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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Fool Me Once is the third in the New England Bay Sharks series by Hannah Gray. I knew this book would be beautiful and emotional and I was right.
Smith and Gemma have loved each other since they were children. They were together for a short time as teenagers, but something happened and they were separated for six years.
When they were reunited again, they were completely different people. Smith was a playboy hockey player who still loved Gemma and Gemma was a domestic abuse survivor who pretended to hate Smith.
Gemma was dealing with her trauma and slowly healing herself. Her story was heartbreaking and the way Hannah wrote the tough topics was respectful and realistic. And Smith was right there ready to support her and show her how much he loves her and how worthy she is.
The chemistry between them was undeniable strong, their relationship development was amazing, and their story was heartfelt and meaningful. They were meant for one another and I loved following their journey back to each other. I can’t wait for everyone to read it and I’m so excited for the next books!
What you’ll find:
🏒 Second Chance
💕 Forced Proximity
🏒 Slow Burn
💕 Best Friend’s Brother
🏒 Fake Dating
💕 Heroine on the run
🏒 Who hurt you?
💕 Fur baby
*I’d like to say thank you to Hannah Gray and WordSmith Publicity for giving me the opportunity to read Fool Me Once as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is a fabulous addition to this series. These charaters are very well written and tell a fab story. Highly recommended
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
I’m really enjoying this series by Hannah Gray! I love seeing the boys a bit older, watching them navigate the complexities of adult relationships, and diving into the heavy subject matter that’s been woven into each book so far. Gray handles these topics with care, making sure they feel real while still delivering a compelling romance.
That being said… Kolt and Paige from Shoot Your Shot (Book 2) still reign supreme for me. The marriage in crisis trope is one of my absolute favorites, so that book just hit all the right notes. But Fool Me Once brings something different—a second chance at love with your first love, and that emotional weight definitely pulled me in.
Smith and Gemma’s story is packed with longing, unresolved feelings, and a whole lot of angst. I loved the "who did this to you?" moment and the brief fake dating element, but really, this is a book where the MMC is obsessed with the FMC, and she’s trying so hard not to fall back in love with him (but she totally does). The intensity between them is undeniable, and I lived for those moments of tension where they were fighting their feelings.
However, I did have some issues with the way Smith handled Gemma. She went through something deeply traumatic, and while she was actively trying to empower herself, Smith—who knew what she needed—still agreed to do wasn’t in her best interest just because he couldn’t say no to her. And then… it kind of got swept under the rug a little too easily. I really wish this aspect of their relationship had been explored more, with a bit more conflict and resolution.
One thing I really love about Hannah Gray’s books is that despite tackling such heavy subject matter, they’re super quick reads. Fool Me Once is an emotional ride, but it doesn’t drag—it’s bingeable, engaging, and delivers all the angsty goodness I was hoping for.
AND OMG. I AM SOOOOO EXCITED FOR GOLDEN RETRIEVER RYDER’S BOOK. 🥹 The sneak peek at the end of Fool Me Once was everything I could have wanted and more for their story. I truly think Ryder and his FMC (no spoilers here!) could dethrone Kolt and Paige as my favorite couple in the series. I need that book ASAP.
If you love:
🔥 Who did this to you?
🔥 Fake dating
🔥 Boy is obsessed with girl / girl is obsessed with boy but trying not to be
🔥 Second-chance romance with your first love
🔥 Who did this to you?
🔥 Fake dating
🔥 Boy is obsessed with girl / girl is obsessed with boy but trying not to be
🔥 Second-chance romance with your first love
Then this is definitely for you - I’m REALLY looking forward to the next one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
5 ⭐️ 4 🌶️
When I read the tropes for this book, I never could’ve anticipated what the plot line could’ve been. Man oh man, honestly I think adrenaline is what made me read this book and drink it in as quickly as I did. The themes and flashbacks in the book are rough to digest. I could relate to this book in so many different ways. I cried, I felt every ounce of emotion poured into this book it’s insane. What Gemma goes through and her path to healing is rough. I loved that when she showed up to friendsgiving, everyone suspected what the truth was but no one said anything. They just welcomed her with open arms, no judgement even if they so fiercely wanted to ask questions. She grew and developed so much as a character throughout the story, it was honestly amazing! Smith Sawyer - he knew he fucked up letting her get away as teenagers. He fought like hell for her now in the most respectful way he could. He showed her this adult version of himself and supported her through her healing journey. Showed her the Bay Sharks family and respected what she needed for herself in the moment. And oh man the last few chapters 🥹🥲 absolutely beautiful!
