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Writing Mr. Wrong
The #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers a fun romantic comedy about a woman reconnecting with her high school ex after writing him into her latest romance book.
Gemma hasn’t written in years, but post-divorce, she dove back into writing romance. When her proposal didn’t sell, she became convinced it was because no one wanted her nice-guy heroes and decided to write and absolute Mr. Wrong…based on her first crush, Mason Moretti, now a star hockey player. She’s sure no one will make the connection between her highland laird and an NHL enforcer. Of course, someone does, and her secret is out.
Mason is going through some drama of his own as an aging hockey player, and when his “reunion-cute” with Gemma goes viral, he proposes some media-worthy fake dating to help her book. Which is so sweet and not at all to help solve his own image problem. Gemma reluctantly agrees. Mason convinces Gemma to go away with him so she can finish her overdue second book while giving him anti-asshole lessons. And if he really just wants to get time away with her, that’s not an bad move, right? Or is it?
Gemma hasn’t written in years, but post-divorce, she dove back into writing romance. When her proposal didn’t sell, she became convinced it was because no one wanted her nice-guy heroes and decided to write and absolute Mr. Wrong…based on her first crush, Mason Moretti, now a star hockey player. She’s sure no one will make the connection between her highland laird and an NHL enforcer. Of course, someone does, and her secret is out.
Mason is going through some drama of his own as an aging hockey player, and when his “reunion-cute” with Gemma goes viral, he proposes some media-worthy fake dating to help her book. Which is so sweet and not at all to help solve his own image problem. Gemma reluctantly agrees. Mason convinces Gemma to go away with him so she can finish her overdue second book while giving him anti-asshole lessons. And if he really just wants to get time away with her, that’s not an bad move, right? Or is it?
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 24, 2025
140 people are currently reading
12312 people want to read
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
297 books33.7k followersKelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 971 reviews
June 26, 2025
I listened to the audiobook and I loved it, especially since this was a duet. The narrators did a wonderful job of keeping me immersed in this world. I enjoyed it very much.
Gemma, a debut author, was forced to write a character that is an asshole, since that is what sells a book, and she drew inspiration from her first crush. Mason, a guy she once knew, a professional hockey player now. She thinks nobody will see the similarities, but an old classmate does and decides to reunite them on air, without telling Gemma. Mason comes to her rescue and they go viral. He suggest a dinner, so they can keep up the momentum, helping sell her book. She reluctantly agrees. Which leads to chaos and problems, some swoony and hilarious moments and an unexpected getaway. They both have demons, but will they be able to open up to each other and make use of this second chance that was given to them?
I really liked the writing, it kept me engaged. The pace was a little slower at the beginning, but it did pick up.
Gemma was a character I loved very much. She didn't let Mason get away with his behaviour easily. When he screwed up, she called him out on it. I loved seeing her slowly regain the confidence she lost because of her controlling ex-husband. Trying to revive parts of herself, parts he made her lose. Parts Mason loved about her.
Mason, while careless, was such a great character. I loved seeing him try to do better, to listen and rectify his behaviour. Him asking her to teach him how not to be an asshole was honestly adorable. I understand why he was the way he was. I tend to do the same, even knowing that running away from problems doesn't solve them at all. His struggle with being an ageing pro athlete and not having a plan for after, coupled with his trauma from childhood and his vulnerability when it came to Gemma, made him a compelling character.
I really loved them together, especially the getaway part.
The most refreshing thing about this book, and the reason I decided to up my rating, is the communication. Every single conflict, and there were quite a few of them, was resolved quickly and it was resolved by them talking it out. I'm so tired of conflicts being dragged on, especially when they can be solved by a simple conversation. It's such a small thing, but it made the book so much better.
I do wish we got more at the end, it felt a little bit rushed.
While this was my first encounter with this author, it will not be my last.
*Thank you to Netgalley and to Hachette Audio for providing me with an ALC.*
Gemma, a debut author, was forced to write a character that is an asshole, since that is what sells a book, and she drew inspiration from her first crush. Mason, a guy she once knew, a professional hockey player now. She thinks nobody will see the similarities, but an old classmate does and decides to reunite them on air, without telling Gemma. Mason comes to her rescue and they go viral. He suggest a dinner, so they can keep up the momentum, helping sell her book. She reluctantly agrees. Which leads to chaos and problems, some swoony and hilarious moments and an unexpected getaway. They both have demons, but will they be able to open up to each other and make use of this second chance that was given to them?
I really liked the writing, it kept me engaged. The pace was a little slower at the beginning, but it did pick up.
Gemma was a character I loved very much. She didn't let Mason get away with his behaviour easily. When he screwed up, she called him out on it. I loved seeing her slowly regain the confidence she lost because of her controlling ex-husband. Trying to revive parts of herself, parts he made her lose. Parts Mason loved about her.
Mason, while careless, was such a great character. I loved seeing him try to do better, to listen and rectify his behaviour. Him asking her to teach him how not to be an asshole was honestly adorable. I understand why he was the way he was. I tend to do the same, even knowing that running away from problems doesn't solve them at all. His struggle with being an ageing pro athlete and not having a plan for after, coupled with his trauma from childhood and his vulnerability when it came to Gemma, made him a compelling character.
I really loved them together, especially the getaway part.
The most refreshing thing about this book, and the reason I decided to up my rating, is the communication. Every single conflict, and there were quite a few of them, was resolved quickly and it was resolved by them talking it out. I'm so tired of conflicts being dragged on, especially when they can be solved by a simple conversation. It's such a small thing, but it made the book so much better.
I do wish we got more at the end, it felt a little bit rushed.
While this was my first encounter with this author, it will not be my last.
*Thank you to Netgalley and to Hachette Audio for providing me with an ALC.*
July 5, 2025
The story was cute with her writing her ex into a romance book and then ending up fake dating him, which made for some fun moments. The audiobook narrators did a great job. The romance felt a bit light, I kept waiting for a big moment or some real tension that never fully showed up. It was cute and easy to get through, but I wanted more of that “I hate you but I love you” energy. Didn’t blow me away, but it was an enjoyable solid read.
Thank you netgalley for the arc💗
Thank you netgalley for the arc💗
January 14, 2026
This is an entertaining, well-written, contemporary romance novel which is told from a dual point of view. It has likable, engaging characters, humor, a touch of hockey, sizzling chemistry, beautiful, vividly described settings, a heartwarming second chance romance, and a satisfying conclusion. The narrators, Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins, do an outstanding job narrating the audiobook.
July 6, 2025
It’s great to see authors giving their own twists to tropes that are starting to feel too repetitive.
After wanting to be an author all her life, Gemma is finally releasing her first romance book, even though it has an alpha hero that she doesn’t like to please the audience. A hero that 's based on a very famous hockey player she used to know very well. But the descriptions are hazy enough to avoid people realizing he’s Mason Moretti, right?
But they figure it out. Now, Gemma has to somehow go along the narrative of the sweet romance writer that wrote fanfiction about her famous hockey player and, now, has a second chance at love with him. People are eating the story up, and that’s great marketing for both, even if Gemma is not looking forward to being hurt again by Mason Moretti.
I listened to this as an audiobook and it had a huge impact on my enjoyment. I especially loved the voice of the female narrator, Patricia Santomasso, even though both were great. While I know I’d have loved this on ebook too, having narrators that make me want to keep listening forever and help you feel along with the characters really enhanced the reading experience.
As for the romance, I loved that the author added some little twists that made the story refreshing. For example, the fake dating trope wasn’t the type of fake dating you often see, where the limits are blurred and they have to keep acting as if they like each other and lying. Here, Mason and Gemma started to meet to make use of the publicity, but the ‘dates’ were about reconnecting, since they used to be friends. They would upload selfies and hold hands, but that was it. They never even acknowledge if they were in a relationship or not.
Another example was their first ‘date’. There are so many scenes that were bold to add, because they weren’t perfect, but that was exactly why the story felt authentic. Even the third act problem was interesting!
I also appreciated that we didn’t have misunderstandings. There was a scene where I wouldn’t have even minded if the author decided to make us suffer, but the characters refused to keep going without going through their feelings!
Also, the slow burn killed me. I loved how the sexual tension was present from the beginning, how the author didn’t hesitate to write a heroine who wasn’t afraid to acknowledge she desired the hero. I felt Mason (H) was the romantic in this book, and I loved it.
On top of that, I loved Gemma (h) and Mason (H), they were so relatable and the narrators really brought them to life. This has a dual POV and I appreciated that the author didn’t favour one over the other. Both had their issues and time in the book to figure out how to deal with them.
Overall, it was a pleasure listening to this audiobook. I’m not joking, one of the highlights of my day was waking up and hitting play. I was so sorry it was over!😭 Writing Mr. Wrong had heart, it was refreshing and had an amazing slow burn that didn’t rely on misunderstandings. I highly recommend both the story and the audiobook.
