Grumpy Sunshine is one of my favorite tropes and Jenny did not disappoint with this one. Nathan and Summer were such good opposites and gave good page chemistry. Jenny Proctor's writing style keeps me coming back to the Appie's series. Overall a good read for me.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book.

Romancing the grump follows Nathan and Summer as they try to navigate a fake relationship after a viral social media post requires her to step in and fake it as Nathan's girlfriend. Despite their obvious chemistry, he makes his lack of interest in a relationship—any relationship—perfectly clear. But the longer they pretend, the less fake everything seems, and the more Summer starts to fall.

I'm a sucker for any and all hockey romance books and this book is no different.

Despite absolutely adoring the story and plot of this book, I completely fell for the characters. Nathan is your typical grump, but he's one that can never stop talking and blubbering around Summer. It was one of the most endearing things that I've ever seen. Summer was an absolutely incredible FMC. She was fierce and determined and I adored the way she kept Nathan on his toes. She urged him to come out of his comfort zone and I really enjoyed how their relationship developed and blossomed.

I really liked the sense of community and love within the community around Nathan and Summer. It was wholesome and comforting and just downright beautiful.

Absolutely loving the hockey troupe lately so this was right up my alley! This book absolutely made me swoon over the MMC! Totally obsessed with the main characters love fest. He maybe grumpy but she isn’t gonna back down!

A little predictable in places but none the less was entertaining and fun to read would recommend as it was a good story

I read this on time last year, but I was new to Netgalley and used the app mainly, so I didn't know how to write a review.
However, I still remember how much I loved the book and the banter. It had me laughing out loud in public. Grumpy x sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, which made me really enjoy the book. But what made me love it even more was the sense of unity and togetherness. I don't think that's a real word, but it fits. Everyone's got each other's backs, which is really inspiring.

I really enjoyed this book! It was an engaging read from start to finish, and I found it incredibly accessible. The writing was easy to follow, and I appreciated how the story kept me hooked without feeling overwhelming. Overall, it was a great experience, and I definitely recommend it!

A sweet closed door romance.
After a viral social media post, Nathan the grouchiest defenseman on the Appies gets put into a fake relationship with Summer. Their banter back and forth just makes it you fall in love with these characters.
If you love a grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, with no spice. This is the book for you.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

grumpy sunshine books never fails me!!! this book is so so good! the characters are super loveable and i adore them so much, super swoony that i can't stop smiling, giggling, and kicking my feet!! the found family between the hockey teammates is so wholesome and i was having so much fun reading this book! there is no single reason that makes me not to love this book!

This it THE book for all those hockey girls! Romancing the Grump is a, you guessed it, grumpy x sunshine book following Summer and Nathan.
Nathan is grumpy to say the least and determined to stay that way but Summer turns him into a mess of a man. Summer is anything but grumpy and makes it her mission to bring a little sunshine to Nathan’s storm cloud. Their relationship is fun, charming, and everything you could want in a romance.
I’m not typically the romance reader, but a hockey romance is exactly what I needed and this did not disappoint. For all those nervous readers breathe a sigh of relief there’s no big breakup part way through and while there’s a small break it feels natural.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book!

There are some books that you know from the first chapter that you will love and this was definitely one of them. I had an amazing time reading Nathan and Summers story and I can’t wait to read more books in this series!

Nathan is the grump of the title. Summer lives up to her name. As the new legal counsel for the Appies, she ends up helping to protect Nathan when some puck bunnies get a little to eager to tame the grump. Thus, the fake-relationship that, naturally, turns real. Summer links the Appies series with the Proctor’s Hawthorne Brothers series.

The first two books of this series were part of another multi-author series, Sweater Weather, but have since been moved over to make the complete Appies series. The Appies, a minor-league hockey team in North Carolina, are patterned after the Savannah Bananas baseball team in that they do all kinds of fun social media posts, with team members singing, dancing, and doing other stunts. This has brought them a degree of fame, success, and high-dollar contracts that most minor-league teams and players can’t boast. It also keeps the players more dedicated to the team, some even declining to move up to the NHL. For us, as readers, that keeps characters consistently showing up throughout the six-book series. While each of these books can stand alone, if you’re going to read the set (and you should), I think you’ll get a richer experience if you read them in publication order.

