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Punk as Puck #4
Stick Around
"Would you slap a teammate for twenty-five grand?"
"Uh, yeah. There are a few I'd slap for free. Just point me in the right direction."
Problem number one: My personal life is falling apart.
Problem number two: My public life is also on thin freaking ice.
Problem number three: The ridiculously hot NHL D-man with the inability to remove his head from his ass has decided I’m his number one target.
And that last one is a bit of an issue since his idea of targeting me is to have absurdly hot hate-hookups with me in the locker room. Which I don’t necessarily mind…
Except there’s one tiny snag in his plan: I don’t like guys.
Or, well, I didn’t think I liked guys.
But when Alexio Zeki drops to his knees and, uh, gets to business, I realize my very narrow view of my own sexuality needs some adjustment.
And that’s ironic coming from a blind man.
Admitting I’m bisexual is the easy part.
Admitting I’m kind of, sort of, ridiculously into the man I claimed to hate is something else entirely. But the more he insists that I’m worth keeping, the more I start wanting to believe him.
Stick Around is the first book in the Punk as Puck spin-off series, Legends and Fury. It’s a high heat, enemies to lovers rom-com with a snarky NHL D-man who has a lot of big opinions and doesn’t care if they’re unsolicited, a PPHL goalie with a mountain of problems and no way to reach the top, locker room hookups, praise, swoony romance, a low-stakes bi-awakening, hockey bro banter, tons of chirping, and the swooniest happily ever after.
"Uh, yeah. There are a few I'd slap for free. Just point me in the right direction."
Problem number one: My personal life is falling apart.
Problem number two: My public life is also on thin freaking ice.
Problem number three: The ridiculously hot NHL D-man with the inability to remove his head from his ass has decided I’m his number one target.
And that last one is a bit of an issue since his idea of targeting me is to have absurdly hot hate-hookups with me in the locker room. Which I don’t necessarily mind…
Except there’s one tiny snag in his plan: I don’t like guys.
Or, well, I didn’t think I liked guys.
But when Alexio Zeki drops to his knees and, uh, gets to business, I realize my very narrow view of my own sexuality needs some adjustment.
And that’s ironic coming from a blind man.
Admitting I’m bisexual is the easy part.
Admitting I’m kind of, sort of, ridiculously into the man I claimed to hate is something else entirely. But the more he insists that I’m worth keeping, the more I start wanting to believe him.
Stick Around is the first book in the Punk as Puck spin-off series, Legends and Fury. It’s a high heat, enemies to lovers rom-com with a snarky NHL D-man who has a lot of big opinions and doesn’t care if they’re unsolicited, a PPHL goalie with a mountain of problems and no way to reach the top, locker room hookups, praise, swoony romance, a low-stakes bi-awakening, hockey bro banter, tons of chirping, and the swooniest happily ever after.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
247 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Lindsey
146 books1,467 followersE.M. Lindsey is the author of MM contemporary romance. She presently lives and works in the southeastern United States.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sadly , this one did not worked as expected for me . But first , I want to start with the positive :
I totally, absolutely loved Jonah and my heart felt so bad for him for giving the feeling of carrying all the world on his shoulders .
And I’m totally in love with the numerous side characters and the found family and warmth this book gives overall.
Unfortunately, I really struggled to like Alexio, and trust me , I did put in the effort on my part. I understand that, at first, he had his reasons for judging Jonah’s behavior, but overall he came across as entitled. He was called out multiple times for his lack of understanding and awareness when it comes to disabilities, which made it even harder for me to warm up to him.
In addition, their connection didn’t felt like a love story to me , but more like out of nowhere attraction and “let’s be together eventually.”
I still recommend this book for all the aspects I highlighted as positives, and I do think the other elements might work better for other readers. Excited to read more in the series 🫶
I totally, absolutely loved Jonah and my heart felt so bad for him for giving the feeling of carrying all the world on his shoulders .
And I’m totally in love with the numerous side characters and the found family and warmth this book gives overall.
Unfortunately, I really struggled to like Alexio, and trust me , I did put in the effort on my part. I understand that, at first, he had his reasons for judging Jonah’s behavior, but overall he came across as entitled. He was called out multiple times for his lack of understanding and awareness when it comes to disabilities, which made it even harder for me to warm up to him.
In addition, their connection didn’t felt like a love story to me , but more like out of nowhere attraction and “let’s be together eventually.”
I still recommend this book for all the aspects I highlighted as positives, and I do think the other elements might work better for other readers. Excited to read more in the series 🫶
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2026
Loved this book❤️ Loved how Jonah finally got his HEA❤️ The book is sweet, a little enemies to lovers and just sweet falling in love❤️
April 2, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Stick Around is the first book in E.M. Lindsey’s new Legends and Fury series, which is a spinoff of the Punk as Punk series. Both series focus on players in the PPHL, a para-hockey league on par with the NHL. Punk as Puck features sled hockey players, and Legends and Fury focuses on two blind hockey teams. We met Jonah as a regular side character in the Punk as Puck books and I totally loved him, so I was really glad to see him as an MC in the new spin-off series. His brother, Micah, also appears in those books, and most of the guys from the original series show up here, as they are all close friends of Jonah’s. So while the relationship is new here, I do think folks who are familiar with the other books might find this one a little more rewarding, but I think you can start here if desired.
This one is a good old enemies-to-lovers, as Alexio is full of animosity toward Jonah, and Jonah hates him right back. At the end of the story, Lindsey has a teaser for the next book and I am SUPER excited about this one and I think it has a lot of interesting potential.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Stick Around is the first book in E.M. Lindsey’s new Legends and Fury series, which is a spinoff of the Punk as Punk series. Both series focus on players in the PPHL, a para-hockey league on par with the NHL. Punk as Puck features sled hockey players, and Legends and Fury focuses on two blind hockey teams. We met Jonah as a regular side character in the Punk as Puck books and I totally loved him, so I was really glad to see him as an MC in the new spin-off series. His brother, Micah, also appears in those books, and most of the guys from the original series show up here, as they are all close friends of Jonah’s. So while the relationship is new here, I do think folks who are familiar with the other books might find this one a little more rewarding, but I think you can start here if desired.
This one is a good old enemies-to-lovers, as Alexio is full of animosity toward Jonah, and Jonah hates him right back. At the end of the story, Lindsey has a teaser for the next book and I am SUPER excited about this one and I think it has a lot of interesting potential.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
April 1, 2026
ARC read
4⭐️ 3 🌶️
Read this if you like: M/M hockey romance, enemies to lovers, bi-awakening, and incredibly well-done disability representation (blind/visually impaired athletes).
Fav part/scene: The praise elements and the intense locker room encounters. The chemistry between Jonah and Alexio is SO explosive! Especially as they transition from genuine animosity to a care and protective obsession with one another.
Unique factor: The deep dive into the world of blind hockey and the disability representation shown in this series. It provides an immersive look at how these athletes play the game, paired with a raw look at the realities of navigating the world with a disability and surviving a traumatic upbringing.
Unforgettable moment: The moments where Alexio, who starts off quite arrogant and ignorant opens himself up to Jonah’s reality. Theb steps up to help care for Jonah’s father. Seeing the grumpy NHL player become a soft, dedicated is a major highlight.
Recommend it? Definitely, especially if you want a sports romance with real emotional weight and some amazing spice.
Part of a series: Yes - Punk as Puck (Book #4) / Legends and Fury (Book #1)
On Kindle Unlimited: Yes
4⭐️ 3 🌶️
Read this if you like: M/M hockey romance, enemies to lovers, bi-awakening, and incredibly well-done disability representation (blind/visually impaired athletes).
Fav part/scene: The praise elements and the intense locker room encounters. The chemistry between Jonah and Alexio is SO explosive! Especially as they transition from genuine animosity to a care and protective obsession with one another.
Unique factor: The deep dive into the world of blind hockey and the disability representation shown in this series. It provides an immersive look at how these athletes play the game, paired with a raw look at the realities of navigating the world with a disability and surviving a traumatic upbringing.
Unforgettable moment: The moments where Alexio, who starts off quite arrogant and ignorant opens himself up to Jonah’s reality. Theb steps up to help care for Jonah’s father. Seeing the grumpy NHL player become a soft, dedicated is a major highlight.
Recommend it? Definitely, especially if you want a sports romance with real emotional weight and some amazing spice.
Part of a series: Yes - Punk as Puck (Book #4) / Legends and Fury (Book #1)
On Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Read
April 1, 2026Unfortunately I did not remember all the characters/couples/backstories from the original series well enough and this didn't feel like it fully stood alone. I also thought the hate to love dynamic flipped a bit too quickly and abruptly for me to really enjoy the journey.
However I adore Vanya and am looking forward to his book next!
However I adore Vanya and am looking forward to his book next!
April 6, 2026
This was an absolutely amazing read. I adored Jonah and Alexio. This had so many awesome representations in it, weaved together so beautifully. The disability rep, gorgeously done. Jonah being blind, a hockey team with disabilities. I loved this so much. Bi-awakening, Jonah and Alexio were perfect for one another. From beginning to end, I was in love with this book. An absolutely fabulous read.
April 10, 2026
a little traumatic (check TWs) but I do love EM Lindsey!
April 1, 2026
I enjoyed this one.
It did take me some time to warm up to Alexio though whose ignorance was pretty infuriating at the beginning at times, exaggerated even more by his long-term bitterness towards the PPHL team and his incorrect assumption about Jonah’s treatment towards his father.
However, while Alexio was a bit of an asshole at the start, to his credit he does go out of his way to help Peter, which shows what a good heart he has, and that gave me hope for the future. Alexio was very good at putting his foot in it sometimes, but as he had his eyes opened to the truth and became more accepting, there was a lot more consideration behind his comments as he genuinely tries to do better.
And Jonah, my gosh. That man! The more I read about Jonah’s childhood, the more my heart hurt for him and his brothers for what they went through in their evil mother’s clutches while their waste of space father looked on. Growl! Seeing Jonah deal with so much on his own that’s been dumped on his plate, wasn’t easy, especially when he’s not looking after himself. But this paved the way for Alexio to make up for things, and his caretaking ensured that he began to worm his way into my affections.
The enemies to lovers trope is strong in this one, and there was plenty of animosity between these two for a while leading to a very turbulent beginning of their relationship. This hostility leads to some highly emotive moments and sexually-charged tension-filled scenes as these two strong characters go head-to-head. Their relationship isn’t boring, you can be sure of that!
I definitely was not expecting Jonah to be a total sucker for a “good boy”, but I absolutely loved that little kink weakness.
The found family brought so much to this book. The support Jonah had from his friends. Urgh, so good! Add in how awesome Alexio’s brother, Nikos, is, and this genuinely is one of my favourite aspects of this story.
It has to be said that Vanya did totally win my heart, and I adored seeing his and Jonah’s friendship grow with the latter absolutely needing the other goalie’s good vibes in his life. I’m very excited for Vanya’s book!
I’ll admit I haven’t read many books from this author yet, but after this one, and loving their cowrites of the Deaf Hearts series with Cora Rose, that will definitely be changing, because I’m loving the vibes and the exceptional disability rep. It’s looking as though the Punk as Puck series will be next after meeting the characters here.
-----
Some of the favourite quotes
“Kindness isn’t a burden, Jonah. I’m sorry if someone ever told you it was.”
God, I wanted him with every fiber of my being. With the same ferocity I hated him.
“At the risk of sounding like some prepubescent teenager passing notes in school, uh, I think I like you. And I’d like to think about what we are. What this is.”
Fuck, he was so...everything. He was everything.
“Alexio— do you really want to kiss me?” “More than anything. I know what I said before. I regret all of that. I could have been kissing you this whole time if I wasn’t such an asshole, and—”
Fuck, he kissed like a god. Like a desperate, wanton god. Like a man fucking possessed, and I realized that I was the same.
“You were the first person I ever wanted like this. My first kiss that felt like my entire world was on fire. The first person who ever made me ache to be home in bed with you.”
Maybe perfection existed, and it was right here in my arms.
“You are so fucking good, Jonah. You are everything you need to be.”
“Stop apologizing for being yourself. I like you exactly the way you are.”
“Even when I was telling myself to hate you. Even when I was saying it was just for fun. I kept looking at you and seeing a man I wanted to get on my knees for, Jonah. You were there, and you were everything I hadn’t realized I wanted until you let me touch you. And once I did, I was addicted. Obsessed.”
“Just you. That’s all I want. All I need.”
It did take me some time to warm up to Alexio though whose ignorance was pretty infuriating at the beginning at times, exaggerated even more by his long-term bitterness towards the PPHL team and his incorrect assumption about Jonah’s treatment towards his father.
However, while Alexio was a bit of an asshole at the start, to his credit he does go out of his way to help Peter, which shows what a good heart he has, and that gave me hope for the future. Alexio was very good at putting his foot in it sometimes, but as he had his eyes opened to the truth and became more accepting, there was a lot more consideration behind his comments as he genuinely tries to do better.
And Jonah, my gosh. That man! The more I read about Jonah’s childhood, the more my heart hurt for him and his brothers for what they went through in their evil mother’s clutches while their waste of space father looked on. Growl! Seeing Jonah deal with so much on his own that’s been dumped on his plate, wasn’t easy, especially when he’s not looking after himself. But this paved the way for Alexio to make up for things, and his caretaking ensured that he began to worm his way into my affections.
The enemies to lovers trope is strong in this one, and there was plenty of animosity between these two for a while leading to a very turbulent beginning of their relationship. This hostility leads to some highly emotive moments and sexually-charged tension-filled scenes as these two strong characters go head-to-head. Their relationship isn’t boring, you can be sure of that!
I definitely was not expecting Jonah to be a total sucker for a “good boy”, but I absolutely loved that little kink weakness.
The found family brought so much to this book. The support Jonah had from his friends. Urgh, so good! Add in how awesome Alexio’s brother, Nikos, is, and this genuinely is one of my favourite aspects of this story.
It has to be said that Vanya did totally win my heart, and I adored seeing his and Jonah’s friendship grow with the latter absolutely needing the other goalie’s good vibes in his life. I’m very excited for Vanya’s book!
I’ll admit I haven’t read many books from this author yet, but after this one, and loving their cowrites of the Deaf Hearts series with Cora Rose, that will definitely be changing, because I’m loving the vibes and the exceptional disability rep. It’s looking as though the Punk as Puck series will be next after meeting the characters here.
-----
Some of the favourite quotes
“Kindness isn’t a burden, Jonah. I’m sorry if someone ever told you it was.”
God, I wanted him with every fiber of my being. With the same ferocity I hated him.
“At the risk of sounding like some prepubescent teenager passing notes in school, uh, I think I like you. And I’d like to think about what we are. What this is.”
Fuck, he was so...everything. He was everything.
“Alexio— do you really want to kiss me?” “More than anything. I know what I said before. I regret all of that. I could have been kissing you this whole time if I wasn’t such an asshole, and—”
Fuck, he kissed like a god. Like a desperate, wanton god. Like a man fucking possessed, and I realized that I was the same.
“You were the first person I ever wanted like this. My first kiss that felt like my entire world was on fire. The first person who ever made me ache to be home in bed with you.”
Maybe perfection existed, and it was right here in my arms.
“You are so fucking good, Jonah. You are everything you need to be.”
“Stop apologizing for being yourself. I like you exactly the way you are.”
“Even when I was telling myself to hate you. Even when I was saying it was just for fun. I kept looking at you and seeing a man I wanted to get on my knees for, Jonah. You were there, and you were everything I hadn’t realized I wanted until you let me touch you. And once I did, I was addicted. Obsessed.”
“Just you. That’s all I want. All I need.”
April 20, 2026
Okay, I loved the original series this book is part of. I loved learning more about this fictional world and the world of the PPHL, which would be really cool to see in real life. It was nice to catch up with the characters from those books and see where they were at after their book.
However, a few things...
First, it's more than okay for a book not to be a standalone romance. I know those are pretty common which, again, there's nothing wrong with. I hesitate to call this book a standalone because of how crucial the side characters are in this book's plot. I feel like we see more of them than Alexio, if I'm being honest. And it's hard to understand the plot without at least reading the first book in the original series.
Second, I just did not feel like I learned anything about Alexio's character, other than he was a bit of a d*ck to everyone, especially Jonah. Again, the side characters are great, but the plot is VERY heavy on Jonah's character and the struggles with his dad. I wish we got more of a character arc with Alexio. Like, his brother was great, I loved him, but Alexio just came across very rude.
Third, the logistics of a micro 🍆. I love that the author is switching things up by not having both MMCs be well endowed. However, and maybe this is me just being ignorant, but there were quite a few references of him being 'hard and throbbing' and then how during puberty he found out how 'easy it was for people to see if he had an ere*tion or not'. But like, the math isn't mathing.
Fourth, speaking of the math, Jonah is by my guess like late 20s? His dad is in his late 50s, so that's just my guess. But it was randomly mentioned how his mom filmed him and his other blind siblings as toddlers eating and posted them on YouTube? Or something YouTube adjacent? But YouTube wasn't a thing until 2005. So, did I read something wrong?
However, a few things...
First, it's more than okay for a book not to be a standalone romance. I know those are pretty common which, again, there's nothing wrong with. I hesitate to call this book a standalone because of how crucial the side characters are in this book's plot. I feel like we see more of them than Alexio, if I'm being honest. And it's hard to understand the plot without at least reading the first book in the original series.
Second, I just did not feel like I learned anything about Alexio's character, other than he was a bit of a d*ck to everyone, especially Jonah. Again, the side characters are great, but the plot is VERY heavy on Jonah's character and the struggles with his dad. I wish we got more of a character arc with Alexio. Like, his brother was great, I loved him, but Alexio just came across very rude.
Third, the logistics of a micro 🍆. I love that the author is switching things up by not having both MMCs be well endowed. However, and maybe this is me just being ignorant, but there were quite a few references of him being 'hard and throbbing' and then how during puberty he found out how 'easy it was for people to see if he had an ere*tion or not'. But like, the math isn't mathing.
Fourth, speaking of the math, Jonah is by my guess like late 20s? His dad is in his late 50s, so that's just my guess. But it was randomly mentioned how his mom filmed him and his other blind siblings as toddlers eating and posted them on YouTube? Or something YouTube adjacent? But YouTube wasn't a thing until 2005. So, did I read something wrong?
April 7, 2026
Rating: 4
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 1st person
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Tropes / tags: dislike to love, hurt / comfort, found family
Stick Around was a promising start to the Punk as Puck spin-off, and Jonah's story was full of emotions, hurt / comfort, found family and intense tension!
To say that Alexio didn't start out showing his best sides might be an understatement, but he managed to redeem himself throughout the story. It took a bit for me to warm up to him, he was infuriatingly ignorant at first, but it got better once he started to actually listen and tried to understand. He and Jonah clashed in pretty much every way possible, and there were a lot of assumptions made - especially by Alexio.
It was easy to feel for Jonah, his life got heavy with family drama right from the beginning and he was going through a lot. The more I learnt about his childhood, the more my heart ached for him. He was alone with his struggles, and he didn't know how to deal or ask for help, even if he had a supportive found family that would drop anything for him.
The tension between Jonah and Alexio was intense, and at first every interaction was filled with animosity and assumptions, but it didn't take long for the tension to turn into steam. Hooking up with Alexio was a complication, but also a welcomed distraction, and while their progression from hostility to hooking up was kind of sudden, it also felt inevitable. I really enjoyed their back and forth, and I could almost see the sparks between them as soon as they were in the same room together.
Stick Around was a messy, entertaining and heartbreaking read, with some wonderful hurt / comfort and found family! I was so emotionally invested in these characters, and I loved to see their development throughout the story. It was also great seeing some of the guys from the Punk as Puck series again, and I'm totally hyped up and ready for Vanya's story!
-
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Steam: 3
PoV: dual, 1st person
Genre: contemporary romance, MM
Tropes / tags: dislike to love, hurt / comfort, found family
Stick Around was a promising start to the Punk as Puck spin-off, and Jonah's story was full of emotions, hurt / comfort, found family and intense tension!
To say that Alexio didn't start out showing his best sides might be an understatement, but he managed to redeem himself throughout the story. It took a bit for me to warm up to him, he was infuriatingly ignorant at first, but it got better once he started to actually listen and tried to understand. He and Jonah clashed in pretty much every way possible, and there were a lot of assumptions made - especially by Alexio.
It was easy to feel for Jonah, his life got heavy with family drama right from the beginning and he was going through a lot. The more I learnt about his childhood, the more my heart ached for him. He was alone with his struggles, and he didn't know how to deal or ask for help, even if he had a supportive found family that would drop anything for him.
The tension between Jonah and Alexio was intense, and at first every interaction was filled with animosity and assumptions, but it didn't take long for the tension to turn into steam. Hooking up with Alexio was a complication, but also a welcomed distraction, and while their progression from hostility to hooking up was kind of sudden, it also felt inevitable. I really enjoyed their back and forth, and I could almost see the sparks between them as soon as they were in the same room together.
Stick Around was a messy, entertaining and heartbreaking read, with some wonderful hurt / comfort and found family! I was so emotionally invested in these characters, and I loved to see their development throughout the story. It was also great seeing some of the guys from the Punk as Puck series again, and I'm totally hyped up and ready for Vanya's story!
-
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
April 2, 2026
Stick around is book one in the Legends and Fury series. I have not read any of the previous books from the previous series but after reading this one, I will definitely be reading them ASAP! I do think it would be beneficial to read all books before reading the story so you have a better understanding of the characters and the world you're jumping into, but I wouldn't say it's necessary because I had no issues following the storyline without having done so myself.
Jonas is one of three brothers that was born totally blind/vision impaired. He is the goalie on the PPHL hockey team, The Legends. He and his brothers had a traumatic past due to their parents. When his mom decides to up and leave the country while dropping the news that their dad was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's and he's their responsibility now, Jonas begrudgingly takes on trying to set up his dad with proper care. But before that can happen his dad wanders into a shop while sundowning. After a call from the shops owner he meets Alexio, the shop owner's brother. Alexio is a player on the NHL team, The Fury. He's quite a brute as far as his personality and mannerisms go. He and Jonas have an instant hate relationship from the beginning. But, when Alexio learns more about Jonas and his past, he softens for him and hate becomes something else altogether.
This story has a bow awakening, mm romance omance, enemies to lovers, age gap, praise kink, found family, hockey bro banter, disability rep, and hurt comfort. If you enjoy reading any or all of these trips don't wait to read this! It's definitely a story worth reading!
Thank you, E.M. Lindsey and The Author Agency for allowing me to ARC read this wonderful story!
Jonas is one of three brothers that was born totally blind/vision impaired. He is the goalie on the PPHL hockey team, The Legends. He and his brothers had a traumatic past due to their parents. When his mom decides to up and leave the country while dropping the news that their dad was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's and he's their responsibility now, Jonas begrudgingly takes on trying to set up his dad with proper care. But before that can happen his dad wanders into a shop while sundowning. After a call from the shops owner he meets Alexio, the shop owner's brother. Alexio is a player on the NHL team, The Fury. He's quite a brute as far as his personality and mannerisms go. He and Jonas have an instant hate relationship from the beginning. But, when Alexio learns more about Jonas and his past, he softens for him and hate becomes something else altogether.
This story has a bow awakening, mm romance omance, enemies to lovers, age gap, praise kink, found family, hockey bro banter, disability rep, and hurt comfort. If you enjoy reading any or all of these trips don't wait to read this! It's definitely a story worth reading!
Thank you, E.M. Lindsey and The Author Agency for allowing me to ARC read this wonderful story!
April 1, 2026
This series is just so good!! I’ve always been an E.M. fan but I’m and even bigger one now with this series (and her collabs with Cora Rose!!)
Jonah was born without eyes due to a genetic condition and is a pro hockey goalie with Boston’s PPHL. He’s really going through it too. His toxic mother effed off to the UK to find herself and left his estranged dad (who has dementia) alone in his apartment and his brother’s refuse to (understandably) help him with his care.
Queue the not so meet-cute with Alexio Zeki, Boston Glaciers D-man and all around a-hole 😂 and a bunch of smoking hot “hate” fueled encounters. Soon they realize that they aren’t just hooking up, they are so gone for each other. Alexio is so sweet and helpful to Jonah, without being ableist, once he figures himself out.
I just loved book. I wanted Jonah’s story since meeting him in book 1. We get to see all of the amazing guys from the first few books too! Also, I want it known how much I loved Vanya and I’m so happy his book is next!
Jonah was born without eyes due to a genetic condition and is a pro hockey goalie with Boston’s PPHL. He’s really going through it too. His toxic mother effed off to the UK to find herself and left his estranged dad (who has dementia) alone in his apartment and his brother’s refuse to (understandably) help him with his care.
Queue the not so meet-cute with Alexio Zeki, Boston Glaciers D-man and all around a-hole 😂 and a bunch of smoking hot “hate” fueled encounters. Soon they realize that they aren’t just hooking up, they are so gone for each other. Alexio is so sweet and helpful to Jonah, without being ableist, once he figures himself out.
I just loved book. I wanted Jonah’s story since meeting him in book 1. We get to see all of the amazing guys from the first few books too! Also, I want it known how much I loved Vanya and I’m so happy his book is next!
April 1, 2026
I love Jonah so much! He and Alexio had great chemistry, but I just wish it had been fleshed out a bit more. But still probably one of my favorite EM Lindsey reads to date.
*I received an arc copy of this book, all opinions are my own*
This book has a lot of story threads going on. We get a much deeper look into Jonah’s (and Micah’s & Caleb’s) pasta, the horrible bs they went thru as kids, and how that is now coming back to affect their adult lives. This could’ve felt even more dark than it does, but it was balanced out really well with the wider friendship group & characters from the 3 previous books in this series.
I don’t want to give away too much via spoilers, but I felt like we were getting some really great romantic development in Jonah & Alexio’s relationship & then the plot thing happened and it threw off the whole momentum of the last act of the book. I would have preferred that either this didn’t happen & we got more on page moments of them growing into a couple OR that it did happen but we got a much better grovel from Alexio.
That being said I am now OBSESSED with Vanya & can’t wait for the next book.
*I received an arc copy of this book, all opinions are my own*
This book has a lot of story threads going on. We get a much deeper look into Jonah’s (and Micah’s & Caleb’s) pasta, the horrible bs they went thru as kids, and how that is now coming back to affect their adult lives. This could’ve felt even more dark than it does, but it was balanced out really well with the wider friendship group & characters from the 3 previous books in this series.
I don’t want to give away too much via spoilers, but I felt like we were getting some really great romantic development in Jonah & Alexio’s relationship & then the plot thing happened and it threw off the whole momentum of the last act of the book. I would have preferred that either this didn’t happen & we got more on page moments of them growing into a couple OR that it did happen but we got a much better grovel from Alexio.
That being said I am now OBSESSED with Vanya & can’t wait for the next book.
April 14, 2026
I love Alexio and Jonah together and that Jonah’s blindness didn’t stop someone from loving him. I felt bad for Jonah and his brothers for their childhood and why they went through. But Alexio made it all better. Love these books.
April 7, 2026
A nice read but it's the same as most books from this author: it ends overly sweet. The sweetness does not always match how the character is portrayed throughout the book, so it feels disjointed.
April 20, 2026
• MM • Hockey Romance • Enemies to Lovers • Bi-Awakening • Visually Impaired Rep •
This book was a little different than my usual go-to, but I’m so glad I gave it a try! The intensity of the two MMC was 🔥 from the start.
I absolutely enjoyed the deep dive into “blind hockey” and that it was such a huge part of the book. It truly showed such a raw side of athletes with disabilities. Not just their athletic world, but every aspect surrounding it.
This was my first book by this author, and the fourth in this series. It can definitely be read as a standalone, as it is also the start of a spin-off series.
Thank you to The Author Agency & E.M Lindsey for the ARC opportunity.
This book was a little different than my usual go-to, but I’m so glad I gave it a try! The intensity of the two MMC was 🔥 from the start.
I absolutely enjoyed the deep dive into “blind hockey” and that it was such a huge part of the book. It truly showed such a raw side of athletes with disabilities. Not just their athletic world, but every aspect surrounding it.
This was my first book by this author, and the fourth in this series. It can definitely be read as a standalone, as it is also the start of a spin-off series.
Thank you to The Author Agency & E.M Lindsey for the ARC opportunity.
April 1, 2026
Amazon
Jonah's always thought of himself as straight until Alexio comes into his life. He may not like him, but he's definitely attracted to him. Before long, though, more seems to be developing than just an enemies with benefits situation. Is it possible they can be together, even though their start was less than ideal?
The last thing Alexio wanted to do was fall for the guy he disliked before he even met him, but there's something about Jonah that he simply cannot resist. He's also finding he may have misjudged Jonah, because he's really not who Jonah's father had said he was. Who Jonah is, is someone worth everything, and he wants Jonah to see himself for the beautiful man he is.
Jonah is everything! I love his character - he'd been through so much, had the worst parents and a hard childhood, but had become the most amazing person who deserved a beautiful future. Unfortunately for me, I didn't like Alexio nearly as much as I did Jonah. He didn't deserve Jonah quite frankly, and I had a really hard time feeling any connection with him. He only got a pass because Jonah loved him. But aside from Alexio, I liked everything else (aside from said terrible parents) about this story. Jonah's friends and teammates are pretty great too, and I hope their stories will be coming next.
ARC provided by The Author Agency for an honest review.
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Review of advance copy received from Altro
ARC REVIEW
STICK AROUND (LEGENDS AND FURY 1) di E.M. Lindsey
VOTO: 5⭐ 2🌶️
USCITA: 1/04/2026
RECENSIONE: Wow. Che libro meraviglioso! Se potessi, darei 10 stelle per le emozioni che mi ha fatto provare sin dal primo capitolo. È la prima volta in assoluto che leggo un romanzo di E.M. Lindsey. Ne ho approfittato per leggere questo primo romanzo della serie Legends and Fury, che vede protagonisti Alexio e Jonah.
Jonah é il goalie dei Legends, squadra di hockey non vedenti, Alexio è un giocatore della squadra di Boston che divide il palazzetto con i Legends. Alexio per questo non trova simpatico Jonah, crede che la sua squadra tolga loro tempo prezioso per allenarsi.
Jonah però ha altri problemi a cui pensare: una madre stronza che da un giorno all’altro se ne va e li abbandona insieme al marito malato di Alzheimer, costringendo i tre figli a prendersi cura di lui. I fratelli però non vogliono prendersi questa responsabilità e sarà lui a occuparsene ma non resterà solo per molto.
Purtroppo non ho provato empatia per il padre di Jonah perché durante alcuni momenti di lucidità quando parlava dei figli, raccontava aneddoti che sinceramente mi hanno fatto rabbrividire da quanto erano cattivi. Ho sofferto per per il protagonista costretto ad ascoltarlo e per i suoi due fratelli che hanno subito il tutto quando erano giovani. | genitori di Jonah sono stati estremamente dannosi per tutti e tre, non solo la madre sfruttava Jonah e Micah costringendoli a fare cose contro la loro volontà, ma il padre se n'è sempre fregato; mentre il terzo fratello veniva completamente ignorato dalla madre perché “non sufficientemente cieco”. Per questo motivo ho odiato tutta la situazione, secondo me Jonah non si meritava un fardello simile. Nikos é stato molto importante nella storia e gli ha fatto capire che prendersi cura delle persone che si amano non é una debolezza.
Alexio, fratello di Nikos, lo aiuterà anche se pensa che Jonah e i suoi fratelli siano degli stronzi non capendo la situazione famigliare e della malattia del padre.
Man mano che il tempo passa e i due si frequentano, si scoprono interessati l'uno all'altro. Ho amato come ho potuto conoscere Alexio attraverso Jonah che lo riconosce per il suo profumo e attraverso il tocco e come con Alexio decida di esplorare una parte di sé che pensava di aver nascosto bene. Spoiler: non ci é riuscito!
Ho amato tutti i personaggi, la found family, il gruppo di amici di Jonah che gli sono sempre stati vicini e lo hanno supportato, Nikos e Vanya, il portiere nella squadra di hockey di Alexio, che è un raggio di sole. Un punto negativo sono stati alcuni pensieri di Alexio che non ho apprezzato. Vanya è stato uno dei miei personaggi preferiti e non vedo l'ora di leggere il suo libro!
English Review:
This is my first time ever reading one E.M. Lindsey book and OMG I loved it SOOOOO much!!! This is a cute and low angst romance. Jonah is the goalie in the blind hockey team that shares the same ice rink as Alexio’s hockey team. Alexio knows who Jonah is but he has never met before. They started to know each other after they found out that Nikos’ regular customer is Jonah’s father. Alexio tries to help Jonah with him, but he resent Jonah a lot because he doesn't know, at first, why Jonah and his brothers didn't know about his father’s Alzheimer and he thinks that Jonas is a bad person. They start to know each other better and they start to fall in love very slowly. For Jonah is the first time ever that he has a relationship with a man and I loved reading how he deals with it. I loved reading the world in Jonah’s POV, how he recognizes Alexio by his perfume or how he starts to knows him just with touches. This is a very cute romance and very low angst. I’m in love with Lindsey’s writing because I felt a lot of emotion since chapter 1 and I couldn't put the Kindle down. I devoured it! Amazing!! Thank you the Author Agency for my ARC copy.
STICK AROUND (LEGENDS AND FURY 1) di E.M. Lindsey
VOTO: 5⭐ 2🌶️
USCITA: 1/04/2026
RECENSIONE: Wow. Che libro meraviglioso! Se potessi, darei 10 stelle per le emozioni che mi ha fatto provare sin dal primo capitolo. È la prima volta in assoluto che leggo un romanzo di E.M. Lindsey. Ne ho approfittato per leggere questo primo romanzo della serie Legends and Fury, che vede protagonisti Alexio e Jonah.
Jonah é il goalie dei Legends, squadra di hockey non vedenti, Alexio è un giocatore della squadra di Boston che divide il palazzetto con i Legends. Alexio per questo non trova simpatico Jonah, crede che la sua squadra tolga loro tempo prezioso per allenarsi.
Jonah però ha altri problemi a cui pensare: una madre stronza che da un giorno all’altro se ne va e li abbandona insieme al marito malato di Alzheimer, costringendo i tre figli a prendersi cura di lui. I fratelli però non vogliono prendersi questa responsabilità e sarà lui a occuparsene ma non resterà solo per molto.
Purtroppo non ho provato empatia per il padre di Jonah perché durante alcuni momenti di lucidità quando parlava dei figli, raccontava aneddoti che sinceramente mi hanno fatto rabbrividire da quanto erano cattivi. Ho sofferto per per il protagonista costretto ad ascoltarlo e per i suoi due fratelli che hanno subito il tutto quando erano giovani. | genitori di Jonah sono stati estremamente dannosi per tutti e tre, non solo la madre sfruttava Jonah e Micah costringendoli a fare cose contro la loro volontà, ma il padre se n'è sempre fregato; mentre il terzo fratello veniva completamente ignorato dalla madre perché “non sufficientemente cieco”. Per questo motivo ho odiato tutta la situazione, secondo me Jonah non si meritava un fardello simile. Nikos é stato molto importante nella storia e gli ha fatto capire che prendersi cura delle persone che si amano non é una debolezza.
Alexio, fratello di Nikos, lo aiuterà anche se pensa che Jonah e i suoi fratelli siano degli stronzi non capendo la situazione famigliare e della malattia del padre.
Man mano che il tempo passa e i due si frequentano, si scoprono interessati l'uno all'altro. Ho amato come ho potuto conoscere Alexio attraverso Jonah che lo riconosce per il suo profumo e attraverso il tocco e come con Alexio decida di esplorare una parte di sé che pensava di aver nascosto bene. Spoiler: non ci é riuscito!
Ho amato tutti i personaggi, la found family, il gruppo di amici di Jonah che gli sono sempre stati vicini e lo hanno supportato, Nikos e Vanya, il portiere nella squadra di hockey di Alexio, che è un raggio di sole. Un punto negativo sono stati alcuni pensieri di Alexio che non ho apprezzato. Vanya è stato uno dei miei personaggi preferiti e non vedo l'ora di leggere il suo libro!
English Review:
This is my first time ever reading one E.M. Lindsey book and OMG I loved it SOOOOO much!!! This is a cute and low angst romance. Jonah is the goalie in the blind hockey team that shares the same ice rink as Alexio’s hockey team. Alexio knows who Jonah is but he has never met before. They started to know each other after they found out that Nikos’ regular customer is Jonah’s father. Alexio tries to help Jonah with him, but he resent Jonah a lot because he doesn't know, at first, why Jonah and his brothers didn't know about his father’s Alzheimer and he thinks that Jonas is a bad person. They start to know each other better and they start to fall in love very slowly. For Jonah is the first time ever that he has a relationship with a man and I loved reading how he deals with it. I loved reading the world in Jonah’s POV, how he recognizes Alexio by his perfume or how he starts to knows him just with touches. This is a very cute romance and very low angst. I’m in love with Lindsey’s writing because I felt a lot of emotion since chapter 1 and I couldn't put the Kindle down. I devoured it! Amazing!! Thank you the Author Agency for my ARC copy.
April 11, 2026
Stick Around by E.M. Lindsey
Legends and Fury #1
Length: 294 pages
Source: The Author Agency
Publication date: April 1, 2026
5 ⭐
3 🌶️
WHAT TO EXPECT
🏒 MM hockey romance
🏒 Enemies to lovers
🏒 Age gap
🏒 Disability rep
🏒 Praise kink
🏒 Found family
🏒 Hurt/comfort
AUTHOR'S BLURB
"Would you slap a teammate for twenty-five grand?"
"Uh, yeah. There are a few I'd slap for free. Just point me in the right direction."
Problem number one: My personal life is falling apart.
Problem number two: My public life is also on thin freaking ice.
Problem number three: The ridiculously hot NHL D-man with the inability to remove his head from his ass has decided I’m his number one target.
And that last one is a bit of an issue since his idea of targeting me is to have absurdly hot hate-hookups with me in the locker room. Which I don’t necessarily mind…
Except there’s one tiny snag in his plan: I don’t like guys.
Or, well, I didn’t think I liked guys.
But when Alexio Zeki drops to his knees and, uh, gets to business, I realize my very narrow view of my own sexuality needs some adjustment.
And that’s ironic coming from a blind man.
Admitting I’m bisexual is the easy part.
Admitting I’m kind of, sort of, ridiculously into the man I claimed to hate is something else entirely. But the more he insists that I’m worth keeping, the more I start wanting to believe him.
MY THOUGHTS
First, let me fangirl for a minute: Jonahhhhhhhhhh! Squeeeeee! I love him so much; I have since he first showed up in the Punk as Puck series. (OK, I'm done.)
This is a spinoff, and it's just as fabulous as Punk. I don't know how E.M. does it, but they write MCs that somehow, impossibly, are both dreamy and realistic at the same time. How do they do that? How?! Jonah and Alexio are beautiful together: honest, loving, supportive, flirty. The angst in this book is achy. It doesn't come from the relationship between the two men but from their pasts; in different ways, they've both been lonely and cast aside. They both have resigned themselves to being alone, choosing to be on their own because it's easier than anything else. When they meet, it's definitely not love at first sight, but it doesn't take long for them to realize there's something more than chirps between them.
The banter in Stick Around is classic E.M., where it's sharp and funny but also still sounds like the jokes you probably have with your own friends. I enjoy the new characters introduced in this book (I mean... Vanya?!), and I can't wait to see how they integrate into the lovable cast from Punk. Both Jonah and Alexio come off as closet romantics, to me, with writing that's both tender and longing as they fall in love with each other. That they get to do it surrounded by such supportive friends and family is inspiring. I love seeing Jonah's people rally around him when he needs help, especially when he won't ask for it. As a Jonah fan, this was everything I could have asked for from his story. He gets a good one in Alexio, and I really love both men.
BOTTOM LINE
E.M. Lindsey is always a yes. ALWAYS.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Narcissistic parenting, ableism, parent with Alzheimer's (on-page descriptions), verbal abuse by parent, on-page hockey injury, C-PTSD portrayal, trauma recovery, explicit sexual content
–A🩷
Thanks to The Author Agency and E.M. Lindsey for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Fable.
Legends and Fury #1
Length: 294 pages
Source: The Author Agency
Publication date: April 1, 2026
5 ⭐
3 🌶️
WHAT TO EXPECT
🏒 MM hockey romance
🏒 Enemies to lovers
🏒 Age gap
🏒 Disability rep
🏒 Praise kink
🏒 Found family
🏒 Hurt/comfort
AUTHOR'S BLURB
"Would you slap a teammate for twenty-five grand?"
"Uh, yeah. There are a few I'd slap for free. Just point me in the right direction."
Problem number one: My personal life is falling apart.
Problem number two: My public life is also on thin freaking ice.
Problem number three: The ridiculously hot NHL D-man with the inability to remove his head from his ass has decided I’m his number one target.
And that last one is a bit of an issue since his idea of targeting me is to have absurdly hot hate-hookups with me in the locker room. Which I don’t necessarily mind…
Except there’s one tiny snag in his plan: I don’t like guys.
Or, well, I didn’t think I liked guys.
But when Alexio Zeki drops to his knees and, uh, gets to business, I realize my very narrow view of my own sexuality needs some adjustment.
And that’s ironic coming from a blind man.
Admitting I’m bisexual is the easy part.
Admitting I’m kind of, sort of, ridiculously into the man I claimed to hate is something else entirely. But the more he insists that I’m worth keeping, the more I start wanting to believe him.
MY THOUGHTS
First, let me fangirl for a minute: Jonahhhhhhhhhh! Squeeeeee! I love him so much; I have since he first showed up in the Punk as Puck series. (OK, I'm done.)
This is a spinoff, and it's just as fabulous as Punk. I don't know how E.M. does it, but they write MCs that somehow, impossibly, are both dreamy and realistic at the same time. How do they do that? How?! Jonah and Alexio are beautiful together: honest, loving, supportive, flirty. The angst in this book is achy. It doesn't come from the relationship between the two men but from their pasts; in different ways, they've both been lonely and cast aside. They both have resigned themselves to being alone, choosing to be on their own because it's easier than anything else. When they meet, it's definitely not love at first sight, but it doesn't take long for them to realize there's something more than chirps between them.
The banter in Stick Around is classic E.M., where it's sharp and funny but also still sounds like the jokes you probably have with your own friends. I enjoy the new characters introduced in this book (I mean... Vanya?!), and I can't wait to see how they integrate into the lovable cast from Punk. Both Jonah and Alexio come off as closet romantics, to me, with writing that's both tender and longing as they fall in love with each other. That they get to do it surrounded by such supportive friends and family is inspiring. I love seeing Jonah's people rally around him when he needs help, especially when he won't ask for it. As a Jonah fan, this was everything I could have asked for from his story. He gets a good one in Alexio, and I really love both men.
BOTTOM LINE
E.M. Lindsey is always a yes. ALWAYS.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Narcissistic parenting, ableism, parent with Alzheimer's (on-page descriptions), verbal abuse by parent, on-page hockey injury, C-PTSD portrayal, trauma recovery, explicit sexual content
–A🩷
Thanks to The Author Agency and E.M. Lindsey for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, BlueSky, BookBub, and Fable.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
This is a spinoff series from the Punk as Puck series about the sled league hockey players, but these are is about the blind hockey players. So we’ve seen Jonah and his brother Micah throughout the other series. This is Jonas' story. He’s one of three blind/visually impaired brothers who had a traumatic childhood. Jonah has always been the people pleaser. And now he’s being tasked with significant responsibility by his estranged parents. And he doesn’t want to burden his brothers, so he just takes it on.
He unexpectedly comes in contact with a shop owner and his brother, who happens to be an NHL hockey player. Alexio Zeki is more no-nonsense, intense, and a bit grumpy. He’s also protective of his brother and doesn’t want him to be taken advantage of. So their family dynamics become meshed a bit due to the circumstances.
Jonah has always thought of himself as straight, but there’s something about Alexio that gets a rise out of him in more ways than one. He does not like NHL players with attitude. And now Jonah is trying to figure out how to deal with everything and keep it all together when he is overwhelmed with his upended life and learning new things about himself.
Alexio is intense, rigid, and keeps people at arm's length usually. He wants to hate Jonah on principle due to the current situation and some preconceived notions and arena issues, but also finds himself strangely obsessed with helping Jonah blow off steam and calming his demons.
It's an antagonistic, fiery, fast burn to physical, and a slow burn to kissing and feelings. I enjoyed seeing how these two progressed from hate-ish sex to something more that they were both scared of. There is a lot going on in the background of their story, and there are some surprises and twists I did not see coming. My heart hurt for them, especially for Jonah, as they were trying to navigate all the things life seemed to be throwing at them. You could just feel how affected he was as he was trying so hard to keep it all together during challenging circumstances. But I also loved these two together and how they could see under each other's defenses, inspire passion, and also try to be a support.
I enjoyed more time with guys from the Punk As Puck series, and meeting Alexio's NHL teammates. I liked the found family aspect with this group of friends and their adaptability. I am so excited for the next book with Jonah's menace brother, Micah. And I absolutely adore who I am pretty sure will be his match.
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He unexpectedly comes in contact with a shop owner and his brother, who happens to be an NHL hockey player. Alexio Zeki is more no-nonsense, intense, and a bit grumpy. He’s also protective of his brother and doesn’t want him to be taken advantage of. So their family dynamics become meshed a bit due to the circumstances.
Jonah has always thought of himself as straight, but there’s something about Alexio that gets a rise out of him in more ways than one. He does not like NHL players with attitude. And now Jonah is trying to figure out how to deal with everything and keep it all together when he is overwhelmed with his upended life and learning new things about himself.
Alexio is intense, rigid, and keeps people at arm's length usually. He wants to hate Jonah on principle due to the current situation and some preconceived notions and arena issues, but also finds himself strangely obsessed with helping Jonah blow off steam and calming his demons.
It's an antagonistic, fiery, fast burn to physical, and a slow burn to kissing and feelings. I enjoyed seeing how these two progressed from hate-ish sex to something more that they were both scared of. There is a lot going on in the background of their story, and there are some surprises and twists I did not see coming. My heart hurt for them, especially for Jonah, as they were trying to navigate all the things life seemed to be throwing at them. You could just feel how affected he was as he was trying so hard to keep it all together during challenging circumstances. But I also loved these two together and how they could see under each other's defenses, inspire passion, and also try to be a support.
I enjoyed more time with guys from the Punk As Puck series, and meeting Alexio's NHL teammates. I liked the found family aspect with this group of friends and their adaptability. I am so excited for the next book with Jonah's menace brother, Micah. And I absolutely adore who I am pretty sure will be his match.
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Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
TLDR: Read the punk as puck series first or prepared to be lost for a large portion of the story. Also, even though it takes forever to connect with Alexio and Jonah as a couple... the payoff is worth it.
I have to start by saying, I am a big fan of Lindsey's works. So, it was a bit disappointing that this didn't quite hit the mark for me because I really liked the concept going into it.
That being said, I think fans of the Punk as Puck books may enjoy this more. When I applied for this ARC back in December it didn't note anywhere the form or in early promo that this book was a follow up or related to the PaP series. So, I didn't realize it till much later and at that point it didn't really matter that it was a spin off series to me. I figured there would be a little bit of tie in, but the book would largely stand on its own; but sadly, I don't think it can. And that is sort of the point of this explanation — this book works better as the fourth novel in the Punk as Puck series than it does as the start of its own series. I know on the Goodreads title it notes as book 4 for PaP and I don't know if that's a recent update but everywhere else it's still noted as just a spin off. But the story is so interconnected that I think new readers coming in are going to be lost for a few reasons but mainly:
(1) You're thrown into a very large cast of characters almost instantly with little introduction. Character names are thrown around, and events are referenced that you don't really have any idea about. It was almost overwhelming at times. There is a specific scene for me that really made this evident and it's where Killian shows up and he's apparently a good friend to Jonah's but in this scene during Jonah's internal monologue, he makes a comment about how he's glad Killian and Tucker are making amends because if they didn't, he basically wouldn't be friends with Killian. Which was a really odd comment to make about someone who is supporting you and offering comfort...it was almost off putting. Now if you just go back are read the synopses for the PaP books, you'll get context about this.
(2) Jonah's friends take up way more of the story than I personally liked in any situation. Even by the 60% mark it felt like Alexio and Jonah still barely knew each other. And this wasn't in a Slow Burn type of way it just felt like the relationship played second fiddle most of the book. Which is why some may feel like it's really abrupt when they are finally together and suddenly in love. I will say once they are together the later 25-30% of the book is enjoyable. Though a tad overdramatic at times. I think they work well as a couple and I enjoyed their dynamic.
Lastly, I would've enjoyed more closure regarding Jonah's family situation. It takes up a lot of the story but stays very surface level. However, since the next book is about his brother, I'm hopeful there is possibility it may be explored more in that one.
I know this review may come off like I'm just dogging on the book, but that is not my intention. At its core it's still an enjoyable read. And as mentioned prior I do love Lindsey's books and her writing style; even at points where I felt the most lost in the story I never felt like I wanted to DNF it. Lindsey is able to keep you engaged regardless of how convoluted things get. And I do think people who read the Punk as Puck series may get more enjoyment out of this than I did.
As a final remark, I will say now that all the pieces have sort of situated themselves in this book. I am excited for the next book. Vanya in my opinion is easily the best and move lovable side character in this book, so I am excited for his story.
TLDR: Read the punk as puck series first or prepared to be lost for a large portion of the story. Also, even though it takes forever to connect with Alexio and Jonah as a couple... the payoff is worth it.
I have to start by saying, I am a big fan of Lindsey's works. So, it was a bit disappointing that this didn't quite hit the mark for me because I really liked the concept going into it.
That being said, I think fans of the Punk as Puck books may enjoy this more. When I applied for this ARC back in December it didn't note anywhere the form or in early promo that this book was a follow up or related to the PaP series. So, I didn't realize it till much later and at that point it didn't really matter that it was a spin off series to me. I figured there would be a little bit of tie in, but the book would largely stand on its own; but sadly, I don't think it can. And that is sort of the point of this explanation — this book works better as the fourth novel in the Punk as Puck series than it does as the start of its own series. I know on the Goodreads title it notes as book 4 for PaP and I don't know if that's a recent update but everywhere else it's still noted as just a spin off. But the story is so interconnected that I think new readers coming in are going to be lost for a few reasons but mainly:
(1) You're thrown into a very large cast of characters almost instantly with little introduction. Character names are thrown around, and events are referenced that you don't really have any idea about. It was almost overwhelming at times. There is a specific scene for me that really made this evident and it's where Killian shows up and he's apparently a good friend to Jonah's but in this scene during Jonah's internal monologue, he makes a comment about how he's glad Killian and Tucker are making amends because if they didn't, he basically wouldn't be friends with Killian. Which was a really odd comment to make about someone who is supporting you and offering comfort...it was almost off putting. Now if you just go back are read the synopses for the PaP books, you'll get context about this.
(2) Jonah's friends take up way more of the story than I personally liked in any situation. Even by the 60% mark it felt like Alexio and Jonah still barely knew each other. And this wasn't in a Slow Burn type of way it just felt like the relationship played second fiddle most of the book. Which is why some may feel like it's really abrupt when they are finally together and suddenly in love. I will say once they are together the later 25-30% of the book is enjoyable. Though a tad overdramatic at times. I think they work well as a couple and I enjoyed their dynamic.
Lastly, I would've enjoyed more closure regarding Jonah's family situation. It takes up a lot of the story but stays very surface level. However, since the next book is about his brother, I'm hopeful there is possibility it may be explored more in that one.
I know this review may come off like I'm just dogging on the book, but that is not my intention. At its core it's still an enjoyable read. And as mentioned prior I do love Lindsey's books and her writing style; even at points where I felt the most lost in the story I never felt like I wanted to DNF it. Lindsey is able to keep you engaged regardless of how convoluted things get. And I do think people who read the Punk as Puck series may get more enjoyment out of this than I did.
As a final remark, I will say now that all the pieces have sort of situated themselves in this book. I am excited for the next book. Vanya in my opinion is easily the best and move lovable side character in this book, so I am excited for his story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Jonah is not having a good time lately and at the moment that stress is coming from his parents. Growing up in his house was rough. Him and his brother were born blind, and their other brother’s eyesight was just about nonexistent as well. Their father didn’t care about them, and their mother basically made their life a circus. And while they tried to cut ties, Jonah soon learns that his mother leaves the country and drops the bomb that his dad is sick and in need of care that she isn’t sticking around for. He can’t ask his brothers for help and with his job being a professional hockey player, things are getting to be a bit too much. Oh, then there is Alexio. The defenseman on the NHL team in Boston that shares the rink with Jonah’s team. Turns out him and his brother have been looking out for Jonah’s dad during his episodes and Alexio is convinced that Jonah is a terrible person for not taking care of his dad. But there is a lot more to that than Alexio knows. While their relationship starts off pretty rocky with the lack of knowing the other very, things slowly begin to change the more they find their paths crossing. And hate turns into a lot more when they push one another enough. Another thing to add to Jonah’s list of realizations, turns out he is bi. And he might just be falling for Alexio. Alexio can’t imagine abandoning his parents but he is slowly humbled when he realizes that he may not have the whole picture. Throw in the fact that he is realizing just how much he doesn’t know about the Jonah’s team and their disabilities. But it’s not too late to learn. Especially when he actually gets to know Jonah and explore the spark between them. Turns out, Jonah may be the thing Alexio has been waiting for. I loved these two! Such a great enemies to lovers story. Especially when you just wanted to shake Alexio in the beginning for being so judgy LOL. But I loved that he recognized how he was acting and wanted to learn and just be there for Jonah during a really hard time. Them falling for one another was this sweet slow romance that just got better and better as the story went on. We also got introduced to a bunch of new characters and visited a lot from the Punk as Puck series. I just cannot wait for the next one!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2026
I was in need of a hot MM hockey book and got this ARC and really enjoyed it. I did not realize it was part of a series but it can still be read as a standalone. I did get a bit lost a few times keeping track of all the side characters since so many hockey players and not having read the other books but it didn't stop me from understanding everything.
I think this book is really good with the disability representation with one of the MMC being blind plus a lot of the side characters having disabilities as well.
I did have a hard time at first getting into the story..maybe because I hadn't read the other books but then I really fell in love with the found family and our MMCs especially Jonah. The author does an amazing job with making you fall in love with all the side characters and how much they help our MMCs.
The spice was hot although it wasn't a crazy amount so it was still a really good balance of plot and spice. I was surprised when one of the main character did not have a big d*ck since I am so used to all the books I read to have that so I was a mix of disappointed but at the same time happy that it made it more realistic and different from other books. Plus the other MMC kind of loved that and it made the scenes even more hot in a way haha
I think this book was also really good at depicting the struggle of being a child of a crappy and emotionally abusive narcissistic parent and the burden and guilt of having to take care of parents because of health issues when they actually don't deserve it. The emotions that the MMC goes through hit home for me and I definitely feel like it described well the emotional struggle we go through when we had a sh*tty childhood but we are still expected to take care of our parents because that is what society expects of us and our conscience demands it (because we are good people) even though it messes with our mental health. Plus the struggle when the other siblings might not be interested in helping so the burden falls on you. The author wrote all that so well in the story!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
- MM hockey romance
- Disability rep
- Found family
- Enemies to lovers
- Bi awakening
- Hurt/comfort
- Praise k!nk
This was my first book from E.M. Lindsey but definitely not my last!
Thank you the Author Agency for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I think this book is really good with the disability representation with one of the MMC being blind plus a lot of the side characters having disabilities as well.
I did have a hard time at first getting into the story..maybe because I hadn't read the other books but then I really fell in love with the found family and our MMCs especially Jonah. The author does an amazing job with making you fall in love with all the side characters and how much they help our MMCs.
The spice was hot although it wasn't a crazy amount so it was still a really good balance of plot and spice. I was surprised when one of the main character did not have a big d*ck since I am so used to all the books I read to have that so I was a mix of disappointed but at the same time happy that it made it more realistic and different from other books. Plus the other MMC kind of loved that and it made the scenes even more hot in a way haha
I think this book was also really good at depicting the struggle of being a child of a crappy and emotionally abusive narcissistic parent and the burden and guilt of having to take care of parents because of health issues when they actually don't deserve it. The emotions that the MMC goes through hit home for me and I definitely feel like it described well the emotional struggle we go through when we had a sh*tty childhood but we are still expected to take care of our parents because that is what society expects of us and our conscience demands it (because we are good people) even though it messes with our mental health. Plus the struggle when the other siblings might not be interested in helping so the burden falls on you. The author wrote all that so well in the story!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
- MM hockey romance
- Disability rep
- Found family
- Enemies to lovers
- Bi awakening
- Hurt/comfort
- Praise k!nk
This was my first book from E.M. Lindsey but definitely not my last!
Thank you the Author Agency for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 31, 2026
Here's EM Lindsey's "Stick Around." It's the fourth novel in her Punk as Puck series (and also the first novel in the Legends and Fury series?).
[""Would you slap a teammate for twenty-five grand?"
"Uh, yeah. There are a few I'd slap for free. Just point me in the right direction."
Problem number one: My personal life is falling apart.
Problem number two: My public life is also on thin freaking ice.
Problem number three: The ridiculously hot NHL D-man with the inability to remove his head from his ass has decided I’m his number one target.
And that last one is a bit of an issue since his idea of targeting me is to have absurdly hot hate-hookups with me in the locker room. Which I don’t necessarily mind…
Except there’s one tiny snag in his plan: I don’t like guys.
Or, well, I didn’t think I liked guys.
But when Alexio Zeki drops to his knees and, uh, gets to business, I realize my very narrow view of my own sexuality needs some adjustment.
And that’s ironic coming from a blind man.
Admitting I’m bisexual is the easy part.
Admitting I’m kind of, sort of, ridiculously into the man I claimed to hate is something else entirely. But the more he insists that I’m worth keeping, the more I start wanting to believe him."]
Fuuuuk me. These two almost ruined me. It was a level of hurt/comfort that only comes from enemies who aren't really enemies just two hotheads who don't really know each other. Who collide again and again until the chemistry and the think-y-thoughts become doing-thoughts. Again and again. Until the doing-thoughts became Feelings. Until it's just far too late to go back.
And then I cried. So like, thanks for that. Could have been worse I guess. Then again, no one's more stubborn than a hothead.
I did NOT think that we would get even more characters that I could obsess over. And yet, here we are. I canNOT (nooooot) wait for the next book. Fucking obsessed with Vanya
Trigger Warnings: past and current narcissistic parenting, ableism, on-page descriptions of having a parent with Alzheimer's, on-page hockey injury, C-PTSD, trauma recovery, and more.
#zeropucks #puckedup #absolutelypucked #stickaround #hattrick #emlindsey #punkaspuck #punkaspuckseries #legendsandfury #legendsandfuryseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
[""Would you slap a teammate for twenty-five grand?"
"Uh, yeah. There are a few I'd slap for free. Just point me in the right direction."
Problem number one: My personal life is falling apart.
Problem number two: My public life is also on thin freaking ice.
Problem number three: The ridiculously hot NHL D-man with the inability to remove his head from his ass has decided I’m his number one target.
And that last one is a bit of an issue since his idea of targeting me is to have absurdly hot hate-hookups with me in the locker room. Which I don’t necessarily mind…
Except there’s one tiny snag in his plan: I don’t like guys.
Or, well, I didn’t think I liked guys.
But when Alexio Zeki drops to his knees and, uh, gets to business, I realize my very narrow view of my own sexuality needs some adjustment.
And that’s ironic coming from a blind man.
Admitting I’m bisexual is the easy part.
Admitting I’m kind of, sort of, ridiculously into the man I claimed to hate is something else entirely. But the more he insists that I’m worth keeping, the more I start wanting to believe him."]
Fuuuuk me. These two almost ruined me. It was a level of hurt/comfort that only comes from enemies who aren't really enemies just two hotheads who don't really know each other. Who collide again and again until the chemistry and the think-y-thoughts become doing-thoughts. Again and again. Until the doing-thoughts became Feelings. Until it's just far too late to go back.
And then I cried. So like, thanks for that. Could have been worse I guess. Then again, no one's more stubborn than a hothead.
I did NOT think that we would get even more characters that I could obsess over. And yet, here we are. I canNOT (nooooot) wait for the next book. Fucking obsessed with Vanya
Trigger Warnings: past and current narcissistic parenting, ableism, on-page descriptions of having a parent with Alzheimer's, on-page hockey injury, C-PTSD, trauma recovery, and more.
#zeropucks #puckedup #absolutelypucked #stickaround #hattrick #emlindsey #punkaspuck #punkaspuckseries #legendsandfury #legendsandfuryseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
April 1, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
I went into the book with zero expectations, only to be pleasantly surprised.
This is honestly one of the best disability representation stories I’ve read in a long time. The characters are written with such care and normalcy—they’re not defined by their disabilities, just portrayed as people living their lives. And I think that’s exactly how it should be. If I were in their place, I’d want to be treated just like anyone else too.
The story follows Jonah, who is blind and a professional ice hockey player in the PPHL, and Alexio, an NHL player. They meet under very unconventional circumstances, and let’s just say… first impressions are not great. There’s mutual dislike born out of misunderstanding but also an undeniable physical attraction.
As the story unfolds, we see that initial tension slowly shift. Alexio begins to understand the trauma Jonah and his brothers endured at the hands of their parents, and what starts as attraction deepens into something soft, emotional, and vulnerable.
I absolutely loved the hockey banter sprinkled throughout, it added so much authenticity and fun to the story. The side characters also bring incredible depth, especially Vanya, the Russian player from Alexio’s team was easily my favorite after the main characters.
Jonah and Alexio both go through their own struggles, and that emotional push and pull adds a delicious amount of angst to the story.
And okay… we have to talk about the spice 👀🔥It is HOT. Like… really hot. The locker room shower scene? Yeah, that one lives rent-free in my head.
Without giving away spoilers, I just need to say—I absolutely despise Jonah’s mom. She is beyond vile, and I’m really hoping we get to see some well-deserved payback in the upcoming books.
All in all, this book felt like a warm hug on a cold night, comforting, emotional, and deeply satisfying. Definitely one to pick up. You won’t be disappointed.
Few of my favorite lines from the book -
“Kindness isn’t a burden, Jonah. I’m sorry if someone ever told you it was.”
Hurrying to Jonah’s door, I took only a single second, and then I knocked. It flew open, and he appeared, my fucking angel. The man I wanted to be my everything.
Maybe perfection existed, and it was right here in my arms.
“Just you. That’s all I want. All I need.”
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
I went into the book with zero expectations, only to be pleasantly surprised.
This is honestly one of the best disability representation stories I’ve read in a long time. The characters are written with such care and normalcy—they’re not defined by their disabilities, just portrayed as people living their lives. And I think that’s exactly how it should be. If I were in their place, I’d want to be treated just like anyone else too.
The story follows Jonah, who is blind and a professional ice hockey player in the PPHL, and Alexio, an NHL player. They meet under very unconventional circumstances, and let’s just say… first impressions are not great. There’s mutual dislike born out of misunderstanding but also an undeniable physical attraction.
As the story unfolds, we see that initial tension slowly shift. Alexio begins to understand the trauma Jonah and his brothers endured at the hands of their parents, and what starts as attraction deepens into something soft, emotional, and vulnerable.
I absolutely loved the hockey banter sprinkled throughout, it added so much authenticity and fun to the story. The side characters also bring incredible depth, especially Vanya, the Russian player from Alexio’s team was easily my favorite after the main characters.
Jonah and Alexio both go through their own struggles, and that emotional push and pull adds a delicious amount of angst to the story.
And okay… we have to talk about the spice 👀🔥It is HOT. Like… really hot. The locker room shower scene? Yeah, that one lives rent-free in my head.
Without giving away spoilers, I just need to say—I absolutely despise Jonah’s mom. She is beyond vile, and I’m really hoping we get to see some well-deserved payback in the upcoming books.
All in all, this book felt like a warm hug on a cold night, comforting, emotional, and deeply satisfying. Definitely one to pick up. You won’t be disappointed.
Few of my favorite lines from the book -
“Kindness isn’t a burden, Jonah. I’m sorry if someone ever told you it was.”
Hurrying to Jonah’s door, I took only a single second, and then I knocked. It flew open, and he appeared, my fucking angel. The man I wanted to be my everything.
Maybe perfection existed, and it was right here in my arms.
“Just you. That’s all I want. All I need.”
April 1, 2026
First, I went into this without reading the first three books. So I really didn't know anything about the series. That being said, it's definitely a book that can be read as a stand alone if you choose.
Hockey, hockey, hockey. Amirite? It was big in the MM romance world way before Heated Rivalry because a phenomenon. I don't even watch hockey IRL, but when the book is done well, there aren't pages and pages of game day play by play. (In my opinion!). And this was done well.
Onto the story. I absolutely loved that this book had both NHL and PPHL. PPHL is hockey for blind players. Want to get me invested? Teach me something new. And this did. I digress.
There's a bit of a rivalry between the two teams because they have to share the arena. So the NHL captain with a giant chip on his shoulder really despises the PPHL team- especially the goalie, who also has a bit of a chip on his shoulder. And then they find out that they have something in common. Or someone.
Alexio (NHL) softened up WAY more quickly than expected. Like the chip on his shoulder just turned to dust. Part of it was trying to play with goggles on that mimicked blindness and part of it was because he finally heard the real story about what was going on with Jonah and his family.
Jonah being blind and navigating the world was front and center. From how difficult it is because of the lack of accommodations, to forgetting to turn his apartment lights on when a sighted person comes over. At the same time it never felt preachy or like I was being lectured.
There's something else about Jonah that I won't mention, but I appreciate that it was in the book. Because it never, ever is.
Alexio and Jonah together were fire. Their chemistry was undeniable and not easy for them to deny. Even when they were at odds they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.
Each of these guys has their own tribe of friends and when they start mingling, it's both hilarious and they can get stuff done . Obviously some of the characters are from previous books, but some are new. And I really hope one of them (VANNY!) gets a books soon. And Jonah's other brother. I'd be fine if they were in one book together. ;)
Not often you get 2 black cats in one relationship, but with Alexio quickly turning into a golden retriever, it was a good read.
Hockey, hockey, hockey. Amirite? It was big in the MM romance world way before Heated Rivalry because a phenomenon. I don't even watch hockey IRL, but when the book is done well, there aren't pages and pages of game day play by play. (In my opinion!). And this was done well.
Onto the story. I absolutely loved that this book had both NHL and PPHL. PPHL is hockey for blind players. Want to get me invested? Teach me something new. And this did. I digress.
There's a bit of a rivalry between the two teams because they have to share the arena. So the NHL captain with a giant chip on his shoulder really despises the PPHL team- especially the goalie, who also has a bit of a chip on his shoulder. And then they find out that they have something in common. Or someone.
Alexio (NHL) softened up WAY more quickly than expected. Like the chip on his shoulder just turned to dust. Part of it was trying to play with goggles on that mimicked blindness and part of it was because he finally heard the real story about what was going on with Jonah and his family.
Jonah being blind and navigating the world was front and center. From how difficult it is because of the lack of accommodations, to forgetting to turn his apartment lights on when a sighted person comes over. At the same time it never felt preachy or like I was being lectured.
There's something else about Jonah that I won't mention, but I appreciate that it was in the book. Because it never, ever is.
Alexio and Jonah together were fire. Their chemistry was undeniable and not easy for them to deny. Even when they were at odds they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.
Each of these guys has their own tribe of friends and when they start mingling, it's both hilarious and they can get stuff done . Obviously some of the characters are from previous books, but some are new. And I really hope one of them (VANNY!) gets a books soon. And Jonah's other brother. I'd be fine if they were in one book together. ;)
Not often you get 2 black cats in one relationship, but with Alexio quickly turning into a golden retriever, it was a good read.
April 5, 2026
I'm a big fan of all of this author's books, and that definitely includes this hockey-based series where sled-hockey and blind hockey are professional sports, albeit the disdained less-lucrative cousins of NHL-version pro hockey. The MCs in this series tend to be grumpy, touchy, and fiercely independent, in keeping with the sports they play. Jonah is no exception.
Growing up as one of three brothers whom his dad ignored, and his mom used for pathos-money-making, has made Jonah suspicious of everyone's intentions. As the oldest, he's also been the protector and sometimes peacemaker, so when his mom announces that their father has dementia, and by the way, she's leaving the country and Dad is their problem now, it is only Jonah who feels some responsibility for the man who never helped them.
Alexio is a sighted pro player who has a grudge against Jonah, both because the blind team has been shoehorned into the same ice rink, cutting practice availability and impacting Alexio's team schedule. And because Jonah's father has wandered into Alexio's family cafe more than once, and Alexio thinks the old man is being neglected.
They start out antagonistically, each assuming the worst of each other, and unhappy about the sparks they also strike off one another. This attraction is even harder for Jonah to come to terms with, because he has assumed he was straight (or at least, 99% tilted towards women) and finding out that's not true shakes his self-perception. Fortunately he has a community of queer people around him, so he isn't afraid of that part of himself.
onah is easy to empathize with from the start. The dilemma he finds himself in, trying to find care for a parent with early Alzheimers, is very relatable. Alexio is harder to like at first, because he has more arrogance and makes more assumptions. But he also makes a journey to become a better person through this story.
I loved some of the secondary characters, notably Alexio's brother and Vanya, Alexio's teammate. Their innate kindness helped soften a story of two very prickly MCs.
As always, the disability rep is both intriguing and nicely-balanced. The happy ending works well. And I am very much looking forward to the next book, with two MCs who intrigued me in this one.
Growing up as one of three brothers whom his dad ignored, and his mom used for pathos-money-making, has made Jonah suspicious of everyone's intentions. As the oldest, he's also been the protector and sometimes peacemaker, so when his mom announces that their father has dementia, and by the way, she's leaving the country and Dad is their problem now, it is only Jonah who feels some responsibility for the man who never helped them.
Alexio is a sighted pro player who has a grudge against Jonah, both because the blind team has been shoehorned into the same ice rink, cutting practice availability and impacting Alexio's team schedule. And because Jonah's father has wandered into Alexio's family cafe more than once, and Alexio thinks the old man is being neglected.
They start out antagonistically, each assuming the worst of each other, and unhappy about the sparks they also strike off one another. This attraction is even harder for Jonah to come to terms with, because he has assumed he was straight (or at least, 99% tilted towards women) and finding out that's not true shakes his self-perception. Fortunately he has a community of queer people around him, so he isn't afraid of that part of himself.
onah is easy to empathize with from the start. The dilemma he finds himself in, trying to find care for a parent with early Alzheimers, is very relatable. Alexio is harder to like at first, because he has more arrogance and makes more assumptions. But he also makes a journey to become a better person through this story.
I loved some of the secondary characters, notably Alexio's brother and Vanya, Alexio's teammate. Their innate kindness helped soften a story of two very prickly MCs.
As always, the disability rep is both intriguing and nicely-balanced. The happy ending works well. And I am very much looking forward to the next book, with two MCs who intrigued me in this one.
Review of advance copy
Love love LOVED this book so much 😭💛 I have been *dying* for Jonah’s story ever since the Punk as Puck Trilogy (which is an absolute must-read btw 👀), and wow… this did NOT disappoint.
I swear, I don’t know what kind of magic E.M. Lindsey puts into their books, but I’m hooked from page one every single time ✨ The way they make you fall completely in love with *everyone* — not just the main characters but the entire cast — is unreal. And this found family?? Ugh, my heart 🥹 Friends who become family, who show up when it matters, who celebrate every little win… I just wanted to climb into the pages and stay there forever.
And can we talk about the disability rep for a second 👏 Jonah was born completely blind, and the way his experience was written felt so thoughtful and real. It never felt overdone or performative — just honest. I really appreciated how the story also showed the awkwardness people can feel when they don’t know the “right” way to interact, and how that learning process plays out. It added such an important layer of empathy 💛
Now… Jonah and Alexio 😮💨🔥
These two did NOT get off to a smooth start — misunderstandings, assumptions, tension… all of it. But when those walls started to come down?? The connection. The intimacy. The way they *saw* each other (and yes, I mean that in every sense 🥺)… it was EVERYTHING. Their journey was messy and emotional and so, so worth it.
And the FOUND FAMILY again because I will never shut up about them 😭🙌 Seeing familiar faces, the unwavering support, and meeting Vanya?? I am OBSESSED. That man had me laughing out loud with his one-liners 💀 Give him a book immediately please. And Micah?? His chaotic energy (and that goblin porn obsession 😂) — I need his story like yesterday.
This is 100% a must-read 📚 Just make sure to check your trigger warnings because some heavier topics are explored — but always with so much care and sensitivity.
✨ Definitely read the Punk as Puck trilogy first — it makes every found family moment hit so much harder, and trust me… you want that full emotional impact 💔💛
*I received a complimentary copy of this book but this is my honest and voluntary review!*
I swear, I don’t know what kind of magic E.M. Lindsey puts into their books, but I’m hooked from page one every single time ✨ The way they make you fall completely in love with *everyone* — not just the main characters but the entire cast — is unreal. And this found family?? Ugh, my heart 🥹 Friends who become family, who show up when it matters, who celebrate every little win… I just wanted to climb into the pages and stay there forever.
And can we talk about the disability rep for a second 👏 Jonah was born completely blind, and the way his experience was written felt so thoughtful and real. It never felt overdone or performative — just honest. I really appreciated how the story also showed the awkwardness people can feel when they don’t know the “right” way to interact, and how that learning process plays out. It added such an important layer of empathy 💛
Now… Jonah and Alexio 😮💨🔥
These two did NOT get off to a smooth start — misunderstandings, assumptions, tension… all of it. But when those walls started to come down?? The connection. The intimacy. The way they *saw* each other (and yes, I mean that in every sense 🥺)… it was EVERYTHING. Their journey was messy and emotional and so, so worth it.
And the FOUND FAMILY again because I will never shut up about them 😭🙌 Seeing familiar faces, the unwavering support, and meeting Vanya?? I am OBSESSED. That man had me laughing out loud with his one-liners 💀 Give him a book immediately please. And Micah?? His chaotic energy (and that goblin porn obsession 😂) — I need his story like yesterday.
This is 100% a must-read 📚 Just make sure to check your trigger warnings because some heavier topics are explored — but always with so much care and sensitivity.
✨ Definitely read the Punk as Puck trilogy first — it makes every found family moment hit so much harder, and trust me… you want that full emotional impact 💔💛
*I received a complimentary copy of this book but this is my honest and voluntary review!*
Review of advance copy
I've read E.M. Lindsey before, but this was my first step into her hockey world. I had no prior knowledge of any of the characters in her Punk as Puck world, but this is a spin-off series from characters within that world (which wasn't a problem to jump into by any means). I also had zero expectations beyond what the blurb told me; which was basically this would be hockey, it would be bi-awakening, and one of the characters was blind. My expectations were blown away and my world was cracked wide open over the course of this book. I am beyond humbled, while also enlightened, and my world has been made better for reading Stick Around. Never judge a blurb or cover, am I right?...😉
If there was nothing else I took away, let me say that reading about blind hockey players was an immersion experience like nothing else. It was next level. Truly, if for no other reason, read one of Lindsey's books to step into the shoes of her characters, experience what they live through, even if it's just for a few hours. It's always enlightening and very humbling and the hockey part of it just made me sweat while sitting on my couch. On top of the exercise, that I obviously need, Lindsey writes her characters with great empathy, care, and a dose of humor, which makes her books a joy to read each and every time.
In Stick Around, Alexio and Jonah do NOT get along in the beginning. It has a lot to do with misplaced judgments, hockey egos, and a bit of that awakening that Jonah is going through, but both of their characters have big emotional growth spurts and it's actually because of their time together, both alone and with each other's family and friends. I loved watching it, especially as they grew to lean on each other and as they lowered their walls to let the other in.
In the beginning both Jonah and Alexio are kind of douches 😂 Hence the whole enemies to lovers bit, but they just can't stay away from each other and under all that douchiness are big soft hearts. The found family around these two are fun and I'm really happy to have finally stepped into this hockey world where I can't wait to see who falls next.
If there was nothing else I took away, let me say that reading about blind hockey players was an immersion experience like nothing else. It was next level. Truly, if for no other reason, read one of Lindsey's books to step into the shoes of her characters, experience what they live through, even if it's just for a few hours. It's always enlightening and very humbling and the hockey part of it just made me sweat while sitting on my couch. On top of the exercise, that I obviously need, Lindsey writes her characters with great empathy, care, and a dose of humor, which makes her books a joy to read each and every time.
In Stick Around, Alexio and Jonah do NOT get along in the beginning. It has a lot to do with misplaced judgments, hockey egos, and a bit of that awakening that Jonah is going through, but both of their characters have big emotional growth spurts and it's actually because of their time together, both alone and with each other's family and friends. I loved watching it, especially as they grew to lean on each other and as they lowered their walls to let the other in.
In the beginning both Jonah and Alexio are kind of douches 😂 Hence the whole enemies to lovers bit, but they just can't stay away from each other and under all that douchiness are big soft hearts. The found family around these two are fun and I'm really happy to have finally stepped into this hockey world where I can't wait to see who falls next.
March 25, 2026
I loved the first 3 books in the Punk as Puck series so I was so excited to see we were getting more- and I think Jonah might be my favorite MC of them all!
My sweet Jonah is STRUGGLING in this book. His mom is shit.. his dad is shit and has Alzheimer’s, and he’s been thrust into taking care of him.. he’s discovering he might not be as straight as he thought.. and he’s on the outs (sort of) with his brothers. And he’s dealing with this all while being a professional blind hockey goalie.
He meets Alexio when his dad wanders into Alexio’s brother’s restaurant. Unbeknownst to Jonah, Alexio and his brother have been helping to take care of his dad for awhile now and Alexio is less than fond of Jonah when he starts to be around. Alexio, another pro hockey player, thinks that Jonah had been abandoning his dad and he’s not shy to share his opinions and distaste.
Even though neither seems too fond of the other, they both slowly start to realize there’s more to the other than meets the eye. Alexio realizes he doesn’t have the entire picture and Jonah realizes that Alexio isn’t a complete asshole. The push/pull between these boys is intense and I loved them together. Alexio treats Jonah like he’s perfect the way he is - because he is.. and Jonah maybe starts to accept it.
I love the found family aspect of this story. Jonah’s friends really show up for him and Alexio’s friends become part of the mix. The support these two have is very special. While their friends support them, both individually and as a couple, it was very sweet to see Alexio taking care of Jonah - and Jonah letting his walls down to allow it to happen. And when Alexio needed the care in return? Gah, my heart. Jonah was perfect.
Overall, these two were a very sweet and emotional couple and I’m so excited we got to see Jonah’s story. And I can’t wait for Micah’s story.
What you’re getting: enemies to lovers | bi awakening | found family | age gap | disability rep | hurt x comfort | praise kink | HEA | spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
*ARC Review*
My sweet Jonah is STRUGGLING in this book. His mom is shit.. his dad is shit and has Alzheimer’s, and he’s been thrust into taking care of him.. he’s discovering he might not be as straight as he thought.. and he’s on the outs (sort of) with his brothers. And he’s dealing with this all while being a professional blind hockey goalie.
He meets Alexio when his dad wanders into Alexio’s brother’s restaurant. Unbeknownst to Jonah, Alexio and his brother have been helping to take care of his dad for awhile now and Alexio is less than fond of Jonah when he starts to be around. Alexio, another pro hockey player, thinks that Jonah had been abandoning his dad and he’s not shy to share his opinions and distaste.
Even though neither seems too fond of the other, they both slowly start to realize there’s more to the other than meets the eye. Alexio realizes he doesn’t have the entire picture and Jonah realizes that Alexio isn’t a complete asshole. The push/pull between these boys is intense and I loved them together. Alexio treats Jonah like he’s perfect the way he is - because he is.. and Jonah maybe starts to accept it.
I love the found family aspect of this story. Jonah’s friends really show up for him and Alexio’s friends become part of the mix. The support these two have is very special. While their friends support them, both individually and as a couple, it was very sweet to see Alexio taking care of Jonah - and Jonah letting his walls down to allow it to happen. And when Alexio needed the care in return? Gah, my heart. Jonah was perfect.
Overall, these two were a very sweet and emotional couple and I’m so excited we got to see Jonah’s story. And I can’t wait for Micah’s story.
What you’re getting: enemies to lovers | bi awakening | found family | age gap | disability rep | hurt x comfort | praise kink | HEA | spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
*ARC Review*
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