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The Darling Devils #1
Rival Darling
Fall hard for the Darling Devils in the first in this heartstopping YA rom-com series, for fans of Lynn Painter, Jenny Han and Powerless.
Fake datingHe falls first HEACute, clean and wholesome fun vibesNever date a jock – it’s her one rule. He'll do whatever it takes to break it.
When seventeen-year-old Violet is left heartbroken by the captain of her school’s ice hockey team, she vows to never date a jock again. But, in an attempt to prove she’s moved on, she turns to the most unlikely person—her ex’s biggest rival, the notorious captain of the Ransom Devils.
Reed Darling is gorgeous, mysterious and intimidating, both on and off the ice. Wild rumors constantly circulate about him, and the only thing people love to talk about more than his hockey skills are his exploits as a ruthless heartbreaker and bad boy. Who better to serve as Violet’s fake boyfriend until her ex gets the message, right?
But despite the intense rivalry between their two schools and Reed’s infamous reputation, Violet soon starts to wonder if there’s more to him than the gossip suggests. And while she tries her best to control their ‘relationship’ with a list of strict guidelines, Reed has other ideas. He’s set his sights on winning her over and is determined to show Violet he’s not the guy everyone thinks he is.
She should have known better than to make a deal with a devil because this one is going to break all her rules.
Rival Darling is a YA hockey rom-com with a HEA and no cliffhanger and the first in the Darling Devils series.
★★★★★ You don't get how many times I had to stop just so I could contain my giggling. This book is a must!
★★★★★ I fell in love with this book right away. The plot twists. The characters. The love story. Everything. A truly great book if you love romance!
★★★★★ Read this in one day. So cute and wholesome!!! Loved the couple, and all the side characters. Can't wait for the next book!!!
When seventeen-year-old Violet is left heartbroken by the captain of her school’s ice hockey team, she vows to never date a jock again. But, in an attempt to prove she’s moved on, she turns to the most unlikely person—her ex’s biggest rival, the notorious captain of the Ransom Devils.
Reed Darling is gorgeous, mysterious and intimidating, both on and off the ice. Wild rumors constantly circulate about him, and the only thing people love to talk about more than his hockey skills are his exploits as a ruthless heartbreaker and bad boy. Who better to serve as Violet’s fake boyfriend until her ex gets the message, right?
But despite the intense rivalry between their two schools and Reed’s infamous reputation, Violet soon starts to wonder if there’s more to him than the gossip suggests. And while she tries her best to control their ‘relationship’ with a list of strict guidelines, Reed has other ideas. He’s set his sights on winning her over and is determined to show Violet he’s not the guy everyone thinks he is.
She should have known better than to make a deal with a devil because this one is going to break all her rules.
Rival Darling is a YA hockey rom-com with a HEA and no cliffhanger and the first in the Darling Devils series.
★★★★★ You don't get how many times I had to stop just so I could contain my giggling. This book is a must!
★★★★★ I fell in love with this book right away. The plot twists. The characters. The love story. Everything. A truly great book if you love romance!
★★★★★ Read this in one day. So cute and wholesome!!! Loved the couple, and all the side characters. Can't wait for the next book!!!
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2024
About the author
Alexandra Moody
32 books3,993 followersAlexandra Moody is an Australian author who writes romance novels for young adults. She lives in Adelaide with her husband, three children and naughty dog. When she’s not busy writing, you’ll find her reading or spending time with her family. She loves to travel, is addicted to caffeine and has a love/hate relationship with the gym.
For more information, visit: www.alexandramoody.com
or follow Alexandra on Instagram or TikTok: @amoodyauthor
For more information, visit: www.alexandramoody.com
or follow Alexandra on Instagram or TikTok: @amoodyauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,546 reviews
September 16, 2024
Someday I’ll stop mindlessly reading hockey romance novels but today is not that day.
April 12, 2024
He did NOT start doing a figure skating routine in the middle of his hockey game. I’m dead.
April 19, 2024
wanted to give it 5 stars but then my dude started figure skating 💀💀
August 9, 2024
Now was the figure skating part in the middle of the game that necessary?
March 27, 2024
You know how teenagers can be stupid? Well, violet sure could. The first 70% of the book were fine. The story is nothing to write home about or even remotely new, but rarely one is nowadays so I was willing to look over that. However what I couldn't get over was how incredibly stupid violet behaved towards the end. I get she's been burned by a hockey player before, but you mean to tell me that she believes the shit her cheating ex told her without a second thought? the same ex who has been bothering her at every turn bc his ego got bruised? Just not a single intelligent thought went through her head. And when she found out the truth she had the nerve to ask his friend " why ded he keep all that stuff from me?" Like girl? Why tf didn't you just talk to the man and ask him if it was true??
"Deep down, I’d known he (the ex) was just saying those things to get to me," no violet, you really didn't.
I feel like the author just pulled something out her nose so the book would go one for another 60 pages.
Also, if all that woudnt have thrown me off, him breaking out into a figure skating performance mid hockey game gave me the rest. I'm sorry I just can't look past that. It was like when Alex started singing in twisted love.
"Deep down, I’d known he (the ex) was just saying those things to get to me," no violet, you really didn't.
I feel like the author just pulled something out her nose so the book would go one for another 60 pages.
Also, if all that woudnt have thrown me off, him breaking out into a figure skating performance mid hockey game gave me the rest. I'm sorry I just can't look past that. It was like when Alex started singing in twisted love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
I liked Reed’s character but I didn’t really like Violet. Also, what happened to her mom? She literally dropped her off at her uncle’s and dipped to pursue her dream job. There was a lot left out and I would’ve liked to have read a scene where Violet confronted her mother over her behavior but it never happened.
![Profile Image for ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1757265812i/180071670._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
January 1, 2025
1⭐
i wish i could give you zero stars, but i can’t so i give you a one.
now playing: if i can’t have you - shawn mendes
13+
romance: 5/10 (a few kisses. dirty jokes. innuendo. and big romantic gestures)
cursing: 4/10 (semi-frequent damn, hell, ass, shit. non- frequent bitch, dick. no f bombs)
violence: 3/10 (hockey is a violent game, there are fights on the ice, hard checking, etc.)
other: the characters go to a party and consume alcohol underage, and become drunk.
tropes: hockey romance, new girl in town, bad boy, fake dating, he falls first, miscommunication
first person, past tense
dual pov
“it doesn’t matter cuz i’m so consumed spending all my nights reading texts from you”
🏒– OVERVIEW –🏒
buckle up, y’all. this review is 5 pages on google docs with no quotes and it’s entirely me trashing it. have fun.
my first thought with this book was: omg! a clean ya hockey romcom set in minnesota? this is too good to be true!
while all of that IS true, as a minnesotan hockey player, it was not good.
i will try to be as forgiving as possible with this review, giving the author the benefit of the doubt because she’s from australia and NOT this “freezing hellscape” like i am.
she needs to do more thorough research about the places she write about in her books, if this one is any example. my guess is her publisher forced her to hop on the hockey romance bandwagon to sell more books, but even a cursory glance at google would tell you a lot of things that are drastically off in this book.
for 1. this book supposedly takes place in late october/early novemeber, as indicated by the dialouge. i would just like to let you know, that the absolutely FREEZING BELOW ZERO weather is NOT normal in late october/early november. maybe where i live (the icebox of the nation), but not the southern part of the state where this book takes place.
which brings me to the dilema of reed’s perfectly taken care of truck. say the roads really are as icy and freaky and frozen as the author makes them out to be (often times there isn’t even snow on the ground this time of year in the metro yet) then there is NO WAY IN HELL reed’s “hubcaps are gleaming” after driving out in this “freezing hellscape”. there are these lovely things called road salt and slush and there is absolutely NO escaping it in the winter of my lovely lake state. esp in cities where the roads are salted far more often than the county road i live on. (believe me, i spent the majority of my life living in minneapolis)
his wipers may be free of ice, if he has a heated garage, or else, he’s stuck like the rest of us. but it’s repeatedly mentioned that his family isn’t particularly well off, so a heated garage might not even be a possibilty. not to mention that a lot of houses in the city don’t even HAVE garages.
which now brings me to violet’s car, betty. betty was “protesting the change of weather since mom dumped us here over summerbreak” EXCUSE ME, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN AN MN SUMMER? 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ it’s HUMID AS HELL and 90 degrees, how the crap is her car not liking how cold it is? she’s from the coast of cali which is LITERALLY COLDER? i’ve been to san diego in the heat of august, and the ocean breeze knocks off the heat a lot more than the humidity of mn does, that’s for sure.
i will stand by the statement that dry heat is a lot more tolerable than wet heat.
not me ranting for an entire page just abt the wack weather in this book….
2 this book supposedly takes place in a SMOLL TINY ITSY BITSY town in the south state called sunshine hills (already a gag), across the river is a BIGGER but far less well off city called ransom. if sunshine hills is so ITTY BITTY tell me why is full of richy rick’s and they’re bratty snotball kids?
it’s trying to be minnetonka but it’s failing (no offense if you live in minnetonka…)
and if you know ANYTHINGGG abt mn you would know, that the richy rick’s are where the nice lakes are, not “middle of nowhere freezing hellscapes” with no lakes and a dingy river. it just doesn’t add up.
3 this whole time i’ve been wondering how the crap this lady has published so many books? her writing is reminicent of fanfiction, with the typos, weird grammar, poor structuring, choppy sentences and dialogue, and shallow characters to boot.
it wasn’t quite as bad as anastasis blythe (i would genuinely rather gouge my own eyes out with my hockey stick than read another of her books)
the dirty jokes were funny. it was lighthearted and non serious. but i just couldn’t get past the stupid weather.
