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Just Pretending With The Hockey Hottie: A Sweet Off Limits Brothers Best Friend Romance
I planned to attend my brother’s Christmas wedding single, but I opened my big mouth and now I’m fake-engaged to my brother’s best friend!
Zeke Landry has been ruining my peace since I was sixteen.
He’s my brother’s best friend, my workplace headache, and living proof that brooding muscles should be illegal.
Oh—and the inspiration for every romance hero I secretly write.
But we don’t flirt.
We avoid.
We pretend we don’t remember the kiss we shared years ago.
Then one holiday dinner spirals out of control, and suddenly the words “I’m engaged” are coming out of my mouth.
And Zeke—grumpy, unreadable Zeke—steps in as my fake fiancé.
It should be harmless. A temporary lie to appease my meddling family.
But nothing about this feels harmless.
Not when his hand on my back steadies me.
Not when we dance beneath the string lights.
And when he kisses me, I fall…hard.
But then the truth explodes online, and everything is at
My job.
My muse.
And my carefully guarded heart.
Zeke Landry has been ruining my peace since I was sixteen.
He’s my brother’s best friend, my workplace headache, and living proof that brooding muscles should be illegal.
Oh—and the inspiration for every romance hero I secretly write.
But we don’t flirt.
We avoid.
We pretend we don’t remember the kiss we shared years ago.
Then one holiday dinner spirals out of control, and suddenly the words “I’m engaged” are coming out of my mouth.
And Zeke—grumpy, unreadable Zeke—steps in as my fake fiancé.
It should be harmless. A temporary lie to appease my meddling family.
But nothing about this feels harmless.
Not when his hand on my back steadies me.
Not when we dance beneath the string lights.
And when he kisses me, I fall…hard.
But then the truth explodes online, and everything is at
My job.
My muse.
And my carefully guarded heart.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 21, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 13, 2026
I wasn’t convinced of how the story would end at some points. Tyler and Natalie, the couple their hometown was sure would marry. But they didn’t. The hardest part of the story for me was the power of lies they told themselves about themselves hurt them personally and each other. Both believe “I’m nobody’s love story.” “We’re perfect for each other. Fake-perfect, anyway.” Will it ever go beyond fake?
December 24, 2025
I was eager to read Zeke's story after the lost love / one that got away hints in previous books.
Zeke is holding on to playing hockey as long as he can dispite his knees needing rest to stay functioning to the annoyance of his phyical therapist at the Dragons and his best friend's little sister, Natalie that he has agreed to be fake engaged to for her brother's wedding in Hawaai.
After read the first 8 Chapters I had to pause reading as Zeke's dont want to lose his best friend's family though having feelings for Natalie and Natalie not wanting to be hurt again by Zeke angst got annoying with the best friends to lovers and best friends sister troupe.
Natalie's brother makes the fake relationship all about what he wants by warning Natalie and Zeke to keep it professional until it breaks apart 🤦♀️ then he changes courses ugh.
Thank goodness Zeke's teammates and Natalie's Grandma don't let either off the hook regarding their feelings for each other.
"But honey, the right person doesn't want less of you. They want all of you. Even the messy parts. Especially the messy parts." - I love this quote by Natalie's Grandma sum up what Natalie and Zeke need to accept from each other
And Tyler's -
“You’re going to spend the rest of your life wondering what would’ve happened if you’d just been brave enough to try.”
Or "You know," Theo says, still not looking up, "my mom used to say fear and love are the same thing. Just depends which one you feed."
Zeke is holding on to playing hockey as long as he can dispite his knees needing rest to stay functioning to the annoyance of his phyical therapist at the Dragons and his best friend's little sister, Natalie that he has agreed to be fake engaged to for her brother's wedding in Hawaai.
After read the first 8 Chapters I had to pause reading as Zeke's dont want to lose his best friend's family though having feelings for Natalie and Natalie not wanting to be hurt again by Zeke angst got annoying with the best friends to lovers and best friends sister troupe.
Natalie's brother makes the fake relationship all about what he wants by warning Natalie and Zeke to keep it professional until it breaks apart 🤦♀️ then he changes courses ugh.
Thank goodness Zeke's teammates and Natalie's Grandma don't let either off the hook regarding their feelings for each other.
"But honey, the right person doesn't want less of you. They want all of you. Even the messy parts. Especially the messy parts." - I love this quote by Natalie's Grandma sum up what Natalie and Zeke need to accept from each other
And Tyler's -
“You’re going to spend the rest of your life wondering what would’ve happened if you’d just been brave enough to try.”
Or "You know," Theo says, still not looking up, "my mom used to say fear and love are the same thing. Just depends which one you feed."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review Part of the Dragons hockey team series
Antecdotal thoughts while reading (I do not read the author's blurb giving me book snippets. I like a completely neutral start to reading books.) I have read a Susie Heart Dragons book in the past.
