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Hat Tricked
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT
As the star forward for the Colorado Blizzards, Thomas King is the top player, both on and off the ice. He’s never had trouble getting women to go on dates with him. The problem is that they never seem to be interested in a second one. So he knows there’s no way the woman of his dreams would be interested in him.
Hazel Cast didn’t exactly dream of becoming a single stay-at-home mom, but life can come at you fast sometimes, and Hazel loves her kid more than life itself. But the death of her husband has left her mostly alone and completely unsure of how to move forward. And moving forward with the biggest playboy she’s ever met would be a mistake, even if he’s all she can think about.
But after a fun night out together as friends, the media is left thinking that Thomas and Hazel are together… so why not continue the ruse? Thomas can fix his reputation and Hazel can practice dating. No strings attached.
Could it be that a little practice goes a long way?
As the star forward for the Colorado Blizzards, Thomas King is the top player, both on and off the ice. He’s never had trouble getting women to go on dates with him. The problem is that they never seem to be interested in a second one. So he knows there’s no way the woman of his dreams would be interested in him.
Hazel Cast didn’t exactly dream of becoming a single stay-at-home mom, but life can come at you fast sometimes, and Hazel loves her kid more than life itself. But the death of her husband has left her mostly alone and completely unsure of how to move forward. And moving forward with the biggest playboy she’s ever met would be a mistake, even if he’s all she can think about.
But after a fun night out together as friends, the media is left thinking that Thomas and Hazel are together… so why not continue the ruse? Thomas can fix his reputation and Hazel can practice dating. No strings attached.
Could it be that a little practice goes a long way?
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About the author
A.K. Isaacs
3 books53 followersOriginally from Colorado, A.K. Isaacs (she/her) has lived in 12 states and Washington, D.C. Now an adoptee of the Midwest, she spends her days as a nonprofit fundraiser and her nights (and early mornings!) writing love stories. When not reading or writing, she can be found cheering on the Colorado Avalanche and painting with watercolor. She’d like to remind you that the world is a better place because you’re in it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 20, 2025
Short, sweet (oh so sweet!), and genuine… our favorite hockey romance author has done it again! AK Isaacs creates characters with depth and highlights the not-so-glamorous parts of falling in love with so much attention and care. I love her character development and intentional bridging of mental health/ social issues with happily ever after love stories.
April 18, 2025
Finally a sports romance that gets sports right!
I got the pleasure of reading this novella as an ARC and honestly my biggest complaint is that I wish it were a full novel because I WANT MORE! More Hazel and her painting journey; more Thomas and his growing allyship; more of Ralph’s coming of age and self discovery; and DEFINITELY more of Hazel and Thomas’ 🌶️🌶️🌶️!
AK Isaacs did an amazing job getting you invested in these characters in the short time you spend with them. She is able to show not only growth of the relationship between Thomas and Hazel (hello instant chemistry), but personal growth for them and Hazel’s son. You are cheering for them all on and off the ice.
Oh! And she got sports right! Anyone who knows me knows this is an ongoing gripe I have with sports romances. As a sports girlie, there are just some inaccuracies that have me screaming “that’s so easy for you to just google!!” and distract me from the narrative. Not this time! I wasn’t at all surprised when reading her bio that Isaacs is an avid Avalanche fan. It shows, and for that I thank you.
I got the pleasure of reading this novella as an ARC and honestly my biggest complaint is that I wish it were a full novel because I WANT MORE! More Hazel and her painting journey; more Thomas and his growing allyship; more of Ralph’s coming of age and self discovery; and DEFINITELY more of Hazel and Thomas’ 🌶️🌶️🌶️!
AK Isaacs did an amazing job getting you invested in these characters in the short time you spend with them. She is able to show not only growth of the relationship between Thomas and Hazel (hello instant chemistry), but personal growth for them and Hazel’s son. You are cheering for them all on and off the ice.
Oh! And she got sports right! Anyone who knows me knows this is an ongoing gripe I have with sports romances. As a sports girlie, there are just some inaccuracies that have me screaming “that’s so easy for you to just google!!” and distract me from the narrative. Not this time! I wasn’t at all surprised when reading her bio that Isaacs is an avid Avalanche fan. It shows, and for that I thank you.
April 25, 2025
ARC REVIEW
3.5/5 ⭐
This was a heartwarming novella: warm and fuzzy, and short enough to finish in an afternoon. It follows Hazel: widow and mother of a teenager; and Thomas: an NHL forward with a less than stellar reputation with women.
If you enjoy dialogue focused, quick romance, this is the story for you! At times I wished there was a bit more descriptive language used, but I typically gravitate towards longer novels, as well. It's rare to see a single mother character with an older child, and I appreciated that touch! I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and thought it was very sweet.
3.5/5 ⭐
This was a heartwarming novella: warm and fuzzy, and short enough to finish in an afternoon. It follows Hazel: widow and mother of a teenager; and Thomas: an NHL forward with a less than stellar reputation with women.
If you enjoy dialogue focused, quick romance, this is the story for you! At times I wished there was a bit more descriptive language used, but I typically gravitate towards longer novels, as well. It's rare to see a single mother character with an older child, and I appreciated that touch! I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and thought it was very sweet.
April 26, 2025
Thank you, My Universe PR, for the ARC.
Since it’s a novella, the story unfolded quickly but it was a really sweet reading.
Friends to lovers is one of my fav tropes, so I really loved how Hazel and Thomas first were friends, then they became lovers with of touch of fake dating (they really didn’t fake their feelings, trust me). Their bond was so good, cute and lovely despite some bumpy moments. Mention of honour to Ralph, he’s a very kind kid, loyal and so mind oriented to his sport.
I really liked this book! Read it if you need some distractions from a harsh reality
3.5 🌟
Since it’s a novella, the story unfolded quickly but it was a really sweet reading.
Friends to lovers is one of my fav tropes, so I really loved how Hazel and Thomas first were friends, then they became lovers with of touch of fake dating (they really didn’t fake their feelings, trust me). Their bond was so good, cute and lovely despite some bumpy moments. Mention of honour to Ralph, he’s a very kind kid, loyal and so mind oriented to his sport.
I really liked this book! Read it if you need some distractions from a harsh reality
3.5 🌟
May 21, 2025
I loved the realness of Hazel being a widow and trying to navigate her complicated feelings as she tries to move forward. A reminder that sometimes the path isn’t clear, but can worth it in the end.
April 29, 2025
I devoured this book! I was sucked in from the moment I started and could not put it down! The BANTER! The text BANTER! It was killing me and turned me back into a giddy little girl. Not only was this book fun with incredible spice but it also touched on really serious topics that added a depth I was not expecting. It made me laugh, cry and swoon! I cannot recommend this book enough!
April 28, 2025
“For those who have been making themselves small for a little too long. I hope you know how bright of a light you are.”
