Watching too many women settle for mediocre men has made me lose my taste for relationships, but when I see Duncan Lavoie again after all this time, suddenly I’m starving.
An awkward chance encounter with my secret former fling in an upscale dressing room should’ve been the beginning and the end of having the green-eyed, curly-haired, dimple-cheeked, hot AF hockey captain back in my life, but it’s not.
Because he’s just bid an unspeakable sum of money to win me in a charity auction. We’re talking this woman is mine money. No one else can have her money. Touch her and die money.
News flash, Lavoie: I’m not for sale, and that bid doesn’t come with favors.
But after the auction, the entire city is shipping us. Strangers are giving me knowing winks. My bosses want to use the publicity of our “Are they, aren’t they?” gossip coverage for the benefit of the team.
Which is the other problem. If I go along with this, I’m no longer professional baseball coach Addie Bloom. Now I’m just that girl dating a hockey player.
Duncan asked me to choose between him before my career once before. Now he says he’s never gotten over me. He says he wants to try again. He says this time is different.
But is it? Or will taking another chance, this time a public chance, with him put my career—and my heart—on the bench forever?
The Secret Hook-Up is a laugh-out-loud romcom featuring the hot-as-sin hockey captain of the Copper Valley Thrusters, the Copper Valley Fireballs’ lady baseball coach he never got over, and a misbehaving formal gown. It stands alone and comes complete with a happily-ever-after.
This was such a fun story! I loved the way the met up again inside the dress store. It was perfectly embarrassing and hilarious and face-palming, which is pretty much what I expect from Pippa Grant.
I was happy to see that Duncan finally got his own story and it did not disappoint. When he got his second chance with Addie, he matured and really thought about what would get him what he wanted…her. It was a fun and steamy story and I couldn’t read the words fast enough.
Addie was the exact kind of heroine you want to root for. She has plenty of reasons to avoid relationships, which were totally understandable, but she was also able to see what was happening and how good it was for herself. This is what I’d call a ‘grown folks’ romance because they were adults about pretty much everything and it was such a fun, heartfelt and humorous read.
Title: Slashed By You Series: Chicago Steel Series Book 5 Author: Jessica Buss Release: February 5, 2024 Genre: Hockey Romance Tropes: Accidental Pregnancy, Working Class Heroine, Hero Falls First, Instant Attraction, Opposites Attract, Alpha Male Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199128245-slashed-by-you Cover Designer: Karen Hulseman, Feed Your Dreams Designs @feedyourdreamdesigns https://www.instagram.com/feedyourdreamsdesigns/
Blurb:
Josh
As the captain of the Steel, Josh is always in control and confident as hell. In relationships, not so much, especially after being majorly burned. Then a gorgeous baker enters his life and changes everything. Her confections are pure magic, and now she’s all he craves.
Kenzie
Kenzie’s always dreamed of owning her own bakery. With a heart of gold, everything she does is filled with love. Busy running her shop, she doesn’t have time for relationships. However, priorities shift when she catches the eye of a kind and sexy professional hockey player who has developed a major sweet tooth.
You know those stories where an adorably misunderstood clumsy girl needs a fake date to a wedding so she asks her brother’s best friend and they accidentally fall in love?
I wish that was the kind of life I lead, but it’s not.
I don’t need a date to a wedding. I need a date to a funeral.
Clumsy sometimes fits, but then, that’s true for all of us, right? But adorable? No. Misunderstood? Nope again. I’m just your average girl, standing in front of a funeral invitation, asking it to be a winning lottery ticket instead.
And I don’t have a brother, or a best friend with a brother available, which means I’m stuck with Tyler Jaeger.
Sure, he’s a professional hockey player who also knows advanced calculus, but let’s say we’re not compatible and leave it at that. I should know. I am a matchmaker.
Not a very good one, but that’s beside the point.
I know a mismatch when I see one.
Still, Tyler’s what I’ve got, and I am not going to this funeral solo, so he’s what I’ll take.
After all—what could go wrong at a funeral?
I Pucking Love You is a hilariously wrong romantic comedy about the world’s worst matchmaker, a hockey player with a problem he doesn’t want to talk about, and an awkward date-of-convenience that everyone would prefer to forget. It comes complete with a cat working his way through his nine lives, all the sexy times, fish and chips, and a swoony happily-ever-after.
Accidental Pregnancy Working Class Heroine Hero Falls First Instant Attraction Opposites Attract Alpha Male
𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞
Josh
As the captain of the Steel, Josh is always in control and confident as hell. In relationships, not so much, especially after being majorly burned. Then a gorgeous baker enters his life and changes everything. Her confections are pure magic, and now she’s all he craves.
Kenzie
Kenzie’s always dreamed of owning her own bakery. With a heart of gold, everything she does is filled with love. Busy running her shop, she doesn’t have time for relationships. However, priorities shift when she catches the eye of a kind and sexy professional hockey player who has developed a major sweet tooth. 𝘚𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘺 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥-𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 but you can catch up with the entire Chicago Steel Series now with #KindleUnlimited
Word to the wise, never become roommates with a girl you’ve been pining over for the better part of a year.
You’re probably wondering why I would do such a thing? Well, I didn’t.
It was my teammates.
The moment they found out Blakely White was single, they took it upon themselves to play cupid and instruct me on how I should win her over.
Don’t wear a shirt around her. Make her dinner. Lightly touch her shoulder when you say goodbye.
I’m so flustered, so overwhelmed, so madly in love with this woman who barely notices me, that I lose control of the situation and make one huge mistake: I offer to be her fake date for a wedding so she can make her ex jealous.
That means, for one whole night I get a free pass with her. I get to hold her, dance with her, kiss her…stare at her from across the room like she’s my entire world because she has been for months now.
But when the night comes to an end, I’m faced with two options: bring her back to my bedroom and show her how I really feel, or let her walk away, succumbing to the fact that I very well might not be her type.
Title: One Pucking Love Series: Crane Hockey Author: Ellie Wade Release Date: November 13, 2023 Genre/Tropes: Contemporary Romance, Sports, Hockey, Brother’s Best Friend, Second Chance, Friends to Lovers, Male Virgin, Forced Proximity Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198246915-one-pucking-love Cover Design: Kate Farlow with Y’All that graphic
Blurb:
From USA Today best-selling author Ellie Wade comes a brother’s best friend and second-chance hockey romance.
Cade Richards is the starting forward of the NHL team the Cranes. He’s at the top of his game and scoring like a champ. On a quick trip home, he runs into Iris, the woman he’s spent his adult life striving to be good enough for, the one who holds his heart.
Iris Feldmore’s life is in shambles. Everything she’s worked for has crumbled. Her brother returns home with his best friend—her first love, Cade—in tow. The hockey team gave Cade the nickname of Heartbreaker, and it’s fitting because he broke hers. If she’s honest with herself, she’s never gotten over it.
Now Cade’s back and offering to help her in a way only he can. He’s always known what she needed, yet she’s terrified to let him in. She wouldn’t survive his loss again.
This time, though, something feels different. Their chemistry is off the charts, but she’s been fooled before. After all these years, could everything she’s wanted be in reach?
Or will opening her heart end in another devastating heartbreak?
Title: One Pucking Love Series: Crane Hockey Author: Ellie Wade Release Date: November 13, 2023 Genre/Tropes: Contemporary Romance, Sports, Hockey, Brother’s Best Friend, Second Chance, Friends to Lovers, Male Virgin, Forced Proximity Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198246915-one-pucking-love Cover Design: Kate Farlow with Y’All that graphic
Blurb:
From USA Today best-selling author Ellie Wade comes a brother’s best friend and second-chance hockey romance.
Cade Richards is the starting forward of the NHL team the Cranes. He’s at the top of his game and scoring like a champ. On a quick trip home, he runs into Iris, the woman he’s spent his adult life striving to be good enough for, the one who holds his heart.
Iris Feldmore’s life is in shambles. Everything she’s worked for has crumbled. Her brother returns home with his best friend—her first love, Cade—in tow. The hockey team gave Cade the nickname of Heartbreaker, and it’s fitting because he broke hers. If she’s honest with herself, she’s never gotten over it.
Now Cade’s back and offering to help her in a way only he can. He’s always known what she needed, yet she’s terrified to let him in. She wouldn’t survive his loss again.
This time, though, something feels different. Their chemistry is off the charts, but she’s been fooled before. After all these years, could everything she’s wanted be in reach? Or will opening her heart end in another devastating heartbreak?
Bad news: I am the father of the baby her sister is carrying.
I’m the bad boy, rock star, playboy ice hockey star.
I collect paychecks and shell out broken hearts.
Now I’m collecting the storm of pregnancy hormones and shelling out foot rubs.
How am I supposed to go from the hottest bachelor in the world… to being called ‘Dad’?
