Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Gross Misconduct
SERIES: The Comebacks
AUTHOR: A.J. Truman
PUBLISHER: Truman Books
LENGTH: 299 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2025
BLURB:
As a high school hockey star, I was on track for greatness. Until an opponent attacked me on the ice, leaving me half blind.
For the past twenty-seven years, I’ve avoided hockey and its painful memories. But when my old teammates get back together to play in a local recreational league, I realize it could be a chance to rewrite history. The only person standing in my way is Jack Gross.
Hockey isn’t complete without a rivalry, and ours comes courtesy of the they’re younger, faster, and fronted by Jack, a former professional hockey player who hates my guts after a rooftop hookup gone wrong.
His cockiness and penchant for pranks make me hate him right back. But Jack has a special way of getting under my skin that makes me want to get into his pants. And well, I only have so much willpower.
As our teams get closer to a showdown on the ice, Jack begins shedding his armor of confidence. Despite getting to live the life I dreamed of, maybe Jack is as messed up as me.
The championship game could redeem the past for us both. But there can only be one winner. Will victory taste as sweet if it costs me Jack?
Gross Misconduct is a rivals to lovers, age gap, single dad, gay romance with no cheating and an HEA. It is book 1 in The Comebacks, a series about a friend group of single dads who were hockey all-stars in high school and looking to recapture the magic in their forties. Whether they win or lose, there’s always a post-game beer.
REVIEW:
Griffin is a single dad former HS hockey star whose career was over before it started when a bad hit his senior year took his left eye. Now he’s an eye-patch wearing airplane mechanic single dad. And his HS teammates insist he has to join their rec league hockey team, the Comebacks. He really really doesn’t want to do it. His ex-wife isn’t so on board either. But he reluctantly agrees. He’s 40 and he’s only been out to himself and his friends for a few years. He’s not been with a guy yet and while they are out “celebrating” the new team he sees a guy who interests him. He ends up leaving the bar with Jack, but let’s say things don’t go to plan.
Jack is a former NHL player. He’s now back home with no job, no money, no working car living in an apartment his friend owns. His dad got him a job at the local lawn and garden place where he works, but he’s not happy and ends up quitting. His dad wanted him to live out his failed dreams and now that he hasn’t, well his dad doesn’t have much use for him. Jack’s mother left and so it’s only been him and is REALLY angry dad.
Jack and Griffin end up pranking each other’s teams. But that chemistry is still there. After they hookup, they are both playing much better hockey. If you know anything about hockey players, you know they are a highly superstitious lot. So they have to keep doing the same thing right???
But there are other factors at play here. Griffin doesn’t want people to know about his sex life. Jack’s father can’t know they are hooking up.. Both have some baggage from their growing up years that take some getting past if they will ever be able to be together.
Yet another story with humor and heart from A.J. Truman. This kickoff to a new series brings together rival hockey teams with the middle-aged former HS hockey stars the Comebacks versus the Blades, a mid-20s team that includes a former NHLer. Their hookup gone wrong is the impetus for their first rivalry but then who Jack really is sets up Griffin for suspecting every single thing Jack is and has done. But these two guys. UGH! They need to learn to get out of their own way. They each see the other pretty clearly – but they have blind spots as to their own attributes. The hockey league and coming out on top with the Sourwood tournament is important. But it turns out to not be THE most important thin 😉 Griffin is a great dad and I loved his daughters who were really well written. OMG! The reindeer! Jack’s lack of self-esteem was kinda heartbreaking. I loved seeing some of the guys from the other series set in this town too – especially Leo and Mitch 🙂 For me this one started off a little more seriously than some of the books by this author, but I really enjoyed how things ended up with Jack and Griffin and the rest of the teams. There is plenty of heat and a lot humor in this story which is totally on brand for this author. If you’ve enjoyed previous books from A.J. Truman, I think you will enjoy this story as well. Highly entertaining and recommended 🙂
RATING: 
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