<b>The Pucking Proposal by Lauren Landish is so deliciously hot and adorably sweet with so much entertainment throughout the romance. Joy and Dalton's story started with a strange pregame superstition of peeka-c0ck-boo but it soon progressed to scorching hot times and then inevitably to complex emotions. This hockey romance was so much fun to read but it also delivered so well balanced heartache and angst!</b>

🏒 Hockey romance
🏒 forbidden romance
🏒 team captain aka best friend's sister
🏒 Workplace Romance ( goalie and reporter)
🏒 he falls first

Maple Creek Moose's goalie Dalton Days is anxious about the season because he feels if he doesn't perform good, his last chance to be called by AHL or NHL will be gone. When he tanks a game after playing fabulous in last game, he thinks a lot and realises the only thing missing is....The team captain's sister Joy accidentally having a look at his c0ck in the locker room. So he has a proposal for Joy. She is a ball buster and is a bada&& b1tch as she have to be to survive in sports world and so she doesn't mind doing it. But she also gets insanely hot after each peek because Dalton is well endowed. What supposed to be a pregame ritual turns into heart opening conversation and banter in between. Joy has been hurt by an athlete before and she doesn't date them. But will she let Dalton in? Will their secret dating harm the team?

<b>Dalton has a big presence. With his body, his sex appeal, his intensity as an athlete..everything. Getting into the pro league was everything to him till Joy made him feel otherwise. He started enjoying the game more. Joy also didn't let him wallow in self doubt and always pushed him to reach his full potential. He fell hard for her sass and fierceness but also.. for her hidden sweetness. Joy is absolutely amazing!! Her family is awesome too. She fights hard for her career and she has a hard shield around her heart. It is partly from her past relationship experience and partly from the fear of being underestimated for her personal life choices. She tried hard to keep love away. But Dalton proved to be something different. Initially they had this enemies vibes because Joy couldn't stand his arrogance and Dalton didn't want to like the off limits beauty. I loved the transformation to love so much. Joy almost lost Dalton due to her insecurities but she got him back too. This time, grand gesture came from her. The bromance was so good and I would love to read more of the Moose players. It was spicy and sexy. It was swoony and heartfelt. It was witty and entertaining. An absolute must read.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

I LOVED this book!! Anything with a strong FMC is always a win with me, and Joy is one of the most bad-a$$ of them all. A woman working in a sports broadcasting. A brother on the hockey team. And an unexpected relationship that could cost them everything.

I loved the growth of both Joy and Dalton. Hers was realizing that her past relationship should not taint the present. And his is becoming not too focused and grumpy. And together they became better.

Oh, and Joy’s parents are just the most adorable!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Pub date: 18 February 2025

Superstitious hockey player, Dalton convinces sports reporter Joy to help him with his pre-game rituals, entering a spicy, situationship that leads to more in this latest Maple Creek sports romance. It can definitely be read as a standalone and is sure to appeal to fans of authors like Meghan Quinn or Tessa Bailey. I laughed my butt off several times and really enjoyed it on audio narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Carly Robins. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love a good puny title normally they are they are the norm in cozy mysteries, it's nice to see they've made into rom coms now. And of course hockey rom com lends themselves to puny titles. What starts as a one time thing between Joy and goalie Dalton turns into something before every game because Dalton is superstitious as a lot of real hockey goals tend to be. But once lust bleeds into more they may have bigger problems. Their relationship may have started as an accident but I loved watching their relationship grow.

Whooo, this one is a spicy one! Lovers of all things kinky and smutty will devour this book. The author, Lauren Landish, has paired her incredibly smutty writing with a hilarious yet serious storyline at parts, and I think she has done wonders with it. Lauren has done a great job of intertwining humour with romance right from the beginning of this novel, keeping me engaged from the very first sentence.

