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Endgame: A Hockey Romance
She’s about to proposition a famous hockey player…
Eleanor Ford is ready for a fresh start. Away from her dead-end relationship, her grieving dad, and the city that so deeply reminds her of her mom. Things are off to a good start when she hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met.
…and she has no idea.
Matthew Anderson feels like a ticking time bomb. At thirty-six, he’s pushing the envelope for a pro athlete and he knows it. But deciding when to call it quits and what to do after? It’s a decision he thinks might send him into an early midlife crisis.
Then Ellie comes barreling into his world and he feels like his priorities might be changing. The catch? Ellie’s not interested in dating a hockey player and he doesn’t know why.
Can Matt convince Ellie he’s endgame material? Or will his first love—hockey—ruin everything?
Endgame is an emotional, swoon-worthy, age gap hockey romance about finding & fighting for love when life doesn’t make it easy.
Eleanor Ford is ready for a fresh start. Away from her dead-end relationship, her grieving dad, and the city that so deeply reminds her of her mom. Things are off to a good start when she hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met.
…and she has no idea.
Matthew Anderson feels like a ticking time bomb. At thirty-six, he’s pushing the envelope for a pro athlete and he knows it. But deciding when to call it quits and what to do after? It’s a decision he thinks might send him into an early midlife crisis.
Then Ellie comes barreling into his world and he feels like his priorities might be changing. The catch? Ellie’s not interested in dating a hockey player and he doesn’t know why.
Can Matt convince Ellie he’s endgame material? Or will his first love—hockey—ruin everything?
Endgame is an emotional, swoon-worthy, age gap hockey romance about finding & fighting for love when life doesn’t make it easy.
342 pages, Paperback
Published February 26, 2026
923 people are currently reading
3966 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 482 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'm going to send to Willa my therapist bill.
No matter who you love, the decision to love someone is frightening. Love is the only thing that can build you up and tear you down.
This book is melancholic, taking you deep into the emotions of each of the characters. Matt is a ray of light in Ellie's life, while Ellie is the one who closes the window in the morning to keep that light out of her life because she is afraid of being exposed.
No matter who you love, the decision to love someone is frightening. Love is the only thing that can build you up and tear you down.
This book is melancholic, taking you deep into the emotions of each of the characters. Matt is a ray of light in Ellie's life, while Ellie is the one who closes the window in the morning to keep that light out of her life because she is afraid of being exposed.
February 17, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Review
This was such an impressive debut novel. From the moment I picked it up, I was completely hooked. Ellie is so endearing and sweet that you can’t help but want to wrap her up in the biggest hug. She has this quiet strength about her that makes watching her journey even more special. And Matthew? A literal golden retriever in hockey player form. From the second he meets Ellie, he is all in, ready to do whatever it takes to make her smile, feel safe, and know she’s valued.
What really elevated this story for me was the depth. This wasn’t just a cute hockey romance. It had emotional layers. Watching both Ellie and Matthew open up, confront their pasts, and grow individually and together was genuinely beautiful. Their relationship felt intentional and earned, and that emotional payoff hit so well.
For a debut, this was incredibly strong, and I cannot wait to see what this author writes next. Definitely check the content and trigger warnings before diving in, but if you love heartfelt sports romance with real character growth, this one is worth picking up.
This was such an impressive debut novel. From the moment I picked it up, I was completely hooked. Ellie is so endearing and sweet that you can’t help but want to wrap her up in the biggest hug. She has this quiet strength about her that makes watching her journey even more special. And Matthew? A literal golden retriever in hockey player form. From the second he meets Ellie, he is all in, ready to do whatever it takes to make her smile, feel safe, and know she’s valued.
What really elevated this story for me was the depth. This wasn’t just a cute hockey romance. It had emotional layers. Watching both Ellie and Matthew open up, confront their pasts, and grow individually and together was genuinely beautiful. Their relationship felt intentional and earned, and that emotional payoff hit so well.
For a debut, this was incredibly strong, and I cannot wait to see what this author writes next. Definitely check the content and trigger warnings before diving in, but if you love heartfelt sports romance with real character growth, this one is worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 stars!!
Thank you to Willa for this ARC for my honest review!
One of my favorite debuts to date, and it makes me so excited to read more books to come! I absolutely devoured this book in 1 sitting. If you love a down bad MMC who takes care of his woman, I'd like to introduce you to Matt 😌😌! Definitely check the triggers because there are some triggering subjects discussed, but I honestly can't recommend this book enough!
Thank you to Willa for this ARC for my honest review!
One of my favorite debuts to date, and it makes me so excited to read more books to come! I absolutely devoured this book in 1 sitting. If you love a down bad MMC who takes care of his woman, I'd like to introduce you to Matt 😌😌! Definitely check the triggers because there are some triggering subjects discussed, but I honestly can't recommend this book enough!
March 4, 2026
5✨ Jaw. on. floor. HOW is this a debut?
To say I loved this is a massive understatement. Consider this one of my favorite reads of all time and Willa Gray an auto-read author. Seriously, I will be stalking their socials for even a crumb for another book.
Now to why I loved it, buckle up because I have a lot to say.
As a fellow healthcare worker Ellie resonated with me deeply. I chose healthcare to battle different demons than Ellie but equally chased something that would fill my mind and heart. She was written with intention, and a relatability that is rare. Walking her journey of grief was heart wrenching, but also filled with hope and growth.
Then we have Matt - my word. This man can do no wrong. He was the most authentic, nurturing character and why so many of us flock to romance and collect book boyfriends. Everything he did was equally sexy and sweet, straight literary voodoo y’all.
This whole story was paced to perfection, with the perfect balance of light and dark. Every page, and plot choice just felt right. The was simply a beautiful love story in its most intimate form. I laughed, I teared up, my heart pounded, I swooned several times. It was quite frankly perfect and I have no notes.
This was top tier hockey romance; and Matt Anderson would NEVER IYKYK.
✨Thank you Love Notes PR and Willa Gray for the ARC✨
To say I loved this is a massive understatement. Consider this one of my favorite reads of all time and Willa Gray an auto-read author. Seriously, I will be stalking their socials for even a crumb for another book.
Now to why I loved it, buckle up because I have a lot to say.
As a fellow healthcare worker Ellie resonated with me deeply. I chose healthcare to battle different demons than Ellie but equally chased something that would fill my mind and heart. She was written with intention, and a relatability that is rare. Walking her journey of grief was heart wrenching, but also filled with hope and growth.
Then we have Matt - my word. This man can do no wrong. He was the most authentic, nurturing character and why so many of us flock to romance and collect book boyfriends. Everything he did was equally sexy and sweet, straight literary voodoo y’all.
This whole story was paced to perfection, with the perfect balance of light and dark. Every page, and plot choice just felt right. The was simply a beautiful love story in its most intimate form. I laughed, I teared up, my heart pounded, I swooned several times. It was quite frankly perfect and I have no notes.
This was top tier hockey romance; and Matt Anderson would NEVER IYKYK.
✨Thank you Love Notes PR and Willa Gray for the ARC✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
Beta read 🩵 I can't wait until this book is out in the world!
Read
December 2, 2025BETA READ! Can't wait for everyone to fall in love with these two!!
March 3, 2026
endgame ꒱ 3 stars
⌗ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: feb 16 ‘26⌇ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: mar 2 ‘26
review with light spoilers
i really liked how this book handled grief and trauma, it is not something that is usually seen but it was done very well.
when it comes to plot, the book was pretty typical but if i’m being completely honest it didn’t stand out to me. i really liked how this author writes but i can’t say that this book was one that i was dying to pick up when i put it down.
ellie ford, her trauma was really well written and i really wish we got to go more in depth with that. i don’t really think she had much character development in that aspect which i think would have added a lot to her character. i also wish we got to see more about her job outside of her mentioning it. her character overall was really decent and well written.
matt anderson, i liked his attitude but i don’t really love his character. it didn’t really feel like he was doing much work convincing her to enter a relationship with him. also felt like outside of really liking ellie there was not much to his character. he also practically moved in with her, like she gave him a key (way too early in their relationship in my opinion) and he was always at her place. it just felt like they were in relationship already when it was just supposed to be casual.
the relationship, my biggest issue with them was that it didn’t really feel like time was passing. it just felt like they were basically together the whole time and had no progression. they were really supportive of each other which i liked but i wasn’t really rooting for them if i’m being honest.
overall, the book was interesting but it really was just missing something and i can’t quite place what it is. this is the authors debut novel and i really look forward to seeing how she will grows overtime.
── preread
super excited to read this, i believe this is her debut novel. the synopsis sounds so interesting so let’s get to it 🙂↕️
ⓘ thank you willa gray & love note pr for this arc in exchange for an honest review
⌗ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: feb 16 ‘26⌇ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: mar 2 ‘26
review with light spoilers
i really liked how this book handled grief and trauma, it is not something that is usually seen but it was done very well.
when it comes to plot, the book was pretty typical but if i’m being completely honest it didn’t stand out to me. i really liked how this author writes but i can’t say that this book was one that i was dying to pick up when i put it down.
ellie ford, her trauma was really well written and i really wish we got to go more in depth with that. i don’t really think she had much character development in that aspect which i think would have added a lot to her character. i also wish we got to see more about her job outside of her mentioning it. her character overall was really decent and well written.
matt anderson, i liked his attitude but i don’t really love his character. it didn’t really feel like he was doing much work convincing her to enter a relationship with him. also felt like outside of really liking ellie there was not much to his character. he also practically moved in with her, like she gave him a key (way too early in their relationship in my opinion) and he was always at her place. it just felt like they were in relationship already when it was just supposed to be casual.
the relationship, my biggest issue with them was that it didn’t really feel like time was passing. it just felt like they were basically together the whole time and had no progression. they were really supportive of each other which i liked but i wasn’t really rooting for them if i’m being honest.
overall, the book was interesting but it really was just missing something and i can’t quite place what it is. this is the authors debut novel and i really look forward to seeing how she will grows overtime.
── preread
super excited to read this, i believe this is her debut novel. the synopsis sounds so interesting so let’s get to it 🙂↕️
ⓘ thank you willa gray & love note pr for this arc in exchange for an honest review
March 1, 2026
I’m mad that this author does have any more books I can read 😭😭😭
March 5, 2026
˗ˏˋ 2 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
okay soo i literally only requested for this book bc of the insane amount of ads that i've been seeing on insta, and i think that might've made me have high expectations coming into this book??
honestly, i felt soo bored right from the start, like i kept hoping it would get better? in fact i got so bored up until chapter 20 that i was questioning whether or not i should continue and thought i could push through it if i read it with ri as motivation. plot twist: it did not get better and i'm mad that i didn't dnf it..
and tbfh i genuinely didn't care about either of the main characters, ellie or matt. ellie was lwk selfish imo and i didn't like a lot of the decisions that she made. besides that, you could hardly tell that matt was the captain of a hockey team, or that ellie was a nurse, they were just mentioned/name-dropped every once in awhile?? also the age gap was barely a thing? i mean it was listed in the tropes and maybe their ages were name-dropped but i guess that was about it..
also one thing that i had a problem with was that i felt like they moved in way too soon when it's supposed to be a causal thing? like they were practically living together and matt had ellie's keys?? so like it just kinda felt like they were already in a relationship, or doing relationship things when it's supposed to be this one night stand, casual little fling thing iykwim
⤷ thank you to the author, willa gray, and love notes pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ps. idk if i should rate it 1 star 2 stars but i think im just gonna rate it as 2 stars as for rn since i deserve an extra star for pushing through and finishing it??
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
02/03/2026 — i've been reading this on and off for a few days now and i lwk don't even know if i like this book but i got ri to read it with me as motivation!!
23/02/2026 — finally reading this since it's going to come out on my bday! locking in~
19/02/2026 — honestly requested this bc the book cover looked really pretty and i lwk excited that i got the ARC!!
okay soo i literally only requested for this book bc of the insane amount of ads that i've been seeing on insta, and i think that might've made me have high expectations coming into this book??
honestly, i felt soo bored right from the start, like i kept hoping it would get better? in fact i got so bored up until chapter 20 that i was questioning whether or not i should continue and thought i could push through it if i read it with ri as motivation. plot twist: it did not get better and i'm mad that i didn't dnf it..
and tbfh i genuinely didn't care about either of the main characters, ellie or matt. ellie was lwk selfish imo and i didn't like a lot of the decisions that she made. besides that, you could hardly tell that matt was the captain of a hockey team, or that ellie was a nurse, they were just mentioned/name-dropped every once in awhile?? also the age gap was barely a thing? i mean it was listed in the tropes and maybe their ages were name-dropped but i guess that was about it..
also one thing that i had a problem with was that i felt like they moved in way too soon when it's supposed to be a causal thing? like they were practically living together and matt had ellie's keys?? so like it just kinda felt like they were already in a relationship, or doing relationship things when it's supposed to be this one night stand, casual little fling thing iykwim
⤷ thank you to the author, willa gray, and love notes pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
ps. idk if i should rate it 1 star 2 stars but i think im just gonna rate it as 2 stars as for rn since i deserve an extra star for pushing through and finishing it??
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
02/03/2026 — i've been reading this on and off for a few days now and i lwk don't even know if i like this book but i got ri to read it with me as motivation!!
23/02/2026 — finally reading this since it's going to come out on my bday! locking in~
19/02/2026 — honestly requested this bc the book cover looked really pretty and i lwk excited that i got the ARC!!
February 28, 2026
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!!! I had a really good feeling about it! But it really exceeded my expectations in so many ways!! Any hooks that can really make me TEAR UP through the whole thing is a win and I feel like it’s been a minute since I’ve experienced that! It was so well written! Willa was really able to put so much into this without anything feeling like it was taking over the story. Each of the side characters felt so important! And I can’t wait for - HOPEFULLY - more books from this little universe!! Cause I will be back!!
Matt and Ellie were SO GOOD! Their chemistry was delicious! They were fun together! And I loved how quickly they were from FWB to so so so much more! They built a little life together and it was so easy!!!! And of course they had a lot of things to work through, it wasn’t necessarily simple!! But them wanting to be together and then just BEING together!!! I just loved them so much!!
