This first-person version instantly pulls you into Anna’s world with a raw, vibrant energy that feels so real and urgent.
What I loved most is how Anna isn’t just caught in the drama; she owns her decisions, her heart, and her risks, making her a fierce heroine who’s easy to root for. This story’s got all the heat of a last-minute goal and the emotional depth of a playoff thriller. It’s a slick, sizzling read for anyone who loves sports romance that’s as passionate off the ice as on it.

I enjoyed this book, but I don’t think it should be marketed as a love triangle—Blake never really stood a chance with Anna. She briefly mentioned finding him attractive at the start, but while he quickly became obsessed, her interest was always more focused on Charlie.

I liked all three POV characters. Blake was silly and made questionable choices, but I appreciated his growth.

Charlie was my favourite for most of the book, and the tension in his forbidden relationship with Anna was delicious. But I really didn’t like how easily he gave up when they hit an obstacle. He’d claimed he was falling for her earlier, only to break things off the moment things got difficult—which was even more frustrating after he revealed he wanted to retire from playing to become a coach.

All in all, this was a fun read. Would I revisit it? Maybe. Would I read another book set in the world of the Shredders and Freezers? Absolutely.

Having read the first version of this novel, I can say the adjustments that the author made in this new ARC were much needed and made this book more enjoyable to read. Having read the story twice, I did feel more connected to the characters because of the first person point of view.

I still have issues with Blake’s character in this story. I honestly would’ve enjoyed this story more without Blake or if Blake‘s character took a backseat to the romance between Charlie and Anna. I loved Charlie and I loved Anna, so I would have loved a book more focused on their romance, rather than including the multiple side plots.

This book is marketed as a love triangle with high stakes tension between the characters. In my opinion, there is no tension because Blake never seems like a contender in a romance with Anna. While she does consider him, his actions very early on deter her from pursuing a relationship with him. Once she meets Charlie, Blake is not even in the running. In order for this book to actually involve a love triangle, I would expect to see more tension between both pairs, and unfortunately, this is not the case in this book. I still enjoyed Charlie and Anna’s romance, but the marketing of this novel is a bit misleading.

This was a cute book but i didn't love the characters, i couldn't really connect with any of them. Even though it is a hockey romance, hockey was barely there, and the characters felt very surface level. I did like the relationship between the "leading" couple.

A steamy hockey romance love triangle! I enjoyed this, I did have a few issues with the lack of communication between character, sometimes it was like nonexistent. But, I still enjoyed their story and I was happy with who she picked in the end! I haven’t read a love triangle romance in soooo long.

Unfortunately, I did not like this book at all. I wanted to love it so badly but it was slow, the characters weren’t very likable, and some parts of it were just so cringy that I had to dnf this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lost Lust for the opportunity to arc read!

This book had potential, but it missed the mark for me overall. There were too many POVs, some of which didn’t serve a huge purpose having their own chapters. While I like the connection between Charlie and Anna, I could have lived without Blake; he seemed TOO into his own world and difficult to feel empathy towards. I also felt like many of the interactions between the hockey players felt insanely corny and a step beyond realistic.
The writing itself wasn’t terrible, but I did not understand the point of Anna calling her dad both “dad” and “coach.” While it may have been to distinguish the roles he plays, they were interchanged so much that it felt like two separate people.
Overall, it’s not one I would recommend if you truly want a hockey romance. If you’re just looking for a filler book, you may enjoy it, but I have others I’d recommend before this.

This book was a great light fun read. If you like hockey romances this is right up your alley. However, the love triangle aspect felt forced and isn’t really prominent, with the character who was supposed to make the love triangle being insufferable.

Thank you to NetGalley & Lolu Sinclair for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
**Let me start by saying I DID partially rate this higher than I normally would have solely because it was based in Portland (where I'm from). Felt a bit more connected to the story hearing all the familiar locations**

Alright let's get into it:
I've seen a lot of people say they didn't like Blake and I'm curious if anyone else felt bad for him? He came off as a bit pathetic and extremely awkward. Desperate to make friends but was the biggest dick thinking everyone loved him when his teammates couldn't get away fast enough. His lack of social cues was honestly sad to read.
I know this is supposed to be a love triangle but I could tell almost instantly which guy she'd choose when we got to their POV's and it's "she's so hot" compared to an in depth description of her beauty. Like there was no competition. I don't even like love triangles but, if this is going to have that trope, at least make the audience wonder who she'll choose.
I actually don't know how Blake could've even been a contender. Their interactions felt lacking a real connection. I don't think he had anything going for him other than he was attractive.
Anywho, I made it about 25% before finally DNF'ing. I wish I liked it because I love a hockey romance but I felt like the connections were lacking and very awkward.

If you like hockey romance books this is a bit of a twist on that. Not a lot of hockey action going on but a lot of what's going to happen next happening. Its definitely something to read to keep you on your toes. I have to say that I did question it a few times in spots like WTF? but that was the fun of it. It had me laughing a lot and I loved it. I can see why I love hockey romance books after reading this. I highly recommend reading this book!

Anna is generic and the Blake is kinda a jerk. I was not a fan how he treated people. It was hard for me to read this.

1.5 stars rounded up generously

Not gonna lie, I came into I Don’t Date Hockey Players expecting drama, spice, and a love triangle that would keep me up at night. Instead… I kinda just kept checking how many pages were left.

Anna’s whole “girl boss PR rep stuck between two hot hockey players” setup could’ve been so fun, but it felt surface-level the whole way through. I never really connected with her, and the romance didn’t give what it needed to give. Blake and Charlie were basically cardboard cutouts of “aggressive bad boy” and “cocky golden retriever” but with zero actual depth or tension.

Also… for a book about hockey? There was barely any hockey. No real game-day stakes, no locker room chaos, no sense of the sport being important beyond just being a backdrop. It could’ve been set in literally any industry and nothing would’ve changed.

The pacing dragged, the dialogue felt awkward at times (why were there so many weird metaphors??), and the emotional beats didn’t land. I’m all for a messy romance, but this was more confusing than compelling.

I kept hoping it would pull itself together by the third act, but the ending was just kinda rushed and meh. Not the worst thing I’ve ever read, but definitely not one I’d recommend unless you really love hockey… and even then, manage expectations.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

Who doesn’t love a face paced hockey romance with a touch of a love triangle? This was a fun, fast & engaging read! I haven’t come across a hockey romance I haven’t enjoyed & this is a fun one!!

Ohhhh myyy goodness, this was a fun read! It was fast paced and usually that draws me away, but I think the fact Charlie, Blake, and Anna were all so full of personality it didn't feel rushed. I related to Anna, I swooned over Blake, and I giggled because of Charlie. Fun and cute!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lolu Sinclair, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I really tried to like this book. However, I just couldn’t get into it. Although the plot is generally something that I like, I just felt like it was very rushed. And the love triangle element in the book did not add much to the story which confused me ultimately. Dialogue was alright but nothing i’d say was great, just kind of felt meh on it. There was a lot of recaps which I felt like was unnecessary for this book.

UPDATED REVIEW - I am so so pleased that the publishers and NetGalley reached out and asked me to re-read and re-review this updated manuscript! My biggest issue the first time around was that the 3rd person narrative caused the story to be confusing and overly convoluted.

HOWEVER - I am so pleased to report that the revised manuscript in 1st person narrative was exactly what I was hoping for from this story! It was much easier to connect with each character and value their addition to the overall story. This is a great story and much easier to navigate now! Wonderful Job

"I Don't Date Hockey Players" is a fast-paced (you guessed it) hockey romance read. We all like those, right? It was written in an engaging way and the main couple was entertaining to follow at first but... the relationship seemed really rushed and over the top. The love triangle felt non-existent and I honestly think the story would be better without it. This book had a lot of potential but unfortunately it wasn't my favorite.

I Don’t Date Hockey Players by Lolu Sinclair took some unexpected turns—and I’m still a little on the fence about how I feel. What begins as a familiar sports romance setup quickly shifts into darker, wilder territory. This isn’t your typical love triangle. Usually, I’m torn between the two love interests. But here? There was no contest. One of them was likable. The other was… psychotic.

That said, of the hockey romances I’ve read, I genuinely appreciated how much attention this one gave to the actual sport—not just the hot athletes. That added a sense of realism I don’t often see in the genre, and it was a refreshing change.

This one wasn’t quite the perfect fit for me, but readers who enjoy a bit of chaos, some unexpected twists, and a stronger dose of actual hockey might find exactly what they’re looking for here.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lolu Sinclair, and Lost Lust for the privilege of receiving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1.5 stars

What did I just read? This was…not good.

I found Blake to be extremely unlikeable. Assuming that Charlie was using Anna to get at him, just felt so icky to me. And it was even ickier when he said it to her face.

The thing that turned me away from this book the most was her saying “goal” after sex. I couldn’t take the embarrassment that filled my body.

And what was that random Kyle POV?

The love triangle felt non-existent. One man had feelings for her, while Anna and the other were basically in a relationship the whole time (or at least it seemed that way to me).

This book would have been so much better without the triangle. But I will say that I am happy with who Anna chose.

The writing is enjoyable and easy to get into, and the main couple’s story has a lot of potential. I was really entertained at first.

The problem is, the relationships felt over the top and rushed. The romance escalates too quickly, without enough buildup, which makes it hard to fully believe in or connect with the characters’ feelings. One minute one character seems to have feelings for someone, the next one they suddenly forget all about them and fall for another person. Like turning off a switch.

I also struggled with the characters’ motivations. Some of their decisions felt out of nowhere or inconsistent, so it was tough to get a good sense of who they were and why they acted the way they did. One character in particular plays a big role but behaves in an obsessive way, only to suddenly change direction entirely and everyone around them acts like it’s no big deal?

Honestly, I think the story would’ve been stronger without the love triangle. The main couple had enough tension and forbidden-romance vibes to carry the book on their own, and if that relationship had been the focus and had a gradual development, it could’ve had a much bigger emotional impact.

The ending also felt rushed. There weren’t really any consequences, and the characters barely had time to process everything before the story wrapped up.

I really wanted to like this more than I did. There’s definitely potential here, it just needed more time and development to fully land.