A Fool for April

by Ellie Hall

They call it puppy love, but is there such a thing as fake dating your best friend when your crush on him is real?

I’ve been secretly in love with my hockey-playing best friend, Clark, for years, but he keeps me in the friend zone. I’d much rather be in the goalie box with him, but I’m afraid that’ll ruin a good thing—and I'd lose my top dog-walking client.

When he lands a spokesperson deal for the “Love at First Wag” campaign, the charity thinks I’m his girlfriend and wants both of us as the face of their spring adoption drive. His publicist proposes we play along. This is not an April Fool’s joke!

Now I’m pretending to be madly in love with the man who already owns my heart during fake romantic photoshoots, getting real butterflies with his every touch, and wondering if the way he’s started looking at me means I’m more than just his faithful sidekick.

I worry whether our friendship can survive this charade when the cameras stop rolling and we go back to normal. Unless I’m wrong and there’s something more between us.

While I try to save enough money to open The Barkery—my dream dog bakery and training center—and he builds his career, we have to navigate keeping our friendship intact, explore whether we’re meant to be teammates for life, and help find pups their forever homes.

But will we be each other’s forever person?

Get ready for all the swoony best friends-to-lovers feels, adorable dogs, small business dreams, and the kind of love story that proves sometimes the best relationships start with the perfect friendship.

Tropes
Friends to lovers
Fake dating
Mutual pining
Forced proximity
Small town
Found family
Doggies!

Genres: Fake Dating, Romance, Sports Romance, Hockey, Fiction, Clean Romance, Friends To Lovers

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2026

About the author

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. ;) She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

♥

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/EllieHallNL
Website: http://www.elliehallauthor.com
Facebook: http://www/facebook.com/elliehallauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/elliehallauthor

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Series and suggested reading order:

The Only Us Sweet Billionaire Series
•these billionaires have everything, but will they find love...?•

1. Only a Date with a Billionaire
2. Only a Kiss with a Billionaire
3. Only a Night with a Billionaire
4. Only Forever with a Billionaire
5. Only Love with a Billionaire
6. Only Christmas with the Billionaire
7. Only New Year with the Billionaire

♥

The Hawkins Family Clean Romance Series

•five brothers, torn apart and the women who help put them back together...•

1. Second Chance in Hawk Ridge Hollow

2. Finding Forever in Hawk Ridge Hollow

3. Resort Getaway with a Bodyguard

4. Going Home to Hawk Ridge Hollow

5. Christmas in Hawk Ridge Hollow

♥

The Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance Series

•a small-town restaurant, a dating dare, and happily ever afters...•

1. Summer with the Marine

2. Summer with the Rock Star

3. Summer with the Billionaire

4. Summer with the Cowboy

5. Summer with the Carpenter

6. Summer with the Doctor

♥

Ritchie Ranch Clean Cowboy Romance Series

•Cowboy hats & kisses with small-town charm•

1. Rustling the Cowboy’s Heart

2. Lassoing the Cowboy’s Heart

3. Trusting the Cowboy’s Heart

4. Kissing the Christmas Cowboy

5. Loving the Cowboy’s Heart

6. Charming the Cowboy’s Heart

7. Saving the Cowboy’s Heart

8. Wrangling the Cowboy’s Heart

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Falling into Happily Ever After Rom Com

• Sweet, heartwarming & uplifting romantic comedy

1. An Unwanted Love Story

2. An Unexpected Love Story

3. An Unlikely Love Story

4. An Accidental Love Story

5. An Impossible Love Story

6. An Unconventional Christmas Love Story

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Forever Marriage Match

• Five friends have to find true love or else...romcom

1. Dare to Love My Grumpy Boss

2. Dare to Love the Guy Next Door

3. Dare to Love My Fake Husband

4. Dare to Love the Guy I Hate

5. Dare to Love My Best Friend

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Home Sweet Home Small Town Romantic Comedy Series

Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love

Designing Happily Ever After

The DIY Kissing Project

The True Romance Renovation

Extreme Heart Makeover

Building What's Meant to Be

♥

The Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance Series

Tommy & Merry and the 12 Days of Christmas

Bruno & Gloria and the 5 Golden Rings

Luca & Ivy and the 4 Calling Birds

Gio & Joy and the 3 French Hens

Paulo & Noella and the 2 Turtle Doves

Nico & Hope and the Partridge in the Pear Tree

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The Love List Series

The Swoon List

The Not Love List

The Crush List

The Kiss List

The Naughty or Nice List

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Love, Laughs, and Mystery in Coco Key

The Romance Situation

The Romance Fiasco

The Romance Game

The Romance Gambit

The Christmas Romance Wish

♥

On the Hunt for Love

The Grump and the Girl Next Door

The Bitter Heir and the Beauty

The Secret Son and the Sweetheart

The Ex Best Friend and the Fake Fiancé

The Best Friend’s Brother and the Brain

Select titles are available in audiobook, paperback, hardcover, and large print formats. Happy reading!♥

Reviews

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Ellie Hall is amazing ! So many dogs! And the hapless couple who are strictly friends ,who can’t move on to being more if they tried ,they can’t seem to find themselves in line for a snog through the fog. Well not strictly true .He loves her ,she loves him too. Only none of them realise they only have eyes for each other. And they friend-zoned themselves so fast ,and now ten years have passed.

He even bought so many pooches so he could keep this honey at his beck or should that be bark and call. While she dreams of her smooches. She’s a dog walker extraordinaire you see is April and with Clark’s tribe they’re certainly a handful. That’s what friends are for right. But she dreams of him every night, he dreams of her ,but this they don’t share ,aren’t they a right pair? …

Whitaker, Clark’s team mate way back when ,now his publicist does insist that he goes on fixed up dates to get him noticed and in a good light. He’d rather be at home each night with April his bestie . This dating lark just makes him testy.

Whitaker is the reason he’s pined for ten years. Because he was the one who took April to the prom. Clark’s own stupid fault, he messed up, cos when his mate invoked the bro code ,he didn’t fess up to being in love with her himself. Left alone up on the shelf.

April thought she didn’t stand a chance at romance with her friend ,he sees her like a sister he said so in not so many words ,she overheard him admit. So in the end what’s she to do but say yes ,I will go with you when Whitaker proposed a date.Though the dance was the worse of her life and Whitaker gave her some strife…which got her upset and irate.

Ten years have passed and the pining is worse for them both who’ve taken an oath to themselves to protect their friendship at all costs ,that’s what counts the most. But they’re kidding themselves.

Clark Culpepper is April’s best friend . He’s also her crush. She goes to mush just think of him ,walking his dogs letting herself into his apartment with her own key. Even staying over when he’s working late. It’s a fantasy and she knows it .No matter how much she denies the magnetism pulling her towards him . He’s her boss as well as best friend truth be known and she would be like a dog without a bone to chew on . If she lost the job as well as his friendship she would not have a leg to stand on.

Dog introduction time . They really are all sublime. There’s Moose the Great Dane who thinks he’s as small as a chihuahua and not the size of horse . Yup he’s insane. Of course there’s the little guy call Scout , a Border Collie- Australian Shepherd weird mix with one listening ear and one pricked up ever alert. The last is Buster a Corgi -Beagle mix ,they are great roomies and love to do zoomies. Good job she doesn’t mind be clobbered in slobber . “Okay, okay! Yes, I love you and you and you. You’re the bestest boys. We’re going for a walk. Let me just—no, Scout, I can’t put your leash on while you’re doing zoomies around the coffee table.” See what I mean? Good job she’s taking them out there’d be no apartment left and can’t have Clark bereft of fixtures and fittings because of her. Though he probably wouldn’t care nor mind one bit ,because he finds her exquisite too . April Hansen he’s mooning over you.

When Clark gets home, Scout ,Moose and Buster are about to meet the prettiest little thing. This is where Clark comes to his own and gives yet another dog a home. This time a lady…Purdy the Shih Tzu a pretty little thing timid and all a tremble ,he takes home. And April meets her after she brings the boys home. Well she soon has Purdy feeling at home. … if only she could stay too…

April has big plans as well as the dog walking business ,she’s hoping to get a dog cafe ,The Barkery. She’s put in an offer for the ideal place .Just needs to score the lease .This is something that she’s adamant to do on her own. Though her parents do moan and groan that this isn’t a career and not befitting her status why don’t you come be a lawyer my dear they both say every day in stasis.

Clark is quite a player ,no not that sort, though Whitaker would have the public think that exact thought. No he’s a great Goalie for his IceHockey team. The Nebraska Knights.The Wags and the players are all supportive and cheer the loudest and are the proudest outright. Of course April is an honorary member. She has all her friends supporting her too. As well as Clark and his mates , Coach Badesik too onside which is just as well as with coach there’s nothing to hide . He knows all and sees all . He’s mysterious as well as strict and serious about putting the work in and not shirking where the team and the title is concerned. Respect is earned.

She already has her speciality treats business online and she dreams big. It would be divine.An open field to walk the dogs out back, a grooming station in situation and a rehoming centre too would be nice. Love at First Wag Charity has it in the bag where she’s concerned ,Clark too . Credit earned for everything they’ve done and will do..

What may you ask did they do to get this accolade? Well I’m not telling you’ll have to read and find out. Were there sparks in the end or do they each remain forever or even furever a friend?

Ellie Hall my friend ,I loved every wag of every tail and girl you do tell a tale well. This storyline is divine ,it’s swell! And the storytelling makes compelling reading and exceedingly well devised . I was mesmerised as all heck and then some. No getting bored ma’am though there was some boarding it being hockey haha . What with Clark being an all star player now with the Nebraska Knights. This book sure delights!

It’s awesomeness and I’m blessed that this book includes a doggo based loosely on my grand-dog Purdy who’s ever so brave though she shivers when excited as well as nervous and she’s ever so pretty…. Oops I digress…

There’s funny and light and sunny and so swoon and sunny .You also will want to bang their hands together and tell both of them to get their acts together. And the secrets they’re keeping every night while they’re sleeping in separate beds.
So near yet so far apart in matters of the heart. Wonderful prose as always ,and what we come to expect from Ellie Hall .I had a ball! A free for all! Dogs ,dogs and more cute dogs all tails a wag .And what about them WAGs too? Certainly no drags. Supporting not only their men on and off the ice but their friend too. Everyone needs a wag or a WAG in their corner. When they say one of us ,it’s for life. This is because they’re all some lucky man’s hockey wife and man’s best friend(s) on which to depend.

[Nicole | Nicole's Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fool For April is a light, feel-good read full of soft smiles, sweet tension, and heartfelt tenderness. April and Clark are both so kind, genuine, and completely gone for each other (secretly, of course). They’re incredibly endearing and so easy to cheer for.

Friends-to-more isn’t my go-to trope, but this one completely won me over. I’m not a fan of when one character has to watch the other date someone else. This story does have a small element of off-page dating, and for a brief moment, I worried it might go in a direction I wouldn’t love… but then I remembered whose book I was reading. ☺️ Ellie writes heart-melting, swoony romance with all the fizzy feels but without the unnecessary drama and angst. She handled this aspect of the story so well, and it made the payoff that much sweeter. I love that I can trust Ellie with my heart.

Ellie is one of my go to authors for a reason. Her stories are pure, feel-good romance, full of charm and sweetness. They’re comforting in the best way, leaving you feeling full and completely satisfied.

Clark and April’s story was no exception. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes to pair with friends-to-more, and this one was done so well. The side characters were all-in, cheering them on every step of the way. They may have been fooling themselves—and each other—but they weren’t fooling anyone else. The interviews they gave were some of my favorite moments, and that practice kiss was absolute perfection. 🔥

I love how Clark and April support each other. Clark encourages April in her dream to open The Barkery and keeps adopting dogs for her to nurture and train. Meanwhile, April brings structure and balance to Clark’s life, helping him become the best version of himself. Their fierce loyalty, long history, and easy familiarity made the friends-to-more transition feel so natural.

Between the swoon, the slow-burn payoff, and all the adorable dogs along the way, this one completely stole my heart. 🐾 If you love friends-to-more done right and a whole lot of puppy love, definitely add this to your TBR.

✨Includes:✨
Best Friends To More
Nebraska Knights Goalie
Certified Dog Trainer & Walker
Fake Dating With Real Feelings
Mutual Pining For 10 Years
Found Family
Practice Kiss
Rescue Dogs & Pet Adoption
One Bed
Caught On The Kiss Cam
Fun Friend Groups
Strong Community
Small Town
Golden Retriever MMC
She Wears His Hoodie
Closed Door
Kisses Only
Dual POV


Favorites:
🤐Sister secrets
🥅Teammates conversations
🚙French Toast
🐶Moose, Scout, Buster, Purdy and Lulu
🤯Clark’s reaction to April in his hoodie
☺️”What’s mine is yours.”
🤣Hugs, high fives, and the Great Compliment Avoidance
👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻Kiss cam and fake dating
🔥Little touches and practice kisses
Coach Badaszek
🍝Dinner at Spaglietti’s
😠Alpha male territorial Clark
🤭Easter at the Culpepper’s
🤨Whitaker’s redemption
🥹Kansas City + learning to communicate
🦴The epilogue

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully invested 🤗

This is my 13th Nebraska Knights novel so I feel fully invested in the hockey players, the WAGS, the citizens of Cobbiton and the doggies. This is one of my favorites in the series and one of my favorite reads of this year. April and Clark have been in love with each for ten years….yet each one thinks that the other has friend zoned them. Through fake dating they discover their true feelings….Clark was such a worthy hero. Such a golden retriever personality, yet so sexy and masculine….and a great goalie 😍. April had such a big heart and loved to rescue dogs and take care of them. It was wonderful to see how the Bacon Boys brought Clark and April closer together, and what a wonderful Fur-Mily they make 🐶plus the sweet princess pups. Wonderful book with great kissing scenes, and a great series I highly recommend! A sweet and clean romance that brought me such joy 🥰

[Lissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Clark & April's sweet, caring, best friends, loving, hard won, laugh out loud, swoony happily ever!!!

[✨️Morgan In Wonderland✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a hockey romance and it was so cute! The characters were so adorable, the third act break up was not cringey, and it was funny! 100% clean, only kissing, I would recommend it to anyone 14 and up.

[Lindsey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️

Ellie Hall takes readers on a wonderful journey to see what happens when two people meet, friendzone each other, while quietly pining for the other. A Fool For April is classic Ellie, featuring sweet romance, sizzling kisses, and a small town with residents who can’t help but meddle. On top of that add adorable dogs that steal the story at times. I will never grow tired of the friends to lovers trope, it remains a favorite, and Ellie makes our MCs friendship shine throughout the story.

Clark and April met some time ago and have been best friends since. Their friendship is solid and they have no secrets. Well, except one. They both have feelings for the other, but won’t vocalize in fear of ruining their friendship. Neither one wants to lose the other, so they friendzone each other. After being caught on a Kiss Cam, a fake relationship starts to help Clark with his hockey career.

Now they are having to pretend to be in a relationship while they have real feelings for the other.
Both these characters were well developed and the growth that takes place is beautiful. April has big dreams for herself, wanting to open an animal friendly bakery. Clark has a great career in hockey, but definitely knows there is more to life than just hockey. As they navigate their fake relationship Ellie provided many moments, both humorous and swoony, filled with tension. I found myself at one time yelling out “Kiss already!” while holding my breath hoping it would happen.

Ellie’s stories are easy to get lost in while feeling a part of the story. Her characters never fail to take up residence in my heart and leave it full. Ellie’s talent is a signature in itself that makes Ellie’s books identifiable as you become more familiar with her works. Even if her name wasn’t on the book, you would know it was her book. It keeps this reader coming back for more.

As always, review any author notes before reading.

What to Expect:
🏒Small Town Romance
🌼Found Family
🏒Forced Proximity
🌼Mutual Pining
🏒Friends to Lovers
🌼Fake Dating
🏒Closed Door Romance

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can be better than rescue dogs everywhere, a long term friendship turned to something more and a semi-fake relationship? This book has all of those things and so much more. Just having the adorable rescue dogs, who just want someone to love them, was enough to make this sweet romance a plus for me.

April and Clark have been best friends for many years. Both of them have feelings for the other, but neither has ever acted on their feelings, mostly out of fear of messing up a wonderful friendship. After getting caught on a kiss cam after Clark's hockey game, they are approached by Love at First Wag asking them to be the couple the organization will use to advertise their brand. So, a fake relationship is born. Both April and Clark do not know how they are going to fake it to until they make it without letting true feelings come out.

I love a good friends to lovers/fake relationship trope. These two characters were so perfect for each other that you will find yourself rooting for them. They are both so incredibly kind and thoughtful, and they love dogs. I mean they really love dogs.

I enjoy the way this author always builds the story behind the scenes with each character's background, which makes the characters more real to me.

The chaos, the banter and the fighting attraction between two souls, who most definitely need to be together, make this sweet, charming romance irresistible and a must read for those who love a clean, romantic comedy.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Hockey romance
- Friends to lovers
- Mutual pining
- Fake dating
- Lots of doggos

It is no secret that friends to lovers is my all time favorite trope, followed closely by fake dating. So when those tropes are combined? I know I'm in for a good time.

I am also firmly in my hockey romance era and have absolutely loved the Nebraska Knights stories. I went into this book with high hopes and I was not disappointed.

April and Clark have been best friends for 10 years. Each of them liked the other for about that long, but are worried that any type of romance may impact their friendship.

I loved, loved, loved, the buffalo in the stomach instead of butterflies. That was so clever and made me smile each time those buffalo expressed their feelings. So cute!!!!!

The best part of this romance is that everyone EXCEPT April and Clark knew that they were in love with each other. And even when their respective friends tried to help, both April and Clark kept the friend tundra (another clever description!) firmly in place.

When they are presented with an opportunity to be spokespeople for a pet charity, it is too good to pass up. Thus, they agree to pretend to be dating for the press. But very soon, the practice kisses feel all too real.....

I smiled and giggled all the way through this book. Such a fun read!.

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

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember the first Ellie Hall book I read; it's been too long, and I've read too many of her books. 😁 I don't think there is a single one I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. I am so grateful to be on her ARC team.

Clark and April are friends who absotively posolutely need a push from friends and family to close the deal, so to speak. Their fear that they'll lose their friendship if either speaks the truth in his/her heart boils down to a fear of vulnerability. A fear that makes zero sense since they have known each other and been best friends for ten whole years. It is true, though, that being vulnerable is one of the scariest things we ever do. I've been married for 30+ years, but I still find it challenging to be vulnerable with my husband. I'm glad that Clark and April finally receive the push they need to get out of the "friend tundra." The joy is in reading how they get from best friends in the "friend tundra' to being so much more together. The joy is multiplied ten-fold with each pup and each new pup! LOL. I think there are six pups in their fur-mily by the end?! Moose is my favorite. Everyone should have giant Great Dane baby who loves to sit in his owner's lap!!!.

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

[Michelle Dodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clean, faith-based hockey rom-com! It is part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone.

April and Clark have been best friends since high school, about 10 year. However, they've secretly been in love with each other. She had overheard in high school that he thought of her "like a sister". So she's never crossed the line. He has never wanted to lose her friendship. She walks his dogs and has a dream to open a business for dog treats. She had attended one of his games and they won and she ended up on the ice and ended up on the kiss cam. They kissed, but still remain friends. However, a charity called Love at First Wag, wants them to be the faces of their charity for the month of April. Can they fake date and not fall in love? Will this ruin the friendship?

This was a really cute story of fake dating, friends to lovers. I root for both of them that they can figure it out. I have read other books in this series and love it.

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

[Kaci Bonar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to Nebraska again and I can honestly say my trips there get better and better!  Yes, Cobbiton is fictional, but this town has really expanded and grown over the last two years, and you won’t find me complaining!  Now before the Bacon boys get on me…

April Hansen is a woman with big dreams, that aren’t what her family want or expect of her (but that’s their problem)! She longs to open The Barkery off Main Street, catering to the canines of the town, serving up pup cakes, homemade treats, and other goodies.  The only problem is securing the financial backing of the bank, even if her bestie is offering to bankroll her.  She doesn’t want to be indebted to him, but she does long to be loved by him.  Being best friends for 10 years has been an amazing blessing, but secretly longing for more is something she dare not think about.

Clark Culpepper is a goalie for the Knights, he’s living his dream life with his career, but his love life is a bit complicated.  His manager wants him to do all the flashy eye-catching things for social media, when he would prefer a quiet life with his dogs and April.  Sure, he can admit this to himself, but anyone else that’s where it gets complicated.  His teammates and coach aren’t as blind to his feelings as he thinks. 

This story with its dual secret pining, relationship of convenience – that is mutually beneficial, and a whole slew of dogs is top shelf!  You would be crazy not to cheer for these guys!  The little moments, the supporting characters all cheering for them to get their own HEA and standing up to the oppressors really gets me too!  It’s evident that there is no other option but to fall for April and Clark.  While some situations they find themselves in were awkward or silly, this book had me smiling almost the entire time!  This book teaches us to hold onto our dreams and finding love with your biggest cheerleader is never a bad thing either!  Bravo Ellie!

[Sophie Toovey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely delightful — the kind of story that feels like a warm hug from beginning to end.

The premise is wonderfully cozy: April regularly house-sits for Clark and looks after his dogs (let’s be honest… they’re basically hers, and they definitely know it). Because of that, Clark and April already know each other so well, and their friendship creates such a natural foundation for the romance.

I loved how they consistently showed up for each other. Clark and April are both incredibly sweet as individuals, and together they’re simply adorable. Their easy familiarity made the friends-to-lovers transition feel believable and heartwarming.

There is a bit of a miscommunication trope along the way, but I actually thought it worked well in this story. The author also explores some of the bumps that can happen when a relationship shifts from friendship into something deeper, which added a welcome touch of realism to the romance.

Overall, this was such a comforting, feel-good read — tender, sweet, and full of heart.

[Elaine Coghlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fool for April by Ellie Hall is a charming and engaging addition to the hockey romance genre, offering a heartfelt friends-to-lovers story that is both swoony and satisfying.

Ellie’s writing is polished and immersive, drawing readers in with well-developed characters and a natural, believable progression of their relationship. The chemistry between the protagonists is evident from the start, and their journey from friendship to romance unfolds with warmth, humour, and emotional depth.

The supporting elements enhance the story’s appeal, particularly the inclusion of adorable puppies, which add a layer of sweetness and lighthearted charm. The hockey setting provides an energetic backdrop that complements the romance without overpowering it.

Overall, this novel is an enjoyable and feel-good read. Fans of sports romances and friends-to-lovers tropes will appreciate its engaging characters, gentle humour, and uplifting tone. Highly recommended for readers seeking a cozy and romantic escape.

[Kelli M. Stowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

April and Clark are the cutest friends to lovers! The mutual pining is SOOOO good. I loved April’s way of describing her feelings, “the flutters aren’t from delicate butterflies. No, they’re caused by a herd of buffalo…” SO good! And Clark’s “Friend Tundra…a frozen wasteland that comes with the absolute certainty that we’ll only ever be friends” is all too relatable. They are both SO sure that their feelings are unrequited and I loved seeing them come together, first in a fake dating scheme, and then for real.

Where April’s parents lack, Clark’s family makes up for it. They are so fun and supportive of everything. I really enjoyed the found family that both of them have in the Nebraska Knights team and the WAGs, and the family they create with their pack of not 1 but FIVE furry friends. I need a Great Dane named Moose in my life immediately!

Loved this addition to the Nebraska Knights romance family.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this novel!

I read about 70% of this book on the drive up North with my favorite band singing about love in my headphones. It was the perfect atmosphere for this best friends to lovers story.

Clark & April were the perfect romance novel couple. I loved everything about their story and the mutual pinning was written PERFECTLY! Faking Dating has become one of my favorite tropes and Ellie made this one so captivating, I was hooked in the first chapter.

My favorite part about this couple other than Easter, and hockey, and the dogs! was how fiercely Clark protected and supported April's dreams of opening The Barkery. I loved how he never let her start believing the negative thoughts in her head or those of her parents and kept fueling her dream with his unwavering love and support.

Another great visit to Hockey Town! I absolutely love this team, the characters and every single love story.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book in the popular Nebraska Knights series! As with the other books about the Knights, it has a perfect balance of hockey, romance, and distractions. In this case the distraction takes the form of dogs! April currently has three jobs that revolve around dogs, but doesn't hesitate (much) to agree to being half of the face of a campaign for a rescue facility called "Love at First Wag" for a month. Her co-chair's "face" is Clark Culpepper the man she has loved from afar for ten years. Clark, a goalie for the Knights, has loved April since she found and returned his lost dog in high school.
The book has great characters and so many adorable dogs. It also has some very real scenes with family, some supportive and some frustrating! And did I mention adorable dogs? Perfect addition to this delightful series! I loved it!

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, contemporary, hockey romance

Romance, sweet, contemporary, sports, hockey; series but stand alone read.
April and Clark’s story is a lovely second chance romance. They both had hidden crushes in each other in high school, that went unrequited. As they dance around their feelings, they each worry about taking a chance to admit their true feelings. Worries they will lose out permanently on even just friendship if things fall apart. Forced to act as a couple after a kiss-cam moment they both see their own feelings deepening as they ‘pretend’ to be a couple.
Lovely sweet fall for real as they unofficially fake date each other. HEA, and a fun future for them both. Fun setting, fun hockey/sports back story, and some fun supporting characters made for a perfect, light romantic read.

[Dawn aka wolfinbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When we finally break apart, we’re both grinning like fools. Fools in love.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Clean romance…faith based…hockey…best friends to lovers…fake dating…small town…starting a business…critical/ narcissistic family…found family…community…adorable dogs!

Clark & April, friends for over ten years, both secretly attracted to each other and wondering how to become more. They are chosen to be the faces behind an animal charity campaign. Will they break their rules they set up for fake dating? Will they find their happily ever after or even remain friends? A super, sweet love story! I loved how Ellie included how the characters met! 🐕

Release Date: March 15, 2026
Thank you Ellie Hall for the complimentary ARC. Review is based on my thoughts and opinions.

[Meg (thyme.for.books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Best friends April and Clark having been secretly pining over one another for years. When Clark becomes the face of a charity campaign for dogs, April agrees to play along as his fake girlfriend to appease his publicist.

A Fool for April is part of the Nebraska Knights Holiday Hockey Romance series. It can be read as a stand-alone. This friends to lovers is closed-door.

Fake relationships never stay fake for long and this pair of MCs already has so much history. Their agreement is mutually beneficial so what could go wrong? Not much. A Fool for April is low on angst but full of plenty of the author’s signature humorous banter.

Overall, this may be my favorite book in the series yet. I think the author has hit just about every holiday season with this series so far. I look forward to seeing what Ellie Hall has next for her readers.

[Jacquie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nebraska Knights book #8 was a perfect read for April 1st and so fun to be back in one of our favorite hockey towns! Clark and April have been inseparable since high school, the kind of best friends who just get each other. From the moment April arrived in town and helped Clark find his missing dog, she’s been his biggest supporter, cheering him on through every step of his journey to becoming a professional hockey player. Meanwhile, April has taken a leap of faith of her own, leaving law school behind to pursue her passion for dog training and opening a dog bakery. 🐶 When a dog rescue mistakes them for a real couple and asks them to be spokespeople, Clark and April agree to play along, cue the fake dating trope we all know and love.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always look forward to reading Ellie Hall's novels. She has written with such passion that I can always connect with the characters. The feelings elicited from the main characters in this novel were consuming! Once I begun reading, I did not want to stop. Once again Hall has captivated her readers and submerged them into the plot. As Clark and April maneuvered their friendship and hidden feelings and ultimately their confessions, I could not stop myself from grinning as silly as Clark did. This book in the Nebraska Knights series has not been disappointing, and I enjoy getting updates about all the characters from the other novels and their relationships.

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

[Megan | Reads Alotl Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books had such fun and sweet characters. I love the connections to Ellie's books in the Nebraska Knights series and being with the team and friends. I loved the friendship these two shared and how hard they both had already fallen for each other. Clark was a green flag and the way he cares for April and shows up is simply beautiful. April is equally in love with Clark and working so hard on her dreams really shows her dedication to things she loves.

You get found family, friends to more, the sweetest kisses and moments that start out fake but are very real. These two are perfect for each other and no kiss cam, interviews or family drama is going to stop them from admitting their real feelings for each other.

[Shauna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best friends for ten years!
Such a fun read. April fell for Clark ten years ago when she found his dog. Clark fell for April when she returned his dog. They became friends but both were afraid their friendship would suffer if they told the other about their feelings. Now ten years later they are thrown together as a romantic couple to help Clark’s popularity and a pet adoption organization they support. This may be their chance to open up to each other but the risk of losing their best friend looms even larger. Should they keep their secrets or risk it all? A sweet, fun book. I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

[Lori R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun story to read because of the humor in the story and between the characters.  I liked how the characters decided to pretend they were dating for the Love at First Wag pet adoption event that the Nebraska Knights were helping to sponsor. It was clear that they were both in love with each other.  Neither April nor Clark wanted to rock the boat and confess how they felt to the other for fear they would no longer be best friends.  It was so funny to see the eight rules they decided upon for their fake dating status.  I received an advance copy of this book, and I willingly decided to leave an honest review.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Get ready for all the swoony best friends-to-lovers feels, adorable dogs, small business dreams, and the kind of love story that proves sometimes the best relationships start with the perfect friendship.'

The characters drove the storyline and they were so very appealing and likeable and quirky and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was solidly drawn and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

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

[Reann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Clark and his best friend (our dog-walking heroine) are officially one of my favorite fictional couples—they were just so cute together.

The "fake dating" trope was handled perfectly, and I loved watching their friendship shift into something more during the "Love at First Wag" campaign. It was the perfect mix of mutual pining and sweet, "closed-door" romance. If you’re looking for a feel-good hockey romcom with plenty of heart (and adorable pups!), I highly recommend this one.

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

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this is a fun story with best friends who secretly have been in love with each other for ten years. Everyone around them can see what they feel for each other. She takes care of his dogs when he is practicing Hockey or away at Knight's games. He knows what she likes to eat and he encourages her as she makes plans to open a store named the Barkery, a combination dog treat/training center. He also lifts her up emotionally every time her lawyer parents tear her down for her dreams that don't go along with their plans for her. The number of dogs increases through the story as Clark just wants to make April happy.

So when Clark Culpepper lands the spokeperson's deal for the "Love at First Wag" campaign and his manager friend wants him to have a fake girlfriend during the campaign- the only person he wants to fake date is his best friend April Hansen. Maybe they can finally go from fake to real dating. Will Clark and April finally come clean and admit the feelings they have for one another?

This is such a wonderful story with lots of good friends rooting for these two. Even Coach Badaszek gets in on giving dating advice. It's also great seeing the Knight's hockey players from previous books as well as the WAGs who are behind the scenes giving both of them encouragement as they question if their fake dating will ruin their close friendship.

I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest unbiased review.

[Denice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this adorable, sweet and witty story. This book had me smiling, laughing, feeling tension and making me swoon. Best friends Clark and April do everything together but tell everyone they are just friends, but they need to enter a fake relationship for a charity event. The rules they make made me smile. The hordes of dogs add humor and fun, parents cause tension, and fear of change causes miscommunication. Can they figure out and admit their real feelings? A fabulous best friend to lovers that has witty banter, is sweet and swoony and just a great story that I loved.

[Kirsten Ensman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best wedding event ever!

I adore the wedding invitation. I want that type of wedding fun at my next wedding! Well I'm allowed to have dreams and hope! They really need a house with a big fenced in yard! They also need to slow down on dog adoptions! Lol I thought there were limits to how many dogs you could have legally?? It was a good story. Made me smile. So disappointed in her parents not showing up to support their daughter. That was a big slap to April. Am glad she had the hockey team support and his family support.

[Alison Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clark and April have been best friends for ten years and have denied their attraction for each other. April is starting a dog based business and Clark is offered an unexpected chance to help her which results in them fake dating much to the amusement of their friends and his parents who can see the real truth. This story has romance, adorable dogs, a strong friendship and of course many bumps along the way to true HEA. I really enjoyed this book.