Stubborn Puckboy (Puckboys #9)

Here's Saxon James and Eden Finley "Stubborn Puckboy." Its the ninth novel in their Puckboys series.

["Colby
Once upon a time, playing for the NHL was my dream. Then Radimir Novicov skated circles around me and made it clear I’d never be good enough. He was smart, talented, and worst of all–sexy. Every closeted guy knows that you don’t hit on your teammate, even if his gaze lingers longer than it should.
All it took was one drunken close call before our friendship was in tatters, he was called up to the NHL, and I was sent for further conditioning.
Playing in the NHL was off the table, so coaching became my new dream.
And seventeen years later, I’m finally heading to the big time.
Video coach. Pro level. The only downside?
It’s for Novi’s team.

Novi
Radimir Novicov is not scared of anything. I am one of the best. Future Hall of Famer. There are two years left on my contract and I will end my career on the highest high anyone did see.
Then I will slink into the shadows where no one will hear of me again.
Because while I’m playing professionally, I cannot come out and be myself. Not with my family still in Russia.
The plan has been set since I first moved to America, and I only have two years left to wait. It should be easy to focus on hockey.
Then Colby Kessinger walks back into my life. The teammate with the lopsided smiles and cocky attitude–the one who made my heart want things it can’t have.
Now two years feels like a lifetime."]

This one took me a while to get to, and once again, I regret waiting. It also took me a while to read, but I think I was just savoring it. Because this book (this series) deserves to have its time, to take its time.

The banter! The flirting!! The friendship!!! D: End me now.

No actually, let's go back and remember and re-read all of the times Novi pretends he doesn't speak English. Best long-con ever.

I loved them. End of story. I loved them sooo much. I'm obsessed with so many couples from this series, but these two were perfect. So much love, so much caring, so much Russian-pouts.

And Polish pouts. There was a loooot of Ezra in here (and Oskar). I can't. I just love them all so much! D: 

The SHEER amount of highlights and rereads I did during that chaotic as fuck (think chaos and then triple it) epilogue with the Queer Collective (remember everything they've ever done while all together and triple it)??? That was...a lot. It was a lot from all sides. And it was glooooorious (then triple it)!!!

Trigger Warnings: toxic masculinity, homophobia, Russia, reporters being stereotypical reporters just wanting the sound-bite/story, and more.

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