Wren
Thanks to fate – and a potential bear attack – I end up pregnant by an ice hockey player.
But what am I supposed to do?
Just show up and knock on the rich star athlete’s luxury apartment door, then caress my pregnant belly?
Well, that’s exactly what I should do.
Only my sister decides to get involved.
Next thing I know I’m spending more time with Abel than I ever dreamed of.
There’s no way a guy like him would really want me. Something has to go wrong here.
Then one day I see a text message not meant for me and it all suddenly makes sense.
But at least I know what Abel’s end game is now.
The Accidental Pregnancy Situation – London Casey
I enjoyed this story more than I realized until I started to write this review. Abel and Wren were fun and cute, and Abel was the right kind of cocky. He knew who he was and what his strengths were–good and bad–which made him easy to like. Wren was just as likable except when her pregnancy hormones kicked in and she became a little bit…whoa. The one character I didn’t really like at all was Wren’s sister, Wendy. She just seemed mean and bitter but covered it as just caring or whatever. Could have done without her. My favorite part of this story was the hockey team. The guys were funny and silly and had each other’s backs. They made this story for me more than the romance aspect. Not that the romance aspect was bad but it felt more like lust than love to me. But I loved Remi too much not to give the next book a shot…
The Accidental Pregnancy Situation by London Casey is AVAILABLE NOW!!!
My life seemed perfect until he came back to town. With his sights set on me, he’s ready to settle down and face any challenge. Fans of Briar U by Elle Kennedy will devour Our Best Shot by A.M. Williams, a small-town, forced proximity, hockey romance.
On the outside, my life seems perfect. I have my friends, family, and quirky small town to keep me satisfied plus my secret writing career that’s done better than I ever dreamed. What’s not to love?
There’s just one thing missing. But I don’t know what it is.
At least until he comes back to town. The man I crushed on so hard in high school, I couldn’t talk in full sentences around him.
He’s back, he’s ready to settle down, and he’s set his sights on me, the wallflower.
Every time I turn around, there he is. He wants to know about me. And no matter how hard I try to ignore him…I can’t. He’s everything I wanted as a teenager.
And as an adult? I’m discovering that he’s the total package and is ready to sweep me off my feet.
Alex
Deciding to retire from my professional hockey career was easy. I miss my family, friends, and hometown. I crave a slower lifestyle so I can finally settle down.
What isn’t easy? Figuring out how to coach teenaged boys in how to play hockey and win over the woman I can’t stop thinking about.
I think about her constantly and am constantly finding ways to run into her ‘by accident’. I want to know everything about her, but she’s hesitant and I have my work cut out for me to convince her to step outside her comfort zone and date me.
But I’m up for the challenge. I’m ready to show her what being with me could be like and that she doesn’t need to be scared.
With outside forces working against us, can we get it together for our best shot at a happily ever after?
“You want to sit for a little while?” Alex asked, pointing to a bench just ahead of us and off the main path.
I nodded, hoping that the bench would be enough out of the way that people wouldn’t notice us sitting there and stop staring.
We settled in and I sipped my coffee, looking the park over.
Compared to the weekend before, the park looked totally transformed.
There were bright tents throughout the trees with local crafters and artisans, and loud chatter filled the air from people walking around.
“This festival looks no different from when I came as a kid,” Alex said, pulling my attention to him.
I glanced at him and watched as he looked over at what I’d just been looking at.
“Are you surprised? You know we like tradition here.”
Alex chuckled. “Not really. I guess since it’s been so long since I was here, that I expected something to have changed. But nothing has. The same tents, same vendors, same atmosphere.”
I made a noise low in my throat. “There are some new vendors. They’re just peppered throughout. Some ones you’re thinking of don’t come anymore.”
What I didn’t say was that some owners had died because of how old they were and their businesses closed. The town had to get some new life for the vendors, otherwise this festival would have dwindled.
“Still. This is the same. If I close my eyes, I bet I could recall where everyone is and the order of the games at the rink. I feel like no time has passed.”
I said nothing at first. Then I asked, “Are you happy to be here at least?”
Alex met my gaze and nodded. “I am. It’s weird how I didn’t think about so much related to town while I was gone. I came home for holidays and brief visits, but everything else was just background. But now that I’m here, I can’t help remembering coming as a kid with my mom and sister. Hanging with my friends before our games. And all the other shit that the town does throughout the year.”
I thought about what he was saying. I didn’t have any experience not coming to the town events, considering I went to college close by and returned to town the minute I could. I’d kept coming to everything, even throughout college.
