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D.C. Stars #1
Face Off
Emerson (Emmy) Hartwell has waited for a spot on an NHL roster since she became a professional hockey player, and this season, she’ll finally get a chance to showcase her talents with the struggling D.C. Stars.
Maverick Miller is the best player in the league, but he’s never had a winning record. Team captain and desperate to turn things around, he agrees to play nice with the fiery new left-winger even though they’re total opposites.
After a night where the tension between them reaches a tipping point and they fall in bed together, Emmy and Maverick vow it was only one time. Just once to get it out of their systems so they can play better and help their team.
It doesn’t mean anything. She doesn’t date hockey players. He’s a notorious playboy who doesn’t date. Period.
Except… what should’ve been just once happens again, then again. They tell each other their friends with benefits arrangement is only for the season, but despite facing off on the ice, behind closed doors, the pair is nothing but fire.
Maverick Miller is the best player in the league, but he’s never had a winning record. Team captain and desperate to turn things around, he agrees to play nice with the fiery new left-winger even though they’re total opposites.
After a night where the tension between them reaches a tipping point and they fall in bed together, Emmy and Maverick vow it was only one time. Just once to get it out of their systems so they can play better and help their team.
It doesn’t mean anything. She doesn’t date hockey players. He’s a notorious playboy who doesn’t date. Period.
Except… what should’ve been just once happens again, then again. They tell each other their friends with benefits arrangement is only for the season, but despite facing off on the ice, behind closed doors, the pair is nothing but fire.
450 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2024
11992 people are currently reading
96767 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea Curto
23 books6,053 followersChelsea is a flight attendant and romance author who writes fun, fresh and flirty love stories with plenty of spice. When she's not making fictional characters banter for twenty chapters before they finally kiss or serving chicken or pasta on an airplane, you can find her trying to pet as many dogs as she can.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,302 reviews
December 11, 2025
I absolutely DEVOURED this. I can’t get over how much I adored this book! I was in desperate need of a good sports romance series and this WAS IT!!! I giggled and kicked my feet the whole time, could not put this down!
This man….. MAVERICK MILLER!!! I’m done for. A pathetically obsessed golden retriever man with trauma, yeah no, take me away. Oh my god the way he loves Emmy, I cannot. THE MOUTH ON HIM?!!!! Emmy gives black cat energy and he loves how mean she is to him, the BANTERRRRR!!! They both play on the same NHL hockey team and the tension is scrumptious! Also an acts of service KING!!!
This man literally beat the ahitnout of her awful ex and got thrown out of the hockey game and before he got off the ice he looked at her with blood all over his face and smiled. FUCKING SMILED.
The found family in this too. No stop I love them all I can’t wait to read the other books! The wait all the guys on the team love Emmy so much, I die. No I’m dead.
No his mouth had my soul leaving my body. A man who begs >>>
“You said you wanted me on my knees. And I’ve always liked being a good boy.”
“Am I being good, Emmy? Good enough to touch the rest of you?”
Him describing falling in love with her: “It’s almost like I can’t breathe, and it only gets worse the longer I look. The sensation expands behind my ribs and takes up all the space in my head.”
Yeah no I’m obsessed.
This man….. MAVERICK MILLER!!! I’m done for. A pathetically obsessed golden retriever man with trauma, yeah no, take me away. Oh my god the way he loves Emmy, I cannot. THE MOUTH ON HIM?!!!! Emmy gives black cat energy and he loves how mean she is to him, the BANTERRRRR!!! They both play on the same NHL hockey team and the tension is scrumptious! Also an acts of service KING!!!
This man literally beat the ahitnout of her awful ex and got thrown out of the hockey game and before he got off the ice he looked at her with blood all over his face and smiled. FUCKING SMILED.
The found family in this too. No stop I love them all I can’t wait to read the other books! The wait all the guys on the team love Emmy so much, I die. No I’m dead.
No his mouth had my soul leaving my body. A man who begs >>>
“You said you wanted me on my knees. And I’ve always liked being a good boy.”
“Am I being good, Emmy? Good enough to touch the rest of you?”
Him describing falling in love with her: “It’s almost like I can’t breathe, and it only gets worse the longer I look. The sensation expands behind my ribs and takes up all the space in my head.”
Yeah no I’m obsessed.
July 4, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ New favourite sports romance series unlocked (obsessed)
March 12, 2025
Oh boy… where do I even start here. Quite possibly the best hockey romance I have ever read. From page 1 this book had me HOOKED, and it did not stop until the very last page. Emmy girl and Maverick was everything I could have ever asked for and more. WOW.
December 31, 2025
My last read for the year 2025 and one so disappointing. I found this to be so over hyped. It started off decent and nice but soon lost its rhythm. It lacked substance for me and trying too hard. The pacing dragged for me. The found family was not doing it for me either. But I did enjoy the group chats.
I didn't connect to the characters or the story at all. Maverick was a play boy and I did occasionally like his sweet gestures and smitten thoughts. But he's so forgettable, there's not much to remember him by. Emmy started off strong. But soon lost that spark for me. She real quickly let Maverick in despite claiming she would never. And I'm talking 30% in.
The romance did nothing for me. It fell flat. The spice was very insta lust for me at 37% cause it came out of nowhere. There was no attachment and no chemistry between the two throughout the book. I mean sure, the spice is written hot but not enough to make me root for them. I just did not see the two grow or mature enough for me to like them or their relationship.
I skimmed through the ending and this might be the one and only time I would say this needed a lot of drama and a third act breakup so bad 🥲 My tbr is overflowing for me to continue with this series. So yeah, not coming back to it.
Thanks for sweet Yelena for reading this with me. I couldn't have survived this one without you 🥰
~•~•~
In the mood for something light and different. And most of my friends here seem to love it. Fingers crossed
I didn't connect to the characters or the story at all. Maverick was a play boy and I did occasionally like his sweet gestures and smitten thoughts. But he's so forgettable, there's not much to remember him by. Emmy started off strong. But soon lost that spark for me. She real quickly let Maverick in despite claiming she would never. And I'm talking 30% in.
The romance did nothing for me. It fell flat. The spice was very insta lust for me at 37% cause it came out of nowhere. There was no attachment and no chemistry between the two throughout the book. I mean sure, the spice is written hot but not enough to make me root for them. I just did not see the two grow or mature enough for me to like them or their relationship.
I skimmed through the ending and this might be the one and only time I would say this needed a lot of drama and a third act breakup so bad 🥲 My tbr is overflowing for me to continue with this series. So yeah, not coming back to it.
Thanks for sweet Yelena for reading this with me. I couldn't have survived this one without you 🥰
~•~•~
In the mood for something light and different. And most of my friends here seem to love it. Fingers crossed
January 2, 2025
4.75⭐️ big slay
June 8, 2024
1. they’re both hockey players in the NHL
2. He wears her jersey instead of her wearing his
3. good boy vibes
4. no 3rd act breakup
do you need more? no.
this was a blast, go read it.
2. He wears her jersey instead of her wearing his
3. good boy vibes
4. no 3rd act breakup
do you need more? no.
this was a blast, go read it.
August 13, 2024
I can’t believe im giving this 5 stars. that is the last thing i expected but oh my god, maverick miller set the standard fr 🥹 he’s perfect. I love nothing more than a golden retriever mmc, that flirts so openly with the fmc, and isn’t afraid to show or admit just how much he’s obsessed with her 💝🎀 he reminds me so much of evan zanders (mile high) so if you like him, you’ll love miller 🤭 I love the representation of female athletes too, and the friendship she formed with the rest of the guys was the sweetest <33
September 3, 2024
4.5 🌟 I ATE THIS UPPP!!!!
pretty boy x emmy girl <33333
pretty boy x emmy girl <33333
August 16, 2025
⭑.ᐟ4.25 stars
⤷・spoiler-free review ‧₊˚ ┊
꒰ "Maverick. what are...why are you wearing my jersey?"
"because it's heroes and legends night. you're my hero, Hartwell,
and you're definitely going to become a legend." ꒱
buddy read with my fav girl, har 😽 thank you so much for reading this with me angel, I seriously had the best time ever giggling over the D.C. team with you & endlessly yapping about this amazing book! I'm so excited to experience the rest of this series with you! love you so very much💘
𝜗𝜚 har's stunning review 𝜗𝜚
‧₊˚ ┊⛸️ thoughts
okay this book seriously exceeded my expectations. when I decided to pick this book up, I mostly expected just another silly hockey romance with the same old plot they usually have but no. boy was I wrong! this book had a unique premise with loveable characters, wonderful character development and did my favourite trope, the found-family trope so much justice. this book literally had me giggling from the third chapter and I continuously found myself getting lost within the pages because I was so invested. this book filled me with a sense of excitement and calm at the same time, making it such a great comfort read. words cannot describe how excited I am for the next books in this series (especially Hudson's🤭).
the only reason I deducted points is because, for one, I felt that they jumped into the "friends-with-benefits"/ spice too quickly. as a girly who lives for that yearning, I would have preferred it to take a bit more time for them to get down to business. also, just the amount of spice in it turned me away a little bit and left me to want to skim through those chapters. I used to love spice in books and sometimes I still do but I honestly could not care to be reading like 8+ chapters with mostly just spice.
‧₊˚ ┊🏒 characters
ᵎᵎ ⌗ emmy hartwell
god is a woman -ariana grande
oh how I love Emmy so much. this woman is the definition of a girl boss. I'm truly obsessed with everything about her! she is such an inspiration. the fact that she does what she wants to do despite other people's opinions and repeatedly puts herself out there, willing to take risks makes her incredibly charming and I just will never be able to get enough of her. I felt so bad for her with what she dealt with from her ex but seeing her character growth and also knowing her team had her back filled me with so much happiness. she is one of the most fierce FMC's I have read about.
ᵎᵎ ⌗ maverick miller
hall of fame -the script ft. will.i.am
mmmm say it with me, MAVERICK MILLER. omg, to be so honest I loved him right away. I just had such a great feeling about him yet he still was so much more soft and gentlemanly than I imagined. not only would this man go to the ends of the earth for Emmy, but he would do it for all his loved ones and even just for anyone who needs help because he has the kindest heart out there. maverick is beyond selfless, always putting everyone before himself. he pays attention to people so that he can surprise them and see them smile because that's what makes him happy. also the way he is with his niece, June had my cheeks hurting. I need to see Maverick become a father because I don't think someone who is better father and husband material could exist.
ᵎᵎ ⌗ emmy+maverick
state of grace -taylor swift
omg can you say power couple!? even though I wish we got more yearning before the spice, I still can't deny their connection. they are such a gorgeous couple both inside and out. two people with the kindest and purest hearts. two people who haven't gotten to fully experience that feeling of being wanted, loved and someone's first choice. they deserve each other so much and they deserve to flourish together forever. honestly they are probably one of my favourite couples, they're just so much fun to watch together and I feel like it's impossible to not want to just root for them. YAY for no third act break up because they are actually mature enough to act and communicate like their age!!
ᵎᵎ ⌗ d.c. stars team
count on me -bruno mars
ugh this is definitely my favourite hockey team from a book so far. each and every one of them are just so loveable and they reminded me why I love the found-family trope so much. it felt like receiving a warm hug every time I heard one of the boys supporting each other and Emmy. I really only have good things to say about them and I don't want to give any spoilers but I promise you, you will be jumping, giggling and kicking your feet at the pure support and brotherly-love they show Emmy. my favourite boy was Hudson and I cannot wait for his book. I just know I'm going to devour it.
‧₊˚ ┊🥅 quotes
┆“I’ve always considered myself a feminist, but there’s something so goddamn sexy about a man in a backwards hat that has me ready to drop to my knees for the patriarchy.”
┆“I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is. A place I’d like to stay forever.”
┆“You are allowed to cry, but you’re not allowed to cry over shitty men. They don’t deserve your love and attention, let alone your tears.”
┆“I really can’t convince you to come, can I?” “Nope. I have some ice cream in the fridge, I’m going to open a bottle of wine, I’m reading a romance book that’s making me kick my feet. What more can you ask for?”
┆"a smile- the tiniest, faintest smile I've ever seen- pulls at her lips, and I'm the proudest motherfucker in the world."
⤷・spoiler-free review ‧₊˚ ┊
꒰ "Maverick. what are...why are you wearing my jersey?"
"because it's heroes and legends night. you're my hero, Hartwell,
and you're definitely going to become a legend." ꒱
buddy read with my fav girl, har 😽 thank you so much for reading this with me angel, I seriously had the best time ever giggling over the D.C. team with you & endlessly yapping about this amazing book! I'm so excited to experience the rest of this series with you! love you so very much💘
𝜗𝜚 har's stunning review 𝜗𝜚
‧₊˚ ┊⛸️ thoughts
okay this book seriously exceeded my expectations. when I decided to pick this book up, I mostly expected just another silly hockey romance with the same old plot they usually have but no. boy was I wrong! this book had a unique premise with loveable characters, wonderful character development and did my favourite trope, the found-family trope so much justice. this book literally had me giggling from the third chapter and I continuously found myself getting lost within the pages because I was so invested. this book filled me with a sense of excitement and calm at the same time, making it such a great comfort read. words cannot describe how excited I am for the next books in this series (especially Hudson's🤭).
the only reason I deducted points is because, for one, I felt that they jumped into the "friends-with-benefits"/ spice too quickly. as a girly who lives for that yearning, I would have preferred it to take a bit more time for them to get down to business. also, just the amount of spice in it turned me away a little bit and left me to want to skim through those chapters. I used to love spice in books and sometimes I still do but I honestly could not care to be reading like 8+ chapters with mostly just spice.
‧₊˚ ┊🏒 characters
ᵎᵎ ⌗ emmy hartwell
god is a woman -ariana grande
oh how I love Emmy so much. this woman is the definition of a girl boss. I'm truly obsessed with everything about her! she is such an inspiration. the fact that she does what she wants to do despite other people's opinions and repeatedly puts herself out there, willing to take risks makes her incredibly charming and I just will never be able to get enough of her. I felt so bad for her with what she dealt with from her ex but seeing her character growth and also knowing her team had her back filled me with so much happiness. she is one of the most fierce FMC's I have read about.
ᵎᵎ ⌗ maverick miller
hall of fame -the script ft. will.i.am
mmmm say it with me, MAVERICK MILLER. omg, to be so honest I loved him right away. I just had such a great feeling about him yet he still was so much more soft and gentlemanly than I imagined. not only would this man go to the ends of the earth for Emmy, but he would do it for all his loved ones and even just for anyone who needs help because he has the kindest heart out there. maverick is beyond selfless, always putting everyone before himself. he pays attention to people so that he can surprise them and see them smile because that's what makes him happy. also the way he is with his niece, June had my cheeks hurting. I need to see Maverick become a father because I don't think someone who is better father and husband material could exist.
ᵎᵎ ⌗ emmy+maverick
state of grace -taylor swift
omg can you say power couple!? even though I wish we got more yearning before the spice, I still can't deny their connection. they are such a gorgeous couple both inside and out. two people with the kindest and purest hearts. two people who haven't gotten to fully experience that feeling of being wanted, loved and someone's first choice. they deserve each other so much and they deserve to flourish together forever. honestly they are probably one of my favourite couples, they're just so much fun to watch together and I feel like it's impossible to not want to just root for them. YAY for no third act break up because they are actually mature enough to act and communicate like their age!!
ᵎᵎ ⌗ d.c. stars team
count on me -bruno mars
ugh this is definitely my favourite hockey team from a book so far. each and every one of them are just so loveable and they reminded me why I love the found-family trope so much. it felt like receiving a warm hug every time I heard one of the boys supporting each other and Emmy. I really only have good things to say about them and I don't want to give any spoilers but I promise you, you will be jumping, giggling and kicking your feet at the pure support and brotherly-love they show Emmy. my favourite boy was Hudson and I cannot wait for his book. I just know I'm going to devour it.
‧₊˚ ┊🥅 quotes
┆“I’ve always considered myself a feminist, but there’s something so goddamn sexy about a man in a backwards hat that has me ready to drop to my knees for the patriarchy.”
┆“I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is. A place I’d like to stay forever.”
┆“You are allowed to cry, but you’re not allowed to cry over shitty men. They don’t deserve your love and attention, let alone your tears.”
┆“I really can’t convince you to come, can I?” “Nope. I have some ice cream in the fridge, I’m going to open a bottle of wine, I’m reading a romance book that’s making me kick my feet. What more can you ask for?”
┆"a smile- the tiniest, faintest smile I've ever seen- pulls at her lips, and I'm the proudest motherfucker in the world."
November 28, 2024
Idk if it's my slump or if this book just isn't for me
But what I do know is that every time I opened the book and had to hear about how big of a manwhore the MMC was BUT he donated to charity, saved sick puppies from burning buildings, ran headfirst into a wild lion to save a baby, cooked a scalding hot soup for the homeless with his bare hands... I immediately clicked back out.
Like I get it, you're a manwhore, you don't gotta justify it to me bro.
This book was working OVERTIME trying to convince us the MMC was worth swooning over even though he was a slut. You can like casual sex and also be decent.... the two aren't mutually exclusive.
Also I was hoping for some cool woman athlete moments but barely got any except for the occasional mention of how she inspired a lot of women and kids. It would've been awesome if there was more tension within the team and the public so that we could've gotten to see her deal with that and rise above.
But this book barely touched that subject.
There was also no drama in this which bored the living hell out of me. Would be perfect for someone who prefers low-risk reads.
Anyways... I AM FREEEEEEEE GOD BLESS NEVER AGAIN this book made me stop reading for like 12 days GRRRRRR
-
preread//
I really need to get back on my sports romcom era 😩
But what I do know is that every time I opened the book and had to hear about how big of a manwhore the MMC was BUT he donated to charity, saved sick puppies from burning buildings, ran headfirst into a wild lion to save a baby, cooked a scalding hot soup for the homeless with his bare hands... I immediately clicked back out.
Like I get it, you're a manwhore, you don't gotta justify it to me bro.
This book was working OVERTIME trying to convince us the MMC was worth swooning over even though he was a slut. You can like casual sex and also be decent.... the two aren't mutually exclusive.
Also I was hoping for some cool woman athlete moments but barely got any except for the occasional mention of how she inspired a lot of women and kids. It would've been awesome if there was more tension within the team and the public so that we could've gotten to see her deal with that and rise above.
But this book barely touched that subject.
There was also no drama in this which bored the living hell out of me. Would be perfect for someone who prefers low-risk reads.
Anyways... I AM FREEEEEEEE GOD BLESS NEVER AGAIN this book made me stop reading for like 12 days GRRRRRR
-
preread//
I really need to get back on my sports romcom era 😩
December 10, 2025
I fear I found my new obsession, I devoured this. It was so good, I couldn't stop reading!!
I absolutely loved Emmy girl and her pretty boy and the found family trope will forever be my favourite!!
Emmy might be one of my favourite characters ever, she was determined and so amazing!! I love how hard she worked for her dream, being a first woman in the NHL isn't easy and I hated seeing her doubt herself, but she never let the noise stop her and I adored the way Maverick made sure she knows just how special she is. She was prickly, so seeing her walls go down was so fun. The team really took her in, they had her back and I absolutely loved their dynamic.
Maverick, that man had the biggest heart, I love him so much. He was so kind and selfless and always there for the people around him. He was such a great captain and I loved how fiercely he protected the people he loved. He put others first and seeing how deep some of his insecurities go broke my heart. He truly deserves the best and I'm so happy he has someone as special as Emmy in his life. I loved his connection with Dallas and Reid and of course Hudson, that scene near the end with them was my favourite lol.
I don't think I can explain just how much I loved reading about Maverick and Emmy. Their banter, the way he was trying to get close to her, but she didn't give him the time of the day, I was giggling and kicking my feet so much. They started their friends with benefits agreement pretty early in the book, but for them it made sense, they had that special connection since the beginning, but they weren't ready for anything more, they needed that time to realise their feelings.. It honestly made seeing them slowly fall in love even more special. I absolutely loved the 500 questions and him wearing her jersey was the highlight of the book. Him reading her romance book, mine, going after her awful ex, the dad scene, everything he did for her, all the things he made sure to remember and how he went above and beyond for her and how she always saw him for who he was, it all felt like the warmest hug!!
And no third act break-up ahhhh!! We love when the characters are actually mature and talk things out!!!
I adore the team so much, the found family aspect was my favourite part. The group chat was the best, they are hilarious, and they really had each others back. I can't wait to read more about them, especially Liam and Hudson!!
I absolutely loved the girls, they were amazing, I can't wait to learn more about Piper and Lexi and I'm definitely reading the book about Maven and Dallas!!
.·:*¨ ¨*:·.
I've really been struggling with reading books from my tbr lately, being a mood reader is hell sometimes 😭 So I'm, once again, completely ignoring the books I really should be reading and starting a new series... I heard great things about this one, so it better deliver!!
I absolutely loved Emmy girl and her pretty boy and the found family trope will forever be my favourite!!
Emmy might be one of my favourite characters ever, she was determined and so amazing!! I love how hard she worked for her dream, being a first woman in the NHL isn't easy and I hated seeing her doubt herself, but she never let the noise stop her and I adored the way Maverick made sure she knows just how special she is. She was prickly, so seeing her walls go down was so fun. The team really took her in, they had her back and I absolutely loved their dynamic.
Maverick, that man had the biggest heart, I love him so much. He was so kind and selfless and always there for the people around him. He was such a great captain and I loved how fiercely he protected the people he loved. He put others first and seeing how deep some of his insecurities go broke my heart. He truly deserves the best and I'm so happy he has someone as special as Emmy in his life. I loved his connection with Dallas and Reid and of course Hudson, that scene near the end with them was my favourite lol.
I don't think I can explain just how much I loved reading about Maverick and Emmy. Their banter, the way he was trying to get close to her, but she didn't give him the time of the day, I was giggling and kicking my feet so much. They started their friends with benefits agreement pretty early in the book, but for them it made sense, they had that special connection since the beginning, but they weren't ready for anything more, they needed that time to realise their feelings.. It honestly made seeing them slowly fall in love even more special. I absolutely loved the 500 questions and him wearing her jersey was the highlight of the book. Him reading her romance book, mine, going after her awful ex, the dad scene, everything he did for her, all the things he made sure to remember and how he went above and beyond for her and how she always saw him for who he was, it all felt like the warmest hug!!
And no third act break-up ahhhh!! We love when the characters are actually mature and talk things out!!!
I adore the team so much, the found family aspect was my favourite part. The group chat was the best, they are hilarious, and they really had each others back. I can't wait to read more about them, especially Liam and Hudson!!
I absolutely loved the girls, they were amazing, I can't wait to learn more about Piper and Lexi and I'm definitely reading the book about Maven and Dallas!!
.·:*¨ ¨*:·.
I've really been struggling with reading books from my tbr lately, being a mood reader is hell sometimes 😭 So I'm, once again, completely ignoring the books I really should be reading and starting a new series... I heard great things about this one, so it better deliver!!
Read
November 19, 2025pre-read:
finally starting this series, and how great it is to read with my angel vanessa 🌷🫧 this is my first br with her and i really hope we both enjoy this one because i’ve heard many good things about this series!! 🤭🤞🏼✨
finally starting this series, and how great it is to read with my angel vanessa 🌷🫧 this is my first br with her and i really hope we both enjoy this one because i’ve heard many good things about this series!! 🤭🤞🏼✨
![Profile Image for vanessa ⋆.☕︎ [health issues].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1764626894i%2F166547387._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 20, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars.
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬.”
This book was good… but also kinda bad? I still can’t decide if it was exactly what I was waiting for or just something I’ve already seen a dozen times. Still, I’ll give it credit for one thing: it didn’t turn into a disappointment.
The story felt really off for me until around the 40% mark, but once I got past that, it actually stayed pretty solid all the way to the end. Honestly, the last ten chapters saved it from becoming another 1-star read. Yes, I giggled and kicked my feet more than I expected, but there was still something missing that kept me from fully connecting with the characters.
I tried to be nice, I swear, but at first it felt like another copy of Unsteady by Corinne. Thankfully, this one turned out better, and I’m honestly relieved about that.
Thank you to this gorgeous girl rei ‧₊˚✩彡 for buddy reading this book with me! We had such a fun, chaotic, and absolutely delightful time yapping about every scene, giggling at the ridiculous moments, and screaming over the cute ones. Sharing all of that made the whole reading experience a thousand times better!
── .✦
°˖➴ Emmy:
“𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮,” 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬. “𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.” “𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲. 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐨.
Emmy was fierce, strong, and genuinely kind, the kind of who instantly grabs your attention. I adored her from the very first moment she appeared on the page, and honestly, that didn’t change for a second. Yes, she had her stubborn moments that left me confused or even a little frustrated, but that only made her feel real. And then she met Mav, and everything in her shifted in the softest, in the sweetest way. That’s exactly the kind of emotional switch I crave in romance books.
She definitely falls into that predictable “I refuse to fall for a hockey player” trope, something I’ve seen in so many stories, but she wears it in her own way. I didn’t mind… even though part of me totally rolled my eyes at her.
But what truly made me connect with her was how she speaks her mind. She doesn’t hesitate to call someone out or stand her ground, even when it puts her in messy situations.That confidence and sharp honesty? That’s the part of her that felt familiar to me, the part that made me root for her even harder.
°˖➴Maverick:
“𝐇𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤. 𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫,” 𝐇𝐮𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. “𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐜𝐤.”
And then we have Maverick, strong, sweet, and absolutely devoted, the kind of man who lives for yearning over his girl, which is exactly what I wanted from the start. I do think the author flipped the usual plot a bit, but honestly, it still worked pretty well as things unfolded.
He’s your classic sports-romance hero: handsome, the captain, that “every girl wants him” energy… and yet the moment he saw Emmy, it was basically, “Oh, it’s you. You’re the one.” And I ate that up.
I loved how he supported her with everything in him, always showing up right when she needed him, especially when she was sick. That entire scene? Hands down my favorite part of the whole book. And his password being her name? I screamed. I want someone to do that for me too, honestly.
“𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰.”
Ohhh, and when they finally opened up to each other? 😭 That part hit me so hard. Emmy dealing with her mother being such a pain about her hockey career was honestly so annoying, and I loved that she was actually a sport player herself, it’s so rare in sports romances, and it made her character feel fresh and fascinating!
And then her ex-boyfriend… ugh, thinking he was the world to everyone but in reality, just a total piece of crap. Yikes.
Mav opening up about being a foster child and his search for someone who would truly love and care for him? That scene was so emotional and heartwarming. I literally felt my chest tighten reading it, it gave such depth to his character and made their connection feel real and earned.
── .✦
Oh, the thing that absolutely drove me insane in this book was the instant lust in the very first chapters. Like, why is this the mandatory starter pack for every sports romance lately? I swear, I’m starting to feel like these authors all signed some secret contract that requires them to open with “intense eye contact + sudden feral attraction” in chapter one.
It’s exhausting, it’s repetitive, and it kills my excitement every single time. I want a build-up, not a hormonal explosion three pages in!
── .✦
By the end of the book, I was honestly torn about my rating. I couldn’t decide if it was leaning toward a solid 3 stars or maybe a 3.75, but there was no way it deserved either of those. The wrap-up felt rushed, a little messy, and way too quick for the emotional build-up we were supposed to feel, but it did manage to pull things together just enough for me to add that extra 0.5.
So in the end, it landed exactly where it needed to be. Not perfect, not amazing, but definitely a good read in its own way. ✨📚
>>> ──────── .✦
⋆♡⸝💌⊹➴ I’ve been wanting to read this book for ages, but the hype on social media honestly scared me off for a while. Now I’m finally diving in, and oh my god, the cover is absolutely gorgeous!
And the best part? I get to read it with my sweet angel rei ‧₊˚✩彡 . I can’t wait to gush about every little thing with her. 💕💌
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬.”
This book was good… but also kinda bad? I still can’t decide if it was exactly what I was waiting for or just something I’ve already seen a dozen times. Still, I’ll give it credit for one thing: it didn’t turn into a disappointment.
The story felt really off for me until around the 40% mark, but once I got past that, it actually stayed pretty solid all the way to the end. Honestly, the last ten chapters saved it from becoming another 1-star read. Yes, I giggled and kicked my feet more than I expected, but there was still something missing that kept me from fully connecting with the characters.
I tried to be nice, I swear, but at first it felt like another copy of Unsteady by Corinne. Thankfully, this one turned out better, and I’m honestly relieved about that.
Thank you to this gorgeous girl rei ‧₊˚✩彡 for buddy reading this book with me! We had such a fun, chaotic, and absolutely delightful time yapping about every scene, giggling at the ridiculous moments, and screaming over the cute ones. Sharing all of that made the whole reading experience a thousand times better!
── .✦
°˖➴ Emmy:
“𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮,” 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬. “𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.” “𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲. 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐨.
Emmy was fierce, strong, and genuinely kind, the kind of who instantly grabs your attention. I adored her from the very first moment she appeared on the page, and honestly, that didn’t change for a second. Yes, she had her stubborn moments that left me confused or even a little frustrated, but that only made her feel real. And then she met Mav, and everything in her shifted in the softest, in the sweetest way. That’s exactly the kind of emotional switch I crave in romance books.
She definitely falls into that predictable “I refuse to fall for a hockey player” trope, something I’ve seen in so many stories, but she wears it in her own way. I didn’t mind… even though part of me totally rolled my eyes at her.
But what truly made me connect with her was how she speaks her mind. She doesn’t hesitate to call someone out or stand her ground, even when it puts her in messy situations.That confidence and sharp honesty? That’s the part of her that felt familiar to me, the part that made me root for her even harder.
°˖➴Maverick:
“𝐇𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤. 𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫,” 𝐇𝐮𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. “𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐜𝐤.”
And then we have Maverick, strong, sweet, and absolutely devoted, the kind of man who lives for yearning over his girl, which is exactly what I wanted from the start. I do think the author flipped the usual plot a bit, but honestly, it still worked pretty well as things unfolded.
