Tal Bauer's Gravity.
Boy Aquarium at it's finest!
his was my first Bauer book and I haven't looked back since. Aside from being one of the few men writing M/M, Tal has a real knack for making you believe two men can come to love each other just like any hetero-normative yarn from Hollywood. Gravity is straight up Boy Aquarium. The book brings together Bryce and Hunter, one a veteran superstar and the other an up and coming firebrand. Thrown together for an All-Stars event, it's a case of meeting your hero for Hunter, but is it possible Bryce has misunderstood Hunter's fan boying? The book has plenty to chew on. A rookie on the team upsets the balance, a vet is thrown off by aspects of himself he's kept secret, the two skate around each other, and the heat of it all leaves the ice melting at the center line. There is nothing really ground breaking about this book, it's just a well written romance. There is a heavy handed dose of insta-love and seemingly authentic queer awakenings tucked in the crease of this hockey romance. The third act has some additional troupes I like but I won't specify as to avoid spoilers but the book has all the classics. Throw in some fun hockey action, a bunch of accented hockey teammates, a gas station attendant in for the shock of his life and a third act refreshingly free of breakup. A satisfying hockey yarn. 8/10
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