I had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC from NetGalley, and it’s one of those stories that blooms beautifully as it unfolds. A heartfelt blend of found family, second chance romance, and surprise pregnancy, it gently pulls you in and wraps you up in its warmth.

When Ellis runs into her ex, Liam—a charming, golden retriever-type NHL star—after a decade apart, it sets off a chain of emotional and life-changing events neither of them expected. What follows is a tender, realistic look at co-parenting, rekindled chemistry, and navigating life's curveballs with courage.

What truly stood out to me was the thoughtful and authentic representation of a single mum living with chronic pain. It was handled with care, and added emotional depth to Ellis’s journey. The banter between Ellis and Liam is another highlight—sweet, funny, and full of that second-chance spark that makes your heart ache in the best way.

Add in a wise and lovable five-year-old, meaningful friendships, and a cozy atmosphere that feels like a warm hug, and you’ve got a story full of heart, healing, and hope. An uplifting, feel-good read I truly enjoyed.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I like the representation of chronic pain and especially chronic pain and pregnancy/motherhood.

On the other hand, for most of the book it felt like the romance took a backseat to all of that. I think it's an important think to talk about and ro represent, but the cover and the description of the book implied a more light-hearted romcom.

The relationship between Jack and Liam was great and I also loved all of the side characters.

Overall I enjoyed the book even if I wanted a bit more focus on the romance.

🌶️: 2/5

he plot line for this story is super cute! It is just a little too angsty for me. I understand the main character suffers from a chronic illness but sometimes it’s too much. I, also, suffer from a chronic illness and know how hard it can be to deal with. I shouldn’t judge how people handle their own but it was just a little too much for me with the way she did sometimes.

This was a great book! It is a wonderful romance but it also covers some hard topics really well. I would highly recommend this book.

Liam and Ellis were college sweethearts. Liam was a star ice hockey player and Ellis was a young woman struggling to get through the day with her chronic illness when they break up. 10 years later they meet at a club and their lives are very different. Liam is playing professional hockey in the NHL and Ellis is a single mum to her son Jack. They decide to have a one night stand and leave it at that but when Ellis discovers she’s pregnant a few weeks later, she realises Liam will not just be a one night stand.

Liam was such a sweetheart when he found out that Ellis was pregnant. So supportive and kind compared to her ex. Ellis has been through a lot in her life and she needed someone like Liam to just love and take care of her and that’s exactly what he did.

It was really great to see representation for people like Ellis who struggle everyday with chronic illnesses and how they have to fight so much harder than other people to do simple tasks and enjoy a normal life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

"Melting for You" by Tegan Phillips is a delightful contemporary romance that beautifully captures the complexities of love and personal growth. The story revolves around two relatable characters who find themselves navigating the ups and downs of their relationship amidst life's challenges. Phillips has a knack for creating vivid, emotional scenes that draw you in and make you feel every moment.

The chemistry between the protagonists is palpable, and their journey is filled with heartfelt moments that resonate deeply. The author skillfully balances humor and tenderness, making it a joy to read. The supporting characters add depth to the narrative, enriching the overall experience.

What I appreciated most about this book is its exploration of vulnerability and the importance of communication in relationships. Phillips delivers a compelling message about the power of love to heal and transform, all while keeping the reader engaged with witty dialogue and relatable situations.

Overall, "Melting for You" is a charming read that will leave you with a warm heart and a smile. Perfect for fans of contemporary romance, this book is a must-read for anyone looking for a story that celebrates love in all its forms. Highly recommended!

With thanks to Netgalley UK, Hera Books and the author for the copy of the eARC to read ahead of publication.

4.5/5

There are many parts of this book that I love.

The very clear Own Voice of the FMC, Ellis, as someone living and parenting with chronic illness (fibromyalgia). The devoted second chance MMC, Liam *10 stars* He’s a keeper! Do Not Let Him Get Away!
I loved Liam naturally assuming the father role to Jack without realising what he was doing. Both as a partner and parent his protectiveness and lovesick puppy moments were delightful to read.

Props to Jack for being portrayed as a 5 year-old only child. His behaviours and some language reflected his circumstances. He had the dialogue that undid me when he had his man to man chat with Liam. I love the ice hockey team, and the ‘men for others’ attitude from Edge, Anders and Rook. Hey, I love that the ice hockey is so much of a background that I almost didn’t mention it!

Most of all, I loved the central message that you can be loved, you can be a fantastic parent, partner and business person and to accept support is not to be less.

What I was disappointed by was that the story lost its fluidity in the final third of the book as Ellis continued to be bogged in her own head. I appreciate this may have been a solid reflection of not only the physical but the mental health ups and downs of living with a chronic illness. I would love the author to trust their own writing to have established the extent chronic illness impacts the FMC and trust the audience to have engaged their empathy without the need to repeat dialogue or scenes.

Tegan Phillips is certainly an author I will keep an eye out for. I can see we have Lynsey and Anders or, even Edge and Cassie with stories waiting in the wings and I will be waiting eagerly to read their books.

This book goes so indepths on illness, not understanding even if you think you do and fears for so many different types of people. Tegan wrote a compelling story and made me excited for the next in the series. I maybe found myself a bit bored with some chapters but I appreciated them as being chapters for the people who need to hear it.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review.

P.s. I do think it could be a better cover as this looks young but there are some serious topics and I think it could be a bit better done.

A quick and easy read.
I do love that the author put her own health experience in this book as I had no idea what Fibromyalgia was until I read this.

There were a lot of parts of this book that I really loved. It was clear from the start the author was British and I enjoyed hearing the contrasting ideas between the two main characters in terms of their lives experiences and ways that they talked. The romance itself was a solid foundation that met the typical tropes in an unsurprising way. I could classify this as a typical romance book nothing that stood out but also nothing to cringey or poorly written. I did have trouble continuing the book around the 75% mark. As much as I appreciated that this book was a well thought out ode to chronic illness and pain some of the parts of the story came across as more educational than scenes that would have actually fitted into the story. I also got really frustrated with the way that the main character was refusing to communicate and the complete lack of understanding of the situation she. Was in. It also felt like all of these made up problems the main character concocted never truly were resolved so much as discussed once and then forgotten. All that being said I would be interested in continuing this series as I thought the character and world building was very well thought out and I would love to hear about the other characters within this universe and their stories.

I adored a hockey romance and this one hit! I really enjoyed seeing how the second chance romance developed and I’m a sucker for the accidental pregnancy trope when done right.

The mmc Liam is a complete softy for the fmc Ellis… she was the one that got away when they were in college and now he has a chance to make her fall for him again.

I thought the author did an amazing job at portraying the difficulties that can arise when a person has a chronic illness and it was done in such a tasteful way while still being realistic! Would definitely recommend!

I loved this debut novel! It does have the pregnancy trope, but that isn’t the only focus of the relationship between the two characters and it was nice to see the history between them. I liked the flashbacks to different times in their relationship, and I loved Liam’s relationship with Jack and how they grew their bond. Overall I enjoyed the pacing and the fact that the book didn’t end right away after the baby was born. The ending was adorable and I loved the setup for a possible future books with some of the side characters.

I loved reading this ARC!! I loved every single character In the book! (Except Michael) I loved Ellis and Liam! They had amazing chemistry throughout the book and he was just obsessed with her😍 Also Liam and Jack where just the cutest! I loved their bond🩷 Ellis was such an amazing character to read about! She struggled every day with pain I couldn't even Imagine but still did her best for her family! I love a strong woman! And It was amazing how everyone supported her🥰The little family they became was just the absolute sweetest! The ending for them was perfect and I cannot wait for the next book In the series! If that little peek at the end Is anything to go by Its gonna be a good one😉
Thank you to Tegan and Netgalley for this ARC In exchange for my honest review❤️

Ellis and Liam reunite after 10 years apart and for Liam it’s a chance to win over the one that got away.

I really liked Liam and could tell how much he cared and loved Ellis. Ellis was tough for me to truly connect with. I liked that we got a heroine who is fighting a battle that needs representation but at the start of the book I just didn’t understand her. She is a strong woman fighting a daily battle and a single mom at that but some of her choices at the start of the book had me struggling to finish reading.

I will say that by the end of the book I did understand Ellis a little more so I am happy I pushed through and kept reading.

I love hockey romances and I wanted to love this. I tried multiple times to get into this and sadly had to DNF. I just couldn't connect to the main characters. I also felt like some of the dialogue was off.

I recently read Melting for You by Tegan Philips. While I had high hopes for it, the story ended up feeling pretty mid-level overall. The main characters, Ellis and Liam, are at the heart of this second chance romance—but for me, Ellis still has a lot of personal growth to do. She constantly pushed back, which made it harder to connect with her journey.

Liam, on the other hand, was fantastic. He really carried the story, and the family and friends surrounding him were a strong, likable support system. I also appreciated the inclusion of chronic illness in the plot—something that’s not often represented in romance, and it was handled thoughtfully.

Although I was hoping for a bit more depth or spark from the overall story, I have a feeling future books might explore the lives of these interconnected characters, which could be really promising.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

Honestly, I almost DNF'd this book multiple times while reading it, and I'm not sure I made the right decision to finish it. I usually love hockey romances and accidental pregnancies can even be fun when done right!

Let's get down to it...

The story follows Ellis and Liam, college sweethearts who broke up as he was entering the NHL draft. Why did they break up? Because she... has fibromyalgia? As a chronic illness girl myself, I get that you can feel like an inconvenience, not worth it, etc., but I'd never let those fears impact someone else the way she did when she left Liam. And that isn't to say that everyone doesn't deal with their own stuff in their own way, but it does make her a bit selfish since she's making that decision for someone else. In the beginning, I excused it due to her being so young, but it continued when the book jumped 10 years into the future and it felt like she hadn't really grown at all in the time they spent apart. And look, I get that pregnancy hormones don't always allow you to be the most logical version of yourself, but Ellis was almost insufferable in her thoughts. Why is Liam not allowed to tell his team (his closest friends) that he's going to be a dad? But she can tell her friend? And then to be upset they found out and use that as a reason she shouldn't trust him? He's constantly giving her grace on her flaws but she doesn't really return the favor at all until the end. She sort of just treats him as a stereotype of a guy/athlete and is incredibly unfair in doing so.

Oddly enough, the thing that bothered me most might have been the use of British English in Liam's section, when he's from the US? It makes sense for Ellis but the different spellings, etc. continued into Liam's sections and it actually made it incredibly hard to follow (I'd see a British spelling and get confused thinking I must be in Ellis's section). It was also a 10 year time jump that ended with them being 30, which makes them 20 at the break up. I know it is common for hockey players to leave college early for the draft but I also got the impression she was done with college at that time (finishing school wasn't mentioned as a reason for her not joining him). I do believe British students usually finish between 20-21 (I could be wrong), but it is typically 22 in the US so that wouldn't entirely make sense here.

The story itself wasn't even bad and Ellis was definitely redeemable in the beginning, but I just didn't see the growth that you'd usually want to see in a character with a 10 year time jump. Liam was very sweet and I loved her son, though he was oddly mature for his age.

I had so much fun reading Melting For You! Tegan Phillips created such a sweet, swoony story that had me smiling the whole way through. The chemistry between the characters felt real, the banter was adorable, and it gave me all the cozy, feel-good vibes I love in a romance. Definitely a light, charming read I’ll be thinking about for a while.

Book Title: Melting for You
Author: Teagan Phillips
Tropes: Second Chance Romance, Surprise Pregnancy, Sports Romance, Chronic Illness Rep, Soft for Her, Found Family, He Fell First
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

🤩The Vibe:
This book is Life As We Know It meets The Dealmeets a Pinterest board titled “hot hockey dads and emotional healing.” It’s warm and tender with just the right amount of angst, and somehow balances second chance heartbreak with hopeful forever in a way that feels both real and swoony. If you like your sports romances with heart, heat, and a man who never stopped loving her? This one’s for you. 🏒💙

👩‍❤️‍👨Main Characters:
Ellis Ainsley:
Strong, stubborn, and constantly in survival mode. Ellis is living with chronic illness, raising a son, and navigating a demanding career. She has real walls up—and for good reason. Watching her wrestle with vulnerability while learning to trust Liam again? Equal parts frustrating and beautiful. You root for her to believe she deserves the love being offered to her.
Liam Ruinsky:
NHL heartthrob, ultimate “fell first and stayed in love forever” king. Liam has been carrying a torch for Ellis since college and proves time and again that he’s not just back for the baby—he’s here for her. Loyal, tender, and so patient it hurts. Liam Ruinsky, you are HIM.

💕What We Loved:
- Surprise pregnancy that didn’t feel like a plot device—it grounded the story and gave it heart.
- Liam’s devotion to Ellis and her son Jack was so soft and genuine. Total book boyfriend material.
- Realistic chronic illness rep that added depth and authenticity to Ellis’ story.
- A full year-long timeline with no third-act breakup🙌—just the slow, imperfect process of choosing each other again and again.
- The side characters! Lyndsey, Aiden, and Edge deserve books of their own immediately.
- Found family vibes + team dynamics that made it feel like a whole little universe we want to return to.

🚫What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Ellis pushing Liam away so often got frustrating—especially when her actions and her words didn’t line up. Let the man love you, girl!
- All the potential for miscommunication made me wish for just one heart-to-heart a little sooner.

💬Favorite Quote:
“Being around Ellis Ainsley is like waiting for the sun to rise, like watching the first hings of light flow over the hills and brighten everything it touches. She bursts through the darkness of the night. That's why I call her Sunshine.”
— Cue tears and a blanket to cry into. 🥹

🤔Final Thoughts:
Melting for You is a debut that delivers. Teagan Phillips gives us a love story that feels lived-in—a romance built on history, healing, and the slow rebuilding of trust. It’s messy, hopeful, and filled with the kind of moments that remind you love isn’t always loud... sometimes, it’s just quietly showing up every day.
If you're in your hockey romance era and looking for a book with emotional depth, swoonworthy second chances, and a hero who’s ALL IN from page one? Don’t let this one skate past you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hera Books and Tegan Phillips for an advanced copy of Melting For You.

Hockey romances are my jam but this one didn’t hit the spot unfortunately. If it wasn’t an ARC, I would have likely DNF’d but I wanted to share an honest review.

The FMC was a tough character to read because she doesn’t seem to grow up in the span of the novel, so there seems to be a lack of character development from her side. I understand that she has Fibromyalgia but she was just a bit boring and didn’t have much of a personality and she definitely leant on the other characters.

Additionally, the logistics don’t seem to line up. She did her degree in the US but doesn’t seem to have any visa or anything and it just seems off. But for arguments/fictions sake, let’s ignore that.

Her first kid, Jack, seems to have the mental maturity of a person in their mid twenties along with the vocabulary to go with it. Now I don’t spend much of my time around kids, but they don’t seem to act in the way presented in the book.

Tropes
- hockey romance
- single mom romance
- second chance

I will share links to my review on pub day