What do you think?
Rate this book
Endgame
She’s about to proposition a famous hockey player…
Eleanor Ford is ready for a fresh start. Away from her dead-end relationship, her grieving dad, and the city that so deeply reminds her of her mom. Things are off to a good start when she hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met.
…and she has no idea.
Matthew Anderson feels like a ticking time bomb. At thirty-six, he’s pushing the envelope for a pro athlete and he knows it. But deciding when to call it quits and what to do after? It’s a decision he thinks might send him into an early midlife crisis.
Then Ellie comes barreling into his world and he feels like his priorities might be changing. The catch? Ellie’s not interested in dating a hockey player and he doesn’t know why.
Can Matt convince Ellie he’s endgame material? Or will his first love—hockey—ruin everything?
Endgame is an emotional, swoon-worthy, age gap hockey romance about finding & fighting for love when life doesn’t make it easy.
Eleanor Ford is ready for a fresh start. Away from her dead-end relationship, her grieving dad, and the city that so deeply reminds her of her mom. Things are off to a good start when she hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met.
…and she has no idea.
Matthew Anderson feels like a ticking time bomb. At thirty-six, he’s pushing the envelope for a pro athlete and he knows it. But deciding when to call it quits and what to do after? It’s a decision he thinks might send him into an early midlife crisis.
Then Ellie comes barreling into his world and he feels like his priorities might be changing. The catch? Ellie’s not interested in dating a hockey player and he doesn’t know why.
Can Matt convince Ellie he’s endgame material? Or will his first love—hockey—ruin everything?
Endgame is an emotional, swoon-worthy, age gap hockey romance about finding & fighting for love when life doesn’t make it easy.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2026
1468 people are currently reading
4873 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 902 reviews
March 6, 2026
I am still not over this book! Matt and Ellie are seriously endgame. 😍❤️
Endgame is an absolute standout. It is addictive, fast-paced, and captures that perfect mix of tension between the high-pressure world of a pro hockey captain and the intense, frenetic environment of an ER nurse. It totally surprised me that this is a debut story! Willa Gray writes with such heart, I honestly wish I could dive into another one of her books right now.
I usually don't like instant-love stories or insta-lust, but this was a total exception. Even though they set the physical parameters of their situationship early on, the layers made this feel like a slow burn, in reverse. Instead of a traditional burn, the author took her time building a detailed emotional connection where the characters learned to truly understand and comfort one another. The tension and yearning for more than a casual label were so beautiful and heartwarming.
I loved Matt and Ellie! Matt Anderson is the definition of a cinnamon roll MMC. As a hockey captain, he has that golden retriever energy that is just impossible not to love. But really, what amazed me most was outright down-bad unwavering devotion to Ellie. He isn't about ghosting her, he is committed to being physically and emotionally present for her darkest moments. From finding mental health resources to see how he could help her better, to simply being a steady hand to hold, his green flag behavior is top-tier.
What stuck with me the most—and what led to me aggressively highlighting so many sections—was the honest portrayal of grief and the positive mental health representation. The way Willa writes about grief felt so real. My own feelings and emotions felt validated, and I honestly felt so seen while reading. There was one chapter in particular where I was highlighting and bookmarking the pages so much, I practically highlighted the entire chapter!
I could relate so much to Ellie's journey and her struggles with spiraling. Books about grief, healing, and love really resonate with me, and this one hit close to my heart and home. The hurt and comfort trope was executed perfectly. It is a refreshing reminder of the power of love can help you navigate your most darkest days.
A lot of contemporary romance books rely on frustrating miscommunication, but the healthy communication here was a total breath of fresh air! I found myself highlighting so many sweet, tender moments. I loved this overall and can’t wait for more from this author. Crossing my fingers that this is the start of a larger series—I’d love to see more from Matt and Ellie, or stories about Matt’s teammate Niko (or maybe Ellie’s coworker Dev?)!
Perfect if you love:
🏒🔥 Sports romance and hockey culture with plenty of spice
❄️ Set in Minneapolis, Minnesota
✨️ A cinnamon roll and golden retriever MMC who is a total green flag
❤️ FMC is an Emergency Room nurse
✨️ Positive mental health representation (grief, anxiety, spiraling)
💛 Heartfelt hurt and comfort scenes
🥰 Healthy communication (no frustrating miscommunication!)
💯 No third-act breakup!
Be sure to read the trigger warnings just in case, but this is a must-read for anyone who loves an emotional, swoon-worthy romance.
Thank you to Love Notes PR, and the author, Willa Gray, for an advanced reader copy of this book for review consideration. I am writing this review voluntarily. These are my honest opinions.
Endgame is an absolute standout. It is addictive, fast-paced, and captures that perfect mix of tension between the high-pressure world of a pro hockey captain and the intense, frenetic environment of an ER nurse. It totally surprised me that this is a debut story! Willa Gray writes with such heart, I honestly wish I could dive into another one of her books right now.
I usually don't like instant-love stories or insta-lust, but this was a total exception. Even though they set the physical parameters of their situationship early on, the layers made this feel like a slow burn, in reverse. Instead of a traditional burn, the author took her time building a detailed emotional connection where the characters learned to truly understand and comfort one another. The tension and yearning for more than a casual label were so beautiful and heartwarming.
I loved Matt and Ellie! Matt Anderson is the definition of a cinnamon roll MMC. As a hockey captain, he has that golden retriever energy that is just impossible not to love. But really, what amazed me most was outright down-bad unwavering devotion to Ellie. He isn't about ghosting her, he is committed to being physically and emotionally present for her darkest moments. From finding mental health resources to see how he could help her better, to simply being a steady hand to hold, his green flag behavior is top-tier.
What stuck with me the most—and what led to me aggressively highlighting so many sections—was the honest portrayal of grief and the positive mental health representation. The way Willa writes about grief felt so real. My own feelings and emotions felt validated, and I honestly felt so seen while reading. There was one chapter in particular where I was highlighting and bookmarking the pages so much, I practically highlighted the entire chapter!
I could relate so much to Ellie's journey and her struggles with spiraling. Books about grief, healing, and love really resonate with me, and this one hit close to my heart and home. The hurt and comfort trope was executed perfectly. It is a refreshing reminder of the power of love can help you navigate your most darkest days.
A lot of contemporary romance books rely on frustrating miscommunication, but the healthy communication here was a total breath of fresh air! I found myself highlighting so many sweet, tender moments. I loved this overall and can’t wait for more from this author. Crossing my fingers that this is the start of a larger series—I’d love to see more from Matt and Ellie, or stories about Matt’s teammate Niko (or maybe Ellie’s coworker Dev?)!
Perfect if you love:
🏒🔥 Sports romance and hockey culture with plenty of spice
❄️ Set in Minneapolis, Minnesota
✨️ A cinnamon roll and golden retriever MMC who is a total green flag
❤️ FMC is an Emergency Room nurse
✨️ Positive mental health representation (grief, anxiety, spiraling)
💛 Heartfelt hurt and comfort scenes
🥰 Healthy communication (no frustrating miscommunication!)
💯 No third-act breakup!
Be sure to read the trigger warnings just in case, but this is a must-read for anyone who loves an emotional, swoon-worthy romance.
Thank you to Love Notes PR, and the author, Willa Gray, for an advanced reader copy of this book for review consideration. I am writing this review voluntarily. These are my honest opinions.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'm going to send to Willa my therapist bill.
No matter who you love, the decision to love someone is frightening. Love is the only thing that can build you up and tear you down.
This book is melancholic, taking you deep into the emotions of each of the characters. Matt is a ray of light in Ellie's life, while Ellie is the one who closes the window in the morning to keep that light out of her life because she is afraid of being exposed.
No matter who you love, the decision to love someone is frightening. Love is the only thing that can build you up and tear you down.
This book is melancholic, taking you deep into the emotions of each of the characters. Matt is a ray of light in Ellie's life, while Ellie is the one who closes the window in the morning to keep that light out of her life because she is afraid of being exposed.
