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Sticks and Vows
Puck, Marry, Thrill
A fake marriage with a single-dad hockey heartthrob—what’s the worst that could happen?
🏒💍🔥Kenneth Salas is having the worst day of his life. A phone call, a custody battle, and a play he never saw coming hit him all at once—forcing him to act fast. With no other options, he does what any desperate man would he knocks on his neighbor’s door, son in arms, with a crazy idea on his lips.
Jamie was already on the edge of a meltdown. Quitting her job? Fine. Ruining her favorite blouse? Not okay. Snapping her heel in the middle of a crosswalk? The last straw. But nothing could have prepared her for the moment her ridiculously hot neighbor—who she swore must be an underwear model—shows up on her doorstep.
It took him one minute to propose.
It took her two minutes to accept.
It would take a lifetime to get over this if he broke her heart.
What do you do when everything goes wrong—only for it to end up completely right?
A jaded hockey heartthrob, a desperate woman, and an offer she can’t refuse. Puck, Marry, Thrill – the ultimate hat trick of romance.
Jamie was already on the edge of a meltdown. Quitting her job? Fine. Ruining her favorite blouse? Not okay. Snapping her heel in the middle of a crosswalk? The last straw. But nothing could have prepared her for the moment her ridiculously hot neighbor—who she swore must be an underwear model—shows up on her doorstep.
It took him one minute to propose.
It took her two minutes to accept.
It would take a lifetime to get over this if he broke her heart.
What do you do when everything goes wrong—only for it to end up completely right?
A jaded hockey heartthrob, a desperate woman, and an offer she can’t refuse. Puck, Marry, Thrill – the ultimate hat trick of romance.
- GenresSports
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2025
94 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Ginny Sterling
406 books737 followersGinny Sterling is an avid romance writer. She lives to tell sweet, inspirational, tender tales that tug at the heart, leaving the reader smiling, laughing, or crying. Her book series include many titles such as FLYBOYS, Healing Hearts, Flirt’s Battalion, Reserve Ranch, Hotshots, and more.
Each book written is sure to be an adventure, bringing laughter and love to your heart!
https://linktr.ee/ginny_sterling
Each book written is sure to be an adventure, bringing laughter and love to your heart!
https://linktr.ee/ginny_sterling
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 20, 2025
I am not a fan of the single dad trope and avoid it like the plague, but the pic on the cover sold me in so I decided to give this a try.
It's a short read and it was boring but I did end up finishing.
Plot:
MMC is a hockey player with a young son. He has been divorced from his gold-digger / cheating ex-wife for over a year & a half and when story starts, he is in court to gain sole custody of their son because she has no interest in the boy!
When he divorced OW, he gave her the house and moved into a condo where FMC lives next door to him but they never interacted until the present.
During the hearing in court, his ex asks for his car in exchange of giving him sole custody. He has bitterness towards the ex who he apparently married because she was very beautiful, sexy and they had fun in the sack. He said they tried therapy and did everything to make his marriage work but his ex only wanted to spend his money and cheat on him with his teammates which was the final thing that made hm walk away for good.
In the present, MMC's agent got him a new team to join in Canada but the condition is that he has to be married. So when both he & FMC run into each other in the hallway of their homes, he right away asks her to fake marry him so that he could get the job and that she could get some financial help.
In the process, they end up becoming BFFs and eventually making their marriage legit.
Likes:
- Liked how MCs communicated and FMC in particular was no doormat. Whenever MMC pulled away because he was scared of repeating his mistakes with the ex OW, FMC would put a stop with it by telling him that she was not the OW and her mistakes are not her own and he should stop thinking of her in that way. I loved this because we never really have FMCs standup this way and put a stop to that nonsense and I had to give it to MMC here, he rightfully acknowledged it and immediately stopped that behavior.
- The Relationship between MMC & his kid and FMC and the kid was beautiful.
Dislikes:
- This was mostly a PG read with any sex scenes mostly fade to black.
- MMC is no Alpha and that annoys me. He said his ex did a number on his manhood and a lot of times he came across as needy and constantly needing reassurance.
- MMC's relationship with OW was pathetic. As a reader, if you are going to make the OW unlikable & bitchy, I have to question why he never saw her true colors before he married her and fell in love with her? I mean, did he not see that she was using him for his money before they got married? Was the sex that good that all his horny self could see & fool himself in love? What does that say about HIM if he is blinded by shallowness and greediness that he chose that type of person?
- FMC's pathetic inability to pull herself together from her financial mess and stop mooching from MMC. This annoyed me greatly that he had issues in the not so near past with one ex who was after his money and so to have FMC state constantly that she likes the good things in life he can give her, it just somehow felt like she was a gold-digger too.
- The age of the kid. Like other reviewers stated, the kid's age was inconsistent. He doesn't talk in the first couple chapters and his Dad & FMC are always picking him up and holding him which made it seem like he was a few months old to a year or two. Then suddenly he is talking, walking and holding their hands and boom! He is 5 years old! Time wise that didn't make sense either because we are told that his ex had no interest in the kid from the time he was born and that they were divorced for a year and a half, but he moved into the condo three years prior with the kid.
Safety:
- NO OW/OM drama. The OW & MMC go to court in the beginning to settle the custody and she is never seen again.
- No virgins
- No cheating
- No angst
- HEA with them married for real and with a baby girl a few months later.
It's a short read and it was boring but I did end up finishing.
Plot:
MMC is a hockey player with a young son. He has been divorced from his gold-digger / cheating ex-wife for over a year & a half and when story starts, he is in court to gain sole custody of their son because she has no interest in the boy!
When he divorced OW, he gave her the house and moved into a condo where FMC lives next door to him but they never interacted until the present.
During the hearing in court, his ex asks for his car in exchange of giving him sole custody. He has bitterness towards the ex who he apparently married because she was very beautiful, sexy and they had fun in the sack. He said they tried therapy and did everything to make his marriage work but his ex only wanted to spend his money and cheat on him with his teammates which was the final thing that made hm walk away for good.
In the present, MMC's agent got him a new team to join in Canada but the condition is that he has to be married. So when both he & FMC run into each other in the hallway of their homes, he right away asks her to fake marry him so that he could get the job and that she could get some financial help.
In the process, they end up becoming BFFs and eventually making their marriage legit.
Likes:
- Liked how MCs communicated and FMC in particular was no doormat. Whenever MMC pulled away because he was scared of repeating his mistakes with the ex OW, FMC would put a stop with it by telling him that she was not the OW and her mistakes are not her own and he should stop thinking of her in that way. I loved this because we never really have FMCs standup this way and put a stop to that nonsense and I had to give it to MMC here, he rightfully acknowledged it and immediately stopped that behavior.
- The Relationship between MMC & his kid and FMC and the kid was beautiful.
Dislikes:
- This was mostly a PG read with any sex scenes mostly fade to black.
- MMC is no Alpha and that annoys me. He said his ex did a number on his manhood and a lot of times he came across as needy and constantly needing reassurance.
- MMC's relationship with OW was pathetic. As a reader, if you are going to make the OW unlikable & bitchy, I have to question why he never saw her true colors before he married her and fell in love with her? I mean, did he not see that she was using him for his money before they got married? Was the sex that good that all his horny self could see & fool himself in love? What does that say about HIM if he is blinded by shallowness and greediness that he chose that type of person?
- FMC's pathetic inability to pull herself together from her financial mess and stop mooching from MMC. This annoyed me greatly that he had issues in the not so near past with one ex who was after his money and so to have FMC state constantly that she likes the good things in life he can give her, it just somehow felt like she was a gold-digger too.
- The age of the kid. Like other reviewers stated, the kid's age was inconsistent. He doesn't talk in the first couple chapters and his Dad & FMC are always picking him up and holding him which made it seem like he was a few months old to a year or two. Then suddenly he is talking, walking and holding their hands and boom! He is 5 years old! Time wise that didn't make sense either because we are told that his ex had no interest in the kid from the time he was born and that they were divorced for a year and a half, but he moved into the condo three years prior with the kid.
Safety:
- NO OW/OM drama. The OW & MMC go to court in the beginning to settle the custody and she is never seen again.
- No virgins
- No cheating
- No angst
- HEA with them married for real and with a baby girl a few months later.
May 18, 2025
Jamie has had a really bad day. One of those that you just want to crawl in bed hoping the next day will be better. She has ruined her favorite blouse with her favorite coffee, her high heel has snapped off in the middle of the street and for the cherry on top, her toilet seat has broken while she is sitting on. Now her hunky next door neighbor, Kenneth, has knocked on her door and proposed marriage. She must be either dreaming or in the middle of a nightmare of epic proportions.
Kenneth has had a pretty rough day himself, and he has reached his limit. He has no idea if the door will be slammed in his face or what may happen. However, he will do whatever is necessary for his darling son, Zachary.
This sweet romance will make you laugh and smile. There is always plenty of laughs in a book by this author. Jamie was such a good mother to Zachary. She is the polar opposite of Kenneth's ex-wife. This match was truly made in heaven. Hockey is important, but to the Wolverines, family is even more important.
This one is swoony, sweet and good enough to eat.
Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kenneth has had a pretty rough day himself, and he has reached his limit. He has no idea if the door will be slammed in his face or what may happen. However, he will do whatever is necessary for his darling son, Zachary.
This sweet romance will make you laugh and smile. There is always plenty of laughs in a book by this author. Jamie was such a good mother to Zachary. She is the polar opposite of Kenneth's ex-wife. This match was truly made in heaven. Hockey is important, but to the Wolverines, family is even more important.
This one is swoony, sweet and good enough to eat.
Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 12, 2025
Oh Ginny has done it again!!! Stephen and Jamie were amazing!! This series is just a blast to read and I can't get enough of it! I get so excited every time I see there next one is ready to read.
Stephen has an offer to play for another hockey team but part of the terms of the contract is you have have to be married. Stephen is a single father with one horrible ex wife. Jamie is struggling in life and just needs to catch a break. So when Stephen shows up at her doorstep with a solution for them both she can't say yes fast enough.
Zackary is Stephen's son and Jamie just falls in love with his son so fast! I absolutely loved the relationship she has with him. Jamie was such a fun character. I loved her spunk and how hard she loves. Stephen and Jamie were just a sweet couple and I loved everything about this book. I laughed, swooned, smiled, and was left with a wonderful happily ever after ending!
I HIGHLY recommend this book and this series!
Stephen has an offer to play for another hockey team but part of the terms of the contract is you have have to be married. Stephen is a single father with one horrible ex wife. Jamie is struggling in life and just needs to catch a break. So when Stephen shows up at her doorstep with a solution for them both she can't say yes fast enough.
Zackary is Stephen's son and Jamie just falls in love with his son so fast! I absolutely loved the relationship she has with him. Jamie was such a fun character. I loved her spunk and how hard she loves. Stephen and Jamie were just a sweet couple and I loved everything about this book. I laughed, swooned, smiled, and was left with a wonderful happily ever after ending!
I HIGHLY recommend this book and this series!
May 23, 2025
Clean Standalone Rom-com Interconnected Series HEA
Each book could be read as a standalone but the characters overlap throughout the series. This is my favorite one of this series so far. They've been neighbors for years but never interacted. He's dealing with a self centered ex that loves money more than their son and teammates that are betraying him. She loses it at work and finds herself out of a job and comes back looking like a hot mess and no way to pay her bills. Then one phone call from his agent changes all of their lives. What happens when you mix an outgoing person whose not afraid to make a fool of herself, with an adorable little boy starving for affection from his mom and an emotionally damaged man that has walls around his heart? Be ready for a lot of LOL scenes and some cheering when karma gets it right.
Each book could be read as a standalone but the characters overlap throughout the series. This is my favorite one of this series so far. They've been neighbors for years but never interacted. He's dealing with a self centered ex that loves money more than their son and teammates that are betraying him. She loses it at work and finds herself out of a job and comes back looking like a hot mess and no way to pay her bills. Then one phone call from his agent changes all of their lives. What happens when you mix an outgoing person whose not afraid to make a fool of herself, with an adorable little boy starving for affection from his mom and an emotionally damaged man that has walls around his heart? Be ready for a lot of LOL scenes and some cheering when karma gets it right.
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May 24, 2025
If you’re bored and need something quick - 2hrs ish read, you can read this.
MMC - a pro hockey player, battling custody of his son with his ex wife. While his ex wife has been cheating on him with his teammates, Ken doll decided to trade team, but said new team only accepts family man. So Ken doll here needs a fake wife to sell that he is a family man.
Fast forward Ken goes to ask his neighbor to marry him, the same neighbor that he never had any conversation with before. And said neighbor accepted immediately because she had just quit her job and was having a bad day. Talk about timing right 🙄
Anyway after the fake marriage thing, their relationship moved rather quick and we have a HEA.
BUT I had a huge issue with the kid’s age inconsistency. Like bruh, decide for once what age was the kid supposed to be.
MMC - a pro hockey player, battling custody of his son with his ex wife. While his ex wife has been cheating on him with his teammates, Ken doll decided to trade team, but said new team only accepts family man. So Ken doll here needs a fake wife to sell that he is a family man.
Fast forward Ken goes to ask his neighbor to marry him, the same neighbor that he never had any conversation with before. And said neighbor accepted immediately because she had just quit her job and was having a bad day. Talk about timing right 🙄
Anyway after the fake marriage thing, their relationship moved rather quick and we have a HEA.
BUT I had a huge issue with the kid’s age inconsistency. Like bruh, decide for once what age was the kid supposed to be.
May 19, 2025
This book, "Puck, Marry, Thrill", was totally a true beginning -- after a train wreck of a day! Two different lives were spiraling out of control, and the only sane action was to marry and leave the country. An act that could have wrecked the lives of two adults and one child, instead it was being tested as a cement that bound this family together. I enjoyed this thrill ride as it was a gift of levity, fun, sadness, and tough times -- all rolled into one. I loved the playful times this family shared, as well as every single way the difficult times shaped them. Through all the sadness, drama, hope, love, and joy -- one thing welded them together. And, that was love. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars as it was a sweet, wonderful romance that claimed my heart, page after page.
May 19, 2025
Puck, Marry, Thrill
I am not a fan of hockey but this book is really fun and heartwarming at the same time. Kenneth Salas and Jamie have technically never met but they are neighbors. After a highly emotional day Kenneth goes next door and asks Jamie to be his bride. She too has had an extremely bad day so when her hunky next door neighbor asks her to marry him and move to Canada, there is only one answer, Yes. Read this marriage of convenience story to see them navigate beginning a marriage, and moving to another country all while taking care of Kenneth’s young boy.
I am not a fan of hockey but this book is really fun and heartwarming at the same time. Kenneth Salas and Jamie have technically never met but they are neighbors. After a highly emotional day Kenneth goes next door and asks Jamie to be his bride. She too has had an extremely bad day so when her hunky next door neighbor asks her to marry him and move to Canada, there is only one answer, Yes. Read this marriage of convenience story to see them navigate beginning a marriage, and moving to another country all while taking care of Kenneth’s young boy.
July 12, 2025
I am loving this series so much! Kenneth and Jamie have been staple side characters in the rest of the series so it was great to finally get their story. These two just ignited when together. I love how in love they are and how they love to keep each other on their toes. Plus I love a single parent romance and we get to see Kenneth in dad mode.
This is a dual pov, closed door romance. It is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone novel.
May 19, 2025
Wow!! This one is so good.
Ginny, I just love this wonderful story of Kenny and Jamie's journey to their happy ever after and this series. You are a remarkable author with amazing ability to create this heartfelt and realistic stories like this one. The storyline is heartfelt with love and humor along with strong /self drought characters with love to give.
Ginny, I just love this wonderful story of Kenny and Jamie's journey to their happy ever after and this series. You are a remarkable author with amazing ability to create this heartfelt and realistic stories like this one. The storyline is heartfelt with love and humor along with strong /self drought characters with love to give.
May 19, 2025
I loved the relationship between the two main characters, but what put me off was the kid. In the beginning of the book, Zachary can barely string words together and is constantly being carried and snuggled by Jamie and Kenneth, and then suddenly (after just a couple of months in story time) he is 5 and talking in complete sentences? Pick an age and stick with it.
May 29, 2025
Loved it
Never thought I would like anything about sports, but these books about hockey players make me feel I might like hocky. This book shows a team tied together better than some families. This once shows how one right choice can turn out to be wonderful. Kenneth makes a choice to get a job and it gets him two famlies.
Never thought I would like anything about sports, but these books about hockey players make me feel I might like hocky. This book shows a team tied together better than some families. This once shows how one right choice can turn out to be wonderful. Kenneth makes a choice to get a job and it gets him two famlies.
Read
November 19, 2025Binge Read Worthy
I started it and couldn't stop reading. Kenneth and his young son Zachary marrying Jamie so he could play for the new NHL team. It is the best swoon-worthy, romantic, flirty dialog and relationship! It is an over-the-top perfect marriage and stepmom story from start to finish. I love this series!
I started it and couldn't stop reading. Kenneth and his young son Zachary marrying Jamie so he could play for the new NHL team. It is the best swoon-worthy, romantic, flirty dialog and relationship! It is an over-the-top perfect marriage and stepmom story from start to finish. I love this series!
April 21, 2025
Single dad with an adorable 5-year-old has a new job with a new hockey team. One requirement needs to be met: he needs to be married! Why not finally meeting his single neighbor and see if they can work something out?
Great story!
Great story!
May 17, 2025
amazing
What an amazing story of wonder and love! It was exciting to see how these people married not knowing each other well, and learned to take care of each other. This is a great book, and worth the time to enjoy reading!
What an amazing story of wonder and love! It was exciting to see how these people married not knowing each other well, and learned to take care of each other. This is a great book, and worth the time to enjoy reading!
May 18, 2025
Fun and flirtatious
I enjoyed this exciting occupants filled with humor. Love and mutual respect help. The characters go from fake relationship that they jumped into to something deep. I adored little Zack.
I enjoyed this exciting occupants filled with humor. Love and mutual respect help. The characters go from fake relationship that they jumped into to something deep. I adored little Zack.
May 22, 2025
I am just loving this series! Can’t stop listening and just waiting for more! These characters were so fun and delightful! Swooniness was fantastic! Enjoy!
AI did pretty well on this one! Thanks Audible!
AI did pretty well on this one! Thanks Audible!
January 7, 2026
This was such a cute read! Perfect for those looking for a hockey romcom with more romcom than hockey. I will say this is a closed door/fade to black romance, not “just kisses” as I have seen mentioned for this book. Super sweet read with a cinnamon roll of an MMC! I can’t wait to read more in this series!
May 4, 2025
Absolutely loved this one! Such a beautiful marriage of convenience where taking a chance gave them their soulmate. Adored Kenneth & Jamie together. The sweetest happily ever after!
June 8, 2025
Sweet! I just wish it had been a bit longer!
November 5, 2025
What else could go wrong!? Kenneth Salas is having the absolute worst day ever and is at his wits end. How can he make this right? He needs to take the position on the new team his agent has found for him and get his son away from his ex. But the job comes with one big requirement... he has to be married.
Jamie's day is going about as well as Kenneth's and in her state of mind she does something crazy. She accepts a marriage proposal from a total stranger.. Kenneth.
Now she's living in a new country responsible for a young boy and married. What on earth!?
Another wild ride marriage of convenience from Ginny Sterling.
Jamie's day is going about as well as Kenneth's and in her state of mind she does something crazy. She accepts a marriage proposal from a total stranger.. Kenneth.
Now she's living in a new country responsible for a young boy and married. What on earth!?
Another wild ride marriage of convenience from Ginny Sterling.
May 16, 2025
I absolutely adore Kenneth & Jamie's slightly chaotic, sweet,caring, laugh out loud, loving, swoony happily ever after!!
September 10, 2025
Kenneth Salas certainly has an innovative way to introduce himself. Hi, I’m Kenneth, your next-door neighbor and I need you to marry me and move to Canada. What young lady wouldn’t jump at that? Well, most wouldn’t almost choke to death on a cookie, but Jamie was talented that way. I loved this story. It has been fun following the formation of the Wolverines. Sudden marriages, instant families, old and new teammates and opponents, what could go wrong? I can’t wait to see what Ginny Sterling has for us next.
May 23, 2025
Loving this series!!
Kenneth and Jamie were so adorable in this story! From neighbors to all-in and committed to making marriage work. I loved their flirty texts - just so cute! Kenneth was such a thoughtful and caring husband, and Jamie’s bond with Zachary was very sweet! Loving this series and all the guys and their wives.
Kenneth and Jamie were so adorable in this story! From neighbors to all-in and committed to making marriage work. I loved their flirty texts - just so cute! Kenneth was such a thoughtful and caring husband, and Jamie’s bond with Zachary was very sweet! Loving this series and all the guys and their wives.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews