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Sinners on the Ice #2
Barn Burner
Something fake shouldn’t feel this good.
EVANGELINA JONES, the fiercely independent daughter of an NFL legend, is determined to carve her own path running a thriving dessert shop. When her stalkerish ex-boyfriend reappears and threatens to destroy everything she has built, she’s forced to turn to her new neighbor for help.
DRAKE BENSON is the NHL’s golden boy, with a perfect reputation on and off the ice. To an outsider, it might seem that he’s got everything one could dream of, but he desperately needs to fill his days during the offseason. When Evangelina knocks on his door with an unexpected request—to pretend to be her boyfriend—it offers a welcome break from his solitude.
The rules of their arrangement are simple: play the part, but don’t fall in love. As Drake becomes Evangelina’s protector, their pretend romance stirs emotions neither of them anticipated, blurring the lines between fake and real.
Caught between his blossoming feelings for his fiery neighbor and a rule he’s in danger of breaking, Drake risks having his heart shattered because Evangelina doesn’t date athletes. Will he be able to convince her to give him a chance, or will he lose everything he never knew he wanted until he met her?
_
BARN BURNER is a steamy fake dating hockey romance. The book two of Sinners on the Ice series and can be read as a standalone.
EVANGELINA JONES, the fiercely independent daughter of an NFL legend, is determined to carve her own path running a thriving dessert shop. When her stalkerish ex-boyfriend reappears and threatens to destroy everything she has built, she’s forced to turn to her new neighbor for help.
DRAKE BENSON is the NHL’s golden boy, with a perfect reputation on and off the ice. To an outsider, it might seem that he’s got everything one could dream of, but he desperately needs to fill his days during the offseason. When Evangelina knocks on his door with an unexpected request—to pretend to be her boyfriend—it offers a welcome break from his solitude.
The rules of their arrangement are simple: play the part, but don’t fall in love. As Drake becomes Evangelina’s protector, their pretend romance stirs emotions neither of them anticipated, blurring the lines between fake and real.
Caught between his blossoming feelings for his fiery neighbor and a rule he’s in danger of breaking, Drake risks having his heart shattered because Evangelina doesn’t date athletes. Will he be able to convince her to give him a chance, or will he lose everything he never knew he wanted until he met her?
_
BARN BURNER is a steamy fake dating hockey romance. The book two of Sinners on the Ice series and can be read as a standalone.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2023
1135 people are currently reading
8155 people want to read
About the author
Anastasija White
11 books1,013 followersAnastasija is an indie author who spends her days creating swoon-worthy and steamy stories that will make your heart race. Her writing is filled with flawed and relatable characters that you'll find yourself rooting for. Whether you're in the mood for angsty drama or steamy romance, her stories take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions with guaranteed happy endings.
When she's not writing, she loves to lose herself in reading books, rewatching her favorite tv-shows and spending time with her son. She loves traveling and exploring the world, and then including places she visited in her novels.
If you're a fan of romance that leaves you breathless and begging for more, Anastasija is the author for you. Connect with her on Instagram and TikTok, where she loves to hear from her readers and share sneak peeks of her books and upcoming projects.
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When she's not writing, she loves to lose herself in reading books, rewatching her favorite tv-shows and spending time with her son. She loves traveling and exploring the world, and then including places she visited in her novels.
If you're a fan of romance that leaves you breathless and begging for more, Anastasija is the author for you. Connect with her on Instagram and TikTok, where she loves to hear from her readers and share sneak peeks of her books and upcoming projects.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 527 reviews
October 29, 2023
♾️/5
WOW!! I’m in literal tears, Ana created SUCH a beautiful story with these two characters!!! There was so much growth and love that was formed and found within the relationship between Eva and Drake! I cannot begin to explain how much I adored their story🥹😭❤️
I was sooo beyond excited when Ana had mentioned she was writing a story for Mr. golden boy Drake, and after seeing him as a side character in book 1 (SINBIN) I knew I NEEDED his story!! And man oh man was it worthwhile!!!
The dynamic between Eva and Drake was oh so wholesome, Eva’s been through hell and back with past relationships and just life in general has been so so rough on her, she’s always thought so poorly of herself and when Drake runs into her and her dog (literally🤭😂) honestly the best meet cute they had!! They both turn each others lives upside down for the better!! 😭❤️ Drake helps her to see that her flaws don’t define her and Eva gives him a shoulder to lean on with his own battles that he fights against!
Their love was so pure, the story was so incredibly well done, from front to finish, and my eyes are still tearing up as I write this!! Ugh Ana just did such an incredible job with them, she handled their love with care and brought us the best happily ever after🥹 THAT EPILOGUE OH MY GOD!!! 😭😭
And don’t get me started on the writing, I loved SINBIN as I had mentioned before but I could see the improvement and growth not only as an author but with her writing, everything was just so so perfect!!
I highly recommend everyone to read this book, If you’re looking for a fake dating, forced proximity, found family, and just all the cutesy fluffy vibes, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!! Just take my word for it and read it!!🥹❤️
THANK YOU ANA FOR AN ARC!! I ADORE YOU LOVE!!🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
WOW!! I’m in literal tears, Ana created SUCH a beautiful story with these two characters!!! There was so much growth and love that was formed and found within the relationship between Eva and Drake! I cannot begin to explain how much I adored their story🥹😭❤️
I was sooo beyond excited when Ana had mentioned she was writing a story for Mr. golden boy Drake, and after seeing him as a side character in book 1 (SINBIN) I knew I NEEDED his story!! And man oh man was it worthwhile!!!
The dynamic between Eva and Drake was oh so wholesome, Eva’s been through hell and back with past relationships and just life in general has been so so rough on her, she’s always thought so poorly of herself and when Drake runs into her and her dog (literally🤭😂) honestly the best meet cute they had!! They both turn each others lives upside down for the better!! 😭❤️ Drake helps her to see that her flaws don’t define her and Eva gives him a shoulder to lean on with his own battles that he fights against!
Their love was so pure, the story was so incredibly well done, from front to finish, and my eyes are still tearing up as I write this!! Ugh Ana just did such an incredible job with them, she handled their love with care and brought us the best happily ever after🥹 THAT EPILOGUE OH MY GOD!!! 😭😭
And don’t get me started on the writing, I loved SINBIN as I had mentioned before but I could see the improvement and growth not only as an author but with her writing, everything was just so so perfect!!
I highly recommend everyone to read this book, If you’re looking for a fake dating, forced proximity, found family, and just all the cutesy fluffy vibes, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!! Just take my word for it and read it!!🥹❤️
THANK YOU ANA FOR AN ARC!! I ADORE YOU LOVE!!🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
September 17, 2024
— 3 stars ✰
i just cannot feel the chemistry between the main characters
i just cannot feel the chemistry between the main characters
August 30, 2024
4.5★
I loved this one so much!! It was super fast paced and the fake dating was amazing. Let’s all thank cooper because this wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for him lmao. I love a sports romance and this was such a cute easy read!!
I loved this one so much!! It was super fast paced and the fake dating was amazing. Let’s all thank cooper because this wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for him lmao. I love a sports romance and this was such a cute easy read!!
December 23, 2024
DNF - 55% (Page 139)
HOW DO YOU AUTHORS NOT KNOW HOW TO WRITE FAME DATING CORRECTLY. 😭
HOW DO YOU AUTHORS NOT KNOW HOW TO WRITE FAME DATING CORRECTLY. 😭
October 12, 2023
4/5⭐️
3/5🌶️
Tropes:
- Sports Romance🏒
- Fake Dating
- One Bed
- Neighbors
- He Falls First
- “Who Did This to You.”
