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Breakouts & Baddies #1
Never Trust a Hockey Player
They say hockey players always protect their own. But my pack proved that was a lie.
After spending my heat completely alone, resulting in a near death experience and a hospital stay, I knew I had to cut my pack out of my life.
One phone call to my brother and I find myself back in my hometown. The local hockey princess has officially returned. Surrounded by my family's hockey legacy, I fall easily back into that life.
A job with the Westgrave Wardens, my brother’s team, seems like exactly what I need to get back on my feet.
The only issue is that I swore off ever trusting a hockey player again… and five of the men that make up the Westgrave Wardens starting lineup are trying to prove that they deserve a chance.
Everything seems perfect… until the media learns that I walked away from my pack. Gossip quickly turns vicious and the Wardens band around me to shield me from the worst of it.
But when their team comes under fire, I know it’s time to fight.
I’m an omega who survived being forgotten and I won’t let anyone steal my voice again. I tell the truth and watch my exes fall from grace, begging me for forgiveness.
Too bad I’m not the forgiving type.
After spending my heat completely alone, resulting in a near death experience and a hospital stay, I knew I had to cut my pack out of my life.
One phone call to my brother and I find myself back in my hometown. The local hockey princess has officially returned. Surrounded by my family's hockey legacy, I fall easily back into that life.
A job with the Westgrave Wardens, my brother’s team, seems like exactly what I need to get back on my feet.
The only issue is that I swore off ever trusting a hockey player again… and five of the men that make up the Westgrave Wardens starting lineup are trying to prove that they deserve a chance.
Everything seems perfect… until the media learns that I walked away from my pack. Gossip quickly turns vicious and the Wardens band around me to shield me from the worst of it.
But when their team comes under fire, I know it’s time to fight.
I’m an omega who survived being forgotten and I won’t let anyone steal my voice again. I tell the truth and watch my exes fall from grace, begging me for forgiveness.
Too bad I’m not the forgiving type.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2026
About the author
Jarica James
126 books750 followersJarica is an American author. She prefers writing paranormal and fantasy books. When she isn't writing she is playing her xbox with her husband and fellow nerd. She has two crazy boys who make writing a challenge, but one she gladly accepts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
February 23, 2026
2.5 stars. Really wanted to give this a solid 2 stars, but went with 3 as a baseline because it's not horrible. Really it's not horrible. It just wasn't...complete in the way I've come to expect from this author.
First I'm listing the continuity errors I remember just for my own sake later.
Biggest one:
The pack and her brother told the FMC they told the team what her exes had done to her and swore them to secrecy, and that the whole team would help get back at the exes during the next game. But then a few chapters later the team has no idea what's going on when they face her exes' team and is angry at the MMCs for targeting the other pack so much that it looked bad on their team. This anger goes on for much of the book until the team discovers why they did it. Except according to the text, they already knew.
In one scene she jumps into an MMC's arms and wraps her legs around his waist, and then a few seconds later he leads her to the stairs and picks her up...but had never put her down.
She says randomly at one point that the grouchy, rude MMC had told her what his issue with omegas was and they'd come to an understanding with each other. Well I the reader would like to know wtf that was because it didn't happen on page. We still have no idea how or why he overcame his issues and to us, it seems like he just changes his mind one day. Edit: to be clear, even him telling her WHY he had an issue with omegas is done off page so that we still don't know what his issue was by the end of the book.
She feels her bond with her exes break as she lays dying, but then it takes most of the book for the bond to fade until she finally lets it go herself.
The book said that omegas have heats every 3 months, but then the FMC, who has regular heats, said hers happen "twice a year like clockwork".
Not an error but it annoyed me:
Her parents are horrible people who neglect their children but we're supposed to like them and be grateful for their help the first time we ever met them...in a book with a storyline that started with alphas neglecting their omega.
My main issue aside from that is:
This story lacks the intimacy and sweetness of the author's previous books, mainly because we don't see most of it on page. It mostly happens off page and then we may or may not hear about it on page. This is very insta-lovey on all fronts. The FMC even mentions this a time or two. We don't see and experience them falling in love, they just happen to love each other by the time her scent changes enough for them to realize they're mates.
This is especially frustrating to me because we have one alpha who lost "the love of [his] life" who just accepts this new woman and falls for her...but we don't hear anything about his feelings changing towards her on page until her scent changes and he's all in. It all reads of more of a biological connection to me than anything emotional. I hate the love after loss trope and this is just another reason why.
‼️ SPOILERS
Also why tf did the FMC wait so long to set the record straight? The media found out she was with another pack and instead of the cheating allegations I expected, they jump to thinking that the delta in her old pack must have abused her, so she's unsafe with the two deltas in her new pack. I get that this was an organization twisting the narrative, but first: HOW TF DO YOU MAKE THAT LEAP, and second: WHY DID SHE NOT PROTECT HER DELTAS?!
It started off as a smaller thing and built into a huge thing over a month or two. In that time she was fine with her deltas having to hide their identities just to get into the arena for practices? Having to be escorted in and out of games? Body guards having to be hired for the team? Of their careers being on the line? She was fine with news outlets camping outside their home and them having to finally move?
Alllllll she had to do was tell them the truth, but she was more worried about protecting her exes' careers even after they neglected her for 4 years. It was far too late by the time she told the truth, and then the story doesn't even tell us how the public responded to that. Her telling her truth at that point did NOTHING because it had already gotten so far out of hand that they were being pressured to stop allowing deltas in the league. I can't with dumbass decisions like that.
First I'm listing the continuity errors I remember just for my own sake later.
Biggest one:
The pack and her brother told the FMC they told the team what her exes had done to her and swore them to secrecy, and that the whole team would help get back at the exes during the next game. But then a few chapters later the team has no idea what's going on when they face her exes' team and is angry at the MMCs for targeting the other pack so much that it looked bad on their team. This anger goes on for much of the book until the team discovers why they did it. Except according to the text, they already knew.
In one scene she jumps into an MMC's arms and wraps her legs around his waist, and then a few seconds later he leads her to the stairs and picks her up...but had never put her down.
She says randomly at one point that the grouchy, rude MMC had told her what his issue with omegas was and they'd come to an understanding with each other. Well I the reader would like to know wtf that was because it didn't happen on page. We still have no idea how or why he overcame his issues and to us, it seems like he just changes his mind one day. Edit: to be clear, even him telling her WHY he had an issue with omegas is done off page so that we still don't know what his issue was by the end of the book.
She feels her bond with her exes break as she lays dying, but then it takes most of the book for the bond to fade until she finally lets it go herself.
The book said that omegas have heats every 3 months, but then the FMC, who has regular heats, said hers happen "twice a year like clockwork".
Not an error but it annoyed me:
Her parents are horrible people who neglect their children but we're supposed to like them and be grateful for their help the first time we ever met them...in a book with a storyline that started with alphas neglecting their omega.
My main issue aside from that is:
This story lacks the intimacy and sweetness of the author's previous books, mainly because we don't see most of it on page. It mostly happens off page and then we may or may not hear about it on page. This is very insta-lovey on all fronts. The FMC even mentions this a time or two. We don't see and experience them falling in love, they just happen to love each other by the time her scent changes enough for them to realize they're mates.
This is especially frustrating to me because we have one alpha who lost "the love of [his] life" who just accepts this new woman and falls for her...but we don't hear anything about his feelings changing towards her on page until her scent changes and he's all in. It all reads of more of a biological connection to me than anything emotional. I hate the love after loss trope and this is just another reason why.
‼️ SPOILERS
Also why tf did the FMC wait so long to set the record straight? The media found out she was with another pack and instead of the cheating allegations I expected, they jump to thinking that the delta in her old pack must have abused her, so she's unsafe with the two deltas in her new pack. I get that this was an organization twisting the narrative, but first: HOW TF DO YOU MAKE THAT LEAP, and second: WHY DID SHE NOT PROTECT HER DELTAS?!
It started off as a smaller thing and built into a huge thing over a month or two. In that time she was fine with her deltas having to hide their identities just to get into the arena for practices? Having to be escorted in and out of games? Body guards having to be hired for the team? Of their careers being on the line? She was fine with news outlets camping outside their home and them having to finally move?
Alllllll she had to do was tell them the truth, but she was more worried about protecting her exes' careers even after they neglected her for 4 years. It was far too late by the time she told the truth, and then the story doesn't even tell us how the public responded to that. Her telling her truth at that point did NOTHING because it had already gotten so far out of hand that they were being pressured to stop allowing deltas in the league. I can't with dumbass decisions like that.
February 22, 2026
Solid plotline with messy detailing
I will say this book is close to being a 4 star read but it falls a little low on my scale.
Lana is a very solid FMC from where the reader comes in. I suspect if the author started the story any earlier in the timeline I would have struggled to like her enough to get into the good part of her character. As it is we start immediately with a strong woman left in a bad situation by the guys meant to love her.
Conrad is the stand out character of the whole book, despite being her brother. He is the support system she needs and is selflessly ready to be there for Lana. Even his one whiney moment of idiocy is quick to resolve and utterly understandable. The boy needs his own book.
The guys are.... Tough. Cade seems like a good guy but we barely dig into his character. Kieran is the most understandable out of the MMCs. His background is clear and reasonable for his current personality, and he's accepting and caring from jump. Mason is also decent but he's a bit of fluff character (just there for a good time) and has a couple moments of inexplicable vulnerability that is out of character. Wilder is similar to Cade - we barely scratch the surface, we know he's shy and nice but not a ton more. Lennon is a trash character. He is aggressively rude bordering on mean from the first time they meet, then suddenly flips personality without clear reason and never really redeems his initial grumpiness.
Unfortunately, the author trends toward messy details. Lana felt her original bond break and then just a couple pages later is wondering if she is experiencing the bond fading. Lennon's personality flip apparently coincided with some discussion Lana had with him but I went back and couldn't find a hint of wth happened in his past to make him a jerk. These inconsistencies are sprinkled throughout the book and annoyed me constantly.
Oh, OH! And the description of her parents as self-centered and barely present is blown out of the water multiple times with her mother constantly reaching out, trying to help, using her contacts etc. Why bother with the absentee parent threads if it's going to be useless and contradicted right away?
The intimacy is not all that impressive. Especially all the blather about deltas. It reads to me as an author trying too hard to stand out in a currently oversaturated genre. Most of the delta plot threads didn't work for me really. It was just shoehorned in and didn't add much value beyond a target for the antagonist portion of the story.
The pacing is good, although the timeline is a little unclear at times. (Is it still March or suddenly June/July? Twice a year like clockwork gets a bit wobbly.) The editing is decent, not perfect and I definitely noticed a few errors but much better than some of her co-authored books. The broad story is good. I do love Conrad's speech to the aha board (we need his energy in real life).
