What do you think?
PCU Ice Storm #2
Lose You Twice
416 pages, Paperback
Published August 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
August 30, 2026
✨ARC Book Review✨
Rating~ 3.5 rounded up
This was such a sweet second chance romance.
Kai and Wren dated when they were younger, but with distance and school, their communication became less and less frequent until they eventually went their separate ways. When Wren moves back to town, Kai is undone. He can’t exactly avoid her because she’s his sister’s best friend, and now she’s working for his hockey team. Their repeated exposure is definitely bringing up those old feelings for both of them.
Wren is such a boss. She has so much pressure on her shoulders, helping her mom with her siblings while also juggling college. I completely understood why, when she took the job, she said she couldn’t base her financial decisions on Kai. I thought their interactions were so endearing. You could tell their relationship had a true foundation of friendship. I could also understand the hesitation to open your heart up and risk being hurt twice!
Kai was very controlled. I don’t think he could operate in disorder. It felt like his OCD helped with his discipline in the sport, but maybe hindered his ability to just relax. I feel like rekindling his friendship with Wren, and eventually their romance, helped him with that.
I thought the concerns that came up in the last quarter of the book were completely reasonable. I loved how the couple handled their issues and communicated with each other. Honestly, I think this was the sweetest romance I’ve read in a while.
Rating~ 3.5 rounded up
This was such a sweet second chance romance.
Kai and Wren dated when they were younger, but with distance and school, their communication became less and less frequent until they eventually went their separate ways. When Wren moves back to town, Kai is undone. He can’t exactly avoid her because she’s his sister’s best friend, and now she’s working for his hockey team. Their repeated exposure is definitely bringing up those old feelings for both of them.
Wren is such a boss. She has so much pressure on her shoulders, helping her mom with her siblings while also juggling college. I completely understood why, when she took the job, she said she couldn’t base her financial decisions on Kai. I thought their interactions were so endearing. You could tell their relationship had a true foundation of friendship. I could also understand the hesitation to open your heart up and risk being hurt twice!
Kai was very controlled. I don’t think he could operate in disorder. It felt like his OCD helped with his discipline in the sport, but maybe hindered his ability to just relax. I feel like rekindling his friendship with Wren, and eventually their romance, helped him with that.
I thought the concerns that came up in the last quarter of the book were completely reasonable. I loved how the couple handled their issues and communicated with each other. Honestly, I think this was the sweetest romance I’ve read in a while.
September 23, 2026
The only reason I pushed thru this 400+ page mess, was to see WHAT the reason was behind them breaking up 3 years ago. Surely there had to be a reason two best friends since the sixth grade would separate!
That…. and to give an honest non-ARC review.
📚 Tropes: Hockey, (a poorly done) Second Chance
🌍 Setting: California
👨🏻 Kai - 21-yrs old, captain of the hockey team at Pacific Coast University, suffering from extreme OCD (that seems to stem from whatever trauma happened in Book 1). Has been in love with his sister’s best friend since the sixth grade.
👱🏼♀️ Wren - 21-yrs old, recently started attending Pacific Coast University, but due to a tuition assistance issue, she needs to apply to the work-study program and ends up as the Athletics Equipment Assistant to the Men’s Hockey team. Where she’s bound to run into her ex-boyfriend.
This should have been full of yearning and angst. But the author took way too long to get there. And by the time the two MCs finally stopped locking eyes across a room, and actually started talking to each other (around pg 200 of 400), I felt that they were still strangers to me and their scenes became meaningless. I read all of their scenes like this 😐.
The story actually started strong, the writing was initially very witty and the side character Weston had me laughing numerous times. The first half of the book was full of slice-of-life drama with Wren helping her newly single mom manage the chaotic household, numerous hockey games with details and then plenty of entertaining interactions with their groups of friends. But once the focus FINALLY got to our MCs reconnecting, it was a huge disappointment for me.
What I Disliked:
🛏️ weakly done scenes for Book Reasons (i.e the hotel)
🔥 uninspiring intimate scenes
💔 unexplained break-up reason (see below)
🤐 no real conversation btwn Kai and Wren to engage us for the longest time
😩 things that were done overly dramatic, didnt need to be
🤯 things that should have been important and climatic, weren’t
👉🏼 everyone pointing at the person they are talking to
🗣️ everyone asking each other “you okay?” or “you good?”
🙄 everyone saying they’re fine, when they’re not
- His mouth barely moves. “You good?”
I glance up. “You ask that a lot.” - you could easily get drunk, if you did a drinking game out of every time someone points at the person they’re talking to or asks if ‘they’re good’.
Second Chance disappointment:
Not really a spoiler, as it’s basically nothing, but after reading the whole book, determined to find the reason WHY they broke up 3 yrs ago, this is all I could come up with:
📚 Standalone - No. I do not recommend this book as a standalone. There was obviously some trauma that happened in Book 1 that affects this MMC/Kai to be the way he is here. And maybe the break-up is explained in Book 1? I won’t be reading it though, I see several non-ARC reviews complaining about similar repetition things in that book as well.
⚠️ Warnings - Endometriosis and/or ovarian cyst issues going on. He buys her tampons, lots of cramps and period talk and doctor visits. Oh! They were each other’s firsts, and they both remained celibate during the 3-year break-up.
Long story not short, I wasn’t a fan.
━ ━ ━ ━ ━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━ ━ ━ ━ ━
That…. and to give an honest non-ARC review.
📚 Tropes: Hockey, (a poorly done) Second Chance
🌍 Setting: California
👨🏻 Kai - 21-yrs old, captain of the hockey team at Pacific Coast University, suffering from extreme OCD (that seems to stem from whatever trauma happened in Book 1). Has been in love with his sister’s best friend since the sixth grade.
👱🏼♀️ Wren - 21-yrs old, recently started attending Pacific Coast University, but due to a tuition assistance issue, she needs to apply to the work-study program and ends up as the Athletics Equipment Assistant to the Men’s Hockey team. Where she’s bound to run into her ex-boyfriend.
This should have been full of yearning and angst. But the author took way too long to get there. And by the time the two MCs finally stopped locking eyes across a room, and actually started talking to each other (around pg 200 of 400), I felt that they were still strangers to me and their scenes became meaningless. I read all of their scenes like this 😐.
The story actually started strong, the writing was initially very witty and the side character Weston had me laughing numerous times. The first half of the book was full of slice-of-life drama with Wren helping her newly single mom manage the chaotic household, numerous hockey games with details and then plenty of entertaining interactions with their groups of friends. But once the focus FINALLY got to our MCs reconnecting, it was a huge disappointment for me.
What I Disliked:
🛏️ weakly done scenes for Book Reasons (i.e the hotel)
🔥 uninspiring intimate scenes
💔 unexplained break-up reason (see below)
🤐 no real conversation btwn Kai and Wren to engage us for the longest time
😩 things that were done overly dramatic, didnt need to be
🤯 things that should have been important and climatic, weren’t
👉🏼 everyone pointing at the person they are talking to
🗣️ everyone asking each other “you okay?” or “you good?”
🙄 everyone saying they’re fine, when they’re not
- His mouth barely moves. “You good?”
I glance up. “You ask that a lot.” - you could easily get drunk, if you did a drinking game out of every time someone points at the person they’re talking to or asks if ‘they’re good’.
Second Chance disappointment:
Not really a spoiler, as it’s basically nothing, but after reading the whole book, determined to find the reason WHY they broke up 3 yrs ago, this is all I could come up with:
📚 Standalone - No. I do not recommend this book as a standalone. There was obviously some trauma that happened in Book 1 that affects this MMC/Kai to be the way he is here. And maybe the break-up is explained in Book 1? I won’t be reading it though, I see several non-ARC reviews complaining about similar repetition things in that book as well.
⚠️ Warnings - Endometriosis and/or ovarian cyst issues going on. He buys her tampons, lots of cramps and period talk and doctor visits. Oh! They were each other’s firsts, and they both remained celibate during the 3-year break-up.
Long story not short, I wasn’t a fan.
━ ━ ━ ━ ━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━ ━ ━ ━ ━
September 11, 2026
4🌟 | 2🌶️
There’s something about two people who never really got over each other being thrown back together that gets me every time.
The second-chance setup worked so well here because Kai and Wren had so much history behind their attraction, with their friendship still clearly underneath it all. Add the hockey team, forced proximity, and found-family chaos, and their reunion had plenty of fun tension.
Wren was the character I connected with most because she’s so used to putting everyone else first. Kai was a great match for her, especially with how naturally he cared for her and her siblings. I liked seeing his controlled personality soften around her, and their relationship had so many small acts of care that made their connection feel genuine. The banter and team dynamics were a fun bonus, too.
I would have liked a little more of their past, but their journey back to each other still worked really well for me. The yearning, one-bed moment, emotional conversations, and rebuilding of trust gave the romance plenty of warmth without making it too heavy.
This left me with exactly the kind of warm, content feeling I want after finishing a romance.
~~~~
A sincere thank you to Riley Paige and Hambright PR for the ARC! 🥰📚
I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨
There’s something about two people who never really got over each other being thrown back together that gets me every time.
The second-chance setup worked so well here because Kai and Wren had so much history behind their attraction, with their friendship still clearly underneath it all. Add the hockey team, forced proximity, and found-family chaos, and their reunion had plenty of fun tension.
Wren was the character I connected with most because she’s so used to putting everyone else first. Kai was a great match for her, especially with how naturally he cared for her and her siblings. I liked seeing his controlled personality soften around her, and their relationship had so many small acts of care that made their connection feel genuine. The banter and team dynamics were a fun bonus, too.
I would have liked a little more of their past, but their journey back to each other still worked really well for me. The yearning, one-bed moment, emotional conversations, and rebuilding of trust gave the romance plenty of warmth without making it too heavy.
This left me with exactly the kind of warm, content feeling I want after finishing a romance.
~~~~
A sincere thank you to Riley Paige and Hambright PR for the ARC! 🥰📚
I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨
September 10, 2026
"𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙒𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚."
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5
Second-chance romance and I have a complicated relationship.
Because if you fumbled me once, why would I hand you the ball again? This is not a charity sporting event. Explain yourself.
But then Riley Paige introduced me to Kai Mercer, a hockey captain who knows it has been exactly 1,276 days since he lost Wren Calloway.
Sir came prepared with calculations.
That is not casual pining. That is audited yearning. That is longing with a spreadsheet, supporting documents, and receipts available upon request.
Suddenly, I understood the appeal.
Three years ago, Kai and Wren were young, in love, and trying to maintain a relationship while distance and life slowly pulled them apart. There was no explosive betrayal or dramatic screaming match. Their communication simply became less frequent until something that once felt permanent quietly disappeared.
Honestly, that made their breakup hurt in a completely different way.
They did not stop loving each other.
They just stopped knowing how to reach each other.
Now Wren is back in town and working as an equipment assistant for Kai’s hockey team during his final year. She is also his sister’s best friend, which means avoiding her is approximately as realistic as expecting a hockey romance reader to behave normally near a locker room.
Kai has spent three years pretending Wren does not exist.
That strategy survives for roughly four seconds.
The moment she returns, this man is emotionally compromised. He is staring across rooms, cataloging every change, and trying to act unaffected while his entire internal system flashes:
THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE HAS REENTERED THE BUILDING.
Someone get the captain a paper bag.
Wren, meanwhile, is carrying enough responsibility to qualify as the structural support beam of her entire family.
She is juggling college, work, her health, and helping her mother care for her younger siblings. She has perfected the eldest-daughter art of insisting everything is fine while standing beneath seventeen collapsing obligations and using one trembling hand to hold up the ceiling.
I felt this woman in my soul.
Wren is capable because she has never been given the luxury of falling apart. Everyone needs something from her, so she keeps giving. Her time. Her energy. Her money. Her emotional reserves.
She does not need someone to tell her how strong she is.
She needs someone to take one of the d*mn bags out of her hands.
Enter one hot hockey man prepared to crack the stress out of her.
I am kidding.
Mostly.
What I loved about Kai was that he did not treat Wren’s independence like a challenge to defeat. When she accepts the team job because she genuinely needs the income, she refuses to make a financial decision based on whether seeing her ex might be uncomfortable.
As she should.
Rent does not care about unresolved romantic tension.
The electric company will not accept “my ex-boyfriend has devastating eyes” as payment.
Kai may be completely undone by her return, but Wren has real responsibilities. I appreciated that the story understood her choices could not revolve entirely around his feelings.
Their forced proximity slowly pulls all those buried emotions back to the surface. Every interaction carries the weight of who they were, what they lost, and the terrifying possibility that they could have it again.
This is where the romance worked beautifully for me: underneath everything, Kai and Wren were friends first.
They know each other’s rhythms.
They recognize the silences.
They remember tiny details no one else would think were important.
Their relationship does not feel like two strangers attempting to recreate something that died years ago. It feels like two people returning to a home that has been empty but never stopped belonging to them.
And Kai remembers EVERYTHING.
This man held on to their memories like priceless artifacts. He knows the details, keeps track of the days, and looks at Wren as though no one else has ever existed in quite the same color.
He is controlled, structured, and intensely disciplined. His need for order and routine shapes nearly every part of his life, and the OCD representation adds another layer to his character. Hockey gives him rules, patterns, and something concrete to focus on, but life with Wren does not always fit neatly into a system.
Feelings are terribly inconsiderate that way.
They refuse to remain alphabetized.
Reconnecting with Wren forces Kai to make room for uncertainty. She becomes the person who can interrupt the rigid structure of his world without making him feel as though everything is falling apart.
She does not bring chaos.
She brings peace.
Please excuse me while I clutch my chest and make wounded Victorian noises.
Kai’s relationship with Wren’s six-year-old sisters finished whatever work his obsessive pining started.
A hockey player being gentle with children?
Remembering details?
Helping with the family?
Making space for the woman he loves and everything she carries?
My ovaries attempted to resign from my body and move directly into this book.
Sir, those are CHILDREN. You cannot simply be wonderful with them while I am trying to maintain reasonable expectations for fictional men.
Kai is not flashy about loving Wren. Their romance is built through daily support, quiet understanding, and taking weight off each other’s shoulders. There are grand moments, but the smaller ones mattered more—the ways he notices when she is overwhelmed, how naturally they care for each other, and the comfort they find simply being together.
This is very much a “home is a person” romance.
Is that idea used often?
Yes.
Did I care?
Absolutely not.
Some things are popular because they work, and Kai and Wren made it work. They are not each other’s home because the book repeatedly says it. They feel like home because being together is the only time either of them can finally exhale.
Their slow burn had me begging them to stop being emotionally responsible and start making questionable decisions against a wall.
Eventually, my patience was rewarded.
The spice was not the primary focus, but when these two finally allowed themselves to cross that line again, it felt intimate because of everything underneath it. They were not simply reconnecting physically. They were confronting three years of longing, loneliness, and all the words they never managed to say.
It was tender.
It was hot.
It made me want to shake them for losing three years when they could have been doing that the entire time.
My biggest issue was the original breakup.
I understood that they were young, separated by distance, and overwhelmed by changing lives. Relationships can fade without a villain. Sometimes communication dwindles until neither person knows how to repair the silence.
But Kai and Wren felt so deeply connected that I wanted more explanation for how they let each other go completely. Neither seemed like the type to shrug, accept the loss, and remain silent for three years—especially when they were still tied together through his sister.
I needed more conversations about that period.
More anger. More regret. More examination of why neither of them fought harder.
