The Faker

Boston Hawks Hockey #3

by Gina Azzi

NHL hotshot Torsten Hansen is a lot of things. My husband shouldn't be one of them.

One emotional night slinging tequila shots and singing karaoke with the Hawks defenseman turns into more than I bargained for. A wicked hangover, an eviction notice, and a marriage proposal.

If Torsten and I wed, he can fulfill a promise to his grandmother and the debt I'm drowning in will be paid by his trust fund. It's a win-win, an easy and straightforward arrangement between friends.

So what if my friend has piercing blue eyes, a sensual smirk, and a body that occupies my dreams? It shouldn't matter that Torsten understands my past and makes me feel safe.

Except it does. Because if I give my heart to my husband, how will I survive our eventual divorce?

Genres: Sports, Hockey, Sports Romance, Romance, Hockey Romance, Contemporary, Marriage Of Convenience

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2021

About the author

Hi! I'm Gina and I write realistic, relatable, sweet New Adult and Contemporary Romance books. A NJ native, I have lived and worked abroad before settling in Canada with my husband and Littles. Although I can't iron (at all), I am a passionate reader, frequent globetrotter, and aspiring baker (recipes appreciated!). I love hearing from fellow readers so please connect!

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Reviews

[Erin Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Star Review The Faker (Boston Hawks Hockey #3) by Gina Azzi
 
I loved this latest addition to the Boston Hawks Hockey series. The Faker is Torsten and Rielle’s story and is my favourite of the series to date. I have been intrigued with Torsten from his first appearance in the series. The Faker was an entertaining book that had me riveted from the first to the last chapter.

We met Rielle previously as she is Claire’s best friend, although Claire is unaware just how dire Rielle’s financial situation is. Confiding to Torsten after a particularly bad day, she is shocked when after a night of drinking they come up with a plan to help one another out.

I loved how their friendship was so real and their relationship developed. The chemistry between them is impossible to ignore, even though they know it will complicate their relationship. I loved the development of their relationship as it went from fake to real and the support they gave to one another .

I fell hard and fast for Torsten, in fact I have a new book boyfriend, he has a heart of gold and is totally swoon worthy and I fell for him hook, line and sinker. In fact the whole story is heart warming and I was really cheering for Torsten and Rielle to sort out their issues and get the happily ever after that they both deserved.

[diann bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Torsten and Rielle! These two have quite the story!

Some say that you can never go home again, those people must’ve known the messed up lives of Torsten and Rielle.
Having difficult families and lots of hurt feelings are just a little bit of their story but as any good story, there is a little drama and conflict to keep you turning the page to see what happens next.
Torsten and Rielle’s adventure begins with an arrangement of Convenience for the both of them but there’s more than simplifying both of their lives at stake when it comes to matters of the heart.

Austin’s story is next and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment of this fun series by one of my favorite Authors!

[Veronica Ticker · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was definitely one of my favorite hockey romances. Both for the hockey part, and for the romance part.

Regarding the hockey, though there wasn’t much happening on ice, there was a real immersion into the hockey world. How the championship works, the various stakes, and especially the end of a career. It was the second time I read about a retiring athlete in a short amount of time, and this one wins. There were very emotional scenes with Torsten and his team, they brought tears in my eyes.

As for the romance, I found interesting that, since the relationship starts on a lie–the wedding–they keep second guessing each other instead of communicating and of course it leads to hurt feelings and some tension. Torsten was an incredible book boyfriend, loyal and attentive, while Rielle was interesting with her walls protecting her soft heart.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but when we finally meet with both of their families, it’s quite a shock. True to their lack of communication, Rielle and Torsten both misread some actions, and their current situation with their families is much more complicated. I really loved that part, it’s also very emotional.

I promise it isn’t a tearjerker, but it still touched my heart.

