Release Review: Neutral Zone: Catherine Gayle

by - Thursday, November 16, 2017

Neutral Zone (Portland Storm #11.5)
Catherine Gayle
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Release Date November 16, 2017

M/M contemporary hockey romance

Being stuck in the Neutral Zone is no way to live…

Portland Storm defenseman Cole Paxton never intended to be the poster boy for gay hockey players. Whether intended or not, that’s exactly what he’s become—ever since innocently attempting to deflect the attention away from another teammate during the playoffs. One little admission, and now his private life is making headlines.

Luke Weber would love the chance to bask in Cole’s limelight. After all, he’s never had the pro hockey career he envisioned. If he’d stayed in the closet, maybe that spotlight would have been his. He’ll never know the truth, now that the doors to his dream career have been slammed shut.

With everything out in the open, there’s no denying the attraction they feel for each other. Cole and Luke want to move forward—together. But to do so, they’ll each have to let go of the lives they’d imagined for themselves. Can two strong men relinquish the fantasies of their futures to make their real dreams come true? 
We have seen Luke Weber and Cole Paxton in the background of other books. Luke is the son of Webs, the Coach for the Portland Storm and the brother of Katie and Dani who have married members of the Storm.

Luke is fresh out of college and looking for his own NHL dreams to come true on his own merit, but unfortunately despite his hard work and determination he has not been picked up by a team. He thinks it might be because he came out in his Senior year of college. He is anxious, frustrated, angry, and losing hope.

Colesy is older, more established, and did not intend to come out while still playing professionally, but to take the heat of Ghost during a tense situation, he blurted it out to the press. So now everyone knows. He is quiet, private, and shies away from media attention usually.  He is kind, thoughtful, and supportive of those around him. He just wants to play and live a quiet life. 

Luke has a supportive, loving, and sometimes nosy and interfering family. Colesy's was not so supportive of his choices. Luke has had a bit of a crush on Cole for a while, but at the same time is envious of his success and ability to be who he is and play professional hockey. Cole takes Luke under his wing to try to help him, but the more time they spend together, the more they begin to feel a pull. But if Luke achieves his dream of getting chosen for a team then that would mean leaving and if he pursues something with Cole he would more than likely have to give up hockey. And Cole never intended to have a relationship until he retired, and doing so would put them right into the spotlight. 

Pursuing a relationship could have consequences for them. So these two men have to figure out what they need and want, priorities, options, and deal with any fall out from those around them and the media. I loved getting all the cameos from so many of the Storm family. This group is so much fun and have such big personalities. 

This is a novella told in dual points of view and I honestly wish it was longer. I would have liked to get more depth, drama,  conflict, and dig more into the emotional and physical connection with these two since I really liked them. It was fast, sweet, sexy, and humorous. It had good messages about being true to yourself, developing connections, family, and embracing unexpected life changes.

I wish that athletes and others did not have to struggle so much with coming out, but unfortunately it still is a big deal especially in professional sports, so I am glad that she brought us a M/M story in this beloved series. 

I was gifted a copy by the author

(on author's website)


Also available in three box sets The First Period, The Second Period, and The Third Period and the next one Overtime is coming in 2018


Catherine Gayle
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Catherine Gayle is a USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty-five contemporary hockey romance and Regency-set historical romance novels and novellas. She's sold over three-quarters of a million books. She's a transplanted Texan living in North Carolina with two extremely spoiled felines. In her spare time, she watches way too much hockey and reality TV, plans fun things to do for the Nephew Monster's next visit, and performs experiments in the kitchen which are rarely toxic.

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