This was my first book from this author, and it will most certainly not be the last!
Even if you took away the hockey or the romance the book’s family, and friend dynamics are so intertwined and interesting. It makes you want to read the rest of the series before this offshoot.

I really appreciate that in the contemporary romance world of nonstop miscommunication tropes, the two mains are pretty good at saying exactly what they want and need from each other, that level of openness is definitely unusual in this genre.

The crux of their issues isn’t necessarily each other, but the FMC‘s family, which has become the MMC’s family and all but name while during her year abroad after college
Though she might have left her parent’s house at 22 a little naïve, she arrived back 23, a woman of the world and a little worse for wear.

As secrets come out, can the two mains work out all of their fears or will familial demands, new and old crush their love?

This is a great age gap/finding yourself story.

I enjoyed the story and how both characters came into their own. Lars unexpectedly became a father and trying to get his mind out of the shadow of his own father was hard. Adeline is trying to find herself in a family of athletes.

These two together had fireworks going on. I love how the reveal happened at the end. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!!

3.5⭐️ 2🌶️

Hockey defenseman Lars Nyquist certainly didn’t expect to fall hopelessly in love with a woman 13 years his junior, who is also the daughter of his team captain and best friend, and the nanny to his 7 month old daughter that he didn’t know he had. But that’s where we find ourselves…

Sweet Thing was filled with intrigue, likable characters and an all round feel good story!

Tropes:
Hockey romance
Age Gap
Single Dad/Nanny
Best Friend’s daughter
Father’s Best Friend

Thank you to Netgalley and Kate Meader for this ARC copy!

I absolutely loved every minute of this story. 

If you love a single dad, nanny,  age gap, forbidden, sports romance then you are going to love Lars and Adeline's story. 

To Lars, Adeline is his friend and team mates oldest daughter, he has never seen her as anything else. Adeline on the other hand has a major crush on Lars, she just wants the ground to swallow her up.... thank goodness she is heading off on her travels! Fast forward a year and a half  and circumstances bring them closer when Lars has an unexpected surprise and Adeline very helpful family throws them together when she becomes temporary nanny to Lars' adorable 7 month old baby girl Mabel.

The sparks soon start flying and Lars soon realises that he doesn't see Adeline has his friend and team mates daughter, he sees her as much more.  

I was completely hooked from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down.  I loved the familiarity of seeing my favourite Rebels make an appearance, it was like being back with family.

This is my first book by Kate Meader and I was pleasantly surprised. The writing is well done, the story flows seamlessly and the plot is easy to follow.

I love a good hockey romance and this one didn't let me down. Throw in a surprise baby and dad's best friend trope? Yeah, I'm all in.

The spice was pretty light in my opinion, but it was still a really great read. I am looking forward to digging into Kate's other books about the Rebels hockey team.

I can’t get over how much I enjoyed this book. This is my first book by Kate Meader, and I am now a fan. I experienced all the emotions throughout this book. Lol. Sweet Thing is a hockey romance between Lars and Adeline, who happens to be his best friend’s daughter. 👀 And guess what? They’re also teammates. 😱

Lars’ life completely changed when his one-night stand dropped a baby girl in his lap and informed him that he was the father. Seven-month-old Mabel was the star of the show. Lol. Adeline and her family jumped into action and helped set Lars up for the night with baby Mabel. Despite her childhood crush on Lars, she offered to be his temporary nanny. Little did they know what would come of this arrangement.

Watching Lars be a dad was so cute. He had zero clue what to do with Mabel at the beginning. Over time, and with the help of Adeline (and her family), he got the hang of it.

Both Lars and Adeline struggled with the way people viewed them. Lars strived daily to be everything his father wasn’t. Adeline constantly worried that her family saw her as the weak link. They helped each other discover they were more than they gave themselves credit for.

I loved Adeline’s family. The Kershaws are what every family should strive to be. IMO. Lol. They aren’t perfect, but they are loyal to a tee. They care, and they are always there for one another. They were also obsessed with Mabel. She was a doll. 💕

Sweet Thing had its heavy moments, but it also had moments where it was light and fun too. I thought it was an all-around good book. I don’t feel like anything was missing. I’m excited to read more from Kate.

First in series, 2nd Gen series
Age gap (13 years)
Dad's friend/teammate
Single dad
Nanny
Slow burn

Lars is suddenly thrown into fatherhood when a one night hookup shows up with a 7 month old and claims the baby is his. She wants nothing to do with motherhood anymore and he has no clue what to do with a baby. Additional plot twist baby mom is married and was at time of hookup but Lars didn't know this. I wish he had reacted more to the married part because that felt glossed over in his reaction.

Addy is his team captain's/friend's oldest daughter and reluctantly agrees to help until he finds a nanny. She's had a crush for years and throughout their time in his house together it returns and it's mutual. They each fight it until they finally give in. And she insists they can't tell anyone.

I was actually really glad to see she was the one who pushed not to tell anyone. So many books have the MMC suggest it.

The booked grabbed my attention from the start. There were a few places where it felt like a character drop, lots of people in a scene who didn't really bring anything to the scene, but are likely going to be part of future books or are part of the first Gen series, which is typical in a series starter so it wasn't too distracting. It is told in first person dual POV. Some chapters show both POVs with a chapter break and other chapters are just one person's POV. I I'm someone who would prefer either both POVs in each chapter or one POV per chapter just for a more smooth read.

The book gave the reader everything that the blurb set up and everything that you typically expect from the different tropes. There was no unexpected curve ball, which I really appreciate. It was an easy read. There were enough characters introduced for the new series that make you want to know what happens in the next book and the epilogue chapter did a great job of giving us a cliffhanger that leads directly into that book

ARC by Netgalley Review 💓!!

This was my first book by this author—and it definitely won’t be my last. I’ve been loving this trend where authors create entire worlds filled with interconnected characters and stories, and this one fits that mold perfectly.

So, why did I pick this book?

1. Hockey.
2. Single dad.
3. She’s the daughter of one of the older hockey players on the team.
Basically: YES. This is my kind of trope. This is my happy place.

Their relationship was absolutely beautiful. Yes, we had a bit of family drama (as expected) when their connection came to light, but it was handled in a way that felt genuine and satisfying.

I adored the female lead—she was determined, confident, and knew exactly what she wanted, how she wanted it, and who she wanted it with. Meanwhile, our male lead? Whew. He was thrown into a new lifestyle and handed a responsibility he wasn’t ready for. Unsurprisingly, he struggled. He made mistakes. But there’s always a price to pay for growth.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. That ending? That epilogue? DEAD.
Now I have to go read the book about the heroine’s parents from the previous series because clearly, I’m in too deep.
Thank you again for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

Adeline: Lars Nyquist overheard me say while recounting my embarrassing crush on him. Yeah, that Lars Nyquist. Defenseman for the Chicago Rebels. Owner of the thickest thighs in the league. More than a decade my senior. Oh, and my dad’s teammate. My only option? Leave the country, of course.

Lars: I just found out I’m a dad.
My one-night stand dropped a baby bombshell in my local bar where I was celebrating my team’s win. Then she hoofed it, leaving me holding my new daughter.

Adeline the fixer of the Kershaw family steps up to help Lars with Mabel until he can hire a nanny. Neither of them knowing that they would need each other to overcome some big things that they have went through over the last year.

I know this is fiction but I have to say the way Kate wrote Lars as not so prefect at the dad role in the beginning made me love this book more. Most books the MMC just falls into being the "best" dad without any issues or negative self reflection on themselves. Not Lars which made it even better to watch him grow into the loving dad that he was by the end. There was nothing he wouldn't do for Mabel.


Surprise single dad
Nanny
Age gap
Dad's teammate and friend
Years long crush
Off limits
Touch her and die
Slow burn

First book by this author but I cannot not wait for the next one.

Thank you Kate Meader, NetGalley, and Victory Editing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#SweetThing #NetGalley

ARC Review: Sweet Thing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Sweet Thing delivers on the tropes we love—single dad, hockey star, age gap, and a nanny with a complicated connection. Lars, a professional hockey player, is suddenly thrust into fatherhood when a one-night stand drops a baby in his lap and disappears. Enter his teammate’s 23-year-old daughter, Adeline, who steps in as a nanny… and things get messy, in all the best ways.

I’ll admit, the beginning was a bit overwhelming. There were a lot of characters introduced early on, and not all of them felt relevant, which made it hard to settle into the story at first. But once the dust clears and the main plot kicks in, it really finds its rhythm.

What sets this apart is the added tension of Lars being best friends with Adeline’s dad—a dynamic that brings depth and drama to what might otherwise be a familiar setup. If you’re a fan of found family, sports romance, and the chaos of unexpected parenthood, this one will check a lot of boxes for you.

Loved this one. It has all the classic tropes that I enjoy best friend’s daughter, nanny romance, and a bit of forbidden tension. Lars and Adeline were great characters with real emotional depth. Their chemistry builds slowly and naturally, and little Mabel brings so much heart to the story. What stood out to me most was how the book focused not just on romance but also on personal growth and figuring out where you belong. Lars learning to be a dad while carrying his past, and Adeline stepping into her own path, made it more meaningful. I appreciate a lot this insight. The hockey team dynamic and the found family adds a lot of warmth. I'll definetly will keep going with the series. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

I loved seeing all the Rebels again! I love a Great Love Story™️! But two? My heart just exploded! Adeline & Lars’ love story is utter perfection. All the Rebels stories are amazing but Sweet Thing is by far my favorite. This book should be at the very top of your must read list!

I've loved Kate Meader's previous Chicago Rebels series, so was excited to read the start of a next-generation spinoff centering around the popular Theo Kershaw's family. And this didn't disappoint - it's like a big hug and excited catch-up with someone you've not seen for ages but pick right back up where you left off...

This is a best friend/teammate's daughter/nanny forbidden romance, and while these are all familiar tropes, Meader (as always) has a fresh take on them, grounded in great characterisation. At its heart, this is a story about family - in all its forms - and about belonging, and also self-determination: stepping out of the roles or expectations (those of others, and those that are self-imposed) that have held you back. I loved the little family unit that Lars, Addie and Mabel form, and how much support Lars gets from the wider Rebels family.

It's hard to know how this would read to someone totally unfamiliar with the previous series; I suspect it's intended as a jumping-on point for new readers, and I'm sure it would work as such - it's a self-contained story. But given how complex a lot of the relationship histories are, the frequency of cameos from retired Rebels players, and the fact that Theo and Elle's "origin story" is so integral to understanding Addie's approach to relationships, I'd definitely say a read of the Rookie Rebels series (or at least Instacrush) is highly recommended. Although that's hardly a chore!

Recommended for fans of Helena Hunting and Stephanie Archer, and anyone who likes hockey romance series big on the family/team vibes.

I absolutely devoured this book.
It’s everything you want a hockey romance to be.
Hockey player lars world shifts when a fling from the past walks in and gives him a child , a daughter he didn’t know.
Lars has to navigate being a sudden dad.
Lucky for him he gets help from his team mate and best friend who just so happens to have a daughter that can help him
Adeline has just gotten back from travelling ,cutting her travelling short after an attack that left her shaken.
Adeline wants to help Lars, If only it was so easy. Adeline has been crushing on Lars for years. She agrees to help him by moving in and being his live in nanny…..
The tension is this story is delicious.
I love Adeline and Lars so much
I can’t wait for the next ones in the series!!

This is the book I didn’t know I needed. It was filled with emotion, hockey player and Nanny romance and a beautiful baby girl named Mabel. Sweet Thing is an amazing hockey romance with absolutely perfect banter! There are so many things to love about this book but the love Lars has for Mabel makes my heart melt and the love between Adeline and Lars is beautiful. It is very well written and hockey romance lovers out there are going to love it.

I've been a BIG fan of Kate Meader for a while & when I heard she was writing a new hockey Rebels romance series, you better believe I pursued reading it!
Thank you, #NetGalley, for allowing me to read Sweet Thing by Kate Meader. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book on #NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own, but please add this fantastic romance story to your TBR list.
Adeline was born into a wonderful hockey family but doesn't quite fit in being more of a wallflower than an attention seeker. As Adeline grew up & became a young woman, she needed to find her way & that direction led to her dad's Rebel teammate & new dad Lars. Lars has his own demons to process growing up with a horrible father & frequently being compared to him. Lars & Adeline's relationship has a few ups & downs throughout the story, but overall a very sweet romance. Well-written characters, some hilarious one-liners, a bit of passion for those that like spice, & a fun storyline that already has me excited for the next book in the Chicago Players series.

Lars finds out that he's a dad and relies on Adeline, daughter of his teammate and bff to help raise the baby.

Love the Chicago Rebels... Lars and Adeline are terrific together. The spice is just perfect. Love the age-gap romance.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

4.5⭐️So happy to have gotten this ARC from NetGalley thank you! This was so cute. I loved Lars and Addy. Little bit of forbidden love, age gap, sports, forced proximity and found family. If any of those are your thing this is for you. Also Mabel is the cutest surprise baby! Glad Vicki wasn’t a bigger problem . Was upset the way Addys mom originally reacted but glad they could all work it out because Lars definitely needed them in his life just as much as Addy 🩷

Sweet Thing was such a joy to read! I loved watching Lars step into fatherhood—his journey with Mabel was tender and heart-melting. The chemistry between Adeline and Lars was beautiful, but what stood out most was how they each had to learn to love and accept themselves before they could truly be together. Their growth felt genuine, and their dynamic was equal parts emotional and real.

I adored the way Lars, Adeline, and Mabel created their own little unconventional family—it was messy, real, and so rewarding.

This was my first Kate Meader book, and I’m officially a fan! I’m already counting down the days until we get Hatch and Summer’s story.

I received this ARC through netgalley. This may be my first book by this author, but it definitely won't be the last. This was a perfect single dad/nanny romance with the best microscopes i are this up.
Poor lars was out having a good old time with his team when a once night stand gives him a baby says its his and gets off I love how lars went from "im not keeping it" to "even if she's not mine I'll take care of her" within 24 hours that is how a man acts “Daddy Defenseman" stood up to the challenge, and addy went from "im not helping" to "ill take care if her" these two show that a family can be made in different ways. I know it was supposed to be, but this was a SLOW burn. The way lars called addy "sweet thing" made me melt🔥