Blue Line Between Us

A MM College Hockey Romance

By: Scarlett Ackles

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Theo

Everyone thinks I’m fine. The jokes, the parties, and the way I light up the locker room are all part of the show I put on.

It’s a mask I’ve learned to wear well, because if anyone ever found out the truth about my brother and the panic attacks I can barely keep under control, I would be risking more than just my place on the team.

And then there’s Seth. He’s the new transfer defenseman with a constant scowl and a stare that sees too much.

I thought he couldn’t stand me, but then one time, after a panic spiral, he doesn’t walk away....

Seth

I didn’t transfer to make friends. My only focus is rebuilding my game and staying under the radar.

But Theo makes that impossible. He’s loud, reckless, and way too good at seeing through me.

I didn’t come here to care. The ice is supposed to keep us distant, but between practices, stolen glances, and quiet moments no one else sees, the blue line between teammates and something more begins to blur.

We’re both playing a dangerous game, and it won’t end without a cost...

What a great love story!

I love MM romance novels, but one thing bothers me at times: the sex scenes. Some are little more than porn with a side of plot. This book is an exception!

First, it’s an unusual storyline that puts two people on a serious path to a long-lasting relationship. The issues they face are realistic and their approach to solving problems as a team is solid.

Of course, there’s sex involved, but Ackles handles it without the blow-by-blow (pun intended) details. I had the feeling the characters were making love rather just feral pawing.

In short, I’m a fan. This is the second book I’ve read from this author, and I’m hooked!

I loved the book

The story of loss and honoring memories was sweet and sad. The support the characters displayed was very refreshing and provided a great balance which made the book worth listening to until the end. The great ending was very touching.

Good old trauma dumping turns into real love

i am at chapter 8, till now, i like it definetly more than the X-mas with my coach story.

edit:
omg!!! i love it. I am drawn to nitpicking, so saying it is perfect with my standars is overreacting... but i am so sad, when i was a child, i watched Philadelphia with Tom Hanks instead of the adaptation of this book. It is the perfect fairy tale, i love fairy tales, this one is soooo cute <3 The evil wizard gets some real life changing consecvences of being a evil, and the sentences from self help books or therapy are not there to piss me off, "why can't you write a healthier dinamic, if you know soo much" I love it. I was really sceptical after the "Xmas with my coach" story, because according to audible this supposed to be previous work; and i began to think, Xmas with coach was written by an AI "write me something like 'Blue line between us', but more cheesy and nonsence way" :p

Spoilers:
i am so happy the stalker was taken seriously in this book. The e-mail being not a clue, who he was, bugged me a little more, than i wanted to; but yeah i am nitpicking and printed media nowadays is so old school XD
Or that scar... how could you make love and not see it? Were they both virgins and closing their eyes the whole time, blushing not only because of hormons, but shame? XD i could imagine a chapter about "i made up a surgery, because i don't want to remember, what really happened but now my consciousness is not clean and what if this ruins what we might have had and everything falls apart because of this lie, but he must understand, or not, omg what should i do, i can't speak about it even with my therapist, because thinking of it hurts so much, my throat feels being choked and no sounds come out of my mouth " or whatever. In my opinion, it could have been a better drama than being stalked by a homophob.

That scene at the grave was so beautiful. Knowing your attachment style is hurting your SO, but understandig the need to be alone and hoping the other will be not that hurt, that the relationship is ruined forever. If Seth mentioned, he is too clingy and he wants to give space, but at the moment it is not who he is, just who he wants to be... I would have had a mindgasm. I was soo wanting him to have a line in that direction.

And i loved the hand holding scene at the memorial "party" or what it is called. I felt extra bad for it being part of the stalking. For me ruining this moment could be compansated, if we knew more about the antagonist, maybe always wanting to be with "anisan" never accepting he is gay; being mad at Theo, because he was a real "little bother" not recognising, that does mean something erotic only in hentai and ecchi; and/or wanting to be teamleader, and never accepting Theo was better then him. Half a chapter. Being only homophobic, not hintig the self doubt and hatred behind that. And i know, not all homophobic people are hiding in the closet being jeaoulus of the others being outside...

i hope in ~30 (32 years since Philadelphia came out) years from now books like this can only show homophobic people questioning their sanaty,... i mean heterophobic people, if they exists, how would you describe them? Sure some kind of self doubting characters, like "it is normal, without them, there were nobody procreating in natural ways... why do i fear/hate them. Nobody can know, i have these feelings about heterosexual people, because then they will know, something is wrong with me."

I hope Scarlett Ackles writes tousand of books like this, but longer and maybe less drama with actual investigation scenes, who could be the blackmailer, how could they take those pics... or i don't know. I am hooked on this believe of seeing 2 broken individuals trying to have a healthy relationship, instead of calling a toxic one healthy, because they know some "therapy" sentenses. And i really hope, there will be lesbian protagonists, too.