I loved this book. Both Allegra and Noah have a difficult past and struggling to deal with it. Until they get to know each other and they both start to open up. I absolutely loved the banter between all 4 roommates. But also how protective all 3 guys were of Allegra. I loved how you find characters from previous books of both authors.

It’s so fun when authors create new series from past loved characters in their books. I read Katie Bailey’s series with Allegra as a little girl and absolutely loved her character, so I jumped at the chance to read her love story as an adult! I hadn’t read Noah’s story and it’s not necessarily to have read any books prior to this one. This was a really cute story and I loved all the characters. The authors did a great job getting me excited for future books in the series by having the other roommates prominently featured in the story. the group dynamic was super fun! If you’re a fan of hockey romance (Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen’s works especially) you’ll love this closed-door version as well!

⚠️TW: sexual assault, death of a family member

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I signed up for this ARC as I love a sports romance, Especially an Ice Hockey romance.
I found this story a cute and easy read but still with a good amount of depth and emotion.
The relationship between Allegra and Noah grew slowly, but with a lot of tension between them throughout the book, and when the tension did snap, Noah was still a respectful gentlemen.
I can’t wait to read about the rest of the group; Fisher and Penn.

✨4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Slow burn ❤️‍🔥
Grumpy rookie 🏒X Sunshine Dancer 🩰
Roommates 🥀
Found family 🫶🏻

Highly recommend I absolutely love a hockey romance 😍

Noah Downsby is the grumpy rookie wanting to only focus on his NHL career and that only.
Allegra Callahan is the sweet dancer running for a fresh start.

I loved this book so much! I absolutely loved Noah from the very start of the book I love me a grumpy man and don’t get me started about his roommates Penn and Fishy 😂 I absolutely loved their dynamic and how well they support each other but also give space when needed. They are literally the sweetest bunch, and the way they invite Ally into their home so openly.

I love dynamic between Noah and Ally and how slowly Noah starts letting her in and that he doesn’t actually hate her he just can’t stop thinking about her. And how he starts feeling like he needs to be in her space. He’s literally a gentleman! I love that Ally helps him realise that he’s closing off to his closest friends and he actively seeks out his therapist and talking his feelings out! We love a man who talks his feelings out and actively tries to help himself!

Ally opening up about what happens to her and telling Noah and then him doubling down that’s she’s definitely not making it up and it definitely counts as assault.

Penn and Fishy supporting Noah and Ally is so sweet and to see Noah interacting with his nieces was the cutest I loved the uncle Noah Jerseys 💖 literally heart melting.
The epilogue was just chefs kiss I absolutely loved it wholeheartedly

I highly recommend if you love books like, Daydream or spiral or just any ice hockey romances!

A big thank you to NetGallery for the ARC

Hockey player x Dance teacher = SOLD
Noah is HOT! We all love a protective man and he is top tier! The best kind of touch her and you die vibes!
Ally is running away from her life and runs to a new loft apartment with 3 hockey players who are in their rookie year. Ally and Noah have instant chemistry although Noah is trying to deny it for a while. It’s his rookie season for his hockey team, his brother in law is his coach and he still doesn’t feel as though he deserves the spot - nothing is going to distract him from this especially his fit roommate oh and Harry Styles the third who he forms an instant bond with even if it is begrudged at the beginning!
These characters are unreal and I cannot wait for the rest of the series. The boys in the loft 3B are all so interesting I can’t wait to read their books too.
Also who knew writing about consent could be so sexy!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Release date - 21st August 2025

4/5 stars

Cozy fun sports romance. I liked the characters, they were both been through a lot and helped each other to heal and support each other. And the found family in this was very heartwarming to read about, especially Ally's relationship with Fisher. Can't wait to read of the other roomies at some point in the future.

Highly recommended!

Thank you Netgalley and author for the e-ARC.

Existing fans of Leah Brunner and Katie Bailey, and new readers alike, will be obsessed with Noah and Allegra’s story! Their love story is so organic and believable with an incredible amount of depth and growth from both characters. The New Girl vibes are totally on point and I can’t wait for more from this series!!

I haven't read all the other books prior but that didn't stop me from understanding and having a great time reading the Rookie Season! This can be read as a standalone or as part of the second generation/ inter connected series.

I am a sucker for grump x sunshine and sports romances so this was right up my ally and a large reason I wanted to dive in. I was feeling so many emotions with Ally and her journey and her emotional development through her trauma and over covering those difficulties. I was rooting for her, my heat was hurting for her, and I thought the story was well written to truly encapsulate what was happening and handling a sensitive topic.

Noah is such a chef's kiss he's so protective without overdoing it and just ahhhhhh definitely boyfriend material haha.

As a longtime fan of both authors, I was so incredibly excited to read this book. Guys, it did not disappoint! I was immediately hooked from page one. It was so fun to see Allegra/Ally (aka Legs from I Think He Knows) and Noah (from Desire or Defense) all grown up. They had immediate chemistry, even if they weren’t wanting to admit it at first. There were some more tough topics that were covered in this story compared to a typical closed-door/fade-to-black romcom, but that added more depth to the story. Ally’s experience with SA (and the aftermath of the incident) was realistic without being too graphic. I think Noah’s struggle with anxiety was also covered in a respectful way. The fact that they were able to communicate with one another about these topics only made their attraction for one another stronger. There was more some cursing/language, and a lot of "puck/pucking" instead of the other word, but it wasn't excessive in my opinion. While tough topics were touched on in the story, there was a lot of lighthearted fun in the mix as well. I loved the New Girl vibes with Ally and the boys. They were willing to bake cookies and watch reality TV instead of go out. Fisher and Penn both deserve their HEAs, too. I’m looking forward to see what the boys (and Ally) in Loft 3B get up to next!

Rookie Season by Katie Bailey and Leah Brunner is a clean romance that blends sports, friendship, and a sweet love story. We follow three hockey-playing roommates plus one dancer, and the chemistry (and banter!) between the characters was AMAZING!!

This is a second-generation story, featuring kids from each author’s earlier books, but it works just fine as a standalone if you haven’t read those yet. The friendships felt just as important as the romance and that always makes a book better imo.

I usually like to read slightly older characters, but even though these were closer to college age, I still found them charming and easy to root for.

If you love sports romance, witty banter, found-family dynamics, with a very slight touch of enemies to lovers then friends to lovers this one is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Bailey, and Leah Brunner for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katie Bailey and Leah Brunner delivered a perfect sports romance. Tysm NetGalley for the ARC! I read this book in one sitting if it gives you any indication of how much I loved it. Both Katie and Leah are a few of my favorite authors, so I was beyond excited to see them collabing on a book!!!

I read both previous books (Carter/Lana Mae & Mitch/Andie) a while ago and loved both of them, so seeing a book about the kids from those stories falling in love was PERFECT! I love when author’s do this because it’s so fun to get to see old characters too!

I loved the New Girl vibes this book gave. It’s always funny to see a girl living with guys, and this book will not only have you laughing, but crying, swooning, and feeling all the feels. Penn and Fisher are so cute and I love the friendship that they build with Allegra.

What to expect?
-Sports romance
-Sunshine & grump
-Found family

There is mention of SA, so if that triggers you, please be aware. The book itself is a closed door romance, so there are no in-depth details or descriptions. I loved watching Ally work through her trauma. I resonated a lot with her, and felt like Leah & Katie did such a good job dealing with such a touchy subject.

Ally & Noah’s story is absolute perfection and everything you want in a romance. Their banter is fun and flirty, and leaves the reader begging them to just see that they like (& then love) each other.

I know this is a new series, so I CANNOT wait for more. I’m hoping for stories for both Penn & Fishy!!!

ARC Copy
This was a 3.5*, rounded up to a 4* on here. This is essentially the tv show New Girl, but the guys are all hockey players. It was a really fun read, I adored all the characters; seriously Noah and Ally were brilliant - though I just realised whilst typing this that the names are the same as the two leads in The Notebook…?! I’m assuming that’s intentional as they aren’t as common as it could be.
The reason this gets knocked down a little bit is the cheesiness around the apartment. The friendships felt a little over-the-top, and there’s a scene where they bake cookies and play Tetris…the book would’ve been better without it.
Overall a fun read for those that love hockey romances.

4 ⭐️
This was a fun hockey romance with some deeper themes. It gave me the same feeling as reading the Off Campus series; I was genuinely interested in not only the main characters but also the supporting characters, but would love to read spin-off books about Fisher and Penn.

It also reminded me of that series because the two main characters, Noah and Ally, were so likable and enjoyable to read about. They were people I wanted to root for and felt like I could really relate to.

This book takes two characters from books that the authors previously wrote separately, and ties them together. It’s incredibly creative and I can’t wait to go back and read their individual books!

The book is highly addictive and has an engaging writing style.
I loved the tension that gradually built up throughout the book between the two main characters, as well as their development.
I was undoubtedly captivated by the story and will definitely want to keep reading the other books in the series.

thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC! 🫶🏻

what started as a cliche read very quickly turned into something much deeper 🥹

Noah is a rookie, his first year in the NHL. He’s single-minded in his goals, not stopping to party or womanize like his friends

when Ally moves in after an abrupt end to her college dance program, Noah does not appreciate her disruption to his life.

But as the two grow closer they discover that there’s power in opening up, power in connection

I loved the tension between these two! It was so different to other books I’ve read— they’re actually awkward with each other! It was very endearing because they both didn’t know how to act around one another because they were still figuring out their feelings 🤍

While Noah and Ally are both quite fleshed out characters with strong development individually, I feel like they went from dislike to love a bit too fast— some further exploration of this would have helped their relationship feel a bit more believable

I loved loved loved the boys looking out for Ally! The way that every character within this book has their own history and motivation makes me really want to hear the other boys’ stories

If you like very detailed in-depth reviews, mine are not for you. I am here to give you the vibe check. This book will make you feel happy. It’s like a warm cozy hug. A hot cup of tea. Cuddled in a blanket on a rainy day. C – O – Z – Y cozy. This is a low stakes, low angst, guaranteed happily ever after with no third act break up in sight. Lots of tension and yearning, a little spicy but not open door. Just a sweet, funny, cute story that will make you smile.

・❥・ thank you netgalley and publishers for the arc!!

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall rating: 4.5 ⭐️

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ CONTENT WARNINGS: grief and loss of parents (past), paternal abandonment (past), fmc emotionally recovering from a sexual assault that happened in the past and off page, but is a recurring theme in the story.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ what to expect --->
• bad first meeting
• roommates
• found family
• protective mmc


THOUGHTS:

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ i genuinely loved both ally and noah's characters from the beginning to the end, and penn & fishy seem like such fun roommates.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ both of them went through so much and they were each other's rock through all of that inner turmoil.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ i loved their quiet, intimate moments together when it was clear they were both pining over each other.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ the tension was SO GOOD!
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ noah's protective nature of ally wasn't too overbearing and was the perfect amount. that man is SO in love with her 🥰

overall i will be reading more from these two authors!💖

Thank you to NetGalley and LBP LLC & Eleventh Avenue Publishing Inc. for an advanced reader copy of this book.

4.5 stars - NoahAlly you are now one of my elite couples! I had such a great time reading this book. Noah is starting his rookie season and wants no distractions, including his two roommates and friends Fisher and Penn. Ally is moving across the country into their place, courtesy of Fisher who’s helping her out, for a fresh start and an escape from her past. At first, Noah is determined to keep Ally at arms length, and she is trying to find her footing in a new city. But staying away from each other proves to be difficult when they share a bathroom and hallway. As they get to know each other, the walls the both of them have built from their past start to wear down, and they might just be what each other needs.

Noah is the greenest of flags, as are Fisher and Penn. The dynamic the three of them have with Ally was so special it reminded me a lot of New Girl! Their friendship together was so wholesome and I adored it. I also loved the depth of Noah and Ally and seeing their journey together and as individuals as they faced their struggles head on. But the romance had to be my favorite part and I was grinning ear to ear, kicking my feet.

This dealt with some sensitive topics, but I loved how everything was handled and I am obsessed with this book now and cannot wait to see more of these characters in the future!

I absolutely ADORE a good sports romance - and this was a good sports romance. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.
From the forced proximity, the jersey sharing, the roommate bonding to reality tv and cookies. Enter the brooding hockey player with immediate protective instincts, the sunshine dance instructor learning to fall in love with dance again, and a cat with little care for personal space. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it all too quickly. It has all the right vibes for a cosy romance and Noah Downsby is an absolute perfect gentleman, the greenest of green flags and reminds me yet again that fictional men written by women will always be top tier. It’s a must read for all sports/hockey romance fans and I hope to read more about the hockey boys of 3B.

Rookie Season is a short and sweet romance following Ally as she moves into an apartment with professional hockey players. If you are a fan of forced proximity, witty banter and sports action - then this story is for you.

I enjoyed the humour in this book and found the friendships between the main characters endearing. The story was also fast-paced and easy to follow.

Unfortunately, there were some aspects that were lacking for me and did not allow me to enjoy the story as much as I would have liked to. While hockey was a primary focus in the beginning, I found that (spoiler warning) as Ally and Noah’s relationship progressed that this plot line took a back seat. Also, I was disappointed that the initial tension between Noah and his teammates never really climaxed into a larger drama point.

I liked the dual POV aspect because we got to see how Ally and Noah’s perceptions of each other changed overtime. Though I did find some of Noah’s early chapters rather lustful and wished there was a bit more buildup and yearning, though that might just be my personal preference. Overall, I wish the tension between Ally and Noah could have been fleshed out a bit more as I did not feel as excited or invested in their story with how it unfolded.

Finally, I appreciated the overall message of Rookie Season and how it depicted someone’s recovery and response to SA. The way that the boys rallied around Ally was heartwarming and nice to read.