He’s your classic sports-romance hero: handsome, the captain, that “every girl wants him” energy… and yet the moment he saw Emmy, it was basically, “Oh, it’s you. You’re the one.” And I ate that up.
I loved how he supported her with everything in him, always showing up right when she needed him, especially when she was sick. That entire scene? Hands down my favorite part of the whole book. And his password being her name? I screamed. I want someone to do that for me too, honestly.
“𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰.”
Ohhh, and when they finally opened up to each other? 😭 That part hit me so hard. Emmy dealing with her mother being such a pain about her hockey career was honestly so annoying, and I loved that she was actually a sport player herself, it’s so rare in sports romances, and it made her character feel fresh and fascinating!
And then her ex-boyfriend… ugh, thinking he was the world to everyone but in reality, just a total piece of crap. Yikes.
Mav opening up about being a foster child and his search for someone who would truly love and care for him? That scene was so emotional and heartwarming. I literally felt my chest tighten reading it, it gave such depth to his character and made their connection feel real and earned.
── .✦
Oh, the thing that absolutely drove me insane in this book was the instant lust in the very first chapters. Like, why is this the mandatory starter pack for every sports romance lately? I swear, I’m starting to feel like these authors all signed some secret contract that requires them to open with “intense eye contact + sudden feral attraction” in chapter one.
It’s exhausting, it’s repetitive, and it kills my excitement every single time. I want a build-up, not a hormonal explosion three pages in!
── .✦
By the end of the book,
So in the end, it landed exactly where it needed to be. Not perfect, not amazing, but definitely a good read in its own way. ✨📚
>>> ──────── .✦
⋆♡⸝💌⊹➴ I’ve been wanting to read this book for ages, but the hype on social media honestly scared me off for a while. Now I’m finally diving in, and oh my god, the cover is absolutely gorgeous!
And the best part? I get to read it with my sweet angel rei ‧₊˚✩彡 . I can’t wait to gush about every little thing with her. 💕💌
August 10, 2025
4.5 stars ₊ ° ⊹ ♡
╰┈➤ review w minor spoilers ⋆
tropes:
.ᐟ friends with benefits
.ᐟ found family
.ᐟ strong female lead
buddy read with my favourite aislinn!! 💌 thank you sm for reading this with me!! i had the best time giggling over maverick with you and yapping over everything 🙂↕️ i’m so excited to continue the series with you 🤸 love you so much angel 💝
ʚ⁺˖ aislinn’s gorgeous review!
‧₊˚ ┊summary and thoughts 💌
face off is about emerson hartwell and maverick miller. emmy finally got an opportunity to play with the NHL struggling team D.C. stars. the captain, maverick, who ended up flirting with her on the first day, since he thought she was a fan instead of someone who was joining the team. tensions build and one thing lead to another, they became friends with benefits to satisfy themselves. but this story is more than friends with benefits, it shows true love, and what it feels like to be loved by someone.
so! wow okay, i can’t believe i hated maverick at first. not going to lie, he did flirt with emmy when he first saw her and didn’t watch the tapes the captain sent over… but slowly, i finally understood why he was acting so weirdly i guess. he was a softie towards his niece, june! he really did love her endlessly. he just needed someone to show him that he deserves love and he deserves to be chosen. and emmy was able to do that for him. and wow emmy! i loved her sm and how much of a baddy she was 🙂↕️ i loved their love story sm and how much maverick changed as a person by the end!
‧₊˚ ┊emerson hartwell 🏒
okay miss baddie! she deserved all the support she could ever get! she really reminded me of she’s the man (ty kim for that!!). i loved how she used the haters as a motivation to do even better! and how she just ignored how men commented on her since she was the only woman in the team. i definitely loved how she tried to protect herself after being awfully hurt by her terrible ex boyfriend. also! i’m so glad she was able to meet piper as well! their friendship was so cute
‧₊˚ ┊maverick miller 🥅
mhm i said it, i did hate him at first. but once the story started to progress, god did i giggle over this man. he’s so ‘if he wanted to, he would’ coded. here’s some things he did for emmy that live rent free in my head:
- made his phone password 3669 right after meeting her (which stands for emmy)
- stopped seeing girls after he met emmy (cause he was so down bad for her)
- wore HER jersey in public
- made arrangements so that her disabled dad was able to watch her play her game. he arranged the van and a VIP room for him!!
- tattooed mine for her
- didn’t care for the game and protected emmy from her ex boyfriend who was the opponent
- flew out to toronto right after dropping her off so that she doesn’t spend her last night alone
- kept complimenting her
- his proposal to her 🥹
overall i cried in the last 5 chapters because of him. he really was a sweetheart to her! and also, i loved his nicknames for her!
‧₊˚ ┊emmy and maverick 💝
i know it said slow burn but honestly there wasn’t any! the friends with benefits came way too quickly (i think chapter 21 out of 50). but you know what, i’m not complaining. i loved how their relationship slowly formed and how much they cared for each other. also when they both were starting to realise how much they loved each other, i cried 🥹 maverick wasn’t able to think straight and got the boys to help him figure it out!! aaa i’m so glad they both met each other and showed them love and respect. i’m so excited to see their cameo in the other books!
‧₊˚ ┊D.C. stars team 🫂
my baddies, i loved them so much. i love how they made emmy included and cared so much for her! they were really a family together 🥹 i’m so excited to read hudson’s story though! he’s such a cutie 🤸
‧₊˚ ┊quotes
Maverick built a bookshelf for all my books, and every night we’re under the same roof, he lies next to me and reads over my shoulder, like there’s nowhere else he’d rather be.
“Can you—” his throat bobs, and his hand trembles when he wraps his fingers around my thigh. “No one’s ever loved me before—not like this—and I would really like to hear you say it again.”
“He definitely does. You should see him at the rink. He’s constantly searching for her,” Hudson says, laughing. “I counted the other day. Seventeen times during a two hour practice he was watching her instead of the puck.”
I wasn’t joking about putting mine on the back of my hand. I want to see it every time I touch you. A pretty necklace for my pretty girl.”
“I’ve been wanting to shout from the rooftops that you’re my girlfriend for a while now.”
How do I tell him Emmy is all I think about? She’s the first thing on my mind when I wake up. At night, when she’s curled up next to me, I’m still thinking about her. I close my eyes, and she’s there.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever get sick of you,” Emmy admits. “You’re my favorite person in the world.” “Funny. You’re my favorite person too.” (there’s way too many to share)
➤ started: july 27
➤ finished: aug 4
╰┈➤ review w minor spoilers ⋆
“why would you give up the sport you love?” “because i love you more!”
tropes:
.ᐟ friends with benefits
.ᐟ found family
.ᐟ strong female lead
buddy read with my favourite aislinn!! 💌 thank you sm for reading this with me!! i had the best time giggling over maverick with you and yapping over everything 🙂↕️ i’m so excited to continue the series with you 🤸 love you so much angel 💝
ʚ⁺˖ aislinn’s gorgeous review!
‧₊˚ ┊summary and thoughts 💌
face off is about emerson hartwell and maverick miller. emmy finally got an opportunity to play with the NHL struggling team D.C. stars. the captain, maverick, who ended up flirting with her on the first day, since he thought she was a fan instead of someone who was joining the team. tensions build and one thing lead to another, they became friends with benefits to satisfy themselves. but this story is more than friends with benefits, it shows true love, and what it feels like to be loved by someone.
so! wow okay, i can’t believe i hated maverick at first. not going to lie, he did flirt with emmy when he first saw her and didn’t watch the tapes the captain sent over… but slowly, i finally understood why he was acting so weirdly i guess. he was a softie towards his niece, june! he really did love her endlessly. he just needed someone to show him that he deserves love and he deserves to be chosen. and emmy was able to do that for him. and wow emmy! i loved her sm and how much of a baddy she was 🙂↕️ i loved their love story sm and how much maverick changed as a person by the end!
‧₊˚ ┊emerson hartwell 🏒
the man - taylor swift
okay miss baddie! she deserved all the support she could ever get! she really reminded me of she’s the man (ty kim for that!!). i loved how she used the haters as a motivation to do even better! and how she just ignored how men commented on her since she was the only woman in the team. i definitely loved how she tried to protect herself after being awfully hurt by her terrible ex boyfriend. also! i’m so glad she was able to meet piper as well! their friendship was so cute
‧₊˚ ┊maverick miller 🥅
carry you home - alex warren
mhm i said it, i did hate him at first. but once the story started to progress, god did i giggle over this man. he’s so ‘if he wanted to, he would’ coded. here’s some things he did for emmy that live rent free in my head:
- made his phone password 3669 right after meeting her (which stands for emmy)
- stopped seeing girls after he met emmy (cause he was so down bad for her)
- wore HER jersey in public
- made arrangements so that her disabled dad was able to watch her play her game. he arranged the van and a VIP room for him!!
- tattooed mine for her
- didn’t care for the game and protected emmy from her ex boyfriend who was the opponent
- flew out to toronto right after dropping her off so that she doesn’t spend her last night alone
- kept complimenting her
- his proposal to her 🥹
overall i cried in the last 5 chapters because of him. he really was a sweetheart to her! and also, i loved his nicknames for her!
‧₊˚ ┊emmy and maverick 💝
miss americana and the heartbreak prince - taylor swift
i know it said slow burn but honestly there wasn’t any! the friends with benefits came way too quickly (i think chapter 21 out of 50). but you know what, i’m not complaining. i loved how their relationship slowly formed and how much they cared for each other. also when they both were starting to realise how much they loved each other, i cried 🥹 maverick wasn’t able to think straight and got the boys to help him figure it out!! aaa i’m so glad they both met each other and showed them love and respect. i’m so excited to see their cameo in the other books!
‧₊˚ ┊D.C. stars team 🫂
my baddies, i loved them so much. i love how they made emmy included and cared so much for her! they were really a family together 🥹 i’m so excited to read hudson’s story though! he’s such a cutie 🤸
‧₊˚ ┊quotes
Maverick built a bookshelf for all my books, and every night we’re under the same roof, he lies next to me and reads over my shoulder, like there’s nowhere else he’d rather be.
“Can you—” his throat bobs, and his hand trembles when he wraps his fingers around my thigh. “No one’s ever loved me before—not like this—and I would really like to hear you say it again.”
“He definitely does. You should see him at the rink. He’s constantly searching for her,” Hudson says, laughing. “I counted the other day. Seventeen times during a two hour practice he was watching her instead of the puck.”
I wasn’t joking about putting mine on the back of my hand. I want to see it every time I touch you. A pretty necklace for my pretty girl.”
“I’ve been wanting to shout from the rooftops that you’re my girlfriend for a while now.”
How do I tell him Emmy is all I think about? She’s the first thing on my mind when I wake up. At night, when she’s curled up next to me, I’m still thinking about her. I close my eyes, and she’s there.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever get sick of you,” Emmy admits. “You’re my favorite person in the world.” “Funny. You’re my favorite person too.” (there’s way too many to share)
➤ started: july 27
➤ finished: aug 4
August 22, 2025
3.5 ★ - spoiler free review
first in first thank you my favie girl kim for reading this book with me, even if it was a dnfed for you, i hope you had an amazing time because i did! i always have when it’s about doing a br with you <3
so… i did giggle and kick my feet when i was reading it, but i felt like it was something i have already read somewhere else. it reminded me so much of mile high by liz tomford.
don’t get me wrong, i loved and devoured it. but you know… i always read the classic story where the playboy falls in love with a girl who doesn’t date them.
i want something original, something new, something nobody has ever read before.
now let’s give some spaces to the characters.
i’m really into powerful women, and that’s exactly who emmy is. i’d like to say that sometimes she might be stubborn, and for the whole book i just wanted to give her a hug for her self-questioning.
then we have maverick. what do i think about him? i believe he is the exactly copy of zanders. however, when he sees emmy, he transforms into someone completely different. to clarify, he was absolutely perfect, i love how he supports emmy in every possible way, and how he wants to change things for her. he even expresses his love through actions.
my final thoughts are that this is the classic hockey romance, nothing new… but please, this is what my truly opinion is, i do not want to get judged. i didn’t like her writing at all, honestly i got stuck in some sentences that i even didn’t understand at all HAHAHAA and idk why. but it was smooth! quite fluid.
I’m not doing this only for myself. It’s for all the girls out there who have ever been told they can’t.
first in first thank you my favie girl kim for reading this book with me, even if it was a dnfed for you, i hope you had an amazing time because i did! i always have when it’s about doing a br with you <3
so… i did giggle and kick my feet when i was reading it, but i felt like it was something i have already read somewhere else. it reminded me so much of mile high by liz tomford.
don’t get me wrong, i loved and devoured it. but you know… i always read the classic story where the playboy falls in love with a girl who doesn’t date them.
i want something original, something new, something nobody has ever read before.
now let’s give some spaces to the characters.
i’m really into powerful women, and that’s exactly who emmy is. i’d like to say that sometimes she might be stubborn, and for the whole book i just wanted to give her a hug for her self-questioning.
then we have maverick. what do i think about him? i believe he is the exactly copy of zanders. however, when he sees emmy, he transforms into someone completely different. to clarify, he was absolutely perfect, i love how he supports emmy in every possible way, and how he wants to change things for her. he even expresses his love through actions.
“Maverick. What are… Why are you wearing my jersey?” “Because it’s Heroes and Legends night. You’re my hero, Hartwell, and you’re definitely going to become a legend.”
my final thoughts are that this is the classic hockey romance, nothing new… but please, this is what my truly opinion is, i do not want to get judged. i didn’t like her writing at all, honestly i got stuck in some sentences that i even didn’t understand at all HAHAHAA and idk why. but it was smooth! quite fluid.
June 13, 2024
me when the ex-playboy, golden-retriever hockey player falls SO in love with the black-cat, girl’s-girl hockey player that he
wears her jersey
and
gets a tattoo of her handwriting
on his chest
💌 I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is.
A place I’d like to stay forever.
it’s always always more enjoyable when i read with my precious lila <33
💌 I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is.
A place I’d like to stay forever.
it’s always always more enjoyable when i read with my precious lila <33
Read
August 14, 2025₊˚⊹⋆ 🥅 pre-read
⤿ started august 9 • stopped on august 13
dnf at 65%. im so bored lol. i’ll get back to this one when i finish the rest of the series!! in the meantime i can’t wait to read about the other characters 🥹
•••••••••••••••••
this one’s for you julia & har !! if i don’t love this one, im hunting you both down….😈
and ofc im br with my favie giu, based on the content warning page, i think we’re both going to die a little inside <3
⤿ started august 9 • stopped on august 13
dnf at 65%. im so bored lol. i’ll get back to this one when i finish the rest of the series!! in the meantime i can’t wait to read about the other characters 🥹
•••••••••••••••••
this one’s for you julia & har !! if i don’t love this one, im hunting you both down….😈
and ofc im br with my favie giu, based on the content warning page, i think we’re both going to die a little inside <3
September 13, 2025
DNF @ 35%
I was bored for the whole time. I felt zero connection or chemistry between the MCs. So when they hooked up at 35% I just didn't care lol. Underwhelming to say the least. Clearly I didn't get the hype but what can you do.
I was bored for the whole time. I felt zero connection or chemistry between the MCs. So when they hooked up at 35% I just didn't care lol. Underwhelming to say the least. Clearly I didn't get the hype but what can you do.
September 22, 2025
3.5💫
im so glad i started the dc stars series and i cant wait to read the rest!! i immediately fell in love with the found family in this one and i neeeed all of their books asap.
mav was such a gentleman and he treated emmy perfectly, but i feel like we kinda brushed aside his past. it starts off by saying he is a player, but we really got no insight into his past and how his feelings on his past affect his relationship with emmy. i would assume that because he was so afraid of commitment, there would be some inner conflict about being with emmy only, but there wasn’t, which is so great for them, but doesn’t really make sense with the past they pinned on him and his past opinion of relationships.
emmy was such a badass i loved her. she was so confident, cool, and i absolutely loved how everyone treated her. she is a princess and deserves to be treated like one by everyone.
their personal relationship journey felt like it was all spicy scenes and i wanted a more emotional connection from them. i knew it would be more heavily spice because it has “spicy” in the title, but i feel like there were so many scenes we didn’t need and i would have appreciated scenes of them just being together. most scenes of just them two were spice and i wanted to see them being a couple or loving towards each other or something. i know they were a fwb type of relationship but it quickly changed to more, and we still only saw those types of scenes from them.
overall, i had a great time and i am glad i started this series!!
im so glad i started the dc stars series and i cant wait to read the rest!! i immediately fell in love with the found family in this one and i neeeed all of their books asap.
mav was such a gentleman and he treated emmy perfectly, but i feel like we kinda brushed aside his past. it starts off by saying he is a player, but we really got no insight into his past and how his feelings on his past affect his relationship with emmy. i would assume that because he was so afraid of commitment, there would be some inner conflict about being with emmy only, but there wasn’t, which is so great for them, but doesn’t really make sense with the past they pinned on him and his past opinion of relationships.
emmy was such a badass i loved her. she was so confident, cool, and i absolutely loved how everyone treated her. she is a princess and deserves to be treated like one by everyone.
their personal relationship journey felt like it was all spicy scenes and i wanted a more emotional connection from them. i knew it would be more heavily spice because it has “spicy” in the title, but i feel like there were so many scenes we didn’t need and i would have appreciated scenes of them just being together. most scenes of just them two were spice and i wanted to see them being a couple or loving towards each other or something. i know they were a fwb type of relationship but it quickly changed to more, and we still only saw those types of scenes from them.
overall, i had a great time and i am glad i started this series!!
December 26, 2025
── 4.25 stars .ᐟ ₊˚ෆ ⋆
「 ❝ Take me to church, Emmy. ❞ 」
⤿ read: december 26 • 2025
⤿ age rating: 17+
⤿ spice level: 3.5/5
⤿ content warnings: sexual content, strong language, threats of SA, violence
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ 🫧 ꒰ now playing: ꒱
» [ the very first night - taylor swift ] «
0:32 ─〇───── 3:20
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╰⪼┆ᯓᰔ〝 cause they don’t know about the night in the hotel. they weren’t riding in the car when we both fell. didn’t read the note on the polaroid picture. they don’t know how much i miss you. 〞
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ ⛸️ ꒰ main tropes: ꒱
⤿ black cat gf x golden retriever bf
⤿ found family
⤿ friends with benefits
⤿ he falls first
⤿ hockey romance
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ 🏒 ꒰ review: ꒱
a cheesy, cliché hockey romance is just what the doctor ordered. i mean that literally, because i am unbearably sick right now (again), but this book genuinely may have cleared my sinuses. i wasn’t expecting to sit and read this in a single evening but not a cell in my body is complaining. that’s saying a lot considering this book had a healthy dose of spice sprinkled in there but i was too busy grinning to cringe at the way it was written. that is an astronomical accomplishment. bravo, chelsea curto.
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ 🩵 ꒰ characters: ꒱
⇢ emmy hartwell .ᐟ
she is so easy to love. i’m so glad we’re getting appreciation for tall muscular girls here because they are not mentioned nearly enough. i wanted this woman to put me on a leash. plus the female friendships?? shoutout to all the girlies in this book for being absolute divas. their friend group is so special to me.
⇢ maverick miller .ᐟ
little bit of a rough start but he said ‘atta girl’ and it was basically ‘proper name place name backstory stuff’ from there on out. and he’s a whimperer? a munch? a ‘good boy’? goodness me, i’m sweating and it’s not from illness.
⇢ others .ᐟ
hudson hayes ; a little respect for women can get you very very far!! i want to place a bow on this pretty little princess. i am so bafflingly down bad for this man it’s crazy.
liam sullivan ; i can truly appreciate a man who shuts the fuck up. can’t wait for his book because i know that i am going to absolutely melt.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ ꒰ series reviews: ꒱
⤿ #1. face off ; 4.25 ★
⤿ #2. power play ; ? ★
⤿ #3. slap shot ; ? ★
⤿ #4. hat trick ; ? ★
⤿ #5. sin bin ; ? ★
⤿ #6. cross check ; ? ★
⤿ #7. weak side ; ? ★
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ pre-read:
i’m sick, i’m tired, i’m in desperate need of an easy-to-read romance. heard nothing but good things about this book so i’m going in with (medium) high hopes. fingers crossed… — ( prediction ; 3.75 ☆ )
જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹ ᰔ
「 ❝ Take me to church, Emmy. ❞ 」
⤿ read: december 26 • 2025
⤿ age rating: 17+
⤿ spice level: 3.5/5
⤿ content warnings: sexual content, strong language, threats of SA, violence
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ 🫧 ꒰ now playing: ꒱
» [ the very first night - taylor swift ] «
0:32 ─〇───── 3:20
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╰⪼┆ᯓᰔ〝 cause they don’t know about the night in the hotel. they weren’t riding in the car when we both fell. didn’t read the note on the polaroid picture. they don’t know how much i miss you. 〞
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ ⛸️ ꒰ main tropes: ꒱
⤿ black cat gf x golden retriever bf
⤿ found family
⤿ friends with benefits
⤿ he falls first
⤿ hockey romance
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ 🏒 ꒰ review: ꒱
a cheesy, cliché hockey romance is just what the doctor ordered. i mean that literally, because i am unbearably sick right now (again), but this book genuinely may have cleared my sinuses. i wasn’t expecting to sit and read this in a single evening but not a cell in my body is complaining. that’s saying a lot considering this book had a healthy dose of spice sprinkled in there but i was too busy grinning to cringe at the way it was written. that is an astronomical accomplishment. bravo, chelsea curto.
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ 🩵 ꒰ characters: ꒱
⇢ emmy hartwell .ᐟ
she is so easy to love. i’m so glad we’re getting appreciation for tall muscular girls here because they are not mentioned nearly enough. i wanted this woman to put me on a leash. plus the female friendships?? shoutout to all the girlies in this book for being absolute divas. their friend group is so special to me.
⇢ maverick miller .ᐟ
little bit of a rough start but he said ‘atta girl’ and it was basically ‘proper name place name backstory stuff’ from there on out. and he’s a whimperer? a munch? a ‘good boy’? goodness me, i’m sweating and it’s not from illness.
⇢ others .ᐟ
hudson hayes ; a little respect for women can get you very very far!! i want to place a bow on this pretty little princess. i am so bafflingly down bad for this man it’s crazy.
liam sullivan ; i can truly appreciate a man who shuts the fuck up. can’t wait for his book because i know that i am going to absolutely melt.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ ꒰ series reviews: ꒱
⤿ #1. face off ; 4.25 ★
⤿ #2. power play ; ? ★
⤿ #3. slap shot ; ? ★
⤿ #4. hat trick ; ? ★
⤿ #5. sin bin ; ? ★
⤿ #6. cross check ; ? ★
⤿ #7. weak side ; ? ★
.۶ৎ. ݁˖ ⋮ ⌗ pre-read:
i’m sick, i’m tired, i’m in desperate need of an easy-to-read romance. heard nothing but good things about this book so i’m going in with (medium) high hopes. fingers crossed… — ( prediction ; 3.75 ☆ )
જ⁀➴ ₊˚⊹ ᰔ
December 15, 2025
It has been a hot minute since I’ve read a sports romance and it was about time I changed that 🙆🏻♀️
“Game on, Hartwell. I hope you’re ready for war” 😈
I felt the need for a good book binge and this couldn’t have been a better way to start 🙇🏻♀️ 💖 ✨ I absolutely DEVOURED this book 😍 and am genuinely shocked how much I loved it! From the word go, I was hooked by Emmy’s likeable and relatable personality, and it only went up from there 🙌🏽
Emmy is the first woman to play as a professional hockey player from the D.C. Stars - need I say anymore? She is a BOSS-WOMAN 🙌🏽 But, as the only woman in her field she doesn’t get it easy. Even the captain, Maverick Miller, causes tension on the ice, but for the sake of the team, he agrees to play nice…bring on the heat ❤️🔥
In the first book of this series, Chelsea explores multiple themes but my favourite had to be the found family trope that is prevalent throughout the book; and better yet, it was double sided! This pair may play on ice, but they bring ALL the heat 🥵
I absolutely loved Emmy’s character. She was strong, dedicated and determined. Despite being the first woman in the NHL, she didn’t let the boys walk all over her. Furthermore, I loved reading about her and her best-friend Piper. It is so special when authors created strong female bonds, and this one was as good as it gets 🙌🏽
As for Maverick. Let’s face it, he didn’t get off to a good start, but he quickly rectified the situation, turning it on its head by supporting Emmy and making sure she knew how special she was. He definitely wasn’t the man I thought he was at the beginning of the book…turned out he was a loving golden retriever. He was incredibly thoughtful, kind and selfless. And, just as Emmy had Piper, he had his buddies close by. I particularly loved his relationship with Hudson.
One thing I absolutely adored about this relationship was that it was totally balanced. I never got the impression that one loved the other more or less than the other person. They were so in-sync, and somehow it made their connection even stronger and more beautiful to witness 😌💖✨ The chemistry in this relationship is one to be witnessed rather than explained…the witty humour between them was outstanding, the 500 question game just to get closer to her 🥹, the slow gradual progression from strangers to friends with benefits to a deeper connection was written in such a realistic way. AH, it was just perfect 👌🏽
“Every day I’m going to show you just how enough you are.” “And I’m going to show you every day how wanted you are,” 🥹
There were so many precious moments in this book that I wanted to capture and keep in my heart 🥰 Maverick went out of his way to make Emmy feel special AND I adored the way they communicated like actual adults resulting in NO 3RD ACT BREAK-UP 🙌🏽 👏🏽 It honestly made their connection even book so much better and more enjoyable to read.
And finally, at the very heart of this book is one big mismatched family that surround each other with love and support. They have both found home in each other…
"I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is. A place I’d like to stay forever.” 🥹💖✨
"For so long, I’ve felt like I was alone. Chasing after something I couldn’t quite reach and running until everything in me ached. When I’m in Maverick’s arms, I think I’ve finally put my feet on the ground." 🥲💖✨
I am SO excited for Piper’s book next👀
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
“Game on, Hartwell. I hope you’re ready for war” 😈
I felt the need for a good book binge and this couldn’t have been a better way to start 🙇🏻♀️ 💖 ✨ I absolutely DEVOURED this book 😍 and am genuinely shocked how much I loved it! From the word go, I was hooked by Emmy’s likeable and relatable personality, and it only went up from there 🙌🏽
Emmy is the first woman to play as a professional hockey player from the D.C. Stars - need I say anymore? She is a BOSS-WOMAN 🙌🏽 But, as the only woman in her field she doesn’t get it easy. Even the captain, Maverick Miller, causes tension on the ice, but for the sake of the team, he agrees to play nice…bring on the heat ❤️🔥
In the first book of this series, Chelsea explores multiple themes but my favourite had to be the found family trope that is prevalent throughout the book; and better yet, it was double sided! This pair may play on ice, but they bring ALL the heat 🥵
I absolutely loved Emmy’s character. She was strong, dedicated and determined. Despite being the first woman in the NHL, she didn’t let the boys walk all over her. Furthermore, I loved reading about her and her best-friend Piper. It is so special when authors created strong female bonds, and this one was as good as it gets 🙌🏽
As for Maverick. Let’s face it, he didn’t get off to a good start, but he quickly rectified the situation, turning it on its head by supporting Emmy and making sure she knew how special she was. He definitely wasn’t the man I thought he was at the beginning of the book…turned out he was a loving golden retriever. He was incredibly thoughtful, kind and selfless. And, just as Emmy had Piper, he had his buddies close by. I particularly loved his relationship with Hudson.
One thing I absolutely adored about this relationship was that it was totally balanced. I never got the impression that one loved the other more or less than the other person. They were so in-sync, and somehow it made their connection even stronger and more beautiful to witness 😌💖✨ The chemistry in this relationship is one to be witnessed rather than explained…the witty humour between them was outstanding, the 500 question game just to get closer to her 🥹, the slow gradual progression from strangers to friends with benefits to a deeper connection was written in such a realistic way. AH, it was just perfect 👌🏽
“Every day I’m going to show you just how enough you are.” “And I’m going to show you every day how wanted you are,” 🥹
There were so many precious moments in this book that I wanted to capture and keep in my heart 🥰 Maverick went out of his way to make Emmy feel special AND I adored the way they communicated like actual adults resulting in NO 3RD ACT BREAK-UP 🙌🏽 👏🏽 It honestly made their connection even book so much better and more enjoyable to read.
And finally, at the very heart of this book is one big mismatched family that surround each other with love and support. They have both found home in each other…
"I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is. A place I’d like to stay forever.” 🥹💖✨
"For so long, I’ve felt like I was alone. Chasing after something I couldn’t quite reach and running until everything in me ached. When I’m in Maverick’s arms, I think I’ve finally put my feet on the ground." 🥲💖✨
I am SO excited for Piper’s book next👀
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
July 12, 2024
4.25 out of 5 stars!
I love by seeing the book cover in this time it's not only the MMC who's a hockey player but the FMC as well.
I know reading this is going to be so much fun!
I love by seeing the book cover in this time it's not only the MMC who's a hockey player but the FMC as well.
I know reading this is going to be so much fun!
December 28, 2025
My 100th book in 2025!!
This book was a good start to this series. The found family trope has succeeded in baiting me to continue with the next book. I'm looking forward to read about Piper, Liam, Coach Brody and Lexi.
I felt that the author went a little overboard though, in one aspect. She tried to give Maverick Miller a complete 360 from his playboy-who-had-one-night-stands-every-night image. Case(s) in point: He tattooed June's name (his best friend's kid) on his hand, dressed up as a silly carrot on Halloween to accompany June, fulfilled the wish of a girl who had cancer, and had plans to give his money to charity. And he hosted weekly dinners for his team mates and was basically the perfect captain.
Emmy on the other hand, was pretty badass and I really like her character. A little vulnerable at times beneath that steely exterior. The rest of the girl squad was pretty cool too!
🏒 “It’s a shame it’s only going to be ninety-nine percent effective now. The only thing I want to do with you, pretty boy, is kick your ass on the ice,” she whispers. I swallow and try to get my bearings. She’s so close, and I fucking love it. “You think I’m pretty?” “You would only hear that part, wouldn’t you?”
🏒 That earns me another half smile from her, and I want to collect them all. Shove them in my pocket and keep them for myself.
🏒 “It’s the most obvious thing in the world.” “It is? Huh. I never noticed.” “How did you not notice?” “I don’t know.” He shrugs, and his fingers dance over my knee. “Guess I’ve been too busy looking at you.”
🏒 I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is. A place I’d like to stay forever.
🏒 I don’t want her as a teammate or someone I fuck multiple times a week. I want her as so much more—a partner. A girlfriend. My best friend. I don’t know if we lose the game or not. I really don’t fucking care, because I’ve already won. I have her, and she’s the greatest prize of all.
This book was a good start to this series. The found family trope has succeeded in baiting me to continue with the next book. I'm looking forward to read about Piper, Liam, Coach Brody and Lexi.
I felt that the author went a little overboard though, in one aspect. She tried to give Maverick Miller a complete 360 from his playboy-who-had-one-night-stands-every-night image. Case(s) in point: He tattooed June's name (his best friend's kid) on his hand, dressed up as a silly carrot on Halloween to accompany June, fulfilled the wish of a girl who had cancer, and had plans to give his money to charity. And he hosted weekly dinners for his team mates and was basically the perfect captain.
Emmy on the other hand, was pretty badass and I really like her character. A little vulnerable at times beneath that steely exterior. The rest of the girl squad was pretty cool too!
🏒 “It’s a shame it’s only going to be ninety-nine percent effective now. The only thing I want to do with you, pretty boy, is kick your ass on the ice,” she whispers. I swallow and try to get my bearings. She’s so close, and I fucking love it. “You think I’m pretty?” “You would only hear that part, wouldn’t you?”
🏒 That earns me another half smile from her, and I want to collect them all. Shove them in my pocket and keep them for myself.
🏒 “It’s the most obvious thing in the world.” “It is? Huh. I never noticed.” “How did you not notice?” “I don’t know.” He shrugs, and his fingers dance over my knee. “Guess I’ve been too busy looking at you.”
🏒 I never really felt like I had a home. But with Emmy next to me, I think home is wherever she is. A place I’d like to stay forever.
🏒 I don’t want her as a teammate or someone I fuck multiple times a week. I want her as so much more—a partner. A girlfriend. My best friend. I don’t know if we lose the game or not. I really don’t fucking care, because I’ve already won. I have her, and she’s the greatest prize of all.
January 3, 2026
Nope .. just nope
My expectations were high not gonna lie so the disappointment was bigger
It started good strong characters and baddie fmc then what!!! Nothing NADA borrrring ,obviously it was insta lust 👀 But still that doesn't explain the fact that I felt zeroooo chemistry between the main characters it didn't even feel right to me, one minute they're just sleeping together the other they're in love?? No thanks
Also the found family didn't deliver for me it felt ...forced I'm sorry but someone has to say it READERS CAN TELL WHEN THE AUTHOR IS TRYING TOO HARD and for me it's immediately a no
The spice was good but I'm %99 sure maverick has a sweat fetish 😭😭 anyway it wasn't bad and their banter was the only reason I didn't DNF it 🙏🏻
Thank you SK for bearing this with me 💗
Let's find out if heated rivalry destroyed my ability to read anything else or not 😭
Hopefully not reading with my girl SK🙏🏻
My expectations were high not gonna lie so the disappointment was bigger
It started good strong characters and baddie fmc then what!!! Nothing NADA borrrring ,obviously it was insta lust 👀 But still that doesn't explain the fact that I felt zeroooo chemistry between the main characters it didn't even feel right to me, one minute they're just sleeping together the other they're in love?? No thanks
Also the found family didn't deliver for me it felt ...forced I'm sorry but someone has to say it READERS CAN TELL WHEN THE AUTHOR IS TRYING TOO HARD and for me it's immediately a no
The spice was good but I'm %99 sure maverick has a sweat fetish 😭😭 anyway it wasn't bad and their banter was the only reason I didn't DNF it 🙏🏻
Thank you SK for bearing this with me 💗
Let's find out if heated rivalry destroyed my ability to read anything else or not 😭
Hopefully not reading with my girl SK🙏🏻
October 14, 2024
﹒⪩ 𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 ⪨﹒
╰┈ ✎ take a shot every time a ginger is nicknamed “Red” 😐
“Started: July 18”
looks at date
October.. 13th…
and to think I got so far only to dnf it out of my lack of interest..
small review
I got pretty far!! 72% into the book and I can honestly say, it’s not bad. Better than other hockey romance booksicebreaker but I think that these type of books just may not be for me! I’ll have to go back to my other genre of romance and give up on these 😔 well I tried. The writing was pretty good! It’s not meant to be top tier literature of course, but it was still pretty good writing considering the type of book it is, which I can appreciate.
If you like hockey romances, this book is absolutely for you. I can (probably not) guarantee for sure (nope) that you’d enjoy this book if it seems up your alley.
╰┈ ✎ take a shot every time a ginger is nicknamed “Red” 😐
“Started: July 18”
looks at date
October.. 13th…
and to think I got so far only to dnf it out of my lack of interest..
small review
I got pretty far!! 72% into the book and I can honestly say, it’s not bad. Better than other hockey romance books
If you like hockey romances, this book is absolutely for you. I can (probably not) guarantee for sure (nope) that you’d enjoy this book if it seems up your alley.
June 5, 2025
3,5 ⭐
“𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞?”
“𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞!”
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐱 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 🤍🫶🏻
Finally finished Face Off… honestly, it felt like it would never end at times 😂
Still, I Liked my first experience with a hockey romance — even though I’m not a fan of the sport and don’t know much about it, the idea of a girl being part of a guys’ team? Such a power move. Emmy proved she’s a champion not just on the ice, but in her confidence and strength too 👊🏻🏒
And Maverick? No words. We all need someone like him in our lives. Sweet, supportive, and with a presence that makes you smile every time he shows up... ugh, perfect.💙
The ending was a pleasant surprise — I didn’t think that twist could actually happen, but it did, and I’m so happy it did!
Will I continue the series?
Absolutely! I’m not done with the D.C. Stars just yet… and I’m excited to see what’s next! ✨
Starting Face Off with zero expectations—just here for a fun read and maybe some good banter. I did hear it's the best book in the series though, so... fingers crossed! 🤞🏻💜
Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.👀
“𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞?”
“𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞!”
𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐱 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 🤍🫶🏻
Finally finished Face Off… honestly, it felt like it would never end at times 😂
Still, I Liked my first experience with a hockey romance — even though I’m not a fan of the sport and don’t know much about it, the idea of a girl being part of a guys’ team? Such a power move. Emmy proved she’s a champion not just on the ice, but in her confidence and strength too 👊🏻🏒
And Maverick? No words. We all need someone like him in our lives. Sweet, supportive, and with a presence that makes you smile every time he shows up... ugh, perfect.💙
The ending was a pleasant surprise — I didn’t think that twist could actually happen, but it did, and I’m so happy it did!
Will I continue the series?
Absolutely! I’m not done with the D.C. Stars just yet… and I’m excited to see what’s next! ✨
Starting Face Off with zero expectations—just here for a fun read and maybe some good banter. I did hear it's the best book in the series though, so... fingers crossed! 🤞🏻💜
Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.👀
September 2, 2025
September 1, 2025 (4/5 ⭐️)
˖⊹ "𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑬𝒎𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆, 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔. 𝑨 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑰’𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓." ⊹˖ <𝟑 .ᐟ
This was such a sweet and light read, and I had the absolute best time with it!! It gave me exactly what I was hoping for and even more! I swear I spent almost the entire time smiling and giggling while reading, literally!!! 🥹
- Heads up: This review is not spoiler-free 🚨 :)
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♯ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱: ᝰ.ᐟ
ꕀ I’m so here for a FMC who actually plays hockey!! Hands down my favorite thing about this book. And Emmy’s personality was written so well, you just can’t not love her!
˖⊹ "𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒔𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈? 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐’𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍—𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑—𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆." ⊹˖
ꕀ THERE WAS NO THIRD-ACT BREAKUP!!! Which’s usually my worst nightmare in any book 🧍🏻 The fact that it didn’t happen here honestly made the entire story 10x better and so much more enjoyable. Their relationship felt so strong and real, and their chemistry was insanely good from the get-go!
ꕀ The star of the show and the main reason this book is getting 4 stars: 🥁 MAVVY!!!! 🥁 He's so fucking cute 🥹 and genuinely one of the nicest book boyfriends I've read about in a while! Please allow me to present my very professional list of exhibits to the class 🤸🏻:
⤿ Exhibit A: The man literally started a romance book club with his teammates just because he found out Emmy loves to read them. Like… do I even need to say more? 😭
⤿ Exhibit B: He went above and beyond to make sure Emmy’s dad (who uses a wheelchair) could watch her game comfortably. He was even willing to sit that game out (with only a month before the playoffs) just so he could help and be there for her dad. If that’s not the cutest most selfless thing ever, I don’t know what is!! All just to make her happy! 🥹
⤿ Exhibit C: He remembered every small detail she told him about herself, even in passing conversations. And he made sure to get her everything she wanted, even if she didn't ask for it (which she usually didn't). If she said “I’m craving this” or “I want to try that”, he made it happen immediately!
⤿ Exhibit D: He beat up her verbally abusive ex-boyfriend, earning himself a two-game suspension (he couldn’t care less), and it was honestly hot hot!!
⤿ Exhibit E: When they stuck her in an old supply closet as a temporary locker room, he went out of his way to make sure she had her own locker room. It was honestly one of the sweetest moments in the whole book.
⤿ Exhibit F: Proposing on the 500th day of their 500 questions game 😭 He remembered and kept count every single day, even when she didn’t!!!
˖⊹ “𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝑰? 𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍. 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉. 𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒎𝒆?” ⊹˖
⤿ Exhibit G: Quotes that melted my heart and sealed the deal:
˖⊹ “𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒔.” 𝑯𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒔 𝒂 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆. “𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒚.” ⊹˖
˖⊹ "𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒏. 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝑰 𝑴𝑨𝑫𝑬 𝑬𝑴𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑶𝑵 𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑳𝑳 𝑺𝑴𝑰𝑳𝑬. 𝑷𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝑻-𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏." ⊹˖
˖⊹ “𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔. “𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝑰 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.” ⊹˖
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♯ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱: ᝰ.ᐟ
ꕀ Every time he called her Emmy girl I cringed a little. Ugh, I absolutely hated that nickname for whatever reason.
ꕀ The writing style felt a little bit confusing at times? Idk, maybe it’s just me. But I sometimes had to double-read paragraphs or conversations! I guess I’ll find out if that’s just her style when I read the rest of the series.
ꕀ I liked their first time together, it was fun to read! But I honestly felt like there wasn’t enough tension between them before that. It kinda felt a little rushed and not slow-burny enough, if that makes sense?
ꕀ I was the tiniest bit disappointed that she didn’t end up in the stars in the epilogue. I was waiting for that moment. But it lasted maybe five seconds because the epilogue was PERFECT and had me totally melting anyway.
All in all, consider this your official sign to read this book if you haven’t yet! It’s such a lighthearted, heartwarming read! And I’m so excited to continue the series :)
This was the perfect way to start September, and I’m hoping the rest of the month is just as full of great books 🙂↕️
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₊˚⊹⟢ Pre-read:
Finally starting this series 🤸🏻!! I’ve read so much DR this month 🧍🏻 my brain deserves a cute little romance, Hopefully I’ll love it!
˖⊹ "𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑬𝒎𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆, 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔. 𝑨 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑰’𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓." ⊹˖ <𝟑 .ᐟ
This was such a sweet and light read, and I had the absolute best time with it!! It gave me exactly what I was hoping for and even more! I swear I spent almost the entire time smiling and giggling while reading, literally!!! 🥹
- Heads up: This review is not spoiler-free 🚨 :)
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♯ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱: ᝰ.ᐟ
ꕀ I’m so here for a FMC who actually plays hockey!! Hands down my favorite thing about this book. And Emmy’s personality was written so well, you just can’t not love her!
˖⊹ "𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒔𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈? 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐’𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍—𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑—𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆." ⊹˖
ꕀ THERE WAS NO THIRD-ACT BREAKUP!!! Which’s usually my worst nightmare in any book 🧍🏻 The fact that it didn’t happen here honestly made the entire story 10x better and so much more enjoyable. Their relationship felt so strong and real, and their chemistry was insanely good from the get-go!
ꕀ The star of the show and the main reason this book is getting 4 stars: 🥁 MAVVY!!!! 🥁 He's so fucking cute 🥹 and genuinely one of the nicest book boyfriends I've read about in a while! Please allow me to present my very professional list of exhibits to the class 🤸🏻:
⤿ Exhibit A: The man literally started a romance book club with his teammates just because he found out Emmy loves to read them. Like… do I even need to say more? 😭
⤿ Exhibit B: He went above and beyond to make sure Emmy’s dad (who uses a wheelchair) could watch her game comfortably. He was even willing to sit that game out (with only a month before the playoffs) just so he could help and be there for her dad. If that’s not the cutest most selfless thing ever, I don’t know what is!! All just to make her happy! 🥹
⤿ Exhibit C: He remembered every small detail she told him about herself, even in passing conversations. And he made sure to get her everything she wanted, even if she didn't ask for it (which she usually didn't). If she said “I’m craving this” or “I want to try that”, he made it happen immediately!
⤿ Exhibit D: He beat up her verbally abusive ex-boyfriend, earning himself a two-game suspension (he couldn’t care less), and it was honestly hot hot!!
⤿ Exhibit E: When they stuck her in an old supply closet as a temporary locker room, he went out of his way to make sure she had her own locker room. It was honestly one of the sweetest moments in the whole book.
⤿ Exhibit F: Proposing on the 500th day of their 500 questions game 😭 He remembered and kept count every single day, even when she didn’t!!!
˖⊹ “𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝑰? 𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍. 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉. 𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒎𝒆?” ⊹˖
⤿ Exhibit G: Quotes that melted my heart and sealed the deal:
˖⊹ “𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒔.” 𝑯𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒔 𝒂 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆. “𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒚.” ⊹˖
˖⊹ "𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒏. 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝑰 𝑴𝑨𝑫𝑬 𝑬𝑴𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑶𝑵 𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑳𝑳 𝑺𝑴𝑰𝑳𝑬. 𝑷𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝑻-𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏." ⊹˖
˖⊹ “𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔. “𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝑰 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.” ⊹˖
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♯ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱: ᝰ.ᐟ
ꕀ Every time he called her Emmy girl I cringed a little. Ugh, I absolutely hated that nickname for whatever reason.
ꕀ The writing style felt a little bit confusing at times? Idk, maybe it’s just me. But I sometimes had to double-read paragraphs or conversations! I guess I’ll find out if that’s just her style when I read the rest of the series.
ꕀ I liked their first time together, it was fun to read! But I honestly felt like there wasn’t enough tension between them before that. It kinda felt a little rushed and not slow-burny enough, if that makes sense?
ꕀ I was the tiniest bit disappointed that she didn’t end up in the stars in the epilogue. I was waiting for that moment. But it lasted maybe five seconds because the epilogue was PERFECT and had me totally melting anyway.
All in all, consider this your official sign to read this book if you haven’t yet! It’s such a lighthearted, heartwarming read! And I’m so excited to continue the series :)
This was the perfect way to start September, and I’m hoping the rest of the month is just as full of great books 🙂↕️
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₊˚⊹⟢ Pre-read:
Finally starting this series 🤸🏻!! I’ve read so much DR this month 🧍🏻 my brain deserves a cute little romance, Hopefully I’ll love it!
June 29, 2024
3.5
🍥 Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Relationship
This sports romance novel is bloody scorching! The sexual tension between Emerson and Maverick practically burns up the pages. She's the new girl with everything to prove in the NHL. He's the team's star player, desperate to break free from a losing streak. Two totally opposite characters who collide on the ice...and in the bed.
What started as a rushed shag to scratch an itch turns into a secret affair rife with passionate encounters. As much as they try to convince themselves it's just a "mates with benefits" arrangement until the season ends, the undeniable chemistry between these two outweighs any excuse.
An utterly addictive and spicy read that will keep you hooked page after page. The chemistry between the leads is overwhelming, and the passion scenes are dripping with raw sensuality. A delicious guilty pleasure to enjoy shamelessly. If you're after a steamy sports romance, you won't be able to put this one down.
If they're looking for a sports romance book, they've got to read this one.
Thanks Love Notes for the ARC
🍥 Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Relationship
This sports romance novel is bloody scorching! The sexual tension between Emerson and Maverick practically burns up the pages. She's the new girl with everything to prove in the NHL. He's the team's star player, desperate to break free from a losing streak. Two totally opposite characters who collide on the ice...and in the bed.
What started as a rushed shag to scratch an itch turns into a secret affair rife with passionate encounters. As much as they try to convince themselves it's just a "mates with benefits" arrangement until the season ends, the undeniable chemistry between these two outweighs any excuse.
An utterly addictive and spicy read that will keep you hooked page after page. The chemistry between the leads is overwhelming, and the passion scenes are dripping with raw sensuality. A delicious guilty pleasure to enjoy shamelessly. If you're after a steamy sports romance, you won't be able to put this one down.
If they're looking for a sports romance book, they've got to read this one.
Thanks Love Notes for the ARC
Currently reading
December 16, 2025Worth the hype? Let’s see… 🤭🤞
April 22, 2025
DNF 81%
And yes, I'm gonna rate it, because I deserve it after all the shit I went through
This book is horrible. I'm shaking as I type these words, because I'm so mad at myself.
I should've known that I'm going to hate this book, because I vividly remember being at the 35% mark and just being so bored I went to sleep instead. This story had so much potential: it's literally about a girl in NHL, a woman in sport!! I can't believe how the author wasted all her (and my) time by writing this horrendous romance instead of a powerful, feminist one. She could've write it in that style, and still make it a romance novel.
Some people call the MMC a golden retriever..I call him an idiot. That's what he is. I'm so bored of these playboys, who change their mind right after meeting the FMCs and because they're suddenly in love. Bro, you're a horrible person who uses women for his own pleasure. In all hockey romances we get told how these "puck bunnies" throw themselves at the MMCs and they only want to have sex with them. Okay let's just do that! It's not like the MMC's only thought is to throw himself at the FMC and fuck her, noo that's not the same thing. The way they're talking about these women? I'm horrified how we idolize these type of men, even if it's fictional. They're still assholes.
When I read Maverick's first chapter, I wanted to puke. I actually thought I'm reading Consider Me again. (i hated that book too <3) Just a personal opinion...who tf names their character Maverick? That's just offensive to Tom Cruise.
I'm disappointed.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
i need a good hockey romance book to read, and i heard pretty much only good things about this one
And yes, I'm gonna rate it, because I deserve it after all the shit I went through
This book is horrible. I'm shaking as I type these words, because I'm so mad at myself.
I should've known that I'm going to hate this book, because I vividly remember being at the 35% mark and just being so bored I went to sleep instead. This story had so much potential: it's literally about a girl in NHL, a woman in sport!! I can't believe how the author wasted all her (and my) time by writing this horrendous romance instead of a powerful, feminist one. She could've write it in that style, and still make it a romance novel.
Some people call the MMC a golden retriever..I call him an idiot. That's what he is. I'm so bored of these playboys, who change their mind right after meeting the FMCs and because they're suddenly in love. Bro, you're a horrible person who uses women for his own pleasure. In all hockey romances we get told how these "puck bunnies" throw themselves at the MMCs and they only want to have sex with them. Okay let's just do that! It's not like the MMC's only thought is to throw himself at the FMC and fuck her, noo that's not the same thing. The way they're talking about these women? I'm horrified how we idolize these type of men, even if it's fictional. They're still assholes.
When I read Maverick's first chapter, I wanted to puke. I actually thought I'm reading Consider Me again. (i hated that book too <3) Just a personal opinion...who tf names their character Maverick? That's just offensive to Tom Cruise.
I'm disappointed.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
i need a good hockey romance book to read, and i heard pretty much only good things about this one
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