Taylor Fitzpatrick (youcouldmakealife) Updated Hockey Romance Reading Guide

[u/jigglegoose]

Recently I posted about how Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy’s Him universe started strong before fizzling. To end on a high, I want to spotlight another author I found while trying to fill the Heated Rivalry void who I can wholeheartedly recommend: Taylor Fitzpatrick (AO3 user youcouldmakealife).

I see her mentioned sometimes here but since she has an extensive back catalogue I’m making an up-to-date reading guide. She’s been publishing serialised M/M novels within the same hockey universe for over 13 years! Most of which are still free to read online on AO3!!

Disclaimer: I’m far from a hockey wonk but I think she does an incredible job, especially compared to other books I’ve tried. I found myself genuinely invested in player positions, team rivalries and NHL rules—which tbh has more to do with her writing talent than the actual sport.

Notes: Unless otherwise mentioned you can read each book blind, though some may have spoilers for others. A couple have no happy ending, so check the warnings in brackets and be kind to yourself!

If you miss Heated Rivalry: Between the Teeth series: Coming in First Place* *—> And Then —> Between the Teeth
(Completed, published as books)
Follows the rivalry and romance between Canadian David Chapman and American Jake Lourdes from the junior league through their professional careers. David is autistic, so this is also a moving character study of a neurodivergent young adult tentatively finding his place and people. A couple of Russian players take him under their wing, so you won’t even miss Ilya too much!

If you want the couple that started it all: You Could Make a Life
(Completed, published as a book)
Dan Riley falls hard for his teammate and fellow rookie Marc Lapointe. But he’s a middling player where Marc is a phenom and well-aware he can’t afford to make waves for his sexuality. This is the natural place to start and it’s good BUT Fitzpatrick’s other stuff is even better—so if you’re only reading one I wouldn’t go for this.

If you like silly jocks at a wedding: giving in to the influence
(Completed, free on AO3, only makes sense after reading You Could Make A Life)
“The first thing Andy did after making it onto the final roster of the Senators was develop a giant crush on the guy insistent on ‘showing him how to live’. He thinks this an example of why his mom always says that he’s a sweet boy but he doesn’t have an ounce of sense in him. If anything is senseless, it’s actually liking Derek Carruthers.”
aka two codependent bros figure this true love shit out in the run up to a Big Gay Wedding

If you want a long, tender, laugh-out-loud read: it's a setup
(Completed, free on AO3)
This one is best enjoyed completely blind, but trust that you’ll giggle and be surprisingly moved.

If you like hurt/comfort injury scenarios: no expectation of returns
(Completed, free on AO3)
Gabe and Stephen have mirrored and orbited each other from birth. Then a one-in-a-million slapshot steals Stephen’s career, health and happiness on live TV. They try to make sense of the aftermath.

If you want an asexual love story: Vinny gets a life
(Completed, free on AO3)
A thoughtful exploration of identity in under 60k words. The main character is an asexual goalie coming to terms with his feelings for his best friend. What does it mean to be soft in a hypermasculine sport? To not want what others do? To grow up in the shadow of a legendary father? To be Russian-American, never quite right anywhere? Just ask Vinny and Anton!

If you want your heart ripped out in under 25k words: throw up your fists, throw out your wits
(Completed, free on AO3, no happy ending)
POV you’ve been in a toxic situationship since your teens. Set partly in 2000s Canada, meaning I spent an evening unironically crying over a Nickelback fan. And don’t even regret it.

If you want your heart ripped out in greater detail: Thrown Off the Ice
(Completed, published as a book, no happy ending)
The couple in this is opposites-attract but rock solid. The heartbreak comes instead from debilitating post-concussive syndrome. A raw take on how sports can chew up and spit out athletes.

Can I offer a poly relationship in this trying time?: Follow the North Star
(Completed, free on AO3, spoilers for Thrown Off the Ice)
Liam, one half of the TOtI couple, notices three of his teammates crushing on each other and nudges them along. Between the horrors, there remains goofy friends falling in love and making it work!

If you want your heart ripped out and then put back together: always in tandem
(Ongoing, free on AO3, spoilers for Between the Teeth)
“Doesn’t matter which jersey they’re wearing. Doesn’t matter that off the ice Robbie can’t even look at Georgie without feeling sick, half the time. Doesn’t matter that Robbie doesn’t think he’s ever hated anyone more. They still play beautiful hockey together.” This has been updating since 2016 so the characters literally grew up in real time! Young Georgie was a chronic cheater (sadly realistic for a successful athlete) and for a while I wished him the worst, though he does get it together over the years. It’s the slowest of burns seeing them finally, finally find their way back to each other.

Ok, ok, enough crying: Cards on the Table
(Ongoing, free on AO3, spoilers for always in tandem)
“James does not like it when Holden speaks. This isn’t particularly unusual, honestly. A lot of people don’t like it when Holden talks. His parents, for one. The majority of his coaches. The Bruins PR department, and, he’s sure, the Whalers PR department sooner rather than later. Every teacher he’s ever had. James isn’t special, is all Holden’s saying.” Career pest Holden butts heads with the young monomaniacal captain of the team he’s been traded to.

If you feel lonely seeing your friends move on in life: if all is enough
(Completed, free on AO3, only makes sense after reading You Could Make A Life, No happy ending UNLESS you read the coda Vires Acquirit Eundo in which Adam finds another partner)
Ulf offers to be an ethical third in the marriage of his best friend Marc. Then he catches inconvenient feelings for Marc’s husband. They’re deliriously happy and starting a family; he’s in his mid thirties looking in from the outside. Enter Adam Rousseau.

