Tag: jenny proctor

ARC Book Review: Could’ve Fooled Me (Georgia Jaguars Hockey #1) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 26th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She married him to stay in the country. She didn’t expect him to feel like home.

Sarah Stone never meant to marry a hockey player.

She doesn’t even like hockey—too loud, too violent. But when her visa runs out and going home isn’t an option, marrying one of her brother’s teammates becomes the fastest way to stay in the country.

Carter Williamson is boyishly handsome, charming, and exactly the kind of man who makes a temporary marriage feel dangerous in all the wrong (right?) ways. He respects the rules, takes the pretending seriously, and somehow manages to make her feel safer than she has in years.

Which is inconvenient because he’s also determined to keep things strictly business.

Or so he says. Something about the way he looks at her makes Sarah think he’s struggling as much as she is to remember their marriage is fake.

But then a crisis on the ice sends them both into a tailspin, and Carter and Sarah have to decide if the fragile life they’ve built together is one they want to fight for.

This was supposed to be paperwork. Not feelings.

Definitely not love.

Could’ve Fooled Me is a marriage of convenience closed-door hockey romance with chemistry, tension, and steamy kisses…but ONLY kisses on the page.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

LOVELY AS ALWAYS.

I mean, who could resist a Jenny Proctor + marriage of convenience book? BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN’T. I loved this book so much!! I am so excited to be at the start of another JP series and all the goodness it will hold. I am already sat for the MMC’s I suspect are coming and I am always down for a hockey romance.

I adored how soft this romance was between Sarah and Carter. It’s filled with this sense of slow burn longing and tension. The yearning comes into play and I was a goner. Swoony and heartfelt and I loved a man who falls first. Carter and Sarah both kept finding ways to show up and support each other and that makes these too immensely easy to fall in love with.

There was definitely hockey content, I love the twin brothers idea, I’m always down for a my wife moment and more. And EXCUSE ME? The kisses are hot y’all. So very hot.

If you’ve been wanting to try a Jenny book [I would first tell you that you can’t go wrong starting anywhere] BUT starting here is a great option too! She continues to be one of my all time favorite romance authors and I always look forward to the loving stories she writes.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: mentions of child abuse (recounted), hockey injury, pregnancy/childbirth, panic attacks (recounted)

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ARC Book Review: One More Made Up Love Song (Midnight Rush #2) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 341 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 29th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Rule #1: Do not fall in love with your very famous boss. Rule #2: See Rule #1.

As the personal assistant of rockstar Freddie Ridgefield, Ivy Conway knows most women would love to have her job. It definitely has its perks. She gets to travel, the pay is great, and she’s among the first to hear Freddie’s new music.

The only problem? When she got the job, Ivy promised herself she would never fall in love with her boss. And it’s taking everything in her to stay true to her word.

Then Freddie kisses Ivy—an impulsive move to save himself from a little bit of bad press—and everything changes. Now, the whole world thinks they’re in love.

Even more Ivy could swear Freddie felt the same fireworks she did when he pressed his lips to hers.

What starts as an accidental publicity stunt quickly turns into something more, but fame makes everything more complicated. As Freddie’s spotlight grows to include her—and her family—Ivy starts to wonder if the life Freddie can offer her is worth the life she’ll give up. And how she’ll ever survive without him if it isn’t.

One More Made Up Love Song is a fake-dating rockstar romance with all the crackling chemistry and tension you want in a closed-door romcom. Perfect for fans of romance with a little less heat.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

MY NEWEST OBESSION.

GOSH I LOVED IT SO MUCH. This was exactly what friends to lovers, boss x assistant trope romance that I WAAAAAANT. The subtle moments about took me out because it was beautifully nuanced and left this sense of longing and yearning that I CRAVE. CRAVE Y’ALL. Bring back these kind of romances and I will be a happy camper forever.

I can’t even begin to list all of the scenes I loved. The pining was intense and I could not get enough of the glances and touches and the KISSES THAT LIT MY KINDLE ON FIRE.

And I really appreciated the strong friendships for both Freddie and Ivy. There’s something magical about the side characters adding genuine connection to the story that makes it even better. One of my new favorites from Jenny Proctor.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content warnings: loss of a sibling from drunk driving (recounted)

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ARC Book Review: Petals and Plot Twists (Only Magic in the Building) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
Length: 260 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 19th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Unlucky in love Sophie Stewart might need a miracle to find her one true love…or maybe just a little bit of magic.

Sophie Stewart knows a lot about plants. The rooftop garden she tends and beautifies is ample evidence of that. What she doesn’t know is anything about love, not with her long track record of always picking the wrong guy.

But then a mystery flower pops up in her garden—a flower that only blooms in the presence of true love.

Never one to shy away from a little magic, Sophie convinces her best friend, Peter, to help her use the flower to find her soulmate.

But after an unexpected kiss with the one man she never thought she’d fall for, Sophie starts to wonder if she’s looking for love in all the wrong places.

The flower has a plan, but only Sophie can decide if she wants to trust it or take fate into her own hands.

Best friends turn to lovers in this heartwarming romantic comedy about love and choice and making your own destiny.

Petals and Plot Twists is a standalone book in the Only Magic in the Building series. These closed door, whimsical romance books are all set in the same historic building, which has a habit of playing matchmaker with its residents. There are light magical elements, but no spells, shifters, or dark magic of any kind.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

A SWEET STORY.

I enjoyed this one y’all! It’s a sweet friends to lovers. Bonus points for not having flashback chapters. I enjoyed both Sophie and Peter for the main characters. Peter was a cinnamon roll soul who I just wanted to see be happy and Sophie had a lot of character growth to conquer, and bless her, she got there.

I didn’t love that the whimsical aspect of this book (the love flower) seemed to create distance between the couple rather than brining them together. I appreciated how it was handled during the third act and the conclusion, I just wish there had been a less miscommunication about it for the rest of the book.

The kissing moments were FANTASTIC. Jenny Proctor writes some of the swooniest kisses and I loved getting those moments. There’s an easy rapport between Peter and Sophie that lends to how long they have been friends and I loved seeing Sophie finally realize what has been in front of her for so long.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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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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