Former NHL participant Sean Avery is co-writing a hockey romance ebook, Summer time Skate, and it is already stirring up a good bit of controversy. Hockey romance books are large enterprise proper now. Romance has loads of subgenres, however within the realm of the sports activities subgenre, hockey reigns supreme. One thing in regards to the hypermasculine, typically aggressive, all the time passionate sport of hockey juxtaposed with the gentle tenderness and intimacy of romance makes for a heady concoction, and it is one readers, primarily ladies, have devoured. And, let’s be trustworthy, it does not harm that various NHL hockey gamers are so sizzling they may themselves be on the quilt of a romance novel.
NHL gamers have typically confirmed to have shocking skills and fascinating careers after they retire, and multiple has tried his hand at writing. Former goalie Ken Dryden is essentially the most notable of the bunch, having written half a dozen non-fiction books in his post-playing profession. Present Edmonton Oilers participant Zach Hyman is a youngsters’s literature writer. There are a handful of others who’ve picked up the pen or pixel, too. Nonetheless, none of these have been or shall be as controversial as Sean Avery attempting his hand at romance, and the blistering backlash on the web for the upcoming 2025 romance book proves it.
Summer time Skate Romance Ebook Defined
A Scorching Mess Between A Bestelling Writer & A Rookie Hockey Participant
Summer time Skate is the creation of co-authors Sean Avery and Leslie Cohen, and, whereas Cohen has just a few books underneath her belt, it is Avery’s debut novel. Avery introduced the ebook on his Instagram, saying, “the romance novel recreation is about to be elevated.” The story follows bestselling novelist Jessica Riley, whose demanding profession of deadlines and motherhood overwhelm her, and she or he impulsively fakes a psychological breakdown to get away for some time.
The Simon & Schuster tagline: “A novelist with a rebellious streak and a nasty behavior of turning males into materials. A hockey participant with a darkish previous . . . and a shot at stardom that he simply may blow.
A summer season trip that heats up with a forbidden attraction robust sufficient to burn their neighboring Hamptons homes to the bottom.”
Sadly, she learns the home subsequent door to the one the place she chooses to recuperate is filled with rowdy hockey gamers – together with Carter Hughes, the soon-to-be star New York Rangers rookie. Jessica and Carter develop nearer as she loses herself within the enjoyable of being across the gamers, however her attraction spirals uncontrolled as she begins to turn out to be impulsive and erratic. Carter, in the meantime, finds himself in over his head as he begins to mingle with the facility gamers of the Hamptons, and it threatens to derail his profession earlier than it even begins.
It is fairly the profession departure for Avery, who has dabbled in performing since his NHL taking part in profession however is now reinventing himself as an writer.
The writer, Simon & Schuster, describes Summer time Skate as “horny and addictive,” and are selling it as the following buzzy, frothy learn. Sarcastically, contemplating the title, it isn’t truly hitting cabinets in the summertime however is ready to be launched on September 9, 2025. It is at present obtainable for preorder from varied booksellers, all obtainable on its Simon & Schuster web page. It is fairly the profession departure for Avery, who has dabbled in performing since his NHL taking part in profession however is now reinventing himself as an writer.
Summer time Skate’s Co-Writer Sean Avery Was An NHL Participant
He Famously Pressured The NHL To Undertake The “Avery Rule”
It is no shock that the hockey gamers in Summer time Skate are the New York Rangers – in spite of everything, that is the staff for whom Sean Avery performed within the NHL for years. His taking part in profession as a left winger lasted for twelve years, from 2000-2012, and through that point, he performed for 5 completely different groups. Nonetheless, it is the Rangers with whom he is most related, partly as a result of he performed for them twice, and partly as a result of it was his antics whereas he lived and performed within the Massive Apple that made him one of many largest pests on the ice and notorious off it.
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Avery was a polarizing determine throughout his time within the NHL and a lightning rod for controversy – often all of his personal making. Avery has by no means been one to mince phrases or fear about how his comes throughout, and, as such, he angered just a few gamers throughout his time. When he was let go from the Detroit Purple Wings, then-GM Ken Holland defined it was as a result of Avery hadn’t matured, and didn’t reside as much as the requirements of knowledgeable hockey participant, a sentiment echoed just a few years later by then-Rangers GM Glen Sather.
The record of his incidents (through Web Archive) is lengthy, however no on-ice incident is as notorious because the one wherein his habits throughout a recreation compelled the league to really change a rule. Throughout a first-round playoff recreation between the Rangers and New Jersey Devils, Avery made it his mission to get into the face of opposing goaltender Martin Brodeur – actually. Turning his again fully to the play, Avery waved his arms and stick in entrance of Brodeur’s face, blocking the goalie from seeing the play.
Throughout the handshake line, Brodeur understandably refused to shake Avery’s hand, and the league rapidly modified the league guidelines in order that actions like Avery’s would lead to a penalty and probably an unsportsmanlike conduct cost, a change henceforth often known as the “Avery Rule.” It was a pointy rebuke from the league, nevertheless it did not appear to discourage Avery a lot or compel him to develop up, and that lack of maturity and professionalism continued into his private life.
Why It is So Controversial That Sean Avery Is Writing A Romance Ebook
That results in why fairly just a few individuals are so upset that Sean Avery is writing a romance ebook. Avery has a historical past of constructing misogynistic feedback, considered one of which ended his profession with the Dallas Stars. In December 2008, he gathered the native sports activities media collectively after a morning skate merely to say, “I am actually glad to be again in Calgary; I really like Canada. I simply need to touch upon the way it’s turn out to be like a typical factor within the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I do not know what that is about, however benefit from the recreation tonight,” he mentioned, referring to his ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert being in a relationship with Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf. For that, he acquired a six-game suspension, a request from the league to attend anger administration, and was positioned on waivers by the Stars.
I simply need to touch upon the way it’s turn out to be like a typical factor within the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. – Sean Avery, December 2008
In 2015, Avery married mannequin Hilary Rhoda, however she filed for divorce in 2022, stating that Avery had been emotionally abusive to her, and, on not less than one event, bodily abusive to their son, Nash. Public data later confirmed that she had additionally filed a restraining order towards him on the time; as of July 2023, that restraining order was nonetheless in impact (through ET Canada). The restraining order contained particulars of his alleged abuse of her, together with repeated stalking and erratic and unstable habits, which he blamed on an dependancy to oxycontin, Rhoda claimed.
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Whereas males can definitely write romance, even troubled males with problematic pasts, it is comprehensible that individuals are drawing a tough line at a person with a transparent historical past of misogyny and abuse allegations writing a romance novel. Avery’s historical past has additionally obtained ebook lovers questioning why Leslie Cohen, an avowed Rangers fan, would deign to write down a ebook aimed toward ladies with him. His previous phrases and actions don’t fill one with confidence that he’ll do it justice, however past that, ladies are questioning whether or not they need to assist the ebook, monetarily.
It is honest for readers to ask why they need to belief the characterization of a feminine character by a person who so clearly has points with ladies.
It is honest for readers to ask why they need to belief the characterization of a feminine character by a person who so clearly has points with ladies. It is significantly questionable because the Summer time Skate protagonist appears to be messy and spiraling in a approach that requires thoughtfulness and understanding to write down, neither of that are qualities Avery has ever proven he possesses. Finally, it is as much as potential readers to determine for themselves in the event that they need to assist the ebook, nevertheless it’s already clear that, for a lot of ladies, the reply to that may be a arduous “no.”
