Team Players

Miss Deanna Grey does it again. Team Player is a intriguing romance between two hockey players that involves the nuances of women's hockey, corruption in the athletic world, struggling with self-esteem issues and past traumas, and the realities of relationships during it all.

Sam and Aderyn are allowed to be their own person outside of their “situationship”. While their individual problems impact their relationship with one another, it's not done so excessively. What I really liked about Sam's problem is that it is a continuation of the problem Finn faced in the first book of the series. The two books are nicely connected with each other outside of Sam and Finn being teammates and friends. It adds a nice touch of realism to the book.

What I especially appreciate about this book and the series so far, is that the smut isn't used as a device to show how “in love” the two characters are. It definitely acknowledges that sex for many people inevitably creates feelings (no matter what level), but the romance in the book is able to exist separate from it. While there aren't many smut scenes, they are decently high on the spicy scale because of the graphic details within them. No excessive sex scenes that are written like a 12 year old on wattpad obsessed with euphemisms and metaphors.

I do feel like the story ended up focusing too much on the external issues, which took away from Sam and Adreyn's relationship a bit. I think in part the dual POV made me frustrated as I, the reader, know they both like each other and their constant mind narration of “I like them, but idk if I should say something...” made me want to rip my hair out lol.

I'm really looking forward to what more this series has to offer. I don't know what pair I'm more interested in. Eden and Henrick? Lincoln and Celeste? Or maybe Jack and Kaya