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Grand Marquee Manticores #1
The Love Penalty
It’s hard to be a woman in the NHL, especially in one of the most hated positions. Olivia’s dream is to be a referee, and to get there she’ll need to work hard, stay focused, and be free of any distractions, especially ones with blue eyes and easy smiles that won’t leave her alone.
This might be Robbie’s last season of professional hockey and he wants it to be his best one yet. He’s well liked amongst his teammates, crew, and officials, but there’s a new face among the crowd that he can’t forget about. Referee #13. She’s feisty and prickly and wants nothing to do with him. So naturally, Robbie is determined to befriend her.
When the line between friendship and love starts to blur, they both need to consider what giving in might mean for them. Will distance and work get in the way, or can they compromise and find a way to be together?
The Love Penalty is the first book in the Grand Marquee Manticores series of interconnected standalones.
This might be Robbie’s last season of professional hockey and he wants it to be his best one yet. He’s well liked amongst his teammates, crew, and officials, but there’s a new face among the crowd that he can’t forget about. Referee #13. She’s feisty and prickly and wants nothing to do with him. So naturally, Robbie is determined to befriend her.
When the line between friendship and love starts to blur, they both need to consider what giving in might mean for them. Will distance and work get in the way, or can they compromise and find a way to be together?
The Love Penalty is the first book in the Grand Marquee Manticores series of interconnected standalones.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 9, 2024
63 people are currently reading
460 people want to read
About the author
Stef C.R.
7 books72 followersProject leader by day, romance author by night, Stef C.R. lives in West Michigan with her husband and not one, not two, but three cats.
When she's not working or writing stories, she spends her time reading fantasy and romance, endlessly cheering on the Red Wings, Charles LeClerc, and listening to Noah Kahan.
When she's not working or writing stories, she spends her time reading fantasy and romance, endlessly cheering on the Red Wings, Charles LeClerc, and listening to Noah Kahan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 12, 2024
This book has reignited my desire to throw my TBR away and only read hockey romances. It was so good, fast paced, and emotional and I loved every second of it. I was laughing with the characters, I cried, and cannot wait to hype this book up everywhere.
As someone who has always had trouble making friends and is used to being alone, I loved the journey we went on with Olive. I could relate to her struggle of opening up and having that fear that everyone’s going to leave you once they get to know you. Seeing her open up and let all these people (and cats) in was beautiful and also getting to see her opening up through Robbies eyes was even better.
This book was basically everything I wanted in a romance book and more. The plot isn’t just the love story, it also follows Olive as she follows her dreams of coaching and hopefully moving up to the NHL and Robbie with his hockey games and thoughts of what his next step is. The characters have a depth to them that made the romance plot more enjoyable seeing the emotional connection with it.
Thank you to the author for an early read of this book. All thoughts are my own, I do not accept money for my book
As someone who has always had trouble making friends and is used to being alone, I loved the journey we went on with Olive. I could relate to her struggle of opening up and having that fear that everyone’s going to leave you once they get to know you. Seeing her open up and let all these people (and cats) in was beautiful and also getting to see her opening up through Robbies eyes was even better.
This book was basically everything I wanted in a romance book and more. The plot isn’t just the love story, it also follows Olive as she follows her dreams of coaching and hopefully moving up to the NHL and Robbie with his hockey games and thoughts of what his next step is. The characters have a depth to them that made the romance plot more enjoyable seeing the emotional connection with it.
Thank you to the author for an early read of this book. All thoughts are my own, I do not accept money for my book
June 12, 2024
Give me all of the hockey romances if they're going to be this fantastic!
I absolutely loved reading The Love Penalty! I feel like I learned more about the game of hockey in this book than any other hockey romance I've read before, which I loved! I loved Olivia and Robbie individually and even more together, they complement each other so well! I loved their banter and thought they had great chemistry! And let me tell you, the spice was so well done and very spicy 🔥 I loved seeing both Robbie and Olivia work on themselves throughout the story. I loved seeing Olivia pursue her dreams of refereeing and the way Robbie supported her. 💕
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely loved reading The Love Penalty! I feel like I learned more about the game of hockey in this book than any other hockey romance I've read before, which I loved! I loved Olivia and Robbie individually and even more together, they complement each other so well! I loved their banter and thought they had great chemistry! And let me tell you, the spice was so well done and very spicy 🔥 I loved seeing both Robbie and Olivia work on themselves throughout the story. I loved seeing Olivia pursue her dreams of refereeing and the way Robbie supported her. 💕
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
July 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this debut hockey romance!
September 23, 2024
4.5 stars
What a great debut book! And can we just talk about how we have a female referee in a male dominated field?! We love that! Plus she’s not afraid to put those boys in there place on the ice. The story was so cute. Watching Olivia and Robbie’s relationship grow. From her being so standoffish to accepting his friendship to watching their love grow. And can we talk about our history family?? How freaking cute!!!! I love how everyone in his life accepted Olivia into their family. We love a found family moment.
What a great debut book! And can we just talk about how we have a female referee in a male dominated field?! We love that! Plus she’s not afraid to put those boys in there place on the ice. The story was so cute. Watching Olivia and Robbie’s relationship grow. From her being so standoffish to accepting his friendship to watching their love grow. And can we talk about our history family?? How freaking cute!!!! I love how everyone in his life accepted Olivia into their family. We love a found family moment.
November 29, 2024
The Love Penalty
A Friends to Lovers Hockey Romance (Grand Marquee Manticores, Book 1)
By: Stef C.R.
Narrated by: Meghan Kelly
Sweet Perfection, With the Perfect Build to Heated Wow!
Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 11-28-24
Olivia is a mite bit prickly … actually, more than a bit, but does that deter Robbie from pursuing her? Noooo, not in the slightest! From their first meet, he KNOWS she’s the one for him, BUT getting HER to view him with something other than distain will take time, perseverance, and hot dayum, possibly a decree from a higher order! Once Robbie persuades Olivia to at least give friendship a try … can he completely win her over, or will the nefarious in their midst end their season prematurely by drawing “The Love Penalty”! I really enjoyed this one! This, THIS is the very definition of easy, breezy listening! If you’re not familiar with hockey, fear not, our author has that covered! The sporting detail provided is perfect, allowing the listener to become completely enmeshed in both the story, and the lives of these beautifully drawn characters! I really loved how the characters develop organically as the story plays out, allowing me to come to know them, and care for them as I would had I just met them in life! They all resonated as REAL. From the situations they found themselves in, to the words they spoke, this story felt REAL, and thanks to spectacular narration, this story sounded REAL! The voicing choices were fabulous, perfectly fitting the personality of each and every character! From fear to passion, laughter to anger, and everything in between, there was a ton of emotion in this one, and ALL of it was beautifully and consistently conveyed through STUNNINGLY accurate vocal intonations! I knew who was speaking, what they were feeling, their anxiety level, their mindset, everything! I could see it, I could FEEL it, from the first word to the last I loved it! “The Love Penalty” gets five fantastic stars across all categories!
A Friends to Lovers Hockey Romance (Grand Marquee Manticores, Book 1)
By: Stef C.R.
Narrated by: Meghan Kelly
Sweet Perfection, With the Perfect Build to Heated Wow!
Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 11-28-24
Olivia is a mite bit prickly … actually, more than a bit, but does that deter Robbie from pursuing her? Noooo, not in the slightest! From their first meet, he KNOWS she’s the one for him, BUT getting HER to view him with something other than distain will take time, perseverance, and hot dayum, possibly a decree from a higher order! Once Robbie persuades Olivia to at least give friendship a try … can he completely win her over, or will the nefarious in their midst end their season prematurely by drawing “The Love Penalty”! I really enjoyed this one! This, THIS is the very definition of easy, breezy listening! If you’re not familiar with hockey, fear not, our author has that covered! The sporting detail provided is perfect, allowing the listener to become completely enmeshed in both the story, and the lives of these beautifully drawn characters! I really loved how the characters develop organically as the story plays out, allowing me to come to know them, and care for them as I would had I just met them in life! They all resonated as REAL. From the situations they found themselves in, to the words they spoke, this story felt REAL, and thanks to spectacular narration, this story sounded REAL! The voicing choices were fabulous, perfectly fitting the personality of each and every character! From fear to passion, laughter to anger, and everything in between, there was a ton of emotion in this one, and ALL of it was beautifully and consistently conveyed through STUNNINGLY accurate vocal intonations! I knew who was speaking, what they were feeling, their anxiety level, their mindset, everything! I could see it, I could FEEL it, from the first word to the last I loved it! “The Love Penalty” gets five fantastic stars across all categories!
March 9, 2024
⭐️: 5 / 5
🌶️: 2 / 5
This book, OMG 😍
Stef C.R ate and left no crumbs with this book. This heartwarming ice hockey romance will melt any ice you have in your heart, and have you kicking your feet in the air, right from get go. You’ll find yourself devouring this book to get to know the headstrong Olivia and the charming Robbie, and you’ll be rooting for their successes.
Stef’s writing style is incredible! It will reel you in, and make you want to keep reading to figure out whether the two characters make it to the end, and to see whether both of the characters achieve their dreams. The descriptions of the characters and scenes, leave vivid imprints on you, as the book progresses and the character begin feeling like real people you would meet at a hockey game.
The romance in this book is to die for, Robbie is the dream book boyfriend - he’s encouraging, supportive, respectful, patient and full of love. Him and Olivia are the perfect couple. The romance will melt the ice in your heart and have you yearning for your own hockey boyfriend, like Robbie.
🌶️: 2 / 5
This book, OMG 😍
Stef C.R ate and left no crumbs with this book. This heartwarming ice hockey romance will melt any ice you have in your heart, and have you kicking your feet in the air, right from get go. You’ll find yourself devouring this book to get to know the headstrong Olivia and the charming Robbie, and you’ll be rooting for their successes.
Stef’s writing style is incredible! It will reel you in, and make you want to keep reading to figure out whether the two characters make it to the end, and to see whether both of the characters achieve their dreams. The descriptions of the characters and scenes, leave vivid imprints on you, as the book progresses and the character begin feeling like real people you would meet at a hockey game.
The romance in this book is to die for, Robbie is the dream book boyfriend - he’s encouraging, supportive, respectful, patient and full of love. Him and Olivia are the perfect couple. The romance will melt the ice in your heart and have you yearning for your own hockey boyfriend, like Robbie.
June 19, 2024
✨ARC Review✨
⭐⭐⭐⭐ for The Love Penalty by Stef. C. R.
What an absolute privilege it was to read this arc! Stef was kind enough to ask me to beta read this book back in February, and to now re-read it as an arc reader was such an amazing experience. 💜
Robbie, the cinnamon roll MMC of my dreams, what an absolute sweetheart of a man! I adore him, and while he may be sweet, he's got a spicy side to him I definitely enjoyed too!
Olivia was the perfect complement to Robbie, slightly grumpy, a people-pleaser at first but she works on it, and the depiction of their fight? Loved it. Healthy conflict resolution while not downplaying their feelings? We need more fights like these in books.
If you enjoy sports romance, specifically hockey, a swoony MMC and some spice, you'll enjoy this one!
Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ for The Love Penalty by Stef. C. R.
What an absolute privilege it was to read this arc! Stef was kind enough to ask me to beta read this book back in February, and to now re-read it as an arc reader was such an amazing experience. 💜
Robbie, the cinnamon roll MMC of my dreams, what an absolute sweetheart of a man! I adore him, and while he may be sweet, he's got a spicy side to him I definitely enjoyed too!
Olivia was the perfect complement to Robbie, slightly grumpy, a people-pleaser at first but she works on it, and the depiction of their fight? Loved it. Healthy conflict resolution while not downplaying their feelings? We need more fights like these in books.
If you enjoy sports romance, specifically hockey, a swoony MMC and some spice, you'll enjoy this one!
Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
May 6, 2024
4.5 stars! I absolutely DEVOURED this book! The banter between characters, the hockey, the ROMANCE? I swear these spicy scenes had me BLUSHING and kicking my feet giggling. The chemistry between the two main characters was off the charts, and their sweet slow build-up felt believable and romantic. If these two were my friends, I would be planning their wedding ASAP.
December 13, 2024
ALC review for The Love Penalty by Stef C.R.
Thanks to Stef and My Universe PR for the ALC opportunity!
Featured tropes: friends to lovers, found family, opposites attract, reverse grumpy/sunshine, workplace/forbidden romance (ish), he falls first
Trigger warnings: past reference to death of a parent (cancer), past reference to abandonment by parent, workplace injury/hospital visit
Review: 3.5/5
I don't have much of an intro here so let's just get into it!
Things I liked:
- I love me a good found family. Something about a character not having a support system and being on their own and then finding those people who love and cherish them as we read their story just makes me all warm and fuzzy. I enjoyed Olivia's journey to her found family.
- Robbie is a big ole golden retriever. Green flags all around.
- Along the found family line, I liked all the side characters that were introduced. There's a solid foundation laid for the future books (and I'm quite excited for a teammates to lovers MM story in book two!!)
Things I disliked or missed the mark:
- Everything was just so easy. There was very little conflict or angst in the plot. Not that I need my heart to be ripped out and stomped on but I think a little bit of conflict or angst can help heighten a story and make the reward that much sweeter but there's really none of that here. There's a small blip towards the end where a little tension runs through but, pretty quickly, everything falls in to place and gets tied up in a nice perfect bow. That's fine but a little more zhuzh would have spiced it up just a little more.
The narration:
- The narration didn't quite hit the mark for me. I would have preferred a dual or duet narration. Meghan Kelly did a fair job but I found it inconsistent. There were some parts where I felt like we were moving through molasses (even at 1.5x speed) and then, just a short bit later, I found myself considering turning the speed down because all of a sudden the speech was flying. I'm sure that it was an attempt to differentiate between characters but it only kind of worked. Honestly, I preferred the chapters from Robbie's POV because, for some reason, her voice for Robbie worked better for me than when she was speaking from Olivia's POV. The narration didn't hurt my opinion of the story but I don't know that I would listen to a solo narration again.
Overall, this was pretty middle-of-the-road for me. I didn't love it, didn't hate it but I will definitely be following this author and checking out the next book in this series.
Thanks to Stef and My Universe PR for the ALC opportunity!
Featured tropes: friends to lovers, found family, opposites attract, reverse grumpy/sunshine, workplace/forbidden romance (ish), he falls first
Trigger warnings: past reference to death of a parent (cancer), past reference to abandonment by parent, workplace injury/hospital visit
Review: 3.5/5
I don't have much of an intro here so let's just get into it!
Things I liked:
- I love me a good found family. Something about a character not having a support system and being on their own and then finding those people who love and cherish them as we read their story just makes me all warm and fuzzy. I enjoyed Olivia's journey to her found family.
- Robbie is a big ole golden retriever. Green flags all around.
- Along the found family line, I liked all the side characters that were introduced. There's a solid foundation laid for the future books (and I'm quite excited for a teammates to lovers MM story in book two!!)
Things I disliked or missed the mark:
- Everything was just so easy. There was very little conflict or angst in the plot. Not that I need my heart to be ripped out and stomped on but I think a little bit of conflict or angst can help heighten a story and make the reward that much sweeter but there's really none of that here. There's a small blip towards the end where a little tension runs through but, pretty quickly, everything falls in to place and gets tied up in a nice perfect bow. That's fine but a little more zhuzh would have spiced it up just a little more.
The narration:
- The narration didn't quite hit the mark for me. I would have preferred a dual or duet narration. Meghan Kelly did a fair job but I found it inconsistent. There were some parts where I felt like we were moving through molasses (even at 1.5x speed) and then, just a short bit later, I found myself considering turning the speed down because all of a sudden the speech was flying. I'm sure that it was an attempt to differentiate between characters but it only kind of worked. Honestly, I preferred the chapters from Robbie's POV because, for some reason, her voice for Robbie worked better for me than when she was speaking from Olivia's POV. The narration didn't hurt my opinion of the story but I don't know that I would listen to a solo narration again.
Overall, this was pretty middle-of-the-road for me. I didn't love it, didn't hate it but I will definitely be following this author and checking out the next book in this series.
January 2, 2026
Let me take a deep breath 1.5 stars
I wanted to like this book, but there were so many things that just pushed me the wrong way.
In general, the writing style is focused too much on telling and not showing—it reads a little clunky, and it makes the emotional scenes in this novel less impactful.
The pacing vs the romantic progress is also very strange to me. 2/3 of the way through nothing had happened and then the final 1/3 is just a sex extravaganza. I think this happens to a lot of authors and when the end goal is 300-350 pages, it just doesn’t have a fulfilling arc.
I don’t think the ethics conflict is pushed enough. There were moments for some really dramatic tension since she’s a ref and he’s a player and then there just…wasn’t anything. I understand wanting to resolve things and have a happy ending, but it just didn’t feel explored at all and that’s probably the main conflict readers are predicting.
I don’t know if the trope can be classed as enemies to lovers, it’s more friends to lovers. But either way, there is, like zero buildup to them interacting and then suddenly they’re friends. Like ok she’s refereeing the match and now they talk during it? It just feels a little unrealistic and yes I am all about suspending reality for a romance book, but even that had me scratching my head a little.
As for the characters, Robbie is a little…too perfect. I’ve seen this a lot with romance books lately where we’ve swung from super toxic men (which obviously we should not be glorifying) but then now we have these perfect men who are not realistic and it impacts the conflict and tension books can have. Olivia is meh. I think there could have been more digging into her backstory other than the surface level grief we see. She’s kind of giving Jughead — I’m DIFFERENT, I don’t want to fit in, I don’t have any friends. Maybe this is relatable to some people, but MCs with this vibe just irritate me 😭
I like that this is a series with interconnected standalones and I will be reading the others because the stories seem promising. I just hope the writing is a little bit better.
I wanted to like this book, but there were so many things that just pushed me the wrong way.
In general, the writing style is focused too much on telling and not showing—it reads a little clunky, and it makes the emotional scenes in this novel less impactful.
The pacing vs the romantic progress is also very strange to me. 2/3 of the way through nothing had happened and then the final 1/3 is just a sex extravaganza. I think this happens to a lot of authors and when the end goal is 300-350 pages, it just doesn’t have a fulfilling arc.
I don’t think the ethics conflict is pushed enough. There were moments for some really dramatic tension since she’s a ref and he’s a player and then there just…wasn’t anything. I understand wanting to resolve things and have a happy ending, but it just didn’t feel explored at all and that’s probably the main conflict readers are predicting.
I don’t know if the trope can be classed as enemies to lovers, it’s more friends to lovers. But either way, there is, like zero buildup to them interacting and then suddenly they’re friends. Like ok she’s refereeing the match and now they talk during it? It just feels a little unrealistic and yes I am all about suspending reality for a romance book, but even that had me scratching my head a little.
As for the characters, Robbie is a little…too perfect. I’ve seen this a lot with romance books lately where we’ve swung from super toxic men (which obviously we should not be glorifying) but then now we have these perfect men who are not realistic and it impacts the conflict and tension books can have. Olivia is meh. I think there could have been more digging into her backstory other than the surface level grief we see. She’s kind of giving Jughead — I’m DIFFERENT, I don’t want to fit in, I don’t have any friends. Maybe this is relatable to some people, but MCs with this vibe just irritate me 😭
I like that this is a series with interconnected standalones and I will be reading the others because the stories seem promising. I just hope the writing is a little bit better.
February 7, 2025
I’m a sucker for a good hockey romance & this was just that, a freakin good hockey romance 😍 I love when books have strong FMCs and this one ate. Olivia is a female ref in the hockey world & she did not hesitate to put all of them in their place 👏
Robbie was the ultimate green flag 🥹 I love that he tried so hard to just be friends with Olivia & when she finally gave in, he was such a goner. He was head over heels for her. He had me kicking my feet & BLUSHING. I loved his character.
I’m excited to read the next book in the series because I loved the side characters just as much as the main characters 😍
𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
“And I need to slow it down, because I just became her friend and the last thing I want is for her to run away if I tell her all my crazy thoughts about her.”
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲:
• Hockey Player & Ref
• Friends to Lovers
• He Falls First
• Found Family
🌶️🌶️.5
Robbie was the ultimate green flag 🥹 I love that he tried so hard to just be friends with Olivia & when she finally gave in, he was such a goner. He was head over heels for her. He had me kicking my feet & BLUSHING. I loved his character.
I’m excited to read the next book in the series because I loved the side characters just as much as the main characters 😍
𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:
“And I need to slow it down, because I just became her friend and the last thing I want is for her to run away if I tell her all my crazy thoughts about her.”
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲:
• Hockey Player & Ref
• Friends to Lovers
• He Falls First
• Found Family
🌶️🌶️.5
February 21, 2025
love love love! super cute, low stakes not too much drama but i was here for it. the development of their friendship first wasn’t rushed and i really loved them together. and not really any miscommunication which we love to see!! in fact a fight was depicted and showed extremely healthy communication to get through it, which i feel like a lot of books go for broke and make them extremely messy and have the characters have no idea how to navigate them so it was refreshing to see characters who recognized what was happening and talked through it. and girlboss being a ref is everything, we love to see women in sports 🕺🏼
also hella foreshadowing for the next 2 books/couples and i just know im gonna eat them up
also hella foreshadowing for the next 2 books/couples and i just know im gonna eat them up
July 17, 2024
The Love Penalty was absolutely adorable! I honestly ate up every second of the small town/holiday setting and I definitely plan to read it again this holiday season. It’s a really quick read and the pace kept me engaged the entire time. Robbie is a big giant hockey player with a heart of gold, and Olivia is the prickly, guarded, referee he falls for. I really enjoyed their relationship dynamic and it felt fresh seeing the male characters in more emotionally vulnerable roles. The relationship seemed realistic and I loved the maturity they handled conflicts with.
December 12, 2024
Thank you to Stef. C.R. and My Universe PR for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a quick, sweet read! Definitely HEA and green flags all around. This is a great read for the holiday season when almost everything is light and fluffy.
I really enjoyed the character development of the secondary characters. Made me really excited for the next ones, especially Ashton’s!
My only complaint was that it was a little too picture perfect/no drama. The only part that was slightly dramatic took about 30 seconds and was over.
This was such a quick, sweet read! Definitely HEA and green flags all around. This is a great read for the holiday season when almost everything is light and fluffy.
I really enjoyed the character development of the secondary characters. Made me really excited for the next ones, especially Ashton’s!
My only complaint was that it was a little too picture perfect/no drama. The only part that was slightly dramatic took about 30 seconds and was over.
January 19, 2025
What to expect:
Hockey Referee FMC/Hockey Player MMC
Golden Retriever/Black Cat
Friends to Lovers
Workplace/Forbidden Romance
Found Family
Slow Burn
I loved how Robbie and Olivia leaned into their friendship and let feelings develop naturally. It was also cool to see the inner workings of the hockey referee world, even though it was difficult to see how she was treated as a woman in the sport at times. Robbie was so smitten with Olivia and wanted to give her the world, but I love how he appreciated her boundaries around treating her and equality in their relationship, even though they had different jobs and backgrounds. I breezed through this one and really enjoyed it - I wish I had read it sooner!
Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy. The Love Penalty is out now and you can check it out in ebook, audio, paperback & KU. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series, Bar Down (MM, Friends with Benefits, Hockey Teammates Romance)!!
Hockey Referee FMC/Hockey Player MMC
Golden Retriever/Black Cat
Friends to Lovers
Workplace/Forbidden Romance
Found Family
Slow Burn
I loved how Robbie and Olivia leaned into their friendship and let feelings develop naturally. It was also cool to see the inner workings of the hockey referee world, even though it was difficult to see how she was treated as a woman in the sport at times. Robbie was so smitten with Olivia and wanted to give her the world, but I love how he appreciated her boundaries around treating her and equality in their relationship, even though they had different jobs and backgrounds. I breezed through this one and really enjoyed it - I wish I had read it sooner!
Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy. The Love Penalty is out now and you can check it out in ebook, audio, paperback & KU. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series, Bar Down (MM, Friends with Benefits, Hockey Teammates Romance)!!
September 3, 2024
Got this at an event with local authors which was fun. A little too sweet/not enough tension for me, personally. But we love some Midwest rep! I could really picture everything in my head and it was a quick read/compelling enough to keep turning the pages.
July 15, 2024
Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Heat Rating: 2/5 🌶️
What to Expect:
- Hockey Player x Female Referee
- Workplace Romance
- Reverse Grumpy Sunshine
- Friends to Lovers
- Opposites Attract
- He Falls First
- Golden Retriever x Black Cat
- No Third Act Breakup
- All the green flags!
Well, that was fun! The Love Penalty gives us everything we love about hockey romance stories but with a twist. Robbie is a professional hockey player, and Olivia is a hockey referee with aspirations to work in the NHL. I loved Robbie and Olivia together. Their relationship was so natural, and they had amazing chemistry. Robbie is such a sweetheart. He is caring, patient, supportive, and he pays attention. Olivia, although a little grumpy, was Robbie's perfect partner. I loved that they were a source of comfort for each other. The growth they experienced as individuals and as a couple was beautiful. I loved that Stef allowed their relationship to develop properly over time, and things were not rushed. Robbie and Olivia communicated well and maturely worked through their issues. The found family element of this story was amazing. It's always great to see friends really be there for each other. I was rooting for everyone in this story! The Love Penalty is a well-written, wonderful love story with all the feels. I can't wait to see what Stef C.R. writes next.
Heat Rating: 2/5 🌶️
What to Expect:
- Hockey Player x Female Referee
- Workplace Romance
- Reverse Grumpy Sunshine
- Friends to Lovers
- Opposites Attract
- He Falls First
- Golden Retriever x Black Cat
- No Third Act Breakup
- All the green flags!
Well, that was fun! The Love Penalty gives us everything we love about hockey romance stories but with a twist. Robbie is a professional hockey player, and Olivia is a hockey referee with aspirations to work in the NHL. I loved Robbie and Olivia together. Their relationship was so natural, and they had amazing chemistry. Robbie is such a sweetheart. He is caring, patient, supportive, and he pays attention. Olivia, although a little grumpy, was Robbie's perfect partner. I loved that they were a source of comfort for each other. The growth they experienced as individuals and as a couple was beautiful. I loved that Stef allowed their relationship to develop properly over time, and things were not rushed. Robbie and Olivia communicated well and maturely worked through their issues. The found family element of this story was amazing. It's always great to see friends really be there for each other. I was rooting for everyone in this story! The Love Penalty is a well-written, wonderful love story with all the feels. I can't wait to see what Stef C.R. writes next.
July 1, 2024
Oh my goodness, I LOVED The Love Penalty's unique spin on a typical hockey romance! While of course the MMC , Robbie, is a player, the FMC, Olivia is an AHL referee - I've never read a hockey book about a referee before, and it was FASCINATING. I realized that I knew basically nothing about hockey refs, so I was kind of enthralled just by Olivia talking about her job. THAT SAID, the book itself is a super sweet friends to lovers romance that I just adored. Relatively low angst, some fun banter, and some delicious spice, The Love Penalty ticked all the boxes for a great hockey romance read.
I loved that this was kind of a workplace romance, though Robbie and Olivia work VERY different jobs that are often at odds with each other (the book basically starts with Olivia throwing Robbie in the penalty box). While they do end up on the ice at the same time relatively often (and apparently fraternization isn't a HUGE issue between refs and players?), they do have to work at communicating around their personal issues (Olivia doesn't want to be seen as a gold digger, Robbie doesn't want to come on too strong). I loved that Olivia is ambitious and successful. And Robbie is an older hockey player nearing retirement, another subverted hockey romance trope that I'm enjoying lately.
The Love Penality is Stef C.R.'s debut novel AND the start of a hockey romance series. Y'all, I cannot tell you how excited I am for the rest - the two storylines are hinted at in this book and one is definitely MM teammates. YES PLEASE. So excited to have found a new favorite hockey romance author to try!
I loved that this was kind of a workplace romance, though Robbie and Olivia work VERY different jobs that are often at odds with each other (the book basically starts with Olivia throwing Robbie in the penalty box). While they do end up on the ice at the same time relatively often (and apparently fraternization isn't a HUGE issue between refs and players?), they do have to work at communicating around their personal issues (Olivia doesn't want to be seen as a gold digger, Robbie doesn't want to come on too strong). I loved that Olivia is ambitious and successful. And Robbie is an older hockey player nearing retirement, another subverted hockey romance trope that I'm enjoying lately.
The Love Penality is Stef C.R.'s debut novel AND the start of a hockey romance series. Y'all, I cannot tell you how excited I am for the rest - the two storylines are hinted at in this book and one is definitely MM teammates. YES PLEASE. So excited to have found a new favorite hockey romance author to try!
July 10, 2024
I thought this was going to be an enemies to lovers - isn’t the ref the enemy? 😂 But no, it’s a cute little friends to lovers story between Olivia (our FMC and hockey ref) and Robbie (our MMC and hockey player).
💕 Robbie is such a good little cinnamon roll, I love the found family that is the Grand Marquee Manticores (whose story will be next??? Can’t wait for either of the two possibilities teased in this first book), and it’s packed full of drama and action (mostly of the good kind!). Can’t wait to see where this series goes!
💕 Robbie is such a good little cinnamon roll, I love the found family that is the Grand Marquee Manticores (whose story will be next??? Can’t wait for either of the two possibilities teased in this first book), and it’s packed full of drama and action (mostly of the good kind!). Can’t wait to see where this series goes!
May 23, 2024
The Love Penalty by Stef C.R.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
I AM OBSESSED! This book is amazing! I loved it so much! I want to start by saying thank you for choosing me as an arc reader of this book. This is one of my favorite hockey romance novels! Definitely watch for the release on July 9th! I was torn between never wanting to put this book down and not wanting to finish it so it wouldn't end. I adored the romance between Olivia and Robbie! The way they supported each other, helped each other through their insecurities, and loved each other was all so beautifully written. They have such a swoon-worthy romance in this book! 🥰 Robbie definitely is in my top 10 list for book boyfriends! Olivia, the fmc, is fiercely independent, strong, smart, and kind. I loved the way you get to follow her journey of trying to break into the boys' club, that is, the world of professional hockey. I have never read a hockey romance book before where the fmc is a referee. It was so much fun! I really felt like it added to her strength and bravery. Robbie, the mmc, is sweet, loving, kind, and protective. I adored the way he was always looking out for Olivia and trying to take care of her. Their relationship felt so realistic and relatable. This book had so many of my favorite tropes: friends to lovers, found family, and he falls first! The way their friends and family supported them and their relationship was so sweet and heartwarming. I feel like by the time I finished this book, I was attached to all the characters in this story, not just the main characters, I would love to read more about so many others in this book! Also, the spice in this book... 🥵🥵. Another bonus for me being from the Midwest, I always love reading a book set in that area. I definitely recommend this book to all romance readers! This is in my top 3 hockey romance novels along with Icebreakers by Hannah Grace and The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy. Watch for this release! It is such an addictive read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
I AM OBSESSED! This book is amazing! I loved it so much! I want to start by saying thank you for choosing me as an arc reader of this book. This is one of my favorite hockey romance novels! Definitely watch for the release on July 9th! I was torn between never wanting to put this book down and not wanting to finish it so it wouldn't end. I adored the romance between Olivia and Robbie! The way they supported each other, helped each other through their insecurities, and loved each other was all so beautifully written. They have such a swoon-worthy romance in this book! 🥰 Robbie definitely is in my top 10 list for book boyfriends! Olivia, the fmc, is fiercely independent, strong, smart, and kind. I loved the way you get to follow her journey of trying to break into the boys' club, that is, the world of professional hockey. I have never read a hockey romance book before where the fmc is a referee. It was so much fun! I really felt like it added to her strength and bravery. Robbie, the mmc, is sweet, loving, kind, and protective. I adored the way he was always looking out for Olivia and trying to take care of her. Their relationship felt so realistic and relatable. This book had so many of my favorite tropes: friends to lovers, found family, and he falls first! The way their friends and family supported them and their relationship was so sweet and heartwarming. I feel like by the time I finished this book, I was attached to all the characters in this story, not just the main characters, I would love to read more about so many others in this book! Also, the spice in this book... 🥵🥵. Another bonus for me being from the Midwest, I always love reading a book set in that area. I definitely recommend this book to all romance readers! This is in my top 3 hockey romance novels along with Icebreakers by Hannah Grace and The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy. Watch for this release! It is such an addictive read!
July 1, 2024
The hockey in this book feels like I was there watching it. Great description. It was cool to see Olive transition as a hockey referee.
The romance built up to the point where they couldn't get enough of each other. It was a great build up.
The book provides a ton of great ways to work through a relationship from the conversations to helping each other out.
I did receive an ARC of this book for free.
The romance built up to the point where they couldn't get enough of each other. It was a great build up.
The book provides a ton of great ways to work through a relationship from the conversations to helping each other out.
I did receive an ARC of this book for free.
May 5, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are relatable and the world is easy to fall into. The story unravels along with the characters and it is impossible not to fall in love with Olivia and Robbie (but especially Robbie IMO).
Robbie sets the standard for golden retriever energy and a big old gooey heart. I identify with Robbie because I also have a tendency to come on strong and it has burned me in the past. But like these two when I found my person it wasn’t too much. The way this man talks in bed is 👌 it’s as if he reads romance novels then uses them as guidebooks 😉. He is patient and follows Olivia’s lead. He has a big extended family that you can’t help want to be a part of. The holiday scenes make me want to live in this book.
Olivia has been through a lot and come through with deeply rooted independence. I loved her persistence with her career and well defined achievable plan (I know it’s nerdy but being forward thinking just does it for me). She was cautious but not closed off enough to lose an opportunity for a new friend. (Which works out for her 😏)
I also loved the world this book is set in. It feels very wholesome Midwesterny. (I haven’t actually lived there but it’s what I picture in my head.) The side characters and found family add to the plot and I really REALLY need to know more. Good thing this is just the first in a series 😀.
The spice is great, lots of blushing on my part, and no cringy moments. There was a lot of trust between the two of them so they were able to explore., which was fun to read!
Robbie sets the standard for golden retriever energy and a big old gooey heart. I identify with Robbie because I also have a tendency to come on strong and it has burned me in the past. But like these two when I found my person it wasn’t too much. The way this man talks in bed is 👌 it’s as if he reads romance novels then uses them as guidebooks 😉. He is patient and follows Olivia’s lead. He has a big extended family that you can’t help want to be a part of. The holiday scenes make me want to live in this book.
Olivia has been through a lot and come through with deeply rooted independence. I loved her persistence with her career and well defined achievable plan (I know it’s nerdy but being forward thinking just does it for me). She was cautious but not closed off enough to lose an opportunity for a new friend. (Which works out for her 😏)
I also loved the world this book is set in. It feels very wholesome Midwesterny. (I haven’t actually lived there but it’s what I picture in my head.) The side characters and found family add to the plot and I really REALLY need to know more. Good thing this is just the first in a series 😀.
The spice is great, lots of blushing on my part, and no cringy moments. There was a lot of trust between the two of them so they were able to explore., which was fun to read!
March 8, 2024
I had the best time reading this and genuinely had the biggest smile on my face. Olivia is a ref for the AHL & Robbie is one of the players for a team that Olivia referees for often. This is a unique hockey romance that was written so well and you can't help but smile while reading it.
Olivia is so passionate about what she does and she's very determined to be the best at what she does. Robbie is the kindest and most thoughtful guy ever. He's always making Olivia feel comfortable and doing little acts of service for her. Their relationship is so heartwarming, the moments between Robbie and Olivia where they're getting to know each other and open up to one another was really sweet. Their communication and understanding for one another was one of my favorite parts!
Olivia's journey was also so special, you can really see her flourish and become more confident. It's really heartwarming to see and her friendship with Alice is so important as well!
I absolutely adored Jordan, Eli & Ashton, they might have stuff going on but at the end of the day they're always there for one another. There are also crumbs throughout for potential future books which I'm really excited about and can't wait to read!
read if you like
🏒guy falls first
🏒slow burn
🏒found family
🏒no third act break up
Olivia is so passionate about what she does and she's very determined to be the best at what she does. Robbie is the kindest and most thoughtful guy ever. He's always making Olivia feel comfortable and doing little acts of service for her. Their relationship is so heartwarming, the moments between Robbie and Olivia where they're getting to know each other and open up to one another was really sweet. Their communication and understanding for one another was one of my favorite parts!
Olivia's journey was also so special, you can really see her flourish and become more confident. It's really heartwarming to see and her friendship with Alice is so important as well!
I absolutely adored Jordan, Eli & Ashton, they might have stuff going on but at the end of the day they're always there for one another. There are also crumbs throughout for potential future books which I'm really excited about and can't wait to read!
read if you like
🏒guy falls first
🏒slow burn
🏒found family
🏒no third act break up
March 7, 2024
I absolutely loved reading this book. Olivia, the ice queen, and Robbie with his golden retriever energy had me from the start. There is something so special about being able to watch two characters (reluctantly) find comfort and solace in each other and really grow together. The way their relationship developed wasn't rushed, and it felt authentic and was beautiful to read.
I don't want to give spoilers because you have to read it, but I will list what i loved about this book
- opposites attract
- he falls first ... and harder?
- workplace romance
- swoonworthy slowburn romance
- learning to love yourself
- found family
As this is a debut, I'm even more excited to see what comes next from this author and watch her storytelling progress. There is so much potential for this to be a series with interconnected standalones thanks to the lovable side characters she has created, and i can't wait to see where this goes.
I don't want to give spoilers because you have to read it, but I will list what i loved about this book
- opposites attract
- he falls first ... and harder?
- workplace romance
- swoonworthy slowburn romance
- learning to love yourself
- found family
As this is a debut, I'm even more excited to see what comes next from this author and watch her storytelling progress. There is so much potential for this to be a series with interconnected standalones thanks to the lovable side characters she has created, and i can't wait to see where this goes.
May 18, 2024
I had the opportunity to do a beta read for The Love Penalty and what a fantastic debut! You guys are all in for a treat! I’ve never read a hockey romance but it was really easy to follow along.
The Love Penalty follows FMC Olivia, a referee in the AHL and hockey team captain, Robbie and their budding romance. I really enjoyed following the two of them around and they have the type of relationship you root for throughout the entirety of the story!
I’m really excited to read the rest of the series and think Stef is incredibly talented, so I can’t wait to see how the rest of the books play out! Thank you again, Stef, for the opportunity to beta read The Love Penalty!
The Love Penalty follows FMC Olivia, a referee in the AHL and hockey team captain, Robbie and their budding romance. I really enjoyed following the two of them around and they have the type of relationship you root for throughout the entirety of the story!
I’m really excited to read the rest of the series and think Stef is incredibly talented, so I can’t wait to see how the rest of the books play out! Thank you again, Stef, for the opportunity to beta read The Love Penalty!
May 1, 2024
Robbie is the epitome of green flags and golden retriever vibes. Reading his character is like being wrapped in a warm hug which our FMC can attest is also something he is amazing at. As a woman whose career is in a predominantly male dominated industry I definitely related to that element of the story and I love that for Olivia.
I loved that their joke about nicknames leads her to calling him Bobbert which was my favourite thing and made me giggle every time.
I loved that their joke about nicknames leads her to calling him Bobbert which was my favourite thing and made me giggle every time.
March 7, 2024
This book is hockey romance at its finest. The two main characters are incredibly lovable, but flawed, and truly are able to better themselves by being together. Robbie and Olivia will steal your heart (and maybe a few tears). Now, when is the next book coming out?
May 15, 2024
This book was such a lovely breath of fresh air. Golden retriever MMC with emotional intelligence? SIGN ME UP!! This book did an excellent job of portraying friends to lovers. The found family aspect is just the icing on the cake. I cannot wait for book 2!!!!
May 15, 2024
𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚏 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝙿𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚢, 𝙱𝚢 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚏 𝙲. 𝚁.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜:
🏒 Dual pov
🏒 Reverse grumpy x sunshine
🏒 Found family
🏒 Friends to lovers
🏒 Hockey romance
🏒 He falls first
Blurb: Lines are blurred between professional relationship, friendship and love when Olivia and Robbie collide. She is trying to make a career for herself as a women referee in the NHL. He is undecided on his future as a professional hockey player, and is determined to be friend the new face in the ice that wants nothing to do with him.
•
The Love Penalty is a huge sidestep for me from my usual genres. I have recently been let down by recent hockey romance reads because of the lack of hockey within them, but Stef has rectified my complaint!
Her writing sucked me in and had me needing to know what would happen next. Her descriptions were vivid and characterizations made her characters feel tangible. I loved the realistic transformation of Olivia and Robbie’s friends to lovers relationship, as well as the friendships between each character.
I appreciated finding pieces of myself in Olivia and the representation of Minnesota ( #thestateofhockey ) and the upper Midwest.
If you are looking for a hockey romance (that actually has hockey in it) with a strong, feisty fmc and golden retriever mmc that is a walking green flag, don’t hesitate to pick this one up!
•
Release date: 07/09/2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜:
🏒 Dual pov
🏒 Reverse grumpy x sunshine
🏒 Found family
🏒 Friends to lovers
🏒 Hockey romance
🏒 He falls first
Blurb: Lines are blurred between professional relationship, friendship and love when Olivia and Robbie collide. She is trying to make a career for herself as a women referee in the NHL. He is undecided on his future as a professional hockey player, and is determined to be friend the new face in the ice that wants nothing to do with him.
•
The Love Penalty is a huge sidestep for me from my usual genres. I have recently been let down by recent hockey romance reads because of the lack of hockey within them, but Stef has rectified my complaint!
Her writing sucked me in and had me needing to know what would happen next. Her descriptions were vivid and characterizations made her characters feel tangible. I loved the realistic transformation of Olivia and Robbie’s friends to lovers relationship, as well as the friendships between each character.
I appreciated finding pieces of myself in Olivia and the representation of Minnesota ( #thestateofhockey ) and the upper Midwest.
If you are looking for a hockey romance (that actually has hockey in it) with a strong, feisty fmc and golden retriever mmc that is a walking green flag, don’t hesitate to pick this one up!
•
Release date: 07/09/2024
August 8, 2024
Olivia needs tough skin if she wants to make it as a ref in the NHL. She leads a mostly solitary existence and is rarely home during the season. A promotion means new coworkers and new teams. Robbie plays for the Grand Marquee Manticores and loves the games. But he's thinking of retiring to take on a new challenge. Meeting Olivia feels like fate. She's grumpy but he can't help but want to befriend her. But can she risk a relationship with a player?
Read if you like:
-Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
-Friends to Lovers
-Forbidden Romance
-Text Message Banter
-Found Family
I really enjoyed The Love Penalty. Friends to Lovers and Found Family are two of my favorite tropes and Stef C.R. blends them together with witty banter into a very satisfying package. Throw in some reverse grumpy sunshine and I'm all in.
It was so fun to read about a female ref and how tricky it was for her to navigate the job, particularly when it was something she was so passionate about. I also desperately wanted to her Olivia. She had her walls built up so high. It was satisfying to watch her drop them for Robbie. The banter was so good too. I loved how Stef used texting to keep them connected through their long-distance relationship.
I'm excited to read more in this series!
Read if you like:
-Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
-Friends to Lovers
-Forbidden Romance
-Text Message Banter
-Found Family
I really enjoyed The Love Penalty. Friends to Lovers and Found Family are two of my favorite tropes and Stef C.R. blends them together with witty banter into a very satisfying package. Throw in some reverse grumpy sunshine and I'm all in.
It was so fun to read about a female ref and how tricky it was for her to navigate the job, particularly when it was something she was so passionate about. I also desperately wanted to her Olivia. She had her walls built up so high. It was satisfying to watch her drop them for Robbie. The banter was so good too. I loved how Stef used texting to keep them connected through their long-distance relationship.
I'm excited to read more in this series!
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