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idktheyear's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
We know I LOVE a book where the main characters actually communicate with each other, and this had healthy communication in spades. The main characters were consistently establishing boundaries which I really appreciated. Even though it deals with some heavy topics, grief and loss of a spouse and toxic mothers and eating disorders, both main characters are in therapy and finding ways to experience happy moments as they grow.
Mike is such a sweet dad to his daughter. I loved reading about his heart for her. Aurora is an adult healing from her childhood trauma and she makes so many strides in growth without being annoying or whiny. I was SO proud of her for establishing her boundaries and recognizing her needs and communicating them.
While Mike is a hockey player, we don't see a whole lot of hockey action. There is enough that kept me satisfied though- a good bromance with a teammate, a scene where Aurora and LIV go to a game. It all felt natural to the book. It's definitely a romance with hockey elements, not a hockey romance, if that makes sense.
I appreciate Jenny Holiday writing style- a good mix of showing and telling and inside jokes between her characters.
Overall, worth a read if you like romance, single dad tropes, healing, and hockey!
Mike is such a sweet dad to his daughter. I loved reading about his heart for her. Aurora is an adult healing from her childhood trauma and she makes so many strides in growth without being annoying or whiny. I was SO proud of her for establishing her boundaries and recognizing her needs and communicating them.
While Mike is a hockey player, we don't see a whole lot of hockey action. There is enough that kept me satisfied though- a good bromance with a teammate, a scene where Aurora and LIV go to a game. It all felt natural to the book. It's definitely a romance with hockey elements, not a hockey romance, if that makes sense.
I appreciate Jenny Holiday writing style- a good mix of showing and telling and inside jokes between her characters.
Overall, worth a read if you like romance, single dad tropes, healing, and hockey!
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder, Grief, and Sexual content
breathehopebooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Super cute hockey romance that surprisingly had a lot of depth, handled multiple difficult topics well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Body shaming and Car accident
katrinaward's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death and Car accident
readers_together's review
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Car accident and Eating disorder
justinekorson's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.75
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for this novel!!
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
HAPPY PUB DAY TO CANADIAN BOYFRIEND!!
Le me start off by saying that as a former ballerina myself who also struggled with eating habits (and has freckles, and likes hockey and loves the name Aurora?!?! Seriously this book was made with me in mind somehow?!?). I loved Aurora's character. She was funny and relatable and even though the way she talked at times felt a bit cheesy (calling his green eyes kryptonite lol) I still throughly enjoyed her POV's and her attitude!
Mike was also incredible. He was so kind and caring and loving toward his daughter. I loved that he wanted to do anything and everything in his power to help Olivia even if it meant bringing a relative stranger (Aurora) into his house so his daughter would be happy! He was also very patient with his daughter and a good listener. Also... man after my own heart for going to therapy and suggesting it to Aurora.
All in all, I throughly enjoyed this novel and I'm looking to reading more from Holiday in the future!
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
HAPPY PUB DAY TO CANADIAN BOYFRIEND!!
Le me start off by saying that as a former ballerina myself who also struggled with eating habits (and has freckles, and likes hockey and loves the name Aurora?!?! Seriously this book was made with me in mind somehow?!?). I loved Aurora's character. She was funny and relatable and even though the way she talked at times felt a bit cheesy (calling his green eyes kryptonite lol) I still throughly enjoyed her POV's and her attitude!
Mike was also incredible. He was so kind and caring and loving toward his daughter. I loved that he wanted to do anything and everything in his power to help Olivia even if it meant bringing a relative stranger (Aurora) into his house so his daughter would be happy! He was also very patient with his daughter and a good listener. Also... man after my own heart for going to therapy and suggesting it to Aurora.
All in all, I throughly enjoyed this novel and I'm looking to reading more from Holiday in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Eating disorder
soobooksalot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Car accident
caitandthelibrary's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you Forever and Hachette for the ARC!
I really appreciated the way Olivia and Mike's grief were explored in this book, especially how their grief related to their relationship with each other. I also appreciated how Rory's relationship with her mom, her past and her eating disorder were explored. I think all of these topics were handled maturely, realistically and in a way that can be relatable for those who have faced similar experiences. I loved the on page therapy, I think it was done well and added a lot to the story and reinforced the normalcy of therapy.
I didn't love Mike as a character. In fact I quite seriously disliked him. He was great as a dad with Olivia, and was great at consent, but those were his only redeeming qualities for me. I hated the way he referred to anything slightly spiritual as "woo-woo" and some of the things he said/thought were leaning towards misogynistic. I found his character to be immature, which he made improvements on in therapy like when he realized all of the emotional labor Sarah was doing, but especially in the way he handled the third act conflict.
The third act conflict felt unnecessary and didn't really make sense to me. I found the justification for both of their reactions, guilt, anger and the subsequent breakup weak and the overall issue clunky. I liked the concept of what was trying to be done, but found the execution to be lack luster. I think with better execution of the third act conflict the overall pacing of the book would have been better as well. I found the pacing to be quite slow and felt like the book was 50-75 pages too long and the resolution too quick.
I found the cover art and the marketing of this book to be slightly misleading. Yes, this is a book about grief, self-love and overcoming personal demons, but it is not a hockey romance. Mike may be a hockey player, but this book was only hockey adjacent. There was not enough about the details, logistics or game play for this to be a hockey romance.
I wanted to love this book, I was really excited to read it, but it didn't hit the mark for me.
I really appreciated the way Olivia and Mike's grief were explored in this book, especially how their grief related to their relationship with each other. I also appreciated how Rory's relationship with her mom, her past and her eating disorder were explored. I think all of these topics were handled maturely, realistically and in a way that can be relatable for those who have faced similar experiences. I loved the on page therapy, I think it was done well and added a lot to the story and reinforced the normalcy of therapy.
I didn't love Mike as a character. In fact I quite seriously disliked him. He was great as a dad with Olivia, and was great at consent, but those were his only redeeming qualities for me. I hated the way he referred to anything slightly spiritual as "woo-woo" and some of the things he said/thought were leaning towards misogynistic. I found his character to be immature, which he made improvements on in therapy
The third act conflict felt unnecessary and didn't really make sense to me. I found the justification for both of their reactions, guilt, anger and the subsequent breakup weak and the overall issue clunky. I liked the concept of what was trying to be done, but found the execution to be lack luster. I think with better execution of the third act conflict the overall pacing of the book would have been better as well. I found the pacing to be quite slow and felt like the book was 50-75 pages too long and the resolution too quick.
I found the cover art and the marketing of this book to be slightly misleading. Yes, this is a book about grief, self-love and overcoming personal demons, but it is not a hockey romance. Mike may be a hockey player, but this book was only hockey adjacent. There was not enough about the details, logistics or game play for this to be a hockey romance.
I wanted to love this book, I was really excited to read it, but it didn't hit the mark for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Eating disorder
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
donohue_kathryn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
There were times this story had me rolling my eyes (which I think is common with romances) but there were also moments where I was smiling and could really believe they were falling in love.
I felt like each character had appropriate development for the timeframe of the story and could genuinely believe they stayed together in the end.
I really enjoyed the audiobook narration and appreciated the TW at the beginning. I felt like there was enough mention of ED to further the story without being too gratuitous.
I felt like each character had appropriate development for the timeframe of the story and could genuinely believe they stayed together in the end.
I really enjoyed the audiobook narration and appreciated the TW at the beginning. I felt like there was enough mention of ED to further the story without being too gratuitous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Death
lit_with_lauren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Eating disorder
kaleys23's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, and Body shaming