I will say this book is close to being a 4 star read but it falls a little low on my scale.
Lana is a very solid FMC from where the reader comes in. I suspect if the author started the story any earlier in the timeline I would have struggled to like her enough to get into the good part of her character. As it is we start immediately with a strong woman left in a bad situation by the guys meant to love her.
Conrad is the stand out character of the whole book, despite being her brother. He is the support system she needs and is selflessly ready to be there for Lana. Even his one whiney moment of idiocy is quick to resolve and utterly understandable. The boy needs his own book.
The guys are.... Tough. Cade seems like a good guy but we barely dig into his character. Kieran is the most understandable out of the MMCs. His background is clear and reasonable for his current personality, and he's accepting and caring from jump. Mason is also decent but he's a bit of fluff character (just there for a good time) and has a couple moments of inexplicable vulnerability that is out of character. Wilder is similar to Cade - we barely scratch the surface, we know he's shy and nice but not a ton more. Lennon is a trash character. He is aggressively rude bordering on mean from the first time they meet, then suddenly flips personality without clear reason and never really redeems his initial grumpiness.
Unfortunately, the author trends toward messy details. Lana felt her original bond break and then just a couple pages later is wondering if she is experiencing the bond fading. Lennon's personality flip apparently coincided with some discussion Lana had with him but I went back and couldn't find a hint of wth happened in his past to make him a jerk. These inconsistencies are sprinkled throughout the book and annoyed me constantly.
Oh, OH! And the description of her parents as self-centered and barely present is blown out of the water multiple times with her mother constantly reaching out, trying to help, using her contacts etc. Why bother with the absentee parent threads if it's going to be useless and contradicted right away?
The intimacy is not all that impressive. Especially all the blather about deltas. It reads to me as an author trying too hard to stand out in a currently oversaturated genre. Most of the delta plot threads didn't work for me really. It was just shoehorned in and didn't add much value beyond a target for the antagonist portion of the story.
The pacing is good, although the timeline is a little unclear at times. (Is it still March or suddenly June/July? Twice a year like clockwork gets a bit wobbly.) The editing is decent, not perfect and I definitely noticed a few errors but much better than some of her co-authored books. The broad story is good. I do love Conrad's speech to the aha board (we need his energy in real life).
March 17, 2026
No chemistry, all of the characters felt the same and it was hard to tell them apart. Romance happened way too quickly for it to feel authentic at all to me. 2 stars instead of 1 for what the plot could have been
April 26, 2026
DNF @ 35%. I didn’t connect with the characters, which is sad because I did love how strong the FMC was in that first chapter. But like other commentators mention, this book was contradictory.
During her heat she mentions the bond disappearing. But later on once she’s back from the dead, she mentions multiple times that she’s hopefully her bond with the old pack will disappear. I thought it was already gone?
I believe it’s Kieran, but during one of the MMCs POV chapters it ends with them stating something along the lines of “my omega”. Yet prior to this we had NO indication that they were even interested in her. At all. If anything, they had been keeping a clear distance from her. So how’d we jump from they have no interest to she’s mine?
Lennon was a mystery. He starts off instantly hating her because she’s an omega. And like a light switch, with no understanding by the reader, he’s joking with her, cooking with her, being overall friendly and into her. Again, there was no show and tell on how we jumped from one thing to another. It just happened from one chapter to the next.
We get no showing of the FMC and MMCs together for the first 30%. So it just doesn’t make sense for them to go from “I’m keeping my distance, we care about her as a basic alpha does for an omega but we don’t care for HER specifically” to “she’s our mate. We are pursuing her”. Like there wasn’t even a big reveal of scent matching or gates mate, which would explain the sudden shift. That doesn’t happen AT ALL. So it literally doesn’t make sense.
This book came recommended to me. Unfortunately it wasn’t good.
During her heat she mentions the bond disappearing. But later on once she’s back from the dead, she mentions multiple times that she’s hopefully her bond with the old pack will disappear. I thought it was already gone?
I believe it’s Kieran, but during one of the MMCs POV chapters it ends with them stating something along the lines of “my omega”. Yet prior to this we had NO indication that they were even interested in her. At all. If anything, they had been keeping a clear distance from her. So how’d we jump from they have no interest to she’s mine?
Lennon was a mystery. He starts off instantly hating her because she’s an omega. And like a light switch, with no understanding by the reader, he’s joking with her, cooking with her, being overall friendly and into her. Again, there was no show and tell on how we jumped from one thing to another. It just happened from one chapter to the next.
We get no showing of the FMC and MMCs together for the first 30%. So it just doesn’t make sense for them to go from “I’m keeping my distance, we care about her as a basic alpha does for an omega but we don’t care for HER specifically” to “she’s our mate. We are pursuing her”. Like there wasn’t even a big reveal of scent matching or gates mate, which would explain the sudden shift. That doesn’t happen AT ALL. So it literally doesn’t make sense.
This book came recommended to me. Unfortunately it wasn’t good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2026
This book absolutely owned my heart from start to finish. The emotional depth, the hockey energy, the pack tension, it all blended into a story that felt raw, empowering, and completely unforgettable.
What stood out most was the FMC’s strength. Watching her claw her way back after such a devastating betrayal was nothing short of powerful. A heat spent alone, a near-death experience, and the realization that the pack meant to protect her had failed it would have broken anyone. But not her. Instead of shrinking, she rebuilt. She chose herself. She returned home, stepped back into her hockey legacy, and slowly reclaimed the voice that had been taken from her. That journey of survival → healing → empowerment was beautifully written and deeply satisfying.
Ok….can we talk about the Delta designation?! I loved this addition. It felt fresh, creative, and brought an entirely new layer to pack dynamics. The way Deltas contributed balance, stability, and emotional grounding added complexity that made the relationships feel richer and more nuanced. Their special brand of chaos was fun to watch! It’s the kind of world-building twist that keeps omegaverse feeling exciting and evolving.
The Westgrave Wardens were everything I wanted in a hockey pack….protective without being overbearing, patient without being passive, and determined to earn trust rather than demand it. Their support gave the FMC space to heal while still reminding her she was never alone again, and that slow rebuilding of trust made every interaction hit harder.
But the moment she chose to speak her truth? Chills. Absolute chills. There was something so satisfying about watching her refuse to be silenced, stand firm in her worth, and let consequences fall where they may. This wasn’t just romance this was reclamation.
If you love hockey romance, protective packs, emotional healing arcs, and fiercely resilient heroines who refuse to be forgotten, this one is a must-read. Strong FMC, unique dynamics, and a story that proves survival is only the beginning obsessed doesn’t even begin to cover it.
What stood out most was the FMC’s strength. Watching her claw her way back after such a devastating betrayal was nothing short of powerful. A heat spent alone, a near-death experience, and the realization that the pack meant to protect her had failed it would have broken anyone. But not her. Instead of shrinking, she rebuilt. She chose herself. She returned home, stepped back into her hockey legacy, and slowly reclaimed the voice that had been taken from her. That journey of survival → healing → empowerment was beautifully written and deeply satisfying.
Ok….can we talk about the Delta designation?! I loved this addition. It felt fresh, creative, and brought an entirely new layer to pack dynamics. The way Deltas contributed balance, stability, and emotional grounding added complexity that made the relationships feel richer and more nuanced. Their special brand of chaos was fun to watch! It’s the kind of world-building twist that keeps omegaverse feeling exciting and evolving.
The Westgrave Wardens were everything I wanted in a hockey pack….protective without being overbearing, patient without being passive, and determined to earn trust rather than demand it. Their support gave the FMC space to heal while still reminding her she was never alone again, and that slow rebuilding of trust made every interaction hit harder.
But the moment she chose to speak her truth? Chills. Absolute chills. There was something so satisfying about watching her refuse to be silenced, stand firm in her worth, and let consequences fall where they may. This wasn’t just romance this was reclamation.
If you love hockey romance, protective packs, emotional healing arcs, and fiercely resilient heroines who refuse to be forgotten, this one is a must-read. Strong FMC, unique dynamics, and a story that proves survival is only the beginning obsessed doesn’t even begin to cover it.
September 16, 2026
2.5 it wasn't necessarily the worst writing but it lacked much of anything that made it a good read for me. Spoilers
I guess this is pretty on par with the genre now. Just the most mundane things plus bonding and sex. Low intensity, low plot, and sometimes sexy times.
If that is for you eat it up. I just wanted more. We went from I'll never trust hockey players again to two seconds later picking them as her pack. We don't get to know any of the characters if I am being honest and the plot was flimsy enough she added the entire protest plot so there was something else going on.
Even the interaction with her old pack fell short. We make them out to be the absolute worst and neglectful etc then every interaction felt like we almost got some drama but it's resolved in 3 seconds. This should take more than a paragraph to clear up friends.
Overall, maybe it's a genre thing that I am just over but I was bored. Bored. Bored.
I guess this is pretty on par with the genre now. Just the most mundane things plus bonding and sex. Low intensity, low plot, and sometimes sexy times.
If that is for you eat it up. I just wanted more. We went from I'll never trust hockey players again to two seconds later picking them as her pack. We don't get to know any of the characters if I am being honest and the plot was flimsy enough she added the entire protest plot so there was something else going on.
Even the interaction with her old pack fell short. We make them out to be the absolute worst and neglectful etc then every interaction felt like we almost got some drama but it's resolved in 3 seconds. This should take more than a paragraph to clear up friends.
Overall, maybe it's a genre thing that I am just over but I was bored. Bored. Bored.
October 29, 2026
Meh, estuvo medio aburridon, estuvo bien en general pero no hubo momentos emocionantes, incluso las escenas smut me las salte, la protagonista me dió totalmente igual.
La Pack estuvo mid, aunque ni favorito fue Lennon, pero de ahí en más no provocaron ninguna emoción en mi.
La historia en general no sentí que tuviera un plot concreto, primero empieza con una omega descuidada para luego terminar luchando contra un sistema encontrá de los deltas que es otro término que la autora agrego al omegaverse, pero bueno, todo estuvo como muy mid.
La Pack estuvo mid, aunque ni favorito fue Lennon, pero de ahí en más no provocaron ninguna emoción en mi.
La historia en general no sentí que tuviera un plot concreto, primero empieza con una omega descuidada para luego terminar luchando contra un sistema encontrá de los deltas que es otro término que la autora agrego al omegaverse, pero bueno, todo estuvo como muy mid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2026
Okay
I love this author’s other works and I love a good hockey romance. I get the obsession with hockey romances especially currently however this book was not her best. Spoilers. ********
The plot seemed a little awkward with the instant love after two weeks. The forced drama with family. The distance with Lana’s parents alluded to early in the book but then them all of a sudden being a big part of the resolution. And even with all the ‘background’ we got on the pack nothing really connected to me. It just felt like there were opportunities things could have been flushed out better to show deeper connection. I won’t even comment on the unnecessary delta stigmatization and dragging out of that unnecessarily because of a weird unwillingness to not clear things up earlier. There are just so many things that could have been good, better, or unwarranted.
I love this author’s other works and I love a good hockey romance. I get the obsession with hockey romances especially currently however this book was not her best. Spoilers. ********
The plot seemed a little awkward with the instant love after two weeks. The forced drama with family. The distance with Lana’s parents alluded to early in the book but then them all of a sudden being a big part of the resolution. And even with all the ‘background’ we got on the pack nothing really connected to me. It just felt like there were opportunities things could have been flushed out better to show deeper connection. I won’t even comment on the unnecessary delta stigmatization and dragging out of that unnecessarily because of a weird unwillingness to not clear things up earlier. There are just so many things that could have been good, better, or unwarranted.
March 6, 2026
While Knot Your Life is still (and probably will always be) my favourite book by Jarica, this is a real close second. I LOVED this. I loved the addition of the deltas.
“It’s not just attraction. Yeah, she makes me fucking hard, but she also drives my delta fucking wild. Lana makes the world make sense. She settles me to the point I feel downright relaxed. When she’s close, I want to touch her, protect her, burn down the fucking world for her. Hell, I would’ve killed those men on the ice if she asked me to.”
A few OV books now are starting to introduce the concept of other designations like deltas, gammas, zetas etc. Alphas, betas and omegas are pretty solid in their designations across the board but each author that has introduced some new designations have all taken such different approaches to them and I loved the deltas in this. I loved that they get a form of nesting (dens), have their own very different knots to alphas (hello pulsing/vibrating knot - YES), and they get their ruts too.
"When I cut people off, I do it thoroughly."
She really means that. There was no phone call/message to tell the guys she was leaving them. No note. Nothing. She put everything on the curb to be collected and donated everything else. She didn't even keep her clothes. She truly cut them off. It took the guys 3 months to figure out she left them, and only because a photo of her leaked online. 3 freaking months. They didn't even know/feel that she almost died. They didn't feel their bond sever. Nothing.
"You were so caught up in your life that you didn't have room in it for me, and you don't get to find the room now. It's too late."
I LOVED that there was a failed grovel in this. Her ex pack neglected and abandoned her. It took them three months to realise their bond severed and she left them. It took them three months to realise they almost inadvertedly killed her. That is not something a few gifts and apologies will ever make up for. I LOVED that she didn't take them back. She calmly and firmly told them that their apologies and gifts didn't change a thing. While she she appreciated that they finally see they f*cked up and took accountability, she would never take them back.
"Now you don't have me, so you can live in that f*cking hockey house with all the other bachelors. I hope you enjoy it. But we're done here. Stop contacting me. Stop trying to convince me this is right. There will never be any going back. It's over. Forever."
I loved that. I can't say it enough, I do. Yes I'm a petty b*tch and love when the exe's are destroyed, but I thought this resolution was perfect. It was mature. I also liked that despite what they did, in the end they were amicable. Her ex pack stood up and protected her with her new pack not for reconciliation, but because it was the right thing to do. With that growth, I wouldn't mind getting their book, seeing them go through the growth they need and eventually get their happy ending.
There are FIVE guys in this. I admit, I was a little skeptical going in. Sometimes (a lot of the times) with a large group, you have one or two that are overshadowed, forgotten about or we just don't get enough information about them. That...didn't happen in this. By the end of it, I felt like each of the guys got their moments, we got to know them well and see their relationships build with Lana.
“Swear to God, if you guys make me remind you one more time that my sister is off-limits, I’m killing you all.” “I think you’re gonna have to kill us,” Cade said, glancing over at me.
I loved that everyone was in Lana's corner. She had an amazing support network. Her brother was amazing, I 100% want to see him get his hea (am I detecting a relationship with him and Roxie? Perhaps they will find their pack in the next one?)
I cannot wait to come back to this world.
“It’s not just attraction. Yeah, she makes me fucking hard, but she also drives my delta fucking wild. Lana makes the world make sense. She settles me to the point I feel downright relaxed. When she’s close, I want to touch her, protect her, burn down the fucking world for her. Hell, I would’ve killed those men on the ice if she asked me to.”
A few OV books now are starting to introduce the concept of other designations like deltas, gammas, zetas etc. Alphas, betas and omegas are pretty solid in their designations across the board but each author that has introduced some new designations have all taken such different approaches to them and I loved the deltas in this. I loved that they get a form of nesting (dens), have their own very different knots to alphas (hello pulsing/vibrating knot - YES), and they get their ruts too.
"When I cut people off, I do it thoroughly."
She really means that. There was no phone call/message to tell the guys she was leaving them. No note. Nothing. She put everything on the curb to be collected and donated everything else. She didn't even keep her clothes. She truly cut them off. It took the guys 3 months to figure out she left them, and only because a photo of her leaked online. 3 freaking months. They didn't even know/feel that she almost died. They didn't feel their bond sever. Nothing.
"You were so caught up in your life that you didn't have room in it for me, and you don't get to find the room now. It's too late."
I LOVED that there was a failed grovel in this. Her ex pack neglected and abandoned her. It took them three months to realise their bond severed and she left them. It took them three months to realise they almost inadvertedly killed her. That is not something a few gifts and apologies will ever make up for. I LOVED that she didn't take them back. She calmly and firmly told them that their apologies and gifts didn't change a thing. While she she appreciated that they finally see they f*cked up and took accountability, she would never take them back.
"Now you don't have me, so you can live in that f*cking hockey house with all the other bachelors. I hope you enjoy it. But we're done here. Stop contacting me. Stop trying to convince me this is right. There will never be any going back. It's over. Forever."
I loved that. I can't say it enough, I do. Yes I'm a petty b*tch and love when the exe's are destroyed, but I thought this resolution was perfect. It was mature. I also liked that despite what they did, in the end they were amicable. Her ex pack stood up and protected her with her new pack not for reconciliation, but because it was the right thing to do. With that growth, I wouldn't mind getting their book, seeing them go through the growth they need and eventually get their happy ending.
There are FIVE guys in this. I admit, I was a little skeptical going in. Sometimes (a lot of the times) with a large group, you have one or two that are overshadowed, forgotten about or we just don't get enough information about them. That...didn't happen in this. By the end of it, I felt like each of the guys got their moments, we got to know them well and see their relationships build with Lana.
“Swear to God, if you guys make me remind you one more time that my sister is off-limits, I’m killing you all.” “I think you’re gonna have to kill us,” Cade said, glancing over at me.
I loved that everyone was in Lana's corner. She had an amazing support network. Her brother was amazing, I 100% want to see him get his hea (am I detecting a relationship with him and Roxie? Perhaps they will find their pack in the next one?)
I cannot wait to come back to this world.
September 16, 2026
I wanted to round this up to 4 stars, but I just couldn’t do it. This story had all the parts to make it good. The plot had potential, the conflict was good and wasn’t rooted in a stupid miscommunication trope, the characters also had promise. But what didn’t work for me was the pacing.
Spoilers incoming and a SUPER long review!
I think right off the bat, we could have had a few more chapters of Lana being abandoned and working through all of the different stages of grief. I wanted to see her cry, hurt, grieve, be angry, and THEN finally get to the numb stage. Just a few pages of her “before pack” wasn’t enough for me. The story started with her immediately being numb and “accepting” her shitty situation. And with her before pack and all the abandonment/abuse being such a big plot point, I would have liked to “experience” more of it with her right in the beginning.
I wanted Lana to spend more time being alone. Maybe writing her to be a bit more closed off and standoffish? Not being rude or a bitch, per se, but to show the process of working through her trauma and learning to trust again. Her jumping right into the deep end after she just ALMOST DIED felt super unbelievable to me.
I assume the author wanted to write and show her as a strong FMC, hence her not taking shit. But I think both can be true at the same time. She can be independent and stubborn, but also have trauma and some untrusting behaviors to work though.
I guess the same goes for the MMCs, too. They all had the potential for good background stories and on-page character growth. Maybe it was writing inconsistencies or maybe it was on purpose, but any trauma or issues that the MMCs allegedly had were all “worked through” off page and we were just told later on “I’m so glad we were able to work through that.” Like huh?
One of the MMCs is grieving a girlfriend who had a tragic passing. Yes it was 6 years ago, but according to him, he hasn’t worked through it at all. And then bam, one sweet gesture from Lana and he’s fine now to pursue a relationship?!
I can’t even really write about Lennon’s backstory because we never hear it.
Mason has really no backstory and is just the resident flirt and “hides” behind that. Hides what exactly? No clue.
Cade is the quiet alpha; that’s all we got.
Wilder is self-conscious and feels inadequate because he fears he doesn’t meet other people’s expectations of what a beta is/should be. But again, this gets resolved in one chapter of her liking the same books he likes. Which is a great starting point, but I think it could have been fleshed out better. Being self-conscious isn’t necessarily something that needs to be “resolved” but the way it’s presented as something that really bothers him and inhibits him from getting close to others does. ALSO, it’s mentioned a few times in the beginning chapters that he has hearing loss in one ear “because of an accident” and this accident is never explained and it’s never mentioned that he has hearing problems or needs someone to repeat again after like chapter 5. It seems this plot point was forgotten.
They get together and admit the “you’re it for me” shit way too early for me after the trauma that she endured. Her rushing this felt like we shouldn’t take her abandonment as seriously as she tried to make it. We got more pages for the murder mystery dinner party than we got for these characters trauma/background stories.
Seriously, it’s bad enough that she couldn’t tell her story (even then it was never told fully) to the public, but you’re with them so early on?
This review was superrrr long, but again, this story had all the right stuff to make it good, but it felt rushed and not planned out at all to me.
Spoilers incoming and a SUPER long review!
I think right off the bat, we could have had a few more chapters of Lana being abandoned and working through all of the different stages of grief. I wanted to see her cry, hurt, grieve, be angry, and THEN finally get to the numb stage. Just a few pages of her “before pack” wasn’t enough for me. The story started with her immediately being numb and “accepting” her shitty situation. And with her before pack and all the abandonment/abuse being such a big plot point, I would have liked to “experience” more of it with her right in the beginning.
I wanted Lana to spend more time being alone. Maybe writing her to be a bit more closed off and standoffish? Not being rude or a bitch, per se, but to show the process of working through her trauma and learning to trust again. Her jumping right into the deep end after she just ALMOST DIED felt super unbelievable to me.
I assume the author wanted to write and show her as a strong FMC, hence her not taking shit. But I think both can be true at the same time. She can be independent and stubborn, but also have trauma and some untrusting behaviors to work though.
I guess the same goes for the MMCs, too. They all had the potential for good background stories and on-page character growth. Maybe it was writing inconsistencies or maybe it was on purpose, but any trauma or issues that the MMCs allegedly had were all “worked through” off page and we were just told later on “I’m so glad we were able to work through that.” Like huh?
One of the MMCs is grieving a girlfriend who had a tragic passing. Yes it was 6 years ago, but according to him, he hasn’t worked through it at all. And then bam, one sweet gesture from Lana and he’s fine now to pursue a relationship?!
I can’t even really write about Lennon’s backstory because we never hear it.
Mason has really no backstory and is just the resident flirt and “hides” behind that. Hides what exactly? No clue.
Cade is the quiet alpha; that’s all we got.
Wilder is self-conscious and feels inadequate because he fears he doesn’t meet other people’s expectations of what a beta is/should be. But again, this gets resolved in one chapter of her liking the same books he likes. Which is a great starting point, but I think it could have been fleshed out better. Being self-conscious isn’t necessarily something that needs to be “resolved” but the way it’s presented as something that really bothers him and inhibits him from getting close to others does. ALSO, it’s mentioned a few times in the beginning chapters that he has hearing loss in one ear “because of an accident” and this accident is never explained and it’s never mentioned that he has hearing problems or needs someone to repeat again after like chapter 5. It seems this plot point was forgotten.
They get together and admit the “you’re it for me” shit way too early for me after the trauma that she endured. Her rushing this felt like we shouldn’t take her abandonment as seriously as she tried to make it. We got more pages for the murder mystery dinner party than we got for these characters trauma/background stories.
Seriously, it’s bad enough that she couldn’t tell her story (even then it was never told fully) to the public, but you’re with them so early on?
This review was superrrr long, but again, this story had all the right stuff to make it good, but it felt rushed and not planned out at all to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2026
A little heartbreak and then so much sweet in this reverse harem hockey omegaverse romance!
Left to face her heat alone by her pack she almost died and ended up in the hospital. When she finally got release she cut ties with her old pack and went with her brother to stay and recover at the hockey boarding house with his teammates. As a brother does, he warns off the other housemates from his little sister and they assure him that they understand she’s staying there to recover knowing the full story of what she went through. When she arrives they keep their distance as well as they can, but immediately do everything they can to make her feel at home and in the end the connections they feel can’t be denied.
Although she is known as the hockey princess due to her father’s being prominent hockey stars, she was never really doted on. She worked hard and became a sports nutritionist wanting to help her fathers and more so her brother achieve his goals of playing high level hockey. Her caring nature had her putting everyone else first, and her previous pack took advantage of that and then slowly started neglecting her as their own hockey careers took off. Spending more and more time alone slowly dissolved the bonds and when they never showed up for her heat she was finally done with them.
Our MMCs are a bonded pack living in the same house as the FMCs brother. They’d gotten close playing on the same team so they were happy to help their fellow team mate “brother” when he asked for help with his sister’s situation. The pack consists of two alphas, two deltas, and a beta, all with their own unique pasts and hurts. Although they have strong bonds as a pack they still have their own growing to do as they’ve accepted the way things are even if it’s to their own detriment in the end. Having an omega that doesn’t take shit from them even though she’s been through so much herself is an unexpected, but much needed change for them.
It’s a slow burn as our FMC regains her strength after the brutal ordeal of spending her heat alone and the pack is right there to help her through it in all the ways they can. They’re exceedingly patient, letting her come to terms with her own feelings and connections with each of them. It goes from one steamy moment and then jumps to some great spice!
The overall plot is about our FMC rebuilding and allowing herself to trust again after being let down epically by her previous pack. Having her leave the pack in silence, the same as they’ve been leaving her in over the last few years, and waiting to see when they notice her absence was such a great aspect. What comes after they realize she’s gone, and how they found out is a separate plot that evolves. The further repercussions as media spins stories was an interesting added layer that explored more of the universe, but it also continued to show how this new relationship was exactly what she should’ve had.
I really enjoyed this first book of the series, it was the perfect amount of heartbreak to start and then I got to have all the sweetness. We got a little back story from every character and it took finding their omega for them to truly grow into themselves or at least start to. The epilogue gave us a taste of their HEA, but I would definitely want more with these sweet MCs!
I’m absolutely jumping right into the next book of the series and I’m hoping we get to see these MCs drop by!
Left to face her heat alone by her pack she almost died and ended up in the hospital. When she finally got release she cut ties with her old pack and went with her brother to stay and recover at the hockey boarding house with his teammates. As a brother does, he warns off the other housemates from his little sister and they assure him that they understand she’s staying there to recover knowing the full story of what she went through. When she arrives they keep their distance as well as they can, but immediately do everything they can to make her feel at home and in the end the connections they feel can’t be denied.
Although she is known as the hockey princess due to her father’s being prominent hockey stars, she was never really doted on. She worked hard and became a sports nutritionist wanting to help her fathers and more so her brother achieve his goals of playing high level hockey. Her caring nature had her putting everyone else first, and her previous pack took advantage of that and then slowly started neglecting her as their own hockey careers took off. Spending more and more time alone slowly dissolved the bonds and when they never showed up for her heat she was finally done with them.
Our MMCs are a bonded pack living in the same house as the FMCs brother. They’d gotten close playing on the same team so they were happy to help their fellow team mate “brother” when he asked for help with his sister’s situation. The pack consists of two alphas, two deltas, and a beta, all with their own unique pasts and hurts. Although they have strong bonds as a pack they still have their own growing to do as they’ve accepted the way things are even if it’s to their own detriment in the end. Having an omega that doesn’t take shit from them even though she’s been through so much herself is an unexpected, but much needed change for them.
It’s a slow burn as our FMC regains her strength after the brutal ordeal of spending her heat alone and the pack is right there to help her through it in all the ways they can. They’re exceedingly patient, letting her come to terms with her own feelings and connections with each of them. It goes from one steamy moment and then jumps to some great spice!
The overall plot is about our FMC rebuilding and allowing herself to trust again after being let down epically by her previous pack. Having her leave the pack in silence, the same as they’ve been leaving her in over the last few years, and waiting to see when they notice her absence was such a great aspect. What comes after they realize she’s gone, and how they found out is a separate plot that evolves. The further repercussions as media spins stories was an interesting added layer that explored more of the universe, but it also continued to show how this new relationship was exactly what she should’ve had.
I really enjoyed this first book of the series, it was the perfect amount of heartbreak to start and then I got to have all the sweetness. We got a little back story from every character and it took finding their omega for them to truly grow into themselves or at least start to. The epilogue gave us a taste of their HEA, but I would definitely want more with these sweet MCs!
I’m absolutely jumping right into the next book of the series and I’m hoping we get to see these MCs drop by!
September 21, 2026
This book was fine. I was interested in the story. Curious. It was almost enough to get me to ignore the many inconsistencies, the telling not showing, the surface level characters, and the duplicate writing. But not really.
This book was rife with inconsistencies that I almost stopped reading. And I've DNF'd books for far less.
Between "Westrgrave" and "Westgrave", to parts of the story where one member is mentioned but suddenly it's another person.
To
Another time
When this chapter was written from Lana's POV. There were multiple times this happened, but I didn't note them. But I probably should've.
Then the repetition.
And
Then, near the end, when Lana goes into heat, she doesn't mention Kieren and grabbing any of his things.
Poor Kieren was left out.
While there were problems throughout this book, it was around the 70% mark that it all went downhill.
The story took a turn with the whole anti-delta protests coming out of nowhere, and Lana doing nothing while she and her pack were in danger and having to have security everywhere, and reporters finding where they lived. But again, she did nothing, wanting to keep what happened secret. Don't get me wrong. I get not wanting the world to know everything about your life. But when it comes to the safety and security of those you love, I would try to get the story straight instead of staying out of things.
Although, to be honest, the protests made no sense. How in the world did people think that Sutton from Lana's old pack, a delta, sent her to the hospital because he was dangerous? I half expected the reason all the rumors started was because of Cade's dad being a dick, but for it to be some other rival tabloid? Meh. Anticlimactic.
Then Lana and Conrad's parents, supposedly a bunch of abusive and awful people, turned out to be very kind and caring. There was nothing to back up what we were told of them in the beginning. Then, at the end, they were pushing hard for delta and beta rights within the hockey and sports world. Even their mother was very concerned for Lana after her heat with her new pack.
And then Roxie is suddenly a character added last minute. Almost the same way I feel as if Kieren were a last minute character.
This book was a mess. While some of it was okay, the rest needed to be reevaluated and edited.
Side note:
This might just be me, but every time I read an omegaverse and the FMC "perfumes," I just imagine her farting all the time and the guys falling all over themselves to smell it. Not sure what that says about me.
This book was rife with inconsistencies that I almost stopped reading. And I've DNF'd books for far less.
Between "Westrgrave" and "Westgrave", to parts of the story where one member is mentioned but suddenly it's another person.
I was so content in my delta’s arms that I stayed there, face buried in his shirt. Someone opened the door when we got home, pulling me out. I barely opened my eyes before breathing in Cade’s scent.
To
I wiggled out of Mason’s arms, ready to be on my own feet.
Another time
“Nobody is taking this away from you,” our omega piped up.
When this chapter was written from Lana's POV. There were multiple times this happened, but I didn't note them. But I probably should've.
Then the repetition.
It didn’t fix the pain. In fact, it honored it and gave it space without letting it consume my entire life.
And
"It doesn’t make the grief any less, but it gives it space and gives me room to breathe.”
Then, near the end, when Lana goes into heat, she doesn't mention Kieren and grabbing any of his things.
Mason’s pillows...Cade’s shirt was tucked under the window along with the blankets from his bed...books from Wilder’s bedside table, adding them to the corner before tucking his hoodie and shirt...Lennon’s pepper and fresh linen scent radiated from his pile of blankets.
Poor Kieren was left out.
While there were problems throughout this book, it was around the 70% mark that it all went downhill.
The story took a turn with the whole anti-delta protests coming out of nowhere, and Lana doing nothing while she and her pack were in danger and having to have security everywhere, and reporters finding where they lived. But again, she did nothing, wanting to keep what happened secret. Don't get me wrong. I get not wanting the world to know everything about your life. But when it comes to the safety and security of those you love, I would try to get the story straight instead of staying out of things.
Although, to be honest, the protests made no sense. How in the world did people think that Sutton from Lana's old pack, a delta, sent her to the hospital because he was dangerous? I half expected the reason all the rumors started was because of Cade's dad being a dick, but for it to be some other rival tabloid? Meh. Anticlimactic.
Then Lana and Conrad's parents, supposedly a bunch of abusive and awful people, turned out to be very kind and caring. There was nothing to back up what we were told of them in the beginning. Then, at the end, they were pushing hard for delta and beta rights within the hockey and sports world. Even their mother was very concerned for Lana after her heat with her new pack.
And then Roxie is suddenly a character added last minute. Almost the same way I feel as if Kieren were a last minute character.
This book was a mess. While some of it was okay, the rest needed to be reevaluated and edited.
Side note:
This might just be me, but every time I read an omegaverse and the FMC "perfumes," I just imagine her farting all the time and the guys falling all over themselves to smell it. Not sure what that says about me.
August 15, 2026
It was a bit of a roller coaster for me because this one started off really strong. I loved this world; I liked the setup to this specific story, and I really liked this new designation. I know that every omegaverse is different and that deltas are really a brand new concept, but the majority of the ones I read are just beta, alphas, and omegas. So it was just a fun new designation for me to delve into, plus I just really love the crazy, unhinged characters, and in this book the deltas are the uber-obsessed and kind of crazy characters. Even though we added the delta designtation into the omegaverse I still think this would be a good intro to omegaverse because James made a very good break down at the beginning of the book explaining how everything works for her omegaverse and those breakdowns I think help explain everything before getting into the book and when an author does that I like to consider them a good starting point since you get a little bit of background before starting. Anyways, it was a good book. I just wish we focused more on her healing journey, since when we meet our FMC she is literally about to die. It was very traumatic for her, and we kind of see how it affected everyone by how overprotective her brother is. The book does try to explain her lack of healing journey because she already expected everything to play out as it did. She was pretty much mentally already checked out, and that heat was just the final straw. I just wish we got to see a little bit more leading up to it then, or the healing side of things, because it was a very traumatic start to the book and then boom she's suddenly all in with her new pack.
Then the book veered off track when we added in the whole political angle. It tries to make sense as to why this angle had to be thrown in, but the book had so much already going for it that we didn't need that angle. We needed her old pack to face consequences, and they never really do. I wish the bad guys stayed bad guys, got punished as they deserve, and then left it there. Not everyone needs a redemption story, and these guys don't even really get punished. They just get humiliated once the truth comes out. Everyone tried to tell the FMC to come forward because their neglect was so bad it was criminal, and she refuses to do that. We could've focused more on that or even just the hockey aspect because we kind of lose that whole thing because of the fight over whether Deltas should be involved or not, and I just think the book spiraled out once the political side got involved and it just became a struggle to finish. I'm curious about the FMC's brother or maybe even the journalist we meet in here, but I have a bad feeling that one of the sequels will be a redemption for this neglectful pack, and I'm just not up for that.
Then the book veered off track when we added in the whole political angle. It tries to make sense as to why this angle had to be thrown in, but the book had so much already going for it that we didn't need that angle. We needed her old pack to face consequences, and they never really do. I wish the bad guys stayed bad guys, got punished as they deserve, and then left it there. Not everyone needs a redemption story, and these guys don't even really get punished. They just get humiliated once the truth comes out. Everyone tried to tell the FMC to come forward because their neglect was so bad it was criminal, and she refuses to do that. We could've focused more on that or even just the hockey aspect because we kind of lose that whole thing because of the fight over whether Deltas should be involved or not, and I just think the book spiraled out once the political side got involved and it just became a struggle to finish. I'm curious about the FMC's brother or maybe even the journalist we meet in here, but I have a bad feeling that one of the sequels will be a redemption for this neglectful pack, and I'm just not up for that.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love when two of my favorite tropes come together: Hockey romance x Omegaverse!
I loved this book! Lana was such an amazing omega with strength and resilience! Leaving her old pack after being neglected like that only to discover herself again and be supported in the way an omega should! Perfection!
Her brother Conrad is everything an older protective brother should be! I LOVE him and hope he is in the next book with Roxie!
The Rhodes Pack- they were so patient and supportive of Lana. Cade was quiet but steady and assured especially after Lana stands up for him against his father. That scene was 🔥 Kieran the alpha who still struggles with grief from his past love. His and Lana’s relationship and healing together was beautiful! Lennon the gruff delta who has past trauma- I love she gave him sass and didn’t back down, opening up to her was such a huge deal for him. Wilder- the soft spoken, shy but sturdy beta. They share a love of reading and baking. And finally Mason the easy going delta and who brings lightness to the pack. He’s also a shameless flirt and I loved him for it! .
I loved each of their dynamics and what they each brought to the pack. They never rushed or put pressure on Lana. They all helped heal her while also walking she was making them whole.
The chemistry and spice was HOT🔥 The perfect amount! And the Delta knots🥵 that was something new to me!
I loved seeing the Deltas in this story and learning more about their background! You don’t get to see them much in OV so this was really cool! I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for Roxie’s story! I hope Conrad is in it 👀👀
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
Tropes:
Omegaverse
Hockey Romance
Abandoned Omega Staring Over
Hurt/Comfort
Hockey Player MMCs
No ⚔️Heat, Knotting
Sports Nutritionist FMC
Brothers Best Friends
Mixed Designations
Failed Groveling
Thank you to Peachy Keens and author Jarica James for the eARC. All options are my own.
I loved this book! Lana was such an amazing omega with strength and resilience! Leaving her old pack after being neglected like that only to discover herself again and be supported in the way an omega should! Perfection!
Her brother Conrad is everything an older protective brother should be! I LOVE him and hope he is in the next book with Roxie!
The Rhodes Pack- they were so patient and supportive of Lana. Cade was quiet but steady and assured especially after Lana stands up for him against his father. That scene was 🔥 Kieran the alpha who still struggles with grief from his past love. His and Lana’s relationship and healing together was beautiful! Lennon the gruff delta who has past trauma- I love she gave him sass and didn’t back down, opening up to her was such a huge deal for him. Wilder- the soft spoken, shy but sturdy beta. They share a love of reading and baking. And finally Mason the easy going delta and who brings lightness to the pack. He’s also a shameless flirt and I loved him for it! .
I loved each of their dynamics and what they each brought to the pack. They never rushed or put pressure on Lana. They all helped heal her while also walking she was making them whole.
The chemistry and spice was HOT🔥 The perfect amount! And the Delta knots🥵 that was something new to me!
I loved seeing the Deltas in this story and learning more about their background! You don’t get to see them much in OV so this was really cool! I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for Roxie’s story! I hope Conrad is in it 👀👀
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
Tropes:
Omegaverse
Hockey Romance
Abandoned Omega Staring Over
Hurt/Comfort
Hockey Player MMCs
No ⚔️Heat, Knotting
Sports Nutritionist FMC
Brothers Best Friends
Mixed Designations
Failed Groveling
Thank you to Peachy Keens and author Jarica James for the eARC. All options are my own.
February 20, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
🏒 Why Choose (MFMMMM)
🏒 Sports Romance (Hockey)
🏒 Omegaverse
🏒 Sibling’s Best Friend
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 Rejected Mates
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Found Family
This book was such a fun time. I really enjoyed all the characters and their relationships. I’m excited to see who else gets a story in the Breakouts & Baddies series!
Each of the characters was so unique, I loved all the personalities. Cade the quiet alpha and pack leader, Kieran the sweet alpha still grieving, Wilder the shy beta, Mason the chaotic delta, and Lennon the reserved delta. Of course we have Lana, the FMC, who was such a sweetheart - to those who hadn’t wronged her of course. I really love the way she naturally fell into the pack, growing stronger every day while also unintentionally helping the guys to heal. I could write an essay (but I suppose I’ll settle for a brief spoiler-free summary) on all the little things she did for them that made my heart so incredibly happy.
The cake for Kieran?
The cooking/protein drink for Lennon?
The interaction with Cade’s father?
The bookstore with Wilder?
The mall with Mason?
MY HEART.
I adored this pack. The logic behind the pack already being established prior to their omega’s arrival was such a great touch, and made for the perfect safe space for Lana. And the support in this pack? So incredibly heartwarming. I love how they all held space for one another, understanding what everyone needed. Also the addition of deltas to the usual alpha/beta/omega packs was such a fun concept. I loved the chaotic energy they brought to the table - especially Mason.
I can’t talk about all the great guys in this book without mentioning Lana’s brother, Conrad. I would love to see him get his own book, because that sweet alpha deserves his happily ever after!
Thank you so much to Jarica James and Peachy Keen Author Services for the opportunity to ARC read this book. All thoughts are my own. 💗
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
🏒 Why Choose (MFMMMM)
🏒 Sports Romance (Hockey)
🏒 Omegaverse
🏒 Sibling’s Best Friend
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 Rejected Mates
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Found Family
This book was such a fun time. I really enjoyed all the characters and their relationships. I’m excited to see who else gets a story in the Breakouts & Baddies series!
Each of the characters was so unique, I loved all the personalities. Cade the quiet alpha and pack leader, Kieran the sweet alpha still grieving, Wilder the shy beta, Mason the chaotic delta, and Lennon the reserved delta. Of course we have Lana, the FMC, who was such a sweetheart - to those who hadn’t wronged her of course. I really love the way she naturally fell into the pack, growing stronger every day while also unintentionally helping the guys to heal. I could write an essay (but I suppose I’ll settle for a brief spoiler-free summary) on all the little things she did for them that made my heart so incredibly happy.
The cake for Kieran?
The cooking/protein drink for Lennon?
The interaction with Cade’s father?
The bookstore with Wilder?
The mall with Mason?
MY HEART.
I adored this pack. The logic behind the pack already being established prior to their omega’s arrival was such a great touch, and made for the perfect safe space for Lana. And the support in this pack? So incredibly heartwarming. I love how they all held space for one another, understanding what everyone needed. Also the addition of deltas to the usual alpha/beta/omega packs was such a fun concept. I loved the chaotic energy they brought to the table - especially Mason.
I can’t talk about all the great guys in this book without mentioning Lana’s brother, Conrad. I would love to see him get his own book, because that sweet alpha deserves his happily ever after!
Thank you so much to Jarica James and Peachy Keen Author Services for the opportunity to ARC read this book. All thoughts are my own. 💗
March 4, 2026
Rating- 3
Heat- 2
I enjoy Jarica James. I just feel this book was rushed. There were a few issues with continuity and some lack of development.
Let’s start with Lana’s exes. At the start of the book, she had not seen them for 2 months. They were supposedly busy with their hockey. Pro hockey teams don’t travel for 2 months straight, and this is shown when she moves in with another pack of hockey players and they were home. In those two months, most of their days were home games and practices. Why wouldn’t they come home to sleep? The book acts like them putting their career first meant they would just be gone. Even people who work 18hr days sleep somewhere. We get no more explanation other than they were wrapped up in their career.
Lana’s new pack is great but undeveloped. Pasts are hinted at but never explored. One of them has a mate that died. She wasn’t the mate of the others but the entire pack bonded young. How does the timeline work? Another has an intense dislike of omegas because of a past that we never learn about. Even stranger is he has a conversation about it with Lana that happened off page, so she knows about this past but we don’t. The beta is described as hard of hearing where everyone has to get his attention and talk extra loud to him but that only lasts a chapter. His hearing is never mentioned again.
I also felt that despite the book feeling long, we didn’t really see them fall in love. Most of their chapters are from Lana’s POV. We don’t get many from the guys until after they decide they want her. The result is that it appears they friend zone her until her smell changes and then they are all in. Even them deciding they wanted her happened suddenly and strangely. They didn’t talk about it amongst themselves. One of them just decides to tell her he wants to mate her in front of everyone and her brother.
Over all, it has so much potential and every issue could easily be fixed, but it doesn’t flow well now.
Heat- 2
I enjoy Jarica James. I just feel this book was rushed. There were a few issues with continuity and some lack of development.
Let’s start with Lana’s exes. At the start of the book, she had not seen them for 2 months. They were supposedly busy with their hockey. Pro hockey teams don’t travel for 2 months straight, and this is shown when she moves in with another pack of hockey players and they were home. In those two months, most of their days were home games and practices. Why wouldn’t they come home to sleep? The book acts like them putting their career first meant they would just be gone. Even people who work 18hr days sleep somewhere. We get no more explanation other than they were wrapped up in their career.
Lana’s new pack is great but undeveloped. Pasts are hinted at but never explored. One of them has a mate that died. She wasn’t the mate of the others but the entire pack bonded young. How does the timeline work? Another has an intense dislike of omegas because of a past that we never learn about. Even stranger is he has a conversation about it with Lana that happened off page, so she knows about this past but we don’t. The beta is described as hard of hearing where everyone has to get his attention and talk extra loud to him but that only lasts a chapter. His hearing is never mentioned again.
I also felt that despite the book feeling long, we didn’t really see them fall in love. Most of their chapters are from Lana’s POV. We don’t get many from the guys until after they decide they want her. The result is that it appears they friend zone her until her smell changes and then they are all in. Even them deciding they wanted her happened suddenly and strangely. They didn’t talk about it amongst themselves. One of them just decides to tell her he wants to mate her in front of everyone and her brother.
Over all, it has so much potential and every issue could easily be fixed, but it doesn’t flow well now.
February 23, 2026
🩵🏒 ARC Review 🏒🩵
Never Trust A Hockey Player by Jarica James
Breakouts and Baddies Book One
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What To Expect:
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Why Choose Omegaverse
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Brother's Best Friends
🏒 Healing From Trauma
🏒 Pack Dynamics
🏒 Knotting, Nesting, Ruts, Heats, Bonding
🏒 Deltas...a fun new designation to add to the omegaverse mix!
Jarica is one of my favorite omegaverse authors and this might be my favorite book she's ever written! I absolutely loved the characters and plot of this one!
Lana, the omega FMC, almost died due to neglect from her previous pack. When her brother finds out and rescues her, he insists that she come live in the hockey house with him and his best friends/teammates. He wants her to have space and time to heal from the trauma she has endured. Of course, he tells his best friends (who happen to be a pack) that she is off limits. What starts out as friendships, becomes something much stronger and they realize she might just be their omega. All five of the MMCs were so different but had such a strong bond. I loved the addition of Deltas to the mix in this one! They were definitely a fun designation to learn about and brought a different dynamic to the pack. The care they showed Lana was so beautiful, especially after the trauma she had gone through with her previous pack. Oh, and did I mention her previous pack is the starting lineup of her new packs rival hockey team? Definitely adds some tension and drama to the mix!
And the spice y'all 🥵🫠 There's just something about the spice in omegaverse romance that hits different 🔥
If you love omegaverse romance, add this to the top of your TBR!
If you are new to or curious about omegaverse, I think this would be a great one to dive into to see if you enjoy it!
Never Trust A Hockey Player by Jarica James
Breakouts and Baddies Book One
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What To Expect:
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Why Choose Omegaverse
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Brother's Best Friends
🏒 Healing From Trauma
🏒 Pack Dynamics
🏒 Knotting, Nesting, Ruts, Heats, Bonding
🏒 Deltas...a fun new designation to add to the omegaverse mix!
Jarica is one of my favorite omegaverse authors and this might be my favorite book she's ever written! I absolutely loved the characters and plot of this one!
Lana, the omega FMC, almost died due to neglect from her previous pack. When her brother finds out and rescues her, he insists that she come live in the hockey house with him and his best friends/teammates. He wants her to have space and time to heal from the trauma she has endured. Of course, he tells his best friends (who happen to be a pack) that she is off limits. What starts out as friendships, becomes something much stronger and they realize she might just be their omega. All five of the MMCs were so different but had such a strong bond. I loved the addition of Deltas to the mix in this one! They were definitely a fun designation to learn about and brought a different dynamic to the pack. The care they showed Lana was so beautiful, especially after the trauma she had gone through with her previous pack. Oh, and did I mention her previous pack is the starting lineup of her new packs rival hockey team? Definitely adds some tension and drama to the mix!
And the spice y'all 🥵🫠 There's just something about the spice in omegaverse romance that hits different 🔥
If you love omegaverse romance, add this to the top of your TBR!
If you are new to or curious about omegaverse, I think this would be a great one to dive into to see if you enjoy it!
February 27, 2026
Hockey, Heartbreak & a New Claim
I am always down to read Jarica’s new releases, and this book was absolutely right up my alley. I’m a sucker for hockey omegaverse stories, and when you throw in a rejection and a brand-new pack? You had me at bye.
Lana is hockey royalty, known as the Princess of Hockey thanks to her famous parents and her first pack of professional players. Unfortunately, that pack was married to the sport and failed to put time, care, and effort into their omega or their relationship. The neglect nearly cost Lana her life, forcing her to flee both her home and her pack.
Her brother Conrad, her rock, saves her and brings her to the Wardens’ starting lineups home. Even though she swore off hockey players and Conrad was firmly against it, some things you just can’t walk away from.
Cade, the alpha and leader, is quiet, thoughtful, and always two steps ahead. Kieran is a devastated alpha still grieving a past loss, finding unexpected solace in Lana. The two deltas balance the pack perfectly, Mason is the life of the party and always ready for a good time, while Lennon struggles with his own trauma and distrust of omegas. And then there’s Wilder, the beta who completely captured my heart. He’s soft, bookish, and finds comfort escaping into the pages of whatever he’s reading.
These five men work together to help rebuild what Lana’s past pack shattered. I loved how every single member strengthened the others; how they leaned into each other’s strengths and soothed each other’s weaknesses. When push comes to shove, this phenomenal pack proves what it truly takes to build trust and conquer your demons.
And I cannot wait to read more about Riley and Conrad. I’m secretly hoping they end up together… but even if they don’t, I can’t wait to see what pack they find.
I am always down to read Jarica’s new releases, and this book was absolutely right up my alley. I’m a sucker for hockey omegaverse stories, and when you throw in a rejection and a brand-new pack? You had me at bye.
Lana is hockey royalty, known as the Princess of Hockey thanks to her famous parents and her first pack of professional players. Unfortunately, that pack was married to the sport and failed to put time, care, and effort into their omega or their relationship. The neglect nearly cost Lana her life, forcing her to flee both her home and her pack.
Her brother Conrad, her rock, saves her and brings her to the Wardens’ starting lineups home. Even though she swore off hockey players and Conrad was firmly against it, some things you just can’t walk away from.
Cade, the alpha and leader, is quiet, thoughtful, and always two steps ahead. Kieran is a devastated alpha still grieving a past loss, finding unexpected solace in Lana. The two deltas balance the pack perfectly, Mason is the life of the party and always ready for a good time, while Lennon struggles with his own trauma and distrust of omegas. And then there’s Wilder, the beta who completely captured my heart. He’s soft, bookish, and finds comfort escaping into the pages of whatever he’s reading.
These five men work together to help rebuild what Lana’s past pack shattered. I loved how every single member strengthened the others; how they leaned into each other’s strengths and soothed each other’s weaknesses. When push comes to shove, this phenomenal pack proves what it truly takes to build trust and conquer your demons.
And I cannot wait to read more about Riley and Conrad. I’m secretly hoping they end up together… but even if they don’t, I can’t wait to see what pack they find.
February 23, 2026
3.75 stars - spoilers included
I loved this, the characters, the story, the journey that each of them had to go on to get to that final point. And was great to have another book which consists of my top two tropes, omega verse and ice hockey.
Starting with the negatives and the bad side of Lana’s original pack being a bunch of neglectful hockey players. Leaving them after her having to go through her heat alone… being barely alive until her brother saves her (love a good sibling bond in books).
With Conrad then offering Lana a place at the hockey house, where she meets her soon to be future pack, consisting of Lennon and mason, the packs deltas, wilder, the pack beta and Kieran the alpha. Each of the characters comes with their own stories and past, making them into their own individual characters without feeling repetitive.
The development and growth of their story of becoming pack and Lana learning about each of their history’s and how to care for them while also learning that not all hockey player packs are the same as her last one…
There is spice, however it doesn’t occur till around the 50% mark in the book so if that’s all ya looking for this may not be for you, however once it starts it is HOT HOT HOT. Having great abilities to show each different designation showing things in different ways, I have officially fallen in love with the deltas…
This book is full of everything you need for a great hockey omega verse book and more, and I officially need more.
I loved this, the characters, the story, the journey that each of them had to go on to get to that final point. And was great to have another book which consists of my top two tropes, omega verse and ice hockey.
Starting with the negatives and the bad side of Lana’s original pack being a bunch of neglectful hockey players. Leaving them after her having to go through her heat alone… being barely alive until her brother saves her (love a good sibling bond in books).
With Conrad then offering Lana a place at the hockey house, where she meets her soon to be future pack, consisting of Lennon and mason, the packs deltas, wilder, the pack beta and Kieran the alpha. Each of the characters comes with their own stories and past, making them into their own individual characters without feeling repetitive.
The development and growth of their story of becoming pack and Lana learning about each of their history’s and how to care for them while also learning that not all hockey player packs are the same as her last one…
There is spice, however it doesn’t occur till around the 50% mark in the book so if that’s all ya looking for this may not be for you, however once it starts it is HOT HOT HOT. Having great abilities to show each different designation showing things in different ways, I have officially fallen in love with the deltas…
This book is full of everything you need for a great hockey omega verse book and more, and I officially need more.
March 1, 2026
Never Trust A Hockey Player is the first book I’ve read by Jarica James. Hockey + Omegaverse? HECK YES!!!!
I wanted to love this story so badly. Did I love the characters? Yes. Did I love the different things Lana did for each of the guys to make sure they knew she cared? Yes, absolutely. Did I love how she found closure with the pack who treated her like garbage? Naturally.
I really enjoyed the guys in her new pack. I loved how they wanted to be well established and have their ish figured out before taking on an omega. I loved how they cared for the omega. And I love how she cared for them. Standing up to Cades father. Making special shakes. The bookstore moment with Wilder. Shall I go on?
My dislikes fell in some of the details- things that didn’t really make sense to me. Like helping an omega through her heat. Normally alphas thrive on that idea so when they completely disregarded it I’m not sure it was entirely believable for me. A few times throughout the story, i felt like it dragged on.
The spice was good. I’d give it a solid 🌶️🌶️ to 🌶️🌶️🌶️ rating! I loved the delta aspect of the story and having them go through ruts like alphas was just icing on a glorious man cupcake. Gimme all the knots!
If you like:
Why Choose
Sports Romance (hockey)
Omegaverse
Brothers best friends
Best friends little sister
Forced Proximity
Touch starved omega
Polar opposite deltas
Hurt/comfort
Rejected mates
Found family
Then I’d definitely recommend this book! I’m curious to see if Conrad will get his story. I think he needs his own happy ending.
I wanted to love this story so badly. Did I love the characters? Yes. Did I love the different things Lana did for each of the guys to make sure they knew she cared? Yes, absolutely. Did I love how she found closure with the pack who treated her like garbage? Naturally.
I really enjoyed the guys in her new pack. I loved how they wanted to be well established and have their ish figured out before taking on an omega. I loved how they cared for the omega. And I love how she cared for them. Standing up to Cades father. Making special shakes. The bookstore moment with Wilder. Shall I go on?
My dislikes fell in some of the details- things that didn’t really make sense to me. Like helping an omega through her heat. Normally alphas thrive on that idea so when they completely disregarded it I’m not sure it was entirely believable for me. A few times throughout the story, i felt like it dragged on.
The spice was good. I’d give it a solid 🌶️🌶️ to 🌶️🌶️🌶️ rating! I loved the delta aspect of the story and having them go through ruts like alphas was just icing on a glorious man cupcake. Gimme all the knots!
If you like:
Why Choose
Sports Romance (hockey)
Omegaverse
Brothers best friends
Best friends little sister
Forced Proximity
Touch starved omega
Polar opposite deltas
Hurt/comfort
Rejected mates
Found family
Then I’d definitely recommend this book! I’m curious to see if Conrad will get his story. I think he needs his own happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2026
READ
𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 3/5⭐
𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝖴𝗋𝖻𝖺𝗇 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗌𝗒
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘: 𝖨𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗇𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌
𝗔𝗚𝗘: 𝖠𝖽𝗎𝗅𝗍
𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘𝗧𝗬: 🟡
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗘𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡:
𝖢𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍 𝗂𝖽𝖾𝖺: 4/𝟻 🤔
𝖯𝗅𝗈𝗍: 3/𝟻 📖
𝖶𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽 𝖡𝗎𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀: 3/𝟻 🌎
𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀: 3/𝟻 📝
𝖯𝖺𝖼𝗂𝗇𝗀: 3/𝟻 ⏱
𝖫𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗍𝗁: 2/5 📏
𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌: 3/𝟻 👥
𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾: 3/𝟻 ❤️
𝖲𝗉𝗂𝖼𝖾: 3/𝟻 🔥
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦 / 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘:
🐺 𝖮𝗆𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌𝖾
💕 𝖯𝗈𝗅𝗒𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗒
❤️🫶 𝖡𝗋𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋'𝗌 𝖡𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌
🏒 𝖲𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗌 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
Enjoyable first half but the second part was quite boring. There just wasn't any chemistry, all the characters felt the same and it was hard to tell them apart. Romance happened way too quickly and there were too many inconsistencies.
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬:
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝖶𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖨 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋? ✔️
𝖶𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖨 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝖽? ❔
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗧𝗪 / 𝗖𝗪:
𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 3/5⭐
𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝖴𝗋𝖻𝖺𝗇 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗌𝗒
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘: 𝖨𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗇𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖺𝗅𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌
𝗔𝗚𝗘: 𝖠𝖽𝗎𝗅𝗍
𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘𝗧𝗬: 🟡
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗘𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡:
𝖢𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍 𝗂𝖽𝖾𝖺: 4/𝟻 🤔
𝖯𝗅𝗈𝗍: 3/𝟻 📖
𝖶𝗈𝗋𝗅𝖽 𝖡𝗎𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀: 3/𝟻 🌎
𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀: 3/𝟻 📝
𝖯𝖺𝖼𝗂𝗇𝗀: 3/𝟻 ⏱
𝖫𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗍𝗁: 2/5 📏
𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌: 3/𝟻 👥
𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾: 3/𝟻 ❤️
𝖲𝗉𝗂𝖼𝖾: 3/𝟻 🔥
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦 / 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘:
🐺 𝖮𝗆𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌𝖾
💕 𝖯𝗈𝗅𝗒𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗒
❤️🫶 𝖡𝗋𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋'𝗌 𝖡𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌
🏒 𝖲𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗌 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
Enjoyable first half but the second part was quite boring. There just wasn't any chemistry, all the characters felt the same and it was hard to tell them apart. Romance happened way too quickly and there were too many inconsistencies.
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬:
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝖶𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖨 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋? ✔️
𝖶𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖨 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝖽? ❔
✦•····························••····························•✦•····························••····························•✦
𝗧𝗪 / 𝗖𝗪:
February 23, 2026
In my opinion, this book can be rated and reviewed in two entirely different ways. If you read it at surface level, perhaps as a fast reader or someone who loves to flow quickly through a lighter story, I really wouldn’t be surprised if you give it a five star rating. It’s a real sweet omegaverse standalone, with protective males, a woman finding her power again, and a nice touch with the delta designation. Add a bit of hockey rivalry to it, and you get a fun and light story with that little touch of darkness to keep things interesting.
However, if you read it a bit more slowly and start to focus on the details, a lot of things start to fall through the cracks. Details that seem to matter are never explained, or they are changed in the middle of the story. If you’re a reader who uses their imagination to “see the scene” as its written, you might realize the actors have suddenly changed positions “off screen”. After a while, it becomes messy, and for those readers a two or three star rating makes total sense.
So… I personally left it at four, because I liked the story and I had fun reading it. I’m a fast reader who sometimes chooses to gloss over pages, and as a result it took me a while to notice the inconsistencies. But even though it didn’t took away a lot of my enjoyment, there were still times it threw me out of the story. And that’s too bad, because with a bit more focus and editing, this could have definitely been a five star standalone.
However, if you read it a bit more slowly and start to focus on the details, a lot of things start to fall through the cracks. Details that seem to matter are never explained, or they are changed in the middle of the story. If you’re a reader who uses their imagination to “see the scene” as its written, you might realize the actors have suddenly changed positions “off screen”. After a while, it becomes messy, and for those readers a two or three star rating makes total sense.
So… I personally left it at four, because I liked the story and I had fun reading it. I’m a fast reader who sometimes chooses to gloss over pages, and as a result it took me a while to notice the inconsistencies. But even though it didn’t took away a lot of my enjoyment, there were still times it threw me out of the story. And that’s too bad, because with a bit more focus and editing, this could have definitely been a five star standalone.
February 28, 2026
First of all, Jarica James is one of my favorite writers and I will read what she writes!
That being said, this story was great. Drama from chapter one where you see Lana struggle through her heat and you find out that her brother is the only real consistent person she has in her life, who will drop everything to be by her side.
This take on the dynamics is interesting with the inclusion of the Deltas, which I love, because it will make this story stand out among the numerous omegaverses that are out there right now.
I love that even though Lana needs here brother to help her get back on her feet and kind of shove her in the right direction she does find her gumption and come into her stronger self throughout the story.
I especially like that she grows fond of the guys before the scents are really all that involved which proves the love is real and not just a biological imperative. These guys are sweet and patient with her until they don't need to be anymore and then they find their own little dirty niche with her and its gold.
I try not to pick favorites, and I love the Deltas and how they are just a little bit different than everyone else BUT I will always have a soft spot for the big burly nerdy Betas so Wilder is my man in this book.
Overall, this is the perfect combo of sweet, spice, drama and intrigue to keep a reader on their toes through the entire book and I cannot wait until the next book comes out in this series!
That being said, this story was great. Drama from chapter one where you see Lana struggle through her heat and you find out that her brother is the only real consistent person she has in her life, who will drop everything to be by her side.
This take on the dynamics is interesting with the inclusion of the Deltas, which I love, because it will make this story stand out among the numerous omegaverses that are out there right now.
I love that even though Lana needs here brother to help her get back on her feet and kind of shove her in the right direction she does find her gumption and come into her stronger self throughout the story.
I especially like that she grows fond of the guys before the scents are really all that involved which proves the love is real and not just a biological imperative. These guys are sweet and patient with her until they don't need to be anymore and then they find their own little dirty niche with her and its gold.
I try not to pick favorites, and I love the Deltas and how they are just a little bit different than everyone else BUT I will always have a soft spot for the big burly nerdy Betas so Wilder is my man in this book.
Overall, this is the perfect combo of sweet, spice, drama and intrigue to keep a reader on their toes through the entire book and I cannot wait until the next book comes out in this series!
February 21, 2026
Never a trust A Hockey Player - Jarica James
4.75/5✨🌟
* SPOILERS *
Jarica has been on tbr list for author’s I have been wanting to read for quite some time and man, she did not disappoint! Just from the beginning of this book, I was instantly hooked because I knew this book was going to be amazing.
I love me a good why choose but mix it in with omegaverse, I’m definitely going to read it. These guys were so good to her and they would burn the world down for their omega.
Kieran, Lennon, Wilder, Mason and Cade were just everything. Sure, she didn’t want to be with hockey players after the neglect an her almost dying from her first back, but man, these guys flipped the switch on her. I love me a touch starved omega!
There were so many amazing moments but my favorite was when a few of the guys confronted her old pack. They even got a few hits in too! I also loved how they celebrated Gabriella and Lana made a cake. Even though she passed, the were going to celebrate her and that was just amazing.
I think Wilder might be my favorite because I loved how Lana and him connected over boos. I mean, what book girl wouldn’t want that at all. But honestly, I loved all of these guys so much. I did like the twist that the book had as well.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
4.75/5✨🌟
* SPOILERS *
Jarica has been on tbr list for author’s I have been wanting to read for quite some time and man, she did not disappoint! Just from the beginning of this book, I was instantly hooked because I knew this book was going to be amazing.