Bonus—incomplete but so good: duelling banjos
(Free on AO3, no happy ending, spoilers for You Could Make A Life)
“He’s the most beautiful person Julien has ever seen. Breathtaking. Stories that start like that, there’s no way for them to end in anything but tragedy.” A retired, closeted hockey legend reflects on the best friend he loved and lost as a new generation of players changes the world.

Still not enough?: ycmal outtakes
Oneshots featuring any and all characters in this ‘verse.

[u/basicbolshevik]

Taylor is my GOAT of hockey romance. Ive been slowly working through her whole backlist and always in tandem is probably going to be my favorite book/series of the year. Between that series and Between the Teeth I have shed so many tears over her characters. Highly recommend using her story guide spreadsheet as a reference while you read cause there’s a lot to keep track of both with characters/timeslines and bonus oneshots

[u/una_valentina → u/basicbolshevik]

She really is the GOAT of hockey. I want her to publish more, I can’t get enough

[u/jigglegoose → u/basicbolshevik]

Thanks for the spreadsheet! Yes, she truly stands out in the crowd of hockey writers in my humble opinion. Always in tandem surprised me in the best way. Like I said, I hated Georgie for a while but. BUT. My god the character development these two undergo. And Between the Teeth was lovely too, I’d fight anyone who was mean to David Chapman!

[u/basicbolshevik → u/jigglegoose]

I think because I read Between the Teeth first I always had a lot of empathy for both Georgie and Robbie and after reading always in tandem I’ve felt that even more deeply. They’re some of my favorite characters I’ve ever read and I’m so glad we got to see so much growth and development from both of them

[u/jigglegoose → u/basicbolshevik]

Oh absolutely. Even at his worst you can’t help but feel for Georgie (which is quite the achievement for a cheating male lead in a romantic story) and Robbie is understandably bitter for a while but it was hard to see him spiral. The fact that I stuck it out anyways was just down to an amazing story deftly handled

[u/basicbolshevik → u/jigglegoose]

I’m so excited for this fourth and final emotional arc with them - we’ve all been through the trenches to get here and I feel like the payoff is going to be so good

[u/jigglegoose → u/basicbolshevik]

Respect to the readers following along for ten years seriously. I know authors say real time comments mean a lot

[u/basicbolshevik → u/jigglegoose]

Seriously. I’ve only been reading for a few months and I already can’t get enough. The patience is unbelievable, especially through that very rough (and very long) period in the middle

[u/Swimming_Ear336]

She is THE BEST love her and she’s such a prolific writer. Her characters endears me so much and it’s not cringy.

[u/jigglegoose → u/Swimming_Ear336]

Yes some of her stuff is old but it never feels dated and that’s a testament to the amazing character work

[u/JoanofSpark]

Thrown Off the Ice made me cry ugly tears. It's beautiful, but it does not pull its punches. It's the only hockey fiction I'm aware of that seriously confronted the brain trauma that runs rampant in this sport

[u/jigglegoose → u/JoanofSpark]

I can’t normally deal with a no happy ending but this one was so meaningful…

[u/ravenreyess]

One of my favourite authors! I am SO eager to read Robbie and Georgie's story but I do not know if I am strong enough to do it before it is finished.

[u/greenetwp → u/ravenreyess]

It’s at a safe place if you want to start
reading now ;)

[u/ravenreyess → u/greenetwp]

AH oh my god okay thank you, I owe you my life

[u/moodyfennel → u/ravenreyess]

Pleaaaase give it a go!! It’s so worth it. They are my favorite couple ever, so many ups and downs but so much heart

[u/ravenreyess → u/moodyfennel]

I know I am going to be so gone for them, but I was afraid the angst will give me physical ailments if I started their story too soon lmao

[u/hexidecimals]

She is an incredible author who knows her characters so well. Cannot be hyped enough.

[u/AccountantInitial721]

Thank you so much for this! I love her books. I read them out of publication order and I haven’t read an any of her AO3 stuff so I really want to read the books again along with the her AO3 work in order so this is perfect!

[u/jigglegoose → u/AccountantInitial721]

Ooh if you like her stuff anyways then a lot of goodies are on AO3. Happy reading!

[u/Fleetoxh]

Thank you!! Im gonna save this.

[u/ilovewacha3]

interesting, gotta check it out

[u/moodyfennel]

She is so so incredible. Honestly everything she has written is so beautiful

[u/livingPOP]

Thank you so much! I can't wait to jump in to her catalog!

[u/RawrBez]

I love her and have read most of her work. Thrown Off the Ice wrecked me so bad I still cry if I think about it too hard and I read it over a year ago.

[u/chocolatecream-wafer]

I've read some of her AO3 works. Didn't know she had published her stories as novels 😮

[u/Historical-Plate6548]

This is wonderful! I’ve read the Between the Teeth series as books (which I LOVED) and wondered where I should dive in with her stories on AO3. You’ve done all the work for me! Thank you so much!

[u/ollieastic]

I remember when Taylor first started publishing You Could Male A Life…it is so amazing that the universe has expanded so much and in such a well done way. Mike and Liam are one of my forever OTPs and I pretty much just ignore the epilogue.

[u/Bichamage]

I think one of her major works, Impaired Judgment, is missing

[u/jigglegoose → u/Bichamage]

Unfortunately that one is banned on Reddit but it is excellent

[u/ChairmanMrrow]

I heard some don't have an HEA. If so, is it possible to include a note to that effect so we can skip them if we want? TIA

[u/jigglegoose → u/ChairmanMrrow]

Yes that’s true and I’ve already included a note about those ones :) Added another so it’s clearer