When I read the tropes for this book, I never could’ve anticipated what the plot line could’ve been. Man oh man, honestly I think adrenaline is what made me read this book and drink it in as quickly as I did. The themes and flashbacks in the book are rough to digest. I could relate to this book in so many different ways. I cried, I felt every ounce of emotion poured into this book it’s insane. What Gemma goes through and her path to healing is rough. I loved that when she showed up to friendsgiving, everyone suspected what the truth was but no one said anything. They just welcomed her with open arms, no judgement even if they so fiercely wanted to ask questions. She grew and developed so much as a character throughout the story, it was honestly amazing! Smith Sawyer - he knew he fucked up letting her get away as teenagers. He fought like hell for her now in the most respectful way he could. He showed her this adult version of himself and supported her through her healing journey. Showed her the Bay Sharks family and respected what she needed for herself in the moment. And oh man the last few chapters 🥹🥲 absolutely beautiful!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
I am absolutely loving this series! Even though im already out of my sports era, this series has been so good! I cant help but have all the feels for Gemma and Smith! What Gemma went through is absolutely horrific and I cannot imagine the pain and trauma and healing. I think Hannah did a good representing this emotional rollercoaster.
I loved how patient Smith was, and how thoughtful he became. Its clear these two had so much love for each other. This was such a beautiful story to read. I hope you give it read!
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸…
🏒Second Chance
🏒Best Friend’s Brother
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Close proximity
🏒Open Door
🏒Dual POV
‼️Trigger Warnings - Domestic Abuse‼️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Hannah Gray once again was able to make me feel so many deep emotions with this amazing second chance romance.
Gemma and Smith’s story grabbed my heart and didn’t let go! From the highest highs to the lowest lows, their story tackled all the hard things so beautifully. We get to witness character growth from both of them. Gemma’s brought me to tears. The work she did to overcome her trauma and regain her power had me in awe. And the way Smith was by her side the whole time was chef’s kiss. With ups and downs along the way, their journey back to each other was what reeled me in and made me fall in love with them. I might just have a new favourite Shark after this one!
The New England Bay Sharks series has been nothing short of amazing so far and I cannot wait to see what comes next!
I absolutely recommend this book!
As always, please check the triggers.
I would like to thank Hannah Gray and Wordsmith Publicity for the opportunity to read and review Fool Me Once.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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:
N/A
"All these years later, and still, Smith Sawyer has the ability to get under my skin and make my heart feel like it’s under attack."
This book was such a page turner! Gemma & Smith's story took me down an emotional rollercoaster and the chemistry between them was undeniably strong! The whole part about how Gemma grew out of her trauma and slowly healed felt raw and real. I liked how Smith was so patient and helped her navigate the situation. The hockey element was also strong and all the side characters were wholesome, especially Saylor & Paige! The support all of them provided Gemma was heartwarming and I liked how the romance was not rushed either. Gemma's story was heartbreaking and I found myself crying for her in some parts, so I liked how her healing process was dealt with in the book. And Smith was just the best man ever! His character development was great and the relationship development between both of them was perfect! Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I'm very excited for the next ones in this series because so far, every book has been impressive!
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review
This book was such a page turner! Gemma & Smith's story took me down an emotional rollercoaster and the chemistry between them was undeniably strong! The whole part about how Gemma grew out of her trauma and slowly healed felt raw and real. I liked how Smith was so patient and helped her navigate the situation. The hockey element was also strong and all the side characters were wholesome, especially Saylor & Paige! The support all of them provided Gemma was heartwarming and I liked how the romance was not rushed either. Gemma's story was heartbreaking and I found myself crying for her in some parts, so I liked how her healing process was dealt with in the book. And Smith was just the best man ever! His character development was great and the relationship development between both of them was perfect! Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I'm very excited for the next ones in this series because so far, every book has been impressive!
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
Gemma and Smith are the cutest couple and I love them. They went through so much for knowing each other practically their whole lives. They lost touch and came back together again after life events! I don’t want to spoil but check it out when it releases March 6th!