What do you think?
Rate this book
Ironfield Forge #1
Adrian
“I want to have a baby…and I’d like you to be the daddy.”
As the captain of a professional hockey team, I’ve heard every pick-up line imaginable. But I never expected to be propositioned by my sweet, virginal best friend.
Clover’s a beautiful, pint-sized serving of mischief, but she’s far too innocent to spend a night with a man as rough as me. She doesn’t know what she’s asking…or what happens to curious girls who tangle themselves in my sheets.
She calls it purely platonic procreation.
I call it a mistake.
Unfortunately, Clover’s picked the worst time to sneak into my bed. Between my recovery from a near career-ending injury and my responsibilities as captain, I can’t be distracted by my best friend surrendering herself to my most forbidden fantasy.
Because when one night becomes two, and two becomes three…
Is it worth sacrificing our friendship if this could become so much more?
ADRIAN is a safe, best-friends-to-lovers baby-making romantic comedy featuring a too-hot-for-the-ice hockey player. With a guaranteed happily-ever-after and those famous hockey glutes, this new sports romance from Wall-Street Journal Best Selling Author Sosie Frost is so naughty you should read it in the penalty box.
As the captain of a professional hockey team, I’ve heard every pick-up line imaginable. But I never expected to be propositioned by my sweet, virginal best friend.
Clover’s a beautiful, pint-sized serving of mischief, but she’s far too innocent to spend a night with a man as rough as me. She doesn’t know what she’s asking…or what happens to curious girls who tangle themselves in my sheets.
She calls it purely platonic procreation.
I call it a mistake.
Unfortunately, Clover’s picked the worst time to sneak into my bed. Between my recovery from a near career-ending injury and my responsibilities as captain, I can’t be distracted by my best friend surrendering herself to my most forbidden fantasy.
Because when one night becomes two, and two becomes three…
Is it worth sacrificing our friendship if this could become so much more?
ADRIAN is a safe, best-friends-to-lovers baby-making romantic comedy featuring a too-hot-for-the-ice hockey player. With a guaranteed happily-ever-after and those famous hockey glutes, this new sports romance from Wall-Street Journal Best Selling Author Sosie Frost is so naughty you should read it in the penalty box.
425 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2021
217 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
January 7, 2021
Meet Clover and Adrian, best friends, turned more when Clover decides she wants a baby with her best friend Adrian. This book was super fun to read, it’s sexy and sweet and you can’t help but fall head over heels for these two characters. I’m excited to read more from this series in the future!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 7, 2021
Let's Play hockey! Adrian is the first book in this new series surrounding The Ironfield Forge team. Adrian has always played hockey but coming off an injury to his manhood he is ready to paly for the expansion team and be closer to his childhood best friend Clover. What he doesn't count on is the team of misfits he will be the Captain of and can he wrangle them all in!
Clover is a flight attendant that has never found that right guy and maybe it is because she is always comparing them to her best friend Adrian. When an injury takes him down she runs to be by his side he may have been a bit to honest while coming out of anesthesia. He reveals a few secrets that he may have been keeping. This new information now gives Clover the insight to what she has has been craving ... a baby. Who better to be her partner than her hunky best friend.
This couple is sweet, cute, funny and have wonderful chemistry and laugh out loud witty banter! Loved their adventures. Excited for this series.
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Clover is a flight attendant that has never found that right guy and maybe it is because she is always comparing them to her best friend Adrian. When an injury takes him down she runs to be by his side he may have been a bit to honest while coming out of anesthesia. He reveals a few secrets that he may have been keeping. This new information now gives Clover the insight to what she has has been craving ... a baby. Who better to be her partner than her hunky best friend.
This couple is sweet, cute, funny and have wonderful chemistry and laugh out loud witty banter! Loved their adventures. Excited for this series.
~~Michele McMullen ~~
January 3, 2021
Sosie Frost is back!!! If you’ve read Sosie Frost before, then you know she is a gift to the BWWM genre! Her stories are swoon worthy, laugh out loud masterpieces.
Adrian- An Ironfield Forge Hockey Romance, is the first in the series about a new Ironfield team. From other books, readers know that Ironfield is a football town. However, things are about to change!
Adrian is a professional hockey player that requests to be sent to the Forge in the expansion draft. Part of his motivation is to escape focus on an injury he sustained in a very unique location & in a very unique way. The other motivation for Adrian is that Ironfield is where his best friend Clover lives.
Clover (who is as cute as her name) is a flight attendant that travels the world looking for adventure. She’s the spark to her best friend Adrian’s stability. Clover propositions Adrian with helping her make a baby, and since Adrian cannot deny Clover this happiness, he agrees. This is where the fun begins!
Adrian and Clover have been best friends since Kindergarten. While this is a best friends to lovers romance, it’s easy to see the love between the two from the start. Frost brings her hysterical scenes and wit (#Slip&Slice) to Adrian’s book, and there were several times that I found myself laughing loudly!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I am a HUGE fan of this author and was happily surprised by this new book & series. I will absolutely borrow this book via Kindle Unlimited and read again!
I highly recommend Adrian- An Ironfield Forge Hockey Romance. Sosie Frost is starting my 2021 right. I have missed this author and am so excited for the stories of Adrian’s team members. I believe that Beau is up next and cannot wait for the hijinks that await.
If you have not read Sosie Frost before, you are missing out. You should definitely read her other series and one-click this book!!
Adrian- An Ironfield Forge Hockey Romance, is the first in the series about a new Ironfield team. From other books, readers know that Ironfield is a football town. However, things are about to change!
Adrian is a professional hockey player that requests to be sent to the Forge in the expansion draft. Part of his motivation is to escape focus on an injury he sustained in a very unique location & in a very unique way. The other motivation for Adrian is that Ironfield is where his best friend Clover lives.
Clover (who is as cute as her name) is a flight attendant that travels the world looking for adventure. She’s the spark to her best friend Adrian’s stability. Clover propositions Adrian with helping her make a baby, and since Adrian cannot deny Clover this happiness, he agrees. This is where the fun begins!
Adrian and Clover have been best friends since Kindergarten. While this is a best friends to lovers romance, it’s easy to see the love between the two from the start. Frost brings her hysterical scenes and wit (#Slip&Slice) to Adrian’s book, and there were several times that I found myself laughing loudly!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I am a HUGE fan of this author and was happily surprised by this new book & series. I will absolutely borrow this book via Kindle Unlimited and read again!
I highly recommend Adrian- An Ironfield Forge Hockey Romance. Sosie Frost is starting my 2021 right. I have missed this author and am so excited for the stories of Adrian’s team members. I believe that Beau is up next and cannot wait for the hijinks that await.
If you have not read Sosie Frost before, you are missing out. You should definitely read her other series and one-click this book!!
January 28, 2021
Clover and Adrian are best friends so when Clover decides that she wants to have a baby she knows that Adrian is the one she wants for the father. Adrian is stunned when she tells him about wanting a baby but totally flabergasted that she wants him for the baby daddy. She waits until they are in flight so he has no escape to tell him so that is very telling. He worries that she is only doing this because she is lonely. Clover thinks he doesn't want to do it because of a recent injury has him worrying he can't have children. He agrees and things heat up between them. However as things get messy with the team and Clover doesn't immediately get pregnant tempers flare. Can Adrian and Clover see that they are perfect for one another? Will Adrian finally get his team under control?
This is a great story that will captivate you from beginning to end. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a great story that will captivate you from beginning to end. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 9, 2021
Clover has baby fever and she wants her platonic best male friend, Adrian to be the father. He’s convinced she needs to visit another travel destination on her “bucket” list. However, Clover will not be denied, and Adrian is definitely opposed to the turkey baster method. Which means these two will be hitting the sheets (over and over again) until the bun is in the oven or they exhaust themselves trying to reach the finish line. All the fun is in them getting there.
Highly Recommended: Read It.
Highly Recommended: Read It.
January 27, 2021
Clover and Adrian are best friends turned lovers when Clover decides she wants a baby with Adrian. Adrian is coming off an injury from his hockey playing. Clover is determined to have a baby. The two come together and end up finding out they want to be more than just friends and parents. A cute, sweet story with plenty of steam.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am leaving a review.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am leaving a review.
Want to read
November 28, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/28/2021)! 🎁
January 4, 2021
Adrian by Sosie Frost an ice cool five-star read. This is the first in the new Ironfield Forge series and shows great promise of what an amazing series we are looking forward to. This may feature Adrian as the main character, but we meet a fantastic selection of players, they are each teased and leave you wanting so much more, but amazingly don’t take away from the main story of Adrian and his best friend Clover, this was really nice and super-hot. You will be enthralled by Clover, as she realises what is truly important and fall head over skates for Adrian as he wows on and off the ice with his strength and durability. Do not miss this amazing series starter.
January 24, 2022
This was a good read. Adrian and Clover have been friends for a long time. Of course both have feelings for each other but never said anything. Now they are going to make a baby together. Which makes things complicated with their feelings. Luckily in the end everything works out for them and they get their happy ending.
January 9, 2021
SO,, SO BAD.
A 28 year old sexy, flirtatious, beautiful VIRGIN FLIGHT ATTENDANT????
Give me a break...
A 28 year old sexy, flirtatious, beautiful VIRGIN FLIGHT ATTENDANT????
Give me a break...
January 20, 2021
Too much internal dialogue for me. I felt like it took too long to move the story forward at a good pace because of it
January 27, 2021
Disappointing!
Repetitive inner dialogue. No character development. Cringy sex scenes. I would not recommend this book. Hopefully the rest of the series gets better.
Repetitive inner dialogue. No character development. Cringy sex scenes. I would not recommend this book. Hopefully the rest of the series gets better.
June 23, 2024
I can't.... plot was fine but language and descriptions were not for me. The amount of time the hero said "womb" was cringe worthy.
January 8, 2021
***I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review***
I just love Clover & Adrian sooo freaking much. So many lovely & disastrous moments. I really love the level of detail that went into this story. Clever barbs about Marie Kondo & Sun Tzu show an intelligence that just usually isn’t evident in most romance stories. Clover Crosby is a flight attendant. Adrian Alaric is a hockey player & captain of the Ironfield Forge. They have known each other since kindergarten. The book starts with Adrian at the doctor’s office. A follow-up after his most embarrassing injury of getting hit in the groin with a hockey puck which was all over social media. There is this hilarious moment where he knocks the male anatomy model over & the penis becomes imbedded in the knothole in the floor. Next enters the doctor who messes with him a little bit which I thought was unprofessional. Still, she gives him a cup to get a specimen sample of his sperm which he takes but does not follow through on. For me, I was chagrined. After a serious injury like that- I mean his testicles ruptured, wouldn’t you want to know that the swimmers are swimming??? Even Clover says to Adrian that he could tell her anything including “how the sausage & eggs are frying in your pants today”. Meanwhile, Clover doesn’t ever tell Adrian she is a virgin but it’s inferred when we find out she is getting off on her best friend’s hot tub jets & other household appliances. Summarily, it all amounts to that Clover wants to have a baby with Adrian. She is tired of flying all over the world & wants to settle down. Adrian at first balks at the proposition of being the baby daddy but of course is won over by the prospect of sex. Still, there is wariness because they are so obviously in love with each other & neither wants to admit it. The sex is raw & intense. Heady, steamy & sticky. Add in a party from hell at Adrian’s in which his fellow players try to turn his hot tub into a fondue pot, bring out the paintball guns & accidentally order male strippers who impromptu mud wrestle. The longer it goes on the worse it gets. It ends with the Russian guy, Vasha dropping his pants to show off his heart-shaped pubes & a live-tweeted brawl between Leo & Felix. Always a moment of chaos. Then on the disastrous flight from Ironfield to San Francisco, the cat- Sniffles gets loose. The owner digging through her bra for hidden cat treats was quite the visual of hilarity. Along with Adrian stuck between two nuns for the duration of the flight. From there is gets worse (or better, I can’t decide). Adrian gets up from his seat & one of the nuns goes to reach for his ass. He then hands the toddler who is throwing a tantrum for cookie a hockey puck. Big mistake. The toddler throws it, hits one of the nuns in the face & there is blood everywhere. The offended/bloody nun brings out a ruler & intends to smack the child which gave me flashbacks to the Catholic grade school I attended as a child. Meanwhile, Clover is dashing about trying to corral the cat. Adrian comes to the rescue, handles the crises & delivers the cat back to its crate. At this point, I am rolling in laughter. A couple more PR disasters later, Adrian & Clover are making some very real choices when it comes to their careers. They own up to their love for one another. I think that drew the most tension for the book along with every reader secretly wondering is Adrian really healed from his injury & will they make a baby after 4 months of trying to conceive? It delves into some very real issues that most people deal with- self sabotage, loneliness & healthy attachment. For a moment, I was panicked as much a Clover when she is called about Adrian not showing up for practice but then he shows up on the flight & proposes to her. Gotta have that happily ever after. This story is fun, sexy & the wildest of rides.
I just love Clover & Adrian sooo freaking much. So many lovely & disastrous moments. I really love the level of detail that went into this story. Clever barbs about Marie Kondo & Sun Tzu show an intelligence that just usually isn’t evident in most romance stories. Clover Crosby is a flight attendant. Adrian Alaric is a hockey player & captain of the Ironfield Forge. They have known each other since kindergarten. The book starts with Adrian at the doctor’s office. A follow-up after his most embarrassing injury of getting hit in the groin with a hockey puck which was all over social media. There is this hilarious moment where he knocks the male anatomy model over & the penis becomes imbedded in the knothole in the floor. Next enters the doctor who messes with him a little bit which I thought was unprofessional. Still, she gives him a cup to get a specimen sample of his sperm which he takes but does not follow through on. For me, I was chagrined. After a serious injury like that- I mean his testicles ruptured, wouldn’t you want to know that the swimmers are swimming??? Even Clover says to Adrian that he could tell her anything including “how the sausage & eggs are frying in your pants today”. Meanwhile, Clover doesn’t ever tell Adrian she is a virgin but it’s inferred when we find out she is getting off on her best friend’s hot tub jets & other household appliances. Summarily, it all amounts to that Clover wants to have a baby with Adrian. She is tired of flying all over the world & wants to settle down. Adrian at first balks at the proposition of being the baby daddy but of course is won over by the prospect of sex. Still, there is wariness because they are so obviously in love with each other & neither wants to admit it. The sex is raw & intense. Heady, steamy & sticky. Add in a party from hell at Adrian’s in which his fellow players try to turn his hot tub into a fondue pot, bring out the paintball guns & accidentally order male strippers who impromptu mud wrestle. The longer it goes on the worse it gets. It ends with the Russian guy, Vasha dropping his pants to show off his heart-shaped pubes & a live-tweeted brawl between Leo & Felix. Always a moment of chaos. Then on the disastrous flight from Ironfield to San Francisco, the cat- Sniffles gets loose. The owner digging through her bra for hidden cat treats was quite the visual of hilarity. Along with Adrian stuck between two nuns for the duration of the flight. From there is gets worse (or better, I can’t decide). Adrian gets up from his seat & one of the nuns goes to reach for his ass. He then hands the toddler who is throwing a tantrum for cookie a hockey puck. Big mistake. The toddler throws it, hits one of the nuns in the face & there is blood everywhere. The offended/bloody nun brings out a ruler & intends to smack the child which gave me flashbacks to the Catholic grade school I attended as a child. Meanwhile, Clover is dashing about trying to corral the cat. Adrian comes to the rescue, handles the crises & delivers the cat back to its crate. At this point, I am rolling in laughter. A couple more PR disasters later, Adrian & Clover are making some very real choices when it comes to their careers. They own up to their love for one another. I think that drew the most tension for the book along with every reader secretly wondering is Adrian really healed from his injury & will they make a baby after 4 months of trying to conceive? It delves into some very real issues that most people deal with- self sabotage, loneliness & healthy attachment. For a moment, I was panicked as much a Clover when she is called about Adrian not showing up for practice but then he shows up on the flight & proposes to her. Gotta have that happily ever after. This story is fun, sexy & the wildest of rides.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2021
I got this book as an ARC and immediately jumped in because I love Sosie Frost and the world she’s built in Ironfield. I’m not exactly an avid hockey fan, though I’ve been to my fair share of games, back when Houston still had a professional team (don’t get me started on that—it’ll be a whole tangent and this is a book review, lol). I do love books about hockey, though. Especially of the romance variety, seeing as how I’m a romance author/editor/superfan. So of course when I saw that Sosie was expanding her Ironfield world into hockey, of course I jumped at the chance to read her new series first!
Clover wants a baby. But she’s single and not exactly interested in any man around her. She’s too busy jet-setting around the world with her bestie, the new captain of the Ironfield Forge, Adrian. He’s fully recovered from an injury that everyone in the world can’t stop talking about and it’s a MAJORLY EMBARRASSING ONE. I don’t usually do spoilers, and I can’t remember if it’s in the blurb or not so I’ll mark this as spoilery, but he took a puck to the balls. And one actually ruptured. Yeah. Ouch is putting it lightly.
So, what worked for me was the easy friendship between Clover and Adrian. They had chemistry and history and knew each other inside and out. Except... he had no idea she was a virgin. That’s the kind of thing best friends know. I found it a little strange that even though Clover knew about Adrian’s sex life, he knew nothing about hers. But okay, it furthers part of the plot. I can go with that.
What bothered me was that she kept insisting that what was missing was a baby. What would fix her life was a baby. What would make her whole was a baby. That’s not how this works, sweets. I get it. You want to settle down and stop just being a freebird. But why wait so long to reveal the truth of what was said in the hospital? And why doesn’t Adrian EVER take the test? Why bring the doc into the picture at all if he never goes back?
Okay, I guess I did get spoilery in this review.
That’s why I knocked off a star... I didn’t get why she took so long to just come out with the truth and he didn’t just put on his big boy pants and take the test. Or tell the team the truth about why the team was put together to begin with.
I am super interested to see if the other guys on the team can get their shirt together and actually be a team vs the spoiled ashholes we see throughout the book. Especially Beau. Ugh, I wanted to punch him every time he was on the page. Which means Sosie will give him an EPIC redemption, and likely make me wait forever for it because she knows how to build suspense. 😭
Clover wants a baby. But she’s single and not exactly interested in any man around her. She’s too busy jet-setting around the world with her bestie, the new captain of the Ironfield Forge, Adrian. He’s fully recovered from an injury that everyone in the world can’t stop talking about and it’s a MAJORLY EMBARRASSING ONE. I don’t usually do spoilers, and I can’t remember if it’s in the blurb or not so I’ll mark this as spoilery, but he took a puck to the balls. And one actually ruptured. Yeah. Ouch is putting it lightly.
So, what worked for me was the easy friendship between Clover and Adrian. They had chemistry and history and knew each other inside and out. Except... he had no idea she was a virgin. That’s the kind of thing best friends know. I found it a little strange that even though Clover knew about Adrian’s sex life, he knew nothing about hers. But okay, it furthers part of the plot. I can go with that.
What bothered me was that she kept insisting that what was missing was a baby. What would fix her life was a baby. What would make her whole was a baby. That’s not how this works, sweets. I get it. You want to settle down and stop just being a freebird. But why wait so long to reveal the truth of what was said in the hospital? And why doesn’t Adrian EVER take the test? Why bring the doc into the picture at all if he never goes back?
Okay, I guess I did get spoilery in this review.
That’s why I knocked off a star... I didn’t get why she took so long to just come out with the truth and he didn’t just put on his big boy pants and take the test. Or tell the team the truth about why the team was put together to begin with.
I am super interested to see if the other guys on the team can get their shirt together and actually be a team vs the spoiled ashholes we see throughout the book. Especially Beau. Ugh, I wanted to punch him every time he was on the page. Which means Sosie will give him an EPIC redemption, and likely make me wait forever for it because she knows how to build suspense. 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2021
This won't be the best read of 2021 but it sure is fun and super sexy
I really enjoyed this book. I have been looking for something light, fun, and sexy for several weeks. This was the 41st book I've read this year (thank you Amazon reading insights). It certainly won't win any literary prizes but it put a smile on my face.
The Forge is a brand new expansion NHL expansion team made up of league misfits by design. Adrian is the captain and the only player on the team with a respectable reputation. Clover is his best friend and has been since kindergarten. The injury he suffered the previous season really scared her and made her start questioning her priorities in life.
This book was quite a page turner for me. The steamy scenes were phenomenal. If you don't like long, detailed scenes, you won't like this book. I had absolutely NO problem with those scenes. The dirty talk was flaming hot. I would have liked to have had more story outside of those scenes but they didn't need to be shorter. Largely, the length of those scenes was due to each character thinking about how beautiful the moment was, how much they couldn't believe they hadn't done it before, etc. It wasn't pages of body part descriptions. In fact, Ms. Frost seemed to only use about 3 words to describe those parts and the ones for the female parts were more tasteful than necessary.
The scene with the hit tub was pretty funny to me. As was her flight from hell. Reminiscent of Pippa Grant or Lucy Score humor.
One small disappointment I had was in trying to make a scary, the couple didn't do any research, which would have told them it usually takes several months to conceive. And trying once a month isn't the best recipe for success.
This is the first book I've read by this author. I hope she adds more to her books outside of the bedroom in the future but I will keep reading for the light, fun aspects of her stories.
I really enjoyed this book. I have been looking for something light, fun, and sexy for several weeks. This was the 41st book I've read this year (thank you Amazon reading insights). It certainly won't win any literary prizes but it put a smile on my face.
The Forge is a brand new expansion NHL expansion team made up of league misfits by design. Adrian is the captain and the only player on the team with a respectable reputation. Clover is his best friend and has been since kindergarten. The injury he suffered the previous season really scared her and made her start questioning her priorities in life.
This book was quite a page turner for me. The steamy scenes were phenomenal. If you don't like long, detailed scenes, you won't like this book. I had absolutely NO problem with those scenes. The dirty talk was flaming hot. I would have liked to have had more story outside of those scenes but they didn't need to be shorter. Largely, the length of those scenes was due to each character thinking about how beautiful the moment was, how much they couldn't believe they hadn't done it before, etc. It wasn't pages of body part descriptions. In fact, Ms. Frost seemed to only use about 3 words to describe those parts and the ones for the female parts were more tasteful than necessary.
The scene with the hit tub was pretty funny to me. As was her flight from hell. Reminiscent of Pippa Grant or Lucy Score humor.
One small disappointment I had was in trying to make a scary, the couple didn't do any research, which would have told them it usually takes several months to conceive. And trying once a month isn't the best recipe for success.
This is the first book I've read by this author. I hope she adds more to her books outside of the bedroom in the future but I will keep reading for the light, fun aspects of her stories.
November 26, 2021
“Adrian” is the first in the hockey series and takes place in Ironfield. If you are familiar with Mrs. Frost’s previous novels, you will realize Ironfield is the town for her football series. Some rich people have decided to have a third sport, hockey, to the town. Adrian Aldric becomes the team captain of the newly formed hockey team housed in a newly built top-of-the-line arena. As Adrian tries to lift the morale of his ragtag team of hockey players, he also tries to come to grips with his feelings for his best friend, Clover, as their relationship shifts.
I want to start by saying I love Sosie Frost novels. The first of each of her series is always the best. I have read the “Touchdowns and Tiaras” series and most of the Payne Brothers series, and some of her standalone novels. Secondly, I am not a hockey fan, but I have read previous romance novels about hockey teams and players. Now to “Adrian.” The story has the verbal kung-fu that is the trademark of Mrs. Frost’s novels. The first chapter was syrupy sweet for me. Adrian extolled all the ways Clover’s physical attributes were like various sweet foods or coffee. The chapters where Clover described Adrian were mainly about his pigsty living and his huge muscles. I would have loved to read more about the chaos with the hockey team and less about Adrian’s injury, which plays a big part in his relationship with Clover. The chemistry between Adrian and Clover was not as steamy as I expected. I did enjoy that the novel had Easter eggs from other novels. I also would have liked a better name for the hockey arena, but the name is an Easter egg. Overall, the novel was beautifully written. I am excited to read “Beau” and I hope more is given about Oz, Vasha, Cash, and Magnolia, and Evan as the series moves along.
I received a free advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start by saying I love Sosie Frost novels. The first of each of her series is always the best. I have read the “Touchdowns and Tiaras” series and most of the Payne Brothers series, and some of her standalone novels. Secondly, I am not a hockey fan, but I have read previous romance novels about hockey teams and players. Now to “Adrian.” The story has the verbal kung-fu that is the trademark of Mrs. Frost’s novels. The first chapter was syrupy sweet for me. Adrian extolled all the ways Clover’s physical attributes were like various sweet foods or coffee. The chapters where Clover described Adrian were mainly about his pigsty living and his huge muscles. I would have loved to read more about the chaos with the hockey team and less about Adrian’s injury, which plays a big part in his relationship with Clover. The chemistry between Adrian and Clover was not as steamy as I expected. I did enjoy that the novel had Easter eggs from other novels. I also would have liked a better name for the hockey arena, but the name is an Easter egg. Overall, the novel was beautifully written. I am excited to read “Beau” and I hope more is given about Oz, Vasha, Cash, and Magnolia, and Evan as the series moves along.
I received a free advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2021
Adrian is the captain for the Ironfield hockey team, if you have read Sosie Frost previous books about Ironfield football team this is basically a spin-off. Adrian and Clover are best friends they have been for years, but they have never admitted their true feelings to one another. They cuddle, have movie night and even go on trips together. Clover ask Adrian if they can make a baby together of course Adrian says yes and thoughout the book they both fight their feelings for one another, while making this baby, in the midst of this Adrian is also trying to build a team with a bunch of dysfunctional players. (who I am hoping their stories will be better)The author never describes Adrian, heck I am not even sure what his nationality is, we do know that Clover is African American, however I don’t inderstand why the author never discuss race or fully disclose the person ethnicity. IMO this book is slow, witty at some parts but slow, the book reminds me of a young adult or someone not comfortable discussing sex with quotes like “he took my petal” or “the man explored my petals with lavish praise” what in the world does that even mean?!? In one scene in the book I wasn’t sure if they were having sex or if we was reading Clover thoughts.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 11, 2021
This is a comfort food romance. It has all the elements of a traditional romance with a plucky heroine, a broody hero, entertaining supporting characters, plus organic drama with a little bit of angst and some comedy. It has the vibe of a classic romcom and I enjoyed every minute of it. If there's one thing that Sosie Frost is excels at in her stories, it's witty dialogue.
Adrian and Clover are lifelong best friends. Clover is a petite dynamo flight attendant who loves travel & adventures and her best friend, Adrian. Adrian is an introvert hockey player still on the mend from a serious injury that has left him being the butt of many jokes. These two soulmates have been forever entwined but have now reached a point where their relationship is on the precipice of being something much more. Will taking that step damage their lifelong friendship?
I enjoyed the journey of Adrian and Clover in trying to figure out the dance of becoming lovers from being best friends. The hard part wasn't the actual step from platonic to sexual since each had long thought the other sexy but the fear of what could change between them. I like that each was sure to reassure the other that even with things changing that they still loved each other & were important to each other. As I read their story, I appreciated how the emotions of the other remained imperative... which doesn't meant they didn't each get it wrong at times, but I never doubted that these two characters love each other and are in love with each other. Also, Adrian & Clover's story showed what happens not just when you're scared to embrace your true north on all levels but how being true and honest with one's self can open the door to many fulfilling rewards.
Adrian and Clover are lifelong best friends. Clover is a petite dynamo flight attendant who loves travel & adventures and her best friend, Adrian. Adrian is an introvert hockey player still on the mend from a serious injury that has left him being the butt of many jokes. These two soulmates have been forever entwined but have now reached a point where their relationship is on the precipice of being something much more. Will taking that step damage their lifelong friendship?
I enjoyed the journey of Adrian and Clover in trying to figure out the dance of becoming lovers from being best friends. The hard part wasn't the actual step from platonic to sexual since each had long thought the other sexy but the fear of what could change between them. I like that each was sure to reassure the other that even with things changing that they still loved each other & were important to each other. As I read their story, I appreciated how the emotions of the other remained imperative... which doesn't meant they didn't each get it wrong at times, but I never doubted that these two characters love each other and are in love with each other. Also, Adrian & Clover's story showed what happens not just when you're scared to embrace your true north on all levels but how being true and honest with one's self can open the door to many fulfilling rewards.
December 1, 2021
Hilarious rom-com with a heart of gold!
Adrian and Clover are so perfect together! Best friends since childhood, they're moving past Adrian's recent injury and career move to a new expansion team at the same time that Clover's biological clock is redirecting her priorities.
I love the rollicking humor that is this author's trademark. Her gift for situational humor is unparalleled, giving us creative chaos on both airplanes and hockey rinks, without detracting from the charm that keeps her characters relatable.
Once you get past all the snark and witticisms, the heart of this story is a strong friendship that turned into true love before either Adrian or Clover knew what happened. I adored the way they supported each other and made each other face their hidden truths. The secret twist revealed near the end was a stroke of genius, a brilliant move that made everything that happened earlier mean so very much more.
I love that this book is as much about the newly formed team as it is about the romance. There's a wonderful story of brotherhood and teamwork brewing here, though it's off to quite the rocky start. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this side of the story progresses through each of the upcoming romances.
If you've never read a Sosie Frost story, you don't know what you're missing. She has a unique voice in rom-coms and each book is an amazing reading experience. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Adrian and Clover are so perfect together! Best friends since childhood, they're moving past Adrian's recent injury and career move to a new expansion team at the same time that Clover's biological clock is redirecting her priorities.
I love the rollicking humor that is this author's trademark. Her gift for situational humor is unparalleled, giving us creative chaos on both airplanes and hockey rinks, without detracting from the charm that keeps her characters relatable.
Once you get past all the snark and witticisms, the heart of this story is a strong friendship that turned into true love before either Adrian or Clover knew what happened. I adored the way they supported each other and made each other face their hidden truths. The secret twist revealed near the end was a stroke of genius, a brilliant move that made everything that happened earlier mean so very much more.
I love that this book is as much about the newly formed team as it is about the romance. There's a wonderful story of brotherhood and teamwork brewing here, though it's off to quite the rocky start. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this side of the story progresses through each of the upcoming romances.
If you've never read a Sosie Frost story, you don't know what you're missing. She has a unique voice in rom-coms and each book is an amazing reading experience. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
January 7, 2021
Clarity after confusion, best EVERYTHING and beyond
Adrian: An Ironfield Forge Hockey Romance by Sosie Frost is yet another wonderful romance read! This best friend duo are simply and divinely dynamic. Their chemistry as friends is solid and seemingly indestructible. Best of all, their foundation as friends makes the segue into lovers surprisingly awkward-free (who knew?), but full of undiscovered and perpetually denied feelings.
The plot/sub plot is engaging all around including Hockey action, team politics and dynamics all building up to a combustible super nova (both on the ice and in the bedroom). Through it all, the building tension of the team and the dynamic duo that is Adrian and Clover, creates a great story, couple and beginning of a series. To say this misfit Hockey Team is intriguing is putting it mildly.
Overall, a sweet start to this new series, HEA and all. I am completely hooked and ready for these Hockey playing bad boys to rock my romance reading world. I have a feeling book 2 is gonna be a doozy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily sharing my review.
Adrian: An Ironfield Forge Hockey Romance by Sosie Frost is yet another wonderful romance read! This best friend duo are simply and divinely dynamic. Their chemistry as friends is solid and seemingly indestructible. Best of all, their foundation as friends makes the segue into lovers surprisingly awkward-free (who knew?), but full of undiscovered and perpetually denied feelings.
The plot/sub plot is engaging all around including Hockey action, team politics and dynamics all building up to a combustible super nova (both on the ice and in the bedroom). Through it all, the building tension of the team and the dynamic duo that is Adrian and Clover, creates a great story, couple and beginning of a series. To say this misfit Hockey Team is intriguing is putting it mildly.
Overall, a sweet start to this new series, HEA and all. I am completely hooked and ready for these Hockey playing bad boys to rock my romance reading world. I have a feeling book 2 is gonna be a doozy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily sharing my review.
January 22, 2021
4.00 Stars. (BW/WM). Kindle E-book Edition. Friends . Lovers. Sweet. Clover Crosby ,a petit black female, and Adrian Alaric, a hulking white male, have been friends and an active part of in each others lives since they were 4-year-old children. Presently, they are in their late twenties, Clover is an adventure loving flight attendant and Adrian is the captain of the National Hockey League Team located in their home town. The storyline moves very slow for the first third of the story. Once Clover petitions Adrian to take her virginity and sire a child with her, there is a lot of repetitive excuses of how sex between them might adversely affect their friendship. After much ado they proceed to have sex and come to the realization that they have been in love with each other for years but didn't have the courage to admit it-even to themselves. Toward the end of the story, Clover tells Adrian that he proposed marriage to her and expressed a desire for them to start a family; but because he was heavily medicated, he didn't remember and she couldn't forget because she wanted it too. They finally get they baby and a life together based on not only friendship but romantic love.
January 5, 2021
Adrian is nursing a painful (and embarrassing) injury - back to health - but maybe not? And it's the maybe not that's leaving him feeling vulnerable and unsure. He's the captain of a new ice hockey team with a crew of delinquents and problems...not an ideal situation. But it brought him closer to his best friend, Clover. What he really wasn't prepared for was her request to help her become a mother. What neither of them anticipated was all the underlying feelings they'd be forced to address, or the true challenges of trying to lead a team that doesn't want to be led, with an owner who doesn't want them to succeed. This was an entertaining story with moments of hilarity mixed in with sadness, and lots of crazy antics from the members of the members of Forge. Definitely for the 18+ audience.
January 10, 2021
Hysterically Funny Friends to Lovers
Stewardess Clover though that all she wanted was to travel the world and share some of it with her best friend Adrian. Until she didn’t. Now she wants a baby and she wants it with him. Can their relationship survive this? Will they finally realize that they love each other more than friends?
Hockey star Adrian has more problems than he has fingers. After last season’s frightening injury to the crown jewels, he didn’t think it could get any worse. Until his team traded him to a new expansion team, more like abandoned him. Now he has a team full of over-inflated egos that can’t get along and management seems to want it that way. Add to that his best friend dropping the bomb on him that she wants his baby, he’s not sure which way is up. Can he survive this or should he just hang up his skates and walk away from the loves of his life?
Stewardess Clover though that all she wanted was to travel the world and share some of it with her best friend Adrian. Until she didn’t. Now she wants a baby and she wants it with him. Can their relationship survive this? Will they finally realize that they love each other more than friends?
Hockey star Adrian has more problems than he has fingers. After last season’s frightening injury to the crown jewels, he didn’t think it could get any worse. Until his team traded him to a new expansion team, more like abandoned him. Now he has a team full of over-inflated egos that can’t get along and management seems to want it that way. Add to that his best friend dropping the bomb on him that she wants his baby, he’s not sure which way is up. Can he survive this or should he just hang up his skates and walk away from the loves of his life?
October 22, 2021
3.5 Stars
Adrian is a character driven, well written story, but I don't know how feel about it overall. The beginning was a little meh, the middle wauus good, and the end was fine. I enjoyed Adrian and Clover's friendship, and I thought their transition into a relationship was handle well...for the most part. However, I found it Highly absurd that Adrian and Clover acted as if having sex was the only way she could have his baby. I know why Clover wanted to sleep with him, but Adrian never brings up any alternative way for Clover to have child, which didn't make sense because he was adamant about not sleeping with her. This aspect of story and Adrian not going to the doctor to make sure swimmers were ready to go annoyed me to no end. In addition, what if he was capable of impregnating Clover, but she wasn't able to get pregnant??? He would have broken her heart for Nothing. *sigh*
Adrian is a character driven, well written story, but I don't know how feel about it overall. The beginning was a little meh, the middle wauus good, and the end was fine. I enjoyed Adrian and Clover's friendship, and I thought their transition into a relationship was handle well...for the most part. However, I found it Highly absurd that Adrian and Clover acted as if having sex was the only way she could have his baby. I know why Clover wanted to sleep with him, but Adrian never brings up any alternative way for Clover to have child, which didn't make sense because he was adamant about not sleeping with her. This aspect of story and Adrian not going to the doctor to make sure swimmers were ready to go annoyed me to no end. In addition, what if he was capable of impregnating Clover, but she wasn't able to get pregnant??? He would have broken her heart for Nothing. *sigh*
January 7, 2021
Great way to start off the new year with a fantastic story by Sosie Frost!! 5 happy stars for this one!!
Sosie Frost imparted the pages of Adrian with beautifully written magic, making reality faded away as I became immersed in the world she created. The perfect blend of intoxicating chemistry, swoon, sass, witty banter, laughs, feels, and an abundance of steam. This was a really romantic, super steamy, perfect romance book! I devoured this book in less than a day, and am in MAJOR book hangover! Sosie Frost writes true swoon worthy romances. 5 happy stars for this one! Great way to start off the new year with a fantastic story by Sosie Frost!! What you waiting for, go find out for yourself! Happy reading everyone!!
Sosie Frost imparted the pages of Adrian with beautifully written magic, making reality faded away as I became immersed in the world she created. The perfect blend of intoxicating chemistry, swoon, sass, witty banter, laughs, feels, and an abundance of steam. This was a really romantic, super steamy, perfect romance book! I devoured this book in less than a day, and am in MAJOR book hangover! Sosie Frost writes true swoon worthy romances. 5 happy stars for this one! Great way to start off the new year with a fantastic story by Sosie Frost!! What you waiting for, go find out for yourself! Happy reading everyone!!
January 7, 2021
Adrian was a very good and well written story about two best friends. I love friends to lovers romance so I was excited to read this new book by Sosie Frost. Best friends Adrian and Clover have been best friends for years despite differences. Neither have ever crossed the line from friendship to romance. Now Adrian as a pro hockey player has been traded to a new team which will having him living closer to Clover. So imagine Adrian's shock when after he suffers a quite unique and embarrassing injury on the ice, Clover tells him she wants a baby and she wants Adrian to contribute to her cause. I really enjoyed everything about this story. I cannot wait for the next books in the series. 5 stars!
January 10, 2021
Sosie Frost giving me hockey?! I was so hype I jumped into this hard. And I was disappointed. Even though friends to lover isn’t my favorite trope I trust Sosie and she delivered all over the place.
Adrian and Clover were adorable, evenly matched in both seeing themselves clearly and yet knowing that nobody else could understand them the way the other did. Joining an expanse team set up for failure theres a stacked deck but that doesn’t smother their fire for one another.
The sexy times were hot hot hot. The banter was adorable and the broken team with such potential was so on point. As a romance reader I was pleased and as a hockey fan I was pleased so I can’t wait to recommend this to everyone who might listen.
Adrian and Clover were adorable, evenly matched in both seeing themselves clearly and yet knowing that nobody else could understand them the way the other did. Joining an expanse team set up for failure theres a stacked deck but that doesn’t smother their fire for one another.
The sexy times were hot hot hot. The banter was adorable and the broken team with such potential was so on point. As a romance reader I was pleased and as a hockey fan I was pleased so I can’t wait to recommend this to everyone who might listen.
January 15, 2021
I love Sosie's books and this one is no different. These 2 are best friends and have been for 20+ years. Adrian is a Hockey player and Clover is an Air stewardess.
Adrian has a rather nasty accident with a puck and it requires surgery and Clover is by his side through it all. While coming out of the anaesthetic, he asked clover something but he doesn't remember. And this gives Clover a crazy idea. She wants Adrian to give her a baby.
Clover is getting restless up in the air and no real place to call home. But I think she's always know where her home is but she's too afraid to go after it.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved both of them together. Adrian was rather lovely. And Clover was great. I loved how supportive Clover was with Adrian and pushed him to be the best version of himself.
The only thing that annoyed me really, was all the chaos, again. There's really no need for it and sometimes I just didn't find it funny. And it can detract from the story. When them parts came up in this book, I skimmed it. Sorry.
Adrian has a rather nasty accident with a puck and it requires surgery and Clover is by his side through it all. While coming out of the anaesthetic, he asked clover something but he doesn't remember. And this gives Clover a crazy idea. She wants Adrian to give her a baby.
Clover is getting restless up in the air and no real place to call home. But I think she's always know where her home is but she's too afraid to go after it.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved both of them together. Adrian was rather lovely. And Clover was great. I loved how supportive Clover was with Adrian and pushed him to be the best version of himself.
The only thing that annoyed me really, was all the chaos, again. There's really no need for it and sometimes I just didn't find it funny. And it can detract from the story. When them parts came up in this book, I skimmed it. Sorry.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews