Just One Season

by Chrissy Hopewell

One day Lucy Knox is traveling across the country to escape her old life, and the next she’s fake dating Kellen Bassey, her brother’s pro hockey teammate. The couple is being gleefully managed by a committee of his teammates and her friends who vote on every move of “Kellcy”. But it’s the perfect way to show her ex—and her father—that she’s better off without them.

Single dad Kellen is determined to keep his spot on the Blizzard NHL team so he can stay near his daughter’s doctors. But when the team owner’s wife sets her sights on Kellen, he needs to deflect her attention.

As their fake dating scheme intertwines their lives—complete with Lucy coaching Kellen’s daughter’s kindergarten soccer team—the line between pretend and real starts to blur. Should Lucy follow her dream job to England, or risk her heart again in Colorado? And can Kellen trust himself to let someone in, or will their love be benched before it gets a chance to play?



Fake dating by committeeWholesome hockey team found familyHockey player MMCMCs in their 30sCute dog with a carousel of namesSingle dadYounger brother’s teammateOpen door/ medium that’s MY girlfriend

Genres: Hockey, Fake Dating, Sports Romance, Romance, Rom Com, Chick Lit

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 10, 2025

Reviews

[Deanna Nedanis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!!!
I adored this book!! It is the cutest little hockey romance ever. If you don’t like hockey players that won’t last long because you will fall in love with Kellan Bassey!!
I loved this book so much that I couldn’t put it down - I finished it in two days!
If you’re looking for a cute little romance novel with an empowering FMC and a protective MMC then this is the book for you! Don’t knock a hockey romance till you try it.

PS shoutout to Chrissy for showing how one can have a healthy relationship with their baby momma while falling head over heels for a new woman who never loses sight of the importance of his daughter.

PPS this book is officially out now so be sure to read it!!!!

[Rene Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guuuuuys this book is the cutest. Lucy is our FMC. She just got a new job in PR for a hockey team in a new town, in an attempt to escape her overbearing father and cheating ex-fiancé. Lucy has acquired a dog and she’s not sure what to name him or how to feel about him. Kellen, our MMC, is the captain of the hockey team. He’s a single dad. And the team owner’s wife keeps paying a lot of attention to him…. Kellen is scared it will get him kicked off the team. To shake her off, and to make Lucy’s dad stop trying to get her to take her ex back, Kellen and Lucy decide to fake date. Their friends form a “Kellcy Fake Dating Planning Committee” to help them decide when to announce the relationship, when their first kiss should be, etc. And we all know how fake dating books end… ❤️‍🔥

💜 “If it was fake, I wouldn’t be feeling this way about him.”

This book is so fun and funny!

The tropes in this one are amazing 👉🏻
💜 Fake dating
💜 Fake dating committee or friends and teammates that decide you’re next PDA activities
💜 Wholesome hockey team found family
💜 Hockey player MMC
💜 MCs in their 30s
💜 Cute dog with a carousel of names (the dog names are so so so fun!!)
💜 Single dad
💜 Younger brother’s teammate
💜 Open door 🚪 medium spice 🌶️ 🌶️
💜 Dual POV
💜 Workplace romance

[Madison Heersche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 ⭐️ I love a the fake dating trope, always and always will be one of my favorites. This was a nice quick read staring Lucy and Kellen - Lucy who wants to escape her old life (cheating ex, controlling father), Kellen who desperately wants to keep his position on the hockey team (boss who thinks he has the hots for his wife). I loved the banter between our two main characters. Definitely kept me interested and engaged throughout the whole story!

[Madison Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

BookFunnel ARC
3.5 ⭐️

This book reminded me of both The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson and The Long Game by Elena Armas, and I am a sucker for the genre every time.

Lucy is a former marketing professional for DC FC, owned by her pretentious dickhead of a father. Her younger brother, Atticus, is a professional hockey player, and Lucy covers the maternity leave for their head of PR, while pursuing her dream job for a soccer club in England.

Kellen plays for the Blizzard along with Atticus. The teams’ owner seems to have it out for him, and Kellen has intense fears of being traded and having to move his daughter.

A fake relationship could solve both of their problems with no side effects, right?

I really appreciated Kellen’s evolution from keeping very high walls around his daughter and his family, to seeing them not only circumvented by Lucy, but with Kellen himself breaking them down for his friends as well.

Tropes: Brother’s best friend, Fake Dating.

I have a feeling Atticus gets his love story next…

[✧ jay ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
2/5🌶️

Oh my goodness, this was adorable. Lucy's klutziness had me giggling all over and the out of pocket pet names were sending me. I adored everything about the relationship building (even if the lack of acknowledgment on the mutual pining had me glaring at my Kindle), and I can't wait to see what happens with the other players we met.

A big thank you to the author for providing this ARC, I had a lot of fun with this one.

[elisabeth lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank u NetGalley this ARC read!!

2.75🌟

i usually love a fake dating and/or hockey romance but this one did not hit like i wanted. it was a fun quick read but it felt like something was missing & i wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style. also i went to colorado state & having the setting of this book be in my college town kinda ruined the vibe of getting lost in a book if that makes sense lol! *but that’s a personal thing nothing against the book!*

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you ever finish a book and like it so much that you didn’t want to move on to the next book? I felt that way about this book and that’s why it took me so long to write this review. Fake dating isn’t even one of my favorite romance tropes but it worked really well in this hockey romance. I love a single dad in a romance and one that is so dedicated to his daughter is swoonworthy. Plus, the FMC Lucy is strong and totally herself especially when she has to fight back against her father’s expectations for her. I rooted for Lucy and Kellen to work out and I laughed out loud at all of the funny moments and there were quite a few. I now need to read all of her other books. Thank you to Chrissy Hopewell for giving me the opportunity to read an arc early for my honest review.

[Catherine McMicken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished my ARC copy of this wonderful book by Chrissy Hopewell! Thank you! I would highly recommend it (and her Hart Sisters series and novella) to anyone who loves Tessa Bailey/Hannah Grace/Sarah Morganthaler. Sweet and fun and so easy to read. I really enjoyed the complex family dynamics, playfulness of the friend group, and cozy, happy ending (almost found family in a way?). Loved how Stella Hart dropped in for a cameo 😭🤩💜.

Mild spice, lots of romance! I read across the board on this - closed door to 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ - and feel like CH’s spice matches the overall tone of her books really well!

I hope this is turning into a series as well. I can’t wait to read the next if so, I’m always looking forward to what’s coming up next from Chrissy! Also please have another signing soon - West Chester woman here and had no idea until recently that Chrissy is a fellow Cincy friend!

[ChristinaReadsOnTheRoad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sharing a review copy.

I’ve been so lucky to follow local-to-me author Chrissy Hopewell’s writing since her first book, and Just One Season kicks off a new romance series based in Fort Collins, Colorado that I think hits all the chords for the sports romance lovers.

Tropes:
Sports Romance (hockey team, soccer references)
Single Dad MMC
Found Family
Fake Dating Arrangement
Found Family
Hilarious Group Chat & Meetings
Dog with an identity crisis
Slow Burn (open door)

I really loved Just One Season - it strikes a perfect balance of a romantic comedy – hilarious moments and conversations (I had so many highlights with the note “lol” throughout the story) with some heavier topics woven in (toxic parents & ex, childhood cancer in the past). Kellen is so protective of his daughter and family, and Lucy is recovering from the controlling environment her dad created while also crafting her next professional and personal moves. I definitely felt the chemistry between “Kellcy” and found their relationship to be realistic with its swoony moments but also the safeguards they tried to keep in place to protect their hearts. Meeting the side characters – Kellen and Lucy’s friends, teammates, and family – really completed the story for me while also making me very excited for future stories in this world. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish reading this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down.

[Sam Hamit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy and Kellen start fake dating to solve both their issues. Lucy proves to her dad & ex-fiance she is fine without them & Kellen proves to the owner of his hockey team that he isn't interested in his wife.

It's a cute, light hearted romance that I finished in a day! Their relationship is realistic & fun.

The KFDPC - you'll find out if you read it - is absolutely amazing and part of the reason I really liked this book!

[Emily Beaber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for the fake dating and I loved it! The romance and banter were wonderful. I liked how it switched POV between Lucy and Kellen. Everything was so well written and I’m really curious if we get to see the relationship between Atticus and Raleigh. Was a funny and heartwarming read!

[Emma Steinbrecher · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was love at first sight with Chrissy’s writing, and the streak certainly continues with this one!

Fake dating is a trope I’m obsessed with because the TENSION 🔥

Impeccable pacing, characters, chemistry, everything I’ve come to expect from Chrissy Hopewell.
🥹

Highly recommend.

[Shania Kappes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review coming after ARCs go out but you definitely want to read this!

[Maegan Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book a lot! It was all of my favorite tropes: hockey romance, brother’s teammate, fake dating, and single dad! Lucy and Kellen take us on a fake dating adventure, that of course, turns into something real. They are so fun and honestly, such relatable characters. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a sweet, light fluffy romance. 4.5/5 stars, and 1 chili spice!

[Britt Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ ARC REVIEW ⭐️

Thank you for the chance for this ARC!
Tropes: fake dating, brothers friend, single dad, hockey romance

3.5 ⭐️
So cute. I’m a sucker for single dad and fake dating tropes and when you add in hockey (even though I know nothing about real hockey except they apparently are great at romance).

Banter was sweet. Conflict was good. I could’ve used a little more relationship building when it came to FMC and her “found family” especially with his daughter just to drive the single dad trope home.

Overall, great easy read. I’d recommend! Thank you again Chrissy for the ARC opportunity.

[Natashia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy is a PR professional attempting to escape her father's control and her ex-boyfriend's presence by moving across the country to work for her brother's hockey team. Even though she's more of a soccer girl, these hockey players are really tempting...at least one of them is.

Kellen is a single dad hockey player who just wants to provide for his family without any drama. Problem is, the owner's wife doesn't know the influence she has on her husband's choices for the team.

Hoping to save both of their futures, Kellen and Lucy decide to fake date to show Lucy's dad that she's moved on and the hockey owner's wife that he's not interested. As usually happens with these situations, the temptation might prove more than they can resist...



Ok, can I just say, I want to be bff's with Lucy, January, and Raleigh! They are the absolute BEST friend group! I realize this was the farthest from the point of the book, but who could ask for better friends than these three that have each other's backs, can read each other with one look, and know just how to push the others' buttons.

Lucy was so relatable and had me laughing out loud the whole book. She's so down-to-earth, it's no wonder Kellen has the feels for her! I have also never related more to a person than when she admitted that while she can coach soccer, she cannot play it well. The world is full of people who are not great at the things they love, but they can teach others to be great. That may be much deeper than the author meant to go, but I enjoyed that part of Lucy's personality.



Kellen is also a very agreeable character as his love for his family is so strong. Even to the point of having Bri living next door in the most perfect representation of coparenting that I've ever seen. The connection of two people who are only connected through the shared desire to keep this sassy child alive, love it!

I will say, that is one of my favorite aspects of Chrissy's writing, that she can write such depth into so many characters in her stories. The main focus is on the couple, of course, but that doesn't mean the friends and family members of them get neglected. That's a skill of a great author, in my opinion.



Back to the couple, though, Lucy and Kellen work so perfectly together and it was a joy to watch it happen. I breezed through this, unable to put it down! The whole concept of fake dating only added to the appeal of each individual. Both Kellen and Lucy are adorable, quirky, and just all-around fun people, so the fake dating trope fit perfectly.

I will say, for those of you that have read to the end....I was a bit worried. But it worked out in a way that fit what I felt the characters needed.

This was such a fun, calming read, and I can't wait to pick up more by Chrissy Hopewell!

[Marea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I can tell you it won’t be my last because Chrissy has this way of catching your attention with her words and holding on to you until the end. Which of course you don’t want to happen because you want to see where this couple is going to be headed along with all their family and friends.

Lucy Knox had a good life, sort of. Her father owned a major soccer team but he was point blank a pain in the butt with his overbearing, controlling ways. He never truly listened to what she was saying. Then throw in her fiancé (who worked for the soccer team) who cheated on her and was trying to get back with her. Lucy knew she had to get the heck out of DC and to Colorado she went. Her brother was playing for an NHL Team and managed to get her a temporary job for a few months with the team. It was great because a few months from now, her dream of working for a football (soccer) team in the UK was about to come true. Just one more problem, her father and ex, wouldn’t leave her alone, her friends suggested fake dating someone for awhile. It was a great solution, even found the perfect guy for her. There was just one slight problem, she was falling in love with him. Would she take the job in the UK, go back to DC or maybe stay in Colorado.

Kellen Bassey had it all, captain of an NHL team, beautiful little daughter (he was on good terms with the mother) and was money smart. What he hadn’t figured was the owner’s wife had set her sights on him and wouldn’t take no for an answer. His teammates came up with a solution, a fake dating relationship. The person, his teammate’s sister Lucy because she was having issues with her father and ex. The friends and teammates created Kellcy, they voted on everything. It seemed to be going great, except for the fact that Kellen was falling for her.

Thanks to the author for an ARC to give my honest review.

[HeyItsTeeXo - OnTheShelfTee · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋆⁺₊⋆☽⋆ 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 ⋆☾⋆⁺₊⋆
ꔫ — ∘♡༉∘ — ✩ — ∘༉♡∘ — ꔫ
౨ৎ𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 ♥ 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲౨ৎ
౨ৎ12.05.25౨ৎ

— ∘♡༉∘ — 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 — ∘༉♡∘ —
∘༉♡∘ 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 ∘༉♡∘
🌶 = minimal/mentioned but not full detail
🌶🌶 = The heat is coming and so are they 😏
🌶🌶🌶 = The spice is spicing and now your squirming
🌶🌶🌶🌶 = Is it hot in here or is it just this book?!
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶= HOLY MOTHER OF GOODNESS this is 🥵

∘༉♡∘ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑢𝑟𝑛 ∘༉♡∘ (more fire the faster the burn)
🔥 = SLOW GIRL THIS IS A SLOWWWWW BURN
🔥🔥 = okay things are happening
🔥🔥🔥 = we are in full burn mode BAM its all on fire

∘༉♡∘ 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 ∘༉♡∘
✨ = really didn't enjoy
✨✨ = it was okay
✨✨✨ = a mid tier book could be better
✨✨✨✨ = i enjoyed it
✨✨✨✨✨ = i loved it and this will live in my head rent free forever

ꔫ — ∘♡༉∘ — 𝐌𝐲✩𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 — ∘༉♡∘ — ꔫ
🌶
🔥🔥
✨✨✨✨
ꔫ — ∘♡༉∘ — 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀✩ — ∘༉♡∘ — ꔫ
𝐹𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔
𝐻𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑦 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟
𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒
𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑑
ꔫ — ∘♡༉∘ — ✩ — ∘༉♡∘ — ꔫ

— ∘♡༉∘ — 𝗔𝗿𝗰 ♥ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 — ∘༉♡∘ —
I really did enjoy reading this, seeing Lucy and Kellen fall in love but not totally realise it at first/deny it was cute. The spice is very minimal - its mentioned to things but not in great detail so 1 on a spice scale.

I would absolutely love to see more of Lucy and Kellen and what their future ends up being like.

Kellen is an amazing single dad and has his daughter as his main priority and doesnt allow many people close due to being burnt in the past by a relationship selling info to the press.

Lucy has a controlling father and a cheating ex fiance that she wants to prove to both she doesnt need/want in her life

I was routing for them to realise they had actual feelings and to swap from fake to real dating through the entire book, and smiled like an idiot when it finally happens


ꔫ — ∘♡༉∘ — ✩ — ∘༉♡∘ — ꔫ

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just One Season is a fake dating hockey romance, aka my 'jam' as I love fake dating troupes and any story having do to with hockey players! Lucy is our FMC in this story, she has always wanted to work for a team in England as their PR person. Kellen is her brother's professional hockey teammate, who is super attractive. Kellan is having problems with the team owner's wife who is overly flirtatious with him. Kellan is a single dad who co parents with his daughter's mom and he needs to be in the town he is in and not have any issues with the owner of the team. So he comes up with a plan to fake date Lucy, Atticus' sister and the temporary PR person for the team. What happens next? Well fake dating of course! Fake dating that people start developing feelings about the other person. And that's rough because Lucy is hard considering a move to England for her dream job and Kellan has a daughter who is settled with her doctors in Colorado.
The writing is fantastic and I can say that the author does the fake dating troupe really well. And most of her stories are about women over 30 finding their happily ever after, which as a older woman I love to read an older character and not one so young. I think that this book appeals to anyone who is a fan of well written fake dating troupes and hockey. I also love how well Lucky gets along with Kellan's daughter Ava, they have a sweet relationship and so did Kellan and Lucy in this book. There is a bit of spice but nothing too racy so if you are looking for a slightly spicy romance involving hockey players this is the book for you!

[Amber Crook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet romance and great for hockey romance fans looking for low spice.

Tropes:
🏒Hockey Player x Team PR
🏒Brother’s Best Friend/Teammate
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Single Dad
🏒Puppy Named…depends on the day

Lucy is escaping her relationship with her cheating boyfriend, and her job working PR for the soccer team her dad owns (and ex works at) by moving in with her brother and working for his hockey team. It’s temporary, and she’s trying to get a job with a soccer team in England. Her dad doesn’t seem to get the message that’s she’s done with his team and with her ex. Her brothers teammate, Kellan, really needs his boss’s wife to stay away from him, so he proposes a fix to Lucy…fake date to get everyone off their backs.

Lucy and Kellan’s relationship had cute development. They have fun banter, and it was sweet to watch Lucy’s relationship with his daughter develop over their love for soccer. The fake dating committee built with teammates and Lucy’s friends was really fun, and I loved the addition the puppy brought to the story.

The only thing I would change is the accuracy of the mentions of the weather in this region (I live in this region and I know this is silly and nitpicky. Didn’t affect my rating). November in Wyoming isn’t either warm or really cold (promise, it’s just cold) and Fort Collins isn’t sunny 300 days of the year.

🌶️🌶️

Thank you Chrissy and RR Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book!

[Holly McRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, another fake relationship story? Who would’ve thought I’d be into that? (Obviously, I’m joking—because who doesn’t love a good fake dating trope?) Just One Season by Chrissy Hopewell completely won me over! Lucy and Kellen’s love story is so sweet, and the fake dating setup is packed with humor, heart, and some seriously great chemistry. Watching their relationship unfold was such a treat.

Kellen, a single dad trying to juggle his career and personal life, is surprisingly easy to root for. His determination to stay close to his daughter while dealing with all the drama around him made him super relatable. And Lucy, who’s trying to move on from her past, was equally lovable. Their connection felt real, even when their relationship was supposed to be fake!

The little moments, like Lucy coaching Kellen’s daughter’s soccer team, brought some lightness to the story. But there’s plenty of emotional depth too, as they both wrestle with their feelings and what the future holds.

The ending leaves things open for more, and I’m totally here for it—bring on the stories of Lucy’s friends, January and Raleigh, as well as her brother Atticus, Bri, and Savannah. Chrissy Hopewell has created a world with characters you want more of, and I’m not complaining!

If you’re into sports romance with charm, humor, and a healthy dose of heart, Just One Season is definitely worth reading.

[Danielle Valdez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a fun read! I read a lot of Romantasy and this was a great break. I laughed, I teared up, the spice and romance were great. My first sports book and I am now in for all of it!

Lucy ends up in Colorado working as PR for an NHL team after a messy broken engagement and father who is arrogant, with her ex's dog. Her brother is on the team and this gives her time to bond with him. A lot changes when she meets Kellen, a star on the team, who is also a single dad, and he needs her help to keep in the owner's good graces by fake dating. After awhile the lines blur on what is fake and what is real. Will she stay in Colorado or go for her dream in England.

The banter and the friends in this book are on point. Found family, fake dating, single dad, hockey, so much happening. I loved how she also made Kellen and his daughters Mom, Bri, have a great co-parenting relationship. Normalizing this in books is really awesome.

I thought the romance and spice was perfect. I am new to this romance genre so the whole "condom" things always trip me up a bit. Mainly because in Romantasy then don't seem worried about disease or there are potions for pregnancy. LOL. But again, responsible adulting being normalized is applauded. And it didn't take away from the intimacy.

I'm pretty sure Waffles, Max, Harry, etc steals the show in this book. He's his own side character to be loved.

Great book, will make you feel all the feels. Loved it!

[Faithe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just one season by Chrissy Hopewell is a hilarious romantic comedy that will have you laughing out loud as you read.

The book starts with a chapter called humiliated by waffles, who we come to learn is her ex fiance's dog. Trying to escape her overbearing father and recently ex-fiance Lucy took a job as the new media person for Fort Collins Blizzard NHL team. It is a temporary position, covering a maternity leave, but her brother plays hockey on the team, and she will be staying with him so at least she isn't alone.

Kellen has a problem. His boss thinks he is eying his wife, which couldn't be further from the truth. With a sick child and a life he's built there, Kellen can't afford to get traded and have to move. So Kellen comes up with the perfect plan, a fake-girlfriend.

For Kellen, if this works he can stay in Fort Collins where he has built a life. For Lucy it's a chance to show her dad she canale.oy.on her own but also to show her ex-fiance that she's moved on to something new. They both know this is just got a short time, what could possibly go wrong?

I usually read books with more spice, this is about a 2/5 for spice, but this book was absolutely hilarious! I would love if this book was made into a movie! Big thank you to Chrissy Hopewell for working with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review and am so happy I did! I immediately put all the other books from Chrissy on my to be read list!

[Kell X · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this rom-com! I laughed out loud several times and man.. that felt good! The humor is perfectly placed and gives this story all the seasoning it needs.
In here we have Lucy, a sweet woman who moved to another city, and to another job to escape her cheating ex-fianceé and her neglective/medling/insensitive father. She buncks up in her brother's apartment and starts working in his hockey team as a PR person.
She meets the team in the most awkward ways (yes.. more than one 🤭🤭🤭), and immediatly can't take her eyes of Kellen.
Kellen is a professional hockey player, who is a single dad and the most marshmallow kind of man you can ever find! He is so sweet and loveable!! He is also the type of man who does everything for his family! Even fake date one of his best friends sister to keep his job! She is in it to keep both her dad and ex-fianceé of her back, so it's a win-win, right?
With the help of extremely meddling friends the fake and decieve beggins! But.. with time some things just don't feel fake anymore. And they have a deadline until she leaves to another country. So what do you do when temporary starts to feel permanent? When you don't what it to end?
And seriously, how many names can one dog get ?🤭🤭
I loved all these character and really hope that this turns into a series where we can follow each and every one of them. I loved their interactions, their friendship and their banter. It felt like family!

[Chelsea Ladd · Rating 4 out of 5]

:

🏒💘 BOOK REVIEW 💘🏒
Just One Season by Chrissy Hopewell

Fake dating. Found family. A single dad hockey player. A meddling “committee” of friends voting on every romantic move?? SIGN. ME. UP. 😍🙌

Lucy just wants a fresh start—and maybe to show her ex (and her dad) that she’s thriving. Kellen needs to dodge some unwanted attention to stay focused on his daughter and his hockey career. The solution? A fake relationship so chaotic and sweet it’ll have you swooning, laughing, and texting your book bestie every other page. 💌📱

From soccer practice with Kellen’s adorable daughter to steamy tension and soft, unexpected vulnerability, this story hits every note. It’s got heart, heat, and a whole lot of wholesome hockey team support. Oh—and there’s a dog with a name-of-the-day situation that’s peak serotonin. 🐶⚽

💬 Tropes & vibes:
🫣 Fake dating (with group input!)
👨‍👧 Single dad sweetness
🏒 Hot hockey player MMC
👩‍👧‍👦 Found family energy
🧳 Career vs. love dilemma
🔥 Open door / medium spice
🫶 “That’s MY girlfriend” energy
🧡 Characters in their 30s (!!)

4/5 stars for this hilarious, heartfelt, and perfectly tropey rom-com. Kellcy forever.

Thanks to the publisher and @NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ✨

#JustOneSeason #ChrissyHopewell #Bookstagram #HockeyRomance #FakeDating #FoundFamily #SingleDadRomance #SportsRomance #RomComReads #OpenDoorRomance #ARCReview #NetGalleyReviewer

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelley needs to keep his spot on the Blizzard team ,not only because it’s a supreme NHL team but because it’s close to his daughter’s doctors fend off the Blizzard NHL team owner’s wife’s advances ,so he takes chances on Lucy Knox ,his teammate’s sister to keep her at bay. They’re both gleefully managed by both teammates and friends ,they even have a cute name Kellcy. It’s ideal for her as she can show both her ex and her father than she’s better off without them…Rather! The fake tag blurs more and more especially when she spends time with his kid more and more. Lucy coaches Kelley’s daughter’s kindergarten soccer team. Her dream job however is in England … is their love benched before it starts? Does she have a change of heart? Does he? This is just over one season ! It’s a whirlwind romance they never expected but it’s more real than they could ever have envisaged . It’s wholesome it’s cute it’s astute and it’s heaven . I know how many in an English football team is eleven . How many dies it take to tango . Yep I know that too. When they set out it had all their friends and teammates backing ,that’s too many to count but at the end of the day there’s only three of them that counts . Great writing ,I loved every page ,I could quite easily pick up and read again and enjoy. It’s so immersive.

[The Bookish Chimera - Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Anyway, it’s temporary. (...) All of this. The dog, me living with you, this job.”

Reading a Chrissy Hopewell’s book is almost like going back home. I always have these lingering soft and comforting feelings while I discover her story –which are super easy reads. Just One Season isn’t different.
Both Lucy and Kellen are super cute, and I got carried away with their story, and without knowing I was at the end of the book. They gave me all the feels, from swooning to true laughs, and they have a great chemistry. It didn’t look like the usual fake dating trope though, as there is usually more pinning, and I would say it changed pretty quickly into an expiration date trope (which was great, because I love this one even better). Lucy was such a funny character, especially her “Miss Road Kill” side, as much as her relationship with her dog –and all the names she gives him (such a great running gag!). Kelly is super tender, and I adored the coparenting part.
I loved Lucy’s brother too, and the relationship they have, and I hope he’ll have his own story. The group of friends and their meddling role in “Kellcy” relationship contributed to a lot of the funny parts, and I can’t wait to know more about them in the next installment.

Thank you to the author for the eARC. My opinions are my own.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Just One Season" is a fake dating, hockey romance. Lucy Knox and her dog Waffles are the cutest thing ever. The way Lucy changes her dog's name on the daily is hilarious and that first scene at the ice rink with Waffles, oh my! Hilarious 😂. "Just One Season" had me smiling and kicking my feet. This book gives you all of the warm fuzzies and is the perfect hockey romance. Waffle's was by far my favorite side character. He stole the show!

Lucy is new to working for the Fort Collins Blizzard NHL Team as the new PR person. Lucy is trying to make a name for herself outside of her father's footsteps. 

Kellen Bassey, forward for the Fort Collins Blizzards. He is a single father to his daughter, Ava. The new team owner's wife sets her sights on Kellen and he is looking for a way to get her attention off of him so he doesn't get in trouble. Kellen's friends suggested finding someone to fake date. 

Kellen and Lucy meet in the most hilarious way and are instantly attracted to each other. Kellen has a fabulous idea of fake dating Lucy. Their friends even come up with "the fake dating committee" and their name "Kellcy" . This is the perfect setup for Kellen and Lucy to get what they both want out of this fake dating situation. What could possibly go wrong?

Tropes:

-Hockey Romance 
-Fake Dating
-Fake Dating Committee 
-Single Dad
-Cute Dog with so many names 🤣
-Younger Brother's Teammate 

[Luzanne Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 Fake dating meets hockey team chaos, and I LOVED every second of it!

From the very first chapter, Just One Season had me grinning like an idiot. The banter? On point. The romance? Swoon-worthy. The hockey team playing matchmakers like their lives depend on it? Pure gold.

Lucy and Kellen’s dynamic is fake dating perfection—awkward at first, then so sweet and steamy you can’t help but root for them. Kellen is a single dad trying to keep his spot on the team, and Lucy is just trying to prove she’s thriving after a messy past. What starts as a strategic arrangement soon turns into serious feelings, kindergarten soccer coaching, and a whole lot of heart-eyes.

🐶 Bonus points for the cutest dog, who literally has more names than it can keep up with.

🔥 The spice? Open door, medium heat, and just the right amount of tension.
🏒 The found family? Wholesome and chaotic in the best way.
💖 The romance? 10/10 swoons.

This book is the perfect mix of laugh-out-loud humor, tender moments, and romantic tension. If you love fake dating, single dads, hockey romance, and quirky rom-coms with heart, this one is for you.

⭐ 4/5 – So fun, so swoony, so unputdownable!

[Rachel Throckmorton · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I always eat up anything Chrissy writes! This was such a cute, quick read, and I absolutely devoured it!

This book had me giggling, swooning, and never wanting to put it down. I loved both the FMC and MMC so much, and their connection together was *chefs kiss*. Both MCs also had great growth throughout the book as well. Some of my favorite parts of the book had to do with Lucy’s wild, silly dog Waffles (aka MBM, if you know you know 😂) and the “Kellcy Fake Dating Planning Committee”. There were so many fun, cute, and swoon-worthy moments in this book that made reading this such a great experience.

🌶️ Some spice (a couple scenes, but short and not overly descriptive; definitely skippable if you’d prefer no spice) and some language (just a handful of explicit word use, not very prevalent)

I would definitely recommend if you are a lover of:
*single dad
*hockey romance
*fake dating
*petty revenge

Thank you so much to the author and her team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!