Where do I begin? I just really loved Rory and Alex, separately and together. She is one of those teachers that you love but not in a brown-nosing sort of way, just like a cool teacher you don’t feel ashamed of saying ‘Hi’ to in the halls or around town. Oh and she’s an undercover author, so I mean what’s not to like about her?
Alex is a former professional hockey player who has returned home to his small town to live a normal life, no matter how strange others think his choices are. I loved that he had to work to get Rory to go out with him. Even though he had no idea it was because of her past baggage, he didn’t ask what her problem was, he just worked harder to charm her.
And he did.
Together they were fun and flirty and sure, a little bit steamy too. I had a good time reading Our Best Shot, smiling nearly the whole time I was immersed in the story.
The Harpy was terrible and even after finding out why, I still didn’t care and I hope she gets what’s coming to her. I really loved Bea, Rory’s best friend. We all need friends like that and I hope everyone has at least one. I really hope she gets the story I think she’s going to get.
Our Best Shot was a really fun and romantic read. I love a good small town romance and this was a really good time.
Our Best Shot – A.M. Williams
About A.M. Williams
A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself living abroad. When she’s not annoying her cat or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and traveling as much as possible. She has a serious case of wanderlust and wants to go as many places as possible while she can. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as those crystal clear waters on the North Carolina coast.
My life seemed perfect until he came back to town. With his sights set on me, he’s ready to settle down and face any challenge. Fans of Briar U by Elle Kennedy will devour Our Best Shot by A.M. Williams, a small-town, forced proximity, hockey romance.
Blurb
Rory On the outside, my life seems perfect. I have my friends, family, and quirky small town to keep me satisfied plus my secret writing career that’s done better than I ever dreamed. What’s not to love? There’s just one thing missing. But I don’t know what it is. At least until he comes back to town. The man I crushed on so hard in high school, I couldn’t talk in full sentences around him. He’s back, he’s ready to settle down, and he’s set his sights on me, the wallflower. Every time I turn around, there he is. He wants to know about me. And no matter how hard I try to ignore him…I can’t. He’s everything I wanted as a teenager. And as an adult? I’m discovering that he’s the total package and is ready to sweep me off my feet. Alex Deciding to retire from my professional hockey career was easy. I miss my family, friends, and hometown. I crave a slower lifestyle so I can finally settle down. What isn’t easy? Figuring out how to coach teenaged boys in how to play hockey and win over the woman I can’t stop thinking about. I think about her constantly and am constantly finding ways to run into her ‘by accident’. I want to know everything about her, but she’s hesitant and I have my work cut out for me to convince her to step outside her comfort zone and date me. But I’m up for the challenge. I’m ready to show her what being with me could be like and that she doesn’t need to be scared. With outside forces working against us, can we get it together for our best shot at a happily ever after?
Copyright 2022 @A.M. Williams “What do you think about dinner again next weekend?” Alex’s words brought me out of my mind and I quickly processed what he was saying. “You want to go out again?” I couldn’t keep the surprise out of my voice. He slanted a look my way, then quickly looked back at the road before grinning. “Yeah, I want to go out again. I had a lot of fun and don’t want to stop.” A large smile spread across my face. Oh my, God! I wanted to squeal and do a dance at him asking me out again. But considering I was sitting next to him in the front seat of his car, I’d have to wait. We were just passing the “Welcome to Evergreen Ridge” sign when I asked, “Has your dog run away from you anymore?” Alex chuckled, and I grinned. “Nah, he hasn’t seen any other women he wants to accost on the ice. We’ll have to plan a day for you to go out so we can make it happen.” I laughed. “I’m sure I can find time in my schedule.” My phone buzzed in my jacket pocket, reminding me of the email I had sitting in my inbox that I needed to deal with. I stiffened at the reminder. “Here we are,” Alex said, pulling into my driveway. “You stay there.” I grinned as I watched him lever out of the car and jog around to my side, pulling the door open.
I smiled as I accepted his hand, gasping when he threaded his fingers through mine and walked me to my door. My face heated as we climbed the steps.
Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
About A.M. Williams A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself living abroad. When she’s not annoying her cat or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and traveling as much as possible. She has a serious case of wanderlust and wants to go as many places as possible while she can. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as those crystal clear waters on the North Carolina coast.
How to cook "with visual instructions" "using familiar ingredients from your local grocery stores" healthy, traditional and delicious Japanese dishes!!
𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗢𝗢𝗡 
Natasha's Book Nook 