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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
This is only my 2nd Ruth Stilling book. I, unfortunately, did not love the first book I've read from her but then again, I read the 4th book in the series so I was lost and confused. When I saw this is a new series, I immediately signed up for the ARC so I can get another chance to read a book of hers and I must say this is a great book to start the series. The romance revolved around Kendra and Jack but the book also opened up to the next potential leads for the next book and got me super excited to read on. This is fake dating, he falls first and hard, forced proximity, and rival teammate's ex. Although there is drama, I feel like it was very low stakes. I love how easy their relationship is and how Jack proved to Kendra what true love looks like. That boy was down bad and he showed it through his actions and his words (the things that come of this man's mouth is π₯). Love the teammates (minus the ex, Tyler) and Jon, their coach. I love the banter and the humor between the MCs and the side characters.
Only issue I had with it is the conflict with Jack's dad especially the dinner scene. Seemed a bit excessive without much background. I also feel like there's a bit of whiplash between the transition from fake to real dating. Like there wasnt a buffer as we have Jack confessing he's been obssessed with her for years but Kendra still wasnt sure if its real or not.
Overall, this is an amazing start to the series. Like I mentioned above, the book offered great insights who will be on the next books and I cannot wait.
Thank you to the author and Wordsmith Publicity for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest thoughts
Only issue I had with it is the conflict with Jack's dad especially the dinner scene. Seemed a bit excessive without much background. I also feel like there's a bit of whiplash between the transition from fake to real dating. Like there wasnt a buffer as we have Jack confessing he's been obssessed with her for years but Kendra still wasnt sure if its real or not.
Overall, this is an amazing start to the series. Like I mentioned above, the book offered great insights who will be on the next books and I cannot wait.
Thank you to the author and Wordsmith Publicity for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest thoughts
βπΏππ ππ ππ½ππ πππ ππ½πΆπ πΎπβπ ππΎππ ππ π·π ππ½π πΈπππππ ππ» πππππππβπ πππππΉ.β
Ruth has done it again!
Jack is Jon 2.0 with a British accent and had me kicking, blushing and swooning all in one moment. The way this man has been down bad for Kendra for years adds a whole new layer of swoon.
Kendra is so easy to like and as a pro player as well we see the difference in treatment and pay between women and men in pro sports. I also love how she is protective of Jack as well. I can also see some similarities between her and Felicity as how she gave up so much for Tyler and supported him and received the bare minimum.
Jack and Jonβs relationship was so heartwarming but also fun, I loved seeing Jon in his role as coach. Yes we have a small cameo from the Scorpions. I absolutely loved Darcy hopefully we get more of her, also Ollie he was so cute with his fanboying.
Cannot wait for the next book of this series.
~~What to Expect~~
πPro Hockey MMC
πPro Soccer FMC
πGolden Retriever X Black Kitten
πRival Teammateβs Ex
πFake Dating
πForced Proximity
πHe Falls First and Hard
~~Quote~~
β½οΈ You deserve so much better than what he can give you, and the only time a man should put his hands on you is to make you feel like a queen.
β½οΈ Youβll get to touch me when Iβve made up for years of wanting you.
β½οΈ Thereβs nothing temporary about forever, and thatβs as far as I can see with the girl in my lap.
β½οΈ The dress is stunning, but if you were mine, the only place it would be right now is the floor.
Ruth has done it again!
Jack is Jon 2.0 with a British accent and had me kicking, blushing and swooning all in one moment. The way this man has been down bad for Kendra for years adds a whole new layer of swoon.
Kendra is so easy to like and as a pro player as well we see the difference in treatment and pay between women and men in pro sports. I also love how she is protective of Jack as well. I can also see some similarities between her and Felicity as how she gave up so much for Tyler and supported him and received the bare minimum.
Jack and Jonβs relationship was so heartwarming but also fun, I loved seeing Jon in his role as coach. Yes we have a small cameo from the Scorpions. I absolutely loved Darcy hopefully we get more of her, also Ollie he was so cute with his fanboying.
Cannot wait for the next book of this series.
~~What to Expect~~
πPro Hockey MMC
πPro Soccer FMC
πGolden Retriever X Black Kitten
πRival Teammateβs Ex
πFake Dating
πForced Proximity
πHe Falls First and Hard
~~Quote~~
β½οΈ You deserve so much better than what he can give you, and the only time a man should put his hands on you is to make you feel like a queen.
β½οΈ Youβll get to touch me when Iβve made up for years of wanting you.
β½οΈ Thereβs nothing temporary about forever, and thatβs as far as I can see with the girl in my lap.
β½οΈ The dress is stunning, but if you were mine, the only place it would be right now is the floor.
medium-paced
This was such a great start to a new series! Jack and Kendra's story was sweet, heartwarming, and hotttt π₯ β the perfect blend of emotional depth and steamy moments. It was such an easy, fun read that left me feeling so excited to see the rest of the teammates' stories unfold.
One of the things I love most about sports romance in general is how the team dynamics weave throughout the books, and Ruth Stilling set that up beautifully here. The side characters really stood out to me, especially Sawyer β he totally stole the show in every scene he was in for me personally. The glimpses we got of his past felt thoughtful without overshadowing Jack and Kendra's story, and they set up his book in such a compelling way. I already know he's going to wreck me in the best way when his time comes.
Okay, back to Jack and Kendra...
I was honestly surprised by how genuine and gentle Jack was. With everything we know about his past, you'd expect him to have this harder exterior, but instead, we got this golden retriever boy who was patient, thoughtful, and so emotionally aware. The way he put Kendra's comfort and healing first β fostering a real friendship and holding back his own feelings so she could feel secure after everything she'd been through β absolutely melted me. But don't get me wrong... the mouth on this man made the spice spicy. Every single moment between them was filled with tension and tenderness in equal measure, and I ate up every second of it.
Kendra was such a strong, driven FMC β I loved how much her journey of rebuilding her confidence and finding herself again was at the heart of this book. From overcoming adversity with her injury to navigating the reality of being a woman athlete, her resilience shone throughout the entire story. What really stood out to me was how much respect Jack had for her β not just as someone he was falling for, but as a woman, an athlete, and a whole person working through her own struggles. Their dynamic felt so healthy and supportive, which made their eventual romance feel even more rewarding.
Perfect Deke was such a heartwarming read that perfectly balanced steam, sweetness, and emotional growth. I'm already counting down the days for the next book β especially if it means we get more of Sawyer's story!
One of the things I love most about sports romance in general is how the team dynamics weave throughout the books, and Ruth Stilling set that up beautifully here. The side characters really stood out to me, especially Sawyer β he totally stole the show in every scene he was in for me personally. The glimpses we got of his past felt thoughtful without overshadowing Jack and Kendra's story, and they set up his book in such a compelling way. I already know he's going to wreck me in the best way when his time comes.
Okay, back to Jack and Kendra...
I was honestly surprised by how genuine and gentle Jack was. With everything we know about his past, you'd expect him to have this harder exterior, but instead, we got this golden retriever boy who was patient, thoughtful, and so emotionally aware. The way he put Kendra's comfort and healing first β fostering a real friendship and holding back his own feelings so she could feel secure after everything she'd been through β absolutely melted me. But don't get me wrong... the mouth on this man made the spice spicy. Every single moment between them was filled with tension and tenderness in equal measure, and I ate up every second of it.
Kendra was such a strong, driven FMC β I loved how much her journey of rebuilding her confidence and finding herself again was at the heart of this book. From overcoming adversity with her injury to navigating the reality of being a woman athlete, her resilience shone throughout the entire story. What really stood out to me was how much respect Jack had for her β not just as someone he was falling for, but as a woman, an athlete, and a whole person working through her own struggles. Their dynamic felt so healthy and supportive, which made their eventual romance feel even more rewarding.
Perfect Deke was such a heartwarming read that perfectly balanced steam, sweetness, and emotional growth. I'm already counting down the days for the next book β especially if it means we get more of Sawyer's story!
This is a fantastic start to this new series. Jack and kendra gave me all the feels. I devoured this story. Highly recommended
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
This is such a fun post college/early twenties professional sports (him= hockey, her= soccer) romance. Itβs spicy, angsty, and he falls hard. Jack is a rookie for the New York NHL team, and Kendra is his college crush who plays professional soccer in New York as well. She recently ends her long term relationship with Jackβs teammate and college rival, Tyler. With Tyler out of the picture and Kendra down on her luck, Jack swoops in for his chance.
Jack is such a sweetie, and Kendra really needs some luck after being mistreated for years by Tyler. I love their dynamic, I love how cinnamon roll, Jack makes you swoon with his dirty talk. Kendra (and us) just cannot resist his charms. What a fun easy read and I did not feel lost even though I did not read Stillingβs previous series featuring some of the side characters mentioned (yet).
In this book:
*Pro Hockey MMC x Pro Soccer FMC
*He falls first and hard
*Roommates
*Rival Teammateβs Ex
*Golden Retriever MMC
*Strong FMC
Thank you Ruth Stilling and Wordsmith Publicity for an advanced digital copy of this book.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
This is my first book by Ruth Stilling but I am definitely impressed and will continue to read her books.
She kicked this series off to a flying start with Jack, the βrespectable English boyβ. Jack is kind, considerate, funny and has a strong quiet confidence to him. When he sees the chance to help the woman he has been pining over for years, who just happens to be his rivals ex, he takes it without fully thinking it through.
Kendra Hart is a strong and powerful professional soccer player who is down on her luck and the hits just keep coming. As if to prove her strength she doesnβt let any of it get her down and becomes for determined to make things happen for herself.
The chemistry between these two started immediately and did not fizzle out, it was sizzling. The compliment each other beautifully and the way they were with each other had me kicking my feet in joy. Kendra was Jacks weakness and turned the respectable English boy into a dirty talking feral man in the bedroom and maybe a few other places as well.
On top of those two I fell in love with their families. The relationship they had with their siblings overseas was adorable. Then the relationship between Jack and Jon, his stepfather and coach was beautiful.
And it would not be a hockey book if there was not a hilarious group chat going between teammates. I cannot wait to see what more Ruth has in store for this team! I am so hoping Archer and Sawyer get books!
Thank you, Ruth Stilling and Wordsmith Publicity, for the ARC of this book.