Lovestruck

Minnesota Mustangs #2

by Celeste Briars

Staten Renault is the epitome of all things nerdy. Her love life is nonexistent, her social life could use some much-needed TLC, and she’s sacrificed everything to enroll at Minnesota’s most prestigious college. As the self-proclaimed scholarship kid in a small town full of trust fund babies, she makes it her goal to fit in with her peers. Underpaid and overworked, it’s no surprise that she also suffers from a lovelorn heart, specifically when it involves her best friend, Leif Kennedy. Staten is too shy to make the first move, and Leif is as oblivious as they come. She’s content with living out the rest of her college years pining from afar, until one hockey-player-shaped catalyst pushes them closer than ever.

Enter Knox Mulligan—the resident playboy of the Minnesota Mustangs’ hockey team, the child of Maple Grove’s wealthiest benefactors, and the boy who couldn’t be more different from Staten. He’s all bite and bark and irresistible innuendos. However, despite the unshakable façade that he puts on for everyone, he’s struggling to hold himself together. With a Lit grade on the verge of tanking and his hockey status in jeopardy, Knox needs to find a tutor as soon as possible. Call it fate or some misguided dice roll, but the only person who can help him is the girl who sits behind him in English class, and the girl he just so happened to have accidentally hit with his Lamborghini.

After a messy meet-cute, Staten is more than happy to cut ties right then and there, until Knox’s perseverance and surprising moral compass keeps him trapped in her orbit. He needs a tutor, she needs the money, and she also needs a mentor with a PhD in flirting. Knox knows just how to sweet-talk his way into the bedroom, and guilt—or desire—pushes him to offer his services to one best friend-obsessed Staten. Bad blood aside, the two need each other more than they’re willing to admit. But, when late-night study sessions turn into secret rendezvouses, they realize that their preliminary goals may have just taken a turn for the worse. Feelings were never a part of the itinerary, nor were they a previous point of contention for the romantically challenged virgin and the campus-wide Casanova. With Staten torn between who to give her heart to, Knox realizes that for the first time ever, his competition lies off the ice.

Will Staten realize that Knox is the puzzle piece she’s missing from her conundrum of a love life, or will internal differences and an unrequited crush keep the two of them apart?

Lovestruck is a swoon-worthy hockey romance featuring a playboy hockey player with an affinity for finding trouble, a straight-A tutor who does everything to resist his charm, a fake dating scheme that tests their boundaries, spice hot enough to make you question your religious values, and a new beginning for unlikely lovers. It’s the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.

Lovestruck is a college hockey romance, tutor x hockey player, dislike to lovers, bad boy x good girl, forced proximity, virgin FMC, opposites attract, fake dating romance with no cheating and a satisfying happily ever after.

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance, Hockey, Sports, Fake Dating, Hockey Romance, Enemies To Lovers

418 pages, Paperback

Published February 8, 2026

About the author

Celeste Briars is an indie author who specializes in spicy hockey romances. She’s a UC Davis alumnus with a bachelor’s in psychology. She loves creating memorable meet-cutes and happily ever afters. When she’s not writing, you can find her binge-watching horror movies, playing with her cats, or dancing the night away with her friends. If you’re looking for books with spice hot enough to question your religious values and feel-good moments that make your heart sing, please cuddle up with a Reapers novel and stay a while!

You can keep in touch through Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/celestebria...) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@celestebriars...).

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me

KU Read
406 Pages
College Hockey Romance
Player x Tutor
Fake Dating
Reformed Playboy
Virgin FMC
Bad Boy x Good Girl

The writing style in this book threw me to the point that I couldn't enjoy the plot as it felt like a mash of two separate writers. One minute the style was clear and simple, getting to the point of the story and the second, the descriptives and inner monologue felt like a scholar had over used a thesaurus to make it sound like out failing Hockey boy was suddenly Shakespeare.
I couldn't enjoy the flow of the story as it seemed like it was being broken up with paragraphs of filler text that didn't suit the style of the story.
I don't want to sound harsh but also want to be honest. This is just my opinion though and others might totally gel with this style.

[Karina · Rating 2 out of 5]

My overall comment is going to be one that I have repeated in almost every single review I have about Celeste's writing, but I think this may be the book where I noticed it the most, and it bothers me the most.

When I left my review for Lovesick, I said that Celeste's writing is very poetic, and I enjoy it because I always feel that I am expanding my vocabulary. Truthfully, I don't think I use the dictionary options on my Kindle for any other author quite as much as I do for Celeste's books. I have to read her work on my Kindle because I refuse to carry a dictionary or look up words in every single paragraph on my phone. However, I also said there is a fine line between poetic writing and overusing metaphors. While in the Riverside Reapers series, and even in Lovesick, Celeste toed that line, I think she just overstepped in with Lovestruck. There was too much. Too many big and uncommon words, too many metaphors, too much internal monologue and commentary between dialogue in a scene. It was too much. I couldn't get into the story because it was difficult to follow the actual scene and the actions unfolding in it.

It's like that episode of Friends when Joey uses a thesaurus to write a letter of recommendation to the adoption agency on behalf of Chandler and Monica. I feel like every other paragraph, sometimes every other sentence, is a prime example of that. Just to understand what I am talking about, here is an example:

...abundance of red markings littering Knox’s past classwork, starker than ichor flowing across the ivory bed of a semitranslucent wrist.

or

...back into the abyss where my shriveled heart sways from the cavernous ceiling of my chest like a stalactite.

Who uses the word stalactite regularly or as a descriptor? Again, I appreciate the class for expanding my vocabulary, and I think it is beautifully written, but I had the hardest time following the book's plot because I was constantly distracted by phrases like the ones above.

