, but I would have liked them to talk about it between the two of them in more depth.
But despite that small complaint I LOVED the story. I LOVED their relationship, their jokes and their teases. I LOVED the fact that Felix recognized his attraction and decided to explore it, without hesitation and without fear of experiencing new things. And OMG, the chemistry between them! The support of his teammates, the coach and the sassy grandmother, with her deep love for both of them... All of this added up to make this a great story, and the truth is , makes me already eagerly waiting for Matty's!
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.
March 5, 2024
The Waiting Game is a sweet slow burn, friends to lovers with a fake engagement. I really enjoyed the characters. Felix's struggles were portrayed with grace and sensitivity and it felt good to watch him heal. I was ecstatic to see some diversity rep in Jonah, a Korean Canadian hockey player with his own set of baggage to work through. I appreciate how much effort the author put into making his heritage a seamless part of his life and the story. I also enjoyed seeing the previous couples and Grandma Ji-Min really stole the show.
I struggled with the reason for the fake engagement. Those can always be a stretch for the reader to buy in and while I appreciate that the author is exploring different ways this trope can be done, in this instance the dishonesty bothered me because it was such a personal lie. Instead of being a PR stunt it was a lie for really only one person, Grandma Ji-Min. The lie hurt more than the truth, imo. It fell a little flat when everyone else around them knew the truth.
The romance itself felt natural, easy to see how they work as a couple, but I found it frustrating that they didn't talk to each other about their relationship much. They each talked out their feelings to another person (Felix his sponsor and Jonah his online friend and teammates) and I felt like some of those would have been better served happening with each other.
Speaking of the sponsor, I wish the author had given a reason in the story for why they chose a Muslim character to fill the roll of AA sponsor, when drinking is forbidden in Islam. It would have given the character more depth to have a little more info about his background. It felt like his religion was a detail that wasn't necessary if it wasn't going to play a part in the story, so that felt a little off to me.
The relationship between Jonah and Felix with their teammates, friends and Grandma were all fantastic and so much fun to read. I enjoyed the bit of angst and drama at the end. It was important to me to see Felix be really tested and come through it on his own, for himself. When they did finally talk, they were both where they needed to be individually to have a strong marriage, and I loved the epilogue.
Despite some criticisms, I did enjoy this one and recommend it! I love the previous books in the series and while this one isn't my favorite, it has a lot in it I did love and the characters themselves were endearing. The hammock snuggles, the shared snacks, and the way they supported each other through their struggles all offset any issues I had with other aspects. I can't wait for Matty's story next!
I struggled with the reason for the fake engagement. Those can always be a stretch for the reader to buy in and while I appreciate that the author is exploring different ways this trope can be done, in this instance the dishonesty bothered me because it was such a personal lie. Instead of being a PR stunt it was a lie for really only one person, Grandma Ji-Min. The lie hurt more than the truth, imo. It fell a little flat when everyone else around them knew the truth.
The romance itself felt natural, easy to see how they work as a couple, but I found it frustrating that they didn't talk to each other about their relationship much. They each talked out their feelings to another person (Felix his sponsor and Jonah his online friend and teammates) and I felt like some of those would have been better served happening with each other.
Speaking of the sponsor, I wish the author had given a reason in the story for why they chose a Muslim character to fill the roll of AA sponsor, when drinking is forbidden in Islam. It would have given the character more depth to have a little more info about his background. It felt like his religion was a detail that wasn't necessary if it wasn't going to play a part in the story, so that felt a little off to me.
The relationship between Jonah and Felix with their teammates, friends and Grandma were all fantastic and so much fun to read. I enjoyed the bit of angst and drama at the end. It was important to me to see Felix be really tested and come through it on his own, for himself. When they did finally talk, they were both where they needed to be individually to have a strong marriage, and I loved the epilogue.
Despite some criticisms, I did enjoy this one and recommend it! I love the previous books in the series and while this one isn't my favorite, it has a lot in it I did love and the characters themselves were endearing. The hammock snuggles, the shared snacks, and the way they supported each other through their struggles all offset any issues I had with other aspects. I can't wait for Matty's story next!
March 1, 2024
This is the 3rd book in the series and all I can say is Hat Trick 🏒🏒🏒. I mean just wow. I couldn’t put this book down. From chapter to chapter I needed to know what was going to happen next. Jonah still struggling from loosing his parents at a young age. He’s been in love with his BFF since forever but has never said anything. He wants so much but is afraid to go for it. He doesn’t want to lose anyone else. Felix so unsure of himself. His parent being pretty much absent towards him left him feeling he’s never good enough. Through thick and thin they have been there for each other since being kids.
