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The Right Fit

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When Maxine Nicholls discovers her fiancé is cheating, she turns to fast food and nighttime soap operas, but her sister has a plan—unbridled rebound sex with a stranger.

As one of Toronto's hottest players, Antony Laurent tallies scores on and off the ice, but when the chiseled defense man hits a slump, rumors of a trade to the minor league send him to ambush a managers meeting at a posh club.

That night a chance encounter ends up as an unforgettable evening of passion. But Maxine and Antony are about to discover a game of casual hook ups can lead to something neither one of them thought they deserved—the right fit.

326 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2017

4 people are currently reading
489 people want to read

About the author

Daphne Dubois

5 books86 followers
Daphne Dubois writes contemporary romance and believes the right book at the right time can make all the difference.

When she's not putting her characters in compromising positions (ahem), she works as a registered nurse. She lives in Eastern Canada, the most romantic place in the world.

You can also find her writing for teens as B.R. Myers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for Danielle's.
Author 1 book169 followers
July 10, 2018
The Right Fit is funny, sweet and Antony Laurent is the perfect French book boyfriend.

Maxine is unlucky in love. She thought all her cards had fallen into place with her ex. Unfortunately, the ex has other ideas and another woman. Now, Maxine is in need of a rebound to kick-start her love life.

Antony is a Hockey player in the need of some good luck. His career is on shaky ground and his life isn't his own. He knows there is something special about Maxine from the first minute he meets her. She isn't a puck bunny, in fact, she has no idea he plays a sport. Antony finds her refreshing and is won across by her charm or lack of. Maxine is having a string of bad luck and doesn't see Antony coming. Antony finds Maxine's luck and he is winning both on and off the Ice.

The Right Fit has a comical start, great background stories to the characters and a sweet ending. It's an easy read. Maxine and Antony find love in an unexpected place. Neither are looking for it and it creeps up on them. Maxine needs to learn to trust but Antony hasn't been completely honest.

I really enjoyed this book. It ticks all my boxes. I liked the miscommunication in French/English. Laurent makes a great leading character and Maxine is a fun character. She's a bit of a klutz but not in a cringeworthy way. I will definitely look out for other books by this author.

5 out of 5. *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Anastasia シ.
766 reviews254 followers
October 1, 2018
Full Review on my blog!
Huh. Well this was something. It took me a while to get into the book, but I'm glad I finished it!

The Right Fit is a sports romance story, which I don’t usually enjoy but this one was different.

Maxine struggles to get her life back on track and heal her broken heart after she caught her fiance cheating on her. I really enjoyed Maxine's character, she felt very real. But after a night out she bumps into Antony, they have no idea what is in store for them.  But things take a turn, in a good direction. Antony Laurent is a NHL star player.  The chemistry between them ignites into a blaze of passion which neither expected. It's funny though, she has no idea who he really is... and he doesn't tell her... until things between them get really serious, until it's almost too late. 

I really enjoyed this book. Antony makes a great leading character and Maxine is a fun character. She's a bit of a klutz but not in a cringeworthy way.

A sweet, sexy, funny read! I highly recommend it! Can't wait to read more from this author!

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Profile Image for Dani (Dani Reviews Things).
547 reviews292 followers
August 11, 2018
Rating: 3.5 stars
CW: drunk driving, SCI, lung cancer

Hooray for another ice hockey romance! This time featuring a curvy heroine and a hunky French Canadian with Greek roots. Maxine is trying to recover from the discovery of her fiancé's adultery six months earlier, while Antony is trying to cling onto his position in a Toronto hockey team. After a couple accidental encounters, they get a bit hot and heavy on Maxine's couch, and Antony finds himself playing better than ever. But wait! Maxine has been lied to before, and Antony doesn't clue her in on the fact he's a pro hockey player. Tension! Drama! But oh so much swooniness!

I found it immensely satisfying to read about a curvy heroine. And no, she's not celebrating her curves, but she is thinking of them in a relatable way. When Maxine goes to her favourite vintage store, she chooses clothes she likes with the intention of losing weight to wear them, while the store owner suggests she chooses clothes that fit her now. I know that the store owner is in the right here, but I will admit that I've held back from throwing clothes out (or donating them to charity shops) with the hope that I'll lose weight and fit into them again. So no, Maxine does not have the Ideal Mindset, but she does have one I could connect with.

And I'd loved that Antony only ever saw her for the beautiful woman she is, which helped me to reframe my own view of myself and think that maybe other people don't think about my size as much as I do. Where she saw fatness, he saw a pin-up model of the past, and that is what I want to see myself as. Their chemistry was fun and rather hot at times, and Antony was so sweet and caring and lovely, that I didn't want the Big Reveal to come. But alas, it did.

I think the one main thing that distracted me throughout the whole story was the way Antony was written. English was not his first language, and so French dialogue was included a lot, usually then translated (but not always). As someone who doesn't speak any French whatsoever, this was sexy but also confusing sometimes. When he spoke English, it was often with words skipped to indicate his lack of fluency. But for some reason, the words he did use made me read everything in a Russian accent in my head instead. Don't ask me how that happened. I've been around French and Russian people, so you'd think I'd be able to hear the French in my head, but no, the skipped words came out Russian...

Special mention goes to the inclusion of a side character with a spinal cord injury. I wasn't the biggest fan of him being portrayed as bitter for so long, but I get it. That being said, it did teach me about something new: sledge hockey! Which I immediately had to go watch videos of because I couldn't mentally picture it.

I ultimately enjoyed reading about a gorgeous man worshipping a curvy woman. What a lovely fantasy to have in my head!

Profile Image for Kari.
4,013 reviews95 followers
August 6, 2018
This book was a cute romance and I enjoyed it for the most part. The best part about the story was the characters. I loved Maxine's family, especially Westley and his friend Stuart. They were hilarious. Maxine and Antony's relationship was cute, but exhausting at the same time. I loved Antony. He was sweet and really nice. Maxine took me a while to warm up to. Her constant tendency to put herself down because of her weight drove me nuts. I was pulling for her to see that she was fine just the way she was...spanx or no spanx. At any rate, I did find myself rooting for them.
Profile Image for Laura.
2,587 reviews113 followers
December 13, 2017
***ARC Provided by the Author and Tasty Book Tours***

3.5 Stars

I liked this book, overall.

There were a few places where I was not sure about the dialog and the pacing of the story, but for the most part, I was drawn to Maxine and Antony.

I enjoy books where the hero is involved in professional sports, and I am highly amused by the ones where the heroine has no idea who the hero is...mostly because I relate. I would be this person. I would have no clue. The biggest drawback in this book for me was how the "reveal" of his celebrity status was revealed. I just didn't believe this would actually happen this way, and I really didn't think that anyone would believe it was a good idea.

But, this may be just me and there are likely others who love this.

But, I did love Max and Antony, and I wanted them to end up together, and I believed that they loved one another...and, in the end, that is all that really matters for a book to work.

I recommend this book.
Profile Image for Patty .
1,352 reviews7 followers
August 3, 2018
Maxine is still struggling with herself 6 months after catching her ex fiance' cheating on her.  She has been wallowing in self-pity for too long and after a failed blind date, has pretty much given up on finding anyone.  Her brother and sisters decide it is time she get out of her slump and have rebound sex with a stranger.  So the take her out to the club.

Antony is the hottest single hockey player on the verge of being traded down.  He has sworn off sex and works hard but it doesn't seem to help.  He is in a slump.  When he hears that the bosses are meeting at a club to discuss him, he goes to spy.  Everything changes that fated night.  Antony tries to spy on the owners but he bumps into a hot red-head and his world is turned upside down.

This book was an inspirational read.  Maxine is dealing with major self-esteem issues about her weight and Antony is dealing with a lot of guilt and resentment.  Together these two seem to find happiness within.  Antony is a very sweet and romantic type of guy.  Maxine is very shy and self-conscious.  Together they fit.  As Carmine would say "The right fit is divine, my love.  It molds so perfectly, it feels like you're wearing nothing."

I laughed.  I cried.  My heart melted.  This book is such a wonderful read.  It has amazing characters and a wonderful and meaningful plot.  It really reaches deep down into your soul.  The book flows very smooth and is never rushed.  There are so many emotions to feel.  The scenes between Max and Antony are explosive.  The other characters are interesting and entertaining.  Overall this book is amazing.  A real feel good romance.

*ARC provided by Xpresso Book Tours & Daphne Dubois
Profile Image for Lisa Mandina.
2,305 reviews494 followers
August 11, 2018
Where do I even start? I LOVED this book! It was so much fun! And so REAL! Maxine is a big girl, but in a real way, not the way that some books do, where she's big, but in the scope of the real world, not really that big. And she has the same hang-ups and issues as those of us who are in real life big-girls. Then there's Antony. Oh I loved him so much! I loved his broken English, I love how much he adored Maxine in all her curviness. (And this might be the book that pushes me into finally getting to a hockey game to check out some hockey players). This was a page turner, I couldn't put it down! Even as I was sitting in meetings at work now that school is getting ready to start again, I was scrolling page by page on my phone when I was able to, because I had to stay in this story. Sex scenes were very steamy. Probably shouldn't have read those at work. I loved all the characters. Loved how Maxine's brother Westley turned out with his issues, and how he handled letting the person he liked know at the end. So much goodness in this story. A highly recommended book for me, and a new author I'll be hoping to read more by in the future!
Profile Image for A HEA.
443 reviews53 followers
August 11, 2018


One hot French-Greek hockey player - Check
One Bigger Girl with image issues, who is hooked on naming nail polishes - Check
One soggy romance novel, which brings them together - Check
And One Bachelor Action which has an interesting twist - Check
Antony was supposed to be a rebound for Maxine to help her get over her cheating ex. Things did not go quite according to plan. A few misunderstandings led to some awkward situations and a lot of explaining, as they had to try to rebuild their relationship based on the truth and overcome the fact that they had bent the facts.
Profile Image for Hopelessly Addicted To Books .
3,622 reviews151 followers
August 5, 2018
I found it hard to get into this book, at times the dialogue threw me off and the pacing of the story was stop and start. In the beginning of seemed like the author was laying the groundwork for a twist with who we later find out was the agent. Nothing came of this particular story arc so I'm not sure why it was there.

Overall this we just an ok read for me.

reviewed by Sweet Spot Sisterhood

Profile Image for Becky Rendon.
3,855 reviews81 followers
August 3, 2018
The Right Fit is a sweet story with a little bit of everything. Starring a hockey player and a pin up worthy woman, it starts with insecurity and goes from there. She doesn't think a man like him could possibly...


But insecurity isn't the only wrench trying to stop these wheels from turning! Secrets, past traumas, and necessities are trying to wedge them out of the path they are traveling together.

The Right Fit is effortless but love is not.

Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
Profile Image for Mal ✨ | Tales Of A Bookbug.
685 reviews46 followers
June 2, 2017
A really great sports romance that I enjoyed reading!
Maxine and Antony made a really good pair!There is this undeniable connection between them which was explored beautifully.Each character has their own set of problems and issues to overcome.
Maxine has just come out of a relationship after discovering that her fiance was cheating, and that has really done a number on her.
Antony has hit a slump in his career as a hockey player, and so when he comes to know that he might be traded off to the minors, he knows he's got a problem on his hands.A chance meeting with fate bringing them together time and again,they explore the attraction between them.Neither thinks they want something serious.But sometimes, just as the title says, you never know when you might find your right fit! ;)

In the beginning it was a little weird.I don't know whether it was because of the writing style or maybe due to the fact that I was sick, the first few chapters didn't have me connecting to the book.But after a few days I picked it up again and weathered through to find a story that I really liked!There are many other secondary characters who were quite interesting and added a lot to the story too!
Daphne Dubois is one more author to add to my ever growing list of authors to watch out for!
Profile Image for Diane Lynch Lynch.
1,883 reviews52 followers
June 19, 2018
3.5 of 5 stars

The Right Fit by Daphne Dubois NHL defenseman, Antony Laurent, meets, esthetician, Maxine Nicholls, who is on the rebound after catching her fiancé cheating on her.  This sports romance takes place in Toronto and Florida.  It is suitable for adult audience.
 
I felt bad for Max.  Her ex-fiancé, Johnny, really messed with her self-confidence.  Anthony is much better for her.  I love that he likes her the way she is.  I like Anthony.  He feels guilty for his brother’s accident.  He’s worried about being sent down to the minors.  He pushes himself hard to take care of his family.  I appreciate that Max and Anthony both have issues they overcome in this novel. 
 
They have interesting friends and family.  I like Carmine. He gave Max good advice and was a sweet man.  I like how the characters evolved in the story, especially Marc toward the end of the novel. 
 
It took me a little while to get into this story.  I enjoyed it more as I kept reading it.  I like the nail polish names and their significance throughout the book.  I also thought the name Max considered for her business clever.  I enjoyed the ending.  It made the story feel well concluded.  I would like to see a sequel with Marc and Kayla. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Profile Image for Jen.
1,087 reviews13 followers
August 9, 2018
To see the full review for this title, visit my book blog, So Few Books, at: https://sofewbooks.blogspot.com/2018/...!

This was a charming contemporary romance tale of an unlikely couple falling in love, totally against both their better judgement...

Maxine is an amazing character who I really admired and enjoyed. EXCEPT for the endless times that she complained about her size and whined about her loser ex-boyfriend, even just to herself. (Seriously, I wanted to jump into the story and throw away the box in the closet myself a few times!)...

I wasn’t entirely sold on Antony – at first. Just as the author obviously intends, I thought he was simply another lying jerk who comes off as a cheating spouse. His true story, however, was much more complicated than the assumption...

The peripheral characters were great!..

The meet-cute between Maxine and Antony was great! And the way they kept being running into each other (both by accident and design) seemed to bring a bit of kismet to their involvement with each other. That neither of them was looking for anything, but both totally fell in love with the other, was wonderful.

There were a few things that I didn't like about the story. In addition to Maxine's whining, I thought the revelation to her of Antony's status was pretty dumb. Why any rational adult would possibly think that would be the way to explain it to her was beyond me. The couple of other items that irked me (Max's introduction to Marc, Carmen's ending) were just plot items that I didn't personally like, but at least they made sense and contributed to the storyline.

Of course, there was drama and conflict in Maxine & Antony's lives (some necessary and some decidedly less so) that ultimately invaded their relationship, but thankfully it was resolved in the end and they were allowed their happy ending. This is definitely a book that I recommend as a good, light, romantic read. I even hope there might be some follow-up to the story, possibly by way of tales about other members of their group.

I received a free e-copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours and have willingly provided an honest review.
Profile Image for DebbieReadsBooks.
2,762 reviews50 followers
August 9, 2018
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

If you follow my reviews, you'll know I have a particular hatred of using the word NICE to describe a book. But sometimes, it's the only word my brain will use for a book and I can't spit any other word out.

So, this is a NICE book. A GOOD book.

Maxine sees Anthony when she's waiting for a blind date, who turns up but pretends he's not her date. They *literally* dump into each at a night club, when Maxine was dragged out by her sisters for some rebound sex. Anthony is a professional ice hockey player but Maxine doesn't have a clue who he is, so when she assumes he's a mechanic, he runs with it. When She finds out the truth, ALL the truth, can Maxine forgive him? Can she really allow herself to be happy??

This is, from what I can see, the first book by Dubois I've read; indeed, I *think* this is her first novel. And for the most part, I did enjoy it. And I'm stuck with that N word a the back of my throat!

I don't mean this in a negative way, not at all, it's just I can't find any other word that projects my feelings bout this book and you all know, I'm all about sharing my book feelings!

I liked the way the story flowed. We don't get all of Anthony's history in one go, you get hints and clues, and I put them altogether so wrong. You don't get all of Maxine's pain at her break up, the whole story comes in snippets along the way.

Some of the dialogue is amusing, with Anthony's English not quite up to speed yet, but I liked that he flipped between English and French, and his English is portrayed in a way I remember the French students from school speaking.

So, for the most part, I DID enjoy it, but I can't get past the *Nice Book* title.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for the blog

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Profile Image for Kelly.
660 reviews15 followers
August 10, 2018
Mix of funny and sweet, heat and heartbreak

This is a new to me author, but sport romances, particularly with hockey players, are some of my favorites, and I'm always looking for a new author to stalk. 😀

Anthony was a great character. To start off with, French and Greek? Yum! French speaking hockey player? Yes! Good but flawed man with a tragedy in his past? Sold! Though he did make me want to slap him across the back of his head, Gibbs styles, a few times, lol. Maxine is a cool character as well (with her interest in makeup, using the nail polish names as a sort of fortune cookie was clever) who had issues of her own to deal with. They had nice chemistry together and I liked the character growth they showed over the course of the story.

Lots of interesting secondary characters here, with family members, friends, and, of course, hockey players. I liked the Toronto setting; it made a nice change of pace from the usual suspects. I have to admit the secret keeping made me cringe on more than one occasion--it's a pet peeve, and made the story drag a bit for me at times.

With the mix of funny and sweet, heat and heartbreak that I love, this was an entertaining read for me--in fact I was hoping this was part of a series. Maybe in the future, fingers crossed. 4 stars

B2B Kelly
Profile Image for Mal.
588 reviews
January 6, 2025
A really great sports romance that I enjoyed reading!
Maxine and Antony made a really good pair!There is this undeniable connection between them which was explored beautifully.Each character has their own set of problems and issues to overcome.
Maxine has just come out of a relationship after discovering that her fiance was cheating, and that has really done a number on her.
Antony has hit a slump in his career as a hockey player, and so when he comes to know that he might be traded off to the minors, he knows he's got a problem on his hands.A chance meeting with fate bringing them together time and again,they explore the attraction between them.Neither thinks they want something serious.But sometimes, just as the title says, you never know when you might find your right fit! ;)

In the beginning it was a little weird.I don't know whether it was because of the writing style or maybe due to the fact that I was sick, the first few chapters didn't have me connecting to the book.But after a few days I picked it up again and weathered through to find a story that I really liked!There are many other secondary characters who were quite interesting and added a lot to the story too!
Daphne Dubois is one more author to add to my ever growing list of authors to watch out for!
Profile Image for Jackie Turner.
121 reviews
August 6, 2018
I really enjoyed this light read! The characters were very likable (although I'm not going to lie, I'm not completely sold on Marc still....) especially our two mains - Antony and Maxine! I'm learning that I have a major thing for accents but I can honestly say that this might be the only book I've read with a hot French man? I do wish that there were translations for certain things that he had said in French but the author did well with translating some of his words since Maxine didn't know what they meant either! This did give me hope that if I find a guy who also speaks another language, I'll be able to pick up on words that he says and be able to learn how to speak it a little easier! ;)

I honestly screamed towards the ending and started clapping so I'm very happy that no one was around me at the time. It's not often that I have verbal and physical reactions like that to books so you know this is a good one!
Profile Image for Nikita Jhanglani.
136 reviews23 followers
August 6, 2018
The beginning is one of the best I've read in a while, the characters, especially Maxine's, more relatable than any I've read of in a while. And Antony's broken English is so adorable! I was happy to see that the author has let this trait of her French/Greek hero stay, than make him a master of all trades.

The Right Fit by Daphne Dubois is centered on the premise that how being judgemental, of our own selves and of others, can impact our lives and of others. It talks about how we let opinions that don't matter influence the decisions we make, overshadowing what really matters.

The story is planned well, with bits that that don't let it become a clichéd. However, there are parts that probably could've been avoided or kept shorter, because the story sort of starts dragging in the second half.
Profile Image for Jackie Wright.
6,501 reviews154 followers
August 8, 2018
This is the first book I have read by Daphne Dubois and it won’t be my last I really enjoyed this sweet funny sports romance and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Anthony is a hockey player that has lost his way his career is not going how it should be and he seems to be trying to please everyone else rather than living his own life.
Maxine thinks she has her life all planned out when she finds her boyfriend with another woman so once again she finds herself unlucky in love. Will her luck change when she hooks up with Anthony and will Maxine become the good luck charm he is desperate for......

For me this book was an inspirational read it covers a girl struggling with her weight and low self esteem and a guy dealing with guilt issues but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a funny read the banter and the secondary characters made this sweet romance a joy to read.
Profile Image for Brie.
165 reviews5 followers
August 13, 2018
This is the first book I’ve read by author Daphne Dubois and it was such a delight to read. That sounds kind of corny..”delight”..hmm. It was a pleasure to read? A joy to read? I was filled with contentment and glee? Lol can you tell I just browsed synonyms for “delight”? hahaha WELL NO MATTER! They are all accurate!

It is the kind of book that just..makes you happy AND sad. It makes you feel GOOD. Prior to reading this I read a book that had my heart feeling heavy and this was just the most perfect breath of fresh air to lift my spirits back up!

I am SUCH a huge fan of characters who have..well..CHARACTER. They aren’t this picture perfect character that you can’t really relate to in any way.
Nobody is perfect
Well..except for maybe these characters because of their imperfections. 😉

I am definitely adding more books by Daphne Dubois to my TBR lists!
Profile Image for Erin Lewis.
6,192 reviews220 followers
July 2, 2018
4 Star Review of The Right Fit by Daphne Dubois

Daphne Dubois is a new author to me. The Right Fit is a sports romance and is a sweet love story.

Maxine Nicholls is struggling to come to terms with a cheating fiancé and getting her life back on track.

When her sister suggests rebound sex with a stranger, Maxine has no idea what is in store for her.

Antony Laurent is a Toronto ice hockey player. When an accidentally meeting puts Maxine and Antony together she has no idea who he is. The chemistry between them ignites into a blaze of passion which neither expected.

Will Antony and Maxine take a chance and in turn find that they are indeed The Right Fit?

The Right Fit is a little slow at times but overall is a good read that I enjoyed.





















--
Profile Image for Ofelia.
988 reviews3 followers
May 8, 2017
A was given this ARC from NetGalley for an honesty review.

Maxine has problems with her self image and self esteem but once she meets Antony you can see that little by little she starts to get her self confidence back. Her ex boyfriend really did a number on her and the way things ended with them just pushed her to doubt herself even more. Antony was able to show Maxine what it really means to love and also showed her that when you truly love someone you accept them as they are. I am so happy that they both finally got their HEA. A must read! I hope there is a story written about Marc. I would totally like to read about him.
Profile Image for Lovely Loveday.
2,861 reviews
May 12, 2017
The Right Fit by Daphne Dubois was released on April 12, 2017 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc. and is a romance novel. I really liked reading this sports romance. Dubois creates an amazing sports theme plot line with truly unforgettable characters. The two main characters are Maxine and Anthony and I feel like they are prefect for each other. They have an undeniable connection that is easy to get swept away into with the beauty of the writing style of Dubois. The love story is not an easy one because they both have their own backstories that create ruffles in their current relationship. Will their attraction for each other hold up to the title of this book? You will have to read to find out!
2,391 reviews59 followers
August 7, 2018
The Right Fit is a sexy, cute story. Maxine is reeling after finding out that her fiancé is cheating on her, and she has a one-night stand with a hunky mystery man.

Maxine has her quirks, but she is a likable, relatable heroine. I love sports romances when the heroine has no idea who the hero is. And Antony's accent is adorable! Both of the characters are sweet, there is not really a hidden agenda on Antony's part. There are some outside forces that are working against them in terms of their past, but these two bring out the better pieces in one another and are The Right Fit.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
38 reviews1 follower
July 23, 2017
It was a good story, and I enjoyed the characters. It was kind of difficult for me to stick with it, and I felt like some of the major plot twists just came one after the other in the second half of the book. I thought the heroine was good, but the way she kept putting herself down got to me sometimes. I wanted to shake and be just get over it already.
418 reviews
July 19, 2021
Complementary copy given for my honest review and opinion. Copy provided by NetGalley.
I love Anthony and Maxine’s story. There was a raw nature with Maxine’s self perception and the public perception of her weight. I loved how Daphne created characters with such feelings and emotions.
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