I love me a good why choose but mix it in with omegaverse, I’m definitely going to read it. These guys were so good to her and they would burn the world down for their omega.
Kieran, Lennon, Wilder, Mason and Cade were just everything. Sure, she didn’t want to be with hockey players after the neglect an her almost dying from her first back, but man, these guys flipped the switch on her. I love me a touch starved omega!
There were so many amazing moments but my favorite was when a few of the guys confronted her old pack. They even got a few hits in too! I also loved how they celebrated Gabriella and Lana made a cake. Even though she passed, the were going to celebrate her and that was just amazing.
I think Wilder might be my favorite because I loved how Lana and him connected over boos. I mean, what book girl wouldn’t want that at all. But honestly, I loved all of these guys so much. I did like the twist that the book had as well.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
May 9, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)
I went into Never Trust a Hockey Player expecting a fun hockey romance, but I ended up getting so much more. This book had the perfect mix of tension, banter, chemistry, and emotional depth. The relationship development felt natural, and the slow build between the characters kept me completely hooked from start to finish.
What I loved most was how the story balanced the classic sports romance tropes with genuinely vulnerable moments. The male lead had that cocky hockey player energy you expect, but there was also enough heart underneath it to make him impossible not to root for. The chemistry between the main characters was *ridiculously* good like the kind where every interaction feels charged, whether they’re arguing, flirting, or opening up emotionally.
The writing was easy to fly through, and I found myself constantly saying “just one more chapter.” The emotional moments landed well without feeling overly dramatic, and the spicy scenes were written with the perfect amount of tension and payoff.
If you love sports romances with strong banter, emotional growth, and a main couple that makes you smile like an idiot while reading, this one is definitely worth picking up. Jarvis James absolutely delivered with this one, and now I need to read more from this author immediately.
I went into Never Trust a Hockey Player expecting a fun hockey romance, but I ended up getting so much more. This book had the perfect mix of tension, banter, chemistry, and emotional depth. The relationship development felt natural, and the slow build between the characters kept me completely hooked from start to finish.
What I loved most was how the story balanced the classic sports romance tropes with genuinely vulnerable moments. The male lead had that cocky hockey player energy you expect, but there was also enough heart underneath it to make him impossible not to root for. The chemistry between the main characters was *ridiculously* good like the kind where every interaction feels charged, whether they’re arguing, flirting, or opening up emotionally.
The writing was easy to fly through, and I found myself constantly saying “just one more chapter.” The emotional moments landed well without feeling overly dramatic, and the spicy scenes were written with the perfect amount of tension and payoff.
If you love sports romances with strong banter, emotional growth, and a main couple that makes you smile like an idiot while reading, this one is definitely worth picking up. Jarvis James absolutely delivered with this one, and now I need to read more from this author immediately.
May 30, 2026
Instantly hooked
I have been hooked on hockey romances for a long time. This one caught my attention because it had two of my favorites put together omegaverse and hockey.
The beginning is truly heartbreaking. I wanted to jump through the pages and grab her pack by the ear and drag them through the coals for what they did to her.
I would love to have a brother that loved and protected me the way hers did. But I have a sister that Will and that means the world to me.
The pack that her brother is on the team with are some of the best people. Protective even though they haven’t met her. Hate the way someone is treated and left for dead.
The pacing was perfect. The way the guys let her heal and have her independence after what she went through was perfect.
I loved that there were several issues brought up and not once were they brushed aside and thought less of but given just as much importance as omega rights. Delta’s and Beta’s designations were fought for and Lana made sure her guys knew she cared for them just as much if not more than any other designation.
Amazing read. Kept me awake and away from chores and sleep just to finish the story. I’m hoping a certain Omega gets a certain Alpha in book 2!
I have been hooked on hockey romances for a long time. This one caught my attention because it had two of my favorites put together omegaverse and hockey.
The beginning is truly heartbreaking. I wanted to jump through the pages and grab her pack by the ear and drag them through the coals for what they did to her.
I would love to have a brother that loved and protected me the way hers did. But I have a sister that Will and that means the world to me.
The pack that her brother is on the team with are some of the best people. Protective even though they haven’t met her. Hate the way someone is treated and left for dead.
The pacing was perfect. The way the guys let her heal and have her independence after what she went through was perfect.
I loved that there were several issues brought up and not once were they brushed aside and thought less of but given just as much importance as omega rights. Delta’s and Beta’s designations were fought for and Lana made sure her guys knew she cared for them just as much if not more than any other designation.
Amazing read. Kept me awake and away from chores and sleep just to finish the story. I’m hoping a certain Omega gets a certain Alpha in book 2!
February 21, 2026
Never Trust A Hockey Player is book one in the Breakouts & Baddies Series. It is a standalone, why choose, omegaverse romance. The story is told in first person with multiple POV.
This was a terrific, emotional, and heartbreaking story that offers broken characters, healing, and a guaranteed HEA. I absolutely loved the addition of Deltas to the story. They added an incredible dynamic to the story.
Lana's faith in her untrustworthy pack leaves her in a vulnerable state and nearly dead. Her brother and his hockey roommates come to the rescue and offer her a place to stay, with them.
The writing, pace, and flow of the story were amazing, as were the characters, storytelling, storyline, plot, character development, relationship development, and world building.
I loved Lana. I loved the strength and resilience that she finds in herself. I also really loved Kieran, Cade, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder. I loved their protectiveness and chemistry with Lana. I adored the relationship with Lana and her brother, Conrad, as well.
If you love a great, omegaverse, hockey romance with lovable and loyal MC's, then I'd definitely recommend this book.
This was a terrific, emotional, and heartbreaking story that offers broken characters, healing, and a guaranteed HEA. I absolutely loved the addition of Deltas to the story. They added an incredible dynamic to the story.
Lana's faith in her untrustworthy pack leaves her in a vulnerable state and nearly dead. Her brother and his hockey roommates come to the rescue and offer her a place to stay, with them.
The writing, pace, and flow of the story were amazing, as were the characters, storytelling, storyline, plot, character development, relationship development, and world building.
I loved Lana. I loved the strength and resilience that she finds in herself. I also really loved Kieran, Cade, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder. I loved their protectiveness and chemistry with Lana. I adored the relationship with Lana and her brother, Conrad, as well.
If you love a great, omegaverse, hockey romance with lovable and loyal MC's, then I'd definitely recommend this book.
February 26, 2026
Lana’s pack is so neglectful that she almost 🪦☠️ Her brother immediately comes to her rescue & moves her into the hockey house with him and his best friends. Like a typical brother he tells everyone that she’s off limits. Things change as she begins to heal though.
I loved that this one had Deltas. I’ll never get tired of omega verse, but I do love it when authors include something like this to make it just slightly different. I honestly could not pick a favorite between Kieran, Lennon, Wilder, Mason or Cade. They each brought something unique to the relationship
I really loved everything about this one. It had everything that I was looking for in an OV & honestly Jarica did a great job juggling all of the dynamics between Lana, all 5 members of her pack, & her brother…I just feel like it was missing some things to really make this a 5 star read for me. I almost think maybe making it a duet would’ve been perfect, so there would have been more time to really explore all the different relationship dynamics & not feel so rushed to tie everything up. I really can’t wait to see what we get next from this series!
I loved that this one had Deltas. I’ll never get tired of omega verse, but I do love it when authors include something like this to make it just slightly different. I honestly could not pick a favorite between Kieran, Lennon, Wilder, Mason or Cade. They each brought something unique to the relationship
I really loved everything about this one. It had everything that I was looking for in an OV & honestly Jarica did a great job juggling all of the dynamics between Lana, all 5 members of her pack, & her brother…I just feel like it was missing some things to really make this a 5 star read for me. I almost think maybe making it a duet would’ve been perfect, so there would have been more time to really explore all the different relationship dynamics & not feel so rushed to tie everything up. I really can’t wait to see what we get next from this series!
April 7, 2026
i’m giving this 2.5 stars really.
i just don’t know how to describe how im feeling. i liked some parts of the book but it just felt so choppy, disorganized, and ultimately left me unsatisfied. for a book little over 350 pages, i felt like the author tried to cram every single problem into a book and left them underdeveloped or completely forgot? idk it was just weird vibes.
also the mmcs were not distinguishable enough so i spent half the book trying to remember the damn difference between kieran and cade. also the scent thing was never explained like why did lana’s and everyone’s scent randomly get stronger throughout the book??? like was it a bond thing? i’m confused. and then i know we kinda got into lennons dislike for omegas but i felt like i needed more because i swear there was one “argument” between lennon and lana and suddenly he forgets his hatred for omegas? also why in the fuck was that one single “argument” brought up so much??? like bro it was literally not that deep
also i thought we hated lana’s parents??? why did they save the day???
but really it wasn’t that bad, maybe im being harsh but it also wasn’t as good as some of the folks are hyping it up to be
i just don’t know how to describe how im feeling. i liked some parts of the book but it just felt so choppy, disorganized, and ultimately left me unsatisfied. for a book little over 350 pages, i felt like the author tried to cram every single problem into a book and left them underdeveloped or completely forgot? idk it was just weird vibes.
also the mmcs were not distinguishable enough so i spent half the book trying to remember the damn difference between kieran and cade. also the scent thing was never explained like why did lana’s and everyone’s scent randomly get stronger throughout the book??? like was it a bond thing? i’m confused. and then i know we kinda got into lennons dislike for omegas but i felt like i needed more because i swear there was one “argument” between lennon and lana and suddenly he forgets his hatred for omegas? also why in the fuck was that one single “argument” brought up so much??? like bro it was literally not that deep
also i thought we hated lana’s parents??? why did they save the day???
but really it wasn’t that bad, maybe im being harsh but it also wasn’t as good as some of the folks are hyping it up to be
May 27, 2026
This book was everything. I love the relationship she had with her brother Conrad. He didn’t hesitate to show up for her and help her with anything. His best friends didn’t hesitate to help him. When she showed up all of the pack to notice. Lennon even though he didn’t want to, she sassed him back and slowly broke through his walls. Mason flirted and she flirted back, but she saw him and it went deeper than surface level. Wilder was shy and sweet, they bonded over books and she helped him come out of his shell. Kieran was sad, and she helped him with his sadness by showing her own and celebrating the people they lost. Cade the pack alpha, he knew when he saw her she was the one, he was patient and always there. She didn’t hesitate to defend him to his father. She stood up to her old pack. When all the protests started she didn’t hesitate to share her personal stories to support her pack. She fought for them. She found her place in the pack so easily and she got a job she loved. They showed her what a good pack was and supported her and cared for her. Her parents showed up and helped during the protests. Everything ended up working out. This was such a good book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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