Quickie

- Series: Boston Hawks Hockey #3 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #hockey romance #age gap #marriage of convenience #Norway
- Triggers: workplace sexual harassment, death
- Main couple: Rielle Carter & Torsten Hansen
- Hotness: 3/5
- Romance: 5/5
- + I loved how they took their vows seriously
- – the age gap was barely touched upon

[Becky Claxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my favorites in this series. Rielle and Torsten have similar pasts and similar hurts, but don’t know that when they first get together. You will fall in love with Torsten like I did when you read this book. He was a hockey player and knows Rielle from Claire who is one of Torsten’s good friends woman. I hated how Rielle got herself in such a bad place due to her stubbornness. In a way it was good, because Torsten needed a wife to stay in the U.S. for when he retires as a hockey player. It was so heartwarming watching the two fall in love and never even realize the other loves them. I was so glad to see both of them make stifles to try to get some healing with their families. This is a feel good love story that you don’t want to miss. I strongly encourage you to read the book. I was given a copy and voluntarily wrote a review.

[Amanda Farrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't love an age gap romance 😍
Better yet a hot alpha male or a sassy hot chick.
Torsten and Rielle find love in a not to conventional way but some how find a way to make what they have work.

[A.BookNerd.Bookseller&Bibliophile.Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Torsten! We got some of his background in the first book of the series and a lot more in the second book. Honestly I’m not typically a fan of fake marriage romances but I absolutely loved how this one was written...not a shock since Gina Azzi has been a one click author for me for a long time! This book is about communicating. Communicating in a relationship, with your family. And lack of communication can lead to a lot of, possibly unnecessary, heartbreak. Torsten and Rielle are acquaintances at the beginning of the book and they grow a lot personally and together through the story. This was a really quick read but it was the perfect length to get the complete story and fall in love with the characters. Next is book four and Austin! I can’t wait!

~Alexis💜

[Laura R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Torsten is on his last leg, having had a successful NHL career, he's getting close to retirement. But now, hurt, he’s contemplating re-signing with the Hawks for one more season. The problem is he needs a green card. Rielle has been having a hard time ever since she cut ties with her family, living paycheck to paycheck she is struggling to make ends meet and pay for her rent, and now that she's out of a job, she can't afford to be living in her apartment anymore. When the two of them run into each other at a bar and she tells Torsten her situation and he tells her his, they decide they can solve a lot of their problems by getting married – him with his green card and her with a place to stay. But when the fake marriage starts to feel like a real marriage, things get a little muddled. Can they actually make it work out or was it just never real to begin with?


This was cute. I love the fact that you have Torsten who is older than Rielle and head over heels for her, though he can't admit it to himself let alone to her how he feels. I loved the whole him being close to retirement because it gave his character a little extra depth, and the whole plot of their relationships with their families (not their families to the other, but Torsten with his and Rielle with hers) because they both get addressed in this book, and I love the fact that the plot really revolves around family or whatever it means to be family whether it's by marriage or by blood. I also love that we got to see some hockey – not a lot, but just a little bit because I feel like sometimes hockey romances can sorely lack any actual hockey. I really am enjoying this series and I cannot wait for the next installment and to see who the next couple is.

[Jackie Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m loving my visits to Boston and catching up with the Boston Hawks Hockey team and in The Faker we get Torsten and Rielle’s story and I have to say this is my favourite so far. We have met this couple before as Rielle is Claire’s best friend but even her best friend doesn’t know the extent of Rielle’s problems. This book drew me in from the first few pages and there was no putting down until I had read the final line so be prepared to have time to finish what you start with this great read.
After a very bad day and a few drinks Rielle finds herself unloading her problems to Torsten and she is totally surprised by his response. The pair come up with a plan to help solve both of their problems, a fake relationship will give them both what they need.....
Torsten stole my heart in this book and I loved watching this couple went go friends to lovers because truth be told they both deserved the happiness they were both seeking. This was a beautifully written romance and I was so happy I joined their journey from fake to forever. This book ticked all boxes, I swooned, I smiled, I sighed and I found myself cheering as this couple worked out their true feelings. This author has certainly given us some swoon worthy hero’s but it’s Torsten that holds a piece of my heart. Looking forward to the next instalment from the Boston Hawks, if you love hockey romances or just romance in general The Faker should definitely be on your radar.

