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Northern Legacy #1
Stick It
In a game built for men, I came to make history.
As the only girl on an all-male Division I hockey team, I’m not a novelty—I’m a threat. A spark in a powder keg of testosterone. But I didn’t come to play nice. I came to dominate.
I didn’t expect them…
The golden boy captain who carries the team on his shoulders.
The brooding guardian with a darkness that calls to me.
The hot and cold viper who kisses me breathless in dark corners—then acts like it never happened.
And the quiet bruiser who speaks my language in video games.
I live with them. Train with them. Compete against them.
They’re temptation wrapped in danger—
And the first ones to ever look at me like I belong.
But this game has enemies off the ice too.
And someone wants to break me for good.
Let them try.
Because I’m not just here to play.
I’m here to rewrite the rules and claim my legacy.
***Stick It is an enemies to lovers, forbidden, ice hockey romance where the FMC ends up with more than one love interest. The series consists of interconnecting standalones that can be read in any order.
As the only girl on an all-male Division I hockey team, I’m not a novelty—I’m a threat. A spark in a powder keg of testosterone. But I didn’t come to play nice. I came to dominate.
I didn’t expect them…
The golden boy captain who carries the team on his shoulders.
The brooding guardian with a darkness that calls to me.
The hot and cold viper who kisses me breathless in dark corners—then acts like it never happened.
And the quiet bruiser who speaks my language in video games.
I live with them. Train with them. Compete against them.
They’re temptation wrapped in danger—
And the first ones to ever look at me like I belong.
But this game has enemies off the ice too.
And someone wants to break me for good.
Let them try.
Because I’m not just here to play.
I’m here to rewrite the rules and claim my legacy.
***Stick It is an enemies to lovers, forbidden, ice hockey romance where the FMC ends up with more than one love interest. The series consists of interconnecting standalones that can be read in any order.
666 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
424 people are currently reading
754 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Smyth
30 books1,519 followersMy name is Rachel. I live in the UK with my husband and two golden retrievers, and I am an author of dark, contemporary reverse harem romance.
If you love a story with a well thought out plot and good character development that will give you all the feels, then why not give one of my series a go?
Crescentwood - high school, stalker, bully, enemies to lovers
- Three Divisions: https://books2read.com/threedivisions
- Two Forces: https://books2read.com/twoforces
- One Family: https://books2read.com/onefamily
Pacific Prep - academy, assassin FMC, brothers best friends, taboo, bully
- Broken Trust: https://books2read.com/brokentrust
- Brutal Lies: https://books2read.com/Brutallies
- Beyond Vengeance: https://books2read.com/beyondvengeance
- Break Free: https://books2read.com/BreakfreePP4
- Blurred Lines (novella): https://books2read.com/Blurredlines
Black Creek - Gang/Mafia, enemies to lovers, MM, Forced marriage
- Rebels & Rejects: https://books2read.com/rebelsandrejects
- Murder & Mayhem: https://books2read.com/murderandmayhe...
- Damaged & Deadly: https://books2read.com/damagedanddeadly
- Chaos & Carnage: https://books2read.com/chaosandcarnage
Ruthless Boys of Ridgeway - Second chance romance, Friends-enemies-lovers, college, secret society, stalker, fake dating
- Pretty Spiteful: https://books2read.com/TRBoR1
- Pretty Vile: https://books2read.com/TRBoR2
- Pretty Lethal: https://books2read.com/TRBoR3
If you love a story with a well thought out plot and good character development that will give you all the feels, then why not give one of my series a go?
Crescentwood - high school, stalker, bully, enemies to lovers
- Three Divisions: https://books2read.com/threedivisions
- Two Forces: https://books2read.com/twoforces
- One Family: https://books2read.com/onefamily
Pacific Prep - academy, assassin FMC, brothers best friends, taboo, bully
- Broken Trust: https://books2read.com/brokentrust
- Brutal Lies: https://books2read.com/Brutallies
- Beyond Vengeance: https://books2read.com/beyondvengeance
- Break Free: https://books2read.com/BreakfreePP4
- Blurred Lines (novella): https://books2read.com/Blurredlines
Black Creek - Gang/Mafia, enemies to lovers, MM, Forced marriage
- Rebels & Rejects: https://books2read.com/rebelsandrejects
- Murder & Mayhem: https://books2read.com/murderandmayhe...
- Damaged & Deadly: https://books2read.com/damagedanddeadly
- Chaos & Carnage: https://books2read.com/chaosandcarnage
Ruthless Boys of Ridgeway - Second chance romance, Friends-enemies-lovers, college, secret society, stalker, fake dating
- Pretty Spiteful: https://books2read.com/TRBoR1
- Pretty Vile: https://books2read.com/TRBoR2
- Pretty Lethal: https://books2read.com/TRBoR3
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
November 8, 2025
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!
The talent that the author has to really make you like all the boys in her books always surprises me, even though there is usually one that’s extra special.
Now that I think about it, I usually only read MM for hockey, except for this author’s books! I honestly had no idea that women could technically play in the NHL (even if it’s very improbable), and it was one of my favorite things that it was not just something we had to suspend disbelief in just for the sake of the plot.
Our FMC is fighting to carve herself a place in a field that was and still is male-only, and it’s such a hopeful story!
This said, Griffin is a work of art, and his only fault is that he outshines the other guys a bit, but I love how he is the shepherd in this 5-person relationship 😹 he’s basically the daddy, but don’t tell Ethan! 😹
#Griffinisking
5 Things I loved about this book
1 Griffin
2 I found all the MMCs interesting even if Griffin was a bit overkill for them :D
3 The fact that a girl playing in the NHL is technically possible and that there are examples
4 Don’t get fooled by my reading speed, this was a great read and never boring
5 I squealed a bit at the Halston U cameo
Pre-read
I'm so excited to have been selected as part of this book's ARC team after how much I loved Halston U!! I'm starting this one now 🤩🤩🤩
The talent that the author has to really make you like all the boys in her books always surprises me, even though there is usually one that’s extra special.
Now that I think about it, I usually only read MM for hockey, except for this author’s books! I honestly had no idea that women could technically play in the NHL (even if it’s very improbable), and it was one of my favorite things that it was not just something we had to suspend disbelief in just for the sake of the plot.
Our FMC is fighting to carve herself a place in a field that was and still is male-only, and it’s such a hopeful story!
This said, Griffin is a work of art, and his only fault is that he outshines the other guys a bit, but I love how he is the shepherd in this 5-person relationship 😹 he’s basically the daddy, but don’t tell Ethan! 😹
#Griffinisking
5 Things I loved about this book
1 Griffin
2 I found all the MMCs interesting even if Griffin was a bit overkill for them :D
3 The fact that a girl playing in the NHL is technically possible and that there are examples
4 Don’t get fooled by my reading speed, this was a great read and never boring
5 I squealed a bit at the Halston U cameo
Pre-read
I'm so excited to have been selected as part of this book's ARC team after how much I loved Halston U!! I'm starting this one now 🤩🤩🤩
Read
October 4, 2025multiple scenes with one *playboy* mmc with ow,
multiple scenes with her on his lap constantly, one scene where they are grinding/dancing to each other right after fmc and mmc kiss (so reading her insecurities was awesome as if she wasn't tortured enough being the only girl in hockey team i guess), he slept with her before book starts so idk if he ever slept with someone else during the book, ow was a misogynistic person constantly made jabs at her and told her she slept with coach to get the position nobody defended her or threw her over his lap.
i honestly don't understand why in big 2025 we are still writing characters and scenes like this. is ow and playboy heroes desirable, do any of you actually believe he can change, i didn't find one mention of her past while his is talked about all the time(although i think she isn't a virgin but as soon as somebody flirts with her playboy puts a stop to it and she lets, cuz why should we believe in equality right ?), why can't we have a book without obnoxious amount of ow or ow s*x, i am honsetly so tired of so-called double standards.
multiple scenes with her on his lap constantly, one scene where they are grinding/dancing to each other right after fmc and mmc kiss (so reading her insecurities was awesome as if she wasn't tortured enough being the only girl in hockey team i guess), he slept with her before book starts so idk if he ever slept with someone else during the book, ow was a misogynistic person constantly made jabs at her and told her she slept with coach to get the position nobody defended her or threw her over his lap.
i honestly don't understand why in big 2025 we are still writing characters and scenes like this. is ow and playboy heroes desirable, do any of you actually believe he can change, i didn't find one mention of her past while his is talked about all the time(although i think she isn't a virgin but as soon as somebody flirts with her playboy puts a stop to it and she lets, cuz why should we believe in equality right ?), why can't we have a book without obnoxious amount of ow or ow s*x, i am honsetly so tired of so-called double standards.
