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Vancouver Storm #1
Behind the Net
Auf dem Eis ist er der Star. Doch kann er ihr Herz zum Schmelzen bringen?
Pippa hat es satt, sich das Herz brechen zu lassen. Nachdem ihr Ex auch noch ihre Musikkarriere zerstört hat, bewirbt sie sich auf die Stelle der Assistentin des Profi-Eishockeyspielers Jamie. Er ist ein mürrischer – und sehr attraktiver – Mann mit einem riesigen Ego. Und Pippas erster Schwarm aus der Highschool, der sie vollkommen vergessen zu haben scheint. Sie bemüht sich um Professionalität, aber als Jamie sie bittet, bei ihm einzuziehen und sie eine andere Seite an ihm kennenlernt, gerät ihr Vorsatz, sich nicht mehr zu verlieben, ordentlich ins Wanken. Sie muss sich von ihm – ihrem Boss – fernhalten, aber mit jedem Blick, jedem Gespräch, jeder flüchtigen Berührung entzündet sich ein weiterer Funke in Pippa. Ihr wird Jamie könnte sie schwerer verletzen, als jeder andere. Aber vielleicht ist gerade er das Risiko wert?
Pippa hat es satt, sich das Herz brechen zu lassen. Nachdem ihr Ex auch noch ihre Musikkarriere zerstört hat, bewirbt sie sich auf die Stelle der Assistentin des Profi-Eishockeyspielers Jamie. Er ist ein mürrischer – und sehr attraktiver – Mann mit einem riesigen Ego. Und Pippas erster Schwarm aus der Highschool, der sie vollkommen vergessen zu haben scheint. Sie bemüht sich um Professionalität, aber als Jamie sie bittet, bei ihm einzuziehen und sie eine andere Seite an ihm kennenlernt, gerät ihr Vorsatz, sich nicht mehr zu verlieben, ordentlich ins Wanken. Sie muss sich von ihm – ihrem Boss – fernhalten, aber mit jedem Blick, jedem Gespräch, jeder flüchtigen Berührung entzündet sich ein weiterer Funke in Pippa. Ihr wird Jamie könnte sie schwerer verletzen, als jeder andere. Aber vielleicht ist gerade er das Risiko wert?
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2023
16153 people are currently reading
167610 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Archer
13 books11.9k followersStephanie writes spicy, hilarious rom-coms. Her books feature sharp banter, stubborn women, lots of laughs, and guaranteed HEA’s. She lives in Vancouver, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 17,838 reviews
July 3, 2023
it wasn’t horrible- i just got the biggest ick from “songbird”
July 10, 2023
abolish corny pet names in romance books please i am so tired
July 11, 2023
god gave me eyes and i chose to disgrace him by reading this
August 10, 2023
kicking, screaming, giggling, running around my room.
July 14, 2023
Garrett Graham, I’m sorry I ever doubted you. Come home, the kids miss you.
September 7, 2023
2.25⭐️ the only good thing about this book was daisy, the fucking dog.
June 25, 2025
Noooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrr no no no noooo. I’m so happy I read book 2 in this series first because I don’t think I would’ve continued this series if I read this first and book two ATEEE! Idk what this was I just could not stop cringing the entire time. I also felt like nothing happened like they were just immediately in love with each other. Oh and he nicknames her Songbird so.
August 5, 2025
3.55!
“He looks at me like there are a thousand kind, loving things he wants to say.”
Now I'm gonna be real with you and tell you that the only reason I read this book was so I can read the second book because that is what I've been wanting, but honestly, this was such a nice surprise?!? I loved how fluffy and cute this was. This can be considered cringey and cheesy at times, but I honestly don't care because I think this is exactly what I needed to get out of my slump!! The chapters were short, and the writing complemented the pacing. Reading during exam seasons with a slump can be very exhausting, and I think that is why I'm not getting out of my slump, because to pick up a book in that environment is so stressful that it doesn't quite grip my attention, but this excels at that, it created this comforting atmosphere which is what I needed to subtly escape my slump.
The characters Jamie and Pippa were cute characters but honestly I only liked them because they were together, if I look at them as separate character I know I wont like them that much, like don't get me wrong I liked the development that we got regarding their characters but I just feel like they were just not interesting enough. Moving on, the romance, on a normal day, I would not enjoy something that has this level of insta-lust, because it's not my cup of my tea but i feel like I was just so desperate to enjoy a book and I was enjoying this so it didn't affect me, I liked the sweet domestic moment they got and the spice was phenomenal so hehe cant wait for the next book.
Overall, a nice palette cleanser!
__
Exam seasons are bad enough, and to make it even worse, I AM IN A SLUMP! I soft dnf'd it a year ago because it was too addicting and I didn't have the time, but let's start.
“He looks at me like there are a thousand kind, loving things he wants to say.”
Now I'm gonna be real with you and tell you that the only reason I read this book was so I can read the second book because that is what I've been wanting, but honestly, this was such a nice surprise?!? I loved how fluffy and cute this was. This can be considered cringey and cheesy at times, but I honestly don't care because I think this is exactly what I needed to get out of my slump!! The chapters were short, and the writing complemented the pacing. Reading during exam seasons with a slump can be very exhausting, and I think that is why I'm not getting out of my slump, because to pick up a book in that environment is so stressful that it doesn't quite grip my attention, but this excels at that, it created this comforting atmosphere which is what I needed to subtly escape my slump.
The characters Jamie and Pippa were cute characters but honestly I only liked them because they were together, if I look at them as separate character I know I wont like them that much, like don't get me wrong I liked the development that we got regarding their characters but I just feel like they were just not interesting enough. Moving on, the romance, on a normal day, I would not enjoy something that has this level of insta-lust, because it's not my cup of my tea but i feel like I was just so desperate to enjoy a book and I was enjoying this so it didn't affect me, I liked the sweet domestic moment they got and the spice was phenomenal so hehe cant wait for the next book.
Overall, a nice palette cleanser!
__
Exam seasons are bad enough, and to make it even worse, I AM IN A SLUMP! I soft dnf'd it a year ago because it was too addicting and I didn't have the time, but let's start.
September 11, 2023
my headache was getting worse every time he called her "songbird"
February 17, 2024
maybe we can keep our clothes on for once pls
August 10, 2023
If I have to read the nickname ‘songbird’ one more time I might go insane.
December 28, 2023
➵ 3 stars
this is probably gonna be a very short review, because i don’t have that much to sayi know, i was shocked too. plus i also want to give myself a break and not force reviews on books where i actually don’t have that much to say, because those reviews don't make me happy and most of it is just words and i'm just trying to fill out the review, but you’ll no longer be seeing me do that. now i just wanna enjoy my reading and enjoy writing reviews (there will still be rants, love letters, long reviews etc. just not from books where i actually don’t have that much to say)
this is just a regular hockey romance book and hockey romances will always hit one way or another. this was surprisingly good, but again nothing special. i did enjoy this because all i needed was a hockey romance with a little spice and spice i definitely got, but if you’re looking for something more and deeper than that this book won’t satisfy you, but i’d still recommend if you’re in the mood for a cute, spicy, easy read. normally i’d write a paragraph about each main character, but as i said i don’t have that much to say. the characters were likeable and cute together, but it wasn’t any of those characters you’ll remember for the rest of your life, but that’s good too sometimes, they can’t all be nesta archeron's and dante maroni’s. when that’s said i would’ve liked the book more if he didn’t call her “my pretty assistant” every second chapter, but i’m willing to overlook that a little because i’ve been in a big ass slump and i finished this book so that means it must’ve done something right. i’m also really looking forward to the second book in this series, because i already know that bantering is gonna be great and i love the characters. i honestly think it’s time for me to get back into my hockey romance era, because i’ve missed these vibes so much.
favorite moments and quotes:
“I’m being an intimidating jackass, but I need to know why she’s crying so I can fix it.”
“That girl I used to be is still in there I just have to find a way to get her out.”
“Tell me.”
“Bossy.”
“Mhm.”
“You’re surprisingly nimble”
“I’m very good with my fingers.”
“Kiss me.”
“I’m so fucking gone for this girl.”
“You need to stop looking at me like that, songbird.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’m going to lose my mind.”
“The best songs are honest.”
“She smiles, and I fall a little harder for her.”
“I love coming home to you.”
“I don’t think I can.”
“You say what a lot, but I can’t remember the last time you were right.”
“Pippa’s my forever person.”
“Having issues doesn’t make you weak. It makes you stronger.”
tropes; hockey romance, assistant x player, childhood crush to lovers, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, and boy obsessed
“𝙄 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩. 𝙄 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛, 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣.”
this is probably gonna be a very short review, because i don’t have that much to say
this is just a regular hockey romance book and hockey romances will always hit one way or another. this was surprisingly good, but again nothing special. i did enjoy this because all i needed was a hockey romance with a little spice and spice i definitely got, but if you’re looking for something more and deeper than that this book won’t satisfy you, but i’d still recommend if you’re in the mood for a cute, spicy, easy read. normally i’d write a paragraph about each main character, but as i said i don’t have that much to say. the characters were likeable and cute together, but it wasn’t any of those characters you’ll remember for the rest of your life, but that’s good too sometimes, they can’t all be nesta archeron's and dante maroni’s. when that’s said i would’ve liked the book more if he didn’t call her “my pretty assistant” every second chapter, but i’m willing to overlook that a little because i’ve been in a big ass slump and i finished this book so that means it must’ve done something right. i’m also really looking forward to the second book in this series, because i already know that bantering is gonna be great and i love the characters. i honestly think it’s time for me to get back into my hockey romance era, because i’ve missed these vibes so much.
favorite moments and quotes:
“I’m being an intimidating jackass, but I need to know why she’s crying so I can fix it.”
“That girl I used to be is still in there I just have to find a way to get her out.”
“Tell me.”
“Bossy.”
“Mhm.”
“You’re surprisingly nimble”
“I’m very good with my fingers.”
“Kiss me.”
“I’m so fucking gone for this girl.”
“You need to stop looking at me like that, songbird.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’m going to lose my mind.”
“The best songs are honest.”
“She smiles, and I fall a little harder for her.”
“I love coming home to you.”
“I don’t think I can.”
“You say what a lot, but I can’t remember the last time you were right.”
“Pippa’s my forever person.”
“Having issues doesn’t make you weak. It makes you stronger.”
tropes; hockey romance, assistant x player, childhood crush to lovers, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, and boy obsessed
December 22, 2025
── 2.75 stars ୨ৎ
꒰ spoiler-free review ⊹₊ ⋆
₊ ⊹ to start, i want to say thank you to my gorgeous bsf giu for reading this book with me. you truly just get me, and getting to laugh over this book with you was such a fun time. i love you forever and i can't wait to read the rest of this series with you. you're the hazel to my pippa ♡♡
┆ ⤿ ⛸️ ⌗ thoughts
⟡ i really didn't have the highest expectations for this one because of all the bad reviews, so i can't even say i'm surprised. in fact, i had such low expectations that i was able to enjoy some aspects of this book! it was annoying, cringe, and very...smutty at times. but i also was able to enjoy some other aspects of it.
let's start with what i enjoyed.
⟡ for one, i really love singers in books (which i know is an unpopular opinion). maybe it's the fact that i'm so in love with music, singers, and lyrics, so whenever i read a book focused around a singer it makes me happy. as long as it's done right, and in this case, i think it was. pippa was such a cutie on stage, and getting to see her step out of her comfort zone and perform again was really fun to watch. the lyrics didn't need to be mentioned though, because those were atrocious.
⟡ also, i loved jamie's teammates. hayden, volkov, and rory were all so entertaining and fun. i can already tell that, while i didn't particularly love this book, i'm going to love the other ones (or so i'm hoping, since i bought the entire series beforehand...) hayden was such a golden boy, and i loved the way he just radiated sunshine and happiness. boys like those are my favorite, where they are just carefree and can have a good time. rory was so mean at first, and i immediately didn't like him, but he's grown on me. i can tell he really has a big heart, he just doesn't get along well with jamie (which... i don't blame him). he was also really cute with pippa, and i loved their friendship. i don't know much about volkov yet, but i always love those quiet, older men in books, so i already know i'm going to like him.
⟡ i loved how he was in love with her since high school, and the fact that she was a band kid.
⟡ NO THIRD-ACT BREAKUP!!! i think that says enough on it's own.
here are the things i didn't enjoy.
⟡ the cringey nickname. "songbird" is terrible, especially coming from a man whose whole thing is to be "possessive" and "brooding". and okay, maybe in theory it's not all that bad. but his inner monologue saying 'the pretty songbird' no. LEAVE RIGHT NOW.
⟡ i hated how dragged out the end was. a HOCKEY ROMANCE book does not have any right being almost 400 pages. the last 20% really felt like pulling teeth, and i had to push through to get it done.
⟡ the smut. what do you mean he sent her a sex toy when he was drunk, and then she was using it??!! also i just hated how it immediately turned from 'i've been in love with you since highschool' turned to 'she looks so fuckable'. COME AWNNNN.
┆ ⤿🌷 ⌗ characters
⋮ ⌗ ┆ pippa
surprisingly enough, i thought she was cute! like i said, i loved the singer aspect and her learning to forget the negative stuff people have said about her so she can live happily. i also think she was an angel for putting up with some of jamie's shit, cause i could never!
the epilogue made me so happy for her, i'm glad she's finally living her dream of being a singer <3
⋮ ⌗ ┆ jamie
can we please burn all nonchalant men?? when he met her for the first time since high school, he was shocked to see her at his front door saying she was going to be his agent. and instead of being nice or flirting (LITERALLY ANYTHING) he decides to treat her like garbage. because he...likes her still? how does that add up. genuinely.
and his whole "possessive" thing wasn't really cute, it was just annoying. i don't blame miller for not liking him, because he was just an asshole to everyone! even when hayden, the sunshine boy who is friends with everyone, would talk to pippa, jamie would be sending threatening glares towards him and being snappy. i PROMISE he doesn't want your girl, he's literally like that with everyone.
⋮ ⌗ ┆ jamie + pippa
their story was going so good, with the tension and everything, and then all of a sudden it just went away? and they were immediately just boyfriend/girlfriend. there was no "what are we?" talk, nothing like that. and then all of a sudden they were fiances. i think that could've been worked through more.
i love how pippa was so in love with jamie, even though she deserves better. and jamie really did support pippa's music career wholeheartedly, which i adored. he was her biggest cheerleader and not once didn't believe in her. :')
┆ ⤿ 🎧 ⌗ final thoughts
to sum up my thoughts on this book : ( in the wise words of giu ) "daisy (the fucking dog) was the best character"
can't wait for the rest of the series though, cause i know it's gonna eat
giu's gorg review here ⊹₊⟡⋆
꒰ spoiler-free review ⊹₊ ⋆
⊹ ࣪ ˖ "something has shifted in my chest, locked into place. this is right. this is the way it's supposed to be. i thought about her all those years, and we found our way back to each other.
₊ ⊹ to start, i want to say thank you to my gorgeous bsf giu for reading this book with me. you truly just get me, and getting to laugh over this book with you was such a fun time. i love you forever and i can't wait to read the rest of this series with you. you're the hazel to my pippa ♡♡
┆ ⤿ ⛸️ ⌗ thoughts
⟡ i really didn't have the highest expectations for this one because of all the bad reviews, so i can't even say i'm surprised. in fact, i had such low expectations that i was able to enjoy some aspects of this book! it was annoying, cringe, and very...smutty at times. but i also was able to enjoy some other aspects of it.
let's start with what i enjoyed.
⟡ for one, i really love singers in books (which i know is an unpopular opinion). maybe it's the fact that i'm so in love with music, singers, and lyrics, so whenever i read a book focused around a singer it makes me happy. as long as it's done right, and in this case, i think it was. pippa was such a cutie on stage, and getting to see her step out of her comfort zone and perform again was really fun to watch. the lyrics didn't need to be mentioned though, because those were atrocious.
⟡ also, i loved jamie's teammates. hayden, volkov, and rory were all so entertaining and fun. i can already tell that, while i didn't particularly love this book, i'm going to love the other ones (or so i'm hoping, since i bought the entire series beforehand...) hayden was such a golden boy, and i loved the way he just radiated sunshine and happiness. boys like those are my favorite, where they are just carefree and can have a good time. rory was so mean at first, and i immediately didn't like him, but he's grown on me. i can tell he really has a big heart, he just doesn't get along well with jamie (which... i don't blame him). he was also really cute with pippa, and i loved their friendship. i don't know much about volkov yet, but i always love those quiet, older men in books, so i already know i'm going to like him.
⟡ i loved how he was in love with her since high school, and the fact that she was a band kid.
⟡ NO THIRD-ACT BREAKUP!!! i think that says enough on it's own.
here are the things i didn't enjoy.
⟡ the cringey nickname. "songbird" is terrible, especially coming from a man whose whole thing is to be "possessive" and "brooding". and okay, maybe in theory it's not all that bad. but his inner monologue saying 'the pretty songbird' no. LEAVE RIGHT NOW.
⟡ i hated how dragged out the end was. a HOCKEY ROMANCE book does not have any right being almost 400 pages. the last 20% really felt like pulling teeth, and i had to push through to get it done.
⟡ the smut. what do you mean he sent her a sex toy when he was drunk, and then she was using it??!! also i just hated how it immediately turned from 'i've been in love with you since highschool' turned to 'she looks so fuckable'. COME AWNNNN.
┆ ⤿🌷 ⌗ characters
⋮ ⌗ ┆ pippa
surprisingly enough, i thought she was cute! like i said, i loved the singer aspect and her learning to forget the negative stuff people have said about her so she can live happily. i also think she was an angel for putting up with some of jamie's shit, cause i could never!
the epilogue made me so happy for her, i'm glad she's finally living her dream of being a singer <3
⋮ ⌗ ┆ jamie
can we please burn all nonchalant men?? when he met her for the first time since high school, he was shocked to see her at his front door saying she was going to be his agent. and instead of being nice or flirting (LITERALLY ANYTHING) he decides to treat her like garbage. because he...likes her still? how does that add up. genuinely.
and his whole "possessive" thing wasn't really cute, it was just annoying. i don't blame miller for not liking him, because he was just an asshole to everyone! even when hayden, the sunshine boy who is friends with everyone, would talk to pippa, jamie would be sending threatening glares towards him and being snappy. i PROMISE he doesn't want your girl, he's literally like that with everyone.
⋮ ⌗ ┆ jamie + pippa
their story was going so good, with the tension and everything, and then all of a sudden it just went away? and they were immediately just boyfriend/girlfriend. there was no "what are we?" talk, nothing like that. and then all of a sudden they were fiances. i think that could've been worked through more.
i love how pippa was so in love with jamie, even though she deserves better. and jamie really did support pippa's music career wholeheartedly, which i adored. he was her biggest cheerleader and not once didn't believe in her. :')
┆ ⤿ 🎧 ⌗ final thoughts
to sum up my thoughts on this book : ( in the wise words of giu ) "daisy (the fucking dog) was the best character"
can't wait for the rest of the series though, cause i know it's gonna eat
giu's gorg review here ⊹₊⟡⋆
⤷ love u endlessly <3
July 7, 2023
”I have feelings for you, songbird.”
UMMM
I SO ATE THIS BOOK UP. I loved their tension, their banter and THE SPICE!!
I recommend this book to YOU if you like: grumpy x sunshine, smut, hockey romance and cute moments!
5-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GOING TO BE MY FAVORITE BOOK GOING TO RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE WHO LIKES ROMANCE EVEN A LITTLE BIT‼️‼️
UMMM
I SO ATE THIS BOOK UP. I loved their tension, their banter and THE SPICE!!
I recommend this book to YOU if you like: grumpy x sunshine, smut, hockey romance and cute moments!
5-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GOING TO BE MY FAVORITE BOOK GOING TO RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE WHO LIKES ROMANCE EVEN A LITTLE BIT‼️‼️
July 16, 2023
i genuinely don’t know why i pushed myself to read the entire thing
dnf
July 29, 2023DNF @52%
The cringe is strong with this one ☠️
The cringe is strong with this one ☠️
Read
July 2, 2023dnf 22%
instalove always destroying things for me 🧍
instalove always destroying things for me 🧍
December 7, 2023
I don't think I've ever read a book with two hornier MCs, and let me tell you, I ate it up!
February 23, 2024
Some hockey, a little bit of music, but mostly porn.
July 7, 2023
I feel like this book was too long, and for no good reason. Cringe dialogue, cringe storyline, cringe nickname, cringe characters!! The characters also have zero chemistry. Overhyped!
February 9, 2024
Dnf’d at 60%. It was too insta-lusty and the fmc was all over him before even meeting him 😭. And somethings just didn’t make sense. They lost me from the moment he fired her and she bought him cupcakes the nest day?? If someone fired me for no reason i’d go and throw eggs at his house not gave him cupcakes 😭😭
Im sorry buket ily😭🫶🏻
Im sorry buket ily😭🫶🏻
July 8, 2025
this should be part of a new tiktok series i’m starting — what the fuck did i just read?
March 7, 2025
3.75 stars
Behind the Net has everything I was craving in a good sports romance—a grumpy hockey player, the cutest dog, a perfect balance of romance and sports, wholesome moments, and immaculate spice. The story wasn’t anything special, just a typical hockey romance, yet I devoured it in just two days. It’s a bit long for a contemporary romance, but I have no idea where those 440 pages flew by. The pacing was slow—it’s a slow burn, given the fact that the characters had instant attraction to each other—but the insta-lust/love was executed so well.
This is my first book by Stephanie Archer, and I can see myself getting used to her writing, her characters, and especially her sweet and spicy stories. The writing was simple, the characters were drawn out viscerally, with depth and vulnerability that made them feel real and flawed. The spice in this book is one of the best I’ve read in a while! It was so good!
Pippa Hartley had been betrayed by her ex-boyfriend, he stole her confidence, faith, and trust. She is an incredible singer but struggles with musical creativity until Jamie walks into her life and makes her see how incredible she is. Pippa is a hard-working woman who feels deeply and is the sweetest person. She is thoughtful and kind, but there is a fire within her that only Jamie can bring out. I liked seeing her growth—from a girl with no dreams to one with passion, bringing out the real Pippa.
“I sing my heart out. I sing about wanting more, wanting to believe in myself, wanting to break free and be my own person.”
Jamie Streicher is the grumpy striker—the one who hates everyone but loves his dog and his girl, Pippa. He carries the burden of everything in his life and wants to make things right because he feels obliged to everyone around him. It took me a while to warm up to his character because he was unnecessarily rude at times, but once he started showing his sweet and loving side—the one that cares for the people he loves—I couldn’t help but swoon over him. He was also possessive when it came to Pippa, and we love a jealous man.
“Pippa’s my forever person.”
“I love coming home to you.”
“She smiles, and I fall a little harder for her.”
Pippa and Jamie’s love story is filled with wholesomeness, sweetness, witty banter, emotional moments, and the perfect amount of spice. Their obsession with each other runs deep—their chemistry is sizzling, heavy with sexual tension and undeniable attraction. What I truly loved was how they helped each other and found comfort in each other’s company. How Jamie helped Pippa regain her confidence, how he pushed her to create music just for herself because he loved her in every way. And how Pippa made sure Jamie never felt alone, always giving him her support and love. It was simply so beautiful and precious.
This book has no third-act breakup or miscommunication trope, and the ending was perfect and satisfying. I’m so excited for Rory and Hazel’s story next. I have a feeling it’s going to be my favourite in this series!
———————
Just need a cute and no brainer hockey romance 😗
“Pippa Hartley is standing in my living room, playing with the dog, and I can’t breathe.”
Behind the Net has everything I was craving in a good sports romance—a grumpy hockey player, the cutest dog, a perfect balance of romance and sports, wholesome moments, and immaculate spice. The story wasn’t anything special, just a typical hockey romance, yet I devoured it in just two days. It’s a bit long for a contemporary romance, but I have no idea where those 440 pages flew by. The pacing was slow—it’s a slow burn, given the fact that the characters had instant attraction to each other—but the insta-lust/love was executed so well.
This is my first book by Stephanie Archer, and I can see myself getting used to her writing, her characters, and especially her sweet and spicy stories. The writing was simple, the characters were drawn out viscerally, with depth and vulnerability that made them feel real and flawed. The spice in this book is one of the best I’ve read in a while! It was so good!
“I thought you were gorgeous, too,” he murmurs, looking at me in a way that makes me feel like I can’t breathe. “Even back then.”
Pippa Hartley had been betrayed by her ex-boyfriend, he stole her confidence, faith, and trust. She is an incredible singer but struggles with musical creativity until Jamie walks into her life and makes her see how incredible she is. Pippa is a hard-working woman who feels deeply and is the sweetest person. She is thoughtful and kind, but there is a fire within her that only Jamie can bring out. I liked seeing her growth—from a girl with no dreams to one with passion, bringing out the real Pippa.
“I sing my heart out. I sing about wanting more, wanting to believe in myself, wanting to break free and be my own person.”
Jamie Streicher is the grumpy striker—the one who hates everyone but loves his dog and his girl, Pippa. He carries the burden of everything in his life and wants to make things right because he feels obliged to everyone around him. It took me a while to warm up to his character because he was unnecessarily rude at times, but once he started showing his sweet and loving side—the one that cares for the people he loves—I couldn’t help but swoon over him. He was also possessive when it came to Pippa, and we love a jealous man.
“Pippa’s my forever person.”
“I love coming home to you.”
“She smiles, and I fall a little harder for her.”
Pippa and Jamie’s love story is filled with wholesomeness, sweetness, witty banter, emotional moments, and the perfect amount of spice. Their obsession with each other runs deep—their chemistry is sizzling, heavy with sexual tension and undeniable attraction. What I truly loved was how they helped each other and found comfort in each other’s company. How Jamie helped Pippa regain her confidence, how he pushed her to create music just for herself because he loved her in every way. And how Pippa made sure Jamie never felt alone, always giving him her support and love. It was simply so beautiful and precious.
“You need to stop looking at me like that, songbird”
“Or what?”
“Or I’m going to lose my mind.”
This book has no third-act breakup or miscommunication trope, and the ending was perfect and satisfying. I’m so excited for Rory and Hazel’s story next. I have a feeling it’s going to be my favourite in this series!
———————
Just need a cute and no brainer hockey romance 😗
November 29, 2024
Nothing actually happened in this book apart from them being insanely attracted to each other. I need more than that.
December 17, 2023
This was super meh, review to come!
July 13, 2023
if stephanie archer has no fans, i am DECEASED
she can do no wrong in my eyes and behind the net exceeded all of my expectations.
imagine you're lowkey destitute so your sister is able to swing you a job as an assistant to a pro hockey player. on day one, you knock on his door only for it to be the hockey god you crushed on in high school who seemingly has no idea who you are and is not happy you're here. EXCEPT HE TOTALLY REMEMBERS YOU AND YOU'VE RENDERED HIM SPEECHLESS.
i loved pippa. i loved her sister. i am on my KNEES for jamie.
no one writes praise and reassurance from start to finish like miss stephanie archer. 10/10 recommend.
she can do no wrong in my eyes and behind the net exceeded all of my expectations.
imagine you're lowkey destitute so your sister is able to swing you a job as an assistant to a pro hockey player. on day one, you knock on his door only for it to be the hockey god you crushed on in high school who seemingly has no idea who you are and is not happy you're here. EXCEPT HE TOTALLY REMEMBERS YOU AND YOU'VE RENDERED HIM SPEECHLESS.
i loved pippa. i loved her sister. i am on my KNEES for jamie.
no one writes praise and reassurance from start to finish like miss stephanie archer. 10/10 recommend.
July 21, 2023
Very cute, low on angst, high on feels, WITHOUT 3RD ACT BREAKUP, featuring a doggo, lots of steam! 🙌❤️🔥
May 31, 2024
and i will never be listening to songbird by fleetwood mac ever again
June 29, 2025
જ⁀➴ 𝟑.𝟐𝟓₊˚⊹🥅 𝟘𝟞/𝟙𝟡/𝟚𝟝—𝟘𝟞/𝟚𝟡/𝟚𝟝
this book was alright but i mostly just read it in between other books (or the period between finishing one book and starting another), hence it taking me 3x my normal speed to read this book!
my main complaint about this book is that it started out decently strong but the characters just fell in love too quickly and there was such a large amount of pages where nothing was happening at all except excessive spice (literally back to back spice to a point where i just started to skim it because it was all the exact same just recycled 😭).
I WILL SAY THOUGH!!—the author managed to make the book have no third act breakup OR major miscommunication!!
!!FULL REVIEW TO COME!!🏑⛸️
╰┈➤ tropes to expect!
✎ grumpy x sunshine
✎ hockey romance
✎ forced proximity (pro hockey + assistant)
✎ they both think the other one doesn’t remember them
✎ musical fmc
✎ spicy romance
𐙚🧸ྀི || 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
taking a break to read a cute hockey romcom after the book slump magnolia parks left me in!! i feel like this is a necessity for hockey romances so hopefully this is as good as everyone says it is!! 🏒⛸️💕
this book was alright but i mostly just read it in between other books (or the period between finishing one book and starting another), hence it taking me 3x my normal speed to read this book!
my main complaint about this book is that it started out decently strong but the characters just fell in love too quickly and there was such a large amount of pages where nothing was happening at all except excessive spice (literally back to back spice to a point where i just started to skim it because it was all the exact same just recycled 😭).
I WILL SAY THOUGH!!—the author managed to make the book have no third act breakup OR major miscommunication!!
!!FULL REVIEW TO COME!!🏑⛸️
╰┈➤ tropes to expect!
✎ grumpy x sunshine
✎ hockey romance
✎ forced proximity (pro hockey + assistant)
✎ they both think the other one doesn’t remember them
✎ musical fmc
✎ spicy romance
𐙚🧸ྀི || 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
taking a break to read a cute hockey romcom after the book slump magnolia parks left me in!! i feel like this is a necessity for hockey romances so hopefully this is as good as everyone says it is!! 🏒⛸️💕
June 23, 2025
this was honestly just… not it. i went in with high hopes after hearing so many good things, but it ended up being so boring and cringey that i had to force myself to finish. nothing about the story pulled me in — the pacing dragged, the dialogue felt off, and i never connected with the characters.
pippa felt super underdeveloped and flat. she’s supposed to be this talented, kind-hearted singer, but none of that came through in a believable way. her big moments felt too easy, like the story was just handing her success without any depth or struggle. she didn’t feel layered or emotionally grounded — just kind of... there.
and jamie... oh my god. he gave me the biggest ick. his whole vibe was weirdly intense and nothing about him felt swoonworthy. and that nickname?? “songbird”... absolutely not. it made me physically recoil every single time he said it. i don’t know who told him that was cute, but they were wrong.
and the moment he bought her a sex toy... i’m sorry but what??? it wasn’t cute, it wasn’t romantic, it was just plain weird — especially considering how little chemistry they had. i don’t know how that was supposed to come off, but it absolutely missed.
the romance was basically insta love with zero believable build-up. they went from nothing to “i’ve loved you forever” in record time, and it just felt forced the entire way through. nothing about their dynamic worked for me
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’ve only heard good things about this series so i’m finally seeing what the hype is about 👀
pippa felt super underdeveloped and flat. she’s supposed to be this talented, kind-hearted singer, but none of that came through in a believable way. her big moments felt too easy, like the story was just handing her success without any depth or struggle. she didn’t feel layered or emotionally grounded — just kind of... there.
and jamie... oh my god. he gave me the biggest ick. his whole vibe was weirdly intense and nothing about him felt swoonworthy. and that nickname?? “songbird”... absolutely not. it made me physically recoil every single time he said it. i don’t know who told him that was cute, but they were wrong.
and the moment he bought her a sex toy... i’m sorry but what??? it wasn’t cute, it wasn’t romantic, it was just plain weird — especially considering how little chemistry they had. i don’t know how that was supposed to come off, but it absolutely missed.
the romance was basically insta love with zero believable build-up. they went from nothing to “i’ve loved you forever” in record time, and it just felt forced the entire way through. nothing about their dynamic worked for me
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’ve only heard good things about this series so i’m finally seeing what the hype is about 👀
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