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Hockey Rules #1
Rule #1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate: Fake Relationship MM Hockey Romance
Finn
I might have a reputation for partying, but I’ve outdone myself. After drunkenly proposing to my new teammate, Noah, during a wild night out in Vegas, I wake up with a ring on my finger, a husband by my side, and a colossal PR nightmare.
The team’s management is furious, and the only way to salvage our careers is to pretend the marriage was intentional. Noah plays along like a pro, and I move him into my Boston penthouse. He just got called up from the AHL, and I might cost him everything.
We’re stuck together for at least a year, navigating public appearances, playing hockey, and living together. In fact, this so doesn’t feel like pretend. But obviously, that’s we’re both straight. Aren’t we?
I might have a reputation for partying, but I’ve outdone myself. After drunkenly proposing to my new teammate, Noah, during a wild night out in Vegas, I wake up with a ring on my finger, a husband by my side, and a colossal PR nightmare.
The team’s management is furious, and the only way to salvage our careers is to pretend the marriage was intentional. Noah plays along like a pro, and I move him into my Boston penthouse. He just got called up from the AHL, and I might cost him everything.
We’re stuck together for at least a year, navigating public appearances, playing hockey, and living together. In fact, this so doesn’t feel like pretend. But obviously, that’s we’re both straight. Aren’t we?
328 pages, Paperback
Published October 12, 2024
334 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
October 17, 2024
I have very mixed feelings on this one.
The things I enjoyed:
✅ Clueless himbos in love 😍
✅ Waking up married in Vegas
✅ Fake relationship turns real
✅ Absolutely adorable together
✅ Ice hockey teammates
What bothered me:
❌ Everyone is either straight or gay. Bisexuality isn't even mentioned until past the 60% mark, yet there's multiple references to how we're in the 2020s now so it's not a big deal to not be straight... If that's the case why are bisexuals, pansexuals, and demisexuals basically erased apart from one tiny mention?
❌ The total lack of communication. These two never speak to each other!!! I swear the only conversations they have are fumbled and about sex. There's no emotional depth and honestly the whole relationship felt extremely shallow.
❌ Multiple misunderstandings and endless assumptions. Made for a very frustrating read because again, just have a damn conversation.
❌ The outdated concept that they're 'gay virgins' because they haven't had penetrative sex - they've done everything else, they aren't virgins. Please can society get over this bullshit already!!
❌ The wrong names kept being used and there were so many errors and inconsistencies.
❌ The overall tone of the book. Honestly this came across as the author only writing mm because it's more widely accepted now (as emphasised by the repetition of us being in the 2020s🙄) and is a popular growing sector in the romance market. There was just something really off about the whole thing and it did affect how much I enjoyed the story.
Don't even get me started on the hockey content either... falling over on the ice is a career ending embarassment???? Have they even watched hockey...
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
The things I enjoyed:
✅ Clueless himbos in love 😍
✅ Waking up married in Vegas
✅ Fake relationship turns real
✅ Absolutely adorable together
✅ Ice hockey teammates
What bothered me:
❌ Everyone is either straight or gay. Bisexuality isn't even mentioned until past the 60% mark, yet there's multiple references to how we're in the 2020s now so it's not a big deal to not be straight... If that's the case why are bisexuals, pansexuals, and demisexuals basically erased apart from one tiny mention?
❌ The total lack of communication. These two never speak to each other!!! I swear the only conversations they have are fumbled and about sex. There's no emotional depth and honestly the whole relationship felt extremely shallow.
❌ Multiple misunderstandings and endless assumptions. Made for a very frustrating read because again, just have a damn conversation.
❌ The outdated concept that they're 'gay virgins' because they haven't had penetrative sex - they've done everything else, they aren't virgins. Please can society get over this bullshit already!!
❌ The wrong names kept being used and there were so many errors and inconsistencies.
❌ The overall tone of the book. Honestly this came across as the author only writing mm because it's more widely accepted now (as emphasised by the repetition of us being in the 2020s🙄) and is a popular growing sector in the romance market. There was just something really off about the whole thing and it did affect how much I enjoyed the story.
Don't even get me started on the hockey content either... falling over on the ice is a career ending embarassment???? Have they even watched hockey...
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
January 26, 2025
Tropes: woke up married, fake relationship, forced proximity, teammates
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 3.5/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: third act break up, reformed man w****, unsafe sex
4.5 Stars
Noah and Finn are 22 and have both only ever been with women. Noah has been in the AHL for a while now and he dreams of making it to the NHL. Finn made it to the NHL pretty much right away and has had some good years, he's become one of the star players of his team, Boston. Finn is also a social media star, he records vlogs of his life, in particular his fitness and diet. Noah has been following Finn's blog and is a super fan, Finn is a hero to him. One of Finn's teammates gets injured and Noah gets called up to fill in for him.
When Finn meets Noah, he's really intrigued by him. He wants to befriend him, hang out, and maybe sink his hands into his hair and kiss him a little. You know, normal friend stuff, lol. Finn accidentally gets Noah drunk and puts Noah's career in jeopardy. Noah's awkwardness also accidentally makes him look homophobic. So the natural reaction is to get drunk again and get married in Vegas, to prove they're not homophobic. But now they need to stay married, because it would be disrespectful to make light of matrimony, especially gay marriage. Living together and pretending shines light on the fact that they actually are attracted to each other, and for a while they are blissfully happy. But is this just pretend, is it just convenient? Can they last?
This book was the definition of a silly little book. It was light-hearted and so sweet and sappy. So of course I loved it. Ate it up. These boys were so vulnerable and gone on each other, but also they were boys who didn't talk and found themselves in relationship trouble as a result.
Yeah you have to suspend disbelief. And they moved pretty quickly and developed feelings pretty quickly. But it was adorable and funny and sweet.
Some notable moments:
"“Enjoying your night?” Finn asks me. I nod happily. I glance at the view. “The boats are moving fast!” “Are they?” Finn’s voice is careful. “Totally. They’re wobbling too.” I frown. “Do you think we should tell anyone?” Finn glances at the boats. He winces. “You know, water is a good thing to drink at parties. Let me get you some.”"
"“We were motivated by love.” Finn glances at me. “My honey bunny was looking adorable, and I wanted to make him mine for the rest of time.” The cold breeze of the air conditioner creeps up my spine. “Never go into poetry,” Tanaka says. “I promise, sir.”'"
"Sometimes I think I should talk to Noah about having more time together. About stretching this marriage as far as we can imagine into the future, to a time when our bodies will have filled out and our muscles will have slackened, when we can count the creases on our faces, when we won’t be able to count the gray in our hair, because we will have so much."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 3.5/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: third act break up, reformed man w****, unsafe sex
4.5 Stars
Noah and Finn are 22 and have both only ever been with women. Noah has been in the AHL for a while now and he dreams of making it to the NHL. Finn made it to the NHL pretty much right away and has had some good years, he's become one of the star players of his team, Boston. Finn is also a social media star, he records vlogs of his life, in particular his fitness and diet. Noah has been following Finn's blog and is a super fan, Finn is a hero to him. One of Finn's teammates gets injured and Noah gets called up to fill in for him.
When Finn meets Noah, he's really intrigued by him. He wants to befriend him, hang out, and maybe sink his hands into his hair and kiss him a little. You know, normal friend stuff, lol. Finn accidentally gets Noah drunk and puts Noah's career in jeopardy. Noah's awkwardness also accidentally makes him look homophobic. So the natural reaction is to get drunk again and get married in Vegas, to prove they're not homophobic. But now they need to stay married, because it would be disrespectful to make light of matrimony, especially gay marriage. Living together and pretending shines light on the fact that they actually are attracted to each other, and for a while they are blissfully happy. But is this just pretend, is it just convenient? Can they last?
This book was the definition of a silly little book. It was light-hearted and so sweet and sappy. So of course I loved it. Ate it up. These boys were so vulnerable and gone on each other, but also they were boys who didn't talk and found themselves in relationship trouble as a result.
Yeah you have to suspend disbelief. And they moved pretty quickly and developed feelings pretty quickly. But it was adorable and funny and sweet.
Some notable moments:
"“Enjoying your night?” Finn asks me. I nod happily. I glance at the view. “The boats are moving fast!” “Are they?” Finn’s voice is careful. “Totally. They’re wobbling too.” I frown. “Do you think we should tell anyone?” Finn glances at the boats. He winces. “You know, water is a good thing to drink at parties. Let me get you some.”"
"“We were motivated by love.” Finn glances at me. “My honey bunny was looking adorable, and I wanted to make him mine for the rest of time.” The cold breeze of the air conditioner creeps up my spine. “Never go into poetry,” Tanaka says. “I promise, sir.”'"
"Sometimes I think I should talk to Noah about having more time together. About stretching this marriage as far as we can imagine into the future, to a time when our bodies will have filled out and our muscles will have slackened, when we can count the creases on our faces, when we won’t be able to count the gray in our hair, because we will have so much."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2025
shut up, this was actually so adorable <3
February 17, 2025
This was so not my cup of tea.
I liked Noah a lot and the way he went through hell at the beginning of the story, but how their marriage came about and how they dealt with being husbands was totally weird for the first half of the story.
When Noah accidentally came all over Finn in his sleep and tried to wipe away the 'puddle' on Finn's stomach without waking him, that was certainly the height of absurdity.
Poor Noah didn't get a grip on the kind of drama he was thrown into here.
Of course, shortly after, they did a complete 180 and had sex for real. It's really sad how these stories always portray the guys as shy virgins at first, only for them to suddenly become sex gods. I don't understand why no one writes the subtle shades that lie between those extremes.
I don't need to read the rest, to be honest.
I liked Noah a lot and the way he went through hell at the beginning of the story, but how their marriage came about and how they dealt with being husbands was totally weird for the first half of the story.
When Noah accidentally came all over Finn in his sleep and tried to wipe away the 'puddle' on Finn's stomach without waking him, that was certainly the height of absurdity.
Poor Noah didn't get a grip on the kind of drama he was thrown into here.
Of course, shortly after, they did a complete 180 and had sex for real. It's really sad how these stories always portray the guys as shy virgins at first, only for them to suddenly become sex gods. I don't understand why no one writes the subtle shades that lie between those extremes.
I don't need to read the rest, to be honest.
Read
November 3, 20243.5 - this book is an improvement on the prequel, but there are still some issues. This still feels like
What I liked:
* hockey players/teammates MCs
* wake up married in Vegas
* giving it a go for a year (sorta)
* the MCs were adorable together
* the parents for both MCs
* the grad gesture
* the minimal attempt at diversity (versus authors who don't even try)
Other stuff:
* the lack of communication between the MCs was the entire book (though I get these are supposed to be guys in their early 20s)
* the author seemed slightly more comfortable with sex between the MCs (but we got more description of a female character's cleavage than about our MCs. I think this author hasn't quite figured out the diff between MF & MM romance)
Thanks to GRR
What I liked:
* hockey players/teammates MCs
* wake up married in Vegas
* giving it a go for a year (sorta)
* the MCs were adorable together
* the parents for both MCs
* the grad gesture
* the minimal attempt at diversity (versus authors who don't even try)
Other stuff:
* the lack of communication between the MCs was the entire book (though I get these are supposed to be guys in their early 20s)
* the author seemed slightly more comfortable with sex between the MCs (but we got more description of a female character's cleavage than about our MCs. I think this author hasn't quite figured out the diff between MF & MM romance)
Thanks to GRR
October 16, 2024
3.5🌟
I really enjoyed this book.👏🏽👏🏽
This is my first book I’m reading by this author and this was a nice read.
This is a fake marriage MM romance between two Hockey teammates Noah and Finn who got drunk in Vegas and ended up getting married as a joke to prove they weren’t homophobic. They woke up the next morning hungover with the truth of what they had done, planned to keep a secret but the wall has ears.
Being Pro NFL players, surely there was no way their marriage was going to stay a secret. This was a really nice ride. I knew things would take a turn the minute Noah moved in with Finn and that happened as I expected. There were moments where they both had me cackling 🤣 with their situation and reactions. And there were moments where they almost made me pull my hair out because I just wanted them to sit down and talk.
Although, it was quite understandable why they couldn’t simply open up to each other. Given the circumstances of their marriage, each had a different perception of the other. With was the main conflict of the book and it was done well. I am not a fan of miscommunication but the trope was really executed well in this book and it was believable that the MCs wouldn’t have just decided to take a seat and talk.
The chemistry between Noah and Finn was great, loved how they couldn’t keep their hands off each other despite how they thought the other couldn’t feel the same way. Overall, the wrap up of Finn and Noah’s story was brilliant.
This would’ve been a 4star rating for me, but despite how much I enjoyed this, it felt like something was missing with the timeline and they were a few jumps/scenes that were confusing.
I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book through the Author. I enjoyed this and I would still love to review this book even if I purchased it myself.
I really enjoyed this book.👏🏽👏🏽
This is my first book I’m reading by this author and this was a nice read.
This is a fake marriage MM romance between two Hockey teammates Noah and Finn who got drunk in Vegas and ended up getting married as a joke to prove they weren’t homophobic. They woke up the next morning hungover with the truth of what they had done, planned to keep a secret but the wall has ears.
Being Pro NFL players, surely there was no way their marriage was going to stay a secret. This was a really nice ride. I knew things would take a turn the minute Noah moved in with Finn and that happened as I expected. There were moments where they both had me cackling 🤣 with their situation and reactions. And there were moments where they almost made me pull my hair out because I just wanted them to sit down and talk.
Although, it was quite understandable why they couldn’t simply open up to each other. Given the circumstances of their marriage, each had a different perception of the other. With was the main conflict of the book and it was done well. I am not a fan of miscommunication but the trope was really executed well in this book and it was believable that the MCs wouldn’t have just decided to take a seat and talk.
The chemistry between Noah and Finn was great, loved how they couldn’t keep their hands off each other despite how they thought the other couldn’t feel the same way. Overall, the wrap up of Finn and Noah’s story was brilliant.
This would’ve been a 4star rating for me, but despite how much I enjoyed this, it felt like something was missing with the timeline and they were a few jumps/scenes that were confusing.
I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book through the Author. I enjoyed this and I would still love to review this book even if I purchased it myself.
November 29, 2024
Ok, so I’m supposed to believe that a hockey player getting a call up from the AHL to the NHL who doesn’t regularly drink is going to do so the night before his first league game ever?! And that the hotshot all star of the team is the one who hands him a poorly made cocktail? And that within, maybe 10 minutes of said cocktail, with about 2-3 shots of tequila, is going to make a full grown 20 something hockey player throw up and be hungover enough to skate poorly the next day?
This feels like it was written by a 14 year old girl who has never drank a thing in her life, has never had a relationship, and is certainly not queer, let alone has adult queer men in her life, but swoons over pretty boys kissing.
This goes from 0 to 100 back to 0 to 100, with literally nothing in between. Gah, even straight white men are capable of better communication than is written here.
Please tell me this was self published and that there isn’t a professional editor or publisher involved.
This feels like it was written by a 14 year old girl who has never drank a thing in her life, has never had a relationship, and is certainly not queer, let alone has adult queer men in her life, but swoons over pretty boys kissing.
This goes from 0 to 100 back to 0 to 100, with literally nothing in between. Gah, even straight white men are capable of better communication than is written here.
Please tell me this was self published and that there isn’t a professional editor or publisher involved.
October 26, 2024
I enjoyed this second book in the series. My biggest complaint was their lack of communication, but that could also be explained by being in their early 20’s, and hockey players. A minor complaint was a couple editing mistakes, and some unrealistic events. (At one point, they are wearing full uniform and can feel each other getting hard… doubtful through two pairs of hockey pants. Another happens at the end where the coach okays something that absolutely would have needed higher up approval.) Also, even though eventually one MC identifies as bi, for most of the book “gay” or “straight” seem to be the only options. ie ‘We’re having fun fooling around, but I’m/he’s not gay!’
Overall I really enjoyed the book and watching Finn and Noah come to terms with having real feelings for another man. A teammate no less. I loved getting to see Vinnie, Evan and Stella again, as well as getting to know some of the other players better. They seem like great guys, and I can’t wait to read their stories. The locker room party was precious!
Overall I really enjoyed the book and watching Finn and Noah come to terms with having real feelings for another man. A teammate no less. I loved getting to see Vinnie, Evan and Stella again, as well as getting to know some of the other players better. They seem like great guys, and I can’t wait to read their stories. The locker room party was precious!
January 17, 2025
So I have mixed feelings about the book. The storyline was great and it's honestly what kept me going but some of the grammar was off putting for example when one of the characters said "... So not what I was here for.." or something along the lines.
So to summarise great storyline but execution was a bit touchy and go with the main characters never verbally or physically expressing their feelings. And also the assumptions, oh my word those ones where the worst because for some reason the characters assumed the worst then instead of confirming their suspicions they acted out on them honestly their interpretations of everything was a bit frustrating.
So yeah I stayed for the storyline but it was an ok, easy read so I won't penalise it .
So to summarise great storyline but execution was a bit touchy and go with the main characters never verbally or physically expressing their feelings. And also the assumptions, oh my word those ones where the worst because for some reason the characters assumed the worst then instead of confirming their suspicions they acted out on them honestly their interpretations of everything was a bit frustrating.
So yeah I stayed for the storyline but it was an ok, easy read so I won't penalise it .
May 6, 2025
Dos jugadores de hockey de la NHL uno un novato qué tiene una gran admirador a su compañero, es un fanático más. En una noche de victoria en las vegas salta una inesperada propuesta, que los lleva aun viaje lleno de nuevas experiencias un matrimonio falso. Un mismo equipo, falta de comunicación, miedo a que todo terminé.
Es entretenido, es una lectura ligera qué ojalá el libro estuviera en español 🙏🏽
Es entretenido, es una lectura ligera qué ojalá el libro estuviera en español 🙏🏽
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
4☆
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:😭
ᗰᑕᔑ: Finn, Noah
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Fake Marriage, Fake Dating, Hockey Romance, Double bi-awakening.
Este libro ha sido la cosa más rara y divertida que he leído. Los personajes super adorables. La trama loca pero entretenida con ideas que no cierran al inicio pero con forme avanza la historia la cosa mejora.
ᔑᑭᏆᑕᗴ: 🔥🔥
しᗩᑌᏀᕼᔑ: 🤣🤣🤣
Ꭲᗴᗩᖇᔑ:😭
ᗰᑕᔑ: Finn, Noah
ᑭᝪᐯ: 1st dual
Ꭲᖇᝪᑭᗴᔑ: Fake Marriage, Fake Dating, Hockey Romance, Double bi-awakening.
Este libro ha sido la cosa más rara y divertida que he leído. Los personajes super adorables. La trama loca pero entretenida con ideas que no cierran al inicio pero con forme avanza la historia la cosa mejora.
January 19, 2025
2,5*
The miscommunication trope is so annoyingggggggg. These guys are so clueless, I was laughing and facepalming myself in the same time.
Oh no, Vinnie and Evan think we're homophobic🥲
Oh no, Finn, what should we do?😭
I have an amazing idea, Noah!! We should get married! That'll show them we're not homophobic, it's great!🤩
Omg Finn, yes! You're right, let's get married!🥰
The miscommunication trope is so annoyingggggggg. These guys are so clueless, I was laughing and facepalming myself in the same time.
Oh no, Vinnie and Evan think we're homophobic🥲
Oh no, Finn, what should we do?😭
I have an amazing idea, Noah!! We should get married! That'll show them we're not homophobic, it's great!🤩
Omg Finn, yes! You're right, let's get married!🥰
January 9, 2025
Miscommunication is really starting to annoy me 🙄 besides that it was a really cute book!
November 1, 2024
(I received an ARC for this book)
I should have respected my dislikes for the prequel novella to the series, and not read this one. The questionable writing choices involving the queer community felt SO icky in this. Now, when the book first starts I was SO excited to keep reading. Teammates waking up in Vegas only to discover they drunkenly got married the night before. Great, right?! Well...not once we find out why and how it even happened. There were some phrase/word choices in the novella I just kind of ignored. But that was absolutely impossible with this one! The character personalities pretty much just read "ew I'm not gay". And then, the MCs decide they should get married to *checks notes* prove they aren't homophobic. And it only got worse when they proceed to joke about that. So no, I didn't keep reading.
This is my review for Never Crush on the Captain
I should have respected my dislikes for the prequel novella to the series, and not read this one. The questionable writing choices involving the queer community felt SO icky in this. Now, when the book first starts I was SO excited to keep reading. Teammates waking up in Vegas only to discover they drunkenly got married the night before. Great, right?! Well...not once we find out why and how it even happened. There were some phrase/word choices in the novella I just kind of ignored. But that was absolutely impossible with this one! The character personalities pretty much just read "ew I'm not gay". And then, the MCs decide they should get married to *checks notes* prove they aren't homophobic. And it only got worse when they proceed to joke about that. So no, I didn't keep reading.
This is my review for Never Crush on the Captain
November 21, 2024
They just keep getting better. This is how the lack of communication is done in a story. We got their feelings even though they didn’t show each other. I can’t wait for more from this series.
February 28, 2025
Finn et Noah avec un Culomètre à 🍑🍆
July 2, 2025
These two fell in love so fucking fast, but they're delusional enough to sell it.
My favorite part of this is the internal angst on both ends before they got properly together. The whole....I really like his big eyes....he's so nice to me....there's a way my dick plumps up around him....there's no way I'm actually into him....I'm NOT into guys.....okay, yes way, totally lowkey into him....but for sure there's no way HE'S into ME, right....yeah, scratch the lowkey, I'm very much into him....I just wish.....
Just a lot of back and forth on both ends. Both of them wanting to try but not sure if they should. Both of them overexamining their thoughts and actions and seeing things, then trying to convince themselves it can't possibly mean that, and then coming to the conclusion that okay it means that TO them but no way in hell it means that to the OTHER person.
Also love that the solution literally came to them in a dream💀because it makes sense why each was hesitant to bring it up.
Then they get together, and they STILL can't help over thinking even that.
'But most of all I want Noah to be happy. He is agreeable, and I don’t want him to make me promises he does not want to keep.'
Usually a cop-out, but this time it makes sense. Finn is right about this, and it didn't help matters that Noah was the first to mention the word 'convenient', even though HE only did it out of an abundance of caution and desire to make FINN comfortable.
Noah is completely and utterly starstruck by Finn at the start(literally agrees to get married 2 days after meeting because the guy said 'let's'. ')
Too agreeable for Finn to trust that he actually wants this if asked, and not just going along to go along.
It needed to be Noah to bring it up. But Noah was way too in his head with incredulity that Finn could be into someone like him that he never would bring it up.
See the pickle?
Noah completely shits the bed multiple times, though.
“What wedding would you have liked?” Finn asks.
“You mean if I ever get marred in the future?” I ask. “For real?”
🤦🏾♀️
Like, I get why Finn keeps thinking he needs to set him free.
Literally Noah:
'Unless of course he wants to live in silence and misery, and if that’s what he wants, I’m up for that too. I am up for anything, absolutely anything that he wants.'
See? Agreeable Noah.
I think this book does a good job of showing two MCs for whom the feelings are mutually there but they moved too fast and didn't do the getting to know each other phase so a lot of the miscommunication comes from them simply not having the foundation of trust to say what they're feeling and what they want. They love each other so much but they don't trust each other enough to be vulnerable about it and everything crumbles around them.
Let it be said that one of these men has a very.....unsavory idea of the sort of surprise gifts to give one's husband. And leave it at that.
I will say, though, that these two are lucky as fuck to have an understanding coach and a benevolent team owner, because there's shit they got away with that's the blueprint for why workplace relationships are frowned upon.
This was the most ill-advised and likely to fail grovel in the history of them. So we should all be thankful this ended up being a HEA because I swear for a minute there......let's just say the only reason it worked was because the pages were running out 💀
Like.....95% in, it HAS to work, unless there's a book 2 for the same couple. Which there clearly isn't.
But overall, non - offensive MCs. Both of them. The type where they fuck up but the intentions were good so you let it slide. And they're clearly so GONE for each other (and everyone can see it but them—and Vinnie)
Vinnie doesn't see shit.
The worst thing I can say about these two adorable men is that their fridge is filled with cucumber and kale. But if that's the worst thing I have to say, I'm taking it as a win.
Well........maybe the endearments could use a bit more work. Because 'stiff stick' is.....??? But if Noah likes it, I love it.
Why 3 stars? I honestly enjoyed this a LOT more than I expected, especially because the double bi-awakening was a HUGE part of it. But it has a lot of moments where it seems unedited.
Bit too many typos. Multiple moments where both are standing next to each other and Finn looks down into Noah's eyes or down at his lips yet it's been explicitly mentioned that Noah is two inches taller.
Them having a moment at home after the dinner at Evan and Vinnie's house where they explore the joys of the prostate for the first time and marvel at it........which comes a few days AFTER they took a detour on their way back from Isaiah's wedding and stopped on the way to explore the joys of the prostate for the FIRST time and marvel at it.
Maybe the sex is so great that every time feels like the first time?
Not major things, but added up they kinda irritated me.
The epilogue sex is probably a very me-specific issue but it did not help matters.
Still. Worth the read.
My favorite part of this is the internal angst on both ends before they got properly together. The whole....I really like his big eyes....he's so nice to me....there's a way my dick plumps up around him....there's no way I'm actually into him....I'm NOT into guys.....okay, yes way, totally lowkey into him....but for sure there's no way HE'S into ME, right....yeah, scratch the lowkey, I'm very much into him....I just wish.....
Just a lot of back and forth on both ends. Both of them wanting to try but not sure if they should. Both of them overexamining their thoughts and actions and seeing things, then trying to convince themselves it can't possibly mean that, and then coming to the conclusion that okay it means that TO them but no way in hell it means that to the OTHER person.
Also love that the solution literally came to them in a dream💀because it makes sense why each was hesitant to bring it up.
Then they get together, and they STILL can't help over thinking even that.
'But most of all I want Noah to be happy. He is agreeable, and I don’t want him to make me promises he does not want to keep.'
Usually a cop-out, but this time it makes sense. Finn is right about this, and it didn't help matters that Noah was the first to mention the word 'convenient', even though HE only did it out of an abundance of caution and desire to make FINN comfortable.
Noah is completely and utterly starstruck by Finn at the start(literally agrees to get married 2 days after meeting because the guy said 'let's'. ')
Too agreeable for Finn to trust that he actually wants this if asked, and not just going along to go along.
It needed to be Noah to bring it up. But Noah was way too in his head with incredulity that Finn could be into someone like him that he never would bring it up.
See the pickle?
Noah completely shits the bed multiple times, though.
“What wedding would you have liked?” Finn asks.
“You mean if I ever get marred in the future?” I ask. “For real?”
🤦🏾♀️
Like, I get why Finn keeps thinking he needs to set him free.
Literally Noah:
'Unless of course he wants to live in silence and misery, and if that’s what he wants, I’m up for that too. I am up for anything, absolutely anything that he wants.'
See? Agreeable Noah.
I think this book does a good job of showing two MCs for whom the feelings are mutually there but they moved too fast and didn't do the getting to know each other phase so a lot of the miscommunication comes from them simply not having the foundation of trust to say what they're feeling and what they want. They love each other so much but they don't trust each other enough to be vulnerable about it and everything crumbles around them.
Let it be said that one of these men has a very.....unsavory idea of the sort of surprise gifts to give one's husband. And leave it at that.
I will say, though, that these two are lucky as fuck to have an understanding coach and a benevolent team owner, because there's shit they got away with that's the blueprint for why workplace relationships are frowned upon.
This was the most ill-advised and likely to fail grovel in the history of them. So we should all be thankful this ended up being a HEA because I swear for a minute there......let's just say the only reason it worked was because the pages were running out 💀
Like.....95% in, it HAS to work, unless there's a book 2 for the same couple. Which there clearly isn't.
But overall, non - offensive MCs. Both of them. The type where they fuck up but the intentions were good so you let it slide. And they're clearly so GONE for each other (and everyone can see it but them—and Vinnie)
Vinnie doesn't see shit.
The worst thing I can say about these two adorable men is that their fridge is filled with cucumber and kale. But if that's the worst thing I have to say, I'm taking it as a win.
Well........maybe the endearments could use a bit more work. Because 'stiff stick' is.....??? But if Noah likes it, I love it.
Why 3 stars? I honestly enjoyed this a LOT more than I expected, especially because the double bi-awakening was a HUGE part of it. But it has a lot of moments where it seems unedited.
Bit too many typos. Multiple moments where both are standing next to each other and Finn looks down into Noah's eyes or down at his lips yet it's been explicitly mentioned that Noah is two inches taller.
Them having a moment at home after the dinner at Evan and Vinnie's house where they explore the joys of the prostate for the first time and marvel at it........which comes a few days AFTER they took a detour on their way back from Isaiah's wedding and stopped on the way to explore the joys of the prostate for the FIRST time and marvel at it.
Maybe the sex is so great that every time feels like the first time?
Not major things, but added up they kinda irritated me.
The epilogue sex is probably a very me-specific issue but it did not help matters.
Still. Worth the read.
October 28, 2024
Noah gets called up to the Boston Blizzard, the NHL team he has dreamed about, not only because they are amazing at hockey but because Finn is on the team. He has crushed on him for years, and now he gets to meet the man himself. It is a dream come true.
Finn is weirdly drawn to Noah and then accidentally over-served him at a party, helping to destroy Noah’s first time on NHL ice. After that incident, he leans into the desire to be close to him, and before they know it, they are accidentally married to prove they are most certainly not homophobic. What they forgot was they were NHL players, and they were in the spotlight, so everyone knew. The only choice is to stay married and, after a year, divorce because they are both straight, and neither wants to actually be married.
OPINION: I really enjoyed this book. It’s got a bunch of great twists on the fake marriage trope. The guys are so sweet and kind, coming from great families that manage to support the new situation their sons are in. Noah is a little awkward and a little goofy, which makes him charming. Finn is a superstar but doesn’t seem to notice that. He still seems grounded since being insanely rich doesn't seem to be anything new for him. There are stereotypes that are leaned into, but they don’t feel tired or worn. They just fit together with the story. I genuinely couldn’t put the book down, and the way the chapters are written helps you skip along through the story. THE SPICE!! Some great scenes that are great reads and wonderful moments between the men. Getting to travel the path to the HEA was so much fun, and there were moments I had to remind myself we would get there for sure because it sure felt like we might crash and burn. There was a sniffle or two throughout, and the guys were certainly endearing. It was a bit of a slow burn, with some identity awakenings. There were a lot of surprises for them, but they accepted their new realities and found themselves feeling and experiencing emotions they were not prepared for. I recommend this if you are looking for a great story with tons of story, plenty of spice, and sub-characters that hold the whole book up. I will happily read book two in this series.
Finn is weirdly drawn to Noah and then accidentally over-served him at a party, helping to destroy Noah’s first time on NHL ice. After that incident, he leans into the desire to be close to him, and before they know it, they are accidentally married to prove they are most certainly not homophobic. What they forgot was they were NHL players, and they were in the spotlight, so everyone knew. The only choice is to stay married and, after a year, divorce because they are both straight, and neither wants to actually be married.
OPINION: I really enjoyed this book. It’s got a bunch of great twists on the fake marriage trope. The guys are so sweet and kind, coming from great families that manage to support the new situation their sons are in. Noah is a little awkward and a little goofy, which makes him charming. Finn is a superstar but doesn’t seem to notice that. He still seems grounded since being insanely rich doesn't seem to be anything new for him. There are stereotypes that are leaned into, but they don’t feel tired or worn. They just fit together with the story. I genuinely couldn’t put the book down, and the way the chapters are written helps you skip along through the story. THE SPICE!! Some great scenes that are great reads and wonderful moments between the men. Getting to travel the path to the HEA was so much fun, and there were moments I had to remind myself we would get there for sure because it sure felt like we might crash and burn. There was a sniffle or two throughout, and the guys were certainly endearing. It was a bit of a slow burn, with some identity awakenings. There were a lot of surprises for them, but they accepted their new realities and found themselves feeling and experiencing emotions they were not prepared for. I recommend this if you are looking for a great story with tons of story, plenty of spice, and sub-characters that hold the whole book up. I will happily read book two in this series.
November 6, 2024
I started this series out by reading Rule #.5 Never Crush on the Captain. Evan is the team captain who gets hurt and put in concussion protocol. Vinnie is the teammate who steps in to keep a watch over Evan during the critical 48 hours following the incident. This was a short, but sweet introduction to this world. Evan’s daughter is sweet and doesn’t overtake the story. It was a nice enjoyable not too angsty opener.
I was happy to be able to jump right into Rule #1 with superstar Finn and rookie Noah. Poor Noah gets called up to the big leagues and his debut is anything but smooth. Finn takes him under his wing and things escalate pretty quickly from there. Noah clearly needs to stay away from the alcohol, although Finn should probably do so as well. A drunken night in Vegas has the boys waking up a la The Hangover finding they got married the previous night but neither has any memory of said ceremony.
When photos are leaked, they decide the best thing to do would be to go along with the charade so as to not offend other players/friends who have married for real. As you can imagine, these two grow closer and their chemistry ignites. However, much of the story is both of them not actually communicating, not wanting the other to feel pressured if the real feelings came out, etc. I will say this aspect got a little frustrating at times. This leads to an incident that breaks the guys up. Other teammates step in and eventually, everything falls back into place.
While there wasn’t a ton of time spent on the ice, what we got was pretty good and felt plausible, all things considered. I’m always up for a good hockey story though, so this was an easy and comfortable read. I love seeing the other players again and am definitely interested in reading more about some of them, so I’ll be looking forward to the next installment.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
October 14, 2024
Never Accidentally Marry A Teammate follows Finn, a health influencer and star hockey player and Noah, a call-up from the Boston Blizzard's AHL team.
What worked for me:
-The chemistry between Noah and Finn was great, the UST was very intense
-The other characters on the team had great background roles, showing future stories and also showing Evan and Vinnie now. Vinnie's role especially was good in this book as the one guy who doesn't believe the ruse.
-Noah's search for identity as a gay man was nicely done
-Pining while fucking is just a gold tier trope
-Noah gets a great character arc
What worked less for me:
-YMMV on this, I get intense secondhand embarrassment so ist was tough reading the first few parts of Noah's story for me as a lot of embarrassing things happen to him. This is good for his character development as he goes from no confidence to finding his place, I personally just had a hard time reading it
-I feel like such a dick saying this, but as a new hockey fan who got into it through these kinds of books...there are a lot of inaccuracies about the hockey in this book. Noah is promoted to the second line before he ever scores a goal, the goals are treated as a super rare thing, at one point Noah falls and everybody acts like it's incredibly embarrassing, etc. I noticed this in the prequel already but it's exacerbated here. If you're not reading for the hockey part of hockey romance it's probably not an issue, it bugged me a little
-The pacing is a bit confusing. We are given the impression a lot of time passes in their relationship without concrete statements as to how long it's been. Then the thing with Noah 's first goal happens, but there has been so much narrated time skimmed over it feels like it's been way too long
-Small continuity errors
-Kinda sad we don't get more of Isaiah and Jasmine
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
What worked for me:
-The chemistry between Noah and Finn was great, the UST was very intense
-The other characters on the team had great background roles, showing future stories and also showing Evan and Vinnie now. Vinnie's role especially was good in this book as the one guy who doesn't believe the ruse.
-Noah's search for identity as a gay man was nicely done
-Pining while fucking is just a gold tier trope
-Noah gets a great character arc
What worked less for me:
-YMMV on this, I get intense secondhand embarrassment so ist was tough reading the first few parts of Noah's story for me as a lot of embarrassing things happen to him. This is good for his character development as he goes from no confidence to finding his place, I personally just had a hard time reading it
-I feel like such a dick saying this, but as a new hockey fan who got into it through these kinds of books...there are a lot of inaccuracies about the hockey in this book. Noah is promoted to the second line before he ever scores a goal, the goals are treated as a super rare thing, at one point Noah falls and everybody acts like it's incredibly embarrassing, etc. I noticed this in the prequel already but it's exacerbated here. If you're not reading for the hockey part of hockey romance it's probably not an issue, it bugged me a little
-The pacing is a bit confusing. We are given the impression a lot of time passes in their relationship without concrete statements as to how long it's been. Then the thing with Noah 's first goal happens, but there has been so much narrated time skimmed over it feels like it's been way too long
-Small continuity errors
-Kinda sad we don't get more of Isaiah and Jasmine
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
October 14, 2024
When Noah’s dreams of being called up to the NHL, he thinks this is it. Especially when the team has someone he looks up to on it. Finn. But his start isn’t so great. Not when his teammates throw a party for him and one drinks causes him to be sick the next day on game day where he plays horribly. Things can’t get worse right? Finn feels terrible. He knows it is his fault that Noah was hungover. And the thing is, he really likes Noah. So his protective instincts come out and eventually leads them to another mistake. Getting a little too drunk in Vegas and getting married. But they can fix this, they just have to…well turns out they aren’t quick enough. And telling the truth is out of reach after everything that has happened. They’ll pay the happy couple for a year then divorce. Simple. But then feelings start to rise between the two. And they are learning about more about themselves than they ever thought could happen. For Noah, he has to start admitting to himself that he may have always liked men, but growing up where he was didn’t exactly give him a safe place to find out for sure. But what he has always felt toward Finn? It was definitely a crush and now it’s something more. But he worries that Finn won’t ever feel it toward him. Finn may have never found a guy to turn his head but Noah certainly has. And that’s fine with him. Because the more time he spends with Noah, the more he falls. But will Noah believe him if he admits this feels real? These two killed me on their communication! You just want to tell them to admit how they really feel toward one another and be happy! Because as a couple, they were adorable and just so sweet. A fun story to read and I’m looking forward to the next one!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2024
Rule #1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate by Portia Blake is an engaging romance that follows Finn, a notorious party-goer, who wakes up after a wild night in Vegas to find himself married to his new teammate, Noah. What starts as a drunken mistake quickly spirals into a PR nightmare, forcing the two to pretend their marriage was intentional to save their careers.
Finn and Noah’s relationship is the heart of the story. Initially, they are thrown together by circumstance, but as they navigate their fake marriage, genuine feelings begin to surface. Finn, known for his carefree lifestyle, finds himself unexpectedly drawn to Noah’s steady and reliable nature. Noah, on the other hand, is dealing with his own insecurities about being newly called up from the AHL and the pressure of maintaining his spot on the team.
The forced proximity and public appearances required by their charade lead to a series of humorous and heartfelt moments. Blake does an excellent job of developing their chemistry, making their transition from teammates to lovers feel natural and believable. The tension between maintaining the facade and exploring their true feelings adds depth to their interactions.
The author’s writing is both humorous and emotional, capturing the complexities of their situation with a light touch. The hockey backdrop adds an exciting element to the romance, with well-described game scenes that will appeal to sports fans. Themes of identity, trust, and the courage to embrace one’s true self are woven throughout the narrative, making it an addictive read.
Rule #1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate is an entertaining romance that left me rooting for Finn and Noah’s happily ever after. It’s a perfect blend of humour, heart, and hockey.
Finn and Noah’s relationship is the heart of the story. Initially, they are thrown together by circumstance, but as they navigate their fake marriage, genuine feelings begin to surface. Finn, known for his carefree lifestyle, finds himself unexpectedly drawn to Noah’s steady and reliable nature. Noah, on the other hand, is dealing with his own insecurities about being newly called up from the AHL and the pressure of maintaining his spot on the team.
The forced proximity and public appearances required by their charade lead to a series of humorous and heartfelt moments. Blake does an excellent job of developing their chemistry, making their transition from teammates to lovers feel natural and believable. The tension between maintaining the facade and exploring their true feelings adds depth to their interactions.
The author’s writing is both humorous and emotional, capturing the complexities of their situation with a light touch. The hockey backdrop adds an exciting element to the romance, with well-described game scenes that will appeal to sports fans. Themes of identity, trust, and the courage to embrace one’s true self are woven throughout the narrative, making it an addictive read.
Rule #1: Never Accidentally Marry Your Teammate is an entertaining romance that left me rooting for Finn and Noah’s happily ever after. It’s a perfect blend of humour, heart, and hockey.
October 31, 2024
RULE #1: NEVER ACCIDENTALLY MARRY YOUR TEAMMATE is the first book in the Hockey Rules series. A fake relationship, teammate romance, bi-awakening, friends to lovers story.
Noah is being called up from the AHL to the NHL after another player gets hurt. Noah is so excited to finally be where he knows he's always wanted to be. Finally playing his game with some of the his heroes. When he walks into the locker room and sees the Finn. The star of the team. He has a larger than life personality and shares parts of his life on social media, which Noah has watched every single video. Finn feels an almost responsible for Noah after their first meeting. After a drunken night in Vegas after a game Finn and Noah find themselves married. Finn feels terrible that he may be ruining Noah's career just when it's starting out. They both swear they are straight but decide to save their careers and save face with their teammates they continue with their marriage. But slowly their relationship turns from fake to real feelings but their inability to have a real conversation was their biggest issue. They both easily go from thinking their straight (Noah having an idea that he may not be ahead of time) to falling so deeply for each other,
This is the first time reading this author. I have to say I feel right into this story and was so invested in these characters. I enjoyed Noah and Finn and watching the relationship bloom between them. I can't wait to see where this series goes!
I was given a free copy of this book to read and review for GRR.
Noah is being called up from the AHL to the NHL after another player gets hurt. Noah is so excited to finally be where he knows he's always wanted to be. Finally playing his game with some of the his heroes. When he walks into the locker room and sees the Finn. The star of the team. He has a larger than life personality and shares parts of his life on social media, which Noah has watched every single video. Finn feels an almost responsible for Noah after their first meeting. After a drunken night in Vegas after a game Finn and Noah find themselves married. Finn feels terrible that he may be ruining Noah's career just when it's starting out. They both swear they are straight but decide to save their careers and save face with their teammates they continue with their marriage. But slowly their relationship turns from fake to real feelings but their inability to have a real conversation was their biggest issue. They both easily go from thinking their straight (Noah having an idea that he may not be ahead of time) to falling so deeply for each other,
This is the first time reading this author. I have to say I feel right into this story and was so invested in these characters. I enjoyed Noah and Finn and watching the relationship bloom between them. I can't wait to see where this series goes!
I was given a free copy of this book to read and review for GRR.
October 21, 2024
Finn was living his best life, the kind of life Noah was dreaming of. Playing in the NHL was Noah's ultimate goal, not waking up married to his favorite player turned new teammate. But, hey, things happen in Vegas all the time. There's no need to panic. They have a plan, say nothing to anyone, and then get a quick and quiet annulment back home.
Okay, it turns out there was a bit of a reason to panic. That secret wedding didn't stay secret. These two guys decided to go all in on covering up the truth behind their nuptials. And now these practically strangers have to fool the world that they're deep in love. Well, one of them may actually sorta be. Talk about complicated.
I loved the idea of Finn and Noah as a couple. They had some really hot moments. The "clean up" scene was fun. But, they were just so blind and clueless. Noah's supposedly so good at reading Finn after four years of watching him. He says this a few times, yet he fails to recognize anything and everything once they're married? Neither man took the time to have a serious conversation. There was so much miscommunication, misunderstandings, and assumptions that it hindered my ability to enjoy the story. It became very frustrating. So there you have it. It's not the worst I've read this year, but it could have been better.
Okay, it turns out there was a bit of a reason to panic. That secret wedding didn't stay secret. These two guys decided to go all in on covering up the truth behind their nuptials. And now these practically strangers have to fool the world that they're deep in love. Well, one of them may actually sorta be. Talk about complicated.
I loved the idea of Finn and Noah as a couple. They had some really hot moments. The "clean up" scene was fun. But, they were just so blind and clueless. Noah's supposedly so good at reading Finn after four years of watching him. He says this a few times, yet he fails to recognize anything and everything once they're married? Neither man took the time to have a serious conversation. There was so much miscommunication, misunderstandings, and assumptions that it hindered my ability to enjoy the story. It became very frustrating. So there you have it. It's not the worst I've read this year, but it could have been better.
December 19, 2024
I could give 5 stars for this but Vinnie annoy the hell out of me. So first of all, the Never Crush on the Captain is actually the first one I am sooooo interested to read first in this series. But then when I read that its a novella I decided to read past it. (Sorry, im just really not fan of novellas) so anyway, reading this story, im so sorry but Vinnie makes it hard for me to just let it go. Hes so fvcking annoying thinking and assuming everything about Finn and Noah. Well he may be right but his fvcking attitude is just not it he really frustrates me throughout the story .. fvcking know it all! When they themselves cant be even that open to the world.
Anyway as much as i want to give 1 star rate because of Vinnie , Finn and Noah's story doesnt deserve that. I honestly love Finn in an instant. Even if he doesnt like Noah yet, I feel like he already adopted Noah as the new guy. He concerned for him and really did his best to make sure Noah's dreams wont be wasted. I love them both just not the miscommunication. But well, what can we do. They ddnt talk it out and just assumes everything. I may be dying of secondhand embarrassment of the public proposal lol, but thats still so romantic for me. So happy for you Noah babes 😍
Anyway as much as i want to give 1 star rate because of Vinnie , Finn and Noah's story doesnt deserve that. I honestly love Finn in an instant. Even if he doesnt like Noah yet, I feel like he already adopted Noah as the new guy. He concerned for him and really did his best to make sure Noah's dreams wont be wasted. I love them both just not the miscommunication. But well, what can we do. They ddnt talk it out and just assumes everything. I may be dying of secondhand embarrassment of the public proposal lol, but thats still so romantic for me. So happy for you Noah babes 😍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2024
This book had some ups and downs for me. I overall enjoyed the romance part, but some of the story did have some issues.
I really liked Noah and Finn interacting with each other. From their first meeting, to the party, to all the cute moments once they are married, it was a good romance if you just leave it between them.
What I didn't love was what spurred them to get married in the first place. Getting married because you are drunk and think it'd be fun is one thing. Drunkenly thinking it will prove a point is...less great.
I also really did not need the owner to be so involved in things, he just seemed to be there to ramp up the stakes and make things more tense instead of actually moving the plot along.
And finally, there was a lot of miscommunication and lack of communication with these two. This is a pet peeve of mine in romances, and I will allow it if it is done well/believably and isn't purely a plot device to force a third act breakup. I personally think this one was extremely ridiculous.
This was a cute romance, but it did have some things that took me out of it a bit. Definitely curious about the next book that is set up though!
I really liked Noah and Finn interacting with each other. From their first meeting, to the party, to all the cute moments once they are married, it was a good romance if you just leave it between them.
What I didn't love was what spurred them to get married in the first place. Getting married because you are drunk and think it'd be fun is one thing. Drunkenly thinking it will prove a point is...less great.
I also really did not need the owner to be so involved in things, he just seemed to be there to ramp up the stakes and make things more tense instead of actually moving the plot along.
And finally, there was a lot of miscommunication and lack of communication with these two. This is a pet peeve of mine in romances, and I will allow it if it is done well/believably and isn't purely a plot device to force a third act breakup. I personally think this one was extremely ridiculous.
This was a cute romance, but it did have some things that took me out of it a bit. Definitely curious about the next book that is set up though!
December 29, 2024
I'm somewhat conflicted about this book. On the one hand I love the " waking up married" trope and actually devoured the whole story in like one siting. On the other hand, having 2 eager to please and dumbly loyal golden retrievers for main characters was a recipe for constant self-blame and miscommunication that got old after a while. I guess it would have been different if we got more of both boys' backgrounds, like why Noah expected one type of response from his parents only for them to turn out totally different? What about Finn's family? What I'm trying to say is that I wanted a bit more substance for the MCs to understand why they acted like the way they did beyond they being designed as sweet dumb characters.
Still, I did like the book because the flow of the story was smooth, with the miscommunication peaking a burst of conflict that was believable, and the characters were fun with lively personalities. It's a light read worth 4 Stars altogether but I wish it could be 5 stars.
Still, I did like the book because the flow of the story was smooth, with the miscommunication peaking a burst of conflict that was believable, and the characters were fun with lively personalities. It's a light read worth 4 Stars altogether but I wish it could be 5 stars.
August 1, 2025
4 estrellas
⚪ M/M Romance
⚪ Sports Romance
⚪ Hockey Romance
⚪ Bi Awakening
⚪ Fake Dating
Noah es jugador de hockey novato y es llamado para jugar en el equipo de la NHL en el que juega Finn, su idolo desde hace años. La primera semana después de conocerse tras una noche de borrachera después de un partido se casan accidentalmente en Las Vegas. Cuando su matrimonio sale a la luz, deciden mantener la farsa para que su error no tenga consecuencias profesionales. Noah se muda con Finn y tienen que simular ante sus compañeros, familiares y la prensa que son una pareja enamorada. Hasta el momento, ambos se han sentido únicamente atraídos por mujeres pero al pasar tiempo juntos y tener que fingir se empiezan a sentir atraídos el uno por el otro.
Me ha gustado y lo recomiendo. La trama me ha resultado divertida y entretenida pero hay una falta de comunicación brutal entre los dos protagonistas, motivo por el que le quito una estrella a mi reseña pues me ha parecido un poco cliché.
⚪ M/M Romance
⚪ Sports Romance
⚪ Hockey Romance
⚪ Bi Awakening
⚪ Fake Dating
Noah es jugador de hockey novato y es llamado para jugar en el equipo de la NHL en el que juega Finn, su idolo desde hace años. La primera semana después de conocerse tras una noche de borrachera después de un partido se casan accidentalmente en Las Vegas. Cuando su matrimonio sale a la luz, deciden mantener la farsa para que su error no tenga consecuencias profesionales. Noah se muda con Finn y tienen que simular ante sus compañeros, familiares y la prensa que son una pareja enamorada. Hasta el momento, ambos se han sentido únicamente atraídos por mujeres pero al pasar tiempo juntos y tener que fingir se empiezan a sentir atraídos el uno por el otro.
Me ha gustado y lo recomiendo. La trama me ha resultado divertida y entretenida pero hay una falta de comunicación brutal entre los dos protagonistas, motivo por el que le quito una estrella a mi reseña pues me ha parecido un poco cliché.
October 30, 2024
This BOOK!!! This was such an awesome book, I swear. It was almost unbearably sweet, yes, but it was also hot and SO funny!
Noah and Finn, adorable as they were, almost made me want to smack ‘em upside the head! They were both absolutely crazy about the other and wanted their unexpected marriage to last forever but they couldn’t get out of their own way long enough to do anything about it. They each were being so obvious about how they felt but, instead of the other taking what was said at face value, they attributed their own meaning to what had been said and it was always the absolute opposite of what was meant.
I don’t want to go into any more detail but I have to say, DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK!! I can’t wait for the next one; thank goodness Rule 0.5 Never Crush on Your Captain is already available and then Luke’s book comes out in December!! For this one though, it gets 5 Amazing Stars!!!
Noah and Finn, adorable as they were, almost made me want to smack ‘em upside the head! They were both absolutely crazy about the other and wanted their unexpected marriage to last forever but they couldn’t get out of their own way long enough to do anything about it. They each were being so obvious about how they felt but, instead of the other taking what was said at face value, they attributed their own meaning to what had been said and it was always the absolute opposite of what was meant.
I don’t want to go into any more detail but I have to say, DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK!! I can’t wait for the next one; thank goodness Rule 0.5 Never Crush on Your Captain is already available and then Luke’s book comes out in December!! For this one though, it gets 5 Amazing Stars!!!
November 5, 2024
If you like fast paced stories this one is for you!
I liked the tropes in this, the accidental marriage, hockey etc. however I had a really hard time with the spacing of it. It felt like things moved way too quickly, and it didn’t have enough time to really flush out the characters.
The dynamic between the MCs and the other players was weird, sometimes they seemed like teammates and other times they seemed like judgmental assholes in the span of a paragraph.
I did not like the miscommunication in the beginning that the players thought Noah was homophobic and he never even explained the situation to them…
I also didn’t like that Noah’s parents were set up like they were going to be homophobic and problematic, but then they just weren’t? I don’t have an issue that they ended up being fine, but again it was maybe two paragraphs between them having an issue and then miraculously not.
Overall this book was okay, it just wasn’t my favorite. 2.5/5 ✨
I liked the tropes in this, the accidental marriage, hockey etc. however I had a really hard time with the spacing of it. It felt like things moved way too quickly, and it didn’t have enough time to really flush out the characters.
The dynamic between the MCs and the other players was weird, sometimes they seemed like teammates and other times they seemed like judgmental assholes in the span of a paragraph.
I did not like the miscommunication in the beginning that the players thought Noah was homophobic and he never even explained the situation to them…
I also didn’t like that Noah’s parents were set up like they were going to be homophobic and problematic, but then they just weren’t? I don’t have an issue that they ended up being fine, but again it was maybe two paragraphs between them having an issue and then miraculously not.
Overall this book was okay, it just wasn’t my favorite. 2.5/5 ✨
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