Dance on Ice by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey Release Blitz

For the figure skater and the hockey player, their sport demands total devotion, but can falling in love come first?

My name is Shaun Stanton, and I’m bisexual.

In hockey-obsessed Chesterford Academy, Shaun Stanton stands out as the star player and captain of the Chesterford Coyotes, and his exceptional skills have already attracted the attention of NHL scouts. He lives and breathes hockey, but there’s more to his story. His father wants Shaun to be the star he never was, and their relationship is a complex mix of guidance and intimidation. Worse, while hockey is Shaun’s sanctuary and a key part of who he is, he harbors a secret his dad can never discover: Shaun is gay He’s caught between the future career he’s destined for, and the truth he has to hide. There’s one bright light in his life, the vibrant figure skater who shares the early morning practice ice, a friend he worries about, but has now become something more—Kenji is everything Shaun wants and can’t have.

My name is Kenji Kelly, and I need to be perfect.

Kenji Kelly is a young man who walks two worlds: his family is a beautiful mix of American and Asian cultures. He loves both figure skating and hockey, and he’s a out and proud pansexual teen. While it seems to the world around him he has it all, deep down Kenji has a secret that’s slowly becoming harder to conceal. His life is the ice and his coach does not believe in failure. The one person who knows his hidden secret is Shaun, the captain of the Coyotes and a friend from youth hockey days. Shaun’s gaze towards Kenji, once filled with concern, now seems to hold something deeper, unsettling Kenji but also igniting similar giddy, burgeoning feelings in him. As their feelings for each other become stronger, the secrets both young men carry grow heavier and more distressing with each passing day.

Trigger Warning: mention of an eating disorder.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Chesterford Coyotes series!
For book one, Off the Ice, click HERE.
For book two, On Thin Ice, click HERE.

 

 

Book 3
Buy Links

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Apple Books  ~  B&N  ~  Kobo  ~  Smashwords
Paperback (US)

 

 

There was a heated exchange of words, Kenji skating backward and away, almost at center ice. All I needed to do was to push forward on one skate, and glide there, and we could say hello. We’d been best friends once, and if I apologized—if I was honest with him about how I’d messed up—maybe we could go back to being friends. As the argument escalated between my dad and Kenji’s coach, I felt a knot form in my stomach and I was paralyzed by my own insecurities. I watched Kenji and cursed myself for not having the courage to reach out to him.

Dad was becoming more animated, Kenji’s coach just as loud, gesticulating wildly.

I didn’t have the balls to skate to the center ice.

And Kenji didn’t turn to look at me.

Dad returned, as scarlet as me, but where my reaction was shame and confusion, his was temper and hatred.

“You’re sharing the ice,” he snapped.

He was so angry, and I didn’t know how to feel. He’d sacrificed everything for me; worked three jobs to keep me in hockey gear, drove me to every practice and game, and even volunteered as a coach for the team. The thought of letting him down filled me with guilt.

I owed him.

He’d poured his heart and soul into my hockey career, and it all centered on us practicing six days out of seven on this ice, and today we didn’t have the ice.

I should feel territorial, right? It was what Dad wanted me to feel, I was sure. Instead I felt… weird. Then something hit me. Why was I sharing the ice that was for the school? I was somewhere for the Academy teams to practice and play, and it wasn’t open to the public, courtesy of a shit ton of funding from very rich benefactors at our very wealthy campus. Why was someone from outside Chesterford Academy on our ice?

“They’ll let anyone join this damn school, freaking twirly shit getting in our way. Fucking girls out here on our ice.”

“He’s—”

“No!”

I wanted to defend Kenji, to explain that figure skaters were as valid as hockey players, same as I’d done when Kenji had left hockey for the figure skating and begged to be allowed to be friends with him still. But my dad’s hatred had spilled over and scared me.

“Shut your mouth and listen up,” Dad snapped. His reaction stung, his threats left me feeling powerless and defeated, and small.

So small.

“Figure skaters are boys as well,” I word-vomited, thankful the boards were between me and him when Dad stiffened and sent me a stare that would kill other people. Dad had never touched me, apart from fixing my hockey hold, or straightening my back, but his expression was murderous, and that meant the curses would fly and he’d take out his impotent rage on me with words. He leaned over the barrier, and my heart skipped, my chest tightened. I held my position and tilted my chin as he lowered his voice, hate dripping from every word.

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third in the series, and is another great book from the talented duo of V.L. Locey and RJ Scott. This time we get an interesting pairing of two very different ice sports – the oversized, slightly brutish hockey player, Stanton, and the diminutive ice dancer, Kenji.

Both guys are now training on shared ice in the early hours of every morning, their respective coaches bullying them on the ice, using horribly negative slurs to get them to improve. I really hate this style of coaching, so was super angry at both of them and very relieved when things change.

Though they were great friends as youngsters, there was a rift, and it is really touching watching them retrieve the friendship, admit that it might well be much more than just a friendship, and navigate a possible future, all whilst dealing with their coaches hounding them to be better. For Stanton, he has to find the strength to live his own dream, rather than his father's. For Kenji, the road is much more complex as he has a coach who demands his weight stay at a set point, something he feels he can only achieve by starving himself most of the time. It is difficult to read, but the authors have done an amazing job of providing balance and insight.

I definitely recommend this book to you – and for series fans, there are plenty of links to earlier books, which are very satisfying.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Dance on Ice is the third installment in the Chesterford Coyotes series. It can be read as a standalone – and the trigger warning for an eating disorder should be taken seriously. If this is a topic you yourself have struggled with or can't read this type of story, please skip this one, as it is a big topic in the plot.

Kenji and Shaun were the closest of friends when they were younger. They played hockey together until Kenji was pulled more toward the figure skating world. Shaun's dad took issue with that and refused to let Shaun remain friends with him. Shaun hated that he was no longer a part of Kenji's world, but he owed his dad for all his sacrifices. Kenji is proudly out as pansexual while Shaun is hiding deep in the bisexual closet even though there are very well known, out hockey players. His dad pushes him hard to be the best and make the NHL at any cost. And Kenji's coach bullies him for his weight – having daily weigh-ins; the stress to be perfect pushes Kenji to an eating disorder. Kenji wants to hate Shaun, but he can't. Shaun wants to protect Kenji and be the one he can lean on. They fight for a regained friendship but they both want more.

The bullying they both experienced was heartbreaking. Seeing Shaun finally stand up against his father was everything, as was Kenji's coach being exposed, unfortunately at the injury of Kenji. There friends stood behind them both and became the support they both needed.

Another great story from this duo of authors!

 

 

USA Today bestselling author RJ SCOTT has written over one hundred and fifty romance books. Emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, single dads, hockey players, millionaires, princes, bodyguards, Navy SEALs, soldiers, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, cops, and the men who get mixed up in their lives, always with a happy ever after.

She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing. The last time she had a week’s break from writing, she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a box of chocolates she couldn’t defeat.

Connect with RJ Scott!

Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Twitter  ~  TikTok  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: RJ Scott – Special Secret Group
Facebook Group: MM Hockey Romance

 

V.L. LOCEY loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.)

She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted fowl, and two Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

Connect with V.L. Locey!

Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: V.L. Locey – Vixens Reading Group
Facebook Group: MM Hockey Romance

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Dance on Ice (Chesterford Coyotes #3) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey to read and review.

On Thin Ice by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey Release Blitz

A young adult hockey romance filled with making amends, family, friends, and discovering the real person inside while juggling the crazy, upside-down world of high school.

Jonah Robinson has really messed up. He’s spent the last year hanging out with someone who wasn’t leading him in a good direction. Now that Felix has seen the light, perhaps it’s time for Jonah to do the same. Making amends is not going to be easy when he’s not exactly been the nicest guy at Chesterford. With the help of his family and a special friend at the school, Jonah is ready to try to make things right with those he wronged. The first person on that long redemption list is Tyler, the brightest player on the Coyotes, at least in Jonah’s eyes. He’s taken a thousand pictures of Tyler for the school paper, but he’s going to have to learn how to develop more than just negatives if he wants to grow close to Tyler.

Tyler Corrigan’s dad has left, his mom is terrified he’ll come back, and it’s Tyler who’s left to keep his little family in one piece. The only respite from real life is playing hockey, and he’s an important part of the Chesterford Coyotes. Despite not being the biggest person on the ice, speed is his superpower, and the team has his back during the worst of the bullying he’s had to endure. His friends make him feel safe when his real world is full of fear, but no one can protect his heart when an awkward and messed up Jonah—one of the worst of his bullies—is suddenly around every corner, wanting to make things right.

Sorry can be a difficult word to believe, but trusting your heart is everything.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Chesterford Coyotes series!
For book one, Off the Ice, click HERE.

 

 

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Apple Books  ~  B&N  ~  Kobo  ~  Smashwords
Paperback (US)

 

 

A shadow fell across my books, and I sighed, hoping to hell it wasn’t someone who wanted to talk to me because this essay on evolutionary principles wouldn’t write itself. I waited for the shadow to leave, or move, or something, but it seemed like I was waiting in vain, and finally, when I couldn’t ignore it any more, I glanced up.

Jonah.

My flight instinct kicked in, but eased almost immediately when I realized it was just Jonah and there was no sign of Miles. Talk about a Pavlov’s dog-type reaction.

Jonah was mostly okay when it was just him, a bit of a dick for watching things go down, but okay when he was solo. Not that we talked, because if we were on our own, he would move away to avoid me, and then scurry off in any direction he could find. Only, here he was standing in the light and staring down at me, and I could see his mouth moving.

All I could hear was the chorus of Defying Gravity, and I gestured to my ears to indicate the buds under my layered pink hair.

He nodded and indicated I take them out. Fuck. If I removed them, I’d have to talk to him, and I didn’t have it in me to have a heated chat about whatever made Jonah look so determined.

He stared at me.

I stared back.

Then, with a sigh, I pulled out the buds and the song stopped.

“Hi,” he said after a pause. I glanced past him, making sure Miles hadn’t in fact made his way into the study room and was waiting to pounce on me. He’d already threatened me with payback for turning him in and said that in the less than thirty seconds he’d had before his father pushed him out of the main door.

I’ll get you for doing this. That was what Miles had snarled at me. It didn’t help that Miles’ dad had sneered, snorted in disgust, and then, shoved his son in the back. The parting words from his dad were just as nasty as Miles were—the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

You couldn’t take that kid out? Didn’t raise you to be a freaking loser.

I knew all about shitty fathers, and for a moment, I recognized the hate in his father that meant maybe Miles never stood a chance. I knew how hard it was to fight out from under all the hate, but I’d had Mom, and she’d been my guiding light every single day of my life.

Maybe Miles’ mom was as much of a loser as his dad?

He couldn’t be more wrong about me making the complaint—nothing good came from involving outside parties after threats of intimidation—just ask my mom. I had no idea who’d accused the two boys of bullying, given it was anonymous, but it definitely hadn’t been me. If I thought it was worth bothering with, I would have reported things long ago, but I had knowledge of bigger bullies than Miles, and had terrifying firsthand experience of what happened when an aggressor was backed into a corner.

“And?” I prompted Jonah, who was bouncing on his toes a little, as if he couldn’t stay still. I waited patiently, and when he opened his mouth a couple of times, just to shut it again, I was about done with waiting for him to talk and picked up the buds to continue my research.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted, his dark eyes shining with emotion.

I could feel the gaze of all the students in the study room focused on whatever was going on here. I should have gone to the library—no one goes there to study except the kids who actually had to try really hard to do well in subjects. Now was the perfect time for me to make a big thing of him standing there; humiliate him, shout at him, rail at him for all the times he could have done more than just watch.

Instead, because I was so torn between understanding and the hateful need for revenge, I deliberately replaced my earbuds and bent my head to the book open on the desk. He was still there. Still bouncing.

Then, he placed something on the corner of the desk and walked away. I refused to watch him leave.

He’d left me a candy bar, my favorite—Snickers—right there with a Post-it note stuck to the front. It held one word. Sorry.

Only then did I glance the way he’d gone, to find him watching me through the glass of the door, a hopeful expression demanding I acknowledge the weird-ass gift.

I nodded.

Then immediately pretended to go back to studying.

It was safer not to engage.

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
On Thin Ice is the second book in the Chesterford Coyotes series. It can be read as a standalone, but I think it would read better if you read in the order the authors intended. On Thin Ice is a young adult, high school hockey, teen-angst, enemies-to-friends-to-boyfriends read.

Jonah is newer to Chesterford and is there on a scholarship. He was shy and somehow got in with Felix and Miles. He hated the bullying Miles did but stood by while he did it. So he was as much to blame as Miles was. Jonah wants to be a better, kinder human and the best way to do that is to distance himself from Miles and make amends to those he hurt, starting with Tyler. Tyler happens to be best friends with Soren, who is now dating Felix, and Felix and Jonah have a lot to work out between them.

On Thin Ice is a super cute at moments very heavy read. I loved how Tyler made Jonah work for his forgiveness. I can't wait to see what's next for this series! I am not a usual young adult reader but I am so invested in these characters!

 

 

USA Today bestselling author RJ SCOTT has written over one hundred and fifty romance books. Emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, single dads, hockey players, millionaires, princes, bodyguards, Navy SEALs, soldiers, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, cops, and the men who get mixed up in their lives, always with a happy ever after.

She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing. The last time she had a week’s break from writing, she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a box of chocolates she couldn’t defeat.

Connect with RJ Scott

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  TikTok  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: RJ Scott – Special Secret Group
Facebook Group: MM Hockey Romance

 

V.L. LOCEY loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.)

She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted fowl, and two Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

Connect with V.L. Locey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: V.L. Locey – Vixens Reading Group
Facebook Group: MM Hockey Romance

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of On Thin Ice (Chesterford Coyotes #2) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey to read and review.

Off the Ice by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey

A coming-of-age love story with high school, hockey rivalry, friendship, family, and coming out.

Soren’s life changes in an instant when he and his younger brother are adopted by hockey royalty. Making sense of his new life is hard enough, but when he’s enrolled in a private school it means facing a whole new set of problems. Navigating friendship, family, and hockey is one thing, but being attracted to the boy who vexes him is a whole new thing.

Felix has a reputation to protect. He's the kid who seems to have everything but looks can be deceiving. Spinning lies about his perfect life, he’s created a fantasy world that even he has started to believe. Only, it’s not long before everything crumbles, all of his pretty lies are revealed, and only his closest rival sees through his pain and stands by him.

Fighting is easy, friendship is hard, but love is everything.

 

 

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Apple Books  ~  B&N  ~  Kobo  ~  Smashwords
Paperback (US)

 

 

Just as I was thinking of Felix’s face meeting a fist, he shot to his feet, gave Tyler a shove, and jumped on the smaller guy when Tyler fell off the bench to the floor. I reacted instantly, and was into the fray in a second, rolling Felix off Tyler with a body check that would have cleared any of the Railers off their skates. Not really, but it sounded boss. Tyler was smaller than most, a speed demon on ice, but we protected him—I protected him.

“Get the fuck off me!” Felix snarled, swinging at me as we grappled for control. He was strong, about my height and weight, but I had the advantage. Or I thought I did. He swung back in a flash, clocking me in the mouth. My front teeth dug into my lower lip, and I tasted blood, which kind of pissed me off. We wrestled around amid shouts from our teammates until I managed to get him under control. Mostly.

He was splayed out on the floor, his face pressed into a pair of wet sneakers lying in front of a locker. I put my knee into his back while the other guys scrambled to get Tyler on his feet.

“What the hell, Sinclair?” I barked down at Felix. We never used our full last names, not since he’d decided that having gay dads meant I didn’t deserve to inherit both last names. Whatever. He hated that I responded in kind and that was just one more point against the freaking idiot.

“Get off my back, Rowe!” he snarled, adding something else to the comment, which was hard to make out since his face was jammed into a skanky, soggy grey and black Nike belonging to one of the guys who had run here across the sodden field hockey field. Caleb had kicked them off to wring out his socks but had yet to dress his smelly feet yet. Caleb liked to hear us complain about his foot stink for some reason. Dude was weird.

It sounded like Felix might have used a queer slur, but I couldn’t be sure it was the F-word although I’d heard him use it before. He’d should think twice about using that in front of me. My new family was all kinds of queer, as was I and a few other players. Coach also did not put up with any racist, sexist, or queer slurs. I’d already hit him once, way back, when he started shit about my dads, but that had ended up with me in an office with my new dads and wondering if they were going to send me back in the system.

Of course they hadn’t—they loved me and Milo and wanted us as their sons, along side their daughter. We were family and it was all official and everything. Still the thought that I’d disappoint my dads meant I genuinely tried not to rise to Felix and hit him again.

But he’d jumped Tyler, and that wasn’t right.

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Off the Ice is the first book in the Chesterford Coyotes series. It is a coming of age, young adult, enemies-to-boyfriends, hockey read full of teen drama and I'm here for it!

Soren hasn't had the easiest childhood. He was adopted with his brother by two hockey gods. He's extremely protective of his family and his friends. Felix, on the other hand, plays the part of the snobby rich kid with a chip on his shoulder. As you learn about his family dynamic you understand why he's so angry all the time.

Felix is just figuring out who he is, and Soren is bringing up feelings in him he's not used to. Soren takes the time to actually get to know the real Felix instead of the bully he pretends to be. I was so invested in this quick read. I loved seeing the way Felix gave his dad a chance and his dad finally put him first. Not a huge young adult reader but I can't wait to see where this series goes!

 

 

USA Today bestselling author RJ SCOTT has written over one hundred and fifty romance books. Emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, single dads, hockey players, millionaires, princes, bodyguards, Navy SEALs, soldiers, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, cops, and the men who get mixed up in their lives, always with a happy ever after.

She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing. The last time she had a week’s break from writing, she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a box of chocolates she couldn’t defeat.

Connect with RJ Scott

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  TikTok  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: RJ Scott – Special Secret Group
Facebook Group: MM Hockey Romance

 

V.L. LOCEY loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.)

She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted fowl, and two Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

Connect with V.L. Locey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: V.L. Locey – Vixens Reading Group
Facebook Group: MM Hockey Romance

 

 

ARC provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Off the Ice (Chesterford Coyotes #1) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey to read and review.