For the last decade, successful restaurant owner and chef, Ash Ariti, has worked to make amends for the career-ending mistake he made when he was young and allowed anger to consume him. Driven to be worthy of the second chance he’s been afforded, Ash built a life centered around giving back to his community, all while maintaining a low profile. When he finds himself thrust into the spotlight of a … of a bachelor auction to help one of his favorite causes, he never expects to come face-to-face with the sexy man whose career he destroyed.
Isaiah Blake has spent a lifetime proving he’s deserving of what he has. After a hit on the ice prematurely ended his NHL career, he committed to becoming a better version of himself. Now, he’s living an open and honest life. So, when he has an opportunity to interview bachelors participating in the Hockey Allies auction for the Hockey Network, the only thing he’s hoping to gain is exposure for his non-profit. That is, until his former rival Ash, steps onto the auction block. Isaiah sees an opportunity to make amends for the suffering he caused ten years ago. Unfortunately, Ash is wary of Isaiah’s motives, and soon Isaiah realizes there is more to Ash’s cautiousness than the history that binds them.
Attraction takes hold as Ash and Isaiah begin to build a new professional alliance and friendship. They must learn to forgive each other, and most importantly, themselves. With outside forces and public opinion hawking, will their relationship be over before it begins? Or will they discover joy and redemption in each other, and find their happily ever after?
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I have to admit I was concerned when I first cracked open this book. It’s the authors only m/m book and according to Goodreads only their second release. And while I’m all for giving new authors a chance, the tense choice here is one I’m not always keen on, and can be a minefield, then a couple of early errors (roles instead of rolls, that sort of thing) had me on the back foot.
But then I got sucked into the story, and what a story it was. I forgot about the tense choice and became invested in these characters and their lives. If there were any more errors, I didn’t see them, not through my tears, as the author caught me right in the feels. The pacing was tight, the conflict real and understandable, and the MCs were excellent, a mix of romance novel perfection and complex neuroses stemming from an incident 10 years earlier. Isaiah was lovely, but it was Ash that stole my heart. A big lug of a man who can’t accept he deserves happiness is like my Kryptonite and add in to that an enemies to lovers trope, dogs, and food, and I’m one very happy bunny.
I hope this author decides to write more m/m, because I’ll be reading it.
While reading this book I wanted to grab Ash, hug him tight and not let him go until he realized what a great person he was and convince him to forgive himself. He reacted to a vicious stab to the heart and couldn’t control his anger on the ice. The man who delivered that stab , Isaiah, was trying to hide who he was and was not happy with himself and was an ass..by his own admission.
Their story ripped at my heart. The men both had flaws but what they saw in the other, what they felt for each other, jumped off the page and into my face and heart. There was no way a person could read this and not be affected by these two. Mistakes were made, things were done to try and make up for those mistakes. Love ruled the day . Love is Love and that is what got these two to where they ended up. They vowed never to give up on each other.
I loved this series of books…Hockey Allies Bid Series. Each author brought an amazing story to us to read and enjoy. So thank you to them all! Chantal Mer, Rj Scott, V.l. Locey, Jeff Adams and Susan Scott Shelley. May you all join together again and give us more!
I need to give a shout out to Grinder and Cila…paw bump!
Another story in the Hockey Allies Bachelor Bids collection and can I say that I am so glad I got this one by mistake! Asher was the key element in causing Isaiah to lose his career before it really even started. Now, ten years later, neither play hockey and have moved on job wise; for Asher he put his all in his restaurant, goes by Ash now and does his very best at giving people a second chance… even if he doesn’t feel he needs a second chance. When Isaiah has the chance to bid on Ash in the bachelor auction, he doesn’t waste one second and makes sure that he bids high and fast. Now is his chance to let Ash know that he forgives him and that he is sorry for the part he played that day so long ago. Isaiah knows he wants more from Ash than what Ash is willing to give, and in fact, Ash pushes Isaiah away and runs at the first chance he gets. But what Ash doesn’t realize yet is that Isaiah isn’t going to give up easy, but will Ash push too much and lose Isaiah in the end?
I really enjoyed this story, from the very first page all the way to the epilogue. Ash and Isaiah had me rooting for them to make it. I didn’t even mind the push and pull that we get from them. Some drama, cute puppies, and some very nicely done naughty bits, I give this 5 stars.
Enjoyed this book. I only stopped reading for a while because I switched to audio books for during the day and had some very important BLM reading to be doing during the evenings. Then I came right back, which says something! It’s an angsty ride with a happy ending. Love it.
What a beautiful story about regrets and heartache and forgiveness and love.
I devoured this quick, well-written story – I enjoyed every word. It was full of passion and sparks and gave me so many feels and heart flutters and smiles.
Ten years later, after a bad decision, Ash still feels guilty and horrible about what happened. Isaiah forgave him a long time ago. Watching these two meet and talk again after many years, and strengthen their friendship and their bond was heartwarming. I loved these two together.
From the adorable-ness of their dogs being in love, to the cooking Ash does for Isaiah, to the way Isaiah kept chasing after Ash, I was pretty much swooning throughout the whole book.
Their chemistry was electric. I could feel the love. I really, really like it when kisses are full of nips and bites and growls. These two powerful men fighting for dominance was delicious. I couldn’t get enough.
I must add that I adored supporting characters Sophie (Ash’s sister) and Alejandro (Ash’s best friend). They were perfect additions to this story.
Chantal Mer was a new-to-me author and I cannot wait to read more from her!
Absolving Ash, by Chantal Mer, is the final book in the Hockey Allies Bachelor Bid series, and WOW! What a way to wrap up this series. Chantal is a new to me author and I immediately fell in love with her writing. This is a M/M sports romance. This is my favorite kind of couple, two strong alpha men, equal in strength and dominance. Get ready to swoon.
Asher Delecroix is twenty four when we first meet him. He is out and comfortable with his sexuality, he is captain of his hockey team, Houston Hellfire, his career riding the high of success.
Isaiah Blake is twenty and has kept his true self hidden, both from the hockey world and from his father, a former hockey star. He’s full of anger and will do just about anything to win.
Two men, pitted against one another on the ice. In the heat of the moment, life altering mistakes were made, changing two careers permanently.
Now, ten years later, Ash is a successful chef for his restaurant, Long Change. He spends all his time giving back to the community in any way he can, trying to be a better man. He has never forgiven himself for what happened ten years ago. Isaiah never played again after that night either. But he likes the man he is now so much better. He’s living honestly, coming clean with who he is, both to his father, and publicly.
It’s the night of the Bachelor auction and Ash is cooking. Only instead of being behind the scenes, he finds himself under the spotlight for the first time in ten years, and who is in the audience, but the man whose life he ruined all those years ago, Isaiah.
“When I’m near him, I need to touch him. It’s like there’s some magnetic force that pulls me to him.”
Ash and Isaiah are face to face after all these years. Both feel the immediate chemistry. Isaiah has long forgiven Ash for what happened but Ash hasn’t forgiven himself. But Isaiah isn’t willing to walk away without exploring this attraction.
“Being held my Ash, sharing his heat, his breath, is one of my new favorite places to be.”
These two are both fighting with their own history, as well as the opinions of the outside world. It’s so funny, though, that with all their own struggles, their dogs had it figured out right away. It was love at first sight. Now their masters just need to figure it out. I also want to mention that I loved the secondary characters, Ash’s sous chef, Alejandro, and his sister, Sophie. They were both so much fun, and kept Ash in line when he needed it.
I loved this one! Their chemistry was hot, I loved them together. It’s just one of those times when I fell in love with them both right away. I’ve enjoyed all five of these books, each so different than the other, and have enjoyed meeting all of the authors that were new to me.
“Being with you is the one place I always want to be.”