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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Cute but that was all. I don't even think this can be classified as second chance, since they met 12 years earlier and nothing happened.
Even though this novel had all my favorite tropes I felt it was a bit boring and lagging after a bit. They started dating straight away, a lot of monologues repeating over and over the same things.
#arc #arcreader #arcreview #arcreviewer #sealthedeal #haileyrodger #luneliterary #secondchance #hefallsfirst #romcom #drama #friendstolovers #contemporaryromance #dualtimeline #hockey #sportsromance
Even though this novel had all my favorite tropes I felt it was a bit boring and lagging after a bit. They started dating straight away, a lot of monologues repeating over and over the same things.
#arc #arcreader #arcreview #arcreviewer #sealthedeal #haileyrodger #luneliterary #secondchance #hefallsfirst #romcom #drama #friendstolovers #contemporaryromance #dualtimeline #hockey #sportsromance
3⭐/3🌶️
Thank you luna literary for this arc! :)
I really enjoyed this story. I think the plot was great. I wasnt the hugest fan of some of its execution but overall i enjoyed the story and thats all that matters.
At times the dual timeline was a little much. It got to be a bit confusing when the chapters would overlap each other from all the povs but i caught on after a bit. Jake was a huge green flag the entire book which was awesome, but Charlie just kept fighting him and it would break my heart!
Thank you luna literary for this arc! :)
I really enjoyed this story. I think the plot was great. I wasnt the hugest fan of some of its execution but overall i enjoyed the story and thats all that matters.
At times the dual timeline was a little much. It got to be a bit confusing when the chapters would overlap each other from all the povs but i caught on after a bit. Jake was a huge green flag the entire book which was awesome, but Charlie just kept fighting him and it would break my heart!
"You’re allowed to struggle, to doubt yourself. No one expects you to be perfect. But that doesn’t mean you’re not enough."
I was lucky to receive an ARC of Hailey Rodger's debut novel, Seal the Deal (book one in the Colorado Storm Series). It follows the story of Charlotte and Jake.
Seal the Deal was a sweet, heartwarming story.
I am in awe of Charlotte, who was incredibly brave to leave her ex-husband and move halfway across the world for a fresh start. I found her relatable when it came to her anxiety, doubts, insecurities, and internal thoughts. She is an amazing mother who wants nothing more than to be the best mum possible to Meadow and Noah, and make sure they know how loved they are.
I loved seeing her come into her own and finally stand up to her ex and put him in his place, all with Meadow and Noah's best interests at heart. Charlotte deserved some good in her life after everything, and I am glad she finally got her happily ever after.
I had a love-hate relationship with Jake. He is protective of those he loves and has a heart of gold. Something about a man who steps up and is there for his girl and her children gets me every time. The way he was with Meadow and Noah was everything. Jake frustrated me by constantly thinking with the wrong head, missing opportunities to be there for Charlotte when it mattered most.
I enjoyed learning more about how they met all those years ago through the time jumps.
Meadow and Noah were just the sweetest.
I adored Zoe. Everyone deserves to have a friend like Zoe in their lives.
There was some unnecessary repetitiveness throughout the book, and the story dragged on in a few places making it feel a bit longer than it needed to be, but besides that, I enjoyed The Seal the Deal and thought it was a good debut novel.
I can not wait to read the next book in the Colorado Storm Series.
Thank you so much to Hailey Rodger and @lunaliterary.management for this ARC 💜
I was lucky to receive an ARC of Hailey Rodger's debut novel, Seal the Deal (book one in the Colorado Storm Series). It follows the story of Charlotte and Jake.
Seal the Deal was a sweet, heartwarming story.
I am in awe of Charlotte, who was incredibly brave to leave her ex-husband and move halfway across the world for a fresh start. I found her relatable when it came to her anxiety, doubts, insecurities, and internal thoughts. She is an amazing mother who wants nothing more than to be the best mum possible to Meadow and Noah, and make sure they know how loved they are.
I loved seeing her come into her own and finally stand up to her ex and put him in his place, all with Meadow and Noah's best interests at heart. Charlotte deserved some good in her life after everything, and I am glad she finally got her happily ever after.
I had a love-hate relationship with Jake. He is protective of those he loves and has a heart of gold. Something about a man who steps up and is there for his girl and her children gets me every time. The way he was with Meadow and Noah was everything. Jake frustrated me by constantly thinking with the wrong head, missing opportunities to be there for Charlotte when it mattered most.
I enjoyed learning more about how they met all those years ago through the time jumps.
Meadow and Noah were just the sweetest.
I adored Zoe. Everyone deserves to have a friend like Zoe in their lives.
There was some unnecessary repetitiveness throughout the book, and the story dragged on in a few places making it feel a bit longer than it needed to be, but besides that, I enjoyed The Seal the Deal and thought it was a good debut novel.
I can not wait to read the next book in the Colorado Storm Series.
Thank you so much to Hailey Rodger and @lunaliterary.management for this ARC 💜
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Luna Literacy & to the author for this ARC in exchange for a review.
I’m really torn about this story. On one hand I loved every bit of the second chance storyline of Jake & Charlie. Jake is an incredible partner who adores Charlie and her kids in the sweetest way possible. I also loved no break up in the second half!
On the other hand, the spicy scenes just did not go with the characters at all. I love me some spice but I felt like I was reading 2 different books when the sex scenes happened & it just didn’t flow.
I also could tell immediately that book 2 was going to be about Zoe & Chase by how their dynamic was mentioned so often.
I’m really torn about this story. On one hand I loved every bit of the second chance storyline of Jake & Charlie. Jake is an incredible partner who adores Charlie and her kids in the sweetest way possible. I also loved no break up in the second half!
On the other hand, the spicy scenes just did not go with the characters at all. I love me some spice but I felt like I was reading 2 different books when the sex scenes happened & it just didn’t flow.
I also could tell immediately that book 2 was going to be about Zoe & Chase by how their dynamic was mentioned so often.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a new favorite for me in the hockey romance subgenre! It’s emotionally charged and filled with heartfelt moments. Charlie and Jake’s story is so much more than a surface level romance, featuring themes like the power of vulnerability, finding the strength the start over, and how baked goods can bring people together (iykyk!)
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
Twelve years. Two hearts. One love that refuses to fade.
Charlie is a recently divorced single mother who has moved to Denver from New Zealand with her two small kids in tow. She's strong, independent, and driven to provide a stable life for herself and her children as she navigates this new journey on her own. Of all of the things she might have expected, she never imagined she'd run into the boy (now man) who'd made her summer camp counseling experience one to remember.
“The dream I’ve been chasing my whole life is to feel the way you made me feel back then. Happy, safe. Cherished.”
Jake is a professional hockey player who's always put his goals above most everything else. The perpetual bachelor, he doesn't realize how much he's missed until she strolls back into his life. He can't imagine a future without her and he plans to do whatever it takes to ensure he doesn't lose her again.
"Twelve years, Lady Lightning. That's 4,514 sunsets since the last one we had on that hill. Countless games… A lifetime of moments without you."
This was a beautifully written debut novel. Twelve years can feel both like a lifetime ago and only a moment ago as two people reconnect and pick up where they left off. I appreciated the dual POV and dual timeline (flashbacks) that really showcase this deep rooted connection between the two MC's and why it was so easy for them to rekindle what they had innocently started as teens all those years ago. I laughed, cried, and got irritated with Charlie's stubbornness during their emotional journey. Highly recommend this read!
Charlie is a recently divorced single mother who has moved to Denver from New Zealand with her two small kids in tow. She's strong, independent, and driven to provide a stable life for herself and her children as she navigates this new journey on her own. Of all of the things she might have expected, she never imagined she'd run into the boy (now man) who'd made her summer camp counseling experience one to remember.
“The dream I’ve been chasing my whole life is to feel the way you made me feel back then. Happy, safe. Cherished.”
Jake is a professional hockey player who's always put his goals above most everything else. The perpetual bachelor, he doesn't realize how much he's missed until she strolls back into his life. He can't imagine a future without her and he plans to do whatever it takes to ensure he doesn't lose her again.
"Twelve years, Lady Lightning. That's 4,514 sunsets since the last one we had on that hill. Countless games… A lifetime of moments without you."
This was a beautifully written debut novel. Twelve years can feel both like a lifetime ago and only a moment ago as two people reconnect and pick up where they left off. I appreciated the dual POV and dual timeline (flashbacks) that really showcase this deep rooted connection between the two MC's and why it was so easy for them to rekindle what they had innocently started as teens all those years ago. I laughed, cried, and got irritated with Charlie's stubbornness during their emotional journey. Highly recommend this read!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5/5
55 highlights. Need I say more?
Jake and Charlie’s story was written BEAUTIFULLY.
Synopsis: Single mom, Charlie, relocates with her kids to the US from New Zealand after separating from her ex-husband. Coincidentally, she ends up in the same city as Jake, a friend from 12 years ago that she’d lost touch with. They’d spent one summer being camp counselors together and formed a bond that was special to both of them, but it never went beyond friendship, and they lost touch after Jake got drafted into the NHL and Charlie started university. Now, with them in the same city and sharing mutual friends, they reconnect and sparks fly, but things are never as easy as they seem.
Review: This story was well-constructed and written beautifully! I fell in love with Hailey Rodger’s writing style from the very first chapter. It was full of dreamy prose that was still easy to read. The characters all fit together very well, and I really enjoyed the found family aspect of the story. We got to spend time with Jake’s hockey team and Charlie’s best friend, Zoey (who quickly became one of my favorite best friend characters ever), which really added to the story outside of the main romantic plotline. There were several conflicts that carried through, which helped keep things interesting throughout.
We get a bit of a dual timeline, with flashbacks of pertinent moments Charlie and Jake had at camp, throughout the book. It was so nice to have that little peek into their history, and it did wonders for helping build their story and prove why they were meant to be together. The relationship between the two leads was so tender, but also playful and fun. I found myself genuinely kicking my feet. All in all, I’d recommend this to anyone for a cozy, romantic read.
Also, the playlist is IMMACULATE.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC! All opinions are my own.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
This book was so good. Hailey Rodger gets a gold star for describing the personalities and emotions of characters to the reader, especially Jake, the MMC. Holy buckets, she wrote Jake with so much care. His ability to love and protect is incredible and makes him a swoon-worthy book boyfriend. Charlie (the FMC has a good balance of relatable inner turmoil to deal with but also gumption to not put up with her ex's crap. I love how Jake knows she can handle situations, but at the same time steps in and lets her know he's right there with her. This sports romance hits a little more deeply than many others. Their love story is just so good and you keep rooting for them all the way through! This is extremely well-written for a debut! Looking forward to Chase and Zoe's story next!
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes