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The Chicago Falcons #1
Just One of the Boys
MP3 CD Format
Alice Bell has one to play for the elite junior hockey team the Chicago Falcons. But when she's passed over at tryouts for being a girl, she'll do anything to make her dream a reality . . . even disguising herself as her twin brother. With her amazing skills on the ice, Alice is sure she'll fit in easily. That is, until she starts falling for one of her teammates . . .
Hayden Tremblay, star of the Falcons, can't keep himself out of the penalty box. Constantly living in the shadow of his older brother, Hayden's losing his passion for hockey. But when he gets shown up on the ice by the Falcons' new rookie, Hayden's determined to teach the kid a thing or two. Little does he guess that "Al's" surprises on the ice are just the beginning . . .
Alice Bell has one to play for the elite junior hockey team the Chicago Falcons. But when she's passed over at tryouts for being a girl, she'll do anything to make her dream a reality . . . even disguising herself as her twin brother. With her amazing skills on the ice, Alice is sure she'll fit in easily. That is, until she starts falling for one of her teammates . . .
Hayden Tremblay, star of the Falcons, can't keep himself out of the penalty box. Constantly living in the shadow of his older brother, Hayden's losing his passion for hockey. But when he gets shown up on the ice by the Falcons' new rookie, Hayden's determined to teach the kid a thing or two. Little does he guess that "Al's" surprises on the ice are just the beginning . . .
1 pages, Audio CD
First published October 2, 2017
565 people are currently reading
16523 people want to read
About the author
Leah Rooper
5 books113 followersLeah and Kate Rooper are sisters who live on beautiful Vancouver Island, BC. Ever since they were little, they have loved playing make-believe. Now even as “grown-ups”, they play make-believe every day in the stories they write. When they’re not glued to their laptops, Leah and Kate are both studying Elementary School Education at university.
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March 11, 2018
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge 2018
Un libro con personajes que son gemelos.
Mi primer libro Young Adult del 2018.
Alguna vez han visto la película She’s the man, pues si les gusto, les recomiendo inmensamente que lean este libro, ya que prácticamente son la misma historia, solo que en vez de soccer aquí se habla de hockey.
No, no es una historia que nos presente algo nuevo, tiene muchos clichés, es predecible y arrastra varios huecos argumentales. Pero con todo y eso, LA VERDAD ES QUE A MI ME ENCANTO.
Por estas dos sencillas razones:
➦Vemos a adolescentes divirtiéndose.
En la actualidad tenemos a la gran mayoría de historias juveniles, dándonos historias super extra trágicas. Que, si bien reflejan a muchos adolescentes, la verdad es que no todo esta mal, estoy cansada de leer historias de adolescentes deprimidos. Ver una historia donde los protagonistas se diviertan, se apasionen por algo, se defiendan, enfrenten sus problemas sin ser tan extras, a mí me cayó como un vaso de agua fresca.
Por eso me entretuvo tanto este libro, porque me hizo sonreír y me recordó que no todo es tan malo haya afuera.
➦El segundo punto importante de la historia es, lo mucho que hablan de Hockey y Canadá. Sin duda se nota que la autora es canadiense, ya que refleja muy bien el humor y estereotipación que se nos da. Si nos gusta el putin, si estamos acostumbrados alf rio, y si en este momento estoy utilizando una blusa de franela. Es estereotipo, por supuesto, ¿resulta molesto? No, para nada.
Hay muchos libros que tienen como protagonistas a jugadores de hockey, pero en este libro realmente sentimos la pación de ambos protagonistas hacia este deporte. Los vemos hablar de él, de los equipos, de juagadas, de posiciones. Hay una escena que mas recuerdo, cuando quieren patinar en el patio trasero de la casa del protagonista, y como dice lo peligroso que es por que no es del todo plano, que eso solo se aprende cuando has patinado en una pista de hielo natural, que es totalmente diferente.
En conclusión: Por favor autores denos mas historias juveniles positivas. No todo tiene que ser extra trágico, a veces solo queremos suspirar, a veces solo queremos terminar un libro y sonreír.
Un libro con personajes que son gemelos.
"When my blades hit the ice, it’s like I can breathe, as if I’ve been drowning and finally coming up for air."
Mi primer libro Young Adult del 2018.
Alguna vez han visto la película She’s the man, pues si les gusto, les recomiendo inmensamente que lean este libro, ya que prácticamente son la misma historia, solo que en vez de soccer aquí se habla de hockey.
No, no es una historia que nos presente algo nuevo, tiene muchos clichés, es predecible y arrastra varios huecos argumentales. Pero con todo y eso, LA VERDAD ES QUE A MI ME ENCANTO.
Por estas dos sencillas razones:
➦Vemos a adolescentes divirtiéndose.
En la actualidad tenemos a la gran mayoría de historias juveniles, dándonos historias super extra trágicas. Que, si bien reflejan a muchos adolescentes, la verdad es que no todo esta mal, estoy cansada de leer historias de adolescentes deprimidos. Ver una historia donde los protagonistas se diviertan, se apasionen por algo, se defiendan, enfrenten sus problemas sin ser tan extras, a mí me cayó como un vaso de agua fresca.
