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SOLA Empire #1

High Stick Heartthrob

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It was supposed to be ‘WIN A DATE WITH A HOCKEY PLAYER’ … not ‘GO OUT ON A DATE AND GET PREGNANT!’
* * *
The best way to end a bad week? Get dressed up and go to some charity event and eat and drink for free. That’s what my best friend made me do. What I didn’t know was that I would be part of a “WIN A DATE WITH A HOCKEY PLAYER” contest. And it just so happens… I won. I ended up on stage with this gigantic hunk of a man. Next, we’re going out on a date. The part where I ended up in his bed? That was all my decision. The part where I ended up peeing on a pregnancy test and it came up positive? Well, let’s just call that fate…

383 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 6, 2023

649 people are currently reading
426 people want to read

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London Casey

89 books1,100 followers

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5 stars
464 (39%)
4 stars
344 (29%)
3 stars
244 (20%)
2 stars
73 (6%)
1 star
51 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
Profile Image for Ashley.
593 reviews15 followers
August 1, 2023
Hazel was an awful chracter. I hated reading her chapters. I really liked Atlas though. I did feel like all the characters were pretty two dimensional. There was no real substance.
86 reviews
April 26, 2023
Choppy, confusing writing that I'm not sure was proof read. In the first intimate scene "Allison" turns around. I had to reread the last few paragraphs to make sure I didn't skip something. There is no Allison in the book. The FMC's name is Hazel so we can't even say there was a typo.

Aside from that, the two MCs bickered all the time. It was constant misunderstandings, left and right, and neither one took the time to de-escalate things. It was every time they interacted too. Maybe the author wanted it to come across as playful banter but it really missed the mark.

Lastly, wtf is a High Stick? I'm assuming it's hockey terminology but let's be honest, we're not reading this book because we're avid lovers of hockey so I'm sure it flew over most of our heads. It was never explained in the book. Aside from the title, High Stick was never mentioned. So...?
Profile Image for Lauren Wilder.
1 review
May 13, 2023
DNF at 30%. Worst book I’ve ever read. Hazels friend Hannah had to be the worst character I’ve ever read about. I’ve never had a character that made me want to throw my Kindle as many times as she did. She literally turned every single thing into something sexual and took nothing seriously. I literally gagged every time I read something she said. She was literally mad at Hazel because she couldn’t get laid when Hazel was trying to tell her she was pregnant. I don’t see where she was a good friend. And the two main characters were terrible. Neither one were likeable. Hazel turned everything into an argument. Atlas seemed like a douche. I tried sticking it out and finishing this book, but I couldn’t.
Profile Image for Bibliophilic Kitten .
468 reviews1 follower
June 13, 2023
Based on the premise, I wanted to love this. Especially when with the first few chapters and we're introduced to Hazel and Atlas. It was off to a great start. A little cliche, but I still enjoy the trope.

But as the story progressed, I liked our characters less and less. Specifically, Hannah and Hazel. Your friend that you know is going through a hard time with her grief and genuinely seems depressed, shows up at your door unannounced saying "I'm in trouble." And your response is to send her away so you can get laid? Then when she tells you why she's in trouble, you proceed to bitch about the fact that you are no longer going to get laid? Every time they have a conversation, she seems to be more focused on the fact that Hazel isn't banging Atlas at every opportunity instead of taking the situation seriously. That's a fucked up friend. Hazel herself can only blame pregnancy hormones on so much. She seemed to purposely twist Atlas' words to start arguments. Yes, he said a shitty thing at a very vulnerable moment, but neither one of them decided to be adults and have adult conversations about what needs to happen and expectations. It was irritating reading these two interact with each other. Atlas constantly calling Hazel "Love" was annoying too. It was cute at first, but when every other sentence from him ends in "Love", it got old quickly.

They had sexual chemistry. That's it. I found their love very hard to believe.

Speaking of, the spice was... ridiculous and cringy. (0.5/5) It was fade to black and bare details, plus the writing style of those scenes just didn't read well.

Gram was the best person in this book, and she technically wasn't even there. I want to be Gram when I grow up.
Profile Image for Christina.
145 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2023
DNF 24%
So, so bad. Loved the premise and love the trope. Hate the writing, dialogue, characters, and pretty much everything else.

First off, mid-scene the author says "Alison" twice, and I had to go back to realize it was a typo for the main heroine's name.
The dialogue is so elementary and childish. The main character's best friend is very immature and not even a good supportive friend. Her friend comes over and needs help but she doesn't want to stop being eaten out to help her until said friend holds up a pregnancy test and then she kicks him out and lets her in.
The main male character is the a-hole everyone hates, but he really kind of is in a very non-endearing way. He immediately starts using a pet name (love) for the main character and instead of it being a little swoon-worthy, it's not.
Then when the main character texts him out of the blue two months after their one date, he requests dirty pictures from her in his second message back and blames the bad influence of his hockey team for that. How childish and immature are you? So gross. So many icks in this book that I couldn't even finish it and it takes a lot for me to not finish a book.
Profile Image for Lisa Menor.
806 reviews15 followers
April 7, 2023
Atlas, a defenseman for Sola Empire, was handpicked to be the prize in the 'Win a Date with a Hockey Player' contest. A contest this angry, grumpy hockey player wants absolutely no part of. He's new to the Sola Empire and they thought he should represent. Atlas prefers to skate, cause trouble, beat up a few fellow hockey players and collect his check.
Hazel makes her living in marketing and was in town dealing with personal matters. On a whim, she heads to a hockey event with her life long best friend Hannah. What happened next, was as out of character for Hazel as it was for Atlas. Hazel won the contest and ended up not only going to dinner, sort of, but having a one night stand with the handsome, sexy, and grumpy defenseman. Only it ends up being much more than a one night stand.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Fantastic storyline with main characters that were funny and flawed. Lots of emotion and chemistry. The secondary characters were charming as well as supportive. I can't wait to read their books also!! I highly recommend this book!
Profile Image for Kathryn.
627 reviews16 followers
July 8, 2023
3.5 begrudging stars.

Ughhh. This book made me so mad for 65% of it. Atlas was an a hole, Hazel was an a hole and Hannah had no redeeming social value whatsoever, in my opinion.

The rest of the guys on the hockey team and Charlrs saved this book for me.

The "love" story was so disjointed I cringed. Hazel and Hannah were two of the least likeable characters I've read in a long time. I don't feel that either of them progressed throughout the book. You could clearly see Atlas' evolution, but Hazel remained a whiny, complaining person. In the end it got old for me.

The fact that she got mad at Atlas for being traded, which he absolutely had no control of, was ridiculous. She spent the entire book waffling on decisions, whereas Atlas was decisive.

I absolutely did not like Hannah. I guess she was supposed to be comic relief, but she was annoying AF.

The heat level was 🔥 🔥1/2. I'm not sure if I will read the rest of this series or not yet. The end was good, or maybe I was just happy it was the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
617 reviews
April 8, 2023
Atlas and Hazel-Great story!

This is a new Hockey series by London Casey. I thoroughly enjoyed the INCI Warriors series so I was really looking forward to this. The story did not disappoint. Hazel wins Atlas in a dating auction for his team. Although he comes off as mean and intimidating, Atlas is really a good guy. Hazel left her job to come back and care for her grandmother whose very ill. Hazels best friend Hannah coaxes her to come out for a night to get her out of the funk of grieving for her grandmother. These two have chemistry right from the start even though there’s a lot of arguing. Through out the story you see they both long for a place to belong and families of their own even though it took them time to realize that. I loved the banter between these two as well as between the teammates and best friend. Great story! Looking forward to the next in the series!
Profile Image for tattooedbooknerdgirl35 (Amanda Lynn).
551 reviews19 followers
June 6, 2023
Hazel & Atlas' story is really good.

High Stick Heartthrob (SOLA Empire Hockey Romance Book 1) is a really good hockey story, and it is far from boring. Atlas is an enforcer on teams and usually gets traded after a year. He ends up having to do a win a date charity event, and he ends up going on date with Hazel. Hazel is dealing with the death of her grandma. They end up butting heads and sleeping together. A couple of months later, after they went their separate ways, she had to tell him something. Read about Hazel & Atlas and how they tunnel through everything they go through. He's a giant butt at times but sweet in other times. He tries his best, Hannah Hazels best friend is beyond funny and very ranchy jokey at times but means well, lol. The interactions between the characters are just too funny at times, heartbreaking in others, and just so sweet in parts. Interactions between Hazel and Atlas at times are just so hot. So definitely check out their story.
Profile Image for Bri’Anne.
7 reviews
June 19, 2024
I did not like this book. I didn’t like Hazel I didn’t like Hannah. I liked Atlas’s character he’s had a bit more depth than the FML and actually growth but I would have liked more of a back story for him. In my opinion the story was too erratic Hazel was a terrible FML she was the same throughout the whole story like it made it seem like she had no room for improvement when I feel a lot of there problems could have been solved if she would have just listened to what Atlas had to say. Hannah’s character was pointless she wasn’t a real best friend. And there’s one part of the book that really just WHY!!! It’s when Joe is trying to get a raise out of Atlas at and is pushed up against the wall with Atlas say He’d kill Joe to protect his family. What threat did Joe pose to his family. Maybe I read it wrong because by this part I was skimming through the chapters
169 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2023
Skip to the end.

