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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This was so good! Part enemies to lovers, part he falls first, the banter is so fun, and the spice was hot. Zoe is my favorite, and she absolutely deserves Chase's focus and attention. I love this series so much and cannot wait for the next one!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐-> ♾️🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶
💕 Age Gap that's not a big deal but she makes it one
🏒 Pro Hockey Player x PR Exec
💕 Frenemies To Lovers
🏒 Found Family
💕 Fake Dating
🏒ONS
💕 Plenty Of Spice & Banter
🏒 She's Grumpy to no one but him
✨️ ARC 📖 REVIEW ✨️
Zoe and Chase quickly made their way into my heart ❤️. I loved their chemistry and banter! With plenty of spice to give us everything we didn't know we needed but certainly hoped for 😍.
Zoe definitely made Chase see that she wasn't going to take it easy on him! But they were able to see exactly where they stood and made it work in both of their favors!
These two will be living rent free in my head for a long time!
🔥 Let's Talk About Sex Baby 🥵:
🌶️🌶️🌶 /5
Thank you so much to Hailey Rodger & Luna Lit for the free ALC copy 🫶🏻. All opinions✨️ are my own, honest and voluntary✨️.
🌶️🌶️🌶
💕 Age Gap that's not a big deal but she makes it one
🏒 Pro Hockey Player x PR Exec
💕 Frenemies To Lovers
🏒 Found Family
💕 Fake Dating
🏒ONS
💕 Plenty Of Spice & Banter
🏒 She's Grumpy to no one but him
✨️ ARC 📖 REVIEW ✨️
Zoe and Chase quickly made their way into my heart ❤️. I loved their chemistry and banter! With plenty of spice to give us everything we didn't know we needed but certainly hoped for 😍.
Zoe definitely made Chase see that she wasn't going to take it easy on him! But they were able to see exactly where they stood and made it work in both of their favors!
These two will be living rent free in my head for a long time!
🔥 Let's Talk About Sex Baby 🥵:
🌶️🌶️🌶 /5
Thank you so much to Hailey Rodger & Luna Lit for the free ALC copy 🫶🏻. All opinions✨️ are my own, honest and voluntary✨️.
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
I am going to give this a solid 4.5 stars yall. I bought the first book in this series but hadn't gotten around to reading it yet when I had an opportunity to read book 2. I am quickly becoming obsessed with a boy obsessed, he falls first and hard. I also love the added element when the FMC has no clue or is a black cat that likes to scratch. I like how in this trope the MC considers that four play. I love the down bad part because these men are beyond patient and recognize that their leading ladies are scared of feelings. The dynamic between these two was absolutely perfect. The way that Chase had been pining over Zoe for years. The one night stand turned fake dating turned roommates. The then slow burn to see how long they could go again without mauling each other from their ridiculous chemistry. The CONNECTION these two had. The glimpses we got of Zoe when she let her mask slip. The MOUTH on Chase- this man was legit filthy in the best way. The fact that both of these characters had been through some tough times and were still grieving. I liked that mental health rep. This book did take a turn I didn't see coming with an added element of stalking. I loved how patient Chase was with Zoe and how he helped her realize how strong she is but also that she doesn't have to do everything alone.
Chase has had one woman on the fore front of all of his fantasies for years. Zoe Carlson- one of the team's PR reps. She spars with him so hard all the time. She has so much spunk and fire. But also she is stunning. He hasn't figured out how to make a move but then at their friends wedding SHE makes a move, and Chase has to pinch himself to make sure he isn't dreaming. Then they share an unforgettable night together. She lowers her walls for him and he catches a glimpse of how she might really feel about him. When something from his past comes to haunt him, he finds himself being the lucky man to call Zoe his girlfriend. He is over the moon and is determined to make this the time where he shows Zoe how good they could be together. Now with a potential stalker on their hands, Zoe has moved in and she is everywhere. He can't escape the beauty that is her. He wants her so bad, but he doesn't want her under the pretenses of it being fake AND he wants her to make the first move. And when she does Chase KNOWS he has a shot now. He just has to be patient and hope she feels the same. And then everything shifts. They are doing this for real. Chase is in heaven literally. She makes him feel safe and calm and loved. But then something happens that freaks her out beyond his reach. Then the stalker comes into play, and Chase wants to give her space to heal but also wants her to know he isn't going anywhere. Because she is and always has been his endgame.
Zoe has a visceral reaction whenever Chase Walton is in the room. He is beautiful but just so smug. She fights her body's reaction and openly spars with him. She likes how their relationship is. Nothing else can ever happen between them. Until they are at a friend's wedding and she lets her guard down. She lets him in for a night to scratch the itch but has realized how the itch might never be scratched. And now she is somehow fake dating him and living with him. And neither of them are acknowledging this inferno of energy between them. Zoe realizes that Chase is waiting for her to make the move. He has made it clear what he wants and how he feels about her. But Zoe isn't ready to recognize that for what it is. She is only human though so maybe they can do things without strings? But now that they have crossed the line again things have shifted. They seem to be playing house really well together. Almost like this isn't fake anymore. Which the more she is around Chase and how he makes her feel she realizes she doesn't want it to be fake anymore either. She really really likes him. She has never felt this safe or this connection with anyone before. Though she is scared to jump, she does it. She jumps in with both feet and is ready to be caught by the love that is Chase. But then a secret is revealed- one that could ruin Zoe and she freaks. That on top of this stalker. now getting more serious really makes her feel rocked. After an altercation she feels altered. She doesn't feel how she did before. She doesn't feel deserving but she realizes that she isn't going to be able to push Chase away. He isn't going anywhere. And she really doesn't want him to.
I really liked this one!! I did feel a little lost on all of the hockey players since I had not read book 1, but was able to catch on quickly as to who was who. Chase was such a wonderful man. He was just perfect. He worshipped Zoe for the queen that she was to him. He was patient. He gave her his time. He was so affected by her. He was so happy with her- it was truly adorable. I loved how he saw all of her and loved ALL of her. Zoe was such a black cat. She had so many walls but lowered them for the people she loved. And when she loved, she loved HARD. Watching her let Chase in was very sweet. The stalker situation threw me off but it wove into the story well. I also loved that Chase got some closure with his family. I am really looking forward to going back and reading book 1 and seeing Lulu and Pookie fall for each other.
Thank you to Luna Literary and Hailey for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Chase has had one woman on the fore front of all of his fantasies for years. Zoe Carlson- one of the team's PR reps. She spars with him so hard all the time. She has so much spunk and fire. But also she is stunning. He hasn't figured out how to make a move but then at their friends wedding SHE makes a move, and Chase has to pinch himself to make sure he isn't dreaming. Then they share an unforgettable night together. She lowers her walls for him and he catches a glimpse of how she might really feel about him. When something from his past comes to haunt him, he finds himself being the lucky man to call Zoe his girlfriend. He is over the moon and is determined to make this the time where he shows Zoe how good they could be together. Now with a potential stalker on their hands, Zoe has moved in and she is everywhere. He can't escape the beauty that is her. He wants her so bad, but he doesn't want her under the pretenses of it being fake AND he wants her to make the first move. And when she does Chase KNOWS he has a shot now. He just has to be patient and hope she feels the same. And then everything shifts. They are doing this for real. Chase is in heaven literally. She makes him feel safe and calm and loved. But then something happens that freaks her out beyond his reach. Then the stalker comes into play, and Chase wants to give her space to heal but also wants her to know he isn't going anywhere. Because she is and always has been his endgame.
Zoe has a visceral reaction whenever Chase Walton is in the room. He is beautiful but just so smug. She fights her body's reaction and openly spars with him. She likes how their relationship is. Nothing else can ever happen between them. Until they are at a friend's wedding and she lets her guard down. She lets him in for a night to scratch the itch but has realized how the itch might never be scratched. And now she is somehow fake dating him and living with him. And neither of them are acknowledging this inferno of energy between them. Zoe realizes that Chase is waiting for her to make the move. He has made it clear what he wants and how he feels about her. But Zoe isn't ready to recognize that for what it is. She is only human though so maybe they can do things without strings? But now that they have crossed the line again things have shifted. They seem to be playing house really well together. Almost like this isn't fake anymore. Which the more she is around Chase and how he makes her feel she realizes she doesn't want it to be fake anymore either. She really really likes him. She has never felt this safe or this connection with anyone before. Though she is scared to jump, she does it. She jumps in with both feet and is ready to be caught by the love that is Chase. But then a secret is revealed- one that could ruin Zoe and she freaks. That on top of this stalker. now getting more serious really makes her feel rocked. After an altercation she feels altered. She doesn't feel how she did before. She doesn't feel deserving but she realizes that she isn't going to be able to push Chase away. He isn't going anywhere. And she really doesn't want him to.
I really liked this one!! I did feel a little lost on all of the hockey players since I had not read book 1, but was able to catch on quickly as to who was who. Chase was such a wonderful man. He was just perfect. He worshipped Zoe for the queen that she was to him. He was patient. He gave her his time. He was so affected by her. He was so happy with her- it was truly adorable. I loved how he saw all of her and loved ALL of her. Zoe was such a black cat. She had so many walls but lowered them for the people she loved. And when she loved, she loved HARD. Watching her let Chase in was very sweet. The stalker situation threw me off but it wove into the story well. I also loved that Chase got some closure with his family. I am really looking forward to going back and reading book 1 and seeing Lulu and Pookie fall for each other.
Thank you to Luna Literary and Hailey for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Great book! I love the sparring back and forth and chases unwavering commitment. She shut him out a lot which felt unfair after everything but I understand that everyone processes differently. I enjoyed the writing for the most part even though it included a ‘what do we do now’ from the FMC and I immediately thought of that Reese Witherspoon speech
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Stalking
Hailey Rodgers wrote it best in the book itself: “We love a fake-dating-to-actually-dating arc. Very 'Hallmark if Hallmark had orgasms.”
I blew through this book while on a camping trip and it was the perfect way to spend my weekend. Things that slapped the dopamine button in my brain:
-Kick ass female protag whose personality was independent, a great friend, and who grew but didn’t change in the ways that mattered
-A MC that fell first but didn’t allow it to get in the way of being Zoe’s friend first and foremost
-Found. Family.
-Fake Dating
-Top Tier Banter
There is an unexpected thread of mystery/suspense through the story as well with the stalker angle that really added an extra cherry on top for me. I adored the fact that these two were ride or die for each other even when it was Chase quietly pining for Zoe and Zoe just viewing him as a friend. The whole scene where they are hashing out the details of the dating contract with the team and PR firm? *chef's kiss* 10/10 book boyfriend behavior. No notes.
Quotes to hook you:
But I wasn’t strategizing, not for a damn second. And that’s the problem. Because she thinks this is fake, and I’m stuck somewhere between fantasy and free-fall.
She kissed me like it meant nothing, and I kissed her like it meant everything.
*~*~*
Zoe grins. Not a normal grin. No, this is the grin of a woman who is positively thriving in my suffering. High on chaos and caffeine and whatever this night is turning her into.
*~*~*
Lulu fans herself with the sleeve of her drink tray. “I can’t believe you have to sleep with him later.”
“I don’t have to,” I snap. “I choose to.”
“That’s worse.” I don’t even respond, because I realize I’m smiling. And later, I’m going to ruin him for this. Wearing absolutely nothing but his jersey and a grudge.
I blew through this book while on a camping trip and it was the perfect way to spend my weekend. Things that slapped the dopamine button in my brain:
-Kick ass female protag whose personality was independent, a great friend, and who grew but didn’t change in the ways that mattered
-A MC that fell first but didn’t allow it to get in the way of being Zoe’s friend first and foremost
-Found. Family.
-Fake Dating
-Top Tier Banter
There is an unexpected thread of mystery/suspense through the story as well with the stalker angle that really added an extra cherry on top for me. I adored the fact that these two were ride or die for each other even when it was Chase quietly pining for Zoe and Zoe just viewing him as a friend. The whole scene where they are hashing out the details of the dating contract with the team and PR firm? *chef's kiss* 10/10 book boyfriend behavior. No notes.
Quotes to hook you:
But I wasn’t strategizing, not for a damn second. And that’s the problem. Because she thinks this is fake, and I’m stuck somewhere between fantasy and free-fall.
She kissed me like it meant nothing, and I kissed her like it meant everything.
*~*~*
Zoe grins. Not a normal grin. No, this is the grin of a woman who is positively thriving in my suffering. High on chaos and caffeine and whatever this night is turning her into.
*~*~*
Lulu fans herself with the sleeve of her drink tray. “I can’t believe you have to sleep with him later.”
“I don’t have to,” I snap. “I choose to.”
“That’s worse.” I don’t even respond, because I realize I’m smiling. And later, I’m going to ruin him for this. Wearing absolutely nothing but his jersey and a grudge.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
Make the Play was a super fun hockey romance that was funny as well as touching. Not gonna lie I may or may not have teared up a time or two. Chase (MMC) is a hockey player who found himself in love with Zoe (FMC) his team’s PR executive. And when an old spicy video is released the obvious thing to do is have Chase in a stable relationship with none other than Zoe. I loved how they had the same friend group and how sassy Zoe was. My favorite things about Zoe was she’s strong as hell and she was a secret pool shark. And the banter was freaking top tier, Zoe had me cackling. I love that Chase loved all the chirps Zoey’s tossed at him. LOL
I missed the Colorado storm ! I’m so happy that I got picked up again for reviewing the second book because I LOVED the first one !
I read this book so fast because I just couldn’t stop reading, fake dating is such a good trope, but these two characters are just so lovable. 🫶🏻
We love a “let me take care of you” man to an “miss independent” woman ❤️🔥
the kids interactions in the book was so funny ! I loved it and it made me want to reread book one ! ☝️
Also.. we love our hockey boys ❤️🩹
I read this book so fast because I just couldn’t stop reading, fake dating is such a good trope, but these two characters are just so lovable. 🫶🏻
We love a “let me take care of you” man to an “miss independent” woman ❤️🔥
the kids interactions in the book was so funny ! I loved it and it made me want to reread book one ! ☝️
Also.. we love our hockey boys ❤️🩹
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Second book in series and I could not get into it. Didn't know this and haven't read the first book
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I did enjoy the relationship between the FMC and MMC. Chase is definition of obsessed, and I’m always a sucker for a fake date trope. I’m definitely in the minority here because I did thoroughly enjoy the book, but found the sex scenes became too frequent and drawn out for my preference in the second half. There is some mild suspense thrown into the mix as well, but it is secondary to the romance. The FMC could be a bit frustrating at times, but I believe the author was presenting her that way to reinforce how challenging it was for her to slip of her mask. Overall I think many will love this book!