Flirty Pucker

Toronto Northmen #4

by Hilary Rose

Riley

For my entire life, I’ve always been the lone wolf—the person who happily flies solo. If I want something done, I do it myself. I can support myself with my own money, forge my own path, and make myself happy. When it comes to one-night stands, I'm the queen of love 'em and leave 'em. I’ve never needed anyone, and love is not on my radar. I have no interest in being a plus-one, and I certainly never wanted a family of my own after my parents failed so spectacularly. But then Ozzy Decker breezes into my life and changes the game. He’s persistent, funny, kind, and caring. When we hook up at a friend’s wedding, I tell him I only want a friends-with-benefits arrangement. But life throws us a curveball and everything I thought I wanted for myself is turned on its head. I always thought I could outrun love, but when love looks like Ozzy Decker, it hits like a cross-check straight to the heart.

Ozzy

When I first saw Riley Winters, I knew she was different. She’s strong-willed, guarded, and only wants me for a good time, not a long time. On the outside, I’m the poster boy for free, single, and ready to mingle, but on the inside, I’m tired of the game. Riley makes me feel things I’ve never felt before and want things I only imagined in a faraway future. She’s made it abundantly clear that a relationship isn’t on the table. But I can play the long game, because if there’s one thing I excel at, it’s fighting for the things I love most. If Riley gives me a chance, I know I can convince her we could be endgame, and that I’m not just a flirty pucker.

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

Hilary Rose is a teacher who lives near Toronto, Canada. She has her master’s degree in sports journalism but decided she enjoyed writing about fictional hockey players more than real ones. She is a passionate hockey fan who sometimes gets a little too emotionally invested in her team’s wins and losses. She’s a huge Swiftie who spends far too much time sweating on her Peloton because she can’t sit still for more than a few minutes—unless it’s to write her next book.  

Reviews

[Bookcorner_talk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley is a teacher and Ozzie is a player for the Toronto Northman. Riley and Ozzie have been having the no strings attached type of relationship for a few months. When he’s home with the team they get together and they still often call each other when he’s on the road with the Toronto Northman. Riley isn’t looking for a relationship and this is what works for her until she finds herself kind of wishing for more. During one of those home coming days they hook up and because they haven’t been with anyone else since this started and she’s on birth control they don’t bother with protection. Well, a few weeks later, Riley thinks she has gotten a bug from one of her students as she can’t stop vomiting. It’s during a girl’s trip to see Taylor Swift in concert that she realizes she hasn’t had a period in a long time. After taking a pregnancy test she confirms that she is indeed pregnant. Riley tells Ozzie the news a few days later and he’s very excited to be a dad and confesses that he has been wanting to actually be in a relationship with Riley for a while. Unfortunately Ozzie signed up a few months prior to be the face of a dating app along with his twin brother which means he needs to appear very single to the public. They decide to keep the relationship and the baby a secret. This story had me hooked and I truly loved it. I love Riley and Ozzie as a couple and it was sweet to see how much Riley began looking forward to being a mother. I’m this story you get
* Accidental pregnancy
* He falls first
* Secret dating
* Hockey romance
I rate this book 5 stars and would gladly give it 6. Hilary you have done it again and I can’t wait for the next one.