What do you think?
Rate this book
Hellcats Hockey #2
The Good Girl Exception
A steamy, forbidden, age-gap college hockey romance from USA Today Bestselling romance author Maren Moore.
Maisie
The night I decided to stop being the good girl…I met him.
Dark eyes. Rough hands. Dangerous edge.
A stranger who made me forget every rule I’ve ever lived by.
But turns out Wilder Hawthorne isn’t just the hookup I can’t stop thinking about.
He’s the new hockey coach at my university.
More than a decade older.
And the man who says I was a mistake…
Now we’re forced to work together, pretending nothing happened.
Soon every glance starts to feel like a promise.
Every touch feels dangerous.
The more time I spend with the grumpy, callous coach, the more I wonder if I’m the one thing he can’t resist.
The way he looks at me says he’s already broken his own rules.
And the more he tries to keep his distance, the more I want to push him over the edge.
Wilder
Getting kicked out of the NHL was supposed to be rock bottom.
Now the only way to fix my reputation is coaching at the one place I never wanted to return to…Orleans University.
New job. Clean image. No scandals.
Until her.
Maisie Delacroix.
The sunshiney preacher’s daughter I spent one reckless night with before I knew who she was.
College student. My team’s new philanthropy liaison. The off-limits distraction I can’t afford.
One rumor could cost me everything.
She’s too sweet. Too innocent. Too good for a guy like me.
But the more she looks at me like I’m worth saving, the more I realize the only thing more dangerous than crossing the line…is wanting to.
The Good Girl Exception is a complete standalone in the Hellcats Hockey Series set in the Orleans University world.
Tropes:
-Age Gap (10+ years)
-College Hockey Romance
-Coach x Student
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Bad Boy x Good Girl
-Virgin Heroine
-Forced Proximity
-Forbidden Romance
-Past Trauma
Maisie
The night I decided to stop being the good girl…I met him.
Dark eyes. Rough hands. Dangerous edge.
A stranger who made me forget every rule I’ve ever lived by.
But turns out Wilder Hawthorne isn’t just the hookup I can’t stop thinking about.
He’s the new hockey coach at my university.
More than a decade older.
And the man who says I was a mistake…
Now we’re forced to work together, pretending nothing happened.
Soon every glance starts to feel like a promise.
Every touch feels dangerous.
The more time I spend with the grumpy, callous coach, the more I wonder if I’m the one thing he can’t resist.
The way he looks at me says he’s already broken his own rules.
And the more he tries to keep his distance, the more I want to push him over the edge.
Wilder
Getting kicked out of the NHL was supposed to be rock bottom.
Now the only way to fix my reputation is coaching at the one place I never wanted to return to…Orleans University.
New job. Clean image. No scandals.
Until her.
Maisie Delacroix.
The sunshiney preacher’s daughter I spent one reckless night with before I knew who she was.
College student. My team’s new philanthropy liaison. The off-limits distraction I can’t afford.
One rumor could cost me everything.
She’s too sweet. Too innocent. Too good for a guy like me.
But the more she looks at me like I’m worth saving, the more I realize the only thing more dangerous than crossing the line…is wanting to.
The Good Girl Exception is a complete standalone in the Hellcats Hockey Series set in the Orleans University world.
Tropes:
-Age Gap (10+ years)
-College Hockey Romance
-Coach x Student
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Bad Boy x Good Girl
-Virgin Heroine
-Forced Proximity
-Forbidden Romance
-Past Trauma
492 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 26, 2026
650 people are currently reading
2779 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 840 reviews
April 2, 2026
3.5 stars ⭐️
This book was a hell of a good time🔥 I love me a good girl x bad boy trope, and then you throw in an age gap + coach x student? I was LOCKED IN!!!
Maren Moore mixes smutty vibes & vulnerable characters so well, and this was no exception (hehe). I loved the realism of a coach dating a student and how they have to sneak around because duh, it’s not allowed, but at the same time, that gave us amazing, tension filled scenes!!!
Don’t even get me started on how they met… it was SO hot 🥵 I think this book will surprise a lot of people because she did such a great job with their dynamic from meeting and not realizing who they were, to figuring out how to navigate their relationship 💘
“If you loved it so much, then why did you rate it 3.5?”
WELL, first of all, I can love a book and still rate it 3 stars and above (that’s just my rating system) ⭐️ But the real reason is that even though I loved the scenes and their love story, I didn’t fully click with the characters.
Maisie, for me, was a bit too much of a good girl, which I know might sound dumb 😅 but sometimes I found myself rolling my eyes and even skimming parts of her inner monologue 🙈 Meanwhile, with Wilder, it was the whole pushing her away thing. Like, I get the “I don’t deserve someone like you” storyline, but he’s supposed to be older, and I just couldn’t deal with that inner conflict for the entire book 😩
So again, this is definitely a personal preference! Overall, the book is well-written, a fun time, super cute and yes, very VERY hot 🔥
tropes
🩷 good girl x bad boy
🩷 coach x college student
🩷 age gap
🩷 one night stand
🩷 strangers to lovers
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅
I am maren moore #1 fan do I need to say more?
OK I GOTCHU:
age gap, assistant coach x college student, one night stand, strangers to lovers AYEEE
This book was a hell of a good time🔥 I love me a good girl x bad boy trope, and then you throw in an age gap + coach x student? I was LOCKED IN!!!
Maren Moore mixes smutty vibes & vulnerable characters so well, and this was no exception (hehe). I loved the realism of a coach dating a student and how they have to sneak around because duh, it’s not allowed, but at the same time, that gave us amazing, tension filled scenes!!!
Don’t even get me started on how they met… it was SO hot 🥵 I think this book will surprise a lot of people because she did such a great job with their dynamic from meeting and not realizing who they were, to figuring out how to navigate their relationship 💘
“If you loved it so much, then why did you rate it 3.5?”
WELL, first of all, I can love a book and still rate it 3 stars and above (that’s just my rating system) ⭐️ But the real reason is that even though I loved the scenes and their love story, I didn’t fully click with the characters.
Maisie, for me, was a bit too much of a good girl, which I know might sound dumb 😅 but sometimes I found myself rolling my eyes and even skimming parts of her inner monologue 🙈 Meanwhile, with Wilder, it was the whole pushing her away thing. Like, I get the “I don’t deserve someone like you” storyline, but he’s supposed to be older, and I just couldn’t deal with that inner conflict for the entire book 😩
So again, this is definitely a personal preference! Overall, the book is well-written, a fun time, super cute and yes, very VERY hot 🔥
tropes
🩷 good girl x bad boy
🩷 coach x college student
🩷 age gap
🩷 one night stand
🩷 strangers to lovers
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅
I am maren moore #1 fan do I need to say more?
OK I GOTCHU:
age gap, assistant coach x college student, one night stand, strangers to lovers AYEEE
April 15, 2026
3⭐️
я нічого від цієї книги не очікувала, і вона нічим особливим не здивувала 🤷♀️
якщо бажаєте чогось милого, пікантного, без надмірної драми - тоді можна пірнати 😎
мені не зовсім трапило в настрій, і книга здалася дууже затягнутою для такого буденного сюжету.
🏒 вайлдер - колишній відомий гравець нхл, якого виперли через погану поведінку, а тепер він тренер студентської команди. от ніби в ньому все є, щоб мені сподобатися: дрібка бунтарства, маммі ішюз і складне, травматичне дитинство, ревнивець із замашками домінанта, старший сексі-тренер 😝
але ноу-ноу, трішки не мій тип вийшов, бо всі ці моменти так собі розкриті. вайлдер - просто зламаний хлопець, який не знає, що йому робити в цьому житті, і тільки в фіналі почне ходити на терапію. ну, плюсик йому за це.
