I don’t know much or care about the world of hockey, but this was so fun. Love love LOVE the characters. I may have a book crush on Van. My favorite is how he manhandled Drew 3 times. 2 times to make him confess and the best was when he dragged him to the elevator. The whole elevator part was awesome. Loved the family dynamics, Vans sisters especially. I would love to read more about them. Highly recommend if you want a book to make you smile, swoon a little and laugh out loud.

When the mouthy bad boy of the Appies catches the groom cheating on the coach’s daughter, he can’t just walk away. Not on her wedding day. Maybe his own relationships are casual, but he would never cheat and never treat wedding vows so carelessly. But forcing the groom to come clean sets off a chain reaction Van couldn’t have expected. Ending with a black eye, an unexpected trip to Florida with one runaway bride, and a secret bargain struck with Coach.

Somehow, Van's badboy status just made him all the more appealing. The charm and flirtatious way he carried himself upped the ante on the delicious tension between him and Amelia. Chef's kiss on this one 😋

Also, chapter 17! I didn't think things would take quite the turn after such a short time together but goodness me 😂 Things got crazy especially with Coach and the rest of the team looped in.

Van's reputation had everyone around him questioning whether he was relationship material. I loved how Amelia stood her ground. It was of course partly thanks to Van's pushing her to come out of her shell. I loved to see it. He was definitely good for her.

I loved Van's sisters. How they were all up in his business was entertaining. The Dream Team text thread was also a highlight as always. A treat in book form this was 😄

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Can't wait for Alec's story!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam level: 1🌶️ Kissing only

3.5⭐️

I didn’t love this as much as I did the first book. I did love reading about the Appies again because I love the found-family vibes that they've built up throughout the series. It was fun seeing what they were up to as well as the dynamics between them. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect with the main characters in this book. The lack of communication was killing me, especially after they made such a big decision on a whim. It just felt too unbelievable. I still enjoyed it for the side characters, though.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a strong fifth book in the Appies series, it had everything that I enjoyed from the first four books. It uses the sports element perfectly with the romance element. I was invested in what was going on and glad the characters that that charm that I was looking for. I enjoyed what Emma St. Clair wrote and can’t wait for more.

How does the Appies series get better and better with every book? I'm floored!!

The Appies Hockey series was written by two authors Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor. It's a fictional hockey team located in Harvest Hollow North Carolina. The team dynamics and brotherhood made me fall in love with the series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but the series so much more fun when you know (and love) the whole family!

Runaway Bride and Prejudice is book 5 in the series and tells Van's story, the cocky playboy of the team. Van walks in on his coach's daughter's fiance who's with another woman just before he's supposed to walk down the aisle to get married. Van forces the groom to tell his bride what he was doing and ends up being the getaway driver in a Runaway Bride situation.

The story grabbed my attention within the first few pages and held it throughout the journey!

It's the type of story you want to go into blind and let all the events unfold for you. I don't want to spoil your experience at all!

I will say that I adore Van, especially after learning more about his home life. Growing up with three sisters he sees things other people may not and has this sensitivity that we get to see on full display. His love language is physical touch!

Van's sisters are loyal, protective, (a little scary), and the exact people you want in your corner. I loved their part of the story!

The team group text is hilarious!

I loved watching Amelia grow through the book and find her voice!

Other fun moments:
Making up your own rules
Eating the opposite of wedding food
Nicknames
Theodore
A jersey moment

This is all I will say! Just read it!

Book Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Van, the ‘bad boy’ hockey player for The Appies, has been a thorn in the head coach’s side since the day he started. Needless to say, the two don’t get along. However, when Van learns he has been benched and replaced by the newest/youngest member of the team, tensions are at an all time high. But when Van steps in to help the coach’s daughter (after a messy wedding debacle), things begin to look up. Will the two men be able to patch things up, or will Van’s involvement lead to irreconcilable differences?

This book is literally everything!!!! I have been a huge fan of The Appies Series since they first debuted. While I have loved all four of the previous books, St. Clair somehow manages to top them. I am convinced she has the secret recipe for writing men and love stories.

If you are looking for an entertaining read, this book is a must. It has everything you could ever want in a book and then some. I lived for all the messy moments, ie Chapter 17. It was a rollercoaster!

Special thanks to Netgalley, Create If Writing LLC, and Emma St Clair for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVE Coach's daughter stories. The drama is perfect. Her being cheated on at the start (NOT MMC) kicks the story off STRONG. I read this series out of order, which is totally okay I really didn't feel lost which is also amazing, but it got me sucked into the book and the series as a whole right off the bat. Love the bay boy x rule following good girl, very classic, its tried and true. I was up late, ignoring work, giggling kicking me feet and having an amazing time with the story.