On paper, this book had everything to become a favorite of my 2025 reading list. Unfortunately, I was disappointed and even struggled to finish it even though it was a really short read.
The beginning was honestly a bit of a dumpster fire, there were a lot of names but no context, this was just a poorly done in medias res start. Despite that, I soon came to like Caleb and his chapters, so I forgave it until I realized that I hated Leo and the way he was written with all my heart. His insta-lust felt icky and his instant obsession cannot be the basis for the healthy relation the author was trying to sell us. Five pages in, and he was already hard just looking at him and had told us about three times how green Caleb’s eyes were. A lot of his reactions were also very excessive and came off as unhinged.
The writing itself probably had a lot to do with it, but I never rooted for them, not for one second of this book. This always felt like a very unbalanced relationship and this is the first time I’m reading an age-gap book where the gap was so obvious and cringe.
Most of the book was telling, not showing. Leo felt cold, even when he realized he was in the wrong about something, there was never a focus on his emotions or feelings, it was just facts stated about what he did wrong and what he should do to correct it. This also made the dirty talk especially cringy to me.
I think this author is honestly just not for me.

This is the first book for me by this author.

I enjoyed the glimpse of the world built and the mix of challenges and strengths of the athlete within this world, particularly those identifying as gay or bi.

For this book it’s Caleb, the quirky goalie and Leo, his team mate’s father Leo. There’s quite the age gap and differences in terms of their personal and professional experiences. I enjoyed the build up and tension of the pair. Once they took the leap I felt it was all encompassing without exploring the issues at hand (it was a ‘everything will be all right’) which undermined their experience and the difficulties this relationship would likely present in the real world.

I found Caleb lost himself a little in the relationship almost immediately despite Leo suggesting Caleb had changed him. To me, apart from risking his son’s wrath (major) for Leo there wasn’t otherwise the same risk and he seemed blindingly selfish. There was more about the kink, than the story and I felt a little more foundation would have strengthened the convincingness of the couple.

I do like the other characters in the world, and felt they appreciated Caleb whilst at times they were treating him with kid gloves.

I’ll be interested to see the next instalment as the two characters outlined have piqued my interest.

Thanks to Victory editing through Netgalley for the opportunity to read this during Pride 2025.

3.5 stars

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶
Trigger Warning;
ADHD/Anxiety Rep
Light kink - Daddy, crawling, spanking(all consensual)
Brief hospital stay
Brief on-page violence

Sweet, spicy, and chaotic are three words I could use to describe Penalty Zone! Caleb, with his racing chaotic thoughts felt very real and definitely relatable as someone with ADHD. He gives all the golden retriever vibes, sweet and eager to please, but willing bite when pushed too far. I loved Leo's growth with his son and owning his mistakes. I really like how accepting Leo is if Calebs quirks and his parents "alternative views".

I liked the plot, but it did feel very lacking in some areas, like the very quick jump from "we can't do this" to "I can't live without you" felt a little rushed and I wish we got more of the "getting to know you" build up between Caleb Leo. I do also wish we had gotten a bit more of Calebs romantic side. Over all, I really enjoyed reading Penalty Zone!

Thanks so much to HL Books Co for providing this book for review via NetGalley!

*All opinions are my own*

This book was really good. It had all the tropes, best friends father, forbidden romance, office romance, hockey romance etc. Leo and Caleb are adorable together and the redemption arc for Leo and Mason is crazy good and intense. This is a fun, quick read.

This is a cute, m/m hockey romance! Forbidden romance with an age gap and forced proximity? Yes, please! This is fluffy and perfect for pride month (and any time of the year!). Penalty zone was a good filler book for me and I do love that the author included ranks and roles of everyone apart of the hockey team that us readers can refer back to. Even though this is apart of a series, it's a standalone so the first book doesn't need to be read first!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC!

SOOO cute. So sweet. Such a quick and easy read that sure was maybe a little bit predictable but it didn't take away from my experience reading what so ever. Heather Leighson is officially a queen of LGBTQ+ writing for me. She describes the MC's emotions and thoughts so well that even if you don't personally identify as anything but straight, you'll still feel the inner turmoil and it creates such a connection to their relationship.

I personally love a good forbidden, age gap romance. Not only does this book accurately describe why age doesn't have to matter, but these characters are also not afraid to talk to each other and be emotionally vulnerable with themselves and with their friends. It was refreshing to read something that felt like it could be really realistic and had genuine reactions and problem resolution instead of the dreaded miscommunication trope.

Leo and Caleb have my heart and I cannot wait to see them grow even more together in the rest of the series!!!

Goodreads and Tiktok reviews are live now.

Penalty Zone is a rare miss by Heather Leighson. Although I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Penalty Zone was not as enjoyable. Caleb and Leo never had a building sense of compatibility. I never understood what they liked about each other.

This was such an amazing book to read. Tropes like age gap, best friend's father/forbidden love, MM and hockey are all tropes I absolutely love to read.
I loved how from the beginning they were crushing on each other but didn't do anything with it because of the son/best friend, but they just had too much chemistry together to resist.
I loved the whole goalie/goalie coach aspect of the story and the ADHD representation involved.
The whole dynamic between Caleb, Leo and Mason was fun to read.
I've loved that there was a lot of hockey and teammates involved and that it wasn't only about the love story.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Heather Leighson for the e-ARC of Penalty Zone in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the main characters in this, especially Caleb, he was such a golden retriever, sunshine boy. And equally Leo was a typical grump who had a soft spot for his son’s best friend. I also really liked the relationship between Caleb and Leo; they were a lot of fun and equally was very hot together and the daddy kink was an added extra element of deliciousness. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in love with the plot; it didn’t really work for me. I don’t know if that’s just to do with the writing, but just felt a little disjointed and choppy.

The chemistry between the protagonists is a highlight, with their relationship evolving from initial tension to deep emotional connection. The story explores the complexities of opening up to love after loss, making it a resonant read for those who appreciate slow-burn romances with substantial emotional stakesHeather Leighson is known for crafting stories that balance angst, heart, and spice. Her works often focus on characters who have been hurt or denied love in the past, emphasizing that "everyone deserves their happy ending." Penalty Zone continues this tradition, offering readers a narrative that unbreaks the heart.