Crossing the Line

by J.D. Petty

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 25, 2026

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received "Crossing the Line" as an ARC from J.D. Petty. Thank you for the opportunity!

If you want a simple, uncomplicated read, I encourage you to read this book! This was a fun read and not too in depth. It read very much like a novella even if it was longer in length that one would be.

The characters and the storyline were simple. There was no real depth of character other than a brief back story for the MFC. Which enhanced the novella feel of the story. I would have loved to have seen a little more detail in the back story and the environment the characters were in, but again a solid read.

There were several repeated descriptors of situations or events and that became tiresome. I wasn't super invested in the characters, but I still wanted to see how their story played out.

I appreciated that their relationship was focused on the characters, their lives and thoughts, and not the just feelings or physical tension between them. It was realistic in that aspect and I loved that. I would call it semi-closed door in that there was nothing remotely explicit but the reader knew what was going on. Again, focus was on the characters, which I appreciate.

I went back and forth between 3 and 4 star and decided on the 4. I think this is a story that should be read and the series should grow as the author does.

Happy Reading!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review — Crossing the Line 🏒❤️ devoured this book in a single sitting!
Small-town vibes, hockey, witty banter and a whole lot of romance… what more could you want?!
Sadie has had a pretty rough time when it comes to relationships. Being dismissed, ignored and made to forget her own dreams, leaving her feeling like a side character in her own life, has understandably left a lasting impression — especially when it comes to hockey players. She’s definitely not looking for another man to prove her right!
Enter Hudson… the gorgeous, protective hockey captain who is completely captivated by Sadie. I absolutely loved the way he was drawn to her witty banter, caring nature and caring heart. Their chemistry was so much fun to read, and I loved watching their relationship develop.
I also really enjoyed the dynamics between the hockey team. Their friendships, teasing and the way they supported each other added another layer to the story, and I’m already hoping we get to see more of them. I NEED their own romance books! Fingers crossed 🤞🏼 because I’m already invested!
Safe to say, I’ve already recommended this one to loads of my friends! If you love small-town romance, hockey heroes, protective men, witty banter and plenty of chemistry, definitely add this one to your TBR! 🏒💕

[Vianca (Vee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⚠️ I’ve received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sadie moves to a new town after a very public breakup from her hockey player boyfriend. What had once been a whirlwind romance soon became a pony show for the media that made their relationship dull and void of romance. She finally decides she wants more for herself, hence the move to a new town to rediscover her passions as well as who she is.

Life is funny because she ends up in what seems like the only small town enamored with their team and who all show out for their players. As much as she tries to avoid becoming involved, that’s hard to do when she constantly finds her self running into the team’s captain, Hudson Kane.

Hudson Kane might seem to have it all but there is something lacking in his life and he can’t seem to figure out what. That is until a beautiful brunette accidentally bumps into him and spills coffee on him. He takes it with grace and is instantly intrigued by this woman with her walls up. As fate has it, many occurrences allow them to continue to bump into each other making room for a beautiful friendship to arise.

We get some fun banter, beautiful friendships, and of course some drama.

4/5 recommend

[KatheaLoves2ReadwithLuca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you J.D. Petty for the ARC in exchange for reviewing Crossing the Line (Falling for the Reapers, Book 1).

This was a hockey romance with maybe 1/4 chili pepper spice, closed door. I liked the pacing of the story, a lot of banter, just a feel good sports romance without much depth to characters. If you are looking for deep detailed, strong emotional relationships this may not be the book for you. If you are looking for a light read that has a HEA, with not a lot of drama this is a great read for you. I love a good HEA after a breakup and this did give me that feel. I did struggle with how much sports analogy banter there was between Hunter and Sadie. I love banter, but the constant sports references got on my nerves. With that said, I never had a thought to DNF, as I did enjoy the world created for Hunter and Sadie, and the relationship between Hunter and his team mates. I think this series has great potential with guidance and stronger editing for future books.

