What do you think?
Rate this book
Unspeakable: A Reverse Age Gap, Single Mom Hockey Romance
A beloved team chef. A know-it-all goalie. A morning coffee run that changes everything.
Team chef Emma Corrigan would rather eat crow than do something nice for Rusties goalie Harlan Royce. But when a life or death situation barrels his way, Emma puts herself at risk to make the save.
With a new lease on life, Harlan sets out to achieve his one unmet life become a chef. He begs Chef Emma for private cooking lessons at an unspeakable sum. The kitchen heats up when these two are cooking, and all that bickering and naughty mischief has been hiding some fiery chemistry.
Tastes turn sour when Emma’s teenaged son isn’t pleased with his mom’s choice in hockey players, but Harlan is willing to play the long game to win him over. The pot gets stirred when both of Emma’s main men face life-changing decisions, and she’s left torn between the boy she raised and the man she saved.
Can Harlan and Emma team up to keep their love sizzling? Or is it destined to scald on the back burner?
This is the fourth interconnected standalone book in the Ohio Rusties Hockey series. It's an annoyed-to-lovers, age gap where she's older, workplace, single mom hockey romance.
Team chef Emma Corrigan would rather eat crow than do something nice for Rusties goalie Harlan Royce. But when a life or death situation barrels his way, Emma puts herself at risk to make the save.
With a new lease on life, Harlan sets out to achieve his one unmet life become a chef. He begs Chef Emma for private cooking lessons at an unspeakable sum. The kitchen heats up when these two are cooking, and all that bickering and naughty mischief has been hiding some fiery chemistry.
Tastes turn sour when Emma’s teenaged son isn’t pleased with his mom’s choice in hockey players, but Harlan is willing to play the long game to win him over. The pot gets stirred when both of Emma’s main men face life-changing decisions, and she’s left torn between the boy she raised and the man she saved.
Can Harlan and Emma team up to keep their love sizzling? Or is it destined to scald on the back burner?
This is the fourth interconnected standalone book in the Ohio Rusties Hockey series. It's an annoyed-to-lovers, age gap where she's older, workplace, single mom hockey romance.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2026
About the author
Dani Galliaro
18 books192 followersDani is a proud West Virginia native who gravitates toward nice little stories about people falling in love. She hopes to shift the narrative about Appalachia by telling stories of powerful everyday women from the region. She now resides in Southwest Ohio with her husband.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
May 12, 2026
Omg I absolutely Loved this book! Reverse age gap strong INDEPENDENT FMC, single mother to a hockey prodigy.
Harlan is a particular and determined player. And after a life altering event changes both of their lives, they get brought back into each other’s orbits.
The chemistry between them is explosive… the secrecy, but the fact that Harlan forms an incredible bond with her son. Ugh I was swooning through this whole book.
Umm and the spicy scenes… I was fanning myself repeatedly!! It was soooo good !
Harlan is a particular and determined player. And after a life altering event changes both of their lives, they get brought back into each other’s orbits.
The chemistry between them is explosive… the secrecy, but the fact that Harlan forms an incredible bond with her son. Ugh I was swooning through this whole book.
Umm and the spicy scenes… I was fanning myself repeatedly!! It was soooo good !
May 20, 2026
Emma and Harlan's story is such a chemistry filled, heart warming, and spicy read! I absolutely loved this take on a single mom finding love again - especially with an older child. Seeing Harlan meet Emma exactly where she was but also making sure she knew she never would have to pick between her son and Harlan.
I will say this was a little slow moving in the beginning in my opinion, but it's worth the "slow bits" before they officially get together.
✨ I was so fortunate to have received this book as an ARC, but all opinions are my own ✨
I will say this was a little slow moving in the beginning in my opinion, but it's worth the "slow bits" before they officially get together.
✨ I was so fortunate to have received this book as an ARC, but all opinions are my own ✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
My Rating: ★★★★¾
Unspeakable by Dani Galliaro is a heartfelt, emotionally grounded hockey romance that perfectly balances humour, vulnerability, and slow-burning chemistry. Built around sharp banter, reluctant attraction, and the messy realities of adult relationships, the novel delivers an addictive and surprisingly emotional reading experience that feels both comforting and incredibly authentic.
At the centre of the story is the chaotic dynamic between Emma Corrigan and Harlan Royce; two personalities that clash almost instantly, yet somehow fit together in the most entertaining way possible. Emma, the Rusties’ team chef, has absolutely no patience for Harlan’s know-it-all attitude, while Harlan seems determined to get under her skin at every possible opportunity. What begins as constant irritation and playful conflict slowly evolves into something far deeper, with their chemistry simmering beneath every sarcastic exchange and heated interaction.
Harlan was such an unexpectedly lovable character. Beneath the confidence and teasing personality is someone trying to reassess his life after a deeply confronting experience, and watching him pursue something meaningful outside of hockey added so much emotional depth to his character. His determination to learn from Emma, despite her reluctance to tolerate him, created some of the best moments in the entire novel. Their cooking lessons were filled with tension, humour, and emotional vulnerability in a way that made their relationship feel incredibly natural and believable.
One of the strongest aspects of this book was how realistic the relationships felt throughout the story. Dani Galliaro captures the awkwardness, frustration, humour, and emotional uncertainty of falling for someone in such a genuine way that it becomes impossible not to become emotionally invested. The banter between Emma and Harlan felt effortless, never forced, and honestly reminded me why the annoyed-to-lovers dynamic works so well when written properly. Some of the best romances come from two people who initially drive each other insane before slowly becoming unable to imagine life without one another, and this book captures that progression beautifully.
The emotional stakes also hit harder than I initially expected. While the romance itself is playful and chemistry-filled, the story also explores family dynamics, parenthood, personal growth, and the difficult balance between protecting the people you love while still allowing yourself happiness. Emma’s relationship with her teenage son added another emotional layer that grounded the story beautifully and made several moments feel especially impactful.
The pacing throughout the novel made it incredibly easy to binge. Every interaction between Emma and Harlan carried either emotional tension, humour, or vulnerability, making the story feel consistently engaging from beginning to end. The combination of hockey romance, cooking scenes, emotional healing, and character-driven conflict created a story that felt warm, addictive, and genuinely enjoyable to sink into.
I would highly recommend Unspeakable to readers who enjoy hockey romance, annoyed-to-lovers dynamics, witty banter, emotionally mature relationships, and stories that balance humour with heartfelt emotional moments. Readers who love character-driven romances with strong chemistry and realistic emotional development will likely fall completely in love with this story.
Overall, Unspeakable is a warm, witty, and emotionally satisfying romance filled with tension, heart, and beautifully authentic character dynamics. Dani Galliaro delivers a story that feels both comforting and emotionally engaging, and the chemistry between Emma and Harlan made this such an easy book to completely lose myself in.
Unspeakable by Dani Galliaro is a heartfelt, emotionally grounded hockey romance that perfectly balances humour, vulnerability, and slow-burning chemistry. Built around sharp banter, reluctant attraction, and the messy realities of adult relationships, the novel delivers an addictive and surprisingly emotional reading experience that feels both comforting and incredibly authentic.
At the centre of the story is the chaotic dynamic between Emma Corrigan and Harlan Royce; two personalities that clash almost instantly, yet somehow fit together in the most entertaining way possible. Emma, the Rusties’ team chef, has absolutely no patience for Harlan’s know-it-all attitude, while Harlan seems determined to get under her skin at every possible opportunity. What begins as constant irritation and playful conflict slowly evolves into something far deeper, with their chemistry simmering beneath every sarcastic exchange and heated interaction.
Harlan was such an unexpectedly lovable character. Beneath the confidence and teasing personality is someone trying to reassess his life after a deeply confronting experience, and watching him pursue something meaningful outside of hockey added so much emotional depth to his character. His determination to learn from Emma, despite her reluctance to tolerate him, created some of the best moments in the entire novel. Their cooking lessons were filled with tension, humour, and emotional vulnerability in a way that made their relationship feel incredibly natural and believable.
One of the strongest aspects of this book was how realistic the relationships felt throughout the story. Dani Galliaro captures the awkwardness, frustration, humour, and emotional uncertainty of falling for someone in such a genuine way that it becomes impossible not to become emotionally invested. The banter between Emma and Harlan felt effortless, never forced, and honestly reminded me why the annoyed-to-lovers dynamic works so well when written properly. Some of the best romances come from two people who initially drive each other insane before slowly becoming unable to imagine life without one another, and this book captures that progression beautifully.
The emotional stakes also hit harder than I initially expected. While the romance itself is playful and chemistry-filled, the story also explores family dynamics, parenthood, personal growth, and the difficult balance between protecting the people you love while still allowing yourself happiness. Emma’s relationship with her teenage son added another emotional layer that grounded the story beautifully and made several moments feel especially impactful.
The pacing throughout the novel made it incredibly easy to binge. Every interaction between Emma and Harlan carried either emotional tension, humour, or vulnerability, making the story feel consistently engaging from beginning to end. The combination of hockey romance, cooking scenes, emotional healing, and character-driven conflict created a story that felt warm, addictive, and genuinely enjoyable to sink into.
I would highly recommend Unspeakable to readers who enjoy hockey romance, annoyed-to-lovers dynamics, witty banter, emotionally mature relationships, and stories that balance humour with heartfelt emotional moments. Readers who love character-driven romances with strong chemistry and realistic emotional development will likely fall completely in love with this story.
Overall, Unspeakable is a warm, witty, and emotionally satisfying romance filled with tension, heart, and beautifully authentic character dynamics. Dani Galliaro delivers a story that feels both comforting and emotionally engaging, and the chemistry between Emma and Harlan made this such an easy book to completely lose myself in.
Review of advance copy
Dani Galliaro really looked at the “annoyed-to-lovers” trope, tossed it into a frying pan with hockey romance chaos, emotional damage, sexual tension sharp enough to julienne vegetables, and said “good luck surviving this.” And SURVIVING is barely what I did because this book had me giggling, kicking my feet, and then suddenly staring at the ceiling at 2am emotionally attached to a fictional goalie who just wants to cook and love his woman properly 😭🏒🍳
Emma and Harlan are absolute fire together. Not cute little sparks. I mean GREASE FIRE. Every interaction felt like two people aggressively flirting while pretending they’d rather die than admit they’re obsessed with each other. The banter? Delicious. The chemistry? Illegal in several countries. And Harlan being this cocky know-it-all goalie while also genuinely wanting to learn how to cook from Emma had me fully melting into a puddle of hormonal soup.
But what REALLY got me was how much heart this story had underneath all the tension and chirping. Emma being a single mom added this whole emotional layer that made everything hit harder. Her son’s reactions felt real, messy, complicated, and human instead of existing just to move the plot around like cardboard furniture. Watching Harlan try to earn trust instead of bulldozing his way in? SIR. PLEASE. The man said “I’ll play the long game” and suddenly I was ready to marry him myself.
And the age gap dynamic?? PERFECT. No weirdness. No forced drama. Just two adults with baggage, chemistry, and enough emotional repression to power an entire hockey arena. I loved that Emma felt mature and grounded while Harlan somehow managed to be both infuriating and deeply lovable at the same time. Like a golden retriever trapped inside a very hot hockey player with too much confidence.
Also the FOOD in this book??? I swear I was hungry every five pages. Dani Galliaro wrote these kitchen scenes like she was trying to personally seduce the reader with butter, tension, and eye contact. It worked.
This series continues to own me completely because the Rusties universe feels alive. The friendships, the locker room energy, the found family vibes, all of it feels warm and chaotic in the best way. Every character strolls onto the page like they already have lore and drama simmering in the background.
Unspeakable was funny, heartfelt, spicy, emotional, and ridiculously addictive. I came for hockey romance and left emotionally attached to a goalie holding a whisk like it’s a love language. Five massive stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Emma and Harlan are absolute fire together. Not cute little sparks. I mean GREASE FIRE. Every interaction felt like two people aggressively flirting while pretending they’d rather die than admit they’re obsessed with each other. The banter? Delicious. The chemistry? Illegal in several countries. And Harlan being this cocky know-it-all goalie while also genuinely wanting to learn how to cook from Emma had me fully melting into a puddle of hormonal soup.
But what REALLY got me was how much heart this story had underneath all the tension and chirping. Emma being a single mom added this whole emotional layer that made everything hit harder. Her son’s reactions felt real, messy, complicated, and human instead of existing just to move the plot around like cardboard furniture. Watching Harlan try to earn trust instead of bulldozing his way in? SIR. PLEASE. The man said “I’ll play the long game” and suddenly I was ready to marry him myself.
And the age gap dynamic?? PERFECT. No weirdness. No forced drama. Just two adults with baggage, chemistry, and enough emotional repression to power an entire hockey arena. I loved that Emma felt mature and grounded while Harlan somehow managed to be both infuriating and deeply lovable at the same time. Like a golden retriever trapped inside a very hot hockey player with too much confidence.
Also the FOOD in this book??? I swear I was hungry every five pages. Dani Galliaro wrote these kitchen scenes like she was trying to personally seduce the reader with butter, tension, and eye contact. It worked.
This series continues to own me completely because the Rusties universe feels alive. The friendships, the locker room energy, the found family vibes, all of it feels warm and chaotic in the best way. Every character strolls onto the page like they already have lore and drama simmering in the background.
Unspeakable was funny, heartfelt, spicy, emotional, and ridiculously addictive. I came for hockey romance and left emotionally attached to a goalie holding a whisk like it’s a love language. Five massive stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 15, 2026
This was an excellent read! There is something so magical about a book that can make you giggle, cry, guffaw, swoon, roll your eyes, blush, kick your feet, fan your face, stress, worry about fictional playoffs, and care. I enjoyed this story from start to finish and am overwhelmed with all the feels. A perfect & fitting end to a brilliant series.
Emma is a single mom & team chef.
Harlan is a professional goalie.
They work together. She is older. He annoys her. She interests him. He isn't allowed in her kitchen. She saves his life. Now, he wants to live with purpose. She wants to give her kid the best. He hires her to teach him to cook. They start spending time together. And then they start *spending time together*. It is so good.
Emma is freaking amazing & I love her so much. She is an outstanding mom, incredible coparent, stellar friend, and all-around hottie. She has put her social life on hold while she focuses on her boy. He is now graduating and life is changing. She has to figure out what that looks like for & how to be a supportive, loving mom who also supports & loves herself out loud. Her journey is gorgeous & I cheered for her so hard every step of the way.
Harlan is gorgeous. He is funny and sweet and sarcastic and caring and smart. He has recently ended abusive & toxic relationship and has some healing to do. I loved how much he realized he had been coasting and just getting through life because he is smart & talented, so a lot of things are easy for him. He decides that isn't enough and he is gonna be Harlan 2.0 and I adore him. He works so hard for the job he wants and the woman he loves. And he cares for her kid, too. He is perfection.
They are hot & sweet & funny. They cook together, learn together, hot tub together, ride his motorcycle together, grow together, and fall in love together. Their story is spicy and full of little sl×tty moments and big heart moments. I love them so much.
Also, I hate her parents. They are trash.
Dani is a genius and I am so thankful to the book gods who sent her call for ARC readers my way almost two years ago. My life is better because of her words and this series.
I received this beauty as an ARC and am grateful beyond grateful. This had zero influence on my review.
Emma is a single mom & team chef.
Harlan is a professional goalie.
They work together. She is older. He annoys her. She interests him. He isn't allowed in her kitchen. She saves his life. Now, he wants to live with purpose. She wants to give her kid the best. He hires her to teach him to cook. They start spending time together. And then they start *spending time together*. It is so good.
Emma is freaking amazing & I love her so much. She is an outstanding mom, incredible coparent, stellar friend, and all-around hottie. She has put her social life on hold while she focuses on her boy. He is now graduating and life is changing. She has to figure out what that looks like for & how to be a supportive, loving mom who also supports & loves herself out loud. Her journey is gorgeous & I cheered for her so hard every step of the way.
Harlan is gorgeous. He is funny and sweet and sarcastic and caring and smart. He has recently ended abusive & toxic relationship and has some healing to do. I loved how much he realized he had been coasting and just getting through life because he is smart & talented, so a lot of things are easy for him. He decides that isn't enough and he is gonna be Harlan 2.0 and I adore him. He works so hard for the job he wants and the woman he loves. And he cares for her kid, too. He is perfection.
They are hot & sweet & funny. They cook together, learn together, hot tub together, ride his motorcycle together, grow together, and fall in love together. Their story is spicy and full of little sl×tty moments and big heart moments. I love them so much.
Also, I hate her parents. They are trash.
Dani is a genius and I am so thankful to the book gods who sent her call for ARC readers my way almost two years ago. My life is better because of her words and this series.
I received this beauty as an ARC and am grateful beyond grateful. This had zero influence on my review.
May 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Book 4 of the Ohio Rusties Hockey series, by Dani Galliaro, is a wonderful addition to this series and shows how well Dani is able to capture vulnerability, depth, and complex emotions with her characters. Unspeakable’s characters are the perfect example of seeing a recipe that doesn’t look like it should work, but ends up being one of the best things you’ve ever tasted. Dani writes her signature hockey into this book, but it isn’t the heart of the story. It went beyond that and really showcases how dislike can turn to love without you even realizing it.
Harlan reminds me so much of my husband. His know-it-all-personality definitely is front and center and while it can be annoying it is also, somehow, endearing. My husband can be like this, but when I look at him, all I see and feel is how much I love him, which is a lot! It seemed to me like Harlan is extremely nervous around our FMC and grounds himself in facts. Each interaction is cute, even when it was supposed to be annoying.
Emma is unbelievably strong and hardworking in this story. A single mom, chef to hockey pros, and slowly falling for a younger man made her someone I loved getting to know. She puts her son first. Even as she is finding love again, she never makes her son feel second best. Even moreso, Harlan never expected that of her or forced himself into her son’s life. His presence is known, but the time he gets is earned. Dani did an amazing job with developing Emma in this story and she may be my favorite FMC of Dani’s to date.
Dani’s stories always bring superb romance with a wonderful heap of emotional journey. Harlan and Emma are no different. Their journey from annoying each other to loving one another was so fun to read and I couldn’t put their story down. The hint of forbidden as it is a workplace romance allows for tension, but the sexual tension definitely is felt more. This story perfectly blends the best of Dani and creates a story that I will read over and over again.
As always, review any author notes before reading.
What to Expect:
🏒Single Mom FMC
👩🍳Athlete MMC
🏒Goalie x Team Chef
👩🍳Hockey Romance
🏒Age Gap Romance
👩🍳Annoyed to Lovers
🏒Workplace Romance
Book 4 of the Ohio Rusties Hockey series, by Dani Galliaro, is a wonderful addition to this series and shows how well Dani is able to capture vulnerability, depth, and complex emotions with her characters. Unspeakable’s characters are the perfect example of seeing a recipe that doesn’t look like it should work, but ends up being one of the best things you’ve ever tasted. Dani writes her signature hockey into this book, but it isn’t the heart of the story. It went beyond that and really showcases how dislike can turn to love without you even realizing it.
Harlan reminds me so much of my husband. His know-it-all-personality definitely is front and center and while it can be annoying it is also, somehow, endearing. My husband can be like this, but when I look at him, all I see and feel is how much I love him, which is a lot! It seemed to me like Harlan is extremely nervous around our FMC and grounds himself in facts. Each interaction is cute, even when it was supposed to be annoying.
Emma is unbelievably strong and hardworking in this story. A single mom, chef to hockey pros, and slowly falling for a younger man made her someone I loved getting to know. She puts her son first. Even as she is finding love again, she never makes her son feel second best. Even moreso, Harlan never expected that of her or forced himself into her son’s life. His presence is known, but the time he gets is earned. Dani did an amazing job with developing Emma in this story and she may be my favorite FMC of Dani’s to date.
Dani’s stories always bring superb romance with a wonderful heap of emotional journey. Harlan and Emma are no different. Their journey from annoying each other to loving one another was so fun to read and I couldn’t put their story down. The hint of forbidden as it is a workplace romance allows for tension, but the sexual tension definitely is felt more. This story perfectly blends the best of Dani and creates a story that I will read over and over again.
As always, review any author notes before reading.
What to Expect:
🏒Single Mom FMC
👩🍳Athlete MMC
🏒Goalie x Team Chef
👩🍳Hockey Romance
🏒Age Gap Romance
👩🍳Annoyed to Lovers
🏒Workplace Romance
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Happily Booked PR and the author for an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
The book starts strong - the idea is original and fun and it makes you think what would you do in that situation.
Emma and Harlan have great banter, most of their interactions are sardonic, a little bit shady towards each other and filled with fire.
Emma is the team chef, Harlan the team goalie. Emma (36-37?) is older than Harlan (26) and has a teenage son (from a teen pregnancy), whom she shares custody with her ex, and for all intents and purposes, the exes seem to be on good terms.
She saves him from being hit by a bus while on his phone, not paying attention to what is happening around him, but while doing so hurts her back in the process.
Harlan has always wanted to be a chef, and his near-death experience makes him realise a lot about himself, what he wants for the future, and what he needs to prioritise.
He signs up for cooking classes where Emma works evenings, and he ends up in her class. Scheduling hijinks ensue - he pays her for private lessons, and that is when things start to heat up.
I really liked the interactions with Emma and Harlan - they are both fully formed characters with different perspectives, different upbringings, and these complemented their personalities well.
I think where the book lost me a little was that I didn't feel a huge connection to either character through the book, though I did like them, if that makes sense? The weird stalking incident with Harlan's ex felt rushed and unresolved, so as a plot point that wasn't fully fleshed out enough for me to believe it, as well as the warning from Emma's ex - it would have felt more believable if he's still had feelings for her, but he was already remarried with his own small family.
Though saying that, I did read it in one sitting and laughed out loud a lot. I may read the first few books to see if they resonate more with me.
The book starts strong - the idea is original and fun and it makes you think what would you do in that situation.
Emma and Harlan have great banter, most of their interactions are sardonic, a little bit shady towards each other and filled with fire.
Emma is the team chef, Harlan the team goalie. Emma (36-37?) is older than Harlan (26) and has a teenage son (from a teen pregnancy), whom she shares custody with her ex, and for all intents and purposes, the exes seem to be on good terms.
She saves him from being hit by a bus while on his phone, not paying attention to what is happening around him, but while doing so hurts her back in the process.
Harlan has always wanted to be a chef, and his near-death experience makes him realise a lot about himself, what he wants for the future, and what he needs to prioritise.
He signs up for cooking classes where Emma works evenings, and he ends up in her class. Scheduling hijinks ensue - he pays her for private lessons, and that is when things start to heat up.
I really liked the interactions with Emma and Harlan - they are both fully formed characters with different perspectives, different upbringings, and these complemented their personalities well.
I think where the book lost me a little was that I didn't feel a huge connection to either character through the book, though I did like them, if that makes sense? The weird stalking incident with Harlan's ex felt rushed and unresolved, so as a plot point that wasn't fully fleshed out enough for me to believe it, as well as the warning from Emma's ex - it would have felt more believable if he's still had feelings for her, but he was already remarried with his own small family.
Though saying that, I did read it in one sitting and laughed out loud a lot. I may read the first few books to see if they resonate more with me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Give me - a 40 something woman - a story with an older FMC and younger MMC and you'll have my attention! I love me a reverse age gap - especially when it's a single mom in her late 30s, and the age gap is 12 yrs ;)
This book had me hooked as soon as I learned that Harlan's got a sl*tty mustache, and a hoochie daddy chain!
The reverse age gap was executed flawlessly, pair that with a hockey team, a lot of "Chef", and an intense hot tub scene and that was all I needed to give this 5 stars. And loved that Harlan is a goalie, because we don't often get them and their quirks can be great in a romance ;) I loved that although he's 26, he had that hyper-focused side when it came to the game, and then ridiculously charismatic and mature off the ice. Emma matched that perfectly with her sharp wit. These two needed to stay those 4 tiles apart (IYKYK) with their snarky banter.
Because Emma is the team Chef, that makes this a workplace romance, and I loved that dynamic. He loved to push her buttons and the teasing was everything. The build up felt like they were one conversation away from combusting.
The hot tub scene??!! SOOOOOO HOT!!! Like genuinely had me putting the book down for a second to cool off woooooo!
And underneath all the teasing and chemistry there was an emotional story here about two people who may seem like the least likely to work as a couple, making it work. Harlan was honestly so sweet and I love that he knew how to take care of her.
Read if you love...
*that she's much older but she calls him Daddy
*that he's 12 yrs younger but he calls her Princess
*hockey romance - the goalie
*workplace + lots of "Chef" tension
*a healthy dose of teasing and bratty behaviour
*very yummy spice
Emma + Harlan's story was so fun, hot, and full of chemistry!
This book had me hooked as soon as I learned that Harlan's got a sl*tty mustache, and a hoochie daddy chain!
The reverse age gap was executed flawlessly, pair that with a hockey team, a lot of "Chef", and an intense hot tub scene and that was all I needed to give this 5 stars. And loved that Harlan is a goalie, because we don't often get them and their quirks can be great in a romance ;) I loved that although he's 26, he had that hyper-focused side when it came to the game, and then ridiculously charismatic and mature off the ice. Emma matched that perfectly with her sharp wit. These two needed to stay those 4 tiles apart (IYKYK) with their snarky banter.
Because Emma is the team Chef, that makes this a workplace romance, and I loved that dynamic. He loved to push her buttons and the teasing was everything. The build up felt like they were one conversation away from combusting.
The hot tub scene??!! SOOOOOO HOT!!! Like genuinely had me putting the book down for a second to cool off woooooo!
And underneath all the teasing and chemistry there was an emotional story here about two people who may seem like the least likely to work as a couple, making it work. Harlan was honestly so sweet and I love that he knew how to take care of her.
Read if you love...
*that she's much older but she calls him Daddy
*that he's 12 yrs younger but he calls her Princess
*hockey romance - the goalie
*workplace + lots of "Chef" tension
*a healthy dose of teasing and bratty behaviour
*very yummy spice
Emma + Harlan's story was so fun, hot, and full of chemistry!
May 16, 2026
Unspeakable by Dani Galliaro is Book 4 in The Ohio Rusties Hockey Series. This book is the story of Emma and Harlan.
Emma is the Rusties’ team Chef and Harlan is the team goalkeeper. Emma is a single mom to a 17-year-old son Liam, who values her job and is trying to save for Liam‘s future. Harlan initially hires Emma to teach him private cooking lessons, but it isn’t long before sparks start flying.
This was a lovely addition to The Rusties Hockey Series. Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. It was a quick, satisfying read with a nice sprinkling of spice throughout.
Book overview
A beloved team chef. A know-it-all goalie. A morning coffee run that changes everything.
Team chef Emma Corrigan would rather eat crow than do something nice for Rusties goalie Harlan Royce. But when a life or death situation barrels his way, Emma puts herself at risk to make the save.
With a new lease on life, Harlan sets out to achieve his one unmet life goal: become a chef. He begs Chef Emma for private cooking lessons at an unspeakable sum. The kitchen heats up when these two are cooking, and all that bickering and naughty mischief has been hiding some fiery chemistry.
Tastes turn sour when Emma’s teenaged son isn’t pleased with his mom’s choice in hockey players, but Harlan is willing to play the long game to win him over. The pot gets stirred when both of Emma’s main men face life-changing decisions, and she’s left torn between the boy she raised and the man she saved.
Can Harlan and Emma team up to keep their love sizzling? Or is it destined to scald on the back burner?
This is the fourth interconnected standalone book in the Ohio Rusties Hockey series. It's an annoyed-to-lovers, age gap where she's older, workplace, single mom hockey romance.
Emma is the Rusties’ team Chef and Harlan is the team goalkeeper. Emma is a single mom to a 17-year-old son Liam, who values her job and is trying to save for Liam‘s future. Harlan initially hires Emma to teach him private cooking lessons, but it isn’t long before sparks start flying.
This was a lovely addition to The Rusties Hockey Series. Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. It was a quick, satisfying read with a nice sprinkling of spice throughout.
Book overview
A beloved team chef. A know-it-all goalie. A morning coffee run that changes everything.
Team chef Emma Corrigan would rather eat crow than do something nice for Rusties goalie Harlan Royce. But when a life or death situation barrels his way, Emma puts herself at risk to make the save.
With a new lease on life, Harlan sets out to achieve his one unmet life goal: become a chef. He begs Chef Emma for private cooking lessons at an unspeakable sum. The kitchen heats up when these two are cooking, and all that bickering and naughty mischief has been hiding some fiery chemistry.
Tastes turn sour when Emma’s teenaged son isn’t pleased with his mom’s choice in hockey players, but Harlan is willing to play the long game to win him over. The pot gets stirred when both of Emma’s main men face life-changing decisions, and she’s left torn between the boy she raised and the man she saved.
Can Harlan and Emma team up to keep their love sizzling? Or is it destined to scald on the back burner?
This is the fourth interconnected standalone book in the Ohio Rusties Hockey series. It's an annoyed-to-lovers, age gap where she's older, workplace, single mom hockey romance.
May 17, 2026
The Ohio Rusties hold a special place in my heart. This series is absolutely amazing and I’ve loved every single book. I have been so excited for Harlan’s book & knew it would be amazing.
Emma is amazing & so relatable. She literally saves Harlan’s life even though he annoys her then he drives her nuts wanting to learn to become a chef. It’s not common to get bisexual MMCs who end up with females in romance books so I loved that aspect of Harlan too.
I loved that her son wasn’t super young, as it usually goes with single parent romance. He’s a 17 year old, and turns 18 in the story. But with an 18 year old came 18 year old emotions and angst. I understood partially why Liam was acting the way he was, but definitely felt like Emma should have intervened more when he was being so disrespectful. She just casually chatted about the misogyny and judgement, whereas I would have lectured my sons until the cows came home about how I raised them better 😂 Though, I did understand his annoyance with the fact that Harlan is 8 years older than him, and 12 years younger than Emma.
Even Jeff got on my nerves with telling Harlan to stay away. Idk man, tell your kid to get over it. His mom is killing herself to support him, but sure she can’t see someone because her son is acting like a toddler throwing a fit over it.
Jack, Dylan, and Colton were all amazing MMCs but I think I might love Harlan just a little bit more. When he broke through her DND to tell her to have a good day I was like where can I find a man like that
“I felt like getting in my hands and knees and barking.”
Harlan!!
What you’ll get:
Single Mom
Age Gap ~ She’s 38 x He’s 26
Team Chef x Hockey Player
Thanks to Dani & Happily Booked for the ARC.
Emma is amazing & so relatable. She literally saves Harlan’s life even though he annoys her then he drives her nuts wanting to learn to become a chef. It’s not common to get bisexual MMCs who end up with females in romance books so I loved that aspect of Harlan too.
I loved that her son wasn’t super young, as it usually goes with single parent romance. He’s a 17 year old, and turns 18 in the story. But with an 18 year old came 18 year old emotions and angst. I understood partially why Liam was acting the way he was, but definitely felt like Emma should have intervened more when he was being so disrespectful. She just casually chatted about the misogyny and judgement, whereas I would have lectured my sons until the cows came home about how I raised them better 😂 Though, I did understand his annoyance with the fact that Harlan is 8 years older than him, and 12 years younger than Emma.
Even Jeff got on my nerves with telling Harlan to stay away. Idk man, tell your kid to get over it. His mom is killing herself to support him, but sure she can’t see someone because her son is acting like a toddler throwing a fit over it.
Jack, Dylan, and Colton were all amazing MMCs but I think I might love Harlan just a little bit more. When he broke through her DND to tell her to have a good day I was like where can I find a man like that
“I felt like getting in my hands and knees and barking.”
Harlan!!
What you’ll get:
Single Mom
Age Gap ~ She’s 38 x He’s 26
Team Chef x Hockey Player
Thanks to Dani & Happily Booked for the ARC.
May 17, 2026
Unspeakable completely took me by surprise, and I think it might be my favorite book in the Ohio Rusties series! The story kicks off in such a wild way that Emma literally saves Harlan from stepping in front of a moving vehicle during a morning coffee run. His almost near-death experience flips a switch, and suddenly, he is begging her for private cooking lessons.
Dani Galliaro really nailed the dynamic between these two. Emma is a single mom and the team’s chef, doing everything she can to support her teenage son and keep her life steady. Harlan is the team’s younger, cocky goalie, seemingly determined to make her life as annoying as possible. I absolutely loved how their relationship started off with bickering and sarcastic banter. You could feel the underlying tension in every interaction and watching them slowly shift from "annoyed to lovers" over their cooking lessons was incredibly satisfying.
The reverse age gap was handled perfectly. Emma’s hesitation felt real, but Harlan proved time and time again that he was not just some immature guy looking for a fling. His growth throughout the book was fantastic, and I loved how patient and respectful he was toward Emma’s son. He did not try to force his way in; he put in the work to build a genuine connection with both of them.
Also, I am begging everyone to read this just for the hot tub scene alone. I will literally never look at hot tubs the same way again. 🥵🔥 The spice in this book is absolutely off the charts, but it never takes away from the actual emotional depth of the story.
If you love hockey romances with amazing banter, a protective MMC, and genuine character growth, you need to pick this one up!
A big thank you to Dani Galliaro and Happily Booked PR for my ARC! All thoughts are my own.
Dani Galliaro really nailed the dynamic between these two. Emma is a single mom and the team’s chef, doing everything she can to support her teenage son and keep her life steady. Harlan is the team’s younger, cocky goalie, seemingly determined to make her life as annoying as possible. I absolutely loved how their relationship started off with bickering and sarcastic banter. You could feel the underlying tension in every interaction and watching them slowly shift from "annoyed to lovers" over their cooking lessons was incredibly satisfying.
The reverse age gap was handled perfectly. Emma’s hesitation felt real, but Harlan proved time and time again that he was not just some immature guy looking for a fling. His growth throughout the book was fantastic, and I loved how patient and respectful he was toward Emma’s son. He did not try to force his way in; he put in the work to build a genuine connection with both of them.
Also, I am begging everyone to read this just for the hot tub scene alone. I will literally never look at hot tubs the same way again. 🥵🔥 The spice in this book is absolutely off the charts, but it never takes away from the actual emotional depth of the story.
If you love hockey romances with amazing banter, a protective MMC, and genuine character growth, you need to pick this one up!
A big thank you to Dani Galliaro and Happily Booked PR for my ARC! All thoughts are my own.
May 19, 2026
✨️ARC REVIEW✨️
This was my first book from Dani and I added the rest of this series to my TBR immediately after finishing. I adored Harlan and Emma!
Harlan is a goalie for the Ohio Rusties hockey team and Emma is their team chef. I wouldn't say they are enemies or anything but some heavy annoyance for sure. But when Emma saves his life, things start to change.
I loved the strength of Emma's character. She never stopped standing up for herself. She was a bit tough for Harlan to win over and always kept her snarky side. Their banter was fun, sometimes in a dry humor type of way. And she was a devoted mother. I enjoyed how Dani wove her son, Liam, into the story. He is an important part throughout but doesn't overpower the storyline, if that makes sense.
Harlan is just a sweet teddy bear with a motorcycle helmet and kinky side. Now I haven't read the previous books, so maybe he wasn't before the near-death experience (I guess Emma's annoyance should tell me that) but he seemed pretty sweet on her from the start. I loved his growth to 'Harlan 2.0'.
Not knowing the spice level coming in, I was squealing, seriously, when that first "Daddy" hit. My god, Dani, that was SO good! It was a bit unexpected in THE best way! The spicy scenes are fantastic. The fact that their bickering continued was so fun. A bit of love to hate (or love to hate?) throughout just amped things up a bit.
One of the things I love most about ARC reading is finding new authors to love and I have definitely been sleeping on Dani Galliaro. Highly recommend giving her a try!
"Love was letting someone see you at your wildest, trusting them to hold the deepest, most raw parts of yourself with care. And the scariest part of all was, he did."
This was my first book from Dani and I added the rest of this series to my TBR immediately after finishing. I adored Harlan and Emma!
Harlan is a goalie for the Ohio Rusties hockey team and Emma is their team chef. I wouldn't say they are enemies or anything but some heavy annoyance for sure. But when Emma saves his life, things start to change.
I loved the strength of Emma's character. She never stopped standing up for herself. She was a bit tough for Harlan to win over and always kept her snarky side. Their banter was fun, sometimes in a dry humor type of way. And she was a devoted mother. I enjoyed how Dani wove her son, Liam, into the story. He is an important part throughout but doesn't overpower the storyline, if that makes sense.
Harlan is just a sweet teddy bear with a motorcycle helmet and kinky side. Now I haven't read the previous books, so maybe he wasn't before the near-death experience (I guess Emma's annoyance should tell me that) but he seemed pretty sweet on her from the start. I loved his growth to 'Harlan 2.0'.
Not knowing the spice level coming in, I was squealing, seriously, when that first "Daddy" hit. My god, Dani, that was SO good! It was a bit unexpected in THE best way! The spicy scenes are fantastic. The fact that their bickering continued was so fun. A bit of love to hate (or love to hate?) throughout just amped things up a bit.
One of the things I love most about ARC reading is finding new authors to love and I have definitely been sleeping on Dani Galliaro. Highly recommend giving her a try!
"Love was letting someone see you at your wildest, trusting them to hold the deepest, most raw parts of yourself with care. And the scariest part of all was, he did."
May 15, 2026
REVIEW OF AN ARC COPY!
*I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review*
once again thank you to Love Notes PR and Dani Galliaro for the ARC opportunity!
this book was different from most books ive read and my brain was not letting go of a single word that was on the screen telling me a story!
Emma being a mother, a chef, not only for the team but teaching at a culinary school and being fiercely independent as she should was everything. although wanting to give into the temptation of Harlan she held her own and did what she needed to do first for her son and her
Harlan was and will forever be grateful Emma saved his life and him wanting to show her he can be nice and do nice things for someone even when he knows she can do it herself showing his soft side was everything. not only proof he can be nice to her but to her son and taking him as his own was everything. he built a relationship with someone who means more to her than herself
the story writing had me drawn in from beginning to end. the hate to love. the little moments of theirs. showing how awkward the start of a relationship can be when you didn’t get along in the beginning to the intimacy moments in the book.
don’t even get me started on the spice! i am always reading for the plot and the characters spice is always a bonus but holyyyyyy harlan and emma were giving me everythingggg! from his piercing to with holding pleasure. i was screaming and giggling !
i thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what others have to say about it when they read it! chef emma and harlan have my heart
*I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review*
once again thank you to Love Notes PR and Dani Galliaro for the ARC opportunity!
this book was different from most books ive read and my brain was not letting go of a single word that was on the screen telling me a story!
Emma being a mother, a chef, not only for the team but teaching at a culinary school and being fiercely independent as she should was everything. although wanting to give into the temptation of Harlan she held her own and did what she needed to do first for her son and her
Harlan was and will forever be grateful Emma saved his life and him wanting to show her he can be nice and do nice things for someone even when he knows she can do it herself showing his soft side was everything. not only proof he can be nice to her but to her son and taking him as his own was everything. he built a relationship with someone who means more to her than herself
the story writing had me drawn in from beginning to end. the hate to love. the little moments of theirs. showing how awkward the start of a relationship can be when you didn’t get along in the beginning to the intimacy moments in the book.
don’t even get me started on the spice! i am always reading for the plot and the characters spice is always a bonus but holyyyyyy harlan and emma were giving me everythingggg! from his piercing to with holding pleasure. i was screaming and giggling !
i thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what others have to say about it when they read it! chef emma and harlan have my heart
May 21, 2026
WHAT a thrilling start. My heart was absolutely racing from the opening chapters and for once it wasn't because of the spice 👀 I was hooked immediately.
Let’s start by talking main characters: Emma and Harlan. These two reallllly need to get it out of their system!!! The chemistry between them was so intense. The tension was tensioning and I was sat there practically begging them to stop dancing around it and just KISS ALREADY.
Harlan Royce, the man that you are 🫠 Yes, he might be 12 years younger than Emma, but boy does he have his head screwed on. He's emotionally intelligent, mature, patient, and completely certain about what he wants. And what he wants is Emma and everything that comes with her��including her eighteen-year-old son Liam. There was something so refreshing about a character who never wavered in what mattered to him.
In conclusion: I would like my very own Harlan Royce, thank you very much.
Also, can we talk about Liam because I LOVE HIM. He is genuinely hilarious and every scene he was in had me smiling. Honestly, all of these characters are so funny. The banter, the friendships, the found family vibes—this series has such a lovable cast and it's always a joy spending time with them.
These books just keep getting spicier and spicier. WOWEE. Every time I think Dani has reached the limit she somehow raises the bar again and leaves me staring at my Kindle in shock 😳🔥
And finally... Owen. I fell in love with him in a previous book and now I am absolutely desperate for Liam and Owen's story. I need that book the same way I need oxygen. I am emotionally attached already and I need their story IMMEDIATELY because I love them so much.
This series just keeps getting better and I never want to leave this hockey world behind 🏒❤️
✨ TROPES ✨
🏒 Hockey romance 👩👦 Single mum 😤 Annoyed to lovers 💘 Age gap (she's older) 💼 Workplace romance 🥅 Goalie x team chef
Let’s start by talking main characters: Emma and Harlan. These two reallllly need to get it out of their system!!! The chemistry between them was so intense. The tension was tensioning and I was sat there practically begging them to stop dancing around it and just KISS ALREADY.
Harlan Royce, the man that you are 🫠 Yes, he might be 12 years younger than Emma, but boy does he have his head screwed on. He's emotionally intelligent, mature, patient, and completely certain about what he wants. And what he wants is Emma and everything that comes with her��including her eighteen-year-old son Liam. There was something so refreshing about a character who never wavered in what mattered to him.
In conclusion: I would like my very own Harlan Royce, thank you very much.
Also, can we talk about Liam because I LOVE HIM. He is genuinely hilarious and every scene he was in had me smiling. Honestly, all of these characters are so funny. The banter, the friendships, the found family vibes—this series has such a lovable cast and it's always a joy spending time with them.
These books just keep getting spicier and spicier. WOWEE. Every time I think Dani has reached the limit she somehow raises the bar again and leaves me staring at my Kindle in shock 😳🔥
And finally... Owen. I fell in love with him in a previous book and now I am absolutely desperate for Liam and Owen's story. I need that book the same way I need oxygen. I am emotionally attached already and I need their story IMMEDIATELY because I love them so much.
This series just keeps getting better and I never want to leave this hockey world behind 🏒❤️
✨ TROPES ✨
🏒 Hockey romance 👩👦 Single mum 😤 Annoyed to lovers 💘 Age gap (she's older) 💼 Workplace romance 🥅 Goalie x team chef
Review of advance copy received from Author
**I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review**
4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I'm not usually one for Hockey romance but I'm glad I gave this one a shot (pun intended? 😂) even if I did have to look up some of the hockey terms. You absolutely do not need to know a lot about hockey to enjoy this book. I have nothing but good things to say about this book! I read it in less than a day with no breaks, I just couldn't put it down! 10/10, no notes 🏆
I absolutely fell in love with Emma and Harlan. From being bratty and "hating" eachother at first to a life changing moment that makes them look differently at eachother - After all there is a fine line between Love and Hate 😏 Him annoying the crap out of her and her saying she hates it but secretly loving it resonates with me because it's the type of relationship that I have with my husband, he's so infuriating at times but I love him even more because of it! 😂
I love the way their love story wasn't an instalove after the life saving moment, but it developed organically over the course of the book. Emma saving Harlan's life just offered a nudge into what developed as an exciting, scandalous secret, sneaking around at work, keeping their relationship hidden until they were ready to show the world whilst continuing their comical banter because who wants a man who can't make her laugh? 😱
I think the way that single parenting, advocating for your kids and continuing that co-parenting relationship was written as a large apart of this book was done very well, there is nothing worse then a FMC who is set up to be this strong, protective momma bear 'i don't need no man' but then throws everything, including her kids, to the side because of a new love interest 🙄🙄 Emma's character development in this sense was spot on that she put her son front and centre (maybe at the expense of herself at times) but made it clear from the beginning that Liam was her number 1 priority as it should be. Her moral stance on this made her character make sense later on when a little bit of angst, and miscommunication was thrown into the mix, especially when Harlan could show her that her self sacrificing was important, but also that she was important too ❤️
The age gap, 'cougar' jokes weren't overdone which can sometimes make a book too cringe but I absolutely lived for the scene where Harlan shut that down so fast 😂😂. Harlan's immaturity at first glance but his actual maturity that we got to see as the story developed was refreshing to see, the age gap between the characters was handled tastefully. I love the way the relationship was written between the boyfriend and the ex-husband, this could have really been delved into and overplayed but it wasn't which was perfect as that wasn't the main focus of the story.
In summary, I loved this little flirty, workplace, hockey romance that has many more layers to it to keep the reader interested, the spice was HOT 🔥🔥 but not overdone and the plot a wholesome, sweet romance with a well deserved HEA for all characters involved, not just the main characters 🥰
4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I'm not usually one for Hockey romance but I'm glad I gave this one a shot (pun intended? 😂) even if I did have to look up some of the hockey terms. You absolutely do not need to know a lot about hockey to enjoy this book. I have nothing but good things to say about this book! I read it in less than a day with no breaks, I just couldn't put it down! 10/10, no notes 🏆
I absolutely fell in love with Emma and Harlan. From being bratty and "hating" eachother at first to a life changing moment that makes them look differently at eachother - After all there is a fine line between Love and Hate 😏 Him annoying the crap out of her and her saying she hates it but secretly loving it resonates with me because it's the type of relationship that I have with my husband, he's so infuriating at times but I love him even more because of it! 😂
I love the way their love story wasn't an instalove after the life saving moment, but it developed organically over the course of the book. Emma saving Harlan's life just offered a nudge into what developed as an exciting, scandalous secret, sneaking around at work, keeping their relationship hidden until they were ready to show the world whilst continuing their comical banter because who wants a man who can't make her laugh? 😱
I think the way that single parenting, advocating for your kids and continuing that co-parenting relationship was written as a large apart of this book was done very well, there is nothing worse then a FMC who is set up to be this strong, protective momma bear 'i don't need no man' but then throws everything, including her kids, to the side because of a new love interest 🙄🙄 Emma's character development in this sense was spot on that she put her son front and centre (maybe at the expense of herself at times) but made it clear from the beginning that Liam was her number 1 priority as it should be. Her moral stance on this made her character make sense later on when a little bit of angst, and miscommunication was thrown into the mix, especially when Harlan could show her that her self sacrificing was important, but also that she was important too ❤️
The age gap, 'cougar' jokes weren't overdone which can sometimes make a book too cringe but I absolutely lived for the scene where Harlan shut that down so fast 😂😂. Harlan's immaturity at first glance but his actual maturity that we got to see as the story developed was refreshing to see, the age gap between the characters was handled tastefully. I love the way the relationship was written between the boyfriend and the ex-husband, this could have really been delved into and overplayed but it wasn't which was perfect as that wasn't the main focus of the story.
In summary, I loved this little flirty, workplace, hockey romance that has many more layers to it to keep the reader interested, the spice was HOT 🔥🔥 but not overdone and the plot a wholesome, sweet romance with a well deserved HEA for all characters involved, not just the main characters 🥰
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
👨🍳 Unspeakable 🏒
Book 4 in the Ohio Rusties Hockey Series
Written By: @danigalliaroauthor
Overall: 4/5
Overall plot: 4/5
Character development: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
World building: 4/5
Spice 🌶️: 2/5
First—thank you @danigalliaroauthor and @happilybookedpr for the ARC ahead of release 🩵
Dani never fails to deliver heartfelt, real-life situations, and when things get difficult, her MMCs always step up in exactly the way the FMC needs.
Harlan was no exception.
I loved the reverse age gap dynamic between Emma and Harlan because Emma fully expected to wait until after her son graduated high school before putting herself back out there. But fate had other plans when she saves the Rusties’ hotshot, know-it-all goalie during a near-tragic accident.
That moment becomes a turning point for Harlan. He realizes he hasn’t truly been living and decides to make changes—starting with relentlessly bothering Emma even more than before, but now with intention. Watching him slowly peel back her layers and genuinely want to understand what makes her tick was so fun to read.
The spice was spicing, the character development was strong, and I loved seeing familiar faces from books 1 and 2 pop back in. One of my favorite parts was Emma’s healthy co-parenting relationship with her ex and how much love surrounded Liam as he grew up.
And Harlan? Absolute green flag behavior. The way he rolled with every punch Liam threw at him and still showed up consistently for both Emma and her son made me melt.
The only thing that felt slightly disconnected for me was the execution of the almost-accident scene that initially changed Harlan’s perspective on Emma.
Otherwise, this would’ve easily been a 5-star read for me.
Tropes:
👨🍳 Single Mom
🏒 Hockey Romance
👨🍳 Annoyed to Lovers
🏒 Reverse Age Gap
👨🍳 Workplace Romance
🏒 Goalie x Team Chef
👨🍳 Found Family Vibes
👨🍳 Unspeakable 🏒
Book 4 in the Ohio Rusties Hockey Series
Written By: @danigalliaroauthor
Overall: 4/5
Overall plot: 4/5
Character development: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
World building: 4/5
Spice 🌶️: 2/5
First—thank you @danigalliaroauthor and @happilybookedpr for the ARC ahead of release 🩵
Dani never fails to deliver heartfelt, real-life situations, and when things get difficult, her MMCs always step up in exactly the way the FMC needs.
Harlan was no exception.
I loved the reverse age gap dynamic between Emma and Harlan because Emma fully expected to wait until after her son graduated high school before putting herself back out there. But fate had other plans when she saves the Rusties’ hotshot, know-it-all goalie during a near-tragic accident.
That moment becomes a turning point for Harlan. He realizes he hasn’t truly been living and decides to make changes—starting with relentlessly bothering Emma even more than before, but now with intention. Watching him slowly peel back her layers and genuinely want to understand what makes her tick was so fun to read.
The spice was spicing, the character development was strong, and I loved seeing familiar faces from books 1 and 2 pop back in. One of my favorite parts was Emma’s healthy co-parenting relationship with her ex and how much love surrounded Liam as he grew up.
And Harlan? Absolute green flag behavior. The way he rolled with every punch Liam threw at him and still showed up consistently for both Emma and her son made me melt.
The only thing that felt slightly disconnected for me was the execution of the almost-accident scene that initially changed Harlan’s perspective on Emma.
Otherwise, this would’ve easily been a 5-star read for me.
Tropes:
👨🍳 Single Mom
🏒 Hockey Romance
👨🍳 Annoyed to Lovers
🏒 Reverse Age Gap
👨🍳 Workplace Romance
🏒 Goalie x Team Chef
👨🍳 Found Family Vibes
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was literally 10% in and already OBSESSED!! 😭📖✨
I absolutely loved that the main characters already had some kind of relationship before the book even starts. Even if they’re “just coworkers,” there’s already this established chemistry and banter between them, and I eat that UP 🤭
He loves annoying her, so their entire dynamic is basically him teasing her nonstop while she constantly tries to put him in his place, and I ADORED every second of it 🫠🔥
This book gave me major vibes of Caught Up by Liz Tomforde, even though they’re actually not that similar at all. It’s more about the feeling they gave me. Both FMCs are chefs, and both books are written in a way where you can practically smell the food through the pages 🍝🥘✨ There’s also the single parent trope in both books, which always makes my heart melt a little extra 🥹🫶
Other than that, the books are nothing alike. But the level of obsession I had with both of them was EXACTLY the same 😭
And I NEED to give a HUGE shoutout to Dani Galliaro’s humor because the banter in her books is actually elite 🔥 The dialogue doesn’t just make me giggle, it has me laughing out loud like an idiot, and I love it so much 😂🤌
I am COMPLETELY obsessed with Unspeakable. Literally perfect for my taste. I genuinely don’t understand how Galliaro keeps creating masterpieces like this without being the face on an actual banknote at this point 💳💀
Such an incredible book and SUCH an incredible series!! I’m desperately hoping for a sequel because I genuinely never want this story to end 🤝✨
I absolutely loved that the main characters already had some kind of relationship before the book even starts. Even if they’re “just coworkers,” there’s already this established chemistry and banter between them, and I eat that UP 🤭
He loves annoying her, so their entire dynamic is basically him teasing her nonstop while she constantly tries to put him in his place, and I ADORED every second of it 🫠🔥
This book gave me major vibes of Caught Up by Liz Tomforde, even though they’re actually not that similar at all. It’s more about the feeling they gave me. Both FMCs are chefs, and both books are written in a way where you can practically smell the food through the pages 🍝🥘✨ There’s also the single parent trope in both books, which always makes my heart melt a little extra 🥹🫶
Other than that, the books are nothing alike. But the level of obsession I had with both of them was EXACTLY the same 😭
And I NEED to give a HUGE shoutout to Dani Galliaro’s humor because the banter in her books is actually elite 🔥 The dialogue doesn’t just make me giggle, it has me laughing out loud like an idiot, and I love it so much 😂🤌
I am COMPLETELY obsessed with Unspeakable. Literally perfect for my taste. I genuinely don’t understand how Galliaro keeps creating masterpieces like this without being the face on an actual banknote at this point 💳💀
Such an incredible book and SUCH an incredible series!! I’m desperately hoping for a sequel because I genuinely never want this story to end 🤝✨
May 15, 2026
I will never look at a hot tub the same way again. I mean holy hotness, Dani! This book is part of the Ohio Rusties hockey series and is a reverse age gap. In this one we have Emma the chef and Harlan the hockey player. She has no patience for him, and his attitude. He cannot help himself from getting under her skin, but they work in this wonderful sort of way.
One thing I love about reading Dani’s books is that they are always so realistic in the relationships. He has had a life altering event and has to reinvent himself, while she is a single mom with no time or patience for games on any level. He pokes at her and she gives it right back, but underneath all that is this burning chemistry. I thought the kitchen was hot, but these two are fire.
Emma is trying to keep it all together while providing her teenage son with everything and support him in his dreams. The dynamic between these two is just what it should be with a teenager, loveable, chaotic, and messy, but there is also that strength you have being a mom and I love her for this. Harlan does not force his way into their lives, but he is a steady presence and even through the banter it is clear he sees Emma as more. He wants to be the man at her side giving her love and support. His growth throughout this book was just so good.
This book, yes this entire series has everything you want in a romance: the banter, the longing, the spice, and the real relationship that is built on so much more than face value. Dive in, you won’t regret it.
One thing I love about reading Dani’s books is that they are always so realistic in the relationships. He has had a life altering event and has to reinvent himself, while she is a single mom with no time or patience for games on any level. He pokes at her and she gives it right back, but underneath all that is this burning chemistry. I thought the kitchen was hot, but these two are fire.
Emma is trying to keep it all together while providing her teenage son with everything and support him in his dreams. The dynamic between these two is just what it should be with a teenager, loveable, chaotic, and messy, but there is also that strength you have being a mom and I love her for this. Harlan does not force his way into their lives, but he is a steady presence and even through the banter it is clear he sees Emma as more. He wants to be the man at her side giving her love and support. His growth throughout this book was just so good.
This book, yes this entire series has everything you want in a romance: the banter, the longing, the spice, and the real relationship that is built on so much more than face value. Dive in, you won’t regret it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Unspeakable is a spicy, hockey romance between the team's chef and the goalie. Emma is a single mom, who had her baby and divorced at a young age. An arrangement that has not served her love-life well. Man just want the pleasure and dissappear after. Putting Liam first is all she knows, but when is the time right for her to live?
Harlan is the Rusties goalie, who brings out the worst in her challenging her with everything. He is picky, spoiled and just doesn't pay notice to what life gives him now, only to look at his future goals.
However, when a quick coffee run turns out into a life changing event, both start wondering if they are living to the fullest. Is their bickering meaning more than just that? Did they just now actually notice each other?
Whilst all signs point towards "not ment to be" - a 12y age gap (she is older), their workplace, the treat of a stalker and an almost adult son- they have a connection that is non-avoidable. Is he mature enough to handle her family situation? Will she trust him enough to open up to him? This hot, sizzling romance shows love isn't logical and will find its way when (and with) you expect it the least.
Galliaro wrote a fun, hot lovestory. I usually am not into a big age gap, but she showed that age is just a number. The spice was fun, the humor was witty. Definitly recommend.
"𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚" 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒚.
Harlan is the Rusties goalie, who brings out the worst in her challenging her with everything. He is picky, spoiled and just doesn't pay notice to what life gives him now, only to look at his future goals.
However, when a quick coffee run turns out into a life changing event, both start wondering if they are living to the fullest. Is their bickering meaning more than just that? Did they just now actually notice each other?
Whilst all signs point towards "not ment to be" - a 12y age gap (she is older), their workplace, the treat of a stalker and an almost adult son- they have a connection that is non-avoidable. Is he mature enough to handle her family situation? Will she trust him enough to open up to him? This hot, sizzling romance shows love isn't logical and will find its way when (and with) you expect it the least.
Galliaro wrote a fun, hot lovestory. I usually am not into a big age gap, but she showed that age is just a number. The spice was fun, the humor was witty. Definitly recommend.
"𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚" 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒚.
May 17, 2026
Thank you Dani Galliaro for Harlan and his "hoochie daddy chain". I never knew that I was a fan of the annoyed-to-lovers trope, but after reading this story I know that I love this trope.
We meet Emma, successful chef to the Rusties hockey team and single mom who has to deal with the team’s goalie and his antics on a regular basis. Though she would be the last person to be nice to said goalie, finds herself saving him in a life-or-death situation.
After Emma saves his life, Harlan finds himself taking a look at his life and wanting to live it to the fullest. Harlan wants to reach one of his life’s goals and become a chef with the help of Emma. As much as Emma would like to say no to Harlan after he offers to pay her an insane amount of money for cooking lessons, she knows that the money could really help her son pay for college, so she accepts.
As Emma and Harlan begin to spend more time together the attraction that they feel towards one another grows harder to ignore. When they finally give in….my goodness, I was blushing and kicking my feet!
Seeing how Emma and Harlan were there for each other and really saw one another was beautiful. They supported one another through the uncomfortable and good times. Harlan formed a special bond with Emma’s son and became another person that her son could depend on.
This HEA was deserved and earned, and I am so happy for them.
Thank you for Dani Galliaro and Happily Booked PR for this arc.
We meet Emma, successful chef to the Rusties hockey team and single mom who has to deal with the team’s goalie and his antics on a regular basis. Though she would be the last person to be nice to said goalie, finds herself saving him in a life-or-death situation.
After Emma saves his life, Harlan finds himself taking a look at his life and wanting to live it to the fullest. Harlan wants to reach one of his life’s goals and become a chef with the help of Emma. As much as Emma would like to say no to Harlan after he offers to pay her an insane amount of money for cooking lessons, she knows that the money could really help her son pay for college, so she accepts.
As Emma and Harlan begin to spend more time together the attraction that they feel towards one another grows harder to ignore. When they finally give in….my goodness, I was blushing and kicking my feet!
Seeing how Emma and Harlan were there for each other and really saw one another was beautiful. They supported one another through the uncomfortable and good times. Harlan formed a special bond with Emma’s son and became another person that her son could depend on.
This HEA was deserved and earned, and I am so happy for them.
Thank you for Dani Galliaro and Happily Booked PR for this arc.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
4 stars.
"Unspeakable" by Dani Galliaro is a single-mom, age-gap, kind-of-sort-of-enemies-to-lovers romance where she's the older one, and a hockey x chef romance where she calls him "daddy" and he calls her "princess." The banter between the main characters, Emma and Harlan, really worked for me here. They snark with each other a lot in the beginning until one moment changes the trajectory of their relationship and things get serious slowly over time (and then very, *very* quickly). It features lessons... no, not *those* lessons, but cooking lessons! Tons of chemistry between the leads, lots of fun to be had. This was a very quick read because I could not put it down! There is lots and lots and LOTS of spice. Lots of "yes, chef." Lots of organic chemistry between the two main characters, and lots of "working for it" between Harlan and Emma's 18-year-old son, Liam, who is on his own hockey journey and now has to get used to his mom dating a much younger man, his sports icon, Harlan. Tons of actual hockey playing, which is good because so many sports romances of late lack the actual sport-playing, it seems! I really enjoyed this one, and I can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series.
Thank you to Dani Galliaro and Happily Booked PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
"Unspeakable" by Dani Galliaro is a single-mom, age-gap, kind-of-sort-of-enemies-to-lovers romance where she's the older one, and a hockey x chef romance where she calls him "daddy" and he calls her "princess." The banter between the main characters, Emma and Harlan, really worked for me here. They snark with each other a lot in the beginning until one moment changes the trajectory of their relationship and things get serious slowly over time (and then very, *very* quickly). It features lessons... no, not *those* lessons, but cooking lessons! Tons of chemistry between the leads, lots of fun to be had. This was a very quick read because I could not put it down! There is lots and lots and LOTS of spice. Lots of "yes, chef." Lots of organic chemistry between the two main characters, and lots of "working for it" between Harlan and Emma's 18-year-old son, Liam, who is on his own hockey journey and now has to get used to his mom dating a much younger man, his sports icon, Harlan. Tons of actual hockey playing, which is good because so many sports romances of late lack the actual sport-playing, it seems! I really enjoyed this one, and I can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series.
Thank you to Dani Galliaro and Happily Booked PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
May 21, 2026
✨ Unspeakable – Dani Galliaro ✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
🏒☕️🔥🍳❤️
If you love:
• hockey romance
• single mom romance
• cooking lessons + forced proximity
• banter-filled chemistry
• grumpy/sarcastic dynamics
• emotional family moments
THIS WAS SUCH A FUN, FEEL-GOOD READ 😮💨❤️
Emma and Harlan’s dynamic hooked me right away. The banter, the tension, the constant back-and-forth while he’s trying to learn how to cook??? So entertaining 😭🔥
Emma is independent, protective, and not easily impressed, while Harlan starts off cocky but slowly shows a much softer, more genuine side—and that character growth really worked for me.
The cooking lesson scenes were easily some of the best parts. The chemistry in the kitchen?? Top tier 🍳🔥
I also really appreciated the emotional layer with Emma’s son. It added realistic conflict and made the relationship feel more grounded than just a typical sports romance.
For me, it lost a star because the pacing dragged a little in parts, and I wanted slightly more emotional depth in some of the bigger relationship moments.
Still, the romance was sweet, the banter delivered, and Harlan trying to earn his place in Emma’s life made this such an enjoyable read 🥹🏒❤️
If you love hockey romance with humor, heart, and a little emotional chaos mixed in, this one is definitely worth picking up 🔥
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
🏒☕️🔥🍳❤️
If you love:
• hockey romance
• single mom romance
• cooking lessons + forced proximity
• banter-filled chemistry
• grumpy/sarcastic dynamics
• emotional family moments
THIS WAS SUCH A FUN, FEEL-GOOD READ 😮💨❤️
Emma and Harlan’s dynamic hooked me right away. The banter, the tension, the constant back-and-forth while he’s trying to learn how to cook??? So entertaining 😭🔥
Emma is independent, protective, and not easily impressed, while Harlan starts off cocky but slowly shows a much softer, more genuine side—and that character growth really worked for me.
The cooking lesson scenes were easily some of the best parts. The chemistry in the kitchen?? Top tier 🍳🔥
I also really appreciated the emotional layer with Emma’s son. It added realistic conflict and made the relationship feel more grounded than just a typical sports romance.
For me, it lost a star because the pacing dragged a little in parts, and I wanted slightly more emotional depth in some of the bigger relationship moments.
Still, the romance was sweet, the banter delivered, and Harlan trying to earn his place in Emma’s life made this such an enjoyable read 🥹🏒❤️
If you love hockey romance with humor, heart, and a little emotional chaos mixed in, this one is definitely worth picking up 🔥
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
One of the things I love most about this book is the pace. From when Emma and Harlan go from annoyed to unable to keep their hands off each other was gradual and relatable. I enjoyed their interactions at work with the boundary tape, the bus incident, the grand gestures, and finding a way to see each other with two things in mind: Emma’s priority was her son, and she could not risk her job for Harlan. Harlan and Liam’s relationship was slow to start as well. Liam did not want his mom to be dating. I’m not sure he would have been happy about anyone dating his mom. Harlan was patient and there for Liam, and it paid off. Really nice to read the trust building between them.
Emma and Harlan had a lot in common along with fun banter and hot chemistry, their reverse age gap wasn’t an issue. She seemed all business and would be the last one to admit she missed having someone special in her life. Thankfully Harlan doesn’t give up easily, he goes for what he wants, and he really likes it when Emma is mean to him.
This series has been excellent and I’m not surprised. All the books deal with hard issues, relationships in crisis, family drama, secrets, changes like in this book Emma is going through the possibility of being an empty nester, not having a relationship with her parents, working a lot of jobs to help pay Liam pay for college. The struggles are real and intense and so engaging. You can read this book as a standalone, but all the characters in this series have so much going on professionally and personally, I recommend every single one of them.
Emma and Harlan had a lot in common along with fun banter and hot chemistry, their reverse age gap wasn’t an issue. She seemed all business and would be the last one to admit she missed having someone special in her life. Thankfully Harlan doesn’t give up easily, he goes for what he wants, and he really likes it when Emma is mean to him.
This series has been excellent and I’m not surprised. All the books deal with hard issues, relationships in crisis, family drama, secrets, changes like in this book Emma is going through the possibility of being an empty nester, not having a relationship with her parents, working a lot of jobs to help pay Liam pay for college. The struggles are real and intense and so engaging. You can read this book as a standalone, but all the characters in this series have so much going on professionally and personally, I recommend every single one of them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was my first Dani Galliaro book which, yes, means that I also dove into the middle of this series without reading any other Ohio Rusties Hockey books. This didn' t bother me at all, and unless you care about knowing who gets with who I don't think you need to read these books in any particular order.
This book was giving me The Bromance Book Club vibes but a bit steamier - which I am totally here for. I loved all the characters in this book, especially Emma and Harlan. Their chemistry was everything and Emma's relationship with her son Liam was goals. I loved how much respect Harlan had for Emma's personal relationships, and actually, how much respect the entire team had for each other and everyone's relationships. Everything about this book was just fun and I ended up reading this book in under 24 hours.
The plot was amazing, the characters were so well-rounded and relatable, the book had just enough steam without drowning out the plot and while still keeping the book interesting, and it's just overall an incredibly fun time. I will be reading the rest of the Rusties books and anything else Dani writes.
This book was giving me The Bromance Book Club vibes but a bit steamier - which I am totally here for. I loved all the characters in this book, especially Emma and Harlan. Their chemistry was everything and Emma's relationship with her son Liam was goals. I loved how much respect Harlan had for Emma's personal relationships, and actually, how much respect the entire team had for each other and everyone's relationships. Everything about this book was just fun and I ended up reading this book in under 24 hours.
The plot was amazing, the characters were so well-rounded and relatable, the book had just enough steam without drowning out the plot and while still keeping the book interesting, and it's just overall an incredibly fun time. I will be reading the rest of the Rusties books and anything else Dani writes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4 Stars
🌶🌶 - Spice Level
Harlan loved to give Emma some crap as the team chef by pushing her buttons until he had the almost catastrophic event of getting hit by a bus, but she saves him at the last minute. He has this life flashes before his eyes and does a full 180. He's close enough to retirement to want to consider becoming a chef himself, but decides the only way to get closer to Emma is to pay for private lessons from chef herself. As s single mom with an almost graduating senior who will need the fund college or a hockey season, she takes the funds offered and will teach Harlan a thing or two.
Harlan may be younger, but he has those Daddy vibes that Emma gets to see. He's a gentle giant sitting back to let Emma be who she is and support her as she navigates adding him to her life with son and co-parent. Harlan is smitten with "Chef" and he even has her as his backpack when he rides a motorcycle. Yep, he's a hot goalie, rides a motorcycle, and is attracted to an older woman. These two have some real spicy vibes together. I also enjoyed a peek at the previous side characters from Book 1 - 3.
Thank you Dani Galliaro for the ARC!
Release Date: May 15, 2026
🌶🌶 - Spice Level
Harlan loved to give Emma some crap as the team chef by pushing her buttons until he had the almost catastrophic event of getting hit by a bus, but she saves him at the last minute. He has this life flashes before his eyes and does a full 180. He's close enough to retirement to want to consider becoming a chef himself, but decides the only way to get closer to Emma is to pay for private lessons from chef herself. As s single mom with an almost graduating senior who will need the fund college or a hockey season, she takes the funds offered and will teach Harlan a thing or two.
Harlan may be younger, but he has those Daddy vibes that Emma gets to see. He's a gentle giant sitting back to let Emma be who she is and support her as she navigates adding him to her life with son and co-parent. Harlan is smitten with "Chef" and he even has her as his backpack when he rides a motorcycle. Yep, he's a hot goalie, rides a motorcycle, and is attracted to an older woman. These two have some real spicy vibes together. I also enjoyed a peek at the previous side characters from Book 1 - 3.
Thank you Dani Galliaro for the ARC!
Release Date: May 15, 2026
May 12, 2026
Unspeakable
Wowwwww, I’m glad I got a copy of this from Happily Booked PR! And thank you to Dani for writing such a wild ride.
Single mom Emma and hockey stud muffin Harlan turned out to be quite the pair. The banter between the two was so good. Cougar jokes? Yes. Overdone? No! The growth between the two, especially after ‘the life saving’ moment, was honestly such a joy to watch unfold. I also loved that Harlan cared enough about Emma to let her know that, while her kiddos too priority, it’s also important for her to prioritize herself. I needed that own little wake up call from my besties back in the day when I was a single mum. Plus the fact that there was coparenting and communication between new bf and ex hubby was so refreshing.
There was a bit of miscommunication, but not enough for me to want to set the book down and that is a very fine line, because I honestly can’t stand miscommunication (sorry not sorry). So, know that it’s in there, but it’s not to the point you’re screaming at them and pulling your hair out! It’s all a part of the process and it is sooo worth it.
Overall, really enjoyed this read and liking being in my sports romance era.
Wowwwww, I’m glad I got a copy of this from Happily Booked PR! And thank you to Dani for writing such a wild ride.
Single mom Emma and hockey stud muffin Harlan turned out to be quite the pair. The banter between the two was so good. Cougar jokes? Yes. Overdone? No! The growth between the two, especially after ‘the life saving’ moment, was honestly such a joy to watch unfold. I also loved that Harlan cared enough about Emma to let her know that, while her kiddos too priority, it’s also important for her to prioritize herself. I needed that own little wake up call from my besties back in the day when I was a single mum. Plus the fact that there was coparenting and communication between new bf and ex hubby was so refreshing.
There was a bit of miscommunication, but not enough for me to want to set the book down and that is a very fine line, because I honestly can’t stand miscommunication (sorry not sorry). So, know that it’s in there, but it’s not to the point you’re screaming at them and pulling your hair out! It’s all a part of the process and it is sooo worth it.
Overall, really enjoyed this read and liking being in my sports romance era.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
3.5/5...This was a fun, spicy hockey romance with a lot of heart, even if it didn’t completely knock me over emotionally. Emma and Harlan had great chemistry from the start, and their constant bickering made the early chapters really entertaining. Harlan ended up being more lovable than I expected. Beneath the cocky, know-it-all goalie personality, he was genuinely sweet and surprisingly patient, especially when it came to Emma’s son. Emma was easy to root for too—competent, guarded, and clearly carrying a lot on her shoulders between work and motherhood. The cooking lesson scenes were definitely the highlight for me. The banter felt natural, the attraction built nicely, and the romance had enough tension to keep things engaging. I also appreciated that the story gave attention to Emma’s relationship with her son instead of treating him like background noise. That said some of the emotional conflicts felt repetitive. I wanted a bit more depth from the family tension and a stronger payoff toward the end. A few moments wrapped up a little too neatly after all the buildup.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 21, 2026
I.....I don't know what to do with myself know that The Rusties are over, man.
Truly, enjoyed this one so much! Both MCs have banter and snark for days. And I'm here for it all. We have Harlan who is a hockey goalie. Emma who is the team chef. And a bus accident that changed everything. It just maybe changed for Harlan a lot faster than it did for Emma ha.
I loved that shes older (by 12 years), has been divorced, and has an 18 year old child....but that doesn't scare him off. He accepts her as she is. And thats beautiful. But.....she accepts Harlan for exactly who that bi man is. And it's also beautiful.
Story wise, the pacing feels good on this one. We get to traverse a large portion of the season for them so it doesn't feel like they're just immediately jumping into things. I also love the representation and just LOVE in this book.
Overall, recommending for those hockey lovers, those that like age gaps where she is older, single mom fans, moustache enthusiasts, those that like to count piercings, fans of Daddy/brat vibes, and those that want to fall in love with the series because you're definitely going to want to go back and visit them all. Just don't tell Harlan he's not my favorite but OMG do I love him to bits ha.
Truly, enjoyed this one so much! Both MCs have banter and snark for days. And I'm here for it all. We have Harlan who is a hockey goalie. Emma who is the team chef. And a bus accident that changed everything. It just maybe changed for Harlan a lot faster than it did for Emma ha.
I loved that shes older (by 12 years), has been divorced, and has an 18 year old child....but that doesn't scare him off. He accepts her as she is. And thats beautiful. But.....she accepts Harlan for exactly who that bi man is. And it's also beautiful.
Story wise, the pacing feels good on this one. We get to traverse a large portion of the season for them so it doesn't feel like they're just immediately jumping into things. I also love the representation and just LOVE in this book.
Overall, recommending for those hockey lovers, those that like age gaps where she is older, single mom fans, moustache enthusiasts, those that like to count piercings, fans of Daddy/brat vibes, and those that want to fall in love with the series because you're definitely going to want to go back and visit them all. Just don't tell Harlan he's not my favorite but OMG do I love him to bits ha.
May 15, 2026
Dreams does come true, Harlan and Emma are proof that no matter the obstacles that life throws at you, true love can conquer all.
Sometimes life put us where we need to be to fulfill our destiny, it is truly incredible how being in the right place at the right time can change your life for good how a life altering event can show us exactly what are we missing and the we want to live.
Thanks to Emma bravery, saving Harlan we got to enjoy their unique love story.
They were destined for each other and they are the perfect amalgamation of love.
You can feel their love through the pages, and how slowly there were falling in love with each other, they definitely meant to be.
One of my favorites things about this book was the resilience of both, Emma and Harlan, how supportive was Harlan about Liam, and the importance of Liam in Emma’s life, how thoughtful and attentive Harlan was.
The banter between them was so funny, how witty Emma was, the yearning was exceptional.
Sometimes life put us where we need to be to fulfill our destiny, it is truly incredible how being in the right place at the right time can change your life for good how a life altering event can show us exactly what are we missing and the we want to live.
Thanks to Emma bravery, saving Harlan we got to enjoy their unique love story.
They were destined for each other and they are the perfect amalgamation of love.
You can feel their love through the pages, and how slowly there were falling in love with each other, they definitely meant to be.
One of my favorites things about this book was the resilience of both, Emma and Harlan, how supportive was Harlan about Liam, and the importance of Liam in Emma’s life, how thoughtful and attentive Harlan was.
The banter between them was so funny, how witty Emma was, the yearning was exceptional.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2026
This book was so good it had me up until 3am talking about 1 more chapter that turned into 10!
Emma and Harlan were just too funny always getting in each other but once they were able to let each other know that there was something more there their connection was everything.
Harlan was such a sweet heart when it came to Emma’s needs. He always want to just help her Roth what ever she needed help with even if it was her son Liam.
Emma is a single mom and has done everything on her own so when Harlan would try to help it would be hard for her to except.
The drama with the ex girl friend was good then the things she did but i wish we got to know what ever happened to her but this book was so good. I loved the found family all around with the team. The fact that Emma and Jeff were still close.
Now I hope I get Liam’s story cause I know there is something there with him and Owen. And for him to think his mom didn’t know but she was the one who got Owen to message Liam in the first place(too funny) all and all a great book!!
Emma and Harlan were just too funny always getting in each other but once they were able to let each other know that there was something more there their connection was everything.
Harlan was such a sweet heart when it came to Emma’s needs. He always want to just help her Roth what ever she needed help with even if it was her son Liam.
Emma is a single mom and has done everything on her own so when Harlan would try to help it would be hard for her to except.
The drama with the ex girl friend was good then the things she did but i wish we got to know what ever happened to her but this book was so good. I loved the found family all around with the team. The fact that Emma and Jeff were still close.
Now I hope I get Liam’s story cause I know there is something there with him and Owen. And for him to think his mom didn’t know but she was the one who got Owen to message Liam in the first place(too funny) all and all a great book!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews