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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This probably would have been a 5 star without the paint brush scene
Funny, heartwarming, the communication. And Erin did a bang up job setting up the interconnected stories. I can’t wait to revisit.
The slow burn was SLOW and perfect.
Funny, heartwarming, the communication. And Erin did a bang up job setting up the interconnected stories. I can’t wait to revisit.
The slow burn was SLOW and perfect.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
•beach setting
•pro swimmer/ artist
•dog mom
•golden retriever mc/ black cat fc
•dual pov
Rory is a Professional Olympic swimmer who is back to training after a knee injury. Summer is trying to make ends meet in her new town and when she’s swimming for her life dressed as a mermaid and Rory saves her. Rory is fascinated by the mysterious mermaid and really makes it hard for Summer to turn down his many sweet attempts at friendship and making sure she’s okay except when he proposes marriage… literally.
The characters were super cutesy, Rory was patient and understood Summer without words, unless they were needed then he went all “My Wife” and possessive but not in a douchie way. Summer was strong and independent, and built a life for herself away from her toxic family and ex. Around Rory her walls slowly fell and he became their home. Omg when he surprised her with the art room just based on how happy she was after finding paints was too sweet.
thank you to valentine pr and Erin Hawkins for arc in exchange for an honest review!
This book is incredibly cute!
Tropes:
🏊 Olympic Swimmer x Secret Artist
🎨 Black Cat x Golden Retriever
🏊 Marriage of Convenience
🎨 He Falls First
🏊 Forced Proximity
🎨 Asthma Rep
🏊 Geriatric Puppy Named Edgar
Okay, friends. If you’re looking for a different, super cute sports romance, look no further!
Summer has a lot of chips on her shoulder from growing up. She doesn’t let many get close to her, especially men. But when she catches Rory’s eye, she can’t seem to shake him. He wiggles his way into her life one small step at a time.
Rory is a dream. He’s so into Summer and he is the BIGGEST golden retriever. His type of character was perfect to get someone like Summer to realize her past doesn’t have to define her. It was so satisfying to watch Rory slowly gain Summer’s trust so she’d open up to him more. They live in a sleepy beach town, she’s got a puppy, and she’s a secret artist that hides her art all over town and people are obsessed with finding them. What more could you want?
🌶️🌶️.5
Thank you, Erin and Pen Pal PR, for sending me a copy of this book!
Tropes:
🏊 Olympic Swimmer x Secret Artist
🎨 Black Cat x Golden Retriever
🏊 Marriage of Convenience
🎨 He Falls First
🏊 Forced Proximity
🎨 Asthma Rep
🏊 Geriatric Puppy Named Edgar
Okay, friends. If you’re looking for a different, super cute sports romance, look no further!
Summer has a lot of chips on her shoulder from growing up. She doesn’t let many get close to her, especially men. But when she catches Rory’s eye, she can’t seem to shake him. He wiggles his way into her life one small step at a time.
Rory is a dream. He’s so into Summer and he is the BIGGEST golden retriever. His type of character was perfect to get someone like Summer to realize her past doesn’t have to define her. It was so satisfying to watch Rory slowly gain Summer’s trust so she’d open up to him more. They live in a sleepy beach town, she’s got a puppy, and she’s a secret artist that hides her art all over town and people are obsessed with finding them. What more could you want?
🌶️🌶️.5
Thank you, Erin and Pen Pal PR, for sending me a copy of this book!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (rounded to 5)
🌶🌶/5
The Good: I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so much reading a romance novel. This was ridiculously funny and wildly entertaining. It has incredible tension, a delicious slow burn, multiple "my wife" moments, and an ensemble cast à la Off Campus. From the crazy meet cute right up until the end Rory and Summer showed they were meant to be and I loved every second.
The Meh: I wish the plot was a little stronger. The marriage of convenience aspect was missing some of the push from outsiders to make their bond stronger. I wish Daphne and his parents played a bigger role. However, I did like that her relationship with her parents was left the way it was. I think there's a common theme amongst romance books to repair the relationship at the end but I'm glad we just never heard about them.
The Spicy: 7/49 chapters contain spice (14%). Because of the slow burn it takes a minute for the spice to hit but the tension leading up to it is so worth it.
Thank you to @penpalpr for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
🌶🌶/5
The Good: I don't think I've ever laughed out loud so much reading a romance novel. This was ridiculously funny and wildly entertaining. It has incredible tension, a delicious slow burn, multiple "my wife" moments, and an ensemble cast à la Off Campus. From the crazy meet cute right up until the end Rory and Summer showed they were meant to be and I loved every second.
The Meh: I wish the plot was a little stronger. The marriage of convenience aspect was missing some of the push from outsiders to make their bond stronger. I wish Daphne and his parents played a bigger role. However, I did like that her relationship with her parents was left the way it was. I think there's a common theme amongst romance books to repair the relationship at the end but I'm glad we just never heard about them.
The Spicy: 7/49 chapters contain spice (14%). Because of the slow burn it takes a minute for the spice to hit but the tension leading up to it is so worth it.
Thank you to @penpalpr for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a cute read! Although the book addressed some more difficult topics (particularly past relationships and family issues), it was a relatively lighthearted and enjoyable read.
The main 'anchor' of this book is Rory (MMC). He is as much of a golden retriever MMC as you can get, and he so clearly cares for everyone around him. This made me want to continually reach for the book to see how the relationship between Rory and Summer was developing.
This said, this 'anchoring' on Rory also made the ending feel a little lackluster. Particularly, we spend the whole book witnessing how much Rory focuses on swimming, how he is rehabbing from his injury, and how he wants to continue competing in at least one more season. However, we never really get any conclusion on what will happen with his swimming career (although we do know his focus shifts because of Summer). Another frustrating issue arose with Rory's insistence that Connor have no relationship with his sister, which I assume contributed to the fight we see in 'Epilogue 2.' Rory is such a lovable and caring character to everyone except Connor. As such, I was hoping to see a greater resolution of their issues, as it goes against Rory's overall character.
All that said, despite these drawbacks, Beyond The Stroke is a fun summer read that anyone who is obsessed with golden retriever MMCs should pick up!
Thank you very much to Pen Pal PR and Erin Hawkins for this eARC! All opinions expressed here are my own.
Tropes:
- Fake marriage
- Golden retriever MMC
- Chance meeting
- Opposites attract
- Small town
- 3 spice
The main 'anchor' of this book is Rory (MMC). He is as much of a golden retriever MMC as you can get, and he so clearly cares for everyone around him. This made me want to continually reach for the book to see how the relationship between Rory and Summer was developing.
All that said, despite these drawbacks, Beyond The Stroke is a fun summer read that anyone who is obsessed with golden retriever MMCs should pick up!
Thank you very much to Pen Pal PR and Erin Hawkins for this eARC! All opinions expressed here are my own.
Tropes:
- Fake marriage
- Golden retriever MMC
- Chance meeting
- Opposites attract
- Small town
- 3 spice
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
Such a cute romance, perfect for summer! Rory is the most golden retriever book boyfriend you'll ever meet, with a little dirty side to him. Summer is a sassy independent woman just trying to make ends meet, while keeping a big secret (or two) about who she is. They end up in a marriage of convenience thats mutually beneficial for both! There's a lot of emotion and drama, abundant tension, so many swoony moments, and the steamy scenes are oh so good!
Tags:
-black cat×golden retriever
-marriage of convenience
-secret identity
-forced proximity
-sports romance (swimming)
Spice: 3/5
First person
Dual POV
Tags:
-black cat×golden retriever
-marriage of convenience
-secret identity
-forced proximity
-sports romance (swimming)
Spice: 3/5
First person
Dual POV
funny
hopeful
inspiring
This was such an easy read. I just thoroughly enjoyed it. Lovable main characters that have you rooting for them the whole way through.
funny
Beyond the Stroke is a heartfelt small-town romance full of charm, chemistry, and emotional depth. Set in Coral Cove, it follows Summer, a guarded artist trying to stay under the radar, and Rory, a professional swimmer recovering from injury and family pressure. Their first meeting—Summer dressed as a mermaid in distress—is both hilarious and unforgettable.
What begins as a marriage of convenience quickly turns into something deeper. Summer and Rory bring out the best in each other in quiet, meaningful ways. Rory's patience and thoughtfulness made it easy to root for him, while Summer's strength and vulnerability added so much depth to her character.
This story is filled with tender moments, laugh-out-loud scenes, and the kind of slow-burn romance that feels incredibly satisfying. From sweet to steamy, every interaction between Summer and Rory felt real and well-earned.
4.5⭐
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.