I want to thank Ana for this ARC!! When I heard her next book was about Drake, I was so excited.
Barn Burner is the second book in the Sinners on the Ice series following Drake & Angie. We met Drake in SIN BIN as Ava’s best friend’s brother. Drake Benson, the NHL star who has been recently traded to a new team. Evangelina Jones is a owner of a dessert shop & the daughter of an NFL legend. When Angie needs some help getting her ex-boyfriend to back off, her best friend suggests that she gets a new boyfriend, or a fake one. Angie knows exactly who the perfect person for that job will be, her new neighbor Drake.
I really enjoyed this; it was an easy read. Plus, fake dating hockey romance. I AM SOLD. If you follow me, you know the love I have for hockey romance. Fake Dating is starting to be one of my favorite tropes as well. Once that Fake Dating turns into real feelings so hit different. He falls first. Drake is added to the book boyfriend roaster for sure.
I can’t leave this review without talking about how they started their friendship/relationship with doing a One Tree Hill marathon and he quotes the show to her! I AM IN LOVE. I can’t wait for all of you to meet Drake & Angie when Barn Burner is released on October 17th. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!
3/5🌶️
Tropes:
- Sports Romance🏒
- Fake Dating
- One Bed
- Neighbors
- He Falls First
- “Who Did This to You.”
I want to thank Ana for this ARC!! When I heard her next book was about Drake, I was so excited.
Barn Burner is the second book in the Sinners on the Ice series following Drake & Angie. We met Drake in SIN BIN as Ava’s best friend’s brother. Drake Benson, the NHL star who has been recently traded to a new team. Evangelina Jones is a owner of a dessert shop & the daughter of an NFL legend. When Angie needs some help getting her ex-boyfriend to back off, her best friend suggests that she gets a new boyfriend, or a fake one. Angie knows exactly who the perfect person for that job will be, her new neighbor Drake.
I really enjoyed this; it was an easy read. Plus, fake dating hockey romance. I AM SOLD. If you follow me, you know the love I have for hockey romance. Fake Dating is starting to be one of my favorite tropes as well. Once that Fake Dating turns into real feelings so hit different. He falls first. Drake is added to the book boyfriend roaster for sure.
I can’t leave this review without talking about how they started their friendship/relationship with doing a One Tree Hill marathon and he quotes the show to her! I AM IN LOVE. I can’t wait for all of you to meet Drake & Angie when Barn Burner is released on October 17th. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!
October 2, 2023
I absolutely loved this book!
Drake and Angie are 🔥🥵🥰
Drake moves in next door to Angie and I just love the way they meet 😂 Both of them have had crappy past relationships, more so Angie. Drake agrees to fake date her but soon realise there is nothing fake about the chemistry between the two of them. Drake is insanely sweet but my gosh, that man's mouth 🥵 they both bring out the best of each other and I love that. Ohh and they binge watch One Tree Hill together 🙊😍 I also love that so much. All the side characters are amazing too.
Arc review -
Release date 17th Oct
Drake and Angie are 🔥🥵🥰
Drake moves in next door to Angie and I just love the way they meet 😂 Both of them have had crappy past relationships, more so Angie. Drake agrees to fake date her but soon realise there is nothing fake about the chemistry between the two of them. Drake is insanely sweet but my gosh, that man's mouth 🥵 they both bring out the best of each other and I love that. Ohh and they binge watch One Tree Hill together 🙊😍 I also love that so much. All the side characters are amazing too.
Arc review -
Release date 17th Oct
December 13, 2024
ARC review.
My love.
The book was read so easily and in one breath. I didn't want to let the book out of my hands.
Drake and Evangelina are so comfortable together. When I read their scenes, I thought only that they were very close to me and cozy as a home.
Their viewing of the TV series “One Tree Hill” holds a special place in my heart.
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙨.”
I’m screaming.
I wish everyone to find their Drake or Angie. If you are happy together, just like these two, then take care of him and love him more every day.
Love is boundless, so it happened to them.
Angie, who had a terrible relationship. Drake, who has never met the one. They found each other because Angie has a great dog, Cooper occupies a separate place in my heart.
Drake, who likes to read and knows Taylor Swift's song “Cruel Summer". You're perfect.
Happy release! Thank you for everything! I love this story.
My love.
The book was read so easily and in one breath. I didn't want to let the book out of my hands.
Drake and Evangelina are so comfortable together. When I read their scenes, I thought only that they were very close to me and cozy as a home.
Their viewing of the TV series “One Tree Hill” holds a special place in my heart.
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙨.”
I’m screaming.
I wish everyone to find their Drake or Angie. If you are happy together, just like these two, then take care of him and love him more every day.
Love is boundless, so it happened to them.
Angie, who had a terrible relationship. Drake, who has never met the one. They found each other because Angie has a great dog, Cooper occupies a separate place in my heart.
Drake, who likes to read and knows Taylor Swift's song “Cruel Summer". You're perfect.
Happy release! Thank you for everything! I love this story.
October 2, 2023
*Thank you to WordSmith Publicity for providing me an ARC, all opinions are my own.
4.75⭐️/ 4🌶️
From the moment I read the synopsis for this story, it was an immediate yes for me, and I needed to read it right away! This was my first time reading a book written by Anastasija and she did a wonderful job creating her characters, and hooking me on from the beginning! With the amount of hockey romance books I’ve read, something about this story stood out to me, and felt unique. Evangelina and Drake started off as enemies/ next door neighbors who didn’t start off on good terms, but slowly became more with each other. I would say for any fan of reading hockey romances, you’ll want to check out this book as it brought so many great tropes from, fake dating, sports romance (hockey), next door neighbors, he’s a cinnamon roll, she’s feisty, and there’s a cute dog in the story as well! Much more happens in this story, and I throughly enjoyed it!
What do you get when you have a troublesome ex boyfriend who won’t leave you alone and doesn’t take no for an answer?… you ask your handsome hockey player neighbor to pretend to be your fake boyfriend! Evangelina had enough of her ex boyfriend constantly trying to come back into her life, and further causing pain and misery to her so, when the brilliant idea came to her to find someone to fake date her it seemed like the perfect plan. Even better was when Evangelina had the perfect candidate to ask, her new neighbor, Drake Benson, an NHL professional hockey player to be her fake boyfriend! Woo! Drake not only fit the part, but was genuinely a nice, kind person (*despite the rocky meeting he & Evangelina had in the beginning). Both, Evangelina and Drake fake dating each other worked out perfectly! One, it would help get rid of Asher (Evangelina’s ex) and show Drake’s ex girlfriend that she misses out on all the things Drake had to offer.
Evangelina was a strong, feisty woman who could hold her own ground, and was an overall amazing character. Right off the bat, I liked seeing that as much of a strong woman Evangelina was, she equally had her own shares of vulnerability. Based off the experience Evangelina went through in her past especially with her ex boyfriend, Asher, it left her in a horrible state of mind and feeling unlike her normal self. Through therapy and working on herself, Evangelina was able to get back into a semblance of a routine, opened up her dessert shop, and seemed on better terms. All seemed well until Asher appeared once again to mess up the harmony that Evangelina had managed to make for herself.
Drake Benson was THE MAN! Not only was Drake an incredible hockey player in the NHL, but this man was…A TOTAL BOOKWORM! Drake loved to read, and (sigh) the way he spoke about books and how he wished people wouldn’t interrupt his reading time made him not only relatable, but also made me want him as my boyfriend so we could have reading dates! As if Drake wasn’t amazing enough, I just adored the way he was a gentleman, but also a bit of tease with Evangelina. Drake was in a new place after being traded to a new team, and while he was trying to find his footing, he often felt alone, without much companionship. Somewhere along the way, Drake found a someone to spend his time with binge watching, “One Tree Hill”, talking about different things, and friendship with Evangelina. Drake was basically an amazing, kind, genuine character that I really liked a lot!
This book wholeheartedly had my attention all the way through! The way that Evangelina and Drake were together was so natural, easy, and it made their chemistry believable and not forced. I found myself not only throughly invested in the story, but also feeling so relaxed while reading that I could easily re-read this story again in the future. The best way I can describe what this book felt to me was like comfort. I felt comfortable, happy, lighthearted, and excited reading about Drake and Evangelina. Obviously not everything in the book was lighthearted, the lighter moments in the book made me feel happy and at ease. This book had become a comfort read for me, and part of my favorite hockey romance books I’ve read!
The fake dating was obviously bound to lead Evangelina and Drake to more than just pretending, it revealed how much they truly liked one another. Like any fake dating trope, it all started off with helping one another out with their dilemma, and promising not to fall in love… HA! YEAH RIGHT! Not only did the lines get blurred between pretending to date, but Drake was already thinking of how to make his relationship officially real with Evangelina! Part of what I loved with the fake dating in this story was getting to read just how much Drake was so deep in his feels about wanting Evangelina, getting protective over her, wanting to share all the moments they spent together but make it official. Even Evangelina started to see that from the beginning, Drake wasn’t like the other jocks she knew from her past. Drake was such a wonderful man already, but make him your boyfriend and BOOM! THE BEST BOYFRIEND EVER FOR EVANGELINA! Plus, it was just meant to be since Evangelina and Drake made perfect sense together!
You know, before reading I wasn’t quite sure how spicy this book was going to be, and yet, I was still surprised by the praise and dirty talk in this story! We all know that moment in the book when the male lead character says, “good girl”, we all collectively get weak in the knees and are screaming for joy… oh wait, that’s just me?…. BECAUSE YES INDEED I WAS SCREAMING FOR JOY! Drake was a cinnamon roll boyfriend, but then seeing him in those spicy scenes, and MMMMMMMM YASSSSS! WOOO! Drake revealed another level to his great prowess and Evangelina was FULLY LIVING HER BEST LIFE WITH DRAKE! Drake was the praise king, praising Evangelina and (sigh) I was getting hot just reading those scenes! Needless to say, while this story had equally swoon worthy and romantic moments, this story also packed some heat to make your jaw drop and feel enthusiastic for Evangelina and Drake! Drake was all about making sure to please and put Evangelina’s pleasure first and foremost, and I LOVED IT!
This story truly had many wonderful parts to it from the romance, spice, lovable characters, and NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP! Angie (Evangelina) and Drake started off fake dating, but as they spent more time together, not only were their true feelings revealed, but also the level of communication. I loved the way that Angie and Drake communicated with one another, and when they realized they wanted to make their relationship official, they talked it over and made it happen! The moment things became official was even sweeter and fantastic because, I got to see Angie and Drake fully enjoying themselves and embracing the love they clearly had for each other. I was invested and enjoying seeing Drake and Angie together, but also seeing them overcome the obstacles that came their way.
Overall, this was an amazing hockey romance that I truly adored wholeheartedly! I’m most excited to read more books by Anastasija and seeing more of the wonderful stories she’s created! Anastasija did a fantastic job writing Angie and Drake’s story that I truly loved them both! I loved the fake dating, the romance, spice, humor, and the feel I had all the way while I read. I felt comforted while reading, and I can definitely see myself rereading this book again in the future. Angie was a lovable character who had her fair share of vulnerabilities, but managed to work through even through the more difficult parts in her life. I especially loved Drake and how even as an incredible hockey player, he was not only thoughtful, a total cinnamon roll, an avid book reader, but… JUST AMAZING OVERALL! Drake will have you wanting wishing he was your real life boyfriend! I’m really intrigued to see how the rest of the series will play out. I have nothing but words of good praise, and love for this story, and I’m so happy with the way this story made me feel! A must read for any hockey romance fan or just a romance story that’ll have you loving the characters and their journey.
4.75⭐️/ 4🌶️
From the moment I read the synopsis for this story, it was an immediate yes for me, and I needed to read it right away! This was my first time reading a book written by Anastasija and she did a wonderful job creating her characters, and hooking me on from the beginning! With the amount of hockey romance books I’ve read, something about this story stood out to me, and felt unique. Evangelina and Drake started off as enemies/ next door neighbors who didn’t start off on good terms, but slowly became more with each other. I would say for any fan of reading hockey romances, you’ll want to check out this book as it brought so many great tropes from, fake dating, sports romance (hockey), next door neighbors, he’s a cinnamon roll, she’s feisty, and there’s a cute dog in the story as well! Much more happens in this story, and I throughly enjoyed it!
What do you get when you have a troublesome ex boyfriend who won’t leave you alone and doesn’t take no for an answer?… you ask your handsome hockey player neighbor to pretend to be your fake boyfriend! Evangelina had enough of her ex boyfriend constantly trying to come back into her life, and further causing pain and misery to her so, when the brilliant idea came to her to find someone to fake date her it seemed like the perfect plan. Even better was when Evangelina had the perfect candidate to ask, her new neighbor, Drake Benson, an NHL professional hockey player to be her fake boyfriend! Woo! Drake not only fit the part, but was genuinely a nice, kind person (*despite the rocky meeting he & Evangelina had in the beginning). Both, Evangelina and Drake fake dating each other worked out perfectly! One, it would help get rid of Asher (Evangelina’s ex) and show Drake’s ex girlfriend that she misses out on all the things Drake had to offer.
Evangelina was a strong, feisty woman who could hold her own ground, and was an overall amazing character. Right off the bat, I liked seeing that as much of a strong woman Evangelina was, she equally had her own shares of vulnerability. Based off the experience Evangelina went through in her past especially with her ex boyfriend, Asher, it left her in a horrible state of mind and feeling unlike her normal self. Through therapy and working on herself, Evangelina was able to get back into a semblance of a routine, opened up her dessert shop, and seemed on better terms. All seemed well until Asher appeared once again to mess up the harmony that Evangelina had managed to make for herself.
Drake Benson was THE MAN! Not only was Drake an incredible hockey player in the NHL, but this man was…A TOTAL BOOKWORM! Drake loved to read, and (sigh) the way he spoke about books and how he wished people wouldn’t interrupt his reading time made him not only relatable, but also made me want him as my boyfriend so we could have reading dates! As if Drake wasn’t amazing enough, I just adored the way he was a gentleman, but also a bit of tease with Evangelina. Drake was in a new place after being traded to a new team, and while he was trying to find his footing, he often felt alone, without much companionship. Somewhere along the way, Drake found a someone to spend his time with binge watching, “One Tree Hill”, talking about different things, and friendship with Evangelina. Drake was basically an amazing, kind, genuine character that I really liked a lot!
This book wholeheartedly had my attention all the way through! The way that Evangelina and Drake were together was so natural, easy, and it made their chemistry believable and not forced. I found myself not only throughly invested in the story, but also feeling so relaxed while reading that I could easily re-read this story again in the future. The best way I can describe what this book felt to me was like comfort. I felt comfortable, happy, lighthearted, and excited reading about Drake and Evangelina. Obviously not everything in the book was lighthearted, the lighter moments in the book made me feel happy and at ease. This book had become a comfort read for me, and part of my favorite hockey romance books I’ve read!
