Thank you to NetGalley, Lolu Sinclair, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
This book was okay! I am a big ice hockey fan and I was so excited when I got accepted as an arc reader for this!
Did I enjoy it? Partially. Could it be better? Yes. Did I like the characters? Yes.
Although the plot is generally something that I like, I just felt like it was slightly rushed. I don’t mind a love triangle now and again however I feel like this didn’t add much to the story and left me a little confused in some parts.
This is a fast-paced/short ice hockey romance read. 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.

I was hoping for a little more from this - as a usually invested hockey romance reader, I didn’t feel the usually excitement or pull towards the plot or the characters.

Unfortunately, the characters were unlikable and that mixed with the plot being super slow and lacking depth… it wasn’t a positive reading experience.

I'm super bummed that unfortunately this was a book I really couldn't get into. The premise sounded really fun and totally up my alley, but I had a difficult time connecting with the writing and connecting with the characters. Since I wasn't connected with them, it was hard to engage with the book and keep picking it up.

I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. The idea overall is super promising and really intrigued me with the concept. However I felt like too much was being squished into the book, in terms of tropes and plot. I might try to pick it up again later down the track and give it another go.

I feel like it’s important to mention I unfortunately did DNF this book at 35% as I couldn’t see it getting better. Hence I would like to try and pick it up at a later date if it calls to me.

I had to dnf this book.

It has potential but drags on with no point for way to long.

The triangle isn't really a triangle, and the 3rd make character is an awful person, even when he tries to redeem himself. I hate him and don't see the point in half the book being in his point of view.

Wasn't my kind of hockey romance, didn't really love this one. Skates clashed, hearts fluttered—sadly, the spark fizzled. Ice cold chemistry, lukewarm plot.

This book was cute! I saw the low reviews and was a little worried but I enjoyed it! It was a good time. I like anything with banter and hockey. This cover is fantastic tok!

Anna Green is a publicist for the Portland Freezers and she has a hard rule set for herself against dating hockey players. Her father is the head coach of the Freezers which could complicate things even more. Two hockey platters from opposing teams have the eyes for Anna and attempt to disarm her rule.

At first, it seemed like this book had a lot of potential. The opening chapter focused on the game and the rivalry between the two main teams, but unfortunately, the characters felt short. I was not able to connect with any of the characters and found them unlikable. The multiple POVs was confusing and did not fit well in this story..

Thank you to Netgalley and Lost Lust for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book from start to finish. 5 star read for me, I love a good hockey sports romance and this did not disappoint me at all.

I wanted to love it & the book had major potential, but it just fell flat. Blake was an unnecessary 3rd character in a far stretch of a love triangle? I know they tried to give him a bit of redemption at the end but he is just a straight up psychopath and there is nothing cute about it. The conflict could have and should have just been left with Anna sleeping with Charlie, “the enemy”.
Aside from that, I know this was an ARC, but the constant flipping from 1st to 3rd person gave me major whiplash and I constantly had to reread sentences to make sure I knew who was talking.

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!