False Play

by Yinn Quirós

Henry Anderson has always been the league’s favorite bad boy—cocky, ridiculously talented, and never one to back down from a fight. But when a brutal on-ice brawl puts his career on the line, his only shot at redemption lies in the hands of Kennedy Jones, the team’s new PR director, who can’t stand him… and who just so happens to be the woman he’s had a thing for since the moment she walked into the arena years ago.

Kennedy’s personal life is a mess. She thought she’d be in a very different place by now, but she’s focused on one thing: fixing Henry’s image and getting him back in the team’s good graces. That is, until a tabloid article drops with out-of-context photos and bold claims that they’re dating as a desperate PR stunt. Now? They need a plan. Fast.

He needs to fix his reputation. She needs to protect her career in a male-dominated industry. Enter the perfect plan: spin the article in their favor, fake a relationship, and convince the world it’s real.

But the more they pretend, the more real it starts to feel. Sparks fly. Lines blur. Kennedy insists she still can’t stand him, mostly to protect her bruised heart. And Henry, despite every reason to keep his distance, is falling hard and fast.

With careers, reputation, and hearts on the line, they’ll have to decide… Can this false play turn into the real thing?

False Play is a spicy sports workplace romance with black cat x golden retriever energy, fake dating, forced proximity, and he falls first.

Genres: Hockey, Romance, Fake Dating, Sports Romance, Sports, Hockey Romance, Forced Proximity

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2025

About the author

Yinn Quirós is an indie romance author who loves writing epic love stories with laugh-out-loud banter,  men who yearn like it physically hurts them, and plenty of spice. She loves all things sports (especially F1 and hockey), romance, and music. 

When she’s not writing, you can find her watching games or races, walking around the windy city with her rescued puppy, or listening to music and curating playlists for all the stories that live rent-free inside her head. You can find Yinn on all socials under @yinnquirosauthor.

Reviews

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 4 stars

Update (11/6/2025): Happy publishing day to False Play!

"You're a force to be reckoned with, Kennedy Jones." I smiled when she took a sharp inhale and dropped her gaze. "Talented, fierce, and fearless. Don't let anyone ever make you believe otherwise."

⋆｡‧˚ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆
I think my ARC slump is gone! This was the perfect palate cleanser and a cute, wholesome read. If you're looking to support an indie author and looking for a hockey romance recommendation to kick off the NHL season, look no further than False Play!

Kennedy Jones worked hard to get to where she is as a PR director for the Chicago Strikers hockey team. In a male-dominated industry, she's determined to make a name for herself, which means doing her job well, staying out of trouble, and not taking BS from anyone. Enter Henry Anderson, the Strikers' resident bad boy on the hockey team, known for his insane talent, and even more so, infamously known for starting fights on the rink. When a fight goes too far and Henry gets benched, Kennedy has to step in to help clean his image up, and when an out-of-context photo goes public of the two of them looking like a couple, they decide to fake date to clean Henry's image up and keep Kennedy from landing in a PR disaster of her own.

First, I want to put it out there that I'm absolutely LOVING this trend of seeing women in male-dominated fields in books! As examples, we see this in Chelsea Curto's D.C. Stars series, Kanitha P.'s Full Throttle series, and now False Play! I think it's so important to bring awareness to the fact that there's women out there who would love to get into the sports world, or just any other male-dominated field in some way or another, and I'm hoping that these stories hit the right person and inspire them to chase after their dreams.

Let's go into the characters a little more:

୨ৎ Kennedy: She's probably one of my new favorite FMCs in a romance story. She's headstrong, she's confident, she's badass, her favorite color is pink, and she doesn't need a man to make her feel complete because she's enough on her own. I think that her imposter syndrome was extremely real, though, and that's something that I can relate to on a personal level. Her struggles with making her voice heard at work in a male-dominated area, where it's very much a "my way or the highway" environment, make it hard for her to feel confident in herself, despite how determined she is to make a name for herself.

The one thing I wish we got to read more about in the book is Kennedy's background. We know little to nothing about Kennedy's past in the story in comparison to Henry's (which I'll mention in a little bit). I would've loved to learn about her life growing up, her getting her job with the Strikers, and her journey down the path to being a PR director. We get to know about her personality in the office, but we also don't get to learn a lot of stuff about her hobbies and what she likes to do outside of work, which made her fall a little flat for me, but she still has a very strong personality! It just felt at times like her entire personality was her job and her career, and she didn't have anything else outside of that.

୨ৎ Henry: If you're looking for a guy that falls first and falls so hard he fell and cracked the ground beneath him, look no further than Henry Anderson. He's the perfect ray of sunshine to Kennedy's black cat personality, and I knew he was a goner by like, the second chapter. He would do ANYTHING for Kennedy, and he's such a gentleman. He protects her, he stands up for her, he makes sure she's taken care of...what more can you ask for? He brought out the best in Kennedy, and I love how he remembered EVERYTHING about her. It's like he knew her better than she knew herself at times. Acts of service and words of affirmation being his love language >>>>>>>>>>>>

This might also sound a little weird, but I liked how we actually got a backstory that explains why Henry acts the way he does. In what is a stark contrast to Kennedy's personality and character development, we get to learn a lot about Henry's upbringing, his family life growing up, and how all of that shaped him to be the person he is today. His character is complex, and reading the story continuously pulls back those layers on him as a person as you get to know him more throughout the story. I feel like I've read some romance books here and there where we get a MC who's a bit on the wild side, but we don't really get a legitimate reason as to why they're like that, or it's something along the lines of "I do it because I can and I have nothing to lose." With Henry's story, his background and character development is very much rooted in his life growing up and what he's been through (which is....a lot, but I won't get into it to avoid spoilers), and are things he's still dealing with during the events of the book. I love how Kennedy can calm him down during his moments and quell his anger.

Overall, this was a great hockey romance! This is my first book by the author, and I can't wait to see what's next in the Chicago Strikers series. (I'm hoping we get Hayes's book next hehe).

P.S. Captain Sushi the cat will forever have a special place in my heart.
⋆｡‧˚ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆ ʚ ୨ৎ ɞ˚‧｡⋆
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I'm finally starting my first hockey romance in quite a long time!🏒🥅 With the NHL season in full swing now, it's hockey romance time for me again since my city's NHL team is just utterly mid😭 I've also been in a teeny bit of an ARC slump for the last few months since I've been trying to be better at tackling my physical TBR recently, so I'm hoping this gets me back in the swing of things!

Thank you SO much to Love Notes PR and Yinn Quirós for the eARC! False Play will be officially published on November 6th, 2025!

[Nafisa King · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was everything

five stars. this is a black cat x golden retriever romance following a guarded FMC, Kenny, navigating old wounds and a MMC, Henry, who is patient, steady, and unexpectedly funny as he chips away at her defenses. as their situations push them together, they move from reluctant allies to something that feels like home, and the journey balances humor, heat, and real emotional work.

“no one deserved to be alone with their thoughts, especially when they were the wrong ones” captures the heart of this book: healing doesn’t happen in isolation. he is emotionally mature in a way that feels rare and deeply satisfying and she is so strong yet slowly allows herself to be vulnerable and it is beautiful to witness. i feel lucky i stumbled on this because yinn quiros has become an autobuy author for me and i love seeing black women centered on the page with nuance, respect, and joy.

[lucialeelibros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know that while I was reading this book, I actually got to chat with the author and fangirl with her for, like, 60% of the book? It all started because I posted on my Instagram story that I was reading it, she liked it, and I just couldn’t help telling her how much I was loving it. What I didn’t expect was that we’d end up building such a sweet connection—commenting on scenes, laughing together, stressing over the story… and now, we’re actually good friends. So, you can probably guess how much I loved this book for that to even happen.

Before I dive into the review, I need to say this: this is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it definitely won’t be the last. I’ve officially stepped into her world, and from now on, I’m a total fan. I’ll be the first one to support and devour her upcoming books with excitement.

now... E-ARC Review!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐💗💖!!! thank you Loves PR For this ARC and our amazing author Yinn Quirós.

So, where do I even start? Yes, this story has the classic hockey trope. But let’s be real—who doesn’t love a good hockey book? There are millions out there, but not all of them are good. Some are, of course, but this one… this one is exceptional. And here’s why.

We have a protagonist who, at first, hides his true self, and who completely disarms you as you get to know him. And then there’s her—our heroine. She’s strong, smart, and independent. Not naive, not submissive, not the kind of woman who lets life push her around. She’s someone you look at and think, “Wow, what an incredible woman.”

The teammates are another highlight. They’re a lovable chaos—inside jokes, loyalty, camaraderie. Some are just colleagues, others are real friends. This book has it all: witty banter, that playful flirting that makes you shout at the book, “Just kiss already!” Because, of course, they keep saying, “You don’t like me,” while everyone reading is thinking, “Yes, you do, and you’re going to end up together.”

Now, let’s talk about the main characters: Henry Anderson, 30, professional hockey player, who loses his cool when someone messes with the people he cares about most. And Kennedy, 32, part of the team’s PR staff, responsible for keeping the players’ public images spotless. Her job is to “clean up” any scandal or mistake Henry might make so the team always looks perfect. So, you can imagine the dynamic: the intense, high-strung guy and the professional, strong woman who’s not here for his drama.
What happens next is that, due to an event I won’t spoil, they’re forced to fake a relationship. Henry needs to protect his image, Kennedy needs to do her job, and suddenly they need each other. From the very start, Henry is completely obsessed with her—but in that way that makes you smile and say, “Oh, come on, just admit it.” Kennedy resists. She resists everything—his smile, his charms, his acts of service, because he’s fluent in every love language. His main one? Acts of service. But he’s also incredibly observant: noticing when she likes to wear pink shoes, how she drinks her beer when she’s nervous, when she needs space without saying a word. Sure, if you think about it logically it could seem a little intense, but here, we’re romanticizing, and that’s exactly what we want to do.

The story also has an amazing plot twist. There are moments where you want to close the book or shake some of the characters—but in the end, everyone gets what they deserve. The author handles important topics naturally: the role of women in sports, the media pressure on professional hockey players, and the complexities of public image. And even though I’m not a hockey fan, everything—the game dynamics, the terminology, the atmosphere—was so well done that I felt completely immersed in that world.

In short, this is a fantastic book. If I could, I’d give it five thousand stars. I hope anyone reading this review can feel my excitement and happiness, because this story was truly extraordinary. Please, read it. It comes out in November, and I promise you’ll feel every emotion, every smile, and every heartbeat I felt while reading it.


Yinn if you're reading this, THANK YOU AGAIN 🥹❤️⭐💗💖!!!!

[Lyn ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♡ Hockey Bad Boy x PR Specialist
♡ Workplace Romance
♡ Roommates
♡ Fake Dating
♡ Slow burn, banter
♡ Cat Daddy
♡ Found family

I will eat up a hockey romance every single time. Yinn DID NOT DISAPPOINT. This was my first time reading her work and defo will not be the last! Knowing that this is the start of a SIX book hockey series has me sooo giddy because I’m going to devour every single one 🤭

Where do I even begin with False Play?! Whew. Kennedy was such a boss babe who took no shit. Henry said it well when he said: ”You’re a force to be reckoned with, Kennedy Jones….Talented, fierce and fearless. Don’t let anyone ever make you believe otherwise.”!!!! She was very much all work and no play, struggling with imposter syndrome in such a male dominated field, but she knew what she wanted and went for it.

HENRY. The known bad boy who’s always getting into fights out on the ice. He falls first and hard. Truly a man OBSESSED. He had me feeling butterflies IRL, laughing out loud and kicking my feet. The acts of service and words of affirmation had me done for. He was secretly so damn thoughtful, protective and sweet. He enjoyed being such a good boy on his knees 😌

CAPTAIN SUSHI. IYKYK. One of my favorite parts of the book. I could not stop laughing. +++ Bonus points for New Girl and Friends references?! Amazing.

Yinn’s writing was *chef’s kiss* — well paced, funny, engaging and immersive. She handled topics of women in sports and DV with care. I’ve never wanted to watch a hockey game more than after reading this. Istg, I had GOOSEBUMPS while reading about their games and the team’s dynamic — you’d think I was right there near the ice, cheering them on 🤭 + found family aspect gave me so much life. I’m ready to dive into every single other hockey player’s story because they were so well introduced and fun to read about.

If you’re familiar with Windy City series by Liz Tomforde and DC Stars series by Chelsea Curto, you’ll definitely enjoy Yinn’s Chicago Strikers series! ♡

💌 Thank you so much Love Notes PR and Yinn for the eARC ♡

[Hasi | hasi.readsromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹ ARC Review ⊹ ࣪ ˖⊹

4/5

📖 False Play

This is my first book by this author and after so any teasers and gorgeous character arts, I knew I needed this book!

📚
Henry Anderson needs to fix his public image after letting his temper get the best of him, twice. During one game, he hit a player from the opposing team not once, but twice. He’s already been given too many chances, and now both his coach and the team's General Manager have made it clear: it’s time to clean up his act and start taking his role as a professional athlete seriously. That’s where Kennedy Jones comes in.

As one of the senior PR specialists for the Chicago Thunders, it’s Kennedy’s job to keep players in line and their media presence clean. Now, she’s been assigned to rehabilitate the image of the one player who never fails to get under her skin with his cocky remarks and constant smugness.

But after a breakup and the end of her engagement, Kennedy finds herself without a place to stay. Enter Hayes, Henry’s best friend and the biggest meddler, who conveniently lets it slip that Henry needs a roommate. Why? Because of his cat, Captain Sushi, who supposedly suffers from separation anxiety. The only problem? Captain Sushi doesn’t exist. Yet. Desperate for a place to live, Kennedy accepts the offer. And to make it work, Henry adopts a cat. Just like that!!!

Then someone spots them together and suddenly, the solution to Henry’s PR crisis becomes clear: fake a relationship to cleanup his bad boy image.


💬
WOW. I’m a fast reader, once I sit down with a book and fall in love, I fly through it in just a few hours, forgetting to eat, sleep and adulting, and that’s exactly what happened when I downloaded this book to my Kindle.

After seeing the beautiful artwork on the author’s Instagram and all the teasers, I was already so invested in Henry and Kennedy’s story. I knew I’d love this book!

Kennedy Jones, oh what a woman! She was such a strong, fierce FMC, but not in a way that felt over-the-top or cold. She had this powerful, boss-woman energy that I loved, and the way she handled Henry? Chef’s kiss!!! She was the perfect black cat FMC, cool, confident, and so beautiful!

And Henry… oh my god. Give me a man like him, please. Henry Anderson is the textbook definition of a bad boy with a golden retriever personality. I mean, isn’t that what we all want? I loved how completely obsessed he was with Kennedy, he kept denying his feelings, but it was so painfully obvious this man was down bad. In the best way.

The pacing was good, faster than I usually prefer, but it worked so well for Henry and Kennedy’s dynamic that it didn’t bother me at all. And I loved the tv show references, especially the New Girl one when Hayes and Henry talked about their pranking. (That alone bumped the rating up by half a star for me!)

This was such a fun romance, packed with some of my favourite tropes: fake dating, black cat/golden retriever dynamic, and just the right amount of spice. The steam was definitely there, but it never overshadowed the actual romance.

All in all, this was an amazing start to a new series. If you love hockey romances and these tropes? Add this to your TBR immediately!


Releasing November 6, 2025!

Thanks to the author and Love Notes PR for the ARC!


🩷 FMC: 4.5/5

💙 MMC: 4/5

📖 Story: 4/5

⌛ Pace: 3.5/5

🌶️ Spice: 3/5

💞 Romance: 4/5

🤩 Overall Rating: 4/5 🌟

POV: Dual

Favourite character(s): Henry, Kennedy and Hayes!

Tropes:
❤️‍🔥He Falls First
❤️‍🔥Yearning
❤️‍🔥Fake Relationship
❤️‍🔥Hockey Player
❤️‍🔥Obsessed Hero
❤️‍🔥Found Family
❤️‍🔥Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥Banter

This is book #1 in an interconnected series.

[𝓔𝓵𝓵𝓮 ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ 4.5 stars

❝𝐈'𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮.❞

╰┈➤ 𝙥𝙧𝙚-𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙
Started: October 16, 2025

I just got this ARC last night and I’m immediately diving into it. Also, I’m buddy reading with Sara bc we love each other 🫂

✧.* 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 ᯓ★

If Mile High and The Right Move had a child, it would be this book and I LOVE IT! Both of these are my favorite books and the fact that False Play reminded me of them is just everything.

This was such a cutesy read and although I didn’t like how Henry started off as this bad-boy persona the public should see, he definitely came through in the end. I loved seeing his character development along with Kennedy. He is such an acts-of-service type of man and I need one like him so badly, I’m not even joking! The way he always shows up for her and always ends up rescuing her whenever she’s in a tight spot.

Kennedy is such a badass female character. Working in a male-dominated field isn’t something ordinary and I love that for her! Although she did come off unlikeable for me with how she just lets everyone (like her “friends”) treat her like shit, I'm glad Henry told her off about it and she actually did change. They’re both so hot and perfect for each other.

I don’t want to spoil anything because it’s an experience one must have for theirselves but all I can say is, this book is a good palate cleanser and I recommend it to those who love a good sports romance with Windy City vibes! Bonus points: the cover is cute too!

[catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got the ARC the other day and… Oh my god this became one of my favorite hockey romance books I’ve ever read. This was my first book by Yinn Quirós and I loved it. I’m such a sucker for the fake dating trope. I loved how cocky Henry was (literally had me giggling and kicking my feet), but also so sweet and attentive and reassuring to Kennedy. And oh wow did I love Kennedy and related to her for different reasons. I loved how at work she took crap from no one and was so confident and intelligent. Like I genuinely cannot recommend this book more, everyone needs to read it!!!!!!!!!

[Whispering Chapters]

The author said that someone said that if Play Along x The Deal x Fall with Me had a baby, it would be this book, so obviously, I had to add it to my tbr asap.

- fake dating
- forced proximity
- found family
- he falls first
- workplace romance

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️s

I love that I have a new hockey series to dive into and I can already tell I am going to eat the entire thing up. This was such a strong first book and the perfect setup for what I know is going to be an addictive series.

Kennedy was everything I wanted in an FMC. I love when a woman steps confidently into a male dominated field and absolutely owns her space. That is one of my favorite micro tropes an author can put in a story. Kennedy being a PR agent who has to clean up Henry’s image was a crazy ride. Henry, the MMC, is a hockey player and a shameless flirt who also happens to be in love with Kennedy. The amount of yearning this man has is unreal. He pays attention to every tiny detail, gives her what she has never had before, and treats her the way the queen truly deserves.

The team dynamic was one of my favorite parts. The guys were hilarious and the group text where they tried to use a hockey romance to help Henry win the girl had me grinning the entire time.

There are some heavier topics woven into the story, but they are handled with care. Hearing Henry’s backstory makes everything about him make so much more sense. I loved watching Kennedy break down his walls and see that soft cinnamon roll heart he keeps tucked away.

I cannot wait to see what is next in this series. This is definitely one to watch.

[shcatharsis · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai adoré ! Trop bonne lecture !

Tout ce que je recherche dans une romance hockey est dans ce livre. En le lisant, j'avais la sensation que l'autrice nous avait compris nous lectrices...

Toutes les tropes sont maîtrisées, le flirt et la tension sont bien présentes. Je souriais comme une débile dans les transports devant ma kindle... Il y avait tellement de petites phrases, qu'on aime retrouver dans une romance. Elle a mis tous les ingrédients pour nous faire kiffer. Tout est implanté au bon moment et tout fait sens. Ça se suit très logiquement. Je me suis dit l'autrice est forte, très forte.

Le livre ne perd pas de temps et nous plonge direct dans l'intrigue. Je l'ai trouvé hyper dynamique même si je regrette plutôt une fin qui traîne en longueur... et une résolution rapide de certains pans de l'intrigue ! Ça manquait peut-être un peu de match de hockey mais en même temps, ça se comprend vu l'intrigue.

Henry maîtrise le flirt et est très gentleman. Kennedy est une femme forte et j'ai adoré sa personnalité !

J'ai adoré les personnages secondaires, qui ajoutent vraiment de l'humour à l'intrigue ! Ils m'ont bien fait rire.

[Zahirymar Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review - Gracias a Love Notes PR y Yinn Quirós por enviarme este ARC.

Este libro definitivamente fue un 4.5 estrellas para mi. Cada libro que escribe Yinn es mucho mejor que el anterior.

Aquí vamos a ver la historia de Henry Anderson quien es un jugador de Hokey de los Chicago Thunders, en uno de sus juegos tiene un altercado con un jugador de otro equipo que lo lleva a que su Coach y el General Manager del equipo le den un ultimatum para que limpie su imagen y tome su rol como atleta profesional seriamente. Kennedy Jones es una de las Seniors PR especialistas del equipo y le asignan a que ayude a rehabilitar la imagen de Henry. Ahora bien, ella está atravesando una ruptura y no tiene donde vivir practicamente y entre los amigos de Henry la convencen para que ella sea la roomate de Henry. Así es que comienza la historia entre estos personajes.

Este libro es de esos libros que cuando comienzas no quieres para de leer. Osea Henry, estaba obsesionado in a good way con Kennedy. El literalmente sabía hasta como a ella le gustaba su café. Este hombre dio todo por esta mujer. Kennedy tiene una personalidad increíble, en un mundo rodeada de hombres ella sobre sale por su profesionalismo y su trabajo arduo para poder llegar donde quiere. Amo las strong FMC y Kennedy me lo dió todo.

Definitivamente un romance demasiado lindo. Aquí vas a encontrar fake dating, forced proximity, banter y found family. Super recomendado. Yinn no decepciona nunca.

[Alice Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

there’s nothing more than i love than a man so down bad for his girl and henry is exactly that. this book is giving yearning to the MAX and i’m here for it. if your a fan of chelsea curto books (which i am) then this series is for you, i can already tell i’m going to be in love with it

[Anna Berger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was mid it was good but it wasn’t anything special. I thought it was cute at times but I wasn’t my favorite.
⭐️3/5

[han ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

“i notice you, kenny. i always do.”

guess who found a new favourite author? it’s me.

this book was beyond good! i’ve fallen in love with sports romance all over again through henry and kennedy’s story, and i will absolutely be reading more from this author as soon as possible. from the fake dating to the banter, there is no possible way to be bored when you’re reading this book. henry and kennedy have a type of love that is envied, and i really wish i could read this book for the first time again (it was that good). i will shamelessly say that i swooned every time henry showed kennedy that he has noticed her for forever even though she thought he hadn’t. henry and kennedy will forever have a special place in my heart!

thank you so much to lovenotes pr and the author for the e-arc! 💌

ㅤㅤ♡ fake dating
ㅤ♡ he falls first
♡ found family
ㅤ♡ forced proximity
ㅤ♡ workplace romance

[gi_reads30 · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost thanks to Love Notes PR and Yinn Quirós for the e-ARC of False play, a fake dating hockey romance that is book 1 of a new series.

Let me start by saying what I liked, and what worked for me:

This is my first Yinn Quirós book, and it will not be my last. I really liked her writing, her banter was GREAT and the cast was very endearing. I can't wait to see the story of the other players in the team throughout the series. Henry was an absolute cutie pie, and Kennedy was a strong fmc that just deserved to be loved flaws and all. I enjoyed their banter, their chemistry and how beautifully they had each other's back. Given their backgrounds, and the things that they had to go through in life to be where they were, it was nice to see how they could rely on each other.


What didn't work for me:

I wanted to know more about Kennedy. I feel as though I know her intentions, I know about her past yet I don't know her as well as I do Henry. I think he was better developed than the fmc. I wanted to see more of her upbringing. The conflict...although I loved that there was NO third act break up...it was solved too quickly, it felt rushed.


Final thoughts:

Like I said, this won't be my last book from Yinn. There were so many cute moments, so many funny instances and the banter was great! I had a good time reading this first book of what is going to be a 6 BOOK SERIES (I am sooo looking forward to Hayes story, and Owens). I do recommend it if you're looking for a sweet story, with great banter, spice and found family

[Adrianna Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so cute! I loved it. Henry and Kennedy were great. The way it started out was a little difficult but over time their relationship grew stronger and stronger. Their nicknames were so cute. ☺️ I saw that “Kenny baby” nod to tsitp. 😜 and I loved the FRIENDS nod as well. Joey Tribbiani 😍 The relationship between Henry and his father made so much sense. Henry was trying to be the best version of himself but with all the pain and trauma he endured, he just didn’t know how to properly control his emotions. I’m so glad he found Kennedy because she was just what he needed to mellow out. Kennedy had her own struggles and her journey withHenry finally gave her the courage to better understand and accept navigating past her hardships. All together I loved this book. I can’t wait to see what Yinn has for the next 5 books. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for enemies to lovers (Olivia and Hayes) or friends to lovers (Val and Owens)

[Belslibraryy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review — Flash Player by Yinn Quirós

I absolutely devoured this book. From the very first chapter, I knew I was going to be hooked. Flash Player has everything I love in a hockey romance charm, chemistry, banter, and a perfectly balanced mix of heart and humor. Yinn Quirós created such a strong start to what’s shaping up to be an incredibly addictive series.

Kennedy was such a breath of fresh air as a FMC. I adore a woman who knows her worth, stands her ground in a male-dominated space, and owns every room she walks into. Watching her navigate her role as a PR agent and hold her own among hockey players made me root for her the entire time.

And then there’s Henry, the man who redefines “down bad.” His charm, his acts of service, the way he pays attention to every tiny detail it all made my heart melt. His devotion to Kennedy was so genuine, and his backstory added so much emotional depth. I loved seeing him slowly let down his walls and reveal that soft, cinnamon-roll side he tries to hide.

The team dynamic was another highlight for me the hilarious banter, the group chats, and the teasing made me smile nonstop. It gave the story such a warm, found-family feel that balanced the romance perfectly.

Thank you to Yinn Quirós and LoveNotes PR for the ARC

[Jessica Casselman · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read & review.

This is my first novel by @yinnquirosauthor and it won’t be my last! I loved her writing style and the pace of the book. I’ve read a few hockey romance novels now and this is definitely one of my favourites. The FMC was truly a strong, fierce woman and the MMC was really everything you could want in your book boyfriend.

Loved it! Can’t wait to read more in this series :)


Thank you to @lovenotes.pr and @yinnquirosauthor for this one!

[Sapphira · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Play
Author: Yinn Quirós
ARC Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Tropes:
- Sports Romance
- He's obsessed with her
- Fake Dating
- Forced Proximity
- Black Cat × Golden Retriever
- NHL Player × PR Director
- He falls first, She falls harder
- Cat Dad MMC

--

Review:
False Play is a slow burn, fake dating, forced proximity sports romance with lots of banter, team's group chat texts, bromance & few more budding storylines. Oh and did I mention the appearances of the iconic tuxedo cat?!

Henry Anderson has been enamored by Kennedy Jones ever since he laid his eyes on her when she walked through the doors of Chicago Thunders; and he wants nothing more than to have her attention on him.

He is a jokester of the team, always having fun, pushing boundaries of the rules, being the life of the party that is until a fight broke out and his reputation is on the line.

Kennedy Jones is a headstrong, resilient, independent and no bullshit PR Director for Chicago Thunders, constantly dominating the male oriented field of sports.

Oh and did I tell you she's not fond of Henry at all? In a true black cat sense, she finds him annoying, unserious and loud. So when Henry stirs up the drama at press conference she's forced to clean up his mess.

With forced proximity, fake dating and Henry's small acts of kindness & sweet gestures she is forced, actually no scratch that she's pushed over a cliff where she finds herself free falling in love with him.

The book also briefly mentions abandonement issues, off page domestic violence and parental abuse.

The book is overall a beautiful depiction of unfurling of complexity of Henry and Kennedy's characters where they slowly to find their way to each other. Kennedy grows a protective streak for Henry and is willing to do anything for him while Henry does everything in his power to show her that loving her is his privilege.

So if you love a good sports romance with multilayered characters and slowly budding gentle romance, this is for you!!!!

[Paige IRB · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely love

The humor in this book is unmatched. The heroine is so witty and has the exact humor I love. Dry, sarcastic but with a pinch of love. I really am so into this new world. Cannot wait for the next book.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

He could talk me through it any day

[Brittany Delgado · Rating 4 out of 5]

** ARC READ **

OMG I was hooked so quick. This is such a well written ROM COM. Easily one of my favorite hockey books and ROMCOMs. It had me smiling, giggling, and DROPPING MY JAW through the whole book. the way I went through all the emotions with the characters... I NEED more. so I will now go wither away while I wait for her to write the next 5 😭

[Sara 𝜗𝜚⋆˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝜗𝜚⋆˚ Pre-read
GUESS WHO FINALLY FIGURED OUT THE WHOLE PREREAD REVIEW?? MEE🥳🥳

I’m so excited to devour this and even more excited that it’s a buddy read with the cutie Elle🙂‍↕️🫶

—————————————————————

If you're looking to a hockey fake dating romance recommendation, you have to read this book!!🙂‍↕️

This book was such a good palate cleanser and a cutesy read!! First of all, I want to say that I'm absolutely loving this trend of seeing women in male-dominated fields in books, and with this book, it was written so realistically!!🙂‍↕️ I'm hoping that these type of books inspire readers to chase after their dreams. and not give up!! And the found family element in this book made my heart melt and i definitely need everyone to get a book 👀👀

We got to see how Kennedy struggles with her own mind about this job and how she was so determined to not let anything sway her out of it and I’m glad we saw how she build up the courage to report that coworker ( I genuinely for the life of my can’t remember his name 🧍‍♀️)
I also really loved how realistic Kennedy is!! She is so determined in her job and so confident but we did see a vulnerable side of her especially around her “friend group” that was kind of a hostile & unkind environment for her, and here comes Henry🤭

I didn’t like the whole bad boy persona at the start but he did turn things around!!
He is such a softy around Kenny, he always shows up for her and notices everything about her ( you can’t tell me that man wasn’t so OBSESSED with her!! Give me a man like asap please🫠) and the way he stood up for her and made her know that they’re not worth up and helped her away from them!!

& THE WAY THEY WERE READY TO SACRIFICE THEIR CAREERS FOR EACH OTHER MADE ME SOB, like they’re PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER!!!
They’re genuinely such a cute and sweet couple, I need more of them and their banter please 😭
Ps: Captain Sushi is my favorite character and I need an art of him wearing a miniature jersey rn!!!

Thank you so much to love notes PR and Yinn Quirós for the eARC!🫶

[OnBooksAndMountains · Rating 4 out of 5]

He’s the cocky hockey player with anger issues and a marshmallow center. She’s the tough as nails publicist trying to make it in a man’s world who wants to hate him but can’t help but find him charming.
They end up fake dating to save their reputations, but things get tricky when they start falling in love for real.

What I loved:
Kennedy was the grumpy one who wanted to find fault in him but found herself drawn to him despite her best efforts and Henry was down bad for her and just wanted her to love him back.
He knew all of her food preferences and made sure she ate because she would forget to eat
While Kennedy kept hiding behind the fake dating, she didn’t really resist her feelings for Henry once she got to know him and realized he wasn’t really a cocky asshole
Their cat
All of the side characters - the dynamics between them all were so much fun

I do think that it would have been more realistic for Henry to have suffered some type of official league suspension for beating up his rival during a game and to have to take anger management classes, but otherwise this was a cute and fun read and I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series.

Thank you Yinn Quiros and Love Notes PR for providing an eARC for me to review. All thoughts and feedback in this review are my own.

[Regina Dinan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The slight enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and close proximity tropes were good. The SPICE was giving baby!! The plot felt as if I had read it before but I am very glad there was no third act breakup which is a refreshing feeling. I will say that Anderson, even though it was intentional, felt sort of stalker-ish in a way that didn't sit right with me. I think that Kennedy felt like a good FMC but some of her verbiage could have been better. It did become very obvious where the series will go espically with all the subplots and side characters within this book.
If there are more books in the series, I will consider reading.

[Jaden Aliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love a good yearner! Was a cute “he falls first” moment. I wished they committed more to the fake dating aspect though. Other than that was a good time.

[evermorespages · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible!!!! AH I adored this so much

full rtc

[L.V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

U.G.H.

This book was everything it promised to be. Fun and banter filled but also?? i cried a ton?? what the heck???

This was my first Quirós book, but I know it won't be my last. ENAMORED doesn't even begin to cover it. I'm a sucker for a fake dating, ESPECIALLY when he's already head over heels.

[Alexis Mathis · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review!!

Tropes:
- fake dating
- he falls first
- banter
- workplace romance
- found family
- forced proximity
- slow burn



warnings:
- sexual explicit content
- talks about anxiety
- anger management issues
- domestic violence (not between MC’s)

Henry Anderson needs to clean up his image after letting his temper get the best of him during a game. He hit a player on the opposing team, not just once, but twice, and that’s where his PR specialist comes in, Kennedy Jones. She helps keeps the images clean of all the players for the Chicago Thunders hockey team.

Kennedy goes through a breakup after an engagement, leaving her with nowhere to stay. Leaving her only one place; Henry’s apartment. Why? Because he ‘needs help with Captain Sushi, his cat, due to separation anxiety. But there isn’t a cat, leaving Henry to actually get one after she agrees to move in.

While they’re out after her first night in his apartment, someone spots her and Henry comes up and pretends to be her boyfriend, then resulting to pictures getting out of them two, and Henry decides hes going to be her fake boyfriend to clean up his image to the public.


For one, I have to say, I adore the nicknames they have for each other! This is my first book I’ve read by this author and I loved it! Hockey books are one of my faves and I devoured this book!

Henry and Kennedy’s chemistry is amazing, even with them ‘dating’ they still kept it professional with each other. The way he stood up for her when needed!

Henry remembered everything about her, her favorite things even if she never said them. LOVE!!

Kennedy was stubborn to say the least, at some points in time. With Henry pushing her buttons to get her riled up, it added to the chemistry between them.

I especially loved Captain Sushi even if he’s just a cat.

The explicit scenes didn’t take away from the storyline, which I like

I can’t wait until the next book in the series and to see who it’s about! I’ll definitely be reading more of her books!

[Sydney Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inhaled this book, and I am OBSESSED with it. It literally has everything I love!!! Fake dating, boy obsessed, acts of service love language, and extremely witty banter.

First and foremost, it is a fake dating where the guy has been absolutely down bad for the woman and is trying to prove he deserves to be her real boyfriend. Henry was so obsessed with her, and I loved that he was so observant of anything she did or liked. When he would automatically know her orders, you could tell it meant so much to her to have someone notice and remember things about her.

Henry's acts of service love language literally made me tear up. All I want to do is find someone who is as observant and kind as Henry in real life. He was so caring, even if he didn't always show it so loudly. He deserves the entire world, and so does Kennedy. Kennedy is such a girl boss. She worked her butt off to get respect as a woman in a male-dominated field, and it is just so inspiring to see her work so hard to achieve her goals!

I just absolutely loved this book. It had a good balance of humor, romance, and plot! I would read it every day if I could. It has definitely made its way into becoming one of my favorites!!

tropes
-fake dating
-slow burn
-roommates
-forced proximity
-he falls first

Thank you Yinn Quirós and LoveNotes PR for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!!