Thank you NetGalley and Kate Meader for an ARC of Sweet Thing in exchange for my honest review.
Now, let's get into it:
Lars Nyquist is a sexy hockey player suddenly handed a baby from a one-night stand (more like dumped on his lap). Initially panicked and uninterested in fatherhood, he slowly grows into the role, determined not to repeat his own father’s mistakes. His bond with his daughter Mabel was what kept me hooked throughout.

Now Adeline. I really wish I had liked her. She went through something traumatic while traveling and didn't let it effect her sunshine. Also has a hard time finding her place in her family of superstars. I felt for her. HOWEVER, she came off a bit immature, partly from how her parents coddle her, and partly from her own lack of direction. At 23, she seemed passive and unsure, especially during key moments in the relationship. The miscommunication trope didn’t help and made her come off even more childish.

Despite not connecting with Adeline, I still enjoyed the story. However, the sheer number of side characters became overwhelming, likely because the author pulled in people from many of her other books. I love cameos, but a few would’ve been enough.

If you're into:
× age gaps
× hockey romances
× single dads
× forbidden love
× found family
You’ll probably enjoy this 🖤

Side note: anyone else surprised Hatch and Summer are next? I thought we were getting a friends-to-lovers arc with Rosie and Hatch?

I absolutely love any and all hockey books, and this book did not disappoint. It is my first book by Kate Meader and it definitely won’t be my last. I loved Lars and Adeline’s story. The different perspectives, the witty banter, the sizzling romance what isn’t to love. The growth in how these characters changed throughout this story when baby Mabel came in, warmed my heart. I will definitely be reading this entire series, as well as many more by this author. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced copy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read such a wonderful book!! This book is absolutely a 4 star for me, having some of my favourite tropes like age gap, single dad and forbidden romance!! Ot was one of the cutest books I’ve read recently and was a swoon worthy romance!! Lars after finding out he has a love child is forced to face the reality of being a father amidst his own struggles with his father lacking to be a good role model. He finds help from his best friend’s daughter who faces her own problems. Adeline who once had a crush on Lars struggles with security after bring robbed in Greece and unable to come to terms with it. As Lars and Adeline get closer, so do their feelings for one another. Lars is easily one of the most likeable characters as he steps up to be the best father for his baby girl and its so sweet to see him bond with Mabel. I absolutely adored every dynamic in this book and was amazing!! It was honestly one of the cutest books I’ve read recently and would 100% recommend it if you’re looking for a short and sweet romance.

I enjoyed spending more time with the Chicago Rebels and the extended cast of characters. I really like the way Kate connects one series in this world to another. I thought Lars and Adeline were a cute couple and I'm looking forward to more in this new series.

I've read several Kate Meader books and several with these characters, so this was a fun escape read! The age gap aspect was done well and didn't come across as creepy at all. Recommend if you've enjoyed other books in the series.

Ahhh I couldn't stop reading! This book was sooo good!
Their little family is so cutee! These two will definitely make the best couple, their chemistry was instant and the tension was strong! 💗

Sweet Thing is about Lars who has just had a bombshell dropped on his lap! Literally! In the form of a baby called Mabel, his baby! A one-night stand that lead to a secret baby he didn't know anything about and now the mum has vanished. His teammate steps in to help him with the help of his wife and his daughter, Adeline. Adeline has agreed to help him with being Mabel's nanny, especially since she needs a job after going traveling for the past year. She thought in that year she could get over the crush she had for him, but did she? 🙃
We have age-gap, forbidden, single dad x nanny, found family 🔥

Adeline - you can only imagine the trauma she would've been facing after what happened to her on her travels, she was so brave and strong! She was also an amazing person for Mabel and Lars, looking after them and helping when she knew they needed her. She had her own battles with never feeling a part of her family and not having an identity, as she's always seen as Theo's daughter but this is far from how her family see her. She has a lot of insecurities but Lars helps her with these and trys to help push her, so she can become more!

Lars - omg he was an amazing MMC, the way he stepped up for Mabel and became the father she needed overnight was adorable! He had a lot of trauma from his own father and didn't want to repeat his mistakes with Mabel or Adeline. The relationship between him and Theo (Adeline's dad) really makes you realise how forbidden their relationship was but it was nice to see it all work out i the end!

Both of these two had amazing character growth and it was so good to see 🥰
I do kinda wish we got to see a bit more of their relationship, as the conflict kind of took over (understandable) but like it meant we didn't see a lot of them together with Mabel! 😭

Thank you to Kate Meader & Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this arc! 💕

This was a cute age-gap forbidden romance. There was plenty of drama and angst, but at times, things felt unresolved. It was an overall good story, I just had trouble connecting to the characters.

Thank you Kate Meader and NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange this is my honest review.

Sweet Thing by Kate Meader was a fun, sweet, romantic hockey romance that I throughly enjoyed.

Adeline is back from traveling the world and is in need of a job and how convient is it that a baby was suddenly thrust upon her father’s teammate and friend Lars. One problem? She had (has) a massive crush on him. But for the sake of team harmony she will attempt to keep the growing feelings at bay.

Lars’ one night stand has left him with a daughter he didn’t know about for the last six months. Now? He needs to figure out his next step for himself and his daughter. Falling in love with his teammate’s younger daughter who takes the role of nanny? Not on the list but he can’t help but feel drawn to her.

The pace was good and the writing was fine and easy. I am not a huge fan of age gap romances but this one didn’t read as creepy and was actually sweet. Lars respects Adeline and wants her to grow and doesn’t want to hold her back with his life and baggage. Adeline clearly is making her own choice. I found the gossip columns sprinkled in to be a bit jarring and ejected me from the story and also read a bit like a gossip girl column rather than Lady Whistledown and they didn’t seem to play much into the story? However, I enjoyed the romance, the light spice, and I always enjoy a good denial of feeling until the bitter end.

Overall I enjoyed the story though and give it a 4/5. The ending was delightful and I cannot wait for the next romance in this saga and hope it gives us a Lars and Adeline update as well. Buy or preorder Sweet Thing by July 15.

This was a good read! I was invested in the story and the characters throughout. The character growth was great, it had me giggling and kicking my feet, and the banter was good. Overall I enjoyed this and would recommend.

It does touch on some harder topics so check triggers.

Sweet Thing is the first book in Kate Meader’s new Chicago players hockey series.

This was my first book by Kate Meader, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last.

Sweet Thing is the perfect blend of emotional depth and sizzling chemistry. Lars Narquist, a defensemen for the Chicago Rebels, is thrown into single fatherhood after a one-night stand leaves him with a daughter he never knew about. Enter Adeline - his teammate’s daughter- who becomes his nanny. Adeline’s nurturing spirit and no-nonsense attitude make her the perfect person to help Lars find his footing….. but the slow-burn attraction between them complicates everything.


If you love:

✅ Age-gap romance

✅ Single dad stories

✅ Nanny/employer tension

✅ Forbidden love (hello, teammate’s daughter!)

✅ Found family vibes

…this one’s for you.

Kate Meader does an excellent job balancing heart, humour, and heat. Lars is a protective, slightly grumpy hero with a soft spot for his daughter - and soon, Adeline. Their connection felt authentic, the tension was palpable, and the emotional payoff was so satisfying.

I laughed, I swooned, and I stayed up way too late reading. A strong start to the Chicago Players series, I’m excited to see where it goes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet Thing by Kate Meader is the first novel in the new Chicago Players series, a spin-off set in the same universe as the previous Chicago Rebels. This was my first time reading anything by this author, but the plot immediately made me want to request the arc.

Tropes
🩷 Single dad & Nanny
🩵 Age gap (13 years)
🩷 Off-limits / Father’s teammate and friend
🩵 Forbidden
🩵 Slow burn
🩷 Grumpy x Sunshine
🩵 Sports romance (hockey)
🩷 Found family
🩵 Forced proximity

Lars Nyquist is a defenseman for the Chicago Rebels who suddenly finds himself a father overnight when a woman he had a one-night stand with leaves little Mabel with him at a bar, claiming she’s his daughter. Blindsided and completely unprepared for parenthood, Lars accepts help from Adeline Kershaw, daughter of his captain and best friend Theo. Addy, 23, has just returned from a year-long trip and has been harboring a secret crush on Lars, who’s thirteen years older than her. By offering to be Mabel’s nanny—a role she knows well from raising her younger sister—Addy moves into Lars’s house. Their forced cohabitation gradually awakens mutual attraction. Addy discovers a tender heart beneath Lars’s rough exterior, and watching him learn to be a father makes her fall for him even more. Lars, who initially saw her only as his teammate’s daughter, also begins to see her as much more than a friend.

Addy is a sunny but determined young woman: sweet, cheeky in just the right way, and incredibly protective. She starts out with insecurities about her appearance, being seen mostly as ‘Theo’s daughter’, and dealing with her unrequited crush on Lars, but through their relationship, she learns to put herself first and fight for what she wants.

Lars is the classic grumpy hero: surly, reserved but incredibly loyal and protective. His journey from emotionally distant man to loving father is one of the most beautiful aspects of the book. Behind his rough exterior he hides a tender heart, and with Addy he learns to let his guard down. He’s a man who struggles to express emotions, wounded by an abusive and emotionally damaging father, but when he does open up, he does so with disarming honesty.

The book is told through dual pov, alternating between the protagonists’ perspectives. Kate Meader’s style is lively and witty, with the right balance between humor and romance. The spicy scenes are present but never excessive, and most importantly, they’re never awkward or over the top.

If you love hockey romance but especially age gap and the FATHER’S BEST FRIEND trope (this is a gem), I know this book will win you over. I’m curious to read the next volumes in the Chicago Players series to discover the other players’ stories.

A crush, a baby and a sexy hockey player. Can she fall any harder?
Such a great hockey story that had tropes I love reading.
-Hockey player
-Single dad
-Age gap
Adeline (Addy), Theo’s daughter was true to the title of the book, a Sweet Thing who was over a decade younger than Lars and who’d had a crush on him for the longest time.
Addy was a gorgeous mix of sweet and sassy when she wanted to be and I loved her character and how much her big family adored her.
If only she had the confidence to see herself as they do.
The closeness and friendship between Chicago players Theo and Lars also added to the storyline.
Theo took Lars under his wing and welcomed him into his large family, knowing that Lars now had no one.
Addy heads off on a trip of a lifetime and on her return ends up helping Lars out being a temporary nanny for his gorgeous daughter Mabel.
The more time they spend together lines blur, feelings get in the way, there’s a bit of jealousy and rivalry, then lies / hidden truths become inevitable.
Can they sort out how they feel about each other?
Or will other people’s opinions tear them apart before they even get started.
Fantastic storyline and characters and great start to this series.
I’m looking forward to reading more in this hockey world.
Thanks to NetGalley, Kate Meader and Victory Editing for the ARC.

A Heart-Melting Hockey Romance That Scores Big!

Sweet Thing is an absolute delight from start to finish! If you're a fan of swoony sports romances with a hefty dose of heart, humor, and heat, this book is your next must-read.

Lars Nyquist, the gruff yet lovable defenseman for the Chicago Rebels, finds himself in the most unexpected situation—a surprise baby dropped into his arms mid-celebration. Enter Adeline, the smart, sassy, and secretly smitten daughter of his teammate, who steps in as the nanny and turns his world upside down in the best possible way.

The chemistry between Lars and Adeline is electric, but what really makes this story shine is the emotional depth. Watching Lars grow into fatherhood is both touching and hilarious, and Adeline’s inner struggle with her long-standing crush is so relatable. The age gap and “dad’s teammate” dynamics add delicious tension, while the slow burn keeps you hooked and rooting for them every step of the way.

With tropes like surprise single dad, nanny romance, forbidden love, and “touch her and die” protectiveness, Sweet Thing delivers everything romance lovers crave. It’s sexy, sweet, and full of heart—perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen.

This is the kind of book that leaves you smiling long after the last page. I can’t wait to see what the Chicago Players series brings next!

↝ arc by netgalley review
this was my first age gap romance and it was such a fun spicy read!!!

the story follows lars
- a pro hockey player who just found out he’s a dad (already a plus bc who doesn’t love a single daddy)
AND
his teammate’s daughter, adeline
- who ends up helping him take care of the baby
- plus she’s had a MAJOR crush on him forever
(one of my favorite fmc’s i’ve read this year, what she goes through and how it’s taunting her is something i struggle with, lars being the one to reassure her and give her that strength was everything and i wish we saw more of how Greece affected her)

who doesn’t love a forbidden love…
i absolutely adored the dynamic of lars x adeline and loved how the author expressed their love without the use of over the top sexually graphic language like other books do (which i enjoy very much) but for a book like this, it was perfectly written.

something i struggled with was the amount of characters!!!! there was ALOT of characters and it seems like some of the characters were introduced in a previous series! after reading sweet thing i will definitely go back to read meader’s previous work and i’m so excited to read the next installment in this series especially after that CLIFFHANGER.

The good. I finished the book. I won't say it was bad, but I struggled with the characters and some of the vocabulary used (plunder? lovely ass? and not many 23 year old american women are using the word 'needn't') I did want to see what happened next, so I guess I was engaged enough. But i didn't feel a real connection between the characters. This book sounded right up my ally. Taboo? check. Age gap? check. Dad's best friend? sure.
There were a lot of side characters, which isn't always a bad thing, but was a little confusing sometimes. Like summer, Who was she engaged to, Rhyder or Dash? or were they the same person. it confused me. I would give this book 2.5 stars, but the thing is, I actually want to read summer and hatches book when it comes out. The seed was planted through this one and made me curious about them.

This single-dad romance was undeniably cute, but the pet name kept pulling me out of the story. Despite that, it had enough charm and heart to make it a sweet read. A solid 3-star book for those who love adorable family dynamics and heartfelt moments

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

I could not stop reading this story!!

Honestly, I was so engrossed in this book. I loved the MMC and FMC so much! Some of the best characters I’ve read about in the sports romance genre.

Adeline was caring, affectionate, fab with kids and completely down to earth and loveable.
Lars….what a man! The feelings he had for Adeline and
then becoming the dad he was meant to be was 🔥❤️‍🔥

Single dad falling for the nanny….gets me every time 🥵

I really dislike third act breakups but this one was so tastefully done.
The whole hockey fight between Lars and Theo (Adeline’s dad and Lars’ team captain) made me giggle.

Will be recommending this book to everyone!

If I had to describe this book in one word it would be ADDICTIVE. I had so much fun reading it. Was the plot a little far fetched/silly? Yes. Did the characters “fall in love” without actually earning it? Absolutely. Does the nickname Sweet Thing make me cringe? 100% Did I care? NOPE! I read this in a day and had a damn good time.

Addy, the main female character, was great. She has a strong personality and I understood her insecurities. Lars, the love interest, was fully fleshed out. His complex relationship with his father added a depth to him that is sometimes missing in romcom leading men. I just wish I saw more of an emotional connection between the two before the L word appears.

The pacing was great. I literally couldn’t put the book down. Often romance books can feel repetitive, but Sweet Thing thankfully didn’t fall into that trap. Something fresh was happening in each chapter.

I will say there are approximately 100 side characters mentioned in this book. That’s too many. I guess the author has a previous series about Addy’s parents? But as this is billed as the first of a series, it’s a little confusing. I sometimes couldn’t tell who we were supposed to know from before and who would matter in the future. But, that’s easy to skim past (which I did). I’m sure if you’ve read the previous series, you’d love all the Easter eggs.

I will say that I am PUMPED for the next book in this series - sign me up for a forced proximity, enemies to lovers story EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK.

This book is fun. It’s a little silly. It’s very light hearted. If you just want a quick, good time without too much depth - this one’s for

Book Title: Sweet Thing

Author: Kate Meader

Tropes: Surprise Baby, Age Gap, Dad’s Best Friend, Forced Proximity, Grumpy x Independent

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️

🤩 The Vibe:

Sweet Thing is a heartfelt, emotionally layered romance that pairs found family with unexpected parenthood and a dash of grumpy-sunshine tension. Lars is every bit the gruff, emotionally unavailable hockey player… until a one night stand delivers his baby girl to him in a bar and flips his world upside down. Addy is fiercely independent and refreshingly no-nonsense, and watching these two orbit around each other—with smoldering tension and reluctant tenderness—makes for a compelling slow burn. It’s about responsibility, redemption, and letting someone in when you least expect it.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Main Characters:

Lars – Hockey star who goes from “not my problem” to “ride or die” for a baby he didn’t know existed. Broody, gruff, loyal, and unexpectedly tender when it counts.

Addy – Caregiver, protective older sister and Lars’ Captain’s daughter. She’s tough, fiercely independent, and doesn’t back down—even when her heart is on the line.

💕 What I Loved:

• The banter—sharp, funny, and full of tension.

• Watching Lars go from detached to absolutely devoted overnight.

• Addy’s relationship with her family, especially her protectiveness over her dad’s hockey career.

• Strong character development—both leads felt mature and multi-dimensional.

🚫 What Didn’t Work For Me:

• The believability of the baby drop-off setup felt far-fetched—a random bar felt like the wrong choice for that moment.

• I usually love an age gap, but the fact that Lars is Addy’s dad’s friend and teammate pushed the dynamic into awkward territory—it felt like more like a 20-year gap than the actual 12-year gap.

• I wanted more scenes with Lars and Addy together. A lot of their development happened separately or internally, which slowed the romantic momentum.

💭 Final Thoughts:

Sweet Thing delivers a swoony, emotional, and slightly unconventional sports romance that blends grumpy dad energy with fierce heroine strength. While a few plot choices stretched believability and the central couple could’ve used more page time together, the chemistry, character arcs, and emotional depth kept me hooked. If you love a man who’s secretly soft and a woman who protects her people at all costs, this one’s worth picking up.

Rating 4.5

"The best path is one I choose for myself. And I chose you"

Hockey Romance
Age Gap
Single Parent

Stand offish hockey player turned dad. After a startling bombshell of a baby being dropping into his lap, Lars have to learn how to navigate being a single dad and juggling his career in hockey. Thankfully with this help of the Kershaw family, specifically in the form of his new nanny Adeline, things are looking hopeful. When you're trying to find your great love story some times it happens when you least expect it. Slow Burn, Forbidden Hockey Romance, sign me up!

This was my first Kate Meader book and I fell in love. I might need to go through the other books for the characters that were mentioned in this book. This was an adorable hockey romance. It really challenged both the characters to be confident in themselves, making for strong character development. Lars' daughter, Mabel, was the cutest little thing in this book.

"My Great Love Story. Trademark."

Thank you so much for this ARC!