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Body Check: A Spicy Grumpy Sunshine Captain Rookie MM Hockey Romance
Chicago Storm captain Luca Moretti may be the NHL’s golden boy, but off the ice, he’s living a lie.
Disciplined, stoic, and fiercely private, he's spent sixteen years building a fortress around his life to protect his legacy and his father’s approval. He has one rule. Never let the world see who he really is. The last thing he expects is for his carefully constructed defenses to be shattered by a rookie with a sunny smile and zero filter.
Rookie winger Theo Callahan lives his life out loud.
He’s everything Luca isn't—bold, open, and dangerously charming. He knows he should be intimidated by his grumpy captain, but he can’t stop looking for the man beneath the armor. He hasn't forgotten the electricity that sparked between them in the locker room, and the forbidden chemistry simmering during early-morning practices is becoming impossible to ignore.
Theo is more than happy to show Luca what life looks like without the mask.
Between stolen touches in equipment rooms and quiet moments away from the cameras, Luca is feeling a freedom he hasn’t experienced in a long time. But maintaining his perfect image has taken its toll on his soul, and a future with Theo may mean burning down the very legacy he spent a lifetime building.
Disciplined, stoic, and fiercely private, he's spent sixteen years building a fortress around his life to protect his legacy and his father’s approval. He has one rule. Never let the world see who he really is. The last thing he expects is for his carefully constructed defenses to be shattered by a rookie with a sunny smile and zero filter.
Rookie winger Theo Callahan lives his life out loud.
He’s everything Luca isn't—bold, open, and dangerously charming. He knows he should be intimidated by his grumpy captain, but he can’t stop looking for the man beneath the armor. He hasn't forgotten the electricity that sparked between them in the locker room, and the forbidden chemistry simmering during early-morning practices is becoming impossible to ignore.
Theo is more than happy to show Luca what life looks like without the mask.
Between stolen touches in equipment rooms and quiet moments away from the cameras, Luca is feeling a freedom he hasn’t experienced in a long time. But maintaining his perfect image has taken its toll on his soul, and a future with Theo may mean burning down the very legacy he spent a lifetime building.
151 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2026
51 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 30, 2026
Basic errors that even the most cursory of edits should have caught, the most egregious being that they play the conference semifinals, then the finals, then the semifinals again. Plus things like the hockey season only being a couple months long (if I counted the weeks right), flip flopping between Luca being closeted for 10 and 16 years, Theo being out for a minimum of six weeks with an injury then playing one handed maybe two weeks later, etc.
February 2, 2026
I don't even know where to start.
On the first few pages I had hope, it seemed like a great light hearted romance, it took a turn pretty quickly though.
I had so many issues with this book.
So many contradictions.
The writing was not great. The sentences were short, which made it quick to read but it was so repetitive and weird.
Sometimes it felt like both povs got written by different people, that didn't talk to each other.
It was very shallow.
There really wasn't any relationship or longing, there was some tension and then they were together 3 weeks off page.
We just don't see their relationship because it was just some angsty book about a captain that "can't" come out, even though everyone is very queer positive. The reason why is revealed way later and it's okay, what ever, I get it.
It didn't feel emotional to me. It just annoyed me.
Theo was a sweetheart that didn't deserve how Luca treated him.
The timing doesn't add up at all! The hockey season was like 3 months and off season 2 months? That's not how a year works.
Maybe I'm wrong but the injuries didn't seem researched at all. I don't think you can play hockey again in week after getting a concussion. And a separated shoulder doesn't seem like something that can heal in 6 weeks. But then he played games after a while and THEN it was mentioned months later that he is now cleared for contact again? What?
His coming out, puh-lease.
'I smiled back. On the ice. In front of eighteen thousand people and a dozen cameras. I don't care anymore.'
I smiled back? Congratulations on your courage? Didn't know it's gay when two men smile at each other.
His captains speech.
'"This championship doesn't belong to me," I continued. "It belongs to all of us"'
Uhm duh. Yes my dude, it's a teamsport. There is no I in team.
