Tough Score

Hawkeyes Hockey #7

by Kenna King

I’ve only ever dreamed of accomplishing two things in my life: a long career in the NHL and a championship victory. My priority to bring home a Stanley Cup this season as the goalie for the Hawkeyes hockey team has been crystal clear—until her.

Keely Woods is everything I didn’t know I needed. She's kind, independent, and brave enough to leave everything she knows in Arizona to start fresh in Seattle. The only problem is that getting involved with her could mean a distraction. A distraction that I don't need if I want a win this season.

With her auburn hair and those mesmerizing green eyes, she’s a knockout, but that’s not what has my interest peaked. She’s smart and driven--a physical therapist with dreams of working for a pro sports team. And just as I try to convince myself that I can handle this distraction—fate takes an unexpected turn. A hit-and-run changes everything, and suddenly, I'm sidelined with a devastating injury that puts my season—and my future—at risk.

Now Keely is my therapist, and she’s as determined as I am to get me back on the ice. I should be focusing on my recovery, but with the Hawkeyes putting her up in my apartment building, I can't stop thinking about the gorgeous PT sleeping across the hall from me.

Just as I start to believe we might have a shot at something real, Keely tells me we can’t date—it would be inappropriate since I’m her patient. But something about the way she says it has me thinking it's more than just professional ethics.

That's when I meet Jack--the captain of the city league soccer team that she just joined and the guy who can't take his eyes off of her. They might have more in common than she and I do, and he doesn't have the misfortune of being her patient, but that doesn't mean I'll bow out so easily. Not when there's still that sparkle in her eyes whenever she looks at me.

Now, I’m not only fighting to get back on the ice but also for her heart. With every session bringing us closer and the more time we spend together, I realize that I’d do anything to win her over.

With the pressure of the championship looming and my heart on the line, will I let her walk out of my life for good? Or can I convince her that I’m worth the risk?

Am I willing to make the biggest save of a lifetime, both on and off the ice?

Genres: Hockey, Hockey Romance, Sports Romance, Romance, Sports, Contemporary, Forced Proximity

259 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2024

About the author

As an avid reader myself, and a Westcoast girl, I love two things: swoon-worthy pro athlete book boyfriends, and writing stories about them living in the beautiful Northwest where I'm blessed to call home.

I do my best work late at night after I’ve tucked in my three littles, and my hard-working husband.

Reviews

[Sammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

ugh

So I’ve loved every book of this series. However this felt more like a prelude into coach bed and Rowan. And the amount of typos made me want to scream.

[Sabrina Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so sad! I really love the rest of the books in this series but this one just felt SO rushed, the spelling/ grammatical errors make me want to throw my kindle across the room..
specifically changing from First Person to third person perspective randomly for one sentence then back again or the chapter being from Reeves perspective but one sentence randomly from Keely’s ? 🤯

The actual storyline was SO quick, no tension, no suspense ? It barely felt like they liked each other … the 2 smut scenes in this book were lacklustre

I really hope that the next two books are a significant improvement! And maybe get a new editor 😬

[Jaidyn Waters · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this book was definitely my least favorite book in the series but wasn’t necessarily bad. I’ll start with the good things and then get into the not so great things.

Overall this book was so cute. The whole girl-nursing-the-guy-back-to-health trope was adorable and the whole storyline of this book was great and I can tell the plot was thoroughly thought out. Keely and Reeve’s relationship was cute and I felt like they really got to know each other throughout the whole story.

And unfortunately…onto the bad stuff…

The insta-love in this book was DEFINITELY not for me. The fact that they met each other and maybe two hours later he was telling her there’s no one else he’d rather be at the hospital with, holding her hand while the doctor tells him his results, and saying he’d be lost without her was unpractical and made absolutely zero sense. I felt like this book was really rushed to the point where there were so many freaking spelling errors (bad thing #2) and made this book just feel like a filler book that had no point in being written. I absolutely loved books 1 through 5, but as soon as 6 and 7 were written I feel like even I as a reader felt like she was rushing through this series.

And on to bad thing number 2
The spelling errors and obvious grammar mistakes made this book a million times harder to read. And I would cut Kenna some slack if it were one or two errors throughout the story but there were like 20 from the beginning to the end of the book. And it wasn’t just simple thing that an editor could’ve missed, it was obvious things such as spelling mistakes, sentences that made zero sense, random spaces and things capitalized that shouldn’t have been, POV mistakes that made me question what point of view I was reading in, quotation marks at the start of a sentence but not at the end, and so many other things that made me want to knock my own teeth out. Like jeez can you get a new freaking editor????!?!

Generally, this book felt too fast paced and rushed for me to actually take the time to enjoy it. I can tell the plot was really thought-out but some parts were absolutely not necessary to the book at all. I love this series but idk if I even want to read the next few books if the grammar and plot is this not-enjoyable to read.

2/5: ⭐️
2/5:🌶️
0/5: Plot Twist

[Kylie Lanser · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Plot is good, if not even great! I only have issues with… did no one edit these books??? How am I catching so many errors in 1 read through of them?? How did editors, publishers, and others in the process not catch them?? Literally, at one point it switches mid chapter- mid paragraph even - from first person to third person narration for 1 sentence and then just casually switches back. It felt like an author note somehow got left in there… how does that happen??

[Sandrine Dupont · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please give this girl an editor

[the.belgian.bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 7 of the Hawkeyes Hockey series brings us Keely and Reeve—two sparks waiting to ignite. Their first meeting at Oakley’s hockey bar is electric, but fate takes a sharp turn when Reeve gets hit by a car. As he recovers, Keely becomes his personal PT, and resisting their chemistry becomes nearly impossible. Yet, Keely has her reasons for keeping her distance…
When another man starts vying for her attention, Reeve is determined to prove he's worth the risk. Fast-paced and fun, this book is an easy, feel-good read. I loved seeing all the couples from previous books and their close-knit friendships. Not the best book out there, but definitely one to enjoy and unwind with! 💛

[Julia Backus · Rating 3 out of 5]

So... here we are again... I have nothing to say for myself other than its entertaining. Is it far-fetched? Of course. Is it TOO easy to know their next move? Typically. Alas, here I am moving onto book 8 of 9... Leave me be.

[Ally · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a painful to read. Enjoyed the others in the series. Don’t know wtf happened here

[Lexi W · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many typos, how is this even getting published, my gosh, horrible

[Courtney Guest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series, and this is one of my favourite couples. MMC is a hard working, determined golden retriever type that falls hard for the MFC. The MFC is educated, independent and career driven. They have a fun playful banter that keeps you wanting to read right until the end.

It’s a true romance, sports theme, with a forced proximity trope.

I really wish the editing was better. All of the books upon a quick read through have some obvious grammar and spelling errors. Simple typos like a letter added at the end of a sentence could be spotted and corrected easily. It doesn’t affect the playfulness of the series or the ability to love the characters but it is something I notice in every book.

[Remi Jones]

I know this is hockey romance and I usually give latitudes but I just could not get over the details of the game that were wrong in this 😭 there’s only 3 on 3 in OT (regular season) and it’s sudden death. Truly if you’re going to describe the game get the details right or be vague.

[Lauren Flynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good spice

I dislike when love triangle shows up when one character is having sex with one of the triangle and act like it doesn't matter. Also, struggle with 'I have a secret' that will cause you distress but I won't tell you what it is because I know better. Ending/reconciliation was RUSHED. I mean she doesn't choose based on actual choice but partly because the other guy wouldn't date her....bs. this was a disappointment in terms to the rest of the series.

The spice was good though.

[Shannon Skidmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bleh. Least favorite in the series and also took me the longest to read. No spice and I didn’t like the boring story line

[kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rushed ending

I enjoyed the first few books in the series but this release and Lucky Score have both felt so rushed at the end with a ton of typos and not enough substance. It feels like both books were rushed and thrown out to release as like a “let’s hurry up and finish the last couple books in the series.” I enjoyed most of the book but I wish the latter half of the book didn’t feel so rushed to end. Like you’re telling me Reeve doesn’t speak to Keely directly after finding out about her family and waits til Thanksgiving to tell her he loved her in front of everyone? He loved her based on what? A connection? Sex? It just felt unbelievable.

[Natasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ehhh

2.5/3 ⭐️ I felt like we needed more. They were an instant love, which don’t get me wrong I don’t usually mind it but this just didn’t work. I have loved the Hawkeyes hockey series but this one was just not it. Felt very rushed. I did like the mmc and fmc as individuals and together, but just needed more.

[Christa Lemos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back with the Hawkeyes team and while this book doesn’t have as many errors as I remember previous books having, it’s oddly paced and also all Keely does is ice his knee lmao

[Josie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been reading this series for awhile nowand as the books come, I’ve just been noticing more and more editing errors?

Besides just grammatical errors, this one switched to third person and first person in the middle of a sentence like 5 times.

[Bella · Rating 2 out of 5]

i wouldn’t say this was bad, but kenna. get. a new. editor. the amount of typos and errors made me cry.

i could tell where she was going with the plot, but it just wasn’t good execution. there was no tension or literally ANYTHING.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

PT

I've loved the Hawkeyes family. I found it strange that there are almost no scenes where Keely and Reeve are working on his PT. I feel like that would have been a great way to show them growing closer together.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️ 3/5 🌶️ seeing the wags group grow by each book and seeing them jumping ahead and adding them to the wags before they even figure out their own feelings is hilarious. Seeing Reese and Keely go from PT -patient to best friends and then realizing/ admitting their feeling and breaking down the walls they had up at the same time was everything. Easy forced proximity, hockey romance.

[Ashlie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like this is a professional ethics violation

[Audrey Miklitsch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tough is an accurate description.

[Mayeli Alanis · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, really its a big no no. Im commenting with spoilers !


First of all, english is my second language and I could find all the grammar mistakes …
Then , they meet for like 30 minutes and then she goes to the hospital with him holding hands ..
Time passes and another maybe day or so and they are like , I need you and Im so emotionally attached to you and need to take care of you.
Maybe another day and they are in love and sparks fly… NO CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OR WHATSOEVER. NOOOOOONE!!!!
Ah also, love triangle??…
She sees the other love interest “the doctor” 2 times , goes to a game and the doctors friends are like” OMG WE HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM SO IN LOVE”….
They go in their first date, they talk about what Keely’s dad did , and in this first and only date , the doctor tells her “ this is more complicated for me than for you, but we have to breakup” …… seriously??

I dont know , I feel like I missed all the character development, the story , everything. I couldnt connect with the characters , we dont know them, it felt so empty.
I have really low standards for romance books, truly, bit this one is waaaaaay below my low standards. The previous books from the series were fun , but this one is awful 🫠🫠🫠

[Katherine Beers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know.

So I was scared to start this one, because it was billed as being a love triangle, and that’s usually a trope I dislike. Well, whoever decided that was the trope may not have read this one. This book has Keely and Reeve solidly in a “he falls first”/“workplace romance” and Jaxson is barely a feature and never beyond friendly.

I liked Keely and Reeve together, but it was weird to me that she viewed her dad’s misdeeds as being so important and then simultaneously hid it from everyone except Jaxson.

This book felt rushed, in a weird way, but like it dragged in others. Reeves PT really felt like it was missing from the book, which is crazy considering the book was all about his recovery. It was really never shown and only sometimes referenced. I wanted those special goalie quirks to be present, like him working on his reflexes incessantly even though he couldn’t do physical workouts.

At the end of the day, I really liked Reeve as a character and in a relationship. Keely was a bit more hit or miss for me, but overall I would say I enjoyed her.

[m2424 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think the author forgot Brent and Tessa were siblings because “not all of us spend our summers frolicking in aspen with our hot girlfriends” UH? That’s ur sister?

Anyways. The last 2 pages which is the epilogue by the way is when they got together. Oops spoiler! (Not putting this as a spoiler because u deserve to know)

I genuinely don’t think they had a connection period. I don’t even know what I just read because they barely spent time together. I don’t know what his pt was like because they never talked about it. The book was just useless information to set up coach bex and Rowan in book 9.

Also I am praying she got a new editor for her rookie series because how do u genuinely go from first to third person so many times.

[Alden Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hesitant to read this one because I don’t love, love triangle situations but I honestly ended up really enjoying it. The physical therapist angle with Keely and the mindset of Reeve to focus on his game were angles not surprising to me but also really beautiful for their story and how they weaved together. I did love how protected her from the start and how she could be there to help him get back in top shape. Her family history is definitely heartbreaking but I love how Reeve takes it head on while the doctor can’t deal. Maybe it’s understandable but either way, I really loved this book and found it super sweet!

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

KK has the potential to be a huge author. She just needs an editor! This wasn’t my favourite in the series - the instalove isn’t my favourite trope, and the whole thing felt rushed. However - the grammar, the spelling, and the sudden changing from first to third person is incredibly distracting and disappointing. This has been a common thread through the whole series. This is a big series and I’m willing to bet the rating on all the books would be 4.5 to 5 ⭐️ with some basic editing.

Kenna King - hit me up! I’d GLADLY edit the spelling and grammar in these books.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

disappointing

*spoilers
I binged most of this series. Loved them all. Each character lovable at least towards the end. But Keely was not great. She didn’t seem to like Reeve any more than the doctor until nearly the end and even then I’m not sure. Reeve was cute. The editing of this book was also rough. Wrong point of views, misspells, grammar, punctuation. Which all could be forgiven if the story was good. Up until the last two minutes it didn’t seem like the characters would even get together. Felt like we barely got to see the characters together.

[Deanna Sigai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute but also the female lead was annoying. The female character was so stuck to family past mistakes she was limiting herself in life. She wasn’t putting her happiness first. The male lead was just letting it happen until he found out the reason and he went to her to profess his love.

Very predictable story and where it leads. Their relationship building was cute as they didn’t really noticed that they had in common while she was his physical therapist. Her uncle knew before she did.

[Alexis Ruff · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Love Triangle

I did not enjoy this book nearly as much as the others in this series. I did not like some of the characters. There was almost no connection between the main characters. I still finished it since it wasn't a bad read- just not up to par.

The spice was really sparse in my opinion. This was a love triangle story (not my fav trope) so there was some tension that got in the way. If there is a book in the series I would skip if you needed to skip one, it would be this one

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐/🌶️🌶️