This was almost a DNF. I didn't like either one of the mains. Atlas did not seem to care about the baby, how do you go a month without even thinking to check in ? Hazel girl not everything needs to be an argument. She would purposely twist everything he said and make it a fight. There was also no talks in the beginning about the baby. Like are you gonna be involved? How will it work if you get traded ? Do you even care ???? They would have one interaction and then the next thing you know its been a month and they haven't talked. By the third time I was over it especially after I saw it was only half way. The ending chapters we actually see Atlas does want to be a dad and is super sweet.
Profile Image for ze.
30 reviews
July 8, 2023
Heart throb? HA! Almost DNF I disliked the characters so much, all of them from the MMC who was a complete asshole to the FMC who looked pass all his bs, her horrible friend who just slept around and convinced the FMC to give in just cuz he was the dad, and lastly the whole hockey team full of man whores who talked about woman like they were objects and where only there to sleep with. How the woman in the book would just laugh of their disgusting comments and how the MMC would join in even if the woman in question was the mother of his kid. It was horrible and a bland ending. Also spice level was to the floor the spicy Scenes felt so un-intimate and honestly just bad and rushed,Don’t waste your time on this one. ALSO JUNIPER EVELYN? Is the author serious.
1 review
June 5, 2023
not my cup a tea.

I love sports romance especially hockey and I was so excited to read this book especially since all the 5 stars and good feed back but boy was I wrong this is actually my first ever rating and I’m sad it’s one like this. I tried to get the feel of this book but the main female in this book sucked the fun and joy out this book she was always negative and annoying not one chapter of hers was in good spirits and that’s a buzz kill the poor dude didn’t stand a chance. I couldn’t even finish so after 50% I gave up and stoped reading it. I even only stared readying the man’s point of view only but ended up giving up.
Profile Image for Berta.
725 reviews
June 22, 2023
Man, I'm finding this one hard to rate. It is so weird because I didn't really like Hazel but like most intense bad asses, Atlas intrigued me. I didn't feel much of a connection between them until the last few chapters. So I wasn't hating the book in the beginning but not really enjoying it either... I still couldn't stop reading! Like I had to know how the hea would happen. I actually was all about the angst in the last several chapters. I was satisfied with the ending. It was great that Atlas became a committed family man instead of a mean loner.
21 reviews1 follower
June 28, 2023
DNF AT 34%. I cannot stand the FMC. She was always so angry!! Always trying to fight and not being nice at all. It seemed like Atlas was stepping up, but they NEVER had a conversation about what happens now. Like do you want to be in the kids life, or anything. She blamed everything on hormones. And the friend….how are they even friends. Hannah was so concerned with getting laid, if my friend came up to me and said “I am in trouble” the last thing on my mind would be 🍆. I am so bummed because this seemed right up my alley to like.
1,098 reviews
March 20, 2024
This book started out kind of bad, but after a bit I got sucked in. Harriet was a horrible character. I don't think she had any conversations in the book that didn't involve sex. Hazel was hard to like for most of the book. I'm not sure why Atlas didn't just get a lawyer and arrange custody and support. But he didn't and the story actually got really good. Some serious tear jerk moments, too, with learning more about Gram's "secret" life and then the birth of the baby. I'm glad I stuck with this one, it ended up being worth it.
1,164 reviews6 followers
April 7, 2023
Atlas & Hazel

I loved everything about this book!!!

Hazel was at a charity auction - one that she didn't want to be at.

Atlas didn't want to be there either, but he was to be auctioned for a date - Hazel won that date - of course, she was shocked and embarrassed but Atlas calmed her with just a few words.

