#morgan / james

[sbbarnes]

Hockey Romances. Why?

So I was taken out of work a couple weeks ago due to ~pregnancy stuff~ (mostly just stress, the baby and I are fine) which has left me with a lot of spare time on my hands. And as one does, I have been filling my time reading lgbtq+ romance novels. Because I can.

In this time, I have fallen headfirst into the hockey romance novel subgenre, and I ask myself, as I have done every time I see these books advertised, why? I am not a sports fan. One time, my husband was watching football (European), and a team in red kits was playing against yellow kits, and I started laughing because "it looks like ketchup is playing against mustard". His expression was great, but he hasn't taken me seriously since.

So why is hockey of all things such a draw for the mlm romance subgenre? Especially given the NHL's apparent fear of rainbow tape? Why do I now know what the word "celly" refers to and what an "enforcer" is? Why why why?

Here are my answers:

Extremely organic way to set up some of the most classic romance tropes. Forced proximity? Being on the same team takes care of that. There was only one bed? Shared hotel rooms during away games. Enemies to lovers? Rival teams.

Lots of potential for drama given that players lead very transient lives in terms of the constant possibility of trades. In mlm love stories, even more so given that the NHL is so blatantly homophobic.

Perfect level of fame. Fame and wealth as a draw for a love interest are kind of staples of the genre, and NHL players are famous, sure, but not all of them, and they aren't as famous as football stars (either kind of football). They are still filthy rich, which makes great wish fulfillment. You can have the sexy penthouse and the anonymity.

I would go on to talk about how different roles on the team lend themselves to different tropes (goalie = tightly controlled dude who needs someone to help him cut loose; enforcer = misunderstood fighter with a heart of gold; coach for all your forbidden love/sleeping with the boss desires) but that would very quickly reveal my utter lack of hockey knowledge, so let's not. Instead, here's a quick reclist.

Rachel Reid's Game Changers series. It's a classic in the genre for a reason and it has everything. Forbidden love? Got that, maybe the definitive example. Redemption arc? Got that. Misunderstood bruiser with a heart of gold? Got that. Age difference? Got that. Also really excellent sex scenes, not gonna lie, and satisfying endings throughout - sometimes a happy end will come a little suddenly for me, but these books really delivered, and the nice thing about how romance series are structured is that you get a little peek at what comes after for the couples in the other books.

2. Him, Us and Epic by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. This one surprised me, I don't generally go for first person POVs, but I did enjoy this! Coming-of-age story turned coming out story featuring a budding hockey star and his best friend. Lots of fun.

3. Scoring Chances series by Avon Gale. This series is fun in that it doesn't focus on the NHL, it actually focuses on the minor leagues in the southeast of the US, a place almost no one associates with ice hockey. As such, there's a chance to tell different stories about professional athletes who aren't super rich and famous, which I appreciate a lot. TBH the first pairing wasn't entirely my cup of tea, but I'm glad I kept going because I especially enjoyed the later books, which tackle tough topics (including eating disorders, abuse etc., so content warning for that). These are still romance novels though, so rest assured that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. What I especially appreciate is that these books don't have relationship drama, in that the main couples communicate and work together instead of a third act break-up-make-up!

4. Hockey Ever After series by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James. These are just great. Lots of fun to read, lots of cameos from character in later books, just excellent mood all around. Also features my favorite ever trope (secret relationship, sorry, anyone who knows me knows I am a sucker for it I just can't help myself) heavily, which is a win in my book. I especially enjoyed book two, "Scoring Position". Is that because Nico is German and I loved him? Is that because Ryan is my new blorbo? We may never know.

Happy reading and please give me recommendations for more books like these, I'm lowkey obsessed.

[therealjohnstewart]

Morgan James

[music-interpretation-review]

(Creep with Postmodern Jukebox is a contestant in the tournament, so it does not appear in this poll)

Videos under the cut

[brillianttimbre]

In honor of today’s North American total solar eclipse, here is Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”

Hugh Panaro, Morgan James and The Cape Symphony, “The James Bond Experience,” Barnstable Performing Arts Center, Hyannis, Massachusetts, February 25, 2024

[gwydionmisha]

Barbie Girl - Vintage Beach Boys - Style Aqua Cover ft. Morgan James

[the-final-sentence]

That would be pretty great too.

Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James

[elenajohansenreads]

Books I Read in 2023

#22 - Winging It, by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James

Rating: 5/5 stars

I never set out to read so many m/m hockey romances when I don't even follow the sport, but various authors keep writing good ones for me to stumble across on Hoopla when browsing, and here I am.

Whatever minor flaws this has, I am actively ignoring them, because I adore the characters and the tone so completely. I loved this book from start to finish, zero complaints, I borrowed this from the library but I should probably consider buying it because it could easily become one of my "I'm in a bad mood and need a comfort read" books.

Also, hurray for bi men, who need all the good rep they can get. Dante's "Oh, wow, I am super bi," was hilarious in context, but is going to stick with me in a serious way, because once he realizes that aspect of himself, he revels in it, and I rarely see bisexuality celebrated in fiction in that way.

10/10, went straight on to borrow the next in the series.

[ashlynkane]

[Alt text: Left side of square reads “Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about it. Don’t you want to know what’s better? Your imagination... or my reality?” Right side of square shows book cover for Hockey Ever After Book Three: Unrivaled, by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James. Two opposing hockey players battle for the puck. Tagline reads “Love doesn’t pull its punches.”]

UNRIVALED will release February 21. I’m feeling totally normal about this.

Amazon | Apple | B&N | Google Books | Kobo

[mndaydeejay]

When a post…

…is a statement. :)

Happy Monday!

P. S. You may also enjoy this version, which is a backfill from the past platforms.

[agenderhyde]

Postmodern Jukebox's cover of "Barbie Girl"

[slipperymeteor]

Unrivaled - Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James (Hockey Ever After #3)

Read March 2023, after finishing Scoring Position, the second book in the series. M/M.

Unrivaled follows Max Lockhart and Grady Armstrong, hockey players for fictitious NHL teams NJ Monsters and Philly Firebirds (later Piranha and Condors). They are rivals—Max is particularly successful in goading Grady on the ice, costing Grady awards in fair play. Rivalries led to a Grindr hookup led to fake dates led to feelings™️ to working on a relationship.

This is a cozy read (🌶️) and not much angst. Grady thought Max spilled their hookup to his teammate which led to Grady blocking Max’s text messages and Max blocking Grady on Instagram. One of their teams was eliminated earlier in contention of the Stanley Cup and they had to navigate dealing with their team losing in the league. Cameos from earlier characters in the series, particularly Dante Baltierra/Baller from book one and passing mentions of Nico Kirschbaum from book two.

A Goodreads reviewer for book two mentions how she didn’t like that the NHL teams were fictitious because why would she root for a losing fictitious team but because I know zilch about pro hockey it makes no difference to me. Now that this is my sixth? seventh? m/m hockey book that I read I am starting to see how mid-season trades are used for plot points (sounds exhausting and players are expected to uproot their entire lives to a wholly new team in a different city at mere moments’ notice?). If I actually cared about hockey leagues the Stanley Cup thing would’ve upped the ante for me but because I don’t, I get it’s an important thing but had no particular significance for me. In one of the fake dates they went to an American Ninja Warrior gym and I thought it’s interesting that the authors went to describe the details at length and I wonder how well it will age if/when ANW fell out of popularity. Matching tattoos: a 🦞 and a lobster cracker.

Rep: Dante is bisexual. Max also says he is bisexual. Grady’s sister Jess is a lesbian, also a pro hockey player, entangled in an f/f/f situation.

[a-rabble-rousing-mission]

Just found this and thought it was cool— it’s a profesional all-female recording of JCS!

It’s really good so far, and has a bunch of famous people (Morgan James, Cynthia Erivo, Shoshana Bean, etc) as well as some gems I’d never heard before.

Just thought some of y’all might like it :)

[natti-ice]

18+ mdni

that reality check hitting after reading smut

[mygrowingcollection]

Morgan James

[fourdiagnosesinatrenchcoat]

Some of my favorite versions of these songs. Morgan James's Jesus is astonishing.