For the final installment of J.J. Mulder’s Offsides MM hockey romance series we have From Coast to Coast. It is probably the most disconnected from all the rest, with a minor character and a friendship with Troy from Changing the Game, being the primary connectors; well, that and they play in the NHL together.
This one was a little darker from the start, Grayson Brody, a huge gruff player for a team in Canada came out, but not to fanfare or even just begrudging acceptance. His team is horrible and he wants out. He then meets new trade Remy, fresh off a divorce from his childhood sweetheart, who screams California surfer dude, and is exploring his options after his best friend tells him to try dudes since his last relationship failed spectacularly.
The story is well written and relatively low-angst considering how dark it is when it starts and Gray is ready to do anything to get out of town and when he does he struggles because he has to leave Remy behind. They’ve spent the last few months getting to know each other and exploring Remy’s sexuality, but their meet-cute was hilarious, they started chatting on Grindr (or something like it) and once again Remy’s best friend was like hey I think that’s your roommate/teammate not some rando:
‘Okay, this is going to sound absolutely insane, but I think I might be your date.’
‘Huh?’ he mumbles around a mouthful of pizza.
‘Brody.’ I point to him.
‘Meet Ree.’ I point to myself. (76)
The other big focus of the novel was Remy’s inability to find a label that he identified with. I will say that Mulder did a good job of not making it too much of the focus, but it did come up (probably) less than you’d expect when someone is going through an identity crisis/discovery. And it once again brought demisexuality to the forefront, which I feel we’re seeing more and more in MM romances, or maybe just the authors I’m reading.
My obsession with finding a label that fits is like a rash I’m not supposed to scratch—I can’t leave it alone. So far, the one that feels the best is demisexual, since Grayson-sexual apparently isn’t an option. (217)
I am starting to wonder if authors are using that as an out so that it’s not being seen as gay men converting straight men to being gay, but making them always be “gay for you,” which is a dual edged sword. I mean I can appreciate finding your one person and how romantic that is, but at the same time is it a cop out? That being said this book had enough meta in it that I could still chuckle about it, because I always appreciate it when romance novels pick fun of themselves:
‘I can’t even explain it to you. You’ll just have to read them for yourself one day. But my point is, everybody in these damn books has, like, earth-shattering orgasms, and the sex with their partner is the greatest fucking thing to ever happen to them. I can tell you with absolute certainty, I have never had sex that good’ . . . We settle into a less than comfortable silence after that—him uncomfortable with oversharing, and me uncomfortable with the daunting task of providing the sexual experience he’s apparently read about in romance novels. (116)
‘Gray?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Just so you know—that’s the kind of sex people in romance novels have.’ (146)
My favorite scene, once again involved family. When Gray goes to visit Remy in California on one of their breaks and he meets Remy’s mom, it’s such a heartwarming scene full of laughs and and “awwwwww” moments that as they finally figured out their relationship, I could just imagine the future gatherings with his mom.
Recommendation: Of course I was going to finish out the series, and you should too. This was a good ending, especially the epilogue which brought all four couples from this series to Remy’s house for a long needed vacation and escape from the spotlight and just some fun and relaxation. Part of me wishes I wouldn’t have read these back-to-back, but they were just different enough that I stayed engaged (not including the parallel college series). If there was a fifth one however, I probably would’ve been annoyed at Mulder for some references being too often used (cough Victorian behavior cough), but she stopped at four, so it didn’t actually become an issue.
Opening Line: “I stare down at the papers in silence, wondering for the dozenth time if we are doing the right thing.”
Closing Line: “‘I love you, too,’ he says seriously, but his lips twitch and he adds under his breath: ‘Let all the bartenders know.'” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
Additional Quotes from From Coast to Coast
“Or, Gray, you can shut the fuck up. Just because he’s pretty doesn’t mean you need to act stupid.” (22)
“When I get back to the bedroom, there is a single message waiting for me from Ree: Apparently, I’m not as straight as I thought I was.” (48)
“‘Here’s the thing—I don’t think I want anyone else.’ He gestures between us.
‘This is obviously new to me. I like talking to you though, and I’ve got to be honest—I was starting to . . . notice you, before I figured out you were Brody. I figured I was just seeing you in a different way because I’d been exploring that side of myself, but, Gray . . . I don’t think that’s it. I think I just like you.'” (81)
“‘You better not fall in love with me,’ he warns, hopping off of the counter and brushing up against me.
‘One marriage was enough for me, I won’t do it again.'” (110)
“I’ve always thought of myself as straight, but that’s evidently not the case. But I’m not gay, and I don’t think I’m bi, either. I’m…I have no idea what I am. Grayson-sexual, I guess.” (173)
“A relationship doesn’t always have to feel like work. Sometimes it can just be beautiful.” (251)