When you're one of the few female coaches in the NHL, hooking up with players is firmly on the "don't even think about it" list.
So naturally, as a woman who enjoys herself way too often, I did just that.
A charity gala, two men, and enough champagne to fill the Stanley Cup later... here I am, staring at a positive pregnancy test and questioning every life choice that led to this moment.
Did I mention that last part? Because yeah, I'm pregnant. And the father could be either one of them.
Between juggling my secret, a billionaire who buys into the hockey team to save my career, and a player who makes me want to break my clipboard over his ridiculously handsome head, I thought my life couldn't get more complicated. Then the sweetest guy on the team volunteers to pretend to be my boyfriend and the baby’s father, and well...
I thought coaching hockey players was challenging... too bad none of that prepared me for this particular hat trick.
Hooked On Them is a spicy romantic comedy standalone where the main character falls in love with three men.
Content notes: This book contains a pregnancy from conception through birth. There is no pregnancy or birth trauma. There are frequent references and discussions of the female main character’s mother passing a decade ago as well as mostly off-page verbal abuse from one of the men's fathers.
It was a delightful hockey story that captivated me from the very beginning. The story moves at a brisk pace and never slows down. For a feel-good book with some spicy moments, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Have you ever had a book that while you were reading the entire book, you had so many issues with the story itself, but when you finished it, you thought to yourself, "I think I liked this one?" That's me and this book right now. When I was reading it, I thought to myself how inappropriate the FMC's relationship with one of the players was. Not because she made choices about play time or anything that directly impacts the game, but the perception that she could provide favoritism when training and in other instances where she did hold power, because as a coach, there is no way she didn't hold power on this team. The fact that they thought that they could lie and say the relationship predated her hiring, but it didn't matter because it was casual was ridiculous. If it predated her hiring and she intended to continue the relationship, then she should have disclosed that when she signed on. If not, then she should have still disclosed and terminated the relationship so there was no question of her integrity. The fact that Carter became a minor shareholder so he could provide her that favoritism and keep her from potentially getting fired brings his integrity into question also. There are multiple instances where he acted in a way that was inappropriate while they were only public with Nora and Miles being together because it was what he wanted. He didn't think of her or how it would impact either of them acting the way he did with her in public. She was fine with it, so apparently that made it ok for everyone. We're going to suspend our disbelief about everyone being ok with poly relationships (although this was not true poly as it is more RH/WC as it centers around the FMC) because I actually liked that part of the book and them not having to deal with the social backlash from that. The fact that the franchise is ok with all of this and is 100% supporting her... well if that doesn't scream nepotism, then nothing does.
But I put it down with an overall feeling of liking this book. The integrity of the MCs is kind of crap, but I liked their story.
Also, does anyone else think it's weird for late twenty-something woman to be hired for a professional hockey team as their skating technical coach when she doesn't and has never played hockey (but her father does) and she used to figure skate, but hasn't done so since she was 14, or is that just me?
I’ve been excited for this book, and it definitely met expectations! I’ve always enjoy how Maya Nicole writes her female leads, and Nora was another example of this.
Our three guys - Dom, Miles, and Carter - were such a great mix of personalities. I loved watching how they figured out how to work together with one another as all of our mains learned how to operate as a family.
Overall, a super sweet read. Plenty of drama while everyone gets sorted out, some vulnerability, and a lot of support and love. If you like a why choose with a strong woman, guys who show up and do the work, and a pregnancy trope, I’d highly recommend giving this book a read.
I feel like if I could be friends with this author I would be. The way she writes all of her woman characters and all their little quirks is just amazing! She has officially became one of my top 5 authors. This book was so good, I’m obsessed with why choose romances and it was written so well. All the men were unique in their own way and such dirty talkers. Love that. Nora was such a strong semi broken character, I just loved her. I definitely recommend reading this book and all her others.
Okay, this one was so much better than the last. I wasn’t sure how I'd feel about three love interests again, but Dom, Miles, and Carter really worked for me. They’re each kind of a lot, but in that charming, “they’re all in and you can’t help but root for them” kind of way. Nora, the FMC, holds her own well. That said, I do feel like you connect and learn more about some of the MMC's than her.
Yes, there are the usual "just say how you feel!!" moments that come with the territory in a romance like this, but they’re not overwhelming. It actually felt like the characters grew up a little faster than I’m used to in these tropes. I also really enjoyed Nora being a woman in a "boys-club" type of job without it becoming much of a focus - it just was what it was. Overall, a very fun little read.
3.5⭐️ This was cute! A fun and spicy hockey reverse harem with an accidental pregnancy. Loved all the different personalities in the guys and Nora is a strong boss babe
Nora has worked hard to get to where she's at. She's the skating technique coach for the Titan's hockey team, and while some may believe it's because her father is an NHL legend, she knows it's not. She's also followed a very important rule: Don't sleep with players or anyone involved with the team.
No problem... Until one frustrating night on a yacht when she's trying to get with a guy, but star player Dominic won't let her out of his sight. It doesn't matter how safe she was to prevent being pregnant. Fate seemed to have other plans when two little pink lines showed up a couple of months later.
Whereas the one guy she was originally hooking up with, Carter, is all for being a daddy, Dominic is not. He's never had a good role model in the father department, and he's terrified about messing up. Nora is terrified of losing her job due to sleeping with a member of her team. Therefore, enter man number three! They come up with a totally convoluted plan to help with everything and try to save her job and a media circus for the team.
If you've read other books written by Maya Nicole, you'll likely recognize some familiar characters! Paige from "Stuck on Them," Libby from "Falling for Them," and Josie from "Bad Nanny," along with their men, make some appearances!
This book is sweet in many ways, including that it reminds us / teaches us that NO ONE is ever ready to be a parent. You can read every child book ever written, and so, you'll only truly learn as you go along. Chances are, if you're worried you're going to mess up, you're going to be just fine.
My one tiny critique about this book (at least early on): Something I realized in the first few chapters is that there is such a thing as TOO many analogies. I get it's a hockey book, but there are a LOT of hockey analogies early on, to the point I found it almost a bit annoying. Just because someone lives and breathes hockey doesn't mean they compare everything to it. You can simply say an outfit is uncomfortable without adding "it's as uncomfortable as wearing skates that are two sizes too small." Especially when you compare holding a particular woman in your arms like, "finding the perfect hockey stick with the right weight, curve, and balance" a few pages later. The very next sentence after THAT compares something shattering the moment, "like a referee's whistle ending play before the puck was in the net." It was like a personal challenge to see how many could be added into one particular chapter. I believe it was chapter three where there were about 9 written. I wished that the author had knocked it back a bit. I was worried the rest of the book would continue the trend, but thankfully, it ended after that. There weren't nearly as many going forward, and those that were written in were more spread out! So, if you get a bit bothered, keep reading. It doesn't continue!
I absolutely loved this book. It’s funny, spicy and romantic. I made the mistake of choosing to listen to this on Audible whilst in the car. This meant lots of driving round the block to get to the end of a chapter and my husband coming to bang on the window more than once because i sitting out on the drive not wanting to stop listening. Had I chosen to read this, I would have devoured it within a couple of days.
This book is focused on Nora who is Paige’s best friend from Stuck on Them and Josie’s sister from Bad Nanny. Whilst we had met her briefly before in the other books, this was the first time we got to really get to know the skating coach.
Nora’s group of men included Carter who we met in Falling for Them and one of Paige’s boyfriend’s brother (who we meet in Stuck on Them), Dominic. The third guy is Miles, Dominic’s best friend who has loved Nora from afar for many years.
Following a night of passion with Carter and Dominic, Nora discovers that she’s pregnant. Nora is worried that she will lose her job for getting involved with one of the players on the team she coaches. The guys then rally around to protect her and save her job.
During the course of Nora’s pregnancy, she finds herself falling in love with each of the three guys who also find the family they never had amongst each other and Nora.
Hooked on Them is a light hearted, spicy read that I have thoroughly enjoyed.
Maya is a female coach in the NHL and high we all know means kick back from everyone. When a wild night ends her in a less then savory circumstance that could jeopardize everything. I love how one man is willing to go all in no matter what to make sure she is safe and happy. It’s really super sweet. The dynamics of this reverse harem are not all the men are friends and want to share so it adds a level of drama you don’t normally see. It could have used a little more story line in a few a parts but over all I really enjoyed it. There’s a great story line as well as some serious heat. The characters grow and it’s a well rounded story with depth and some super sweet moments.
It’s been a few books since I have listened to these narrators and it was like coming home. They are such a dynamic duo and always nail whatever role they are voicing. They always take the story to the next level
This is a fun, easy read, with a couple of side characters - parents - I didn't like but otherwise solid, well developed characters you want to find happiness.
I know pregnancy in books is sometimes a switch off for people but I love it, it really proves whether the men care for the MFC or are just there for the kinks. This book really details the different frustrations or struggles of pregnancy, yet again and again has the men adore every good or bad day within it.
I also really appreciated that the MFC Nora had her own life, friends, job and kept them all - the relationship added to her life and did not rescue her or take it over.
I needed a book like this to just relax and enjoy. Of course I wanted to smack Dom around a few times, but then Carter was just so over the top sweet! Miles so dependable and he was so in before she even knew he was in. So you have hockey, RH, no MM, Multiple POVs, golden retriever like gabillionaire, alphahole extraordinaire, parents that are hockey royalty and ultimate girl dad. Loved the banter, especially the texts. Oh and of course a surprise pregnancy that creates an incredible family. No big breakups, career concerns with fraternization, and mild embarrassment explaining their situation, but hey you love who you love, right?
This was a very cute why choose, and I enjoyed the others in the series. It was interesting how low stress it really was, since the tension was somewhat there at the start considering two of the men were players on her team. The spice was good chemistry with 3/5 for number of scenes, dirty talk, and some kink. There were moments where swords touched but not necessarily crossed in my opinion. I enjoyed it and the way they loved her! Accidental pregnancy is not normally my favorite but I liked reading this one.
Hooked on Them hooked me in!😉 The guys? Smoking hot. Maya, the FMC? Totally fierce. I also loved the unexpected pregnancy trope—it added a nice twist. And the best part? No annoying third-act break-up to mess things up, just a solid happily ever after. The story was funny, sweet, and kept me smiling the whole way through. Definitely a fun, satisfying read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ HEA? yes 3rd act break-up? no 🌶🌶🌶🌶/5
These narrators are so talented. they give voice to all these characters with such emotions and passions. I can't get enough. They never disappoint.
The story is sweet and hot and mmmmm good. I enjoyed watching them on this journey. So much sweetness and heat. They balanced each other. It's not an instant match where everything works from the beginning. The story is moved forward naturally and captures your heart. A four person relationship never seemed so attainable.
There’s a healthy dose of snark in this yum, great banter, big personalities, and surprisingly (yet refreshingly) no 3rd act meltdown. They work together and are supportive of each other without being cartoonish. This is a laidback, lighthearted read or listen in my case. Which is where the BUT happens… the female narrator has a horrible male interpretation, and as husband & wife team (Bridget & Jake Bordeaux) you would think they work around this
meh. it seemed like all the men had an insta love for mmc without building much chemistry. and I really never understood how miles pretending to be the dad solved anything. I had high hopes for Carter, but then he became kind of annoying to me. And I love a why choose, a mm, an mmf, mfm, etc, but literally EVERY character was poly, bi, or gay or something and that's just not realistic.
Not my favorite trope, but it was done well enough. I would have liked more interactions and talking between the guys and forming their relationships. Also, Carter, we get it. “She’s so responsive.” EVERY TIME! 🙄
I enjoyed it. Hockey Why Choose Romance for the win!
Actually really good and quietly satisfying to read. The spice level is about a 2.5 but good. Loved the storyline and the characters. No angst and easy to read.
Easy light read. No high stakes drama. The male leads seemed to have more screen time. Didn’t walk away with a clear picture of the female lead, she was just there in the background of the story.
All-in-all I’d call this a forgettable book. Don’t think I’ll read the author again.
A cute read that gives you all the feels and fun while experiencing 3 men scramble to become fathers and their natural relationship connection between everyone! No sword crossing here but lots of love and banter instead.
I enjoyed seeing how the author developed each character. The play between everyone was well thought out. The unexpected twists were fun. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
This is more of a 3.5 stars for me, not a bad read by any means just felt like certain areas skipped a bit too much or the book lulled in areas. It’s got your why choose, hockey, romance, surprise baby, and a HEA.
Nora is a boss and acts like one, she knows what she wants and she gets it until a mishap. Now she has three guys and hockey team rules. The book takes along time for them to get into it. It never said what happened to Doms dad. Has spice. Had HEA
I do love a why choose troupe. And accidental pregnancy. There was spice and a plot but was left feeling like it wasn't finished. Details seemed skipped over like it could've used more development.
I was a little disappointed in the last book (only 4.5 stars instead of the 5 that I gave book 1 lol) but this book blew everything out of the water! I laughed, I cried, I want more!!!
This book was a little chaotic honestly but in a way a love it was fast paced and easy enough to keep up with everything. The characters were all great. The store itself was fine and the spice was good too.
This is a great book and the author did us all a favor by having great seamless jumps in time so we got the whole story on one book. This was a good book without any major relationship drama in the story arch. I would recommend.