Por eso me entretuvo tanto este libro, porque me hizo sonreír y me recordó que no todo es tan malo haya afuera.
➦El segundo punto importante de la historia es, lo mucho que hablan de Hockey y Canadá. Sin duda se nota que la autora es canadiense, ya que refleja muy bien el humor y estereotipación que se nos da. Si nos gusta el putin, si estamos acostumbrados alf rio, y si en este momento estoy utilizando una blusa de franela. Es estereotipo, por supuesto, ¿resulta molesto? No, para nada.
Hay muchos libros que tienen como protagonistas a jugadores de hockey, pero en este libro realmente sentimos la pación de ambos protagonistas hacia este deporte. Los vemos hablar de él, de los equipos, de juagadas, de posiciones. Hay una escena que mas recuerdo, cuando quieren patinar en el patio trasero de la casa del protagonista, y como dice lo peligroso que es por que no es del todo plano, que eso solo se aprende cuando has patinado en una pista de hielo natural, que es totalmente diferente.
En conclusión: Por favor autores denos mas historias juveniles positivas. No todo tiene que ser extra trágico, a veces solo queremos suspirar, a veces solo queremos terminar un libro y sonreír.
August 6, 2019
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
When I first heard about this book, I was immediately intrigued. Everything about the synopsis screamed it was a book for me, and I had quite the feeling that it would be very much like the movie, She's the Man, which is perfect. In Just One of the Boys, Alice has always wanted to be a hockey player. But, because she's a girl, she can't play with the boys. (sidenote: this really resonated with me, as I was told when I was 12 or 13 I couldn't play on the football team I was a part of any more, because I was a girl, and we had no girls teams in our area!). However, her cunning plan is to disguise herself as her twin brother, and don the persona of 'Al'. We get two PoVs in this book, and the second is from Hayden, who is the star player on the Falcons. He always gets compared to his older brother, and wants to do anything to get out from under his shadow. When the new rookie player, 'Al', rocks up, he takes him under his wing, and finds himself drawn to him, and 'Al's twin sister Alice when they meet too.
The chemistry between Alice and Hayden was unreal. Whenever they were together, the sparks literally flew, and I loved how open they could be with each other. Yes, there were obviously some tension and angst when Alice/Al was revealed, but other than that, there wasn't actually much drama in this book, which was nice. Hayden's PoV was wonderful too, and I loved his backstory about being treated differently because of his brother, and how he was finally getting his hockey mojo back throughout this book.
Another thing I really liked in this book was the friendship, especially between Alice and Madison, and Hayden, Daniel and Tyler - the others who I believe will have their own companion books! The friendships shown were all legit and real, and it made the book seem even more realistic, and improved the book! I loved this book, and the definitely comparison to She's the Man was apparent. If you love that movie, this is definitely a book for you!
When I first heard about this book, I was immediately intrigued. Everything about the synopsis screamed it was a book for me, and I had quite the feeling that it would be very much like the movie, She's the Man, which is perfect. In Just One of the Boys, Alice has always wanted to be a hockey player. But, because she's a girl, she can't play with the boys. (sidenote: this really resonated with me, as I was told when I was 12 or 13 I couldn't play on the football team I was a part of any more, because I was a girl, and we had no girls teams in our area!). However, her cunning plan is to disguise herself as her twin brother, and don the persona of 'Al'. We get two PoVs in this book, and the second is from Hayden, who is the star player on the Falcons. He always gets compared to his older brother, and wants to do anything to get out from under his shadow. When the new rookie player, 'Al', rocks up, he takes him under his wing, and finds himself drawn to him, and 'Al's twin sister Alice when they meet too.
The chemistry between Alice and Hayden was unreal. Whenever they were together, the sparks literally flew, and I loved how open they could be with each other. Yes, there were obviously some tension and angst when Alice/Al was revealed, but other than that, there wasn't actually much drama in this book, which was nice. Hayden's PoV was wonderful too, and I loved his backstory about being treated differently because of his brother, and how he was finally getting his hockey mojo back throughout this book.
Another thing I really liked in this book was the friendship, especially between Alice and Madison, and Hayden, Daniel and Tyler - the others who I believe will have their own companion books! The friendships shown were all legit and real, and it made the book seem even more realistic, and improved the book! I loved this book, and the definitely comparison to She's the Man was apparent. If you love that movie, this is definitely a book for you!
February 11, 2018
nope. nope. nope.
She's the Man Meet Go Figure /<-where the latter i liked much more.
fwi - there is drunkards and mention of sex (not explicit)
muchas cosas tontas, si la chica adora tanto el hockey, ¿por que no lucho porque el coach reconociera que fue ella quien gano el puesto y no el hermano?
sigue perpetuando la idea de no pensar como niña por hablar de sentimientos o siquiera el tener sentimientos.
me force a leerlo porque pense que seria mejor y para llenar el challenge de un libro con un deporte.
Hay cosas que a solo a Shakespeare podemos perdonar, como el de gemelos de distinto sexo pasando por identicos.
next!
She's the Man Meet Go Figure /<-where the latter i liked much more.
fwi - there is drunkards and mention of sex (not explicit)
muchas cosas tontas, si la chica adora tanto el hockey, ¿por que no lucho porque el coach reconociera que fue ella quien gano el puesto y no el hermano?
sigue perpetuando la idea de no pensar como niña por hablar de sentimientos o siquiera el tener sentimientos.
me force a leerlo porque pense que seria mejor y para llenar el challenge de un libro con un deporte.
Hay cosas que a solo a Shakespeare podemos perdonar, como el de gemelos de distinto sexo pasando por identicos.
next!
May 21, 2018
That was terribly cute and so adorable. Totally left me with a stupid smile on my face.
It was a little bit of this
And a little bit of this
And a bunch of this
Pro: A lot of She's the Man hijinks, and I loved it.
Pro: This was fun and fluffy and exactly what I wanted when I was reading it.
Pro: The friendship between Al and Hayden was one I really adored. It went from hate to a full blown bromance.
Pro: Christmas in Canada! The holidays with the Tremblay family was a special treat.
Con: Alice's boyfriend was just a horrible human being, and I did not like him very much.
Pro: Kevin, Hayden's big brother, was trying really hard to be there for Hayden, and there were some beautiful moments we were lucky enough to share with them.
Con: The characters were pretty self centered with a lot of flaws BUT
Pro: The characters experienced a lot of growth over the course of the book.
Pro: Hayden was quite wounded, but he had such a big heart under it all, and there were times when he was bearing his soul that got me a little misty.
Pro: Madison was a fantastic friend and support system for Alice, and I also found her quite fun and amusing. She definitely added to the story in a good way.
Pro: There was actually hockey in this book. Seriously, they spend time on the ice and everything.
Overall: An adorable and sweet romance packed with lots of laughs, where the hero and the heroine found themselves and each other.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
It was a little bit of this
And a little bit of this
And a bunch of this
Pro: A lot of She's the Man hijinks, and I loved it.
Pro: This was fun and fluffy and exactly what I wanted when I was reading it.
Pro: The friendship between Al and Hayden was one I really adored. It went from hate to a full blown bromance.
Pro: Christmas in Canada! The holidays with the Tremblay family was a special treat.
Con: Alice's boyfriend was just a horrible human being, and I did not like him very much.
Pro: Kevin, Hayden's big brother, was trying really hard to be there for Hayden, and there were some beautiful moments we were lucky enough to share with them.
Con: The characters were pretty self centered with a lot of flaws BUT
Pro: The characters experienced a lot of growth over the course of the book.
Pro: Hayden was quite wounded, but he had such a big heart under it all, and there were times when he was bearing his soul that got me a little misty.
Pro: Madison was a fantastic friend and support system for Alice, and I also found her quite fun and amusing. She definitely added to the story in a good way.
Pro: There was actually hockey in this book. Seriously, they spend time on the ice and everything.
Overall: An adorable and sweet romance packed with lots of laughs, where the hero and the heroine found themselves and each other.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
December 21, 2022
This was literally the hockey version of She’s The Man.
August 2, 2020
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read and review this cute debut novel by Leah and Kate Rooper. This completely brought me back to seeing Mulan when I was younger and watching her take on all those boys while in disguise!
Alice Bell lives and breathes hockey, and tries out for an elite team with her hair stuffed up in her helmet. When she makes the team, and the coach kicks her off in favor of her twin brother the moment he discovers she's really a girl, she's naturally steamed. Fortunately for Alice, circumstances work out where Xander, her twin, needs her to take his place for a bit.
I love the natural relationships Kate and Leah Rooper create between family members and the way they work out family conflict in a realistic way. Hayden, Alice's friend and eventual crush, doesn't open up to people easily, distances himself from those who love him rather than trying to work things out, and is generally a hothead. And Alice isn't perfect. She's very realistically written. Not always clued in to emotional nuance. Better at slapping things around with a hockey stick than asking her brother to talk.
Of course the big question is what happens when everyone discovers Alice is a girl? and it was fun seeing that play out. This is an awesome book for hockey enthusiasts!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Alice Bell lives and breathes hockey, and tries out for an elite team with her hair stuffed up in her helmet. When she makes the team, and the coach kicks her off in favor of her twin brother the moment he discovers she's really a girl, she's naturally steamed. Fortunately for Alice, circumstances work out where Xander, her twin, needs her to take his place for a bit.
I love the natural relationships Kate and Leah Rooper create between family members and the way they work out family conflict in a realistic way. Hayden, Alice's friend and eventual crush, doesn't open up to people easily, distances himself from those who love him rather than trying to work things out, and is generally a hothead. And Alice isn't perfect. She's very realistically written. Not always clued in to emotional nuance. Better at slapping things around with a hockey stick than asking her brother to talk.
Of course the big question is what happens when everyone discovers Alice is a girl? and it was fun seeing that play out. This is an awesome book for hockey enthusiasts!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
January 14, 2023
read this as an ebook on my phone so i really got the full wattpad experience
December 15, 2018
super cute.
