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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
This was cheesy but I still had a ton of fun reading this one. Best friends to strangers to lovers always hits!
Read if you like:
• best friends to lovers
• fake dating
• mutual pining
• hockey
Read if you like:
• best friends to lovers
• fake dating
• mutual pining
• hockey
Man… I only see good reviews on this but it was so cringe. There was no real chemistry between characters. Don’t waste your time.
emotional
hopeful
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
it was a cute, romantic book but not what i thought it would be. not the best book i’ve ever read but it wasn’t a struggle to make it through
3.70 stars ✨
This was a cute, simple story. There were so many tender moments between Braxton and Maddox. I could feel the childhood sweetheart love throughout the book and I think the big reason behind them separating at 18 years old was actually perfect for the story! It was significant enough to make sense for their characters but it wasn’t terrible to the point that it would feel completely unforgiving.
Also, I really wish their names weren’t so similar. I got them mixed up at first
This was a cute, simple story. There were so many tender moments between Braxton and Maddox. I could feel the childhood sweetheart love throughout the book and I think the big reason behind them separating at 18 years old was actually perfect for the story! It was significant enough to make sense for their characters but it wasn’t terrible to the point that it would feel completely unforgiving.
Also, I really wish their names weren’t so similar. I got them mixed up at first
This was my first Hannah Cowan book and it was fantastic! No disappointment here!
This book follows Maddox and Braxton. These two grew up together and loved each other so much throughout their entire childhood. Their lives separate once Maddox’s NHL career takes off and Braxton starts college. But if it’s meant to be it will be….
The love between these two is so dang strong! It had me swooning the entire book. It also had me so frustrated I was screaming of kicking my feet yelling at the two of them. There are no words for the relationship between these two.
4/5⭐️
2/5
This book follows Maddox and Braxton. These two grew up together and loved each other so much throughout their entire childhood. Their lives separate once Maddox’s NHL career takes off and Braxton starts college. But if it’s meant to be it will be….
The love between these two is so dang strong! It had me swooning the entire book. It also had me so frustrated I was screaming of kicking my feet yelling at the two of them. There are no words for the relationship between these two.
4/5⭐️
2/5
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
4 Hades Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Wow. Okay. This was an unexpectedly good time.
I picked up this book because it was available at my library and a big plus that C.J Bloom and Teddy Hamilton came with that. I adore the ability of storytelling from them both.
This is a Dual POV that follows Maddox and Braxton, both childhood friends who were essentially in love with each other, but a mistake that Braxton made almost ruined Maddox's up and coming hockey career, so the two went their separate ways without forgiving each other and themselves. Now Years later Braxton, now a veterinarian, is roped into a scheme of having a fake relationship with Maddox following an unfortunate incident involving a bar fight and his brother. She is needed to help Maddox save his image from being damaged by Braxton's father who is angry about his unsuccessful life as an agent and blames Maddox.
I love that this had elements of a dual timeline giving us insight into who these characters were when they were desperately in love with each other as their younger selves, and how back in the present they have to deal with the hurt, pining and emptiness that was left by the other when they went their separate ways. The present journey to find each other again, navigating that hurt and coming to terms that both are still hopelessly in love with each other now.
Braxton has grown up and has learnt to stand up for herself. She knows giving up Maddox was the greatest mistake of her life. She should have fought harder for him to stay in her life, and she regrets every moment. Since then, she has not forgotten his impact. But she is not a little girl anymore. She has pulled up her big girl panties and is running a successful animal shelter and is (what she believes) happy.
Maddox is everything. He is incredibly hurt by his past and it's difficult for him to work through that anger - but not anger at her, but rather at himself for letting her go. She is the only woman he has ever had eyes for, the only woman he has ever wanted in his life (Shown by the fact that our man is basically a virgin). She is his every thought, love and dream. He is absolutely adorable, and self-sacrificing.
Their story is dramatic but utterly perfect. It was angsty, heartbreaking and underpinned by a sadness of loss from their mistakes. They lost so much time together when they were so clearly and utterly perfect for one another.
The one thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars is they start the fake relationship with very firm boundaries and agreement to what they will and won't do, to not fall in love so that neither is hurt in the end. BUT, that transition of fake to real, was a little bit hazy and wasn't as clear. One moment it felt like this wasn't real and they were respecting their boundaries and the next they were professing their undying love to each other and I wasn't sure if it was "talk" and still temporary or permanent. And while it very clearly points to permanent, because it is so clear that these two characters should not be apart, it just felt very instant. It almost has vibes of instalove (which sounds silly since these two have been in love for forever) but it just seemed rushed to happily ever after.
But overall, I had a really fun time. The writing is compelling. The voice actors did an amazing job with the narration, and I know that any time I'm going to listen to a book by either Teddy Hamilton or C.J. Bloom, I am going to be invested, I am going to be captivated, and I'm going to enjoy the fucking hell out of the story because they do such an amazing job at transposing the beautiful writing into believable characters.
Trope Summary:
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ Fake Relationship
▶ Second Chance Romance
▶ Childhood Friends to Strangers to Lovers
▶ ALL the PINING
▶ Dual POV
▶ Dual Timeline Elements
▶ Plus Size Rep
▶ It's Always been you
Overall I recommend this!
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Wow. Okay. This was an unexpectedly good time.
I picked up this book because it was available at my library and a big plus that C.J Bloom and Teddy Hamilton came with that. I adore the ability of storytelling from them both.
This is a Dual POV that follows Maddox and Braxton, both childhood friends who were essentially in love with each other, but a mistake that Braxton made almost ruined Maddox's up and coming hockey career, so the two went their separate ways without forgiving each other and themselves. Now Years later Braxton, now a veterinarian, is roped into a scheme of having a fake relationship with Maddox following an unfortunate incident involving a bar fight and his brother. She is needed to help Maddox save his image from being damaged by Braxton's father who is angry about his unsuccessful life as an agent and blames Maddox.
I love that this had elements of a dual timeline giving us insight into who these characters were when they were desperately in love with each other as their younger selves, and how back in the present they have to deal with the hurt, pining and emptiness that was left by the other when they went their separate ways. The present journey to find each other again, navigating that hurt and coming to terms that both are still hopelessly in love with each other now.
Braxton has grown up and has learnt to stand up for herself. She knows giving up Maddox was the greatest mistake of her life. She should have fought harder for him to stay in her life, and she regrets every moment. Since then, she has not forgotten his impact. But she is not a little girl anymore. She has pulled up her big girl panties and is running a successful animal shelter and is (what she believes) happy.
Maddox is everything. He is incredibly hurt by his past and it's difficult for him to work through that anger - but not anger at her, but rather at himself for letting her go. She is the only woman he has ever had eyes for, the only woman he has ever wanted in his life (Shown by the fact that our man is basically a virgin). She is his every thought, love and dream. He is absolutely adorable, and self-sacrificing.
Their story is dramatic but utterly perfect. It was angsty, heartbreaking and underpinned by a sadness of loss from their mistakes. They lost so much time together when they were so clearly and utterly perfect for one another.
The one thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars is they start the fake relationship with very firm boundaries and agreement to what they will and won't do, to not fall in love so that neither is hurt in the end. BUT, that transition of fake to real, was a little bit hazy and wasn't as clear. One moment it felt like this wasn't real and they were respecting their boundaries and the next they were professing their undying love to each other and I wasn't sure if it was "talk" and still temporary or permanent. And while it very clearly points to permanent, because it is so clear that these two characters should not be apart, it just felt very instant. It almost has vibes of instalove (which sounds silly since these two have been in love for forever) but it just seemed rushed to happily ever after.
But overall, I had a really fun time. The writing is compelling. The voice actors did an amazing job with the narration, and I know that any time I'm going to listen to a book by either Teddy Hamilton or C.J. Bloom, I am going to be invested, I am going to be captivated, and I'm going to enjoy the fucking hell out of the story because they do such an amazing job at transposing the beautiful writing into believable characters.
Trope Summary:
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ Fake Relationship
▶ Second Chance Romance
▶ Childhood Friends to Strangers to Lovers
▶ ALL the PINING
▶ Dual POV
▶ Dual Timeline Elements
▶ Plus Size Rep
▶ It's Always been you
Overall I recommend this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, Medical content
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
🌶 | best friends to lovers; second chance trope
cute nicknames [he calls her curly fry pls]
hot and cold during the earlier part of the book and i kinda liked it but i wouldve enjoyed more groveling and pining between the two
easy sweet and spicy read
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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
Split audiobook 🎧 and ebook 📕
- Second chance
- Fake dating
- Childhood Best Friends to Enemies to Lovers
- Hockey Romance
- ‘It’s always been you’
- Grumpy & Protective MMC
- Plus size FMC / Veterinarian
- Swoony and Spicy 🌶️
Maddox and Braxton have my heart 💟
I loved this second chance story between Maddox Hutton and Braxton Heights…If Hutton sounds familiar it is because he is the son of none other than Oakley and Ava Hutton from the Swift Hat-Trick Trilogy.
This is book 1 in the Greatest Love series and it spans over an 8 year period (flashbacks). It is family heavy (loved seeing Ava and Oakley as parents) and WHO DOESN’T LOVE CUTE DOGS AND BOOK BOYFRIENDS IN THE SAME ROOM!? There is some drama hence the timespan and the friends to enemies aspect, but I loved that they came around and accepted their feelings about each other. I loved Hannah’s writing and story telling in this, I can’t wait to finish her back catalogue as she has become a one-click author for me.
This was a perfect romance book with perfect amount of spice-to-plot ratio.
(Spoiler>>) I also really liked that Maddox loved her so much deep down that he saved himself for her even after all these years, male v!rg!n tropes are just barely done these days and even more so when they’re a sports star, so it was such a breath of fresh air.
- Second chance
- Fake dating
- Childhood Best Friends to Enemies to Lovers
- Hockey Romance
- ‘It’s always been you’
- Grumpy & Protective MMC
- Plus size FMC / Veterinarian
- Swoony and Spicy 🌶️
Maddox and Braxton have my heart 💟
I loved this second chance story between Maddox Hutton and Braxton Heights…If Hutton sounds familiar it is because he is the son of none other than Oakley and Ava Hutton from the Swift Hat-Trick Trilogy.
This is book 1 in the Greatest Love series and it spans over an 8 year period (flashbacks). It is family heavy (loved seeing Ava and Oakley as parents) and WHO DOESN’T LOVE CUTE DOGS AND BOOK BOYFRIENDS IN THE SAME ROOM!? There is some drama hence the timespan and the friends to enemies aspect, but I loved that they came around and accepted their feelings about each other. I loved Hannah’s writing and story telling in this, I can’t wait to finish her back catalogue as she has become a one-click author for me.
This was a perfect romance book with perfect amount of spice-to-plot ratio.
(Spoiler>>) I also really liked that Maddox loved her so much deep down that he saved himself for her even after all these years, male v!rg!n tropes are just barely done these days and even more so when they’re a sports star, so it was such a breath of fresh air.
re read but audio edition, still super cute. This time around I have read the previous books about the parents and I love continuing a series through family and found family. Can't wait to read the next two!