Heated Rivalry Book Review: Tough Guy: Part 1 - First Impressions

Declan is joined by Jenn from The Book Refuge to dive into Tough Guy, the third book in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, and it’s quite the change of pace after Heated Rivalry.This time, we’re talking Ryan Price and Fabian Salah, two characters who couldn’t seem more different, but who might be exactly what the other needs. We unpack Ryan’s anxiety and complicated relationship with hockey, Fabian’s unapologetic confidence and queerness, and why their much slower journey towards intimacy makes their relationship feel so different from Shane and Ilya’s.We also get into the book’s exploration of toxic masculinity and hockey culture, the importance of friendship and support, Ryan’s experiences with performance anxiety, and the way Rachel Reid writes intimacy without making sex the end goal.Plus, we ask whether Fabian is always quite as understanding as he thinks he is, discuss why Wyatt might secretly be one of the best characters in the series, and inevitably find several excuses to talk about Shane and Ilya again.Is Tough Guy actually the best-written Game Changers book so far? The next episode of the Long Game podcast will be released on Sunday 20th September 2026.Find Jenn:Instagram: thebookrefuge18Youtube: TheBookRefugePatreon: https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.patreon.com%2Fthebookrefuge%3Futm_campaign%3Dcreatorshare_creator&e=AUDcHdy3h2tYt5j5YUAD8Re3PXU1crwrEij1q-82r98fN984taClIYwUaMLBoe1PQnXUsfy1kbJQXvs4wTt0GnLYX0NObFyxW6nlNS1UcBO3-FyOMD1ZLVw6643uo0WL8EueRlFiJe3shYKbywOur Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/LongGamePodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkJoin our Long Game Podcast Book Club on Fable to read along with us each week.: https://fable.co/club/long-game-pod-book-club-with-long-game-pod-349252537194?invite=fc285de0-86ea-45c4-ab3f-8dcc82b8cad8&referralID=4tVUzsxlCCFind us on instagram: longgame.heatedrivalry.podWrite to us: longgamepod2481@gmail.comFind Declan: Instagram: declan712Tiktok: declanmccallion1Find Silvan:Instagram: SilvatesTiktok: silvates1Listen to the Podcast on:Apple podcast: Spotify podcast: Amazon podcast: Watch it on youtube: https://youtu.be/S22mVMWG5JAListen to Silvan’s ‘Silvates’ podcast on mental health and wellbeing here:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/silvates/id1531620495Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xMX59teVzpf6M86Cv7WG9?si=016f5477aed1469700:00 Introduction to Tough Guy and the Series02:15 Character Dynamics and Emotional Connections05:18 Themes of Mental Health and Anxiety08:09 Exploring Hockey Culture and Masculinity10:03 Ryan and Fabian: A New Kind of Relationship13:05 The Role of Support Systems in Mental Health16:08 Fabian: The Antithesis of Traditional Masculinity19:04 Concluding Thoughts on Character Growth and Relationships26:59 Exploring Representation in MM Romance30:10 Feminine Characters and Their Importance34:44 Diversity in Character Types38:00 The Complexity of Relationships41:41 Character Flaws and Growth47:50 Missed Opportunities for Character Development52:27 Character Development and Relationship Dynamics55:00 Exploring Career Choices and Personal Growth58:38 Navigating Sexual Performance Anxiety01:06:51 The Complexity of Identity and Relationships