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Hockey Ever After #1
Just Breaking the Rules: Hockey Ever After, Book 1
Performed in duet by Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton!
Everyone knows the golden rule of business—don’t bang your business partner.
Especially if he’s your brother’s hot-as-sin, hockey-star best friend.
But when the sexy single dad athlete saves me from a cake contest catastrophe—and shows me how good he is with his hands—I blurt out the world’s worst business Want to invest in my bakery?
With no loan or backup plan, this is my last shot at proving I’m more than my past mistakes, and shockingly, he says yes.
We set one don’t mix business with pleasure.
Except Corbin Knight’s impossible to resist.
When he’s not scoring goals, he’s staying up late with me to test tempting recipes.
Braiding my hair before we bake like it’s foreplay.
Giving me his jersey to wear to games.
I try to keep a professional distance from the bossy, possessive and dangerously flirty hockey player, but soon we’re testing the limits of the kitchen counter.
This bakery is my chance to finally get my life right, so I fight the messy feelings.
Until one night, he shows up after closing and admits he can’t stop thinking about me.
Suddenly I’m ready to break every rule—no matter the cost to our dreams.
And breaking the rules has never tasted so good.
This exclusive special edition audiobook includes a cameo by James Joseph and a full reel of bloopers!
This is Corbin and Mabel's romance. Tropes Brother's best friend, single dad, workplace romance, hockey, the one who got away, love letters.
Everyone knows the golden rule of business—don’t bang your business partner.
Especially if he’s your brother’s hot-as-sin, hockey-star best friend.
But when the sexy single dad athlete saves me from a cake contest catastrophe—and shows me how good he is with his hands—I blurt out the world’s worst business Want to invest in my bakery?
With no loan or backup plan, this is my last shot at proving I’m more than my past mistakes, and shockingly, he says yes.
We set one don’t mix business with pleasure.
Except Corbin Knight’s impossible to resist.
When he’s not scoring goals, he’s staying up late with me to test tempting recipes.
Braiding my hair before we bake like it’s foreplay.
Giving me his jersey to wear to games.
I try to keep a professional distance from the bossy, possessive and dangerously flirty hockey player, but soon we’re testing the limits of the kitchen counter.
This bakery is my chance to finally get my life right, so I fight the messy feelings.
Until one night, he shows up after closing and admits he can’t stop thinking about me.
Suddenly I’m ready to break every rule—no matter the cost to our dreams.
And breaking the rules has never tasted so good.
This exclusive special edition audiobook includes a cameo by James Joseph and a full reel of bloopers!
This is Corbin and Mabel's romance. Tropes Brother's best friend, single dad, workplace romance, hockey, the one who got away, love letters.
Audible Audio
First published January 21, 2026
166 people are currently reading
1816 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Blakely
245 books24.4k followersYou can find Lauren on TikTok at @laurenblakelybooks! A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I finished this book a couple of days ago, but I was too busy to write about it. However, it's a very amusing book. I loved the respectful nature of the relationship between the main characters and how humorous their banter is. I absolutely adored Lauren Blakely's writing style. It's so very funny, and I'll absolutely seek out her other books.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTERS: 17, 24, 27, 32, 36, 38, 41, 51,
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Everything has a first, and this is my first Lauren Blakely book, so shout out to Good Girl PR for sending me the eARC and ALC
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTERS: 17, 24, 27, 32, 36, 38, 41, 51,
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Everything has a first, and this is my first Lauren Blakely book, so shout out to Good Girl PR for sending me the eARC and ALC
January 20, 2026
Brother’s Best Friend
Single Dad
Workplace Romance
Hockey Romance
Love Letters
ESTUVO DELICIOSO 😮💨🍰💜
De esos romances que se sienten divertidos, sexys y con corazón.
Mabel es una protagonista que quiere probar más que nada a sí misma que es capaz de salir adelante. Su panadería no es solo un negocio, es su última oportunidad para dejar atrás errores del pasado y hacer algo bien por fin. Me gustó mucho verla luchar por su sueño, con inseguridades pero con muchas ganas.
Y luego está Corbin… ay Corbin 😮💨🏒
Jugador de hockey, single dad, mejor amigo del hermano y además súper protector, mandón y coquetísimo. De esos hombres que parecen tenerlo todo bajo control, pero cuando se enamoran lo hacen con todo. Me encantó verlo en su faceta de papá y cómo poco a poco se involucra no solo con Mabel, sino con su mundo.
La dinámica entre ellos fue de mis cosas favoritas: trabajar juntos, hornear de noche, probar recetas, las miraditas, el coqueteo constante y esa tensión de “esto no debería estar pasando” pero claramente está pasando. La regla de no mezclar negocios con placer… duró lo que tenía que durar 😏🔥.
Tiene momentos muy cute (el jersey, las cartas, los detalles pequeños) y otros bastante spicy, pero todo se siente natural, nada forzado. El romance se va cocinando lento, entre harina, azúcar y sentimientos que ninguno quiere aceptar.
Sí hubo drama y miedo a arruinarlo todo especialmente por parte de Mabel pero se entiende desde dónde viene. Al final, cuando Corbin dice lo que siente, yo ya estaba completamente dentro 🥹.
Si te gustan los romances de hockey, el brother’s best friend, los single dads y las historias donde los sueños y el amor van de la mano, este libro es para ti.
Romántico, divertido y muy adictivo… como un postre bien hecho 💜🍰
Single Dad
Workplace Romance
Hockey Romance
Love Letters
ESTUVO DELICIOSO 😮💨🍰💜
De esos romances que se sienten divertidos, sexys y con corazón.
Mabel es una protagonista que quiere probar más que nada a sí misma que es capaz de salir adelante. Su panadería no es solo un negocio, es su última oportunidad para dejar atrás errores del pasado y hacer algo bien por fin. Me gustó mucho verla luchar por su sueño, con inseguridades pero con muchas ganas.
Y luego está Corbin… ay Corbin 😮💨🏒
Jugador de hockey, single dad, mejor amigo del hermano y además súper protector, mandón y coquetísimo. De esos hombres que parecen tenerlo todo bajo control, pero cuando se enamoran lo hacen con todo. Me encantó verlo en su faceta de papá y cómo poco a poco se involucra no solo con Mabel, sino con su mundo.
La dinámica entre ellos fue de mis cosas favoritas: trabajar juntos, hornear de noche, probar recetas, las miraditas, el coqueteo constante y esa tensión de “esto no debería estar pasando” pero claramente está pasando. La regla de no mezclar negocios con placer… duró lo que tenía que durar 😏🔥.
Tiene momentos muy cute (el jersey, las cartas, los detalles pequeños) y otros bastante spicy, pero todo se siente natural, nada forzado. El romance se va cocinando lento, entre harina, azúcar y sentimientos que ninguno quiere aceptar.
Sí hubo drama y miedo a arruinarlo todo especialmente por parte de Mabel pero se entiende desde dónde viene. Al final, cuando Corbin dice lo que siente, yo ya estaba completamente dentro 🥹.
Si te gustan los romances de hockey, el brother’s best friend, los single dads y las historias donde los sueños y el amor van de la mano, este libro es para ti.
Romántico, divertido y muy adictivo… como un postre bien hecho 💜🍰
January 15, 2026
4.25⭐️
If not now then when!! Okay I absolutely loveeeee brothers best friend romances, there’s a smidge of taboo/forbidden & there’s always history which just adds to the romance!
Mabel, oh Mabel. Our little hot mess but one that is so perfectly curated & I just love her! She has to go back to the small town that only remembers her for being a mess and it makes my heart so sad. Especially bc her shitty ex publicly says the same thing everyone always does about her. But she is motivated & ready to make everyone forget the old her!! Corbin is the organized to her wildness & they are such a cute pair. These two met many years prior & hit it off but never could let anything happen bc Corbin realized she was his best friend’s younger sister. Years later they get the great idea of open a bakery & book FORCED PROXIMITY DOES WHAT IT DOES BEST!! You already know!!
Oh did I mention Corbin is a hockey star and a single daddy with the most amazing daughter named charlotte!!!
I ❤️ dry humping & we get FED in this book yallllll
Also…if you are into love letters of any variety then you NEED this to read this book. That’s all I’m gonna say **ugh my heart is melting & im swooning**
Type: audio (so so good Samantha Brentmoor& teddy Hamilton)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Brother’s best friend
Forced proximity
Single dad
Small town vibes
If not now then when!! Okay I absolutely loveeeee brothers best friend romances, there’s a smidge of taboo/forbidden & there’s always history which just adds to the romance!
Mabel, oh Mabel. Our little hot mess but one that is so perfectly curated & I just love her! She has to go back to the small town that only remembers her for being a mess and it makes my heart so sad. Especially bc her shitty ex publicly says the same thing everyone always does about her. But she is motivated & ready to make everyone forget the old her!! Corbin is the organized to her wildness & they are such a cute pair. These two met many years prior & hit it off but never could let anything happen bc Corbin realized she was his best friend’s younger sister. Years later they get the great idea of open a bakery & book FORCED PROXIMITY DOES WHAT IT DOES BEST!! You already know!!
Oh did I mention Corbin is a hockey star and a single daddy with the most amazing daughter named charlotte!!!
I ❤️ dry humping & we get FED in this book yallllll
Also…if you are into love letters of any variety then you NEED this to read this book. That’s all I’m gonna say **ugh my heart is melting & im swooning**
Type: audio (so so good Samantha Brentmoor& teddy Hamilton)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Brother’s best friend
Forced proximity
Single dad
Small town vibes
Review of advance copy
#Review: *Just Breaking The Rules* - Lauren Blakely - ARC/ALC [18+]
4.6/5✨
3/5🌶️
They've known each other for a while, but they've kept their feelings hidden. Mabel and Corbin always had something for each other. The fact that Theo was her older brother and Corbin's hockey team general manager and because Corbin had a hectic schedule and a daughter to raise, pushed things to remain at a platonic level.
Their common passion for baking lead to a deal, which was presented by Theo, from which both Mabel and Corbin could win. But what will that close proximity mean for them? Will they be able to keep at bay their burning feelings and just be partners in that business?
First of all, this book got me craving all those delicious things mentioned in this book, because of how well they were depicted. Yummy! Second of all, how sweet, fun and tensioned the connection between Corbin and Mabel was! Phew!🔥 Even from the first scene they've shared together you could clearly feel that there was something more between them. I enjoyed so much those stolen glances and touches, like they were constantly drawn to each other. But they didn't feel like they were in the right time of their lives for a relationship. Or were they?🤭 I liked the awesome presence of Corbin's daughter, who was super smart and really fun.
This was such a wonderful and fun read, having a bit of everything in it. I liked that it was focused on the character's growth and on understanding their feelings, not focusing only on their physical connection. I also loved those mysterious love letters, which were a great addition to the romantic vibe of this story.
Of course, I couldn't forget about our lovely narrators, Samantha Brentmore and Teddy Hamilton, who did such an incredible job with this story, being completely captivated by them. As usual, I loved how expressive and full of passion their interpretation was and how lovely and fun it was to listen to them.
I must thank Hambright Pr for this amazing opportunity, for offering me this e-ARC and ALC of this fun book!💞
✨Tropes
▫️Brother's Best Friend
▫️Single Dad
▫️Workplace Romance
▫️The One That Got Away
▫️Love Letters
▫️Close proximity
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Hockey
4.6/5✨
3/5🌶️
They've known each other for a while, but they've kept their feelings hidden. Mabel and Corbin always had something for each other. The fact that Theo was her older brother and Corbin's hockey team general manager and because Corbin had a hectic schedule and a daughter to raise, pushed things to remain at a platonic level.
Their common passion for baking lead to a deal, which was presented by Theo, from which both Mabel and Corbin could win. But what will that close proximity mean for them? Will they be able to keep at bay their burning feelings and just be partners in that business?
First of all, this book got me craving all those delicious things mentioned in this book, because of how well they were depicted. Yummy! Second of all, how sweet, fun and tensioned the connection between Corbin and Mabel was! Phew!🔥 Even from the first scene they've shared together you could clearly feel that there was something more between them. I enjoyed so much those stolen glances and touches, like they were constantly drawn to each other. But they didn't feel like they were in the right time of their lives for a relationship. Or were they?🤭 I liked the awesome presence of Corbin's daughter, who was super smart and really fun.
This was such a wonderful and fun read, having a bit of everything in it. I liked that it was focused on the character's growth and on understanding their feelings, not focusing only on their physical connection. I also loved those mysterious love letters, which were a great addition to the romantic vibe of this story.
Of course, I couldn't forget about our lovely narrators, Samantha Brentmore and Teddy Hamilton, who did such an incredible job with this story, being completely captivated by them. As usual, I loved how expressive and full of passion their interpretation was and how lovely and fun it was to listen to them.
I must thank Hambright Pr for this amazing opportunity, for offering me this e-ARC and ALC of this fun book!💞
✨Tropes
▫️Brother's Best Friend
▫️Single Dad
▫️Workplace Romance
▫️The One That Got Away
▫️Love Letters
▫️Close proximity
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Hockey
January 7, 2026
Oh my gosh. Talk about one of the BEST single-dad romances I’ve ever read. He’s also her brother’s best friend! Talk about some swoons tropes.
Mabel is recovering from her ex’s attempt to publicly humiliate her on reality TV but enter Corbin Knight. Hot pro hockey player who swoops in and rescues Mabel. They’ve known each other for 7 years because he’s also Mabel’s big brother’s best friend but now that they’re reconnecting, sparks are flying EVERYWHERE! They literally have a moment in the on set trailer but are like, whoa this cannot happen between us. Mabel, also realizing they shouldn’t be getting hot and heavy, decides to ask Corbin to go into business with her and help her open her new bakery! And get this, Corbin knows how to bake too!
The sweetest and sexiest story starts to unfold and Corbin literally can’t keep his hands off of Mabel. They’re LITERALLY always together and then every time they have a hot and steamy session, they look at each other and are like, ok this can’t happen again. 🤣 Even after 5 more times they’re like, ok we need to stop…we’re business parters. Yeah right!
It’s so cute reading the back and forth and the spice was so good. There’s an actual fuck it moment. The old firehouse that Mabel’s grandmother left her gets turned into their bakery and Mabel has to struggle up get the whole town to rally behind it. Thanks to Corbin and his super smart daughter, the bakery has some luck!
I also loved the lost love letters! Gotta read this. Lauren Blakely knows how to check alllll the boxes every time and I’m so excited for this new hockey romance series!
🧁 Corbin - “Is an apron kink even a thing?”
🧐 Wait until you learn about “The Dirty Gentleman”
👨🍳 INAPPROPRIATE USES OF BASTING BRUSHES 👀
TROPES ✨
🏒 Hockey Romance
👨👧 Brother's Best Friend
⚡ Opposites Attract
💗 It's Always Been You
👨👧 Single Dad
💔 The One That Got Away
Mabel is recovering from her ex’s attempt to publicly humiliate her on reality TV but enter Corbin Knight. Hot pro hockey player who swoops in and rescues Mabel. They’ve known each other for 7 years because he’s also Mabel’s big brother’s best friend but now that they’re reconnecting, sparks are flying EVERYWHERE! They literally have a moment in the on set trailer but are like, whoa this cannot happen between us. Mabel, also realizing they shouldn’t be getting hot and heavy, decides to ask Corbin to go into business with her and help her open her new bakery! And get this, Corbin knows how to bake too!
The sweetest and sexiest story starts to unfold and Corbin literally can’t keep his hands off of Mabel. They’re LITERALLY always together and then every time they have a hot and steamy session, they look at each other and are like, ok this can’t happen again. 🤣 Even after 5 more times they’re like, ok we need to stop…we’re business parters. Yeah right!
It’s so cute reading the back and forth and the spice was so good. There’s an actual fuck it moment. The old firehouse that Mabel’s grandmother left her gets turned into their bakery and Mabel has to struggle up get the whole town to rally behind it. Thanks to Corbin and his super smart daughter, the bakery has some luck!
I also loved the lost love letters! Gotta read this. Lauren Blakely knows how to check alllll the boxes every time and I’m so excited for this new hockey romance series!
🧁 Corbin - “Is an apron kink even a thing?”
🧐 Wait until you learn about “The Dirty Gentleman”
👨🍳 INAPPROPRIATE USES OF BASTING BRUSHES 👀
TROPES ✨
🏒 Hockey Romance
👨👧 Brother's Best Friend
⚡ Opposites Attract
💗 It's Always Been You
👨👧 Single Dad
💔 The One That Got Away
January 9, 2026
4/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
This book was cute, fluffy, low-stakes, and an easy listen. This is a sweet sports romance featuring a baker and a hockey player, which honestly tells you everything you need to know about the vibes. There’s chemistry, banter, and just enough tension to keep things moving without ever getting stressful.
The duet audiobook narration is a huge plus. Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton are absolute staples in the romance audiobook world, and they once again deliver a smooth, engaging performance. Both narrators bring warmth and charm to their characters, making the story easy to sink into and perfect for listening while doing literally anything else. Also, bloopers were included at the end and they were hilarious. More of this!!
If you’re in the mood for a feel-good sports romance that doesn’t ask too much of you emotionally and just wants to be fun, this one hits the spot. Low angst, high charm, and narrators you can always trust.
1.5/5 🌶️
This book was cute, fluffy, low-stakes, and an easy listen. This is a sweet sports romance featuring a baker and a hockey player, which honestly tells you everything you need to know about the vibes. There’s chemistry, banter, and just enough tension to keep things moving without ever getting stressful.
The duet audiobook narration is a huge plus. Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton are absolute staples in the romance audiobook world, and they once again deliver a smooth, engaging performance. Both narrators bring warmth and charm to their characters, making the story easy to sink into and perfect for listening while doing literally anything else. Also, bloopers were included at the end and they were hilarious. More of this!!
If you’re in the mood for a feel-good sports romance that doesn’t ask too much of you emotionally and just wants to be fun, this one hits the spot. Low angst, high charm, and narrators you can always trust.
January 18, 2026
Just Breaking the Rules is one of those books that is simply a delight. Witty, flirty, sexy, heartfelt, funny and dare I say, made for audio? Because when you hear Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor come together in duet narration as Corbin and Mabel, you can't help but fall in love with their characters.
Mabel is one of those characters that is part messy, but has a huge heart and knows what she wants to do with her life. She wants to prove all her naysayers wrong and succeed. But when she enters a cake contest, her hopes and dreams are literally smashed and she just needs to find one good thing to hopefully bring her dreams to life. When Corbin comes in and saves her from her miserable fail, you can already feel the chemistry they have and hope they can continue on. A man that can braid a woman's hair, be an amazing father to a 12 year old daughter, play hockey and kiss like no one's business?! Too bad he's her brother's best friend and actually works for him as well. Mixing friendship, business and pleasure should not work. But what happens when an opportunity falls in their laps, forcing them to work together and making all of Mabel's and Corbin's future dreams come true??
What a fun start to a whole new series from Lauren Blakely! We have hockey, a bakery with the name of Afternoon Delight, a single dad, a smart as a whip preteen, fun pickle ball outfits, an amazing cast of supporting characters and found love letters that make this story shine. The friendship and chemistry between Corbin and Mabel is felt right from the very start. I loved that there was no playing around when it came to that aspect. Plus, they both had a desire to open a bakery and actually have quite a lot in common. And the parts they don't are what make their partnership and relationship work to help balance what the other is lacking. Then there are the letters they found in the bakery that they are renovating. That is the part that had my heart. I loved that they shared their successes with those letters and one another. It was just a sweet little addition to their love story.
Of course Corbin and Mabel's journey wasn't perfect but I loved that through it all, they communicated their worries with each other. Doubt and fear of failure is hard to overcome, but these two just complimented each other in all the ways that you can't help but to love them. Plus, Corbin is a man that loves to take care of those around him and LEARNS when he can't see #iykyk. He steps it up and goes out of his way to show he cares. And for that, he gets all of the boyfriend flowers. We all need a Corbin in our life supporting us. ;)
With that said, I think this was a great start to a brand new series of standalone stories.
If you you enjoy:
Hockey
Best Friend's sister
Romcom
Bakery shenanigans
Single Dad
Love letters (from Mabel's grandma)
Small town with sprinkle of city
With a slight age gap
Then Just Breaking The Rules will have you laughing and swooning. AND like I mentioned before...the audiobook is amazing and I couldn't have loved Samantha and Teddy's performances more. They captured the banter and humous nuances between the characters bringing their love story to life. I can't wait for what's to come in this series!
Mabel is one of those characters that is part messy, but has a huge heart and knows what she wants to do with her life. She wants to prove all her naysayers wrong and succeed. But when she enters a cake contest, her hopes and dreams are literally smashed and she just needs to find one good thing to hopefully bring her dreams to life. When Corbin comes in and saves her from her miserable fail, you can already feel the chemistry they have and hope they can continue on. A man that can braid a woman's hair, be an amazing father to a 12 year old daughter, play hockey and kiss like no one's business?! Too bad he's her brother's best friend and actually works for him as well. Mixing friendship, business and pleasure should not work. But what happens when an opportunity falls in their laps, forcing them to work together and making all of Mabel's and Corbin's future dreams come true??
What a fun start to a whole new series from Lauren Blakely! We have hockey, a bakery with the name of Afternoon Delight, a single dad, a smart as a whip preteen, fun pickle ball outfits, an amazing cast of supporting characters and found love letters that make this story shine. The friendship and chemistry between Corbin and Mabel is felt right from the very start. I loved that there was no playing around when it came to that aspect. Plus, they both had a desire to open a bakery and actually have quite a lot in common. And the parts they don't are what make their partnership and relationship work to help balance what the other is lacking. Then there are the letters they found in the bakery that they are renovating. That is the part that had my heart. I loved that they shared their successes with those letters and one another. It was just a sweet little addition to their love story.
Of course Corbin and Mabel's journey wasn't perfect but I loved that through it all, they communicated their worries with each other. Doubt and fear of failure is hard to overcome, but these two just complimented each other in all the ways that you can't help but to love them. Plus, Corbin is a man that loves to take care of those around him and LEARNS when he can't see #iykyk. He steps it up and goes out of his way to show he cares. And for that, he gets all of the boyfriend flowers. We all need a Corbin in our life supporting us. ;)
With that said, I think this was a great start to a brand new series of standalone stories.
If you you enjoy:
Hockey
Best Friend's sister
Romcom
Bakery shenanigans
Single Dad
Love letters (from Mabel's grandma)
Small town with sprinkle of city
With a slight age gap
Then Just Breaking The Rules will have you laughing and swooning. AND like I mentioned before...the audiobook is amazing and I couldn't have loved Samantha and Teddy's performances more. They captured the banter and humous nuances between the characters bringing their love story to life. I can't wait for what's to come in this series!
January 15, 2026
Another great book by Lauren Blakely!!
This was a gifted ALC copy & let me tell you, Teddy Hamilton & Samantha Brentmoor never let me down! These two had me laughing and just made this one so much fun! This book was a little on the longer side, but the audio made it so easy to wanna fly through!!
I absolutely loved Corbin & Mabel! She is a baker whose goal is to own a bakery & he is a hockey player who enjoys baking and long time friend! Their chemistry was there from the beginning and this story just had me rooting for them!! This was such a fun hockey romance, with single dad, brothers best friend and so many things I love!!
I can always count on a LB book to make me laugh and this one was no different!! I loved the heartfelt story and emotional aspect of her grandmas past tied in! It had me in my feels at times and just made me love these characters even more!
While I wish this one had been a tad bit shorter, it was overall a great story with audio perfection!!
This was a gifted ALC copy & let me tell you, Teddy Hamilton & Samantha Brentmoor never let me down! These two had me laughing and just made this one so much fun! This book was a little on the longer side, but the audio made it so easy to wanna fly through!!
I absolutely loved Corbin & Mabel! She is a baker whose goal is to own a bakery & he is a hockey player who enjoys baking and long time friend! Their chemistry was there from the beginning and this story just had me rooting for them!! This was such a fun hockey romance, with single dad, brothers best friend and so many things I love!!
I can always count on a LB book to make me laugh and this one was no different!! I loved the heartfelt story and emotional aspect of her grandmas past tied in! It had me in my feels at times and just made me love these characters even more!
While I wish this one had been a tad bit shorter, it was overall a great story with audio perfection!!
Review of advance copy
The narrators were amazing. They story was great. Lauren has a way of making you want to kick your feet, touch your soul, and make you hot around the collar all in the same book. This best friend's little sister trope is always fun. Add hockey and a super fun dad to the mix and it all fell into place.
January 14, 2026
ARC REVIEW
Ahhh I loved this book SO much!! I swear Lauren Blakely truly doesn’t write a bad book. This was the perfect slow burn and I was hooked from the start.
Mabel and Corbin were everything. I loved how mature this relationship felt - actual communication, respect, and emotional depth. Even the third act breakup made sense and didn’t feel over the top or ridiculous, which I appreciated so much.
And can we talk about the sweet moments between Corbin and Mabel?! 😭💛 Corbin being colorblind and Mabel helping him with colors absolutely melted me. The fact that he was so dedicated to understanding the colors she loved - knowing what color her hair was, her eyes, the clothes she wore - UGH my heart. The care and intention behind that was everything.
AND HE BRAIDS HER HAIR.
LIKE WHAT?!? 😩🫠 So god damn cute I cannot handle it.
The bakery concept? Adorable. Him being a single dad? Immediate yes. And the side characters absolutely stole the show. His hockey friends had me cracking up, especially Miller. I need that man to get his own book because the banter would be unmatched.
This locker room scene literally had me laughing out loud:
“You take off your pants one leg at a time. Try it,” Miller says…
Sir. Please 😭😂
The comebacks, the chemistry, the heart - this book just worked on every level.
Huge thank you to Lauren for the ALC & ARC!!
Five stars and HIGHLY recommending this one 💛
Ahhh I loved this book SO much!! I swear Lauren Blakely truly doesn’t write a bad book. This was the perfect slow burn and I was hooked from the start.
Mabel and Corbin were everything. I loved how mature this relationship felt - actual communication, respect, and emotional depth. Even the third act breakup made sense and didn’t feel over the top or ridiculous, which I appreciated so much.
And can we talk about the sweet moments between Corbin and Mabel?! 😭💛 Corbin being colorblind and Mabel helping him with colors absolutely melted me. The fact that he was so dedicated to understanding the colors she loved - knowing what color her hair was, her eyes, the clothes she wore - UGH my heart. The care and intention behind that was everything.
AND HE BRAIDS HER HAIR.
LIKE WHAT?!? 😩🫠 So god damn cute I cannot handle it.
The bakery concept? Adorable. Him being a single dad? Immediate yes. And the side characters absolutely stole the show. His hockey friends had me cracking up, especially Miller. I need that man to get his own book because the banter would be unmatched.
This locker room scene literally had me laughing out loud:
“You take off your pants one leg at a time. Try it,” Miller says…
Sir. Please 😭😂
The comebacks, the chemistry, the heart - this book just worked on every level.
Huge thank you to Lauren for the ALC & ARC!!
Five stars and HIGHLY recommending this one 💛
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐ (Story) 4.5
⭐ (Narrator) 5
🌶️ 3
🥵 Spicy Chapters: 17, 23, 27, 32, 36, 39, 41, 51
❤️🔥 Swoon Factor: 4
📚 Tropes/Themes: small town, sports romance, baker x hockey player, single dad, he falls first and harder, protective MMC, brothers bestie, praise, dirty talk, secret relationship, with benefits
👀 Dual POV 1st person
🎙️ Duet narration (Samantha Brentmoor + Teddy Hamilton)
⏰ Approx 7 hours @ 1.7x
💔 Triggers: grief, parental death, terminal illness
💬 Damn, this was sickeningly adorable and I ATE. IT. UP 😂
So very specific rec: if you had the hots for Shawn from Psych (but who didn't 🤤), but wished he was a hockey playing baker with dirty mouth and a 12 year old daughter then this is the book for you. Sadly there is no Gus equivalent character....well, maybe his daughter Charlotte? Sorta?
Everything was just so funny and adorable and still SO HOT lol.
Several things stick out that I liked:
✨ That Corbin was an avid baker
✨ OMFG the letters 🥹
✨ The flirty banter and how they didn't REALLY try to hide their interest
✨I know this will sound weird but I can't really explain it without giving away parts of the story but how Corbin is colorblind, and how it was used/referenced in the story.
Things that kept it from being a 5 ⭐, though was I felt like the third act drama didn't totally land from Corbin's side. There wasn't enough buildup in it in the story to make it believable to me.
I also thought the way things sort of got resolved with Mabel's mom seemed too fast/ unrealistic as well
I'm not really a dog person, so I could've done without the sub plot about fostering, but I'm sure that will be enjoyable for others.
Along with that, the hate from the town is weird. I grew up in a small town but I guess it wasn't that small but idk I find it strange just how much animosity they have for her
Oh...and the basting brush 😅🫠
This is still one of my faves for the month, and the narrators were INCREDIBLE 😩
PLUSSSSSSSS THERE'S BLOOPERS AT THE END hahahahaha
⭐ (Narrator) 5
🌶️ 3
🥵 Spicy Chapters: 17, 23, 27, 32, 36, 39, 41, 51
❤️🔥 Swoon Factor: 4
📚 Tropes/Themes: small town, sports romance, baker x hockey player, single dad, he falls first and harder, protective MMC, brothers bestie, praise, dirty talk, secret relationship, with benefits
👀 Dual POV 1st person
🎙️ Duet narration (Samantha Brentmoor + Teddy Hamilton)
⏰ Approx 7 hours @ 1.7x
💔 Triggers: grief, parental death, terminal illness
💬 Damn, this was sickeningly adorable and I ATE. IT. UP 😂
So very specific rec: if you had the hots for Shawn from Psych (but who didn't 🤤), but wished he was a hockey playing baker with dirty mouth and a 12 year old daughter then this is the book for you. Sadly there is no Gus equivalent character....well, maybe his daughter Charlotte? Sorta?
Everything was just so funny and adorable and still SO HOT lol.
Several things stick out that I liked:
✨ That Corbin was an avid baker
✨ OMFG the letters 🥹
✨ The flirty banter and how they didn't REALLY try to hide their interest
✨I know this will sound weird but I can't really explain it without giving away parts of the story but how Corbin is colorblind, and how it was used/referenced in the story.
Things that kept it from being a 5 ⭐, though was I felt like the third act drama didn't totally land from Corbin's side. There wasn't enough buildup in it in the story to make it believable to me.
I also thought the way things sort of got resolved with Mabel's mom seemed too fast/ unrealistic as well
I'm not really a dog person, so I could've done without the sub plot about fostering, but I'm sure that will be enjoyable for others.
Along with that, the hate from the town is weird. I grew up in a small town but I guess it wasn't that small but idk I find it strange just how much animosity they have for her
Oh...and the basting brush 😅🫠
This is still one of my faves for the month, and the narrators were INCREDIBLE 😩
PLUSSSSSSSS THERE'S BLOOPERS AT THE END hahahahaha
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC & ALC Review
I loved the entire reading experience. Lauren Blakely’s writing style just works for me every time! Fast-paced, easy to fall into, and completely immersive when it comes to the romance. This book had the perfect mix of cute details, fun couple activities, and some really good spice.
The letters and colors (iykyk 👀) were hands down some of my favorite elements and made the story feel extra special and memorable. Those details really helped this one stand out for me. On the audio side, the narrators did an amazing job and truly brought the characters and emotions to life. It was such a great listening experience.
My only small issue was the ending, which felt a bit rushed and slightly out of character based on what we’d seen from Corbin throughout the book. These characters had already been through so much that I wish the third-act breakup had been skipped. It felt unnecessary at that point.
Overall, this was a solid, enjoyable read that I definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun and easy romance. I picked this up as a palate cleanser between two romantasy books, and it hit perfectly! It was exactly what I needed at the moment.
Thank you to the author Lauren Blakely for the ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.
📅 Release date: January 21rst 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC & ALC Review
I loved the entire reading experience. Lauren Blakely’s writing style just works for me every time! Fast-paced, easy to fall into, and completely immersive when it comes to the romance. This book had the perfect mix of cute details, fun couple activities, and some really good spice.
The letters and colors (iykyk 👀) were hands down some of my favorite elements and made the story feel extra special and memorable. Those details really helped this one stand out for me. On the audio side, the narrators did an amazing job and truly brought the characters and emotions to life. It was such a great listening experience.
My only small issue was the ending, which felt a bit rushed and slightly out of character based on what we’d seen from Corbin throughout the book. These characters had already been through so much that I wish the third-act breakup had been skipped. It felt unnecessary at that point.
Overall, this was a solid, enjoyable read that I definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun and easy romance. I picked this up as a palate cleanser between two romantasy books, and it hit perfectly! It was exactly what I needed at the moment.
Thank you to the author Lauren Blakely for the ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.
📅 Release date: January 21rst 2026
January 11, 2026
I am shocked. Lauren Blakely did it, AGAIN. Okay I’m not really shocked, I knew this would be *chefs kiss* (literally).
Corbin and Mabel’s romance was so sweet. I loved watching their romance unfold, and the mirrored romance parallel.
I think my favorite part of all LB books, are the return characters and the little nods to other books. Most of her books are interconnected standalone books, but you can always find a character or two make an appearance.
This is the first book in her new interconnected standalone series, Hockey Ever After.
Beautiful written, addictive, funny, detailed, heartwarming, per-fec-tion. 10/10 no notes.
*edit to add* I also received an ALC copy, and the narrator outtakes at the end?! Omg. I don’t ever think about outtakes, and to have this start playing at the end made me laugh. So fun and light hearted. A nice little peak into the making of an audiobook.
Dual POV
Brother’s best friend
Single dad
Workplace romance
Hockey player / baker
The one who got away
Love letters
Corbin and Mabel’s romance was so sweet. I loved watching their romance unfold, and the mirrored romance parallel.
I think my favorite part of all LB books, are the return characters and the little nods to other books. Most of her books are interconnected standalone books, but you can always find a character or two make an appearance.
This is the first book in her new interconnected standalone series, Hockey Ever After.
Beautiful written, addictive, funny, detailed, heartwarming, per-fec-tion. 10/10 no notes.
*edit to add* I also received an ALC copy, and the narrator outtakes at the end?! Omg. I don’t ever think about outtakes, and to have this start playing at the end made me laugh. So fun and light hearted. A nice little peak into the making of an audiobook.
Dual POV
Brother’s best friend
Single dad
Workplace romance
Hockey player / baker
The one who got away
Love letters
January 11, 2026
1. listen to this audiobook because samantha brentmoore and teddy hamilton together are the best.
2. duet style audiobooks >>>
3. OMG THE PLOT. PERFECTION. such witty banter, emotional love stories, dual pov, love letters, a single dad trope and brothers best friend!
i had such a grand time with this immersive read. the audiobook made the story so engaging and loved highlighting along with the story.
not my first book by lauren blakely and def not my last.
ty hambright and lauren blakely for an ARC/ALC of Just Breaking the Rules!
2. duet style audiobooks >>>
3. OMG THE PLOT. PERFECTION. such witty banter, emotional love stories, dual pov, love letters, a single dad trope and brothers best friend!
i had such a grand time with this immersive read. the audiobook made the story so engaging and loved highlighting along with the story.
not my first book by lauren blakely and def not my last.
ty hambright and lauren blakely for an ARC/ALC of Just Breaking the Rules!
January 10, 2026
Lauren Blakely just knows how to write a sweet spicy romance. This had all the feelings like watching a warm hearted sexy hallmark movie. Brother’s best friend, known each other forever is always my favorite. Mabel teams up with her brothers best friend and professional hockey player to save her business and dream of running her own bakery. They agree to not mix business with pleasure but is that possibly when they’ve always had a thing for each other? Sooo swoon worthy!
January 7, 2026
Just Breaking The Rules by Lauren Blakely
5⭐️
Hockey Ever After Book 1
Narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor
Lauren Blakely has officially become one of my new favorite authors after reading this. This was my first five star read of the year, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The MMC has total cinnamon roll vibes… sweet, caring, and impossible not to love, and the chemistry between him and the FMC was amazing. I loved watching their relationship grow and seeing how everything came together. I also listened to the audiobook while reading, and the narrators made the story even more fun. If you’re looking for a quick, cute, and spicy romance, I highly recommend picking this one up!
🏒 Hockey Romance
🧁 Brothers best friend
🏒 Single Dad
🧁 Opposites attract
🏒 Workplace Romance
🧁 Forced Proximity
🏒 It’s always been you
You’re not supposed to hook up with your business partner, especially when he’s your brother’s best friend and a seriously hot, single dad hockey star. But after he rescues me from a baking disaster, I ask him to invest in my bakery, and he actually says yes. We promise to keep things professional, but the late night baking, flirting, and crazy chemistry make that impossible. Soon, feelings get involved, and I have to decide if risking the business and my heart is worth breaking all the rules.
January 21, 2026
I LOVED this!! I adored Corbin and Mabel’s love story. ALL the best tropes like brothers best friend, HOCKEY player MMC, single dad, workplace romance, and DUAL POV!!!
They open a bakery together!!! It was so cute and total opposite of a slow burn 🤭❤️🔥 The spice was spicy and I loved their business partner with benefits!! I was blessed with an ALC from @hambright_pr and Teddy Hamiltons voice was perfection for Corbin’s character!!!!!
Big Lauren Blakely fan!!! 💖
They open a bakery together!!! It was so cute and total opposite of a slow burn 🤭❤️🔥 The spice was spicy and I loved their business partner with benefits!! I was blessed with an ALC from @hambright_pr and Teddy Hamiltons voice was perfection for Corbin’s character!!!!!
Big Lauren Blakely fan!!! 💖
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mabel has always dreamed of opening her own bakery, so when an opportunity finally falls into her lap, she’s determined to make it work. To help, her brother ropes in his hockey star best friend, who just so happens to love baking. They try to keep things professional, knowing how badly things could go if they cross that line, but resisting each other proves harder than expected. Mabel also forms a sweet bond with his daughter, which I absolutely loved.
The chemistry between Mabel and Corbin was fantastic, with plenty of adorable banter. And honestly, Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton can do no wrong, the audiobook was perfection. They were the perfect voices for Mabel and Corbin. This was an excellent start to a new series, and I can’t wait for more!
Thank you, Lauren Blakely and Good Girls PR for the ALC/ARC.
The chemistry between Mabel and Corbin was fantastic, with plenty of adorable banter. And honestly, Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton can do no wrong, the audiobook was perfection. They were the perfect voices for Mabel and Corbin. This was an excellent start to a new series, and I can’t wait for more!
Thank you, Lauren Blakely and Good Girls PR for the ALC/ARC.
January 19, 2026
Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely is book one in her new series, Hockey Ever After. This is my first book by this author, and I will definitely be reading more of her work in the future.
What can you expect?
🏒 Hockey Romance
👨👧 Single Dad
🚫 Brother’s Best Friend
✨ Opposites Attract
💘 “It’s Always Been You”
🤝 Friends to Lovers
💔 The One That Got Away
🧁 They Open a Bakery Together
4.25 ⭐ | 3 🌶️
Mabel is killing it in a bakery contest, until she sees her ex on TV, trash-talking her on a dating reality show. Distracted, she drops the cake. Corbin steps in to help, leading to a steamy kiss in a trailer. They’ve secretly had crushes on each other for years, but she’s his best friend’s sister—off-limits. After losing her chance at a loan, Mabel unexpectedly inherits an old firehouse in Cozy Valley, and she and Corbin end up becoming business partners when they decide to open a bakery together.
A lot of people (including her parents) don’t believe in Mabel. They’re constantly pushing her to find a more stable job, but she’s determined to prove them wrong. Despite everything she goes through to open the bakery, earn the town’s trust, and make it successful, she does an amazing job.
Corbin has a 12-year-old daughter, Charlotte, and he’s been co-parenting while living in Cozy Valley. Every time he’s around Mabel, resisting her, and not crossing that line again, becomes harder… and eventually, they do cross it. Charlotte is a sweet, smart girl who helps at the bakery and becomes friends with Mabel.
I loved this book, though it took me a bit longer to read because it touches on Parkinson’s disease. Unfortunately, my dad passed away from complications related to it, as Corbin’s mom. I could deeply relate to him. Watching a parent decline over time while being unable to stop it is heartbreaking. If you have triggers, please take this into consideration.
Beyond that, I loved the side characters and the plot. The character growth was great, and I adored the old love letters they found at the firehouse from Mabel’s great-grandmother, which was a sweet touch. Mabel was very close to her grandmother, who always supported her dreams and believed in her. This book also beautifully explores grief and how people cope with it.
The romance was incredibly sweet. Corbin showed up for Mabel in every way possible, balancing his hockey career while fully supporting the bakery. He thought he could manage everything, but it became overwhelming. He’s also colorblind, and I loved how Mabel described colors to him, and how he went to a garden center to learn flower colors just for her. He was so thoughtful.
The spice? So good. Their chemistry was amazing, and the banter? 🔥🔥🔥
This book is more than just romance and spice, it’s about finding love, finding your person, and chasing your dreams despite what others think. He calls her firecracker, and I loved their relationship. His second-chance moment was incredibly cute and romantic, and I loved every minute of it.
This was an amazing book, so if you’re looking for a new hockey romance series, definitely add this one to your TBR.
Thank you for the ARC, Hambright PR & Lauren Blakely. This review reflects my honest thoughts. 💙
What can you expect?
🏒 Hockey Romance
👨👧 Single Dad
🚫 Brother’s Best Friend
✨ Opposites Attract
💘 “It’s Always Been You”
🤝 Friends to Lovers
💔 The One That Got Away
🧁 They Open a Bakery Together
4.25 ⭐ | 3 🌶️
Mabel is killing it in a bakery contest, until she sees her ex on TV, trash-talking her on a dating reality show. Distracted, she drops the cake. Corbin steps in to help, leading to a steamy kiss in a trailer. They’ve secretly had crushes on each other for years, but she’s his best friend’s sister—off-limits. After losing her chance at a loan, Mabel unexpectedly inherits an old firehouse in Cozy Valley, and she and Corbin end up becoming business partners when they decide to open a bakery together.
A lot of people (including her parents) don’t believe in Mabel. They’re constantly pushing her to find a more stable job, but she’s determined to prove them wrong. Despite everything she goes through to open the bakery, earn the town’s trust, and make it successful, she does an amazing job.
Corbin has a 12-year-old daughter, Charlotte, and he’s been co-parenting while living in Cozy Valley. Every time he’s around Mabel, resisting her, and not crossing that line again, becomes harder… and eventually, they do cross it. Charlotte is a sweet, smart girl who helps at the bakery and becomes friends with Mabel.
I loved this book, though it took me a bit longer to read because it touches on Parkinson’s disease. Unfortunately, my dad passed away from complications related to it, as Corbin’s mom. I could deeply relate to him. Watching a parent decline over time while being unable to stop it is heartbreaking. If you have triggers, please take this into consideration.