From the dedication page to the end….. Swooooon!!!
Playboy Thomas King is the man and he knows it… until he meets Hazel Cast.. Hazel Cast is a widowed, single mother who has a great personality, a wonderful son named Ralph, and a bad habit of making herself small and being a hardcore people pleaser. Thomas is smitten with her from day one and when he catches her her alone and in a bad mood on her birthday, he shows her a wonderful evening that gets broadcasted to the world via sneaky paparazzi the next day. From here they agree upon a plan to help Thomas get away from his playboy reputation and to help Hazel get back into the dating scene for practice! The only problem was that I don’t think either of them were ever actually faking it when they agreed upon the plan! It felt like chemistry to me from the very beginning which made this storyline so sweet.
Thomas truly was the perfect man for Hazel as she went through the grief of truly trying to start again after being alone for so long. Thomas was always there with kind words and showing up for her even when she didn’t realize that is what she needed.
“I’ve seen you in your leggings with your hair on top of your head the morning after a late night out and you still took my breath away.”
“I can tell she doesn’t believe in herself, but I believe in her enough for the both of us. Hell, I believe in her enough for a whole army.”
Hazel was the most awesome mom. I have to admit that I do not usually read single parent stories and/or stories with children in them. It’s not really my thing because of the element of a troublemaker/bratty relationship BUT I am so glad I looked past that because Hazel and Ralph are parent/child relationship goals! I think Ralph was a main point of this whole story that I truly loved. I was eager for him to be a bit more in it and loved how his self-discovery aided in adding more elements to this already great read. Yay inclusion however we can still get it in our books despite people’s closed minded beliefs!
Now Hazel with the Thomas dynamic… yes yesss yessss!!! I was hoping that she would begin to heal and truly see how great she could be on her own. The way she put everyone first all the time was not healthy and was stifling her growth and chance at happiness. It was clear she needed the push to put herself out there again in all aspects of her life. Thomas made this easy but constantly showing up for her whether she wanted or one’s she needed it.
“He always seems to be doing that. Showing up. Letting me be where I’m at, letting me be who I am.”
Overall, I loved this novella! It was sweet and allowed the friend circle to really connect once again. I loved the found family aspect of the Blizzards and their significant others. Also is that Mattie up next?! I sure hope since he’s steeping up and making a difference in their breakfast meetups!
Finally, the dislikes… It wasn’t long enough! Telllll me more about Hazel’s painting instruction, if Thomas moves into the home-y house instead of his empty castle, and how Ralph adjusts and finds a place on the team! I want more!!!! But, that is what a good story does, keep you wanting more! I am thrilled to be able to have read this next chapter of the Slap Shot series.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to A.K. Isaacs and My Universe Marketing & PR for this opportunity.
From the dedication page to the end….. Swooooon!!!
Playboy Thomas King is the man and he knows it… until he meets Hazel Cast.. Hazel Cast is a widowed, single mother who has a great personality, a wonderful son named Ralph, and a bad habit of making herself small and being a hardcore people pleaser. Thomas is smitten with her from day one and when he catches her her alone and in a bad mood on her birthday, he shows her a wonderful evening that gets broadcasted to the world via sneaky paparazzi the next day. From here they agree upon a plan to help Thomas get away from his playboy reputation and to help Hazel get back into the dating scene for practice! The only problem was that I don’t think either of them were ever actually faking it when they agreed upon the plan! It felt like chemistry to me from the very beginning which made this storyline so sweet.
Thomas truly was the perfect man for Hazel as she went through the grief of truly trying to start again after being alone for so long. Thomas was always there with kind words and showing up for her even when she didn’t realize that is what she needed.
“I’ve seen you in your leggings with your hair on top of your head the morning after a late night out and you still took my breath away.”
“I can tell she doesn’t believe in herself, but I believe in her enough for the both of us. Hell, I believe in her enough for a whole army.”
Hazel was the most awesome mom. I have to admit that I do not usually read single parent stories and/or stories with children in them. It’s not really my thing because of the element of a troublemaker/bratty relationship BUT I am so glad I looked past that because Hazel and Ralph are parent/child relationship goals! I think Ralph was a main point of this whole story that I truly loved. I was eager for him to be a bit more in it and loved how his self-discovery aided in adding more elements to this already great read. Yay inclusion however we can still get it in our books despite people’s closed minded beliefs!
Now Hazel with the Thomas dynamic… yes yesss yessss!!! I was hoping that she would begin to heal and truly see how great she could be on her own. The way she put everyone first all the time was not healthy and was stifling her growth and chance at happiness. It was clear she needed the push to put herself out there again in all aspects of her life. Thomas made this easy but constantly showing up for her whether she wanted or one’s she needed it.
“He always seems to be doing that. Showing up. Letting me be where I’m at, letting me be who I am.”
Overall, I loved this novella! It was sweet and allowed the friend circle to really connect once again. I loved the found family aspect of the Blizzards and their significant others. Also is that Mattie up next?! I sure hope since he’s steeping up and making a difference in their breakfast meetups!
Finally, the dislikes… It wasn’t long enough! Telllll me more about Hazel’s painting instruction, if Thomas moves into the home-y house instead of his empty castle, and how Ralph adjusts and finds a place on the team! I want more!!!! But, that is what a good story does, keep you wanting more! I am thrilled to be able to have read this next chapter of the Slap Shot series.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to A.K. Isaacs and My Universe Marketing & PR for this opportunity.
April 29, 2025
I wanted to love this, but it was a bit hard for me to get into this one. The plot was a good concept, but it fell a little flat for me unfortunately. I didn't find a connection with the characters in the way that I wanted to as a reader... I didn't feel the chemistry between the MCs was believable, which could in part be from all of the internal and external dialogue from the FMC throughout the book. I also didn't love that it seemed all of their friends/side characters were automatically assuming Thomas was in the wrong or needed to be doing more every time Hazel had some sort of reaction or feelings about things that he had no control over.
While I realize it dealt with heavier topics such as previous loss of a spouse and that it's not always a positive and linear healing/grief journey, I felt like the balance wasn't there in this book-it leaned more into the negative reactions to grief while also trying to create a story based on her moving forward after loss and it didn't really work. For example, the blow up she had about Thomas' comment in response to her son asking him for honest feedback about his gameplay.. which it is okay to have whatever reaction you are feeling, but once you process and take whatever time you need, you need to then communicate and deal with it in a healthier way and we didn't really see that reflected- it was actually quite the opposite where everyone else allowed her/enabled her to do whatever she wanted because of "grief" and she resorted to ignoring Thomas and being rude to him even though she realized he didn't do anything wrong and that she shouldn't be treating him like that... then on top of that he kept apologizing for upsetting her. Which, I guess is fine to an extent(?) because he cares for her and doesn't want her to be upset, but he was kind being a doormat and punching bag for her emotional responses, most of which were directed at him unwarranted. I would have liked to see her in therapy or something that allowed her to find better ways to cope and heal and react in healthier ways.
It seemed like she was ready to move forward with the little glimpses of internal dialogue where she felt she was playing the part of "a good widow" and was basically making herself small and pausing her life because of fear of what others would think if she moved forward and that although she would always love her husband, the pain and intensity of the loss waned at times and she had feelings for Thomas. So with her being ready in those regards, I think it was hard for me to buy into her very emotionally charged negative responses to almost everything Thomas did and I wanted to see a healthier dynamic. Especially with the whole premise of the book being that she was choosing to move forward and being interested in him.
I was left feeling like I wasn't sure if they would make it long-term really especially if she didn't do some serious mental health/emotional work to be a healthier version of herself not only for their romantic relationship, but just for herself and her other relationships in general and if Thomas didn't stop asking for the bare minimum of relational scraps he could get from her.
My rating is based on Thomas getting the HEA he wanted and a few cute moments that were scattered throughout.
While I realize it dealt with heavier topics such as previous loss of a spouse and that it's not always a positive and linear healing/grief journey, I felt like the balance wasn't there in this book-it leaned more into the negative reactions to grief while also trying to create a story based on her moving forward after loss and it didn't really work. For example, the blow up she had about Thomas' comment in response to her son asking him for honest feedback about his gameplay.. which it is okay to have whatever reaction you are feeling, but once you process and take whatever time you need, you need to then communicate and deal with it in a healthier way and we didn't really see that reflected- it was actually quite the opposite where everyone else allowed her/enabled her to do whatever she wanted because of "grief" and she resorted to ignoring Thomas and being rude to him even though she realized he didn't do anything wrong and that she shouldn't be treating him like that... then on top of that he kept apologizing for upsetting her. Which, I guess is fine to an extent(?) because he cares for her and doesn't want her to be upset, but he was kind being a doormat and punching bag for her emotional responses, most of which were directed at him unwarranted. I would have liked to see her in therapy or something that allowed her to find better ways to cope and heal and react in healthier ways.
It seemed like she was ready to move forward with the little glimpses of internal dialogue where she felt she was playing the part of "a good widow" and was basically making herself small and pausing her life because of fear of what others would think if she moved forward and that although she would always love her husband, the pain and intensity of the loss waned at times and she had feelings for Thomas. So with her being ready in those regards, I think it was hard for me to buy into her very emotionally charged negative responses to almost everything Thomas did and I wanted to see a healthier dynamic. Especially with the whole premise of the book being that she was choosing to move forward and being interested in him.
I was left feeling like I wasn't sure if they would make it long-term really especially if she didn't do some serious mental health/emotional work to be a healthier version of herself not only for their romantic relationship, but just for herself and her other relationships in general and if Thomas didn't stop asking for the bare minimum of relational scraps he could get from her.
My rating is based on Thomas getting the HEA he wanted and a few cute moments that were scattered throughout.
April 27, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
|ARC|
⋆ dual pov
⋆ fake dating
⋆ found family
⋆ single parent
⋆ mutual pinning
⋆ practice dating
⋆ reformed playboy
__________
this was such a shot sweet and fun novella! I took the time to read the first two books in this series and I have to say I think this one might be my favorite. Hat Tricked is a fake dating hockey romance where we follow our FMC Hazel as she tries to navigate dating after her husband died a few years ago and our MMC Thomas as he tries to reform his reputation as a playboy while also fighting against the attraction of a certain widowed single mom. We follow through their eyes as they try to make a relationship work and who knows… it might be fake but maybe it’s real
I was so excited to read Hazel and Thomas’ story. From the very first book of this series there was an attraction between the two of them. I loved both of them honestly. Hazel is so strong and such an amazing mother to Ralph. Thomas was such a fun character to unwrap. We didn’t get much of his personality in the first books so it was fun being able to see his softer, relaxed side. Thomas is such a sweetheart and he compliments Hazel so well. Like talk about grand gestures… the postcards ohhhh myyyy. I also love how much the friend group is just one big family. The found family is great, you can really feel the love and the care each of them have for each other. It’s really wonderful
I enjoyed the writing of this book. Short, sweet and straight to the point. It was super easy and simple to understand! The writing made it so incredibly easy to fall in love with Hazel and Thomas. I will say I was hoping for more character background, especially on Thomas’ character. I just wanna know more! I feel like I would’ve been able to connect with his character earlier if I had his story. Also the hockey was written great in this book!! I love when a book gets hockey right!!
Overall, I had a great time reading this novella!! Thank you so much A.K Isaacs and My Universe PR for the ARC! I can’t wait to read more of Isaacs work in the future 💌🏒🖌️
|ARC|
⋆ dual pov
⋆ fake dating
⋆ found family
⋆ single parent
⋆ mutual pinning
⋆ practice dating
⋆ reformed playboy
__________
this was such a shot sweet and fun novella! I took the time to read the first two books in this series and I have to say I think this one might be my favorite. Hat Tricked is a fake dating hockey romance where we follow our FMC Hazel as she tries to navigate dating after her husband died a few years ago and our MMC Thomas as he tries to reform his reputation as a playboy while also fighting against the attraction of a certain widowed single mom. We follow through their eyes as they try to make a relationship work and who knows… it might be fake but maybe it’s real
I was so excited to read Hazel and Thomas’ story. From the very first book of this series there was an attraction between the two of them. I loved both of them honestly. Hazel is so strong and such an amazing mother to Ralph. Thomas was such a fun character to unwrap. We didn’t get much of his personality in the first books so it was fun being able to see his softer, relaxed side. Thomas is such a sweetheart and he compliments Hazel so well. Like talk about grand gestures… the postcards ohhhh myyyy. I also love how much the friend group is just one big family. The found family is great, you can really feel the love and the care each of them have for each other. It’s really wonderful
I enjoyed the writing of this book. Short, sweet and straight to the point. It was super easy and simple to understand! The writing made it so incredibly easy to fall in love with Hazel and Thomas. I will say I was hoping for more character background, especially on Thomas’ character. I just wanna know more! I feel like I would’ve been able to connect with his character earlier if I had his story. Also the hockey was written great in this book!! I love when a book gets hockey right!!
Overall, I had a great time reading this novella!! Thank you so much A.K Isaacs and My Universe PR for the ARC! I can’t wait to read more of Isaacs work in the future 💌🏒🖌️
April 28, 2025
“𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕞 𝕚𝕤, 𝕀’𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕤. 𝕀 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖.”
This was my first read by A.K. Isaacs and I absolutely want to go back and read the first two of the series.I was able to still read without any big spoilers and understand without reading the prior 2. This is a novella so it is fast paced and I enjoyed their story so much I didn’t want it to end.
Thomas is the greenest of green flags and someone has the reputation of a playboy and he is a man of action. The way he knows so much about Hazel just because he has paid attention to her chefs kiss.
Hazel is still struggling with the grief of losing her husband 3 years prior and she has not only mom guilt but grief guilt and this was handled so beautifully and realistically your heart absolutely breaks for her but you understand her hesitation. She has a teenage son Ralph and he is the typical teenager and I loved these relationship between the three of them.
~~What to Expect~~
🏒Pro Hockey
🏒Single Mom
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Friends to Lovers
🏒Found Family
🏒Accidental Reformed Playboy
🏒Greenest Green Flag MMC
🏒Love After Loss
🏒Novella Under 200pgs
~~Quotes~~
🎨For the record the only time I was faking it was when I had to pretend I don’t want you.
🎨 I could never score another goal and it would be fine because Hazel Cast just said she wants me.
🎨 “But I have so much baggage.” “I’m not one to brag, but if I can bench press nearly three-hundred pounds I think I can handle a couple of emotional suitcases,”
This was my first read by A.K. Isaacs and I absolutely want to go back and read the first two of the series.I was able to still read without any big spoilers and understand without reading the prior 2. This is a novella so it is fast paced and I enjoyed their story so much I didn’t want it to end.
Thomas is the greenest of green flags and someone has the reputation of a playboy and he is a man of action. The way he knows so much about Hazel just because he has paid attention to her chefs kiss.
Hazel is still struggling with the grief of losing her husband 3 years prior and she has not only mom guilt but grief guilt and this was handled so beautifully and realistically your heart absolutely breaks for her but you understand her hesitation. She has a teenage son Ralph and he is the typical teenager and I loved these relationship between the three of them.
~~What to Expect~~
🏒Pro Hockey
🏒Single Mom
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Friends to Lovers
🏒Found Family
🏒Accidental Reformed Playboy
🏒Greenest Green Flag MMC
🏒Love After Loss
🏒Novella Under 200pgs
~~Quotes~~
🎨For the record the only time I was faking it was when I had to pretend I don’t want you.
🎨 I could never score another goal and it would be fine because Hazel Cast just said she wants me.
🎨 “But I have so much baggage.” “I’m not one to brag, but if I can bench press nearly three-hundred pounds I think I can handle a couple of emotional suitcases,”
April 29, 2025
Hat Tricked by A. K. Isaacs
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Stars
🌶️🌶️ - Spice
This short sweet novella is about healing after loss and moving on to find love. Love that’s been right under your nose the entire time.
Thomas is the quiet gentle giant with a love language of written word and acts of service. He is patient, he is observant, & he listens. His is ‘the green flag.’ If you’re looking for a new book boyfriend Thomas needs to be on your list.
Hazel is still hesitant to allow someone in and what better person to fake-date than a person who’s been a part of her friend group since before she got married to her late husband. Throughout the book we see Hazel struggle with moving on from her husband's passing and continuing to do what is expected of her all the while making herself small. How much time is enough time? When is it appropriate to move on? All of these questions are raised as well as answered. It was slightly frustrating to see Hazel have such a wonderful support system only to not allow them to help her in the way she continued to help them.
Thomas and Hazel decide to fake-date due to a photo that got out because the paps are gonna pap. Taking photos without consent. When faking doesn’t feel like faking anymore Hazel runs and runs fast. She is not ready to accept the love Thomas is willing to give. Or is she? Will Thomas step up to the plate and sweep her up in his arms and show her she is deserving of a second chance at love. While still honoring the memory of her late husband.
If you’re looking for a quick read with a HEA this book should be your next read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Stars
🌶️🌶️ - Spice
This short sweet novella is about healing after loss and moving on to find love. Love that’s been right under your nose the entire time.
Thomas is the quiet gentle giant with a love language of written word and acts of service. He is patient, he is observant, & he listens. His is ‘the green flag.’ If you’re looking for a new book boyfriend Thomas needs to be on your list.
Hazel is still hesitant to allow someone in and what better person to fake-date than a person who’s been a part of her friend group since before she got married to her late husband. Throughout the book we see Hazel struggle with moving on from her husband's passing and continuing to do what is expected of her all the while making herself small. How much time is enough time? When is it appropriate to move on? All of these questions are raised as well as answered. It was slightly frustrating to see Hazel have such a wonderful support system only to not allow them to help her in the way she continued to help them.
Thomas and Hazel decide to fake-date due to a photo that got out because the paps are gonna pap. Taking photos without consent. When faking doesn’t feel like faking anymore Hazel runs and runs fast. She is not ready to accept the love Thomas is willing to give. Or is she? Will Thomas step up to the plate and sweep her up in his arms and show her she is deserving of a second chance at love. While still honoring the memory of her late husband.
If you’re looking for a quick read with a HEA this book should be your next read.
April 24, 2025
"to those who have been making themselves small for a little too long"
first, would like to thank A.K. Isaacs for allowing me to be a part of her ARC team!!
I knew Thomas would be such a good man from the first book <3 I love him sm! His patience and understanding of what Hazel was going through mentally and emotionally was insanely attractive. I love a man who knows what to do when things get a little too hard to handle. He helped her find the light she needed in life & got to her to realize that she was so much more than she believed.
Hazel was so relatable. She had a habit of putting herself down depending on the situation she was in and got stuck there. It was so refreshing to see a MMC who helped the FMC get out of their shelf with support instead of forcing them out. Watching her slowly come out of the grieving stage of her husband was beautiful. I loved how her in-laws supported her new relationship, even going as far to tell her that it was time to move on.
I do hope there's more of Ralph in the future! I can't wait to see where he'll go with his own hockey career.
Tropes:
-single mom
-fake dating
-friends to lovers
-found family
-men who aren't toxic lol
-strong FMC
first, would like to thank A.K. Isaacs for allowing me to be a part of her ARC team!!
I knew Thomas would be such a good man from the first book <3 I love him sm! His patience and understanding of what Hazel was going through mentally and emotionally was insanely attractive. I love a man who knows what to do when things get a little too hard to handle. He helped her find the light she needed in life & got to her to realize that she was so much more than she believed.
Hazel was so relatable. She had a habit of putting herself down depending on the situation she was in and got stuck there. It was so refreshing to see a MMC who helped the FMC get out of their shelf with support instead of forcing them out. Watching her slowly come out of the grieving stage of her husband was beautiful. I loved how her in-laws supported her new relationship, even going as far to tell her that it was time to move on.
I do hope there's more of Ralph in the future! I can't wait to see where he'll go with his own hockey career.
Tropes:
-single mom
-fake dating
-friends to lovers
-found family
-men who aren't toxic lol
-strong FMC
April 27, 2025
Trigger warning: Grief and loss
If you are looking for an easy, quick hockey romance read, I would recommend this cute novella! I loved the dynamic that Hazel and Thomas had with one another! Thomas King is the perfect example of a “if he wanted to he would” type of guy. He even made me swoon with the way he respected, adored and loved Hazel and didn’t make her feel like she had to always pretend to be okay when she wasn’t. You see growth in both of these characters from Thomas wanting to better himself to be a better man for Hazel and Ralph;but more growth in Hazel as she’s trying to figure out these emotions of grief while trying to be happy again and do what she loves. As much as I loved the relationship building between Hazel and Thomas, I think Ralph stole the show for me because of the way he was so supportive of his mom and just wanting her to be happy no matter what. It was really sweet seeing him approve Thomas with seeing how well he treats his mom. For this being my first novella, I did enjoy it and it was well written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a hockey romance book that has romance with a hint of spice in it, or if you’re just wanting a quick read. 🎨
If you are looking for an easy, quick hockey romance read, I would recommend this cute novella! I loved the dynamic that Hazel and Thomas had with one another! Thomas King is the perfect example of a “if he wanted to he would” type of guy. He even made me swoon with the way he respected, adored and loved Hazel and didn’t make her feel like she had to always pretend to be okay when she wasn’t. You see growth in both of these characters from Thomas wanting to better himself to be a better man for Hazel and Ralph;but more growth in Hazel as she’s trying to figure out these emotions of grief while trying to be happy again and do what she loves. As much as I loved the relationship building between Hazel and Thomas, I think Ralph stole the show for me because of the way he was so supportive of his mom and just wanting her to be happy no matter what. It was really sweet seeing him approve Thomas with seeing how well he treats his mom. For this being my first novella, I did enjoy it and it was well written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a hockey romance book that has romance with a hint of spice in it, or if you’re just wanting a quick read. 🎨
April 29, 2025
I’ve been waiting for this one ever since I read Slap Shot at Love!!
Hazel Cast is a widowed single mom and Thomas King is a star hockey player with a playboy reputation.
Since they’ve met, their chemistry has been undeniable. They’ve been pining for each other for a while now. When Thomas stumbles upon Hazel on her birthday tradition, the press goes wild.
To help his image and help Hazel get back out in the dating world, Thomas proposes they fake date. Hazel isn’t sure she’s ready, but agrees anyways.
Oh and those feelings they’ve had to fake aren’t fake at all.
Thomas King is the king consent and corny pick up lines, and I am so here for it! He adores Hazel so much!
Hazel is constantly going back and forth on where she wants to be, either moving on from the passing of her husband or staying the widow role that’s become a safety net to her. Thomas has become part of that safety net of hers, and helps push her to do what she wants and to be happy. I love the way he handles her grief.
Super cute and fast read. Left me wanting more Hazel and Thomas!!
4.5⭐️
Hazel Cast is a widowed single mom and Thomas King is a star hockey player with a playboy reputation.
Since they’ve met, their chemistry has been undeniable. They’ve been pining for each other for a while now. When Thomas stumbles upon Hazel on her birthday tradition, the press goes wild.
To help his image and help Hazel get back out in the dating world, Thomas proposes they fake date. Hazel isn’t sure she’s ready, but agrees anyways.
Oh and those feelings they’ve had to fake aren’t fake at all.
Thomas King is the king consent and corny pick up lines, and I am so here for it! He adores Hazel so much!
Hazel is constantly going back and forth on where she wants to be, either moving on from the passing of her husband or staying the widow role that’s become a safety net to her. Thomas has become part of that safety net of hers, and helps push her to do what she wants and to be happy. I love the way he handles her grief.
Super cute and fast read. Left me wanting more Hazel and Thomas!!
4.5⭐️
May 1, 2025
🎨 Dual POVs
🏒 Hockey Romance
🎨 Widowed Single Mom
🏒 Hockey Player & Artist 🎨
🎨 Mutual Pining
🏒 Friends to Lovers
🎨 Fake Dating
🏒 Third Act Breakup
🎨 LGBTQAI+ Rep
🏒 Found Family
Hazel lost someone close to her. She navigated her life in new directions after she lost someone. Hazel and Thomas had great found families. Hazel doesn't know what lies ahead since her life changed.
Thomas and Hazel have mutual friends. It seems like they have mutual crushes with each other. They haven't made the first move yet. Until their situation brought them together for some fake dating. Of course, feelings for each other were developed. Thomas was creating bonds with Ralph, and he supported him any way he could.
Thomas was obsessed and sweet on Hazel since ever. How understanding Thomas was towards Hazel was so wholesome. They are so adorable together. They were able to find their way back together again. I loved that Hazel is an artist, and I could connect her with that. It's such a sweet and adorable quick read!
I can't wait to read more stories with this author.
🏒 Hockey Romance
🎨 Widowed Single Mom
🏒 Hockey Player & Artist 🎨
🎨 Mutual Pining
🏒 Friends to Lovers
🎨 Fake Dating
🏒 Third Act Breakup
🎨 LGBTQAI+ Rep
🏒 Found Family
Hazel lost someone close to her. She navigated her life in new directions after she lost someone. Hazel and Thomas had great found families. Hazel doesn't know what lies ahead since her life changed.
Thomas and Hazel have mutual friends. It seems like they have mutual crushes with each other. They haven't made the first move yet. Until their situation brought them together for some fake dating. Of course, feelings for each other were developed. Thomas was creating bonds with Ralph, and he supported him any way he could.
Thomas was obsessed and sweet on Hazel since ever. How understanding Thomas was towards Hazel was so wholesome. They are so adorable together. They were able to find their way back together again. I loved that Hazel is an artist, and I could connect her with that. It's such a sweet and adorable quick read!
I can't wait to read more stories with this author.
May 13, 2025
⭐⭐⭐
ARC Review
Tropes:
Reverse Age Gap
Single Mom
Hockey Romance
Fake Dating
Friends to Lovers
Reading the previous books in this series, I knew Hazel & Thomas would end up together and I was happy to have their story! I was kinda sad that their story was a novella rather than a full length novel, but a novella worked perfectly.
The connection between Hazel & Thomas was so cute! The moments between felt so right. It was cute and hilarious that they both liked each other, but didn't believe tehy deserved to be loved. They were both so loving people who care for everyone around them and now they have someone to care for them. I was glad they both grew out of their insecurities and accepted love from one another.
There were so many cute and wholesome moments in this story! I was grinning and giggling the whole time! Thomas was a perfect book boyfriend and was there for Hazel every time she needed him.
While the book was overall wholesome, I did feel the book was kinda 1 sided. There was a huge emphasis on Hazel's grief and her finding herself again after her husband's death. I appreciated this and I liked that the author didn't show Hazel as magically being ready to date again. However, I felt this whole ordeal was unfair to Thomas. It seemed like it was always him going to Hazel. Love and relationships aren't transactional, but their relationship felt lacking for Thomas.
While Thomas was building Hazel up and doing cute gestures for her, for Thomas it was as if he was supposed to be happy with the bare minimum of Hazel's existence in his life. With how patient and loving Thomas was, I feel like he deserved better.
Even their friends always mentioned how Hazel deserved to be happy and get out there, but really only pushed Thomas to "fix" their relationship.
ARC Review
Tropes:
Reverse Age Gap
Single Mom
Hockey Romance
Fake Dating
Friends to Lovers
Reading the previous books in this series, I knew Hazel & Thomas would end up together and I was happy to have their story! I was kinda sad that their story was a novella rather than a full length novel, but a novella worked perfectly.
The connection between Hazel & Thomas was so cute! The moments between felt so right. It was cute and hilarious that they both liked each other, but didn't believe tehy deserved to be loved. They were both so loving people who care for everyone around them and now they have someone to care for them. I was glad they both grew out of their insecurities and accepted love from one another.
There were so many cute and wholesome moments in this story! I was grinning and giggling the whole time! Thomas was a perfect book boyfriend and was there for Hazel every time she needed him.
While the book was overall wholesome, I did feel the book was kinda 1 sided. There was a huge emphasis on Hazel's grief and her finding herself again after her husband's death. I appreciated this and I liked that the author didn't show Hazel as magically being ready to date again. However, I felt this whole ordeal was unfair to Thomas. It seemed like it was always him going to Hazel. Love and relationships aren't transactional, but their relationship felt lacking for Thomas.
While Thomas was building Hazel up and doing cute gestures for her, for Thomas it was as if he was supposed to be happy with the bare minimum of Hazel's existence in his life. With how patient and loving Thomas was, I feel like he deserved better.
Even their friends always mentioned how Hazel deserved to be happy and get out there, but really only pushed Thomas to "fix" their relationship.
June 12, 2025
I am so grateful to have gotten an ARC of this book from A.K Isaacs, via My Universe PR. This was absolutely amazing.
I ate this book up. Loved the connection between our two main characters, Hazel and Thomas. Thomas King, THE MAN THAT HE IS!!!
He was so sweet and understanding towards Hazel and her struggles. It was so nice to see how he was there for her at all times.
I also really enjoyed how the topics of this book were portrayed. It does focus on some heavy, more important topics but it was done so, so well. This book has both grief and LGBTQ+ awareness and that's something I've been struggling a lot with myself. Absolutely loved to see it in this book.
Thomas is also struggling a lot mentally and that aspect of it was written very beautifully as well.
I have only ever rated a novella five stars once before because I often feel like I'd like more. More depth, more character development and more plot. We barely have time to get that in a novella. But this did exactly what it had to do and I loved every second of it.
I ate this book up. Loved the connection between our two main characters, Hazel and Thomas. Thomas King, THE MAN THAT HE IS!!!
He was so sweet and understanding towards Hazel and her struggles. It was so nice to see how he was there for her at all times.
I also really enjoyed how the topics of this book were portrayed. It does focus on some heavy, more important topics but it was done so, so well. This book has both grief and LGBTQ+ awareness and that's something I've been struggling a lot with myself. Absolutely loved to see it in this book.
Thomas is also struggling a lot mentally and that aspect of it was written very beautifully as well.
I have only ever rated a novella five stars once before because I often feel like I'd like more. More depth, more character development and more plot. We barely have time to get that in a novella. But this did exactly what it had to do and I loved every second of it.
April 19, 2025
🏒Hat Tricked by AK Isaacs🏒
154 Pages
A Slap Shot Novella
What a cute little, but very emotional love story! I lapped it up, and it was worth it.
This follows somewhat recently widowed, stay at home mum, Hazel feeling pretty alone and unsure on how to move on, without feeling guilty, in enters Thomas the start forward for the Blizzards who has secretly had a thing for Hazel, since well since they met. After a night together as friends the media kicks up a storm they were not expecting, so what's a little fake dating between friends 😉.
So I may oflr may not have gone into this completely blind but now I am ready to run back and read the first 2 books of this series to learn more about the rest of the Blizzards.
I would recommend you give this a read along with its predecessors, for fans of Hockey Romance, Widowed Single Mum, Friends to Lovers, Found Family and a light sprinkling of Spicy Goodness.
154 Pages
A Slap Shot Novella
What a cute little, but very emotional love story! I lapped it up, and it was worth it.
This follows somewhat recently widowed, stay at home mum, Hazel feeling pretty alone and unsure on how to move on, without feeling guilty, in enters Thomas the start forward for the Blizzards who has secretly had a thing for Hazel, since well since they met. After a night together as friends the media kicks up a storm they were not expecting, so what's a little fake dating between friends 😉.
So I may oflr may not have gone into this completely blind but now I am ready to run back and read the first 2 books of this series to learn more about the rest of the Blizzards.
I would recommend you give this a read along with its predecessors, for fans of Hockey Romance, Widowed Single Mum, Friends to Lovers, Found Family and a light sprinkling of Spicy Goodness.
April 27, 2025
ARC Review. Hazel is a widow and a mom dealing with who she is after her loss. Her new friend group has been there to help create a sense of normalcy. One friend, Thomas, has had a thing for Hazel, but a series of events bring them together. It pushes him to become a better man for her, and her to push herself to move on.
The beginning of this book hit me in the gut. I have lost several people in life that were close to me and the idea of “proper grieving” is an ugly truth that not everyone thinks about. And his book does not mince words about the Hazel’s pressure as a widow. There’s an underlying theme about putting our own obstacles in our way. Thomas has a reputation as an NHL playboy, and he doesn’t believe he can be what Hazel needs in a partner. He tries, and succeeds but it never feels like enough. Hazel constantly undersells herself and her talents; she’s blind to what everyone else can see. Together they build one another up and bring out new aspects of the other.
The beginning of this book hit me in the gut. I have lost several people in life that were close to me and the idea of “proper grieving” is an ugly truth that not everyone thinks about. And his book does not mince words about the Hazel’s pressure as a widow. There’s an underlying theme about putting our own obstacles in our way. Thomas has a reputation as an NHL playboy, and he doesn’t believe he can be what Hazel needs in a partner. He tries, and succeeds but it never feels like enough. Hazel constantly undersells herself and her talents; she’s blind to what everyone else can see. Together they build one another up and bring out new aspects of the other.
April 30, 2025
Sometimes, a book hits you in just the right way—and Hat Tricked did exactly that. As a single mom, Hazel’s story really resonated with me. Watching her navigate grief, motherhood, and the terrifying idea of moving on made me feel seen in a way that romance novels rarely do. It gave me hope that love can find you again, even when you think your chance has passed.
This was a short, fun read that packed a surprising emotional punch. Thomas is more than just a charming hockey player—he’s vulnerable, patient, and willing to work for Hazel’s trust, which made me root for him hard. The banter between Hazel and Thomas had me smiling, and their chemistry was undeniable. But what I appreciated most was the genuine effort both characters put into building something real out of a fake relationship.
If you’re into sports romance with heart, depth, and a hero who earns every bit of love he gets, Hat Tricked is definitely worth the read.
This was a short, fun read that packed a surprising emotional punch. Thomas is more than just a charming hockey player—he’s vulnerable, patient, and willing to work for Hazel’s trust, which made me root for him hard. The banter between Hazel and Thomas had me smiling, and their chemistry was undeniable. But what I appreciated most was the genuine effort both characters put into building something real out of a fake relationship.
If you’re into sports romance with heart, depth, and a hero who earns every bit of love he gets, Hat Tricked is definitely worth the read.
April 17, 2025
I read this as an ARC and Hot Damn, A.K. Isaac did not come to play with Hat Tricked!
This book had me blushing, swooning, and mentally fanning myself from chapter one. The chemistry between the leads crackled like a live wire—intense, forbidden, and so deliciously messy. Just when I thought I could predict where things were going, Isaac flipped the script and served up tension so thick I could taste it.
The banter? Sharp.
The steam? Off the charts.
The story? A perfect mix of heart and heat with just enough “oh no they didn’t” moments to keep me up way past my bedtime.
If you’re looking for a book that brings the spice, the scandal, and a whole lot of sexual tension wrapped up in a wildly entertaining plot, Hat Tricked is your new obsession. A.K. Isaac—take a bow, because you just scored a damn hat trick with this one.
This book had me blushing, swooning, and mentally fanning myself from chapter one. The chemistry between the leads crackled like a live wire—intense, forbidden, and so deliciously messy. Just when I thought I could predict where things were going, Isaac flipped the script and served up tension so thick I could taste it.
The banter? Sharp.
The steam? Off the charts.
The story? A perfect mix of heart and heat with just enough “oh no they didn’t” moments to keep me up way past my bedtime.
If you’re looking for a book that brings the spice, the scandal, and a whole lot of sexual tension wrapped up in a wildly entertaining plot, Hat Tricked is your new obsession. A.K. Isaac—take a bow, because you just scored a damn hat trick with this one.
April 27, 2025
I love the fake dating trope. Thomas and Hazel did it perfectly. I love how they both wanted to date each other but they didn’t admit or submit to their feelings right away. It was a cute little romance with some grief, friends to fake dating to lovers.
Thomas denies his attraction to Hazel out of respect to her. So he stays a close friend wishing he could have more. But after one photo of them hanging out together, it could ruin her reputation.
Hazel is still learning how to live life as a widow. How to deal with the sadness that comes and goes, how to move on without forgetting, how to live life without feeling guilty. When one day Thomas makes her day better and takes her to a movie, but someone caught a photo and now it seems like she’s some floozy. Until, Thomas proposes to fake date to save her reputation and fix his.
Thomas denies his attraction to Hazel out of respect to her. So he stays a close friend wishing he could have more. But after one photo of them hanging out together, it could ruin her reputation.
Hazel is still learning how to live life as a widow. How to deal with the sadness that comes and goes, how to move on without forgetting, how to live life without feeling guilty. When one day Thomas makes her day better and takes her to a movie, but someone caught a photo and now it seems like she’s some floozy. Until, Thomas proposes to fake date to save her reputation and fix his.
April 19, 2025
Hat Ticked - A.K. Isaacs
ARC Review
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1 🌶️
I am a huge fan of Thomas. I love his attitude towards life and the way he radiates a golden retriever energy. He’s precisely what Hazel needs in her life, even though she’s unaware of it yet. I’m also pleased that there was a subtle LGBTQ+ representation, shedding light on the lack of support provided by NHL shows for the LGBTQ+ community. Overall, this was a quick and easy read, evoking emotions at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
favorite quotes
"He leans into my ear and whispers so lightly it’s just for me, “I’m going to kiss you now, okay?”
“and for the record, the only time I was faking it was when I had to pretend I don’t want you.”
ARC Review
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1 🌶️
I am a huge fan of Thomas. I love his attitude towards life and the way he radiates a golden retriever energy. He’s precisely what Hazel needs in her life, even though she’s unaware of it yet. I’m also pleased that there was a subtle LGBTQ+ representation, shedding light on the lack of support provided by NHL shows for the LGBTQ+ community. Overall, this was a quick and easy read, evoking emotions at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
favorite quotes
"He leans into my ear and whispers so lightly it’s just for me, “I’m going to kiss you now, okay?”
“and for the record, the only time I was faking it was when I had to pretend I don’t want you.”
April 23, 2025
I received an ARC and have provided an honest review.
This novella proves that quality is better than quantity. the length of this book was perfection.
I love a fake dating romance, and this novella was really good. Hazel was such a strong character who was trying to raise her son and move on from the death of her husband, and she was having a tough time, but circumstances result in her fake dating, Thomas and her life changes. Thomas is a hockey player with a playboy reputation. An encounter with Hazel allows him an opportunity to change this. however, soon, their fake dating scenario becomes real, but Hazel's past keeps getting in the way of her moving on.
The author provided a beautifully written novella.
This novella proves that quality is better than quantity. the length of this book was perfection.
I love a fake dating romance, and this novella was really good. Hazel was such a strong character who was trying to raise her son and move on from the death of her husband, and she was having a tough time, but circumstances result in her fake dating, Thomas and her life changes. Thomas is a hockey player with a playboy reputation. An encounter with Hazel allows him an opportunity to change this. however, soon, their fake dating scenario becomes real, but Hazel's past keeps getting in the way of her moving on.
The author provided a beautifully written novella.
April 27, 2025
“I’m going to kiss you now, okay?” I say. “But no one’s looking,” she says. Then I see the realization come across her eyes.
This was such a cute sports romance Novella! This is my first book by A.K. Isaacs but won't be my last!
Hazel is a widowed single mom who refers to herself as "the good widow". She feels like if she tries to move on it will seem like she didn't care for her late husband.
Thomas is a great hockey player who has has a crush on Hazel forever. He has the reputation of being a playboy.
I actually loved this novella! I loved how Hazel and Thomas were friends before anything happened. While out for her birthday she runs into Thomas and they hang out. Paps catch wind of it and Thomas comes up with the plan that him and Hazel should fake date...When the fake dating starts to feel real will Hazel be able to move past what she thinks others think of her and can Thomas be what her and her son need? You will have to read to find out!
This was such a cute sports romance Novella! This is my first book by A.K. Isaacs but won't be my last!
Hazel is a widowed single mom who refers to herself as "the good widow". She feels like if she tries to move on it will seem like she didn't care for her late husband.
Thomas is a great hockey player who has has a crush on Hazel forever. He has the reputation of being a playboy.
I actually loved this novella! I loved how Hazel and Thomas were friends before anything happened. While out for her birthday she runs into Thomas and they hang out. Paps catch wind of it and Thomas comes up with the plan that him and Hazel should fake date...When the fake dating starts to feel real will Hazel be able to move past what she thinks others think of her and can Thomas be what her and her son need? You will have to read to find out!
April 29, 2025
Hat Tricked by A.K. Isaacs
Tropes:
Hockey
Fake dating
Reformed (accidental) playboy
Single parent
Friends to lovers
Practise dating
Found family
Healthy dude friendships
Strong FMCS
Non-toxic masculinity
First thank you A.K. Isaacs for the wonderful opportunity to read your book Hat Tricked which is A novella in the series Slap Shot Series. This one was short, quick, sweet and left me wanting more in the best way possible.
Hat Tricked follows Hazel and Thomas. From the first book these two have that special zing. Thomas is such a patient and understanding man. Hazel was so relateable and the way she blossomed was magical.
These two have wonderful chemistry, amazing banter, swoon worthy moments, its steamy and the spice is 🔥🔥
Honestly, I don't want to ruin it. So, I will leave it short and sweet.
Do yourself a favour grab this one today, and while you’re grabbing it. Grab the whole series.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Hockey
Fake dating
Reformed (accidental) playboy
Single parent
Friends to lovers
Practise dating
Found family
Healthy dude friendships
Strong FMCS
Non-toxic masculinity
First thank you A.K. Isaacs for the wonderful opportunity to read your book Hat Tricked which is A novella in the series Slap Shot Series. This one was short, quick, sweet and left me wanting more in the best way possible.
Hat Tricked follows Hazel and Thomas. From the first book these two have that special zing. Thomas is such a patient and understanding man. Hazel was so relateable and the way she blossomed was magical.
These two have wonderful chemistry, amazing banter, swoon worthy moments, its steamy and the spice is 🔥🔥
Honestly, I don't want to ruin it. So, I will leave it short and sweet.
Do yourself a favour grab this one today, and while you’re grabbing it. Grab the whole series.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
April 28, 2025
5/5
Thank you so much AK Isaacs and My Universe PR for letting me read an ARC of the one the sweetest novellas I've ever gotten!
I always enjoy a friends to lovers trope, and the only complaint I have is that I wish we got more of Hazel and Thomas!
Hazel is a widow trying to navigate gate life as a single mom and moving on in the dating world. Thomas is the top player for the Colorado Blizzards with a playboy reputation. One night of fun as friends and the world thinks there is more between them so why not keep up the ruse? Except admitting your feelings for one another!
This was a fast paced, short story with the hockey being done right! Oh and can’t forget the 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Highly recommend!
Thank you so much AK Isaacs and My Universe PR for letting me read an ARC of the one the sweetest novellas I've ever gotten!
I always enjoy a friends to lovers trope, and the only complaint I have is that I wish we got more of Hazel and Thomas!
Hazel is a widow trying to navigate gate life as a single mom and moving on in the dating world. Thomas is the top player for the Colorado Blizzards with a playboy reputation. One night of fun as friends and the world thinks there is more between them so why not keep up the ruse? Except admitting your feelings for one another!
This was a fast paced, short story with the hockey being done right! Oh and can’t forget the 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Highly recommend!
Read
April 29, 2025This is a cute hockey novella about a widower. Big feelings are tackled in a relatively short time frame. There are a couple of plot points where I felt like there could have been a deeper dive but maybe there wasn’t time in the short story.
Both MCs are really sweet and totally smitten over each other. Thomas is a big cinnamon roll teddy bear with has some contradictory traits (he appears as a player but really is an introvert). Hazel is getting back into the world after a huge loss and is deservedly confused about what she’s feeling vs. judgement from others. But I think the shining star was the Ralph. He’s developed over the other books and it’s great see him flourish here!
There is one spicy scene and some tensioned smooches!
Both MCs are really sweet and totally smitten over each other. Thomas is a big cinnamon roll teddy bear with has some contradictory traits (he appears as a player but really is an introvert). Hazel is getting back into the world after a huge loss and is deservedly confused about what she’s feeling vs. judgement from others. But I think the shining star was the Ralph. He’s developed over the other books and it’s great see him flourish here!
There is one spicy scene and some tensioned smooches!
May 2, 2025
Absolutely five stars
This novella is perfect. This is a hill I will die on, so try and fight me.
*spoilers ahead*
I have read single parent novels before, but they haven’t addressed the loss in such a real way to me before. Obviously they talk about loss. But seeing Thomas come in and be there for Hazel in the exact way she needed was incredibly beautiful. He met her where she was, not where society would expect her to be. LOVE.
Second, Ralph. This kid is awesome. He has come such a far way. As a mom, his little cheek kisses for his mom have me so happy for her (and maybe hope for me for the teenage years?). Ralph makes big moves and forces other people too as well. And that’s huge for a 14 year old.
Anyways, read this. It’s perfect. The end.
This novella is perfect. This is a hill I will die on, so try and fight me.
*spoilers ahead*
I have read single parent novels before, but they haven’t addressed the loss in such a real way to me before. Obviously they talk about loss. But seeing Thomas come in and be there for Hazel in the exact way she needed was incredibly beautiful. He met her where she was, not where society would expect her to be. LOVE.
Second, Ralph. This kid is awesome. He has come such a far way. As a mom, his little cheek kisses for his mom have me so happy for her (and maybe hope for me for the teenage years?). Ralph makes big moves and forces other people too as well. And that’s huge for a 14 year old.
Anyways, read this. It’s perfect. The end.
May 3, 2025
This was a short and sweet, fake dating novella. MMC Thomas is a green flag book boyfriend with a playboy reputation. Despite his reputation he pays attention, which makes him swoony! FMC Hazel is a widow with a teenage son. She is hesitant to enter into a relationship, especially with someone who has been part of her friend group since her husband passed away. Hazel is struggling to move on and her emotions are beautifully explained and dealt with in a sensitive manner. Thomas and Hazel end up in a fake dating relationship due to some paparazzi photos and, of course, fake starts becoming real.
Tropes:
🏒Pro Hockey
🏒Single Mom
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Friends to Lovers
🏒Found Family
🏒Accidental Reformed Playboy
🏒Greenest Green Flag MMC
🏒Love After Loss
🏒Novella Under 200pgs
Tropes:
🏒Pro Hockey
🏒Single Mom
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Friends to Lovers
🏒Found Family
🏒Accidental Reformed Playboy
🏒Greenest Green Flag MMC
🏒Love After Loss
🏒Novella Under 200pgs
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