Becker James is barely hanging on to his hockey career after having been a top draft pick. He loves playing hockey, but he hasn’t had much ice time of late. Though he gets along with his team, he worries about what they will think if and when they find out he is gay, but it doesn’t stop him from giving his all to his focus on the ice.

Seth Forrester juggles owning a bar with his best friend while co-parenting his son with his ex. Those two things don’t leave much time for anything else, though he doesn’t lament missing out on dating after a hookup took advantage of him and left him with a much lighter savings account. Pulling himself out of the financial hole, as well as the emotional one, has taken a toll on his interest in letting anyone new into his life. He is grumpy, stressed about all his responsibilities, and doesn’t take time for fun outside of his rec-league hockey games.

Beck spends time at Forest’s bar and finally works up the courage to proposition Forest in trade for helping out Forest’s beer league hockey team. I loved the slight mystery (to the characters) about Beck’s hockey ability. These opening scenes built a lot of the background that the beginning plot points would focus on. There were times that I grew frustrated with Forest’s sheer determination to hold on to the effects of his last hookup, even beyond the point that one could call what he and Beck had a hookup, but it also fit his dedication to the grumpy side of his persona.

I absolutely loved Becker! He is such a goofy cinnamon roll of a character. He is awkward and a little on the shy side, but he has the best sense of humor and never shies away from a good laugh. My love for Beck made up for the frustration I felt towards Forest. I also loved the connection that developed between Beck and Forest’s son, Charlie. They connected in a way that was wholesome and fun. Their connection, based on video games and relatable homework tips, made it harder for Forest to keep Beck at arm’s length, and also helped heal some of the baggage Forest was carrying.

The second half had me loving both characters as they actively worked to build a better relationship. And the final few chapters were *chef's kiss*. I love the way Sarina writes MM and hockey. The hockey is important, but the connection between the characters by the end is relatable and realistic. This was a fun continuation of the Hockey Guys series, and some previous favorite characters play side roles here. I enjoyed watching how this book connected with the others in the series.