I love Felix completed his rehab and is working hard on his sobriety. His reputation did take a hit. How couldn’t it? Now let’s talk real quick about Jonah’s grandmother. She’s been wanting the 2 to get together since forever. But she is hiding her own secret about her health. I’d love to meet her, she sounds real ornery and fun. I know I’d be eating well. When she takes a turn for the worst they start fearing they’re going to lose her. So Felix being Felix comes up with the fake engagement. Hoping that would take the stress from her and help himself with his recovery. At first I didn’t think it was a good idea but the more it was explained it was a great idea. What better way to open the feelings that Jonah has and the feelings Felix is getting. As the playoffs start grandma has to go for a quick procedure. It leaves Jonah is high stress mode and Felix trying to support him. Tempers get short, stress goes up, fights on ice, things being said that sometimes you can’t take back., and Felix going for a bottle. Well the grandma swing the ornery person she is comes out of the procedure fine (😁).
The team not so much. The truth gets told to grandma, Felix gets help, and Jonah opens up about his feelings.
You’ll have a rollercoaster of emotions about friendship, found family, teammates, self discovery, self acceptance, and strength. But what ride it is. This book left me smiling with a strong HEA.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Monica (Lady M)
I love Felix completed his rehab and is working hard on his sobriety. His reputation did take a hit. How couldn’t it? Now let’s talk real quick about Jonah’s grandmother. She’s been wanting the 2 to get together since forever. But she is hiding her own secret about her health. I’d love to meet her, she sounds real ornery and fun. I know I’d be eating well. When she takes a turn for the worst they start fearing they’re going to lose her. So Felix being Felix comes up with the fake engagement. Hoping that would take the stress from her and help himself with his recovery. At first I didn’t think it was a good idea but the more it was explained it was a great idea. What better way to open the feelings that Jonah has and the feelings Felix is getting. As the playoffs start grandma has to go for a quick procedure. It leaves Jonah is high stress mode and Felix trying to support him. Tempers get short, stress goes up, fights on ice, things being said that sometimes you can’t take back., and Felix going for a bottle. Well the grandma swing the ornery person she is comes out of the procedure fine (😁).
The team not so much. The truth gets told to grandma, Felix gets help, and Jonah opens up about his feelings.
You’ll have a rollercoaster of emotions about friendship, found family, teammates, self discovery, self acceptance, and strength. But what ride it is. This book left me smiling with a strong HEA.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Monica (Lady M)
February 29, 2024
OK, first of all, cutest prologue ever. Felix and Jonah have been best friends since they were 5 years old, when Jonah lost his parents in a plane crash. He was freaking out that everyone would leave him one day, so Felix made a pact with him that he'd never leave and they'd get married one day when they were really old ... like 30. Gotta love kids' ideas of what's old!😂 24 years later, they're playing together in the NHL and Felix is a recovering alcoholic. He recently broke up with a serious girlfriend and it led to many bad choices, including driving while intoxicated.
Jonah realized he was in love with Felix when he was about 15 and he's an openly gay hockey player. Felix, meanwhile, thinks he's straight and is completely unaware of Jonah's feelings. After Jonah's grandmother has a health scare, photos of the two of them hugging hit the gossip sites and people start speculating about a secret relationship. Felix decides he'd rather hear that than comments about his sobriety, so he asks Jonah to be his fake fiancé. Jonah is pretty sure he's signing up to get his heart broken, but he doesn't realize Felix is starting to feel an attraction to him.
🔥: There's so much pining leading up to these two finally hooking up! Their scenes are medium paced and full of graphic details. They even get a bit kinky, and Felix is super excited for his bi-awakening.
😆: We get some funny moments along the way thanks to the banter between Felix and Jonah as well as the rest of the team. Jonah's grandmother is also a riot!
😭: As tough as some of the moments get for these two, you likely won't shed too many tears. However, there are plenty of tense moments!
My only disappointment with this book is that I have to wait so long for the next one! Loving this series! Felix and Jonah are so cute together and deserve their HEA!
