Until We Burn

by Malissa Lee

Devoted and hungry for success, heiress Diana Huang knows what she has to do to uphold her family's graduate from journalism school and compete with her siblings to become CEO of the Huang Media Group.

Diana is letting nothing get in her way.

Until a scandal threatens her chances of becoming CEO and forces her to clear her name.

But she's not the only one feeling the pressure.

Focused and determined to redeem himself, Kainoa "Kai "Mason-Maiau has his eyes set on one get signed to an NHL team again. He made history three years ago as the first biracial Division I hockey player to become a Number One Draft Pick. But then a baseless rumor snatched his chance of getting signed and destroyed his reputation.

Now, in his final year at Dharton Hall University, Kai will do anything to prove he belongs in the NHL.

Driven by desire and desperate for stress relief, Kai and Diana strike up an become friends with benefits.

In the shadow of lies, controlling families, and cunning rivals on the ice, the heiress and the hockey player fight to keep their arrangement a secret, hoping that the fire burning between them won't take them down.

448 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 7, 2025

About the author

Malissa Lee is a proud Taiwanese-Lao Canadian author who writes steamy, swoony, soap opera filth with Asian girls at the forefront. When she’s not writing, she can be found screeching at grown ass men in skates while being romanced by Mr Malissa, a hot Scottish man who makes strange noises at her to show his affection. She is based in Manitoba and will never stop complaining about the weather.

IG: @dearmissmalissa

Reviews

[ari [gin’s vrsn 🩵] [semi ia]]

i don’t remember applying for this arc but i got an email saying i’m approved for it so 😭🙏

[Reba A · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut! This book. THIS BOOK. Hockey romance mixed x friends with benefits. Need I say more?

We get to see Kai and Diana’s relationship blossom from unconscious enemies to reluctant partners to more through the dual POVs. Not only do we get to peek into both of their minds with their POVs, but we get to see their struggles as they try to navigate societal pressures and familial ones too. It’s hard not to cheer for them when they stand up to the bullies and when they embrace their emotions.

Their friend group? Phenomenal. They are supportive, caring, and sit them down when they need it. Was I eyeballing a certain pair who might be set up down the road? MAYBE.

Overall, this book has it all. Spice, mental health rep, BIPOC rep, and so much more. If you want a hockey romance that leans some into the sport as well as the romance, this is for you. Kai and Diana have my heart as well as the number for my therapist.

soyez fier jusqu'à la fin

Thank you to Malissa Lee for the eARC. All opinions and thoughts are my own honest views

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Malissa for offering me an ARC copy of this book!

This was a book that was out of my regular genre but I did enjoy for what it was! The romance and the spice scenes were definitely a huge forte, but what really stood out for me was the internal struggles that both Diana and Kai went through. The things that Diana went through with trying to please her father and not knowing what she truly wanted and be her true self is so relatable I felt that strongly for her. The rest of the cast of characters were also fantastic too, I think Malissa did a fantastic job with their banter whenever the whole gang was there, ie. Luke, Rowan, Wallace (I WANT MORE OF HIM), and Stella.

There were some plot points I found a bit unbelievable, especially the last part, but I still enjoyed the ride regardless and I am so honored I got to know these lovely characters.

Thank you again Malissa for letting me read your beautiful book!

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for the arc!!

unfortunately, this book didn’t hit for me. i was excited to read a cute lil hockey romance that also included the drama of an heiress of an asian conglomerate. i was hopeful for a hockey x kdrama forbidden love story but it kinda took the worst parts of both tropes with bad smut and a crazy overdramatized ending. i found myself skimming through most of this book

[leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 / 5⭐️

(I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book for reviewing purposes. Thank you Malissa!)

"I don't know why it's taken me this long to notice her. Diana burns like a star, and she draws me in like gravity."

This is such a beautiful depiction of the struggle between obligation, desire, dreams, reality, and what it feels like to owe a debt to the world that brought you up.