October 9, 2025
I've decided that the promise of a "strong FMC" is a red flag for me.
I should have known after the third review I read promised a strong FMC that didn't take any shit and didn't back down, that it was too good to be true.
Sure, she has her moments, some of them even great, but overall her strength is only in relation to hockey. In everything else it's debatable.
It's so odd to me that the storyline was her starting at a new college then going through the exact same thing the guys on her team at her old college put her through and not learning a damn thing. They were horrible to her at the old college and then one suddenly changed and was nice, wooing her into a relationship and then using it to blackmail her while the whole team secretly laughed behind her back.
So when the same thing seemingly starts happening here, but they're maybe a little less horrible (not all of them), she still falls for it. Sure, WE know that all the MMCs are really into her and aren't planning to do the same thing as the last guy but SHE doesn't know that.
And of course, after having just barely pulled their heads out of their asses and starting to act right towards her, and feel guilty for not supporting/having her back before, at the first THE VERY FIRST accusation that's thrown at them about her, three of them believe it full stop without giving her a chance to say anything about it.
Real swoony MMCs we're working with here /s
I'm gonna go ahead and let you guess how much grovel there is in this story for that and for everything before it.......
And before I get to the good parts of the story I also have to talk about the manwh0re MMC:
I can sometimes stand this trope that some women for some reason that I can't grasp seem to find sexy if the manwh0re chooses a damn lane. Instead, here we have an MMC who takes more than 3/4 of the book to even stop using the jealousy trope with OW to get under the FMC's skin. He's so jealous himself that he gets between her and any other guys that are interested in her (aside from the other MMCs), while still parading around puck bunnies, letting them sit in his lap, grinding on them, and doing who knows what else, just to get the FMC to be upset. And of course he has to pull her aside all the time and kiss her before going straight back to OW.
Istg this is why men behave the way they do irl, because we've romanticized it endlessly in books and media.
This same MMC didn't believe her that his bsf was bullying her and had actually jumped her. And for weeks she just accepted that someone she was interested in romantically would take the word of someone else over her own because she's a DOORMAT in relationships. This man wouldn't even believe her when she told him he didn't have the full or right story when he and two others were confronted with damning videos. No, he again needed the word of a man (their coach) to even start making him believe that the same friend that had been after her the entire season may have been in the wrong.
And don't get me started on the fact that he was fine with his friend broadcasting that video of her when he thought she had slept with multiple people on her previous team (it was an edited video) back before she even knew him because it hurt his feelings. This, from the manwh0re. But when the coach made him realize WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE they maybe his friend had been wrong, THEN he wanted his friend to pay for broadcasting that video.
Ffs I'm angry even typing all of this out afterwards.
It's a pity, because the rest of the story was so good. A female college hockey player?!! Her struggle on the hockey side of things was so good, and is one of two things that kept me reading. She was dedicated, intelligent, quick thinking, and she had a backstory that compelled me to cheer her on.
The changes in the way the team interacted with her as she proved she had earned her spot there was good when we saw it, but it would have been much better if it hadn't always been tied to how the MMCs were feeling about her. Would have loved to have seen more of the team outside of the MMCs.
The progression of her relationship with the goalie? Their early mornings and his silent revenge for her? His unyielding faith in her? Absolutely swoon worthy. I would have read a book just about those two, they were so good together.
Her backstory was so damn good too. It feels like it was wasted on the other three MMCs, two of which aren't worth mentioning because they either waffled throughout the story or faded into the background.
Sex scenes were so uneven between the guys, and so were the chapters. We hardly hear from the MMCs and it felt like we heard from some more than others.
I'm not complaining, though, that the sole solo scene with the manwh0re was at the very end of the book and was cut short. I feel like I was spared that.
Big HFN ending. It's the MMCs' senior year and they're all hoping to go pro....and it's her junior year. She's also hoping to go pro, but we never know if any of them are even in the running by the end of the story. We never know what they plan for the years they'd be in different states playing on different teams while she's still in college, etc. Parents are never met, do they plan to be together forever? Only one of the MMCs gave me forever vibes tbh.
I should have known after the third review I read promised a strong FMC that didn't take any shit and didn't back down, that it was too good to be true.
Sure, she has her moments, some of them even great, but overall her strength is only in relation to hockey. In everything else it's debatable.
It's so odd to me that the storyline was her starting at a new college then going through the exact same thing the guys on her team at her old college put her through and not learning a damn thing. They were horrible to her at the old college and then one suddenly changed and was nice, wooing her into a relationship and then using it to blackmail her while the whole team secretly laughed behind her back.
So when the same thing seemingly starts happening here, but they're maybe a little less horrible (not all of them), she still falls for it. Sure, WE know that all the MMCs are really into her and aren't planning to do the same thing as the last guy but SHE doesn't know that.
And of course, after having just barely pulled their heads out of their asses and starting to act right towards her, and feel guilty for not supporting/having her back before, at the first THE VERY FIRST accusation that's thrown at them about her, three of them believe it full stop without giving her a chance to say anything about it.
Real swoony MMCs we're working with here /s
I'm gonna go ahead and let you guess how much grovel there is in this story for that and for everything before it.......
And before I get to the good parts of the story I also have to talk about the manwh0re MMC:
I can sometimes stand this trope that some women for some reason that I can't grasp seem to find sexy if the manwh0re chooses a damn lane. Instead, here we have an MMC who takes more than 3/4 of the book to even stop using the jealousy trope with OW to get under the FMC's skin. He's so jealous himself that he gets between her and any other guys that are interested in her (aside from the other MMCs), while still parading around puck bunnies, letting them sit in his lap, grinding on them, and doing who knows what else, just to get the FMC to be upset. And of course he has to pull her aside all the time and kiss her before going straight back to OW.
Istg this is why men behave the way they do irl, because we've romanticized it endlessly in books and media.
This same MMC didn't believe her that his bsf was bullying her and had actually jumped her. And for weeks she just accepted that someone she was interested in romantically would take the word of someone else over her own because she's a DOORMAT in relationships. This man wouldn't even believe her when she told him he didn't have the full or right story when he and two others were confronted with damning videos. No, he again needed the word of a man (their coach) to even start making him believe that the same friend that had been after her the entire season may have been in the wrong.
And don't get me started on the fact that he was fine with his friend broadcasting that video of her when he thought she had slept with multiple people on her previous team (it was an edited video) back before she even knew him because it hurt his feelings. This, from the manwh0re. But when the coach made him realize WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE they maybe his friend had been wrong, THEN he wanted his friend to pay for broadcasting that video.
Ffs I'm angry even typing all of this out afterwards.
It's a pity, because the rest of the story was so good. A female college hockey player?!! Her struggle on the hockey side of things was so good, and is one of two things that kept me reading. She was dedicated, intelligent, quick thinking, and she had a backstory that compelled me to cheer her on.
The changes in the way the team interacted with her as she proved she had earned her spot there was good when we saw it, but it would have been much better if it hadn't always been tied to how the MMCs were feeling about her. Would have loved to have seen more of the team outside of the MMCs.
The progression of her relationship with the goalie? Their early mornings and his silent revenge for her? His unyielding faith in her? Absolutely swoon worthy. I would have read a book just about those two, they were so good together.
Her backstory was so damn good too. It feels like it was wasted on the other three MMCs, two of which aren't worth mentioning because they either waffled throughout the story or faded into the background.
Sex scenes were so uneven between the guys, and so were the chapters. We hardly hear from the MMCs and it felt like we heard from some more than others.
I'm not complaining, though, that the sole solo scene with the manwh0re was at the very end of the book and was cut short. I feel like I was spared that.
Big HFN ending. It's the MMCs' senior year and they're all hoping to go pro....and it's her junior year. She's also hoping to go pro, but we never know if any of them are even in the running by the end of the story. We never know what they plan for the years they'd be in different states playing on different teams while she's still in college, etc. Parents are never met, do they plan to be together forever? Only one of the MMCs gave me forever vibes tbh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
Actually 5/5 STARS
Spice 4/5
-dark hockey romance
-bully
-why choose
-badass woman on an all-men’s team
-secret identity
-one completely UNHINGED
-everyone OTT obsessed & possessive AF
-enemies to lovers
-standalone but interconnected series
-found family
Initial thoughts:
Holy----this book absolutely ATE like Capital A-T-E! I devoured it in one sitting and refused to even come out of my room. From page one, I was hooked, and it did not let me go.
