Tag: hockey romance

ARC Book Review: When Alec Met Evie (The Appies #5) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 331 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Jenny Proctor Creative
Release Date: January 23rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Evie told herself not to fall for her pro-hockey crush. But when she sees him holding her baby girl, all bets are off.

When Evie moves South to the same mountain town where her childhood crush plays pro-hockey, she arms herself with all the reasons why she can’t fall for him again.

Number Alec is her best friend’s much older brother.
Number She’s recently divorced and does not need another man in her life. At least not anytime soon.
Number With a four-month-old daughter, she has zero time for dating.

Trouble is, Evie doesn’t know another soul in North Carolina, so when her rental floods before she’s even moved in, her only option is to crash with Alec for a few weeks. When she protests, he insists it’s what he’d do for his sister, and that’s basically what she is to him.

But all these years later, the unexpected chemistry between them definitely says otherwise.

A new relationship is risky when Evie is still licking her wounds from her divorce, and she has no idea if Alec has any desire to be a dad. His sister already warned he isn’t the type to settle down.

But she can’t make herself care about any of that. Not until she’s already fallen, and it might be too late to save herself from another heartbreak.

When Alec Met Evie is a closed-door, best friend’s brother hockey romcom with heart and humor, sizzle but no spice. Perfect for fans of sports romance who want a little less heat.

Books in the Appies Hockey Romance series are connected and chronological but still stand alone and can be read in any order.

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH YOU DON’T EVEN UNDERSTAND.

The end of an era. AN ERA. Oh how I adored this sweet and tender romance y’all. It’s not high angst or tension, it’s this incredible slow build of two people who knew each other when they were younger reconnecting in a different area of life and falling head over heels in love. It is romantic and subtle and tender. It’s ALL THE THINGS.

I loved Alec’s journey with hockey too. As a former athlete, I felt like this hit a lot of those emotional points and the questions and concerns and what do I do now’s. It was impactful to see his trajectory and let me tell y’all, there’s one scene in this book that will have you crying. I am still a wreck just thinking about it.

And I adored Evie. She’s bright and optimistic without being unrealistic. I loved the raw looks into motherhood (especially during that first year of life) and learning who was actually standing in her corner. Side note: I also loved her ex-MIL??? Like for real??? That was an amazing, it was only a small moment that stood out so much for me. The baby content will melt your heart and this entire book will bring you joy.

I love the Appies.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: absent father, mentions of divorce

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Book Review: Holiday Hostilities (Cyclones Christmas #2) by Katie Bailey

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Christmas Sports Romance
Length: 332 pages
Author: Katie Bailey
Publisher: Eleventh Avenue Publishing
Release Date: November 22nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s the most hateful time of the year…

There’s only one thing Olivia Griswold hates more than her brother’s best friend, Aaron Marino.

The NHL’s favorite playboy has hordes of adoring fans, but to her, he’s still the cocky jerk she’s loathed since high school.

But when Aaron hears Olivia’s spending the holidays with her roommates from hell, he offers her a place to escape to.

His place, to be exact.

In return, all she has to do is be his date to his hockey team’s Christmas gala. It seems simple enough, but Olivia soon discovers that sleeping behind enemy lines is a dangerous game—especially when the enemy looks like that.

Olivia knows she’s playing with fire, but she won’t let herself get burned again.

And they do say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer…

Get ready for delicious enemies-to-lovers banter and tension with tons of festive cheer in this charming hockey rom com. Holiday Hostilities is a closed door/fade to black romance that includes mild language, innuendo, and suggestive humor.

DID YOU SURVIVE THAT KISS?

Everyone kept mentioning this one kissing scene in Holiday Hostilities and hot DANG. They were RIGHT. Deliver me a swoony, sexy (but not open door) kissing scene and I am a goner. Praise be.

ANYWAYS. This book was great. I loved it. I had such a great time with the dynamic and banter between Olivia and Aaron. Call me smitten. I loved all of the nuanced details that showcased just how gone these two were for each other and the passion speaks for itself.

There was a small sub plot involving an obsessed and delusional side chick that I didn’t love. Just not my cup of tea for the drama of choice buuut it didn’t ruin the book for me. I was a still a goner for these two. Plenty of hockey action, some good holiday moments and now I have become a Katie Bailey fan.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Christmas Sports Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door

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Book Review: O Goalie Night by K.M. Gillis

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Christmas Sports Romance
Length: 333 pages
Author: K.M. Gillis
Publisher: Literary Lupin
Release Date: November 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

‘Tis the season to be tempted.

All Beth Michaels wants for Christmas is a fresh start. A new job in a new city is her chance to finally break free from her overbearing yet well-meaning mother, not to mention her small-town notoriety as NHL superstar Ben Michaels’ little sister. But her dream of independence hits an unexpected snag when a housing mishap leaves her with no choice but to move in with Ben’s best friend and teammate, the broody (and gorgeous) Foster James.

As a top goalie, Foster has always been great at handling high-pressure decisions and sticking to the rules. But there is one rule he finds impossible to follow: don’t fall for your best friend’s sister. After years of being alone, resisting the sweet and funny Beth may be the toughest challenge he has ever faced.

The goal was to keep their relationship under wraps, but plans have a way of becoming tangled during the holidays.

O Goalie Night is a holiday hockey romcom. It’s the first novel in the Ottawa Otters standalone series.

NO COMPLAINTS.

I was dragged in by this cover and title. I COULD NOT RESIST. And the book was a great read too. Just the right book for the right moment. This is a low angst and tension, a little bit of insta-connection and allllll of the Christmas moments you could want. I loved the skating and tree decorating and many moments in between. Foster James is a walking green flag and I love that for Beth.

There’s not a lot to the plot (which is fine!!). It hit all the best notes for me in what I enjoy in a Christmas romance. I like it to feel simple but engaging and please bring all the swoon. I appreciated that the spice didn’t overwhelm the plot (though some of the innuendo did feel a little out of pocket). It’s fast paced and there’s plenty of hockey content to be able to say this is a sports romance too. I enjoyed the whole cast and look forward to continuing this series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Christmas Hockey Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 3 open door
  • Violence: low

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ARC Book Review: Runaway Bride and Prejudice (Appies) by Emma St. Clair

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Emma St. Clair
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 28th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

There’s one rule smart hockey players know not to never, and I mean, NEVER date the coach’s daughter. But no one ever accused Van of being smart.

When the mouthy bad boy of the Appies catches the groom cheating on the coach’s daughter, he can’t just walk away. Not on her wedding day.

Maybe his own relationships are casual, but he would never cheat and never treat wedding vows so carelessly. Not after he and his sisters watched their divorced parents cycle through marriage after marriage.

But forcing the groom to come clean sets off a chain reaction Van couldn’t have expected.

Ending with a black eye, an unexpected trip to Florida with one runaway bride, and a secret bargain struck with Coach.

A bargain that may just jeopardize the very real and very inconvenient feelings he’s developing for the very last person he ever should.

Runaway Bride and Prejudice is a closed door hockey romance featuring the team bad boy and a very good girl who also happens to be the coach’s daughter. It’s a sports romance with all the sizzle and swoon, but no spice.

This is part of the Appies hockey romance series, featuring Just Don’t Fall, Absolutely Not in Love, a Groom of One’s Own, and Romancing the Grump. These books are standalones but may be best read in order.

Thank you to the author for an eARC!

HI, I LOVE THIS BOOK.

It was absolutely everything I could have hoped for when I was thinking about Van’s story. I devoured this read. And I feel like it’s hard to even put my words down because I don’t want to spoil a thing about this book. This is truly a best read blind book and trust me, it will DELIVER.

I loved getting Van’s perspective. A character I have been waiting to know and understand better. I loved the layers and journey. He’s such a charming man and I could not get enough of his heated and swoony actions. His love language is physical touch, and you. can. tell. Also I got a jersey moment which is one of my favorite tropes in sports romance so of course I went feral when that happened.

And I liked Amelia a lot too. She was slightly frustrating but in that way that is totally relatable and had me sitting there going, yeah I’d respond the same way too. I loved that she found her courage and voice in the end and got a chance to live her love story.

I’m always obsessed with any interactions involving the Appies and the text threads were *chefs kiss*. One of my forever favorite fictional hockey teams. I LOVED Van’s sisters too. They were the perfect balance for him and I loved seeing them take Amelia into their family.

I honestly could just keep going. I loved this book. It’s always hard for me to choose a favorite Emma St. Clair book but this definitely ranks up there.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: physical altercations, loss of a parent (recounted from past), divorce, cheating (not between the two leads in any way)

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