Zeke - ice hockey player, best friends with Natalie's brother since childhood...so a long standing crush
Natalie - team PT, no nonsense, understands she is surrounded by boys/men and thier egos, secretly a writer in the side, too much and not enough at the same time
Natalie - the lies you tell mom so you don't get set up...tsk tsk. 😆
..."you have all the romantic instincts of a snowstorm." ..."And you have all the romantic instincts of a snow shovel."
Grumpy vs Sunshine, Off-Limits Love
What could be Zeke's post hockey career? Obviously coach, would be be a SAHD if the situation arose?
Zeke, nice save with the hamstring injury "terrible", yup, "mortifying", yup, "a nightmare", yup!
Oh Grandma you didn't!!!!! You produced her book?!?!
Grandma "I'm not fragile, just seasoned." 😆
Another sweet, happy read with ❤️.
Antecdotal thoughts while reading (I do not read the author's blurb giving me book snippets. I like a completely neutral start to reading books.) I have read a Susie Heart Dragons book in the past.
Zeke - ice hockey player, best friends with Natalie's brother since childhood...so a long standing crush
Natalie - team PT, no nonsense, understands she is surrounded by boys/men and thier egos, secretly a writer in the side, too much and not enough at the same time
Natalie - the lies you tell mom so you don't get set up...tsk tsk. 😆
..."you have all the romantic instincts of a snowstorm." ..."And you have all the romantic instincts of a snow shovel."
Grumpy vs Sunshine, Off-Limits Love
What could be Zeke's post hockey career? Obviously coach, would be be a SAHD if the situation arose?
Zeke, nice save with the hamstring injury "terrible", yup, "mortifying", yup, "a nightmare", yup!
Oh Grandma you didn't!!!!! You produced her book?!?!
Grandma "I'm not fragile, just seasoned." 😆
Another sweet, happy read with ❤️.
January 1, 2026
This book was kind of sad (until the end of course!) Zeke and Natalie both think they don't deserve love for different reasons. They kissed once when they were teenagers, but Zeke thought he was too old and not good enough for her, so he blew it off. He had a crappy family, so he thinks he doesn't deserve to be loved, despite the way Natalie's family and his teammates love him. Natalie has always been told by her boyfriends that she is too much or not enough, and she has begun to believe it.
I thought it was strange how Natalie kept getting angry and blaming Zeke for things that were not his fault, or even that were hers! She gets angry at him for rescuing her when she blurts out that she's engaged, and then later, she was all angry at him when she was the one who decided they should break up, as if he had broken up with her. I get that she didn't think anyone would want her, but it makes no sense to be angry at someone when you were the one to end the relationship. On the whole though, I did enjoy this book, and they do get a happy ending.
I thought it was strange how Natalie kept getting angry and blaming Zeke for things that were not his fault, or even that were hers! She gets angry at him for rescuing her when she blurts out that she's engaged, and then later, she was all angry at him when she was the one who decided they should break up, as if he had broken up with her. I get that she didn't think anyone would want her, but it makes no sense to be angry at someone when you were the one to end the relationship. On the whole though, I did enjoy this book, and they do get a happy ending.
January 18, 2026
MC: Zeke and Natalie, First person dual POV, 3.5/5 stars
Zeke and Natalie are insecure. Zeke and Natalie shared a kiss when they were younger, Zeke being older than her pretended it meant nothing and walked away. Now they are pretending to be fake engaged, all because Zeke could not stand to see Natalie struggling after she blurted out she was engaged but couldn't come up with the name of her fiance.
The premise of the book was really good but...their insecurities kept getting in the way so much I couldn't enjoy their HEA. By the time we get to the end they have been hot and cold with each other. Also, every time something gets remotely intense between them, an almost kiss, the actual kiss, etc. they get interrupted, every. single. time. Once or maybe even twice would be ok but every time something deep is going to happen - now, it's frustrating.
Overall a good read. Rounded up to 4 because I might just be over the fake relationship trope, but I know that not everyone else is.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
Zeke and Natalie are insecure. Zeke and Natalie shared a kiss when they were younger, Zeke being older than her pretended it meant nothing and walked away. Now they are pretending to be fake engaged, all because Zeke could not stand to see Natalie struggling after she blurted out she was engaged but couldn't come up with the name of her fiance.
The premise of the book was really good but...their insecurities kept getting in the way so much I couldn't enjoy their HEA. By the time we get to the end they have been hot and cold with each other. Also, every time something gets remotely intense between them, an almost kiss, the actual kiss, etc. they get interrupted, every. single. time. Once or maybe even twice would be ok but every time something deep is going to happen - now, it's frustrating.
Overall a good read. Rounded up to 4 because I might just be over the fake relationship trope, but I know that not everyone else is.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
January 7, 2026
I received an ARC copy of this book from the author and even though I wasn’t required to post a review upon finishing it, I wanted to offer my honest, voluntary impression that I felt throughout the reading experience.
Susie has written a beautiful, warm, heartfelt series about a hockey team and five of its players along with the coach. We’ve gotten to know Logan, Theo, Drew, Nico and their coach so far and now it’s Zeke’s turn!
Zeke has always liked his best friend’s little sister Natalie but has not done anything about it because of his friendship with her older brother and the bonding he has formed with their parents. Natalie has always had a crush on him as well and let him know it when she was 16. Well time marches on and now she’s thirty and his best friend is getting married and when she’s put in a spot she says she is engaged already and Zeke tells his family it’s to him! They hope it just stays within the family but while they’re at her brother’s wedding, pictures are taken of the two of them together and insinuations flourish putting her job with the team in jeopardy! Feelings that are real are pushed aside to dispel questionable behavior and their fake engagement is broken off. However later he suffers a career ending injury and she shows up at the hospital and their true feelings for each other are finally expressed.
This is a sweet no spice romcom where you really feel the depth of emotions both feel towards each other and the pain both have been hiding behind because of what’s happened in their pasts.
I really enjoyed this book and the underlying theme basic to all relationships surviving in that you show up and choose each other and over again every day in all you say and do!
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend this book as well as this entire series as ones you’ll really enjoy as much as I have when I read them!
They reflect life in all its messy glory- both the good times and the bad- and show that unwavering commitment to each other is the glue that keeps you together!
If you want good clean heartwarming stories with some tension to add to the dynamics of the stories I urge you to get this entire series and just settle in and enjoy these stories of hockey players who find their happily ever after sometimes where they least expected it!
Susie has written a beautiful, warm, heartfelt series about a hockey team and five of its players along with the coach. We’ve gotten to know Logan, Theo, Drew, Nico and their coach so far and now it’s Zeke’s turn!
Zeke has always liked his best friend’s little sister Natalie but has not done anything about it because of his friendship with her older brother and the bonding he has formed with their parents. Natalie has always had a crush on him as well and let him know it when she was 16. Well time marches on and now she’s thirty and his best friend is getting married and when she’s put in a spot she says she is engaged already and Zeke tells his family it’s to him! They hope it just stays within the family but while they’re at her brother’s wedding, pictures are taken of the two of them together and insinuations flourish putting her job with the team in jeopardy! Feelings that are real are pushed aside to dispel questionable behavior and their fake engagement is broken off. However later he suffers a career ending injury and she shows up at the hospital and their true feelings for each other are finally expressed.
This is a sweet no spice romcom where you really feel the depth of emotions both feel towards each other and the pain both have been hiding behind because of what’s happened in their pasts.
I really enjoyed this book and the underlying theme basic to all relationships surviving in that you show up and choose each other and over again every day in all you say and do!
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend this book as well as this entire series as ones you’ll really enjoy as much as I have when I read them!
They reflect life in all its messy glory- both the good times and the bad- and show that unwavering commitment to each other is the glue that keeps you together!
If you want good clean heartwarming stories with some tension to add to the dynamics of the stories I urge you to get this entire series and just settle in and enjoy these stories of hockey players who find their happily ever after sometimes where they least expected it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Zeke and Natalie... A long time coming....
What you’ll get:
Forbidden romance
Brother’s best friend
Grumpy x sunshine
Whoops! Fake engagement
Protective hero
“She realizes too late that fake dating the man she's loved for years might be the stupidest thing she's ever agreed to.”
The MMC and MFC frustrated me, but also made me laugh. Zeke was protective and completely in love, but too scared to show it. Natalie… she tried when younger (but way too early), and she’s afraid… ‘…too much. Too soft. Too emotional.”
My heart hurt for them.
I didn’t expect an emotional story like this. It was angsty, heartbreaking, and was a perfect finish to the series.
What you’ll get:
Forbidden romance
Brother’s best friend
Grumpy x sunshine
Whoops! Fake engagement
Protective hero
“She realizes too late that fake dating the man she's loved for years might be the stupidest thing she's ever agreed to.”
The MMC and MFC frustrated me, but also made me laugh. Zeke was protective and completely in love, but too scared to show it. Natalie… she tried when younger (but way too early), and she’s afraid… ‘…too much. Too soft. Too emotional.”
My heart hurt for them.
I didn’t expect an emotional story like this. It was angsty, heartbreaking, and was a perfect finish to the series.
December 21, 2025
Oh my goodness. This is such a sweet read. Natalie and Zeke are perfection! They are one of the realist couples I have ever read about. While Zeke can definitely be a bit an idiot (his words), he is still one of the sweetest and most supportive men in a romantic read. He truly cares for his people. His found family is more important than anything to him. And that’s admirable. Natalie is beyond relatable. She’s insecure but when she loves she’s all in. And the family dynamics (both between actual family and teammates) is hilarious and true to form. The growth that the author gets from her characters in under 250 pages is insane. It’s a wonderful addition to the series.
December 23, 2025
I have been waiting for Zeke's HEA. I have loved him as a character throughout the other books in this series. Always stalwart, always there; a bit of mystery (what's his story?). And I was not disappointed with this book. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. With the exception of Tyler warning Zeke off his sister (I have never understood why someone would be a best friend with someone that they wouldn't trust with their sister--it just doesn't make sense, but I guess it's a trope for a reason), I loved every part of this book. I am sad to see the series end, but I'm looking forward to what Susie writes next!
December 21, 2025
Zeke Landry is smitten with Natalie Carter physio for the Dragons hockey team and his best friend Tyler's little sister, so there is no way he will ever act on his feelings.
When Natalie backs herself into a corner during a family discussion about a plus one at Tyler's wedding he jumps in and saves her by pretending they're engaged!
So there they are pretending to be in love while pretending not to care.
Crazy, Stupid, perfect love. Great story, funny situations and overall a thoroughly great read.
When Natalie backs herself into a corner during a family discussion about a plus one at Tyler's wedding he jumps in and saves her by pretending they're engaged!
So there they are pretending to be in love while pretending not to care.
Crazy, Stupid, perfect love. Great story, funny situations and overall a thoroughly great read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a terrific story about two great characters who are stubborn, lying to themselves, and being self deprecating. It’s also about dedication to their careers, their family (which is actually really her family), loyalty, and love. In short, two people who have been in love for years but have hidden from the happiness they deserve.
Wonderful characters who shared sincere feelings as they finally acted on 20 years of loving from afar.
Wonderful characters who shared sincere feelings as they finally acted on 20 years of loving from afar.
December 21, 2025
This story is for those who can stay neutral or feed from conflicting feelings of love against inner turmoil, doubts, fears, self-worth, and decisions influenced by other people's thoughts, both positive and negative. Until they find what really matters and trust their own feelings, only then they can believe what the other person says and shows. All of this can be emotionally draining for the reader.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 16, 2026
Total Enjoyment
I have so enjoyed this author and this series! I love ice hockey and romance and bantering and strong team and family dynamics. These books have it all. Zeke and Natalie are perfect together. It takes them long enough to realize love is worth the risk. Excellent end to the series! Now on to another book by this author.
I have so enjoyed this author and this series! I love ice hockey and romance and bantering and strong team and family dynamics. These books have it all. Zeke and Natalie are perfect together. It takes them long enough to realize love is worth the risk. Excellent end to the series! Now on to another book by this author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is Zeke and Natalie’s story. It is unsentimental, yet really moving with a strong plot and lovely banter. I love Zeke, he is my favourite character.
A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.
A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Natalie and Zeke's story is a familiar troupe - but Heart builds strong characters that you end up rooting for, real issues that both must overcome and a leading man you will fall in love with. Great world building. Believable issues. HEA. Recommended!
December 20, 2025
Some of the characters overlap with other books. Can be read as a standalone.
Best friend's little sister
Work romance
Fake relationship
Opposites attract
Long time crush
Past interfering with present
Best friend's little sister
Work romance
Fake relationship
Opposites attract
Long time crush
Past interfering with present
January 1, 2026
What a Wonderful Story 😍 Grandma Shares a Lot of Life and Love Rules to Live By. Sometimes You Just Have To Jump in and Trust Your Heart. Marriage is Work But So Worth It. I Highly Recommend This Book to Everyone🤗
January 21, 2026
Pretty good romance. The push-and-pull between “is there any genuineness behind this fake-dating?” and on-page romantic moments was done well. Very dramatic at times, but I think to an extent I get what they mean.
And Natalie’s pen name is hilarious. I guess mine should be M. E. Gan!
And Natalie’s pen name is hilarious. I guess mine should be M. E. Gan!
March 26, 2026
This book really got my emotions. Both Natalie and Zeke struggle with feeling they are worth loving. It is amazing to see what they discover about their beliefs and what really matters as the story goes on. Great read!
December 10, 2025
This was a good read. Sweet, kisses only and no cussing. Tropes: forbidden romance/ brothers best friend/slow burn/hockey
Review of advance copy received from Author
Super sweet "brother's-best-friend" hockey romance.. Loved it so much! Adorable, emotional, and absolutely heartwarming.. Endearing characters!
December 23, 2025
Good clean romance. If you like fake dating and snarky grandmothers, this book is for you. It’s an easy read, and the characters are lovable.
December 27, 2025
I received an ARC of this book. I enjoyed it very much. This is the first in this series that I have read but not the last. Funny, swoony, and kept my attention.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews