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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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 Could Be Yours delivered everything I craved in a perfect summer romance! This masterful blend of Opposites Attract and Second Chance Romance, wrapped up in a Grumpy/Sunshine dynamic, had me hooked from the first page. The witty banter, heartwarming moments and steamy chemistry made for an irresistible read. I laughed, I swooned and I definitely felt the heat radiating off the pages. This story was full of fun, spice and emotional depth. This is an absolute must-read for romance lovers!
Nate Stiles and Essie Lovelock have a complicated, love/hate history. Years ago, he ghosted her after sharing the best kiss of their lives—something neither of them ever forgot. Now he’s the Best Man and she’s the Maid of Honor in his brother’s wedding to her best friend. Like it or not, they’re forced to confront their unresolved feelings and undeniable chemistry. Nate is a sexy grump with a heart of gold, shaped by past trauma that still lingers. At times my heart just broke for him, but I really loved how his family and friends always supported him when things got tough. The mental health rep in this book was so well done. It was raw, real, and totally relatable. Essie is a hopeless romantic who loves fairy tales, but has grown tired of being judged for her looks and her idealism so she too is fighting her own insecurities and personal challenges. Although she didn’t expect it, Nate sees beyond the surface of her beauty and recognizes Essie as the talented, intelligent woman she truly is.
This was a fantastic romance with characters you’ll absolutely fall for and leave you wanting more. There’s plenty of hot, steamy spice and I loved the banter between the main couple and their friends. While it’s a standalone, it’s firmly set in the Toronto Terror and Pucked worlds. If you’re a Helena Hunting fan, you’ll love all the character crossovers and fun Easter eggs sprinkled throughout. This was a 5 star read and one I couldn’t put down.
ALC Review
I love when an audiobook makes a good book even better and I know that’s because of ridiculously talented narrators like Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood. They brought so much life and depth to Nate and Essie that I was hanging on every word. The banter between the characters crackled with undeniable tension and their journey from annoyance to lovers was an absolute joy to experience. Teddy portrayed Nate’s past trauma with such care and realism—it really touched something deep in me and made Nate incredibly relatable. He also nailed the grumpy/sunshine dynamic with Nate, making him completely swoon worthy. Likewise, Savannah was fantastic as Essie, delivering her sass and sweetness with perfect balance. Essie’s wit, strength and heart came through so clearly that I walked away with an even deeper understanding of who she was as a person. Altogether, the performances were outstanding. I can’t recommend this audiobook highly enough.
emotional
funny
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
“Wouldn’t you rather try and know for sure than spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been?”
I have been waiting for Essie to get her own book since book 1 of the Toronto Terror series, and this one was a good old fashioned enemies to lovers, “of course we can keep feelings out of this” situation.
Back at the end of high school, Essie and Nate shared one amazing kiss, then Nate ghosted her and left for college a few weeks later. Now 6 years later, his brother is marrying her best friend and, as best man and maid of honor, they are planning all the pre-wedding festivities as they antagonize each other at every turn. The banter in the beginning of this book was electric. I loved every moment of it. When they decided to call a truce and explore their attraction, just until the wedding is over, I knew there were going to be fireworks between them and I was right. These two were HOT. It doesn’t take long for them to start to show some vulnerability towards each other and it definitely got me emotional, particularly Nate’s backstory with his estranged mother.
There was a bit of the dreaded miscommunication trope towards the end, but it gets resolved quickly enough that it doesn’t give you time to hate on it. Even though this one isn’t technically part of the hockey series, seeing all our beloved Toronto Terror characters at the wedding events and keeping that found family aspect made me enjoy this story even more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy
Nate and Essie second chance, enemies to lovers, second romance has become one of my new favorite couples. I did not want to put this one down once I started. The tension, banter and verbal sparring between these two was top tier. I loved the way they became comfort for each other. This story made me laugh, cry and swoon and I loved every moment!
Savannah Peachwood and Teddy Hamilton perform this book in duet narration. Savannah showcased Essie’s supportive and caring personality. Teddy does amazing at portrays Nate’s grumpy personality and issues he had due to his past with his mother and ex-girlfriend. These two were the perfect duo to bring to life Essie and Nate.