The fake dating was obviously bound to lead Evangelina and Drake to more than just pretending, it revealed how much they truly liked one another. Like any fake dating trope, it all started off with helping one another out with their dilemma, and promising not to fall in love… HA! YEAH RIGHT! Not only did the lines get blurred between pretending to date, but Drake was already thinking of how to make his relationship officially real with Evangelina! Part of what I loved with the fake dating in this story was getting to read just how much Drake was so deep in his feels about wanting Evangelina, getting protective over her, wanting to share all the moments they spent together but make it official. Even Evangelina started to see that from the beginning, Drake wasn’t like the other jocks she knew from her past. Drake was such a wonderful man already, but make him your boyfriend and BOOM! THE BEST BOYFRIEND EVER FOR EVANGELINA! Plus, it was just meant to be since Evangelina and Drake made perfect sense together!
You know, before reading I wasn’t quite sure how spicy this book was going to be, and yet, I was still surprised by the praise and dirty talk in this story! We all know that moment in the book when the male lead character says, “good girl”, we all collectively get weak in the knees and are screaming for joy… oh wait, that’s just me?…. BECAUSE YES INDEED I WAS SCREAMING FOR JOY! Drake was a cinnamon roll boyfriend, but then seeing him in those spicy scenes, and MMMMMMMM YASSSSS! WOOO! Drake revealed another level to his great prowess and Evangelina was FULLY LIVING HER BEST LIFE WITH DRAKE! Drake was the praise king, praising Evangelina and (sigh) I was getting hot just reading those scenes! Needless to say, while this story had equally swoon worthy and romantic moments, this story also packed some heat to make your jaw drop and feel enthusiastic for Evangelina and Drake! Drake was all about making sure to please and put Evangelina’s pleasure first and foremost, and I LOVED IT!
This story truly had many wonderful parts to it from the romance, spice, lovable characters, and NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP! Angie (Evangelina) and Drake started off fake dating, but as they spent more time together, not only were their true feelings revealed, but also the level of communication. I loved the way that Angie and Drake communicated with one another, and when they realized they wanted to make their relationship official, they talked it over and made it happen! The moment things became official was even sweeter and fantastic because, I got to see Angie and Drake fully enjoying themselves and embracing the love they clearly had for each other. I was invested and enjoying seeing Drake and Angie together, but also seeing them overcome the obstacles that came their way.
Overall, this was an amazing hockey romance that I truly adored wholeheartedly! I’m most excited to read more books by Anastasija and seeing more of the wonderful stories she’s created! Anastasija did a fantastic job writing Angie and Drake’s story that I truly loved them both! I loved the fake dating, the romance, spice, humor, and the feel I had all the way while I read. I felt comforted while reading, and I can definitely see myself rereading this book again in the future. Angie was a lovable character who had her fair share of vulnerabilities, but managed to work through even through the more difficult parts in her life. I especially loved Drake and how even as an incredible hockey player, he was not only thoughtful, a total cinnamon roll, an avid book reader, but… JUST AMAZING OVERALL! Drake will have you wanting wishing he was your real life boyfriend! I’m really intrigued to see how the rest of the series will play out. I have nothing but words of good praise, and love for this story, and I’m so happy with the way this story made me feel! A must read for any hockey romance fan or just a romance story that’ll have you loving the characters and their journey.
June 27, 2024
took me ages to get to the reading but once you hit 40% it gets so much better!
January 22, 2024
I found this book to be dry, fast-paced, and full of cliches. The lack of chemistry between the main characters and the hasty progression of their relationship left much to be desired. The side characters seemed to lack depth, and I found myself struggling to finish the book. Most of it was smut and the plot wasn’t really there but it did had it’s cute moments ig.Overall, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
July 5, 2024
DUCKING FINALLY. IVE NEVER HAD A SHORTER BOOK FEEL SO GODDAMN LONGGGGG. this felt like a BAD wattpad story. thankful it’s over😭
October 18, 2023
I was lucky to receive the arc to this book and this is my honest review
If you read Sin Bin, then you have met Drake and like me probably loved him right away. There is so much to love about him, one of them being he is just a straight-up nice guy.
For me, this was everything I pictured and imagined Drake’s story was gonna be. In the beginning, he and Evangelina don’t have the greatest first meeting, but that soon turns itself around and they form a friendship. They are next-door neighbours after all. When suddenly Angie needs help keeping her ex away, she asks Drake to pretend to be her boyfriend. What does Drake say? Obviously yes. Drake is the type of guy who protects those he cares about. He has a younger sister and he is the kinda guy who treats women the way he wants men to treat his sister. This is why I love him so
Much.
The chemistry between these two is fire and Anastasjia did an amazing job at building their relationship up. They are perfect for each other. Both characters were believable and very relatable. Evangelina is a girl I think many of us will connect with. She is someone people judge from the outside but when you get to know her, she is nothing like what people think. Even though Drake is a nice guy and the knight in shining armour, don’t let that fool you. He is a dirty boy with a dirty mouth. But he stays true to his character throughout. The nice guy who falls first doesn’t have to be someone who changes once he falls. He can still be confident and s*xy throughout the story. He can be sweet and dominant in and out of the bedroom.
The best part of this story is this couple deserves each other and I’m so happy with the ending and look forward to the rest of the series
If you read Sin Bin, then you have met Drake and like me probably loved him right away. There is so much to love about him, one of them being he is just a straight-up nice guy.
For me, this was everything I pictured and imagined Drake’s story was gonna be. In the beginning, he and Evangelina don’t have the greatest first meeting, but that soon turns itself around and they form a friendship. They are next-door neighbours after all. When suddenly Angie needs help keeping her ex away, she asks Drake to pretend to be her boyfriend. What does Drake say? Obviously yes. Drake is the type of guy who protects those he cares about. He has a younger sister and he is the kinda guy who treats women the way he wants men to treat his sister. This is why I love him so
Much.
The chemistry between these two is fire and Anastasjia did an amazing job at building their relationship up. They are perfect for each other. Both characters were believable and very relatable. Evangelina is a girl I think many of us will connect with. She is someone people judge from the outside but when you get to know her, she is nothing like what people think. Even though Drake is a nice guy and the knight in shining armour, don’t let that fool you. He is a dirty boy with a dirty mouth. But he stays true to his character throughout. The nice guy who falls first doesn’t have to be someone who changes once he falls. He can still be confident and s*xy throughout the story. He can be sweet and dominant in and out of the bedroom.
The best part of this story is this couple deserves each other and I’m so happy with the ending and look forward to the rest of the series
October 15, 2023
Angie Jones is no stranger to professional athletes, having grown up with a famous sports figure father, so it's no wonder she has a rule against dating them. When NHL hockey star Drake Benson moves in next door and their initial meet is less than cute, it confirms Angie's choice. However, when Angie can’t get her smarmy ex to understand no means no, a fake relationship with the player next door may be just the thing to ward off her ex.
Aside from the awesome pup who may or may not have a hand in the matchmaking, the thing I love so much about this story is how Angie and Drake really become friends before they become more. But when our hockey hero decides he's in, he's all in and won’t settle for less than everything. It's a big-city romance with a small-town feel that hooked me from the very beginning and was impossible to put down.
This is a new author for me, and I’m so glad I took a chance on her! The writing is polished, the characters layered and complex, the story is compelling and mesmerizing, and the emotion is just, wow! If you want a story that takes you deep while keeping it light and makes you feel every-freaking-thing, you'll want to dive into this one right away!
Aside from the awesome pup who may or may not have a hand in the matchmaking, the thing I love so much about this story is how Angie and Drake really become friends before they become more. But when our hockey hero decides he's in, he's all in and won’t settle for less than everything. It's a big-city romance with a small-town feel that hooked me from the very beginning and was impossible to put down.
This is a new author for me, and I’m so glad I took a chance on her! The writing is polished, the characters layered and complex, the story is compelling and mesmerizing, and the emotion is just, wow! If you want a story that takes you deep while keeping it light and makes you feel every-freaking-thing, you'll want to dive into this one right away!
October 13, 2023
4/5⭐️
2.5/5🌶️
I was SO excited to finally get Drake’s story after we met him in Sin Bin (book 1) — he was one of my favorite characters.
Barn Burner is book 2 in the Sinners On Ice Series, following Drake & Evangelina (Angie). Drake is new in town after being traded to his new NHL team. He meets Angie, his next door neighbor, after her dog nearly attacks him in front of their homes. They get off to a rocky start but when Angie ends up needing Drake’s help to scare off her ex boyfriend, Drake is more than happy to play the role of her new fake boyfriend. Can they stick to their rules or will lines get blurred?
Drake is was so sweet, such a cinnamon roll MMC. He was so thoughtful & caring with Angie but protective when she needed it. I felt for Angie & everything she had been through. I think they really balanced each other out & being a OTH fan, I was swooning over the fact that they would always binge watch it together 🥹
I’m dying for Clay & Layla’s story next! I need them to have their second chance & HEA!
Tropes:
- Sports Romance
- Fake Dating
- Neighbors to Lovers
- One Bed
- He Falls First
2.5/5🌶️
I was SO excited to finally get Drake’s story after we met him in Sin Bin (book 1) — he was one of my favorite characters.
Barn Burner is book 2 in the Sinners On Ice Series, following Drake & Evangelina (Angie). Drake is new in town after being traded to his new NHL team. He meets Angie, his next door neighbor, after her dog nearly attacks him in front of their homes. They get off to a rocky start but when Angie ends up needing Drake’s help to scare off her ex boyfriend, Drake is more than happy to play the role of her new fake boyfriend. Can they stick to their rules or will lines get blurred?
Drake is was so sweet, such a cinnamon roll MMC. He was so thoughtful & caring with Angie but protective when she needed it. I felt for Angie & everything she had been through. I think they really balanced each other out & being a OTH fan, I was swooning over the fact that they would always binge watch it together 🥹
I’m dying for Clay & Layla’s story next! I need them to have their second chance & HEA!
Tropes:
- Sports Romance
- Fake Dating
- Neighbors to Lovers
- One Bed
- He Falls First
April 23, 2024
This is the second book in Anastasija’s Sinners on the Ice series. I was really excited to get Drake’s story! Esp. when I heard that it was fake dating…I was SOLD!
This story follows Drake and Evangelina (Angie). Angie’s dog nearly attacks her new neighbor, Drake, and they get off on the wrong foot. Despite getting off on the wrong foot Angie ends up needing Drake’s help to ward off her ex-boyfriend. Surprisingly Drake is more than happy to play that role. As they spend more time together…watching One Tree Hill…the lines end up getting a little blurred.
Drake was such a cinnamon roll and I frickin’ loved it. He was so thoughtful and caring and went above and beyond for being a “fake” boyfriend. The dynamic between him and Angie was so good and I love that their relationship progressed naturally and became so easy for them. Their One Tree Hill marathons were so cute!
Thank you Anastasija and Wordsmith for the eARC. I cannot wait to read more from this series.
Overall: 4
Spice: 2.5
Tropes:
- Sports Romance
- Fake Dating
- One Bed
- Neighbors
- He Falls First
This story follows Drake and Evangelina (Angie). Angie’s dog nearly attacks her new neighbor, Drake, and they get off on the wrong foot. Despite getting off on the wrong foot Angie ends up needing Drake’s help to ward off her ex-boyfriend. Surprisingly Drake is more than happy to play that role. As they spend more time together…watching One Tree Hill…the lines end up getting a little blurred.
Drake was such a cinnamon roll and I frickin’ loved it. He was so thoughtful and caring and went above and beyond for being a “fake” boyfriend. The dynamic between him and Angie was so good and I love that their relationship progressed naturally and became so easy for them. Their One Tree Hill marathons were so cute!
Thank you Anastasija and Wordsmith for the eARC. I cannot wait to read more from this series.
Overall: 4
Spice: 2.5
Tropes:
- Sports Romance
- Fake Dating
- One Bed
- Neighbors
- He Falls First
February 21, 2024
⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars
Was not a massive fan of this book. I honestly found it a bit cringy which was super disappointing because I was really looking forward to reading this book. There was not much hockey in this book at all. Wasn’t a massive fan of the two main characters. Multiple scenes in this books just did not sit right with me. At the end I was just skim reading to get it finished 😕
Was not a massive fan of this book. I honestly found it a bit cringy which was super disappointing because I was really looking forward to reading this book. There was not much hockey in this book at all. Wasn’t a massive fan of the two main characters. Multiple scenes in this books just did not sit right with me. At the end I was just skim reading to get it finished 😕
February 18, 2024
I really wanted to like this but I was just not vibing with it. I didn’t connect to the characters at all and tbh I don’t remember a majority of what happened in this at all :\
October 16, 2023
I don't know what Anastasija put in this book, but my God! I devoured it in a single night, there is nothing wrong with this book for me and it is undoubtedly one of my favorites.
The story follows Evangelina and Drake, she being the owner of a dessert shop and the daughter of an NFL legend and him being the golden boy of the NHL, the perfectly imperfect couple? Well, let me tell you, they couldn't be more different, and in the same way that these two got along so well.
I loved Evangelina as a main character, she is super independent but with a past that when you read it you are shocked because I don't see her as a person who has suffered so much, but like everyone she learns from her mistakes and does everything she can to fix it; she has an ex that she can't get rid of and let's say this guy is the most horrible person who won't leave her alone, so she asks her new neighbor who is none other than our star player Drake for help.
Drake is a Golden Retriever made into a person, this boy is divine, I have nothing bad to say about him because I HAVE NOT SEED ANYTHING BAD, when Angie asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend to scare away her ex he doesn't hesitate to help her, how does he fall in love with her first? You read how little by little he falls for her, that I only want someone like that for me.
The relationship between the two of them was beautiful, the slowness was totally worth it because you see how little by little they fall into a nice routine, how they see that they have the same tastes, they fall into a domestic rhythm and be careful that they are only "fake dating". In addition to how Drake ends up loving her dog after the disastrous first meeting is without a doubt the point of the entire book, the spicy was great, I felt the tension of the characters and the ending was what I liked the most.
Without a doubt a story that will stay with me forever because I loved every second of it.
Thanks to the author and Wordsmith Publicity for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!!
---
No se que puso Anastasija en este libro pero dios mío!! me lo devoré en una sola noche, este libro para mí no tiene nada de malo y sin duda pasa a ser uno de mis favoritos.
La historia sigue a Evangelina y Drake, ella siendo dueña de una tienda de postres e hija de una leyenda de la NFL y el siendo el chico dorado de la NHL ¿la pareja perfectamente imperfecta? pues les digo que más opuestos no podían ser y de igual manera que tan bien congeniaban estos dos.
Evangelina me encanto como protagonista, es súper independiente pero con un pasado que cuando lo lees quedas en shock porque ella no se ve una persona que haya sufrido tanto, pero como todos aprende de sus errores y está haciendo todo lo posible para remediarlo; tiene un ex del cual no se puede deshacer, y digamos que ese tipo es una persona de lo más horrible que no la deja tranquila, por eso le pide ayuda a su nuevo vecino que no es nada más y nada menos que nuestro jugador estrella Drake.
Drake es un golden retriever hecho persona, este chico es divino, no tengo nada malo que decir de él porque no VI NADA MALO, cuando Angie le pide hacerse pasar por su novio para espantar a su ex él no duda en ayudarla, ¿cómo se enamora primero de ella? lees como poco a poco va cayendo duro por ella que solo quiero alguien asi para mi.
La relación de estos dos fue hermosa, el slow valió completamente la pena porque ves como poco a poco van cayendo en una tierna rutina, como van viendo que tienen los mismos gustos, caen en un ritmo doméstico y ojo que solo están “saliendo de mentiras” además de como Drake termina amando al perro de ella luego del desastroso primer encuentro es sin duda el punto de todo el libro, el spicy fue genial, sentía la tensión de los personajes y su final fue lo que mas me gusto.
Sin duda una historia que se quedará conmigo para siempre porque ame cada segundo de ella.
The story follows Evangelina and Drake, she being the owner of a dessert shop and the daughter of an NFL legend and him being the golden boy of the NHL, the perfectly imperfect couple? Well, let me tell you, they couldn't be more different, and in the same way that these two got along so well.
I loved Evangelina as a main character, she is super independent but with a past that when you read it you are shocked because I don't see her as a person who has suffered so much, but like everyone she learns from her mistakes and does everything she can to fix it; she has an ex that she can't get rid of and let's say this guy is the most horrible person who won't leave her alone, so she asks her new neighbor who is none other than our star player Drake for help.
Drake is a Golden Retriever made into a person, this boy is divine, I have nothing bad to say about him because I HAVE NOT SEED ANYTHING BAD, when Angie asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend to scare away her ex he doesn't hesitate to help her, how does he fall in love with her first? You read how little by little he falls for her, that I only want someone like that for me.
The relationship between the two of them was beautiful, the slowness was totally worth it because you see how little by little they fall into a nice routine, how they see that they have the same tastes, they fall into a domestic rhythm and be careful that they are only "fake dating". In addition to how Drake ends up loving her dog after the disastrous first meeting is without a doubt the point of the entire book, the spicy was great, I felt the tension of the characters and the ending was what I liked the most.
Without a doubt a story that will stay with me forever because I loved every second of it.
Thanks to the author and Wordsmith Publicity for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!!
---
No se que puso Anastasija en este libro pero dios mío!! me lo devoré en una sola noche, este libro para mí no tiene nada de malo y sin duda pasa a ser uno de mis favoritos.
La historia sigue a Evangelina y Drake, ella siendo dueña de una tienda de postres e hija de una leyenda de la NFL y el siendo el chico dorado de la NHL ¿la pareja perfectamente imperfecta? pues les digo que más opuestos no podían ser y de igual manera que tan bien congeniaban estos dos.
Evangelina me encanto como protagonista, es súper independiente pero con un pasado que cuando lo lees quedas en shock porque ella no se ve una persona que haya sufrido tanto, pero como todos aprende de sus errores y está haciendo todo lo posible para remediarlo; tiene un ex del cual no se puede deshacer, y digamos que ese tipo es una persona de lo más horrible que no la deja tranquila, por eso le pide ayuda a su nuevo vecino que no es nada más y nada menos que nuestro jugador estrella Drake.
Drake es un golden retriever hecho persona, este chico es divino, no tengo nada malo que decir de él porque no VI NADA MALO, cuando Angie le pide hacerse pasar por su novio para espantar a su ex él no duda en ayudarla, ¿cómo se enamora primero de ella? lees como poco a poco va cayendo duro por ella que solo quiero alguien asi para mi.
La relación de estos dos fue hermosa, el slow valió completamente la pena porque ves como poco a poco van cayendo en una tierna rutina, como van viendo que tienen los mismos gustos, caen en un ritmo doméstico y ojo que solo están “saliendo de mentiras” además de como Drake termina amando al perro de ella luego del desastroso primer encuentro es sin duda el punto de todo el libro, el spicy fue genial, sentía la tensión de los personajes y su final fue lo que mas me gusto.
Sin duda una historia que se quedará conmigo para siempre porque ame cada segundo de ella.
October 20, 2023
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸… 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩.”
4.5 ⭐️ I love Anastasia’s writing, from the moment I read Sin Bin I knew I would read everything she wrote. And knowing this was Drake’s story, I was SO excited to receive an ARC.
Drake - you beautiful sweet cinnamon roll! The absolute perfect mix between sweet and oh so spicy! The mouth on him 🫣🥵
If you’re going to fake date a hot hockey player, Drake is who I would choose every time 😂. But more than that, they give each other companionship and friendship. Angie is a strong and fierce FMC, she has had to overcome a lot and I loved that she let Drake in so he could help her through it all.
Let’s not forget the little mentions of certain characters to get us ready for Hale (single dad / nanny - add that to your TBR immediately!)
Thank you so much again for sending me an early copy to read, I devoured it.
4.5 ⭐️ I love Anastasia’s writing, from the moment I read Sin Bin I knew I would read everything she wrote. And knowing this was Drake’s story, I was SO excited to receive an ARC.
Drake - you beautiful sweet cinnamon roll! The absolute perfect mix between sweet and oh so spicy! The mouth on him 🫣🥵
If you’re going to fake date a hot hockey player, Drake is who I would choose every time 😂. But more than that, they give each other companionship and friendship. Angie is a strong and fierce FMC, she has had to overcome a lot and I loved that she let Drake in so he could help her through it all.
Let’s not forget the little mentions of certain characters to get us ready for Hale (single dad / nanny - add that to your TBR immediately!)
Thank you so much again for sending me an early copy to read, I devoured it.
October 5, 2023
3.75!!
i enjoyed this, it was easy to read! plus a fake dating hockey romance is something i’ll always enjoy!
drake & angie’s relationship was cute, fun, and i loved their banter & dynamic!! it was so nice seeing these two people who have struggled with relationships in the past find comfort, happiness, and love in one another!!!
i liked drake & angie’s characters, i just couldn’t find myself relating to them as much! they were both great characters with enjoyable personalities & good depth, plus they both love one tree hill so that’s an automatic plus for me!!
the epilogue was SO sweet & the spice was great!! i’d say the pacing was pretty normal, and it was so fun getting to see them develop and grow both together & individually <3 i loved them!!!!
this is a fake dating hockey romance with forced proximity, and he falls first!!!
thank you so much to Ana for the arc!!! so happy to have met drake & angie before they’re out in the world!!!! <3
i enjoyed this, it was easy to read! plus a fake dating hockey romance is something i’ll always enjoy!
drake & angie’s relationship was cute, fun, and i loved their banter & dynamic!! it was so nice seeing these two people who have struggled with relationships in the past find comfort, happiness, and love in one another!!!
i liked drake & angie’s characters, i just couldn’t find myself relating to them as much! they were both great characters with enjoyable personalities & good depth, plus they both love one tree hill so that’s an automatic plus for me!!
the epilogue was SO sweet & the spice was great!! i’d say the pacing was pretty normal, and it was so fun getting to see them develop and grow both together & individually <3 i loved them!!!!
this is a fake dating hockey romance with forced proximity, and he falls first!!!
thank you so much to Ana for the arc!!! so happy to have met drake & angie before they’re out in the world!!!! <3
October 16, 2023
What a wholesome story!!!!
Oh my gosh! 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m not even surprised by how much I loved this, from start to finish, my second book by Miss White & will not be the last.
This had everything - from character development, to banter, chemistry, a perfect story to fill your heart & soul with all the warmth.
Every struggle Angie underwent, only showed how far she was able to go, despite her past & trauma, it was a beautiful & bittersweet experience watching her grow & heal.
Drake - Man I knew I liked him from Sin Bin, and am incredibly happy to see him have his moment, and his own HEA!
All the freaking VIBES!
Drake is the man! Of all my favorite fictional men, he might be taking the cake where green flags are concerned, while he too has the possessive / jealous traits, we love to see in our MMC, the way he put Angie first through the entirety of their journey, it’s like seeing the type of guy, anyone would be lucky to have.
So many smiles, and squeals.
I swooned hardcore, and he freaking kneeled for her.
I cannot even.
I love, love this series! It was my introduction to hockey romance, and for someone who’s never watched the sport, it was a seamless experience & transition, because that’s how well the author wrote it into the pages!
And the spice? 🤌🏻🥵
10/10 recommending!!!!!!
Thank you wordsmith publicity for the arc!
Leaving a honest & voluntary review.
Oh my gosh! 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m not even surprised by how much I loved this, from start to finish, my second book by Miss White & will not be the last.
This had everything - from character development, to banter, chemistry, a perfect story to fill your heart & soul with all the warmth.
Every struggle Angie underwent, only showed how far she was able to go, despite her past & trauma, it was a beautiful & bittersweet experience watching her grow & heal.
Drake - Man I knew I liked him from Sin Bin, and am incredibly happy to see him have his moment, and his own HEA!
All the freaking VIBES!
Drake is the man! Of all my favorite fictional men, he might be taking the cake where green flags are concerned, while he too has the possessive / jealous traits, we love to see in our MMC, the way he put Angie first through the entirety of their journey, it’s like seeing the type of guy, anyone would be lucky to have.
So many smiles, and squeals.
I swooned hardcore, and he freaking kneeled for her.
I cannot even.
I love, love this series! It was my introduction to hockey romance, and for someone who’s never watched the sport, it was a seamless experience & transition, because that’s how well the author wrote it into the pages!
And the spice? 🤌🏻🥵
10/10 recommending!!!!!!
Thank you wordsmith publicity for the arc!
Leaving a honest & voluntary review.
October 3, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
“You as you are, with your flaws and your merits, are the only woman I’ll ever want.”
‘Barn Burner is a fake dating hockey romance which follows, Evangelina Jones, owner of a dessert shop and the daughter of an NFL legend, and Drake Benson, NHL star who has been recently been traded to a new team. When Angie needs some help getting her ex-boyfriend to back off, her best friend suggests that she get a new boyfriend, or at least a fake one. In Angie’s mind, there is only one person perfect for this job, her new neighbour, Drake.’
There’s just something about Anastasija’s writing that really hits the spot for me. I devoured this book and honestly could’ve kept reading about Drake & Angie forever. It features some hard hitting topics, especially regarding Angie’s story, but Anastasija writes about these in a respectful and informative way.
‘I don’t ever want to be alone after knowing what it means to be with her.’
Drake Benson is one dreamy man, that’s for sure! We have already met him in Sin-Bin, and know a little about his past but not a lot. He was honestly just an angel, supporting Angie when she need him most and making her feel confident in herself again. He was also respectful and kind to her, and just an all-round sweetheart. And the praising… kill me now!
‘He’s not only made me fall in love with him. He made me fall in love with myself after so many years of self-loathing. Never asking me what I needed, he understood how I wanted to be loved, and he gave me everything.’
Angie’s definitely not had the easiest few years. Even though she grew up privileged, it didn’t have a positive impact on her life and this is shown throughout the story. You can really see the emotional growth that she has throughout, even when things started to get tough again for her.
‘She’s my most precious and important win for sure, because I think I just won the prize of a lifetime.’
Even though they agreed to only be friends and ‘fake’ date, there was a connection between them both from the moment they met, or should I say from when Coop almost took down Drake! They were both each other’s strengths when they needed them most and you could really see the connection between them.
“You’re my girl, Angie, I’ll do anything to give you what you want.”
It was great to see Colton & Ava again, and of course sweet little Michael. I just adore this series so much and the little sneak for the two future books… I honestly cannot wait.
This book includes:
• Hockey Romance
• Fake Dating
• One Bed
• Neighbours
Thank you to Wordsmith Publicity & Anastasija for the arc of this book.
“You as you are, with your flaws and your merits, are the only woman I’ll ever want.”
‘Barn Burner is a fake dating hockey romance which follows, Evangelina Jones, owner of a dessert shop and the daughter of an NFL legend, and Drake Benson, NHL star who has been recently been traded to a new team. When Angie needs some help getting her ex-boyfriend to back off, her best friend suggests that she get a new boyfriend, or at least a fake one. In Angie’s mind, there is only one person perfect for this job, her new neighbour, Drake.’
There’s just something about Anastasija’s writing that really hits the spot for me. I devoured this book and honestly could’ve kept reading about Drake & Angie forever. It features some hard hitting topics, especially regarding Angie’s story, but Anastasija writes about these in a respectful and informative way.
‘I don’t ever want to be alone after knowing what it means to be with her.’
Drake Benson is one dreamy man, that’s for sure! We have already met him in Sin-Bin, and know a little about his past but not a lot. He was honestly just an angel, supporting Angie when she need him most and making her feel confident in herself again. He was also respectful and kind to her, and just an all-round sweetheart. And the praising… kill me now!
‘He’s not only made me fall in love with him. He made me fall in love with myself after so many years of self-loathing. Never asking me what I needed, he understood how I wanted to be loved, and he gave me everything.’
Angie’s definitely not had the easiest few years. Even though she grew up privileged, it didn’t have a positive impact on her life and this is shown throughout the story. You can really see the emotional growth that she has throughout, even when things started to get tough again for her.
‘She’s my most precious and important win for sure, because I think I just won the prize of a lifetime.’
Even though they agreed to only be friends and ‘fake’ date, there was a connection between them both from the moment they met, or should I say from when Coop almost took down Drake! They were both each other’s strengths when they needed them most and you could really see the connection between them.
“You’re my girl, Angie, I’ll do anything to give you what you want.”
It was great to see Colton & Ava again, and of course sweet little Michael. I just adore this series so much and the little sneak for the two future books… I honestly cannot wait.
This book includes:
• Hockey Romance
• Fake Dating
• One Bed
• Neighbours
Thank you to Wordsmith Publicity & Anastasija for the arc of this book.
