This book and I had a slow burn happening. It took me a while to warm up, but I ended up loving these guys and watching their relationship unfold and mature along with them. I'm not usually a fan of long time spans, with hook ups happening over years, but it was done pretty well. I was extremely stoked to realize there's a sequel because that ending was not nearly enough for me! 

•minor spoilers• 

When Ilya and Shane first meet you can feel their chemistry, and it's ultimately what brings them back to each other over the years. I don't usually like romances that take place over years and years, but I think one of the reasons it worked here is that they were so young. They were only 18 when they met and 25/26? in the current scenes. I think it's crazy they never formed even a friendship after 6 years but it also seemed to work for them. I enjoyed seeing the whole process of the relationship over time, kind of growing with them, even if I did just want to force them to love each other the whole time. Because you can tell it's going to happen and it's going to be good! They really bring out different parts of each other, Ilya's softer side and Shane's wilder side, while still having a solid emotional and physical connection. 

Maybe it's just me, but this is the second book in the series and like the first, the amount of sex scenes was insane. It didn't bother me as much as the first, maybe because all of their interactions were basically only hook ups for over half the book, but it seemed a bit much. 

We get a "happy for now" ending. I was never a fan of their long game plan, but I also thought the book was ending a lot sooner and didn't realize there was a sequel. It gives Him/Us (Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen) vibes from when they are together and happy but still hiding, and the toll that takes on a relationship. I'm excited to read the rest of the series but especially their second book. 

Read if you like: 
• hockey 
• secret romance
• opposites attract