Book 1,010: The Inside Edge – Ashlyn Kane

So, if we’ve learned anything over 13 years of blogging, I enjoy most MM Romances tropes, but for some reason this past year I’ve been obsessed with hockey/figure skating romances. I don’t know why, maybe it’s that I’ve finally acclimated to New England, but they are just giving me life these days. This is the sixth one I’ve read in 2023 and I have at least 2-3 more coming before the calendar turns (but reviews won’t appear until early 2024).

The Inside Edge is the story of ex-hockey player Nate and former figure skating champion Aubrey and their intense on camera relationship as part of a sports show that quickly develops into much more. It includes awkward, but adorable family visits, found family and representation across the gender and sexuality spectrum and I am here for it.

If I’m completely honest I don’t remember a lot of the details of this one because I blazed through it so fast. I get flashes of hotel rooms and childhood bedrooms when I think about it and incredibly sweet moments and incredibly awkward moments.

You want to have a secret fake relationship. You do know this isn’t a Hallmark Channel Original Movie, right? (105)

There was meta commentary on Hallmark movies and romance novels and even a shout out to Jane Austen

When they entered Aubrey’s parents’ living room a few minutes later, Aubrey’s family were all sitting on the sofas, ostensibly engaged in their phones and not in gossip. It reminded Nate of that scene from Pride & Prejudice, and he had to smother a smile. Aubrey’s parents were definitely not the Bennets in this scenario. (204)

And, of course, there was a happily ever after where they were out and open and it wasn’t a big deal. There was also humor and fun, the banter between the two on set and even in the bedroom definitely got me to chuckle a few times. There was even this hilarious moment about banana ketchup, a staple condiment form the Philippines,

‘Thank you!’ Aubrey chirped.
‘Hey, can I put in an order for those truffle-oil fries with the banana ketchup? I’m intrigued.’
‘Sure thing.’
‘Banana ketchup,’ Nate repeated. ‘That sounds….’
‘Both disgusting and kind of dirty?’ He grinned and hooked his feet around the bar rail.” (55)

Recommendation: There were definitely a few issues that I can recall (needed a better editor and some things needed to happen on the page rather than off), but if you can get around them it’s a sweet story full of humor and fun. And frankly after Browerton and some of the internalized homophobia that cast a pallor over the entire series, this one was minimal but still there and important to portray. I’ll definitely check Kane out again, especially if she has any books with an editor (looks like her hockey series, Hockey Ever After, might be with an actual publisher) because she can definitely write characters and story, she just needs help refining.

Opening Line: “I, Kelly Marie Ng, take you, Caley….”

Closing Line: “The couple will tie the knot in September at Chase’s family home in Vancouver, Canada.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)