Book Club Review: Tough Guy Part 2: Ryan & Fabian vs. Shane & Ilya

Declan is joined with Jenn from The Book Refuge for Part 2 of our deep dive into Tough Guy by Rachel Reid. This time, we’re putting Ryan and Fabian to the ultimate test and discussing how they actually compare to Shane and Ilya?

Declan and Jenn go head-to-head across everything that makes a romance work, including chemistry, emotional intelligence, romantic gestures, sex, conflict resolution and, ultimately, whether these couples are built for the long game.

We get into why Tough Guy feels so different from Heated Rivalry, how Rachel Reid moves queerness away from being the central conflict, and why Ryan’s anxiety creates a very different kind of obstacle to love. We also unpack Fabian’s patience and occasional impulsiveness, Ryan’s quiet romantic streak, and why the intimacy between them might be one of the most important parts of their story.

We discuss Shane and Ilya and which is the romatic one. Why are they so terrible at resolving conflict? And just how much of their relationship is actually communicated through sex?

We have ratings, disagreements and Jenn may change Declan’s mind.

The next episode of the Long Game podcast will be released on Sunday 27th September 2026.

Find Jenn:

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Youtube: TheBookRefuge

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