The flashbacks showing them falling in love as teenagers were adorable and made their present-day connection more powerful, but they also made the missing breakup details more noticeable. I could see exactly why they loved each other. I just wanted a clearer understanding of how that love became silence.
Thankfully, when conflict appears later, they handle it with maturity. Their concerns are reasonable, and instead of detonating the relationship because the page count demanded suffering, they communicate.
COMMUNICATION.
In a romance novel.
Someone alert the authorities.
They discuss what they need, listen to each other, and prove that they are no longer the two young people who allowed distance to speak for them. That growth was essential. A second chance only works if the couple approaches the relationship differently the next time.
Kai and Wren do.
The found family added even more warmth. Between the hockey team, Kai’s sister, Wren’s family, and the people surrounding them, this story feels full without losing focus on the central romance.
And that epilogue?
Rude.
Beautiful, emotional, full-circle RUDE.
I finished it drowning in tears while Riley Paige apparently stood nearby holding the emotional garden hose.
Lose You Twice was sweet, healing, angsty, and quietly devastating. It felt like a warm hug after being repeatedly doused in cold water. Wren learns that accepting help does not make her weak, and Kai learns that love cannot survive through control and memory alone. It requires vulnerability, communication, and the courage to risk being hurt again.
Four stars for eldest-daughter representation that attacked me personally, a hockey captain with an advanced degree in longing, and a second chance that almost converted me into a full-time believer in the trope.
Kai spent 1,276 days pretending Wren did not exist.
Unfortunately for him, she never stopped feeling like home.
And fortunately for us, fate finally put her directly in his locker room. 🖤
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5
Second-chance romance and I have a complicated relationship.
Because if you fumbled me once, why would I hand you the ball again? This is not a charity sporting event. Explain yourself.
But then Riley Paige introduced me to Kai Mercer, a hockey captain who knows it has been exactly 1,276 days since he lost Wren Calloway.
Sir came prepared with calculations.
That is not casual pining. That is audited yearning. That is longing with a spreadsheet, supporting documents, and receipts available upon request.
Suddenly, I understood the appeal.
Three years ago, Kai and Wren were young, in love, and trying to maintain a relationship while distance and life slowly pulled them apart. There was no explosive betrayal or dramatic screaming match. Their communication simply became less frequent until something that once felt permanent quietly disappeared.
Honestly, that made their breakup hurt in a completely different way.
They did not stop loving each other.
They just stopped knowing how to reach each other.
Now Wren is back in town and working as an equipment assistant for Kai’s hockey team during his final year. She is also his sister’s best friend, which means avoiding her is approximately as realistic as expecting a hockey romance reader to behave normally near a locker room.
Kai has spent three years pretending Wren does not exist.
That strategy survives for roughly four seconds.
The moment she returns, this man is emotionally compromised. He is staring across rooms, cataloging every change, and trying to act unaffected while his entire internal system flashes:
THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE HAS REENTERED THE BUILDING.
Someone get the captain a paper bag.
Wren, meanwhile, is carrying enough responsibility to qualify as the structural support beam of her entire family.
She is juggling college, work, her health, and helping her mother care for her younger siblings. She has perfected the eldest-daughter art of insisting everything is fine while standing beneath seventeen collapsing obligations and using one trembling hand to hold up the ceiling.
I felt this woman in my soul.
Wren is capable because she has never been given the luxury of falling apart. Everyone needs something from her, so she keeps giving. Her time. Her energy. Her money. Her emotional reserves.
She does not need someone to tell her how strong she is.
She needs someone to take one of the d*mn bags out of her hands.
Enter one hot hockey man prepared to crack the stress out of her.
I am kidding.
Mostly.
What I loved about Kai was that he did not treat Wren’s independence like a challenge to defeat. When she accepts the team job because she genuinely needs the income, she refuses to make a financial decision based on whether seeing her ex might be uncomfortable.
As she should.
Rent does not care about unresolved romantic tension.
The electric company will not accept “my ex-boyfriend has devastating eyes” as payment.
Kai may be completely undone by her return, but Wren has real responsibilities. I appreciated that the story understood her choices could not revolve entirely around his feelings.
Their forced proximity slowly pulls all those buried emotions back to the surface. Every interaction carries the weight of who they were, what they lost, and the terrifying possibility that they could have it again.
This is where the romance worked beautifully for me: underneath everything, Kai and Wren were friends first.
They know each other’s rhythms.
They recognize the silences.
They remember tiny details no one else would think were important.
Their relationship does not feel like two strangers attempting to recreate something that died years ago. It feels like two people returning to a home that has been empty but never stopped belonging to them.
And Kai remembers EVERYTHING.
This man held on to their memories like priceless artifacts. He knows the details, keeps track of the days, and looks at Wren as though no one else has ever existed in quite the same color.
He is controlled, structured, and intensely disciplined. His need for order and routine shapes nearly every part of his life, and the OCD representation adds another layer to his character. Hockey gives him rules, patterns, and something concrete to focus on, but life with Wren does not always fit neatly into a system.
Feelings are terribly inconsiderate that way.
They refuse to remain alphabetized.
Reconnecting with Wren forces Kai to make room for uncertainty. She becomes the person who can interrupt the rigid structure of his world without making him feel as though everything is falling apart.
She does not bring chaos.
She brings peace.
Please excuse me while I clutch my chest and make wounded Victorian noises.
Kai’s relationship with Wren’s six-year-old sisters finished whatever work his obsessive pining started.
A hockey player being gentle with children?
Remembering details?
Helping with the family?
Making space for the woman he loves and everything she carries?
My ovaries attempted to resign from my body and move directly into this book.
Sir, those are CHILDREN. You cannot simply be wonderful with them while I am trying to maintain reasonable expectations for fictional men.
Kai is not flashy about loving Wren. Their romance is built through daily support, quiet understanding, and taking weight off each other’s shoulders. There are grand moments, but the smaller ones mattered more—the ways he notices when she is overwhelmed, how naturally they care for each other, and the comfort they find simply being together.
This is very much a “home is a person” romance.
Is that idea used often?
Yes.
Did I care?
Absolutely not.
Some things are popular because they work, and Kai and Wren made it work. They are not each other’s home because the book repeatedly says it. They feel like home because being together is the only time either of them can finally exhale.
Their slow burn had me begging them to stop being emotionally responsible and start making questionable decisions against a wall.
Eventually, my patience was rewarded.
The spice was not the primary focus, but when these two finally allowed themselves to cross that line again, it felt intimate because of everything underneath it. They were not simply reconnecting physically. They were confronting three years of longing, loneliness, and all the words they never managed to say.
It was tender.
It was hot.
It made me want to shake them for losing three years when they could have been doing that the entire time.
My biggest issue was the original breakup.
I understood that they were young, separated by distance, and overwhelmed by changing lives. Relationships can fade without a villain. Sometimes communication dwindles until neither person knows how to repair the silence.
But Kai and Wren felt so deeply connected that I wanted more explanation for how they let each other go completely. Neither seemed like the type to shrug, accept the loss, and remain silent for three years—especially when they were still tied together through his sister.
I needed more conversations about that period.
More anger. More regret. More examination of why neither of them fought harder.
The flashbacks showing them falling in love as teenagers were adorable and made their present-day connection more powerful, but they also made the missing breakup details more noticeable. I could see exactly why they loved each other. I just wanted a clearer understanding of how that love became silence.
Thankfully, when conflict appears later, they handle it with maturity. Their concerns are reasonable, and instead of detonating the relationship because the page count demanded suffering, they communicate.
COMMUNICATION.
In a romance novel.
Someone alert the authorities.
They discuss what they need, listen to each other, and prove that they are no longer the two young people who allowed distance to speak for them. That growth was essential. A second chance only works if the couple approaches the relationship differently the next time.
Kai and Wren do.
The found family added even more warmth. Between the hockey team, Kai’s sister, Wren’s family, and the people surrounding them, this story feels full without losing focus on the central romance.
