strong>Axel and Sophie</strong>

Axel is a closed-off hockey player who refuses to date. But his anger on the ice is ruining his chances to move from the AHL to the NHL. To combat Axel's negative reputation, the owner of his team and his coach create a relationship with a popular music artist, Sophie. Mayhem ensues. I like it when a kiss determines a relationship rather than a kiss being JUST a 💋.

For my second reading, I was able to listen to it. My only "complaint" is that the man and woman reading the book don't sound like how Axel and Sophie do in my head. lol Of course, that doesn't take away from my enjoyment of their story!!

Hockey meets Popstar
Grumpy sunshine
Small town
Fake dating

What happens when you start to develop feelings for the person you’re fake dating?
This was a fluffy, cute and quick read. No spice but it was okay for how long the story was.

I had the ALC copy of this. I didn’t love the male narrator but overall the story was sweet!

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick listen. I enjoyed the fake dating to get back at a former love. It was a sweet romantic comedy. Anything hockey is a must read for me. I was not a huge fan of the MC narrator voice, it wasn't what I imagined for this character to sound like. All in all was a cute read.

Such a fun, quick listen. The narrator had a perfect voice that sucks you in, especially for a romance book. Once I started, it was a super quick read and page turner. Plus any time a hot hockey player tries to get a woman to like him, im all in.

A sweet, cute, and simple story about two people who enter a fake dating arrangement—he’s looking to polish his image, while she wants to make her ex jealous. While the characters are described as having chemistry, it doesn’t quite come through in the writing. The story lacks depth in both character and plot development. The dual narration is a nice concept, but unfortunately, the narrators don’t complement each other well. Overall, it’s a decent premise for a novella, but it would benefit from more development to fully deliver on its potential.

Short and sweet fake dating romance between a jockey play and pop star. The narrators were good! I felt the male narrator wasn’t quite right for Asher’s character, but it didn’t hinder my listening time.

The premise of the book sold me on this immediately and I wasn’t familiar with the author, but this was a great book! The back and forth from the characters was amazing and who doesn’t love a bad boy trying to reform his image??

The Pucker-Up Pact is a short, sweet, and fun hockey rom-com that leans into the grumpy/sunshine dynamic and delivers exactly what it promises: revenge fake dating and swoony vibes all wrapped up in a fast-paced listen.

I really enjoyed how the main characters played off each other: Sophie’s warmth against Axl’s gruff stubbornness made for great chemistry and some adorable moments. The fake-dating trope felt but comforting rather than cliché.

The narration was solid: Kasey Miracle truly captured Sophie’s sunny energy, while Magnus brought Axl's broodiness to life -though his accent choice wasn’t quite what I’d imagined (personal taste, really).

At just under 4 hours, the audiobook flew by, but it still felt satisfying. Yes, the twist and ending were a bit predictable, but I didn’t mind at all because it fit the rom-com vibe. And while it’s a “just kisses” romance, it never felt lacking - the sweetness really worked here.

Overall, this is a charming, lighthearted, grumpy/sunshine fake-dating story that’s perfect for a quick, feel-good listen!

I'm all about the romance! And this was a quick, yes, I'm here for the set up! Pop Star + Hockey Bad Boy= Fake Relationship and it's an automatic yes! I loved this! I'm a fake relationship turn real relationship type of girlie and this book checks all the boxes for me.

Get ready to pucker up for this sweet, swoony, and hilarious hockey romance! 💋🏒

This book had everything I love in a romcom—
✔️ Fake dating (with a revenge twist!)
✔️ Forced proximity that brings all the tension
✔️ A grumpy hockey player and a sunshine celebrity singer
✔️ Instant chemistry that leaps off the page
✔️ Dual POV so you get both sides of the swoon
✔️ A satisfying happily ever after

It’s book one in a new series and I’m already invested! I adored the pop star meets hockey world dynamic, and the cover? GORGEOUS. 😍

I listened to the audiobook, and while I enjoyed both narrators, the MMC’s voice didn’t quite match how I pictured a hockey player sounding. But I adjusted pretty quickly and still really enjoyed the performance! 🎧 Narrated by Kasey Miracle & Magnus Carlessen

✨If you’re into opposites attract, fake dating, and sports romance with a touch of celebrity glam—this one’s for you.

Reading Journal Details
Book: The Pucker-Up Pact by J.P. Sterling
Format Read: Audiobook (~3 hours, 48 minutes)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

My Quick Take Review
A fun, quick hockey romance with just enough plot and heart to satisfy. The Pucker-Up Pact makes for the perfect palate cleanser when you're craving something short, light, and fluffy.

Some Key Features
🏒 Hockey romance
😠 Grumpy x Sunshine trope
👩‍🎤 Famous singer
📖 Easygoing novella
💬 Dual perspective

My Full Review
A sweet, fluffy novella, The Pucker-Up Pact checked all the right boxes for a quick feel-good romance. For its length, it delivered a solid plot with just enough character depth to keep me interested. Additionally, I also think if it had been a full length novel, instead, it could have easily expanded on both plot and the emotional layers without losing its charm.

I liked the alternating perspectives between Axel and Sophie, it added a nice rhythm to the story. Sophie, in particular, really stood out for me, and I really enjoyed Kasey Miracle's narration of her character. She brought the right warmth, humor, and emotional tone to Sophie's voice, making her instantly likable for me.

That said, I had a harder time connecting with Magnus Carlssen as the narrator for Axel. It wasn't that he didn't do a good job narrating, it was that his voice didn't quite match how I imagined Axel to sound, and that disconnect made it hard for me to fully get into his portions of the audiobook. It wasn't a deal-breaker, but it did affect my overall enjoyment a little.

Narration aside, the story itself worked as it was a fast paced hockey romance with only kissing, no further spice. It's the kind of quick read that's best to pick up when needing something light to break up heavier books or just want a breezy escape for a few hours. If you're into sports romances and want a charming, low commitment, high charm novella, The Pucker-Up Pact is a solid choice.

Thank you Victory Editing, J.P. Sterling, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener's copy (ALC) of this hockey novella in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.

Let me just start with this… By the end, it was a fluffy, cute novella and I loved the playful aspect of it.

given the length, I feel like it deserves grace in feeling rushed, but I think it would have been a better story overall if there were more moments contributing to build up in each of the plot points.

As it is, it just feels unrealistically fast-paced and intense as far as the emotional changes in the story. I definitely would have liked for Sophie to have had some kind of confrontation or closure with her ex as well. I think the team manager’s role in all of it was a bit of a stretch, but I understand it was the device needed to move the story along, it just definitely felt very fictional and unrealistic.

The male narrator for this audio is giving irritated Chris Cringle energy? I’m not sure how else to describe it, but it made it a little hard to get into. Also his inner dialogue the first half of the story was very repetitive and one dimensional.

Would I recommend this widely? Probably not.
Would I recommend it as a quick, fun listen? Sure!

A big thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC.

Anyone who knows me, knows I am always up for the Fake Dating trope. So I was super excited to get approved for this. I got approved for both the ebook and the audiobook, so I read a bit of it, but mostly listened.

I liked how the characters have similar work ethics and experiences and how the book shows what ways that compatibility and understanding matters. This could have been more nuanced than it was— both character’s “romantic trauma” is being cheated on in past relationships, and both are hardworking to get the fame and money they want.

I didn’t love the repeated emphasis on how money and fame were such an important goal and accomplishment for both of them. Not that success, financial security, and recognition aren’t things everyone strives for, but the over emphasis on excessive wealth and luxury, like private jets, rubbed me the wrong way. The way these things were discussed made both characters, but mostly Axl, seem very centered around material things, more than just in awe of a celebrity lifestyle he was being exposed to for the first time. Maybe I’m just taking this too seriously, but that’s one thing that rubbed me the wrong way, and might others reading it.

I also wish there was more build up for the relationship. I’m not opposed to them both immediately being attracted to each other, but I do wish there was more time dedicated to them getting to actually know each other. As opposed to the time skip toward the end.

Axl also acted rude toward Sophie at the beginning of the arrangement, rather directly, yet none of that is ever acknowledged in Sophie’s point of view. All she thinks about him at that stage is how she finds him attractive. Nothing about their interactions and how he isn’t exactly nice towards her, even though they are supposed to be working together, mostly to help his reputation. If this was acknowledged, rather by making Axl feel bad about his treatment of her at first, Sophie feeling like she is getting mixed signals, or them developing a banter, this would have made the relationship so much more interesting and developed.

While I’m neither a famous musician or athlete, or work in PR, this felt very unrealistic any time it went into any of the professional part of the story, which shouldn’t be a big deal as it’s just the set up, but I still wish it had seemed a little more realistic. Again, not one of my top complaints, and would definitely be something I wouldn’t have cared about as much if I was more invested in the relationship.

Overall, this was a cute read. It was a light Hallmark-este story as promised. Very corny, but again that’s what it was marketed as. It comes in at a little under 200 pages, and 3ish hours on audiobook. I had the story done after listening to a few chapters a day as I did stuff around the house.

There was a lot of untapped potential here, and I think this could have been a higher rated read for me if a little more was put into developing each character and their relationship past clichés. It just fell into eye roll inducing insta-love each time I thought we might go deeper.

The audiobook was very well done and I especially appreciated the duel narrators for each point of view. Both narrators did really well and helped add even more personality to the characters by bringing them to life.

If you want an introduction to hockey romance without the spice then this book is for you. I have only read a couple hockey romances and while still new to this genre this book was a cute read. The whole novel revolves around a fake date plot between a hockey player and a singer who gets cheated on by her NFL boyfriend. I would recommend this book to teenagers or individuals who want to a hockey romance without the spice.

Sophie and Axl are exactly what I think of when I want a grumpy/sunshine trope! Sophie is such a sweetheart and I loved how Axl was so smitten and caring under his tough guy exterior. At least when it came to Sophie. The revenge plot, chemistry and celebrity status' was really fun. Rocco never deserved her.

This one’s a short and super cute hockey romance with just enough spark to keep things interesting. Axl's your typical bad-boy athlete: grumpy, talented, and not exactly winning any popularity contests. To improve his image, the team pairs him up with Sophie, a singer who has her reasons for playing along. Their chemistry is fun, and you’re left wondering if the fake dating might turn into something real.

It’s a fast read, so don’t expect tons of deep emotional dives or major character development. Some moments feel more "told" than "felt," which makes it hard to connect, but it’s still a light and enjoyable story if you’re looking for something quick and easy.

The audiobook takes things to the next level, though. Kasey Miracle nails Sophie’s vibe, sweet, uncertain, and full of heart. Magnus Carlssen brings the perfect amount of gruff and charm to Axl. Their dual narration gives the whole story a cozy, entertaining feel that’s great for a chill afternoon listen.

Worth checking out if you're in the mood for a feel-good romcom with low drama and good vibes.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
Story: 4 stars Narration: 4 stars Overall: 4 stars

The Pucker-Up Pact is a short cute hockey romcom. Axl is a great hockey player with a temper and bad attitude. He is not very popular with the fans. The team owner comes up with an idea to help his image. He sets him up with Sophie, a singer who agrees to help him due to her own circumstances. Will they decide to try for a real relationship?
Kasey Miracle and Magnus Carlssen narrated this sweet story. Kasey Miracle was brilliant as sweet but heartbroken Sophie. Her sadness, uncertainty, happiness and love were all voiced beautifully. Magnus Carlssen as Axl was fabulous. He portrayed the grumpy then happy Axl wonderfully. Listen to this audiobook for their story.
Thank you NetGalley for this ALC.

So, The Puckered Up Pact is a short and sweet romance novel, packed with familiar tropes.
It’s very much in the ballpark of easy, breezy romantic reads.
Because it’s so short, I think that played a part in how well we connected with the characters—which, to be honest, wasn’t a lot.
For me, there was quite a bit of telling rather than showing, which took away some of the emotional impact.
It’s not the kind of romance I’d pick up if I were looking for something with layers or deeper character development.
That said, it is a fun, light read—very surface-level, no heavy world-building or emotional intensity.
Perfect if you’re just in the mood for something quick and uncomplicated

I’ve got mixed feelings about this one. For starters, it’s very short—shorter than most novellas, even. The plot is fun in the way most hockey romances are, and I liked the characters well enough, though the limited length didn’t leave much room for real development.

What really threw me off, though? The male audiobook narrator. His voice just felt… miscast. Too old for the character and a strange choice overall. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read, I’d still say go for it—just maybe stick to the ebook or paperback and skip the audio version.

Sweet story following singer Sophie, who is trying to get revenge on her cheating ex and hockey player Axel. Axel has a “not so friendly” reputation in the league as he tries his hardest to make it to the NHL; his boss comes up with a great idea to improve his reputation by setting him up to fake date a celebrity. The one rule Sophie and Axel have, no kissing.
Listed to the audio book; the narrators did a great job on the dual narrated story.
Thank you to Victory Editing, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book