CW: discussion of neglectful parents, alcoholism and struggles with sobriety, family member heart scare
Jonah realized he was in love with Felix when he was about 15 and he's an openly gay hockey player. Felix, meanwhile, thinks he's straight and is completely unaware of Jonah's feelings. After Jonah's grandmother has a health scare, photos of the two of them hugging hit the gossip sites and people start speculating about a secret relationship. Felix decides he'd rather hear that than comments about his sobriety, so he asks Jonah to be his fake fiancé. Jonah is pretty sure he's signing up to get his heart broken, but he doesn't realize Felix is starting to feel an attraction to him.
🔥: There's so much pining leading up to these two finally hooking up! Their scenes are medium paced and full of graphic details. They even get a bit kinky, and Felix is super excited for his bi-awakening.
😆: We get some funny moments along the way thanks to the banter between Felix and Jonah as well as the rest of the team. Jonah's grandmother is also a riot!
😭: As tough as some of the moments get for these two, you likely won't shed too many tears. However, there are plenty of tense moments!
My only disappointment with this book is that I have to wait so long for the next one! Loving this series! Felix and Jonah are so cute together and deserve their HEA!
CW: discussion of neglectful parents, alcoholism and struggles with sobriety, family member heart scare
March 10, 2024
**4.5**
Jonah and Felix are life long best friends and team mates on the Fisher Cats. The last few months have been extremely hard for Felix, especially, as he broke up with his girlfriend, got caught drunk driving and had to go to rehab. Jonah has stood by his side throughout but has felt guilt for not doing more to help when he saw Felix going down hill.
This is a slow burn romance between two best friends. Jonah just happens to have been secretly in love with his best friend for many years. It is slightly confusing, I think to both men, how the idea of a fake relationship comes about but it does work in their favour as it gives Felix that extra stability and comfort that he has been seeking. He found that with Jonah and his grandparents as a boy when there was very little love and affection from his own parents. I am totally in love with Grandma Ji-Min. She's a strong, independent and loving woman. Her and Grandpa Cho welcomed Felix into their family as a child and their relationship has only grown, shown by Felix's love of Korean food and his worry, along with Jonah's, if something were to happen to it. The characters are very well written and entertaining. I love the details of their friendship, how well they know each other and how their personalities come through. Jonah's love of plants and a quieter life whilst Felix goes from one hobby to the other.
There is also a fair amount of time spent with the team, on roadies as well as time together training and socialising. The post season is a crazy time for them all but there is always time for friendship and chirping each other. There was even mention of Ryan and Murphy (Rules of the Game series) but no appearances from the much loved duo. Hockey obviously plays a big part in this book, especially as it takes place over the playoffs, but importance is given to family and the team's mental health as well, given their support of Felix and then Jonah.
Another highly recommended story from Brigham Vaughan. I absolutely love these books from her and the relationships that have developed. There was possibly a little bit more communication needed between the MC's but overall the content is well written and, I think, deals well with issues that may be triggering for some.
**Content/trigger warnings - alcoholism and recovery, past death of parents, emotionally neglectful parents**
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Jonah and Felix are life long best friends and team mates on the Fisher Cats. The last few months have been extremely hard for Felix, especially, as he broke up with his girlfriend, got caught drunk driving and had to go to rehab. Jonah has stood by his side throughout but has felt guilt for not doing more to help when he saw Felix going down hill.
This is a slow burn romance between two best friends. Jonah just happens to have been secretly in love with his best friend for many years. It is slightly confusing, I think to both men, how the idea of a fake relationship comes about but it does work in their favour as it gives Felix that extra stability and comfort that he has been seeking. He found that with Jonah and his grandparents as a boy when there was very little love and affection from his own parents. I am totally in love with Grandma Ji-Min. She's a strong, independent and loving woman. Her and Grandpa Cho welcomed Felix into their family as a child and their relationship has only grown, shown by Felix's love of Korean food and his worry, along with Jonah's, if something were to happen to it. The characters are very well written and entertaining. I love the details of their friendship, how well they know each other and how their personalities come through. Jonah's love of plants and a quieter life whilst Felix goes from one hobby to the other.
There is also a fair amount of time spent with the team, on roadies as well as time together training and socialising. The post season is a crazy time for them all but there is always time for friendship and chirping each other. There was even mention of Ryan and Murphy (Rules of the Game series) but no appearances from the much loved duo. Hockey obviously plays a big part in this book, especially as it takes place over the playoffs, but importance is given to family and the team's mental health as well, given their support of Felix and then Jonah.