February 17, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Review
This was such an impressive debut novel. From the moment I picked it up, I was completely hooked. Ellie is so endearing and sweet that you can’t help but want to wrap her up in the biggest hug. She has this quiet strength about her that makes watching her journey even more special. And Matthew? A literal golden retriever in hockey player form. From the second he meets Ellie, he is all in, ready to do whatever it takes to make her smile, feel safe, and know she’s valued.
What really elevated this story for me was the depth. This wasn’t just a cute hockey romance. It had emotional layers. Watching both Ellie and Matthew open up, confront their pasts, and grow individually and together was genuinely beautiful. Their relationship felt intentional and earned, and that emotional payoff hit so well.
For a debut, this was incredibly strong, and I cannot wait to see what this author writes next. Definitely check the content and trigger warnings before diving in, but if you love heartfelt sports romance with real character growth, this one is worth picking up.
This was such an impressive debut novel. From the moment I picked it up, I was completely hooked. Ellie is so endearing and sweet that you can’t help but want to wrap her up in the biggest hug. She has this quiet strength about her that makes watching her journey even more special. And Matthew? A literal golden retriever in hockey player form. From the second he meets Ellie, he is all in, ready to do whatever it takes to make her smile, feel safe, and know she’s valued.
What really elevated this story for me was the depth. This wasn’t just a cute hockey romance. It had emotional layers. Watching both Ellie and Matthew open up, confront their pasts, and grow individually and together was genuinely beautiful. Their relationship felt intentional and earned, and that emotional payoff hit so well.
For a debut, this was incredibly strong, and I cannot wait to see what this author writes next. Definitely check the content and trigger warnings before diving in, but if you love heartfelt sports romance with real character growth, this one is worth picking up.
March 10, 2026
-H 36 h 26
-h had an ex Josh, it’s been over six months since she had sex (ch 4, she met the mmc three/four (?) weeks earlier)
she was with her ex for like 4 years
-H used to do casual hookups when he started his career, then he only did relationships, had 3 serious girlfriends
-no ow/om drama, cheating, sharing, 3rd act breakup/separation
-miscarriage at about 85-90% + talk in ch49
-married in the epilogue, they find out she’s pregnant (2 years later)
content warnings:
Endgame contains heavy topics that may be troubling to some readers, including: mentions of a car crash, death of a parent (off page), significant mentions of grief and depression, and miscarriage via ectopic pregnancy.
This could be a 5-star read for me, but unfortunately I’m overdramatic, so here are some quotes that pmo:
24%: She scrunches her nose and softly kicks her foot against the rug, deciding to focus on that instead of me. It's almost a full minute before she responds.
"Have you ever had the 'do you want kids' talk with previous girlfriends?"
The question catches me so off guard I feel frozen to my seat. Ellie looks up at me, patiently waiting for a response. Have I had that conversation? Yes. Has it gone well? Not really. I'm not sure where she's going with this, so I guess honesty is the best policy, given what we've been discussing. "With the serious ones, yeah," I tell her.
25%: "How did that all play into your past relationships?" I ask him.
Something flickers in Matt's eyes, like maybe he's started to connect the dots on where these questions have been coming from. "How did the public aspect of my life affect them?"
"Right, the lack of privacy," I confirm.
Matt seems to perk up as he answers this time. "Well, all of my serious relationships have started through mutual friends, so they all kind of knew what they were getting into. Honestly, they probably would've preferred to be in the spotlight more than we were, but that's not really what I'm into. There were other reasons, but that difference contributed to why we weren't compatible ultimately." I'm now picturing his previous girlfriends as ultrahot Instagram influencers.
The sharp pang of jealousy catches me off guard and I look to the water I've been holding in my lap. It's probably a good thing he doesn't have an account for me to stalk. I don't remember seeing pictures of him with any women in my search, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. "But they did get attention? Like they were photographed and stuff when you were dating?"
29%: Ellie looks between my eyes, passing the remote from hand to hand. "So how come you're single?"
I hesitate, both out of shock at the question and because I'm not sure why she's asking. "What do you mean?"
"Are we fishing for compliments again?" Ellie raises a brow and I laugh.
"Hockey, I guess," I admit. Dumb as it sounds.
"Doesn't that get you a lot of, uh, suitors? Don't try to tell me there aren't any. I won't believe you."
If she only knew. I withhold a shudder and think of how to sum it up. "It's more my schedule and...priorities?"
Ellie's brow wrinkles. "Aren't a lot of hockey players married? I'm sure there's lots of people who would understand the schedule and demands of your job."
Diving into how my relationships have ended and what could eventually end this one is not really what I wanted to talk about this soon. But maybe being transparent is best so she can set her expectations? The thought depresses me.
Then I remember how I felt leaving her on Friday first thing in the morning and then later in the day too. I didn't want to leave. Wasn't itching to get to the arena like I normally am. And that was certainly different from before with previous girlfriends, shitty as it sounds. Maybe that's a good sign?
I try to word this carefully. "Yeah, a lot are. Happily too. I guess what I meant was that for me, I wasn't able to prioritize my relationships over hockey. Or didn't want to, really," I amend, withholding a cringe. "Which wasn't fair to them obviously and is the reason most of them didn't work out."
Ellie seems to mull that over. "What's most?"
"Like how many?"
"Yeah."
"Three, I guess? It might depend on if we're talking length of relationship or seriousness."
"Those aren't the same?" Her brow dips low.
"I'd like to think not."
Ellie tilts her head to the side.
"Wouldn't you say all long relationships are serious? I get that some shorter ones could still be significant."
"Well, I had a longer relationship with someone, but I think we both knew it wasn't going anywhere. She had different long-term plans than I did. It was convenient, I guess, since we were both content keeping it at that level and ending it when we were ready for something different. Then the other two varied in length but were more serious. I thought they might go somewhere eventually, but like I said, my priorities weren't really in line with theirs, so it didn't work out."
I set myself up here for Ellie to ask about long-term plans. And while I don't want to end things before they've begun, I also won't lie to her. Marriage and kids have always been things I figured I'd get to after hockey, if at all. Which could be soon, but also may not be. I realize I'm holding my breath when Ellie asks another question.
"Only three, huh?"
I nod, unsure where she's going with this. That seems to often be the case with Ellie.
She hums and fiddles with the remote some more. "What about more short-term things?"
"Hookups?"
Ellie nods this time and looks at me expectantly.
"When I first got drafted, I kept things really casual for a few years. But everyone's warnings from before I joined the league rang true, and those hookups felt... I was going to say shallow, but it was more than that. I mean, hookups are often shallow by nature, but I guess these felt almost transactional? Like they wanted to say they hooked up with Matt Anderson and that was it. I know it makes me sound naïve, but I just didn't like how that felt, I guess. I suppose the opposite end of the spectrum was more terrifying ultimately."
I eat some more ice cream and then set it on the coffee table.
"Terrifying?"
"As a rookie, a lot of the veteran players talked to me about how to handle the spotlight and specifically relationships.
They said there are going to be a lot of people that just want the trophy" —I use air quotes-"of saying they hooked up with a professional hockey player. And then there were also the more ambitious types who would be looking to...you know, secure their future."
Ellie gasps. "You're talking about girls trying to get pregnant?" she asks with mild horror.
"Yep." I pop the p, still in disbelief myself that those people exist.
"Is that...something you also dealt with?" Ellie looks distraught at that thought.
“Just once," I clip out, not wanting to delve into that shit show. The only reason I left that condom in Ellie's trash can the other day was knowing she didn't know who I was yet. "So, yeah, as you can imagine, the hookups felt insincere and the other stuff was…..paralyzing to think about. That's when I decided I'd listen to everyone's advice and stick to mutual friends for any kind of romantic involvement."
48%: "She got me a key," I tell him. I look up from my food and glance at his face. His eyebrows are nearly at his hairline.
"And you're not freaking out? Wow, man. Talk about growth," he says on a laugh.
I roll my eyes at his antics and try not to think about how cringeworthy my reaction to a similar situation was last time. To be fair, Sabrina, my ex, was purely looking for me to offer her a key in return. And that wasn't going to happen. If I'm being completely honest though, I think I would give Ellie a key to my house if I thought she'd want it.
54%: I roll the word around in my head. Seems accurate. Different than before though. This feels...bigger. Maybe it wasn't real in my relationships before? I cared about them a lot though. My mind is telling me it just wasn't right before.
64%: I shrug, unsure how to talk about this. "I just haven't felt this way before," I finally come up with.
"Oh, Ellie-bellie," Zoey sighs sadly. "What about Josh? You guys were in love, right?"
It's funny how Josh feels like an afterthought now. Like my time with him was years ago instead of months. Is it possible that the time away from that relationship is why it feels less...strong? I remember feeling love for Josh, but not this all-consuming intensity. My gut tells me it's because I wasn't in love with him. Like maybe I subconsciously kept him at arm's length to avoid this mess. Maybe my subconscious knew he wasn't worth it. I'm not sure how I feel about that. "I thought we were," I murmur. shame she thinks now she didn’t love him damn
73%: Because Ellie unequivocally makes my life better. Like my own personal rose-colored glasses. I've never felt this sense of rightness. As though something clicked into place and my life is suddenly more complete. The feelings I had for previous girlfriends just...pale in comparison. It's like my world has shifted and instead of only hockey and family, there's now her right in the damn center. And she somehow takes away some of the doom and gloom that comes with thoughts of life after hockey.
78%: THE BEARS' ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS might be the most attractive woman I've ever seen in real life. The type of person you have to force yourself not to stare at. I feel a twinge of insecurity that she works with Matt, but she's got an obscene engagement ring on her finger and has hardly paid him any attention during our meeting anyway.
AND PLEASE LET ME REPEAT. Yes, I know I’m overdramatic, if none of this bothers you, great, I’m so fucking jealous 🤣🤣
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2026
3.5⭐️
Took me awhile to finish this because of rl things but this was a cute alittle angsty romance book.
We are dealing with Ellie who tragically lost her mother due to drunk driving. But what side eye me. She drinks to forget when we meet her?! Like I get it but couldn't she find a different out? But that's where she meets Matt he co-owns the bar with his best friend. Miss-connection but he feels something just doesn't know what.
Few weeks go by and Ellie and him meet again having a one night and Ellie finds out he's a hockey player she doesn't want anything to deal with that. Doesn't say why but you kinda figured it had to do with an ex. Nope. Much worse when you find out. But Matt was there every step of the way always showing her he is there communicating with her.
Few ups and downs happen to them. But beside that it was good.
No ow/om drama, no cheating, tiny drama, slight secondary character, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶
Slowinsta
Praise kink
Tiny age gap
Mentions of parental death
and miscarriage via ectopic pregnancy
depression
Grief
Hea
Epilogue
Took me awhile to finish this because of rl things but this was a cute alittle angsty romance book.
We are dealing with Ellie who tragically lost her mother due to drunk driving. But what side eye me. She drinks to forget when we meet her?! Like I get it but couldn't she find a different out? But that's where she meets Matt he co-owns the bar with his best friend. Miss-connection but he feels something just doesn't know what.
Few weeks go by and Ellie and him meet again having a one night and Ellie finds out he's a hockey player she doesn't want anything to deal with that. Doesn't say why but you kinda figured it had to do with an ex. Nope. Much worse when you find out. But Matt was there every step of the way always showing her he is there communicating with her.
Few ups and downs happen to them. But beside that it was good.
No ow/om drama, no cheating, tiny drama, slight secondary character, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶
Slowinsta
Praise kink
Tiny age gap
Mentions of parental death
and miscarriage via ectopic pregnancy
depression
Grief
Hea
Epilogue
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 stars!!
Thank you to Willa for this ARC for my honest review!
One of my favorite debuts to date, and it makes me so excited to read more books to come! I absolutely devoured this book in 1 sitting. If you love a down bad MMC who takes care of his woman, I'd like to introduce you to Matt 😌😌! Definitely check the triggers because there are some triggering subjects discussed, but I honestly can't recommend this book enough!
Thank you to Willa for this ARC for my honest review!
One of my favorite debuts to date, and it makes me so excited to read more books to come! I absolutely devoured this book in 1 sitting. If you love a down bad MMC who takes care of his woman, I'd like to introduce you to Matt 😌😌! Definitely check the triggers because there are some triggering subjects discussed, but I honestly can't recommend this book enough!
March 5, 2026
˗ˏˋ 2 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
okay soo i literally only requested for this book bc of the insane amount of ads that i've been seeing on insta, and i think that might've made me have high expectations coming into this book??
honestly, i felt soo bored right from the start, like i kept hoping it would get better? in fact i got so bored up until chapter 20 that i was questioning whether or not i should continue and thought i could push through it if i read it with ri as motivation. plot twist: it did not get better and i'm mad that i didn't dnf it..
and tbfh i genuinely didn't care about either of the main characters, ellie or matt. ellie was lwk selfish imo and i didn't like a lot of the decisions that she made. besides that, you could hardly tell that matt was the captain of a hockey team, or that ellie was a nurse, they were just mentioned/name-dropped every once in awhile?? also the age gap was barely a thing? i mean it was listed in the tropes and maybe their ages were name-dropped but i guess that was about it..
also one thing that i had a problem with was that i felt like they moved in way too soon when it's supposed to be a causal thing? like they were practically living together and matt had ellie's keys?? so like it just kinda felt like they were already in a relationship, or doing relationship things when it's supposed to be this one night stand, casual little fling thing iykwim
⤷ thank you to the author, willa gray, and love notes pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ps. idk if i should rate it 1 star 2 stars but i think im just gonna rate it as 2 stars as for rn since i deserve an extra star for pushing through and finishing it??
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
02/03/2026 — i've been reading this on and off for a few days now and i lwk don't even know if i like this book but i got ri to read it with me as motivation!!
23/02/2026 — finally reading this since it's going to come out on my bday! locking in~
19/02/2026 — honestly requested this bc the book cover looked really pretty and i lwk excited that i got the ARC!!
okay soo i literally only requested for this book bc of the insane amount of ads that i've been seeing on insta, and i think that might've made me have high expectations coming into this book??
honestly, i felt soo bored right from the start, like i kept hoping it would get better? in fact i got so bored up until chapter 20 that i was questioning whether or not i should continue and thought i could push through it if i read it with ri as motivation. plot twist: it did not get better and i'm mad that i didn't dnf it..
and tbfh i genuinely didn't care about either of the main characters, ellie or matt. ellie was lwk selfish imo and i didn't like a lot of the decisions that she made. besides that, you could hardly tell that matt was the captain of a hockey team, or that ellie was a nurse, they were just mentioned/name-dropped every once in awhile?? also the age gap was barely a thing? i mean it was listed in the tropes and maybe their ages were name-dropped but i guess that was about it..
also one thing that i had a problem with was that i felt like they moved in way too soon when it's supposed to be a causal thing? like they were practically living together and matt had ellie's keys?? so like it just kinda felt like they were already in a relationship, or doing relationship things when it's supposed to be this one night stand, casual little fling thing iykwim
⤷ thank you to the author, willa gray, and love notes pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ps. idk if i should rate it 1 star 2 stars but i think im just gonna rate it as 2 stars as for rn since i deserve an extra star for pushing through and finishing it??
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
02/03/2026 — i've been reading this on and off for a few days now and i lwk don't even know if i like this book but i got ri to read it with me as motivation!!
23/02/2026 — finally reading this since it's going to come out on my bday! locking in~
19/02/2026 — honestly requested this bc the book cover looked really pretty and i lwk excited that i got the ARC!!
March 4, 2026
5✨ Jaw. on. floor. HOW is this a debut?
To say I loved this is a massive understatement. Consider this one of my favorite reads of all time and Willa Gray an auto-read author. Seriously, I will be stalking their socials for even a crumb for another book.
Now to why I loved it, buckle up because I have a lot to say.
As a fellow healthcare worker Ellie resonated with me deeply. I chose healthcare to battle different demons than Ellie but equally chased something that would fill my mind and heart. She was written with intention, and a relatability that is rare. Walking her journey of grief was heart wrenching, but also filled with hope and growth.
Then we have Matt - my word. This man can do no wrong. He was the most authentic, nurturing character and why so many of us flock to romance and collect book boyfriends. Everything he did was equally sexy and sweet, straight literary voodoo y’all.
This whole story was paced to perfection, with the perfect balance of light and dark. Every page, and plot choice just felt right. The was simply a beautiful love story in its most intimate form. I laughed, I teared up, my heart pounded, I swooned several times. It was quite frankly perfect and I have no notes.
This was top tier hockey romance; and Matt Anderson would NEVER IYKYK.
✨Thank you Love Notes PR and Willa Gray for the ARC✨
To say I loved this is a massive understatement. Consider this one of my favorite reads of all time and Willa Gray an auto-read author. Seriously, I will be stalking their socials for even a crumb for another book.
Now to why I loved it, buckle up because I have a lot to say.
As a fellow healthcare worker Ellie resonated with me deeply. I chose healthcare to battle different demons than Ellie but equally chased something that would fill my mind and heart. She was written with intention, and a relatability that is rare. Walking her journey of grief was heart wrenching, but also filled with hope and growth.
Then we have Matt - my word. This man can do no wrong. He was the most authentic, nurturing character and why so many of us flock to romance and collect book boyfriends. Everything he did was equally sexy and sweet, straight literary voodoo y’all.
This whole story was paced to perfection, with the perfect balance of light and dark. Every page, and plot choice just felt right. The was simply a beautiful love story in its most intimate form. I laughed, I teared up, my heart pounded, I swooned several times. It was quite frankly perfect and I have no notes.
This was top tier hockey romance; and Matt Anderson would NEVER IYKYK.
✨Thank you Love Notes PR and Willa Gray for the ARC✨
March 9, 2026
willa gray, this book was phenomenal.
March 16, 2026
endgame ꒱ 2.5 stars
⌗ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: feb 16 ‘26⌇ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: mar 2 ‘26
review with light spoilers
i really liked how this book handled grief and trauma, it is not something that is usually seen but it was done very well.
when it comes to plot, the book was pretty typical but if i’m being completely honest it didn’t stand out to me. i really liked how this author writes but i can’t say that this book was one that i was dying to pick up when i put it down.
ellie ford, her trauma was really well written and i really wish we got to go more in depth with that. i don’t really think she had much character development in that aspect which i think would have added a lot to her character. i also wish we got to see more about her job outside of her mentioning it. her character overall was really decent and well written.
matt anderson, i liked his attitude but i don’t really love his character. it didn’t really feel like he was doing much work convincing her to enter a relationship with him. also felt like outside of really liking ellie there was not much to his character. he also practically moved in with her, like she gave him a key (way too early in their relationship in my opinion) and he was always at her place. it just felt like they were in relationship already when it was just supposed to be casual.
the relationship, my biggest issue with them was that it didn’t really feel like time was passing. it just felt like they were basically together the whole time and had no progression. they were really supportive of each other which i liked but i wasn’t really rooting for them if i’m being honest.
overall, the book was interesting but it really was just missing something and i can’t quite place what it is. this is the authors debut novel and i really look forward to seeing how she will grows overtime.
── preread
super excited to read this, i believe this is her debut novel. the synopsis sounds so interesting so let’s get to it 🙂↕️
ⓘ thank you willa gray & love note pr for this arc in exchange for an honest review
⌗ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: feb 16 ‘26⌇ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: mar 2 ‘26
review with light spoilers
i really liked how this book handled grief and trauma, it is not something that is usually seen but it was done very well.
when it comes to plot, the book was pretty typical but if i’m being completely honest it didn’t stand out to me. i really liked how this author writes but i can’t say that this book was one that i was dying to pick up when i put it down.
ellie ford, her trauma was really well written and i really wish we got to go more in depth with that. i don’t really think she had much character development in that aspect which i think would have added a lot to her character. i also wish we got to see more about her job outside of her mentioning it. her character overall was really decent and well written.
matt anderson, i liked his attitude but i don’t really love his character. it didn’t really feel like he was doing much work convincing her to enter a relationship with him. also felt like outside of really liking ellie there was not much to his character. he also practically moved in with her, like she gave him a key (way too early in their relationship in my opinion) and he was always at her place. it just felt like they were in relationship already when it was just supposed to be casual.
the relationship, my biggest issue with them was that it didn’t really feel like time was passing. it just felt like they were basically together the whole time and had no progression. they were really supportive of each other which i liked but i wasn’t really rooting for them if i’m being honest.
overall, the book was interesting but it really was just missing something and i can’t quite place what it is. this is the authors debut novel and i really look forward to seeing how she will grows overtime.
── preread
super excited to read this, i believe this is her debut novel. the synopsis sounds so interesting so let’s get to it 🙂↕️
ⓘ thank you willa gray & love note pr for this arc in exchange for an honest review
March 1, 2026
I’m mad that this author does have any more books I can read 😭😭😭
Review of advance copy received from Author
Beta read 🩵 I can't wait until this book is out in the world!
Read
December 2, 2025BETA READ! Can't wait for everyone to fall in love with these two!!
March 27, 2026
⋆˙⟡ ── ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ 4⭐️
What a great debut novel. I expected a cute, [maybe cheesy] hockey romance, and this went way above my expectations. So fun, heartwarming (sometimes sad), and well written. I didn’t expect to FEEL so much. I loved every character..every one. Right out the gate we got to the point, which threw me off a little, but it was so well done. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 ꧂
⛸️ Green flag, cinnamon roll MMC (he falls first)
🩺 Loss and navigating grief
⛸️ Cute and witty writing
🩺 Fast-paced, right-to-the-point plot
⛸️ No third act breakup
🩺 🌶️🌶️🌶️
What a great debut novel. I expected a cute, [maybe cheesy] hockey romance, and this went way above my expectations. So fun, heartwarming (sometimes sad), and well written. I didn’t expect to FEEL so much. I loved every character..every one. Right out the gate we got to the point, which threw me off a little, but it was so well done. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 ꧂
⛸️ Green flag, cinnamon roll MMC (he falls first)
🩺 Loss and navigating grief
⛸️ Cute and witty writing
🩺 Fast-paced, right-to-the-point plot
⛸️ No third act breakup
🩺 🌶️🌶️🌶️
March 5, 2026
I want to start this review with a preface.
As a general rule, I struggle with books where the female main character is a total damsel in distress. "Total damsel in distress" to me means that she requires rescue from another character in each and every problematic situation. There is a caveat to this for me, though, which is that when the moon is full and the wind is blowing across a lilac field in June in southern Paraguay whilst a gentle soul named Pierrie serenades his beloved in the pale moonlight as they sip an aged Merlot ... I will get the craving to read a book about a total damsel. To sum that up, it's not that I NEVER like a total damsel, but rather that I almost always never like a total damsel.
I say this to say it's likely I'm the problem here. So, if you love a damsel getting rescued (over and over and over and over and over and over) by the MMC, then this book is a full buffet, and you're its target customer. Bon appétit, mon amour because you'll probably love this.
Onwards...
Ellie, the FMC and world champ at identifying behavioral flag colors, is always in some state of distress. The main one being that she is suffering with depression due to the death of her mother five years previous to the start of the book. I will not list any other distresses here because of spoilers. Ellie's pros? She was an OK friend and partner, I guess.
Matt, the MMC and MVP of partner assists by the end of this journey, really deserved so much more than Ellie as his HEA if I'm being honest with you. Matt saved me from a DNF and did HEAVY LIFTING 💪 to get me in a two-star headspace. He was a character worth reading about again—but only if he were in another book (or, as I previously mentioned, if I were in the mood to read a total damsel in distress book). I adored Matt, I loved him, and I wanted him to procreate because we need more Matt book boyfriends in our literature. Not only did this man excel at putting the Part in Partner (if you get my drift), but he was, as Ellie will not let you forget for one minute, a walking green flag 💚.
