Tag:

sports romance

Fall with Me

by Jill August 1, 2024

written by Jill

Book Review:
Fall with Me

Becka Mack

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Once again Becka Mack checks all the boxes for PERFECTION! 😍

Fall with Me is deeply vulnerable, hilarious and sexy, making you laugh and cry from one sentence to the next.

JAXON and LENNON are EVERYTHING! ✨

⭐️ rating: ♾️
🌶️ spice: 3/5 (many open door scenes, plot > spice)

💭 overall thoughts:
My notes for this one were absolute CHAOS 😅
As I went back through my 117 highlights I fell in love with this book all over again.

Lennon & Jaxon have incredible banter, and have so much more in common than what may be seen at first glance.
Jaxon is such an acts of service boy, and he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it (which makes it all the sweeter).

They are both the sweetest souls, looking for their place in the world, wanting to feel like they belong. The support and love they find with one another is beautiful, and a person to call home.

This honestly read a lot like a single dad romance, Jaxon takes Cat Daddy to the next LEVEL – and the way Lennon also falls in love with Mittens 🥰

We got SO MUCH of the rest of the boys & their ladies, they had me smiling from ear to ear (and they brought on the tears too).

tropes + topics:
1️⃣ one night stand
😡 frenemies to lovers
🏠 roommates with benefits
🏒 pro hockey player
📸 team photographer
🐱 cat daddy
🫶🏼 found family
💞 dual 1st person pov

In case you haven’t heard of this series before, Fall with Me is Book 4 in the series. While this can definitely be read as a standalone (for the main couple), I highly recommend reading them in order to get the full *found family* vibes & understanding of all the side characters.

Thank you to Becka Mack for sending me a surprise an advanced copy!! And to Simon & Schuster Canada for the physical arc. All opinions are my own.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

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August 1, 2024 0 comments

He’s Not My Type

by Jill July 18, 2024

written by Jill

Book Review:
He's Not My Type

Meghan Quinn

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Oh Halsey.. I was waiting for his moment 🥰 I love a broken boy pining & crushing so hard.

This book is hilarious and sweet, and so spicy 🔥

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

💭 thoughts:
This one is probably my fav in the series, but I honestly love them all.
I think they’re best read in order, to really get the found family dynamics + the build up to this story!

📖 story:
We learn in the previous books that for Halsey it was pretty much love at first sight when he meets Blakely, but unfortunately, she has a boyfriend.

Following their breakup and her having an incident in her new apartment, they become roommates at Halsey’s place – this is one of my absolute fav tropes!! I love the forced proximity of living together 🥰

Halsey is still very much grieving the loss of his twin brother, and through friendship, and then more, Blakely helps bring him back to life 🥰

tropes + topics:
🏠 roommates
🙃 opposites attract
🩵 he falls first
🏒 pro hockey player
💼 workplace
🛏️ only one bed
🫶🏼 found family
💕 dual 1st person pov

✨ books with similar vibes:
♡ Always Only You by Chloe Liese (hockey/workplace, roommates, he falls first)

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

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July 18, 2024 0 comments

Book Reviews Meghan Quinn

Right Man, Right Time

by Jill July 18, 2024

written by Jill

Book Review:
Right Man, Right Time

Meghan Quinn

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

My goodness this book was so HOT 🔥🔥

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

After kissing a stranger (Silas) at a bar to show her ex she’s *fine,* Ollie + Silas realize they can help each other in more ways than one.

She needs help with her internship (writing about hockey), and he needs a buffer to keep his ex (now working with the team) away from trying to get back together.

But what happens when feelings get in the way?

💭 overall thoughts:
I’m pretty obsessed with this whole series, and I feel like the books get better and better!

MCs:
Silas – I love how he’s totally a relationship guy, and definitely did not deserve how his ex treated him! He’s a sweet broken boy, who struggles to trust again.

Ollie – little spitfire! 10 years younger than Silas & a college student. I love how she goes after what she wants.

📖 story:
I love fake dating, I don’t think this was particularly unique there but 🤷🏻‍♀️ doesn’t bother me!

I feel like this book brought some good old MQ ridiculousness I was missing from the other books!
This one had me in stitches, especially whenever Ollie would tell the story of “how they met” 🤣

tropes + topics:
🩷 age gap
🥸 fake dating
🏒 pro hockey player
🗞️ college student – journalism
🫶🏼 found family
❤️‍🩹 broken mmc
💞 dual 1st person pov

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
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July 18, 2024 0 comments

Book Reviews Meghan Quinn

Those Three Little Words

by Jill July 18, 2024

written by Jill

Book Review:
Those Three Little Words

Meghan Quinn

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Ummm I think accidental pregnancy is becoming one of my favorite tropes!
It’s fun, I love how they often end up living together and trying to figure it all out 🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

💭 overall thoughts:
I loved the dynamic between Penny & Eli, how badly he wanted her from the start, and watching them grow + learn more about each other as they navigated bringing a baby into the world 💕

“I know you have more important things to do⁠—”
“Penny, you are the most important thing in my life right now.”

🏒📱 MCs:
Broken boy Eli – we got bits of him in the first book but there was so much more to discover! My heart hurt for the broken boy and his past.

Penny is soooo weird and hilarious, and I absolutely love that! Her pregnancy hormones made that even better 😂 all her rambling, ESPECIALLY in front of her parents, totally had me in stitches 🤣

📖 story:
Accidental pregnancy gets a bad rap, but it’s really just another reason for a forced proximity situation, and bringing out vulnerability.

I love how these two got together, and all the aftermath of that one night.

🤍side characters:
The BOYS! And Winnie! I love how these books can be standalones, but are so much better read as a series 🥰

tropes + topics:
1️⃣ one night stand
🍼 accidental pregnancy
🏒 pro hockey player mmc
📱 team social media manager fmc
🩵 brother’s teammate
🏠 roommates
🔗 forced proximity
🫶🏼 found family
💞 dual 1st person pov

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
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July 18, 2024 0 comments

Book Reviews Meghan Quinn

Kiss and Don’t Tell

by Jill May 9, 2024

written by Jill

Book Review:
Kiss and Don't Tell

Meghan Quinn

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

💭 overall thoughts:
PERFECT start to the series! I loved the main couple, and also how well Meghan set up the rest of the series – I can’t wait for each and every one of their books 😍
(I’ve read them since writing this, and they’re all so good!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️

MCs:
Pacey – what a secret softie. I loved that he never really had a girlfriend because no one felt “right” for him – until Winnie came along 🥰

Winnie – love her sense of adventure and taking chances, and felt for her in her fear of trusting and letting others in.

📖 story:
Imagine being stranded and stumbling upon a house full of professional hockey players?! I’m not sure if I’d walk right in, or run the other way 😅

Thankfully the guys all end up being super sweet to Winnie, quickly taking her in as one of their own.

My tiny hesitation in giving this 5 stars is that at a certain point I was debating if Pacey was pushing Winnie TOO much to be with him, when she was very much in a vulnerable state. She definitely cared for him and maybe needed that push, but I had a moment where I was feeling a bit uncomfortable.

tropes + topics:
🏠 temporary roommates
🥅 professional hockey goalie
🤫 hidden identity (ex’s half brother)
🙃 strangers to lovers
🔗 forced proximity
💙 he falls first/boy obsessed
💞 dual 1st person pov

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

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May 9, 2024 0 comments

Book Reviews Stephanie Archer

The Fake Out

by Jill December 10, 2023

written by Jill

Faking it is fun and addictive, though, and beneath the bad boy swagger, Rory’s sweet, funny, and protective.

He teaches me to skate and spends way too much money on me.

He sleeps in my bed and convinces me to break my just-one-time hookup rule.

He kisses me like it’s real.

And now I wonder if Rory was ever faking it to begin with.

The Fake Out is a pro hockey fake dating romance. It is the second book in the Vancouver Storm series but can be read as a standalone.

Source: Goodreads

Book Review:
The Fake Out

Stephanie Archer

Series: Yes
Vancouver Storm series book #2

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Spice: 3/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Insta-fav for me! The history & chemistry between Hazel & Rory was PERFECTION 👌🏼

📖 The Fake Out
📝 Stephanie Archer
🗓️ 12/07/2023
🏒 Sports Romance

Rory Miller (pro hockey player) has had a huge crush on Hazel Hartley since they were teens.
When her horrible ex joins the team & Hazel is assigned as his Physio, she impulsively tells him she’s dating Rory, his nemesis.

Rory’s POV had me constantly tearing up by how cute he is when he talks about Hazel.
I loved how he knew how he felt about her for so many years, and was just patiently waiting for her to catch up 🥰

There were so many incredibly hot moments in this book too – the spice was 🔥 – I’m still thinking about the “fake” FaceTime 🥵

Tropes + topics:
🏒 Fake dating
🏒 Pro hockey player
🏒 Physio/yoga teacher fmc
🏒 Ex’s rival
🏒 He falls first
🏒 Golden retriever hero
🏒 Longtime crush
🏒 Forced proximity
🏒 No 3rd act breakup
🏒 Dual POV/first person

Thank you to author Stephanie Archer for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own!

For my review of Book 1 in the Vancouver Storm series, Behind the Net, click HERE.

Note: Edit is mine, photos are not. Photos found on Pinterest. If there are any issues with any of the photos being posted, please email me and let me know at hello@readinginpjsblog.com

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

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December 10, 2023 0 comments

Book Reviews Elle Kennedy

The Graham Effect

by Jill November 3, 2023

written by Jill

BLURB:

Gigi Graham has exactly three goals: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder.

Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy.

Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word
with her dad.

The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.

Source: Goodreads

Book Review:
The Graham Effect

Elle Kennedy

Series: Yes
Book 1 in Campus Diaries
💜 College Sports Romance

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Spice: 3/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

this is definitely a phenomenal start to a series we didn’t know we needed! 😍 (or did we?)

So much fun to return to Briar & the newest generation!

Gigi Graham is such a fun spitfire, with a heart of gold. Luke Ryder is the sweetest broken boy, who just needs someone in his corner to stay.

Their relationship developed so perfectly. I LOVED their communication – they were both totally no BS people and completely honest with each other along the way.

My only teeny tiny *me* issue was when I was reminded I’m far closer to Garrett & Hannah’s ages than Gigi 🤭
We don’t often see much of the parents in college romance, so I can forget that 🙃 but we NEEDED them in this one – and of course all her hot uncles (I’m looking at you, Dean Dilaurentis).

Tropes + topics:
🏒 Grumpy sunshine
🏒 Hockey players (both MCs)
🏒 Friends with benefits
🏒 Secret dating/forbidden
🏒 College/new adult
🏒 No third act breakup
🏒 Dual POV/first person

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Little Brown Book Group UK for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own!

For more of my Elle Kennedy reviews, click HERE.

Note: Edit is mine, photos are not. Photos found on Pinterest. If there are any issues with any of the photos being posted, please email me and let me know at hello@readinginpjsblog.com

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

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November 3, 2023 0 comments

Book Reviews Liz Tomforde

Caught Up

by Jill October 14, 2023

written by Jill

Kai

I’m a single dad and starting pitcher for Chicago’s MLB team.

I’m stretched too thin, but I don’t want help raising my son.

Each of his previous nannies only lasted a few weeks before I let them go.

Now, my coach is putting his foot down by hiring the one person I can’t fire—his daughter.

Miller Montgomery is the last woman I should fall for. Too wild, too young, and too unattached. Chicago is just a quick stop for her. I thought I’d be counting down the days until she left, but summer feels too short when I start thinking about forever.

Miller

As a high-end pastry chef who recently won the most prestigious award in my industry, I’m desperate to prove I deserve it. But with a new title comes new pressure, and I can’t create a fresh and inspiring dessert to save my life.

With only two months to get back on track, I should be focusing in the kitchen, but instead, I let my dad talk me into using my time off to nanny for his star player’s kid.

Kai Rhodes forgot how to have fun, and I’m eager to jog his memory. But when he and his son start to feel like home, I have to remind us both that my time in Chicago ends with the summer.

Besides, I’ve always been a runner, and the last thing I want is to get caught.

Source: Goodreads

Book Review:
Caught Up

Liz Tomforde

Series: Yes (Book 3 in Windy City)

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Spice: 2/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

The best kind of books are where you feel like the main characters are real – you feel genuinely for them, happy or heartbreaking.

This was one of those books.

Not only is this a romance book, but also one about healing. Kai & Miller both support one another in the ways that they need, and help them heal from their pasts. They also balance each other out perfectly 🥰

She SEES him. Immediately. What he really wants and needs. And he sees her too. Beyond what she puts out in the world.

I really fell so in love with all 3 of these main characters – (baby) Max is definitely such an integral part of the story 🥹
The banter was spot on, I love the dynamic between Miller & Kai.

Tropes + Topics:
⚾️ Single Dad & Nanny
🧢 Baseball Player MMC
⚾️ Pastry Chef FMC
🧢 Coach’s Daughter
⚾️ Grumpy Sunshine
🧢 Forced Proximity
⚾️ Only one bed
🧢 Opposites Attract (grounded vs. wild child)
⚾️ Found family
🧢 Dual POV/First Person

📖 Caught Up
📝 Liz Tomforde
🗓️ 10/10/2023
⚾️ Sports Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Note: Edit is mine, photos are not. Photos found on Pinterest. If there are any issues with any of the photos being posted, please email me and let me know at hello@readinginpjsblog.com

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

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October 14, 2023 0 comments

Book Reviews Piper Rayne

Something Like Hate

by Jill September 25, 2023

written by Jill

Something Like Hate is the story of Bryce Burns & Miles Cavanaugh. Both have recently moved to Chicago, but have known each other for a while. Miles is a pro football player & Bryce is a sports journalist, who has been writing about his career – not always in the most favorable light.

While they don’t generally get along, there is an undeniable attraction & pull between them.

When Bryce is assigned to cover Miles’ team for the season, they’re forced to spend more and more time together.

Book Review:
Something Like Hate

Piper Rayne

Series: Yes (Book 1 in the Chicago Grizzlies series)

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 4.5/5

Spice: 2/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

The chemistry between Bryce & Miles was 🔥🔥🔥

While these 2 claim to “hate” each other, it’s pretty obvious they are just fighting their intense attraction.

Bryce is such a spitfire, both in her job (as a sports journalist) and life (especially her dating life).

Miles is incredible and sweet – not into the player lifestyle often associated with pro athletes, and that was so refreshing to read! ALSO he READS and wears GLASSES to do so 🙃 (yes I’m a sucker for this).

This is the first book in the Chicago Grizzlies series (though there is also a short prequel – On the Defense – that is currently available for free!). It’s totally making me want to go back and read the previous Kingsmen series, to see more of them! You don’t need to have read it to understand their story, but there are definite crossovers between the series.

Tropes & topics:
🏈 Sports romance (football)
🏈 Player + journalist
🏈 Enemies to lovers
🏈 He falls first
🏈 Forced proximity
🏈 Forbidden
🏈 Secret dating
🏈 Only one bed
🏈 First in Chicago Grizzlies series
🏈 Dual POV/first person

Thank you to Valentine PR & author Piper Rayne for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
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September 25, 2023 0 comments

Book Reviews Meryl Wilsner

Cleat Cute

by Jill September 21, 2023

written by Jill

Grace Henderson has been a star of the US Women’s National Team for ten years, even though she’s only 26. But when she’s sidelined with an injury, a bold new upstart, Phoebe Matthews, takes her spot. Phoebe is everything Grace isn’t—a gregarious jokester who plays with a joy that Grace lost somewhere along the way. The last thing Grace expects is to become friends with benefits with this class clown she sees as her rival.

Phoebe Matthews has always admired Grace’s skill and was star struck to be training alongside her idol. But she quickly finds herself looking at Grace as more than a mere teammate. After one daring kiss, she’s hooked. Grace is everything she has been waiting to find.

As the World Cup approaches, and Grace works her way back from injury, the women decide to find a way they can play together instead of vying for the same position. Except, when they are off the field, Grace is worried she’s catching feelings while Phoebe thinks they are dating. As the tension between them grows, will both players realize they care more about their relationship than making the roster?

Source: Goodreads

Book Review:
Cleat Cute

Meryl Wilsner

Series: No

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 4.5/5

Spice: 3/5

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

This was my first Meryl Wilsner read and it won’t be my last!

Grace and Phoebe are total opposites: Grace is the veteran, grumpy, soccer star team captain, and Phoebe is bubbly, ambitious and fresh to the pro world.

While the miscommunication in this book may be frustrating for some, it made complete sense for these two.

I loved the diversity in this book, especially with the main characters. It wasn’t a main focus, but they were both neurodivergent, Phoebe with ADHD (making her chapters a little chaotic) and Grace most likely on the Autism spectrum.

My hesitation giving this 5⭐️ is just small things that bugged me – the nickname “baby girl” just creeps me out, and all the characters (main and sides) had so many nicknames. This was especially confusing since it’s written in 3rd person POV.

As for the audiobook, I enjoyed one narrator and not so much the other one unfortunately.

What you’ll find in Cleat Cute:
⚽️ Opposites attract
⚽️ Sapphic romance (FF)
⚽️ Soccer – Captain & Rookie
⚽️ Friends with benefits
⚽️ Grumpy sunshine
⚽️ LGBTQ+
⚽️ Neurodiverse MCs
⚽️ No 3rd act breakup
⚽️ Dual POV/3rd person

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press Romance and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies to review. All opinions are my own!

Find it on Goodreads HERE.

Buy the Book:
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September 21, 2023 0 comments

Newer Posts

Older Posts

sports romance

Book Review: Fall with Me

Becka Mack

Book Review: He's Not My Type

Meghan Quinn

Book Review: Right Man, Right Time

Meghan Quinn

Book Review: Those Three Little Words

Meghan Quinn

Book Review: Kiss and Don't Tell

Meghan Quinn

Book Review: The Fake Out

Stephanie Archer

Book Review: The Graham Effect

Book Review: Caught Up

Liz Tomforde

Book Review: Something Like Hate

Piper Rayne

Book Review: Cleat Cute

Meryl Wilsner

Book Review:
Fall with Me

Book Review:
He's Not My Type

Book Review:
Right Man, Right Time

Book Review:
Those Three Little Words

Book Review:
Kiss and Don't Tell

Book Review:
The Fake Out

Book Review:
The Graham Effect

Book Review:
Caught Up

Book Review:
Something Like Hate

Book Review:
Cleat Cute