Hey buddies! Long time no see. I’m back though, with the first book review I’ve ever written and I’m sooo ready for this!!! I just finished reading “Time to Shine” by Rachel Reid and, oh god, what a book it was!

Let me start with the fact that I just LOVE Rachel Reid’s books. I read the entire Game Changer series some months ago and they totally changed my life.

With that in mind, I started reading Time to Shine and just as I thought, I loved every part of it. I don’t have a single bad, or even, mediocre thing to mention about this book. I give it a solid 5/5, so I’ll just talk about how much I loved it and all the reasons it healed my heart.

Plot

Landon and Casey are both 24-year-old ice hockey players.

Landon is a quiet and shy person. His social life is pretty limited. He’s not talkative, he doesn’t like physical touch, he’s emotionally closed off, and the same goes for his sexuality. He’s also been carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders for years.

Casey is the exact opposite. He’s very sociable and funny, always surrounded by people. In fact, he feels very uncomfortable when he’s not surrounded by people. Especially at night.

They both end up living in the same house, after Landon is chosen to replace the injured goaltender on Casey’s team for a short amount of time. Living together, they realize they have something else in common besides their age. They both have trouble sleeping, each one for a different reason.

Now, you may think this is the typical opposites attract trope, but no. Rachel Reid always has a way to amaze us with anything she writes and this book is no exception. The storyline is unique, deep and meaningful, making it stand out from other roommate stories.

Time to Shine is a slow burn romance. The way the plot unfolds is so interesting and heart-warming. As Landon and Casey spend more and more time together, they build a bond so strong that it’s beyond both of them. They fall deeply in love, despite knowing their relationship has an expiration date.

Characters

Casey is literally a ray of sunshine. Very extroverted and funny. He thinks that people easily get tired of him, because he’s very talkative and not really smart. If everyone tells you you’re not smart from a young age, sooner or later you’ll just start believing it and stop believing in yourself. The truth is, everyone is perfect in their own way and Casey is so much more than smart. He’s also a very caring and thoughtful person.

While Casey thinks that he’s good only at hockey (and sex, maybe), Landon feels very guilty about playing hockey and “abandoning” his parents to chase his dream. He lost his sister in an accident a few years ago and unfortunately, his relationship with his parents hasn’t been the same and he hasn’t had a proper conversation with them since.

Like all of Rachel’s characters, this couple is not perfect. They’re just real and one way or another they always try to improve and be the best version of themselves. They are well-written, realistic, with depth and great character development throughout the book.

Relationship

Casey gets easily misunderstood by people, but never by Landon. When he’s with him, he can talk as much as he wants, joke, pop out any random thing that comes into his mind and just be himself without Landon ever getting tired of him or thinking he’s stupid.

Landon never properly expresses his feelings to anyone. But, with Casey by his side, it was much easier for him to talk to him and let out all the guilt he’s carried for years. He even found the courage to finally talk with his parents. Also, as they get closer, we see more of his true self, funny and witty at times, which led to a lot of hilarious dialogue between them.

I love this couple so much. I was having such a good time reading the cute, shy and adorable way they interact.

Also, the sex between them felt realistic, passionate and perfectly written for these two characters. One of them wanted sex from anyone, while the other never wanted sex from anyone at all.

Family & Therapy

Landon is overwhelmed with guilt and his parents didn’t help a lot with his burden. He doesn’t acknowledge the things he deserves and he doesn’t know how to fight for them. I love the development of his relationship with his family and how his parents realized that therapy is very helpful and important and made the effort to try to be strong for their son. The most important fact is that they really tried to heal and to help Landon free himself from his guilt, even if it took them some years to understand how to do it.

Friendship

Friends play a big part in this story, especially in Casey’s POV. I liked the supportive environment that gave him the freedom to just be himself. His teammates are the ones who encouraged him to chase his dreams, realize how precious he is and stop thinking so little of himself.

Conclusion

I’ve come to a point where I really trust Rachel Reid’s writing. I love how all of the characters she creates are so relatable.

You may have noticed that I didn’t put a label on either Casey or Landon. I feel that’s the right way to identify both characters, especially because they’re still figuring themselves out. They are just unique, like any of us, no matter who they like, or how they act on certain things.

The writing was beautiful. I love that this book isn’t focused on homophobia, but rather on the protagonists’ journey to become better for themselves, for each other, and to heal. If there’s one thing this book made me realize, it’s to live for today and be brave, just like Landon and Casey.

I love all Rachel Reid’s books, but I never thought anything could top the love I have for “The Long Game”. And I have to say, this one was a close call.

I would love to watch a movie, or even a whole series about this book.

I can’t wait to read “The Shots You Take” and then reread all Rachel Reid’s books again, as I’ll be patiently waiting for “Unrivaled” (and of course, the second season of “Heated Rivalry”).

I’d be glad to hear your opinion in the comments! And if you want, you can subscribe for more!

Thanks for reading,
Utaku 🌼