A review by lauriereadsrom1
Flirtation or Faceoff by Leah Brunner

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? It's complicated

5.0

Colby Knight, professional hockey player for the DC Eagles, has been smitten with history professor Noel Woodcock ever since they met at their mutual friends' engagement celebration, but she won't give him the time of day. A year after their first meeting, Noel is asked to represent her university at a charity gala and invites her grandmother to be her plus one. They're seated at the same table as Colby, who's there to participate in the gala's charity auction on behalf of the team. Noel's grandmother senses the romantic tension between Noel and Colby and, in an effort to further her quest for great-grandchildren, bids on and wins the team's offering of "An Evening With an Eagle." Even though she's annoyed by her grandmother's attempts to set them up on a date, Noel gives in to put a stop to her badgering. Colby, meanwhile, couldn't be more excited to have the chance to show Noel a new side of his personality. While on the date, the subject of Noel's crush on a co-worker comes up, and Colby impulsively offers to be her dating coach. He hates the idea of her with another man but hopes that spending this time with her will help her see him in a different light. It's a good plan, but Noel won't give in without a fight.
 
I very much enjoyed this charming story. Colby and Noel had great chemistry and their banter was quite amusing. Colby came across as a bit of a flirt at first, but he turned out to be a real sweetheart. It's a shame it took Noel so long to see how truly smitten he was! That said, her trust issues seemed very relatable and realistic to me, and I appreciated that she acknowledged and tried to work through them. Colby also showed a great deal of character growth in realizing that he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps, but rather settle down with a partner and family of his own. I particularly loved Colby's efforts to learn about Noel's interests in fantasy novels and cosplay, as well as his sweet relationship with his little sister, Ruthie. He's the kind of book boyfriend dreams are made of, and I will be dreaming about finding someone like him for a long time to come! 
 
I highly recommend "Flirtation or Faceoff" for all sweet/closed-door contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. I look forward to the next book in the series. 
 
*Review copy provided by the author via Wordsmith Publicity. All opinions expressed are my own. 
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