🌸 мейзі - студентка. мила, чуйна, підтримуюча квіточка, яка постійно носить коротенькі сукенки. донька пастора, яка нарешті дозволила собі бути більш вільною і чинити так, як їй того завжди хотілося. хоча не скажу, що її хтось у цьому обмежував чи щось забороняв. те, що вона донька пастора, ніякої ролі в цій історії не грає, і достатньо уваги на цьому не акцентується ☹️
ось моменти, які сподобалися і заслуговують свою оцінку:
◈ їхня взаємна мила турбота, коли вона напідпитку, коли в неї місячні або коли він хворіє 🙂↔️
◈ домашні посиденьки і котуня себастьян 🐈⬛
◈ спайсі сцена в кабінеті зі свистком на шиї 🤤
◈ він змушує читати вголос її улюблені хтиві моменти з книг, поки сам задовольняє її 😈
в іншому ж серйозних конфліктів між ними немає. заборонене кохання тренера й студентки вирішується теж легко і швидко, що й фінальна невеличка драма на це ніяк не впливає 👌
а ще мені не подобаються затягнуті епілоги. і тут цей випадок. типу й так усе зрозуміло, усі щасливі - кінчайте 😁
я нічого від цієї книги не очікувала, і вона нічим особливим не здивувала 🤷♀️
якщо бажаєте чогось милого, пікантного, без надмірної драми - тоді можна пірнати 😎
мені не зовсім трапило в настрій, і книга здалася дууже затягнутою для такого буденного сюжету.
🏒 вайлдер - колишній відомий гравець нхл, якого виперли через погану поведінку, а тепер він тренер студентської команди. от ніби в ньому все є, щоб мені сподобатися: дрібка бунтарства, маммі ішюз і складне, травматичне дитинство, ревнивець із замашками домінанта, старший сексі-тренер 😝
але ноу-ноу, трішки не мій тип вийшов, бо всі ці моменти так собі розкриті. вайлдер - просто зламаний хлопець, який не знає, що йому робити в цьому житті, і тільки в фіналі почне ходити на терапію. ну, плюсик йому за це.
🌸 мейзі - студентка. мила, чуйна, підтримуюча квіточка, яка постійно носить коротенькі сукенки. донька пастора, яка нарешті дозволила собі бути більш вільною і чинити так, як їй того завжди хотілося. хоча не скажу, що її хтось у цьому обмежував чи щось забороняв. те, що вона донька пастора, ніякої ролі в цій історії не грає, і достатньо уваги на цьому не акцентується ☹️
ось моменти, які сподобалися і заслуговують свою оцінку:
◈ їхня взаємна мила турбота, коли вона напідпитку, коли в неї місячні або коли він хворіє 🙂↔️
◈ домашні посиденьки і котуня себастьян 🐈⬛
◈ спайсі сцена в кабінеті зі свистком на шиї 🤤
◈ він змушує читати вголос її улюблені хтиві моменти з книг, поки сам задовольняє її 😈
в іншому ж серйозних конфліктів між ними немає. заборонене кохання тренера й студентки вирішується теж легко і швидко, що й фінальна невеличка драма на це ніяк не впливає 👌
а ще мені не подобаються затягнуті епілоги. і тут цей випадок. типу й так усе зрозуміло, усі щасливі - кінчайте 😁
Did Not Finish
March 29, 2026DNF @55%
I tried, I really did. I wanted to love this book so much. It's my trope candy, after all. I love a forbidden age gap. And the premise to this was absolutely delicious. You have Maisie, a pastor's daughter and 20 year old virgin who is determined to shed her good girl image and finally shed her pesky virginity. She meets a sexy stranger at a bar and has a one night stand for the books. But unfortunately (or fortunately?) her one night stand turns out to be a bit more permanent when she realizes that her sexy stranger is the new assistant coach for the hockey team at her college. And our sexy stranger? A grumpy NHL pro who is on his last chance due to his anger issues that stem from his traumatic childhood.
Wilder carried this book for me. I fell immediately and so hard for this grump. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get past how absolutely INSUFFERABLE Maisie was at every turn. I love an age gap, but the emotional maturity has to match for me to really buy into it. And Maisie acted like a bratty and immature teen for the entirety of the first half. It was unbearable. She taunts Wilder at every turn and considering she knew exactly what is on the line for him, her single minded mission to taunt and seduce him at every turn was too much. I tried to connect with them but sadly I just couldn't move past my dislike of this FMC.
The writings was solid and the story was interesting, but this heroine was just not my cuppa.
If you're looking for a sexy age gap romance, give it a shot and judge for yourself.
Find me on:
I tried, I really did. I wanted to love this book so much. It's my trope candy, after all. I love a forbidden age gap. And the premise to this was absolutely delicious. You have Maisie, a pastor's daughter and 20 year old virgin who is determined to shed her good girl image and finally shed her pesky virginity. She meets a sexy stranger at a bar and has a one night stand for the books. But unfortunately (or fortunately?) her one night stand turns out to be a bit more permanent when she realizes that her sexy stranger is the new assistant coach for the hockey team at her college. And our sexy stranger? A grumpy NHL pro who is on his last chance due to his anger issues that stem from his traumatic childhood.
Wilder carried this book for me. I fell immediately and so hard for this grump. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get past how absolutely INSUFFERABLE Maisie was at every turn. I love an age gap, but the emotional maturity has to match for me to really buy into it. And Maisie acted like a bratty and immature teen for the entirety of the first half. It was unbearable. She taunts Wilder at every turn and considering she knew exactly what is on the line for him, her single minded mission to taunt and seduce him at every turn was too much. I tried to connect with them but sadly I just couldn't move past my dislike of this FMC.
The writings was solid and the story was interesting, but this heroine was just not my cuppa.
If you're looking for a sexy age gap romance, give it a shot and judge for yourself.
Find me on:
April 3, 2026
4.5 Chocolate Milkshake Stars ⭐️
Spicy Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
HOLD ON… because this book was basically me going absolutely feral!!!
I swear this was one of those books that just hit every single pleasure centre in MY brain. Like you know, when a book just keeps serving exactly what you want over and over again? That was this!!!
Maisie is the ultimate good girl… she's a preacher’s daughter, lives by the rules, always doing what’s expected of her. Until one day she decides she’s done with that and wants to take a little more control of her life… specifically on how she wants to lose her virginity. So she finds a random, ridiculously hot stranger in a bar, has an explosive bathroom hookup and disappears, thinking she’ll never see him again. Except… of course she does. Because a few months later, the man she can’t stop thinking about turns out to be Wilder Hawthorne… the new hockey coach at her university. And now they’re forced to work together… while trying (and failing) to stay away from each other.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Now I have a very specific list of microtropes that send me into a FERAL spiral… and this felt like I went grocery shopping for them and bought everything my brain wanted in bulk. Every few pages I was like "oh??? we’re doing THIS now???" and just losing my mind in happiness.
Maisie is literally a ball of sunshine. She’s kind, warm, bubbly, a little flirty without even trying, and just… a genuinely good person, who everyone just loves when they meet her. But she’s not boring. She’s got this spunky, slightly bratty side that comes out when she interacts with Wilder... and knows JUST HOW TO PUSH HIS BUTTONS...
And Wilder? He is GRUMPY AND BROODY and has that hard exterior, traumatic past, emotionally closed-off vibe that makes every girl swoon. But you know, underneath, when Maisie finally cracks his shell, she finds out he is soft, devoted and completely gone for her.
The chemistry between them is insane and ridiculously magnetic. They had this deep connection where you just understand why they’re drawn to each other. I absolutely loved their banter, and I loved their cute little domestic moments. It was also so great how they both brought something out in each other. Wilder gives Maisie the space to be bold, to not feel embarrassed about what she wants, to ask for it. And Maisie gives Wilder emotional connection, softness, and makes him confront the idea that maybe he’s not as broken as he thinks he is.
Now WHY THIS WAS NOT A FULL FIVE STARS...
I did reach a point where I was like… okay… we are having a LOT of sex 😅
Not that it was bad, and not that it was repetitive in a copy-paste way, because there was always something slightly different… but it did start to feel a bit like okay we get it, you’re obsessed with each other... can we move the plot along...
And then, because so much time is spent on their relationship building, the actual conflict and resolution at the end felt rushed. We were at like 85%, and PEOPLE STILL DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THEM... I just wanted more fallout, more reactions, and actually seeing the consequences. Everything JUST WRAPPED UP a little too neatly for me.
