Against the Boards- Hockey Romance

by Caitlyn Best

801 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 17, 2026

Reviews

[Logan Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I ended up DNF’ing this one.

The writing itself was strong, and the banter between the characters was genuinely entertaining — easily one of the book’s biggest highlights. I really enjoyed the beginning and went in fully expecting to see it through to the end.

However, at around 1,700 pages, the length became difficult to ignore. While the story had great moments, it often felt repetitive, and several scenes were drawn out far longer than necessary. At times, it became a bit tedious and time-consuming to push through.

That said, if your trope is a drawn-out slow burn, then this is most definitely for you. The tension builds gradually and lingers for a long time, which will absolutely appeal to readers who love that style.

I truly think that with tighter editing and a shorter page count, this could have been an incredible read. The potential was definitely there — it just needed a bit more restraint in execution.

[Beth Durbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The storyline was good with the friendships and camaraderie between the group. I liked the book, but there were some repeating in the book and it was quite long, 1770 pages. Because of the length it took me longer to finish, because I read other books during reading it. I did not want to DNF it, I wanted to finish it because I liked the story.

[Shannon Alderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

too slow

I was enjoying this book by my god it felt like it was taking forever for anything to actually happen, looked at how many pages I had read and it said 306!! Over 1000 pages long, I couldn’t read on. Too slow. Such a shame as it was actually ok but really needs to pick up speed.

[Renee K · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have said, this book is a commitment with the length being longer than the typical romcom.
However, I really loved the story, the writing, the characters, and following them for a year. I literally felt like I was right there with them.

What worked:
The characters were unique and hilarious with big hearts, found family, persistence through hard things in life, mostly accurate hockey descriptions when included, character depth, trauma responses, and college life reality. I loved that we got to see the characters longer…not just a quick epilogue. The couple did not have insta-love so it was interesting to see their feelings develop and persist. And anytime a main character is a social work student/social worker….I don’t see that often and loved it. This was mostly closed door, some fade to black…probably more sweet kisses would have been welcome content but it absolutely wasn’t the main focus. I also loved, again, the realness of the group’s struggles and successes after graduation. I do think getting to the end made the rest worth it. I just loved the last 15%, outside of editing errors mentioned below.

What didn’t work:
This would have been a solid 4 or 5 for me except for the following: the length wasn’t necessary to still get the immersive experience of the author’s writing. I do think part of the point was to focus on that daily consistency, but it could be cut down. Editing/more early readers would have caught repetition of statements and scenes and many missed apostrophes in the last 15% of the book, and two small hockey-related fixes. There was a point earlier in the book before the two got together where their revenge behaviors were getting to a point that made it hard to read…but almost as soon as I thought that, they grew past it.

Extras people may want to know:
Spice: barely 1/5. Content included a lot of sleeping next to each other but nothing graphic, which I appreciated.
Language: was in there but fit the setting with college hockey players.
TW: abusive mother (brief appearances/reactions), past losses of parents (mentioned occasionally)

I would read another of this author’s books now that I understand it’s not a quick read.

[Jennifer Amaral · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, AND emotionally invested at the same time 🥹🏒💛

Grumpy girl x golden retriever hockey boy??
Forced proximity??
He falls first AND hard??

Yeah… this book absolutely had me from the start.

Casey was such a refreshing FMC because she’s sharp, independent, and completely unwilling to let people in easily. She’s carrying so much pressure and emotional self-protection under all that sarcasm, and it made her feel incredibly real.

And then there’s James 👀

Honestly??
He completely stole the show for me.

At first he seems like the classic charming hockey player, but the deeper the story goes, the more you realize how patient and genuine he actually is. He doesn’t just flirt with Casey—he shows up for her over and over again until she slowly starts believing she deserves someone who stays.

And THAT is what made this romance hit so hard emotionally.

The chemistry between them is amazing from the beginning. The banter is sharp, funny, and full of tension, but underneath it there’s this slow emotional build that makes every softer moment feel even more rewarding.

I also loved the hockey house/found family atmosphere SO much. The chaos, friendships, teasing, and team dynamic made the whole story feel warm and lived in beyond just the romance.

And honestly??
Watching James fall harder and harder while Casey desperately tries not to was one of the BEST parts 👀💛

✨ If you love: • college hockey romance
• grumpy girl x sunshine/golden retriever MMC
• forced proximity/project partners
• found family vibes
• emotionally supportive MMCs who fall first

This one is funny, sweet, spicy, and full of heart—I didn’t want to leave the hockey house

[Lover of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golden retriever!

I genuinely really enjoyed this book. Once I got into the story, I was completely invested in Casey and James and honestly didn’t want it to end.

James Montgomery was SUCH a golden retriever MMC in the best possible way. The way he fell first — and fell hard — had me smiling the whole time.

Underneath the cocky hockey player reputation, he was patient, protective, caring, and constantly showing up for Casey even when she tried to push him away. He gave major “touch her and die” energy while still being sweet and emotionally supportive, which made him impossible not to love.

Casey was also a really strong FMC. I liked that she wasn’t instantly soft or dependent on anyone. Her independence, sarcasm, and guarded personality made sense with her background, and I actually appreciated getting to understand why she was the way she was. Watching her slowly let James in felt rewarding and believable.

The banter and chemistry between them carried the story for me. The late-night study sessions, forced proximity, hockey house chaos, and found family vibes made the relationship feel natural and fun. Their dynamic was the perfect grumpy girl x sunshine/golden retriever pairing.

I will say the beginning felt a little slower and more detailed than I expected, so it took me a bit to fully get into it. But at the same time, I ended up appreciating how much depth the author gave the characters and relationships because it made the emotional moments hit harder later on.

James Montgomery honestly stole the show for me. The man was down BAD for Casey from the start and I loved every second of it.

[Jess ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay sooo… this book was decently good, but whew it was a commitment. At over 1700 pages, this one took me a minute to get through. 😅 I’m not even mad about long books, but the emotional back-and-forth between them wanting a relationship and then not wanting one… over and over… gave me serious whiplash.

I will say — the banter? Chef’s kiss. 👏 I genuinely loved their chemistry when they were just being together. And I adored how close she is with Parker. Those friendship moments felt authentic and grounding.

There were definitely parts that felt super relatable, which kept me invested. But at the same time, there were stretches that dragged and honestly could’ve been tightened up. There are also a lot of side characters — I get that it’s probably setting up future books, but it felt overwhelming at times.

Overall: solid read, just needed some trimming and less emotional ping-pong for me. 💭

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started off well with a good storyline of friends, college, sport and the daily ins and outs of young adulthood. This book was a massive 1766 pages. There were parts that were repeated and lots of inconsistencies (one part said James was there with his friends and then in the next sentence it said ‘James walked in’). I would consider turning this into two books or condensing the book due to it being so large. There was definitely parts that could have been left out and felt like it was going around in circles. I would like to see what the next book will be like but would skip it if its length is anything like this one.

The banter and chemistry between Casey and James was well written. The friendships were in depth and thought out.

I received a free copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this was a very cute story, though I do think it could have been shorter. There was quite a bit of back-and-forth that felt repetitive at times, with similar narrative points revisited over and over. Occasionally, the storytelling also felt inconsistent—certain moments were presented as if they were brand new revelations, even though the characters had already experienced or discussed them. For example, it was a bit confusing when the narrative suggested Casey didn’t really know the hockey guys well, despite her clearly spending a lot of time with them throughout the story.

That said, I absolutely loved the banter between the characters. Strong banter is one of my favorite elements in a book, and this story definitely delivered in that department. If you’re a fan of slow burns, this one is an extreme slow burn—very much leaning toward a YA vibe rather than a spicy adult romance.

All in all, this was a sweet, cutesy read with genuinely wonderful characters. While it wasn’t perfect, it was still an enjoyable story with plenty of charm.

[Brandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this story and really enjoyed reading it. It kept me entertained with very few lulls despite its length. The characters are awesome. The banter and camaraderie is fantastic. It could have used a little more spice for me but I would say it was great for a YA audience. I was sucked into the story right away. I can see it becoming a series in the future. It has potential to be absolutely amazing but needs some more editing. It has spelling, punctuation errors, some repetition and some inconsistencies. I also felt that it could be trimmed down some to improve on the length and tighten up the story by omitting some irrelevant details as it was very long for a romance novel. Did the errors and length take away from it? A little but not enough that I gave up on it. If you like sports romance and a detailed timeline then you will love this book and the characters!

[Kourt · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not a quick read (some 1770 pages!), the story has all of the college experience and romance you'd expect. With classic tropes of a educationally dedicated, somewhat grumpy and guarded FMC with a deeper motivating past and a not-just-a-jock golden retriever hockey player, the story has all of the witty banter and family & friend heart you want in a story. It does not feel like a slow burn since you can expect the pairing fairly quickly but the development does take its time.

Overall, I was not expecting the length of this book with all of the back and forth of the characters as this was not an epic quest but instead a romantic comedy of sorts. The sequel appears to be just as long, diving more into further development of additional characters.

[Jennifer Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read update:
3.75⭐️⭐️⭐️
I took the time to read it again. I really liked the friend group; their friendship bond was top-tier. Parker and Lydia were my favorites.
I didn't like the college years, but when they graduated, I enjoyed the book more. I liked how they made time for each other. Casey and James, I liked how they grew together, not apart. Normally, long distance would destroy some relationships, but they found the positive and pushed through, knowing seeing each other again would be worth it.

First read:
I liked how close the friends in the group are and their banter.
I found myself getting whiplash from James and Casey we are friends and oh we like each other. I found Casey to be messy kissing one second, Austin, Jamie, James and whoever else on the hockey team. The drama that was caused you'd find her and some other dude it was that day. Too messy and slow for my taste.

[Dallas Godlewski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay Im giving this book a 3 because I like the plot, I like the characters, and I think it could have been great. That being said either this writer used AI or this writer has a bad memory. Every chapter almost has some plot issue, one scene they pull up to a house and the mom opens the door for them and they go in but a paragraph later they are just turning the car off and then going in. How?! Or another one at the game night where he asks the main character if she wants to go back to her place after finishing the game but then in the next paragraph they havent finished the game and havent left. Not to mention the times that something happens and its written like its the first time it happened even if its not. I think this book is way longer than it needed to be because its repetitive and not written well. Like I said the plot is good, the characters are great, its just not cohesive at all.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A New World to Explore

The first book in Caitlyn Best’s NorthLake University Series is a great intro into the world of NorthLake University’s hockey team.

During one year of college, Best takes the reader on a whirlwind ride as Casey and James navigate the ups and downs of falling for someone you are not sure can ever really be yours.

The quiet moments between Casey and James when they are vulnerable with each other are beautiful and their sexual chemistry brings just the right amount of heat to the story.

What also makes Against the Boards so enjoyable are the colorful characters that Casey and James call family, friends and teammates. You will laugh, cry, get frustrated and thoroughly become immersed in their universe.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair warning, this book is thick! But I love a good book with a lot of pages. This is one you definitely take your time with, but it’s well worth it. I absolutely loved Casey and James. She was off limits s as she was best friends with the hockey teams captain. But James had his sights set on her. I loved how this book takes the time to give depth, daily occurrences, events, things that I felt like really brought the story to life. I appreciate that kind of dedication when writing a story. And watching the back and forth with these two. Their banter, it was so much fun.
I thought the story was very well written with the exception of some repetition here and there, but nothing that deterred me. I loved the detail and description. And the characters were very easy to relate to. If I could’ve binged this, I would have. But this baby needs time lol. This is the first time I’ve ever read one of Caitlyn’s books, and I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to reading the next one.

[Abbey · Rating 2 out of 5]

800 pages! OMG!
First, credit to the author that she has good writing style and detail. However, this book was agonizing to get through. Chapters and characters contradicted themselves (example she has a cat for 2 chapters then she was allergic to cats and didn’t) there some other things that contradicted each others, but I won’t go into more detail.
This could have been 300-375 pages MAX. It was the same things again and again.

I didn’t like that towards the end we started getting chapters from another love interest perspective. Like why? Make them have their own book.

I felt the ending hockey chapter was so many pages of everyone “sobbing” and saying the same things.

I liked the characters but will not be reading more if the rest of the series is as long as this book.

[Charlie of LitAndLiterary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A forewarning: this book is not for the weak of will. Well, not really, I'm kidding, sort of. The thing is, this book is significantly longer than your average contemporary romance novel, and it requires serious commitment. 

Now that that's out of the way, let's go to the review proper. 

The characters you meet at the beginning of the story are not the same people you will grow to be fond of at the end. If there's something that this book effectively illustrates, that is growth. I had to exercise temperance and patience as I read through how they navigated young adulthood and personal relationships. 

The second thing I really liked about this book is that it showcases love in a found family. So much so that there were instances during my reading that I kept asking myself if I'm still reading a romance novel. This book is so much more than the romance aspect, and felt more like a novel about young-adulthood, which technically, it is as well. 

If I had to choose a character that really stood out to me, it would be Julien. I love me some of that fun bilingual golden retriever energy, and who is guaranteed to know how to French kiss. His energy would probably drain me but I feel like we could be real buds.

Now, let me go back to the first thing I said about this book -- its length. Honestly, I think that there were too many filler scenes in between the real plot devices. There were instances during my reading where I surfaced and asked myself, "What's going to happen next?", or "Where is this book even going?", because there were too many lulls in between the plot twists. There were too many parties, and too many dates on-page, and while they are okay, they did not really move the plot along all that much. I think this is what really affected my enjoyment of this story.

All in all though, this is a solid contemporary romance novel with character growth, but be sure to read it with patience, because it is a lot. And for all it's worth, there is happiness at the end. 

Disclaimer: I was given a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review. 

[April Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg where do I even begin. I absolutely love the story and the plat. The characters are wonderful and the way they are all described lets you picture them perfectly. It was a bit long, my longest book in a long time but so worth it. Casey and James are picture perfect and it was great to read about them. Not a perfect life but one that allowed them to mesh well with each other. I can not wait to read the others.

[Miri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC read. It took me a long time to read with 1700 pages.

I loved the story line and the characters with their camaraderie but it could have been shorter by over 1000 pages. A lot of parts were repeated in words and the spelling was a little choppy.

James and Casey had great chemistry and I liked the banter. The rest of the characters were a lot of fun to read about including Julien.

[Katie Haefner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book it did take me longer to read with it having 1770 pages being able to ARC read it I was honored James and Casey banter was so funny but I love the best friend ship that Parker and Casey have the car accident with Parker and Casey shattered me it really shows how much they both care for each other

[Maria Suggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good but boy was it a commitment. The storyline was great. I loved the chemistry between Casey and James and the entire group as a whole. It’s a very very very slow burn which usually isn’t my style at all. I did find that some things repeated a lot or were changed a few pages after the fact. With some length tightening, I think this could’ve been an amazing book. I’m interested to see what book 2 brings.

[Kaitlyn Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but it is a commitment book. A very slow burn which I typically appreciate. I enjoyed the characters and appreciated the thoughtful development of them. There is a bit of redundancy at times that could have shortened the book some, but I understand why she had those elements on there.

[Sarah Kretzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read up to page 515 and couldn't take it anymore. The book way way to long at 800 pages on KU. Loved the background stories of Casey and James. But I started getting a dislike of hearing the lines of " Are you okay" and taking about James's chain that he wears around his neck. I would have like a little more detailed story about James growing up though. Im going to try and read book two since Im an ARC reader for that and I hope it's better.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very detailed and there were lots of characters to get to know. It did seem a bit long at times and repetitive with certain words / phrases and storylines but overall I enjoyed it. It was an easy read and the characters were relatable.

I am looking forward to reading the next couple of books in the series.

[Christina Carberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book so much! At certain parts of reading I really didn’t want to stop reading even though I had to! The characters interacted with each other perfectly and the banter is what I feel actually made me rate it a 5!

[Ilse Verschaeve · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book this well-developed and immersive. Some may find it long, but it honestly feels like several great books in one. Casey & James created a truly unforgettable story.

[Jess Bucsis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's definitely a slow burn, but it's worth the time. I enjoyed this read, but I was hoping for more spice much earlier in the book, and I feel there were some missed opportunities to insert some physical connection to keep us readers going. Overall, I think the writing was good.

[Misty Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and would definitely read again. the friend group is great, the banter is funny and cute. overall very cute read.

[Shawna C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The friendships we wish we had

The friendships and comraderie between this friends group is everything we wish we all had during college years and adult years. The book did have quite a few repeats that showed up, but the storyline and feelings were amazing.

[John R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Characters!

The characters are so much fun. We all have those friends that are considered your tribe and this book does a great job of following those relationships.