And that epilogue?
Rude.
Beautiful, emotional, full-circle RUDE.
I finished it drowning in tears while Riley Paige apparently stood nearby holding the emotional garden hose.
Lose You Twice was sweet, healing, angsty, and quietly devastating. It felt like a warm hug after being repeatedly doused in cold water. Wren learns that accepting help does not make her weak, and Kai learns that love cannot survive through control and memory alone. It requires vulnerability, communication, and the courage to risk being hurt again.
Four stars for eldest-daughter representation that attacked me personally, a hockey captain with an advanced degree in longing, and a second chance that almost converted me into a full-time believer in the trope.
Kai spent 1,276 days pretending Wren did not exist.
Unfortunately for him, she never stopped feeling like home.
And fortunately for us, fate finally put her directly in his locker room. 🖤
September 2, 2026
Riley Paige knows exactly what she’s doing with tropes, and she stacks them without apology: best friend’s brother, second chance, forced proximity, found family. That’s a lot of romance real estate for one book to cover, and Lose You Twice mostly earns it.
The setup is simple and brutal in the best way — three years after letting Wren Calloway slip away, our hero gets no more room to hide when she turns up as his hockey team’s new equipment assistant for his final season. Proximity does what proximity does. The pull between “I’ve spent 1,276 days pretending you don’t exist” and “you’ve never stopped feeling like home” is the emotional engine.
Where the book shines is in the specificity of the need and yearning of the main characters giving the second-chance arc teeth. The college hockey backdrop and found-family supporting cast add texture without overtaking the central will-they.
If you liked Kiss Me First, this one deepens the PCU Ice Storm world nicely.
Thank you to Hambright PR and the author for this arc. Find this and more on my Bookstagram: instagram.com/mamareadsandreviews
September 23, 2026
2.5 🌟
I had such high hopes for this book. Alas, they deflated faster than an airless balloon.
I will start first with what I liked:
1. The writing was so entertaining and witty and fun.
2. The side characters carried the whole book on their shoulders. They were funny. Loyal. Interesting. And best of all, they were a whole bunch of healthy people with healthy relationships without any vulgarity in speech, conduct or values.
It's such a breath of fresh air to focus again on plots, character development and world building.
Unfortunately, most current CR authors focus on physical relationships devoid of emotions.
What I didn’t like:
1. The staring competition. The MCs spent half of the book staring and making googly eyes at each other.
2. The over use of the "are-you-ok?" phrase. Everybody is asking everybody if they're ok! Eventually, it got on my nerves.
3. The asking for consent. Now look here, making sure the woman is a willing partner in a physical relationship is what's right but guyssssss you need to know when to pull the "consent" card.
They're best friends since childhood. Were lovers for like 4 years before they drifted apart. They love each other. Now they're together and have always been each other's one and only. Yet! When they sleep together again he's like, is it ok to remove your shirt? Can I keep kissing you? Is it ok if I remove your panties? I need words Wren! Tell me if it's ok! Say yes Wren!!!! Godddddddd just stick it where it belongs Kai and stop talking already!!
It killed the whole romantic mood!
4. And finally, my main issue with the book is that it's supposed to be a second chance. One reviewer said we get flashbacks from when they fell in love. I call BS.
For 3 year, they've been separated. Apparently, for some reason they drifted apart and did not fight for each other. We did not get a proper explanation as to why they broke it off.
What we got, they were best friends before they decided to date. They loved each other. They were each other's first and only. They were each other's forever. They lived close to the college they went to. They remained celibate and compared every other person to them. Their families are close friends and they spend every holiday together. His sister is her best friend and they always remained in contact. Yet! They drifted apart. Why?! For what reason? What happened? Why didn't you make an effort? An enigma I tell you.
And then 3 years later, they try to be together again without rehashing what happened, without discussing what went wrong and without trying to fix whatever wasn't working the first time.
And this there just killed the story for me.
My favourite thing/person about th3 book? Definitely Weston
I had such high hopes for this book. Alas, they deflated faster than an airless balloon.
I will start first with what I liked:
1. The writing was so entertaining and witty and fun.
2. The side characters carried the whole book on their shoulders. They were funny. Loyal. Interesting. And best of all, they were a whole bunch of healthy people with healthy relationships without any vulgarity in speech, conduct or values.
It's such a breath of fresh air to focus again on plots, character development and world building.
Unfortunately, most current CR authors focus on physical relationships devoid of emotions.
What I didn’t like:
1. The staring competition. The MCs spent half of the book staring and making googly eyes at each other.
2. The over use of the "are-you-ok?" phrase. Everybody is asking everybody if they're ok! Eventually, it got on my nerves.
3. The asking for consent. Now look here, making sure the woman is a willing partner in a physical relationship is what's right but guyssssss you need to know when to pull the "consent" card.
They're best friends since childhood. Were lovers for like 4 years before they drifted apart. They love each other. Now they're together and have always been each other's one and only. Yet! When they sleep together again he's like, is it ok to remove your shirt? Can I keep kissing you? Is it ok if I remove your panties? I need words Wren! Tell me if it's ok! Say yes Wren!!!! Godddddddd just stick it where it belongs Kai and stop talking already!!
It killed the whole romantic mood!
4. And finally, my main issue with the book is that it's supposed to be a second chance. One reviewer said we get flashbacks from when they fell in love. I call BS.
For 3 year, they've been separated. Apparently, for some reason they drifted apart and did not fight for each other. We did not get a proper explanation as to why they broke it off.
What we got, they were best friends before they decided to date. They loved each other. They were each other's first and only. They were each other's forever. They lived close to the college they went to. They remained celibate and compared every other person to them. Their families are close friends and they spend every holiday together. His sister is her best friend and they always remained in contact. Yet! They drifted apart. Why?! For what reason? What happened? Why didn't you make an effort? An enigma I tell you.
And then 3 years later, they try to be together again without rehashing what happened, without discussing what went wrong and without trying to fix whatever wasn't working the first time.
And this there just killed the story for me.
My favourite thing/person about th3 book? Definitely Weston
September 11, 2026
ARC REVIEW -from author.
Omg my heart!!! This book! I’m officially in love with Wren and Kai! Such a deep hockey romance that deals with so much emotion and struggles! Omg Wren and taking on the responsibility of being a second parent to her siblings while still being a kid herself had me on the edge of tears at times.
Perfect second chance with your new book boyfriend Kai! Swoooon! The way he takes care of her and is there for her when she is at her most vulnerable had my heart bursting.
Kai is officially on my list of ultimate book boyfriends. Might be one of the sweetest college age MMCs I’ve ever read about! Truly a well rounded character to read about !
These two being so independent but learning to lean on each other and really wanting to make it work the second time around with so many unknowns had me just kicking my feet cheering for them! Such a great read!
Omg my heart!!! This book! I’m officially in love with Wren and Kai! Such a deep hockey romance that deals with so much emotion and struggles! Omg Wren and taking on the responsibility of being a second parent to her siblings while still being a kid herself had me on the edge of tears at times.
Perfect second chance with your new book boyfriend Kai! Swoooon! The way he takes care of her and is there for her when she is at her most vulnerable had my heart bursting.
Kai is officially on my list of ultimate book boyfriends. Might be one of the sweetest college age MMCs I’ve ever read about! Truly a well rounded character to read about !
These two being so independent but learning to lean on each other and really wanting to make it work the second time around with so many unknowns had me just kicking my feet cheering for them! Such a great read!
September 14, 2026
This book might’ve single handedly made me a second chance romance lover! I loved watching Kai and Wren fall back in love. I especially loved that their initial breakup wasn’t messy. They were just two young people who drifted apart because of life, but they never stopped caring about or thinking about each other. Once Wren has to move back to town and due to financial struggles is forced to work with her ex’s hockey team they can no longer resist the pull between them. Watching them find their way back to each other was everything.. Definitely my new favorite Riley book!!
September 7, 2026
This book hit hard in the deepest parts of my soul because I suffer major eldest daughter syndrome and I just want a hot hockey man to crack the stress out of me. I’m just kidding (not really) but it felt like warm hug after being doused in cold water over and over again. It’s a slow burn that will have you begging for more and quietly breaks you to the point that you don’t remember when you’ve started crying. It’s beautifully emotional, healing and also doesn’t lack in the romance and spice department! Riley Paige always knows how to put a great book together, she mixes in plot and romance perfectly with a crazy amount of angst. Both Kai and Wren are drowning three years after their breakup and fate finally throws them back together. Wren struggles with holding her family together while sorting out her own health. But all she needed was someone to lift the weight off her shoulders a little. When they met again Kai was desperately pining from across the room and I lived for it. They have the most amazing chemistry and healing relationship that had me sobbing. Now let’s talk about Kai Mercer, the uptight team captain who has the biggest heart (and pines endlessly for his sister’s best friend). The fact that this man remembers every single detail about her, held onto their memories like diamonds, and even remembers the exact amount of days they’ve been apart is just perfect husband material. And you know I like my book boyfriends obsessed and longing for their girl. He also is the best with kids, the way he was with Wrens 6 year old sisters had my ovaries about to explode. But moving on to something that irked me a little: the initial breakup. I wish they talked more about the reason they “broke up” all three years ago. Neither Wren or Kai feel like the type to just let each other go due to growing apart in long distance, but a lot can change in 3 years. On the other hand I did love the flashbacks of them as high schoolers falling in love and they are the cutest high school sweethearts that I would have been so jealous of.. This book uses the “home is you” sort of romance cliche and I know it’s overused but it’s just so good. Riley Paige worked her magic with the “it’s always been you” trope and it’s so devastatingly clear how much peace they bring to each other. They have that quiet love that’s not in the big gestures (although those are great too), but in moments of supporting each other daily and taking the load off a bad day. And I know that some people hate epilogues and for some reason don’t read them but I love them and this one was incredibly emotional. It had this beautiful full circle moment and I was literally drowning in tears. Please read this it will change you! I give this it a 5/5
September 10, 2026
I love second-chance romances, and this book absolutely gutted me in the best way possible.
“Lose You Twice” follows Kai and Wren, two people who spent their entire lives intertwined before quietly falling apart right before college. Now, at Pacific Coast University, they’re forced back together when Wren takes a desperate work-study job with the hockey team, which is the same team Kai captains. Their slow burn path back to each other was so fun to read.
The emotional depth here is chef’s kiss. I love that this wasn’t rushed. Kai and Wren spend most of the book talking around each other, stealing glances, replaying old memories in their heads, and basically being a disaster of unresolved feelings. But that’s exactly what makes it feel real. They’re just two people learning how to exist in the same space again after years of pretending the other doesn’t exist.
Wren is drowning under the weight of responsibility for her siblings and struggling mother while trying to maintain her GPA and hold down a job. But she’s not a martyr about it. She’s just doing what needs to be done, which somehow makes the exhaustion feel even heavier. The fact that she has to take a job around her ex because tuition matters more than comfort is very realistic.
Kai’s journey is subtler but equally compelling. He’s the type of guy who has it all figured out on the surface. Hockey captain but he’s just as broken as Wren, only he hides it better. Watching him slowly realize that he can’t control everything and that maybe needing someone isn’t a weakness? 🤌
The banter between these two when they’re not being awkward is gold. There’s genuine affection underneath the snark, even when they’re being deliberately obtuse with each other. I loved Grayson, Harlow, Asher and Weston. I love when the side characters stand out!
The intimate scenes are steamy but meaningful. They’re not just there for heat. It was so perfect when Wren and Kai FINALLY stopped pretending! It was awesome how Kai really found ways to be there for Wren.
If you love angsty, emotional second-chance romances with real stakes and characters who feel like actual people, this is absolutely worth your time.
Thank you so much to Hambright PR and Riley Paige for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
“Lose You Twice” follows Kai and Wren, two people who spent their entire lives intertwined before quietly falling apart right before college. Now, at Pacific Coast University, they’re forced back together when Wren takes a desperate work-study job with the hockey team, which is the same team Kai captains. Their slow burn path back to each other was so fun to read.
The emotional depth here is chef’s kiss. I love that this wasn’t rushed. Kai and Wren spend most of the book talking around each other, stealing glances, replaying old memories in their heads, and basically being a disaster of unresolved feelings. But that’s exactly what makes it feel real. They’re just two people learning how to exist in the same space again after years of pretending the other doesn’t exist.
Wren is drowning under the weight of responsibility for her siblings and struggling mother while trying to maintain her GPA and hold down a job. But she’s not a martyr about it. She’s just doing what needs to be done, which somehow makes the exhaustion feel even heavier. The fact that she has to take a job around her ex because tuition matters more than comfort is very realistic.
Kai’s journey is subtler but equally compelling. He’s the type of guy who has it all figured out on the surface. Hockey captain but he’s just as broken as Wren, only he hides it better. Watching him slowly realize that he can’t control everything and that maybe needing someone isn’t a weakness? 🤌
The banter between these two when they’re not being awkward is gold. There’s genuine affection underneath the snark, even when they’re being deliberately obtuse with each other. I loved Grayson, Harlow, Asher and Weston. I love when the side characters stand out!
The intimate scenes are steamy but meaningful. They’re not just there for heat. It was so perfect when Wren and Kai FINALLY stopped pretending! It was awesome how Kai really found ways to be there for Wren.
If you love angsty, emotional second-chance romances with real stakes and characters who feel like actual people, this is absolutely worth your time.
Thank you so much to Hambright PR and Riley Paige for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Author
5✨/5✨
I laughed. I cried (quite a few ugly cries actually), and I fell even more in love with the PCU Ice Storm characters!
It’s not often that I truly feel like a book, let alone a series, was destined to find me because it was meant for me. Harlow and I sharing a birthday, Wrenley and I sharing a middle name (spelled the exact same way), and so many of the characters experiencing a lot of the struggles that I do. It’s becoming so abundantly clear to me that the PCU Ice Storm series was meant to find me and forever have a special place in my heart.
I also live for a series that gets better and better with each book and Queen Riley is proving that this series is shaping up to be hit after hit. Wren and Kai were everything to me. As an eldest daughter who has spent her life being everything for everyone and never really taking the time to stop and care for herself, I felt so understood with Wren. Having to be a parent/sibling, especially unexpectedly, is never fun but it’s a job we take on anyway because we only want the best for our siblings. With Kai, I also know what it’s like to want to be the person that fixes everything for everybody too. These two found a rare kind of love with one another and it was refreshing to read about the different ways they show up for one another that helps ease the weight of the harder things in their lives.
Wren and Kai were giving all of the tension and “will they, won’t they” throughout the story! While it might not be super slow burn, I think that this was just the perfect amount of enjoyable slow burn without me wanting to rip my hair out and scream “JUST KISS EACH OTHER ALREADY!”.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. I absolutely LOVE the Found Family trope in this series! Asher and Weston are my favorite of the boys, and I am counting down the days until we Weston’s book in January! The mysterious MMC loving girlie in me knows that I am going to have the time of my life whenever Asher’s book comes out!
Should You Read This?: Absolutely! 110% Yes! Especially if you are love/are looking for a cute college hockey romance! I also think this book is PERFECT for eldest daughters and gives us the representation we need to see more of.
I laughed. I cried (quite a few ugly cries actually), and I fell even more in love with the PCU Ice Storm characters!
It’s not often that I truly feel like a book, let alone a series, was destined to find me because it was meant for me. Harlow and I sharing a birthday, Wrenley and I sharing a middle name (spelled the exact same way), and so many of the characters experiencing a lot of the struggles that I do. It’s becoming so abundantly clear to me that the PCU Ice Storm series was meant to find me and forever have a special place in my heart.
I also live for a series that gets better and better with each book and Queen Riley is proving that this series is shaping up to be hit after hit. Wren and Kai were everything to me. As an eldest daughter who has spent her life being everything for everyone and never really taking the time to stop and care for herself, I felt so understood with Wren. Having to be a parent/sibling, especially unexpectedly, is never fun but it’s a job we take on anyway because we only want the best for our siblings. With Kai, I also know what it’s like to want to be the person that fixes everything for everybody too. These two found a rare kind of love with one another and it was refreshing to read about the different ways they show up for one another that helps ease the weight of the harder things in their lives.
Wren and Kai were giving all of the tension and “will they, won’t they” throughout the story! While it might not be super slow burn, I think that this was just the perfect amount of enjoyable slow burn without me wanting to rip my hair out and scream “JUST KISS EACH OTHER ALREADY!”.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. I absolutely LOVE the Found Family trope in this series! Asher and Weston are my favorite of the boys, and I am counting down the days until we Weston’s book in January! The mysterious MMC loving girlie in me knows that I am going to have the time of my life whenever Asher’s book comes out!
Should You Read This?: Absolutely! 110% Yes! Especially if you are love/are looking for a cute college hockey romance! I also think this book is PERFECT for eldest daughters and gives us the representation we need to see more of.
September 14, 2026
🏒 Lose You Twice 🏒
(( Spoiler-Free ARC Review ))
Title- Lose You Twice
Author- Riley Paige
Genre- Hockey Romance
Series- PCU Ice Storm Book 2
Trope City-
🏒 Best Friend’s Brother
🏒 Found Family
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 Second Chance
🏒 Hockey Family
I’M OBSESSED WITH THIS SERIES. 🫶🏻
The way Riley has written this little hockey world sets my heart on fire. I love the community, I love the complexity of these characters, I love the intertwined nature of the books and I love that the plot is always so much deeper than a sport. Wren Calloway (FMC) is a sister, a best friend, a caretaker, a hard worker and a saint really. Wren is trying to balance caring for her siblings while her mom works to earn money for their family. She also happens to be an ex girlfriend to the captain of the college hockey team…. And his sister’s best friend. Oh the complicated webs we weave. I appreciate the weaving in this story. There’s a certain familiarity and level of comfort in every room. Kai (MMC) is the captain of the hockey team and looking to sign with the big leagues after his final year. When money is already tight at home, Wren has to work for the financial aid that keeps her enrolled in school. The only job that works with her very busy schedule is working with equipment for the hockey team. She’s instantly thrusted back into Kai’s orbit and the universe works in mysteriously matchmaking ways. Can a second chance bring them a HEA?
Thank you Hambright PR for this ARC! 🏒🫶🏻
(( Spoiler-Free ARC Review ))
Title- Lose You Twice
Author- Riley Paige
Genre- Hockey Romance
Series- PCU Ice Storm Book 2
Trope City-
🏒 Best Friend’s Brother
🏒 Found Family
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 Second Chance
🏒 Hockey Family
I’M OBSESSED WITH THIS SERIES. 🫶🏻
The way Riley has written this little hockey world sets my heart on fire. I love the community, I love the complexity of these characters, I love the intertwined nature of the books and I love that the plot is always so much deeper than a sport. Wren Calloway (FMC) is a sister, a best friend, a caretaker, a hard worker and a saint really. Wren is trying to balance caring for her siblings while her mom works to earn money for their family. She also happens to be an ex girlfriend to the captain of the college hockey team…. And his sister’s best friend. Oh the complicated webs we weave. I appreciate the weaving in this story. There’s a certain familiarity and level of comfort in every room. Kai (MMC) is the captain of the hockey team and looking to sign with the big leagues after his final year. When money is already tight at home, Wren has to work for the financial aid that keeps her enrolled in school. The only job that works with her very busy schedule is working with equipment for the hockey team. She’s instantly thrusted back into Kai’s orbit and the universe works in mysteriously matchmaking ways. Can a second chance bring them a HEA?
Thank you Hambright PR for this ARC! 🏒🫶🏻
September 11, 2026
I loved everything about this book, especially Wren. The way she tries to do everything so her mom can work, the way her siblings love her, the way she is a good sister, friend, and daughter. But she is also sensitive, stressed, scared, and hopelessly into her ex, Kai.
There wasn’t a big fight or cheating that separating them, it was just time and distance that made their relationship come to an end. Now, they are at PCU together, and she needs a job so she applies for a work study job for the hockey team. All the time in Kai’s presence is too much. Feelings come to the surface the familiarity of her family chaos makes him miss being around her family.
Kai is giving, patient, he wants to help. He hears and sees her, and wants to help carry the load that has her trapped. Kai thrives in order, neatness, and schedules. Wren is the complete opposite. And he loves everything about her. She is what’s been missing. There hasn’t been anyone since Wren and the same is true for her.
Their love is honest and real and scary because he plans on going straight to the NHL in Seattle. That means he’s leaving.
If you love a fun family under the pressure of not enough time and money, two people that were made for each other, fun friends, and two people finding their way back into each other’s lives this is for you!
There wasn’t a big fight or cheating that separating them, it was just time and distance that made their relationship come to an end. Now, they are at PCU together, and she needs a job so she applies for a work study job for the hockey team. All the time in Kai’s presence is too much. Feelings come to the surface the familiarity of her family chaos makes him miss being around her family.
Kai is giving, patient, he wants to help. He hears and sees her, and wants to help carry the load that has her trapped. Kai thrives in order, neatness, and schedules. Wren is the complete opposite. And he loves everything about her. She is what’s been missing. There hasn’t been anyone since Wren and the same is true for her.
Their love is honest and real and scary because he plans on going straight to the NHL in Seattle. That means he’s leaving.
If you love a fun family under the pressure of not enough time and money, two people that were made for each other, fun friends, and two people finding their way back into each other’s lives this is for you!
August 31, 2026
lose you twice review 🏒
review of advanced copy received from author
I just want to start this by saying how incredibly grateful I am to Riley Paige. This is my first ever ARC and I am so grateful not only to be receiving this but also the fact that it was this book that I started this journey with. For that reason alone it will always have a special place in my heart. This book was exactly the type of romance I like to read: it has slow burn, found family, it made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me feel seen. As an eldest daughter it hit a little too close to home. Wren trying to handle her health, 4 kids, school and her job at the same time really made me feel all her anxious and anxiety. I absolutely loved her and her relationship with Kai. The fact that he always took care of her, always asked her if she needed anything and not forcing her when she says she needs space was truly admirable. I would absolutely recommend everyone to check this out. Congratulations Riley on your new release!!
review of advanced copy received from author
I just want to start this by saying how incredibly grateful I am to Riley Paige. This is my first ever ARC and I am so grateful not only to be receiving this but also the fact that it was this book that I started this journey with. For that reason alone it will always have a special place in my heart. This book was exactly the type of romance I like to read: it has slow burn, found family, it made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me feel seen. As an eldest daughter it hit a little too close to home. Wren trying to handle her health, 4 kids, school and her job at the same time really made me feel all her anxious and anxiety. I absolutely loved her and her relationship with Kai. The fact that he always took care of her, always asked her if she needed anything and not forcing her when she says she needs space was truly admirable. I would absolutely recommend everyone to check this out. Congratulations Riley on your new release!!
August 29, 2026
lose you twice arc
i understand not everything works out between two people sometimes but i’ll never get over the second chance trope because how hea is that😍
wren goes on a game day with the team and there’s an issue with the hotel room and there’s only one bed. i literally kicked my feet and giggled because oh my gosh that’s incredibly annoying for them but romantic in my eyes!
kai and wren both fall under “take care of everyone above yourself” it’s truly so nice to see that they both want to take care of each other and balance each other out. it’s a relief for both of them to feel the safety and love they deserve.
this book has made me swoon, given me goosebumps, cheered & rallied, and even cried.
highly recommend 🤍👏🏼
side note: Weston is my favorite goofy side character 🤭
🏒second chance
🏒hockey x equipment assistant
🏒found family
🏒one bed
🏒forced proximity
🏒endo rep
🏒they take care of each other
i understand not everything works out between two people sometimes but i’ll never get over the second chance trope because how hea is that😍
wren goes on a game day with the team and there’s an issue with the hotel room and there’s only one bed. i literally kicked my feet and giggled because oh my gosh that’s incredibly annoying for them but romantic in my eyes!
kai and wren both fall under “take care of everyone above yourself” it’s truly so nice to see that they both want to take care of each other and balance each other out. it’s a relief for both of them to feel the safety and love they deserve.
this book has made me swoon, given me goosebumps, cheered & rallied, and even cried.
highly recommend 🤍👏🏼
side note: Weston is my favorite goofy side character 🤭
🏒second chance
🏒hockey x equipment assistant
🏒found family
🏒one bed
🏒forced proximity
🏒endo rep
🏒they take care of each other
September 10, 2026
🏒💜 BOOK REVIEW | Lose You Twice – Riley Paige
Okay, I’m just going to say it… Kai and Wren completely stole my heart. 🥹
Lose You Twice is a second-chance college hockey romance about two people who have a history they never really managed to leave behind.
Wren Calloway is back in Kai’s world as the hockey team’s equipment assistant, which would already be complicated enough. Except Kai Mercer is the team captain… and her ex.👀 After three years apart, avoiding each other is no longer an option.
And honestly? I LOVED watching these two navigate all those unresolved feelings. 💔 They have history, chemistry and so much emotional baggage, but what I especially loved was seeing them figure out who they are now, and whether they can find their way back to each other.
Their dynamic made me want to keep reading just to see what would happen between them.
The hockey team and found-family aspect were also such a fun addition. It gave the story that cozy team feeling alongside all the romantic tension. 🤍
Kai has that broody hockey captain energy + control/clean freak 😂🫠🏒.
While Wren really stood out to me. She’s strong, determined and absolutely not afraid to stand her ground. Sometimes to much if u ask me.. I was SO frustrated for her. The fact that she had to take care of her siblings, my heart ached 💔😢
“My mom is doing what she thinks she needs to do to take care of my four siblings, but sometimes I feel like she forgot she has a fifth child. Me. Being the oldest is hard, in more ways than one.
“You are your parent’s first round; they learn what to do, but they also learn what not to do. They make mistakes they don’t want to repeat; they find what works and what doesn’t - from bottles till disclipine styles.
You are their first but they are your first too. Your first memories, first people you trust, first love in your life. They can also be your first heartbreak.” 🥹😢💔
This was such a fun and emotional read, and I’m definitely going to be keeping an eye on Riley Paige! 🥹
A huge thank you to @authorrileypaige and @hambright_pr for sending me an E-ARC 💜
If you love:
🏒 College hockey romance
💔 Second chances
🔥 Forced proximity
👀 Exes who can't avoid each other
🤍 Found family
✨ Lots of chemistry & feelings
❤️🩹 Emotional baggage 🧳
Okay, I’m just going to say it… Kai and Wren completely stole my heart. 🥹
Lose You Twice is a second-chance college hockey romance about two people who have a history they never really managed to leave behind.
Wren Calloway is back in Kai’s world as the hockey team’s equipment assistant, which would already be complicated enough. Except Kai Mercer is the team captain… and her ex.👀 After three years apart, avoiding each other is no longer an option.
And honestly? I LOVED watching these two navigate all those unresolved feelings. 💔 They have history, chemistry and so much emotional baggage, but what I especially loved was seeing them figure out who they are now, and whether they can find their way back to each other.
Their dynamic made me want to keep reading just to see what would happen between them.
The hockey team and found-family aspect were also such a fun addition. It gave the story that cozy team feeling alongside all the romantic tension. 🤍
Kai has that broody hockey captain energy + control/clean freak 😂🫠🏒.
While Wren really stood out to me. She’s strong, determined and absolutely not afraid to stand her ground. Sometimes to much if u ask me.. I was SO frustrated for her. The fact that she had to take care of her siblings, my heart ached 💔😢
“My mom is doing what she thinks she needs to do to take care of my four siblings, but sometimes I feel like she forgot she has a fifth child. Me. Being the oldest is hard, in more ways than one.
“You are your parent’s first round; they learn what to do, but they also learn what not to do. They make mistakes they don’t want to repeat; they find what works and what doesn’t - from bottles till disclipine styles.
You are their first but they are your first too. Your first memories, first people you trust, first love in your life. They can also be your first heartbreak.” 🥹😢💔
This was such a fun and emotional read, and I’m definitely going to be keeping an eye on Riley Paige! 🥹
A huge thank you to @authorrileypaige and @hambright_pr for sending me an E-ARC 💜
If you love:
🏒 College hockey romance
💔 Second chances
🔥 Forced proximity
👀 Exes who can't avoid each other
🤍 Found family
✨ Lots of chemistry & feelings
❤️🩹 Emotional baggage 🧳
August 30, 2026
I want to thank Riley Paige for the ARC I’ve received of this book. I’ve read kiss me first as an arc too, and was beyond excited when I got accepted for this one!
From page one, I was already hooked and knew this book was going to be amazing, which is why I finished it in one day, haha.
Kai is so good to Wren and her siblings. It were such sweet scenes to read.
At some point, the story felt a bit rushed. But that’s understandable, since you don’t want a book with only fillers. Nonetheless, I LOVED the book so so much. It’s got so many cute moments, serious moments, and funny ones. The banter between Wren and Kai, between Wren and her siblings and between Kai and the team, as well as Wren and the team, is beyond amazing. And always one of the favorite parts of a story, in my opinion!
I can’t wait to read Weston’s book! So excited for that one!
From page one, I was already hooked and knew this book was going to be amazing, which is why I finished it in one day, haha.
Kai is so good to Wren and her siblings. It were such sweet scenes to read.
At some point, the story felt a bit rushed. But that’s understandable, since you don’t want a book with only fillers. Nonetheless, I LOVED the book so so much. It’s got so many cute moments, serious moments, and funny ones. The banter between Wren and Kai, between Wren and her siblings and between Kai and the team, as well as Wren and the team, is beyond amazing. And always one of the favorite parts of a story, in my opinion!
I can’t wait to read Weston’s book! So excited for that one!
September 19, 2026
3.5/5
Kai is book boyfriend gold. Wren is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Trying to pay for college, taking care of her siblings, and barely managing to take care of herself. Weston hurls her over his shoulder, kicking and screaming because she is so damn stubborn, and helps take some of the weight off.
This is a second change, college aged hockey romance.
He does her little sister's hair!!!!
Hockey team banter- Hello, Weston!
What made this book good instead of great, is that I never felt like we got the entire story of their first chance. It is mentioned, but no deep dive into what brought them together in the first place or what really tore them apart.
Kai is book boyfriend gold. Wren is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Trying to pay for college, taking care of her siblings, and barely managing to take care of herself. Weston hurls her over his shoulder, kicking and screaming because she is so damn stubborn, and helps take some of the weight off.
This is a second change, college aged hockey romance.
He does her little sister's hair!!!!
Hockey team banter- Hello, Weston!
What made this book good instead of great, is that I never felt like we got the entire story of their first chance. It is mentioned, but no deep dive into what brought them together in the first place or what really tore them apart.
August 19, 2026
ARC Review
I cried. Strong opening I know 😬 but I did.
Ugh Wrenley Mae Calloway I see you! I related so much to wren being the oldest sibling. Being the one that could handle it all and was the one “they didn’t have to worry about.” I felt all of that in my soul.
Kai you also feeling like you have to carry everything and everyone on your shoulders. I see you too.
Watching Wren and Kai come back together after years apart and sharing the load was absolutely incredible.
Riley Paige always writes such gut wrenching but beautiful books that happen to make me cry in all of the best ways!
I cried. Strong opening I know 😬 but I did.
Ugh Wrenley Mae Calloway I see you! I related so much to wren being the oldest sibling. Being the one that could handle it all and was the one “they didn’t have to worry about.” I felt all of that in my soul.
Kai you also feeling like you have to carry everything and everyone on your shoulders. I see you too.
Watching Wren and Kai come back together after years apart and sharing the load was absolutely incredible.
Riley Paige always writes such gut wrenching but beautiful books that happen to make me cry in all of the best ways!
August 29, 2026
I was TWELVE percent in when I cried for the first time.
Y’all… this book was SO GOOD.
As a wife, mom, and someone who works 12-hour shifts in the hospital, I related to Wren so much. The way she’s constantly taking care of everyone else and putting herself last hit way too close to home.
And Kai?! DOWN BAD. The yearning, the second chance, the found family… I loved it all.
Riley Paige really brought ALL the feels with this one. I laughed, cried, swooned, and absolutely loved Wren and Kai.
Add this one to your TBR. You NEED it!
Y’all… this book was SO GOOD.
As a wife, mom, and someone who works 12-hour shifts in the hospital, I related to Wren so much. The way she’s constantly taking care of everyone else and putting herself last hit way too close to home.
And Kai?! DOWN BAD. The yearning, the second chance, the found family… I loved it all.
Riley Paige really brought ALL the feels with this one. I laughed, cried, swooned, and absolutely loved Wren and Kai.
Add this one to your TBR. You NEED it!
September 2, 2026
I had the chance to read an ARC of this one, and I absolutely loved getting lost in this story! Riley Paige gave me all the feelings with the chemistry, tension, and emotional moments between the characters. It was such an easy book to get invested in, and I found myself rooting for them the whole way through. 💙
If you’re a fan of hockey romance, second chances, and plenty of emotional tension, definitely add this one to your TBR!
🏒 TROPE CHECK: • Hockey romance • Second chance romance • Best Friends Brother • Forced proximity • Found family • Emotional romance
If you’re a fan of hockey romance, second chances, and plenty of emotional tension, definitely add this one to your TBR!
🏒 TROPE CHECK: • Hockey romance • Second chance romance • Best Friends Brother • Forced proximity • Found family • Emotional romance
September 10, 2026
After Reading Kiss me First, I had high hopes for this one and trust me when I say, it did not disappoint 👏🏻
Kai is such a high strung perfectionist and after having his sisters best friend Wren thrust back into his life after years apart, we'll things get messy.
The push and pull between these 2 is insaneeee and creates the best tension!
Riley has a way of writing struggling characters that just pull on your heart strings.
I cant wait for book 3!!! The found family in this series is one of my favorite!
Kai is such a high strung perfectionist and after having his sisters best friend Wren thrust back into his life after years apart, we'll things get messy.
The push and pull between these 2 is insaneeee and creates the best tension!
Riley has a way of writing struggling characters that just pull on your heart strings.
I cant wait for book 3!!! The found family in this series is one of my favorite!
September 8, 2026
A second chance romance that had me obsessed. Wren and Kai were perfect. Kai was so perfect, he was pining for the one that got away, but he was determined to get make hers his again. Wren and her reminders were so fun, her determination to look after young siblings even though she seems overwhelmed. The banter between Wren and her sisters was so fun. This book had tensions drama, strong family vibes and strong relationships between all the characters.
September 13, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lose You Twice (PCU Ice Storms, #2) by Riley Paige
"For the ones who take care of everyone but themselves. I hope you find someone who reminds you that you deserve to be taken care of, too."
This dedication completely set the tone for Lose You Twice, and book two of the PCU Ice Storms series truly lived up to every word!
After getting a quick glimpse of Kai and Wren in book one, I was desperate for their reunion and I’m such a sucker for a second-chance romance!
Kai is laser-focused on his life goals and hockey, putting love on the back burner. But despite moving forward, his heart never healed from Wren and he never forgot her.
Wren, on the other hand, is just trying to survive day-to-day while caring for her four younger siblings, leaving her no room to think about what she wants for herself even though she never stopped wanting Kai.
When Wren lands a work-study job as the assistant equipment manager for the university hockey team, she’s instantly thrown into a tailspin knowing it puts her right in Kai's line of sight.
Watching these two navigate their way back to each other was so endearing. I laughed, I teared up, and I loved watching them repair their hearts together. 🥺❤️🩹
We also got some amazing teasers for the next two books in the series, and I am already kicking my feet in anticipation! If you love sports romance, friends-to-lovers, second chances, and forced proximity, I highly suggest picking up this series!
Thank you to Hambright PR and Riley Paige for the ARC/review copy!
Lose You Twice (PCU Ice Storms, #2) by Riley Paige
"For the ones who take care of everyone but themselves. I hope you find someone who reminds you that you deserve to be taken care of, too."
This dedication completely set the tone for Lose You Twice, and book two of the PCU Ice Storms series truly lived up to every word!
After getting a quick glimpse of Kai and Wren in book one, I was desperate for their reunion and I’m such a sucker for a second-chance romance!
Kai is laser-focused on his life goals and hockey, putting love on the back burner. But despite moving forward, his heart never healed from Wren and he never forgot her.
Wren, on the other hand, is just trying to survive day-to-day while caring for her four younger siblings, leaving her no room to think about what she wants for herself even though she never stopped wanting Kai.
When Wren lands a work-study job as the assistant equipment manager for the university hockey team, she’s instantly thrown into a tailspin knowing it puts her right in Kai's line of sight.
Watching these two navigate their way back to each other was so endearing. I laughed, I teared up, and I loved watching them repair their hearts together. 🥺❤️🩹
We also got some amazing teasers for the next two books in the series, and I am already kicking my feet in anticipation! If you love sports romance, friends-to-lovers, second chances, and forced proximity, I highly suggest picking up this series!
Thank you to Hambright PR and Riley Paige for the ARC/review copy!
September 10, 2026
Lose You Twice had me completely wrapped up in Kai and Wren. Their connection, chemistry, and all the emotion between them made it impossible not to root for these two. I loved the tension, the vulnerable moments, and watching their relationship unfold. Riley Paige gave me exactly the kind of emotional, addictive romance I love—angsty, heartfelt, and worth every page.
September 14, 2026
Such a great read! I related HARD to some of the FMC’s struggles, which made this one hit a little closer to home.
This story had me laughing, swooning, frustrated, and even a little sad. I seriously felt ALL the emotions. I had such a great time reading it, and now I’m impatiently waiting for book 3!
Thank you Hambright and Riley for this cute ARC
This story had me laughing, swooning, frustrated, and even a little sad. I seriously felt ALL the emotions. I had such a great time reading it, and now I’m impatiently waiting for book 3!
Thank you Hambright and Riley for this cute ARC
September 10, 2026
This was such a good book it had all of my favorite tropes. I 10/10 recommend this book
TROPES ✨
🙅🏻 Best Friend’s Brother
✌🏻 Second Chance
🧲 Forced Proximity
🏒 College Hockey Romance
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Found Family
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
TROPES ✨
🙅🏻 Best Friend’s Brother
✌🏻 Second Chance
🧲 Forced Proximity
🏒 College Hockey Romance
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Found Family
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
September 15, 2026
This was a great second chance romance. Both of the main characters were wonderful. This was heartfelt with a beautiful depth. Kai having gone through so much. Their connection was so good. I loved being pulled into this and I was completely invested.
September 14, 2026
4.25/5
Something about young love getting a second chance is truly special
RTC
Something about young love getting a second chance is truly special
RTC
September 25, 2026
okay the second half of this book made up for the first half and was way less insufferable than the first in the series
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