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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, possessive mmc, we-both-had-crushes-on-each-other-in-high-school-and-didn’t-know it, hockey romance! 4 stars because the ending did actually make me tear up a bit because it was so sweet.
This was my first hockey romance, and I guess I understand why the booktok girlies are feral. Something about a sport where men can punch each other is in fact sexy.
This was a sweet read – longer than my preference for contemporary romance (topping out at about 400 pages) but it was good. Jamie is a hard ass who is used to focusing on the only two things that mattered to him: hockey and his mom. Pippa is down on her luck after her famous (ex) bf dumps and then fires her from his tour. Pippa starts working as Jamie’s assistant.
There are a few things I didn’t love about this one, though. I didn’t love the nickname he gave her – “songbird” idk. Just… wasn’t doing it for me. I don’t always love cheesy/on the nose nicknames for fmcs, and this one I really did not care for.
The other aspect that sort of bothered me were all of the ways that things were just a little…. Too perfect. Listen I know this is a romcom and everything, but there were times where it was just a little too unrealistic. Like, when Jamie’s coach asks if he needs an assistant to walk his dog he says, “I don’t have a dog” and then not 10 pages later stumbled upon a dog in an alley that he decides to adopt. Or when Pippa submits her demo to the producer she wants to work with and same day she hears from the producer’s assistant to come in the next day to record with her. Like not enough for me to not enjoy the book but things that did stand out to me.
Ultimately, very cute and spicy read. Sweet love story with minimal/no 3rd act conflict/break up. wasn't sure i was going to read the sequel at first but.... i think i'm gonna go for it when it comes out.
This was my first hockey romance, and I guess I understand why the booktok girlies are feral. Something about a sport where men can punch each other is in fact sexy.
This was a sweet read – longer than my preference for contemporary romance (topping out at about 400 pages) but it was good. Jamie is a hard ass who is used to focusing on the only two things that mattered to him: hockey and his mom. Pippa is down on her luck after her famous (ex) bf dumps and then fires her from his tour. Pippa starts working as Jamie’s assistant.
There are a few things I didn’t love about this one, though. I didn’t love the nickname he gave her – “songbird” idk. Just… wasn’t doing it for me. I don’t always love cheesy/on the nose nicknames for fmcs, and this one I really did not care for.
The other aspect that sort of bothered me were all of the ways that things were just a little…. Too perfect. Listen I know this is a romcom and everything, but there were times where it was just a little too unrealistic. Like, when Jamie’s coach asks if he needs an assistant to walk his dog he says, “I don’t have a dog” and then not 10 pages later stumbled upon a dog in an alley that he decides to adopt. Or when Pippa submits her demo to the producer she wants to work with and same day she hears from the producer’s assistant to come in the next day to record with her. Like not enough for me to not enjoy the book but things that did stand out to me.
Ultimately, very cute and spicy read. Sweet love story with minimal/no 3rd act conflict/break up. wasn't sure i was going to read the sequel at first but.... i think i'm gonna go for it when it comes out.
4,5⭐️
“Pippa Hartley is standing in my living room, playing with the dog, and I can’t breathe.”
“Mine. Pippa is mine. I’m never giving her up.”
Pippa and Jamie. I loved them. Songbird. Loved that too.
The epilogue definitely made the book much much better.
“Pippa Hartley is standing in my living room, playing with the dog, and I can’t breathe.”
“Mine. Pippa is mine. I’m never giving her up.”
Pippa and Jamie. I loved them. Songbird. Loved that too.
The epilogue definitely made the book much much better.
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
[3 stars]
Just another hockey romance. I think that my sports romance fever is getting worse as I not only carve for sports romance but also the good one and this one is not one of those.
The story seems a bit flat to me, quite boring if I have to say. What the book did best was Jamie. I really like him, he cares about everyone around him, he loves his mom and he also tries to empower Pippa, showing her that she got the talent to follow her dream. But it’s also the double-edged sword for this book because it makes Pippa become so dull.
But still, Jamie mental conflict is so ridiculous. While in college, I used to handle between school, friends, internship, part-time job, visa application and my hobby but this grown-ass man say he can only focus on two things: hockey and his mom???!
Anyways, this book should not be something you pick up when you’re bored not when you have to cancel plan for it.
Just another hockey romance. I think that my sports romance fever is getting worse as I not only carve for sports romance but also the good one and this one is not one of those.
The story seems a bit flat to me, quite boring if I have to say. What the book did best was Jamie. I really like him, he cares about everyone around him, he loves his mom and he also tries to empower Pippa, showing her that she got the talent to follow her dream. But it’s also the double-edged sword for this book because it makes Pippa become so dull.
But still, Jamie mental conflict is so ridiculous. While in college, I used to handle between school, friends, internship, part-time job, visa application and my hobby but this grown-ass man say he can only focus on two things: hockey and his mom???!
Anyways, this book should not be something you pick up when you’re bored not when you have to cancel plan for it.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was cute. I’ve read some shit lately and it was nice to read something decent
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rating: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐ (🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5 spice)
Started: 07-14-2025
Finished: 07-16-2025
Number of Pages: 430 (Kindle version)
Synopsis:
Jamie Streicher is one of the hottest goalies in the NHL, but when his mom starts having panic attacks he makes sure to get traded closer to her so he can keep an eye on her. A chance encounter with a cute little pup means that Jamie, who already claimed he had no spare time, has even less free time and he enlists the help of an assistant that is provided to him by the team he plays for, the Vancouver Storm. Enter Pippa. Pippa used to aspire to be a musician until her ex-boyfriend, a lead singer in a band, convinced her that she just didn’t have what it took to make it all the while stealing her song ideas and passing them off as his own. The two went to high school together and each respectively had crushes on each other but nothing ever happened. Now is the chance to try and make something happen.
🚨🚨🚨SPOILERS🚨🚨🚨
Honestly, I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. It was alright for what it is, which is a cute hockey romance with a good amount of spice, but the characters really kind of pissed me off if I’m being honest. Pippa has virtually no self esteem which is in part due to her ex but it seemed like an extreme version of low/no self-esteem.
“Jamie is totally off-limits. He’s too hot, too nice, and he smells way too good.”
“Zach wasn't the one for me, but the way Jamie’s making me feel right now, so safe and special and supported…maybe i’ll find that feeling again.
Not with Jamie, of course. Even if he did date, he’d go for someone in his league. We’ve always been on two different levels, even back in high school.”
Typically I don’t mind nicknames in books (as I’m writing this review I am currently reading book two in this series ‘The Fake Out’ and so far (I’m 87% of the way through) I like the nickname in that one so much better and I think it’s because it’s not over used.) Jamie has two nicknames that he calls Pippa. Songbird which he uses approximately 63 times and even worse he called her ‘My pretty assistant’ which gave me such the ick I physically cringed the first time I read it, he calls her this 12 times, I even made a note of it as I was reading because he called her that so late in the book (the last time he says it according to the search feature in the book is in chapter 58 and there are 70 chapters.) Keep in mind that he has supposedly had feelings for her since high school, so much so that he initially fires her because he can’t be around her without getting distracted. Also the couple gets together towards the middle of the book so for him to be calling her his assistant so late in the book really bothered me.
Overall the book is light and fluffy, there is some angst in that Jamie’s mom gets panic attacks (one is described on the page) and Pippa’s ex was a douchebag but even that wasn’t very heavy. If you are looking for a cute hockey romance that is light on the hockey and heavy on the spice then this book is perfect for you.
Trigger Warnings:
- Anxiety
- Panic Attacks
- Toxic ex
- Emotionally abusive ex
- Alcoholic parent (MMC’s dad who died when he was a child in a drunk driving accident, not described on page.)
K!nks/tropes:
- Pro athlete
- He falls first
- Musician
- Childhood acquaintances
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No