In general, the series is wonderfully consistent in its treatment of its recurring characters. With two authors publishing six books over 18 months, continuity errors are definitely possible. I’ve got a really good sense for continuity, and I really didn’t find any problems in that department.
All of the female main characters exist beyond their potential as romantic partners. They have actual lives and interesting careers—public relations, violinist, veterinary student, lawyer, aspiring writer, and an apprentice luthier. They all have opinions about the world and opinions about hockey.

The male main characters have various reasons for their singleness at the beginning of the series. Several have (mostly undeserved) reputations as serial daters. All are dedicated to hockey.

The situations that get the various couples together are varied and interesting. Of course, there is an element of predictability: when there are two POV characters, you know they’ll end up together. The question is: what will happen to them before they get there? Will there be a third-act breakup, or will there be something else that tests the relationship?

All six books have some really beautiful description and great figurative language. In all of them, most of the minor characters have dimension, rather than being cardboard cutouts. I’d say the most stereotypical minor characters are the puck bunnies, particularly in Nathan’s case (Romancing the Grump.)

Possible objectionable material:
Very mild cursing. Various issues such as parental divorce or neglect, alcoholism, death of a parent, chronic illness, infidelity. This is hockey, so there are injuries and the occasional fight. People drink. A minor character gets a tattoo; it’s misspelled and played for humor. This is closed door romance, so we don’t see more than passionate kisses. There is a hint that sex happens.

Who might like these books:
Romance fans, hockey fans, hockey romance fans. Anyone who likes well-written books where characters grow and develop over the course of the story.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2025/01/meet-appies.html

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

Just like a summer breeze, Summer drifts into Nathan’s life and tosses everything he knows around. The resident grump on the Appies team is big, tough, and impenetrable, yet somehow, Summer flits through the cracks, spreading warmth and sunshine (and desire) everywhere. Who could resist that? I sure couldn’t especially when a fake relationship with all the sparks and zings of a mutual attraction comes into play.

Jenny Proctor does a phenomenal job of constructing big personalities, a team that’s more like a family, and lovable characters in this darling episode in the Appies series. This is a book with so much to love–full of growth, charm, and swoon.

Content: mild language; mild romance

This is a good book. The two main characters are Summer and Nathan. Summer is an attorney. Nathan is a hockey player. Summer is starting a new job with the hockey team, as one of their lawyers. There is an instant attraction. The PR representative for the hockey team, ask Summer to be Nathan’s fake girlfriend after some negative comments on social media platforms. They agree to start fake dating. They have such a good time with faking that it becomes real. They fall in love.

Love this series and the small town it is based in and am always here for a grumpy sunshine trope and thsi was is a fun one

can't go wrong with a Jenny Proctor book and Romancing the Grump was everything I expected it to be. the 4th book in the hockey based Appies series and follows grumpy Nathan who tries to resist the whirlwind that is Summer Callahan, who ends up being a stand in fake girlfriend and no matter how much he tries to deny his feelings, the stronger they become and the chemistry is too much! Nathan and Summer couldn't be more polar opposite and I loved the grumpy sunshine trope, it was a light hearted easy read which was perfect and it was such a positive, feel good book (despite touching upon some TW).

This was an excelent book, a grumpy x sunshine (which is one of my favourite tropes), fake dating hockey romance. My favourite part is definetly the no third act breakup. The author's writing is really really good.

Grumpy/sunshine, hockey romance? Yes please. I loved this. The banter, the way he can’t seem to find his words whenever he’s near her. It’s so cute

While Proctor’s writing is breezy and easy to follow, the characters feel a bit flat. Noah’s gruffness lacks nuance, and Emma’s relentless cheer can sometimes feel more frustrating than endearing. The romance is sweet, but the plot moves too quickly, leaving little room for deeper emotional connection or character growth. The pacing is uneven, with some parts dragging while others rush to a resolution.

Who doesn’t love a grumpy sunshine romance? I know I do and Jenny Proctor delivered with Romancing the Grump. I loved the banter & romance!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.