The Game Plan

Wild Card #3

by Laura Carter

A fake dating ice hockey romance to fall in love with! Perfect for fans of Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid and Chelsea Curto 🏒 🥅 💕 When Sienna Jamieson's partner – in life and work – decides to trade her in for a younger, slinkier model, she’s at risk of losing everything… and being deported. That’s how she comes to be crying on the shoulder of her manchild client and ice hockey star, Jax Harris, on a Las Vegas chapel crawl with him and his New York Dragons teammates.

Jax Harris has been called many things – hockey sensation, superstar, playboy, irresponsible, irresistible, and most likely to spend time in the sin bin. But waking up in his Las Vegas suite with his PR in his bed and a jelly ring on her wedding finger is the first time he’s been called an accidental husband.

Sienna needs their fake relationship to last just long enough to get her life – and visa – back on track. And dating Sienna seems to be having a positive impact on Jax’s reputation on and off the ice.

All they need to do is stick to the game plan. But one of them is about to have a shift change. Can their marriage of convenience become something more?



Sports romance
Hockey romance
Fake dating
Marriage of convenience
Workplace romance
Opposites attract
Grumpy x sunshine
Haters to friends to lovers
Found family

Genres: Romance

336 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2026

About the author

Amazon top 10 and internationally bestselling author of romcoms and sports romance, translated into multiple languages. Exploring relationships and getting under the skin of her characters is Laura’s passion. She takes inspiration from everything she loves from sports to law, from music and books to on screen romances, and from her own friends and family (shhhhhh, don't tell them!). Laura lives in Jersey, Channel Islands and loves nothing more than being active outdoors.

Rep'd by Tanera Simons of Greenstone Literary Agency.

Connect with Laura through Facebook (@lauracarterauthor), Instagram (@lauracarterauthor) and TikTok (@laura.carter.author).

Learn more about Laura and her books here: www.lauracarterauthor.com.

Reviews

[lea ⊹ ࣪ ˖ (busy) · Rating 2 out of 5]

cute at times, but very insta-love-y which is not my cup of tea. frtc!

. ݁⋆ 🏒 ⌗ pre-read ༉‧₊˚.
⤷ started: 2nd october ── .✧
the cover instantly drew me in, so glad i was able to receive the arc for this one and i can't wait to dive in! 🏒💗

Many thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing me a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Simone | simonesbookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ Rating: 3.25 Stars.

✨ The Vibe
A fun, easy-to-read ice hockey romance with fake dating, marriage of convenience, workplace tension, opposites attracting, and a lively found-family cast. Expect banter, sports romance energy, a reformed playboy, and two people figuring out when a fake relationship stops feeling so fake.

🫶 Who Will Love This?
If you enjoy hockey romance, marriage of convenience, and a little grumpy/sunshine energy, this could be a fun one to pick up!

🔥 Tropes & Elements
- Ice hockey romance
- Marriage of convenience
- Workplace romance
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Opposites attract
- Haters to friends to lovers
- Found family

💭 My Thoughts
Okay, first of all: this book is fun. It's easy to read, funny, and has great pacing, so I flew through it. I really enjoyed Jax and Sienna's chemistry, and their dynamic definitely had its moments.

Jax had some great character development. He starts off as a total manchild who lives for hockey and hookups, but we really see him grow up throughout the story. I especially liked how protective he became of Sienna and how much he wanted to become a man worthy of her.

Sienna was more complicated for me. I LOVE that she's a boss babe; smart, funny, strong, and capable, but I struggled with how rude she was to Jax at times. Yes, he absolutely needed to be called out for his teenage-boy-in-a-dorm lifestyle 😂, but sometimes she went a little too far for me.

I also felt like we missed some of the development of her feelings for him. We go from her being pretty rude to him to suddenly not being rude anymore, and I wanted more of the actual transition. I liked their chemistry, but I kept wishing we'd gotten more of it.

The supporting cast was great, though! Jax's teammates and siblings were so much fun, and I especially loved their brotherly dynamic. The found-family aspect was definitely a highlight.

I also wanted a little more revenge for Sienna's cheating ex because, honestly, he got off WAY too easily. 😂 And the ending felt a little abrupt to me. There isn't a real cliffhanger, but I still had questions about some of the storylines and wanted more resolution.

Overall, I enjoyed this! It was fun, funny, easy to read, and I definitely don't regret picking it up. It just wasn't one of those books that will stick with me after finishing it.

📢 Disclosure: Thank you so much to Boldwood Books, NetGalley, and Laura Carter for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts & opinions are always my own.

[Kim MH · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This was such a fun book!

The fake relationship trope drew me in. When it is done well, I really enjoy it. Lauren did this trope justice with the forced proximity, the yearning, and two total opposites who find out that they are stronger together. I liked that both characters got to grow as people but didn't change completely for the other.

I've never read a book by Lauren or a hockey romance before, but I will definitely be picking up both again.

The only thing I missed was a little more fallout for the asshole ex. I would have liked to hear about his struggles to keep the company, basically run by Sienna, afloat. I also hoped to get a bit more of their actual relationship in the end: Jax meeting Sienna's parents or just them being a couple

I hope the next installment does give us a little more information about Sienna. Does she start her own company, and do they work out how to be together with their busy lives?

Overall, it was funny and cozy. I do recommend it if you enjoy a fake relationship and funny banter.

Go Dragons!

[Kayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher/author for the ARC, unfortunately not for me.

The goods:
1. I liked the inclusion of Vegas in the epilogue
2. The pacing of the relationship.
3. Spice scene was decent

The not so goods:
1. too many mentions of "booktalk" (2 too many)
2. the phrase "pass-agg"
3. the word chortle
4. When the FMC called the MMC a "jock slut" and "man whore." Was it true? Maybe Was it needed to be said like that? No
5. Why is there a side character called Gronkowski?
6. when the MMC referred to himself as "true gen-z"
7. Every time there was a group of girls referred to they were "girlies"
8. The FMC gave the hockey players "how to date" booklets...
9. when the FMC referred to herself as "mommy." This was not the story for that.
10. "sarcasm sarcasming hard"
11. "stop thinking with your man-stick"

Overall felt like it was trying to hard to fit the "gen-z" tiktok slang lottery. I also felt like the sports aspect of it was not described well the little that is was incorporated. I have read many many hockey romances and I have never seen "kit" used to describe their gear. As a mid twenties individual you would never hear me talking like either of these main characters.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

When Sienna Anderson’s partner – in life and work – decides to trade her in for a younger, slinkier model, she’s at risk of losing everything…and being deported. That’s how she comes to be crying on the shoulder of her manchild client and ice hockey star, Jax Harris, on a Las Vegas chapel crawl with him and his New York Dragons teammates. Jax has been called many things – hockey sensation, superstar, playboy, irresponsible, irresistible, and most likely to spend time in the sin bin. But waking up in his Las Vegas suite with his PR in his bed and a jelly ring on her wedding finger, is the first time he’s been called an accidental husband. Sienna needs their fake relationship to last just long enough to get her life – and visa – back on track. And dating Sienna seems to be having a positive impact on Jax’s reputation on and off the ice. All they need to do is stick to the game plan. But one of them is about to have a shift change. Can their marriage of convenience become something more?

Sienna is someone who has worked incredibly hard to get to where she is. I really admired her tenacity to make the best of the situation she’d found herself in; continuing to work at her best despite the crap being flung at her. Whilst I love a strong, independent woman, I did find myself wishing we could have seen her a little more vulnerable at times. It’s okay to find things stressful and hard to manage, just as it’s okay to lean on someone. I think I would have loved Sienna more if I got to see that. There is strength in asking for help!
I wasn’t too sure how to feel about Jax for a fair while. He refutes all claims of being a man child whilst acting like nothing but a man child. I found myself frustrated with his immaturity because he could have easily stepped away from the situation by doing something about it, and instead chose to complain constantly. However, at some point, he stopped seeming so immature and more interesting to read. Him gaining valuable insight and stepping up in a mature way certainly endeared him to me. I would have enjoyed seeing more of his dynamic with his team - his found family - as they seemed to be solid support for him, and a positive influence. But I was thankfully a lot happier with his character come the end.

If you throw an ice hockey romance my way, I am surely going to want to read it. This book is the third in a series but despite not being familiar with the overarching storyline, I had no problems with keeping up with the plot. It’s decently fast paced, moving from moment to moment in a way that held my attention - to the point I only needed a couple of sittings to read it all. I do think the writing was on the more simple side, but it definitely worked for the story. Things didn’t need to be confusing or highly detailed, instead allowing the reader to focus on the emotional side of things. I really enjoyed the found family aspect that ran through the book too. Characters consistently popped up, brilliantly supporting this trope and enhancing the lead characters - enriching their backstories and development. I also enjoyed the romance, the forced proximity and “fake dating” kept my attention. Throw in the banter between the leads and the increasing tension between them and I was desperate to know what was going to happen. The ending did feel a little rushed and a smidge too open for my liking, but I did like how it ended. I think it left the characters and their relationship in a good place for sure.

Overall, The Game Plan is a great ice hockey romance for lovers of tension and yearning!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you again to Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of this book.

[Randi · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this one didn't quite work for me, and my biggest issue was the FMC.

Jax is definitely immature in some ways. He's messy, loud and doesn't always think things through, so I completely understood some of Sienna's frustration with him. However, I found Sienna to be the more immature of the two in many ways. She could be incredibly condescending towards Jax, constantly judging him and talking down to him while considering herself the mature and responsible one.

What frustrated me even more was that Jax showed another side of himself fairly early. Beneath the somewhat childish exterior, he could be thoughtful, caring and surprisingly emotionally mature. I felt like his character growth also started much earlier, while it took far too long for Sienna to recognize that some of her own behaviour needed to change.

I did start enjoying the book more as it went along. The relationship improved, the chemistry became more believable, and we eventually got more insight into why Sienna is so focused on being in control and having everything together. That helped me understand her better, but it didn't completely make up for how much I struggled with her for a large part of the book.

There were also several attempts at humor and trendy language that didn't work for me. Phrases like "pass-agg," "jock slut," "man whore" and "true Gen-Z" made me cringe more than laugh, and some of Sienna's behaviour towards the hockey players came across as patronizing rather than funny.

There were definitely things I liked here, especially Jax, and the second half was much stronger for me than the first. But when I'm seriously considering DNFing a romance because I dislike one of the main characters that much, it's difficult for the book to completely win me back.

Overall, it improved as it went along, but it took too long to get there for me.

[Natalia · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I love the "fake relationship" or "marriage of convenience" tropes; to say that I’ve read a few stories like this—and am well-acquainted with them—would be a massive understatement.

The story begins when Sienna encounters a worst-case scenario upon arriving home to surprise her fiancé. When her best friend suggests she join them on a trip to Las Vegas—to celebrate a mutual friend’s vow renewal—Sienna decides, "Why not?"

Her circle of friends includes a group of hockey players—some of whom she has worked for in the past as pr manager—but there’s one in particular who is always trying to make her laugh and get under her skin.

Amidst all the celebrations, the two end up waking up with a marriage certificate. For Sienna—who needs to sort out her visa to remain in the country after losing her fiancé and her job—this is the worst possible scenario, and she makes sure to keep reminding Jax of that.

For the first few chapters, I was certain it was a straightforward "enemies-to-lovers" story; however, Sienna was truly committed to the "enemy" role. If it weren't for Jax’s funny, childish antics and that he is so obsess and in love with her, the story wouldn't have made any sense.

I enjoyed the flow of the narrative, and I appreciated that they didn't need to have a dramatic "big reveal" or tell everyone about their situation to reach their happy ending.

Overall the twist were good and I really enjoyed reading this book, I’am a sport-Hockey romance fan and this book got me intrigued by the other books in the series.

Thanks to Laura Carter and her team at Boldwood books for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley💫

I started this book without having read any of the previous installments in the series. It was a very fast read, and the author kept me completely hooked throughout with the fake dating trope.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters' individual journeys. I liked how Sierra was portrayed as a strong FMC and how she became lighter, younger, and happier around Jax. As for Jax, I really appreciated peeling back his playboy persona. I particularly loved the fundraising scenes and how he stood up for Sierra only when she sought his support, otherwise letting her handle things herself.

However, I felt their relationship could have been explored more deeply. The narrative felt a bit rushed, and their connection needed to be made clearer on the page. On top of that, they only acknowledge their feelings in the very last chapter.

Finally, the ending felt abrupt, with no glimpse into the characters' future - which, for me, is a must-have. While I liked seeing the flashback to their Las Vegas night in the epilogue (a night mentioned throughout the book), even that felt rushed and left room for further development.

This book is a very slow burn with a low spice level (only one scene in the whole book). If those are your reading preferences, I definitely recommend giving it a try! As for me, neither slow burns nor low spice are quite my style.

[nova · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

A fun, feel-good adult hockey romance with fake dating, marriage of convenience, workplace romance, and plenty of banter!

I really enjoyed this one! Jax and Sienna are complete opposites, with Jax being the unserious, playboy, prankster hockey star and Sienna being the organised, responsible perfectionist whose carefully planned life gets turned upside down. Their dynamic was entertaining, and I especially loved how Jax's feelings for Sienna became obvious through his actions, even before he fully understood them himself.

My biggest issue was that I found myself wanting a little more detail about Sienna's hometown in Canada, considering how often it was mentioned as a possible destination 😂 Even when she goes home to visit her parents and talk to them about her situation, we never actually learn the name of said small town in Canada...

Overall, this was an enjoyable, easy-to-read romance with great feel-good vibes. It delivered a fun, entertaining escape with a sweet romance at its heart 💕🏒🐶

#TheGamePlan #NetGalley

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I do not use or endorse the use of AI to write or generate my reviews. All of my reviews are written entirely by me. I am sincerely grateful to authors and publishers for the opportunity to receive and read ARCs.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Sienna catches her fiancé in bed with their secretary, she heads to Vegas to celebrate the wedding of the Dragons hockey team captain and his wife. The morning after one very wild night, she wakes up to find out she married Jax, one of the players, most specifically, the one who claims he doesn't date. And to make matters worse, the wedding was caught on video and is now all over the internet, while she also has to figure out how to deal with her visa situation if she wants to stay in the US.

Sienna and Jax were so much fun from the very beginning! I loved watching their relationship develop, and their constant banter was everything. The chemistry between them was off the charts, and I especially loved that their enemies to lovers arc actually took its time. Their relationship developed at a really natural pace, with no unnecessary rushing.

Jax’s teammates and siblings were also such a fun part of the story. They’re all so supportive of each other, and I really loved the brotherly dynamic between them. Also, this book definitely left me curious about TJ!
And that epilogue was so cute and honestly the perfect way to wrap up the book.

Overall, this was such a sweet, fun read. I had a really good time with this one!

[HeadCanonHeadCase · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Sienna catches her fiancé cheating. As a distraction, she heads to Vegas for a client's vow renewal. Only she doesn't expect to wake up married. On paper, Jax is the last man she should be with, but maybe he's exactly what she needs.

Read if you like:
-Hockey Romance
-Vegas Wedding
-Player x PR
-Marriage of Convenience
-He Falls First

I love a good marriage of convenience trope and Sienna and Jax delivered. The addition of the Vegas wedding with he falls first, it really made the book pop. I also liked that there was both found family and real family within the team, with Jax's brother playing for the Dragon's as well. And we also got some wonderful only one bed chapters when Sienna went on the road with the team. Basically, The Game Plan took a bunch of great tropes and expertly wove them together in a way that didn't feel forced.

[Adriana Belmonte · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Oh I loved this!! Marriage of convenience might be one of my favorite tropes out there -- there's something so addictive about reading a couple starting their story at the end and working their way back. Both Sienna's and Jax's personalities are complex, and I'm genuinely relieved we didn't get a forced breakup in there. Deducted 1/4 star because I wanted a bigger payoff for evil Carl!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[bookishWife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this was such a fun book to read, and it was genuinely funny. There were a few moments where the story started to ramble, but it never became a major issue for me.

Sienna is a workaholic Canadian living on U.S. soil. After discovering her fiancé in bed with a much younger woman, she walks away from the relationship. Unfortunately, that leaves her in an even bigger mess: she co-owned their business, but because of her citizenship status, her ownership was never officially put on paper. So now she has no job, no partner, and no visa.

A trip to Vegas with her friends takes an unexpected turn when Sienna wakes up married to Jax Harris, a hockey player with a history of getting into trouble. Jax has always found Sienna beautiful, but he knew she was off-limits. He's also a notorious playboy with anger issues—basically a giant man-child.

The story follows their unexpected marriage and, of course, what actually happened in Vegas. Neither of them remembers getting married, but their friends do, and they're more than happy to fill in the blanks. The book also spends a lot of time exploring Sienna's internal turmoil. She wants Jax, but she's constantly haunted by his history with other women and struggles to get past his reputation.

Overall, this was an amazing read. It's funny and emotional, with plenty of complicated life problems thrown into the mix. I also really enjoyed the camaraderie between Jax's teammates—it was genuinely cute.

My only complaint? I wish Jax didn't mention his playboy history quite so often. I get it. He's been with a lot of women. We know. Please stop reminding me.

I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Tami - IG: velvetroastreads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

The Game Plan by Laura Carter 🏒💕

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 4.5/5 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🔥 3.5/5 Spice
📚 Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance | Hockey Romance
💕 Romance Vibes: Broody hockey player • Career-driven heroine • Slow burn • Close-knit friendships • Banter & spice

A broody, dreamy hockey player and a smart, independent businesswoman who's been burned by love? Yes, please! 😍

Jax has that irresistible broody athlete energy, while Sienna is smart, successful, and seemingly has her life together, except when it comes to matters of the heart. She's a little jaded, and honestly, who could blame her?

I absolutely loved their chemistry right from the beginning! The banter, the tension, and the way these two interacted had me completely invested. I love a good slow burn, especially one where the tension keeps building until things really heat up! I found myself rooting for them, even when I wanted to reach into the book and shake some sense into them! There's just something about two characters with undeniable chemistry who can't seem to get out of their own way.

Jax, though? Oh, that man frustrated me sometimes! He's broody, impulsive, and makes some downright questionable decisions. I found myself rolling my eyes at some of his choices, wondering when he was finally going to figure things out! But underneath all that stubbornness, I really think there's a good guy who just needs to grow up a little and get out of his own way.

Now, can we talk about Carl? Because I have questions! Let's just say he's definitely not my favorite! That man frustrated me to no end. He came across as lazy, immature, and, quite frankly, a bit of a douche. Every time he showed up, I found myself thinking, “Oh no, what is he up to now?!”

One thing that had me shaking my head was some of the behavior surrounding the hockey players and the attention they received. I know being a professional athlete probably comes with plenty of unwanted attention, but some of those interactions really rubbed me the wrong way!

One of my absolute favorite things about this book is the friend group! I'm such a sucker for tight-knit friendships, and I loved the closeness, loyalty, and genuine care they had for one another. Those relationships added so much warmth to the story and were sometimes just as entertaining as the romance itself.

Honestly, this book gave me The Proposal vibes, but with hockey and spice! It has that fun romantic comedy feel mixed with complicated relationships, emotional baggage, and plenty of chemistry.

This was my first book by Laura Carter, but it definitely won't be my last! I'm already planning to go back and read the first two books in the Wild Card series. I can't wait to read Jax's sister's story!

And Jax's brother? I can't quite put my finger on why, but there's something about him that makes me want to know more. I feel like he has a story worth telling, and I'd love to read it!

Overall, The Game Plan is a solid 4.5-star read for me! Despite a few character choices that left me frustrated, I really enjoyed this fun, spicy hockey romance. The chemistry kept me invested, the friendships made me smile, and the supporting characters left me wanting more.

If you're a fan of Elle Kennedy's The Deal, this might be one to add to your TBR! And if you love a broody hockey player, a strong heroine, a lovable friend group, and some spice with your romance, The Game Plan is definitely worth checking out!

ARC Disclosure: I received an advance review copy of The Game Plan by Laura Carter through NetGalley, courtesy of Boldwood Books, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏒💕 The Game Plan by Laura Carter 💍✨

A hockey player, a PR disaster, a Vegas wedding, and a ring made of JELLY?! GIRL, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?! 😂🍬

Apparently, what happens in Vegas does NOT always stay in Vegas. Sometimes it follows you home wearing a wedding ring and looking ridiculously attractive. 🫣🔥

Meet Sienna Jamieson, a hardworking, organized PR professional who likes having her life under control. Unfortunately, her boyfriend and business partner decides to trade her in for a younger model, leaving her heartbroken, her career in jeopardy, and her visa situation looking VERY questionable.

Honestly, sir, the AUDACITY. 🚩😂

Enter Jax Harris, superstar hockey player for the New York Dragons, professional troublemaker, and a man whose reputation could probably use its own full-time PR department.

He's charming, irresponsible, ridiculously good-looking, and basically everything Sienna should avoid.

So naturally, they end up in Las Vegas together. 🍸

And after one VERY eventful night, Jax wakes up with Sienna in his bed and a jelly ring on her finger.

SURPRISE! YOU'RE MARRIED! 💍🤣

I don't know about you, but the worst thing I've ever brought home from Vegas was a questionable souvenir. These two brought home a whole SPOUSE.

Now Sienna needs their marriage to last long enough to sort out her career and immigration situation, while Jax discovers that being married to his PR girl is actually doing wonders for his reputation.

The solution? Fake it until they make it!

Easy enough, right?

Except there's one tiny little problem...

FEELINGS. THOSE PESKY, INCONVENIENT FEELINGS. 🥹❤️

What makes Sienna and Jax such an adorable pairing is how completely opposite they are. She's responsible, determined, and trying to keep everything from falling apart. He's playful, impulsive, and seems to consider driving her crazy a personal hobby. 😂

And the grumpy-girl-meets-sunshine-boy dynamic?! YES, PLEASE! ☀️💕

I absolutely love the idea of two people entering a relationship for all the wrong reasons, only to discover that maybe they've accidentally stumbled into exactly what they needed.

Add in hockey, fake dating, forced proximity, found family, and a marriage of convenience, and you've basically created a romance-reader starter pack. 🏒💋

Final thoughts: A cute, chaotic hockey romance with a feisty heroine, a lovable troublemaker, plenty of romantic tension, and one very questionable Vegas wedding decision!

And honestly, Jax might be a walking PR nightmare, but sometimes the biggest troublemakers make the sweetest book boyfriends. 🥹💕

Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power of a Vegas wedding, a fake marriage, and a hockey player who might just accidentally fall in love with his wife. 😂💍

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Laura Carter for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💕

#TheGamePlan #LauraCarter #NetGalley #ARCReview #Bookstagram #HockeyRomance #FakeDating #MarriageOfConvenience #VegasWedding #GrumpySunshine #SportsRomance #RomComReads #BookishHumor #RomanceBooks #BookReview

[Seershhhhh (readsbyseersh on IG) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, this is what a slow burn romance is like. The first kiss is not until 73% in!

Sienna and Jax already know each other, end up getting married in Vegas and decide to stay married. The marriage has an expiration date. The forced proximity of living together and rooming together on the road leaves them with little choice but to be in each other’s orbit. They start to get along and hang out and it’s not long before both of them realise they are happy and want to make a go of things. They have really good banter with each other. The tension kept building and building between them. They have to navigate through being professional in the workplace but also figure out where things start to become genuine and real with them.

There was a lot of growth from Jax, he didn’t want to have relationships and was only interested in hookups, but we see him start to grow up and mature, to be a man worthy of being Sienna’s husband. He becomes protective as hell over Sienna, especially about the situation with immigration. He knew he’d found his person, and wanted to be worthy of her.

The group going to Vegas for a vow renewal and doing it ten times and dressing up in all sorts of costumes was a cool scene. It was different. The whole visa situation kinda annoyed me like Sienna’s plan just didn’t make sense, how did she expect to set up a business making her way through temporary work visas. Her POS cheating ex needed to be put more into his place. I would’ve liked if it included a scene showing the consequences of his actions catching up with him. Something like his business not going well because of what he did. He definitely completely shafted himself in a way that is the ONE thing that you do not do in PR. I don’t see how clients would have even a morsel of trust in him.

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Laura Carter for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest voluntary review.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hockey romances. Are all the rage now and the bar is high there have been some great ones and this one falls somewhere in the middle -(thr book is 3rd in a series, which i did not know, however i didnt feel like i was missing anything definitely can be a stand alone as well) it is an OK book, a multiple trope book - girl (Sienna) gets cheated on by fiance (who holds her job also,- they "own" a PR firm, although due to her immigrant status -Canada to US- she can not technically own so you know what that means) she then goes to Vegas to celebrate other friends 10 year anniversary, they are getting married 10 times by doing a wedding chapel crawl - 10 different chapels, 10 different themes, once thereshe lets loose and by loose she accidently marries Jax a single younger playboy hockey player in a drunken blackout (who she knew from the PR business) due to some other unforseen circumstances (no spoilers) she ends up working for Jax's hockey team in the communications dept. - somehow a video of their wedding (in theme ) gets uploaded onto the internet so now everyone knows about the marriage - they need to stay fake married while Si tries to figure out what to do with her immigration status , they need to live and work together for 12 weeks, can they both handle it- neither one remembers much about their wedding night although they both have flashbacks of bits and pieces amd they know it was hot, - the book had a fun cast of characters and some great family dynamics on both Si and Jax's side which i wished were more played out, - the book is told in the POV of both Sienna and Jax- and again its a predictable fake dating/marriage trope, its light and breezy a quick read. I wish they would have flashed out the family dynamics a little bit more. It felt very rushed when it came to that I won't go back to me. The first two, just because i'm curious to see who the leads were-

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

[Nene Niall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
Laura Carter has completely outdone herself with The Game Plan! As the third installment in The Wild Card Series, this book delivers everything an ice hockey romance enthusiast could ever ask for it is high stakes, incredibly spicy, and packed with an undeniable emotional depth that left me breathless.
Sienna and Jax have an explosive, dynamic energy from the very first page. Sienna is a fierce, brilliant PR agent who is completely up against the wall with her visa issues. Jax is the ultimate "manchild" superstar, a total playboy on the surface, but deeply loyal and protective underneath. When an accidental Vegas wedding turns into a strategic marriage of convenience, the tension skyrockets to an absolute fever pitch.What makes this book a standout is how masterfully Carter handles the tropes:
1. The Forced Proximity: The workplace boundaries completely melt away, and watching them navigate the blur between professional duty and genuine, agonizing attraction is pure perfection.
2. The Spice: The chemistry is absolutely electric. The banter is sharp, the tension is agonizing, and the payoff is incredibly satisfying.
3. The Growth: Jax’s evolution from a reckless athlete to a man entirely devoted to keeping his wife safe from deportation is beautifully written..
If you love the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, fake dating, and a protective hero who will do anything to keep his woman by his side, put this on your TBR immediately. Laura Carter has officially solidified her spot on my auto-buy author list!

[Minnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review

5⭐|2🌶️|3%🌶️frequency

Another perfect book by Laura. I'm definitely obsessed with this series 😍
It's so super funny. The banter between Sienna and Jax is hilarious 🤣 It's not that they hate each other; it's more that Sienna is annoyed to be married to Jax 🙈

I have a question. They say, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Right? But did that ever really happen? Did it really stay in Vegas? Or is that a romance book thing? 🤣 Btw, I love that it never stays in Vegas in romance books; otherwise it would be boring 😎

This book definitely is NOT boring. I couldn't put it down. I read it in one go, and yes, even though it took me 6.5h (no, I'm definitely not a 100+p/hour reader).

Even with all the bickering, Sienna and Jax are so cute 🥰 Yeah, it's for sure not easy to live with a playboy. But there are things Sienna just doesn't know. Jax is actually super cute and mega 🔥 🥵
I'm not sure what side character I loved the most. Jax's teammates are all funny, too 😁 I also loved to see Sas again (Jax's sister, book 1).

My favorite "scene" was the fact as what they got married 🤣 Because they had to try on costumes for another wedding and yeah... The wedding isn't an actual scene, but there is enough talk about it, so... 😎

I'm happy this isn't the last book in the series, because I can't get enough 😁 Even though the books are interconnected, this one can be read without the first two, even though I still recommend reading the other two books, because they are great and funny reads, too 🤩

Thanks to the author, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC 🩷


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[Amber Whetham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fun hockey romance, which combines a drunken Vegas wedding, marriage of convenience, opposites attract, and a slow-burn relationship with plenty of banter.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Sienna and Jax. Their opposite personalities made for some great banter, and I liked watching their relationship develop gradually rather than having their feelings happen overnight. Their character development throughout the story was also well done, particularly as they learned more about each other and navigated their unexpected marriage.

There was drama from the very first chapter, and just when things seemed to settle down, another complication appeared. I especially liked the twist surrounding who actually leaked the video and why.

The Long Island setting was enjoyable, as were the Canadian references throughout the story. I also appreciated the storyline surrounding Sienna’s immigration situation. The stress of trying to continue working while dealing with the implications of the marriage added an interesting layer to the story.

One of my favourite aspects was not knowing exactly what happened in Vegas until the epilogue. Keeping that part of their story a mystery made me feel like I was discovering it alongside Sienna and Jax, and I thought the reveal was a great way to wrap things up.

Overall, this was a quick, easy read with a good mix of romance, hockey, banter, drama, and mystery. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy marriage of convenience, opposites attract, slow-burn romance, and Vegas wedding tropes.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

🩷 Blurb-
When Sienna Jamieson's partner – in life and work – decides to trade her in for a younger, slinkier model, she’s at risk of losing everything… and being deported. That’s how she comes to be crying on the shoulder of her manchild client and ice hockey star, Jax Harris, on a Las Vegas chapel crawl with him and his New York Dragons teammates.
Jax Harris has been called many things – hockey sensation, superstar, playboy, irresponsible, irresistible, and most likely to spend time in the sin bin. But waking up in his Las Vegas suite with his PR in his bed and a jelly ring on her wedding finger is the first time he’s been called an accidental husband.
Sienna needs their fake relationship to last just long enough to get her life – and visa – back on track. And dating Sienna seems to be having a positive impact on Jax’s reputation on and off the ice.
All they need to do is stick to the game plan. But one of them is about to have a shift change. Can their marriage of convenience become something more?
🩵 Review -
I have read and enjoyed other books by the author and The Game Plan certainly didn't disappoint. From the very first page I was hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I loved Sienna and Max's chemistry and I wanted them to have their happy ending. I loved the author's writing style and the pacing was just right. The author writes Sports romance novels really well and I always look forward to her new releases. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Boldwood Books, the author Laura Carter and Netgalley for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[The Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

🚨 SPOILER ALERT: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
​I am giving The Game Plan by Laura Carter an absolute 5-star review! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
​A fantastic, high-energy hockey romance that completely delivered on every front! This is book 3 in the Wild Card series of standalones, and it didn't disappoint. Jax is an amazing MMC—a reformed playboy who turns into a total cinnamon roll just for her. He's sweet, considerate, and so down bad for her it's endearing! Sienna is a great FMC too, and it's so fun to see how she denies even to herself that she's falling for her fake husband. Well, there's nothing fake about it, and I am here for it! 🏒💒💖✨
​ARC Disclosure: A big thank you to the author, NetGalley, and publisher Boldwood Books for providing an advance digital review copy (eARC) of this book! All thoughts, fanatical reactions, and honest reflections shared in this review are entirely my own.
​The Review
​I read it in one sitting and completely fell for this book! Beyond Jax and Sienna's incredible chemistry, the secondary characters added so much fun to the dynamic. Our friends Mitch and Lauren, along with his brother TJ, watching them all see that Jax and Sienna are completely gone for each other and enjoying their banter and their process of realization was just fantastic!
​Can't wait for book 4! That sneak peek after the epilogue was definitely not enough!
​The Good
​Jax as the ultimate reformed playboy cinnamon roll MMC, Sienna's delightful denial over her fake husband, hilarious teammate dynamics, family drama stakes, and top-tier hockey romance atmosphere!
​The Not So Good
​Reaching the final page and realizing the sneak peek teaser for Book 4 wasn't long enough!

[Caroll-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

📖 The Game Plan by Laura Carter

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3,25 stars

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book because I’m always up for a good hockey romance. The premise of The Game Plan immediately caught my attention, especially with Jax and Sienna finding themselves in a marriage of convenience while trying to navigate their very different circumstances.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Jax and Sienna. Their dynamic definitely had its moments, and I liked seeing their relationship develop throughout the story. That being said, I unfortunately didn’t connect with either of them as much as I would have liked. I felt like both characters were missing a little bit of depth, which made it harder for me to become fully invested in their story.

I also realized that I’m probably not the biggest fan of the marriage-of-convenience trope. Surprisingly, though, that wasn’t really what bothered me about this book, and I could easily get past it while reading.

As much as I enjoyed Jax and Sienna’s chemistry, I kept wishing there had been more of it. I think the book could have benefited from giving their relationship more room to develop, because story-wise it felt a little flat to me. There was just something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this and definitely don’t regret picking it up. It just wasn’t one of those books that stayed with me after finishing it. I think I was hoping to feel a little more connected to the characters and their story, and unfortunately that part was missing for me.

[Kristy · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Give me a good hockey romance with a fun found family group and I will read it so fast, and that was one of my favorite parts of this book. Between the team, the friend group, and Jax's family, there were a lot of relationships involved besides just Jax and Sienna.

Jax was definitely my favorite character. What I liked most was that his feelings never felt like they came out of nowhere. It was obvious there was more going on beneath the surface long before anyone else seemed to realize it, including Sienna, which made his willingness to go along with the Vegas marriage make perfect sense.

I also really liked Jax's family dynamic. His dad was hard on him, but he had his sister and brother on his side, especially his brother since he was also one of his teammates. That was a fun addition to the story.

On the other hand, I was not a fan of Sienna until the end of the book. I understood her frustration with Jax early on, but there were times when she was just harsh, and it made it hard for me to like her at all. It was also hard for me to see why Jax would want to be with her when she treated him that way in the beginning. I understood that she was dealing with a lot after everything that happened with her ex and was trying to hold her life together while working constantly, but it felt like she carried all of that stress into every interaction. Because of that, it took me a long time to connect with her like I said above.

Overall, this was a fun premise and a quick hockey romance to read.

Netgalley ARC Review

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Long Island, a publicist and a star hockey player navigate a marriage of convenience all while falling for each other. When Sienna Anderson catches her fiancé and business partner cheating, she takes a last minute trip to Las Vegas with friends. At the end of the trip, she wakes up married to New York Dragon hockey player Jax Harris. Her immigration needs and his reputation have them deciding to stay married for the short term. As they get to know each other though, will real feelings get in the way of the game plan?

I loved the slow burn of this romance! And not knowing what happened in Vegas (until the epilogue) was great. I also enjoyed the hockey workplace setting as well as Jax's teammates.

While it was nice to see what happened in Vegas at the end, I felt like the true ending was a bit abrupt. I would have liked more time with the couple. Maybe the next book in the series will feature more of them?

Also, there were a few moments where the gen Z slang took me out (as well as a movie misspelled).

This romance features:
🏒 American Hockey MMC x Canadian Publicist FMC
🏒 Accidental marriage
🏒 Workplace
🏒 Opposites attract
🏒 Friends to lovers
🏒 An ex who is the worst

Open door / spicy

3.5 / 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC!

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review for Netfalley, all thoughts, opinions and feelings are my own. They aren’t swayed by being a review of an ARC

I absolutely love this series, I really do. And it’s crazy to think I didn’t know about it until I received this book, 3rd in the series, from NetGalley. Now I love a good sports romance, when it comes to love stories with no grit like a dark romance, it has to be sports of cowboy or something similar. Equally because there are so many sports romances out there and I have read so many, sometimes they are all the same. Was this a unique story? No, it’s been done time and time again, but that doesn’t mean for one second I didn’t fly though it with a smile on my face.

As far as the characters go, I think that Jax was my favourite male leading the series so far, which is saying something. I loved how brooding Colton was and Pace was the cutest, but Jax has the banter and the comedic side that I lean more towards. (Partly because my other half is the king of comedy and banter). As far as Sienna goes, she was a good female character, probably not my favourite of the series so far but definitely a strong contender. It was nice to get to know the other side characters more, like TJ for instance as he was only slightly mentioned in the other books.

The story was cute, it was funny, it had emotion and the pace was perfect and honestly who doesn’t love a fake romance. I have really enjoyed this series and I’m a bit sad that I have to wait for the 4th one 😭.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

The Game Plan is a slow-burn, marriage-of-convenience, workplace-ish, hockey-ish romance. It started off strong, but… something just missed the mark for me. Maybe it’s because I haven’t read the other books in the series? There were some cute moments, and I loved that it was written in first-person POV.

… I just couldn’t get into this book, and I think the main characters played a big part in that.
Jax came across as a bit of a man-child, playboy hockey player. I totally understand why Sienna was frustrated with him and his immaturity, but I do think he showed some growth throughout the book. I liked him a lot more in the second half! However, I struggled with Sienna. I loved that she was a boss, strong, and capable… buuuut I also found her pretty rude and condescending toward Jax. There was some chemistry, but maybe the slow burn was just a little too slow for me (and the spice level was pretty low, too). I can see what the author was going for with these two balancing each other out, though, and I appreciate that!

Also, I’m totally biased about this, but the book made going back to/live in a small Canadian town seem like such a bad thing. LOL. (Said as someone who lives in a small Canadian town!)

Thank you, Boldwood Books and NetGalley, for the opportunity to review this eARC!

[K.J. Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to come across nothing but hockey romances at the moment. Fortunately, this is a good one and part of a wider series that also includes some other sports, which makes it a little different. At the start of the book, Sienna walks in on her fiancé in bed with another (younger) woman. She travels to Vegas with some friends to take her mind off things, and there she ends up marrying one of her clients when they are both very drunk. Despite this slightly less-than-ideal start to their marriage, it's clear that this couple really does belong together.
Jax, her new husband, although a bit clueless when it comes to relationships and used to living on his own, is a real sweetheart and in many ways just what someone as driven and uptight as Sienna needs to help balance things out a bit. Sienna, on the other hand, brings out Jax's maturity, and the two grow both together and in themselves once they are together.
I loved this couple and this fun romance. They worked really well together and I greedily read the book in almost one sitting. Lots of fun.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

[katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2

this is a fine read as long as you don’t take it too seriously, if you want a light read. but it leaves something to be desired.

i think that you can see how they both aim to better themselves for each other. sienna brings out more of an emotionally mature side to jax, while jax allows sienna to ‘let her hair down’ as they often reference.

their romance is still missing something for me, it doesn’t feel true. there is a lot of talk about sexual attraction, it all comes across too lustful, i wish there was MORE other than talk of their bodies. when there was, it felt disingenuous.

as someone who loves snappy and fiery banter in a relationship i couldn’t feel that here, i was questioning at times if sienna even liked him or if she hated his guts, i think it went tooo far on that end of the spectrum.

lastly, the slang did not fit the characters. it was like WANTING to appease to a new adult demographic but it totally missed that mark. i wish there was more age-appropriate language. it often just came out of nowhere and it threw me out of a lot of the moments. this is probably my main gripe with this book!

a bit disappointed to be honest because i usually love these tropes 🥲

thank you to netgalley and boldwood books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[VickydpBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is 3rd book in The Wild Card series!

A fake dating hockey romance with an accidental Vegas wedding? Yes, please! This sounds like such a fun read, and I love the setup with Sienna and Jax finding themselves married after one very wild night. They’re already an unlikely match, but having to pretend their relationship is real while working together makes things even more interesting.

I really feel for Sienna, who’s trying to pick up the pieces after being let down by her partner and facing the possibility of losing everything. Then there’s Jax, the hockey star with a reputation to fix, who suddenly finds himself with a wife he never expected. I can see how their arrangement could quickly become complicated when real feelings start getting in the way of their carefully laid plans.

Fake dating, opposites attract, workplace romance, and a marriage of convenience are all tropes I love, and the hockey setting makes this even more appealing. I’m especially looking forward to seeing the dynamic between these two and how their relationship develops from an arrangement that’s meant to benefit them both into something more. This sounds like a perfect mix of humour, romance, and swoony moments, with plenty to root for along the way!