Just One of the Boys was one of those YA books that seems like a movie or previous book that you've read/watched. In it, you will meet Alice Bell. Her whole world revolves around hockey and the day that she doesn't make a team because she's a girl.. was just the worst day ever. Her twin brother, Xander, makes it but ends up getting hurt. So, if you've ever seen the movie, She's the Man, this this book is exactly like that. However, the brother doesn't get hurt in that movie..
Anyhoo, she pretends to be her bother and starts to play for him. Of course, things start to go wrong. She's making him look better than ever but she's also starting to develop a crush on one of the players, aka Hayden. So, I was totally shipping them from the start. It was cute that they were developing a little "bromance" but how could he not tell that he was a she! It was driving me nuts!
After a horrific play during a game, Hayden finds out her dirty little secret. Sort of like when MULAN GOT HURT FROM THE HUNS! Again, so many movie references and I'm loving it. It's also probably why I flew through this book once I finally had time to dive into it.
..and now I really want to watch those two movies - idk why, but hey .. I just might do it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to dive into the next book - which I have!
Just One of the Boys was one of those YA books that seems like a movie or previous book that you've read/watched. In it, you will meet Alice Bell. Her whole world revolves around hockey and the day that she doesn't make a team because she's a girl.. was just the worst day ever. Her twin brother, Xander, makes it but ends up getting hurt. So, if you've ever seen the movie, She's the Man, this this book is exactly like that. However, the brother doesn't get hurt in that movie..
Anyhoo, she pretends to be her bother and starts to play for him. Of course, things start to go wrong. She's making him look better than ever but she's also starting to develop a crush on one of the players, aka Hayden. So, I was totally shipping them from the start. It was cute that they were developing a little "bromance" but how could he not tell that he was a she! It was driving me nuts!
After a horrific play during a game, Hayden finds out her dirty little secret. Sort of like when MULAN GOT HURT FROM THE HUNS! Again, so many movie references and I'm loving it. It's also probably why I flew through this book once I finally had time to dive into it.
..and now I really want to watch those two movies - idk why, but hey .. I just might do it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to dive into the next book - which I have!
April 3, 2024
Fun She’s the Man inspired hockey romance!
Some swearing throughout including f-bombs.
One make out and mention of playboys.
Enjoyed also because it was written by Canadians and the MMC was Canadian.
Probably wouldn’t recommend but don’t regret reading.
Some swearing throughout including f-bombs.
One make out and mention of playboys.
Enjoyed also because it was written by Canadians and the MMC was Canadian.
Probably wouldn’t recommend but don’t regret reading.
April 21, 2018
I like this "girl dresses as his brother for getting into a group" stories (and vice versa). Check out anime and k-dramas for it!
This book feels like a teen movie: cliche, predictable and with too many coincidences, but it is really fun is you overlook all that!
It was the type of book that I needed to read at the moment, light and heartwarming. The characters are kind of cute and not too complex, and it's great that the author decided to show that Alice, the MC, can play hockey with the guys and yet be a great figure skating too.
I was confused about all the hockey tecnicities though, but that's my fault since I've never watched a hockey play and I don't have a clue about what are the rules.
This book feels like a teen movie: cliche, predictable and with too many coincidences, but it is really fun is you overlook all that!
It was the type of book that I needed to read at the moment, light and heartwarming. The characters are kind of cute and not too complex, and it's great that the author decided to show that Alice, the MC, can play hockey with the guys and yet be a great figure skating too.
I was confused about all the hockey tecnicities though, but that's my fault since I've never watched a hockey play and I don't have a clue about what are the rules.
December 29, 2022
I saw this book being recommended on BookTok and it was compared to the movie 'She's the Man' which is an favourite of mine so I had to give it ago! I really wanted to enjoy it but it was extremely predictable and the writing wasn't great. It read like a Wattpad novel, which isn't bad at all, it just wasn't what I wanted. I was annoyed at multiple plot points, like how did no one remember Alice from try outs when she was teaching the boys how to figure skate and vice versa with them teaching the girls ice hockey? There was multiple scenarios like this which was extremely frustrating. To me, the story really lacked consistency throughout. If you're after a very quick and easy read where you don't need think or remember plot points, give it a go but I wouldn't bother otherwise.
September 26, 2017
5+ stars
Loved this book!
A hockey romance book that was actually about Ice hockey. Shocker! It just doesn't happen that often.
Alice loves, breathes and lives for hockey. Her family have just moved to a new town. Alice and her brother try out for the local team. Alice knows she can't play in the NHL. This is her last chance to live her dream. After some confusion, her brother makes the team even though she is the better player. Unfortunately for her brother, an injury stops him making his first practice. Alice steps in to take his place until he's better. Alice and Alexander are twins. Even though they are different sex people get them confused all the time. Their plan seems to be working. The only problem is her fellow teammate, Hayden.
Hayden has a chip on his shoulder and struggles to control his temper. He is good at hockey but can't seem to stay focused. The new rookie, Al rubs him the wrong way right from the start. I mean who does he think he is!
Can Hayden get over his issues and do what is best for the team? His new teammate may just be the key he has been looking for.
I loved this book. I loved the hockey. I loved the twin swap and I loved the romance. Alice and Hayden's relationship holds the awkwardness of She's the man and never been kissed. It's funny and heartwarming. 5 stars plus I couldn't give more praise to this book. It was spot on.