Outside of the main characters, let's get into the real beef of my rating, shall we? This book, if I recall, is a cool 320 pages, and you will spend those 320 pages digging out from one tragedy/bummer/hardship only to fall into another. And you will do the digging, because Lord knows Ellie can't dig herself out of any dirt thrown her way. She did not grow, and with how she was written, to me it felt like she didn't even try. Rumor has it that if Matt had stopped coddling her (not putting you down, Matty; you are the wind beneath my wings), she would still be sitting on her couch with her head tucked into her knees to this very day.
So yeah—there was a glaring lack of balance between hardship and feel-good moments. I truly wish the author would have stuck with the initial first two tragedies (which were more than sufficient to navigate in 320 pages) and spent more time allowing Ellie to learn how to build her coping toolbox so that she could become less self-involved and more open to meeting Matt's literal only request of her (to come to one of his games). I really wanted to see a stressor hit her and her say, "You know what? I got this. I also struggled with the fact that we didn't get details about her and her mom's happy moments. I would have loved to see something like:
/scene
Matt: "Tell me about her."
Ellie: "She would always... and we liked to... and this one time..."
Matt: She sounds great. Reminds me a lot of you.
Ellie: *blush* Do you mean that? *bats eyes*
/end scene
I think the closest I remember getting to that in this book was the apple pie at the end, and even that was a near fail on Ellie's behalf. BAHUMBUG! They made apple pie. I WON'T EAT IT!!! *sigh.*
Ok ... now I need to do my normal discussion of things that will spoil your read—so only continue if you've read this book and are just looking to see if someone felt the way you did about the stressful stuff.
If you haven't read this book, then just know that if you do like a lot of turmoil, 10/10 swoon-worthy book boyfriends, your love language is acts of service, and you have a feral need for hockey romance—you are more than likely going to 4-5 star this thing. Happy reading.
***SPOILERS***
1) DID HE GET HIS 1000 ASSIST?!?!?! For how much this was discussed near the end, why did it get cliffhanger energy?
2) What in the world is with hating an entire sports franchise and everything to do with it based on the actions of a few players of that sport? This had such "it's all about me" vibes to it that it soured my stomach. This guy does the most amazingly supportive stuff for her, and she can't be bothered to turn the TV on to watch his game without making it about her accident/losing her mom? She clearly wasn't a big hockey fan before the accident, so how is such an arbitrary tie-in to her accident such a major trigger that she cannot step foot in an arena, watch hockey, talk about hockey, or date a hockey player? If they would have instead been hit by a drunk fashion designer, would she have forever been a nudist? Not been able to date anyone that wears clothes? This was such a poorly crafted idea in my opinion. Also, if you had someone flying your friends in for the hard days to make you smile, or sending their own friends to just share space with you when you're sad... someone who's giving you the best sex of your life and cuddles you nonstop—you're telling me NONE OF THAT overrides you associating hockey with a drunk driving incident because the driver was a hockey player?
3) Why am I mad at everyone in Matt's life (Nate + his Mom) for not having a come-to-Jesus moment with him about how much stress she was bringing to his life? I honestly felt at moments he was apologizing to me as the reader for liking hockey. I started making up things in my head for off-page moments—like when his parents were visiting and his dad went outside to stand by the lake and Matt had to go get him ... I imagined his dad left the house to avoid calling Ellie out on her BS hockey boycott.
4) I was uncouthly upset that she chastised him for not telling her he was a hockey player but then failed to tell him for most of the book that a hockey player almost killed her and her mother via a drunk-driving incident. How in the world is that so different from her ex failing to tell her that he had a vasectomy (which is very reversible and doesn't indicate on any level what someone's desire for children in the long term is)?
I'm going to stop it there because I just don't want to tear the book apart front to back. I was really disappointed in the lack of fleshed-out thoughtfulness in the craft of Ellie as a character, and that is honestly what killed the book for me.
As a general rule, I struggle with books where the female main character is a total damsel in distress. "Total damsel in distress" to me means that she requires rescue from another character in each and every problematic situation. There is a caveat to this for me, though, which is that when the moon is full and the wind is blowing across a lilac field in June in southern Paraguay whilst a gentle soul named Pierrie serenades his beloved in the pale moonlight as they sip an aged Merlot ... I will get the craving to read a book about a total damsel. To sum that up, it's not that I NEVER like a total damsel, but rather that I almost always never like a total damsel.
I say this to say it's likely I'm the problem here. So, if you love a damsel getting rescued (over and over and over and over and over and over) by the MMC, then this book is a full buffet, and you're its target customer. Bon appétit, mon amour because you'll probably love this.
Onwards...
Ellie, the FMC and world champ at identifying behavioral flag colors, is always in some state of distress. The main one being that she is suffering with depression due to the death of her mother five years previous to the start of the book. I will not list any other distresses here because of spoilers. Ellie's pros? She was an OK friend and partner, I guess.
Matt, the MMC and MVP of partner assists by the end of this journey, really deserved so much more than Ellie as his HEA if I'm being honest with you. Matt saved me from a DNF and did HEAVY LIFTING 💪 to get me in a two-star headspace. He was a character worth reading about again—but only if he were in another book (or, as I previously mentioned, if I were in the mood to read a total damsel in distress book). I adored Matt, I loved him, and I wanted him to procreate because we need more Matt book boyfriends in our literature. Not only did this man excel at putting the Part in Partner (if you get my drift), but he was, as Ellie will not let you forget for one minute, a walking green flag 💚.
Outside of the main characters, let's get into the real beef of my rating, shall we? This book, if I recall, is a cool 320 pages, and you will spend those 320 pages digging out from one tragedy/bummer/hardship only to fall into another. And you will do the digging, because Lord knows Ellie can't dig herself out of any dirt thrown her way. She did not grow, and with how she was written, to me it felt like she didn't even try. Rumor has it that if Matt had stopped coddling her (not putting you down, Matty; you are the wind beneath my wings), she would still be sitting on her couch with her head tucked into her knees to this very day.
So yeah—there was a glaring lack of balance between hardship and feel-good moments. I truly wish the author would have stuck with the initial first two tragedies (which were more than sufficient to navigate in 320 pages) and spent more time allowing Ellie to learn how to build her coping toolbox so that she could become less self-involved and more open to meeting Matt's literal only request of her (to come to one of his games). I really wanted to see a stressor hit her and her say, "You know what? I got this. I also struggled with the fact that we didn't get details about her and her mom's happy moments. I would have loved to see something like:
/scene
Matt: "Tell me about her."
Ellie: "She would always... and we liked to... and this one time..."
Matt: She sounds great. Reminds me a lot of you.
Ellie: *blush* Do you mean that? *bats eyes*
/end scene
I think the closest I remember getting to that in this book was the apple pie at the end, and even that was a near fail on Ellie's behalf. BAHUMBUG! They made apple pie. I WON'T EAT IT!!! *sigh.*
Ok ... now I need to do my normal discussion of things that will spoil your read—so only continue if you've read this book and are just looking to see if someone felt the way you did about the stressful stuff.
If you haven't read this book, then just know that if you do like a lot of turmoil, 10/10 swoon-worthy book boyfriends, your love language is acts of service, and you have a feral need for hockey romance—you are more than likely going to 4-5 star this thing. Happy reading.
***SPOILERS***
1) DID HE GET HIS 1000 ASSIST?!?!?! For how much this was discussed near the end, why did it get cliffhanger energy?
2) What in the world is with hating an entire sports franchise and everything to do with it based on the actions of a few players of that sport? This had such "it's all about me" vibes to it that it soured my stomach. This guy does the most amazingly supportive stuff for her, and she can't be bothered to turn the TV on to watch his game without making it about her accident/losing her mom? She clearly wasn't a big hockey fan before the accident, so how is such an arbitrary tie-in to her accident such a major trigger that she cannot step foot in an arena, watch hockey, talk about hockey, or date a hockey player? If they would have instead been hit by a drunk fashion designer, would she have forever been a nudist? Not been able to date anyone that wears clothes? This was such a poorly crafted idea in my opinion. Also, if you had someone flying your friends in for the hard days to make you smile, or sending their own friends to just share space with you when you're sad... someone who's giving you the best sex of your life and cuddles you nonstop—you're telling me NONE OF THAT overrides you associating hockey with a drunk driving incident because the driver was a hockey player?
3) Why am I mad at everyone in Matt's life (Nate + his Mom) for not having a come-to-Jesus moment with him about how much stress she was bringing to his life? I honestly felt at moments he was apologizing to me as the reader for liking hockey. I started making up things in my head for off-page moments—like when his parents were visiting and his dad went outside to stand by the lake and Matt had to go get him ... I imagined his dad left the house to avoid calling Ellie out on her BS hockey boycott.
4) I was uncouthly upset that she chastised him for not telling her he was a hockey player but then failed to tell him for most of the book that a hockey player almost killed her and her mother via a drunk-driving incident. How in the world is that so different from her ex failing to tell her that he had a vasectomy (which is very reversible and doesn't indicate on any level what someone's desire for children in the long term is)?
I'm going to stop it there because I just don't want to tear the book apart front to back. I was really disappointed in the lack of fleshed-out thoughtfulness in the craft of Ellie as a character, and that is honestly what killed the book for me.
February 28, 2026
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!!! I had a really good feeling about it! But it really exceeded my expectations in so many ways!! Any hooks that can really make me TEAR UP through the whole thing is a win and I feel like it’s been a minute since I’ve experienced that! It was so well written! Willa was really able to put so much into this without anything feeling like it was taking over the story. Each of the side characters felt so important! And I can’t wait for - HOPEFULLY - more books from this little universe!! Cause I will be back!!
Matt and Ellie were SO GOOD! Their chemistry was delicious! They were fun together! And I loved how quickly they were from FWB to so so so much more! They built a little life together and it was so easy!!!! And of course they had a lot of things to work through, it wasn’t necessarily simple!! But them wanting to be together and then just BEING together!!! I just loved them so much!!
The way Ellie’s grief was written was so heartbreakingly beautiful. She didn’t really shy away from it, she knew it was there and that some days were just going to be harder than others. Matt was so helpful and caring and did whatever he could for her, and she let him!!! She was felt safe to feel her grief the way she needed, and she knew she’d be taken care of. Grief is hard to talk about, to read about but even just the way Ellie and her dad talked about it - how there is no right way to grieve and not every person is going to feel it the same - is so encouraging and honestly nice to hear!!!
And finally!!! The epilogue! And then the VEEEEEERY end! Made my little heart so so happy!
Matt and Ellie were SO GOOD! Their chemistry was delicious! They were fun together! And I loved how quickly they were from FWB to so so so much more! They built a little life together and it was so easy!!!! And of course they had a lot of things to work through, it wasn’t necessarily simple!! But them wanting to be together and then just BEING together!!! I just loved them so much!!
The way Ellie’s grief was written was so heartbreakingly beautiful. She didn’t really shy away from it, she knew it was there and that some days were just going to be harder than others. Matt was so helpful and caring and did whatever he could for her, and she let him!!! She was felt safe to feel her grief the way she needed, and she knew she’d be taken care of. Grief is hard to talk about, to read about but even just the way Ellie and her dad talked about it - how there is no right way to grieve and not every person is going to feel it the same - is so encouraging and honestly nice to hear!!!
And finally!!! The epilogue! And then the VEEEEEERY end! Made my little heart so so happy!
February 22, 2026
“𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤 𝙗𝙞𝙜.”
Endgame by Willa Gray
5☆
How the hell is this a debut? I think it’s safe to say that this is one of my favorite hockey romances to date.
Ellie owns my heart. She’s soft without being fragile, hilariously quick witted, and has a steel spine that makes you want to literally BE her. Her “I’ll just say it” energy is absolutely iconic and 100% drives this story.
“𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙩. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙢 𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛?”
And Matt—a salt and peppered golden retriever in hockey gear—holy 💩. From the first moment he meets Ellie, he is down bad in the most respectful, green-flag, on-his-knees (pun absolutely intended) way. He commits hard to her safety, her joy, and her healing.
“𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚, 𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚.”
But the depth of this story is what sets it apart. This isn’t just locker room banter and cute dates. It’s two people unpacking their pasts, confronting the hard stuff, and choosing each other intentionally. Watching them open up and build something solid together was *𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘧’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴*.
Just a gentle PSA: check the content warnings before diving in, but I can guarantee, you will love this heartfelt hockey romance because of the growth, devotion, and an MMC who is 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 respectful.
*Thank you to Willa Gray and Love Notes PR for the arc opportunity.
Endgame by Willa Gray
5☆
How the hell is this a debut? I think it’s safe to say that this is one of my favorite hockey romances to date.
Ellie owns my heart. She’s soft without being fragile, hilariously quick witted, and has a steel spine that makes you want to literally BE her. Her “I’ll just say it” energy is absolutely iconic and 100% drives this story.
“𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙩. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙢 𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛?”
And Matt—a salt and peppered golden retriever in hockey gear—holy 💩. From the first moment he meets Ellie, he is down bad in the most respectful, green-flag, on-his-knees (pun absolutely intended) way. He commits hard to her safety, her joy, and her healing.
“𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚, 𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚.”
But the depth of this story is what sets it apart. This isn’t just locker room banter and cute dates. It’s two people unpacking their pasts, confronting the hard stuff, and choosing each other intentionally. Watching them open up and build something solid together was *𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘧’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴*.
Just a gentle PSA: check the content warnings before diving in, but I can guarantee, you will love this heartfelt hockey romance because of the growth, devotion, and an MMC who is 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 respectful.
*Thank you to Willa Gray and Love Notes PR for the arc opportunity.
March 18, 2026
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Hockey Romance
✨ F*ck Buddies
✨ He Falls First
✨ She’s a Nurse
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Hockey Romance
✨ F*ck Buddies
✨ He Falls First
✨ She’s a Nurse
March 2, 2026
DNF i cannot finish this :///
March 4, 2026
Matt Anderson is a GREEN flag, baby!
I am completely speechless about this book. This book took me by complete surprise in all of the best ways. If you know me, you know that me finishing a book in a day is extremely rare... but yet I could not put this book down. It captured every single emotion possible, from swooning, to kicking my feet, to sobbing, to wanting to wrap my arms so tightly around Ellie and Matt for so many reasons. This book was such an emotional one to read, it took my heart for a ride, but the best ride. Endgame handles grief in such a raw, real, safe way... and I think that really shows in Willa’s words. Matt was the true definition of if he wanted to, he would. He shows up constantly, in the hard moments, in the soft moments, and stays. He never strays or leaves Ellie feeling less than everything she is. I truly truly truly love this book with my entire heart and soul. I cannot wait to see what comes next from Willa. 5 stars. All the stars. Everything.
I am completely speechless about this book. This book took me by complete surprise in all of the best ways. If you know me, you know that me finishing a book in a day is extremely rare... but yet I could not put this book down. It captured every single emotion possible, from swooning, to kicking my feet, to sobbing, to wanting to wrap my arms so tightly around Ellie and Matt for so many reasons. This book was such an emotional one to read, it took my heart for a ride, but the best ride. Endgame handles grief in such a raw, real, safe way... and I think that really shows in Willa’s words. Matt was the true definition of if he wanted to, he would. He shows up constantly, in the hard moments, in the soft moments, and stays. He never strays or leaves Ellie feeling less than everything she is. I truly truly truly love this book with my entire heart and soul. I cannot wait to see what comes next from Willa. 5 stars. All the stars. Everything.
February 24, 2026
Wow, wow, wow.
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book with a man who is such a bright neon, green flag. Matt Anderson is everything I never knew I wanted or thought possible in a man, seriously, how can one person be so beyond perfect.
From the first chapter, Ellie had my entire heart. She had me laughing, crying; feeling every emotion like I was sitting front seat on a roller coaster. Between the two of them, this was honestly one of the most wholesome books I have ever read.
I ate this book up in one sitting like a starved animal, not realizing how ungodly late at night it was until I finished the last page. The chemistry was just so freaking good.
I will now be showing this book, rather enthusiastically, to every. single. person. Who’s ever showed even a slight interest in anything boy aquarium related.
**Thank you Love Notes & Willa for this amazing ARC!🤍**
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book with a man who is such a bright neon, green flag. Matt Anderson is everything I never knew I wanted or thought possible in a man, seriously, how can one person be so beyond perfect.
From the first chapter, Ellie had my entire heart. She had me laughing, crying; feeling every emotion like I was sitting front seat on a roller coaster. Between the two of them, this was honestly one of the most wholesome books I have ever read.
I ate this book up in one sitting like a starved animal, not realizing how ungodly late at night it was until I finished the last page. The chemistry was just so freaking good.
I will now be showing this book, rather enthusiastically, to every. single. person. Who’s ever showed even a slight interest in anything boy aquarium related.
**Thank you Love Notes & Willa for this amazing ARC!🤍**
March 3, 2026
5 STARS: thank you to love notes, book funnel and Willa Gray for the e-ARC of this book! i had such high expectations for this book and it was delivered perfectly. from the grief representation to to funny moments everything flowed so well together in the book!
Matt: “A WALKING GREEN FLAG INDEED,” he is my new fav mmc in a romance book, he was so caring, thoughtful and funny with Ellie. He knew what to do or say without trying to offend her in anyway. Everything he did was so selfless, and he always checked up on her.
Ellie: my sunshine (with cloudy days) girlie, I love her so much. She was hesitant about Matt at first, but once he showed her who he really was, that’s when she opened up more to him. I loved the development of both her and Matt in this book!
Just preordered the book and I can’t wait for what comes next! 💙
Matt: “A WALKING GREEN FLAG INDEED,” he is my new fav mmc in a romance book, he was so caring, thoughtful and funny with Ellie. He knew what to do or say without trying to offend her in anyway. Everything he did was so selfless, and he always checked up on her.
Ellie: my sunshine (with cloudy days) girlie, I love her so much. She was hesitant about Matt at first, but once he showed her who he really was, that’s when she opened up more to him. I loved the development of both her and Matt in this book!
Just preordered the book and I can’t wait for what comes next! 💙
March 19, 2026
I cannot begin to explain how much I absolutely loved this book! I was so pleasantly surprised. This was such a sweet story and, as a nurse myself, I'd like to show my appreciation to the author for the medical scenes. You can tell that the author really put in an effort to make all the hospital scenes medically correct. ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Autor
Review of advance copy received from the Author
This book moved me deeply. It introduces us to a heroine who has suffered, yet found the strength to rise above it all, and to a hockey player who would give her the world without hesitation.
I absolutely loved Ellie and Matt’s first interactions, she was so lost, completely unaware of who she was dealing with, while he quietly longed for a sense of normalcy, free from the weight that comes with fame.
This is a story where we see a tender, loving, and devoted hero—not only committed to the game, but also striving for balance and fully capable of setting his priorities straight when it truly matters.
I finished the book completely in love with Matt… or Clark Kent, as Ellie so perfectly called him at the beginning.
This book moved me deeply. It introduces us to a heroine who has suffered, yet found the strength to rise above it all, and to a hockey player who would give her the world without hesitation.
I absolutely loved Ellie and Matt’s first interactions, she was so lost, completely unaware of who she was dealing with, while he quietly longed for a sense of normalcy, free from the weight that comes with fame.
This is a story where we see a tender, loving, and devoted hero—not only committed to the game, but also striving for balance and fully capable of setting his priorities straight when it truly matters.
I finished the book completely in love with Matt… or Clark Kent, as Ellie so perfectly called him at the beginning.
March 1, 2026
✨ARC review✨
this was such a beautiful representation of grief and trauma and what that can look like for a person with the sunniest of personality, even years later. i just want to give Ellie a big ole hug. and then you have a person doing anything and everything to show up for their partner in any way they need at a drop of hat 😭
this book had me going through all the emotions from laughing, crying to swooning for Matt cause he is god level book boyfriend. and this was Willa’s debut novel?? excuse me??? it was so enjoyable to see how their relationship blossomed, how their fears were addressed, having deep conversations with the people you love most and finally accepting all the good in your life 🥹
i can’t recommend this book enough!!
this was such a beautiful representation of grief and trauma and what that can look like for a person with the sunniest of personality, even years later. i just want to give Ellie a big ole hug. and then you have a person doing anything and everything to show up for their partner in any way they need at a drop of hat 😭
this book had me going through all the emotions from laughing, crying to swooning for Matt cause he is god level book boyfriend. and this was Willa’s debut novel?? excuse me??? it was so enjoyable to see how their relationship blossomed, how their fears were addressed, having deep conversations with the people you love most and finally accepting all the good in your life 🥹
i can’t recommend this book enough!!
February 18, 2026
Thank you for choosing me to review this book as apart of the ARC team.
3/5 ⭐️ 2.5/5 🌶️
Im going to be honest, I struggled with this at the beginning, it was really boring at first and then it picked up, but I felt it was just really all drama. I kinda enjoyed it but then also didn’t?
I did not like Ellie at all. I thought she was uncaring, selfish and a hypocrite. She made everything about herself. I understand she was going through grief for five years but she made it her whole world. She buried her trauma away instead of going back to therapy and talking it out and learning to cope. She kept playing victim the whole time instead of survivor. She was not fair to Matt at all in their “fuck buddies” arrangement. I do believe she took full advantage of his kindness. She was a walking red flag.
Matt Anderson, the greenest of free flags I’ve ever read. He was an absolute sweetheart and deserved the world and someone who cared about him. This man was head over heels in love with Ellie but I feel was treated so badly by her. He lied once to her and it was like the world ended unlike her who lied multiple times to him. He cared so much about her and what she thought of his world, that he agreed to keep everything a secret even though he didn’t want to. He respected her but feelings were not reciprocated back. Matt blamed himself for so much in there relationship and she did nothing to make him feel like it wasn’t his fault.
3/5 ⭐️ 2.5/5 🌶️
Im going to be honest, I struggled with this at the beginning, it was really boring at first and then it picked up, but I felt it was just really all drama. I kinda enjoyed it but then also didn’t?
I did not like Ellie at all. I thought she was uncaring, selfish and a hypocrite. She made everything about herself. I understand she was going through grief for five years but she made it her whole world. She buried her trauma away instead of going back to therapy and talking it out and learning to cope. She kept playing victim the whole time instead of survivor. She was not fair to Matt at all in their “fuck buddies” arrangement. I do believe she took full advantage of his kindness. She was a walking red flag.
Matt Anderson, the greenest of free flags I’ve ever read. He was an absolute sweetheart and deserved the world and someone who cared about him. This man was head over heels in love with Ellie but I feel was treated so badly by her. He lied once to her and it was like the world ended unlike her who lied multiple times to him. He cared so much about her and what she thought of his world, that he agreed to keep everything a secret even though he didn’t want to. He respected her but feelings were not reciprocated back. Matt blamed himself for so much in there relationship and she did nothing to make him feel like it wasn’t his fault.
March 1, 2026
I unfortunately didn’t connect with this book or the characters at all - I was bored the entire time. I kept going in hopes it would get better but was disappointed that it didn’t
March 2, 2026
This was such an insane debut novel in the best way. I loved both the MCs, the plot kept me reading, and the moments of comfort, intimacy, and humor between the characters. I loved it. It discusses heavy topics as our FMC, Ellie, learns to navigate her grief with her mother's passing with our MMC, Matthew.
Themes to expect:
- navigating grief (mentions of parental death)
- hockey captain x ER nurse
- age gap (MMC is 36, FMC is 26)
- he falls first
- fwb
- mentions of miscarriage
Eleanor (Ellie) moves to Minnesota when she gets a new job at a hospital as an ER nurse, having an unlikely encounter with Matthew, captain of Minnesota's professional hockey team, at his bar. From there the two enter a friends with benefits-ish situation (with our man Matthew hoping it'll turn into more)
"I asked Ellie that first night together what her endgame was. I didn't realize how badly I wanted to figure out my own."
Ellie's character is hesitant to trust Matthew given her history with loss and her ex-boyfriend. Matthew's character is honestly the sweetest with the way he helps her break out of her comfort zone and just wants Ellie for her. Off the bat this man knew he wanted her and that she was his endgame, it was truly a full circle moment.
Girl fully says: "My ideal weight is Matt Anderson on top of me."
And can I SCREAM because I agree. He's an absolute cinnamon roll and his thoughts about Ellie were the funniest thing, I was in love with him right from the moment he was introduced. Without spoiling much of the story, we also see Matthew's character progression as he comes to terms with his age and what that meant for his hockey career.
It felt more like there was more focus on Ellie's character than Matthew's throughout- that his character's purpose was to help with Ellie learning how to cope with grief and open her heart to trust others again. I felt like it worked with this story though with how much we learn about her backstory and the focus on her growth. The relationship between the MCs felt secondary to her progression which I found to enjoy.
Themes to expect:
- navigating grief (mentions of parental death)
- hockey captain x ER nurse
- age gap (MMC is 36, FMC is 26)
- he falls first
- fwb
- mentions of miscarriage
Eleanor (Ellie) moves to Minnesota when she gets a new job at a hospital as an ER nurse, having an unlikely encounter with Matthew, captain of Minnesota's professional hockey team, at his bar. From there the two enter a friends with benefits-ish situation (with our man Matthew hoping it'll turn into more)
"I asked Ellie that first night together what her endgame was. I didn't realize how badly I wanted to figure out my own."
Ellie's character is hesitant to trust Matthew given her history with loss and her ex-boyfriend. Matthew's character is honestly the sweetest with the way he helps her break out of her comfort zone and just wants Ellie for her. Off the bat this man knew he wanted her and that she was his endgame, it was truly a full circle moment.
Girl fully says: "My ideal weight is Matt Anderson on top of me."
And can I SCREAM because I agree. He's an absolute cinnamon roll and his thoughts about Ellie were the funniest thing, I was in love with him right from the moment he was introduced. Without spoiling much of the story, we also see Matthew's character progression as he comes to terms with his age and what that meant for his hockey career.
It felt more like there was more focus on Ellie's character than Matthew's throughout- that his character's purpose was to help with Ellie learning how to cope with grief and open her heart to trust others again. I felt like it worked with this story though with how much we learn about her backstory and the focus on her growth. The relationship between the MCs felt secondary to her progression which I found to enjoy.
March 2, 2026
3.75⭐️
“Because my endgame is Ellie—our life together.”
this story follows eleanor, who is ready for a fresh start, away from the problems left in the city that reminds her so much of the one thing she lost, her mom. she decides to start off completely new and hooks up with someone only for it to be the one man she never saw coming, another hockey player. here enters matt, who at the age of 36, feels like he’s pushing his limits remaining a pro athlete for this long, however he’s terrified to call it quits and has no clue on what to do after, until one day he finds the one thing he has been looking for, his purpose. however, ellie isn’t interested in dating a hockey player and he has no idea why, however the friends with benefits situation turns into much more…
wow, this was an incredible debut to read!! these characters felt so real and they were so healthy, while reading these two genuinely felt like a comfort to me. i really enjoyed reading about these two characters, and their individual backstories and how these two are able heal through one another and be each others calm to the storm. mostly, i loved that they were always there for each other, it was really incredible to read!! as soon as matt meets ellie, he’s completely hooked on her and did anything and everything for her comfort, and i enjoyed EVERY moment of it, it was so fun to read!! overall, a very enjoyable and heartwarming romance!!
thank you so much to willa and lovenotespr for the eARC!!
“Because my endgame is Ellie—our life together.”
this story follows eleanor, who is ready for a fresh start, away from the problems left in the city that reminds her so much of the one thing she lost, her mom. she decides to start off completely new and hooks up with someone only for it to be the one man she never saw coming, another hockey player. here enters matt, who at the age of 36, feels like he’s pushing his limits remaining a pro athlete for this long, however he’s terrified to call it quits and has no clue on what to do after, until one day he finds the one thing he has been looking for, his purpose. however, ellie isn’t interested in dating a hockey player and he has no idea why, however the friends with benefits situation turns into much more…
wow, this was an incredible debut to read!! these characters felt so real and they were so healthy, while reading these two genuinely felt like a comfort to me. i really enjoyed reading about these two characters, and their individual backstories and how these two are able heal through one another and be each others calm to the storm. mostly, i loved that they were always there for each other, it was really incredible to read!! as soon as matt meets ellie, he’s completely hooked on her and did anything and everything for her comfort, and i enjoyed EVERY moment of it, it was so fun to read!! overall, a very enjoyable and heartwarming romance!!
thank you so much to willa and lovenotespr for the eARC!!
February 25, 2026
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
So many emotions! OMG I really just can’t even put into words just how much I enjoyed reading Willa Gray’s Endgame! The characters were just absolutely amazing, you really just can’t help but love them, not only love them but root for their happily ever after! And the romance! I just loved the immediate attraction, turned into a mutual satisfying of needs, which slow burned into a beautiful romance that was just so swoon-worthy! You really won’t be able to put this book down for even one second! So if a beautifully written, sports romance, packed full of emotion, amazing characters, plenty of spice, and so much more sounds like your perfect next read then I highly recommend grabbing Endgame today!
I truly just couldn’t put this book down for even a second! I mean you’ll feel every emotion while reading this book, you’ll laugh at the banter, cry along with the characters through tragedies, swoon over all the romance and really just fall in love! Ellie is such a ray of sunshine to those around her even though she has suffered greatly and is still trying to find the right way to transverse her grief. She may have let some aspects of her life change but it didn’t make her closed off or mean. She still wants to make the world a better place, even if it has let her down. And Matt was just a sweetheart, a protective sweetheart… who might’ve stumbled a little when realizing how much he really liked Ellie but a sweetheart nonetheless! And their romance, ugh… talk about swooning every time they got closer! Not to mention there was plenty of spice to heat up your kindle! Overall I really just loved this book and I can’t wait to read more from Willa Gray!
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
So many emotions! OMG I really just can’t even put into words just how much I enjoyed reading Willa Gray’s Endgame! The characters were just absolutely amazing, you really just can’t help but love them, not only love them but root for their happily ever after! And the romance! I just loved the immediate attraction, turned into a mutual satisfying of needs, which slow burned into a beautiful romance that was just so swoon-worthy! You really won’t be able to put this book down for even one second! So if a beautifully written, sports romance, packed full of emotion, amazing characters, plenty of spice, and so much more sounds like your perfect next read then I highly recommend grabbing Endgame today!
I truly just couldn’t put this book down for even a second! I mean you’ll feel every emotion while reading this book, you’ll laugh at the banter, cry along with the characters through tragedies, swoon over all the romance and really just fall in love! Ellie is such a ray of sunshine to those around her even though she has suffered greatly and is still trying to find the right way to transverse her grief. She may have let some aspects of her life change but it didn’t make her closed off or mean. She still wants to make the world a better place, even if it has let her down. And Matt was just a sweetheart, a protective sweetheart… who might’ve stumbled a little when realizing how much he really liked Ellie but a sweetheart nonetheless! And their romance, ugh… talk about swooning every time they got closer! Not to mention there was plenty of spice to heat up your kindle! Overall I really just loved this book and I can’t wait to read more from Willa Gray!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 902 reviews