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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Thank you so much to Helena Hunting for an eARC copy of I Could Be Yours! Here’s my honest review.
I really don’t think any book in the Toronto Terror universe is a miss. They just keep getting better and better.
While this one is a stand alone in its own right, reading the Toronto Terror series will give you some backstory on the side characters (and they’re really good!).
Nate Stiles is an emotionally unavailable engineer. His older brother Tristan is marrying the love of his life and Nate is stepping in as best man. The only problem? The Maid of Honor.
Essie Lovelock is so excited to be her best friend’s MoH! She’ll even put up working with grumpy Nate, who ghosted her after an amazing kiss six years before, to do so!
The tension and banter between these two are AMAZING! Essie is truly a girls girl and everyone deserves an Essie in their lives! I loved that Essie did what she had to make sure that she and her mental health were taken care of at the end and how Nate had to put up or hush up. I’m loving how authors lately are making it to where these men become emotionally secure in their books!
I really don’t think any book in the Toronto Terror universe is a miss. They just keep getting better and better.
While this one is a stand alone in its own right, reading the Toronto Terror series will give you some backstory on the side characters (and they’re really good!).
Nate Stiles is an emotionally unavailable engineer. His older brother Tristan is marrying the love of his life and Nate is stepping in as best man. The only problem? The Maid of Honor.
Essie Lovelock is so excited to be her best friend’s MoH! She’ll even put up working with grumpy Nate, who ghosted her after an amazing kiss six years before, to do so!
The tension and banter between these two are AMAZING! Essie is truly a girls girl and everyone deserves an Essie in their lives! I loved that Essie did what she had to make sure that she and her mental health were taken care of at the end and how Nate had to put up or hush up. I’m loving how authors lately are making it to where these men become emotionally secure in their books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment
What a cute and spicy read!!! I was so lucky to be able to get the audiobook which is in duet and the narration was incredible!!!
Nate and Essie were a long time coming and I just loved them so much. Both have insecurities and baggage, especially Nate and I love how everything was handled. The positivity around therapy just makes my heart happy! Then you have their chemistry and wow! It was through the roof! I loved the forced proximity-ness of it and all residual feelings of the past resurfacing! They definitely made for them to get quite steamy!
I love this whole world and the found family these characters have! It’s so beautiful! I love how this story flowed and the work put in. And The ending! Gah!
Nate and Essie were a long time coming and I just loved them so much. Both have insecurities and baggage, especially Nate and I love how everything was handled. The positivity around therapy just makes my heart happy! Then you have their chemistry and wow! It was through the roof! I loved the forced proximity-ness of it and all residual feelings of the past resurfacing! They definitely made for them to get quite steamy!
I love this whole world and the found family these characters have! It’s so beautiful! I love how this story flowed and the work put in. And The ending! Gah!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
I'm so glad I decided to make this my summer read for book club this month. I get to now bully my friends into reading this and the rest of the Toronto Terror series (even though this is a standalone reading the rest definitely help). I love that I see myself a lot in Nate and Essie and that makes me love this story so much more. As someone who falls fast and hard and has been hurt and skeptical of love, both of their stories resonate hard. I could Be Yours is the best of Helena's works that I've read to date. The sex scenes were hot, the emotional ones made me cry, and the weird quirks made me laugh(the jellyfish anti-histimines scene was top tier).
I love that while the focus was on Trix and Tristan's wedding, we still get to see how stories unfold under the eyes of the main narrative.
I love that while the focus was on Trix and Tristan's wedding, we still get to see how stories unfold under the eyes of the main narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Nate and Essie are the perfect example of opposites attract. Hunting wove an angsty will they wont they with the backdrop of a fabulous wedding of Tristan and Trix who we have met early and love. The relationship between all shine through. Nate and Essie had to be honest and open with each other to make it work; loved how well they supported one another.
emotional
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
Thank you to Helena Hunting and her team for the advance reader copy of I Could Be Yours.
I adored I Could Be Yours! Helena has written a book that feels like a celebration of the world she has built in both the Toronto Terror and Tilton U series. While also writing the perfect entry into her work, and all the wonderful banter, swoon, and hijinks that come with it. This is a standout summer read, a perfect story of the grumpy best man falling for the sunshine maid of honour.
I am a Helena Hunting review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.
Check out the entire review here.
I adored I Could Be Yours! Helena has written a book that feels like a celebration of the world she has built in both the Toronto Terror and Tilton U series. While also writing the perfect entry into her work, and all the wonderful banter, swoon, and hijinks that come with it. This is a standout summer read, a perfect story of the grumpy best man falling for the sunshine maid of honour.
I am a Helena Hunting review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.
Check out the entire review here.
***ARC/ALC Hybrid Review ***
I Could Be Yours by Helena Hunting
Narrated in Duet by Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood
Releases July 10th in all formats & free on KU!
Essie and Nate have a history and don't get along, but they've known each other since they were young and her best friend, Rix, is marrying his older brother, Tristan. They are the Maid of Honor and Best Man for the destination wedding in Aruba, so they're forced to work together on the pre-wedding functions and will be in close proximity for the wedding vacation.
The two bicker and push each others buttons constantly. And while they are insanely attracted to one another, they couldn't be more different. Essie is a make-up artist, and Nate is an engineer. She loves everything pink, princess, and fairytale, and he wears dark monochromatic clothes. She's sunshine & rainbows, and he's a human storm cloud. Essie believes in true love and happily ever after, and Nate doesn't believe in love.
But, the party planning shows Nate a side of Essie he's never seen before. She's not just the pretty face he and everyone else has always seen her as. She's organized, hard working, "math smart", and she can create a sexy spreadsheet. Turns out, they're both into Big Brains, and soon they're giving in to the tension and starting an F-buddies situation.
Essie knows better than to let her squishy heart feel anything for Nate after he kissed her then ghosted her 6 years ago, but Mr. Anti-Relationship/Love starts falling pretty quickly! His messed up family and relationship history has kept him from love and happiness, but maybe he's ready now... Or is it just the wedding magic in the air?
The tension, banter, and chemistry between Nate and Essie is amazing! They really are so good together, perfect for each other, if they can just get on the same page!
Although this is a standalone book, it does exist in the well-established Helena Hunting Universe. Rix and Tristan are the main characters in If You Hate Me, the first book of the Toronto Terror series, and many characters from that series make cameos in this book.
🎧Audiobook: Savannah and Teddy perfectly captured Essie's bright-eyed optimism and Nate's growly yet sweet nature. It was a great audiobook experience!
4.75⭐ 2.5🌶️
I received advanced copies of this ebook and audiobook, and this is my honest review. Thank you to Helena Hunting for the ARC! <3BBB
I Could Be Yours by Helena Hunting
Narrated in Duet by Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood
Releases July 10th in all formats & free on KU!
Essie and Nate have a history and don't get along, but they've known each other since they were young and her best friend, Rix, is marrying his older brother, Tristan. They are the Maid of Honor and Best Man for the destination wedding in Aruba, so they're forced to work together on the pre-wedding functions and will be in close proximity for the wedding vacation.
The two bicker and push each others buttons constantly. And while they are insanely attracted to one another, they couldn't be more different. Essie is a make-up artist, and Nate is an engineer. She loves everything pink, princess, and fairytale, and he wears dark monochromatic clothes. She's sunshine & rainbows, and he's a human storm cloud. Essie believes in true love and happily ever after, and Nate doesn't believe in love.
But, the party planning shows Nate a side of Essie he's never seen before. She's not just the pretty face he and everyone else has always seen her as. She's organized, hard working, "math smart", and she can create a sexy spreadsheet. Turns out, they're both into Big Brains, and soon they're giving in to the tension and starting an F-buddies situation.
Essie knows better than to let her squishy heart feel anything for Nate after he kissed her then ghosted her 6 years ago, but Mr. Anti-Relationship/Love starts falling pretty quickly! His messed up family and relationship history has kept him from love and happiness, but maybe he's ready now... Or is it just the wedding magic in the air?
The tension, banter, and chemistry between Nate and Essie is amazing! They really are so good together, perfect for each other, if they can just get on the same page!
Although this is a standalone book, it does exist in the well-established Helena Hunting Universe. Rix and Tristan are the main characters in If You Hate Me, the first book of the Toronto Terror series, and many characters from that series make cameos in this book.
🎧Audiobook: Savannah and Teddy perfectly captured Essie's bright-eyed optimism and Nate's growly yet sweet nature. It was a great audiobook experience!
4.75⭐ 2.5🌶️
I received advanced copies of this ebook and audiobook, and this is my honest review. Thank you to Helena Hunting for the ARC! <3BBB
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
Smart Banter, Emotional Depth, and a Slow Burn Romance—Flawlessly Narrated from Start to Finish
📚 Book Review (Story: 4.5⭐ Spice: 2.5🌶️)
I've been devouring Helena Hunting's books since forever, and I Could Be Yours reminds me exactly why I never hesitate to grab her new releases. This swoony, slow-burn rom-com gives us all the sunshine vs. stormcloud vibes with Essie and Nate, who get thrown together as maid of honor and best man at their friends' wedding. Their opposites-attract romance has it all. And I particularly loved the sharp banter that quickly turned into the kind of emotional, soul-deep connection that makes you believe in second chances. Hunting’s ability to make my heart squeeze after more than a decade is why I continue to come back time after time.
Essie is pure charm and glittery optimism, chasing the fairytale. She’s the kind of character who'd probably have a glitter phone case and believe in wishing on stars. She's unapologetically holding onto her romantic dreams despite numerous disappointments.
Nate, on the other hand, is the emotionally guarded type. A hot engineer who hides behind sarcasm, spreadsheets, and a pretty heartbreaking backstory. Their chemistry is off the charts. And their emotional growth? Ohhh, so earned, layered, and deeply satisfying.
One of the things I’ve always loved about Hunting’s writing is how effortlessly she balances humor, vulnerability, and heart. Her stories don’t shy away from laugh-out-loud moments or a well-placed left cross to the feels… Her prose is sharp, smart, and so emotionally intuitive. She lets her characters unravel in a way that feels honest, giving them room to stumble, self-sabotage, grow, and ultimately find healing. They're real in a way that not all authors can create. Add in some fantastic cameos from the Toronto Terrors crew, and this one had me smiling through the angst. Fair warning: while this isn't the steamiest book on your shelf, the emotional connection hits deep and the emotional intimacy more than delivers.
🎧 Audiobook Review (Performance: 5 ⭐)
Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton brought I Could Be Yours to life in the best way. Without a doubt, they were perfect choices for these roles. Their duet-style narration made it effortless to stay immersed in both POVs, and their voices felt perfectly matched to these characters. Savannah gives Essie all the sparkle, sass, and soul she deserves—effortlessly moving between humor and heartbreak. Her delivery made Essie feel bright but grounded, and I believed every word.
Teddy Hamilton absolutely nails Nate's whole vibe. He captured Nate’s quiet brooding and buried tenderness with so much subtle emotion. The way his voice softened in vulnerable scenes added depth to Nate’s internal struggle, and his natural cadence made even the silences feel heavy with meaning. Together, they absolutely nailed the banter, the buildup, and those quiet, emotionally charged pauses that hit in all the right ways.
Even when the story slowed a little, the narration never lost me. Their chemistry made every scene feel fully lived in, adding texture and tone that enhanced the entire experience. It wasn’t just well-performed. I felt it. If you’re an audiobook lover, this is the kind of emotional performance that makes a great story even better.
Overall Rating: 5⭐
Performance: 5⭐
Story: 4.5⭐
Spice: 2.5🌶️
Genre:
🖤 Contemporary RomCom
Tropes:
🖤Sports Romance
🖤Best Man/Maid-of-Honor
🖤Holiday Romance
🖤Opposites Attract
🖤Grumpy/Sunshine
🖤Annoyance to Love
🖤Second Chance Romance
🖤Hurt/comfort
🖤Competition
🖤Tortured Hero
🖤She's Pierced
📚 Book Review (Story: 4.5⭐ Spice: 2.5🌶️)
I've been devouring Helena Hunting's books since forever, and I Could Be Yours reminds me exactly why I never hesitate to grab her new releases. This swoony, slow-burn rom-com gives us all the sunshine vs. stormcloud vibes with Essie and Nate, who get thrown together as maid of honor and best man at their friends' wedding. Their opposites-attract romance has it all. And I particularly loved the sharp banter that quickly turned into the kind of emotional, soul-deep connection that makes you believe in second chances. Hunting’s ability to make my heart squeeze after more than a decade is why I continue to come back time after time.
Essie is pure charm and glittery optimism, chasing the fairytale. She’s the kind of character who'd probably have a glitter phone case and believe in wishing on stars. She's unapologetically holding onto her romantic dreams despite numerous disappointments.
Nate, on the other hand, is the emotionally guarded type. A hot engineer who hides behind sarcasm, spreadsheets, and a pretty heartbreaking backstory. Their chemistry is off the charts. And their emotional growth? Ohhh, so earned, layered, and deeply satisfying.
One of the things I’ve always loved about Hunting’s writing is how effortlessly she balances humor, vulnerability, and heart. Her stories don’t shy away from laugh-out-loud moments or a well-placed left cross to the feels… Her prose is sharp, smart, and so emotionally intuitive. She lets her characters unravel in a way that feels honest, giving them room to stumble, self-sabotage, grow, and ultimately find healing. They're real in a way that not all authors can create. Add in some fantastic cameos from the Toronto Terrors crew, and this one had me smiling through the angst. Fair warning: while this isn't the steamiest book on your shelf, the emotional connection hits deep and the emotional intimacy more than delivers.
🎧 Audiobook Review (Performance: 5 ⭐)
Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton brought I Could Be Yours to life in the best way. Without a doubt, they were perfect choices for these roles. Their duet-style narration made it effortless to stay immersed in both POVs, and their voices felt perfectly matched to these characters. Savannah gives Essie all the sparkle, sass, and soul she deserves—effortlessly moving between humor and heartbreak. Her delivery made Essie feel bright but grounded, and I believed every word.
Teddy Hamilton absolutely nails Nate's whole vibe. He captured Nate’s quiet brooding and buried tenderness with so much subtle emotion. The way his voice softened in vulnerable scenes added depth to Nate’s internal struggle, and his natural cadence made even the silences feel heavy with meaning. Together, they absolutely nailed the banter, the buildup, and those quiet, emotionally charged pauses that hit in all the right ways.
Even when the story slowed a little, the narration never lost me. Their chemistry made every scene feel fully lived in, adding texture and tone that enhanced the entire experience. It wasn’t just well-performed. I felt it. If you’re an audiobook lover, this is the kind of emotional performance that makes a great story even better.
Overall Rating: 5⭐
Performance: 5⭐
Story: 4.5⭐
Spice: 2.5🌶️
Genre:
🖤 Contemporary RomCom
Tropes:
🖤Sports Romance
🖤Best Man/Maid-of-Honor
🖤Holiday Romance
🖤Opposites Attract
🖤Grumpy/Sunshine
🖤Annoyance to Love
🖤Second Chance Romance
🖤Hurt/comfort
🖤Competition
🖤Tortured Hero
🖤She's Pierced
The Toronto Terror hockey group is back together for Rix and Tristen’s wedding activities in I Could Be Yours, and we get the grumpy sunshine goodness of Nate and Essie!
Tropes:
🌴 Engineer x Makeup Artist
🌴 Best Man x Maid of Honor
🌴 Grumpy x Sunshine
🌴 Second Chance Romance
🌴 Vacation Fling
🌴 Secret Romance
Nate (Tristan’s brother) and Essie (Rix’s best friend) are their best man/maid of honor. Nate’s grumpy and anti love, where Essie is rainbows and loves love. She falls in love easy, so she’s decided she’s on a love hiatus. Too bad she’s in close proximity to Nate, and neither one of them can stop thinking about their kiss from 6 years ago.
Nate and Essie’s story is so good. It was so fun to see the group together doing wedding activities and participating in the tropical paradise wedding. There were a lot of laughs, a lot of sweet moments, some past pain, and a lot of growth. There’s a fantastic jellyfish scene that I absolutely adored. I loved the Essie and Tristan push Nate to go to therapy to heal from the similar traumas Tristan has.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you, Helena, for sending me a copy of this book!
Tropes:
🌴 Engineer x Makeup Artist
🌴 Best Man x Maid of Honor
🌴 Grumpy x Sunshine
🌴 Second Chance Romance
🌴 Vacation Fling
🌴 Secret Romance
Nate (Tristan’s brother) and Essie (Rix’s best friend) are their best man/maid of honor. Nate’s grumpy and anti love, where Essie is rainbows and loves love. She falls in love easy, so she’s decided she’s on a love hiatus. Too bad she’s in close proximity to Nate, and neither one of them can stop thinking about their kiss from 6 years ago.
Nate and Essie’s story is so good. It was so fun to see the group together doing wedding activities and participating in the tropical paradise wedding. There were a lot of laughs, a lot of sweet moments, some past pain, and a lot of growth. There’s a fantastic jellyfish scene that I absolutely adored. I loved the Essie and Tristan push Nate to go to therapy to heal from the similar traumas Tristan has.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you, Helena, for sending me a copy of this book!
I love the Toronto Terror series, and Helena has been hinting at Nate and Essie’s story since book one. It’s the perfect summer read filled with romantic tension, chaotic wedding shenanigans, humor and banter, and a second chance romance that has to overcome heartache and family drama.
Nate and Essie are the perfect example of opposites attract. He’s a broody engineer (hello hot nerd), and is grumpy, driven, smart, competitive, damaged, and doesn’t believe in love. She’s a cute, fun, bubbly, makeup artist, who falls in love with every guy she’s ever dated and longs for her own happily ever after. She’s super smart, organized, and driven and is tired of men never taking her seriously. She’s sweet to everyone besides Nate, who she’s sassy and a little mean to. I love it.
They’ve always been in each other’s orbits because they grew up around each other and Essie’s best friend is marrying Nate’s brother. They had some romantic run-ins in the past, and have stayed away from each other since then, but now they have to be best man and maid of honor in the same wedding and can’t keep their distance anymore. It started off hilarious with competitive limbo competitions and generally trying to irritate each other, but became really sweet when they both catch feelings and Essie helps Nate when he’s stung by a jellyfish.
The audio was duet narration with Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton and they were absolutely perfect. They brought Nate and Essie to life and made me laugh out loud with their shenanigans and banter. I highly recommend listening to this one!
Thank you to Helena Hunting and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC. I love being a part of the BBB!
📔I Could Be Yours
✏️ Helena Hunting
📆 July 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
READ IF YOU LIKE:
💄best friend’s fiancé’s brother
💄best men & maid of honor
💄opposites attract
💄grumpy x sunshine
💄second chance
💄dual POV
*Connect With Me*
https://instagram.com/shanisshelves?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
https://www.tiktok.com/@shanisshelves
Nate and Essie are the perfect example of opposites attract. He’s a broody engineer (hello hot nerd), and is grumpy, driven, smart, competitive, damaged, and doesn’t believe in love. She’s a cute, fun, bubbly, makeup artist, who falls in love with every guy she’s ever dated and longs for her own happily ever after. She’s super smart, organized, and driven and is tired of men never taking her seriously. She’s sweet to everyone besides Nate, who she’s sassy and a little mean to. I love it.
They’ve always been in each other’s orbits because they grew up around each other and Essie’s best friend is marrying Nate’s brother. They had some romantic run-ins in the past, and have stayed away from each other since then, but now they have to be best man and maid of honor in the same wedding and can’t keep their distance anymore. It started off hilarious with competitive limbo competitions and generally trying to irritate each other, but became really sweet when they both catch feelings and Essie helps Nate when he’s stung by a jellyfish.
The audio was duet narration with Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton and they were absolutely perfect. They brought Nate and Essie to life and made me laugh out loud with their shenanigans and banter. I highly recommend listening to this one!
Thank you to Helena Hunting and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC. I love being a part of the BBB!
📔I Could Be Yours
✏️ Helena Hunting
📆 July 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
READ IF YOU LIKE:
💄best friend’s fiancé’s brother
💄best men & maid of honor
💄opposites attract
💄grumpy x sunshine
💄second chance
💄dual POV
*Connect With Me*
https://instagram.com/shanisshelves?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
https://www.tiktok.com/@shanisshelves