Lars and Adeline✨

First of all, I am in love with the name Adeline. It’s so timeless. Her name fits her personality and how she presents herself.

This was such a cute slow burn story mixed with a single dad forbidden romance!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7664575494

I am a sucker for a good hockey romance. Add in a single dad and a found family and I am hooked. A solid 4 ⭐️. A little predictable at times and I hate a 3rd act break up. But all and all the growth of the characters and the support the MMC received was great. The spice could have used a bit more spice. It over all was a solid 2.5 🌶️. Will definitely be reading the next one in the series when it’s released!

3.5/5 - This was a fun read! Loved the premise - she’s 23 and had a childhood crush on her dad’s teammate and good friend - he’s in his 30s, unexpectedly becomes a dad and needs a nanny - lots of good stuff here! I liked both characters a lot, but wish there was more of a chemistry build and we got to know the crew a bit better. Lots of dropping of names that didn’t become significant in this story. I liked Adeline’s growth and character arc the best!

Thank you to @netgalley and Kate Meader for an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review!

I don't know. I wouldn't have an issue with the age gap had Lars not known Adeline's dad :/ Something about that makes me feel icky. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be taboo or not, but I couldn't get that notion out of my head. I think the love story was sweet, but Lars knowing her dad really made me struggle

This book was a fun read! Lars ends up with a completely unexpected baby, and is in desperate need of someone to help him out. Adeline is the oldest daughter of the captain on Lars’ hockey team and her parents convine her to help Lars out until he can hire a nanny.

Of course you know that chaos is going to ensue! So it makes it difficult to put this book down.

I would’ve given this book 5 stars, but I couldn’t help but get hung up on how the baby would go back and forth between being described as having skills that were developmentally correct but in the next few pages, the skills seemed low for the supposed age of the child.

Sweet Thing is swoon-worthy, heartfelt and emotional. I adored Lars. His character growth was great. He went from being grumpy and detached to stepping up and becoming an amazing father to his daughter. I wish Adeline had a little more character growth though. It felt like to much of herself was centered around the men in her life. These two together has amazing chemistry. I enjoyed the witty banter, there was the perfect amount of tension, and the spice was fantastic. I really enjoyed this grumpy/sunshine hockey romance.

This was my first by the author so thank you for letting me expand my love of reading. This one was definitely cute and easy to follow along. The pace was good and the whole set up lead me to wanting to know what would happen next. Overall it was great but not my favorite. Definitely a quick and cute read when you need a change of pace or sweet read.

This is my first Kate Meader book, although funnily enough, Instalove (the book about our female main character, Adeline,'s parents) has been recommended to me by a bunch of people. Chicago Players is Meader's new series about the second generation of hockey players on her Chicago team - although the majority of it takes place in Evanston.

The book does a great job not only setting up the romance between our main characters, but the extended family who are going to become our main characters over the next few books. Lars and Adeline have an easy chemistry. My one quibble with the series is that I wished that they had drawn the character of Mabel's mother with a little more nuance and complexity. At one point there is a brief concern that she is experiencing domestic violence, but the book backs away from giving her more shading than the device to get Mabel to Lars.

Overall, this was a solid fun hockey romance and I'm excited to read the others in the series. I'd recommend to fans of Elle Kennedy and Avery Keelan.

Sweet Thing is a heartwarming, emotional romance featuring Lars, a professional athlete whose life is turned upside down when he suddenly becomes a single dad to baby Mabel—his daughter from a one-night stand he never knew about. With the baby’s mother gone, Lars is overwhelmed until his teammate and the teammate’s daughter, Adeline, step in to help. Adeline, recently back from a difficult year of traveling, agrees to be Mabel’s nanny. This story weaves together several beloved tropes: age-gap, forbidden romance, single dad/nanny dynamic, and found family. Adeline is quietly strong, struggling with past trauma and insecurities about her identity, but she grows into her own with Lars’ support. Meanwhile, Lars proves to be a devoted, loving father, determined to break the cycle of pain caused by his own upbringing. Their chemistry is undeniable, and despite the forbidden nature of their relationship—particularly with Adeline being the daughter of Lars’ mentor—the story unfolds into a deeply satisfying romance filled with growth, love, and healing. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I have to admit that I am not usually a fan of the nanny trope but seeing some of my favorites made this one a great story!
Lars is handed a baby in the middle of the bar and although friends are there to help, he needs a live in nanny. Adeline (Theo's daughter) offers to help Lars find a nanny and fill in as a live in while they interview. Adeline has been back from her European trip for a short while and needs to find something to fill her time and help her get back on track after a frightening attack. Oh, and did I mention that Adeline shared with Lars that she had a big crush on him before leaving from Europe? Yep, things are going to get interesting.
I really enjoyed these two together and although there was an age gap, it didn't seem as significant since Adeline was very mature.
Lars is pretty dang dreamy so there's that but overall the story was a good one as Lars , Adeline and baby found their perfect family.

The age-gap romance between had my attention from the moment I read the blurb. I loved Theo and Ellie’s Great Romance, Trademarked and was excited to read a book about their daughter falling in love with her dad’s teammate and close friend. Knowing Theo’s propensity for over the top reactions and emotions, I gleefully read waiting for the epic showdown.

In the meantime, I feel in love with Adeline and Lars. Both have less than stellar options about themselves and just need some extra love and care. Addy steps in to be a temporary nanny for her girlhood crush - sure living in close proximity isn’t going to heat things up. Lars tries to resist his attraction to Addy as he tries to find an equilibrium after having his entire life upended with the out of the blue arrival of his 7 month old daughter.

Baby Mabel is adorable and she brings out the best in Lars…with some coaching and help from the Kershaw family. Great Gran Aurora is still adding her sass to the family.

The loves catching up with the extended Chicago Rebel family and am eager for more books about their daughter falling Next Gen.

I received a free ARC from the author and The Author Agency and NetGallery; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

Firstly, thank you so much for letting me read Sweet Thing early.
This was my book of Kate Maader, and I loved how she write, even though I haven't read any of the others, I was able to follow the story and back story's very well.
Close proximity, single dad, age gap.

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc!

This was a cute, little read. I liked the pacing of the first half, however I did feel like the second half moved and jumped quite quickly.

Lars’ character development, particularly with Mabel, was sweet and fun to read. I would’ve liked more character development from Adeline. I wish she found herself more, beyond the validation from the men in her life.

All in all, a fun little read!

a hockey romance is usually a 5 star for me but believe it or not i am picky with them LOL

this one was alright. it wasn’t bad by any means but it definitely wasn’t my fav. i did love he Lars steps up and ends up loving being a dad but in terms of the romance, i didn’t feel anything :/

thank you to Net Galley & Victory Editing for this ARC!!

3 stars — Sweet setup, sizzling chemistry, but left me wanting more depth

Sweet Thing is a hockey romance that comes loaded with tropes I usually adore: surprise single dad, nanny dynamic, age gap, forbidden-ish crush, and the always-entertaining chaos of professional athletes learning how to care for a baby. It has all the ingredients for a five-star hit—but for me, it settled somewhere in the middle.

We’ve got Lars, a gruff but golden-hearted defenseman for the Chicago Rebels, who’s suddenly thrown into fatherhood and doing his best to stay afloat. Then there’s Adeline, the responsible and grounded daughter of Lars’ teammate, who has a past crush she’s trying hard to ignore and a natural knack for childcare. The setup is engaging, the chemistry is there, and there are some genuinely heartwarming and steamy moments throughout.

Kate Meader shines when it comes to dialogue and character banter. The pacing is brisk, the writing is accessible, and there are quite a few laugh-out-loud or melt-your-heart scenes. Lars has that grumpy-meets-softie energy that’s easy to root for, and Adeline is competent, empathetic, and mature beyond her years. Their dynamic has potential—and there are flashes where it really works.

That said, the book didn’t quite stick the landing for me. A lot of the emotional beats felt a little too convenient or underexplored. Given the high-stakes nature of the situation (newborn baby! major age gap! romantic history! personal baggage!), I expected a bit more depth and tension. Conflicts that could’ve added real emotional weight were often brushed past or resolved quickly. The age gap, which is acknowledged, didn’t quite carry the gravitas or internal conflict it might have in a more layered romance.

Similarly, while I enjoyed the central couple, the secondary characters—many of whom come from earlier books in the series—felt more like set dressing than essential players. If you’re already familiar with the Chicago Rebels universe, you’ll likely enjoy those cameos more than I did. For newer readers, it might feel a bit like stepping into a party mid-conversation.

All in all, Sweet Thing is an easy, enjoyable read with low angst and lots of heart, but it played things a bit safe for my taste. I wanted to feel more, especially from characters dealing with such life-altering circumstances. If you’re in the mood for a comforting, trope-filled sports romance that doesn’t demand too much emotionally, this one will hit the spot—but if you’re looking for something a bit deeper or messier, it might leave you a little underwhelmed.

I absolutely loved Kate Meader's Sweet Thing, giving it a full five stars! Lars, the hero, was incredibly endearing. The single dad x nanny trope is always a win in my book, but the added layers of an age gap and his profession as a hockey player made it even more compelling. Addy, the heroine, was simply delightful. Her sweet nature, coupled with her relatable shyness and comfort as a wallflower, truly captured my heart.

3.25 ⭐️ | Net Galley Review |

A fun, easy sports romance read. I enjoyed it! Nothing revolutionary or unpredictable but it was till a cute and fun read!

I am an absolute sucker for single dad x nanny but this was the ONE. I absolutely loved the age gap added into this. From the prologue I was hooked. I loved Adeline and Lars as characters alone and I also loved them as a couple which isn't something you find in a book all the time.

Lars' relationship with the Kershaw's was heartwarming. He went from having no one to having found this incredible family to be around. To see him overcome the traumas of his past and turn his life around for his daughter was immensely respectable. His relationship with Adeline was rocky for his newfound family but no one really chooses who they end up loving. Adeline was head strong and I loved seeing her turn into this whip strong, confident woman who took charge in her life. The way she stepped up for Lars and Mabel was commendable.

I truly adored this book and cannot wait to read more about the Kershaw's. Thank you NetGalley and Kate Meader for giving me a chance to read this arc!

✨single dad x nanny
✨age gap
✨best friends daughter
✨professional hockey

4/5 ⭐️ !
Happy publication day!!!
Thank you for this ARC, which was provided by Victory Editing, Kate Meader, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
This book has so many tropes to choose from:
Single Dad x Nanny: ✅
Age Gap:✅
Hockey Player x Captain's Daughter: ✅
Long Time Crush: ✅
Found Family: ✅
This romance was so fun! The conflict of Lars and Adeline internally and learning how to become better than their circumstances in combination of their love story was so intertwined so well. This book should be on your radar if you are a fan of the Off the Ice series by Bal Khabra. Think constant hockey references , FMC becoming their own; on their own, and meaningful lessons. If you like hockey and DILF's, this is for you.

I'm a sucker for a hockey romance and for an age gap. So you know I am all about this book even before I cracked a page.
This is my first Kate Meader book but it will not be my last. It seems like her series interconnect and I'd love to start at the beginning.
What starts off as a crush turns into so much more. Following Lars and Adeline's story along. I wanted to hug them and shake them both at the same time.
Yell at Lars to get it together
Adeline's character is so sweet and I had such empathy for her. She's definitely sunshine.
If you love any of the following this book is for you
Age gap
Dads best friend
Nanny to lover
Angst

Favourite quotes
"Christ, I wanted to kiss every inch of her and find out where else she pinked up."