lisaluvsliterature 's review for:

I Could Be Yours by Helena Hunting

4.75

adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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: Yes

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I love how Helena Hunting gives us HEAs for so many of the characters that we meet in her stories, in their own books like this one! While this is more of a standalone – not in any of the other series exactly – we do know about our characters from the other series, like the Toronto Terrors, Pucked, All In, and Lies, Hearts & Truths. While our couple in this story aren’t actually a part of the hockey world, they are adjacent. Nate is the brother of Tristan who we met in If You Hate Me, and Essie was also introduced in that story as Rix’s best friend. 

This story takes place around the events of Tristan and Rix’s wedding. Nate and Essie are best man and maid of honor. They did all go to school together, and so there was one kiss, back in high school, that led Essie to have a dislike of Nate. And Nate is just altogether a grump like Tristan was in his book. Nate of course is also dealing with their mother leaving them, and shortly after he dealt with his girlfriend cheating on him and then leaving him. So he doesn’t think that love is real, and thinks everyone will leave in the end. Essie is into all things princess, she’s always been the girl that was bubbly and all the guys wanted to date, but she would fall quick, and of course they never stayed with her either. 

The two have to work together to make the wedding and all the events leading up to it as wonderful as possible for the best friend/brother. Of course working together it is hard for Nate to not fall under the charm of the bubbly Essie. And it’s hard for her to not to see more of him and realize all the things that are behind his grumpy exterior. Both of them have some science type of background with their jobs, and so have that connection. And it doesn’t hurt that we start off with Nate helping Essie get out of a dress she’s stuck in and when it falls to the floor, he sees that she has two piercings. So of course the physical attraction is all there.

So many disasters that the two of them help the other out of and save things for the wedding. And of course both of them are gun-shy at letting it go any further than just a fun fling for during the wedding events. I was of course annoyed that both knew how the other had been hurt in the past, yet both were quick enough to believe the other one if they didn’t immediately cave or agree that it could be more. But I do like how things got solved. It wasn’t one grand gesture to get them back together. Nate finally started talking to someone. Essie waited until she thought he was actually ready and wouldn’t hurt her again, but she didn’t drag it way out. 

So many fun moments in this, lots of steamy moments as well, and a lot of emotion. Another great story from Helena Hunting!