I guess it's a debut novel. Sometimes they feel like babies, like the author wrote them for a long time, till they finally got released. This one does not. It feels rushed and could definitely used an editor. I read a few reviews saying it feels like AI and I agree. Or I guess I agree, never read ai and don't want to but this book feels weird. It could have been a good book, it just needed more depths.
On the first few pages I had hope, it seemed like a great light hearted romance, it took a turn pretty quickly though.
I had so many issues with this book.
So many contradictions.
The writing was not great. The sentences were short, which made it quick to read but it was so repetitive and weird.
Sometimes it felt like both povs got written by different people, that didn't talk to each other.
It was very shallow.
There really wasn't any relationship or longing, there was some tension and then they were together 3 weeks off page.
We just don't see their relationship because it was just some angsty book about a captain that "can't" come out, even though everyone is very queer positive. The reason why is revealed way later and it's okay, what ever, I get it.
It didn't feel emotional to me. It just annoyed me.
Theo was a sweetheart that didn't deserve how Luca treated him.
The timing doesn't add up at all! The hockey season was like 3 months and off season 2 months? That's not how a year works.
Maybe I'm wrong but the injuries didn't seem researched at all. I don't think you can play hockey again in week after getting a concussion. And a separated shoulder doesn't seem like something that can heal in 6 weeks. But then he played games after a while and THEN it was mentioned months later that he is now cleared for contact again? What?
His coming out, puh-lease.
'I smiled back. On the ice. In front of eighteen thousand people and a dozen cameras. I don't care anymore.'
I smiled back? Congratulations on your courage? Didn't know it's gay when two men smile at each other.
His captains speech.
'"This championship doesn't belong to me," I continued. "It belongs to all of us"'
Uhm duh. Yes my dude, it's a teamsport. There is no I in team.
I guess it's a debut novel. Sometimes they feel like babies, like the author wrote them for a long time, till they finally got released. This one does not. It feels rushed and could definitely used an editor. I read a few reviews saying it feels like AI and I agree. Or I guess I agree, never read ai and don't want to but this book feels weird. It could have been a good book, it just needed more depths.
February 3, 2026
This was a solid hockey romance with a strong emotional core, but some elements held it back from being a higher rating for me.
Luca’s internal struggle is clearly the heart of the story, and while I appreciated the depth of his conflict, there was quite a bit of repetition surrounding what he can’t and won’t do. At times, it felt like his actions were constantly circling the same fears, which slowed the pacing and made certain moments feel drawn out.
Theo is such a lovable character—his sunshine energy and genuine care for Luca really shine—but I didn’t feel like he was as fully developed as he could’ve been. I found myself wishing we had more of his point of view to better understand his motivations and inner world beyond how he shows up for Luca.
That said, I genuinely enjoyed Luca and Theo together. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the quiet, stolen moments between them were some of my favorite parts of the book. The themes of identity, legacy, and choosing happiness over expectation are meaningful and thoughtfully explored.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with characters I cared about, even if it didn’t completely hit the emotional depth I was hoping for. Fans of hockey romance and grumpy/sunshine dynamics will still find plenty to like here.
Luca’s internal struggle is clearly the heart of the story, and while I appreciated the depth of his conflict, there was quite a bit of repetition surrounding what he can’t and won’t do. At times, it felt like his actions were constantly circling the same fears, which slowed the pacing and made certain moments feel drawn out.
Theo is such a lovable character—his sunshine energy and genuine care for Luca really shine—but I didn’t feel like he was as fully developed as he could’ve been. I found myself wishing we had more of his point of view to better understand his motivations and inner world beyond how he shows up for Luca.
That said, I genuinely enjoyed Luca and Theo together. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the quiet, stolen moments between them were some of my favorite parts of the book. The themes of identity, legacy, and choosing happiness over expectation are meaningful and thoughtfully explored.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with characters I cared about, even if it didn’t completely hit the emotional depth I was hoping for. Fans of hockey romance and grumpy/sunshine dynamics will still find plenty to like here.
January 28, 2026
dual pov angsty romance
This is a different book than what I had anticipated. A lot repetition on “cants” and “wonts” behind Luca’s actions. Doesn’t seem to jive with the immediate inclusivity of the entire team, team organization, NHL, etc. at the end of the story. While Theo is one of the main characters, he most definitely less developed of the two. Mainly closed door romance.
This is a different book than what I had anticipated. A lot repetition on “cants” and “wonts” behind Luca’s actions. Doesn’t seem to jive with the immediate inclusivity of the entire team, team organization, NHL, etc. at the end of the story. While Theo is one of the main characters, he most definitely less developed of the two. Mainly closed door romance.
February 6, 2026
Amazing!
God!! This book! I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. And I smiled my arse off at the end. Piper Cross is wonderful at telling this genre of story. I am definitely adding Piper to my search settings.
Theo and Luca are so beautiful together. They were meant to be with each other. “The fates” caused Theo to, literally, run into Luca. The part about being scared to death over people finding out is written so honestly that my heart clenched every time Luca let his fears win. It’s real and scary as feck. You wonder if anyone will still be there when all is said and done. My father is exactly the same as Luca’s. Poor guy. 🫤
I hope that Luca & Theo appear in book number two as supporting characters. Maybe one of the team gets up to something at their wedding and that’s where the story for book two gets started. 🤞
I enjoyed this so much that I sincerely hope that this becomes a 3 or 4! (or more!!) book series about The Chicago Storm.
God!! This book! I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. And I smiled my arse off at the end. Piper Cross is wonderful at telling this genre of story. I am definitely adding Piper to my search settings.
Theo and Luca are so beautiful together. They were meant to be with each other. “The fates” caused Theo to, literally, run into Luca. The part about being scared to death over people finding out is written so honestly that my heart clenched every time Luca let his fears win. It’s real and scary as feck. You wonder if anyone will still be there when all is said and done. My father is exactly the same as Luca’s. Poor guy. 🫤
I hope that Luca & Theo appear in book number two as supporting characters. Maybe one of the team gets up to something at their wedding and that’s where the story for book two gets started. 🤞
I enjoyed this so much that I sincerely hope that this becomes a 3 or 4! (or more!!) book series about The Chicago Storm.
January 31, 2026
I wish this was a longer story!
I loved it, the writing was great although I did feel like ai could’ve been used in some parts…? Every time they text each other it would be like “I deleted it 5 times before sending it”
Will definitely read the next book when it comes out!
Loved Lucas & Theo although I do wish we got more of Theo’s pov.
Free on kindle!
I loved it, the writing was great although I did feel like ai could’ve been used in some parts…? Every time they text each other it would be like “I deleted it 5 times before sending it”
Will definitely read the next book when it comes out!
Loved Lucas & Theo although I do wish we got more of Theo’s pov.
Free on kindle!
February 4, 2026
Body Check has SUCH good bones for what I believe is Piper’s debut! it’s missing some of the meat of the story like more details on the mmc’s time together and more looks into their lives off the ice and friendships with their teammates. Overall I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to see more from Piper!
February 6, 2026
Short novel so a bit fast pace but not rushed.
Theo came into Luca’s life and turned it upside down.
The 3rd act breakup hurts (bc Theo is precious and deserves everything) and still gets to you even though it is again a fast pace book.
My favorite moment?
Lucas saying to his teammates « if He will forgive me » & Theo is actually standing behind him answering « He will forgive you ».
Theo came into Luca’s life and turned it upside down.
The 3rd act breakup hurts (bc Theo is precious and deserves everything) and still gets to you even though it is again a fast pace book.
My favorite moment?
Lucas saying to his teammates « if He will forgive me » & Theo is actually standing behind him answering « He will forgive you ».
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2026
wish there was more depth in the storyline, characters and plot. this book has so much potential for that, but it felt rushed and things were skipped/missed and not explored properly. otherwise it was a good quick book to read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews