A review by koistyfishy
Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.0

4 Gniloy Kluben Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

These two don't banter. These two bicker like an old married couple...
“You know what I think whenever I see you wearing my ring, Georgia?...
I think, mine. I think, that’s my wife.”

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Alexei Volkov needs a wife. He’s close to retirement from the NHL and, with his Russian heritage and work visa status, he's worried that without a new contract, his entire family could be deported. So, marrying a Canadian citizen would secure his and his family’s future. Georgia Greene needs a husband. Even though she was estranged from her extremely wealthy grandfather, he left her a pretty sizable inheritance on the condition that she marry to claim it. She doesn't want the money for herself, she needs it for a sports rehabilitation program that hasn't been able to get sufficient funding to stay open. So… they strike a deal. Get married. Stay married for just long enough for him to get his visa and her to get the money. Then walk away. Easy. Especially since they can’t stand each other. The only rule? No falling in love. Which shouldn’t be a problem. Because again... they hate each other so that will NEVER HAPPEN!

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
I have loved both of these characters since they were introduced in the previous novels, so I was very excited and squealing when I realised it was finally a chance to get Georgia and Alexei's book.

Georgia is a strong female character who has a few obsessions, mostly shoes, her bunnies, The Vampire Diaries, and the soccer team she coaches. She also really cares about her job in helping the recovery of her patients. She is incredibly kind, generous, and hardworking. Georgia is the type of person who doesn't let the opinions and thoughts of others impact her. She lets them think what they want and stays true to herself.

Alexei is very grumpy and he is very stubborn in his ways and has a very specific idea of the type of person that Georgia is... materialistic, high maintenance, and spoiled rotten. A lot of what he deals with in this book is overcoming that stubbornness and realising what his place in the world will be once he finally moves on from hockey. Retirement is something he’s been dreading, and he wants his hockey legacy to have meant something.

I think what this book did really well was the transition from enemies to lovers. They are so steadfast in their original perceptions and opinions of each other, so convinced of who the other person is; that it was truly magical to watch those ideas unravel. As they got to know each other, they began to unpack the truth of who the other person really is. It was stunning to see their perception change, and so sweet when they realised they never really knew each other until after they got married.

Now, I did miss a little bit of the side character elements that the other books had. There were moments where we got to see both characters’ families, and we got to see Georgia with her soccer team, but there weren’t as many scenes with previous characters as I had hoped, especially in comparison to how much they featured in the previous three books. AND I wanted more Rory and Hayden and Darcy and Hazel!

I also wanted to see a little bit more of Jordan in this book, given that she is Georgia’s best friend. They hardly ever interact here and she is SUCH AN AMAZING CHARACTER! (SO yes I am dying for her and Ward's book... LIKE OMFG). In the end, this book primarily focuses on the relationship between Georgia and Alexei.

Another thing missing was that final “closure” moment with an ex. The trauma from both of their past relationships kind of hangs in the air. I wanted a bit more of that actual “eff you” moment to the people who hurt them, especially like we saw in The Fake Out and The Wingman. We didn’t get that in Gloves Off, and Georgia and Alexei DESERVED BETTER!

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies Dislike to Lovers
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ Workplace Romance (Team Doctor X Player)
▶ Marriage of Convenience
▶ He Falls First
▶ Slow Burn

and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Surnames for Nicknames
▷ "My Wife"
▷ "Look at Me"
▷ MMC Wears Glasses
▷ Gets a Tattoo for Her
▷ One Bedroom
▷ Hockey Jersey Heat
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ Hate Sex

In true Stephanie Archer fashion, this book is not going to let you down. It's a heartwarming story where learning that your original perception is not always right and that someone is not necessarily who you thought they were. But don't expect these two to always be nice to each other.

Thank you to Stephanie Archer for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own 
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