As for the storyline...it was good. Nothing groundbreaking, but it is the kind of romance book I like and enjoy getting lost in. It's the story of a rich-kid hockey player who only wants to make it to the NHL. His father is an overbearing MF who never really showed love or affection for his son, unless it was because his son was excelling at something that would bring pride to the family. If Knox didn't perform well, his father would let him know how much of an embarrassment he is. Knox is not a great student and is failing some classes, thus jeopardizing his position on the hockey team and his future prospects of being drafted.
Staten is an overachieving braniac who is at the school on a scholarship and is working hard to secure a better future for herself and her mother than the one she had growing up.
Ergo, Knox asks Staten to tutor him to raise his grades. She refuses at first, but needs the money. To sweeten the deal, Knox agrees to teach Staten how to flirt after watching her drown when trying to catch the attention of her crush.
As they spend more time together, Knox goes from feeling a physical attraction to really liking Staten, and she starts to develop similar feelings for Knox. He esentially also teaches her the art of physical touch...basically taking our virgin Mary and letting her experience the benefits of physical attraction. Meanwhile, our resident playboy has calmed his tits and has become a one-woman type of guy because he really is falling for Staten.
Eventually, her crush opens his eyes and notices Staten. Now she has to decide whether it is too late for him and stick with Knox, or whether the relationship with Knox was only temporary.

The plot itself is fine. It's not groundbreaking, but it's a classic trope that we have seen time and time again, and it works. Don't reinvent the wheel if it's not broken.

However, there were plot points that were mentioned and then abandoned completely. There were twists in the plot that left me scratching my head asking how we got to that point (like the big climax between Knox and his father. Where did that come from). The hockey team is a family, but we barely saw much interaction with the guys in this book. We saw Harlan a bit, but we already know that he is dating Merit's best friend since Lovesick, so I am going to assume he is not going to be a future MMC, which is fine, but I need mystery to be created to make me want to read the next book with the rest of the team. I am going to assume our next MMC will be Sutton, as that is who was featured a bit more in this book, but, truthfully, I don't feel that I got to know any of the rest of the team more than what I already knew about them from Lovesick. I personally think each book should highlight the secondary characters a bit to create expectation for the rest of the series.

I don't know. I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did. It's hard to say, but cut back all the extra page fillers. It's beautifully written, but it doesn't add anything to the plot and, truthfully, it's distracting. This book is 420 pages (actually more like 400 pages), and it could have easily been cut down to 300 or fewer.

Thank you to Celeste and LoveNotes for the ACR book.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Love Notes PR and all thoughts are my own.

I love a hockey romance. And since this is book two, I was excited to see who our next player to fall in love would be. Knox and Staten were the answer. Campus Playboy and Nerdy Scholarship Student. Fake Dating. All things I love.

I wanted to love this book after reading book one last month. The characters struggle with insecurities, toxic family dynamics, school troubles, financial issues, and messy feelings which make them feel like very rounded out, real college students.

And while I really liked the main characters and the story overall, the biggest struggle for me was the fact that it felt like a vocabulary test. Our male MC, Knox, is supposedly failing Intro to Literature, uses phrases and words found on the SATs, but doesn't know what a thesis statement is. The 10 dollar words really took me out of the story. And I'm not hating on the use of these words ever in a romance, but they would have been more suited for an English professor, than a struggling college hockey player.

Overall, I will still be waiting for book three because I love this world that has been built and the Mustangs.

[Texa]

“romantically challenged virgin and the campus-wide Casanova” in the big ol 2026? Fk no

[Carolann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminded me so much of “the deal by elle Kennedy” I loved it

[Valentina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Buckle up because this is going to be a bumpy review.

To start off, I’d like to say that the concept of the story was cute. Two different characters unlike each other collide—literally and metaphorical—forming a great bond. The moments between Staten and Knox are tumultuous at first but quickly grow into a warmth care for each other. The author takes great care of forming their connection through interaction.

This line that Knox thinks was so funny, “…I’m as useless as a condom dispenser in the Vatican…” This comedic simile hits and it points out the type of character Knox is, charming and insecure. He hides his insecurities with his sex and that’s telling of who he is as a character. His development though out the story is well taken care of.

Before I get to the root of the story I do want to say that Staten’s character is hard to read. The whole story is spent deciphering her personality. I could easily say she’s complex but in all honesty it felt like multiple personalities were trying to be shoved into the character. The character was trying to be too much of a main character if that makes sense. Like she was trying to be everything at once.

Vocabulary. When I tell you the large words—Litigious, Coiffed, Pelagic, Egregious, Leviathan, Acquiesces, etc.—took me out of the story so fast. There is never a need for big words unless it fits the characters personality. As someone who was just in college I can tell you now, no college student unless they are arrogant, speak or think that way. The one word I heard a lot during my writing seminars is petrichor. It works once but use it again and it loses its power. Not only that but I caught multiple times of the word being used wrong in a sentence. The copious use of literary language was so distracting. I skipped so many sentences because at some point I draw the line of metaphors random things to a feeling. Just let the characters feel what it is and not try to explain it to the reader like we should understand what crinkling paper sounds in an ear while someone is anxious.

On the same note of personality, it’s a bit inconsistent to the story to have Knox—someone who is struggling in Intro to Lit— say things like, “…Bathed in Persimmon shafts of light that weave through a dense canopy, soaking the detritus-riddled floor in tones of sapia…” I promise you no hockey guy thinks like this. No college student thinks like this. He shouldn’t be struggling in English if he can use literary language like he was born to be Shakespeare.

*****This is more opinion based and didn’t do much to change my rating***Keeping on the that about language. Some of the language used to “spicy” talk was so comfortable to read. If I ever heard that being said to me I would internally cringe. Examples:

“…then lick my own to subliminally plant the pussy-wetting thought of some mouth to moth action in her head.” (I would slap a man)

“She yields to my cock without riposte…” (why a big word, who is thinking that deeply during the moment)

There is more that left me confused and looking like this : 🥴🫠🤨🫢😬🤢

******^^^

Believability plays a huge part in a story. As someone who was an English student not so long ago I had a hard time believing INTRO to Lit was a junior class. It being a sophomore class is more believable but it might just be that other schools curriculum might be different. “The Great Gatsby” is a high school title. I think picking a stronger book would’ve had me more roped into the story of it being a title for a college class. The whole scholarship problem made me confused and I think was a plot hole left to form Knox and Staten’s connection. To end it, I will say that some of the first couple of scenes between Knox and Staten felt forced. There could’ve been a better way to smooth out those interactions.