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Torsten was a great secondary character in the previous two books and I was so happy going into this book knowing he was now one of the main characters. He honestly lived up to all the hype I myself had of him - and then some.
I liked how Rielle & Torsten have extremely similar backgrounds, and going in to their fake marriage it was something that they didn’t know about each other. But then again as the story progresses and their relationship becomes more real they both seem to leave their pasts out of the present.
These two are absolute fire together, and the unexpected feelings and second guessing between the pair is what brings me back to this trope time and again and Gina’s version is positively one of the best I have read recently.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book."

[Jenn the Readaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author, but it is far from the last I’ll ever read! In fact, I’m going to go back to the books before this one in the series. Not that I have to, since this reads well as a stand-alone and gives the info needed to know who everyone is, but because I was THAT involved in this story.

Torsten and Rielle fool themselves into believing that they’re marrying each other for all the “right” reasons. The “not love” reasons. So when lines get blurred and erased, hearts are on the line. And when Torsten needs to deal with family matters and some of the saddest days of his life, Rielle is by his side every step...until he pulls a dumb man move. I wanted to cry and scream at Torsten and cry for Rielle, but I also had to love how they were each set free. Free to find themselves. Free to wallow in misery. And free to stop and think about what they truly wanted out of it all....life, love, family. All of it.

This story flowed so well that I was stunned to find that I was halfway through. Then again when I realized that I’d hit the last page. Why? Because I wanted more. More pages. More time with Torsten and Rielle. So now I’ll head back to the beginning of the series and wait for the next new book to be written. Because I have a feeling this series will be a winner from start to finish.

[JudyAnnLovesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

With each and every book I read in Gina Azzi’s, Boston Hawks Hockey series, I fall more and more in love with her words. Gina doesn’t just write about hockey players, she writes about strong, relatable, and imperfect individuals, who are more than the sum of their broken parts. They are beautiful and special and lovable, their struggles will reel you in and you will want them, no need them, to overcome everything and survive. In the middle of this, there is an all consuming love story that will melt your heart. The Faker is Book 3 of the series and my favorite so far. Torsten and Rielle were a.m.a.z.i.n.g and their happily ever after heartbreaking and beautiful. Trust me when I say, these books are more than just hockey romances. TBR and Enjoy.

[Chrissy Ruolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Faker is the third book in the Boston Hawks Hockey series and is told in dual POV.
Torsten and Rielle’s story is about a Marriage of Convenience. They come to an arrangement that would benefit both of them in the long run; however neither one would have thought that love would be a factor. Lines are blurred and crossed causing hearts to get involved.
This was one of my favorite stories in this series. It had me rooting for Torsten and Arielle from the very beginning. I loved how they stood by and supported each other. There were moments where I wanted to yell at the two of them to just communicate their feeling because they both deserved their HEA with each other. I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book and it didn’t disappoint. Another winner by this wonderful author that I highly recommend.

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love Torsten and Rielle's story. I loved how it was written. It's so sweet but gripping. They have their own issues so when Torst proposed a marriage to solve their problems, they jumped in headfirst. Rielle didn't know Torst was going to be a very sweet and caring guy to live with. The longer they are in the marriage, the deeper their feeling got for each other. But there is always something waiting to push them back.

I just loved these two. They are perfect and stronger together. And they fall hard for each other.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story, 5 hockey stars for this one!

I fell hard for Torsten, his hockey career is basically over, he's playing his last season because his body can't take and heal from injuries. The only problem is, once he's done he's got to go back to Norway, and that's the last thing he wants to do. While at the bar one night he runs into Rielle, a friend of the captains sister. He can tell she's not herself so he saddles up next to her to keep her safe, which isn't a hardship, he thinks she's beautiful!

Rielle just lost her job, a job she needs very bad regardless of the jerk boss that fired her. Faced with eviction, and loans to pay back, she stops in the bar to drink her sorrows away when Torsten comes over to her and they enjoy the night drinking and having fun.

Watch as these two try to help each other out with the problems, I loved this story I know you will too! Grab it asap!

[Marisela M. Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rielle and Tortsen story was absolutely amazing. I just adored this story so much. It had me smiling and laughing. 🩷

[Tanja OMGReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was super excited to start this book. I loved Torsten since book 1 and I wanted him to find someone to share his burden with. His and Rielle's relationship was not standard but they clicked and were made for each other. They both have a lot of baggage and are refusing to accept help which at end almost breaks their bond.

Luckily they figure out in time that together they are stronger and better and cannot live without each other and I was left with the biggest smile on my face when I saw 'big daddy' getting his HEA.

***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog * * *

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars: This was nice enough, it just felt like every single issue in this book could have been avoided with a little better communication.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Torsten Hansen is a 38-year-old defenceman for the Boston Hawks in the NHL, having been signed since he was 38. But he knows that at the end of the season, he will be hanging up his skates, having dislocated his shoulder multiple times, his ankle not healing correctly, and his head getting knocked a few times, which has taken its toll on his body. However, he knows that once his job ends so does his visa. And since he has left several times to go check on his grandmother, his primary caregiver growing up, which nullified his permanent status paperwork for immigration.

So when he is talking to his lawyer he asks him to look into other long-term gigs so that he can continue to live in America. The lawyer said as a joke, Marriage is the fastest, but that is not an option since he knows he’s not dating anyone. But lo and behold if the perfect woman is put right in front of him. Rielle Carter, twenty-five, is friends with Claire Merrick who was the one nursing Easton back to health. Torsten plays hockey with them. Rielle has spent a lot of time at this pub with Claire since her brother Austin is the team captain and Easton is the left wing.

Torsten had seen Rie many times at different functions with Claire, in fact, the last time she had captivated him while she was on the dance floor. The girls were overly tipsy, but the guys were there to guide them when it was time to leave and Torsten was there to take her home. On this day Rie scurried into Taps. The atmosphere is warm. The bartender, Pete, is a familiar face. And no one looks at her, a girl with tears in her eyes, twice. As soon as she has a glass of Merlot in hand, my body relaxes slightly.

Rie takes a deep sip and lets the bold taste roll down her throat. She’s going to be okay. She’ll figure something out. But what? The adrenaline that’s been buzzing through her limbs since Stu touched her without permission begins to recede. Exhaustion now sweeps through her. The door to Taps opened and Torsten Hansen, a defenceman for the Hawks not to mention, sex on a stick, had just walked in. Could this night get any worse? When they made eye contact across the bar he knew something was wrong it was like she had a black cloud above her.

He started to move to her instead she moved to him. Last night, his hockey team, the Boston Hawks, won their first playoff game. Afterwards, they celebrated with a few beers, but tonight, everyone is with their families. Everyone except him. His family, if you can call them that, is all in Norway, and at nearly thirty-eight years old, he still hasn’t found the right woman to settle down with there in America. The silver lining of this being his last season; soon, he won’t be in physical pain all the time.

But other issues plagued him, how would he stay in America if he could find a long-term job, and then love/marriage? Tonight, Rie’s none of the normal things she’s noted for. Always full of smiles and ready for a good time. However, tonight her shoulders are curved inward and her arms are wrapped protectively around her torso, as if she wants to disappear into herself. For a woman who always stands tall and proud, he’s startled by this version of her. Tonight, she looks beyond sad. She offers him a small smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.

His concern spikes and he leans forward, staring intently at her watery eyes, her puffy lips. Has she been crying? He witnessed a version of her I never considered. The larger-than-life, dazzling woman is living paycheck to paycheck. Just scraping by. She shifts to reach for her wine glass and I narrow my eyes. Are those bruises on her arm? His heightening concern is swept away by a rush of anger. Who the f--k dared to put his hands on her? “Who the f--k marked your arm?”

He growls. “Rielle, what happened tonight?” “I lost my job.” “Why? What happened?” Yes. “Tell me what you need. Right now, don’t even think about it.” “Why are you being so nice to me?” She whispers. He frowns. “You must know I am the nicest guy on the Hawks.” She snorts. “That’d be Noah. Or Austin.” “Screw them,” he jokes, and she gives him an almost-smile. “Because I know what it’s like to be alone and hurting even when you’re surrounded by people.” Then he gets her opinion on a matter for a friend who had a hard decision to make.

See how these two unattached people, with no real family to speak of, or at least that they could rely on. Seems to work out the details on how to become a couple in order to fulfill both of their needs. Love may not have been a motivator, but their infatuation for one another, and respect, for one another is what helped in the end. That's what fueled it originally, was desperation.

[whatjtreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Faker is the third book in the Boston Hawks Hockey series, and this might be my favorite. I am a sucker for a masculine, confident man who has a soft side and just wants to take care of the people he loves. Torsten Hansen moved to the US to play hockey for the past 20 years, and at 38 he's about to retire. After a successful career, his injuries have caught up to him and he's made peace with retiring from hockey. However, he would still love to stay in the US, and this is the last time he'll be able to apply for citizenship. Rielle Carter is only 24, just graduated from college and trying to establish her career in the marketing world. She's estranged from her family, values her independence, but struggling to make ends meet with a difficult career she's not too passionate about and being away from her family. When Torsten proposes a marriage of convenience, they both think they'll be able to help each other without getting their real feelings involved.

Honestly, Torsten might be my favorite of all the guys. A kind hearted, generous man nicknamed Big Daddy cause he takes care of everyone, Torsten wants to take care of Ri too. She may be young, but he recognizes similarities in her: the desire to distance themselves from their family, frayed relationships with their parents, wanting to prove themselves, having to struggle emotionally and financially. These things aren't what people talk about, but Torsten sees Ri grappling with these difficult issues and he can't help but reach out. Ri is young and has made so many mistakes, trusting people she shouldn't have, with too much pride to go back home. She accepts Torsten's help, but is certain to make sure she doesn't overstep her boundaries and take advantage. Both Torsten and Ri put each other first, but there's always been an expiration date to their relationship and they fear admitting their real feelings even though they both don't want to leave. Perhaps it's this fact that makes both Torsten and Ri hesitant to reach out and grab love in their hands, because they're too afraid to admit to themselves that their relationship can be real and true.

"I don't want to live my life with burdens on my soul, with regrets in my blood."

Though this is a romance, at the heart, it's also a story about family and coming home again. That no matter where you go and what you do, what mistakes you make and what bridges you burn, you can always come home again. But home isn't a place or a country, it's the people that love and accept you and both Rielle and Torsten found home in each other. 

"I want all your dreams to come true. But you're my dream. You are my home and we both know, there's nothing like a homecoming."

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Faker
Boston Hawks Hockey bk 3
by Gina Azzi
Narrated by: Jay Alder & Verla Bond

I love the city of Boston and every time Gina Azzi takes me there, I know I am in for some fun! This is the third book in her Boston Hawks Hockey series and it's fantastic. Torston has been in the states for 20 years. Hockey was not his family's choice of professions for him, but he took the chance to follow his dream and left Norway and his family behind. Except for his grandmother. Now older, with a persistent injury, he knows his time for retirement has come and he may have to go back to Norway.. Rielle is trying to break into marketing. On her own, deeply in debt and refusing to ask for help from her family, she is facing homelessness. When she and Torston hook up one night, the marriage proposal he made, may just be the answer she is looking for. But will a fake marriage really solve both of their problems? What will their friends think? And will their feelings get in the way of business? Fun! Fun! Fun! This book has a mix of tropes making it a blast to listen to. It's romantic, and Torston's accent is swoonworthy! It's sports, and I love hockey romances! It's a little angsty, taking us to the brink of unhappiness and hurt. And it's finding the happiness we all strive for. All the feelings, all the fun, all the family feel with the characters we already know and the family's we meet. I enjoyed this story! Azzi writes with a flare that is easy to read, romantic and always has enough to sink my teeth into. It's a pleasure to listen to it.

Jay Alder is a fantastic pick as Torston. His Norwegian accent is spot on, and melted my heart. Torston is emotional, and Alder picks up all the nuances, making his realistic and believable. Verla Bond voices Rielle. Rielle is strong and a little inflexible. Bond throws in the inflections to give her passion with an edge of stubbornness. Bond knows just when to make her compassion come through and makes Rielle authentic. This is a wonderful listen and one you do not want to miss.

#ALC #comingsoon #bostonhawkshockey #sportsromance #fakemarriage #audioromance #contemporaryromance #ginaazzi #jayalder #verlabond #pinkflamingoproductions #theflock

[Dotti Elrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Faker
Torsten and Rielle
A fake marriage/age gap (13 yrs) romance

This was a good story. I really liked both main characters.
Rielle is struggling. After her finances were cut off by her father, she went to a family friend for a loan to pay for college. After graduating, finding a decent paying job was not as easy as she’d hoped. Now she’s without her job, about to be homeless with crippling loan payments due, she’s done. She’s too proud to ask for help. Unwilling to unload on her friends.
Torsten knows he’s coming to the end of his hockey career. Losing his career also means losing his green card. The last thing he wants is to go back to Norway. For the last twenty years he’s lived and worked in Boston. Only returning to Oslo to visit his grandmother, the only family he still acknowledges. Now her health is failing, without his green card he will not be able to travel back and forth to be there for her. Then his lawyer throws out a hair-brained and illegal idea. Get married.
The only woman who has caught his attention lately is the lovely Rielle. A friend of his captains sister.
After a lengthy conversation where they both lay everything out, they agree to this marriage. He’ll pay off her debts, he’ll be able to travel to be there with his grandmother. It’s a win-win. Until those pesky feelings show up.
These two have secretly been attracted to each other. It doesn’t take long for this fake marriage to start to feel very real.
Torsten has been a background character in the earlier books. The oldest guy on the team. He’s been dubbed, Big Daddy. He was always fun and so full of personality.
Rielle has also been around, but she’s always been very stoic. The “workaholic”, always having to run off to deal with her job.
This was a great story. It was the wise words of one grandmother that healed two families.
I loved that we got an actual epilogue in this book that wrapped up some questions and not a peek into the next book.
Dual points of view
No cheating
It’s heartbreaking at times, but they do find that HEA

[MNHockeymomreads (Heather) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Gina’s third book in the Boston Hawks series. I have loved all of them, but I think this one might be my favorite thus far. I knew that I was going to fall in love with Torsten. But I wasn’t prepared to want to be BFF’s with Rielle! The pair have mutual friends, and have spent time together in the past. But it isn’t until a night of drinking and shenanigans does the idea form to marry…..at the mutual satisfaction of both parties.
Rielle is one of the strongest female characters I have read in a while, and I love how determined she is to make it on her own. My heart hurt for her as the world she carefully crafted was crumbling around her. She was too prideful to let on to others that she was struggling to keep up. Torsten noticed, and wanted nothing more than to step in and help, but his world was also slowly coming undone.
I loved how Gina not only brought these two together, but how their relationship grew. They had amazing chemistry and a deep connection but they also had a great friendship. Torsten is a natural caretaker, and loves to love people. From the start he embraces he and Rielle’s life together, and is just really the sweetest. Torsten is definitely high on the book boyfriend list…..and when it gets steamy it is steamy!!! I also enjoyed how previous characters in the series played a role in their lives and relationship. Claire made me laugh on several occasions, and I love how she showed up for Rielle.
I am a sucker for a marriage of convenience, and this one was stellar! I would recommend this series and book to anyone that loves some romance with their hockey! The books build on each other, and I love how we get snippets of characters in previous books and she teases us for the next books in the series! The characters have a lot of chemistry and the steamy scenes are hot but in no way take away from the storyline! I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It’s as if we’re standing on a cliff and we both know that if we take this step, we’re going to tumble over the edge. We just don’t know how far the fall is or what perils wait for us when we land."

This book was EVERYTHING! Torsten and Rielle entered into a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience. With his injuries threatening the end of his hockey career, Torsten needed a way to stay in the country while still having the option to travel back to his native Norway to see his grandmother. Searching beyond her struggles for a fresh start, Rielle accepted Torsten's offer. Full of complicated pasts and twisted family histories, they found their solution in each other.

With a foundation of friendship, Torsten and Rielle started to fall for each other. In the midst of family expectations and conflicted feelings, trust and vulnerability arose as they fell deeper into one another. It became an all-consuming, soul crushing kind of love and it tore me apart from the inside out in the best possible way.

I loved everything about this book! Beautifully written and full of so much emotion, this story has become my favorite of the series. There were so many layers of complexities in this installment and it shone through them all. I loved Rielle's fierce independence and her desire to carve her own path. And I don't have enough words to express my feelings for Torsten. Strong, passionate and intense with empathy and selflessness, always protecting of those he loves, there was so much more to him than what first meets the eye. Family relationships also played a large role in this story and those between Torsten and his grandmother and Rielle and her father brought me to tears.

This book was a look at making choices and breaking free from expectations and assumptions, and perhaps most importantly, asking yourself what you truly want and following your heart as you find your way to the person who makes you whole.

[~lil maso~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book was a fantastic read and as this series goes along the stories and characters are getting better and better. We saw Torsten and Rielle in previous books and you got little snippets of what their story would entail. And where it was gonna go. But I didn't expect it to be such a heartbreakingly beautiful love story.

This isn't a conventional romance, it's a fake marriage that takes a turn to real feelings. In the midst of heartbreaking news, feelings are tested and hearts are broken. When all that is needed to stop what is happening is a conversation. One that occurs but for me it didn't need to take as long as it does. They both need to stop running from their pasts with their families and just be happy together.

This book is an emotional read but one that I devoured in a day. This is a great book and a great series. A huge recommendation from me.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*

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[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with this series!!

The Faker is Torsten's and Rielle's story in the Boston Hawks series. Torsten knows how career is nearing the end and is trying to figure out how to stay in the country he's lived in for nearly 20 years. There's nothing for him back in Norway except his grandmother who is doing poorly. Rielle has been trying to make ends meet and gets fired for turning away from her bosses advances. She can't afford to be fired considering the amount of debt she's in. Torsten and Rielle agree to get married to help him stay in the country and he'll pay off her debt.

This seems like the perfect setup except their attempt to keep it platonic doesn't work very well. They start having feeling for each other.

Things start going really well for them until Torsten gets the call he's been dreading... his grandmother is sick and he needs to come home.

And this is where the family drama happens... and omg is it ever drama. I can't believe what his father did to him. There are a couple of omg surprises but Torsten decides that if he has to stay in Norway that he wants Rielle to have her freedom back... not that she even wanted it.

Thankfully everything worked out for them and family issues on both sides were resolved.. and it's a HAE!!

I ❤❤❤ their story.. they may be my v favorite couple of the series so far... but I guess we'll see when the Boston Hawks captains book comes out! So excited!!

I recieved an ARC for my honest review.

[CurlUpWithBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I would love Torsten and Rielle after meeting them in the first two books in this series. Their fun and flirty banter had me blushing. These two had a natural friendship and attraction that exploded on the page.

Torsten and Rielle have been friends for a while. Coming to the end of his hockey career, Torsten wants to stay in the US, but his options are not looking good. Rielle is down on her luck with work and struggling with financial issues. Torsten comes up with a plan with a marriage of convenience that will solve both their problems.

Even though they go through with this arrangement, they share a connection that goes beyond their contract. I loved how flirty and playful they were with each other. I loved how they communicated about their fears and their dreams. I loved how possessive Torsten was of Rielle but at the same time had the softest, most swooniest side as well.

As their story unfolds, you and the characters realize how much they have in common; their family histories, establishing their identities after a phase of their life is over.

I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of hockey romance, the marriage of convenience trope, and love experiencing wonderful characters realize how much they love each other.

*Thank you, Gina Azzi and Give Me Books Promotions for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Deborah Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gina Azzi has written a fabulous story that starts with the necessity of a fake marriage that develops into so much more for the two main characters. What Rielle and Torsten most want is right under their noses, if they only look hard enough. After all, it takes two to make the perfect couple.

What do you do when you keep getting eviction notices pinned to your apartment door, your boss keeps hitting on you and your debts are piling up? You drown your sorrows with shots of really good tequila and hope that they disappear. Especially when you do shots with a Norwegian god of a defenseman who is battling too many years of injuries while playing hockey and a possible trip back to his homeland. Rielle and Torsten come up with a mutually beneficial marriage agreement that will see Torsten being able to stay in the US married to her in exchange for him paying off Rielle's outstanding student loan. What neither of them bargain on is a little thing called emotions that interfere with their agreement. They discover that love crosses the boundaries they set for themselves but they don't dare voice those feelings. When they both want the relationship to be real, that's when the real work begins. Unfortunately, the best laid plans don't always come to fruition and hearts can be hurt. Will they ever be able to find their happily ever after without clearing the air between them?

This book brought out the deep emotions in me. I was rooting for the home team as they played for their Stanley Cup and I absolutely cheered for Rielle and Torsten to find love. There are always wins and losses when reading and this one definitely goes in the win column. Five stars all the way!

[LivingLovingReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Torsten and Rielle
A marriage of convenience that is meant to get them both the life they want, but when the feelings turn real and an end date still looms, what will they do?

Rielle may believe she’s messed up her whole life, but I think she’s pretty awesome. She’s strong, independent, and knows when to put her foot down. I love how she dealt with her boss and his sexual harassment, and I love even more how Torsten went in and backed her up. He made a stand that left them no option to sweep it under the rug! These are two amazing characters that feel so deep but for every step forward they take there is something waiting to push them back. There are so many times I wanted to reach into the pages and knock them upside the head and tell them to just talk to each other! But once they did- boy did they get it all right! Their relationship ends up being the stuff fairy tales are made of! This couple may seriously be one of my favorite ever!
If you haven’t read this series... go do it now! Every single book Gina Azzi has written is amazing and this one is no different! You won’t want to miss it!

[Nicole Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm loving this series so far. This is Torsten a.k.a Big Daddy and Rielle (Claire's Best Friend). Big Daddy needs a new way to stay in the country runs into Rielle a woman he has been fantasies about on one of her worst days she got an eviction notice, was sexually harassed by her boss and fired and she has a huge loan she owes to someone who was a family friend who took advantage of her. After a couple shots Torsten proposes to take care of her loan if she will marry him for a green card. Loved their story, you have two characters that have an emotional connection as both of them are estranged from their family for pursuing their dream and not doing what their father expected. What started as an arrangement turns to something more but because of lack of communication come bad decisions. I have a love and hate relationship with Torsten he is a hot hockey player, from another country so he has an accent, he is generous and has a big heart plus his nickname is Big Daddy. What aggravated me is he could come off cold and emotional less and not realize it.

I received an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.

[World Of Books 65 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Hockey Romance’s, they are my reading kryptonite. The Boston Hawks Hockey series has been one of my must-read series. I love all the players, the few who have found their HEA and the ones still to come. But Rielle and Torsten are my favorite couple so far. I am a sucker for a fake marriage, but the spin of Torsten coming to the end of his career and the family drama back in Norway made The Faker a unique storyline.

"Do you love him?”- “Yes” – “Then why do you cry” – “Because I want him to love me back”. . That conversation between Rielle and Torsten’s grandmother had me reaching for tissues as my heart broke a little for her. Rielle decided to go against her father's wishes on a career choice, now she is in a job she hates, with masses of debt, when Torsten offers her the chance to be debt-free she decides to help him. But right from the start, the chemistry is obvious, but it is so much more than that and Ms. Azzi draws out this couple's feelings brilliantly.

If I had one wish and that is that Torsten’s brother and cousins get their stories.