The way Ellie’s grief was written was so heartbreakingly beautiful. She didn’t really shy away from it, she knew it was there and that some days were just going to be harder than others. Matt was so helpful and caring and did whatever he could for her, and she let him!!! She was felt safe to feel her grief the way she needed, and she knew she’d be taken care of. Grief is hard to talk about, to read about but even just the way Ellie and her dad talked about it - how there is no right way to grieve and not every person is going to feel it the same - is so encouraging and honestly nice to hear!!!
And finally!!! The epilogue! And then the VEEEEEERY end! Made my little heart so so happy!
Matt and Ellie were SO GOOD! Their chemistry was delicious! They were fun together! And I loved how quickly they were from FWB to so so so much more! They built a little life together and it was so easy!!!! And of course they had a lot of things to work through, it wasn’t necessarily simple!! But them wanting to be together and then just BEING together!!! I just loved them so much!!
The way Ellie’s grief was written was so heartbreakingly beautiful. She didn’t really shy away from it, she knew it was there and that some days were just going to be harder than others. Matt was so helpful and caring and did whatever he could for her, and she let him!!! She was felt safe to feel her grief the way she needed, and she knew she’d be taken care of. Grief is hard to talk about, to read about but even just the way Ellie and her dad talked about it - how there is no right way to grieve and not every person is going to feel it the same - is so encouraging and honestly nice to hear!!!
And finally!!! The epilogue! And then the VEEEEEERY end! Made my little heart so so happy!
February 22, 2026
“𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤 𝙗𝙞𝙜.”
Endgame by Willa Gray
5☆
How the hell is this a debut? I think it’s safe to say that this is one of my favorite hockey romances to date.
Ellie owns my heart. She’s soft without being fragile, hilariously quick witted, and has a steel spine that makes you want to literally BE her. Her “I’ll just say it” energy is absolutely iconic and 100% drives this story.
“𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙩. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙢 𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛?”
And Matt—a salt and peppered golden retriever in hockey gear—holy 💩. From the first moment he meets Ellie, he is down bad in the most respectful, green-flag, on-his-knees (pun absolutely intended) way. He commits hard to her safety, her joy, and her healing.
“𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚, 𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚.”
But the depth of this story is what sets it apart. This isn’t just locker room banter and cute dates. It’s two people unpacking their pasts, confronting the hard stuff, and choosing each other intentionally. Watching them open up and build something solid together was *𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘧’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴*.
Just a gentle PSA: check the content warnings before diving in, but I can guarantee, you will love this heartfelt hockey romance because of the growth, devotion, and an MMC who is 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 respectful.
*Thank you to Willa Gray and Love Notes PR for the arc opportunity.
Endgame by Willa Gray
5☆
How the hell is this a debut? I think it’s safe to say that this is one of my favorite hockey romances to date.
Ellie owns my heart. She’s soft without being fragile, hilariously quick witted, and has a steel spine that makes you want to literally BE her. Her “I’ll just say it” energy is absolutely iconic and 100% drives this story.
“𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙩. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙢 𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛?”
And Matt—a salt and peppered golden retriever in hockey gear—holy 💩. From the first moment he meets Ellie, he is down bad in the most respectful, green-flag, on-his-knees (pun absolutely intended) way. He commits hard to her safety, her joy, and her healing.
“𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚, 𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚.”
But the depth of this story is what sets it apart. This isn’t just locker room banter and cute dates. It’s two people unpacking their pasts, confronting the hard stuff, and choosing each other intentionally. Watching them open up and build something solid together was *𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘧’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴*.
Just a gentle PSA: check the content warnings before diving in, but I can guarantee, you will love this heartfelt hockey romance because of the growth, devotion, and an MMC who is 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 respectful.
*Thank you to Willa Gray and Love Notes PR for the arc opportunity.
February 24, 2026
Wow, wow, wow.
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book with a man who is such a bright neon, green flag. Matt Anderson is everything I never knew I wanted or thought possible in a man, seriously, how can one person be so beyond perfect.
From the first chapter, Ellie had my entire heart. She had me laughing, crying; feeling every emotion like I was sitting front seat on a roller coaster. Between the two of them, this was honestly one of the most wholesome books I have ever read.
I ate this book up in one sitting like a starved animal, not realizing how ungodly late at night it was until I finished the last page. The chemistry was just so freaking good.
I will now be showing this book, rather enthusiastically, to every. single. person. Who’s ever showed even a slight interest in anything boy aquarium related.
**Thank you Love Notes & Willa for this amazing ARC!🤍**
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book with a man who is such a bright neon, green flag. Matt Anderson is everything I never knew I wanted or thought possible in a man, seriously, how can one person be so beyond perfect.
From the first chapter, Ellie had my entire heart. She had me laughing, crying; feeling every emotion like I was sitting front seat on a roller coaster. Between the two of them, this was honestly one of the most wholesome books I have ever read.
I ate this book up in one sitting like a starved animal, not realizing how ungodly late at night it was until I finished the last page. The chemistry was just so freaking good.
I will now be showing this book, rather enthusiastically, to every. single. person. Who’s ever showed even a slight interest in anything boy aquarium related.
**Thank you Love Notes & Willa for this amazing ARC!🤍**
March 1, 2026
✨ARC review✨
this was such a beautiful representation of grief and trauma and what that can look like for a person with the sunniest of personality, even years later. i just want to give Ellie a big ole hug. and then you have a person doing anything and everything to show up for their partner in any way they need at a drop of hat 😭
this book had me going through all the emotions from laughing, crying to swooning for Matt cause he is god level book boyfriend. and this was Willa’s debut novel?? excuse me??? it was so enjoyable to see how their relationship blossomed, how their fears were addressed, having deep conversations with the people you love most and finally accepting all the good in your life 🥹
i can’t recommend this book enough!!
this was such a beautiful representation of grief and trauma and what that can look like for a person with the sunniest of personality, even years later. i just want to give Ellie a big ole hug. and then you have a person doing anything and everything to show up for their partner in any way they need at a drop of hat 😭
this book had me going through all the emotions from laughing, crying to swooning for Matt cause he is god level book boyfriend. and this was Willa’s debut novel?? excuse me??? it was so enjoyable to see how their relationship blossomed, how their fears were addressed, having deep conversations with the people you love most and finally accepting all the good in your life 🥹
i can’t recommend this book enough!!
March 2, 2026
This was such an insane debut novel in the best way. I loved both the MCs, the plot kept me reading, and the moments of comfort, intimacy, and humor between the characters. I loved it. It discusses heavy topics as our FMC, Ellie, learns to navigate her grief with her mother's passing with our MMC, Matthew.
Themes to expect:
- navigating grief (mentions of parental death)
- hockey captain x ER nurse
- age gap (MMC is 36, FMC is 26)
- he falls first
- fwb
- mentions of miscarriage
Eleanor (Ellie) moves to Minnesota when she gets a new job at a hospital as an ER nurse, having an unlikely encounter with Matthew, captain of Minnesota's professional hockey team, at his bar. From there the two enter a friends with benefits-ish situation (with our man Matthew hoping it'll turn into more)
"I asked Ellie that first night together what her endgame was. I didn't realize how badly I wanted to figure out my own."
Ellie's character is hesitant to trust Matthew given her history with loss and her ex-boyfriend. Matthew's character is honestly the sweetest with the way he helps her break out of her comfort zone and just wants Ellie for her. Off the bat this man knew he wanted her and that she was his endgame, it was truly a full circle moment.
Girl fully says: "My ideal weight is Matt Anderson on top of me."
And can I SCREAM because I agree. He's an absolute cinnamon roll and his thoughts about Ellie were the funniest thing, I was in love with him right from the moment he was introduced. Without spoiling much of the story, we also see Matthew's character progression as he comes to terms with his age and what that meant for his hockey career.
It felt more like there was more focus on Ellie's character than Matthew's throughout- that his character's purpose was to help with Ellie learning how to cope with grief and open her heart to trust others again. I felt like it worked with this story though with how much we learn about her backstory and the focus on her growth. The relationship between the MCs felt secondary to her progression which I found to enjoy.
Themes to expect:
- navigating grief (mentions of parental death)
- hockey captain x ER nurse
- age gap (MMC is 36, FMC is 26)
- he falls first
- fwb
- mentions of miscarriage
Eleanor (Ellie) moves to Minnesota when she gets a new job at a hospital as an ER nurse, having an unlikely encounter with Matthew, captain of Minnesota's professional hockey team, at his bar. From there the two enter a friends with benefits-ish situation (with our man Matthew hoping it'll turn into more)
"I asked Ellie that first night together what her endgame was. I didn't realize how badly I wanted to figure out my own."
Ellie's character is hesitant to trust Matthew given her history with loss and her ex-boyfriend. Matthew's character is honestly the sweetest with the way he helps her break out of her comfort zone and just wants Ellie for her. Off the bat this man knew he wanted her and that she was his endgame, it was truly a full circle moment.
Girl fully says: "My ideal weight is Matt Anderson on top of me."
And can I SCREAM because I agree. He's an absolute cinnamon roll and his thoughts about Ellie were the funniest thing, I was in love with him right from the moment he was introduced. Without spoiling much of the story, we also see Matthew's character progression as he comes to terms with his age and what that meant for his hockey career.
It felt more like there was more focus on Ellie's character than Matthew's throughout- that his character's purpose was to help with Ellie learning how to cope with grief and open her heart to trust others again. I felt like it worked with this story though with how much we learn about her backstory and the focus on her growth. The relationship between the MCs felt secondary to her progression which I found to enjoy.
March 2, 2026
3.75⭐️
“Because my endgame is Ellie—our life together.”
this story follows eleanor, who is ready for a fresh start, away from the problems left in the city that reminds her so much of the one thing she lost, her mom. she decides to start off completely new and hooks up with someone only for it to be the one man she never saw coming, another hockey player. here enters matt, who at the age of 36, feels like he’s pushing his limits remaining a pro athlete for this long, however he’s terrified to call it quits and has no clue on what to do after, until one day he finds the one thing he has been looking for, his purpose. however, ellie isn’t interested in dating a hockey player and he has no idea why, however the friends with benefits situation turns into much more…
wow, this was an incredible debut to read!! these characters felt so real and they were so healthy, while reading these two genuinely felt like a comfort to me. i really enjoyed reading about these two characters, and their individual backstories and how these two are able heal through one another and be each others calm to the storm. mostly, i loved that they were always there for each other, it was really incredible to read!! as soon as matt meets ellie, he’s completely hooked on her and did anything and everything for her comfort, and i enjoyed EVERY moment of it, it was so fun to read!! overall, a very enjoyable and heartwarming romance!!
thank you so much to willa and lovenotespr for the eARC!!
“Because my endgame is Ellie—our life together.”
this story follows eleanor, who is ready for a fresh start, away from the problems left in the city that reminds her so much of the one thing she lost, her mom. she decides to start off completely new and hooks up with someone only for it to be the one man she never saw coming, another hockey player. here enters matt, who at the age of 36, feels like he’s pushing his limits remaining a pro athlete for this long, however he’s terrified to call it quits and has no clue on what to do after, until one day he finds the one thing he has been looking for, his purpose. however, ellie isn’t interested in dating a hockey player and he has no idea why, however the friends with benefits situation turns into much more…
wow, this was an incredible debut to read!! these characters felt so real and they were so healthy, while reading these two genuinely felt like a comfort to me. i really enjoyed reading about these two characters, and their individual backstories and how these two are able heal through one another and be each others calm to the storm. mostly, i loved that they were always there for each other, it was really incredible to read!! as soon as matt meets ellie, he’s completely hooked on her and did anything and everything for her comfort, and i enjoyed EVERY moment of it, it was so fun to read!! overall, a very enjoyable and heartwarming romance!!
thank you so much to willa and lovenotespr for the eARC!!
February 25, 2026
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
So many emotions! OMG I really just can’t even put into words just how much I enjoyed reading Willa Gray’s Endgame! The characters were just absolutely amazing, you really just can’t help but love them, not only love them but root for their happily ever after! And the romance! I just loved the immediate attraction, turned into a mutual satisfying of needs, which slow burned into a beautiful romance that was just so swoon-worthy! You really won’t be able to put this book down for even one second! So if a beautifully written, sports romance, packed full of emotion, amazing characters, plenty of spice, and so much more sounds like your perfect next read then I highly recommend grabbing Endgame today!
I truly just couldn’t put this book down for even a second! I mean you’ll feel every emotion while reading this book, you’ll laugh at the banter, cry along with the characters through tragedies, swoon over all the romance and really just fall in love! Ellie is such a ray of sunshine to those around her even though she has suffered greatly and is still trying to find the right way to transverse her grief. She may have let some aspects of her life change but it didn’t make her closed off or mean. She still wants to make the world a better place, even if it has let her down. And Matt was just a sweetheart, a protective sweetheart… who might’ve stumbled a little when realizing how much he really liked Ellie but a sweetheart nonetheless! And their romance, ugh… talk about swooning every time they got closer! Not to mention there was plenty of spice to heat up your kindle! Overall I really just loved this book and I can’t wait to read more from Willa Gray!
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
So many emotions! OMG I really just can’t even put into words just how much I enjoyed reading Willa Gray’s Endgame! The characters were just absolutely amazing, you really just can’t help but love them, not only love them but root for their happily ever after! And the romance! I just loved the immediate attraction, turned into a mutual satisfying of needs, which slow burned into a beautiful romance that was just so swoon-worthy! You really won’t be able to put this book down for even one second! So if a beautifully written, sports romance, packed full of emotion, amazing characters, plenty of spice, and so much more sounds like your perfect next read then I highly recommend grabbing Endgame today!
I truly just couldn’t put this book down for even a second! I mean you’ll feel every emotion while reading this book, you’ll laugh at the banter, cry along with the characters through tragedies, swoon over all the romance and really just fall in love! Ellie is such a ray of sunshine to those around her even though she has suffered greatly and is still trying to find the right way to transverse her grief. She may have let some aspects of her life change but it didn’t make her closed off or mean. She still wants to make the world a better place, even if it has let her down. And Matt was just a sweetheart, a protective sweetheart… who might’ve stumbled a little when realizing how much he really liked Ellie but a sweetheart nonetheless! And their romance, ugh… talk about swooning every time they got closer! Not to mention there was plenty of spice to heat up your kindle! Overall I really just loved this book and I can’t wait to read more from Willa Gray!
February 28, 2026
You’re kidding me! What a debut Willa Gray! So proud of you babe! It will make you laugh, cry, kick your feet and begging for your own Matt Anderson. That man is a HUGE walking green flag. Every single thing about him. He just wanted to do whatever it took to make sure Ellie felt safe and loved.
Ellie, my girl. I laughed out loud multiple times from the things that flew out of her mouth. Especially that proposition. But also my heart broke for her and all the grief she was trying to push through. I was so glad she found Matt to help her through those cloudy days. These two were the meaning of soulmates. Being each other’s person.
The way these two actually communicated. & that chemistry! Who doesn’t love shower scene?! I had the best time with these two. And what a good group of friends Matt & Ellie have themselves. Nate being there for Ellie when Matt couldn’t be. & Zoey was the sweetest friend for El too! & her conversation with her sweet dad had me in tears.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
•𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘹 𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦
•𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱
•𝘧*𝘤𝘬 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴
•𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧
•𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵
•𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘮𝘤
•𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘮𝘤 (𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴)
*Please check your triggers.*
🏷️
Endgame • Willa Gray • Debut Novel • Hockey Romance
Ellie, my girl. I laughed out loud multiple times from the things that flew out of her mouth. Especially that proposition. But also my heart broke for her and all the grief she was trying to push through. I was so glad she found Matt to help her through those cloudy days. These two were the meaning of soulmates. Being each other’s person.
The way these two actually communicated. & that chemistry! Who doesn’t love shower scene?! I had the best time with these two. And what a good group of friends Matt & Ellie have themselves. Nate being there for Ellie when Matt couldn’t be. & Zoey was the sweetest friend for El too! & her conversation with her sweet dad had me in tears.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
•𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘹 𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦
•𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘱
•𝘧*𝘤𝘬 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴
•𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧
•𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵
•𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘮𝘤
•𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘮𝘤 (𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴)
*Please check your triggers.*
🏷️
Endgame • Willa Gray • Debut Novel • Hockey Romance
February 21, 2026
5 stars for Eleanor and her CFB Matt
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Endgame was exactly what I needed right now. Matt and Ellie were absolutely adorable and sweet and the way that Matt was so understanding towards Ellie was perfection!
Ugh Ellie was just amazing. I loved her so much. I felt for this poor girl. And she loves to read historical romance. She’s a woman after my own heart ❤️. I love how she just blurted out her proposition to Matt. It was so her and so funny. Throughout the book we see Ellie struggle with her grief after the death of a loved one and I feel like so many people can relate to Ellie. Willa dealt with this topic in such a considerate and careful way that can really resonate with the reader in a personal way.
Matt Benjamin Anderson aka MBA *😂* was the biggest green flag MMC I have ever had the pleasure to read about. I loved being inside his head. Seeing him fall for Ellie and not forcing anything upon her, and letting her take the reins on their relationship was so sweet. If you want a perfect man look no further than Matt. He stood by Ellie’s side in her dark moments and was a place of comfort for her.
One of the main things that I loved about Endgame was that Matt and Ellie communicated with each other! I loved that they had conversations and didn’t keep things inside. Like yes, let’s talk about it!
For her debut novel, Willa Gray has just blown me away. I’m in awe of Matt and Ellie and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
Thank you Willa Gray and Love Notes PR for my ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Endgame was exactly what I needed right now. Matt and Ellie were absolutely adorable and sweet and the way that Matt was so understanding towards Ellie was perfection!
Ugh Ellie was just amazing. I loved her so much. I felt for this poor girl. And she loves to read historical romance. She’s a woman after my own heart ❤️. I love how she just blurted out her proposition to Matt. It was so her and so funny. Throughout the book we see Ellie struggle with her grief after the death of a loved one and I feel like so many people can relate to Ellie. Willa dealt with this topic in such a considerate and careful way that can really resonate with the reader in a personal way.
Matt Benjamin Anderson aka MBA *😂* was the biggest green flag MMC I have ever had the pleasure to read about. I loved being inside his head. Seeing him fall for Ellie and not forcing anything upon her, and letting her take the reins on their relationship was so sweet. If you want a perfect man look no further than Matt. He stood by Ellie’s side in her dark moments and was a place of comfort for her.
One of the main things that I loved about Endgame was that Matt and Ellie communicated with each other! I loved that they had conversations and didn’t keep things inside. Like yes, let’s talk about it!
For her debut novel, Willa Gray has just blown me away. I’m in awe of Matt and Ellie and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
Thank you Willa Gray and Love Notes PR for my ARC.
February 26, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
I truly don’t know how to feel about this book. Was it entertaining? Yes definitely. Was it a new favorite? Nope.
First and foremost: the way Willa Gray writes about grief is so damn beautiful, respectful, and relatable. I almost cried for Ellie 🥹 I felt so sad for her, and could feel her grief down to my toes. And the way Matt treated her!!!!!!! Yes, walking green flag.
Okay, but about the story. The beginning felt like a story about two people who just fucked… They instantly liked each other and had a lot of sex. I forgot this story even had a storyline at all…. other than them being friends with benefits.
But! That took a wild turn later in the book, fortunately. The story instantly went beyond the friends with benefits storyline. Her grief and how they both dealt with it were amazing. I think I fell a little in love with Matt.
This book is definitely not a favorite, but I did really enjoy it, and I will be reading more books if this becomes a series!
Thank you, Willa Gray, for letting me read this story as an ARC!
I truly don’t know how to feel about this book. Was it entertaining? Yes definitely. Was it a new favorite? Nope.
First and foremost: the way Willa Gray writes about grief is so damn beautiful, respectful, and relatable. I almost cried for Ellie 🥹 I felt so sad for her, and could feel her grief down to my toes. And the way Matt treated her!!!!!!! Yes, walking green flag.
Okay, but about the story. The beginning felt like a story about two people who just fucked… They instantly liked each other and had a lot of sex. I forgot this story even had a storyline at all…. other than them being friends with benefits.
But! That took a wild turn later in the book, fortunately. The story instantly went beyond the friends with benefits storyline. Her grief and how they both dealt with it were amazing. I think I fell a little in love with Matt.
This book is definitely not a favorite, but I did really enjoy it, and I will be reading more books if this becomes a series!
Thank you, Willa Gray, for letting me read this story as an ARC!
March 4, 2026
Matt Anderson is a GREEN flag, baby!
I am completely speechless about this book. This book took me by complete surprise in all of the best ways. If you know me, you know that me finishing a book in a day is extremely rare... but yet I could not put this book down. It captured every single emotion possible, from swooning, to kicking my feet, to sobbing, to wanting to wrap my arms so tightly around Ellie and Matt for so many reasons. This book was such an emotional one to read, it took my heart for a ride, but the best ride. Endgame handles grief in such a raw, real, safe way... and I think that really shows in Willa’s words. Matt was the true definition of if he wanted to, he would. He shows up constantly, in the hard moments, in the soft moments, and stays. He never strays or leaves Ellie feeling less than everything she is. I truly truly truly love this book with my entire heart and soul. I cannot wait to see what comes next from Willa. 5 stars. All the stars. Everything.