Tropes:
Banter romance (a bit too must sports analogy bantering)
Hockey romance
Closed door romance
YA/Or those that don't want detail spice
Golden Retriever/Captain of team MMC/Guarded Heart MFC
Small town
He falls first
1/4 chili pepper spice
3 star

[Katy Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review from author in exchange for honest review

Title: Crossing the Line

Author: J.D. Petty
 
Genre: hockey romance
 
Spice: 0.5 closed door
 
Pace: 3/5 slow burn easy-going

Readability: 3/5 lots of cute moments, very lighthearted, nothing very exciting.

Character development: 3/5 everyone was very surface level. Nothing gets incredibly deep. I did have trouble truly seeing the characters as individuals. The roster in the beginning is helpful, but I just didn’t feel very connected to anyone.

Mentions/tropes:
Cheesy Romance
Hockey Romance
Slow burn
Almost young adult
Grumpy meets sunshine
Small town
Captain of the team
He falls first
Jealousy
Found family
Happily ever after



My thoughts:
Get ready to hear about Crimson. Yes the color. This was a very young adult vibe. Cheesy small town hockey romance. It was cute. The characters were sweet. It ties up in a bow at the end just like you would imagine. This would be great as a pallet cleanser between heavier material novels. This is very cozy and lighthearted. It left me very mellow. Nothing really grabbed me in this one.

[Ashley Slocum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay let’s start, Immediately, obsessed as soon as I got into the prologue because we love an independent queen taking her life back🤣 Meeting Hudson, immediately he’s not the annoying, arrogant big shot most captains are. He’s funny and seems captivated by Sadie instantly. Their first meeting; she spills coffee all over him at a charity gala, funny and totally on par for a cute meet. Later on, meeting again through coffee.. the conversation is witty, easy and the tension is already growing. Fast forward, they go from strangers to friends. It’s a bit fast paced but in the best way. There’s no third party break up. He falls first and hard, giving off the protective and dedicated vibe which we love. She protects her peace, attempting to keep her walls secure, she still fights but in the end love conquers all. I absolutely loved the book, it was cute, sweet, still had some tension and yearning but overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. There was no smut, just like set up that you know they did but nothing explicit! I love how grounded they both are, no messy fights, just focus on each other. I loved it! And definitely recommend!!
I received this as an advanced reader copy🫶🏻‼️

[Brandy Poole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Voluntary ARC Read 🏒❤️

Crossing the Line by J.D. Petty

Hudson Kane & Sadie Brooks

If you’re looking for a hockey romance with second chances, witty banter, and a friendship that slowly turns into something more, this one is for you! I absolutely devoured this book! 📕

Sadie finally realizes her relationship with Easton Williams has come to an end and decides it’s time to get her life back. She moves, starts her career, and thinks she’s ready for a fresh start…until she comes face to face with Hudson Kane.

Hudson is the quiet, brooding hockey player who has walls built around him, but the banter between him and Sadie was EVERYTHING. I loved watching those walls slowly come down and seeing their friendship turn into something neither of them expected.

This was such a sweet love story that crept up on Sadie when she least expected it. I loved the hockey atmosphere, the friendship, the slow-burn feelings, and watching these two find their way to each other.

A cute hockey romance with heart, humor, and a little bit of unexpected love. 🏒💕

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very happy to be gifted an ARC and enjoyed the story. This was a nice, simple read and I finished it in one sitting. If you are looking for something light, would recommend this book.

I loved the banter between Hudson and the hockey team when those moments would arrive. But there wasn't a lot of it. The banter did continue between Sadie and Hudson as well. But it became very repetative. I felt like the second half of the book was almost re-reading the first half of the book, just in a different scene/setting.

I wish there was more character development with the other background characters (hockey team, friends, etc). And some more background and development with the main characters. Their interactions at times seemed like it was the next day but also weeks later at the same time and the timeline flow was a bit hard to figure out. It felt like we were reading chunks of major moments in their timeline, not their full story.

Overall, it was a very cute read and would be great for a young adult read.

[Shelby Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was corny as fuck… but I liked it! 😂🏒

It was soft, clean, and of course… hockey. What more could I ask for?

I really liked Sadie, and Hudson was such a sweet character. Their dynamic was cute, and overall this was just a really pleasant, easy read.

That being said, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the text conversations. They started to feel a little repetitive and cheesy, especially with the playbook stuff and the attempts to talk like hockey players. 😅 I also think the story could have benefited from a little more plot and character development because there were definitely moments where I wanted more from both.

But honestly? I still had a good time reading it. It was sweet, light, and gave me exactly the kind of cozy hockey romance I was in the mood for. And I’d absolutely read the next book!

I’m so honored I got the opportunity to read this as an ARC before release. 🤍🏒

Overall: a cute, corny, clean hockey romance that I enjoyed despite a few things that didn’t quite work for me!

[Rebecca A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very, very slow burn, and unfortunately it took me quite a while to really get into the story. I read it over a few days, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged at times.

There were also quite a few formatting issues with the ARC. The chapters didn’t always line up correctly, page numbers appeared in the middle of words, and some chapters seemed to be repeated. Hopefully these issues will be fixed in the final version.

I also noticed that “number 9” and “crimson” were repeated quite a lot, to the point where it became noticeable and a little distracting.

Sadie’s past relationship is mentioned constantly throughout the book, but I felt like we never really got enough development or payoff from that storyline. It was talked about a lot without feeling like it was properly built upon.

There were definitely elements I enjoyed, but overall the pacing and repetition made this a difficult read for me. 3 stars.

[Sarah Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW FROM AUTHOR


Thank you for the arc J.D. Petty

I feel like the story itself had some potential even with it being a predictable replay of most of the sweet hockey romances already out there.

With that being said though the writing was very disjointed. We were in the farmers market moving heavy boxes one minute then confessing our feelings over hot chocolate the next with no transition between. At many times it felt like the same scene replayed in a slightly different way.

I don’t know if it was because I had an arc but there were some sentences and even paragraphs that were repeated. I truly hope the editing in the final copy is much better.

The world building was simple, uncomplicated, and at times non existent. The characters lacked depth but yet I still felt for them on a surface level. Overall this book needs a lot of work and I truly hope it gets a little more time and effort before being released to really meet its potential.

I would recommend if you are looking for a quick and super simple sweet read.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A sweet start to the Falling for the Reapers series and I’m definitely interested in seeing where this story goes next.

Hudson was exactly the kind of MMC I enjoy: patient, trustworthy and steady. Sadie is determined to rebuild her life after leaving her hockey-player ex, but finding herself in Blackridge Reapers territory makes staying away from hockey a little harder than planned. I loved the strong found family, teammate bonds and banter, and the roster intro and playlist were such fun little additions. Special mention to teammate Drew the golden retriever rookie, loved his energy.

This is a closed-door romance with very low spice, which worked for the story, although I did find myself wanting a little more intensity and build-up between Hudson and Sadie. At times the hockey banter and defensive dialogue felt a little repetitive and took away from some of the more romantic moments.

Still, there’s plenty to like here, and I’m definitely curious to continue with the Reapers.

[Nae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a total sucker for romantasy hockey, and this one absolutely hit the spot.

Small town, rivals, a little magic and a hockey team you can’t help but completely fall in love with.

Sadie and "Captain" Hudson are absolutely delightful. I loved their chemistry, the rivalry, the banter and watching their relationship unfold. And honestly, the whole team just stole my heart along the way.

While I’m usually a girl who likes *a lot* more spice in my books 🌶️😂, this was just an honest-to-goodness **great read**. The characters and story were strong enough that I genuinely didn’t miss the extra heat, which is saying something coming from me!

Sweet, fun, magical and ridiculously easy to get lost in. Now I just want more of this small town, more of this team and definitely more hockey romantasy.

[Melissa Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was a cute, sweet romance and a fun introduction to a new-to-me author! I really enjoyed the buildup of the relationship and watching the romance develop rather than having everything happen all at once. The character list at the beginning was also really helpful and made it easier to keep everyone straight as the story came together.
The hockey metaphors were cute at first and definitely fit the theme, but I felt they became a little overused toward the end.
Overall, this was an enjoyable, lighthearted read with a sweet romance and characters I was happy to spend time with. As someone who reads A LOT, I’m always excited to find a new author to add to my list, and I’d definitely be interested in seeing what they write next! 💕🏒📚

[Curses and Cliffhangers (Ashley) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cute and cozy romance. It’s easy to read very quickly. On a scale of LMN to Hallmark this is very much Hallmark. There’s no drama and nothing bad or crazy happens. It’s just two good people falling in love. There’s emotional baggage but that serves the personal growth. I enjoyed the banter between the characters. While there isn’t a super in depth look into the characters and their traits and why they fall in love, it’s not superficial either. You get enough of a feel for why they fall in love in the first place. A lot of their in depth romance development happens off the page but it is mentioned so you have more of an understanding of the time they have spent together and how they have gotten to really know each other. I appreciate that versus stories where they just fall in love and it seems random.

[Ocfm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice, light, low-angst cosy romance with a sunshine/grumpy vibe. Hudson was definitely my favourite — total golden retriever energy. I also really liked the comfort moments when Sadie was struggling.

I did find some of Sadie's motivations a little difficult to understand. If she hates hockey so much and is determined to eliminate it from her life, I wasn't really sure why she was still willingly hanging around with the team and going to games.
It also made it harder for me to buy into the idea that she was "fiercely guarding her new independence" when she seemed to be quite happy staying so involved with the hockey world.

The found-family aspect was much more my thing. I really enjoyed the hockey team. Drew was a favourite, he's funny and sweet and I would love to hear his story
Overall, an easy cosy read with a sweet romance, very little angst and a fun found-family dynamic.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an advance copy. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Emma Kupsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC opportunity.

This is the first book in the Falling for the Reapers series and is Hudson and Sadie’s story, a hockey romance.

Sadie used to date a captain from a rival team but after a number of years she comes to realise this relationship is not right and escapes to a small town.

Hudson is the Captain of the Reapers and as soon as he sets eyes on Sadie he is falling fast, he lets her go at her pace because after her heartbreak she is guarded.

I loved the banter from Hudsons teammates and I loved how protective Hudson is of Sadie, how patient he was which ultimately led to their HEA.

This is an easy read and looking forward to the other characters and their stories!

[Shannon Ricker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable low-spice romance which I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of. I really appreciated the writing style of the author. So many new authors of today have a very choppy writing style that feels somewhat amateurish (and robotic).

Not this author. Her writing structure flowed well. I liked the characters she created around her main characters as well. Hudson’s teammates, especially rookie, provided humorous banter throughout. The one star off was really a personal preference for the banter between Sadie and Hudson that was overdone in hockey metaphors. Clever the first couple of times, but bordering on trite as the story progressed.

Overall, it was a fun, quick read and highly recommend for anyone who wants a low-spice hockey romance.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book. I adored Hudson and loved Sadie.

I loved that Sadie really valued her mental health and her self worth in this book, but I do wish she would have vocalized her feelings a bit more or at least on a deeper level by the end of the book.

I did enjoy the banter between Hudson and Sadie, but I thought that a lot of the banter and their interactions started to feel very repetitive by the end of the book.

I appreciated the closed door aspect of this book and think this made a cute book that I could recommend to young adult readers.

Overall it was a good storyline and a quick easy read.

*received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review

[Sharlotte Doty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crossing the line by definitely should have came with a warning.. I got the pleasure of being an ARC reader for Hudson and Sadie's story and I ate it up and am begging for more! I'm normally a dark romance girly through and through but every once in a while I love me a good romance and dangggg girl did you deliver! I was hooked from from page one I definitely stayed up past my bed time or two reading this! I cannot wait till it releases and I can get my hands on a physical copy & that being said 6 ohhhhh and there was like no
spice the story was just the good! It didn't need an ounce of spice. Again I can't wait for book 2!

[Antonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

I want to start this off by saying that I was gifted this book to read as an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I liked the preface of this story and enjoyed reading it, there were some moments whilst reading that I felt that I didn’t connect with, I would say that this book is perfect for someone who is new to the ice hockey romances, the plot was ht out, the character development was well done, not much spice (this would be ideal for people who don’t like too much spice in books)

The tropes you will find in this book are
Slow burn
Ice hockey romance
Grumpy x sunshine
Found family
HEA

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC: Sadie & Hudson’s sorry was very cute. This was a cute, closed door, and quick read. Great palate cleanser. However I do wish we got to see more conflict with Easton. Felt like he came up randomly in the middle without much to add. The banter between Hudson and his team was great and I do hope that we get to read their stories. While Sadie and Hudson also had great banter I wish we would’ve gotten to see more of Sadie having her falls up and not falling into a banter-y friendship with Hudson so early on. More pining needed on his part.

Overall this was a great story and definitely recommend if you want a closed door sports romance

[Kimberley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Crossing the Line was a cozy read that I managed to smash out in a few hours. The concept of moving away from your past and starting fresh is always one of my favourite.

Sadie found her place, her strength and new friends. And she found the courage to take a chance again.

Hudson learned to that the things that take patience are always worth the wait.

If you’re loving for a soft, warm read with no third act breakup and a happily ever after then this might just be the one for you

[Bethany Tindall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely obsessed with the way the stages of yearning for each other slowly built up. It made me feel all warm and tingly inside when I read about Hudson’s chest tightening just from the sight of Sadie.

Reading about Sadie’s journey of freshening her perspectives of certain experiences is something I can show a lot of empathy towards and it’s written beautifully.

The slow realisation of their feelings was beautiful. I read this book in a few hours, I couldn’t put it down.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of the team get up to!!

Love, love, love!!

[Lisa Clostermann]

A sweet hockey romance.
We meet Sadie, who has spent 4 years with a guy who always puts her in the background, life revolves around him and his schedule. So when she decides she’s had enough, she leaves him, moves across the state and swears of athletes. Pretty sure we all know how that will work out when she meets Hudson. Hockey captain. Her ex’s rival, no less. All round nice guy.
One thing did annoy me about this book. The author kept using full names in the narrative. Thankfully it wasn’t like that during speech.

[Whitney Stott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to be get an advanced reader copy of this book! It has all of my favorite tropes! It was a sweet, easy read with fun characters that I am excited to read more about in future books!

My biggest struggle was that the banter was cute, but got pretty repetitive by the end. Also, It mostly revolved around Hudson and Sadie and I wish there was more interaction with the team and development of those relationships as well.

Overall, it was a cute read that would be great for any audience!

[Torra Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect book to sit on your couch, with a blanket and a drink and just read! This is a slow burn book, so be ready. It made everything feel more authentic! I love the banter between the main characters! It’s the funny and lighthearted conversations but also the deep meaning behind some of them that just felt real!

The support between the characters was a wonderful touch and I loved it for that!

[Alyssa Jantzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review - *could contain spoilers*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was easy to follow and understand. I loved the storyline as well!

It was definitely a slow burn kind of story (which I am usually too impatient to handle), so if you love those, you’ll absolutely love this book!

You can FEEL his love for her slowly building which makes it feel real to the reader.

I will recommend this book to anyone that loves hockey romance, slow burn, he falls first books!

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is perfect for those looking for a sweet opposites attract story. Sadie has to learn to let love in after a bad breakup with her hockey player ex and Hudson is the perfect man for the job. His golden retriever energy is exactly what Sadie needs to break out of her shell. Overall I enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what happens with other players on the team.

[Kristen Terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows us a second chance at love as well as healing yourself . It has a wonderful playlist that fits the characters and book so well. My favorite thing was before the book starts she explains the characters so you feel very connected to them and the story.
Loved this read and couldn’t put it down