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Mustangs #3
Worth It All
Not yet published
Expected 30 Mar 26He’s the Mustang’s most feared enforcer.
Sean Grady lives for two things—protecting his team and keeping his heart locked behind the armor that makes him the most dangerous player on the ice. As the Mustang’s enforcer, he’s built a reputation on hits that rattle the boards and fists that make grown men think twice.
But the night we meet in a crowded bar changes everything.
One sketch on a napkin.
One unforgettable night.
One man who refuses to forget me.
Before I know it, I’m standing under the wide Montana sky, surrounded by the only family he’s ever known, wondering how a man who hits like a freight train can look at me like I’m the only thing in the world that matters.
Sean says what we have is forever.
But forever is terrifying when you’ve spent your whole life feeling like you were meant to leave before anyone could ask you to stay.
Hockey is brutal.
Love might be worse.
Because the closer I get to Sean Grady, the more I realize something dangerous:
The enforcer who protects everyone else…
has decided I’m his to protect too.
And walking away from him might break both of us.
Sean Grady lives for two things—protecting his team and keeping his heart locked behind the armor that makes him the most dangerous player on the ice. As the Mustang’s enforcer, he’s built a reputation on hits that rattle the boards and fists that make grown men think twice.
But the night we meet in a crowded bar changes everything.
One sketch on a napkin.
One unforgettable night.
One man who refuses to forget me.
Before I know it, I’m standing under the wide Montana sky, surrounded by the only family he’s ever known, wondering how a man who hits like a freight train can look at me like I’m the only thing in the world that matters.
Sean says what we have is forever.
But forever is terrifying when you’ve spent your whole life feeling like you were meant to leave before anyone could ask you to stay.
Hockey is brutal.
Love might be worse.
Because the closer I get to Sean Grady, the more I realize something dangerous:
The enforcer who protects everyone else…
has decided I’m his to protect too.
And walking away from him might break both of us.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 30, 2026
13 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Smith
12 books73 followersI live in a beautiful river town in North Carolina with my husband, kids, in-laws and fur babies. I love to travel and books. If I am not reading one I am writing one. I love how a book can give you an escape from our normal world. You can be anywhere and become anyone.
I want anyone reading one of my books to remember this....
you are worthy, you are loved, you are wanted!
I want anyone reading one of my books to remember this....
you are worthy, you are loved, you are wanted!
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 17, 2026
This Hockey romance was scrumptious!
Grady, The MMC, may be an imposing force to be reckoned with on the ice- but off the ice he is the epitome of a green flag.
A man who remembers your coffee order.✅
A man who shows up with a heating pad, chocolate, and fuzzy socks. ✅
A man who saves a napkin you doodled on the night you met. ✅
A man who sees the real you, the one behind the mask…✅
And so much more. 🪽
Hey Siri- play Thinkin bout you by Frank Ocean 🎶
“What scares me,” I continue slowly, “is what would happen if it blew up in our faces.”
“What would happen,” he asks gently, “if it didn’t?”.
I loved the patience. The showing up. Words are lovely, but actions are tangible. 👌🏻
If you love a Hockey romance, forbidden love, touch her and die, and found family— add this to your TBR!
Grady, The MMC, may be an imposing force to be reckoned with on the ice- but off the ice he is the epitome of a green flag.
A man who remembers your coffee order.✅
A man who shows up with a heating pad, chocolate, and fuzzy socks. ✅
A man who saves a napkin you doodled on the night you met. ✅
A man who sees the real you, the one behind the mask…✅
And so much more. 🪽
Hey Siri- play Thinkin bout you by Frank Ocean 🎶
“What scares me,” I continue slowly, “is what would happen if it blew up in our faces.”
“What would happen,” he asks gently, “if it didn’t?”.
I loved the patience. The showing up. Words are lovely, but actions are tangible. 👌🏻
If you love a Hockey romance, forbidden love, touch her and die, and found family— add this to your TBR!
Review of advance copy
This is the third book in the Mustangs series, and although I haven’t read the previous ones, it didn’t matter. It works perfectly well as a standalone.
Right from the start, the story dives into the intense emotions of a hot one-night stand—one that leaves one of them realizing the next morning that they actually wanted something more. Instead of exchanging information, they part ways. When it becomes clear that the mystery woman is actually a teammate’s little sister, things take an unexpected turn.
Grady is quiet but uncompromising—a steadfast defender on the team. He’s the invisible observer who protects his teammates before trouble even hits. Lennon, on the other hand, is used to being “the little sister,” the one no one sees as anything more than an accessory to her brother’s career.
The book delivers a delicious mix of hockey romance and the classic “teammate’s little sister” dynamic. But even more importantly, it explores insecurity and trust—courage and the willingness to believe that you can show your whole self, not just the version others think they see.
I loved Grady’s patience and the way he fought for the relationship—and his relationship with his mother, which is probably what every mom hopes for. Lennon’s protective older brothers added that perfect touch of “don’t you dare touch my little sister” tension.
It’s a slow burn, but absolutely worth reading for the way Jennifer captures fear, vulnerability, bravery, and the raw courage it takes to trust another person—with your soul, your self-image, your inner world laid bare for someone else to truly see. And ultimately, for what follows when you dare to take that leap of faith and discover that every dream you’ve held close can come true, forever.
Right from the start, the story dives into the intense emotions of a hot one-night stand—one that leaves one of them realizing the next morning that they actually wanted something more. Instead of exchanging information, they part ways. When it becomes clear that the mystery woman is actually a teammate’s little sister, things take an unexpected turn.
Grady is quiet but uncompromising—a steadfast defender on the team. He’s the invisible observer who protects his teammates before trouble even hits. Lennon, on the other hand, is used to being “the little sister,” the one no one sees as anything more than an accessory to her brother’s career.
The book delivers a delicious mix of hockey romance and the classic “teammate’s little sister” dynamic. But even more importantly, it explores insecurity and trust—courage and the willingness to believe that you can show your whole self, not just the version others think they see.
I loved Grady’s patience and the way he fought for the relationship—and his relationship with his mother, which is probably what every mom hopes for. Lennon’s protective older brothers added that perfect touch of “don’t you dare touch my little sister” tension.
It’s a slow burn, but absolutely worth reading for the way Jennifer captures fear, vulnerability, bravery, and the raw courage it takes to trust another person—with your soul, your self-image, your inner world laid bare for someone else to truly see. And ultimately, for what follows when you dare to take that leap of faith and discover that every dream you’ve held close can come true, forever.
Review of advance copy
this is a cute book. as far as spice goes there's not a bunch of moments in there but with that it allows much more of the actual plot to shine through. so you have a hockey enforcer and a sweet amazing woman he met in a bar, was supposed to be a one-night stand but it was one of those you just never get over. fast forward a little bit and they collide back with each other unfortunately it comes with some complications, one being who she's related to and to being the fact that she grew up and someone else's Shadow for so long and thought that that's the only reason anyone wanted anything to do with her she had such a hard time coming out of that. the main male character is an absolute sweetheart despite his role in hockey him as a person is just a beautiful soul. I would absolutely recommend this along with the rest of the series and her previous books to anybody they are not dark they are cute but in a lot of cases there's a hurdle so it's not easy but we knew no you know and you make it work.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I want to start by saying thank you to Jennifer Smith for the opportunity to ARC read this book.
This story is short, sweet, and completely unputdownable. It’s the perfect palate cleanser after a heavier read—light, engaging, and full of heart without feeling rushed or shallow.
Grady is an absolutely delicious MMC who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. But what truly makes him stand out are the quieter moments in between. He’s attentive, patient, and deeply supportive, giving Lennon the space she needs to discover who she is and where she belongs, while never being too far from her side.
Lennon’s journey feels genuine and heartfelt, and the dynamic between her and Grady is both tender and compelling. The story unfolds beautifully, balancing romance with personal growth in a way that feels natural and satisfying.
Overall, this is a beautiful story that I would absolutely recommend to everyone looking for something uplifting, comforting, and full of charm.
This story is short, sweet, and completely unputdownable. It’s the perfect palate cleanser after a heavier read—light, engaging, and full of heart without feeling rushed or shallow.
Grady is an absolutely delicious MMC who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. But what truly makes him stand out are the quieter moments in between. He’s attentive, patient, and deeply supportive, giving Lennon the space she needs to discover who she is and where she belongs, while never being too far from her side.
Lennon’s journey feels genuine and heartfelt, and the dynamic between her and Grady is both tender and compelling. The story unfolds beautifully, balancing romance with personal growth in a way that feels natural and satisfying.
Overall, this is a beautiful story that I would absolutely recommend to everyone looking for something uplifting, comforting, and full of charm.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Grady and Lennon are the perfect love story. The perfect relationship is about give and take. Grady and Lennon are just that. The rugged hockey enforcer who would burn the world down if it meant keeping her safe and happy. And Lennon the shy quiet artist that follows her brothers everywhere and keeps herself small to fit into their worlds. But when luck places these two in the same tow once more love blossom and takes root. Grady fights for Lennon and make her know her worth refusing to let her stay small and meek. After a trip to Grady’s hometown in Montana, he finally professed his love to learn, but the true test will be whether or not that last once they were turned back to Chicago. This story is very well written, and the author draws you into the world that makes you fall in love with the characters you’re rooting for Grady and Lennon from the very beginning.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Short, sweet, and completely unputdownable 😭💖 This is the perfect palate cleanser after a heavier read — light, heartwarming, and full of charm without ever feeling rushed.