Another highly recommended story from Brigham Vaughan. I absolutely love these books from her and the relationships that have developed. There was possibly a little bit more communication needed between the MC's but overall the content is well written and, I think, deals well with issues that may be triggering for some.
**Content/trigger warnings - alcoholism and recovery, past death of parents, emotionally neglectful parents**
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
March 1, 2024
Felix and Jonah have been best friends since they were about 5 years old. There's been an immediate connection between the two ever since and it's grown into a strong, solid friendship where both men know they have each others back through thick and thin. Felix hasn't had it easy, he knows his parents love him in their own way but are really very distant and never show their support or appreciation for what he has achieved in live. He's found all of that with Jonah and Jonah's grandmother. Not even his DUI or his stint in rehab for drinking could break their friendship.
Jonah however has always been in love with Felix. He knows nothing will ever come of it and even though it hurts, he'll never do anything to jeopardize their frienship. Jonah's got some baggage and trauma of his own and lately his grandmother is bugging him to settle down and start a family claiming she won't be around forever. So when she's taken to hospital for a heart condition, Felix proposes to fake a relationship and tell grandma they're engaged. He claims it'll help him with his recovery and keep grandma happy.
Felix is totally unaware of Jonah's feelings for him, and lately he himself is starting to see Jonah in a different light. Both try to keep things secret, but as we know secrets have a way to get out.
It was so great to see how deeply these two have loved each other as friends, so deeply that they're oblivious to one anothers feelings. They were always there to support one another, without judgement. Of course things don't go that easy, but there's no big drama. Things progress naturally and they communicate even when things get a bit blurry and difficult.
I really loved this book and am already looking forward to Matty book that'll be next.
*I kindly received a copy of this book by Neon Romance Reviews. This is my honest opinion.*
Jonah however has always been in love with Felix. He knows nothing will ever come of it and even though it hurts, he'll never do anything to jeopardize their frienship. Jonah's got some baggage and trauma of his own and lately his grandmother is bugging him to settle down and start a family claiming she won't be around forever. So when she's taken to hospital for a heart condition, Felix proposes to fake a relationship and tell grandma they're engaged. He claims it'll help him with his recovery and keep grandma happy.
Felix is totally unaware of Jonah's feelings for him, and lately he himself is starting to see Jonah in a different light. Both try to keep things secret, but as we know secrets have a way to get out.
It was so great to see how deeply these two have loved each other as friends, so deeply that they're oblivious to one anothers feelings. They were always there to support one another, without judgement. Of course things don't go that easy, but there's no big drama. Things progress naturally and they communicate even when things get a bit blurry and difficult.
I really loved this book and am already looking forward to Matty book that'll be next.
*I kindly received a copy of this book by Neon Romance Reviews. This is my honest opinion.*
March 3, 2024
The Waiting Game is the third book in Brigham Vaughn's Relationship Goals series and as someone who loved Charlie & Dustin and Nico & Auggie, it just keeps getting better!
Felix and Johan take the friends to lovers trip and send it to soaring new heights. Friends since they were five, orphaned Johan and affection starved Felix have always had each other’s backs.
Johan’s Canadian-Korean grandparents welcomed the lonely red-haired neighborhood kid into their close-knit family as easily as they accepted Johan was gay.
Felix had two constants in his life. Hockey and Johan. When they finally end up on the same NHL team, it’s a welcome homecoming.
Felix has baggage: a career that hasn’t lived up to expectations, a failed long-distance relationship followed by a DUI and a stint in rehab. Now he’s trying to repair his tattered reputation and fragile state of mind.
I loved Johan and Felix’s relationship - their pre-game rituals and the no-judgement zone friendship. That doesn’t t mean they shied away difficult conversations: alcoholism, abandonment, and fear of being alone are discussed freely. (Communication is a huge green flag for me!)
A health scare with Johan’s grandmother leads to an engagement. Is it for real or just a publicity stunt?
Despite their closeness, neither believed the other could be attracted to them. Not quite idiots in love, but oblivious to what was right in front of them. Until they do. 😉
This is a sweet, swoony slow burn story guaranteed to melt the iciest heart.
I loved seeing the rest of the Toronto Fisher Cats again and their teasing banter reinforced their bond.
A cathartic meeting with Felix’s disapproving and emotionally distant parent shows how much he’s grown. When Felix and Johan let go of their fears and take a chance on love, it’s everything you could hope for. And there’s a tantalizing tease for the next book. I’m ready!
Felix and Johan take the friends to lovers trip and send it to soaring new heights. Friends since they were five, orphaned Johan and affection starved Felix have always had each other’s backs.
Johan’s Canadian-Korean grandparents welcomed the lonely red-haired neighborhood kid into their close-knit family as easily as they accepted Johan was gay.
Felix had two constants in his life. Hockey and Johan. When they finally end up on the same NHL team, it’s a welcome homecoming.
Felix has baggage: a career that hasn’t lived up to expectations, a failed long-distance relationship followed by a DUI and a stint in rehab. Now he’s trying to repair his tattered reputation and fragile state of mind.
I loved Johan and Felix’s relationship - their pre-game rituals and the no-judgement zone friendship. That doesn’t t mean they shied away difficult conversations: alcoholism, abandonment, and fear of being alone are discussed freely. (Communication is a huge green flag for me!)
A health scare with Johan’s grandmother leads to an engagement. Is it for real or just a publicity stunt?
Despite their closeness, neither believed the other could be attracted to them. Not quite idiots in love, but oblivious to what was right in front of them. Until they do. 😉
This is a sweet, swoony slow burn story guaranteed to melt the iciest heart.
I loved seeing the rest of the Toronto Fisher Cats again and their teasing banter reinforced their bond.
A cathartic meeting with Felix’s disapproving and emotionally distant parent shows how much he’s grown. When Felix and Johan let go of their fears and take a chance on love, it’s everything you could hope for. And there’s a tantalizing tease for the next book. I’m ready!
February 29, 2024
I received a free copy. This review is submitted voluntarily.
Felix and Jonah have been best friends since they were 5 and they are defensive linemates for the same NHL team. Felix has only been there for the past few years after a stint in Vancouver. Jonah is half Korean, and his grandmother Ji-Min is a hoot as well as being wise. Felix’s parents have been cold toward him which is how the two became such good friends, and Ji-Min and her husband became Felix’s substitute parents. As a result of a break-up with his girlfriend in Vancouver, Felix developed an alcohol problem and he had to go into rehab. Jonah, who is gay, has had a crush on Felix forever but has kept it a secret. During a trip to Emergency after fainting, she is told that she has a heart problem and must undergo surgery. To ease her mind while she works up to the surgery, Felix proposes that he and Jonah tell her they are engaged to be married. All of this takes place during a run in the Stanley Cup finals and ends up being a preoccupation for the team. Both protagonists must fight their demons and make it to their happy ending.
The author has a tendency to stretch out certain situations, such as Felix being “straight” or the part during Ji-Min’s surgery. I can see the reasoning behind doing so, but I’m not sure it’s necessary. That said, once Felix decides to be engaged to Jonah, he goes all in with the intimacy. The author also spends a lot of time on the main characters not communicating their feelings with each other. The secondary characters are entertaining and contribute a lot to plot development. The storyline is a little complex, but it works well.
I recommend this book for those who enjoy slowly-developing stories.
Felix and Jonah have been best friends since they were 5 and they are defensive linemates for the same NHL team. Felix has only been there for the past few years after a stint in Vancouver. Jonah is half Korean, and his grandmother Ji-Min is a hoot as well as being wise. Felix’s parents have been cold toward him which is how the two became such good friends, and Ji-Min and her husband became Felix’s substitute parents. As a result of a break-up with his girlfriend in Vancouver, Felix developed an alcohol problem and he had to go into rehab. Jonah, who is gay, has had a crush on Felix forever but has kept it a secret. During a trip to Emergency after fainting, she is told that she has a heart problem and must undergo surgery. To ease her mind while she works up to the surgery, Felix proposes that he and Jonah tell her they are engaged to be married. All of this takes place during a run in the Stanley Cup finals and ends up being a preoccupation for the team. Both protagonists must fight their demons and make it to their happy ending.
The author has a tendency to stretch out certain situations, such as Felix being “straight” or the part during Ji-Min’s surgery. I can see the reasoning behind doing so, but I’m not sure it’s necessary. That said, once Felix decides to be engaged to Jonah, he goes all in with the intimacy. The author also spends a lot of time on the main characters not communicating their feelings with each other. The secondary characters are entertaining and contribute a lot to plot development. The storyline is a little complex, but it works well.
I recommend this book for those who enjoy slowly-developing stories.
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