I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley and Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🎧Read as an audiobook.
Audiobook rating: 4.5 stars.
After wanting to be an author all her life, Gemma is finally releasing her first romance book, even though it has an alpha hero that she doesn’t like to please the audience. A hero that 's based on a very famous hockey player she used to know very well. But the descriptions are hazy enough to avoid people realizing he’s Mason Moretti, right?
But they figure it out. Now, Gemma has to somehow go along the narrative of the sweet romance writer that wrote fanfiction about her famous hockey player and, now, has a second chance at love with him. People are eating the story up, and that’s great marketing for both, even if Gemma is not looking forward to being hurt again by Mason Moretti.
I listened to this as an audiobook and it had a huge impact on my enjoyment. I especially loved the voice of the female narrator, Patricia Santomasso, even though both were great. While I know I’d have loved this on ebook too, having narrators that make me want to keep listening forever and help you feel along with the characters really enhanced the reading experience.
As for the romance, I loved that the author added some little twists that made the story refreshing. For example, the fake dating trope wasn’t the type of fake dating you often see, where the limits are blurred and they have to keep acting as if they like each other and lying. Here, Mason and Gemma started to meet to make use of the publicity, but the ‘dates’ were about reconnecting, since they used to be friends. They would upload selfies and hold hands, but that was it. They never even acknowledge if they were in a relationship or not.
Another example was their first ‘date’. There are so many scenes that were bold to add, because they weren’t perfect, but that was exactly why the story felt authentic. Even the third act problem was interesting!
I also appreciated that we didn’t have misunderstandings. There was a scene where I wouldn’t have even minded if the author decided to make us suffer, but the characters refused to keep going without going through their feelings!
Also, the slow burn killed me. I loved how the sexual tension was present from the beginning, how the author didn’t hesitate to write a heroine who wasn’t afraid to acknowledge she desired the hero. I felt Mason (H) was the romantic in this book, and I loved it.
On top of that, I loved Gemma (h) and Mason (H), they were so relatable and the narrators really brought them to life. This has a dual POV and I appreciated that the author didn’t favour one over the other. Both had their issues and time in the book to figure out how to deal with them.
Overall, it was a pleasure listening to this audiobook. I’m not joking, one of the highlights of my day was waking up and hitting play. I was so sorry it was over!😭 Writing Mr. Wrong had heart, it was refreshing and had an amazing slow burn that didn’t rely on misunderstandings. I highly recommend both the story and the audiobook.
I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley and Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🎧Read as an audiobook.
Audiobook rating: 4.5 stars.
August 22, 2025
✍🏽Bookish Thoughts
This was such a fun second chance, fake dating romance! Super cute and lighthearted! I loved both Gemma and Mason. Was it a little silly and cheesy? Yes. Did I eat it up? Also yes. I listened to this in one sitting!
Gemma and Mason were friends in high school but had a falling out. Years later, Gemma writes a book with an MMC totally inspired by Mason… not that she intended for anyone to find out. Naturally this goes viral and ends with a fake dating scheme! Which then turns into Gemma giving Mason reformation lessons for being a bit of a jerk. Honestly though, he wasn’t a total jerk.... just kind of clueless, which made him more lovable.
The audiobook was AMAZING! Duet narration is my favorite, and this one delivered. More duet audiobooks, please.
🏒 What to Expect
• Hockey player MMC
• Author FMC
• Fake dating
• Forced proximity
• Viral book drama
____
📖 Final Score: 5 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 5 star
🎙️ Narration Style: Duet
📅 Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was such a fun second chance, fake dating romance! Super cute and lighthearted! I loved both Gemma and Mason. Was it a little silly and cheesy? Yes. Did I eat it up? Also yes. I listened to this in one sitting!
Gemma and Mason were friends in high school but had a falling out. Years later, Gemma writes a book with an MMC totally inspired by Mason… not that she intended for anyone to find out. Naturally this goes viral and ends with a fake dating scheme! Which then turns into Gemma giving Mason reformation lessons for being a bit of a jerk. Honestly though, he wasn’t a total jerk.... just kind of clueless, which made him more lovable.
The audiobook was AMAZING! Duet narration is my favorite, and this one delivered. More duet audiobooks, please.
🏒 What to Expect
• Hockey player MMC
• Author FMC
• Fake dating
• Forced proximity
• Viral book drama
____
📖 Final Score: 5 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 5 star
🎙️ Narration Style: Duet
📅 Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
July 3, 2025
3.2 Stars
One Liner: Good bare bones
Gemma hasn’t written in many ways, but the post-divorce phase is the best time to get started. However, her idea for a romance novel with a nice guy doesn’t work. So, she channels her high school first crush, Mason Moretti, to write a historical steamy novel. And of course, it is an instant hit, even though someone put two and two together about her secret.
Mason knew his limitations and strengths. But as an aging hockey player who got stuck in a controversy he didn’t create, a second chance with Gemma is like a ray of hope. The public seems to like them together, and making fake dating is exactly what would help them both.
The story comes in Gemma and Mason’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
After not having much luck with the author’s mysteries, I decided to try a romance. As you can see,e the results are a bit similar but for different reasons!
Surprisingly, this one has a pretty good pace! The dual POV works well to give us insights about both characters. The shifts happen even within the same chapter but are clearly marked with a scene break and the character's name as a heading.
The bare bones are solid. No denying that. It blends sports romance with writer romance and throws in some good discussion points about both. Though they are not fully explored, I liked these best.
For example, we see the role of media pressure and ageism in sports, where a person above 35 is expected to retire (it’s the same in cricket), and their every action is put under a microscope. In the writing/ publishing industry, we see the demand for trope-y books where authors are expected to write what the readers ‘seem’ to want. It’s good to see books talk about these issues, even if it is not in detail.
However, the plot that holds everything together often falls short.
Both MCs are 36. This should be good, but it seems they have clung to their high school personalities for too long.
Though I empathized with the MMC's inability to read cues or his inevitable mess-ups, he was a bit too clueless and careless (using this word multiple times in the book didn’t help either). He needed help to process things (and was actively avoiding it when he had access).
The FMC’s backstory was sad and realistic enough, though I don’t see why she still gives her ex such importance despite acknowledging the issues. Also, that guy’s entire personality was limited to a single trait. It was the same with the mean girl from high school. Her character doesn’t even appear again after she plays her part.
There are quite a few traumatic themes here, but none of them get the attention they deserve. I understand this is a romcom, but it could have been better.
At least, we have a good epilogue, so that’s something I enjoyed. I like that there were no miraculous developments in one aspect.
To summarize, Writing Mr. Wrong is a fast-paced romance with a good premise, but it doesn’t fully explore the dynamics or themes. That said, it should work as a beach/ travel read.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #WritingMrWrong
One Liner: Good bare bones
Gemma hasn’t written in many ways, but the post-divorce phase is the best time to get started. However, her idea for a romance novel with a nice guy doesn’t work. So, she channels her high school first crush, Mason Moretti, to write a historical steamy novel. And of course, it is an instant hit, even though someone put two and two together about her secret.
Mason knew his limitations and strengths. But as an aging hockey player who got stuck in a controversy he didn’t create, a second chance with Gemma is like a ray of hope. The public seems to like them together, and making fake dating is exactly what would help them both.
The story comes in Gemma and Mason’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
After not having much luck with the author’s mysteries, I decided to try a romance. As you can see,e the results are a bit similar but for different reasons!
Surprisingly, this one has a pretty good pace! The dual POV works well to give us insights about both characters. The shifts happen even within the same chapter but are clearly marked with a scene break and the character's name as a heading.
The bare bones are solid. No denying that. It blends sports romance with writer romance and throws in some good discussion points about both. Though they are not fully explored, I liked these best.
For example, we see the role of media pressure and ageism in sports, where a person above 35 is expected to retire (it’s the same in cricket), and their every action is put under a microscope. In the writing/ publishing industry, we see the demand for trope-y books where authors are expected to write what the readers ‘seem’ to want. It’s good to see books talk about these issues, even if it is not in detail.
However, the plot that holds everything together often falls short.
Both MCs are 36. This should be good, but it seems they have clung to their high school personalities for too long.
Though I empathized with the MMC's inability to read cues or his inevitable mess-ups, he was a bit too clueless and careless (using this word multiple times in the book didn’t help either). He needed help to process things (and was actively avoiding it when he had access).
The FMC’s backstory was sad and realistic enough, though I don’t see why she still gives her ex such importance despite acknowledging the issues. Also, that guy’s entire personality was limited to a single trait. It was the same with the mean girl from high school. Her character doesn’t even appear again after she plays her part.
There are quite a few traumatic themes here, but none of them get the attention they deserve. I understand this is a romcom, but it could have been better.
At least, we have a good epilogue, so that’s something I enjoyed. I like that there were no miraculous developments in one aspect.
To summarize, Writing Mr. Wrong is a fast-paced romance with a good premise, but it doesn’t fully explore the dynamics or themes. That said, it should work as a beach/ travel read.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #WritingMrWrong
June 16, 2025
🎧
Narration Goals + Production Perfection
Narrators? Phenomenal.
This is a duet narration (aka elite-tier audiobook status).
But here’s where it blew me away:
They add a little “ding” sound effect every time a text message is read. It’s such a small thing, but it made everything feel so real and present. The attention to detail in the production is next level, and it shows throughout all of it.👏
Also… this is embarrassing, but I didn’t realise it was written in third person until chapter 16 out of 40. That’s how immersive and personal it felt.
The writing is smooth and natural, the narration feels intimate, and together they make it so easy to fall completely into this world.
🫶 Gemma, Mason & The Art of the Earned Second Chance
Omg I LOVE Gemma!!! She's the best: so relatable, so grounded, and just the kind of FMC I root for with my whole heart.
And Mason? MASON. A true consent king 👑
He’s so considerate. Like, he has a million chances to make a move or crack an innuendo, but instead, he takes his time, reads the moment, and actually prioritises her feelings.
The characters are adorable, their chemistry is top-tier, and the story is just so good. 💬
No fluff, no filler, just two people growing, healing, and falling in love all over again, with communication so healthy I almost cried.
This is one of the best second-chance romances I’ve read. It’s not just romantic, it’s earned. They own their past mistakes, hold themselves accountable, and actually do the work to rebuild something stronger. No internal monologue BS, just maturity and emotional growth. YES PLEASE.
🏁 Final Thoughts
This is how you do it.
A love story built on growth, softness, consent, and actual effort, with flawless narration and subtle brilliance in the production.
This is the blueprint.
Thank you Netgalley & Hachette Audio for the ALC.
--
Pre-read:
Got a need for a good audiobook and need this to deliver.
Thank you Netgalley & Hachette Audio for the ALC.
Narrators? Phenomenal.
This is a duet narration (aka elite-tier audiobook status).
But here’s where it blew me away:
They add a little “ding” sound effect every time a text message is read. It’s such a small thing, but it made everything feel so real and present. The attention to detail in the production is next level, and it shows throughout all of it.👏
Also… this is embarrassing, but I didn’t realise it was written in third person until chapter 16 out of 40. That’s how immersive and personal it felt.
The writing is smooth and natural, the narration feels intimate, and together they make it so easy to fall completely into this world.
🫶 Gemma, Mason & The Art of the Earned Second Chance
Omg I LOVE Gemma!!! She's the best: so relatable, so grounded, and just the kind of FMC I root for with my whole heart.
And Mason? MASON. A true consent king 👑
He’s so considerate. Like, he has a million chances to make a move or crack an innuendo, but instead, he takes his time, reads the moment, and actually prioritises her feelings.
The characters are adorable, their chemistry is top-tier, and the story is just so good. 💬
No fluff, no filler, just two people growing, healing, and falling in love all over again, with communication so healthy I almost cried.
This is one of the best second-chance romances I’ve read. It’s not just romantic, it’s earned. They own their past mistakes, hold themselves accountable, and actually do the work to rebuild something stronger. No internal monologue BS, just maturity and emotional growth. YES PLEASE.
🏁 Final Thoughts
This is how you do it.
A love story built on growth, softness, consent, and actual effort, with flawless narration and subtle brilliance in the production.
This is the blueprint.
Thank you Netgalley & Hachette Audio for the ALC.
--
Pre-read:
Got a need for a good audiobook and need this to deliver.
Thank you Netgalley & Hachette Audio for the ALC.
November 17, 2025
I almost didn’t read this book. I saw hockey player MMC and thought—nah, not for me—but then Forever offered me a finished copy, and I remembered I liked this author’s other contemporary romance, so I gave it a try.
Thank goodness I did because this book was SO freaking cute.
First, you should know that despite it not being listed anywhere as Duet audio is absolutely is DUET and the narration is PERFECT! A little slow, so expect to need to bump the speed but the overall performance was A+++
What’s to love…
- Bookish Book (romance author FMC + an audiobook & romance lover MMC)
- post-divorce FMC, who is confident and strong!
- second chance romance (high school crush/missed connection)
- single timeline with 1-2 short flashbacks
- Nona and Grandma are hilarious! I LOVE them
- the MMC’s character growth is TOP TIER, I was bawling my eyes out!
- This one flips a common trope in romance and it is the cutest thing ever, I won’t say which but trust me it’s swoony.
What’s not to love…
- the side characters are really only here to talk about the relationship between the two MCs. The focus in this book is the romance and relationship between the MCs and that isn’t really a bad thing - but this book wouldn’t pass the Bechdel test. That said, while this isn’t ideal (I like a little more depth to my characters usually—including relationships outside the romance) this is pretty much the only thing I didn’t love about this book.
🌶️: Ch 30 - Very mildly explicit, probably leaning a little more towards ambiguous than explicit, also short. Ch 33 - Fade to black. Plenty of tension and steam though!
4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Forever & Hachette Audio for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Thank goodness I did because this book was SO freaking cute.
First, you should know that despite it not being listed anywhere as Duet audio is absolutely is DUET and the narration is PERFECT! A little slow, so expect to need to bump the speed but the overall performance was A+++
What’s to love…
- Bookish Book (romance author FMC + an audiobook & romance lover MMC)
- post-divorce FMC, who is confident and strong!
- second chance romance (high school crush/missed connection)
- single timeline with 1-2 short flashbacks
- Nona and Grandma are hilarious! I LOVE them
- the MMC’s character growth is TOP TIER, I was bawling my eyes out!
- This one flips a common trope in romance and it is the cutest thing ever, I won’t say which but trust me it’s swoony.
What’s not to love…
- the side characters are really only here to talk about the relationship between the two MCs. The focus in this book is the romance and relationship between the MCs and that isn’t really a bad thing - but this book wouldn’t pass the Bechdel test. That said, while this isn’t ideal (I like a little more depth to my characters usually—including relationships outside the romance) this is pretty much the only thing I didn’t love about this book.
🌶️: Ch 30 - Very mildly explicit, probably leaning a little more towards ambiguous than explicit, also short. Ch 33 - Fade to black. Plenty of tension and steam though!
4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Forever & Hachette Audio for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
June 24, 2025
Writing Mr. Wrong is my first foray into sports romance, a subgenre in contemporary romance that I haven’t had any experience with. But as a fan of Kelley Armstrong’s writing for several years, I had faith that this would be a story that I would enjoy.
Gemma Stanton is a debut romance author whose “alpha” main male character bears a strong resemblance to Mason Moretti, the NHL hockey star, her former classmate and high school crush.
While hockey has meant everything to Mason, he’s never forgotten Gemma and when an unexpected encounter on a daytime talk show brings them face-to-face after twenty years, old feelings stir.
Gemma is still healing following her divorce and trying to regain the parts of herself she sacrificed in an effort to fit into a relationship that didn’t suit her. Straightforward and very grounded, she’s understandably hesitant to allow Mason to pursue her, which is partially due to a bad experience when they were in high school.
Mason Moretti is used to being viewed as a “bad guy” on the hockey rink. Off the rink, he’s charming, considerate and sometimes unintentionally oblivious. As an older player at thirty-six, his future in hockey is becoming questionable.
What begins as a fake-dating scenario to improve publicity for Gemma’s book and Mason’s public image, slowly becomes something more. Writing Mr. Wrong is a sweet novel with a second-chance romance and two main characters who struggle at times with their personal demons and yet still manage to communicate with one another like mature adults.
Miscommunication for the sake of plot is one of my least favorite tropes and Writing Mr. Wrong thankfully avoids it. There are stumbles and mishaps, fun banter and a bit of spice. I only wished that the novel was a bit longer, as the end seemed more sudden than I was expecting.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Gemma Stanton is a debut romance author whose “alpha” main male character bears a strong resemblance to Mason Moretti, the NHL hockey star, her former classmate and high school crush.
While hockey has meant everything to Mason, he’s never forgotten Gemma and when an unexpected encounter on a daytime talk show brings them face-to-face after twenty years, old feelings stir.
Gemma is still healing following her divorce and trying to regain the parts of herself she sacrificed in an effort to fit into a relationship that didn’t suit her. Straightforward and very grounded, she’s understandably hesitant to allow Mason to pursue her, which is partially due to a bad experience when they were in high school.
Mason Moretti is used to being viewed as a “bad guy” on the hockey rink. Off the rink, he’s charming, considerate and sometimes unintentionally oblivious. As an older player at thirty-six, his future in hockey is becoming questionable.
What begins as a fake-dating scenario to improve publicity for Gemma’s book and Mason’s public image, slowly becomes something more. Writing Mr. Wrong is a sweet novel with a second-chance romance and two main characters who struggle at times with their personal demons and yet still manage to communicate with one another like mature adults.
Miscommunication for the sake of plot is one of my least favorite tropes and Writing Mr. Wrong thankfully avoids it. There are stumbles and mishaps, fun banter and a bit of spice. I only wished that the novel was a bit longer, as the end seemed more sudden than I was expecting.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
August 25, 2025
3 stars
A second chance romance between Gemma, an author and Mason, a hockey player in their 30's. When the likeness to an alpha hero in her book is recognized to be the hockey star she grew up with, Gemma and Mason decide to fake date to drum up the positive publicity for the both of them. But their past insecurities come to haunt them.
Hmmm, this one started out so strong and I was loving it, and then it just kind of went left with the story after the second half. I really liked both characters, but this is one where the plot got lost and I have no idea why the author went the direction she did, almost like 2 separate books. That plus fade to black sex scenes dropped my rating quite a bit for this one. I think this book had an excellent premise, and I kind of wish someone else would write the better ending for it. Also, the cover for this book sucks. They did Kelley Armstrong dirty with that one.
An ALC was provided by libro.fm as a part of their librarian ALC program.
2025 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo categories hit: Sportsball on the cover, Rescue Mission
A second chance romance between Gemma, an author and Mason, a hockey player in their 30's. When the likeness to an alpha hero in her book is recognized to be the hockey star she grew up with, Gemma and Mason decide to fake date to drum up the positive publicity for the both of them. But their past insecurities come to haunt them.
Hmmm, this one started out so strong and I was loving it, and then it just kind of went left with the story after the second half. I really liked both characters, but this is one where the plot got lost and I have no idea why the author went the direction she did, almost like 2 separate books. That plus fade to black sex scenes dropped my rating quite a bit for this one. I think this book had an excellent premise, and I kind of wish someone else would write the better ending for it. Also, the cover for this book sucks. They did Kelley Armstrong dirty with that one.
An ALC was provided by libro.fm as a part of their librarian ALC program.
2025 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo categories hit: Sportsball on the cover, Rescue Mission
March 30, 2025
Another day, another Kelley Armstrong recommendation from me. How does she write these so fast, and still they’re so good? She’s like the Brandon Sanderson of… well, that’s hard to pin down because so far she’s written fantasy, urban fantasy, romance, thriller, horror, YA and adult. She’s just an all-around solid author, no matter what the genre.
Still, confession: I’m not a hockey romance fan. It’s a trend, but one I’ve sorta avoided. I’m not a sports person at all (no judgement for those who are, it’s just not an interest of mine) and so romances that center around athletes? Never really rang my bell, so to speak. And then I read this, because despite that, Armstrong is an auto-buy author for me.
As expected, it’s a delight. The main character Gemma is a romance author who needs to write a “bad boy” MMC so she models him on ex-classmate Mason who was a complete jerk, now a pro hockey player. Shenanigans ensue and they end up fake dating for PR; turns out Mason has been holding a torch for a long while and is determined not to let this second chance slip him by.
Both characters are dealing with their own demons. Gemma is trying to regain her own agency and confidence after a disastrous marriage and Mason is dealing with the pressures and fear that come with being an aging pro athlete. Both feel like realistic and fully formed characters, very little of the miscommunication trope that I hate so much. Here, everyone speaks with each other about their concerns like fully functional adults and man, is that a breath of fresh air.
I just love this kind of contemporary romance. Sometimes I want something lighter and fun in between the heavier grimdark fantasy and scifi, and I know I can always turn to an Armstrong book for that. So if you’re looking for a quick read romance with witty banter that’ll make you laugh out loud, this is the one. Done. Sold.
Thank you as always to NetGalley and Forever books for the chance to read this digital ARC! All opinions are my own!
Still, confession: I’m not a hockey romance fan. It’s a trend, but one I’ve sorta avoided. I’m not a sports person at all (no judgement for those who are, it’s just not an interest of mine) and so romances that center around athletes? Never really rang my bell, so to speak. And then I read this, because despite that, Armstrong is an auto-buy author for me.
As expected, it’s a delight. The main character Gemma is a romance author who needs to write a “bad boy” MMC so she models him on ex-classmate Mason who was a complete jerk, now a pro hockey player. Shenanigans ensue and they end up fake dating for PR; turns out Mason has been holding a torch for a long while and is determined not to let this second chance slip him by.
Both characters are dealing with their own demons. Gemma is trying to regain her own agency and confidence after a disastrous marriage and Mason is dealing with the pressures and fear that come with being an aging pro athlete. Both feel like realistic and fully formed characters, very little of the miscommunication trope that I hate so much. Here, everyone speaks with each other about their concerns like fully functional adults and man, is that a breath of fresh air.
I just love this kind of contemporary romance. Sometimes I want something lighter and fun in between the heavier grimdark fantasy and scifi, and I know I can always turn to an Armstrong book for that. So if you’re looking for a quick read romance with witty banter that’ll make you laugh out loud, this is the one. Done. Sold.
Thank you as always to NetGalley and Forever books for the chance to read this digital ARC! All opinions are my own!
July 30, 2025
Great fake-dating trope!
Gemma, a debut author, has written a highland romance, basing the hero on her high school crush, Mason Moretti. She hasn’t seen him since high school, when he broke her heart. Recently divorced, Gemma is trying to rediscover the old Gemma—the one she was before her marriage. She thinks no one will realize her hero is inspired by the now-famous hockey player, but an old classmate figures it out, and the secret is out.
Mason Moretti, an enforcer for a Canadian hockey team, excels at his role, but in his last game, a teammate was injured. Mason knows his hockey career is nearing its end—he’s practically a dinosaur at his age. After the incident, he needs positive PR. When he learns Gemma wrote a book based on him, he’s eager to reconnect. He had a huge crush on her in high school. Maybe this is his chance to make things right. A fake-dating arrangement could boost both their careers.
With both POVs, it’s easy to root for Gemma and Mason and their second-chance romance. Furthermore, the novel was wonderfully narrated by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins.
I’ve always loved Kelley Armstrong’s fantasy books, and now I can say I enjoy her romances too..
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Hachette Audio & Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Gemma, a debut author, has written a highland romance, basing the hero on her high school crush, Mason Moretti. She hasn’t seen him since high school, when he broke her heart. Recently divorced, Gemma is trying to rediscover the old Gemma—the one she was before her marriage. She thinks no one will realize her hero is inspired by the now-famous hockey player, but an old classmate figures it out, and the secret is out.
Mason Moretti, an enforcer for a Canadian hockey team, excels at his role, but in his last game, a teammate was injured. Mason knows his hockey career is nearing its end—he’s practically a dinosaur at his age. After the incident, he needs positive PR. When he learns Gemma wrote a book based on him, he’s eager to reconnect. He had a huge crush on her in high school. Maybe this is his chance to make things right. A fake-dating arrangement could boost both their careers.
With both POVs, it’s easy to root for Gemma and Mason and their second-chance romance. Furthermore, the novel was wonderfully narrated by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins.
I’ve always loved Kelley Armstrong’s fantasy books, and now I can say I enjoy her romances too..
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Hachette Audio & Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
June 28, 2025
Rating: 2.5⭐️
This was a good read, but nothing mind-blowing.
I liked the leads Gemma and Mason. They were both relatable and imperfect. I think the author did a great job with their development and growth over the course of the book. Mason especially tugged at my heartstrings. He had this confident asshole persona that he showed the world, but deep down he had a lot of insecurities and had a tendency to overthink things. He honestly reminded me of a puppy with how much he wanted to impress Gemma. He just never went about it in the best ways.
However, I did find that the book was rather internal monologue-y which made it feel rather slow. The romance wasn’t that memorable either. I just didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two leads. There were so many moments of miscommunication between Mason and Gemma which was annoying as well.
All in all, this was a decent enough read, but I’ll probably forget the plot in a few days.
This was a good read, but nothing mind-blowing.
I liked the leads Gemma and Mason. They were both relatable and imperfect. I think the author did a great job with their development and growth over the course of the book. Mason especially tugged at my heartstrings. He had this confident asshole persona that he showed the world, but deep down he had a lot of insecurities and had a tendency to overthink things. He honestly reminded me of a puppy with how much he wanted to impress Gemma. He just never went about it in the best ways.
However, I did find that the book was rather internal monologue-y which made it feel rather slow. The romance wasn’t that memorable either. I just didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two leads. There were so many moments of miscommunication between Mason and Gemma which was annoying as well.
All in all, this was a decent enough read, but I’ll probably forget the plot in a few days.
June 23, 2025
I recieved a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Hatchette Audio for the copy!
❀.* 2.75 💫
╰┈➤ no spoiler review
◤❀ ❝𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 ‘𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞’ 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 ‘𝐈'𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫’.❞ ❀◥
ೃ⁀➷ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲
↬ Sports romance
↬ Second-chance
↬ No third-act breakups
↬ Banter
⇒ I was so, so excited for this arc! The average rating was good and the hypnosis sounded like so much fun and the dual audio book was beautiful. This genuinely might be the best audiobook I've ever listened to. I'm not a big audiobook listener, but if you are I couldn't recommend this enough.
┊📚┊Gemma Stanson
I'm going to be honest, Gemma got on my nerves. She was so held up with her grudges that she refused to see the good in those around her. I just hate when main characters are so negative because I just don't vibe with being in that perspective.
┊🏒┊Mason Moretti
I actually liked Mason a lot. I'm not one to give people labels but my man totally had undiagnosed anxiety. His perspective was much more enjoyable than Gemma's. I enjoyed seeing his character arc unfold and I'm happy with the way it ended.
💿 now playing ↷
♪ “This Love” – Taylor Swift
✿ ↪ "This love left a permanent mark
This love is glowing in the dark."
⋆｡°✩
♪ “The Stranger” – Ingrid Andress
✿ ↪ "Let's trace those steps 'til we can find
Where we got lost in love that time."
⋆｡°✩
♪ “how many things” – Sabrina Carpenter
✿ ↪ "Remember when you left once?
That never made too much sense to me."
⋆｡°✩
: ̗̀➛ After some debate on what I was going to rate this, I settled on a solid 2.75 🌟 because as fun as it was when I did listen to it, I never felt the urge to come back to it. The plot just didn't have me hooked and it could be slow or repetitive at times, like there were moments that had me feeling like the whole story was one big circle.
❀.* 2.75 💫
╰┈➤ no spoiler review
◤❀ ❝𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 ‘𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞’ 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 ‘𝐈'𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫’.❞ ❀◥
ೃ⁀➷ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲
↬ Sports romance
↬ Second-chance
↬ No third-act breakups
↬ Banter
⇒ I was so, so excited for this arc! The average rating was good and the hypnosis sounded like so much fun and the dual audio book was beautiful. This genuinely might be the best audiobook I've ever listened to. I'm not a big audiobook listener, but if you are I couldn't recommend this enough.
┊📚┊Gemma Stanson
I'm going to be honest, Gemma got on my nerves. She was so held up with her grudges that she refused to see the good in those around her. I just hate when main characters are so negative because I just don't vibe with being in that perspective.
┊🏒┊Mason Moretti
I actually liked Mason a lot. I'm not one to give people labels but my man totally had undiagnosed anxiety. His perspective was much more enjoyable than Gemma's. I enjoyed seeing his character arc unfold and I'm happy with the way it ended.
💿 now playing ↷
♪ “This Love” – Taylor Swift
✿ ↪ "This love left a permanent mark
This love is glowing in the dark."
⋆｡°✩
♪ “The Stranger” – Ingrid Andress
✿ ↪ "Let's trace those steps 'til we can find
Where we got lost in love that time."
⋆｡°✩
♪ “how many things” – Sabrina Carpenter
✿ ↪ "Remember when you left once?
That never made too much sense to me."
⋆｡°✩
: ̗̀➛ After some debate on what I was going to rate this, I settled on a solid 2.75 🌟 because as fun as it was when I did listen to it, I never felt the urge to come back to it. The plot just didn't have me hooked and it could be slow or repetitive at times, like there were moments that had me feeling like the whole story was one big circle.
June 18, 2025
“Grown men put their arm around a woman. But that felt like saying ‘this is mine’ while holding hands felt like saying ‘Im with her’”
This was so much more than I expected. The bar for romance has gone up so much higher because of this. At one point the fmc said something like “there’s no such thing as playing hard to get. If we say no to a guy they’re not supposed to take that as a challenge but they are supposed to respect that we don’t want it.” This not at all exactly what she said but it’s what it came down to. This really made me think. I’ve always had a soft spot for romances where he’s obsessed with her and she can’t stand him but really thats just him ignoring her when she says no and taking it as a challenge and a sign to just try harder. Dont get me wrong, I still like that trope but if you really think about it, it’s just wrong. Anyways back to the book!
This story follows Gemma who is a new author. She is fresh out of a divorce and decides it’s it’s time to follow through on her dream to write. When her publisher lets her know the romance book she wrote was quote on quote “boring” she decides to follow every single other romance author in existence and write a book with a terrible male main character that “supposedly” has a redemption arc when he falls in love for the female main character. Lo and behold, she bases this male character on her high school crush Mason. Mason broke her heart and who better to play an asshole in her book than him!
Mason on the other hand has now made a successful career in hockey. When he finds out Gemma based a book on him he’s nothing more than excited! Having a chance to rekindle his old friendship with Gemma is all he’s ever wanted. Maybe even more than rekindle a friendship. Maybe the spark they felt between them in high school still exists? Mason is known as a heartbreaker. Your typical hockey jock that doesn’t do love and never goes back to the same woman twice. Deep down though, Mason is a hopeless romantic. He has all the right thoughts, just not the right way of acting on them. After a big blunder during one of his games, he needs people to see him as a good guy. Nothing better to do than fake date the woman who wrote a romance book about him! That is until he reads the book and finds out he totally hates the guy he’s reading about… What does that make him?
This story is extremely fluffy. There is a little bit of spice but it’s easy to skip if you’re not into it. The characters balance each other out so well. I absolutely loved the banter, the dual pov and the way Mason actually wants to change himself for the better. Safe to say I 100% recommend this!!!
The audiobook was so fun to listen to. It had me me engaged the whole time. Dual narration was amazing and the narrators made it sound like they were actually friends in real life with the way they spoke. They embraced the characters fully and exactly the way I would’ve imagined. Absolutely amazing!
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and the author of this book Kelley Armstrong, for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this ALC!!!
This was so much more than I expected. The bar for romance has gone up so much higher because of this. At one point the fmc said something like “there’s no such thing as playing hard to get. If we say no to a guy they’re not supposed to take that as a challenge but they are supposed to respect that we don’t want it.” This not at all exactly what she said but it’s what it came down to. This really made me think. I’ve always had a soft spot for romances where he’s obsessed with her and she can’t stand him but really thats just him ignoring her when she says no and taking it as a challenge and a sign to just try harder. Dont get me wrong, I still like that trope but if you really think about it, it’s just wrong. Anyways back to the book!
This story follows Gemma who is a new author. She is fresh out of a divorce and decides it’s it’s time to follow through on her dream to write. When her publisher lets her know the romance book she wrote was quote on quote “boring” she decides to follow every single other romance author in existence and write a book with a terrible male main character that “supposedly” has a redemption arc when he falls in love for the female main character. Lo and behold, she bases this male character on her high school crush Mason. Mason broke her heart and who better to play an asshole in her book than him!
Mason on the other hand has now made a successful career in hockey. When he finds out Gemma based a book on him he’s nothing more than excited! Having a chance to rekindle his old friendship with Gemma is all he’s ever wanted. Maybe even more than rekindle a friendship. Maybe the spark they felt between them in high school still exists? Mason is known as a heartbreaker. Your typical hockey jock that doesn’t do love and never goes back to the same woman twice. Deep down though, Mason is a hopeless romantic. He has all the right thoughts, just not the right way of acting on them. After a big blunder during one of his games, he needs people to see him as a good guy. Nothing better to do than fake date the woman who wrote a romance book about him! That is until he reads the book and finds out he totally hates the guy he’s reading about… What does that make him?
This story is extremely fluffy. There is a little bit of spice but it’s easy to skip if you’re not into it. The characters balance each other out so well. I absolutely loved the banter, the dual pov and the way Mason actually wants to change himself for the better. Safe to say I 100% recommend this!!!
The audiobook was so fun to listen to. It had me me engaged the whole time. Dual narration was amazing and the narrators made it sound like they were actually friends in real life with the way they spoke. They embraced the characters fully and exactly the way I would’ve imagined. Absolutely amazing!
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and the author of this book Kelley Armstrong, for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this ALC!!!
June 5, 2025
I have to say that sports romance is not my favorite genre and second chance isn’t my favorite trope. So this should say something about Kelley Armstrong that this was a 4.5 star read for me rounded up because it was written very well. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrators. Gemma is a new debut author who successfully wrote a romance novel with a male love interest based on the hockey star almost was relationship she had in high school Mason. They reconnect because of this and some fake dating leads to some wonderful things. The characters were good, while they weren’t perfect they were likable and worked well together. This book was the warm hug of a read I really needed. This author has a special skill to write across so many genres. This shows why she’s one of my favorite writers.
July 4, 2025
Writing Mr Wrong by Kelley Armstrong
Contemporary romance, romantic comedy.
Post-divorce and assessing her life, Gemma writes a romance book using her nemesis as the self absorbed and rude hero. No one is supposed to know he’s based on a famous hockey player but she’s called out on national tv by a petty former school mate. Mason Moretti has alway had a crush on Gemma and is happy to meet up with her again. Reading the book helps explain his image problem isn’t limited to the sports world. He proposes they work together to help her book sales while also working on his interactions with fans and press. Spending time together should help both their careers. And maybe their relationship?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which was narrated by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins in a duet narration. The performances were fantastic with emotions clearly heard from antagonism, hurt and worry through love and happiness. The two voices were matched well in decibels and modulation so I didn’t have to change volume or speed. Seamless performance. I did listen to this at 1.5 and slightly higher so that I could read along with the ebook and not be a dozen pages ahead.
I know a duet narration is costly and takes more time for the artists but in this case it was worth it. I listened once and immediately restarted the book which is rare for me. The two did a wonderful job of keeping my interest and drawing me into their story.
Mason really wants to change and do better. He continues to ask questions and analyze his own behavior and how it may look. Impressive growth for anyone.
A favorite author and while I enjoy the suspense and other genres, this romantic comedy and the prior, Finding Mr. Write, hit the sweet spot for me with romance, humor and a hero to swoon over.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley, and publisher Hachette Audio. I also purchased a copy to keep.
Contemporary romance, romantic comedy.
Post-divorce and assessing her life, Gemma writes a romance book using her nemesis as the self absorbed and rude hero. No one is supposed to know he’s based on a famous hockey player but she’s called out on national tv by a petty former school mate. Mason Moretti has alway had a crush on Gemma and is happy to meet up with her again. Reading the book helps explain his image problem isn’t limited to the sports world. He proposes they work together to help her book sales while also working on his interactions with fans and press. Spending time together should help both their careers. And maybe their relationship?
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which was narrated by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins in a duet narration. The performances were fantastic with emotions clearly heard from antagonism, hurt and worry through love and happiness. The two voices were matched well in decibels and modulation so I didn’t have to change volume or speed. Seamless performance. I did listen to this at 1.5 and slightly higher so that I could read along with the ebook and not be a dozen pages ahead.
I know a duet narration is costly and takes more time for the artists but in this case it was worth it. I listened once and immediately restarted the book which is rare for me. The two did a wonderful job of keeping my interest and drawing me into their story.
Mason really wants to change and do better. He continues to ask questions and analyze his own behavior and how it may look. Impressive growth for anyone.
A favorite author and while I enjoy the suspense and other genres, this romantic comedy and the prior, Finding Mr. Write, hit the sweet spot for me with romance, humor and a hero to swoon over.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley, and publisher Hachette Audio. I also purchased a copy to keep.
July 23, 2025
Story 4 stars. Narration 4 stars
Gemma is a 36 year old debut writer of historical romance. She loosely based her new book on the guy(Mason)from high school who hurt her back then. When she is blindsided by a tv host with Mason being put on an interview show with her she is horrified. He’s a star hockey player and he’s so ready to see Gemma again. Of course, that was before he read the book that everyone says is about him. This ended up being a good story with all their high school baggage to get rid of for good. And of course some “now” baggage as well.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, the problems and the romance. I picked the book initially because it was written by an author whose books in other genres I enjoyed. It ended up being a quick listen and although the narration was not my favorite it was still okay enough to rate it 4 stars for that narration. Recommended to adult contemporary romance readers.
Gemma is a 36 year old debut writer of historical romance. She loosely based her new book on the guy(Mason)from high school who hurt her back then. When she is blindsided by a tv host with Mason being put on an interview show with her she is horrified. He’s a star hockey player and he’s so ready to see Gemma again. Of course, that was before he read the book that everyone says is about him. This ended up being a good story with all their high school baggage to get rid of for good. And of course some “now” baggage as well.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, the problems and the romance. I picked the book initially because it was written by an author whose books in other genres I enjoyed. It ended up being a quick listen and although the narration was not my favorite it was still okay enough to rate it 4 stars for that narration. Recommended to adult contemporary romance readers.
July 17, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and to Hachette Audio for providing me with this audio ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
I did enjoy the dual pov. Overall it was a good story but nothing too amazing. I felt myself not being excited to find out what happens next - therefore 3 stars. While I love fake dating, I didn't really feel the chemistry in the two leads. I did also like that Gemma and Mason knew each other from high school, I usually love that, but again it was just okay. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed. But overall it was a good book with cute and fun romance.
I did enjoy the dual pov. Overall it was a good story but nothing too amazing. I felt myself not being excited to find out what happens next - therefore 3 stars. While I love fake dating, I didn't really feel the chemistry in the two leads. I did also like that Gemma and Mason knew each other from high school, I usually love that, but again it was just okay. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed. But overall it was a good book with cute and fun romance.
May 4, 2025
Kelley Armstrong can write a strong novel in any genre. This is the second romance that I have read by this author and it was another winner. This one was set in Vancouver and between a writer and a professional hockey player. Gemma had a crush on Mason in high school but he turned out to be a massive jerk. Fast forward twenty years later and Gemma has become a published author using Mason as inspiration for her alpha male lead in her first novel. Mason is a professional hockey player nearing the end of his career and has recently gotten bad publicity after he failed to support his teammate. Gemma and Mason are set up on a TV show and it ends up helping both of their careers. They decide to go out again to help their careers and sparks begin to fly. Everything should work out perfectly except there is more to both of their stories.
This was a really cute contemporary romance. It was easy to get lost in the story and I really liked both characters. I did wish that there was a little more action but the romance was solid. I also liked learning a little more about hockey. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and anyone who loves romance or just a great story will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC.
This was a really cute contemporary romance. It was easy to get lost in the story and I really liked both characters. I did wish that there was a little more action but the romance was solid. I also liked learning a little more about hockey. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and anyone who loves romance or just a great story will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC.
June 12, 2025
4 / 5 Stars
I process the best by reading and highlighting so when I am listening to an audiobook that I haven’t read before, I am truly just going off of vibes. And the vibes of this book were really sweet and funny!
I liked that we jumped right into the story with Gemma and Mason being thrown back into each other’s lives and having to navigate that reunion after not seeing each other for almost 20 years. I think the fact that they had known each other since kindergarten helped the second chance aspect of the romance. Mason has always liked Gemma and Gemma has always had a soft spot for Mason so at their core, they have a solid starting point to build their relationship from. The drama that happened in high school did not feel insurmountable which also helped make the second chance feel believable.
I think at its gooey, sweet center, this story is about a man learning how to process and communicate his feelings after avoiding them and relationships for a long time (not just because he is an asshole, he has reasons for being avoidantly attached) and a couple learning how to communicate in a healthy way that felt realistic. Just two grown ups being grown ups better together. And it had a sprinkle of spice.
There were funny moments like Mason’s Nona and Gemma’s Grandma Dot. There were poignant moments like Gemma processing her divorce and Mason processing his father and mother’s relationship. There were kind of absurd moments like their whole boat debacle. It was fun to experience the meta aspects of a romance writer writing a book and Mason listening to the audio.
Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins were really great narrators and the duet style is truly the way to go for any audio book when it is possible.
Thank you Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy! All opinions are my own.
I process the best by reading and highlighting so when I am listening to an audiobook that I haven’t read before, I am truly just going off of vibes. And the vibes of this book were really sweet and funny!
I liked that we jumped right into the story with Gemma and Mason being thrown back into each other’s lives and having to navigate that reunion after not seeing each other for almost 20 years. I think the fact that they had known each other since kindergarten helped the second chance aspect of the romance. Mason has always liked Gemma and Gemma has always had a soft spot for Mason so at their core, they have a solid starting point to build their relationship from. The drama that happened in high school did not feel insurmountable which also helped make the second chance feel believable.
I think at its gooey, sweet center, this story is about a man learning how to process and communicate his feelings after avoiding them and relationships for a long time (not just because he is an asshole, he has reasons for being avoidantly attached) and a couple learning how to communicate in a healthy way that felt realistic. Just two grown ups being grown ups better together. And it had a sprinkle of spice.
There were funny moments like Mason’s Nona and Gemma’s Grandma Dot. There were poignant moments like Gemma processing her divorce and Mason processing his father and mother’s relationship. There were kind of absurd moments like their whole boat debacle. It was fun to experience the meta aspects of a romance writer writing a book and Mason listening to the audio.
Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins were really great narrators and the duet style is truly the way to go for any audio book when it is possible.
Thank you Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy! All opinions are my own.
June 26, 2025
This book was such a treat! I’ve been a longtime fan of Kelley Armstrong’s thrillers and fantasies, so diving into one of her rom-coms felt like a fun change—and I wasn’t disappointed. This was a light, charming, and clever story about second chances, personal growth, and a fake relationship that turns into something real (yes, I’m a sucker for that trope!).
Gemma, recently divorced and struggling to get her romance writing career off the ground, decides to ditch her sweet-hero style and go full bad boy. And who better to base that on than Mason Moretti—her high school crush turned professional hockey enforcer? Of course, someone makes the connection, and before long, she’s in the spotlight… and Mason’s knocking on her door.
Mason and Gemma’s fake dating scheme is classic rom-com, but there’s a lot of depth beneath the setup. Both characters are navigating some real-life challenges—Gemma’s creative burnout and insecurities, and Mason’s career nearing its end. Watching them slowly reconnect and evolve—emotionally and personally—made the romance feel believable and earned.
Their chemistry is great, and the banter is smart and funny. I loved the fact that they both started with a bit of emotional baggage and some immaturity, and grew into better versions of themselves together. The only reason I’m knocking off a star is the ending felt a little too quick—I wanted more closure or a longer epilogue to really sit in that happy ending.
Still, this was a wonderfully engaging read with a sweet romance, great pacing, and loveable secondary characters. Highly recommend for your next cozy weekend or vacation read!
My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Forever for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gemma, recently divorced and struggling to get her romance writing career off the ground, decides to ditch her sweet-hero style and go full bad boy. And who better to base that on than Mason Moretti—her high school crush turned professional hockey enforcer? Of course, someone makes the connection, and before long, she’s in the spotlight… and Mason’s knocking on her door.
Mason and Gemma’s fake dating scheme is classic rom-com, but there’s a lot of depth beneath the setup. Both characters are navigating some real-life challenges—Gemma’s creative burnout and insecurities, and Mason’s career nearing its end. Watching them slowly reconnect and evolve—emotionally and personally—made the romance feel believable and earned.
Their chemistry is great, and the banter is smart and funny. I loved the fact that they both started with a bit of emotional baggage and some immaturity, and grew into better versions of themselves together. The only reason I’m knocking off a star is the ending felt a little too quick—I wanted more closure or a longer epilogue to really sit in that happy ending.
Still, this was a wonderfully engaging read with a sweet romance, great pacing, and loveable secondary characters. Highly recommend for your next cozy weekend or vacation read!
My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Forever for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 10, 2025
This book was cute and fluffy! It was a quick read and Gemma and Mason felt like they deserved each other.
I love a second chance at your childhood crush set up, and Mason has been piningggg for her. Gemma had some inner demons to work through post-divorce and boy did she. The fake dating aspects were cute as well.
I do wish the development went a bit further. I felt like the third act happened and the book was basically over. I was left wanting a little bit more from them.
Thank you so much to forever publishing and Hachette audio for the gifted copies!
I love a second chance at your childhood crush set up, and Mason has been piningggg for her. Gemma had some inner demons to work through post-divorce and boy did she. The fake dating aspects were cute as well.
I do wish the development went a bit further. I felt like the third act happened and the book was basically over. I was left wanting a little bit more from them.
Thank you so much to forever publishing and Hachette audio for the gifted copies!
Did not finish
April 26, 2025DNF at 31%
While I adored Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong last year, Writing Mr. Wrong was a miss for me.
The concept of Gemma accidentally writing her high-school crush turned 'enemy' as the Romance Hero for her debut novel was interesting, especially when said crush is a professional hockey player on the local NHL team. However, from Gemma and Mason's first interaction I wasn't sold on...anything.
Part of my issue stems from the fact that neither character is written like they are in their late-30s - they seem stuck in their high school behaviors (which we get flashbacks to), and it seems that Gemma is really holding on to a negative encounter between her and Mason from 18 years ago enough that it colors her perception of him in the present and through their continuing interactions. I couldn't get past the age-inappropriate behavior enough to see what Mason and Gemma could be now, and it didn't seem like Gemma could either.
By the 30% mark, there was a flashback to the time Mason kissed Gemma in high school and I felt like these characters were no different as teenagers than they were presenting in the present timeline, and all my interest was gone.
I think others will enjoy this light Romance for what it is, but it was not for me.
(And as a hockey fan, I have to say that NHL games to do not have games that end in ties (anymore and haven't for decades). They go into Over Time and you win or your lose, but there are no ties and therefore it would not be a part of the team's record. I am begging authors to research the sport they are writing about.)
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the Arc!
While I adored Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong last year, Writing Mr. Wrong was a miss for me.
The concept of Gemma accidentally writing her high-school crush turned 'enemy' as the Romance Hero for her debut novel was interesting, especially when said crush is a professional hockey player on the local NHL team. However, from Gemma and Mason's first interaction I wasn't sold on...anything.
Part of my issue stems from the fact that neither character is written like they are in their late-30s - they seem stuck in their high school behaviors (which we get flashbacks to), and it seems that Gemma is really holding on to a negative encounter between her and Mason from 18 years ago enough that it colors her perception of him in the present and through their continuing interactions. I couldn't get past the age-inappropriate behavior enough to see what Mason and Gemma could be now, and it didn't seem like Gemma could either.
By the 30% mark, there was a flashback to the time Mason kissed Gemma in high school and I felt like these characters were no different as teenagers than they were presenting in the present timeline, and all my interest was gone.
I think others will enjoy this light Romance for what it is, but it was not for me.
(And as a hockey fan, I have to say that NHL games to do not have games that end in ties (anymore and haven't for decades). They go into Over Time and you win or your lose, but there are no ties and therefore it would not be a part of the team's record. I am begging authors to research the sport they are writing about.)
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the Arc!
June 18, 2025
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 (this had great character depth!)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I think, I might be off)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in, 3% (chapter 2)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: voluntarily listened to an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in audiobook format
Why I chose this book: I was intrigued by the title and hockey player hero
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I believe this stands alone?
Basic plot:
Gemma and Mason meet again on a TV morning show and soon stage a fake date for some positive PR for both of them.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- historical romance author heroine
- hockey player hero
- childhood friends to lovers
- second chance-ish – mutual crushes in high school
- fake romance-ish – things start as a PR stunt
- size difference – I think he’s quite a bit taller
- celibate heroine – it’s been a couple years for her
- pretty strong consent
- lower steam – I might be off on this, but I think there’s only 1 full scene here? There’s some partials and alluded to scenes...
Ages:
- hero is 36, I didn’t catch heroine but they went to school together so something similar
First line:
Gemma Stanton stared down at her newly released first novel and told herself for the hundredth time that the kilted highland laird on the front did not look like Mason Moretti and absolutely no one would realize she’d used the pro hockey player as her inspiration.
My thoughts:
I liked a lot about this one – and I think those that tire or were never drawn to some of the stereotypical romance issues (especially featured in older romance) will really love this. It features heavily on consent and respect and really shows the growth of our hero.
I liked the character development in this one and the focus on getting to know our mains. But my issues were that I was just kind of bored. There wasn’t a lot of angst between them, and the focus was on teaching him to not be a selfish jerk and respecting her and while I really love that for people that want that focus in their romance, I tend to want those more toxic qualities instead 😆 . I was also a bit disappointed in the steam. I don’t think we even got any penetration??? Or I missed it lol….I could have missed it, my note taking was not as good for that, but I do think there were the start to a few scenes I got excited for and then they fizzled to almost nothing.
As for the narration, I really enjoyed both narrators. The duet narration is so good and just is so much more immersive and realistic to me than single narration or dual. I loved both voices and think they did great! Zero issues with the narration and I’d definitely be eager to listen to either of them again (Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins)
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first!
Average rating from me: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one by default.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 (this had great character depth!)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I think, I might be off)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in, 3% (chapter 2)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: voluntarily listened to an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in audiobook format
Why I chose this book: I was intrigued by the title and hockey player hero
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I believe this stands alone?
Basic plot:
Gemma and Mason meet again on a TV morning show and soon stage a fake date for some positive PR for both of them.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- historical romance author heroine
- hockey player hero
- childhood friends to lovers
- second chance-ish – mutual crushes in high school
- fake romance-ish – things start as a PR stunt
- size difference – I think he’s quite a bit taller
- celibate heroine – it’s been a couple years for her
- pretty strong consent
- lower steam – I might be off on this, but I think there’s only 1 full scene here? There’s some partials and alluded to scenes...
Ages:
- hero is 36, I didn’t catch heroine but they went to school together so something similar
First line:
Gemma Stanton stared down at her newly released first novel and told herself for the hundredth time that the kilted highland laird on the front did not look like Mason Moretti and absolutely no one would realize she’d used the pro hockey player as her inspiration.
My thoughts:
I liked a lot about this one – and I think those that tire or were never drawn to some of the stereotypical romance issues (especially featured in older romance) will really love this. It features heavily on consent and respect and really shows the growth of our hero.
I liked the character development in this one and the focus on getting to know our mains. But my issues were that I was just kind of bored. There wasn’t a lot of angst between them, and the focus was on teaching him to not be a selfish jerk and respecting her and while I really love that for people that want that focus in their romance, I tend to want those more toxic qualities instead 😆 . I was also a bit disappointed in the steam. I don’t think we even got any penetration??? Or I missed it lol….I could have missed it, my note taking was not as good for that, but I do think there were the start to a few scenes I got excited for and then they fizzled to almost nothing.
As for the narration, I really enjoyed both narrators. The duet narration is so good and just is so much more immersive and realistic to me than single narration or dual. I loved both voices and think they did great! Zero issues with the narration and I’d definitely be eager to listen to either of them again (Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins)
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first!
Average rating from me: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one by default.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
July 12, 2025
I enjoyed this a bit better than the first. Very enjoyable read. I love Kelley Armstrong. She may be my fave author right now. But I’m not as crazy about romance although a read a few each month. I think she excels in her other genres and I find the romances in her time travel and other series stronger and more engaging than these. Again that is just my tastes in books nothing against her as a romance author.
January 11, 2026
Really 2.5 ⭐️s but rounding up to hopefully maintain the current 3.69 rating. A “side salad of oranges and olives”?! NO THANK YOU.
May 22, 2025
Book Review
Writing Mr Wrong by Kelley Armstrong
What its Got
✅ Bad boy
✅ Hockey
✅ Redemption arc
✅ Emotional abuse and divorce
✅ witty banter
✅ Second chance romance
✅ takes place in Vancouver
✅ Dyslexia, and mental health rep
Main Characters
Mason- aging enforcer hockey player, sure of himself, arrogant jerk, think puppy (excited, eager to please)
Gemma- debut author, recently divorced, shy, introvert
Advice from Grandma
"Scale him like a sycamore? Mount him like a maple? Ascend him like an aspen?"
Quotes
“The book had sex scenes? It sure did. If she risked being labeled a lonely middle-aged divorcée who poured her most torrid fantasies into a book, she didn't give a damn. Anyone who'd spent a decade married to a two-minute champ was entitled to a stockpile of unfulfilled erotic fantasies.”
Thoughts
📕 I love how Armstrong played with stereotypes and flipped the script into something more meaningful and less cliche
📕 I loved Mason’s arrogance and confidence, eventually he grew into being more vulnerable and open with his feelings while still maintaining his cocksure attitude (no easy feat!)
📕 Gemma- some readers might be frustrated by her insecurity and indecision but factor in she was in a emotionally abusive relationship and it takes time to build yourself back up - people change and grow, and change can be a good thing
📕 I hope Jesse gets his own story (hint hint nudge nudge)
📕 the holiday retreat and mishaps at the end seemed a bit far fetched but what do I know- I’ve never been a famous hockey player who makes bank
Overall
Armstrong shoots her shot and scores with this hockey romance
Thanks to the author, netgalley and ReadForever my digital ARC in return for an honest revoew. Opinions expressed are my own.
Writing Mr Wrong by Kelley Armstrong
What its Got
✅ Bad boy
✅ Hockey
✅ Redemption arc
✅ Emotional abuse and divorce
✅ witty banter
✅ Second chance romance
✅ takes place in Vancouver
✅ Dyslexia, and mental health rep
Main Characters
Mason- aging enforcer hockey player, sure of himself, arrogant jerk, think puppy (excited, eager to please)
Gemma- debut author, recently divorced, shy, introvert
Advice from Grandma
"Scale him like a sycamore? Mount him like a maple? Ascend him like an aspen?"
Quotes
“The book had sex scenes? It sure did. If she risked being labeled a lonely middle-aged divorcée who poured her most torrid fantasies into a book, she didn't give a damn. Anyone who'd spent a decade married to a two-minute champ was entitled to a stockpile of unfulfilled erotic fantasies.”
Thoughts
📕 I love how Armstrong played with stereotypes and flipped the script into something more meaningful and less cliche
📕 I loved Mason’s arrogance and confidence, eventually he grew into being more vulnerable and open with his feelings while still maintaining his cocksure attitude (no easy feat!)
📕 Gemma- some readers might be frustrated by her insecurity and indecision but factor in she was in a emotionally abusive relationship and it takes time to build yourself back up - people change and grow, and change can be a good thing
📕 I hope Jesse gets his own story (hint hint nudge nudge)
📕 the holiday retreat and mishaps at the end seemed a bit far fetched but what do I know- I’ve never been a famous hockey player who makes bank
Overall
Armstrong shoots her shot and scores with this hockey romance
Thanks to the author, netgalley and ReadForever my digital ARC in return for an honest revoew. Opinions expressed are my own.
September 6, 2025
How cute was this!!!
I love a good second chance romance and fake dating is always fun so a story that combined the two was set up to be a win for me from the beginning.
Gemma and Mason met in Kindergarten and were friends until that weird age when boys and girls start to notice each other. Mason was great at hockey and so he was given a pass on a lot of things. Gemma was the all around good girl scholar, who didn't let Mason take the easy road in High School. They had an almost moment that was ruined by rumors and non-communication.
It is decades later and Gemma is a budding author while Mason is a star Hockey player. When Gemma needed an Alpha asshole for her book she used a few moments with Mason from their childhood as the building blocks. But the fans seem to love it so if they can be seen together "dating" they can both get some great publicity and this might be Mason's opportunity to talk his long time crush into something more.
I had a lot of fun with the characters, banter and story. Mason is kinda adorable and clueless when it comes to real women. He might not mean to be cruel but he can be careless and just not think things all the way through. Gemma on the other hand has some severe baggage and it was good to see how she gets out of her rut and finds the fun woman she used to be before her ex-husband cut her down piece by piece.
Sure the story is a bit ridiculous in places but I had so much fun with the characters that I didn't care. Super fun read where you know going in that the HEA is coming but the journey will be interesting along the way.
I love a good second chance romance and fake dating is always fun so a story that combined the two was set up to be a win for me from the beginning.
Gemma and Mason met in Kindergarten and were friends until that weird age when boys and girls start to notice each other. Mason was great at hockey and so he was given a pass on a lot of things. Gemma was the all around good girl scholar, who didn't let Mason take the easy road in High School. They had an almost moment that was ruined by rumors and non-communication.
It is decades later and Gemma is a budding author while Mason is a star Hockey player. When Gemma needed an Alpha asshole for her book she used a few moments with Mason from their childhood as the building blocks. But the fans seem to love it so if they can be seen together "dating" they can both get some great publicity and this might be Mason's opportunity to talk his long time crush into something more.
I had a lot of fun with the characters, banter and story. Mason is kinda adorable and clueless when it comes to real women. He might not mean to be cruel but he can be careless and just not think things all the way through. Gemma on the other hand has some severe baggage and it was good to see how she gets out of her rut and finds the fun woman she used to be before her ex-husband cut her down piece by piece.
Sure the story is a bit ridiculous in places but I had so much fun with the characters that I didn't care. Super fun read where you know going in that the HEA is coming but the journey will be interesting along the way.
October 7, 2025
I'm waffling between 4 and 5 stars for this one.
I really enjoyed this exceptionally emotionally complex romance (fake dating, second chance, hockey 🏒) that exceeded my expectations based on the cover. The dual narration and chimes (😁) made the audiobook engaging, rather than distracting.
Teacher Gemma just released her first novel, upon which the MMC bore a strong resemblance/negative traits of her HS crush, hockey god/D, Mason. She's at the start of her next career while at 36, he's on the Twilight...she's childless and fresh off a divorce from a gaslighting ex (he's the adulterer with a baby on the way).
See what I mean? 4 stars just doesn't sit right for the depth of character building. 4.5 stars and rounding up?
I really enjoyed this exceptionally emotionally complex romance (fake dating, second chance, hockey 🏒) that exceeded my expectations based on the cover. The dual narration and chimes (😁) made the audiobook engaging, rather than distracting.
Teacher Gemma just released her first novel, upon which the MMC bore a strong resemblance/negative traits of her HS crush, hockey god/D, Mason. She's at the start of her next career while at 36, he's on the Twilight...she's childless and fresh off a divorce from a gaslighting ex (he's the adulterer with a baby on the way).
See what I mean? 4 stars just doesn't sit right for the depth of character building. 4.5 stars and rounding up?
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