This story follows the main characters Joy, a sports reporter, and Dalton, a hockey player, as they get to know each other through their very unique and absurd pregame hockey ritual that will have readers cheekily giggling for days. Lauren has created not only a unique and funny plot but also characters with great depth and storylines that make for an engaging read. Joy and Dalton have such great chemistry, and there are plenty of spicy scenes between them for readers to enjoy.

I really appreciated the storyline around Joy being a sports reporter and how it showcased the realities of how tough it is for a female to work in a male-dominated industry. I also enjoyed the side characters featured in this story and hope they get their own standalone stories in this series. The plot was well-paced, and the story flowed exceptionally well. This novel incorporates much-loved tropes, such as ice hockey player x sports reporter, secret relationship, forbidden relationship, brothers' best friend, and a whole lot more. I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for your next spicy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this wonderful book.

This is my first book to read by Lauren Landish, but I definitely plan to go and read her other books!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
This is the second book in the Maple Creek series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. This is the story of Dalton and Joy. Dalton, a professional hockey player and Joy, a dedicated sports anchor for the local news channel. An unexpected encounter, has turned Dalton's losing streak around. Dalton is convinced that Joy is his new good luck charm. What begins as a lighthearted encounter soon takes a deeper turn, as feelings develop between these two. But can Joy and Dalton find their happily ever after when emotions come into play? Both Joy and Dalton are well-written characters with undeniable chemistry, and their journey kept me reading from page one until the end in one sitting.

In this spicy and humorous sports romance, Joy, a tough sports reporter, has sworn off dating athletes—especially since her brother, Shepherd, plays for the local hockey team. But after a chance locker-room encounter with Dalton, the team’s star goalie and Shepherd’s best friend, sparks fly. Their secret pre-game ritual turns into a steamy, hidden relationship, leading to inevitable drama when the truth comes out. With great chemistry, strong family dynamics, and a fun cast of side characters, this fast-paced read delivers heart, heat, and plenty of laughs.

I enjoyed this fast-paced hockey romance and thought the characters were great. Dalton and Joy have a lot of fun banter and spirit. I liked the way she had to get over her past heartbreak and learn to trust him, and he had the patience to take it slow for her so they could have the relationship they both wanted. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators are fantastic and brought so much life to the story.

This is a zippy love story between a sports reporter and a hockey player that's light on the sports (for those who aren't much on hockey). Joy and Dalton meet in the locker room and then navigate their relationship with good humor and banter. You know there's going to be an HEA so enjoy the ride. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This was a fast paced, fun romance with likable characters and a humorous, warm tone. I love the brothers best friend, off limits trope and I loved seeing Dalton trying to show Joy she could give him a chance even though she was scared

Landish’s writing is both witty and super relatable, making it so easy to connect with the characters and their journeys. The chemistry between the leads? Absolutely electric! Their banter had me laughing out loud and grinning like a fool. 😆

The plot kept me on my toes with its twists and turns—I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough! If you love a fun mix of sports, romance, and humor, this one’s definitely for you. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and Lauren Landish Bellefleur for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 2nd book in the Maple Creek series but can be read standalone.

Joy is a tough, ambitious sports reporter who takes her job and sports seriously. After being cheated on years ago by an athlete she has sworn off dating athletes.

Dalton is a semi professional hockey player and Shep’s (Joys older brother) best friend and teammate. He has a reputation for one night stands and has never wanted to commit to a relationship.

An unlikely encounter and some serious pregame superstition leads Joy and Dalton to get close and much to their surprise they enjoy spending time together.

Lauren Landish writes bold, sometimes vulgar (in a fun way) characters who have flaws but are relatable and have big hearts. I enjoyed this book, it was fast paced. The title and cover are slightly misleading in my opinion but not enough to take away from the book. Sure, the title has to do with the superstition - proposing a solution of sorts but the cover seems like it was created solely based on the title - not the actual book.

I’m crossing my fingers Shepherd and Rayleigh are the next book.

Tropes:
Professional athlete - hockey
Former player
Forbidden love
Brothers best friend
Miscommunication
He falls first/hard

Dual POV

3.0 STARS

The only thing that made me struggle with this story was having to be inside Dalton's head. I found myself skim reading his chapters a lot. I do have a personal gripe with dual POV in romance novels as I rarely ever think its done well.

Other than that, this was a perfectly good hockey romance! Loved the tropes and the overall vibe! Super easy and fun read for any sports romance lover!

I did not realise this was a series?? So I guess you can read them separately but now I'm excited to read 'I Do with You'.

The Pucking Proposal by Lauren Landish is a fun, steamy, and heartwarming sports romance. Joy, a sports reporter, and Dalton, a star hockey goalie, share an unexpected pregame ritual that turns into something more. Their chemistry is off the charts, and their playful banter makes the story even better.

Lauren Landish delivers a perfect mix of humor, romance, and emotion, making this a must-read for contemporary romance fans. The forbidden aspect of their relationship adds extra tension, and watching them fall in love is so satisfying. If you love sports romances with great characters, this one is for you!

The Pucking Proposal by Lauren Landish sounded like an empty net goal for me but ended up being more of a shot off the crossbar.

From the first chapter, Dalton and Joy are hot and heavy and immature. The lack of maturity in the first part of the book was difficult for me to get over. If it wasn’t an ARC, it might have been a DNF.

That said, both characters grow and mature throughout the story and the development and pacing is well done. I knew the the third act breakup was coming but it wasn’t quite what I expected, and I didn’t hate it like I usually do! Getting to the second half of the book was worth reading the first half.

I’d recommend this book if you love hockey romance, don’t mind a lack of maturity and lots of spice early on (and piercings).

The Pucking Proposal by Lauren Landish

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 3/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Montlake, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Joy is a sports reporter that refuses to date an athlete. Dalton is a hockey player and her brother’s teammate. After an accidental run in, Dalton plays his best game in a while. When he realizes she’s his good luck charm, he proposes they have a pregame ritual. When they start the pre-game ritual, Joy and Dalton begin to know each other better and develop feelings. Joy still insists that she doesn’t date athletes after being cheated on. Dalton tries to get her to give him a chance.

This is the second book in the Maple Creek series but can be read as a standalone. This is an easy, fast-paced read full of spice, humor, and heart.

Overall, the MCs are a really great match, the supporting characters strengthen the story, and the more serious/emotional moments are pretty well written. A classic hockey love story that’s good for fans of sports romance!

Tropes:
- hockey player x sports reporter
- best friend’s sister
- secret relationship
- he falls first

Another fun hockey romance where I didn’t want to put it down!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

This is the second book in the series but could be read as a stand alone. I loved the first book so much I was excited to read this book however this book fell short for me. The title is The Pucking Proposal but there is no proposal or even fake dating. I felt like the connections between the two characters was just all based on physical chemistry and lacked an actual connection to each other.

A super fun hockey romance with a bit of forbidden in the mix, from teammate’s little sister as well as best friend’s little sister (that’s double the trouble). We could pretty much add in enemies to lovers, because sports reporter Joy Barlow, and hockey net-minder Dalton Days aren’t exactly the best of friends. So basically all my favourite genres come together to ensure that I’m going to love this story. And love it I do. Dalton is a player (in every sense of the word), and Joy doesn’t ’do’ athletes, ever! She’s been burned before. But they’re both willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the team wins, even if it goes against everything they believe in. It’s funny, cheeky, and whole lot of sexy, and it kept me highly entertained throughout.

I got very invested in the characters. I genuinely sympathized with Dalton’s fear of not being called up to the NHL and was rooting for him to be. I loved Joy’s ambition in her career and her passion for working in a male-dominated field. The premise was different and definitely amusing. The tropes work well together. I especially love the fact that she is a sports journalist and he is a hockey player because I think it creates an interesting relationship. The book was too fast-paced in my opinion, which made me wish that certain scenes were developed more.