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Empire State Hockey #4
Dirty Play
Gwen
Wanna know what happens when two doctors meet and get married? What about when they get married to each other, and their jobs, then decide to have a kid? Me. I’m what happens. A nurse by the age of twenty-four working at my dream hospital, with the best friends I could ask for. But, at the end of the day, I still walk into an empty apartment. It’s what I grew up with, so I’ve learned how to live independently, almost to the point where I struggle letting people get too close. So, I just throw myself into my job in an attempt to fill the void of loneliness. But then I met Cade, my big, grumpy friend who’s slowly taken down my wall brick by brick, sneaking his way into the void.
Cade
Being arguably the best goalie in the NHL on a team full of some of my best friends should make me feel like I’m on top of the world, but it doesn’t. It’s been like this since I was seventeen, I figured out then that I was better off alone. Well, more so that everyone else around me was better off without me, so I pushed everyone away, keeping even my best friends at arms-length. My family has spent years trying to pull me back in, but it wasn’t until I met Gwen that I actually wanted to listen. But I’ve been known to break promises, and the one thing I’ve learned is that promises can change your life.
Especially pinky promises.
Wanna know what happens when two doctors meet and get married? What about when they get married to each other, and their jobs, then decide to have a kid? Me. I’m what happens. A nurse by the age of twenty-four working at my dream hospital, with the best friends I could ask for. But, at the end of the day, I still walk into an empty apartment. It’s what I grew up with, so I’ve learned how to live independently, almost to the point where I struggle letting people get too close. So, I just throw myself into my job in an attempt to fill the void of loneliness. But then I met Cade, my big, grumpy friend who’s slowly taken down my wall brick by brick, sneaking his way into the void.
Cade
Being arguably the best goalie in the NHL on a team full of some of my best friends should make me feel like I’m on top of the world, but it doesn’t. It’s been like this since I was seventeen, I figured out then that I was better off alone. Well, more so that everyone else around me was better off without me, so I pushed everyone away, keeping even my best friends at arms-length. My family has spent years trying to pull me back in, but it wasn’t until I met Gwen that I actually wanted to listen. But I’ve been known to break promises, and the one thing I’ve learned is that promises can change your life.
Especially pinky promises.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 11, 2024
142 people are currently reading
1313 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
June 21, 2024
please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: death of a sibling, depression, grief, pediatric ICU patients, pediatric kidney failure
Kinky Content: dirty talk, exhibitionism, fingering, hand necklaces, irrumatio, marking, mutual masturbation, nipple play, oral, praise, queening
standalone: book 4 of Empire State Hockey series
final thoughts: this book was so good, and the side characters were great- I can’t wait to read the rest of the series to see their journeys!
The banter, the nicknames, the push and pull, and the found family had me loving every turn of the page. The MMC Cade is a broody, broken goalie who is only soft for the FMC Gwen who is a pediatric ICU nurse who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.
The pacing was great, the storyline was intriguing, and the MCs were likable. I’ll definitely be reading more by Lexi James
read this book if you love
😬 angst
🫡 big MMC
🥵 dirty talk
🏝️ forced proximity
👨👩👧👦 found family
💞 friends-to-lovers
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
👦 she falls first, he falls harder
🤫 hidden secrets
🩹 hurt/comfort
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
🙏 praise
🚙 road trip
😂 romcom
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
🌍 world building
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: death of a sibling, depression, grief, pediatric ICU patients, pediatric kidney failure
Kinky Content: dirty talk, exhibitionism, fingering, hand necklaces, irrumatio, marking, mutual masturbation, nipple play, oral, praise, queening
standalone: book 4 of Empire State Hockey series
final thoughts: this book was so good, and the side characters were great- I can’t wait to read the rest of the series to see their journeys!
The banter, the nicknames, the push and pull, and the found family had me loving every turn of the page. The MMC Cade is a broody, broken goalie who is only soft for the FMC Gwen who is a pediatric ICU nurse who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.
The pacing was great, the storyline was intriguing, and the MCs were likable. I’ll definitely be reading more by Lexi James
read this book if you love
😬 angst
🫡 big MMC
🥵 dirty talk
🏝️ forced proximity
👨👩👧👦 found family
💞 friends-to-lovers
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
👦 she falls first, he falls harder
🤫 hidden secrets
🩹 hurt/comfort
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
🙏 praise
🚙 road trip
😂 romcom
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
🌍 world building
June 30, 2024
4.75 stars
Oh, my this book really grabbed my heart and punched it. Cade has my heart forever. Gwen is exactly who/what he needs and this book is not the light, fluffy, romcom spicy romance book I thought it was going to be. I mean, it is, but it's also so much more. I pinkie promise you'll love it so very much.
Beware to check the TW. Only ones that jumped out at me that could be triggering for some, sick children/cancer/health conditions (Gwen is a PICU nurse so there's talk about her patients), death of a child (not on page), and I'm sure there's others that just weren't as obvious to me as I don't have triggers.
-F2L
-Hockey goalie MMC
-PICU nurse FMC
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Broken MMC
-Childhood trauma
-The banter!!
-Dirty talk MMC
-Strong FMC (who likes to push boundaries)
-Touch her and die (but not really die cause he's a goalie and not mafia lol)
I love how Lexi kept Cade's secret even from the reader. Just divulging little snippets here and there. It's like we were uncovering Cade's onion layers along with Gwen. I haven't read books 1-3, but based on this line from the end ("I guess that's what happens when one sibling f*cks his sister's best friend and the other f*cks her brother's coach.") I'll be running out to get those books!
Had I read books 1-3 I can tell I would've loved this one just *that* much more because the other girls are in this so much with all their guys and while I didn't know know their story (yet) I was able to put it together and it didn't ruin this at all.
The only reason why this wasn't a 5-star book for me is because I wish we had a little more about Gwen's life growing up. She had an uneventful life with apathetic/busy parents and was an only child. I guess there's not much to really write about there, but even though this book was dual POV, I feel like it was all about Cade (which I 200% didn't mind because I adore him), so just learning more about Gwen would've been nice.
My heart aches for teen Cade and while I can see why he fell into the hole he did, I spent the entire book yelling at him (basically like every other character in the book) and hopes he sees one day that what didn't happen in the past was meant to be so he could be there for Kennedy. Life has a funny way of answering your prayers by not answering your prayers.
So many quotes highlighted!
Thank you, Lexie James and The Author Agency for the ARC.
Oh, my this book really grabbed my heart and punched it. Cade has my heart forever. Gwen is exactly who/what he needs and this book is not the light, fluffy, romcom spicy romance book I thought it was going to be. I mean, it is, but it's also so much more. I pinkie promise you'll love it so very much.
Beware to check the TW. Only ones that jumped out at me that could be triggering for some, sick children/cancer/health conditions (Gwen is a PICU nurse so there's talk about her patients), death of a child (not on page), and I'm sure there's others that just weren't as obvious to me as I don't have triggers.
-F2L
-Hockey goalie MMC
-PICU nurse FMC
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Broken MMC
-Childhood trauma
-The banter!!
-Dirty talk MMC
-Strong FMC (who likes to push boundaries)
-Touch her and die (but not really die cause he's a goalie and not mafia lol)
I love how Lexi kept Cade's secret even from the reader. Just divulging little snippets here and there. It's like we were uncovering Cade's onion layers along with Gwen. I haven't read books 1-3, but based on this line from the end ("I guess that's what happens when one sibling f*cks his sister's best friend and the other f*cks her brother's coach.") I'll be running out to get those books!
Had I read books 1-3 I can tell I would've loved this one just *that* much more because the other girls are in this so much with all their guys and while I didn't know know their story (yet) I was able to put it together and it didn't ruin this at all.
The only reason why this wasn't a 5-star book for me is because I wish we had a little more about Gwen's life growing up. She had an uneventful life with apathetic/busy parents and was an only child. I guess there's not much to really write about there, but even though this book was dual POV, I feel like it was all about Cade (which I 200% didn't mind because I adore him), so just learning more about Gwen would've been nice.
My heart aches for teen Cade and while I can see why he fell into the hole he did, I spent the entire book yelling at him (basically like every other character in the book) and hopes he sees one day that what didn't happen in the past was meant to be so he could be there for Kennedy. Life has a funny way of answering your prayers by not answering your prayers.
So many quotes highlighted!
Thank you, Lexie James and The Author Agency for the ARC.
June 17, 2024
Thank you to Lexi James and The Author Agency for allowing me to read this early. I have been in a hockey romance kick lately and this was definitely a perfect book to read.
This follows best friends Gwen and Cade. They have been friends through their friends for the last two years and it has never progressed to anything more but the feelings have always been there.
Gwen is a nurse in the PICU and Cade is a hockey goalie playing for the NHL. Cade goes through a very traumatic experience while he’s younger causing him to leave his hometown and go to New York to pursue his career of being in the NHL. He is running away from something that happened to him ten years ago and with that guilt he has pushed away a lot of people and hasn’t been able to form any relationships. He has always felt some way towards Gwen but he was scared to show it to her because he did not want to make any promises he couldn’t keep.
Gwen has a tough relationship with her parents with them being surgeons and not caring about her enough to ask how she is instead of only calling her when it’s convenient to them. Ever since meeting Cade they have been playing this game of cat and mouse where they are toeing between the line of friends and something more until the lines finally become blurred and they come to an agreement of being friends with benefits. That is when the lines really start to blur.
This was such a good read. Cade has really been going through so much and you see throughout the story how he slowly opens himself up and that’s majorly due to Gwen. It has gotten to a point for him that he couldn’t hold back his feelings and he will take her anyway he can until he can figure out what he wants.
I loved reading their story and seeing how they both helped each other grow as individuals and how they grew in their relationship. Now I definitely need to go back and read the previous ones because I read this in ONE SITTING. IT WAS UNPUTDOWNABLE AND SUPER BINGEABLE. There are 213 highlights…..yeah so good! Congrats Lexi and thank you again for allowing me to read this early.
Highlights:
Gwen looks happy right now—like, truly happy, and I wish I could freeze this memory, and keep it close to remind myself what pure happiness looks like. To remind myself I felt happy when I saw her this happy—because this is as close to joy as I’ve felt off the ice in a long time.
“You’re all I can think about, and I can’t fucking stand it. I can’t stand that I always want you around me, even when I know the one thing we need is distance.”
The more time I spend with Gwen, the more I realize just how much I shoved down. I never allowed myself to think about how deep my feelings for her went—something I’m now trying to uncover, and I know it’s worth it.
“Where’d that nickname come from? Why Tink?”
“….the more I watched the movie, the more I realized that Tink did have the kind of fierceness that I admired. Flash forward to meeting you. I immediately knew you were bold and feisty, and I liked it even when I fought it. The nickname Tink just sort of happened, it’s just funny that here we are, doing whatever this is, and you really might be the only woman who can put me in my place.”
Tropes:
🩵 Friends with Benefits
🩵 Black Cat FMC
🩵 Hockey Romance
🩵 Broken Boy
4.75 ☆ | 2🌶️
This follows best friends Gwen and Cade. They have been friends through their friends for the last two years and it has never progressed to anything more but the feelings have always been there.
Gwen is a nurse in the PICU and Cade is a hockey goalie playing for the NHL. Cade goes through a very traumatic experience while he’s younger causing him to leave his hometown and go to New York to pursue his career of being in the NHL. He is running away from something that happened to him ten years ago and with that guilt he has pushed away a lot of people and hasn’t been able to form any relationships. He has always felt some way towards Gwen but he was scared to show it to her because he did not want to make any promises he couldn’t keep.
Gwen has a tough relationship with her parents with them being surgeons and not caring about her enough to ask how she is instead of only calling her when it’s convenient to them. Ever since meeting Cade they have been playing this game of cat and mouse where they are toeing between the line of friends and something more until the lines finally become blurred and they come to an agreement of being friends with benefits. That is when the lines really start to blur.
This was such a good read. Cade has really been going through so much and you see throughout the story how he slowly opens himself up and that’s majorly due to Gwen. It has gotten to a point for him that he couldn’t hold back his feelings and he will take her anyway he can until he can figure out what he wants.
I loved reading their story and seeing how they both helped each other grow as individuals and how they grew in their relationship. Now I definitely need to go back and read the previous ones because I read this in ONE SITTING. IT WAS UNPUTDOWNABLE AND SUPER BINGEABLE. There are 213 highlights…..yeah so good! Congrats Lexi and thank you again for allowing me to read this early.
Highlights:
Gwen looks happy right now—like, truly happy, and I wish I could freeze this memory, and keep it close to remind myself what pure happiness looks like. To remind myself I felt happy when I saw her this happy—because this is as close to joy as I’ve felt off the ice in a long time.
“You’re all I can think about, and I can’t fucking stand it. I can’t stand that I always want you around me, even when I know the one thing we need is distance.”
The more time I spend with Gwen, the more I realize just how much I shoved down. I never allowed myself to think about how deep my feelings for her went—something I’m now trying to uncover, and I know it’s worth it.
“Where’d that nickname come from? Why Tink?”
“….the more I watched the movie, the more I realized that Tink did have the kind of fierceness that I admired. Flash forward to meeting you. I immediately knew you were bold and feisty, and I liked it even when I fought it. The nickname Tink just sort of happened, it’s just funny that here we are, doing whatever this is, and you really might be the only woman who can put me in my place.”
Tropes:
🩵 Friends with Benefits
🩵 Black Cat FMC
🩵 Hockey Romance
🩵 Broken Boy
4.75 ☆ | 2🌶️
July 8, 2024
This is my first book I've read by this author, and even though it's #4 in the series, I was easily able to read it as an interconnected standalone!
This book had so many swoony, spicy, sweet, and heartfelt moments. Lexi's writing is easy to follow and addicting. I read this book in about 4 hrs.
Blurb:
Gwen and Cade have been good friends for a few years. While Cade is one of the best goalies in the NHL, Gwen is excelling at her career as a PICU nurse in NYC. The two were first introduced by their group of friends, and have been close ever since. While Gwen is open with her flirtatiousness towards Cade, he swore to himself he would never let anything happen between the two of them. Cade has some past trauma that leaves him to believe he's undeserving of help, support, and love.
