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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ARC Review
* I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I am still swooning over this story. There’s just something about best friends getting together and realizing “that’s the one.”
What started as a marriage pact quickly blossomed into a series of fortunate events for this couple. I honestly couldn’t wait for them to realize how much they loved each other. From the way Asher was Maeve’s biggest supporter and cheerleader to the way Maeve just knew Asher like the back of her hand. Even though they were best friends they still learned things about the other that they never knew was going on. I loved how Asher pretty much went above and beyond to show Maeve that she could never be too much for him. How he assured her that nothing she did could push him away if anything it made him love her more. And Maeve 🥰 the way she became Asher’s rock, ugh my goodness it was just too sweet. She just knew he needed her to hold on tight and be his lighthouse in the storm. I love this friend group more and more with every book. Cannot wait for Leighton and Miles’ book.
* I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I am still swooning over this story. There’s just something about best friends getting together and realizing “that’s the one.”
What started as a marriage pact quickly blossomed into a series of fortunate events for this couple. I honestly couldn’t wait for them to realize how much they loved each other. From the way Asher was Maeve’s biggest supporter and cheerleader to the way Maeve just knew Asher like the back of her hand. Even though they were best friends they still learned things about the other that they never knew was going on. I loved how Asher pretty much went above and beyond to show Maeve that she could never be too much for him. How he assured her that nothing she did could push him away if anything it made him love her more. And Maeve 🥰 the way she became Asher’s rock, ugh my goodness it was just too sweet. She just knew he needed her to hold on tight and be his lighthouse in the storm. I love this friend group more and more with every book. Cannot wait for Leighton and Miles’ book.
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and Lauren Blakely nailed it with The Proposal Play. Maeve was the best when she saved Asher from being auction off to a terrible girl and their prize was a trip to Vegas. I loved Maeve and Asher and how they had been friends for years and then all of the sudden they realize they're into each other. While they think it's fake, it turns into so much more in a sweet, delicious slow burn romance. I could just rave about these two all day because they were such fun characters. I also loved Maeve's friends, who have been in the previous books. They were supportive and hilarious and I cracked up laughing at their antics. The banter between Maeve and Asher was probably my favorite part!
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
This series absolutely has me hooked! Maeve & Asher have been best friends for 10 years and a little marriage pact ends up turning into a marriage of convenience for the both of them. Asher has been pining after her for years and this marriage is just what he needed to help convince her they belong together. I loved how easy their relationship was. You could just tell there was a comfort there. I love a good "my wife" moment and this one definitely had its share! They are honestly just SO good together and I couldn't get enough.
I listened to the audiobook of this one and I adored Robert Hatchet & Vanessa Edwin. It was duet narration which is always my favorite. Vanessa is always so great at bringing out all the different emotions and voices for the characters. This was my first audiobook narrated by Robert Hatchet and I'm definitely a fan. He was a fantastic choice to voice Asher. I definitely recommend the audiobook!
What to expect:
🏒Hockey Player MMC x Artist FMC
💒Marriage of Convenience
⚭Marriage Pact
💓Best friends to lovers
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼Forced Proximity
❣️He falls first
This one releases January 8! Thank you so much to Lauren Blakely & team for this ARC/Audiobook. This is my honest review.
I listened to the audiobook of this one and I adored Robert Hatchet & Vanessa Edwin. It was duet narration which is always my favorite. Vanessa is always so great at bringing out all the different emotions and voices for the characters. This was my first audiobook narrated by Robert Hatchet and I'm definitely a fan. He was a fantastic choice to voice Asher. I definitely recommend the audiobook!
What to expect:
🏒Hockey Player MMC x Artist FMC
💒Marriage of Convenience
⚭Marriage Pact
💓Best friends to lovers
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼Forced Proximity
❣️He falls first
This one releases January 8! Thank you so much to Lauren Blakely & team for this ARC/Audiobook. This is my honest review.
funny
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:
No
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I have been pretty leary of best friends-to-lovers in my romance books as I am much more of an enemies-to-lovers or hate-to-love kinda gal, but Lauren may have converted me! It wasn’t too overdone in the “My best friend, I don’t want to ruin it” thing that I kind of loathe.
This was also my first Lauren Blakely book and I am so grateful that I got to read an advanced copy of this! I also love how that in all of her books, the love trope is something different and not just the same thing over done again and again.
I didn’t rate this 5 stars because for me, it was a tad dragged out and longer than I think it needed to be. Yes, there was a lot to the back story and a lot of mechanics of the marriage of convenience, but overall, I feel like some things could have been left out to make it a bit of a quicker read. (except for Ruby Roo, we LOVE her)
funny
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I really enjoyed this friends to lovers romance. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Lauren Blakely book, but this made me remember why I always enjoyed them so much.
Read this if you like:
🏒Hockey Romance
💍Friends to Lovers
🏒Brothers Best Friend
💍Marriage of Convenience
🏒Forced Proximity
💍My Wife
This was an excellent first read of 2025! I’m a sucker for hockey romances and had to jump on the chance to read this book as it sounded right up my alley. I have not read the other books in this series, but I don’t feel like that hindered my experience. With these being standalone, I don’t feel like I missed anything except maybe know more about some of the characters.
I looooved Asher and Maeve and their friendship turned relationship. They are perfect together and I loved watching them navigate their feelings for each other. There were so many laugh out loud moments and so many sweet moments. I loved their banter and their support for one other. I do feel like there were some repetition that I wish was a little different.
Vanessa Edwin and Robert Hatchet are the perfect narraters for this story. I felt like they were the characters and I could feel the emotions from them. They are up there as some of my favorite narraters and if I see them on a project, I know it will be excellent!
This is such a sweet best friends-to-lovers romance where our two MCs truly love each other but waver on their feelings. It's the classic "i love you but don't want to lose this friendship" but it's Lauren Blakely so you know you're getting great banter, delicious spice & all the feels.
Qᴜɪᴄᴋ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ: ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ & ᴀꜱʜᴇʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴄᴀᴅᴇ. ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ ꜱᴀᴠᴇꜱ ᴀꜱʜᴇʀ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛʀᴏᴜꜱ ꜱɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀʀɪᴛʏ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟᴜxᴜʀʏ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʀɪᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴠᴇɢᴀꜱ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜰᴜʟꜰɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴘᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴀɢᴏ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜰᴜɴ, ᴀ ᴊᴏᴋᴇ & ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴɴᴜʟ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴ ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀꜱʜᴇʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀ ʜɪɢʜ ᴘʀᴏꜰɪʟᴇ ʜᴏᴄᴋᴇʏ ꜱᴛᴀʀ & ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴀʀᴛᴡᴏʀᴋ, ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜰᴀᴋᴇ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴅᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ. ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ꜱᴛᴀʏ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴ ᴇɴᴅ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱᴘᴇɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ (ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴀʀɪᴛᴀʟ ʙᴇɴᴇꜰɪᴛꜱ ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ɪɴ), ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴅᴇ...
This series is just so fun - with every book, you know you're going to have a great time & this one is no different. Asher & Maeve both harbor feelings for each other but I love how they are first & foremost best friends. They both have emotional backstories that brought them together & the way they support each other & truly see each other brings that emotional aspect to these characters & this story that I just love.
Asher was the first to internally admit his feelings for Maeve & having her as his "wife", he does not want to let her go. I absolutely love him as an MMC - he's so caring & protective over Maeve - total SWOON. The banter between them is so fun & engaging. And then the SPICE - it's perfect. It's like once that dam broke, there's no going back for these two. I absolutely ate it up. I can't wait to see where this series goes next.
Qᴜɪᴄᴋ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ: ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ & ᴀꜱʜᴇʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴄᴀᴅᴇ. ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ ꜱᴀᴠᴇꜱ ᴀꜱʜᴇʀ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛʀᴏᴜꜱ ꜱɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀʀɪᴛʏ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟᴜxᴜʀʏ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʀɪᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴠᴇɢᴀꜱ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜰᴜʟꜰɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ᴘᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴀɢᴏ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜰᴜɴ, ᴀ ᴊᴏᴋᴇ & ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴɴᴜʟ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴ ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀꜱʜᴇʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀ ʜɪɢʜ ᴘʀᴏꜰɪʟᴇ ʜᴏᴄᴋᴇʏ ꜱᴛᴀʀ & ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴀʀᴛᴡᴏʀᴋ, ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜰᴀᴋᴇ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴅᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ. ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ꜱᴛᴀʏ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴ ᴇɴᴅ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱᴘᴇɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ (ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴀʀɪᴛᴀʟ ʙᴇɴᴇꜰɪᴛꜱ ᴛʜʀᴏᴡɴ ɪɴ), ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀꜱ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴅᴇ...
This series is just so fun - with every book, you know you're going to have a great time & this one is no different. Asher & Maeve both harbor feelings for each other but I love how they are first & foremost best friends. They both have emotional backstories that brought them together & the way they support each other & truly see each other brings that emotional aspect to these characters & this story that I just love.
Asher was the first to internally admit his feelings for Maeve & having her as his "wife", he does not want to let her go. I absolutely love him as an MMC - he's so caring & protective over Maeve - total SWOON. The banter between them is so fun & engaging. And then the SPICE - it's perfect. It's like once that dam broke, there's no going back for these two. I absolutely ate it up. I can't wait to see where this series goes next.
rating: 4
spice: 2.5
maeve and asher are the cutest couple EVERRR! i love how maeve was so unapologetically herself. and my bb asher being in love with her all this time!? too cute.
my first lauren blakely book and it certainly won’t be the last. this book was cute, spicy, and funny! the perfect trio. 🙂↕️
- marriage pact
- best friends to lovers
- hockey mmc x artist fmc
- grief
- lgbtq+ characters
- he falls first
- ocd tendencies
spice: 2.5
maeve and asher are the cutest couple EVERRR! i love how maeve was so unapologetically herself. and my bb asher being in love with her all this time!? too cute.
my first lauren blakely book and it certainly won’t be the last. this book was cute, spicy, and funny! the perfect trio. 🙂↕️
- marriage pact
- best friends to lovers
- hockey mmc x artist fmc
- grief
- lgbtq+ characters
- he falls first
- ocd tendencies