Common Goal
Now Streaming on Crave and HBO Max
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4.2 • 62 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
THE SERIES THAT INSPIRED HEATED RIVALRY • NOW A #1 STREAMING SHOW
Enter the world of Game Changers, the series behind the epic enemies-to-lovers hockey romance Heated Rivalry, streaming on Crave in Canada and on HBO Max in the U.S.
A friends-with-benefits arrangement between a veteran goalie and a much-younger man leaves them both wanting more, by New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Reid.
Veteran goaltender Eric Bennett has faced down some of the toughest shooters on the ice, but nothing prepared him for his latest challenge—life after hockey. It’s time to make some big changes, starting with finally dating men for the first time.
Graduate student Kyle Swift moved to New York nursing a broken heart. He’d sworn to find someone his own age to crush on (for once). Until he meets a gorgeous, distinguished silver fox hockey player. Despite their intense physical attraction, Kyle has no intention of getting emotionally involved. He’ll teach Eric a few tricks, have some mutually consensual fun, then walk away.
Eric is more than happy to learn anything Kyle brings to the table. And Kyle never expected their friends-with-benefits arrangement to leave him wanting more. Happily-ever-after might be staring them in the face, but it won’t happen if they're too stubborn to come clean about their feelings.
Everything they want is within reach… They just have to be brave enough to grab it.
Game Changers
Book 1: Game Changer Book 2: Heated Rivalry Book 3: Tough Guy Book 4: Common Goal Book 5: Role Model Book 6: The Long Game
Need more Rachel Reid?! Check out these other standalones from your favorite MM hockey romance writer: Time to Shine The Shots You Take
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This warm, steamy romance explores what it means to start over when the life you planned is coming to a close. Eric Bennett is an NHL goaltender who’s nearing retirement and ready to explore a part of himself he’s kept on hold. Kyle Swift, a charming grad student and bartender, is drawn to older men but determined not to get emotionally involved again. As always, this instalment in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series excels at pairing emotional stakes with genuine tenderness. Eric’s careful, structured approach to life contrasts beautifully with Kyle’s confidence and curiosity, and their chemistry is both playful and deeply felt. The age gap isn’t treated as a gimmick but as something both men navigate as they learn what they actually want. Common Goal is a satisfying read about choosing happiness even when it feels risky.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Reid's hockey-themed Game Changer series continues on its red-hot winning streak with this excellent fourth installment (after Tough Guy). When lonely New York Admirals goalie Eric Bennett meets the flirty, 15-years-younger Kyle Swift, he considers acting on his same-sex desires for the first time. Kyle, a grad student and bartender with a habit of falling for inappropriate guys, offers to help Eric embrace his bisexuality, accompanying Eric first to gay bars, and then to his bedroom, where they have steamy sex that they promise to keep platonic and educational. Inevitably, they fall deeply, hopelessly in love only neither will admit it. The age difference is a big concern for 41-year-old Eric, while Kyle is wary of leaving the "no-strings sex zone." The connection between the men is palpable, and their sizzling chemistry will have readers rapt. The hockey scenes are almost equally exciting, and series regulars Scott Hunter and Ilya Rozanov lend welcome comic relief. With this irresistible mix of sports, sex, and romance, Reid has scored another hat trick.
Customer Reviews
inviting and imaginative
COMMON GOAL is the fourth instalment in Rachel Reid’s contemporary, adult, GAME CHANGERS erotic, LGBTQ, (MM) hockey romance series. This is New York Admirals goalie, forty-one year old, Eric Bennett, and twenty-five year old, bartender/ graduate student Kyle Swift’s story line. COMMON GOAL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary. Kyle and Eric first appeared in book one Game Changer.
NOTE: COMMON GOAL is an age-gap, LGBTQ romance with graphic scenes of same sex scenarios that may not be suitable for all readers.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Kyle and Eric) COMMON GOAL follows the building romance and relationship between is New York Admirals goalie, forty-one year old, Eric Bennett, and twenty-five year old, bartender/ graduate student Kyle Swift. Eric Bennett is a bisexual man but has only ever had sexual relationships with women. Recently divorced, Eric has thought about his attraction to men but especially his attraction to bartender Kyle Swift, a young man whose obsession with Eric’s teammate Scott is slowly dying since Scott’s engagement to Kyle’s co-worker Kip. Coming out to Kyle, Eric found himself in a friends with benefits arrangement when Eric claimed he had no experience with the same $ex. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Kyle and Eric, and the potential fall-out as Eric struggles with their age-difference.
Eric Bennett is a man close to the end of his professional career, and falling for Kyle Swift left Eric feeling old and tired but with no experience with gay $ex, Eric jumped at Kyle’s offer to teach Eric about $ex with a younger man. Kyle Swift didn’t care about their age difference but in an effort to get to know Eric better, Kyle offered to find Eric a partner but found himself falling in love with our story line hero.
There is a definite lack of communication between both men that exacerbated the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’ especially as it pertained to Eric’s issues with their age difference (ad nauseam), and his need to keep Kyle in the friend zone. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate.
There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Scott and Kip (Game Changer #1), Ilya Rozanov (Heated Rivalry #2), teammates Matti Jalo, Carter Vaughan, Kyle’s roommate Maria, and Eric’s friend and gallery owner Jeanette.
COMMON GOAL is a story of secrets, friendships and relationships. The character driven premise inviting and imaginative; the characters are spirited and inspiring; the romance is edgy and spicy. COMMON GOAL looks at the psychological side of coming out but stays clear of the social and professional repercussions that many professional athletes experience following such pronouncement.
Men are stupid
Enjoyable easy read but honestly I found the characters kind of stupid. A 15 year age gap for queer me is hardly anything frankly and every time they confessed their feelings it felt unprompted. Why are men so dumb with their feelings