What made this book even better was the banter between Atlas and his teammates, especially Rome, and the relationship between Hazel and her best friend, Hannah.
14 reviews
April 23, 2023
A for story ….B- for editing

A really cute story, the h was a little immature at times. Loved the side characters…but the mistakes through out were distracting. At one point early in the book instead of saying the h name Hazel, it says Alison? Huh. I had to reread the prior paragraphs to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Then multiple grammatical errors…still giving it a three.
Profile Image for Claire Ingledew.
1,098 reviews13 followers
May 4, 2023
A Hockey Romance

What a book, I loved it.
Atlas what a character he’s tall built like a Greek god with his grumpy but lovable traits. Then there is Hazel who is suffering a loss. London has written a fabulous book. You get hockey sexy men and you get the view into the team.
You will have a few moments of laughter so looking forward to meet the next team mate

For me it’s a 5⭐️ with a few 🌶️
Profile Image for Maria.
503 reviews
May 6, 2023
Hazel and Atlas unconventional love

Truthful and honest to a fault, and big, athletic, and deep down caring and romantic. Last two took sometime for Atlas to show. Hazel is grieving her grandma's death. Hannah convinced Hazel to get out and go with her to a "work" thing. She places Hannah's name in the raffle to win a date with Atlas and she wins. One night of unsuspecting plans leads to her pregnancy. This is when these two make this story interesting. Fun read.
Profile Image for Tashia.
417 reviews
April 28, 2024
What is Atlas' last name?

There were some funny moments in this story, which is why i gave 2 stars, but for the most part, one star.
A lot of research should've been done for this to be more believable. I felt like I was reading fan fiction with all the grammatical errors and plot holes. And the storyline was too long; I almost quit. Needless to say, I will not be reading Book 2.
Profile Image for Patrice Pilgrim.
75 reviews
April 23, 2023
I loved it

The only reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars is that it got off to a kind of slow start - even with the 1 night stand thrown in. When the story got going, i loved the kthough..... I loved the level of emotion that Atlas showedb- I actually shed some tears myself and that doesn't always happen with the books I read. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Profile Image for N. .
23 reviews3 followers
June 3, 2023
Not my favorite

I’ve read several of London Casey’s books. I have to say I didn’t like this one as much as the others. The characters just didn’t seem to fit together easily and Atlas calling Hazel ‘love’ so often got on my nerves. It’s hard to enjoy a story when you keep wondering why the characters are even together.
Profile Image for Kaitlyn.
42 reviews4 followers
July 12, 2023
it was hard to finish

Pregnancy trope is one of my favorites but the hormonal whiplash the FMC was giving was to much. The amount of miscommunication misunderstanding and assumptions from the fmc for me made it so painful to read. I know hormones are a real thing women deal with but it was a little to much for me for the plot.
12 reviews
February 21, 2024
Wonderful!

So, I’m a sucker for a grumpy/sunshine romance. I really don’t feel that this is that. It is one of the most realistic romances that I’ve read, in as far as the MMC & MFC’s character and love story. I’m really impressed with Ms. Casey’s writing and can’t wait to continue the series.
254 reviews
July 26, 2024
so angsty - with a brute of a MMC and a distrusting FMC

I love hockey romance. This is definitely not your typical romance. The male lead is dark and brutal - the female lead is hurting and a little demanding. But a baby brings them together.

While this isn’t my typical type of “happy” romance, I did like it and will check out the next one.
Profile Image for MaryBeth.
422 reviews2 followers
April 8, 2023
Another great book I couldn't put down. Absolutely lived Atlas and his grumpy, lovey attitude... I just wish there was a little more about after what happened. Of course it was a happily ever after but there was more I wanted to hear about.. but it was still a great book
Profile Image for Katie Dobay.
411 reviews
April 24, 2023
Grumpy hockey player meets unexpected first date forced together by a charity event, insta-attraction, one night stand to parents to lovers. Spice was amazing storyline was really good. Love how the natural love for each other grows. And he LOVES going down on her, and I mean LOVES it.
Profile Image for Alicia.
177 reviews5 followers
May 8, 2023
oh Hannah..

I love an accidental pregnancy boom! I found myself really enjoying this book, but unfortunately Hannah just really bothered me and I found myself wanting to skip any part she was in
Profile Image for The Bookworm Hermit .
532 reviews11 followers
June 10, 2023
Excellent

So I do want to list a TW about premature birth and NICU experience. Partial Spoiler - It was exceptionally written but it took me under as I relived those experiences with our FMC. Other than that the book was fun, funny, frustrating and overall great.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews

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