Shots on Net

SCU Hockey, Book 1

By: J.J. Mulder

Narrated by: Iggy Toma, Liam DiCosimo

Carter Morgan III hates everything about South Carolina University except for one thing: hockey.

As the starting netminder for the team, he lives for those moments when he can step onto the ice and between the pipes. Unfortunately, his time at school and on the team is slowly coming to an end. Although he'd love nothing more than to pursue a career in the NHL, he knows better than to get his hopes up.

Zeke Cassidy needs a place to live. When he answers an advertisement for a roommate, he's not sure what he is expecting except that it isn't Carter Morgan III. Carter is unfriendly and aloof, and they have nothing in common. Even so, the pair hit it off immediately and become friends.

Carter knows Zeke isn't interested in being anything beyond friends and roommates. Unfortunately, knowing this doesn't stop him from hoping for more, no matter how much he tries to convince himself it's impossible.

©2024 J.J. Mulder (P)2024 Podium Audio

Def recommend!

This is such a great book! So sweet and such a cute read. And the narrators were amazing!

Adorable story

New to me author. Really enjoyed the story - characters were relatable and no angsty drama. College hockey story, light focus on the hockey side other than how one of the characters (Carter) dreams of continuing in hockey rather than the family business. Zeke is his new roommate who is navigating the new friendship.

If you are looking for a feel good story with an HEA and amazing narration, I recommend this one! I’m looking forward to the next in the series. About teammate Max.

A Comfort Read and the Narrators were Perfect

I’ve read the book and now listening to it read by Iggy Toma and Liam DiCosimo just makes it better. Really love JJ Mulder’s writing!

super cute

loved the grumpy sunshine vibes. these characters are super cute and sweet. definitely unique and worth reading

The characters were endearing and relatable

The best audiobook I’ve heard in more than a year. Superb storyline, just enough sex tales and most important, wonderful character development and story like. Zeke and Carter were perfect together. Can’t remember how many times I laughed out loud at their dialogue. I didn’t want the story to end. Bravo!

Sweet, Simple, and Maybe Too Easy.

This book is cute—almost too cute for my taste, if I’m being honest. There’s zero drama, zero angst. They meet, they fall in love, they communicate like champs, and every potential issue is handled with total ease. Honestly, Cinderella had more plot twists.

That said, I really liked the characters—especially Zeke, who’s some great demi rep—and the audiobook was very well done!

So Very Enjoyable!

This was such a great story! I found myself smiling almost the whole way through and definitely had many LoL moments!! I loved Zeke and Carter! A perfect grumpy sunshine pairing! I especially liked that grumpy Carter was completely likable and not an absolute asshole that needed to be redeemed to be liked. This book was a joy from start to finish! The narrators are two of my favorites and made a great pairing. The spice level is very low and it's for sure a slow burn. If that's an issue for you then go in knowing, otherwise this book is just wonderful! 10 out of 10, I definitely recommend!!!

Despite some issues, still a good listen

This title falls into a gray area for me. It's good, but it isn't great, doesn't make a lot of sense at times, and can be a touch contradictory. However, it has a thread of something that runs through the story that makes it just work. It is a series, but Mulder doesn't spend much time setting up the next book that some authors, Riley Hart for example go out of their way to make sure you know to buy the next book. This story is just that, this story.

The narration should have been a slam dunk, but it is not. The breathier DiCosimo voices the big, tough, angry jock and the more assertive sounding Iggy Toma is Zeke, the wide eyed nerd. That doesn't make sense as a starting point. Then let's add in the German teammate whose accent goes all over the place between the two narrators. Neither hits German, leaning more Russian and a host of more slavic accents. It is really bad. Iggy isn't known for accents, and clearly DiCosimo isn't up for the challenge either.

The story, at its core, is about a very lonely, sad boy who never truly had the affection of his parents, being showered with material goods, but left to starve emotionally. His long dormant soul is resurrected by a trailer park nerd who is excited by the world around him. Their incremental steps to friendship, then relationship is gerenally a slow, straight path, with a bump or two along the way. That aspect is very sweet. Mulder never loses sight of the actual story - Carter's awakening to love and acceptance. It gets muddied in a very unbelievable hockey story - Mulder should have paid a bit more attention to the millions of MM hockey stories, Carter world is completely unbelievable as a student athlete. Further complicating the story is Zeke's demi sexuality. A lot of time is spent worrying the reader if Zeke will develop physical attraction for Carter, or not. We all know the answer, but it is a snails pace to get there.

If you can avoid focusing on the hockey storyline, and stick with the boys, you should enjoy this title. Recommended.

I love a Romance story.

i felt that the guys reading for the characters did a really great job. The storyline was also very decent too.

Slow burn of the best kind

Zeke is an absolute doll🥰 I love how he gets Carter out of his head and more in tune with his heart ❤️