Kai and Diana are such compelling characters, flawed in all the real ways, navigating worlds and lives that aren't shy about letting them know that they'll need to fight tooth and nail to occupy a place in them, and yet staying kind and forgiving through it all.

The ensemble cast is also so well written, each nuanced and unique in a way that makes them easy to get to know and love and root for or know and hate and hope they are thrown into the Vancouver Harbour.

I read this book twice before writing my review simply because there was so much content to digest and I wanted to make sure I gave each element of this story equal attention. While doing so, I picked out quotes that I think beautifully illustrate these elements, and have stuck with me since reading.

Spoilers start now!


Through the grief of letting go of the life and expectations that have been set out for her, Diana goes through an incredible journey of self-discovery and learning what it means to want outside of the bounds of what you thought you could have.

And God, does Diana want. She is ambitious, sharp, kind, disciplined, soft, and untouchable (until she isn't). She knows exactly what place she occupies in the world, and what she wants to do with it. How she wants it to change, but how also she must mold herself to fit into it.

"How many more beautiful, wonderful things lie beyond the decisions I'm too afraid to make?"

What I love most about this journey she takes is that several people from different parts of her life feed into the learning and growth she undergoes. Helen, Hans, Sophia, Stella, Sadie, Andrea, her bàba, her brothers, and - most of all - Kai.

Whether or not she has a good relationship with them is almost irrelevant; each relationship, its ups and downs teach her something new about what she wants or doesn't. She is known in so many different versions of herself that (early on in the book) she often seems to not know which one is really her.

She starts UWB not really knowing who Diana Huang is. What does she want, what is she allowed to want, and how much is her personal ambition clouded by the desire for approval and love from her family, from her bàba?

As she navigates each of these unique relationships, her carefully curated place in the world, manicured for her through circumstances of birth and subsequently dangled over her head, begins to crumble in her mind.

"I remember when Sophia was my little sister."

Her relationship with Sophia is especially moving to me. While she is is constant competition with all of her siblings, her dynamic with her sister was the most fleshed out.

She is protective of Sophia, a girl who is ruthless and cutthroat, but whom Diana still fiercely loves as a little sister, even though (and almost because) Sophia's determination to get ahead her own way results in chaos for Diana. It reads like a earnest wish to pretend that the world hasn't hardened a relationship that was once soft and innocent. That they can still be girls together, despite their circumstances necessitating otherwise. Despite what their bàba expects of them, of their brothers, of their dedication to the HMG over everything.

"The world was built to uplift you, yet you still failed to outrival a woman's accomplishments."

What I love about this, though, is that we get to see Diana as she slowly unravels the carefully spun web of mistrust and misunderstanding sowed between her and Sophia by their bàba, their brothers, their fight for the HMG CEO position.

"You deserve to live your life instead of moving through it deadline by deadline...It's about time you know what it's like to be happy without consequences or restraints, Miss Diana."

Through the grief of losing control over his own life, beholden to a reputation he didn't earn and guilt-ridden for the way it's affected the path his family helped lay for him, Kai is an intimate glimpse into what it means to constantly be holding your breath and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Kai's struggle with anxiety is, morbidly, one of the most beautiful parts of this book. It is a constant thread throughout his chapters, and it's really lovely to watch him slowly open up to Diana about these struggles and let her in to the world that he's built in his mind.

He truly believes, for a majority of the book, that his fate is already sealed and the world has written him off. To see him slowly come to understand that he is deserving of love, that he is deserving of what he wants, of what makes him happy, of Diana, made me ache.

Someone who I only grew to love more and more as the book progressed was sweet, kind, patient Uncle Manu. Uncle Manu, who kept Kai grounded and supported, no matter what. Uncle Manu, who brought to life one of the strongest senses of paternal love that I’ve felt while reading. His way of speaking danced off the page, and I could hear the words in my head as if he was actually speaking them to me.

"You deserve everything that's good in this life, Kainoa, and out of all the truths you come to realize about yourself, I hope that one is the first."

I don’t want to go too far into the relationship between Kai and Diana, because I think it deserves to be experienced raw and un-spoiled, but I will say that the care, respect, and appreciation they show for each other made it such a refreshing pair to read about. Of course, given their lives, the relationship is not spared any obstacle or challenge, but they navigate most of them with communication skills that I could only dream of having.

The big argument and fallout is reasonable, both parties seem to understand where the other is coming from, and not once did either of their reactions or choices make me want to scream and shake the book to remind them that talking it out is always an option. Love that for me, and for them.

Here are my favourite Diana x Kai quotes, that make me squeal, swoon, and sigh.

"When he looks back at me, everything in me quiets down and flares alive at the same time. He's so devastatingly handsome that I can't believe this is real."

"Diana's touch still lingers on me; it's imprinted all over my skin now. It marks my bones, and shapes my thoughts until I swear I'm entirely consumed by her."

"I look at each and every bottle, just trying to find pieces of her that no one else notices."

"I've always daydreamed about being looked at by him. I wondered if my heart would burst out of my chest. If my skin would fee like it was on fire.
But I feel quiet instead. The world simply falls away, leaving the two of us in our own, little orbit.
Our hands interlock on top of the center console."

There is so much that goes on in this book - from Kai and Diana’s sexy and thrilling hidden-and-then-not-hidden relationship, to a plot to overthrow the HMG and the NHL, to a heist-like plan to steal Sophia’s phone while dressed as Greek gods and goddesses (please give me a Rowan Kaneshiro as Zeus any day of the week, thank you!), to the beautiful and comforting presence and words of Uncle Manu, to Kai and Diana taking a class taught by someone who reminds me of a non-evil Rita Skeeter, and even more than I can list off the top of my head. But, it executes on pretty much everything without stuttering.

It's not often that I find an ensemble cast where I enjoy their scenes enough to re-read them a few times before leaving the page, but I would be lying if I said I didn't re-read the DHU Griffins' scenes several times with a goofy grin on my face. Luke, Rowan, and Wallace are such a great representation of healthy male friendships, building each other up when the world and its hardships become too much to bear, but also knowing when and how to keep your friend on the right path (even if they can't see it yet).

"Don’t be," Rowan assures. He shrugs off his jacket with a faint smirk. "We’ve been trying to find plenty of reasons to kick out Luke."

"Please." Luke scoffs. "We know you’d bawl your eyes out if I ever left."

Wallace beams at Diana with a kind, dimpled smile. "Well, I hope you enjoy your stay! Feel free to have some of the snacks on the shelf."

The only complaint I have, and this is truly just me being nit-picky because I loved it so much, was that I was hoping for a bit more fallout from the final mic-drop exposure by Diana, Andrea, and Kai. Again, this is just me being picky, but it also makes me really excited to see any potential other books in this universe, if only to get more scenes like this:

"Tell her she looks radiant like the sun!" Luke prods.

"Say it with gravitas!" Wallace instructs.

Rowan scoffs. "You’re both making him sound like a medieval fuck boy."

I cannot stress enough how much I loved this, and can’t wait for more!

[Faith L · Rating 5 out of 5]

UNTIL WE BURN by Malissa Lee is a fun, thrilling ride of a debut.

Spoiler warning. I will provide quotes which ARE spoilers.

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"The HMG is a message made long ago by your ancestors who worked hard to prove their place in an industry that fought to keep them out." MHMM

In the beginning, I like learning about Diana and Kai's backgrounds, respectively. I had an idea of where their dreams might take them, and I was glad that the journey of their character arcs was entertaining and compelling.

"He's just a man, Diana. A gorgeous man, but still a man." Do you know how many times I have thought this to myself?

I appreciate the themes and discussions about Kai's mental health. I enjoy the details that flesh out his experience of the world, for example, the quote: "Y-Yeah. It's just really bright in here." I'm not going to provide context, but I appreciate the *showing* in that quote and that it is something I have felt, too.

"But no matter how much I try to keep Diana out of my head, she crawls right back, tempting me to imagine things I shouldn't." Here is the note I added to it: Just now, i had the thought that Kai's feelings about Diana are strong this early in the story, however, I reflected on how she is tense around him and presses his buttons, and therefore I understand him thinking of her--it's clear that he wants to tease her right back. But there's also an undercurrent of desire that's creeping up on him, and that is a good build-up to the fire between them. Kai also goes through immense pressure due to journalists having accused him of an act he never did, compounded by the fact he is a young adult and senior year uni student, thus, it makes sense he is riled up by Diana's poking emails. And when I mention his age, I do not mean to mock young adults who are in uni, I mean that the emotional state of people like Kai is very much how it is depicted in the novel. Not only that, you have this information about his character that makes you understand why he reacts strongly to Diana. I also related to Kai at the end of this chapter because I felt the same way about a person the way he does with Diana (but not anymore lol I'm moving on).

"The heavy guilt I feel crumbles under the shameful flare of desire igniting under my skin as Kai's gaze darkens on me." The note I added: Two for two-I related to Kai at the end of the last chapter and now I'm relating to Diana. This is such a fun reading experience. I enjoy how Lee writes Diana's feelings of desire. (okay side note, I no longer feel that way toward the person i had met)

I'm not surprised that Andrea thinks Diana attacked her for disagreeing with her. Many people of color will understand what this is like: a white woman thinking that you are attacking her for disagreeing with you. I thought that was realistic.

"I take in the empty haze surrounding me, relishing how weightless I feel." The note I added: I like this scene and what it meant for them.

"The don't see that, Kai. You know it better than anyone. They see the names they can't pronounce, the shape of our eyes, the accent in our words." That's right.

Diana and Kai went to Indigo. For other readers who may not know, that major retail bookstore chain is owned by a Zionist. I encourage readers to buy from independent bookstores and small businesses.

"It's called having some dignity," I spat. "An attribute you have yet to embody." I likeee this quote.

"I don't have any ambitions that are my own." I appreciate Diana realizing that and throughout the story, there is evidence of her not having dreams that are truly her own. Lee did a good job of showing the fact that her goals are tied to her baba. I also think Diana's realization is very real for her age, and I do not mean that in a mocking way, I mean that I understand her emotional state at this age and her environment means it took longer for her to realize her lack of her own ambitions. okay that was a long winded sentence but i hope u know what i mean.

"My hands grow clammy, as I try to string my words together properly. "Look, after we argued that night, I wanted to give you a better chance at securing the life you want. Baba hasn't been fair with you, and I know your actions are a response to that."" This passage and what Diana says to Sophia is good. My note: Compelling argument Diana makes. I understand why she made that decision. I don't like Sophia, but I understand why she is the way she is and why Diana erased Sophia's messages. The writing accomplishes showing Diana's thought process, with the interesting character dynamics between the sisters and solid plot progression.

"Hopelessness spirals inside of me when I realize none of the people on the walls look like me.
There has to be someone, right?"
This quote made me so sad:( I appreciate the messages in the novel about the representation of marginalized peoples, in literally any field/industry, be that sports or journalism or anything.

"From the brief time I've known Rowan, he's probably pinching the bridge of his nose and analyzing the thirty million ways he could've protected Kai from getting his heart broken." I appreciate Diana's perspective of Rowan and how much we glean from his character throughout the novel. I'm interested in his journey.

"Rowan scoffs. "You're both making him sound like a medieval fuck boy." Hahahhaha

I liked the ending and the way plots wrapped up was entertaining. The sex scenes were very interesting and I appreciate that they showed the progression of Diana and Kai's bond, and the things they learn about each other during those scenes, and I really appreciate how both Di and Kai speak to each other in those scenes. Forgive me, I sound clinical or distant when I talk about sex scenes in books. But yeah, those are good scenes that show why they seek each other out and their dynamics during intimacy.

It has good representation of mental health struggles and what it's like to be in a spotlight. Kai is French Polynesian and white, and Diana is Taiwanese. They both experience racism committed by white characters and I appreciate that the novel shows the racism which people of color go through. Don't twist my words, I am not saying that books which do not show racism are not showing the experience of people of color enough. What I am saying is that I relate to those experiences and people making fun of me because I'm Asian. The writing does well to criticize the racism that white people commit against POC and I appreciate that.

Until We Burn is sweet, fun, and entertaining. I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you Malissa for the eARC! This is my honest review.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A promising debut! It was SO refreshing to see Asian representation in a hockey romance. From the food, to the cultural nuances, to the FMC and MMC’s struggles - I related to a lot. For the first time ever, I saw a family that had traditions like mine, ate similar foods, and spoke the same language portrayed in a hockey romance book and for THAT I will always be so grateful to Malissa for writing this story.

Diana and Kai. These two both struggle with a lot of the same things without realizing it upon their first interaction in class at DHU. She’s an heiress at an Asian media conglomerate trying to appease the family patriarch while he is a college hockey star hellbent on pursuing an NHL dream while balancing family expectations and repairing the tatters of his disgraced reputation after a baseless rumor destroyed it. Also, Kai being a biracial hockey player!? Talk about much needed REPRESENTATION in the hockey romance world. These two struggled in the book to overcome a lot both personally and in their love story. What starts out as friends with benefits quickly blossoms into something deeper when they realize how much the two of them connect on a deeper level. I really enjoyed seeing how they grew. Diana fights to figure out what her own inner desires and dreams are separate from familial expectations. Kai battles with the guilt of possibly letting down his family while still trying to honor his pursuit of a NHL career.

The last bit of this story had my mind spinning. It was an ENTERTAINING time. It really picked up for me and man was I intrigued on how it would end.

The found family in this had me CACKLING. Rowan, Luke, Wallace and Kai had me laughing so hard my tummy hurt. It was hands downs one of my favorite parts of this book. Their friendship is absolutely amazing and the foreshadowing of all the couples to come in this series has me looking forward to what Malissa will bring us next. Can’t wait to read the rest of this series.

3.75⭐️

What to expect…

she falls first, he falls harder
Friends with benefits
Hockey romance
Found family

[Booklovernokayy · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Boy, did I just read one of my top favourites for 2025.

This story is funny, sweet, but also heart-wrenching, sad, devastating (at times) and beautiful.

From being raised to compete with her siblings for the CEO spot, Diana Huang doesn’t know anything else. So what happens when Diana finally gets to see who she is instead of the mould her father has made her?

Meeting Kai (LOVE HIM) was the best thing to happen to her. She starts to realise what she wants, and when they give in, it’s fucking HOT. Kainoa "Kai "Mason-Maiau, destined to play Ice Hockey, but his parents don’t have his back, and he has to fight to get his place back on top and score a contract in the NHL.

This book highlights so much from Kai’s anxiety, beautiful culture and history, family pressure and dynamics, found family to racism – that both of them face in their fields, and shows us how much harder they have to work to prove themselves.

I love Kai’s teammates and friends so much, and how they’re there for Diana and have Kai’s back. You don’t need anyone else when they have your back. I was hooked from the first page and may have stayed up all night because I needed to know what happened next 👀.

I cried, laughed, cried even more, and my heart broke for Diana and Kai. In true fashion, this book was an emotional rollercoaster for me.

I find comfort in knowing that Kai and Diana are building something better for themselves than giving up on their dreams for other people.

And OMG the mouth on these two. I was kicking my feet and shocked at some moments.

Thank you so much, Malissa Lee for the ARC opportunity.

[ad3ncer · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏒👠Until We Burn by Malissa Lee 👠🏒
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5: ARC Review 💌

“Every thought I have draws back to her. She’s the poison and the antidote at the same fucking time, and I hate it as much as I ache for it.”

I devoured this debut novel in less than two days!! I was enthralled by this love story between Diana and Kai. Diana was such a refreshing character to read. While she had so much on her plate and at times lacked the confidence, we were able to see how fierce and determined she was to achieve her goals. Both Diana and Kai are determined to get to the finish line of what they want, and Diana pushes Kai away to keep her focus. Being together is not in their plans, but circumstances emerge that force them together.

The author did an amazing job in writing how parents expect so much of their children and how it can affect them emotionally. The BIPOC aspect was phenomenal and I loved that the author incorporated how some of us don’t feel like we belong in either of our communities. The struggles of their intersectionalities was written so well and as a part of the BIPOC community, seeing this implemented in a book was amazing. Their chemistry was 🤌🏼 delicious. The frenemies to friends with benefits trope was sooooo good!! I was giggling to myself as I read the book because of how good the scenes between them were🤭Their scenes were so intense and hot!🥵

Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this book! 🫶🏼

“I want him to unravel me.”

[Becca T · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think this is just another sports romance - you're about to be in for a surprise.

Until We Burn is one of those books that live with you, the characters stay with you and they re-define your view on what a good book looks like, because for me, this is next level.

Diana is a true inspiration, but my goodness does she have it tough. There's narcissistic parents, and then there's Diana's father. The way he forces his children to battle against each other, creating extreme sibling rivalry to the point where they'd do anything to see the other fall - its toxic and harrowing to read. Especially when Diana realises her sister has joined her brothers to create her downfall.

Kai is flawed, he's anxious, he has a terrible reputation created by jealous rivals who want to see him suffer because his background is different, because they see him as unworthy. He's suffered for almost four years with people looking at him, talking about him, making assumptions and fueling the rumours.

And then they meet, Diana has pined for Kai for the past three years and it shows - they're forced to work together on a project which Diana wants to avoid at all costs, but fate keeps pulling them together.

They agree to work together, and a stress-relieving friends with benefits agreement on the side... and it goes as you'd expect, they catch feelings, big feelings and they fall incredibly hard for each other - to the point where they watch the world burn to be together.

[Samantha Boothe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diana and Kai had soooo many things stacked against them and it hurt my heart watching them go through it all. They were both such strong characters through it all and I love that they had eachother to lean on and de-stress (😏). I was hooked instantly, I never wanted it to end! I love that the characters I wanted to knockout got what they deserved in the end! That's always so satisfying. The spicy scenes had me blushinggggg, they were HOOTTT (🥵) I adored all of Kai's friends, and I'm
dyinggggg for a book about Luke be he's actually hilarious AND A BLONDIE and yall know I love my blonde MMCs 😍also really appreciate how much anxiety & mental health was in this story, it's so important and doesn't get talked about enough so it was super refreshing to read! I couldnt tell you one thing I didn't like about this book, it was actual perfection and the fact that the author is also the sweetest, most lovely human makes it even better!

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Melissa Lee , The Dreamers Literary House and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review! All information below is based off my own opinion of the book! I also like to keep my reviews short and simple as someone who looks at the short reviews before reading books. 💕⭐️
Book rating: ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
Level Of spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Favorite characters: Luke
Let me start by saying we love a book with short chapters. I found myself laughing out loud while reading this book. I loved the representation in the book and that the book was about more than just a hockey romance although I do love a hockey romance. I loved that Kia had anxiety! I loved that Di finally found her own voice! I can’t wait for the next book, I would love it to be about Luke or rowen! I think this would have been a 5 star for me had some of it been cut out. Overall I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! This was a fun read and was super funny and emotional at times!

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seriously do not have enough words to describe how much this book means to me. First of all, I loved the BIPOC representation in this hockey romance. It made me feel so seen and loved and like I belonged in stories.

I absolutely love the relationship between Diana and Kai. Their development was so rewarding, because you got to see the push and pull they had towards each other. What I also loved about this story was also the personal development that each of the MCs had to go through. They each had their own fears and barriers that they had to overcome to become the best possible versions of themselves and to go after what they truly desired in life.

I especially loved the found family in this book, and I ABSOLUTELY ADORED all the side characters and how much they loved loudly!

As an Asian American myself, it felt very validating and freeing to see Diana work through her own struggles but eventually break out of her shell to become who she wanted and needed to be. And, I also loved seeing the mental health rep with Kai as well. I loved seeing them both grow in their confidence in themselves.

Thank you Malissa for making me feel brave.

[SpicyAngelReads ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’re telling me this is a debut book? OMGGGG.

I laughed, giggled, and totally rooted for the characters the whole way through.

I really loved how this book explored the pressure of high expectations, society’s judgment, mental health, and self-discovery. It all felt so real and raw.

The characters were so well-written too. And those hockey scenes? Super vivid, I felt like I was right there in the rink.

And of course… the spice? Definitely spicing! KAI PLS TALK DIRTY TO ME LOL

Diana and Kai had so much working against them, but seeing them come out strong in the end was just everything.

Overall, an incredible read! Big thanks to the Malissa for the ARC! I really appreciate it and my heart’s so happy 🩷🩷🩷

[Pà · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute knockout debut! This hockey romance had everything I could have wanted, sizzling chemistry, emotional depth, and a rich exploration of family and societal pressures. Diana and Kai’s journey from frenemies to lovers felt natural, compelling, and so deeply satisfying. Both characters are complex, flawed, and immensely relatable, navigating their personal struggles while learning to trust and lean on each other. The BIPOC representation and mental health themes were handled beautifully, adding layers to the story that made it feel authentic and inclusive. A debut that hits all the right notes. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving an honest review.

[tai ⋆☀︎. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice read, and I really appreciated the solid Asian representation in this book. You could tell it was well thought out, and all the cultural aspects felt authentic and genuine. That said, I tried to pick up this title several times before finally finishing it, which shows that I probably wasn’t the target audience after all. I think I was expecting more of a forbidden love story, but it ended up focusing more on the characters obsessing over each other. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — just not something I’m personally a big fan of in books.

Thanks to Malissa Lee, NetGalley and The Dreamers Literary House for this ARC!

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an ARC of their debut.
I want to start by saying that even though this story wasn't for me, I'm sure many readers will thoroughly enjoy it.

I appreciated Kai as a MMC and appreciated the mental health rep included in this writing.

You can tell that they put a lot of effort into their story, but unfortunately the story felt too long for my liking and I found myself putting it down and reaching for other books instead. I struggle with the nickname princess in general and whore for dirty talk which were the main nicknames used.

[HANNAH (Books, Films, and Tea) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Diana and Kai. Both have complicated backstories and lots to work through. They're so cute together. full review to come!

[Avery Holman · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 I loved this book it was so nice to read about two poc

[Tiffany Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually into sports books, but I enjoyed this one. The couple was super sweet. I loved that they were always there for each other. The story kept my interest. Will read more by this author!

[A.M.Bookaholic]

DNF’d at 12%.

[Jarah Dieng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guys this book was so good I really loved Kai and Diana relationship and everything they overcame together and how he’d they fought for it

[Leah Handford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loveeeeeed this book! And for a debut?! Wow!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

Loved everything about this story- the mental health representation, the Asian representation, the characters were great (they guys were hilarious, the women were fierce). I can't wait for the rest of the series. ❤️

[Catherine Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only read one hockey / sports romance book before, so I was just expecting some regular uni romance with some mentions of hockey and a rich girl vying for head of the company, but MAN IS THIS BOOK SO. MUCH. MORE.

You do get hockey romance. You do get rich girl vying for head of the company. But you also get awesome Asian and Polynesian rep in both of these characters. You get mental health + medication rep. You see the plight of many children just wanting their parents to be proud of them, but floundering under the weight of the unrealistic expectations. You get the found family that ends up becoming closer to them than their own blood. You get the characters standing up to MISOGINY AND RACISM. (Especially in this day and age??? We need more of this.) Plus, the draaamaaaaa. And the hot spiceeee. UGH man, was it soooo dang good!! I am so excited for the second book and I'll definitely be reading more from her!