Books, Boots and Bakeries

I have a complicated relationship with Tough Guy. On the one hand, it’s Rachel Reid, and she doesn’t miss. On the other, this one doesn’t hit quite as hard as Heated Rivalry or The Long Game. Maybe that’s not fair—nothing else is Heated Rivalry—but this book still has its own quiet strengths, it’s just not the one I go back to again and again in the series.

Ryan Price is not your typical hockey romance hero. He’s huge, he fights, and he has crushing anxiety that makes him feel like he’s barely holding it together. I love a soft, anxious hero, and Ryan fits the bill perfectly. He’s a gentle giant who doesn’t want to fight but has spent his career being pushed into it. There’s something incredibly compelling about a man who could destroy you but would rather cuddle instead.

Then there’s Fabian, a flamboyant, confident musician who knew Ryan back in their junior hockey days. Fabian is the sunshine to Ryan’s raincloud, and their dynamic is a classic case of opposites attracting. I loved how patient and understanding Fabian is—he sees Ryan for who he is, not just what he looks like or what he does on the ice. Their relationship builds slowly, with lots of tenderness, which makes the payoff even better.

But here’s where it loses me a little: the conflict is… fine. There’s some miscommunication, some internalized homophobia, and a whole lot of Ryan struggling with his mental health, but nothing hits with the same intensity as Reid’s other books. That said, the mental health rep is great—Ryan’s struggles with anxiety and self-worth feel real and raw. The romance is sweet, but it never reached the same emotional heights for me as Heated Rivalry or The Long Game.

That being said, Tough Guy is still a Rachel Reid book, which means it’s good. It’s just softer, quieter, and more introspective. If you want a hockey romance with a big, anxious teddy bear of a man finding love with a patient, kindhearted musician, this one will work for you. But if you’re looking for the high-stakes, heart-wrenching drama of Heated Rivalry, this might not be the one to scratch that itch.