The Shots You Take

De: Rachel Reid

Narrado por: Greg Boudreaux

A sweet and sexy hockey romance about two ex-teammates and former best friends with benefits who are about to discover whether you can ever really have a second chance. From the New York Times bestselling author of the Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid.

After moving back to his hometown ten years ago, Riley Tuck thought he had left his major league hockey career—and his broken heart—far behind. But when an unexpected tragedy strikes, it brings ex-teammate and former best friend with benefits Adam Sheppard back into his life.

Coming to the small town of Avery River, Nova Scotia, might have been a mistake. Adam’s not sure he’ll ever win back Riley’s trust after the way they left things—and the attention he’s getting as a huge hockey star isn’t exactly helping. Yet the chemistry that crackles between them is undeniable, even now.

As Adam helps Riley navigate his grief, long-buried feelings start to resurface. But they’ll have to square off with their complicated past if they’re going to have a real shot at a new beginning.

Need more Rachel Reid?! Dive into her other hockey romance titles. . .

Standalones
• Time to Shine
• The Shots You Take

The Game Changers Series
• Book 1: Game Changer
• Book 2: Heated Rivalry
• Book 3: Tough Guy
• Book 4: Common Goal
• Book 5: Role Model
• Book 6: The Long Game
• Book 7: Unrivaled

Great 2nd Chance M/M Hockey Romance!

I lost my mother nearly 3 yrs ago but the feeling is still so raw that I found myself crying right along with Riley as he mourned his father's unexpected passing. My mom's was expected but it still hurts. At first I wanted Riley to have nothing to do with Adam because of his bone-headed oblivious ways he treated Riley. But as all 2nd chance romances goes, he eventually wised up and Riley melted so eventually we have our 12+ years late HEA. Greg Boudreaux was awesome as always.

4 Starz - worthy of a repeat listen

This Book Wrecked Me (In the Best Way)

The Shots You Take isn’t just a romance, it’s an emotionally layered story about grief, identity, mental health, and the quiet courage it takes to be vulnerable in a world that often rewards emotional restraint. What makes this book stand out is how it refuses to separate love from pain; instead, it shows how the two coexist, how past trauma shapes the way we give and receive affection, and how healing isn’t linear or guaranteed. Reid writes male vulnerability with a level of depth and honesty that feels rare…these characters aren’t just falling in love, they’re learning how to exist with themselves. There’s something deeply human about the way the story unfolds: raw, intimate, and at times overwhelming, but ultimately grounded in the idea that choosing connection, even when it’s terrifying, is its own form of bravery. This is the kind of book that doesn’t just stay with you it quietly changes the way you think about love, resilience, and what it means to be seen.

The believable characters developed by Rachel

I'm enjoying this story as it was quite different from her other books in that it picks up after hockey live. A few times I felt like I was gonna be very sad at the end. I'm very glad I was not.

True love has a habit of coming back.

A beautiful story of second chances, coping with loss, living one’s truth, resilience, friendship, and passionate romance. I loved the development of Adam’s and Riley’s (the MCs) reconnected relationship and how they grew as individuals during their time apart and after they reunited. As a listener, I empathized so much with Adam and Riley. In other reviews, some have villainized Adam for his past behavior, but as someone in their 40s who has done things in their 20s that they now regret, I could really relate to him. Adam’s past behavior toward Riley was not out of malice, but rather the result of fear, confusion, and being part of a toxic culture obsessed with masculinity and “toughing it out” despite physical and psychological pain.
I thought Greg Boudreaux’s performance was excellent! He did an amazing job expressing the complex emotions of Adam and Riley through their voices. I’m not familiar with Nova Scotia accents, but I learned that some of them can sound a bit Irish, and you can hear this in Riley’s voice.
The Shots You Take is definitely worth the credit!

12/10

The Shots You Take is a deeply emotional story about identity, grief, and the cost of living a life that is not truly yours. One of the most powerful aspects of this book is its portrayal of men who try to survive by marrying wrong, by choosing safety or expectation over truth, and the quiet damage that decision causes over time. The story does not judge these choices but instead shows the loneliness, repression, and grief that come with them in a very human way.

The second chance romance between Adam and Riley is beautifully written and incredibly tender. Their love feels earned, shaped by time, mistakes, and loss rather than erased by it. Watching them find their way back to each other while carrying the weight of who they once were made their connection feel real and deeply moving. Alongside their romance, the theme of chosen family shines. The relationships formed throughout the book show how healing can come from being seen and accepted exactly as you are.

What stayed with me most is how every character carries grief and how the story allows the reader to feel it alongside them. Loss is present in many forms, love lost, time lost, versions of ourselves we never got to live, and it is handled with such care. Adam and Riley completely stole my heart. Their story is raw, hopeful, and achingly beautiful. This book left me emotional in the best way and is one I will think about for a long time.