AND LASTLY... the "forbidden" aspect… by being a coach... I would have expected the Age Gap to be the biggest driver in why their relationship wasn't allowed. Not that she is a student at the university, and he is a coach. SHE IS NOT HIS STUDENT... He doesn't coach her, he's not grading her... they just exist in the same university space. Seriously, 50000 people in a university, and you can't date someone who happens to work or go to the uni?? Normally YOU can declare the relationship if they AREN'T IN A SITUATION OF ADVANTAGE... So I didn’t fully buy the level of forbidden we were being sold.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Age Gap
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Coach x Not-Really-His-Student
▶ Grumpy x Sunshine
▶ Good Girl x Bad Boy
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ One Night Stand
▶ Dual POV
▶ Hockey Romance
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine", "Good Girl", "Fuck It"
▷ Dirty Talk
▷ Hand Necklaces and Whistle Necklaces
▷ Chin Lift
▷ Takes Care of Her/Him
▷ Only Soft for Her
▷ Cages her with his arms
▷ Bratty FMC
▷ Public spice
▷ Texting (a lot)
▷ Dressing/Undressing help
▷ Nicknames
▷ Soup
▷ Fingers Can't Close
▷ Re-enact Spicy Books
OVERALL this book was basically written for people like me who love to tick trope boxes and squeal about it!!! It’s not the deepest book. It’s not trying to be. It just knows exactly what it is… and it delivers.
Thank you to Maren Moore for the gifted copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
HOLD ON… because this book was basically me going absolutely feral!!!
I swear this was one of those books that just hit every single pleasure centre in MY brain. Like you know, when a book just keeps serving exactly what you want over and over again? That was this!!!
I found Maisie Delacroix when I didn’t even realize I’d spent my entire life searching for her. And now that I’ve seen the sun, I can never go back to living in the dark.𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Maisie is the ultimate good girl… she's a preacher’s daughter, lives by the rules, always doing what’s expected of her. Until one day she decides she’s done with that and wants to take a little more control of her life… specifically on how she wants to lose her virginity. So she finds a random, ridiculously hot stranger in a bar, has an explosive bathroom hookup and disappears, thinking she’ll never see him again. Except… of course she does. Because a few months later, the man she can’t stop thinking about turns out to be Wilder Hawthorne… the new hockey coach at her university. And now they’re forced to work together… while trying (and failing) to stay away from each other.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Now I have a very specific list of microtropes that send me into a FERAL spiral… and this felt like I went grocery shopping for them and bought everything my brain wanted in bulk. Every few pages I was like "oh??? we’re doing THIS now???" and just losing my mind in happiness.
Maisie is literally a ball of sunshine. She’s kind, warm, bubbly, a little flirty without even trying, and just… a genuinely good person, who everyone just loves when they meet her. But she’s not boring. She’s got this spunky, slightly bratty side that comes out when she interacts with Wilder... and knows JUST HOW TO PUSH HIS BUTTONS...
And Wilder? He is GRUMPY AND BROODY and has that hard exterior, traumatic past, emotionally closed-off vibe that makes every girl swoon. But you know, underneath, when Maisie finally cracks his shell, she finds out he is soft, devoted and completely gone for her.
The chemistry between them is insane and ridiculously magnetic. They had this deep connection where you just understand why they’re drawn to each other. I absolutely loved their banter, and I loved their cute little domestic moments. It was also so great how they both brought something out in each other. Wilder gives Maisie the space to be bold, to not feel embarrassed about what she wants, to ask for it. And Maisie gives Wilder emotional connection, softness, and makes him confront the idea that maybe he’s not as broken as he thinks he is.
Now WHY THIS WAS NOT A FULL FIVE STARS...
I did reach a point where I was like… okay… we are having a LOT of sex 😅
Not that it was bad, and not that it was repetitive in a copy-paste way, because there was always something slightly different… but it did start to feel a bit like okay we get it, you’re obsessed with each other... can we move the plot along...
And then, because so much time is spent on their relationship building, the actual conflict and resolution at the end felt rushed. We were at like 85%, and PEOPLE STILL DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THEM... I just wanted more fallout, more reactions, and actually seeing the consequences. Everything JUST WRAPPED UP a little too neatly for me.
AND LASTLY... the "forbidden" aspect… by being a coach... I would have expected the Age Gap to be the biggest driver in why their relationship wasn't allowed. Not that she is a student at the university, and he is a coach. SHE IS NOT HIS STUDENT... He doesn't coach her, he's not grading her... they just exist in the same university space. Seriously, 50000 people in a university, and you can't date someone who happens to work or go to the uni?? Normally YOU can declare the relationship if they AREN'T IN A SITUATION OF ADVANTAGE... So I didn’t fully buy the level of forbidden we were being sold.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Age Gap
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Coach x Not-Really-His-Student
▶ Grumpy x Sunshine
▶ Good Girl x Bad Boy
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ One Night Stand
▶ Dual POV
▶ Hockey Romance
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine", "Good Girl", "Fuck It"
▷ Dirty Talk
▷ Hand Necklaces and Whistle Necklaces
▷ Chin Lift
▷ Takes Care of Her/Him
▷ Only Soft for Her
▷ Cages her with his arms
▷ Bratty FMC
▷ Public spice
▷ Texting (a lot)
▷ Dressing/Undressing help
▷ Nicknames
▷ Soup
▷ Fingers Can't Close
▷ Re-enact Spicy Books
OVERALL this book was basically written for people like me who love to tick trope boxes and squeal about it!!! It’s not the deepest book. It’s not trying to be. It just knows exactly what it is… and it delivers.
Thank you to Maren Moore for the gifted copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own
March 28, 2026
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 3.85 stars
a very quick read!
release date: march 26
✧˖°🏒 ⋆｡˚꩜ tropes & stuff to expect
⤷ ex nhl player turned college coach
⤷ age gap (13 years)
⤷ grumpy x sunshine
⤷ forbidden
⤷ workplace
⤷ bad boy x good girl
have been waiting for the rest of the hellcats hockey since i read the bad boy rule back in june!! this was definitely worth the wait!!
i loved how the lines blurred from purely physical to intimate VERY quickly with these two, from caretaking when sick and then showing up with period products like hello?!!
thank you maren moore for the e-arc!
↪ started march 20
↪ finished march 21
a very quick read!
release date: march 26
✧˖°🏒 ⋆｡˚꩜ tropes & stuff to expect
⤷ ex nhl player turned college coach
⤷ age gap (13 years)
⤷ grumpy x sunshine
⤷ forbidden
⤷ workplace
⤷ bad boy x good girl
have been waiting for the rest of the hellcats hockey since i read the bad boy rule back in june!! this was definitely worth the wait!!
i loved how the lines blurred from purely physical to intimate VERY quickly with these two, from caretaking when sick and then showing up with period products like hello?!!
thank you maren moore for the e-arc!
↪ started march 20
↪ finished march 21
March 20, 2026
This was an easy 5 ⭐️ read for me. I devoured it in two days. From the start, Maren hooks you with a jaw dropping opening: Maisie, a preacher’s daughter, sets out to lose her virginity to a stranger at a bar. What she doesn’t realize is that the stranger is Wilder (the new assistant hockey coach and ex NHL player) at her college. Of course, fate steps in, and they’re forced to cross paths again when she’s running a side project helping kids in need… and Wilder gets assigned to it.
The tension between these two had me foaming at the mouth. Maren does such a good job teasing just enough to keep you flipping pages nonstop. And when they finally hit that breaking point? It’s go time!!
Aside from the spice, there’s real depth here. Both characters are dealing with heavy, real-life struggles, and I loved slowly uncovering their trauma and watching how they navigate their age-gap, forbidden romance. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Quote:
“And now that I’ve seen the sun, I can never go back to living in the dark.”
Tropes:
🏒Hockey Coach x Student
💕Age Gap
🏒Virgin Heroine
💕Bad boy + Good girl
🏒Grumpy-Sunshine
💕Workplace / Forced Proximity
🏒Forbidden
I was lucky enough to get this ARC as part of Maren’s ARC team.
The tension between these two had me foaming at the mouth. Maren does such a good job teasing just enough to keep you flipping pages nonstop. And when they finally hit that breaking point? It’s go time!!
Aside from the spice, there’s real depth here. Both characters are dealing with heavy, real-life struggles, and I loved slowly uncovering their trauma and watching how they navigate their age-gap, forbidden romance. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Quote:
“And now that I’ve seen the sun, I can never go back to living in the dark.”
Tropes:
🏒Hockey Coach x Student
💕Age Gap
🏒Virgin Heroine
💕Bad boy + Good girl
🏒Grumpy-Sunshine
💕Workplace / Forced Proximity
🏒Forbidden
I was lucky enough to get this ARC as part of Maren’s ARC team.
April 17, 2026
«Якою б сильною не була буря, сонце обов’язково засяє знову».
Коли живеш у постійному переживанні своєї травми та звинувачуєш себе, починаєш вірити, що негідний нормального життя й кохання. Ба більше, починаєш відштовхуєш інших. Але важливо, щоб з’явилася людина, яка повірить у тебе настільки, що ти сам змінюєш свою думку. Саме так сталося з Вайлдером.
Це було емоційно. Першу частину серії я не читала, а другу вирішила спробувати, як піде текст і прийшла в себе вже вранці на епілозі. Це не якась нова історія, але вона мене зачепила. І я не хотіла прощатися з героями, хоча там і розширені епілоги.
Мило, чуттєво, кумедно — саме те, що мені було потрібно зараз. Так, залишилися нерозкриті теми й трохи бракувало деталей (той самий проєкт, який мав бути ключовим, але залишився поверхневим). Проте мені все сподобалось, ні про що не шкодую 😌
Коли живеш у постійному переживанні своєї травми та звинувачуєш себе, починаєш вірити, що негідний нормального життя й кохання. Ба більше, починаєш відштовхуєш інших. Але важливо, щоб з’явилася людина, яка повірить у тебе настільки, що ти сам змінюєш свою думку. Саме так сталося з Вайлдером.
Це було емоційно. Першу частину серії я не читала, а другу вирішила спробувати, як піде текст і прийшла в себе вже вранці на епілозі. Це не якась нова історія, але вона мене зачепила. І я не хотіла прощатися з героями, хоча там і розширені епілоги.
Мило, чуттєво, кумедно — саме те, що мені було потрібно зараз. Так, залишилися нерозкриті теми й трохи бракувало деталей (той самий проєкт, який мав бути ключовим, але залишився поверхневим). Проте мені все сподобалось, ні про що не шкодую 😌
March 24, 2026
“You know what they say about playing with fire?”
If you know me, you know how deeply my love for Maren Moore and her books runs! I am convinced, this woman could write ANY trope and I would feral for each and every single one of them.
“Those days won’t feel so dark with you. You’re sunshine, Maisie. My sunshine girl. And even when you’re not with me, I feel you surrounding me. Your warmth. Your kindness.”
This age gap romance was PERFECT. Maren writes broken boys(men) so well. My heart quite literally BROKE for Wilder and his childhood trauma. He spent his whole life convinced he was unworthy of love because of his past. All it took was a walking ball of sass & sunshine to begin breaking down his walls, piece by piece.
“I will say it when you can’t. I will love you enough for the both of us, Wilder. I will love you even when you can’t love yourself. I will love you through the darkest days.”
This man was sitting there in the rain with his heart fully exposed and Maisie was able to see what no one else tried to, he was just a man wishing for love but never expecting to find it. The tears were FLOWING, friends.
“She’s taunting me, seeing just how far she can push me until I pass the point of no return. I can see it in her eyes, the sparkle of defiance shining brightly, the challenge.”
I dare you not to fall in love with Maisie. She grew up being the perfect pastor’s daughter but is finally ready to figure out who she wants to be. Maisie comes into herself so much throughout the book.
“The only good thing I’ve ever had in me is you.”
Prepare yourself! Wilder & Maisie have a soul deep connection. The spice was divine! These two have a thing for bathrooms and I am so here for it! 😂❤️🔥🥵
If you loved The Bad Boy Rule, you get to see Saint & Lennon being SO IN LOVE! I am so happy they got their HEA.
“Christ, I’m pretty positive her calling me Coach is the equivalent of how some guys like being called Daddy.”
Okay readers, it’s time for you to meet broken bad boy, Wilder Hawthorne! Coach is ready to call you his “good girl”! 🤭
Tropes:
🥵 One Night Stand
💋 Forbidden Romance
☀️ Ex NHL Bad Boy x Sunshine Preacher’s Daughter
🍷 Age Gap (21/34)
💃🏻 Forced Proximity
😷 They Take Care of Each Other
❤️🔥 Coach’s Desk Fun
❤️🩹 Past Trauma
If you know me, you know how deeply my love for Maren Moore and her books runs! I am convinced, this woman could write ANY trope and I would feral for each and every single one of them.
“Those days won’t feel so dark with you. You’re sunshine, Maisie. My sunshine girl. And even when you’re not with me, I feel you surrounding me. Your warmth. Your kindness.”
This age gap romance was PERFECT. Maren writes broken boys(men) so well. My heart quite literally BROKE for Wilder and his childhood trauma. He spent his whole life convinced he was unworthy of love because of his past. All it took was a walking ball of sass & sunshine to begin breaking down his walls, piece by piece.
“I will say it when you can’t. I will love you enough for the both of us, Wilder. I will love you even when you can’t love yourself. I will love you through the darkest days.”
This man was sitting there in the rain with his heart fully exposed and Maisie was able to see what no one else tried to, he was just a man wishing for love but never expecting to find it. The tears were FLOWING, friends.
“She’s taunting me, seeing just how far she can push me until I pass the point of no return. I can see it in her eyes, the sparkle of defiance shining brightly, the challenge.”
I dare you not to fall in love with Maisie. She grew up being the perfect pastor’s daughter but is finally ready to figure out who she wants to be. Maisie comes into herself so much throughout the book.
“The only good thing I’ve ever had in me is you.”
Prepare yourself! Wilder & Maisie have a soul deep connection. The spice was divine! These two have a thing for bathrooms and I am so here for it! 😂❤️🔥🥵
If you loved The Bad Boy Rule, you get to see Saint & Lennon being SO IN LOVE! I am so happy they got their HEA.
“Christ, I’m pretty positive her calling me Coach is the equivalent of how some guys like being called Daddy.”
Okay readers, it’s time for you to meet broken bad boy, Wilder Hawthorne! Coach is ready to call you his “good girl”! 🤭
Tropes:
🥵 One Night Stand
💋 Forbidden Romance
☀️ Ex NHL Bad Boy x Sunshine Preacher’s Daughter
🍷 Age Gap (21/34)
💃🏻 Forced Proximity
😷 They Take Care of Each Other
❤️🔥 Coach’s Desk Fun
❤️🩹 Past Trauma
March 24, 2026
Thank you to Maren Moore and her team for the advanced copy!
If you follow me, you know it is no surprise I love this book. The Bad Boy Rule, the first book in this series, was one of my top reads last year. So of course I was bound to love The Good Girl Exception.
Maisie was a character I could really see people relate to. She’s been put into a box, labeled as a good girl. She goes to church, she’s inexperienced, she’s the pastors daughter. And then she gets sick of it and changes that. I loved getting to see her character evolution and growth throughout that journey.
I also really loved the relationship between Maisie and Wilder. Theres little things he does where you can tell he cares about her, even when he is telling himself he doesn’t.
I love it when it’s supposed to just be an anonymous hookup and then the characters end up having to work together, which is what happened here. It is one of my favorite tropes, I eat it up every time.
Definitely make sure to check this book out when it’s released on March 26!! It’s one of my fav reads of the year and I recommend it if you’re wanting a good, smutty romance
If you follow me, you know it is no surprise I love this book. The Bad Boy Rule, the first book in this series, was one of my top reads last year. So of course I was bound to love The Good Girl Exception.
Maisie was a character I could really see people relate to. She’s been put into a box, labeled as a good girl. She goes to church, she’s inexperienced, she’s the pastors daughter. And then she gets sick of it and changes that. I loved getting to see her character evolution and growth throughout that journey.
I also really loved the relationship between Maisie and Wilder. Theres little things he does where you can tell he cares about her, even when he is telling himself he doesn’t.
I love it when it’s supposed to just be an anonymous hookup and then the characters end up having to work together, which is what happened here. It is one of my favorite tropes, I eat it up every time.
Definitely make sure to check this book out when it’s released on March 26!! It’s one of my fav reads of the year and I recommend it if you’re wanting a good, smutty romance
April 24, 2026
4.25 ⭐️ While I liked the first book, this one was even better. The tension between Wilder and Maisie was impressive with a rewarding payoff, and the ratio of steamy to tender moments was nicely balanced.
May 1, 2026
The Good Girl Exception is an age gap, forbidden, college student x hockey coach romance. This book took me forever to finish, I kept setting it aside and getting to other things then coming back and trying again, etc. But I did finally finish!
Maisie is a preacher’s daughter who is ready to lose her virginity. The story opens with her hooking up with a random guy in a bar…who of course ends up being the hero. She runs into Wilder again as he’s one of the new assistant hockey college coaches and she’s assigned to work with him on an event she’s putting together with the team. There is definite tension between them for a bit as they skirt around their connection to one another. But of course they soon give in!
The story has more outside factors going on while they’re together. The beginning took a bit to get into, felt repetitive at times, and then the ending and conflict gets wrapped up real quick and mostly off-page/we’re told about it after. Wilder definitely had a lot going on and I felt like his character could have had more time spent on all that, like even therapy. With his mother, panic attacks, his past traumas, foster care, he physically gets frustrated/upset a handful of times and is obviously still going through a lot. Maisie also felt immature which is never the vibe I enjoy in age gaps. It was wild they communicated through his work/college email as often as they did (each time it happened it took me out). I think all in all this was okay, the cover is pretty, but I did love the previous book in this series more.
CW: past and present emotional and physical abuse by a parent (mostly off-page), toxic familial relationships (including threatening behavior), drug abuse by a secondary character/family member, references to past and present emotional trauma associated with parental abandonment and foster care, references to fighting/physical violence (off-page).
Maisie is a preacher’s daughter who is ready to lose her virginity. The story opens with her hooking up with a random guy in a bar…who of course ends up being the hero. She runs into Wilder again as he’s one of the new assistant hockey college coaches and she’s assigned to work with him on an event she’s putting together with the team. There is definite tension between them for a bit as they skirt around their connection to one another. But of course they soon give in!
The story has more outside factors going on while they’re together. The beginning took a bit to get into, felt repetitive at times, and then the ending and conflict gets wrapped up real quick and mostly off-page/we’re told about it after. Wilder definitely had a lot going on and I felt like his character could have had more time spent on all that, like even therapy. With his mother, panic attacks, his past traumas, foster care, he physically gets frustrated/upset a handful of times and is obviously still going through a lot. Maisie also felt immature which is never the vibe I enjoy in age gaps. It was wild they communicated through his work/college email as often as they did (each time it happened it took me out). I think all in all this was okay, the cover is pretty, but I did love the previous book in this series more.
CW: past and present emotional and physical abuse by a parent (mostly off-page), toxic familial relationships (including threatening behavior), drug abuse by a secondary character/family member, references to past and present emotional trauma associated with parental abandonment and foster care, references to fighting/physical violence (off-page).
April 2, 2026
maren moore COOKED with this one and i absolutely devoured it.
good girl x bad boy is going to do it for me everytime and then add in a forbidden age gap aspect?! im SO THERE
good girl x bad boy is going to do it for me everytime and then add in a forbidden age gap aspect?! im SO THERE
March 26, 2026
Ratings:
4.5 Stars
3 Spice
Format: eARC
Expect:
College Hockey Romance, Coach x Student, Grumpy x Sunshine, Age Gap (10+ years), Bad Boy x Good Girl, Virgin Heroine, One Night Stand, Forced Proximity, Forbidden Romance, Past Trauma, Dirty Talker, Creative Use of a Whistle
Thoughts:
I adored this book and Wilder & Maisie! I was soooooo excited for this one after how much I loved The Bad Boy Rule and with these tropes?!? Immediately sold. I am a sucker for a coach x student romance. Immediately so forbidden. My type of read and I'm so happy to report it did not disappoint!
First off, the chemistry!! Like insane from the very first page. I loved seeing Maisie take hold of her sexuality and go after what she wanted. Namely Wilder hahah. Of course when they figure out why they can't be together, they resist and the tension and banter was SO GOOD!! I loved seeing Maisie tempt Wilder. And when they snapped again, dang they were hot. Like Miss Maren Moore, some of those scenes I had to fan myself and will be living in my brain on repeat.
I was a little worried about 50-60% in that we were getting a lot of spice but not a ton of them actually talking and getting to know each other outside the bedroom. But then those parts came in and you could feel the love between them. I loved getting to know each of them, even though Wilder's backstory broke my heart. But I loved how they were there for each other and I felt they really fit together.
Also I looooooved Maisie's 21st birthday haha. Like I could picture me and my girlfriends out when I was in college and it felt so nostalgic to me for some reason lol. At times we definitely felt Maisie's age at 21 and her going after Wilder without a care of some of the repercussions. But other times you could see her maturity and I really ended up loving her as an FMC.
Also this was a bit longer at around 450 pages. It did feel a little long at times to where I feel it probably could have been shorter. But I still really enjoyed and am so glad I was able to meet these two early.
For my sports and forbidden romance fans out there, this is for you! Definitely recommend!
Thank you so much Maren Moore and team for the advanced copy!
4.5 Stars
3 Spice
Format: eARC
Expect:
College Hockey Romance, Coach x Student, Grumpy x Sunshine, Age Gap (10+ years), Bad Boy x Good Girl, Virgin Heroine, One Night Stand, Forced Proximity, Forbidden Romance, Past Trauma, Dirty Talker, Creative Use of a Whistle
Thoughts:
I adored this book and Wilder & Maisie! I was soooooo excited for this one after how much I loved The Bad Boy Rule and with these tropes?!? Immediately sold. I am a sucker for a coach x student romance. Immediately so forbidden. My type of read and I'm so happy to report it did not disappoint!
First off, the chemistry!! Like insane from the very first page. I loved seeing Maisie take hold of her sexuality and go after what she wanted. Namely Wilder hahah. Of course when they figure out why they can't be together, they resist and the tension and banter was SO GOOD!! I loved seeing Maisie tempt Wilder. And when they snapped again, dang they were hot. Like Miss Maren Moore, some of those scenes I had to fan myself and will be living in my brain on repeat.
I was a little worried about 50-60% in that we were getting a lot of spice but not a ton of them actually talking and getting to know each other outside the bedroom. But then those parts came in and you could feel the love between them. I loved getting to know each of them, even though Wilder's backstory broke my heart. But I loved how they were there for each other and I felt they really fit together.
Also I looooooved Maisie's 21st birthday haha. Like I could picture me and my girlfriends out when I was in college and it felt so nostalgic to me for some reason lol. At times we definitely felt Maisie's age at 21 and her going after Wilder without a care of some of the repercussions. But other times you could see her maturity and I really ended up loving her as an FMC.
Also this was a bit longer at around 450 pages. It did feel a little long at times to where I feel it probably could have been shorter. But I still really enjoyed and am so glad I was able to meet these two early.
For my sports and forbidden romance fans out there, this is for you! Definitely recommend!
Thank you so much Maren Moore and team for the advanced copy!
March 22, 2026
“I think we’ve already established that my restraint is razor-thin when it comes to you, so please do not fucking try me, Maisie.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Good Girl Exception is book 2 in the Hellcats Hockey series by Maren Moore. Maisie is the quintessential good girl, preacher’s daughter who wants to take control of her life. She has a one night stand with a very sexy, older man who turns out to be the new assistant coach for the hockey team.
Wilder was kicked out of the NHL and is trying to save his reputation. He has a past full of trauma and doesn’t let anyone in. Fast forward to a sunshiney blonde who works her way into his life.
Maisie and Wilder are very sweet and work through a lot in this story. A lot of tough subjects are addressed alongside a sweet and spicy love story. There is a good amount of spice in this one.
Tropes:
-Age Gap (10+ years)
-College Hockey Romance
-Coach x Student
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Bad Boy x Good Girl
-Virgin Heroine
-Forced Proximity
-Forbidden Romance
-Past Trauma
Thank you to Maren Moore for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Good Girl Exception is book 2 in the Hellcats Hockey series by Maren Moore. Maisie is the quintessential good girl, preacher’s daughter who wants to take control of her life. She has a one night stand with a very sexy, older man who turns out to be the new assistant coach for the hockey team.
Wilder was kicked out of the NHL and is trying to save his reputation. He has a past full of trauma and doesn’t let anyone in. Fast forward to a sunshiney blonde who works her way into his life.
Maisie and Wilder are very sweet and work through a lot in this story. A lot of tough subjects are addressed alongside a sweet and spicy love story. There is a good amount of spice in this one.
Tropes:
-Age Gap (10+ years)
-College Hockey Romance
-Coach x Student
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Bad Boy x Good Girl
-Virgin Heroine
-Forced Proximity
-Forbidden Romance
-Past Trauma
Thank you to Maren Moore for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 18, 2026
Maisie Delacroix goes to a club alone and loses her virginity to a handsome stranger in the club bathroom. Maisie has no idea who he is until she goes to the hockey rink on campus to talk to the coach about a community program. She is introduced to the new assistant coach Wilder Hawthorne, the man she met in the club. When Wilder realizes who she is, he tells Maisie that they need to pretend that night never happened because he is working on repairing his reputation after leaving the NHL.
Wilder gets jealous when he sees Maisie talking and flirting with one of the players, even though they are just friends. Maisie realizes she will have to make the first move if they both want what is between them. Even when he takes one step forward, he takes 2 steps in the other direction which is frustrating for Maisie.
I love how positive Maisie is with her personality and all the yellow. Wilder has been through a lot and Maisie is just the person to help him open up. I love a good age gap romance and these two bring all the feels with the heat!
Wilder gets jealous when he sees Maisie talking and flirting with one of the players, even though they are just friends. Maisie realizes she will have to make the first move if they both want what is between them. Even when he takes one step forward, he takes 2 steps in the other direction which is frustrating for Maisie.
I love how positive Maisie is with her personality and all the yellow. Wilder has been through a lot and Maisie is just the person to help him open up. I love a good age gap romance and these two bring all the feels with the heat!
March 22, 2026
ARC Review
Tropes
🩷Coach/Student
🩷Grumpy/Sunshine
🩷Virgin fmc
🩷Forbidden love
🩷Troubled mmc
I was really excited for these tropes and the storyline and although I did enjoy aspects of this book it did unfortunately fall a little flat for me
I really loved Wilder and his past and how it showcased his trauma and him healing from that, I really enjoyed how Maisie looked after him and calmed him down when it got to overwhelming, I did like that there was no miscommunication throughout and they were open and honest with each other
I did however find Maisie to be quite immature and I know there is an age gap and she is only 21 so I do totally understand that. I just didn’t like how he blatantly told her he didn’t want to lose his career but she went ahead and didn’t listen to him and tried to keep seducing him anyway.
I enjoyed the friendship of her and Lennon and getting cameos from the other characters! I am looking forward to the rest of the series. We need Bennet to get his girl!
Overall I enjoyed the storyline, thank you Maren for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion
Tropes
🩷Coach/Student
🩷Grumpy/Sunshine
🩷Virgin fmc
🩷Forbidden love
🩷Troubled mmc
I was really excited for these tropes and the storyline and although I did enjoy aspects of this book it did unfortunately fall a little flat for me
I really loved Wilder and his past and how it showcased his trauma and him healing from that, I really enjoyed how Maisie looked after him and calmed him down when it got to overwhelming, I did like that there was no miscommunication throughout and they were open and honest with each other
I did however find Maisie to be quite immature and I know there is an age gap and she is only 21 so I do totally understand that. I just didn’t like how he blatantly told her he didn’t want to lose his career but she went ahead and didn’t listen to him and tried to keep seducing him anyway.
I enjoyed the friendship of her and Lennon and getting cameos from the other characters! I am looking forward to the rest of the series. We need Bennet to get his girl!
Overall I enjoyed the storyline, thank you Maren for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2026
Arc review
This book packs an emotional punch that will have you all in your feels.
This series has all the things you love from a Maren book, but yet she put so much emotion and pulls on your heartstrings so well.
I loved the two main characters, and how much growth we got from both of them!
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll swoon in the best way!
This book packs an emotional punch that will have you all in your feels.
This series has all the things you love from a Maren book, but yet she put so much emotion and pulls on your heartstrings so well.
I loved the two main characters, and how much growth we got from both of them!
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll swoon in the best way!
March 29, 2026
Genuinely enjoyed these characters, they had amazing chemistry. I love a sad boy and Wilder delivered that in spades.
Read
April 3, 2026Skimmed after 40%
Welp, looks like I’ve got zero luck with books this month!
Another boring-as-hell book
I also didn’t like either of the MCs. The FMC was childish and annoying, while the MMC was a complete asshole with anger issues and a lot of emotional baggage he refused to deal with.
______
Safety for the first 40%:
- Virgin h and pretty much inexperienced. She’s a pastor’s daughter, so she’s lived a pure life. She’s only kissed once and she said it was awkward rather than fun.
- Experienced H…
I honestly have no clue about his past. Maybe it was mentioned in the second half but I didn’t really care about him, so I didn’t look into it. Anyway, he was an NHL player for 10 years and he made a comment when he thought the h set him up to sleep with her that she wasn’t the first girl to try that. Idk if he’s a manwhore but I’d assume he’s had his fair share of women.
- OMD:
There was a player who flirted with the h and constantly asked her out but she rejected him every time because he was a playboy who flirted with anything that had a legs whether girls or guys. Even though she turned him down, she still enjoyed his flirting.
The H got jealous when he saw her with the OM and wanted to hurt her, so he said cruel things like implying that she was a slut distracting his players because of the way she dressed. He didn’t really apologize and told her he didn’t mean she was a slut (liar) but that he meant she was a temptation. But as you know because he has anger issues, he couldn’t handle it… poor man . As for the h, she was angry for a second, then her brain cells disappeared the next second because she got turned on by him.
- The H kept pushing her away and at some point, the h decided to pursue him and seduce him until he gave in and ended up with her (her actions were embarrassing).
Welp, looks like I’ve got zero luck with books this month!
Another boring-as-hell book
I also didn’t like either of the MCs. The FMC was childish and annoying, while the MMC was a complete asshole with anger issues and a lot of emotional baggage he refused to deal with.
______
Safety for the first 40%:
- Virgin h and pretty much inexperienced. She’s a pastor’s daughter, so she’s lived a pure life. She’s only kissed once and she said it was awkward rather than fun.
- Experienced H…
I honestly have no clue about his past. Maybe it was mentioned in the second half but I didn’t really care about him, so I didn’t look into it. Anyway, he was an NHL player for 10 years and he made a comment when he thought the h set him up to sleep with her that she wasn’t the first girl to try that. Idk if he’s a manwhore but I’d assume he’s had his fair share of women.
- OMD:
There was a player who flirted with the h and constantly asked her out but she rejected him every time because he was a playboy who flirted with anything that had a legs whether girls or guys. Even though she turned him down, she still enjoyed his flirting.
The H got jealous when he saw her with the OM and wanted to hurt her, so he said cruel things like implying that she was a slut distracting his players because of the way she dressed. He didn’t really apologize and told her he didn’t mean she was a slut (liar) but that he meant she was a temptation. But as you know because he has anger issues, he couldn’t handle it… poor man . As for the h, she was angry for a second, then her brain cells disappeared the next second because she got turned on by him.
- The H kept pushing her away and at some point, the h decided to pursue him and seduce him until he gave in and ended up with her (her actions were embarrassing).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2026
Age gap and he is the coach…I am obsessed. Absolutely adored this one and need more hockey from Maren.
Overall: 5
Spice: 3
Overall: 5
Spice: 3
March 25, 2026
The Good Girl Exception isn't just a spicy hockey romance. It's a raw, heart wrenching journey of two souls finally learning they are worthy of being seen. When Maisie, a preacher’s daughter suffocated by a lifetime of perfect expectations, decides to finally choose herself, she doesn't just rebel, she transforms.
And then there’s Wilder Hawthorne. Watching this guarded, broken ex-NHL star battle with a past that told him he was unlovable was soul-crushing. Every time he tried to push Maisie away to "save" her from his darkness, only to have her meet his gaze with unwavering strength and grace, I felt it deep in my soul! Their chemistry is a literal wildfire, but it’s the quiet moments of vulnerability that made me unable to put this book down. Witnessing the slow tearing down of Wilder’s emotional walls and Maisie’s fierce journey to self-discovery truly made this an unforgettable and relatable read.
My heart quite literally broke for Wilder’s childhood trauma, and seeing Maisie become his sunshine without losing her own identity was the most beautiful part of the story. She didn't try to fix him. She simply stayed until he realized he wasn't a lost cause. This book is empowering, deeply emotional, and deliciously spicy! It's a rare gem that reminds us that the "good girl" and the "bad boy" are often just two people waiting for someone to finally love the parts of them they’ve been taught to hide.
And then there’s Wilder Hawthorne. Watching this guarded, broken ex-NHL star battle with a past that told him he was unlovable was soul-crushing. Every time he tried to push Maisie away to "save" her from his darkness, only to have her meet his gaze with unwavering strength and grace, I felt it deep in my soul! Their chemistry is a literal wildfire, but it’s the quiet moments of vulnerability that made me unable to put this book down. Witnessing the slow tearing down of Wilder’s emotional walls and Maisie’s fierce journey to self-discovery truly made this an unforgettable and relatable read.
My heart quite literally broke for Wilder’s childhood trauma, and seeing Maisie become his sunshine without losing her own identity was the most beautiful part of the story. She didn't try to fix him. She simply stayed until he realized he wasn't a lost cause. This book is empowering, deeply emotional, and deliciously spicy! It's a rare gem that reminds us that the "good girl" and the "bad boy" are often just two people waiting for someone to finally love the parts of them they’ve been taught to hide.
March 28, 2026
So after reading everyone else’s reviews, I guess I’m in the minority here lol—but I really didn’t love this.
First off, Maisie is so incredibly immature that it gave me secondhand embarrassment for most of the book. And Wilder? Way too old to be acting the way he does. Like…sir, therapy has been an option for years.
I also felt like the book somehow managed to be both too long and missing important stuff. It was built up like Maisie’s parents were going to be a huge conflict, but then they just turned around and accepted Wilder with open arms. Same thing with Wilder’s mom—that whole situation felt rushed. She goes from threatening them to suddenly using blackmail, and then…no real fallout? Everything just ends up fine and dandy? It didn’t land for me at all.
I also wish we got more of Camila and Kira. They felt like background characters who either needed more development or should’ve just been left out, because as-is, they didn’t add much to the story.
And how did we get zero reaction from the team about their coach resigning to date a student they all knew and were friendly with?? That felt completely glossed over, which was kind of wild to me.
Overall, this just felt rushed and not fully thought through.
First off, Maisie is so incredibly immature that it gave me secondhand embarrassment for most of the book. And Wilder? Way too old to be acting the way he does. Like…sir, therapy has been an option for years.
I also felt like the book somehow managed to be both too long and missing important stuff. It was built up like Maisie’s parents were going to be a huge conflict, but then they just turned around and accepted Wilder with open arms. Same thing with Wilder’s mom—that whole situation felt rushed. She goes from threatening them to suddenly using blackmail, and then…no real fallout? Everything just ends up fine and dandy? It didn’t land for me at all.
I also wish we got more of Camila and Kira. They felt like background characters who either needed more development or should’ve just been left out, because as-is, they didn’t add much to the story.
And how did we get zero reaction from the team about their coach resigning to date a student they all knew and were friendly with?? That felt completely glossed over, which was kind of wild to me.
Overall, this just felt rushed and not fully thought through.
April 3, 2026
This is the second book in the Hellcats Hockey series, but can be read as a standalone.
I hate to say it, but this one just didn’t hit the same way as The Bad Boy Rule did, but I still enjoyed it. I loved how Maisie was taking control of her own life, but she just came across as too immature on too many occasions. I did really love how she was there for Wilder when he was struggling.
This might seem minor to some people, but with how long this book is I felt like we were missing something. Honestly I would have traded in a few of the spicy scenes to get more scenes of the hockey team interacting with the kids for the program Maisie was working on!
I hate to say it, but this one just didn’t hit the same way as The Bad Boy Rule did, but I still enjoyed it. I loved how Maisie was taking control of her own life, but she just came across as too immature on too many occasions. I did really love how she was there for Wilder when he was struggling.
This might seem minor to some people, but with how long this book is I felt like we were missing something. Honestly I would have traded in a few of the spicy scenes to get more scenes of the hockey team interacting with the kids for the program Maisie was working on!
March 31, 2026
This one is smutty and boring at the same time (which is hard to do)
This was not good. I kept thinking I’ll turn a corner and it will be good but it was painful. The writing felt immature. I liked the female character but also it feel dismissive that her religious parents would be ok with a man 13 years her senior live with her and they didt take long to love him. All around not a good time.
This was not good. I kept thinking I’ll turn a corner and it will be good but it was painful. The writing felt immature. I liked the female character but also it feel dismissive that her religious parents would be ok with a man 13 years her senior live with her and they didt take long to love him. All around not a good time.
March 31, 2026
I read this in 5 hours, so take that as you will. No 34 year old man should be dating a 20 year old girl, I don’t care how hot you are
April 3, 2026
perfect.
this is exactly what I expected.
this is exactly what I expected.
April 2, 2026
Rating: ★★★
ARC Review:
I received an advance copy of this book from Maren Moore in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: March 26, 2026
Standalone or Series: Book 2 in a series of interconnected standalones (Hellcats Hockey #2)
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Vibe: Spicy
Pacing: Slowish
Third-Act Breakup: No
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger:No
Reread-worthy: Unfortunately not for me
Tropes:
✵Forbidden Romance
✵Coach x Student
✵Virgin Heroine
✵Age Gap
My Thoughts: I love Maren Moore and The Bad Boy Rule (Hellcats Hockey #1) was a five star read for me. I was super excited going into this one but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. First, I loved seeing Maisie and Lennon interact, and their friendship was so cute! Similarly I loved Wilder’s and Cam’s friendship. I however did not love Maisie and Wilder together. Their chemistry was lackluster, and their interactions were bland. The age gap between them was too evident in the way they lived their lives. Maisie was trying to move away from a good girl persona, while Wilder was trying to heal from past trauma. Both of them had backstories that seemed to be left underdeveloped. A big background point about Maisie in the beginning was that she was a preacher’s daughter. The story was lined up to seem like that would be a huge conflict in the story, but it simply was barely mentioned as we got closer to the end. Similarly, Wilder was healing from past trauma from his childhood, and so many plot points were left open, including his visit to the group home, and his history with the NHL. I would have loved to see Wilder heal even slightly from the trauma of his past. I also wish we got to see a bit more of his relationship with Cam. She was built up as a huge character in his life, but their interactions were so far and few in between. It felt like she was mentioned more when he was blowing her off than when they were actually talking to one another. The story also seemed to end rather abruptly, and while there was a resolution that allowed Wilder and Maisie to be together, it left me with a lot of questions. I unfortunately think that this is a couple that will break up in the future. This was almost a dnf for me but I stuck through it and finished because I got the ARC.
I love Maren’s writing style but unfortunately this one was a miss for me. I will still continue to read her other stories and I look forward to seeing what she has next!
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!
ARC Review:
I received an advance copy of this book from Maren Moore in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: March 26, 2026
Standalone or Series: Book 2 in a series of interconnected standalones (Hellcats Hockey #2)
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Vibe: Spicy
Pacing: Slowish
Third-Act Breakup: No
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger:No
Reread-worthy: Unfortunately not for me
Tropes:
✵Forbidden Romance
✵Coach x Student
✵Virgin Heroine
✵Age Gap
My Thoughts: I love Maren Moore and The Bad Boy Rule (Hellcats Hockey #1) was a five star read for me. I was super excited going into this one but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. First, I loved seeing Maisie and Lennon interact, and their friendship was so cute! Similarly I loved Wilder’s and Cam’s friendship. I however did not love Maisie and Wilder together. Their chemistry was lackluster, and their interactions were bland. The age gap between them was too evident in the way they lived their lives. Maisie was trying to move away from a good girl persona, while Wilder was trying to heal from past trauma. Both of them had backstories that seemed to be left underdeveloped. A big background point about Maisie in the beginning was that she was a preacher’s daughter. The story was lined up to seem like that would be a huge conflict in the story, but it simply was barely mentioned as we got closer to the end. Similarly, Wilder was healing from past trauma from his childhood, and so many plot points were left open, including his visit to the group home, and his history with the NHL. I would have loved to see Wilder heal even slightly from the trauma of his past. I also wish we got to see a bit more of his relationship with Cam. She was built up as a huge character in his life, but their interactions were so far and few in between. It felt like she was mentioned more when he was blowing her off than when they were actually talking to one another. The story also seemed to end rather abruptly, and while there was a resolution that allowed Wilder and Maisie to be together, it left me with a lot of questions. I unfortunately think that this is a couple that will break up in the future. This was almost a dnf for me but I stuck through it and finished because I got the ARC.
I love Maren’s writing style but unfortunately this one was a miss for me. I will still continue to read her other stories and I look forward to seeing what she has next!
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!
May 8, 2026
#Review: *The Good Girl Exception* - Maren Moore - ARC [18+]
4.4/5✨
3.5/5🌶️
Maisie never thought that she would see again the man she had a fling with. She wanted to have a reckless night and she felt a different kind of connection towards the stranger from that random bar. But the surprise was jaw dropping when both of them would realize that they were going to be in each other's company really often. Why? Because Wilder Hawthorne would be the one with whom Maisie would have to work, being the Hellcats' new assistant coach. How will they handle all that tension between them, knowing that what they shared should be kept a secret because of Wilder's new job, his troubled past and because of that huge age gap between them of 13 years.
I can say from the start that this story was suuuper hot, having so many steamy scenes. I liked so much how different Maisie and Wilder were, but how well they were together 🥰. There was quite an age gap between them, making it a bit scandalous in the world Maisie was raised in. Besides that, Wilder had to face some dark parts from his past, which transformed him into the bad boy from the present. This side really touched me, Wilder's complicated past being so emotional and something hard to keep into his heart. I also liked that tension, the slow burn and all those forbidden elements, that made me keep turning those pages. Maybe I felt like this story was a tiny bit too long for my liking, but those final chapters were just the right thing to captivate my attention.
I was so happy that I've finally read this book, knowing that Maren was working on it for quite some time. It had a bit of everything, but the spice definitely stood out in this story.
So grateful for being chosen to receive one of these e-ARCs and I wanna thank Maren and her amazing thing for making it happen.
✨Tropes
▫️Age Gap
▫️Forbidden Love
▫️Bad Boy / Good Girl
▫️Opposites Attract
▫️Virgin Heroine
▫️Spicy Romance
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Hockey Coach
4.4/5✨
3.5/5🌶️
Maisie never thought that she would see again the man she had a fling with. She wanted to have a reckless night and she felt a different kind of connection towards the stranger from that random bar. But the surprise was jaw dropping when both of them would realize that they were going to be in each other's company really often. Why? Because Wilder Hawthorne would be the one with whom Maisie would have to work, being the Hellcats' new assistant coach. How will they handle all that tension between them, knowing that what they shared should be kept a secret because of Wilder's new job, his troubled past and because of that huge age gap between them of 13 years.
I can say from the start that this story was suuuper hot, having so many steamy scenes. I liked so much how different Maisie and Wilder were, but how well they were together 🥰. There was quite an age gap between them, making it a bit scandalous in the world Maisie was raised in. Besides that, Wilder had to face some dark parts from his past, which transformed him into the bad boy from the present. This side really touched me, Wilder's complicated past being so emotional and something hard to keep into his heart. I also liked that tension, the slow burn and all those forbidden elements, that made me keep turning those pages. Maybe I felt like this story was a tiny bit too long for my liking, but those final chapters were just the right thing to captivate my attention.
I was so happy that I've finally read this book, knowing that Maren was working on it for quite some time. It had a bit of everything, but the spice definitely stood out in this story.
So grateful for being chosen to receive one of these e-ARCs and I wanna thank Maren and her amazing thing for making it happen.
✨Tropes
▫️Age Gap
▫️Forbidden Love
▫️Bad Boy / Good Girl
▫️Opposites Attract
▫️Virgin Heroine
▫️Spicy Romance
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Hockey Coach
March 21, 2026
*4.5 rounded up and the only reason is that I wished the ending wasn’t so rushed! But this was FANTASTIC!
You are a distraction. Not for them, but for me.
~
“You pay attention to my dresses?” “I pay attention to you.”
~
Oh wow. Just wow. Maren hit the ground running with this book and never looked back. How do we bring Wilder Hawthorne to life? Because, yes please! A disgraced, ex-star hockey player forced to come back to the town he was desperate to escape and coach the team that started his journey? And a ray of sunshine junior in college who loves reading and her cat more than anything? What could possibly go wrong…or right? This book was so much. It was pure opposites attract and it was done so damn well that I was kicking my feet so much the whole time. Even though I knew it was coming, when Maisie and Wilder first…let’s say, reconnected, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see when it would explode. The lush and pull of trying to pretend nothing ever happened was the sweetest slow burn, and when things finally lit the powder keg? Deliciously written. I LOVED that we also got some pieces of Lennon and Saint! The emotional healing journeys that both Maisie and Wilder went on in this book was raw and stunning and happened so organically that l, just like them, didn’t even notice for awhile that they were finally coming into who they always were, but just didn’t realize until the other brought it out in them. If you’re looking for a perfectly done age-gap, coach, book lover, opposites attract and healing with a side of hockey, this is the book for you! I never want to leave OU and Maren has given us another masterpiece on the Hellcats campus!
You are a distraction. Not for them, but for me.
~
“You pay attention to my dresses?” “I pay attention to you.”
~
Oh wow. Just wow. Maren hit the ground running with this book and never looked back. How do we bring Wilder Hawthorne to life? Because, yes please! A disgraced, ex-star hockey player forced to come back to the town he was desperate to escape and coach the team that started his journey? And a ray of sunshine junior in college who loves reading and her cat more than anything? What could possibly go wrong…or right? This book was so much. It was pure opposites attract and it was done so damn well that I was kicking my feet so much the whole time. Even though I knew it was coming, when Maisie and Wilder first…let’s say, reconnected, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see when it would explode. The lush and pull of trying to pretend nothing ever happened was the sweetest slow burn, and when things finally lit the powder keg? Deliciously written. I LOVED that we also got some pieces of Lennon and Saint! The emotional healing journeys that both Maisie and Wilder went on in this book was raw and stunning and happened so organically that l, just like them, didn’t even notice for awhile that they were finally coming into who they always were, but just didn’t realize until the other brought it out in them. If you’re looking for a perfectly done age-gap, coach, book lover, opposites attract and healing with a side of hockey, this is the book for you! I never want to leave OU and Maren has given us another masterpiece on the Hellcats campus!
March 28, 2026
"The reason that I feel more alive than I ever have in my life is the man, the dark, broody stranger sitting across the room, whose stare has remained on me the entire night."
After reading The Bad Boy Rule I was excited to dive into Maisies story & Maren did not disappoint ... she had me hooked & brought the heat from the prologue 🔥
I adored FMC Maisie - forging her own path, breaking out of the cage of expectation she'd been forced into. She was cute, bratty & the literal light in this story ... a true golden girl with the biggest heart 💛 Watching her grow and fight to make her own choices & stand by them had me rooting for her throughout!
MMC Wilder was a moody, dark, muscled, tattooed broken bad boy 🖤 I was instantly hooked on him, but then the emotion Maren weaved into his story made me fall HARD - Eventhough I wanted to smack him upside the head for being a total A Hole at times 🙈
The tension between these two was THICK ... full of mutual want & yearning - the spice was HOT, forbidden & I'll never look at an annotation tab without grinning again 😏🔥 He was down baddd for her - his ray of light in the darkness, that is his past & I was here for it!
Watching them grow together, the spice and lust turning to romance had me feeling all the feels 🥹 And I enjoyed the fact that Lennon & Saint made an appearance - Len and Maisies sisterhood is fuelled by 90s bestie nostalgia which I adored 💘 and it was nice to know Saint was still as obsessed with our girl Len as ever 💀
I could go on forever gushing over this one! It left me emotionally spent, grinning from ear to ear holding my kindle against my chest 🫶
After reading The Bad Boy Rule I was excited to dive into Maisies story & Maren did not disappoint ... she had me hooked & brought the heat from the prologue 🔥
I adored FMC Maisie - forging her own path, breaking out of the cage of expectation she'd been forced into. She was cute, bratty & the literal light in this story ... a true golden girl with the biggest heart 💛 Watching her grow and fight to make her own choices & stand by them had me rooting for her throughout!
MMC Wilder was a moody, dark, muscled, tattooed broken bad boy 🖤 I was instantly hooked on him, but then the emotion Maren weaved into his story made me fall HARD - Eventhough I wanted to smack him upside the head for being a total A Hole at times 🙈
The tension between these two was THICK ... full of mutual want & yearning - the spice was HOT, forbidden & I'll never look at an annotation tab without grinning again 😏🔥 He was down baddd for her - his ray of light in the darkness, that is his past & I was here for it!
Watching them grow together, the spice and lust turning to romance had me feeling all the feels 🥹 And I enjoyed the fact that Lennon & Saint made an appearance - Len and Maisies sisterhood is fuelled by 90s bestie nostalgia which I adored 💘 and it was nice to know Saint was still as obsessed with our girl Len as ever 💀
I could go on forever gushing over this one! It left me emotionally spent, grinning from ear to ear holding my kindle against my chest 🫶
Displaying 1 - 30 of 840 reviews