I always look forward to reading stories by Kate Meader. She writes fun to read romances with characters that make you want to know more about them. Many of those characters seem to show up a lot and one of them is Theo Kershaw. You have love him and his family. Now here we are enjoying a story with is daughter as the heroine.

First off, it's hard to think that Theo is old enough to have a daughter that old. Second, holy crap I'm feeling old. The wonderful thing about Theo is the life he brings to a story so image in that story is about his daughter.

I love how Lars stood for his baby girl. Being thrown into something like that is rough. The shock of it alone had to have him freaking out. I love a single dad story, and Lars makes you love them more. The love and care he has for his baby girl just warms your heart.

Right away you can feel how much they want each other. The pull of these two is strong and because of Lars's friendship with Theo it was tricky. I felt it was handled pretty well. I liked how the story handled all the tricky parts. I do kind of wished we had a bit more of the romance between Lars and Abby but that might just be me.

This is a great start to a new series. The only thing I wished was different was that it wasn't written in first person. I'm not a fan of that writing style so that made it a little hard on me. The story will make you happy that we have another one coming soon.

Adeline has been crushing on her father's best friend Lars for years, and when Lars finds out he is the father of a 7 month old baby, she offers to help out as a live-in nanny.

Being in close quarters and bonding over the adorable baby Mabel results in a lot of tension and pining...

I enjoyed this book, especially the big reveal at the end and the progress of Lars as a father. It was an equally heartwarming and lust filled read!

Twenty-three year old Adeline Kershaw has had a crush on Lars Nyquist for a few years. Thirty-five year old Lars is a defensive player on the Chicago Rebels professional hockey team. The same team that Addy's dad Theo plays on.....and he's Theo's defensive line partner! Knowing that this is probably Theo's last year, Addy doesn't want to rock the boat.

While out celebrating a win, Lars is approached by his one-time one-night stand and presents him with a baby girl, Mabel and the words.....She's yours....bye....and then leaves. Not knowing what to do, Addy steps forward and offers her help. Next thing she knows she is living in Lars' house being a nanny to seven month old Mabel.

The more time Addy is spending with Lars and Mabel, the more her feelings grow. Unbeknownst to her, Lars is also having some of those same feelings even knowing that she is 1. Theo's daughter 2. Twelve years younger than him and 3. She deserves someone better than him.

Of course as feelings develop, their chemistry starts to sizzle until they finally cross that line. The only problem is that they need to keep this new relationship a secret because of Theo. Well of course secrets can never be kept and everything just blows up. It will take an interesting turn before Addy and Lars realize that they really do belong together.

I really enjoyed this steam, forbidden, age gap, hockey love story. Lars was such a fun character. I loved how he was regarding Mabel. Addy had a few issues that she needed to work on but in the end she found the one thing she really needed. This was a great start to a new series. Can't wait for the next book.

3.5★

"No longer was she the nanny, my teammate's daughter, the innocent who was all wrong for me. With my release and claim, she was the woman who was right in every way. She was the woman who would be my undoing."

I sometimes forget how much I love me an age gap/single daddy/forbidden romance read. And on top of those wonderful tropes, it was also a spicy hockey romance. What more could a girl ask for??

I absolutely adored the way the Kershaw family showed up for Lars when he needed them most. Like my heart could not handle that found family aspect.

The chemistry that Lars and Adeline had with each other was so well written. Good for her for going for it cause yum, Lars sounds mighty fine!!?!

These two characters really go through it in this book, not just with each other but also individually. They way they handled themselves and their issues and the secrets felt so raw and real to read.

Also, the teaser Kate gives us at the end for the next book... I will definitely be adding that to my tbr list!

I would like to thank Kate, Victory Editing and NetGalley for the arc of this book.

• Age Gap
• Forbidden Romance
• Dad's Best Friend + Teammate
• Forced Proximity
• Single Dad x Nanny
• Found Family
• Sports Romance
• Dual POV

Spice level: ♥ ♥ ♥

This book literally has everything that a knockout story should have. The writing is phenomenal, the story is plotted out perfectly, the story is interesting and engaging, and the characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional.
I can’t wait for book two!

📚Sweet Thing📚
Arc review
Rating 4🌟
Release date: 15th July 2025
I was so happy to be accepted to read this book before it came out
This is a slow burn romance.
I didn't expect a man to not want kids to suddenly get a baby shoved in his arms and the mum to just leave her.
Loved how he cared and looked after her.
Lar's & Addys relationship was just so cute they had good banter and chemistry. I wanted more of their relationship, though😔. Can't wait to read book 2

Thanks so much to Kate Meader and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC of this title. This was my first read from Kate Meader and it did not disappoint. It was a great single dad/nanny romance and add in some hockey and an age gap, chefs kiss, loved it! excited to read the rest of this series! if you like hockey and a good age gap romance this is perfect for you.

Kate Meader delivers a charming, emotionally satisfying read with Sweet Thing, the first in her new Chicago Players series. If you love the "surprise single dad meets nanny" trope with a hefty dose of forbidden romance, this one’s for you.

Adeline and Lars have undeniable chemistry from the start—even if their relationship is complicated by the fact that he’s her dad’s teammate and more than a decade older. When Lars is suddenly handed a baby he didn’t know he had, Adeline steps in as a temporary nanny, and the close quarters only intensify their connection.

What I loved:

The age-gap dynamic was handled with care and maturity.
Lars learning to be a dad? Heart-melting.
Adeline is strong, nurturing, and relatable—especially in how she balances her feelings with her responsibilities.
The slow burn made the payoff so satisfying.
Why not 5 stars? The pacing dragged a bit in the middle, and I would’ve loved more insight into Lars’s emotional journey beyond fatherhood. Still, the blend of humor, heat, and heartfelt moments made this a standout read.

Looking forward to the next book in the series!

My review: 4 ⭐

Sweet Thing is the first Kate Meader book I’ve read and I’m officially hooked. It’s fun, it's flirty and it's packed with all the emotion I love in a sports romance.

I loved the dual POV - it made Adeline and Lars’ growth feel authentic. Adeline’s family embracing Lars while he navigated unexpected fatherhood was such a heartwarming touch. Their loyalty and support really stood out.

Adeline becoming Mabel’s nanny added so much depth to her relationship with Lars and their shared protectiveness made it feel like a true family dynamic. The setup of being handed a baby in a bar and told she’s yours? Wild, but it totally worked.

Their journey to becoming a family was messy and sweet and so satisfying. I loved the epilogue and can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Publishing and Kate Meader for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sweet Thing is a feel good hockey romance that blends the single dad trope with found family, forced proximity, and just the right dash of age-gap tension. Lars was a total standout for me. Watching him figure out fatherhood, step up for his daughter, and fall head over heels for Adeline felt warm and real. You can’t help but root for a guy trying to break a cycle and build something better.

Adeline, on the other hand, is still in that messy “figuring herself out” stage of life, and that made her relatable for me in not wanting to disappoint anyone and keeping your head held high. I liked the Kershaw family dynamic and I appreciated how the story kept things light while still touching on themes of identity, belonging, and healing.

Overall, a fun read, I just wanted a bit more depth and exploration between our MC’s outside of the conflicts!

I am a sucker for the single dad/nanny trope and I definitely could not put this book down! A hockey romance with an age gap and best friends daughter? This book had it all!!

Lars and Adeline had great chemistry through out this story, and the way Lars stepped up for his daughter? Absolutely adorable. I loved all of these characters and would love to join the Kershaw family myself!

Such a fun, cute, spicy read!

The perfect hockey romance! As the first book in the Chicago Players series, you’ll find tropes such as single hot hockey player, nanny, best friends daughter, found family, all the best tropes!! I loved the relationship between Lars and Adeline, and the detail that went into Lars past and his unexpected role he was forced into that he embraced so graciously. Adeline’s mental health journey was extremely relatable for me and the representation was amazing! Definitely recommend pick this one up for anyone wanting a newly released good-vibes sports romance 💘 I cannot wait for the next book!

The worst thing Adeline thought that could happened to her was her dad’s best friend Lars Nyquist overhearing that she finds him attractive. Now a year and some change later she’s back and he has a surprise baby and the baby momma show up at a bar.

Adeline’s family is always quick to offer help and support to Lars and her dad quickly offers up his daughter as a solution to Lars nanny problem. But with the forced proximity and how well Adeline is with his kid Lars can’t help but start to develop feeling for her.

Now he has a new battle to do what is right by his best friend and co captain or to go after what/ who he wants.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kate Meader for this ARC copy.

If you like hockey romances then this the book for you! I really enjoyed this book and am so thankful I received an arc. It was cute, spicy and funny.

I think this is a pretty standard sports romance. It was very cute and I enjoyed most of the characters. Some parts of it felt a little repetitive or fell a little flat to me. If you’re looking for a short and cute age gap sports romance this book will do the job and get it done well. I would say this book is not as spicy as I thought it would be. Which is also not a bad thing and allowed you to enjoy the couples slow build to a relationship.

This was a cute hockey romance with some fun tropes! Single Dad/Nanny, Dad's Best Friend, Age Gap. These tropes have the potential to be harmful, but this was done really well and it was enjoyable! There were so many cute moments and I loved the love between both the hockey team and family. There were serious topics approached really well and processed throughout the story as well. Overall a good, cute read!

All of my favorite tropes:
*Hockey Romance 🏒
*Single Dad/Nanny
*Age Gap
*Dad's Best Friend
*Found Family
*Gives her a nickname in a foreign language 🩷
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 1/2
This book hooked me from the first chapter and I devoured it in one day. The MMC Lars is in a bar after a hockey win when a woman comes up and hands him a baby saying it's his. After she disappears, he's thrust into instant fatherhood. Adeline has secretly had a crush on her dad's teammate who is 36 to her 23 but she buries that to become his temporary nanny. Lars and Adeline are such well written characters with great chemistry. Lars was complex and trying to overcome a rough childhood. Adeline is part of a large family with other characters from previous books making cameos. I rushed to download the past series. Based on the epilogue, I can't wait for book two.

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

Lars Nyquist was just celebrating a big win when his world flipped—he’s a dad. Surprise! One night, one baby, and zero warning. When the mother disappears, Lars is left holding the baby… literally. Enter Adeline: nanny, lifesaver, and unfortunately for him, his teammate’s daughter.

Adeline’s had a massive crush on Lars for years. The embarrassing kind. The “he overheard me say he’s the sexiest guy alive” kind. But now she’s back in Chicago after a year abroad, and suddenly living under the same roof as the man she’s trying not to want… while helping him figure out diapers and bottles.

The chemistry? Electric. The tension? Off the charts. Watching Lars grow into fatherhood is heart-melting, and Adeline’s mix of sass and tenderness makes it impossible not to root for her. With the perfect balance of laughs, longing, and steamy tension, Sweet Thing is a slow-burn age-gap romance full of heart.

Tropes:

👶 Surprise Single Dad

🍼 Nanny Romance

💘 Age Gap

🥵 Forbidden Crush

🏒 Hockey Romance

🏡 Forced Proximity

💔 Teammate’s Daughter


Sweet Thing is everything you want in a hockey romance — heartfelt, hilarious, and irresistibly sexy. Lars is the grumpy, brooding dad you’ll fall for, and Adeline is the sunshine that melts him. This book had me smiling, swooning, and staying up way too late.

4 Stars ... a sweet hockey romance

This is a cute romance that had me laughing and swooning. The chemistry between Lars and Adeline was off the charts. In the beginning Lars made me mad ... all he could think about was how he could get out of looking after his daughter Mabel. But he eventually won me over. I loved Adeline ... she was this genuine person who just wanted to help. I found that there were too many characters from past books being mentioned and it was really hard to keep them straight. But all in all, a good start to a new series.

Lars is a defenseman for the Chicago Rebels and is best friends with the team captain Theo. One night after a game, they are in their favorite watering hole and in walks his one-night stand from over a year ago ... she hands Lars a baby carrier and walks out. Lars is frozen. What's he gonna do with a baby? Theo's grown daughter Adeline offers to help him until he can find a permanent nanny. Adeline had a crush on Lars when she was younger and she thought she was over it ... but apparently she wasn't. Not only that ... is Lars flirting with her?

I received an ARC courtesy of Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op through NetGalley.

Lars finds out he fathered a baby with a former one night stand when she shows up at the same bar they met in to leave him with his daughter. He has no clue how to take care of her, but luckily Adeline, his captain's daughter, knows what to do and has nothing but time. But can Adeline handle living with her teenage crush when he starts seeing her as the adult she's grown into?

Read if you like:
-Age Gap
-Off Limits
-Single Dad x Nanny

This one just wasn't for me. The characters felt one dimensional and stale, and the romance felt forced. It might be for you if you really like off limits age gap romances.