If you like sports romances you'll love this one!
*ARC received in exchange for a fair review*
Loved this book!
A hockey romance book that was actually about Ice hockey. Shocker! It just doesn't happen that often.
Alice loves, breathes and lives for hockey. Her family have just moved to a new town. Alice and her brother try out for the local team. Alice knows she can't play in the NHL. This is her last chance to live her dream. After some confusion, her brother makes the team even though she is the better player. Unfortunately for her brother, an injury stops him making his first practice. Alice steps in to take his place until he's better. Alice and Alexander are twins. Even though they are different sex people get them confused all the time. Their plan seems to be working. The only problem is her fellow teammate, Hayden.
Hayden has a chip on his shoulder and struggles to control his temper. He is good at hockey but can't seem to stay focused. The new rookie, Al rubs him the wrong way right from the start. I mean who does he think he is!
Can Hayden get over his issues and do what is best for the team? His new teammate may just be the key he has been looking for.
I loved this book. I loved the hockey. I loved the twin swap and I loved the romance. Alice and Hayden's relationship holds the awkwardness of She's the man and never been kissed. It's funny and heartwarming. 5 stars plus I couldn't give more praise to this book. It was spot on.
If you like sports romances you'll love this one!
*ARC received in exchange for a fair review*
March 14, 2023
This was just a dollar store version of She's the Man.
September 13, 2018
This was a little uneven for me. Both the lead characters were really unlikable for long stretches at a time. But then there would be chapters here and there where I really enjoyed them. The story is pretty much the hockey version of the She's the Man movie. I don't really have too much to say about this one. I read the second book before this book. I might give the third one a shot whenever it comes out.
July 23, 2023
this was so cute and enjoyable!! 💖
dnf
August 28, 2024This read like a poorly written wattpad book. I would have probably enjoyed this, had I been 12.
Dnf at 80%
Dnf at 80%
October 3, 2017
A special thank you goes out to Entangled Teen for allowing me to read this copy early! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
When I started this book, I thought it was going to be some cheesy little book about ice skating and hockey. How Alice and Hayden were going to fall in love and it'll be all rainbows and sunshines. But I was wrong and I have got to stop predicting books like that.
This was so much more than a love story. Alice was such a desperate character. She tried so hard to show us she was this happy go lucky girl that wouldn't let anything bother her. But she couldn't keep that up for long. I saw the sad little girl who replaced feelings with hockey. With hockey, Alice reasoned, she couldn't feel the feelings she didn't want to feel anymore. This book was more than her trying to accomplish her goal. Alice was trying to find herself and I loved that. I can appreciate a good story arc like that.
Hayden was a mess and a jerk. I did not like him at first. I wanted to actually punch him a few times. But then we got to know him better, as Alice did, and I realized he was a just a hurt boy who didn't know how to express himself. And my hate slowly thawed and I found myself actually looking forward to his POVs. He was actually a rational guy, which is something I can appreciate.
Overall, this was a good introduction to me to sports romance, a genre I don't normally read. I was able to keep up with all the hockey gargon, despite having never played. The hate to love trope was used, which is always a plus to me because that is my favorite trope ever. Really, this was just a good solid contemporary.
When I started this book, I thought it was going to be some cheesy little book about ice skating and hockey. How Alice and Hayden were going to fall in love and it'll be all rainbows and sunshines. But I was wrong and I have got to stop predicting books like that.
This was so much more than a love story. Alice was such a desperate character. She tried so hard to show us she was this happy go lucky girl that wouldn't let anything bother her. But she couldn't keep that up for long. I saw the sad little girl who replaced feelings with hockey. With hockey, Alice reasoned, she couldn't feel the feelings she didn't want to feel anymore. This book was more than her trying to accomplish her goal. Alice was trying to find herself and I loved that. I can appreciate a good story arc like that.
Hayden was a mess and a jerk. I did not like him at first. I wanted to actually punch him a few times. But then we got to know him better, as Alice did, and I realized he was a just a hurt boy who didn't know how to express himself. And my hate slowly thawed and I found myself actually looking forward to his POVs. He was actually a rational guy, which is something I can appreciate.
Overall, this was a good introduction to me to sports romance, a genre I don't normally read. I was able to keep up with all the hockey gargon, despite having never played. The hate to love trope was used, which is always a plus to me because that is my favorite trope ever. Really, this was just a good solid contemporary.
October 22, 2022
I was REALLY hoping to like this, but truthfully, I didn’t.
1) The characters are really lacking in substance. For starters, we have Alice who really wants to play hockey, but not women’s hockey. She also does figure skating but isn’t really into that either. That’s really it to her character design. Then she goes off and pretends to be her brother and plays hockey.
There wasn’t any real talk on gender in sports, which was very disappointing. There was some mention of Alice not knowing who she was anymore because of the gender swap, but it never went into detail. So much potential in this storyline but overall fell flat.
Then there’s Hayden, who just wants to fight and be captain. Also his parents passed away. Again, so much potential to build on this but never did. And then Xander? Yeah we get it, you don’t want anyone to know about you’re sexuality. But it just didn’t feel believable. We get maybe two pages of his character, then all of a sudden we get that reveal.
2) The b/romance? Al and Hayden were fun. Their friendship was believable. But Alice and Hayden? You’re telling me he says all of 2 sentences to her, kisses her when he’s drunk, and now he can’t stop thinking about her? Yeah right.
3) I think if we added a few more chapters dedicated to character development, then the story would work. It’s pretty short, which means we don’t really get to know anyone. It’s very much plot forward, but I think a romance should be a little more character heavy.
1) The characters are really lacking in substance. For starters, we have Alice who really wants to play hockey, but not women’s hockey. She also does figure skating but isn’t really into that either. That’s really it to her character design. Then she goes off and pretends to be her brother and plays hockey.
There wasn’t any real talk on gender in sports, which was very disappointing. There was some mention of Alice not knowing who she was anymore because of the gender swap, but it never went into detail. So much potential in this storyline but overall fell flat.
Then there’s Hayden, who just wants to fight and be captain. Also his parents passed away. Again, so much potential to build on this but never did. And then Xander? Yeah we get it, you don’t want anyone to know about you’re sexuality. But it just didn’t feel believable. We get maybe two pages of his character, then all of a sudden we get that reveal.
2) The b/romance? Al and Hayden were fun. Their friendship was believable. But Alice and Hayden? You’re telling me he says all of 2 sentences to her, kisses her when he’s drunk, and now he can’t stop thinking about her? Yeah right.
3) I think if we added a few more chapters dedicated to character development, then the story would work. It’s pretty short, which means we don’t really get to know anyone. It’s very much plot forward, but I think a romance should be a little more character heavy.
September 29, 2017
Holy shmokes, I want to hug this book.
It’s a modern retelling of Twelfth Night - with hockey. Alice Bell knows she’s good enough to play for the Chicago Falcons and there’s no rules against a girl playing - she’s checked. But when she takes off her helmet, her brother is given her place on the team. When she gets the chance to play in his place, she grabs it with both hands. She never expected to fall for the star player, troubled Hayden Trembley.
I loved the characters - they’re all flawed, all selfish in their own way, but this little deception gives them all the chance to learn and grow. Alice learns to embrace all of herself and to find a world that isn’t all about her and hockey; Hayden learns to let people (mostly Alice) in and that he is more than his perfect brother’s shadow.
There was a plot thread with Maddy that I would’ve liked to see a little more of - and Xander, for that matter, but maybe that’s set up for another book. I liked there was no ‘gay panic’ on Hayden’s part (the ‘oh noes, I think I’m in love with my best friend am I GAY?’) because his relationship with Al in his eyes was just a really good friendship.
The hockey metaphors were fun and totally appropriate and while I would love to read more, the book finished in a good place. Go Falcons!
I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a modern retelling of Twelfth Night - with hockey. Alice Bell knows she’s good enough to play for the Chicago Falcons and there’s no rules against a girl playing - she’s checked. But when she takes off her helmet, her brother is given her place on the team. When she gets the chance to play in his place, she grabs it with both hands. She never expected to fall for the star player, troubled Hayden Trembley.
I loved the characters - they’re all flawed, all selfish in their own way, but this little deception gives them all the chance to learn and grow. Alice learns to embrace all of herself and to find a world that isn’t all about her and hockey; Hayden learns to let people (mostly Alice) in and that he is more than his perfect brother’s shadow.
There was a plot thread with Maddy that I would’ve liked to see a little more of - and Xander, for that matter, but maybe that’s set up for another book. I liked there was no ‘gay panic’ on Hayden’s part (the ‘oh noes, I think I’m in love with my best friend am I GAY?’) because his relationship with Al in his eyes was just a really good friendship.
The hockey metaphors were fun and totally appropriate and while I would love to read more, the book finished in a good place. Go Falcons!
I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2022
3.75⭐️ rounded up. This book was a cute YA sports romance where they both play hockey.
January 3, 2021
3.1/5 ☆
So I impulsively read this lol. If you liked the movie She's the Man, then this book is definitely for you. In fact, I found it sometimes a bit too similar so I thought this book was kind of a rip-off? In this one, hockey is the main focus. While reading, I concluded that the author also had no idea how hockey worked. No talk about strategy or names, no names for each player and position. Idk I know nothing about hockey and I believe the author had no idea too.
Anyways, this was a kind of fun read. Not the best "disguise as a guy to be a part of something" book (yes, i've read multiple of those books to judge lol). It felt like reading a Wattpad book. So yeah.
So I impulsively read this lol. If you liked the movie She's the Man, then this book is definitely for you. In fact, I found it sometimes a bit too similar so I thought this book was kind of a rip-off? In this one, hockey is the main focus. While reading, I concluded that the author also had no idea how hockey worked. No talk about strategy or names, no names for each player and position. Idk I know nothing about hockey and I believe the author had no idea too.
Anyways, this was a kind of fun read. Not the best "disguise as a guy to be a part of something" book (yes, i've read multiple of those books to judge lol). It felt like reading a Wattpad book. So yeah.
December 21, 2024
they had more chemistry when he thought she was a guy.
June 19, 2023
an even 4⭐️?
it was actually surprisingly good
a hockey version of the movie She’s the Man
i was pleasantly surprised
it was actually surprisingly good
a hockey version of the movie She’s the Man
i was pleasantly surprised
October 6, 2017
First things first: I received this book through NetGalley.
This book was everything I wanted it to be!!!!
Summary: Alice Bell has one goal: to play for the elite junior hockey team the Chicago Falcons.But when she’s passed over at tryouts for being a girl, she’ll do anything to make her dream a reality...even disguising herself as her twin brother. With her amazing skills on the ice, Alice is sure she’ll fit in easily. That is, until she starts falling for one of her teammates...
Hayden Tremblay, star of the Falcons, can’t keep himself out of the penalty box. Constantly living in the shadow of his older brother, Hayden’s losing his passion for hockey. But when he gets shown up on the ice by the Falcons’ new rookie, Hayden’s determined to teach the kid a thing or two. Little does he guess that “Al’s” surprises on the ice are just the beginning...
The book sucked me in right from the stars. A kick ass girl, who outplays lots of dude on the ice during tryouts and makes the team. Only, that she takes of her helmet and people realize that she's a girl and not a dude. GASP!!!! SCANDAL!!!! A GIRL. ON THE ICE. PLAYING HOCKEY. WHAT?????? So, of course. The only logical thing to do as a coach that just welcomend her on the team, is to make her understand he made a mistake and actually meant her twin brother. Who, well...sucked during the tryouts. SHOCKING, a dude who played mediocre got the place instead of a girl who played amazing. I could go on and on about this but I will stop right here...
Back to the story. Xander, Alice's twin brother actually breaks his leg. And Alice is ready to take his place on the team, acting like she's him. YES PLEASE!!!!!
Twin story: check.
Giving me She's The Man feels: CHECK!!!!
I loved the main characters.
Alice, I loved Alice so much. I loved her as Alice, I loved her as Al. She was amazing.
Hayden. Let's be real about him for a second here, I didn't like this dude at all in the beginning. He was just a mean jerk, who I couldn't care less about. Towards the middle it changed. He got more backstory and NO, the tragic things in his past didn't excuse anything, but towards the middle, he became a actual human being for me that I cared for. He was still a jerk from time to time.
Loved the minor characters.
Xander. Man, I loved him in the beginning, hated him in the middle and loved him again in the end. There is a lot going on for him in the story, once again that's no excuse for how he handles some of the things, but still, towards the end he really stole my heart again.
Madison. She showed up and I loved her. She was super supportive, she was just such a great friend to Alice. Ugh. She was amazing.
I got annoyed with the characters a lot of times, they made terrible decisions, the said a lot of awful things to each other. BUT I LOVED THEM.
I loved the story. I loved the writing.
I highly recommend this book.
This book was everything I wanted it to be!!!!
Summary: Alice Bell has one goal: to play for the elite junior hockey team the Chicago Falcons.But when she’s passed over at tryouts for being a girl, she’ll do anything to make her dream a reality...even disguising herself as her twin brother. With her amazing skills on the ice, Alice is sure she’ll fit in easily. That is, until she starts falling for one of her teammates...
Hayden Tremblay, star of the Falcons, can’t keep himself out of the penalty box. Constantly living in the shadow of his older brother, Hayden’s losing his passion for hockey. But when he gets shown up on the ice by the Falcons’ new rookie, Hayden’s determined to teach the kid a thing or two. Little does he guess that “Al’s” surprises on the ice are just the beginning...
The book sucked me in right from the stars. A kick ass girl, who outplays lots of dude on the ice during tryouts and makes the team. Only, that she takes of her helmet and people realize that she's a girl and not a dude. GASP!!!! SCANDAL!!!! A GIRL. ON THE ICE. PLAYING HOCKEY. WHAT?????? So, of course. The only logical thing to do as a coach that just welcomend her on the team, is to make her understand he made a mistake and actually meant her twin brother. Who, well...sucked during the tryouts. SHOCKING, a dude who played mediocre got the place instead of a girl who played amazing. I could go on and on about this but I will stop right here...
Back to the story. Xander, Alice's twin brother actually breaks his leg. And Alice is ready to take his place on the team, acting like she's him. YES PLEASE!!!!!
Twin story: check.
Giving me She's The Man feels: CHECK!!!!
I loved the main characters.
Alice, I loved Alice so much. I loved her as Alice, I loved her as Al. She was amazing.
Hayden. Let's be real about him for a second here, I didn't like this dude at all in the beginning. He was just a mean jerk, who I couldn't care less about. Towards the middle it changed. He got more backstory and NO, the tragic things in his past didn't excuse anything, but towards the middle, he became a actual human being for me that I cared for. He was still a jerk from time to time.
Loved the minor characters.
Xander. Man, I loved him in the beginning, hated him in the middle and loved him again in the end. There is a lot going on for him in the story, once again that's no excuse for how he handles some of the things, but still, towards the end he really stole my heart again.
Madison. She showed up and I loved her. She was super supportive, she was just such a great friend to Alice. Ugh. She was amazing.
I got annoyed with the characters a lot of times, they made terrible decisions, the said a lot of awful things to each other. BUT I LOVED THEM.
I loved the story. I loved the writing.
I highly recommend this book.
September 23, 2017
3/5
* I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange from my honest review*
This book was alright. I honestly don't have much to say. The entire time reading the book felt familiar to be and that's because it was. It has a lot of the same elements from the movie she's the man. It was a quick easy read but unfortunately I just didn't really enjoy it. Nothing about it felt all that original which was awful because I really wanted to love this book.
* I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange from my honest review*
This book was alright. I honestly don't have much to say. The entire time reading the book felt familiar to be and that's because it was. It has a lot of the same elements from the movie she's the man. It was a quick easy read but unfortunately I just didn't really enjoy it. Nothing about it felt all that original which was awful because I really wanted to love this book.
October 3, 2017
This book was so fun! I got through it quickly. I'm a sucker for twin stories. I'm not a big hockey fan, but this book sucked me in and I felt as though I was Alice, getting my head into the game right with her.
It was fun to see how long it took for him to figure out she was actually a girl. I felt like that was a good move on the authors' part. Having her show up periodically as a smoking hot figure skater was a nice touch. I loved watching her teammates fawn over her. Hilarious!
I enjoyed watching Hayden's growth as he and Alice grew into best friends. I think my favorite part was the Christmas scene where she goes outside to sit and talk with him about his parents' death. I enjoyed watching the growth of the characters and they changed throughout this book. They had both been through so much pain and had both been burying it. For me, that was the heart of this book. I love it that I can read a book that's silly and fun and leaves me giggling but also deals with characters who have real issues they need to overcome. Every Entangled book I get my hands on seems to have this element of growth with their characters and that along with the fast pacing and fun storylines is what keeps me coming back to Entangled Crush.
It was fun to see how long it took for him to figure out she was actually a girl. I felt like that was a good move on the authors' part. Having her show up periodically as a smoking hot figure skater was a nice touch. I loved watching her teammates fawn over her. Hilarious!
I enjoyed watching Hayden's growth as he and Alice grew into best friends. I think my favorite part was the Christmas scene where she goes outside to sit and talk with him about his parents' death. I enjoyed watching the growth of the characters and they changed throughout this book. They had both been through so much pain and had both been burying it. For me, that was the heart of this book. I love it that I can read a book that's silly and fun and leaves me giggling but also deals with characters who have real issues they need to overcome. Every Entangled book I get my hands on seems to have this element of growth with their characters and that along with the fast pacing and fun storylines is what keeps me coming back to Entangled Crush.
February 11, 2023
Some out of context notes from my listen:
- Toque slander
- F slur :/
- “I know you’re gay,”
- Chicago’s NHL Team
- Major pick me energy
- Not the iconic She’s The Man retelling I thought it would be. Amanda Bynes I’m so sorry.
- Toque slander
- F slur :/
- “I know you’re gay,”
- Chicago’s NHL Team
- Major pick me energy
- Not the iconic She’s The Man retelling I thought it would be. Amanda Bynes I’m so sorry.
December 30, 2022
Alice ♥ Hayden! I really enjoyed their story. It was somewhat sweet and cute to read! It had a feeling of deja vu, but at this point I've read way too many books. My only complain is that the ending felt rushed...
Read
September 22, 2017I tried to read this book, but the writing style was really difficult for me to get into. Every time I would read it, the style would throw me off an just made me uninterested in the book.
The plot sounded very interesting, but this was one that I just could not get into.
The plot sounded very interesting, but this was one that I just could not get into.
September 25, 2017
This book is 100% my guilty pleasure. I enjoyed every single thing about it, but I especially enjoyed the feminist inklings inside of it. Alice is one tough cookie and as someone who used to figure skate.. her abilities to both be graceful in figure skating and tough and agile on the hockey floor filled me with a huge load of feminist pride.
When I saw this book for the first time I knew I had to read it, because long ago I loved the movie Just One of The Guys and this book is very similar to that in the best of ways.
The romance in this book is also delightful in the best of ways. Alice and Hayden are each other’s balance and even though Hayden gets deceived into thinking Alice is Al, someone who is an amazing hockey player who becomes close friends with him as the story progresses, I ate up every moment they were together. I think most of all that friendship between Hayden and Al was the best part. Alice gets the chance to see Hayden’s many layers and gets to realize how much she enjoys every one of them.
Just One of The Boys is an adorkable novel that sings with a different kind of romance. It spreads the message that a girl can be whoever they wish to be and that love will follow when it is meant to.
When I saw this book for the first time I knew I had to read it, because long ago I loved the movie Just One of The Guys and this book is very similar to that in the best of ways.
The romance in this book is also delightful in the best of ways. Alice and Hayden are each other’s balance and even though Hayden gets deceived into thinking Alice is Al, someone who is an amazing hockey player who becomes close friends with him as the story progresses, I ate up every moment they were together. I think most of all that friendship between Hayden and Al was the best part. Alice gets the chance to see Hayden’s many layers and gets to realize how much she enjoys every one of them.
Just One of The Boys is an adorkable novel that sings with a different kind of romance. It spreads the message that a girl can be whoever they wish to be and that love will follow when it is meant to.
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