October 20, 2023
4.5 ☆
with barn burner anastasija created a masterpiece with these two characters!! from the beginning there’s been love, friendship and growth between drake and angie.
on the one hand we have drake, a cheerful boy, whose goal is hockey but also to create a family of his own, as he sees his friends doing, and instead he finds himself heartbroken; on the other angie, who spent her adolescence being the shadow of her father, an nfl player and the reason why boys approached her.
when angie, to ward off her ex, asked drake to be her fake boyfriend, she wouldn't have imagined ending up being friends with her neighbor, who she hated from the first meeting.
between evenings spent talking and watching episodes of one tree hill, their friendship develops, so much so that drake helps angie to love her flaws and she offers him a shoulder to lean on.
their relationship happens naturally, so much so that in the end they decide to break the agreement and make it official.
if you loved sin bin, you will love this even more!!!!
with barn burner anastasija created a masterpiece with these two characters!! from the beginning there’s been love, friendship and growth between drake and angie.
on the one hand we have drake, a cheerful boy, whose goal is hockey but also to create a family of his own, as he sees his friends doing, and instead he finds himself heartbroken; on the other angie, who spent her adolescence being the shadow of her father, an nfl player and the reason why boys approached her.
when angie, to ward off her ex, asked drake to be her fake boyfriend, she wouldn't have imagined ending up being friends with her neighbor, who she hated from the first meeting.
between evenings spent talking and watching episodes of one tree hill, their friendship develops, so much so that drake helps angie to love her flaws and she offers him a shoulder to lean on.
their relationship happens naturally, so much so that in the end they decide to break the agreement and make it official.
if you loved sin bin, you will love this even more!!!!
November 11, 2023
Fake dating isn't usually my thing, but throw in a bit of hockey and I'll give anything a shot. I'm glad I did because this one was great - between his tastes in tv shows and his love for reading, Drake is the perfect book boyfriend.
July 26, 2024
Book #2 was harder to stop reading than book #1. I liked this story line a lot better than first book.
December 21, 2024
Eh, snape and Harry Potter had more chemistry
October 17, 2023
Was super excited to hear the Drake was getting his own happy ending!! He was one of my favorite characters in Sin Bin and low key wanted him with the MFC in the book solely because I love him.
Eva has been struggling emotionally and mentally. Having a famous, retired football player for a dad is hard. Growing up she put too much pressure on herself when it came to school and extracurriculars. This caused resentment towards not only herself, but her family as well. Moving across the country with her best friend to escape her past was supposed to be refreshing, but eventually she had to face it to move on.
Drake is new to town after being transferred to a new hockey team. While being on the same team as his best friend is great, he is starting to feel lonely without his family near by and seeing other his best friend in love. However, all of that starts to change after a run-in with his neighbors dog that ends up changing his life for the better.
After a whirlwind of a breakup with her ex, who cannot take “no” for an answer, Eva decides to take matters in her own hands. Asking her yummy next door neighbor to be her “boyfriend” turns out to be the best decision she has ever made. Drake realizes he can have a happy ending with Eva and is willing to do whatever he can to make it work.
Tropes:
- fake dating
- hockey romance
- possessive MMC
- dirty talker
- spicy scenes
- neighbors
- one bed
* I was given an ARC in exchange for a honest review. *
Eva has been struggling emotionally and mentally. Having a famous, retired football player for a dad is hard. Growing up she put too much pressure on herself when it came to school and extracurriculars. This caused resentment towards not only herself, but her family as well. Moving across the country with her best friend to escape her past was supposed to be refreshing, but eventually she had to face it to move on.
Drake is new to town after being transferred to a new hockey team. While being on the same team as his best friend is great, he is starting to feel lonely without his family near by and seeing other his best friend in love. However, all of that starts to change after a run-in with his neighbors dog that ends up changing his life for the better.
After a whirlwind of a breakup with her ex, who cannot take “no” for an answer, Eva decides to take matters in her own hands. Asking her yummy next door neighbor to be her “boyfriend” turns out to be the best decision she has ever made. Drake realizes he can have a happy ending with Eva and is willing to do whatever he can to make it work.
Tropes:
- fake dating
- hockey romance
- possessive MMC
- dirty talker
- spicy scenes
- neighbors
- one bed
* I was given an ARC in exchange for a honest review. *
October 9, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Evangelina’s toxic ex will not leave her alone. He is constantly texting her and showing up at her bakery or her home. So she decides the only way to show him she is no longer interested is by having a boyfriend…. Except she doesn’t have one. But, Drake, her new neighbor, who is a professional hockey player, has turned into an unlikely friend. If she can convince him to fake date her maybe they can finally get her ex to leave her alone for good. They set rules that it’s all fake and they don’t want to ruin their friendship, but it becomes real clear real fast that they don’t have to fake their obvious attraction to one another!
Thank you Anatasija for the opportunity to ARC for you! This was a low angst, feel good fake dating hockey romance! Drake is a cinnamon roll through and through, and he loved Evangelina so much! The way he loved and protected her, and the way he became a safe space for her to open up about past trauma was so beautiful!
If you enjoy light fluffy romances this is the read for you!
Tropes:
-Professional Hockey Romance
-Fake Dating
-Forced Proximity
-Friends to Lovers
-No Third-act Breakup
-She Bakes
-Positive/Healthy Communication
Evangelina’s toxic ex will not leave her alone. He is constantly texting her and showing up at her bakery or her home. So she decides the only way to show him she is no longer interested is by having a boyfriend…. Except she doesn’t have one. But, Drake, her new neighbor, who is a professional hockey player, has turned into an unlikely friend. If she can convince him to fake date her maybe they can finally get her ex to leave her alone for good. They set rules that it’s all fake and they don’t want to ruin their friendship, but it becomes real clear real fast that they don’t have to fake their obvious attraction to one another!
Thank you Anatasija for the opportunity to ARC for you! This was a low angst, feel good fake dating hockey romance! Drake is a cinnamon roll through and through, and he loved Evangelina so much! The way he loved and protected her, and the way he became a safe space for her to open up about past trauma was so beautiful!
If you enjoy light fluffy romances this is the read for you!
Tropes:
-Professional Hockey Romance
-Fake Dating
-Forced Proximity
-Friends to Lovers
-No Third-act Breakup
-She Bakes
-Positive/Healthy Communication
November 2, 2023
This is the second book in this series, but can be read as a stand-alone!
Thank you so much to Anastasjia White for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I hadn’t read the first book, and this is my first read by this author - but I’m happy to share that I loved this one! Admittedly, I was a little hesitant to trust Drake after his and Evangelina’s not so meet cute at the beginning of this book - but he redeemed himself so quickly, and honestly became an excellent book boyfriend in the process. This book is the perfect example of a friends to lovers, fake dating romance that blooms in the best way. These two are so natural with one another, and it’s such a lovely experience to see how their friendship grows, bonding over television they love and doing activities they love together.
You absolutely need to read this if you love the friends to lovers trope, as well as the fake dating trope. The spice in this book was fantastic too! It’s a well-paced burn that’s packed with the spice once we get to it! I’ll definitely read more books by this author, and I’m looking forward to her next release!
Thank you so much to Anastasjia White for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I hadn’t read the first book, and this is my first read by this author - but I’m happy to share that I loved this one! Admittedly, I was a little hesitant to trust Drake after his and Evangelina’s not so meet cute at the beginning of this book - but he redeemed himself so quickly, and honestly became an excellent book boyfriend in the process. This book is the perfect example of a friends to lovers, fake dating romance that blooms in the best way. These two are so natural with one another, and it’s such a lovely experience to see how their friendship grows, bonding over television they love and doing activities they love together.
You absolutely need to read this if you love the friends to lovers trope, as well as the fake dating trope. The spice in this book was fantastic too! It’s a well-paced burn that’s packed with the spice once we get to it! I’ll definitely read more books by this author, and I’m looking forward to her next release!
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