But his feelings for Gwen are getting harder to ignore as they spend more time together. What could possibly be the harm in spending one reckless night together?
This book had so many sweet moments! From Cade explaining why he calls Gwen "Tink," to his explanation of why the "pinky promise" is so important to him, we had a lot of swoon worthy dialogue.
We also had a good bit of spice mixed in there too, and I ate that up!
Sprinkle in some amazing banter, one sassy FMC, one grumpy MMC, and a solid group of friends, and you have this awesome book by Lexi!
Read if you like:
- friends to lovers
- sports romance (hockey)
- he has a nickname for her
- he has a tattoo for her
- broken boy
- spice
- HEA
This book had so many swoony, spicy, sweet, and heartfelt moments. Lexi's writing is easy to follow and addicting. I read this book in about 4 hrs.
Blurb:
Gwen and Cade have been good friends for a few years. While Cade is one of the best goalies in the NHL, Gwen is excelling at her career as a PICU nurse in NYC. The two were first introduced by their group of friends, and have been close ever since. While Gwen is open with her flirtatiousness towards Cade, he swore to himself he would never let anything happen between the two of them. Cade has some past trauma that leaves him to believe he's undeserving of help, support, and love.
But his feelings for Gwen are getting harder to ignore as they spend more time together. What could possibly be the harm in spending one reckless night together?
This book had so many sweet moments! From Cade explaining why he calls Gwen "Tink," to his explanation of why the "pinky promise" is so important to him, we had a lot of swoon worthy dialogue.
We also had a good bit of spice mixed in there too, and I ate that up!
Sprinkle in some amazing banter, one sassy FMC, one grumpy MMC, and a solid group of friends, and you have this awesome book by Lexi!
Read if you like:
- friends to lovers
- sports romance (hockey)
- he has a nickname for her
- he has a tattoo for her
- broken boy
- spice
- HEA
June 8, 2024
I was excited to read Cade and Gwen’s book seeing little flickers of them within the series had me giddy but I was slightly disappoint with the start of the book, i feel like we sent straight into it, I wish we would of got a bit more of how they met, the concert a little bit more of their build up. The rest of the book was great.
I LOVED watching Cade heal from his past truma throughout the book and see him starting to open up with Gwen, his character arc was Amazing and really showed the problems donors can have. I do feel like Gwen’s development was stunted slightly as it was very Cade heavy. All around was a solid 3 star book
I LOVED watching Cade heal from his past truma throughout the book and see him starting to open up with Gwen, his character arc was Amazing and really showed the problems donors can have. I do feel like Gwen’s development was stunted slightly as it was very Cade heavy. All around was a solid 3 star book
June 18, 2024
Book 4 in the Empire State hockey Series this time we get to meet Cade and Gwen.
Cade and Gwen are friends,both have feeling that are more than friends but both have issues so are hesitant to proceed it to anything more until one night there blow caution to wind this then send us into this fabulous with some heartbreaking moments.
Cade is everything I look forward to in a MMC he grumpy and has a side only allow to be seen when he trusts and loves, his story is quite emotional.
Gwen she is a strong independent women who has had to be as her parents are more interested in work but she has her girlfriends and Cade, how she is there for Cade is heart melting Loved how she is sassy but also loving.
We also have the bonus of the past characters and new ones the friendship Cade has with Harris i hope we get to see more of that in his book
I could go on and on but that would ruin the story for you.
For me it a 4 1/2 🌟 book so looking forward to reading Harris next
Thank you Lexi for the Arc copy
Cade and Gwen are friends,both have feeling that are more than friends but both have issues so are hesitant to proceed it to anything more until one night there blow caution to wind this then send us into this fabulous with some heartbreaking moments.
Cade is everything I look forward to in a MMC he grumpy and has a side only allow to be seen when he trusts and loves, his story is quite emotional.
Gwen she is a strong independent women who has had to be as her parents are more interested in work but she has her girlfriends and Cade, how she is there for Cade is heart melting Loved how she is sassy but also loving.
We also have the bonus of the past characters and new ones the friendship Cade has with Harris i hope we get to see more of that in his book
I could go on and on but that would ruin the story for you.
For me it a 4 1/2 🌟 book so looking forward to reading Harris next
Thank you Lexi for the Arc copy
June 28, 2024
WOWW Holy Cow this is absolutely my favorite book in this series. Cade and Gwen are literally everything to me.
Cade lost his sister at a young age and it changed him. Made him harder, more closed off, and frankly… just grouchy. He is the goalie for the NY Cyclones and is the grump of the friend group…unless Gwen is around. The tension that these two have is *chefs kiss*, she has always been attracted to him but he will not open up enough to her for them to move on those feelings. Until one night…. And then he leaves.
Listen throughout this whole story there was never a moment I wasn’t tearing up, giggling and kicking my feet, or swooning at these two. The plot of this story is literally everything to me ( I can’t say too much or else it will spoil it and we don’t do that around here LOL)
If you love grumpy, broody, hockey goalies. Cade Williams is the man.
This one comes out on 6/17 and you NEED this one your TBR
Tropes:
-NHL Goalie X Nurse
-friends to lovers
-heartbreaking past
-mini road trip
-he spoils her
5/5 stars
2.5/5 spice
Cade lost his sister at a young age and it changed him. Made him harder, more closed off, and frankly… just grouchy. He is the goalie for the NY Cyclones and is the grump of the friend group…unless Gwen is around. The tension that these two have is *chefs kiss*, she has always been attracted to him but he will not open up enough to her for them to move on those feelings. Until one night…. And then he leaves.
Listen throughout this whole story there was never a moment I wasn’t tearing up, giggling and kicking my feet, or swooning at these two. The plot of this story is literally everything to me ( I can’t say too much or else it will spoil it and we don’t do that around here LOL)
If you love grumpy, broody, hockey goalies. Cade Williams is the man.
This one comes out on 6/17 and you NEED this one your TBR
Tropes:
-NHL Goalie X Nurse
-friends to lovers
-heartbreaking past
-mini road trip
-he spoils her
5/5 stars
2.5/5 spice
June 18, 2024
This was my first book in this series by Lexi and now I need to go back and read the others books because I absolutely devoured this book and Cade and Gwens relationship.
We meet Cade in this book who is a Hockey player and best friends with our FMC Gwen. Cade has a past that has led his life to push everyone who cared about him away and keep them all at a arms length distance. If given the chance the people who love him would do anything for him but he can't bring himself to allow anyone in...that is until Gwen of course.
Gwen is a feisty, sassy and has her head on her shoulders FMC. She is a nurse in the ER and met Cade through her best friends and their significant others. Gwen has strong feelings for Cade and when one night that they give in she realizes it will be hard to go back as friends but when Cades sister comes in to town Gwens eyes are opened to why Cade is the way he is and Gwen wants nothing more than to push through his boundaries and she him that he is everything and worth love.
Cade and Gwens relationship is sweet and definitely Spicy! I love how Gwen pushes him in a way that opens him to "more" with her. Cade broke my heart for what he went through when he was younger and the weight that he carried on his shoulders. It made you understand him so much more and to want to see him get the love he deserves. Gwen and Cade were a great fit for each other and I loved the way they grew together and individually.
My only complaint is that I wanted more back story on their friendship since I didn't read the other books prior to this one.
Thank you to The Author Agency for the arc of this book.
We meet Cade in this book who is a Hockey player and best friends with our FMC Gwen. Cade has a past that has led his life to push everyone who cared about him away and keep them all at a arms length distance. If given the chance the people who love him would do anything for him but he can't bring himself to allow anyone in...that is until Gwen of course.
Gwen is a feisty, sassy and has her head on her shoulders FMC. She is a nurse in the ER and met Cade through her best friends and their significant others. Gwen has strong feelings for Cade and when one night that they give in she realizes it will be hard to go back as friends but when Cades sister comes in to town Gwens eyes are opened to why Cade is the way he is and Gwen wants nothing more than to push through his boundaries and she him that he is everything and worth love.
Cade and Gwens relationship is sweet and definitely Spicy! I love how Gwen pushes him in a way that opens him to "more" with her. Cade broke my heart for what he went through when he was younger and the weight that he carried on his shoulders. It made you understand him so much more and to want to see him get the love he deserves. Gwen and Cade were a great fit for each other and I loved the way they grew together and individually.
My only complaint is that I wanted more back story on their friendship since I didn't read the other books prior to this one.
Thank you to The Author Agency for the arc of this book.
June 17, 2024
ARC REVIEW!
Book Title: Dirty Play
Author: Lexi James
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Release Date: 17th of June OUT NOW!
Gifted by: The Author Agency
Cade has been through some shit, and it shows. Watching him open up and learn to let people in was wonderful.
Gwen is such a firecracker and Im here for it. She has no issues with standing up for herself except for when it comes to her parents (very relatable).
I loved reading Cade and Gwen’s story, watching their friendship blossom into more was lovely. The banter between these two was quite funny and had me giggling, as did the brattiness from Gwen. I absolutely loved how much they helped each other grow even if they didn’t realise it.
Also a little shout out for their friends, I love a good friend group and supporting characters.
I ate this book up, I found it hard for me to put it down. At first I was a little unsure but the more I read the more I got hooked to the characters and story.
I will definitely be going back and reading the other 3 in the series, and I cannot wait to read Harris’ story!
Book Title: Dirty Play
Author: Lexi James
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Release Date: 17th of June OUT NOW!
Gifted by: The Author Agency
Cade has been through some shit, and it shows. Watching him open up and learn to let people in was wonderful.
Gwen is such a firecracker and Im here for it. She has no issues with standing up for herself except for when it comes to her parents (very relatable).
I loved reading Cade and Gwen’s story, watching their friendship blossom into more was lovely. The banter between these two was quite funny and had me giggling, as did the brattiness from Gwen. I absolutely loved how much they helped each other grow even if they didn’t realise it.
Also a little shout out for their friends, I love a good friend group and supporting characters.
I ate this book up, I found it hard for me to put it down. At first I was a little unsure but the more I read the more I got hooked to the characters and story.
I will definitely be going back and reading the other 3 in the series, and I cannot wait to read Harris’ story!
June 22, 2024
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE : 🔥🔥🔥
Okay clearly I’ve been under a rock, because I absolutely waited too long to read Lexi and now I’m so mad at myself for not reading this series earlier!!
TROPES ⬇️
✨ Hockey Romance
✨ Friends to Lovers
✨ She Falls First/ He falls Harder
✨ Emotional Past
✨ Found Family
Gwen and Cade were so good! They’ve been friends for a while and even though Cade refuses to let himself get attached to someone because of emotional trauma, he can’t resist Gwen. After they’ve crossed the line, Cade has to learn how to move past his grief and let people in again, starting with the woman he’s falling for, Gwen.
I loved Gwen so much in this, their friend group is so fun and I loved getting her story. I also loved that her professions plays such a big role in this story for her and for Cade as he works on healing the scars from his past.
I love a broken boy hero and when Cade started opening up and letting Gwen in, my whole heart swelled! There was a great balance of heat, and emotion that I couldn’t put this one down! And I can’t wait to see what is coming next!
SPICE : 🔥🔥🔥
Okay clearly I’ve been under a rock, because I absolutely waited too long to read Lexi and now I’m so mad at myself for not reading this series earlier!!
TROPES ⬇️
✨ Hockey Romance
✨ Friends to Lovers
✨ She Falls First/ He falls Harder
✨ Emotional Past
✨ Found Family
Gwen and Cade were so good! They’ve been friends for a while and even though Cade refuses to let himself get attached to someone because of emotional trauma, he can’t resist Gwen. After they’ve crossed the line, Cade has to learn how to move past his grief and let people in again, starting with the woman he’s falling for, Gwen.
I loved Gwen so much in this, their friend group is so fun and I loved getting her story. I also loved that her professions plays such a big role in this story for her and for Cade as he works on healing the scars from his past.
I love a broken boy hero and when Cade started opening up and letting Gwen in, my whole heart swelled! There was a great balance of heat, and emotion that I couldn’t put this one down! And I can’t wait to see what is coming next!
June 17, 2024
Cade is everything!
Gwen is a PICU nurse who doesn’t have much of a social life, but she has the biggest crush on her best guy friend, who has put her in the “friend” zone.
Cade is the goalie for the Cyclones. He keeps everyone at arms length and doesn’t let his friends get too close to him because he feels that he doesn’t deserve to be cared for.
I loved these two characters! Gwen is the kind of woman who can take care of herself, but has needs that need to be taken care of. She doesn’t think that she will be able to date because of her super busy schedule, she barely has time to hangout with her friends. Cade always makes sure his friends are taken care of but won’t let anyone take care of him. He is avoiding his past and thinks he is doing the best for everyone.
The spice in this book is fire! Cade knows how to command a room!!! Gwen is feisty and bratty, hehe.
I really enjoyed this book!
Gwen is a PICU nurse who doesn’t have much of a social life, but she has the biggest crush on her best guy friend, who has put her in the “friend” zone.
Cade is the goalie for the Cyclones. He keeps everyone at arms length and doesn’t let his friends get too close to him because he feels that he doesn’t deserve to be cared for.
I loved these two characters! Gwen is the kind of woman who can take care of herself, but has needs that need to be taken care of. She doesn’t think that she will be able to date because of her super busy schedule, she barely has time to hangout with her friends. Cade always makes sure his friends are taken care of but won’t let anyone take care of him. He is avoiding his past and thinks he is doing the best for everyone.
The spice in this book is fire! Cade knows how to command a room!!! Gwen is feisty and bratty, hehe.
I really enjoyed this book!
June 18, 2024
I’ve been reading some great romances lately. And not just all smutty ones, either. “Dirty Play” by Lexi James had me in my feels with both characters, who seemed destined to be alone. Gwen, whose parents appeared to be more focused on their medical careers than their daughters, had a lonely upbringing. Cade is the NHL star who has pushed his own family away due to the guilt and narrative he has created over the years because of his sister.
“Dirty Play” was the kind of friends-to-lovers story that I enjoyed reading. It wasn’t too angsty. Gwen and Cade connected quite well. Their relationship didn’t seem immature, as I’ve read in other friends-to-lovers books. The spice was very good and included a crawl-to-me scene and other scenes that were equally, if not even hotter than that.
I read “Dirty Play” as a standalone and had no problem following it. I will try to go back and read the others.
“Dirty Play” was the kind of friends-to-lovers story that I enjoyed reading. It wasn’t too angsty. Gwen and Cade connected quite well. Their relationship didn’t seem immature, as I’ve read in other friends-to-lovers books. The spice was very good and included a crawl-to-me scene and other scenes that were equally, if not even hotter than that.
I read “Dirty Play” as a standalone and had no problem following it. I will try to go back and read the others.
June 8, 2024
‘Home is no longer a place. Home is a person.’
I think this is my favourite of Lexi’s books since Power Play!
Cade and Gwen’s friendship was lovely and their chemistry off the charts. I was a bit frustrated at Cade at times but he is fighting some pretty big internal battles which makes him struggle to give in to his feelings for Gwen.
I loved his growth and how he kind of came full circle, and how Gwen was there for him throughout. She is a really likeable character, and her girl gang who we already know are fantastic- I love their closeness and how they are always there for each other at the drop of a hat.
The epilogues were so good too, I love when you get to see a few years down the line with a couple.
I’m really looking forward to Harris’s book next, there’s definitely something going on with him!
Thank you to the author for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I think this is my favourite of Lexi’s books since Power Play!
Cade and Gwen’s friendship was lovely and their chemistry off the charts. I was a bit frustrated at Cade at times but he is fighting some pretty big internal battles which makes him struggle to give in to his feelings for Gwen.
I loved his growth and how he kind of came full circle, and how Gwen was there for him throughout. She is a really likeable character, and her girl gang who we already know are fantastic- I love their closeness and how they are always there for each other at the drop of a hat.
The epilogues were so good too, I love when you get to see a few years down the line with a couple.
I’m really looking forward to Harris’s book next, there’s definitely something going on with him!
Thank you to the author for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
July 4, 2024
Gwen and Cade were friends who both had deeper feelings for one another than friendship. In the beginning of the book, the two had met because of mutual friends and have been friends for a few years. I didn't love how Cade harshly pushed Gwen away at one point or how he took so long to tell Gwen everything, but he wasn't ready to be vulnerable and had spent so long doing what he thought was best for everyone, so I understand it.
Once Gwen and Cade finally hashed things out, I did enjoy their relationship. There were some side characters and plots that I wished had a little more to them. I appreciated the long epilogue and glimpses into the future. All in all, it was a pleasant read.
Once Gwen and Cade finally hashed things out, I did enjoy their relationship. There were some side characters and plots that I wished had a little more to them. I appreciated the long epilogue and glimpses into the future. All in all, it was a pleasant read.
June 7, 2024
“she gives me strength and i’ll be her home.” brb while i cry😭 what a PERFECT way to describe cade & gwen’s relationship
i was so nervous i wasn’t gonna love this because blindside love wasn’t my favorite book in the world, but i enjoyed it & had a fun time reading!!! cade & gwen were both really good characters who deserved to be happy and i’m sooo glad they got that <333
thank you lexi for the arc!!
i was so nervous i wasn’t gonna love this because blindside love wasn’t my favorite book in the world, but i enjoyed it & had a fun time reading!!! cade & gwen were both really good characters who deserved to be happy and i’m sooo glad they got that <333
thank you lexi for the arc!!
June 14, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Friends to lovers
Friends with benefits
Hockey romance x nurse
Broken MMC
I absolutely started and finished this in one sitting!
I love nothing more than a broken MMC & this delivered!
I loved these characters so much and the development of their friendship to friends with benefits to more!
the storyline was done so well and I may have wanted to shed a tear or two!
CADE & GWEN ARE EVERYTHING 💗
&& Cades small acts of service like knowing her fav snacks, brining her lunch 🥹🥹🥹
Friends to lovers
Friends with benefits
Hockey romance x nurse
Broken MMC
I absolutely started and finished this in one sitting!
I love nothing more than a broken MMC & this delivered!
I loved these characters so much and the development of their friendship to friends with benefits to more!
the storyline was done so well and I may have wanted to shed a tear or two!
CADE & GWEN ARE EVERYTHING 💗
&& Cades small acts of service like knowing her fav snacks, brining her lunch 🥹🥹🥹
June 29, 2024
It was fun reading Cade and Gwen’s story.
They both came from difficult backgrounds, having cut themselves off from their own inner circle, kind of like two lone wolves. Somehow in that loneliness they find each other and watching them letting their guards down and getting closer to each other was amazing. I def recommend reading this book!
They both came from difficult backgrounds, having cut themselves off from their own inner circle, kind of like two lone wolves. Somehow in that loneliness they find each other and watching them letting their guards down and getting closer to each other was amazing. I def recommend reading this book!
June 4, 2024
This was a fun read! The troupes are Hockey romance friends with benefits broken boy public spice this is the 4th book in the series I believe you can read them as a standalone but if you read in order they make more sense! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
June 5, 2024
Gwen + Cade
-hockey romance
-friends to lovers
-grumpy/sunshine
the story was good & the tension was there but there could have been a little more angst added to it. especially with the tension between cade & his brother, i just expected more to happen there.
-hockey romance
-friends to lovers
-grumpy/sunshine
the story was good & the tension was there but there could have been a little more angst added to it. especially with the tension between cade & his brother, i just expected more to happen there.
June 11, 2024
This was the first book I've read by Lexi and I really enjoyed it. Was a quick and easy read. I loved seeing the friendship grow into more between Cade and Gwen. Loved seeing Cade heal from his past trauma and open up to Gwen.
He calls her Tink 🫠 and when we find out why that name is so special to him 🥹
"𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏."
He calls her Tink 🫠 and when we find out why that name is so special to him 🥹
"𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑯𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏."
July 24, 2024
~3.5
June 18, 2024
Cade and Gwen’s story is everything you didn’t know you needed. Cade is a broken boy and Gwen is as independent as they come.
Gwen was born an only child and her parents were married to their work. She has spent her life alone and she’s okay with that.
Enter Cade, the boy who’s suffered loss and feels like the loss is his fault.
While the two are best friends, they hold each other at arms length trying to protect themselves.
Cade and Gwen are the apitimy of friends to lovers and I am here for it. Their story is swoon worthy, but it also makes you feel all the feels.
My eyes rarley leak during a book, but this one got me a few times.
Whether you’ve read the whole series or are new to Lexi’s world, this book is a must read. While you don’t have to, I think this series is best read in order!
Gwen was born an only child and her parents were married to their work. She has spent her life alone and she’s okay with that.
Enter Cade, the boy who’s suffered loss and feels like the loss is his fault.
While the two are best friends, they hold each other at arms length trying to protect themselves.
Cade and Gwen are the apitimy of friends to lovers and I am here for it. Their story is swoon worthy, but it also makes you feel all the feels.
My eyes rarley leak during a book, but this one got me a few times.
Whether you’ve read the whole series or are new to Lexi’s world, this book is a must read. While you don’t have to, I think this series is best read in order!
June 17, 2024
Alpha Read
ARC Re-Read
Lexi can do no wrong in my eyes. This is one of my favorite hockey series and each one keeps getting better.
This story follows Cade and Gwen. Cade is the goalie of the NY Cyclones. He lost his sister at a young age and it changed him. Made him harder, more closed off, and such a grump.
Gwen is a nurse in the PICU. She has a tough relationship with her parents with them being surgeons and not caring about her enough to ask how she is instead of only calling her when it’s convenient to them.
Ever since these two met they have toed the line of friends and something more…until the lines become blurred when they agree to be friends with benefits.
AHHH!! THESE TWO!!! Cade was everything! I always love a grumpy MMC. I loved watching him heal through his past trauma with Gwen by his side. They were literally perfection and their chemistry was off the charts. And cannot forget the spice…Lexi always has the best spicy scenes…making me literally sweat while reading.
Thank you to Lexi and team for letting me alpha and arc read for you. I cannot wait to read what is next.
Overall: 5
Spice: 3.5
Tropes:
- Hockey Romance
- Friends with Benefits
- Black Cat FMC
- Broken Boy MMC
ARC Re-Read
Lexi can do no wrong in my eyes. This is one of my favorite hockey series and each one keeps getting better.
This story follows Cade and Gwen. Cade is the goalie of the NY Cyclones. He lost his sister at a young age and it changed him. Made him harder, more closed off, and such a grump.
Gwen is a nurse in the PICU. She has a tough relationship with her parents with them being surgeons and not caring about her enough to ask how she is instead of only calling her when it’s convenient to them.
Ever since these two met they have toed the line of friends and something more…until the lines become blurred when they agree to be friends with benefits.
AHHH!! THESE TWO!!! Cade was everything! I always love a grumpy MMC. I loved watching him heal through his past trauma with Gwen by his side. They were literally perfection and their chemistry was off the charts. And cannot forget the spice…Lexi always has the best spicy scenes…making me literally sweat while reading.
Thank you to Lexi and team for letting me alpha and arc read for you. I cannot wait to read what is next.
Overall: 5
Spice: 3.5
Tropes:
- Hockey Romance
- Friends with Benefits
- Black Cat FMC
- Broken Boy MMC
January 1, 2025
Beta read- Full RTC
Hockey romance
Black cat FMC X rottweiler MMC
Friends with Benefits
Broken Boy
Public spice
5⭐
2.5🌶️
This was a book I binged in less than 24 hours, and you need to add to your TBR
This book is hands down my absolute favorite in the Empire State series now. I loved both MCs in this book so incredibly much.
Cade lost his sister at a young age and since then he has been a changed person. Closed off. Harder. Grumpy. Like all the time. Always beating himself up and believing he doesn't deserve things to make him happy. The only time he isn't the grumpy man of the group is when his good friend Gwen is around.
Gwen is a strong independent woman who is a nurse , but has been raised by parents who put their medical careers first. So she leads the life believing she needs to keep aspiring for bigger and better things to get their love and attention.
They both have feelings towards being more than friends but have never acted on it. The sexual tension between these two is downright palpable. Until one night it happens but Cade panics afterwards & leaves.
I absolutely could not put this book down, I was giggling, one moment and tearing up the next, so be prepared with tissues.
Hockey romance
Black cat FMC X rottweiler MMC
Friends with Benefits
Broken Boy
Public spice
5⭐
2.5🌶️
This was a book I binged in less than 24 hours, and you need to add to your TBR
This book is hands down my absolute favorite in the Empire State series now. I loved both MCs in this book so incredibly much.
Cade lost his sister at a young age and since then he has been a changed person. Closed off. Harder. Grumpy. Like all the time. Always beating himself up and believing he doesn't deserve things to make him happy. The only time he isn't the grumpy man of the group is when his good friend Gwen is around.
Gwen is a strong independent woman who is a nurse , but has been raised by parents who put their medical careers first. So she leads the life believing she needs to keep aspiring for bigger and better things to get their love and attention.
They both have feelings towards being more than friends but have never acted on it. The sexual tension between these two is downright palpable. Until one night it happens but Cade panics afterwards & leaves.
I absolutely could not put this book down, I was giggling, one moment and tearing up the next, so be prepared with tissues.
June 28, 2024
She gave me strength and I'll be her home"
Book- Dirty Play
Author- @lexijameswrites
Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 /5
Spice- 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️.5 /5
First thing first.. TINK.. I am in love with this. Mrs. Williams.. AHHHHHH 🤯🤯
Cade is a perfect man. He is grumpy but once he trusts you and loves you then you will see his side which is hidden deep beneath in his heart.❤️❤️
Gwen is an independent woman. She is lit af. She loves to be there for everyone but she also needs someone to lean on.😄😄
Cade and Gwen wrapped through an emotional story. I loved how beautifully the author has written the healing journey of Cade, how he came out of the state of grief and emotional trauma.💐💐
And o my god, the way spicy scenes are incorporated. I love Cade's mouth and he has ways with words.🥵🥵
"Then be a good girl and come for me- I want my hand soaked with your c*m. Only then you will get my c**k" 🥵
"Crawl to me, Tink"🥵🥵
I was bamboozled. 🤯🤯
It is a great journey from Friends to lovers.
Cade was a great man who loves to show his care with small acts of services like remembering her favorite snacks, her sweet nickname (Tink), and finally going back home to patch the relationship with his family, with Gwen by his side.❤️❤️
I loved this book. Dirty Play is the 4th book in the Empire State Hockey Series
Book- Dirty Play
Author- @lexijameswrites
Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 /5
Spice- 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️.5 /5
First thing first.. TINK.. I am in love with this. Mrs. Williams.. AHHHHHH 🤯🤯
Cade is a perfect man. He is grumpy but once he trusts you and loves you then you will see his side which is hidden deep beneath in his heart.❤️❤️
Gwen is an independent woman. She is lit af. She loves to be there for everyone but she also needs someone to lean on.😄😄
Cade and Gwen wrapped through an emotional story. I loved how beautifully the author has written the healing journey of Cade, how he came out of the state of grief and emotional trauma.💐💐
And o my god, the way spicy scenes are incorporated. I love Cade's mouth and he has ways with words.🥵🥵
"Then be a good girl and come for me- I want my hand soaked with your c*m. Only then you will get my c**k" 🥵
"Crawl to me, Tink"🥵🥵
I was bamboozled. 🤯🤯
It is a great journey from Friends to lovers.
Cade was a great man who loves to show his care with small acts of services like remembering her favorite snacks, her sweet nickname (Tink), and finally going back home to patch the relationship with his family, with Gwen by his side.❤️❤️
I loved this book. Dirty Play is the 4th book in the Empire State Hockey Series
February 7, 2025
Gwen and Kate have been friends for the last two years. Cade will only open up to Gwen, but is still very reserved. Gwen recognizes the pain in his eyes and knows that he has secrets, but has never pushed him. She has, however, pushed to be more than friends, but on several occasions, he has drawn the line saying that he wouldn’t kiss her and that they would only ever just be friends. However, all of their friends are constantly saying how much time they spend together and how he looks at her differently. One night when they are out celebrating Ellie‘s birthday cade gets jealous and finally makes his move only to go home and sleep with her. While she’s in the bathroom cleaning up, he begins freaking out and then tells her that it was a mistake and leaves which hurts Gwen because she made it clear to him several times to make sure that this was the choice he wanted. They stay away from each other until one night. He finds out that Gwen walks home from the hospital by herself at midnight so he takes it upon himself to be there every night to walk her home since he is in his off-season of hockey. Cade finds out that one of Gwen‘s patients is currently on the kidney transplant list and he gets tested and is a perfect match. He ends up sleeping with Gwen again the night before the surgery and then right as he supposed to go into surgery he tells her that he is the match and she is upset but realizes that there’s something more going on so she lets it go. Gwen takes care of cade During his recovery and he asks her to take two weeks off to go visit his family that he hasn’t visited in 10 years since his sister Veronica died because her kidneys were failing and he was supposed to give her his kidney but got into a snowboarding accident that led to him having surgery and then she became too weak for the surgery and then ended up dying. Gwen agrees to go on the trip and it takes their relationship to the next level while also revealing to her what has happened because his family confronts him for leaving for 10 years and not having communication with them. They also revealed to him that she did not die from the kidney Failing, but that she died from a stroke. Kate is able to make amends and him and Gwen move in together and then six months later get married at his family’s farm and then a year later they win the Stanley Cup and announce their pregnancy and nine months later they have a little girl named Scarlet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2024
Cade is arguably one of the best goalies in the NHL, he is Gwen's big grumpy friend. Gwen is sassy , independent and hyper focused on her career and doesn't feel like there is room in her life for a relationship. Both feel like they are better off alone where they'll never letting anyone down, never disappoint them. Thats why they can only be friends... even when they both want more.
Turning to look him in the eye, not wanting him to misinterpret my words. "I'm respectfully asking you to disrespect the fuck out of me".
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dirty Play is the 4th book in the Empire State Hockey Series. I quickly devoured the first three books in the series and could not wait for the fourth.
There were definitely heavier moments in this book than there were in previous books. A lot of pressure and stress was placed on Cade at a young age, and when he lost his little sister when he was only 17, he wasn't given the support he needed and suffered seriously with PTSD. Gwen, one of his best friends is the only one who is able to help pull him out of this, to show him that he is lovable, people do care for him, and he doesn't have to shut himself off from the world and possibilities around him in order to protect people from himself.
Gwen and Cade have always been attracted to each other, and there is a delicious tension between them until they explode. Cade was great with his small acts of showing Gwen he cares, remembering her favorite snacks, her sweet nickname (Tink), bringing her lunch, and finally going home to mend the relationship with his family, with Gwen by his side.
I will admit, there were times during the beginning of the book where I felt like I was missing something, like I didn't pay enough attention to these characters when they were introduced in the other books, and I was supposed to already know their back grounds. I'm sure this was my fault, but I did have a harder time connecting to Cade and Gwen in a way that I didn't with the rest of the series.
"I've never been like this before. Never wanted to leave my mark on a woman. But with Gwen, I want her to remember it was me who made her feel like this. Because I'm pretty sure after tonight, she's going to leave her mark on my heart."
Turning to look him in the eye, not wanting him to misinterpret my words. "I'm respectfully asking you to disrespect the fuck out of me".
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dirty Play is the 4th book in the Empire State Hockey Series. I quickly devoured the first three books in the series and could not wait for the fourth.
There were definitely heavier moments in this book than there were in previous books. A lot of pressure and stress was placed on Cade at a young age, and when he lost his little sister when he was only 17, he wasn't given the support he needed and suffered seriously with PTSD. Gwen, one of his best friends is the only one who is able to help pull him out of this, to show him that he is lovable, people do care for him, and he doesn't have to shut himself off from the world and possibilities around him in order to protect people from himself.
Gwen and Cade have always been attracted to each other, and there is a delicious tension between them until they explode. Cade was great with his small acts of showing Gwen he cares, remembering her favorite snacks, her sweet nickname (Tink), bringing her lunch, and finally going home to mend the relationship with his family, with Gwen by his side.
I will admit, there were times during the beginning of the book where I felt like I was missing something, like I didn't pay enough attention to these characters when they were introduced in the other books, and I was supposed to already know their back grounds. I'm sure this was my fault, but I did have a harder time connecting to Cade and Gwen in a way that I didn't with the rest of the series.
"I've never been like this before. Never wanted to leave my mark on a woman. But with Gwen, I want her to remember it was me who made her feel like this. Because I'm pretty sure after tonight, she's going to leave her mark on my heart."
June 20, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Loved this friends to lovers hockey romance!
Cade and Gwen have been best friends for the past couple of years and never progressed to more because Cade didn’t want to ruin their friendship.
After a night out with their friends things get heated between Gwen and Cade and they have a one night stand. Cade does not react well and ends up ghosting Gwen. Cade realizes his mistake quickly but Gwen is not having it. Cade finally shows up at Gwen’s job and insists on walking her home since she is working the night shift and he does not want her walking alone. And that is the start of the turning point in their relationship.
They both have struggles from their past that they need to overcome so throughout the book it was great watching not only their romance develop but them overcoming their past traumas.
Cade’s past is explained in this book so we find out why he always kept Gwen at an arms length. Cade holds a lot of guilt for what happened and I really felt for him.
I loved the other characters in the book as well, including the parts with the friend group and the family that Gwen is a nurse for at the hospital. I loved how that story ended up intertwining with Cade’s story.
Cade and Gwen together were everything! They had amazing chemistry and I could not get enough of them! Even though at times Cade annoyed me he made up for it by remembering so many of Gwen’s favorite things, and was the best dirty talking, possessive MMC. I loved how Gwen had no problem putting him in his place.
🩵 Broken Boy
🏒 Hockey romance
🩵 Black cat FMC
🏒 Rottweiler MMC
🩵 Friends with benefits
Thank you to Lexi James and The Author Agency for the arc!
-`♡´-
"𝓢𝓾𝓬𝓱 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓮"
"𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝓇𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝒸𝓇𝒶𝓏𝓎, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔. 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓊𝓈, 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝐼 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝓉𝒽. 𝐿𝑜𝑜𝓀...𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐼'𝓂 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝓎 𝒾𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝐼'𝓂 𝒶 𝓈𝒽𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝓂𝒶𝓃. 𝒲𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝐼'𝓂 𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒. 𝐼 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒. 𝐼'𝓋𝑒 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝒢𝓌𝑒𝓃 𝑀𝓊𝓇𝓅𝒽𝓎, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼'𝓂 𝓉𝒾𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓉."
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Loved this friends to lovers hockey romance!
Cade and Gwen have been best friends for the past couple of years and never progressed to more because Cade didn’t want to ruin their friendship.
After a night out with their friends things get heated between Gwen and Cade and they have a one night stand. Cade does not react well and ends up ghosting Gwen. Cade realizes his mistake quickly but Gwen is not having it. Cade finally shows up at Gwen’s job and insists on walking her home since she is working the night shift and he does not want her walking alone. And that is the start of the turning point in their relationship.
They both have struggles from their past that they need to overcome so throughout the book it was great watching not only their romance develop but them overcoming their past traumas.
Cade’s past is explained in this book so we find out why he always kept Gwen at an arms length. Cade holds a lot of guilt for what happened and I really felt for him.
I loved the other characters in the book as well, including the parts with the friend group and the family that Gwen is a nurse for at the hospital. I loved how that story ended up intertwining with Cade’s story.
Cade and Gwen together were everything! They had amazing chemistry and I could not get enough of them! Even though at times Cade annoyed me he made up for it by remembering so many of Gwen’s favorite things, and was the best dirty talking, possessive MMC. I loved how Gwen had no problem putting him in his place.
🩵 Broken Boy
🏒 Hockey romance
🩵 Black cat FMC
🏒 Rottweiler MMC
🩵 Friends with benefits
Thank you to Lexi James and The Author Agency for the arc!
-`♡´-
"𝓢𝓾𝓬𝓱 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓮"
"𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝓇𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝒸𝓇𝒶𝓏𝓎, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔. 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓊𝓈, 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝐼 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝓉𝒽. 𝐿𝑜𝑜𝓀...𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐼'𝓂 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝓎 𝒾𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝐼'𝓂 𝒶 𝓈𝒽𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝓂𝒶𝓃. 𝒲𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝐼'𝓂 𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒. 𝐼 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒. 𝐼'𝓋𝑒 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊, 𝒢𝓌𝑒𝓃 𝑀𝓊𝓇𝓅𝒽𝓎, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼'𝓂 𝓉𝒾𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓉."
June 9, 2024
This was definitely one of the best hockey romances I have ever read! My 5 stars will never change for this book. I have loved Lexi since “Power Play.” Dirty Play got me out of a reading slump, and I can’t believe how wonderfully Lexi did. She truly outdid herself.
Gwen and Cade felt authentic, which made you want to keep reading and go on the journey of forgiveness and healing. What’s crazy is that I want to be like Gwen. Fierce and confident. I always mention that I want a man like the MMC, and I want to be like the FMC, a baddie. But something I thought more in-depth about was… I want to bring out all the best qualities in my partner that other people recognize. I don’t want to just be like an FMC who’s confident and knows what they want in life but also knows and fights to bring out the best in their partner. Lexi did an amazing job writing this, forcing me to change my perspective on life and the person I want to be.
The book has many delightful references that will make you laugh, especially if you're a millennial or early Gen Zer. It's a fun, relatable element that adds to the overall enjoyment of the story. Just be careful, though. 'Running Up That Hill might not be the best choice for the prologue soundtrack, as I learned the hard way with a surprise from Spotify last night!
The resolution, the internal conflict, and the plot were overall amazing. I enjoyed how it wasn’t just Gwen going through so many conflicts. Cade goes through something traumatic and has endured so much internal turmoil that Gwen supports him. Gwen also has some conflicts that Cade empowers her to face. The overall dynamic of the two characters makes you want to believe in love and want you to feel the same way Gwen and Cade do for each other.
Gwen and Cade felt authentic, which made you want to keep reading and go on the journey of forgiveness and healing. What’s crazy is that I want to be like Gwen. Fierce and confident. I always mention that I want a man like the MMC, and I want to be like the FMC, a baddie. But something I thought more in-depth about was… I want to bring out all the best qualities in my partner that other people recognize. I don’t want to just be like an FMC who’s confident and knows what they want in life but also knows and fights to bring out the best in their partner. Lexi did an amazing job writing this, forcing me to change my perspective on life and the person I want to be.
The book has many delightful references that will make you laugh, especially if you're a millennial or early Gen Zer. It's a fun, relatable element that adds to the overall enjoyment of the story. Just be careful, though. 'Running Up That Hill might not be the best choice for the prologue soundtrack, as I learned the hard way with a surprise from Spotify last night!
The resolution, the internal conflict, and the plot were overall amazing. I enjoyed how it wasn’t just Gwen going through so many conflicts. Cade goes through something traumatic and has endured so much internal turmoil that Gwen supports him. Gwen also has some conflicts that Cade empowers her to face. The overall dynamic of the two characters makes you want to believe in love and want you to feel the same way Gwen and Cade do for each other.
June 18, 2024
Tropes:
🏒 friends to lovers
🏒 black cat fmc
🏒 grumpy af mmc
🏒 friends with benefits
🏒 pining
🏒 broken boy
🏒 found family
Cade and Gwen have been dancing around each other since the night they met. They both have walls up, both scared to let another in, but their growing friendship threatens those walls. And the growing temptation, instant attraction, desire is threatening to bring the whole thing down.
When Cade finally snaps, Gwen is... optimistic that they might have something. But Cade's reaction right after - calling it a mistake and running - leaves her beyond frustrated.
Neither want to let themselves be vulnerable, but neither can stay away. They're drawn to each other, worming their way through those brick walls and forging a strong connection.
The Empire State Hockey series is seriously so good. Like its' predecessors, Dirty Play features incredible characters with strong sense of who they are, a great cast of secondary characters, and a world that I want to visit.
Cade, the poor broken boy, is the grumpiest in the best way. Underneath his bristly nature is actually the sweetest, kindest, and most thoughtful man letting guilt determine his life. I love how he looks out for Gwen, and just wants to be near her.
Gwen is freaking awesome. She's got parent issues (but lbr, who doesn't?), but has made her way in the world and found the thing she loves doing. She's caring, she's kind, she's nurturing - the perfect compliment to Cade.
Their development - both character and relationship - is amazingly written and leaves you satisfied. And the spice do be spicin' - whooooooo boy, the mouth on that man!
Thanks to @lexijameswrites and @theauthor.agency for the opportunity to receive an ARC and review early!
🏒 friends to lovers
🏒 black cat fmc
🏒 grumpy af mmc
🏒 friends with benefits
🏒 pining
🏒 broken boy
🏒 found family
Cade and Gwen have been dancing around each other since the night they met. They both have walls up, both scared to let another in, but their growing friendship threatens those walls. And the growing temptation, instant attraction, desire is threatening to bring the whole thing down.
When Cade finally snaps, Gwen is... optimistic that they might have something. But Cade's reaction right after - calling it a mistake and running - leaves her beyond frustrated.
Neither want to let themselves be vulnerable, but neither can stay away. They're drawn to each other, worming their way through those brick walls and forging a strong connection.
The Empire State Hockey series is seriously so good. Like its' predecessors, Dirty Play features incredible characters with strong sense of who they are, a great cast of secondary characters, and a world that I want to visit.
Cade, the poor broken boy, is the grumpiest in the best way. Underneath his bristly nature is actually the sweetest, kindest, and most thoughtful man letting guilt determine his life. I love how he looks out for Gwen, and just wants to be near her.
Gwen is freaking awesome. She's got parent issues (but lbr, who doesn't?), but has made her way in the world and found the thing she loves doing. She's caring, she's kind, she's nurturing - the perfect compliment to Cade.
Their development - both character and relationship - is amazingly written and leaves you satisfied. And the spice do be spicin' - whooooooo boy, the mouth on that man!
Thanks to @lexijameswrites and @theauthor.agency for the opportunity to receive an ARC and review early!
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