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Quick Info
Role Model

• title: Role Model
• author: Rachel Reid
• publisher: HARLEQUIN – Carina Press
• release date: 10th August 2021
• series: Game Changers
  book 5
• genre: Contemporary, Romance
• content warnings: mentions of sexual assault/rape
• rating: 5/5 Stars

Blurb
Role Model

Troy Barrett has been freshly traded to Ottawa after calling out Dallas Kent during a team practice. He wants to be a better person, and the weird, scrappy energy of the struggling Ottawa team seems like the place to…well. It seems like the only place that will have Troy right now.

Fortunately the Ottawa team includes Ilya Rozanov and Wyatt Hayes, and also includes an adorable social media manager, Harris Drover. Harris is the opposite of Troy in every way: friendly, cheerful, chatty, and goofy with a booming voice, a startlingly loud laugh, and Pride pins all over his denim jacket. Definitely not the sort of person Troy would normally associate with, and yet…

The Queer’s Review

I absolutely love that Rachel Reid put the issue of famous (sports) persons sexually assaulting other people into one of her books. In my memory there is only one other book doing that as well and interestingly enough it’s also a hockey book. I’m talking about Frederik Backman’s Beartown series of course, that I still need to review.

But let’s get back to Role Model. I’m always going on about how happy I am when Ilya and/or Shane are featured in a new book but in this case I’m even happier because Ilya has a semi often appearance (and there are also dogs). Overall it felt like this one incorporated the other four books quite a lot and I loved those little tidbits very much.

I also love how Troy is written and how adorable his awkwardness is. The vibes between him and Harris were quite enjoyable and I was happy to be able to come along on their ride.

Bookish Thoughts

Not everything is sunshine and joy with Role Model though because the realistic way of the portrayal meant that I more often than not felt like screaming at people. Which I mean in the best possible way but it really angered me and I can’t wait for society to finally develop away from victim blaming and all that other shit. But I enjoyed how Troy learned how to handle that because maybe it inspires some people with influence to do the same.

Disclaimer

I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.