Thank you to team Helena for an alc!
emotional
funny
This is my kind of second chance romance. The way Essie and Nate start off with a bit of animosity made this book just that much sweeter. I loved their competitiveness! It helped create some truly hilarious and also some really steamy moments.
The importance put in mental health in this book was absolutely brilliant. Nate's struggles throughout felt so raw and real and made me love this slightly broken man even more. The way his family and friends were supportive without pressuring him was truly touching.
All the cameos made my heart sing and made me want to reread all their books! Especially Lavender and Kodiak. I will love them forever. Though two side characters that have been winning me over in the last couple of books are Dred and Connor. Their quite way of stepping in when needed, but never bring pushy has me adoring these two.
Teddy Hamilton did a fantastic job with the narration of Nate. He really captured all of this grumpy characters ups and downs so well. Savanna Peachwood really gave an wonderful and emotional performance as Essie, though I did find her narration a little bit slow paced at times.
Loved this book, loved these characters. can't wait for the next one.
The importance put in mental health in this book was absolutely brilliant. Nate's struggles throughout felt so raw and real and made me love this slightly broken man even more. The way his family and friends were supportive without pressuring him was truly touching.
All the cameos made my heart sing and made me want to reread all their books! Especially Lavender and Kodiak. I will love them forever. Though two side characters that have been winning me over in the last couple of books are Dred and Connor. Their quite way of stepping in when needed, but never bring pushy has me adoring these two.
Teddy Hamilton did a fantastic job with the narration of Nate. He really captured all of this grumpy characters ups and downs so well. Savanna Peachwood really gave an wonderful and emotional performance as Essie, though I did find her narration a little bit slow paced at times.
Loved this book, loved these characters. can't wait for the next one.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
REVIEW
cw: mention of cheating, child abandonment issues
Nate Stiles is the definition of serious. Furrowed brow? Check. Rain cloud personality? Double check. I shouldn’t be wondering what it would be like if I didn’t hate Nate Stiles. I should be holding strong against a man who doesn’t believe in love. My name is Essie Lovelock. I'm a reformed love-obsessed fairytale fanatic, and I’m determined to be the best maid of honour my best friend could ever have. And I am absolutely not going to fall for the best man.
I honestly don't know how Helena Hunting creates such swoony, sexy, hilarious, and heartachingly gorgeous stories time after time, but here we are. Again.
I'd loved all of the little moments between Nate and Essie in the previous Terror books, so I was excited to read their story. It was gorgeous.
The opening scene was hilariously awkward. Helena always finds humour in the most awkward places, and, even though we'd met her briefly in previous books, I wasn't sure what I'd make of Essie before I started her and Nate's story. But I loved her immediately. She was such a good friend, but I also loved her duality. On one hand, she was a complete romantic, and loved all things princess and fairytale, yet she was also extremely focused, detail-oriented and rocking some fierce adornments... (and Nate's reaction to those was everything!)
I also adored Nate immediately, but for different reasons. He was SO hard on himself at times, but you could always see his soft, vulnerable centre underneath all of the protective layers. I also loved his nerdy side (almost as much as Essie did) and his organisational skills (much more than Essie did
). It was also adorable just how annoyed he became every time he allowed himself to admit how much he liked one of Essie's traits, and I cackled laughing at his jealousy whenever Flip was around. But I LOVED antihistamine-addled Nate. He was so sweetly vulnerable.
). It was also adorable just how annoyed he became every time he allowed himself to admit how much he liked one of Essie's traits, and I cackled laughing at his jealousy whenever Flip was around. But I LOVED antihistamine-addled Nate. He was so sweetly vulnerable.
I enjoyed how competitive Nate and Essie were, both at the dancing lessons and during the Stag and Doe party games, and the tension was sublime. The mini cucumber game (and Nate's curiosity) took me out (IYKYK). But it was the limbo that amped up the tension between them to boiling point, and left me giddy with anticipation. And let me tell you... The intimacy was worth waiting for, even though the wait wasn't too long. Their connection felt tangible, even when they were both desperately hiding their feelings for each other. I also loved that Essie's filthy mouth matched Nate's.
But as much as I swooned, fanned myself, and cackled laughing, there were some deeply moving moments. My heart broke for Nate, Tristan, and Brody when Nate opened up about their mother abandoning them, and chapter twenty-six utterly wrecked me, but I LOVED how Connor stepped in, even though the dismissive outcome broke my heart anew, and simultaneously made me SO angry. Speaking of Connor, I really enjoyed getting to know more about him and starting to peel back some of his layers. When the conflict hit, it made perfect sense, even though it wrecked me again. My heart broke for both Nate and Essie in different ways. But I LOVED Dred's talk with Essie.
Strike that...
I LOVE DRED! Full stop.
She's always SO insightful and gives THE best advice. And I squealed when she and Essie talked about Flip's soulmate. Brody and Nate's heart-to-heart also made me giddily kick my feet. I'm SO excited for the stories still to come.
As always, I loved all of the little Easter eggs and character crossovers from the other Helena Hunting books. Of course, it was wonderful to catch up with Rix and Tristan, though my heart ached for Rix whenever she became overwhelmed. But I also loved how we got more stories about their respective childhoods from Essie and Nate. Their wedding was SO beautifully written, as were the festivities. But the bouquet toss left me flitting between laughter, cringes, and tears. Still, I LOVED Tristan's talk afterwards with Nate.
Chase and Cammie were adorable, and Brody made me cackle on several occasions, but especially the cliff dive and whenever he was teasing Nate. It was also fun to catch up with Kodiak and Lavender. But I squealed (again) at a certain someone at the end! I LOVED the little teases of Dred and Connor, and that bombshell at the end was so exciting (even though we knew it was coming). I also LOVED how we started to see both Flip's teasing side (usually around Nate and Essie), but also his newer, more insightful side. He genuinely gave Nate some great advice. I'm still intrigued by Hemi's brothers, Sam and Isaac, and the cliff diving was comedy gold. As for the wardrobe malfunction? I was crying laughing, and genuinely thought Kodiak's head was going to explode.
I've said this before, but one of the things I always love about Helena's writing is that she makes her characters do the work. So, I appreciated that Nate was forced to confront his childhood, and it only made the ending more satisfying. I wasn't expecting Flip to be so instrumental, though, so that was a wonderful surprise, and I LOVED his weekly habit. I seriously love how we got more and more hints about how Flip was maturing.
But back to the main characters. Nate and Essie's first date was gorgeous, and afterwards was utterly adorable and so swoony. As for that epilogue? It just left me giddy, but also desperate for the next book in this wonderful world. I was lucky enough to be able to listen to an ARC of the audiobook, and I highly recommend listening along too, as both Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood knocked it out of the park in their duet performance.
Nate and Essie are the perfect grumpy raincloud and rainbow princess, and I think, once again, I have some new favourites!. Utter perfection.
Overall Rating:
Heat Rating:
*Thanks to the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I Could Be Yours is published today in the UK*
Favourite Quotes: (I really, really had to edit this list as there were so many!)
“I’m sorry about my nipples,” she blurts.
I fasten my seat belt aggressively as heat rushes through me and the hard-on that had disappeared returns. “Never mention them again.”
I hate when she says my full name, because I love when she says my full name.
“Take your broody asshole down a notch, Nathan. Your black cloud is dimming my shine.”
“You can’t be the last person I see!” she laments. “You hate me!”
“I don’t hate you.” But I do hate the way I feel when I’m around her—guilty, on edge, overstimulated, needy. I also dislike my inability to keep my distance or my feelings in check when she’s close to me.
The corner of Mrs. Bright’s mouth twitches. “You don’t have to defile the lawn mower. We have plenty of more comfortable spots available, which you can use like civilized folk.”
“I panicked. Nate was distracting me.”
“Seems like it worked,”
“Why do you have to be so f**king tempting?” He groans and bites the edge of my jaw.
“Because the dark is always trying to consume the light.”
I think about the way he softens every time Rix hugs him. He was abandoned by his mother and raised in a house of competitive athletes. Inside this grumpy man is a boy who was probably starved for affection.
It feels good to hold someone.
No. Not someone.
It feels good to hold Essie.
“Someone should pee on him!” Dallas shouts.
“I’ve got you, honey bear,” Flip calls.
“I would snuggle you every night. I wanna snuggle you right now.” The slur in his words grows more pronounced. “Can we snuggle, Ess?”
“Yeah, Nate, we can snuggle.”
“I like this. I like you. You’re beautiful. Everything about you. I just want to hold you. It’s nice not to be alone all the time. We can have this week, right?”
“Oh fu—dgerdoodles. Save me from my sister.” Cammie tries to hide behind Chase. Which is fairly effective since Chase is well over six feet and Cammie is the size of my thumb.
“Seriously, though, how did you land her? Was it all your big books?” He smirks. “Did you wow her with your extensive use of words with lots of syllables?” He does jazz hands and a hip shimmy. “Was it science?”
“F**k you. I’ll be back in half an hour.”
I see the little boy who was left by someone who was supposed to love him unconditionally, and has become a man who fears the pain that love can bring when it’s taken away.
That furrow I adore so much appears. “I don’t need to tell you you’re pretty on the outside.” He taps gently over my heart. “This part of you is what makes you so incredible.”
“Thanks.” My heart stutters a beat.
It looks like I’m smuggling baked potatoes in my boxers.
I cross over to Essie. “I got you…stuff.”
“Smooth…” Flip coughs.
She’s so beautiful that she stops traffic and earns endless double takes. But for me, it’s about so much more than how she looks. She brings the most wonderful energy into a room, and I love that I get to stand beside her and soak it all in.
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
“This is a bad idea.”
“The worst,” she agrees. I kiss my way down her neck. “Why do you have to feel this good?”
“Because I like tormenting you,” she replies.
This was frenemies to lovers perfection! Nate & Essie's chemistry made me fan myself quite a few times. The tension and banter between these two is SO GOOD and hilarious with the awkward moments that give that feeling of “where do I look to NOT look there” and “What do I do with my hands”
Essie is as sweet as cotton candy. She is kind, loyal, and the perfect soft spot for Nate to land. Nate is such a complex character who is thoughtful, kind, and loyal but also still dealing with left over trauma from his mom leaving him. I loved seeing him open up and growing much in the way that his brother Tristian did.
Some of my favorite moments and most highlighted things are from the whole Terror crew. I LOVE the strong supportive friendships and found family in Helena’s books. The cross overs too gave me such happiness. I cannot explain how much I love these books!
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
📖: I Could Be Yours by Helena Hunting
🎧: Teddy Hamilton & Savannah Peachwood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Happy release day Helena, and thank you for the ALC! 😍 I loved Nate & Essie, they were so fun and the banter, tension and build-up was so hot!!
Whether you’re brand new to Helena’s books, or you’ve read every single word she’s ever written (like me 💁🏻♀️) this book is a great glimpse of the incredible world of characters Helena has built over the years. It’s a great summer read for by the pool, on the beach, or cozy at home!
And, if there’s one thing Helena does well (aside from hot Hockey romances, obviously 😏) it’s DROP A FREAKING SURPRISE BOMB about other characters 🤯 yet again, I squealed when I heard what’s to come in the Toronto Terror series (and yes, I have dash cam footage again to prove it 😂)
Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood brought Nate and Essie to life flawlessly in duet narration, and did an amazing job showing the chemistry these two characters had from the start. Both have gotten me into new authors because I saw them as the narrators on Audible, so you know if at least one of them is involved, it’s bound to be 🔥.
🎧: Teddy Hamilton & Savannah Peachwood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Happy release day Helena, and thank you for the ALC! 😍 I loved Nate & Essie, they were so fun and the banter, tension and build-up was so hot!!
Whether you’re brand new to Helena’s books, or you’ve read every single word she’s ever written (like me 💁🏻♀️) this book is a great glimpse of the incredible world of characters Helena has built over the years. It’s a great summer read for by the pool, on the beach, or cozy at home!
And, if there’s one thing Helena does well (aside from hot Hockey romances, obviously 😏) it’s DROP A FREAKING SURPRISE BOMB about other characters 🤯 yet again, I squealed when I heard what’s to come in the Toronto Terror series (and yes, I have dash cam footage again to prove it 😂)
Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood brought Nate and Essie to life flawlessly in duet narration, and did an amazing job showing the chemistry these two characters had from the start. Both have gotten me into new authors because I saw them as the narrators on Audible, so you know if at least one of them is involved, it’s bound to be 🔥.
funny
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:
Complicated
This book is pure wedding chaos meets emotional healing.... and I was here for every second.
Essie is all pink, princess, glitter & good intentions. Nate? Broody, burned & a professional at ghosting women who make him feel things. But when they're reunited six years after that kiss and forced to plan a wedding together as maid of honor and best man? The tension is palpable.
The chemistry? Five-alarm fire.
The duet narration is fantastic!!!
Savannah Peachwood IS Essie-sweet, vulnerable and calm... until she isn't. One of my fave performances from her yet.
Peachwood exudes a palpable softness, even during the emotional whiplash. She's got wedding spreadsheets and weaponized sarcasm locked down.
Teddy Hamilton proves (again) that he's our reigning king of grumpy-soft MMCs - he can narrate a grocery list and still have us swooning. His portrayal of Nate's slow unraveling... from cold to cracked wide open, was perfection. His Nate is layered, hot and haunted—in the best way.
Together? Absolute magic. Their voices blend so seamlessly, I got dragged straight into a romantic undertow... zero regrets, no lifeguard on duty and I was loving every second underwater.
The Toronto Terror cameos? YES PLEASE. I loved checking in with past couples and getting sneak peeks of what's to come.
This one is an easy, spicy, summer read.
Big thanks to @helenahunting for the ARC & ALC-I'm so proud to be part of Helena’s Badass Babe Brigade.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
I absolutely adored the audiobook. As always Teddy Hamilton is treat to listen to. He played the grumpy character perfectly. Savannah did a wonderful job portraying Essie.
Essie and Nate are complete opposites. He's a dark, rain cloud 🌧️ and she's all sunshine 🌞.
Nate has some emotional baggage that prevents him from giving himself fully to Essie. Essie is fiery and sassy. She wears her heart on sleeve but she too has some past trauma to overcome. I loved that she was attracted to Nate's nerdy side. These two had so much to overcome
I Could Be Yours was flirty, emotional, and packed the heat! 10/10 recommend the audiobook as well. Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood gave a great performance. Can't wait for what's in store for this series!
Essie and Nate are complete opposites. He's a dark, rain cloud 🌧️ and she's all sunshine 🌞.
Nate has some emotional baggage that prevents him from giving himself fully to Essie. Essie is fiery and sassy. She wears her heart on sleeve but she too has some past trauma to overcome. I loved that she was attracted to Nate's nerdy side. These two had so much to overcome
I Could Be Yours was flirty, emotional, and packed the heat! 10/10 recommend the audiobook as well. Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood gave a great performance. Can't wait for what's in store for this series!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
ate and Essie are all the fireworks that you’ll need for this summer! These two are 🥵🔥🎆 The audio duet narration is also AHMAZING! Teddy Hamilton and Savannah Peachwood really bring Nate and Essie to life.
Helena is adept, as usual, at considering both the romantic and mental health of her characters. She always provides a depth to her stories that is unique and thought-provoking. The Stiles men bring a lot of baggage to the table. But it’s nothing that love from Essie can’t beat. She makes you fall in love with them and makes you fall in love with love! ❤️♥️❤️
Helena is adept, as usual, at considering both the romantic and mental health of her characters. She always provides a depth to her stories that is unique and thought-provoking. The Stiles men bring a lot of baggage to the table. But it’s nothing that love from Essie can’t beat. She makes you fall in love with them and makes you fall in love with love! ❤️♥️❤️