Shutout by Mari Loyal: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

He’s the golden retriever hockey captain who was once my best friend, turned perfect stranger, and now he’s come crashing back into my life.

OLIVIA

I’m not huge into the party scene, especially after what happened last year at the Bolt House where the hockey jocks live. I’d rather stay home reading a book or cooking up a new recipe to the tune of some hard rock. But now my friends convince me to go to a party and what could go wrong, right?

Of course, we get there and find my boyfriend cheating on me with a random girl. And even worse, the one who confronts my now ex is none other than Brooklyn, Bolt House resident, hockey captain… and my former best friend.

Yep, the same one I had a major crush on basically all my life.

BROOKLYN

I haven’t seen Olivia since she basically shut me out of her life a year ago. Yeah, I was a jerk and deserve it, but does it make me even more of a jerk if I’m happy to see her break up with her boyfriend?

Maybe this is my chance to get back in her good graces, and what better opportunity than fulfilling the promise we made freshman year of signing up for a Spanish elective together.

But just as I’m starting to think I’m better suited for the role of Olivia’s boyfriend rather than her friend, I get a huge offer that could kickstart my hockey career with a bang.

And I really don’t want to choose between hockey and her again.

Are we playing the only game we can both win by shutout or are we about to lose each other forever?

Shutout is a dual POV, closed door hockey college romance with mild language, and heat without spice. It’s the third and last book in the St. Cloud Hockey trilogy, set three years after book two, and can also be read as a standalone.

The Author

Mari Loyal was born and raised in Venezuela, a baseball country that only cared about another sport, football soccer, every four years. As such, she decided to make hockey her whole personality because she had to make a point of being different. These days she no longer suffers from Not Like Other Girls syndrome and is very happy to be in the sports romance fandom. She writes closed door romance with a Latin American flair and an abundance of cinnamon rolls heroes. She also enjoys eating cinnamon rolls (the confections), in her spare time.

Book Review

Shutout is the third and final book in the St. Cloud Hockey series. I had not personally read the previous books in the series (yet) and found that it read just fine as a standalone.

This was such a fun read. Olivia and Brooklyn had been childhood best friends who'd had a falling out a year and half before the story begins. When they're thrown back together, their friendship is reignited... and even more than friendship seems to be sparking between them too. I absolutely adored these characters. Brooklyn is such a sweet MMC... I'm not sure if I've ever seen a character live up to that 'golden retriever' vibe quite so well as he did, and I absolutely adored it. He was affectionate and fun and hard not to love. Olivia balanced him out well with her sassiness. I couldn't get enough of the chemistry between the two of them... so very flirty and fun. And those kisses? Oh my goodness! If you love hockey romance, this is definitely one you'll want to check out. 

Shutout is a closed-door romance. While nothing beyond some fairly descriptive kisses happens on page, there is implied intimacy off pages and heavier innuendo/mentions of sex. It does also have a good amount of language throughout as well. As such, it might not be for all readers. 

You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3X0EeQl