I struggled to connect with this book. I finished 96% but to me there wasn’t much depth in the primary characters, or in their relationship. With a popular trope, and traditional character flaws, I typically look for something to set the story apart but it ultimately fell flat for me.

Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC

I'm appreciative for the ARC copy, thanks to the author and Netgalley.

Lars ❤️ Adeline
Baby Mabel

Hockey Romance
Nanny X Single Dad
Age gap
Dad's BFF
Secret relationship
Miscommunication

2.5 ⭐
2 🌶️

This was enjoyable-ish, but I won't be putting it on my re-read list the way I do with 5 star reads, nor would I rush to recommend it, but if someone had a copy, or wanted a quick, easy read I'd say that they'd enjoy it enough. I liked the overall plot, and while it wasn't overly meaty or surprising, I did want to know what happened next. The characters were likeable overall, but I didn't connect with them emotionally the way I do with characters in my top reads.

I didn't enjoy things being completely spelled out, for example, "the taboo" of their relationship being discussed by the MMC and FMC in case the reader wasn't getting it. There were a lot of excessive descriptions that didn't really add much to the storyline, such as what the brother ordered on their lunch date, or the fact that the granny drinks her martinis with extra pineapple juice, or "Jacobs put down one of the 5k hand weights and picked up an 8k". The granny character was annoying, she was given a lot of attention (I assume for a future book) but the attempt to make her comedic fell flat for me. I'm assuming that the plentiful details given about the secondary characters are Easter eggs for future books in this series (or maybe some are the focus of previous books and the author is letting her audience know how they're getting on?)

Overall, I think it was the writing style that I didn't love - no offence to the author, it just wasn't for me, and I'm sorry not to be reviewing in a more positive way. Some of the descriptions gave me the ick, for example; "this mouth. I want to plunder it and make it mine", "my thumb sought her little clit", and "taking that slick instrument and burying it...", "I'm going to kiss you again and maybe grasp your lovely ass". The 13 year age gap seemed a bit too much of a plot line at times (and I'm not against age gap romances)

Attempts to keep it modern, 2025, detailing extras characters having a same-sex marriage, and the MMC being concerned for the welfare of his baby mama, but it misses the mark, as in other areas it was a bit yuck to read as a woman (albeit I don't think this was the intent, just how the wording came across) "I’d worked that gorgeous body good", "With my release and claim".

I won't be waiting impatiently for the next in the series, and to be honest, I'm not sure if I'll even bother to read it, probably not.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the early chance to read and review “Sweet Thing” by Kate Meader.

This book had some of my favorite tropes: single dad, surprise baby, teammates sister (and daughter) so I was really excited to read this one. It did not disappoint, I really enjoyed the story of Lars falling in love with his daughter as he tried to become “worthy” of a relationship with Adeline. This is the first book of a new series but it is a “next gen” of the two previous Chicago Rebels series - there were a bunch of returning characters that were nice to catch up with since I had read the previous books. However, it totally works as a standalone if you have not read the previous series. I would recommend this to readers of contemporary romance and hockey romance, for a sweet, sexy read. 4 stars.

Thankyou to Kate Meader and team for providing me with an ARC copy of this book.

This is my first book of the author and I can say I will be going back to read her previous work as I really enjoyed this book. My favourite books are romance, especially hockey romance in particular and have read over 100. This was a great one.

The main tropes are Surprise Single Dad, Single Dad x Nanny, Age Gap, Dads best friend, found family. If those tropes can’t convince you to read then I don’t know what will! I loved the evolution of Lars and Addies relationship, and the Easter eggs coming about the authors future books too.

I would say this book is definitely steamy and sexy and would rate it 3 out of 5 on the spice scale. Ultimately I give the book a 4 out of 5 stars and look forward to the next instalments in the series.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced copy to read and review!
This was the first book by this author that I read! It will not be my last!

I absolutely loved this book! I loved the relationship between Lars and Adeline. I loved how she was such a support for him when he got the news that he was a father! The relationship between them made me smile from the start! I loved hearing bits and pieces of her parents story! I loved seeing the characters grow as individuals but also together! Can't wait to read more of the series!

Hope you all enjoys this book as much as I did!

Books have always been my “happy place.” The genre that I can never get enough of is romance. That’s why I was excited to get a chance to read this one. While some of the side characters in this book are featured in an existing series, I was able to read this book as a standalone.

I’m not normally a fan of age gap romance (unless the female lead is older), but I really did enjoy this one. The age difference did not come off as “creepy” like I have seen in other books.

I did have some questions in regards to some of the loose threads that appear in this book. Seeing as there are at least two other books coming in the series, I’m sure those questions will be answered in a later book.

Ultimately, I did really enjoy the book, and I’m excited to read what is next.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I actually loved this so much. Adeline and Lars were the cutest and Mabel even more so. Girl had me wrapped around her finger as soon as she was mentioned omg. Surprise single dad and Lars handled it like a champ with Adi's help of course but that's what family does, the Kershaw family helped Lars and Lars helped Adi see that she was so much more than what she thought of herself. I loved the themes and tropes in this book.

I loved this love story of Lars and Adaline.. This story has some of my favourite tropes including single dad and teammates daughters. Add in that this is a second generation story and features the characters who we met in the rookie rebels series led to this being a fantastic read for me. I could not put it down. I loved the dynamics between the two and how they developed a relationship initially started by Adeline stepping in to be Lar’s nanny. The story flowed well and has set the scene for the next books in the series. I am looking forward to reading the next instalment in this series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️

🏒 Ice hockey romance
🏒 Single dad x nanny
🏒 Teammate/captain’s daughter
🏒 Age gap (13 years)
🏒 YEARS long crush

Snapped this up in 24 hours because it delivered everything I need, expect and love in a single dad x nanny, ice hockey romance story.

What I LOVED:
🏒 Lars and Theo having such a strong friendship and camaraderie on the ice DID make things feel quite forbidden between Lars and Addy, so I thought the author did this very well.
🏒 This was a pretty interesting/unique take on the single dad trope and it was refreshing to read about an MMC learn and discover how to be a dad.
🏒 The interactions we got to see between the older Kershaw siblings were TOP TIER! I actually wish there was more of this, more text chains, etc. but I’m definitely keen to see how their love stories unfold!
🏒 The writing really sucked me in and made me want to learn more about Theo’s story and that generation of Rebels’ stories, but at the same time, I didn’t feel lost not having read the previous series.

What I DIDNT love:
🏒 Everything felt like it happened super quickly. It would’ve been nice to see Addy and Lars’ relationship and emotional connection develop at a slower pace, rather than something that came to fruition in a matter of weeks.
🏒 I don’t think Addy’s drama was necessary for the plot. It seemed like it was a little skimmed over/brushed over? Like we don’t even really get a follow up on it and she’s not even had a conversation with her mum about it.

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK? Yes ✅
WILL I CONTINUE THIS SERIES? Yes ✅

[Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review]

Sweet Thing was a beautiful and delicious read!

Tropes:

🏒 Hockey Romance
😏 Age Gap
❤️‍🔥 Forbidden Romance
🧑 Single Dad
🔥 Slow Burn

Seeing Lars step into fatherhood was a rollercoaster of emotions but an unexpected task that he tackled easily. It was almost comical seeing him go from panic to super dad within months. Nobody is perfect at first try but with the help of his found family, he found a way. And Adeline? She was his Enkelini that helped pave the path and burrowed herself in so perfectly with him and Mabel.

This was my first ever read by Kate Meader and it definitely won’t be my last.

The spice was intense, the friendships were beautiful and wholesome, and I was so proud of both Lars and Adeline for overcoming their trauma and accepting forgiveness.

•
Favorite quotes 🩵

Addie: “My Great Love Story. Trademark.”

Lars: “Theo, you could break every bone in my body, but it wouldn’t change how I feel. I love your daughter.”

Lars: “I was a slave to her and would happily follow her anywhere.”
•

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review before its debut 🫶🏼

I always love hockey books so I was so thankful to get this ARC from Netgalley. I really enjoyed the romance between Lars and Adeline, but I also liked how they grew as their own person too. They helped each other work through their insecurities and become better people. It was a really sweet story to read. And little Mabel was just too cute! Watching Lars learn to become a father was heartwarming!

The whole book was filled with so many great characters and set things up for some great future books so I'm looking forward to the next books that will be coming out!

This was a cute book with a little bit of everything: single dad, cute baby, hockey player, age gap, secret relationship. I'm honestly usually anti-secret baby books and intentionally avoid them. But after reading the blurb of this one and knowing the baby mama wouldn't end up with the male lead, I decided to give this a read.

Lars, Adeline, and Mabel were so adorable together and made a cute little family. Lars was thrust into fatherhood, literally, and even though it was a rocky start, he turned into such a great and protective father. I loved how real it was at the beginning and appreciated the added humor. Adeline was wise and mature beyond her years. She really played the mother role well. Mable was just the cutest little baby. Cute babies always make a story better.

There's the whole 'I can't date you because your dad is one of my best friends and teammates' trope in this one that is a big focus of the book. They have to keep their relationship a secret because of that. I did feel the blowup was a bit dramatic and I didn't appreciate Theo's throwing insults about Lars' dad towards Lars. It was a low blow and I lost a bit of respect for Theo then.

This book was a bit of a slow burn, but for once, I didn't mind since it helped keep thing interesting with the push-and-pull of their relationship.

My only complaint is that there were an awful lot of characters to keep up with and it was a bit overwhelming to remember who exactly the secondary characters were.

This was the first Kate Meader book I've read, but I'll definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series after that teaser of an epilogue.

This was such a cute sports romance! I love sports romance, and this was so amazing to! The fmc and mmc were so cute together, and I loved all the tropes!!

I haven't read anything by this Author before but after this book I've just done a hefty add to my TBR! I loved this book and if you like Hannah grace, Tessa Bailey etc I predict this will be right up your street!

Adeline is the daughter of Theo Kershaw, all star defence man of the Chicago Rebels. Lars Nyquist is Theo's team mate and Adeline's teenage crush. A surprise change in circumstances for Lars brings them together but can Adeline convince Lars she's a woman now?

I loved the overall universe this is written in and how Lars grew as a character.

Kate Meader is back with more Rebels hockey this time it's the kids' turn. That's right the we're getting the second generation starting with Theo Kershaw's daughter, Adeline and who does she happen to fall for but her father's line partner and best friend, Lars "NyQuil" Nyquist. It starts with Adeline returning from traveling abroad to bump into her crush Lars who in the same night discovers he's a father... because a one night stand bumps the baby on him in the middle of a bar. Soon enough Adeline is pitching in on nanny duties and Lars is finally letting himself see Adeline as a grown woman.

The plot in this standard 330 page romance is a bit busy. There's one too many character plot lines that get sped through towards the end to reach the romantic conclusion but other than that it's the typical funny, hockey filled romp. Lard and Adeline are absolute fools for each other an dyou love to see it plus there's a cute baby.

This was my first book by this author and let me tell you, I love their writing style! I am definitely going to go and read the other romances that sweet thing reference.

As for the book, it was enjoyable! If you like sports romance it has so many classic tropes: age- gap, forbidden romance, best friends daughter, nanny etc. There was also a really fun twist on the single dad trope and how he became a father, which I absolutely LOVED.

However, there were certain aspects of the book that dropped the rating for me. One being that it felt as though Lars and Adeline only really bonded through sharing their trauma but we didn’t really get to see them having fun together outside the bedroom. I also didn’t love the whole “men are biologically more protective”, because… well that’s just not true. I think it was used to almost excuse some of the undertones of misogyny and infantilization of Adeline. I do, however think it was realistic because that is likely how she would be treated in real life. I honestly related to her character so deeply and empathized with a lot of how she felt others viewed her. As for just some nit picky thoughts; there was one part that lacked consistency. A few chapters prior, Adeline states that she’s not foolish enough to think Lars loves her, but knows he cares about her. Then, without anything about their relationship changing and no conversations between them, she says “I know he’s in love with me”. This had me feeling like I missed something (which maybe I did?). And finally, there was a part where it’s being said that Adeline is so selfless and she “puts herself above everyone else”. I assume this was just an error but it had me doing a double take and re reading a couple times to make sure I wasn’t confused.

Overall i genuinely had a great time reading this book and feel SO lucky to have gotten to read an ARC! Kate definitely has a new fan and I’m excited to read more of her work!!

✨ This is a review for an arc provided by NetGalley ✨

This is my first book by the author and let me tell you, I loved it! It features some of my favorite tropes so I had high hopes for Adeline and Lars but I was thrilled by not only loving them but also all the other characters except Vicki but that was to be expected.

In a true rom-com fashion, both Addie and Lars were funny but there is always an underlying sense of electric chemistry between them that keep the plot flowing seamlessly. Mabel is an adorable baby and Tilly quickly became my favorite toddler ever. As a byproduct of reading this book, now I want to dive into the rookie rebels series to find out more about all the first generation characters mentioned throughout this book.

Both Lars and Adeline have some growing up to do regardless of their actual ages and their emotional evolution was wonderfully written. I also adore nicknames in a foreign language.

I was hoping to guess the next couple but according to the epilogue I am not getting my way but I am still excited for the next one to come. Thank you NetGalley for turning me into a Kate Meader fan!

Sweet Thing is a beautifully written story. Adeline had a schoolgirl crush on Lars, who happens to be her dad’s teammate and best friend. Lars is 36 and Adeline is 23. This age gap, nanny x hockey player single dad romance was so fun to read. Lars got the surprise of a lifetime when his daughter was given to him in the middle of a bar. Not only do we get to watch Lars fall in love with his baby girl and become a father, we watch him and Adeline’s forbidden love come to life as they learn to find their best selves with the help of each other. Loved being able to watch the growth in both characters.

I really enjoyed this book and am grateful for the arc! Lars and Adeline had great tension the whole book and the pacing was really good. The only thing that took me out of it a bit was having Adeline’s dad be so old but still actively playing hockey with his son. To me, it would’ve been better if it was a brother’s best friend romance rather than dad’s, but i still enjoyed it!

My first Kate Meader read, and definitely won’t be my last! Really enjoyed this - fun read, well written, characters whose chemistry we could believe, and all my favourite tropes! Really happy to have gotten this ARC, thank you :)