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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
I always have to start these off my saying thank you so much to Helena Hunting and her BBB for gifting me an ARC of this book!! If You Love Me is number 4 in the Toronto Terror series and Roman Hammerstein’s story. I have been WAAAAITING for Roman’s story since book one and seriously fell even more in love with him.
I can’t get enough of Roman and his protectiveness, broodiness, and absolutely filthy mouth. And Lexi was such a fun and strong character to read about, I love her addition to the Terror series and family. She is determined and loyal and I love to see her come into her parenting role. The way her and Roman can relate to raising girls alone was a PERFECT touch for this relationship. Their spice, their chemistry, and their banter had me absolutely living, I couldn’t get enough of these two.
And yall know I am ALL FOR a found family trope and the Terror family and BBB are so welcoming and sweet and it seriously makes me long for a community just like theirs! It’s weird to rely on people but when Lexi realized she had people in her corner, it was beautiful. I loved loved loved Roman and Lexi’s journey and with every Toronto Terror book that comes out, my favorite story is constantly changing.
If You Love Me is an angsty, emotional hockey romance second chance love story that you will not regret reading and I tooootally recommend!!🩷
I can’t get enough of Roman and his protectiveness, broodiness, and absolutely filthy mouth. And Lexi was such a fun and strong character to read about, I love her addition to the Terror series and family. She is determined and loyal and I love to see her come into her parenting role. The way her and Roman can relate to raising girls alone was a PERFECT touch for this relationship. Their spice, their chemistry, and their banter had me absolutely living, I couldn’t get enough of these two.
And yall know I am ALL FOR a found family trope and the Terror family and BBB are so welcoming and sweet and it seriously makes me long for a community just like theirs! It’s weird to rely on people but when Lexi realized she had people in her corner, it was beautiful. I loved loved loved Roman and Lexi’s journey and with every Toronto Terror book that comes out, my favorite story is constantly changing.
If You Love Me is an angsty, emotional hockey romance second chance love story that you will not regret reading and I tooootally recommend!!🩷
This was such a beautiful love story! Roman and Lexi stole my heart and I was rooting for them so hard. Their chemistry, support, kindness and love for each other… It was outstanding. The found family in this series is one of my favourite things, but the sisters’ relationship and the blended family in this book were the cherry on top of the cake.
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
💞 Age Gap
💞 Second Chances
💞 Workplace
4.5/5 🌟
4/5 🌶
This is all the warm and fuzzies I needed right now. Endless amount of HEA, for the couple, the family, and the amazing cast of other characters.
Add caramel and apples to the list of Helena Hunting's Ruined foods. 🥒🍌🍑🍏 I'm not going to be able to look at it the same. Or a sandwich for that matter.
💞 Second Chances
💞 Workplace
4.5/5 🌟
4/5 🌶
This is all the warm and fuzzies I needed right now. Endless amount of HEA, for the couple, the family, and the amazing cast of other characters.
Add caramel and apples to the list of Helena Hunting's Ruined foods. 🥒🍌🍑🍏 I'm not going to be able to look at it the same. Or a sandwich for that matter.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
“If You Love Me” by Helena Hunting was everything I wanted and then some! I’ve been waiting for Roman’s book since the very first one, and let me tell you—it was worth the wait. He’s the grumpiest, most devoted dad and teammate, and now he finally gets the love story he deserves. Enter Lexi, the first female assistant coach in the NHL and the absolute perfect match for him. Their second-chance, forbidden romance had me hooked from page one. The angst? A top-shelf slapshot. The chemistry? A hat trick of tension, steam, and longing. The emotions? Like an overtime playoff game—you feel every second. Watching them fight their feelings (and fail miserably) was everything I needed.
Lexi is a total badass. She’s been taking care of her sisters since their mom passed, and now she’s making history in the NHL. The only problem? She’s coaching the one guy she never thought she’d see again—the man she fell for during one unforgettable weekend three years ago. Roman, of course, remembers ‘everything’ and is absolutely furious that Lexi walked out on him three years ago. Cue the tension, the stolen glances, and the delicious slow burn as they try (and fail) to stay away from each other. And the found family vibes? SO GOOD. The Toronto Terriers rally around Lexi and her sisters, and we get the perfect mix of bromance, BBB power, sibling love, and hilarious locker room antics. Plus, the hints at future romances and the ongoing Flip and Connor rivalry? ICONIC. (That sandwich scene—if you know, you know!)
And let’s talk about the audiobook because WOW. Stella Bloom and Stephen Dexter absolutely ‘killed it’. The emotion, the chemistry, the tension—perfection. Stephen’s voice as Roman? Whew. Just thinking about it has me blushing. And Stella captures Lexi’s strength and vulnerability so beautifully. Every heated moment, every swoon-worthy whisper, every gut-punch of emotion? They nailed it. Helena Hunting knows exactly how to balance steam, swoon, and heart, and this book proves it. If you love hockey romances with unforgettable characters, spicy tension, and a whole lot of heart, drop everything and read this series now!
Thank you @helenahunting and her team for the #gifted ebook ARC and audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
Mia Loves Reading Review 📚💕
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This ALC was great! I love Helena Hunting's books. I have a soft spot for a single-dad age-gap sports romance. Roman is crazy about Alex, and Alex can't resist Roman. This story was written and narrated perfectly; it is just my type of book! They had chemistry from the start. I was swooning by all of the feels! It's so spicy 🥵 I recommend it!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This ALC was great! I love Helena Hunting's books. I have a soft spot for a single-dad age-gap sports romance. Roman is crazy about Alex, and Alex can't resist Roman. This story was written and narrated perfectly; it is just my type of book! They had chemistry from the start. I was swooning by all of the feels! It's so spicy 🥵 I recommend it!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved everything about this book. We know that the Terror "family" is something special, but to watch these girls & the guys just completely embrace & love on Lexi, Fee, & Callle warmed my heart. The tension between Roman & Lexi was so palpable & it's no wonder that these two caved. They are so absolutely perfect for each other...but let's be real... Roman is just perfect in general. I loved the relationship that he was able to form with both Fee & Callie. And I loved that he was able to inadvertently fill a void both of them felt after losing both of their parents.
So so so many possible story arcs to explore with these characters & I can't wait for what's in store next for the Toronto Terror family.
Stephen Dexter & Stella Bloom absolutely owned this narration. Stephen was a perfect pick for the wise "team dad", & Stella brought an energy to Lexi that had me loving the character & wanting all of her dreams to come true.
So so so many possible story arcs to explore with these characters & I can't wait for what's in store next for the Toronto Terror family.
Stephen Dexter & Stella Bloom absolutely owned this narration. Stephen was a perfect pick for the wise "team dad", & Stella brought an energy to Lexi that had me loving the character & wanting all of her dreams to come true.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Toronto Terror series has fast become my favorite from Helena Hunting. Brimming with heart, sizzling heat, and the most quirky and charismatic characters in the best hockey found family around- I just can’t get enough of this feel-good, witty, and effortlessly charming series. If You Love Me has everything I adore about this series- the humor, the tension, the unforgettable funny and sexy moments…and it has even more emotion. This one has felt the sweetest and most emotionally rich of them all, and I could not stop reading/listening. One of my favorites in the series!
I’ve long since been excited for grumpy goalie Roman Hammerstein to find his HEA. And turns out his match is in the form of a blast from the past- a girl he’s been pining for since they hooked up three years ago. Only now he’s the new Toronto Terror assistant coach (YES FOR GIRLS COACHING!). Lexi is super focused and committed to her job- she’s making history after all. She knows when she arrives that Roman is there…but she hopes perhaps she didn’t quite leave the unforgettable mark on him that he left on her. But fate, and life, are not that easy- Roman certainly remembers her, and the chemistry, the attraction, the longing is still there for both of them.
Oh so much forbidden tension! Obviously their love is forbidden- and so they have to really fight off their undeniable and magnetic chemistry. Which is much easier said than done since the pull between them is unforgiving. They can’t help but ultimately give in after fighting the attraction, which means they have to keep their history, and their present, a secret. SO MUCH TENSION! SO MUCH LONGING! SO MUCH HEAT BETWEEN THEM! It’s consuming.
Roman is everything I wanted and expected. We’ve seen him as a doting and thoughtful dad to Peggy (from my OTHER favorite in the series)- and now we get to see him through a whole new lens. He’s still thoughtful, gentle, ridiculously swoony. But he’s also possessive and protective, and brings a little more demand and edge in the bedroom (the mouth on this man- YAAAS). I love how the real “dad” of the group- the level, reliable, stoic goalie is completely unsettled by his new coach. It’s so adorable to watch him falling and falling hard.
And Lexi. Three cheers for female coach representation! And she’s also just a girl boss all around. Hard-working, smart, and also taking care of our siblings after losing her parents. This job isn’t just a huge milestone for her (and for women) but it’s also the much needed stability for her family. The stakes are SO high for her- and Roman being so irresistible and addictive makes things complicated for her. But he also becomes her safe space to land. She takes care of everyone- and Roman is the strength she needs for when she needs to not be the strong one, when she needs a place to crumble. My goodness I adored them together- and how deeply they respect and admire one another. They relate on a truly cellular level. The chemistry is really profound and emotive and nuanced - it was mesmerizing watching them fall. Their story feels sweeter, a bit more heavy, than the others in the book, and I really appreciated that dynamic here- we still have plenty of laughs, but this one hit me in the heart a bit more.
Not to mention- the found family. All of the amazing Toronto Terror characters truly are the best group of fun, support, and accountability. They lift each other up and show up for each other and I just adored this whole quirky and charming cast.
The audio was so good- Stephen Dexter and Stella Bloom brought a lot of heart and charisma to the performances, and I just gobbled the ALC right up. The audios for this series have all been fantastic- I can’t recommend them enough.
What To Expect
-One Night Stand
-Professional Hockey
-Coach x Player
-Age Gap (11 years)
-Second Chance
-Forbidden
-Secret Romance
-Longing and Pining
-Single Parents (single dad + heroine raising his siblings)
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny, Car accident