On a good note the last name Winslow is a great addition.

I am so sorry, but something has to drastically change in the writing for me to want to give this author another try. I think she has potential, especially with her skill in language. Hockey romance is not the genre I think fits this type of writing. It can be done but in small doses for it to be tolerable. I think literature fiction might be her calling if she enjoys pros and literary tools.

[yueting ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rarely focus on an author's writing in my reviews. But for this one, there's no way to avoid it. Lovestruck has so many elements that I love: a down bad, pathetic MMC; fake dating to get the FMC's crush to notice her; forced proximity via tutoring; and a redemption arc for our MMC who was the "bad guy" in a previous book of the series. Add all of that along with the fact that I enjoyed the first book, Lovesick last year and I really, really, really wanted to love this one.

But the writing. I don't want to say that it's bad—it's just extremely overwritten, with clunky, over-expansive prose that bogs down the pacing rather then enhances the atmosphere; with awkward, challenging vocabulary that doesn't make sense in some sentences, making it feel like they were simply plucked from a thesaurus; with unnecessary adjectives and participle phrases between every other noun in a sentence. Just a few examples of words that felt shoe-horned in: rictus, phosphenes, manse, fulsome, stentorian, and lubricious.

The thing is, I think Celeste Brairs is a good writer. There are paragraphs when these flowery, convoluted phrases and words don't make an appearance that read so smoothly, that really sucks me into the story—but that all comes to a screeching halt when I have to look up my seventeenth word of the book. This sort of writing also extends to the smut and spice scenes, which really wasn't to my taste at all.

In terms of the story and characters: once again, so many elements that I enjoyed. It has one of the funniest meet cutes I've read in a while: Knox accidentally hits Staten with his car while his coach is on speakerphone and he's rushing to an exam he's going to be late to. The fake dating was so delicious. It had my heart skipping beats and my fists clenching in excitement every time they toed that line between real and fake. And I was even a fan of Knox's very quick descent into obsession over Staten.

The two stars are for that book. The book where I could really sink into the scenes and the characters and their romance; the book that I saw glimpses of between the exorbitant amount of ornamental descriptions (which I ended up skimming towards the end).

﹙ two stars ﹚

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I may not have read Lovesick, the first book in the series, but honestly it wasn’t necessary to enjoy Lovestruck by Celeste Briars.

In this sequel, we’re introduced to Knox Mulligan: hockey player, playboy, and rich kid who seems like he has everything figured out. In reality, though, he’s keeping up a pretty convincing ruse. Knox is barely keeping his grades afloat and constantly struggling under the weight of his controlling father’s expectations.

Meanwhile, Staten Renault can’t seem to catch a break. She’s working nonstop and studying constantly, doing everything she can to stay on top of her responsibilities. When she finds out her scholarship is suddenly at risk, panic sets in. She’s already burning the candle at both ends, so figuring out how to make up the difference financially feels nearly impossible.

Enter Knox…quite literally.

Their first encounter happens when Knox accidentally hits Staten with his car, which is definitely one way to make an impression. After that, the two can’t seem to stay out of each other’s lives. Desperate to keep his grades up, Knox convinces Staten to tutor him. She’s hesitant at first, but the extra money is exactly what she needs to help cover the gap in her tuition.

What starts as a straightforward tutoring arrangement quickly evolves into fake dating when Knox offers to help Staten get the attention of the guy she’s been secretly in love with, her best friend. The plan seems simple enough, but as they spend more time together, it becomes harder and harder for both of them to ignore the feelings developing between them.

In this second Minnesota Mustangs book, the quiet, bookworm virgin heroine slowly begins to open her heart to the bad-boy hockey player. Along the way, they learn to lean on each other, forming a connection that grows into a bond neither of them expected.

Watching these two navigate their struggles and slowly realize they might actually be perfect for each other made for such a satisfying romance.

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the book

I forced myself to finish this book so you don't have to. The elements for a cute romance book were there-- athlete x tutor girl, flirting & spicy lessons, fake dating, and he falls first. Unfortunately, most of the text is pretty cringe (examples to follow) and not even the spicy scenes could have saved the book. Staten also irritated me when she was texting Leif. She sounded so desperate and quite frankly, it was embarrassing. I've definitely been like that when I liked a guy and when I remember, I get disgusted with myself.

Some of the cringe text:
- “Destiny, hold onto your vagina, because you’re about to get fucked.”
- “I’m depriving women of the Eighth Wonder of the World: my penis. That’s a crime against humanity.”
- “I feel like a sacrificial lamb being led to slaughter, but the only thing getting slaughtered tonight is my poor, inexperienced pussy.”

There was ONE scene that I thought was sweet and it was when Knox was taking care of Staten because she had a migraine.

Spoiler warning!
There are 32 chapters in the book and Staten was already confessing her feeling to Knox in chapter 19. This had me questioning what the rest of the book was going to be about since them discovering their feelings for each other would be a main turning point. In my opinion, the author randomly added a conflict between Knox and his father. She did mention that they didn't get along a bit during the book, but really made it a main issue 2/3 through the book. There was supposedly so much hatred/daddy issues coming from Knox that Knox and his father resolving their issues in a page was so unrealistic.

[bibi · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★¼- 4.25 stars

This was way better than the first one. The characters, the dynamics, the relationship, the development, it was everything 😮‍💨

I loved Knox, I got a feeling I would really like him in the first book and he didn’t disappoint. I really liked Staten too. Both had so many layers and they were so similar in some ways.

I loved their relationship and how everything evolved at a slow pace.

The only thing i didn’t love was the third act break-up, it was unnecessary, in my opinion, and it could have been different and still have the same emotional impact.

And I wish we got an epilogue, I would have loved to see them in the future 🥺

[Lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

as always a huge thanks to @celestebriarsauthor and @lovenotes.pr

Staten and Knox had a rough start, Staten didn’t like him but Knox was already curious about her, feeling the need to get to know her and spend time with her, even if it’s in the form of fake dating to make another guy jealous, little did they know, they’d start falling for each other.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Staten Renault is made of beauty, brains, and an ambition to prove everyone who ever doubted her wrong. She can’t be boiled down to Leif’s secret admirer—it’s an insult to her worth, her capabilities.

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, from their first meeting I wouldn’t have thought that they would have been so romantic and adorable together.

Knox and Staten’s relationship journey was so beautiful, I loved how they saw into each others hearts and made something perfect together.

And that spice, ohhhh my! Knox and Staten are so steamy together.

Thank you Celeste and Love Notes for an advanced copy.

[Angie♡ Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[sweetness_v · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

There was chemistry and some of the scenes were HOT but I don’t think the characters were explored to their full potential.
I also found some plot holes such as the Dad just being okay with Knox (MMC) all of a sudden when he belittled him his whole life. Also what happened between Staten (FMC) and the friend she liked? There was no conclusion to that aswell.

Overall, the story progresses pretty fast and i think it skimmed over some parts but it wasn’t a bad read.

[Akshi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book but, as other readers have said, the writing is something else. It’s so hard to get through the book with the overly complicated word choice and detracts from the overall story. Prime example:

“I’ve become an unfortunate cautionary tale as I hug my bed, letting my body fossilize against the unwashed sheets, wading through a phantasmagorical wasteland where time loses all meaning and the shadows play tricks in hypnagogia”.

What does that even mean?? What guy talks or thinks like that?

[Twins Reading Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celeste Briars' Lovestruck is an absorbing collision of brains, bravado, and fractured hearts, the plot has such a meticulous structure that is designed to keep you on the edge of your seat and flip the pages in crazy mode, an overworked scholarship student is unintentionally hit by a wealthy hockey player in a Lamborghini, but what happens is tremendously entertaining from the very beginning. Staten Renault is a mind-blowing character, a viciously intelligent workaholic girl attempting to survive amid privileged students while secretly developing a deep crush on her clueless best friend. Knox Mulligan the left winger sweeps her life like a category 5 hurricane, sporting expensive tires and a reputation for wild enchantment, what exactly turns out as uninterested tutoring soon turns compulsive and addictive, especially after Knox proposes an outlandish trade, scholastic assistance in return for flirting lessons, and the twists just keep coming!
.
Their banter is humorous and thoughtful, but it additionally drips with vulnerability that neither of them is willing to admitt, within a few chapters, the plot approaches riveting moments, with the emotional stakes building with each late-night study session and unintentional moment of closeness. Knox firstly seems to be an ordinary college Casanova, but the story slowly reveals a considerably more sophisticated heart beneath the swagger, his passion with making it to the NHL is instilled by an overbearing father, whose praise only comes when accomplishment is proved, that pressure creates a young guy who is scared of failure and of not being enough, and he hides this fear behind reckless arrogance!
.
Staten delivers an unexpected obstacle to the chaos, a great intellect formed by sacrifice, she presses herself to exhaustion in search of a better future than the one she and her mother escaped, reading about these two emotions collide is immersive because they recognize parts of themselves in each other's difficulties. Their blossoming bond creates a riveting emotional suspense, making each moment feel saturated with possibility. The fake dating plot builds the drama to a peak, suddenly, Staten's long-time crush pays attention, Knox becomes fiercely protective, and jealousy threatens to lead to confession. Everything that started off as a calculated plan escalates into a situation wildly unpredictable and completely addictive. Knox's path from careless playboy to completely invested romantic is remarkable to read, my heart couldn't handle so many moments!
.
He continues texting Staten at unreasonable hours to express how much he misses her, which is a sweet and heartbreakingly real change. Staten worries that she will always be the second choice in the shadow of stronger figures, while Knox feels that he must always prove himself in order to get affection. Together, they eventually eliminate those anxieties, fostering confidence that neither of them thought they had. Gentleness, humor, and a developing sense of attachment that feels sophisticated and emotionally complex all contribute to the romance's development. The essence of their relationship is brought to life in the most surprisingly loving way when Knox proudly speaks of Staten as his emotional support person. Vulnerability and commitment collide spectacularly in their relationship, changing them both. This is my favourite book from Celeste, I read this with way too many emotions and it had so many personal moments that really made me cry, this is Celeste at her finest and one of my favourite sports romance book, all of Liz Tomforde, Chelse Curto, Elle Kennedy and Tessa Bailey fans must read this, it is a top tier sports romance book!!!

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovestruck is a college hockey, fake dating, Player x Tutor, Reformed Playboy, Virgin FMC Romance.

I enjoyed Lovestruck! This is the second book in the Minnesota Mustangs series but it can read as a standalone. This story follows Staten nerdy, ambition, and a workaholic. She finds out that her scholarship is a risk and suddenly everything she as work towards especially giver her mom and her a better life is on the line. Which leads us to Knox. He is your typical hockey player. Playboy, rich kid and on the outside looks to have to all together. But behind the mask his grads are barely hanging on and he is dealing with the weight of the expectations from his controlling father. From the moment Staten and Knox come into each other life you can there is something there even if it was the greatest first meeting. As they continued to see each other you feel the chemistry between them start to grow. The banter going on between them through the book is both humorous and thoughtful. As the story goes you see how Staten and Knox both help the other in different ways. How they open up to each other and are vulnerable with each other.

Additional things I like about the story was, the pace, flow, and writing . It didn’t feel rushed or dragged out. Also It felt like going from one page to another page was smooth. There was no feeling lost or confused. The writing was easy to understand and there weren’t any errors that I saw. The steamy scenes were well written. They weren’t over the top or cheesy. Also the amount of steamy scenes was just right for this story. They didn’t over shadow or take away from the story.

Overall, Lovestruck was good read. The writing was good. The main characters were both relatable and likable. They story was easy to follow and gets your attentions from the first page and keeps it all the way to the end.

[Kendall Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars!! Thank you Love notes PR for the ARC!!
I didn’t hate it, but I’m not obsessed either.
Looove the name Staten for a girl though?! Staten and Knox were cute, maybe it’s their ages? But I didn’t feel super connected to them, it took me way too long to read. Over all super cute book but maybe just not for me!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - Stars
🌶🌶🌶.5 - Spice

Staten and Knox's story I enjoyed so much! I enjoyed the detailing the author put for their story.

Staten, your shy, straight A student, wallflower, who keeps to herself, who is caring to others and works hard so she can keep her scholarship to attend MU. Always looking out for herself, she doesn't have much of a social life.

Knox, your playboy, left wing top scorer for the Minnesota Mustangs hockey team, big ego, rich, and not a very good student when it comes to his lit class.

When Staten and Knox meet, it's not your conventional way, but their meeting will grow into something they weren't expecting or even looking for, but it's what they always wanted for themselves.

ARC provided from the author and LoveNotesPr for an honest review.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 17%
This book just pissed me off bc she so far is insufferable and his internal monologue makes no sense. For someone who is apparently failing intro to lit, he’s using a lot of metaphors and words I doubt the character would know the meaning of. It just felt like the author was showing her English lit skills and forgot she was writing in a characters perspective. A character who has struggled in school, specifically in English courses. I got to the point of frustration with her attitude and his nonsensical POV that I had to stop reading.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it!!! 💜💜

[paux⸆⸉ · Rating 3 out of 5]

—— 3,5 ★
⤿〝 KNOX: Statennn.
STATEN: Why are you texting me at two in the morning?
KNOX:I miss you.
STATEN: We saw each other every day this week.
KNOX: I still miss you. 〞

! Thank you Love Notes PR and Celeste Briars for the copy and the opportunity to read the arc of this book !

⤷ I'm not going to lie, I found it slow at first despite the fact that their relationship was not very slow precisely but the truth is that in the end the relationship they develop is so beautiful that I have loved it

⤷ characters .ᐟ

⋆˙⟡ Staten
She is such a real girl, she represents the true reality of many people, to both academic and family self-demand.... she is a character with whom it is very easy to identify with her and so real because despite everything she is guided by logic (to the greatest extent) and that little is seen

❝ “Uh, yeah! Yeah, we’re just studying. I love studying. Studying is so much fun. I could study all day every day,” ❞

⋆˙⟡ Knox
I want a man as patient as him, if not i don’t want nothing. that’s it.

❝ This girl is my Achilles’ heel. ❞

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4)

Thank you to Love Notes PR and Celeste Briars for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Lovestruck will be officially published on March 12th, 2026!

"I'll find you, in every timeline, in every life we live thereafter, because it's always been you."

༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
This was my second Celeste Briars book, and I think this one was light years ahead in comparison to my first book from her, Lovesick, which is the first book in this series. I absolutely loved Staten and Knox, and the amount of emotional depth in their relationship and how it came to be is something I'm still thinking about days after I finished. It was exactly what I was looking for at the time in a romance, and I hope people come to love them as much as I did while reading.

Staten Renault is an academic powerhouse. Straight As, is a tutor on the side to make money, and she loves all things nerdy. Her love life is nonexistent, save for her crush on her friend, Leif Kennedy, a star basketball player and one of her closest friends, whom she's known for years since they started college. When disaster strikes and Knox Mulligan, a star hockey player for the school's hockey team, hits her with his car on the way to his class, AND she loses her scholarship funding, Staten is stuck in a bind. She and Knox strike up a reluctant deal: she helps him pass English so he can stay on the hockey team, and he helps her flirt and gain her confidence to become more than friends with Leif.

As usual, I like to make a little disclaimer about books that are interconnected standalones and whether or not you can truly read this without getting spoiled for other books in the series before I get into the actual review. I wanted to point out that this book truly is a standalone! There was never a moment while I was reading where I felt like there were spoilers for the first book in the series with Crew and Merit. Yes, they make appearances, but the events of Lovestruck chronologically take place after the events of Lovesick, so there aren't any spoilers for any part of Crew and Merit's story since their story was already complete.

Getting into the actual plot and character development, I love how it felt like Knox and Staten's relationship organically grew. It was truly a strangers-to-lovers story, and their unexpected, reluctant alliance brought just enough forced proximity between them to give it that push and pull and tension buildup I love in stories like this. Knox was so head-over-heels for her, and reading about Staten and seeing her discover her feelings and falling in love for the very first time was refreshing and realistic to read. I will admit that Staten felt like she was written as a high schooler at times because she was that inexperienced with relationships in general, even though she's in her twenties as a college student. I love that Knox was able to help her gain self-confidence and find out who she was as a person outside of academics.

Both Staten and Knox struggle with personal issues outside of school, and I also love how they were able to support each other through that. With Knox's rocky relationship with his father and Staten losing her scholarship, I liked how they managed to work through those struggles together instead of letting those issues become barriers to their relationship. That scene of Knox at the hockey game? Giant green flag all around. If you know, you know.

The one thing I took a star off for was the writing style of the story, and the voices of the characters reflected in the writing. Lovestruck, at least to me, is supposed to feel like a fast read and a palette cleanser sort of book. If you're looking for a fast read after being in a reading slump or reading a long book or a book with heavy worldbuilding or darker, heavier content, I'd 100% recommend this book if you're into sports romance. The book is also written in dual-POV with Knox and Staten, and the writing style felt very casual and lighthearted, but the one thing that threw me off is the fact that there's random SAT vocabulary words thrown around in both POVs. While I understand seeing the words in Staten's POV—she has an A in English, and she's a star student, so it was more believable in her POV—it does feel very jarring to see a random, flowery, eloquent vocabulary word thrown into Knox's POV, considering the following things:

1. He's quite literally on the brink of failing English class. That's literally why Staten's helping him.

2. There was one point in the story where he admits to Staten that he had no idea what a thesis statement was when writing an argumentative essay. Like...I was out here at the ripe old age of 14 learning how to write argumentative essays in my freshman year of high school, for reference as to how crazy this statement is to say as a college student.

3. You can see an example of this in the quote I used at the start of the review. I would NEVER picture Knox saying the word "thereafter" in a sentence. Ever. He's portrayed as the biggest jock of the hockey team, and while that doesn't necessarily mean that he can't be well-read, given the context of the rest of his story, it simply doesn't fit.

Overall, if you're looking for a cute sports romance palette cleanser, this might be the book for you! I can't wait to see what's coming next in the series!

(P.S. Bonus points go to Celeste Briars for being the only author I know of so far to put AJ Vitanza in her book playlist. He's an up-and-coming artist I randomly came across one day when it showed up on my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, and I've been listening to his music ever since. His music kinda has 2010s nostalgic vibes to it, and I know everyone's trying to bring 2016 back (lol), so definitely check his music out!)
༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
Trigger/content warnings (provided by the author at the beginning of the book): sexual content (2.75-3/5 on my personal scale, but this is all dependent on your comfort level with spice), on-page car accident, hospitalization, and concussion, negative self-talk, graphic violence, suicidal ideation, parental abuse, alcohol and drug consumption, emetophobia

[Kiarra-Lee Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy! Celeste may have written my favourite one yet! If you love a good fake dating romance with a side order of forced proximity, dislike to lovers and good girl x bad girl, this is your book! Also… they have an extremely funny meet cute! This story will have you jumping on your bed and grasping for the tension to break!

Overall rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️
Sweetness Rating: 😵‍💫🍫🍬🍭(sickeningly sweet)

Staten, our hard working, nerdy, quiet but feisty scholarship student is overworked and underpaid, with a very introverted lifestyle, she struggles to branch out, including finding love… and it doesn’t help that she’s in love with her best friend, Leif, who is very oblivious to her feelings. Content with keeping things the way they are, that is until playboy and handsome Knox comes barreling into her life, to be his tutor and the guy who HIT HER WITH HIS CAR! HAHAHA!

Knox, the notorious playboy of the Mustangs, with charm and a flirty personality, but what no one knows is he’s struggling with his LIT grade… with the threat of being benched, he’s assigned a tutor… who none other than Staten, who he may or may not have hit with his car, a cruel twist of fate or the universe bringing them together? One thongs for sure, Staten wants nothing to do with him, but when Know offers his flirting skills to help her catch the attention of Leif… she simply can’t refuse.

The way the Knox was absolutely torn when he hot Staten with his car. My god, for someone known to be a bad boy and player, he has a soft heart, and a soft spot for Staten and her feisty personality. He became obsessed almost immediately and you know what? AS HE SHOULD! STATEN IS A CATCH! When the fake dating between them started the shift in attitude from Lief was crazy! One minute he wouldn’t care that Staten was in her dorm room, staying in or not having a social life and the next he was getting angry that someone was ‘interested’ in her??? The fake dating ruse worked a lot better than they planned… especially when Knox would get jealous that Staten was near Leif… hehehehehe.

Their relationship moved from dislike to like so smoothly and seamlessly. I adore the way they slowly opened up to each other and learn new things about one another. The texting… especially Knox texting her at 2am saying he misses her, what a simp. Hehehehehehe, you could tell he fell hard and fast! He didn’t even hesitate to care of Staten when her migraines hit her hard and he stayed with her… *siffles* that man admires her so damn much!

I adored the way Knox become such a love sick man. He went from being the biggest player to being a one woman man so quickly and it makes me soon. He absolutely adores the ground Staten walks on and as he should. Staten deserves to be worshiped. he went from partying all the time to preferring to stay in and watch chick flicks, dancing and slowly getting more handsy with each other… you’ll find no objection from Knox, he loves when Staten touches him.

My favourite part of this whole novel is how Knox calls Staten his ‘emotional support person’ ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! This man is in love dammit! He wins her a bear at the carnival like can you love him anymore? I also adore the way Staten grew into herself more with Knox. Her confidence and hard exterior slowly melted away the more time she spent with Knox, and he was so patient with her. Then when they finally kissed? I screamed and hollered. Their tension and chemistry was out of this world. Knox was gentle and kind with her through this intimate moment, especially when she’s inexperienced. He came in his pants from eating her out?? What a good boy he is hehehehe. They have fantastic sexual chemistry and I genuinely had drool coming out of my mouth, They’re both feral and hot and sexy and UGHHHHH!

The vulnerability Knox shows when he was so scared to get close to someone because his family made him believe he wasn’t good enough made me want to hug this man so tightly. It’s raw and heartbreaking. Staten finding her confidence more with someone who adores her for her and never having to change? THAT’S WHAT WE WANT. Staten has such a soft heart and gentle soul layered behind her hard exterior and Knox was the one to see through it and adores her for everything she is. They are truely one of my favourite couples I’ve read about. I loved the way Knox payed attention to the things she mentions and he savours every word. They worked through so many hard obstacles and came out better for each other.

Like every Celeste book, this book was funny, flirty and fantastic! I devoured it so quickly! If you truely love a playboy turned simp for the feisty quiet girl, you’ll adore this. It’ll make you laugh, cry and scream. The friendships throughout this series make my heart feel full. Friendships makes the difference when faced with challenges in your mind and body. These friendships are more like a found family bond and I love it so damn much!

Thank you yo Celeste for selecting me as a BETA and ARC reader for this book! I adore every book you write so much and had a blast with these twooo! I cannot wait for what is next to come and I will shout about these two from the rooftops!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

"I love it when you pretend to hate me."
"I'm not pretending."

Knox Mulligan is the resident playboy of the Minnesota Mustangs. He doesn't see himself getting tied down in a relationship and he doesn't seem to have anything going for him besides hockey. Knox is struggling in his Intro to Literature class and needs to get his grades up so he won't get benched and so he doesn’t hear a peep out of his horrible dad.

Staten Renault is the university's campus nerd. She is attending on a scholarship and finds out that one of her sponsors has backed out, leaving her on her own to find $2000 to pay for the semester. Staten is advised to tutor more students to help make up the money.

While in a rush on the way to an important exam, Knox hits Staten with his car. Literally. I was a little mortified for both of them. Knox feels super bad and pays for all of Staten's medical bills (as he should). He later then finds out that Staten is in his Intro to Literature class and asks her to tutor him. Staten refuses doesn't care if he fails.

“I’m malleable under her touch; she has the power to build and destroy me with a single lift of her pinky, and I yearn for such divine consecration.”

Knox figures out that Staten has a crush on her friend Leif and offers to help her get his attention—this leads to them fake dating and eventually garnering real feelings for each other.

“I already know you’re going to blow everyone away at this party, so why dot we go in there and show the people just how lucky of a guy I am?”

One of the biggest hurdles in Lovestruck is that Knox and Staten are from different social classes. Knox comes from a rich family and Staten grew up struggling with a single mother. It was always said that they were too different and they shouldn’t be together which had Knox thinking that it would be better for Staten to end up with Leif, but Staten only wanted to be with him.

“I’ve lived a thousand lives looking for him—for a partner who loves without boundaries, for a partner who’s attentive and communicative, for a partner who chooses me above all else. I don’t want to exist without him.”

A couple things that I had issues with:

The writing style was a little better than Lovesick (still similar but not as difficult to get through), but I was still having a hard time reading Lovestruck. Maybe I’m not educated enough or something, but there were so many words I’ve never read in my life that I had to use the dictionary on my Kindle WAY too many times while reading Celeste’s writing—and I know for a fact these kids were not using these big words. I think the Minnesota Mustangs series would be great for new adult or the younger adult crowd. Now that I'm older, I'm starting to prefer less lingo in the books that I read.

I had mixed feelings about Knox being so shy and awkward around Staten. He was described as a playboy and someone who’s good at flirting, but when it came to Staten, he bumbled around and was SO shy? But then again, when a guy likes a girl, they could act like that. I would’ve liked him to be confident throughout the entire book with no hesitancy or switch up. Staten was a little too mean at first, but granted she DID get hit by a car and an annoying man was bothering her so her hate was valid and justified.

Lovestruck didn't have me grasping or wanting more and it took me a little longer to finish compared to my average reading time for a book. Overall, Knox and Staten were cute. I appreciated Knox always having her back, taking care of her, and even standing up to his dad when it came to her. He was the epitome of “love is patient, and love is kind.”

“It’s been my greatest honor to hold your heart in my hands. And I’ll always be gentle with it, Ace. Always. You’re stuck with me for good.”

Thank you Celeste and Love Notes PR for the opportunity to read this ARC!

[Beth’s Book Collection · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I think getting pelted with a nail gun would be less painful than vying for the heart of a woman that belongs to another man.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

What you’ll find in this book:
- Hockey Romance
- Dislike to Lovers
- Bad Boy x Good Girl
- Fake Dating
- Virgin FMC
- Opposites Attract
- Reformed Playboy

Anyone knows me knows I loooooove me some hockey romance, and not only does this book tick that beautiful box but it includes fake dating, arguably one of the best tropes out there. So of course going into this book I am already a happy bunny, but oh now wait, there’s more! Celeste has also blessed us with an MMC that is tear jerkingly in touch with his emotions, and honestly, MMC’s that are vulnerable in this sort of way isn’t something I think I read enough of. Don’t get me wrong both of the main characters in this book, Knox and Staten, have their own issues and their own battles to face. They don’t meet each other at a time in their lives where it is just easy for them to connect they are both on different paths, but it is through these obstacles that they find in each other exactly what they are looking for.

I adore Knox and Staten, so very different, almost opposites in every way but balancing each other out perfectly. Knox needs Staten’s unwavering support and faith to succeed and Staten needs Knox to look after her even though she is stubborn about it at first. Both of these two are trying to project an image to the outside world, but when we begin to peel back the layers of their personality we quickly reveal their vulnerabilities and how their openness about this develops as the book progresses. It is this openness that allows these two to connect on the level that they do, getting to know one another in a way that no one else understands from the outside looking in seeing two people who possibly couldn’t have anything in common, but how wrong they are. The hockey team being a core part of this story makes my heart feel so full, I loved the group chat banter and how Crew and Merit feature considering that we read their story in book one in the series.

Taking it back to the fake dating trope, this works within the story exactly how you thinks it would, with forced proximity interplaying in order to maintain their “relationship”, Staten and Knox come to the realisation at very different times that they are what each other have been looking for the entire time. Buuuuut of course Celeste isn’t going to give us an easy ride to a happy ever after, instead keeping us guessing with the demons that both of the characters are trying to overcome working to get the better of them. With the feeling of not being enough practically permeating the pages there is an overflowing amount of work towards self acceptance within this book, but my favourite part has to be how Staten and Knox prop each other up, each others biggest cheerleaders. The story flowed beautifully, and was just the easy sort of read I was looking for while still allowing me to feel connected to the characters and their struggles.

Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a new hockey romance series to dive into that connects deeply with the romance of the characters, and has a whole heap of spicy good stuff.

Thank you so much to the author for sending me an e-ARC to read and review early.

Author: Celeste Briars
Series: The Minnesota Mustangs
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: March 12th, 2026
Pages: 420

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely hooked on Lovestruck from the very first chapter. That opening alone had me laughing and instantly invested because the way Staten and Knox meet is absolute chaos, but somehow it ends up being the perfect start to their story.

Staten is such an easy character to root for. She’s hardworking, stubborn, and trying so hard to keep everything in her life together. As a scholarship student surrounded by wealth and privilege, she constantly feels like she has to prove herself, and that pressure really shapes how guarded she is. Watching her slowly open up and start to believe in her own worth was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Then there’s Knox. At first glance, he’s the typical charming hockey player with a reputation for being a bit of a playboy, but the more time you spend with him, the more you see there’s so much more beneath the surface. The way he becomes completely soft for Staten had me smiling the entire time. He notices everything about her, supports her when she’s struggling, and even when things get complicated, you can tell how deeply he cares.

Their dynamic is honestly one of the best parts of the story. The banter between them is sharp and funny, but underneath all of it there’s this growing tension and vulnerability that makes every interaction feel meaningful. What starts as tutoring and a fake dating arrangement slowly turns into something neither of them expected, and watching those feelings build was so satisfying.

The chemistry between them is undeniable, and the slow shift from frustration to trust to something deeper kept me flipping pages late into the night. I loved seeing Knox go from carefree and reckless to someone who is genuinely devoted to Staten, while she slowly lets herself believe she deserves that kind of love.

Beyond the romance, the friendships and team dynamics added so much heart to the story. The sense of found family throughout the series really shines here and makes the world feel warm and supportive.

Lovestruck is such an addictive college hockey romance filled with humor, tension, emotional growth, and plenty of swoony moments. Knox and Staten’s journey had me laughing, stressing, and completely invested in their happily ever after. I honestly didn’t want it to end.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knox and Staten are too broken people who found the person they were meant to be with but it didn't come easy. Knox might be the stereotypical hotshot playboy college hockey player to the public but he is so much more than his bank account. In private he he struggles with his own insecurities and the feelings like he isn't good enough. He feels dumb because school is hard for him and he doesn't want anyone to see that until threatened with losing hockey. His father is a controlling narcissist who demands perfection while spewing nonsense that heightens Knox's belief that he is worthless.

Staten has been raised by a single mother who is overworked and she feels like she has to be like her mother. Never really trusting a man because her father chose to bail before she was born. Being a scholarship kid from a low income family is something she hides from even her supposed best friends. She hides her insecurities behind a shy introverted exterior that only falls during classes where she excels. She dreams of the perfect life and future but is that life the perfect one for her.

Staten and Knox do not have a typical romcom meet cute, theirs is more of a crash and burn type meeting. Right from the beginning Knox is intrigued by Staten and will do anything to care for her even when she won't give him the time of the day. Then little by little they work together in a mutually beneficial agreement to get his grades up and her the attention of her dream man. Things didn't go as planned and dreams evolved and what once was fake became real. Soon they couldn't imagine being apart and they were happy even though they were complete opposites. They were happy until exterior forces played on their insecurities and won. The ending was supposedly because the other deserved better but really what us better than being loved unconditionally without hesitation. This is something they both had to realize before forever could really exist.

I loved these two characters and were rooting for them but there were so many unanswered questions and pieces that seemed incomplete leading me to drop a star. Thank you Celeste Briars and LoveNotesPR for the ARC and the opportunity to review!

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Staten and Knox are complete opposites; the shy, lower class, smart girl, and the entitled, cocky, rich hockey player. At least, that's what it seems on the surface. After accidentally hitting Staten with his car while being threatened to be benched in hockey due to poor grades, Knox realizes that she's the only person that could help him. Except, she hates him, and for reasons unknown to him, he's drawn to her like a mega strength magnet. After essentially begging her to tutor him, she finally agrees when they make a deal to help her make her ultimate crush, Leif, jealous.

Except somewhere between Statens annoyance and irritation, and Knoxs constant show of loyalty and affection toward her, the lines start to blur real fast. As they discover the deeper parts of each other that are kept hidden away from each other, their connection only grows stronger. Despite denying it for as long as she can, Staten finds herself questioning everything she thought she wanted...

First I would like to say that I had no idea this book would be SO funny. The insults and statements that come out of Staten and Knox's mouths (and heads) were so unexpected, sometimes crude, and absurd that I was literally cackling out loud on a regular basis. I love some good snark from our characters. I generally liked most of the writing in this book, however there were SO. MANY. similes that it became distracting. Especially when quite a few of them had me googling terms and places/things just to figure out what comparison the author was making 😅 That being said, I truly did enjoy the storyline. Knox fell for Staten hook, line, and sinker right from the beginning, and it was fun to watch him figure out how to get her attention when she didn't fall at his feet like every other girl. It took a lot of consistency from Knox but it was sweet finally seeing Staten open up to someone else after keeping most everyone at a distance. I'm looking forward to book #3!

Thank you so much to Love Notes PR and the author for allowing me to read and review!

[chinka · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to Love Notes PR and Celeste for this arc!

✩ ✩,5

so first, i’m in love with the cover, which is what made me want to read this book. and after i found out the tropes – fake dating, nerd x hockey player and reverse grumpy x sunshine – i couldn’t have been more excited to read it.

it was my first time reading a book by celeste, and i’m not really sure how i feel about it. the book wasn’t bad, but when it comes to fake dating i love seeing the tension and the yearning when it slowly starts becoming real, and i feel like that was missing a bit here.

i also struggled to connect with the characters, which made it take me way longer to finish it. at one point i even thought about dnfing it because it was hard for me to fully understand the plot. don’t get me wrong – the book itself wasn’t bad. my main issue was the language celeste used, as someone whose english is their third language, it was a bit tiring to constantly look up words, and sometimes it even made me question my english. usually i don’t really have to use a translator when reading an english book, but with this one i actually had to.

i also feel like the writing was a bit too poetic, with an overuse of metaphors for a romance book. especially when the mmc is failing intro to literature classes, because the inner monologue knox has sometimes makes it a little hard to believe.

that being said, i did love knox – he’s giving golden retriever energy. but if he’s supposed to be a playboy, why is he so shy around staten?

and unfortunately i can’t say the same about staten – i didn’t really find her likable – the way she treated knox at the very beginning just didn’t sit right with me, and she honestly drove me a little nuts. her pov’s were hard to read for me.

overall i don’t think the book was bad, it just didn’t really work for me. i loved knox and the tropes had a lot of potential, but the writing style and the way i struggled with the characters made it harder to enjoy the story.