I say this twice because and not stutter and nahh— im not gasing cuz im biased and all, but yeah maybe and it’s THAT good. Rachel is definitely one of the best authors when it comes to a killer plot from beginning to end. Seriously, she writes the most badass FMCs who own their stories completely with actual character development.
It’s rare to see a female hockey player on an all-male team, and Dylan? She’s out there chasing her childhood dream, proving with her skills, talent, and big brain that she is the absolute GOAT in Hockey.
But of course, it’s not all smooth cause there will be Drama, and no she is not the DRAMA! she has to deal with hot, cocky, hockey players in her team.
- A playboy obsessed with her, sneaking her into dark corners for stolen kisses, but then gives whiplash (just cause…)
- An unhinged, lone wolf goalie who’s cold at first but will literally go to war for her.
- The captain, the golden boy, is keeping everything together and carrying all the responsibility of the team.
The tension? Delicious. The dynamics? Toxic! YOU KNOW I LOVE IT! The grovel? Worth it! I was screaming, throwing my Kindle, and then swooning like my life depended on it. I was literally glued to my Kindle.
What do I love most? This book really captures that in “man’s world,” women have to work twice as hard because most of them think we’re fragile and can’t handle the brutal ice rink. But Dylan? She’s determined and tenacious as hell. She just wants to play pro hockey because *redacted* and prove she’s an asset, not a liability.
Sure, it’s messy and toxic AF. Sometimes these guys need a reality check, but again for readers who love grovelling, yup… its there!
Recommend? Absolutely. If you want a dark hockey why choose romance with an FMC who makes cocky men eat their words and a lineup of unhinged, obsessed players who prove over and over again she’s the only one, well lucky you… its coming out tomorrow!
Spice 4/5
-dark hockey romance
-bully
-why choose
-badass woman on an all-men’s team
-secret identity
-one completely UNHINGED
-everyone OTT obsessed & possessive AF
-enemies to lovers
-standalone but interconnected series
-found family
Initial thoughts:
Holy----this book absolutely ATE like Capital A-T-E! I devoured it in one sitting and refused to even come out of my room. From page one, I was hooked, and it did not let me go.
I say this twice because and not stutter and nahh— im not gasing cuz im biased and all, but yeah maybe and it’s THAT good. Rachel is definitely one of the best authors when it comes to a killer plot from beginning to end. Seriously, she writes the most badass FMCs who own their stories completely with actual character development.
It’s rare to see a female hockey player on an all-male team, and Dylan? She’s out there chasing her childhood dream, proving with her skills, talent, and big brain that she is the absolute GOAT in Hockey.
But of course, it’s not all smooth cause there will be Drama, and no she is not the DRAMA! she has to deal with hot, cocky, hockey players in her team.
- A playboy obsessed with her, sneaking her into dark corners for stolen kisses, but then gives whiplash (just cause…)
- An unhinged, lone wolf goalie who’s cold at first but will literally go to war for her.
- The captain, the golden boy, is keeping everything together and carrying all the responsibility of the team.
The tension? Delicious. The dynamics? Toxic! YOU KNOW I LOVE IT! The grovel? Worth it! I was screaming, throwing my Kindle, and then swooning like my life depended on it. I was literally glued to my Kindle.
What do I love most? This book really captures that in “man’s world,” women have to work twice as hard because most of them think we’re fragile and can’t handle the brutal ice rink. But Dylan? She’s determined and tenacious as hell. She just wants to play pro hockey because *redacted* and prove she’s an asset, not a liability.
Sure, it’s messy and toxic AF. Sometimes these guys need a reality check, but again for readers who love grovelling, yup… its there!
Recommend? Absolutely. If you want a dark hockey why choose romance with an FMC who makes cocky men eat their words and a lineup of unhinged, obsessed players who prove over and over again she’s the only one, well lucky you… its coming out tomorrow!
December 30, 2025
This is an angsty, sort of bully college sports RH. The heroine Dylan (21) is a girl who transferred to a new college and is joining the men’s hockey team. The team doesn’t like that. Many of the players bully her – not really the heroes, but for a while, they just let it happen. It says book 1 in a series, but it’s a standalone. Book 2 will be about her friend.
This type of book is what 3 stars were invented for. It hits the spot okay if you want this kind of premise. But it could have been better. First of all, the pacing is wack. There are 4 guys in the RH, which is too many for a standalone book, it should have been 3 guys (kick out Finn! Or, if the author wanted Finn to add in that "one of the guys sucks" drama, then kick out Jax. I liked Jax, but he didn't bring much energy to the table that was different from Griffin). The guys don’t all get equal time and relationship development with her. There’s also so much hockey stuff in this book, it does seem well researched (to my ignorant eyes), but it makes the relationship stuff feel rushed and crammed in, at the end. It felt like this needed to be a duet, not a standalone, to flesh out the characters and relationships better. And, to flesh out Dylan's backstory and trauma, which was interesting but felt undercooked.
Dylan also kept saying like, "I made a mistake to get involved with guys on my old team. I shouldn't get involved with guys on my new team." She's right! I couldn't disagree with her on that, so she seemed dumb for kissing them so easily. She needed a better reason to get involved with them, or more conflict over it before giving in. It felt like her suddenly hooking up with them was happening because the plot needed it to, rather than because it had a reason that felt natural.
Griffin, the goalie, was so much better than the other 3 guys, it made me want this to be an MF book with only him. That’s not good – its fine and normal to read an RH and have a favorite guy, but I shouldn’t be wishing it was an MF book, and that the other guys weren’t part of the relationship.
I see other reviews complaining that the guys don’t grovel enough. That’s true, but the situation isn’t as bad as they made it sound. Although, I just read and really liked Silent Flames, which also doesn’t really have a traditional “grovel,” so I might just be getting bored of the “grovel,” and fine with the lack of it. But, to me, the guys’ crime was not that bad (compared to other books I’ve read, including other books by this author). It was even semi understandable – they see doctored video footage of her, and they don’t believe her immediately. We’re in the age of AI where videos can easily be misleading. But it’s still a lot to tell somebody “don’t believe your own eyes.” So I did understand their hesitation, even though they were wrong.
I did appreciate how this book has some ridiculous stuff in it that’s totally unbelievable – that's what I'm signing up for, when I read this type of book! For example, she’s playing on the men’s hockey team, and she has to share their locker room. There’s no way this would happen IRL. Women’s locker rooms still exist, and they would make her use that. But this book doesn’t even bother to explain that. It’s like “she's using the men's locker room, just go with it.” You know what? I WILL just go with it.
Anyway, this book is nothing special, its mid, its forgettable, it could have been better. But its fine enough and does hit the spot, if you’re in the mood for this type of read.
This type of book is what 3 stars were invented for. It hits the spot okay if you want this kind of premise. But it could have been better. First of all, the pacing is wack. There are 4 guys in the RH, which is too many for a standalone book, it should have been 3 guys (kick out Finn! Or, if the author wanted Finn to add in that "one of the guys sucks" drama, then kick out Jax. I liked Jax, but he didn't bring much energy to the table that was different from Griffin). The guys don’t all get equal time and relationship development with her. There’s also so much hockey stuff in this book, it does seem well researched (to my ignorant eyes), but it makes the relationship stuff feel rushed and crammed in, at the end. It felt like this needed to be a duet, not a standalone, to flesh out the characters and relationships better. And, to flesh out Dylan's backstory and trauma, which was interesting but felt undercooked.
Dylan also kept saying like, "I made a mistake to get involved with guys on my old team. I shouldn't get involved with guys on my new team." She's right! I couldn't disagree with her on that, so she seemed dumb for kissing them so easily. She needed a better reason to get involved with them, or more conflict over it before giving in. It felt like her suddenly hooking up with them was happening because the plot needed it to, rather than because it had a reason that felt natural.
Griffin, the goalie, was so much better than the other 3 guys, it made me want this to be an MF book with only him. That’s not good – its fine and normal to read an RH and have a favorite guy, but I shouldn’t be wishing it was an MF book, and that the other guys weren’t part of the relationship.
I see other reviews complaining that the guys don’t grovel enough. That’s true, but the situation isn’t as bad as they made it sound. Although, I just read and really liked Silent Flames, which also doesn’t really have a traditional “grovel,” so I might just be getting bored of the “grovel,” and fine with the lack of it. But, to me, the guys’ crime was not that bad (compared to other books I’ve read, including other books by this author). It was even semi understandable – they see doctored video footage of her, and they don’t believe her immediately. We’re in the age of AI where videos can easily be misleading. But it’s still a lot to tell somebody “don’t believe your own eyes.” So I did understand their hesitation, even though they were wrong.
I did appreciate how this book has some ridiculous stuff in it that’s totally unbelievable – that's what I'm signing up for, when I read this type of book! For example, she’s playing on the men’s hockey team, and she has to share their locker room. There’s no way this would happen IRL. Women’s locker rooms still exist, and they would make her use that. But this book doesn’t even bother to explain that. It’s like “she's using the men's locker room, just go with it.” You know what? I WILL just go with it.
Anyway, this book is nothing special, its mid, its forgettable, it could have been better. But its fine enough and does hit the spot, if you’re in the mood for this type of read.
October 1, 2025
Stick It is book one in the brand new why choose/college hockey romance series, Northern Legacy by @rasmythauthor I KNEW the moment I read the Author Note and Dedication that this book was going to be something special and amazing! And it was BEYOND! RA Smyth writes pure perfection! And she bled her heart on the pages of this book! I literally could not put it down and read it in less than 24
We follow Dylan Callahan-She is fierce. She is relentless. She is a survivor and a warrior. Her father was a famous NHL player and all she ever wanted was to do the same. In a world dominated by men, she is ready to take it by storm! Bring in her HOT HOT men! Omg, these men!!!! Ethan-The captain of the team that carries the weight of the team and world on his shoulders. Griffin-The broody, obsessed goalie who just falls hard and wants to give her the world.Finn-The gorgeous playboy who struggles with wanting her yet a loyalty to his best friend. Jax-Quiet but passionate in all he does including video games. The chemistry. The passion. The slow burn. The angst. As Dylan learns to finally let go, to allow herself to be taken care of and loved-It’s absolutely perfect! The way they come together to take care of her…. The possessiveness and obsession by these men, off the charts! The spicy scenes between her and each guy and her men together, HHHHOOOOTTTT!!🔥
This book will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions! It will leave you with that book coma after and you just can’t stop thinking about it! It’s just that good. This is now one of my most favorite why choose/hockey books I have ever read! I can’t wait for book two which will be her best friend Wren’s book who I have a feeling has a whole lot of secrets to unveil.
Read this book. And when you do, take two seconds to really read that Author Note and Dedication. It speaks from an author's beautiful heart♥️
Rate: 10/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 5/5🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
♥️Why Choose
🏒 Dark Hockey Romance
🏒 Bully Romance
🏰College Romance
🔥Spicy Romance
⚔️Enemies to Lovers
💜Touch-her-and-☠️
*TRULY THANK YOU Rachel for being a part of your ARC team!🖤
We follow Dylan Callahan-She is fierce. She is relentless. She is a survivor and a warrior. Her father was a famous NHL player and all she ever wanted was to do the same. In a world dominated by men, she is ready to take it by storm! Bring in her HOT HOT men! Omg, these men!!!! Ethan-The captain of the team that carries the weight of the team and world on his shoulders. Griffin-The broody, obsessed goalie who just falls hard and wants to give her the world.Finn-The gorgeous playboy who struggles with wanting her yet a loyalty to his best friend. Jax-Quiet but passionate in all he does including video games. The chemistry. The passion. The slow burn. The angst. As Dylan learns to finally let go, to allow herself to be taken care of and loved-It’s absolutely perfect! The way they come together to take care of her…. The possessiveness and obsession by these men, off the charts! The spicy scenes between her and each guy and her men together, HHHHOOOOTTTT!!🔥
This book will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions! It will leave you with that book coma after and you just can’t stop thinking about it! It’s just that good. This is now one of my most favorite why choose/hockey books I have ever read! I can’t wait for book two which will be her best friend Wren’s book who I have a feeling has a whole lot of secrets to unveil.
Read this book. And when you do, take two seconds to really read that Author Note and Dedication. It speaks from an author's beautiful heart♥️
Rate: 10/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 5/5🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
♥️Why Choose
🏒 Dark Hockey Romance
🏒 Bully Romance
🏰College Romance
🔥Spicy Romance
⚔️Enemies to Lovers
💜Touch-her-and-☠️
*TRULY THANK YOU Rachel for being a part of your ARC team!🖤
November 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stick It by RA Smyth
I’m not entirely convinced this was a “book issue” as much as it was a me issue. I struggle with reverse harems sometimes because I always end up gravitating toward one guy more than the others, and in this case, that was Ethan. I’ve gotten past this in other RH series because eventually one love interest does tend to stand out and pull ahead emotionally. I didn’t feel that happen here.
We basically end on the close of the season and the end of our poor FMC’s suffering, but beyond that, I didn’t feel like the plot or the relationships had much clarity or direction.
Quick summary:
After transferring to a new university for a fresh start, our FMC finds herself tangled up with several hockey players teammates, roommates, and men who all want her. Between team drama, past trauma, and territorial tension, she tries to figure out who she can trust both on and off the ice.
Now… the spice? Good. No complaints there. But it didn’t feel evenly balanced between all the guys. And one of the MMCs…I just could not stand him. Misogynistic, dismissive, and pushing the FMC away over and over because of his loyalty to another player on the team. Not to mention he refuses to believe her for about 80% of the book.
Ethan, meanwhile, felt like the only one who actually tried to know her as a person before dragging her into the bedroom or just claiming her as “his.” Everyone else’s dynamic felt surface level or selfish…more like boys jockeying for territory than building any emotional connection.
Overall? If reverse harem is your jam, definitely give it a try… a lot of readers loved this one. It just wasn’t totally my style.
I’m not entirely convinced this was a “book issue” as much as it was a me issue. I struggle with reverse harems sometimes because I always end up gravitating toward one guy more than the others, and in this case, that was Ethan. I’ve gotten past this in other RH series because eventually one love interest does tend to stand out and pull ahead emotionally. I didn’t feel that happen here.
We basically end on the close of the season and the end of our poor FMC’s suffering, but beyond that, I didn’t feel like the plot or the relationships had much clarity or direction.
Quick summary:
After transferring to a new university for a fresh start, our FMC finds herself tangled up with several hockey players teammates, roommates, and men who all want her. Between team drama, past trauma, and territorial tension, she tries to figure out who she can trust both on and off the ice.
Now… the spice? Good. No complaints there. But it didn’t feel evenly balanced between all the guys. And one of the MMCs…I just could not stand him. Misogynistic, dismissive, and pushing the FMC away over and over because of his loyalty to another player on the team. Not to mention he refuses to believe her for about 80% of the book.
Ethan, meanwhile, felt like the only one who actually tried to know her as a person before dragging her into the bedroom or just claiming her as “his.” Everyone else’s dynamic felt surface level or selfish…more like boys jockeying for territory than building any emotional connection.
Overall? If reverse harem is your jam, definitely give it a try… a lot of readers loved this one. It just wasn’t totally my style.
October 12, 2025
4.25⭐️
November 10, 2025
Perfection in every way 🫶🏻. The characters, the plot, the villain. Hockey and RH romance at its very best ☺️.
October 14, 2025
ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dylan is my crease—my territory, my purpose. No matter where I am, how far I stray, I always find myself back in the blue, ready to defend what’s mine.
Five enthusiastic stars for this why-choose, dark hockey romance! I loved the banter, the steam, the angst, the danger, the action... One BA FMC and four hockey gods who fall madly in love with her.
I felt true kinship with Dylan. Like her, I was the only girl in an all-boys league, except it was soccer and not hockey. I understood her struggles. I admired Dylan's strength in the face of an entire team (and league) that was dead set on forcing her out. Luckily, my team was supportive from the get-go and had my back when targeted by the opposing players. Dylan wasn't so lucky, forced to be a lone wolf.
Dylan eventually gathered a harem of men who supported and uplifted her (lucky duck!). Griffin was the top MMC. It's hard not to fall immediately for the sulky man who becomes obsessed with his woman. He was the force that pulled the others' heads out of their asses. Thank goodness he was in Dylan's corner from the beginning.
My favorite part (besides every time Dylan kicked ass on the ice) was when the guys (excepting Griffin, of course) realized how badly they fucked up. God, I LIVE for the grovel. Very well done.
This is a mixed-burn and spicy romance. Some MMCs take a little longer than the others to fall, going from yearning to burning. MF and group scenes.
Stick It ends in a HEA for Dylan and her guys. It can be read as a complete standalone, though you can expect future interconnected stories.
Thank you, RA Smyth, for the ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dylan is my crease—my territory, my purpose. No matter where I am, how far I stray, I always find myself back in the blue, ready to defend what’s mine.
Five enthusiastic stars for this why-choose, dark hockey romance! I loved the banter, the steam, the angst, the danger, the action... One BA FMC and four hockey gods who fall madly in love with her.
I felt true kinship with Dylan. Like her, I was the only girl in an all-boys league, except it was soccer and not hockey. I understood her struggles. I admired Dylan's strength in the face of an entire team (and league) that was dead set on forcing her out. Luckily, my team was supportive from the get-go and had my back when targeted by the opposing players. Dylan wasn't so lucky, forced to be a lone wolf.
Dylan eventually gathered a harem of men who supported and uplifted her (lucky duck!). Griffin was the top MMC. It's hard not to fall immediately for the sulky man who becomes obsessed with his woman. He was the force that pulled the others' heads out of their asses. Thank goodness he was in Dylan's corner from the beginning.
My favorite part (besides every time Dylan kicked ass on the ice) was when the guys (excepting Griffin, of course) realized how badly they fucked up. God, I LIVE for the grovel. Very well done.
This is a mixed-burn and spicy romance. Some MMCs take a little longer than the others to fall, going from yearning to burning. MF and group scenes.
Stick It ends in a HEA for Dylan and her guys. It can be read as a complete standalone, though you can expect future interconnected stories.
Thank you, RA Smyth, for the ARC.
October 4, 2025
Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Let me just say, I loved the premise of this book and I've been dying to be able to read it. On top of that, I'm a huge fan of the previous books from this author and I had high hopes she'd handle this storyline well. And she did, don't get me wrong. And I'll even say I was extra excited to see it was a standalone and not a trilogy as a lot of her series are. But with all of that being said, I didn't love this one. The characters felt very separate to me and I felt like none of them truly got the page time the deserved. Dylan also had a pretty deep background storyline happening that would make it's way to the page but didn't go into depth. I was also kind of disappointed that we didn't really get to see her on the ice a lot. Or maybe to me it just felt like that should have been more of a central point of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed it and I did like the characters individually. Maybe I had expectations that couldn't be met or maybe I let myself get so hyped over what I thought would happen that I made it a disappointing read for myself. Either way, I'm still excited to see what will come next from this series.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Let me just say, I loved the premise of this book and I've been dying to be able to read it. On top of that, I'm a huge fan of the previous books from this author and I had high hopes she'd handle this storyline well. And she did, don't get me wrong. And I'll even say I was extra excited to see it was a standalone and not a trilogy as a lot of her series are. But with all of that being said, I didn't love this one. The characters felt very separate to me and I felt like none of them truly got the page time the deserved. Dylan also had a pretty deep background storyline happening that would make it's way to the page but didn't go into depth. I was also kind of disappointed that we didn't really get to see her on the ice a lot. Or maybe to me it just felt like that should have been more of a central point of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed it and I did like the characters individually. Maybe I had expectations that couldn't be met or maybe I let myself get so hyped over what I thought would happen that I made it a disappointing read for myself. Either way, I'm still excited to see what will come next from this series.
November 26, 2025
Dylan, Finn, Ethan, Jax, + Griffin
-whychoose sports romance
-all (including fmc) hockey players
-hidden identity
-forbidden romance
-teammates to lovers
this was a perfect whychoose standalone & to add in the sports trope it was just even more built & plotted perfectly with all the secrets & build up!! i thought the relationships, separate & together, were all developed perfectly!! i LOVEDD each & every one of the guys equally too!!
-whychoose sports romance
-all (including fmc) hockey players
-hidden identity
-forbidden romance
-teammates to lovers
this was a perfect whychoose standalone & to add in the sports trope it was just even more built & plotted perfectly with all the secrets & build up!! i thought the relationships, separate & together, were all developed perfectly!! i LOVEDD each & every one of the guys equally too!!
November 3, 2025
I've been waiting for a new R. A. Smyth book!!! I've read almost her whole catalog and she's one of my top 5 dark romance authors, Smyth's soo underrated it's ridiculous!!!!! Suffice to say, i got EXTREMELY pumped when I saw this new book of hers ❤️❤️❤️!
Like always I fricken crushed it!!!!!
💋💋💋
Like always I fricken crushed it!!!!!
💋💋💋
October 2, 2025
I will never ever not want to read a book by RA Smyth. Every single thing she writes is pure gold, and this story was no different. I will say Griffin…. Oh yeah. Chefs kiss!!
October 4, 2025
Damn this was good! Full RTC later but let it be known, you should read this book if you love a fierce FMC who doesn’t have to choose, and hot hockey men who kick ass on the ice and off.
September 21, 2025
I absolutely enjoyed Stick It. I love a good hockey why choose romance. FOUR GUYS? what a dream. i absolutely loved the storyline. And how more and more was revealed about the FMCs life as it goes on. She went THROUGH it. I absolutely loved the guys. They all came around in their own ways. I do wish we would have gotten more of their POVs because I wanted to know more about them. The book is emotionally heavy and there is violence in it but the moments that made me giggle helped balance it out. I really loved this book and can’t wait for the next one. thank you booksirens for this ARC.
November 10, 2025
Definitely a different plot than I was expecting and I liked how it played out. Overall I thought it was a good book. Will read the sequel whenever it comes out.
October 13, 2025
DNF @ %67
I just don’t think this book was for me
I just don’t think this book was for me
October 26, 2025
Stick It by R.A. Smyth — 4.5⭐ | 🌶️🌶️
This was actually a really good book. I loved the tension, the plot, the steady build-up, and the back story. It’s hockey romance through and through, with Dylan fighting her way into an all-male team and basically doing the impossible with very little support at first. The character growth really got me—proper heart squeeze moments, honestly. ❤️🔥
What I Loved About This Book
Dylan’s grit 🏒: Watching her push into a space built for men and hold her own? Cheered out loud. Dylan has gone through so much and she just keeps rolling it the punches physically and literally. I really love a strong FMC and she is one of them!
That delicious slow build ⏳: The tension simmers—training, setbacks, tiny wins—and it all pays off. The Trust needs to be built, we get to learn about each one before they all jump into bed with each other and the slow build is chefs kiss in this one.
The boys, the vibes:
Griffin: possessive, obsessive—can’t look away. And honestly I love how Dylan brings out his true self. I wish we could get to know him better.
Ethan: broody with a controlling edge. Yes Captain you are in charge here - but earn it!
Jax: shy loner who steps out just for her (soft spot unlocked). I think I was rooting for him from the start the silent broody one are always the ones to watch.
Finn: golden retriever energy, a bit lost puppy, but so endearing. Though I would say he takes time and a few times you want to scream at him
The subtext that stings 💥: How men react when a woman’s better in their field—the abuse, the lack of support, the constant grind. It hits hard and feels real. I think its a strong part of the plot and it just shines so much on this subject.
Tone & feel: Dark and romantic without going overboard; emotions stay front and centre.
Spice: A little sizzle—about two chillies—which fits the tone nicely. 🌶️🌶️
What I Thought Could Change
I wish we’d had a bit more time getting to know the guys individually—we’re mainly in Dylan’s lane, which is fab, but I wanted a few deeper moments with each of them. Of course that being said I still loved it and could not put the story down so...
The Tropes
• Hockey romance
• Woman breaking into a male team
• Why Choose
• Possessive MMC / Broody MMC / Shy loner / Golden retriever
• Slow burn & character growth
Ending Summary
Emotional, gritty, and quietly fierce. It’s a struggle and a love story wrapped together—with just the right amount of spice. I’m happily landing on 4.5 stars. 🥅✨
October 8, 2025
This book was SO GOOD!!! AHHH -- I mean it had everything you could want; a woman in a predominantly male zone making names for herself, hot, hunky hockey players vying for attention, and a suspense element that will have you glued to your kindle!
I'm about to make a very controversial statement here, but Griffin is hands down my favorite hero Rachel has come up with. He's a growly teddy bear that doesn't ever connect with anyone, but he connects with Dylan. And not only that, he SEES her, and will do anything to protect her -- even from the other idiots on his team that are confused about their feelings. He is the only one out of them all who always stood by her without question and loved her loud and proud. Honestly if she had said FU to the others I wouldn't have been all that mad -- that's how much I love him!
Jax was my second favorite! The bond that hw shares with Dylan is so unique, and I loved that there was a true friendship under everything else.
Ethan was a good captain, and once he let go of the need to be in control and perfect I really started to warm up to him,.especially when everything hit the fan!
as for Finn -look, he pissed me off. I get it, he didn't want to think that the person he had been close to for years was capable of doing what he did,.but I seriously wanted to smack some sense into this boy, to the point I was YELLING at my Kindle. oy.
As for Dylan -man i just really loved her! She had been through so much, and felt so alone and isolated, and all she wanted to do was play the sport that she loved so much, and to honor her father's legacy. She never wanted to be in danger all for doing so, but I loved how she always fought back with her head held high. Shes just so fierce, and I loved that about her! But falling in love with these men also taught her that she could be soft and vulnerable, and that was just *chefs kiss*
I desperately cannot wait for Wrens book! I adored her as Dylans bff and I know her own harem is going to be AMAZING.
We even got a nice cameo with Aurora and her adorable kiddo!! I mean cmon, how precious was that?!?
I'm about to make a very controversial statement here, but Griffin is hands down my favorite hero Rachel has come up with. He's a growly teddy bear that doesn't ever connect with anyone, but he connects with Dylan. And not only that, he SEES her, and will do anything to protect her -- even from the other idiots on his team that are confused about their feelings. He is the only one out of them all who always stood by her without question and loved her loud and proud. Honestly if she had said FU to the others I wouldn't have been all that mad -- that's how much I love him!
Jax was my second favorite! The bond that hw shares with Dylan is so unique, and I loved that there was a true friendship under everything else.
Ethan was a good captain, and once he let go of the need to be in control and perfect I really started to warm up to him,.especially when everything hit the fan!
as for Finn -look, he pissed me off. I get it, he didn't want to think that the person he had been close to for years was capable of doing what he did,.but I seriously wanted to smack some sense into this boy, to the point I was YELLING at my Kindle. oy.
As for Dylan -man i just really loved her! She had been through so much, and felt so alone and isolated, and all she wanted to do was play the sport that she loved so much, and to honor her father's legacy. She never wanted to be in danger all for doing so, but I loved how she always fought back with her head held high. Shes just so fierce, and I loved that about her! But falling in love with these men also taught her that she could be soft and vulnerable, and that was just *chefs kiss*
I desperately cannot wait for Wrens book! I adored her as Dylans bff and I know her own harem is going to be AMAZING.
We even got a nice cameo with Aurora and her adorable kiddo!! I mean cmon, how precious was that?!?
October 1, 2025
Wow Stick It was just wow. I absolutely freaking loved it. I’ve always loved R. A. Smyth’s book especially Halston U series but this series is taking off to be the best.
Dylan she’s just so strong and fearless. She’s been wanting to play professional hockey since she was a little girl and nothing will stop her. Her perseverance, determination and tenacity is something to be proud of. Her father was in the NHL and now she’s trying to get there. I know she will.
Although it’s not gonna be easy. There is a lot of naysayers out there ready to mess things up for her. She’s better than some of the men on her team. Her men rally around her. Ethan the Captain of the team is trying to make everyone happy. Our broody Goalie Griffin has always supported Dylan from the beginning (hint hint he’s my favorite). Jax who loves playing video games especially with Dylan (yep she’s good at that too). Finally we have Finn who’s really torn between his attraction to Dylan and his loyalty to his loser of a best friend. I love how eventually they band together and protect and support her.
What I really loved about Stick It is that a woman can play in a man’s world. Never give up. The author really showed how hard it is but yet so fulfilling when you try and never give up. Life can have lots of challenges but it’s up to you to grab them and overcome them.
Kudos to R. A. Smyth of writing such an amazing book. I was hooked beginning to end and dealing with lots of emotions while reading it. From anger to sadness to happiness. Stick It has it all. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!!!
Dylan she’s just so strong and fearless. She’s been wanting to play professional hockey since she was a little girl and nothing will stop her. Her perseverance, determination and tenacity is something to be proud of. Her father was in the NHL and now she’s trying to get there. I know she will.
Although it’s not gonna be easy. There is a lot of naysayers out there ready to mess things up for her. She’s better than some of the men on her team. Her men rally around her. Ethan the Captain of the team is trying to make everyone happy. Our broody Goalie Griffin has always supported Dylan from the beginning (hint hint he’s my favorite). Jax who loves playing video games especially with Dylan (yep she’s good at that too). Finally we have Finn who’s really torn between his attraction to Dylan and his loyalty to his loser of a best friend. I love how eventually they band together and protect and support her.
What I really loved about Stick It is that a woman can play in a man’s world. Never give up. The author really showed how hard it is but yet so fulfilling when you try and never give up. Life can have lots of challenges but it’s up to you to grab them and overcome them.
Kudos to R. A. Smyth of writing such an amazing book. I was hooked beginning to end and dealing with lots of emotions while reading it. From anger to sadness to happiness. Stick It has it all. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!!!
September 30, 2025
This book is something special, i think for a lot of women, it will mean something more than just a romance book. Dylan just left me speechless, the amount of strength it must have taken to still show up after everything that happened and than dominate that ice hockey game. It gave me chills, goosbumps everywhere.
The amount of bad that happened in Dylan's life, the amount of bad things said and done to her... so many times i wish i could just talk to her and give her the biggest hug and tell her what an incredible woman she is. The fighter she is, is exactly what the guys saw in her aswell and that was just so beautiful. Her going from a team that does not like her or even gives her the slightest chance to a team that defends, uplifts and let's her shine, ugh tears! Like literally....
Thank god for why choose romance because do not make me choose between these men, i will not. I can understand every one of them. I love every single one of them. am i jealous of Dylan? Oh yeah i am. They all give her something different but something she needs. So i repeat do not make me choose. One moment Griffin makes me hot and bothered and the next Ethan's there with his silent strength and protectiveness, the other moment Jax's is making me kick my feet while Finn just makes me go from blushing to shouting, like they are just..... undescribable.
Now Bear and Wren those two also made this book all the more special because not only is romantic interest important in life but also the support and love from family and friends and Bear and Wren were just the sweetest and such great characters that made this book just amazing!
BTW: Kyle and Lucas can go and F themselves! The visceral reaction they both gave me... ugh!
The amount of bad that happened in Dylan's life, the amount of bad things said and done to her... so many times i wish i could just talk to her and give her the biggest hug and tell her what an incredible woman she is. The fighter she is, is exactly what the guys saw in her aswell and that was just so beautiful. Her going from a team that does not like her or even gives her the slightest chance to a team that defends, uplifts and let's her shine, ugh tears! Like literally....
Thank god for why choose romance because do not make me choose between these men, i will not. I can understand every one of them. I love every single one of them. am i jealous of Dylan? Oh yeah i am. They all give her something different but something she needs. So i repeat do not make me choose. One moment Griffin makes me hot and bothered and the next Ethan's there with his silent strength and protectiveness, the other moment Jax's is making me kick my feet while Finn just makes me go from blushing to shouting, like they are just..... undescribable.
Now Bear and Wren those two also made this book all the more special because not only is romantic interest important in life but also the support and love from family and friends and Bear and Wren were just the sweetest and such great characters that made this book just amazing!
BTW: Kyle and Lucas can go and F themselves! The visceral reaction they both gave me... ugh!
September 29, 2025
Stick It by R.A. Smyth was nothing but fire from start to finish. I literally just finished reading and already contemplating going back for round 2. For reals, this story is powerful and definitely needed to be told. For anyone who dares to dream and for those who think they can't. The icing on top is the facts thrown in throughout the story about women playing hockey or competing for any team that was originally all men. I absolutely love the epicness of girl power.
Dylan Carter is exactly the type of girl I have always wanted to be. Strong, fierce, independent, knows what she wants and grabs it with no apologies whatsoever. I love how hockey was the chosen sport for this book. I'm not the biggest fan but ai can appreciate how it shows off the brutality of characters, mentally and physically, and also the determination and strength it takes to succeed longterm.
The progression of Stick It felt so natural, starting from the guys hating the idea of a girl teammate to them slowly coming around to acceptance, to finally giving in to Dylan and what they truly wanted. I really love how different Finn, Jax, Ethan, and Griffin are on their own but still compliment each other to make one fully united group. The underlying suspense throughout Stick It was equally thrilling and kept me on my toes. The lengths that some people go to are seriously crazy but again it feels like something that could truly happen. And that ending with Wren? Heck yes I'm here for it. Her friendship with Dylan was so fresh and hilarious and I can't wait to see her side of why she loves hockey and the reasoning for avoiding all players and parties.
Dylan Carter is exactly the type of girl I have always wanted to be. Strong, fierce, independent, knows what she wants and grabs it with no apologies whatsoever. I love how hockey was the chosen sport for this book. I'm not the biggest fan but ai can appreciate how it shows off the brutality of characters, mentally and physically, and also the determination and strength it takes to succeed longterm.
The progression of Stick It felt so natural, starting from the guys hating the idea of a girl teammate to them slowly coming around to acceptance, to finally giving in to Dylan and what they truly wanted. I really love how different Finn, Jax, Ethan, and Griffin are on their own but still compliment each other to make one fully united group. The underlying suspense throughout Stick It was equally thrilling and kept me on my toes. The lengths that some people go to are seriously crazy but again it feels like something that could truly happen. And that ending with Wren? Heck yes I'm here for it. Her friendship with Dylan was so fresh and hilarious and I can't wait to see her side of why she loves hockey and the reasoning for avoiding all players and parties.
October 20, 2025
4⭐️
I did really enjoy this book, but nothing really wow'd me the way I thought it could've.
I think there was some weird pacing in this story and some interesting choices were made by the author as far at the relationships go. This wasn't my preferred style of reverse harem relationship, as I really do prefer when all of the guys are more.. Cohesive? Together? On the same page? A unit? This felt more like she just had 4 separate relationships, which isn't my preferred style.
It didn't help that I actually really didn't like one of the guys and I promise you it is not the one you think it is. I am positive that I'm having an unpopular opinion about this, but eh, whatever.
I will say, I still really liked a lot of this and I blew through it because I was pretty hooked on the story. There was also enough hockey that it felt like a true hockey romance, which I appreciated. We did spend too much time on the wrong things though and not nearly enough page time on the things that could've elevated this story. This was a long book, so we should've had enough page time for backstory and chemistry building.
My review sounds negative, but I did have a good time. Like I said, I just wasn't thinking "Oh wow, I can't wait to reread this again" upon finishing and that's kind of how I judge all of my books.
I am going to continue this series though as I loved the peeks we got of Wren and I'm so interested in her as a FMC.
Main Characters: Dylan, Griffin, Jax, Finn, and Ethan
I did really enjoy this book, but nothing really wow'd me the way I thought it could've.
I think there was some weird pacing in this story and some interesting choices were made by the author as far at the relationships go. This wasn't my preferred style of reverse harem relationship, as I really do prefer when all of the guys are more.. Cohesive? Together? On the same page? A unit? This felt more like she just had 4 separate relationships, which isn't my preferred style.
It didn't help that I actually really didn't like one of the guys and I promise you it is not the one you think it is. I am positive that I'm having an unpopular opinion about this, but eh, whatever.
I will say, I still really liked a lot of this and I blew through it because I was pretty hooked on the story. There was also enough hockey that it felt like a true hockey romance, which I appreciated. We did spend too much time on the wrong things though and not nearly enough page time on the things that could've elevated this story. This was a long book, so we should've had enough page time for backstory and chemistry building.
My review sounds negative, but I did have a good time. Like I said, I just wasn't thinking "Oh wow, I can't wait to reread this again" upon finishing and that's kind of how I judge all of my books.
I am going to continue this series though as I loved the peeks we got of Wren and I'm so interested in her as a FMC.
Main Characters: Dylan, Griffin, Jax, Finn, and Ethan
October 6, 2025
Stick It can be read as a standalone.
Finally this book is here, I’ve been obsessed since I saw the tropes and character interviews! And it was confirmed to me how right I was to be obsessed by the author’s note and dedication.
Dylan is amazing, I instantly fell in love with her determination, strength and courage. She wasn’t afraid to work hard for her dreams and it was so great to read; I love hockey romance and have never read one where the FMC is playing it.
Griffin the broody, obsessed goalie was also phenomenal, he blew the other MMCs out of the water, they definitely had to earn my approval.
Jax was probably my second favourite, he’s quiet, protective and loves playing video games.
Ethan is the responsible, peace-keeping Captain.
Finn was my least favourite, he’s a playboy who was very hot and cold with Dylan and he had a questionable friendship with someone I hated. Honestly, this book made me hate some of the characters so much.
But I also loved some of them, Bear 😍, Wren, the small glimpse we saw of her dad, and even the NHL team.
The plot was very character driven which made it more emotional for me because of how much I loved Dylan. There were so many aspects of this book that I loved.
Overall, Dylan and Griffin made this book for me. Definitely recommend if you like RH, a fierce FMC and hockey.
💕 Why choose
🏒 Hockey
🚫 Forbidden
🤫 Secret legacy
👀 Hidden identity
🥵 Possessive MMCs
😭 Tragic past
🏡 Forced proximity/ roommates
😈 Enemies to lovers
👊 Touch her and die
🥰 Found family
Plot: 📚📚📚📚
Character rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥
Feels: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Writing style: 🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊
Finally this book is here, I’ve been obsessed since I saw the tropes and character interviews! And it was confirmed to me how right I was to be obsessed by the author’s note and dedication.
Dylan is amazing, I instantly fell in love with her determination, strength and courage. She wasn’t afraid to work hard for her dreams and it was so great to read; I love hockey romance and have never read one where the FMC is playing it.
Griffin the broody, obsessed goalie was also phenomenal, he blew the other MMCs out of the water, they definitely had to earn my approval.
Jax was probably my second favourite, he’s quiet, protective and loves playing video games.
Ethan is the responsible, peace-keeping Captain.
Finn was my least favourite, he’s a playboy who was very hot and cold with Dylan and he had a questionable friendship with someone I hated. Honestly, this book made me hate some of the characters so much.
But I also loved some of them, Bear 😍, Wren, the small glimpse we saw of her dad, and even the NHL team.
The plot was very character driven which made it more emotional for me because of how much I loved Dylan. There were so many aspects of this book that I loved.
Overall, Dylan and Griffin made this book for me. Definitely recommend if you like RH, a fierce FMC and hockey.
💕 Why choose
🏒 Hockey
🚫 Forbidden
🤫 Secret legacy
👀 Hidden identity
🥵 Possessive MMCs
😭 Tragic past
🏡 Forced proximity/ roommates
😈 Enemies to lovers
👊 Touch her and die
🥰 Found family
Plot: 📚📚📚📚
Character rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexiness: 🔥🔥🔥
Feels: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Writing style: 🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊
September 28, 2025
This is not a She's the Man type situation. Everyone knows Dylan is a girl. A girl trying to make it onto the men's college hockey team. She has grit and she doesn't know when to quit or back down. Her spirit and tenacity are unparalleled. She wants to get on the team. Not because of her family name or anything else except her raw talent. She out-skates, out-maneuvers and has much better skill on the ice compared to the one guy on the team whose position on the team is the one she wants.
I was hooked in from the very beginning. I fell in love with the characters straight away. I do love me an amazing harem and there's no doubt about that Dylan Carter has one freaking amazing harem. First, captain Ethan of the BSU hockey team. There's a reason he's captain. He sees things. He knows things and he knows when he fails. He also know when it's time fall in, especially with new team member Dylan. Jax is next, his walls came down after one little hangout with Dylan and then he was all in. Finn was the last. His best friend is the one whose position is in jeopardy but he can't help but realize Dylan's skill on the ice. And he fights with himself, putting one foot forward but then taking 3 giant steps back. Then Griffin, ohh Griffin. My heart. There's a reason he is the goalie. His entire job is to protect the net. As a goalie, his sole reason is to make the net his own. And Dylan? She's the net.
I absolutely loved every minute of this book and I cannot wait for Wren's story.
I was hooked in from the very beginning. I fell in love with the characters straight away. I do love me an amazing harem and there's no doubt about that Dylan Carter has one freaking amazing harem. First, captain Ethan of the BSU hockey team. There's a reason he's captain. He sees things. He knows things and he knows when he fails. He also know when it's time fall in, especially with new team member Dylan. Jax is next, his walls came down after one little hangout with Dylan and then he was all in. Finn was the last. His best friend is the one whose position is in jeopardy but he can't help but realize Dylan's skill on the ice. And he fights with himself, putting one foot forward but then taking 3 giant steps back. Then Griffin, ohh Griffin. My heart. There's a reason he is the goalie. His entire job is to protect the net. As a goalie, his sole reason is to make the net his own. And Dylan? She's the net.
I absolutely loved every minute of this book and I cannot wait for Wren's story.
September 24, 2025
*Reverse Harem
*Contemporary
*Multi-1st-PoV
*Hockey Romance
*College Setting
*Girl in all boy team
*Some CWs
*Established Harem (4)
*Mid Burn
*Standalone
What a story!
Holy smokes so I’ve been waiting for Smyth to come back and oh boy has she come back with a bang! This is a brilliant standalone with great characters and a gripping story, the writing and pace make this easy to blitz through as you’re eager to find out what Dylan does next 😀
Dylan is our FMC who’s determined to make it to the first line of an NHL team - that’s her dream - but the poor girl has been through a lot and we find out more as the ploy plays out…
She arrives as BSU to be a Steelhawk and she’s taking no prisoners in making sure she’s on the starting line - and of course she’s got the grit, determination and desire to work hard on top of her sheer talent! Which of course puts the boys on edge 😠 the book very much focuses on how the team respond to her and how that changes for four particularly players 😅 now Mason has always been my favourite Smyth book boyfriend but honestly Griffin is now on equal par with him - he’s obsessive, possessive, slightly unhinged, down right protective and madly head over heels for Riley 😍😍 Jax is quieter soul who takes everything in before making his decisions and he slowly becomes a rock for Riley as she in tune brings him out of his shell 🥰; Ethan the captain has a lot of responsibility on his shoulder and definitely doesn’t always make the right call for Dylan but he’s man enough to step up to the plate when needed and when he finally admits what he’s feeling☺️; lastly there’s Finn - troubled flirty playboy Finn who doesn’t always take the right path but will do what he can to make things right 😀
There’s internal and external drama to this harem to keep you invested in their story and it’s one you won’t be able to turn away from! 😀
*Contemporary
*Multi-1st-PoV
*Hockey Romance
*College Setting
*Girl in all boy team
*Some CWs
*Established Harem (4)
*Mid Burn
*Standalone
What a story!
Holy smokes so I’ve been waiting for Smyth to come back and oh boy has she come back with a bang! This is a brilliant standalone with great characters and a gripping story, the writing and pace make this easy to blitz through as you’re eager to find out what Dylan does next 😀
Dylan is our FMC who’s determined to make it to the first line of an NHL team - that’s her dream - but the poor girl has been through a lot and we find out more as the ploy plays out…
She arrives as BSU to be a Steelhawk and she’s taking no prisoners in making sure she’s on the starting line - and of course she’s got the grit, determination and desire to work hard on top of her sheer talent! Which of course puts the boys on edge 😠 the book very much focuses on how the team respond to her and how that changes for four particularly players 😅 now Mason has always been my favourite Smyth book boyfriend but honestly Griffin is now on equal par with him - he’s obsessive, possessive, slightly unhinged, down right protective and madly head over heels for Riley 😍😍 Jax is quieter soul who takes everything in before making his decisions and he slowly becomes a rock for Riley as she in tune brings him out of his shell 🥰; Ethan the captain has a lot of responsibility on his shoulder and definitely doesn’t always make the right call for Dylan but he’s man enough to step up to the plate when needed and when he finally admits what he’s feeling☺️; lastly there’s Finn - troubled flirty playboy Finn who doesn’t always take the right path but will do what he can to make things right 😀
There’s internal and external drama to this harem to keep you invested in their story and it’s one you won’t be able to turn away from! 😀
October 1, 2025
Dylans story is intense, brutal and absolutely incredible. She is so strong and she takes no crap. She's wanted to make it to the NHL since she was a little girl. Her dad was so encouraging and told her she could do anything she wanted, even if it's never been done before. She has so many obstacles to overcome, mainly male egos that can't be tamed, but she proves to everyone just what she's capable of and steals the hearts of four hot as sin hockey players while she's at it. Finn, Griffin, Jax and Ethan are all different and yet they complement Dylan and each other perfectly. There's the golden retriever Finn, the passionate Jax, the leader Ethan and the possessive Griffin. I loved each and every one of them, but Griffin is my number one. His obsession and possessiveness called to my heart and the fact that he was willing to do anything for his girl made my heart melt. The spice was hot and intense. The group scenes even hotter. This book was filled with angst and challenges and showed the mental and physical struggles of going up against hardships. I loved every second of it and can't wait for wrens book!
October 1, 2025
The cover and the blurb deserve 5⭐️ on their own!
I'm not sure how to unpack over 600 pages of glorious storytelling in a review...
Starting off with the characters:-
• Dylan our fiery, determined, strong, but damaged FMC. What a journey she had, but she endured and proved her detractors wrong. Go girl!
She was lucky to have a supportive friend in Wren.
Steelhawks guys
• Ethan, the stoical Captain, a true leader. He wants to do everything 'by the book'. Proves that he is fierce in life and love.
•Jax comes across as a 'jack the lad' type, always joking, bubbly, and so laid back. Underneath he's hiding his pain and finds solace in Dylan.
•Griffin so broody and possessive, he definitely had 'touch her and die' vibes coming out his ears. The first of the guys to believe Dylan. Prone to action first, waving 🚩proudly!
• Finn such a torn, troubled soul. He isn't sure what to believe and decides to sit on the fence awhile. When the truth is ultimately revealed, he is full of regret and becomes totally loyal to Dylan.
The plot flowed smoothly, no guessing the who/what/where. It was clear at all times through the use of multi POV chapters. [Even the *%@! Kyle got his say].
There were edge-of-seat dramatic moments that hit hard! The spice when it occurred was scorching hot - these guys brought it on big time 🥵.
I especially loved the super sweet romantic 'couple' times - these guys could turn on the swoon. I need to mention the secret notes! 💋 IYKYK.
The revealing of the guys and especially Dylan's backstory added so much background to the story - genius!
Well, I'm beyond excited for next up in The Northern Legacy series - Wren as she intrigued me throughout.
STEELHAWKS FOR THE WIN
I'm not sure how to unpack over 600 pages of glorious storytelling in a review...
Starting off with the characters:-
• Dylan our fiery, determined, strong, but damaged FMC. What a journey she had, but she endured and proved her detractors wrong. Go girl!
She was lucky to have a supportive friend in Wren.
Steelhawks guys
• Ethan, the stoical Captain, a true leader. He wants to do everything 'by the book'. Proves that he is fierce in life and love.
•Jax comes across as a 'jack the lad' type, always joking, bubbly, and so laid back. Underneath he's hiding his pain and finds solace in Dylan.
•Griffin so broody and possessive, he definitely had 'touch her and die' vibes coming out his ears. The first of the guys to believe Dylan. Prone to action first, waving 🚩proudly!
• Finn such a torn, troubled soul. He isn't sure what to believe and decides to sit on the fence awhile. When the truth is ultimately revealed, he is full of regret and becomes totally loyal to Dylan.
The plot flowed smoothly, no guessing the who/what/where. It was clear at all times through the use of multi POV chapters. [Even the *%@! Kyle got his say].
There were edge-of-seat dramatic moments that hit hard! The spice when it occurred was scorching hot - these guys brought it on big time 🥵.
I especially loved the super sweet romantic 'couple' times - these guys could turn on the swoon. I need to mention the secret notes! 💋 IYKYK.
The revealing of the guys and especially Dylan's backstory added so much background to the story - genius!
Well, I'm beyond excited for next up in The Northern Legacy series - Wren as she intrigued me throughout.
STEELHAWKS FOR THE WIN
October 4, 2025
Unique hockey romance!
I have fallen in love with Dylan and her guys! It was a bit of a rocky start when Dylan transferred colleges, because she's making waves by being a girl on the guys hockey team. She has an uphill battle to fight to prove her worth and to make matters worse, the team is also trying to hold her back. Dylan goes out there proves time and time again that she is meant to be there and slowly almost everyone starts believing in her.
I haven't read any other hockey romance like this! R A S has done it again with another one i didn't want to put down. The FMC is different and unique in her own way and knows how to hold her own in a man's world. Dylan and her guys are perfect for each other and fit like a glove on and off the ice. I want so much more of them, but with it being a standalone, I can only hope we still get some of Dylan in Wren's book. I can't wait to read about Wren and need to know why she is so shook up about those mystery guys...
I have fallen in love with Dylan and her guys! It was a bit of a rocky start when Dylan transferred colleges, because she's making waves by being a girl on the guys hockey team. She has an uphill battle to fight to prove her worth and to make matters worse, the team is also trying to hold her back. Dylan goes out there proves time and time again that she is meant to be there and slowly almost everyone starts believing in her.
I haven't read any other hockey romance like this! R A S has done it again with another one i didn't want to put down. The FMC is different and unique in her own way and knows how to hold her own in a man's world. Dylan and her guys are perfect for each other and fit like a glove on and off the ice. I want so much more of them, but with it being a standalone, I can only hope we still get some of Dylan in Wren's book. I can't wait to read about Wren and need to know why she is so shook up about those mystery guys...
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