Beyond that, I loved the side characters and the plot. The character growth was great, and I adored the old love letters they found at the firehouse from Mabel’s great-grandmother, which was a sweet touch. Mabel was very close to her grandmother, who always supported her dreams and believed in her. This book also beautifully explores grief and how people cope with it.
The romance was incredibly sweet. Corbin showed up for Mabel in every way possible, balancing his hockey career while fully supporting the bakery. He thought he could manage everything, but it became overwhelming. He’s also colorblind, and I loved how Mabel described colors to him, and how he went to a garden center to learn flower colors just for her. He was so thoughtful.
The spice? So good. Their chemistry was amazing, and the banter? 🔥🔥🔥
This book is more than just romance and spice, it’s about finding love, finding your person, and chasing your dreams despite what others think. He calls her firecracker, and I loved their relationship. His second-chance moment was incredibly cute and romantic, and I loved every minute of it.
This was an amazing book, so if you’re looking for a new hockey romance series, definitely add this one to your TBR.
Thank you for the ARC, Hambright PR & Lauren Blakely. This review reflects my honest thoughts. 💙
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay....first of all, Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor are god-tier narrators and this audiobook was literally perfection.
Teddy is the perfect male voice for literally any male character and spice level, and you can't convince me otherwise. Samantha has such an easy to listen to voice, and I loved her in merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal by Meghan Quinn. Them together was chefs kiss...or in this case, bakers kiss. This was easily one of the best audiobooks to listen to, and I'm so grateful for the ALC! 🎧
This story immediately pulled me in and I loved all of the characters and the entire plot. Corbin is a single-dad hockey player who had a crush on his best friend's sister since the second he saw her years ago, and Mabel is just a girl trying her best to make her side hustle be a permanent business. When she gets gifted the perfect repurposed space that could be a real bakery, her brother steps in with the proposal to have Corbin fund it and become a business partner since he also has dreams of owning a bakery and sharing his deceased mom's recipes with the world. How cute is that?
Together, they are adorable and I loved that they became business partners and then lovers after secretly crushing on each other for years. There were also cute elements like secret love letters that they found in the new shop, the texts messages between them, the most perfect banter, and everything in between. Mabel coming back to a small town that she has a somewhat bad reputation in but making it work and making the town love her and accept her was really cute to see, and I loved the support that he gave her throughout creating the shop, marketing, standing up to her ex, and making this business a success.
This was easily a 5 star read...until "shuddered" was in like every single paragraph and drove me nuts.
The excessive use of "shuddered", "shuddering", or "he/she shuddered" was so overdone and made the spicy scenes and tension filled moments kind of gross. Lauren Blakely, can we get a word count with all variations of it??? It started to annoy me so much that it pulled me out of the story a few times and I just wanted to skip ahead to avoid it again.
If this word wasn't used so often, this would be a 5-star read, but it's at a solid 4.5 for me, rounding down because only the best of the best are 5 stars this year.
Teddy is the perfect male voice for literally any male character and spice level, and you can't convince me otherwise. Samantha has such an easy to listen to voice, and I loved her in merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal by Meghan Quinn. Them together was chefs kiss...or in this case, bakers kiss. This was easily one of the best audiobooks to listen to, and I'm so grateful for the ALC! 🎧
This story immediately pulled me in and I loved all of the characters and the entire plot. Corbin is a single-dad hockey player who had a crush on his best friend's sister since the second he saw her years ago, and Mabel is just a girl trying her best to make her side hustle be a permanent business. When she gets gifted the perfect repurposed space that could be a real bakery, her brother steps in with the proposal to have Corbin fund it and become a business partner since he also has dreams of owning a bakery and sharing his deceased mom's recipes with the world. How cute is that?
Together, they are adorable and I loved that they became business partners and then lovers after secretly crushing on each other for years. There were also cute elements like secret love letters that they found in the new shop, the texts messages between them, the most perfect banter, and everything in between. Mabel coming back to a small town that she has a somewhat bad reputation in but making it work and making the town love her and accept her was really cute to see, and I loved the support that he gave her throughout creating the shop, marketing, standing up to her ex, and making this business a success.
This was easily a 5 star read...until "shuddered" was in like every single paragraph and drove me nuts.
The excessive use of "shuddered", "shuddering", or "he/she shuddered" was so overdone and made the spicy scenes and tension filled moments kind of gross. Lauren Blakely, can we get a word count with all variations of it??? It started to annoy me so much that it pulled me out of the story a few times and I just wanted to skip ahead to avoid it again.
If this word wasn't used so often, this would be a 5-star read, but it's at a solid 4.5 for me, rounding down because only the best of the best are 5 stars this year.
January 22, 2026
3.5 stars
Lauren Blakely is one of those authors that it seems I should have read by now, but somehow haven’t. When I was offered an ALC of this story, I figured it was time to remedy that. Plus, Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton! Yes!
I have been a reader of hockey romance for many, many (many) years. There are authors who delve into the sport and get every minute detail correct, and those who use the sport as just background noise, and all those in between. This one is a bit in between. Corbin is a hockey star in the last years of his career, and it’s the beginning of the season, so he is trying to find his work/life balance. Now he’s jumping into business with his best friend’s sister, making things even more complicated. Corbin’s teammates and hockey schedule definitely play into the story, but if you’re an actual hockey fan, you’ll be scratching your head about the particulars. So go ahead and give yourself permission to enjoy the story for the story’s sake and not worry about how the life of a professional hockey player would actually play out.
As for the story, Corbin and Mabel have a wonderful connection. I loved that they both had a crush from the moment they met. So, although there is plenty of pining, it’s not one-sided. I also enjoyed the support (and ribbing) Corbin got from his teammates. While Mabel also had a core friend group, we didn’t see them as often as I would have liked. Especially because Mabel had a steep hill to climb with her new bakery and the people in the town. I was rooting for Mabel the whole time and was awed by her capacity for forgiveness when it came to those who weren’t so nice to her along the way.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It not only had me curious about the side characters, but I’m also curious about characters who seem to have had stories told in other series. The flow wasn’t as smooth as I had expected with such a known author, but the narration was fantastic and kept me coming back for more. It’s a fun and touching read overall.
**I received an ALC of this book courtesy of Hambright PR. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
Lauren Blakely is one of those authors that it seems I should have read by now, but somehow haven’t. When I was offered an ALC of this story, I figured it was time to remedy that. Plus, Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton! Yes!
I have been a reader of hockey romance for many, many (many) years. There are authors who delve into the sport and get every minute detail correct, and those who use the sport as just background noise, and all those in between. This one is a bit in between. Corbin is a hockey star in the last years of his career, and it’s the beginning of the season, so he is trying to find his work/life balance. Now he’s jumping into business with his best friend’s sister, making things even more complicated. Corbin’s teammates and hockey schedule definitely play into the story, but if you’re an actual hockey fan, you’ll be scratching your head about the particulars. So go ahead and give yourself permission to enjoy the story for the story’s sake and not worry about how the life of a professional hockey player would actually play out.
As for the story, Corbin and Mabel have a wonderful connection. I loved that they both had a crush from the moment they met. So, although there is plenty of pining, it’s not one-sided. I also enjoyed the support (and ribbing) Corbin got from his teammates. While Mabel also had a core friend group, we didn’t see them as often as I would have liked. Especially because Mabel had a steep hill to climb with her new bakery and the people in the town. I was rooting for Mabel the whole time and was awed by her capacity for forgiveness when it came to those who weren’t so nice to her along the way.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It not only had me curious about the side characters, but I’m also curious about characters who seem to have had stories told in other series. The flow wasn’t as smooth as I had expected with such a known author, but the narration was fantastic and kept me coming back for more. It’s a fun and touching read overall.
**I received an ALC of this book courtesy of Hambright PR. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just Breaking the rules by Lauren Blakely is a deliciously spicy romance.
Mabel is the definition of a hot mess. Fresh off a breakup, trying to chase her dreams of having a bakery, she takes part in a baking competition on tv. After a cake catastrophe, her brother's best friend Corbin is there to save her. Mabel returns to her hometown after receiving a old firehouse from her grandmother. It is perfect for her dream bakery, if only it came with money for renovations.
Corbin is a hockey player, single dad and bakes in his free time. He dreams of one day opening a bakery, once he retires from hockey far off in the future. Corbin's best friend knows that forcing him and Mabel to work together on a bakery would help both their bakery dreams come true, except he wasn't counting on Corbin to be falling for his sister.
While renovating the bakery Corbin and Mabel find a stack of letters dating back generations. They decide to read them one at a time, savoring them and Saving them for each bakery milestone. The letters are very swoon worthy and tie in the generations, location and town perfectly.
tropes include:
- brothers best friend
- single dad
- workplace romance
- hockey
- the one that got away
- love letters
- small town vibes
I love the small town vibes and all the characters in the town were all flushed out enough to give you the perfect picture of them. I also love Corbin's daughter Charlotte and what she brought to the book. Lauren Blakely does banter and spice perfectly and this book had a lot of both!
I listened to the audiobook as well as read the book. The combination of Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton was the perfect pairing for this book and helped bring it to life!!!
I received this book from Lauren Blakely and her team, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Mabel is the definition of a hot mess. Fresh off a breakup, trying to chase her dreams of having a bakery, she takes part in a baking competition on tv. After a cake catastrophe, her brother's best friend Corbin is there to save her. Mabel returns to her hometown after receiving a old firehouse from her grandmother. It is perfect for her dream bakery, if only it came with money for renovations.
Corbin is a hockey player, single dad and bakes in his free time. He dreams of one day opening a bakery, once he retires from hockey far off in the future. Corbin's best friend knows that forcing him and Mabel to work together on a bakery would help both their bakery dreams come true, except he wasn't counting on Corbin to be falling for his sister.
While renovating the bakery Corbin and Mabel find a stack of letters dating back generations. They decide to read them one at a time, savoring them and Saving them for each bakery milestone. The letters are very swoon worthy and tie in the generations, location and town perfectly.
tropes include:
- brothers best friend
- single dad
- workplace romance
- hockey
- the one that got away
- love letters
- small town vibes
I love the small town vibes and all the characters in the town were all flushed out enough to give you the perfect picture of them. I also love Corbin's daughter Charlotte and what she brought to the book. Lauren Blakely does banter and spice perfectly and this book had a lot of both!
I listened to the audiobook as well as read the book. The combination of Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton was the perfect pairing for this book and helped bring it to life!!!
I received this book from Lauren Blakely and her team, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
January 18, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ ┇ Bookstagram ┇ BookTok
This book was the perfect blend of cute, spicy, and deeply emotional. We follow Mabel, a talented baker facing a streak of bad luck, and Corbin, a professional hockey player and devoted single dad. The catch? He’s her brother’s best friend.
Though they’ve harbored mutual crushes for years, the timing was never right—until they decide to open a bakery together (Corbin’s secret retirement dream). Between the forced proximity and the flirty banter, the sparks quickly turn into a blaze. Throw in some fake dating, and I was completely hooked!
The story really shines in the details, from the sentimental vintage love letters to the emotional finale at the hockey game. Corbin is top-tier book boyfriend material; the way he navigates his colorblindness to find things in Mabel’s favorite color and takes the time to braid her hair is pure swoon. And of course, I’ll never look at a basting brush the same way again! IYKYK.
‧₊˚✧𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽✧˚₊‧
➳❥ Brother’s Bestfriend
➳❥ Single Dad
➳❥ Hockey Player x Baker
➳❥ Banter
➳❥ Fake Dating
➳❥ Forced Proximity
➳❥ Love Letters
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝓕𝓪𝓿 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼
"Why do you feel protective of me, Corbin?"
"Because sometimes I forget you're not mine."
"When I didn't see you all the time, Ljust
lived with it. It was there in the background. Now I see you, and it's like a life force."
"Don't you know? I'll pretty much let you do anything."
“You're all the colors in my life."
“You're my too much and my enough.”
Thank you Hambright PR for this eARC ㅤ♡
Release date: 1/21/2026
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just Breaking the rules by Lauren Blakely is a deliciously spicy romance.
Mabel is the definition of a hot mess. Fresh off a breakup, trying to chase her dreams of having a bakery, she takes part in a baking competition on tv. After a cake catastrophe, her brother's best friend Corbin is there to save her. Mabel returns to her hometown after receiving a old firehouse from her grandmother. It is perfect for her dream bakery, if only it came with money for renovations.
Corbin is a hockey player, single dad and bakes in his free time. He dreams of one day opening a bakery, once he retires from hockey far off in the future. Corbin's best friend knows that forcing him and Mabel to work together on a bakery would help both their bakery dreams come true, except he wasn't counting on Corbin to be falling for his sister.
While renovating the bakery Corbin and Mabel find a stack of letters dating back generations. They decide to read them one at a time, savoring them and Saving them for each bakery milestone. The letters are very swoon worthy and tie in the generations, location and town perfectly.
tropes include:
- brothers best friend
- single dad
- workplace romance
- hockey
- the one that got away
- love letters
- small town vibes
I love the small town vibes and all the characters in the town were all flushed out enough to give you the perfect picture of them. I also love Corbin's daughter Charlotte and what she brought to the book. Lauren Blakely does banter and spice perfectly and this book had a lot of both!
I received this book from Lauren Blakely and her team, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Mabel is the definition of a hot mess. Fresh off a breakup, trying to chase her dreams of having a bakery, she takes part in a baking competition on tv. After a cake catastrophe, her brother's best friend Corbin is there to save her. Mabel returns to her hometown after receiving a old firehouse from her grandmother. It is perfect for her dream bakery, if only it came with money for renovations.
Corbin is a hockey player, single dad and bakes in his free time. He dreams of one day opening a bakery, once he retires from hockey far off in the future. Corbin's best friend knows that forcing him and Mabel to work together on a bakery would help both their bakery dreams come true, except he wasn't counting on Corbin to be falling for his sister.
While renovating the bakery Corbin and Mabel find a stack of letters dating back generations. They decide to read them one at a time, savoring them and Saving them for each bakery milestone. The letters are very swoon worthy and tie in the generations, location and town perfectly.
tropes include:
- brothers best friend
- single dad
- workplace romance
- hockey
- the one that got away
- love letters
- small town vibes
I love the small town vibes and all the characters in the town were all flushed out enough to give you the perfect picture of them. I also love Corbin's daughter Charlotte and what she brought to the book. Lauren Blakely does banter and spice perfectly and this book had a lot of both!
I received this book from Lauren Blakely and her team, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just Breaking the rules by Lauren Blakely is a deliciously spicy romance.
Mabel is the definition of a hot mess. Fresh off a breakup, trying to chase her dreams of having a bakery, she takes part in a baking competition on tv. After a cake catastrophe, her brother's best friend Corbin is there to save her. Mabel returns to her hometown after receiving a old firehouse from her grandmother. It is perfect for her dream bakery, if only it came with money for renovations.
Corbin is a hockey player, single dad and bakes in his free time. He dreams of one day opening a bakery, once he retires from hockey far off in the future. Corbin's best friend knows that forcing him and Mabel to work together on a bakery would help both their bakery dreams come true, except he wasn't counting on Corbin to be falling for his sister.
While renovating the bakery Corbin and Mabel find a stack of letters dating back generations. They decide to read them one at a time, savoring them and Saving them for each bakery milestone. The letters are very swoon worthy and tie in the generations, location and town perfectly.
tropes include:
- brothers best friend
- single dad
- workplace romance
- hockey
- the one that got away
- love letters
- small town vibes
I love the small town vibes and all the characters in the town were all flushed out enough to give you the perfect picture of them. I also love Corbin's daughter Charlotte and what she brought to the book. Lauren Blakely does banter and spice perfectly and this book had a lot of both!
I received this book from Lauren Blakely and her team, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Mabel is the definition of a hot mess. Fresh off a breakup, trying to chase her dreams of having a bakery, she takes part in a baking competition on tv. After a cake catastrophe, her brother's best friend Corbin is there to save her. Mabel returns to her hometown after receiving a old firehouse from her grandmother. It is perfect for her dream bakery, if only it came with money for renovations.
Corbin is a hockey player, single dad and bakes in his free time. He dreams of one day opening a bakery, once he retires from hockey far off in the future. Corbin's best friend knows that forcing him and Mabel to work together on a bakery would help both their bakery dreams come true, except he wasn't counting on Corbin to be falling for his sister.
While renovating the bakery Corbin and Mabel find a stack of letters dating back generations. They decide to read them one at a time, savoring them and Saving them for each bakery milestone. The letters are very swoon worthy and tie in the generations, location and town perfectly.
tropes include:
- brothers best friend
- single dad
- workplace romance
- hockey
- the one that got away
- love letters
- small town vibes
I love the small town vibes and all the characters in the town were all flushed out enough to give you the perfect picture of them. I also love Corbin's daughter Charlotte and what she brought to the book. Lauren Blakely does banter and spice perfectly and this book had a lot of both!
I received this book from Lauren Blakely and her team, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
January 21, 2026
This books is a tease!! In the best way of course 😏
Corbin
Mabel
Everyone sees Mabel as a hot mess. She’s notorious in her home town for a llama incident years ago. Her ex, now the star of a reality dating show, feels the need to inform the world of all of her flaws. Her parents don’t have any faith in her abilities to run a business and keep pushing her to get a “real job”. And on top of all that, she smashes into her own cake during a baking competition, on live tv!
Enter Corbin. An unfairly hot hockey player, single dad, knight in shining armor coming in to save the day. Oh, did I fail to mention he is also her brother’s best friend? And her brother is his boss?
When Corbin comes to help her clean up after her cake disaster, sparks fly, things heat up and a fiery kiss smolders between them. What does it mean? Is it something they can act on? Do either one of them want to give into the feelings that have been simmering for each other, since they first met?
Corbin is def a cinnamon roll hero. He is there to help. He doesn’t want to be a burden. He feels he has to carry the weight of the world.
Mabel is so sweet. She never really lets things get her mad. She just wants to show everyone that she’s capable. That she can do it.
This is a great “friends” to lovers. It’s sweet how their relationship builds. How Corbin stands strong for her, and how she makes things easy for him. And how they can’t stop coming back to one another.
Corbin
Mabel
Everyone sees Mabel as a hot mess. She’s notorious in her home town for a llama incident years ago. Her ex, now the star of a reality dating show, feels the need to inform the world of all of her flaws. Her parents don’t have any faith in her abilities to run a business and keep pushing her to get a “real job”. And on top of all that, she smashes into her own cake during a baking competition, on live tv!
Enter Corbin. An unfairly hot hockey player, single dad, knight in shining armor coming in to save the day. Oh, did I fail to mention he is also her brother’s best friend? And her brother is his boss?
When Corbin comes to help her clean up after her cake disaster, sparks fly, things heat up and a fiery kiss smolders between them. What does it mean? Is it something they can act on? Do either one of them want to give into the feelings that have been simmering for each other, since they first met?
Corbin is def a cinnamon roll hero. He is there to help. He doesn’t want to be a burden. He feels he has to carry the weight of the world.
Mabel is so sweet. She never really lets things get her mad. She just wants to show everyone that she’s capable. That she can do it.
This is a great “friends” to lovers. It’s sweet how their relationship builds. How Corbin stands strong for her, and how she makes things easy for him. And how they can’t stop coming back to one another.
January 4, 2026
Another Super Cute and Sexy read from Lauren Blakely! This one is about Mabel, a hot mess of a woman whose dream it is to open her own bakery. Her brother is a GM of a local hockey team which his best friend plays on. Said best friend, Corbin, baked all the time with his momma, who has passed at this point. He also has a super smart daughter (hello single dad) who convinces him to start fostering dogs (because she wants to be a vet) (hello again dog lover!) Mabel needs capital to open a business, Corbin has money because -pro hockey player- so they go into business together. Well if they weren’t already off limits to each other (hi brothers best friend) they certainly are now (enter business partner/workplace romance). Mable is so endearing and relatable. Corbin is just absolutely swoon-worthy… not just because he’s a hockey player or because he’s ripped beyond belief… but because he’s a great guy and an excellent dad… oh and he likes to have control! Going to go melt now!
Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton are fantastic together. I LOVE duet audiobooks but it’s even better when the narrators have chemistry. I really enjoy their performances on their own, but together… *chefs kiss*!!! The bloopers at the end were priceless!
Thank you so much for the early copy of the ebook and the audiobook!
Samantha Brentmoor and Teddy Hamilton are fantastic together. I LOVE duet audiobooks but it’s even better when the narrators have chemistry. I really enjoy their performances on their own, but together… *chefs kiss*!!! The bloopers at the end were priceless!
Thank you so much for the early copy of the ebook and the audiobook!
January 7, 2026
Umm where can I sign up for a Corbin Night?!😮💨 He was an absolute dream. Single dad+hockey+brothers best friend+baking was just so good! This was such a fun, cute read.
Corbin and Mabel were made for each other. They had great chemistry, I loved their friendship and banter, and the way these two fought their attraction for each other. This man was the epitome of a good guy. He was colorblind and lit learned and memorized the colors of all her favorite things. And he braids her hair and writes her love letters😭
Mabel is fighting for a fresh start and determined to prove she’s more than her past mistakes. Corbin is a hockey star, single dad, and a man she shouldn’t want. Especially since he’s her brother’s best friend and new business partner. They had one rule..no crossing the line.
I just loved this story and the authors writing. The audiobook was fantastic! Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmore did a great job at bringing these characters to life. This was a super long romance book, almost 500 pages and it really didn’t need to be. I just don’t think romance books need to be longer than 350 pages at most. Other than that I recommend picking this one up.
It releases on 1/21! Thank you to the author and netgalley for this ALC and ARC.
4.5⭐️
🌶️🌶️
🍰hockey
🍰single dad
🍰brothers best friend
🍰forced proximity
🍰fake dating
Corbin and Mabel were made for each other. They had great chemistry, I loved their friendship and banter, and the way these two fought their attraction for each other. This man was the epitome of a good guy. He was colorblind and lit learned and memorized the colors of all her favorite things. And he braids her hair and writes her love letters😭
Mabel is fighting for a fresh start and determined to prove she’s more than her past mistakes. Corbin is a hockey star, single dad, and a man she shouldn’t want. Especially since he’s her brother’s best friend and new business partner. They had one rule..no crossing the line.
I just loved this story and the authors writing. The audiobook was fantastic! Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmore did a great job at bringing these characters to life. This was a super long romance book, almost 500 pages and it really didn’t need to be. I just don’t think romance books need to be longer than 350 pages at most. Other than that I recommend picking this one up.
It releases on 1/21! Thank you to the author and netgalley for this ALC and ARC.
4.5⭐️
🌶️🌶️
🍰hockey
🍰single dad
🍰brothers best friend
🍰forced proximity
🍰fake dating
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨️ALC Review✨️
4.25⭐️ for Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely
You can never go wrong with an audiobook narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor, I just love these two so much! The chemistry they brought to Mabel and Corbin was amazing, and I loved listening to these two fall in love!
I love a sports romance, and I've been loving this series by Lauren Blakely; they're interconnected standalones though so you can read any (or all!) and still enjoy them.
Brother's best friend is always a hit for me, and add to that opposites attract and I was sold; the banter was so fun, and the tension between them was delicious. They did do some ~questionnable~ things with a pastry brush which was not my thing, but the rest of the spice was *chef's kiss*.
The third act breakup annoyed me to no end, but overall I enjoyed this one immensly! If you enjoy business-partners-with-benefits to more, small town vibes and a hot single dad, give this one a listen! (Or a read).
Thank you to Lauren Blakely for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
4.25⭐️ for Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely
You can never go wrong with an audiobook narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor, I just love these two so much! The chemistry they brought to Mabel and Corbin was amazing, and I loved listening to these two fall in love!
I love a sports romance, and I've been loving this series by Lauren Blakely; they're interconnected standalones though so you can read any (or all!) and still enjoy them.
Brother's best friend is always a hit for me, and add to that opposites attract and I was sold; the banter was so fun, and the tension between them was delicious. They did do some ~questionnable~ things with a pastry brush which was not my thing, but the rest of the spice was *chef's kiss*.
The third act breakup annoyed me to no end, but overall I enjoyed this one immensly! If you enjoy business-partners-with-benefits to more, small town vibes and a hot single dad, give this one a listen! (Or a read).
Thank you to Lauren Blakely for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
January 19, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 stars
This was exactly what my reading heart needed. Sweet, cozy, romantic, and completely comforting. This book pulled me right out of a slump and reminded me why I love romance so much.
Corbin and Mabel are pure perfection together. Their connection felt natural, tender, and full of those quiet, swoony moments that make you smile without even realizing it. I loved that this story didn’t rely on over-the-top drama or unnecessary angst. Instead, it leaned into emotional intimacy, genuine chemistry, and a feel-good romance that wraps you up like a warm blanket.
🎧 The audiobook was fantastic! Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor are absolute magic together. Their performances brought Corbin and Mabel to life in the best way, adding depth, emotion, and just the right amount of swoon. I could listen to these two narrate anything!!
Huge thanks to Lauren Blakely and Hambright PR for the ARC and ALC. It was truly a privilege to experience this story early, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.
If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good romance with lovable characters and zero unnecessary chaos—this one is it! 🖤
This was exactly what my reading heart needed. Sweet, cozy, romantic, and completely comforting. This book pulled me right out of a slump and reminded me why I love romance so much.
Corbin and Mabel are pure perfection together. Their connection felt natural, tender, and full of those quiet, swoony moments that make you smile without even realizing it. I loved that this story didn’t rely on over-the-top drama or unnecessary angst. Instead, it leaned into emotional intimacy, genuine chemistry, and a feel-good romance that wraps you up like a warm blanket.
🎧 The audiobook was fantastic! Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor are absolute magic together. Their performances brought Corbin and Mabel to life in the best way, adding depth, emotion, and just the right amount of swoon. I could listen to these two narrate anything!!
Huge thanks to Lauren Blakely and Hambright PR for the ARC and ALC. It was truly a privilege to experience this story early, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.
If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good romance with lovable characters and zero unnecessary chaos—this one is it! 🖤
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