I am completely speechless about this book. This book took me by complete surprise in all of the best ways. If you know me, you know that me finishing a book in a day is extremely rare... but yet I could not put this book down. It captured every single emotion possible, from swooning, to kicking my feet, to sobbing, to wanting to wrap my arms so tightly around Ellie and Matt for so many reasons. This book was such an emotional one to read, it took my heart for a ride, but the best ride. Endgame handles grief in such a raw, real, safe way... and I think that really shows in Willa’s words. Matt was the true definition of if he wanted to, he would. He shows up constantly, in the hard moments, in the soft moments, and stays. He never strays or leaves Ellie feeling less than everything she is. I truly truly truly love this book with my entire heart and soul. I cannot wait to see what comes next from Willa. 5 stars. All the stars. Everything.
February 27, 2026
I think I was just expecting more and something different from this book. I was hoping it was more hockey focused and plot driven, but that was out in the background and it was character driven.
Matt was really hot and I loved how obsessed he was with Ellie. He was so patient with her and kind. He was such a green flag!
I didn't really vibe with Ellie. It seemed liked she didn't really care about him, his hockey career and didn't put in the same effort that he did.
Idk why she was mad about him being a hockey player and him not telling her right away? Like he doesn't owe her anything because she is a literal stranger he just met a few hours ago. And why would she even be mad about that!? They were even dating and he didn't even lie.
Matt was really hot and I loved how obsessed he was with Ellie. He was so patient with her and kind. He was such a green flag!
I didn't really vibe with Ellie. It seemed liked she didn't really care about him, his hockey career and didn't put in the same effort that he did.
Idk why she was mad about him being a hockey player and him not telling her right away? Like he doesn't owe her anything because she is a literal stranger he just met a few hours ago. And why would she even be mad about that!? They were even dating and he didn't even lie.
February 18, 2026
Thank you for choosing me to review this book as apart of the ARC team.
3/5 ⭐️ 2.5/5 🌶️
Im going to be honest, I struggled with this at the beginning, it was really boring at first and then it picked up, but I felt it was just really all drama. I kinda enjoyed it but then also didn’t?
I did not like Ellie at all. I thought she was uncaring, selfish and a hypocrite. She made everything about herself. I understand she was going through grief for five years but she made it her whole world. She buried her trauma away instead of going back to therapy and talking it out and learning to cope. She kept playing victim the whole time instead of survivor. She was not fair to Matt at all in their “fuck buddies” arrangement. I do believe she took full advantage of his kindness. She was a walking red flag.
Matt Anderson, the greenest of free flags I’ve ever read. He was an absolute sweetheart and deserved the world and someone who cared about him. This man was head over heels in love with Ellie but I feel was treated so badly by her. He lied once to her and it was like the world ended unlike her who lied multiple times to him. He cared so much about her and what she thought of his world, that he agreed to keep everything a secret even though he didn’t want to. He respected her but feelings were not reciprocated back. Matt blamed himself for so much in there relationship and she did nothing to make him feel like it wasn’t his fault.
3/5 ⭐️ 2.5/5 🌶️
Im going to be honest, I struggled with this at the beginning, it was really boring at first and then it picked up, but I felt it was just really all drama. I kinda enjoyed it but then also didn’t?
I did not like Ellie at all. I thought she was uncaring, selfish and a hypocrite. She made everything about herself. I understand she was going through grief for five years but she made it her whole world. She buried her trauma away instead of going back to therapy and talking it out and learning to cope. She kept playing victim the whole time instead of survivor. She was not fair to Matt at all in their “fuck buddies” arrangement. I do believe she took full advantage of his kindness. She was a walking red flag.
Matt Anderson, the greenest of free flags I’ve ever read. He was an absolute sweetheart and deserved the world and someone who cared about him. This man was head over heels in love with Ellie but I feel was treated so badly by her. He lied once to her and it was like the world ended unlike her who lied multiple times to him. He cared so much about her and what she thought of his world, that he agreed to keep everything a secret even though he didn’t want to. He respected her but feelings were not reciprocated back. Matt blamed himself for so much in there relationship and she did nothing to make him feel like it wasn’t his fault.
February 28, 2026
I love Matt and Ellie's story so much. Matt is probably the ultimate book boyfriend. Ellie wasn't easy and had trauma but he was perfect. The chemistry was good and it was well written.
Review of advance copy received from Author
SWOON! He. Baked. Her. Moms. Apple. Pie! Done. Finished. I LOVED this book so much. The characters were phenomenal. Their personalities were top tier and the chemistry was so good. The storyline was so great. I knew it wouldn't last. Not with someone like Matt. So good!
February 26, 2026
BETA READ! 🩵
Absolutely obsessed with this book. I cannot wait for everyone to read it and fall in love with it just as much as I did.
I want to emphasize how much I loved the book. The story captivated me from the start, and the way you handled such heavy topics was beautiful. Matt and Ellie's support and love for each other are truly admirable. This story is swoony and centered around love, but it also tackles much more. Having lost a parent at a young age, I deeply related to Ellie's grief and her journey with it. By the end, I hope to find someone who loves me like Matt loves Ellie. Grief lingers no matter how much time has passed, and you either grow around it or internalize it. Both characters show such emotional maturity despite their age difference. I appreciated that hockey players weren't depicted as overwhelmingly popular in the book. It felt realistic. Being from Boston made me relate to Ellie even more! The descriptions of the city were spot-on. Meeting the side characters made me curious about their backstories. For some reason, Nate reminded me of Nick from New Girl!
Matt really set the bar high! I loved how he noticed the little things and showed such self-awareness of his feelings and actions. He was considerate and caring; this truly is the bare minimum, but he did it exceptionally well. I enjoyed his inner monologues throughout the book and how infatuated he was with Ellie from their first meeting at the bar. Ellie displayed bravery and boldness in many instances, and I admired how she opened up to Matt's uplifting support when she struggled to be courageous herself. She overcame so much trauma, and I commend her for that. Plus, I found her quirky enthusiasm for wearing scrubs endearing.
To summarize: Did I cry a lot while reading this? YES! Definitely in the best way because Endgame really ended me! I loved this book so much.
Absolutely obsessed with this book. I cannot wait for everyone to read it and fall in love with it just as much as I did.
I want to emphasize how much I loved the book. The story captivated me from the start, and the way you handled such heavy topics was beautiful. Matt and Ellie's support and love for each other are truly admirable. This story is swoony and centered around love, but it also tackles much more. Having lost a parent at a young age, I deeply related to Ellie's grief and her journey with it. By the end, I hope to find someone who loves me like Matt loves Ellie. Grief lingers no matter how much time has passed, and you either grow around it or internalize it. Both characters show such emotional maturity despite their age difference. I appreciated that hockey players weren't depicted as overwhelmingly popular in the book. It felt realistic. Being from Boston made me relate to Ellie even more! The descriptions of the city were spot-on. Meeting the side characters made me curious about their backstories. For some reason, Nate reminded me of Nick from New Girl!
Matt really set the bar high! I loved how he noticed the little things and showed such self-awareness of his feelings and actions. He was considerate and caring; this truly is the bare minimum, but he did it exceptionally well. I enjoyed his inner monologues throughout the book and how infatuated he was with Ellie from their first meeting at the bar. Ellie displayed bravery and boldness in many instances, and I admired how she opened up to Matt's uplifting support when she struggled to be courageous herself. She overcame so much trauma, and I commend her for that. Plus, I found her quirky enthusiasm for wearing scrubs endearing.
To summarize: Did I cry a lot while reading this? YES! Definitely in the best way because Endgame really ended me! I loved this book so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2026
ARC review!🩵
Release date: February 26
── .✦ Tropes:
-Hockey Player X ER nurse
-F*ck buddies
-He falls first
-Navigating grief
-Age gap
“𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭?” 𝓨𝓸𝓾. 𝓐𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾.
4⭐️
I enjoyed this book so much! It’s written in an easy and fun way that instantly hooked me.
The characters- Ellie, an ER nurse who’s just moved to a new city and is still struggling with grief. And Matt, a hockey captain who’s trying to figure out how he wants his future to look- both creeped up on my heart and made it so full of love and hope.
Ellie’s cute rambling and overthinking was so relatable, all her little not curses were what made me love her even more. (Fudgenuts!)
And Matt’s caring and mature personality completely made me fall for him.
My absolute favorite part of the whole book I think is when he BAKES HER MOTHER’S PIE FOR HER. OKAY?! Like thanks for raising my standards once again Matt.
The love that blossomed between them truly made me cheer for them from my spot on my bed. The tender understanding that revolved around their relationship just warmed my heart, they were both so mature i didn’t even feel that there was an age gap between them and in the best way!!
I loved that there was no third act break up but just little bumps a long the way which made the book feel so much more realistic.
The grief in this book was represented and described so well. I could understand and how Ellie felt through the pages, wanting to just give her the biggest hug.
Highly recommend! If you’re a you’re looking for a sweet heartwarming hockey romance🩵
QUOTES:
I think though, based on the way I feel right now, she might have already taken my heart. And I think she might have realized that I’m holding hers too.
but grief doesn’t adhere to a schedule. It doesn’t care about your plans. Grief’s an attention whore and some days it’s just all about her.
“Love you’re scared to lose is love worth fighting for, even if you’re fighting yourself. You deserve to be with someone who fights for that love with you.”
“How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“You just… I just feel like I can breathe when you’re with me. Like the weight of the world is suddenly so much less.” I squeeze her hand under mine. “I’ve never felt that before.”
“Isn’t that what partners do? Share the weight?”
Love is such a small word for something so big. Because these feelings I have for Matt? They feel like they’re overflowing. Like they’re pushing against my chest so hard I want to rub my hand there to fight the pressure. He baked my mom’s apple pie for me.
Thank you LoveNotes PR and Willa Gray for the arc!
Release date: February 26
── .✦ Tropes:
-Hockey Player X ER nurse
-F*ck buddies
-He falls first
-Navigating grief
-Age gap
“𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭?” 𝓨𝓸𝓾. 𝓐𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾.
4⭐️
I enjoyed this book so much! It’s written in an easy and fun way that instantly hooked me.
The characters- Ellie, an ER nurse who’s just moved to a new city and is still struggling with grief. And Matt, a hockey captain who’s trying to figure out how he wants his future to look- both creeped up on my heart and made it so full of love and hope.
Ellie’s cute rambling and overthinking was so relatable, all her little not curses were what made me love her even more. (Fudgenuts!)
And Matt’s caring and mature personality completely made me fall for him.
My absolute favorite part of the whole book I think is when he BAKES HER MOTHER’S PIE FOR HER. OKAY?! Like thanks for raising my standards once again Matt.
The love that blossomed between them truly made me cheer for them from my spot on my bed. The tender understanding that revolved around their relationship just warmed my heart, they were both so mature i didn’t even feel that there was an age gap between them and in the best way!!
I loved that there was no third act break up but just little bumps a long the way which made the book feel so much more realistic.
The grief in this book was represented and described so well. I could understand and how Ellie felt through the pages, wanting to just give her the biggest hug.
Highly recommend! If you’re a you’re looking for a sweet heartwarming hockey romance🩵
QUOTES:
I think though, based on the way I feel right now, she might have already taken my heart. And I think she might have realized that I’m holding hers too.
but grief doesn’t adhere to a schedule. It doesn’t care about your plans. Grief’s an attention whore and some days it’s just all about her.
“Love you’re scared to lose is love worth fighting for, even if you’re fighting yourself. You deserve to be with someone who fights for that love with you.”
“How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“You just… I just feel like I can breathe when you’re with me. Like the weight of the world is suddenly so much less.” I squeeze her hand under mine. “I’ve never felt that before.”
“Isn’t that what partners do? Share the weight?”
Love is such a small word for something so big. Because these feelings I have for Matt? They feel like they’re overflowing. Like they’re pushing against my chest so hard I want to rub my hand there to fight the pressure. He baked my mom’s apple pie for me.
Thank you LoveNotes PR and Willa Gray for the arc!
March 4, 2026
Crying, sobbing, puking, screaming.
You guys this is a beautiful ROMANCE story where the FMC is grieving her mom. Like, let's take my favorite thing (a romance book) and make the feelings of grief that the FMC has SO RELATABLE... God damn, Willa Gray
Okay, let's start with Matt. I liked that this wasn't really surrounding hockey and treated Matt being a hockey player as his job and not his entire everything where he never leaves the rink or some stuff. It was a hockey romance but not where everything was about HOCKEY and LOVE and SEX- maybe it is because of my personal experience that I thought this book was more of a love story of a character grieving and a hockey player compared to a hockey romance book about the FMC and a hockey player. I love that it was so obvious he was smitten so much more sooner than Ellie, but it wasn't unbearable to watch it. Like he isn't CONSUMED with his love that he can barely contain himself. He let her do her thing still and let her work through her feelings and was there when she needed him.
Goodness, Ellie. How I love Ellie. When she said "I just want my mom" after a traumatic event for her... HOLY SHIT I CRIED. The scene where she is in front of Matt's place and thinks about how she wants to take a picture to show her mom- felt that in my bones. I think anyone that has lost a parent has moments where they think "this is something I would tell/show my mom". Also, the conversation she had with her dad and he explaining how people grieve differently. So true, but so true because he goes on to say he knows that, but it wasn't till he saw how his style of grieving wasn't working for Ellie that he really understood it.
Honestly, I don't know if I am just not "critical" enough when I rate my books, but I don't give A FUCK BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS BEAUTIFUL AND I LOVED IT. I recommend reading it if you love LOVE and kicking your feet squealing when the MC's finally say "I love you" for the first time.
You guys this is a beautiful ROMANCE story where the FMC is grieving her mom. Like, let's take my favorite thing (a romance book) and make the feelings of grief that the FMC has SO RELATABLE... God damn, Willa Gray
Okay, let's start with Matt. I liked that this wasn't really surrounding hockey and treated Matt being a hockey player as his job and not his entire everything where he never leaves the rink or some stuff. It was a hockey romance but not where everything was about HOCKEY and LOVE and SEX- maybe it is because of my personal experience that I thought this book was more of a love story of a character grieving and a hockey player compared to a hockey romance book about the FMC and a hockey player. I love that it was so obvious he was smitten so much more sooner than Ellie, but it wasn't unbearable to watch it. Like he isn't CONSUMED with his love that he can barely contain himself. He let her do her thing still and let her work through her feelings and was there when she needed him.
Goodness, Ellie. How I love Ellie. When she said "I just want my mom" after a traumatic event for her... HOLY SHIT I CRIED. The scene where she is in front of Matt's place and thinks about how she wants to take a picture to show her mom- felt that in my bones. I think anyone that has lost a parent has moments where they think "this is something I would tell/show my mom". Also, the conversation she had with her dad and he explaining how people grieve differently. So true, but so true because he goes on to say he knows that, but it wasn't till he saw how his style of grieving wasn't working for Ellie that he really understood it.
Honestly, I don't know if I am just not "critical" enough when I rate my books, but I don't give A FUCK BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS BEAUTIFUL AND I LOVED IT. I recommend reading it if you love LOVE and kicking your feet squealing when the MC's finally say "I love you" for the first time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2026
WILLLA.
You didn’t just debut.
You ARRIVED!
Ellie wrecked me.
Not because she was bold enough to proposition a man (which… I could never 😅), but because beneath that moment was a woman trying to take control of her own narrative. A woman who had been let down before and still chose to try again.
That kind of bravery isn’t loud.
It’s quiet.
It’s trembling hands and still moving forward.
It’s setting boundaries even when you’re scared it’ll cost you.
It’s admitting you want more — and risking disappointment to reach for it.
She was messy. She was healing. She was strong in ways that don’t always get celebrated. And by the end, I felt like I understood her in my bones.
And then there’s Matt.
He didn’t love her in grand, flashy ways.
He loved her in details.
In remembering.
In listening.
In adjusting.
In showing up.
The secret relationship to protect her peace.
The late-night food because she forgot to eat.
The “I’m on my way” without hesitation.
The emergency flight.
The pie baked from memory so she could feel close to her mom again.
That’s the kind of love that feels safe.
The kind that says, “You don’t have to carry everything alone anymore.”
This book didn’t just sell me on age gap romance.
It reminded me that softness after survival is possible. That steady love exists. That healing can look like letting someone in.
You didn’t just debut.
You ARRIVED!
Ellie wrecked me.
Not because she was bold enough to proposition a man (which… I could never 😅), but because beneath that moment was a woman trying to take control of her own narrative. A woman who had been let down before and still chose to try again.
That kind of bravery isn’t loud.
It’s quiet.
It’s trembling hands and still moving forward.
It’s setting boundaries even when you’re scared it’ll cost you.
It’s admitting you want more — and risking disappointment to reach for it.
She was messy. She was healing. She was strong in ways that don’t always get celebrated. And by the end, I felt like I understood her in my bones.
And then there’s Matt.
He didn’t love her in grand, flashy ways.
He loved her in details.
In remembering.
In listening.
In adjusting.
In showing up.
The secret relationship to protect her peace.
The late-night food because she forgot to eat.
The “I’m on my way” without hesitation.
The emergency flight.
The pie baked from memory so she could feel close to her mom again.
That’s the kind of love that feels safe.
The kind that says, “You don’t have to carry everything alone anymore.”
This book didn’t just sell me on age gap romance.
It reminded me that softness after survival is possible. That steady love exists. That healing can look like letting someone in.
February 25, 2026
How was this a debut?! This book was amazing! It is now my new favorite hockey romance. From the moment I picked this book up I was hooked, locked in. I read it in a day, couldn’t put it down.
Ellie has my heart. She was so sweet and endearing that you can’t help but want to wrap her up in a hug. She just had this strength to her that made watching her journey so special. Matt Anderson is everything I never knew I wanted or through possible in a man. How can one person be so beyond perfect?! From the first moment he meets Ellie he is down bad for her, and I was here for it.
This isn’t just a cute hockey romance. It had so many emotional layers. And the depth really just elevated the story for me. Watching them both open up and confront their pasts, and grow together was beautiful. Their connection, chemistry and banter was just so good.
For a debut novel this was nothing short of amazing! I can’t wait to see what she writes next. Def check your triggers but if you love a hockey romance and want an emotional story pick this one up! Thank you to love notes pr and Willa Grey for this arc! This releases on 2/26
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Hockey
Captain x nurse
Age gap
He falls first
Cinnamon roll MMC
Ellie has my heart. She was so sweet and endearing that you can’t help but want to wrap her up in a hug. She just had this strength to her that made watching her journey so special. Matt Anderson is everything I never knew I wanted or through possible in a man. How can one person be so beyond perfect?! From the first moment he meets Ellie he is down bad for her, and I was here for it.
This isn’t just a cute hockey romance. It had so many emotional layers. And the depth really just elevated the story for me. Watching them both open up and confront their pasts, and grow together was beautiful. Their connection, chemistry and banter was just so good.
For a debut novel this was nothing short of amazing! I can’t wait to see what she writes next. Def check your triggers but if you love a hockey romance and want an emotional story pick this one up! Thank you to love notes pr and Willa Grey for this arc! This releases on 2/26
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Hockey
Captain x nurse
Age gap
He falls first
Cinnamon roll MMC
February 17, 2026
Can I even put into words how much I loved this books? Let's try.
My heart was tugging for Ellie. My sweet, beautiful Ellie. I loved her. Her strength, dedication, humor. She's such a joy to follow along.
Her proposition made me laugh out loud, her ''just blurt it out'' atitude was iconic. And him being on his knees (pun very much intended) from the start was such a smooth foreshadowing of how completely smitten and green flag-coded he was going to be.
The dialogues were heartwarming. Their inside thoughts seemed so real and I was kicking my feet in the air while mentally squealing when they both realised, in their own time, that they were in love.
The side characters were amazing too, their friends and families complemented them without overcrowding the main couple story, which I always appreciate.
And I was caught by surprise as I flipped the last page and saw that beautiful artwork. Such an awesome addition. It really tied every thing. I finished this book with the biggest smile on my face.
𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗹𝘆.
My heart was tugging for Ellie. My sweet, beautiful Ellie. I loved her. Her strength, dedication, humor. She's such a joy to follow along.
Her proposition made me laugh out loud, her ''just blurt it out'' atitude was iconic. And him being on his knees (pun very much intended) from the start was such a smooth foreshadowing of how completely smitten and green flag-coded he was going to be.
The dialogues were heartwarming. Their inside thoughts seemed so real and I was kicking my feet in the air while mentally squealing when they both realised, in their own time, that they were in love.
The side characters were amazing too, their friends and families complemented them without overcrowding the main couple story, which I always appreciate.
And I was caught by surprise as I flipped the last page and saw that beautiful artwork. Such an awesome addition. It really tied every thing. I finished this book with the biggest smile on my face.
𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗹𝘆.
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