i absolutley loved reading this book. when i first went into this i was immedietly drawn into the single dad and the sense of found family within this book. i loved the relationship between lars and adeline and i also loved how even though it was an age-gap trope the auther didn't mention it a lot. it was very interesting to see the progression of adeline's crush on lars become something more.

thank you netgalley and the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Sweet Thing" by Kate Meader isn't just a good hockey romance; it's a captivating story that sinks its hooks in from the very first chapter. The draw isn't solely the main love interests of Adeline, the young and vibrant FMC, and Lars, the seasoned professional hockey player MMC. The author beautifully crafts a compelling supporting cast that elevates the entire narrative. The dynamic between Adeline and Lars is undeniably charming, brimming with a sweetness that balances the heat. What truly resonates is the profound sense of found family Lars discovers within Adeline's close-knit family. This heartwarming element, the comfort and potential belonging so palpable in their interactions, adds a layer of emotional depth that exceeds typical romance tropes. I was so engrossed in this world, and in Adeline's parents own love story that it immediately prompted me to download the preceding series, Elle and Theo's story, to see where the "Great Love Story...Trademark" all started. Meader has crafted more than just a romance; she's built a world worth revisiting, and I'm already eager to delve deeper.

Hockey? Tropes galore? Past traumas? Yes, please!
Sweet Thing by Kate Meader is a sizzling new hockey romance that checks all the boxes: witty banter, emotional depth, steamy moments, and a satisfying HEA.

The story centers on two strong-willed characters navigating love, healing, and high-pressure careers on and off the ice. While fans of Meader’s Chicago Rebels series will recognize some familiar faces, this book stands perfectly on its own—making it a great entry point for new readers (like me!).

One fun discovery: on katemeader.com, you can browse her books by your favorite tropes—an absolute dream for romance readers looking for their next perfect match.

If you’re into sports romance with a bit of angst, heat, and heart, Sweet Thing is a must-read. And once you finish, you’ll probably be diving into Meader’s backlist like I did!

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“The best path is the one I choose for myself. And I choose you.” Lars, hackynplayer for the Rebels, just has found that he has a daughter. Adelaine is back sooner than expected from her year trip around the world with her friend Rosie. She seems like the best solution to help Lars with the baby. Except for her teenager crush on her, the age difference between them, the importance of the relationship inside and outside the ice between Lars and Adeline’s father and so on for them to be more. But the heart wants what the heart wants. A great love story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Sweet Thing is book #1 in a new series by Kate Meader called Chicago Players, a follow up series from Rookie Rebels but you don’t have to read the previous series in order to enjoy this book (I do recommend reading the books since they are very good).
Adeline is the daughter of Theo Kershaw , a very famous hockey player in the Chicago Rebels team so having a crush on one of his teammate is the last thing she needs especially since he is over a decade older than her and also one of her dad's closest friends but when Lars Nyquist overhear her say " I think you're the sexiest guy alive " the cat is out of the bag.
Adeline goes on a long overseas trip and hopes that by the time she'll get back home she'll feel comfortable being around Lard but on her first night back home Lars discovers he is a dad and the baby's mother just leaves her with him while he is out celebrating a win with his team at a bar!
Adeline parents are trying to help him since they have a lot of experience with babies and they end up convincing Adeline to be his temporary nanny.
Being in such close proximity makes the chemistry between Lars and Adeline hard to ignore and as much as they are trying to resist it's getting harder and harder.
I don't normally enjoy age gap romance but in this case, I didn't feel the age gap was too much (it's about 12-13 years) and I really loved the fact Lars and Adeline got to know one another or a personal level before being together. They had a level of trust and they told one another secrets that they didn't share with other people. I felt like their connection is much more than just chemistry but they both need to overcome fears and other issues in order to really be together as a couple.
I loved reading about Adeline's parents (their story is Instacrush) and see the special connection Theo has with her and also with Lars.
I always enjoy reading about characters from previous books, it feels like getting to meet old friends.
A great start to a new series that I can't wait to keep reading!

Sweet Thing is the first book in Kate Meader's brand new series, Chicago Players Series
Absolutely loved this book!
Very well written
Looking forward to reading other books by this author
Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review

Ovaries in overdrive. Superglutes’ children, woohoo! I am big time crushing on Lars. You know what they say about men and kids. Well, this ramped it up 100 times. The story is super cute and Lars and Adeline make it so. There are issues which I thought were dealt with very nicely. Not too much drama (although I do like the drama). This book had me smiling and chuckling the entire time I read it. Alright, enough gushing. If you have read any of the Chicago Rebels or spin off series then you will see our old friends. If you haven’t, pick this one up. I guarantee it will pick you up.

This was an absolutely fabulous book! I had never read anything by Kate Meader but this definitely won’t be my last book by her! It starts with Lars getting a surprise by a woman he hooked up with a while ago walking into a bar and surprising him with his baby he never knew about! Enter Addy, his best friend’s and teammates daughter becoming the baby’s new nanny. It’s forbidden and sexy with an age gap that I truly love. This was so good! The spice was spicy while also having depth and emotions so it wasn’t just pure lust and I truly believed the chemistry between Addy and Lars. Also watching Lars become a daddy was HOT, he was so unsure at first but in no time he and Mabel were so cute. The side characters were all so awesome. Rosie was hilarious and all of Addy’s brothers were so comical but you could really feel the love between them and her amazing parents. Her dad was too freaking cute! And that ending?! I just finished this one and I’m frothing at the mouth for the next book! Overall I really enjoyed this! It was fun and sexy but also not too long to where some parts dragged, it had a great pace that had me moving through it quickly! Easy 5 stars!!

Sweet Thing by Kate Meader was an absolute delight! If you're a romance reader who loves a good hockey romance but also enjoys a side of unexpected twists, this one's definitely for you. Meader delivers on all fronts, giving us a hero who's swoon-worthy on and off the ice, and a heroine who's strong, independent, and perfectly matches his energy.

The dynamic between the characters felt genuine and the difference in their ages never felt like a forced plot device, but rather a natural element of their connection.The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, sparking off the pages from their very first interaction.

If you're looking for a romance that's sweet, steamy, and packs a surprising punch, pick up Sweet Thing. You won't be disappointed!

Thanks for the ARC!

I love a single dad romance, but a single dad who doesn’t even know he’s a dad and then has to step up to the plate? AMAZING!! This book had all the best elements: a big found family, friends-to-lovers, an adorable baby girl, and someone willing to risk it all for love.
Lars’s backstory made you expect one type of guy, but the real Lars? A sweet, loyal man just looking for a place to belong. And Adeline completely stole my heart. She always felt like the “forgotten child” for not doing anything extraordinary, but she was actually the glue that held her family together. Watching Lars and Adeline fall in love? Incredible!! Talk about a slow burn! This was a great, quick read, and little Mabel just made the story even more special.

A sizzling, emotional slow-burn with all the juiciest tropes—grumpy single dad, boss/nanny tension, and just the right age-gap angst.

When hockey star Lars is suddenly left with a baby, he’s completely unprepared. Enter Adeline: smart, independent, and very much off-limits. Their chemistry is instant, and as they navigate messy boundaries, the sparks only grow.

Packed with heart, heat, and a protective hero you’ll fall for, this is a must-read for fans of steamy, high-stakes romance.

The ending also set up the next book which is always perrrrf!

Thank you Netgalley, Kate Meader & Victory editing for this ARC 🩷

3.5 ⭐️
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Sweet Thing is a tender, slow-burn romance wrapped in themes of found family and unexpected parenthood. Lars, a stoic hockey player, is thrown into fatherhood overnight, while Addy’s no-nonsense independence challenges and grounds him. Their sizzling chemistry and witty banter make for a compelling read, though I wished for more depth in their emotional journey. Still, this was an enjoyable novel that left me eager to read more from Kate Meader.

Sweet Thing is the first book in Kate Meader's brand new series, Chicago Players Series.

Im a sucker for all books single dad (what can I say? I know the tropes I like.)

Lars, a defenseman for the Chicago Rebels, had his celebratory evening at a local bar abruptly interrupted when a past one-night stand unexpectedly left their newborn daughter in his care. Fortunately, Adeline, the remarkably mature and experienced daughter of his teammate and close friend, proved to be an invaluable solution as a nanny. Unbeknownst to Lars, Adeline had long harbored a significant crush on him, a detail he had unintentionally overheard prior to her year-long international trip. Now, having returned to Chicago and residing next door in her capacity as nanny, Adeline finds herself increasingly drawn to Lars as he navigates fatherhood, striving to manage her burgeoning infatuation despite their age difference.

Overall, I loved the story. Quick, face paced, and full of all the tropes I love.

Thank you Netgalley and Kate Meader for the advanced reader copy of Sweet Thing! I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series.

5 ⭐️
Tropes: single dad, age gap / forbidden romance, best friends daughter, hockey romance, single dad & nanny, found family, forced proximity

I have been on a single dad romance kick and this did not disappoint! I absolutely adored everything about this. It was steamy, and such a fun read - I devoured it! 😍

Lars’s life was flipped upside down when a woman he recognized as one of his one-night stands (bar hookups) came barreling back into his life and abandoned a baby girl that she claimed was his daughter. Now he was forced to be a single dad with absolutely zero clue how to be one. Lucky for him he had a village behind him and Adeline his captains daughter offering to be his live in nanny.

Lars and Adeline had off the charts chemistry and even though they tried their best to set “boundaries” they didn’t stand a chance and once the floodgates opened it was game over 🥵 She helped him learn how to be a dad and watched as he fell in love with his little girl. Which I absolutely SWOONED over!

Lars and Adeline helped each other in more ways than one; she always felt like a secondary character in her own life and her family and Lars had a dark cloud over him when it came to his past and his fathers. Both characters developed independently and over came their own issues and it fortified their bond even more which I loved so much.

This was my first book by Kate Meader and adored her writing. Im looking forward to the rest of the series! Highly recommend 😍

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really good. I enjoyed the story line of the baby coming although the birth mom was terrible. The found family for the dad was wonderful. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters. This seemed a pretty normal situation that can happen and falling for the nanny is always a good trope. I loved how everyone over came the difference and the FMC finally found her voice and saw that she was needed. It was a great story and I really enjoyed reading it. I want to read the other books that deal with the team now.

I enjoyed the story of Lars and Adeline. She's had a crush on him for a while and spent a good amount of time with him, since he's her dad's teammate and friend. When Adeline comes home after traveling for a year, Lars starts looking at her a bit differently.
Then a surprise baby gets dropped off, and he immediately becomes a dad, the role he was trying to avoid. When Adeline moves in to help care for the baby, their mutual attraction develops. I rooted for them because it was clear this was the family Lars needed. I liked the book and look forward to the next one.

IF YOU LIKE
AGE GAP
SINGL FATHER
NANNY ROMANCE
FORBIDDEN ROMANCE
THIS MAY BE THE BOOK FOR YOU
TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR ASSAULT AND MUGGING

I received this as an ARC and really enjoyed it! The beginning was a little slow, but was worth the wait. One of my favorite parts was seeing the love her parents have for each other and how she seeks the same. Lars, while dealing with a lot on his own plate, supports Adeline so much.

My only cons with this book are <spoiler>that we don’t get enough of the happy couple together, in my opinion,</spoiler> and the language was a little strange in some places, though that may just be a personal preference. Cons aside, I think their story was absolutely beautiful. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Sweet Thing by Kate Meader brings together a steamy mix of forbidden romance and single dad sweetness. The story follows Lars, a professional hockey player, and Addy, who has just returned home after traveling. Their chemistry is undeniable, but they both try to resist it which adds tension but also makes their eventual relationship feel a bit rushed.

Lars was definitely the standout character for me. His fears about being a father and his efforts to be a good one, especially considering his past, made him incredibly compelling and endearing. I really appreciated how well developed and emotionally grounded he was.

While the pacing of the romance could have been more gradual, overall this was an enjoyable read with a few emotional highs and a solid characters.

Hockey romance? Check. Single dad? Nanny? Age gap?? Check check check.

This book was cute and short! It gave you exactly what you sign up for.

I bumped this book two stars for a few reasons. One is the MMC was genuinely insufferable at some points and his inner dialogue just felt very immature for a 36 year old. At one point he used the word “hella.” The second was the writing felt a little rushed in the beginning. The pacing definitely felt better at the end but that first 50% just felt off. Still a cute read!