Grady is everything you want in a hero — attentive, patient, deeply supportive, and knows exactly what he wants. But it’s the quiet, tender moments between him and Lennon that truly make the story sparkle. He gives her space to grow while being right there when she needs him.
Lennon’s journey feels genuine, heartfelt, and her chemistry with Grady is chef’s kiss. The story balances romance and personal growth perfectly, with just the right small-town vibes to make it feel cozy and real.
If you’re looking for a light, uplifting romance that will leave your heart full, this one is worth every second 🫶✨
Grady is everything you want in a hero — attentive, patient, deeply supportive, and knows exactly what he wants. But it’s the quiet, tender moments between him and Lennon that truly make the story sparkle. He gives her space to grow while being right there when she needs him.
Lennon’s journey feels genuine, heartfelt, and her chemistry with Grady is chef’s kiss. The story balances romance and personal growth perfectly, with just the right small-town vibes to make it feel cozy and real.
If you’re looking for a light, uplifting romance that will leave your heart full, this one is worth every second 🫶✨
March 21, 2026
First I would like to say thank you to the author Jennifer for sending me this gem of a book to ARC read. I enjoyed the book a lot. Sean Grady the man that he is dropping everything and anything to run and take care of her and for also remembering her coffee order omg so swoon worthy. Lennon aka Hummingbird has a difficult time trying to figure out who she is outside of her brothers shadow and when she does, baby let me tell you she shines brighter then all the stars in Montana
March 24, 2026
“In this life, and the next, hummingbird”
This is my favorite Jennifer Smith book, ever. The transformation of Grady from goofy “player” of the first two book in the Mustangs series - to completely consumed by Lennon made my heart MELT.
Lennon’s growth from kid sister of Jasper, to learning to be her own woman, to falling in love with Grady was captured in a way that felt genuine and not forced. With each new chapter, you could feel her emotional growth and the processes of overcoming that over thinker persona to actually allowing someone to love her and to love in return.
I couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear with every turn of the page.
This is my favorite Jennifer Smith book, ever. The transformation of Grady from goofy “player” of the first two book in the Mustangs series - to completely consumed by Lennon made my heart MELT.
Lennon’s growth from kid sister of Jasper, to learning to be her own woman, to falling in love with Grady was captured in a way that felt genuine and not forced. With each new chapter, you could feel her emotional growth and the processes of overcoming that over thinker persona to actually allowing someone to love her and to love in return.
I couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear with every turn of the page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lennon feels unnecessary, unseen, and doesn’t know what to do about it.
Sean is an integral part of his team; always necessary, always seen, and he always shows up. Slowly Sean tries to prove to Lennon that she is very much wanted and needed. I love how Sean Grady shows up for Lennon and I admire how they do the work to find out how to be real. Wow, author Jennifer Smith nailed this one!!
Sean is an integral part of his team; always necessary, always seen, and he always shows up. Slowly Sean tries to prove to Lennon that she is very much wanted and needed. I love how Sean Grady shows up for Lennon and I admire how they do the work to find out how to be real. Wow, author Jennifer Smith nailed this one!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Such a great read! Loved how Grady was able to help Lennon find herself without pressure and really knowing when to give her space or jump in to guide her. Loved how the story wasn't solely based around the hockey rink and really had that small town vibe twisted in.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was the perfect hockey romance. Grady and Lennon are just beautifully written characters. I loved reading about them both as they developed and the relationship developed. This is such a great addition to the Mustangs universe and hope there are more coming!
March 24, 2026
I just finished this book in one day, have not done that all year!!! I was so invested in Grady and Lennon, they really put a great edition to this series! Everyone should read and fall in love with ALL three books!
Review of advance copy received from Author
this book was one I couldn't put down once I started reading it. The characters, the story check all the boxes for a great book in my opinion. the I would recommend to everyone!
Review of advance copy
This was a good read. There was instant chemistry between Grady and Lennon. The slow burn, and angst was perfect. The spice was 🔥🔥. Definitely recommend to any hockey romance reader!
March 16, 2026
RECEIVED AN ARC
3.25 ⭐️ I thought it was a great quick read. I liked the mmc. I’d recommend you to read it if you want a quick in between book. Thank you to the author for giving me a chance!
3.25 ⭐️ I thought it was a great quick read. I liked the mmc. I’d recommend you to read it if you want a quick in between book. Thank you to the author for giving me a chance!
Review of advance copy received from Author
What an amazing love story!!!! Can’t wait for another!!! Loved it! Thank you!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews