I’m glad to see the resolution of Shane and Ilya’s story. 

The Long Game by Rachel Reid

Shane and Ilya’s story is sweet and heartfelt. They're already a couple when the book begins, navigating life as secret boyfriends on rival hockey teams. The main tension comes from that secrecy and Ilya’s internal battles, especially his struggle with depression and fear of inheriting his mother’s mental illness. Despite the challenges, their love remains steady—they constantly reassure each other, even through fights. Ilya’s journey through therapy is honest, and his vulnerability adds depth. The emotional payoff is touching, with Shane promising to stay by his side through it all. A tender continuation of their romance, though a bit low on external conflict.

A good follow up and conclusion to Ilya and Shane's relationship. Really enjoyed the final part of the book, but came to the conclusion that Rachel Reid might not be the author for me as I find the stories too drawn out for the amount of plot they have and the emotional peaks aren't as high as I like in books which mostly focus on that. I found the reveal of Ilya's mental health issues to Shane to be pretty anti-climatic, for example, after it being such an important part of the story.

Love this author don't enjoy this couple. They're very antagonistic. Ilya is an arrogant ass. It was cute when he wasn't the MC but it's annoying af watching in a relationship. He's keeping them in the closet- which I struggle with in books I read. He's also jealous and immature and EVERY DAMN THING is a competition. I don't like anything about this book. Definitely a me issue and not an author issue, but I can't continue reading this.