4 the way she represented minnesotans made all of us look like all we care abt is hockey and violence – and while i do love a hearty amount of the former, that’s not all we are. it disappointed me, her portrayal of the characters in such a shallow way. it made me sick. is that all we are? hockey, violence, minnesota nice?
if any of you reading this are also from MN feel free to send me a frq or a pm and i’d be glad to chat with you abt HOCKEY 😗🫠
bear with me while i go die in a hole.
5 my brain hurts thinking about this book. and now it is time to crack down on all the hockey mistakes made.
i’m 99.99999% sure this author learned all her facts from smutty hockey romance books bc it was actually the most atrocious thing abt this book, and you saw my rant on the weather.
first of all, you do not “see muscles through hockey padding” NO. that’s not how it works. At ALL.
hockey skates and figure skates are COMPLETELY different, yet somehow, reed manages to do an entire figure skating routine ON HOCKEY SKATES. hockey skates have rounded blades which make those moves he was doing impossible, don’t believe me? you go try.
you don’t check someone against the ice, contrary to what the author wrote.
i just– bro you have no idea how bad i’m fuming rn…
safe to say i’m not going to be reading another hockey romance written by someone who has no experience. if anyone has any recs that have accurate hockey portrayal, PM ME. I’M BEGGING. idec if it has spice, I’LL SKIP OVER IT.
6 the romance was cute at times, although VERY insta love,. and when i say insta love, i mean INSTA LOVE. buddy was going to quit hockey just because violet said she wouldn’t date a hockey player. TWO DAYS AFTER THEY MET. TWO. DAYS. YOU DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR DREAMS OF THE NHL FOR A GIRL YOU MET TWO DAYS AGO. PERIOD.
and at the end of the book, violet sudden “decides” she loves reed and is going to break her rules for him agian. kill. me.
7 that brings me to the climax of the book. jeremy (violet’s ex who CHEATED on her then LIED TO HER FACE) tells violet that reed is only using her to get in his head and win the big game. and violet, BELIEVES HIM? girl WHAT? why in devils hell is jeremy’s, the lying cheater, word suddenly worth more than reed’s, the guy who’s never hurt you? what is this logic? she’s an idiot. and i think reading this book gave me an aneurism.
i genuinely want to buy a copy just to burn it in my wood stove.
anyhooooo enough self pity and ranting! now to the good parts of the book!
*crickets*
“oh, i’m good at keeping my distance i know that you’re the feeling i’m missing”
🥅– PLOT –🥅
what plot?
violet gets dumped into sunshine hills, violet finds out her boyfriend is a jerkwad, violet dumps jerkwad, violet vows never to date a hockey player ever again, reed vows to make her change her mind, reed does big romantic gesture and changes her mind.
plain and simple.
“you know that i hate to admit it cuz everything means nothing if i can’t have you”
🚨– CHARACTERS –🚨
VIOLET she was extremely annoying. inconsistant. and just a bother. she went on and on and on and on and on and ON about how she would “NEVER date a jock” and yet, she dates one at the beginning of the book, and at the end. it’s quite ridiculous. she had zero personality besides this stupid rule, and was all around flat, and unimpressive.
all we ever heard abt was how small she was, and how her red hair glistened, and how her blue eyes were so big and beautiful. that’s all she was. a collection of features.
REED he had his moments. but he was also getting on my nerves for the majority of the book. he claimed he was so invested in hockey, and that he was going to play for this big college team next year, then what does he do TWO DAYS after meeting violet? OH RIGHT, the completely NORMAL reaction ANY GUY would have. CONTEMPLATE QUITTING HIS LIFE LONG CAREER IN HOCKEY FOR A GIRL.
i’m sorry, what? i think i misheard you.
it was ridiculous.
not to mention this book had my worst pet peeve EVER. the whole “he’s a mountain of muscle that dwarfs her”. I DEPISE IT. it’s nasty and literally makes my skin crawl.
don’t even get me started on his stupid nickname for her. “sunshine”? That’s THE BEST you could come up with? after the town she lives in? ick.
MIA she had more personality than violet and reed combined, but not nearly enough page time to make it worth it.
NICOLE she was a minorrrrr minorrrr MINOR side character. but i loved her and mia’s chaos. they were so fun.
GRAYSON of the three darling brothers, grayson is my favorite. and the ONLY reason i am even considering continuing this series. just so i can see him and paige finally get together.
PARKER this guy pissed me off, but in a good way. he made me laugh, and choke on my tongue with the weird things he says.
PAIGE if i were any of the people in this book, i would be paige. we are like the same person.
“i can’t write one song that’s not about you”
🐕– QUOTES –🐕
take a look at my kindle notes, bc i have no energy to deal with this.
”can’t drink without thinking about you”
🌨️– CONCLUSION –🌨️
this book was an utter piece of crap.
i hope this hate review did it’s job and convinced you not to read it.
“is it too late to tell you that, everything means nothing if i can’t have you”
preread
buddy read with my bestie kenjibea <333
if you skip ahead this time i WILL end you 🔪👹
(last time we tried to read divine rivals tg and she read both books while i was at work…. in one day….)
i can’t wait to trash this book omg 🤧
i wish i could give you zero stars, but i can’t so i give you a one.
now playing: if i can’t have you - shawn mendes
13+
romance: 5/10 (a few kisses. dirty jokes. innuendo. and big romantic gestures)
cursing: 4/10 (semi-frequent damn, hell, ass, shit. non- frequent bitch, dick. no f bombs)
violence: 3/10 (hockey is a violent game, there are fights on the ice, hard checking, etc.)
other: the characters go to a party and consume alcohol underage, and become drunk.
tropes: hockey romance, new girl in town, bad boy, fake dating, he falls first, miscommunication
first person, past tense
dual pov
“it doesn’t matter cuz i’m so consumed spending all my nights reading texts from you”
🏒– OVERVIEW –🏒
buckle up, y’all. this review is 5 pages on google docs with no quotes and it’s entirely me trashing it. have fun.
my first thought with this book was: omg! a clean ya hockey romcom set in minnesota? this is too good to be true!
while all of that IS true, as a minnesotan hockey player, it was not good.
i will try to be as forgiving as possible with this review, giving the author the benefit of the doubt because she’s from australia and NOT this “freezing hellscape” like i am.
she needs to do more thorough research about the places she write about in her books, if this one is any example. my guess is her publisher forced her to hop on the hockey romance bandwagon to sell more books, but even a cursory glance at google would tell you a lot of things that are drastically off in this book.
for 1. this book supposedly takes place in late october/early novemeber, as indicated by the dialouge. i would just like to let you know, that the absolutely FREEZING BELOW ZERO weather is NOT normal in late october/early november. maybe where i live (the icebox of the nation), but not the southern part of the state where this book takes place.
which brings me to the dilema of reed’s perfectly taken care of truck. say the roads really are as icy and freaky and frozen as the author makes them out to be (often times there isn’t even snow on the ground this time of year in the metro yet) then there is NO WAY IN HELL reed’s “hubcaps are gleaming” after driving out in this “freezing hellscape”. there are these lovely things called road salt and slush and there is absolutely NO escaping it in the winter of my lovely lake state. esp in cities where the roads are salted far more often than the county road i live on. (believe me, i spent the majority of my life living in minneapolis)
his wipers may be free of ice, if he has a heated garage, or else, he’s stuck like the rest of us. but it’s repeatedly mentioned that his family isn’t particularly well off, so a heated garage might not even be a possibilty. not to mention that a lot of houses in the city don’t even HAVE garages.
which now brings me to violet’s car, betty. betty was “protesting the change of weather since mom dumped us here over summerbreak” EXCUSE ME, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN AN MN SUMMER? 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ it’s HUMID AS HELL and 90 degrees, how the crap is her car not liking how cold it is? she’s from the coast of cali which is LITERALLY COLDER? i’ve been to san diego in the heat of august, and the ocean breeze knocks off the heat a lot more than the humidity of mn does, that’s for sure.
i will stand by the statement that dry heat is a lot more tolerable than wet heat.
not me ranting for an entire page just abt the wack weather in this book….
2 this book supposedly takes place in a SMOLL TINY ITSY BITSY town in the south state called sunshine hills (already a gag), across the river is a BIGGER but far less well off city called ransom. if sunshine hills is so ITTY BITTY tell me why is full of richy rick’s and they’re bratty snotball kids?
it’s trying to be minnetonka but it’s failing (no offense if you live in minnetonka…)
and if you know ANYTHINGGG abt mn you would know, that the richy rick’s are where the nice lakes are, not “middle of nowhere freezing hellscapes” with no lakes and a dingy river. it just doesn’t add up.
3 this whole time i’ve been wondering how the crap this lady has published so many books? her writing is reminicent of fanfiction, with the typos, weird grammar, poor structuring, choppy sentences and dialogue, and shallow characters to boot.
it wasn’t quite as bad as anastasis blythe (i would genuinely rather gouge my own eyes out with my hockey stick than read another of her books)
the dirty jokes were funny. it was lighthearted and non serious. but i just couldn’t get past the stupid weather.
4 the way she represented minnesotans made all of us look like all we care abt is hockey and violence – and while i do love a hearty amount of the former, that’s not all we are. it disappointed me, her portrayal of the characters in such a shallow way. it made me sick. is that all we are? hockey, violence, minnesota nice?
if any of you reading this are also from MN feel free to send me a frq or a pm and i’d be glad to chat with you abt HOCKEY 😗🫠
bear with me while i go die in a hole.
5 my brain hurts thinking about this book. and now it is time to crack down on all the hockey mistakes made.
i’m 99.99999% sure this author learned all her facts from smutty hockey romance books bc it was actually the most atrocious thing abt this book, and you saw my rant on the weather.
first of all, you do not “see muscles through hockey padding” NO. that’s not how it works. At ALL.
hockey skates and figure skates are COMPLETELY different, yet somehow, reed manages to do an entire figure skating routine ON HOCKEY SKATES. hockey skates have rounded blades which make those moves he was doing impossible, don’t believe me? you go try.
you don’t check someone against the ice, contrary to what the author wrote.
i just– bro you have no idea how bad i’m fuming rn…
safe to say i’m not going to be reading another hockey romance written by someone who has no experience. if anyone has any recs that have accurate hockey portrayal, PM ME. I’M BEGGING. idec if it has spice, I’LL SKIP OVER IT.
6 the romance was cute at times, although VERY insta love,. and when i say insta love, i mean INSTA LOVE. buddy was going to quit hockey just because violet said she wouldn’t date a hockey player. TWO DAYS AFTER THEY MET. TWO. DAYS. YOU DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR DREAMS OF THE NHL FOR A GIRL YOU MET TWO DAYS AGO. PERIOD.
and at the end of the book, violet sudden “decides” she loves reed and is going to break her rules for him agian. kill. me.
7 that brings me to the climax of the book. jeremy (violet’s ex who CHEATED on her then LIED TO HER FACE) tells violet that reed is only using her to get in his head and win the big game. and violet, BELIEVES HIM? girl WHAT? why in devils hell is jeremy’s, the lying cheater, word suddenly worth more than reed’s, the guy who’s never hurt you? what is this logic? she’s an idiot. and i think reading this book gave me an aneurism.
i genuinely want to buy a copy just to burn it in my wood stove.
anyhooooo enough self pity and ranting! now to the good parts of the book!
*crickets*
“oh, i’m good at keeping my distance i know that you’re the feeling i’m missing”
🥅– PLOT –🥅
what plot?
violet gets dumped into sunshine hills, violet finds out her boyfriend is a jerkwad, violet dumps jerkwad, violet vows never to date a hockey player ever again, reed vows to make her change her mind, reed does big romantic gesture and changes her mind.
plain and simple.
“you know that i hate to admit it cuz everything means nothing if i can’t have you”
🚨– CHARACTERS –🚨
VIOLET she was extremely annoying. inconsistant. and just a bother. she went on and on and on and on and on and ON about how she would “NEVER date a jock” and yet, she dates one at the beginning of the book, and at the end. it’s quite ridiculous. she had zero personality besides this stupid rule, and was all around flat, and unimpressive.
all we ever heard abt was how small she was, and how her red hair glistened, and how her blue eyes were so big and beautiful. that’s all she was. a collection of features.
REED he had his moments. but he was also getting on my nerves for the majority of the book. he claimed he was so invested in hockey, and that he was going to play for this big college team next year, then what does he do TWO DAYS after meeting violet? OH RIGHT, the completely NORMAL reaction ANY GUY would have. CONTEMPLATE QUITTING HIS LIFE LONG CAREER IN HOCKEY FOR A GIRL.
i’m sorry, what? i think i misheard you.
it was ridiculous.
not to mention this book had my worst pet peeve EVER. the whole “he’s a mountain of muscle that dwarfs her”. I DEPISE IT. it’s nasty and literally makes my skin crawl.
don’t even get me started on his stupid nickname for her. “sunshine”? That’s THE BEST you could come up with? after the town she lives in? ick.
MIA she had more personality than violet and reed combined, but not nearly enough page time to make it worth it.
NICOLE she was a minorrrrr minorrrr MINOR side character. but i loved her and mia’s chaos. they were so fun.
GRAYSON of the three darling brothers, grayson is my favorite. and the ONLY reason i am even considering continuing this series. just so i can see him and paige finally get together.
PARKER this guy pissed me off, but in a good way. he made me laugh, and choke on my tongue with the weird things he says.
PAIGE if i were any of the people in this book, i would be paige. we are like the same person.
“i can’t write one song that’s not about you”
🐕– QUOTES –🐕
take a look at my kindle notes, bc i have no energy to deal with this.
”can’t drink without thinking about you”
🌨️– CONCLUSION –🌨️
this book was an utter piece of crap.
i hope this hate review did it’s job and convinced you not to read it.
“is it too late to tell you that, everything means nothing if i can’t have you”
preread
buddy read with my bestie kenjibea <333
if you skip ahead this time i WILL end you 🔪👹
(last time we tried to read divine rivals tg and she read both books while i was at work…. in one day….)
i can’t wait to trash this book omg 🤧
April 27, 2026
⋆˙⟡ — 4 stars
⤷⊹ started: april 21st, finished: april 26th
i'm SO glad i gave this another try 🤭 rtc!!
— ⋆˙⟡ pre-read 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
i dnf’d this book last year because for some reason it was just boring me to death, but the last book in this series just came out so i decided to give this another try 😌 and ofc i’m reading this with my best friend har!! ilysm and i hope we both enjoy this way more than the first time!! 🙈💗
⤷⊹ started: april 21st, finished: april 26th
i'm SO glad i gave this another try 🤭 rtc!!
— ⋆˙⟡ pre-read 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
i dnf’d this book last year because for some reason it was just boring me to death, but the last book in this series just came out so i decided to give this another try 😌 and ofc i’m reading this with my best friend har!! ilysm and i hope we both enjoy this way more than the first time!! 🙈💗
April 27, 2026
┆ ⤿ 🏑 ⌗ started: april 21, finished: april 26
THIS WAS SO CUTE rtc!!
pre-read
i dnf'ed this the first time because of how long the chapters were and how boring it felt. but i ordered the whole series and i'm ready to give this another try! hopefully this is much better than the first read.
reading this with my best friend mads! i love you forever! and hopefully we both don't end up hating it. but i do have to say reed is cute!!! 💌⭐️💗
THIS WAS SO CUTE rtc!!
pre-read
i dnf'ed this the first time because of how long the chapters were and how boring it felt. but i ordered the whole series and i'm ready to give this another try! hopefully this is much better than the first read.
reading this with my best friend mads! i love you forever! and hopefully we both don't end up hating it. but i do have to say reed is cute!!! 💌⭐️💗
April 5, 2024
i’d loved to play with that stick too (talking about hockey here 😙)
May 24, 2026
╰┈➤ ❄️ : rival darling : 2.5 stars ⋆˙⟡
☆ ── ꒰ ✒️"If this was what it felt like to kiss a devil, then send me straight to hell." ꒱ ❞ ‧₊˚
𖥻 my thoughts 🎞️ ₊˚⊹ ᰔ
this was cute !! there was nothing really special about it, it was much longer than it definitely needed to be. but overall it was pretty fun🙂↕️ it was definitely an easy read, and it was addictive!! i need more ya hockey romances in my life, so i am soso excited to read the rest of the series, especially since parkers book seems more entertaining 👀🤍
we ALL know i love fake dating with everything in me, and this was no exception 🧘🏼♀️. the romance between reed and violet was adorable, and i especially loved the dual pov 🫂 !! the thing about them was it was so instant, especially for reed!! like after one interaction, reed fell for her ?? hello ?? the insta-love was pissing me off, especially when violet kept denying her feelings like omg 💔. if i had a pound everytime she said "its only fake" or that she was breaking her golden rule, i would be a millionaire😓
+ reed literally considered quitting hockey like 2 days after meeting violet because of her rule 🙉
i loved the small town setting, all the characters being really close with eachother, the rival schools 🤍🏹!! i loved all the side characters, especially parker, and im so excited for his book !! he was my favourite character in my entire book and made it 100x more enjoyable imo 👀!!
that skating stunt reed pulled made me want to DIE cause what the fuck??? alexandra moody couldnt think of ANYTHING else he couldve done omg 😭😭 and yes it was that bad
𖥻 characters 🎹 ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ
⋆˙⟡ violet 🌌
❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ "Why can’t I have something real?” She sighed dreamily in response. “Hell, I’d take something fake at this point." ꒱ 📖
like this book, i just dont think there was anything that special or extraordinary about her😓. she was just kind of bland, and i didnt connect with her as much as i thought i would 🙁!! like i said before, whenever she even THOUGHT about reed she went insane and was absolutely stressed about her rule. i dont blame her for it because jeremy was a massive bitch 🫂🫂 BUT it was just sooo annoying like we all know u like him 💔 COMMUNICATE !!!
⋆˙⟡ reed 🥅
❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ "I barely knew her, but already I wanted to do anything I could to make her smile. And anything to stop her feeling sad." ꒱
yeah this guy was obsessed with violet from day 1 and im not even exaggerating 🙉🌟!! he was definitely adorable, and i did love his chapters, but again the insta-love just through me off 💔. he was protective, sweet and his relationship with his brothers was cute, but thats genuinely the end on this guy 🫂😓. just soooo vanilla !!! i did like him though 🙉💌
full series rating ⊹ ࣪ ˖
rival darling - 2.5 ☆
grumpy darling - tbd
wild darling - tbd
₊⁺ 𖥻 overall 🍂 ⋆.˚୨ৎ
cute, but nothing special about it 😓. i'm super excited for parkers book, idk if im going to go through and read it 💔!!
⋆.˚ ★— ended: 30th april 🫂
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅
𖥻 pre-read 🏹
જ⁀➴ i started this around 3 days ago and i fully forgot to do a pre-read🙉💐. this one seems adorable, im around 100 pages in and im
enjoying it so far🙂↕️🌷
started: 21st april
₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
☆ ── ꒰ ✒️"If this was what it felt like to kiss a devil, then send me straight to hell." ꒱ ❞ ‧₊˚
𖥻 my thoughts 🎞️ ₊˚⊹ ᰔ
this was cute !! there was nothing really special about it, it was much longer than it definitely needed to be. but overall it was pretty fun🙂↕️ it was definitely an easy read, and it was addictive!! i need more ya hockey romances in my life, so i am soso excited to read the rest of the series, especially since parkers book seems more entertaining 👀🤍
we ALL know i love fake dating with everything in me, and this was no exception 🧘🏼♀️. the romance between reed and violet was adorable, and i especially loved the dual pov 🫂 !! the thing about them was it was so instant, especially for reed!! like after one interaction, reed fell for her ?? hello ?? the insta-love was pissing me off, especially when violet kept denying her feelings like omg 💔. if i had a pound everytime she said "its only fake" or that she was breaking her golden rule, i would be a millionaire😓
+ reed literally considered quitting hockey like 2 days after meeting violet because of her rule 🙉
i loved the small town setting, all the characters being really close with eachother, the rival schools 🤍🏹!! i loved all the side characters, especially parker, and im so excited for his book !! he was my favourite character in my entire book and made it 100x more enjoyable imo 👀!!
that skating stunt reed pulled made me want to DIE cause what the fuck??? alexandra moody couldnt think of ANYTHING else he couldve done omg 😭😭 and yes it was that bad
𖥻 characters 🎹 ౨ৎ˚₊‧ִֶ
⋆˙⟡ violet 🌌
❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ "Why can’t I have something real?” She sighed dreamily in response. “Hell, I’d take something fake at this point." ꒱ 📖
like this book, i just dont think there was anything that special or extraordinary about her😓. she was just kind of bland, and i didnt connect with her as much as i thought i would 🙁!! like i said before, whenever she even THOUGHT about reed she went insane and was absolutely stressed about her rule. i dont blame her for it because jeremy was a massive bitch 🫂🫂 BUT it was just sooo annoying like we all know u like him 💔 COMMUNICATE !!!
⋆˙⟡ reed 🥅
❥ ּ֯ ┆꒰ "I barely knew her, but already I wanted to do anything I could to make her smile. And anything to stop her feeling sad." ꒱
yeah this guy was obsessed with violet from day 1 and im not even exaggerating 🙉🌟!! he was definitely adorable, and i did love his chapters, but again the insta-love just through me off 💔. he was protective, sweet and his relationship with his brothers was cute, but thats genuinely the end on this guy 🫂😓. just soooo vanilla !!! i did like him though 🙉💌
full series rating ⊹ ࣪ ˖
rival darling - 2.5 ☆
grumpy darling - tbd
wild darling - tbd
₊⁺ 𖥻 overall 🍂 ⋆.˚୨ৎ
cute, but nothing special about it 😓. i'm super excited for parkers book, idk if im going to go through and read it 💔!!
⋆.˚ ★— ended: 30th april 🫂
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅
𖥻 pre-read 🏹
જ⁀➴ i started this around 3 days ago and i fully forgot to do a pre-read🙉💐. this one seems adorable, im around 100 pages in and im
enjoying it so far🙂↕️🌷
started: 21st april
₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
December 24, 2025
3.75 ✰ I love me some fake dating 🙂↕️🤭
2️⃣3️⃣🏆 ⋆❆˚｡₊⊹❅⋆ ⋆❆˚｡₊⊹❅⋆ ⋆❆˚｡₊⊹❅⋆
I was going to rate this book 4 stars but then “𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞” happened and I cringed 😭
It wasn’t the fact that it was a 𝐁𝐎𝐘 doing it, it was the fact that he did it in front of his biggest enemy, in the most important game of the season! Mb mb 😔😔
⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆ ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆ ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆ ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎
𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭 - for me this FMC was basic, nothing too special. I think she was stupid asf, I found myself wanting to slap her so many times but again she basically grew up alone.
Her mom just completely bailed on her parental duties and she never met her dad, so I think it’s quite understandable that she was so naive… she is also a teen who didn’t really get any advices other than “don’t date hockey players” 🥱
˙ ✩°˖🪽 ⋆｡˚꩜
𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐝 - his nickname for her was “sunshine”, nothing new in books BUT he made it seem like it was the best thing in the world. This guy fixed a whole bloody car for her with his bare hands and worked extra hours to pay all the repairs so she wouldn’t! 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴! "𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐀𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬."
˙ ✩°˖🪽 ⋆｡˚꩜
𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 - I WANT HIS BOOK NOW, THIS IS GIBSIE IN A DIFFERENT FONT. HIS BOOK ITS GOING TO BE “COACH’S DAUGHTER AND ENEMIES TO LOVERS” , I’m sat 🤭
It’s also the prettiest book cover in my opinion 😙😙😙😙
˙ ✩°˖🪽 ⋆｡˚꩜
𝐌𝐢𝐚 - I was annoyed at you at first but now I actually quite love you 🥹😁 thanks for being the cupid ( after like 45 % of the book or more lol ) 💓
𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐲 - ᶠᶸᶜᵏᵧₒᵤ!
⋆˚✿˖°
𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐞 - I’m not gonna drag my thoughts to this review because their book is next and I’ll be reading it soon :) 🩵
────୨ৎ──── ────୨ৎ────
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!!
𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 ( 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 ) -
"𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?"
"𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐩."
"𝐈𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞."
"𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲, 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐌𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐝𝐚.” 😂
❄️🌨️☃️⛸️🎧🕯️
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 🤭
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡
𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: I've had this book on my TBR for quite some time now, what best to start this other than in holidays
time? PLEASE BE GOOD
2️⃣3️⃣🏆 ⋆❆˚｡₊⊹❅⋆ ⋆❆˚｡₊⊹❅⋆ ⋆❆˚｡₊⊹❅⋆
I was going to rate this book 4 stars but then “𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞” happened and I cringed 😭
It wasn’t the fact that it was a 𝐁𝐎𝐘 doing it, it was the fact that he did it in front of his biggest enemy, in the most important game of the season! Mb mb 😔😔
⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆ ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆ ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆ ⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎
𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭 - for me this FMC was basic, nothing too special. I think she was stupid asf, I found myself wanting to slap her so many times but again she basically grew up alone.
Her mom just completely bailed on her parental duties and she never met her dad, so I think it’s quite understandable that she was so naive… she is also a teen who didn’t really get any advices other than “don’t date hockey players” 🥱
˙ ✩°˖🪽 ⋆｡˚꩜
𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐝 - his nickname for her was “sunshine”, nothing new in books BUT he made it seem like it was the best thing in the world. This guy fixed a whole bloody car for her with his bare hands and worked extra hours to pay all the repairs so she wouldn’t! 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴! "𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐀𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬."
˙ ✩°˖🪽 ⋆｡˚꩜
𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 - I WANT HIS BOOK NOW, THIS IS GIBSIE IN A DIFFERENT FONT. HIS BOOK ITS GOING TO BE “COACH’S DAUGHTER AND ENEMIES TO LOVERS” , I’m sat 🤭
It’s also the prettiest book cover in my opinion 😙😙😙😙
˙ ✩°˖🪽 ⋆｡˚꩜
𝐌𝐢𝐚 - I was annoyed at you at first but now I actually quite love you 🥹😁 thanks for being the cupid ( after like 45 % of the book or more lol ) 💓
𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐲 - ᶠᶸᶜᵏᵧₒᵤ!
⋆˚✿˖°
𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐞 - I’m not gonna drag my thoughts to this review because their book is next and I’ll be reading it soon :) 🩵
────୨ৎ──── ────୨ৎ────
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!!
𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 ( 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 ) -
"𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?"
"𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐩."
"𝐈𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞."
"𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲, 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐌𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐝𝐚.” 😂
❄️🌨️☃️⛸️🎧🕯️
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 🤭
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚ ⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡
𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: I've had this book on my TBR for quite some time now, what best to start this other than in holidays
time? PLEASE BE GOOD
July 12, 2024
reed darling, how did i fall in love with u so fast? <3
"you can call me whatever you want, sunshine. as long as you call me yours." ~ darling devil #23
this book had everything i could've wanted & more. it was absolutely perfect, the entire plot was written so well. i have no words. i've never enjoyed a book more.
it was such an easy and enjoyable experience. i was definitely entertained & impressed by it all. the plot and the storyline were just so good. <3
such a cute story with the perfect amount of angst & longing in the love interests.
i'll forever love the darling brothers. 🫶🏻
especially reed ofc.
(ps watch out for the youngest darling brother, parker... he's just so unhinged, he reminded me of a golden retriever with a high ego, who isn't afraid of saying what's on his mind at any given time, he was hilarious & i love him so much)
"you can call me whatever you want, sunshine. as long as you call me yours." ~ darling devil #23
this book had everything i could've wanted & more. it was absolutely perfect, the entire plot was written so well. i have no words. i've never enjoyed a book more.
it was such an easy and enjoyable experience. i was definitely entertained & impressed by it all. the plot and the storyline were just so good. <3
such a cute story with the perfect amount of angst & longing in the love interests.
i'll forever love the darling brothers. 🫶🏻
especially reed ofc.
(ps watch out for the youngest darling brother, parker... he's just so unhinged, he reminded me of a golden retriever with a high ego, who isn't afraid of saying what's on his mind at any given time, he was hilarious & i love him so much)
June 4, 2025
゜✧
→ Rival Darling
・゜✧ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫:
→ Alexandra Moody
・゜✧ 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞:
→ Hockey Romance
・゜✧ 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
→ ★★★★★★
・゜✧ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
→ SCREAMING THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER. THE BOOK WAS A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE AND I LOVE IT SMMMM. THE SETTING COMBINED WITH THE PLOT WAS JUST PERFECT
・゜✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
→ Reed- Omg the bad boy act while being a marshmallow on the inside is adorable. I’m going to have to say I love him more than nick stark from the do over.
→ Violet- yall she was so sweet and honestly I thought she was very realistic with the way her feelings were so conflicted. I love her so much.
→ Mia- Oh. My. Goodness. The perfect little side character to add to the book. I loved the way she helped her cousin and her attitude towards Violet.
・゜✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞:
→ “what can I say? I guess I’ve finally found the kind of hockey player whose jersey I want to wear”
・゜✧ 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/ 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝:
→ fake dating, bad boy who’s just misunderstood, he falls first and harder
・゜✧ 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝?
→ ABSOLUTELY
・゜✧ 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:
→ This is the absolute perfect book, please read it!!! This book is making me remember why I loved reading in the first place.
Credits go to @jenoodle for making my review template
→ Rival Darling
・゜✧ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫:
→ Alexandra Moody
・゜✧ 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞:
→ Hockey Romance
・゜✧ 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
→ ★★★★★★
・゜✧ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
→ SCREAMING THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER. THE BOOK WAS A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE AND I LOVE IT SMMMM. THE SETTING COMBINED WITH THE PLOT WAS JUST PERFECT
・゜✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
→ Reed- Omg the bad boy act while being a marshmallow on the inside is adorable. I’m going to have to say I love him more than nick stark from the do over.
→ Violet- yall she was so sweet and honestly I thought she was very realistic with the way her feelings were so conflicted. I love her so much.
→ Mia- Oh. My. Goodness. The perfect little side character to add to the book. I loved the way she helped her cousin and her attitude towards Violet.
・゜✧ 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞:
→ “what can I say? I guess I’ve finally found the kind of hockey player whose jersey I want to wear”
・゜✧ 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/ 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝:
→ fake dating, bad boy who’s just misunderstood, he falls first and harder
・゜✧ 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝?
→ ABSOLUTELY
・゜✧ 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:
→ This is the absolute perfect book, please read it!!! This book is making me remember why I loved reading in the first place.
Credits go to @jenoodle for making my review template
December 29, 2024
1/5⭐️
I could’ve read this on Wattpad in 2016. The whole bad boy trope but he’s not an actual bad boy just misunderstood is overplayed and annoying atp. The mc claiming to “never date athletes” but jumps into 2 of them that quick… girl😭 What also annoyed me was that third act breakup. Like how is it you’re gonna listen to your ex and not even try to talk to the guy you like and see his side. I also just didn’t like how it was set in high school but that’s my fault bc I didn’t know it was ya😶 AND PLEASEEE HIM JUST BUSTING OUT A WHOLE FIGURE SKATING ROUTINE DURING THE GAME WAS CRAZY. I can’t y’all.
I could’ve read this on Wattpad in 2016. The whole bad boy trope but he’s not an actual bad boy just misunderstood is overplayed and annoying atp. The mc claiming to “never date athletes” but jumps into 2 of them that quick… girl😭 What also annoyed me was that third act breakup. Like how is it you’re gonna listen to your ex and not even try to talk to the guy you like and see his side. I also just didn’t like how it was set in high school but that’s my fault bc I didn’t know it was ya😶 AND PLEASEEE HIM JUST BUSTING OUT A WHOLE FIGURE SKATING ROUTINE DURING THE GAME WAS CRAZY. I can’t y’all.
June 13, 2025
2.5 stars ೃ⁀➷ i never thought someone could exceed the level of embarassment i got from alex volkov (iykyk) but ladies and gentlemen here we are.
the book was cute i'm not gonna lie. the characters and romance was set up so nicely and i felt like i could connect with them so well. the romance was so cute and cheesy but in a good way, it had my slutty little heart gigglin' and shit, yk?
this book follows violet and reed. after violet finds her now ex jeremy making out with some girl she decides that she is officially staying away from hockey players forever. that is, until she meets reed darling, her exes nemesis and rival who has countless rumours attached to him and his family name. after a brief encounter they decide to fake date: for violet it's a perfect chance to get back at her ex and for reed he says it's perfect to tame the swarm of girls constantly around him (definitely not because he is smitten with her 😚🤭). but as time goes on both of them uncover feelings they didn't know were there and have to face the question of if they want this relationship to be fake after all.
-also for those of you who don't like smut at all and prefer smut free books this one is perfect! it's YA and the characters are in highschool <3 i definitely didn't expect a YA hockey romance but here we are and honestly with all the spicy hockey romance i've read it was an incredibly difference experience.
but i had some icks about the book:
-inner monologues dragged too much. i do love a good inner monologue but this book took the cake at times. i feel like with how long it was it took so much time away from actual worth while character interactions becauselike there was wayy less dialogue then your usual romance book.
-too much focus on creating this found family dynamic. its okay of you want to create this awesome found family sorta thing but if that's the case, make the book longer so you can actually write some good scenes between the MCs where they are alone and all the tension and yearning is just brewing scrumdiliumptiously. i just felt like in this book violet and reed didn't get much of that.
-they didn't seem like they were in highschool. they definitely gave college vibes.
-his friends/family were too involved in getting them back together at the end. i feel like there should be boundaries when it comes to this and whilst graysons approach was somewhat reasonable, i feel like it was a bit much when paige came. like respect a girls choice, no?
-the miscommunication. WHY. it was stupid. her trust issues triumphed whatever the hell they had and i feel like the whole thing could have been executed better and not so amateurly.
-the book felt incomplete. not only with their romance and all but with their relationship. like nothing was talked out properly and reed didn't address natalie properly after the game. left me slightly miffed.
-last but certainly not least, the skating performance. i shit u not thats the most embarassing thing ever. and the most unrealistic part of the book isn't the romance but how HE WAS PRAISED FOR IT AFTER!!! like he didn't get bullied??? like bffr. like i know white men have their privileges but it doesn't extend THAT far. it was so embarrassing i wanted to cry. dude was meant to fight jeremy, not skate his own socks off. 😭 idk what the author was thinking.
anyways what i did like was violet and reed, mainly at the start during their meet cute and moments they shared alone after that. they were absolute adorable and had exquisitely cute banter i was smiling so much over. reed was quite a charmer.
however i am still gonna rate this book 2.5 stars.
the book was cute i'm not gonna lie. the characters and romance was set up so nicely and i felt like i could connect with them so well. the romance was so cute and cheesy but in a good way, it had my slutty little heart gigglin' and shit, yk?
this book follows violet and reed. after violet finds her now ex jeremy making out with some girl she decides that she is officially staying away from hockey players forever. that is, until she meets reed darling, her exes nemesis and rival who has countless rumours attached to him and his family name. after a brief encounter they decide to fake date: for violet it's a perfect chance to get back at her ex and for reed he says it's perfect to tame the swarm of girls constantly around him (definitely not because he is smitten with her 😚🤭). but as time goes on both of them uncover feelings they didn't know were there and have to face the question of if they want this relationship to be fake after all.
-also for those of you who don't like smut at all and prefer smut free books this one is perfect! it's YA and the characters are in highschool <3 i definitely didn't expect a YA hockey romance but here we are and honestly with all the spicy hockey romance i've read it was an incredibly difference experience.
but i had some icks about the book:
-inner monologues dragged too much. i do love a good inner monologue but this book took the cake at times. i feel like with how long it was it took so much time away from actual worth while character interactions becauselike there was wayy less dialogue then your usual romance book.
-too much focus on creating this found family dynamic. its okay of you want to create this awesome found family sorta thing but if that's the case, make the book longer so you can actually write some good scenes between the MCs where they are alone and all the tension and yearning is just brewing scrumdiliumptiously. i just felt like in this book violet and reed didn't get much of that.
-they didn't seem like they were in highschool. they definitely gave college vibes.
-his friends/family were too involved in getting them back together at the end. i feel like there should be boundaries when it comes to this and whilst graysons approach was somewhat reasonable, i feel like it was a bit much when paige came. like respect a girls choice, no?
-the miscommunication. WHY. it was stupid. her trust issues triumphed whatever the hell they had and i feel like the whole thing could have been executed better and not so amateurly.
-the book felt incomplete. not only with their romance and all but with their relationship. like nothing was talked out properly and reed didn't address natalie properly after the game. left me slightly miffed.
-last but certainly not least, the skating performance. i shit u not thats the most embarassing thing ever. and the most unrealistic part of the book isn't the romance but how HE WAS PRAISED FOR IT AFTER!!! like he didn't get bullied??? like bffr. like i know white men have their privileges but it doesn't extend THAT far. it was so embarrassing i wanted to cry. dude was meant to fight jeremy, not skate his own socks off. 😭 idk what the author was thinking.
anyways what i did like was violet and reed, mainly at the start during their meet cute and moments they shared alone after that. they were absolute adorable and had exquisitely cute banter i was smiling so much over. reed was quite a charmer.
however i am still gonna rate this book 2.5 stars.
July 11, 2025
3.25✧!!
╰wait this was actually so cute! mini review down below💐
🎧 ~ sparks fly+so high school
“drop everything now
meet me in the pouring rain
kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain
‘cause i see
sparks fly
whenever you
smile”
this was honestly such a cute book omg?! i haven’t read a hockey romance in the longest time so i was a bit skeptical going into it- but it was so much fun!! watching reed try to win over violet and then fake-dating her was too cute<3 he was so protective of her tehee and reed was genuinely so sweet and adorable- under his tough hockey player act. and there were so many cute moments- like when he taught her how to skate or when he visited her at work🤍 there were a few kinda cringey scenes+the insta love(he fell first and kept falling) that i wasn’t the biggest fan of but otherwise it was good! and hello grayson and paige??👀👀 im so going to read their book next because yes. but overall this was a fun cutie light read!💗 i hope ur crs are amazing and that ur doing well!! mwahh😽💋
love,
saisha
- - - -
⋆·˚ ༘ * ⛸️┆ pre-read!
i haven’t read a hockey romance in so long- and this looks super cute!!🤍
╰wait this was actually so cute! mini review down below💐
🎧 ~ sparks fly+so high school
“drop everything now
meet me in the pouring rain
kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain
‘cause i see
sparks fly
whenever you
smile”
“you can call me whatever you want, sunshine. as long as you call me yours.”
⊹my thoughts!🩵
this was honestly such a cute book omg?! i haven’t read a hockey romance in the longest time so i was a bit skeptical going into it- but it was so much fun!! watching reed try to win over violet and then fake-dating her was too cute<3 he was so protective of her tehee and reed was genuinely so sweet and adorable- under his tough hockey player act. and there were so many cute moments- like when he taught her how to skate or when he visited her at work🤍 there were a few kinda cringey scenes+the insta love(he fell first and kept falling) that i wasn’t the biggest fan of but otherwise it was good! and hello grayson and paige??👀👀 im so going to read their book next because yes. but overall this was a fun cutie light read!💗 i hope ur crs are amazing and that ur doing well!! mwahh😽💋
love,
saisha
- - - -
⋆·˚ ༘ * ⛸️┆ pre-read!
i haven’t read a hockey romance in so long- and this looks super cute!!🤍
May 1, 2024
Tik tok reeled me in. Never again. If there’s one book that made me want to jump of a cliff it’s this one.
March 6, 2026
Some of the things in this book were absolutely bonkers ridiculous, but I enjoyed it anyway so…🤷🏻♀️
August 5, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
WOW….😍😍😍
*speechless*
That’s exactly what I needed🥺🙏. Idk what was wrong with me when I said I was craving a thriller AWH HECK
NAW I WAS CRAVING THIS HEHE🤭🤭🤭
There were a bunch of mixed reviews on this book so I was a bit hesitant to start it…but my book obsessed best friend (we only see eachother once a year💔) convinced me to read this AND LET ME JUST SAY. HARPER IF YOURE SEEING THIS…THANK YOU SO MUCH🥹🙏🙏.
Let’s just say I’m a bit obsessed now😍👍. I’m basically Paige in this book…when I get a new obsession I really give it my all or the obsession becomes apart of my everyday thoughts👏🥺.
In this case…I HAVENT STOPPED THINKING ABOUT THIS BOOK🤭🤭🤭.
Guys…
The banter🗣️🔥
The fake dating🗣️🔥
REED DARLING🗣️🔥
ALL HAD MY SWOONING AND SCREAMING WITH PURE JOY👏🥹.
I guarantee you this whole series will be my source of joy for the next month😍👍.
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Characters ! ⛸️
Violet : LOVED HER🤭. Just don’t give her one important rule because she will most likely break it👹. She also made me crash out sometimes BUT THATS OKAY😭. I mean hey- what’s a YA novel without a hint of miscommunication and terrible decisions?😰I will admit that those terrible decisions did lead to the happy ending SO IM NOT COMPLAINING EHHE😍🙏. Anyway- I think she was a great character I loved her and her attitude😍👍.
Reed : SUNSHINE. AAAAAAHHHHHHH🗣️🔥. I truly hope my future boyfriend has a unique cute little nickname for me like Reed did for Violet🥺🙏. AND THE RUMORS ABOUT HIM AHAHAHAH HELP I CANT😭. I loved how much Violet softened him up AH IT WAS SO CUTE🤭. AND THE THING ABT HER CAR AHAHHHHHH AWEEEEE REED IS SUCH A CARING CUTE LITTLE CINNAMONROLL🥹🥹🥹. I adored the way he talked about Violet…BOYS START TAKING NOTES👹. AND DID I MENTION THIS MAN HAS…WAIT CAN YOU GUESS IT…?🥺 DIMPLES! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH🗣️🔥🔥🔥. Okay I need to calm down- overall he was FANTASTIC and I loved everything abt him <3 .
Mia : I liked her🥺. LOVED HOW SHE GAVE REED A CHANCE TOO😍.
Grayson : I js know his book is gonna HIT🤭. Didn’t really form the biggest opinion on him bc he wasn’t in it that much, but I liked how he always had his brothers back and I LOVED the little therapy session he gave Reed🥹🙏.
Parker : SO FREAKING FUNNY IM PUMPED FOR HIS BOOK😍😍🙏.
Paige : My literal twin but I have blonde hair🤭.
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Quotes ! ✨
Check out my Notes and Highlights if you wanna see my comments on some quotes from this book! (They get chaotic read with caution😰).
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Overall ! 🩵
This is the type of cringe I live for😍👍.
I told myself I wasn’t gonna let other peoples reviews influence mine bc that’s lowkey happened too much😭. But I’m pretty confident with this bc I truly did love this book so much :D
There’s just smth abt Sports Romance that GETS ME👹. AH I LOVE IT SO MUCHHHH👏👏🥹.
ALSO- I THOUGHT THE FIGURE SKATING WAS CUTE GUYS😭. Iyk what I’m talking abt🥺
Like- I LOVED how Reed wouldn’t give up it was so cutie😍
There were the little things in this book that made me SO freaking happy AH🥺🥺🙏. LIKE THE SUNDAY DINNERS….AH THATS SO CUTE!
I might be on a romance craze now…idk if that’s a good thing or not😭🤷♀️.
I would recommend this book to you if you enjoy…
🩵 Sports Romance
🏒 Rival Schools
🩵 Fake Dating
🏒 Banter
🩵 Miscommunication
🏒 Typical YA Cringe (THE GOOD KIND I SWEAR)
🩵 Hockey
🏒 No Spice Books
🩵 He Falls First
🏒 Scream Worthy Scenes
*cue whatever music was supposed to be playing during his figure skating little intermission🤷♀️*
*cue me doing 10 backflips in a row with Reed whilst figure skating😍👍*
⛸️🕺🔄🕺⛸️
I also made a playlist for this book hehe so if you’re interested, here it is!😍👍
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XI...
I have no idea if you can click it and go straight to it…but I guess it’s worth a try?😰🤷♀️
OH! And don’t worry, I keep my playlists clean so all of my Christian girlies are safe!🤭
I also make more playlists off of books so you can check those out too if you wanna on my Spotify profile <3
Thanks guys🤭
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Post-read ! 🏒
WHY DIDNT I READ THIS SOONER? RTC😍🙏
WOW….😍😍😍
*speechless*
That’s exactly what I needed🥺🙏. Idk what was wrong with me when I said I was craving a thriller AWH HECK
NAW I WAS CRAVING THIS HEHE🤭🤭🤭
There were a bunch of mixed reviews on this book so I was a bit hesitant to start it…but my book obsessed best friend (we only see eachother once a year💔) convinced me to read this AND LET ME JUST SAY. HARPER IF YOURE SEEING THIS…THANK YOU SO MUCH🥹🙏🙏.
Let’s just say I’m a bit obsessed now😍👍. I’m basically Paige in this book…when I get a new obsession I really give it my all or the obsession becomes apart of my everyday thoughts👏🥺.
In this case…I HAVENT STOPPED THINKING ABOUT THIS BOOK🤭🤭🤭.
Guys…
The banter🗣️🔥
The fake dating🗣️🔥
REED DARLING🗣️🔥
ALL HAD MY SWOONING AND SCREAMING WITH PURE JOY👏🥹.
I guarantee you this whole series will be my source of joy for the next month😍👍.
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Characters ! ⛸️
Violet : LOVED HER🤭. Just don’t give her one important rule because she will most likely break it👹. She also made me crash out sometimes BUT THATS OKAY😭. I mean hey- what’s a YA novel without a hint of miscommunication and terrible decisions?😰I will admit that those terrible decisions did lead to the happy ending SO IM NOT COMPLAINING EHHE😍🙏. Anyway- I think she was a great character I loved her and her attitude😍👍.
Reed : SUNSHINE. AAAAAAHHHHHHH🗣️🔥. I truly hope my future boyfriend has a unique cute little nickname for me like Reed did for Violet🥺🙏. AND THE RUMORS ABOUT HIM AHAHAHAH HELP I CANT😭. I loved how much Violet softened him up AH IT WAS SO CUTE🤭. AND THE THING ABT HER CAR AHAHHHHHH AWEEEEE REED IS SUCH A CARING CUTE LITTLE CINNAMONROLL🥹🥹🥹. I adored the way he talked about Violet…BOYS START TAKING NOTES👹. AND DID I MENTION THIS MAN HAS…WAIT CAN YOU GUESS IT…?🥺 DIMPLES! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH🗣️🔥🔥🔥. Okay I need to calm down- overall he was FANTASTIC and I loved everything abt him <3 .
Mia : I liked her🥺. LOVED HOW SHE GAVE REED A CHANCE TOO😍.
Grayson : I js know his book is gonna HIT🤭. Didn’t really form the biggest opinion on him bc he wasn’t in it that much, but I liked how he always had his brothers back and I LOVED the little therapy session he gave Reed🥹🙏.
Parker : SO FREAKING FUNNY IM PUMPED FOR HIS BOOK😍😍🙏.
Paige : My literal twin but I have blonde hair🤭.
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Quotes ! ✨
Check out my Notes and Highlights if you wanna see my comments on some quotes from this book! (They get chaotic read with caution😰).
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Overall ! 🩵
This is the type of cringe I live for😍👍.
I told myself I wasn’t gonna let other peoples reviews influence mine bc that’s lowkey happened too much😭. But I’m pretty confident with this bc I truly did love this book so much :D
There’s just smth abt Sports Romance that GETS ME👹. AH I LOVE IT SO MUCHHHH👏👏🥹.
ALSO- I THOUGHT THE FIGURE SKATING WAS CUTE GUYS😭. Iyk what I’m talking abt🥺
Like- I LOVED how Reed wouldn’t give up it was so cutie😍
There were the little things in this book that made me SO freaking happy AH🥺🥺🙏. LIKE THE SUNDAY DINNERS….AH THATS SO CUTE!
I might be on a romance craze now…idk if that’s a good thing or not😭🤷♀️.
I would recommend this book to you if you enjoy…
🩵 Sports Romance
🏒 Rival Schools
🩵 Fake Dating
🏒 Banter
🩵 Miscommunication
🏒 Typical YA Cringe (THE GOOD KIND I SWEAR)
🩵 Hockey
🏒 No Spice Books
🩵 He Falls First
🏒 Scream Worthy Scenes
*cue whatever music was supposed to be playing during his figure skating little intermission🤷♀️*
*cue me doing 10 backflips in a row with Reed whilst figure skating😍👍*
⛸️🕺🔄🕺⛸️
I also made a playlist for this book hehe so if you’re interested, here it is!😍👍
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XI...
I have no idea if you can click it and go straight to it…but I guess it’s worth a try?😰🤷♀️
OH! And don’t worry, I keep my playlists clean so all of my Christian girlies are safe!🤭
I also make more playlists off of books so you can check those out too if you wanna on my Spotify profile <3
Thanks guys🤭
◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯◯
Post-read ! 🏒
WHY DIDNT I READ THIS SOONER? RTC😍🙏
September 7, 2024
3.5⭐️was going to give it 4 but bro started figure skating and I just couldn’t see past it
May 29, 2026
⤿ ya contemporary romance┆13+ ┆mild language
⛸️ … mini review ᝰ.ᐟ
this was a fever dream 😙 honestly reed was such a cutie patootie 🎀 the insta-love was crazyyyy tho. he literally considers quitting hockey bc of violet’s stupid rule 2 DAYS AFTER THEY MEET. but hot take (??) is that violet didn’t deserve him. literally wouldn’t date him bc he’s a jock and her ex is, but repeatedly believes her ex (who’s also reed’s rival) over reed 😭🙏 honestly if violet got over herself this could’ve been an email 💀 also, the lack of research on hockey pmo. like i don’t play but i’ve been watching games since i was four and when i tell you it started describing reed’s muscles even tho he was wearing hockey padding…no. go talk ab hockey stretches honestly like 👀🍿 and on top of that the writing was choppy!!
⤿ check my review of the sequel, grumpy darling out!
⛸️ … mini review ᝰ.ᐟ
this was a fever dream 😙 honestly reed was such a cutie patootie 🎀 the insta-love was crazyyyy tho. he literally considers quitting hockey bc of violet’s stupid rule 2 DAYS AFTER THEY MEET. but hot take (??) is that violet didn’t deserve him. literally wouldn’t date him bc he’s a jock and her ex is, but repeatedly believes her ex (who’s also reed’s rival) over reed 😭🙏 honestly if violet got over herself this could’ve been an email 💀 also, the lack of research on hockey pmo. like i don’t play but i’ve been watching games since i was four and when i tell you it started describing reed’s muscles even tho he was wearing hockey padding…no. go talk ab hockey stretches honestly like 👀🍿 and on top of that the writing was choppy!!
⤿ check my review of the sequel, grumpy darling out!
Read
August 6, 2025dnf at 51 %
bro wanted to end his NHL career two days after meeting violet since she doesn’t like hockey players..
—— thank you har for reading this with me, i love you bestie !! i hope our next buddy read is better!
bro wanted to end his NHL career two days after meeting violet since she doesn’t like hockey players..
—— thank you har for reading this with me, i love you bestie !! i hope our next buddy read is better!
August 10, 2026
5 STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎧now playing
-we are never ever getting back together by taylor swift-
0:58 ─〇───── 3:16
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
🢒thoughts
oh. my. gosh.
this book was AMAZING!
before I read this, I was in a reading slump and in desperate need of a book. what better way to take me out of a slump with a romance book? and a romance HOCKEY book? EVEN. BETTER>>>
the plot was amazing, and yes at times it was cringe, but it was SO FREAKING ADORABLE! I loved everything between Violet and Reed and let me just say I love them so damn much!
also the banter in this was FREAKING BANTERINGGG.
the flirting, the fake dating, every awkward glance and hand hold was AMAZING I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN.🔥❤🔥
I think I started this at like 7 pm, and I finished it at 12 am😝
🢒characters
🏒reed darling
GET ME THIS MAN RIGHT NOW😏. LIKE LITERALLY SEND ME HIM. I YEAARNNN for this type of man who cares and wants me this bad. he cares for Violet so much I literally loved it.
also the figure skating scene? okay, yes, I know it was kinda cringey, but honestly I really loved it because it shows he would do anything for her and it was SO CUTE and IDC if it was cringe bc I freaking loved it🤩. I DONT CARE WHAT YALL SAY I CAN HAVE MY OWN OPINIONS. honestly I think the figure skating scene in this made it EVEN BETTER.
HE CALLS HER SUNSHINE OMGGG I LOVED THAT SM. as u probably can tell, I love the nickname sunshine (no kidding, my username is sunshine) and I literally melted🫠everytime he called her that.
I love how Reed plays along with Violet when she didn't know what to do. it just shows they're meant to be😁
reed and violet's chemistry together was AMAZING I LOVED IT, and Reed is definitely going on my top tier book bfs list🤪 and also he's vErY hot, so likeee I cant blame all of the girls... but its not that he's just hot, he's caring and loving and OMDS he's so kind and he's the reason why my standards are so high🥲 him falling first and chasing after her is exactly the type of thing I needed to read.
💜violet sinclair
I literally love her. I relate to her a lot for some reason, actually a lot of reasons I can't really explain.
honestly, I think she's like one of my favourite romance fmcs💗. in a way shes very sassy and I freaking love her for that. also the fact that she's like "uneducated" about hockey and that sort of stuff and then theres REED who is literally everything she never knew she needed🫶!!!!
one of my favourite things about this book is the fact that both of them are missing something in their life❤🩹, something they never knew they needed, and then when they met each other, it was like BOOM!, they each found out what they needed! the yearning on both sides, whether or not they wanted it, was something I loved and will always love.
👪other characters
I freaking loved all the side characters in this book.
I love mia, Nicole, Grayson, parker, Cammie, Paige, I even liked Luke, and reed's parents too! I also love reed's friends and teammates and how they're supportive of him and teasing him (the locker room scene was so funny).
I feel like the only character I HATED was Jeremy😡. if u don't hate him, there's something wrong with you and you need to be sent to therapy. I also didn't like heather, but we didn't see much of her in the story. if I yelled as much as I hated Jeremy, I would be yelling for the rest of my life.
I HATE HIM SO MUCH. I HATE HOW HE USED VIOLET AND TRICKED HER. I HATE HOW HE TREATS PEOPLE. I HATE HIMMMM.
I'LL HIT JEREMY WITH A FREAKING HOCKEY STICK THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
but other than than I love the characters! the darling siblings were very much giving me Hawthorne brother vibes👀
see,
reed is jameson
Grayson is, well, grayson
parker is xander
and Cammie gives off Nash vibes!
and also
Cammie: looks like a cinnamon roll, could actually kill you🔪
reed: looks like they could kill you, is actually a cinnamon roll🥮
parker:looks like a cinnamon roll, is a cinnamon roll🥮
grayson:looks like they could kill you, would actually kill you🔪
this is pretty accurate right??😁
🢒wrap up
I think its safe to say I loved this book and I'm SOOOOOO excited to read the next ones because I also love his siblings! but I think reed will stay my favourite hehe😉
💗
🎧now playing
-we are never ever getting back together by taylor swift-
0:58 ─〇───── 3:16
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
🢒thoughts
oh. my. gosh.
this book was AMAZING!
before I read this, I was in a reading slump and in desperate need of a book. what better way to take me out of a slump with a romance book? and a romance HOCKEY book? EVEN. BETTER>>>
the plot was amazing, and yes at times it was cringe, but it was SO FREAKING ADORABLE! I loved everything between Violet and Reed and let me just say I love them so damn much!
also the banter in this was FREAKING BANTERINGGG.
the flirting, the fake dating, every awkward glance and hand hold was AMAZING I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN.🔥❤🔥
I think I started this at like 7 pm, and I finished it at 12 am😝
🢒characters
🏒reed darling
GET ME THIS MAN RIGHT NOW😏. LIKE LITERALLY SEND ME HIM. I YEAARNNN for this type of man who cares and wants me this bad. he cares for Violet so much I literally loved it.
also the figure skating scene? okay, yes, I know it was kinda cringey, but honestly I really loved it because it shows he would do anything for her and it was SO CUTE and IDC if it was cringe bc I freaking loved it🤩. I DONT CARE WHAT YALL SAY I CAN HAVE MY OWN OPINIONS. honestly I think the figure skating scene in this made it EVEN BETTER.
“You can call me whatever you want, Sunshine. As long as you call me yours.”
HE CALLS HER SUNSHINE OMGGG I LOVED THAT SM. as u probably can tell, I love the nickname sunshine (no kidding, my username is sunshine) and I literally melted🫠everytime he called her that.
I love how Reed plays along with Violet when she didn't know what to do. it just shows they're meant to be😁
reed and violet's chemistry together was AMAZING I LOVED IT, and Reed is definitely going on my top tier book bfs list🤪 and also he's vErY hot, so likeee I cant blame all of the girls... but its not that he's just hot, he's caring and loving and OMDS he's so kind and he's the reason why my standards are so high🥲 him falling first and chasing after her is exactly the type of thing I needed to read.
💜violet sinclair
I literally love her. I relate to her a lot for some reason, actually a lot of reasons I can't really explain.
honestly, I think she's like one of my favourite romance fmcs💗. in a way shes very sassy and I freaking love her for that. also the fact that she's like "uneducated" about hockey and that sort of stuff and then theres REED who is literally everything she never knew she needed🫶!!!!
“You’re Reed’s girl,” he replied. “That makes you family.”
one of my favourite things about this book is the fact that both of them are missing something in their life❤🩹, something they never knew they needed, and then when they met each other, it was like BOOM!, they each found out what they needed! the yearning on both sides, whether or not they wanted it, was something I loved and will always love.
👪other characters
I freaking loved all the side characters in this book.
I love mia, Nicole, Grayson, parker, Cammie, Paige, I even liked Luke, and reed's parents too! I also love reed's friends and teammates and how they're supportive of him and teasing him (the locker room scene was so funny).
I feel like the only character I HATED was Jeremy😡. if u don't hate him, there's something wrong with you and you need to be sent to therapy. I also didn't like heather, but we didn't see much of her in the story. if I yelled as much as I hated Jeremy, I would be yelling for the rest of my life.
I HATE HIM SO MUCH. I HATE HOW HE USED VIOLET AND TRICKED HER. I HATE HOW HE TREATS PEOPLE. I HATE HIMMMM.
"So, is there a reason we’re beating up a brand-new 2024 Ford Mustang?” “We?” “I mean, I haven’t done anything yet, but I’ve got a couple of hockey sticks in my truck if you want to do some real damage?”
I'LL HIT JEREMY WITH A FREAKING HOCKEY STICK THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
but other than than I love the characters! the darling siblings were very much giving me Hawthorne brother vibes👀
see,
reed is jameson
Grayson is, well, grayson
parker is xander
and Cammie gives off Nash vibes!
and also
Cammie: looks like a cinnamon roll, could actually kill you🔪
reed: looks like they could kill you, is actually a cinnamon roll🥮
parker:looks like a cinnamon roll, is a cinnamon roll🥮
grayson:looks like they could kill you, would actually kill you🔪
this is pretty accurate right??😁
“What can I say?” I slowly turned and smiled up at Reed. “I guess I’ve finally found the kind of hockey player whose jersey I want to wear.”
🢒wrap up
I think its safe to say I loved this book and I'm SOOOOOO excited to read the next ones because I also love his siblings! but I think reed will stay my favourite hehe😉
“But you have a good night, Sunshine. I hope I proved to you not all hockey players are pigs.”
💗
August 9, 2026
this book had me in a choke hold from page 1 and didn't let go until the very last page💘🫦
August 13, 2024
“𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦?” 𝘐 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥. “𝘙𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.” 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘥. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦. “𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳.” 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱, 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦.
: ̗̀➛ 𝟱★ | 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘈𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴.”
SCREAMING.
I needed a fan during this, because reed darling is now the loml.
This was a cute non spicy romance and I adored every piece of it. Reed darling was just everything and more. This man fell for violet STRAIGHT AWAY. I need him.
Fake dating, he fell first, AND a hockey romance?? I ate this up I fear.
The whole storyline was so fricking cute, I loved the scenes with reeds family. It was all just so funny and this was such an easy read.
Violet babe, imma hold your hand when I tell you this. A mom should never abandon her kid to go to her dream job. Run away sis, I love you.
Anyways I loved this. Like so much. Everyone thank Kim for convincing me to read this. LOVE YOU GIRL.
500000★
THIS WAS SO CUTE WHAT. I loved this book. Loved it. Everyone thank my girl Kim for inspiring me to read this, LOVE YOU KIM. I devoured this book. I am in love with Reed leave me alone. My priorities are now higher than ever. I simply do not have the words. Give him to me right now.
: ̗̀➛ 𝟱★ | 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘈𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴.”
SCREAMING.
I needed a fan during this, because reed darling is now the loml.
This was a cute non spicy romance and I adored every piece of it. Reed darling was just everything and more. This man fell for violet STRAIGHT AWAY. I need him.
Fake dating, he fell first, AND a hockey romance?? I ate this up I fear.
The whole storyline was so fricking cute, I loved the scenes with reeds family. It was all just so funny and this was such an easy read.
Violet babe, imma hold your hand when I tell you this. A mom should never abandon her kid to go to her dream job. Run away sis, I love you.
Anyways I loved this. Like so much. Everyone thank Kim for convincing me to read this. LOVE YOU GIRL.
500000★
THIS WAS SO CUTE WHAT. I loved this book. Loved it. Everyone thank my girl Kim for inspiring me to read this, LOVE YOU KIM. I devoured this book. I am in love with Reed leave me alone. My priorities are now higher than ever. I simply do not have the words. Give him to me right now.
March 27, 2026
໑ ▸ 2.5 stars
౨ৎ my thought๋
⤿ finished march 24 2026
I finished it a few days ago, and unfortunately, I don’t think I can give it more than 2.5 stars. As much as it’s a very gentle and charming book, that very quality also turned out to be a downside: I found it too basic and simplistic for my taste. Maybe I’m used to reading stories with more mature and complex characters, but this one didn’t manage to draw me in as I’d hoped. And that final scene, when he starts figure skating during the match... it made me feel incredibly awkward. That's soo bad, heel no, i'm sorry.
౨ৎ my thought๋
⤿ finished march 24 2026
I finished it a few days ago, and unfortunately, I don’t think I can give it more than 2.5 stars. As much as it’s a very gentle and charming book, that very quality also turned out to be a downside: I found it too basic and simplistic for my taste. Maybe I’m used to reading stories with more mature and complex characters, but this one didn’t manage to draw me in as I’d hoped. And that final scene, when he starts figure skating during the match... it made me feel incredibly awkward. That's soo bad, heel no, i'm sorry.
July 9, 2024
౨ৎ5 stars౨ৎ
┆.𖥔“you know, if i was your boyfriend, i’d answer your calls and i’d drive you to parties.”₊⊹
౨ৎ ۫ ׅ⟡i honesty was so exited to read this one. alexndra moody is one of my favorite authors (don't judge me 😑) and i've been DYING to read a hockey romance 🤭🤭🤭 so we bought this one bc it was freeeee!!!!! and yeah i'm gonna stop yapping 🫶🏻
꒰❄️ ׅ⟡ violet (vi)
i felt so bad for her for the whole book first she gets dropped off at her uncles house so her mom can work her dream job half way across the world, then she meets a "nice" boy, then he cheats on her with one of his puck bunnies 🙄. like what the heck man. 😒😒😒 then she meets reed and he's nice and they start fake dating ... you can guess the rest but she was a great fmc. 🥳 (taytay reference ⬇️)
┆.𖥔i’m with reed now, and we are never, ever, getting back together.”₊⊹
꒰⛸️ ׅ⟡reed (reedy)
he was pretty basic buttttttt not in a bad way 🤭 and he's dog being named after a STANLEY®(and the fact i was drinking out of mine when he said that 💀) and being all 'scairwee' made the book even more interesting 🧐 lol AND HE FIGURE SKATED for her 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🫨🫨🫨🫨🫨🫨 i died a little
┆.𖥔“you can call me whatever you want, Sunshine. as long as you call me yours.”₊⊹
꒰🏒 ׅ⟡reedy + vi
10/1o so cute
┆.𖥔“well, you don’t scare me, reed darling.” “good,” he said. “you’re the last person i’d ever want to scare.”₊⊹
────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
📝 ۫ ׅ⟡.i love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
જ⁀➴ happy reading!
love, rhiannon marie
────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
꒰⛸️‧₊˚❄️｡⋆pre-read
i'm super excited for this one omg! i've been dying to read a hockey romance that's not full of smut 🤭
┆.𖥔“you know, if i was your boyfriend, i’d answer your calls and i’d drive you to parties.”₊⊹
౨ৎ ۫ ׅ⟡i honesty was so exited to read this one. alexndra moody is one of my favorite authors (don't judge me 😑) and i've been DYING to read a hockey romance 🤭🤭🤭 so we bought this one bc it was freeeee!!!!! and yeah i'm gonna stop yapping 🫶🏻
꒰❄️ ׅ⟡ violet (vi)
i felt so bad for her for the whole book first she gets dropped off at her uncles house so her mom can work her dream job half way across the world, then she meets a "nice" boy, then he cheats on her with one of his puck bunnies 🙄. like what the heck man. 😒😒😒 then she meets reed and he's nice and they start fake dating ... you can guess the rest but she was a great fmc. 🥳 (taytay reference ⬇️)
┆.𖥔i’m with reed now, and we are never, ever, getting back together.”₊⊹
꒰⛸️ ׅ⟡reed (reedy)
he was pretty basic buttttttt not in a bad way 🤭 and he's dog being named after a STANLEY®(and the fact i was drinking out of mine when he said that 💀) and being all 'scairwee' made the book even more interesting 🧐 lol AND HE FIGURE SKATED for her 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🫨🫨🫨🫨🫨🫨 i died a little
┆.𖥔“you can call me whatever you want, Sunshine. as long as you call me yours.”₊⊹
꒰🏒 ׅ⟡reedy + vi
10/1o so cute
┆.𖥔“well, you don’t scare me, reed darling.” “good,” he said. “you’re the last person i’d ever want to scare.”₊⊹
────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
📝 ۫ ׅ⟡.i love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
જ⁀➴ happy reading!
love, rhiannon marie
────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
꒰⛸️‧₊˚❄️｡⋆pre-read
i'm super excited for this one omg! i've been dying to read a hockey romance that's not full of smut 🤭
January 24, 2025
Girl really wrote a whole book and said "Lets ruin the ending!" **wink wink**
Safe to say i'm done with Alexandra Moody books.
Also every character was so boring. Except Parker. He carried the whole book otherwise this would have gotten one star.
Safe to say i'm done with Alexandra Moody books.
Also every character was so boring. Except Parker. He carried the whole book otherwise this would have gotten one star.
June 30, 2025
The title should’ve stopped me
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